Fighting Mommy Burnout

This year is flying right on by. We have been so busy, I don't know where the time is going. The end of April and now the beginning of May is meaning Hubby is out of town more than either of us would like. After being so busy and not really having time to unwind or be a couple, now he is gone for work.

(pardon the blur, but fussy kids rarely stop for clear pictures to be taken)

Being a stay at home mom is a job I love and would not change for the world. One of the biggest things with it though is mommy burnout. Now, I am not saying that working moms do not get mommy burnout, or dads (working or stay at home), but I cannot speak from those angles. I can only speak from the SAHM angle, because, well, that is what I am. I think every parent can attest to needing breaks every now and then. No matter how much you love your children, sometimes you just need time away from them to feel human again and like an adult.
Hubby was gone for work for a week, is gone again (this time only a day or two) and then he will be out of town again for who knows how long by the second week of May. This does not give much time for mommy to be anyone but mommy. I am very thankful that both sets of parents live very close to us (within ten minutes each), but even with "reinforcements", I still have to be mommy and deal with all the mommy issues. When Daddy is home, he can fill in and give mommy even a few minutes of time to not be mommy. Even if it is just time to take a shower without feeling rushed, or do anything in the bathroom with the door closed and locked. I think so many of us can understand where I am coming from.
When Hubby is home, he is very tired from work and not sleeping well when out of town, that I tend not to get those breaks that often for a few days after he returns. With him going out of town so frequently, with little time between, it means those times are all but non-existent. I would also be lying if I did not admit that Hubby going to see a midnight showing of the Avengers movie the night it opens does not make me a little jealous that I am not going with him. I will be staying home with the sleeping kids. The next day will be making sure they let Hubby sleep a bit and relax since he will not sleep the night before.
All of this and more adds up to mommy burnout. I wish I had more ideas on how to fight the burnout, but I don't. I know Hubby wants to take me out for a dinner without the kids, but he said he wanted to do that before his last week long trip out of town, but it just could not happen. Busy lives do not always work out for nights out without kids. (wow, the word "out" was in that sentence alot). A dinner out is nice, but then I begin to feel bad to be asking our parents to watch the kids so often, even if it is only once a week. I hate to admit but there have even been times that I have thought even a sip of an adult beverage might be nice. Of course, I am quick to dismiss seeing as BG still nurses at night.

How do you cope with mommy burnout? What advice can you offer me and other moms out there who could use the help?

My Nursing Journey

Warning: If you do not feel like reading any details you may feel are TMI, stop reading here. This is a post to help other moms know they are not alone. I am not going to hold too much back when it comes to my journeys with breastfeeding my little ones.
After reading another blogging Momma's breastfeeding story, I was pulled to write this post even more. I already wanted to write a post about all things nursing, but wasn't sure. Now, here I am. You can see more about the original prompting post over at Mom Spotted.
So may posts, articles, forum chats, etc. either focus on the perfect breastfeeding story or the terrifying stories. One makes you think it is going to be the easiest thing in the world, "It's completely natural". There are so many of these out there, you may not even see the others that focus on the terrifying stories that make you think you should go with formula from the moment they are born. I will admit I don't see many of those around, ever.

I have had two very different journeys in nursing.
LJ was a delivery we were not expecting and he was in an oxygen tent for hours after birth. He didn't get the idea of latching and as the incredibly not helpful LC at the hospital pointed out, I was flat. Truly it came in the form of the question, "have you always been this flat?" I did not know I had flat nipples, but according to her, I did. There are things that can help with women who are flat, but she did not want to offer those as they were reserved for women who had too much trouble nursing and I hadn't given it enough time yet, I guess.
Nights were terrible for us in the hospital. They would bring LJ in crying terribly. We would try everything, including glucose dripped on my nipple to try to get him to latch. Finally, the second night nurse saw how much trouble we were having and how much I needed help. She took it upon herself to get me a nipple shield and help me learn to use it.
LJ was able to nurse the best he could when I used the shield. The biggest thing for me was that it was not very comfortable. The suction he would create would hurt. The second LC that I saw in the hospital helped me learn to use some of the pump accessories (as I had the main pump parts at my house from my sister) so that I could pump and still be able to feed my new son. She was very helpful, but never saw me nurse, so I never got the help I could truly use. We left the hospital supplementing with formula. That supplementing gradually became more and more and by about three weeks I was only pumping my milk and LJ would get bottles with mommy milk and formula. By four months, I stopped pumping, and my supply lasted until about five months. From then on my little LJ was purely on formula. I was just happy I could offer him some milk in the beginning of his life.
Better some than none, right?

BG was a different story all together.
Within the first hour after birth she was with me and nursing. She latched on right away and was a pro at nursing. I wanted to be sure that things were not just a fluke. The LC came in when BG was nursing and said everything was perfect.
When I learned that I was expecting I began researching how to nurse even if flat nipples are involved. I found that I could start using nipple shells to prepare my body for nursing. The biggest issue with the shells is that I had to go up a size in my bras and make sure they were padded so the shields were not too noticeable when I was wearing them.
If you have troubles with your latch due to your body, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pair of nipple shells. They can also be used after birth to sooth sore nipples. 
Back to after BG's birth. She was a pro from the start. After we left the hospital not too much changed, but man did a I get sore! My body was not used to a baby nursing and it hurt. After she got into her rhythm, things would settle down and not hurt anymore, but the first few minutes could get pretty sore.
It did not help anything that my milk came in while still in the hospital. Talk about engorged! The only thing that made things better was pumping or hand expressing milk.
After a few weeks both BG and I were pros at this nursing thing. Now she is going on 14 months old and still nursing at night. I am not sure when weaning will happen. She likes her time with mommy, and I love that time bonding with her.
Breastfeeding does not always come easy, no matter how natural it may be. If you are having trouble, talk to someone. Anyone. I suffered in silence with LJ and didn't get the outcome I originally wanted. If you are set on nursing, get some help, even if only from friends who have experience with nursing and nursing problems. It could change everything.

