Twenty Months

You guys, how did this squishy little thing

Turn into this crazy, cute toddler??

He is growing waaayyy too fast! But, we are having so much fun watching him learn, and it is so, so nice that he is starting to communicate his needs and wants more. Here is a little about Kallen at..

20 Months

Weighs 25ish lbs and is 32 in tall

Wears: 18-24 months, some 2T fit

Nursing: Kallen is no longer nursing. He self weaned in the middle of September (19.5 months). I miss the snuggles, but we were both ready to be done. After the rough start we had I wasn’t sure I would make it the first 2 weeks, much less 19.5 months.

Likes: Movies, specifically “Stitch”(Lilo and Stitch), “Jack and Sally” (Nightmare Before Christmas), and “Ninions” (Dispicable Me). Playing outside, Baths, and Balls

Dislikes: Not getting his way, he has become a pro Tantrum Thrower

Words: He is constantly talking, even if its just babble and he repeats everything. He says Mama, Daddy, Papa, Grandma, dog, cat, Leo, Bree, Russell, Dal, Kal, baby, ball, cookie, eat, treat, apple, “nanana” (banana), watch, ice, done, Thank You, walk, shoes, Elmo, uh oh, toes, kick, what’s that?, why’d you do that?, and where’d it go?, please, you did it, No, clock, Balloon, Sit, hush, sleepy, night night, bye bye, hi, circle, pumpkin, and spooky

Play: Kallen still loves balls, and carries one with him at all times. He also loves to run around outside and chase the dog. He loves when Daddy tosses him in the air, he will say “three, two, Blastoff!” when he wants to do that. He also loves coloring, and drawing circles

We sure love our busy little boy!

What The Fluff??!

Part I: how we started

I know what you’re thinking…..ugh ANOTHER post about cloth diapers….but hang in there with me!

Flash back to a few years ago, when I was just starting to think about having kids. A good friend of mine had a baby boy, and had decided to Cloth Diaper. When she first told me, I’m sure I rolled my eyes. I pictured cotton flats, rubber pants, and diaper pins. She tried to show me how Modern Cloth was different, and while I looked and “listened”, I remember telling her “Good for you, but I will NEVER use cloth diapers, the ease of disposable is worth the money”

Fast forward to Fall of 2013, I was pregnant with Kallen and trying to make some decisions. We had been buying a package or two a month of diapers, to stock up, but thinking about adding that cost to our budget was stressful! I started thinking about cloth (and what my friend had previously shown me) again. I posted a status to Facebook, to see what opinions and maybe experiences people had. For the most part it was negative, things like…

“a newborn is enough work, washing diapers is one thing you don’t need to worry about”

“your baby will have way more rashes and you’ll have to change the diaper constantly”

“cloth diapers stink way more and way faster than disposables”

“if you go to x-store or x-store, diapers really aren’t that expensive”

Long story short, I decided not to use cloth, and for 12 months used disposable diapers. I started to find it funny, that a lot of the “bad” things I heard about cloth, weren’t all that different in disposables….i still had to change his diaper frequently (newborns pee and poop ALOT), the diaper pail STUNK, and poop went in my washer every time he blew out his diaper (which he did frequently).

Not long after Kal’s first birthday, I went to MommyCon. While I was there, I was able to visit the Cloth Diaper Resource center and see and feel all the different kinds of diapers available. I also got some great tips from some veteran cloth diapering mamas. At the GroVIa booth, they were kind enough to give me a diaper to take home and try.

I tried it one day, and was super impressed! Not only did it last as long as a disposable, but Kal pooped and I didn’t even smell it! I decided to purchase an inexpensive lot of used diapers, to see if we liked it. I spent $25, the same price I would’ve spent on a box of diapers for 2 weeks.

