Homemade Wreath

Thanks to a challenge on Justmommies, I had to spend some time doing arts and crafts with the boys this weekend, well with Collin technically.

The boys and I were going to do the hand turkeys, but on our family walk we found some good lookin' pine cones. Yep I check out pine cones, ya gotta problem with that?

Next I had to come up with something to do with them and Thomas decided we should make a circle to hang on the door like other people have

The boys & I painted the pine cones red and green:



Then we all went outside and clipped some branches off the bush out front.
I tied it all on a metal hanger Tom shaped into a circle for us.
And here is the finished project:

Santa Already?

Bailey could care less, Collin was petrified, & Thomas.. he wants presents now!
Collin refused to set one foot near Santa, in fact screamed before and after this was snapped. I had to hold him to get this photo taken.


I guess Santa at the mall is out this year?

Thomas' 1st School Pictures, plus..

Thomas had his 1st school picture taken on October 21st. In addition to the regular school portrait they also did sibling pictures. We got a photo of the three kids for the 1st time together in a portrait.

(Click to zoom)

Wordless Wednesday

Babywearing

I have always loved the idea of baby wearing, from the time I had Thomas, but just couldn't get into it. I think I wore him a handful of times in his snugli front carrier

With Collin, I wore him every time we went grocery shopping until he could sit up in the cart himself, and when going for family walks. So until he was 11 months old. Again in the snugli front carrier.

Now this time, it is much harder. Three kids are impossible in the grocery store, especially since Collin needs the seat in the cart. So I am wearing Bailey. I started with the snugli but she doesn't hold her head well enough for it. We went to the sling. I hate it. It looks sooo uncomfortable. I was then given a Moby Wrap from a good friend on Justmommies. I love it so much! Not only can I get things done while wearing her, but I can nurse her at the same time! Who knew how convenient it would be to feed hands free? I can get laundry folded unload/load the dishwasher, do anything! (Accept bend down and get up with ease, but I hear it gets better.)

I love wearing my baby girl and keeping her close <3

Photo Of The Moment

Picture of the Moment->> ((POTM))

Girl Scouts Tag-A-Long(R) Smoothie

MMM! I have been a smoothie whore for the past three weeks or so and am currently out of yogurt so I went scouring the web for something new and came across this PB Smoothie Recipe:

1 banana
3 tbsp. PB (smooth or crunchy) -I chose crunchy
2 tbsp choc. syrup
1 cup milk
ice (enough to get whatever texture you want, I did 6 cubes)

I decided since I had girl scout cookies to add a row (5 cookies) of tag-a-longs to mine. Wow! You have gotta like peanut butter a lot to enjoy this but my goodness, it is yummy! SOOOO creamy and peanut butter-y! I love it. Also, added 1/2 cup of uncooked old fashioned oatmeal to give it texture since it was so creamy lol

Off to enjoy the rest.

Just FYI, I have been enjoying 2 smoothies per day as replacements for breakfast and lunch as a way to get in calories for breastfeeding and making sure they are healthy calories for the most part (not so much with adding 2.5 servings of cookies lol)

5 wk portraits

Click Here!
(photos to come to post in AM!)

Motivation, Planning, & Routine

Motivation: Is my flabby bulging tummy, fat arms, thunder thighs, and my jeans that are tighter now than one week post-partum.

Plan: Eat right and exercise

Routine: I have no idea! Anyone have any suggestions on healthy ways for a busy, nursing mommy to lose weight?

I know I have to diet w/o cutting calories. I cannot focus on calories, I just have to stop eating junk and start making healthy choices. I need to stop eating a whole Halloween bag of Reese's, I should have PB on wheat crackers or toast.

As for exercise, I plan on hitting the gym eventually as my cousin's guest as he told me I could. It's getting the courage to go there. For now I have walking and the Wii. I have Wii fit, which I plan on doing the balancing, yoga, and areobic's to work on my posture and flexibility; and Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, which I plan on using to burn kcal's. It is all boxing which is awesome to get out my frustration in a healthy manner. I also plan on doing yoga a few times a week in the early morning or before bed or both.

I need to figure out how to do all this without jeopardizing my nursing relationship with my baby girl, and I will!

Lady Bailey: One Month

Miss Bailey Grace is one whole month old today. I know I have been a complete slacker here. When I named this blog "The Unexpected" I really had no clue it would relate to more than just my pregnancy. Having a girl is so different than a boy. Bailey is still such a newborn. We find out her weight tomorrow. Just a week ago tomorrow, she still was yet to get back to her birth weight. She is still in her newborn clothes and diapers. She is mostly breastfeeding. When she is finished with 2 or 3 feeding during the evening, I will give her 2 oz of expressed breast milk or formula. If I was able to pump more, I would be able to cut out formula. I hate giving it to her. Her pediatrician was not happy she was still 3 oz away from her birth weight at 3w4d. She is sleeping through the night depending on what time I get up for the day. (8/9m-4:30/5a) Then back to sleep until about 7, then quiet and content until whatever time everyone leaves the bed.

Before kids, I never wanted to breast feed, was so against baby wearing and co-sleeping. Now, Bailey joins us when she wakes in the early morning. I already mentioned her eating. And, every time we leave the house, minus a couple family walks, she is in the Moby Wrap (Thanks to my JM friend Gillian. When I am too lazy to put it on or it isn't already on and we are going for a quick trip, I will use "The Peanut Shell" sling. And even Tom is getting into this attached parenting. He wears her in the snugli (Kinda like the evenflo carriers).

Her Brother's love her. Both are always asking to hold her. Collin doesn't understand he can't pick her up himself and keeps trying. It is sweet. Both boys randomly go and kiss her. Thomas is always calling her "pretty girl." Tom calls her Baby Bailey, and I call her Lady Bailey or Miss Bailey.


Bailey has rolled over twice so far. And has been to the grocery store, the playground, a birthday party, and on more walks than I can count. Saturday she even went trick or treating. Tom was showing her off to everyone. Taking her up to almost everyones door. He was so proud of his "4 week old bat girl."


I will leave you for now, with a promise to be back to normal posting soon. I really need to revamp this blog again and get back to the regularly scheduled programing.

And I will also leave you with my two favorite photos of Lady Bailey.