Where to Register:
Target 
Target was my go-to option for both my baby shower and wedding shower. I highly recommend them because when you register with them (and BuyBuyBaby too) you will be sent a coupon for 15% off your entire order so you can buy any remaining items from your registry.

Register with an online retailer
If you are like me, I didn't want to limit myself to only Target. I have specific tastes and knew I wanted to be able to register for items on Amazon or even small businesses. I cannot recommend Babylist enough. I loved that I could register for anything I wanted and wasn't stuck settling for the items that Target or BuyBuyBaby carried. I could get what I wanted.

We have an old home, so closet storage and the use of our basement is practically nonexistent. I needed to be conscious about registering minimally and trying to find items that were space savers and collapsable.

Here is the list of items that I highly recommend registering for:

FOR THE NURSERY
Crib 
I chose a timeless white metal crib. I want to be able to use it for all of my children and know it isn't just trendy looking so I can use it for possibly grandchildren way in the future. My mother didn't save hardly anything from our childhood, but I love that she is reusing our old crib in her home when she babysits.

Changing Table
I bought an antique fold down secretary desk. It has these slats that come out to support the desk when you open it so that it is strong and safe for the baby. I always recommend buying antiques and repurposing them for multiple reasons. The first reason; they are well made. Furniture nowadays, in my opinion, is garbage. They wear out and look awful after a short period. You can often save money too by going this route. You can find great stuff in an antique shop, estate sale, or Craigslist. Lastly, it will grow with Jack. He will be able to use it for its intended purpose as he gets older and enters school.

Changing Pad and Covers
I love these covers, they are so soft and warm for baby.
PRO-TIP: I highly recommend getting two of each if you have a two-story house. I have one for the upstairs and downstairs. I cannot recommend this enough. I can't tell you how many times Jack will poop right after I had already changed him. He did this once three times in a row. You will be going up and down the stairs constantly to change them. You won't want to be doing this especially right after giving birth.

Rocking Chair with an Ottoman Foot Stool
You are going to be spending hours in these chairs over the next few months. You are going to want to be comfortable at 3 a.m. when you and your partner are exhausted and are trying to feed your baby.

Owlet Sock and Video Monitor
This one is expensive, but the peace of mind is worth it. I had a feeling I wouldn't get it as a gift, but luckily, my guests were generous enough with the gift cards that I had enough to purchase one. I love this. It does so much more than monitors their sleep in case of an emergency. It tracks how well he sleeps as well as lets me know if his room is too hot or too cold. This feature comes in handy since our house is over 100 years old, and heating the upstairs can be an issue. 

PRO-TIP: I was able to get mine cheaper since I registered for it on Target. I made sure to use my 15% off my entire purchase that Target sends out. This coupon is for the items you didn't receive from your shower that you still need to purchase.

Heater: This heater is for anyone that has an older home or for a house that doesn't have adequate heating in the winter. Space heaters terrify me because of all the stories I have seen about how they can start fires if not used properly. One night, the monitor let me know that Jack's room was too cold; again, our house was built in 1880. I felt terrible and didn't know what else to do because they tell you not to put blankets in your baby's crib, and I had him bundled up as much as I could. I did some research and found this heater. I am so glad I purchased it. I keep it out in the hall and point it in the doorway so that it's nowhere near anything that could catch fire. I love that it has a timer and an automatic shut off if it shorts out. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS.

Lulyboo To-Go Bassinet
I knew before we were pregnant, I did not want a Pack-And-Play. These are big and bulky, and we did not have the room for one. I thought about getting a Dock-a-tot, but I was not about to spend $200 on a glorified couch pillow. I found the best of both worlds with this to-go bassinet. The travel bassinet was so affordable and cute; we ended up using it every night. 

I also did not want a bedside bassinet. In older homes, there are usually two bedrooms that connect through a door. Men and women had their own bedrooms, and the door connects to the two for when they decided to have some "adult time." I jokingly refer to it as the "nookie door." To me, the bedside bassinet was only one more thing we would have to store, and Jack was so close anyway, I thought it would be a waste. The first few nights with Jack were rough. I couldn't understand why he was so fussy. Finally, Tom pointed out that at the hospital, the plastic cart the babies sleep in is more confined, and his crib was very wide open. He probably didn't like the openness of the crib. We ended up placing the bassinet in the crib to make him feel more confined. Tom was right. He started sleeping better through the night.

Fitted Crib Sheet & Waterproof Mattress Cover
The fitted sheet is self-explanatory; however, most crib mattresses are waterproof. So why am I telling you to buy one? Because I am about to give you a great new mama hack.

PRO-TIP: Buy two fitted sheets and place them both on the crib mattress with the waterproof mattress cover in between the two. That way, when the baby has an accident (and it will happen), you are not fumbling around in the middle of the night trying to find a clean sheet and put it on. You tear off the soiled sheet and waterproof cover leaving the replacement sheet. It is all ready to go, and both you and baby can go back to sleep sooner. 

Crib Skirting:
This way, if your crib doesn't have drawers underneath, you now have an extra storage area, and no one has to see that those items are there. Plus, it helps put a beautiful finishing touch to your baby's crib. We chose Sweet JoJo's ruffle skirting even though we had a boy. It is so classic and sweet. It really adds a cuteness factor to the crib.

White Noise Machine
I did not register for this. I thought it was a waste of money. However, one of my guests bought me one anyway, and I almost returned it. I am so glad I didn't. It has made such a big difference when Jack is sleeping. I like the setting that sounds like white noise with a heartbeat. Another reason I love it is that it projects little stars on the ceiling. This light is perfect so that you are not stumbling around in the dark,

PRO-TIP: When the baby is crying like crazy (doesn't matter if it is day or night and nothing is helping, try You-Tubing "white noise") 9 out of 10 times, it has helped calm Jack down when I have tried everything else.

Diaper Pail Garbage
You are going to want some kind of diaper pal to contain the smell of the many diapers you are about to be changing. I selected and highly recommend theUbbi pail. After doing some research, it was the best for containing the smells. I couldn't agree more.

LAUNDRY ESSENTIALS
Laundry Basket 
The baby is going to go through a lot of clothes. We purchased this laundry basket and have been happy with it. 

PRO-TIP: Purchase a garment bag to keep all of those little socks together while in the wash. The socks are so small and can easily be lost.

Drying Rack
I originally purchased this hanging drying rack for the cloth diapers I  still have yet to try with Jack. He is now just finally big enough to use them, and I have admittedly been procrastinating since I have become so used to the ease of disposable diapers. Even if you are not trying to attempt to cloth diaper your baby, I can't insist on this enough. I can't believe how often we use this for Jack's clothes. Spit ups and blow-outs happen often. After soaking them in the water and rinsing the clothes out, you are not going to want to run the dryer for each garment of clothes. This drying rack is fabulous. Just clip it and walk away. It has been a huge lifesaver.

