Top 10 Newborn Must Haves!

Hi guys!

I got a ton of comments and messages on my last post (Top 5 Regrettable Purchases). I love that people actually read my crazy blog posts. I honestly feel like I'm word vomiting -- think Mean Girls.
Anywhoo, I have Selena Gomez on repeat and I am ready to share my Top 10 Must Haves.

** I am NOT an expert. I am only sharing what worked for me.
**I am also sharing so that you don't make the same mistakes that I did.
**Also, I titled this Newborn Must Haves because I am sure my "needs" will change as baby's do.

After the initial shock of finding out we were pregnant wore off, panic set in. If you know me, you know that I pretend to be easy going and seemingly carefree...but really I am crazy. When my mind is set on something, I become obsessive. It almost becomes addictive.  (Hi, my name is Megan and I am the child of an addict.)

I did a sh*t ton of research and only purchased what (I thought) we absolutely needed. If you read my last post you know that some of it didn't work out. But I like to pride myself, in thinking that we use almost everything that we bought. We don't really have the space for extra stuff anyways!

Ok, here goes.

Top 10 Newborn Must-Haves:

1.  Video Monitor 

If you can splurge and get the video monitor, DO IT! I cannot talk this product up enough. We registered for the Summer Video Monitor from Target. Our parents bought it for us and it is a Godsend.
I swear Baby J tries to talk in his sleep. Now, instead of climbing up our stairs for the 514th time to check on him, I can just peek at my video and see that he is, in fact soundly asleep, just making a new song.
I mean...maybe I would be skinnier if I didn't have a video monitor.
Bahaha. Excuse me while I eat my Oreos.
#milfanyways

**If you can, get a monitor that fits in your pocket or has a clip so you can take it with you. Ours doesn't, you live and you learn.


2.  Car Seat/Stroller

Obviously this is a must. They will not even let you leave the hospital without a carseat. So, I figured while you're at it just buy the stroller that goes with it. You can get some pretty sweet deals when you buy the two together.

We chose the Chicco Bravo because it's amazeballs!

Let me count the ways:

• It stands up after it's folded-- most strollers I found have to lay on their side. 
• It is a Click N Connect -- Meaning the carseat clicks right in. No need to transfer baby. This is such a huge win because we don't need to wake Jaxon up if we don't want to. 
• It is lightweight. I'm not a tall person and it was hard for me to actually pick up most of the strollers we looked at. I was 9 months pregnant at the time..but still.  I can pick ours up with ease.
• It has suspension so it doesn't wake Baby up when we go over bumps. 
• It has dual locks so you can lock/unlock both sides with one move. 
• It has an adjustable handle. B is a giant and I am not...so that's needed.
• Bear can fit in the bottom basket. -- This is irrelevant. Just a fun fact. You're welcome.

We purchased this ourself using the Completion Discount paired with our Redcard and got a whopping 20% off. 

** Fun Fact: I wanted the one with Polka Dots. B said no. Fair enough.

3.  Pump

I got my pump for free through our insurance. I received the Ameda Purely Yours pump. I was stoked for having saved about $300. Everything was working wonderfully until day 5 when one pump decided not to work. So I had to pump twice as long. Stopping to switch out my bottles. It was a mess.

Then one day I was pumping in front of my friend. Because after you have a baby and you've been breastfeeding and pumping, you really don't care if your boob is out in front of another woman. Like, heyyyyyo, join the party.

Basically after she saw how slow my pump was, she told me I had to get a Medela Pump.
Luckily, she knew someone who was selling their used one.
EEEEEW.
Gross!
A used pump?
Freaking sicko.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatevs. I'll give you a minute to process that. I have time to process it myself.

Moving on. The used pump was only $50 and I bought the pump accessory set from target, so I really didn't even use her old parts, just the pump itself.

This pump is no joke! It cut the time it took to pump in half and I got twice as much milk! 

4.  First Aid Kit/CPR Training

It absolutely amazes me that a license is required to fish, own a dog, own a gun, drive a car...but there is nothing stopping me from taking a human home. The hospital just let me leave. They didn't ask me if I knew how to take care for the little squish that they were sending me home with.

I think if more people were educated on child development and the well-being of a child, that we would see less abuse. Ugh. I can't even get into this right now. #canteven #basicbish

Anyways, I was lucky enough to have gone through a few child development courses in college. I was also required to have CPR training, so I was already certified before we found out we were even pregnant. Still, if you cannot remember what to do if an infant is choking, I would recommend a refresher course.

