favorite things:: 0-6 months

Since I have a lot of friends {IRL and bloggy} who are having/about to have kids, I figured it would be a good idea to share what we use and absolutely couldn't live without for these first six months!

The can't-live-without list::

Swing. We used the Graco Sweet Peace and absolutely loved it. At night time, when we exhausted all other options and he was still fussy {and typically fighting sleep} this did the trick every time - so much so, I nicknamed it "the magician." You can rotate the seat 90 degrees so it swings side to side or front and back, and it also has six speed settings and two music, one that sounds like the womb (kinda scary) and an iPod input. These are kinda pricey, and I actually got ours at a garage sale. It would be worth every penny of retail price, however.

Cooper outgrew the swing at about 5 months and it moved to our basement then. Some babies use theirs longer though - we have friends whose kid had reflux and would often sleep in his until he was 2!

via google images

Sleep sacks: Mister was a champion at breaking his swaddle, so we didn't really worry about it. Then I read that swaddling helps kiddos sleep, especially with the startle reflex, so we broke these out. After less than a week of swaddling {at five weeks old} he was sleeping about seven hours at night. I tried taking it away around 3.5 months {around 4-5 months they start needing to be able to move their arms and legs at night, developmentally} and he started waking around 4 a.m., so I gave it back for another month, and then he did just fine!

AngelCare monitor: LOVE this. I have always been the girl afraid a kid is just going to stop breathing, so when I heard about this, I knew it was a must. Totally the reason why Coop was in his crib at about a week old. It can be kinda sensitive - we had him down for a nap in the crib our first weekend home and it went off and I about had a heart attack - but it's still well worth it. Now that C moves a lot at night, J has upped the sensitivity on it.

The only thing I don't like is that it's not portable. So, for instance, if C is napping in the P&P I can't use it. When I had garage sale with my mom at her house, I didn't have one. But I figure if it's ever a big deal, I'll just buy a cheap unit for that purpose.

via google images

Pump: Crucial for the mother who plans to breastfeed. This was a relief early on when my milk came in, and great for helping establish a supply and build a stockpile. I have a Medela double electric and love it {as much as a woman can love a breast pump.} I've written more on breastfeeding here and here, where I gave a rundown on my essentials for that.

Pack & Play: This resides in our living room and won't be leaving any time soon. We honestly like this more for napping than packing it up - it's quite the pain! Early on, we knew we needed to differentiate between nighttime sleeping and napping, so he takes all naps at home in his pack & play. I think any would work, but we chose the {pricey} Chicco Vega, because it was neutral and we liked the color scheme. It also has the little dome with stuffed animals that can hang with the bassinet setting, which is good for developing that hand-eye coordination. You're supposed to remove the bassinet feature and only use the play yard once babe is 15 lbs. or pulling up, but we kept it until last week, when we noticed chubbs was starting to weigh it down.

via google images

Bumbo: I know there is a lot of controversy about these, but we love ours. Cooper has been in his since about six weeks {I think?} and I credit a lot of his upper body strength to it. We also have a tray, but haven't used it yet. Of course, we don't elevate it unless we are right next to him, and actually don't do that at all now that he is a little squirmer.

Diaper Genie: Those diapers are sweet at first, but get rough and need the stink contained. I do hate how expensive the refills are, and may look into purchasing one that uses regular trash sacks in the near future.

Other stuff::

They say that, for the most part, babes eat, sleep, poop and play, so that's how I've divided everything else up :)

Eat: We've been fortunate to exclusively breastfeed until 6 months, so this is kinda limited.

• Bottle brush/drying rack. I didn't really want one, but we were given the rack and I love it now.
• Dr. Brown's bottles. I heard these were the best and had a friend selling hers, so I bought them from her at a quarter of the retail price. They've worked great. They do recommend different nipples for 0-3, 3-6 and 6-12 months, but we're sticking with the Level 2 --- different ones just have bigger holes, and babe kinda chokes on it when first introduced to the next level.
• My iPhone - I used the free Similac app to track what time he ate, how long on each side, etc. Our hospital had a form that was good as well, and I believe there is one on The Bump, but I always feed in different places and usually had my phone, but not the paper and pen.
• My mom bought me a bottle warmer at a yard sale, but we don't like it and have only used it once. Instead, I fill a big soup bowl about halfway with water, then heat it in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. Once it's heated, we place the bottle in the bowl. For small bottles (3-4 ounces) about three minutes is enough, but if it's a bigger bottle (5-8 ounces) it takes about 5 minutes.
• I use a Medela sterilizer bag every few weeks on my pump parts. Don't sterilize the bottle parts, just wash in clean, hot water and rinse well.

