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Friday, December 23, 2016

Loving Freshly Picked


This post was created in partnership with Freshly Picked but all thoughts, opinions and story telling are of my own.


I have been a customer and window shopper/lover of Freshly Picked since I became pregnant with Sophia last year. I was so excited when we purchased her first pair earlier this year (we chose the newborn ivory pair) as they were super easy to put on and stay on.

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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

What No One Tells You When You Are Expecting + Freshly Picked GIVEAWAY



Car seat safety

No one tells you how to install the car seat, let alone how to put the baby in the car seat safely. Of course all car seats come with a manual, unless you buy it used but be VERY CAUTION when buying used. Make sure the car seat hasn't been recalled and only buy from someone you trust and will tell you truthfully if the car seat has been an accident. However, I highly recommend buying a brand new car seat, it is better to be safe than sorry. 


Back to my first point, of course it comes with the manual but some people do not read manuals. We didn't and we not only struggled with installing it but also with putting our newborn baby into it after leaving the hospital. Might I add, our hospital did not do a car seat check because of liability issues, I'm assuming no hospitals do car seat checks unless you have a preemie or a low birth weight baby (correct me if I am wrong, guys).

Once we YouTube'd it (because I mean how else do we find out these things, am I right?), we were able to get her in but again NO ONE told us that the chest clip should be at her chest and not her belly until a follower mentioned it when she was FIVE MONTHS OLD so we have been having our baby improperly restrained for FIVE WHOLE MONTHS. 
Moral of the story, READ THOSE MANUALS!!

Chin to chest sleeping hazard 

There will come a time, when the baby sleeps best in either the bouncer, the swing or her car seat and it is easier to leave her there to nap instead of moving her to her bassinet or crib. However, sleeping elevated like that, gravity pulls that baby's big ol' head forward and they do not have the neck muscle to pick it back up. When their chin is to their chest, their airway is blocked. Think of a straw and if you bend it, it blocks liquid well that is similar to what happens to the baby's airways. So if your baby sleeps better in an elevated position (Sophia slept best in the swing and stroller), keep your attention on them to be sure their chin does not fall on their chest while sleeping. Also, it is best to not use head inserts that did not come with your infant seats as that can make it more likely for your baby to end up in the chin to chest position.

Babies cry a lot

Of course babies cry, we all know that. It's how they communicate and let you know if they are hungry, tired, need a diaper change, too hot, too cold, etc. But they cry A LOT, like a lot a lot and if you have a colic baby, it's harder because there is nothing to calm them down. Be prepared for a lot of crying from you and the baby to be honest, I shed some tears with Sophia a few times.

Lack of sleep

So your thinking, I can't wait to have this baby out of me so I can sleep comfortably. HA. There is no such thing as comfortable sleep as a parent especially if you bed-share willing or not. We did not plan to bed-share but when that is the only way to get that sweet little baby to sleep so you can get at least 30 minutes of sleep before her next feeding since you wasted so much precious sleep time trying to get her to sleep, you do what you gotta do. And even than, some think I will finally have sleep once the baby sleeps through the night but what people don't tell you is not all babies sleep through the night. The braggers brag of how they got their baby to sleep through the night by doing this, this and this. First off, all babies are different and not everything that works for one mom will work for another. Second, those moms that don't brag are probably the ones with their child still waking up in the night. My kid is that child, she wakes up multiple times during the night. What I can say is you get used to it.

Hip safety when baby-wearing

With the popularity of baby wearing and all these carriers in different price points, you wanna jump on the baby wearing bandwagon so you either buy one or someone gifts you with one but no one tells you to properly support your baby's hips when wearing him. If the baby's hips are not properly supported when wearing, it can lead to hip dysplasia. Please refer to Babywearing International for optimal positioning for babywearing.


I could go on and on but those are the major ones that I had to learn the hard way. What did you other mommas have to learn on your own that no one warned you about when you were expecting?

