5 Ways to Spend 20 "Mommy Minutes"

It's no joke that when you're a mommy you have very little time to spend on yourself.

Things you always did before baby, don't always happen after baby.  At least not those first few days or weeks.  It can become a bit depressing to be honest.

20 minutes before baby might be wasted debating whether or not you should go work out, staring off into space, or sifting through Facebook or Twitter.  20 minutes of mommy time is actually pretty significant.  It may not seem like long, but it can be a matter of sanity in the day of a mommy.

Mommy's deserve a little pampering; time to cater to their needs and forget about dirty diapers, never ending laundry, overflowing dishes, bottles that need sterilizing, and floors that need mopping.

Here are 5 ways you can spend 20 guilt-free "mommy minutes:"

1. Lay down.  On top of the covers, under the covers, on the couch, in the recliner...just put your feet up and get comfortable.  Rest your eyes, take a cat nap, or just lay.  Embrace rest.  

2.  Moisturize.  Get your favorite body cream (I would suggest purchasing a more glamorous version of your favorite before baby) and strip down to your skivvies and spend those 20 minutes moisturizing your body.  It's amazing how dehydrating lack of sleep and breast feeding can be.  Don't forget about your feet, elbows, and spend a few extra minutes massaging into the back of your neck.  You don't realize how much strain is on it carrying a baby around all day.

3.  Give yourself a mini-manicure.  Moisturize.  Push back the cuticles, file your nails, and put a coat of your favorite polish on top.  It may not seem like much, but a coat of nail polish can really make a woman feel beautiful.

4.  Put your feet up and read.  Don't read all those books out there about how to be a great mommy, raise the perfect child, or establish a routine by week 2 of infancy.  Read for pleasure.  Better yet, read for guilty pleasure.  Pick up your favorite magazine or read through your blog reel.  Take a 20 minute mental break from being a mom.

5.  Shop your closet.  Body after baby is different.  Not necessarily bad, but definitely different.  Take some time to put together a few outfit options that make you feel confident, beautiful, and comfortable.  Having options might motivate you to get out of the house later that day or week which (trust me) will make you feel more human and better your day.  Don't be afraid to start a bag of clothes that no longer fit or aren't mommy friendly to take to Plato's Closet one day.  Day dream about what you want to buy your new body with the money you make by doing so.

It's so important to take that time for yourself, as a mom.  While baby is napping, spend 20 minutes on you before folding, cleaning, organizing, putting away, what have you...

You will feel more human and you will feel more you.  Making being a mom a little easier and more enjoyable on those days when a 20 minute break is all you get.

P.S. Can we all agree that Vanessa of With Great Heart Design did a fabulous job on my new blog design!?  Stick around, we have a giveaway coming up in the near future.

Hubby's Hospital Bag

Since sharing what I frantically packed into my hospital bag, several of you have asked what I packed for hubby.

I have to admit, I didn't even realize I needed to pack him a bag until one of my friends mentioned it a week or two before CT arrived.  I guess I was just so concerned with what we needed for baby that I hadn't really thought about the fact that my husband would be at the hospital for days/nights, too!

Here is what we found useful:

daddy hospital bag by coachgaines featuring black tote bags

1. iPad, chargers, and earbuds: Daddy will need some entertainment while you play the waiting game and earbuds will help him sleep through nurse checks.

2.  Camera: Document everything!  So glad hubby took all those pictures.

3.  Comfortable Layers: He is going to want to be comfortable and able to add or take off layers based on room temperature.  Not to mention, he will need shorts to sleep in.

4.  Toiletries: What your man uses on a daily basis - bring it!  Whatever effect the hospital environment is having on you and your skin, it is also having on him.  He wants to be just as comfortable as you do.

5.  Slippers: It's nice to be able to slide your feet in and out of a cozy pair of slippers to go to the restroom, get the nurse, or hit up the vending machines.

1 Month Musts for Mom and Baby

Go sign up to win a $30 shop credit to EDMobiles; just one more must-have for baby.

