How to Fly with a Baby

Over Mother's Day I flew with Caleb to visit my parents! My dad flew with me from San Diego to Oakland and I flew solo with Caleb from Oakland to San Diego. I have a few tips for other moms and dads who desire to fly with their babies! I read a few blog posts, talked to a few friends, and looked up tips from various airlines prior to flying so I could be prepared. Overall it went great and there was an 80% occupancy for both flights so Caleb and I got our own row. Amazing but not typical!

Caleb ready for take off!

Tips: 
Determine what you will check and what you will carry on
I didn't check a single item for our four day/three night journey on our way from Oakland to San Diego. WHAT?? Yes. It is possible with a baby. I had a carry on suitcase with all of our clothing, wipes, and a few diapers. I carried Caleb's diaper bag/backpack as my personal item, wore him in the Ergo, and had an extra hand to either hold his car seat or I put it on my suitcase. I didn't want to risk losing our bag with all of his clothing, I didn't want to bring our stroller, and we don't own a pack-n-play. Simple was how I wanted to do it. On the way home I checked our bag. Consider gate checking your car seat because I have read a few controversies about checked car seats becoming damaged and unsafe because of the way they are handled through the baggage checking process.

I can carry everything independently!

With my car seat on my carry on I have a free hand

Investigate you Airline's Lap Child Policy

We flew Southwest and they have free seating. A lap child needs a ticket that you obtain at the service counter near the gate. I didn't realize this and tried to board with him and no ticket! I also asked the ticket counter how full the flight was. They told me I didn't need to gate check his car seat and I could bring it on the flight! I would recommend asking your airlines service counter how full the flight is and if there is any way you could be reseated next to an empty seat.

Barely enough room to do a lap diaper change. His head was touching the seat in front of us

Make sure you have all important documents
Be prepared with a copy of your child's birth certificate. I had it but they never wanted to see it. However, I am not sure if other airlines are more strict about this. Make sure your license and boarding pass are accessible in either your pants pocket, diaper bag, or pocket in your baby carrier.

Think about how you will walk in the airport
Before you decide to carry on everything like I did, visualize what it will look like for you to carry on all the items you are planning on bringing. Can you put it through the metal detectors easily? Can you carry these items for up to 30 minutes? Do you have way too much stuff for the amount of hands you have? Can you go pee when you have to or do you look like a camel ready for a cross-Sahara adventure? Do you have help when you are traveling? Talk these things through with your travel partner beforehand to minimize stress during your travel day or think about them if you are traveling solo. If you are frazzled in the airport your baby will feel it and be stressed out before you even step on the plane!

A car seat that is gate checked can be slug over a carry-on rolling suitcase!

Consider eliminating bulky baby items
Do you really need the sound machine, the breast pump, the pack-n-play, a stroller, a car seat and its base, 40 diapers, three different baby carriers, and the play mat? Consider minimizing! This will make travel a lot easier. One thing you will need is a car seat, unless your car rental company has car seats you feel comfortable using. There are also car seat rental places all over the nation if yours for some reason gets lost. I had my mom purchase diapers ahead of time for us so I didn't have to pack them and I did not bring Caleb's car seat base. Did you know most car seats can be buckled into a car safely without the base? Educate yourself prior to travel about your particular seat and how to install it without the base. Here is an installation video of mine I watched. I decided to use a white noise app on my phone on airplane mode to replace Caleb's bulky white noise machine. I didn't bring a breast pump and I did have to hand express a few times. I decided not to bring a stroller because my family would help me wear him when we went on outings. If you simplify you will have less things to worry about!

Family Security and Family boarding 
In most instances you can wear your child through security, push the stroller, and get VIP treatment by going through family security. It might be in the first class section of your airlines or in the business select line. If you are wearing your child threw security they will take a hand swab after you go through the metal detector. Family boarding is different for every airlines but it is so nice to know ahead of time where to go!

Think about feeding
Does your infant eat wherever? Awesome! Is your 4 month old a distracted eater like mine? Are you comfortable doing a little NIP (nursing in public)? Do you know how to nurse in your carrier? If you are seated next to a linebacker can you still nurse in your seat? If you want a frame of reference to start practicing, try nursing in a beach chair, a lawn chair, or a desk chair and see how much room you have to maneuver your baby. It might be easier for some moms to bottle feed on a plane or to practice a new nursing position prior to the travel date. Caleb kicks when he eats and if I wasn't in my own row I don't think I would have been prepared for how cramped plane nursing feels with 17lbs of baby.

