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Home Away

As I said in my previous post we are having this baby back in our hometown so if I forget something that I need it becomes more of an inconvenience to have to get it. Driving back home for it is not only a waste of time and gas but also just simply annoying. Whereas if we run out and buy it because I forgot it then it becomes a waste of money because I already have it just at home. So with out anymore moaning and groaning, here is what I am packing in my hospital bag.

Standard Supplies

There are things I think every woman needs when headed to the hospital to have a baby...and I am no different. Comfy pajamas are a must in my opinion. I am not the type of person who can just sit in a hospital gown the whole time I am there, so once I get the okay I change into something I am more comfortable in. I think this is because I hate being in clothes many other people have worn many of times longer than I have to. This go around I am just going to bring a pair of basket ball shorts since Blake has gotten me two things that will work for this category (keep reading to find out what those are).

Another obvious is a going home outfit. For this I suggest something with and elastic band (avoid jeans) ie; yoga pants, leggings, or gym shorts. I am going the route of comfy pants and a shirt. These pants are nice and baggy, as well as being thin so I won't be uncomfortable. I wouldn’t suggest these exact pants if you are getting a c-section because the waist band isn’t the most comforting thing, not that I even remember where I got them anyway.

Nonslip socks and/or slippers are a must, unless you enjoy getting free stuff from the hospital. (Most) Hospitals require that you have nonslip socks or slippers on when you are walking around. Some of you may be thinking theres no way in hell you are going to be up moving around but if your labor is taking a zillion hours theres no way you are going to be sitting in bed the whole time, your nurses will probably encourage you to get up and more around anyway. Another good reason is incase your little one winds up in NICU and you have to walk to go visit them. With that said I got these awesome socks from amazon and I think they're hilarious.

Oh! Here’s an after thought for you... When you're pushing do your really want a bunch of people touching your bare feet? Imagine even having your bare feet in those stir-ups that so many people have touched. No thanks.

Finally lets talk underwear. Once you get to leave those (amazing) mesh underwear you get in the hospital you are going to want something comfy down there. I suggest getting some Fruit of the Loom granny panties a size larger than what you would normally get. Getting a size bigger will not only be more comfortable during your recovery time but will also hold your postpartum pads much easier. Whatever you do, do not go out and get a bunch of Victoria Secret underwear no matter how good the sale is. These underwear you are getting have a 90% chance of getting ruined, I’m just trying to save you from wasting the money.

Princess Products

This section is going to be filled with stuff most people would think I was weird for bringing, but I’m doing it anyway.

Since I am an advocate for breast feeding I am obviously packing all of my breast feeding products, such as; nursing bra, breast pads, and a breast pump. I am bringing a nursing bra not only for when people are around to visit but also for going home incase we stop anywhere before getting to our house. Breast pads are honestly something I think every should bring whether or not you are breast feeding because your body will still produce and leak milk in the beginning. Fun Fact: if you get the reusable pads (even if you're not BFing) you care wear them and put them under the sheet of where baby sleeps and it will help comfort them while they sleep because they will have your scent with them. Lastly I am bringing my own breast pump only because I don’t respond to Medela pumps which is what my hospital provides.

Blake got me these hospital gown type “dresses” and I am going to bring one if not both of them. I am not sure if my hospital lets moms wear their own gowns but these are made for labor, delivery, and nursing so I am taking them for at least the nursing aspect of them. I am also bringing my phone and charger, but who wouldn’t. Another “silly” thing I am bringing is my make up for self confidence reasons. I know people are going to say that I don’t need to worry about it but I hate looking back at pictures of me from when Dexter was born because I look like I’d been hit by a truck and on extremely heavy medications. Since neither of which were true it means thats what I really looked like and I hate it. So to combat those feelings I am bringing my make up, this will help me stop thinking about what I look like and be more focused on our growing family. 

Lastly, I am bringing snacks. The hospital does provide you with breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all the times you are there which is great, however sometimes the options you are given are not the best or the portion size is extremely small. With all that being said I am just bringing some breast feeding friendly snacks like Clif bars and my big water bottle. I plan on picking up a bigger water bottle if I have time but for now this is the one I plan on using. The hospital will give me water all day long, plus I will have a bathroom attached to our room, but I drink A LOT of water and even more when I’m nursing so having a large bottle with me to constantly fill up just makes life a little easier.

Terrific Toiletries

I got this little bag in my Amazon welcome baby box and it is the perfect size for all the toiletries I am packing. Some obvious things I am taking with me is my tooth care things, if you don’t have a lot of room I suggest getting travel size tooth paste but this bag is pretty spacious so I’m not too worried. As for my hair I am bringing my hair brush, hair ties, headbands, and travel size shampoo and conditioner. The hair brush is obvious, you gotta brush your hair or you look like a mess and not a hot one either. Hair ties and headbands are helpful for delivery because there is nothing more annoying  than having hair in your face while you are trying to push out a freaking baby. Getting travel size shampoo and conditioner because it takes up less space in my bag but also because Blake is going to want to take a shower where ever he and Dexter end up staying and we share shampoo and conditioner. I am not bringing body wash because the hospital provides a body wash that helps keeps your newly tortured lady bits clean and healthy. Finally I am also bringing lip balm and over night period pads. Lip balm is for during delivery because the breathing you do while pushing dries your lips out so fast. I currently have this EOS stick but I would prefer a basic carmex stick because it is my favorite. I suggest a stick chapstick, not the liquid, because then your partner or whomever is with you can assist with the application when you’re exhausted. Lastly the big pads are for going home just in case I run out of the pads from the hospital and don’t end up getting anymore from them.

Mama Tip: Before you are close to be discharged pack up what you have left of the bathroom stuff the hospital gives you like the pads, underwear, and witch hazel pads (and the baby diapers). Then tell them that you need more because whatever you use in your room you get to take home and those things are amazing once you’re home.

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Pack It Up Baby

Packing a hospital bag for the baby is a little stressful even though this is my second child. When I packed Dexters bag I found a list online and made sure I had everything. Then, when he spent his whole stay in NICU, I ended up not using 90% of what I packed. Now I know what the hospital supplies so I know what not to pack, but with that being said I don’t really know what will be needed for a “non NICU” baby. So you may feel that a lot of this stuff is unnecessary but I promise there is a reason for everything, at least in my eyes. Without any further delays, let’s dive in.

