baby girl

Remy Bea’s Winter ONEderland //

January 25, 2017 by Rachel 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

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Little Mover, Big Changes // Adjusting To Life With A Spirited Child

January 1, 2017 by Rachel 34 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit it — Our first born, Ari, did little to prepare us for the wild side of parenting. See, he has always been very cautious and mild-mannered. Certainly, our second child would be just as chill, right?

Wrong. Oh, so, wrong!

Miss Bea is a handful — has been since the day she was born.

At every milestone we’ve thought, “Okay, well I’m sure she’s going to relax/start sleeping/not be so wild or crazy now, right?” And each time she would remind us that she is who she is — a wild one.

And now our little wild one is on the move.

Honest to God, with the exception of two baby gates, we never had to baby proof our home whatsoever for Ari. He just didn’t get himself into dangerous situations.

Miss Bea is … different.

So here’s how we’re prepping for our very mobile, nearly-walking, speed-crawling, spirited child:

All of the baby gates! Though our home is small, it seems as if you can’t move a few feet without having to unlock some sort of gate to get through. And that’s been a bit of a godsend. I can safely leave her in a contained space while I wash dishes/use the bathroom/change laundry.
Plug covers, and drawer and cabinet-stoppers. My sister’s home was just built with those electrical outlets that have built-in baby proofing. And I am so jealous. Because, for the life of me, I cannot seem to get those darn plastic thingys out of the outlets when I need to plug the vacuum in! While, I’ll admit, we did do this for Ari out of caution, he never once actually went for an outlet. But this Miss Bea, she’ll get into every cabinet, every drawer, every space she isn’t allowed to be. So we’ve covered every outlet and we’ve locked every kitchen cabinet and drawer, in hopes to keep her out of spaces she shouldn’t be.
Practice the art of doing things quickly. I’m not saying this in jest; I know that if I set her in a contained area, I have about 30-45 seconds to literally run to the other room to grab that item, before she’s gotten herself into something unexpected. So my husband and I have learned to move very, very, quickly.
Use Huggies ® Little Movers to prevent yucky leaks. This child has had more blowouts than I care to count, and now that she’s on the move, we needed extra protection.We’re lucky to have a Sam’s Club membership so that we’re able to pick up Huggies ® Little Movers biggest pack ever — a 2-month supply — so that we only have to fit in a trip to the store for diapers once every couple of months!

That’s a huge bonus because that means the best protection for leaks plus I only have to drag both kiddos out to Sam’s Club a handful of times per year!
Giving her a safe space to play. Supervised playtime, in a space that is as safe as can be expected, is a fantastic way for our little one to learn what she is capable of. That’s right — it’s not all about preventing her from doing things; plenty of her growth and learning at this stage is from just freeplay.
Our current favorite ‘safe-play space’ is a Little Tikes alligator ball pit. It’s (conveniently) set up in the middle of our living room. Ari has added about a dozen extra toys to the ball pit, just for giggles. And I really do just love watching them play together in it!

So parents, tell me — what is your favorite way to help a spirited child learn and grow while still keeping them safe??

And if you’re not a member of Sam’s Club yet, go check out their membership plans and see how you can save $6 off of the cost of a 2-month supply of Huggies Little Movers — that’s two months for $61.98!

Halloween Wrap Up // 2016

November 16, 2016 by Rachel 2 Comments

Hey! Remember Halloween?? You know, that pseudo-Holiday two-ish weeks ago? Well, as per the norm, life went off the rails. And I forgot to ever post any pictures of our Halloween shenanigans. But if there are no pictures, did it really happen?? Haaaa! Of course, I kid!

But for real.

We had family in town for the weekend of Halloween, so Chad and I both took that Friday off from work. So after we picked up my sister-in-law from the airport, we headed back to our hometown to see the family (for those new around here, Chad and I both grew up in a teeny tiny town, and both went to the same teeny tiny high school, but just a few years apart).

The whole crew — all seven adults and 8 children — went out to lunch. Surprisingly? It went totally fine. No joke. The kids were good, the adults were happy, and all was well.

Post-lunch we headed to Patterson’s Fruit Farm. No joke, we had the most beautiful weather. Warm and sunny for the last weekend of October!

It’s been years (decades, even) since I’ve been to Patterson’s. I had no idea what kind of spread to expect, but this place was gorgeous! Pumpkins galore, playgrounds, and so much amazing food!

