What They Don't Tell You About Postpartum Recovery

One of the things that surprised me the most when I had a baby was how unprepared I was for the postpartum recovery period! Everyone has plenty to say about pregnancy and childbirth, but for some reason, the postpartum period gets kind of passed up. It isn't the prettiest or most delicate of experiences, but I don't think women should be embarrassed about it! I did have some awesome friends who gave me helpful information based on their recovery experiences, but my doctors, family members, etc. didn't really tell me much. Maybe a lot of women don't remember their postpartum recovery periods as well as the childbirth experience? I guess that would make sense, since childbirth is such an amazing and even traumatic (to put it frankly) experience for the body. I did get a little bit more preparatory information from the prenatal/childbirth prep class we took and from the website I got regular updates/advice from. However, Brian and I found ourselves surprised over and over again as I recovered from childbirth... Basically, the recovery was more intense than I thought it would be! Hopefully, this post can give some of you first time moms out there a little insight about what to expect during the postpartum recovery time. Now to be fair, everyone's experience is different, just like every childbirth experience is different. But these tips are based on my personal experiences, and I know that other women can back me up on them!

What to Expect

1) Your uterus needs to contract itself back to normal size after giving birth. Your nurses and/or doctors will help speed up the contraction process by kneading on your tummy soon after you have your baby. I remember this being uncomfortable for sure and I didn't enjoy it by any means, but it wasn't excruciating pain. The nurses first did this within minutes after I was stitched up in the delivery room, and then they would periodically do it throughout my recovery stay in the hospital. It seemed to get less painful each time they did it, from what I remember. 

Another thing that helps a uterus contract back to its normal size is breastfeeding. Each time I breastfed my son for the first week or two, especially for the first couple days in the hospital, I could literally feel my uterus contracting- kind of like a menstrual cramp. Again, it wasn't a terrible kind of pain.

2) You will bleed for a little while after the birth. The bleeding shouldn't be really intense (if you ever notice big clots, you need to call your doctor right away). It is kind of like being on your period for the first few weeks after giving birth. Your body has a lot of extra "stuff" to dispose of after you have a baby! In the hospital they give you large pads to use (they may feel like diapers, but they are necessary!), and I continued to use large ones for a week or two after I got home. After that point, the bleeding was still there sometimes (like spotting), so I just made sure to always have pads on hand. I would sometimes notice that I would bleed more after breastfeeding (remember the whole uterus contracting back thing?). Just like the cramping, the bleeding aspect of postpartum wasn't too difficult for me.

3) Going to the bathroom will be painful at first. For me, this was the worst part of postpartum recovery. I almost had to have a catheter inserted again when I was in recovery at the hospital because I had such a difficult time peeing! Thankfully, it eventually got easier during the hospital stay. I just had to make sure to get up and go often or else I would wet the bed (no muscle control right after pushing out an 8 pound baby!). The little squirt bottles they provide you with in the hospital are a life-saver- you use them as you urinate to help relieve the burning sensation.

Going #2 is a whole different experience... It was VERY painful the first time! But I think my situation was worse than it needed to be because I was constipated. I think doctors want you to have a bowel movement within 5 days after having a baby, and it took my body this long to figure it out. What I suggest is preparing yourself before you go into labor by getting lots of fiber!!! When I hit the 35 week mark with this pregnancy, I'm going to start drinking one or two glasses of prune juice every day and make sure I'm getting lots of fruit every day. Hopefully this will make things easier when it's time for me to go after having the baby! :)

4) Tearing takes a toll on your body. If you tear during pushing (which is very common, especially with your first baby), you will need stitches and these will need to heal. I had to have an episiotomy with my first (see Bubby's Birth Story) because forceps had to be used to flip him from the posterior position. I can tell you that it took several months for me to feel normal again down there, and I think it was mainly from this episiotomy (plus the other natural tears I had). I know it was good and necessary so I could have my son safely, but it caused me pain for awhile. In the hospital I was given a small inflatable tube to sit on to relieve pressure from the tearing, and this definitely helped. And when I got home, as long as I was following my pain medication schedule for the first few days the pain wasn't unbearable. But even after the initial pain went away, I could feel some scar tissue forming. You do eventually get back to normal (and I'm really hoping my second postpartum recovery won't be as painful and long), but it takes some time. Let your body heal and don't be afraid to talk to your doctor if you feel something is wrong or abnormal.

5) Intimacy will be an adjustment at first. As you have probably heard or can imagine, sex after having a baby is not the most comfortable experience... But never fear, things will get back to normal! Again, just let your body heal and listen to its needs. And remember that there are lots of ways to be intimate besides the obvious. :)

6) Start thinking about birth control before you have your baby. Your doctor or nurse practitioner will be able to prescribe you your preferred method of birth control when you see him/her for your postpartum checkup (usually between 4 and 6 weeks after the baby's born). But make sure you're thinking about what you're going to do before this point, and make sure that you don't consider breastfeeding your method of birth control, because it is not a method of birth control!..... :)

7) Your period. I can't speak for other women here, but I didn't officially have another period after having my baby until he was about 5 months old (this is when I stopped breastfeeding). But I think I've heard of some women's ovulation starting back up again within a couple of months after having a baby.

What You'll Need

I found that the hospital provided me with most of the materials I needed to get through my recovery. I got witch hazel pads (which help with hemorrhoids), numbing spray (which helps while going to the bathroom), a squirt bottle (as I mentioned above, to help with urinating), and some large pads to wear for those first few postpartum recovery days when lots of fluids are still leaking. Some other things I would suggest having are:

Nursing equipment. If you're planning on breastfeeding, you're going to want a comfortable place or places to do it, and you're going to want equipment to help you feel comfortable as you're getting used to feeding your baby. I needed a water JUG (the one they gave me in the hospital) at all times with me because I always felt like I was going to die of thirst! :) I also loved my nursing pillow and my nursing cover (for when people visited). You'll probably also want lots of snacks to munch on, books and/or your phone/laptop to entertain yourself with. I watched a lot of my favorite shows while I breastfed my son.

Lots of help at home. If you're fortunate enough to have loved ones who can come to your home and help you after your baby is born, take advantage of that! My mom and sister came to help us after my son was born, and it was SOOO nice having them with us. My mom pretty much took care of all of our laundry, meals, and cleaning, and she even watched the baby for us in the morning if we had a long, sleepless night with him. I also really needed my mom and sister there emotionally, since having a baby and experiencing all that comes with it can feel overwhelming at times. It was very therapeutic to have people there with me during the day when Brian had to go back to work and school during the day.

