Gideon's New Car Seat, Evenflo SafeMax

As a 3rd child, Gideon gets the brunt of a lot of hand me downs. Fortunately for him, we don't have an extra convertible car seat so he actually gets something brand new, yay! We upgraded cars last summer to an Expedition XL with captains seats in the middle so our previous requirement of slender car seats wasn't an issue when choosing a seat for Gideon. To be honest, I never really thought of Evenflo for car seats until now. After reading recommendations and reviews online, the Evenflo SafeMax All-in-One Car Seat was an easy choice for our little man! Although we do plan on using it for Gideon, I love that the car seat fits the needs of each of my children and can grow from a rear facing infant, to rear facing toddler, to forward facing toddler, to harness and booster for an older child. It's nice to know we have the option of playing musical car seats if needed! The SafeMax literally looks like a plush movie theater seat made of temperature regulating fabric that helps balance your child's body temperature (Gideon is already a hot-natured baby and it isn't even summer yet!). We've never had built in cup holders on our car seats and boy are they convenient! Prior to us getting the Evenflo SafeMax for G, I would put his bottle, paci, a burp rag, and sometimes my cell phone or keys in his car seat for safe keeping. You will see in the pictures below how Lucy loved using the cup holders for her ponies! Safety is key when choosing a car seat and the Evenflo SafeMax Car Seat offers an integrated steel frame, extensive, rigorous rollover testing, and passed 2X the federal crash test standard. I am so thrilled with our car seat choice and highly recommend the Evenflo SafeMax All-in-One Car Seat!

Testing out the Evenflo SafeMax All-in-One Car Seat before we put it in the car!

Lucy wanted to take a spin in the SafeMax and there was plenty of room for her ponies, loveys, and doll. 

I think Ford was a little jealous of how comfortable the Evenflo SafeMax carseat is...especially on those days he wakes up at 6am, doesn't take a nap, but passes out in the car at 6pm. Whoops. The SafeMax has a SafeZone headrest with an added insert for littler ones like Gideon. 

Toddler Food Swap

Yesterday someone in my mom's group hosted a toddler food swap and it was a genius idea that I wanted to share with you guys. I know I am always in a rut when it comes to making new things for Ford to eat, especially snacks. He loves anything carby and fruit and it's hard to pack healthy things for on the go. So the swap. Each person brings 6 snack items per child and goes home with the same number of different snacks! Does that make sense? So if 10 kids come, I bring 10 bags of 6 of the item I chose to make. And then I bring home 9 different snacks that those kiddos parents brought. It is a fun and easy way to try new things for your kids without having to make an entire batch of something that they may not like. I love swapping ideas with other moms, especially ideas to make things a tad healthier. I brought Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip mini muffins that are a fan favorite in our house. They are made with bananas which I always have in my freezer and sweetened with honey or agave. And if you know anything about my food preferences, you'd know I am slightly obsessed with anything chocolate/peanut butter. The event doesn't have to be anything fancy....our host had a few simple snacks and the kids played while the mamas chatted. We came home with mini quiches, zucchini orange spice muffins, and blueberry spinach yogurt popsicles. We were even talking about how this would be a neat thing to do with crock pot meals or frozen meals for us adults. Hope you mamas can take this idea with your community!

The "not so good" parts of a C section

I had my 2nd C section in April and I loved it. You can read my post on why I chose a repeat C section (after my first emergency) and also a post where I proclaim my love for C sections. Childbirth is hard, y'all. Natural, epidural, C section, general surgery... it doesn't come without pain (hence why labor is called LABOR!). I remember hitting my due date with my first baby and realizing, oh my gosh, I am going to have a baby any day and it is going to hurt. Yep. It does. BUT!!!! It is such a different kind of pain. Yes it is incredible physical pain but the emotions tied to childbirth are incredible. The physical pain tapers off and you are left with a cuddly little baby who has you wrapped around their finger from their first breath. No pain, no gain, right? I remember before I had a baby I didn't think much about C sections. Women had them all the time so they must be pretty easy. Whoa baby was I wrong. I think it is easy to forget that a C section is major surgery. Most major surgeries a normal person would take off time from work, sleep all day, and focus on recovery. It is quite the opposite with a C section. Your abdomen is cut open and instead of sleeping the day away, you are up around the clock feeding, changing, burping. Not to mention the pains of breastfeeding. I had no idea how intense C sections were and I instantly had a new respect for C section mamas (vaginal birthing mamas don't worry, I have mad respect for you popping something out of that tiny hole. I can't think about it without getting queasy). Anyway. I don't believe that one form of childbirth is easier than another but I wanted to share with you some of the not so great things about a C section. I remember when they were sewing me up in the OR thinking, "Damn I feel good! I will probably walk right out of this OR on my own two legs". And then when I made it to recovery, everything changed.

