To Paci or not to Paci...

Take my paci...I dare ya!

I admit, I was that mom that said, "No way am I giving a paci."  

Well that lasted right up until he was about a month old and one night he just would not stop fussing.  All he wanted to do was suck...on me.  Liam used me as a paci for the first month of his life, and boy did my nipples suffer for it.  On that fateful night my husband and I caved and tried the paci.  Guess what...Liam quieted down instantly!  Like a mute button!  Thankfully though he has not become one of those babies that is reliant on his paci.  Yes, it calms him down most of the time, but there are times when he just does not want it.  Lately, because he is teething, he seems to want it a little more.  Not always for sucking though, he likes to pull it out and turn it around and chew on the back of it - the hard plastic side.  

I AM IN NO WAY SAYING GIVING A PACI IS BAD OR THAT YOU ARE A BAD MOM IF YOU DO.

Babies like to suck. Period.  

If a paci will help, then so be it:)

I would rather have Li Li suck on a paci than his thumb.  A paci I can take away eventually...his thumb is attached.  He is becoming a little thumb sucker though....like his daddy.  

Here's my issue currently - Liam wakes up fussing for his paci at night.  If I can get in there before he fully wakes up and put it in, he is fine...most of the time.  I am wondering if going hands free at night will help...he is currently napping for the first time with his hands free.  Maybe he will be able to find it on his own??  Or...I am wondering if weaning him from the paci completely will help?

Any tips mommies??

xoxo,

Molly

Paci Paci

Family run!

Back in the swing of things

Well it's day two of being back at work full time.  When's the next vacation??  I'm getting back into the swing of things I guess...kinda just have to jump right back in.  Boy, I sure did not miss getting up at 4:30AM everyday:/. Liam has been getting up a lil earlier than usual, not sure why.  

My first day back at work I was approached to job share next year.  Something I have dreamed of since becoming a mom.  Sadly, we can't afford for me to do it.  I'm slowly coming to terms with it and slowly stopping my search for ways to make extra money.  It's hard to pass up more time with Liam!  Still holding out for a miracle!  

My little guy is 7 months old today!  Time is flying!!!!  I'm so amazed by him everyday.  He's learning so much and so fast...we are in trouble cause he's a quick  one!  We also hit our 7 month breastfeeding milestone today.  Super proud of us for going strong...and myself for hanging in there!  There are new challenges daily but I'm gonna shoot for making it a full year now.  Originally I planned to go 6 full months...but we are beyond that now:). I'm proud if my chunky baby...all thanks to my milkshakes;). 

No real message or moral tonight...just an update on life as I know it.

I'm going to snuggle with my Li Li now for a few more minutes:)

Good night:)

Molly 

Just some cute recent pics!

Just wanted to share some of Li Li's adorable pics!  

After his flu shot...he smiled at the nurse!

The comb over look...grandma likes it best!

Gettin ready for bed!

So happy every morning:)

My precious baby boy:)

When he got home from daycare on Thursday afternoon!  Think he's happy??

When he got home from daycare yesterday:)

Fell asleep on my lap...holding my hand!!!

Just this morning:)  we brought daddy breakfast in bed!

He loves Ella!

Have a fantastic weekend:)

xoxo,

Molly 

I feel like a Faliure:(

*~* I'm Doing Everything Wrong *~*

My precious baby boy this morning 1/16/14

(Almost 7 month old)

Li Li is at daycare this morning, as I go back to work full time next Tuesday (already crying about that, but that's another Post.)  I decided to take some time to really relax this morning.  No workout, just rest and blog:)  I plan to go get my nails done and do some grocery shopping before I get Li Li at noon.  Fingers crossed he takes the bottle OK today!  

Sitting here reflecting on mommyhood, and after a few conversations with my fellow first time mommy friends recently, I wanted to write about that feeling we all get - the I AM A FAILURE and I'M DOING EVERYTHING WRONG - feeling.  I know I am not the only mom who has felt this way at one time or another.  We all worry we are setting our precious babies up for failure because we are doing something wrong.  I mostly worry I am setting up bad habits that will come back to bit me later - especially when it comes to sleeping.  When Liam wakes up at night now, I know he's not hungry anymore, because he gets a full meal of solids before bedtime.  SO when he won't stop fussing...into bed with me he goes.  Ya know what?  He falls asleep in about ten minutes, and the best part?  He turns his face towards mine and touches his forehead to mine so he can fall asleep.  ::Swoon::  Could this be a bad habit for me to break later on....probably.  But for right now, it works and it allows me to get back to sleep.  Once he's completely asleep, I put him back in his crib.  Needless to say, I know many mommies feel completely defeated many times along this road we call parenting.  From sleep deprivation, sore and aching nipples from breastfeeding, constant crying, and just that overall feeling of "what do I do now?" we all struggle.  I think it is helpful to know...YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  We are all going through this as first time moms.  We ALL do not know what we are doing at times!!!  

