23 Weeks

How far along: 23 Weeks

Gender: Boy!!

Weight gain: Not sure. I don't think I want to know!

Maternity clothes: Maternity leggings and maxi skirts

Stretch marks: No.

Belly button in or out: it's starting to get flat. I'm sure it's not long until its out!

Sleep: Not very good. My ribs are killing me so I basically have to sleep sitting up

Best moment this week: Lots and lots of movement!

Worst moment this week: I'm starting to get hip and lower back pain. The waddle might come early this time around

Miss anything: Cups and cups of coffee.

Movement:  Lots of it. Tyson has been able to feel him too

Cravings:  Toast with strawberry and apple jam. Weird! And anything sweet

Queasy or sick: Starting to get bad heartburn

Looking forward to: Enjoying warm weather without being too uncomfortable yet

Cookie dough Oreos = pregnant girl dream!! However, I'm pretty sure I got diabetes after my first cookie. I'm patiently waiting for the SIX boxes of Girl Scout cookies that I ordered to arrive. 

Life Lately

Well what can I say, life has been crazy busy lately. We are still trying to sell our house, trying to get Ryder's room and the nursery started, spring cleaning and my husband has been traveling and working like a mad man. All while I am starting to get big and pregnant while taking care of the toddler tornado all by myself. Can you say exhausted? The good news - the weather has been amazing around here lately. So we have been able to relieve some stress and play in the sun.

 

                                           Just like daddy!

 

You know it's been a rough day when you get dinner at Jimmy Johns in mis-matched Jammies and moccasins. You don't even want to know what I looked like. Hot mess express.

You would think that all this playing would wear Ryder out...nope! We are still on nap strike over here. But we are surviving with lots of cuddles and bed time being at 7pm. I mean, how can I get frustrated with this smile?? This is his 'try all you want, I'm still not napping' face.

I think Cash is needing a little break himself. He even hides out in Ryder's teepee, but he always finds him.

We are just taking things day by day until the husband is not so busy. Until then, wish us luck with bottle weaning, transitioning Ryder out of his crib, and just getting showered and dressed for the day! 

Baby #2 Must Haves {Part One}

Since I found out I was pregnant, I've been thinking about all the things I want to do differently this time around. Obviously with your first baby you are kind of clueless and just have to roll with the punches. This time I know what to expect and I have a better idea of what things I need and don't need. Here is a list of products that I plan to get with baby #2.

 
1. 4moms RockaRo I have heard nothing but amazing things about this new swing. We bought a swing when I had Ryder but it really wasn't meant for newborns and he hated it. I spent long nights swinging him back and forth vigorously in my arms and a good swing would have saved me some sanity. I am trying to decide between the MamaRoo and the RockaRoo.

2. Born Free Tru Temp Bottle Warmer How did I not know these existed?? I exclusively pumped for a long time and every one knows how fun it is taking time to warm breast milk with a screaming baby. This warms milk in 3 minutes without losing nourishment or burning the milk. It also warms formula, baby food and sterilizes pacifiers.

3. Boon Grass Drying Rack I have heard other moms rave about this drying rack and I'm really excited to try it out. We use the Doctor Brown bottles and this will be perfect with all the little parts the bottle has. 

4. Summer Infant Secure Sight Extra Camera This is the monitor we use with Ryder and we love it. So all we have to do is buy an extra camera and I will be able to see both kids on the same monitor. And It has really great picture even at night.

5. Aden and Anais Bamboo Swaddle Blankets I didn't buy any of these when we had Ryder because of the price but I really wish I had. Ryder was born in the summer and all the other Swaddle blankets I had were way too hot for him and he also grew out of them so fast. These are really big and lightweight , perfect for our upcoming June baby. I hear these are great as nursing covers and for tummy time too.

As you can see I went a little overboard with the swaddlers, but look how cute the prints are! My favorite are the bamboo ones, they are so so soft.

6. Honest Company Shampoo and Body Wash I just recently started using this on Ryder and love it! I wish I would have had this for his dry, sensitive newborn skin. It is all natural with no chemicals and smells great.

There are also a few things I found out that I purchased that was totally unnecessary when I had Ryder. 

-Diaper wipe warmer: I told Tyson that I obsolutely needed one of these and I ended up taking it back to the store.

-Baby shoes: I bought a ton of baby shoes that I never ever used. They were really cute but they didn't stay on his feet and were very useless.

-10,000 binkys: I stocked up on every brand and type of binky out there. I seriously have zip lock bags full of them. Ryder hated them from day 1 and we never used them. Even if this baby takes a binky I will only need a few, obviously.

Do you guys have any baby products that you swear by?? I am still on the hunt for a double stroller, a good baby bath and a few other things so keep an eye out for part 2. Happy Friday Eve!

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you all had a great day with your loved ones and ate all sorts of goodies. My hubby actually had the day off today and Ryder slept in until 8:30. It was SO nice to sleep in a little especially since we have been having sleep issues. 