Comfy Cozy 

To start off lets talk pajamas. Obviously the hospital provides a plain white onesie for the baby when they’re born but who would want to stay in that all day long. I am packing 2 different kinds of pajamas just for size purposes because although I’m sure she will be the same size or smaller than Dexter theres always a chance. So I am packing this thin yellow pant set because it was one of my favorites that Dexter wore for maybe 1 night so I am going to get the most out of these jammies. However, if she does come out bigger than what we are thinking I have also packed a cute pink onesie with bows on it to go under the grey toned sleeper gown. These sleeper gowns are my absolute favorite because they make it so easy to change diapers in the middle of the night.

I am also bringing a halo sleep sack and a thin receiving blanket. The hospital provides a receiving blanket which is usually what little one stays wrapped up in their whole stay. However I am hoping to get her used to the tight swaddlers/sleep sacks so why not start her off from the start. This is one of those things that I am not sure if I will be able to use in the hospital even though the on I am bringing is literally from the hospital I will be giving birth at. Like I said the hospital provides a receiving blanket but I am bring another one since we keep the hospital ones for their memory box and I don’t want it to get dirty or smelly. The blanket I am bringing won’t really be used for sleeping at night but for during the day when everyone is visiting so she stays wrapped up and warm.

Dress To Impress

Two outfits are being packed into her bag for two different reasons. The first reason is simply for sizes and the second reason being that I live in Michigan and you never know what the weather will be in April. With that being said I have packed a warm weather polka dot cat playsuit from Carter’s and a long sleeve pink top, which says “Hello World”, along with floral pants from Amazon. I am hoping both outfits fit her and regardless of weather but you never actually know. I’m also packing 2 plain white onesies because you can honestly never go wrong having them. Lastly, for this category, I am packing her “Little Sister” shirt. I am bringing this shirt more so for picture purposes since Dexter will be wearing his matching “Big Brother” outfit.

Extra Extra

There are a few things I am taking which are not completely necessary. These are the kind of things I pack because we live an hour away from where we are delivering and you never know what is going to happen once we are released from the hospital. When Dexter was discharged we went and hung out at someones house instead of going straight home. So my little extras that I am packing are; socks, headband bows, a pair of mittens, a burp cloth, a nursing pillow, a pacifier,  and a blanket (not pictured). Two pairs of socks just in case we lose one, but also socks in general because the room may be too cold for her to not have them. I am also bringing a pair of mittens because I honestly don’t remember if the hospital provides any (I don’t think they do). I am bringing a burp cloth because it’s easier to use than the huge receiving blanket. I am bringing the nursing pillow in hopes she will be in the room. It will also make feeding her easier by giving me arm support. I am bringing a special blanket to use for some in hospital pictures since it has her name on it, so stay tuned for those.

Hospital Hospitality

Disclaimer: I do not know if every hospital provides the same things this is just the hospital I am delivering at. Some hospitals may provide more or less.

There are things the hospital provides that I will not be packing (and some things I clearly am).  Lets start with what I won’t be packing. I am not bringing any diapers, bottles, or wipes. The hospital not only provides all of these things but anything that is left over and already in your room you get to take home with you, which is an amazing gift. They do provide a pacifier and as well as a breast pump (that comes with help from the lactation consultant in the hospital). With this being said I am bringing both. I am bring a different style of pacifier just in case she doesn’t like the nipple on the one from the hospital. I am also bringing my own breast pump just because I already know that I don’t respond well to the one they provide. The cool thing about the hospital providing a pump is that all of the parts (whether you use them or not) are yours to take home. The down side to this is that the pump provided is a Medela pump and the parts are not compatible with the Evenflo pump I use.

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Not Gonna Happen

Picking a name for a baby is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Forget taking the ACTs or learning how to parallel park. Never mind having to learn long division for the first time or even give birth. Knowing that whatever name I give to my child is a name they are going to have to live with for (most likely) their whole life is actually kind of terrifying. You have to consider nicknames wether they be good or bad, as well as if they could be picked on in any way for their name.

With that being said, here are 3 girls, and 2 boy, names that we will not be using for our little angel. 

Addison

Meaning

From an English surname meaning "son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to Madison.

English and Gender Neutral

Addison was one of my very first choices when I found out we were having a girl. I like this name because as it stands on its own it can be a sophisticated name that will work for the child as an adult. On the other hand as a child it can be shortened to Addie and it becomes cute and innocent little name. However this name wasn’t the ultimate winner mainly because Blake said no. This was actually the fate for a ton of the names (even boy names) that I liked. If we both didn’t at least like the name 90% then I took it off the list.

Brooklyn

Meaning

From the name of the borough of New York City, originally derived from Dutch Breukelen meaning "broken land". It can also be viewed as a combination of brook and the popular name suffix lyn.

English and Feminine

I have loved the name Brooklyn since before I had kids or was even in a health enough relationship to consider kids. I like the name Brooklyn because to me it just feels very girly, and sure in this day in age anyone can be named anything. However I have always pictured my little girl prancing around a stage in an overly puffy tutu while her pigtails bounce up and down with her, and for me this name always solidified the vision for me. (To all the haters, if my daughter would rather be a quarterback than a ballerina then by all means more power to her but my hypothetical child still wants to dance so hush.)

This name actually made it to our top 4 names for the princess but was ultimately taken off when the list hit the desk of daddy. His exact words were, “I want to be the only ‘B’ in the family”, and thus it was stricken.

Grace

Meaning

From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans.

English and Feminine

Grace is another name that made it onto our top 4 list. Blake is the one that added it to our list and it made all of my requirements for names. It works both for when they’re little as well as an adult, there’s little to no bad nicknames, and I couldn’t think of anything she would've been bullied about. So why was it taken off the list? The only thing that sent it to the losers circle was because I felt it was too short and didn’t roll off the tongue well with Dexter when said together.

Final Result

I know there are people out there who are truly ready to know what our little girls name is and I promise you we actually have one picked out and finalized. However we are thinking about saving our big announcement until the princess is here. We have only told the closest people in our life what her name will be and I’m sure they are excited to share. I do promise however that her name announcement will be pretty cool. 

