Food Dye + Toddler = Disaster

You guys I have to share a pretty funny story about a parenting fail that happened earlier this week. It's one of those stories that I will likely tell P as she grows up that will make her laugh and she will want to hear it again and again. So for documentation sake I have to write it down.

On Monday I came home from work and was super tired so I decided to take a quick power nap on the couch. P was in front of me playing with her toys and David was working on something in the garage. So I was curled up under a blanket with Olympics on the background and closed my eyes.

Then I hear her, "mama, mama, mama, mama!"

I crack open my eyes and see nothing but 10 tiny little digits coming towards me - and they were green. I open my eyes wider and sit up and see that P not only has green on her face but her whole entire hands are covered. As in imagine dipping your hands into cans of green paint.

Immediately I realized she had discovered where the food coloring was. And as I quickly filled up the tub I could see her little green hand prints everywhere. The doors, the couch, the edge of our bed. I grabbed her and held her at arms length fearing she would ruin one of my favorite sweaters. I plopped her right into that bubbly tub and just let her skin soak. Luckily with a little patience (and a lot of scrubbing) most of the dye was removed. Aside from her cuticles which three days later are still green.

It was such an in the moment thing of sheer wtf I couldn't even snap a photo - and damn I sure wish I did! You see P is very much into arts and crafts these days and over the weekend I had bought her a watercolor kit. A washable watercolor kit. Heck I even let her do it inside! So when she found the green food dye she took it over to her painting paper and began painting with it. It really could have gone so much worse.

David and I had a good laugh about it and I removed all the other food dye from the cupboard and moved it to safer (i.e. higher) ground. As I was doing so I thought....oh shit.

"Where are the yellow and red?"

I couldn't find them anywhere and knew it was a matter of time of who would find it first. Us or her.
Fast forward to Thursday when David shows me the kiddie pool filled with yellow water and says "guess who found the yellow first?" Oh she found it alright and proceeded to smear it all over her body. Jaundice anyone?

Moral of the story: food dye comes out in the wash and never sleep when your toddler is awake.

And since this post comes with no pictures let's just remember her in cleaner times - and cleaner water.

8

From baby nursery to toddler nursery

Even though I am trying to fight it as long as humanly possible the truth is this - I have a toddler. A wild, crazy, sassy, full of personality toddler. I still go to bed every night and watch videos of her and look at photos of her but I am also grateful for the rest. Little lady can be a handful!

We have started to phase out some of the "baby" things in her room which got me thinking about all the things that we still find super useful. So I thought I would share those items with you all in case you were on the fence about needing it or not.

belly baskets // Sunny CS space heater // ubbi diaper pail

dohm noise machine // motorola w/ wifi monitor 

pig wheely bug // tnee's tepee in 'Darcy'

Serena & Lily Belly Baskets 

If we have anything in mass abundance in Presley's room it is books. My goodness we have so many books we could probably read a different one each night for three months. It's a little awesome and a lot insane. I have found that books and toys alike need a space to call home at the end of the day. Which is why I am fan of baskets. Easy to toss them in without thought and easy for her to get to to inevitably pull out all over again the next day.

Sunny CS Space Heater

Where we live we don't have central heat and air (ugh, I know) and as the nights grew longer and colder I was beginning to worry about P's room getting too cold at night. We have a heating wall unit in the family room but the heat is unable to reach her room. When our baby monitor was showing the room temp in the low 60s I knew we needed a solution. 

I first ordered a different space heater off the internet and thought it would do the trick. My concern with a space heater (as many people's is) was that it could catch fire. So I researched and found one with a tip-off switch - it tips, it turns off. So when it arrived in the mail and I plugged it in there was one slight issue. It was HOT. Like burn your hand hot. So off it went and back to research I went. 

That's when I discovered the Sunny CS space heater by Vornado. This is a worried parent's dream for trying to heat up a small space. Not only does it have a tip-off switch, but it comes with loads of other really neat features as well. A crib sensor (heat won't turn off until the crib reaches the desired temp), cool touch case (no burnt fingers here!) and hidden cord storage.

