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Richard Owen's Christening

11/28/2016

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We baptized our precious little man yesterday and it was super special. He was showered with so much love from friends and family but most especially from his Godparents - my sister and my husband's oldest brother. 

​Richie received his first Sacrament in a ceremony that was very private and intimate. The priest that baptized Richie was kind, soft spoken and had beautiful words to share. I, of course, teared up a few times. The day was just magical.
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Richie slept the entire ceremony then woke up when the water was poured over his head. We cracked up because he was super shocked, trying to figure out what was going on. ​
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The most beautiful and important part of the ceremony.

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Richie's Godparents

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Richie loved the gorgeous cross his Godmother Alexandra gave him.

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​Afterwards, we celebrated with our immediate family at our home. It was a small gathering – just the way we wanted it. 
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God Bless Richard Owen forever and always. 
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6 Baby Products I Couldn't Go Without

11/10/2016

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​This post isn’t about a fancy diaper bag or some extra accessory that you may or may not need. I wanted to share with you tried and true products that have helped me survive as a first time mom. These six products have saved my life. Ha! No, but really. 

Snot sucker
Babies have a ton of mucus. In fact, they sneeze a lot because they are trying to get it all out of their little passageways but it doesn’t always work so you have to help them. This product looks and sounds so crazy but it works like a charm. My suggestion is to combine it with children’s saline solution. It loosens up the mucus first then its super easy to suck the snot out. I know it sounds gross but once you see all the snot that comes out, you’ll get addicted to doing it. You feel so relieved for them. Like, “YES! Now this little guy can breathe better!”
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​A Baby Swing
I have the Graco Swing and it works so well it’s insane. As soon as I put Richie in it, he calms down and within 15 minutes (sometimes less) he is out cold. Naps can go so long in this that I have to be careful.
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Gripe water
This stuff is fantastic at soothing and relaxing their little tummies. It’s all-natural too so you don’t have to worry about giving your little one something artificial. I was hesitant at first since Richie has only had breast milk. But man, this stuff is amazing. The active ingredients are ginger and fennel. I always drink ginger tea to calm my belly so it only makes sense that this would work on him.
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​Pacifiers
I know some mothers have issues with pacifiers because of nipple confusion or whatever. That never happened with Richie and I think it’s because I got him used to everything right way. My baby latches to my breast, takes my breast milk from a bottle and uses a pacifier. No confusion. Pacifiers help to soothe. They are genius. Use them! The only thing you need to be careful of is using them too much that you ignore hunger signs so just be mindful. 
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​Balmex
I was using organic diaper rash cream until it didn’t work. I also tried A & D ointment. Also didn’t work. Balmex is seriously the absolute best. Richie has only had one rash and this stuff healed it in just one day. I now put it on every single diaper change to help prevent a rash from ever happening again.
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​Electric Steam Bottle Sterilizer
My girlfriend (a Mom to twins!) insisted I get one and man, was she right. This thing is amazing. It helps to sterilize bottles, pacifiers, etc. No boiling nipples on the stove. A simple steaming process that gets the job done in just 7 minutes. Lifesaver! I have the Dr. Brown one because those are the only bottles I will use. 
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The Biggest Breastfeeding Myth

11/8/2016

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I always knew I would breastfeed. I have said that on here before. It was never a question for me. The number one reason was to provide my baby with the best vitamins and nutrients. The second was to lose the baby weight. And fast!
 
All the experts will tell you that by breastfeeding you’ll lose the baby weight quickly. Even all the mothers that had breastfed assured me that the weight would just melt off. One of my best girlfriends described the weight loss so great that she was in her skinny jeans a few weeks later. I even remember looking at a photo of my mother a month after she gave birth to me and she was even skinnier than before she was pregnant. She blamed it on the breastfeeding.
 
Well, I’m here to call their bluff. It’s been three months since I had Richie and I’m still holding to more weight than I would like to share. And I’m not the only one. I have spoken with other mothers that have said that they did not completely lose the baby weight until they weaned from nursing.
 
I gained 30 pounds during my pregnancy and at my first doctor’s appointment a few weeks after giving birth I had dropped 15 of it. Awesome! But even with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, not a single pound has been shed since then. Not ONE!
 
When I stop to think about it, it makes sense. Why wouldn’t my body hold onto to fat – the quickest, most energy efficient source available? Wouldn’t it make sense for our bodies to hold onto it so that we could feed our babies even if we couldn’t get the proper nutrients?
 
Or maybe it’s the fact that I have zero energy to hit the gym as often as I would like because I’m feeding another human being and I’m up all night doing it. Or maybe it’s the cookies that I sneak at night because I have major cravings from these darn breastfeeding hormones. BUT aren’t those extra 500 calories that the experts assure you will burn while breastfeeding supposed to take care of that?
 
My point is, not everyone loses the baby weight from breastfeeding. So if you are going into it for that reason only then re-think your decision.
 
Regardless of the weight loss, breastfeeding has been super rewarding for me. I genuinely love the bond it provides me with Richie. I love that fact that I’m able to feed him such great nutrients. I feel proud when I look at his little rolls and at every doctor’s visit when I learn how big he is getting and how healthy he is. So for now, I will hold onto this breastfeeding weight and with pride. I’m feeding another human being and if my body needs to hold onto this weight so be it.
 
Once the baby has weaned, I will get back in shape. Right now, it’s just not about me. It’s about providing my baby with what he needs.
 
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    natalie ferro aurigema

    Sharing all the things that make me happy through this blog.  



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