Until next time... Happy Breastfeeding!

Weaning - It's not all roses

My Baby Girl is not a baby anymore. She has turned a year old (and then some), has begun her version of talking, and walking, and drinking regular whole milk. We love our nursing relationship, but I am realizing she is demanding the breast when she doesn't need it. Many nights I have woken up multiple times with her just to have her nurse for 5 minutes or so before passing back out. I am not sure why she is waking so many times these nights. I know she can sleep through the night or wake just once, eat a little and then go back to sleep for the rest of the night. She has done this as well, but it is rarer than waking 2-5 times a night.
We have already gotten ourselves down to nursing just at night, but I am not so sure that this is best at this point. I have loved nursing, and all the benefits for both of us, but I also look forward to nights spend fully in my bed without trips to LJ and BG's room to rock and nurse she back to sleep. I know she needs to learn to sooth herself, and I am having the hardest time with that as well.
This mommy is so torn about what to do and how best to do it.
How did you wean your baby from nursing for the sake of the feel of it? How old were your little ones when you weaned or they decided to wean?
And on the other note: How did you get your nursing child to learn how to sooth themselves to sleep at night?
It seemed so much easier with LJ because he was already on a bottle, so that never changed for him. He also got used to not being in my arms every time to fall asleep. I need your help!


Until next time.... Happy mommy-ing.

Where has the year gone?!

My little baby is a year old! I can't believe it. She has grown up so much. Monday night we even noticed that she cut her third tooth. Yes, she now has three. We go to have her 1 year well check Thursday. I can only imagine what her numbers are going to be like. At 10 months she already weighed more than LJ did at a year.

So, like many parents (well, moms) I have been planning a big party for this Saturday. The past few weeks have been so hectic that most of the planning has had to wait until this week. Before now I basically only had decorations planned out.Let me just say that I totally LOVE Pinterest.  All of the centerpieces below had at least some part of them inspired by something I saw on pinterest. :)

Being as "crafty" as some may say, I wanted to make BG's dress for her party. I thought it would be super cute. Well, that was more of a pain than I anticipated. Now, her dress looks like this:

Actually, that isn't totally true. After I took this picture, I tried putting it on BG. Well, the dress I used as a template was a knit, this was not. I had to go back in and add a zipper to the back. I have not tried it on her yet, I am thinking I better get on that.
Time has flown by so fast this past year. My baby girl has grown like a weed. She has gotten teeth, learned to crawl at a jogging pace, and even take a few steps before deciding that crawling is faster every time. She has gone from wearing preemie clothes to 12 month clothes, almost skipping 9 months entirely. Her smiles and laughter are contagious every time. Her smiles, waves, and everything melts my heart. Now my baby isn't going to be a baby but she is quickly crawling toward toddler-hood.
To my Sweet Baby Girl,
 I love you very much and I can't believe you have been here for a year now. I can't wait to see where His path leads you. Happy Birthday my Sweet Baby Girl.

Growing up so fast!

You know, children just grow up way too fast it seems. I have thought that so many times LJ was born. Then again I have felt that way since not long after my younger sister was born (she is 14). Now my baby girl has me saying it all over again. BG is growing bigger everyday.

My baby is already 7 months old and she has at least one tooth. I say at least because I think she may be cutting her second tooth only days after cutting her first tooth. When BG was one day shy of 7 months, she had one of her crankiest days. It just was not like her to not be happy playing on the floor or swinging if mommy had to put her down. I just did not know what was going on with her until finally mid afternoon she grabbed my one finger and started to gum it. That is when I realized that her gums were no longer smooth. BG's very first tooth was already cut through her gums. Of course! That was why she was so unhappy. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. Well, I sort of do. When at her latest well check, her teeth didn't seem like they were imminent or anything like that, and that was the opinion of the doctor.
I knew that she was working on teeth, but that they were maybe a little further away. But now my girl has one tooth in the lower gum line. She has had a few more cranky days and I believe she may be working on one or maybe even two more teeth within the next few weeks. Who knows, it may only be a few days before the next one cuts through. If that is the case, I feel bad for my girl. That cannot be much fun.
As it stands, BG is growing very well. She started regular foods and I have been making most of them. We haven't really gone in any order of what she tries, we just keep it simple. At her well check she came out great. For weight she is in the 32-35 percentile. She is just over 50% for her height. She does have a big head though (66%). I think it is from all of those compliments she keeps getting. :)

BabyBond Nursing "Cover" Review & Discount

"Cover mom, not her baby." The BabyBond Nursing Sash allow this to happen. Moms can stay modest and not show more skin than they are comfortable and baby is able to stay uncovered so mom and baby can bond more.

From the site:

BabyBond Flex™ is worn like a sash, functioning like a nursing top. Nurse from the top of your shirt. Separate the layers of fabric to achieve latch on. Double panel keeps breast covered above & below. Belly & back remain covered with your own shirt. Removable 9 x 12″ double layer terry velour burp cloth. Able to attach any cloth or wear without cloth attached. Stores in matching pouch.

Let me say, I love my BabyBond, even if I did end up asking for a size too large. :) At first it took me a few tries to get to a point where I felt comfortable using the BabyBond. I found it worked better for me (with my too large for me BabyBond) to put some safety pins in it where the next size BabyBond would sit. Once I had it to a size that worked better, I was able to start nursing my little girl almost anywhere and feel comfortable that I was not showing too much skin. I am a fairly modest mom and this helps my sweaty baby not have to be covered every time we nurse in public.

