Charlotte Maria | 7 Months

Charlotte Maria | 7 Months

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

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It is so hard to take a picture of this girl!  She is not having it!

Age :: 7 months

Length :: 26 inches
 
Weight :: 13lbs 2 oz 
*I'm starting to get concerned about her weight again, but our pediatrician still thinks she is doing fine.  Just small.  Prayers that this doesn't make me crazy!
 

Milestones ::  Charlotte can wave hi/bye and clap now.  She loves to clap!  Especially when you say, "yay"...she gets super excited!  She started pulling up on things this month and standing.  Just a few weeks ago she took her first steps holding on to our ottoman!  Someone make her stop...she is going to be walking before we know it.  She cut another tooth for a total of three (working on #4). She no longer sits in her bath chair anymore.  She loves to sit up like a big girl to play in the tub.  She loves to feed herself and makes a lot of noise.  Still no words yet.  I'm anxiously waiting for her to say 'mama'.
  
Sleep :: What is sleep?  Ha!  Poor thing is not handling teething very well.  She sleeps ok until 3ish and then is up to nurse.  She is back to sleep until 7AM.  She is still taking two 2-3 hour naps during the day and going to bed around 730pm.  It is such a bad habit, but most nights she is in bed with us.  We all get better sleep that way, however, I think Daddy would disagree.

Favorites :: 
This girl is into everything.  She still loves to mess with her big sissy, especially pull her hair.  She loves playing with blocks, eating and still unsure about swimming.  She loves bathtime!  She still loves to cuddle and loves our dog, Neko! She enjoys playing Peek-a-boo and crawling all over the house.  Her favorite toys are Emma's play food and blocks. 

Doesn’t like :: She still does not like her carseat.   At this point, I'm not sure she every will.  She doesn't always like to take a nap.  She still doesn't like getting dressed and won't lay still long enough to get her diaper changed. She does not like to have her face wiped and hates when I leave the room.  She does not like to be in her high chair for very long.  When she is finished eating, she is finished and will let you know.  She does not like to be told no or have things taken away from her.  

Foods:: Breastfeeding strong! This girl loves to eat and hasn't had any trouble with solids.  Her favorite are avocados, spinach and sweet potatoes.  We have decided to go the Baby Led Weaning route, which I will talk more about later, but you can click here for more info on BLW.  She loves waffles!  She will eat most fruit, but prefers veggies.  She is doing a great job at fed herself.   

Firsts:: First Memorial Day celebration (28 weeks), Got locked in our car (29 weeks)...you can read all about that here. First Father's day with Michael; took her first steps holding the ottoman (30 weeks).

Clothes:: Size 1 diapers.  Tiny thing is still wearing some 3-6, but for the most part, she's moved on to 6-12. 

Nicknames:: Char Char, Charlie (Emma's version of Charlotte-sounds like Sharlee), Charlie girl, Sissy, Sister and Charlie-O (Emma calls her this).

Here are some pictures and videos from this month :)

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Re-Play Recycled Review + G I V E A W A Y

Re-Play Recycled Review + G I V E A W A Y

Monday, July 25, 2016

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Re-Play Recycled recently sent me a feeding set for the girls to enjoy.  We already had a few of their feeding products that my mother-in-law actually introduced us to, but had never tried their sippy cups or snack stacks.  

Y'all, we are obsessed!  I have to start by telling you that my husband was the first to actually say how much he loved these products, which was pretty unexpected.  He never really speaks up too much about this kind of stuff, so I pleased when he told me how much he loved Re-play!  He actually said, "we should have had this all along", when talking about the sippy cup.  It does not leak at all!  It really is worth getting if you are looking for new cups.  We did take out the valve for Emma and it still didn't let much liquid out.  It was perfect for Charlotte, who is still learning to use one and throws it around everywhere.

Another thing I love are the utensils.  They are big enough for Emma (or any toddler) to hold easily and actually get food on the fork and spoon and into her mouth.  These are unlike any other plastic utensils we've used and I'm excited that Charlotte will be able to learn with these.  And let's talk about the food dividers for just a second.  This is Emma's favorite part and she insists that each compartment is filled with something.  It encourages her to eat well and it encourages me, as a mom, to fill it with healthy food and snacks! 

If you haven't tried the snack stacks, they are another favorite.  I can put a snack in one for Emma and something different in the other for Charlotte, stack them and head out the door.  I don't have to worry about them making a mess! I really can't say enough good things about these products.  They are easy all around, durable, dishwasher safe, BPA free and FDA approved.  They are also afforable!  Use code TheLittlestFunk2016 for 15% off of $20! 

Here is a little bit about Re-Play if you haven't heard of them.  All plates, bowls, utensils, and cups are made out of recycled HDPE plastic – basically that means milk jugs! How cool is that?  I love knowing that we are helping the environment and that we can teach our girls early on how important it is!  Each product is designed with the 5 tenets of responsibility in mind.  You can read about those here.

