Mommy Talk Tuesday (Free and Cheap Kids Activities)

Mommy Talk Tuesday is back! This week it is Free and Cheap Kids Activities.

This is a topic I am just getting to know. RC is just about 16 months now so we are just starting to get out and enjoy the free and cheap activities out there!

Playing Outside is, of course, the top free activity. Even on those hot and humid days you can try to get outside early or take a walk in the evening. I know RC loves to look around at everything. If it has been really hot, he takes a walk around our apartment building and through the back yard with my hubby in the evening.

To go along with playing outside, sidewalk chalk and bubbles are inexpensive ideas to keep your little one occupied.

An activity we enjoy is going to Chick Fil A to play. RC loves the play area, I get to sit in the AC and talk with my friends and then we usually splurge and get lunch. We do this about once to twice a month with MOMS Club.

Check out the library. They typically have programs all summer long for kids of all ages. We just signed RC for the summer reading program where he can earn a little prize for having books read to him! For older kids they earn the prize for reading the books themselves!

Many stores have programs that are free or very cheap for your little one to do. Home Depot is one of those. Unfortunately RC isn't old enough, but when he is, we will be there joining in on the fun! Michaels or Hobby Lobby will sometimes have craft demos that your child can take part in as well.

What are your favorite free or cheap kids activities?

Mommy Talk Tuesday (Mommy Friends!)

This week's Mommy Talk Tuesday is on Mommy Friends! How important is it to have fellow mommy friends? What are ways you have made mommy friends? What do you do about other moms who are judgmental towards your parenting style or try to push their parenting thoughts on you?
Being a SAHM I think it is very important to have fellow mommy friends. Friends in general are great, but when you become a mom, I think you need to find friends that are moms as well. Other moms know what you are going through, deal with the same issues, and don't mind talking about your kids. Face it, when we become parents, our conversations always turn back to our kid(s)! Not something a non-parent usually wants to always talk about. It is such a benefit having other moms as friends. They are a resource, someone to talk to, someone that understands.

After RC was born, I joined a local MOMS Club that is part of International MOMS Club. It has been such a great experience. I wanted a group that met all year and if there were dues, were not expense. I don't see the point in paying an arm and a leg for friends after all! :) The MOMS Club seem to be perfect. Low annual dues, meets all year, and is pretty laid back! It has been exactly what I needed to find other moms like me. I'm even president of our chapter now!

I can't really say that I have had anyone that has been judgmental about my parenting style or pushed their beliefs on me. I'd probably just let it go if I can't think of something good/nice to say back.  I do like what one friend said once when her daughter was having a meltdown after a long day at the grocery store. A lady stopped her and said "I used to carry lollipops with me for when my kids did this." My friend responded with "I don't believe in rewarding bad behavior" and continued on! I on the other hand probably wouldn't have come up with something that good to say. I probably would have just ignored her.

I think it is helpful when someone shares a parenting tip. You can usually tell when they are being nice and trying to be helpful or just plan being rude. We all parent differently and we should respect one's choices even if we don't think it is the 'right' way to do it.

Mommy Talk Tuesday (Best and Worst Baby Items)

This week's Mommy Talk Tuesday is on Best and Worst Baby Items. There are so many baby items out there it's hard to know what you really need and what you don't! When we were expecting RC it was overwhelming. Did we need a swing...if so what kind? What about car seat/stroller? Teething toys? Furniture? Etc, etc, etc. We decided to try and limit the amount of baby stuff. Here are the things we opted for:

Ocean Wonders™ Deep Blue Sea™ SpaceSaver Swing & Seat was a total score. We got this at a resale shop for just $25! It lasted up several months until RC was more mobile. There were times he would swing for 2 - 3 hours during nap time. We found the key, at least for him, was the vibrating seat. If it turned off while he was napping, he would start to stir. We actually loaned this to a friend that had bought a super expensive, high tech swing that didn't vibrate. They found this one helped their child to calm down and nap! This is a definite must have.

Luv U Zoo Jumperoo was by far the best thing we purchased. We bought it brand new, so we spent a decent amount on it, however, RC jumped and played for an hour or more at times. It didn't last us as long as it could have but that is because RC prefers to move freely around now. I would suggest this to anyone having a new baby.

