33 weeks!!

48 more days whoot whoot!! I cannot wait to meet my little boy. Bruce and Taralyn are so excited y'all!! Bruce is constantly huggin the belly and tellin Dustin that he loves him. 

Great news!! Dustin finally flipped and is head down!! Hooray!! And I also think he dropped! I have to pee every time I stand up! He is nearly 5 lbs and almost 18 inches. However he's no longer measuring ahead so I'm guessin he's gonna be around 6 and a half pounds when he's born. 

Cravings:

Ice & Skor bars

Symptoms:

Lordy you name it. Siatica, round ligament, I'm exhausted and can't sleep to save my life. Oh aaaan that lovely heartburn!!

Last week vs this week

How To Tuesday!

     

      Hey y'all! Today's post is all about how to go about getting a free breast pump through your insurance company. I highly recommend this even if you plan to exclusively breastfeed. there's nothin' wrong with getting somethin' for free that you may only use once or twice.
      So since all of the insurance changes have gone through this year there haven't been very many upsides to it. However one of those upsides is that most insurance companies now cover breast pumps. Yes some did before but not as many as you'd think.
      Most insurance companies still aren't advertising that they even offer breast pump coverage let alone how to go about getting one. Some are extremely helpful and some (like mine) don't really know how to answer questions so here is a step by step guide

1. Call your insurance company. This is your quickest way to get a simple yes we cover it or no we dont.
2. Ask these questions:
    ● What types of pumps do you cover?
    ● Do I have a deductible or copay?
    ● Do I need a prescription to pick up my          pump?
    ● Can I get pump before baby is born or            do I need to wait until baby is here?
3. Do your research! Depending on how helpful the phone call was you may not need to do anything else. That just wasn't my experience. So I dug a little deeper.
    ● Medela Pump Coverage Info
Best website for finding out who you can order pumps through if you are covered.

Please keep in mind that some insurance companies will tell you to go through Babie's R Us or Walmart BUT you have to pay out of pocket - full price of the pump - then wait 6 to 10 weeks to be reimbursed and they won't reimburse tax! So either way I recommend checking the Medela link because they give multiple options for how to go about getting your pump.

And if all else fails, contact the lactation consultant through your ob office or the hospital you will be delivering at. If you've turned up nothin' but road blocks they will help you the most they can.

Also, if you have any questions please email me ! I'd be more then happy to help y'all!!

Hope this has brought some clarification to y'all and that you can receive your pumps soon!!

31 weeks!!

     

      We have the car seat y'all!!! Finally able to relax a bit, he has a place to sleep, clothes, and his car seat all the big stuff. The BaByQue is next weekend so we will wait until then to stock up on diapers and wipes.
I am slowly starting to bond with this lil boy the closer we get. He is still measuring a little ahead and is still breech so we go at 36 weeks for a growth scan and to check his position.
      Now we just got back from campin'....at 30 weeks pregnant. I did it but don't recommend it y'all. Unless you have an air mattress, unlimited access to the food you want, and a bathroom within steps, don't do it. At least not in the 3rd tri. Don't get me wrong this momma loves campin' but dang y'all. My back and hips hurt like hell and I was starving the entire time!! Not to mention bein about a block away from the closest bathroom at 3 am. Not even this backwoods lovin' country momma would do it again.
      Now for the fun stuff:

Craving:

- ICE (good lord am I craving ice. Cups of it a day!!)

- Chocolate cake!!

- Skor bars.

Symtoms:

-Back pain/sciatica 

-Heartburt

-Swollen piggies! 

Till next week y'all!

10 wk difference 

29 & 30 bumpdate

       Sorry for slackin on the bumpdates y'all! With the munchkins outta school for summer and plannin all of the events comin up I lose track of time and pregnancy brain is in full effect. 

      ***29 weeks come and gone. I've craved a title bit of everything under the sun but most prominently ICE! I eat it by the cupful. I know anemia blah blah blah. I have an iron deficiency that gets worse when I am pregnant. I finally caught Dusty moving on camera!! Only took 206 days hahaha. 

      ***30 weeks - this back pain is no joke and I finally can't hardly get off my couch without help. I'm hungry all of the time but never for anything we have at home. But I make do with what I have. We are going camping this weekend y'all. Which should be so exciting and fun but the thought of sleeping on the hard ground does not excite me. So wish us the best of luck haha. 

