Easy weight loss and stretch mark reduction...no, really!

Dear Monster,

   I will always say that I am lucky because I only gained 20lbs while I was pregnant with you. However, only 2lbs 7oz of that was actually you! So, after you were born I had some work to do. Loooots of work to do. I'm back to a little less than my pre-pregnancy weight so I'm happy with how I look but my post pregnancy body was NOT something I was warned about. In the end, you're here, you're happy and you're healthy and I would give up my flawless skin and skinny hips for that over and over and over again! Love you HoneyBee!
~~~

POST PREGNANCY WEIGHT!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!! Tack onto that the struggles with postpartum depression, stretch marks, and trying to find a desperate moment to sleep...*sigh* Life as a brand new Mom is not what the books and stories make it out to be. Go to google, go to Pinterest, go to the library and there are millions upon million of ideas, tips, and recommendations for how to lose the extra pounds and get back to happy and healthy. I have tried all of them! Diets, work outs, lotions, meditation, naps, reading, writing, talking, quiet moments, bah! Nothing worked 100%.

Well, today I am here to help with TWO things. Weight, and stretch marks! Don't fret, we'll get to the mental health on another day but I find it is easier to feel good on the inside when you are feeling better on the outside. Keep in mind that no woman should ever be ashamed of her stretch marks. It is tangible evidence of just how bad ass our female bodies are. I mean, come on, WE DUPLICATE! If the only evidence of our amazing duplication is that our wonderful curves are a little bit more enhanced and our skin stretches just a little, I think we're still doing pretty damn well!

Let's start with stretch marks! If they are just bothering you to the point of distraction, I have a solution for you that might actually work. I have tried Lanolin, Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E, A&D Ointment, massage therapy...the list goes on and on and on. Through all of this I have found ONE product that works. It made my stretch marks completely disappear! I came upon it through one of my favorite people in the whole world, Miss Lacey, a best friend of mine! We just grabbed one of the massage bars by chance and holy guacamole, was I surprised! Here it is ladies:

Wiccy Magic Muscles Massage Bar

You can purchase this wonderful piece of heaven at any Lush (<~ that link will take you to the Store Locator!) location or you can purchase it online. I don't know why it works, but it did for me. You can't even see my stretch marks! The second best part?? It has drastically reduced my scar from my C-section! It wasn't a beast to begin with but it has brought it down to practically nothing! Even better? It's happened over the last month! AHHH! I love this freaking thing! So, give it a try, see if you like it. Oooo...and it smells like cinnamon! My husband follows me are the house smelling me and calling me his "Cinnamon Wife" for 12 hours after I use this thing! On the site there is a video that explains how to use it, there is a description of what's in it and why, and you can have it in your hot little hand in one week for approximately $17 with shipping! The bar itself is around $11 if you buy it in stores. Oh, and by the way, it lasts f-o-r-e-v-e-r!!

Now that we're working on that problem, lets move onto getting that baby weight off! I'm going to be completely honest with you here...working out and getting back into shape was on the absolute bottom of my worry list post-pregnancy. Finding time between putting bottles together, sleeping, playing, working, doctor's appointments, physical therapy appointments, and living in general was just not even a possibility. So, after trying a ton of different work outs and work our regimens I came to the conclusion that I had one basic problem: Liam. Anytime I would try to work out or go for a simple walk Liam needed or wanted something different and Mommy's ajenda was no longer a possibility. My solution? INCLUDE THE MONSTER! How simple is that? He works great as weight resistance and he has tons of fun sitting with me and flying through the air! Plus, he is constantly growing so I am always being challenged! No plateauing for me! Are you ready for some simple work outs that include your kiddo?? Master Tip: Do these workouts around an hour after your kiddo eats. Don't do it right before food time and absolutely DO NOT do them right after! Vomit city is coming your way if you do. Ha ha ha

Here we go! (Preface: Sorry about the pictures, I'm not a professional and we had to get them while Liam was in a good mood which is rough right now because he is teething and he got vaccines yesterday! Eek!)

Warm up: Baby Dancing! Easy way to get your body warmed up and get you up and moving! Grab your monster (in any position), clench those glutes and walk around your house. Take big steps, take small steps, bounce your monster, just move around in general! You can do this for about 5 minutes.

Full Body Warm Up: Baby Grabs! This generally only works if your monster can stand but you may be able to modify it if you set your little one in a bouncer or swing in front of you. 1) Stand your kiddo up in front of you, and squat down (keep that back straight and don't let your knees go beyond the tip of your toes). 2) Lift your kiddo up so that your arms are straight out in front of you 3) Lift them above your head 4) Hold for a count of three. 4) Slowly lower back down following the same path. If this is your first real attempt at working out you will only want to do about 3 of these to start. You can work up to more as your body re-adapts to true physical activity.

Leg Lowers: 1) Lay flat on your back with your knees straight over your hips and your lower legs parallel to the ground. 2) Lay your kiddo across your lower legs 3) Lower your knees to your chest and lift your shoulders, neck, and head off the floor (Keep that chin up!) 4) Hold for a count of three. 5) Slowly return to the original position. Again, you may only want to do a few of these the first couple of times you do this. Your abs will HATE you tomorrow!

Baby Crunches: I find this one is a little easier for me if I am able to lightly rest my feet on something like the couch or a chair. This is one of Liam's favorites. Master Tip: Give your kiddo a couple of toys to keep him/her busy. He/She is mainly just sitting and watching your face for this one! 1) Stay in your Leg Lowering position but move your monster to sit on your stomach (this helps to remind you to keep your pelvis on the floor and Liam loves it when my abs flex and he moves around because of it!) 2) With your fingertips at the base of your skull for minor support use your abs to bring your upper chest, neck, and head up to say HI to your kiddo (Keep that chin up off your chest!!) 3) Hold for a count of three. 4) Slowly lower back to your original position. Your abs will hate you for this one too!! Only do a few!

Baby Lunges: Keep that toy in your kiddos hands! You'll need it for this one too! 1) Start with your monster in your arms with your feet together and your back straight in a standing position. 2) Lunge forward making sure the knee of your lunging leg in line with the tips of your toes 3) Hold for a count of two. 3) Moving forward, return to your standing position. 4) Repeat with your other leg. 5) Moving forward, return to your standing position. Try to do 3 full sets!

Cool Down: Baby Dancing! Relax and cool down with some more baby dancing. Move slower and with more intention while doing this for a cool down. OH, and you don't have to clench your glutes for this one!



There you have it! I went from 162 to 137 just doing this and watching my calorie intake. It's simple and it lets you have some quality time with your monster. I hope these simple tips can make being a new Mommy even just a little bit easier! Remember you have to love yourself to love others!

Do you have any awesome tips for working out or getting rid of those silly stretch marks? We'd love to hear them!

Happy Saturday!

Here's the thing about boys . . .

Dear Monster,

   I always knew that when I had a child I wanted it to be boy. Don't get me wrong, if you had ended up being a girl I would have loved you just as much, but I just about cried in the office when they told us they were 99.99% sure you were a boy! Your Daddy wanted a boy too so we thought we had hit the jackpot! We had heard and seen some nasty things when it came to raising girls and I knew how horrible I was when I was growing up so girls were just not for us. Little did we know that boys are a roller coaster in and of themselves. I love you son, but there have been and there will be some interesting obstacles in our lives!
~~~

