So busy...

So I feel like I have been pretty busy lately and falling behind on everything. I missed a workout last week, I missed my 'Fitness Friday" blog post last Friday, I missed my "Never miss a Monday" workout, and I was behind on chores all last week. I totally planned on blogging about a different topic but I was too busy so today's post is going to be more of a rant than anything else...

I thought I was developing a pretty good schedule and sticking to it at the beginning of 2015 but now it seems like I am always busy. I really want to have more playdates, more workouts, more time with my family and husband, get all of my chores done, work on this blog, and take "me time" such as going out to get a massage. However, I feel like there is never enough time in the day. I don't understand how people have time to watch tv or go out and still get everything done...

Lately, I have done my fair share of complaining to my husband about how it seems like I have a never ending cycle of feeding & changing my son and chores etc. while it seems like he has so much more time to himself. I know he tries to help out in his own way but it still feels like I am always busier than him. For example, yesterday he offered to look after Cooper while I went grocery shopping because it was pretty cold outside. In his mind, he was helping out by looking after him but to me I was still going grocery shopping and then preparing a dinner for my family that was coming over. It was hardly "time to myself" but in his mind it was. He said he would tidy up a bit while I was grocery shopping. Then I come home to them napping on the couch...its so frustrating sometimes.

There are times when he tells me to "relax" and go out but I already feel so swamped. If I was to take some extra time for myself and get a massage or something, I would come home and be even busier because I would have even less time to get stuff done. This is something that he doesn't seem to get...How do you guys balance everything. If any of you have tips or tricks, please share them!!!

I am really sorry for not getting my last two blog posts up but I will definitely try and get back to my regular schedule this Friday...

Here is hoping this week is a little less chaotic than last week! 

GIVEAWAY WINNER

And the winner of my first giveaway is Alix Wrigley. Please contact me as soon as possible to claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated and keep your eyes open for more giveaways! I will most likely be having monthly giveaways on mommy stuff as well as fitness related stuff!

Keep on Reading...

Mommy Monday #3: 3 Month Update Baby Edition

The time is sure flying by...I can't believe that it has been 3 months already. Cooper turned 3 months old on Saturday. We had a little celebration with Grandma, Daddy, Aunt Ali and his cousin Julyana. We just went out for an afternoon coffee and treats. We were also celebrating what would have been my Grandpa's 85th birthday. He passed away in October 2010 but we like to do something small on his birthday to remember him! Here is a picture of Cooper with Grandma at his 3 month birthday celebration:

Cooper had his 2 month doctors appointment on January 12, 2015. He was almost 3 months by this point but the doctor's office was closed over the holidays so this was when we could get an appointment. Anyway, he has grown a lot in the last 6 weeks or so since his last paediatrician appointment. He now weighs 12 lbs. and is 23.5 inches long. They didn't tell me what his head circumference was but they said his head grew 3 cm since his last visit. The last time Cooper saw his paediatrician he was in the 3rd percentile for weight. Now he has moved up to the 10th percentile for weight and is in the 25th percentile for length. I thought he grew a lot more. He seems so much bigger. Anyway, his doctor was very happy with his growth and he said that it is very hard to move up to the next percentile in only a few weeks so the fact that he moved from the 3rd to the 10th percentile for weight was impressive. Cooper is still exclusively breastfed and I was really happy that his doctor did not try and pressure formula this time. I think I mentioned in his 2 month update that his doctor sent me home with a bunch of formula and I was completely annoyed. Anyway I like his doctor a bit more after this visit. I feel like he was prompt, gave him a thorough exam, and was able to answer any questions we had.

Cooper has grown out of most of his 0-3 month clothing. He has outgrown his onsies and pants (mainly because of his bulkier cloth diapers) but he still fits into most of his 0-3 month shirts or sweaters that are not onsies. Oh and he can now break out of his swaddle blankets but we still swaddle him because he falls asleep a lot easier if he is swaddled. We will probably continue to swaddle him until he can roll over. Here is a picture after he broke free from his swaddle blanket:

In terms of Cooper's development, I noticed that in the last month he drools A LOT! I think I should start putting bibs on him. He LOVES sucking on his fingers. He still likes his pacifier but I find that a lot of the time he prefers his hands. I am not sure if this is a sign that he is teething. Other moms I follow on YouTube say their babies do this as well...so to my mama readers, did your baby suck on their hands a lot around 3 months??? Can he be teething already?