Cloth diapers...we decided fairly soon after we found out we were expecting RC that we wanted to cloth diaper. They are a huge money saver, better for the environment, and just plain cute compared to disposables! There are so many options out there. I went to Abby's Lane and found out tons of information about cloth diaper and what I would need to get started. Best thing we could have done for our pocketbook, the planet and our son!

Sophie the Giraffe is a teether that I wish I would have been told about before I spent $20+ on other teether that RC hated! Sophie is soft, great to chew on, and squeaks! RC loved his when he was first teething. He doesn't use Sophie too much now to chew on, but he sure loves to make her squeak!

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace is another one of those items I wish someone would have told me about BEFORE RC began teething! I was skeptical at first, but after having RC wear one, I have seen teething symptoms decrease. It doesn't take away all pain...at least not for molars, but for the smaller teeth it works great. I love that I found a natural pain reliever than having to give RC tons of medicine to help.

Baby Carriers are another one of those I wish someone would have told me about. I most likely would have skipped the whole infant car seat thing. In fact, whenever we decide to have a #2 we won't be hauling an infant seat around stores anymore. Baby carriers are so much easier to tote your child around in. It gives them that sense of security, allows you to bond with them, and when they are feeling down allows them to be close but let you be hands free for other tasks! My first carrier was a Moby Wrap. I hated it...well sort of. For a plane ride with a 1 month old, it was great. RC slept the whole way. The problem....dealing with 6 feet worth of fabric to wrap around you when you have no wear to set the baby!!! I finally decided a wrap wasn't for me. My carrier now is the Beco Butterfly 2. It is awesome. You can carry an infant to a toddler up to 45 lbs! I use it around the house if RC is feeling down or just wants mommy time and I have things to do. I use it for hiking and shopping as well. You can even nurse in it, though I never tried that as I didn't end up having the need for it. There are a ton of carriers out there. I suggest attending a babywearing class if there is one near you to test out various types. There are even some companies that will let you rent them to see what you like before buying!

When it comes to worst baby items, we really didn't have much of anything that we hated. We steered clear of products that just seemed silly; such as a cover for a boy while your changing them. We opted for a wash cloth! After all it doesn't take long before you either get quick at changing them or they out grow the stage that they pee almost immediately when exposed to the air!

Now that I am becoming more familiar with certain products and how they worked with RC I would tell any new parent that:
1. you don't need it all!
2. sometimes you can make due with what you have. (Such as a changing table. You will probably end up changing them on the floor, the bed, etc.) We did opt for a changing pad in our bathroom but it did make sense with doing cloth diapers and cloth wipes and having everything right there and not wanting to lay RC on the cold, hard counter top.
3. wait and see how your kid reacts before you go buy high dollar items. You might be able to borrow a friends swing to see if your child likes it. If they don't you can save your money!
4. Check out resale shops before buying brand new. You might just score an amazing deal...like a $75 swing for $25!
5. Get a baltic amber necklace and sophie the giraffe for teething!!! It will save you money rather than buying a ton of other teething toys and medicines!
6. Invest in a high quality carry. Don't just opt for one at the discount store. It will end up hurting your back and your child may just fuss because it hurts them too!

Mommy Talk Tuesday (Letter to Your Child)

Dear RC,

I'm not the best with writing, but here goes. When you were born you surprised Mommy and Daddy by coming into this world almost 3 weeks early. That didn't matter. You were and are still strong willed. The moment the doctors laid you on the table in the operating room (Mommy had to have a c-section), you tried to crawl away and do your own thing! You still are that way today. You are very independent, but then there are times that you just don't want to let go of Mommy. You love balls, your Little People play sets, and pushing your truck...or anything really!

Mommy and Daddy welcomed you to our world

One month old. Aunt Jenny took this picture.

When you first began to talk you said "Dada." We were in Germany at the time and just welcoming Daddy back from his business trip. Other words that followed were "Baba" for bottle, "Mom Mom" (which I was so happy to hear you say, but then turned out that was your way to ask for food! Occasionally though you do get out just a plain old Mom which is for me!), "Go go go," "baby," and two days ago "ball!' I love listening to you "talk" to the cat. Every time you see him you start jabbering in a high pitched squeal as you are trying to mimic when the cat meow's.

You love sharing apples with Daddy!

You LOVE the baked beans at Jeb's Diner.