Ari (quickly) became obsessed with the wagons and the pumpkins. Between chasing after him and trying to get THE perfect picture of Remy (spoiler — it didn’t happen), I was exhausted just from these shenanigans!

Still, I was in pumpkin heaven! And the apple fritters! Ohhhh, the apple fritters! I wish I had snapped a picture before I ate this amazing — and huge — apple fritter! But guys – I was hungry!

Post-pumpkin patch fun, we headed to Chad’s cousins house for a bit of a family party. It’s quite unusual to have this many of Chad’s siblings at home at one time. So we (naturally) used it as an excuse to snack, sip, and laugh!

The next day was, well, exhausting! However, I did take the kiddos to our dear friends house for some pumpkin-carving fun! Ari requested a Batman pumpkin. Although I have some artistic abilities, freehand drawing on pumpkins are not in my scope of creativity!

Lucky for us, one of the other adults was able to oblige! After our pumpkins were carved, we headed to my mother-in-laws hours for trick-or-treating! For this first time ever, Ari was completely and totally down for some trick-or-treating!

It was wonderful to have the cousins there with us! And Remy was a total gem throughout this whole process! Also? Cutest. monkey. EVER. Am I right!?

I’m honestly surprised we made it an hour of trick-or-treating. It’s longer than we ever have. And, although I had plans to take Ari to the neighbors for trick-or-treating when we got home, it just didn’t happen. We were all exhausted and ended up in bed at 7:30PM. No joke. All of us.

Thankfully, these fun and exhausting weekends come but once in a blue moon! I mean, it was SO exhausting that I wasn’t able to even recount it for TWO WEEKS! Ha!

So Happy Halloween? JK Merry Christmas at this point…

Remy Bea // 9 Months

November 5, 2016 by Rachel 13 Comments

Wait. Didn’t I just post Remy Bea’s 8 month update!? I mean, seriously! Moms always say “time flies!” and I’m totally guilty. But this last month has gone by quicker than any of the others!

I mean, technically girlfriend is 9 months PLUS two weeks old already! Things have just been that busy! And even more has happened this last month! It’s insane!

Let’s recap, shall we friends?

Shortly after she turned 8 months old, she started crawling. It all started with a bowl of rice and chicken I was eating. She was across the room and, apparently, wanted some. So she army-crawled her little booty across the room.
Still no bottle or cup. Boo, hiss. But seriously, she’ll have to learn to take one eventually, right!?

Girlfriend suffers from some pretty serious separation anxiety. Over me. And it’s not cool. She will literally watch me from across the room. The other day I left her at home with Chad and she gave me the saddest eyes on the way out the door. Heartbreaking. For reals. Mama’s girl to the MAX.

Remy Bea weighs in at a whopping 15 pounds, 3 ounces. So, really, just a few ounces from where she was weighing in at her 7 month weigh-in! That puts her at the 2nd percentile for weight. Still. Despite all of her eating! The doctor doesn’t seem to be concerned. He just says that she’s a petite baby.
The sleep situation. Girlfriend still doesn’t sleep well. However, she’s been sleeping more than before. So, just a few more hours a night. I mean, it’s absolutely better than before. But she’s still waking up about 3-5 times per night to eat. Rough, right?? Absolutely freaking right! But at least she’s sleeping-ish!

She’s my little explorer. And we’re in mega trouble already. She is already getting into everything. For what little baby-proofing we had to do with Ari, we’re realizing we’ll need to do some super-proofing for Miss Bea.
All of the babbles! It’s super cute (and loud!). But her most clear word, still, is Mama. And she says it on repeat.
Her brother is her best friend. Everything he does, she finds to be absolutely fascinating!

Miss Bea also really loves Ari’s toys. Especially his Transformers, his Hot Wheel cars, and his stuffed animals. It’s super funny to see her playing already!
The double BOB stroller has been a lifesaver — for both of us! Not only am I able to run with both kiddos, but she really loves being in the stroller. She doesn’t always nap in it, but she definitely doesn’t cry! She just looks around, in wonder, at all of the fall foliage! It’s cute!

OMG I forgot to mention she’s in her crib! I mean, yes, her crib is still very much in my room, but still! Progress is progress, right!?
I’m sure you can guess, based on her size, but she’s still in 3-6 month clothes. Oh, and some 0-3 month onesies! I do have her in a couple of 6-9 month sleepers, and, in length, they are a bit tight. But they are huge everywhere else.

