Jo

FIRST of all.  a GIANT thank you to everyone that has called, texted, emailed, messaged, and commented on social media since we briefly shared whats been going on with Jolie. its been the most humbling experience walking through this process of trying to figure out what in the world is going on with my child, and I've gone from crying out in hysterics to fuming angry about all this.  trying to process it all and then having to explain to those that are concerned is overwhelming because honestly I'm at a loss for words to adequately express what the plan is at this point.

I guess I'll start from the beginning?  

this started probably about 4 months ago.  Jolie had been having random fevers, virus like symptoms off and on.. and sleeping NON-stop.  she would take two or three naps/day along with sleeping about 10-12 hours at night.  since she was in preschool I chalked it up to being a stomach bug and she would get over it.. and she would.  symptoms were always short lived.  about a month ago we were visiting my parents and sweet Jolie was, once again, with diarrhea and her fever was getting up pretty high.  we were treating it with Tylenol and Motrin, rotating it every three hours or so and it would come down, but sure enough, within 3 hours she was spiking 102 once again.  we were getting ready to go to dinner and Jordan was brushing her hair and rubbed his hand across her neck and she winced in pain.. thats when we found it.. the GIANT lump on her neck. it was huge and her neck was red and it clearly hurt to the touch.  we sort of panicked and called our pediatrician to ask about taking her to the ER or seeking guidance for what we should do.. and they told us that it was not a big deal and to come in on Monday.  So, Monday, May 22nd to be exact, we went into the pedi's office and saw the nurse practitioner (that we love!). this was day 5 of persistent fever (running 102-104) and I was done. 

"check for everything, and I mean everything."

so they did. and everything came back normal.

no mono.  no strep.  no infection.. no leukemia. 

yes, I made them check THAT.  I felt like something wasn't right and I didn't want to be back there in months with terrible news being delivered when I should have listened to my gut instinct.

her labs looked relatively normal.  of course a little elevated on her white cell count because she has been constantly fighting fever.  but otherwise, nothing concerning at all.  

"its a virus."

so, assuming this lump on her neck was infection related to the virus she had, she was put on a really heavy and strong antibiotic (clindamycin). she took 14 days of antibiotics that basically tore through her GI and caused even more GI upset than she was already having in the first place.  she wasn't eating too great, but she had stopped running fever, so we were on the right track.  she finished her medicine on a Sunday and on Wednesday she spiked 102 fever (again) and I couldn't get her fever to come down below 101 for 12 hours, even with cold bath and medicine. I called the pediatrician and came in the next day.. to see Dr. Butler.  she gave her a full exam after we walked her through the last month of concern and decided that, along with more lab work, we needed to get a sonogram of her neck since it hadn't changed at all in size, even with heavy antibiotics.  

she also checked her thyroid and about a billion other labs and tests to rule out a million things as to why this could be happening.  

we sent off a stool sample and did blood and urine cultures.. we did the works.  

that night we were up all night long with Jolie.  she had started throwing up again and couldn't hold down medicine to bring down the fever that had gotten up to 104. I was trying to dress her to load her up to go to the ER at 2:30am and she was like a potato sack. she wouldn't move or respond to me because her little body was just exhausted.  finally, after several attempts we got her to hold down meds for a half hour that brought her temp down to 101.  I'll take it.

we were able to get into the hospital to do the sonogram on Friday afternoon and we were expecting to just wait and hear on Monday from the doctor about the results.  we had plans to head out of town early on Friday morning for Jordan's grandmother's celebration of life that was on Saturday afternoon.  Butler really wanted us to get this sonogram done before going out of town, so we loaded up after the test and headed out.

our HOPE was that this sonogram would show that the lymph node was fluid filled or an infection causing the fevers and could be treated with medicine.

this sweet pic was taken right after everyone got up on Saturday morning! 

we headed downstairs to eat breakfast at the hotel.. I left my phone in the room and completely forgot  about everything that had happened the day before.. aside from Jolie waking up with a fever AGAIN.

just after I got everyone situated with their plate o' pancakes Jordan got a call.  I quickly realized who it was and I just sat there in silence trying to read his face to see if I could get some kind of idea as to what was being said on the other end.

he hangs up and doesn't even say anything.  just starts crying.  