Solution - reach out to other moms and ask for help or advice!  I am very independent and like to do things on my own without help - but being  mommy has shown me that I need to ask for help!  I am no expert!  Like I do with teaching - do not reinvent the wheel!  Some other mom has struggled just like you, and by asking for help you might be able to forgo that failure feeling.  For me, just knowing that I am not the only one feeling a certain way or experiencing a certain set back, makes me feel better.  That feeling of, "I am not alone," makes me feel like I am doing OK as a mom.  This is a HUGE reason why I started this blog.  I will always be completely honest with my feelings and experiences.  No sugar coating here.  I want you and every other first time mom who reads this, to know that they are not alone and that there is a huge network of moms out there who can and will help if asked!  You are not "less" of a mom if you ask for help, you are a better mom in my opinion!  

So, take a deep breath, tell yourself you are doing a great job, and keep going mama!  Mommyhood can kick your BUTT 9 times out of 10 (heck 10 times out of 10 sometimes) but you are doing a great job because you have your little ones best interests in mind.  I need to tell myself this over and over some days.  Especially when I head back to work...it's for Liam's best interests.  Everything I do is for that little boy!

You are a great mom!

No matter how hard things get...you are a great mom!

xoxo

Molly

Email me with any questions you have!  I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I have been through and best of all, I can tell you that you're NOT ALONE!!

HUGS:)

Teething

Teething is...EVIL!

I wish there was some way to tell your little baby that they are upset and uncomfortable because their teeth are coming in and it will feel better once they pop through!  But alas, there is no way to tell them it will all be OK soon:/

Liam has been teething since about 3 months old..and here we are a week away from 7 months and still, NO TEETH!!!  At his 6 month check up the doctor said that we should see some teeth soon, but we are still waiting.  Teething definitely goes in spurts.  Some days are really bad and some days are normal.  We know Liam is having a rough day when we cannot keep his hands, or anything else out of his mouth...and he's fussier than normal.  

When his teething really kicked it up a notch we started trying different things to help soothe his aching gums.  In the pictures above are some "soft" teethers we got as a gift.  These are not the ones you freeze or leave in the fridge.  These are strictly for chewing.  Liam likes the one with smaller nubs that he can easily fit in his mouth to chew.  When he is really in the mood to chew we give him these for awhile until he loses interest.  He has also taken more interest in his paci lately.  Mostly to turn it around and chew on the back side.  But he also seems to want to suck on it more when his teeth are bugging him.  This is also another indicator what he is having a rough day teething - when he just gnaws on his paci instead of sucking.  Then we know we need to take more action to help him feel better.  Sometimes he needs something cold to chew on for awhile.  We do have the freezer teething rings which he likes.  He prefers we hold it for him though because it does get rather cold.  Sometimes he just likes to lick those rings too....quite funny.  By far one of the biggest helpers with teething are Hyland's Teething Tablets!!  They are a homeopathic remedy for teething.  There was a recall on them a few years ago but they have changed the formula since then.  I was scared at first because the thought of putting a tablet in Liam's mouth was petrifying!  How would my 6 month old swallow a tablet?  But, these tablets dissolve instantly in your mouth...I know because I tried one.  Liam loves these tablets too.  They have a sweet taste to them.  The formula provided comfort for aching gums and helps with fussiness.  THEY WORK!  I first got them on Christmas Eve when Liam was unrecognizable as my happy go lucky little boy - he had been taken over my a very fussy little boy.  After one dose I was a believer.  I had my happy baby back!  On bad days I give Liam 3 tablets every 4 hours.  Some days he just needs them once or twice a day, or not at all.  Night time is when we give him Motrin or Tylenol on really bad days.  

Teething is a LONG process so hang in there!  We are still riding the roller coaster!  I hope you and your little one find some relief with these tips and tricks!

Let me know if you have other tips or tricks you have used that helped with your little one!!  

