My favorite banana bread!

Looking for a delicious breakfast? This quick and easy recipe has quickly become a favorite in my house! My 3 year old often requests it for breakfast. And I love making it for him. With all common ingredients found around the house I can make this pretty much any time. I feel good giving it to him too! Much better than a doughnut :)

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

[I usually bake it for about 45 minutes and it turns out perfect!]

Source

Welcome to the world little man

This is my third baby. I knew what to expect. I was prepared, I knew it was going to be painful but I would get an amazing reward in the end. A baby! A sweet little boy or girl (this was our surprise baby, remember?) would enter the world soon and a family of four we would be no more. We were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of this little one!

The day before my little man was born. 39 Weeks pregnant

I was 39 weeks 1 day pregnant, I was fully expecting to go past my due date. I had my 39 week appointment at 11:30 am, I was surprised when he said he fully expected the baby to come in the next day or two. But he still set up the induction, just in case (I, for some reason, was still convinced I would need this appointment).

Now let me tell you, I don't feel contractions. I had what the doctors and nurses called "silent labor" with my first two boys. I went in to get induced with both of them, 3 cm dilated, never having felt a contraction. I was hooked up to monitors to discover I was having contractions every 3-4 minutes. I was given medicine to induce labor with both of them and felt contractions for about 30-40 minutes before they were born. Maybe 20 minutes of serious painful contractions.

So after my 11:30 appointment, I went back to my parents house to pick up my boys. But, because I was almost 40 weeks pregnant I was exhausted. I decided to just let them run around outside for a while longer before I started the battle of getting them in the car. I sat on the couch with my hands on my stomach.

 "Mom. I think I'm having contractions"

"You're feeling pain?"

"No, my stomach feels tight every few minutes"

So I sat there, timing the tightening in my stomach for about 20 minutes. 8 minutes. 7 minutes. 8 minutes. 10 minutes. 4 minutes. Didn't seem to regular. But my mom was convinced I was in labor. I calle dlabor and delivery, told them my story about my silents labors, they said it was up to me. I might just get there and be sent home but if I wanted to come in I could. I didn't. I was convinced it was nothing. I couldn't feel anything. It's not going to happen any time soon.

12:00- I texted my husband to let him know what the doctor said. Be ready anytime in the next few days for this baby to come.

1:00 pm- I finally start getting the boys ready to go. I needed to get home and get my hospital bag ready  in case this baby really decided to come soon.

1:05- I ran to the bathroom one last time before the 5 minute car ride home. I sit down to pee and it just kept coming out... I thought to myself "I haven't peed this much in forever!" (my bladder was squished by that big ol' baby, remember?) Then I stood up and there was a gush... This can't really be my water breaking can it? Did I just pee my pants?? There's no way I am really in labor. I am not even ready. I haven't even installed the car seat. I have so much I was planning on doing before the baby showed up. There is no way this is real. I'M NOT READY.

1:10- I finally left the bathroom. My mom was standing out in the living room "What happened? You're in labor aren't you??" I said quietly "I think my water just broke. Either that or I peed my pants. That's probably what it was. I just peed my pants" She was not convinced. I still insisted I was fine, kept getting the boys ready to head home and finish packing for hospital and install the baby's seat and clean out the van.

1:20- "You're not having this baby in my living room. We are going to the hospital!"

"fine Mom, they are probably just going to send me home but lets go"

1:30- I called my husbands work to let him know my water broke and we are going to the hospital. "No way" he says. "yes way. we are getting in the car now"

1:45 I get to the hospital and I am 4 cm. About the same as at my 11:30 appt. "see" I said, "they are going to send me home" then they checked my water.. sure enough. My water had broke. I still just couldn't believe I was about to have this baby. I was so anxious. I wanted to know if it was a boy or a girl. I wanted my favorite sweats that were still in the washer at home. I was NOT ready!!