Hello Readers! What a hectic time we live in, yes? Between the east coast and the election and now all this talk of succession! What is this crazy world coming to? Well, I have been burying myself in work and my family lately and I have decided to pop my little head up and see if the all clear signal has been given! As it seems things are now just simmering, I thought I'd throw a blog out and see how everyone is doing.

Liam is growing like a freaking WEED! He is walking, babbling, and working on some baby signing (he's got "binky out", "all done", and "more" all figured out). We're gonna be working on some new signs soon. He claps when things are good or he is happy, and we have finally hit the oh-so-lovely tantrum stage. If the world is not his oyster then it is ending and he is going to let us know about it. We're trying many different methods of dealing with these tantrums but our most consistent and successful method has been to stay calm, speak in quite, low tones and talk him through them. No cuddles, no sympathetic tones, no surrender! He is learning his boundaries well and responds well to us enforcing them so things are working out on that front for the most part.

Our monster eats like a champ! He is up to a couple jars of food at each feeding and a couple of bottles a day. We recently discovered (after some pretty nasty trial and error) that he is intolerant of PediaSure or any kind of store brand version of such. Doesn't matter the flavor. His tummy just does not like it.

We're up to 8 teeth and working on some molars right now. He has made himself bleed a couple times between biting his own fingers and biting his tongue. Trial and error, I guess. He's still rocking his binkie, mainly due to teething. I would like to get binkies the heck out of our lives but they'll be around as long as he needs them. *shrug*

Through all of this growing and developing, I have found that boys are just not as easy as everyone makes them out to be. Sean and I always wanted a boy. ALWAYS. We wanted someone to carry on Sean's lovely last name and we were both looking forward to mud pies, hockey, and rough-housing. Don't get us wrong, you can enjoy all of those things just as easily with a girl but we were both set on a boy! I didn't want any of that "Oh, I can't have a barbie? Well, I hate you forever and I don't love you anymore!". Girls tend to be psychological terrors as little kids and I just wanted none of that. Oh, and that high pitched, almost-to-the-point-that-only-dogs-can-hear-it scream. No no no no no no....

So, needless to say, when we found out that Liam was going to be a boy, we were ecstatic! Oh man, we started buying all the dinosaurs, trucks, manly outfits, and Star Wars things we could find. We decorated his room in Star Wars paraphernalia (which we would have done if he was a boy or a girl), and got ourselves pumped up for life with a little boy...

...then he actually came. Holy Guacamole, no body warned us about the trials and troubles that boys bring screaming into the world with them! Wowza.

So, since we've been parents to our little monster I have been compiling a list. My list of things that they just don't tell you about when you are all bright eyed and hopeful about bringing your bouncing baby boy into the world. A list of things that, if I had been told, I would have had a chance to, oh I don't know, prepare for in some way. I'll preface this list by saying I have never raised a girl. I have pulled as much knowledge from people who have and I have sat in on enough Brag-a-Thons to hear SOME of their trials and a little bit about how they are different but I am no expert. So, some of this list may apply to both genders. Without further ado...

The Thing About Boys:

1. No Down Time: I remember looking through parenting magazines and seeing pictures of my friends with their little girls and they were always curled up with Mom or Dad, or calmly playing with their toys, or off in imagination land. I feel like there is this cord permanently attached to my sons hands and my waist. All day it is up down up down up down around around around. He never just sits down calmly to play with his toys. It is just chaos on wheels all day long. Then he crashes for a little while then BAM! HE'S BACK! He only has two settings: fast and FASTER!

