WIAW: Sick Baby Day

Poor BaileyBug had a sick week last week. Luckily, she's back to her normal, go-go-go, smiley self now. However, last week was not pretty. There were days when she wouldn't let me put her down long enough to pee without crying. Fun times, let me tell you. Anyway, below are my eats from last Wednesday, one of B's sick days. She napped OK, which helped me get OK meals, but I also didn't have a TON of time because I never knew when she was going to wake up or need to be held. Poor girl! Broke my heart!! Anyway-- let's do this, WIAW. 

 

Breakfast:   

Tuesday night after B went to bed I made pumpkin spice muffins for a Mom's Club event the next morning. Sadly, we never made it to the event because B was diagnosed with HFM and was contagious still. Poor me-- I had to eat the muffins myself. Don't be fooled by the pic-- I ate 2 more after that 1. Yuuuum. With a big, giant side of coffee.

 

 

Snack:

Several handfuls of these. Healthiest choice? Nope. So did not matter.

 

 

Lunch:

 Luckily, Bailey took a good afternoon nap, so I had time to make SUCH A GOOD (& quick!) LUNCH!! Grilled deli turkey and cheese sandwich on one of those healthy wrap things. Pretzel sticks and grapes and an unpictured Diet Pepsi. So good.

 

 

Dinner:

The Hubs had to work late and B was incredibly clingy. I had ZERO time to cook anything before the Hubs got home, so I fed B some leftovers and called it good. However, earlier that day I took some local bison meat (that I bought after touring the same farm that bison was raised at on a Mom's Club tour with B-- so fun!!) that was in the freezer out to thaw and I chopped up 2 sweet potatoes. Thank goodness for planning ahead! The Hubs got home just before B went to bed, so I tossed the sweet potatoes in some extra virgin olive oil & salt and pepper and threw them in the oven at 400* and formed the bison burgers while he was playing with her. Then, I nursed B while the Hubs grilled the burgers on the George Foreman. When I finished, the fries and burgers were done and we ended up having a really great (though late) dinner.

 

 

Dessert:

SO MANY spoonful's of this ice cream. Seriously, so good.  

Weekly Workout Recap: 9/21-9/27

Weekly Workout Recap: 9/21-9/27

 

Sunday, 9/21: 8MA8MA & DIY 8-Minute Leg work out, 5 minutes of planks, & 6 mile walk w/ fam (split into 2 walks)

Monday, 9/22: JM30DS & 3.5 mile walk

Tuesday, 9/23: 6 mile walk (split into 2 walks)

Wednesday, 9/24: 3 mile walk

Thursday, 9/25: JM30DS & 3.5 mile walk

Friday, 9/26: 20 minutes of a Bob Harper DVD from library & 3 mile walk

Saturday, 9/27: 2 mile walk


Pretty good week! Lots of walks, which is always a good thing in the fall when the weather is just perfect and the leaves just start turning. I'm trying to get out everyday for a walk to cherish this weather while it's here before we get smacked with like 12 feet of snow. Let's not even think about that yet. :)

 

15 Thing Friday

1. Woah, ho! Look at me posting so often this week! I'll give myself a solid A- in blogging this week.

2. After our boob talk earlier this week, imagine my surprise when I opened up a book I grabbed from the library (Yes, I pick books out for B without even opening them. So?) and saw this...

You can't see it. That's a nursing momma right there. I can't lie-- I'm tempting to buy the book off Amazon.

 

 

3. Seriously, JLo.

 (source)

How is this possible? Isn't she like a senior citizen by now? How does she look younger than me? And how does she get more fit and hotter everyday? But also, seriously, JLo-- maybe put some clothes on?!?!?

 

 

4. Thanks for your incredible attention to detail, Weather.com app.

Now, if you could just be RIGHT about the forecast more than half the time, we'd be in business.


5. I went to FOUR different stores looking for invitations that said "1st Birthday" on them for B's birthday (WOAH! HOW IS IT TIME TO PLAN HER BDAY PARTY ALREADY?!?!). Strike out. How?? Well, I did find them at ONE place for $8/8 invitations. WHAAAAAT???? Meanwhile, the ones I went with were $1/8 invitations.


6. Guess who learned to climb up the futon in her room?

Any takers on how long it'll take her to fall on the floor and crrrrry like a baby???

 

 

7. Bailey had her first hot dog this week. Where's the baby book when you need to document monumental moments like these?? #momoftheyearrighthere

 

 

8. Seriously. Stop reading, get in your car and go to your nearest grocery store and buy this ice cream. You won't regret it.

You're welcome in advance.


9. While we're talking about food-- want a crazy easy, super yummy receipe? 1 can of pumpkin + 1 box of spice cake mix. Mix together and bake as cupcakes. Pumpkin Spice Muffins. Crazy easy and super delicious. Boom.