CAR AND TRAVEL GEAR
Infant Car Seat
We registered for the Britax B-Safe Ultra Infant Car Seat. It not only is very stylish and sleek looking, but it also has high safety ratings.

Extra Base
You will want an extra base for your spouse's car. Enough said.

Toddler Car Seat
A lot of people do not think to register for the next size car seat. I can not recommend this enough. Car seats are so expensive and it will be so nice not having to pay for the next size up either. 

PRO-TIP: This tip is a good one, but it comes with a huge caution flag because I would never want to lead anyone down a path that could cause financial problems. It is so easy to charge things to a credit card and to get in over your head with overspending.  Please be cautious. 

Okay, now that we got that out of the way. Here is my pro-tip. I recommend applying for a Bed Bath and Beyond credit card. Every time you use it, you slowly earn and build up rewards gift certificates depending on how often you use it. You can use these at BuyBuyBaby too. I use my credit card for my business purchases, and I built up over $150 worth of rewards gift cards. I was able to purchase an extra toddler car seat with it! A FREE CARSEAT! 

Car Mirror
You are going to want a car mirror so you can keep an eye on your little one and glance back at them. I would be a nervous wreck without this. I have this constant fear that Jack isn't breathing. I love being able to look back and see his little chest rise and fall knowing he's sound asleep and safe. 

Stroller
I love vintage looking products with modern technology. I have a pram stroller made by CyneBaby. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I GET COMPLIMENTS ON THIS STROLLER. It is so stylish as chic. Some people want something a little easier where you could snap a car seat into the stroller and be on your way. If that is you, you do you and get what makes you happy. For me, the style was worth the little bit of effort to get the baby out of the car seat and into the stroller. I don't regret it one bit.

Stroller Cover
Not all strollers come with a stroller cover. You will never know when you are going to need it. The weather can change in an instant. You don't want to be running down the street with your stroller. I have been there; it is not fun. 

Baby Carrier
This one comes in handy not only out in public but around the house as well. There were some days Jack wanted to be held all day, but there were things I needed to get done around the house like sanitizing bottles, getting poop stains out of clothes, all the fun mothery stuff. There are so many carriers out there to choose from on the internet.  For some moms, they have purchased quite a few baby carriers to find one that both the parent and baby both enjoy. I have a Konny carrier. It is cute and trendy, and I liked that it didn't have a million steps like some of the wrap carriers need.

PRO-TIP: When registering for your baby carrier, try to keep in mind not only your current bust size but your post-partum bust size as well. At first, I ordered my baby carrier, thinking about my pre-pregnancy size (36 C). During pregnancy, I was a 36 D, and now that I am pumping, I fit into a 36 DD. So obviously the small I ordered did not fit at all.

Feeding Essentials
Burp Cloths
You want to get these KeaBabies burp cloths. Yes, I know they're $22, BUT THEY ARE WORTH EVERY CENT! All other burp cloths are inferior to these burp cloths. Don't waste your time with anything else. These burp cloths are so wonderfully thick. My little boy is so sloppy when eating; this is the only burp cloth that can withstand his messiness.

Breastfeeding/ Infant Car Seat Cover
I have a Milk Snob cover. I love that I could use it for coverage while breastfeeding, pumping, and as a cover for your infant car seat. This cover was helpful during Covid with Jack or during the flu season. I could put this over his carrier; it was like a giant mask to help keep out the germs. It is also great to help keep out the cold to an extent when walking from the car.

Kinde Milk Storage Bags
If you are planning to try and breastfeed, you are going to want some of these. You might not need the bags right away as your supply slowly builds up, but you will want to have these for surplus or for milk that wasn't able to be used up within the 4 hours of being left out. When you pump, you can leave it out at room temperature for 4 hours before it needs to be refrigerated.

Insulated Breast Milk Bag
Being a working mom that has over an hour drive, I needed something to keep my breast milk chilled until I arrived home. I have this milk bag and I love it. 

Medela Steam Bags
These bags are great. They are reusable up to 20 times, and they allow you to quickly and effortlessly sanitize your breast pump parts and bottles in the microwave. 

Drying Rack for Bottles and Pumping Parts
I love this little grass drying mat. It is so cute and does a great job even holding the tiniest things like a breast pump flange to allow everything to dry.

Brush Set for Bottles and Pump
How cute is this little brush set? We use this bottle cleaner. I love that it has a variety of sizes and shapes to clean my bottles and pump parts.

Nipple Shield
These are great, and I highly recommend that you get one. This shield helps protect your nipples from cracking and bleeding because they're raw and sore from breastfeeding. I also feel that it helps the baby latch better too.

Pumping Bra
I highly recommend getting one if you plan on breastfeeding. It is so wonderful to have your hands free while pumping, especially if you have the traditional pump. 

Pump
I get that not everyone has health insurance that covers the cost of a breast pump. Whether or not if you have health insurance, I recommend getting the BellaBaby pump and having it on their registry. This pump was a top choice on Amazon, and after reading the reviews, a lot of moms preferred it over their Medela or Spectra pump. I love mine, and it costs less than $60!!!

If you do have health insurance, I recommend getting a Freemie. I cannot rave about this pump enough. There is no way I would be able to keep up with my pumping as a teacher. Many of my coworkers told me to expect not to be able to do it. However, I am happy to report I am still going strong so far. You can discreetly and quietly pump because this goes under your clothes. It just makes you look extra busty. The reason I chose this over the Willow pump was that my insurance covered this in full as the first reason. The second reason is that the cups can hold 4 ounces of milk each.

PRO-TIP: I can't say enough good things about my Freemie. However, the only downside is right now, if you lose a part, you cannot easily walk into Target or Walmart, or even Amazon to get a replacement piece. Buy extra duck flanges and the tubing connectors. There is nothing worse than feeling helpless waiting for these pieces to arrive in the mail. This experience has happened to me twice now, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! Order them now; so that life can continue as if nothing happened.

Boob Shield
Not to be confused with a nipple shield. This shield is different. After pumping every three hours, your poor ladies are going to be so sore. Sometimes I cringe even having to wear a shirt on with no bra. It gets that painful. I just recently discovered these, and they are a lifesaver. You place these cups in your bra; not only do they catch milk from leaks, but more importantly, they give you room for your nipples to breathe and not touch fabric. 

