Diaper Bags & what not

Diaper bags, oh so much fun..and oh so heavy! But what do you put in there? I've been asked this a lot lately so I thought I'd share will all my mommy- to-be friends what I keep in mine, and why.

Everything pictured here are must haves for us.

• Lotion : A baby with dry cracked skin is pitiful. We put lotion on Harper Lynn twice a day.
• Changing Pad : Seriously, these are a God send when changing a dirty diaper in a restaurant or in a car, especially in case of little accidents.. [ :
• Nose Wipes: We just started these with HL & we love them! They help us keep her little nose clean, and they smell wonderful!
• Wet Ones (Sanitizer Wipes): I use these to clean off the Changing Pad after each use, enough said.
• Tissues: Handy for Harper & for us. We often use the to wipe her mouth after a bottle.
• Wipes: Of course this is a must have
• Diapers: We keep HL's diapers in a zip lock bag for two reasons. 1) It keeps diapers from floating around in her diaper bag. 2) Its a lot more sanitary.
• Scented Baggies: Also kept in a zip-lock bag, but with a slit cut in it so I am able to pull out one bag at a time. Using these bags when HL has a bm helps reduce the smell. These are also awesome when were on the road!

Notice the Zip-lock bag..I use the crap out of them! Gripe water [helps get rid of hiccups, and tummy trouble], Little Remedies for fever, St. Josephs Gas Relief drops, teething gel.{ I put all of the droppers in a separate bag than I keep the meds in..less sticky.} Diaper rash cream -the white tub is also diaper rash cream but prescription-, Q-tips, Petroleum Jelly - used with the q-tips when HL hasn't had a bm for a few days.

This little pouch is the handiest little thing ever! In this pouch is: A hair brush, another bottle of lotion, baby scissors, nail files, nail clippers, bib, medical dropper (this is just an extra), nasal bulb, pacifiers (We always keep 2 extras just in case, because nothing sucks worse then having a fussy baby and no paci.)                                                        

Formula & Cereal. There have been so many times that we have ran out of formula from being out and about longer than anticipated. I now keep a can in my diaper bag & one in my car!

Extra clothes. These are a must! We keep a Jacket, Onesie, Pants, Socks and hair bow. I stack the Pants, Onesie and socks together with the bow wrapped around them, and place them in the zip lock baggie. Keeps them together and clean!

Yes out of all the stuff in my bag I am able to have a few things in there for myself. My planner, lotion, glasses, keys, pens & sharpie, germ-x wipes, chap stick, note pad, inhaler, Benadryl, headache meds. Items not pictured: Wallet, feminine products, hair ties & bobby pins, and a compact. Oh & stamps, I leave envelopes, and blank cards in my car at all times because you never know when you need to mail something, or write someone a thank you note (:

 

I also leave a toy, or two in her bag

 

So there you have it, that's what we keep in Harper's diaper bag. I know I am "the over prepared" momma but everything that's in her bag is things that we actually use.

A day in the life...

Harper Lynn,

 Ever wonder what a day in our lives is like? Well here's a pretty basic description....