Check with your local hospital or community centers for classes.

5.  Swaddles

 I prefer two brands: either Aden & Anais or Little Unicorn. I listed a picture of the swaddles that we purchased from Little Unicorn. I'm obsessed with monotone -- Sorry Grammy and the alphabet... so these were perfect.

Both brands are awesome. The swaddles are huge and super soft. If you go with Aden &Anais, I suggest purchasing from their website and not Target.


6.  The Contented Little Baby Book

Again, this is just my opinion. I didn't try any other books when it came to putting Jaxon on a schedule and I'm sure that something else might have also done the trick.

I originally attempted Baby-Led Scheduling, which I was hoping would work out and it failed, miserably. Jaxon was exhausted; I was exhausted. It was a sh*t show.

This book has a schedule to follow almost down to the minute. It does change as baby gets older, but we are on day 8 of scheduling and I can already see a difference in my sweet boy. He is being fed properly and he is getting the right amount of sleep.

J is much happier and Momma is getting more sleep too...so it's a huge win.

7.  Rock N' Play Sleeper

We used the Rock N' Play Sleeper instead of a traditional bassinet. We chose this because 1. Brandon did not want Jaxon in the bed with us & 2. Sleeping at an angle helps the gas escape. We haven't really ever had an issue -- unless I eat dairy. Baby does not like dairy.

My husband would tell you to get the one with the automatic rocker so you don't have to rock it for what seems like hours... I might agree, but I also secretly like that it's not plugged into anything. In the beginning, I would move it all around the house, so I could clean and fold laundry while J watched.

This one is on sale right now at Target.

8.  Nursing Pillow 

110% this! I am in love with my nursing pillow. We chose the Boppy, but I have also heard really good things about the Ergo and My Breast Friend. I LOVE this thing. Nursing is hard. It is even harder if you have to hold baby up all by yourself. The Boppy has been extremely helpful in eliminating neck pain and in the early days I would fall asleep nursing Jaxon and he would just fall asleep on the Boppy, tucked into me. 

Be forewarned, my little newborn tended to slip in between the pillow and my tummy. It got easier as J got bigger. 

9.  Diaper Genie

I wish I was one of those crunchy moms that use cloth diapers. Seriously, props to you guys! I might have to pick your brain on how you do this successfully. But for now I have a diaper genie.
Truth be told, I should've purchased this second hand, because let's face it...it's a garbage can. But bougie me... had to have everything from Target. Because #basicbisheslovetarget

**Sidenote: in an attempt to save money, we also purchased a small plastic trash can that we use for pee-filled diapers. Only poop diapers go in the diaper genie. We haven't had to purchase refill bags as a result. Saving that scrilla. omg. Who am I?


10.  Sound Machine 

I'm not even sure that J needs this...but I read somewhere that if babies wake in a quiet room that it's the equivalent of shoving them into a dark closet alone. Eeeek. I will give my sweet boy white noise so he knows I'm not a maniac.

It's also helpful when I'm unloading the dishwasher and I know he can't hear the clanging because he has the machine.

We purchased two.

One for his room:

This one comes with a projector that displays cute scenes on the ceiling. 

Super cute right? 

Wrong. 

As babies get older, the light wakes them. So it's not needed. 

One for Travel (car rides, etc): 

I thought this would be awesome because he could cuddle it and take it everywhere.

 A portable sound machine. I mean, honestly, what could be better? 

Welp, this thing was as big as him. And it's too big to fit in the car seat with him. 

The sound machine insert is also hard...so not very cuddly. 

When we are out an about we just use the sound app on our phones. Parent win!

If you have extra money:

1. Blackout Curtains

• Or you can be cheap like us...And put tin foil over your windows. Dad gets credit for that one. 

2. Changing Pad

• I say this is a bonus because we only use ours about half the time. I usually just lay a blanket or mat down wherever we are because, again, stairs. 

3. Wipe Dispenser
4. Baby Gym

• We use this everyday, but you can just as easily stand over baby and play. It's just a nice distraction when I need a break or when I need to grab my 6th cup of coffee. 