Upcoming:

4th of July party

BaByQue 7/19

Honeys Snippin 7/25

Vegas 8/15-8/18

Then little man is due 9/4!!

Must Have Monday - Hospital Bag Edition!!

      Hey y'all!! So one of the most frequent asked questions I get is "what on earth goes into the famous hospital bag!?" Seconded by "is a whole bag really necessary!?" Yes, yes, yes it is necessary. The last thing you wanna have happen while in the midst of prepping to push out your peanut is havin' your honey runnin' back and forth between the hospital and home. Not everyone lives within 5 minutes of their delivery place so that can cause a problem. Not to mention labor times vary from momma to momma. Mine were 23 hrs and 27 hrs. And you'd better believe it can be boring. Even if your labor is only 4 hours (lucky duckie) there are still comforts from home you'll want with you. I will also be going over what you truly want in babies bag as well.

Momma's bag:
- Clothes, keep em baggy.
(Most women still look about 4-5 months along after giving birth so make sure you have comfy clothes. Ie baggier shirts, and sweats. Not to mention your momma bits will be sore for a couple days so you aren't gonna want anything super tight)
- Granny panties.
(Yep I said it y'all. Let's be real here. The pads you will be wearing post baby will make you feel like you are wearing your very own diaper so make sure they aren't anything you don't wanna throw away.)
- Maxi pads
(HEAVY flow)
- Nursing tanks/bras. (I'll post a link for cheap DIY nursing tanks from Pinterest at the bottom)
- Postpartum support belt **optional**
- Camera and charger or extra batteries
- iPad, ereader or tablet and charger
- Phone charger
- Travel bod wash, shampoo and conditioner
(Surprisingly most hospitals will only give you Johnson's head to toe while you are there so bring your own.)
- Face wash and moisturizer
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Hair ties, clip or Bobbi pins and Brush
(Keep hair up during labor and for easy styling for pics after baby is born)
- Socks with grippy bottoms -- buy at Target ;) and slippers
(The hospital ones never stay up)
- Snacks or change to buy snacks
(You may not be able to eat while laboring but your honey may get hungry)
- Basic make-up for pics post baby
- Change of clothes for your honey and his tablet w/ charger
- Your own pillows! Makes a huge difference!!!
(Make sure to put a bright colored or patterned pillow case on your pillows so hospital staff doesn't mistake them.)

      Now obviously there may be some things that you add or subtract from that list depending on personal preference but I promise everything will be wanted. Now onto babies bag. Most moms figure they need everything plus the kitchen sink in babies bag, but in reality it is the complete opposite. Your bag should be more full then your babies.

Babie's bag
- Coming home outfit and extra jammies.
- Outfit for in hospital newborn pics.
- Baby blanket
- Ziplock Baggie
(Keepsakes!! Hospital bracelets, name plaque from bassinet, etc.)
- Your own binkies
- Swaddlers
- Hats
- Socks
- Pediatrician info!!
- Boppy pillow and car seat.

      Whattttt!? No diapers and wipes!? *Ghasp* the hospital supplies you with diapers and wipes, and encourage you to take home the extra! Some hospitals even give out welcome baskets and things like that so that is why you pack babies bag lightly y'all!
      Now sometimes things change and due to certain reasons your hospital stay might be extended, this is when you would send your honey home for more stuff. Hope this has helped y'all and please is you have suggestions on things that should be added comment or email me!

28 weeks!

28 weeks heck yeah! In the home stretch. And I can't wait to be holding my second little man in my arms! We have lots of things to be countin down to. The BaByQue is the last weekend in July. Our Vegas trip is in 63 days and my EDD is in 83 days. That seems like forever but I know it's not all that long. I got Riley's blanket almost completely done just have to heavy stitch his initials. Also lookin into how to make a no sew boppy cover. 

Had our first hospital visit this week but proud I made it to 28 weeks. I have a hard time feeling him move because of the anterior placenta so we had to go have him monitored. But he looked fantastic thank goodness. 

Cravings: 

Ice

Sunny D

Symptoms: 

Acid ugh

Sleeplessness

Back pain

3 week bumpdate!

25, 26, 27... 

      3 weeks behind!! Things have been kinda crazy so I apologize for the delay! We're to start? Well T rally is officially out on summer break which has proved interesting because the sibling bickering has increased between my two hellians. Y'all lemme tell ya this has kicked up some nervousness on my behalf thinking about having 3 of em! But I couldn't be more excited. 86 days until Riley is here and we still need a car seat and to start stockin up on diapers but on the upside we got his glider and his playpen and got em all set up. 

