Wash With Water

Since having kids we are slowly working towards being a chemical free household, Starting with the boys skin care. Gage has super sensitive skin and has eczema on his face and legs so I needed a product that was not only chemical free but helped his eczema. In doing my research I stumbled upon Wash with Water.

All Wash with Water products are 100% vegan and cruelty free. Free of petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, synthetic colors, TEA, DEA, silicons, PEGS, dairy, egg, oat, lactoperoxidase, citrus seed extract, GMOs, triclosan, synthetic dyes. They also have an Eczema Bundle. SOLD!!!

Here is our new and improved, chemical free skin care routine.....

For Gage, We use the Barenaked Baby Doll line to wash him with. We use The Shampoo and Body Wash the most but we also love the 2 in 1 Newborn Foam and Shampoo and Body Bar especially when we are on the go or in a rush. This line is scent free and leaves his skin silky and not dry like most soaps.

After his bath we use A Star Is Born Massage Cream which is also unscented. This stuff is amazing! It leaves his skin so soft and smooth. No lotion I have used has felt like this stuff. We use this on his skin morning and night to help combat his eczema.

I'm a sucker for a good smelling baby after their bath, its my favorite part of the whole process! So since those products are all unscented, I give Gage a nice spritz all over with 3 in 1 Triple Crown Spray. If I had a favorite product, this would be it. It smells amazing and makes his skin and hair feel so soft. I would be lying if I said I didn't sneak some for myself sometimes. I also love to use this spray after a long day in the sun. So refreshing!

 

 

 

For Ryder, we use Sweetpea and Me Shampoo and Body Wash or Yummy Tubby Shampoo and Body Wash. They both have a light, yummy scent and leave the skin nice and soft without drying effects. We then use A Star Is Born Unscented Lotion which isn't as thick as the massage cream but is just as great. If I can't get him to sit still long enough to apply lotion, its the Triple Crown Spray to the rescue!

 

 

Gage's eczema has greatly improved since using these products and is getting close to being almost gone completely! I love that this skin care line actually works while being chemical free. A must have for babies and kids!!

Want to update your kids skin care routine?? Get 20% off your Wash With Water order using code 'mama' at checkout! Code expires July 15th. Happy Shopping everyone!

Breakfast With Nuby

 

 

 

 

Ryder is a typical 3 year old picky eater. Sometimes he is just to busy to sit down and eat meals, whether he likes it or not. So I am always looking for ways to help him eat better and finish his food. Enter  the Nuby iMonster Toddler Plate. Ryder absolutely loves this plate and asks for it on a daily basis. Breakfast is the hardest meal for Ryder to finish, the kid won't even eat pancakes or waffles sometimes! So I always serve it on the Monster plate and he takes "Monster Bites" until it's all gone and the monster is revealed.   

 

 

 

 

Nuby iMonster Toddler Plate

 

- 18 Months +

- Easy Grip Handles

- Feeding is fun for baby and easy for you!

-Fun character keeps baby interested in feeding

-Ideal for children who are beginning to feed themselves

- BPA FREE

 

Available at these Retailers

 

JC Penney

Buy Buy Baby

 Amazon

Diapers.com

CookiesKids.com

BuyBabyDirect.com

Kohls

 

I received this product as a part of the Nuby Parent Blogger program. However, all opinions are my own.

Gage's Birthday

We had a great day yesterday filled with all things Gage! It was pretty laid back since we're having a little party for him this weekend, but he had a blast! 

His favorite part of his birthday was carrying around a balloon all day, eating all his favorite foods and of course all his presents which Ryder helped him open. Gage wasn't sure about sharing at first and I heard this all day "happy birthday bam bam don't bite!" "Share bam bam okay my birthday too"  and "don't cry bam it's your birthday. Mom all he does is cry"

I still can't believe this past year has gone by so fast, I remember his birth like it was yesterday! We are so excited to watch you grow up Gage, happy birthday we love you!

Gage Turns ONE

Oh my baby Gage. 1 year ago tomorrow, you made your quick entrance into this world and it was definitely love at first sight. You are spunky and full of sass, Your personality is as fiery as that red hair and that sweet smile will melt anyone's heart.

 

At 1 year old you love daddy, your brother and the dog. But when you're tired or upset you love your mama the most. You take about 6 steps before you sit down but you are getting braver by the day. You are fearless and give me new grey hair on the daily. You love to eat everything, anything and all day long. Your favorite foods are vegetables for sure but you can down an ice cream cone faster than anyone I've seen.

 

You still take 2 naps a day but still get up once or twice a night to eat. Your favorite things are balls, balloons, cars, animals and water. You can say Dada, dog, ball, nana, mama and lots of jibberish. You hate getting your diaper changed or getting dressed, getting out of the bath, being told no, and watching people eat and them not sharing. Also making you sit still is a form of torture.

