1 Thing to Make Life Easier After Baby; Preparing for Baby {HomeLife}

Something about the impending arrival of a brand new baby can send the minds of adults into a tizzy. And, rightly so. Babies require so much work to take care of and often the regular needs of a house can get set aside. At least, they do in my home. There is nothing like having your 8-year old coming up to you all stressed out, while you are nursing a baby because he has no clean pants. Or combating ants in the kitchen because you have not had the energy to stand and sweep or do the dishes after every meal. I mean, taking care of a baby is extremely exhausting, not to mention time-consuming. Who wants to do dishes and laundry?!

There has to be a few things that can be done to make it easier, right?

At least a few things?

Maybe?

I have no idea with laundry and sweeping. I am not going to wear baby just so I can sweep the floor (a suggestion amongst several bloggers). It's hard enough holding him, throwing in sweeping the floor and my back is sore afterward. I'll fit it in when I can. When I don't have to hold the baby.

I am going to give myself some grace when it comes to the floors. And the ants? They were looking for water so were over the sink instead of the floor. They've since left, thankfully. Hopefully, they don't start coming to the floor. I'll just continue asking for help until I can actually sweep again. Since no one else sweeps, it'll remain a mess.

My main concern for after the baby came was food. Goodness knows I was not going to want to cook dinner. The MOPS group is amazing with setting up a meal train every other day for a week, and I'm blessed with some amazing friends bringing meals too. And when Brandon went back to work, that was a definite lifesaver. But for the other nights, I needed to have something.

The one thing I would suggest to do to prepare for a baby? Get some frozen dinners ready to go.

Seriously. Frozen home prepped food is going to save your sanity.

At least what little sanity you will have left after lack of sleep and feeding a newborn will take from you.

What did I use for our frozen dinner recipes?

I shared with you 5dinners1hour.com (not an affiliate! I don't get anything if you sign up!) when I talked about meal planning back in June (you can read that here). And it has still been an incredible element to our dinner planning. I saved favorites and went back to see which ones could be frozen. I prepped several of those for our freezer and for my mom to have when she took the kids the nights we were in the hospital.

Here was just a few: (chicken for tacos and burritos (feeds for 2 nights), meat mixture for tater tot casserole, 2 bags of spaghetti sauce (that feeds us two nights in a row, so 4 nights)

I also had 2 enchilada dishes and 2 lasagnas(my own recipe).

Actually, I still have 1 meal in the freezer still (1 lasagna)!

With having food ready to go, it helped free up so much time for other things (like sweeping that darn floor, or the laundry)!

We started prepping meals again about a week ago. Little man has been here almost 2 months and we are now starting to get back into routine having eaten almost all the meals. Between friends and freezer meals, the 2 months have been incredible. You don't realize how much time a day you spend on prepping and cooking food until you really don't have time and can't.

I have to say I am so thankful for 5dinners1hour.com. It makes the week go so much smoother (especially with the new baby). I originally signed up for meals to use and stash in the freezer when the baby came, and I am planning on sticking to it because it makes life THAT much easier.

Sure, now it takes an entire day to prep 5-7 meals. I gotta stop to feed my constantly hungry baby. But it makes the rest of the week run smoothly. I can focus on homework and reading with the older kiddos.

So? Expecting a baby? Prep some freezer meals. You won't regret having that little bit of free time to sit as you recuperate.

Already had a baby? What have you done to make life easier after a baby arrived?

Making an Announcement {Motherhood}

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I have managed to keep this secret (kind of) from the social media world. Mostly my general facebook account and other media outlets. Yes, it has come out in some of the groups! It is so hard keeping something like this a secret! Especially when it feels so exciting! How long have you kept something a secret?

It was the beginning of December when I first suspected. It was way to soon to really tell, but I had a feeling. My husband just laughed at me when I told him, but I could see the wheels in his head turning.

We told the kids New Year's Eve. We weren't just celebrating the coming of a new year, but also celebrating...

the coming of a new...  Baby!

We are beyond excited!

We found out the gender a little over a month ago, and we couldn't be happier the baby looks healthy. The most important thing is a healthy baby.

I know Nikolai is beyond words excited he is getting a little brother!

2 of each.

Our little guy is due to arrive on or around August 24th.

I figured I should probably say something if I wanted to share some new items I am working on for a mini capsule (and the need for it since I got rid of most of my maternity clothes!) Oops!

