Lactation Cookies

My little sister gave birth to adorable (and hungry) twins a few weeks ago.  She has been exclusively breastfeeding both of them, and her lactation consultant suggested that she try eating lactation cookies to help increase her milk supply.  She asked if I knew how to make the cookies, and if I had tried them.  I had certainly heard of them, and their benefits.  I breastfed both my babies, one for 9 months, the other for 6 months, and I had supply issues that I battled both times the entire duration.  I remember looking at recipes, and then losing motivation to actually bake them.  Babies are exhausting, and when you are breastfeeding, you get short little breaks between feedings that you'd rather use to shower or shove carbs down your throat; not standing in the kitchen baking.  That memory made me insist that my sister not worry about making the cookies; I would make them for her.  So for those of you new breastfeeding mamas; send this recipe to your mom, your sister, or good friend and have them bake them for you.  You go take a nap.

Toddler Activities in Athens, Georgia

When my daughter first learned to walk, she was suddenly no longer content to be confined within the walls of our home. I remember panicking, wondering where on earth I could take her every day.  After all, Athens is a town geared towards college students, not children...or so I thought.  It turns out there are actually a decent number of activities in our lovely town, although they can be difficult to spot amidst all the collegiate activities.  I remember feeling so lost in the beginning, trying to find ways to entertain my feisty toddler, and unsure of where to go.  I am therefore motivated to share what I've learned to help prevent other parents from feeling the same way. 

Baby Boot Camp

The calm before the storm...

When your baby is born, the first month is a magical time filled with love, joy, and sweet new baby smells. It's also filled with massive amounts of crying, an absurd lack of sleep, and the overwhelming fear accompanied by the  realization that you are now in charge of another human being's entire life. My husband and I refer to the first month with a newborn as "Baby Boot Camp".  Honestly, it makes the Navy Seals training look like a breeze. Sleep deprivation? Check. Being screamed at for hours? Check. Carrying around a 30 pound load  (baby + diaper bag + car seat) while going through obstacles (grocery store, restroom, doctor's office)? Check. 

DIY Nursery Decor

I spent the first half of my pregnancy daydreaming about what the nursery would look like.  When it came time to actually work on the nursery, I was hit by a hard and cold reality. Nurseries are expensive!  Our nursery budget was quickly depleted on the essentials: the crib, a diaper changer, and a glider.  There was hardly anything left for decor.  I did extensive searching at even the most budget-friendly places (Walmart, Amazon, Hobby Lobby), and all I could find was over-priced, ugly decor.  Since I was hormonal, I literally cried over our plain and boring nursery.

Eventually, my pregnancy hormones switched my mood from sad to motivated, and I knew what I had to do:  DIY Nursery Decor!  But there was one problem...I'm not crafty, at all.  I can't sew, I can't paint, heck, I can't even color within the lines.  So I did a lot of brainstorming.  Eventually I came up some DIY ideas so easy that an idiot (aka me) could do it.  And you know what? Everything turned out even better than I anticipated! In fact, it turned out so well, I'm going to share my ideas with you guys.

Homemade Pedialyte

This past weekend, my baby girl had too much dairy, which is problematic because apparently she is still has cow milk sensitivity.  Lesson learned (and hello, Goat's Milk!).  She had diarrhea for several days, and I was worried about dehydration. She didn't seem too keen on drinking plain water, so I considered going out and buying some Pedialyte for her.  However, after some research, I learned that I could make my own Pedialyte with ingredients that I always have on hand.  Not only was it super easy to make, it was  extremely cost effective!  

Homemade Baby Teething Biscuits

My daughter began teething at 4 months old.  It was awful: constant drool, increased fussiness, chewing on everything.  She is a sensitive baby, it seems like she feels things more acutely that most other babies.  It took two months for that first tooth to pop through, and it was quickly followed by another.  We had a short reprieve, and then at 8 months, teething began again.  Those two top teeth just haven't broke through yet! Stubborn little things.  So we are doing the tricks we did last time: ice cubes in a mesh feeder, teething toys, wet frozen washcloth, and Tylenol for the bad nights.  However, since she is older and eating solids now, there is a new thing to add to our repertoire:  teething biscuits!