Emergency formula. Even if you're planning on breastfeeding, I suggest having a small stash of formula on hand just in case you're going to need it. There was a night when right after my son was born when he was really fussy, and my mom told us that he was probably still hungry and not getting enough milk from me. Brian ran to the store and got some formula, but we had no idea what kind to buy! We ended up getting a soy kind, which turned out to be unnecessary (I guess most babies are just fine starting with milk-based formula). If you have a small stash on hand when the baby's born (along with a few small bottles), you can use it if your supply is struggling to keep up when the baby is going through a growth spurt. And plus, I've heard that emergency preparedness kits should always have infant formula if there are babies in your family (I didn't think of this when my baby was breast and formula feeding). This totally makes sense, because if an emergency were to ever happen in your home or area (or to you), your baby still needs to eat their specialized milk.


I could go on and on about different things parents might need when they have a baby, but since this post was dedicated to the postpartum recovery period specifically, I'll leave it at that. :)

It may seem overwhelming or scary to have a baby and to handle everything that goes along with having one, but don't worry- everything will work out and you will end up having your own story to tell! I honestly did not think things were that scary or painful when I was experiencing all of this; I was so in love with my baby and so excited he was here that those happy emotions usually overpowered any of the confused or overwhelmed ones.

<3 Tycie

Emotions: A Pregnancy Reflection

I haven't written a lot about my current pregnancy, mostly because the last 8 months have been CRAZY for me and my family. Since April, this is what we've had going on: Brian's graduation, the start and end of the most difficult semester of my college career, a move from Utah, a semi-move in Eastern Washington, a move to another part of Washington, Brian's entering of graduate school, and the start (and almost end- just one more week!) of my last semester of college. And this doesn't include all the fun celebrations that have gone on, like holidays and Bubby's birthday. I found out I was pregnant at the end of May, just before we moved from Utah.

So aside from being the mother of an active toddler, finishing my college degree (BS Marriage and Family Studies), and experiencing a crazy year of change in our family, this second pregnancy has been an emotional roller coaster all on its own. The underlying cause of the emotional ups and downs comes from the fact that for several months the baby I thought was growing inside of me turned out to be a different gender than what the baby actually is.

I can't deny that I had been wanting a baby girl for a little while, even before I became pregnant the second time. I had a couple of experiences (I call them spiritual experiences) that led me to feel "connected" to a daughter Brian and I would have someday. After I found out we were expecting again, I had a few more of these experiences. Some might say that it was wishful thinking, others might believe in an almost supernatural mother-fetus connection... All I know is that I was feeling really strongly for the first few months of my pregnancy that we were having a girl. I thought of the baby as a girl, I started preparing for a girl (looking at girl clothes). Brian kept telling me that there was still a 50/50 chance we would be having a boy; in fact, he liked the idea of having two little boys back-to-back. Logically, I knew that I shouldn't prepare for a certain gender when I didn't really know for sure, but emotionally I couldn't help but feed that, what was it, a yearning? a hope? an expectation?

And there was the fact that when I was pregnant with my first, I had had a feeling that he was a boy. And I was correct on THAT instinct! Basically, I was almost sure, even deep down, that I was pregnant with a girl this time around.

And then came the ultrasound halfway through this pregnancy. I can honestly say that I was shocked when I heard the ultrasound tech say, "This baby has been flashing me this whole time and you guys haven't noticed. You're definitely having a boy." I just remember feeling kind of numb when I heard that. Was she sure? She said she was 100% sure, that she doesn't give parents a gender unless she's 100% sure. She tried to show us where the male parts were, and I guess I kind of saw them? The ultrasound was pretty unclear to me. Brian says that he caught a pretty good glimpse of the baby's "manhood" a couple of times, but I didn't really get that clarification for myself. The ultrasound tech attempted to get a snapshot of the boy part for us to take home, but the one she got is unclear to both Brian and I. Toward the end of the ultrasound, when it was time to get some pictures, the baby wasn't posing for us very well- it was hard to get some good, clear snapshots.

From the moment we left that room, I was trying to console myself, remind myself that all that truly matters is that we have a healthy baby. And according to the ultrasound, he IS very healthy! But I couldn't deny that I was shocked by the gender reveal. I had truly thought we would be going home that day telling people we were having a girl. The rest of that day was difficult for me, because almost every single person in both of our families cast their vote as GIRL before we went to our ultrasound. I couldn't help but feel that other people were disappointed like I was disappointed. There, I said it: I was disappointed. And I know this shouldn't matter, but in Brian's family there are a lot more boys than there are girls, and I felt like everyone was kind of hoping we would be having a girl since it has been several years since a "round" of girls has been born. One of my sisters-in-law is just a few weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy, and she is having a girl. We were hoping to have two girls together, especially since we had two boys together just a couple of years ago. (As a side note, I feel SO happy for this sister-in-law, because this baby is going to be her last, and her family was really hoping for one more girl.) Anyway, I felt like because we are having another boy, people weren't quite as excited for us as they would have been if we had found out we were having a girl. This could have all been in my head, but I still felt it.

So, since finding out the gender of our second baby, my emotions (which were already kind of out of whack anyway) have been all over the place. I go from loving my pregnant body to hating being pregnant, from being excited about having two little boys to love on and then to feeling slightly depressed that I don't get to buy all of those pink baby clothes yet. I keep reminding myself that ultimately, the most important thing is that the baby and I are healthy. I also keep telling myself that once I actually MEET this little guy and hold him for the first time, I will fall in love with another boy all over again. I know I will! But the wildly-running emotions are still real and are still there. I feel: 1) Guilty that I feel any disappointment at all about the gender of my baby; 2) Worried that I won't be as excited about this baby as I was with my firstborn; 3) Confused that my instincts were so off on this one. It has felt as though I've had to get to know this baby all over again starting halfway through the pregnancy. And I kind of feel like I'll have to get to know him all over again when I actually meet him for the first time.

I know that this little guy is supposed to be a part of our family. I know that I am blessed to be able to have him and to be a mother. I know that I will love him more than I'll be able to describe, but for right now, I'm still feeling a little confused about the whole situation. I'm optimistic that I won't feel so confused and all over the emotion spectrum when our new life as a family of 4 begins. I know there will be new challenges and new opportunities when we become parents of 2- but I'm hoping I can embrace these and enjoy/cherish the journey!

Bubby's Birth Story

Because I didn't start this blog until last year, I haven't written about my son's birth story. I figure since Bubby* is 2 years old now, it's about time I officially blog about his BIRTH day!

*If you haven't caught on by now, I don't use my son's real name on this blog.