The highlight of the machine is how efficiently it works. Now my daughters room is not that large, maybe 11 x 11 but this mighty little machine works in minutes to start notching up the temperature. I also have no qualms about leaving it on all night. Once the desired temperature is reached it will kick into fan mode - basically making sure the room stays at your set level of warmth. Now I don't worry about P being too cold and I can rest easy at night.

With an easy to read digital display and also a nice aesthetic appeal I know we will be using this for a long time to come. One last thing worth mentioning - it comes with a five year happy parent guarantee. That's quality!

Ubbi Diaper Pail

When P was a baby I didn't have a diaper pail in the nursery. I have to laugh now because at the time I thought my house is so small I can just toss it in the bathroom. I'm fairly certain I bought a diaper pail on day 12 of her being alive. What I love about this diaper pail is it never makes the room smell. Don't get me wrong - the pail STINKS when diapers are in there and we open the door to drop one in. Once it's shut though it's trapped in there.

DOHM Noise Machine

We are strong believers in white noise and this is on 24/7. It really helps to drown out other noises and we think it's a lot nicer than sleeping in silence. Woof - that's the worst!

Motorola Monitor with WiFi

I had started out with another monitor but felt the screen and settings were just sort of old school. There are a couple of things I really like about this monitor aside from the WiFi connectivity - which I love when I am at work. This is one of the only monitors that displays the time! Weird right? Maybe it's because mom's and dad's everywhere want to stay in denial about what time they are waking up in the morning to take care of their baby? I also like that this shows me the temperature (which is how I knew to get my Sunny CS!) You can download an app to your phone called Hubble, to log in and see your monitor anytime. You can also view a log of wake/movement times - it's pretty neat!

Wheely Bug

P received one of these for her first birthday. It took her awhile to use it - and she still doesn't grasp that she can sit on it - but she does love it. She is constantly scooting her wheely bug (her's is a ladybug) all over our house. Good thing my dog doesn't have a tail as it would have assuredly been run over by now!

Tnee's Tepee

Okay this is a total fun one but we adore our custom tepee made by Courtney of Tnee's tepees. P is just starting to see how fun it is to crawl in and out of it. When I see her reading books inside of it my heart just melts. Tnee's Tepees are way better than any other tepee I have seen - yes I am including all those big name box stores.  So if you need a tepee look no further!

*I connected with Vornadobaby to review the Sunny CS heater. Always and forever opinions here are 100% my own.

14

there aren't enough hours

There aren't enough hours
regardless of an extra hour of daylight

laundry is piling up
groceries need to be purchased
the dog needs to go for a walk
mama needs a nap

There aren't enough hours

I want to make dinner for my husband
But I ought to learn how to cook better
leftovers spoil
takeout is bought too often

There aren't enough hours

I purposely got glitter toenail polish on my toes
so I would be forced to get a pedicure
because getting glitter off is damn near impossible
but there are so many other things I rather be doing

There aren't enough hours

snuggling my baby girl
enjoying the sunshine
going to brunch
walking around a farmers market
feeling the sand under my toes
watching a movie cuddled up with my husband

There aren't enough hours

It is so very hard to be a working mom
feeling like I am not giving 100% anywhere
not at work and not at home
it's mentally exhausting

There aren't enough hours

To think that two hours of my day are spent commuting
eight hours are spent working
eight hours are (wishfully thinking) spent sleeping
and two-three are spent with P & David seems so unbalanced

There aren't enough hours

Thank goodness for tomorrow.

 Sorry for the vent but just proof that it's not always sunshine and rainbows around here!

10

Risk

If you follow me along on Instagram you saw that on Thursday of last week I shared that I was denied my request for a four day work week. Not to be a broken record, but we are bumming pretty hard around here. Although by that point I was expecting it (I had asked the past Wednesday and it took eight days for a response) I was still surprised that no alternative solution could be met. I had presented my boss with three "hypothetical situations" in order of desire:

1. A 32-hour work week
2. A 40-hour work week (1 day work from home)
3. A 36-hour work week with a half days on Wednesday (A mid week pick me up)

Although any of those situations would have been better than nothing. Nothing is exactly what was received. You see I work in property management in commercial real estate. I am the onsite contact for tenants and vendors. So I was told that a presence is needed in the office M-F 9-5. Actually I am well aware of this and I knew that working from home would either be denied or ineffective - but I still had to make it an option.

