Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day. My first! Last year was special, as I was pregnant and emotional and my husband treated me to a day of ANYTHING I wanted! Flowers, sweets, and binging on television. Wait, that sounds like my entire pregnancy! But now that she's here I can't wait to spend the day with Marley, enjoying her little giggles and playing peak-a-boo. 

We don't need physical gifts for Mother's Day but it can be a sweet gesture and serve as a reminder that we are appreciated for the around the clock work that comes with the job. It's not often we ask for support or even time for ourselves. Let this Mother's Day be the perfect excuse to spoil her!

Whether you're shopping for your mom, aunt, sister, or you just wish to nonchalantly nudge your baby daddy, here are a few ideas for this year...

Kris Nations

I recently fell in love with jewelry designer, Kris Nations, when I purchased  one of her state necklaces. She also makes dainty, stackable rings, perfect for the woman in your life! She's running a 25% off special until April 30th for Mother's Day. (Use code MOM2014)

Moms One Line a Day Journal

I've posted this one before and stand by it, yet again. A simple, one sentence journal to record five wonderful years of baby's life. Will surely make mom smile :)

Framed photos

A traditional gift! Try a gorgeous pregnancy shot, a pic from the first few days of baby's life, or a creative collage. All we want to do is keep them little and a framed photo can serve as a reminder of how darn fast they grow! Scour Pinterest for inspiration.

Breakfast in bed

Like...a legit breakfast in bed. Moms rarely have time to sit and enjoy themselves so this Mother's Day give them something they normally can't enjoy! Mimosa, anyone?!

Flower Power

Not just the typical bunch. Ask the florist for something special. Try peonies, or hydrangeas (two of my faves!) Think whimsical! Plan to spend a little more than you would on a normal spring bouquet. Mom will really appreciate the extra effort, I promise!

Yoga

Buy her a class package to a local studio and included a hand written note saying you'll watch the kids while she gets her OM on. Mommies need time for themselves and I can't think of a better way to unwind. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of the beautiful women out there!

xoxoxo

Marley's Mom

Oh, the baby books!

I adore Knocked Up and my husband and I would reference it every time we mentioned any of the "baby books" while I was pregnant. There are a TON of books out there. I went to Barnes and Noble a few times and starred blankly just wishing I had another mom next to me to suggest a title. So, I asked a few of my favorite Moms about their favorites and created a short and sweet list of go-to selections just for you. 

Click on the link to read the book's description and I've noted my favorites by enlarging the titles for you. 

What to expect during pregnancy
What to Expect When Your Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
From the Hips by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morris
The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vivki Iovine

For Dads
Dad's Pregnant Too by Harlan Cohen
The Dad's Playbook by Theresa and Brad Halvorsen
Dude, You're Going to be a Dad by John Pfeiffer

Planning a natural childbirth
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel
HypnoBirthing by Marie F. Mongan
Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally by Janet Balaskas
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Rhonda Wheeler
Childbirth Without Fear by Dr. Grantly Dick Read
Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block

You had the baby, now what?
Happiest Baby on The Block by Harvey Karp (DVD version here)
Baby 411 by Dr. Ari Brown
The Baby Owner's Manual by Louis Borgenicht and Joe Borgenicht
On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth

On Breastfeeding
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
The Complete Book of Breastfeeding by Sally Wendkos Olds and Laura Marks

Read on, little mamas!

Unpredictably Incredible

I feel lucky to have known exactly when you were conceived. Before you were confirmed as a true living being, I knew. Those first couple of weeks I tried to keep myself from getting overly excited because what if something went wrong? It didn't. It was your time.

I felt connected to you from the get-go. I felt you growing, kicking, hiccuping. I understood who you were. Your personality was charming and fun. You were a happy baby then just as you are today.

We guessed at your hair and eye color. What shape will your face take? WIll you have you daddy's smarts or mommy's quirks? We were pretty spot on with those things. We thought we had you figured out.

What we couldn't predict was how you would change our lives. Change isn't the right word. You didn't change our lives you made them sweeter, more loving, more fullfilling. We watch you grow during the day and night we stand over you as you sleep completely in awe of the magical hold you have on us.

