The Pepper And Her Pups

Daddy's Little Girl.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:41:00 +0000

Psst! Can I tell you a secret?

I entered Richard and Adrenne in our malls Dad and Me Photo Contest for Father's Day and I really really really want them to win!

So can you help me out!?

Pretty Please:)

Just head on over HERE and "Like" their photo.

If they get the most likes, then he'll win a few different prizes from select stores in our mall and 2 free rounds of golf [which is the part I know he will love!].

So help a girl out and "like" their photo and if your feeling extra generous hit the "share" button for all your friends to see too.

Thanks so much for everyone that helps!

Seriously, you guys are the best.

Have an awesome thursday! Just one more day until the weekend! Woo Hoo!

Baby Essentials Guide; Something Diane Made

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:57:00 +0000

Shop.Facebook.Blog.

Diane;
"I am a Northern at heart, Michigan will alway be home.
I am a crocheter, a crafter, a painter, and lover all things handmade.
I learned to crochet when I was eight years old and once I started I couldn't stop.
Making things that are soft, cozy and fit into a practical lifestyle is my goal."

Something Diane Made is an incredible shop full of soft, warm, crocheted with love items that are perfect for your little one. Whether your having a boy or girl, this is one of my favorites on etsy. Diane has a wide selection of hats, hair accessories, and clutches/slippers for any mama. Make sure to stop on by and say hello!

Insta-Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Tue, 29 May 2012 03:10:00 +0000

Scouting out new playgrounds. Trips to the dentist. Photoshoots at the park. Memorial Day smiles and incredibly long naps in the sunshine. Big Sister/Little Brother Lovin'. Intense Milk Coma.

Oh have we had an amazing Memorial Day Weekend.

Lots of time outside. Much needed free time for mama to get her exercise on. Snuggles Galore. & some adult beverages.

Hope everyone else is having a glorious time with friends and family!

Baby Essentials Guide: Life Savers [Feeding&BathTime]

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:57:00 +0000

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Baby Essentials Guide: For The Little Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:36:00 +0000

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One Month StudMuffin

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:18:00 +0000

Even though this little guy is 6 weeks right now, I wanted to document his one month update before it got too late.

Time sure does fly by when you have two little ones! I feel like he'll be celebrating his first birthday before we know it.

At one month, we've overcome a strenuous two week stay at the childrens hospital (that i mentioned here) and have been able too finally relax at home.

Our little guy has finally started breastfeeding again (i ended up having to pump the whole time we were in the hospital since he wouldn't eat for me, but thankfully he was able to still get my breast milk by bottle). Although now I seem to be having trouble with my milk supply, which I will be sure to save for another post.

Has to be constantly rocked. Doesn't matter what time of day. We got rid of our swing a long time ago since Adrienne seemed to hate it and realized quickly that we needed to get a new one. Looked at a few different ones while we were at walmart and really liked this one. However I cant fathom sending 80 bucks on something we'll only be using for a few months. Luckily I found one for sale online through facebook for only 20 bucks and I was able to lower the price to 10. Yeah, that's right. TEN FRICKIN DOLLARS. Thank you facebook for saving us 70 dollars right now.

Isn't so sure about all of the up close and personal attention his big sister gives him. She still is a little rough when trying to hug him and tends to scream in his ear. But when she's quiet and really gentle, giving him kisses galore then he starts smilin' away.

He's still sporting some blue grey eyes and dark brown hair. Were crossing our fingers they turn into baby blues and light blonde hair like his sister.

Whenever he cries, his chin starts to quiver and it seriously is the cutest little thing ever. Melts my heart every.single.time.

Has some incredible head strength. It amazes us how much control he has over his head/neck. I guess little boys sure are much more strong then little girls, even at this age.

Enjoys bath time and is fascinated every time the water gets poured on him. Even opened up his mouth the one time as if he wanted to take a sip.

