Liam's (Cloth) Diaper Bag at 4 months

Liam's Diaper Bag at 4 Months

I got this bag at Target about 5 years ago. It is supposed to be used for a laptop/briefcase. It has the two pockets that you see on the outside, and the one pocket on the inside you see below. It also had a cell phone holder and a place to clip my keys.

Everything really does fit in here! And I love how it keeps its shape. It does have a zipper closure and when I dont add the extra blanket, I can zip it closed.

Here is the overview, I cant believe all this really goes in here!

Top left going right... at least 2 burp rags, Liam spits up and drools a lot. My nursing cover--which I rarely use. My wallet and keys. A thicker blanket, an aden + ansi  blanket. I made that green and brown bag for his extra outfit and a few other items. Toys. Extra wet bag, nipple cream (just incase), sun screen. Boogie wipes, extra nuk, first aid kit, tide stick, mini notebook, and pens.

Extra outfit, extra hat, mittens, and my mittens. In that little black clutch I have tissues, pads, and nursing pads. The brown polka dot bag is a wet/dry bag, wipes, diaper cream, the green and brown thing is a changing pad I made. And two diapers. 

This is what I would pack if we were going away for a few hours. If we are just running to the store, I usually dont bring so much. I might just grab the wet/dry bag with the diapers, blankets, toys, burp rag, nuk, and my wallet.

Month 2 Must-Haves

While we're not quite done with month 2 yet, I figured I'd get ahead start on some of our favorites.

I didnt number these, but I will start at the top left and go across. 

Weehuggers cloth diaper cover. So, here is why I love this diaper so much. I love the Flip brand front and back little pocket-y flap that helps hold the insert in, and I love the Thirsties double leg gussets. Well, this diaper has both! It also comes in snaps. The elastic on these are amazing!! Plus this diaper is very trim

Hello Bugs! This is a high contrast board book. Each page is black and white with one color that is metallic foil-ish. Super cute and great to stimulate baby's brain.

Green Mountain stay dry inserts. We recently started using these since Liam has been sleeping so long at nighttime (fingers crossed it stays that way). I plan on eventually buying more of these! I love love love them!! I bought 4 of the middle sized ones. They are super soft and absorbent, and they definitely are stay dry!

Carseat charms from Infantino. Liam loves this toy! It hangs from his seat and he bats at it. It chimes very easily, which he loves. The noise doesnt bother me, which is a plus! Fun colors and easy to grab.

Goodnight Moon bunny lovey. Liam loves this bunny to snuggle while trying to sleep. We got it as a gift and it is super soft. 

California Babies Everyday Lotion. This is a big part of our nighttime routine. Every night before the jammies go on, we put this lavender/calendula lotion on the bottoms of Liam's feet and on his chest. It's smell soothes him, and once he is all zipped up, he is all ready for our nursing session and off to bed. 

The Children's Place Stretchies Pajamas. I love love love these! We have a different print of monsters, but I couldnt find the picture. I wish they werent so expensive or id buy them out of these! I love the little bit of elastic at the backs of the heels. It really helps keep the pjs on his feet. 

MiPump single battery/electric breast pump. I love this pump! First off, I really wanted a pump to go with my BreastFlow bottles, and at first I didnt think there was one. Then one day I was on craigslist and someone was selling theirs. I did not buy theirs...I went on amazon and found it. I'm so glad I did! It pumps directly into my bottles and comes with everything pictured. The shield part is made of soft silicone and is really comfortable to use. 

Lansinoh breastmilk storage bags. Love these! :)

Colored Links--We all have these, Liam loves them! 

