{Connor's Birth Story}

 Hi everyone!! I am 10 days into mommy-hood and things are going great so far! But more on the first couple of weeks later.  I am here today to share Connor's birth story :)   Connor man decided not to come on his own so we were scheduled to induce on Monday, May 20th.  Sunday night, the 19th, my husband and I headed to the hospital to check in a little before 7.   We got there, checked in and were taken to the room we would call home for a few days.  They didn't waste any time....I was in my gown and in the bed by 7:30, ready for them to hook my IV up and start the Cervidil.  Before inserting the Cervidil, they checked me one more time to see if I was dilated at all but I was still at a 0.    So, they inserted the Cervidil and explained that it would probably make me cramp some but it would hopefully help me dilate overnight.  I knew I needed to get some sleep because I had been awake since 3 AM that day and I knew the next day was going to be long and tiring.  My doctor had previously approved for the nurse to give me Ambien so that I could sleep.  They brought me the Ambien at 9 and I attempted to take it but it immediately made me throw up.  Boo.  So, I tried to sleep but no luck.  I was cramping pretty bad and had to go to the bathroom once an hour, plus I was just restless...so needless to say I did not sleep at all that night.  By 5 AM Monday when they came in to take out the Cervidil and see if I was dilated I was exhausted.  But, I was dilated 1 cm...finally some progress!   They started the Pitocin around 6:30 AM.  Around 9 I noticed a big change in my contractions...they were more frequent and more painful.  At 10 they came to check me again and I was 2 cm dilated.  Around this time I started asking for the epidural.  The contractions were AWFUL and coming every 2 minutes.  The first time I asked for it, the nurse called my doctor to let her know but my doctor asked for me to try to wait a little bit longer to see if I would progress some more on my own.  She was worried the epidural would slow things down.  They did give me Demerol and Phenegren to help with the pain & nausea but that just made me high as a kite....the room was spinning, my arms got so heavy that I could not even lift them to get my water and it caused me to throw up.  And it didn't really help the pain.  By 11 I was in the worst pain I have ever experienced and I told the nurse that I HAD to have the epidural ASAP....I didn't even care at that point if I had progressed any or if this would end in a C-section.  I just needed some relief.   All of our parents were at the hospital at this point.  When they came in to do the epidural they made everyone, including my husband, leave the room.  They said they have had too many husbands pass out so they make everyone but 1 nurse leave the room.  They guy that was about to do the epidural looked 5 years younger than me so that made me a little nervous.  I got into the position he told me to, then he told me to let him know as soon as I was starting to have a contraction so that he could stop.  I had 3 full blown contractions while he was doing the epidural so he had to keep stopping and waiting for them to pass.  But as soon as he was done, I felt immediate relief.  Thank God for epidurals!    Between being awake for over 30 hours and all the medicines, I was finally able to sleep.  I slept off and on until about 2:30.   At 2:30 my doctor came in to check me.  I was watching her face and the look she gave me and the nurse made me think I was still at a 2....but then she got this big smile on her face and said I was FULLY DILATED!  I thought she was kidding!  But thank goodness she wasn't.  She went ahead and broke my water then she said she had to run back to her office for a little bit but we were going to start pushing in 30 minutes.    So, for the next 30 minutes my husband is frantically texting our friends and letting our family know.  My dad and step-mom had just left the hospital to go back to where they were staying so they turned around and came right back.   It ended up being a little longer than 30 minutes, but right before 3:30 my nurse (whose name happened to be Leslie too) came in and said it was time to start pushing.  They were going to let me push for awhile then call my doctor to come back when he was getting close to coming out.   So, I started pushing at exactly 3:30.  My husband, my nurse and one of my Mom's best friends (who works at the hospital and used to be a L&D nurse), Lori, were the only ones in the room.  They would tell me when I was starting a contraction and I would push for 10 seconds, 3 times during each one.  After pushing during the 1st contraction the nurse said she could see his head and it was full of hair :)  When she said that I knew I wanted to watch the birth in the mirror.  When they first offered the mirror I said no.  I never thought I would want to watch but I am SO glad I did.....not only is it just amazing to see your baby being born but seeing his head gave me just the amount of motivation I needed to keep pushing.   When I saw his head and saw myself making progress, I was determined to not let this end in a C-section.  My husband even "went south" and saw what I was seeing too.  I was not too sure I wanted him to see all that but now I am so glad he did, and so is he.  Speaking of my husband...he was amazing thru the whole experience.  He was so excited and he was my biggest cheerleader....constantly encouraging me and saying the sweetest things.  Going thru that with him makes me love him so much more than I already did.     So, the nurse put the big mirror down at the end of the bed and we kept pushing.  After 15-20 minutes I was at the point where I could tell when I needed to push before the nurse told me when. Finally the nurse told me he was almost out and she needed me to not push anymore so she could call my doctor and get her over to us.  Well...that worked for a few minutes but soon I HAD to push.  The nurse had called my doctor and told her to hurry and that this baby was coming out in 5 minutes or less.   My doctor made it in to my room about 2 minutes before he came out....she did not even have time to finish putting on her scrubs and gloves! Ha!   Connor was born at 4:13 PM on Monday, May 20th.  He weighed 8.3 lbs and was 20.5 inches long.  And we are so, so, so in love with him.  Within 10 seconds of being born he was on my chest and it was the most amazing, emotional moment of my life.  I will never forget that feeling.    