      Now that that's all outta the way I wanted to talk about something kinda serious that a lot of women experience but no one talks about because of stigmas etc. Prenatal Detachment.  I am nearly 28 weeks and I still feel a tad bit disconnected from this pregnancy. Now I am beyond happy to be pregnant and goodness knows I cannot wait to meet and hold and kiss Riley but it still doesn't seem real to me. So many women experience this and make themselves feel guilty about it. It's not that we don't want to be pregnant or we don't love our baby. It is more so we want to skip the pregnancy and just be holding the baby. It's a very real thing y'all and it's ok. It has no reflection on a woman as a mother. Keep your head up y'all. 

Now...

Cravings: Sunny D, Tokyo Joes, ICE!! 

Symptoms: Acid reflux, back pain

24 week bumpsky!

Man oh man this week has been rough. I despise Braxton hicks y'all. Truly. When I was pregnant with Bruce they told me I hand an irritable uterus. Meanin' the tiniest little thing will send my uterus into a fit! They have been outta control this week. I can't even stand for long periods of time without feelin like I'm gonna fall over. So lots of restin for this momma. Other then that I think Riley has developed sleep awake schedule and this little buckaroo looooves to bounce around at my bed time, go figure haha. I have an appt on Wednesday and get my glucose drink to bring home. Boy am I dreadin drinkin that. Yuck! But the even better news this week {drumroll} Riley has reached viability! Now we still want this lil guy bakin for at least another 13 weeks if not longer!! Well y'all this mommas got a gaggle of chores to get done so keep on lovin and livin til next time!

23 weeks!

Hey y'all! And another week bites the dust! I finally started stocking up on stuff for mister Riley last weekend. Got some onsies and it's starting to fee more real! His movements are getting stronger and I can finally see him on the outside of my tummy too. Not to mention he is sitting lower now so I'm peeing every 5 minutes again haha. Hubby and I have picked a date for the BaByQue and are starting to look at locations, it's going to be in July so we are thinking about a park. Let me tell you something...I would kill for some cheese enchiladas right now...it's all I can think about y'all! How are all my lovely bumpin mommas doin!? 

22 Weeks!!

Time is starting fly by y'all! 18 weeks to due date. 16 weeks to goal. I am so thankful. I'm 22 weeks and haven't had to get to the er or OB TriageTriage once. Hallelujah! That's a huge acomplishment for Riley and I. By 17 weeks with both Taralyn and Bruce I had been hospitalized at least once. Maybe I'll get my normal pregnancy after all *knock on wood*.  I think we have finally picked out a car seat, rock and play and a swing. Plus it's time to start planning our BaByQue. We plan on doing a diaper/gift card raffle but that's for another day and another post. Hope y'all have a wonderful day and until next week. 

Must Have Monday: Maxi Dresses!

Sorry y'all my cheerinot thrown off because my baby girl didn't have school yesterday so this week's must have Monday is a tad late.
      Being pregnant in the summer can be hell. Anyone who has been through a summer pregnancy can tell you. However there are some definite up sides to bein pregnant in the warmer months. Spending time in the pool to keep cool, flip flops when your piggies start to swell. But theres one big one.
      MAXI DRESSES. I cannot even begin to tell y'all how obsessed I've become with these y'all. I never even wore these before the bump. But now the game has changed. These things are heaven, light weight fabric, flow and completely bump flattering no matter what stage of pregnancy you're in.
      Tip: Invest in a pair of maternity spanx or knee length cotton fitted shorts. I don't know about y'all but I have some thunder thighs haha. Any woman can tell you how bad it hurts to have thigh chaffing. This will eliminate that problem.
       Invest in some cute thin fabric pieces and thin belts. This is a great way to dress up a simple casual maxi dress along with the shoes you wear. The best part? You can keep them as part of your wardrobe after baby!!
      There are a ton of reasons maxis are one of my must haves, I could go on and on...and on. But you'll have to wear one for yourself to feel it. Until next week y'all, keep your babies and bellies happy and remember that every bump is different but beautiful in its own way.
                                                   

21 week bumpskie - anatomy scan!