Mother's Love Nipple Cream
This a great product to relieve the soreness but to help repair your nipples from feeding and or pumping. It is all-natural, and you don't have to worry about wiping it off before you feed or pump either. 

Boppy
The Boppy is a lifesaver when breastfeeding. Be sure to bring it to the hospital! See my post here for more about hospital bag packing.

These are great even if breastfeeding isn't for you; not only can it be used to prop up the baby when they get a little older, but it's also nice to help guests when holding your baby. The Boppy made me feel better about when my grandparents and my nieces and nephews wanted to hold onto Jack. 

High Chair
Jack is still two months old at this point, so we have not hit the high chair, but I will give you my recommendation anyway. We registered and received this chair. I like that it could evolve and grow with Jack over time. I felt like we would get the most use out of it for all of the different stages of eating.


Clothes and Baby Accessories
Diaper Bag
I have two; a backpack diaper bag and one I made myself (see the next post below). I purchased a backpack diaper bag for informal outings and my husband, so he didn't have to carry around a purse when he wasn't with me. 

Bag Organizer/ Diaper Bag Insert
I am picky when it comes to my bags, and I wasn't thrilled with the diaper bags. I also didn't want to spend $150 plus dollars on a trendy diaper bag. Instead, I waited for a Macy's sale and got myself a clearance Ralph Lauren Totebag. I then bought a black diaper bag insert to make this cute tote more functional. This d.i.y. bag is a great way to save money and have a stylish diaper bag for yourself.

Mushie Pacifier Clip
I have received so many compliments on this pacifier clip. Not only is it adorable, but it saves me from having to sanitize the baby's pacifier every 15 minutes when he spits it out. I pin it to his bandana bib, and we are good to go.

Bandana Bib
I have a ton of these. Not only do the bandana bibs pull an outfit together nicely for little boys, but they also save the outfit (and you having to change them constantly) from spit-up.

Pacifiers
I love Bibs pacifiers. They are so light and so stinking cute. We also have Dr. Brown's pacifiers when we need to trick Jack into thinking he has a bottle nipple when we just need a few moments to keep him calm to prep his actual feeding bottle.

Onesies
This one is a no brainer; however, I want to suggest you try to get a the mitten cuff onesies. Some long-sleeve onesies have the hand-mittens already built into cuff of the shirt where all you have to do is flip the cuff inside out, and it creates a protective barrier with the hands. I wish that every single onesie had this feature.

Pajamas/ Footed Outfits:
You will want these for bed or even a cute outfit. There are some days where I will find a cute one that I use for an outfit. It makes changing baby extra helpful. The snaps and button-up ones are cute, but you do want to keep in mind, they take longer to put back on. These buttons and snaps might be a little aggravating in the middle of the night when you are exhausted.

PRO-TIP: Some of these one-piece outfits have a double zipper that you can unzip from the bottom, so you don't have to completely unzip and undress the baby while changing him or her. THESE ARE THE BEST. Snag as many as you can.

Cardigan Sweater
The sweater is an item that is forgotten when planning and putting together your registry. Those little onesie packs are so cute, but they usually are short-sleeved. Having a little sweater to put over them allows you to wear them all year long, especially if you live up north as we do here in New York. I would even recommend this for the warmer states. You will never know when you might walk into a store or business with the Air Conditioning on full blast set to Overkill Mode. This sweater is my favorite.

Booties
Get some baby booties. I found that MOST socks constantly fall off and are ineffective at the newborn stage. As Jack has grown, the socks do stay on better now. I highly recommend knitted Carter's booties. Jack has a polar bear pair that he practically lives in even now at two months old.

Socks
These socks are amazing! Don't bother with any other socks unless you are ready to put them back on over and over again. I promise you won't regret it.

Hats and bows
Hats are so stinking cute and are not only functional but pull an outfit together so nicely. 

PRO-TIP: I recommend not letting baby nap in them. When Jack was a newborn, I needed to sanitize some bottles and my pump in the kitchen. I heard him crying, and I just wanted to finish what I was doing and then tend to him. I am so glad I didn't and went and checked. He somehow managed to get his hat over his entire face. I immediately grab him, ripped it off, and just held him while I sobbed for a serious 10 minutes. OH, THE HORMONES... plus the new mom anxieties, not a great combination. I recommend this with the bows as well. My niece did the same thing with her elastic headband bow. 

Sleep Sacs
Our hospital gave us a nice, warm fleece sleep sack. I am not sure if all hospitals do this, but it was a nice perk. There are so many different sleep sacs out there. We have at least three different types of brands.

For the newborn stage, we used a swaddle sleep sack to make him feel like he was still all snuggled like he was when he was in the womb.

Once he grew a little bigger, I started to realize he likes sleeping with his hands near his face. He did this also in the ultrasound, so we switched to the Zen Sleep Sack. I love that it has a little weighted piece on the chest to help the baby sleep better throughout the night. 

Muslin Swaddle Blankets
I love these and highly recommend them. Not only are these great for swaddling the baby after they first arrive, but they are fantastic for the bath to keep them nice and warm. I will be making a post about this soon! Stay tuned!

Hygiene and Health
Baby Bath Tub
The baby won't be able to sit up for some time in the tub. You will need a little bath to place in your sink or one that can sit on a counter or the bathroom floor. We registered for this bathtub, and we adore it. We place the tub right on the floor in the bathroom to bathe Jack. I love that is great for newborns, and you can shift the seat to adjust it for the baby as they grow.

Hooded Bath Towel
I recommend getting a Little Unicorn brand bath towel. I have a few different towels, and this is by far the favorite. It is nice, thick, and absorbent. Babies only need a bath 2-3 times a week. We keep it to bathing twice a week unless the baby has a blow-out or something very messy that they require an additional bath. I would recommend no more than three towels.

I loved bathing Jack and did it too often and started to dry out his skin. Learn from my mistake on this one. 

Wash Cloths
Again, you aren't bathing the baby daily. One pack of 2-3 washcloths is plenty!

Nose Bulb
You will need one of these to get out boogers. I have used it for Jack's ears once in a while since you are not supposed to place Q-tips in the ears. There are brands that you can suck out the snot, this didn't appeal to me, but it may be right for you! You do you, mama!

Forehead Thermometer
This one is pretty obvious. You won't want one until you need one. I like the ones that will tell you with color whether the results are worrisome or not. This one shows a red color when someone is running a fever.

Brushes and combs
After your little one gets out of the bath, you will want to brush out their fluffy soft hair. This kit is great to get the job done. 

Aquaphor
This product is the best; it is used for baby scratches, baby eczema, and any other skin irritations. We use this stuff all the time.

