Jillian's Hearing

I don't think I mentioned the other day that Jillian had a follow-up hearing screening. Honestly? I didn't really want to think about it.

Don't get me wrong, she has been acting fine and seems to respond to our voices. I mostly didn't want to get my hopes up that there was improvement only to find out she has more hearing loss. She would still be my Jillian Rose, but I was scared. I made a quick mention on Twitter as we left for the appointment on Tuesday morning.

After a similar screening we had in January, followed by a different evaluation, it was determined that Jillian is doing well! She has no extra loss from before, (though no improvement which is fine with me in light of everything), and she is where she needs to be developmentally for her age. What a relief!!

The awesome thing about our visit? We found out that a program through the Oklahoma State Legislature passed a law that would include Jillian's unilateral hearing loss to be covered under a special program. Essentially, our tax dollars will be paying for Jillian's evaluations until she is 3 years old! What a wonderful blessing!!

It sounds like we will be going every 3 months to evaluate where she is and what help she will need. There is no set path for unilateral hearing loss because it is on a case by case basis. It sounds like she may need help once she starts school. Even then, she might need a hearing aid or she may not need anything.

To this day, I'm thankful for finding this out now. It was heartbreaking at the time to hear that my 1 month old baby has moderate to severe hearing loss in one ear. Without the support from the amazing staff at the clinic, and my incredible family and friends, I don't know how I would have gotten to this point. The point where there is no blame necessary and all we need to do is help Jillian as best as we can.

It helps to hear a professional tell you your child can do anything. In reality, I already knew that :)

And because you have been such good sports with my wordy posts lately, here is a little eye candy for you!

{Reaching for those toes!} 

{What a smile :)} 

{A girl and her piglet}

{Sleepy girl}

{I mostly wanted to show how HUGE this bib is on her! It's like an extra shirt HAHA}

Nailed On The Cross

Today is a big day within the Christian church. This is the day that Jesus Christ is hung upon a cross like a criminal and dies. He sheds his blood for me, as well as the entire world.

We tend to just lump all sins into the word "sin" and leave it at that. I started thinking of just how specific it can get.

For the days that I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and take it out on the other drivers during my morning commute? It's up there on the cross.

When I've chosen to drown my feelings with alcohol just to numb myself for a few hours? It's up there on the cross.

For the times I say "Oh my God!" instead of "Oh my goodness"? It's up there on the cross.

Every time I hurt a friend by what I say or what I have left unsaid? It's up there on the cross.

For the times I am not honest about receiving too much change back at the grocery store? It's up there on the cross.

Sin is sin. It does not matter to God if I tell a white lie to spare someone's feelings or if I am committing adultery. And you know what? Today marks the day that I don't have to bear that any longer. I still have to ask forgiveness, and mean it. However, this sacrifice makes that possible. Without Jesus being humiliated and mutilated on that cross, I would never have the opportunity to have my sins forgiven by humbly seeking God.

My favorite line from the old hymn "It Is Well with My Soul" by Horatio Spafford and Phillip Bliss is this:
"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more"

How amazing is that? It's not easy to think that another human being, no matter how perfect and divine, would go through such torture just for you. Honestly? It is the most beautiful thing in the world and brings me to tears every year.

I honestly love the next 48 hours within the church. Not only remembering how moving this sacrifice is, but also observing the day in between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. However, that is a post for tomorrow :)

Bath Time Routine

I'm not sure if you noticed, but I did not list anything on my baby product posts here and here about bath time products. Well, aside from the baby tub.

We bathe Jillian every night and we have the routine down like a dance. It may come across a little high maintenance, but it works for us. Again, if you have any questions, feel free to email me.

A few disclaimers:

I am in no way an expert. I am simply a first time mama and these are the things that helped me and my daughter.

All babies are different. What worked for us and Jillian may or may not work for you and your baby. Keep an open mind and follow your baby's lead. Everyone will be much happier in the long run.

I was not asked by anyone or any company to write this post. Any brands or products that I name specifically, I give a reason for my initial purchase and why they did or did not work for us. All opinions are my own.