2. Easy Outfits: This one is a benefit for some and a major downer for others. Boys have all of three or four things that they need on to leave the house. They don't make much more for them and people would look at you like a crazy person if you tried to make things for them. Pants: check, Shirt: check, Socks/Shoes: check, maybe a hat or sweater if it's cold: check. Done. Out we go. You don't have to find ruffled underwear or leggings or cardigans over something or other. There's no bows in the hair or earring to match. We're not worried about hats and whether or not they're the precise shade of pink as the shoes. Is it too soon for baby bracelets and what is the difference between leggings and tights? *whew* If they are kind of the same shade and if they repel drool and dirt, it's going on my son. Don't get me wrong, I like to match his clothes and he has super cool hats and shoes that he wears but, man, I have to give it up to Moms that have girls and know how to dress them! I would be lost! Now, if you were looking forward to all that clothing distress, having a boy is going to seem boring and uneventful. However, with all of the other drama that boys bring with them, I will take boring and uneventful when it comes to his clothes ANY DAY!

3. Nothing Like Dad and Son: A lot of people talk about Mother/Daughter Bonding and Daddy's Girls but, in my own personal opinion, there is nothing like watching a Father and his son. Not even the Mother/Son things that I have the absolute joy of experiencing can compare to watching my husband sit around in a Broncos jersey with his matching son while they enjoy the game. Nothing compares to seeing Sean walk Liam through the house and teach him about pictures, microwaves, foods, and mirrors. It just tickles me pink every time. I can't wait to hear about man-to-man talks and see them on Liam's wedding day. Ah!! I just can't wait to see the man my husband is going to help create!

4. Legos, Dinosaurs, and Everything Star Wars: I'm gonna say, right off the bat, as a girl that was raised by three older boys, I am in NO WAY into gender stereotyping. If my son wants to dance, he's gonna dance. If he wants to have a doll, we're gonna buy him the best doll there ever was. I will say that I am a complete SUCKER for the "boy section" of the toy aisles! I love action figures, light sabers, dinosaurs, hulk fists, and LEEEEEGGGGGGGGGOS!!!!! We're still in the "Duplo" stage because Liam will full on eat anything smaller but I LOVE THEM! And I love that Liam loves them! He brandishes his wooden sword while he walks around the house, he loves having his dinosaurs all lined up for him to play Godzilla with and throw across the room. I love blue, green, and red hues everywhere in my house (This is coming from one of the biggest fans of pink that you'll ever meet). I will say that I was a little surprised at how quickly all of this "boy stuff" overran my home. It escalated quickly. Veeery quickly....

5. Rough EVERYTHING: Rough play, rough tantrums, rough touching, rough throwing. Even rough cuddling. Between hurling things across the room, banging as loud as he can on everything until it shatters, dropping everything off of everything, screaming, grunting, hitting, rolling, running, banging, banging, banging, and the general rough-housing, I am in a world of intensity. We specifically asked his Physical Therapist if this was normal and all she said was, "Yep. You have a one year old boy." *sigh* I was not ready for this. I feel like I say and demonstrate "Gentle" all stinking day. "no no no No No NO NO NO NO NO NO GENTLE GENTLE GENTLE.....no no no No No No NO NO NO NO!!!" All day...every day. Please know that with this rough and tumble lifestyle comes broken items and messy messy days. If, in the beginning, you are accepting that, at any given moment, whatever you find important or sacred may just shatter into a million pieces or become covered in some kind of nasty substance, your life as a mother of a little boy will go a lot smoother.

6. Silly Moods and Faces: My son has the weirdest sense of humor. You may think that a one year old doesn't quite have a sense of humor, but they can and do. The most random things make him laugh but usually it is something breaking or someone getting hurt. This is something that I work on with him. I don't want him to think it's funny when Mommy drops an entire box of Cheerios and it spills all over the floor. It's a little hard to do while Mommy is laughing at herself but it must be done. Teaching Liam that it's not funny when Mommy stubs her toe on the side of the couch and jumps around in pain for 5 minutes is important but very difficult to do while trying to hold back the immediate tears that spring to my eyes. I, also, have never met a kid that makes more insane faces than my son. He is always growling and spitting, squishing up his face or opening his mouth as wide as he can just to see how wide it can go. He is just figuring out how things work and seeing what sort of sounds he can make and how loud he can make them but, occasionally, I fear he is already losing his mind. These weird sounds and faces will inevitably transition into fart jokes and utter destruction but we will handle that when it happens. One day at a time...

7. Slow and Steady: Boys are stubborn as ROCKS. It is absolutely 100% pointless to try to force a boy to do anything! They all say it's best to let kids do things on their own time but boys seem to be particularly obstinate. Try to get him to walk and he will spend an extra week crawling, out of spite I'm sure. Try to give him foods that he SHOULD be able to eat and he'll choke on them and throw up...even though he has big strong teeth that you know he knows he can chew with. Try to potty train before he gives you the heads up and you are, most definitely, getting pee in your favorite shoes. Why? Why are boys like this? I'm absolutely positive that they're taking after their fathers. ;)

8. Hockey and Football Rule the House: He may not like them when he grows up and I'm sure that it's just because of the constant chaos of the sports but my son will sit with my husband and watch HOURS of football and hockey without fussing or complaining even once! But when Mom tries to get him to watch his Reading Videos he is out of my lap and running around like a tornado within minutes! What is happening here?? I've heard that it's all about attitude. Maybe I speak in a different tone than Sean or I am more tense than Sean while watching the videos but man...sports are definitely the winner in this house.