"I Love You A Latte Card"

For breakfast I made these Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed PancakesThey were SO delicious! However, they did not turn out pretty like the pic below. I didn't even bother taking pictures of them. My hubby looked a little worried when I set down his plate, but both him and Ryder scarfed them down. 

Ryder loved waking up to balloons and a bag full of goodies. We got him 2 books-  "Happy Valentines Day Little Critter" and "The Night Before Valentines Day" and  some Melissa and Doug Animal Fridge Magnets.

And this mama got spoiled with a new iPad mini! Tyson sent me on a scavenger hunt and everything. I definitely feel loved. 

Since Tyson has been working so many hours lately, I told him to pick something he wanted to do on his day off. So after we got ready for the day, we headed to the Hunting Expo. Ryder loved seeing all the animals and called everything a deer.

The rest of the day we napped and relaxed. It was the perfect Valentines Day. I hope your day was as good as mine! Happy Valentines Day 

Magnolia Lettering

I hope everyone is having a great vday week despite this crazy weather, and boy do I have the best mid-love-week pick me up for you! Let me introduce you to one of my new favorite Etsy Shops, Magnolia Lettering by Rachel. Her shop is all about artwork and design with stationary, cards, digital prints, wedding invites and much more. She even can help you with fundraising for adoption.  These "I love you a latte" cards are hand painted {Yes, you read that right, painted by HAND} and are perfect for not only Valentines Day, but for any occasion! I love how thick and high quality the card itself is, as well as the cute little envelope it comes with. You better believe this will be sitting next to my hubby's cup of coffee Valentines Day morning. I will also be handing some of these out to family and friends with a nice Starbucks gift card. Who wouldn't love it??  

Rachel can also design custom prints like these designs that she made for Ryder's big boy room and the new baby's nursery. Do you remember Ryder's Room Inspiration Post? How perfect is the deer print?? Make sure you keep an eye out, you will see these put to good use in my room reveal posts! 

 

I am also eyeing this Personalized Wooden Frame and Chalkboard Hospital Door Hanger from her shop. Swoon!! If only we had a name picked out for this baby.


Here are just a few more items from her shop that I love

Take some time and head on over to Magnolia Lettering and meet Rachel! Happy Hump day.

Favorite Hair Products

I have a serious problem with buying hair products. I am a licensed Cosmetologist so its only natural that I have 200 hair products on my shelf.....right?? I have compiled a list of my favorites to share with you. I also included a few that I love for my hubby and Ryder.{And I may have even included a list for the dog....}

Let me start by talking about the first three products that I have listed. They are apart of the Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Hair Line. However, I do think that these are great products for any hair color. They are sulfate free and have Keratin in them so they are really gentle and moisture rich. Amazing product for anyone!

1. Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair This is a leave in conditioner that you spray on your hair while damp. It is awesome at detangling and I totally notice a difference when I use it. 

2. Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Shampoo My favorite part about this Shampoo is that it has a light purple tint to it. So it helps keep my blonde hair looking fresh and pale instead of brassy and dull. It is Sulfate free so it is really gentle on highly bleached hair. But like I said, any hair color can use this.

3. Paul Mitchell Keractive Forever Blonde Conditioner This also has a light purple tint to it and contains Keratin which helps restore moisture to your hair. My hair feels completely different after using it. This is my favorite Conditioner of all time.

4. Its a 10 Miracle Deep Conditioner plus Keratin I use this deep conditioner once a week. I put it on in the shower and put a cap on it for about 5 minutes then rinse it out. The more I continue to use it the more healthy my hair is becoming. Everyone should go check out the "Its a 10" Hair line. Every single one of their products is amazing.

5. Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray I have been using this hairspray for years and it is defintely my favorite. It has great hold with amazing shine but it also does not dry out my hair, like a lot of hairsprays do.

6. MoroccanOil Hydrating Styling Cream This is such an amazing product for any hair type. You apply it to damp hair then blow dry. My hair is really frizzy and thick and this leaves my hair soft, shiny and manageable. It also reduces drying time. It is a little pricey but totally worth it.

7. Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Styling Oil I love this oil because you can use it so many different ways. You can use it on damp hair to add moisture and help protect during drying, you can use it before using hot tools to protect it from the heat and adding shine, and you can also use it after your hair is styled to smooth your ends. Right now my favorite way to use it is right before I flat iron or curl my hair as a heat protectant. I think it is very comparable to the MoroccanOil Hair Treatment for a lot less money.

8. Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream This is another product that I have been using for years and continue to love. It is a smoothing cream that you apply after you have styled your hair. It smells amazing and does its job wonderfully.

9. Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo This is a must have for any blonde out there. It is a bright purple shampoo that I use once a week to brighten my blonde hair. When I use this in addition to my blonde daily shampoo my hair is never brassy or dull.

10. Healthy Sexy Hair Tri Wheat Leave in Conditioner This is another one of my favorite leave in conditioners. It detangles and is very moisturizing.

11. Paul Mitchell Extra Body Daily Boost Root Lifter I love this root lifter because it is a light spray instead of a thick mousse. So I dont feel like it is sticky and still gives my roots a great boost.

