My experience with mastitis

This is going to be one of those TMI posts. It is TMI for me anyway.  Probably because I am a prude and I feel like anything to do with body parts should be private. At least where my body is concerned. You can do what you want with yours. Anyway, I found out last week that I had an infection called mastitis which is an infection of the breast tissue that results in pain, swelling and flu like symptoms. It is a very painful and a very physically draining infection.

It started Sunday night when I noticed that only half of my right breast was draining. Leaving the other side to take on the consistency of a boulder. When I googled it and found out I likely had a plugged duct, I started trying everything to get it to drain. Dakota was already in bed so I started by using a warm wash cloth, pumped, took a hot shower, pumped and still nothing. Finally, I went to bed and when Dakota woke up a few hours later to eat, it finally drained. When I woke up Monday morning, I thought I was good to go since it had drained, but as the morning wore on, I started to feel worse and worse. I started to feel like I had the flu. My body hurt all over, I felt heavy, I felt sick to my stomach and so extremely tired. 

I went to the doctor who prescribed antibiotics that I may of been allergic to because they were in the family penicillin that I am for sure allergic to. She also said I shouldn’t start them unless I had to because I could get Dakota really sick when she eats or I could have an allergic reaction. Wonderful. By Thursday, I still felt terrible. Something as simple as taking a quick shower had me completely worn out. Plus I had been home all week alone because my husband was out of town. Luckily, my friend and neighbor helped me and cooked dinner for me a few times. Thursday I decided to start the antibiotics and started to feel better. I was afraid to feed Dakota any of the breast milk. We tried two different formulas that she refused to take and finally I gave in and tried whole milk. She did have some breast milk, once Thursday night and once Saturday morning. She got a diaper rash that refused to go away and is still faintly there. The doctor says it is from some of the antibiotic getting into her system. 

We went to her doctor yesterday to do a blood test for anemia. She showed no signs of anemia so we have the green light to stay on whole milk. I will probably try one more formula after Christmas since they have a more balanced vitamin option. For now, she is on whole milk and will get a vitamin with an iron supplement per the doctor’s suggestion. 

As for me, I still feel really tired and I am still taking antibiotics. It will take some time for me to get back to feeling normal but I feel like I am on the road to that. Breast feeding is about at an end. I will miss the bond you feel when you feed your baby, but I am thankful for the time I was able to do it. Dakota is almost nine  months now. She only had breast milk up until last week and that is better than a lot of moms are able to do. I am thinking positive thoughts about the benefits of stopping breastfeeding. One being that I can start wearing a normal bra soon and two being that I never had to worry about her biting me with those sharp little teeth they get since we are still waiting on her first tooth to come in. All in all, it was a rough week for us both with big changes. We were very happy for her daddy to come home and have been working on getting everything back to as much normal as possible. I am looking forward to finishing the antibiotics in a few days and hopefully will not experience any more problems from the infection. God willing! 

I suggest reading more about mastitis if you are considering breastfeeding or are already breastfeeding. It is most likely to happen in the first few weeks of your child being born but it happened to me even though there is a very small percentage of women who develop the infection after their baby is older than six months of age. I would also recommend researching the antibiotic given to you if you develop mastitis. Even though the doctor assured me that the antibiotic was most likely safe for Dakota, I still waited longer than I should have to start it out of fear of getting her sick and I kept her from nursing as well. The few times I did allow her to nurse caused her to develop a really bad diaper rash. That is small scale compared to the other side effects she could of experienced. The most important thing to do if you develop mastitis is to rest as much as possible. I had to take an entire week off of work and I still don't feel 100% better. 

Bedtime Battlefield

I really thought Jonathan and I had it made as parents. Once Dakota got out of the newborn stage, she started sleeping like a champ. For around two months, she slept through the night. It was amazing. Then reality hit us hard. She stopped. For no reason that we could really figure out. We tried EVERYTHING to get her back into that routine. We started being very strict on bedtime, and the routine before bedtime. We tried things like lavender scented bath soaps and lotions. We bought a sleep serenity wall plug. We were strict on her putting herself to sleep for naps and bedtime, thinking if she could do that then the middle of the night wake ups wouldn’t be so bad. She was getting up two or three times a night for an hour or more at a time. 

