Laila's Unplanned Home Birth Story

Introducing Laila Marie Sabra

June 18th 7:01AM

We definitely could never have anticipated how the birth of our third baby would go.  They say that each subsequent baby you have comes quicker than your last, but if you would have told me it would have only taken 45 minutes for Laila to arrive from the time my water broke - I would have thought you were insane.  So here's how it all went down...

White + Blush + Navy Baby Girl Nursery

We are expecting our third child any day now, so I figured it was a good time to finally share her nursery!

I turned our 4th bedroom (which served as a catch-all & home office for Nader) into the nursery.  Here are some before photos of the room:

The first thing I did was paint the room a soft white - Bit of Sugar by Behr.  Next I installed some peel & stick floral wallpaper:

Zain's Posterior Birth Story

On December 29th, 2017 we added another little boy to our family!  Zain is almost 3 months old now and doing great.  He is such a sweet happy baby.

Baby #2 Gender Reveal!

Looks like we will be adding another little BOY to the mix!

Baby #2 & Plans!

Some of you noticed that I had been MIA from the blog & IG over the last couple of months.  So first off - thank you for reaching out & checking on me!  You guys are the sweetest!  The reason I was not posting a lot was due to some intense morning sickness.  Well actually, I would call it ALL day sickness.  BUT the months of constant nausea & exhaustion were all worth it, because we are finally adding baby #2 to our family!  Coming this New Year 2018!!!

We are feeling super excited & nervous of course, but ready to add another little one to the mix.  We planned on getting pregnant much sooner than we actually did, but as you guys know, there's only so much you can do when it comes to conceiving.  After months of negative pregnancy tests, we were so happy & grateful when we finally got that positive result!

Now that I'm feeling much better, I'm also getting motivated to get to work on some projects around the house.  We've decided that regardless if the new baby is a boy or girl, we are going to keep the nursery the nursery, and move Sami into the guest room/playroom/storage room.  My first goal is to get Sami's "big boy" room ready & get him moved in (and also get him used to sleeping in a regular bed!).  Then if we need to, I'll make some minor tweaks to the nursery.

I've also decided that I'd like to give our master bedroom a little face lift.  Again, nothing too crazy - but there are some changes I'd like to make before the baby arrives since I know it will be that much more difficult to get anything done once there are two of them.  My main concern is getting a new bed.  More specifically - a tufted upholstered headboard.  I'm just not crazy about our bedroom furniture in general, but I'd really prefer something more comfortable to lean back against (especially while nursing in bed).  I've been trying to sell our set or even the bed separately, so hopefully we get a buyer soon.  Other than replacing the furniture, I'd like to repaint the room & replace our ugly non-working ceiling fan with one that is a little nicer to look at & actually functions.

Thanks again for your sweet words in regards to our newest addition! Looking forward to getting back to blogging a bit!

Mel
:)

Spiced Sweet Potato + Apple + Cranberry Mash

Over the summer, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Oxo Tot to try out their new line of Transitions Sippy Cups.  So when they asked us to create a seasonal fall recipe using their Food Masher, Glass Baby Blocks, & Feeding Spoon Set, we were happy to collaborate again with the innovative brand on their "Do The Little Monster Mash with Oxo Tot" campaign!

After brainstorming ideas for a seasonal fall recipe, I eventually settled on a mash of sweet potato, apple, & cranberry.  While this autumnal puree is great on it's own, it can also be combined with some basic old fashioned oats, pumpkin pie spice, dried cranberries, & a touch of maple syrup to create a delicious & nutritious spiced breakfast oatmeal as well!  It couldn't be more simple - here's how to make it....

Spiced Sweet Potato + Apple + Cranberry Mash Ingredients:
-1 sweet potato
-2 apples (I used Gala)
-1 cup cranberries
-sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (optional)

After thoroughly rinsing the sweet potato, apples, & cranberries, peel & chop the sweet potato & apples into small cubes (I cut the sweet potato into extra small prices so it would cook through more quickly).

Boil or steam the chopped sweet potato, apples, & cranberries until fork tender (about 10 minutes).

Next, I strained the water & then mashed everything together using the Food Masher.  The ridges on the masher & inside the bowl allow you to thoroughly & efficiently mash anything from fruits to veggies, to beans & more.  I also love that it's smartly designed to be compact & portable.  The masher comes apart & conveniently fits inside the bowl so you can take it with you to-go as well.  Smart, right?!