Homemedics Baby Sound Spa...I cant say enough good things about this! This one is the "travel" version because it can operate on batteries. but it does come with an adapter. It has a timer (which we dont ever use) and 6 different sounds. (heartbeat, white noise, thunder, ocean, summer night--our favorite, and brook)

Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets. This is the pack we have. Liam loves them! We have two in use at all times..good thing its a 4 pack :) One is always in his carseat which sits in the kitchen when not in use--so we also use that blanket when he is hanging out in the kitchen. The other floats between his crib and the living room. He pulls them up to his face and snuggles them close to him to go to sleep. Yes, I know, how scary...but he moves it away when he needs to--and I always pull it away at night if its too close for comfort. 

So there ya have it...Month 2 in a nutshell... If you have any questions where we got anything, just let me know. 

N.

2 Months Old

Dear Liam,
You are growing so fast! I can't even believe my eyes! You weigh in at 14lbs 8oz!! Mommy has a bin full of your newborn (which you never really wore) and some of your 0-3 month clothing that no longer fits. It's strange to have a bin of things you no longer need. We are getting more and more used to your cues and know what you need when you need it. You are eating about every 3 hours during the day, and sleeping through the night. Everyday I count my blessings that you let me get so well rested. You wake up so happy and smiling it just melts our hearts! We usually wake for your big morning feeding around 6:15am. You fall back asleep for an hour and then we play a bit and you usually fall asleep again for 30 mins before waking up happy and ready to eat again. The day continues like that, and you have now let Mommy get dinner cooked (and sometimes eaten) before you need to eat again. Around 8:30 we start our bedtime routine which consists of singing and putting lavender lotion on the bottoms of your feet and your chest/belly, getting your night-time diaper on, and your jammies. You love this routine, and I love the little sigh you give when you get all snapped up and ready to snuggle. Sometimes you get your diaper changed in the middle of your feeding since you fall asleep. This helps you wake up enough to eat a bit more before falling asleep for the night. Otherwise I feed you after, and snuggle a bit before putting you in your bed. You love your aden+anais blanket tucked up next to your head, your nuk, and sometimes your bunny under your other arm. We play summer night sounds on the sound machine as well as turn on the twilight turtle. Sometimes you fuss a bit, but for the most part you are out for the night. Mommy and Daddy go to bed around 11, and Mommy wakes around 6:15 when you fuss. Since we have realized this new schedule you are so happy all the time! Always smiling and babbling about.

Best.Picture.Ever.  (like father like son...)

Playing on the Mat

You still love the swing, but we moved it into the kitchen now so Mommy can get more things done, so you dont use it as much. You also have recently just started liking your bouncer more. It is interactive, and you are kicking around so much more and making it go off. We have been working on tummy time more each day, but you still don't enjoy it very much. You would much rather be on your belly while laying on Mommy or Daddy. When you are on one of us, you use your arms to lift yourself up and look around. You also love love love to stand up! I can't wait to bust out the Exersaucer and the Johnny Jump Up in the upcoming weeks, you are going to love it! You are flailing your arms around  with more intent and catching objects on your playmat. It amazes you when you make things move around. You also enjoy seeing yourself in your mirror. You just watch this cute baby copying you, even when you are crying. You have also begun to search out your left hand to suck on your fingers. You have recognized Mommy a few weeks ago, but have recently recognized Daddy. You also turn your head to follow us if we cross the room, or if we start talking.

Napping with his bunny.

Your hair is beginning to grow back, it looks dark brown--like Daddy's. It is still very fine and short, so we'll see if it has any curl like both Mommy and Daddy's hair. I know I will probably say this every month, but I am so excited to see what month 3 brings! You are growing and learning so much already, I cant wait to see what the next thing will be!
Love,
Momma

Leg Rolls Starting! :-)

What's in a Name?

 

So how did I come up with Gone Fischin' and what does it mean?

I am following the lead of Brittany from Flip Flops and What Nots. See her post HERE.

Well, if you go back to my first few posts, you will see that I started blogging when my husband and I began trying to conceive. Back then I was temping, tracking, and tirelessly analyzing my symptoms of a possible pregnancy. Then low and behold, a wonderful thing happened! We got pregnant! And since then, this blog has followed my journey as an expectant mother. And now, as a first time mom. Soon, a first time mom and in-home daycare teacher.

