Its a Hero

Remy Bea

Elevate, Play with Lark, SOAK, and Eat Local! // Embracing the Chaos

by 17 Comments

We’ve been so crazy busy lately that we’ve hardly had a chance to slow down. It’s my own fault, really. I’m a chronic over-scheduler. It’s a blessing and a curse, friends. It really is.

See, I thrive on the crazy; I need the busy days. I need them because they make me feel accomplished. And slowing down just isn’t in my vocabulary. At least, not in this current season of my life.

So here’s what we’ve been up to as of late:

Lots and lots and lots of playing with the kids. Lucky for me, we have a standing playdate at the YMCA every day but Sunday (because, well, I’m there for 4-6 hours a day). So both kids really love (and need) this time with their friends.

But it’s been HOT, friends. Like, hot and crazy humid. Which has truly limited our outdoor play. However, I have felt a bit more comfortable playing outdoors with the kiddos knowing that Miss Bea is wearing moisture-wicking baby clothes from Lark.

If you haven’t heard of Lark, their mission is to make quality baby clothes that can easily endure the daily life of an active infant or toddler. They have developed a proprietary natural, eco-friendly moisture wicking fabric. Safer for babies sensitive skin than some of the synthetic wear that adults wear when outside or working out! Awesome, right!?

Well Miss Bea is truly comfortable in her rompers and bodysuits from Lark. And I breathe easy knowing the fabric is not only breathable, but free of synthetic fabric and chemicals, and is made in the USA!

And you can get free shipping on any order using this code: SHIPPING. Go support this awesome business, friends!

Living in my SOAK sandals. So I am weird about shoes. See, when I find shoes I love, I live in them. Like, I wear holes in my flats because I wear them every day and literally nothing else. So when I was offered a pair of slides from SOAK, a company right here in the United States, I truly didn’t know what to expect.

See, I have super high arches in my feet and it makes wearing anything slip-on quite difficult (and sometimes painful). But I’ve worn these every single day for the last 30 days and I’m in love.

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on

They’re comfortable, incredibly stylish, and crunchy-mama-friendly! Yep, not only are they made in Maine, but they are made from BPA-free recycled materials!

And so versatile! I’ve worn them with dresses and to my yoga classes! Seriously the only shoe I’ve needed (well, except for my running shoes to, well, run!).

Check out their full line of slides here and use code CHIC15 to save 15% off!

Yoga. Not quite #yogaeverydamnday, but my fire for yoga has been reignited, thanks to a couple of amazing yoga classes.

Last week I went to Elevate Akron, an annual outdoor yoga event here in my amazing city. It was powerful, friends. So powerful! I realized that all of the cycling, running, and strength training I’ve been doing has totally made me more physically fit — in ways I didn’t even realize before! I am so much stronger than I’d recently given myself credit for.

Oh, and I’m certain that the stretching and conditioning alongside the gymnasts I coach doesn’t hurt!

But then I decided to go, solo, to my first Yoga on Tap/Balance and Brews event. See, here in Northeast Ohio, we’ve been on the beer + yoga train for a long time — at least the last 4 years! But, sadly, I’ve never been able to actually make a class.

Well, that changed yesterday. I was elated to find out that Melissa of Balance and Brews was teaching a class right here in my own town, at HiHo Brewing Co.!

It was a great class and ended with a complimentary beer (the Smash Smash Pilz Pilz double pilsner was the bomb!).

So many markets! Guys, I’m a sucker for a good farmers market. Throw in some hand-crafted goodies? Double-sold.

Between the Cleveland Flea, the Akron Honey Market, and the Countryside Conservancy Market in Highland Square? We’ve been biz-zeeee! Busy getting delicious food, ya’ll!

Cycling. Kickboxing. and Gymnastics, Oh My! I’ve been working out non-stop and, like I said, I’m feeling so much stronger! One thing that’s truly been helping is how much I’ve been trying to remain committed to my schedule of workouts. At times it’s been a struggle, but it’s also been a saving grace during the crazy moments. As much as, in those moments, I want to just hide or cry or sleep, I find myself working out all of my frustrations and it’s helped me tremendously.