Sleep: This category is awfully thin, probably because the sleep basics are my must-haves!

• Bassinet: Cooper stayed in our room for about a week, then we moved him to his crib and it was a wonderful transition. We actually thought we all slept better once he was on his own. I bought our Graco rocking bassinet at a yard sale for $5 and it was great for that first week. I did use it some later on, putting him in it if we napped at the same time.
• Wearable blankets: Kinda like a sleeper, but the bottom is more like a skirt. We have these in long sleeve and sleeveless, also purchased from yard sales. A great way to keep babe warm and not worry about loose blankets smothering him/her once you take away the swaddle around 4 months. 

Poop/changing:

• We primarily use Pampers, but have also used Luvs, Huggies, and are now trying out some Parent's Choice (Walmart brand) we were gifted. I'd heard Pampers were best, so I stocked up on them before he was born when Amazon had great deals. Something to note - I didn't think we would need/use newborn diapers (when I though I was having an 8-pounder), so I didn't buy any. However, we were gifted some and I am SO grateful for that, as they really had a better fit. We went through two of the smaller packs of Pampers as well as one package of Luvs - I'm guessing probably about 80 total? And I had an almost 10 lb. baby! Going on, we initially preferred the swaddlers to the dry max, but now that we've hit Size 2, I like the dry max better. Weird, huh? We also went through (I'm guessing) about 500 Size 1s, but that all depends on how fast your babe grows. Also, there is some overlap in terms of weight. My advice is to stock up (you really don't want to go shopping if you don't have to) and just don't open a pack until you need it - stores will generally allow you to exchange for other sizes. If not, diapers don't go bad and you can save them for the next one or give as a shower gift.
• Wipes: We aren't picky. We use Pampers, Huggies and Parents Choice. Pampers are probably my least favorite. We just had to buy more and I got the Walmart brand - they are cheapest and we like them.
• Ointment: Coop has had a couple cases of diaper rash. My cousin who owns a pharmacy gave me some "Booty Goo" that is amazing. We also have Desitin on hand.
• Changing pad: A lifesaver! Get it now. Also, we have two covers for those little accidents.

Clean baby:

• We have a Fisher Price rainforest tub. Once Cooper's chord stump fell out, we quit bathing him in the kitchen sink and began using this. We loved the hammock. Now that he's a little bigger and really enjoys the water, I typically just let him get in the tub with me. We've also done the garden tub, which he really likes.Washcloths: May seem unneccessary when you have your own, but these are oh-so-soft!

via google images



Baby wash: We're flexible. So far we've used Johnson & Johnson and the Target brand. It smells heavenly ... So much, in fact, that I sometimes use it on myself.

Towels: We have a few baby towels, but hubby typically wraps little man up in one of our big fluffy towels. Like most babies, he hates getting cold, and our towels make it a lot easier to wrap him up and keep him warm! So save your money and skip the towels!

Rubber duckies/friends: Doesn't seem like a must, but now that Coop has figured out he controls his legs, he loves kicking at these guys while in the tub. Hubby is always telling me I have the water too hot, and we recently bought one at Target that indicates if it is too hot, which is quite helpful.

