Bump Date | 35 Weeks with Baby No. Two

Second Trimester
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks
31 Weeks
32 Weeks
33 Weeks
34 Weeks

Bump Dates from Sophia:
35 Weeks

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Friday, September 22, 2017

Car Seat Safety Tips

Posted by stormieariel

Last year, when I opened up and wrote about stuff no one told me when I was expecting my first child, the very first thing I mentioned was car seat safety. The best thing you can do for your baby/child is to read the car seat manual that the manufacturer provided with your particular car seat instead of depending on someone else to lend their advice.

All car seat brands and types are different and have varying restrictions and installation processes so pay particular attention to these details of your car seat of choice:

Weight/Height Restrictions

All car seats have a weight minimum and maximum as well as height restrictions. Typically this can be found on the packaging itself or under the description when purchasing online for quick access but it is also stated in the car seat manual so be sure your child fits the weight and height restrictions of the car seat of your choice for the best protection.

Properly Strapped

I get it, we all get in a rush and for some reason the straps always seem to get twisted when we are running late but restraining our children with twisted straps can affect the straps from properly protecting your child in case of an accident. Also, make sure the chest clip is on the child's chest and not on his belly - the chest clip should be in line with the armpits. The reason this is so important is the chest clip acts as a restraint, obviously, so when you are impacted, the sternum bone is under the chest clip and that bone protects those organs underneath. However, if you have the clip below the chest on the belly then upon impact the chest clip pushes into the abdominal area and could damage or hurt vital organs. Again, be sure to reference your car seat's manual on how to properly install the straps and how to place the chest clip.

Expiration/Recalls

If you purchase your car seat new, which I highly recommend, make sure to register it with the manufacturer so you can be notified if there is ever a recall on your particular model. If you are purchasing your car seat second hand, check the expiration date of the car seat as well as if there has been any recalls and only purchase from someone you can trust without a doubt. Ask them if the car seat was ever in a vehicle that was in an accident, with or without a child in it, as it is recommended for most car seats that were in accidents to be replaced as to ensure that you are getting the highest level of safety and performance from your car seat via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). And if you are planning to use your car seat for multiple children, as we are using Sophia's old infant carrier for the new baby, check the expiration date of the car seat to be sure it is still within the car seat safety standards as well as checking on any recalls.

Rear Facing Recommendation

Now this is where things may get controversial however it is now recommended for you to keep your child rear facing until after they turn two. I know some of the parents concern on waiting that long is your child being cramped or no longer fitting into their rear facing seat however if you are following the weight and height restrictions for your rear facing car seat then your child is perfectly safe. If your child is no longer within the limits of your rear facing car seat, you can purchase a convertible car seat which is a car seat that can be used for rear facing or forward facing. Again, make sure to read the manual as there could be different weight and height restrictions depending on how you are facing the convertible car seat. For more information on forward-facing and rear-facing, check out this post by the Car Seat Lady.

I know I sound like a broken record but the best way to know if you are using your car seat properly is by reading the car seat manual from cover to cover.

Our car seats of choice:

Infant Car Seat | Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35

Convertible Car Seat | Maxi-Cosi Pri 70

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Fall Family

Fall Activities for Families with Young Children

Posted by stormieariel

Since sharing Sophia's capsule wardrobe last week for the fall, it gave me time to think about all the fall things I would love to do with her this year. Some of these we did last year and we want to keep doing them each year as a family tradition and other's we want to try to see how she will enjoy them and possibly adding those as a tradition as well.

Visit a pumpkin patch

I took Sophia to a few pumpkins patches last year around here at local churches but we also took her to a local farm that had a legit pumpkin patch and you get to choose your pumpkin from the field. It was the perfect opportunity to do a mini fall photo shoot with the hay and tractor and pumpkins but also this particular farm had a corn maze, petting zoo and a ton of games, slides and activities for kids to enjoy. This is definitely one that will be on our fall bucket list every year.

