Hey Mama’s and all you hair loving ladies out there! I have been asked about my hair from time to time and thought it was the perfect opportunity to share how I achieve the trendy “beach wave” look! I recently got my hair done, and went drastic! I decided to take my ombre up a notch and go with a “lived in color” look… BLONDE! “Lived in color” isn’t ombre, but it still has a beautiful transition of color. It gives the look of outgrown roots…like you have lived with your colored hair for awhile (get it? wink wink)! sounds like it wouldn’t look good, but in my opinion its GORG! I am loving this blonde look and can’t wait to show you my favorite way of styling it! Maybe blondes really do have more fun!?! **Shout out to Jessica Rondinelli at Anagen 11 for creating this beautiful cut & color! Everyone should check out http://www.anagen11.com if you are looking for the trendiest, most stylish hair salon and stylist out there!

Let me just start off by saying, I am not a hairstylist I just genuinely like playing around with new looks! My goal is to help you ladies achieve this look with only 3 simple ingredients!

Ingredient #1: 1 inch barrel curling iron.

Ingredient #2: Flat iron.

Ingredient #3: Aveda Air Control hairspray.

I have found that the Hot Shot Tools brand works well which you can purchase at any Sally Beauty Supply store. I also love Aveda products and air control hairspray happens to be my favorite! If you haven’t tried this, I highly recommend it! **Perk: the smell is oh so wonderful! Of course your 1 inch curling iron, flat iron and aerosol hairspray will certainly work for this look as well!

Now that you have your 3 simple ingredients, it’s time to get started. You can begin with straight or  wavy hair as long as it’s dry! I am able to achieve this look with air-dried hair (which is crazy and wavy) and I have also achieved this look with straight (blowdried) hair. Today my hair happened to be straight:

I make sure to part my hair the way I want it to lay before I begin curling. Today, I decided to part it to the side, but a middle part also looks really fabulous with beachy waves! A rule-of-thumb I go by…always curl your hair away from your face.

You will want to clamp a piece of your hair with the top part of the curling iron faced up or to the back of your head and the bottom of the curling iron will be faced down or to the front of your face. When choosing a clump of hair; the amount you choose will determine the thickness of the curl. Choosing smaller pieces of hair will give it more of a messy/beachy look rather than really thick pieces of hair which may end up looking like one big wave. I definitely recommend choosing smaller pieces of hair as pictured:

I clamp my curling iron about an inch or two away from my scalp and curl back away from my face. Holding the curling iron with my hair wrapped around it, I make sure to leave at least 1 to 2 inches of hair out of the wrapped-curl (this is crucial for the beachy look). After I release the curl it will look like this:

I proceed by spraying this curl with the air control hairspray and letting it sit. After finishing the top layer of my hair I clip it up and continue this type of curling to the bottom half of my hair (don’t mind my broken clip…toddlers).

After finishing curling and hairspring the bottom half of my hair and releasing the pinned up hair,  it’s then time to bring the flat iron into the picture! I flat iron the tips of the hair I left out of the curling iron and I also like to straighten underneath hairs to give it a more sleek look:

Once I have gone through straightening the desired ends, I will typically go through and add a few more curls to the very top layer of my head. I usually make these pieces the smallest so it gives the illusion of more volume and dimension. Once I have finished adding the extra top curls I run my fingers through pulling pieces apart and spraying them with the hairspray. BOOM! That is it! The end result is practically as effortless looking as it was to accomplish:

Hope this was helpful! Now if only our hair ACTUALLY looked this way after leaving the beach! **Side note… this look literally only took me a maximum of 15 minutes! So all you busy Mama’s out there…there is hope to fabulous looking hair in a rush!

Have Faith Mama(s)… 3 simple ingredients can make a beachy–ful masterpiece!

XO

Ever since Lazar and Mila have been born, its been a bit of a trial-and-error game in our home! I found other Mama’s were full of advice, Google certainly helped along the way as well, but overall, I ultimately discovered what worked best; and although I am no expert, I have confidence in our little routine at this point. Like I said, it took a lot of trials and plenty of errors to get where we are today. Honestly, these sweet mini’s change so much, it can be hard to keep up some days! One day Lazar loves peanut butter toast and the next it’s as if it’s the yuckiest thing on earth!

There have been a fair amount of instances where other Mama’s will ask me questions about where I got the kiddos moccasins, our favorite bottle brand, or how we’ve gotten our babies to sleep through the night. I thought it would be helpful to put together a list of a few of our favorite things! Of course this list is purely what has worked for us and I am by no means assuring it will do the same for you. All kiddos are so different that is what I am sure of! My goal is to help as many Mama’s and Daddy’s out there as I possibly can! While putting together this list a certain song remained on repeat in my mind:

If you didn’t recognize those lyrics, they are from “The Sound of Music.” A wonderful movie/musical, which also happens to be one of my favorites (see what I did there?). Moving on… One of our all-time favorite things would be the Zipadeezip! We first found out about it when we were watching an episode of Shark Tank. They described it as a “swaddle transition.” Basically, they said if your baby liked to be swaddled eventually they will be able to break out of their swaddle, ultimately waking themselves up every time they would scare and break free from it. The Mom who designed this explained how well her child would sleep while in the Zipadeezip. It seemed to work every time her little one would scare… Her baby would feel the cloth around himself, soothing him back to sleep. Lazar loved to be swaddled so I figured (when he was ready) if anything it was like a blanket that he couldn’t kick off, so if it also helped him sleep it was a win-win for us (really not thinking it would actually work).