We tried evaluating everything, what had really changed? Was is sleep regression? Was it because she was learning to sit up, to crawl, to stand? She would try to go back to sleep but she just couldn’t. Even when we tried to help her. I would breastfeed her two or three times a night, even though the doctor told me she wasn’t waking up because she was hungry. Anything to keep her from staying up so long. It worked for a little while but then she started staying up after being fed. Laying in our bed didn’t help, rocking her didn’t help, rubbing her back worked sporadically but then she would wake up after twenty minutes and we started over. We couldn’t really let her cry it out. She didn’t prefer any stuffed animals. What was left? 

Then two nights ago my husband had an idea. From the day Dakota came home, she slept in a Graco Travel Lite Crib with Stages. I should of thought about that! I had loved it! I didn’t want her in her own room immediately so this little bassinet stayed right by my bedside from the night we brought her home. When we moved, we were planning to buy a house within a month so we rented a small one bedroom and we moved her to the big pack and play instead of the crib, which left me able to take the travel crib to work. She slept great in the pack in play for a few weeks, once that stopped we tried the crib. Same problem. Awake every few hours for at least an hour at a time. Jonathan said for us to just try the travel crib. ANYTHING to sleep better than the three hours we had the night before. So we did. Night one, she slept 8:30 p.m. to 6:15 a.m. She didn’t wake up once. Night two, she slept 8:00 p.m. to 4:50 a.m., woke up once in the middle of the night for her pacifier. Those two nights were great! Did we find our sleep solution? I don’t know but I hope so. If not, then it won’t be much different than the past three months. If so, then at some point we have to start the transition to her crib all over again.

If you have any tips on how your child transitioned to the crib please feel free to share them! Dakota was in hers for two months and it wasn’t going well, I am curious how long it took everyone else! 

The Liebster Award

I have been nominated for The Liebster Award!

I was nominated for The Liebster Award by Sinziana from the blog: http://sparklingshoesgirl.wordpress.com

Thank you Sinziana!

A Liebster Award is for the new/smaller blogs that  do not have more than 200 followers or subscribers. Also this is an oportunity to get noticed and meet other bloggers.

The 6 Rules of the Liebster Award:

1. Acknowledge the blog who nominated you and display the Award
2. Answer 11 questions that the bloggers give to you
3. Give 11 random facts about you
4. Nominate 11 blogs (under 200 followers) for this award
5. Let the bloggers know you have nominated them
6. Give them 11 questions to answer

Sinziana’s 11 questions for me to answer:

1. What is your favorite topic to write about?

I love to write about my family.

2. What kind of free stuff do you like to offer to your readers?

Advice :) Sorry I am not cool enough to have goodies yet! lol

3. What is your favorite color and where do you use it?

Red. I use it wherever I can. My SUV is red, my husbands truck is red, my old kitchen was red….

4. What are your favorite 3 Christmas movies?

Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, To Grandmas House we go and can Frozen count? lol

5. If you could change something in your life, what will you change and why?

I would change how I let peoples’ opinions get to me because their thoughts don’t change anything in my life so it shouldn't effect my happiness.

6. What is your favorite magazine?

I don’t have a favorite, I am not really a magazine person.

7. Name 3 bloggers that inspire you- and their websites. 

http://www.thisbananaslife.com

http://www.lifeafteridew.com

http://www.lifemotherhoodhappinessonline.com

8. What Social Media platform do you prefer?

Facebook

9. What is your dress style?

I love the maxi dresses, anything floor length and comfortable!

10. List 3 things that you would love to do but you don’t have the time right now.

Write. Relax. Volunteer. 

