Product Reviews

Our flight to Philly was delayed for two and a half hours. Waiting wasn't bad & we received two $100 vouchers from Southwest for our troubles. 

I have some time since Ila bear & Thor are napping, and I wanted to share some mommy wisdom on products for all my expecting family & friends.

Originally I raved about the book Baby Bargains, but I've learned that it's really up to you and your babies experiences and preferences. These next few reviews are from our personal experiences but I hope be able to aid in some of your decision making for more than just financial reasoning.

Bugaboo Cameleon:

This fancy thing is simple yet complicated. My only complaints: I had to buy an adapter for the infant car seat to fit & no one knows how to set this booger up. You'll find that as a mother strangers offer you a ton of help & you want to take it, but no help can be received with the Bugaboo Cameleon. I do, however, speak extremely high for it's build. This thing will not break! That alone makes it worth the money. I'm still using the car seat feature and rarely use the bassinet. It also comes with a chair that she'll be using soon. All in all is it worth the $800-1200? Probably not, but for a traveling rough & tough family like ourselves, I'd say yes. We need extra durability.

aden + anais Blankets:

I love their thin swaddle blankets. They are cost effective and I personally use the daily. I lay one down for Ila to play on, prop one on top of Ila for Thor to sit on while strolling, and one to wrap around the car seat to keep the sun out since they're so lightweight and breathable. For only $30-35 for four, I'm sold.

Carter's Onesies:

Has anyone noticed that Ila is a big girl? She's three months old and wears 6 month old Carter's onesies.  The reason why I LOVE these guys is because they are adorable, keep their color and are totally durable. You can easily find a five pack at your local Marshall's or TJ Max for $10-15. Great buy for an everyday wear.

Graco Snugride 35:

This car seat has great safety reviews & is priced conveniently low. Those are the two reasons why I bought it. Since using it, the lining has stretched out (it barely stays on) and the canopy falls off almost daily. On the bright side my daughter is safe.

Nap Nanny Chill:

Ila has spent her three months in one of these loungers. The memory foam lounger keeps her at a comfortable angle while she sleeps allowing Ev & I to trust that she's ok at night. The only con I have (as well as other mothers) on this product is that the baby gets used to it & eventually has to grow out of it. She sleeps great in it. Every time I put her in it she knows it time to sleep. If I were to use this product with my next child I would use the Nap Nanny for the first few weeks while the baby sleeps in our room with us and then *try* to move him or her to a crib when ready. Totally worth the $120, learn from my mistakes.

Amazing Baby's Feel and Learn!:

This little book is my go to entertainment for Ila. The book is perfectly proportioned, uses the right material and colors for what little ones are interested in, has chewable corners, rings and string & has a grip on the back for Mommy or Daddy to hold on to so baby has full range. It's perfect and you can find it for $11-14. My favorite toy by far.

There's plenty of products I still need to figure out but those are my most used. I would give you my opinion on bottles, pacifiers, wipes, diapers and formula but I don't have much say in that. Those items are simply what Ila is used to because it's what we use and they work.

This was a great way to pass time on this 4 hour flight.

Home

Our walk through has been completed and we're currently working on moving in to our new house. It's absolutely beautiful!

There's something special about building and designing a brand new home. It's a fresh start and we're a fresh family ready to start this house's life off right.

Our family has such a wonderful foundation and having a stable home only secures it even more. It's pretty empty now but ready to be filled with good times, great memories & fabulous friends.

Speaking of fabulous friends... Thank you, my fantastic generous friends that have offered to help with moving! I have always thought of moving as a horrible process that no one wants to help with but everyone has been so thoughtful. We have plenty of help but are most definitely looking forward to hosting a house warming party soon.

And thanks readers :) You're support is especially appreciated!

Goodbye Arizona

Ev & I spent all of Sunday packing for our move. Procrastinating is something we do often and well but not one of our smarter decisions. We started at sunrise and didn't get to sleep till midnight. I had to leave late last night to hunt down and purchase two more suitcases. Our total load: 5 checked bags, 5 carry-ons, 1 stroller & 1 car seat.

You don't have the option to give up or half ass anything when your 1, a mommy & 2, partnered up with Drill Sargent Mathis. I'm not saying going through the airport was horrible (not now that it's over) but it wasn't easy.

Who am I to complain though? There's mothers out there with a whole lot more to handle. I'll never forget when we flew to Philly in May and Ev turned to me in the lobby of the Phoenix airport and said "Now that's Superwoman." He was pointing to a calm but rushing single mother that was pushing a baby, holding hands with a toddler, talking to one of her twins ahead and following her was her oldest, an eight or nine year old.

I was extremely impressed at my boyfriend's opinion of what his "Superwoman" is. This woman had drive and to this day inspires me to keep my chin up when walking through security with Ila & Thor. As wonderful as this was to see and keep as motivation it also makes me think about what birth control I want to start up after these antibiotics are done.