Just like the Mom on Shark Tank said, Lazar started breaking through his swaddle which was waking him up at night. I had completely forgotten about the Zipadeezip but Paul hadn’t. He suggested we try it and I’m so glad we did! Lazar slept through the night the first time he wore it and every night since! I have recommended this to a few new Mama’s out there and many of them rave about this glorified “pillow case” just like me! Mila never liked being swaddled so we put her in a Zipadeezip right away which worked amazing for her; as she’s been sleeping through the night ever since she was (a hair shy of) two months old. **You can purchase a Zipadeezip off of http://www.sleepingbaby.com.

There were times Lazar would get distracted and didn’t always want to sit and drink his bottle before bed, so I decided to hook up the sound machine I received at my baby shower…

This tiny little machine was just what Lazar needed. I would turn on the “rain” sound to block out any outside noise, I would also turn the projection screen on (pointed to the ceiling) so Lazar could watch it, distracting him just enough to eat his bottle and calm him. It has worked great in Mila’s nursery as well. Outside noise, like her big brother, don’t always provide the best sleep (haha). **You can find this “mybaby soundspa” machine at Target.

The final ingredient to our great sleep recipe as been Lavender Doterra essential oil. I put a few drops in the Doterra essential oils diffuser to fill the air in the kiddos rooms and I also rub the oil on the bottom of the their feet each night. I always put a few drops of lavender in the bath water since bath time is always before bed; it gives an extra soothing aroma in preparation for good sleep. These oils have been amazing and, of course fall on the list with the other favorites. We use Lavender (as I mentioned) and On Guard oil, this oil is an immune booster helping Lazar and Mila stay healthy. I also put On Guard oil in their diffusers and on the bottom of their feet daily. The benefits of essential oils are endless and I highly recommend them! **Message me if you need a provider.

Paul and I have done our best at trying to use only natural and organic products on our kiddos; The Honest Company is just that! I signed us up for the diaper bundle where we receive multiple packages of diapers (depending on size) and 4 packages of wipes. When you sign up for bundles you are then eligible to receive other Honest Company products at a discounted price. In the long run you end up saving money compared to going out and buying diapers at the store and this way they are delivered to your front door, which has been so helpful! On the website they give you the opportunity to edit your bundle so you don’t ever run out of diapers and so you don’t over accumulate diapers either. It’s worked great for us and I really do love their products! Some Honest Company staples are: honest diaper rash cream, honest nipple balm (if you plan on breastfeeding this is a neccesity) and of course, the diapers and wipes. It’s an added perk that their prints are so stinkin cute! **To find out more about Honest Company products and bundles go to: http://www.honest.com.

We have used The Honest Company shampoo/body wash and lotion which I really like (and still use here and there), but I prefer the sent of the Shea Moisture brand. If you haven’t used this, try it! It smells amazing, it works great, and it’s natural! I have used it on Lazar and Mila ever since they were newborns so the smell literally transports me back in time to those early bath moments and literally melts my heart! You will want to use it on yourself! **I buy it from Target.

After our oh-so-sweet bath time, I put the kiddos in their Zipadeezips, turn on their diffusers filled with the calming lavender aroma, plug in the noise makers and place them in their cribs. Every night I whisper, “I love you, sweet dreams” as I carefully shut their doors, I can’t help but miss them; already excited about the adventures the next day will bring for us! In the meantime, I like to have peace-of-mind that they are safe while sleeping. A friend of mine told me about the Angelcare monitor. This monitor has a sensor pad that goes under the crib mattress which detects movement. If for some reason your child would stop moving/breathing this monitor would pick that up and sound an alarm immediately. It is also a video monitor so you are able to see what your little ones are up to without potentially waking them by cracking open their bedroom door. When your babies get older there is a speaker option on the monitor so you can talk to them (“go back to bed”) without getting out of bed yourself! All-in-all a great purchase! **You can buy this monitor off of http://www.target.com or http://www.amazon.com.

Now that you have piece-of-mind when your mini is sleeping you can focus on other pesky things like boogers (haha)! Is there anything worse than seeing a big booger lodged in your babies nose? You can’t swipe it out and that “booger sucker” from the hospital is a lost cause that actually has been proven to be a mold filled disaster. Fret no more! The Nose Frida is amazing! Lazar actually giggles when I need to use it on him! I was skeptical about this thing, but I registered for it (because I was scan-crazy) and it really paid off. you literally place the large tube ever-so-slightly filling the babies nostril and …suck! Don’t worry there are these nifty little filters so you won’t be inhaling the irritating boogers for an unexpected snack! Mila has yet to fuss and cry when I’ve used it on her, she smiles and seems to find it relieving. It deserved a spot on the “favorites” list. **You can find this at Target.