Make a friend
People love babies. Make friends around your seat who can help you hold your child if you need to pee. People will stare at your baby and ask you questions so be prepared to be friendly! Let your kid interact with them because it will keep them occupied and kill time.

Be aware of popping ears
Some babies are really sensitive to pressure changes. Sucking on something will help relieve pressure. Nursing, using a pacifier, or having your child chomp or suck on your finger will help them during takeoff and landing.

Be prepared 
What if you have three blowouts? What if the plane is delayed 5 hours? What if you miss a connecting flight? What if your child loses their favorite toy on the plane? Be prepared! Bring an empty water bottle through security and drink up! Make sure to pack an extra change of clothes for yourself and your child for those emergencies.

Relax
Enjoy your flight and talk your baby through everything! If you are calm, cool, and collected then you will be able to handle anything your baby might do or what might happen. Traveling with a child can be difficult, or it can be awesome!

4 generations

Caleb and Ruby at the beach

Auntie Hope carrying Caleb in Carmel

First time meeting Uncle David

Play time

You feed your kid Whaaaat?

I have been doing a lot of thinking about what food I want to feed my kid. Thankfully its easy right now. He gets either right boob or left boob. I plan on continuing to breastfeed for as long as possible, especially after we introduce solid foods. And by solids I mean real, true, solid food. We are skipping the baby food and rice cereal and going straight to human food. WHaaaaat? Why? Well let me tell you...

1.  Rice cereal sucks

I am a little worried about my own response to rice. White rice makes my heart race. Seriously my insulin response is so quick and so severe that I cannot eat white rice by itself or more than a few tablespoons with a meal. I sure as heck am not going to give my dear son something that makes me feel like I am quickly developing type 2 diabetes with each spoonful. Just saying. I will not give my child a high-carb,  refined white starch that I tell people who are trying to get healthy to stay away from.  As an advocate for health and wellness I cannot get behind feeding my baby boxed rice that has been so stripped from its nutrients that it has to be fortified. For more info about why I am choosing not to introduce rice cereal read an ABC article here and another bloggers perspective here.

2.  Food before One is Just for Fun

Yes, I am excited to give Caleb his first taste of watermelon and peaches. However I can wait until he is 6 months or older.  It is recommended that parents continue to breastfeed or formula feed while solids are introduced. This is a baby's main source of nutrition, not the solid food parents are giving them. A baby's gut is not fully formed until they are around 6 months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting to start solid food until after the 6 month mark (or later) to prevent damaging the digestive tract. I want to make sure I am taking care of Caleb's little gut the way I take care of my own. I want him to be able to explore food at his own pace and enjoy the new foods he is being exposed to!

3.  Would you eat canned meatloaf and spinach? 

Have you ever played that baby food taste-test guessing game at a baby shower? It is one of the grossest things I have ever experienced! I wouldn't eat that stuff and I don't expect Caleb to desire it either! I will say that I absolutely love the fruit baby foods and used to take jars of bananas and peaches camping with me when I was younger. Obviously I ate them because fruit has a lot of sugar. The meatloaf I will pass on for now, thanks. Now a tasty strawberry, a piece of pulled pork, or a yummy carrot? I would reach for that.

4.  It's what all the cool kids are doing

All the cool kids are doing Baby Led-Weaning (AKA Baby-led FEEDING) instead of baby food these days. The natural, organic, crunchy moms are all aver BLW (the abbreviation I hear is much more cool). I  heard about it from a few friends of mine and I was hooked about learning more! I am so excited to hopefully help normalize giving a child real food from the start of solids. You can check out my friend Renae's blog post on the topic.

5. Its way easier on the Mom 

I barely have time to feed myself, and you want me to shovel a mash of yuck in my child's face for 30 minutes, bathe him because there is goop everywhere, and clean off a high chair, floor, and wall? Nope. I would much rather cut off a slice of the apple I am eating and hand it to Caleb for him to inspect, touch, lick, and eventually much on. I am all about simplicity and making things easy on myself.

