Home Sick with a Sick Baby

Things obviously changes after you have a child and you notice it throughout all aspects of your life. Every parent knows this, non-parents know this, I'm not making an earth-shattering statement here. But saying it and knowing it don't mean that you really understand how drastically things can change and I found that out this week. 

Parenthood is hard work, but just like any job, it's so much better when you're doing work you love. I LOVE being a mom. I love being Austin's mom. I feel like I do a pretty good job. I mean he's a happy, healthy baby which is a good barometer of decent parenting in the infant stages of life.

For me one of the hard parts of motherhood that was unexpected, is being sick with a sick baby. I have an amazing mom and husband and between the two of them I've always had someone to take care of me when I'm sick. Mind you, I'm not talking about anything serious, just the kind of sick when you stay home from work, but not quite sick enough to go to the doctor. 

Well I face a dilema today; my little man isn't feeling well and I also don't feel well. I just want to crawl into bed, turn out the lights and sleep all day, but Austin needs me and hiding under the covers isn't an option. He wants to me hold him because he has a nasty little cold and I just want to be held. He wants a bottle twice as often as usual because it feels better on his throat and I just want to chug ginger ale. His head hurts so he cries and I have a headache from all the crying. 

I'm not complaining. I signed up for this job and I love it. I'm just struck by the obvious example of how my life has changed and how blatant it is that my needs come second. This is just a tiny example of how motherhood changes your life. It's a change I prayed for, this is a change I wanted and I wouldn't change anything about it. If anything, it's made me realize (once again) how strong a mother can be. How strong our mothers are. The sacrifices they've made for us and how they have taught us to make similar sacrifices for our children.

I hope I pass these kind of values onto my son someday, but until then I'll just try to comfort my little man through this cold.

For all the new readers from Dreaming About Baby, thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you stay awhile and decide to follow me via Bloglovin or Facebook.

Have a great week.

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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Sweet, Sweet Summer Time

What is your favorite kind of surprise?

I'm not easily surprised. It's unfortunate, but I seem to always have some sense of what lays ahead. My favorite kind of surprise would be when I'm genuinely surprised. I think it would be awesome to have a surprise date where I wouldn't have to plan anything. Everything woud be planned from the outfit down to the date itself. 

Flowers or Chocolate?

Do I have to pick? I'm blessed with a husband that spoils me with flowers, just because. I love when I walk in to a new bouquet of colorful blossoms. But there is definitely a time and place for chocolates...yum

What is your favorite summertime activity?

During the summer I just love being outside, whether its sitting by the pool, running, golfing, or working in the yard I really try to take advantage of the beautiful weather. My absolute favorite thing to do is attend summer-time festivals. Here's a little recap of one of my favorite festivals in Atlanta that I went to last year.

Do you have any vacations planned this Summer?

I'm so excited to go to the beach for a long weekend. It will be Austin's first real vacation and I can't wait to watch the big man as the waves splash over is little toes. I really think he is going to LOVE the water.

Favorite Summer Holiday?

I'm a big fan of the Fourth of July. It really epitomizes summer for me. Watermelon, sun dresses, patriotic parades, volleyball, margaritas, fireworks and sunshine - what's not to love?

Source

Dream Vacation?

I love to travel! My dream vacation is a trip to Costa Rica. I want to take a trip where I can be active, experience another culture, and completely relax. I think Costa Rica offers opportunity for all this. I can hike through the rain forest, sip Costa Rican coffee in an outdoor cafe and then relax but the beautiful beaches. I really want to plan a trip in the next 3-5 years. If you've been, I'd love any of your suggestions/

Here are the Sunday Social questions for next week:

Best Summer memory as a kid?
Favorite summer drink?
Favorite Summer TV show?
Best outdoor summer activity?
Summer vacation essentials?

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this post and you decide to come back later. To make it easier for you follow me on bloglovin here check out the the new Everyday Thoughts Facebook page here!  

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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Preparing for A Little One: Calming a Screaming Baby

This week's topic for Preparing for A Little One Linkup is, "Calming Your Baby & Sleep Methods."

I recently heard another new mom say that becoming a mother is a wonderful gift but it's also one of the most frustrating jobs on earth. Most of that frustration stems from trying to calm your baby while they continue to cry, for no apparent reason. No matter what you seem to do it doesn't stop their tears. As a new mon it can be incredibly disheartening. Unfortunately, this will happen. It will be difficult not to get discouraged, but know every new mom has experienced the same frustration.

Depending on your babies age/size you'll need to feed them every three to four hours so don't begin motherhood with the expectation that you're baby will be different and you'll get to sleep through the night. He won't sleep eight hours straight, he can't. Now that that's out of the way, here are some tips for soothing your Little One in your most desperate moments. None of these are sure-fire ways to calm an infant but they're a great place to start.

First determine that your little guy has a full belly, a clean diaper and isn't sick. Then try some of these simple tricks to sooth them:

- Sound machines or white noise machines. You can invest in special noise makers or there are apps for iPhones and android devices that work equally as well. I personally don't think you need to do anything fancy here, a humidifier or fan can create plenty of noise that will help sooth a little one but the options are endless. 