9. MOTHER OF THE GROOM! WOO!: Yay for Father of the Bride paying for the wedding! Ha! In this day and age I'm sure things are more balanced when it comes to paying for the wedding, especially if Liam ends up marrying another man. Oh no!!! Who pays then??? Oh well. It'll all work out. But, please please please let us only have to pay for napkins or something! Parents that were looking forward to helping their daughter plan their big, beautiful day may be struggling with some major disappointment on this one but, hopefully, you will have a great relationship with your son's future bride (or groom) and you can help as much as she (or he) will allow. Or you'll be graced with a son that is all about wedding planning and you'll get to be on the ground floor for it all anyway! All I know is that I'm more than happy to sit back and let the catastrophe that is wedding planning play out before me with little to no involvement. Yessssss.

10. Sometimes a Boy Just Needs a Hug: Society says that boys are suppose to be more rough and tumble and that they need to work things out on their own so that they learn how to be men. I can tell you that that is bunch of bull honky and that sometimes a boy just needs a hug and quite possibly a snuggle. As with any child, my son needs to learn to have the confidence to comfort himself and get himself back to a normal emotional level but there is definitely a difference between stumbling while he's walking and him actually falling down a step. His type of cry is usually a good indicator of which level he needs. You also need to know that this fact will never change. Up until his dying day, a boy or a man, will sometimes just need a stinking hug. Let him hug it out. Comfort him. Let him know that it is okay to feel his feelings and work through them with someone else. These will be the most valuable lessons you can give him for his future as a grown man.

So, there it is. Keep in mind that this is a Beta list as I only have a one year old. This list will continue to mature and grow as Liam does.

Are you a parent of a daughter? What would you put on your "The Thing About Girls . . ." list? Anything you didn't see coming?

Any parents of sons out there that want to add something to the list? Let me see 'em! I can't wait!

As always, I leave you with a picture of my terrible terrible monster man. Happy Tuesday everyone!