Take family photos

We decided to take our first family photos when Sophia was old enough to allow her personality to shine through on the camera which just happened to be in the fall last year but it worked out perfectly as we were able to use those photos for our Christmas cards. I loved how they came out and since baby boy will be arriving sometime in October, it'll be the perfect time for us to do an updated family photo and to use for Christmas cards again.

Carve/decorate pumpkins

We have done this in previous years with our nephews but Sophia was too young last year to carve or decorate pumpkins. Lately she has been loving stickers so our plan for this year is to get her a mini pumpkin and allow her to decorate it with stickers and maybe markers.

Go to a county or state fair

Anthony and I both grew up going to our county fair from our hometown and it is small enough to where it isn't overwhelming for a toddler although the county we live in now still has a pretty amazing county fair as well but for sentimental reasons we will probably only be taking our kids to our hometown county fair that way they can also enjoy it with their grandparents.

Read books about fall

I love books and I love that Sophia shows such a great interest in books therefore I always try to get her a book or two about the current season or any upcoming holidays or even as souvenirs from places we visit. This fall, I plan to read her Thank You, Dear God which is the perfect board book for infants to 4 year olds on teaching them how to be thankful. Another good book I debated on was One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims as this book is helpful in teaching counting and giving a little history lesson of Thanksgiving in a fun way but it is aimed more towards 3-8 year olds so this book will be on our list for next fall.

What are some of your family fall traditions?

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Monday, September 18, 2017

Pregnancy

Bump Date | 34 Weeks with Baby No. Two

Posted by stormieariel

I decided to document our pregnancy as a way to get all my feelings and emotions out and to later look and remember this beautiful time in our lives while noticing the differences and similarities with our first pregnancy. I hope you enjoy if you decide to follow along on this life changing journey.

We had our 34 week appointment on Thursday and everything is still going good, praise the Lord. My blood pressure is normal, baby boy's heart rate was 142 and our doctor said she has a feeling he is going to be a big boy which honestly I wouldn't doubt with how heavy he is and because this belly just keeps growing and growing limiting what actually fits so you will find me rotating through the same things quite frequently until baby boy arrives.

The past few days, I have made a lot of progress on the hospital bag front but still have a lot more to go. What can I say, I am very particular about certain things and I definitely do over pack because I would rather be prepared. The baby's things are completely packed and fit into a sandwich ziploc bag, haha. Anthony's items are mainly packed besides his toiletries. I packed as much as I could for Sophia but most of her stuff will have to be a last minute packing thing so I jotted them down on a post-it for Anthony to be able to grab quickly. I still need to pack my entire list but I am honestly waiting on a few things in the mail so I am hoping they get here soon.

As for the baby, he is still moving quite a bit, not as much as before but still enough. A few times it felt as if he was doing summer-salts so I guess he is getting just as uncomfortable as I am at this point. I also started noticing I am leaking small amounts of colostrum already so my body is definitely getting ready for this baby and to be honest I am ready to be done with this pregnancy but I know how important these last few weeks of development are for the baby so I will not rush him out and God willing he will come naturally on his own.

More Bump Dates from this Pregnancy:

Second Trimester
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks
31 Weeks
32 Weeks
33 Weeks

Bump Dates from Sophia:
34 Weeks

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Friday, September 15, 2017

Baby Fall Fashion Little Love

Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2017 | Toddler Edition

Posted by stormieariel

We have gotten some nice fall like weather here in Houston lately which has inspired me to get Sophia's fall wardrobe ready. If you remember from last year, I put together a mini fall capsule wardrobe for her as a baby girl and you may notice a few of those pieces will reappear here in her toddler fall capsule wardrobe. Again, most of the pieces were found at second hand stores with an exception of a few that were given as gifts at her birthday (I made sure to request the next size up from our guests). I did try to find as many exact or similar options for you all in case you want to create a similar look for your toddler girl.

