My Breastfeeding Journey

I want to start off by saying that I am not judging anyone else for the decisions they made regarding breastfeeding and what was best for them and THEIR child. This is simply my experience with breast feeding. If anyone has any negative comments they can just keep them to themselves! :)

My breastfeeding journey with Makenna was definitely not an easy one in the beginning. It took her three months to latch and it was a constant battle. I believe this is a direct result of the difficult birth I had with her that ended in an emergency c-section. I was so drugged and tired at that point, that I didn't even get to see her for eight hours afterward because I couldn't stay awake. By that time she had already had several bottles and was in love with her pacifier. As you can tell in this picture, I am still out of it.

When I finally got to hold her, I immediately tried to get her to nurse. She screamed and cried and would not latch for anything. After five minutes we were both exhausted and Daddy gave her a bottle. I felt like the biggest failure ever. When the lactation consultant came in that day she helped me try different holds and a nipple shield. Still nothing. They brought me a pump and told me I should start pumping to help my milk come in and that we would keep trying to get her to latch. I pumped and pumped and finally the day I went home from the hospital my milk came in! I was so excited, at least I could pump and give her breast milk still. She transitioned from the formula to breast milk in bottles without a problem. I figured she would start latching soon.

A month later she was still not latching. I would try before every feeding, but she would just scream and scream. I was slowly losing hope and pumping was taking over my life. When you pump exclusively it gets tiring and takes a LOT of time. I had to feed her and then pump for 30 minutes every 2 hours. As soon as I was finished, it felt like it was time to start the process all over again. I never really produced enough pumping to build up a good supply. So I had to constantly pump in order to feed her. My breast pump was my BFF. I couldn't go anywhere without it.

Pumping in the car

Thank God I had a good support system of family and friends who supported breastfeeding. My friend Julia was a constant shoulder to lean on and would help give advice to increase my supply or on any other issue. I probably would have given up without them cheering me on. Three glorious months later, I forgot my pump at work. I decided to just see if she would latch before I went all the way back there. SHE LATCHED!! I almost passed out from excitement. :) 

After she finally latched, my milk came in stronger and I had zero problems producing enough milk for her. It was amazing and I stopped pumping all together. I was just so tired of that damn pump. I now wish I continued pumping a few times a day though. When I finally tried to pump again I hardly got anything and then Makenna refused to take a bottle. Go figure. Just my luck. 

When Makenna was around 5 months old, she all of a sudden became "allergic" to dairy. She was extremely gassy, would have poop explosions a billion times a day, and broke out with rashes and eczema everywhere. 

I had to cut dairy completely out of my diet. Not just typical dairy such as, milk, cheese and ice cream.... but anything that the dairy protein was in. Which is pretty much EVERYTHING. You don't even realize how much prepackage food dairy is in. It was insane. If I was worried I wasn't going to lose the weight I put on from pregnancy, I no longer had to worry. I dropped weight at a rapid pace. I was around 115 lbs when I got pregnant. I gained around 35 lbs, so at the time of birth I weighed 150. By the time Makenna was six months I was down to 102 lbs. I was definitely not eating enough and I'm lucky my milk supply didn't suffer. 

After all my breastfeeding struggles, I refused to give up! My baby girl was doing so much better and was happy once again.

Right before her first birthday, I slowly began introducing dairy back into my diet. She seemed to be doing fine with it so I cut out all dairy restrictions and went back to a normal diet. I put back on weight and evened out at 115 where I started.