Favourite toys...he still likes his keys a lot and now he has a better grasp on them. He also plays with them for a longer period of time. He also really likes the jungle gym he got for Christmas. He is able to lay there, kicking at the toys for a while and seems pretty amused by it. We are still trying tummy time. He loves lying on his tummy on my chest (which according to his doctor counts as tummy time) but he doesn't really like being on his tummy on a mat during play time. He much rather be on his back to play. 

Speaking of playtime, Cooper had his first playdate with his first baby friend named Philipe last Friday. Philipe is about 9 weeks I think (which is about 4 weeks younger than Cooper). They starred at each other for a while and then cooed and smiled at each other. They slept a lot of the time but it was great to get out and meet up with another Mommy and baby! We definitely plan to have more playdates in the future.

We tried sitting Cooper in his bumbo chair and he was able to sit in it but his head was still wobbly. We haven't tried putting him in it for about a week or so. I may try again because I find that his head control gets better each day.

I think Cooper is a pretty good sleeper. He doesn't sleep too long in the morning because we get up a bit later. We get up around 8-8:30 am so he only sleeps for about 45 minutes in the morning. However he usually sleeps for 2.5-3 hours in the afternoon, then another couple hours in the evening and a solid 6 hrs (from about midnight to 6am) at night! Last night he actually slept from about midnight until 7:15 am (but that was only for one night so far).

We set up an Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for Cooper this month so we can put a bit away each month for his education. The government also contributes to this plan in the form of grants so you get a good return for your contribution amount. We also applied for his passport. He has the cutest passport picture but unfortunately I don't have a copy. He looks so chubby but cute. I must say that he was so cooperative for his picture. Overall, he is such a content baby. He doesn't fuss much most days and is becoming so talkative. 

Here are some more pictures of Cooper from the last month. We are SOOO IN LOVE!!! 

Baby selfie...

All ready for baby prep school...

Fitness Friday #2: My New Workout Gear

So today is just going to be a quick post because the last couple of days have been busy and it has been hard to find the time to blog. As far as my fitness resolutions go, I slipped up a bit this week. For the "100DaysofMiles" challenge, I am not supposed to go more than 3 days without running and I went 4 days in between runs. I should still get in my 3 runs this week which is the most important goal. My runs are still only around 15-20 minutes long but I ran at least the 1 mile minimum so I am happy with that. I am disappointed that I slipped up and its only the middle of January but overall its not a big deal and I am not going to be too hard on myself about it. 

In order to get myself motivated for working out again, I got myself some new workout gear. I got myself a couple of tank tops and a sweater that can be worn to and from the gym. I also got a pair of winter running leggings for Christmas. 

The tank tops are a loose fit and are great for wearing over a sports bra at the gym. They are breathable so they can be worn for hot yoga. I love the sayings on them. I saw the tank tops and sweater on Pinterest and ordered them from a girl on Etsy. The running leggings are Addias brand and they are lined with fleece so they are warm during the winter. I have worn the sweater and one of the tank tops but I have yet to wear the running leggings. I already have a similar pair of leggings but I wanted more than one pair so I don't need to do laundry as often. Hopefully I get a chance to try them out soon. If you are running outside in the winter, I     definitely recommend investing in a pair of these leggings. Personally, I think the Addias brand has the most comfortable and flattering fit. 

My next investment will be a new pair of running shoes. I love the Mizuno Wave Rider. I currently have a pair of Saucony shoes. They are pretty comfortable but I prefer my Mizuno shoes!

GIVEAWAY - My favorite Baby Items Giveaway

I am running my first Giveaway. I will be giving away a gift basket containing a few of my favourite baby items featured in my latest "Mommy Monday" blog post. The gift basket will consist of a jar of Substance Nipple Cream, a Carter's snap up pyjama (in your child's size and color preference), and a swaddle blanket.

The giveaway is running until January 21, 2015 and you can enter once per day so remember to enter each day for a better chance to win!!! 

To Enter:

1. visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/spiegelmanbaby and "Like" and "Share" the giveaway post on the Facebook page.
2. Post a comment on this blog post saying "I want to Win!" - don't forget to provide your child's clothing size (and gender if you prefer to have a gender specific pyjama and swaddle blanket)!

