The time has come...

I have been struggling with this decision for quite a while, but the time has come to say...Goodbye.

The TMG blog has been a big part of my life for more than 2 years and I have put a lot of heart, soul, and time into it.  But over the past 6 months our readership has plummeted and views/comments are non-existent.  It is hard to keep going when you don't have anyone reading or participating.

On top of that, with two kids now, I find that I have next to no time to spare.  And if I do there are things like bathing or applying deoderant or changing my shirt that are a bigger priority than writing for the blog.  I just cannot find the time to sit down and blog.  Like right now, Baby J is napping and Miss A is watching TV...and I feel a heap of mommy guilt for typing this instead of playing with Miss A.

TMG has been my baby for a long time and it is so hard for me to say goodbye to her. *sniff* But I just do not have the time to put into TMG to get her back up and running and being a read-worthy blog.  It took so much time and energy to get her up and running the first time, I don't think I can do it again.  Plus my family is my number one priority and I cannot take time away from them.

I will be leaving the blog on the net for anyone looking around for reviews, info, etc.  And maybe some day down the road I will ressurect her, but for now, TMG is going to lay dormant, full of memories, and packed with some great insights for anyone looking.

I have been so blessed to have been able to create, run, and contribute to this amazing blog.  I have done so many things and had some wonderful opportunities because of this wonderful blog and the blogging world.  To everyone who has helped along the way...a HUGE thank you and a big helping of Gratitude for everything!

Thank you for Two and a Half wonderful years!  It sure was fun!  Be safe.  Be well.  And most of all, be happy!

~*~Laura~*~

PS. If you ever have any questions (cloth diapers or otherwise) feel free to email themommygoods@gmail.com, I would be more than happy to help!


Words from the TMG Contributors:

HI - I've really enjoyed my time here and feel like I've learned a lot. I am re-launching my personal blog "Along The Way" www.andtheycallherblessed.blogspot where I'll be talking about homeschooling, budgeting, cooking, deals and steals, family, Christian life, and anything else that comes to mind! I am hosting some awesome giveaways right now to celebrate my relaunch so come on over and enter now. Hope to see you there.

Blessings - Jessica B

 

I am so thankful that I got to be a part of this blog. I started out really enjoying posting and doing reviews. It was disappointing the lack of viewer participation and I found I lost my ambition to post. With a third child in the mix now, I find that I don't have as much time for being online. Also when I do find the time I don't feel like blogging. I really hope that you all found some of my babywearing series posts helpful and enjoyed the reviews I did as well. Wishing our readers all the best as I bid adieu. - Laura B.

 

 

 

*image from http://www.terrybailey.com/home-1.jpg

*image from http://www.crossfitbalboa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/wallpaper-650912.jpg

desperate

Hi everyone!

I've joined up to an online book club for the book Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe and because so much of it is very personal I'll just be linking up here over to my personal blog for now. If you're interested in reading my thoughts on each chapter then head on over there! :)

desperate: Introduction
desperate: Ideals and Going Under

Jess

Boba Wrap Review

 Look how cozy L is! <3

I was so excited to get to do this review!  You all know how much I love to baby wear!  I was so happy to get the Boba Wrap in time to pack it inside my hospital bag.  As you know, I ended up with an emergency csection, so wasn't feeling up to wearing L in the hospital.  Big bummer. :(  I took some time to heal and get back to myself before wearing him.  I was able to get him nice and high in this carrier, so there was no issue with my incision (vertical). 

I absolutely love this wrap for a newborn!  Just look how snuggled in L is!  It's comfy for baby and for mama!  The wrap distributes the weight of baby evenly! It's so easy to wrap, anyone can do it.  It comes with a wonderful manual, and you can even go online to see how to also!  The first picture I think I had him a bit loose.  I tightened it up and was so pleased to realize how much length this wrap gives you!  I am a plus size mama, and am so happy that Boba doesn't exclude us!  All their carriers are completely usable for any size mama, just as it should be!  No worrying about whether it will fit, is a huge deal to us plus size mamas!
The material is so nice and stretchy it makes for the perfect fit every time.  It's material is what makes this such a comfy wrap for mama and baby!  And since it's so simple to use, it makes it one of the easiest carriers!  No buckles, straps or anything to deal with.

As a mama of 3 children, wearing baby is such a huge help!  My babies are always so content up next to me, and I am getting everything done that I need to.  L is my little monkey, and helps me with laundry, dishes, you name it! He couldn't be comfier in this wrap, he absolutely loves it!

The wrap comes in lots of amazing colors. I chose the brown, and it's the perfect shade!  Reminds me of chocolate. :)  It's very affordable at $38, too! You really can't go wrong with this carrier.  If you'd like to check them out here is the link.  http://store.bobafamily.com/baby-wrap/ 

Baby It's Cold Outside...