First Time in Cloth a GroVia Hybrid

We started out just doing cloth at home, if we went out for the day and at night we still used disposable diapers. The more we used the cloth, the more I liked it. We experienced less rashes, less garbage, and the diapers were so cute! So I started looking for more details…what fibers were better for toddlers, what brands did other moms like, how could I make it work on the go etc….and I found some amazing cloth diaper communities online. I have learned a TON from other moms, and love making new “friends”

We now use cloth about 90% of the time. We still mainly use disposable’s at night, and since our stash is still growing, we have to supplement on laundry day or sometimes long trips. I can honestly say, I wish I would’ve been more open and willing to try from the beginning. We are still learning, but its safe to say we LOVE our cloth diapers and will definitely use them for our future babies

My Breastfeeding Journey

**This post has been on my mind for a while, I originally wanted to post it during World Breastfeeding Week (last week), but it was a crazy week and I didn’t want to rush through it. But it’s here now, better late than never right?**

Breastfeeding was something I had always planned on, even before I was pregnant. My mom breastfed me, as well as my 4 siblings, for 12 months. To me, it was the “normal” way to feed a baby.

When I found out I was pregnant with Kallen (after waiting 18 looonnngg months) I was SO excited. I read all the articles, blogs, and books out there. I joined mom groups and support groups and eagerly followed all the posts. If nothing else, I was determined to be prepared.

I had heard about breastfeeding struggles, as a matter of fact, my sister, who had a baby just 6 months before me (our babies are exactly 6 months apart-to the day-how fun is that!) had a hard time with breastfeeding. I would also see posts in the groups or read articles like “10 tips for successful breastfeeding” or “how to get on track with breastfeeding”, so obviously it crossed my mind that it was work. BUT surely that wouldn’t happen to me…I was going to be different, because Hello, I read all the things! But, boy, was I in for a long ride….

My labor was long, and hard, but nothing unordinary….I was induced on my due date, a choice I made because my mom could only stay with me for a couple week…but that is a post for another day! I had a plan, I wanted immediate skin to skin and to latch ASAP. Unfortunately, my labor nurse and I butted heads and she wasn’t crazy about this (why? I still cannot figure out). So I didn’t get my skin to skin, he was laid on my chest while Chris cut his cord, but I had a gown on, and that took maybe 30 seconds. After that was done, he was taken to the warmer to be weighed, wiped down, and was brought back to me swaddled. I did not get skin to skin or immediate latch

My first moments with Kallen

Because of my choice to have an epidural (it may not be for everyone, but I do not regret that AT ALL) I was not able to get up and shower for a couple of hours. I delivered Kal at 5:57 pm, I showered around 8, and finally at 8:30 (almost 3 hours later!!) the nurse suggested I try and nurse him. His first latch was great! The new nurse was so sweet and helped me get him positioned just right, he nursed on both sides for a good 15 minutes. I was SO proud, I knew I could do it, and it was happening!

Fast forward to about 1 am….I was finally coming down from the high that is giving birth and I was exhausted, all I wanted to do was close my eyes. Kallen was sleeping, so I took advantage and fell asleep…when I woke up 3 or 4 hours later, Chris was so excited and proud that, even though it took him an hour, he was able to get Kal back to sleep without waking me. I was grateful for the sleep, and didn’t think much more of it. I nursed Kallen again when I woke up, and I remember he took 1 side, but not the other. Not really knowing what I was doing, I figured it was good enough and all was well.

Around 6 am the nurse came in to check on me and Kallen and asked how things were going. I told her great, because I thought they were. She asked me how he was eating, and I told her he had nursed 2 times in the night. She expressed some concern that it wasn’t more and encouraged me to try every 2 hours, but she didn’t offer any other help or education about it. My mom came up to the hospital around 8, and I told her that I had been trying the every 2 hours thing, but Kallen wasn’t really interested. My mom told me newborns are just sleepy and to keep offering it, which made me feel better. When the nurse came again, she asked all the questions for what felt like the millionth time. When she asked about diapers, I told her Kal had pooped 2 or 3 times, but he had yet to make a wet diaper–with the education I have now, I know this is totally normal, but I was clueless then—when I said this, the nurse got a very concerned look on her face and let me know that this was not okay. Of course, being a first time mom, this made me very nervous and concerned! So my mom helped me express to her my nursing concerns..her solution? A nipple shield and to have him drink 1 oz of formula, “so he would have that wet diaper”. Not knowing any better, I willingly fed the bottle….this is where things went down hill for us…I was not able to get Kallen to latch again while in the hospital and fed him “ready to feed”  2 or 3 more times that day. Never was i offered a latch assessment, a pump, or taught to hand express.