Gripe Water
This stuff is a life-saver. The Gripe Water helps soothe the baby with gas or hiccups. It is made with herbs and natural items. So many other mom blogs recommended it when I was pregnant, and I do like having it around the house.

Butt Paste for Diaper Rash
I feel like the diaper rash comes out of nowhere at times. It is helpful to have it ready in the house when the time comes, instead of waiting and having to run to the store. No one wants to make that late-night runs anyways.

Baby Tylenol
I promise that you are going to need this when you least expect it during the middle of the night. It is so handy just to have ready when you need it so that you are not running out during the middle of the night.

Toys & Fun
Playmat
I highly recommend getting a playmat that lights up. As much as I love our little woodland creature playmat, it doesn't light up very much with colors and lights. Jack is fascinated by the one my mom purchased a few years ago that they no longer make sadly. I wish I had known this about the colorful lights when I was putting my registry together. I didn't think it would be such a key feature to a playmat. I thought the fun dangly toys would be enough. I would have registered for a different type of playmat if I had known then, what I know now.

Activity Center
We have yet to use our activity center since Jack is only two months old. However, I can already tell he is going to be a bouncer. I didn't register for one initially because I am all about saving space. I wanted to purchase a bouncer that attaches to my door-frame. I didn't think about my door-frames at the time of my baby shower. Owning an older home, we have pocket doors and beautiful old school woodwork around the door frames. Unfortunately, we would be unable to use the jumpers that hand from the door frame is too wide.

Baby Chair
I did not register for this Infantino caterpillar chair, but I am so thankful that it was gifted to us. Jack adores it. This chair is used for both tummy time and sitting.

I also highly recommend getting a vibrating chair for your registry. Both of Jack's grandparents have one at their homes for the grandkids and they are always a big hit. 

Milestone Photo Prop
Whether it is the blanket with the months on it, the pennants, or the monthly stickers, you will want to get some kind of cute prop for your weekly/monthly photos to capture the baby's milestones. It might be cliche at this point, but who cares. The baby grows up and changes so quickly, you will never regret capturing this fleeting period. I chose these cute pennant props because they are different than the blanket craze, plus I love anything with a vintage flair to it.

Mommy Recovery 
Frida Postpartum Recovery Kit
I am going to be honest, you most likely will not receive this, but it is worth the try. Anything you don't have to purchase yourself is a win in my book. This kit is great for after baby. I do wish it came with the Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle, but that is something else you can register for too.

Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle
This product was such a Godsend. You are going to be sore, sore, sore. Make your life a little easier. Even if you do have to purchase this yourself, it is worth the money, trust me.

Well, here I am. The moment every mother dreads, having to go back to work and leave her little one in the care of someone else. Where did the time go!? Everyone says that "it goes by fast," but no one tells you its supersonic fast!!!

The pain of going back to work hit about two weeks out for me. I silently sobbed every night because one more day had passed, and I was one more day closer to it all being over. The pain and the grief I was feeling felt eerily familiar like I had been here before. It finally dawned on me that that the grief I was feeling had similarities to the thoughts and feelings I experienced after our miscarriage.

Here are the similarities the grief of these two different experiences:

I Blamed Myself
I felt like the world's biggest failure. I continuously felt like it was all my fault, and if only had I made different decisions, this wouldn't be happening. I know now that I didn't do anything wrong to cause my miscarriage, but at the time, I felt like my body had failed my unborn child. I miscarried early into our first pregnancy, but that didn't stop me from rethinking all the choices that I made and how they could have affected the pregnancy. 

This same feeling took place when I realized that staying home would be too hard financially. Once again, all of those "what if" thoughts started to pop back into my head again.  I blamed myself for not doing a better job saving or working harder on paying off my student loans. Realistically, I had done my best, but instead of looking at all I had accomplished, I could only focus on what I didn't do yet.

You Are Losing A Part of You
I would never wish a miscarriage on anyone. But unless you have gone through it yourself, you will never really understand how it feels. One moment, the baby is with you throughout every moment of the day, and the next moment they are gone. That emptiness is consuming.

This feeling of "gone" was not identical, but all too familiar. This little person I have been caring for day and night for the past eight weeks is now barely part of my day, especially on the nights where I had to go straight to my second job right after I was done teaching all day at school.

I was grieving the "loss" of my son.

Your Husband Gets It, But Doesn't
I have the World's Greatest Husband. I often say I won the jackpot when we became a couple. He is compassionate and caring and is an old school romantic. He knew I was struggling, with having to leave Jack and he understood it was hard, but he would never truly able to fully understand everything I was going through with this grief. Only moms, especially new moms, get it. 

This problem of not fully understanding what I was going through rang true with losing Jules. When we had our miscarriage, it was the same. The empathy my husband was trying to express could only go so far since no one truly understands this feeling unless they have experienced it themselves firsthand. As much as my husband lost Jules too, his experience was different than mine.

You Become Jealous of Other Moms
The feeling of jealousy was the most relatable. After I had my miscarriage, I was uncharacteristically angry and jealous when I saw or found out other people were pregnant, or even just seeing other people with kids in general. I couldn't escape it since I am a teacher. I was reminded daily, even hourly, of what I had lost. I so desperately wanted my baby back safe and with me. 

The feeling of jealousy is remarkably similar to the situation of going back to work vs. being a stay at home mom. I tried my best to stay off of the internet, but marketing my painting business requires me to be on social media to advertise my classes. By seeing so many stay-at-home moms plastered all over Facebook and Instagram, that frustration and jealousy started to creep back in.

I was and still am so envious that those moms could stay at home watching their little ones grow and experience new things every day. I know this choice is a huge financial sacrifice, but I wish more than anything, it was something my husband and I were able to pull off.

Blindsided By Emotions
After I miscarried, some days afterward were better than others. I don't think you can ever say you have ever completely recovered from losing a child, but each day that passes, it seemed a little better than the day before. But then there were some days where it seemed that everything was going just fine, and then BAM, out of nowhere, all the emotions and sadness came flooding on back like a tidal wave. I still have these days once in a while, even now, almost a full year later. 

About two weeks before I was to return to school, is when the sadness began to set in. I started sobbing almost every night silently as I would feed and rock Jack to sleep. During the day, I usually felt like I was doing better. It seemed like it was getting better. I would just be holding him, or I would look over as he was sleeping in his swing, and that tidal wave of emotions would return, followed by the silent sobbing.

You Would Give Anything To Make Things Different
There isn't much of an explanation needed for this one in regards to wishing things could have been different after experiencing a miscarriage. But these thoughts came across my mind also when it was time to return to work. I honestly became desperate. I looked for any way to make the impossible possible. 

