Mama needs a new pair of shoes, pants, shirts, etc

I've had the pleasure of working from home in my pajamas since I was 20 weeks pregant. Elijah is almost 6 months and it is time for me to head back into the office. Although I am back down to my pre-preganancy weight - lets just say, some things have shifted.  My old clothes aren't fitting the way they used to. Where is a personal shopper when you need one? Well, I have some one in mind. A few years ago, I wanted a wardrobe makeover and one of my besties allowed me to sit in the dressing room while she worked her magic. I don't know how she did it, but everytime I looked up there was something for me to try on. Well luckily my 'personal shopper' is still around. My stylish friend at Baby Shopaholic OFFERED to find the perfect pieces that can be worn in the office, out on the town and at CHURCH. I asked for clothes that are not too pricey and can be mix-matched to create new looks.  I am in love with so many of things she's chosen for me. I will be one STYLISH mama when I return to work. Check out her blog to view the collection. Let me know what your favorites are. She doesn't know this yet, but I plan to drag her out to the stores with me again. Hey, I have to try these clothes on.

Got SPOILED Milk?

*************UPDATE*************

 Since my last update, I left my crate of milk out after taking the picture below!!!! The deep freezer has this crazy suction so you have to wait a few minutes before it can be opened again. Being the multi-tasker that I am not, I went back in the house to do some other stuff first.  Well, I forgot to put the crate back in the freezer and did not discover it until the next day.  I was sick for the rest of the day just thinking about it.  I know you aren't supposed to refreeze food once it has been thawed (I'm guilty of doing it all the time) but I was really fearful of Elijah's immune system not being handle bacteria that could be present. I did some research and got some mixed opinions. I marked the bags and put them back in the freezer.  I'm thinking about continuing to pump for a little longer to build my stash back up. I'm not sure if I will use those or not.

Oh, and the cabbage idea only lasted about 2 hours, I could not take the smell!!

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Operation- Reduce Milk Production is underway!

Elijah isn't quite 6 months yet, but I am in the process of relocating and starting a new job so now is a good time to transition. Although I am a proponent of breastfeeding, I am eager to get this phase of my life over with!  Taking care of a newborn is hard enough, factor in the amount of time spent pumping and the stress level goes through the roof. Not to mention having to plan around my pump schedule (my brother hates when I use the P word).  I am fortunate to have been able to work from home since he was born. I'm not sure I would've lasted this long if I had to go into the office everyday. I know that would've been more stress than I could've handled! 

I have 2 of these in the freezer, do you think they will last for 2 months? I'm hopeful.

Back to the Operation... So, the plan of attack has been to reduce the number of times I pump every week. I've gone from pumping 5 times a day down to 3. I hear cabbage leaves help. I'll start that this weekend. What has worked for you?

5 Months, already?

I can't believe Elijah is 5 months! Seems like yesterday he was sleeping day and night and I was doing my best to keep him up so I could see those handsome eyes! Now those little eyes curiously scan the room and twinkle when he sees a toy he likes (or his bottle).

Buckeye Nation

The Ohio State Buckeyes played their second game of the season against the Toledo Rockets 27-22.  Man, that was a tough one.  Considering the suspensions, Tressel's resignation and Pryor's unexpected departure I'm just glad we pulled it off.  Hey, a win is a win, I'll take it. BUCKEYE NATION FOREVER!!

Here's Elijah, showing his buckeye love.

Frugal Mama... in training

I'm sure all of you moms out there know, babies come with a lot of baggage! Your hands are full carrying diapers, bibs, extra clothes, blankets, and other baby necessities. Unless you are an alien, there are not enough hands to carry all of this and mom's handbag too. After several outings with Elijah, I realized I had to downsize my handbag for something that could fit inside his diaper bag. Being that I am so practical these days, I figured I'd hit up the discount stores first. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't have the patience to do discount stores. I will pay extra for the convenience of an organized rack, NOT anymore. Well I didn't find anything at TJ Maxx, Marshall's or DSW. Luckily I had a roadtrip coming up that passes directly through an outlet mall. Seriously, you have to go through the outlet mall before you can proceed. At least that's what the little devil on my shoulder told me, I didn't ask him any questions, I'm just telling you what he said. Anyhow, I ended up going to the Coach outlet to find a wristlet. 2 hours later (I had to go through a lot of stores before finding Coach) I came out of my shopping coma holding these goodies. I got all of this for under $200! I could not have purchased a Gucci for that amount so I applaud myself for saving so much money! I'm trying to be frugal, but I'm not crazy. That was a good deal. You can't tell from the picture but the bag is huge and will make a perfect 'Mommy & Me' bag when Elijah gets a little bigger. Oneday I hope to reunite with Gucci, but right now, I am crushing on Coach! There are so many fabulous bags out there, it shouldn't take a fancy name and big price tag to look good, right? Have you made any changes in your choice of  handbags after having a life changing experience?