After Makenna's first birthday I tried weening her off of breastfeeding. She was NOT having it. I decided to keep going and try again in a few month. By this time she was obsessed with my boobs. No, really, she was. I think her latching around the three month mark was a big reason. Around three months is when you start to introduce a "lovey". Her lovey was my boob. Even when she wasn't nursing she wanted to hold my boob. If she wanted to go to sleep she had to hold my boob. I created a boob monster. I always joke with my husband that she's going to mortified of all the pictures of her with her hand down my shirt when she is older. :)

Around 18 months I had had enough. We were still nursing on demand but I forced her to ween to 3 times a day and then slowly cut out a feeding until I was down to just nighttime. Nighttime was the worst one. She would cry and cry to nurse and I would give in. The month before she turned two I had to go away over night for the first time. That was the end of breast feeding, but not the boob holding. She'll be three in September and still tries to put her hand down my shirt when she is tired or wants to cuddle. I no longer let her though. Without success we cannot get her to latch onto any type of blanket or doll for more then a few weeks. She is very stubborn and obviously will not be forced to do anything before she is ready.

With baby #2 on the way I worry about breastfeeding. I pray it comes easier this time. I am having a planned c-section and my husband is under strict order to not let anyone near her with a bottle or pacifier. I am going to request a "gentle c-section" where they allow skin to skin directly after birth but haven't met the new doctor who is scheduled to delivery me. It might have been a long journey with Makenna breastfeeding, but I lasted almost two years. I would like to give baby #2 at least 18 months. We will see how that goes!

Feel free to share your experiences below!

Llama Llama Time to Share...

Welcome to another Book Review Tuesday! Tuesday is beginning to become my favorite day of the week! I really look forward to picking out books that Thomas and I get really excited about. This week, "Llama Llama Time to Share" by, Anna Dewdney takes the cake!

Image found from Amazon.

It is a great story about sharing your toys with your friends. The one thing I love about it, is that it does not come across preachy or repetitive. The rhymes are phenomenal and like always with any Anna Dewdney books the illustrations are AWESOME! Baby Llama has a very hard time sharing his Fuzzy Llama doll with his new friend. Fuzzy Llama's arm gets ripped off when he tries to snatch it back from his new friend. They work through the problem and in the end Baby Llama can't wait to share his toy with his new friend.

This book is perfect for children eighteen months plus who are just learning how to share. Especially if your child is in a daycare or a school setting. When children get to school sharing is most definitely encouraged. They share crayons, paper, books, markers, crafts, and much more! This book comes in handy when teaching the importance of sharing your things with others and showcases sharing from an extremely positive viewpoint!

XOXO,
-D

Daily Routines, Feelings & Emotions...

Life with Thomas is always interesting. Never a dull moment when it comes to spending time with that sweet boy! Thomas has definitely been going through many stages and has been facing many strong battles with his own self will. Times do get very hard and everyone's patients is tested. You want your child to be able to communicate and understand their own feelings and emotions (happiness, anger, sadness) however, at the small and tender age of two years old it is virtually impossible.

In order to make Thomas understand the different structure and activities that I have set into place for him such as, sitting down for breakfast, eating politely and quietly, not throwing your food onto the floor, etc. I have come up with a simple activity to help him be in control of different scenarios that will hopefully allow him to develop a small understanding of what he goes through on a daily basis. 

Thomas has recently become obsessed with Elmo! He asks for Elmo on a daily basis. It is really cute! So his Grandma sent him an Elmo doll that talks, sings songs, and counts. These days, Elmo is probably the only one that Thomas will listen to HA. I had Thomas take his favorite little buddy and "cook" him breakfast. He had to strap Elmo into his seat. He fed Elmo the makeshift food and even gave Elmo water! After breakfast was all said and done, Thomas took Elmo out of his seat and got his pillow and blanket and tucked Elmo in for a nap! "Shhhhhhhhhh!" Thomas tells me! He then proceeds to give him a kiss and say, "Goodnight." 

While Thomas was busy preparing Elmo his breakfast I stood there to help and watch. I would tell Thomas how good Elmo was being! "Look Thomas, Elmo isn't screaming." "Elmo is eating quietly and its so yummy in his tummy." "Shhhhh, Elmo is going to sleep without crying." Just hoping to set a new pace for Thomas so he recognizes that Elmo goes through the same activities that he does! I also keep saying to Thomas, "Who is turning TWO so soon!" "Who is such a big boy!?" Thomas is!! Just to hype up and reward all of his great behavior. We all are still working on his screaming and levels of frustration. It will take time but it really is only a stage.

