"Hello, Lover!"

I couldn't resist showing you the shoes I mentioned yesterday that I bought for my friend's upcoming wedding.

I think I'm just giddy because I haven't bought myself a new pair of heels in what feels like forever!

Let's talk lipstick for a minute shall we?

I don't normally wear lipstick, but I want to start wearing it more often. I usually stick to light baby pink glosses and my go-to one is a soft muave lipgloss from L'Oreal. It's what I wear daily. With lipsticks, there are such pretty pinks, corals, and reds out there that I would love to try.

When I went grocery shopping with the girls last week, I couldn't help wandering over to the cosmetics section and I happened to notice a $2 off coupon for any Revlon cosmetic.

Score! I picked out a pretty lipstick that was already marked down under $6. The color is called "Love that pink"

It's such a pretty shade and unlike some of the others I have, I didn't feel sheepish wearing it.

Family fun...

I know this post is late seeing how I'm about to talk about Monday, but that's ok. ;)

H was off work that day, so I thought it would be fun to head to the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park. I've been there before but the girls never have. I love old historic homes.

The park which is located on the outskirts of downtown is a nice attraction if you are ever in Houston.

9 Months In....9 months out

Well technically I was a little short of 9 months and technically Layla is 9 months and two weeks, but close enough ;)

White Chicken Enchiladas

(image from joyful mommas kitchen)


I wanted to share one of the best chicken enchilada recipes I have tasted in a long time. I found the recipe on pinterest and it's so easy and delicious. What I like about making this recipe is that I usually boil a whole chicken and I use half the meat to make a different meal the next day. It's a great way to make your grocery shopping dollars stretch.

10 corn tortillas

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Here is a picture of how mine turned out. I had less tortillas to use.

Enjoy.

Worry

Last night my heart felt heavy. So opposite from the day before when my heart felt full and joyous. I think this is the way of God talking to me and trying to tell me something. They say if you have everything you need yet feel something is missing, it's usually a closer relationship to God.

He is in my life. Always has been but I admit I have not always been the greatest christian. Sometimes I'm prone to having a sharp tongue, being impatient, vain, and insecure at times. I've always felt there is two sides to me but I suppose most feel like this since we are constantly walking down the line of good and bad.

Last night as I was carrying Layla into her room to the glider, I started thinking about how pretty soon she will be walking and talking and how our nighttime routine will change. It will all go by so quickly and I worried about whether or not I'm being the best mother I can be too her. Whether or not I'm giving Serena enough attention. How it will be when she's a teenager. (I am dreading those days). Worrying about my shoulder hurting forever. Worrying about how I come across to people. Worrying about not making all my dreams a reality. Worrying about the right dreams.

I rocked in that glider for a good while worrying. It reminded me of when Layla was nestled in my womb. After a previous miscarriage I worried constantly that the pregnancy was going to go wrong.

You see I am a champion worrier.

I do think I've improved over the years but something crept into my heart last night and it lead me to the old passage I used to read when I worried about Layla.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’” (Luke 12:22-26)

That passage helped me so much in time of worry. Today I turn to it again. I hope that if you have worry in your life you find comfort in it.



My Valentine's Day.

Funny story. Yesterday morning I taped up little heart shaped love notes in his car that he would see on his way to work. Later I had a card strategically placed on his pillow that he would see when he got home, and I made a nice dinner. Nothing extravagent but I just wanted to do something a little thoughtful to show him I love and appreciate him.

Well the girls and I left the house before he got home for Serena's ballet and we got home around 8pm. After our greeting he tells me that he didn't have time to get me anything.

 (Ok, not even a handmade card? Something?)

We proceed to eat dinner and he's going on about how he doesnt't need to buy me anything to show me he loves me blah, blah, blah. I'm not going to lie, my feelings are starting to get hurt here. We finish dinner and I take the baby upstairs to get ready for bed.

(Note, I'm looking around wondering if maybe he's hiding some flowers. No. Nothing?)

I place Layla on her changing table, reach in her drawer for a diaper and what do I find!? A pretty red wrapped present with a beautiful diamond heart shaped necklace.