Top (similar) | Leggings (similar) | Flats

Dress | Converse

Top (similar) | Leggings | Flats

Dress | Sweater | Flats

Dress (similar) | Flats

Top & Leggings (similar outfit set) | Flats

Dress (similar) | Sweater | Flats

Top (similar) | Vest (similar) | Leggings (similar) | Flats

Dress | Vest (similar) | Flats

Top (similar) | Leggings

If you are wanting to hear more about how I thrift shop for baby and toddler clothing, let me know and I can prepare a tips and tricks posts later on (UPDATE: see Tips for Thrifting Children's Clothes here). I am also in the works of creating a new baby capsule wardrobe (UPDATE: see Infant Wardrobe here) so be sure to stay tuned for that!

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Collaboration Nursery

5 Elements to Creating a Cozy Corner

Posted by stormieariel

This post was created in partnership with Lorena Canals Rugs but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

With a new baby coming, it was extremely important for me to still have a dedicated place for Sophia to have one on one cuddle time with mommy or daddy. Therefore, we wanted to be sure to have a cozy corner in Sophia's room for story time, nap time and bedtime cuddles and whenever else she may need or want extra cuddles.

There were a few elements we needed to make this little corner in Sophia's room more cozier which included:

Seating

Having a comfortable seating area is probably the most important aspect of creating a cozy corner whether it be floor seating or an actual chair. This particular rocking chair is the one we bought when Sophia was a newborn. We have debated on reusing it for the new baby but again I felt it was just as important for Sophia to have a comfy chair to curl into mommy's lap so it will remain in her room.

Blankets

Of course adding layers can make any space more cozier and I am a sucker for throw blankets plus we were fortunate enough to get a ton of handmade knit blankets for Sophia and this corner is the perfect place to display them and use them to warm up with.

Rocking Chair | Pillow

Pillows

Again, the more layers you add, the cozier. We originally bought this pillow for our master bedroom but Sophia loved the black and white print as a newborn so I thought it was the perfect addition to her cozy corner.

Side Table

Because a lot of story times happen in this area, a table is a must have to place our books on that we are currently reading as well as to hold our cups or bottles.

Rocking Chair | Side Table | Bible | c/o Rug

Rug

A rug really helps ground this little area and not to mention this particular rug is extremely soft on our feet. I just love rubbing and digging my feet into this rug. Would you believe that it is machine washable? I also love the fact that it is made with all natural dyes, handmade, eco and contain no VOCs like most carpeting and rugs making it the perfect addition to any toddler room as it is truly family friendly. This design is my favorite for a child's room or play area because when we are playing on the floor, Sophia will point to the letters which gives us the opportunity to encourage her to learn the alphabet. Who knew a rug could be so much more than a rug? I highly recommend you check out Lorena Canals Rugs as they have rugs not just for children spaces but for sophisticated adult spaces as well.

c/o Rug

Crib | Crib Sheets | Rocking Chair | Side Table | c/o Rug

This corner is one of my favorite spaces throughout our entire house especially as it allows that extra cuddle time with my sweet girl who is normally running all over the place exploring everything within sight and reach.

How do you create special one on one moments with your oldest?

For more nursery room details, check out these posts:

Nursery Tour

DIY Fabric Kites

Nursery Room Sources

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Monday, September 11, 2017

Pregnancy

Bump Date | 33 Weeks with Baby No. Two

Posted by stormieariel

I decided to document our pregnancy as a way to get all my feelings and emotions out and to later look and remember this beautiful time in our lives while noticing the differences and similarities with our first pregnancy. I hope you enjoy if you decide to follow along on this life changing journey.

Well, I didn't get nearly as much accomplished this week as I planned. I still need to register for the hospital and pack our hospital bag although I do have my packing checklist ready. We were able to score an awesome deal on a second hand rocking chair so I can have one in my room for once the baby arrives as I did not want to take Sophia's out of her room. It's not the prettiest or even my first choice but when you are on an extremely tight budget like we currently are, you make do with what you can and hopefully we can upgrade later on. So I spent the last few days deep cleaning the cushions and wiping down the actual chair.