When we got home, my mom encouraged me to start pumping every time he nursed. Thank Goodness for my dear mother, who was one of my biggest supporters on this journey. So I began exclusively pumping. I would pump every 2 hours, while Chris or my Mom would feed Kal. He would get whatever breastmilk I had pumped, supplemented with formula.

On Thursday (4 days after birth) my milk transitioned. HOLY COW-literally. I was so engorged and uncomfortable. I continued to pump every 2 to 3 hours and I would express 10 to 12 oz each feeding. I was feeding Kal and storing in the freezer. And while that was great, I wanted nothing more than for him to latch. I would still try to latch him every hour, but he would root and put his hands to his mouth, and couldn’t seem to be able to find the nipple. I was getting do discouraged. I think I cried more that week, than I ever have. PostPartum Hormones did not help my frustration. I remember asking Chris, in utter desperation, if he would be disappointed in my if I gave up. Of course, he said he supported me no matter what. But I was determined and kept trying.

When Kallen was 1 week old, I made a phone call back to the Mother Baby unit, to see if there was any help for me. They told me that there was a Certified Lactation Consultant there that day, and to come up with a hungry baby. My mom went with me, so she could learn how to better help me. This is the day everything changed. The Lactation Counselor talked calmly with me and assured me I could do this. She showed me some different positioning and helped me latched Kal. She sat with us for an entire hour, while Kallen nursed on both sides. I cried, she cried, my mom cried and for once Kallen didn’t cry during a feeding. She helped me with the shield, and let me know it was okay, that it was better to have him latched with it, than not at all. I saw her 3 more times over the next weeks, and by the time Kal was 3.5 weeks old he was Exclusively Breastfeeding, without a nipple shield. I know 100 %, if it wasn’t for that Lafration Counselor, I would not be nursing Kallen today.

Milk Drunk Kal, after his first full feeding without using the shield

It wasn’t completely smooth sailing from there…because of all the pumping I had done in the beginning, and thinking I needed to pump after every. single. feeding. (totally NOT necessary) I developed oversupply.  Not fun, but we worked through it. Then when Kal was 15 weeks old, I had an IUD put in, and my supply was all but gone, overnight. I still nursed him, but had to supplement with my pumped breastmilk. After 2 weeks, I had the IUD removed, but had to build my supply back up. Finally around 6 months, things were back to where they had been, and from there it’s been wonderful. We’ve been through growth spurts, illness, developmental leaps, and teething. There were SO many nights I just wanted to give up, but I am so glad I didn’t. I was able to Exclusively Breastfeed Kallen for 5 months (until we started solids) and he has continued nursing until now, he is 18 months old. I never imagined I would breastfeed this long, especially in the beginning, I was just happy to make it to the next feeding. It is hard work, but so very worth it.

My first breastfeeding picture, Kallen was 6 months

Now, because of my experience and the joy I found in nursing, I have decided to pursue Lactation Support as a career. I currently work as a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, and plan to start school next year for Nursing and my ultimate goal is to become and Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

I have to say, I would not have made it without the support of my amazing husband, mother, friends and fellow nursing moms, and lastly, but certainly not least, my Lactation Counselor. If you know a nursing mom, please encourage and lift her up, you never know how far a little support will go.

I want to hear from you guys! Did/Do you breastfeed? Do you have questions..let me know below!!

Eighteen Months

Kallen is 18 months old! We have a full blown toddler on our hands! I can’t believe how big he is getting and how much he learns everyday.