Me feeling on top of the world during surgery

Lucy's first latch in recovery... right before I yacked!

Itching - something about coming off of the anesthesia makes you incredibly itchy. I don't know if y'all watch Breaking Bad but I felt like a meth addict scratching away at my face. The nurses warned me it would happen and it felt like I had mosquitoes all over my face. I attempted to use wash cloths on my face so I wouldn't scratch but it was hard not to. Luckily it only lasted an hour or so.

Nausea - along with itching, anesthesia can do a number on your tummy. I was in recovery and they just brought Lucy to me fresh from the nursery and I had her latched on. I could only have one visitor at a time back there and my dad was with me and all of the sudden I told him I was about to be sick. I went from feeling awesome to feeling like I had the worst tummy bug ever. I threw up about 3 times within an hour of my surgery and my tummy calmed shortly after.

Not eating - I was starving once I got setup in my postpartum room and I was excited to check out the hospital menu and order some lunch (I remember how much I loved the chicken tenders and mashed potatoes from my stay for Ford's birth). Well... little did I know I would have to pass gas before I was able to eat solid food and that would take a day and a half. I was stuck eating clear liquids and praying for a toot. I do not do good not eating and my visitors showed up with so many treats, it was rough!

Gas pains - Oh my goodness gas pains. The morning after I had Lucy my back started hurting really bad and I thought maybe I had slept weird. It progressively got worse, up to the point of me crying and begging for relief. Turns out that when you have surgery, air gets trapped inside your body cavity and travels to your upper back as gas. I tried gas tablets and heating pads but nothing really helped. This was one of the most painful parts of my C section with Lucy (I didn't have it with Ford, maybe because I had general surgery?).

You still bleed... a lot - you really don't catch a break on anything when having a C section. You'd think because the doctor has the ability (and they do) "clean you out" during surgery, that you'd bleed less. OH NO. I bled on and off (mostly on) for about 10 weeks with Ford and 8 weeks with Lucy. I'm gonna be real with y'all, it ain't pretty. I would rather have a regular period once a month than the postpartum flood they call lochia.

Tummy pain - I didn't realize how much one uses their abs until I had a C section. Getting out of the bed those first few days in the hospital takes a good 5 minutes because you literally have no ab muscle and have to use your arms. This part sucks. Your stomach will feel like it was stabbed a million times and it is so tender to the touch, I get goosebumps thinking about it now. Walking hurts for a while and you can't lay flat on your back. In the hospital the nurses come and press down on your uterus every 3 hours to help it contract and that is NOT pleasant when you've just had your stomach cut open. Thank God for pain meds. This was the hardest part of Ford's birth for me because I felt like I would never feel better. 2nd time around it was easier because I knew one day I'd feel back to myself. 3 weeks was a big change and then every week after that brings so much healing. I am writing this 9 weeks postpartum and I am working out (with the exception of doing any jumping, fast motions, or ab moves), power walking up hill with a double stroller, and feeling great. By 12 weeks with Ford I was 100% myself, although my abs stayed separated which doesn't just happen to C section moms.

Sex still hurts - Again, we don't get a break having C sections and I was sad when I learned that sex hurt for quite a while postpartum. I guess it has nothing to do with popping a baby out of your vagina but more about the hormones and then breastfeeding (dries you out). It's better the second time around but not completely without pain.

I hope this post doesn't scare you but I am guessing if you are a first time mom to be, you assume you're having a vaginal birth (I sure did) and if you're a second time mom having another C section, this ain't your first rodeo. I can't stress enough how much I loved my C section (the second time around that is) and I plan on electing a C section for future children. I am sure the same can be said for vaginal births, I know I've heard friends go on and on about the woes of that. Like I said, childbirth is hard work and I have mad respect for mamas with all kinds of birth stories!