I would love to learn more from other experienced mommies!

xoxo,

Molly

Poop

Liam - 1/13/14

OK, you knew this blog was coming...

Since we started Liam on solids in December, we have been struggling with constipation.  Liam has been exclusively breastfed since day #1 (yay me!)  He was a great pooper early on, but around month #4 he started to stretch out the time in between each messy diaper.  His longest stretch was 8 days!!!  Our previous pediatrician assured us this was "ok" for breastfed babies.  Didn't sit well with me but I trusted him.  Liam was never uncomfortable or bloated so he must have been fine.  

I decided to give Liam rice cereal first to make sure he could swallow alright...he sure could.  Once I saw this, I decided to switch him to oatmeal after a few days because rice can be so binding.  We switched to oatmeal and he seemed to like to flavor better immediately.  This was still only about a week into solids so he was not constipated yet.  That started a few days after we gave him sweet potatoes.  Now, I guess sweet potatoes and yams are interchangeable in the US, but I found a white sweet potato at my Albertson's and that's what we started with.  Maybe it was more binding because it was white, but who knows.  Liam started to have trouble pooping a few days after this was introduced.  He strained for 30 min one night to finally get it all out and boy did he:(  After seeing him strain for so long my husband and I knew we had to help him out more.  You never want to see your little one strain like that...it's heartbreaking.  After talking to a few mommy friends, I guess it is normal for breastfed babies to struggle with constipation once solids are introduced because breastmilk is so easily digested.  Thankfully - with our little interventions and tricks I think Liam is doing better now.  He still has to try harder but I think that just goes with the territory now because it's just thicker now...sorry TMI!

Here are my tips for constipation:

1.) Bicycles!!  While baby is playing, take their legs and do some bicycles moves a few times a day.  Also, do some knee to chest moves gently.  I sing Li Li a little song when we do it called "Get the Poopies out."  HAHA  You can make up your own!

2.) PRUNE JUICE - dilute it in water and let baby enjoy.  Liam actually likes it!  I think it tastes awful but hey, glad he likes it!  I do about 4 oz of water to 1.5 oz of juice.  

3.) Introduce some green veggies early!  Liam just had peas and I swear that is already helping!  Some fruits are really helpful too - peaches, pears, plums...the P's basically.  

Hopefully your little one won't get too blocked up like Li Li!

Good luck!!

xoxo,

Molly

Swaddle Failure

*~* Failed Swaddling Class *~*

I don't know about all of you other mommies out there but I failed the swaddling portion of birth class.  I also had a baby who was VERY strong from the get go and could wiggle out of any swaddle I attempted from day one.  Even the nurses in the hospital could not hold Liam in...and they are pros!  Because of this, we abandoned swaddling once we got home.  Liam was sleeping (mostly) in a bassinet that kind of snuggled him anyway so we did not have a need to swaddle him.  Upon transitioning to the crib we had some issues.  He slept well for the most part, but would wake up.  Before we found the Woombie, a friend recommended The Miracle Blanket - which is like a straight jacket for babies!  It worked though.  Liam could not get his arms out and he stayed swaddled all night.  This blanket worked for awhile, but Liam quickly started to grow out of it and soon was able to get a leg out, and then two, thus sleeping through the night was a challenge again.  

Thanks to Pinterest, I found The Woombie.  The Woombie is a sleep sack that is supposed to simulate being in the womb.  It is a stretchy material so baby has the ability to move, unlike being swaddled, but it still have enough resistance to keep that Morro Reflex in check.  The Woombie is the swaddle for Dummies as I like to call it.  All you have to do is put baby inside and ZIP them up.  It's also great because the zipper goes both ways...for those pesky night time changes.

In our attempt to "wean" Liam from the Woombie we bought the Woombie with legs.  He slept great in this for awhile, but it soon got too tight and it was more difficult to get him into at night, so we abandoned it quickly.  You can buy something called the Convertible Woombie - where you can slowly let one arm out, then the other, then one leg and finally everything free.  We never tried this product.  We moved on to something else.

THE ZIPPITY ZIP!

This product I had my doubts about.  It claims to calm that Morro Reflex while also weaning your baby from the need to be swaddled.  When it came in the mail, I was worried.  The material was so light weight I thought, "No way will this work."  We tried it a few times with naps when Liam was about 4.5 months old...and it just did not fly!  He did not sleep well and had trouble falling asleep in it. 