Bath Time Items

1) Body Wash/Shampoo

As I mentioned in the Baby Products for Newborns: The Basics post, I have eczema. I wanted to be proactive with Jillian, so I looked for items that worked for sensitive skin. We purchased the Aveeno Baby Wash and Shampoo. We have the original bottle and we still have some soap left. It lasts a long time!

Jillian did not ever have cradle cap per se, but her scalp was very dry. I purchased some California Baby Calendula Hair Conditioner and it worked great! After about 2 weeks of use, she had a significant improvement. Plus, it smells really good to me :) It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny in my opinion. It says you can either rinse it out or leave it in the baby's hair. We leave it in and seem to have better results that way.

2) Lotions

We have two different lotions that we use for two separate purposes that I will describe in a moment. The first is Baby Magic Gentle Baby Lotion - Original Scent. We had a different brand of lotion, but my mom suggested we use Baby Magic instead. I believe it's the same lotion she used on me when I was a baby :) I really do love the smell of Baby Magic over other brands and it seems to work well with Jillian's skin.

The second is Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream. Not knowing if Jillian would have issues with eczema or not, I wanted this particular lotion on hand. It works great and has a light scent that does not clash with the other lotion we use. It must be very popular because I can hardly find any on the shelves right now. Overall, we really like this lotion.

3) Bubble Bath

We do not actually wash Jillian every single night. We wanted a warm bath to be part of her bedtime routine. With that in mind, we give Jillian a bubble bath every other night. We use Johnson's Bedtime Baby Bubble Bath & Wash. It has a light lavender scent that it pleasing for all of us. It does come with a matching lotion, but I use the Baby Magic lotion instead. The lavender and Baby Magic scent do not clash and Jillian always smells baby fresh :) It bubbles up really well and Jillian seems to enjoy the bubbles. Well, as much as a 3 1/2 month old can!

4) Baby Oil and Cotton Swabs

We use Johnson's Baby Oil and Johnson's Safety Swabs as a part of Jillian's bath routine. The oil is mostly used for cleaning after the bath. The safety swabs have several different uses that make life with a squirmy baby a little easier. I also like that I can clean Jillian's ear without worrying it will go too far.

How We Use the Items

If we are washing Jillian:

First, we place Jillian in her infant tub and dampen her skin. We place a fingertip washcloth over her chest so that she can stay warm during the bath.

Next, we clean every area of Jillian except for her privates. Then we use the soap to wash the top of her head. I use a hair brush to lightly scrub Jillian's scalp. Once we rinse her hair, we put the calendula conditioner on and leave it in. We let Jillian splash around for just a little bit before we finish.

If it is a bubble bath night:

We pretty much let Jillian splash around as long as she pleases, then try our best to rinse her off when we take her out of the tub.

Every night:

We put Jillian in her hooded towel and pat her dry. Phil usually plays peek-a-boo for a minute while I rinse out the tub. 

I take a safety swab and moisten the tip with the baby oil. I wipe behind her ear and then wipe it dry with the other end. I use a different swab for each ear.

Next, I take a bean size amount of the eczema lotion and rub it between my fingers. I put a small amount behind Jillian's ears, on her cheeks, and under her neck. I wrap her in her hooded towel and move to her bedroom.

After I place Jillian on her changing table, I use the Baby Magic lotion on her entire body. I check between her toes and fingers and wipe them clean with a diaper wipe if necessary. I wipe her privates with a wipe and put on a new diaper. I brush her hair and put on her pajamas.

Nothing smells better than a freshly bathed baby :)

Baby Products for Newborns: Extras

This post is about our experience with baby products for the newborn stage, 0-3 months. If you have any other questions for me that I did not answer in this post, feel free to email me: mrs.c.ondemand {at} gmail {dot} com

A few disclaimers:

I am in no way an expert. I am simply a first time mama and these are the things that helped me and my daughter the first 3 months.