Last pregnant picture! Walking into the hospital

2:00 My husband gets to the hospital. "You couldn't have waited a little longer? I'm off at 2:30!" Yeah thanks babe.

4:00- I got the epidural. I didn't feel contractions yet, but I knew they were coming. I waited to long with my first two and wasn't able to get it. I was getting the epidural! No way was I delivering another baby with no medicine."If I don't get the epidural, I probably won't ever want more kids" I told my husband.

5:10- The contractions were almost stopped, they decided to start pitocin to help things along. The nurse checked me, I was about 6 CM. "I hope this doesn't take all night" I said "I don't want to be in the hospital an extra day" The nurse said she would be back in an hour to check me, to give her a call if I started feeling pressure.

6:30- The nurse came back to check me. i said "I think I might be feeling some pressure. I can't really tell, it just feels weird" She checked me."Yep. You're 10. Let me go get the doctor so you can push!" My husband was in the corner on his phone. Probably on Facebook. "Did you hear her?" I asked. "No change?" He replied without looking away from his phone. "No, I'm ready. She's going to get the doctor so I can push" he was shocked "No way! You're not even in pain! This is way better than naturally, you are definitely getting an epidural from now on" "you're telling me!" I sat and talked about cloth diapers with doctor as I was getting ready to push he said. I don't really remember much. It was all a blur.

6:40- I text everyone, I am about to push!

6:53- "there's the baby" said the doctor "tell her what it is Dad!" ITS A BOY!" He said, obviously excited that he was getting his wish, 3 sons! "No way!" I said back I thought for sure it was a girl. I was excited. I wanted a boy. Just didn't expect it :)

My sweet little boy

Big brother Josh

Big brother Samuel

So there you have it my friends. 3 months later, I am finally finishing the story of my little surprise baby. I have replayed that afternoon in my head many times. I need to write it down so I don't forget, I kept thinking. Now I have. It took me about 2 hours. 15-20 minutes several different times. You know how life goes with kids. But I did it!

I stayed at the hospital 24 hours, I got to relax a little and enjoy some one on one time with my little Joseph. I loved it, but I was ready to come home to my boys! We got right back into our groove, stopped at the park with McDonald's on the way home from the hospital. Didn't miss a beat. I was out walking to the park the next day with my neighbors I felt great! "It really does get easier every time" I told myself. I LOVE EPIDURALS!

Marriage isn't for you

If only more people could figure this out... then our countries divorce rate wouldn't be so high!

Reblogged From Seth Adam Smith

"Having been married only a year and a half, I’ve recently come to the conclusion that marriage isn’t for me.

Now before you start making assumptions, keep reading.

I met my wife in high school when we were 15 years old. We were friends for ten years until…until we decided no longer wanted to be just friends. :) I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love. Good times will be had by all.

Nevertheless, falling in love with my best friend did not prevent me from having certain fears and anxieties about getting married. The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy?

Then, one fateful night, I shared these thoughts and concerns with my dad.

Perhaps each of us have moments in our lives when it feels like time slows down or the air becomes still and everything around us seems to draw in, marking that moment as one we will never forget."

finish the article here : Marriage isn't for you 

The baby that never complains

This, my friends, is the baby that never complains:

He doesn't complain when I leave him on the couch to go to the bathroom....
then get distracted an clean the kitchen for 20 minutes. He just falls asleep.

He doesn't complain when his aunts roll him around on the ground like a doll.
He just rolls with it :)

He doesn't complain when his cousin sticks her finger in his mouth.
He just pretends it's his thumb and sucks away.

He doesn't complain when his aunt sits on him.

He doesn't complain when his batteries die in the swing.

He just goes to sleep.

The Lord must have known I needed an easy going baby. I love this sweet little guy and his relaxed attitude! 

I should be sleeping...