You have to watch this fun video on how Re-Play Recycled products work!

Re-Play Recycled and I have teamed up to giveaway a super cute set to one of my readers! Just leave me a comment below letting me know which product or color is your favorite (here and/or on my Instagram post) and I’ll pick a winner on Friday, July 29th, 2016! 

Keep up to date with Re-Play Recycled here:  Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

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(Lactation) Baked Blueberry "Cheesecake" Oatmeal | Recipe

(Lactation) Baked Blueberry "Cheesecake" Oatmeal | Recipe

Saturday, July 23, 2016

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I am always looking for ways to increase milk supply.  Even though I'm a stay at home mom, it's not always easy to keep a consistent pumping schedule with a toddler and now 8 month old.  It's also not often that Charlotte takes a bottle, so I don't stress over pumping.  I was fortunate enough to pump enough to store in the beginning that I am just now finishing up what I pumped back in December.

Long story short, Michael and I had a lot going on this week between a concert, family visiting, a baby shower and the list goes on, that I started to get concerned I wouldn't have enough breast-milk stored for Charlotte if needed.  I came across a recipe for baked oatmeal and thought this would be a great recipe to add my touch to and turn into a recipe for lactation.  (I can feel my boobs filling up as I type this.  Haha! TMI?)

It turned out really good, so I thought I would share!

 

This post also contains affiliate links. If you shop from my blog, I may be compensated for clicks or purchases that you make.

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Flax Seed (I used whole)
• 3 tablespoons Brewers Yeast
• 1 cup almonds (or nut of choice)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (more if desired)
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾-1 cup cottage cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 8x8 baking dish to prevent sticking. Note-This size dish made my oatmeal thick. You can also use a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine all dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, flax seed and brewers yeast) in a large bowl. Toss in almonds and blueberries so that they are coated in the dry mix and won't sink to the bottom of the mixture.
3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (milk, beaten egg, vanilla, honey and cottage cheese).
4. Transfer oatmeal mixture to baking dish.
5. Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Top with fresh blueberries and a splash of milk. I also added a bit of sugar to mine because it isn't very sweet.

I noticed a difference in my milk supply within the day, which was great! I will say that I'm not a fan of cottage cheese, but you can't really taste it in this and it did make the dish have a creamy "cheesecake" like texture.  So yummy!  Enjoy (anytime of the day) and I hope this helps take some stress away from any of you mommas that are struggling with breastfeeding!   

Do you have any breastfeeding tips that have helped with lactation?

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Freshly Picked Review + G I V E A W A Y

Freshly Picked Review + G I V E A W A Y

Friday, July 15, 2016

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After Emma was born, I went a little crazy (like I'm sure most first time moms of girls do) and was buying everything girly that I could get my hands on.  Headbands, clothes, shoes....oh, the shoes, you name it.  She had sandals, dress shoes, tennis shoes and the list goes on.  What she didn't have though, was a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins.  My husband couldn't understand why she needed them, but I explained and well, happy wife, happy life...am I right?!

Now that we have two girls, I love when I can put them in matching outfits.  I can't always find coordinating outfits, so we match our Freshly Picked moccasins!  I really wish they made these in my size, because I would totally wear them!  I love matching with my sweet girls!  Now, if you haven't heard of FP, I bet you're wondering why I'm a little obsessed with them?

I've recently had the opportunity to team up with FP for a giveaway and not only are these shoes amazingly made and versatile, but everyone I've encountered who works for FP has been so wonderful. 

These are the perfect shoes for little ones who are starting out walking to full blown running.  They seriously go with just about everything and the quality is great!  They are comfortable for my girls at any stage and actually stay on their little feet.  They come in so many different colors and patterns.  I want them all!  I'm dying over these Daisy printed moccs right now (hint, hint-to my husband that I know is reading this)!  They are made to stretch some, so your little one will be able to wear them for a while, which is a plus for us and our growing way too fast girls.  They are by far our favorite shoes!  Emma never wants to take them off!  They've already been through the ringer with a wild toddler, but still manage to look just as new (with the exception of her tiny little toes imprinted on the bottoms).  All the heart eyes, y'all!  My favorite thing about these is that I will be able to keep them little forever when I go back and look at the bottom of their moccasins and think about all of the wonderful memories we've made while wearing them.

You can read all about Freshly Picked and how it got started here.

If you haven't had the chance to enter our giveaway for a pair of moccasins for your little babe, there is still time!  Head over to our Instagram page for all the details!  Bonus: if you subscribe to our blog or leave a comment below with which pair you would choose, you will get an extra 5 entries!

Anyone else have trouble photographing a toddler and 7 month old together?

*Giveaway ends Saturday, July, 16th.  Winner will have 48hrs to claim prize and must not have won another FP giveaway in the last 60 days.  Open to US residents only.