Good Luck Everyone!!!

Mommy Monday #2: A Little Bit of a Crunchy Mama's Baby Purchases - Favorites/Regrets

Like most mamas-to-be, I started planning the nursery and making a lot of baby purchases before my son's arrival. At this point I knew I wanted to breastfeed, cloth diaper, and babywear so I made purchases based on these intentions. Again, like most mamas-to-be I got advice on various products from family & friends, read books and researched online. I also subscribed to a lot of mommy vloggers on YouTube so I researched that way as well. While I like most of the products I bought, I do have a few products that are my favorites as well as some products that I regret buying. I am refraining from using the phrase "must have" baby products because whether or not you will find these products useful  will depend on your parenting style. This list is based on how useful I found these items over the last 3 months and I must say that I am somewhat surprised by this list because some of the items on my regret list are items that I was really excited about when I initially purchased them.

Here is my list:

Favorite baby products:

• "Substance" nipple cream - this stuff saved my life in the first couple of weeks. TMI warning - my nipples were cracked, bleeding and so painful and this stuff worked wonders. It is available without a prescription, it is all natural and doesn't need to be wiped off before your baby feeds. Best of all it can be used as a diaper rash cream (cloth diaper friendly) or on any other chapped/cracked skin. My son has a dry patch on his cheek and it has helped clear that up and I have also used it to treat dry skin on my hands. The fact that it has so many other uses is great because you most likely won't need nipple cream after the first two weeks and therefore, you will be stuck with a container of nipple cream that is 3/4 full. This nipple cream is lanolin-free and is a blend of calendula, marsh-mallow root, plantain and witch hazel leaf set in nourishing olive oil and grape seed oil. Below is a picture of what the container looks like and it can be purchased at Belly Laughs in the West end of Ottawa. By the way, if you are looking for a boutique that sells good quality, natural baby products and are very knowledgeable in regards to the products they sell, check out Belly Laughs. They were such a big help when I was shopping for my cloth diapers...

• medela swing breast pump - I know this might be a bit controversial with some breastfeeding mamas but honestly if it wasn't for supplementing with pumped breast milk the first couple of weeks, I may not still be breastfeeding. If you read any of my other posts you know that I had a hard time breastfeeding at first. My milk came in a few days late (day 6) and my son kept losing weight. I started pumping in between feedings and and supplementing with the pumped milk. I did this for the first 3 weeks and then gradually started pumping less because my milk supply went up and he gained enough weight. I want to start pumping more often again just so I can build up a storage supply in case I need to be away from Cooper for an extended period of time. I bought this pump right before he was born and I was really torn on what pump to buy.This model is a single electric pump. At first I was considering a double electric pump, but it was $400 or so. Then there were mothers who were against pumps all together. I ended up choosing the single electric pump because its price point was in the middle (around $225 and I had a coupon for 10% off) and I am glad I decided to get this model. It was used so much during the 1st 3 weeks and it was handy having it on hand during that stressful time. I definitely think I will continue to use it regularly in order to keep some milk stored for Mitch to feed him a few times per week if I am at the gym or we go out on a date night and get a babysitter. I find that this model has great suction and is pretty efficient in pumping. If you plan to pump exclusively or you are going back to work early, I would get a double electric pump but if you are planning to pump occasionally, then a single pump is fine.

• swaddle blankets - I am the type of person that hates buying extra gadgets or items that really only have one purpose especially if it can only be used for a limited amount of time. So when my friend showed me these swaddle blankets I totally thought that they were a waste of money. I just planned to swaddle my baby with a regular receiving blanket. However, since she was offering them to me for free, I decided to take them. I totally forgot about them by the time I was packing my hospital bag but then I was watching a YouTube video about what to pack for the hospital and it was suggested in that video. So I packed two. Even in the hospital, I was trying to swaddle my son with their receiving blankets but it wasn't really working so I gave the swaddle blankets a try. They were SO much easier to use. Given that I was recovering from a C-section and it was hard for me to stand, these made it so much easier to get him in a good, tight swaddle. I have no idea why I was being so stubborn about it. Unless you are great at swaddling, (and make sure you practice when you are exhausted at 3 am with a screaming baby) just suck it up and splurge on a couple of swaddle blankets. My son still uses them at 3 months and he sleeps so good when he is swaddled. He consistently slept for 5 hours or so at a couple weeks old and he was only breastfed so that is pretty good! Now he sleeps up to 7 hours at 12 weeks old!