Here are some things I want to remember about Kallen right now….
Kal weighs 24 ish pounds and is about 30 inches tall (his well check isn’t until the 19th so not positive on these numbers)

Wearing: 12 to 18 and 18 months. Size 5c shoes

Eating: Kallen is an awesome eater! He eats pretty much everything and always is asking for snacks. He loves guacamole, “cookies” (graham crackers), grapes, bananas, apples, chicken, hamburgers, french fries and ice water. He is not a huge fan of green veggies, tomato, and cucumber

  





Nursing: Kal is still nursing at at bedtime, and sometimes when he wakes up. We had a pretty rough start with nursing, and I didn’t know if I’d ever make it 18 days, much less 18 months. My “goal” was to breastfeed him for 12 months, and I feel so blessed we’ve been able to continue. He is starting to show signs of weaning , so we will see how much longer he wants to nurse

Words: If you know me and Chris, it’s probably no surprise that Kal is quite the talker. He says: Mama, Daddy, Papa, dog, cat, Leo, Bree, Russell, Dal, Kal, baby, ball, cookie, eat, treat, apple, “nanana” (banana), watch, ice, done, Thank You, walk, shoes, Elmo, uh oh, toes, kick, what’s that?, why’d you do that?, and where’d it go? He also signs please, all done, and shakes his head Yes and No. Just this last week he has started repeating things if you ask him to.



Play: Kallen is obsessed with Balls…we have no less than 10 of them and every morning he collects them all. He loves being outside and swinging at the park. We’ve been swimming a few times this summer and he has enjoyed that too. He started climbing this last month, and gives me mini heart attacks all day long. He is VERY busy and does not stop playing and getting into things, unless he is asleep.



Sleep: Kal transitioned to 1 nap right after his 1st birthday. He usually goes down after lunch and will sleep for 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the day. He still isn’t a great nighttime sleeper, but it’s getting better. We start our bedtime routine (bath, brush teeth, read book, kisses, prayers, and a couple songs) about 8 and he is usually asleep by 830/845. He usually wakes up once around 4 or 5 and gets in our bed and will go back to sleep until 7 or 730



Being the mom of a toddler is exhausting, trying, and an absolute blast. I love spending my days with Kal and love watching him learn and grow. Can’t wait for all the adventures to come!

Saturday Sayings

*Saturdays are busy around here, we try and get all our errands done, house and yard work finished, and spend family time together. I won’t always be able to post on Saturdays, but I will always share one of my favorite sayings or quotes with you.*

For my first ‘Saturday Sayings’ I am sharing one of my most favorite mantras.

In all things, life is sweet

-A

Mean

Okay, this is totally a Venting post, but I just have a really hard time with people who feel the need to put others down! I try so hard to be friendly and accepting of everyone I meet, and this week, I had a run in with some “mean girls” and it totally killed my vibe.  Now, I realize that this says waaayyy more about them, then it does about me, but that doesn’t make it sting any less. But, I am trying hard to be the bigger person, and in the words of TSwift to “Shake it off.”

Randon, but my Walmart now has a $1, $3, $5 section (it’s totally awesome, and addicting by the way) and when I was browsing it this afternoon I found a little note pad that had this quote on it

It was just what I need to hear. God really works in mysterious ways, I tell you!

So I have taken this as my new mantra. I purchased that little note pad for 1 whole dollar, and I put it on my fridge, a place a knew I would see it everyday.

I have already been amazed, at the confidence boost it has given me!

I hope one of you out there needs to hear this too. Please, please remember that you are special, you are loved, and you are a Child of God.

–aryn

I'm still here...

Guys, I have seriously been MIA the last couple months. It's been months full of work, colds, family visits, and general lazyness 😂. I've got lots of fun things to post about like Kals 1 year photo shoot, first snow play, and some exciting news about my journey to getting my IBCLC. Hang on for me, K?? I promise it'll be worth the wait! For daily updates follow me on Instagram @aryn_h

--Aryn

12 Months

These are technically a couple of weeks late, but we did haven't our well check a couple weeks after Kal's birthday. I am also still waiting for his 1 year pics, but as soon as I have them, you know you will see them!

Kal at 12 months….

Size: 30.5 inches tall and 22 lbs. Kallen is wearing mostly 12-18 month clothes. A few of the bigger 12 month outfits still fit, but are starting to get short. He wears size 4 shoes and we are about to make the move up to size 4 diapers (or maybe cloth, but that's a post for another day). He is constantly pulling his socks off, so we usually only put them on if we are going out. He is not a huge fan of hats, but will tolerate them when we are outside.