Freshly Picked on Facebook
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Freshly Picked on Twitter 
Freshly Picked on Pinterest 

Pioneer

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Firetrucks and Paramedics | An Unexpected Experience

Firetrucks and Paramedics | An Unexpected Experience

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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About a month ago, Michael, the girls and I experienced something that I pray will never happen again.  We are so fortunate that it not only happened the way that it did, but that our amazing firefighters and paramedics acted quickly.  We are so thankful for them and for all first responders.

It's not often that we are all up early on a Saturday morning and actually ready to start the day.  When it wasn't even 8am and we were showered and dressed, we thought we would take advantage of that and go out for breakfast.  We had company over the night before and I still had not finished cleaning the kitchen, the girls were in really good moods too, so it made sense to get out and enjoy the morning.  I. Was. So. Wrong.

Michael and I have a routine when we are getting the girls ready to head out.  It is very chaotic and needs some work, but we manage.  Typically, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off while shouting at Michael to make sure we have everything and Michael gets the girls in the car.  On any other day, they would be waiting for me in the car while I finish grabbing our things.  This day was a little different.

This day, I actually wasn't rushed and had what we needed ready to go.  I had just put Charlotte in the car and Michael was buckling Emma up and had asked for the keys.  I handed them to Emma, which I told Michael it was ok.  It wasn't.  When it's just the girls and I going somewhere, I put Charlotte in first and then I let Emma hold the keys while I buckle her in.  I always grab the keys from her and then we leave.  It never crossed my mind that Michael would do something completely different.

I shut Charlotte's door, put their backpack and my purse in the passenger seat, shut that door and then went to walk back inside because I forgot to grab my water.  As all of that is happening, I hear Emma lock the door, watched Michael grab the keys from her, toss them in the front seat and at the same time I shut the passenger door, he shuts Emma's door.  We immediately both look at each other as he tried to open the driver's door.
   

We had just locked our 6 month old and toddler in our SUV!

I am so thankful that I am not someone who panics in most situations and I married someone who is the same.  Of course, we are both freaking out in our heads, but as calm as we could be, we acted appropriately to get our girls out as soon as possible.  Michael got on the phone with AAA and after walking over to my neighbors house, I called 911.  AAA tells Michael that it could be 45 minutes before someone could get there.  Are you kidding me?!  Who in their right mind would make someone wait 45 minutes to get their children out of a locked vehicle.  We were so shocked by this!  So, if you are ever in an emergency situation, I would not recommend calling AAA.

Of course, we are doing everything we can to keep our girls calm through all of this.  Emma thinks it's a game, but Charlotte (who hates being in her car seat) starts to get upset after a few minutes. 

After (maybe) 5 minutes, we hear sirens and know they are meant for us.  The firefighters show up first, ask us what happened and get to work right away.  Shortly after, paramedics show up so they can check on the girls once we are able to get them out.  Both teams stayed calm, did not judge us for what happened, stayed positive and were just as concerned for the girls as we were.

OK...Let's rewind about 10 minutes to right after we locked the keys in the car.  I asked Michael where the spare keys are...he says, "the middle console".  I ask him what the code to unlock the door is...he can't remember.  This is a situation we never would have thought we would ever be in.  No, it doesn't make sense to have spare keys INSIDE the car, but they were and at that moment, there was nothing we could do to change that.  We have never used the door code and I've honestly never thought to ask about it.  It's not something that I've ever had on a vehicle and we just got our SUV back in December.  Are you judging us yet?  Maybe, maybe not.  Fortunately for us, we are human and we learned a HUGE lesson in all of this.  I now know the code and the spare keys are in a safe place.  Oh-Emma will not have the keys again either.

It took a total of 20 minutes for the Saint Petersburg Fire Department to get our doors open.  It was a very long 20 minutes!  There were a few times we thought we would have to break a window.  Charlotte was still crying and starting to sweat.  Emma no longer thought this was fun either and starting to get a little annoyed.  For a two year old, I will say she did amazing through this ordeal.  Anyhow, one of the paramedics helping actually starting putting in codes and got it unlocked after his third try.  Can you believe that?!  Everyone came inside afterwards to cool down and check the girls out.  We were a little shaken up after it was all said and done, but the girls were safe and happy when we got them out.

When I say that I am thankful that this experience happened the way it did, I mean it.  It could have been so much worse.  We live in Florida and it's Summer.  It could have happened mid-day with 90+ degree temps in the middle of a parking lot, but it didn't.  We were still parked in our garage and it was still early enough in the morning that it hadn't started getting too hot.

We recently (after this experience) decided to take the girls to our local fire station to meet a few firefighters and learn a little more about what they do!  Sonny and Jimmy were so wonderful with them and Emma loved getting to check it all out!


My hope in sharing this, is that you will double check that you have what you need in case of an emergency like this one.  Again, we never thought something like this would happen and pray it never happens to you!

Here are a few pictures from our trip :)
    

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