• Bummis cloth pre-fold diapers/ Thirsties diaper covers - I love my pre-fold cloth diapers. When I was first considering using cloth diapers, I was definitely leaning towards the AIO type of cloth diaper, such as Applecheeks. I loved that the AIO was only one step and so similar to using a disposable diaper. It wasn't until I had my "Bringing Baby Home" prenatal class and I tried putting on a pre-fold diaper and I started to consider them. Pre-folds consist of a rectangular piece of cloth that is folded in 3, then folded around the baby, and then covered by a waterproof cover. Since you need two pieces of material and it is two steps to put on the diaper, many people think that it is too time consuming but after a couple of tries, it is really easy. The Bummis brand of cloth is made of organic cotton so it is non-irritating on your baby's skin and they are very absorbent. I only had a couple of leaks during the first day or so that I started using them and that was due to the cloth not being completely covered by the waterproof cover. Now I ensure that the cloth is completely covered and I haven't had a leak since. I have the "infant" size which is good for 7-20 lbs. We started using these cloth diapers when my son was 3 weeks old and I think this size will still fit for the next few months. Also, I find that the bummis pre-fold diapers are very economical. In terms of waterproof covers, I really like the "Thirsties" brand. The main feature I love about this brand is the double leg gussets. In my opinion, a double leg gusset is essential when considering cloth diaper covers. I also prefer velcro covers. I ended up buying a bunch of snap covers because I overheard someone recommend snaps to another customer, explaining that snaps are better because babies can't undue the snaps. However, I definitely think that velcro covers fit better and newborns can't undo the velcro anyway. Therefore, snaps may be preferred for older babies but I would say if your child is under the age of one, velcro is the way to go. I bought my cloth diapers at Belly Laughs in Ottawa and they were extremely helpful. I think they may even offer workshops so parents-to-be can learn about all the different types of cloth diapers.

• Swing - this might be another controversial item among crunchy moms but my son loves his swing. I do hold my son a lot and wear him in his baby carriers but there are still instances where you have to put your baby down and my son loves his swing. He doesn't usually fuss if I put him down to do a chore, go to the bathroom or even eat a meal. We have a Graco swing which is pretty light weight so it can easily be transferred to other rooms if needed. We were able to get his swing from a friend so we got a good deal on it and it is definitely an item I will keep for any additional children we might have in the future. A picture of a similar model to what we have is below. Ours is an animal print.

Baby products I regret buying:

• jolly jumper nursing pillow - I rarely used a nursing pillow when nursing and when I did use a pillow, I preferred using a regular pillow. Now I use my nursing pillow for tummy time or propping him up on the couch while sitting but I definitely think that a nursing pillow is not needed at all. I found this model in particular to be uncomfortable. I would totally NOT recommend this product.

• applecheeks cloth diapers - Out of all my baby purchases I made, I was probably most excited about my applecheeks cloth diapers but I am really disappointed with them. I bought 4-5 size 1 diapers and they have leaked each time I have used them. I tried using them right away at 3 weeks when Cooper was still slightly less than 7 lbs. They leaked right away. I decided to wait until he was about 8 1/2 lbs and they leaked right away again. I haven't used them since but I might try one last time now that he is probably almost 12 lbs (guessing) and see if they work. These diapers are about $25 each so they are a lot more expensive than the prefold diapers which is why I was even more disappointed. At this point, I would definitely NOT recommend these diapers.

• ring sling - I bought a ring sling off a babywearing Facebook group after Cooper was born and I totally don't like it. I just don't find it comfortable and I intend to re-sell it. I know a lot of people that really like the ring sling so I think it is a personal preference but I definitely prefer a soft structured carrier.

• zip-up Pj's - I would stick to pyjamas that snap up and avoid zip-up pjs if you can. I prefer snaps because in most cases the snaps go down both legs where the zipper only goes down one leg so you have to bend your baby's leg a lot to fit him in his pjs. When your baby is first born and is tiny this might not be a problem but as they get bigger and start kicking a lot while you are doing diaper changes in the middle of the night, it might become more annoying. We have a lot of zipper pyjamas but I usually avoid putting my son in them because I find it so annoying. This is totally something that didn't even occur to me until after he was born so in the future I am going to make an effort to only buy snap pyjamas.