So Gone Fischin' was a play off of our last name, Fischer. We were "fishing" for a bite and hooked a big one! haha...ok, overkill... But really, now I feel like I'm living the dream just as someone who enjoys going fishing. Just sitting there and taking it all in. Some days are stormy, others are bright and sun-shiny. All are perfect. :) Ok, again, overkill on the cheese factor...oh well.





Where I am going with this blog:

I plan on doing monthly updates on Liam, as well as tidbits along the way.

I also want to do postpartum updates for a few months. I know that with a c-section recovery is a bit more extended, and I would have loved to read other mama's stories so I was more prepared.

Once I have my in-home daycare up and running, I plan on posting about fun activities we do. Hopefully I can inspire others with my ideas or even share fun things to do!

I also love to cook/bake/garden/craft so I will be posting meal plan ideas, recipes, garden updates and crafty ideas :)

So there ya have it. My cheesy blog title... What's in your name?

Nikky

Pregnancy Week 38

How far along: 38 Weeks

Weight gain: +5 from last week! Wahhh? 41 for the pregnancy...swell much?

Stretch marks: absolutely

Maternity clothes: yes yes and yes!

Sleep: eh...up and down. I seem to sleep hard and wake often.

Best moment this week: Spending an amazing evening with Scott outside with a campfire and cooking our food over the fire. (tin foil potatoes and cheddarwurst on the tripod, and blueberry pudgie pies!)

Miss anything: just the normal, sleeping on my belly, seeing my ankles, my hands not tingling.

Cravings: nothing really, sweets probably.

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: boy!

Wedding rings: off

Belly button: still in

Movements: fewer, but I know he's out of room in there, so many of them aren't so noticeable, even when he does move around--especially if I'm distracted.

Symptoms: tingling hands, swollen ankles/feet, mood swings--mostly just disappointed when things dont feel like they are moving along, tired--been taking lots more naps. slight nesting.

Mood: usually pretty good. I do get cranky when I have to go to work again every morning...and at night when I feel like I haven't progressed or had any contractions.

MIDWIFE UPDATE:
see my previous post on labor watch #3 and small update.

I know any mother or soon to be mother can relate to the last few week of pregnancy being the worst. I am in total agreement!! These last few days have felt longer than many of the weeks I've been through recently. Of course every mother wants her baby to be healthy and strong, but we also want the waiting to be over. I can not wait to see what little Liam looks like, what his cry will sound like, how much hair he has, what his temperment will be, all those questions that have been floating around in my head since before conception. They are finally building up to these last few days of waiting. And it's driving me crazy! lol. I love him so entirely already, I cant wait to see his face and smell his scent. :)

Hopefully my next post will be with my little one in my arms :) Thank you all for your love and support!

Nikky

Pregnancy Week 32

This week I'm just going to jump right in.



How far: 32 Weeks

Weight gain: 30 for the pregnancy, since my last appointment

Stretch marks: of course

Maternity clothes: oh yeah! I just bought a sleep/sports nursing bra from motherhood maternity since I had store credit. here's a picture.

Sleep: Decent, I really dont wake up to pee like I expected. Sometimes I will but it will be around 5am.

Best moment this week: Definitely my midwife appointment and stroller shopping. :)

Miss anything? coffee, deli meat, a beer while grilling out!

Cravings: nothing overwhelming

Anything make you queasy or sick? No

Gender: Boy

Belly button: In

Wedding Rings: On

Movements: yep! Getting bigger and higher up in my ribcage

Symptoms: Back pain--especially during work, harder to breath, tired, exhausted, round ligament pain, a bit of acne.

Mood: Good, tired--but good

Looking forward to: My baby shower on May 5th! :) hurray!!! and setting up Liam's room.