On a pregnancy related note, sleep has been very scarce this week. I have a hard time falling asleep as I cannot get comfortable at all and end up tossing and turning so much that baby boy pushes against my bladder that I then get up a million and one times to use the restroom. Very much the same thing that happened around this exact timing with my pregnancy with Sophia. When it is bad enough, I end up getting out of bed and work on blog stuff late until early morning when my eyes are so heavy that I can no longer concentrate. That seems to be the only thing that works to get me to sleep otherwise I would stay up tossing and turning and never falling asleep.

Baby boys movements are still fairly active, not as much as he use to be but still enough that I feel him move throughout the day. If for whatever reason, I can't remember the last time I felt him move I will give him a few nudges to wake him up just to be certain. He definitely loves the left size just as Sophia did as he loves to curl right into my rib and then stretch out to the point of feeling pressure in all directions. I tell Anthony I really think he is trying to break out already but little guy still has a lot more growing and development to get done.

Although it has been a challenging week, I know it will all be worth once baby boy is safely in my arms and I know I will long for the days of this growing bump feeling all the kicks and movements.

More Bump Dates from this Pregnancy:

Second Trimester
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks
31 Weeks
32 Weeks

Bump Dates from Sophia:
33 Weeks

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Friday, September 8, 2017

Baby

Baby Proofing Products

Posted by stormieariel

Since we have been discussing breastfeeding and newborn essentials the last few posts and September is Baby Safety Month, I figured I would share my favorite baby proofing products that we use in our home as they are also an essential for keeping your baby and children safe.

Baby Gate

I think most people think baby gates are only a need if you live in a two story home but I believe it is even needed in a one story home. At least in our one story home, we have found the need for it. We began using it shortly after Sophia learned to crawl and continued to use it until she learned what was off limits. I also prefer the pressure mounted ones instead of the ones you screw into the wall just for wall damage reasons and I don't want to give myself more work then I need whenever we are no longer in need for baby gates.

Cabinet/Drawer Latches

Our cabinets and drawers don't have knobs on them so we use these latch ones. We only have them in our master restroom as we don't house anything in the secondary restroom and everything in the kitchen is relatively safe although we are planning to add them in there just because I'm OCD and have my Tupperware organized in a specific way and Sophia's curiosity and playfulness tends to make a mess of that cabinet, haha.

Door Knob Covers

So everyone makes fun of me for having these on a few of the doors already since Sophia cannot open doors, yet. Key word yet. I would rather be the proactive parent and prevent her from ever opening the restroom door and finding her upside down in the toilet. Dramatic, maybe. But seriously it's better to be prepared before their curiosity hurts them in some way. We also have a door knob cover on the laundry room door since that room is the most unorganized and has a lot of crap on the floor.

Visual Baby Monitor

I personally know a few people who think an audio monitor is enough but when babies are quiet it means one of two things: they are asleep (yay) or they are getting into something (uh oh). So how do you know which is which especially as they get older? I love the security of the visual monitor especially during nap time and bedtime so I can see that Sophia is actually laying down either sleeping or playing quietly instead of trying out some gymnastics ninja warrior move to escape the crib.

Outlet Covers

I think outlet covers are pretty self explanatory. Babies and toddlers are exploring this new world and don't understand that there is an electrical current in those weird little holes that are the perfect size to stick a finger into.

Faucet Cover

This isn't necessarily needed right away but once your baby starts playing around in the tub and not paying attention to their surroundings, they could bunk their head and get hurt pretty badly. This specific one we love because there is a nifty little tab where you insert bubbles so it evenly disperses the bubbles into their bath water.

What are your baby proofing must-haves?

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Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Little Love

18 Month Update | Little Love

Posted by stormieariel

It's hard to believe my little girl is a year and a half old. This sweet girl has been in our life for 18 months and she is going to be a big sister. It's crazy to think of how much has happened in less then two years. Even more so it is crazy to see how much she has grown in the past six months from her last update at a year old. Sophia has learned so much and has developed the cutest personality ever. She also has quite the sense of humor that she inherited from her daddy (she inherits her geniusness from me, haha).