Weight Management: Boys vs Girls

Dear Monster,

   I love you son. I truly do. I have loved you from the very first moment that I knew you existed and I will love you every single second of my life.....Please remember that as I tell you that I may never forgive you for what you did to my body. *sigh* I love you, but there are some things that just stay with you, and this one is forever. :P
~~~

Hello Readers! It is that wonderful, magical time of year where the clouds roll in, the temperature drops, and all you want to do it curl up in a giant sweater and drink hot chocolate. So, that has been my agenda on my days off from work. Curl up with the monster, put something good on the TV, and stay warm and comfy all day. This would all be fine and dandy if my husband wasn't lapping me again and again and again on our weight loss goals! Not only did I want to work off all of my baby weight (luckily, with having a premature kiddo, I only gained 20lbs) but I wanted to tighten up what was left when all the weight was gone. Cardio was very important for me as I had been on bed rest for around two and half months. Post pregnancy I couldn't even walk out to the mailbox and back without getting winded! It was strange for me, coming from a very active and healthy background, to feel fat, exhausted, and hopeless. Devastating is a good word for it.

So, after sulking for a few months (I'd like to slide in a little thanks to my husband for never pushing me or commenting on my poor body condition), I pulled myself up by my bootstraps, made a diet plan with my husband, and started my new, healthy lifestyle. It wasn't a drastic lifestyle change as Sean and I have always tried to lean toward the healthier side when it comes to our meal planning. We basically started buying the "lite" or "fat free" versions of foods and drinks we already had around the house. We started eating smaller, more frequent meals, and working out regularly. No 5Ks here, just simple sit ups, lunges, and some light cardio. I found a great site that showed me some simple, everyday work outs that I could do that included my Monster and made working out SO much easier. Liam loved it, and I was loosing weight! I struggled with the diet change for a while. My poor co-workers got sick of hearing "I'm HUNGRY!!!!" and "Gah! I feel like I'm STARVING!!". Eventually my body got use to the change in eating patterns and the work-outs became a lovely habit and I started loosing weight and feeling fantastic! I went from 164 (my heaviest) to 143! 21lbs! Holy Guacamole! I was so stinking proud of myself! I had more energy at work, I was able to go go go all day with Liam (he was starting to crawl at this time), and my husband was chasing me around the house like a silly high schooler! Life was wonderful!

Then things started slipping...for me. I would miss a chance to snack at work, or I'd come home too late for dinner and my Monster Work Out Time. In ONE WEEK I gained back 7lbs! INSANITY! I was livid, confused, embarrassed, and just done done done! What made this all 100 times worse was that I was sleeping next to my husband every night who had had the same rough week that I had and he was STILL LOOSING WEIGHT! COME ON NOW!!! NOT FAIR!!!

Back to sulking. For several months.

After being crabby and indignant for a couple of months (again, a shout out to my amazing husband for his patience and understanding) I started to wonder about the science behind it. It just wasn't adding up in my head. Sean had missed the same amount of work out time, he'd eaten the same "not so much in line with the diet" meals that I had, and he was just as stressed. We were living the same lives and our bodies were doing two totally different things. What the heck was going on here?

Insert my brilliant husband and his random knowledge: "The average adult woman has to work out for an hour a day, just to maintain her current weight and body condition." You hear that right ladies?? Just to MAINTAIN! Not even improve, just maintain! How is this possible??

Insert my days and days and days of research which led me to this little gem: On average, women's total energy expenditure, which is the number of calories burned for metabolic needs, including breathing, blood circulation, digestion and physical activity, is around 5 to 10 percent lower than men's.

In other words, when a woman is just sitting and doing nothing next to a man who is doing the same, her body is burning 5-10% less calories than his! *facepalm* Whhhhhhhhhhhhhy?

Scientists believe this is partly due to body composition. Ready for the science? Here ya go: Body Composition, that is the amount of muscle, bone and fat that make up the body, are quite different between men and women. Men, in general, have more muscle mass, heavier bones and less body fat than women. For example, a typical man in his twenties who weighs 154 pounds, has 69 pounds of muscle, 23 pounds of bone and 23 pounds of fat. A typical women of the same age who weighs 125 pounds, has 45 pounds of muscle, 15 pounds of bone, and 34 pounds of fat. The recommended percentage of body fat for a woman is between 20 to 30 percent which is thought to be higher for childbearing, while the recommended range for a man is between 12 to 20 percent. Because of these differences in muscle mass, men burn more calories than women at rest. 

Another theory has to do with actual body shape, including where the fat is stored and how the fat is metabolized in that area. Here's some more science speak for ya: Some people carry more of their body fat in and around the abdominal area. This type of fat deposition is called android, or apple body type and is most characteristic among males. The body type most common among females is the gynoid, or pear body type. This body type is characterized by fat stores in the hip and thigh region. The scientific explanations for the dramatic difference in body fat distribution between men and women are largely unknown, although differences in hormones, hormone receptors, and enzyme concentrations play a contributing role.

The article goes on the explain that with the gynoid body type the fat is not metabolized as well by the surrounding systems. *le sigh*

After wrapping up my research and eating ten thousands cookies in righteous indignation speaking with my doctor I finally accepted that I was just going to have to work slightly harder and be slightly more consistent than my husband when it came to my weight loss.

Ladies, we have had to work a little harder than men for just about everything else (voting, working, pay, insurance, medical care, respect in the work place, etc., etc.) so we shouldn't be shocked or disheartened by this news. Just stack it on top of everything else we have to bust our rumps to be great at and move on! Run an extra 20 minutes, stretch just a little bit longer, and eat just one more salad and you'll be right there with him!

Cheers to my ladies who are making it work and working it out! Now that I understand my body a little better it has made my lifestyle changes that much more important and working a little bit harder that much easier! In the end, I'm doing it for my future and the future of my family. Totally worth it, am I right?

Having pictures like this one up while I'm working out does tend to help as well! <3

Do you have a work out regimen? Do you have any tips that might help other women out? Have you struggled with weight loss? Let me hear your stories and tips!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Money??? What???

Dear Monster,

   Teaching you about money is going to be alllllll on your Daddy. He is amazing at budgeting, saving, and paying things off. I am just....not. I try and I try and I am making progress but MAN it has been a long road. Between your medical bills, our regular bills, trying to buy a house, and NEEDING to buy another car we are just overwhelmed and under-paid. With your Dad at the helm, I know we'll get there, but it's going to be a process and I so wish you were old enough to learn from him while he does it.
~~~

Hello readers! I'm gonna be honest here...I have been struggling for topics for this blog lately. I'm sure it's simply because things have just been so stressful. I mean, if you know me, I am NOT one to run out of things to talk about! *snicker* The topic for tonight's blog smacked me clean in the face while I was out shopping for my son's new foods a few days ago. Lately, things have been a little tight and I am finding that I am having to be more and more frugal and stretch things thinner and thinner. While working the family budget, I am having to keep in mind that my son needs newer and more advanced foods, toys, and clothes. Also, my husband and I need to eat. *sigh* Things would be so much easier if we didn't need to eat.

Anyway, as I was standing in the baby food aisle pondering my budget and desperately hoping that I had even a penny more to work with, I realized that there were probably tons of people out there doing the exact same thing I was. So, here are a few tips that I use on a daily basis when it comes to making sure that each member of my family has most of what they need, if not everything (note: most of the time it's not everything hehehe).

1. Store brand!!!! I am in LOVE with Up&Up brand from Target. Any time I find an amazing product that I just can't live without, Target has a version that is basically the same and way way way cheaper! Most of Liam's baby foods and snacks come in an Up&Up brand and he loves them all. He doesn't know, nor does he care, that he isn't getting the name brand puffy cheese things. He also couldn't care less that his supplemental drink isn't PediaSure but is instead "Pediatric Drink" from Target. Store brand is the way too go!

2. Thrift Stores!!! Explain to me WHY I would spend $12 on a onesie when Arc down the street has one that is possibly slightly worn and only $2? I have found so many stinking adorable outfits (some that are even brand new!) at Goodwill and Arc for pennies on the dollar compared to the Carter's store. Now, don't get me wrong, if there is an outfit that is brand new and it is just too adorable to pass up, I will swing for it. However, that is the exception, not the rule.