I have been busy working on shower things. I know I shouldn't be the one doing it, but it doesn't seem like it will get done otherwise. I printed little monster clip art on paper napkin rings, gift bingo cards, and a few other things. My best friend is coming over tomorrow to help assemble things. I am also using some teal/aqua, lime green, and yellow paper lanterns of various sizes as hanging decorations. I had saved them from my bridal shower a few years ago. I bought teal/aqua dinner plates, lime green dessert plates, orange cups, yellow silverware, red napkins, and brown table cloths. I'm bringing my baby book along for Billie to fill out as I am opening gifts. I think that is about it for now. I thought about getting Liam a piggy bank of some sort, and having people who wanted to participate enter a $1 guess the birth date and time pool. Winner gets a target gift card for half of what was collected. Thought it would be a neat way to start off his piggy bank. Anyways, I guess that's all for now. I'm sure everything will turn out fantastically. It has finally started to warm up here in WI, and everyone's mood is definitely reflecting it! :)

N.

CD25 / 10DPO

I wanted to quickly write an update. This cycle I only took OPK's to predict ovulation. I had my surge on cycle days 13-15. I am always unsure about my cycle since they are frequently changing due to my weight and thyroid. But as of this morning, I wont be having my cycle for the next year or so...

I got my BFP!!!! I am shaking in disbelief!! I am so scared to really believe it, incase it gets taken away from me some how. 

Here's how it went down:
6:30am got up to pee, dipped an early pregnancy test strip...waited, left the bathroom, laid back in bed for 5-10mins. Scott got up, started getting ready for work. I got up, he said "you preggers yet?" (being that i had already seen the beginning of the test, i assumed no, but i usually go back and check after a few mins.) I said, "I dont know, lets go see!" I looked at the test and it looked strange. Lots of dark pink all over, like it was a faulty test. But there was definitely a second line! I showed Scott, said "maybe". And gave him a kiss goodbye. I could hardly wait to take another, and did so right away. Luckily I had enough pee. lol. I dipped two more tests, one early pregnancy test strip and one first response. I waited a few mins, frantically walking around the house. Looked back and had two lines on the first response. And an extremely light (like my eyes were playing tricks on me) second line on the early pregnancy test strip!!! Of course I immediately dipped another first response and sure enough, 2 lines!!!

So as far as early symptoms go:

*Slight breast tenderness (since monday night) I normally don't get tenderness at all, so this was a symptom for me. Also, my breasts felt very swollen last night (tue).
*waves of nausea, again very slight, and I frequently get this so I didn't think too much of it.
*Tired. Not extreme in the least. But I did take a nap the other day, and that's not liked me.
*Implantation cramps? I had pretty bad back cramps last week thr/fri, 5 DPO-ish.  

As of today, and according to the first day of my last period, I am 3 weeks and 1 day today!




So I guess that's it for now. Hopefully I will fill you all in on my blood test, and my newest symptoms. :) 


Baby dust to you all!!
Nikky

CD2

AF came yesterday. Booooo!!!! :-( I really thought I felt different this time. Hopefully Sept will be our month. :) Again, I wont be temp-ing, but I will be using OPK's. 

In other news, I put my 2week notice in at my job! FINALLY! Don't get me wrong, there are so many things that I love about working there, but sometimes it just wears ya down. Luckily, Scott's work situation has improved greatly and we are on our way to our planned future! w00t!!

Bright Blessings and Baby Dust!!

N.

Crunchy Momma

 Here's to all the Crunchy Momma's out there...

 1. Cloth Diapers! While the photos here shows BumGenius, there are so many different kinds that your head could explode! Nothing screams natural crunchy momma than cloth diapers!! Here's the link to the ones shown.

2. Cloth Wipes! Again, the photo shows the BumGenius brand, and I will be making mine from flannel scraps, and the receiving blanket overload I'm sure I'll get. At first it didn't occur to me to do cloth wipes, but the more I thought about changing my child's diaper. I'd have to have a cloth diaper pail and a regular diaper pail for the wipes?! Wait...no way, it's way to easy to just have one and throw them in the wash with the rest of the diapers.