Brian and I found out I was pregnant on Valentine's Day of 2013. What a special day that was! My 9 months of pregnancy were actually quite blissful. I hardly felt any sickness, but this is what I did feel: the 1st trimester I was exhausted and sensitive to foods; the 2nd trimester I felt energized and HUNGRY but had heartburn; and the 3rd trimester I pretty much just felt BIG! I didn't have any major complications throughout the pregnancy, but my blood pressure did have to be monitored closely, especially in the 3rd trimester. It was definitely a challenge going through the last part of the 2nd trimester and the 3rd trimester in the summer and early fall (especially since Utah summers can get really hot!). Needless to say, I felt pretty swollen that summer! I gained 40 pounds from start to finish, which I was totally okay with! I felt very blessed to have experienced a very healthy, fairly uneventful pregnancy. Although I didn't do intense exercise, I was still able to remain pretty active (lots of walks and pregnancy workout videos). Even though some nurses were less sensitive about the weight gain than others (especially since the weight had some spikes at the beginning of the 3rd trimester), most assured me that I was very healthy and had nothing to worry about.

Once I hit 36 weeks and starting having weekly doctor appointments, it seemed likely that I would go into labor before my due date. At 36 weeks, I was dilated to a 1; 37 weeks to a 2; 38 weeks at a 3... and then the progress slowed down. At my 39 week checkup I was still at a 3. However, this was my last appointment, because I went into the hospital on the night of my due date. But I did not go in because I went into labor- the baby's movements had suddenly decreased and I was not feeling very well. The whole last month of my pregnancy had been an emotionally difficult one. Logically, I knew that I should not expect to go into labor early (especially as a first time mom), but I so badly wanted to meet my baby! Of course, I wanted him to be full term and healthy, but as my due date crept closer, it felt like the baby would never come out! It didn't help that most of what I was hearing from my doctors that last month was was "I'll be surprised if you go all the way to your due date" and "the baby's measuring big!" The fact that I was slowly dilating on my own that last month seemed like a great sign that I would go into labor naturally before or right around my due date. And maybe I would have eventually gone into labor, but the baby and my body had other plans.

The day of Bubby's due date, Brian and I went about our regular Sunday routine, for the most part. We went to church that day, which was the day of our ward's primary program. Brian and I were primary teachers at the time, so this was an exciting day! I think the other primary leaders very much hoped that I would not go into labor before the day of the program, because that would cause a lot of craziness for them to not have us there! The program went well, but afterwards I felt pretty crampy. We went home early and took it easy the rest of the day. I felt a little under the weather that evening, especially from a headache I was experiencing. We made waffles for dinner that night, and I actually had a big appetite so I felt really full (which ended up being a good thing, since it would be almost 24 hours until I would eat again!). We even got to watch a movie- Father of the Bride. :) But sometime around 8:00 or so, I realized that I had not been feeling the baby move very much for the last little while. I started a kick count. For the next hour, I kept track of the number of kicks/movements I felt, and it only ended up being 3-4 (including in the 30 minutes or so after that hour in which we got ready and headed to the hospital). Only 3-4 movements in a full term baby is NOT good, especially for a baby who was as active as mine. A little after 9:00, Brian and I decided to get me and the baby checked out at the hospital. We had learned in our prenatal class that after 20 weeks, a pregnant mom should go straight to Labor and Delivery for any major pregnancy concerns or complications, including a low kick count.

I felt very calm as we got our bags into the car and drove to the hospital, especially after Brian and I said a prayer together before leaving. I honestly had no idea if we would be sent home or not, but it felt right to get checked out. Upon arrival at the hospital, the nurses were very nice and helped us feel at ease. I was hooked up to monitors (the contraction monitor and heart rate monitor for the baby) and my blood pressure was taken. We could see right away that my blood pressure was high- I was told that I was hypertensive. Some lab work was done to make sure I wasn't at risk of preeclampsia, and thankfully those tests came back negative. The nurse working with us noticed that the baby was in fact in a little bit of distress. His heart rate was okay, but his movements were less reactive than they should have been. After getting some fluids in me through an IV, the baby's condition improved. The nurse decided that a possible reason for this distress was that my placenta was dying in some spots, restricting the nutrients the baby was getting. Because of all of these factors, the nurse told us she did not feel right about sending us home that night. She got the okay from the doctor who was on call, and I was induced around 1 in the morning! Brian and I were so grateful that we followed my instincts and went to the hospital to get checked that night.

Labor progressed slowly at first, which was kind of frustrating since I was already at a 3 when I came in. It took about 7 hours for me to dilate two more centimeters! When I was at a 4, I asked for an epidural. I was so glad to have it, especially later when it came time to push. (But it definitely wasn't the most comfortable experience receiving the epidural!) However, I probably could have done without such strong doses of it, since I was completely numb in my lower body most of the time! I had heard some horror stories about epidurals (of them not working properly or causing a lot of pain, etc.), so I was so thankful mine worked exactly like it was supposed to! The rest of the day was spent trying to nap, trying to watch some TV, trying to be somewhat comfortable. Although I wasn't in pain, I really did not like being so stuck in bed. I had the epidural, a catheter (which you automatically need if you have an epidural), an IV for antibiotics (I had tested positive for Group B strep early in my pregnancy), the two monitors across my belly, and a blood pressure cuff that checked my blood pressure every few minutes and screamed at us if it got above a certain level. Ahhh! Looking back, it would have been nice to be able to move around more. But, I wouldn't change anything since they were all necessary factors in my labor/birth experience.

After about 7 hours of labor, the doctor broke my water. This seemed to speed things along, since 2 hours later I was finally making more intense progress and was dilated to an 8! And then 1 hour after that, I was at a 10! Once I hit a 10, we still had to wait 1 1/2 hours for the baby to drop further, since he was apparently still kind of high in the birth canal at that point. At around 12:00, I started pushing. At first, the two nurses helping me said that the baby would probably come out pretty quickly- I made a lot of progress right away; I think one nurse predicted that the baby would be out within 45 minutes (that's pretty fast for a first delivery). But, after about an hour went by, things started to slow down and we weren't sure why. I wasn't able to feel much, so I couldn't tell what was going on. Finally, after about 2 hours of pushing, the nurses brought the doctor in and he noticed that the baby was posterior (aka face-up). This would have been nice to know 2 hours ago, right?!?! Well the doctor proceeded to take over from there and he used forceps to help flip the baby around. Because of the assistance, I also needed an episiotomy. Once the baby was flipped, it only took about 10 more minutes to push him out! Our little guy was born in mid afternoon the day after his due date, weighing 8 pounds and measuring at 20 inches. (Technically, Bubby weighed 7 pounds 15.5 ounces, but for the record it was rounded up to 8 pounds even. :) )

I will never, ever forget the overwhelming feelings I experienced as my baby came out of me and was placed on my chest. I am so glad the doctor immediately placed him on me, because being able to feel his new body so warm and so fresh from mine was exhilarating. My maternal instincts immediately kicked in and all I wanted to do was hold him and keep him safe.