Other stuff:

• In terms of laundry ... we just use anything free & clear. That's what hubby and I typically use because I have sensitive skin, so that works best for us. Oh, and TONS of OxiClean. I keep a bottle in Coop's closet and one in the laundry room.
• Play mat. Another yard sale buy, for us. I pulled this out a little before two months and he wasn't quite ready for it yet, but up until about 5 1/2 months, when he began sitting up, it was a great distraction in the mornings while I would pump or in the evening while I cooked and/or we ate.
• Bouncer: Something I didn't plan on buying, but my mom found one at a yard sale for $2 so she bought it. It was pretty helpful in the beginning when he wanted to sit up but I couldn't hold him, like when I was working part time from home. For awhile, we kept it in the basement so we'd have something down there. Honestly, we haven't used it in so long, I'm not sure he would still fit/not turn it over.
• Exersaucer: Same as bouncer - mom found one cheap. This is used a lot more though! We brought it upstairs around 4 months and he is in it quite often. I think it really helps his head control.
• Boppy: While I'm not a big fan of using it for breastfeeding (just one more thing to wrestle) we like to let Coop use it for some elevated tummy time. Our PAT coordinator actually suggested it, and it makes tummy time much happier when our babe can see the world around him.

• In terms of meds, we aren't big on any of them, but Coop has had gas drops and Little Noses saline spray. I've purchased some infant Tylenol but he's only had it with his fever when he had Hand, Foot and Mouth. We don't do Tylenol before shots and he does just fine.
• For the snotties, we use the suction from the hospital (he also has one in his diaper bag for daycare that we were gifted). We also run a cool mist humidifier at night.
• Nail clippers: We were given some with a magnifying glass, but we have a very good babysitter who does this for us, since we are both terrified of hurting him!
• For clothing, we really liked the gowns when he was a wee little one. A lot easier for changes, especially in the middle of the night. On clothing sizes - again, buy the newborn! My little whopper wore the newborn about three weeks - bigger sizes would swallow him. We bought most of our clothes at yard sales :) Love Old Navy and Carters brands the best. We had a good mix of sleepers and basic onesie tees and sweats/jeans. I really love for Mister to look like a little man, but sleepers and such are a lot more practical for the sitter. So far, we've been in each size two to three months, although some of my friends's kids have skipped a size. All babies grow differently, so I'd suggest keeping tags on things you have a receipt for or could exchange for the next size up and washing them just a few outfits at a time. I hate for Coop not to wear an outfit that was gifted, but would hate even more for him to just wear it once and outgrow it.

Toys: Up until about three to four months, it was just the soft ones in the play gym. Once he figured out grip, rattles, keys and squeaky toys were a huge hit, as well as his stuffed chocolate lab pup. Since he is now sitting up and really getting after it, the keys and such are still great, as well as anything that plays music/lights up. He especially likes the Vtech steering wheel. We have others, but I'll wait until he tires of this one to introduce something new.

Carseat/stroller: We have the Chicco Vega (which matches the pack & play) and like them both. A friend let us borrow their spare base for hubby's truck. He'll outgrow the carrier at 22 lbs. and at 17, it's already quite the weight! Once again, pricey, but has the best safety ratings. We don't use the stroller a lot, but like it when we do. I may be on the lookout for a smaller umbrella-type stroller to use over the summer or at the mall once he is a bit bigger.

Whew! Babies do need a lot of things!

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weekend wrapup

I've decided that a holiday weekend either leaves you incredibly exhausted or feeling refreshed & rejuvenated. Our memorial day weekend was absolutely perfect, with a wonderful mix of busy-ness and relaxation... a great way to usher in the summer.



5.25.12


Friday night, after work closed early, we went to the winery with a couple of my friends. The weather was absolutely perfect, and it was nice to get out for some "adult time."

Saturday morning, after sleeping in a bit, hubby & I tackled some organization in our spare bedroom while Coop supervised from the Johnny Jump Up in the doorway :) We made some great progress, but decided once he went down for his morning nap to have a little pool time. The weather outside was perfect and it was glorious. That afternoon, hubby raked some hay he was cutting at our neighbor's while I did some laundry and house cleaning. Coop also got some pool time with Mommy & Daddy. Later in the day,  we headed up to Cape to pick up Cooper's photos from a few weeks back, snuck in another session {I can't help it! It was free, and the package I bought was only $7.99}, and hit up Menards. The local store was celebrating its grand opening so we had to check out the deals.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday. Although Cooper did try carrots on this day! I was surprised, he made a lot more faces with these ... seems he prefers green beans!