I thought I would share the things that I've found to be most beneficial for me and baby the first month he's been home with us.  I've seen these lists before, but I wanted to add must-haves for mommy as well.  After all, we need to take care of ourselves, too!

1 month mommy by coachgaines featuring Old Navy

1.  iPhone: I use the app, BabyCare, to document everything CT does throughout the day from dirty and wet diapers to his nursing and sleep schedule.  It is so nice to be able to look back at what he has done throughout the day especially when the pediatrician asks.

2.  Anti-bacterial Hand Lotion and Lip Butter: Breast feeding is dehydrating - must stay moisturized.

3.  Sweats: I'm living in yoga pants and soft hoodies.  I love these from Old Navy because they are soft and easy to maneuver for quick access for CT.

4.  Tervis Tumbler: It is essential to keep hydrated!

5.  Mother's Milk Tea: There are so many benefits to drinking this tea for breast feeding mothers.  It helps milk come in and maintains a healthy supply.  It's also nice to have tea to drink while breastfeeding - I find it relaxing.

baby 1 month by coachgaines featuring Boppy

1.  Boppy: CT only weighed 5 pounds when we brought him home, but holding 5 pounds while nursing for extended periods of time starts to wear on you.  This makes it comfortable to nurse, hold him, and lay him in our laps.

2.  Gripe Water: This is an all natural way to tackle gassiness.  It is safe for newborns.  I just put a little on his paci and let him suck it off when necessary.

3.  Flannel Blankets: I ended up going out and buying more of these.  They get peed and spit up on all the time.  I use them to swaddle, cover him up while changing him, wipe his mouth, and as an impromptu changing pad.  They are so versatile - you can't have enough.

4.  Swaddler: CT loves to be swaddled.  These are a lot easier and hold up better throughout the night than a blanket.

5.  Nighttime lotion: Baby skin gets so dry and starts to shed the first few weeks.  I use this on him after baths and before bedtime.  I put extra on his feet and then keep socks on him.

6.  Chicco Pack-n-Play: This has been a Godsend!  Thankfully we got this the week before CT surprised us.  It has a mobile attachment as well as a changing table attachment.  It is the only changing table we have at the moment (and the only one we need) and CT is currently sleeping in this at the end of our bed.  So thankful we had this before he came.

What are your 1 month must-haves?

Moments in the week of a Mom | 1

I realized last week that the majority of my weekly highlights involve mommy moments so I figured I would embrace it and start a Friday series specifically for them.

By the way, if you're a mom, want to be a mom, or know a mom, check out my giveaway.

1.

It was warm enough to bundle CT up on Monday and take him for a walk.  Now I just need to send a petition around my town to get the sidewalks fixed!!

2.

Poor picture quality, but Tuesday night marked CT's first snowfall!!  Obviously we couldn't go out and play in it, but we did watch the dogs.  

3. 

I haven't been able to wear my wedding rings since roughly 25 weeks pregnant due to swelling.  I have tried them on every single day since CT was born and they finally fit yesterday!!  I missed them.

4. 

I was struggling with feeling so disconnected each time I closed the nursery door to nurse or pump, but we are trying to keep the dogs out of the nursery (mainly because of cleanliness - they love the baby).  So, I purchased a self-closing baby gate and installed it myself!  It keeps the pups out much to Football's dismay and we can still close the door when we have company.  This makes me feel better about transitioning CT to his crib soon, too.

5. 

I saw this floating around Facebook and thought it was perfect.  

Hope your week was as good as mine!  Linking up for H54F

1 Month

Dearest Carson,

I love you.  If there is anything I can promise you it is that you will never have a shortage of love and you will get sick of hearing me tell you how much I love you all the time.  My heart overflows for you.

This past month has flown by; you are growing and changing each and every day.  I've been praying so hard for you to gain weight and now I'm ready for time to slow down.  You are such a sweet little boy and I just want to hold you and rock you and love on you all the time.