"WHAT?!"

"the sonogram was abnormal.  its not fluid filled and its not an infection.  she has a large 5cm mass on her right side and the other side is abnormally small and appears that its not even functioning.."

the next several hours are a complete blur. 

we were told to leave as soon as we could and head back to Dallas for a CT scan.  we quickly packed everything back up, left Parker and Baker with BB and Papa and took sweet Jolie and Brady and booked it as fast as we could back to the hospital.  since it was Saturday we had to register through the ER and then finally made our way back to radiology.

we spent the next two hours waiting. Jolie had to drink the oral contrast, and getting a little person to drink THAT much was near to impossible.  but I attempted to make it into a game and we got enough down so she could go back for the CT. 

she had both oral and IV tests run and the preliminary results were CLEAR.  I was so thankful. 

they had basically prepared us for the absolute worst: the lump on her neck is actually lymphoma and the nausea and vomiting and repeat fevers were all a result of the cancer spreading to the nodes around her GI track and in her tummy.. and that we would leave straight from there and transport Jolie to Children's Dallas where she would be admitted to the 6th floor oncology unit.

lets just go ahead and file that under: parental nightmares you never want to experience.

after the hour long CT scans it was finally time to leave.  since the scans came back clear (read by an adult radiologist) and we were free to go home. we still felt a bit unsure about the scans because the CT showed all clear or everything.. even the lump on her neck.  no one, not even our pediatrician relaying this information to us really understood that because we can see it and feel it.  something was missing. the pedi scheduled us for 12:30pm on Monday to come in for another exam and to produce a game plan.  she also had scheduled a conference call with the pediatric radiologist at the hospital to officially walk her through Jolie's CT scans.

either way we were happy to be on our way to spoil Jolie rotten for all that she has been through that day.  we took her to build a bear, claire's for some new jewelry, and then out to dinner for chips and queso at 9pm.  it had been a long day and everyone was so exhausted.  I cried myself to sleep with Jolie in my arms.  I couldn't let her go!

Monday morning came, along with my first day back at work (talk about terrible timing for all this), and I got a call from Jordan. 

"why is he calling me."

apparently when the pediatric radiologist read the scan that morning the mass WAS there.. the scans were just really poor quality because she was moving around.

um, yes. she's four.  she's terrified.  and she was bawling her eyes out.

 the adult radiologist that read the scans on Saturday missed it.  our 12:30pm pediatrician appointment was changed to a 2 o'clock appointment with an oncologist downtown.

 once again with the emotional roller coaster of confusion and fear..  

the appointment came and I felt like I could just hurl everywhere.  I hadn't quite closed the door on the possibility of it being "the C word", but the unknown was debilitating.  I hadn't slept in like a week which felt like a month. my body hurt with anxiety and I just wanted answers.  Jolie was scared and had yet to understand what was happening or why she was there. the moment we were admitted to the exam room she started crying.

"no more doctors, daddy"

all I could think was that this was just the beginning.. 

the hematologist/oncologist came in after what seemed like an eternity of waiting and she did a full exam on Jolie, just as our pediatrician did the week before.  she mentioned that the mass was elastic and not affixed.  she also mentioned that she could feel protruding lymph nodes all over Jo's body, which she reassured us that was normal for some people.

"I am confident to say that this is benign. that doesn't give you answers about the fevers and GI issues ..but I do not believe this is lymphoma simply by the way it is presenting itself. 