11. What do you prefer to have at dinner?

Flautas :)

Now 11 fun facts about me

1. I love to read and re-read books that I like. I have read the twilight books somewhere around 15 times.
2. I did not learn to cook until I was 22, since then, my husband has gained a good 20 pounds…maybe even 30. He used to be really hungry looking lol
3. If I had more room and more time, I would have a lot more than 3 dogs. I want to rescue all of them. 
4. I also would love to own a zoo.
5. I used to want to have 6 children… after having one, I think I will be considering a more reasonable number
6. I say things like, “I am happy as a pickle in a jar!” and it makes total sense to me but not to anyone else
7. My fix for a bad mood is dutch chocolate ice cream from Blue Bell and an episode of Friends.
8. Sometimes I talk with a British accent… for no good reason
9. I also like to tell people it is my birthday when it is not my birthday…also for no good reason
10. I knew I was going to marry my husband on the first date. My sister thought I was completely insane but when you know, you just know.
11. Most importantly, my daughter is absolutely everything to me. I love her more than words can describe. I think everything she does is funny, amazing or adorable. I strive to be the best mom, the best person, the best at whatever she needs so I can give her the best life. 

My nominated websites are:

http://www.thisbananaslife.com

http://www.lifemotherhoodhappinessonline.com

http://momwithstyle.com

http://www.witandwander.org

http://www.upcloseandcaffeinated.wordpress.com

http://www.aliciainwonderlandblog.com

http://www.catloo.wix.com/brandnewmom

http://www.bmphotographytx.blogspot.com

http://www.witandspitup.com

http://www.theyellowscarfmom.com

http://www.momdevo.blogspot.com

And finally my 11 questions for my nominated authors:

1. How do you stay inspired to keep posting?
2. What is your favorite topic to write about?
3. What is your favorite book or series?
4. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be and why?
5. Name three bloggers that inspire you and their websites.
6. What type of music do you prefer?
7. If you could buy anything in the world,money is not a problem, what would it be and why?
8. What kind of free stuff do you offer your readers?
9. What are your three favorite movies?
10. If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be?
11. What is your biggest irrational fear?

All done! Please follow the Rules listed above and keep this going! 

Dakota's First Halloween!

This is a little late to post since it is December already BUT it is necessary because I would like for Dakota (and any future children) to be able to come here to read about their lives and how much I loved and enjoyed them. 

My precious girl was a peacock for Halloween. I started looking for birthday theme ideas for her really early. I was torn between a peacock theme and another theme (I’m saving that for another post-sorry!) Anyway, I wasn't crazy about the peacock theme for the party, just the outfit was catching my eye. My sister in law suggested that if I liked the other theme better, to dress her up as a peacock for Halloween so I can get the best of both worlds. So the idea was born. I searched for about a month on Etsy for a great costume. Dakota’s first Halloween had to be epic of course. Long story short, I couldn’t find one but my friend volunteered to help me make it. Lori sewed the body suit and glued the headpiece while I cut the tulle and tied the tutu. I am not exactly crafty so I was assigned the simple job! The costume was a huge success. I absolutely LOVE it!!

Two weeks before Halloween, we went up to Lake Conroe where I did a few pictures of her costume. She didn’t really cooperate but luckily I was able to get a few cute pictures.

Halloween came quickly. My husband, Dakota and I went with Lori and her husband up to Llano where we met up with her daughter Calie and her family. We went to a Trunk or Treat at Calie’s church. It was so nice to do it that way! It was much easier carrying Dakota down the row of cars instead of from door to door. We also were able to pass out candy and Dakota LOVED watching all the kids go by. She would laugh and smile at them. Everyone loved her costume. 

I did have some complaints as a mom. I know that Halloween is also a scary costume day as well but I felt so bad for the little kids who were scared of some of the bigger ones dressed as zombies and scary clowns. I am not looking forward to that next year when Dakota will be more aware of things like that. Not gonna lie, I was a little scared of those guys/girls too. I hate scary things lol.

That night, we stayed at the Sellers’ Lake House on Lake Buchanan and we really liked it there too! It has a beautiful view and is such a comfortable place to stay. Next time we go back, I will take pictures to post with a link to where to rent it! 