Some nights the only way I get a minute to myself is to stay up to late. If you're a mom, you probably know what I mean. Sometimes, when you're a mom (especially one of 3 boys, 3 and under) you need to stay up until 11 to hear the silence. Yes, I am laying bed right now, listening to NOTHING. This is the first time all day, since 6:55 this morning, I haven't had someone crying to me "he pinched me", the first time I haven't had my 2 year old begging me to hold him, and the first time my almost 3 month old is sleeping. On his own. Not in my arms. I am LOVING it.

I always lay on bed and dream of what I'm going to do someday... I found this awesome idea on Pinterest, and I have been wanting to break out my sewing machine for a while to do this with a few of my tank tops. I also wanna get creative and make my own cloth diapers.. I've done a couple, they aren't the best, but I love making them. Simply because it's ME time I don't get enough me time these days. If I get a shower alone I am one happy mama :)

Well now that you know what I lay in bed and dream about at night, I should probably get to sleep! My 3 year olds bus is here at 9 am, so I need to be up and at em early tomorrow.

What do you do after your kitties are all asleep and you have a few minutes of peace and quiet? Watch that special show? Go straight to bed? Take a long bubble bath?? The options are endless... It's the getting to that point that makes it so worth it :)

It's not all kisses and pinterest crafts

You know how you imagine what your life will be like? Like, when your young and think "someday the perfect man will com along, we will have perfect little children. Those children will always be clean and well dressed, say "please" and "thank you" and you will love every moment with them. You won't even have to work to keep the house clean because your perfect little children will LOVE having chores, and everything will be fine and dandy. We all have had these dreams right? Well maybe I was just crazy, maybe it't not normal to think like that. But I did. I have always wanted to be a mom. For real, as long as I can remember that's all I wanted.

Now here I am. 3 kids later.

Life is crazy.

I have been told 3 is the hardest number of kids to have. I believe it.

I can't wait for bed time every evening. I literally could cry if nap time doesn't happen. I NEED nap time. Don't get me wrong. I love my boys. They are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Every one always says "these days go by to fast". Lately, I wish they would go by faster! Does that make me a bad mom? I don't think so. I have a 2 and 3 year old that literally spend 90% of their day making the other one mad. Pleeeease tell me why I would want this day to go any slower than it already is?!

I go on pinterest and see all these fun craft ideas, fun games to play and educational activities to do, to make my kids little geniuses. I make these plans to do something with them every day. something that will make them smarter. But usually it doesn't happen. And when it does, there are a lot more tears and fits than I had anticipated. At the end of the night, I look back and feel like I am not as good of a mom as I should be. My 3 year old can't write his name or say his ABC's. What am I doing wrong? I must be messing these kids up so bad... I tell myself that constantly.

But honestly! My kids are LOVED. That very same 3 year old that can't write his name, tells me at least 20 times a day that he loves me. He gives me kisses and hugs and asks me to play legos and licoln logs with him. My 2 year old throws a fit if I don't hold his hand every time we get out of the car.

Is that messed up? I don't think so.

Just because I am not living a pinterest life, and my house isn't always clean doesn't mean we don't have a happy life. There is too much yelling, a lot of fighting and I can't wait for this crabby stage to pass. But when it does, I will miss it I'm sure. I will wish they were young again, wish they wanted to hold my hands and give me kisses. But seriously, don't tell me I will miss it. Because right now? I just want a nap.

The story of my life.

Day 1: The story of your life in 250 words or less 

I was born, a baby, like most people :) I am the 3rd child in my family. When I was around 7 my parents decided to adopt, another boy since we had two girls and one boy. They just finalized their 8th adoption on valentines day of this year. I lived in the same house from the time I was born, until I moved to Japan with my husband when I was 18. I met my husband when I was 13, started dating him when I was 15 and married him 2 months after I turned 18. We have been married just over 6 years and it was the best decision I have ever made! We lived in Japan for 3 years because my husband was in the Army, came home to Minnesota to have our first son then moved to Texas for 10 months. My husband got out of the army in 2010 and we moved home to Minnesota. We now have two boys, ages 2 and 3 and baby number 3 will be here any day! I live a normal life, doing my best to raise my kids right. We have an amazing family that loves and supports us. We go to an awesome church where we are trying to get more involved.  My days are filled with crying toddlers and messy kisses, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am in love with my husband and he is an amazing father to our boys, and I am excited to grow old with him by my side. I love my life!  

and that my friends is the story of my life in 250 words!  (or 264... but who's counting?) Stop by tomorrow for day 2 of my 31 day blogging challenge. Did you do day one of the challenge? Leave a comment with the link and I will stop by and leave some love!