"How are you Sleeping?" A Glimpse...

One of the hot topics moms get asked constantly is centered around sleep. We all need it, we all want more of it, and for some reason family and friends want to know all about it. A new mom will get asked,"How are you sleeping?", "How is the baby sleeping?" and, gulp, "Where is the baby sleeping?" more often than "How are you doing today?".

Before we had Caleb we had planned on bed-sharing exclusively. Bed sharing is different than co-sleeping and room-sharing. Some families find that what they thought they wanted prior to having children changes after their baby is born!

Bed-sharing= baby is in bed with one or both parents
Co-sleeping= baby is next to one of the parents but either in a separate container or in a co-sleeper attached to the bed.
Room-sharing= baby is in the same room as parents but either in a crib, swing, floor bed, or container that is a few feet away from the bed.


When Caleb was a newborn, I soon discovered although bed-sharing is awesome for nursing, I wasn't sleeping as great as I wanted to because I was half-awake. We tried putting him in the Rock-n-Play for a few hours at night and that seemed to work out great! He was right next to me within arms reach but enough distance away for me to sleep soundly. Around 3am or so I would pull him into bed after a feeding until about 6am. He got a cold around week 6 and from weeks 6-9 he was almost exclusively in the rock-n-play because it is elevated. I tried pulling him into bed a few times and he would get more stuffed up and upset because he wasn't elevated.

Napping in his Rock-n-Play

Escaping the swaddle at 4 weeks in bed in the morning 

Since our little guy isn't so little and is close to 17+lbs at 3 1/2 months, the Rock-n-Play is becoming a bit small for him. Caleb has become increasingly fussy over the past few nights and is spending more and more time with us in bed so we can all sleep better. Here is what a typical night looks like for us recently:

7:30-7:40 Nurse (yes, he is that quick)
8:00 Bath/Shower with Caleb (Mommy does a bath, or Daddy will do  shower after CrossFit)
8:15 Massage/change into Jammies, read a book or two, pray.
8:45  Caleb's legs get swaddled, put him in the Rock-n-Play, turn on Ocean or Rain on the sound Machine
8:45-9pm Caleb pretends to run a Marathon, sing in an Opera, and grunt like a pig. He also finds his hands and starts chomping on them
9:00ish Caleb will suddenly become very focused on sucking his fingers and fiddling with his swaddle blanket or a washcloth (yes, our child's security blanket is a washcloth)
9ish-9:15 Caleb falls asleep
9-11:00pm John and I spend time together, clean up after dinner, hang out
11ish Parents go to bed
 1-3am Sometime between these hours Caleb wakes up finishing his Marathon, grunting, and chomping on his finders again. This is his most fussy time of the night. I will bring him into bed and nurse him lying down on my back with him draped over my torso. He will try to do squat jumps off the bed where his feel touch as he is nursing.  We will often both fall asleep until I wake up an hour or two later. At this point I will either put him next to me or back in his Rock-n-Play, depending on how tired I am (it is not safe to bed-share when a parent is overly-tired).
4-5:00am Around this time Caleb will want to nurse again. I usually do this one side-lying and he will roll over when he is done. He is typically between me and John.
6:30-7:15am Caleb is up-and-at-em. He starts a triathlon with backstroke, moves into bicycle kicks, and finishes with a good long run. This is John's favorite time because he will roll over and chat with Caleb, and Caleb will strain to get close to John and smile at him. So precious
7:00am Nurse, then John will change his diaper and take him out of the bedroom so I can sleep for 30 more minutes.

Bedtime shower with Daddy

Good morning Mom!

Finding his fingers to chomp on in the morning

When people ask me "How long do you want to have him in bed with you?" my response varies depending on how the prior night went. Until bed-sharing no longer works for us or Caleb we will continue to have him in bed. Based on his personality and how it has been going recently, I have a feeling he will sleep really well on a flat surface independently. He gets his best sleep when John and I aren't in the room.  Every child is different and every family is different. There is no "right" way for a family to sleep. In my opinion as long as everyone is sleeping, it doesn't matter where sleep happens or who is with whom. Often parents who bed-share get asked the question, "What about intimacy? Doesn't having your kid in bed put a damper on things?". The best response I have found is, "You guys are only intimate at night and in the bedroom?  How boring!" Creativity my friend, creativity. It's the spice of life.