I could have kissed her! she then proceeded to schedule us for a follow up appointment in two weeks.. more blood work to see if anything has changed and assuming that if the lump doesn't reduce in size then we will be going the MRI/biopsy route.  it hasn't changed in a month, even after heavy treatment with antibiotics, so I foresee the next appointment ending with a scheduled MRI, but we shall see!  

Tuesday came and my phone rings again.. its Dr. Butler with more test results.  apparently the stool sample we sent out came back positive for EColi.  most likely picked up from a restaurant, Jolie's nausea and vomiting could be related to this.  

so, now were assuming the lymph node and throwing up and diarrhea are completely unrelated?

I guess.  can you get fever for a month from a food borne illness?  google couldn't give me a straight answer, so I dunno. to be honest I'm still trying to process everything and its all happening so very fast.  I swear everyday we are getting different explanations and plans of care.  Butler didn't want us to be sitting idle for 2 weeks, so in the meantime we are treating Jo for the EColi with more antibiotics and probiotics..AND eliminating dairy.. which totally sucks.

all I know is this girl is a freaking rockstar.  she's been such a trooper. never complained. and seems to keep her spirits even with all this mess, and while still feeling like total crap.

so, now we wait some more.  

hoping it all comes to the surface with facts and a solid treatment plan.  the lump still isn't fluid filled or infection, and I feel like no one really knows what is going on with our girl.  I admit to feeling a little silly and mislead for freaking out over something that wasn't there or is something completely different.. I wanted to scream for joy and anger when the oncologist settled our greatest fears.. but y'all I'm so relieved.  

breastfeeding in style

probably the number one question regarding fashion and my personal style has become "is that breastfeeding friendly?" or "do you have a favorite place to find stylish and breastfeeding friendly clothing?"

my initial answer to these questions has always been nope- I just wing it and make it work, ha! BUT as I've become more seasoned in my mamahood..and just keep popping them out, I've found it to be more important and easier to wear clothing that is breastfeeding friendly.  too many times I'm having to cut food at a restaurant, fix a ponytail, and even catch a flying hand to prevent one from hitting the other-  and too many times I've flashed whoever is within the vicinity- my apologies to all of those strangers that have witnessed my very own Janet + Justin moment. except WAY less sexy.

sunnies c/o (use code AMBER25 for 25% off!) // top c/o // white denim // booties (similar)

 clothing for women that are nursing has changed tremendously over the last several years. hidden zippers (I loooove these dresses!), secret slits in the side of a blouse, easy pull down necklines, and basically anything with buttons are your BFF. 

 I've also been known to wear a t-shirt with my postpartum leggings - pulling up my shirt and being able to hide my stomach is always a plus when nursing, ya know?  but the weather is heating up.. like miserable hot and I'm sweating like a teenage boy playing football just carrying groceries into the house, so shorts and breathable shirts or casual dresses and sneakers are what I'm living in right now! this shirt from Tart Collections is AMAZING.  its not chiffon, but very lightweight and super soft.

diaper bag c/o // aviators c/o (use code AMBER25 for 25% off!) // shorts

one of the items I mentioned in my mama summer essentials post (HERE) are easy breezy dresses- my go-to for breastfeeding in the summer.. because its omg-SOHOTT.  I was lucky to have a pretty mild summer after Baker was born, but its been sweltering since like February here in Texas, so we may be making up for it this year.

dress c/o // sneakers 

layered necklaces c/o

its taken me a couple years to figure out how to dress my postpartum body.  something that is nursing friendly and flatters my new figure can be discouraging and stressful!  but know that we have all been there in those moments.

I'm so excited to be able to offer my followers a discount code for each of these nursing friendly looks!

use code AMBER at allette boutique for 15% off your entire purchase.

use code AMBER15 at tart collections for 15% your entire purchase.

and finally, use code MASSEYA at milk made market for 20% off your entire purchase! 

thank you to tart collections, milk made market, and allette boutique for providing these outfits and allowing me to share your amazing brands and to Brittany for putting up with me and snapping these photos!

