My hair products for the shower

I’ve had a lot of people ask me about products I use for my hair so I figured I would write a blog post about it and answer the majority of the questions all at once! I like to rotate my shampoo and conditioner, so say one week I’m using the Nano Works Pureology Shampoo/Conditioner, the next week I will use the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo/Conditioner. I do the same rotation with the two different hair treatments that I use. The two treatments that I use are the Hask UnWined Pinot Noir Deep Conditioner and the Olaplex Hair Profector No 3 Repairing Treatment. For the hair treatments you are only supposed to use them once to twice a week. That’s the same amount I wash my hair in a week so I happen to use one of the treatments every time I wash my hair.

Since another popular question I get is people asking what I use to curl my hair I figured i’d just share it here! This is something I use almost daily to curl my hair and the wand is under $20.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Love, Paige

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Telling my family we are expecting baby #2

To say my family was caught off guard by this announcement would be an understatement. When I was pregnant with Kinley (before announcing to my family) we celebrated my birthday, Fathers Day, Fourth of July, plus a few others, all while my family thought I was drinking during all of these occasions. They thought there was no way that we’d ever be able to pull that off a second time after them knowing what we did to keep it a secret the first time I was pregnant. About two weeks before Easter we went to lunch with my parents, one of my brothers, and a few others. My Mom was sitting across the table from me and as I was drinking my mocktail, she was laughing saying how she always watches out to see if I’m not drinking now. Little did she know that round 2 for us of having to pretend like I wasn’t pregnant had already begun. We decided Easter would be the perfect time to announce since the majority of the family would already be together.

Eric poked a hole in the eggs and got the yoke out of each of them and then I stuck a note in each egg that said, Kinley is a big sister to be - Egg-specting November 2019. I taped up the little hole and painted over it and placed each egg in its box.

Eric and I were the first ones to arrive for easter so we could talk to the server ahead of time and give her all of the boxes to hand out to my family. We knew if it was us handing them out, they would quickly catch on to what was going on. Since the server was the one to hand them out and because they thought I had already had a drink they were extremely confused at first to who was even pregnant. In the video you’ll see the initial confusion and the moment reality hits and they let it soak in for a moment haha.Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoy watching!

Love, Paige.

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Finding out I'm pregnant and telling Eric

For any of you that have gone through the process of trying to conceive, you know the anxiety you get right before taking a pregnancy test, wondering if the results will leave you with a feeling of excitement or disappointment. We started trying for baby number 2 in January and when February came and it was time to take a test, for the first time, I received the feeling of disappointment when the pregnancy test never turned positive. With Kinley I never experienced that because we received a positive pregnancy test right away. I’m not going to lie, I cried. My family didn’t know we had even started trying because I wanted it to be a surprise for them when the time did come. Luckily between having Eric and some great friends to vent to, I knew everything would be okay and we could try again for a baby in a couple weeks. On the morning of March 5, 2019 I decided I couldn’t wait any longer and I was going to take a pregnancy test. I was so nervous about possibly having another month of being upset, but I decided the sooner I found out, the quicker I could control my emotions from getting the best of me. I still had one test left from the month prior so while Eric was hanging out with Kinley I went and took it. I hardly even set it on the counter before I saw it was it give a positive test result. I let out a few happy tears, hid the test and asked Eric if he would want to go to the park so I could take some pictures of him and Kinley since it had been a while since we took any pictures of just the two of them. Because we had been trying I had already bought a shirt for Kinley that said “I’m going to be a big sister” on the back of it. I wanted to be ready for the day I got a positive test because I knew I’d want to tell Eric right away. I got Kinley ready for the park and put a sweater over her shirt. After taking a handful of pictures of the two of them I told Eric to run further down the grass so I could get a few pictures of Kinley running to him. As he started jogging his way further down the grass, I took Kinley’s sweater off of her and when Eric was ready I told her to run to Dad as I started snapping away on the camera. Below are a few of the pictures from when Eric found out.

I would like to add that by no means am I comparing my one month of not getting a positive test to anyone else and their journey, especially those that have struggled or are currently struggling to conceive. I know it can take years for some people and I feel very fortunate for this blessing and the timing of it! Each person has their own story and my heart goes out to you if you have experienced any struggle. I’m only sharing this because it’s my story of what happened on our journey.
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Finding out the gender

Exactly one year ago today we found out the gender of our baby! It's scary how fast time goes by!  My husband would have bet anyone, every dollar to his name, that it was going to be blue chalk flying out of that golf ball. As for me, I was certain we were having a girl.  Maybe it's a mother's intuition but I had a dream a couple weeks before our gender reveal day of a little girl in pig tails and I knew it was a sign we were having a girl!

 

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding (in my personal opinion) things that I am able to do for my daughter.  The first couple of weeks were incredibly challenging for multiple reasons! On top of the life-changing experience I was going through as we brought Kinley into this world and into our once semi-quiet household, I realized that my body wasn't only mine anymore, my daughter needed it too.  I would cringe in pain any time she latched onto my left side.  She had a great latch and was doing so well with eating but even so, those painful days were hard.  I heard someone once say, "Never quit on the hardest day."  Just reminding myself of that really helped me get through the hard times in the beginning of breastfeeding.  We have now been doing it for 6+ months and I absolutely love the bonding time it allows us to have!  