Good morning tummy-time with Daddy

Regardless of where your child sleeps, I hope this post will have given you a glimpse of what our lives look like at night. I hope that if your child is alone in their own room, you choose not to judge the next bed-sharing family you come across. If your 9-year-old is still in bed with you because that is how all of you get sleep, I hope you can relax a little knowing that if that works for your family keep your head held high!

Babies and Movement Readiness

John and I let Caleb explore his own environment in his own time. We are a "baby-container-free-ish" house. The way we see it, babies are meant to move or be held! The only "containers" we have for Caleb are his Rock-in-Play for naps and for his first night shift, his carseat (which stays in the car), and his stroller (which we have used a handful of times but will use more when he is bigger). No swings, rockers, play stations, bumbos, playpens, cribs, or other things meant to restrict movement and babysit Caleb. The main reason we don't have these things is for space.  John has helped me learn about infant development and movement readiness through his personal research on functional mobility. Functional mobility is what is sounds like; movement with a function. Walking, running, squatting, lifting, pulling, pushing, and other natural movements we use daily. From what John has researched there is a progression of movement patterns that babies develop. The order of these movements is important because it helps their nervous system structure movement patterns and develop skills that build on top of each other. Babies are experts at functional movement! We can learn a lot from how a baby learns to move. They have the ultimate perfect squat position!

With all this information we have decided that Caleb needs to "earn" the right to move. This can be really hard for other people to understand because they might think we are being mean to our child! Our philosophy is that if his ligaments, muscles, and spinal structure cannot support himself in a particular position then he is not ready to be in that position. That means no bumbos, johnny jump-ups, play saucer walker things, or propping him up with pillows to sit him up unless he can get into a sitting position or a standing position on his own without assistance. Muscle imbalances occur with repetitive incorrect movement patterns. We want Caleb to learn how to move the right way by not giving him the option of developing muscle imbalances. I read a blog post before Caleb was born from Mama OT called "Beware the Bumbo Seat" and this has helped influence my decisions not to register for any of those things that claim they will help your child "develop".

We want Caleb to learn to walk the right way by using his own body awareness and again "earning" the right to do so. We aren't going to "help him walk" or put him into a standing position before he can hold his own weight up without our assistance. A lot of moms might think I am crazy, but this is our choice! It is not "good for their muscles" as your mom or grandmother might tell you. In their defense, our parents didn't know any better and made the best decisions they could with the information that was available to them at the time!

Motivation is what keeps these movement patterns progressing. All that kicking you see babies do, crawling, and trying to reach things is what builds their muscles up for walking readiness. I can already see Caleb reaching for toys that are just out of his reach and becoming frustrated that he cannot access them. The motivation to reach that toy will drive his gross motor development to figure out a way for his body to get over to it. We let Caleb get "frustrated" to a point that we believe he can handle and we give him breaks so he doesn't lose motivation. He is pretty close to rolling over or squirming over to his favorite cow toy. We are patient with him and affirm his efforts by saying "I can see how much you want that toy, you are doing such a good job trying to figure out how to get it! Go buddy! You are so close!".

After 10 minutes of trying to get his rings Caleb figured out a combo of pulling the towel and squirming forward. Then he spit up. Bummer ;-)

I see so many moms  judge, criticize, and put down other moms and families for their choices and decisions. Judgement is not in short supply when you approach another person with the intent of  proving that you are "better" than someone else. Often times we put down someone else or deliver judgement to feel better about insecurities we are struggling with and to give ourselves the satisfaction of feeling "right". My intent with sharing this information is to help other parents consider why they are doing something (like putting their child in a bumbo) so that they can consider another option. If I see a mom using these items I will not jump on her and recite this post word for word. That mom is doing all that she can with the information that she has to raise her child! I do not judge other moms and think that I have it all figured out. In fact, I need the help of other moms to raise this little boy!

Other Articles that are useful:

The pitfalls of some modern day baby equipment 

Therapists see no developmental benefits from Bumbos

Baby containers: Are we living in a culture of overuse? - See more at: http://blog.uindy.edu/blog/health-sciences/baby-containers-are-we-living-in-a-culture-of-overuse#sthash.9VNNgCQ1.dpuf

Baby Containers: Are we living in a culture of overuse? 