And Monday was perfection as well. Another repeat, more or less, but I did make some great advances in getting the house in good order. And I got to go grocery shopping all by myself last night. I love my boys, but it sure is nice to get out of the house, alone, for something besides work :)

It was definitely a different Memorial Day weekend ... no camping or floating the river, although the temps were perfect for that ... but it's OK, we still got plenty of water time :)

5.28.12

Having such a fun and productive weekend makes me super excited for all the three-day weekends to come!

And I'm making myself post a menu plan for the week, to be sure I stick to it! I tend to fall off the bandwagon on these short weeks ... especially since I have a work event tonight.

Sunday: Hamburger Helper, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob
Monday: Pork loin, scalloped potatoes, corn on the cob
Tuesday: Hubby - leftovers from Sunday
Wednesday: Pork loin, potatoes, green beans
Thursday: Pizza casserole (hopefully I'll post this recipe next week!), garlic bread, salad
Friday: Pork loin sandwiches, fries
Saturday: Graduation celebration for my cousins!

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

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friday's letters

Dear the Bump:

I am nowhere near ready for a second child. I doubt many women with a six-month old are, so you may want to rethink sending those emails.

Dear new desk chair:

I love you. I wish I had you last year when I was WITH CHILD.

Dear coupons:

I wish it were easier to collect and clip you. I would love to save big bucks again.

Dear Bel:

Why must you live so far away? I've missed you a lot.

Dear Memorial Day:

Thank you not only for the day off work, but also for reminding us how fortunate we are to have people to fight for our freedom!

Dear Body:

I know you have been through a lot with bronchitis and an ear infection, but please rebound soon.

Dear Lottery:

Any way to ensure I can become a millionaire? I really really really wanna be a stay at home mom for a few years, and hubby says I can't until the house is paid off. So never. 

Dear Cooper:

You make the sweetest faces while eating! You must have a really short memory, because you'll get so excited to take another bite, only to make a yucky face after you get the taste in your mouth. I think it's just adorable though - of course!

5.24.12

 

Happy weekend!

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Thursday thoughts

• Super Cooper did a great job eating his green beans last night! His face at first taste was priceless. And it did take a bit to get the hang of swallowing. But he finished off all of the cube (I froze in ice cube trays) so I was very impressed. I'll probably begin sending food to the sitter next week if he continues to do well.
• Next up is carrots, and then probably oatmeal.
• My good friend Bel is in for the next few days and I am so excited! I saw her for about 2 hours over Christmas, so I've really been missing her! Last night some of our group of friends got together at our house for pizza. Today we may have a lunch date. And tomorrow night we are hitting the winery.
• I am so, so ready for this three-day weekend! Since the temps are forecast for the mid-90s, I am planning to spend a lot of time playing in the pool with Coop. And those are the only plans I have.
• I've been waffling over whether I will like summer hours at work, and I think I've decided it will stink. Best I can tell, I'll be getting to the office around 7:15 (sitter doesn't open until 7), taking 30-45 minutes for lunch, then leaving at 5:45 or 6 p.m. every night, and depending on hubs to pick up Mister. I think of how cramped our weeknights are now, and am just not thrilled about losing an hour. That and waking up around 5:45 a.m. every day.
• I dressed semi-casual and didn't really fix my hair this morning, and my boss just asked me to attend an afternoon meeting. Sigh.
• When we took our photos a couple weeks ago, we purchased a package that gives us some membership so we can get a free photo session and 8x10 print any time for the next year. So, of course, I'm going to schedule a session for Saturday when we pick up the prints, and only get my 8x10. Duh.
• Hubby has grilled twice this week. Gosh, I love BBQ food. And it makes life so much easier when all I have to worry about for dinner is reheating and sides!
• Since "they" recommend using frozen breastmilk within six months, I've been thawing everything from November through February and using it for bottles, then freezing what I pump. And let me tell you, that crap is for the birds. Way too much work.
• I've been really horrible about drinking enough water here lately. I think I'm just starting to get bored with it. I make it through about three bottles, then I'm done.
• It doesn't help that we have leftover sodas from an event at work so I've been drinking one most every day. 
• Our spare bedroom is an absolute mess. It's mostly because we still haven't bought a file cabinet to replace the storage the desk provided. I'm about to go in there armed with trash bags and do some major clearing out.
• I'm accepting applications for a housekeeper/cook. You will receive free room & board and lots of baby smooches.
• I'm not sure if I've mentioned it yet, and need to do a post, but we have a new dog. Definitely not a replacement for Hank - Coco actually came to live with us two weeks before he went to Heaven. She is very, very sweet and also a chocolate lab. We love her.