Some of my friends were willing to share what they love about breastfeeding!  Clearly the bonding experience is something that we all have in common :)

"Besides the fact that it's cheap, easy, and effortless, I love knowing that I make and give my baby everything he needs.  I also love the bond we have and the way he looks at me in our quiet, special moments."

-Katie  @katie_kelley

"I love the bonding time and connection I have felt with my sons whilst breastfeeding.  I love that I grew my babies for 9 months inside me and continue to help them grow and thrive by breastfeeding."

-Desiree @mamma_mancuso

As much as it would be great to say everything always works out the way we plan, we all know that isn't the case.  Some of you may have planned or are planning to breastfeed once you have your baby, but don't get down on yourself if it doesn't work out!  My friend Paula was kind enough to share her breastfeeding story.  I hope it's able to help those of you that may go through a similar situation or can relate on wanting to do it so badly but just not being able to.

"As a first time mom I was looking forward to breastfeeding. My initial goal was to make it six months with hope that I could make it to a year. I remember those first few feedings in the hospital thinking "ok, I can do this". It wasn't even 72 hours later that I started second-guessing myself because the pain was so bad. I pushed through the excruciating pain literally counting to 10 waiting for the pain to subside. I managed to get through those first few days but unfortunately I didn't feel like it got much better. When my baby was about 2 1/2 weeks old I got a severe case of mastitis and had to go to the ER. My breastfeeding journey ended there when I had to have emergency surgery. Mentally I just couldn't do it anymore even though my surgeon told me I could still breastfeed on one side. It's funny, because while I was pregnant I was confident I could breastfeed and be successful at it. I think had I not gotten mastitis I would've pushed through the pain and hopefully made it a little bit longer. I have a lot of friends ask me if I will try with my second baby and honestly, I just don't know. I think breastfeeding is beautiful and applaud mamas who hang in there."

-Paula @paularieckman

 

 

What helped me get through the first couple weeks of breastfeeding

 

 

What I use daily for breastfeeding!

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dreaming about milk at 9 days old...

6 MONTHS!

Life has never gone by faster than it has during these past six months.  I love being able to stay home with her so I can watch all of her first moments as they happen.  On August 7th she sat up by herself for the first time and on August 13th she got on all fours and did her first real crawl! We knew that would happen sooner than later since she had been attempting to get around on her own for a little while now, but I still wasn't ready for it to happen so soon! My husband and I were laughing the other day saying, "Remember when we were so excited that she could follow us with her eyes, but still would do nothing else but lie there?! Things sure do change quickly, don't they?"

Love, Paige

For the sake of the pregnant mom, think before you speak

 Why is it that when people see someone who is pregnant, they feel the need to say whatever comes to their mind first?  People tend to forget the saying "think before you speak" as soon as they see a baby belly.  Going through pregnancy for the first time you obviously experience so many firsts! The first time you feel your baby kick, the first time you feel them roll around, the first time you feel their hiccups.  I also have a list of first questions that I had been asked throughout my pregnancy.  The questions would come from a stranger, acquaintance, work colleague, etc. It didn't matter how well or little I knew them, the questions would still be so personal that I would question for a moment if I actually heard them correctly.  "Oh my goodness! How far along are you?" someone would ask. With a smile on my face I'd say "7 months! She will be here before we know it!" I would watch their face as a wave of shock would roll across it.  Next thing I would hear from them is "Wow, are you sure everything is okay? Has your doctor said if anything could be wrong? You're just really small and that can't be a good thing, right?" WHAT?! Did this person seriously just ask me that? If something wasn't okay (which everything was) was it really any of their business? Here are some other questions that I was asked along the way:

  •  "Congrats on your pregnancy!! Did you guys plan it or was it an accident?" 
  • "How long did it take you and your husband to conceive?"
  • "Are you going to marry the father of your child?" (That one was asked while I was wearing my wedding ring)
  • "Are you and your husband happy you're pregnant?"
  • "How much weight have you gained?"
  • "Are you going to breastfeed?"
  • "What's your birth plan?"
  • "Are you going to be disappointed if it's not the gender you were hoping?"

Here's what I have to say to you all, and I'm sure it's what every pregnant woman wishes they could say,

It's not any of your damn business! :)

I wouldn't go up to just anyone and ask about their sex life, weight gain, health, and life decisions so what gives you the right to ask those personal questions to someone who is pregnant? Let's put a stop to it and think before we speak!

Sincerely, the majority of women who have ever been pregnant

P.S. It also creeps us out when you touch our pregnant belly without asking.