Oh, one more thing. The umbilical cord was wrapped twice around our baby's neck, which the doctor quickly unwrapped as the baby came out. I didn't even see the cord around him, but Brian did. He said it was kind of scary, but that the doctor took care of it so quickly it didn't cause a lot of concern. Bubby took his first breath and starting turning pink quickly, so everything was totally fine.

I was in Heaven the rest of my stay in the hospital, even with some intense pain I experienced. I absolutely LOVED having my baby to hold, look at, nurse, and cuddle. He was so calm and sleepy in the hospital- I usually had to encourage him to eat. All of our nurses were wonderful and truly helped me have an amazing experience throughout my labor, delivery, and recovery. And Brian and I swelled with pride every time a nurse came in and swooned over how adorable our baby was!

Every birth experience is so unique and special. I wouldn't trade my experience of giving birth to Bubby for anything!

<3 Tycie

About Me

Hello! Thank you for visiting my blog! My name is Tycie. I love to bake, cook (but mostly bake), read, run, play the piano, sing, and craft. I'm married to the love of my life/best friend, Brian, and a mom to the best little guys I've ever had the privilege of knowing.

I have wanted to blog for several years. I'm finally doing it now, and it's been a blast so far! There is something very therapeutic about being able to write freely about things that I'm passionate about- and this really comes down to the core purpose of this blog. It is my goal not only to write as a form of expressing myself, but to also hopefully inspire someone somewhere out there.

You may notice that I focus a lot on marriage and parenting in this blog. Well, not only am I a wife and mother myself... I have a bachelor's degree in Marriage and Family Studies. I LOVE marriage and I LOVE the family.

Here are some other random facts about me:

-I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka I'm a Mormon!)
-I secretly love the show 7th Heaven
-I not-so-secretly love The Backstreet Boys
-Usually, I would rather eat a salad than eat a bowl of fruit
-I don't really like pop (Or soda, or whatever you call it! My husband calls it soda and I call it pop. :))
---Correction: I SOMETIMES like some good root beer with pizza. Or every once in a while I'll go a little nuts and have a glass of Dr. Pepper or Pepsi. But that's pretty rare. And no, it's not because Mormons can't drink caffeine... It's because I don't enjoy the taste of it all that much!
-I was a soccer player for 11 years (forward and midfielder!)
-Arthur will always and forever be my favorite show
-Even though I like to "try out" different colors, I can't deny that PINK is ultimately my favorite color- and I'm talking a really girly-girl pink! (yellow comes in second)
-I'm slowly learning how to be crafty... I got my first sewing machine a few months ago! Crafting doesn't come naturally to me. I love to decorate, but to actually create something from scratch is a different story!
-My favorite thing to do is to go on dates with my hubby (even at-home dates like movie nights!)



I hope we can be friends! :) Thanks for stopping by!

Let's Take a Nap!

Lately I've been thinking about the experiences Brian and I have had in raising an infant/toddler. Specifically, SLEEP has been on my mind. We have always slightly prided ourselves in our little guy's sleep schedule and routine (well- starting from about 3 months). I know, this may sound overbearing or prideful or stuck up, because I know that anything that has to do with parenting can be a sensitive topic and one that parents tread carefully when talking with other parents. But since this is my blog and I get to write to my heart's content, I'm going to write about sleep training! :) When I say we've prided ourselves on Bubby's schedule/routine, I mean that we have felt mostly content with his sleep patterns and habits throughout most of his life. Now, each baby is different: some babies are fussier than others, some babies have colic, some babies are content to sit and stare and coo happily through anything... some babies have quiet cries, some have loud cries... and some babies are flat out harder to be around than others. Brian and I were blessed to have a first baby that was (mostly) happy; he didn't have colic and he wasn't overly fussy. The most difficult thing we endured with Bubby is breastfeeding. But when it comes to sleep training and setting up routines, I am pleased to admit that Bub has been quite the angel.

I am writing this post for two reasons: 1) Because I like to blog about things as a way to journal them and remember them for later. So this post can be considered a way for me to officially record my sleep training experience with my first baby; and 2) Because I have had friends ask me about sleep training and about my experiences with it. So, for anyone who's interested, here we go!

*First off, let's talk resources.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp/0449004023

We were introduced to this book by some family members on Brian's side who have used it as a guideline for several of their children. Out of everything I read and tried pre-baby and post-baby, this book has been the most effective in terms of helping Brian and I understand what it means for a baby to sleep WELL. This book explains in detail, according to age, what an infant should be able to do and what parents should be doing to help establish healthy habits. Plus, it accounts for breastfeeding AND formula fed babies. Every once in awhile (and in the first year of Bubby's life, every few months), I pick up the book and read the section(s) on Bub's current age group and learn about the habits he should be establishing or already have established. If we are having trouble with a specific topic (e.g. baby waking up too early in the morning), the book has a lot of great information on how to handle it.

A Great Blog
http://www.troublesometots.com/baby-sleep-what-is-normal/

I didn't find this website until Bubby was a few months old... It helped us tremendously!!! Specifically, the chart on this page was an amazing reference for our family for MONTHS. I printed the chart and put it on our fridge, which is where it remained until recently. It uses information/advice from two different sleep training methods/sources, including the Healthy Sleep Habits book. Whenever Bubby hit a new milestone/age group (say, 9 months), I would turn to this chart and use it as a guide ("okay, now we switch from three to two naps and he should have three hours of awake time in the middle of the day").

*Next, let's talk about what we did during Bub's first few months of life.

It took me about a month to get used to breastfeeding. I could tell from the get-go that Bubby's latch wasn't quite good enough, but since he didn't eat very much the first few days (that's normal in the first few days of life since newborns are so sleepy and since their tummies are so little) I didn't worry about it too much. However, after a few days, I started to get really sore- and it eventually got to the point where I couldn't even stand Bubby latching on because the pain was so intense! After meeting with a lactation consultant and my doctor, I was prescribed special cream. I call this my magic cream, because it helped me heal pretty quickly and allowed me to continue nursing without pain. It was wonderful! During these first few weeks, I was stressed out about feedings because I had to pump as much as I could (pumping hurt less than breastfeeding) and also supplement with formula. I knew that if I wasn't able to exclusively breastfeed, then my supply wouldn't stay up and then I would have to accept NOT nursing my baby. Again, I was STRESSED! But thankfully, after about one month, my body healed and I was able to exclusively breastfeed Bubby again. (There were still two other crazy incidents after that... clogged milk ducts.)