We tried it again around Thanksgiving...and BINGO it worked!  Liam started to sleep well during his naps in it!  He can now sleep in it through the night without a problem.  He can move much more freely in the Zippy and can self soothe himself back to sleep like a big boy:)

Are we totally weaned of needing to be swaddled...I guess you can say yes, but he still cannot sleep without being inside his Zippy.  We will work on transitioning into sleeping without anything next.  But for now, we love the Zippity Zip!

Sweet Dreams<3

Molly

The Zippity Zip.

This is the Woombie with legs.

This is the Woombie.

First Set of Shots Nightmare

My poor baby just after his first set of shots at 8 weeks old.

He got one oral vaccine and 3 shots in his little thighs:(

I'm not one to advocate medicating your child, but after our experience with Liam's first set of vaccines, I fully believe in the power of Tylenol!

Liam received his shots around 10:30AM on a Friday.  As many first time mommies know, seeing that happen for the first time was heart wrenching!  He went from all smiles to big alligator tears just screaming.  My husband was at work, so I was alone at this visit.  Needless to say, I forgot to ask for his vaccine record on my way out, didn't pay my co-pay, and I forgot to ask about any paperwork we may need regarding his shots - like what to expect or watch for.  In my opinion, doctor's offices should immediately provide this for new mommies knowing that we are very scatter brained and can hardly remember to eat and shower all day.  (Side note: Our new doctor gave us paperwork about his vaccines right away...love her and her staff.)  All my brain was saying was, "Get Li Li home and nurse him and let him rest."  Which is exactly what I did, as you can see from the second picture above.

The rest of the day he was just fine, happy and smiley like always.  At 8 weeks he was still going to bed around 9PM.  At 7PM when I was getting ready to give him a bath I thought he felt warmer than usual.  Now, I always worried about him getting a fever, and he always felt warm to me so my husband tried to calm my fears and told me not to worry.  After his bath he felt a little cooler but that quickly changed.  At PM he started to feel really warm to me, so we took his temperature with a forehead thermal scanner - highly recommend (Target.)  Just as I feared - 99 degrees.  Liam normally ran around 98 or even 97 so this was elevated for him.  We kept taking his tempt, knowing that if it reached 101.4 we had an ER trip in our future.  By 10PM that thermometer read that terrifying number - 101.4.  I burst into tears and my husband took Liam and said, "Let's go."  

Once we arrived at the ER and filled out all the paperwork, we sat to wait.  Thankfully, because Liam was so young and had such a high fever, we were pushed to the front of the line quickly.  They took his tempt rectally and it read the same number, 101.4.  They moved us back into a room and we waited for the Er doctor to arrive.  He was wonderful, reminded me of my dad.  He checked Liam over and initially started saying it could be a virus he was coming down with.  I then asked if it could be attributed to his vaccines and he laughed and said, "Well of course, that's what it's from!  Why didn't you give him any Tylenol?"  The million dollar question.  BECAUSE no one told us we could!  Our doctor did not even mention this was an option!  The ER doctor said the fever should come down with Tylenol and that from now on to load him up before the shots and after the shots.  We have done this for his 4 month shots and just did for his 6 month shots...no fever either time.  You have to give Tylenol based on weight, not age when they are this little.  Ask your doctor for a chart telling you how much to give your little one.  

Our previous pediatrician told me that I, "Did the right thing by taking Liam to the ER."  He also said he would not have told us to give him Tylenol at that age because he does not believe fevers from vaccines are common.  Just a few more reasons we do not go to him anymore.

I hope no one else has to go through this ordeal...it was very scary for my husband and I.  

xoxo,

Molly

Let Daddy be Daddy

 My beautiful boys - 12/25/14

Li Li loves to fly with Daddy<3 

Let daddy be daddy - this is something I really need to work on.  J if you're reading this, I am working on letting you do things your way without jumping in to intervene.  I love you.

That being said...

I recently sat down with some of my best girlfriends for lunch and we ended up discussing our husbands and fatherhood.  I think something a lot of first time moms struggle with is watching dad be dad - especially when it doesn't match the way mom does things.  Every parent has a different style of parenting.  Notice I said style.  There is no right or wrong when it comes to style.  It's just a different version.  I fully believe all parents need to sit down, whether is prior to baby or soon after baby, to discuss the big issues involving parenting.  You want to make sure you are on the same page for the big issues.  The last thing you want is to disagree on something in front of your child.  Jason and I have had these conversations and will continue to do so and check in with each other as Liam gets older.  