  Here are a few pictures our time in the hospital!

 

      I got really lucky and had a great experience with labor and delivery and it turned out to be pretty easy (well...as easy as pushing out a 8 lb baby can be...and mostly thanks to the epidural ;)  ).  We are loving our new life as a family of 3 and things are going pretty great so far! I will be back in the next couple of days to share more about the first 2 weeks!   Thank you for all the sweet comments, emails and texts!! :)   xo   

{he's here + newborn/new mommy necessities}

Hello, sweet Eat.Pray.Love.Run readers! I'm Jen from Down with the Dearmore's.

 

 

Leslie and I have been best friends since the 5th grade {yes, a waaaaay long time ago}! She is just as beautiful {inside and out} as she appears on her blog! I can't even put into words how excited I am for her and Chris as they welcomed their precious little miracle, Connor Christopher, into this world yesterday! There is no feeling quite like it! I was thrilled when Leslie asked me to guest post after his arrival {I'll let her give all the fun details about his birth in a later post}!

 

Meet the newest, most adorable little boy in the world, Connor Christopher.

 

 

Speaking of newborn, I wanted to share some of my most very favorite necessities for not only baby, but for mommy as well. I am {in my mind} still a new mommy, but had to go back 20 months ago to remember life with a newborn at home! Yikes, time flies {when you're having fun}!

 

 

I know everyone has their own "must haves", but I remember appreciating and loving getting to see what others considered a necessity!

 

1. My Little Lamb Cradle 'N Swing - this was an absolute life saver in our home. Our little one slept in this pretty much all of the time initially and sometimes even at night as she dealt with reflux, so it was a great way to keep her elevated {yet still comfortable and secure}.

 

2. Moses Basket - We had a Moses Basket similar to this one, but it fit into the actual bassinet. I loved having a basket that was easy to take out and move around. I remember using this many times during the middle of the night once we got her to sleep and taking her into our room or into the room connecting to our bedroom. Very convenient!

 

3. Aden + Anais swaddle blankets - I cannot recommend these enough! We still use them to this day {not for swaddling, but for a comfy/light blanket at night}. They are the perfect shape and size and are very lightweight and airy. In my opinion, THE perfect swaddle blanket around!

 

4. Baby Mittens - Not something I had thought about until we were in the hospital and doing everything we could from keeping our baby from scratching her little face! Their nails are so tiny, brittle, yet so sharp. These were a must-have for us initially!

 

5. Cloud B Sound Machine Soother - Our little one loved noise {and still does} to help her go to sleep and relax. I loved the different sound options on the Cloud B Sound Soother. It was easy to turn on and off and didn't make too much noise when you wanted to re-start it after she had just fallen asleep! Isn't that the worst?!?!? We also really loved the Jewel Lullaby CD. Such sweet music and her voice to could put ME to sleep!