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SIX months

AKA half a year ....


From this ....

birthday ... 11.23.11

To this ...

Blows my mind. How has time gone by so quickly?

Every month, I think he just snowballs on his accomplishments from the previous month! In the past weeks, Coop has really mastered the art of sitting up on his own. Sure, he wobbles and falls at times, but he sits up for about 30 minute segments at times, and does a great job of catching himself lots of times, too.

A lot of his toys are so much more fun now that he sits up :)

He impressed the doctor at his six month well check yesterday by sitting up so well. She guesses we'll have him crawling very soon, and walking early as well, based on his upper body strength.

Did much better on shots this time around. Had the oral immunization down in just three squirts :)

Stats are: 17 lbs. 7 ounces - 50th percentile
26.25 inches --- not sure on percentile, she said 26.25 but they figured 50th based on 26 inches
42.5 cm. head circumference

Size 3 dipes, which I think he'll be in for awhile. Clothes are a mix of the 6 month and 6-9 month, and a few 3-6 still fit ... depends on the brand.

We are growing and very healthy. Doctor says he is absolutely perfect - DUH!

Six month well check - 5.22.12

EXCLUSIVELY breastfed until today! I'm very blessed that I've been able to produce enough to keep him fed and satisfy him, I know lots of babies need that little extra earlier than six months. Tonight, we'll feed him some green beans, and I am very excited!

A few weeks ago I bumped him up to 8 ounce bottles, since he was only nursing four times a day on the weekends I figured he was ready. He did great, then got a little sick and was struggling to finish so we went back to 7 {can't waste that liquid gold!} but are now back at 8 ounce bottles. For the most part, he eats four times a day - around 6:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. After his 8 p.m. feeding, we play until he gets fussy, then he goes to bed, and does a great job of sleeping until at least 6 a.m. We'll begin giving him baby food the minute we get home, around 5:30 p.m. I wish we could do it a bit sooner after that third feeding, but it just won't work with our schedules.

He naps around 9:30 to 11 a.m., 1:30 to 3 p.m., and usually about a 30 minute nap around 7 p.m. Sunday night, we put Mister to bed and about 30 minutes later, heard him crying. Very uncharacteristic. When we went to check, we saw he had rolled from back to belly - first time we know of! For the most part, he's not much of a roller. I don't worry because I know that he can do it, he just has absolutely no interest in it. He is such a happy and content little baby and if he wants to move, it's because he wants to be held.

We're working on motivating him to crawl, although I know life will never be the same once he is mobile.

Other things he really enjoys right now are: playing in the water {bathtub or pool}, giggling for no apparent reason, kisses {receiving and sort of giving}, watching Baby TV, grabbing things {especially drinks}, making noise, looking at himself in the mirror, and getting lots and lots of attention.

Silly, silly boy ...

-----

Dear Cooper,

I never imagined I could love a stinky little boy so much, but you truly have captured my heart and now I don't think I would have a little girl wrapped around my finger the way you are! I have totally become that mom and I don't even care. You smile at me like I am the absolute greatest person in the world and it melts my heart. In the evening, I could care less about watching TV, I would much rather lay on the floor and play with you. In just six months, you have completely changed my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way - although one year ago, I never would have imagined all this!
I love you to the moon and back, my sweet, sweet little love bug!

xoxo,
Mommy



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Laughing guaranteed

If you can watch this without laughing, you must not have a heart.

Kidding. Kind of.



Hubby was working late last night, and at this point, I was sitting on the couch while Coop was in the exersaucer. He all of a sudden just began laughing for no apparent reason, and they would deepen if I said "what's so funny" so after a couple minutes, I grabbed my phone and began recording. This is actually the second video, I swear, he had to giggle off and on like this for at least 10 minutes. Adorbs.

