Thursday, October 31, 2013

525,600 Minutes...


525,600 minutes 
525,600 moments so dear
525,600 minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In surgeries, in heartbreak
In strength, in lots of prayer
In tears, in hope, in laughter, in love
In 525,600 minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?

I can't believe how far we have come in 1 year. This is the week we made it to Boston and back for my Hysteroscopy to correct my Asherman's Syndrome. We drove 14 hours straight to Boston in Hurricane Sandy, we spent the night, had surgery at 8 am and were back on the road by 9 am to get home to my little girl.

I was filled with hope, anticipation, anger, fear and every other emotion possible. Was this going to be our year?

As I sit here 35 weeks pregnant, this was our year. This was our year to take back control of my body. This was our year to expand our family. This was our season of love!

I wasn't sure we would make it to this point. I wasn't sure what the plan for us would be, but I was sure that I would never give up. It wasn't easy. There were a lot of tears and a lot of moments that I wish I could take back my hurtful words. But there were moments of pure joy, pure love for our family, that I wouldn't trade for the world.


I don't know how I made it through, and I sure don't know if this storm is over. But I am damn sure I'm not the same person that walked into it. I love harder, I appreciate things more and I realized I am a lot stronger than I ever thought I was.

When it comes to infertility, the answers are difficult. Some times they are unknown, unacceptable and down right heartbreaking, but I am here to remind you, don't give up!! As Jimmy Fallon said, "Try every avenue; try anything you can do, 'cause you'll get there. You'll end up with a family, and it's so worth it. It is the most 'worth it' thing."



Friday, October 25, 2013

So Excited To Try The Boob!!


I am going to challenge myself...how many times can I say Boob in one post??

I absolutely love that Joovy named their bottles the Boob. I mean honestly, all these silly fancy names drive me crazy, let's call it what we want it to be...just like a boob!

We are still living at the rental condo and all of the baby stuff is still in storage...yes, just a few weeks until she is due and I don't know where most of our stuff is. Not panicking....



I was thrilled when Joovy sent me a set of Boob's!


Granted I haven't been able to use them yet, I already love the concept of these bottles.

As much as I would love to nurse, and I am going to try my hardest, I know my body doesn't produce enough for a baby. I love that I will have a bottle that mimics a boob as much as possible.

The Joovy Boob is the most innovative baby bottle on the market today. The new nipple design, patented CleanFlow Vent System, silicone sleeve, and bottle are state-of-the-art and use today's best design and materials.

The Boob stands up to repeated sterilization, will not absorb odor or color, and is BPA, phthalate and lead free.

Something that really excites me is that it has a 1-piece CleanFlow vent and is easy to clean. No assembly needed and no need to touch any part that comes in contact with the milk or formula.

The best part, the nipples have been designed to make transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding and back again, an easy and natural process. The large diameter base and nipple length assist your baby in properly "latching" onto the nipple. Nipples are available in 4 flow rates, they are molded, not cut, with the appropriate size hole and are tested for consistency throughout production. They also take the extra step of baking the nipples. Baking strengthens the silicone to help prevent nipple collapse while providing constant softness.


Even though I plan to nurse, I know I will be pumping as well. With Eliza I pumped, not only to try to help my supply but also to give Mark the opportunity to bond with her through feeding. I want Mark and Eliza to be able to have that bond with Emelia too.



Joovy has come up with a Breast Pump Adapter that is just genius! When you are a mom that has to pump for immediate feedings, vs storing, it is so nice to be able to only dirty one bottle. It used to drive me crazy that I had to pump into one container and then transfer it to a bottle. What mom has the time to do all of those dishes? Another great piece, if you do want to store the milk directly in your Boob, you can! Just toss on one of the Sealing Caps and put it in the fridge. They couldn't make this any easier for us!

The Boob Breast Pump Adapter works with most major breast pumps. It is compatible with Medela, Lansinoh, Playtex, Evenflo, Ameda and Simplisse. It is not compatible with Avent. 

Speaking of cleaning bottles, there is nothing I hate more. Trying to get a sponge in there never works. I don't like sponges in general, they are just big germ pads to me!



Joovy has the Boob Bottle and Nipple Brush that fit perfectly for their Boob. The Boob Revolving Brush and Nipple Brush are ergonomically designed for fast, simple and thorough cleaning of bottles, sippy cups and nipples.