A little hint to her announcement...we had something made...

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Over the Bump

My Body, My Baby.

Any pregnant women can tell you they have a goal for their pregnancy. 

It could be to just have a healthy pregnancy, or maybe to stay fit. When I was pregnant with Dexter my goal was to enjoy every minute of it, as long as he was healthy I didn’t care, I wanted every aspect of pregnancy. With this little one however my goal is to maintain my weight. After Dexter was born I instantly lost about 10 pounds, but then we got into our breastfeeding routine and I gained it all back and then some. I was horrified when I stepped on the scale to find out that at 5 months postpartum I weighed the exact same at 9 months pregnant. So with this pregnancy I have decided to be a little more weight conscious and want to stay under a 25lb weight gain. What does that mean for the precious cargo? Nothing. Baby is growing at great speeds and we have been given 2 thumbs that development looks good. Baby at this point is about 14 inches and weighing 2 pounds, roughly the size of a rutabaga. Immune system is growing, lungs are being exercised, and “dreams” are developing.

My favorite thing about the second trimester is that symptoms tend to lighten up quite a bit. Morning sickness starts becoming more a surprise rather than every single morning. Cravings this trimester have become more than just “everything”. It started out as pasta but has become peanut butter and jelly and milk. Milk has become my biggest craving whether its with dinner, breakfast, snacks, or even on its own. This trimester has brought with it food aversions to greasy foods and garlic, lightheadedness, dizziness, and extreme exhaustion. I am finding that at night it is so hard to fall asleep but during the day it feels impossible to stay awake, which is not good when I have a toddler running around and getting into everything.

It’s a Princess!

A day shy of 20 weeks we found out that we will be having a little girl!

I really wanted another boy just because we already have an entire wardrobe and I know what to expect. On our way to the ultrasound I asked Blake what he thought we were going to have and without an ounce of hesitation he said girl. Sitting in the room staring at the screen as the tech was looking at all the body parts she finally stopped and said “can you see what I’m looking at? Here’s a leg…” I concentrated so hard to see a little baby penis and it wasn’t there. The tech quickly filled the silence with, “it’s a girl.” For about a split second my heart sank and I was terrified but then I was excited for a new adventure, and lets not even get into the clothes I know get to look forward to. The things I’m most worried about is that I have never seen myself as a woman who would raise a girl. I suck at doing hair and rarely ever do make up so I part of me hopes she grows up as a little tomboy, BUT if she is the biggest girly girly in the world you can bet your ass that I will be researching and studying to make sure that she can ask me anything. I am scared to raise a girl in the current world we live in but I am up for the task.

Becoming a Big Brother

Dexter’s “big brother” development this trimester has been crazy.

At the beginning of the trimester he was constantly pulling up my shirt to talk to, kiss, and give raspberries to his “bebe”. He would shove his face into my stomach and just gab away often repeating “mama” and “dada” so it was almost like he was introducing us to her and getting her ready for life after birth. Now as she has grown so much he has backed off her a quite a bit. He often tries to jump and stand on my belly so I have to remind him to be gentle of sissy, to which he often just kisses my stomach almost in and I’m sorry type of way. When ever I am rocking him to sleep we sing the same 3 songs and that is typically the time baby is the most active. She will kick Dexter almost every time him and I are cuddling and his reactions depend on his current mood. Sometimes he giggles and will “play” with her, while other times he gets mad and tells her no. The latter is actually pretty rare though. The closer we get to her arrival I have noticed Dexter role playing with stuffed animals and baby dolls more often. He gives them hugs and kisses as well as putting them down for naps. I am very excited to see the big brother he turns out to be, and even though he may not fully understand that he’s getting a little sister I think he’s excited to have “his own” baby.

Looking Forward

Things are going to get pretty intense since this is the final stretch...literally.

As I enter the final trimester I am starting to get antsy. I am constantly in pain whether it be my back, pelvis, or lower abdomen. Little miss is going to have a huge growth spurt, if she follows in her brothers foot steps, which means I will be having a growth spurt as well. I am hoping to keep the third trimester weight gain under 5 pounds which sounds easy enough but this trimester is where I feel like I am always hungry. To wrap up this trimester I will be scheduling my last ultrasound for 35 weeks, which is the end of March/start of April. Around that same time I will be starting to increase the amount of oatmeal I eat to help with milk production for just incase situations at the hospital. Then obviously we will be setting up the house for her arrival as well as welcoming her to the world.

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Mini Shoppers

Giving gifts from your kids are super difficult. They always want to pick the most expensive things and for the most part don’t quite understand the value of money. So what do you do? Well if you were someone in my family who really wanted a crafty little thing done you’d come to me and we’d sit down and figure it out, but since your not let me just give you some ideas.

Mini Adults

For those over the age of 10 you can probably give them a budget for each person and they will stick to it.

I suggest sitting down with them and make a list of everyone they want to shop for along with a general idea of what a good gift for that person would be. Then you decide what the budget will be based on that list and head out to the store. You can make them have a little more responsibility by making sure they keep track of what they are spending. Keeping a list like this will also help to stop them from looking at things they want to get themselves rather than who they are shopping for. Not to mention, can you name one child who wouldn’t like to feel like they are in charge of something?

Energizer Bunnies

Starting and ending this route truly depends on your little one, but I would start around that age of 4 or 5.

Again sit down and have them think of people (besides mom and dad) that they would like to shop for. You could make it fun and write down each persons name on a different index card and then once they have bought for that person either they or you could write on the other side what they bought. This way when you guys get home to wrap you aren’t stuck trying to remember who gets what, or if you have more than one kid at this age you aren’t racking your brain to remember what kid got what gift for which person.Once the gift is wrapped and has a gift tag the index card gets given back to mom/dad so you know that person is done. So where do you send these kids who want and need to do things by themselves but also think $1 and $100 are the same thing? Two words: Dollar Tree. You can get just about anything from a dollar store and it only costs a dollar. It allows the little ones to go through the store and think about what each person would like and make them feel like a big kid.

Bundles of Joy

What about the little ones that can’t even tell you what they want?