Second Time Motherhood

Now that Lucy is 2 months old, we've regained our sanity and life is getting back to normal. Lucy is blessing us with good sleep, I am feeling 99% after my C section, and Jon and I are feeling pretty good about handling our 2 little munchkins (we plan on having a few more so we remind ourselves, THIS will be the easiest we have it, ha). I love that I am comfortable taking both of the babies out on my own and I have enjoyed getting back into my routine... grocery shopping, play dates, lunches with friends, pool time, etc. I feel like everyone I know is pregnant these days and most of my friends are having their second so a question I get at least once a day is, "So how is it with two babies?". I don't want to toot my own horn but it is great and better than I could have ever imagined.

I have to laugh when people say the transition from 1-2 is hard than the transition from 0-1 because my world was ROCKED when Ford came into this world. I loved every ounce of my squishy little boy but everything was new and an adjustment. I had to learn how to be a parent, learn how to prioritize my marriage, all while healing from surgery. It was a crazy time and I am so glad I had a solid community during the transition. The transition from 1-2 hasn't been seamless but it was been so sweet. The thing I answer with the most is that my confidence in motherhood has made the transition so much better. I KNEW I wouldn't feel the pains of a C section forever. I KNEW the witching hour was short lived. I KNEW I would one day get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. And that helped me through the hard times. Experience has given me confidence and hope and I am so grateful for that. I remember when they handed Lucy to me in recovery and I was alone, I just popped her on my boob. I knew how to position my arms and made sure we didn't have a painful shallow latch. Thinking back to the first go-around it took at least 3 people to breastfeed, baby not included. I'm confident in my ability to physically take care of my children but I am even more confident in my abilities to love them well. I don't think any mom is immune from baby blues and feelings of "how will I do this?" and I am so thankful that I was able to get through those times reminding myself that everything is a phase. After hard nights with Lucy I was able to look at my sweet Ford who is full of personality and life and know that I will blink and Lucy will be right beside him cracking me up and entertaining us.

Don't get me wrong, life with 2 is hard. I feel like having one baby was so carefree and easy (I wish I could tell my new mom of one self that I would say this one day!) and with two there is always something to do. I've finally been able to get the babies to nap at the same time but two kids means two sets of laundry, diapers, food, chores... and most likely one of them wakes up a lot earlier than the other. Getting out of the house takes intense planning and at least 10-15 minutes of, "Okay we are leaving, wait I forgot this" and breaking a sweat packing their bags, the double stroller, and the million other things that seem to make it into my car. I don't have much time for myself and that is OK. I sacrifice sleep for time with my husband because my marriage is so important. I'm okay with the fact that I always have a full load of laundry in the dryer and dishwasher waiting to be folded and put away and that is OK. I used to stress about leaving things un-done on my to do list and now it piles up but you know what, I am happy and my kids are oh-so-happy. I read this article right after I had Lucy and it really shaped the way I look at motherhood. Right now I am looking at my role as a mother as the very best that God has for me right now. He isn't calling me to be a working mom or work from home mom, I am Ford and Lucy's mom right now and that is it! The chores, blog posts, and crafting projects can wait. At the end of the day if my children are fed, rested, and healthy, I have done my job well! There will be a season where my kids don't need me to wipe their bottoms, dress them, and cut up grapes at lunch and my callings will change. I am trying to press into the hard times, knowing that I will crave them when my kids are grown.

So yes, having 2 kids is hard but 2nd time motherhood has been the biggest blessing for me! I can't imagine life without our sweet Lucy girl and I love the relationship she and Ford already have with one another, I know they will just get closer and closer. Life is crazy, exhausting, and FUN! Jon and I talk all the time how crazy it will be that one day Lucy will be running around with Ford and add to the chaos and hilarity of our household. I am very grateful God chose us to be second time parents and I hope we get the chance to have more (although I am sure when we are outnumbered, I may have to re-write this post!).