 

6. Medela Tender Care Lanolin - Nipple cream for breastfeeding mommies. It is safe for both mom and baby. I know for some, breastfeeding is very painful, especially in the beginning! I mean, come on, you now have something sucking on you 24-7!! You will be sore! I loved this cream - thankfully, it was the first and only one I had to try and it worked for me.

 

7. Nursing Tank - Ahh...makes nursing SO much easier! This particular top is a bra and cami all in one. Perfection! It is not only comfortable, but supportive {both on top and in the tummy}.

 

8. Last, but certainly not least....hook a new momma up with some caffeine! We all know the days and nights can be long as sleep-less. For me, gift cards were perfect so I could use them whether I was going through a drive-thru or at the grocery story that had a Starbucks! A small and easy gift!

 

Thanks for letting me share today, Leslie! For those of you reading, I would love for you to stop by and get to know me and my little fam a little more! Hope you all have a wonderful week!  

  OXOX, Jen

My Very Last Bump Update- 40 Weeks!

  How far along? 40 weeks, 2 days....my due date has come and gone.....   How big is baby?  The size of a pumpkin!  19-22 inches, 6-9 lbs.  At my doc. appt. on Wednesday my doctor estimated that baby was about 8.5-9 lbs.  Yikes!     Total weight gain/loss?  +17 lbs     Maternity Clothes?  That is all I can wear....maxi dresses, skirts, tank tops   Stretch Marks?  My sides and boobs and just noticed this week I have them on my lower stomach.  Boo.  I have used really good lotions and creams thru my whole pregnancy and they haven't worked.        Sleep?   Much better the past week! Even though I wake up at least 3-4 times to use the bathroom, I go back to sleep easily and feel rested when I get up every day.            Miss anything?  I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again!  Same as every week...I miss not being in constant pain and miss walking normal.           Movement?  He is still moving all day, every day. I think he must be really hyper-active....I always read that at this stage you may not feel their movements as much because they have ran out of room.  Not the case for my little man...he moves ALL THE TIME.  I don't have to worry about counting kicks!               Food Cravings?  Nothing new...still ice, anything cold, pasta        Anything making you queasy or sick?  Meat in general.  This has been constant since the week I found out I was pregnant (4 weeks).     Have you started to show yet?  My belly is HUGE!            Gender?   Baby boy!! Connor Christopher :)   Labor Signs? 2 times in the past week I actually thought something might be happening....Saturday night and Tuesday morning.  I was having the worst cramps in my entire life.  I couldn't walk, I could barely breath, I would cry out in pain if I even moved...it was awful.  I would have a mixture of sharp cramps and Braxton Hicks and they would just all run together so I couldn't really time them.  But eventually it would get better so I never went to the hospital.         Belly Button in or out?  Almost completely flat and so stretched out.    Mood?  SO excited and happy that baby boy will be here in the next 4 days or less!  I am feeling a little anxious and nervous about the whole labor, delivery and recovery process.          Symptoms?   Cramping, braxton hicks, heartburn, slight swelling in hands, a lot of pressure and pain down below, hot flashes.  In church on Sunday I had to get up and leave about 20 minutes into the service...I was dripping sweat and starting to feel nauseous.  And new this week-  A couple brown spots (mask of pregnancy is what it's called I think??) have shown up on the right side of my face.           Wedding rings still on?  Officially off :(  They made until 39 weeks then had to come off once I started really struggling to get them off at night.             Best moments of the week?  - Celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday  - I had a great pre-natal massage on Friday :) -  We brought all the baby equipment downstairs to the living room....our downstairs is looking much different these days, filled with swings, diapers, the pack n play, etc... All ready for when we bring Connor home next week!  