Being home with Liam for almost a month now has allowed me to develop routines and do things consistently the same way each day.  This helps me and Liam get through each day because we know what to expect.  (Liam does like to throw curve balls in now and then just to keep things interesting.)

This is why it is hard for me to watch Jason do things his way.  I literally have to sit on my hands sometimes or repeat in my head, "Stop, let him do it."  For example: feeding Li Li solids.  Jason has his own technique for spoon feeding Liam.  For whatever reason, I always want to jump in and do it my way, even though it's not that different.  Who cares if he gets food all over his face and bib?  That's what bibs are for right?  After talking with my girlfriends, I realized I was not the only one who feels like this.  They both did too!  That was reassuring:)  We all struggled with watching our husbands parent their way.  

The important thing is to realize you are feeling this way and to make an effort to let your husband be the daddy he wants to be.  They need to experiment and fail just like we do.  They also need that chance to be successful and feel like the best parent in the world.  I am really trying to do this for Jason because he is an amazing father and he loves Liam just as much as I do.  Unfortunately, he does not have the luxury of a month off like I do to spend with Li Li.  Hopefully soon he will only be working 4 days a week and will get to spend one day a week with Li Li alone while I am at work (jealous already!!).  

What throws a wrench in this whole process is when your little one goes through the "mommy only" phase...we are currently experiencing this.  Maybe it's because I have been off for awhile and Li Li and I have been spending LOTS of time together, or it's just that developmental stage he's going through.  All I do know is that Liam only wants me at times - especially at night if he wakes up and needs to be soothed back to sleep.  He just screams louder if J holds him.  It's hard to watch and I feel bad for J.  He says it doesn't bother him and he just wishes he could help me out more so I am not up all the time.  We communitcate as much as we can, because sometimes I just need five minutes to regroup, and vice versa.  As I mentioned before I hate jumping in and taking Liam from J (just because I know he will calm down if I do) so now I am going to try asking first - "Want me to take him?  You good?"  I think this will help us both.  J can have time with Liam to work on getting Liam to accept that daddy can soothe too, and I can get a break.  

Moral: Let dad be dad no matter how much it may drive you crazy!  It's better for everyone in the long run:)

We all have wonderful husbands who just do things differently.  No harm done!

I Love you babe - thank you for being the most amazing husband and father!  Li Li and I are so lucky!

xoxo,

Molly

Playtime

A rare happy moment during tummy time.

Li Li likes tummy time less and less now that he can sit up on his own.

I absolutely LOVE playing with Liam.  He is so much fun to watch.  He gets so zoned in on new objects and really examines things closely.  You can just see the wheels turning in his head like, "What is this contraption?"

It took him awhile to figure this one out...he kept trying to pull it apart.  He's quite strong and got frustrated when the toy would not cooperate.  He finally figured out that it twists and turns and now enjoys it thoroughly.  Target $4

This one I thought he would totally love.  It has 3 balls that sound like rattles and the tower has holes in it so as the balls roll they drop through the holes and eventually roll right back to you.  Liam has decided that knocking the tower over and pulling it apart it much more fun!

Boys!

Liam got this for Christmas from his Great Aunt (Gi Gi). 

The bucket makes noise whenever you move it and when you drop the shapes into it.  Liam has not figured out how to put objects into buckets yet but he loves to shake the bucket with the shapes inside. 

Liam loves this toy!

He loves to spin the shapes and move them up and down the bars.  He wants so badly to pull the shapes off, so sometimes he gets a little frustrated with it.  I love this because it has suction cups on the bottom so we can stick it to his high chair and keep him occupied:)

By far his favorite thing to play in!  He got this little car for Christmas from grandma and grandpa and we sit in it almost every morning for 20+ minutes.  I know ALL of the songs it sings now and they are stuck in my head 24/7.  This one is also great because it keeps him from falling backwards so if I need to run and do something really quick, I feel OK leaving him in it.

So my little boy is a genius!  I showed him how to hit his two rattle balls together and he did it!  He loves to shake them as you can see:)  So much fun to watch him having so much fun!  

He is such a happy little boy!