I received a Flex BabyBond to try out for this review. The difference between the original and the flex is an added removable burp cloth. The Original Bond has a built in burp cloth. The terry velour burp cloth is super soft! I am in love with the removable cloth. My little one tends to be messy when she nurses, so I can put the cloth under her chin to catch some of her dribbles and keep them off of me and the sash.
The BabyBond is easy to take everywhere with you because it comes in a super easy and convenient storage pouch. All you do is roll up the sash and tuck it in to the pouch. I put a clip on mine so that I could easily clip to whichever diaper bag I am using.







I love this product and recommend it to moms who are planning to nurse their little ones.

And now for an awesome bonus for my readers. The wonderful people at BabyBond have offered a discount of 25% off products on their site. The code for this discount is: LYNIFER.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure. This post may contain some affiliate links.

What can Amazon do for you?

I know I have not posted any "deal" or Coupon posts in quite some time. I really should change that, and I am starting with this post. Another blog that I follow (BabyGoodBuys.com) has been posting "diaper deals" posts for a bit now, using Amazon as her source for the information. Well, that got me to thinking, what kind of deals can I find on Amazon.com? First, I took the advice of BabyGoodBuys and signed up for Amazon Mom. I can't believe I didn't know about it sooner, it is pretty nice. 

Amazon Mom members receive benefits such as 30% off diapers and wipes, FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime, as well as exclusive offers via e-mail.  (from the FAQ for Amazon Mom)

 It is also free to join. It is not just for moms either: Dads, grandmoms, and other caregivers can also sign up for this service. Then when you need something for baby, you can find some really great deals and they are even sent to you via email. 
There is also a Subscribe & Save program that you can sign up for and they will automatically send you the items you sign up for when you need them. This can be canceled at any time (like after your initial order ships). 
Now, on to what prompted me to write this post. As BabyGoodBuys put it, under $.18 per diaper is a good deal and under $.10 is not to be missed. Well, I found a deal for Luvs diapers that is "not to be missed." Today on Amazon you can buy a box of Size 1 Luvs Ultra Leakguard Stretch Diapers for $24.88 with subscribe and save (that is $.09 per diaper!) When I searched for the size one Luvs, it told me they were $30, but when I actually clicked on the item to buy it, I found out the price I could actually pay. I mention this because we do still use disposables on Baby C during the night. A deal like this is just awesome!

Did you know that Amazon also has great cloth diaper packages? They have two GroVia packages for moms who might be starting out or find that they love GroVia the best and want to make it their stash. First there is the Grovia Girl Variety Cloth Diapering System Starter Kit. This kit gives you 6 shells, 6 inserts, a pack of disposable inserts, two packs tiny bubbles, and a magic stick for $186.67.
You can also get another kit that is for going with disposable inserts and GroVia shells. This is called the GroVia Hybrid Diapering System Starter Kit Eco-Friendly Disposable Inserts. This also has 6 shells and has 150 of the disposable inserts for $169.90. 
These kits are nice for going with a kit but not the full-time kits that you find on the other cloth diapering sites. 
For those who make their own baby food, Amazon has Fresh Baby So Easy Baby Food Trays for $11.14 and it is eligible for Amazon Prime FREE shipping. These trays hold 1 ounce per cube. If you want containers that hold 2 ounces you can find the Fresh N Freeze Baby Food Containers 12-Pack for $9.95. 
I have been in love with Amazon for some time and now that I am a mom of two and have learned about Amazon Mom, Amazon Prime, and Subscribe & Save, I am in love all that much more. You can always find some great deals. What deal can you find?



Until next time... Happy Deal Hunting!


Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links.