We really enjoyed Dakota’s first Halloween. I can’t wait to see what next year’s costume will be… I already have a few ideas!

She loved the pumpkin patch, after a while lol

I love my girl so much!

It is necessary for her to stick her tongue out constantly these days lol

The Cheater's Recipe for Beef Enchiladas

This enchilada recipe is what most would probably call the cheater's way to make enchiladas. To me, it is a waste of time to roll them. I mean, they are going to chew the same whether you roll them or layer them so might as well save the time right? The important thing is the taste, not the presentation! Although, these still look good to me :)

What you need (9x9 pan):

1 pound beef (season with 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp season all)
1 cup cheese (I use the Mexican blend but any that you like works!)
12 corn tortillas
15 ounce red enchilada sauce
10 ounce cream of chicken

Over medium heat, brown your hamburger meat while mixing in season all and garlic salt. While the meat is browning, in a separate pot over medium heat, stir enchilada sauce and cream of chicken until blended. Once the meat has cooked, drain the grease. When the sauce is ready, pour some into the bottom of your baking dish. Enough sauce to cover the bottom so the first layer of tortillas do not stick to the dish. Now pour the meat in the remainder of the sauce and you are ready to start layering. First, cover the bottom of the dish with four tortillas, then pour the meat and sauce on top of the tortillas to completely cover the tortillas with sauce.

Then repeat starting with tortillas. With this recipe, you will be able to have three layers of tortillas. Once you have used all of the sauce, you can add cheese to the top.

Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the edges start turn golden.

Let the enchiladas sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool down. Now you are ready to enjoy them! My husband made some salsa to top ours with but either way, this is a delicious and easy meal.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do! I will be posting a recipe for spanish rice and beans soon :)

Whitney's Graduation Portraits

I have taken pictures since I was at least eight years old. I have always loved doing it. Lately that love has taken a backseat. What happened? I had my beautiful little girl who is eight months old today. I still love photography but I feel like the first year is the most important time for bonding and she has had all of these firsts that I have been blessed to be able to be there for. The last eight months have already gone by so fast without me being booked solid with photography jobs. There is still that part of me that misses it and there are exceptions to my rule. While I am not actively seeking photography gigs, I will do them by request.

I recently took my sister Whitney’s college graduation pictures. Luckily, I had my mom and other sister Blake on hand to help with Dakota. Whitney wanted a few pictures with Dakota, I even made her an outfit but she just wasn't having it that day. 

We went to the park to take pictures. It was a slow start. I have done a boudoir session since having Dakota but I felt out of practice and couldn’t find my voice to direct the shoot. Finally, I took over and we were able to get things done! Here are some of the pictures from the shoot.

Positives and Negatives of becoming a nanny

If you are a mother who needs income but wants to keep your child close, consider becoming a nanny. Like most jobs, you get both positive and negative things.

Positives:

The biggest one for me revolves around daycare. You keep your child. You don’t have to worry about how your child will be treated when you aren’t around. You also don’t have to add the expense of daycare. Let’s face it, in some cities, daycare costs as much as a months income and you end up being the one taking care of your child and missing work due to all the sicknesses your child catches at daycare. Sickness that usually ends up causing you to miss more work first to take care of the baby then because you catch it. You have the control of your child. I heard so many stories of babies being left alone, crying with a soaked diaper. Or toddlers being taught by other children to spit, bite and pinch. No thank you.

If you love children, it is a great way to be around them!

Your child has a friend to play with and if you are like me, you will love that you can be as loud, creative, fun and crazy as you want to be. Babies don’t judge like coworkers! 

Negatives:

No insurance. This is the big one for me. We (my daughter and I) had to get on my husband’s insurance and it is not cheap. 

It can be very exhausting! I went from a desk job where I sat all day to a job where I am constantly on the run, lifting babies and now I am having to chase after them. When I go home I am ready for bed! 

No retirement but you can always set the money aside that you are saving from not having to pay daycare!