31 Day blogger Challenge

     Lately I have been having a hard time blogging. I love it. I love being able to write about whatever I want, and I love how there is no pressure. But I feel like lately I just can't come up with anything to write about. I have a half a dozen posts started that I have never posted, because I feel like they aren't good enough. I just want this blog to be for me. I have two toddlers, a husband and a dog that I am giving all of my energy and attention to, my whole purpose of starting this blog was to have something that's MINE. Over the course of the blog I have tried several things to get myself into writing more often and it just hasn't happened. I came across this blogging challenge, and decided this is what I need to get myself in the groove. If I can blog every day, or at least close to that, for a month, then maybe I can get what I want out of this blog. A little bit of alone time. 

    With baby #3 due any day now I'm not going into this thinking I will get 31 days straight, but with an outline of what I am writing about it will be a lot easier for me to find the time/motivation to take a few minutes to myself. This is supposed to be for the month of May, and I am starting in the middle of July. But that's just how I do things :) My way! 

Day 1: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)
Day 2: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
Day 3: Things that make you uncomfortable
Day 4: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill. 
Day 11: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)
Day 16: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27: A letter to your readers
Day 28: Only pictures
Day 29: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31: A vivid memory

So friends, if you are looking for some motivation for yourself, or want to learn a little bit more about me, come back often and check in. Leave a comment with a link to your post if you want, I LOVE to read about YOU! Wish me luck :)

Hello world... I'm still here :)

Wow things have been busy busy lately! I can't believe it has been so long since I posted on here. I will just call it my summer break :)

We have been having awesome weather here in Minnesota the last couple weeks. 80s and beautiful during the day and then storms at night. So much fun :) my boys are loving the heat and being able to play outside all day! I am loving the naps they take. Being 35 weeks pregnant in 80 degree weather isn't the most fun, but for the most part my body is handling it pretty well. My ankles are swelling a little and I'm exhausted, but I have a 2 and 3 year old so I don't know if I can blame the exhaustion totally on the heat.

We have been busy getting ready for baby too! I think I am just about ready for this little one to make its appearance. I set up the co sleeper today. I think all that's left is to dig out the car seat from storage and get that cleaned up. Oh, and I suppose I should pack a bag for the hospital huh? I definitely forgot about that... Here are some things I know for sure I need in there:

-camera
-slippers
-sweats
-baby outfit ( one boy, one girl since baby is a surprise!!)
-cute cloth diapers :)
-shower supplies
-good book
- gum/mints for hubby
-phone charger
-iPad charger
-toothbrush

I think that is a majority of what I brought for both my boys and I had plenty!

Anyone have anything you were so glad you brought with, something you wish you would have, or something you could have just left home?

I am working on a couple different posts right now, so make sure to check back soon for some fun stuff.

"No Poo" Update!

You remember back in February, when I was so excited to stop using shampoo and conditioner? No? Well check it out here and learn a little more about how the whole thing works. So now here I am, almost 3 months later, and I am sad to say it did not work out quite like I hoped. Here is a little run down on how things went for me:

- When I started I expected the whole greasy hair thing they all talk about, that never really happened. I would use the baking soda and vinegar pretty much every time I took a shower. I take showers every other day usually. After a couple weeks of that I slowly transitioned to every other time I showered, so I was using it every 3-4 days. I had the grease problem every once in a while on the 3rd day. No big deal.