You've amazed us this past month; changing our lives for the better in so many ways.  At three weeks, you rolled over from your tummy to your back and it just blew us away.  I think you're going to be an athlete like mommy and daddy.  We love watching you lift your head and look around at your new environment.  You especially loved looking at the Christmas tree when it was lit up.

Most nights you sleep for 3-4 hours waking up when you are hungry or wet.  I love those nights.  I love when I wake up to your little noises and get to spend a quiet hour with you before you drift back off to sleep.  I look at you and see so much of your daddy and so much of me.

We have so loved this first month with you.  It's hard to remember what life was like before you were home with us.  Your smile, snuggles, and snorts make our world go round.

I love you, baby boy.  More than you will ever know.

Love,
Mommy

1 Month Update

Weight: We find out Tuesday so I will update!
Length: Update on Tuesday
Nicknames: The Milkman, Stink, Baby Boy, Snuggle Bug
Sleep: Consistently for 3-4 hour increments minus a few rough nights (not enough to complain)
Eating: Every 2-3 hours (hence the nickname, Milkman)
Clothing: No longer fits in Preemie, starting to fill out newborn in certain brands
Loves:

• Snuggling with momma in the morning
• Swaddling
• Being warm
• Spitting milk all over momma
• Momma's milk 

Dislikes:

• Bath time
• Being naked
• Being cold

Exciting Moments:
At 3 weeks, Carson rolled from tummy to back during tummy time!  It blew me away and I sort of thought his big head might have just made him do it so I made him do it 3 times before I told anyone.  Then I recorded it because I was certain no one would believe me.
Momma's Milestones:
I've been able to go out for a few hours at a time and run errands or have a mini-date with Justin.  The first time I called home crying and I've progressively gotten better from there.
Yesterday I walked the dogs a mile and it was much better than I even anticipated.  I'm so grateful I stayed active throughout the majority of my pregnancy.

My 2014 word

Last year I decided evolve was going to be my word of the year.  I think it was a pretty good choice considering the huge evolution we went through as a family and the evolution my body, mind, and soul went through as I made the journey into motherhood.

As I was reflecting on how that word encapsulated my year, I started thinking about this year's word.

It came to me pretty quickly actually:

Christmas Eve 2014

EMBRACE.

1. to hold close with the arms; a sign of affection

2. an enclosure or encirclement

3. eager acceptance

There are so many things I want to embrace this year.  I want to remember every tear, laugh, frustration, and joy that comes my way as a mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, etc.

We were going on three hours of CT crying one night and nothing I did seem to console him.  I found myself looking ahead to the nights when there won't be that 4 a.m. wake up call and it hit me: those nights that I'm looking ahead to will mean that this stage of his life is over.  The nights when he doesn't wake me up at 4 a.m. will be the nights that he is no longer a newborn.  No way do I want to wish these moments away.  No way do I want to look forward.

I want to embrace the now.

I want to embrace it all.  The wardrobe malfunctions.  The explosive poopy diapers.  The moments he has his eyes open or smiles or laughs or lifts his head.  The moments he won't stop crying unless I hold him.  The nights he won't sleep unless in my arms.

Fact of the matter is, so much of what I'm experiencing now is not going to last forever.
Therefore, each little thing, I will embrace.

What's your word for 2014?

2014; the year that was supposed to be the icing on my cake.

Last year I welcomed 2013 with a list of things I no longer wanted to waste my time doing.

I'm pretty proud to say that I did a good job with the exception of a few times I tried on clothing knowing it was too small or ordered french fries instead of a side salad.

With the arrival of CT coming quite a bit earlier than planned, I quickly found my priorities transitioning.  On the day that I would typically be out shopping the after-Christmas sales and making returns, I was making salt dough ornaments of my baby's feet and handprints.  Rather than run to the tree to open gifts Christmas morning, we lounged in bed for a few hours just snuggling and embracing the amazing gift that we've received.