Anyway, it seemed like we had a pretty good system going for the next 6-8 weeks. I was happy to be able to nurse, even though I was a little confused as to why Bubby seemed to never get faster at eating and seemed to always be hungry. Brian and I did notice that our little guy was never fully content and that he seemed disgruntled most of the time. Getting on a sleep routine was a trial, because he seemed to only be able to fall asleep while on the breast, and then when laid down on his own he had a difficult time staying asleep. We didn't do co-sleeping, so each night was tiring as I would wake up every few hours to feed (each feeding would take about an hour) and then attempt to lay Bub next to our bed in his bassinet, and then a bouncer (we started with a bassinet, and when he couldn't ever seem to stay asleep in that, we tried the bouncer). Finally, using the swing we borrowed from my sister-in-law, we got Bubby into the habit of sleeping while swinging. This was a relief, because he able to sleep for longer stretches (during the day and at night) while in the swing. It wasn't until our baby was 2 1/2 months old that we found out he was not gaining enough weight. Sadly, a lot- if not most- of his sleep struggles and unhappiness could be blamed on him just being flat out HUNGRY!

After getting over the shock of finding out that my baby had dropped down to the 2nd percentile for his age group, our main goal after that was to chunk him up. Our pediatrician strongly recommended that we supplement with formula, but that I also continue to breastfeed him. I visited with a second lactation consultant to get some more breastfeeding advice. But after being taken aback that her main advice was to beware formula and be wary of my pediatrician's advice, I decided it was definitely best to continue on with our pediatrician's plan and work to chunk Bubby up with breast milk AND formula. If my milk supply was not where it needed to be after almost three months, it most likely wasn't going to get to the proper amount just by pushing through a little while longer. I felt desperate to help my son gain weight and to grow at the rate he needed!

For two more months, I was able to continue breastfeeding my son. Eventually, the formula became the main source of food and the nursing became the supplementary, until there came a time when Bubby decided to stop nursing and simply take the bottle. We were able to continue to feed him some breast milk for a few months after that, since I had a hearty supply of pumped milk stored.

I'm writing the story about our son's breastfeeding experience because it had a huge impact on the way he slept for the first few months of his life. And here's where the climax comes in: As soon as we started supplementing with formula, our baby started sleeping for longer stretches. Also, once we started supplementing, he started SMILING more, and overall seemed happier! Ever since then, he has been our happy, content, energetic little man.

So here's the thing: The most important thing to remember is that babies need to be full!!! They need to eat enough food! Breastfeeding and formula can achieve this. I am pro-breastfeeding AND pro-formula because BOTH worked for our family. :)

Once a baby's immediate needs are met (when they are fully fed, in a clean diaper, and comfortable), then it is time to think about sleep. It was around the time Bubby was 8 weeks old that Brian and I decided it was best to start sleep "training" him. We didn't really call it sleep training back then, but it definitely was a form of training. We quit using the swing cold turkey and put Bub back in the bassinet. It only took about one night of fussiness, then Bubby quickly became used to his own bassinet. Once this new bed habit was established, we felt that we could focus a little bit more on the sleep schedule.

Sleep training

The term "sleep training" sounds intense. What it really is is working toward a goal when it comes to sleep routine/patterns/habits. When Bubby was 2 months old, Brian and I mainly wanted him to get used to sleeping in his own bed, to distinguish night from day, and for him to have his longest stretch of sleep during the night. I remember feeling sheer joy the first time Bub slept for five hours straight... it felt amazing to get five uninterrupted hours!!!

Here's what we did, starting around 8 weeks:

1) I would closely observe Bub's natural sleep patterns for a few days and take notes. (e.g. It looks like he starts to show signs of sleepiness around 9 AM... He sleeps for a longer stretch in the afternoon...) Once I had a fairly good idea about what he was naturally doing at the time, I then decided on a "schedule" (schedule should be decently flexible, since each day is a little bit different) to strive for. For example, from ages 3 months to 6 months, babies should be taking three naps each day, with about two hours of awake time between each nap (again, we used the chart on this blog page: http://www.troublesometots.com/baby-sleep-what-is-normal/). So, at this age, we would put Bubby down in his bassinet every two hours. Ideally, he would sleep for at least one hour during each nap; but if he slept less than one hour, we would just start again. For example, if we put him down two hours after getting up for the day, and he only slept 30 minutes, we would keep him up for two hours and put him down for his second nap then. It was hard not to stress when Bubby wouldn't sleep as long as he was "supposed" to. But eventually, I became a little bit more flexible and just accepted the fact that some days he would have good naps and other days he wouldn't.

The chart from the blog I've been mentioning categorizes different milestones in about 3 month increments (aside from the first 6 weeks). So when Bubby got to 6 months old, I started the process again of taking notes of his natural patterns, setting up an ideal schedule, etc. Then again at 9 months, and so on.

2) Nighttime sleep was the priority. I've heard it said that you can either have a baby that naps well and doesn't sleep well at night, or a baby that doesn't nap very well and is a great night-sleeper. Apparently, we can't have both! :) Bubby has always been a more consistent sleeper at night. Naps have always been more questionable and less predictable (even now, his naps can range from 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours, depending on the day). In our family, night sleep is the most important sleep, because this is when we all get our BEST sleep! So, it was important to us to help our baby establish good habits at night. We did not do co-sleeping, so Bub was always in a bed or swing by himself pretty much from Day 1. Every family is different, but this is what we decided for our family. The few times Bub did fall asleep in bed with me while nursing, I did not sleep well because I was so worried about his safety.

I should note that I believe some babies may naturally be better sleepers than others. Our boy has always been good at sleeping- all things considered- even when he wasn't sleep trained and even when his eating situation was stressful. That being said, I also believe that parents can have the power to help their babies and children establish healthy sleep habits, for the sake of the baby AND the parents. 