The first few weeks were hard. Dakota trying to get used to sharing her mom and me trying to get used to juggling them both. A lot of times, I compare my job to having twins. After we all got into the swing of things, my job became much more enjoyable. I love my little one and I miss her when I am on vacation or even home on the weekends. Babies can take your heart like no one else can but becoming a nanny isn't for everyone.

I also had to deal with people thinking I was crazy for leaving my job. I left a job with benefits that was literally almost impossible to get fired from for a job that had no guarantees. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do for us though. You have to trust your judgement and do what you feel is right for your family. 

Abusive relationships

In high school, I had a lot of guy friends but I wasn’t dateable. I refused to have sex or mess around. I also didn’t -and still don’t- like to party. Guys of course, don’t like girls like that for girl friends. I worried that I would never have a boyfriend. The problem with thoughts like that, is you open yourself up to almost anyone who may be interested instead of waiting for the right person to be interested. 

Then I met a guy. Unlike most guys, he didn’t seem to care that I wasn’t ready for sex and the like. He actually wanted to date me and have me as his girl friend. Looking back, I should of known right away that something was off about him. He seemed care free enough but I quickly noticed a temper hiding under his smile. We hadn’t been together a week and he already started accusing me of cheating. That moment stands out so vividly for me. I was in shock, I really liked this guy and he thought I had already cheated on him. I started to cut back and cut out friends. I was seventeen, I didn’t realize what was going on. He started lightly pushing me around. At first, I thought he was just playing rough. We got passed that point pretty quick but by then, I felt like he was all I had. I had cut out family and friends so I could make him happy. I didn’t know who to turn to. I was thrown down, picked up my hair, slammed into the wall, pinched, pushed, hit a few times, he used to grab my face and squeeze as hard as he could. I have no excuses. I am the one that stayed. I went back every time he cried and said sorry. I went back when he said he wouldn’t do it again. I let myself be controlled and manipulated. 

Three years later. Yes, I stayed for three whole long years. I FINALLY found a way out. I opened up to a few people. The same ones that I had shut out for so long. I opened up and was able to get out of it and stay out of it. Getting out of it in the end turned out to be the easy part. I realized I never really loved that guy. I was throwing out the need for love like bread crumbs for the birds and happy that I had a bird show up. But why feed a pigeon when there is a peacock waiting for you? 

Ladies, if you are in a relationship like that one, PLEASE wake up! This type of man will not change! Do not mistake his possessiveness for love. He does not want to love you, he wants to OWN you. You are so much more than property! You are smart, beautiful and you can accomplish the world if you want to. Do not let a man take that away from you. Learn from me, I stayed for a long time, always hoping and praying that he would change. You have to be the one to change. Do not be afraid to allow yourself to live the life you deserve. Do not be afraid to spread your wings. Seek help if you need it.

If you would like someone to talk to about your situation PLEASE feel free to email me. I know how hard it can be to reach out to people for fear of judgement and especially fear of retaliation from the man you are with. You have options and with help you can get out of the relationship. It is time to stop being controlled and being afraid. The longer you stay, the worse the abuse will get so please please please reach out for help! My email is camo.lace4@gmail.com if you would like some guidance on how to get out of a relationship like that one.

Keep your baby and your income!

I knew before having my daughter, that I did not want to leave her to go back to work. That feeling intensified once she was born. I loved her too much to leave her. Unfortunately, we needed my income. I ran through a lot of options that all fell through. I thought maybe I could work for Apple, they have a lot of in home jobs but the only ones available were for call center positions. I knew I couldn’t take care of her while being on the phone constantly. I also looked into medical coding but based on what I found, it didn’t seem like a very stable job. Then I thought of an in home daycare. It would of been fine but with my location, daycare didn’t cost as much as a bigger city. I would of had to keep three full time and two part time in order to supplement my income. Even then, I wouldn’t be close to what I was previously bringing home. It just wasn’t worth it.