So I had another post all planned and ready to go, but decided instead to give a real-time post about this crazy and terrifically unsafe weather that many of us are having!

The wind chill...it's a COLD and SERIOUS factor!

When I saw that the wind chill in States such as North Dakota and Minnesota were reaching the -50's I was stunned!  It has been reaching -10 here in PA with the wind chill and it makes me ponder...

Do we live in the Arctic????

My goodness, it is just COLD.  Actually...it is {expletive here} cold!!!

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family in this CRAZY cold weather?

First of all, pay close attention to the weather and be prepared for inclement weather.  This means extreme heat, extreme cold, storms, etc.  Take appropriate measures for whatever weather you are facing!

The WHO recommends keeping your home temperature between 64-75 degrees.  With young children or elderly, they recommend keeping above 68.  During this extreme cold if your home drops below these lows, please seek shelter somewhere warm!

Now would be a good time to check out your heating system.  Change filters, do maintenance, and most of all if you are using a woodburner, fuel oil, natural gas, kerosene, coal, or gasoline either as a primary or secondary source of heat, please use caution and watch for signs of carbon monoxide!!!

Take extreme caution when going outside!  Dress warmly in multiple layers making sure to cover as much skin as possible.  Do not stay outside for long.  Bundle small kids well and keep a close eye on them.  Watch yourself and others for the signs of hypothermia.  If your body temperature is below 95, seek medical help immediately.

For children riding the school bus, keep them inside until the bus arrives or drive them to the bus stop.  Do not let your children stand outside for long periods of time!

Signs of Hypothermia in Adult
*Shivering
*Exhaustion
*Confusion
*Fumbling
*Memory Loss
*Slurred Speech
*Drowsiness

Signs of Hypothermia in Infants
*Bright Red/Cold Skin
*Very Low Energy

If you have cardiac disease or other medical condition, please follow advisement from your doctor for cold weather precautions.

Another problem in this weather is ice.  The roads are treacherous, side walks are icy, and you never know where or when you are going to slide.  Slow down and take time to make sure you are looking where you are going!

Please Please Please be careful during this extreme weather.  Keep warm.  And be safe going outside.

*Signs of Hypothermia from the CDC
*Photo from Futurity.org

A Tragic End

I'm posting my ending breastfeeding story..... but it felt appropriate to be on my own personal blog so head over here if you want to read it today! :)

Lovely Pocket Diapers

I was fortunate enough to be able to try out the Newborn Stuffable AIO from Lovely Pocket Diapers!  LPD provided me with an adorable red diaper with yellow snaps.  They also come in green, blue, black, white and yellow.  This diaper retails for $11.  It has a built in triple layer insert sewn in, with a pocket also so you can stuff it too! It has three rise snaps, making this diaper fit from approx. 5 to 15 lbs!  Also it features an umbilical snap down with 4 lower waist snaps.

Like I have posted before, my birth with L was quite the rough one with an emergency csection with complications to my eye.  I just wasn't up for dealing with cloth diapers right away.  About a week ago I decided I was ready to dive in, and found that a lot of my diapers just didn't fit him well.  He is so tiny still, about 8 lbs, so not unreasonable sized for a newborn.  He would leak out of the swaddlebees and grovia newborn AIO.  I decided to try using some prefolds and covers and was so pleased with how well they kept in his pee and poop.  I had a leak every diaper change with the others.  So now was time to give the LPD diaper a try.

I was really pleased with how they had put a snap down for the umbilical cord stump.  They even have extra row of snaps underneath the snap down, so you can get a nice snug fit!  L's cord has fallen off so I was able to just use the regular first row to get it nice and snug.  It seemed like this diaper fit much better in his legs than the other AIO's I'd tried. The others seemed to all have a gap at his leg.

I was a bit nervous as he is a long sleeper.  He fell asleep and I layed him down wondering if this diaper would hold up.  Well when he woke he had pooped.  Nothing came out of this diaper!! Yay!  With the double leg gussets it all stayed in wonderfully!  And the great thing about this diaper is that it is stuffable!  So if you do find that your baby wets more than it can hold, you can add more absorbancy!  Though I didn't find that I needed to, every baby is different.

   I couldn't be more pleased with this LPD newborn AIO!  At $11 it is extremely reasonably priced!  I know my DH loves to be able to just grab a cloth diaper and be able to put it on like a sposie.  He's not really wanting to deal with prefolds and covers.  So this diaper was perfect.  It is easy peasy and didn't leak!! Easy peasy isn't much fun when you have to change outfits every diaper change!  So glad this AIO actually fit the bill!  If you'd like to check out Lovely Pocket Diapers and their amazing Newborn Stuffable AIO, here is the link. http://www.lovelypocketdiapers.com/newborn.html  There is nothing better than supporting a WAHM and getting an amazing product at the same time!!