You love to move around, but you have yet to really walk. You will occasionally take a couple of steps, but you are still uneasy on your feet when you let go. You can crawl like a speed demon though! When you escape the blockade from the living room, you can disappear to another room in seconds!

Happy 1 Year Birthday RC! You loved the icing Mommy made for your cake...the cake not so much; however the second cake Mommy made while we were in Missouri, you devoured that one!

You loved the Medieval Times show we went to in D.C. You were 13 months here and waved your flag, jumped, and made noise all night long for the Black & White Knight!

You love to explore things. You watch EVERYTHING to see how it works! You are one smart little man and you are barely over a year old! Mommy can't wait to see you grow into smart, handsome, kind, outgoing man...but please, don't grow too fast! It already seems like if I blink, you will be off to college and leaving us! Stay my baby boy for a while longer.

Mommy loves you RC!

Out for a hike at the local park!

Mommy Talk Tuesday (Breastfeeding)

This week's mommy talk Tuesday was on breastfeeding. The questions were: 

Did/do you breastfeed? If you do/did what was your biggest challenge during breastfeeding? What was/is your favorite part of breastfeeding? Do you think it's ok to nurse in public, covered or not? Do/did you ever nurse in public? Do you have any tips for moms struggling with breastfeeding or expectant moms who plan to breastfeed?

Before RC was born, Travis and I had discussed breastfeeding and decided that I would give it a go since I would be staying home with RC. Since I knew nothing about it other than it was healthy for baby and cheaper, I attended a class offered by one of the local hospitals. The day came that RC was born. I had an emergency c-section and wasn't able to hold him for over 2 hours. We tried nursing at that point and that's when we began to struggle.

I got help from the lactation consultants in the hospital, but to be honest, they weren't any help at all. They would come in and shove RC's face into my breast until he would finally get latched on. They were like "see there you go, that's how you do it." Hello...it took 4+ hands and someone slamming his face into me. How is that supposed to work?

We were released and still struggling. The first morning home, I broke down because I was still not able to feed my son who hadn't really eaten anything in almost 5 days. I called a lactation consultant and she suggested pumping and feeding by bottle if he was still having problems until I could get him latched on. She wanted to see us, but we just couldn't afford $160 per hour! So we continued to try nursing, then following up with a bottle of expressed milk. I will never forget my son's face when he had that first bottle of expressed milk. He just opened his eyes huge and had a look of "this is what I was supposed to be getting?"

Our first pediatrician appointment is when things really changed. I stated that we were still struggling and the doctor brought in one of the female doctors that is great at teaching lactation. Within seconds she had RC latching and me getting to latch by myself, no shoving his face on. The problem we were having? The lactation consults in the hospital showed me how to hold my breast wrong which was causing RC to not be able to latch properly.

After that is was pretty smooth sailing. We nursed in public with a cover when needed. I'm not one to show much skin normally let alone my breast in public! And then RC started teething. *sigh* RC struggled to nurse while teething as we followed up with a bottle of formula to tide him over. I only had a manual pump and didn't think to pump when he had a bad feeding. So after going strong for 4.5 to 5 months, we realized there was a problem. The other problem with the massive biting and pulling he was doing.

RC was the same weight at 5.5 months as 4 months, but had gained 3 inches. He was gross to touch. I felt like I would break him when I picked him up. We called the doctor and after discussing things we determined I had lost the bulk of my milk supply and RC wasn't getting enough. In the interim we supplemented while deciding what to do. Finally we made the decision to just switch to formula. This decision was made due to the cost of a lactation consultant...we just didn't have the funds to go to one and then find out my milk supply wasn't salvageable or the RC didn't stop biting and pulling. He literally would make me scream when he did that!

To be honest, I found nursing to be more of a hassle on occasion. Mostly on days that he would nurse all day just to nurse. While I love my son, I'm not one to want to spend days such as that. For me, I could have bonded with RC just as well by starting off with a bottle. I think if we wouldn't have struggled so much in the beginning. Travis' relationship really changed too when we made the switch. He would complain that RC didn't like him, but when he only would see him for a few hours and not be feeding him etc. Once he got to help out, RC really developed that bond that was missing. When it comes to having more kids, it is hard to say if I will breastfeed or just choose to formula feed from the start.