10. OK, I only made it to 10 and like 2/3 of the points were about Bailey. Whatever. I'm obsessed with my kid. #guiltyascharged

Happy Friday!

Hand, Foot, Mouth (Not to be Confused with Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes)

Yesterday, Bailey and I spent a whoooooole lot of time (like, HOURS and HOURS) like this...

While this may not look like anything abnormal, if you knew Bailey, you'd know this is craaaazy for her. Girl is ALWAYS on the go. She is simply NOT a cuddly baby. So, when she kept wanting to lay on me and fell asleep on me over and over and wouldn't let me put her down without crying the saddest cry, I knew something was up.

I gave her some Tylenol, as she was burning up and continued on. After several more hours trapped to a chair with a sleeping baby on my chest, I took her temp and it clocked in at 99.7. Not the highest, but she did have drugs already, so a little high. I assumed teething. Girl has been drool central lately, wasn't eating great, and had her hands in her mouth constantly.

She went down for the night pretty well last night, though then we had a 4am wake up, which is not like her. I nursed her and she went back down, so it wasn't too bad. Still, I thought teething.

Then, this morning when I went to get her, in the light of day, I saw this...

 

Red bumps all over her mouth. And a few on her feet and a couple scattered elsewhere on her body.

I knew immediately it was Hand, Foot, Mouth (HFM). According to the CDC:

"Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a contagious viral illness. It commonly affects infants and young children."

 

"Symptoms usually begin with a fever, reduced appetite, sore throat, and a feeling of being unwell. A day or two after the fever starts, painful sores can develop in the mouth. A skin rash with flat red spots may also develop on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Sometimes a rash also occurs on the knees, elbows, and buttocks. This rash may blister but won't itch."

(source)

 

 

Fever? Check. Reduced appetite? Check. General feeding of unwell? Check. Skin rash with flat red spots? Check.

 

I knew right when I saw her that it was HFM. I worked at a daycare for a summer and kids there got it semi-frequently, so I've seen it before. Just to be sure, I did a google search and B met most the criteria and looked just like the pics. Awesooooome. I called her Doc just to be sure and they said it sounds just like it. Plus, the doc said it's going around like WILDFIRE right now. Greaaaat.

 

There's no treatment or drugs, as it's a viral illness. I can help her feel better with Tylenol, but that's it. Nothing a doc can do. It's just gotta run it's course. B's in better spirits today and has no temp, so that's great. You have to be fever free (w/o drugs) for 24-hours before you're not contagious anymore, so B and I are apartment-bound all day today. FUN.

What's one to do when stuck inside all day with a sick baby?

 

Clean ALL THE THINGS and make a big batch of homemade pasta sauce, obviously.

 

So, that's my life today. Fingers crossed the Hubs and I don't catch it because as crabby as B was, I feel like he or I would be a whooooole lot crabbier if we get it and adults most definitely can catch it. FINGERS CROSSED.

 

Hope your day's going better than ours! Happy Wednesday!!

Things I Won't Miss About Nursing

Nursing is wonderful.

(source)

Clouds parting, sun shining, rainbows and sprinkles wonderful. Right? I mean, that's what a lot of people are saying. With all the "YOU MUST NURSE YOUR BABY!!!" you'd think it MUST be wonderful, right?

Yeaaaaaah. I'm not so sold on that. I mean, don't get me wrong- I AM one of those "PLEASE! NURSE YOUR BABY!!" people... or I should say I am a "PLEASE! TRY TO NURSE YOUR BABY!! GIVE IT A SHOT!" kinda people. I truly believe nursing is important, though I also truly believe breastfeeding is not the ONLY thing that is important!! Sometimes other things, like pain level of the mother, just to name one, is just as important. Sometimes, the baby simply will not latch or has a medical issue preventing him/her from breastfeeding successfully. Like I said, I think nursing is important. But, I do NOT think it is ALL that is important and do NOT think a mother is any less because she did not breastfeed. Simple as that.

Anyway-- I wanted to nurse Bailey with every ounce of my being--- and, I am. It was extremely important to and for me and it worked! After a bit of rocky start of exclusively pumping for the first 7ish days of her life while she was in the NICU and having to use a breastshield for the next 5ish months, it worked. We're still going strong with nursing. And, I plan to continue going strong until at least the 1 year mark and then re-evaluate and likely drop down to 2ish sessions for a few months and then wean completely. While I am 100% OK with and respect those mothers who choose to nurse to toddler-dom, I am not one of them.

(source)

 

Apparently, I am not Mom enough. Let's not get into the Mommy Wars involved in breastfeeding, ok? Moving on....

