Happy 1st Birthday: 12 things I couldn't live without these past 12 months

So yes I have taken a long pause from my blog. I've just been so busy! I've just been getting everything ready for my daughters very FIRST birthday! Oh and lets not forget that my only sister is getting married in just 2 short months!!! 

Where did the time go? 

I can't believe my daughter is a year already! I feel like she was just a little newborn only yesterday, making her little squeaking noises that her daddy and I use to joke about it sounding like the sink. All she would do is sleep! She would wake up, drink some yummy yummy breast milk and be OUT for what seemed like hours. She couldn't even move her head she was so little. :( And now she's running around the house, she eats food just like mommy does. She's talking. She hardly sleeps. She has 4 teeth that we know of. And she throws little tantrums when she's tired and cranky.

I just don't want her to grow up anymore. "Stay my little baby!" But then I would never get to see what great potential she has and what great she will do in this world.

Well anyways this past year has been such a blessing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELODY :) 

We love you so much! 

 30 October 2012 

30 October 2013 

(party the 2nd of Nov.) 

To celebrate our great year, here's:

12 things I couldn't live without these past 12 months. 

(Sorry in advance if it's a long read.) 

1) NURSING PADS

But being 100% real here, I lactate a lot! When Melody was born we had a few problems breastfeeding and so the hospital lactation consultant had me pump and bottle feed her after each feeding, just to get a little more food in her little belly. Which is what I think is to blame for my never ending need of breast pads. It has gotten better but at the beginning I use to have to switch out pads about 2-3 times a day. I thought it was such a waste of money so I tried the washable ones. It didn't work so well for me. They just give me an extra layer to leak through rather than absorb anything and I was having to change them almost every 30mins. But now I can go just about all day with the washables and I keep a some disposables in my bag just in case. 

2) MELODY'S LION

As Melody got older she would get in these moods where she absolutely hated being strapped into anything! Whether its her high chair, her walker, any kind of baby carrier, seriously just about anything. She just really likes to walk around and hates things that limit her mobility. So as you can imagine car rides are very challenging. Luckily, for her baptism she got this wonderful toy lion that plays music when you squeeze his hands or feet. It was just about the only thing that would calm her down long enough to put her in the car.  However more recently if he is not around she will settle for two other toys that play music as well. Needless to say, those toys we leave in the car to make sure they are never left behind. 

3) BROWN BEAR BROWN BEAR
Yes the book. It is Melody's favorite bedtime book when daddy stays late enough for bedtime. Probably mine too. For one simple reason, I read the "what do you see" part while her daddy will make a different sound for each and every animal in the voice of what her thinks they would sound like. Melody loves the different sounds, and mommy thinks it is just hilarious! 

4) BREAST MILK FREEZER BAGS & ICE BAG
So yeah I breast feed, and for the first several months of my little boogers life I was still working. So Breast milk freezer bags and a small ice bag I could fit in my purse was a must have! My by far favorite freezer bags are made by Lansinoh. They hold quite a bit of milk and have a two seals which I LOVE! No spills!!!

5) BREAST PUMP
Like I said I use to work and needed to pump but now I only use them every now and then in case I need to go out. I have two. Both are Medela I have an electric one and a manual one. I personal like the manual better but, when I worked, I would use the electric one when I was driving home. 

5) CLOTH DIAPERS & WIPES
I cloth diaper. So I have to have my cloth diapers and cloth wipes as a must! They are a little expensive but are worth every penny. Since my daughter could fit into them I have not spent money on any diapers or wipes. You end up saving money in the end.

6) WET BAG
Because as every cloth diaper mom knows, you have to have something to put the dirty diapers when you travel... I know some people use disposables when they are out but I didn't want Melody to get a rash from them, and I don't want to have them around as a fall back or I wouldn't be motivated to stay with cloth diapers.

7) NURSING COVER
I do breast feed in public but I don't like to expose myself. Just a personal choice. I know it is a natural thing to breastfeed and I'm not ashamed to do so but I just don't feel comfortable revealing my breast in public. especially since my daughter likes to pull off a lot to say "hi" and then go back to drinking. 
-she's such a booger :)

8) STEAMER, BLENDER, BABY FOOD FREEZER TRAY, FOOD TOGO CONTAINERS 
I homemade all of Melody's baby food since she started eating foods and all of these are a MUST! I know they make special products for making baby food but I didn't feel like I needed to buy a special steamer and blender all in one just for Melody's food when I already had a larger steamer and blender. Freezer trays to save extra made baby food to thaw later and togo containers, well, for carrying food togo.

