Mommy Moment: Scripture Study

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The other night when we were doing our family scripture study, my husband told my daughter to repeat after him since it was her turn to read.  He said "And"then he waited for her to repeat, but instead she finished the phrase by saying, "it came to pass..."  In this instance she was totally right which made this moment even more funny/cute.

Mommapproved: Diaper Genie

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Today's product is a do NOT buy.  Sure a Diaper Genie sounds like a good idea, but it just ends up being a big waste of money.

Diaper Genies don't actually store many diapers especially considering how many diapers your newborn will go through in a day.  Refills are about $5 each which really adds up.  While you may think it keeps the stink out, honestly as soon as you open it to put in a diaper, you are flooded with an overpowering stench that's 10 times worse than a normal garbage.  That's just my opinion, maybe some people love them, but the only reason ours is ever used is when my daughter plays the launch game.  I'll do a post on that game another time :)

Wish I'd Known: Remember What's Important

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Todays tip is from Nikki:

Remember what's important

Is it memories and laughter and fun adventures or a spotless house?  I'm learning you can't have both - at least not at this stage of life. :)

Nikki, thanks for this reminder.  It really is so easy to get caught up in all the stuff you need to get done and miss out on those simple moments with your children.  Lately I've been really busy with photography and have been editing a lot.  Recently in the morning after I get my daughter her cereal, she's been asking for me to sit by her at the table rather than getting on the computer.  It made me realize just how much she wants to be with me.  Kids really do just want the love and attention of their parents.  They don't have to have huge elaborate activities, but simply some one on one time.  My dirty house can wait for a little bit while I enjoy my children :)

Quiet Time Bottle

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I am always looking for things to keep my daughter entertained at church that aren't super noisy. We made this together and brought it with us to church and it worked for a little while.  I've also heard of people making quiet bottles for when they send their child to time-out.  The good news is that they are really easy and cheap to make so if they don't work as well as you'd hoped, you aren't out a ton of money.

To make the quiet time bottle, use an empty water bottle and fill it with things like buttons, pom poms, beads, cheap ribbon, etc.  The buttons will fall while the pom poms float so it makes it more entertaining for kids to watch as they tip it back and forth.

 After you've finished filling it with your items, fill your bottle with water, or baby oil.  The baby oil will make every thing move in slowmotion which is fun.  Then put the lid on tight.  Now use hot glue to seal up the lid all around.  That way they can't open the bottle and make a big mess.  You could also use super glue on the inside of the cap.  I couldn't find my super glue at the time so I just stuck with the hot glue on the outside.

Stylin' Mommies Guest Post

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Jamie at Stylin' Mommies has a darling blog about fashion for mommies and I thought she'd be great to do a guest post for us because I'm always looking for ways to revamp my outfits to look a little more stylish and I'm sure you are too!  Thanks Jamie for taking the time to put this together!

Hi everyone, I'm Jamie from Stylin' Mommies and I was asked today to do a post for you guys about how to revamp your closet and mom clothes into something a little more stylin' but easy and budget friendly. I have taken 2 photos of me and have showed you how easy it really is to go from a simple white shirt and jeans to something you feel a little more special in.:) I chose a white shirt and jeans and flip flops because I figure everyone has this in their closet and I know before I started on this journey of (taking care of mommy= a happy mommy) this was my typical attire. I wore flip flops because they are fast and easy. A cute pair of flats are just as east to put on. I added a cute scarf, a sweater or cardigan and some hoop earring, a belt and pulled my hair into a messy bun and your done. It does not take a lot of time or money to look good and feel good about yourself. Thank you so much Mommy Minutes for asking me to do this and I hope this inspires you to take care of mommy too. :)
*Sorry about the pics....it was a windy day!:)

Before I added the accessories. 

After adding a few accessories....scarf, belt, cute flats, earrings, and a sweater. Oh and putting my hair in a messy bun.:)

Wish I'd Known: Nursing

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Today's top comes from Whitney at sewmuch2create.blogspot.com

Give breastfeeding at least SIX weeks!

It is really hard and easy to give up!  But it is REALLY worth it for your baby!

Thanks so much Whitney.  This is a great post for new moms or soon to be moms.  My experience with nursing definitely wasn't what I was expecting.  My daughter came 3 weeks early and had a bit of a difficulty with latching on.  I thought she would just latch on right away and we'd be set.  I knew nursing would be a bit painful at first because I had heard people talk about it, but I wasn't expecting the emotional roller coaster ride I went through.  I had to give my daughter her feeds using a syringe and tube that was placed into a nipple guard so she would still getting the sensation of nursing this was called S&S.  I worked with a lactation specialist at the hospital who gave me the nipple guard to use.  However, my daughter would suck once or twice and then fall asleep, so we stuck with the S&S so it would be easier for her.  The plan was to stop doing S&S soon and then just use the nipple guard and then get rid of the guard and just nurse.  The nurse had also told me that I could use the nipple guard for a short time, but really needed to get off of it soon (like a couple of weeks) or my milk supply would be hurt.

After a few days, my daughter started latching on to the nipple guard, but still not on to me.  This made me happy since I didn't have to do the S&S anymore, but also frustrated since I knew I was supposed to get rid of the nipple guard as soon as possible.  I worked with the lactation specialist at my daughter's doctors office and after an hour of trying, she had only latched once without the guard and it lasted about 3-5 seconds.  

I went home disappointed, but continued to try the new techniques.  I met with the lactation specialist again when she was 2 weeks old.  Still we only got her to latch on a couple of times, but she just didn't stick with it.  By this point I was frustrated and honestly felt like I wasn't a good mother because I wasn't able to nurse my baby normally.  

I was so ready for her to start nursing without the guard, because she was actually sucking my nipple through the holes at the end of the nipple guard and it HURT!  The day after I met with the lactation specialist I had a bit of a break down.  I cried and cried out of frustration, exhaustion and probably because my hormones were crazy.  I went and tried nursing again and guess what.....she got it!  It took 2 weeks and a day, but she did it!  

I was so close to wanting to throw in the towel and am so glad I didn't.  I continued to nurse my daughter for 13 months.  It was definitely cheaper than doing the whole formula thing, but it was also so great for her.  She never had an ear infection and maybe got one cold the whole time I was nursing.  I know nursing isn't for everyone, but if you're debating between the two, I would definitely suggest nursing.  

What I learned through this whole experience is that sometimes nursing doesn't come as easily as you expect, but it's so worth it to stick it out.  I've known plenty of people who have also had challenges with nursing so don't think that you're the only one.  It was also easier to nurse my son because I had learned a few tricks along the way.  Good luck everyone!  If you have any questions feel free to ask.  Or if you have more tips send them in!

Mommapproved: Netflix

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Today's Mommapproved item is Netflix online streaming.  

Alyssa says it's a must because you have all of their favorite shows on demand.  Thanks Alyssa!  I'll be honest, we currently just do the Netflix mailing dvd service and don't have Netflix online streaming.  We'll probably end up getting it in the near future especially since you say it's a must :)