There are so many things to brag on of what all she has learned since becoming a one year old. Sophia learned to walk between 13 and 14 months old. We recognized that she could complete a 7 piece puzzle around 15 months old. We aren't sure how long she was already doing it because by time we noticed she was a pro. She now can also complete her name puzzle, a number puzzle (0-9), and 8 piece shape puzzle and an alphabet puzzle (A-Z). Pretty sure we have a baby Einstein on our hands. She also learned to put her dirty clothes away and her diaper in the trash can around this same time all by herself. I really believe she has a photogenic memory and is very observant to all that we are doing. She started brushing her own teeth (she now has 11 teeth in total with a fourth molar waiting to break through) around 16 months old just by mimicking what mommy does as well.

We also started transitioning Sophia into her own room and crib around 15 months for naptime and 16 months for bedtime which I plan on sharing in greater detail in another post. She currently takes about a two hour nap and will sleep for around 11-12 hours at night and wakes up in the happiest and silliest of moods.

Sophia also weaned herself from breastmilk a little before turning 16 months old. It was bittersweet realizing she was more okay having bottled dairy milk then mommy's milk. Although, I am curious how she will handle seeing baby brother being breastfed and if she will want to start breastfeeding again.

Sophia can also identify her head, belly button, hands, toes, mouth and teeth although she does get shy if she is put on the spot and it is the cutest thing ever. She also does her own version of patty cake. Basically everything she does is the cutest ever and we go crazy over her and every new thing she learns.

Firsts
bloody nose

First molar (top first left) at 15 months

Two lower front teeth (incisor) at 15 months

Can climb up her slide and slide down unassisted

Can step up on things like a small box or her small chair

Swimming

Words
Brew
Duck
Mama
Dada
Milk
More
Teeth
Ball
Bloo (Balloon)
No
Dog
Trash
Yum Yum

Loves

Eating
Puzzles
Balloons
Mega Blocks
Lovey
Water
Milk
Boxes
Bathtime
Five Little Ducks YouTube Video
Slide
Balls
Shoes

What I Want to Remember
Her big ol duck lips when asked for a kiss
Her sweet hugs
How she loves to be a helper and put our stools in the living room
How she pulls us to show us what she wants
Her accomplished smile and the excitement to show us after she has completed a puzzle
Her rocking and patting stuffed animals
How she holds our fingers
Her surprising secret face
Naptime/Bedtime cuddles

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Monday, September 4, 2017

Pregnancy

Bump Date | 32 Weeks with Baby No. Two

Posted by stormieariel

I decided to document our pregnancy as a way to get all my feelings and emotions out and to later look and remember this beautiful time in our lives while noticing the differences and similarities with our first pregnancy. I hope you enjoy if you decide to follow along on this life changing journey.

This week has been a little busy especially dealing with the after affects of Tropical Storm Harvey. We were extremely fortunate enough to not have any damage or flooding in our home but the anxiety alone of the possibility made it a tough week as well as helping family members who did get flooding in their homes. However, we are finally back to normal around our household so we can focus on getting last minute things done before baby boy's arrival. I finally got majority of his clothes hung up however we do not have a dresser for him so all his pjs, socks, bibs, etc are in a pampers box for the meantime. I have also created a hospital bag checklist that I still need to actually pack and I plan to share that with you all in the next few weeks but for the meantime you can see what we took to the hospital when we were expecting Sophia. I also still need to register for the hospital but we have been waiting due to some insurance stuff going on but that is also on the checklist for this week. It already sounds like another busy week but I do enjoy it as all these things are a reminder of the gift we are about to welcome into our lives.

We did have our 32 week appointment on Friday and baby boy is still doing great. Strong heartbeat and lots of moving around despite being cramped inside my tummy. My blood pressure is also still doing great, praise the Lord, and continuing to pray that it stays normal. With Sophia I had late onset preeclampsia which is a worry of mine during this pregnancy.

Overall, I am still having a hard time sleeping comfortably but at this point it is just preparing me for the sleepless nights to come with a new little baby in my arms and that will definitely make all this discomfort and exhaustion worth it.

More Bump Dates from this Pregnancy:

Second Trimester
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks
31 Weeks

Bump Dates from Sophia:
32 Weeks