Being a girl mom

I'm not gonna lie. Before I had Lucy I was worried about becoming a girl mom. I was afraid I wasn't going to connect with her the way I had Ford because I only have experience with a boy. I don't really know what I was thinking when I say that because babies are basically just babies. Put a bow on a 2 week old boy and he looks like a girl. The only differentiator in newborn babies gender wise is that boys have the ability to pee on their faces. True story. Anyway. I think it was more of a fear of having another baby and being able to love that baby as much as my first but I could mask that fear by saying it was a fear of being a girl mom. I come from a family of girls and I love it! I am a girl for crying out loud, so I should know how to deal with one of my own. The 20 months prior to having Lucy were filled with Lego building, fixing things with plastic tools, building forts and tents, kicking, throwing, and chasing balls and I loved it. If God's plan was to give me all boys I would have loved it. Until I had Lucy. I cannot imagine NOT having a girl, even just 9 weeks into it. Jon said he instantly felt different about her and more protective over her than he was Ford. I look at her and pray that she knows she is beautiful and worthy of so much. I pray that she loves who God made her to be and she wouldn't let anyone walk all over her. I can't help but to look at her and think she is the most gorgeous little girl I've ever seen. Dressing her is one of my favorite hobbies, we've been known to have a few outfit and accessory changes in a day. I know that the next few months are going to bring the cutest little scenarios when she starts playing with dolls, giggling at her brother, having tea parties, and wrapping all of us even tighter around her dainty little fingers. Ford is wild about her and that makes me love that little boy even more. I love that God is giving me the experience of having both a son and daughter. Having a son makes me wonder what Jon was like when he was little and having a daughter gets me excited because I was a sweet and happy little girl growing up. I don't know why I was worried about loving a little girl because I think the world of her. My baby girl who will one day be a young woman, wife, and mother like me. Having a daughter means I forever have a live in beauty stylist, a date to baby showers, and a shopping buddy. I love the relationship I have with my mom and I can't wait to grow my relationship with MY daughter. Crazy to think I have a daughter! So here's to sweet baby girls who have you wrapped around their fingers and handsome little boys who steal their mama's hearts. 

You all know my love for shopping online for clothes, especially Instagram, because who has time for brick and mortar shopping with kiddos. My dress in the pictures above is from Sophia's Bridal, a bridal and tuxedo shop that now sells cute and easy everyday dresses on Instagram. I love being able to find pieces to add to my wardrobe that everyone and their mother don't already own. Sophia's is affordable, offers boutique quality dresses, and donates a portion of their sales to different charities and causes, depending on the month. I love that! Shop Sophia's Bridal on Instagram!

I loved my scheduled C section

Lucy is 7 weeks old and her birth is just a faint memory for me. It's hard to believe I had major surgery less than 2 months ago, my incision is my only reminder of it these days and I am so thankful for that. After a pretty traumatic birth for Ford (you can read it here), I was really looking forward to a scheduled C section. With the need for a post umbilical hernia repair from my first pregnancy and a few other things, I didn't ever consider a VBAC. I actually wrote about my decision to have a scheduled C section here. Although Lucy's birth wasn't without a few little bumps, I wouldn't change a thing. I absolutely loved my scheduled C section. In fact, I think Jon and I say this at least once a week, "Why wouldn't all women choose a scheduled C?". Now I know my love for a CS is circumstantial. Prior to having Ford we skipped all the chapters in the baby books about CS because there was no way I was having one. Wrong-oh. I've always thought of birth as such a divine thing. God used the births of both of my babies as a way to teach me, grow me, and a platform to share my story. As much as we want to write down and choose every detail of our births, we have no control. I went into birth assuming I'd do it vaginally but without a birth plan. When has anyone's birth ever gone to plan? I am so grateful to be a mama of two beautiful and healthy babies and how they got here shouldn't mater. If I would have given birth vaginally the first time, I wouldn't be so pro-C section, obviously. So this post isn't to bash mamas who birth vaginally (you guys are amazing, seriously I don't know how you do it), but to encourage C section mamas.

I have lots of mama friends having their second babies in the next few months and I get so many questions about the scheduled C section vs. laboring and an emergency C section so I wanted to share my thoughts. Here are a few reasons why I loved my scheduled C section:

• Planning. I am a huge planner and the thought of not knowing when I'd go into labor and having to possibly leave my toddler in the middle of the night stresses me out. Again, I never considered a VBAC so I didn't lay awake worrying. Chances of me going into labor before my 39 week CS were slim considering I never went into labor for 41 weeks with Ford. Knowing the day and time Lucy would be born, we were able to arrange care for Ford, have everything prepared, get rest, freeze meals, and spend that last few days as a family of 3 relaxing. The week before Lucy was born was so sweet. I didn't sleep much the night before because I was so excited but I was a lot more rested than my first birth. I also knew my doctor would for sure be at my birth, no random on call doctor. Crazy that my sweet doctor wasn't my doctor with Ford's pregnancy. She was on call during my induction, delivered Ford, and I fell in love with her so I switched! She was incredibly instrumental in my pregnancy and I am sad not to be seeing her often at appointments (but happy I am not pregnant!).
• No labor. This is a given. Check in was 5am for my 7:30am surgery and I arrived chipper and free of pain. I remember feeling empathy for ladies I saw walking the halls of L&D hunched over in the pains of labor. Sure the recovery of a C section is painful but nothing can be compared to labor pains (and I had a Pitocin induced labor without an epidural thanks to Thrombocytopenia). God wasn't joking when He said He would increase the pains of labor. No thank you. 
• Time. The most time consuming thing of a C section is the prep- blood work, paper work, waiting on doctors, etc. I gave birth on a Monday morning and the hospital had a full load of inductions and surgeries. That evening I looked at Jon and said, "think about all the ladies who showed up the same time we did but to be induced and still don't have their babies". I was grateful that I had the first surgery of the morning and the rest of the day to rest and recover. 
• No damage "down there". I think this is pretty self explanatory. I have friends who are still dealing with issues from tearing while giving birth (sex, peeing themselves, pain). 
• Recovery was easier. Recovery from a scheduled C section was 10x easier than my first birth. I was up walking around 12 hours after surgery and that really helped speed up my recovery. My body wasn't exhausted and fatigued from laboring and the spinal when being awake was a lot more gentle on my body than the general anestesia I received when I had Ford and was fully under. To be honest, the most painful thing about my recovery was my hernia repair. 
• Jon and I were together. This was the biggest blessing of Lucy's birth. Jon got to watch his daughter literally come out of me and I was awake to hear her first cry. I did not feel like I needed a redemption birth after Ford's but I desperately wanted to experience a "normal" C section. It was such a surreal and incredible thing. The nurses and doctors were in such good moods and the mood was light and happy. 
• My past experience. I keep telling people what a blessing second time motherhood is because you have the experience. It isn't easier per se, but you know those hard times aren't forever. My 2nd C section was painful but I knew time would bring healing. After my first C section I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel normal again (same with the pains of breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, etc). I knew that I couldn't baby my body as much as I did before and that walking the halls of the hospital would help in my recovery. I knew I couldn't push it by jumping back into life post baby and spent 3 weeks at home letting my body heal. 

Never did I think I'd be a repeat C section mama, writing a post about how much I love them but I have totally embraced the story God is writing for us. I love that no 2 birth stories are the same and what an incredible thing our bodies do when giving birth. I want to be an advocate for mothers... not C section moms, not cloth diapering moms, not breastfeeding moms, but moms. No matter how your baby got here and no matter how you choose to feed, diaper, clothe them, you've been given a gift and living out the miracle that is parenthood!

Dressing my postpartum body

Postpartum is a weird time. It is full of joy, emotions, pain, and different. I won't get into too many details, if you want to read about my first postpartum experience read this post (warning, graphic). Today's post I want to focus on the postpartum body... embracing it and dressing it. Being a second time mom I kind of knew what to expect of my body after I had Lucy. I'd leave the hospital looking puffy, swollen, and about 6 months pregnant, not great for a first time mom's self confidence. Growing a baby for 9 months and giving birth is such an incredible thing and unfortunately most mama's bodies are never the same (but it is so worth it!). I was blessed that breastfeeding took off almost all of the weight I'd gained during pregnancy but I wasn't used to new curves, lines, and softer areas. Prior to having kids I would have been deathly afraid of stretch marks and now they remind me of the amazing thing my body did, growing those babies. My boobs will never be perky but I nursed one baby for a year and hope to do the same with Lucy. The mother's body is beautiful and should be celebrated and embraced!

Now onto dressing my postpartum body. I am sure I'm not alone when I get so annoyed with my wardrobe at the end of pregnancy (wearing the same thing day after day) and get so excited to go shopping when you aren't carrying a 30lb watermelon under your shirt. I gift myself the ability to splurge a little on a few new items for my wardrobe after I have my babies. Considering most days I am in my stay at home mom uniform (workout clothes and a monogram hat, despite not working out!), it is like Christmas morning picking out a few new items for myself, and not my children or husband. What I look for are pieces that don't accentuate my stomach, provide easy access for breastfeeding, is comfortable, and versatile- can be worn as a dress, swim cover up, a top with leggings. Thanks to Jane.com, I was able to add some fun, stylish (I will not turn into a mom-jean wearing mom!), and inexpensive items. It's amazing how much more confident and beautiful I feel when I put on something other than workout gear. It takes no more effort to grab something from my closet rather than on top of the laundry pile and pretty clothes hide my exhaustion well! All the outfits below are styled by Jane.com.