Since this recipe makes about 16 oz total, I mashed it in smaller batches before transferring to a larger mixing bowl.

Depending on your child, you could serve it as is or you could sprinkle in some pumpkin pie spice (or any combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or ginger).  For older kids, you could also add 1-2 tsp. of maple syrup.  It couldn't be easier - it's ready to serve & enjoy!
Afterwards, you can portion out any remaining mash in your Glass Baby Blocks & freeze (my mash ended up filling the four 4 oz blocks almost perfectly).  The Glass Baby Blocks also come with a stackable tray, making it super easy to utilize the vertical storage space in your freezer.

Since the blocks are made from thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass, they can go straight from the freezer to the oven or microwave, with no need to thaw first.  That means you can portion, store, heat, & serve all in one convenient container!  When you're ready to re-heat, simply place a baby block in the oven or microwave to warm.  The SNAP lids are also leak-proof, allowing you to take them on the go without worrying about spillage or leaks.

Don't forget, you can also use this mash to make a fall-inspired Spiced Oatmeal as well!

Spiced Sweet Potato + Apple + Cranberry Oatmeal:

-2 oz. Sweet Potato + Apple + Cranberry Mash
-1/3 cup old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup milk or water (I used coconut milk since Sami has a dairy allergy)
-spices to taste (I used a dash of pumpkin pie spice)
-a sprinkle of dried cranberries (optional)
-1 to 2 tsp. pure maple syrup (optional)

Simply combine the Sweet Potato + Apple + Cranberry Mash, oats, milk, spices, & dried cranberries in a small sauce pot & simmer until cooked through (about 5 minutes).

The oatmeal will be very hot, so allow it to cool before serving.  While it cools down, I also add a little pure maple syrup to sweeten it a touch.  If I was serving this to Sami when he was younger, I wouldn't have needed to add any extra sweetener.  However, as a toddler he is much more picky - no surprise there, right?!

Here is my little test tester giving it a try with his new spoon.  Toddlers can be finicky eaters, but thankfully Sami really liked the Spiced Oatmeal!

On a side note, one of our all time favorite Oxo Tot products are their Roll Up Bibs - they are the best (we have three of them)!  They catch SO much food, and as you can see below, Sami will even eat right out of his bib if he drops something.

This recipe makes a decent amount of oatmeal, so don't be surprised if they can't finish it all.  It's good enough for adults to eat too though - parent & toddler approved!

Hope you have a chance to enjoy this seasonal recipe!  If you'd like more information on any of the Oxo Tot products, you can check out their full line of baby & toddler products @ www.oxo.com.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Mel
xoxo

Disclosure: While I was not compensated for this post, I did receive products in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Craftsman & Dutch Door Inspired DIY Baby Gate

When Sami was around 9 months old he started crawling & would immediately make a beeline for the stairs...and so the baby gate scheming began.  Of course, we could have gone to the store & picked up a pre-made baby gate, but I wanted to take the opportunity to design & build a custom gate.

The Nursing Chronicles Part 4: Beating Thrush & Gentian Violet Tips

With August being National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, I decided to write a series of posts with respect to my breastfeeding experience as a first time mom.  In my first three posts, I detailed our struggle from latching to thrush to Sami's frenulectomy procedure.  If you'd like to catch up, you can check out Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3.

The Nursing Chronicles Part 3: Tongue & Lip Tie + Frenulectomy

Over the last two weeks, I've been detailing my breastfeeding experience as part of my Nursing Chronicles series.  I left off last week in Part 2 where it was confirmed by our second lactation consultant that Sami had both a tongue and a lip tie.  Thanks to that at-home lactation visit, we were finally encouraged to book an appointment with an ENT to have his ties revised.  If you'd like to start at the beginning of our journey, you can check out Part 1.

The Nursing Chronicles Part 2: Thrush & Tongue Tie

Last week I posted Part 1 of my Nursing Chronicles, where I detailed the first 2 weeks of our breastfeeding experience.  To sum up my last post, Sami had chronic latch problems due to a number of factors.  In addition to our latch issues, I developed mastitis within one week.  After being prescribed a round of antibiotics to treat the infection, I began noticing little white patches in Sami's mouth which I suspected were oral thrush...