With this new perspective on life, I'm not really sure what to say about 2014, but I will make a promise to myself, my son, my husband, and my family to embrace what really matters.

In 2014, I intend to...

cuddle and snuggle as often and as much as possible.
enjoy the small things - baths, hugs, smiles, all of the small things.
capture more moments on camera than ever before.
embrace every messy diaper, late night wake up call, cluster feeding, and wardrobe malfunction.
show and tell my husband how much I love him and the amazing father I already see him becoming.
live life to the fullest and embrace every new experience in this amazing life God has blessed me with.

What does your 2014 look like?

Unedited

These photos are unedited (as if you couldn't tell).  I'm still adjusting to mommy-hood and sometimes, life is messy. It's not an easy transition even when you do get to stay home 24/7.  

You can also see that these pictures were taken pre-baby.  I'm almost 9 months pregnant here.

Remember when I told you how my wardrobe was getting extremely limited, my shoe selection in particular?  Well, this is what I typically wore to school the last week (or three) of pregnancy.

It was comfortable and it fit my fat, swollen feet.

Sweater: Motherhood Maternity, Vest: GAP (old, similar), Pants: thrifted, Shoes: Dansko

I got these pants early on in my pregnancy and joked to my mom that I may never get to wear them because they were so big for me when I bought them.  Ha.

I found them in Goodwill with the tags still on them for $3.75.

I started to think twice about this post and whether or not it was okay to share unedited photos and the fact that I haven't posted consistently in two weeks because, as of yesterday, that's how old CT is.

Then I thought, you know...

we need to see the unedited version of life once in a while.

So much of what is on Pinterest and what I see on blogs and Instagram is edited.

And it can make you feel a little intimidated or flare up the green-eyed monster if you aren't careful.

What we typically share on here is the good stuff - not the bad.  We don't like rehashing the bad so why would we document it?  So, I've made a decision just now that I'm going to be brave enough to share all of it...the edited and unedited versions.

My Favorite Year

I had thought that 2013 would be a good year, but if I'm being honest, I was ready for it to end so that 2014 could hurry up and get here.  I knew I would start 2014 with a bang and that it would quickly become the best year of my life.  2013 surprised me though - a good surprise - the best surprise.

Looking back, I have a feeling this year will forever be my all-time favorite.  

All the best things happened this year:

I'm sure many things happened in January and February that were memorable, but they just don't hold a candle to the rest of the year so I don't have much to share except a few of my favorite blog posts from those 2 months on evolving,  being a Proverbs 31 wife (and Sara Horn commented on my post!), one of my favorite outfits, and a letter to future teachers.

The rest of the year is what made it my favorite:

We visited Charleston for a week over spring break.

I completed Whole 30 and a green smoothie challenge.

We celebrated what we thought was just any other Mother's Day by taking the dogs to a new-to-us park; little did we know I was pregnant in this picture.

June 21, 2013 was the first day I got to hear my little man's heartbeat, see his sweet face, and fell in absolutely love with the best part of both, my husband and me.

We spent a week at the beach with my parents and then I went home with them for another 2 weeks.

While there, my belly continued to grow and we got more and more excited.

My husband was overjoyed when we found out we were having a boy.

I was given the awesome opportunity to team up with ForTwoFitness

I was blessed to finish my Master's degree in time so that I wouldn't take any classes after CT arrived and in plenty of time to receive master's pay.

We went apple picking and hubby made a huge effort to plan special dates before we became 3.

We went home for Thanksgiving and my mom and best friend threw us a shower.  It was awesome to see my family and friends.  They always make me feel so loved.

I was supposed to graduate December 13.  Instead, I woke up the morning of December 12 to find that my water was broken almost 5 weeks early.

December 12, 2013 at 9:22 p.m. we welcomed CT into the world and that, my friends, made 2013 the best year ever!

Thank you so much for being a part of my year; for sharing in my triumphs and stumbles and showing me your grace and love.  I have a feeling 2014 is going to be so much fun as we watch CT grow and mold us into parents.