The major hurdle holding me back from staying at home was my student loans. For the past three years, I have been trying to pay off my student loans aggressively by using everything I earned from my second job towards the loans. Even though I have done a phenomenal job whittling down the majority of my loans, one loan still stands in my way of being able to afford to stay at home with Jack.

I became so desperate to get rid of this loan that I was about to drain my entire bank account to pay it off. Withdrawing everything from my bank account would have been beyond reckless and irresponsible. Jack has mild medical issues, and our house is over 100 years old, that money had to stay put. But trust me, I thought about pulling the trigger on this quite a few times.

Everything Happens for a Reason
If I were to choose one motto that I believe in wholeheartedly, it would have to be that "everything happens for a reason." I had to remind myself during both of these experiences that everything that happens in life has a purpose. For my miscarriage, it was to show me that I did want children because I had always been on the fence. It also made my rainbow pregnancy that much more joyful and meaningful. 

I am still in the process of figuring out the reason that I was meant to go back to work. But for now, until I discover the meaning, I will say it is because I am hopefully reaching out to others reading this who may be experiencing these same feelings, helping to let you know that you're not alone. I know that each day will get a little easier, with maybe a minor setback here and there. This moment may be tough, but so am I and so are you.

Apple Bacon Cheddar (ABC) Chicken Sloppy Joes with Homemade Rosemary and Garlic Air Fryer French Fries 

Sandwiches are my husband's specialty. You have no idea and I have no idea how he comes up with the ideas for them, but they are amazing. The best part is he will make two different sammies because we have different tastes. For example, he isn't a fan of sweet or fruit in his food, but for this recipe, he made me a special sandwich. When he created his recipe of the night, he chose a Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe. It's like going to a restaurant and the best part is I get to try two sandwiches.

Tools You'll Want To Have:

• Air-Fryer 
• French Fry Potato Slicer

Prep time
3 hours before cooking, you need to prep the chicken (marinade and slow cook)
2 hours before you should begin making the coleslaw and the fries. 1 hour for each for slaw and fried prep (mainly to get flavors sinking in but not necessary if I’m in a hurry)
45 minutes for the rest before the meal.

Ingredients (makes 2-4 sandwiches depending on sandwich size)
2 Chicken Breasts
Teaspoon Salt
Teaspoon Pepper
Teaspoon of Honey Dijon 
2 Teaspoons of honey 
2 Apples sliced in sticks 
Smooth Cheddar Cheese of Preference (2 Slices Equivalent, depending on how it comes) 
Fresh bakery hard rolls
2 Tablespoons of Butter
6 Slices of Bacon

Slaw
12 oz Bag of Broccoli Slaw 
2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Mayo 
1 Tablespoon Honey
Salt and pepper to taste (teaspoon of each)

Fries 
5 Medium Potato’s
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt/Powder
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

Directions 
Trim the chicken and marinate in 1 tablespoon honey, honey Dijon, salt, pepper, and rosemary

Place chicken in the slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours depending on thickness until reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees

About 45 minutes before mealtime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees 
Place bacon on a baking sheet (I use foil under the bacon bc of the grease) not letting the pieces touch.
Bake for about 30 minutes until desired crispness. 
Removed from oven, pat down grease with a paper towel, and chop
Set aside.

Remove chicken, let cool

Chop chicken into small cubes and set back into the slow cooker. 

Remove the skin from the apples. Chop the apples into small cubes and place into the slow cooker.

Add cheese (cubes, slices, or shredded to slow cooker - chop or shred first if block cheese)

Add the second teaspoon of honey (2 tbsp) and bacon.

Cook on low for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and apples are tender

Mix ingredients together so that cheese melds all ingredients together.

Sandwich Construction
Cut the rolls in half when there are about five minutes left in the fries and chicken.
Add butter to the frying pan and melt on low heat.
When the butter is melted, place the rolls face down on the pan.
Cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until you see golden brown bread.
Place bread on the plate.
At this point, all of the other parts of the dinner should be finished.
Place a spoonful of apple chicken cheddar on the bottom half of the bread.
Place a spoonful or two of slaw on top of the chicken mix.
Cover with bread top.
Place a side of fries on the plate and serve.

​Owning a home has always been a goal of ours. We were determined to purchase a home that was affordable but also had character and charm. My goal was to transform this old gal (whom I affectionately have nicknamed Elizabeth) into something I was proud of by incorporating in style, with vintage flair without breaking the bank.

Like most homeowners, we have pets that we love like our own children. Marty (our Golden Retriever) was struggling to go up and down the stairs. It would take us forever to coax Marty to come up and go down. Finally, I had enough and decided since we had a little one on the way, we needed to install carpet on the stairs. 

I went to the home improvement store with a budget; I didn't want to spend more than $700. That already sounded outrageous to me as it was. I wanted to find a carpet that was bound on both sides to leave some of the hardwood exposed. When they totaled everything I was shocked to hear it was going to be OVER $1000! (PUKE EMOJI!!!) This wasn't even the fancy stuff with the lovely patterns. It was just your average solid carpet!

Right then and there, I decided there was no way I was going to spend that kind of money on a carpet. There had to be a way for me to bring down the cost.


I WAS SO RIGHT!


I measured the stairs and realized that I needed about 11 feet of carpet for each section of the stairs. That's when I started scouring Target's website. I knew I wanted something gray but also had somewhat of a pattern to it or variation of color. This tip was my takeaway from the pricey big box store. Since it is a high traffic area and sometimes my husband is notorious for not always removing his shoes, I needed something with a speckle or variation to the carpet.

Luckily I was able to find a runner on Target for $74 each, plus a matching 3-foot diameter rug for the landing. The overall cost took us to a total of $191! That was over $800 in savings! WOOHOO!

Here is how we installed the rug, and if we could do this, so can you!

3. Once all of the tape is laid down on each step, you can begin to install the carpet. Start from the top and have it go all the way up the backboard. Staple it as close as you can to the top. You will see a little bit of the staple. To hide this, gently comb the carpet with your hand to disguise the staple. It should cover easily.  

4. Next, pull the carpet tight and pull it down to the first step making sure it aligns with the tape. Take the plastic putty knife and push it into the corner of the step to make sure you have a tight fit. It might be overkill, but we didn't want to take any chances. We placed a staple in both the backboard and the step to make sure the carpet would stay in place.

5. After that, pull the carpet tight and bring it under the lip of the step. Staple under the lip of the step.

Congrats! I am assuming you are here because you have a little one on the way, and you are trying to prepare for the shower and the BIG DAY!