5. *Good* Baby Towels/Washcloths

• There is a difference. I didn't even think to check. But make sure your towels are water absorbent. Why they would make some that are not is beyond me. I got a few from the baby shower that are super flimsy and not soft at all. I use them for changing mats. 

6. Rocking Chair

• If you get one, I would suggest getting one that leans back. We didn't even think about that so ours doesn't. It would have been so awesome in the early stages to lay back after baby had FINALLY fallen asleep. 

Hope this helps! 

XO - Megs 

Baby Purchases - Top 5 Regrets!

Hi Mommas!


I wanted to get this out into the world because, hopefully, it will help someone save some money! Below I have listed 5 items that I could definitely have lived without!  Save your money on more important things -- like diapers or formula.

Also, I know some mommas might disagree with me, to each their own.


1. Bottle Warmer

Ooooh! Another cool gadget that I totes need because it will be so awesome to be able to heat up the bottle. Super high tech - I NEED ITTTT!

No. Just no.

We bought the Dr. Brown's Bottle Warmer because those are the bottles that we decided to go with.  We probably used it a total of 15 times.

Reasons why I can live without it:

• You have to refill the water portion after about 5 -7 bottles. (Hi, another chore? No thanks!)

• If you don't have a flexible brush, it's hard to clean the part that actually holds the water and it gets stale and can gather mold. 

• You can program it to heat for a certain amount of time. Super cool, right? Wrong. You have to guess/memorize what time you need in accordance with how many ounces of liquid you need heated. Who wants to do homework with a newborn? Not me.

• It is a waste of space! My husband and I live in a smaller apartment. Between the drying rack, the pump parts and all the other crap wonderful things that  (you think) are needed for baby, you don't need to take up more space. And between you and me, I would rather have my toaster. Yay for peanut butter toast. Yay for all things on toast. 

The bottle warmer is now stored in the garage and we use the Keurig to warm up our bottles. We just run it without a pod and let the water gather in a mug. We place the bottle in and BOOM, warm bottle. 

Girlfriend, save the $30 and buy yourself a new post-baby outfit. 

2. Baby Detergent

Hi, my name is Megan and I bought $40 worth of baby detergent. My husband has sensitive skin, so I figured that Baby would follow suit. I washed all of baby's clothes in the new fancy shmancy baby detergent, completely ignoring that I already buy a detergent for sensitive skin. I'm smart. What up! 

What I would suggest is washing a few outfits in the detergent that you already use and see if baby has an issue. He/she probably won't. Do this before you rush out and buy over-priced detergent. (Also, keep in mind, baby is not used to having clothes on...so a rash might exist solely because there is fabric on new skin). 

Bonus:

 **If you are anything like me, you registered at every single store you could have and you probably got a welcome bag filled with samples. USE THEM. 

All in all, I had about 5 different detergent samples, enough for 5 loads! 

If you need a sensitive detergent, I would suggest Up and Up Free and Clear (from Target). It is cheaper, because it's not exclusively for baby. 

3. Pumping Bottles 

I am honestly not even sure why I purchased these. I must have been thinking that I was going to be the exception, that somehow when I was pumping, I would be able to fill more than four bottles. Um, yeah...no.  

After month 2 my supply started dwindling to only what baby needed. And even before that, I only used 1.5 bottles on each side. But again, I decided to buy these pumping bottles. 

Sidenote: I know some moms use the bottles for freezing, but I prefer using the bags because they take up less space in the freezer and they are easier to thaw. 

4. "Newborn" Anything

Since there is no real way of knowing the size of your baby, I would suggest holding off on washing all NB outfits. (Ps. Hopefully you will get all kinds of sizes at your showers, but I got mostly NB, because let's face it, they are so freaking tiny and cute!).

And of course, I did this really fun thing, where I took off all tags, washed/folded, and put away all the clothes that we got from the shower. Mommies, DO NOT DO THIS. Baby wore most of the newborn outfits once and then they went into storage. And I wasted time "organizing" the dresser. I had to spend time reorganizing it when I was sleep deprived and delirious.

*Even if you have a smaller baby, I would still suggest exchanging most NB outfits for a bigger size or at least keep the tags on the few extras you have. That way, if your baby is teeny, you will have those new outfits and if you have a chunky, you can exchange the clothing for a bigger size.


Also, my wonderful and handsome hubby did this really fun thing, where he opened all the newborn diapers and filled the dresser/changing station with them. Yikes. Long story short, J grew out of them so quickly, now we have 98 newborn diapers in storage. I guess they will come in handy with the next one. (Did I just say next one?!!) Stop. No. Gross.