Can you tell by this picture that Mr L does not like his diaper changed!! LOL <3

~Laura B

Pardon Our Dust...We are always Improving!

Over the next few weeks and months, there are going to be some changes occurring on the blog.  We have noticed a HUGE drop in readership, views, participation, etc.  We are working to improve and get back up and running, but we can of course use your input!!

So, do you have any ideas for where you would like us to head next or what we can do to improve?  Any topics that you would like to see or like to hear more on?

There are going to be personnel changes and even some topic changes, but we are still working everything out so STAY TUNED!  We will be asking for blog contributors in the near future, so stay tuned for details on that!

But please...let us know what you would like to see and any ideas on what we can do to get things back up and SINGING! :)

Wish us luck!

90 Day Challenge!

So, after Cub was born, I found he had numerous food allergies and sensitivities along with acid reflux.  Funny enough, he was and still is the happiest and most relaxed kid around--you'd never ever know he had anything like that going on.  In order to nurse, I had to cut out all top allergens plus corn.  Today, we are a corn, soy and peanut free house...I am still dairy and wheat free (and I cut out red meat.)  I'm not saying it was easy, but it became a way of life for all three of us.  Cub has no idea what candy tastes like, ice cream is made from coconut milk and sugar has been completely replaced with agave.

I'm going to put some numbers out there into the online world that have always been difficult for me to stomach.  162...the weight I was when I got pregnant with Cub.  Over 208 pounds...the weight I was when I went into the hospital to give birth (I'm sure it was at least 10 pounds more, this was just the last number my OB's office let slip.)  132...the weight I am currently, with a 2 1/2 year old.  This drastic weight change was ALL due to diet change.  I cut out dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts/tree nuts, fish/shellfish and corn.  WHAT did I eat???  All veggies, fruit (nothing that would aggravate his reflux, let me add that!) chicken, turkey and rice based pasta.  I survived!  I managed to find things even when we ate out (which wasn't that often anyway.)  Admittedly there was little to no exercising.  I am 32 (wince) and I have noticed that although I am "thin" I am somewhat "skinny fat" where I am saggy.  So... 

This brings me to my 90 Day Challenge.  I joined Daddyguy's gym.  It's not a huge chain, it's a smaller almost boutique gym with a small and amazing staff, fantastic members and a FAB child care room that Cub totally loves.  They are having a "Fit For Life" challenge.  90 days to fabulousness is what I'm looking forward to.  I want thin and strong not thin and flabby!!  There is a $10,000 prize according to all kinds of points (challenges, % body fat dropped, % muscle added, etc) but the real prize is getting fit, adding years onto my life and making the gym a habit--the food thing is way easy at this point--it's the getting off my butt after work that's the hardest part for me (I also have an underactive thyroid...makes it even harder sometimes!)

Today is Day 1. Who's with me?
<3 jen

Some awesome giveaways!

Hello all!!!

I am so excited about this new book out - I have been secretly stalking Miss Sarah Mae for awhile now and she puts together this really awesome conference that so far just hasn't worked out for me to attend.  But Lord willing some day I might get to go.

But her new book.... oh I am giddy waiting for it to arrive in the mail. I can not wait to read it. And right now with three little ones who take an extreme amount of my time every single day.... I need this. I want this.  I am so excited to have this!  :)

This book is now #70 on Amazon - how cool is that!!  And the price keeps getting lower and lower - it's under $10 now. 


I am also REALLY excited about all the awesome giveaways she has going on right now -

FREE Coffee for a Year
Personal Spiritual Retreat for two
FREE Massages fora Year (I would love this one!)
Spa/Mentoring weekend with Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson (writers of the book)
FREE Housecleaning for a Year

Um how amazing are those giveaways.... if you enter and win be sure to come back and let us know.

Breastfeeding Tips to Success!

So with the dawn of a new year and so many people either in the midst of or looking forward to nursing their little baby, I decided today to dedicate a post solely to breastfeeding tips and my recommendations/ favorite items.  Please feel free to comment and add your own tips for Breastfeeding success!

For those of you with medical concerns, who are Fostering/Adopting, chose not to breastfeed, or have other issues impeding your ability to actually put baby to breast...you can always use donated milk or formula and still enjoy the snuggling and bonding with your baby.  But for the purposes of this post, I am going to give tips  for the mamas putting baby to breast.

What you need...

#1. Baby obviously!

Followed closely by...

#2.  BOOBS!  Um, hello!  This is a must!  So for the male half of the population...SORRY!