Of course, when hubs got home I showed him both videos. I laughed so hard I cried. Cutest kid ever. And I'm not at all biased :)

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Weekend rewind

This weekend we ...

• Got all gussied up for a work gala.
• Came home to a house that was cleaner than it was when we left {thank you, Mom!}
• Had some great family time shopping and running errands on Saturday morning.
• Played with Coco



5.19.12

• Let the boys have some daddy-Coop time while I volunteered at a crawfish boil Saturday afternoon.
• Got burnt at said crawfish boil, while also drinking four bottles of water in two hours.
• Went to a birthday party for a sweet {almost} 8 year old.



He really loves her ... trying to hold her hand :)

• Passed out on the couch entirely too early, but finally finished off my antibiotic.
• Washed countless loads of dishes on Sunday.
• Made green beans, carrots and apples {baby food} for Baby C.
• C got his first kisses from a "girl" - Miss D
• Barbecued.
• Took C for a swim in the pool until the rain came through.
• Praised the good lord for sending us a nice rain - we needed it! The hail didn't even bother us.
• Finally watched the Criminal Minds season finale. I was up and down the entire show and my tummy was in knots. Felt the same as the finale where Hailey was killed :(

It was the perfect weekend :)

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Friday's letters

Dear Husband:

Thank you for going to Walmart and getting me medicine at 10 p.m. last Friday. But would it kill you to pitch in and help me do the dishes and clean up the kitchen at night?

Dear Laundry:

Please wash, dry and fold yourself.

Dear Mom:

Thank you for giving up your time to come watch my baby tonight. And best of all, telling me to leave a list of any household chores I need done and that you will work on them for me. You are the best.

Dear Basement Proofing Systems:

Why are you so expensive?

Dear Boss:

Thank you for getting me out of commencement on Sunday. I really didn't want to work all weekend long with volunteering on Saturday, and I want to go to cousin Tyler's graduation!

Dear Z Pack:

You are making me feel loads better, but I hate that you have given my son a yeast infection. Seriously? Heal quickly, Little Mister!

Dear Walmart guest services lady:

Thank you for being so patient yesterday as I returned over $200 of baby merchandise, in addition to exchanging SIX packages of diapers!

Dear God:

PLEASE let shots be a much more enjoyable experience this time around. Watching C get shots makes me want to take shots.

Dear Friday:

I'm glad you are here. But why did it take you so long?

Dear Employer:

I am very excited about our employee awards gala this evening. Thank you, also, for closing the school at 2 p.m. so I have time to get all fancied up!

Dear Cooper:

Thank you for being such a sweet, lovable child. Mommy loves you so much!

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breastfeeding revisited

If you would have told me how passionate I would be about breastfeeding six months ago, I would have laughed in your face. For reelz.

If you've been around awhile, I really hashed out my feelings in this post. If you are new, check it out.

Although it's getting a bit harder now that Coop has great ears and head control to look around when he wants to be nosy, I still love it! Primarily the closeness {nobody else can do it!} and the beautiful eyes just staring into mine.

With the six-month mark so quickly approaching, in addition to just experiencing some issues with low supply, I thought it was a good time to update.

For the most part, we stay on a great schedule, nursing in the morning and once or twice in the evening. Now that he's up to 8 oz. bottles, it's usually just once, around 8 p.m., then off to bed. I pump after the morning feeding {he only nurses on one side} and two to three times at work - around 10, 1 and 3:30. Sometimes I do just before bed as well, but that all depends on what time C's final nursing session is. On the weekends, I try to nurse exclusively, or only one bottle if needed. Pumping and bottle feeding just seems like such a waste of time and resources. Breastfeeding is SO much easier, and I really detest washing those bottles at night.

Anyhow, last week we had some issues, and I'm pretty sure it's due to the whack schedule I had. On Wednesday, I had a long work day and didn't pump for the first time until 1:30 p.m. During my 12-hour day Thursday, I pumped once, then didn't get to nurse when I got home and pumped again. By Friday, this had all taken its toll, and instead of pumping 5-6 ounces each session, it was more like 4 oz.