Sleeps for the majority of the night. Only making mama have to get up once or twice to eat and change a diaper.

Zack keeps amazing us each and everyday. The incredible amount of love I have for this little guy is outstanding.

Baby Essentials Guide: For The Mama.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:14:00 +0000

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Baby Essentials Guide: For The Little Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:50:00 +0000

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Baby Essentials Guide: Laundry Products

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 17 May 2012 02:31:00 +0000

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Laundry always seems to be a never ending aspect of your life as a mom, whether you have one child or four those piles and piles of clothes seem to double in size as the seconds go by. Some of our must have favorites are Purex laundry soap and Downy Unstopables.

I know the Unstopables are supposed to be used by themselves and easily get the job done with no other added products, but I just don't feel like my clothes are getting washed unless laundry soap has been added. That being said, the Purex Complete with Zout helps you get the job done when it comes to messy stains without having to purchase any kind of stain remover to use beforehand.

For those of you that are into more natural products, I would suggest using their Free and Clear detergent that is free of perfumes, dyes, and is hypoallergenic which is great for those with sensitive skin. & for those that are looking for something light and delicate specifically made for their little ones then Ultra Purex Baby.

What's your favorite brand of detergent, stain remover, etc? Is there a product that your family swears by? Share with us, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Baby Essentials Guide: Hospital Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:34:00 +0000

What To Pack For The Hospital:

1. Car Seat- It's always a good idea to make sure your car seat is properly installed into the car. There are expiration dates on every car seat that need to be checked, which is extremely important when purchasing one off of the internet or at a garage sale since you can now get fined $50 for having an expired car seat.

2. Nursing Pillow- My nursing pillow is such a savior for those middle of the night feedings when I'm stumbling around still half asleep [although that could easily been me at ANY time of the day right now]. Hospital pillows are so limp and uncomfortable and it can be hard trying to hold your little one for every feeding, so give yourself a break and bring this along.

3. Clothes- It depends on whether your having a c-section or vaginal birth [i know sometimes c-sections are planned and sometimes their not], but generally your hospital stay only lasts a mere day or two with a vaginal birth and can be anywhere up to a week with a c-section so try to plan accordingly if you can.

You don't really want to bring any of your favorite clothing with you [aside from the baby's clothes and hubby's] since we all know things aren't so pretty down below for a while so why ruin all of your nice things. That doesn't mean by any means that you are forced to slum it in your raggedy hand me downs. Just choose wisely and comfortably [trust me, you'll thank me later!].

As for your little bundle of joy, make sure to bring a special outfit that you want their picture to be taken in, an outfit you want them to come home in, and then possibly just one other outfit. You don't want to go over board and the hospital always gives you shirts while your there so you don't have to constantly change them into the few outfits you brought along.

4. Baby Blanket- Whether you plan on snuggling your little one into one after you've placed them in their car seat to head home or you just want too wrap them up in one while your all lounging around in your room. & a few burp cloths, swaddles wouldn't be such a bad idea to bring along also.

5. Big Sister/Brother Bag- For those that have a big brother or sister waiting anxiously at home, I think it's such a sweet idea to bring along a little gift to present to them once they arrive at the hospital to help remind them just how special they are to you.

6. Toiletry Items- Your hospital should always have these type of items for you, but in case you'd like to bring along your own it would be a nice idea to snatch up a bunch of those sample sized items you can always find in walmart and just pitch at the end of your stay. The few things you might not find are a hair dryer, straightener/curler, hair brush, bathrobe, tooth brush, deodorant, and razor.

7. Nipple Cream- If your going to be a first time mama and you are planning on breastfeeding, I would definitely suggest bringing along a tube of nipple cream [I stuck with Lanolin the first time around and thankfully didn't need any this time] since they can potentially crack and even bleed in some cases.

8. Camera, Cell Phone, Video Camera- Whichever form of technology you plan on using to take pictures, make sure it has a fresh memory card and a fully charged battery read to rock n' roll.