#3. A comfy spot to nurse.  One of my number one recommendations for all new moms is to be comfy.  If you are not comfy and relaxed, baby will not be comfy and relaxed, and will not latch/suck/nurse.  So find the perfect place for you and baby...a nice, quiet, peaceful, relaxing, and most importantly comfy place to nurse.  There are tons of positions to nurse in...so you need to find the position that works and a comfy place (couch, chair, bed, etc) to nurse in that perfect position.

#4. A nursing pillow.  Some people do no use one...but the vast majority of people will recommend the pillow.  I have tried a few and by far my favorite is the Boppy.  Even bigger recommendation...spring for the jersey knit covers for your Boppy pillow!  They are so nice, comfy, and stretchy...they actually give your Boppy more room to move and adapt to your form.  LOVE them!

#5. Nursing pads.  With my first baby, I really only leaked when my boobs were full...in the morning or after a long shift at work with no pumping.  So I didn't need quite as many nursing pads.  This time around the boobs are much leakier!  I guess like most things...they don't work quite as well the second time around! LOL!  Either way...nursing pads are a MUST!  Disposables are there for your convenience but reusable nursing pads are FABULOUS!  They are so nice against sore nipples and hand washing is a cinch!  Plus you never run out!  My faves are Bamboobies.  Yeah, they are a little pricey but totally worth it!!!

#6. Nipple Cream.  New mamas, make sure this item is in your hospital bag!  Most hospitals do have samples...but make sure you have some!  Those first few days of nursing are brutal on your nipples!  These little outposts of flesh are not used to forceful sucking, gumming, and saliva being on them!  They can get ouchy in a hurry so make sure to keep ointment (or colostrum) on them so they don't get cracked/bruised/bloody/etc.  Colostrum is a WONDERFUL for sore nipples but in those first few days, ointments are actually a much better barrier and keep nipples healthier!  There are tons of creams from brands such as Lansinoh and Medela and natural ones too!

#7.  Breastfeeding attire.  There are tons of PRICEY items out there for breastfeeding attire.  Not sure why they are so dang expensive, but if you want the convenience, I guess you have to pay up!

First...Bras!  You need good bras!  If you are going to splurge...splurge HERE!  Nursing bras are a must and there are a TON of crappy ones out there.  With Miss A, I just used cheapie brand nursing bras...they were ok but not really comfortable.  This time around I treated myself and bought Bravado Body Silk Seamless nursing bras and they are to DIE FOR!!!  Honestly, they are worth every penny!!!

Nursing Tank Tops.  Ok, so these are optional.  With my first and my second, a large part of my wardrobe around the house is capris, a tank top, and a long sleeve t-shirt over.  This is my day to day outfit.  So nursing tank tops are a MUST for me!  They are so convenient and so comfy.  You can wear them all day, sleep in them, wear them under shirts, whatever you want!  You can wear them with a bra or in place of a bra (YES!).  They are just about the perfect thing!  My favorite nursing tank tops are Glamourmom tank tops!

Nursing Pajamas.  Also optional but oh so helpful for those middle of the night feedings!  I generally sleep in the nursing tank top (above) but there are so many nice nursing pajamas out there with nice roomy openings for nursing in the wee hours!  Nursing Pajamas are also a wonderful item for the hospital bag.  They are roomy and comfy for post-partum soreness and easy to nurse in!

Shirts.  Any shirt can be a nursing shirt, just lift from the bottom or pull down the top.  But if you are looking for something a little more modest or nursing friendly, there are tops made with an array of different openings to aid in the nursing process!

#8. A Nursing Cover.  Inevitably, you will have to nurse in public (NIP).  Maybe it is at your mom's house, or the mall, or somewhere else.  But you will find a time when you need to nurse and cannot get away to do so privately.  (I am vehemently against nursing in a restroom)  So a good nursing cover is a great thing to have in your diaper bag!  There are tons of great ones out there...Hooter Hiders, Bebe Au Lait, etc!!

#9. Pumping.

I recommend ALL nursing moms have a manual hand breast pump from day ONE!  You never know when/why you might need it!  With the guidance of a medical professional, a breast pump can be used to stimulate labor.  (always consult your doctor/midwife/etc before attempting this)  The manual pump can also be used after delivery to stimulate milk production, relieve engorgement, and store milk!  I recommend the Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump.

If you plan to go back to work or plan on serious pumping, a double electric pump may be a wise investment!  The double pump can increase how much milk you pump while cutting your time spent pumping down!  I recommend the Ameda Purely Yours Double Electric Breast Pump.

Milk Bags/Bottles/Etc for storage.  You need a way to store all of that prized liquid gold!!!  My personal favorite are Lasinoh Milk Storage bags and my #1 tip it to freeze them laying down and then transfer to a standing position so you can read the labels easier!