 

You are a complete opposite of your brother and we love watching you two become best friends! Ryder always makes sure you are taken care of whether its helping you off the fireplace or digging rocks out of your mouth. The bond between you two is irreplaceable.

 

Gage, we have loved watching you grow up the past 12 months and we adore you more than you'll ever know! Happy First Birthday sweet baby boy, we love you!

 

 

 

 

Our Breastfeeding Journey

It's almost been 12 months since our sweet baby Gage entered this world And for a whole year, my body has nourished his. 

Although it wasn't always easy I am so proud that I have reached my goal of breastfeeding for a year, an experience I didn't get with Ryder. And to be honest, weaning him is going to be hard for both of us.

With Gage being our second baby, I felt a little more experienced as to what I needed to do to make breastfeeding successful this time around. Gage's birth was a really quick one and the first thing I requested was plenty of time for skin to skin contact and breastfeeding. I didn't rush to get him wrapped up to show family {like I did with Ryder} and after about 30 minutes of uninterrupted skin to skin he latched on his own. 

Gage continued to nurse really well but only on the left side. The lactation consultant at the hospital recommended using a nipple shield on the right side, which worked until he got so used to it that he wouldn't latch on the left side without it. Fast forward a few days later and I found myself with a huge over supply and a baby who would no longer latch thanks to the nipple shield. Since I had such a bad over supply I started pumping in between feedings, which actually made my over supply worse. When I researched breastfeeding while I was pregnant with Gage, I made sure I learned all about how to increase your milk supply and how to know if your milk is enough. I never thought I'd have an oversupply of milk! 

For a whole month, I gave up nursing all together. I pumped every two hours and fed It to Gage in a bottle and stocked up my freezer stash. I felt like a prisoner to that stupid breast pump. I would pump all hours of the night and constantly felt engorged thanks to my oversupply. One day I was done. I was just done being hooked up to that annoying breast pump. I packed it in a box and told myself that my body is capable of nursing him and to give it another go. I knew that if I could just get him to latch and not use the pump then my oversupply should level out. Surprisingly after a whole month of not nursing he latched. It took a little time and practice but he got the hang of it. I was so engorged for days and had a few bouts of mastitis, but my oversupply leveled out. I learned that inserting items {the nipple shield and pump in my case} is not always necessary. 

Fast forward a year and we are still going strong breastfeeding. 

 I know Gage isn't quite ready to be weaned yet, but as we slowly start nearing the end I can't help but feel emotional. The thought of him not needing me as much and having those bonding moments make my heart ache. At the same time I'm feeling excited to have my body back and to be able to leave him with family without worrying about feeding him. Bittersweet for sure. 

I just wish I would have been more informed about other issues that arise with breastfeeding other than the most common under supply. When Gage was 5 months old I attended an intermediate breastfeeding class taught by Lindsey Shipley with Lactation Link who is a board certified Lactation Consultant. The class addressed issues such as oversupply, starting solids while breastfeeding, biting, weaning etc. I learned so much from that class and I wish I would have taken her beginners class before I gave birth. I am so passionate about what Lindsey teaches and she has kindly offered a 10% discount to my readers for any July or August class. She does online classes as well as home visits and offers a variety of subjects such as beginners, intermediate and returning to work while breastfeeding. Use code MAMA at checkout but hurry, it's only good for 24 hours! Check Lindsey out on Instagram and Facebook for breastfeeding tips and advice. 

Our Weekend

Wow what a busy few days! Tyson had a 4 day weekend and we made sure we took full advantage of him being home. We had something planned everyday and I'm pretty sure the word "schedule" won't be in our summer vocabulary, including sleep schedule!

The boys favorite part of the morning living out here, is watching the tractors go by. We live smack dab in the middle of cherry trees and they love it. 

Our weekend started out with poor little Ryder waking up with the stomach bug. He woke up and his skin was green so I was atleast prepared for the puke I knew was coming. Give me all the snot and coughs in the world, but for love of everything holy - no puke. Nothing gives me greater anxiety than a kid with the throw ups. Thankfully after he took a long nap he woke up just fine. 

We spent most of the weekend outdoors, watching a rodeo and fire works, playing in the water, fishing and taking late night walks. I'm pretty sure the earliest the boys when to bed over the weekend was 10pm which is way late for them. That's a sure sign it's summer!

Gage also had his 1 year pictures Saturday morning. Here are some sneak peeks I got back. My heart just about burst. This little guy is a complete opposite of his brother and dug right into that cake. He also wore the same outfit that Ryder did during his smash cake session so I can't wait to compare them. 

We spent a lot of time at our house this weekend as well. You guys, they are flying on the building process! We hope this is the case throughout the rest of the building and we can move in sooner than expected. 

And last but not least, happy anniversary to me and this guy! 8 years, 2 babies and a ton of amazing memories! Here's to many more years