All babies are different. What worked for us and Jillian may or may not work for you and your baby. Keep an open mind and follow your baby's lead. If they hate a type of bottle, pacifier, etc., then get new ones. It may pain you to spend that kind of money, but everyone will be much happier in the long run.

I was not asked by anyone or any company to write this post. Any brands or products that I name specifically, I give a reason for my initial purchase and why they did or did not work for us. All opinions are my own.

Things That Are Nice to Have

1) An Activity Mat

When Jillian hit the 6 week mark, she suddenly became aware of her surroundings. From that point on, we would put her on her activity mat if she was fussy. We have the Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym. Jillian loves looking in the mirror, pulling on the octopus and enjoys the music about half the time, (it depends on her mood).

2) A Swing

We have been using this swing from day one and Jillian is so happy in it. She's comfortable and hardly fussies. We don't use the music and we rarely use the swinging motion because it can get a little fast. However, we are very satisfied with it overall. We have the Fisher-Price Cradle Swing - My Little Snug-a-Bunny swing. The main reason I wanted this swing is because it plugs into the wall and can be used with batteries as well. If you get this, or the next model up, I want to point out that there are two positions for the seat. I didn't realize this until about 5 weeks after she was born.

3) Bumbo Seat

I was skeptical of the Bumbo seat at first, but Jillian seems to like it now. Jillian is not a fan of tummy time, so I needed something to help her strengthen her neck muscles. She also likes to sit upright now that she is interested in the world around her. We honestly didn't use it on a regular basis until a week before her 3 month birthday. If you can hold off on it until that time, that is what I would recommend.

4) Two Car Seats

This is only necessary if you are a two car family.

We originally wanted just a convertible car seat to save money in the long run. We installed it on my car and figured we would move it to the other car if need be. Well, that sucker is in there good and we can't get it out very easy. For the models we use, please refer to my Baby Products for Newborns: The Basics post here.

After we purchased an infant car seat, we now have one seat per car. This makes our lives easier, but it's not necessarily a requirement.

5) An Infant Bath Tub

After Jillian's cord fell off, we tried having one of us hold her in the big tub while the other bathed her. This did not work really well for us. We decided to buy an infant bath tub and it is great! Jillian loves bath time! She splashes all around and can just relax. The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub is the model we purchased. We used the newborn sling for about 2 weeks before Jillian decided she didn't need it anymore. We have enough counter space to place in there in the bathroom as long as one person is with Jillian at all times while she's inside. Of course, that goes without saying when she's in the tub period. We have put the tub in the actual bath tub, but it is a little harder to reach Jillian. It is easy to clean and easy to use.

6) A Baby Monitor

We decided to not get a video monitor because we figured we would just rely on the sound to decipher if we should check on Jillian or not. So far, we are happy with this decision. We have The First Years 49 MHz Audio Monitor with 2 Receivers. We like that you can either plug in the monitors or use batteries.

We also bought a special movement monitor. When we first transitioned Jillian to her own room, I was having a rough time. Being slightly neurotic, I was just so worried about her succumbing to SIDS or something else happening. To soften the blow, we invested in a Snuza Halo Basic Monitor. This clips to her diaper and keeps track of how often she moves. If she doesn't move at all for 15 seconds, the monitor will vibrate gently to wake her. If she still does not move after 5 seconds, it will sound an audible alarm to alert the parents to check on her. This does work very well and helps me to have peace of mind since Jillian is such a quiet sleeper. We have had 2 false alarms, but only because we had Jillian in a loose nightgown without wrapping her legs in a swaddle blanket. This caused the monitor to become skewed and it could not measure her movements properly. Even with the false alarms, which were clearly our own fault, I would not trade this monitor for anything.

7) A Baby Carrier
For those who do not have an infant car seat that you can carry baby around in, or who are just interested in baby wearing, I highly recommend the Moby Wrap. I believe you can find just about any color you want, but I have a basic black one. It was a little overwhelming the first time I tried to tie the wrap, but it honestly becomes second nature after a few tries. I have not tried any other carrier, but I am so happy with the Moby that I wouldn't want a different one! I was able to take Jillian to a restaurant and eat comfortably with her wrapped up when she was only 8 days old. Jillian seems to love it herself. Not all babies will like it, but she did. It did make my back a little sore if I wore it for more than 2 hours. That only happened a few times when I needed to calm Jillian down. 