      We have began to settle into the sweetest little routine. You generally wake me up in the mornings by "talking" or chewing your hands. On the rare occasion I get to wake you up I take ever sweet precious moment in. You always ALWAYS greet me with the biggest gummy smile ever [hello instant heart melter] and roll around in your crib till I pick you up. Each and every time I pick you up, be in the mornings or through out the day I always give you a hug. You must have caught onto this because you always put your arms around my neck. From there we always do a quick diaper change and then onto feeding. After feeding time, we general play for a bit then go make breakfast and wake daddy up. You sit in your little bumbo in a chair in the kitchen and watch me while I cook, clean, do dishes etc. Something tells me though that this will be a very common element in our lives down the road. You love helping me wake daddy up, and on his most stubborn days I let you go all ninja baby on him (; [I.E. Mommy karate chops daddy with your little arms & legs! ]  You always greet daddy with the same big gummy smile you do me, and he can't help but smother you with kisses. Now from here we eat, clean up the kitchen, basically get ready for our day. Then are day normally goes one of two ways, we either go run errands [most often] or we stay around the house. Most days, even if we don't have to we get out and about and go see someone in the family. You will learn as you grow just how important family is to your dad and I, how much it truly means for us to be close. We generally are home about lunch time so that I can feed you and make us something to eat, and get daddy's lunch packed for work. He normally entertains you right about then. Then sadly he heads to work for the day...and your stuck looking at me and the dog.
     By then though its time for one of the two naps that your guaranteed to take daily. At which time I study my heart out, until you wake up at least. From there we do lots & lots of tummy time, practice sitting up, and of course we talk. All day long actually. We play with toys, read books and sing and dance. You absolutely love to dance around the kitchen, it is precious. You eat about this time for your 3rd feeding of the day, then it is back down for your second nap. This one though isn't near as long so I try to edit or answer emails, basically anything with the photography business. Once you've gotten back up we generally make dinner, play some more then get ready for night time baths. You typically get a bath every other night, and I wash your hair twice a week. You love to splash around and listen to me sing to you. You smile and laugh so much! Once bath time and all its fun are over it is time get you ready for bed. We read at least 3 stories every night. Right now your loving: Guess How Much I Love You, Dr Seuss ABC, and The Elephants Child. But your favorite book of all...? Noah's Ark. I can read it to your a hundred times and you still protest every time I close the book. We have also started Praying with you before you go to sleep, and you absolutely LOVE it! You just babble right along with me (: Once your off to dream land, I try my best to complete any school work I have for the week. Sometimes its easy said than done [ Like tonight I am kind of procrastinating], but I am proud to say..like I promised I would...that after completing my first college class I still have a 4.0! YAY! Here's to hoping I can keep it going. By then daddy is normally coming in from work, and I visit with him for a bit. I normally finish up any edit/workshops while he eats and we watch a movie. By then I am one tired mommy and ready for bed.
      Oh, and I cant forget to throw in the biweekly grocery trips, laundry 3+ times a week, house cleaning, taking care of Shorty, tiny persons temper tantrums, tons and tons of mini hugs & kissed breaks and the million and one other things I seem to do in a day....

I love our crazy busy but beautiful life. I love you baby girl to the moon and back.

                       Love,
                           Mommy

An Update -Finally

Harper- where in this world do I begin. It has been so long since I have written about you and our daily lives. We have been busy of course, but its honestly not a viable excuse. I have sat at my computer nearly a thousand times, but could never collect all the thoughts I wanted to share. You are 3 months and three weeks old now and are truly getting bigger by the minute. You have become so alert and so excited by things that it is truly an amazing sight. Today for instance I watched you select a toy, pick it up in your hands and place it in your mouth. It may seem trivial yes but it was such a cool sight to see. You have also started really recognizing people and their names. I can tell you that we are going to Nana's or Mawmaws or Pawpaw's and you give the same grin you do when you see the actually person. You also frown when I tell you were going to Wal-Mart, which of course I find hilarious. Your also "talking" so much now! Daddy and I were eating lunch a few weeks back and you babbled literally the 30 minutes it took us to eat. You just coo and smile and wave your arms around in excitement like your telling us such an important story. I can honestly say it amazes me how much you've grown already. We know your AT LEAST 14 pounds and 24 inches long. I carry you around like a sack of potato's most of the time because you are so curious and want to constantly look at the world rather than mommy's shirt.

Your first time on a swing. 3.4.13

Daddy on the other hand constantly holds you high in the air proclaiming your an airplane, he's silly you must know, but you always squeal in delight. While you normally downright hate tummy time you have began to tolerate it long enough to play. Currently your favorite toy is a brightly colored pink ball that rattles. You can easily grasp it in your hands (webbed ball) and you love sticking it up to your mouth and licking it, which I know is a new sensory skill your learning. You have also begun to sit up on your own -well for 30 seconds at least. But if your being held you insist on sitting upright, you downright refuse to lay down unless your extremely tired or feeding. Oh feeding, what a new little adventure that has become. You now take 6 ounces every 4 hours with about 2 to 4 tbsp of cereal ever feeding. We are also working on spoon feeding you which is quite a sight I must say, a messy one at that. But these are the moments your daddy and I live for. Now where to begin to catch you up on all the goings on. First your Nana recently returned home after over a month long stay with your aunt and cousin. Jaliyah was very sick and required a prolonged stay in the hospital, during which she had surgery. Thankfully now she is home and is doing much better. Praise God. You were quite mad at Nana when she returned home but thankfully now you are back to giving her your cheesy grins.