Anyway- I love it. I love nursing. It IS wonderful. Rainbows and sprinkles and all. I love those moments where it feels like she and I are the only people in the world. We feel so incredibly connected. I love that I feel like I'm protecting and providing for her with every drop of milk. I love it, I love it, I love it.

But.

Big but.

It can SUCK. It most certainly is not ALL rainbows and sprinkles. There are many things that just plain blow about it. And, that's what we're talking about today. The not-so-sprinkley part of breastfeeding. I'm sure every breastfeeding mother has their own complaints (whether they ever share them or not), so here's mine...

-PUMPING. Top of the list. I loathe the pump like something fierce. When I was working fulltime out of the house and had to pump numerous times a day at work and was barely getting enough to cover her needs-- wowza, I hated that pump. By Friday, my nipples felt like they were being pulled off with each pump. Today, because I'm staying home with Bailey, I don't need to pump as much so it's not AS bad. I pump once a day now and my nipples no longer want to make me cry. But, I still flinch every time I turn it on and hear the whooshing of the pump motor. Stupid pump.

-Wardrobe challenges. Oh how I long for the day I don't have to think about what I'm wearing and if it's breastfeeding friendly.

-Being the ONLY person who can nurse Bailey.

(source)

Maybe that sounds silly, but sometimes it can be daunting to know that my boobs are it and no one else can give her what she needs when she needs it. I mean, yes-- the Hubs can give her a bottle. But, if you've nursed a baby you know what I'm about to say-- sometimes, a bottle won't do it. It's not always about FOOD/MILK when a baby wants to nurse. Sometimes, it's just about nursing. While it's AMAZING that I can give her that, it can be overwhelming sometimes, too.

-Nursing bras. Guys. Let me tell you. Nursing bras are SO SEXY. Ok, yes- they are comfortable, but I am looking forward to wearing a regular bra again whenever I want.

-Scheduling. I have to think about when and where and how I am going to nurse all the time. Bailey and I are busy, on-the-go people. I belong to 2 Mom's groups and we do outtings and things all the time. Each morning I have to sit and really think about "Ok, what time are we leaving? Should I nurse before or after? Do I need to wake B from her nap early so we have time to nurse?" and so on. Is it a huge pain in the ass? No, but I do look forward to not having to think so damn much.

-THE looks.

(source)

I nurse in public. I nurse in private. I nurse in front of family and friends. My poor father and brother in law have seen my boobs too many times to count. My friends husbands have seen my boobs. Strangers have seen my boobs. See- Bailey doesn't nurse well under a blanket. I tried. Girl won't have it. I've tried excusing myself, but then I'm exiled and alone for the majority of events or I'm forced to nurse while sitting on a nasty bathroom floor (been there!). So, I nurse in public. I have no shame and feel no guilt. BABY HAS TO EAT. End of story. But, I look forward to not getting the look as frequently as I do. You know what look I'm talking about. The look strangers give you like "OMG! IS THAT HER BOOB? IS SHE ACTUALLY FEEDING HER BABY IN PUBLIC? OMG! I CAN'T LOOK AWAY! STARE! STARE! STARE!!!!!!". Yeah, I'm pretty over that look.

-Being touched-out. Sometimes, as much as I really and genuinely do love nursing, I get touched out. Especially during a growth spurt, Bailey would nurse frequently and have looooong sessions. These don't happen much anymore, so it's not a big issue anymore, but in some of the earlier days, she was attached to my boob what felt like 24/7. There were some moments when I just did not want to be touched. By anyone. For like 2 seconds. Like I said, this is a non-issue now, but I remember those days well and am glad that part is over.


-STILL having to think about when I last nursed and when I will again before working out.

(source)

It's a lot better than it was when I started nursing, but I still have to intentionally workout RIGHT after I nurse or I feel too full and just get uncomfortable.



So, there you have it. Turns out, breastfeeding isn't as sunshine and rainbows as people make it out to be sometimes. I love nursing Bailey. I wouldn't trade it for the world and I am so incredibly grateful our nursing relationship has been as good and as relatively easy and problem-free as it has been. Nursing is important to me. It's high on my value list. Buuuuut, I am most definitely counting down the days til my boobs can just be mine again.

Weekly Workout Recap: 9/14-9/20

Weekly Workout Recap: 9/14-9/20

 

Sunday, 9/14: 7 mile walk w/ fam (split into 2 walks)

Monday, 9/15: Jillian Michael's 6 Week 6-Pack (30 minute strength and cardio workout)

Tuesday, 9/16: 3.5 mile walk w/ fam

Wednesday, 9/17: JM's 6 Week 6-Pack & 3 mile walk w/ the fam

Thursday, 9/18: 3 mile walk w/ the fam

Friday, 9/19: 3 mile walk w/ the fam

Saturday, 9/20: None

 

Pretty good week! JM's 6 Week 6-Pack is another no joke workout DVD. And, yes- still loving the free workout DVD's from the library. I do think I'm going to ask for a few Jillian DVD's for my birthday or Christmas so I don't have to worry about returning them on time and such. Without a gym membership, Jillian's DVD's are keeping me sane & sweaty. :)

DIY Crib Rail Guards

A few weeks ago Bailey started doing this super cute thing where she learned she could stand up in the crib. Not a big deal, right? I mean, she's not trying to jump over or anything. Buuuut, if you know Bailey you know she pretty much has to at least try to put everything in her mouth. And, I mean everything. Dog. Sand. Rocks. Mulch. String. Toys. Books. Table ends. Screen door. Everything.

