Man I am Tired...

Is anyone else just flat out tired?!?!?!

We took a staycation last week to get some things done around our house - got our trees trimmed in the back yard (totally fascinating to watch), painted our front and back doors, got some landscaping done, you know... standard staycation stuff. 

What really makes me laugh about our staycation was bed time.  Diana would go down like normal, between 8 and 9, and sleep through the night like she usually does... and we would also go to bed shortly after... All I could think is that we are truly in our 30s now, going to bed so early!  However, in our defense, we also got up and started our day when Diana woke up - between 9 and 10. 

Yes, our 5 month old not only sleeps through the night, but also sleeps for extremely long stretches!!  I don't know how we do it, other than keep to a strict bedtime routine... but she sleeps perfectly!  AND she naps too!

Prior to miss Bonus Loness' arrival, our staycations consisted of staying up all night playing video games, sleeping all day, going to the movies nearly every day, and random trips to wherever... it's crazy how babes can change everything.  No complaints, just telling the truth.

I also noticed something about our staycation... parenting, especially new parenting, is extremely isolating... You can't just drop everything to go do whatever.  And sometimes you don't even want to.  We spent pretty much our entire time as a family of 3 - it was the best staycation ever!!  While we didn't get everything checked off of our list, we spent plenty of family time.  I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

Honestly, while I am extremely tired (which makes no sense...) I am so excited for future vacations as a family of 3 :)  To just hang with my best friend, and our best babe... nothing can top that.

And The Winner Is...

CONGRATULATIONS AMANDA MASON!!

Thank you SO MUCH to all who participated!  I can promise you, this will be the first of MANY give away's to come!

Everyone have a great weekend!  I hope to have another contest in October, and each month going forward, so stay tuned!!!

Rock Star Moms

I came back to work in July... and let me tell you - IT WAS HARD!!  I had just spent the last 12 weeks being my babe's total life line!  I fed her - literally, as we are heading towards month 5 of exclusively breast feeding - I changed her, played with her, held her while she napped... I didn't want to leave any of that.

Unfortunately, society makes it extra difficult for a parent to stay home and raise their child.  So... until we win the lottery, we both work 40 hours a week.

My goal is to make it to 6 months of breast feeding, so that means I have to pump when I am not with her.  The thought of having to pump at work just stressed me out!  Between making sure I have all of my supplies with me, making sure I have lunch at work, making sure I get out of the house on time, AND get the baby to my mom's house was a LOT to carry in the morning.

After about a week of trying to get myself together and NOT feel like a pack mule, I have the following items here at work with me:

My breast pump - My insurance company paid for my pump and went through Aeroflow. They took care of everything!  I went with the Medela.

In my pump bag, I keep the following:

     +4 flanges so that I can use 1 set during the day and have the other set clean for the next day.

     +Some Quick Clean Wipes to use between sessions

     +Norwex Napkins that I use in place of paper towels - let's face it... pumping can get messy

At my desk, I keep the following:

     +1 box of Kiinde storage bags, and order more when I run low

     +Additional packages of wipes, and order more when I run low

     +Norwex Dish Detergent to wash my pump parts each day

     +Boon Drying Patch to let the pump parts dry over night

     +Bottle Brush

Thankfully, all of these items are stored, and locked, safely in my desk.  Plus, all of my supplies are here, so I don't have to try and remember anything else.

I also keep frozen lunches here in the office freezer, and a plethora of snacks - because let's face it, breast feeding makes me HUNGRY!! I even keep lactation cookies at my desk!  They don't help everyone, but they help me AND they taste good!  I wouldn't keep them if they didn't.

Hope this helps you Momma, as you prepare to return to work.  You got this!!

Postpartum Anxiety Update

To start at the beginning, I started medication about 2 weeks ago... If you want to read about it, click here.

After a brief discussion with my doctor, she decided to start me on 10mgs of Celexa, and so far I have noticed a tremendous difference!  I feel like myself, which I hadn't for a long time.

The few people I have talked to about it have all asked me the same question - "Why didn't you say anything?"  Well, the answer is very simple, yet completely difficult.  Especially if you have ever dealt with anxiety.

I didn't say anything to anyone, because my anxiety ridden mind was telling me that "everything was fine" or "No one will believe me, since I have talked about it so much" and "I don't want to burden anyone with it" when all of these things were absolutely not true.

Everything was NOT fine - I was hardly sleeping for a couple reasons.  First, we all know how hard it was for us to get pregnant, so now I am scared to death that something horrible is going to happen - but it has gotten much better for me in just the 2 short weeks of being on medication.  I would lay in bed waiting for her Snuza to go off.

SHAMELESS PLUG!! There is still time to enter the contest here

Second, Brandon works midnight's... so I would lay in bed and wait for someone to try and break in to our house.  Now, our neighborhood, for the most part, is quiet.  Aside from a few minor incidents, nothing happens around us... but when my mind spirals out of control, this is one of my fears - Someone will break in and will either take Diana (apparently abduction attempts have been happening in our area too) or I won't be able to get to her to keep her safe from someone

The few people I have shared with have believed me, and in fact mentioned that they thought something was off but didn't know how to approach me without upsetting me.  Seriously - from someone who is getting help - say something!  If you notice a new mom struggling, say something.  Especially if they have already made mention that PPD of any kind could potentially spring up.  Even if they get mad at you - say something!  It could save a life!!

The last thing I have been to anyone is a burden.  My mom LOVES keeping Diana during the week, Brandon loves both of us tremendously (yes, I thought otherwise... anxiety sucks!!) and everyone I have confided in has been amazingly supportive.

I bring all of this up because I know there are other new mommy's out there that DON'T speak up.  For a number of reasons.  Each story is different, but the answer is still the same - GET HELP, SPEAK UP, AND SPEAK OUT!  Share your story! 

Parenting is hard, no matter the stage.  My anxiety didn't show up until after I came back to work.  It's a hard subject, but the consequences of not speaking up are devastating.  We need to be there for each other, not trying to tear each other apart.  Please PLEASE!  Don't let this go.

If you need help, here are some resources.  Talk to your doctor.  Reach out to me!  While I am no professional, I am certainly a good listener!

IT'S CONTEST TIME!!!!

I am so excited, I can hardly stand it!  After I wrote my post about the Snuza and the possibility that it saved Diana's life last week, I reached out to Snuza on Facebook.

I told them what happened, sent them a link to my blog... and after reading it, they SENT ME A SNUZA TO GIVE AWAY TO 1 OF MY READERS!!!  I couldn't believe it!  They just proved to me that they, as a company, care more about saving lives and giving parents peace of mind than anything else.

Let me add to this - I am not being paid by Snuza, I am not receiving any discounts from Snuza, I am not getting ANYTHING in return from Snuza!  They want as many new parents to sleep peacefully!

Here is the prize:

It is a brand new Snuza HeroSE

If you would like to be entered into the contest to win, please comment your answer below to the following trivia question:

HOW MANY MONITORS DOES SNUZA CURRENTLY OFFER?

The contest opens today - 09/04/2018 and the winner will be chosen on Diana's 5 month "birthday" 09/14/2018 and announced Saturday 09/15/2018.

The comments with the correct answers will be placed into Random Name Picker.  I will make a video showing the drawing process and selection for transparency purposes.

Please only one entry per person.

HAPPY GUESSING!