8) Books, and Toys

We try to read to Jillian every day. You can either use books you already have or start a children's book collection. Some of the books that Jillian seems to respond more to are: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Goodnight Moon, White on Black, Black on White, Baby Faces, and Olivia. If nothing else, start a tradition of going to the local library every Saturday and check out a few books to read that week. That way, you can read to your child without having to buy several books. 

For toys, Jillian doesn't have a lot of interest at this stage. However, the toys she does enjoy are: Bright Stars Sensory Plush Zebra, Bright Stars Rattle & Shake Barbell, Bright Stars Lots of Links, Small Wonders Monkey Security Blanket (no link available), and Disney Winnie the Pooh Piglet Plus Toy by Kids Preferred.

9) Swaddle Sacks

I originally did not want to bother with swaddle sacks because we had the swaddle blankets. However, the hospital where I delivered Jillian used them and she seemed quite happy. Plus, I'm not very good at wrapping with just a blanket. We have two Halo SleepSack Swaddles and love them! We know she won't get too hot, yet will stay warm enough to sleep well. Now that she is older, we do not wrap her arms down, but they are still useful.

10) Stroller
We have a Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Stroller. We picked this stroller based on reviews I found online and the fact that we were searching for gender neutral baby gear items because we hope to have more than one child. We liked the look of the Zurich pattern and the stroller was a decent size. We have used the stroller a handful of times, but we don't use it on a weekly basis. If we lived near a better walking trail, I would probably use it more often to go on family walks. This is probably just me being clumsy, but it is hard to steer at certain stores that have very thin aisles. Overall we are pleased with this stroller. We are considering the Britax B-Agile Stroller to go with her B-Safe infant car seat. This is not because we are unhappy with the Graco stroller. The main reason is because we have to specifically plan to use the convertible car seat when we go out with the stroller we currently have. That means, if we were out of town and using the infant car seat, we would have a few extra steps to get Jillian from her car seat into the stroller. Plus, if we have another child when Jillian can still use the stroller, we'll need the other stroller for the newborn. We haven't purchased it yet, but we are considering it.


11) A DVR/TIVO

I only say this for all those midnight and 2 a.m. feedings. I was able to catch up on shows and movies since I wasn't sleeping anyways. Again, not a requirement, but it made our lives a little nicer :)

12) Pacifiers

We have several different kinds of pacifiers. Jillian doesn't seem to favor one over the other and seems content with all of them. We have The First Years Gumdrop Pacifiers, MAM Orthodontic Pacifiers, and Playtex Ortho-Pro Pacifiers.

As far as pacifier clips, because Jillian likes to spit hers out randomly, these were very helpful. We bought the Munchkin Pacifier Clip and also MAM Double Clip. With the MAM Double Clip, you can un-velcro the plastic ring and use the thin ribbon to lace through the small hole of the The First Years Gumdrop Pacifiers. 

We also invested in some The First Years Gumdrop Pacifier Wipes 40 ct. This is mostly helpful for around the house since we have cats that shed like crazy. We can wipe off the pacifier quickly and get it back to Jillian before she gets too upset. These work for all the different brands of pacifiers we have.

13) A Camera

 You don't need a super fancy camera, but having a durable, digital camera is a major plus when you have a baby. Trust me, you'll want lots and lots of pictures of your precious baby :) We have a Nikon D3000 that I received for my birthday last year. I don't claim to know much about photography so I do not use this camera to its fullest potential. However, I love the high resolution as well as the sharpness of the pictures I take. Also, be sure to have a nice, big memory card. You just might need it!

14) A Video Camera

We bought a JVC Everio video camera in December of 2010 before I gave a concert that we wanted to record. Even though I have taken some video with my iPod touch, I think the sound quality of an actual video camera is much better. Honestly, we do not use a video camera very often, but it is definitely something we know we will be using more as Jillian gets older.