      21 Weeks y'all!  19 weeks to go. 132 days.

I'm so excited. We had our anatomy scan yesterday and found out Riley weighs 13 oz! Everything looked perfect and he's measurin' right on point. The belly definitely popped this week! I did a comparison and I'll let y'all be the judge. Until next time y'all. 

Must Have Monday!

Coconut oil. We've all heard or read about it. For cooking, stretch mark cream, moisturizer you name it. I was really intrigued by this y'all.  I mean cmon somethin to make your food taste yummy and your face look purty? Y'all know I had to try it.                              

Stretch Mark Cream:
I've tried just about everything for stretch marks. Palmers, vitamin e oil, etc. And nothing has really helped. Now I've been using pure coconut oil for about a month now and I love it! My stretch marks are lighter and my tummy doesn't itch anymore. This one I'll be using til the day Riley makes his debut.
Rating: ♡♡♡♡♡/5

Keep in mind I've had 2 babies and I'm 20 wks with #3.

Facial Moisturizer:
Every article I have read has said to use this only as your night time moisturizer but that's far from the case y'all. Everyone's skin is different some are oily, some are dry and some are in between. Now that bein said I live in Colorado y'all and my skin is drier then the desert in July. On a good day. Again I've been usin it for about a month and I like usin it better in the mornin. It makes such such a great base for make up. My skin looks so much better since usin it.
Rating: ♡♡♡♡/5            

        

Hair moisturizer:
This is the only one I have some gripes about. Now it's said to put it on dry hair then cover in plastic wrap so the oil warms up and penetrates your hair. The couple times I have tried this its nice and soft the next day but then goes back to bein dry the day after that.
Instead: Twice a week I use an apple cider vinegar rinse on my hair y'all and it works wonders. As long as you wash it out all the way you'll never even know. It leaves my hair shiny and smooth.
Rate: ♡ ♡ / 5

I even used this as a last result diaper rash cream and it worked y'all! You can also mix a little with some sugar for a diy all over sugar scrub! I'm gonna continue usin this in my day to day regimen and I'll keep updatin. Highly recommend this stuff!!

20 Week Bumpsky!

      20 weeks. Officially half way done! Halleluja. I was so sick yesterday, I still have days about once a week where I'm still throwing up all day and can't keep anything down. That was yeaterday. 

      I weighed 147 the morning I found out I was pregnant, dropped to 139.5, finally got up to 144 and after yesterday's bout I'm back down to 141. I didn't start gaining weight until 32 weeks with Bruce. 

      I'm craving smothered breakfast burritos like no one's business! I could eat them constantly. Oh man. That and snow cones and coke with ice. When Im not getting sick I'm hungry all the time. 

      We have our anatomy scan next Wednesday to make sure Mister Riley is where he needs to be and I'll update y'all with the results. 

      Until next time y'all enjoy that sunny weather and go get your toes wet!

OOTD

Hell yeah y'all feelin good today!

19+4!

Must Have Monday!

Now I don't know about y'all but for me the first trimester was the worst trimester. You get stuck in that awkward adjustment period which isn't helped by the hormones, changin body and constant queasiness. So here are my must haves for first trimester survival. 

1. Water. WATER. WATER. And more WATER. I got so sick of hearin this one! But it truly is crucial y'all. When you're fightin keepin anything In your tummy you gotta make sure to step up your hydration game. Take it anyway you can get it. Whether it be from from a bottle or an ice tray.

2. An extra pillow. Now with my other two babies I didn't try this trick because I thought to myself "I'm barely pregnant why would I need a pillow between my legs." I wanna go back and slap myself. Using a throw pillow from Walmart was the only thing that would kick my back and hip pain. 

3. When you're in your first tri you've got so much time to kill. In between naps and trips  to the porcelain pony that is. Baby Bump is a free app for Android and Apple. I highly recommend the pro version though. It's a great way to connect with other mommies going through the same thing as you and keep up on what's going on in your belly. 

4. Peppermint anything. Peppermint candies, peppermint tea etc. Peppermint helps calm your tummy and helps he give you a refresher after somethin doesn't agree with you. This time around my sickness was worse at night so I always had some peppermint tea on hand.

5. Unisom Sleep Tabs (doxylamine). Make sure you get the doxy one and not the depha one. This not only helps you sleep it's 110% pregnancy safe! Not to mention it kicks mornin sickness in the keester.