Coming home from your baby shower can be a bit overwhelming. My sister felt completely overwhelmed after hers. My mom and I came over to her house after her baby shower to help relieve her anxiety. When it was my turn to have my baby shower a few years later, I wanted to avoid this overwhelming feeling. 

Here are my suggestions on things you should do BEFORE your baby shower:
​

Set up a Registry Through Target or Buy Buy Baby:
​I also recommend setting up a registry with at least one store as well for two reasons. First, you will have guests that are old-school and like to buy it in person. You will also have guests that wait until the last minute to buy a gift. Second, when you register through Target or Buy Buy Baby, they will send out a 15% off coupon that you can use towards any items that you did not receive through your baby shower. Unfortunately, some online sites like Babylist, do not do this for all of the products you may have chosen for your registry.

Don't Register Solely Online, Go In Person Too:
I learned this one the hard way, but I am also going to blame it on the fact that Covid had all the stores shut down, so I was unable to go into the stores.

​Make sure you go and check out some of these items in person, specifically the larger items. I registered for a swing, thinking I would be saving space by not purchasing a Mamaroo. It was the opposite. I was surprised by how much room the swing took up in our already small living room.

BuyLarge Plastic Storage Bins:
You are going to get a lot of stuff that you might not need right away. Finding a spot for everything to go right away can be daunting. 

Buy at least two large plastic storage bins. Label one of them, Newborn-6 months, and label the other, 6+ months. Place items that you won't need right away in each of the containers. You can then deal with it at a later time or if you are like me, go into them when you need that specific item when the baby is ready. 

I hope these tips help make your shower less stressful and more exciting. Check back for my next blog post on items to register for your shower. 

Thanks for stopping by mama! ​​

Hooray! A new baby has arrived, and you are on your way to meet this little bundle of joy soon. As a new parent myself, it has seemed like a revolving door of guests coming to meet Jack. Most of the time, our friends and family arrived with gifts for us and the baby. 

The most common gift a guest arrives with is a blanket or a stuffed animal. I can guarantee that these parents now have a ton of blankets and stuffed animals for baby. Can you blame them? They are so cute!

So what should you bring instead? Here is my list of 10 different gift ideas to give a new parent:

1. Coffee: You do not have to spend a ton of money for parents to be grateful. I had a few friends swing by and bring me a coffee (shout out to Dunkin'). It was the best because they were here to visit Jack, they had a hot cup of coffee for this exhausted mama, and they most likely would be holding him so I could enjoy my coffee hot for once!

2. Bring a pre-made meal: This one was great. I loved it when our friends and family did this for us. It was so helpful not to have to worry about making dinner. Pro-tip: I will always be grateful when people bring us food, ALWAYS! However, we did get a lot of pasta. I suggest bringing something like a taco casserole.

Another idea is to bring is a ready to bake dessert like homemade cookies. The dough can be stored in the freezer until they are ready to be baked and eaten.

3. Grub-Hub Gift Card: This is a great idea because sometimes, guests are so generous with bringing meals with them that they start to run out of room in the refrigerator. YIKES! This gift makes your life easier too because you don't have to cook or transport the food, BONUS!

4. Alcohol: This is always well received, especially for mom. She has just spent nine months making this tiny human, and why not celebrate, right? Also, she hasn't been allowed to drink for the last nine months. Champagne or sparkling wine is always a safe route. 
However, if you want to make it a little more personalized, you could try to find a drink with their name in it. For example, one of our neighbors brought us a bottle of Jack Daniels with a liter of Coke. I got the biggest kick out of this idea. 

Some wineries like Casa Larga Vineyard will create custom labels for their clients. You could bring over a bottle of wine or a few that commemorate the baby's milestones. You could have a bottle that celebrates when the baby sleeps through the night for the first time or says their first word.

5. Tree or plant: Buy a tree to plant in the yard. It will be exciting to watch the tree grow over time with the little one every year.

6. Care.com gift card: Buy a babysitting gift card for the parents to use when the baby is a little bit older. It will be nice to know that babysitting is covered. This gift is great for friends that live out of state or do not have people to watch the baby easily. 

7. Amazon gift card or a Prime membership: This gift is pretty self-explanatory. It is nice to purchase items quickly without having to run to the store. Most new moms are not allowed to drive the first two weeks after having their baby.

8. Gift basket of essential baby items: Okay, this is my most "boring" suggestion, but this comes in handy very quickly. Create a gift basket of important baby items these new parents are going to need regularly. Often, these items were not received at the baby shower., but come in handy quickly. Here is what I suggest butt paste for diaper rash, Aquaphor, Gripe Water, baby brush, bottle sterilization steamable pouches, stool softener, Epsom salt, baby Tylenol, Kinde milk storage bags, etc.

9. Shutterfly Gift Card: Most parents are taking a million photos of their  baby. It is nice to get these images off of the phone and into an album. You could even make one yourself if they post a lot of images on social media.

10. Time: Gifts do not always need to be purchased. If you are close with the parents, let them know ahead of time that you are dedicating the first 30 minutes to watching the baby. This idea was  inspired by my sister's mother in law. She would come over and take the baby for a 30 minute walk in the stroller allowing my sister and her husband a chance to shower or clean up around the house interrupted. It is so helpful and it costs nothing.

Whatever you choose to bring the new parents will love and appreciate. Enjoy your time visiting that new baby and get some snuggles!

When my husband and I first got married, we were on the fence about having children. We loved our carefree lifestyle. We could do what we wanted when we wanted. Life was perfect. At the moment, I didn't feel that "urge" that all the moms that I knew talked about. I figured when the time was right, I would know.

I first realized something was up when my breasts started tingling, just like that sensation when your arm falls asleep. My breasts also felt hard, like really hard. Then I realized I was late, which is uncommon for me. Ugh oh... could I be pregnant?

I bought a pregnancy test and told my husband that I felt different. He thought I was crazy and didn't take it seriously. I took the test and even went so far as to record it with my phone. I wanted to capture our reactions just in case the pregnancy test came back positive. Sure enough, we were pregnant with two positive tests. I am going to admit it, at first I was freaked out, and so was he. But about an hour later, Tom told me how excited he was once the shock had worn off. This caused my worries to transform into excitement.

We were supposed to see my family that night, so we decided why not tell them? We also recorded their reaction because we knew they would be shocked. My mom didn't disappoint with how excited she was about the news. 

The next day I woke up, I was beaming. I felt so special and excited.  It was football Sunday, that's when I decided to give the baby the nickname Jules, after Julian Edelman until we knew the gender further down the line. It was a great day. Little did we know that that joy was about to be torn away from us.