Sure, we’ve been busy. But it’s been perfect. Perfect chaos! So tell me — Do you thrive on chaos, like me? Or do you prefer to have unscheduled days and relaxing weekends!?

 

 

 

The Little Mermaid, Retro Dog, and a Pi(e) Day Celebration // A Wrap Up

by 20 Comments

Yesterday, after staring at my planner for what seemed like hours, I was amazed to see that we’re nearing the end of March. Amazed because it seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Remy Bea’s first birthday — but it was two whole months ago!

Every single day with little kids feels like the.longest.day.ever. Everyday is jam-packed with commitments, errands, and the mundane; but somehow, we blink, and another week, month, and year have passed.

A dear friend of mine recently told me she thinks I’m crazy for keeping my schedule as jam-packed as it is; that I leave very little room for ‘down time.’ But also, that she commends me for keeping my kids active and involved in things — whether that be karate, playdates, or weekly trips to the art museum!

And this past week was no different. Well, minus one little thing:

I sent my husband on a Guys Trip to Wilmington, North Carolina to golf for 5 and a half days.

He had a blast, and we did a great job at surviving! 🙂

Here’s what we’ve been up to in the last week:

  • I took Ari to see The Little Mermaid ballet at the Akron Civic Theater. Despite my child’s affinity for all things Disney and all things artsy, he was bored. Cotton candy helped. Eh, win some, lose some, friends.

 

  • Before our ballet excursion, Ari and I went on lunch date at our favorite spot — Retro Dog! I know I’ve talked about Retro Dog previously, but it’s seriously one of our favorite spots. They serve hot dogs, burgers, fries, onion rings, custard, and beer from Thirsty Dog Brewing. The couple that owns it is originally from Buffalo and their hot dogs are a Buffalo staple — Sahlen’s!
  • Ari’s karate session ended with a bang — or a HIYA! But not to fret, T-Ball starts this week. (PS. I’ve been informed that of all of the local leagues, we signed Ari up for the most intense and most serious league in our area. Ooooops. Makes sense since they have two practices this week alone… for t-ball….).

  • Pi(e) day was a success! Thank you, Sweet Mary’s! Your French Toast Pie did not disappoint!
    PS. Can it be Pi Day every day!?!

  • After months of false starts, Miss Bea finally started (and kept) walking. She’s taken steps before — up to 8 in a row — but this was the first time she just kept going. And she hasn’t stopped! Hooray!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlMlR7iYRpc]

  • One of the highlights of my weekend was getting a fabulous bright yellow cup from Starbucks. It made the gloomy weather completely worth it.

Guys. We survived. We survived!! Yes, we missed Chad; but we did relatively okay with being a single-parent household for a few days. It proved, both, that he can get away and have fun, and that we could do it — that we could keep on a schedule and power through whatever the week throws at us.

And this week I’m ready to take on my own happiness, ya’ll. Here’s my Weekly Mantra:

TGIM, friends! Don’t stress this Monday — embrace it!! xo

Pinterest Fun, Plans Gone Awry, + a (Long) Overdue Haircut // A Weekend Wrap Up

by 12 Comments

You know those weekends that just restore your soul? Well, I had one of those weekends, friends. It also just so happened to be one of those weekends where I had “X-Y-and-Z” planned…. but all of it got nixed off the to-do list and we just improvised.

Friday we had plans to go to the Great Lakes Science Center and finally utilize our passes. But it was snowing and absolutely frigid, so, even though Chad had taken the day off from work, we decided to just hang around the house with the kids and relax. They still had a blast. [PS. Do you know what kind of fun a 4-year old will have just walking around in Best Buy??]

The chill day came in handy because I had exciting plans for the evening! A little “Moms Night Out,” if you will! My friend Emily had invited me to go to Pin It, which is a Pinterest/craft-making event, with her!