6. Dr.Teals Calming Bath Foam. Such a great brand. Lemme tell ya, most bath products have such a strong smell not to mention they cost a pretty penny. You can by Dr.Teals at Walmart and Target and they really work. Baths are a great way to relax and bond with the fact that you're pregnant. Just make sure the waters not hotter then hadies and baths are a pregnant woman's best friend!

There ya have it y'all my survival kit. I'm now in my second tri and still love and use this entire list! Happy & healthy 9 months to my momma to be's. Remember to stress less and love more. Till next time y'all!

   

  19 weeks y'all! Half way to our full term goal. Yes my doc says 38 weeks for full term and seein' my history we'd be happy to make it to that!
      Now I've actually been feelin pretty darn good lately. Still a little sleepy but not too bad. Oh and I crave EVERYTHING haha yep healthy southern woman here. I've been behavin though I'm just hungry all the time.
Until next bumsky, kiss your babies and love your family. 💕

Due Date Facts!

So Mr.Riley James is set to make his grand entrance on Thursday September 4th 2014. Now momma here thinks otherwise. I'm thinking the end of August. Only time will tell but I've been trying to find ways to kill that extensive amount of time haha. Today I present you with Riley's due date fact sheet! Enjoy. 

1990:

#1 pop song was 

Blaze of Glory

By Bon Jovi 

1994:

#1 movie was

Forest Gump

Famous People born 9.4:

Beyonce, Dr.Drew, Damon 

Your birth flower is Aster. 

Your birthstone is Sapphire.
Your birth tree is the Weeping Willow.

Your sign is Virgo.

Gma The Greats bday is 9.25
Daddys bday is 9.14
Donnas bday is 9.29
&
Goobies bday is 9.27

IG = Family ♡

This is a special post today thanking all of you amazing ladies for everything. Most of you I have known for 2+ years stemming from our June 2012 BB group. Some of you I have just met. Regardless of how long we've been talking, I am so lucky to have you ladies. Through all of the ups and downs you've been there giving good advice and making me see things differently. So thank you. I love you ladies ♡♡♡

18 week bumpsky!

18 weeks. Dang. 

Almost half way there! Finally starting to feel some consostent moving and I'm loving every kick ♥ He really likes to ball up on one side and push out Lol. Bruce learned to say "Love you Riley" and talks to my belly all the time. Haven't had a ton of cravings this week. In fact I'm kinda back to the nothin sounds good area unfortunately. 

Hug your babies

Love your honeys

And 

Know that what ya do have 

Outweighs what ya dont. 

♥

No pain no gain!

    I've been thinking a lot this pregnancy about certain things I want done differently because it will be pur last. I want it to only be Brian and I and docs of course in the room, but more so I think I wanna put my big girl panties on and NOT get an epidural or any other pain meds.
    Ya see, there are still so many things about my labor with Bruce that I can't rememeber. Now I know it was in part from the magnesium for the preeclampsia but I have anxiety attacks to this day thinkin about it. I wanna be completely aware of what's going on this time I wanna be able to move around and not be bed bound.
   Have one of those "I am momma hear me roar" moments dammit! Hahaha. What have y'alls experiences been? Have you been through a natural labor?

17 week bumpski...It's a.......

BOY!!! 

Yep that's right we are having another baby boy and I couldn't be more excited!! We came home and attacked Brian with blue silly string hahaha. Riley James Fowler is set to make his arrival Sept 4, 2014. I'm currently 17 weeks and finally starting to feel pregnant. He looked perfect at our appointment with a strong heartbeat at 132 bpm. Bruce is excited, he keeps runnin around the house talking about Baby Riley and Taralyn is glad she's the only girl. I've been craving blue raspberry kool aid and KFC Mac and Cheese. Healthy right? Not too many symptoms besides my belly growin. Until next time keep your hearts full and homes warm 💕

And then there we're 3...

It's been awhile since I have updated!! We had some family stuff happening so Internet wasn't a priority. Buuuut I am back! And I am happy to announce that Brian and I are expecting baby #3!! Yay! Currently 16 weeks along and we are having....thought I'd tell ya huh? You will have to wait for the next post for that. At any rate here is my 16 week bumpsky.

Craving: Salty! Mmmm pickles.

Symptoms: E X H A U S T E D!! Heart burn that would scold the devils ass. Stuffy nose. Ugh.

Movement? Yes!! Every now and then, I can always feel where baby is at.

On to a new week. I will technically be doing buskies on Thursdays but I missed y'all.