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
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
Sunshine First Birthday Party
Wow, I can't believe I have a 1-year-old! Like I said in this post, her first birthday party was more for me than her. I did survive 9 months straight without sleeping through the night and kept all three of us alive, so a celebration was in order. We decided to do a sunshine first birthday theme because Raylee is "our little sunshine." Look at the name of my blog, how could I not use this theme? We had around 25 people come to celebrate with us, and it was a blast! I was afraid Raylee might be shy or fussy with so many people filling our house, but she was actually happy and smiley. I Continue Reading
Raylee’s First Birthday — Baby Update
My little spunky chick just turned one! Can you believe it? I am so glad that each month I remembered to take a photo and include all the milestones she hit. Gosh, they change so much so fast! If you want to see photos from her first six months of life -- check out this post. I used blankets that we received from people for each photo. Thank you to everyone who gave us a beautiful blanket, especially to those of you who made one! On the evening she turned seven months, Raylee started crawling! She had already been scooting like crazy and getting into a crawling position, but she finally Continue Reading
Sleep Training: Round 2 (The Ferber Method)
You may remember that I wrote a post about five months ago called What I Learned Through Sleep Training. In that post, I talk about how sleep training didn't work for us. At the time, that was true. I worked hard at it for weeks and weeks, and eventually I gave up because it was causing way too much stress for me. I found myself becoming depressed, so we stopped sleep training. But about three months later, Raylee was still waking several times a night, and although I wasn't depressed, I was definitely sleep deprived. We just couldn't take it anymore. We knew something had to change. That's Continue Reading
How I Survived the First Year of Motherhood
As I'm writing this, Raylee is around two weeks away from being a one-year-old. It seems like we were just getting the hang of life with a newborn, and now -- bam -- she's almost a toddler! The first year really went so fast. And it's got me reflecting a lot lately. I always thought it was a little silly to throw a big party for a one-year-old. It's not like they have any clue what's going on, and they won't remember the cake, presents, or decorations. What's the point? Well, can I tell you a secret? The birthday party I'm throwing for Raylee in a couple weeks is more of a party for me. It's Continue Reading
Taking Baby to the Beach: Two Items You Need
Like I said in my post about flying with a baby, Raylee had her first trip to Florida recently. That means she also had her first visit to the beach. Just like I was nervous about the airplane ride, I was also nervous about the beach visit. Taking baby to the beach seemed a little overwhelming. I imagined us carrying a thousand items out there and coming back covered in sand. I wasn't sure it would be all that fun. But thankfully, it was a success! Raylee loved the beach. She loved feeling the sand in her hands, and she only tried to eat it once. It was very fun getting to watch her examine Continue Reading
Tips for Flying with a Baby
Raylee recently had her very first flight. We went on vacation to Florida with Travis' family, and there was no way I was driving all the way there with her. She is terrible on car rides! But I was nervous about flying with a baby. What if she cries the whole time and everyone hates us? What if her poor little ears won't pop and she's in pain? I'm happy to report, though, that Raylee's first two airplane rides were successes. For the first flight, she was wide awake even though it was past her bedtime. There was just too much to see and touch and even taste! On the second flight back home, Continue Reading
What I Learned Through Sleep Training
When I was pregnant, people joked by saying things like, "Get sleep while you can!" At least I thought they were joking. They laughed when they said it. But it turns out, it wasn't much of a joke at all. I didn't think I could sleep well with a giant belly and bladder that needed emptied every two hours. But little did I know what was to come! You really don't get any sleep when you have a baby. The sleep deprivation is very, very real. Sadly. As far as I can tell, Raylee is just a really bad sleeper. At least I hope so. If this is normal, I might not want any more kids! Joking ... kind Continue Reading
Fine, I’ll Say It. I Don’t Like Breastfeeding.
I have a feeling I'm going to get some flack for this post. But you know what, that's OK. Because in this space, I'm all about being real. And a lot of times in the hardships of parenthood, or really life in general, we tend to think we are alone. Alone in our feelings, alone in the struggles. But we aren't. And if we could all just be real and open and honest and even, raw, then maybe others would feel not so alone. Maybe, just maybe, by being open with each other we can push the clouds apart to let the sunshine through. So here it goes. I'll say it. I just don't really like Continue Reading
Getting Enough Calcium: Breastfeeding Nutrition for Mamas
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text, and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, or planning on becoming pregnant, speak with your healthcare provider if you have any specific health questions or prior to Continue Reading
Raylee’s Half Birthday – Baby Update
Our daughter, Raylee Lynn, turned six months old last week. I can't believe we are half way to a year. Not only am I head-over-heels in love with this little bug, but I'm so proud of myself for surviving! Ha! I knew from before I was even pregnant that I wanted to take monthly photos of our kids. I love seeing the differences between each month. They grow so dang fast that first year! Each month is full of so many milestones, and I want to remember them all. I decided to take her photos on the blankets she was given. Several people made us quilts or crocheted blankets, and lots of Continue Reading