Baby C's Birth Story

Well, it has been a hectic couple weeks now that I have been home with Baby C and LJ and Hubby has been working since we came home. LJ has been coping pretty well for the most part, though I know that many of his tantrums and defiance is because of this huge change in his life, known as a little sister. So, though I know it is taking some time to get this written, here is Baby C's birth story.
As you may remember in past posts, I was in a stalled labor since 37 weeks. At 37 weeks, contractions started every 2-3 minutes, with decent intensity. At that time we went in to the hospital at we were checked. I was 2 cms and maybe 70% thinned. After walking around for about an hour I moved to 3-4 cms and thinned the same. I then stayed like that all night (once I was progressing, they let me stay thinking I would deliver that night). In the morning I was sent home since things stalled out. We figured after some sleep I would maybe start back in to a good labor pattern and deliver that next day. Well, things stayed like that for weeks. On the last day of January I called the doctor as Baby had started to move a little less, though I would feel her give a few good movements one a day or so. Also, I was due in two days and we had a big storm with ice and snow heading our way that was going to last two to three days. If Baby C picked her due date or even one day before or after, we might not get to the hospital due to the weather.
After LJ's labor and delivery I was scared to not be at the hospital for Baby C's birth. LJ came really fast (2 hours of labor) and the cord was tight around his neck to the point of needing it cut before he could be fully delivered. If anything like that happened this time... I didn't want to think of what might happen. The doctors had even said that it would have been very bad if LJ tried to be born on the side of the road. He would not have survived. I didn't want to take that kind of risk. I called and said I wanted to be checked out and discuss induction. This was Monday morning and I had my regular appointment scheduled for Thursday that week. I was called back by the OB nurser and told that they could hook me up and monitor movements but I would have to wait until my regular appt to talk induction. That would be at the tail end of this bad storm and after her due date. I had been in stalled labor with contractions for three weeks! I hit my limit and after talking to the OB nurse and getting that kind of news, I called Hubby and broke down.
Hubby told me not to worry and try not to think about it too much. Things would work out and all that jazz. He did feel the same way I did, but he didn't want me to stress any more than I have been for the last three weeks. I tried my best to just let the rest of the day go by and be with LJ. When LJ went down for his nap, I took one as well since I was just getting so exhausted from all of this.
Around 2 pm the phone rand, waking me up a bit from my nap. It was my doctor's office. The lady on the phone told me that I was scheduled for induction the next day (Feb. 1) at 5 am. It took me a moment, I had no idea what was going on. They told me just earlier that morning I had to wait to talk about induction or anything like that. She then went on to say that she had already called and talk to my husband. I was thinking, "wait, why would you have called him and everything about this?" It didn't make much sense to me. So, I got all of my instructions for the next morning and thanked her. I think she could tell I was completely caught off guard.
After talking with the nurse or whoever that was, I called Hubby. It was then that I found out that earlier, around lunch time, he had called my doctor's office about this whole thing. He told them that they needed to come up with something and when they said a nurse would call him back, he said, "no I am talking to a doctor, not a nurse." He then talked to one of my docs who looked over my file and all before calling him back. She said that we totally had a case for induction and all kinds of things. She was so easy to talk to and accommodating where as the nurse was not. Really, I have a feeling that if I would have talked to a doc in the morning, things would have gone better.
So, we tried our best to get some sleep after getting everything ready for the next morning. LJ went over to his mom-mom's house for the night since we would have to be at the hospital at 5 am, meaning leaving the house no later than 4. I knew that I could not eat anything after midnight, so I made sure take some food to bed with me and eat a little before midnight so I would have the energy I knew I would need for the next day. For about two weeks or so I couldn't really eat too much without getting sick, but I could eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Earlier that day we had run out of bread but I wanted some PB&H, so I mixed them together in a small bowl and ate it with a spoon. Man was it yummy! That ended up being what I took to bed that night as well.
We got up and were able to get our of the house by 330 and got up there in like record time, even though the snow had already started to come down. When we got to the hospital, we tried to go back to get induced and found out that there were no beds. They were filled up and tried to call us to tell us not to come when we did, but no one was home when they called. We had to wait in the waiting room until they would have a bed for me. The hospital I go to gets very busy, but it is an awesome hospital to go to. Around 6 or so we got back in to a room and they started my IV. It was not until about 8 or so that they started my pitocin (we had to wait during a shift change and my doctor was able to check me).
They started my pitocin and I just loved the way the one nurse described it to me. She told me that it would be like "being hit by a Mack truck." Well, dude, my first labor was like being hit by a Mack truck! I knew I would be in for a "fun" time. I knew from LJ's delivery that I could go natural, and I wanted to go for as long as possible with no added drugs. Of course, anesthesia did come in and talk to me in case I needed a section or wanted an epidural.
Well, things progressed rapidly. My contraction were getting stronger, but I was breathing through them nicely. Around 1030 my doctor checked me again and I was now 6 cms and almost completely thinned out. I had Hubby text both moms to let them know where we stood. It wasn't long before things started moving more and the nurse had the pit stop increasing until we saw how things went at the dose I was currently at (I think it was 6.0 units).
On a side note, one main reason we went to this hospital was so my Aunt who is a Delivery nurse could be there. This is her hospital and she lives mere minutes away. As it came to pass, Tuesday was one of her days at work. She did not want to be my nurse, but more of a support person for me.
Shortly after 1030 my nurse let me know that she was going to be in another room with a pushing mom, but she would be back as soon as she could be. For the interim, I was getting another nurse: my aunt. :) I wanted to get on the birthing ball to ease some of the discomfort and help things move nicely. Well, this is then where I stayed for some time. Once on the ball, my contractions really kicked in and I was humming and toning with every contraction. My aunt was doing her best to keep my one monitor on Baby C's heartbeat as being on the ball made things move around that we kept losing her tracking. Also, she was moving down farther causing us to lose her tracking as well.
At 1108 I was on the ball doing all I could to not push and my water broke. Contractions were coming right on top of each other and moving was the last thing on my mind. I had to get in to the bed so that my doctor could check me. With things as they were, (I knew she was moments from being born) moving of my own volition was not quite an option. It ended up that Hubby and my aunt basically lifted me in to bed so that the doctor could check me. It was then that I also got some O2 to help with Baby's heartbeat and make sure she was getting the oxygen she needed through all of this. Panting through contractions is not fun when all you want to do is push.
Doc came to check me and as Hubby puts it, he didn't even really get to the first knuckle. She was right there and ready to be born. He suited up while I panted and did some slight pushing. They did not have to tell me twice to push. I gave two long pushes and I knew she was almost there, but I needed to rest. They tried to have me push one more time, but I said no and rested and got my breath. When the next contraction came on, I pushed and her head was out. Again, her cord was around the neck and needed to be cut before she could be delivered completely. Then I pushed just enough to get the rest of her body out. Really, that was just a total of three pushes.
Baby C was born at 1120 Feb. 1st after being induced just a couple hours earlier. She was great. They did a quick check of her and cleaned off a little bit of the fluids and such and she was able to be put on my chest.I had made sure to tell my nurse that I wanted her on my chest and to try to get her to eat as soon as possible. This time that could actually happen. I was thrilled. With all of the hormones racing through my body, I was high from the experience. I was sort of laughing uncontrollably for a while afterwards.
Baby C began to eat within a half an hour or so after she was born. I was so thrilled that she latched on with relative ease. After all that I went through with LJ and the problems getting a good latch and such, I worried that she would have a problem latching.
Baby C was able to stay with us the entire time we were in the delivery room, which ended up being quite a few hours as they were now also full upstairs, but had moms leaving, so I waited for a room upstairs to be ready. Hubby, Baby C and I just enjoyed our time together. After a little bit, my parents and younger sister came up to visit. We were still in the delivery room when they arrived. Everyone ate up time with Baby C. She was so precious and everything. She even ate once or twice more before we went upstairs. This made me thrilled even more so.
While this may not have been as fast as my first delivery, it sure did move quickly, and of course it wouldn't be as fast as I was induced to help move things along. I am so happy to have fast deliveries really. It is much easier to go without the pain meds when things move fast. I didn't have a chance to get meds, both times. Yes, I did need two stitches, but really, that isn't bad in my book. When things move as fast as they do for me, I think it helps things after delivery. I felt really good. As intense as things were, I was tired, but not utterly exhausted like I could have been. I am beyond thrilled with the outcome of my birth story (delivery).
My Baby C, though a Diva in the womb, is an angel now. I am so glad I have been able to take the time and write up this birth story. I may have been induced, but it was still such a positive experience. I wish more moms could have the positive experience with pitocin as I did. I know many others can feel badly towards pit after they have negative experiences with it.
Well, now I am just rambling on and getting off topic. I know that this was a long post and if you have stuck with me through it, thank you. :) 
Until next time... Happy Living!