The Nursing Chronicles Part 1: The First 2 Weeks

For over a year now, I've had some miscellaneous thoughts regarding my breastfeeding experience scattered in a single blog post that has sat as an unfinished draft.  However, with it being National Breastfeeding Awareness Month & World Breastfeeding Week, I felt like it was the perfect time to share my story & all the challenges we went through to get to where we are today.

Currently, Sami is almost 16 months old & we are still nursing about 3-4 times a day.  I always said I wanted to make it to a year, but somehow that year came & went and here we are still going strong.  I'm so thankful that it's like second nature for us now, but it was not an easy road in the beginning.

Being a new mom can be extremely lonely & isolating, and it's nice to know that you're not the only one going through those tough times.  I hope that by sharing my story I can give encouragement to other mamas out there who may be going through a rough patch.  It will get better!  I'm also hopeful that my story might inform & educate new moms on topics they should be aware of for their own sake - there were SO many things I didn't even know to look out for until it was too late.

So where to begin?  As I sat down & tried to recall all the different topics & stories I wanted to touch on, it became clear that I actually had a lot to say about the ups & downs of breastfeeding.  I decided to break up my post into a mini blog series instead.  Part 1 of this series will cover the first couple of weeks after Sami was born.  Who knew so much could happen in just 2 short weeks?  Here we go....

Oxo Tot Transitions Sippy Cup Review

It's no secret that we're big fans of the Oxo Tot brand around here, having already purchased their Sprout High Chair, Baby Food Freezer Trays, Roll Up Bibs, & their Divided Plate for toddlers. What I love most about this brand is their ability to combine both form & function within their products.  Not only are they more aesthetically pleasing than your average "baby" product, but they are actually thoughtfully designed with both parents & kids in mind.  This company is amazing at creating items that can grow with your child & I love that we really get a lot of bang for our buck with this brand.

The innovative folks over at Oxo Tot have recently launched a new line of sippy cups for babies & toddlers & when they asked if we'd be interested in trying them out, I was on board! They were kind enough to send us a Transitions Soft Spout Sippy Cup Set & a 9 oz. Transitions Sippy Cup to try out for ourselves.  They also sent along a couple more goodies, including a Cleaning Set for Straw & Sippy Cups & a Roll-Up Bib!

Ironically, Sami has been showing a lot of interest in drinking out of our cups as of late, so it was actually the perfect opportunity to try out the Transitions Training Cup Set.  Just like the name suggests, this cup will grow with your baby, helping your little one transition from bottle or breast and will eventually convert into a regular cup once they're ready!

DIY Baby Food: The Basics

Let me preface this post by saying that I am by no means an authority on baby food & there are tons of great websites out there that are dedicated to baby & toddler recipes.  That being said, I've had several requests on how to make your own baby food and there is something encouraging & real about seeing a 1st time mom being able to make all their baby's food at home with no prior experience.  #ificandoityoucandoit  :)

SAMI'S 1st YEAR:
Before Sami was born, I did some basic research and decided to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months.  At that time, we introduced foods like avocado, sweet potato, squash, & banana.  We gave him veggies first, followed by fruit.  Over time we slowly added meats, legumes, grains, & dairy (he ended up having allergic reactions to both egg whites & dairy...but that is a whole other story for another time).

We also made the decision to forego the store-bought rice & oatmeal cereals.  Although his pediatrician advised us to add a little iron-fortified rice cereal to his food, I never did, & Sami's iron level at his 9 month check up was still perfect.

We decided to start with purees at the 6 month mark & then began incorporating "baby led weaning" when he was about 8 months old to help Sami develop his pincer grasp & allow him to become a little more independent & exploratory with his food.  I started with blueberries (cut in half) & slowly added soft veggies or fruit cut into bite size pieces.  Around 11 months, we started giving him pieces of shredded grilled chicken & he has loved chicken ever since!