I've linked a few more fun and trendy nursing friendly options!

mama confessions iv

its been a bit a hot minute since I did one of these. all four of the gremlins are asleep at the same time and I just eaten my lunch in complete silence. 

no tv. no fighting. no singing. no crying!  

I'm feeling so motivated to do a million things while they are asleep, but I probably won't. its starting to rain outside and Jolie will be awake in about 13 seconds terrified about it, so we better hurry!

--

everyone else is to blame in Parker's world. no matter if I have literally caught her red handed in the middle of the offense, she's always got something to say about it!  

while listening to the girls bicker over barbies from the other room:

me: "do I hear y'all arguing??"

Parker: YEP! It's Jolie. 

while getting dressed to make a quick grocery run:

Parker: you're wearing those clothes AGAIN, mom?! 

I've been known to do anything to prevent a car nap because a car nap can screw my entire day.  unless.. well unless its Brady taking a car nap.  homeboy hates (!!!) his carseat and will let you know it.  sleep away young man, by all means.  anyway.. usually it means me turning up the radio and dance/sing like a complete nutcase when other cars can only see me and assume I love T.Swift way too much.

I made the most amazing photo books (in leu of a traditional baby book) for Parker and Jolie after they turned a year old. I spent a month organizing pictures, copying monthly letters from the blog, and documented everything I could think of for these books.  I loved how they turned out!  I vowed to make one for every kiddo each year until they turned 18.. well they are four, Baker is about to be two, and I can probably attest to Brady's future in this as well.. but um, I haven't spent the time to make any more for any of my kids. 

after taking Jolie to time-out over a minor meltdown because I asked her to put on her shoes..

Parker (popping her head around the corner): mom, you just have the best heart.

..in the same moments of meltdown a'la Jolie + trying to load everyone into the car and I'm basically yelling at everyone at this point..

Parker: mom.  my teacher says we need to be KIND.  are you being kind, mom?

me: Jolie Grace! come pick up your colors and paper!  its time for dinner!

Jolie:

me: JO-LEEE

Jolie: 

me (going to get her out of the playroom): why aren't you answering me, child?

Jolie: my name is JoJo.  I like to be called JO-JO.

after giving Parker major side eye about bouncing over the side of the couch

Parker: I'm just being a ninja, mom. 

we've attempted to take away the pacifier from Baker three times in the last three months.  all three times we've psych ourselves up and feel motivated and ready to deal with whatever the paci-less future holds.  all three times have lasted less than 24 hours.. mainly because all it takes is her singing from her crib "paci where are you?" and I'm flying in there to the rescue with 14 pacifiers.  I was SO much more firm with the twins when they were this age.  what has happened to me?? 

when Brady was fussing while trying to get the big girls out of the bath: 

Parker: "mom! Brady is saying 'gimme that boobie milk!' "

Jolie: baby brother's head smells so so good, mom. 

me: I think he kinda smells like daddy, do you think he smells like daddy?

Jolie: daddy stinks. 

Parker: mom! look! my Minnie has a peanut.

me: a what?

Parker: I colored a peanut on my Minnie Mouse picture.

..she means penis.  what.  apparently having a boy in the house sparks new imagination. 

Brady's first parenting fail:

I got a spray tan one morning a few weeks back and came straight home to feed Brady.. and then we both fell asleep with him on my chest. Jordan woke me up and Brady had spray tan all over his cheek. thankfully the rub of a baby wipe and a quick bath did the trick

when changing Brady's diaper before bedtime..

Jolie: whats that chicken, mom?

me: what chicken?

Jolie: on Brady's diaper, that chicken right there..?

it was Big Bird. My kids have never watched Sesame Street (but somehow they know who Elmo is..) I feel like I'm stripping some childhood necessity from these kids.. no?

Baker has THE WORST DIAPERS!!  this child eats like a grown man, so its no surprise..

me: Baker! why do you smell like old man poop!! 