LBBE - Undercover Mama ***Review & Giveaway*** (closed)

Nursing did not go so well with LJ. I didn't think anything of it before having him. I figured nursing would be fine, but it wasn't. In the hospital troubles came at us from every angle it seemed and LJ ended up basically leaving the hospital already supplementing with formula. This time around I knew there might be issues (some of which were on my end) and I learned ways to overcome these issues so that Baby C and I could hopefully have a go at breastfeeding.

For me, part of having a successful experience with nursing, I need to be comfortable doing it at home and in public. I don't have a bunch of nursing tops, but I do have a handful of nursing bras and all but one is a top closure style bra.

While I was pregnant this time around, I learned of a great concept and that was the one of the Undercover Mama nursing tank. With an Undercover Mama you can turn basically any top closure nursing bra in to a tank top! How awesome is that?! I knew when I first saw this product, that I would love to have at least one when Baby C arrived.



Now I have been fortunate enough to get one! Undercover Mama was nice enough to send me a black Undercover to try out. When I got it in the mail, I was a week or two away from my due date, but I still could not wait to try it on. That afternoon I tried it on. Even with as pregnant as I was, it fit me comfortably! I loved how stretchy the material was and the hooks to attach it to my bra were really easy to attach and detach.
It is so nice to be able to wear my regular shirts and still nurse Baby C without showing my belly and the marks of two pregnancies. I have always been a little paranoid about how my belly looks, and after two babies, it has not changed. This covers what I want to hide, keeps me modest, and still gives easy access to the girls for nursing.

For those who may be a little nervous about nursing in public and what others might see, you need to invest in one of these tanks! With this tank I can make any shirt into a shirt that I can nurse in and I don't have to think twice before heading out the door. I know that I will be ready to nurse my little girl whenever she gets hungry and I won't be showing a ton of skin to the world while doing it.
Really, I can't say enough good things about the Undercover Mama tank. All the things they say on their site and in the videos are true. You will fall in love with this product. And you know what...? You have a chance to win one right here!

***Buy It!***

The Undercover Mama is available online Here and retails for $24.99

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win one Undercover Mama in their choice of Black or White and in the size of their choosing!

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect and go to Undercovermama.com and tell which color tank is your favorite.

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• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry 
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on March 5th. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.


Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a sampling of products for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - Fleece Soaker from Zizzies and Izzies ***Review & Giveaway!*** (Closed)

I love finding some really great WAHMs on Etsy. There are so many talented women and men out there and Etsy can be a great way to find them. One such person is Shelly from Zizzies and Izzies.

I was sent a fleece soaker in the newborn size. Since we knew that we were having a little girl, I enjoyed being able to get things that were undoubtedly girlie. Shelly sent me one of her flower soakers and oh my is it cute!

 Baby C is still under 7 pounds and look how perfect this soaker fits her. It even fits nicely under her cord stump.  I was so glad when I saw the size of the soaker as I knew it would actually have a chance of fitting my newborn where most diapers in a "newborn" size are still too big. Right now she is fitting more of a preemie size in diapers and outfits. I have been able to put a small prefold that I made for her and this fits over it nicely.
I love soakers because they really help to let air through to baby's skin and that has been a big thing for us as Baby C has gotten red really fast with disposables and the weather we have been having has not helped her skin either. Even just one prefold with this soaker on top and the redness is greatly reduced. It makes me feel good that her bum is not as sore as it might have been.
I highly recommend stopping by Zizzies and Izzies to see what is available for your little one. The prices are great and she really does have a great selection of fabrics to choose from.

***Buy It!***

You can head over to Zizzies and Izzies Etsy site and purchase a 2 pack of fleece soakers for $15.00. 

She has a ton of other great products you can check out while you are there!

***Discount***

Shelly has been so great as to offer up a 15% discount to my readers. This discount code is good until the end of February. 

Code: whatmommawants

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win a 2 pack of fleece soakers in their choice of size and color/pattern 

from Zizzies and Izzies!

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment with you GFC name.

Extra Entries:

• Like Lynifer's Blog on Facebook - 1 entry - Leave your facebook name in the comment
• Like Zizzies Britches on Facebook - 1 entry -
• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry - Leave your twitter ID in the comment
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry - Leave a comment
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Leave a comment and be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry - Leave a comment
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, be sure to leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on February 28th. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.

Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a fleece soaker for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - Overstock.com ***Review and Discount***

Part of having a new baby is needing some new baby items. These can get expensive quickly. Overstock.com helps you to keep these costs down. They are an online retailer that has everything from Diamond rings to sporting goods, and so much more! I was recently able to review some of the items available at Overstock.com and given a discount code to use and give to my wonderful readers! (Code will be at the end of the post)

First, I must say, with having a second child and LJ only being 2.5 we knew we were going to need a sit-n-stand stroller of some description. It just so happen that overstock.com had one that we had been looking at! Overstock.com already had the stroller for a lower price than we have found anywhere else. Then I was able to use my discount code and save even more!

It is really easy to use Overstock.com' website. You can easily search for almost any product possible. The set-up of their category section is also really easy to navigate. I was able to quickly find their selection of sit-n-stand strollers and find the one we were looking for. I had a lot of fun looking around and doing some daydreaming of my own, too. :)

Seeing as I am going to be a stay-at-home mommy of two soon, I find myself thinking more and more of Coffee Makers. Right now I drink more tea than anything, but being able to make up a cup of decaf tea or coffee when I need a little treat would be so nice when juggling my new life to come. Heck, I find myself hankering for that some mornings already, but I don't feel like lugging out our big 12 cup maker for just a cup or two.

Of course, we have an older house and we don't have a ton of good storage spaces, so I also had to check out that section of the site. We are looking for some kind of storage unit that will fit behind our one door so we can easily store our gloves and hats and the like in reach of the coats when we are heading out the door. The biggest hurdle for us is that it can only be 12 inches deep or wide. Of course I found a unit in the storage section that would be perfect for our purpose!

Checkout is super easy as well. You have a few different options for checkout. You can use your credit card, or you can use Paypal. Not many bigger sites let you use your Paypal account. I find this really handy for those with a Paypal account, like myself (though I didn't use it). There is also an option (should you qualify) to use "Bill Me Later."

Do you know what the greatest part of Overstock.com is? Their price for shipping. They mention it in every commercial and it is all over their site, and that is because it is so awesome! What is it, you ask?
$2.95 shipping on your entire order, Always! That's it! You can spend 20 dollars on one item or hundreds on several things on their site and you still pay just $2.95 for shipping. How great is that?! I love it! I know I saved a bundle on the shipping cost alone by using Overstock.com to buy our new stroller.

So, now for the good part! 

Overstock.com has given me the opportunity to share a great discount code good for 10% off Overstock products (excluding movies, books, and electronics). This discount code never expires, however, it can only be used once per email address.
Ready for the code?

Here it is: 121745

Since this code is not good for electronics, Overstock.com also gave me a free shipping promo code for electronics: 202234


Disclosure: All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.

Don't forget your extra Entries! (plus a lil update)

So, my very first blog event will be starting next week! I can't believe it is February already and Baby C is here. The first post for the event will be up on Tuesday. If you have not already gotten in your extra entries, head on over to this post and get them in. I will leave them open for a little after the event starts, but they will not be there for the entire event.
So, Baby C arrived on February 1st. We came home on Thursday then. My whole birth story will be another day's post all together. I can't believe that she is here and we are now a family of four. It is nice and she is doing great.

I will say that I am glad that I have the first two posts of the baby event already done and ready to post. It is a big process off my mind for the moment. I do have so much that I am still getting used to. I think going from one to two kids is a bigger move than none to one. I am very lucky that LJ is taking this change in stride really. He loves his little sister. I can't to see how much of a big helper he is when it becomes just him and me and baby C during the days. Friday I was lucky enough to have Hubby be able to take a half a day of work so he could come home and help me out with getting us all ready to take Baby C to her appt and weight check that morning and then help with LJ when he was not napping that afternoon.

So, I may not be able to post as much as I would like in the week to come as I learn to balance new baby, 2 year old, home and blog all at once. It will be interesting, but in time I will be able to find the balance we need.
I am still here. I have not gone very far, but we do have our new little bundle here with us giving us so much joy!

Until next time... Happy Loving!

Tomorrow is D Day!

Okay, not the D day that many people think of. Tomorrow is the big day for us, Delivery Day! My doctor called me to tell me that they scheduled my induction for 5 am tomorrow morning. I must thank my husband so much for calling on my behalf and doing what I was unable to do. With all of the false alarms and stalled labor and now the weather that we are to get in the area over the next two days, I was getting stressed beyond what a pregnant woman should be. Three weeks of  stress is not good for anyone. I know it has been wearing on me mentally and physically. So, I tried to call and see if they would help my laboring along any and got a tough noogies kind of response from the OB nurse I spoke to. After calling Hubby in tears he composed himself (he was mad enough as well) and called my doctor to see if they would reconsider. Just after 230 this afternoon I got a call from my doctor's office letting me know that they have scheduled me to be induced (really it is more of helping me along) at 500 am tomorrow morning. Great enough as well, it will even be the same doctor who came 5 minutes late to LJ's birth (yes he came that fast).  I love that doctor and am happy that he will be the one at least starting my induction.
I am posting this as I know I have some sponsors out there who may be curious why I am not as prompt with my responses as I normally am. I will be away from my computer and only have limited access, via my phone, to my emails.
As for everyone else, family and friends, who have been keeping us in their thoughts and all, I wanted to keep you updated. I am so thankful for my in-laws who are taking LJ tonight for us, so we don't have to worry about getting him over to their house at such an early hour. Then they can sleep more as well. Also, to my parents who have been so helpful as well and making sure we have what we may need.
I am hopeful that all will go smoothly tomorrow and by this time tomorrow I may just have my little girl in my arms. :)

Until next time... Happy Living!