Love him so much!

xoxo,

Molly

Nap time note

I'm currently sitting here rocking Li Li after he woke up crying big alligator tears during nap #2.  Loving every second❤️ 

He used to fall asleep in my arms all the time, but as he's getting older, he's already doing it less.  These moments are now few and far between.  I wish I could pause time during these moments and soak it all in.  This is what I miss when I'm at work.  These moments are fleeting and are missed because I'm at work.  I am so thankful for my month long Winter Break.  Two weeks remain and I'm going to catch every moment I can.  Soon he will be walking and won't have time to slow down and snuggle with mommy.  I don't mind this mommy only phase we are going through, because it won't always be like this.  Reminds me of the song "You're Gonna Miss This."  I will definitely miss this.  

No message or moral to this post...just a sweet moment with my baby boy❤️  

Xoxo,

Molly 

Post Baby Body Issues and Workouts

Your Post Baby Body

1/5/14

 37 weeks...ready to pop!

39 weeks...let's go kiddo!  (He listened and came 4 days later)

As we get to the end of our pregnancy, there is nothing we want more than to be free of the tiny human growing inside us, and we can't wait to "get our body back."  At least, this is how I was feeling.  I was done being pregnant and could not wait to meet my son!  

SURPRISE...you still look pregnant after you have your baby!  Umm no one mentioned this little tid bit of information to me.  I figured I would have some kind of belly afterwards, seeing as it was stretched to the max during pregnancy (see above).  But I was not ready for my post baby belly.  I still looked six months pregnant and I was not comfortable with that one bit.  Stupidly, I had packed prepregnancy jeans in my hospital bag...silly me and wishful thinking.  Well...those did not fit but thankfully my black stretchy yoga pants did.  Prior to getting pregnant I was in the best shape of my life!  I had planned it that way hoping that would help me get my body back sooner after baby.  Working out was my hobby and I loved it - 6 days a week for an hour plus doing cardio, weights, classes, you name it I was game.  I stayed active throughout my pregnancy as well.  I was a spin instructor prior to getting pregnant so I was riding my spin bike until month 6 - then I felt a contraction, got scared and decided spinning might be over until after baby.  Once my belly got really ridiculous I moved to walking.  I would walk anywhere from 3 to 4 miles as often as I could.  Lugging extra weight around with me helped!  Total, I gained 33 pounds during my pregnancy...watching that scale hit numbers I had never seen was scary to say the least.  Now I will say this - I was VERY lucky that most of the weight literally fell off after Liam was born.  I came home from the hospital 20 pounds lighter!  The remaining 13 pounds took work.  I attribute most of my weight loss to breastfeeding and eating "decently" post baby.  Don't get me wrong - I am hungrier than I have ever been because I am breastfeeding.  I can eat my husband under the table!  

**Myth**

Breastfeeding "burns" 500 calories a day.

NOPE

Here's the truth...breastmilk contains 20 calories an ounce.  SO...if you produce about 30 ounces a day that equals about 600 calories.  However, you are not burning those calories like you would in a workout, but yes, technically 600 calories leave your body daily.  

How the heck do you squeeze a workout in when you have an infant?

Simple - do the workout with your baby!

Liam loved sitting in his stroller from day 1.  I was lucky because this meant I could go for walks and eventually run with him in the stroller.  I have the BOB stroller and I absolutely love it.  Bought it off of Craigslist and saved a ton of $$.  Now Liam did not always cooperate in the stroller so workouts became tricky on some days. 

My Workout Regimen:

Cardio at least 3 days a week - this is usually on my spin bike or a 4 mile run when hubby is home.  Liam no longer naps in his stroller because he loves to look at the world.  This hinders my afternoon workouts while I am working because I cannot just plop him in the stroller anymore.  If he needs his afternoon nap I have to ride my spin bike.  No problem right?  Wrong - he doesn't always nap long enough, or sometimes he fights his nap and then I am left high and dry without a workout.

Along with my cardio I try to do lunges and/or squats, push-ups and sit-ups.

This "weight" routine I do at least twice a week.

This workout routine is a FAR cry from my pre-baby days, but it's better than nothing and it is giving me the results I want...slowly.

Things I cannot change about my post baby body:

Unfortunately, there are three things I cannot change about my post baby body, no matter how hard I workout:(

1.) My Hernia

2.) Diastasis Recti (Abdominal muscle separation)

3.) Stretch Marks

I am boldly posting this picture!

Notice the purple stretch marks on my lower belly.  My permanent "outty" belly button (hernia) and you can't see from this angle but my permanent pooch from my abdominal separation.