Well it can sometimes feel like you’re just getting that person more gifts from you so way not make the munchkin do a little “heavy lifting” for once. My favorite thing for all in this age group is salt dough. The toddlers will have a blast helping to mix all ingredients together and you won’t spend that much money. 

The recipe: •1 Cup Flour •1 Cup Salt •Water to mix •Make creations •Bake at 250° F for 3 hours •Paint or decorate

Roll out the dough and cut little “plaques” and let your little one paint them with Crayola paints, or any kid safe paints, after its done baking. As for the itty bitty you have, just stick either their hand or foot in the dough leaving behind the cutest little print ever. Use a tooth pick to create a small hole at the top, toss it into the oven, then once cooled slap some pain on it and their name and year, tie a piece of ribbon through the hole and BAM perfect present for grandparents. If you want to get a little creative you can turn the hand or foot print into something, Pinterest has literally a million ideas for this.

Artsy Fartsy

I know there are probably a few of you thinking that there is no way in hell your kids would be able to pull any of this off.

No need to fear I have the answer for you as well. Head to your nearest dollar store and pick up a picture frame. Jump on to the internet to one of those picture editor sites that lets you convert a photo into a sketch, and convert an image of you kiddo with the recipient. Print the picture out and let your little one color it any way they want (that means you have no input). Pop that puppy in the frame, wrap it and call it a day. Gift giving doesn’t have to be stressful just have to think a little out side the box.

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Getting Wild

I have attempt to write this post so many times to make it correspond with the pictures that I took when we went to Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo, and it hasn’t worked. So heres a small tidbit about what I thought and the few pictures we managed to capture.

We thought going at 6:30pm on a Sunday night wouldn’t be too bad, and I’m sure it could have been a lot worse, but it was so busy. The zoo does offer many different things as you walk around aside from the beautiful light displays. There are many hot chocolate stands that also provide a “kicker” to your drink if desired, there are small fires lit to not only allow you to stay warm but also to make s’mores (you get kits from stands within the zoo), there are also concession booths open if you need or snack or if you need something more you can head to one of the two restaurants they have open. 

They also offer many key locations to take pictures both for adults and kids. There are different wooden boards around the zoo with wonderful christmas related characters printed on them that are situated perfectly at the little ones height. The only problem I had with these is that they were in the darkest areas and you couldn’t get good enough pictures to make the stops worth it. Not to mention there are so many other things going on, so don’t expect your really little one to stand still for anything.

The few adult spots I saw were this giant star you could stand in front of and the humungous bauble that you could walk through and a zoo employee would take a picture on your phone for you. The line however for the bauble was probably a good 20 minute wait and I don’t see it being that worth it if I’m honest. I was happy just to get these pictures of the amazing structures on their own.

Although there are a lot of people there which makes it hard to see all of the scenes that people have worked so hard on, it still makes for a very enjoyable night. Blake and I’s first visit was back in 2015 when it was just the 2 of us and as I’ve said before it wasn’t all that great. It had it’s bits that were pretty nice but nothing to really rant and rave about. However, this year I think was 100 times better. There were so many more lights and it felt more put together, because clearly I have a right to judge how it’s put together clearly. Sure we didn’t do everything that was offered like the s’mores, 4D movie, or the ice rink (mainly because Dex is just too little this year), but it felt like we spent more time walking through and really looking and taking everything in. Thanks to this trip I can’t wait to go back next year.

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Aesthetically Appealing

Some people ask me why I even do a theme every year with my paper. Honestly I do it for my own benefit. If I have to look at presents under my tree for about a month why shouldn’t it be super cute?

Going For Gold

This year I had help picking out my wrapping paper theme because I was torn between 3 different themes; blue and silver, red and green, and rose gold. 

While wandering through Walmart showing Blake all of my ideas he said he liked the rose gold and to just go with that. I picked up two rolls of paper and the cute white ribbon that had tiny balls hanging off of it and I was in love until I tied 3 presents with the ribbon and then ran out. Back to the store I went and picked up some basic white crinkle cut fabric ribbon (75 sq. ft. to be exact). After wrapping about 85% I ran out of wrapping paper and had to run out less than 9 days before Christmas and of course both of the styles I got were sold out and I had to get another one. I didn’t have many options to choose from since they only had 1 roll left in the rose gold theme. I said fuck it, grabbed it, and it ended up being my favorite roll of paper.

The Originals

I originally fell in love with these two themes and should have initially bought a ton.

My first choice was the Santa one because it reminded me of wrapping paper from when I was little. I had a heard time deciding which paper went the best with the Santa’s and ultimately went with snowflakes because I liked the glittery touch. All the rolls I bought were about $5 each and for heavy duty paper with a foil feel to them.

A New Friend

From a distance this rose gold paper just looks like a plain shiny foil paper, but when you look closely it has a scale like texture to it.

The scale look is what initially turned me away from picking it on my first go around. However I am happy it was waiting for me that day because I love the way it shines with the lights on the christmas tree. It also looks good with both of the other papers I got which I was worried about when I picked it up in the store because I couldn’t compare it to them side by side to make sure.

An additional purchase this year was the use of a gift bag. There is a baby on our gift giving list this year who will be too little to unwrap anything. The most practical option for this is a gift bag. I think the best part about using gift bags is that there are so many options to pick from it would be almost impossible to find something not within your theme. I went with this tree bag because of the bit of gold decorations on it, also the authentic rustic looking tree really jumped out to me.

Money Saver

Earlier this year I bought myself a Cricut machine and I have tried to use it every chance I get.

I wanted to find a way to save a little money in the gift area as well as use the circut and that is when I thought about gift tags. Gift tags are freaking expensive and can be very hard to match up to a theme so I started my internet search. I cam across these beautiful red cut out tags and needed to figure out how to make them go with my gifts. Printing them on white paper made it easy to make it work with my theme by changing up the marker color I used to write their names. In the end I decided to stick with a simple black since it goes with just about everything. Coloring the words inside the circle was a last minute choice to try and make them stand out. I tried so hard to find a rose gold marker only to be disappointed to know there isn’t one. However did you know that is use Sharpie’s Bronze marker it is so close to a rose gold people who don’t know any better can’t even tell it not the same color. I was so happy that I may have let out a small squeal of excitement, but thats only because I love when things work out.