Along with pumping, you will need bottles...this is a trial and error with your baby.  Some babies will take any bottle and some will only take a certain kind.

If you are going to do serious pumping, a hands-free pumping bra also might be a great investment!  This is great if you are pumping a lot and/or have things to do or other kids to care for.  Your hands can be free to do whatever and you are still pumping! :)  I recommend the PumpEase hands-free nursing bra!


Hmmm....what am I forgetting?  Ladies?  Those are my tips!  If you need any help or have questions, please email or comment below!  Fellow nursing mamas, feel free to leave tips and experiences below! :)

A quick update

So I have been missing in action for quite awhile.  I decided to take a bit of a break from blogging and just enjoy and savor the last days of my last pregnancy.  I am now savoring my newborn, and plan to be MIA a bit more.  I will eventually have a review for a wonderful Boba wrap and a newborn diaper I was given to try!  Until then you will probably not hear from me.  See on Dec 24th, my blood pressure went hay wire and I ended up with an emergency c section.  We are so blessed that myself and baby are fine.  I had some damage to my left eye though, and am seeing double.  Therefore I have to wear a patch on my eye and give it time to heal.  We are praying that it heals quickly and I am back 100%.  I am healing up well from my vertical c section incision.  Since it was an emergency I got lucky and now will have a lovely zipper down my belly! ;)  The best part of the whole horrible whirl wind of that day was that I was able to be awake and hear my baby's first cry.  My husband was allowed to be by my side, and I got to hear the moment the baby was out "BOY"!!! We were blessed with another son.  So our family is now complete!  I intend to stay offline as much as possible to savor these precious days.  God blessed me beyond belief and I plan on savoring all my blessings this year and the years to come.  I hope you all had a blessed holiday season and the new year finds you all in good health and fortune. 

Need some help?

It's a new year - which normally means new years resolutions for everyone right?

I have just the book to help you tackle those large projects you're now convinced you need to get done.

And I'm serious - this book will help you.

21 Days To A More Disciplined Life - Kindle Version
21 Days To A More Disciplined Life - PDF Version

It is such a simple and straight forward design to help you tackle getting more disciplined in your life. In 21 easy days she'll help you reach your goals. She helps you to break them down into small pieces and spread them out all while giving you amazing pieces of advice and encouragement.

This is the quote that got me -

"Instead of addressing the root issue - my own, personal lack of self-discipline - I convince myself that a fancy new system or a change in circumstances will fix the problem."

Bingo... I have so many printables, filing systems, binders, books that I was convinced were going to help me but when I never follow through on them because the task is just too big and overwhelming well they don't do me any good except to help me go over budget :(   Well this book will not make you go over budget - starting today (Thursday) until Saturday the book is on sale for only 99cents!!!!

A complete worthwhile investment in my opinion.  :)  I've already started my 21 day journey and I'm loving it so far.

Anyone need some moolah?

Well Christmas is over and I'm already starting to think about next year.  I spent way too much 'last minute' money on gifts.

Next year I'm going to plan ahead better and have more 'free' money to spend.  How you ask?

Mystery Shopping!

Bestmark is a company that I am very active in and participate at least once or twice a month (But I'm going to increase my number of activities per month to tuck away some more money).  If you have any questions please comment below and I will try my hardest to answer them for you.

Right now they have lots of active recruiting areas - DuBois, Somerset, St. Marys, Altoona, Mechanicsburg - PA; Youngstown, Warren, Akron - OH; Depew, Buffalo, Orchard Park - NY; and Warrenton - VA to name just a few.

Plus - if you have or have access to (you don't have to personally own it) a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, or GMC you can become eligible for FREE auto services PLUS bonus cash payments upwards to a $100!  My mom has personally done this shop and was very pleased with how easy it was and how much money she was paid to do it.

All you do to sign up is go here - and put my shopper ID - PA7978 in the application as the person who referred you.  If after you sign up and you select a shop please comment below and I'll email you to help you through your first one.  Once you submit everything they will send you a check for your payment (no worrying about amazon gift cards or paypal credits).

I really highly recommend this program :) You'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly the money adds up.

I did it again....

yep. I did it again.

she chomped down on me and I yelled.  ugh... it just hurts so bad and it's so sudden... it's just instinct and reaction. boo. boo. boo.

why can't she just give me a slight warning... a little pressure before she chomps down so I can be prepared and react better. 

so we are now on our 2nd nursing strike.... and she's sick.....and she's tired.... and I'm tired.... and I'm stressed (Christmas is like 5 days away and I am no where close to being ready!)... this is not a good combination at all. 

sigh.  maybe we'll get through it.  maybe we won't.  maybe this will be the end of our nursing relationship.  maybe it won't.  i really don't know.... all i know is right now i could use a good cry, a soak in a big tub, a nice long nap, and three children who were behaving.  but knowing that's not going to happen... i'm off to make use of the 30 minutes of rest time for my oldest, pop open a can of pepsi, find some hidden Christmas cookies and retreat into a good book for about 10 minutes.....  and then figure out what the heck i'm going to do next. 