I was so excited to manifest some of my creative energy with Pinterest projects that had already been planned and prepped by someone other than myself! Ha!

But first? Food. Because these delicious macarons and appetizers weren’t going to eat themselves! And after finishing off these delicious snacks, we headed to our first Pin It station — a watercolor mug!

And after the mug we made an “Embrace Messy Hair” planter. I was going to actually use this as a planter, but my mom suggested I use it to store Remy Bea’s bows and headbands. GENIUS! And so it is!

We rounded out the evening with an all-natural headache salve. And, when all was said and done? I realized just how easy these crafts were to do at home! More to come, friends!

Saturday morning, Mimi (who arrived from Kentucky the night before) and I took Ari to the monthly Home Depot workshop.

Unlike January’s workshop, this one wasn’t too complicated for anyone under the age of 40. I kid (but not really. because Februarys’ build was IMPossible). But honestly, if you’ve never been to one of these workshops I absolutely recommend them. They are so fun — and free!

From there I sent Mimi, Chad and the kids to karate while I went to get my haircut for the first time in a few years. YEARS, friends. Years!

 

 

I ended up at Apotheclaire a little early so I stopped next door at Sweet Mary’s Bakery for a morning snack and coffee! And, if you’re local, you *must* stop in to both of these places! Sweet Mary’s Bakery is A-MAZING, and Apotheclaire is so incredibly eco-friendly and local-focused.

I went in to my hair appointment knowing that I wanted my hair cut off, but not a pixie cut like before; I also knew that I wanted something specific, but couldn’t exactly put it into words (or pictures); soooo big pressure to my stylist. Ha! But I told her what I wanted and she delivered ONE THOUSAND PERCENT! Helloooooo, asymmetrical long bob!

I walked around the rest of my day with a little sass in my step, for sure! It’s a good thing we had a family party to attend so that I had somewhere to be with all of that sass!

PS. The only picture I have from this party was of Remy eating ALL OF THE WORLD (as per usual). But seriously. Where does this child (and her tapeworm) put all of this food!?

Saturday night Ari had his first sleepover at Grandma Vicki and Grandma Rosie’s house (my aunts’ house), so we got off the hook and just had to deal with one tired kid! And by the time we got home Remy was totally ready for bed (no naps will do that to a kid!).

After Remy fell asleep, Mimi and I snuck out to the second official Northside Market! It was later than I’d hoped, but we made it! It was great running into Kevin of Studio KMR and Rachel from IWearJewelRay. It was such a quick trip before we headed home, but it was so worth it. I love running into my creative friends, even if just briefly!

And Sunday? Sunday wasn’t all that bad, friends. It had the makings of a busy day — more talk of perhaps going to the Science Center after we picked Ari up from his sleepover. But once we met up with him we realized that taking a sleep deprived child to a busy museum? Not going to be that much fun. So instead we went to lunch and to Trader Joe’s. Because? #MomLife.

Oh, but I did manage to score 4 pairs of shoes for $70 (after tax!!) from Stride Rite in Legacy Village. So, if you’re local to Northeast Ohio, head over there, like, now. Because they’re going out of business and these prices are THE BOMB.

It was honestly the perfect way to round out the weekend. Just regular Mom Life at it’s best.

A huge thank you to everyone who was in any way involved in this weekend. Whether or not I saw you, texted you, or even if you just sent positive vibes my way, thank you. I will always be forever grateful for my tribe. They make weekends like this possible! ♥ ♥ ♥ Cheers to many more weekends like this!

xoxo

Soothing A Colicky Baby //

by 18 Comments

In my (many) efforts to be a super-‘real mom,’ I’ve shared our struggles with colic quite a bit. Honestly, before becoming a mom — heck, even after becoming a mom — I had read and heard so little about the battle that is colic. It was discouraging, to say the least.