• bouncy chair - my son never really liked his bouncy chair. We got our bouncy chair off the same person as our swing. So again, we got a good deal on it but I intend to sell it because it never really gets used. I would suggest to pick either a swing or a bouncy chair cause I don't think both of them are needed. We got a bassinet, swing, crib, bouncy chair, bumbo, and an exersaucer. We got them off of friends and got good deals but I don't think a family needs all of these things so I would pick one or two that you will use most since most babies like being held anyway. My son is too small for his bumbo and exersaucer so he hasn't tried those yet but out of these items, he definitely prefers his swing and bassinet which we have beside his bed. However, he is almost outgrown his bassinet so if you intend to co-sleep past 3 months or so, I would buy something bigger than a bassinet so it lasts longer. I think I will buy a Pack N' Play to use beside our bed because it can also be used when we travel. 

Again, this is just my opinion but I hope this list helps any mamas-to-be with their registries and thanks for reading!

Fitness Friday 1: Running Goals for 2015

So for my first "Fitness Friday" I would like to talk about my first fitness love RUNNING. I love to try new fitness activities and I often get really into other activities like Crossfit and TRX but running is my first love and I think it always will be. 

So if you read my New Years Resolution blog post, you know that one of my fitness goals is to run 3 races in 2015 and I have already signed up for the 10k on Ottawa Race weekend in May but I still have to complete 2 other races. I am thinking I want to do a 5k before Ottawa Race Weekend (maybe March or April) and then a 1/2 marathon in the Fall but I am not positive yet. I will have to see how my training is going by that time. 

Aside from my resolution to run 3 races, I have also started a "#100DaysOfMiles Challenge" that I found on Facebook. The rules are quite simple and I listed them below (I just copied and pasted from the Facebook page so I am not taking credit for coming up with this challenge. If you would like to officially enter this challenge, you can join on Facebook):

Join the #100DaysOfMiles Challenge! We'll be running at least ONE mile for 100 days in 2015, starting January 1st. This is not a running streak ... You have to run 100 days until the end of 2015. 

4 SIMPLE RULES FOR THIS CHALLENGE:

#1 NEVER GO 3 DAYS WITHOUT RUNNING
#2 RUN AT LEAST 3 DAYS A WEEK
#3 NEVER MISS A MONDAY
#4 NEVER GIVE UP!

I started this challenge on Monday January 5,2015 and so far I am doing good. I ran Monday so I kept that part of the challenge...My first run was just a slow run at the gym on the treadmill. I usually only run outside and I definitely prefer running outside rather than on a treadmill but it was -30C outside so the treadmill would have to do. I just did a short 20 minute run with a 1 minute warm-up and 1 minute cool-down so only 18 minutes of running at a speed of 5.3 and an incline of 1. I was paying more attention to the time because I had to get back quickly to feed my son so I am not sure how far I ran but I know that it was at least the 1 mile minimum. I am going to try and increase the speed and length of time/distance as the days go on but my mantra right now is "progress not perfection".

My 2nd run of the week was on Tuesday right before my 1st anti-gravity yoga class (I will discuss this class in more detail in a future post). I intended to get the gym early and do a good run beforehand, but as usual, I was running late so I just did a quick 12 minute run. It was a slow run (between 5.3-6.0 on the treadmill) but I managed to do the 1 mile minimum and get to my yoga class just in time. 

My third run of the week will be later today. Hopefully, it will be a bit longer of a run. I am aiming for at least 25 minutes on the treadmill because Ottawa is still in a deep freeze right now.

I used to run with a running group a couple of years ago and they created a running program for me which I followed, so it was easy to keep track of my runs. However, I am now looking for a way to keep track of my runs by myself. It seems like there are several apps and online running logs out there so I am asking any of the other runners, "What are the best apps or online logs for keeping track of my runs???"...cheap or free would be nice too.