Yes, I made the kids shirts! How could I not?! Especially after how much I loved these!

Nikolai's

GYCT Primary Tee. size: 6 in width and 8 in length. It is perfect.

Samara's

GYCT Tinley Tee. size: 4. I made it with the flutter sleeves and without the waist binding.

Kiera's

GYCT Tinley Tee size: 2 taken in a little in the width. Also with flutter sleeves and plain hemming.

Baby Boy

PAB Rompalls. size: newborn. Pants length. It seems so tiny and yet so big for a newborn!

I used a freezer paper stencil to make the design on the shirts (though I am wishing I had a machine that worked to cut some htv!).

I love these so much! I'm hoping we might be able to use the baby boy's as a going home outfit or something. Either way, I'm excited!

Bonus! GYCT is having a summer sale until the 20th! Perfect time to pick up the tinley and primary tee!

Improv-Pieced Baby Quilt

I had a massive case of nesting the other day and accomplished a ton! Cleaning, sewing, organizing... All some much needed things to get done. Out of the sewing I had accomplished a baby quilt for the baby due any day now. Sad because Little Lady does not have one that I have made for her yet. But she does have some handmade quilts of her own from others. It lets me off the hook right? The quilt... I'm just calling it improv piecing at this point...

I had picked up this fabric about the time that Little Lady S was born with the intention of making her a quilt. But that never happened. It was actually a cheap kit from Walmart and just wasn't in love with it as much as I had thought when I first bought it. But for baby girl K, it's perfect!

We are using owls for her theme... well, any raptor/bird of prey really. Owls just happens to be popular. And I prefer pinks and teal and a neutral... But this works.

I just started cutting the pieces and sewing as I went. Towards the end I was second guessing my cutting choices because things started not fitting together very well... I suggest to cut all in increments and ratios of each other instead of whatever number pops into your head like I did...

The binding is the backing wrapped around to the front, a piece of flannel that came with the kit. And I did not use any batting.

Looking at the tiny image on the screen, I feel kind of happy how it turned out! It's just different, for me. I haven't done anything like this before. I really suggest you try it! I might want to again, but with more meaning to the size of the strips I cut from the fabric...

for fun... Baby girl due in few days! (40 weeks on the 28th!). Don't mind my wet hair. ;)

And, the quilt with her very own Lambie (each kid has their own lambie)

I'm excited that I had energy to do a ton of stuff! This quilt I managed to finish in two days! Yay for nesting! But now, I need to sleep for a day! LOL!

Happy Sewing!

The Arrival of Samara - part 2

I am actually taking the time to go through pictures! Now that it is super late and I should really be sleeping... But then when else am I going to do this? Hopefully this is ok since my new momma sleep deprived brain is still a little out of whack! I put coffee grounds into the basket and completely spaced the filter the other day, and didn't realize until 2 scoops in...

So, here are some pictures. :)

41 Weeks 2 Days
Getting Ready to go to the Hospital

Welcome to the World,
Samara

The Arrival of Samara

Well, needless to say I have been fairly busy these last 6 days! But for good reason. We are all so excited that Friday, July 19th, went so incredibly well and that baby girl is finally here! 

It went so fast! I cannot believe how quickly it went! The doctor decided it was considered more an augmentation of labor rather than an induction of labor because my natural hormones kicked in, and that makes me feel so excited too! But of course there are other reasons too! I wanted it to be as natural as possible, just like when Nikolai was born. You can read the story of his birth here. I don't think this story will be as long because the labor was not as long... But then again, sometimes I can become long winded. ;)

So here I go...

We were, once again, supposed to go into the hospital at 5am.  We were actually on time with her. I had awoken at 2 am and could not fall back asleep. When the alarm went off around 3/3:30 (we hit the snooze a few times), I was pretty much awake but tired. 

We got to the hospital around 4:50 and started the paperwork.

I think we got into the room around 6-ish. They did not check to see if there was any further progression of labor, just established baseline of my blood pressure and heart rate, and Samara's heart rate. Pitocin started around 7 am.

By 8:30 am my doctor arrived with the UofA med students. They checked to see what the progression of labor was (by this time I was getting 8 mu/min of pitocin. So much less than with Nikolai! I was 6 cm (up from 4 at the dr appointment) and still 80% effaced. They broke my water. Eww... Much less of a gush than Nikolai and more of a trickle that continued until transition at least. Well, that was as long as I noticed it for.