Photo by LaPalomento Photography


Giveaway



I am so excited to be teaming up with Freshly Picked; to celebrate I am doing a giveaway for one of you lucky readers to win one pair of Freshly Picked moccasins of your choice!

Disclaimer: Please allow us 48 hours to verify all entries and choose a fair winner. If you have won a giveaway including Freshly Picked moccasins within the last 60 days, you will not be eligible to win. The winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond to the congratulatory email before a new winner is chosen. May the odds ever be in your favor.


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Thursday, December 15, 2016

9 Things I Have Learned as a Mom




Technically, Sophia has been out of my belly for almost 41 weeks and she was only in my tummy for 37 weeks but no need to be technical. Let's just say I was pregnant for about 9 months and Sophia is now 9 months old. She has been out in the world for almost as long as she was cooking in my belly, when she was being knitted together.

36 Weeks and 7 Days, the day before she was born.

To celebrate this, I wanted to share comparison photos of what Sophia looked like 9 months in the womb and 9 months out the womb, as well as share 9 things I have learned since becoming a mom.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Christmas Project Ideas


Hey guys! Today I will keep it short and sweet because one I am super late on posting today and two I am hoping to even be able to finish this before Sophia gets too fussy. Cheerios are keeping her busy for now, haha.

Anways, there I was on Instagram (click link to follow me) and I decided to spontaneously show a quick Christmas tour (see my 2014 Christmas tree tour here). Of course my house is far from being completed and at this point I don't even know if it will be as we lost our Christmas tree lights. There just is not enough time in the day to get everything done. 

Back to the point, I was giving this mini-tour on Instastory and I realized a lot of the pieces I am using to display our Christmas decor is a DIY and I actually have tutorials for them! So the whole point of this short and sweet post is to round up a few of my tutorials (click link for more not listed) that can help you display your Christmas decor that you can also use year round.


First up, is this really cute reclaimed holder. I originally made this piece to display my necklaces but I loved it in the dining room so much that it hasn't moved. During the year, the knobs are enough to keep it from looking to simple and every year at Christmastime we use it to display our stockings since we do not have a mantel.


This project is my favorite! During the year I have a plain black and gray bow attached to it. For Halloween, I tied small pieces of black ribbon around the antlers to look like bats. And now I have a red/gold/green bow attached with red and gold ornaments hanging from the antlers.


When I first made this Display, I had Sophia's ultrasounds showcasing and during Valentine's day I added a simple printable banner (here) that I created. Once Sophia was born, I started displaying her monthly photos but temporarily for Christmastime, I am displaying the Christmas cards we are receiving.


This was a quick tutorial I whipped up for my sister's birthday movie night I hosted. Just switch out the colors to match your Christmas decor!

For being quick, it actually is a little longer than expected, haha. I hope you enjoy these projects and find inspiration or attempt to make something using one of my tutorials! If you do be sure to tag me (@stormieariel) on social media and/or use #stormiearieltutorial


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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Gift Guide for Him | $40 & UNDER


So guys, I normally have all my Christmas shopping done and presents wrapped but not this year. I am so behind mostly due to budget but also to timing. And I suck at gifting Anthony because I always give it away. I gave him his Father's Day present early. I was suppose to surprise him with a date night for his birthday but told him at lunch that we were going out baby-free that evening. So, its kinda good that I haven't gone shopping for him yet so I don't ruin it, haha.

Without my gift ruining, I am at a lost of what to give him as we don't have much money to spend and whatever I do spend, I don't want it to be something that is just eh, you know? I have been peeping other's gift guides for him but why does every one else have gifts that are super expensive or that are so fancy like cuff links, like my guy likes video games, music and I need ideas along those lines.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Nine Month Update | Little Love



 Time obviously hasn't stood still or frozen and Sophia is growing more and more each day. She is exploring the world around her and constantly studying new things and what seems like she is wanting to figure out how things work. If she is anything like her daddy, she will get to the point in taking things apart but hopefully she'll know how to put it back together, haha.

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