Mommy Talk Tuesday: Sleep

This week's Mommy Talk Tuesday from The Not-So-Secret Confessions of the Second Time Mom is on sleep! Sleep or rather non-sleep is probably the thing parents dread the most after having a new baby. For me, it turned out to not be so bad. In fact, in the very beginning, I had to set an alarm clock to wake RC to nurse him because he didn't want to wake. He probably would have slept through the night from day 1 if we would have been allowed to let him!

RC has continued to be a pretty easy baby. Around 8 weeks old he began sleeping through the night. By sleeping through the night though, I mean sleeping for about 8 hours. He first began with going to bed around midnight and sleeping until 8am (this wasn't a big deal for me as I generally don't sleep well before midnight anyway.). I decided to let RC make his own schedule. With being a SAHM and RC the only child, I figured things would probably work out easier if I let him do it himself. It didn't take long before he worked his way from midnight as his bedtime to around 8pm with still sleeping until 8am or later.

With him sleeping so long we ran into him waking due to peeing through his cloth diaper. It was time to find a nighttime cloth diaper combo to get him back sleeping through the night. We finally found a combo with a Flip cover, stay dry microfiber, and 2 hemp inserts. Another problem we ran into was him waking due to being hungry. He went from not nursing during the night to feeding every couple hours again around the 4 month mark. This turned out to be because he was getting bigger and not getting a full belly before bedtime anymore. He went on rice cereal at that point and the first night he had the cereal, he was back to sleeping through the night!

Nap times are a bit trickery. In the beginning, of course, RC was like any other newborn. Later, he started taking only 2 maybe 3 times a day. Now, there are days that h one nap is a struggle, but only if when I can tell he is super tired and keeps fighting sleep. Most days he takes a nap no problem. Again since I let him tell me, sometimes that means nap time doesn't come until 4pm! This usually isn't a big, but sometimes does push his bedtime a bit later for that night.

RC is only a year old and later I do foresee some potential problems. Currently we are on a trip where he is sleeping on a twin mattress. In the middle of the night, he has begun waking and thinks it's play time. Later when we decide to move him from a crib to a big boy bed, I think we may have some issues with him getting up and playing in bed. I suppose if this happens and he is quiet, it might not matter too much. He does like to wake a play quietly in his crib for about an hour before he actually cries to get out.

So far with RC, I am not pushing anything and I feel it is working out well for us. When we decide to have number two, I hope things will work out the same way.

Mommy Talk Tuesday....err Wednesday!

Okay, so I am a day late getting to the Mommy Talk Tuesday. This week is on, what else during Real Diaper Week? CLOTH DIAPERS!!!

We made the decision to go with cloth diapers while I was pregnant with RC (our first and only...so far). My hubby was excited...well after the initial shock...that we were going to have a baby. We both were kind of thinking the cloth route from the very beginning, but we were sold on them when we looked at the cost of diapering just ONE child and we want at least two or more. After doing research, asking friends and family on Facebook, we finally decided to go with a pocket diaper. My husband wanted cloth just as much as me, but when I showed him the options, he opted for the ease of the pocket diaper (because he doesn't have to stuff and prep them!!!).  We decided to take a friend's advice and get the BumGenius one size pocket diapers. These diapers, in theory, should last us from newborn to potty training.

The downside, the version I picked, didn't fit RC during his first 2 months. He was just too skinny and while the manufacturer says 8 pounds, it really means more like 10 pounds. Unfortunately, we had to wait until RC was 8 weeks old before starting with cloth. Just those 2 months worth of diapers was enough to make me hate disposables. Between the cost and the smell...no thank you!

We have learned a few things along the way. For instance RC's nighttime diaper routine is totally different than daytime. He needs a Flip cover with stay dry microfiber and 2 hemp inserts to make the 10 - 12 hours. This creates a large diaper...which means, much bigger jammies than he really is in. In fact, 2 sizes larger! This also means certain types of jammies to fit over the diaper better as well.

Another thing we learned was our first mistake...nothing for newborn diapering. I now know better and will be prepared for number 2 with newborn covers and prefolds! In fact, I recently bought several covers and a stack of prefolds (thought number 2 is not in sight) for my sister in law to use for her son (due any day now) and then she will gift them back to us when it is time!

Other things I have learned is a good wash routine is key. We wash hot rinse, hot wash, cold rinse and dry only inserts, bags, and wipes. All diaper shells get line dried to ensure they last many many years.

