I’m feeling a bit nostalgic today thinking about the wonderful summers I used to have. I used to spend the whole day swimming in the pool at my grandma’s house. (I also remember accidently hitting golf balls into that same pool and clogging up the filtration system when it sucked the ball into the pipe!) After spending all day outside, I’d come into the freezing cold house and eat a huge meal that my grandma cooked, take a shower, and have peaches and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Then I’d fall asleep watching the Statler Brothers or Matlock. What a life! I also used to enjoy my once a year vacation to the beach with my dad. We’d usually visit Destin, FL, and we’d always eat turkey sandwiches for lunch… with Pringles… and pickles. I’d like to start creating summer memories for my kids. Sometimes memories come from things we do out of boredom. And I don’t doubt that they will have their share of those. But I’d like to start making memories on purpose. And not just summer memories… any time of the year memories. What were some of your favorite things you did when you were a kid? Will you try to pass those things onto your kids? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
I’m sure many of you are familiar with this scene, and if you are a first-time-expecting mom, you will be soon: You’re at the hospital with your newborn, and it’s time to nurse your baby. And right as the baby is showing signs of hunger and rooting around and is actually alert enough to be interested in eating (finally!), a guest knocks on the door to come visit you and your new bundle. You know from your previous feeding attempts that you’d be better fit to feed your baby if you were an octopus with several additional arms- one to hold your baby, one to arrange the pillows comfortably, one to guide your baby to latch on, etc. And now you feel the pressure of your audience. Do you ask them to step out of the room for a while? Do you make your baby wait a little longer risking a bad visit with a crying baby and an even worse feeding when they leave? You decide to go ahead and nurse. And to cover up, you grab a blanket. And by doing so, you add one more thing to the juggling experience. Baby gets fussy and hot from being covered, you can’t see, you feel rushed, you get hot making baby even hotter, and the whole thing is a big mess.
Or how about this one: You are home with your baby and it’s time to feed. But you have people over visiting. So, you have to leave the room and go somewhere private. Sometimes feedings feel like they take forever, and at the beginning, every 2-3 hours seems like a blink of an eye. But off you go to some other room, again, while your guests wait and you miss out on visiting.
These scenes repeat themselves in all kinds of situations imaginable: out in public, at a friend’s house, even in a parked car in a busy parking lot… nothing draws attention like a cute little baby. But the last thing you want is for people to be looking at you and your cute little baby while you are trying to nurse.
This is where the BeBe au Lait nursing cover comes in! This cover is not like other covers that just drape over your shoulders. BeBe au Lait nursing covers allow both arms to be free AND allow you to see your baby while nursing. The fabric is lightweight so you won’t get hot. And since the top is open instead of flat against your body, air can circulate allowing baby to eat without a blanket blocking their way. This nursing cover is fashionable yet discrete.
Nursing doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, and it doesn’t have to be an isolating experience. Even though I’ve nursed 4 babies, nursing can still be challenging sometimes. But knowing that I have one less thing to worry about makes me relax enough to nurse successfully when other people are around.
PS This nursing cover can be used for things other than nursing. Think about using it for privacy when pumping when you go back to work. Or perhaps a cover over a baby carrier when you are walking around outside and want sun or wind protection for your sleeping baby.
I’m going to attempt each week to share some of my favorite products and what I like about them. I can’t promise I’ll always be on time nor will I promise that I won’t skip some weeks. I’m going to set a low expectation of myself on this one since there are so many little people in the house that make life quite unpredictable. But none the less I’m setting the goal- we’ll see where I end up! 
I’ll start off with the BEST swaddling blanket I’ve ever come across. It’s called the Cocoon Blanket and is from Westcoast Baby. I discovered this gem when I was pregnant with Isaiah, and I only wish I had found it when my other kids were babies. I’ve never been great at swaddling like they do at the hospital. In fact, I’ve envied how tight and perfect the nurses seem to wrap the babies. I call it the Baby Burrito. Everything fits in so nicely, and nothing comes out when picked up. I’ve studied how-to’s on swaddling, watched nurses, practiced and failed. UNTIL… I got this blanket. It’s made of jersey knit material and stretches snugly around baby. I finally was able to make a baby burrito! And at $15.95, it doesn’t break the bank! They make great gifts for baby showers, and Westcoast has really cute outfits made out of the same material to make a complete layette. And my favorite part about the blankets is that when I swaddle Isaiah in one, HE SLEEPS!!
Life as I know it is full of very busy events! I LOVE having a newborn around as crazy as that sounds to those thinking about all the hard work involved! But really, Isaiah has turned out to be just wonderful! He fits in perfectly with our family, and the other kids just love him too. I know he won’t stay little long (he gained 2 1/2 pounds in a week and 1/2!). So right now, I’m trying to soak up all his baby goodness. I just need to find more time to photograph that goodness!! Anyway, I’m just now getting around to our Father’s Day pictures. The photos above are of my kids and my dad. He came in town for the weekend, and we all went to brunch on Sunday morning. It was a VERY hot day, so I was glad we took the photos in the morning. And after we ate, I looked at the kids, and I was even more glad that we took the photos in the morning. They were covered in chocolate milk, eggs, berries, syrup, and I think there were some grits hanging onto various strands of hair. :)
Isaiah was one week old on Friday. It went by so fast! But in that one week, I have been able to figure out some of his preferences. For instance, he LOVES to be swaddled in his Westcoast Baby blankets. And when he’s upset, he likes me to prop him up on my shoulder and press my cheek to his. He doesn’t mind being poked at (and there is lots of it with 3 siblings), and he likes to sit in his bouncy seat. So far, he’s a really laid-back guy. I just hope he likes to have his picture taken, because there will be lots of that…
Isaiah is 5 days old already! I can’t believe how fast this week is going. Justin has been helping me take care of the other kids, cook, clean, entertain, and all that fun stuff while I nurse, take pictures, complain about my tired back, nurse, take a few more pictures, and nurse again. Occasionally, I’ll take a break to change a diaper or two… Newborns are a lot of work, but I am enjoying him so much… even at 2 a.m.
These are a few images I got today from Isaiah. I knew it would be challenging being the mom and the photographer… and I was right! :) Thankfully I’ve got family helping cook and clean while I take pictures of his fleeting newborn days. Stay tuned for more as this little guy grows!
It’s two days past my due date and baby #4 still isn’t here! I’ve had a crammed, packed schedule up until now. But I made sure there was nothing super important on my to-do list after June 9th. I thought I’d be taking photos of a little tiny one around this time. But, alas, we’re still waiting. I think the kids are just as excited and tired of waiting for their baby brother as I am. Hopefully the next time I post, it will be little guys photos!
Just a little sneak peak for you guys… there are LOTS more great pictures to come!
We’ve had quite a busy time this past week, and I’m just now getting caught up on all my editing. The first picture is from baby Rylee’s newborn session. Other than my son, he’s the biggest newborn that I’ve photographed (over 9 lbs when he was born!). The second photo is from Kennedy’s session. She is the smallest baby I’ve photographed, weighing a little over 5 lbs when she was born. The third photo is from my own maternity session (compliments of Justin) at 34 weeks. I’ve got 6 more weeks to go until “D” day, and I still have so much to do! :)