- The main reason I stopped was because I just could not figure out how to get my hair soft. It was SO snarly all the time. It was hard to manage and so rough feeling. I have pretty long hair, it's halfway down my back or so. I usually wear it up so I just put up with it for a while. I tried several different mixtures. Different baking soda:water ratio and even more vinegar:water ratios. I used a couple different kinds of vinegar even.

-I started off just using conditioner every other time I took a shower and still using the baking soda for shampoo. But then I ran out of mixture and just got lazy so I switched back completely. I am hoping in the future, even if I can't switch back completely, to just use conditioner sparingly to prevent any unnecessary  chemicals in my hair.

-I am also 7 months pregnant. I plan on trying again after I have the baby and my hormones go back to normal. This may have nothing to do with it, but I have noticed in the past when I am pregnant I have a harder time  keeping my hair soft so maybe it just wasn't the right time to try this experiment.

- I did not try any of the oils or anything they suggest to try. So next time I try I will do that. Again, I feel like a huge part of it not working had to do with my pregnancy hormones so I kind of felt like no matter what I did it wasn't going to work out. Maybe I just gave up to easily.

Well I hope this whole thing was helpful for someone. I know it was helpful for me. I learned a lot, and got my husband to switch completely to baking soda and vinegar. He prefers it in a spray bottle so that's how he will be sticking with it. 

Zipaboo Giveaway!

Welcome to the ZIPaboo Giveaway!

Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy! 

 This is your chance to win a sleeper that will change the way you look at night time diaper changes! 

ZIPaboo is an adorable sleeper, designed by exhausted mama, Erin Lang, during a 2am diaper change. 

What she says about ZIPaboo:

 I had spent months trying to figure out a way to change his diaper in the middle of the night without disturbing him so he would easily fall back asleep. But, nothing worked! I would try to change his diaper with the absolute least amount of light possible to get everything unpackaged, cleaned, repackaged, suited up in pajamas, and back in to the crib. It was always a struggle because whatever type of pajama I used seemed to take too long to change, always woke him up, and resulted in us watching reruns of the Golden Girls every night together. I started using pajamas that had snaps in the legs and up the chest, but I spent so long re-aligning snaps that he perked up and was ready to play.Or, I used a zippered pajama and would practically have to get him completely undressed to change his diaper. My favorite aspect to the zippered pajamas was playing pretzel leg with my five month old to get it crammed in to the awkward side. It did not make any sense to me. I was growing more and more frustrated with traditional footed pajamas.

And this was the moment that ZIPaboo was born! I stood over my sweet little boy and thought, “This is crazy! Why isn't there a round zipper that gives me direct access to what I need?” The next morning, I loaded Jake up in the car and we drove to a local tailor to create our first prototype. I received it back after a few days and we tried it on that night. It worked GREAT! I actually surprised myself by how easy and functional it was to use.

For details of the review and some seriously adorable baby pics,

see Katrina’s ZIPaboo Sleeper Review

Giveaway runs from 4/22 – 5/7 midnight. ARV $36. US only. Winner has 48 hours to respond to email notification or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen. Please enter via Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclosure: Katrina received a ZIPaboo sleeper in exchange for review, see review for details. No other compensation was received for this posting. The Nurse Mommy blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. We will only recommend products or services that we feel are of benefit to our readers. The Nurse Mommy and participating bloggers are not responsible for prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media outlets. Links enclosed may contain affiliate links.

Week #1 Pinterest project

So remember back in March, seriously, a month ago, when I said I was going to start a weekly pinterest project and share it here with you? Well life has obviously been a little crazy. I have done a couple different things but have yet to post about them... so here is my first official week of pinterest posts.

Before I got pregnant I saw all these different pictures of cool announcement and cute ways of telling people about baby, then I got pregnant and didn't even think of it and just told everyone on Facebook. Then right when I got pregnant I saw all these cute pictures of weekly pregnancy photos and planned on doing something like that. Then all of a sudden I was 20 weeks pregnant and huge and had only taken two pictures the whole pregnancy. I decided then I was GOING to make a cute shirt that I saw on pinterest.