*Did you know that Target buys back unopened packages of diapers? It doesn't even matter where you purchased them! Take back those small diapers and buy the bigger size.
Or, be awesome like us, and open them...and store them... How much you wanna bet that by the time we have the next baby (12 years from now) they will be molded or something weird like that?

5. Puj Tub

This is so hard to write because I was in LOVE with this tub when I first found it. So, let me start by telling you why I love it:

• It is foldable and can store flat. We hung it on the back of our door for a while and now it is stored between our fridge and cabinets. (It has magnetic closures and we figured out we could stick it to the side of the fridge so it doesn't touch the floor. #momwin)

• It is easy to clean and dry -- again it hangs. All the water drips off and I don't have to worry about it molding.  

• All the hip moms on insta were using it. I wanna be a hip mom too. #notaregularmom #coolmom

• It is comfortable for baby -- J would sit in it all day,  if I let him. 

And the hard part, the reason why it is a fail in my book:

• When J was first born we didn't feel comfortable using it. 

• When all is said and done, we will have only used it for about 2 months. 

J was an average baby. He was born 8lbs. 2 oz. He wasn't a preemie, so we thought he could use the bathtub. I mean, that's what I bought it for. I bought it for help. I knew that bath time was going to be the hardest to get used to. After all, they send you home from the hospital with a tiny baby who can't support their own head. Add water and you have a slippery mess.

It was much easier to just get into our own bathtub and hold J, than to try using the Puj. And for that reason...

By the time baby was strong enough to sit in the foldable tub, it was more beneficial for everyone involved to just get in the big bath with him. We were able to shampoo and scrub areas that would couldn't access easily with the Puj.  And to be honest, it was a good bonding experience. We had unlimited skin to skin and relaxation.

Soon he will be able to sit up in the big bath and play with toys,  which means we will have only used the Puj for a couple of months. Not worth the money. ($45)

If you want the same experience, but not the price...I would check out one of these bad boys or something similar. ($17)

Anyways, I hope this helps! Happy shopping, Mommas!

XO - Megs

Labor and Delivery

Hi Guys!

I have been meaning to get this on the blog, but have had literally NO time. Babies are hard work and when they are sleeping I have so many other chores that by the time I sit down to write, J is awake again. (More on that in the next post - What Maternity Leave is Really Like)

All in all, labor and delivery was very fun. I know it is different for everyone and what you are about to read isn't meant to scare you. If anything, I want you to see that, through the pain and the time spent in labor, it really is a wonderful process and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is a LONG one... so let's jump right in:

April 5th: *Cue Law and Order Sound* DUUUUUN DUUUUN.

Labor Begins. Sidenote: April 5th was Jaxon's due date...so that's pretty awesome. 

11:45 pm -- I had just made it up my stairs and climbed into bed when I felt period cramps. Period Cramps. That's what the first contractions felt like. I tried to brush it off and not get too excited. And in all honestly, I really didn't want labor to start that night anyways. I hadn't really slept the night before and I wanted to feel as rested as possible before my labor began. All the LOLZ.

11:50 pm -- Ummmm, okay. These cramps are not going away. I guess I should just try to sleep through them...just in case this is labor. Again, I want to be a little rested so that I have the energy to give birth. 

Midnight -- Wishing the contractions away isn't working. And, because they are about 7 minutes apart, I am not able to sleep through them. Bummer. I decided that I should go lay downstairs on the couch. 

I did this for a few reasons. 

                     #1. I thought sitting up might help ease the "pain" of the contractions. Again, period cramps, people. Not pain. Period cramps

                          #2. I wanted to labor as long as possible without Brandon knowing so that I         could surprise him when he came downstairs in the morning. 

         #3. I was also in complete denial that this was actually labor. 

April 6th: Dun, dun, dun, dun, duuun. Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun,  duuuuuun. *SVU* <---- #i'mdelirious #teamnosleep

12:15 am -- I have now settled myself on the couch downstairs. I've got my dogs to keep me company and I am ready to do this thing. I thought, since I was sitting up, I might be able to sleep. Nope. No.