3) I know we all have different philosophies when in regards to CRYING IT OUT... Here's my opinion on the matter: Before about 8 weeks old, babies shouldn't have to cry it out because they are still getting used to the world and are constantly changing and growing (and they are SUPER hungry!). But after 8 weeks, I believe that babies can be ready for SOME "crying it out". Here's an example of what we did: When it was time for more official sleep training and we were trying to get Bubby to take more official naps and have a somewhat more official bedtime, Brian and I would let Bubby cry for no more than 15-20 minutes in his bassinet. If he was still crying, we would go in, sing to him, rub his head, etc. and calm him down. (If he was acting like he was still hungry, we would feed him a little bit more.) Then we would start over, letting him lay in his bassinet. Honestly, he didn't have to "cry it out" that much at all. Usually, when our family was making a transition (like changing bedtimes or quitting the swing cold turkey for example), it would only take 1 or 2 nights for Bub to get used to the new situation. As he got older, we would let him cry a little bit more if necessary; by the time 9 months rolled around, and all of his needs were met, every once in awhile he just needed to cry himself to sleep. Maybe that sounds harsh to some of you, but he would always wake up in the morning refreshed and happy to see us!! And even at 9 months, if he was still crying after 30 minutes, we went in to check on him and calm him down/reset him in his crib. Sometimes babies and toddlers become OVERTIRED, and nothing besides SLEEP is going to help them- which means that sometimes they need to figure it out on their own. Again, I know that some people have very different opinions on this... But here's the thing: I did not want to be stuck in a situation where my baby was unable to fall asleep on his own in his own bed. I greatly desired for a somewhat consistent schedule and a well-rested baby- because I know that when Mommy and Daddy are also well-rested, they can be a happier, better Mommy and Daddy! :) 

If some of you out there believe that these methods do not foster an attached parent-child relationship, think again! Our son knows how to sleep in his own bed and at pretty much the same time every day. He actually LIKES bedtime and snuggles right into his bed with his Marvin and Elmo (Marvin is his monkey) and with his books. He (most of the time) wakes up happy and ready to tackle the day. And every morning as me or Brian gets him from his room, he is ecstatic to see us and wants to talk all about his night, the dreams he had, and about what he wants to do that morning. And guess what? Brian and I are ecstatic to see him in the mornings, too! We've had to work really hard to establish good sleep habits, and in no way are we perfect. But I can honestly say that Brian and I are very happy about the routine and habits we have so long and so hard to form! 

Thank you for reading this, whoever you are! I've been wanting to post this for a little while now and I greatly appreciate anyone who takes the time to share in my writing/journaling/life chronicling. :)

<3 Tycie

Potty Training Diaries

Well... it's official! We've begun potty training!!! We're only on Day 2, so I'm not too frazzled yet. :) I'm excited to start this journey with Bubby, because Brian and I feel that he is ready. Even if potty training takes a long time, I just feel that now is the time to start (slowly start). Our little guy is so articulate and so aware of his surroundings that I worry if we wait too long, he may get too settled into his diaper habits. SO, here's to the next stage of parenting!

Right now, we are focusing on teaching Bubby about the toilet and about his body functions. He already knows some basics and was already introduced to a special potty we got him a few months ago. But now we are actually sitting on the potty every hour (unless he's sleeping). Sometimes he gets annoyed at the idea of having to sit on the potty when it's easier to just get a diaper change, but other times he is actually excited and will sit for several minutes! Today, he even ASKED to sit on his potty! I was so proud of him! :)

I plan on documenting this journey, so bear with me as I expose the potty training shenanigans!


<3 Tycie

Toddler Shenanigans

Everyone knows that toddlers are crazy. Bipolar, erratic, defiant, hyper, wild animals... But they are also oh-so-sweet and oh-so-entertaining! It is so rewarding as a parent to watch your little person grow and develop into his/her own personality, and to see him/her absorb new things every single day, all day long! At this age, kids' brains are sponges!!

Since I have a fun toddler and I'm experiencing for the first time what it's like to have one around, I've put together a list of you-know-whens. This list describes my life currently- and I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A TODDLER WHEN...

1) You all of the sudden have a second shadow.

mom.me

2) You realize one day that you've allowed yourself to become a garbage disposal.
*"Oh, you don't want your chicken nuggets? I'll just finish them for you..."

3) Getting yourself ready for the day before 3:00 pm is a tremendous victory.

redtri.com

4) If a stranger were to listen in on your conversations, it would sound like you are fluent in several different languages.
*Toddler: "Daddy agoo baja ROAR aba daba owtside bash coookie!"
Dad: "Ok buddy, you can have a cookie."

5) Sometimes, the word "Mommy" makes you shudder and twitch (it's the screaming that'll do it...)
*Of course, the same word, said sweetly, makes your heart melt.

http://redtri.com/mom-memes-that-will-crack-you-up/#

6) Snuggles in the morning are the best part about waking up at the crack of dawn.

7) You've memorized several books, such as "Goodnight Moon", "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom", "The Foot Book", and "Elmo's Night Before Christmas".

8) You have been hit, kicked, pinched, and have had your hair pulled out on occasion. 

9) You have a new-found taste for foods such as PB&J, string cheese, animal crackers, and apple juice.

10) You swell with pride whenever your son or daughter learns a new word, makes a good decision over a bad one, or hugs you for no reason except that they love you.


Yes, being the parent of a toddler makes life exciting, tiring, funny, crazy, and interesting. But one thing's for sure:

www.pinterest.com



Like I said earlier, I wouldn't choose to have any other life than the one I have as a mommy! Having and raising my little boy with Brian has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done.


<3 Tycie

And one more for all the dads:

http://redtri.com/mom-memes-that-will-crack-you-up/#

The End Finally Came!

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here... because I just finished up the semesters to end all semesters. Not really, that comes in the fall! :) But truly, this semester (which lasted from April to July) was brutal!!! 13 credits online (6 is full time online), one of the classes being my senior practicum class (pretty much the most important class in my major)- all while moving and being barely pregnant. Oh yeah- I'm pregnant! That will be a story for another blog post. :) I knew that this semester would be the hardest of my college career; I set it up this way so I can finish at the end of this year! So I only have 2 more classes to finish in the fall and then I'M DONE!!!!!! I know this will all be so worth it. Having my college degree is extremely important to me, and I am so grateful I get to finish while starting a little family with Brian. I can't do any of this without him! He is my rock during this crazy time, and I'm forever thankful for his support.

So *hopefully* this means that I'll be back in business on my blog! I'm excited to get "started" again!

Here we are celebrating the end of this semester with a super fun date night! Brian is just as thrilled as I am about being on break... When I finished my finals he said,  "Yay now I get you back!"

<3 Tycie

Mother's Day

I always knew that I would be a mom. As a little girl and as a teenager, I daydreamed of baby names and of having a big family. It was never a question of "if", but "when"- motherhood was always in the picture. Well, 18 months ago my motherhood journey began, and it has been the best, hardest, most exhausting, most joyous thing I have ever done.

I consider my boys- my hubby and my baby boy- my two loves. I had no way of knowing that having a baby boy would change me! My love, respect, and appreciation for manhood has increased tenfold. I can't think of many things more precious and endearing than a little boy loving his mommy. ♡ I pray that my bubby will always consider himself a Mama's boy.... I hope with all my heart that he always wants to talk, play, read, laugh, and snuggle with his Mama. And I hope that I can help him see, throughout his life, that my heart melts into a little puddle every time he says "Mommy".