Baker: sooorrryeeee!

Parker (in complete panic): WHERE ARE MY CRACKERS?! 

me: I thought you were done.  I tossed them when I was cleaning up after lunch. you can have a different snack! 

Parker: oh, I'm not hungry, sweetie. 

I never shower alone.  if they aren't in the shower with me they are sitting outside the glass talking my ear off. while shaving my legs in the shower recently they both became SO concerned with what I was doing and why. in four years the twins have apparently never seen me shave my legs.  I should probably do that more often..

hearing Baker cry from the other room while nursing Brady..

me: what is going on in there??!

Parker: well, Baker tried to take my book and I just hit her a little bit. 

mama confessions i

mama confessions ii

mama confessions iii

five on Friday | life lately

so theres a bit more than five items on the agenda for this Friday edition of life lately, but ya'll - we have been SO busy!  my days are running together and my babies are changing by the second.. especially Brady that basically gains a neck roll every 24 hours and Baker clearly has bear hands compared to her little brother.  its all the "buttah" (peanut butter!) we've got a lot to cover, so lets hop right to it!

one. school's out

the big girls had their last day of preschool last week!  it was the fasted year if our life and looking back, those girls have grown, changed, learned, and loved so much since last September.  the end of this year was extra special/emotional/sentimental because their preschool (mothers day out program) is transitioning to a private preschool academy.  it was the final school year as CT Kids, and I'll admit to tearing up at drop off that morning when I hugged their teachers, Ms. Sarah and Ms. Stacey.  for that and many other reasons, Jordan and I decided to keep them out of a preschool program for this last year before they go into kindergarten.  it may seem so backwards to some, but this is the last year of these two being home all day everyday for the next 14 years!  I am still working part time and my days off are days that they would be in school- I just don't want to miss anything, you know? we have hired a nanny to help when myself and Jordan are not there and this sweet girl is working towards becoming a kindergarten teacher and she's agreed to tutor them for a couple hours everyday she's there!

sunnies HERE + suits HERE + shoes HERE

 two. bootcamp

so. I started back to working out last week.. bootcamp has left me pretty sore, but at the end of my second week of camp gladiator I am feeling pretty good! trying to figure out a schedule with Brady on all this has been a challenge but we are working it out!  I am doing CGFit, which is similar to what I did in my first camp that I ever completed last June (see my progress HERE) and I'm excited to get back into the swing of it!  its amazing how out of shape I have become. I plan to do a recap in the next couple weeks!

 three. summer supper club

last weekend we met the supper club crew for pizza (and lots of wine!!).  after dinner the adults passed around a pint of ben + jerry's and a spoon and watched all our babies run and play together in the fountains.  this was just a couple days before we welcomed number 19 to our group!

four. memorial day

we posted up in our usual spot at a family friend's pool and played the day away in the water.  the weather was perfect and the girls were DARLING in their matching suits.  I bought the twins these exact suits in purple last year and I snatched them up as fast as I could when I saw them online again this season. AND- that poolside hairwrap?! give me all the Shelby Chic!!  she's started to release her poolside line and I love it all!  use code PBANDJ for a discount that never expires :)

 the cutest yellow suits HERE

five. summer hair + baker's first!

mama went blonde for summer.. even with a bit of silver mixed in!  my oldest and dearest friend, Angela has been doing my hair since I was 14 years old after I went to Florida with some family friends and poured about four bottles of sun-in on my hair- anyone remember sun-in?? not to mention she did up-do's for four proms, three homecomings, a couple firefighter balls.. my wedding + all my bridesmaids.  and now she been giving my baby's their first cut.  Baker got the last of her baby hair trimmed out this week.  

baker's onesie HERE + shorts HERE

 girlfriend was being such a stinker.. throwing a fit over nothing at all, and therefore cried through the entire thing.  Jo was trying to comfort her.. and Parker stuck a half eaten dum-dum sucker in her mouth.. still with all the tears.