15) Changing Table
We have a changing table that matches Jillian's full size crib. It is nice to have, especially for storage. The reason I have it under "Extras" is due to the fact that you can change your baby anywhere. Sometimes we change Jillian in her crib, or on a blanket on the floor. If you get to set up a nursery for your baby, it is definitely nice to have. Some people also use a changing pad on top of a dresser. As long as baby can be strapped down once they start becoming more squirmy, you can do whatever works best in your living situation.

Any other baby product that was not mentioned in this post or the Baby Products for Newborns: The Basics post, we did not use it. We do have other baby items right now, but we did not use them for the phase of Jillian's life. I will do another post for my mommy list after Jillian is 6 months old. I hope this was helpful. If nothing else, hopefully it was interesting :)

Baby Products for Newborns: The Basics

This post is about our experience with baby products for the newborn stage, 0-3 months. If you have any other questions for me that I did not answer in this post, feel free to email me: mrs.c.ondemand {at} gmail {dot} com

I know there are some new mamas as well as a few pregnant ladies out there that are overwhelmed by all the stuff that babies need. It's really hard to decipher what you truly need, what is just nice to have and what you won't use at all. I know when I was pregnant with Jillian, I did lots of research on products and read several blogs trying to find out what worked for other moms. This was especially helpful when it came time to register for gifts. I hope this list helps someone :)

A few disclaimers:

I am in no way an expert. I am simply a first time mama and these are the things that helped me and my daughter the first 3 months.

All babies are different. What worked for us and Jillian may or may not work for you and your baby. Keep an open mind and follow your baby's lead. If they hate a type of bottle, pacifier, etc., then get new ones. It may pain you to spend that kind of money, but everyone will be much happier in the long run.

I was not asked by anyone or any company to write this post. Any brands or products that I name specifically, I give a reason for my initial purchase and why they did or did not work for us. All opinions are my own.

Things Baby Needs

1) A place for baby to sleep
This can be in the form of a co-sleeping attachment, a bassinet or a pack n play. We had a family bassinet and a Graco Pack n Play that Jillian slept in up until she was 3 months old. If you are using an old bassinet like we did, make sure it is up to date with safety standards. Jillian was getting too big for our bassinet at 10 weeks, which is why we decided to start her sleeping in her full sized crib at 3 months. The pack n play is what she sleeps in when we travel. With Jillian's reflux issues, we had to elevate the head of both the bassinet mattress and bassinet attachment in the pack n play. We just used folded towels which worked well. Now that she is in her full sized crib, we don't need to elevate her head. Speak with your pediatrician about elevating before you do it.

2) Diapers, and Wipes

• We use disposable diapers. If you are interested in cloth diapering, I can only suggest a website for information.
• If you know your baby will be near the 7 or 8 pound mark, I suggest having two large boxes of whatever choice diaper you want in newborn size. Jillian went through 9 or 10 diapers every day for the first 6 weeks. Now she uses between 6 and 8 diapers a day. Since Jillian was born at 6 lbs and 6 oz, we graduated her to size 1 diapers at 6 1/2 weeks. The size 1s were a little big, but they didn't leak on her and we had a few boxes we had received. We started with Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers because I have issues with eczema. Just in case, we wanted to be proactive and use the sensitive kind. After awhile, we tried just Pampers Swaddlers and Jillian seemed just fine. I tried the Target brand when Jillian was 10 weeks old. They leaked overnight so we're just using up the bag and only during the day.
• For wipes, we started with the Pampers Sensitive and they seemed to make her squirm. I think they were just really thin and cold. We switched to a thicker wipe and she seems happier. For home, we use Huggies Natural Care Thick n' Clean. We have a Pampers Sensitive ThickCare travel wipes for her diaper bag.
• For diaper rash, we use Original Boudreaux's Butt Paste. It originally started as a joke that we would use butt paste, but it is the same cream the hospital I delivered at uses. The more research I did, the more I decided it was the best to try. Jillian does not have diaper rash often, but this stuff really does clear it up quickly. My only warning is to be sure to rub it in well. Although it washes out easily, it will discolor clothing or cloths until you wash them. It never permanently stains fabric.