I hope all of you have kept your fitness resolutions so far. For those of you that are struggling with keeping your fitness resolutions, here are my TIPS:

1. Schedule your workouts - I find it the easiest to schedule your workouts for a certain day and time and STICK TO IT. This way you can schedule someone to babysit if needed and you know if something comes up for that time, you are already busy. My husband and I schedule our workouts at different times so the other person is available to watch our son. Having a schedule also helps me right now because I am breastfeeding so I am able to schedule his feedings around my workouts.
2. Don't make modifications to schedules or programs - If you start out following a certain schedule or program try to refrain from modifying it. For example, in the Running challenge above, it states to run at least 3x week. It is a bad idea to only run 2x one week and tell yourself you will run 4x next week to "make up for it". This rarely happens. Most of the time you will not run the extra time. Plus programs are designed a certain way for a reason and if you want to get the best results, it is best to stick to the program as strictly as possible.
3. Get a Workout Buddy - I find that this helps tremendously. My husband and I used to find it so much easier to workout when we were both working out together. It is way easier to motivate yourself if you have a workout buddy for a couple reasons. First of all, you have someone else to be accountable to. They will know if you are slacking off...# 2, my competitive nature shines through when I am working out with someone else. I don't want them to get in more reps, or a better time etc...and #3 it is more enjoyable to have someone to chat with...However, be careful who you choose to workout with. If you are working out with someone, it is easy to get distracted and a little too chatty!!!
4. Have smaller goals and small rewards - one of my small goals aside from my "Run 3 races" resolution for 2015 is the "100DaysofMiles Challenge". So on Monday my goal was to complete my run for that day in order to keep with the "Never miss a Monday" stipulation of the challenge. If I reach my small goals, I may reward myself with a small treat or something. I don't necessarily reward myself for reaching every small goal but if it was a particular busy or tough day and I still managed to reach that goal, then I would reward myself. 
5. Make your fitness goals a PRIORITY - stop making excuses. Everyone is busy so it is easy to fall into "I am a busy mom" routine. I was guilty of this too when my son was first born but there are lots of really good moms who make time for their fitness goals because they make it a priority. If it is important, you will make the time, if it is not, you will make an excuse. Simple as that. I really don't mean to sound too harsh but its true. There are so many people that say they don't have time to workout but they find the time to watch 5 hours of TV or play countless hours of online games like Candy Crush. If you want to reach your goals and keep those resolutions "Don't WISH for it, WORK for it"!!!

Part of the reason I love running so much is that it can be done anywhere, anytime. For anyone who is looking for a little extra help with their running goals in 2015 and is interested in coaching please check out Iron North Fitness. I used to run with Jenna who is one of the coaches at Iron North Fitness. She has ran countless marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and she is one of the best runners I know. She is sure to help you reach your goals! Iron North Fitness has programs for beginners to advanced runners and also offer other programs such as strength training and yoga.

Here is some Friday inspiration:

So for all the other runners out there, let me know what apps or online tracking logs you use to keep track of your runs and what races you think I should do this year. Again, my resolution was to do 3 races but if things are going good, I will definitely sign up for more.

Happy Friday!!!

Website and Social Networks update

I just wanted to quickly let everyone know that I have updated my name on my social networks such as Instagram and Twitter to "From Love to Baby Carriage". I had all my accounts under various names. Some had my married name and some had my maiden name which was very confusing so now I have just this one name. I also created a "From Love to Baby Carriage" Facebook page aside from my personal Facebook page which I will use to post all my blog post updates and any giveaways etc. I  also put the links to my other social networks (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) on this page so you can contact me via any of these accounts too! 

If you have any ideas for my first give away please let me know via any social network. I want to do my first give away by the end of the month so I want to have it up and running as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing all of your ideas! 

I hope all of you are having a great start to the New Year!

Exciting Blogging News and First "Mommy Monday"

So my exciting blog news is that my blog will be taking a new format and I will be blogging a bit more often! When this blog was first started almost 1 year ago, I was doing weekly pregnancy updates. However, since my little man has now arrived and I still want to continue this blog, I decided it needed a new format. I have decided that I will now have "Mommy Mondays" and "Fitness Fridays". That means at least twice as many blog posts and I will also be throwing in some other fun blog posts such as YouTube TAGS, and special request topics. My "Mommy Monday" posts will discuss anything mommy or child related and "Fitness Fridays" will be fitness and health related posts. If you have any questions or any topics that you would like me to discuss, please let me know.