Can these things all be "fixed?"  Yes - with surgery.  I may have the hernia and abdominal muscles repaired after baby #2, but for now I have accepted them as battle scares from baby #1.  

The hernia was unavoidable - from intense internal pressure because Liam was so big.

The abdominal separation probably would have happened anyway BUT there are exercises you can do while pregnant to help prevent it from occurring.  Obviously, I did not do them because I had no idea this was possible.  I thought all abdominal work was a "no no" while pregnant, but turns out I was wrong.  Along with Kegels (didn't do those either and am suffering the consequences for that as well) doing abdominal work while pregnant is key.  Now, I am no doctor, so ask yours for advice on what is safe to do during pregnancy.  I saw a physical therapist after Liam was born to work on getting my abs to come back together.  They have gotten closer together but they are still separated quite a bit.  My strength is coming back...but my six pack may be a thing of the past.

I am 6 months post baby and I am still working on getting back to the body I knew before Liam.  I may never get it back completely, and that is OK.  I have a beautiful, healthy little boy to show for it!

8 days after Liam!

15 days after Liam!

10 weeks after Liam!

Today - 6 months after Liam!

xoxo,

Molly

I'm still a wife!

Something we all need to remember as new moms...we are still wives and we still have a husband!  I will be the first to admit that I have been completely wrapped up and consumed with my son since he has been born!  And to an extent, that's ok and should happen!  I'm blessed to be married to a wonderful man who is patient beyond belief and does everything he can to allow me to just focus on our son.  He does not get the attention he deserves all the time.  

Lately, I have been trying to do more little things around the house that he normally does to help out more.  Small things like: doing the dishes, taking the trash out, making him a lunch for work, making his breakfast and coffee on the weekends, etc.  He has stepped up to the plate as a dad and a husband more than most and he deserves to be treated like a king:). It's not like it used to be where we only had each other to worry about...we now have a very demanding tiny person to attend to.  I'm not gonna lie, sometimes we are more like teammates than hubby and wifey.  We have to make plans for us time so there really are no more spontaneous outings or dates.  But, making that time is huge!  It's amazing what an hour together will do!  It helps us reconnect and it helps us cope better during the wee hours of the morning when Liam is on a demanding streak.  

Moral of the story:

- It's ok to feel like your relationship has changed...it has!  

- Make time for each other...even if it's 30 min after baby goes to sleep to watch a tv show together! 

-Talk talk talk!  You've got to share how you're feeling with each other and communicate your needs!  

- Hug and kiss often:). You both need it!

Xoxo,

Molly 

It's Yeast...NO IT'S ECZEMA!!

3 Months old...right before the eczema got really bad:(

The reason I am writing this post is to encourage all of you wonderful mommies out there to trust your instincts!! 

 My beautiful little boy started to get red splotches on his tummy around 3 months old.  It started with one little red, rough, dry patch near his belly button.  My husband and I thought it was ringworm at first.  We put some lotion on it - BabyGanics from Target - and after a few days it went away.  Then a week or so later he started to get really red in the creases of his elbows, knees, and neck.  That pesky red patch on his tummy came back as well and spread to more red patches all over his tummy.  At this point I was worried so we went to the pediatrician the next day.  He told me that it was a rash from yeast.  I asked if it could be eczema because from what I had researched it sure looked a lot like it.  He brushed me off immediately and said, "Eczema is not common in infants."  Feeling quite defeated and upset with my pediatrician I asked him to explain yeast more.  Yeast is apparently all over our bodies and babies bodies but because babies have a weaker immune system they react to it.  He prescribed a cream and I went home thinking my baby boy would soon be better. 

A few weeks later when the rash was not better - it would come and go - I went back to the pediatrician.  AGAIN, he told me it was yeast.  Once again, I asked if it could be eczema.  Again he told me no.  He also said to hold off on lotions and such as babies do not need them.  He prescribed another cream and an oral yeast medication this time.  I left his office not believing it was yeast and upset that my doctor would not even consider an alternative diagnosis.

We tried the cream and medicine for 2 days and Liam's skin got tremendously worse.  It was bright red and his poor little eyes looked like someone had punched him.  At this point I was pretty upset and scheduled another appointment with my pediatrician.  At that appointment he walked in and after about 1 minute he said he wasn't sure what was wrong and that I should go see a specialist.  He went on to say, "I think we are treating it correctly because it looks better to me today, but since you are so upset you should go see a specialist."  Upset?  You bet!  You have been telling me it is yeast for weeks and my poor baby is only getting worse, you bet I am upset!!!  