The following morning as I got up to prepare to get ready for school, my nightmare began to unfold. There it was, blood. I began to sob; my husband came rushing in. I begged him to go to the store and get me another test. He did; the nightmare continued to progress. They both came back negative. Great, I now had to go to work with a building full of children knowing I had lost mine.

I felt it was too late to call in for a sub. I also knew if I didn't go to work, I probably would sit home and cry the entire day. I should have stayed home. For whatever reason, that day, out of all the days, my middle school students wanted to discuss the idea of me having kids someday. They had no idea how heartbroken and distraught I was and how I was barely hanging on by a thread that day.

When I got home, I knew I needed to vent. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I don't like holding in my emotions. My husband always says I share our entire lives on Facebook; I felt this was the best way to cope with my heartbreak. I still do not regret this decision. 

I poured out my heart into that Facebook post that day. Little did I know the overwhelming amount of love and support that was about to come flooding back through my phone.

Here was something else I didn't expect. It helped others begin to talk about their own experiences. I was shocked by how many women I knew that had experienced this tragedy themselves. 

The one moment that was the most powerful was when I received a private message from a former student. We had a great relationship when I had her in class in middle school. She found out that she was pregnant during her senior year and also lost the baby. Although she saw it as a second chance at regaining back her high school life, she still was saddened by her loss. Worse, was at the time, she felt she had no one to talk to about this. My heart broke for her. That night we had one of the best conversations. I was so proud of her for finding the strength to talk about it. 

Then I realized that so many women have probably had to face one of the worst days of their life alone. This hidden trauma and grief broke my heart even more. I know that not everyone is comfortable with sharing something so personal like this with others. But I promise you that if you find the strength to even reach out to another person, you won't regret it.

That leads me to my list of ways to cope with miscarriage:

Cry:
You need to let it out for as long as you need to. Your hormones are a big mess, and your body is all out of wack. It is going to take time to heal both physically and emotionally. There may be days, even months down the line when you need to cry about it again. It is okay.

Talk about it:
It takes a lot of bravery to open up to someone about something so personal. But do you know what I think is worse, having to go through this alone. 

Don't be afraid to refer to them by name: 
No matter how short your little one's life was, it still was there. There was love and excitement about bringing that baby into the world. In my opinion, giving your child a name is a great way to honor their brief life. 

Share your story:
I know that this one is definitely not for everyone and I completely understand and respect that. However, here is why I am mentioning it. When you are brave enough to share your story, you are helping break down the taboo of miscarriage. You also might be able to help someone else who is suffering silently. 

Also, when you are brave enough to share your tragedy with the world, if you decide to try and conceive again, the rest of the world celebrates even more with you when they find out about your rainbow baby. 

Find a way to remember your baby: There are multiple ways to do it. Here are some of the ways I have chosen and some other alternatives as well.

Get a tattoo: 
Many people use this as their medium of choice to symbolize the moments they have gone through in life. Getting a tattoo is also a beautiful way to remember your baby if creating art yourself isn't your thing. It is also a way for fathers to honor the baby because dads feel the pain of your loss too.

Buy a cake:
I highly recommend this one for later down the line. You will eventually reach the inevitable due date day when you should have been snuggling your baby in your arms. When I realized mine was about a week away, all of those emotions came back and hard. I remember driving home with tears running down my face. I called my husband; we decided to buy a small cake for the two of us with some candles like you would a birthday cake. We lit the candles and said a little prayer. I am so happy we did this. I want to continue it every year.

Try to find the silver lining:
This one is tough, trust me, I know. How can you possibly find the good from something so heartbreaking? Everyone is different; it may not be possible for some of you reading this. However, I found mine; it did help me.  

My silver lining through this was that without getting pregnant by surprise with Jules, I wouldn't have realized that I did want to be a mom. I wouldn't have my beautiful little rainbow baby Jack; I wouldn't be talking to you trying to help you through this tough time. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

When you are ready, try again:
After losing Jules, I knew I so desperately wanted to be pregnant again. I did some research and discovered that you can ovulate again two weeks after your miscarriage. I knew that I wanted to try again immediately. Those two weeks felt like an eternity. I bought these ovulation strips and used them every day to be sure I was ovulating before getting our hopes up. Sure enough, two weeks later, the test came back positive that my body was ovulating. Even better was that we were successful and were pregnant again on our first try.

I promise that if you choose to try again when you conceive that next baby, you will be beyond thrilled, your rainbow baby will mean more to you than you can ever imagine.

Mama, I wish you the best of luck. I hope that this blog has helped you to find ways to cope and survive this traumatic time. I plan on writing another piece next in regards to getting pregnant after your miscarriage to help you further with this part of your journey. I hope you stop back in to read it.
​​

With Covid causing schools, my side business, and well ...the whole country to shut down, I had a lot of time on my hands towards the beginning of summer and my due date in August. I felt pretty confident about becoming a mom, but I decided to read mommy blogs to be more prepared for when Jack arrived. 
However, all that reading still had me caught off guard with some things I never anticipated with being a mom and having a new baby.

Here are some of those things I've learned over the past 7 weeks:

How Long It Takes To Prepare To Go Anywhere:
I knew I would have to take a little more time to get myself and baby ready to run out to the store or complete a quick errand. I didn't realize it could take multiple hours depending on the day with a newborn.

First, you need to get the baby dressed. Great! 

Now it is time to feed them so that they can sleep while you pump. That can take up to 30 minutes. 

Okay, they should be nice and full and fall right to sleep right? Sometimes... and then sometimes they fuss for up to an hour.

Okay, great they're asleep! Time to pump for 30-40 minutes. Done!

It is then you realize that the feeding window is quickly reapproaching again because everything took so long! They will be waking up again soon because they're hungry and you're not even out the door yet. Yikes!

I can't tell you how hard it can be at times to perfectly time out this process. Some days are easier than others for sure!


Formula Stains Fabric & Clothes:
Jack was still struggling to breastfeed and we had to supplement formula in the meantime. (I am happy to report we did get the hang of it eventually...okay ... focus Melissa) Jack was and still is a messy eater and even with the burp cloth, he can still manage to get his milk on his clothes. My mom came over after work to meet Jack for the first time and he was in his cute going home outfit I had specially made from Etsy. Luckily, she let me know right away that formula stains clothes, and I would want to tackle soaking it right away if I wanted to save it. Luckily, using some blue Dawn dish soap and OxyClean soaking in some hot water for an hour took it right out!


Baby Poops Are So Loud:
Guys, I am not joking on this one. The first time you hear your little one poop you will be shocked by how violently loud and intense it is. There are still times it still makes me jump if I am holding Jack and he decides it is time to go to the bathroom. Seriously, get ready!