Ok so your baby can breathe easy, booger free, now they are ready to eat. If you are nursing your baby, a boppy pillow is perfect for ultimate comfort. I love this pillow, but couldn’t stand the ugly (in my opinion) covers. So I went to Etsy to help me find a more stylish cover. The Horse and Dragon Shoppe has great options like the one I have pictured here: 

As I mentioned in “Lazar’s Birth Story” he didn’t nurse well. I eventually pumped every bottle for him. We ended up choosing the Munchkin Latch bottles and loved them; especially because Lazar’s tongue-tie made his latch so narrow, this bottle seemed to work well for him. There are so many good options out there, I believe it’s up to personal preference which one(s) you decide upon.**You can find this bottle at Target.

When you are on the search for something unique and cute Etsy is always a good idea! Here are a couple more Etsy shop finds and the final two favorites: Phoebe Elliot Moccs and Noxxaz (sag hat beanies and bow turban headbands). The quality of both these shops are amazing! The moccasins are made with 100% genuine leather and the beanies/headbands are so soft leaving no irritation on your babies delicate skin.

I really hope our FAVORITES will be able to help you and even become your favorites as well! **Many of these items can be found at Target (as I mentioned) but also in major department and baby stores as well.

Have Faith Mama(s)… failures today may just become FAVORITES tomorrow!

XO

After putting into words the birth stories of Lazar and Mila I decided it was only fitting to talk about what life is like now that they are both out of the womb! Giving birth to Lazar close to a year and a half ago was the best day of me and Paul’s lives! Becoming parents has been so extremely rewarding and also extremely exhausting! Not to mention the recovery of a c-section was way more intense and painful than I ever could’ve imagined! After going through 20+ hours of labor with no relief, my body was truly worn down. Adding the c-section on top of that, was a recipe for disaster (see Lazar’s Birth Story)! I couldn’t stand up straight let alone take a few steps, how in the world was I supposed to take care of a newborn baby?! I felt like I got run over by a bus! A LARGE bus (haha)! I remember feeling so overwhelmed sitting in that hospital bed, not allowing myself to take my eyes off of Lazar. I hated when the nurses would take him to the nursery, so I could “get some rest.” Honestly, when he was away from me, it just made me more restless than ever!  It was like, the second he was born, I no longer had control…he was out, and I felt like I was watching my heart being taken from here-to-there. The feeling of helplessness consumed me… I was in a fog (mainly from all the medications) I just didn’t feel like myself and it was throwing me for a loop!

I figured once we got home I would start to feel better… NOT the case! I couldn’t even get off the couch without Paul helping me. Physically I wasn’t myself (I was in so much pain) and mentally I knew I wasn’t myself either. I was over the moon in LOVE with Lazar it was amazing! I would look at him and just start crying, thinking, “I am so in love with this child!” I would hold him in my arms and watch him fall asleep and wonder how life could get any sweeter! However, there were times I just couldn’t shake the feeling of inadequacy… I sometimes thought, “this sweet baby deserves better, I don’t know what I’m doing, Lazar deserves the very best!” I would think to myself, “How can I be the very best for Lazar if I can’t even get off the couch by myself?” Tears would fall and another day would pass. Paul did an amazing job at reminding me that God chose ME to be Lazar’s Mama and that I needed to have confidence in that! All those thoughts of doubt and negativity were all the devil trying to steal my joy! I was determinded NOT to let that happen! I prayed and prayed, dove back into my daily Bible readings and would ask God to help me feel better, heal quicker and overall be the best Mama I could possibly be for Lazar! My pain began to subside over the weeks and I started to gain more and more confidence! I’m so thankful that having those brief feelings of indadequacy only lasted a short time after Lazar was born! Paul was, and still is, my rock and comfort in those weak moments, and without him I would be so lost! Our relationship has gotten stronger and more consumed with love for one another, more than I ever could’ve imagined! I thank God for that daily!

Unfortunately, some Mama’s endure much more pain such as “The Baby Blues” or even “Postpartum Depression.” These topics are so serious and not discussed enough. Todays new Mothers are surrounded by a false idea that everything has to be picture perfect.   Some of you Mama’s have had to endure a lot of sadness during what is supposed to be, one of the happiest times of your lives. In my opinion THE most important thing you can do is pray about these feelings and give them all up to The Lord! When you trust God whole heartedly to solve any issue or problem you are facing, He is absolutely there and wants to be the one to help! If things get too serious and just don’t seem to let up, that would be an appropriate time to talk to your Doctor. Like I said, I haven’t experienced the really tough emotions that can sometimes follow after birth, but I know it happens and every Mama has gone through their own struggles and battles at some point. I know when I am having a difficult day I can always lean on Gods Grace to pull me through! God also gave me the most amazingly supportive husband that loves our kids and I with his whole heart and with that, I couldn’t be more thankful!