Left my babies for 9 hours (!!!) for a spa day to celebrate one of my BFFs 30th birthday. I got so many compliments on my cover up, I love it! It's long enough to wear as a cover up (not sure I would wear it alone as a dress) and short enough to wear as a top, see below. 

Same top, different color and different style. I actually put on this outfit and yelled to Jon that I had an announcement to which he replied, "You are pregnant again?". I told him I definitely wouldn't be smiling if that were the case... I am back in non maternity jeans! It took a few weeks for my incision not to be irritated when touched by clothing and now at 7 weeks post partum, it is healed and my belly has shrunk enough to fit into some jeans. This top is the perfect postpartum top! Easy access up top and doesn't accentuate the belly area. 

I'm noticing a lace trend in these outfits from Jane.com. Lace makes me feel feminine and it is in style right now (I think). I wore this top to church Sunday and got lots of compliments on it. Fancy enough to wear with jeans for church or a date night out and casual enough to wear with shorts for errands, lunch out, etc. 

Never heard of Jane.com? Well you're in luck (but your bank account is not!). Jane.com offers an array of daily deals from different online boutiques at a fraction of the costs. Clothing, jewelry, and children's clothes and accessories that will make your ovaries ache. Over 100 items are offered daily and they update them every day. It is fun and dangerous! I've gotten so many different things from Jane including an Anthropologie inspired necklace (you can find tons of designer inspired pieces!), a chevron bag that is now used for Ford's Mother's Day Out bag, a monogrammed pillow for his nursery, tribal leggings, and more. It is an addiction y'all. It is the perfect place for a busy mama to shop her little heart out and save some moolah.

Potty training Ford

We are 2 weeks into potty training Ford and I can't believe how well it is going! When I posted a picture of him proud in his new undies on Instagram, a few people asked me to post our approach. Initially that made me nervous because we aren't following a book or anything, we are just going with the flow. I can't tell you how many people have asked me if I am crazy to be potty training with a newborn but dare I say it has been easy? Ford was just 21 months old when we started and that is pretty young considering it is still normal for 3-4 year olds to be potty training but this is why we started. My niece Embry is fully potty trained and spent a week in Austin in May so Ford was with her everyday. He saw her cool undies, cheered for her when she went on the big potty, and understood that she got an M&M when she went. The day she left Ford told us he had to poop on the potty and he did so we decided to give it a shot. My #1 piece of potty training advice is to wait for your child to be ready. Ford wasn't just ready, he was psyched! He talked about potty, undies, treats for a while and he is really the one who decided to start training. Since many people have asked, I wanted to share some things that have worked for us and how we are going about training him. I read about 3 day potty training and a few other articles on Pinterest and I got ideas from them but just following my own instinct.