Me & my Mom after lunch on Mother's Day     Looking forward to? - Enjoying our last weekend as a family of 2! - Having this sweet baby boy sometime in the next 4 days and bringing him home, hopefully around this time next week, or sooner! - Getting to spend tomorrow morning with my 3 best friends!  :) -Honestly???  Not being pregnant anymore.  I know recovery will be tough for a few weeks, but I am looking forward to losing the baby weight, running again and feeling like my old self. - My dad & step mom coming in town at the beginning of the week.   Doctor Appt. Update- I had my 4th and FINAL weekly appt. Wednesday morning!  Can't believe that 10 months worth of baby appt's is over.   I went into my doc. appt knowing that I had to be dilated given how much pain I had been in the past week.  But, nope...still nothing.  I am at a big fat 0 and his head is still high.  So, even though there is a chance I could still dilate and go into labor on my own, we don't think that is going to happen.  I am all set to check in to the hospital at 7 PM on Sunday.  They will insert the Cervidil and hope it dilates me overnight.  Then my doctor will come in to see me early Monday morning and she will HOPEFULLY be able to break my water, start me on Pitocin and get things going.  She did tell me she won't make me lay around all day not making any progress....so if by mid-day I am not making any progress, we will start planning for a c-section sometime Monday afternoon.    So this was my last bump update!! I didn't do as good of a job keeping up with the weekly bump pics and updates as I had hoped but oh well! :)  I have one more post planned before baby comes, and I will try to do a post once Connor arrives next week, then I will probably take a couple weeks off from blogging as we adjust to having a newborn at home. Thank you for following along with me the past 10 months and thank you for all the sweet comments and emails! xoxo  

Easy Chicken Piccata

One of my husband's favorite foods is Chicken Piccata.  He has been asking for me to make it for at least a year, but I kept forgetting about it.  Until this week! I FINALLY made it last night.  Not only is it MUCH easier than I thought it would be, it was so good!  My husband (who is a bit of a Chicken Piccata snob) loved it! :) So, here is the recipe!   Ingredients: - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded flat) - Salt & Pepper - 1/3 cup all purpose flour - 1 stick of butter, softened - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley - 1 lemon sliced - 2 tbsp capers - 1 can chicken broth   Directions: -  Season the pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  - Place the flour in a large bowl and coat the chicken breasts in flour. - Melt about 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 6-8 minutes.  While cooking the chicken, pour about half of the can of chicken stock into skillet. -  Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. - In the same skillet, add remaining butter, chicken stock, parsley, lemon slices and capers and heat for a few minutes.    Serve chicken breasts with sauce poured on top and serve with a side of pasta and spinach (or whatever you want...that's just what I did)    



  And that's it!! So easy and yummy! Enjoy!    

Bump Update- 39 Weeks!

 