One of my initial struggles as a new Mama, was when Lazar was born he ended up being “tongue-tied” (restricted mobility of the tongue) basically the little tendon under the tongue that connects to the bottom of the babies mouth can form in a way that restricts it (very common).  After Lazar was born, this restriction made nursing him practically impossible without excruciating pain, bleeding nipples, etc. This also caused me to get a breast infection called, Mastitis…I mean it was just the most awful pain! In a nutshell, Mastitis is a plugged or blocked milk duct in a woman’s breast that has become infected. The symptoms are comparable to the flew. The pain was excruciating and the best way to fix it, is by having your baby nurse on the infected breast as much as possible…OUCH!  The worst part was, we (the nurses and I) thought he just had a bad latch, which is what being tongue-tied causes (we just didn’t explore that opinion at the time), they suggested I use a nipple shield. The nipple shield is intended to help babies draw out your nipple if they don’t have a strong latch right away and because his latch was so narrow, he wasn’t receiving enough milk, causing a duct in my breast to become clogged and infected…Mastitis. The antibiotics cleared up the infection, but Lazar still struggled with nursing. I worked and worked at it with him, determined to get rid of the awful nipple shield (with a screaming fit from him almost every time) he just wasn’t having it! I finally made the decision to exclusively pump every bottle for the months that followed, until my milk inevitably started running out because I got pregnant with Wise Baby #2! Miss Mila!

I am completely convinced that God allowed Lazar to be tongue-tied so it would force me to pump, which ultimately led me to produce tons of storage bags of milk. Basically, after my milk supply dwindled because of my second pregnancy, I was still able to provide Lazar with my stored breastmilk. All apart of Gods wonderful plan! It wasn’t until we were in the hospital (when Mila was born) that the nurses finally confirmed Lazar was indeed tongue-tied and explained to me, “it is an easy “snip” to fix it!” Sheesh! Thanks for telling me now (haha)! **If your baby is having a difficult time latching or if breastfeeding is extremely painful ask the doctor or nurses to check to see if they are tongue-tied, especially before nurses push a nipple shield on you. A quick snip can immediately fix the problem and allow for a wonderful breastfeeding experience. Hospitals also offer lactation specialists that are extremely knowledgable and want to help! Don’t be afraid to ask! 🙂

As soon as Mila was born, I swear my heart doubled in size! Her birth story was certainly a lot less dramatic than Lazar’s (see Meeting Mila)! I had this preconceived idea that everything I went through with Lazar, was bound to happen with Mila…just silly, I know! I did have some of the same reactions after she was born, like I still hated when the nurses would take her out of the room, but this time around was SO different! This time around, I felt a confidence, this time around, I would think to myself, “I know exactly what to do! I got this!” Mila had a great latch and was breastfeeding perfectly! It was something I had prayed about ever since I found out I was pregnant! I desperately didn’t want to have to exclusively pump again, but I knew God had a plan and whatever was meant to happen was going to happen… I had faith that God had my very best interest in mind! I’m so very thankful His plan included a perfect latch! Being able to nurse Mila has been a sweet and special experience for me; and HOLY COW it’s a lot less work than exclusively pumping (haha)!

Once Paul and I started getting in a solid routine with Lazar and really feeling like we had this whole “parenting” thing down, God gave us Mila! The only way I can describe her is: AMAZING! She is the definition of a sweetheart! Being pregnant while raising a young child came with it’s challenges, but having a newborn while raising a young child has proven to be a crazy ride! Honestly there are plenty of moments during the day when both kiddos are crying and needing me at the same time and there is no way to make them both happy simultaneously… It’s a true test of patience! I remind myself in those moments how much I will miss these days! I even let out a chuckle sometimes like, “jeez this is crazy! But, it’s MY crazy!” Some mornings I dread when Paul says, “well, I gotta go to work.” I think to myself, “how can I possibly handle this alone?” EVERY SINGLE TIME, God comes through! He always gives me the motivation, energy and patience I need!

Each morning I wake up and thank God for allowing me to stay home and raise Lazar and Mila! I cannot imagine loading these two up evey morning and dropping them off. All those Mama’s and Daddy’s that need to do that to help provide for their families are doing an honorable job! However, I can NOT stand (for lack of a better word) how stay-at-home Moms/Dads get looked at like they have the easier end of the deal! Like it’s assumed I am sitting at home all day on my bum scrolling the web or reading the latest gossip mag! Sorry, that is just so naive and honestly, insensitive! A stay-at-home parent never leaves work, they don’t get a lunch break, sometimes not even a bathroom break (without a little mini pulling at your pant legs)! The truth is, each side of the spectrum could rant about how they have it harder than the other, but at the end of the day, each side has their positives and negatives. Personally, I am truly thankful for the position God has me in and frankly I wouldn’t change a thing! I have days where I feel so burnt out I don’t know why I ever thought raising one child was ever difficult… But then I remember the reality is, whether you have one or twenty-one children, or whether you stay at home or go to work each day, we all have our highs and lows! I believe we all need to rejoice over the highs and embrace the lows! One day we are all going to be wishing our kids were little again and if we focus too much on the negatives of life, we are going to miss out on all the beautiful positives!