This Mother's Day was a special one. Bubby had been sick, so he and I had to stay home from church. Brian gave a talk in sacrament meeting- the third time he has been assigned to speak on Mother's Day! I was sad to miss it, but he gave it to me later. :) I felt like a queen the whole day as Brian gave me sweet gifts and yummy treats, cooked dinner, and watched one of my favorite shows with me (Boy Meets World :). I think my favorite thing that day was the card Brian and Bubby gave me... They both "wrote" a little message for me. It was a beautiful day!

Of course I can't forget to mention the mother who gave me life. I am so grateful for the relationship my mom and I have. I really do consider her one of my best and closest friends! Isn't that something every daughter wishes for??? She is an example of strength, intelligence, perseverance, hard work, laughter, and selfless service. I'm so glad I get to be her daughter!

I had the privilege of speaking with my two grandmothers over the weekend. I also consider both of them mothers in my life. I would not be who I am today without their influence! On Mother's Day, I tried to keep in my heart another special mother: my great-grandma Necia, who passed away on Mother's Day 2013. She is greatly missed and remembered as the mother of our family.

<3 Tycie

The day I became a mother

Graduation

Brian is now a graduate of Brigham Young University!!! I'm two weeks behind, but here's the story!

Brian came to BYU right out of high school in 2008. He completed one whole school year (two semesters) and then took a break to attend a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in the Tulsa, Oklahoma mission for 2 years, and then came home in 2011. Six months later, he met me! (But that's a story in a different post, coming soon!) After one more semester post-mission, Brian applied for the mechanical engineering program at BYU- and got accepted! The following years were filled with intense engineering classes, an engagement, a wedding, and a baby. If you ask me, Brian is Superman.

Not only did Brian complete the mechanical engineering program at BYU, he also was accepted into their Master's program for mechanical engineering. He declined their offer however, because before he heard back from BYU, he found out he got into the University of Washington's aerospace engineering program (MS)!!! Working in the field of aerospace is Brian's dream. And... moving back to our home state of Washington has been our dream! I also should mention that Brian got accepted into Purdue's graduate school as well- not for aerospace, but for an engineering management program. But UW is the place we felt led to accept, and we are so excited!

Brian isn't one to brag about his achievements. But since I'm his wife and his biggest fan, I get to brag about him. :) Brian is an amazing man. He works so hard and has big dreams. He wants to do what is best for his family. I hope he realizes how tremendous of an accomplishment it is to graduate from a prestigious university like BYU, in an intense major, especially being a very involved husband and father. I would not be who I am today without this man. He has made me the happiest wife and mommy, and he has made my education journey possible. Just to give an idea... Brian cooks most of the meals around here. I hardly have to lift a finger when he comes home, so that I can focus on my schoolwork and on snuggling/playing with my baby. I say it again: this man is amazing!!!

One more thing about Brian's schooling. Throughout his senior year he has been part of a competition team (for his senior project) that has designed a Mars rover. Brian is one of the team leaders, having proven himself as a dependable, hard working member of the group.

It feels so good to be moving on to the next phase of life. I am so grateful that Brian has a college degree. In December, it will be my turn to have one! :) We have been waiting for this for a long time, and it's finally here! I hope our children treasure the fact that their father worked so hard to complete his education because he wants to provide for them and help them have secure lives.

Loving Your Body

Because we are bombarded with images from the media telling us how our bodies "should" look, it can be hard to love our own bodies- trust me, I know. Just like many people, I have struggled with low body image/self-esteem at different points in my life, particularly when I was a teenager. A lot of us who struggle with these issues are perfectionists, self-critical, hyper-aware of the people around us, and all-or-nothing thinkers. And others may find it surprising that those of us who struggle with body image come in all shapes and sizes. Yes, there are serious disorders like bulimia nevosa and anorexia nervosa that often manifest more obvious symptoms (but not always!); however, there are plenty of people out there battling internal, self-loathing, body-hating emotions who do not have these eating disorders. Body image struggles can be complicated, and they can restrict happiness and fulfillment.

The reason I'm writing this post is to share some advice about how we can love our bodies-and ultimately ourselves- more! My story isn't super "intense" or "depressing", but I definitely know what it's like to be overly concerned about weight, appearance, dieting, exercise, comparisons, etc. The bottom line is that when a person has low self-esteem or a negative body image, he or she feels out of control in some aspect of their life, and/or struggles with how to cope healthily and adaptively with life's stresses and trials. 

I am at a point in my life where I love my body more than I ever have before! This isn't because I'm skinnier than I've ever been, but because 1) I've learned how to stop some negative and maladaptive thinking cycles that I used to get trapped in, 2) I have chosen to accept my body the way it is, and 3) I have more knowledge about the lies our culture/media portrays when it comes to beauty. By no means am I perfect at these things, but I'm proud to say that I've come a long way in my journey of self-love and body-love!

Five Things You Can Do Today to Love Your Body

1) Stop the toxic shame.

Toxic shame is a term I learned in a family theories and dynamics class, but it can be used in many different life situations. Toxic shame is the process of shaming ourselves (or others) for actions we choose or even for things beyond our control (e.g. personality traits). It makes us feel that WE are the problem, rather than a certain action or condition being a problem. For example, when we give ourselves a hard time for "breaking" our healthy eating goals by thinking thoughts like, "great, now my whole day is ruined!" or "I'm such a fattie, why don't I have any self-control?", we are getting ourselves trapped into toxic shame cycles.

Here's a definition of toxic shame from PsychCentral.com:

"Strong feelings of shame stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, causing a fight/flight/freeze reaction. We feel exposed and want to hide or react with rage, while feeling profoundly alienated from others and good parts of ourselves. We may not be able to think or talk clearly and be consumed with self-loathing, which is made worse because we’re unable to be rid of ourselves.

"Unlike ordinary shame, “internalized shame” hangs around and alters our self-image. It’s shame that has become 'toxic'..."

Do you think being hard on ourselves and telling ourselves that we're no good is going to help us achieve our goals, or enjoy our lives? NO! Toxic shame only makes us feel overly guilty (the kind of guilt that causes us to repeat negative behaviors rather than learning from mistakes and making ourselves better because of them) and sorry for ourselves. The first step in loving ourselves is being nice to ourselves.

2) Choose to love your body the way it is RIGHT NOW.