12:15-5:00am -- I have now labored for about 5 hours down on the couch. Contractions are now coming every 5 minutes and have most definitely gotten stronger. Think period cramps and then someone comes up and punches you in the uterus for funsies. I would say the pain was about a 4/10. So not bad. 

Ps. Still in denial.

Also, most hospitals will NOT admit you unless you are at least 4cm dialated. (Most women need to reach 10cm before they can give birth.) I was not going to be the person that went to the hospital 4 times just to be sent home. If I was in labor, which I didn't think I was, I was going to stay at home as long as I possibly could. 

5:00-9:30 -- My body started cleaning itself out. If you're new to reading about labor and delivery this means pooping. All the poop. I know, it's gross. But no one talks about this and it is a sign of labor. Good to know. 

I had to go to the bathroom pretty much every hour on the hour. When I could lift myself off the couch, it took me about 15 minutes to walk the 10 feet to the bathroom. 

Why, you ask? Contractions. At this point, my contractions were so bad that I could barely walk or talk through them and they were coming every 4 minutes. Pain level: 6/10.

Attention: IF YOU ARE AT THIS STAGE, LEAVE FOR THE HOSPITAL! 

I didn't. Not me. Nope, because I'm still in denial that this is actually happening. I know, super cute, right? 

9:45am -- Down the stairs comes my wonderful, well-rested husband. He's sleepy and doesn't notice quite yet that I look like I've been hit by a train. He prances over to get his coffee and makes his way to the couch. Clicks on the TV and then says, "Good morning, Baby...How did you sleep?" 

Then he looks. I'm almost certain he knows immediately, but just to help him out. I respond, "Don't get too excited, but I might be in labor."

"Really?! Have you been having contractions?"

"Yes."

"For how long? How many?"

"Since 11 last night...so 10ish hours." 

He then asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital to which I responded no. My thought being, I should only go if I'm actually in labor. Denial. 

10:00 am-- As he sat on the couch and I sat on my birthing ball, I switched into active labor. My pain went from a 6/10 to an 8/10. Just like that. Brandon knew immediately that it was time to go to the hospital. I had other plans. 

10:10 am-- Bath time. Still in denial, I figured that I would be like all those super hip moms that labor down in the bath tub. I ran my bath water, got in. Three minutes later, I got out. It did not help, not for me at least. (This probably would have been wonderful before I switched into active labor.)

I realized that we should head to the hospital when I was fresh out of the bath and instead of grabbing my towel, I had to get on all fours and make cow noises to get through my contractions. Praise Jesus that Brandon didn't walk in on that. What a sight. 

While Brandon was putting my already packed hospital bag into the truck, along with checking to car seat and making sure the dogs were going to be ok before we left, my brain told me that I needed to bring everything I own with me. I grabbed one of my huge duffel bags purses and promptly threw in everything I could find in my bathroom drawers. Gotta be prepared people. I mean, who knows. I might use the hair crimper I bought in high school and haven't used in 7 years. Yep. Need it. 

10:30 am-- Brandon finally pushed me out of the door and we were officially on our way. 

10:45 am-- Stop to throw up in the Home Depot Parking lot. Check. 

             Have an audience of bums. Check

             Throw up again while Brandon catches me before I fall in my pile of vomit. Check.

11:00am  -- Stop at Dutch Bros so that we can get "a big cup in case I need to throw up again". Which roughly translates to, Brandon really wants a white mocha. Can't blame him. Contractions 3-4 minutes apart. 8/10 for pain. #dutchbrosislife

11:25 am -- One very long truck ride later*, we arrive at the hospital. It felt like the movies, he dropped me off in front (because I couldn't walk) and went to park the truck.  

*Please whatever you do, don't put the car seat behind the pregnant person. Because when they are having contractions, they will want to lean their seat back to ease the pain. I couldn't, it was fun. #sarcasm

11:30 am -- After walking down the longest hallway in the world -- think The shining, but x100 -- we were checked in and waiting to see if we could be admitted. The nurse informs me that I am 5-6 cm dilated and admits us. YAAAAAAAS. 

12:00 -- It took about 30 minutes to transfer us to our birthing room. Not that much time. I am fully prepared for my epidural. I wasn't sure that I was going to get one, I didn't want to commit to one but I didn't want to rule it out either. I had never been in labor before, so I was open to either way.  BUT OMG. I wanted one. I knew it. B knew it. I was ready for it. 

My nurse comes in. I let her know that I was ready for an epidural. She has to check my dilation again. 