The days are still long — really truckin’ long, friends. But I am absolutely in love with this child. I mean, yes, I have always been in love with her. But given a little bit of sleep and a few smiles, that love is just overwhelming!

Thirty-Two //

October 8, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

Ohhhh, thirty-two! To think… not long ago I was terrified of turning 30. Now? Now I embrace my age! Even though the last several [okay… many…] birthdays ‘meant’ nothing, I was still somehow hung up on getting a year older.

And even though this years birthday came and went without fanfare, there was something extra special about it — for that very reason!

Per my request, we slept in (….ish). And then headed to Maize Valley Winery for some family fun! Yes, it’s a winery (and brewery!), but they also have a huge corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin picking, pig races, and (my personal fave) “Pumpkin Chucking.”

Both kiddos did remarkably well. I even ran into fellow blogger, Jacquie, from Cleveland Kiddos! (but, of course, we were ‘bad bloggers’ and forgot to get a picture together).

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After our fun day at the winery, we went dinner, came home, gave the kiddos baths,and put them (and ourselves) to bed. It was totally ordinary and totally amazing.

If Wednesday was any indication of how this year will go, I’m totally ready. Ready for the chaotic, ready for the crazy of two kiddos at events, ready for the meltdowns and exhaustion, and just plain ready for this new normal.

My life may not be exciting, but it is ordinarily perfect! Thank you all for the birthday love!

Remy Bea // 8 Months

September 30, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU! Seriously. I just took a peek back at my 7 month post and the changes from then to now are astonishing.

Let’s recap, shall we?

She’s sitting up. I mean, she kinda was before. But now she’s 100% unassisted, no-wobble, sitting up.
Speaking of no-wobble, she’s doing much more than just sitting up! She is standing! Nope, no crawling — yet! But the chiropractor and I are working on it! (More on that later!) She can push all the way up to all-fours — she can scoot across the floor on her back — but she just hasn’t crawled yet.

She’s playing independently. The other day I set her in the middle of the floor, sitting up, surrounded by toys, and I walked away. See, this child of mine? She’s been difficult (as if you didn’t know that!). But I mean, she has not let me out of her sight in the last 8 months. Until last week. She just … played. That ten minutes was sacred. Sacred, I tell you!
Over the last month she said Mama. A very, clear, Mama. I know, I know… Babies are supposed to say “Dada” first. But it comes as no surprise to us that she has chosen me. Because, girlfriend is Mama needy in the worst way, still!
The sippy cup is a fun toy. But she has yet to really drink from it. Oh, and still no bottle.
She is certainly responding to her name. And taking a lot of interest in people who are talking.
Food. This chick l-o-v-e-s food. She eats anywhere from 5-8 jars of food a day. !!!! This chick. Seriously. And she’s still nursing every few hours.

Shaking her head no is her jam. And it is the cutest thing in the universe!
I am able to steal exactly 31 minutes a day away from her. Watching Baby Genius Nursery Rhymes while jumping in her jumperoo is her most favorite thing to do. So I am able to hop on the treadmill for those 31 minutes. Oh, and she can still see me from where she is… so she “checks” in on me and keeps peeking in on me to make sure I’m still around.
We’ve been seeing the chiropractor for about 10 days now. So just before she turned 8 months. And in those 10 days we’ve seen quite a change. The doctor noticed that her flat(ish) skull and spine curve explains much of her (and our) misery. She’s been doing cranial sacrum therapy on her. And in the last week and a half, my up-all-night child has slept. I mean, she still wakes up a couple of times (and it sometimes takes her a while to fall back asleep), but she is sleeping more than before!

But I’ve also had to cut out dairy. The chiropractor thinks that because she has had UTIs and been on antibiotics, her gut isn’t as healthy as it should be. Enter probiotics and going dairy-free. It’s been a struggle, and I feel like I’ve been eating nothing but protein and veggies, but overall I think it’s making a difference in both of us!
She’s standing by her nickname, Monster. She growls like a freakin’ zombie. Actually, Ari randomly said that she should be a zombie for Halloween. On point, kid.

Things are far from perfect. But things are on their way. I’m just feeling a bit more optimistic these days. I’m not sure why. I just am. Perhaps my PPD is starting to fade? We shall see, friends! We shall see! For now, we’ll be enjoying this (semi)-happy baby we have.