(Picture taken on 5.8.13 @ 39 weeks, 1 day)   How far along? 39 weeks, 2 days..... 5 days till my due date!!    How big is baby?  The size of a watermelon....19-22 inches, 6-9 lbs     Total weight gain/loss?  +15 lbs     Maternity Clothes?  Oh yes....thank goodness for maxi dresses and skirts!  Old Navy, GAP and Target are my go-to maternity stores.   Stretch Marks?  Sides and boobs.      Sleep?   The past 2 weeks it has been pretty good....but only because of the medicine I have to take at night so I don't cough all night long.  I have had a terrible cold for going on 2 weeks and nights are the worst so my doctor has me on some good (and safe) stuff to help me sleep!            Miss anything?  Just about everything. HA! I would love a margarita, I would love to walk normal again, I miss being able to stand up and move around easily, I miss running A LOT... you name it.    But, I know I have less than 2 weeks left so I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.         Movement?  All the time :)  I have started taking a few videos of my belly when he is really active and I realized this week just how much I touch my belly.  I am starting to see why people say they miss being pregnant....  Honestly, I don't think I will miss being pregnant but I will definitely miss the kicks and feelings when he is moving all over the place.               Food Cravings?  Ice, Mac & Cheese, fruit, anything cold.... and random craving in the past 2 weeks- Swiss Cake Rolls.  I have not had those in years but I saw them in the store 2 weeks ago and immediately had to have them.  Pretty sure I ate one in the car on the way home from the store.        Anything making you queasy or sick?  Meat in general.  Most nights I want anything that does not have meat in it.    Have you started to show yet?  My belly is HUGE!            Gender?   BOY!!!    Labor Signs? The past few days I have had an increase in painful braxton hicks.  A few times they stopped me in my tracks and I had to sit down right away and breathe thru them.  They have not been regular at all though.  Still having a lot of pressure and pain "down there" and have a hard time walking normal. Since I have not worked in a few months I feel like I have been nesting for awhile but in the past week it has gone to a whole other level and I have had more energy.  Hoping that is a good sign!       Belly Button in or out?  Almost completely flat.   Mood?  Pretty good...happy, excited, a little anxious/nervous now that I am in the last days!          Symptoms?   Braxton Hicks, lots of pressure and pain down below, bad head cold, aching hands          Wedding rings still on?  Still on!              Best moments of the week?  - Celebrating our 2 year anniversay on Tuesday!  We watched our wedding video and our engagement video, hubby brought me beautiful red roses, and we had an awesome dinner at Flemming's Steakhouse....this preggo lady ate 1 lb of crab legs.  Eeeek! Probably more seafood than I should have eaten at one time being preggo, but it was just so good and I had not had seafood in weeks so I couldn't resist.   - The nursery is done!  And we love it!  I posted about it a few days so check it out if you haven't already.   - All the things I wanted to have done before Connor's arrival, are done.  We are officially ready.    Looking forward to? Having this baby sometime in the next 12 days at the most! Celebrating Mother's Day this weekend Having a much needed massage tomorrow morning :) It will probably be the last one for awhile..   Doctor Appt. Update- I had my 3rd weekly appt. yesterday afternoon......still not much progress.  I am not dilated at all and my cervix is 70% effaced.  Doc said she can feel his head now but it is still too high...he is not "locked and loaded" in place.  Baby's heartbeat was good...my blood pressure was perfect.   I have my next appt. next Wednesday (I will be 40 weeks, 1 day) and if I am still not dilated then I am scheduled to check in to the hospital on Sunday night, the 19th and they will induce on Monday morning, the 20th.  Of course I would love for him to come on his own and come sooner rather than later...but there is something nice about having it planned too.  So, we will just wait and see what happens!  No matter what he will be born on or before May 20th! Whohooooo!!      

Nursery Reveal!

The nursery is finally done...well, almost.  I just need to finish a few small things but for the most part, it is done and we absolutely LOVE it.    When we found out we were having a boy I originally wanted to do the nursery in light blue, gray and white and do a little bit of a lake theme.  Then one early morning on our hour commute into work we were talking about it and completely changed our plans.  My husband is a big golfer and we always joked that if we ever had a boy we would enroll him in golf lessons as soon as he could walk.  So, why not do a golf themed nursery?!  I didn't want it to be cheesy or too "baby-ish" though.  I wanted it to be a little preppy and something that he could grow into over the years.   First, we came up with the color scheme.....navy, lime, white and gray.    I knew for sure we were going to do white furniture and a gray glider & ottoman.  Then we would decorate with fun prints and golf-ish fabrics.  Here is a look:  

 I have ordered a changing pad cover (navy with white dots) from etsy but it hasn't come in yet.  Once we have that, the hutch/dresser will look a lot better.

 I feel like the top of the hutch needs a little something up there....it seems so bare right now.  We have a medium sized 2013 Masters flag coming from Georgia so I think I will frame it in a shadow box and put it up there, then maybe a couple newborn pictures?  We'll see!

  Furniture & Glider- USA Baby  Shag Rug- Garden Ridge Small bathroom rugs- Pottery Barn Kids Lamp- Pottery Barn Kids Book Ledges- Target Golf Ball Baskets- Range Mart Wooden Letters- Craft Cuts Mirror-  Hobby Lobby "Oh, The Places You Will Go" Print-  Yassi's Place (etsy shop) Golf course names print- Paper Bleu Studio (etsy shop) 4 Golf accessory prints- Zeppi Prints (etsy shop) Green Chevron Minky Baby Blanket- The Buttercup Boutique (etsy shop) Drapes, Bedding and Shower Curtain-  custom made by a family friend who is an interior designer   I am so happy to have the nursery done and all ready for Connor's arrival (even though he really won't be in there for a few months).  Now.... COME ON BABY!!  