We're about to board the plane. Goodbye Arizona. Goodbye offseason.

Eureka!

Late Tuesday night, after a long exhausting day of moving into our new home, Ev proposed! I said yes & we are now engaged!

It's amazing to think how far we've come in the past year, how much we've matured and how close we've become. He's my best friend, my inspiration and motivation. He has always been my life partner and always will be but now he's my fiancé and soon-to-be husband.

Ev is the best Daddy & partner ever. It's hard to keep it to myself, his skills must be discussed & appreciated by all. If any of you ever get to witness this talented father & fiancé, be careful, you will melt & he is taken.

Ev has always been great with babies. His mother told me that when she asked him to do something like clean up his reply would be "I can't, Pinky is on me." Pinky was one of their pet cats growing up and just like Pinky, Thor has been spoiled the same way. What you need to get from this is not that Ev didn't want to help, it's that he didn't want to bother the baby (or pet.)

He has a devoted part of his heart for animals and it's even more visible with his daughter. This guy jumps to any occasion to get Ila when she wakes up. He loves feeding her. He loves dressing her. He doesn't prefer changing poopy diapers but who would.

Even cooler than taking the role of a parent is that he's intuitive to her needs. He can read her emotions. He knows when she's hungry, tired, ready to play, wants Binky or poopy.

Let me add that this guy is a great daddy and but also a great partner. He helps with cooking, cleaning and loves doing the things I hate (putting clothes & dishes away.)

I'm so pleased with the way our lives turned out. I feel like Areosmith's "I don't want to miss a thing" song is playing in my head all day everyday.

Fly Beasts, Fly!

Tomorrow is moving day. My sixth time moving in the past 365 days.

Monday we get up, load everything in a friends car and head to the airport. Those three things aren't too bad. Getting from the car to the ticket counter, on the other hand, is a pain in the ass. Ev & Ila are too strong headed to ask for help.

Tomorrow will be our first time traveling to Philly as home owners, and last time traveling as gypsies. Our days of moving from friends' houses to hotels are over. Instead of living out of some suitcases we're unpacking our luggage for good. Exciting but I'd say I'm frightened for the following three days.

Tuesday we'll do a walk through and will move into our house with help from movers. As wonderful as our last stuff was, the majority of our furniture is being left in the garage to be sold and donated because Ev and I chose all new furniture and are having it delivered Wednesday.

It can't all be perfect. Ev leaves for camp Wednesday. We're going to miss him like crazy. I want our daughter to continue growing and learning but I don't want Ev to miss out on any of it. To make up for Ev's departure, my parents are flying in to help with the baby while I unpack and follow through with setting up home services.

The time away from Ev is going to go by fast and as frightened as I say I am, I'm really just excited to get this process over & done with so we can finally call Philly Home.

Wish us luck!!

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My Pesky Right Boob

It has been difficult taking the time to focus on myphotography, art and blog these last few weeks. This lil lady (meee) has beenpretty busy with Ila Bear.

As you may already know I have had chosen to notbreastfeed Lee Ila for more than her first four weeks. Breast-feeding waspainful and simply annoying.  Itwas annoying because it was extremely frustrating. It was painful because Icaught a lovely infection, Mastitis (an infection in the tissue of the breast.)

When Ila was only a few days old I saw the first sign ofMastitis. I woke up after my afternoon nap with a 100 degree fever and a redpatch of skin on my right breast. I called my midwife and she told me to takesome medicine and keep heat on the rash. I did as I was told and the rash andfever went away before bedtime.

The infection came back but this time there was no fever.This time there was a lump under the red patch of skin. Our house was busy withthe new baby & full of guests in and out. To top all that off, we were temporarilymoving to Philly for a few weeks while Ev was working. All this aided to mydecision to not to go to the doctors

Ev pushed me to get help but I kept putting it off. Ihated doctors. In my eyes, I’ve spent the last 4 years of my “adult life” goingto doctors at the times I thought they could help me, yet not once was Iimpressed. Over and over I was shocked with how little these people knew. Soyeah, I put it off.

After two months I finally went into a doctor’s officewhile we were in Philly. The doctor wrote me a script for some antibiotics. I’msure you won’t be shocked to hear that I gave up on taking those a few dayslater. I could give you some excuse to why I gave up on taking them or justhope you understand that I made a mistake and hope everyone knows not to dowhat I did.

The problem with taking half of a cycle of antibiotics isthat by taking half you are only worsening the infection. Onlyhalf of the germs are killed and the other half is stronger than the half theantibiotics killed.  The next time(there will be a next time) a higher antibiotic will be necessary to kill itoff completely.

After coming back to Arizona I met with my Midwife andreceived a new script that I followed through taking the correct way.Unfortunately, the infection was to large for this particular antibiotic and Iknew it was time to see a specialist.