Let me reiterate. 30 minutes. It had only been 30 minutes. She checked me, I was 8cm. She then proceeded to let me know that even if I got an epidural, that at this point, it wouldn't be effective. She told me that I was progressing too quickly and that by the time the epidural took effect, I would have already given birth. She suggests a different type of pain reliever and scurries off to get it. 

 Next thing I know, a nurse walks in with a table covered with a blue sheet. She promptly lets me know that it's the "birthing table". 

Um, excuse me?! No. Nope. Where is my pain management?!?

 I just stared at Brandon. And he stared right back at me. This was really happening. 

My nurse comes back in and gives me Fentanyl. I felt immediate pain relief. It was marvelous. I was ready. 

The timeline on this is a little blurry for me, because, guess what?! Fentanyl lasts for 30 minutes and then all the pain comes back. All of it. 

Noon- 5pm I went through contractions. About every 3-4 minutes with pain relief that wore off every 30 minutes. And here is the kicker, you can only have the Fentanyl once every hour. Yay! 

Now, this is the part that I do not want to scare you. It's really not bad, you get through it. You have a baby. It's wonderful.  

But, my contractions were so bad that I was passing out after each one. I was holding my husband and my sister's hands and they were reminding me to breath while I was having each contraction. If it wasn't for them, I swear to goodness, I would not have remembered how to breath. I had lost control of my body and was relying on others to help me through the birthing process. 

My labor had stalled at 8cm. I was not progressing. My water had not broken. I had stalled for the past five hours. At that point, my grandma told me to get an epidural. Why hadn't the thought crossed my mind? Oh yeah, because I was thinking to hard about breathing in and out. 

Apparently, the first nurse thought I would have given birth shortly after I had arrived at the hospital. That is why she suggested not getting an epidural. Then she got off. Her shift ended and a new nurse came on. The new nurse thought it was my choice to not have an epidural. 

So that little miscommunication cost me 5 hours of pain. NBD. I got my epidural. Moving on. 

As soon as I got my epidural, everything was much better. My labor was stalled, but I was able to enjoy the birthing process. I noticed that my entire family was in the room with me. Um, hey guys. Sorry, didn't notice you in between passing out. 

It was awesome, it was like a freaking party. 

*This picture is clearly after the epidural.*

*Brandon's smile*

11pm -- Let me remind you, I haven't slept in a full day. I asked if my family would wait in the waiting room, so that I could try to sleep before baby came. Yes, if you get an epidural, you can sleep through labor. High 5 for drugs. 

11:30pm -- A nurse comes in to let me know that my baby's heart rate is dipping during every contraction. They think that it is the Pitocin. They take me off of it and tell me to get some sleep. Ummmmmm. Really?! I get that it's your job to let me know what's going on. 

But did you just tell me that my baby's heart rate is dipping, but I should get some sleep?! Ah. 

So, no sleep for me. Instead I lay awake watching my baby's heart monitor. I really didn't mind though, I was really too excited to sleep anyways. Rookie mistake. -- Get your sleep, people. 

April 7th: 

1:30am -- A nurse comes in to check on my. I have now fully dialated to 10cm. My midwife broke my water bag and she thinks that I am ready to push. She asks me to push like I am pooping. Ok, easy enough. I give her what I thought was a marvelous push. She looks as me puzzled, and rolls in a giant mirror. 

They had asked me before if I had wanted a mirror to which I replied, "Uh, no gross. I don't want to see down there." 

Get a mirror.

She has me push again, using the mirror, I can now see that I am not pushing correctly.Not even a little bit. I can see his head, but it is not even close to coming out. 

Fast forward to 3am --  The mirror is a game-changer. I was able to change the way I was pushing. Picture this: I had my mom holding one leg up and my husband holding the other. I had all the ladies in the room. My MIL, my Sister and my grandma. We were rocking out to Journey Pandora. 

I thought for sure, if I put that station on, that the Final Countdown would come on and that would be that. 

We made it through a few songs and I applied the lyrics to our situation. 

"I've been waiting for this moment, all my life...." 

"Don't Stop Believeeeeennn..."

"I can't fight this feeling any longer...."

" I tell myself that I can't hold out forever, I say there is no reason for my fear..."

"Ohhhhhh, we're halfway there....ooooooh oh, livin' on a prayer..."