Some of my favs

So as a blogger you never know who you're helping or annoying by posting links... but just in the past few days I've had a couple friends let me know that they have appreciated some of the links I have been posting lately.  And well that made me warm inside! So here I am sharing with you my favorite articles from the past month or so.  They may not pertain to me directly (no newborn here) but they sure are full of valuable information to tuck away for future use!

Hugs to all of you and I hope you are all enjoying a peaceful holiday season (I on the other hand haven't wrapped one gift yet - eek!)

The Root of Yelling - Sadly having #3 has brought out the worst in me at times :(

Where's the Baby, Ma'am - hilarious post about trying to share unwanted formula!

Breastfeeding a new baby - this letter from a newborn to it's mommy may just make you cry (I did!)

Finding Joy: dear mom who likes everything perfect - This is just a plain awesome post. period.

Avoiding early holiday weaning - I am just thankful some friends found this helpful.

*to anyone who would like to read all the dear mom letters - here's a link to her site. 

Hey Ma! Look at me!

So I will be honest...I have been so busy this past week with...POTTY TRAINING...that I didn't have a chance to start my reviews on the trainers yet!  So while Miss A is at school this morning and Baby J is napping, I decided to fill you in on the HUGE progress we have made this week with my stubborn little potty learner!

Last Tuesday we FINALLY had our first potty hit...Miss A's very first pee in the potty!!  At 3 1/2, it was bound to happen soon!  And mama was *so proud* and just made the biggest deal about it so that Miss A would get the idea that this is a good thing!!!  We did more potty sitting Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday but with school and other things going on, we didn't have a hit.  She seemed to be waiting and specifically going in her trainer.  Even when I kept her naked, she would hold it and then go in her trainer at nap time.  So I knew that naked time would work!!  DH and I decided that we were going to get all of our errands done on Friday so that we could be home all weekend and let Miss A run naked with two parents to watch her and care for Baby J!

So Saturday morning arrived.  DH and I were both nervous and dreading the fight that was to come.  As soon as she got up, we stripped her and had the potty talk once more!  She got up around 9...it took her until 2:00 to finally pee on the potty!!!  This girl can HOLD IT!  She had 3 sippy cups of milk in her and two meals!  And FINALLY she peed on the potty!  DH and I had promised a trip to Chuck E Cheese when she peed on the potty (my least favorite place especially on a Saturday) so we packed the kids up and headed to  CEC!  While there, I needed to use the restroom and for the first time ever, I asked if she wanted to come and she said YES!  So we marched to the bathroom and she sat on the potty.  After a few minutes she said "all done potty" but she hadn't peed.  So I asked her if she needed to pee and she said "no."  Oh well, I still chalk that up to a success because she is becoming aware!

Sunday we again got her up and stripped her immediately!  It took her until 1:00.  LOL!  This kid is so stubborn!!!  But this is still HUGE progress!

Monday was by far the biggest surprise!  I was nervous to be alone with a potty training naked toddler and a 6 month old...but this was a good thing!  Miss A has reached the point with potty training that she can run around and play and then run to the potty when she needs to go!  TWICE on Monday she peed on the potty!!!!  And neither time did I or DH say or do anything.  She was playing and then ran for the potty and peed!!!  Mama is SOOOO proud!!!  Naked time WORKS!

Yesterday (Tuesday) we had a small set back but also a HUGE success!  Yesterday our internet was out and I had to call the cable man to come out and look at it.  While we were waiting for him to come...Miss A pooped on the potty for the first time!!!  We had been trying all weekend to get her to poop on the potty but she would hold it and go in her trainer at nap time. :(  But yesterday we finally got a poop!  YAY!!!  Then when the cable man pulled up to our house I had to throw a trainer and pants on Miss A...can't have a naked kid running around with a strange man...the cable guy was at our house for an hour and a half and Miss A peed in her trainer.  Boo.  Such a high and low day.