You might think that handling a cloth diaper is gross, but it really is not any worse than a disposable. With the right tools and mindset it is simple, saves TONS of money, the environment, is better for baby, and are super cute!

I am a loyal shopper and my favorite cloth diapering store is Abby's Lane. They have a great rewards program, great customer service, and best of all FREE shipping on all size orders! They also have great giveaways which I love. Once I won one of my pail liners just for ordering on Winging it on Wednesday! They have a blog to with tons of information at Cloth that Counts. There are many other resources and shops out there. My favorite brand so far is BumGenius and Flip. I have tried Tiny Tush and Rumparooz as well. We will be getting a GroVia soon to try. Now that I am more familiar with cloth diapering, I am slowly branching out to a few other brands to test out.

Have questions? Just ask!
 

RC's Birth Story

This is for the Mommy Talk Tuesday over on The Not So Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom blog.

RC birth was not what I expected. Almost 1 year ago, I was at a non-stress test. I had to have these twice a week due to an ultrasound showing more amniotic fluid than was needed. All had been going great throughout my entire pregnancy. I passed both my glucose tests, my blood pressure was perfect, I wasn't showing any signs of issues....well other than too much amniotic fluid. They weren't really concerned with it though.

At my appointment, RC was not cooperating. He wanted to sleep, while the tech needed him to move. I had been hooked up to the monitor for about an hour already. This was pretty routine for me. It always took at least an hour. The tech felt bad an wanted me to be able to go home. She came over and tried a buzzer on my belly to wake RC...that didn't work. She then started pushing on my belly to 'poke' him awake. Next thing, RC's heart dropped from 160 to 40 and took over 3 minutes for it to fully come back up to 160. The tech went off to get a doctor. The doctor came in, looked at the sheet, said "you're 37 and 2 days correct?" When I said yes she said, "good, call your husband your going to the hospital tonight to have a baby!" On the way out the door she said "hopefully we can have a natural delivery, but we'll see how things go when you get there."

I tried my husband's cell...no answer. I had to stay an additional 30 minutes to continue being monitored just in case. Kept trying...still no answer. My husband just about never answers his phone. Very annoying when he was told by that point in my pregnancy to always have it on him just in case! I was released to drive home, get my things, eat dinner, and report to the hospital.

When I got home, I told my husband, pack your bag we're going to the hospital to have the baby. He looked at me, didn't believe me and went back to what he was doing. I told him, no really we have to leave now. Get moving. Stopped at subway for dinner, then headed across the water hoping we missed all the traffic in the tunnels!

When we got to the hospital we were checked in for extended monitoring to start with even though the doctor had said tonight was the night. We got to our room, they hooked me up and they showed us how to unhook me from the machine if I needed to use the restroom. In the meantime I have texting with my mom and sister informing them what is happening. My sister was ready to hope on a plane to fly out that night. She was finally talked out of it. It would have been super expensive. I finally had decided I needed to use the restroom. Just as my hubby was coming around the foot of the bed I said "wait, I think the heart rate is dropping again." Sure enough 160, 150, 140....70. I pushed for the nurse and said "I'm sure you see this but his heart rate is dropping again." Several nurses came running in, yelling roll to your side." I'm going which one! They pull me over and the heart rate starts to go back up. When the doctor came in, she asked "did you feel that?" "Feel what?" "You had a contraction, only a minor one. Since the heart rate dropped with that minor of a contraction, you now get to have a c-section."

After hearing that I told myself to just stay calm as it wouldn't be good for the baby. I sent more text messages to my family. Did I mention my mom was on a cruise at the time? She was freaking not being on land to get here.

It took about an hour before they got me into the OR and then I was prepped and laid out on the table. The spinal was the weirdest feeling ever having most my body completely numbed. It took affect so fat that I almost could lay myself on the table after they were finished! The procedure seemed to take forever, mostly because I couldn't see, but also because it was a teaching hospital and the doctor was teaching over me.

Finally she pulled RC free, said "I told you, the cords around his foot" and said "Dad, hurry up and take a picture!" RC got to stay in the room while they finished up with me then he was carted off to be cleaned up and checked. It was about 2 hours before I finally got to hold my baby boy.

Sometimes I feel cheated that I didn't get to have the full experience, but then after I hear some labor stories, I rethink that! My baby boy was just in a hurry to see me so he found a way to do so!