What are some activities that you do to help your child understand their own daily routine, feelings and emotions? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts and ideas with us!

XOXO,

-D

Book Review Tuesday!

Image found from Amazon.

Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? written by Eve Bunting & Sergio Ruzzier is just adorable! Thomas is currently in LOVE with this children's story. He always asks to read the duck book and quickly follows up with a loud, "Quaaaackkkk!" Duck has lost his new blue socks. He searches in his box, asks his friend the fox, and the ox but still he can't find his new blue socks! The rhyming in this book is done in a humorous and in a light hearted way. Eve bunting did an amazing job keeping the rhymes simple. They are simple enough for first time readers attempt to tackle. 

Sergio Ruzzier did a phenomenal job on the illustrations. The lost blue socks are slowly revealed as the story goes on. He makes it fun and easy for the kids to spot on their own! The illustrations in this story are done in water color and ink and the colors are nice and bright. Yet again, just the right amount to keep your child engaged and asking to read this story over and over again!

Both images found from Sergio Ruzzier

From all of the rhythms and rhymes and delightful illustrations this book is sure to make its way onto your child's book shelf! Also, a great gift to bring along to a baby shower! Perfect for ages 2-5 years old! I hope you and your family enjoy this read as much as Thomas and I do!

XOXO,

-D

Super Easy Summer Treat!

Now that Thomas is turning two years old in a few weeks he is old enough to want to do everything his mommy and I do! He recently went to Florida to visit his grandma and discovered one of the best tools ever!... A big boy step stool! It is seriously the best thing since sliced bread for him! Thomas loves to be involved in everything now. He watches us bake, cook, prepare all meals etc and loves to be involved every single second! It is the cutest thing!!

He always wants to help out and I look for different treats and easy meals that he can have fun being involved in without having to use big knives or the stove to prevent injury. Even though I never take my eyes off of him you just never know! I recently came across a childhood treat of my own (nostalgia at its finest) and I figure I will give it a go with Thomas. It is a bit messy but, Thomas wouldn't have it any other way!!

They are Copycat Kit Kat Bars! Sooo yummy and so very easy and fun to make with your little ones.

Image & Recipe found off of Raining Hot Coupons.

There are only two ingredients for this recipe and it is so much fun for the kiddies to mess around in! This may be the perfect rainy day activity and comfort food recipe. 

• 1 Package Vanilla Creme Wafers (I would just buy the store brand)
• 1, 12oz Package of Chocolate Chips

The best thing about this is depending on the nutritional rules of your household you can make this however you want it! Whether your an organic and natural household or even a gluten free household. Just buy the ingredients that work well for your family.

Image found off of Raining Hot Coupons

Next, all you need to do is line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds or however long it takes. Depending on the power level of your microwave of course! Then, once all the chocolate is melted allow your little one to have fun dipping and coating the wafer with the melted chocolate! Lift the wafer out with a fork allowing all the excess chocolate to drip off. Side note, once all is done you can even allow your little one to use the chocolate to draw pictures and shapes on construction paper or wax/parchment paper. Just something a little messy, yummy and different for them to experience. 

Image found off of Raining Hot Coupons

Once all your wafers are coated, place them in the fridge for five minutes to set! Trim the edges to make them even and enjoy!! SO much fun!

What are some yummy treats that you enjoy making with your little ones? Comment below and let us know some of your favorites!!

XOXO,

-D

Friday Favorite - Mayden Inspired

Happy Friday to all! Today I am bringing you an amazing product review for my Friday Favorite. When Danielle and I were approached by Mayden Inspired, to try out some of their awesome baby/toddler booties, we jumped at the chance. As a mom and nannies, we are always in search of shoes that babies and toddlers will actually keep on their feet! Makenna is one of those children that NEVER keeps anything on her feet. As soon as she is at home or gets in the car, off come her shoes and socks. We are forever losing them.