2 Years & 39 Weeks!

  Celebrating 2 years of marriage today and 39 weeks of pregnancy! Whohoooooooo!! *Bump picture and update coming tomorrow*    

   

{All About Mommy}- Guest Posting Today!

   

      Head over to one of my bestie's blogs, Down With The Dearmore's, for my guest post on all about how I have prepared for mommy hood the past few months!   And make sure to follow along over the next couple of weeks...she has some great {All About Mommy} posts coming up from other Mama's out there! :)   Have a great weekend! xo  

38 Weeks & Latest Reads!

Happy Thursday and happy 38 WEEKS (+ 2 days), baby!! Normally I would do a 38 week bump update, but I really don't have too much new to share....just a quick update.....   -I am 38 weeks and 2 days today and huge and uncomfortable -Recovering from one of the worst colds I have ever had -Had my weekly appt. Monday and I am still not dilated at all and his head is still high.  Looks like Baby C is perfectly content in my belly and is not planning on coming out anytime soon.  I keep telling myself that no matter what, he will be here in 3 weeks or less though.  So, by Tuesday, May 21st, he will be here.  When I think about it like that, I can deal with it :)      Now....on with what I have been reading lately..... I have been spending a lot more time laying around these days so the reading has picked back up. Thanks to my go-to "what should I read next?" BFF, Lia Joy, and Goodreads, I always have great recommendations!  So, here ya go!   1.  The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True To You By Jessica Alba  

  Description:  ( via Goodreads) As a new mom, Jessica Alba wanted to create the safest, healthiest environment for her family. But she was frustrated by the lack of trustworthy information on how to live healthier and cleaner—delivered in a way that a busy mom could act on without going to extremes. In 2012, with serial entrepreneur Brian Lee and environmental advocate Christopher Gavigan, she launched The Honest Company, a brand where parents can find reliable information and products that are safe, stylish, and affordable. The Honest Life shares the insights and strategies she gathered along the way.

The Honest Life recounts Alba’s personal journey of discovery and reveals her tips for making healthy living fun, real, and stylish, while offering a candid look inside her home and daily life. She shares strategies for maintaining a clean diet (with favorite family-friendly recipes) and embraces nontoxic choices at home and provides eco-friendly decor tips to fit any budget. Alba also discusses cultivating a daily eco beauty routine, finding one’s personal style without resorting to yoga pants, and engaging in fun, hands-on activities with kids. Her solutions are easy, chic, and down-to-earth: they’re honest. And discovering everyday ways to live naturally and authentically—true to you—could be honestly life-changing   My Thoughts: LOVE Jessica Alba, LOVED her book.  She discusses everything from eating organically, using non-toxic cleaning supplies at home to the best, non-harmful products to use on your babies.   I already do a pretty decent job of buying only organic meats, fruits and veggies but I learned so much about about house hold products and caring for your family.  Since reading her book I have found quite a few friends who have bought products from her company, The Honest Company,  and they are raving about the products.  So, I may just have to make a purchase soon!       2.  The Unidentified Redhead By Alice Clayton 

    Description: (Via Goodreads) When Grace Sheridan returns to Los Angeles to become a working actress, it’s a second shot at a life-long dream. With some help from her best-friend agent, will that dream become a reality—or at thirty-three, has Grace missed her chance at the big time? And when an unexpected sizzling romance with Jack Hamilton, the entertainment industry's newest “it” boy, threatens to shine an uncomfortable spotlight on her life, how will that affect her career…and his?