With time running out, I discovered Care.com. I was going to try to become a nanny. Surely I could find a family that would allow me to bring my daughter to work with me. In my head, I saw a family with a little girl close to my own daughters age. Planning activities would be easy with them so close in age. Plus they would have each other to play with. I ended up having to go back to work for a little over a month and I applied to maybe fifty nanny jobs. Several did not want my daughter with me, a lot didn’t respond, I had a few interviews and things just didn’t seem to fit. I won't say that I didn't get discouraged because I really did. I had just about given up and for some reason, I said I will apply for ONE more job and if it doesn't work out then I wasn't meant to stay with Dakota. That last job ended up being the job for me. I finally had found the family I was searching for! Their little girl is one month younger than mine and the girls are adorable together. I get to keep my daughter, my income and I also get to keep another adorable little girl. My job isn’t always easy but it is always worth it.

Out of respect for the family I work for, I will not be posting any pictures of their daughter. This picture is one I took of Dakota for her six month photo shoot. 

A Simple Solution to Husband Frustration

Last week, a reader emailed me stating that she was mad at her husband because he didn't help her around the house. I think a lot of women face this problem but the solution could be as simple as asking for help. 

Most men do not think like we do. It is a scientific fact. Their brains run on a completely different operating system. A man will not walk by a sink of dirty dishes and say, “Hmmm… let me wash those.” No he will walk right on by said dishes and continue about his regularly scheduled broadcast. Most likely, that is anything that doesn’t include washing those dishes. He doesn’t think like you, nor is he a mind reader. If you think that he can do either one of those things then your marriage ship is sunk before you ever really set sail.

As hard as it may be, as a wife, you have to realize that he will never think like you. You are a complicated creature, a lot goes on in your head. So instead of getting frustrated with him for something he can’ t help, try thinking a bit more simply.

Photo credit Whitney Koenig

I wasted a lot of time being angry with my husband because I felt he should be helping me around the house. He sees the same mess that I do right? So he should take the reigns and clean too but I realized a few things. Most people do not like to clean, I know I don't but I also don't like having a dirty house. Sometimes I have to force myself to clean. I don't like my husband being angry with me when I don't know why or being complained at because of whatever reason. I also realized he doesn't think the same way I do. Which should of been obvious, we do everything different. After realizing all of these things, I figured it was time to change tactics. I simply started to ask for his help. He helps when I ask him and that has solved our issue. Don't get crazy now, he probably still will not clean the whole house, but if you ask him to do the dishes or fold the towels to help you, odds are he will. 

Think along these terms: man who uses instructions will turn out beautiful work. A man who refuses to follow instructions for something as simple as a bookshelf will end up with a disaster on his hands. You do not come with instructions. He does not have the guide to navigate your mind. Pointed looks and being angry will get you no where if he doesn’t know why. Communicate your needs to him. Odds are he wants you to be happy and he will be happy if you are happy. He didn’t marry you to be miserable so guide him into your mutual happiness. 

My Papa, The Veteran, Our hero

Veteran’s Day is one of the many days I can’t stop thinking about my Papa since he passed a few years ago. He was a hero to our whole family. Not because he served his country, but because he lived his life to serve his family. He was so full of love and laughter that it has been impossible to put his passing behind us. The day he died, he took a part of our hearts and there is nothing we can do to fill the hole he left behind. 

Although I have a heavy heart, when I look back on my time with him, it was always full of laughter. He was such a character. When I was around one or two, I was eating one of those chocolate covered cherries and he told me I was eating “doo doo” so I took the candy from my mouth and wiped it all over his pants. My mom said the look on his face was priceless. To this day I refuse to eat those.

When my dad came to meet the family, Papa had him eat some peppers. They weren’t hot, he told my dad. My poor dad had tears running down his eyes and sweat all over him from how hot the peppers were and my Papa laughed for years for that prank. My dad still talks about how hot those peppers were. 

He also was a cusser. Likely where I get my sailor mouth from. He would swear a blue streak while my grandma didn’t cuss for anything. One day though he really made her mad and she said, “Well shit EJ!” and he looked at her stunned and said, “Well you don’t have to cuss me!” That is one of my favorite stories to hear about them. 