Today Miss A is at school.  Her teachers are *wonderful* and when I explained to them this morning that she was doing so well they were SO excited and agree to ask her later if she needs to use the potty!  I guarantee that she will say no...but they agreed to plant that little seed in her brain! ;)  She tends to hold her pee while at school so maybe she will pee when she gets home!!!  *fingers crossed!*

So naked time is going WONDERFULLY!!!  For those of you dealing with difficult and stubborn potty learners...I highly recommend naked time!  Hopefully your child won't hold it to the point of explosion like mine!!!  I just don't know how we are going to transition back into pants!!! LOL!  She does amazingly well when she is naked!  But ANY time she is in pants of any kind...pull-up (for school), cloth trainer, big girl underwear, etc she just pees.  Not sure how to get her to stop doing that.  We are still early in the potty learning process, so I'm hoping it just *clicks* and she is good to go! :)

One other tip to share...Potty Presents!!!  We first got Miss A to pee on the potty promising Chuck E Cheese!  Obviously the prizes needed to come down in cost! LOL!  So we have a bin filled with toys and treats from the dollar store!!!  She loves to pick out the next prize, we sit it on the entertainment center, and then when she pees she finally gets to have it!  Then she picks out the next one and we have to work toward that prize!  I was just going to keep the bin of prizes handy and let her pick when she goes, but she likes to know what she is getting next!  Hey, whatever works!!!

Next week I hope to start getting the reviews up for the cloth trainers.  That is my plan.  But I may wait and see how Miss A does with the potty.  She definitely has some that she prefers and some that she doesn't love.  I am going to rate them based on absorbency, fit, how mom likes them, how toddler likes them, if they are good for night time, washing, and cost.  Is there anything else you want to know about the trainers?

Stay tuned for our continuing adventure in Potty Training!!

Nursing Status

I've been hitting the blog pretty heavy lately with all my Christmas deals and ways to save or make money - thought I would go a different route this morning.  (But if you're interested in those - click on my label Jess B below and all my past posts will show up!).

Thought I'd give you a nursing update... my little girl is now 1 yr, 1 month, and 1 week. :) It's gone by so fast and she seems to be accomplishing things much faster then my other two.  Except talking - she feels no need and that grunts or screams get her exactly what she needs - which they do because my older two completely dote on her. Eh... it will come eventually.  So yes I am *that* person who is now nursing a toddler! GASP

I worked full-time up until I was 5 months pregnant with our third so day weaning really wasn't an issue with my first two children.  But at 11 months we were still nursing every 3 hours (except night time) with miss N. I had no idea how I was going to start spreading those out (and honestly I wasn't sure I wanted to).  I love to nurse my babies.  While I enjoy being pregnant the thing I really look forward to is nursing - the way God created our bodies to nourish our own offspring just blows my mind. 

But slowly and surely we started to spread them out - this is how my day looks now:

Either middle of the night or early morning session (between 3am-6am)
After she gets up for the morning she's more interested in eating table food so her next nursing session is about mid-morning (when I'm trying to start school of course!)
Then she eats lunch and will nurse right before she goes down for her nap.
After her nap she may want a quick snack and then eats dinner with us.
Then it's the bedtime feeding. 

The thing is these nursing sessions are only about 10 minutes long each time.... short and too the point.  I'm torn about that.... I love to nurse and I think she's going to be a self-weaner early.  I nursed Miss L until 14 months, and Mr J until almost 16 months - but only first thing in the morning and bedtime.

Who knows... she might become interested again or we'll just slow and steady drift off I'm not sure.  There are times where she knows what she wants and will get it one way or another.... by climbing up under my shirt. ha! I love my little munchkin!  This hasn't been an easy journey with her - we've had some bumps along the way (remember the nursing strike?).  But I'm sad to say I think we're on the tail end of this journey and I'm not sure I'm ready to end it :(

Is that crazy?

Ode to a Potty

Most of you know about our on-going quest for potty training with Miss A.  It has been (and still is) quite the ride!!!  She has been completely anti-potty and still is!  But mama knows that at 3 1/2 she needs to be thinking about it!  She will be headed off to Pre-K next year and HAS to be potty trained or no school!  We were quite lucky to find a Preschool that would take her not fully potty trained.  Since it is only 2 mornings a week it is not that big of a problem!  Most days she comes home and her trainer is completely dry!  She can definitely hold it and is in control of her bladder and bowel!  But trying to get this chick to go on the potty is like trying to climb Mount Everest using only your teeth...it's impossible!!!

Yesterday, we had a break through...or at least I hope we did!  Miss A peed on the potty for the VERY FIRST TIME!!!

Yesterday was day two of the potty sit.  I started making her sit until she pees.  Monday it didn't work because after 2 1/2 hours of potty sitting, Baby J needed me and I had to put Miss A in a trainer.  Within a minute of being back in training pants...she peed!  I was upset but this proved that she was just holding it to go in her pants. :(  So I decided that yesterday she was going to sit there until she peed.  So after 3 hours of sitting and 2 sippy cups of milk...SHE PEED!!!  We had the biggest, loudest, wildest party!!!  We danced, we sang, we yelled, we clapped, she got candy, a sticker on her potty chart, and Daddy came home for lunch with a big cookie for her!