Our little love is such a joy!

 

Baby containers: Are we living in a culture of overuse? - See more at: http://blog.uindy.edu/blog/health-sciences/baby-containers-are-we-living-in-a-culture-of-overuse#sthash.9VNNgCQ1.dpuf

Baby containers: Are we living in a culture of overuse? - See more at: http://blog.uindy.edu/blog/health-sciences/baby-containers-are-we-living-in-a-culture-of-overuse#sthash.9VNNgCQ1.dpuf

Baby containers: Are we living in a culture of overuse? - See more at: http://blog.uindy.edu/blog/health-sciences/baby-containers-are-we-living-in-a-culture-of-overuse#sthash.9VNNgCQ1.dpuf

 

Finding God in the Chaos

I have realized over the past few weeks that I have been living in a state of chaos and I hate it. Last weekend (can it only be a week ago?) I had an amazing experience at Flood Church where God totally me me in the Chaos. Let me rewind.

Last Friday was the first day I needed to park my car on the street instead of in our spot in the back. We are selling our Subaru and we wanted to keep the car in great condition before the buyer picks it up. I hated this. I am so used to my routine for getting Caleb ready and taking him out to the car in one trip and unloading groceries in one trip. I feel pretty amazing and impressive when I think about it. I Strap on the ergo, put Caleb inside, put on my backpack/diaper bag, load my arms up with whatever else I am taking with me, and swagger outside hoping all who see me will be impressed with my ability to carry 60lbs of extra STUFF.

Well on my very angry walk to my car that was a whole 50feet further than I wanted it to be I heard God. I had been struggling with numbing out and disconnecting from my pain by watching Netflix obsessively. Some people choose crack cocaine, chocolate cake, chain smoking, or if you are me, the automatic "next episode" option on Netflix that allows you to waste literally days of your life. A few years ago I tallied that I had wasted a total of five straight 24 hours days watching the entire Desperate Housewives series over the course of a few months. I would totally justify it by washing dishes, cleaning, doing laundry, or doing my business on the toilet while watching (yes, my husband can attest to the truth behind the last one) and saying, "Well at least we don't have cable" with my nose in the air. It was so bad I don't think God could have gotten my attention any other way. His gentle, quiet voice urged me to listen.

Out of nowhere I hear "Ebey I love you."
I know.

No, you don't know. I want you. 
OK God, what do you need from me.

Nothing. 
OK, what can I do.

Nothing.
Alright, reveal to me what is keeping me from connecting. I am so frustrated and feel so far from you. I don't have any margin in my day. I am so busy all the time and feel like I am drowning in all the activities I have committed myself to doing. Aren't you impressed with all the things I am doing?

No, I'm not. Cease striving and know that I am God
OK I know you are God. 

I want to walk with you and be with you. I created you to know me. I want to teach you the unforced rhythms of grace. 
That sounds nice and all, but I don't have time to rest. You gave me a child, and a house, and a husband to take care of!

Look at your life. What is holding you back from me?
(very reluctantly I think.....) OK. I think Netflix is a trap, keeping me from your presence.  

Then give it to me. 
I can't, I NEED Netflix. 

You need me (BAM, tears start flowing)
I need you God, I desire to run into your arms. I want to believe that the riches of your love will always be enough. 

Let me love you 
I'm scared. I am going to feel empty without Netflix.

Trust me. 
OK. I will try. I will give up Netflix until Easter. I mean, if I can't then oh well, I tried, right?

Watch and be in awe of me and my love for you. I will do great things through you.
OK God, I'm going to go to yoga now. 

The past few weeks have been so filled with God's goodness in my life. Or shall I say my awareness of his Goodness has been so much greater. God's invitations are always better than our desires to cling, grasp, and hold onto things that are replacing Him. For me Netflix was a stronghold. It was keeping me prisoner to freedom in my day. Without it I am free to love my son more deeply, connect with friends without thinking "In an hour, I want to finish this episode!". I can say "YES" to the people I care about and the things I care about because there is more margin in my day. I am less invested in characters who cannot return anything to me or give me any lasting peace or hope and instead I look around me at the people who need a touch of love in their lives. 