As the words seemed to slow motion roll out of my bosses mouth I just kept repeating to myself  

 "Don't you dare cry"

I was a champ. I brushed his words off my shoulder like dust and said "I just had to ask. For myself, for Presley. If the opportunity was available. I just had to ask"

I feel like before I became someone's mom, I never would have done this. I usually can go with the flow and just accept that things are what they are. However, that is so not okay. That is not who I want Presley to be. I want her to ask for the things she wants, the things she deserves. So I know my example setting days are already here.

The conversation actually was relieving because at some point this year I am hoping to be able to stay home. My husband is fully on board - I just know that now is not quite the right time for us. That felt like a dirty little secret that I was hiding from my boss. But because my boss himself is a father he also followed up by saying "I also understand if you want to look elsewhere for a job". Right now I commute into San Francisco, which takes me about an hour or longer each way. It's a pain but pay is higher in the city and my job does has a lot of advantages to it. Hence the commute.

I did express that while I am not currently looking for a new job I do at some point wish to stay home with Presley. He again said he understands and what happens, happens. He really is a gem when it comes to having a wonderful boss.

I have always loved the quote from Oprah that "luck is preparation meeting opportunity". So while this is not what I was wanting to hear I do feel like it has set me up for a better tomorrow (so to speak). My boss tells me to leave early on some days and he allows me to waltz in around 9am. Honestly I have it pretty darn good here. I also know that when the day comes to put in a two week notice it will be understood. And even better - filled with compassion.

In the meantime I'll be saving a little more & sacrificing a little more so that our dream can be a reality. It may even mean relocating our family to best fit our needs.

Because it comes down to this.

When I am laying at God's Gate waiting to enter. My memories won't be about the days I spent behind a desk. They will be filled with how Presley crashes her head onto my shoulder in the middle of the night. How David gets a sparkle in his eye when he has caught a big fish. How my mom gets excited when she has found a great deal. How when my dad really smiles - the corners of his eyes crinkle. The bond with my sisters and the beautiful blessings of my nephews.

All the little things that in the end were really all the big things.

18

Why Don't You Sleep?

 Sleep*

I've been rocking you staring
At the clock on the nightstand
And I've been sitting here praying
Praying your eyes stay closed. 

It's just another sound outside 

And your eyes will fly open

And I'll be sighing

I'll be begging you, baby
Begging you to sleep
When I lay you down at 7pm
I pray that it will keep
Oh, for the next time we'll be here
will probably be in less than three hours

Why don't you sleep?
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of being tired
Don't I give you all the breast milk that you need?
When the sandman calls your name
There is one thing you should know
Nights don't have to be like this
Baby, why don't you sleep?

They keep telling me, baby
There will come a time
When I lay you in your crib
And you will possibly sleep until nine
Well, I don't think that's the truth
And I don't like being aloof
I just need eight hours
It's too much exhaustion to bare
what if I stroke your hair?

Why don't you sleep?
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of being tired
Don't I give you all the breast milk that you need?
When the sandman calls your name
There is one thing you should know
Nights don't have to be like this
Baby, why don't you sleep?

I can't take it much longer
But my will is getting stronger
And I think I know just what we have to do
It's time to let you cry it out
little lady please don't pout
I've been weak for your tears
but you're aging me in years
So, the next time you will find
you won't be leaving your bed for mine

You're going to sleep!
I'm turning the monitor volume down
Looks like you are going to cry a little longer
Need to make my cocktail stronger

 When the sandman calls your name
There is one thing you should know
I'm never far from you
night night baby

*Inspired by the song "Stay" Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland

Sleep?! Whats that?

10

Yay for Friday!

You guys I am so PUMPED it's Friday!! I plan on sleeping in a little later than normal tomorrow morning and then taking a midday nap with my best girl. I honestly cannot think of anything that sounds more amazing. (Well we could be doing all that in Maui and that would be better).