We could not have imagined this new life. We could not have imagined the amount of joy you would bring us. I could not have imagined how hard it would be to find proper words to describe what you have done to me. My brain stops working when I think of you. I just become overwhelmed by feeling.

::sigh::

Maybe someday I'll be able to capture my feelings in writing but for now all I can do is hold you, stare into your eyes, and revel in your smile. Having you has been unpredictably incredible and I absolutely love it.

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Scrub a dub dub, what's in Marley's tub?

Marley LOVES bath time! We were so excited when her cord finally feel off a little over 4 weeks (yes, it can take that long) so we could use all of her fun, bath time products!

As pictured, you can see she is splish-splasin' in a Fisher Price Whale of a Tub. It's cute and fits nicely in our tub. When baby gets bigger you can take out the seat to create more space. I think my favorite part about it is just how cute it is (sometimes it's OK to buy things because they are cute and this is one of them.)

Another tub I found, (that I wish we would have found while registering) is the Brica ComforTemp Infant Bather. You can put it on the counter and it catches all the water and spits it out into the sink. We also received the Angelcare bath support and we love it but it doesn't have the water catcher under it. The Brica seems like a WIN. The surface of the Brica and the Angelcare make bath time easier because baby doesn't slip AT ALL. Marley has figured out that in her whale tub she can arch her back and slide down a little. Fun fact: we used the Angelcare bather as a little seat for Marley when we were on vacation and it worked perfectly.

Save your knees and make sure you have something to kneel on! Going along with the whale theme we have the Skip Hop kneeling pad. (Note: we also have the spout cover that helps prevent injury and is mold & mildew resistant and bath toy organizer for easy storage. Both are great!)

For shampoo and body wash I love Burt's Bees shampoo & Shea Moisture's baby wash. Shea's is made with raw shea chamomile and argan oil and completely free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, and sulfates. Burt's Bee's is made from natural ingredients and is tear free. Smells nice too. Both are dual purpose shampoo and body wash. Registry tip: I was worried I wouldn't have enough of this type of stuff and registered for multiple bottles but you really only need 1 bottle. You won't bathe them everyday and when you do you won't use a ton.

Baby Aspen's shark towel. I've gotten this as a gift for a couple of friends. It's really just too cute. Pottery Barn also makes a pretty cute one that Marley received as a gift. How adorable?!

Baby Lotions! I don't always put lotion on Marley but when I do I reach for Shea Moisture's baby healing lotion. It gives me peace of mind that its made from organic ingredients and I love the smell of frankincense and myrth. For a less expensive option, Aveeno makes a great baby lotion. I have also used Burt's Bees but honestly didn't care for the scent at all.

Enjoy bath time with your littles!
xoxo
Marley's Mom

On the Clock

I've heard and read a lot about the difference between stay at home moms and working moms and I've come to the conclusion that we, as mothers, are all "working moms." Some mothers have "second jobs" but our children come first no matter what, and that is certainly no nine-to-five. We are on the clock every minute of every day until our dying breath... and then some.

I didn't know what a full time job was until I had a baby. I've worked, and I've worked HARD. Ask anyone I've worked with over the past five years. I have happy, successful staff and sales numbers to prove it. I have a house, a happy savings account, and a new car, and more techie devices than anyone needs. None of what I've earned from working a full time job even remotely compares to the earth shattering joy of parenthood. And I suppose that is a good thing because this job doesn't pay sh*t. But it doesn't matter. Mothers work for free and we're more than cool with that because when our babies smile at us we feel like a million bucks.

"On the clock until our dying breath... and then some..."

That's heavy. I didn't feel the weight of that idea until our daughter was here and in my arms. I'll be honest, I've had mixed emotions about it. I've had tiny panic attacks thinking I'll never be able to rest again, or have my own life. I'll never be able to go to bed at night without thinking of my child and her well-being. I'll wake in the middle of the night to check to make sure she's still breathing until the day she moves out of our house, and then after that I'll probably set up spy cams at her place or call and wake her up just to be 100% sure. When I die, my stubborn self will figure out a way to check in on her. I'll never rest comfortably again.