Watching Lazar and Mila grow together has been so special for me to watch! Lazar truly adores Mila and gives her kisses with an “awwwww!” to follow any chance he gets! He calls her, “baybay” (in the cutest high-pitch voice) and sometimes would like to rough house with her, like all older brothers do of course! They nap around the same time everyday for about 3+ hours and go to bed at night around 7:30-8pm for about 12+ hours each! (I’ll be sharing my sleep tricks in a post to come!)

Somedays I just look at them and think, “God chose ME to be their Mama!” I have confidence in THAT & that thought alone, will bring tears of joy to me for the rest of my life!

Have Faith Mama(s)… Have confidence in knowing God has you exactly where you should be & live for all the beautiful positives in life!

XO

Friday, April 24th 2015. Lazar and I had spent the day at my parents house, as we frequently did and still do on Fridays. We went to a fish fry down the road from their house… While at dinner, I was telling my Mom and Dad how I thought I could be pregnant again, but I had taken a few tests which had all been negative so I ruled it out. I remember my Dad telling me, “No, I think you are! You should take another test.” I loved to hear the optomism in his voice. I am, and always have been very close to my parents, so having a conversation like this was and is the norm; I’m so thankful for that! That night, after returning home, I put Lazar to bed and decided, “oh what the heck, I’m just gonna take one!” (a pregnancy test that is)! I fully expected it to come back negative, but much to my surprise a plus sign appeared… “OMG, Wise baby #2!”God is GOOD!

I’ve always heard that you should take pregnancy tests in the morning (your first pee of the day), but for some reason I just couldn’t wait, I could still hear my Dad’s voice ringing in my ears… “I think you are! You should take another test.” Let’s not forget our sweet, and still fairly new son, Lazar was only 5 months when I took that test! I was a little shocked, I felt a giant wave of emotions flood over me! I was excited, happy, scared and nervous all at once! Of course Paul wasn’t home from work just yet and I wanted to wait to tell him in person so I texted him to see when he would be home. He replied, “on my way” and also asked me to preheat the oven. I replied, “oh it’s cookin!” (haha get it?! “bun in the oven!”) Yea I know I’m corny! He replied with question marks and I decided not to respond since I knew he would be walking through the door any minute. When he did finally get home, I handed him the positive pregnancy test and he honestly thought I was joking (haha)! Oops! We were so excited! BUT, we also were no longer naive to all the obstacles having a child brings about. It’s the most rewarding experience in the world but boy-oh-boy it’s no walk in the park! We thanked God for yet again, another blessing that would be added to our family! I already couldn’t wait to meet our sweet DAUGHTER!

This pregnancy was so similar to Lazar’s, I felt great! The only difference was the occasional headaches (which I figured was from the lack of sleep and rest) since I was now taking care of a baby on top of being pregnant; other than that, I felt amazing and I was so happy that our little family was growing! There were days that I thought it will be impossible to take care of Lazar and a newborn. I would get over emotional thinking about sharing my attention between two kiddos. How could I possibly give another baby as much love as I give to Lazar? I kind of didn’t think it was even possible, but once again, God never gives us more than we can handle. I had complete confidence that God had everything perfectly planned out for us and I was and will always be beyond thankful for His divine Grace!

November, 26 2015. Thanksgiving Day and Lazar’s FIRST Birthday! I woke up that morning and sobbed! I could not wrap my head around the fact that we had a One year old! Where did the time go!? And to think the next month Mila would be arriving! It was a crazy feeling! I felt just as excited, happy, scared and nervous like the night I found out I was pregnant with Mila! I couldn’t believe how quickly those 8 months had flown by! Her due date was December 22nd 2015 and my OBGYN (the same one who delivered Lazar) was saying I was measuring large again, implying it may be hard to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).

My entire pregnancy with Mila I was very optomic for a VBAC. My OBGYN and I had discussed all the risks and benefits of a VBAC and I was hoping and praying for the best. Since I needed a c-section with Lazar, simply because of his size, the odds of me needing one with Mila were relatively high… basically if you have a big baby you are likely to have more big babies. BUT, the Doctor reassured me that anything was possible. We decided to wait and see how big she would  get and go from there. I had one of my last weekly check-ups on Tuesday, December 15th 2015, the entire morning leading up to my 2pm appointment, I had been having very infrequent contractions. Just to be prepared, we packed our bags and made arrangements with our parents to watch Lazar and went into that appointment thinking it would be the day we got to meet Mila! Eh… not so much. My contractions weren’t consistent enough to keep me at the hospital so my Doctor suggested we schedule another c-section since I was showing all the same signs I did with Lazar…I wasn’t dilating, my cervix wasn’t thinning and she was really high up in my uterus. It was most likely going to be Lazar’s Birth Story all over again, and that just wasn’t in the cards for this Mama… If you haven’t read his births story I suggest you do to understand why I didn’t want to repeat it (haha)! Ultimatley, I trusted the Doctors advice and we scheduled the c-section for Thursday, December 17th 2015. He suggested we do a c-section right away since I was so uncomfortable from the infrequent contractions. He also estimated that Mila was around 8lbs arleady so she was at a healthy weight and I was 39 weeks so there was no reason to hold off at that point.