The doctor said he was expecting it to be around 1-3 hours when Samara was going to arrive. I figured that sounded a bit right since Nikolai was 3 hours from them breaking my water.

I ended up laboring for a bit sitting on the edge of the bed until I felt the need to use the bathroom. Once I get to the bathroom, I felt horrible. Not incredible excruciating pain or anything, but I would have a contraction, need to use the toilet, get up to clean up, only to have to sit back down because of another contraction. I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to lie down in bed! Poor Brandon was standing right there beside me holding my hands when I needed him to, helping me up only to have to go through the whole process all over again.

I finally made it back to the bed to lie down, have the nurse hook me back up to the monitor and remind me to call if I felt the need to push while she was away only to have the urge to poop come after she left. I ignored the feeling debating if I should go to the bathroom (I had already done that by this point, but I figured I needed to again). Well, a few contractions later and I needed to push!

Brandon asked me if he should call the nurse. My response was an "I don't know, it's too soon!" Well, silly me, I should have known better. After a few more contractions with the uncontrollable urge to push (I felt like I was writhing on the bed to NOT push) and Brandon pushed for the nurse. I can only imagine what I looked like to Brandon at that time or what he was thinking.

The nurse checked me and sure enough, I was fully effaced, fully dilated and you could see Samara's head! But, isn't it my luck that the dr was not at the hospital? Luckily one was coming out of surgery at that time and came into the room to gown up. He sat waiting to catch, but I was not actively pushing, just pushing through the need to make me more comfortable. He was just there if he needed to catch.

Shortly after, my doctor came in and gowned up. I got ready to really push and then... nothing... I was glad for the chance to breath and relax. Sometime during the first dr and my dr they had turned off the pitocin. Maybe that was what gave me the opportunity to breath! Then a contraction. So I pushed once. I know people where telling me things, but in all honesty I did not hear any of it. The dr tried to do a perineum message. Well, that hurt and I was not prepared for that. If he had told me I would have suffered through, but he stopped instead. We can all guess what resulted from that... Ouch... Oh well... 

I pushed a second time and out popped her little head. A third push and she was out! So happy! I heard her cry immediately. The nurse put her in my arms, Brandon came up and talked to her and she looked for him. It was so cute! There are no words to describe the feeling of holding your baby for the first time. I didn't want to let her go, but then I couldn't wait for her big brother to see her!

She was born 10:22am, a little less that 2 hours after they broke my water, 7 pounds 14 ounces and 19.25 inches long with an apgar score of 9/9.

No epidural, they didn't even ask except in the beginning what my pain management goal was. There was really, no time for it, and that is fine with me. I didn't even think about it!

Don't Worry... I will post more pictures later...

I am so proud of my baby girl, and so proud of me!

:)

41 Weeks

And so it is... Waiting past the doctor's suggested due date and no baby is here yet.

I am exhausted. I am hot. I am done... Done.

I am uncomfortable. It hurts when she kicks. I am tired after contractions for several hours then nothing.

I am not complaining so much as just giving my reasons for being done.

It is a good thing. I get this time with Nikolai, taking all that I can because after this it wont be just him anymore.

I find that most days I pace the house and try to stay busy. But, I actually don't ever complete anything.

I did make a framed holder for bows we got from the baby showers...

I like it, it's cute. But there is no home for it yet as Samara's room is still a disaster area and the mural is not complete.

...

Well, today we are off to the doctor to see if I am still at 4-5cm. Hoping for change, but not expecting any... We will see what happens after today...

Baby Shower, Swimming, and Other Things...

This last Sunday my good friends Beth and Arlene threw me a baby shower for Samara. I am just so thankful for all the people that came out, and sorry we missed the ones who couldn't make it (it's ok, we should get together later!)...

Nikolai and I went swimming on Monday in a blow-up pool that we bought last year (and hardly ever used) He is so cute and had so much fun!

I had a doctor appointment on Wednesday, and I have some news about that too! So... Here we go...

Tula Pink Quilt Along: Blocks 4, 5, & 6

I have reached a point where I cannot make it through the day if I do not nap with Nikolai, or at least that is how it feels. So that means my creative 'me' time has dwindled down to almost nothing. That is, unless I get lucky, and that happened yesterday.

Nikolai grabbed me and pulled me to the craft room. He said, "sew, mommy. I watch?" Too cute! I managed to get in block 4! Then Nikolai lost interest, decided to try to 'fix' my machine then we needed to leave the room. But, later, Brandon took Nikolai out in his big truck and I was able to work on blocks 5 & 6 while dinner was in the oven! Yay!