Saying yes to God isn't about saying no to things in your life. God doesn't want anything from us, he wants everything for us. God didn't ask me to give up something for the sake of showing my obedience, for me to show how pious I am, or as a way of punishing me. He desired deeply to see his daughter live in freedom, to say "NO" to something that was keeping her from experiencing true life. It was an invitation, not a command. God's love is so deep for each of us that he will flood you with a loving relationship before he will make some suggestions for how to become more of the person He created you to be. Picture God in this, because GOD IS LOVE:

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The Message (MSG) version

Fit MOM

Nursing in Vrksasana

I am passionate about health and fitness. Notice I didn't say "looks, appearances, skinny bodies, and fad diets?"

As many of you who have been following me know; I did crossfit, yoga, swimming, and TRX, and resistance training during my pregnancy. I ate mostly paleo (plus chocolate and gluten-free cupcakes) and took Adovcare products GALORE. I am going to post my birth story soon (promise) but I wanted to update everyone on how being a new mom has been regarding fitness and health.

Firstly, it is really easy to lose weight when you have a baby. As soon as that sucker pops out you are about 20lbs lighter within a few days. The rest of the pregnancy weight might take a little longer to come off. For me this past week I have finally felt more like "me" in my body. I am still a good 15lbs heavier than when I became pregnant, but I am lighter than when I started Advocare. I upped the Catalyst because I started doing more yoga and Can You 24 workouts. This stuff is seriously like magic. It helps you body target fat as its fuel source and protects your lean muscle. I am so thankful the Advo Docs said, "yes" when the 1996 US Olympic wrestling team approached them to formulate a product that would help them cut weight without compromising their muscle mass. They earned Gold that year and I lost 4 inches off my waist when I did my first 24 Day Challenge with Catalyst so until you try it yourself you will think I'm just making stuff up. If you can't feel already I am a little obsessed.

I have been doing yoga with Caleb or leaving him at the Kids Space at my yoga studio. It has been a really great way to ease back into exercise in my post-baby body. John even did a class with me yesterday and we did inversions (see pic below). His goal is to be able to do a CrossFit Hand Stand Push Up. Since his elbow is jacked up from baseball it's a work in progress. My motivation in a glass has been Spark because it is quite hard to pull myself together these days. Its is my "I can do this today", "happy mommy juice", "organized brain" "4-hours of mental focus and energy", "I can have an intelligent conversation with my husband at 9pm" magic potion of goodness.  Without it I am not sure I would get out the door to make it in time to any of the classes I have gone to.

Breastfeeding has been a huge help for losing the weight and getting my body back. Putting weight on during pregnancy and keeping it on afterwards is really important for successful breastfeeding. A woman who loses weight too quickly after birth puts her milk supply at risk. Eating enough healthy foods, supplementing with Adovcare, and drinking lots of water has all contributed to my healthy milk supply (almost too healthy, I have way too much milk). It is recommended that a woman loses about a pound a week while breastfeeding and that she does not lose weight rapidly.

Health for me has been eating well, staying active, resting when I need to, sleeping lots, getting support from friends and family, crying my eyes out when it is really really tough, connecting with other moms who are going through the same thing, and trusting God to supply for my needs. Praying for me has looked a lot more like God speaking to me and reminding me to rest in Him.  

The biggest thing I have learned about being a FIT MOM and getting back into the swing of things is to appreciate what my body has done for me. My body needs grace. God created my body to do some amazing things! It grew a healthy baby boy, went through a natural (no meds) birth at home, and is now supplying food for a very hungry guy who is growing like a weed (um at 10 weeks he is in 6 month old clothing today. EEEK!). My body needs grace from myself mostly. My stretch marks are battle scars and my belly pooch is a reminder of God's gracious provision in my life. I look at the love handles that are now girdling my sides and smile because I know that one day they will carry my child on my hip and be melted away. So I will continue on, slowly easing back into the swing of things, listening to my body and its limits (I hate limits), and choosing to love my son before I selfishly injure myself because I wasn't respecting this new body I have.

May you all go out and appreciate your bodies!

The day I found out we were pregnant!