Food: Kal really isn't picky when it comes to eating. He will try anything and likes, almost everything. For breakfast he usually has oatmeal, scrambled eggs, or pancakes with some fruit. For Lunch he will eat leftovers from the night before, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, chicken fingers, or a PB&J. For Dinner he eats whatever we are eating, if he is being picky and doesn't like what we are eating, he will have a PB&J or Grilled Cheese. We are still breastfeeding and he nurses 3 or 4 times a day, usually when he wakes up, with both naps, and at bed time.

Words/Developmental: Mama, Dada, Whats that?, Eye, Bless You, Cheese, Bite, and sometimes Thank You. He babbles in his own little language all day long. He started walking the last week of January and is now into everything! He is starting to recognize people and can "find" someone if you ask him to. Chris gave him his first haircut this month, and it was like he instantly turned into a big boy. We just loaded his high chair tray with goldfish and he sat surprisingly still.

We have a pretty solid bedtime routine (bath, brush teeth,read book, give kisses, nurse, sing songs, lay down) He either nurses to sleep or puts himself to sleep after we sing. He finally started sleeping 7 hour stretches this month, and it has been fabulous! He is also developing quite the personality and loves to make us laugh by fake laughing, pulling a cheeser face, playing peek a boo, or repeating anything that we may have laughed at. He loves playing with daddy and getting tossed up in the air or riding on Chris's shoulders.

Favorites: TV Remotes, Leo (our dog), Opening/Closing Doors, Putting things in and taking things out of drawers and boxes, Fantasia (only movie he sat for more than 15 minutes),  and Dancing to music

I cannot believe that my baby is ONE! It seems like over night he has turned into a toddler. He is learning SO much everyday and it is so fun to watch him grow!

A look back at his year...

ONE!!

My sweet Kallen has been a part of our lives for a whole year now! It has been the best year of my life! I always knew I wanted to be a mother, but I am amazed daily at how much love and pride I have for that little man of mine. We haven't had his 12 month check up, so I will post his stats and more thoughts about him turning 1 later this week.

We celebrated his 1st birthday, with a Superhero themed party. We were lucky enough to have my mom and sister, and her son Dallen, come out from Utah to join in on our celebration. We had a invited a few friends from church and the community and we had a great turn out! Kallen was able to SMASH a cake for the 2nd time that week. He had his 1 year photos done a couple days before, and had a cake there too (i will post those pics the minute i get them! ). He decided on a hands free approach for his party, and it was absolutely adorable. Here are a few pictures from his party and the week with Grandma and Aunt Bree!

Visiting the Navoo Temple

Cousin Hugs!

Presents!!

Look Ma, no hands!

CAKE!

Birthday Boy with his Party Spread

Party Guests!

More Presents

Breastfeeding Facts

Ever wonder why they say "Breast is Best?" Here are 20 fun facts about breastfeeding! 

1.  Human milk boosts a baby’s immune system big time—when a baby eats at the breast, mama's body absorbs baby's saliva and starts making antibodies to fight any illness or infection present

2.  Breastfeeding can actually reduce baby’s risk of disease later in life, including:

• Type I and II diabetes
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Leukemia
• Obesity
• High cholesterol levels
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis

3.  Breastfeeding for at least 12 months, reduces mama’s risk of ovarian and breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.  The longer she breastfeed's, the higher the benefit.  Get this—breastfeeding a baby girl actually reduces her lifetime risk of breast cancer by 25%.

4.  Breastfeeding saves a family approximately $2 to 4 thousand dollars annually (compared to cost of formula).

5.  Breastfeeding helps mama heal faster in the postpartum. Moms may feel cramping when breastfeeding for the first few weeks after birth, that's the uterus shrinking back to size. It can take up to 4 years (!) for the uterus to recover from pregnancy. But if a mom chooses to breastfeed, it takes as little as 6 months

6.  Breastfeeding can help mama return to her pre-baby weight.  It takes 1000 calories a day on average to produce breast milk.  Women are advised to consume an extra 500 calories a day, and the body dips into reserves it built up in pregnancy to make the rest .  So, enjoy those pregnancy cravings!