Wednesday, December 16th 2015 may have been the longest most uncomfortable day (besides the full day of labor I experienced with Lazar)! I was still having the infrequent contractions and I honestly couldn’t wait for the day to be over so we could finally meet our sweet daughter! The day had arrived! Although I was a whale (haha), I think I sprung out of bed that morning! I was beyond excited! We were the first c-section of the day so we checked into the hospital at 5am. It was honestly the most surreal expierence. Almost a year ago exactly I was in the same hospital ready to meet our first born… some of the nurses were like, “wait didn’t you JUST have a baby!?” We laughed about how different this experience was compared to the painful labor pains from a SHORT year ago.

When you have a scheduled c-section it’s very planned and there isn’t a whole lot of drama. You can’t eat or drink anything past a certain time the night before depending on your surgery time, so when you arrive, get undressed and into you glamorous (eye-roll) hospital gown, they immediately start you on an IV to get fluids pumping. Getting poked with a needle at 5:30am certainly wasn’t ideal, but the excitement and adrenaline running through me was all I focused on. Mila would be in my arms in a few short hours! We were all set and ready as we waited for the surgery room to be prepped. This time around I was able to walk to the ice cold room myself, much different than the first time around with Lazar (see his birth story). Once in the surgery room, they explained to me that I needed a spinal. Basically the difference between a spinal and an epidural is: a spinal is just one shot of medication and an epidural is a catheter left in your back to allow constant numbing medication for a longer period of time. The reason Doctors normally give spinals to c-section patients is because they generally know how long the procedure is going to take, whereas laboring Mama’s don’t follow any type of time restrictions (haha) and may need the extra doses of medication. The spinal (in my opinion) was a lot more painful than the epidural. I think it was because I was completely aware and not exhausted from a day of labor.

The surgery room was ice cold as I had mentioned, so they offer you warmed blankets (those things were the bees knees) if they don’t offer them, ask for them! After they had FINALLY gotten the spinal to work I was completely numb from the top of my baby belly down to my toes within seconds. The nurses laid me down and continued to get everything all set. The surgeon, my OBGYN, was all prepped and ready; I felt like I was in a very vivd dream. He explained it was time to let Paul into the room, as he was ready to get started! Honestly just typing that gives me the same lump in my throat, with the same tears welling up, when I experienced it nearly 3 months ago, while laying on that cold operating table. As Paul walked in tears uncontrollably trickled down my cheeks. You guys, when the love of your life walks into the room where you are about to be sliced open, and your eyes meet, emotions are out of your control. The comfort Paul gives me in just one glance is enough to give me the courage to go through anything! I love that man more than he will ever know! When he sat down next to me he asked if I was in pain (because of the tears), I explained I was just happy to see him!

“Ok it’s time to meet Mila! Lets get started.” the Doctor explained. My heart was racing I was a little freaked out knowing what was happening on the other side of that curtain. They drape a surgical curtain between your chest and belly so you don’t watch them cut into you, or as one of the nurses put it, “so you don’t feel tempted to try and assist the Doctor.” (haha). The surgery began and the discomfort followed practically immediately. The tugging and pressure is hard to explain… I just remembered I was so uncomfortable (that was and is the only way I can explain it)! I remember feeling like I couldn’t breathe! I was groaning a bit and remember explaining to the nurse, it felt like an elephant was sitting on me. My OBGYN explained that was because there was pressure against my diaphragm… Bruuuutal to say the least! Tears continued to fall throughout the entire surgery… Paul was extremely uncomfortable seeing ME so uncomfortable so he asked if he could step out. He explained later that he felt like he was going to pass out! He says, “It was waaaaay too quiet in there and all I could hear is you groaning and crying!” (haha) poor guy! So Paul leaves the room to take a breather in the hall while the aneshesiologist offers him a bagel and a Pepsi (haha). The Doctor explained Mila was almost out so they better get Paul back in, he eventually made it back in perfect timing. Although, once they did finally get Mila out I was starting to feel a ton of pain, as my body doesn’t respond well to medication, so it was already wearing off (refer to Lazar’s birth story). My groans became a lot louder and my tears more frequent, this only made Paul feel even more uneasy than the first time so out he went… to the hallway that is, not the floor (haha)!

Thursday, December 17th at 8am. The Doctor pulled Mila out and handed her to the nurses all I could hear is, “oh she is just beautiful!” I couldn’t wait to lay my eyes on her! All 7lbs 15oz and 20.5inches of her! Again, much like Lazar’s story, it felt as if my soul was being ripped from my body, when they lifted her out. I hated that I wasn’t able to wrap her up in my arms immediately, but the nurses brought her up to me for kisses right away! I felt my heart double in size! Our daughter is AMAZING! In both instances, Lazar’s birth and Mila’s, the entire time I could physically feel God’s presence! Its almost a feeling of His arms being wrapped around me and giving me peace knowing He is near and has complete control! The amount of comfort that gave me is indescribable! It’s truly surreal like an out-of-body experience! I am truly thankful for The Lords LOVE He has for His children! I know we will never be able to humanly comprehend how much God loves us but when I heard those first little cries and saw those beautiful little faces I felt loves pulse through me in a way I didn’t know was possible!