10) MELODY'S BLANKET :(
I say this sadly because she had one blanket that was her favorite. It was so soft and when ever she was wrapped in it she would always sleep without a problem. It was like a miracle blanket! But sadly it is gone. I left it on a table at the GYM, called to make sure they still had it, and when I went for it they had no idea where it went. So we're looking to buy her a new one. :) 

11) BABY CARRIER
Now that Melody is older, she doesn't mind it when she is tired or if we are walking a lot so she can look around. It is such a relief to have for quick errands and outings. I always just leave it in the car. 

12) MY DIAPER BAG!!!
So while transitioning to full time mommy I realized I needed a practical diaper bag, unlike the stylish large purse looking bag my honey bought for me when I was pregnant. With the cloth diapers I needed to pack, the wetbag, toys, nursing cover, extra clothes, and anything I needed to take with me, my bag was a nightmare!!!! But with money short I lived with it the best I could. Until one glorious morning my bag had enough as well and the strap broke. :/ So I invest in what I think is with out a doubt the greatest bag for a cloth diapered, baby carrier, breast feed baby. The JuJuBe BFF Diaper Bag. I can fit 4 cloth diapers in just the side pockets, extra wipes, a spray bottle, her food, extra clothes, a blanket, the wetbag, a nursing cover, and toys and teethers just in just the big zippered pocket, which unzips and opens wipe for easy access, and then there is still extra room for other items I may need or extra diapers. It also has a front pocket for anything I need right away, and a pocket for my cell phone made with a nice fabric so it doesn't scratch. It has a shoulder strap and back pack straps with makes carrying the back and her in the carrier so easy... I LOVE IT!!!!

And there, that's my list. :) 

Hope you liked it. 

Addition to the Family!

SAY WHAT?!?!

Sorry to disappoint, but this is just a picture of Melody. 

But look how cute she was as a little lima bean!!! :)

While look thing through old photos I saw this picture, not going to lie it got me thinking about how I want more kids -yes plural- someday. And then I started thinking about big families and how they all seem to be religious in one way or another. Why is that? It's not like to be a part of the faith you must have X amount of children.

It's because it's what our bodies are made to do. And if you are unsure of what I'm talking about, someone needs to have "the talk" with you. It's biology people. In simple terms:

____ and ____

sitting in a tree,

K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

First comes love,

then comes marriage,

then comes baby in a baby carriage!

The number of children however is not a issue of faith at all. It's our society who feels the need to tell us to limit the children we have or "protect" ourselves from pregnancy as if it is a disease of some sort. But how can the natural process of life be a disease. Why can't our society except the fact that children are the result of something beautiful. Why do we have to be Catholic to have a large family. I remember awhile back reading on a site where a man was explaining this -forgive me I looked and looked and was unable to find it again to add a link- and while thinking about all of this a part of what he said popped into my head. 

He said something along the lines of: 

Yes the Catholic Church talks about the importance of large families. But if the Pope talked about the importance of music and I listened to Bach would you say it is because I'm Catholic and the Pope told me to? If I love my wife and find her beautiful and one thing leads to another, why should I have to explain?

And I just found that so perfect! So the way I see it, having a large family is not a careless way of life, you need to be protected from. It's not a Catholic way of life, in the since only Catholics should be having kids. It is a loving way of life. It's a reflection of the love you share as man and wife. A love that is so beautiful it has the capability of creating life!

Now women. You are beautiful and so beautifully made! 
Don't ever feel that pregnancy is a disease or a death sentence no matter your situation. We are so wonderfully blessed that we are capable of creating and sustaining growing and living human life in our wombs! If you ever feel like you can't go through with your pregnancy because of the persecution you fear from others, fiances, your situation, ANYTHING, know your not alone. They're people out there who can help you and be your support. If you want information on that I can get it for you. And pray! Pray to Mary the Mother of God. If anyone can understand motherhood and persecution it is her.

Men. My advice to you is short and sweet. It comes from something my daughters father once said. Be the men you would want for your daughters. 