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Pan!c At The Holiday

Everyone always assumes that people with anxiety only have panic/anxiety attacks when something is happening. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. 

Holiday Horrors

I’m not a professional so I can’t say for sure but I feel like people have more panic attacks during holiday times than any other time during the year.

And when you think about it, it kinda makes sense. People tend to be in constant worry about finding the perfect gift for every person. Then once all gifts have been found some will begin to worry that they spent too much or not enough money...even if they didn’t. After all is said and done the next thing in their mind is the fact that all eyes will be on them when they have to now give and receive gifts. With all the pressure and attention its no wonder people feel anxious or panicked, it happens. Even people who don’t suffer constantly I’m sure do to some degree.

Merry Mess

Today was a great day, but my body betrayed me.

We went up to Bronners in Frankenmuth for our annual Christmas ornament shop. It was Dexter’s first time being able to understand what was going on and he loved it. He kept pointing at all of the lights and decorations saying, “Ma wow”. He enjoyed looking at all of the Christmas villages with daddy and waving at all the Santa statues telling them hi. On our drive home we stopped and had lunch where we joked and laughed at the table waiting for our food. After eating we jumped back into the car to finish our drive home. Little man fell asleep and Blake and I carried on talking and laughing….then bam! Out of nowhere it hits, my chest tightens, my heart races, and it suddenly becomes difficult to breathe…but why? I was joking and laughing with my boyfriend without a care in the world. My mind wasn’t wandering like it normally does, taking me to the dark depths of my brain. I acknowledged the panic attack out loud, telling Blake that is was happening and he asked why. I was honest, not to benefit him but to control my insides. “I don’t know,” I truly didn’t, “I have no reason to.” Then all of a sudden as if it never happened, it was over. Maybe it was because I addressed it, maybe because it was over, maybe my body was having too much fun. Regardless it happened.

Joyful Journey

I get panic attacks frequently, rarely do they manifest to my outside life.

I get them so frequently now that I can carry on doing whatever it is that I am doing without it effecting me and without anyone around even noticing. it wasn’t always this way, the first time I recall it happening I was sitting on the front porch at my moms. Nothing was going on, a group of family and friends were all outside talking and laughing, all of a sudden I was hyperventilating and couldn’t breathe. My mom told me I was having a panic attack, to which I denied. Having understanding what was happening and realizing that I didn’t like being on anxiety meds (and natural remedies didn’t work) I chose to figure out how to live with them. Here we are years later, many of trial and errors, and now I tell myself to suck it up. Sure it’s not the healthiest way of dealing with things but it works for me, it makes me feel like I am taking control over my life (it’s the one thing I know I can control without question).

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Gingerbread Tips

Last year I made a post sharing my experience of building a gingerbread house. Well this year I’m back and bringing some tips I have found with me.

Don’t Eat It

If you are buying the kits I don’t suggest eating it because honestly it’s probably rock hard and gross.

Personally I wouldn’t eat it even if I made it homemade, mainly because I don’t like gingerbread but also because after I spend all that time on it why would I want to destroy it? So now that you’re not eating it I have a better idea than using that stupid royal icing to dry, which takes upwards of 6 hours, use a hot glue gun. Don’t use the glue to attach the candy of course but for the base and structure I say go for it. However if you are sitting in your seat right now cursing me for not eating the gingerbread house then I have two words for you…White Chocolate. Melt some white chocolate in the microwave (15 second increments stirring in-between) or in a double boiler (do not let water get into chocolate), keep it in a bowl and just dip in your pieces and assemble. The chocolate will dry and harden a lot faster than the icing will and will hold your structure together longer. Which ever route you use I wish you luck because gingerbread houses are a pain in the ass regardless.

Tips Out People

Not my tips but piping tips. 

Whatever you are using to attach your candy with or creating your snow with transfer it to its own piping bag with a tip. For basic candy assembly I would use either a size 2 or 3 round tip, and for decorating I would use either a round #10 or a closed star #30. Using different tips will help to give you a more artistic look as well as give the structure some dimension. Some additional little tips use buttercream to make the drooping snow that you usually see around the edge of roofs and to give the ��freshly fallen’ snow look sprinkle a mixture of white sparkling sugar and finely chopped coconut over your white buttercream. If all of this is articulated with a creative eye theres almost a 100% chance people will think it was professionally done.

Creative Kiddos

If you are the complete opposite of me then maybe you enjoy getting your kids involved in decorating gingerbread houses.

Getting kids involved can be super fun, but to me it would be a nightmare…at least right now. But back to the rest of you…use a shoe box. Let your little one decorate the inside and outside of a shoe box to make a scenery for their house. They could use paper, crayons, makers, cotton balls, and felt sheets. Watching their little brains basically explode with creativity is so much fun and it is exactly what they want and you have no say in it so it also gives them a bit of independence.

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Truth Be Told...I’m out of ideas

Not to sure how I am going to make it through the rest of blogmas since it’s only day 13 and I’m already resorting to the Christmas tag...

1. Favorite Christmas Movie?

Currently it’s the Grinch but that could be because Dexter really likes it. We took him to see the new one in theaters and he had a great time. I really want him to see the Polar Express but it’s actually not that easy to find unless I go out and buy a physical copy.

2. Are you on the Naughty list or the Nice list?

Honestly probably the naughty list but thats because I am a judgey person…especially when it comes to strangers. To try and make up for it though I try to keep it all in my head.

3. Have you ever had a White Christmas?

I live in Michigan so basically every christmas of my life has been a white christmas. However it is now 12/13 and I have yet to see snow. Not sure why I was so stressed trying to find snow boots for little man.

4. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute?

Typically I like to I like to start before Black Friday but this year was really last minute…in fact I still have shopping to do. I’m usually already done buying and wrapping by now. #slackalackin

5. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be?

A Christmas Prince for sure. Not because I want to get the prince or whatever but just so I can pull the main characters heads out of their asses and handle their shit.

6. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it?

I like having the tree up no later than the first of the month but honestly any time in November is good to me.

7. Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Our tree is fake for a few reasons. Real trees are a pain in the ass to keep the needles picked up, I don’t want to have to water the tree and make a more mess, and my fake tree will last me a whole lot longer. Also in the long run (environment aside) the fake tree is a lot cheaper.