Over the weekend, it was no bottles in hopes of boosting my supply. I could tell I wasn't producing as quickly, because C was eating much more frequently - like every three hours, similar to his newborn days.

I'm sure my getting sick didn't help any of this either. Then yesterday, for the first time, I didn't pump enough to feed Coop the next day. No, I didn't have to dip into the freezer stash, as I had some extra in the fridge. But I hated the feeling and it had me terrified I was about to dry up. I went through tons of water and began popping the Fenugreek again. I researched the meds I am on right now to make sure they aren't linked to a dip in supply. In fact, I considered throwing it out, but figured that really wouldn't do any good.

This morning, for the first time in a week, I woke up with my rock-hard boobs again. And I laughed. Who would have thought I'd miss those so much?

What I'm learning about breastfeeding is that, just like anything, it will be filled with ups and downs. It's really basic - drink plenty of water, don't stress too much, and stay around the babe as much as possible.

We are still trucking along rather well, in my opinion. If I had to guess, I'd say that my freezer stash is now around 500 ounces, and next week, I'm going to begin cleaning that out and freezing everything I pump, since it's recommended to use frozen milk within six months.

Right now, I have my eyes on the prize of making it a full year breastfeeding. I feel like we've come so far, and it's just so comfortable on the schedule we have now, which I'm sure is more or less what we'll maintain until he is 1. I am flexible however, and very mindful that my body may decide differently. If so, we aren't opposed to supplementing with formula, but I've decided that I will continue to pump/nurse as much as I can - why do four formula bottles a day if you just need one?

This past week's events make me even more anxious about potentially leaving Coop for a few days for Branson {we still haven't received the letter that we are for-sure going, but it looks very promising!}. But right now is too soon to start worrying about that. Once we get the details, I'll have a talk with our lactation consultant to see what they recommend, and we may look into asking my parents to come down for the weekend as well to keep an eye on Mister and allow me to nurse a couple times a day.

If you are/were a breastfeeding mom, what are your suggestions?

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This & That

I can't tell you how many times I've started a post the past couple weeks only to feel like I have nothing to say. Anyhow, for documenting sake, here's a little update on our lives.

• After feeling under the weather since Friday and getting a really bad cough earlier this week and losing my voice, I went to the doc yesterday. Thank goodness I did, since I have bronchitis and an ear infection. Good meds though, thankfully.
• Little Mister didn't feel very well last week. He had a bunch of eye gunk and a phlegm-y cough for several days. He never ran a fever, though, so I tried not to worry too much since there's nothing we can do.
• Last week was a definite roller coaster at work. Good meetings and bad meetings, but we are definitely moving forward.
• I absolutely loved the HIMYM season finale. My next kid's middle name will be Waitforit.
• My first Mother's Day was wonderful. After I fed Coop and pumped, hubby let me go back to bed and sleep for a bit, then my boys woke me up with a sweet card and pancakes and bacon. I also got a new Willow Tree angel to add to my collection.
• We have a gala/awards banquet for work on Friday and I'm super excited. Due to the event, the school is also closing at 2 p.m. that day :)
• My baby is 25 weeks old today. In a week, he'll be half a year. Time sure does fly.
• I brought a cookie cake to work today as we had some snacks to celebrate a coworker who is retiring, and I feel like it is taunting me to eat more & more.
• We took some family photos last week, and I am excited to share them! I'd also like to get some up on the hall walls :)
• I feel like it's time for a blog redesign. I'm wanting something cleaner, that reflects our entire family, but don't want to spend a small fortune. Suggestions?
• My house is a disaster. I want to go home and take a good nap tonight, but really feel like I need to clean instead, since I don't want my parents to think a bomb went off when they come to spend time with C this Friday night.
• My good friend Bel is coming in for a visit next week and I am SO EXCITED! We have a lunch date and trip to the winery planned so far.
• Over the weekend, hubs graciously took care of Coop in Target so I could look for some clothes. I found a few new things :)
• Does anyone else absolutely hate the lighting in dressing rooms? I think it is so unflattering.
• Is it Friday yet?