On Wednesday I forgot some of my pump parts at home so my boss said I could skedaddle early (his wife used to nurse so he knows what up!) I got home by 2pm, fed Presley and then we crawled into bed and slept curled into one another for over an hour. It was exactly what I needed to recharge.

I've since ordered spare parts to the office so I don't make that mistake again. In fact I think I am going to do a post on pumping in the office pretty soon. I am a super freak about  my milk supply and pretty consistently get about 12.5 oz/day out while I am at work.

Also for Christmas I got a little spoiled and received a 15" MacBook Pro Air with Retina Display. You guys I am LOVING it!! Still a little confusing from time to time but love it so much better than a PC. Infinity times more than Windows 8! Now when I get that pesky "Phone storage almost full" notification I don't have to freak out over what to delete.

I know I already told you about my shopping extravaganza while I was visiting my sister but these boots are so worth the money. They are insanely comfortable - I can wear them for hours. Push the stroller in them non stop. Now I see why my mother in law has them in three different colors!

I also want to say that I cannot say thank you enough for everything this blogging community does for me. The amount of support I received this week -via Instagram, text, emails, this blog - was unbelievable. It really made such a huge difference and helped so much. So from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU you guys are the best!!

Lastly if you read all those parenting books you would notice that they ALL contradict one another. Here is one mama's take on it that has gone viral and it couldn't be more true! Read it HERE.

13

Sad Mama

2015 equals one sad mama.

Today.

Is my first day back at work. Well actually I am writing this post two nights in advance because I assume tomorrow night will be a sobfest + coffee ice cream soothe the pain daze.*

In those first couple of days bringing Presley home, I didn't know what I was in for. It was so hard. I was so tired. I was literally hurting all over my body. Yet this little lady quickly enraptured my heart so fiercely I have never felt anything like it. How lucky am I to have been able to spend 4.5 months at home with her?

I am beside myself that I am leaving her to return to work. Hoping to get a parking spot, to ride public transportation (most likely without a seat) to get to a job that is just that...a job. I'm devastated.

I am having a hard time hiding my sad face. I feel bad too for I know my husband knows more than anything I wish to stay home with Presley.

I want to breastfeed her on demand, not pump in an isolated office. I want to take her monthly photo every month on the 20th and wait for the best lighting in her room (10am!). I want to not feel guilt if she needs me and I am waiting for a late train to return home. Every moment, every milestone I want to witness.

Even the hard times. Like when she fights me going to sleep for three hours. When she poops up the back of her onesie. As her first teeth are coming in. The cries, the screams, the hair raising "get me out of here!" moments.

Even when she is right in front of my face...I already miss her.

I know too that the grass is always greener on the other side and sure I would miss things about work (hello daytime Giants baseball games). But those hardly outweigh being home with my girl watching her discover new things. I am an asset and slowly depreciating by clocking into an office. (This is just in relation to me, not to all working mom's)

Luckily I have one incredible boss so that helps immensely. That and tuna tartar at the restaurant next door...maybe today won't be so bad?

If you need me I'll be crying into my pump...

*Well Sunday was a sobfest but dammit I ate all the ice cream on Saturday night. Poor planning.

17

Just Call Me the Grinch

I've been dreading December...

Lights going up on houses simply reminds me that my maternity leave is soon coming to an end. I am having the hardest time wrapping my head around how I am going to leave my sweet girl everyday. Truthfully, I am in denial.

And it makes me so sad.

Commuting into San Francisco everyday just doesn't seem as exciting anymore. Happy hour after work is trumped by after bath snuggles. My Starbucks habit has dropped - and perhaps a few pounds with that!

I just feel like I am of so much more value at home. I don't want to miss the milestones. I don't want to rush the mornings, missing out on those amazing morning smiles. I know there will be days I wish I worked in an office. Right now is not it.

Tell me how do you working mamas do it?

20

More Than One

When I came home from the hospital I said
"There would be only one". 

I couldn't imagine being pregnant again. 
"There will be only one"

I couldn't imagine the searing pain of contractions racking my body again. 

"There will be only one"

The blown vein, the epidural, the pushing.

"There will be only one"

The breastfeeding, the pain, the engorgement. 