I am so glad that these blocks are so easy and fast to put together!

Block 4

I think that so far this (block 4) is one of my favorite blocks! I am pretty proud of the piecing too! :)

Block 5

Block 6

I was not too fond of this last one. I thought the red was too much, but the more I look at it, it isn't too bad. :)

Here is all 6 together so far!

Blocks 1-6

I wonder if I will be able to get caught up at all on any of the other blocks in the next few days... Since The Sew Along at SewSweetness  are on 10, 11, and 12 this week! Oh well... Potty Training sure is fun though! LOL!

In case you wanted to see my blocks 1-3, you can go here...

These blocks are a part of what I am doing with the TulaPink City Sampler Quilt Along!

Happy Sewing!

36 Weeks and 5 (now 6) Days...

Yesterday was the ultrasound appointment to determine if Samara is in the head down position! About 2.5 years ago, in November 2010,  I had to undergo an External Cephalic Version in order to turn Nikolai from a breeched position ( I talk about that here, here and the actual Version here). I have to say that once the wand was showing what was in the pelvic region I was extremely...

relieved!

Daddy and Nikolai pictures

I loved the pictures from the Mommy and Me shoot that Jenn Roberts did for us.  We did some with Brandon and Nikolai too. Just in time for Father's day. I love pictures!

And here are quite a few of them... I had such a hard time picking some out to share with you!

Announcing...

We have a name for Baby Girl!!!


Samara Elin

I like it!

It is pronounced suh-mahr-uh  ee-lynn

Receiving Blanket: Mitered Corners Tutorial

 

For Nikolai's baby shower, one of the best gifts I got was the receiving blankets from my friend Tiffany. They were the homemade kind from the snuggle flannel, and not to mention HUGE. Perfect for snuggling, perfect for swaddling, and we still use them! Since these last few weeks have been jam packed with baby showers, and I am back into my sewing (and enjoying it), I decided to make some.

 

But how to do the hem? I loved the look of the mitered corners that I did for the Robot Baby Quilt I thought how great that would be to do that for the hem on the receiving blankets? I am pretty proud of myself because I pretty much did not use any website to help me out with this, mostly because I couldn't find anything! Since I am super proud at how they turned out I figured I would share how I did the corners! :)

 

The size of fabric I used was enough to make a square. I got 1.25  yards and trimmed off the extra. I can use that later (wof=42" that gave me an extra 3"), hurrah for scraps! :)

 

How I Did My Mitered Corners

 

1.  I pressed the first quarter inch in around the whole blanket, then the amount that I wanted the hem to be. I was thinking about an inch, but for receiving blankets I think more blanket is better and did about 3/4 of an inch.

 

 

2. I think that makes this part so much easier! You can see the creases from pressing the hem in! I used that to my advantage (mostly because I was not sure about where to measure!

 

 Open up your hem and fold diagonally. I used my grid to help me make sure it is straight. Line up the 45 degree line on the crease, that was my guide of where to draw my line and sew.

Draw the line on the fabric using your marking pen, chalk, pencil (whatever you use). Remember not to sew over that 1/4 inch. If you do, that makes folding that part in a little difficult! ;)

 

3. Sew along your drawn line! I locked in the stitch near the quarter inch. I know that will be gone over with the hem stitch, but I think babies give a lot of wear and tear on these things (Nikolai is still using his 2 and a half years later!)

 

 

4. Cut off the excess! I cut off about 1/8 from the seam. It makes it less bulky.

 

I also trimmed a small corner where the point will be. Be careful not to cut the seam!

 

5. fold your pieces back in, press and pin. Then sew around your hem!

 

 

I have no pictures of the sewing part; the batteries to my camera died.

 

Sew as close to the inner edge as you can. I don't have a hem foot to help me with that so I just use the standard foot. But, you have to make sure that you are also sewing over your 1/4 inch. That is to keep the fraying down and the blanket from falling apart. :)

 

So easy! I had no idea it was so easy! I whipped up a couple so fast once I figured out how to do it! Yay me! I'm just excited! (can't you tell?)  ;) I am so proud of those corners!!

 

 

I hope the recipient likes them as much as Nikolai does! Perfect for swaddling! And I like the way they look tied up with selvage... Cute!

 

 

I can't wait to make some for baby girl! :)