For Ryder's hair I use

2. Paul Mitchell Baby Dont Cry Shampoo it is tearless, gentle, moisturizing and smells amazing! 

For styling I use 

1. Healthy Sexy Hair Soy and Cocoa Paste I love it because it is a paste so it has a more manageable finish instead of a thick gel that has a hard, dry finish. It is gentle and has a great hold. It is great for styling mohawks or smoothing longer hair.  

To all you boy mama's out there what do you think about me doing a post on how to cut a little boy's hair??

My Husband uses

1. Paul Mitchell Double Hitter Sulfate Free 2-1 Shampoo and Conditioner

2. Bed Head Men Power Play Gel

3. American Crew Precision Shave Gel

4. American Crew Post Shave Cooling Lotion

Okay, so this is kind of weird but I totally use professional products on Cash...our dog. But they really do a great job! He isn't itchy, dry, flaky or have any hot spots. And he is so soft and shiny.

1. John Paul Pet Tea Tree Treatment Shampoo

2. John Paul Pet Oatmeal Conditioning Spray

I hope you find this HUGE list somewhat helpful! Now run out and snag some of these for your whole family. Happy Sytling!

Sleep.

Well my friends, we have officially hit a sleep road block. And I officially want to pull out my hair. When Ryder was a newborn he was a rock star sleeper. He hardly ever got up at night and slept most of the day. And then he hit 4 months old. He not only stopped sleeping through the night he also completely stopped napping. How does a 4 month old not nap?? We struggled for a few months, and I mean REALLY struggled! Then one day he just magically started back on a normal nap and bedtime routine and it was blissful! As he got older he kept to a 2 nap schedule and bedtime at 7pm awake at 7:30-8:00 am. AMAZING right?? Then he turned a year old and went to one really long nap a day. Then he turned 18-19 months old, and he decided sleep is for the birds.

At first, the no nap situation was really hard but bearable because he would go to bed early and sleep in late. But now this is how our day goes....

Up at 6am {which is SO early for him}

Attempt nap time after lunch between noon and 1:00. Which is a total fail. 

Try to survive until bedtime at 7pm. By dinner time he is usually exhausted, grumpy and done for the day. {I was putting away the dishes when Ryder snuck a knife from the dishwasher, I'm pretty sure he had plans to stab me with it}

7pm we start our bedtime routine and he is out right as his head hits the pillow. 

11-midnight {usually whenever I FINALLY fall asleep} he wakes up screaming. I'm guessing he is just overly tired. I rock him until he finally falls asleep. I'm lucky if he doesn't get up a second time. 

Then up again bright and early at 6am. 

NOT OKAY!! 

I am hoping this is just another sleep regression that I know is normal in kids. I can handle it for now, but I'm hoping this passes by time the new baby comes or else this mama might turn into a zombie. 

I have actually broken down and bought a Healthy Sleep Habits book. I haven't started it yet but it has awesome reviews and I know a few people who swear by it.

And this is officially our new bedtime book. I read it with tears streaming down my face. 

{totally kidding}

Happy sleeping everyone!!

My Little Valentine

A few weeks ago I took Ryder to get his vday pictures done. My photographer had the cutest set up in a park and even though it was freezing and all Ryder wanted to do was chase the birds, she was able to catch his personality and his sweet smile. I love how they turned out and my heart skips a beat every time I look at them.

Who says Valentines Day isn't fun when you have a boy??

Photo's taken by Photography By KClark

20 Weeks

How far along: 20 Weeks

Gender: Boy!!

Weight gain: I will find out at my appointment later this week. 

Maternity clothes: Maternity leggings. But Old Navy has some cute maxi dresses I'm dying to order.

Stretch marks: No.

Belly button in or out: it's starting to get flat. I'm sure it's not long until its out!

Sleep: Not very good. I have been getting restless legs that are keeping me up all night.

Best moment this week: Feeling more movement!

Worst moment this week: I have no energy what so ever.

Miss anything: Cups and cups of coffee.

Movement:  I am starting to feel lots of kicks on the inside and a few I can feel on my belly. Tyson hasn't been able to feel him yet so I'm looking forward to that.

Cravings:  Anything salty/vinegary, cereal, orange juice and toast, cold stone ice cream.

Queasy or sick: Feeling good! 

Looking forward to: Getting another ultrasound next week.

Happy February!

Well people, we have officially survived January! Barely. Spring is only 47 days away, and yes we are counting down. I love February! Maybe it's because Valentines Day is one of my favorite holidays. We started the month off right with vday Jammie's and heart shaped toast and fruit for breakfast. Which Ryder scarfed down faster than I could take a picture. 

February is going to be a busy month for us. I have a HUGE to do list to get done before the baby gets here and I want to do most of it before I get too huge and pregnant. The goals for this month are to get Ryder in his big boy room and out of the crib, get all my spring cleaning done, start on the nursery, and get Ryder weaned off the bottle {yes, I know this is a big one! Stay tuned for a post about this} 

I hope you all are having a great start to February and have lots of fun Superbowl plans! Go Broncos!