Kinley's Nursery

Throughout my pregnancy I worried about Kinley's nursery being done in time for her arrival.  I would think to myself, "What if she comes early and I have nothing finished? That can't happen! I have to get it done as soon as possible!" Here we are almost six months after she was born and she hasn't slept in her nursery for a single night.  As a first time mom, we don't know what to expect and we want our babies to come into this world with everything perfectly in order.  I now laugh at myself for thinking that her nursery had to be ready for the day we brought her home.  If you're pregnant and stressing about this, stop! Everything will be okay and you will still have time after the baby comes home to make it how you want it.  With that being said, here is her beautiful nursery that one day in the future she will be able to enjoy!

An Open Letter To My Daughter

When I look at you, a thousand different thoughts run through my mind.  Thoughts as simple as what your hair color will be and, as deep as, will you feel like you've lived a full and meaningful life?  I wonder about the times you will come to me crying because some boy broke your heart, and how I will tell you about all of the boys that broke my heart, too.  But I can also share the story about the first time I met your Dad and how I knew he was going to be in my life forever.  He is proof that not every boy you meet will end up leaving you feeling like your heart has shattered into millions of tiny pieces.  But just know, when your heart does shatter, because it inevitably will, I will be there to help you pick up the pieces just like your lala did for me.  I pray that you do good things in this life and that you are a good person.  I pray that you are caring and compassionate but know that its perfectly fine to be hard-headed and willing to stand up for yourself when the situation calls for it.  You are my world and I hope I can always show you how much I mean that.  I love you babe, more than I ever knew was possible.

Love, your Mom

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Sleepless Nights

Once upon a time, my daughter slept through the night.  My biggest problem with night time was the fact that it led to me waking up in the morning with a soaking wet shirt because it had been so long since I had last fed her.  Telling you that I already miss those nights would be an understatement.  Last night I finally was able to get her to sleep at 9:00 p.m.  Kinley then decided she would wake up at, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and then be up for the day at 9:00 a.m.  I know a lot of people like to give the advice, "sleep when the baby sleeps", but that isn't realistic.  When she falls asleep, that's my time to finally catch up on the dishes, picking up around the house and to finish the load of laundry that I've had to rewash two other times before because my daughter needed me more than changing over that load did.  Some days I wonder how I'm able to function on so little sleep but then I look over at Kinley and I realize that no matter how hard each day is or the lack of sleep I get each night, it's all worth it because of her.  This little human is and always will be the best thing to ever happen to my husband and me.   

Love, Paige

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Mom Groups...

I'm going to start by saying online Mom groups aren't for everyone! I don't think there is any Mom group out there that has never had some type of drama.  I mean, it's a bunch of hormonal women going through pre- and post- pregnancy together. Once you have the baby, you are all going through your own battles, whether it's postpartum blues/depression, lack of sleep, trying to get through each day with enough sanity, etc. While I was sitting in bed one night I decided to look up Mom groups on Facebook and see if there were any for the month I was expecting Kinley.  I ended up finding a February/March group that I liked right away. I went into the group with zero expectations of what I would actually be getting out of it.  It was nice learning information from Moms who had been through the journey of pregnancy and motherhood before and being able to ask them for advice.  I've got to say that I hit the jackpot when it came to what I got out of joining this group.  I found Mom friends!!  I understand how corny that sounds but once you've become a Mom you will get the importance of it, I swear! There were a few of us that all bonded together over the past year from our group and we started a group text and we talk to each other every day.  These ladies are literally (Katie ;P) my saving grace.  When you have a night that your baby is waking up every hour and you feel like you're going to lose it and you question if you're the only one going through this, looking at your phone at 3:00 am and getting a text saying the baby has been up four times already, you can't help but think to yourself, thank goodness I'm not alone and someone else can completely relate to my struggle right now.  Everyday we talk about our highs and lows and what our babies have learned or where they seem to be falling behind compared to others in our Mom group and it's just nice to have friends that completely get it and have zero judgement, which seems to be rare these days with how much everyone likes to Mom shame each other.  If you are reading this and you are expecting or just had a baby, my advice to you is find a Mom group, put yourself out there and when you find someone you connect with, make the most of it.

Shoutout to my #momclique. you guys are the best.

Love, Paige

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Catching up!

About half way through my pregnancy I thought it would be a good idea to start a blog and be able to document my family's journey in a fun way.  Clearly procrastination is something I'm really good at, seeing as how Kinley is now 5 1/2 months old.  Better late than never though, right? I've decided I will play a little catch up and post all of her monthly update pictures that I have of her so far.  You've never experienced how quickly time goes until you have a baby and get to watch them grow right before your eyes.  I'm in shock that in just over two weeks she will already be 6 months old!

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Pregnancy Reveal Video →

The background story – Before my husband and me were even pregnant I brought up an idea to one of my brothers about how I’d like to eventually reveal the news to the rest of the family. I told him when the time came he would be the first to find out we were pregnant and asked if he would be open to creating a short film about a couple and their journey and the moment they find out they are pregnant, only for the original couple in the film to be replaced with my Husband and I towards the end of it.  Well, not too long after that our dreamt up plan was about to become a reality because we found out we were expecting!  My brother executed the idea with flying colors and his film has me in tears every single time I watch it!  Here is the film he made as well as my family's reaction while they watch it. I can't believe this was already one year ago! I hope you enjoy!

Love, Paige

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