No more of this, "if I just had thinner legs, I'd be so much happier" or "when I lose 10 pounds I'll like my body more". Just NO! These thoughts just set us up for failure. Because guess what? Chances are that even when you do lose those 10 pounds, you won't like what you see in the mirror anymore than you did when that 10 pounds was still on you. Of course, it is healthy for a person to lose weight when they need to ("needing to" meaning that their overall health will be better if they lose weight, according to what doctors advise). But regardless of whether your doctor recommends that you lose weight or not, it is essential to your emotional and psychological health to learn how to love yourself at ALL stages you may find yourself in. When it comes to body-shaming, it isn't about the thinness; it's about the need to feel validated and accepted. But we cannot rely on others to make us feel validated and accepted. At the end of the day, we have to live with the person we see in the mirror; if we can love and accept ourselves, then it becomes easier for us to love and accept others. 

Another perk to accepting/loving ourselves: We don't feel as much of a need to be complimented, validated, and approved by other people!

3) See the media for what it really is.

Yeah, it's fun to read junky magazines in check out lines and scroll through our social media pages. But these can become toxic for us if we find ourselves feeling badly about ourselves, because of the COMPARISON GAME. Understand that often, if not most of the time, images (namely, images of people) in the media are not REAL. Ever heard of photoshop? Photographers and stylists are not above "touching" people up and "fixing" them to look a certain way. So if you think about it, the things we see are kind of subtle ways of the media/society telling us how we should want to look and act. Why should we let someone else dictate how we feel about our precious, sacred bodies, or influence how we feel about the bodies of people around us? It's preposterous, but it's a real thing and we all get trapped into it in one way or another. In other words, THERE IS NO IDEAL BODY, and EVERYONE has imperfections that come with the package of being mortal.

4) Eat that cookie!

There is no shame in letting ourselves eat what we want, especially when our bodies crave something! Of course, moderation is key, so it gets unhealthy if we're gorging ourselves on 10 cookies every night. :) But we shouldn't have the mindset that unhealthy foods are bad for us. My husband Brian is great at this aspect of body-love; just the other night, he told me "I don't believe that any food is truly bad for me. 'Bad' for me would be poison. My body needs food and can always use it. Eating too much of anything is unhealthy, but to completely restrict ourselves from certain foods because we're scared of them making us fat is not a healthy way to think about food- the fuel that keeps us alive." 

Amen!

For the record, I have lost 50 pounds since the birth of my son. It wasn't through dieting that I got back to my personal ideal, healthy weight- it was through exercise (running)! I do try to eat healthily, but I let myself eat not-so-healthy things along with the healthy stuff!

5) Remind yourself of all the amazing things your body can do.

Are you able to stand, walk, run, or jump? Are you able to breathe in and out, all day long, without even thinking about it? Are you able to enjoy delicious food? Have you given birth to a human being? [I have! :) ]  Have you recovered from illness? If you can say yes to any of these, you have MUCH to be proud of!!! Your body is amazing and can do hard things! Never forget that your body is precious, a gift, and that it will treat you well in return if you treat it well- mainly by loving it and being grateful for it! 

Some of my thoughts from this post have been inspired by Beauty Redefined, an organization working to take back the meaning of true beauty that has been distorted in our society. They have a great post on their page titled "Body Shame On You", which is where I got some of my ideas about body-hate and toxic-shaming ourselves. Check it out! 

<3 Tycie

Ebelskivers

You need these in your life.

Anyone ever heard of Danish pancakes? Or as they're officially called, ebelskivers? If you haven't, you've been missing out! These airy, buttery, perfect little pancakes are a treat! I have been eating these on special occasions for as long as I can remember. I have some Danish blood in me through my mom's side; my great-grandma and grandma are famous for their ebelskivers. Although they are mainly a Christmas morning tradition, I make them throughout the year because I like showing them off for people who haven't tried them, and because my family gobbles them right up! 

Make these for your family, for your friends, for your neighbors, for your enemies... You will become famous! ;)

Note: You will need an ebelskiver pan for this recipe. Here's what mine looks like:

Featured on My Recipe Magic!!!

http://myrecipemagic.com/recipe/recipedetail/ebelskivers

Ebelskivers (AKA Danish pancakes)

*A 1/2 recipe makes enough for just 2 people

2 cups buttermilk*

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

1) Beat eggs and sugar together. Add the buttermilk, then the flour, and then the rest of the ingredients.

2) Fill each griddle circle about 1/3 full of cooking oil. Heat the oil (I usually keep the stove on medium or medium-high heat). Drop spoon-fulls of dough into each griddle circle. 

3) Turn each "pancake" over with a toothpick when the upturned side is bubbling. Each ebelskiver should be golden-brown and completely cooked through.

4) Serve with syrup, jam, powdered sugar, or whatever you desire! :)

*Note: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own! Just combine 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbsp. of vinegar and let sit for about 5 minutes before you use it. 

Listening to My Son

Here I am, trying to get some work done while my son is napping a few doors down. Today has been kind of an exhausting one. Bubby has been a little bit of a wild man lately, what with the tantrums and the destructiveness and all. I keep telling myself, "this is age-appropriate behavior, this is age appropriate behavior"... But let's face it: 1 year old's aren't very nice sometimes! And they certainly aren't easy to keep entertained. I'm currently trying to help my son become a little bit more independent during the day while we're at home- encouraging him to have playtime by himself for periods of time. Sometimes this is difficult (for both of us), because he wants to be right by my side 24/7, and because I feel guilty when I am doing my own thing for longer than just a few minutes. I WANT to be able to play with and cuddle with and read to my baby all day long. But I also know that at his age, it's developmentally appropriate and healthy for him to have some autonomy from his parents. Plus, a mom's gotta get some things done around the house during the day!

Anyway, as I'm sitting here thinking about all of this, my thoughts are taking me back to one year ago, when Bub was just a little baby. What a sweet time that was. The days were consumed by nursing, bottles, snuggles, cooing, smiling, and staring- staring at the beautiful, perfect baby I got to be with all day long. Sometimes my heart aches just a little bit because I miss those days so much. There is nothing quite like having a newborn, nothing in the whole world. Life is crazy, fast, tiring, and stressful, but oh-so-beautiful. And I know that I will never experience anything like those days again, because having your first baby is different than having your second, third, etc. (from what I'm told). At times I find myself feeling guilty for not cherishing the newborn days with my son more, for letting the days slip by so quickly. But I remind myself that this is how life goes- even when we try to hold on to the present with all our might because we are so happy or so in love or so excited or so mesmerized, time will always keep moving forward. And most importantly, I keep reminding myself: Enjoy your baby boy every single day! During every single stage, every single age, love him NOW and be thankful that he is growing and thriving and getting bigger! Remember that every day is an adventure, and with every year that passes by, you will always wish that it could have passed more slowly!

So, enjoy today. :) Even the mundane days. Actually, ESPECIALLY the mundane days!