It is ridiculous how much I miss him. When my grandmother passed away we were ready for it. We knew it was coming and even though it was hard, we had some closure. My Papa died suddenly a few months later. I say it was a broken heart. He couldn’t say I love you. Once I told him and he didn’t say anything back, so I said, “Aren’t you going to say it back?” his response, “You love my back?!” so I let that go. When I went to say goodbye, he was in a coma. I took his hand and told him how much he meant to me and that I didn’t want him to go. I told him I understood he missed my grandma, that I wanted him to tell her we loved her too and how much we would all miss him. Before I walked out of the room, I told him, “I love you,” and he squeezed my hand. I really think he heard me and that was his way of saying “I love you back.” 

The day before my wedding day, I cried so much because I wanted them both there. On the day of my wedding, I felt their presence. The sun shone down in a spectacular display as I walked down the isle and I felt like they were with me. It was such a blessing to feel them there. Like no matter what has happened, how much pain we have all felt, that they are still there watching over us.

I wish he could meet my daughter and my husband. I think he would get a kick out of both of them. I wish we could have just one more day. I am thankful for the time we had with him. He was our glue. He was our laughter. He was our hero.

Build up a mom instead of tearing her down

As mothers, we should build each other up, not tear each other down. Today in church, I had to take Dakota into the “cry room” which is a wonderful place for parents to sit with their little ones that in some way may be disturbing the congregation. They want to play, they are tired and fussy, whatever. I walked in and saw a mom who I had seen before but hadn’t actually met. She introduced herself and her little one. She told me that she had three children total and also told me how she had fallen in the cry room last Sunday while holding her baby and how embarrassed she had been. I was talking to the little one, calling her the name the mom had said and after a few minutes the mom asked if she had told me that was the daughters’ name. I said yes and she responded with, “Oh my God, that is my two year olds name! You must think I am a terrible mother! First I tell you how I fell with the baby, then I tell you the wrong name!” I laughed it off and told her not to worry, I really didn’t think anything of it. I really admired her. She has three children, she looked great. Even if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, she carried herself amazingly. 

I honestly could of used that kindness from someone else. Being a mom is tough in itself. Being a mom with a full time job, plus a husband, plus family to visit, plus cooking and cleaning and still stuff piled on top of that is overwhelming to say the least. The discussion was a frozen lasagna, I LOVED them when I was pregnant and have rarely had them since but occasionally I don’t mind picking one up. I was told, “I NEVER served food like that. I ALWAYS make dinner fresh.” It really hurt my feelings the way it was said. Like I was doing something wrong for sometimes feeding my husband a frozen dinner. I am doing the absolute best I can. No, I don’t cook as much as I used to. After a month of my child not sleeping, it is all I can do to not go to bed at 7:30 with her. Is it not enough that I am damn near killing myself to do the things I am doing? Is it not enough that my weight has dropped 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy size? Is it not enough that although I do not cook every night, my husband and baby are still happy and well taken care of? They have a clean home, clean clothes, food is in their bellies even if it is not always made from scratch and on top of it all they are both extremely loved by me. I rarely ask for assistance in anything I do, maybe that mom had more help or she didn’t mind going to sleep at midnight. I don't know but even now, weeks later, that comment still hurts me. 

I wish that person had been as kind hearted as I was to the mom at church. As moms we have the power to shape the future. Let us not bring the bearers of our future down. Let us build them up for a more powerful, positive influence on this world. Lord knows, we need it!

Diaries of a serial nap fighter (days 2 & 3)

As you may of read, my boss and I have implemented a schedule to get the little nap fighter, Juliette, to start sleeping in her crib. Day one went as predicted… which was hard! She fought and won all three rounds. Days two and three went slightly better. 