My Midwife referred me to Dr. Webb, an OB GYN who thentold me what was going on. Layman’s terms, my breast was hosting a home full ofpuss that will not go away with out being drained. The lump had become so largeand solid that it couldn’t be handled with antibiotics alone. Dr. Webb couldn’tdo anything about it but he did refer me to the best breast surgeon he knew.The referral was at a Cancer Center and wanted to make sure that I wasn’t goingto be worried that he was sending me there.

The cancer center’s surgeon was Dr. Jennifer O’neill. Dr.O’neill spent last Thursday morning draining 50cc of pus out of the lump usinga syringe. She also put me on a stronger antibiotic. The lump quickly came backand I decided to go in again the following Monday. That Monday she took out13cc. A few days passed and my breast filled once again. Thursday morning shedrained out another 10cc.

After my Thursday appointment Dr. O’neill gave me theoption to find a surgeon in Philadelphia after the move to continue thedraining or to have her use a scalpel and open the wound. If I wasn’t movingthis Monday I could continue draining it until the pus didn’t come back. Iweighed the pros and cons and decided to get it done with while I was inArizona.

Here are some images I drew to show what happened duringthe 5 minute surgery.

^ This is the pus filled lump in my rights breast ^

^ Making the incision ^

 ^ The incision ^

^ The doctor inserts the "wick" (a strip of gauze) ^

What makes this such an issue is that Ev has to pull out the old wick and insert a new one using a The idea of the wick is to suck up all the pus and bring it from the inside out. grade q-tip end. The idea of the wick is to suck up all the pus and bring it from the inside out. Putting the new wick in is worse than childbirth.

This is the fourth night after the initial incision and Iam not dealing with too much pain today, not as much as yesterday at least. I’m not much of a wuss but I am most definitely not looking forward to Ev replacing the wick tonight. 

Rambles

I start writing and can't find the time to finish it. I'm not complaining, every distraction is due to my daughter and I enjoy each second of attention that she demands. 

I want to remember her needs. The way her body works, her creative self schedule. Here it is.

The Rundown is my go to list when Ila needs something. It can take up to three or four hours to get through. Normally it lasts up to three hours through out the day, but the first time she wakes up in the morning it lasts only 30 minutes. The Rundown starts with a diaper change with a possible outfit change. Once she's dressed we get a 6oz bottle using A.R. Enfamil formula. Ila eats then talks and laughs before passing out. Talking and the majority of the time before passing out again.  Her cry is a little on the cranky side when she's tired. Once we've gone through the list we try to get her to fall asleep. She prefers to fall asleep completely on one side, Binky in mouth and lightweight blanket to hold over her face. 

530AM: As soon as Ila gets up, we go through The Rundown. The play time only lasts about 5 minutes before wanting to go right back asleep. 

900AM: We immediately go through The Rundown. Her play time lasts two to three hours. She's a crazy active and is always happy.

This routine lasts up until 6PM when Ila gets her bath. From her bath until 8PM Ila is fighting sleep, but once 8PM comes around Ila is out like a light for the rest of the night. 

I love being a mom with a great nights rest. I need a tremendous amount of energy to make it through the day. I'm working out Monday through Saturday in the morning at Ev's gym. Once I'm back to the house, Ila is not taking a nap longer than 45 minutes & I need those 45 minutes to wash bottles or do laundry.

She's such an easy going baby, extremely enjoyable to be around. I'm happy with my kid. I am.  

I have an unmeasurable amount of love for my daughter. It's more than "taking a bullet" for someone, it's indescribable. 

Being a mom has some interesting side effects. Can I call them side effects? It's more of what I've learned. What I thought I understood before birth, but didn't understand the reality of it. There are no sick days. There's no personal time. There's no getting away from concern... that sh** follows you everywhere. 

What's better than all that? "What makes up for not being a selfish person?" Well- no longer being a selfish person for one. But also, and mainly, having your best friend with you 24/7. 

I haven't been able to laugh from silly faces, sing while making lunch, and dance in the living room since 1997 with my girlfriend Stephanie. Now I'm 22 and being awesome because my two month old is helping me appreciate my life by bringing me back to living like a kid. 

Ev, my boyfriend & best friend, is amazing by making me laugh, sing and dance- but it's different. I believe it's because Ila is a girl. I don't mean any disrespect to mothers with sons. It is different, the same way I look forward to having a son one day and having that special relationship with him. It's just different. She's my girly girl girlfriend. 

Ev is an amazing daddy. He doesn't wait for me to ask for his help, he jumps on it. He has found his sweetheart, his princess, his best friend.  Ila lights up when she sees him. These moments bring happy tears to my eyes. 

In other news, two more weeks till Daddy, Mommy, Ila and Thor move to Philadelphia. Our house should be done! This means two more weeks to start & finish packing. 

Wish us luck!