- Rock your little one. There's a reason that rocking chairs have been a tried and true tool for moms throughout the ages, they work. Cuddle up with your buddle of joy and talk, sing or read to them. Most babies find the sound of their parent's voice comforting. Plus it's a perfect time to bond.

- Swaddle your cuddle bug. Babies love to be wrapped up tight. Consider buying a miracle blanket or some other swaddle. If you don't want to spend the money you can always follow these swaddling instructions. If you're planning on swaddling your baby ask the nurses at the hospital their tricks to keeping baby comfy cozy.

- Pacifiers. I know this is controversial and it's not for everyone but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. Personally, I've had a very positive experience with pacifiers and Austin never experienced any "confusion."

- Take a joy ride. I don't know what it is, but little ones love the soothing hum and vibration of a car. Take a ride around the block and your little one just might settle down.

Just remember each baby is different and there's not a perfect formula to stop a crying infant. As a new parent at some point you'll be exhausted and your baby will cry uncontrollably for no apparent reason. This doesn't make you a bad parent. Just be cognizant of your baby's behavior. Learn what they like and dislike. For example, Austin almost always stops crying if you walk him up and down the stairs. Try implementing those little things when they get fussy. 

Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to follow the new Everyday Thoughts Facebook page here.  

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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A Hair Makeover

A couple weeks ago I posted about how desperately I needed to make a trip to the salon. Well this weekend it happened and here is the result....

Before

After you ditch eight inches, add some balayage, and have a color corrective treatment you get this...

After

Don't forget to follow the new Everyday Thoughts Facebook page here.  

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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Reflections Past and Present

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there, most specifically my mom Laurie and my mother-in-law, LeAnne. 

I never truly understood the depth of your love or sacrifice until I too joined the mother's club.

Thank you for all the thankless moments when you were consumed with worry over your children.

Thank you for all the thankless moments when you worked behind the scenes to make everything run perfectly.

Thank you for all the thankless moments when you could have said, "what about me" and in turn you went without so your children could have more.

Thank you for all the thankless moments of prayer.

Thank you for all the thankless moments because they outnumber the stars.

1. 1 year ago I was.... married for just over a year (to the man of my dreams). We had just moved to Atlanta to pursue our careers and we were living in an apartment. I was planning for and looking forward to our family vacation in Aruba.

2. 5 years ago I was.... living in Memphis and had finished up one year of law school before decided to go into advertising (my true passion). I worked part-time at Ann Taylor and I spent most of my free-time socializing with my friends and Kyle. We went out most nights and really enjoyed all the amenities the city had to offer.

3. 10 years ago I was....graduating from high school. I was so excited and nervous about taking the next step in my life and moving to a new state where I knew no one. I was very passionate about soccer and was so excited to be offered a scholarship to play in college. I was coming off of a serious knee injury and I trained everyday to recover quickly so I could play as a freshman.

4. 1 year from now I'll be…a mother, a wife, a sister, daughter, and friend. The one thing I've learned is that the future is so uncertain. I never imagined I'd be where I am today one, five or ten years ago. So while I'd like to be thinking of baby #2 a year from now, I know that God has a much better plan for me and I'm his instrument and prefer divine his plan to my own.

5. 5 years from now I'll be doing…. see answer above, I have no idea. I would like to have progressed in my career and traveled at least a once out of the country with my husband. I'd like to plan a trip to Disney with my little one(s).

6. 10 years from now I'll be doing… probably whatever my child(ren) are involved in. I'm thinking PTA meetings, swim team events, art classes, music concerts, and of course, soccer practice.

Join the linkup next week. Here are the questions:

1. What is your favorite kind of surprise?
2. Flowers or Chocolate?
3. What is your favorite summertime activity?
4. Do you have any vacations planned this Summer?
5. Favorite Summer Holiday?
6. Dream Vacation?

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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Preparing for a Little One: To Nurse or not to Nurse?

I just launched the facebook page for Everyday Thoughts. I'd love it if you'd follow me along on my crazy life journey. Check it out here. 

This week's topic for the "Preparing for a Little One" linkup is "Breast Feeding vs Formula." Be sure and join the conversation with Wifessionals and Five 27 Jones as bloggers explore different aspects of motherhood and babies. 

I want to start off by saying deciding to nurse your child or not is an extremely personal decision that requires a lot of thought, reflection, and dialog with your spouse or significant other. Each mother's path is different and there are no two children that are exactly alike, so don't feel as though you need to fit into a box.

For some mothers breastfeeding isn't an option and for others its as natural as breathing. I would encourage all of you new/expecting moms to take it one day at a time. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to breastfeed. Most of us grew up in a generation of bottle-feed babies and I think we all turned out pretty good. Your baby will not love you any more or less if you nurse them. Some nurses and lactation consultants will put pressure on you to nurse your baby but make sure you speak up if you are ever uncomfortable. You are mom and you know your child, and your body, better than anyone else ever could.