"There will be only one"

Those nights where you are so tired you can't remember what sleep is. 

"There will be only one"

But then...

The kicks

The hiccups

The ultrasounds 

Your body does this amazing thing. 

It forgets.

It replaces all those painful, tender, raw moments with gummy smiles, coos and heart bursting giggles.

And as hard as the newborn stage is...I think it's even harder to think 

"There will be only one"

This is the hardest job in the world but easily the best I have ever had. 

However...

"There will be only two"

23

Mendocino Lovin'

David had a great idea to blow off some steam and head up to the coast for a couple of days. Although I was a bit nervous at first to do not one but two overnights with a newborn not in the comfort of our home I decided why not?! Presley for the most part was a pretty good travel companion. We did hit a major snag on the way home when we discovered a freeway was closed for roadwork - this made our three hour travel turn into six. Let's just say Pres was PISSED.

So after a great couple of days in beautiful Mendocino we were pretty happy to return home. However right about now I am missing these views from our room!

 

Little lady was spoiled! Who needs the mamaroo when you can hear the waves crash during your nap?

 

Our first family selfie!

Being completely unimpressed with her first ocean visit.

I also want to congratulate Diana on winning the Mini Boden giveaway! I hope you enjoy your gift set!

18

Nursing Essentials

lanolin // shield // tanks // nursing pads // camelbak // nightlight

Lanolin: This stuff might as well be gold to new mamas. Those first two weeks of nursing are...umm..brutal? That's being kind honestly. Applying lanolin before and after every nursing session eventually got my ladies to toughen up. Maybe nursing will be a breeze for you - either way keep this on hand. It's better to have it then run out to buy it after baby has arrived.

Medela Nipple Shield: This is an item I had heard about and wish I had bought "just in case". As I said in my postpartum post my nipples ran the gamut as far as pain goes. Cracking, bleeding, losing layers of skin...on day two at home I had David (bless his heart) run to Target and get me a shield. The first time I used it - it filled with blood. To which my lactation consultant said "that's okay" Yikes! But then the next day my milk came in. I still use this even though I probably shouldn't but it's made nursing pain free and so much easier for both me and Presley.

Nightlight: When I first started doing the late night feedings I would turn on a light in Presley's room. Not a bright one, but bright enough that it would cause those little doll eyes to open right up. I learned that if I only have the nightlight on it helps her know it is still nighttime. It also helps my blind as a bat self navigate the house without my contacts in.

Nursing Pads: You can get these in disposable or washable it's all up to you. I prefer the disposable ones because I don't want to be washing my pads all the time (which if you buy more than two sets you can avoid that problem entirely). I often pump a bottle in the morning for Presley's night feeding. It seems to fill her up more and allows David to interact with her and mama to get to bed a little earlier! I find that because I usually skip that big night feeding these pads are a must for the next morning!

iPhone/Cell phone/Charger: Whenever I sit down to nurse and realize I don't have my iPhone on me I panic. You're going to be sitting for awhile so make sure you have everything you need. I use this time to catch up on social media, read my favorite blogs (I am reading! Just not commenting as much due to needy newborn!) and watch Netflix. My sister and I started Scandal while she was in town and I was able to kill seasons one and two within two weeks. #noshame

Nursing Tanks: I live in these most days and they are my favorite for sleeping in. In fact I just went and purchased five more - I might as well make the investment since I am hoping to nurse until Presley is one. These run in price from $25 to $45. I have some of each and think they all work just fine. The ones that I am not crazy about are the Target ones - the clasps just are not as well made. I also think my chest size is not made for them.

Camelbak: There is something about hearing your baby slurping down milk that makes you incredibly thirsty. Like parched, in the desert, need water now. I always try and fill up my water bottle and leave it where I know I will be nursing. Trust me on this one!

Another invaluable thing to a new nursing mom is support. I can't tell you how many of you awesome ladies, my mom, my siblings, facebook La Leche groups helped so much. It's always nice to know you are not alone in your struggles - and it's awesome to have some cheerleaders along the way. 

Also don't forget to enter my Mini Boden giveaway for your chance to win a Baby Boden Gift Set. Winner will be announced on Monday morning!

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