Instead of using sponge material that harbors bacteria, they use soft nylon bristles that easily clean all bottle components.

Wash the bottles, sippy cups and nipples using hot soap and water. Insert the large Revolving Brush into the bottle and rotate the brush to thoroughly clean. Use the small brush to clean nipples. It's that easy.

Are you ready to purchase some new Boobs?? They have quite a few options but this gift set is my favorite! You can go right to Joovy and purchase a set of Boobs today!

I am so thankful for these Boobs! Not only do I now have peace of mind that I will have something to use to feed Emelia if she comes early, I also know it will help prevent nipple confusion and help form a bond for Mark, Eliza and her.


PS...I said Boob 16 times, wait that makes it 17 :)

RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY® PRESENTS DRAGONS COMING TO The Palace NOV. 13-17


Growing up, my family did a lot of activities. We had Lion's tickets, Piston's tickets and we would go to a lot of shows that came to Detroit.

One show I remember VERY vividly, Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus!

During part of the show, a clown came up into the stands and asked for volunteers for part of the show. I was probably about 8 years old and my hand shot up like a rocket! I had no clue what I was being asked to do, but who wouldn't want to be part of the Circus?

I am not sure why or how, but the clown picked me!! I was lead down to center ring as my parents looked at each other in disbelief. I was told to sit on a chair and whenever the clown pointed at me, ring a bell...simple enough. The show went on and I did my part as others did theirs. The trick was played on another participant and everyone laughed. I was down there maybe 2 minutes but I sure remember it like it was yesterday! I was given a sucker for participating and I saved that sucker for YEARS. 

I am so excited, the Circus is back in town!


Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGONS is coming to The Palace Nov. 13-17!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGONS is a once in a millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus feats. DRAGONS is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show on Earth! 

DRAGONS will be here for 9 interactive shows in November! 

  • Wednesday, Nov. 13 – 7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 14 – 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 15 – 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 16 – 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 17 – 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Even better...There is a Special Discount if you use coupon code 18MOM. With this code tickets are only $18! This code is available for all shows, but can not be combined with VIP seats and must be purchased in groups of 4.

You can purchase your tickets right HERE

Wait, there is more!! 

Don't miss the All Access Pre-Show! 


This starts one hour prior to showtime and is available to all ticket-holders. See animals up close, visit with performers, get autographs, try on costumes and enjoy the circus fun!

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime family event when The Greatest Show On Earth brings the world together...to bring your family together! 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

My Preschool Princess

I still can't believe Eliza is in Preschool. I am so impressed with how much she has learned in just 2 months. I will never question my decision to put her into school early, she is excelling more than I could have ever imagined. We get her assessment today to see how they feel she is doing, I am sure it will be exceptional!

I wanted to share some of her FIRST school pictures. The school does boring blue background pictures but my saving grace always comes through! Meg does school photos for some of the local preschools and I was able to drop in to get some pictures of Eliza!

As always, thank you Shone Foto for capturing such an important moment in Eliza's life.





Monday, October 21, 2013

Letters To My Love Bug




I am so excited to finally share the start of "Letters To My Love Bug" series!

Each month my friend Meg from Shone Foto has been documenting my pregnancy for me through photos. I wanted to make sure I had a photo of how I was growing and feeling and I also wanted one that included Eliza.

Meg always comes up with the most creative ideas, I LOVE it. Check out my first few months!!

9 Weeks

12 Weeks

16 Weeks

20 Weeks

24 Weeks

28 Weeks

32 Weeks

36 Weeks

40 Weeks


I will continue to update my letters monthly as I get our photos back.

Thank you Meg! As always, you give me a gift that I could never put a price on. These memories for myself and my girls will live on forever thanks to you!!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Goodbye Our Big Buddy

This week may have been one of the hardest ones I have ever had to get through. We had to say goodbye to Zander, our big buddy.



Monday, October 14, 2013

A Lot Going On

That title explains it all. We have so much going on, and I will elaborate soon on some of it.

We have been very busy with the house, baby and life.

A few of my checkups lately have shown that Emelia is a little bit too small. She is currently only in the 11% and the doctors have been monitoring her. I go back again next week for another scan to see if she is getting a bit bigger. I sure do wonder though...if she is small where is all of this weight coming from??