That being said, my personal experience nursing has led me on a roller coaster of emotions. A week before my maturity leave expired I started giving Austin half formula and half breast milk because I knew that when I returned to work it was going to be nearly impossible harder to keep up with Austin's feedings. After less than two weeks at work I stopped nursing altogether. I felt a huge cloud of disappointment creep over me when I made that decision. I honestly can't pinpoint why I was so disappointed. I promised myself before Austin was born that I wouldn't put that kind of pressure on myself but in a lot of ways I enjoyed my time just him and I. I think men are instinctively providers and women are more so nurturers. But this was one case where I took great pride in the sense that I was providing something for my son that no one else could. Relinquishing that was hard for me. 

Since Austin's gone to all formula I've seen so many really positive changes in him. He had some minor stomach issues early on and they seem almost completely gone now. Plus, he's really fattening up (I sounds like I'm describing a Thanksgiving turkey). I don't think I was getting enough calories in my daily diet (hence this post) and when we made the transition to formula you there was almost instantly a visible change in his appearance and weight.

If you do decide to nurse your little one I recommend the following:

• Expect some serious pain when your milk comes in and when you decide you're going to stop nursing.
• Do research and talk to a doctor, nurse or lactation consultant when you decide to move to formula, you can't just stop cold turkey.
• Invest in pads, cream, proper nursing bras, and a couple nursing tops.
• Get a good breast pump. Call your insurance provider before you purchase anything because a lot of times you can get a pump for free under your insurance plan.

If you decide to formula feed your baby I recommend the following:

• Sign up for coupons via Similac or Enfamil (or both).
• Once you find a formula that your baby likes don't change it. Babies have a hard time adjusting to formula and from the research that I've done it takes about 10-14 days for them to really get used to a certain formula. Don't fix it if it's not broken.
• You will need more diapers. Breastfeed babies may only poop once a week, bottle feed babies have completely different bowel movements. Make sure you note anything out of the ordinary and discuss it with your baby's pediatrician.

I think the ultimate goal is always doing what's best for you and your baby and only you can decide what that is. There are plenty of people that can offer support no matter what camp you fall into. Don't be afraid to reach out for help and advice.

And just to make you smile I'll leave you with this little ditty.

Happy Friday!

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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Freezer Frenzy

If you can't tell from all my posts lately, I'm trying to work through some challenges that I now face as a working mom. My house is in a constant state of flux. My typical OCD and cleanliness have taken a backseat so that I can spend the precious hours after work with my baby, Austin, before he falls asleep. What's left at the end of a long day is a sleeping baby (hopefully), a dirty house, piles of laundry, and two exhausted parents with nothing for dinner.

"What do you want for dinner" one of us will ask on our way home from work.

Exhausted the unwilling to make a decision the other almost assuredly will reply, "I don't care" which then translates into one of two things:

1. fend for yourself and see what you can throw together with a bag of frozen veggies, leftovers that are probably two days older than the recommended date of consumption, and a stale donut; (it sounds like an episode of chopped) or,
2. order pizza, Chinese, or mexican

Therefore, the diets at our house are less than stellar. So it should have come as no surprise when my mom inquired about them. I admitted that despite my best efforts we were doing a less than satisfactory job of taking care of ourselves when it came to our eating habits. Her recommendation: freeze some preprepared dinners.

My answer to that was one double batch of Chicken and Andouille Sausage, of which half went into our freezer. 

Yummy

I thought I was really taking a big step toward healthier eating, but little did I know.... I haven't been a mom long-enough because the next morning I got a well-deserved lesson in how to grit and grind in the kitchen from an expert in running a family menu, my mom.

I met her at Costco when the doors opened at 9am. With Austin in tow, we tore through the aisles and piled up on ground beef, tomatos, peppers, the largest bag of mozzarella cheese I've ever seen...

He is such a good shopper.

Que mild anxiety attack. 

I've really only prepared meals for Kyle and I, and occasionally a guest or two, so buying and cooking in bulk is really far out of my comfort-zone. Luckily, my mom knew exactly what she was doing. She explained the cost-saving benefits of buying six pounds of ground beef as opposed to the individual pounds. She also explained that if I plan ahead and prepare freezer-friendly meals I need to buy a LOT more ingredients than I'm used to. One of the added benefits is that I can save somewhere between 25-50% off the total cost of a meal just by buying in bulk (who knew!). 

In addition to a fantastic lesson in frugal grocery shopping. I also got a cooking lesson. I learned the secretes to mom's homemade lasagna, baked ziti, sausage and peppers, stewed beef, and beef and onion.  After four hours I have so many great homemade dinner options:

    4 Pans of Lasagna
    2 Pans of Baked Ziti
    6 Dinners of Sausage and Peppers
    2 Bags of Ground Beef and Onion (for tacos or spaghetti)
    5 Packs of Stewed Beef (for Beef and rice, Beef Stew...)

To provide a little context, my freezer only had one item in it prior to our freezer frenzy. 

I feel so much better about the healthy, homemade options available and I feel like I now have a basic understanding of how to plan for and prepare meals ahead of time. Thanks for all your help Mom! 

Do you have any freezer-friendly meals that you like to make?

Be Blessed,

Brittany

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