That sneak.

Well played husband. Well played.

Hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday.

My love for peplum.

So after my last post, how about a little fashion to cheer up the mood.

I confess I used to be a big shopper before I had Layla. I just love clothes and looking at pretty things. Since about my second trimester of pregnancy I changed, I hardly buy for myself these days. Having two little girls and now being a stay at home mom can get expensive. 

However, I did have to pick up something from the mall last week and almost bought this adorable peplum top from Bebe. (Not featured on their website)

I tried on an XS and I loved it. it was $59 and I would have bought it had it been a little longer. It has this adorable zipper on the back and it fits nice, but it was shorter than I had liked. The top will go great paired with high waist pants or a high waist skirt. 

I love peplum tops. Here are a few others I found that might strike your fancy.

Shopbop

                                               ASOS                                                                     ASOS

Forever21

 

If you plan on ever breastfeeding, please read.

I hadn't planned on writing this post yet, but I'm hurting pretty bad today. 

So bad, I cried before I started typing, and after I took an advil...

I've been dealing with muscle knot pain for the past 6 months. I have literally hurt on some degree for the past 6 months. I'm sure most of you all have probably had a muscle knot at one point in your life, but mine are very bad and I have a few (only on the right side). The worst being on my right shoulder and some around my shoulder blade and now one on my neck. The one that causes the worst pain is the one on my right shoulder that's right on my trapezius. If you knead the area you will actually feel a large lump. That's the muscle knot.

I'd like to start at the beginning. Layla was exclusively breastfeed for 4 months. In the beginning a newborn needs to eat about every 2 hours. Layla would eat every 2-3 hours for the first 3 months of her life. Sometimes she would have episodes of cluster feeding where she would eat every hour a few times a day. I loved breastfeeding her and knowing that she was thriving because of me. 

By about month 3 of breastfeeding I started getting pain in my neck, and then my right trapezius muscle started hurting. Here's the problem. I was bad about using my boppy or pillows as support. She hardly weighed anything, I thought my arms were strong enough. Imagine though cradling a baby every few hours sometimes for 45 minutes at a time, not including when you need to rock them to sleep, or when you are just moving them around. 

When you are pregnant you develop a hormone called relaxin, it allows your pelvis to loosen to allow the baby to pass through, what it also does is relax the other joints in your body too. This hormone stays in your system for several months after you give birth. A post partum woman is much more susceptible to hurting themselves because of this hormone. (Something I did not know)

So by about month three when the pain started, I need to do something about it. I have seen the following since then:

* Chiropractor

* Family doctor

* Physical therapy

*Sports medicine doctor

None of them were any help. The chiropractor not so much since they deal mainly with adjusting the bones, the family doctor wanted to give me muscle relaxers, the physical therapist just gave me some stretches, the sports medicine doctor tried a few things and again I left disappointed.

So out of all those doctors not one told me what the real answer is to getting rid of muscle knots. The answer is massage-to get those fibers to release. Unfortunately, massage is rarely covered by insurance. I have gotten a few but I can't always go, they aren't cheap. 

So for now, I have my trusty little heating pad that helps immensely, my tennis ball to help work out the ones on my back, my magnesium supplements I take twice a day and some magnesium oil. Hot baths also help. I should probably get on muscle relaxers but I hate taking medicine. I will only take an advil on really bad days and even then sometimes it does nothing. I also noticed that yoga helps alot too and I try to exercise 4-5 days a week. I've been athletic my whole life but tend to have a weaker upper body.

I don't know what to do. Sometimes I just break down and cry when it hurts so bad. I do alot of praying too. Maybe I'm not praying enough, maybe God is trying to talk to me through my pain. I'm not sure. I've also realized that pain can at times be psychological. If I'm out and about sometimes I forget about it. You will catch me rubbing my shoulder alot though. 