Day two involved slightly less crying than before. She started to fall asleep within the initial twenty minute set time. Round one of day two, she slept forty five minutes in her crib. Round two and three she slept twenty five to thirty minutes in her crib, woke up extremely pissed off and took the rest of her nap in her rockaroo. Something her mom (and I agree) is necessary until we can get her used to falling asleep in the crib. One problem at a time for now.

Day three was similar to day two. The first nap she slept forty five minutes in her crib after going to sleep within twenty minutes. She woke up really happy. Nap two she slept forty minutes. Woke up exhausted and was basically a zombie baby for a little bit until she got a second wind (which coincidentally was when I was going to try her for a short cat nap) and decided she wanted to party. Nap three was a rough one. She slept about twenty five minutes in her crib. She woke up screaming her head off so I moved her to the rockaroo. She wasn’t happy there even though she was exhausted. Since she had a very small bottle before her nap, I gave her another two ounces and she went back down. In the rockaroo. 

So far it hasn’t been easy. It feels like we are making progress though. I just hope we aren’t going to add yet another sleep method to the graveyard of methods we already have. 

Little girls can wear camouflage too!

My husband is a camouflage advocate. If you ask him, his favorite color is camo and that is the only color that matters. Our dog’s name is Camo. He wanted to do our daughter’s room in camo. Pink camo was his version of a compromise. When we found out that we were having a little girl, he rushed us to Academy to buy some pink camo and regular camo with pink accent outfits. He also wanted to buy her a pink camo bow set. Something she wouldn’t be able to even touch for a very long time so I had to veto that purchase.

With all that being said, my little girl wears camo a lot. I even purchased a backpack to use as a diaper bag that is camouflage and has some pink on it. The other day, I dressed Dakota in camouflage as usual. I hadn’t been planning to go anywhere that she would need to look like the little diva I usually tote around. I didn’t even have a bow on my person for her. We ended up having to rush to the doctor. She had fallen on her face from sitting and I overreacted (go figure). We didn’t see our usual nurse or doctor so the nurse assumed (due to the camouflage) that my pretty little girl was a boy. My feelings were hurt lol. My little doll is gorgeous, how could she be mistaken for a boy? Not to mention, there WAS pink on that outfit AND the backpack. 

Two weeks later, I am still slightly irritated. Little girls can wear camouflage too without the assistance of pink or a bow. I probably shouldn’t be so sensitive. That is what my husband tells me anyway. But hey, I am a mother and I am supposed to think my daughter is the most amazing and beautiful baby on the planet so anyone who doesn’t see her that way (camo or not) is on my list. 

Pan Fried Chicken and Gravy

Pan fried chicken and gravy is another of our favorites. This recipe is very simple and is also makes for a quick meal. 

Pan fried chicken

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons season all

2 tablespoons of garlic salt

1 tablespoon of pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts

Vegetable oil

Prepare seasoning by pouring flour, season all, garlic salt and pepper into any dish that has a lid. I use my tupperware. Take each chicken breast and cut it into four pieces. Then split the slices down the middle so they are thin. The thinness helps you to have a faster cook time. Use enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan and turn the burner to a medium heat. Toss a few pieces of chicken in the seasoning, cover, shake until the chicken is completely covered in the flour mix then using a pair of tongs, add the chicken into the hot grease. Cook the chicken for six minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Gravy

4 tablespoons of grease from frying chicken

teaspoon of salt and pepper

2 cups of milk

2 tablespoons of flour

Now that your chicken is cooked, you can use the same pan to make your gravy. Remove excess grease from your pan while keeping some of the breaded bits from the chicken in the pan. This allows your gravy to have a great flavor! Leave four tablespoons of the grease in your pan, on medium heat, add in two tablespoons of flour and blend until smooth. I like to blend it with a fork to keep the flour from clumping. Once that is blended, add in the two cups of milk and lightly sprinkle some salt and pepper. While stirring continuously, bring gravy to a boil for one minute. Reduce heat and stir for two more minutes. Remove the pan from heat. The gravy will thicken as it cools. You can always add additional milk if you want your gravy thinner or more flour if you want it thicker.

                                                  Now you can serve and enjoy!