Point The Penis Down:
This one we had to learn the hard way. If you have a little boy, this advice is huge!!! When changing their diapers and reapplying the fresh one, you need to make sure his penis is pointed down. There was one night where Jack wet himself outside his diaper 3 times and soaked his mattress cover! Luckily, some seasoned moms were able to quickly diagnose the problem. This one is probably my number one word of advice.


Your Boobs Will Tingle/ Hurt When Baby Cries:
If you are breastfeeding or pumping, when your baby cries your brain sends a message to your breasts to get them to start producing more milk. It is the most bizarre feeling and most definitely unexpected. It also isn't fun when you haven't pumped yet and your boobs already feel like they're about to burst.


Babies Need To Eat Every 2-3 Hours:
This might be a "duh" concept to some of my readers, but I honestly had no idea and that's okay! We are learning here people! I was somewhat scolded by one of the overnight nurses when Jack was born for not feeding him in the middle of the night. I just thought that he would cry when he was hungry. I made sure to wake him up every 2-3 hours after to make sure his weight was up for the time being at the hospital. When we got home, I relaxed on that rule and let the kid sleep until he was ready to eat. In my opinion, never wake a sleeping baby unless it's really necessary.


Your Boobs Can Get Milk Clots:
Oh yeah... this is a fun one and I mean it with the heaviest amount of sarcasm possible. The best way to describe them is like having hard, rock-like clusters in your boobs. I feel like they usually pop up out of nowhere. This can and most likely will happen and they are not always the easiest to get out at times either. There are different recommendations on how to loosen the clog. There are breast vibrators that you can buy to loosen the clog. Applying heat with a damp microwaved cloth, heating pad, or a good soak in the bath is suggested. I read once that one mom had her husband suck it out. I gagged after reading that. Please ladies... do not do that! YUCK!!!

I find that soaking and then immediately pumping or breastfeeding after has always worked best for me. Sometimes it also takes multiple sessions to finally get the clog out.

PRO TIP: Do not wait to work on getting the clogged milk ducts out. I did once thinking it would just go away on its own without any extra effort. Oh boy was I wrong and man did it hurt. Please ladies save yourself the pain.


Your Milk Production Is The Strongest At Night
You produce the most prolactin at night. This is the hormone that promotes milk production. If you are struggling to produce but still want to breastfeed or pump your milk, night time is the time to do it!


How Painful It Can Be For Your Milk Supply To Come In:
This was not a fun day. I honestly thought something was wrong and I was getting an infection in my breasts. First of all, they got even bigger which I wasn't anticipating. Next, they became rock hard. I now understand why they are called melons, they felt that stiff! Lastly, they felt like they were on fire. This was not a fun day, but according to my doctor was normal.


How To Properly Reheat Milk:
There are two parts to this. First, you can leave breastmilk out for up to 4 hours in the bottle before it needs to be put into the fridge.

Second is how to properly reheat milk once it has been in the fridge. What do you normally do when something is in the fridge and needs to be reheated? You microwave it! RIGHT!?!

Ha, little did I know this is NOT what you do to reheat breastmilk. I made this mistake.

This was heartbreaking to me at the time because I was producing very little and I felt like such a failure as a mom. Here was all I was able to produce for that sitting and I just ruined it. Instead, you need to heat it by placing the bottle or the milk bag in warm to hot temperature water. You can buy a bottle warmer or you can do what I do and just use the Kehrig to heat the water. 
​
Pro-Tip: This is also a great hack when you are over visiting at someone else's home. Most people have a Keurig in their home and if not, throw some water in a mug and heat the water in the microwave.

You, Will, Want to Cry Over Spilled Milk:
Whoever came up with the phrase "there's no use crying over spilled milk" obviously was not trying to pump or breastfeed. This has happened to me a few times now and even though I am producing well at this point it still is frustrating when it happens.

Pro-Tip: Make sure the containers that are catching milk are secured properly. I know this is a "duh" statement, but once mine wasn't and when I went to get up from pumping, it came loose and went all over my pants and couch. GAH!!!

​Pregnancy Brain IS REAL:
AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY!!! OYE!

You are going to be so forgetful and do weird things without even realizing it. My favorite was the time I couldn't find my Gatorade drink for the longest time. I ended up finding it in the cupboard where we keep the pots and pans. But for real, I can't tell you how crazy this is going to make you feel. I felt like I was struggling to even speak properly and form sentences. I honestly thought something was wrong with me. Thank goodness a friend confirmed that she had a similar problem because I felt like I had a stroke! 


Clothes Won't Fit Properly For A While:
Again, I know this might be another "duh" statement to some of you reading but seriously I wasn't aware of this. I honestly thought all you had to do was get back down to your pre-pregnancy pant size. 

I am so proud to say I was able to fit back into my pants at 6 weeks; however, my pre-pregnancy tops are a joke. I barely have anything that fits and it is so frustrating because I am bored with wearing maternity tops and the same clothes I have been wearing over the past few months. Since I plan on pumping for as long as I can, I don't see this changing any time soon.


You Have To Clean Under The Drying Rack:
Normally, this would have been a no-brainer to me. However, with a new baby, there are so many things you need to remember to do throughout the day and when you are running on nothing but coffee and exhaustion you are going to forget a thing or two. This one was mine. I have one of those trendy grass drying racks that you place your bottles and pumping parts on. 

One day, it hit me. I hadn't cleaned under it. Let's just say I gagged when I lifted it, followed by lots of bleach and scrubbing. 


You Will Become A Multi-Tasking Champ: 
When you have a baby, you do not waste any time with procrastinating. Those downtime moments are beyond valuable. Things I used to drag my feet to do, I am now tackling because I know my time is limited. That's why I always laugh inside when people would tell me to "sleep when the baby sleeps". I would not get anything done if I followed this advice.

​Welcome to the Mod Vintage Mama blog!
I have wanted to start a blog for a long time now. I tossed so many different ideas around but never fully committed. There were so many different passions I wanted to discuss, but didn't know how to bring them all together. It wasn't until recently that I finally figured it out.

It has been crazy how much my life has changed in 6 weeks. My husband Tom and I recently welcomed our first baby boy into the world. Even though I felt well prepared to become a first-time mom, there were still a lot of things that I quickly learned that I did not expect. I read many blogs ahead of time, but I discovered that some things had not been mentioned that I thought it would be good for first-time mamas to know.

So this is where it all begins as a put this all together with Jack on my lap (welcome to motherhood 101). My goal is to share things I am passionate about, like the things I have learned about being a mom, food recipes created by my talented husband, cool repurposed decorating ideas, and anything else that I find noteworthy to share. 

I hope you enjoy!