We found ourselves knee-deep in colic with both Ari and Remy pretty much from day one. The crying, the screaming, the inability to soothe my babies… it was pure torture. We spent so many sleepless nights and fussy days just trying to survive. We tried every ‘trick’ in the book: special ‘holds,’ dietary restrictions, bouncing, rocking, and even driving her around in the car in hopes the screaming would stop (breaking news: it didn’t).

It was easy to find ourselves frustrated by the idea that they would ‘grow out of it’ in time. Especially when we were comparing (PS. don’t compare) our parenting journey to that of our friends or strangers from the internet. Those babies who slept through the night from day one (or even month 6)? Please. Please stop bragging. That’s the only thing I could think to say (and, honestly, the nicest thing I could think to say). For us, we were legitimately just trying to figure out a way to make our babies comfortable; a way to get them to sleep more than 20 minutes; and a way to simply make it through.

So what is colic?

Colic is usually when a healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week, for over 3 weeks. It usually starts in the first few weeks of life. Babies may experience increased crying in the evening and at night. It’s the kind of blood-curdling, incessant, screaming, that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. (Lies: I probably would wish it on my worst enemy because colic is a GREAT torture technique, ya’ll).

If you wonder “hmm, maybe my baby had colic,” chances are your baby did not have colic. There is a significant difference between crying a lot and colic. I promise.

Soothing a colicky baby.

There are options for both breastfed and formula-fed babies. For breastfed babies, trying dietary restrictions through an elimination diet are helpful, but often take weeks to make a difference. In the meantime, introducing Gerber® Soothe Colic Drops is ideal for breastfed babies because it contains calming probiotics that can be helpful for their tummies!

The same goes for formula-fed babies! Trying different bottles, feeding positions and using Gerber® Good Start® Soothe Infant Formula are all positive changes you can make for your baby.

Still looking for help and answers? Gerber has so many experts available — Registered Dietitians, Certified Lactation Consultants and Certified Baby Sleep Consultants — to answer any questions! Just call 1-800-203-4565!

When all’s said and done, try anything and everything. Because less crying for babies means more smiling for all!

Do you have any experience with soothing a colicky baby?? If so, what tips would you give a mom navigating her way through colic?

Remy Bea // 1 YEAR!

by 20 Comments

Guys. I can’t believe we survived a whole year with this child! She has been challenging since her first days at home. She has pushed me to my physical and mental limits, but we survived. I feel like this blog post should just be titled “WE SURVIVED!” I’m not even joking.

For those who haven’t followed our journey from the very beginning, let me quickly recap: Remy Bea came into this world a few days late, but in a big hurry. After a drug-free delivery, and immediate latch, we headed home. Once home, Miss Bea decided that she didn’t want to latch anymore — at least not without using a nipple shield. We dealt with it. It was fine.

But that was really just the beginning of her difficulties.

We spent the better part of the next 8 months trying to figure out why she wouldn’t sleep. She averaged about 2-3 hours a night and then would literally scream the whole rest of the night. Oh – and she wouldn’t take a bottle. Just me and my nipple shield. I was exhausted. I was at my wits end. I would regularly wake up my husband (who slept in the other room so he could actually sleep) just to cry and hand her off because I was afraid I might actually shake her. I spent so many nights crying and screaming and saying atrocious things to my baby. These are not my proudest moments, but I have to share so that if anyone else has been in this position (which, I believe more women have been than care to admit) they know that they are not alone.

After figuring out she’d been dealing with UTIs and then visiting a chiropractor to get treated with cranial sacral therapy (oh, and me giving up dairy), our life took a turn for the betterish. No, there weren’t rainbows or butterflies; but the nights where I screamed obscenities were fewer and further between.