Mila is truly LOVELY! She is such a sweetheart and has been pure joy to have around! We are beyond thankful to God for choosing Paul and I as her parents! She is all smiles and is one tough cookie when her older brother can’t decide between a sweet kiss or a swift smack (haha)! Life just wouldn’t be as amazing without her and my heart is so full! I absolutely LOVE being a “Boy Mama and a Girl Mama!” Being a Mother is one of the most precious gifts God can give a woman. Whether its through a vaginal birth, a c-section, a surrogate, an adoption, etc… the gift of Motherhood is something that is a true privilege no matter the journey to get there!

Have Faith Mama(s)! The journey is well worth the ride!

XO

First of all, just typing the title of this made me cry, so you can only imagine how special this time of our lives was… still is… will always be! Everyone told us becoming a parent is indescribable, “you just won’t understand how amazing it is until it happens!” Well, there couldn’t be any more truth to that statement. The day Paul and I became parents, was truly the very best thing that ever happened to us! Lazar’s birth story is something I am so happy to share and document so one day I can look back and read this. Maybe he will read this one day too and think wow! I owe her a big hug (haha)!

I’ll never forget the day I found out I was pregnant… Saturday, March 15th 2014.  I woke up around 9:30am and decided I was going to take a pregnancy test. I had been taking them pretty frequently hoping for the two lines to come shooting across the screen of the pregnancy test. I remember thinking, “here you go wasting another one of these things…” As I sat there it became pretty evident immediately what the result was…”Holy CRAP! It’s POSITIVE!!!!!!!” That’s EXACTLY what I yelled from the little tiny bathroom in our little tiny lake house we were living in at the time. Of course Paul was listing to something on his computer and had his headphones on so he didn’t hear me! I ran into the living room to show him, with tears rushing down my face. He looked at me and just knew! Ah the beginning to the most beautiful love story!

After Paul and I relished in the excitment of having a baby, I just couldn’t hold in the news from our families. My parents lived right down the road from us at the time and I thought what better way to tell them, than in person! I called and asked if they wanted to go on a walk, as we frequently did… of course they agreed. I’ll never forget the excitement of walking into their bedroom with the news I was about to tell them. I was about to give them one of the greatest gifts I could possibly ever give… a grand baby! They were going to be grandparents for the very first time! I could barely hold it in! My Dad was sitting on a bench at the end of their bed putting on his shoes and my Mom was in their closet. “I have a question for you guys? Are you ready to be grandparents!?” We shared a moment that was so special to me and will forever hold a special place in my heart! We cried tears of joy in each others arms! What a fun walk that ended up being!

My pregnancy was amazing! We moved out of our little lake home and into our new home we reside in now. We were preparing for our SON! I was so excited to have a boy first. We both have older brothers and I think it’s what we both wanted to start off our family with…Ultimately, God just knew it is exactly what we needed! We chose to name him Lazar after my Uncle Lock. It is a Croatian name, since that is my families heritage. Lock or Locky is the english version of Lazar. More importantly though, we wanted to name him after someone we both love and look up to and my Uncle Lock was the perfect man for the job! I could write a book about how amazing that man is! Anyways, my due date was November 27th, 2014. The months were flying by and my belly was HUGE! People constantly told me I was having multiples. I’ll never forget the September night at the grocery store when a man at the check out said to me, “wow, is the car waiting outside to take you to the hospital? You look ready to pop!” Little did he know I had a couple months to go! I humored him with a smile and a, “Yes, any day know!” Eh, what’s a little white lie… Didn’t want him to feel bad (haha). 

Finally, November came. We were SO EXCITED! I had been seeing a midwife with hopes of having the most natural birth as possible! We planned on having a water birth in the hospital. I didn’t want any drugs and I wanted to go into labor on my own, no inducing. Well, God had other plans and it’s best to NOT make your own at all sometimes because He always has final say! As Lazar grew my Midwife was concerned I may need a cesarean because of how big I was measuring. I remained optimistic, leaving all the c-section talk at the very back of my mind. My Mom and Mother-in-law both had large babies naturally, so could I… I thought!

November 25th, 2014 3am… OUCH! Woke up to uncomfortable cramping. I figured it was just the normal aches and pains of having such a large belly, so I got up to go to the bathroom and when I laid back down I realized the cramping wasn’t going away, it was consistent. I had downloaded a contraction counter app to help me track each contraction and how long they lasted. Side note** Our bags were all packed and ready because our Midwife suggested I get induced if I wanted to try and have this baby naturally (because of his size). We fought against it and even canceled the first planned induction, as it just didn’t feel right. We prayed long and hard about it and agreed on 7am, Tuesday, November 25th, 2014 to get induced. We were still uneasy about the idea of rushing something with drugs that just didn’t seem necessary, so we continued to pray long and hard. BAM! I went into labor on my own. Once again, it’s God plan! I called the nurse direct line at the hospital to let them know I went into labor on my own, they instructed me to keep my 7am appointment unless the contractions got unbearable before then.