So I got all of the supplies and started on my own :) Of course I wouldn't get the skinny "before" pictures because I was already 20 weeks pregnant. But I figured its better than nothing! So here is how it went.

Items needed:

A shirt that will fit you your entire pregnancy

fabric paint (2 colors of your choice)

Numbers 1-40 in whatever font you want (I tried to choose something plain that would be easy to cut out) typed on a piece of paper 

clear packaging tape

Exacto knife

First, I tried to use some stencils I had on hand from cute "I'm going to be a big brother" shirts for my boys when we told my husband I was pregnant. Those turned out to be to big and ended up not working. So I got creative. I went on the computer and typed up the number and printed out the paper to trace onto the shirt. A site I found recommended trying freezer paper for a stencil, so I tried that:

I traced the numbers onto the paper, and used an exacto knife to cut them out. That ripped so easily I got frustrated. I ended up using the actual paper I printed off, putting clear packaging tape over it to make it thicker and using my exacto knife to cut the numbers out. 

It ended up working out pretty good, a few numbers got tricky and ended up a little dis formed. But I was still pretty  happy with how it all turned out :) Here is the final product

Now the hard part is going to be actually taking pictures every week. I am so bad at procrastinating. If you haven't caught onto that yet. Here is the first weeks picture. I may have underestimated how big my belly is going to get with this baby, and I am really hoping it will stretch enough!

My first pinterest project is finally complete and posted :) what is something you have been working on lately? any fun posts you want to share??

Zipaboo sleeper giveaway!!

Great New Blogger Opportunity here for you bloggers!

And a sneak peek at an exciting upcoming giveaway for you Mommies!!

Zipaboo Sleeper Giveaway ARV $40

We're looking to team up with 10 bloggers to help us promote a giveaway running starting the week of 4/22.Giveaway will run from 4/22-5/7.

Free option available. Only one co-host/secret word task page spot available. First come.

Sign ups: on Google Docs

Questions? Email Michelle from The Nurse Mommy

How daddy can help when breast feeding

So I came across this article... On Pinterest of course :) but for real, it's a pretty good article. It is a list of ten things dads can do to help out a breast feeding mom. This is something that a lot of people don't think about during pregnancy, or even right after baby is born. I have nursed/pumped with both of  my boys, I know how exhausting it is. Dad can't get up in the middle of the night, Dad doesn't have to deal with the pains of nursing, Dad doesn't understand what we go through for our sweet little babes. I will post the list below, but Here is a link to the full article if you wanna check it out yourself.

1. Learn about breast feeding

2. Keep water bottles full, and withing arms reach at all breast feeding stations

3. Know where all breast feeding tools are and be ready to bring them to her

4. Prepare the breast pump

5. Provide some entertainment to keep her sane

6. Step up in doing household chores ( YES! This is the best help!)

7. As often as you can say positive, encouraging things to your wife

8. Freely and frequently give back/neck/foot massages ( another huge one)

9. Keep other children/ pets occupied so she can focus on the baby

10. Ask her what she needs

So next time your husband says " I don't know what to do to help" here is a little list to nudge him in the right direction. I have an awesome husband who will pretty much do anything I need in those first few weeks at home. I am a person who has a hard time accepting help, but as a new, exhausted mommy you NEED to make sure and make you are taken care of.

Diono Radian RXT giveaway

Disclaimer: This giveaway is in no way sponsored by Diono®.  Winner is responsible for reading and understanding the child restraint manual, and properly installing and using the child restraint; should winner require assistance with the child restraint, winner should contact the manufacturer for assistance as soon as possible. Sponsors and bloggers hold no liability for adverse outcomes related to the use of this child restraint. My opinions are my own and Mommy Living Life was not compensated for this posting. Life With My Littles is responsible for prize fulfillment.