7.  Producing breast milk consumes 25% of the body’s energy; the brain only uses 20% by comparison. HOLY COW! This may be what helps some moms loose the pregnancy weight quickly

8.  On average, babies remove 67% of the milk mama has available—baby's eat until they are full, a breast is never truly empty

9.  Almost 75% of all moms produce more milk in their right breast

10.  Mama’s body is constantly making the perfect milk for baby.  Milk changes its nutritional profile as baby grows (milk made for a 3 month old is different than for a 9 month old).  Milk can even change day to day—for example, water content may increase during times of hot weather and baby-sickness to provide extra hydration.

11.  Human milk contains substances that promote sleep and calmness in babies (who doesn’t love that?)  Breastfeeding also calms mama and helps her bond to baby.

12.  Breastfed infants are at lower risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

13.  Mama’s breasts can detect even a one degree fluctuation in baby’s body temperature and adjust accordingly to heat up or cool down baby as needed.  This is one reason skin-to-skin contact in the early days is so crucial.

14.  Breastfeeding reduces baby’s risk of cavities later on and may lower the chance they will need braces as kids.

15.  Breastfeeding mammas sleep on average 45 minutes more a night, compared to those who formula feed. The average mom looses around 700 HOURS of sleep in the first year, take what you can get!

16. Breast milk is the best medicine: Babies receive all the nutrients and disease-fighting powers they need from breast milk, breast-feeding for six months is recommended to stave off infections for the first year.

17. Breast milk is always changing, and it can't be duplicated.

18. Colostrum, or early milk, releases slowly: In the first few days after birth, a baby's tummy can only hold about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon-colostrum is thick and releases slowly so that baby doesn't get overly full. It's high in protein and antibodies from the mother — it contains three times as much as mature milk — but low in fat and sugar, which your baby doesn't really need in the first few days.

19. You can cross-feed: Wet nurses may have died out in the U.S. for the most part, but cross-feeding is still possible. . Some moms even cross-feed, switching babies among groups of nursing moms to satisfy hectic working schedules or even accommodate for breast surgeries.

20. There has never been a documented case of a baby being allergic to its own mother’s milk. Baby may have sensitivities to certain foods their mamma eats, but those can be easily ruled out

Are our mama bodies amazing! We were made to feed our little ones, and we make the perfect food! 

Did you learn anything new?? I hope so, I know I did! I'd love to hear what you think so comment,  and let me know!  

--Aryn

The days are long...

Today was one of the longest days we've had in a while. Kallen and I both have nasty colds and there is a mountain of tissues quickly growing in my living room, along with the mess I've been too lazy to clean up. Because of said cold, Kal has a sore throat and only wants to nurse...so we are back in newborn mode eating every 3 hours and momma's nipples are feeling it. Oh and neither of us can breathe well enough to sleep. To top it all off we've had wind chills of -5 to -10 the last few days and both of us have cabin fever. I was about ready to pull my hair out...
But then tonight as I was cooking dinner, I looked in the living room and saw my sweet and busy baby STANDING all by himself. And I realized my days with a baby are quickly turning into days with a toddler, and while I am sooooo excited for new developments, I'm gonna miss all the sweet baby things. And before I know it
he'll be off to his first day of kindergarten, dating (yikes), going on a mission, and someday, rocking a baby of his own.
So tonight as I rocked my baby to sleep I took it all in...The smell, the deep, heavy breaths, the way his mouth stays wide open even when the binki falls out. And I was reminded of how very lucky and blessed I am to be called mamma. So from now on when I have days like today I'll try hard to remember "the days may be long, but the years are all too short."

--Aryn

Hello!!

My first post, WOO HOO!

I have started this blog as a little space for me and my family. I am excited to share our adventures with all of you! You can learn a little more about me in the about section…i'm not typing that all again ;). You will find posts about family, motherhood, beauty, and whatever else I feel like rambling on about :). I hope you will come back for more and enjoy what time you spend here!