3. Meal Plans!! My husband and I are notorious meal planners. We have, over the years, discovered what our staples need to be in our home, we then find those staples at CostCo and keep them in bulk. Some examples of staples for us include: spaghetti and sauce, lunch meat, breaded chicken patties (and buns), yogurt, Mac & Cheese, Cheerios, Ritz Crackers, baby spinach, grapes, and cottage cheese. We buy these things in bulk because they are quick, mostly healthy, and last forever! We buy them once a month so that we can make regular dinners and snacks while saving money for those, "Man, I just really want some freaking Q'doba," nights.

4. Shop after a big meal! The worst thing you can possibly due is shop while hungry. I have wasted so much money because I was absolutely convinced that I NEEDED those Lays Potato Chips...OH and that candy bar at the register! I NEEEEEEEEDED them! I have now made it a habit of having a big lunch then going out and about. I don't get stressed out and grumpy because I can't buy all that snack food, I am in and out faster (great for Liam too!), and it is much much nicer on the budget.

5. Our Groceries! It's an app in the Google Play Store! You can connect multiple phones and create multiple shopping lists. Making one listed as "Uh oh...budget time" and one named "Ooo...some extra money" can make it so much easier to, as a family, separate out what are necessities and what are splurges. Then it makes it simpler to STICK. TO. THE. PLAN! It's fun to send Sean out shopping and watch from home as the items disappear off the list as he shops! It's a great way to connect the family and make sure everyone is on the same page without all the arguments and miscommunications that can happen before, during, and after grocery hunting time.

6. Take the kid with you!! If you happen to have a kiddo, take them with you when you shop. If your little monster is anything like mine, they do not allow for errors in time management. If I allot myself 2 hours to go to Safeway, CostCo, Arc, and swing by the mall for a quick phone cover, you better believe there is a reason I allotted myself that amount of time and you better believe Liam will keep me to that schedule! No time to browse needlessly through the millions of shirts I don't actually need or scan through the junk food aisle for food that is NOT going to help with my budget or my waistline. *wink wink*

7. Bulk Bulk Bulk! Sean and I LOVE our CostCo! As I said above, shopping in bulk helps with meal planning but it also makes budgeting super easy. We know that once a month we need to restock on certain items and know that makes it easier to lay out our plan for the rest of month and the rest of the things that we can't buy in bulk. One paycheck can go to the groceries and the next can go to those "not awesome to buy in bulk" items like cheese, milk, baby food, etc.

There you have it! Those are my simple but easy helpers when it comes to stretching and bending the budget. Sean and I have found that, when we follow these steps, we don't have to have nearly as many of those "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO???" conversations. We discovered the hard way that when people say, "You're never financially ready to have a child," they weren't kidding, but in the end it comes down to narrowing down your priorities AS A FAMILY. No one person gets to set the limits or make certain things a priority without talking to the others and making sure that all final decisions are made in the best interest of the family can make family shopping time much less stressful!

Good luck to you all in your shopping and budgeting adventures! Do you have any tips to add? Are there any awesome budgeting tools that you just couldn't live without? Let me here 'em!

I leave you with an amazingly wonderful picture of my most handsome monster! Until next time readers...

Birthday Monster!