 in the end we both are loving our summer hair!  if you are local give her a shout HERE

six. hello, carter grant

I can't believe Carter is here!!  one of my best friends, Ashley, also known as Auntie to my kiddos (and the blog), had her second baby boy this week! I made my way up to the hospital on Tuesday just a couple hours after Carter was born to get in some baby snuggles and to hug her neck.  I always get so emotional about stuff like this! the next day we brought the girls up to meet the newest little guy. they loved him just as they love Brady!   Baker is so baby obsessed- she claims, Carter as her own! sorry Auntie, but this girl is convinced that she needs this baby more than you do. 

 Parker + Jolie's top HERE and clip HERE

 these dads and their boys!  so many years to come with these babies growing up together.  I can't wait!! how amazing is it that our babies are so close in age? love it.

seven. take me out to the ballgame

we took Brady out to his second Rangers baseball game this week! we celebrated Brittany's birthday at the ballpark and Brady tagged along while the girls had a sleepover with their BB and Papa.  this time he was awake for the majority of the game and finally passed out when I wrapped him up in the Solly.

 Brady's onesie HERE and similar shorts HERE

he's such a HAM.  I love every inch of this boy and I basically want about 4 more just like him!  who wants to sign my petition to present to Jordan in support of baby number five?

its the weekend! lets see what we can get ourselves into- see ya Monday! XO!

newborn sleep essentials | tips + tricks

after four babies I think I've gotten a pretty good handle on what healthy sleep looks like for an infant.  that being said, all four of my kids have slept completely different from each other.   I've heard a billion things in regards to what it technically means for a baby to sleep through the night.  somewhere along the way someone has offered the magic "6 hour" timeframe and stated that was technically sleeping through he night. but goodness, in those early weeks I would be grateful for just a consistent 3-4 hours, am I right?  cluster feeds are not fun!

as first time parents with the twins, neither Jordan or myself had any clue as to what to expect as far as sleep goes with them.  Jolie was tiny- four and a half pounds of tiny.  she grunted and snorted like premature baby would keeping me up all night long worrying about her and checking her with every peep she made.  they both slept in a single pack and play in our room until about 4 months of age and we moved them to their separate cribs and neither slept through the night EVER.  Jolie finally figured it out around 6 months of age, but Parker didn't sleep through the night at all until about 15 months old.  even then she would only give me a full night's sleep randomly about once a week. at age four they are both in bed around 8pm.. often still awake until after 9pm and Parker wakes me once a night for a hug and is up every morning before the sun. 

Baker is an amazing sleeper. AMAZING.  she also slept in the pack and play in our room and was sleeping through the night at 6 weeks of age, flipped to her belly to combat a bit of reflux and she found her thumb really early and would self soothe through the night.  way different than the two before her.  around 6 months I did have to go through some sleep training with her (see my post on sleep training without CIO HERE) and worked like a charm.  Baker now goes to bed around 7-7:30pm every night and will sleep about 14 hours.  she prefers to stay in her crib until well after 9am in the morning.

so, now there is Brady. I will say that he sleeps pretty well so far!  one thing I did do before with the other three, and have been doing with Brady now, is maintained a consistent sleep routine.  with the twins we were totally winging it.  we didn't know what we were doing at all, and I think I can speak to most first time parents in that those first couple months are a total blur.  I tried my best to follow routine and keep up with what all the books and apps were telling me to do for them regarding sleep but every day looked different for us and with two babes it was a little bit more difficult to manage.  when Baker came along, I was more seasoned and went straight to work on getting her into that sleep routine I had attempted before.  I have found that there are a handful of items and processes that have worked with all four of my kids and I hope that you guys can benefit from my sharing what we do!  

routine 

I mentioned in Brady's 2 month update (HERE) that we recently started working with him on getting into a consistent sleep routine.  before now I was really focusing on getting to know him and his natural habits.. feeding him on demand, which included through the night.  reflux played a part against us in the sleep department, but once we got that under control I started him on a trail routine.  it definitely takes some tweaks and changes depending on your little one, but so far this is working for us!

bedtime routine @ 10 weeks

9pm: bath soak- usually about 20 minutes, bathed in lavender soap (we love Tubby Todd!) 