6 weeks Pregnant

CrossFit at 20 weeks

Last belly shot before I went into labor at 38 weeks

Caleb at 10 weeks

Arm stand (did the first one postpartum yesterday)

My little love

Sooooo big!

Dirty Girl Confessionals

I was on a walk to the park today with my friend Stephanie and she told me her inspiration for her next blog post was "Dirty Girl Confessionals". Things she does at which polite society would gasp and scowl. We decided we aren't very polite, we are mommies who are a little dirty.

Now before you let your head go to the crazy places that picture led you to believe I am talking about (you know what you clicked on the title of the blog for, don't lie now), let me define "dirty". The definition is typically "soiled" when used as an adjective I would like to create my own definition as a noun. A "dirty" mommy is "one who is slightly less than perfect but in the eyes of her children is super mom. Characterized by spit-up, unshaven legs, greasy hair, dust bunnies, circles under her eyes, and typically dishes waiting to be taken care of in the sink."

Let me confess in the hope that other bloggers, mommies, and the general public will feel comfortable in their own skin. This is ME, right now, unedited if you were to walk into my living room and have a very keen eye of my home, my baby, and of course the "dirty mommy" who is typing this post. Read through mine then I want to hear it from you. What are your "Dirty" confessions? Write a blog post, comment on my facebook, leave a confessional on your facebook status, or leave some love below. Let's normalize the daily lives we live and break down the tendency to portray our "false self" for others by pretending we have it all together.

1. My sheets are unwashed
There is a milk stain from last night when I leaked and I figured if it is going to happen again tonight I might as well wait to change the sheets tomorrow (or the next day?). It bothers me, yes. But it is the least of my worries when I have a bucket full of dirty cloth diapers that need attention and only a set amount of quarters in the home to pay for laundry. Plus I don't have a car today (its getting serviced) so I can't drive to the bank to get more. And if I walked to the laundry mat to get quarters I would have to put a shirt on before coming home to start the load. So, I am perfectly content with a few stains on my sheets. Because they are my favorite, most comfy cozy sheets and I don't like the other two sets that are clean in my linen closet. 

2. My hair is disgusting
Honestly, I can't remember when I washed it last. Maybe its been 4 days? At least it doesn't smell or feel greasy (yet) but I must confess I hate drying my hair because I have to wear it down to air dry and when  That happens I will inevitably get spit up in it or my hair will get tangled in Caleb's fingers when he is eating. I have been dying to get a "mommy cut" so it is easier to take care of. I have thought about shaving it off in the wee hours of the morning when I am sleep-deprived and not quite sane. But then I remember that I like my hair sometimes. I am a little jealous of Salome, the girl our family sponsors in Tanzania. Her most recent picture shows off her very short hair and her flawless cheekbones. We shall see. Every time my head itches I am convinced I might have lice. Something must be done.

3. My leg hair is nearing a quarter inch.
When I am in the shower I am usually in the dark so the legs don't get the attention they deserve. Caleb will be in his rock-n-play in the bathroom while I am showering to get the steam in our sinuses. He loves the sound of the shower and is quite content for a good 10-15 minutes after he has eaten. However we have a combo light/ceiling fan so if I turn the light on then I cannot get the steamy goodness. Hence hairy legs. Plus I've always not really cared and it is fun to surprise the DH with clean-shaven legs once in a while. Its cheaper than buying new lingerie! So really I'm saving us money guys...

4. I haven't worn make-up for quite a while
Not going to apologize for this one. I think I am beautiful without it because I have so much to offer the world that is not based on my outside appearance. I have always felt this way and my husband feels the same. People have told me "wow, you look so pretty!" when I put the makeup on for various things where it is basically required (business trainings, job interviews, funerals, weddings, etc.). And I always laugh and say, "Thanks, I'm wearing makeup today!". And I do think it makes me look prettier but I just don't care on a daily basis to wear the junk. When it is those special occasions I actually relish playing dress up and getting a little fancy with the eye goop. But for me its just a mask, it's something that only enhances what I already have going on. Its not something I worry about "forgetting" to wear. I have other "ass-ets" that require no make up to shake up. OK that was a little lame. But seriously, more ladies should embrace it! I committed to not wearing make up for 1 whole year in high school and after that point I never wore it more than twice a week (except for when I was student teaching, I bumped it up to three times a week)

5. The bathroom floor is disgusting
Hasn't been officially and completely cleaned in ages. I usually spot check it for chest hair, my hair, dust bunnies, and random stuff that ends up on the floor when someone is coming to our home. I want it to be clean daily but I figured if I remember to pee in the toilet at 3am then the floor isn't so bad. Plus John is a very tidy tinkler so until Caleb begins to want to explore the floors I can put this one off for a bit.