Only way to keep mulch out her mouth? Paci in her mouth.

So, it should have come as no surprise to me when she started standing in her crib that she would also start to try to put the rails of her crib in her mouth. OBVIOUSLY, Meagan. Duh. Well, girl can't exactly get the entire crib in her mouth, but she can bite on the side rails pretty good. Like, left teeth marks in the wood good. Now, I'm not a huge no-scratches-on-the-furniture-look-don't-touch kinda person. Hello. I dent the shit outta our stuff all the time. I can't very well hold B to a higher standard, right? But, I also would like to avoid bite marks in the wood, if possible, especially as her crib is designed to turn into a toddler and then regular bed head/foot board. PLUUUUS, there's the whole Bailey injesting wood and/or paint thing that kinda rubs me wrong.

Phew. That was a lotta lead up to say, I went on the search for something to protect the crib rails. It goes without saying that I wanted to something cheap, right? I am me, after all. Well, that was a big no-go. Pre-made guards were minimum $20 a SIDE. Hello. Cribs have 3 sides you'd want to protect (the back side is still outta the munchkins reach). That's $60 to prevent teeth marks. No way.

So, I went on a DIY mission. I googled and YouTubed and Pinterested for hours. I decided to combine many tutorials I found, using this one as the main inspiration.

Next, it was time to get the materials. First stop, Michaels. Whoops. No go. Who knew Michaels's didn't sell fabric? Clearly not me. Perhaps now is a good time to mention I'm not the most crafty of people and this sorta DIY stuff does NOT come naturally to me. Anyway- I digress. Back to getting the supplies. Onto Hobby Lobby, which I did not want to resort to after the whole birth control nonsense, but desperate times call for Hobby Lobby apparently. They were NO help. They wouldn't cut 3 separate pieces for me and that's what I had measured and planned out and then they wouldn't help me figure out what that would be in 1 big piece and then they practically laughed in my face when I didn't know how to convert inches to yards. FINALLY when I knew how much I needed, they didn't even have that much in stock in yellow fleece. OF COURSE NOT.

STRIKE OUT.

I was seriously just gonna give up. Those are the only 2 craft stores in my town. But, I decided I had to make a trip out of town anyway and mine as well try JoAnn's Fabrics while I was there. SUCCESS! They were so nice and helpful and OMG SO CHEAP. I got all the fleece I needed (UGH! I'm a terrible blogger and don't remember how much in measurement it was, but I had PLENTY of left overs so it wouldn't help any way. Basically, I measured the length of each side I wanted to cover and then got it 20 inches long to wrap around the rail.) and it was on sale. I got the fleece I needed for $6! I also stopped by a Dollar Tree and got 3 pool noodles for $1/each.

Ok, supplies gathered. Now, onto construction. Ok, ok-- 2 weeks later, on to construction.

First, I cut the pool noodle length wise so I could put it onto the top of the rail. I quickly learned I wasted $2 as the 2 sides of my crib had a lip that the front didn't and were too wide for the noodle to work. Oh well. The noodle worked on the front perfectly!

Then, it was time to cut the fabric. I wish I had some elegant way to say I did this. I don't. I simply laid it on the side of the crib, drapped it over about as long as I thought I'd need to make the ties and then cuuuuuut. It wasn't straight. It wasn't pretty. But, it ended up working great and not mattering.

After I got the piece I needed cut, I draped it over the side and then started cutting slits for each tie. The other online tutorials are much more descriptive and have better pics, I know. I told you I'm not a craft DIY-er. But, I stuck with it and cut all the slits and tied all the ties and, if I do say so myself, the final product looked great!

I finished the 2 shorter sides and viola! DONE! The actual construction part took me about 40 minutes and that was with a few pauses to take fleece away from Bailey or to chase her around. Not bad! And, definitey WAAAAY cheaper than buying it!

I had read just the fleece taste would stop the baby from biting the sides. Yeaaaah. No dice. Apparently Bailey loves fleece. So, she still goes to town on it, but it's stayed put for now and no more teeth marks! DIY Crib Guard Rails for $9... with 2 extra pool noodles and lots of left over fleece. SUCCESS!!