Hush Little Baby♫

I've learned the hard way that no matter how many books/articles/studies you read, your baby will call the shots - ALWAYS.  This has been the most prevalent when it comes to TJ's sleep habits.  The one thing every book/article/study has agreed on is that a bedtime routine is essential.

I started a bedtime routine with TJ that he seems to enjoy. Around 8:30/9 pm I give him a bath or soak. We are trying to do this nightly because the warm water really soothes him, but I don't use soap every night because I don't want to dry his skin out. Then we get out, dry off and after a diaper he gets a lotion "massage." After getting some cozy pajamas on, I give him a nice warm bottle while I rock him and (attempt to) sing as we snuggle. I try to shut off all distractions at this point. No TV. No phone - just spend some quality time together.

1) Puj Tub - This bath tub is made of a lightweight foam that folds up to cradle the baby.  Best of all - it fits in a sink!  When you're done, it unfolds and can be hung flat to dry.

2) Baby Magic Wash/Lotion - I LOVE the smell of Baby Magic - it smells like pure baby bliss.  I think my family has been addicted to using baby magic for as long as I can remember.  Not only does it smell great, but the lotion is extremely moisturizing and leaves TJ's skin super soft.

3) California Baby Eczema Cream - I stumbled across this brand and have become hooked.  They offer natural and organic baby alternatives to products that are sometimes loaded with chemicals. TJ has a little dry skin on his face, so I use literally just a dab of this cream for his entire face every morning and night and it keeps his skin from getting irritated.  Not going to lie, this cream is a little expensive, but a little goes really far.

4) Carters Sleep & Plays - TJ lives in these.  The cotton ones are super soft and I just picked up a few fleece ones for when the colder weather hits us here in about three more months.  Night time diaper changes are a breeze with these because instead of having to take off their pants and try to put them back on while you're half asleep, you can just unsnap the bottom half and change baby!  We prefer the ones that snap as opposed to the ones that zip because the zipper seems to bunch up and cause a bulge that covers TJ's face.

5) Goodnight Moon by: Margaret Wise Brown - I try to read to TJ as much as possible and this book is a cute little story.  We received this book in a care package when TJ was is in intensive care.  It's one of the few books we have, but I hope to pick him up some more great books soon.  

Mommy's Little Helper

I always thought once I had a baby all they would do is sleep and I would be able to get everything done - no problems. What was I smoking? I love being a mommy and hanging out with my little one, but my poor house has definitely taken a toll. Let me introduce you to a little friend I like to call the baby carrier. Currently I change between two of them - the moby wrap and the ergo baby. I LOVE both-they have become lifesavers. Not only can I be hands free, but TJ feels like he's being held and he can finally get a much needed nap (lately he's been fighting going to sleep - I wish I had that problem!) 

TJ Snuggled in his Ergo Baby Carrier

Fall is almost here!!!

Happy Friday Everyone!  A little update to get you through the workday - for those of you who LOVE Starbucks and all things fall (I have a slight obsession) then be prepared for the release of the Pumpkin Spice Latte!!! According to Starbucks' Facebook page-this concoction of crack-in-a-coffee-cup will be available starting September 3! What's your favorite fall drink at Starbucks?

Moving on up...to a better blog site!

So things weren't working over at blog.com.  The site was basically always down and that did not work for my blog updates.  Anyways, we had a great weekend with my parents visiting.  We made it to the arts market on Saturday and we thankfully stayed clear of the rain.  Lately it seems to rain here about daily with a thunderstorm every other day.  Although it's muggy as hell, the rain does cool things down so we are thankful for that.  TJ slept the entire time we were at the market, but you could tell he loved being outside.  The atmosphere was pretty cool and we even got to see dolphins swimming in the St. Johns River! 

Me and TJ in downtown Jacksonville (TJ waking up mid picture!) 

The girls had a great first few days of school.  They are in the same class and their teacher seems to  be good.  He has them very organized which is good especially for us in our hectic house!  They are really excited because they get to ride the bus home this year so that should be fun!