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Happy Mother's Day

It's been a blessed, very full day. I'm so thankful to have a happy, healthy, adorable baby. Every day, but especially today, I am grateful for my Cooper Michael. Of the billions of babies in the world, I am so glad God chose this one to make me a mama

Mish Mash

It's been a bit since I've done a random bulleted post. I know you missed them, right?

• Coop gets a daddy day today. The babysitter took off and luckily hubby was scheduled to be off. This will be the longest hubby has ever had Coop alone, but I'm sure they'll do great! Just in case, I did go over the schedule though :)
• I got two photos of my little love before 8:30 a.m.
• For the first time today, he finished off an 8 ounce bottle. Seriously? I have a feeling that once he gets solids in a few weeks, he'll begin eating us out of house & home.
• Hubby was supposed to be off work the entire week, but he's off next week instead. This was the last week of a sales contest and he only lacked $100 in new accounts (recurring business) to win us a four-day trip. We think he got it! The sales just have to track out so we aren't totally sure.
• To be honest, it works better for him to be off next week. I have an evening meeting Monday & Thursday and an 8 a.m. on Wednesday, so having him home to pick up/drop off/take care of Coop is a really great thing.
• Super Cooper had another great Parents As Teachers visit last night. By the time she comes back in September, he'll probably be ready for college :)
• He's beginning to use the jumperoo at Miss Robin's and at home and seems to really enjoy it.
• Still working on getting a tooth ... I think. He's just a bit fussier than usual, and baby Orajel seems to do the trick.
• I feel like the first half of the week crawled by, but the last couple days have flown. Me likey.
• Yesterday, I heard Rodney Atkins' song "He's Mine" for the first time. I giggled and immediately looked up the lyrics. Totally a daddy-Coopy song :)

• We're shifting gears on our savings goals. Originally, we planned to get hubby's truck and another loan paid off this year so we only owe on our house and SUV. Truck = done. And in the past month, I've decided I really want to get our basement completely finished by October. We have tile and painted walls and a tub, but need to have it sealed, hook up the water, install a toilet, sink & vanity, and do trim and doors. So that's what we're saving for now, instead of throwing all the extra money toward that loan. We'd also like to buy a new TV for our main living room and put the old one downstairs, along with some furniture {new or used} but that will depend on how much all the other repairs cost.
• I'm really loving Draw Something. You can find me at michelle1761
• I'm very excited for my first Mother's Day in just over a week. Cooper told me he's asked Daddy for a loan :)
• The weather here has been really beautiful the past week - 80s and 90s every day - and I've loved it. It does make me wish that my office had a window, however. Sometimes I break away from the computer screen, walk down the hall, and look outside.
• This weekend, we are going to a carnival/family day so I can work the booth for the United Way board, on which I serve. It should be a lot of fun and we are excited.
• Happy Weekend!

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First Easter

Mister Cooper had a very good first Easter. That bunny sure did spoil him! Daddy considered telling the bunny to skip over our house this year, but Mommy would have nothing of it!


Anyhow, here's a little recap of our Easter weekend.

Our little love bug in his special Easter outfit. We celebrated with my family on Saturday and J's on Easter Sunday, so he wore the same outfit both days. And dad ironed it both days, too :)

Full belly and ready to dig into his gifts.  

That dog sure looks fun, mom :) And I'm sure we'll have lots of fun in the pool this summer!

So sweet, slobber and all! It's the Fisher Price Laugh, Learn and Grow (or something like that) puppy. Coopy is still a bit small to realize squeezing the hands, etc. makes the noise, but he loves it. And I love this picture because I think my boy actually resembles his momma a bit!

New clothes!

And a new sleeper!

Over Easter, Mister had his first taste of gravy thanks to his Pa Pa (my dad.)  Both places, we spent a lot of time outside, as it was a beautiful weekend and he loves outdoors and hates being inside when it's really loud - can you blame the sweet boy?

My heart was very full watching my little love on Easter day, and I can't wait until he gets to really hunt eggs next year! We had a great day, until we got home and realized I was running a fever.

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