While the reality is heavy it's also an incredible honor. How lucky am I to be able to experience the love and responsibility that comes with having a child? It's hard work and often no one sees the blood, sweat, and buckets of tears we shed while on the job. Whether we are categorized as "working moms" or "stay at home moms," we are all on the clock, all of the time, and now that they exist in the world we wound't have it any other way.

Milk Machines

I had to post this image from Meet the Fockers... If only men could breastfeed!

Okay, sugar mamas! This post is all about BOOBS!

I love my boobs. They have treated me well over the years and now they have a whole new purpose. Since giving birth I've had mastitis twice and my left breast's milk supply took a big hit that never fully recovered. Lucky for me my right lady lump is an over achiever. Phew! Below are products I've used for my BOOBS.

Thyme Maternity nursing bras
You can find these at Babies"R"Us and usually on sale! It's not recommended that you wear a wire bra while breastfeeding so stick with the wire free styles.

Medela Lanolin
Lanolin is pretty much just lanolin but I like the shape of the Medela bottle. It slides into the pockets of my diaper bag a lot easier. Registry tip: you won't need more than 1 bottle. I've barely put a dent in the one I have. A friend of mine told me that she now uses it for her kids thumb (she's been sucking on it so much it's cracked!) Here is a blog that list 10 other ways to use lanolin.

Traditional Medicinals Mother's Milk Tea
I incorporate tea time into everyday! After I put Marley down to bed at night I make a cup of this tea to unwind with. I wasn't a huge fan of the licorice taste at first but I've gotten really accustomed to it and find it really nice after a long day with the baby. I think it supports my milk production but really who knows if tea can help for sure. I think it gives me peace of mind more than anything. I'll drink to that! Note: I've linked to the bulk buy because its cheaper! But they do sell single packs (16 bags) as well.

Go-Lacta
I am so glad my lactation consultant recommend these malunggay supplements for me when I was struggling with breastfeeding and milk production. I saw an increase in my supply within 3 weeks. They are 100% vegan and safe for breastfeeding mothers. Some women even continue to take it after they stop because of the benefits of malunggay leaves (immune defense, helps controls blood pressure, phytochemicals that help prevent cancer cell growth, sleep support, headache relief, and so much more!) See FAQs on their website for more information

Lansinoh Nursing Pads 
I've used Lansinoh from the get-go but have also tried Phillps Avent day and night pads. Phillips were stiffer and only have one sticky on the back. Lansinoh has 2 stickies and do a good job holding up for me overnight. You'll need a million of these. Change them often to avoid an infection of any kind. I bulk buy on Amazon at about $0.10/each. The packaging is all recyclable so do your part!

If you prefer washable nursing pads I have used Phillips and I like them for daytime use (maybe 1-2 hrs wear.) I don't recommend wearing these overnight. You'll wake up soaked. Any crunchy mamas out there find another brand they love?

Breast Shells & Shields
I only used these the first few weeks after giving birth because that is when my milk let down was the craziest! When I was in the hospital Marley had latching issues so I was (and continue) using shields and they also gave me a Medela shell to use to try and heal my injured nipple. This one worked fine. I like that there was a little sponge in them. I also used Phillips Avent Shells (cheaper) and those worked pretty great too. Again, I only used these for about the first 3 weeks but I'm really glad I had a set handy. Medela makes the best nipple shields if you need those for latching (I hope you don't because they are kind of a pain.)

As always, I want to hear what you love. Comment below, or shoot me an e-mail with your favorites!
-xoxo-
Marley's Mom

365 days ago...

Exactly one year ago today, we found out we were expecting! I'll never forget that morning or the way I felt. Excited, joyous, nervous...

What a year it has been. I still have a hard time believing it all. She's really here!

Pregnancy is complete and total magic. I'm so blessed to have been able to experience it and will never take that time for granted.

366 days ago I was just me. 365 days ago I became Marley's Mom.