So we partied and made a big deal hoping to put that imprint in her head that she is to pee on the potty!

And then we had a small set back.  After she peed in the potty and we danced and partied...she asked for underpants.  I was getting ready to make lunch anyway and the little chick hates being naked, so I put a Blueberry trainer on her and went to make lunch.

A few minutes later she came to me grabbing her crotch.  She had SOAKED her trainer. :(  Apparently she had not fully emptied her bladder and had finished the job in her underpants.

I was bummed.  I went from excitement and the beaming mother to bummed in no time!  I knew that she wouldn't potty train at the snap of my fingers but DANG that was a blow!

Today she has school, so today is a set back in and of its own because we are not potty sitting.  Tomorrow we will potty sit again and see if she will pee sooner on her own.  Because there was some pee in the potty and then she emptied in her underpants, I am not sure if she was in control of the pee in the potty or if she just could not hold it anymore and some came out.  What do you think?  Has this happened to you while training?

But now that she has gone in the potty once and we made a big deal about it, I am hoping that the concept is in her brain and she will catch on!  If for no other reason than the candy and the party!!! :)

Do you have any ideas or tips for the stubborn potty learner?  I am open to anything!  I think I have tried everything...LOL!!!

Or if you have a child with a speech or developmental delay, how did you overcome potty training?  I still wonder if the speech delay might be part of our problem, but I have found that she uses this as a crutch at times.  She is smarter than we sometimes give her credit! LOL!!!  For more on her speech delay, go here.

Are you currently potty training?  How's it going?

And if you have used or are using cloth trainers, what have you used?  What have you liked/disliked?  For more on what brand I will be reviewing, go here.  If there is a brand that you are interested in seeing a review for, please leave a comment below!

***The Minnie Mouse Potty in the picture above is the same one that Miss A uses.  It is much easier to have this in the living room than trying to potty sit in the Bathroom for hours and hours.  Cute potty is a MUST for the stubborn potty trainer!***

Swag, Amazon, and Gluten Free Stuff

I recently was able to bless another family by getting some awesome gluten free stuff from Amazon and it's much easier then you think - may take a bit of time but it's so worth it!

So to get some free stuff off of Jess's Amazon Page

• sign up for swagbucks here.
• download the tool bar and search for everything possible - multiple times a day (gmail is searched at least 10 times a day) There are many ways to earn swagbucks - taking surveys, printing coupons, watching tv, playing games, etc. I sadly do not have time for those and basically just search whenever I'm on the computer.
• Once you earn some swagbucks and reach 450 - redeem for a $5 e-amazon gift card.  (they will start to accumulate quickly don't worry).  You can redeem multiple e-amazon gift cards and just stockpile them for a large order. 

Then go here to shop Jess's Amazon Page (This is my affiliate link and it's like leaving me a virtual tip that doesn't come out of your pocket - I am saving for my daughters next specialist appointment)

Please bookmark this as your amazon shopping page (Jess's Amazon Page)and I'll be forever grateful to you! And share with others too - everyone shops Amazon and it's great that they have this program to help us small bloggers!

Below are some of the great deals that have been out there lately:

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix, 16-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4)
Bob's Red Mill Organic 7 Grain Pancake & Waffle, Whole Grain Mix, 26-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4)
Bob's Red Mill Organic High Fiber Pancake & Waffle, Whole Grain Mix, 26-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4)

*Please ignore the annoying little white boxes behind my links.  I can't figure out why they are there or how to remove them :) 

Cyber Monday Deals

Here are some of the deals I've found for Cyber Monday - as I find more I will try to update this page! Happy Shopping! :)

eMeals - 30% with the code CYBER  You can read my review on this awesome program here.  This would make a great gift for a busy mom or someone who is trying to eat healthy for the new year!

Amazon - insane deals and steals.  If at all possible if you are buying via Amazon - please go through my link! :) Jess's Amazon page Right now they have the Kindle Fire for $129 - just enter FIREDEAL at checkout (Limit 1 per person)..... I have this on my wish list!!!

And don't forget no matter where you are shopping online go through ebates or shopathome to get 1-10% cash back at participating retailers (which is almost all of them!).  This is like free money and the check you'll get after the new year will be much appreciated!  These programs are above and beyond any cash back you'll receive from credit cards - if you shop on line it's really silly to not belong to these program.

- When you join ebates after making your first $25 purchase you'll receive a free $10 gift card of your choice.
- When you join shopathome you'll receive a $5 credit to you account.

*The above are my affiliate links - they money earned goes towards my daughters specialist doctor appointments.