• Wait until your child shows interest. Potty training is BIG for kids. They are used to going to the bathroom while they play or eat and not even thinking about it. Now if your kid is 5 and not interested yet, there may be an issue. But just because a friend has a 2 year old potty trained doesn't mean your 2.5 year old is behind. Wait until they are ready or else it may take even longer (I've heard of regressions in other areas due to forced potty training).
• Contrary to the bullet point above, we got 2 little potties for Ford when he was 18 months old and had them set out in our bathroom and upstairs in his room. We started talking about potty and showing him how we went and even asking him if he wanted to try. If he would say no, we wouldn't push it. At the beginning he couldn't care less but then got more and more interested and we got to the point where he would want to sit on the potty to "try" to go almost everyday but never went.
• Since we cloth diapered prior to training, Ford knew that #2 was dumped and sprayed into the big toilets. I have heard that with disposable diapered babies you should take them in the bathroom and dump the #2 from their diaper into the toilet and flush it down so they see where it should go. 
• Once they start showing interest, buy undies. Ford is obsessed with Bubble Guppies and I ordered a 7 pack of Bubble Guppies undies for him online. Buy undies that they will think are super cool (Mickey Mouse, Dora, Frozen, etc). Like introducing the potty, we talked a lot about undies. We showed them to him and said these are special because we cannot go potty in them. We didn't let him put them on until we officially started training.
• Choose a treat. I tried to start with Juice Plus Gummy Vitamins for treats but Ford doesn't really like them so we chose M&Ms. I bought a bag and put them in a sealed Mason jar on the counter by the potty area. He gets 1 M&M per time he goes on the potty, no matter if it is #1 or #2. If it is right around mealtime we tell him he has to eat before he gets his treat. 
• Have a designated potty area. Right now Ford's little potty is in a nook between our kitchen and living room. I have a stool next to it with books because he is already a little old man and loves to read on the pot. He can also see the TV which was great during the first few days of training when all we did was stay home. We have his M&Ms, books, undies, pull ups, and wipes in our potty area. 
• Stay home. I was skeptical of the magical 3 day potty training approach working for us because Ford is so young but we did decide to stay home for 3 days at the beginning of training. Ford was basically naked during those days and we asked him if he had to go potty 2-4 times an hour. 
• The 3 day approach tells you not to use pull ups but like I said above, we aren't ready to toss out the pull up option right away and I like using them. Ford is in undies when we are at home but pull ups when we are out. Before we leave the house we make sure he pees and put on his pullup. When we get where we are going I usually take him straight to the bathroom not just to make him go but so he knows that we can go potty in public (I've heard of kids being scared of going in public). I am so proud of Ford for this. He is very vocal when we go out and tells me when he needs to go and isn't afraid of going #1 or #2 in a public toilet (lots of hand washing!). He comes home with a dry pull up and we go straight to undies at home. 
• We still use diapers at nap and nighttime because Ford is a heavy wetter during sleep. I am not exactly sure how to eliminate that because they don't know when they are going in the middle of the night but I am not worried about that right now. We are trying to monitor liquid intake right before bed (he used to drink a whole cup of milk while we read books and now he just gets it at dinner) but he still wakes up super wet. Funny thing though, he wants his diaper off right when he gets up because he's no longer used to sitting in potty. So that's a start!
• Accidents happen. We are making sure we encourage Ford even when he has accidents. He is such a sensitive little guy already that we love on him and tell him it is okay but next time we go potty in the potty, etc. His accidents in the past few weeks have been so random too. 
• Take a deep breathe. Potty training is hard. It is physically exhausting at first cleaning up accidents and doing laundry but remember it is worth it! Sure I could just throw a diaper on Ford when we are in public but then that would ruin all the progress we've made. Monday I took the babies to the grocery store all by myself for the first time and right when I got Ford in the cart and Lucy in the ergo, Ford announced he had to poop. It added about 5 extra minutes to our trip and I think I was sweating by the time he was done but that is part of it. Potty training isn't just for the child, it is for the parent too. I keep a tiny Tupperware of M&Ms in Ford's backpack so I can reward him when we are in public. 
• Teamwork. Jon has been so involved in potty training and I couldn't have done it without him. Stay on the same page as your spouse and have a game plan. Also, if anyone else cares for your child, make sure they know your game plan too. When Ford stays with my parents or goes to Mother's Day Out, I make sure they will offer him potty or listen for him to ask for it. 
• If it doesn't work, put the potty away for a while and try again later. I hear this is common. You think your child is ready so you try to potty train and it fails. Don't keep pushing it but stop and try again another time. Remember that as adults, we are all potty trained. All the blood, sweat, and tears that go into this will be forgotten. Your child WILL be potty trained!

I read an article about how you shouldn't try any big transitions with your older kids 90 days before or 90 days after a new baby is born. A few weeks ago I would have never thought we would have Ford potty trained before he turned 22 months but I am so glad we didn't ignore the signs. I know it will take time for things to flow a little better and for him to be potty trained at nap/night but I am so proud of my little guy. I hope this post is informational/encouraging to some of you, please feel free to email me with any questions. Like I said, I am no potty training expert but like anything in parenting, you do what works best for you and your family!

Lucy's Birth Photos

I've always been intrigued with birth photography but because my babies are born via C section, having an outside photographer in the OR isn't really an option. Jon was able to get some beautiful pictures during my surgery and you can see some of them here (we chose not to post the more graphic ones of her coming out, they are so cool!). One of the things I was most excited for surrounding her birth was Ford meeting her for the first time and we were lucky enough to have Mallorie Owens capture those moments. Ford wasn't too interested in his baby sister on the first day but it is a day I will never forget. It was in one single moment that I fell so deeply in love with two babies, something I had worried about my entire pregnancy. How would I love both of them equally? There is no way to describe it before you have baby #2 but it just happens. My parents, sister, and Embry were pretty smitten with Lucy too!