Dear Monster,

   You turned ONE! How insane is that? You have beat every single odd that has been placed against you and you SO deserved to be surrounded by your loved ones and smash your face with cake! You did SO well throughout the day. You didn't mind being held and loved on by a ton of different people and you smiled for all of the important pictures. Such an angel! Congrats on the big birthday, Son. You made it an entire year with nothing but successes. You're father and I are so proud of you and we can't wait for many many more birthdays!
~~~

Hello Readers! I'm gonna say, right off the bat, thank you for your patience with me over the last few weeks. Between Liam's surgery (my next blog), his first birthday, and his one year wellness check, things have been a little intense around here. Liam has now figured out that if he makes a painful sounding cry his father or I will race right into him. We're having to break that habit (as he is clearly no longer painful from his surgery and he starts laughing and smiling the minute we see him) and it's looking like it is going to be a long and winding road. At his wellness check it was determined that I have a 17lb 28in long monster that is happy and healthy! Such amazing news! We couldn't imagine a better first birthday present. We are currently in the process of transitioning to whole milk. We were told this should take around 3 weeks. We can hardly believe that in 3 weeks we will never again have to buy formula! We were also told to start giving him fatty foods (i.e. pasta w/ alfredo sauce, sweet potatoes with butter, full fat cottage cheese) while we start weening him off of a liquid diet and onto regular food. I can't wait!

Now that the lovely update is done, I get to move onto my real reason for this blog: Liam's 1st Birthday! Oh my goodness! I did NOT realize how much work went into a birthday party. I was overwhelmed from the evening before the party through the morning after it. It was fun and utter chaos from the moment I decided on the theme! I immediately went online and did so much research I thought my eyes would start bleeding! I chose a Rock theme and I was suddenly and completely overwhelmed by great ideas for food, decorations, goodie bags, and games! In the end, I shut it all out and went with what I thought would be fun, funny, and yummy!

Let's start with: FOOD! I started by sitting down and listing out all of the bands I could think of that could be made to sound like food or actually had names of food in them. This was a LOT harder than I thought it would be. My final menu included: Meat(loaf) Balls, Kettle PopKorn, Sea Salt PopKorn, R.E.M.'s Orange Crush Jell-O, Drum Styx, Bread Zeppelin (this was where we kept the buns for the burgers and hotdogs), Pink Floyd Lemonade, and 5 Finger Death Punch (the punch with alcohol in it).

Pouring the orange Jell-O the night before

Melting the chocolate for the Drum Styx

Laying out the Drum Styx to cool over night

The tags for the different foods

While the food was incredibly fun to create and put together, the decorations were probably my favorite!

I used unneeded or old discs

I put tape on the front and taped them to the walls. Cheap and easy!

Pretty much everything I used I purchased at the Dollar Tree, including this set for Liam's high chair

I found these cute plastic boxes, everything inside of them (fun glasses, "sleeve tattoos", and silly little instruments), and the wrapping for them at the Dollar Tree!

My husband brought out some of his old albums and we propped them up all over the house. I also listed each guests name on a yellow or orange star and had them sign them when they arrived (walk of fame). The stars were all over the house and worked as a tour of the house while people looked for their star to sign! You can also see how the CDs that I taped up looked in this shot!

The game we decided on was Mad Libs. We handed people cards with lists of the words we wanted as they arrived then we inserted those words into well known rock lyrics. It was tons of fun. These are the trophies we gave to the winners! (Also purchased at the Dollar Tree)

I used a red and black color scheme for the party to go with the theme. Everything on this table was purchased for under $5 at, you guessed it, the Dollar Tree!

Balloons and streamers were Dollar Tree purchases as well! You can also see more of the stars and CDs in this one.

I made a trip to the Goodwill near my house and found 10 of these old albums for around $5. I used this one as a door hanger. I also scrubbed others with dish soap and used them as serving plates for some of the food. So much fun!

In the end, I kept it simple and small. I tried to make it fun for the adults that would be there, even if it was cheezy fun. :P Number one lesson I learned: There is never a party small enough for a stressed out Mom. Even with under 20 people I still felt like a chicken with my head cut off! There just wasn't enough of me to go around. My husband was amazing and held it all together during times that I was unavailable and Liam entertained the crowd for the rest of it. All in all, it was a rockin' first birthday and I learned SO many lessons for future birthdays! Liam has so very very many people who adore him and he got SO many wonderful presents. He has NOT stopped playing with them (literally, my son is completely ignoring me these days)!

So, I'll wrap this one of up with a couple of my absolute favorite pictures from the Monster's 1st Rockin' Birthday! Thanks for swinging by and we'll have a surgery update in the coming weeks!

Payday Friday #7

Dear Monster,

   You are a Teething Terror right now!! AH! Fussy fussy fussy fussy fussy! Everything needs a fuss. Everything. You're currently working on your top two teeth and they must be a couple of doozies. Normally, when you fuss, I cuddle you up and you eventually calm down. Not this time. You don't want people to touch you but you don't want to be left alone. No toy makes you happy and nothing holds your concentration for any substantial amount of time. Currently, days with you consist of desperately trying to find something to make you happy and trying to make you comfortable. I wish I could make the pain and discomfort go away. I really do. Man, I can't wait until these days are over. I bet you can't either.
~~~

Hello again readers! As I'm sure you read above, Liam is teething right now. Holy guacamole is he miserable! I think there is definitely a reason that women don't remember birthing pain and that all human beings don't remember being babies. Between growing pains, teething, head bonks, and building up those crawling calluses, I can't even imagine what Liam is struggling with right now.

In our desperation to help him, we have tried freezing bottle nipples and binkies, massaging gums, teething tablets, Tylenol, frozen wash cloths... everything but "Rum on the Gums" (though we've been tempted occasionally *wink wink*). In my search for further ways to help my son, I stumbled upon this underground "Amber Teething Necklace" movement. Of course I immediately dove into research and started asking around. Almost everyone that I talked to loved theirs or were planning on buying one soon. (PS How had I not heard about this until NOW??) A couple of the reviews that I found stated that they hadn't noticed any serious changes but there were no negative reviews so I figured, why not? So, I found a dependable distributor on Amazon Mom and ordered one for Liam. I was told it would be here no sooner than August 7th so I've just been trying to maintain a happy, comfortable baby.

WELL GUESS WHAT CAME TODAY????

It came in a little silk package for future storage!

That's right! Liam's Amber Teething Necklace came today!!! SURPRISE!! So, I am using the necklace as a "At Times of Desperation: Payday Friday" as that's what this purchase was for me. I am just so desperate for Liam to be comfortable and happy again that I am willing to try anything! Keep in mind that, at this time, I do NOT know if this is going to work for Liam. It has been on him for about 5 hours as of now.

Whether it works specifically for Liam or not, it has helped thousands upon thousands of Moms and kiddos around the world and throughout history. So, welcome to Payday Friday:

Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces

The theory behind these necklaces boils down to two basic theories. Both theories begin with the necklace being worn against the skin and they both end with a happier baby! Theory number one is that when the skin brings the amber up to body temperature the amber begins to release miniscule amounts of healing oils which are then absorbed by the skin and eventually absorbed into the bloodstream. These healing oils permeate throughout the body and make baby more comfortable all over. The second theory is based on scientific studies which show that amber is electromagnetically alive and that it produces scientifically significant amounts of purely natural energy. This energy is used by the body to help boost the immune system which helps baby all over as well!