9:30pm: out of the bath, rub down with lavender lotion and into our jammies!

9:45-10pm: nurse + bed

bathtime really is a huge component to our bedtime routine.  I've learned that giving Brady a bath, no matter if its outside of that nine o'clock time frame, helps him sleep more soundly and also gives him the sense that okay this is what we do around bedtime.  he has come to really love the bath and it offers time to let him relax and chill out before he goes to sleep for the night.

you can find Brady's bath seat HERE

location

Brady sleeps in the dockatot- which we have been absolutely LOVING. I get asked about the dockatot all the time! I won't say that it is magical and can 100% guarantee that it will make your baby sleep through the night, because so many other things factor into healthy sleep for you and baby, but it is really something both Jordan and myself have come to love using for Brady.  we have used it for travel and will eventually use it in transitioning to the crib and upgrade to the larger dockatot grand as he continues to grow.  consistency is HUGE when it comes to healthy sleep habits, which is why the dock is so awesome.. we just move it around as we wish! Brady sleeps in the dock in our bed, and for now this is the only place he sleeps at night.  when I make the transition to his crib here in another couple months there will be a whole new process, especially when he starts napping in his crib, but at this age Brady knows that when he is in the dockatot that it is bedtime.

full belly

AND burped!  

personally I think the very best way to ensure a great sleep is to make sure they are fully fed and burped!  with Brady's reflux issues I have had to make sure he is burped really well before I lay him down or he will be awake about a half hour later with gas troubles.  holding him upright just about 10 minutes or so after he's eaten for the last time before bed is extra helpful in keeping him comfortable to get into a deep sleep and to hopefully sleep through the night.  I also have learned that the more the baby eats during the day the longer and more satisfied he will be through the night.  be really consistent with feeding your infant every 3 hours while you are trying to establish a sleep routine.  if he's sleeping randomly for a 4 or 5 hour stint through the day then he will make up for what he's missing out on during the night.

the swaddle

when it comes to swaddling, all of my kids have been different.  the twins were in the swaddle until almost 6 months.. no joke.  they loved it.  they were swaddles at night and during the day for nap time.  they were smaller than your average, so size wise they might have been the equivalent to a four month old, maybe? after we got them out of the swaddle, Parker and Jolie transitioned to sleep sacs and slept in sleep sacs until they were over a year old.  

the swaddle had its 15 minutes of fame with Baker and then she was done.  we stopped swaddling her all together by 6 weeks of age and after we moved her out of our room at four months she used a sleep sac until about 6 months.  she didn't care for it the same as the twins- maybe because she's a summer babe and its so hot she didn't need/want the extra coverage?

so, now with Brady, we are back at it with the swaddle.  nighttime is the only time we swaddle him and we have discovered the most AMAZING swaddle (they have sleep sacs, too!) nested bean has created the Zen Swaddle, which offers a breathable lightweight option for swaddling Brady.  the swaddle features a weighted egg on the chest and sides of the swaddle that simulated the weight of my hand so he falls asleep with the comfort of mom or dad close by.  not to mention that the fabric has the perfect amount of stretch to get him in a good solid swaddle- the tighter the better as it helps him feel the most secure.  once Brady is swaddled he knows its time for bed! when we transition out of the swaddle (the Zen Swaddle is useable for babies 0-6 months of age) I'm totally getting my hands on the Zen Sac to keep up with comforted sleep habits.

wanna try one out for yourself?? I'm so excited to share that the great folks at the nested bean are offering a special discount for my readers!  use code MASSEY15 for 15% off your entire purchase!

if you have any tips and tricks for sleep that you have done with your babies I would love to hear them! I'm always learning as I go and getting encouraging feedback from you guys is just the best!! 