We are pleased to bring you Safe and Sound: A Diono® Radian RXT Giveaway Event hosted by Life WIth My Littles and Water Rolls Uphill

This giveaway is sponsored in part by Just Kids Store and every blogger found in the Rafflcopter widget.

One lucky winner will receive a Diono® RadianRXT child restraint, approximate retail value $269.99.

This giveaway runs from April 2, 2013 at 12:00 AM to April 16, 2013, at 12:00 AM, and is open to US residents ages 18 and over. 

The Diono® RadianRXT features include:

       

Accommodation of a wide weight range of children from 5 pounds to 80 pounds in a five point harness;

       

An infant insert for superior fit and comfort;

       

Head wings, steel alloy frame, reinforced sidewalls, and adjustable head support;

       

Extended rear facing to 45 pounds;

       

Forward facing from 20 to 80 pounds (and up to 57");

       

Allowing for use as a high weight harnessing booster up to 120 pounds;

       

SuperLATCH and being rated for LATCH to 80 pounds;

       

Sits low in vehicle for easy boarding and exiting of the seat;

       

Narrow seat width to allow for a three across child restraint configuration, in many vehicles;

       

Extensive safety testing and NCAP crash tested;

       

A ten year seat life.

Just Kids Store sells Diono® child restraints and many other wonderful necessities for your children. Please visit their website to see their full line of products and save even more by using one of the coupon codes below.

       

"Save20" to save 20% sitewide (some restrictions apply, see website for full details)

       

"Shoes25" to save 25% off all shoes

       

"Zoob25" to save 25% off all Zoobies plush toys

       

"BOB25" to save 25% off of any BOB or Britax product

Please enter using the Rafflecopter form:

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It's happening.

Who here is addicted to Pinterest?? Come on, we are all friends here, you can admit it. I am a hopeless Pinterest addict. I could spent hours on there living in a fantasy world, building my dream home and getting into the best shape of my life. In my head. But how often do I actually do something off of Pinterest? Not very often.

I am officially starting a once a week post about something I (we) tried off of Pinterest. It could be a recipe, a fun craft for the boys, maybe a project I have always wanted to do but never had the guts to try. Now it's happening. Would you like to join me? Just one thing a week. Not too big of a commitment huh?

Wish me luck friends, and let me know if you decide to join me! I am off to search through my many boards ( or maybe even create a new one!) for something to try this week.

Want to follow me on Pinterest? Here I am!

$3 off The First Years sippy cups

The First Years has a coupon for $3 off a 2 pack of sippy cups.

 These sell at Walmart for $7.76, So It ends up being less than $5 for two sippy cups!! This coupon is only good at Walmart, and only until April 6th.

All you need to do is go like The first years Facebook page, go to their "deals" link at the top of the page and find the deal. This is a great deal, you can never have enough sippy cups :)

Do you "No Poo??"

Have you heard of the phrase "No Poo?" If not, you probably just took a double take at the title of this post, but if you have then its a pretty valid question.

What is no poo?

No Poo is a method of caring for your hair without using shampoo. At first this sounds pretty crazy right? When I was in high school I remember a friend of mine telling me she hadn't shampooed her hair in months. What?? I thought, that's pretty gross. Then she explained it to me a little more, and she it started making sense. She had the prettiest hair I had ever seen. Soft and shiny, and always perfect. But that was as far as the conversation went.

Now here I am, 6 years later, with so many problems with my hair and scalp about to try the same thing.

So, how does it work?

 Here's what my understanding of it all is and how I plan to No Poo. ( from what I have read there are several different ways to do it, I have dry scalp so this is what I am going to try)

When you shampoo with traditional shampoo, you are stripping your hair of sebum (natural oils and moisture). Then you use conditioner to replace these oils and moisturize your hair. Doesn't make much sense right? You're paying for shampoo to dry your hair out, then paying for conditioner to undo what you just did.