2 days later...

The dermatologist took all of 30 sec. to diagnose my baby with two kinds of eczema.  Atopic Dermatitis on his body and Seborrhoeic Dermatitis on his scalp.  He assured me that it was in no way shape or form, yeast.  He gave us an oil to put on his scalp every night for 2 weeks along with a steroid cream to put on his body for 2 weeks as well.  Liam's skin was clear and pretty after one treatment.  He now has a better skin regimen than I do.  

Liam's Skin Regimen:

Norwegian Hand Cream on his face 3 times a day.

Cerave Lotion on his body 3 times a day.

Nightly baths in luke warm water for no longer than 7 min.

Coal/tar based shampoo (Target brand) twice a week.

Needless to say I have stopped going to that pediatrician and we go to meet our new one tomorrow for his 6 month check up.

Had I gone with my gut initially and pushed my doctor to consider eczema more, my poor baby would not have suffered for 6 weeks undergoing a yeast treatment.  

So mommies...go with your gut!  You know your baby and you have a special instinct now that tells you when something is just not right.  Trust it!

xoxo,

Molly

Here is Liam today (1/2/14)

Beautiful clear skin:)

Nighttime Nursing Note

There is huge debate on sleep training and sleep issues when it comes to babies!  Many heated arguments begin with just the mention of cry it out or some other firm of sleep training.  I have done a ton of reading and research on many methods and have come to this conclusion...I'm gong to do what works for my family.  I'm not going to follow a particular method.  Lately, Liam has been waking at night for unknown reasons and has wanted only mommy ~ daddy only makes it worse:/. At first I was worried I was building bad habits by going in and soothing him (and maybe I am) but I have decided that I want him to know mommy will come make it better.  He's only 6 months old.  Heck, I still want and wish my mommy could come help me sleep at night sometimes.  Right now, if Li Li needs me, I'm there. Besides this whole teething thing screws everything up anyway.  Even if we had sleep trained him  we would be doing it again after the teeth popped through anyway.  

I am in no way bashing cry it out or any method of sleep training whatsoever.  I'm just saying they aren't for my family.  We are going to do what works for us...swaddle, paci, soothing, etc.  I can't stand hearing him cry either.  Every fiber of my being says, "Go in and fix it!"  

What do I do to help Li Li sleep?

- I nurse him to sleep each night at 8 and wait till he pops off on his own.  Sometimes I slip a paci in to save my boob!  Ouch!

- If he wakes, slip the paci in quickly, turn on his sound machine, exit nursery and pray:). 

- If he continues to fuss we change his diaper.  

- Sometimes he just needs to be rocked by mommy:)

- Sometimes he needs to snuggle in bed with us till he goes back to sleep.  

- Occasionally he needs to nurse.

Am I tired?  You betcha!  

Is it frustrating?  Heck ya!

Am I gonna let him cry...nope:/. 

Overall he's been a great sleeper.  We have hit a rough patch but I think we are on the road to recovery.  

Moral of my story...do what makes you feel good and what feels right.  Don't judge others and don't judge yourself.  

Kudos to those of you who sleep train...this momma is too weak:/

Xoxo,

Molly

Happy New Year!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2014

Good Morning 2014!

Every year we all make those silly resolutions that we stick to for a few months (or weeks) and then give up on or forget about.  This year I have decided to make goals for myself, my family and Liam.  I am hoping focusing reaching goals will be more motivating than resolutions which usually entail "stopping" something you were previously doing.

Goals:

For me: To continue on this blog adventure and really make it something I can be proud of!

For my husband and I: To go on more dates and allow for more "us" time...having Liam has made that rather difficult.

For Liam: To continue growing up into a happy and healthy little boy who loves to learn.  I want to foster his natural curiosity and help him learn everything he can.  

So far we are off to a great start!  I am excited for this upcoming year and to watch my baby boy turn 1!!  How time flies!  Where have the last 6 months gone?  

Liam in his PJ's ready to ring in the New Year...let's be honest he was asleep by 8PM and mommy and daddy had some champagne at 9PM to ring in the New Year East Coast time:) 

Liam this morning on New Year's Day!

His facial expressions are getting to be so cute.  This one says, "Mom that wasn't an airplane, that was a spoon!"

Have a wonderful day everyone!  

Hug your babies:)

xoxo,

Molly