To tell the full birth story of our sweet Josiah, we have to back up just a little. My entire pregnancy I had assumed I would probably be induced just as I had been with Raylee and Ruthi. It’s like my body just needs a kick and then it takes over on its own. I’ve had fairly easy inductions compared to a lot of people. I actually like being induced because I can have a plan for childcare and I know better what to expect. So when I got to 39 weeks and my doctor explained that the hospital has now changed their policy, I was taken aback. My OB said because the hospital is so busy, they won’t Continue Reading
Quiet Time Bins for Toddlers
My oldest daughter, Raylee, stopped napping at what I felt was an early age. Or maybe it was just that I wasn't ready to give up that precious nap time -- also known as my "me" time. So when she stopped sleeping during nap time, we slowly transitioned it to more of a quiet time. At first, she would just lay in bed talking or singing to herself. Then, I let her choose one book to read ... then three books, until one day it became apparent that this girl wasn't going to sleep during the day anymore and she needed more options to keep herself entertained in her room by herself. I reached out Continue Reading
12 Toys & Activities to Keep Your Toddler Busy
The hardest part about being a parent of two so far has been entertaining my toddler, Raylee, while I tend to the baby. When I need to breastfeed Ruthi or put her down for a nap, basically all of my attention needs to go to the baby. That means that Raylee needs to keep herself busy, but she's a toddler so that doesn't come easily. I have been compiling a list of the toys and activities we use to keep our toddler busy. We use these as tools to help her entertain herself so I can focus on the baby when needed. Even if you just have one kid, sometimes mama needs time to check email or make Continue Reading
Ruth’s Birth Story
When the doctor scheduled me to be induced on my due date, I was a bit surprised. I figured she would make me wait at least three days, probably four. But she didn’t have any problem with it, and I didn’t see any reason why not. Knowing we already had someone to watch Raylee that day made it seem like a great plan. But Friday, my due date came, and we didn’t end up in the hospital. It turns out that the hospital has been plum full with deliveries these past two months. They didn’t have a bed available, and there were 10 other women in front of me waiting to be induced. On Saturday, I called Continue Reading
Hospital Packing List My Second Time Around
I've been down this road before. I'm no longer a first-time mama. So I figure I have a much better idea of what I should and shouldn't take to the hospital on delivery day. I still read lots of lists online to be sure I wasn't forgetting something. But I think I had a pretty good hospital packing list this time around. First of all, let's talk about the bag. I didn't want something too big like an actual suitcase. But I also didn't want the bag to be so small that I would need five different bags! I decided it was time I bought me a new duffle bag. All of the ones we own are just worn Continue Reading
Pregnancy Bump Photos for Baby #2
Last time, I made sure to take a pregnancy bump photo every single week. I loved seeing the slight changes turn into big changes. This time, I did a pregnancy bump photo every other week. Sorry, second kid! Ha! By doing them every other week, the changes are a little more evident. Unfortunately, at the beginning of my pregnancy I was still trying to find the right spot to take these photos. By week 10, I had found it. But I wish I had started there from the beginning. Check out my baby belly! Pregnancy Bump Photos Bi-Weekly Some of the differences I saw in this pregnancy compared Continue Reading
8 Freezer Meals to Make Before Baby Arrives
Ya'll know I like to feel prepared before having a baby ... or actually any time! But especially right before such a huge change and life transition. Last time I was pregnant, a friend asked me if I'd like to do freezer meals together. We made several, and it was so helpful to have those meals tucked away and ready to use when we needed them. Now that I know how hard postpartum can be, I knew I wanted to make freezer meals again. When you haven't slept in days (or maybe even weeks) and the last thing you feel like doing is cooking, freezer meals can be a lifesaver! This time, I asked a Continue Reading
Things to Stock Up on Before Baby Arrives
The last thing I'm going to want to do when I'm knee-deep in postpartum "bliss" with a toddler and newborn is run to the store because I realize I'm out of toothpaste. That's why I like to stock up on household goods before the baby comes. I try to think of anything and everything we may need or run out of and buy a few extras when I'm in my third trimester. Items to Stock Up On Here are some ideas for items you may want to stock up on before that sweet newborn is keeping you up all night. Toilet paper Pads Hand soap Makeup remover Any makeup you may run out of in the next month Continue Reading
Our Potty Training Experience Using the 3-Day Potty Boot Camp
Here we go with yet another transition for our 2-year-old! A couple months ago, we moved her to a toddler bed, and that is going really well. So we decided to start the next big move -- potty training. We are trying to get all these big transitions out of the way before the new baby comes. That will be a big enough change for her that we don't want to throw in using the potty at the same time. Using the 3-Day Potty Boot Camp I decided after a little research and talking to some friends to use the 3-Day Potty Boot Camp method for potty training. First of all, the whole "3-day" part of Continue Reading
10 Items Needed for Your Second Child
When we first found out we were expecting baby #2, I didn't think we'd need much of anything. We already had all the big items (and we were careful to purchase all gender-neutral colors so we could use them for all our kids). Then, when we found out our second child is another girl, I really didn't think there was much we would need. But as time as went on, I've thought of quite a few items we will need with a second child. Maybe you've got another one on the way too. Are you wondering what you could possibly need? Well, here's a list of 10 items I know we would like to have for our second Continue Reading
Toddler Bed Transition
Well, my little girl is now a big girl. I had planned to keep Raylee in her crib for as long as possible. She was doing great with sleeping in it and never tried getting out. Why mess with something that's working, right? Well, we did it. The toddler bed transition ended up happening, a lot sooner than I had expected too. Once we found out we were having another girl, I decided I wanted the white crib for the new baby. Travis was already itching to get Raylee moved to a big girl bed since he does the bedtime routine and wanted to be able to lay down and cuddle with her before saying "night Continue Reading
2nd Bee-Day Party
Raylee is turning two this month, and I can't believe it. I had originally decided we would do a very small, simple party for her. But then we found out we were expecting and we would have the gender ultrasound just days before her party. Not to mention, we just love both our families (big families) and we wanted a chance for them all to see our new house, especially after we had completed so many projects. So we went big! I decided to do a bee theme and host a bee-day party that doubled as a gender reveal party. We ended up having around 50 people come, so thank goodness we have a pretty big Continue Reading
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