• Home
    • Beauty
    • Kiddos
    • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
  • About
  • Contact
  • Home
    • Beauty
    • Kiddos
    • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
  • About
  • Contact
LIFE OF A BOY-MOM

Sleeping Babies 101

2/21/2019

0 Comments

 
If there is one thing that every new parent stresses about, desperately needs and goes through many weeks (even years?) without… it is the ever-elusive good night of sleep.
When Leo was born, he was the toughest baby to get to go to sleep. It ended up being a two hour process every night and Todd and I just absolutely dreaded it. Needless to say, I was not very good at the whole sleep-training thing the first time around. I couldn’t let him cry, and even when I did, he was so stubborn that it ended up being a terrible experience for everyone. When we finally did sleep train Leo, he was a toddler (18 months) and we had no choice because at that point, we also had a newborn who also wasn’t sleeping.

After a night of being awake and going from one crying baby to another until 4am, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was go-time. After a week of crying-it-out, we had created an amazing sleeper in Leo. We created a great routine and it stuck. We also decided to start way earlier with a better sleep routine and forming good bedtime habits with Xander, and now with Taso.

As I mentioned in previous posts, we also experienced a whole new sleep issue with Leo right before Taso was born, and we are now (almost 6 months later) starting to get back to a better sleep routine for him.

So...I’ve had a lot of trial and error with each of the boys. But, that being said, I have found a few items that have made sleep and bedtime easier and seems to have helped the boys sleep, and in turn, helps mommy and daddy sleep too!

Picture
Zipadee Zip by Sleeping Baby
This was a game changer. I somehow forgot that we had one with Leo, so we never ended up using it for him, but this transition swaddle/sleep sack helped Xander and now Taso with keeping them from startling, but allowing movement when they are able to roll over! There are different variations of these, but we’ve had a great experience with the Zipadee Zip and they wash well, are soft and comfortable for the baby to move around in. We kept Xander in the larger size until he was able to stand up. I’d highly recommend adding this to your baby registry or just ordering one to try it for your baby!

Picture
Sound Machine (Skip Hop Owl)
​We never tried to keep the house quiet while the kids were sleeping. I figured they’d always have to deal with noise, and it is pretty common to find some sort of “white noise” machine in a nursery these days. We have these sound machines in each of the boys rooms and they act as a little night light, shines some faint stars up on the ceiling and can either play music or a variety of background noise on a timer, or for the entire nap/night. We stick with the white noise sound but I think this also helps to drown out any other noise that could potentially wake the boys like, for example, a crying baby! This is another must have for new parents.

​Essential Oils and Diffuser (contact me to order!)
Aromatherapy does wonders for adults, so why wouldn’t it do the same for children? We have many diffusers in our home, and definitely one in each of the kids rooms. For Taso, I use one drop of Gentle Baby by Young Living and you can instantly feel the calming effect that it has on him. For Leo and Xander, I use Young Living’s Kidscents line. We typically use SleepyIze, or if they are sick I add a few drops of SniffleEase. If we are out of SleepyIze, I also just use plain Lavender. WIth consistent use, this has helped with the boys quality of sleep immensely! I’m a firm believer in essential oils having a place in the home for various reasons, so if you or your child struggles with sleep, give them a try.
Picture
​
Sleep Sticker Chart (here's a link to edit this chart and make it your own!)
Leo has had some serious sleep regression since the end of August. He stopped napping, and refused to go through his normal sleep routine. It became a literal battle to keep him in his room. It seemed to come out of nowhere since he had been sleeping wonderfully for the year before, even after transitioning into a big bed in a new room a few months prior. We tried for a solid week to get him back into our routine, but when Taso ended up being born two weeks early, we went into survival mode. The only way he would sleep is if someone slept in his room with him, usually it ended up being Todd. Now that Todd travels for work quite often, I new we had to try to get back to normal. Several people suggested a reward system and since I felt like recently he could grasp the concept, I created a sleep sticker chart. Every time Leo naps in his room (or even just has quiet time in there) or makes it the whole night in his room by himself, he gets a sticker. After earning five stickers, he earned a trip to Dunkin Donuts! This has been helping IMMENSELY, especially this week of Todd being at a work conference. I’m going to continue with this chart for a couple weeks until I feel like we are back into a consistent routine. I am so glad that I finally tried this method and really stuck with it! He doesn’t always earn a sticker, but when he does, he is SO excited about it!