6. There are dishes in the sink
Not as bad as it has been but they are creeping onto the counter. Dishes love to make babies and they seem to keep populating my kitchen! I wish cleaning dishes was as easy as vacuuming. I should invent a hand-led vacuum that instantly cleans your dish. And a robot that takes it back to the cupboard. Any backers? 

7. I am staring at 50 things I want to put away
Not even going to start listing them. If they had eyes they would be boring holes in my soul. I wish I was Matilda and could harness the power of my brain to make things move. I wish all Roald Dahl books could come true. 

8. The microwave door is open
This is a habit that is an understandable pet peeve of John's. Who leaves the door open? Isn't it easy enough to close it? Yes. Yes it is my dears. Yet it is open...because I snatched my lunch from it while I was holding Caleb and forgot to go back and close it when I put either baby or food down. Goodness I feel a little pathetic now. 

9. I am half-clothed
I was so sweaty from my walk with Stephanie (be grateful, it inspired this post) and tore my shirt off to nurse Caleb who was also equally as sweaty. I usually stay this way for a while until I get cold or I need to go outside. At least the pink sports bra is a mommy fashion statement. 

10. My nails are chipping and need to be clipped
I had them done a few weeks ago and  never got around to cleaning them off. I find chips on Caleb after changing him but if I take the nail polish off then that means I can't take care of the other gazillion things I need to do.

11. I have pee on my pants
No, its not my pee. I have been giving Caleb naked time on the floor on a towel. When he is on his back I put said towel over him to trap the pee.  While trying to get ready for my walk I was running around the house getting the stroller ready, shoving a banana in the console, and putting sunscreen on my face so I left Caleb on his back with the towel in the office/changing room. He is such a strong and active baby and he decided that he would like to practice his aim but the towel was very much hindering that ambition. I came back into the office to put a diaper and clothes on him and saw the rug had a suspicious wet spot.  Stephanie was coming any minute so I decided "Well it will dry, and baby pee is mostly water, right?". Two hours later when doing naked tummy time on the floor I sat in the wet spot. And then I never changed. Yep.

12. My son is sleeping with curds of spit-up in his neck rolls
I noticed them after he was asleep when he turned his head. Not worth it to wake him up and see what he thinks about a wet washcloth skimming his sensitive baby skin while he is dreaming of precious things. 

13. My son has one hand of short finger nails and the other one is filled with claws
I can only bite them when he has unclenched fists and that only occurs a few rare times right before he goes to sleep, mostly when he is nursing. I only nurse on one side and last night his right hand was the lucky winner to be within the reaches of my teeth.  

14. I have stinky armpits
Remember how I was rushing out the door? I forgot to put on my husbands deodorant (yeah, my salt crystals aren't cutting it anymore and I haven't gone to walmart since before Caleb was born). I sometimes enjoy smelling like a man. It reminds me of John when he is at work all day. But really now, I need to get my own, its a little weird. But this is a confessional, right?

15. I have ants crawling over me.
I seriously HATE ants. We have had a few intruders that have brought their entire Calvary with them recently. Our molding has some tiny holes that they have entered through and John courageously goes to war with vinegar, paper towels, ant traps, and a caulk gun frequently. The most recent scouts must be under our couch because they have been crawling up the walls and getting onto the couch somehow. And onto me. I told John this morning I swear one bit me because I felt a pinch and looked down to what I had swatted and it was the carcass of an ant. I have killed three since starting this blog post.

TAAAA-DAAAA!
Now its your turn.... be bold and believe that people won't love you less when you are honest with where you are at, they will love you more ans appreciate the honesty. If they are harsh and judge you or shame you, maybe they aren't really someone with which you should keep company.  What are your version of "Dirty Girl Confessionals"?