5 summer essentials | casual mama style

the weather is warming, the sun is hanging around a little longer in the evenings, and I can smell someone in my neighborhood grilling every night of the week.  its summer!! when it comes to my wardrobe these days I'm looking for easy care items that I can throw on and feel put together but also be super comfortable and able to move around when I'm out doing activities with my kids- from the grocery store to the aquarium to a (casual) date night these are my top five mama essentials for summer!  even better- the holiday weekend has left us with a bunch of sales, so nearly all my picks are discounted!  yas!

the easy tee

I've been living in boyfriend style pocket tees.  I love the casual nature of them and how lightweight and comfortable they are for summer!  I tuck the front for a little added shape and you can totally dress them up our down, just depending on the shoes and accessories.  I'm also loving the softened shirts that button down- my third summer in a row to be breastfeeding, so I'm all about the easy access with buttons down the front!

casual bottoms

two words: boyfriend denim. I LOVE distressed denim and the boyfriend style allows me to move and bend and be comfortable without feeling like I'm going to explode after eating Sonic cheesy tots (with jalapeños!).  don't get me wrong, there is a perfect time and place for an amazing pair of skinny jeans (I have THESE in every color because they are just perfect in every way!)

but the looser fit of the boyfriend jeans also offers the ability to wear them while its 100+ degrees in Texas.  I also invested in a cute pair of joggers to wear while running errands or grabbing coffee with a girlfriend (I did this yesterday!) pair with the boyfriend pocket tee and you are totally hitting all the high marks for that athleisure style thats so popular right now.

AND overalls. yes.  100% yes.  I prefer the fitted style over the baggy boyfriend fit- I own a great pair from Pinkblush that I'm loving and wearing about once a week (and they're on sale!). but I'm hard pressed to add a pair of short overalls to the mix.  do it.

breezy dresses

my favorite "look" while sporting the bump this time around was a t-shirt dress, sneakers, and a ball cap. talk about comfort and style all wrapped into one! as the heat is rising (its literally sweltering hot today..) I appreciate the t-shirt dress for several reason- keep me cool (number one!), the variety of style it offers (with sneakers + ball cap; sandals + side ponytail; wedges + chunky necklace..), and the fact that I can take the same dress and go from daytime to evening and not have to think about changing my clothes:). these are my favorite dresses for wearing casually with sandals or sneakers.

trendy sneaks

speaking of sneakers.. they are like my new favorite guilty pleasure.  no idea WHY,  but finding ways to be able to wear them with everything I currently own in my closet is my mission.  I think a lot of it has to do with how much I'm on me feet- I need something thats comfortable.  I am not a shoe person at all whatsoever.. which is probably a good thing.  I usually purchase one great neutral pair of sandals and wear the crap out of them all summer. same for heels and wedges.. now when it comes to boots and booties all bets are off because I just loveeee me some booties.  

every color, please! but this is summer.. in Texas.. and I'll literally be filling my suede booties up with sweat if I attempted to wear them right now.. so I'll stick to sneakers:)

blush lip
blush everything is the hottest color of the season and I've found a handful of glosses and mattes that I'm loving right now.  the tarte lip paint is phenom.. I got it as a sample last month and I'm loving it so much that I went and got a couple the other day to stock up for summer.  my luck, they always discontinue my favorite makeup and I can ever find it again- I hate that!  I've learned from these tribulations and always buy more than one when shopping!
my top three makeup must haves right now..
NUMBER ONE is definitely lip gloss. number two would have to be my bronzer/highlighter combo (I am loving the tarte combo palette !), and number three is my eye brow pencil + filler (benefit gimme brow is the bomb).