One thing is for sure, the best of the best teething necklaces are made of Baltic Amber. This is because Baltic Amber is known to contain the highest levels of Succinic Acid which is scientifically proven to reduce inflammation, stimulate the thyroid glands (this helps with drooling), accelerate the immune system's natural ability to heal wounds, and reduce inflammation in the ears, throat, stomach, and respiratory system. At this moment there is no medication known to man that can do all of these things without drastic side effects and amber has no known side effects (unless you have an allergy of course!).

There are obvious risks with any child wearing a necklace. The necklace is only meant to be worn while supervised so as to eliminate chocking hazards. Some children may have an allergy to Amber so for the first 2 days that the necklace is worn, you need to watch your child's skin very closely. Every company that makes the necklaces advises that the necklace be rinsed frequently with clean, non-chlorine water. They then ask that you dry the amber immediately (bead by bead) and only place the necklace back around your child's neck once it is completely dry. The necklace can be worn around the neck (it should be worn against the skin so under clothing is best if it's around the neck), around an ankle or around a wrist. From my personal experience with the necklace, around the neck is easiest when it comes to Liam forgetting that it's on his body. Around the wrist or ankle, he is constantly pulling at it and it is frequently getting caught on things. Liam's necklace has been on for around 5 hours and he has completely and utterly forgotten about it.

I look forward to seeing if this necklace is a help or a hindrance to our teething cause and I will keep you updated when a final decision is made! Meanwhile, here are some super adorable pictures of Liam wearing his new Amber Teething Necklace!

Before I put it under his shirt

Peeking out from under the onesie!

So what do you all think? How to you feel about natural remedies vs medication? What have your personal experiences taught you? Any personal experiences with Amber or the teething necklaces in particular?

Thanks for swinging by! I've got another great one in the works so stay tuned!

Caption Contest: Results!/Weekend with Bug

Dear Monster,

   You had such a fun weekend with your Grandma! She is one of your absolute favorite people. You laugh, play, and hardly ever fuss with her. You're a huge fan of her curly red hair and you love crawling all over her (just like you do with Daddy)! I can't wait for you to start spending a couple weeks of the summer up at her house just playing and enjoying her house. You guys have such an amazing future ahead of you!
~~~

It's results time ladies and gentlemen! Sean and I had such a hard time picking just one caption for each picture! We have brilliant friends and family members! Thank you guys for participating and I am already planning my upcoming contests so you guys will have many more opportunities to win!!

Our winners are: 

Photo 1: Alyssa 

Photo 2: Gabe

Photo 3: Gabe

Thank you all so much for participating! I will be contacting the winners within the next 24hrs regarding your prizes!

 While I was awaiting everyone's captions I was able to kick back and relax! It was so nice! No extra work obligations and Liam was kind to his father and I by keeping his fussy moments to a minimum. We also had a visit from Liam's Grandma Fouse (my Mom)! I love visits from my Mom! She lives a ways away from our home so she usually comes by once or twice a month. We are able to chat about work, work on crafty things and be creative, and bargain hunting is usually part of her visit. Liam is always happy to see his Grandma so it's nice to let Grandma and Grandson bond while Sean and I work around the house or run some errands without worrying about feeding schedules, heat exhaustion, binky locations, etc. For this visit, Grandma brought up a turtle sandbox with a cover that we converted into a kiddy pool. So, this last weekend, Liam had his first pool experience! He was a little iffy about it. He's use to being in his duck bath with warm water so being in a bigger area full of luke warm water threw him for a loop. He started playing eventually but he started getting chilly so we had to cut it short. I think next time will be much better!

While my Mom was out this weekend, we went bargain hunting for a padded storage ottoman as we recently had to nix our wooden coffee table. We were unsuccessful on that front but we did find some decorations for Liam's first birthday party and a '57 Chevy toy car that Liam LOVES riding in! It's missing a headlight but it was only $10 and it works 100% fine otherwise. HUZZAH for Goodwill finds! Sean and I were just talking about getting a car for Liam to ride around in and were shocked when we went to a couple of stores and the cheapest ones were sitting around $150! Whew! Not on our budget! So, even though we didn't achieve our initial goal, we were successful in the end!

Liam also had his "9 month" WCC this last weekend. He is a happy healthy little boy, according to his pediatrician. He is no longer being measured on the Premature Weight Chart which is an amazing step for our little monster. They moved him up to the "Low Birth Weight" Chart (the last chart before we move to the normal percentile chart) and he is sitting in the 20th percentile on that one! He is growing and developing so so fast! As you know, Liam is currently in Physical Therapy to ensure that he catches up with his true age eventually. During his most recent appointment we were ecstatic to find out that Liam is incredibly close to being discharged from Physical Therapy! Once he starts walking he is out! How insane is that? We're so stinking proud of our little kiddo. He is just plowing through his developmental stages! I can't wait to see what's next for him!

I will be documenting Liam's upcoming surgery and posting about it once he is completely recovered. That surgery will be his last remaining step on his road to catching up! His procedure is scheduled for August 14th. It's gonna be a doosey. He'll be under anesthesia for an hour and a half and his recovery will be over one week. I'll do a pre, during, and post blog for those stage of our lives as they happen.

Until then, here are some catch up pictures from last weekend!

 That's it for me today folks! Again, thank you to all of the participants in the contest and CONGRATULATIONS to the winners!

How was your weekend? Any great deals on any purchases? Any fun visitors?