37 Week Update

Well, on Wednesday I hit 37 weeks. Baby C now has a new nickname, Lil Miss Diva. She has completely earned that title too. To give you all a little update, Wednesday I had my doc's appt and found out that I was about 2 cm dilated and 80% thinned. I considered that awesome since I got a very un-awesome report the week before. LMD (Lil Miss Diva) has been giving me off and on contractions since before Christmas. I even had to be off my feet more than I was on them before Christmas to keep from going in to pre-term labor.
Wednesday afternoon contractions started again and they got to be pretty close together and fairly painful. We felt it best to call in and see if we should be checked since I have a history of very quick deliveries. Well, we went in and they checked me out. I had not changed since our 4 o'clock visit (this was about 3-4 hours later). I walked around for an hour and when checked again I had changed to what the resident said was 3-4 cm. I stayed. We did some more walking and I was in the tub for a bit. I told them that I wanted to go as natural as possible, hey I know I can! So, they didn't even give me an IV because they felt they didn't need to and the doc that was on call is one who likes to let things move at their own pace and not give an IV if it isn't needed. I like her for that reason!
By 4 in the morning, things had stalled out. Totally. The resident felt that I had only progressed to about 5 cm. I was able to get some sleep and the doctor came in to check me before she left. By her assessment, I was actually only 3-4 cm still and she thought only 70-80% thinned. They sent me home! Since I am only 37 weeks, they are not going to push things at all. It was the consensus that I was so tired from not sleeping and not having food that my body stopped things because I wouldn't have the energy to deliver LMD. They sent me home with orders to sleep as much as I can and get something to eat, and that should get me back on track to deliver my girl.
It is now Friday. I was so hopeful that after a few hours of sleep and some food, things would kick back right to where I was and we would have our girl by Thursday night. Yeah, right, LMD earns her name again. I have had a few contractions today, but they are not that strong. I have been using the clary sage oil on my belly to try to help things move along. Hubby only has one and half more days of vacation so I would love to have her like tonight or maybe tomorrow so he would have as much time as possible off. He has already taken two days this week (one for the snow we got on Wednesday, and then yesterday since we didn't leave the hospital until almost 8). We are both totally ready for Baby C to make her appearance. I am over all these times of "false" or stalled labor! You know, that is a labor pain they don't talk about.
So often you hear about traditional labor pains. The pain that comes with delivering your little baby. Well, there is another labor pain in my book now. The one of false and stalled labors. I dealt with this as best I could last time and this time it is hitting harder because not only do I feel as though I am getting the hopes up of my husband and aunt (who is so awesome enough to come in each time we go to the hospital to stay with us) but I also have my son who has to go to his mommom and pop's house each time we go to the hospital. I haven't been able to see my son like normal and he can tell things are going haywire. He is crying so much more and is clinging to Hubby and I for dear life. It kills me to see him like this. He is totally our of sorts. I want to be able to have my girl, come home and be the family of four that we are going to be. I don't want him to have things get crazy for days on end and then he gets to begin his life as big brother. I wish it was a streamlined as it so often appears to happen for others.
So, that is my "little" update on where we are in the pregnancy right now. I am hoping to have my little girl in my arms soon as I can't take much more of this labor without it being full labor thing. It is wearing us down in so many ways. I must say though that there is no way we could make it through this without our great families being so close and helping us as much as they are.

Until next time... Happy Living!

Little Bundle Baby Event

That is right! I am having a baby event! I thought what better time to get things moving in the direction of reviews and giveaways then when I am going to be starting a new chapter in my life with our second child.

<a href="http://lynifer.blogspot.com/search/label/LittleBundle?max-results=10" target="_blank"><img src="http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/4368/babyeventbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="Lynifer" /></a>

I have some great reviews lined up for this event and a couple great giveaways as well! It will be awesome I am sure. Be on the look out for the Event to start in the beginning of February. It will end when we get through all of our awesome sponsors. :)

Want an idea of who is sponsoring this event?
How about:
Babylegs
GoGreen Pocket Diapers
Undercover Mama

Plus a few more who I will keep you guessing on!

**Event Extra Entries!**
To get some extra entries in to the giveaways you can do the following. Please leave a comment on this post for each opportunity you take. Then you will be able to use these entries in each giveaway you enter (after doing the mandatory entry of course).

5 extra entries - Post my event button on your blog and leave it there for the length of the event. Leave a comment with a link, so I can check it out. :)

3 extra entries - Post about my giveaway on your facebook page. Be sure to tag @Lynifer's Blog and link to this post. Leave a comment with a link to the post.

I am really excited to be able to bring some great companies and products to my readers. Many of these companies will also have coupon codes for me to offer up with the reviews! Keep your eyes peeled in the weeks to come! Great things are happening here at Lynifer's Blog!

Until next time... Happy Blogging!

do I have enough?

The time is winding down before I get to meet my little Baby C. As you may have read in my 32 week update, the doctor thinks she might actually get closer to 8 pounds, unlike her brother who was born at 6.3 pounds. I had been figuring I would probably have another small baby and making the fitteds in small newborn sizes (some of which fit up to like 7 pounds).

Well, the news of this baby maybe being bigger, had me freaking out a bit. What if the diapers I have made for Baby C don't fit her ever?! What if she is born too big for them? Some of them are just so cute, I would hate if she never had a chance to wear it. The picture at right is one of my favorite ones that I made for her as it ties closed but has the snap down front for her cord and is a cute pink stripe fleece outer. The tie is a pink ribbon I found lying around my sewing room that looked too cute when next to the diaper. :) So, yesterday I found a bunch of sites on different ways to make prefolds at home and some good size charts for the various prefold sizes and ages.