8. Peeking at gifts or be surprised?

100% surprised. I’m actually a little bummed that Blake gave me my presents instead of wrapping them.

9. Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?

With out a doubt a pro-present wrapper, some would even say I do way too much. I like having a theme that includes the paper, the ribbon, the tag, and the attachment (sneak peek theres no attachment this year).

10. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?

In middle school we went to an old folks home and snag christmas carols but actually walking door to door is something I have never done, and probably never will do. Not only would I be terrified to sing to a bunch of strangers but I would also be afraid to knock on their doors.

11. What tops your tree?

We currently have a star topper on our main tree and a bow on our mini tree. I have seen recently that a lot of people are doing santa hats as tree toppers and I think that is a really cute idea as well.

12. You have been granted one Christmas wish…what will it be?

What in tarnation is a Christmas wish? If its something that a person wants/wants to happen then I think so…

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Santa’s Snacks

Every child in the world leaves a snack on Christmas Eve for Santa to enjoy while he delivers presents. In the U.S. it’s milk and cookies but what about everywhere else? 

Diversity of Drinks

To be honest I never understood why we give Santa cold milk when he’s been riding in the cold all night.

Some other countries have switched it up though. Santa Starts off his night in Australia where he enjoys a cold beer. This seems a little odd to me only because, if you think about it, after getting a beer at every child’s house he’d be a little drunk on his way to all the other houses. Luckily when he gets to Sweden he can attempt to quickly sober up with all the coffee that will now fill his stomach. After all these beverages it makes me wonder how many of our bathrooms do you think Santa has used? Before moving along lets talk about Ireland, do you really think they would give Santa anything other than a Guinness? So with all that beer does Santa take a pit stop to sober up or do the reindeer just go into auto pilot so he can take a nap?

Surrogate Snacks

I am happy to find out that Santa isn’t getting cookies at every house around the world because if you ask me that would get old really fast.

Of course he is still getting sweets but I’d have to imagine that by switching it up from place to place it at least stays a little interesting. Between getting rice pudding from Denmark, minced pies from the UK, and fruit cake from Chile how could you get bored?  If I was santa I wouldn’t necessarily eat them at every house but rather take them with me  and eat them as I go, that way I could switch it up. With all of these treats plus all the cookies he gets from other countries it’s no wonder he is as big as he is. Makes me wonder what kind of killer work out Santa has, and how I can get on it.

Bummer Big Guy

A tradition I think we may stick with is not leaving anything out for him.

The Netherlands, France, and Argentina all tell Santa to piss off and offer treats to the reindeer instead (after all they do all the work). According to all the fancy Christmas scientists reindeer eat a variety of things; hay, carrots, and oats, as well as enjoy a nice drink of water. I personally enjoy the idea of making “Reindeer Mix” that you throw out into the yard and the reindeer eat it while they wait for santa to return. Finally lets talk about Germany, because these kids really have it figured out. Instead of leaving food for either Santa or the reindeer they leave personalized letters to the big man himself. Although it seems a little far fetched apparently Santa takes his time to sit down and read each and everyone. I’m not sure I entirely see the purpose, unless its like writing a thank you note. Does he write back? What do you say? Does he take them with him?  Regardless, if I don’t have to do dishes afterwards then I’m all for it.

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Shopping After Christmas

Everyone always waits for Black Friday to buy Christmas things, but I don’t understand why. The deals aren’t that great and most of the time all of the seasons things haven’t even made it out to the floor yet.Take it from someone with retail experience, if it’s not in the Black Friday ad there is no guarantee it’s made it out to the floor. This is why I’m telling you the best time to shop is after the holiday is over.

Sale Tracker

The best sales on holiday items are after the holiday.

Just like how everyone stocks up on candy after Valentines Day or Halloween. Christmas stuff usually starts around 25-30% and then every two-ish weeks it goes down 10-15% until it reaches either 75% or 90% and then it all gets taken off the floor. This includes indoor and outdoor decorations, trees, stockings, hats, stocking stuffers, and candy. You always run the risk of not getting exactly what you want but its always worth waiting until the last possible moment. I have known some stores to drop things quickly to try and get them out of the store faster so it’s good to either have someone on the inside or at least keep a close eye on the sales.

Budget Buys

The best things you can buy during this time is decorations and tree things.

I have seen 7 foot Christmas trees go for $25 when they are normally around $170 and with a deal that good why would you pick one up on Black Friday for a measly 25% off? Same thing goes for the lights, tree skirts, and toppers. If you watch the deals right you could probably deck out your whole christmas tree for the price of what just a tree would normally cost you. Other good things to buy during this time is stocking stuffers and Christmas trinkets. Stocking stuffers are usually way over priced during the season, which can make you question if you even need to fill a stocking, but when you can get them at an amazing discount (and buy them early) its one less thing you have to worry about next year. Finding Christmas trinkets at a good price is always a bonus because you can use them as decoration for next year or even white elephant presents. Again this will save you from the panic of rushing out and having to buy something at the last minute. For me the absolute best things to buy after the holiday is over is wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, and Christmas cards. All of these things are usually pretty expensive for what they’re worth. I like getting the gift wrap stuff because if you buy it right then you can use it for all the parties you get invited to throughout the year as well as Christmas. I like getting cards at this time because I don’t have to worry about not having them, I can fill them out early, and I don’t have to stress about the fact that they are ridiculously expensive when not bought during the sale.

Good v. Bad

Like with anything that goes on sale there are both good and bad things to get during this time.

Most of which are gift sets, but before we get into that lets talk about books. Buying Christmas or Holiday related books is a really good idea at this time. Adult books can be given as presents to neighbors, teachers, or even coaches or simply for that difficult person. Where as kids books can be use in an advent calendar or used for stocking stuffers, just make sure you’re buying for the age they will be and not the age they are. Now back to the gift sets, whats wrong with those. Some of the best sets to buy are the food sets and the grooming sets. Most people would think getting food sets would be a huge no-no but um you still eat after the holiday right? These don’t have to be actual gifts they could be for when you just need a snack and have a craving, or even need to bring a little something to that New Years Eve party (they do have alcohol sets). Grooming sets are nice as long as you are buying something you’re actually going to use that way when you run out of the product its already there for you. Most of these sets are full size products and you get multiple things for a pretty decent deal. So what’s something you should stay clear of buying, or at least buy strategically? Make up. Make up sets can be a hit or miss simple because make has an expiration date. If you know that there is someone you have to get a gift for within the next few months and its something they might like then I say go for it, and I mean like no later than the end of February. Anything after that you may run into them not being able to use it before it becomes expired. So it’s not totally a bad buy, its just one to be careful of but can be a good buy if you read the back of to package and plan accordingly.