3) Car Seat
Phil and I originally decided to purchase a convertible car seat so that we would not have to buy a second car seat when Jillian was older. We chose the Evenflo Triumph 65 LX based off of the research I did. We are very happy with the seat, but having two cars and one seat was hard for us. We ended up buying a second infant car seat to accommodate our two-car family's needs. We chose the Britax B-Safe. Both seats are great and I just encourage you to do as much research as you can.

4) Bottle Feeding (or Formula Supplementing): Bottles, Bottle Brush, and Formula

• The number of bottles you need will depend on how often you are willing to wash bottles. If you don't mind washing bottles every day, having between 6 and 9 bottles of your choice will be fine in the beginning. Again, keep in mind that you need to take cues from your baby to see which bottles they prefer. If you want, you could always buy 1 pack of one bottle brand and 1 pack of another. You just have to figure it out by trial and error. We had 6 - 4 oz Avent bottles and 6 - 8 oz Dr. Brown's bottles. We used the Avent most in the first 5 weeks for Jillian. I chose Avent based off of recommendations from other moms I know and Dr. Brown's because it is recommended by doctors if children have issues with feeding, (I wanted to be proactive again). After 5 weeks, we started using the Dr. Brown's exclusively. This was partially due to Jillian's appetite growing and my observation that she was less gassy when she used the Dr. Brown's bottles. We bought some more and now have 14 - 8 oz Dr. Brown's bottles.
• We bought the most inexpensive bottle brush to help us with washing. You must keep in mind that this will need to be replaced at least every 6 weeks. This is not only for sanitary reasons, but also because the sponge will be worn by then. In this case, the cheapest option works just fine. If you do use Dr. Brown's bottles, you will need to use the mini brushes they come with. I do recommend replacing them at the same time just to keep things simple.
• In terms of formula, this was a lot harder for me to decide on. I really wanted to do an organic formula, but it was really hard to figure out how beneficial it would be in terms of nutrition as opposed to my peace of mind. After reading labels in the middle of Babies R Us for several minutes, I finally decided to start with Similac Advance. Not only does it have all the nutritional needs Jillian requires, but it also comes in a variety of other things like ready-to-feed bottles and on-the-go packets. We did try to switch to Enfamil A.R., per her pediatrician's recommendation, when Jillian was having spit up issues. It really messed up her pooping schedule and she was later diagnosed with reflux. After talking it over with the pediatrician, we switched her back to Similac Advance and it has worked great. I know some children have allergy issues so be sure to talk to your pediatrician if you think your baby seems to have issues with formula. They can help steer you to a formula that will work for you and your baby.

5) Breastfeeding: Nursing Pillow, Nursing Bra, Nursing Pads, Pump, Storage Bags, and Lanolin Cream

• I had a breast reduction surgery 4 years prior to having Jillian. I did have milk come in, but it dried out in 4 weeks despite my best efforts. I exclusively breastfed for 2 weeks, then mixed expressed milk with formula until I ran out of supply. Even after I stopped breastfeeding, the nursing pillow still came in handy. We have a Boppy pillow with a removable cover. I suggest having a removable cover because it's easy to wash the cover, but still use the pillow if necessary.
• I only had two nursing bras from Target, but they worked great! I know that many other places have good selections, especially if you want a regular looking bra. Just remember your breasts are larger than normal so be sure to get fitted.
• I used Gerber NUK thin disposable nursing pads. Even 4 weeks after I stopped expressing milk, I would leak a little, which looked like a lot on my shirt. Plus, I would leak at very embarrassing times. I considered getting reusable ones, but that seemed a little harder for our lifestyle.
• I bought a single pump, the Evenflo SimplyGo pump, that worked fine, but I was told I could save time, and would be better off with my particular situation with a double pump, the Lansinoh Affinity pump. Both pumps worked well for me, but if you really want to keep up with breastfeeding, you might want to invest in a pump like the Medela Pump in Style. My supply would have dwindled no matter what so I did not want to invest too much money.
• If you pump, you'll need milk storage bags. I used the Gerber NUK Seal N Go bags and they worked well for me. If you don't want to spend that kind of money, you could always just use Ziploc bags.
• The Medela Lanolin Cream saved my life. Jillian latched well, but would clamp down after a minute or so and it hurt. Even with pumping, my nipples were incredibly sore. I highly recommend splurging on this item because it's worth every penny.