We arrived at the hospital at 6:45am and knew by the time we left we would have our baby boy! The excitement was through the roof! Labor, oh labor! Yes, it really is as bad as you think, it’s actually worse! Mine lasted 20+ hours and I was still determined to deliver Lazar drug free. My plan seemed to be happening… Then, it just wasn’t.  During the 20+ hours my Midwife broke my water, I walked the halls, I sat in the bathtub, I sat on the giant exercise ball, we rubbed essential oils everywhere…yes, EVERYWHERE (haha)! Nothing seemed to get things moving. I only got to 4.5 centimeters during that entire process. 20+ hours, no drugs, excruciating pain and now the surgeon comes in, examines me, and explains I will need a c-section. We agree it’s the best/safest option for Lazar and I. Everyone left the room to start prepping for surgery except Paul and my parents. The second I heard the door shut, I broke down sobbing. I felt like needing a c-section was a failure and made me less of a mother. I’ll never forget my Dad rushing over to my bedside balling, reassuring me “everything is going to be ok!” I loved that moment and I’ll never forget it! This is all apart of “The Plan!” God’s Plan! I trusted that and knew it was the best option.

Now that I knew I was getting a c-section I was SO READY to not experience any more pain! I had had enough over the span of the full day! I mean for crying out loud it WAS Wednesday, November, 26th at this point so I had endured a day of labor drug free, now I was ready for the pain to go bye-bye! They gave me an epidural while they got the surgery room prepared so I was able to relax. I’ve learned (NOW) my body doesn’t respond well to medication because the first epidural didn’t work… the second one helped and I was able to rest a bit before surgery. As you can tell Paul found the scrubs appealing (haha)! When the Doctor began the surgery I felt an immense amount of burning like a hot iron was being pressed against my skin! I shrieked, yelling out, “It BURNS! It BURNS!” The Doctor immediately stopped and I was pumped with more drugs… ugh! The tugging and pulling was extremely uncomfortable! I think people assume women who get c-sections just go in for a nice little pain-free surgery and batta-bing batta-boom… a baby! NONO that’s certainly not the case!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 1:56am Lazar Charles Wise was born! Weighing 9lbs. 14oz. 23 inches long! I was overwhelmed with joy I balled as I watched the nurses clean him off across the room! I was devastated I wasn’t able to have him in my arms immediately! It felt like they ripped my soul out of me and I couldn’t do a thing but just lay there and watch… After they stitched me up and wheeled me back into my room my body was in shock and shaking uncontrollably. My blood pressure dropped to a very unsafe level and the Doctor was called back to check on me. Thankfully I was stabilized and snuggling our sweet baby boy! Holy Moly God’s plan was dramatically different than what I was hoping for! But, I know it was for the best and I will trust in that forever! looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing! Its our story and I love it!

God always has our very best interest in mind! He is always with us and as long as we believe in Him and His plan we are going to be just fine! That was the hardest day of my life but it was also one of the best! It was the day I became a Mama! It was a long day, and through all the pain there was also some other drama that now brings nothing but laughter. Mid-day my Midwife is rubbing a lavender oil mixtures on my back as I am hunched over the hospital bed, when my Mom steps in and offers to take over so my Midwife could check on her other patients. My Mom takes over right as I had a hard contraction… mid groans my Mom explains she feels warm and may need to sit down. Meanwhile, I can’t talk, I’m in so much pain so I remain hunched, being no help… Mom walks away when I here, “JESUS CATHY!” YEP! Mom passed out in the hallway! My Dad tried to catch her mid fall (all while yelling out “JESUS CATHY!”) haha! Her and my Dad gave blood that afternoon which is probably why she passed out combined with the lack of food and seeing her daughter in immense pain! All-in-All an amazing day!

Have Faith Mama(s)… because Gods plan is always going to be bigger & better than you could ever imagine!

XO

Hello! So this blogging experience has been nothing short of confusing! But with tons of help from awesome friends…here I am! I decided to start this blog mainly to help Mama’s out there in any way possible. I am by no means an expert Mama, I mean who is? That’s a rhetorical question (haha)… The answer is no Mom… NO Mom is an expert. We may look back on our childhoods and beg to differ, thinking, “My Mom was certainly an expert!” No, sorry.  Every Mom, great and not-so-great has had their fair share of struggles, that I am certain of.

I plan to post all about the exciting and not so exciting things that go on here in the Wise home. Recently, I have had ladies asking me where I get my kiddos moccasins, or what brand of diapers I use, or how I got my 2 month old to sleep through the night.  These are all things I have discovered along this bumpy journey called “Motherhood” and like I said, I am no expert. What I hope to do is be a blessing to anyone taking the time to read my posts. I hope to be encouraging and give advice from what I have found helpful and what has worked for me and my family… whether that be the baby monitor I use or my favorite go-to outfit or even how I curl my hair in a rush. At the end of the day, God told me to start a blog. I never thought I would be the “blogging” type (whatever that even is) but I am here and I’m genuinely excited about it.

So thank YOU for taking time out of your busy day to read my chatter! I hope to bring a smile to your face and joy to your hearts! Have Faith Mama(s) because at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters anyways!

XO