So instead of shampoo and conditioner ever day in the shower, use baking soda and vinegar in the shower every 3-4 days. I've read a lot about an " adjustment period" when you switch from traditional  shampoo to natural baking soda and vinegar. For some people your hair is more oily than normal, for others it is more dry. This period can last anywhere from a few days up to a few weeks. I have been
slowly weaning my hair off of shampoo the last couple weeks, and have used only conditioner the last couple times I have showered. I plan on waiting a couple days now and then starting. I'm *hoping* this will help my transition period be as minimal as possible. But, if not, I will just wear my hair up for a while until it is amazing and soft :)

Here is the recipe I am going to be using :

-1 tsp of baking soda mixed with one cup of water If you have really thick or curly hair, you may need to add another tsp of baking soda, if it is very thin and fine, try adding less. It may take a few times to find the mixture that is just right for your hair. Everyone's chemical balance is different.

once the solution is mixed, add it to a bottle. I have heard of people using old ketchup and mustard bottles, or going out and purchasing a squirt bottle specifically for this. I have heard there are bottles at craft stores that are made for chocolate decorating that work great for this. They look a lot like the Peri bottle you are given after having a baby.

Something along this line will work

Once in the shower, get your hair wet and squirt the mixture on at the roots. Work your way down, massaging as you go. You may not need the whole cup for one washing, it depends on the length/type of hair you have. Leave it on for a minute or two then rinse it off, just as you would with shampoo.

- Now for your "conditioner" use 1 tbsp of white vinegar (white is best for dry scalp, you can also use apple cider vinegar for regular hair) combine it with one cup of water. You can use another squirt bottle like you have for your baking soda mixture for this. You do not need to use very much of this, a little bit goes a long way. You want to avoid putting it on to close to the roots, to avoid making your hair very greasy.

How often should I wash?

This varies from person to person, but typically, once your hair is adjusted you only need to use the baking soda wash and vinegar rinse 1-2 times a week. Doing water only rinses in between washes. The typical way to start is using the mixtures 2 times a week and slowly stretch it out until you figure out how long you can go without washing. Some people wash every 3-4 days, other people find out that after a period of time they can completely stop using it all together and just use water. Just find what works for you.

Extra tips

*If you find your hair is easily tangled and hard to manage try switching your rinse solution to half vinegar and half water

*If you have a greasy scalp or hair after using the solution, try adding a little more baking soda or reducing the water. Also, make sure you are only putting the vinegar mix on the ends of your hair, NOT your scalp. 

*If you have dry scalp or dandruff Tea Tree oil can be very helpful. Add 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil into a spray bottle full of water, spray the water on your hair until it is soaked and then put a plastic bag over your hair and let it soak for 10-20 minutes.

*If you have hard water, boil your water before adding it to the mixtures you will use for washing your hair. Make sure to let it completely cool before adding it to the bottles.

Good luck friends! Let me know if this is something you do, or plan on doing. How is it working for you? Anything you do differently?

Kawaii Diaper giveaway

It's time to giveaway another stash of cloth diapers with Kerrific

The winner of this great giveaway will get a set of six Kawaii one size diapers and a wet bag. This is a great starter pack for anyone who wants to try (or already uses) cloth diapers. These six diapers will last you about one day and will grow with your child so you'll never need anything else. 

To enter use the form below.

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Little Legs giveaway

Time for an amazing My Little Legs giveaway!

You can read the review by Rj and Jessie here

Hosted by: Rj and Jessie

Prize: $50 gift card to My little Legs

About the company: My Little Legs make leg warmers, hats, headbands and MUCH MORE!

Event dates: 1/26-2/8!

Good luck to all! WINNING ENTRY WILL BE CHECKED SO, BE TRUTHFUL

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*Disclaimer* Mommy Living Life  is not responsible for giving out the actual product. My Little Legs is. Rj and Jessie received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that they would mention/review it on their blog. They only recommend products or services they use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Your experience with the product may differ from theirs.