6) Clothes

• Jillian had lots of clothes before she was even born. My best recommendation for the bare minimum is: 8 to 10 onesies, 2 to 3 pairs of socks, 1 hat, 1 jacket, and 4 to 5 footed pajamas per size. Even if the same company makes them, be aware of how wide/long the clothes are.
• If I could go back, I would buy at least 1 premie outfit. We assumed Jillian would be at least 7 lbs based on an ultrasound we have about 3 weeks before she arrived. Of course she was much smaller and we could have used more newborn sized clothes as well. We ended up dressing her in the same 4 or 5 onesies until she was big enough to wear her 3M clothes at 8 weeks. You can always have much more than the amount I listed, but that's the minimum.
• Of course, headbands and hair bows for little girls are good too :)

7) Blankets

• I would recommend at least 2 light blankets and 2 heavier blankets. We received several blankets as gifts so we have plenty.
• The light blankets are mostly for swaddling. The nurses at the hospital will teach you to swaddle if you don't find a way to learn before baby gets here. The light blankets will work with a footed pajama for the winter and nothing but a diaper for the summer. We used aden + anais blankets based off of reviews I found online.
• The heavier blankets are for being out and about. With Jillian being a winter baby, we've used them for her car seat, the stroller, and her swing at home.

8) Baby Linens - Burp Cloths, Bibs, Washcloths, and Hooded Towels

• These are probably the most used items in our home.
• It honestly doesn't matter what kind of burp cloths you use or if you just use basic fingertip towels. Make sure you have plenty to go around. One may last you a day and it may not. We have between 12 and 18 cloths and we still run out really quickly. I recommend getting as many as you can store.
• Bibs are usually reserved for solid food eating. However, we have several cloth bibs that have come in handy. Not only can they be used as a backup burp cloth, but with Jillian being such a spitter, they have saved several outfits from peril. Usually four are the most you need at this stage
• For washcloths, be sure to get the baby size as well as fingertip towel size. We've found using the fingertip size as the towel to cover Jillian's body keeps her warmer and much happier during her bath. The baby size are great to wipe her face. You may not, but we have Jillian in a bath every night as part of her nightly routine. If you do the same, I would recommend at least 7, maybe even 14 baby size towels so you don't have to wash them all the time.
• Hooded towels are great! Not only are they really cute, but they keep baby warm as you transition from bath to pajamas. I would recommend having at least two, especially if you have animals in your home. Sometimes we use our second hooded towel because the other is just covered in cat hair, (Thanks kitties).

I believe that is all for the basics. Again, if you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Next time: Baby Products for Newborns: Extras

One Year Ago

I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I was feeling sick right before my birthday, but I originally thought it was my Metformin reacting to the diet I just started. I had lost about 3 pounds and was feeling pretty good about myself. My birthday came and went, but something felt different. I started to wonder if I was pregnant again. A few people on facebook were announcing their pregnancies and it was just making me angry. I think I actually unfriended one of them because I just couldn't stand it.

On April 1st, I decided to take a test. I wasn't sure, but I wanted to know. After three minutes, I took a breath and looked at the test. Negative. I swallowed my pride and got ready for the day. At least I knew the answer.

With it being Lent, I made the decision to use my 20-30 minute commute to work as my private time with God. If I listened to music, it would be KLOVE. If I talked, it would be to God. I remember what I said that day.