3. Reusable Cloth Nursing Pads. well...duh! why wouldn't I use these? Breast milk is water soluble so it's not like these little guys wouldn't get clean. The ones shown are some organic kind, but you can find them all over etsy and other sites from WAHMs. I will more than likely make my own. (sensing a trend here?)

4. Nursing Cover. Clearly I plan on breastfeeding, and while in public, I really don't want/need gawkers, so these little covers will definitely help. They have a wire in the upper hem that you can bend outward to see your beautiful baby. Here's the one shown.

5. Boppy or any other breastfeeding helper. I used to work in a daycare in the infant room. I know how hard it is to keep that sweet little baby up to give him/her their bottles. I always propped a pillow under my arm. I love this cover from Boppy.

6. Breast pump. Again with the breast feeding. I definitely want to go BPA free, and I've heard nothing but great things about Medela. This model seems pretty mid-range. It's a scary thing to spend so much money on something your not even sure you will be able to use. If that is your main concern, there are smaller hand pump models as well. It wouldn't be a bad idea to start off with a hand pump, and then move up to a larger model if needed.

7. Beaba Babycook or any type of food processor really. I will most definitely be making my child's baby food. There really is no reason not to. You will be aware of what is going in to your child as well as saving you TONS of money! The Beaba freezer containers are amazing! They have a soft silicone bottom so you can easily pop one out.

8. Think Baby BPA free dishes. These are amazing! Nuff said.

9. Ergo Carrier. This is the sport version. Out of all the carriers I've heard about, the Ergo is the most talked about, and the most raved about. This would be nice to be fitted for my husband, and I could have the wrap that I talk about in #10.

10. Baby K'tan. I really love the two shoulder sling wraps. This one can be worn so many ways, and can also be used for breastfeeding covertly in public. Sneaky sneaky!

my cycles are confusing

As of today, I am DPO 7 and CD 23. I ovulated a little later than normal and I am also aware that my projected AF date is on CD32, I've never gotten AF on CD32. CD31 has been the longest cycle I've had since March at least. And my cycles vary from 27-31 days. So it's kinda difficult to be appropriately excited/nervous/shitting myself scared/wanting to POAS, but is it too early?... I really have no idea when to expect AF this month. I know I ovulated a little later, but does that necessarily mean AF will be later too?

I really am keeping myself busy so I dont read into symptoms and just to help to not think about it all day long...see my last post if you want proof...haha. But really...I am pretty go with the flow this 2WW and hopefully it stays that way!


I will keep you all updated on my cycle, and hopefully I will be able to report a BFP!

Nikky

reveal ideas

Sometimes I get stuck watching baby announcement videos on you tube. Like "Surprise! we're pregnant!" It really makes me smile and/or cry! Some of them are so touching and it's so funny seeing the way people react. I think I just spent and hour or more watching these! I wanted to note a few ideas here for when the time comes for me to reveal my pregnancy to my parents.

*fortune cookies restuffed with "You will be a grandparent in (month)" fortune.

*gift of a ring to grandma and this note along with it:
            Dear Mom, You are the greatest and the best in all the land.
            We hope you really enjoy this, especially on your hand.
            We'd really like to thank you for everything you did.
            And by the way, in (month), You're going to have a grand-kid!

*line everyone up for a photo and instead of saying cheese say "Nikky and Scott are Pregnant!"

*Card appropriate for the season/holiday that is near our reveal, and it is written out to "grandma &
   grandpa"

*fun video/photo/slideshow that we show to them after we went on "a day trip" and wanted to show them the pictures from our trip. Add a photo in the middle of us holding up a sign that says "We're Pregnant!"



of course there are so many other ideas that would make the day so special, and we really wouldnt have to do anything extravagant to make it an amazing day, but here are just a few to remember for when it's time. :)

Nikky