So for my first "Mommy Monday" today I am going discuss how fast babies outgrow toys and clothes. Over this past weekend I packed away most of Cooper's newborn-3 month clothing. I was fortunate enough to have lots of clothes given to us from friends with older babies and from gifts so I already had bins in Cooper's closet of the next size of clothing. I went out to Walmart and bought a couple more storage bins, washed clothes, and packed stuff away. I must admit I was a bit emotional packing away some of my favorite clothing. I am planning to keep the sleeper that he wore home from the hospital (along with some other memorable items) and display these items in a shadow box. A friend gave me another great idea. She told me to keep a couple of my other favorite onsies and dress them on teddy bears. I am definitely going to do this. I think it is such a cute idea! I will post a picture of the shadow box and the dressed up teddy bears when they are done. I really can't believe how much he has grown in the last 3 months. His newborn clothes already look so small and he is only 11 weeks. 

Along with packing away his small clothing, I am also going through some other baby items to sell. I am definitely planning on having another baby at some point so I want to save some stuff but there are things that I just didn't use so I want to sell that stuff. On my list of stuff to sell is his bouncy chair, my ring sling (I preferred other wraps/carriers), and a steam sterilizer. Hopefully I get around to putting up ads this week. I also plan to sell my nursing pillow (right now he uses it for tummy time and sitting) and my bassinets in the near future. Hopefully I can make enough money from selling these things to buy the Tula carrier I want. Not that it is absolutely essential that I sell stuff in order to afford the new carrier but I like de-cluttering my house so it provides me with the incentive to actually sell the stuff. I really don't want my house to look like a tornado hit it. I absolutely hate having my house full of clutter. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, a lot of my family was sick on Christmas eve so we celebrated Christmas with my mom this past Saturday. Cooper was very lucky and got some nice toys and books. Santa got him Fisher Price jungle gym and also an activity table that he can use when he is a bit bigger. We have the jungle gym set up in his room and he really seems to like it. I have the activity table stored away until he is a bit older because it says 6-36 months on the box. My sister mentioned that it is a good idea to rotate toys which is what I think I am going to do.

Do any of you have tricks to avoid too much clutter of toys? Do you have a particular system such as rotating toys for a specific time period? If so, let me know.

Here is a picture of his jungle gym he got from Santa. It has a mirror in the middle right now but it even has a place for an Ipod or Iphone in the middle for when they get bigger. However, I definitely don't plan to use it. I personally think if a child is the right age for this toy, they are way to young for Iphones and Ipads but that is a whole other rant. Anyway, at his age he really likes the mirror so I really don't need to worry about an Iphone slot.

Quick 2 1/2 months post-partum update: Mommy Edition

I hope everyone had a good New Year's Eve. Mine was low key but it was good. My sister, her husband, and my niece were staying with us for a couple of days so we took the kids to see some fireworks at 10pm. My niece really enjoyed them which was nice because she fell asleep for the Canada Day fireworks after she was so excited to see them so I am glad she was able to stay up for these ones. Cooper slept in the Ergo and wasn't startled by the loud noises which was good. It was my first time using the Ergo without the infant insert and I found it difficult to put him in with all of our winter coats, but he still slept good which was nice.

After the fireworks, we came home, put the kids to bed, watched the count down on TV and played a game called "heads up". It was fun and it is a good "couples" game. I think each couple won 1 game. Anyway, even though it was a low key evening, I went to bed a lot later than usual and still had to get up to feed Cooper. Ahhh the life with a newborn...

The reason I wanted to do this quick update was because in yesterday's post, I forgot to say whether or not I was able to get down to my pre-pregnancy waist size. In my previous update I said I wanted to be back at 27 inches by the end of 2014. Unfortunately, I did not reach this goal but I knew it would tough since it was the Holidays. I am currently at 29.25 inches so I still have 2.25 inches to lose. Hopefully, I can lose this by the end of January. If you read my New Year's Resolution post, you know that I don't really have any specific goals in relation to my diet but I do intend to watch what I eat to a certain degree. Right now, I am trying to cut out hot chocolate. I have been having a lot of them in the last month and I think the added sugar is making it a bit harder to lose those last couple of inches. So far I have resisted today!!!

I hope you all had a great day and are one step closer to reaching all of your goals for 2015!