In my last post I talked about how daddy sold his truck so that we could pay of my car and trade for something bigger, just a few days after that post and several car lots later we found the vehicle we were looking for. We are now the proud owners of a 05 Chrysler Pacifica aka "the mom mobile". Your dad constantly teases me about my "van" to which I happily sock him in the arm - love punch I swear. To add to the vehicle related excitement your daddy also bought a motorcycle. I am still up in the air about this one but he rides well and is very careful, and that's all that I can ask for. Mommy also finally after 3 years upgraded my camera, to which I am so unbelievably thankful. My picture quality has improved an outstanding amount and I am now able to take better photos of you as well. Lastly on our spending spree ( over a nearly 2 month span mind you) we now have a new washer and dryer. My dryer died a slow and painful death and at the request of your daddy we bought a brand new set, well rent to own but regardless it is ours. Oh my I almost forgot we got a new computer yesterday after my "old faithful" standby that was Uncle Andy's attempted to die several times, in several different fashions and this was a definite no go considering I do all of my schooling online, and need a computer to edit. But enough of that... Finally after weeks of freezing weather ...

On March 4th it was actually warm enough to take the to the park and for a walk in your stroller for the first time. You LOVED it. You smiled the whole time we were gone and got pretty upset when we had to leave due to the wind picking up. We have been on several walks/ park trips since and you love it every time! I have been incredibly busy with photo shoots and school and you have been the utmost cooperative child. You may fuss at times but overall I couldn't be more blessed. You have now been to seven different sessions with me - that is more than daddy! As for school I just completed my first course as a college student. Exciting stuff I tell you. I am still wanting to see what my final grade will be and I am so anxious about it. I will be sure to post it later. Promise.

Speaking of Photo shoots you and I made our first long distance drive on March 16th, we traveled nearly to Memphis that day, but had so much fun in the process. The next weekend, March 22 we took our first real road trip. Poor daddy had to work so we endured off to Tennessee for a weekend full of photo shoots, family and friends. We stayed with these beautiful ladies right here.. & had a blast! It was yours & Laylahs very first sleepover. Precious! Amber and I got such a kick out of watching the two of you play...stare each other down.. and "talk". I hope that you two are as great of friends as aunt Amber and mommy are. I had so much fun taking pictures for Laylahs first Easter, and then getting some lifestyle portraits of them as well. Aunt Amber is a single mom, but I can honestly say I have never been more proud of her. She is one hell of good momma. I also got to see several friends I hadn't seen in years, because of the photo shoots. Which is also nice. We went lunch with aunt Melody right before heading home. She was sweet enough to run out in the pouring ran to get my car, so I wouldn't have to walk in it with you. That is a true friend right there and I love her dearly.

Other than all of the craziness and busy days we have been blessed to celebrate your first St. Patrick's Day and your first Easter. You wore the most adorable outfit for st patty's day, that some so longtime friends of mine had sent you. I swear I took a million pictures of you that day, sitting in your newly acquired bumbo that a sweet lady I had done a photography session for the weekend before gave us. (you love that thing by the way. You sit in on a top of a chair in the kitchen when I cook dinner. You sit in it on top of a lawn chair on our front porch. like I said, you love it.) Easter though was by far more fun. We went to breakfast then visited with Mawmaw and the spend the rest of the day with Nana, pop-rod, aunt Kelly and your uncles Jason and Jessie. Daddy made me so proud by posing in photos with us (he dislikes the camera) but he made me even more proud but taking some awesome photos...I am training him well haha. For now thought we are trying to get back into our routine as I have recently started a photography workshop course, onto of everything else. No matter what that at the end of the day everything your daddy and I do is for you. We love you unconditionally Harper!

Daddy and I (:

 

My favorite photo of us to-date. You look so precious for your first Easter, and I was so proud of you for sitting still long enough to take a picture with me. I love you!

You are truly a daddy's girl. He loves you SO much!

                     & last but certainly not least... Happy 6 months to this Beautiful little lady.
                                           Uncle James, Harper and I love you very much!