So Many Gadgets, so little money!

Practical Parenting Tip

I can't tell you how many times I've gone into a store and seen something Elijah just had to have only to get it home and he finds the ceiling fan more interesting. No baby is the same and you will never know what your baby will like. Before buying these 'must haves' yourself, try them out on some one else's dime. Try borrowing  them from your friends first. Daycares are also a good source. They usually have most of the common items. let your baby try them out while they're away at daycare. I recently was considering buying an excersaucer for Elijah. I wasn't sure if he would like it or even if he was ready for it.  I had the daycare teacher put him in it. Glad I did, he did not like it.  I'm having her try it again after a few weeks. - This reminds me... never get rid of anything your child doesn't like. Keep trying it, oneday your picky prince may surprise you.

Are you a swinger?

Well some babies do, while others don’t.

Every baby is different and you wont know if your little darling is swinger until you try it out. The old me immediately fell in love with the MamaRoo (pictured left). I first saw it on 'Keeping up with the Kardishians'.  It really looks cool. And of course it boasts 'mom-like motions' to better soothe your baby.  I'm not sure if this thing is supposed to take the place of a swing, bouncer, or both. I just know it immediately caught my eye.  Once I talked myself down from the ledge and decided not to spend $200 on a swing/bouncer/both (I had already received a bouncer at my shower so I decided to go the traditional route and buy a swing) I went to the local 'Once Upon a Child' to see what they had.  Well, one look at the selection and it was apparent that only swingers had contributed to inventory! The swings were so dirty I could not imagine nestling my little darling into any of them.  I went back a few times hoping to score a ‘like new’ swing but was not successful.  I ended up getting a smaller travel swing. He enjoys lounging in it, but it does not allow him to sit up and now that he is getting older, he does not like laying back (he's just growing up so fast).  The fullsize swing allows the baby to lie back and sit upright. Next time, I will probably opt for the full size. Did I just say next time?

Cribs, Cribs, Cribs

My quest to find the perfect crib was long and exhaustive! I didn’t know much about crib manufacturers other than Jenny Lind cribs from circa 1980. You remember them, right?

So my first stop was to Babies R Us to take a look at cribs.

The first to catch my attention were made by Sorelle and Davinci

They were pretty stylish and well priced at under $300. Baby Cache is their high-end brand costing $500. After (gently) running my fingernail across the bedpost and leaving a dent, I quickly concluded I would not be purchasing the Baby Cache line.

Well… I then went to Georgia Baby as suggested by my friend at Baby Shopaholic. After seeing the Cadillac of cribs, there was no turning back for a recovering shopaholic! I quickly familiarized myself with brands like Munire and American Baby.  These cribs were a lot heavier than those at BabiesRUs and they did not have tons of visible screw holes. At $1600, this crib and dresser set was the one I fell in love with. The old me would’ve bought it immediately, no questions asked. The new me had some tough decisions to make.

1. To convert or not? Well it depends, How long do you expect to keep the crib? For me, I like change. Once Elijah is 3 or 4, I know I will want to re-do his room. Paying extra for a convertible was not a priority for me

2. How should I pay? Again it depends. How long do you plan to use the set. Some people will want to use it until little Bobby goes away to college (if it’s a converter of course). Others plan to have another child who will use the crib. Both circumstances will undoubtedly require a more sturdy crib and justify investing in a more expensive crib.

I like buying high quaility items but I didn't feel right about paying $1600 on a set I would probably give away after a few years.

My goal was to find a middle of the road crib.  High enough quality that it doesn't look cheap; durable enough that it will last longer than 4 years if I need it to.

Here are pictures of Elijah’s nursery

I wandered back to the clearance section of Georgia Baby and got the crib, dresser and armoire for $899.  As far as I’m concerned, I saved $700 and got a free armoire! I still like the Munire set better, but for $900, I can't complain!