"Sleepless nights, losing ground, I'm reaching for you..."

"Take me home tonight. I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light."

I mean, you really can't make this stuff up. I am now convinced that all songs are about giving birth. 

3:15am -- Our baby boy came into this world to Hotel California.

Jaxon James Smith  

8 lbs. 2 oz. 

21 inches

And then they delivered the placenta and stitched me up and blah, blah, blah. If you want to know more about after-birth. Let me know. :)

XO - Megs

38 Week Bumpdate!

Hi guys!

We had our 38th week checkup on Thursday! I was able to have my sister come with me this time. So it was a packed room (Brandon, Sky, the doctor, and myself) in the tiny room when Dr. Munro checked me. She said that I was 80% effaced and 2cm dilated. I screamed from excitement. I wish I was exaggerating, but nope. I couldn't control myself. I screamed and then I started crying.  Hormones.

It was a huge surprise because I haven't been having painful contractions. I have been having plenty of Braxton Hicks, but I didn't think they were actually doing anything. I thought it was just helping my body practice...

Anyways, the doctor said that it could be tomorrow or a few weeks from now. Although she did tell me that she was working on Sunday, if we wanted to aim for that day. :) 

The morning after, I experienced my "bloody show"  (I know, overshare) and Brandon had a minor heart attack -- I'm pretty sure from the excitement that he is almost a daddy! 

Updates: 

 Stretch Marks? I still just have the few on the side. They have gotten a bit bigger, but I don't have any on the front of my tummy. I also feel like weight gain should be a category. So I'm adding it here. I am a solid 179.2. I'm keeping it under 180 at this point. That is a solid 35-40 pound weight gain. Ugh. Jaxon, I love you, but please get out! 

Sleep? I'm not sure what that word means. Suh-leep? What? Huh?  No, but really, I have been sleeping (uncomfortably) for a few hours. I like to take long walks to the bathroom every hour. 

Sidetone: My bathroom is right next to my bed. But every time I attempt to get up from the bed, I feel like I have to wait until my spine aligns properly before taking the next steps...

Last night was the most fun. I had to wake Brandon up (poor guy) so he could help me up from the bed. I felt like my hips were broken, or maybe just had disappeared. I could not get up by myself. If you have read my previous posts, you will know that my bed holds us in like tacos, so I'm blaming the bed...and the relaxin. 

Tacos. Mmmmm. I probably need tacos. 

#breakforlunch 

#justkidding 

#secondbreakfast 

#secondlunch

 #firstdinner 

#tacoseveryday#179.2

Movement? He is still an extremely active baby and now that he has dropped quite a bit, there might be more room for his little limbs to flail around. He has been rolling and kicking and punching me like crazy. Just practicing his baby yoga, getting super strong. 

Cravings? In my last post I explained my weird cravings, Pica, ladies and gents, Pica. 

Yes, I still want to drink 409. 

No I will not do it. 

I haven't added anything crazy to my list of yummy cravings...

Yesterday, I went to lunch with Mawlma, B and Pops. We went to a brewery (of course) and I got to enjoy the walk to the bathroom about 4 times while we were there. It was glorious. They must have just cleaned the hallway/bathroom because the smell of bleach was overwhelming. I almost licked the floor. I didn't, don't worry, but my mouth was watering everytime. I probably would have enjoyed the floor more than my salad. Om nom nom. 

Belly Button In or Out? I think it's out as much as it will ever be! 

Symptoms: I have been having Braxton Hicks for a few days, nothing too crazy. But I am trying to help the process along. Mommy and Daddy are really excited to meet Jaxon. I would love to meet him sooner than later because he is gaining 1/2 pound per week.  Goodbye, vagina - It's been fun. 

Best moment of the week? The best moment of the week was when I asked B to install the car seat in the truck. Naturally, I followed him out to the car because #1 - I am a stage 5 clinger and #2 - because I wanted to be a part of the process. Brandon opened the door and set the car seat in and paused. He got a huge smile on his face. 

Me - "What's going on, B?"

B- With a look of disbelief --"This is happening."

Me - "How do you feel?"

B - Huge grin (dimples and all) --  "Like a daddy." 

Ahhhhhhh. My heart. 

Other notes: I had purchased the What to Expect: The First Year for Brandon's coworker and B never gave it to them. So, on one of our long drives, I started reading it. Guys! That book is phenomenal. It knows everything. I really need to read it. The whole thing before J comes. That gives me 8 hours (wishful thinking). 

