Products We Love

I've been meaning to write a post about the baby products that I've loved.  So here it is!  My favorite, must have, couldn't have survived without, items I'm giving as a gift for the next baby shower are:

SwaddleMe
This thing was a life-saver.  Those nurses at the hospital were swaddling ninjas!  Mike and I.... not so much.  It was impossible to swaddle Ava with a regular baby blanket at home.  I don't know if we had the wrong sized blankets or what, but it she always ended up busting out within a few minutes.  Thank God for this swaddle.  It had velcro tabs which were "bust out proof."  During the summer we dressed her in a onesie and this.  Once fall came we put her in a light sleeper under this.  The only flaw I would say is that the material would bunch up around her neck/chin and it made me paranoid that she would suffocate.  There was really no way to keep the fabric pulled down.  We stopped swaddling Ava at night around 4 months old.  I received this item as a gift but it can be purchased at BabiesRUs for around $12.

*this is not a picture of Ava, duh, my baby's way cuter

Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder
This should be filed under things Momma and Baby love!  There are tons of foods you can put in the mesh part.  Ice cubes, frozen fruit or veggies, meat (which I think is weird), etc.  Ava likes a cube of frozen homemade baby food in hers.  I like to give her this in the mornings, so I can eat my breakfast with having her pawing at my food.  It keeps her busy for about 20 minutes.  Little mess.  Easy clean up - rinse in hot water and air dry.  I bought mine at Target for about $5.

Stay tuned for more product reviews and things we love!

Top 2 Tuesday

Top 2 things you've learned about money:

1. Saving is key.  I've always had a savings account, even as a child.  My Mom used to make me deposit $20 from my birthday money each year.  I worked 20-30 hours per week while in nursing school.  Not because I had that many bills or I had that much free time, but because I love to save money.  That savings has come in handy when our car breaks down (ie last week), you take 12 weeks un-paid vacation (ie maternity leave), or you find your *dream purse at T.J. Maxx that costs $80 (ie yesterday). 

2. Money can't buy happiness...
But it can make your life a whole lot easier!  If I wasn't so cheap I would hire a maid in a heart beat.  And a chauffeur.  And a nanny.  Oh to dream!

So What Wednesday

This week I'm saying SO WHAT if...

• I'm working 32 hours this week, in comparison to my usual 8 or 12.  I may be exhausted by the end of the week, but if it means more bonding time with Ava & Dad and more $ for Momma, I'm down!
• I feed Ava back to sleep when she wakes up in the night.  It's better than rocking her for 20 minutes only for her to wake up as soon as I lay her back down.  Anyways, maybe she's hungry?
• I'm not much for wasting food.  But this week I cooked an eggplant in hopes to make baby food out of it.  (I've never eaten eggplant).  Once I cut it open and saw all the nasty little seeds I threw the whole thing away.  It gave me the dry heaves and it would've been impossible to strain out all those seeds.
• When I get my hair cut, I want it cut so my pony tail looks good.  (I wear my hair down about twice a year).  I don't have time to style my hair and it's pointless when a baby pulls on it all day.
• I am addicted to the sweet & sour sauce in the hospital cafeteria.  Yesterday I had a cheeseburger with pickles and sweet & sour sauce.  YUM!  Don't knock it til you try it.

Top 2 Tuesday

Top 2 things you've learned from your parents:

1. Make a commitment and go!  My Mom used to say this a lot when she was teaching us to drive.  (My sis will definitely giggle if you say it to her).  But it really applies to a lot of decisions I make everyday.  I never knew how indecisive I could be until I became a parent.  There are so many decisions when it comes to making/having/raising a baby - A or B?  Left or right?  Up or down?  I learned to make a choice that I believed in, and stick with it. 

2.  Make it work.  I remember my parents saying "We'll make it work" many times growing up.  I often wondered which bank my mom robbed so they could afford to send three kids to a Catholic school (at the same time).  Now she tells me that sending us to a Catholic school was just that important, so they made it work.  I have to remind myself of that phrase almost every day.  It is overwhelming to think of dreams I have for Ava and how I will ever financially make them happen.  Maybe I will rob a bank, maybe I will start saving now.  But if they mean that much to her, I'll make it work!

First night away

Last weekend Mike and I took a trip to Galena, IL.  It was a reunion of some sort.  We and his four best friends from high school rented a house.  I did a little shopping (no good kids stores tho!), got a manicure (which I think is a waste of money, but Mike made me), sat in the hot tub way too long and drank way too much wine.  We had a fantastic time, but it meant leaving Ava.

It was so hard for me.  I've never left her for more than a 12 hour (night) shift at work.  I had anxiety every day for months before this trip.  I worried about who would watch her, how would it go, would she be happy, etc.  I was so thankful that my brother and his wife (Billy & Leah) agreed to watch her.  Ava has been to their home many times and I completely trust them. 

Physically leaving Ava wasn't as hard as I thought.  I gave her a hug and kiss and walked out the door.  No tears from me, and no tears from her, as Leah is awesome at keeping Ava happy.  During the trip I thought about her non-stop.  It kills me to not know what she's doing every second of the day.  I tried to only text Leah a few times.  I didn't want to be the crazy mom, but mostly I wanted Billy and Leah to know that I totally trusted them.

I COULDN'T WAIT to kiss those cheeks!  When I walked in the door Ava looked surprised.  At first I don't think she recognized me (which made me feel like someone was ripping out my insides) but once I picked her up she realized that her Momma was home!!!  And I never want to leave her again. 

Here are some picture of the house where we stayed.  Five bedrooms, five bathrooms, hot tub!

Hold the door!

Do you hold the door for the next person?  I do, but I am amazed by the number of people who don't. 

I am really amazed by the number of people who wouldn't take a second to hold the door open for a mom with a baby.  Here I am struggling with the 10 pound car seat with a 18 pound baby in it.  You do the math.  Ok I'll do it for you... that's almost 30 pounds I'm lugging around. 

I've noticed that the most common person that will hold the door open for me is middle aged men.  Maybe they are Dad's who know their wives have to carry the same heavy load too?  Maybe they think I'm hot and are trying to hit on me?  Ha, who am I kidding.  Smudged glasses, my pj shirt hidden under my coat, and dirty hair are so sexy, right?  Anyway, think about it the next time you open a door - who is behind you?

My Girl

 I will always remember this day, February first, as the day my greatest wish was given to me - a girl!  From the moment I found out that February 1 would be the date of my ultrasound I was so excited.  When I first found out I was pregnant I thought I was having a boy.  I loved growing up with an older brother, and I just pictured myself with a little boy.  Before the ultrasound I did my homework.  I looked at tons of ultrasound pictures online, so I would be able to tell right away if it was a boy or a girl.  The day of the ultrasound finally came!  I could hardly contain my excitement.  The ultrasound tech zoomed in on the parts and said, "Guess what you're having?"  Thankfully I had done my homework because I could tell immediately - IT'S A GIRL!  I was delighted!

I had moments of major anxiety before this ultrasound.  I kept thinking to myself, "What if I never get my girl?  What if I have a boy and then for some reason don't or can't have any more kids?  I have to have my girl!"  I knew that deep down I would never feel complete if I didn't have a daughter.  I have such a special relationship with my mom, and I wanted to have that with my own daughter.  I remember laying in bed that night on February first.  I breathed a deep sigh of relief and thanked God for my girl.