Funny, borderline neurotic Grace is perfect in her imperfections, and the sexual chemistry between her and charming yet blissfully unaware Jack is off the charts. With laugh-out-loud dialogue and a super-steamy romance that will get your heart racing, sneaking around in L.A. and dodging the paparazzi has never been so fun.   My Thoughts: Hilarious. Witty. Fun-loving. Awesome book.  This is a fun, sweet, easy read that leaves you wanting more of Grace & Jack....and luckily there is a 2nd book so you can get more!         3.  The Redhead Revealed By Alice Clayton    

  Description: (Via Goodreads)  As their careers catch fire, Grace and Jack -- everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed, funny, and feisty couple -- find themselves on opposite coasts. Grace has landed in New York City, where she loves being onstage again, particularly because she’s playing a fabulous character in a musical written by her old college flame, Michael. Their rekindled friendship makes exploring the city that much more fun.

Wait, it’s just friendship, right?

Meanwhile, in L.A., Jack can scarcely keep up with the swirling throngs of women who track him everywhere he goes, the endless press appearances, and the ridiculous rules his manager, Holly, keeps concocting for him -- all part of the buildup to the release of Time, his steamy new film.

But even when their schedules allow them to connect, Grace and Jack must keep their relationship off the radar and away from paparazzi cameras. Sure, the sex is sensational, but can this duo survive swirling rumors, the demands of their chosen professions, Grace’s raging internal battles, and a whopping nine-year age difference?

Tick-tock, the clock is ticking. Isn’t it?

Alice Clayton brings the second installment of a tale told with her magical mix of humor and heat, so cuddle up under the sheets and flip on the Golden Girls. Grace and Jack are at it again   My Thoughts: Once again, LOVED this book! Great sequel to The Unidentified Redhead and leaves you loving Grace & Jack and their wild relationship even more!     4.  The Happiest Baby on the Block By Harvey Karp, M.D.  

  Description: (Via Goodreads) In perhaps the most important parenting book of the decade, Dr. Harvey Karp reveals an extraordinary treasure sought by parents for centuries --an automatic “off-switch” for their baby’s crying.

No wonder pediatricians across the country are praising him and thousands of Los Angeles parents, from working moms to superstars like Madonna and Pierce Brosnan, have turned to him to learn the secrets for making babies happy.

Never again will parents have to stand by helpless and frazzled while their poor baby cries and cries. Dr. Karp has found there IS a remedy for colic. “I share with parents techniques known only to the most gifted baby soothers throughout history …and I explain exactly how they work.”

In a innovative and thought-provoking reevaluation of early infancy, Dr. Karp blends modern science and ancient wisdom to prove that newborns are not fully ready for the world when they are born. Through his research and experience, he has developed four basic principles that are crucial for understanding babies as well as improving their sleep and soothing their senses.    My Thoughts:  Definitely my favorite "baby" book that I have ready.  A lot of friends recommended this book to me and we learned a lot of the techniques from the book in our baby classes a couple months ago.  I have actually seen the techniques put to use and they work!!  Amazing!  I learned a lot from this book and our classes and will definitely be using his methods for calming and quieting Connor when he gets here :)  Highly recommend for all you mommies to be out there!
 Have you read anything great lately? Let me know!! Always looking for new books to read :)     

The Best Month of the Year! Happy May!

Happy May Day, friends!! I feel like I say this every month, but this year is really flying by....we are almost half way through the year!  For as long as I can remember May has always been one of my favorite months.  Growing up, it was the month when school ended for Summer break.  Now as a "grown up" it means no more cold weather, weekends spent at the lake, Cinco de Mayo, long, sunny days and beach vacations.  May is the month I got married in.  And now, May is the month that I will give birth to my first baby!!!!  My due date is May 14th and my doctor said that no matter what she will not let me go more than one week past my due date so that means that sometime in the next 21 days, he will be here :)    The final countdown is on!   

      Mother's Day is also a big part of May!  One of my best friends, Jen, from Down with The Dearmores, has set up several "All About Mommy" guest posts for the next few weeks so for all you mommies and mommies to be out there, make sure you follow her blog for all things Mommy!  

 

    2 movies I can NOT wait to see come out on May 24th.  We are already planning date nights to see these 2 :)  

    See why May is going to be such a great month?!?! =) Have a happy day!