Be that man to your mothers, to your girlfriends, and to your wives. And most of all teach that respect and love to all your children. Be a reflection of God. 

Gen 1:26-28 You were after all created in his image. 

Book ideas?

Reading books...
Not going to lie. I am in no way a book reader, or anything of the sort. If I have never seen a word in written form before I have NO IDEA how to pronounce it! That is how bad my reading is. But today during one of Melody's Naps I came across this show on MTV called Girl Code.

It's a show that has very diverse but very secular and vulgar women (and some men), giving advice and tips to very young women on life. BUT EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND SEX. It's just sad the advice they tell children. They may claim they aren't broadcasting for children but the particular episode I watched was information about getting your period. I'm sorry but WHAT?!?!? It's just completely unnecessary! What are we teaching our society?! Then the other day I was talking with my mom about scripture. She brought to my attention a verse where during the Crucifixion Jesus spoke about what I can only assume is our time. 

"Large numbers of people followed him, and women too, who mourned and lamented for him.

But Jesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children.
For look, the days are surely coming when people will say, "Blessed are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne children, the breasts that have never suckled!"
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"; to the hills, "Cover us!"
For if this is what is done to green wood, what will be done when the wood is dry?'"

Luke 23:27-31

We are in those times. Today people look to pregnancy in horror and motherhood as a curse. Our society has been brainwashed into thinking that if you get pregnant your life is OVER. And to most women, breastfeeding is just unthinkable and just repulsive. This is the world we live in and its just heart braking to see. 

Soooo... How does this involve books? 
Long story short.
I'm sick of what's on TV all the time. I want to start reading more. 
GIVE ME BOOK IDEAS!!! :D 
*Preferable nothing stupid like Harry Potter or Twilight. -Thanks 

The Cheerio Trick.

Let me start with this:
Melody is at this magical stage were everything she holds goes straight into her mouth. 

And I don't mean food. I mean EVERYTHING!

Because why not? Shoes are clearly edible. Brush? EDIBLE. Books? EDIBLE. Food? Edib.... 

Wait, but no. Food is the ONE thing this child will not put in her mouth! She is eating finger foods now and no matter what it is she will not eat it.  Fruits and vegetables she just swishes up in her hand and smears in her hair. She'll eat them if we feed them to her but that kind of defeats the purpose of "finger foods." Finally we gave her Cheerios. She likes them and can gets them in her mouth every now and then. 

But here's the catch...

...she likes the drop them on the floor. 

 So this is The Cheerio Trick. Yes it is messy but it gives me a few minutes to get things done. Melody loves to be held when she's not feeling to great. And right now she has new teeth swelling up her top gums. And this particular day Melly was all fussy when I needed to fold the clothes. And as you can imagine folding clothes with one hand is extremely tricky, I did try it before the Cheerio trick. Yes we do have a carrier, two actually, the Moby and a Baby Bojou or whatever it's called. (it's a hammy down and the letters are almost all gone) And of course, she hates them. When she's in her moods she hates ANYTHING that limits mobility, and will just scream and throw her back out. With that said I couldn't just put her in her walker. She screamed. So I put some Cheerios on the front to distract her. I don't exactly know what goes on in the minds of a baby, but I'm assuming when she saw them she just thought she was in Cheerio throwing heaven. Completely forgetting that Mommy wasn't holding her. Now don't get me wrong, I love my child more than anything else...

...but now I have this to clean.

Momma needs 
a break! :)

"This" Story: The Greatest First Post Ever!!!

Today is just laundry day at the house. And as much as I hate laundry day, Melody seems to love it. She'll try and climb the piles on the floor, she'll beat them with whatever toy she has that moment, she likes to mix up the piles mommy has made grabbing red shirts and throwing them in with the whites. Yikes! But by far the best thing she did was when I put her in her walker so I could go into the laundry room and put in the next load the washer. I walk back into the room and from what I can tell she has decided to ram each pile of clothes like a mad bull mixing EVERYTHING up! Shirts are with the towels, colors are all mixed up with the whites, her baby clothes are in the kitchen, there are reds in the living room. All this craziness while I was in the laundry room for a minute. While trying to resort everything I say "Melly what did you do?!" To which my barely talking 9month old says "THISSS!" In the cutest little lisped baby voice...

Oh my child what will become of you. :)