The owner and sole maker of booties, Danielle Murphy, is a local New Jersey mom. She started making booties for her own children and the word of her cute booties quickly spread. Mayden Inspired booties run from sizes newborn to 18/24 months, which I will say is about a size toddler's size 6. You can order them in a variety of designs and patterns. We were sent four pairs, two 18/24 months and two newborn sizes. 

As you can see, Makenna was very excited to receive her booties! 

Lucky for her, she has small feet. The size 18/24 months just fit her. That's why I am guessing they even out to a size 6. I thought she would tell me they were too tight but she just said over and over, "I love my new slippers!" She wore them the entire day and I had to force her to take them off for bed that night. That has never happened before! Two months later, her foot grew and the booties are very tight on her now :( But she loves them so much she still wants to wear them! 

The booties have held up extremely well. She wore them for the last week of school (she has to wear slippers at school) and all around the house. They show no signs of wear and are sewn very well. Considering Makenna's foot is about to bust out of them, and they are still holding up, I would give them an A+ for quality! :) I can't wait to put the newborn pair on baby #2 when she is born in September! I have them packed in my hospital bag waiting to go! 

The other newborn pair we received ended up being to small for the baby we wanted to test them. Our mistake since baby Celia was almost 3 months old. Danielle M. quickly switched out the booties for us. Celia and her Mom were huge fans of them! She kept them on and didn't pull them off at all. They are tight enough to stay on snug, but are not so tight that they leave marks or cut off circulation. And have I added that they are ridiculously cute?! 

We loved her booties so much, that we decided to gift them to a certain NJ based celebrity mom. We will keep you all updated if we spot them out and about when her baby is born! :)

The above picture shows the two different styles Mayden Inspired makes. A Maryjane type booties and a classic Moccasin style. 

Be sure to check out Mayden Inspired's Etsy shop. You can see all the different patterns and styles that they offer. If you don't see exactly what you are looking for, email Danielle M. through Etsy. She is always getting new fabrics in stock. 

We know you will all love these booties just as much as we did!

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

xoxo- K

Disclaimer: We were not paid to do this review. We received the booties free, but if they sucked we would NOT have written a good review about them! :) 

What's for Dinner?!

It has been a long time since Keri and I posted a recipe that we enjoy! The recipe that I am going to share with all of you I have made a handful of times! It is every Mother and Nanny's dream.... fast, easy & simple. A household favorite in my book! I have made this for Thomas and my employers. Needless to say, WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! Pun completely intended ;)

This is what we call a ONE PAN DINNER! Chicken, Potatoes and Greens! 

Both images were found from Trey and Christy.

I am a HUGE fan of Pinterest! I throughly enjoy stalking all of my beautiful girlfriends and mommy friends to see what they pin and what works best for them! One of my working girlfriends pinned this and gave it a go! I was very inspired and just HAD to try it the next day! You literally throw your raw chicken, potatoes and greens into a pan. Then season and bake! EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD AND OHHHH SOOOO YUMMY!!!

RECIPE:

• Three Chicken Breasts
• Four Medium Red Potatoes
• Green Beans or Broccoli (I used Broccoli)
• 1/2 Stick of butter melted
• Italian dressing mix packet (follow directions on packet for your homemade dressing!)

What to Do:

• Cut the chicken breasts in half
• Cut the potatoes into small chunks
• Spray the bottom of your 13X9 pan
• Place your chicken in the middle, potatoes on one side, veggie on the other
• Top it with half the packet of dressing and the melted butter
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour

I cannot brag about this recipe enough! It is a no brainer! Especially on your laziest of days!! 

Give this AWESOME recipe a go & let us know how you and your family like it! Thanks to our friends over at Trey and Christy for this wonderful, simple & easy dinner idea! MOMMIES and NANNIES ACROSS THE WORLD THANK YOU! 

XOXO,

-D