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So You Need A Gift

Theres always that one person that is impossible to buy for. You never know what to get them and then once you find something you question if its a good enough gift the whole time. Well I’m here to give you a few fool proof ideas that will work for all of the difficult people in your life.

Hobby Hunter

The easiest thing to buy someone is a gift card but then you are faced with the question of what kind of gift card do you get?

If you’re looking for a quick and easy card to pick up I would head to the most popular restaurant in the recipients area and just pick up a card from there. However, if you’re looking for a more personal gift you must first find out what the persons hobby is, and everyone has a hobby. For those interested in crafting a gift card from places like Hobby Lobby, Jo-Anns, or Michaels are great choices. For video game people Game Stop or any superstore that sells video games (like Walmart), or if they enjoy online/computer gaming Steam gift cards are good ideas too. Dunhams, Champs, and Dick Sporting Goods are all good stores for the sport enthusiast. The avid shopper would enjoy a gift card to their favorite store. If you are still stumped you could always get a visa gift card that they can spend anywhere, although not the most personal option it is certainly one that will get the job done.

Lots or Little

If gift cards aren’t your thing then you could always go with stuff that everyone genuinely can use.

Target is one of my favorite places to shop for this idea because they have the dollar spot at the front of the store plus they usually have a stocking stuffer section and a travel section. If you shop as if you are going to fill a stocking for this person you can get a lot of little things, wrap them individually, put them all in a box, wrap the box and give that. Target’s dollar spot has things like pens, stationary, organization containers, phone chargers, and headphones. You can then get things like travel size toothpaste, tooth brush, and q-tips from the travel isle. Once you’re done picking out what you like from that section head over to the Christmas section and find the stocking stuffer area and the options are endless. Some ideas are; cozy socks, card games, mittens, makeup snacks, phone accessories, books, cologne, and even jewelry. By getting a bunch of little things like this it will make it look like you put a lot of time and thought into your gift but really all you did was wander through Target, and who doesn’t love having an excuse to do that?

Toasty Warm

Since Christmas falls in a cold month for most of the world and good idea is something to stay warm.

Walmart is a great place for this type of gift because they usually have a huge section of gift sets and maybe even a sale or two. Blankets and socks are an easy go to when trying to find a gift idea, and when you can get a blanket for as low as $8 from Walmart why wouldn’t it be? But what if you want to get away from the typical “i didn’t have an idea for you” present? There are gift sets for just about anything you can think of; sausage, hot sauce, hot chocolate, soup, s’mores, tea, and coffee. You can also get gift sets for both male and female pampering. There is probably a gift set for just about everyone on your shopping list and ones that work for just about every budget too.

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Shh...It’s a Secret Santa

There are people who love secret santa gifts and then there are people who dread it. Either way you have two ways you can go about doing buying; practical or funny. Beware however that if you go the funny route that whomever gets the gift may find it more annoying than funny so it has to be really funny.

Cha Ching

If you’ve been keeping up so far in this blooms you know that this year is all about the budget, which honestly is a little ironic.

So what is the best budget for a Secret Santa gift? I think this can depend on a few things like age, time, and income. Before I get too into it just know that I am not saying that if you make more money you should spend more money, I’m saying if you don’t make a lot of money you shouldn’t feel obligated to spend as much. If your child is doing a secret santa at school, or daycare even, I don’t think the budget should be any higher than $10. In fact in that situation I truly believe $5 is the perfect budget. How does time affect your budget? If you were told a week before hand it could be rather annoying to also be hit with a large budget, however if you were told weeks before hand and also got hit with a larger budget it would be easier for you to plan for that money. On the other hand time wouldn’t make a big difference if you truly don’t have the income to support it. So whats the perfect budget that can hit almost all of these situations in the best way? In my opinion its $15-$20 and a minimum of 1 months notice. I feel like since most people are paid every 2 weeks they have a better chance of being able to find the best gift and work with the full budget.

To Theme or Not to Theme?

Something I think everyone struggles with is deciding what to buy. 

If your Secret Santa is a name drawn thing then I suggest sticking to something that deals with their hobby. If your secret santa is more of a bring a gift pick a number/ white elephant then my biggest tip for you is DO NOT MAKE IT HOLIDAY THEMED. There’s nothing that sucks more than getting a christmas decoration as a gift that you can’t use because it’s at the end of the year or because it doesn’t match your decor theme. It’s also kind of annoying because then your gift sits in storage for a majority of the year. The best thing you can do is go into a superstore and look for the sales in the home department. You can get nice big picture frames, tupperware set, candles, wax warmers, literally anything. Another good idea for when you’re in a time crunch is going to Dollar Tree grab a a basket thats usually at the back of the store grab some candy and popcorn, then go to the store and pick up a $5 movie, then boom you have a “movie night basket”.

Size Matters

I love trying to find the biggest gift I can while still staying in budget. 

Funny enough you can get huge things for $20. I have found large collage frames, lamps, fans, toilet paper, and a suit case all for under $20 that could make for good and funny gifts. The best part about getting a big gift for this type of thing is because when you bring it in everyone eyes it up the whole night until you play the game and then it tends to be the one thing everyone fights over it. I don’t know why this makes me so happy but it really does put the biggest smile on my face. So what about going to the opposite end of the scale? What happens if you make it the smallest gift that you can? To be honest I can’t speak from experience nor do I have any really good ideas for going small, but I can say I imagine that it will be the last gift standing (maybe) but once it’s opened, if it’s really good, there will be a universal sigh from everyone who wishes they would have picked it up.