So, now I come to you, fellow cloth mamas! Help me know if the stash I have is good enough (ie big enough) for Baby C's starting stash.

Baby C's stash right now.

Okay, so right now I have an XS AIO (mommy made), 12 Small pockets, 1 OS pocket, 2 OS fitteds, 3 small fitteds, 5 newborn (small) fitteds, 3 newborn prefolds (mommy made yesterday and today), and five covers (1 OS, 3 small, 1 XS). 

I am hoping for maybe a few diapers in Baby C's Christmas gifts, but I am not holding my breathe as they would all need to be bought online and not all our family does online shopping. I am hoping to make a few more prefolds to use as they are quick and it would build my stash quickly. I just want to make sure I have what I would need to cloth diaper my child full time. I don't want to use disposables if I don't need to. I hate that I can't CD full time with LJ, but I am also hoping that soon he will be potty trained. Then his OS diapers can become Baby C's diapers, too. 

Do I have enough diapers to at least start a full time cloth routine possibly while even in the hospital? What style of diaper do you like best for CDing a newborn?

Until next time....Can you help this Momma Out?!

32 Week Update - 8 Pound Baby!?

Hello again all! Today marks 32 weeks gestation for me. Only 8 weeks left. I am happy about that. This pregnancy has been completely different from my first one and it has not been easy, but I do not want to dwell on the negative right now.
Today I had my doctor's appointment. All went pretty well. I was apparently very calm as my BP was only 100/70. Oh my. :) So far I have gained about 16-17 pounds. I know it isn't a ton, but that is just less that I have to try to lose after she is born.
I was talking to my doctor about size and such because I can tell my belly is bigger and everything. Well, I was shocked by what she told me. LJ was 6.3 at birth. Apparently, by the size of my belly at the moment and I guess her gut, my doctor tonight felt that Baby C could be close to 8 pounds at birth! I know plenty of women have had 8 pound babies, but giving birth to LJ at 6.3 was about what I was hoping for again this time around.
I am also hoping that if the birth is any longer than LJ's, that I have enough time to get some kind of assistance through it.
Overall, I am pretty content with where things are right now, though I do wish it wasn't as difficult to move around, but that is par for pregnancy at times. The end product is all worth it.
I don't have a picture, but let's just say, the belly is bigger than the last picture. I think Thanksgiving had something to do with it too. :)

Until next time ladies (and gents)... Happy Living!

30 Week Update

Well, Wednesday will mark 30 weeks for me. I can't believe I only have ten weeks left before we meet Baby C. Monday afternoon I had my doctor's appointment.

I was really anxious for this one because it was my first one since getting my 28 week blood work done which included the glucose tolerance test. With LJ I was told that I passed, but I was pretty close to the cut off. I really did not want to have to take the 3 hour test or be told I had gestational diabetes. Luckily, my doctor said all my test results came back completely within normal ranges. I was so happy to hear that. He didn't even act like they were close to cut off numbers either. Big thumbs up!

Everything else also checked out with Baby C today. My weight went up a good number since my last visit. I think I am at about 14 pounds gained so far. After the start I had, I think this is pretty decent. I mean I did only gain 24 with LJ, too, so I wasn't expecting big numbers anyway. The nurse didn't tell me my blood pressure but said that it was good. Baby C's heart-rate was in the 140s when the doctor listened to it on the doppler. I knew she was sleeping as she hadn't moved around much before then. Actually, she hasn't moved too much all day. I think her most active times of day are the night times when I want to sleep and such, of course.

So, things are going well so far. I am already at the point where I want to meet her and get this over with. She really like to stretch out and make me uncomfortable.
The other day I realized that we really had not taken any pregnancy pictures this time around where as we had tried taking pictures every two weeks or so with LJ. So, this past Sunday I had Hubby take a preggy pic so we can have at least a few pictures of this pregnancy. So, without further adieu,

taken at 29 weeks and 4 days

There are a lot of great things that will be going on in the next couple months and so here's hoping we can all keep up and enjoy the holidays and I can keep you all up to date as to what is going on. :)

Until next time... Happy Living!

First handmade baby blanket

Baby C now has her very first handmade baby blanket ready and waiting for her arrival. Yesterday after church the family went over to Hubby's grandmother's house for some visit time. We go most weeks really.
Yesterday as I was sitting at the counter after eating some lunch, Hubby's Nan came out with the cutest little blanket. She crocheted it just for Baby C. I just had to share it with you because it is so cute!

The blanket in all its glory

A close up of one of the bears with its pink bow

This is the third blanket like this that she has made but the first one that she could put pink on instead of blue. :) The blanket is the perfect size for draping over the baby's car seat during the chilly February weather that we have here. I just love it.
I think this may have even renewed my desire to make sure I get the knit cap done that I am knitting for Baby C to wear home from the hospital.

Until next time... Happy Living!

Back Carrier for Baby

I love babywearing. It is a great way to make sure that your little one is always near you and you know what they need. When I had LJ I found the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder sling. I liked it. When LJ was maybe close to a year I learned about the Moby and I ended up making something very similar. I love my "Moby" wrap but I recently learned that they no longer suggest using it to carry baby on your back. While I don't know how often I would carry Baby on my back or Hubby's, I wanted to start my search now for a carrier that might work. I don't really like the carriers with the metal supports and all that are more meant for hiking up a mountain with a kid.
This is where I need your help mommas!
What soft baby carrier is your favorite for using when carrying baby on your back? I have seen so many. I know that you can back carry with an Ergo. Have any of you tried an Ergo and did you like it? What, if any, were the pit falls?
I want to wear Baby longer than I did LJ, if she allows.
I need your help!

Until next time....Happy Babywearing!