What I am looking forward to: We are looking forward to meeting J. 

Things Mommy has done to try to meet J:

• Castor Oil
• Raspberry Tea
• Birthing Ball
• Curb Walking
• Hot Showers
• Pineapple
• Spicy Foods
• Overeating
• Running on the Beach

-1-4 more weeks to go! (Yes, that is a negative 1).

XO - Megs

36 Week Bumpdate!

Hi guys!


Guess what?! We will be considered "full term" on Wednesday! What?! Oh my gosh, I'm not old enough to have a baby. How did I get here?!?

Minor freak out aside, we had our 36 week appointment last Thursday and it was wonderful/awful.

Wonderful: I LOVE my new doctor! She is sassy and makes me feel super comfortable with all the questions that I ask -- a ton. #newmom

Awful: The doctor told me that I was gaining too much weight (40 lbs, I've gained 40 lbs. How? I don't know). Of course, out of embarrassment, I had a hot flash and Brandon got to see the beautiful shades of red that I could turn. Yay!

Also, she checked my progression, which essentially means she stuck her fingers up there to see if my body was preparing for birth. NOPE.  NOT AT ALL.

Updates: 

 Stretch Marks? Yay! I have a few that are creeping up the side. The are really just old stretch marks that have expanded, but it's finally happening. 

I'm not sure if this qualifies in this category, but I have a belly piercing. I took the jewelry out months ago, but I noticed that the skin in that area has been super tender and actually started bleeding the other day. I am worried that the skin might be stretching to the point of breaking. So what did I do? I googled it. DON'T GOOGLE IT. People's skin burst open. And yes there are pictures on Google. And yes, it will scare the crap out of you. 

Sleep? I found out that the couch is actually extremely comfortable. Our bed is almost 10 years old, so it was indents from where B and I lay on the side. It's like being cuddled into a giant taco. It didn't use to bother me, but now, with the amount of effort and energy it takes to roll over (or even get comfortable) it does. So I took a nap on the couch and it was amazing!!! The little separations between each couch cushion added more support for my belly. Win.

Movement? He is no longer jerking around, and I wonder if it's from lack of space. The movements are now very slow in nature. He is a very active baby. :)

Cravings? My best friend (who is not a doctor) diagnosed me with Pica. But it makes perfect sense. I have cravings for the weirdest things ever. Pica is an eating disorder that stems from anemia, which I have..but it has never been this crazy. Pica is essentially cravings for non-food items. 

My "Pica" Cravings:

• 409 Cleaner (I would never, don't be crazy.)
• Sawdust (Yes, I tried this. But, it was just a little bit, Brandon made me stop.)
• Ice

Belly Button In or Out? Still popping out, but not quite all the way. 

Symptoms: Obsessing over getting everything done and in place for the arrival of baby J. I believe they call this "nesting". With the little energy I have after coming home from work, I usually tackle a few projects on my own to-do list. Spring Break is just around the corner, so I'm pretty sure I will go crazy at that time with all of the cleaning and organizing that I want to do! 

Best moment of the week? There have been so many wonderful moments since that last update. Guys, we had 4 baby showers that my loved ones decided to throw us! Once I get my phone to work again, I will post photos of the showers.  They were all so wonderful and made me and B feel so blessed.

 Yep, I sure did ask for a donut cake.

 Nicole is 20 weeks! Yay for pregnant friends! Guess we will have to move back to Redding now....

 *Sidenote: Yes, those are bear slippers. Because, Momma Bear.

 This cake, right?!?!?!?!

I know that I have more photos on everyone else's phones....Please send me photos! 

Aside from the showers, another great moment is feeling like I am almost "prepared" for the birth. I use quotes, because who can ever really be ready or prepared?! 

I realize that I have done so much research about what I will need/need to do before baby comes and I have completely neglected the research on how to actually care for baby J. 

I mean, I have a car seat and stroller now, but how do I change a diaper!? 

EEEEEK. 

What I am looking forward to: We are looking forward to meeting our little. I am so curious to see what he actually looks like. I realize he will probably look like an ugly, squishy alien for a while, but the after! I hope he has dimples like daddy. My heart is so overwhelmed. 

1-5 more weeks to go! 

XO - Megs