I hope these items and tips can help you as you endure the time of little to no sleep with kids. As everyone tells me, you WILL sleep again someday. This time is temporary. But if there are things that can help you and your baby out, just give it a try! Do you have any sleep secrets for your kiddos? Share them in the comments!

0 Comments

January Beauty Favorites

2/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Living in the Midwest during winter is seriously rough! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to despise these cold months following the holiday season, mostly because of what the weather does to my skin. This past month, I’ve really been trying to focus on finding products that help me through this weather and make my skin more comfortable to live in everyday! Here’s my list of favorites from make up to hair to everyday life that has made this very cold January a little more bearable!
 
Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation
For me, nothing in the beauty world is worse than trying to put on a full face of make up on dry skin! It definitely begins with skincare and proper moisturizing, but sometimes that doesn’t even help! This foundation has been a game-changer! It is just the right amount of “dewy” to avoid that flakey look that sometimes happens when applying foundation in dry weather. The color selection is pretty awesome, and I was able to find my perfect shade pretty easily. I get compliments on my skin every time I wear it, so if you’re looking for a new foundation to make it through to the humid months arrive, definitely give this one a try!
 
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
This is definitely a splurge, but what a difference a good setting powder makes! I use this to set anywhere that I put concealer (under eyes, forehead, nose, upper lip and chin) and then use a big fluffy brush to spread it all over my face and neck. This powder does as it’s name says...makes you look flawless! It really is hard to find a non-powdery looking powder especially with dry skin, so I’d say this one is worth the money
Ouai Wave Spray
Let’s be real...I don’t get to wash my hair (let alone even shower) everyday. And really, you shouldn’t wash your hair everyday anyways! But this spray has been such a help in giving my thin, post-partum hair life! When I do wash my hair, I will usually put a little gel and spray this wave spray into it before throwing it into a braid or two. When I take it out, my hair smells awesome and has some body and wave to it! You really only use a few sprays each time, so while the price might be a little high, it has lasted me quite awhile.
 
Olehenriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream
After Taso was born, the dark circles and bags under my eyes were getting real! I had heard good reviews from several YouTubers about this so I decided to give it a shot. What a difference! You can instantly see the brightening effect that this eye cream has, and it helps my eye make up and concealer go on way smoother. I really only use it in the mornings, and you need the tiniest amount! Needless to say, I will be repurchasing this bad boy whenever I run out!
Young Living Thieves Essential Oil
Ok, this is my only “non-beauty” item on this list, but being healthy contributes to beauty so I have it in this list. Thieves is the Young Living Essential oil that helps battle colds and bacteria, which is why it has its own line of cleaning products that it is used in! I diffuse this oil every single day in our house, and use the Thieves Roll On whenever we go out! I feel confident that it makes a difference, and it smells awesome! This is an oil that I am never without!
 
Young Living Lavender Lip Balm
In past years, I was always so excited to wear my dark, vampy lip colors, but always ended up rethinking it because my lips were just always too dry. I ended up just skipping wearing a lip color all together which was a bit frustrating since it often completes a look for going out. This lip balm is amazing! It smells wonderful, and I have not had one instance of my lips cracking or even feeling chapped! I use it in the morning and night (and throughout the day as needed) but applying at night has definitely made a huge difference. I just ordered the two other scents as well to stock up! These are super affordable and I am so glad that I discovered them!
I hope you enjoyed my January favorites and that you can find something on this list to try out! Let me know some of your favorites in the comments, or if you’ve used any of these yourself! ​
0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018

    ​

    You attract the energy you put out into the universe.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.