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Surviving Christmas

We all have that one side of the family that makes you feel either really annoyed or real awkward because you usually only see them once or twice a year. So what do you do when you  have to spend a bunch of time with this family and there is absolutely no way to get out of it? Just follow these simple steps and one of two things will happen. You’ll either make it through the whole party or people will think you’re weird and antisocial.

Avoidance

I wouldn’t say this is 100% worth it but it will take the edge off for a little bit.

 If you just find a seat either at the table or in the living room you’re almost guaranteed no one will talk to you…at least for a while. Finding a seat at the table will ensure that you have a seat if/when dinner is served plus it will limit the amount of people you have to actually talk to. Also if you avoid hanging out near the older generation you won’t have to talk to much. Hanging out with young adults or teenagers will be easier because theres a good chance they don’t want to talk to anyone either. Avoiding everything isn’t always the best thing but sometimes it’s the easiest thing. 

A Helpful Tip: Avoid following your parent around because they are going to talk to everyone or everyone is going to come up to them and then you’re forced to talk to people you don’t want to.

Bring a Dish

If you are forced to talk to people then at least make it something not so personal.

 There is usually a lot of food at these types of parties so make sure at least one thing on the table was made by you. If you make something then people can ask you about it and you’ll already have all the answers. If you are a kitchen nightmare then maybe just grab a plate and ask people if they have tried certain things, then when you feel the conversation about to hit the one topic no one wants to talk to about (your future and what you’re doing about it) just take a bite of food, it will give you time to think of the best answer without feeling like you’re giving away too many details.

Stay Busy

Theres nothing people hate more than interrupting people who are clearly in the middle of something whether or not it is even important.

 The best way to do this is to play with the little kids. Not only will people see it as you being helpful and keeping the kids out of everyone else’s way, but it will also ensure that your hardest question will be whats your favorite up to drink chocolate milk out of. If little kids are something you just really can’t handle even for a second then I suggest kitchen help. This is the only time that I will suggest talking to people older than you. There are always things that need to be done in the kitchen when you are serving what feels like a million people so be as helpful as you can. That can be anything from helping to stir something, take a tray out, helping with the never ending dishes or even offering to take out the trash that is probably almost full.

Plan Ahead

If you are going to these parties with someone other than your parents then you need to have a get away plan.

 If it’s not the type of party where you can have an “out time” then you need to have some sort of code. It can be as simple as a look or you can get complicated and make some secret word. The word thing can get pretty complicated because one of you is more likely to forget what it is. The best kin of single is a text. Just send the person a simple “are you ready” text when you are in fact ready and then y’all say you’re leaving giving the preplanned excuse that you both came up with before arriving.

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Young Toddler Stocking Stuffers

Last year I made a post about what to put into a stocking for each person (Blogmas Day 15). So I looked back on it for ideas for this year and realized that I missed out on a very important list...the toddler list. So here is what Santa is filling Dexter’s stocking with it this year.

Socks

This may seem like a silly thing to put in a 17 month olds stocking, but I can promise you that he is going to love getting them because he has a weird obsession with feet and anything that goes on them. I took them out of the packaging and wrapped a few pairs together so out of one pack of socks I got 2 gifts out of one.

Cars

I bought 3 individual hot wheels cars, took them out of the packaging and wrapped them up separately. I could have gotten him a dozen of these and he would have been really happy, but I told others that he is into cars this year (which he is) so I didn’t want to get him too many from us. I wrapped them individually so he would feel like he got more gifts even though he won’t really understand it.

Plates

Another odd thing to put into his stocking but it is something he is ready for, and so are we. He currently has the divided plates but for some meals like spaghetti, sandwiches, and snacks he needs flat plates. I found a 6 pack of plates on amazon divided them into groups of 3 and got two presents out of it.

For the last thing in his stocking I got him a Little Critter book. I like this series because not only are they good reads for any age but as he gets older they will also help with teaching him about certain things that come up in his life like going to school and what each holiday is about. So there is a possibility that throughout his life we could very well develop an entire collection.

Tips

I really only have two tips for a toddler stocking.

1. Get both things they like and things they need. They are going to get a bunch of presents that they like from family so getting things they also need is really helpful.

2. Take everything out of its packaging. You are going to be taking things out of boxes and plastic all day long when all the child really wants to do is play with it. If you can’t get it out in enough time your run the risk of a christmas meltdown that no one wants to deal with. So cut yourself some slack and get it out of the way ahead of time.

Also making sure everything works and if it needs batteries either have them on standby and ready to go or already in the toy.

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Cha Cha Cha Changes

Typically this is the time of year everyone is making New Years Resolutions. However when I try and make them I always let myself down so instead of making any of those I am just going to admit there are some changes I would like to make. This way when I do let myself down I won’t feel so disappointed because I am by no means making any promises.

Read More

When I was in high school I could easily read a novel a week. Now, since having Dexter, I haven’t even picked up a book that didn’t rhyme or have multiple cartoons drawn on it’s pages. I would love to be able to read all of the books which are collecting dust on my bookshelf, then once I’ve done that I want to go to the book store and get more books and fall in love with all of them too. I mean if I can’t find a reason to be in school I need to find something to help my brain continue to grow and develop rather than die.

Work Out

I will start by saying I HATE working out. I have no ambition to begin working out nor do I have the self motivation to continue working out after a few days. If we flash back to high school just one more time I went from wearing an adult large dance costume to a child large in just one year because I was dancing every single day. Now if I could just find the equivalent to a competitive dance team but for a young mom I would be in a better position, bonus if it was something I could do with my little man. Be Happier

I’m sure there are a lot of people who are going to think that this one is silly because what do I really have to be upset about? I have an amazing son whom I get to stay home with and watch him grow up, I also have a wonderful and loving boyfriend who now gets to work from home and be closer to so his family. However ever since becoming a mom I feel like I have put my mental health on the back burner. Lately I get mad at the littlest things at what feels like the speed of light. I hate lashing out at my little boy who is just trying to ask me to read another book to him, then 15-20 minutes later I regret it and hate myself for it even though my mini man has forgotten all about it. I am ready to stop going to bed filled with mom guilt that eats at me until I fall asleep, then I wake up and fight with my brain saying we won't do it again only to be snapping before we even make it to nap time. This is my biggest goal for me and my family because we all deserve to live in a happier environment.