Sami turned 1 year old last month, so we've actually been in the phase of transitioning out of purees & into more solid food over the several months.  I won't be making any more veggie, chicken, & bean purees (since he's eating them their original form now), but I will continue with the fruit purees as they are very convenient to add to Sami's oatmeal in the morning or to use in baby feeders as popsicles & teething soothers:

SAMI'S FOOD INTRODUCTION TIMELINE:
I'm sure I forgot to include certain foods, but these are the main foods we introduced to Sami over his 1st year:

1-6 months: exclusively breastfed (continued to breastfeed until today)
6 months: avocado, yellow squash, sweet potato, green beans, peas, carrots
7 months: apple, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines
8 months: boiled chicken, mango, quinoa, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc)
9 months: brown rice, hard boiled egg yolk, blueberries, coconut oil & olive oil
10 months: scrambled eggs, chickpeas, lentils, broccoli, whole wheat pasta & homemade tomato sauce, plain yogurt, strawberries, grapes
11 months: grilled chicken, ground turkey, ground beef (limited), raisins, rice with veggie mixed in
12 months: whole milk, almond milk



CONVENIENCE:

Personally, this is the most obvious & singular downside for me.  While not difficult, it does require some extra effort & time from your already busy schedule.  I will say though, that once you get a system down, it becomes easier & easier.  Before you know it, you are introducing regular foods & don't need to make as many purees.

On the flip side, these frozen cubes are convenient in the sense that I couldn't always prepare fresh purees every single day (either I was too tired or lazy, or didn't have the time or the ingredients).  So, always having a freezer stocked with a rainbow of puree options made my life much easier.  You have to figure out what works with your lifestyle.

Storing, packing, & traveling with homemade baby food is definitely more challenging.  You have to consider ways to keep the food cool and/or have a way to heat it up if needed.  I usually throw a few cubes into a small Glasslock container & heat it up at our friends' or families' homes.  I usually had no need to worry about refrigeration, as the cubes were frozen & the food was not left out for very long.  Reusable food pouches are another great option to use as well.

The Nursery: VuSee Universal Baby Monitor Shelf Review

We started Sami out in his crib a few months ago - right before he turned 3 months old.  Between swaddles & not being able to roll over yet, we felt comfortable with placing the monitor at the opposite end of the crib on the railing:

Fast forward a couple of months and he's starting to move around & roll over - which meant we needed to find a different & safer home for the monitor.

As luck would have it, the makers of the VuSee offered to send us one of their universal baby monitor shelves to try out - it couldn't have been better timing!

The VuSee was created by a dad who was trying to solve a few problems regarding the placement of their baby monitor.  Not wanting to set the monitor on the crib due to the strangulation risks & visibility issues, he found a safe & non-permanent solution that allows for a clear view of the entire crib.

It's a very simple, but effective design - the angled shelf is attached to the wall using 3M Command Strips & works with any baby monitor.  All you need is some rubbing alcohol to install:

Our Hamptons Inspired Nursery: Final Reveal!

In case you missed it, we welcomed the arrival of our first baby four months ago on April 19th, 2015!

This post has been a long time coming, as we meant to post it before Sami came...
better late than never, right?!

When we found out we were expecting a boy, we were super excited to start putting the nursery together.  Here's our original design plan:

 We strayed a little from some of our initial ideas & over time the nursery developed more of a travel/nautical vibe - without being too literal, as we didn't want anything too theme specific.  Think, Hamptons meets World Traveler meets baby ;)

Sami's Bradley Method Birth Story

While preparing for the arrival of our first baby, we found that reading birth stories online was very helpful & informative.  Although we did read several books on childbirth, there was something about reading someone's real life experience that was even more insightful & interesting.  So, on the off chance that we could help someone else out, I decided to share our experience.

From the beginning of my pregnancy we had talked about a labor & delivery that was free of medication & interventions.  A family friend recommended that we research the Bradley Method for natural childbirth.  As I am a habitual procrastinator, we missed the deadline to sign up for Bradley classes & ended up reading the book instead (2 months before his due date at that).  The photos in the book are a bit dated (circa 1970), but we found the information to be very helpful.

One of the key points that the book points out is that there are not only physical stages of labor, but emotional ones as well.  This method also focuses a lot on relaxation & breathing to get you through labor.  Another key message of the book is the idea of husband coached labor.

Our main goals:

-labor at home for as long as humanly possible (apparently many people head to the hospital too early & that is when interventions are more likely to happen)

-avoid epidural & induction if possible

-intermittent fetal monitoring & no IV (so I could get up & move around during labor)

FYI: the rest of this post is very detailed & somewhat graphic, but hey - that's the reality of labor & delivery.

Pregnancy Announcement!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This year we are extra thankful...because we are expecting our first child!  :)

We've been MIA from the blog for several months, but we're hoping to get back to blogging again - especially now that we have lots of projects in the works...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mel & Nader

:)