And since I didn’t do an 11-month recap, here’s what you’ve missed since her 10-month recap:

  • Girlfriend still isn’t walking, but totally should be. That’s right. Chick can cruise furniture, she can stand up on her own in the middle of the room, and she can walk using her walker. In fact, I know she could walk if she wasn’t so lazy. That’s even what our pediatrician said! Ha! She just knows she can hustle by crawling even faster!
  • Eating. Ari calls Remy Bea a “hungry, hungry, hippo,” and this could not be more accurate. She throws down full-adult sized meals. No joke. Her favorite foods (besides ‘everything’) are rice, chicken, beans, muffins, bananas, pancakes, cranberries, blueberries, prunes, grapes, pasta, and ham. This kid can eat, y’all.
  • Which is amazing considering she weighed in at 16 lb 3 oz at her one year well-visit. If you’re keeping track, she’s still holding strong in the 2nd percentile for weight. I legit asked the doctor if she has a tape worm because she’s honest to God eating food nonstop!
  • Sleep is happening, ya’ll. Sleep is happening! I feel like shouting this from the rooftops! About 5 weeks ago, I moved her out of our room (where the crib is) and into Ari’s room with the pack-n-play. And, believe it or not, she sleeps! I swear it has more to do with me not being in the room than anything else. If she can’t smell me in the middle of the night, perhaps she just doesn’t wake up because of me! (It also can’t hurt that I wear earplugs and will only go down to her if she really needs me).

  • Girlfriend is still very much breastfeeding. It was still regularly every 3-4 hours up until a few weeks ago. Magically, one week before her first birthday, she decided to take a bottle of pumped breastmilk and just drink it. I. was. in. disbelief! Also? A little irritated. Like, now, you decide to take a bottle!? Sigh. Oh well. Hashtag WeSurvived.
  • Words. Miss Bea can scream “Mama,” “Dada,” and “Mommy!” like it’s her job. But she’s also saying “no,” “mine,” “ball,” “hi,” “bye,” and “hello?” Hello is by far the cutest thing she says, because, when she says it, she’s either holding up my phone to her ear, or just her hand. And it’s definitely a question! “Hewo?” ahhh! Melt my heart!
  • She had her first experience with throwing up. (insert sad face) When we all had the stomach virus, Remy got hit almost as hard as Ari. I was able to stop her from getting dehydrated, but she still was throwing up quite often for a few days. It was awful, ya’ll. See all those different types of food she likes to eat?? Well, it wasn’t just breast milk vomit. It was real-food vomit too. Ugh.

I have to say, as much of a pain as she has been, and as much as I can actually see her continuing to be a ‘spirited’ child in the future, I’m so grateful that she completed our family just one year ago! But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m ecstatic to be out of the ‘baby’ stage. It’s a cute stage, but it’s oh-so-difficult! I’m so excited to see what this next year bring us with both of our kiddos! Thanks for following along for the first year of Miss Bea’s life! xo

Remy Bea’s Winter ONEderland //

by 14 Comments

Monday my last baby had her first birthday. I know! I still can’t believe it! Well, over the weekend we celebrated little Miss Bea turning the big O-N-E with a small party. (Note: It was really hard for me to throw a small party. We just don’t know how to do “small” parties in my family! But I feel like I showed a decent amount of restraint this time around.)

Her party theme was loosely based on a “Winter ONEderland” theme. But mostly? I just wanted pink and gold. Whatevs to everything else.

Her pink smash cake was completely dairy-free and made by Moi! But the other cake was made by Mimi!

I think we pulled it off alright. Eh, in the end, I tried. And everyone seemed to have a good time. That’s what matters most! Right?

Oh! And I had this poster made for her party, and I *swear* I took a photo of it hanging up; but I cannot find that photo anywhere!

PS. What is it with kids wanting to be RIGHT IN the pictures!? My kid has been guilty in the past, too. And, in this case, it was cousins! RIGHT in my camera shot every dang time! Ha!

All in all, it was an absolutely perfect afternoon. I honestly wasn’t stressed — which is a first for me and birthday parties! If I could have, I would have invited every single person I’ve had in my life for this last year. No joke. I will forever be grateful to my village (and that includes every person — even random strangers — who have done anything kind or helpful for me in this last year).

And thank you, too, for being a part of our journey — for supporting us from afar; for offering advice; and for just sending love and positive vibes our way. We made it!! Cheers to this next year! xo

♥ ♥