The issue is now Layla keeps getting bigger. I'm small. I weigh under a 100 lbs and Layla is already 19 pounds. Basically I'm lifting 19 pounds with a hurt shoulder every single day throughout the day. I can't not carry her though. I love holding her and I have no choice. I alternate arms as much as possible and I play with her on the floor alot but the issue is the transfer. Lifting her in her high chair, lifting her in her crib, lifting her on her changing table, the car seat, etc. I wanted to stop breastfeeding twice but I couldn't do it, I drastically cut it down and for the past 2 months, I only nurse her at night when she wakes up.

There is hope though. Yes there are days where I feel the pain will never go away but then there are days where I know that it will go away! I have one voucher left for a massage that I can still use, and my husband found me a neuromuscular massage therapist that can help me (but I'm waiting on this one since again it's expensive and the knots can reknot up if I'm not careful). Also my little brother is about 6 months into massage therapy school and he plans on making me his first case study. One day this will go away.

I'm a huge supporter of breastfeeding despite this. So if you plan on breastfeeding please, please support your arms when you feed your baby. Even if you think you don't need it, use it anyways. Also try not to constantly keep your head down staring at your sweet baby as it feeds. This is very bad for your neck. 

There were some days were I wish I would have never breastfeed Layla, but if looking back I knew this was going to happen, I'm pretty sure I would have done it anyways, Layla has yet to be sick. Has it been worth it? If it's protected her from illness and will continue to do so, than the answer is yes.

A peaceful day..

The house is tidy and the dishes are done, just me and my baby having some fun.

Crafty Tuesday

Serena had a slight fever this morning and didn't feel too well so I kept her home from school. Poor thing, she may be catching what I have. I've been sick since Wednesday but I'm getting better. 

Today was perfect to work on some Valentine's Day crafts. 

H isn't crazy about us working in the formal living room, but it's the longest table in the house, so I use a sheet to protect the table if I'm working in here.

Little miss Layla was extra clingy today for some reason but I was able to keep her occupied by moving her around. She spent a little time in her playpen and a little time in her bouncer. The calm demeanor you see here only lasted a short time.

I made a heart for Layla's room and some other hearts with Serena.

I absolutely adore pink and tan together. Layla's room is done in pink and tan. The colors are so soft and dainty.

Our hard work lol.

Shortly after our crafts, I went upstairs to put Layla down for a nap and this is what I came back down too..

Oh boy...

Diaper bag...No thanks. Big purse? Yes please!

Early on in my pregnancy this time around, I knew I did not want a conventional diaper bag. I wanted a big purse to use as a dipaer bag. I just did not see a diaper bag that fit my style.

I threw my husband a few hints..::wink..wink::..and he picked out a bag on his own and gave it to me for my birthday the beginning of June. 

The man has good tastes because this Ralph Lauren bag was one I hadn't come across and I loved it!

I can fit alot of things in here. Several diapers, baby food, baby bottles, my makeup, wallet, etc. I've had this bag for 8 months already and the interior is still spotless.

If you plan on using a regular purse as a diaper bag, you will probably want to get an insulated bottle holder to keep babies bottles cold or hot. Honestly I never had to use one when Layla was a newborn because I had no problem nursing in public so I had no use for bottles. Once I started supplementing, she took the bottles at room temperature so again not needed. I probably used a bottle holder twice when my husband went somewhere with the baby and needed to transport milk. The one I used was a free one that I got from the hospital.

If you are worried about food spilling just be sure to keep the food in ziplock baggies and any sippy cups tightly stored. I also recommend having another bag handy if you are leaving the baby with a relative, or if your husband takes the baby somewhere without you. The hospitals usually give out simple baby bags with some samples.

Hey, it's ok...

It's ok that yesterday I made an emergency cloth diaper for Layla because of her rash and it came out looking like something Bam-bam would wear from the Flinstones.

It's ok that Serena left her tooth under her pillow with this little note. She's trying.

It's ok that the tooth fairy is sometimes late. I'm sure she gets busy....::cough cough::...

It's ok that when my husband and I spot a stray baby sock in the living room, we dive for it so we can sniff it like it's the last thing we'll ever smell.

(Have you ever smelled a stray baby sock? It's like heaven on earth.)

Have a great day!