"God, I'm going to be honest with you. I'm pretty angry. I feel like all these other people get to have children and some of them don't deserve them. It's so hard to watch the news because there is usually something about an abused child. I don't even know if I can have children. At least, I don't know if I can bear my own children. I thought I felt different. I thought we were on the same page. 
I guess I just need to cut this out. I need to listen to you. I'm just starting my life as a college graduate and Phil is still working on his degree. Since I know I'm not pregnant, please give me peace. Give me the peace that only you can give. I don't want to avoid facebook. I don't want to be upset at others for their joy. Please help me to bear this in such a way that gives you glory. I don't want a bitter heart like before. I want your peace. If I'm meant to bear children, you will find a way in the time you need. My timing is not important."


I spent the rest of the day working and trying to get through the day full of "I'm pregnant!" tweets and facebook messages because it was April Fool's Day. It really stung since I took that test earlier in the day.

When I got home from work, I decided to throw away the test and just forget that it ever happened. I picked it up and as I moved toward the trash, something caught my eye. The harder I looked, the more I could see it... a very faint line.

{It's almost more of a shadow than a line, but it's there}

{It may be April Fool's, but I'm not kidding}

Now, I'm willing to admit that I have quite the imagination. I didn't want to see this line because of what happened earlier. I wanted to see the line because I was pregnant. I just couldn't tell if I was really seeing it or not. {Looking back, I can barely see the line in photos when I was so positive I could before. Funny how that happens!}

I decided I needed a second pair of eyes. I really wanted to tell Phil I was pregnant in a creative way, but I couldn't risk not including him. He looked hard, but admitted he didn't really see anything. He told me to wait 2 days and take another test so we could be sure. If I was pregnant, the line would be darker. We went out and bought a box of tests.

Sunday morning, I woke up on my own around 5 a.m. I went to the bathroom and did my thing. After the longest 2 minutes of my life, I saw it... a faint, (but darker!), line. I smiled and laid the test on the counter. As I walked back to bed, Phil looked like he was still sleeping soundly. I crawled under the covers and laid my head on the pillow with the biggest smile on my face.

"What did it say?" Phil mumbled without opening his eyes. I told him it was positive and he turned over to give me a kiss.

With that, we waited to tell even our parents about it until after we knew my numbers had doubled the following Wednesday. I took another test as if to reassure myself that this was really happening. I called my dad and told him I had his birthday gift picked out. When he asked what is was, I told him it was a grandchild :)

{Positive Test on 4/6/11}

After we had our first ultrasound on May 2nd to make sure it was not a tubal pregnancy like my last pregnancy, we told our siblings and close friends.

{Jillian's first picture :)}

I still laugh about how I found out on April Fool's Day that I was expecting. So much has happened in the last year, but I am incredibly thankful for all of it! I also decided I would never use the "I'm pregnant!" joke for April Fool's because of what happened to me. We not huge on practical jokes anyways so I'm not missing out on much :)

{1 year later}

Weight Loss Update

Starting Weight: 235.6
Starting Upper Arm: 15"
Starting Chest: 45"
Starting Waist: 39"
Starting Hips: 50 1/2"
Starting Thighs: 27 1/2"
Starting Calves: 18"


New Weight: 226.0         - 9.6 pounds lost
New Upper Arm: 15 1/2" - 1/2" gained
New Chest: 44"              - 1" lost
New Waist: 37"              - 2" lost
New Hips: 48 1/2"          - 2" lost
New Thighs: 27"            - 1/2" lost
New Calves: 17"            - 1" lost


I've been having a battle with our scale because I'm weighing myself too often. However, in the overall scheme of things, I'm doing really well! I'm trying to fix my eating habits and working out more than I ever have. I don't do it everyday, and I really didn't workout much during my trip to Minnesota. 


I will say that my back doesn't get as sore as it used to AND I can see a difference. I can tell my face is a little thinner as well as my chest. I am wearing the khakis I bought for my birthday last year so I'm almost back to my starting point. I started dieting about 2 weeks before I took my positive pregnancy test. I went from 227 to 224 and then had to stop. I need to remember that it took time to put weight on so it will take time to take it off. 


Here's to another successful 3 weeks!