9. Baby Book- If you plan on using one of these, make sure to have it out and ready to give to the nurses so they can put your little one's footprints inside.

What To Leave At Home:

1. Gown- In my own personal opinion, don't bother bringing your own "hospital gown". The first time around, I brought one that had been sent to me to review and I ended up having to take it off and put on one of the hospitals when it came time for me to get an epidural [but if you can find one that gives them complete access to your back then by all means bring it along].

2. Magazines, Books, Laptop- You really REALLY won't have time for that once your in active labor and those contractions keep coming along with a very short moment of relief and I'm sure you'll be way too busy oogling that cute little baby of yours afterwards to still need any of these things.

3. Nursing/Sanitary Pads- Nursing Pads aren't necessarily needed unless your milk has already come in and it usually takes a few good days after birth for that to happen. & there is definitely no need to bring your own sanitary pads because you will thank the hospital in the end for having those incredibly large pads all ready for you.

4. Diapers/Baby Toiletry- These are all things that the hospital is definitely NOT lacking, so save yourself the trouble and use the items they supply you with. Besides, with the price of diapers why waste your own?!

[This is all from my own personal experience, so if you happen to have something you'd like to add to either list feel free to share!!!!]

Baby Essentials Guide: Nursery.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:39:00 +0000

Once you see those two pink lines, the first thing on your mind is where is this little baby going to sleep, play, grow up in?!

Nursery's are such a huge part of that "Nesting" stage we've all experienced time and time again.

Whether you plan to convert part of your own bedroom into your little one's space, arrange their older siblings room so that they will share, or are giving he/she their own room I wanted to share some of my favorite pins for inspiration!

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noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Sun, 06 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Great Kids Books for Older Siblings

The arrival of a new baby in the family can be a big adjustment for an older sibling. It can also create a mixed bag of emotions, ranging from excitement of having a future playmate to disappointment of no longer being the center of attention. Take a look at some of the books listed below for helping ease the transition and prepare your child for the new arrival.
Perhaps you have a great love of books and want to pursue a librarian career. Consider obtaining a librarian degree to help you achieve your career goals.

“Babies Don't Eat Pizza: A Big Kids' Book About Baby Brothers and Baby Sisters” by Dianne Danzig – “Babies Don't Eat Pizza” takes a cute and funny approach in helping siblings warm up to the concept of having a newborn in their life. It is full of interesting watercolor pictures and straightforward facts on how infants behave and look, such as giving the warning that they may have "wacky hair' in the hospital, and on the things that they can and cannot do, such as eat pizza (recommended ages: 4 to 8).
“I Used to Be the Baby” by Robin Ballard – “I Used to Be the Baby” is a great book for a young who will soon become a big brother or sister. It starts off with "I used to be the baby, but now I am big," as a young boy narrates what it is like having a new member of the household. He shares toys with the baby, plays with him, and even knows the appropriate times to be quiet. Ballard has written many other popular children's books, such as "Good-bye, House," this book really highlights the positive role that an older sibling can take in a life of a newborn (recommended ages 1 to 3).
“Waiting for Baby” by Harriett Zeifert – “Waiting for Baby” is written from the perspective of Max, a young preschooler who waits with curiosity and anticipation for the arrival a baby. Max tries his best to encourage his new sibling to be born, doing things such as singing to it, playing a drum for it, and eventually becoming convinced it will never arrive, until the day in which Dad takes Mom to the hospital. “Waiting for Baby” covers the wide range of emotions that children might feel during the final months and weeks of Mom's pregnancy. It even includes a gift at the back of the book for the older sibling to give to the baby, a nursery door hanger with the alternating messages of "Shhhh! Baby Sleeping!" and "Come in! Baby Awake" (recommended ages 4 to 8).
“The Big Sibling Book” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal – “The Big Sibling Book” is a chronologically organized journal for helping prepare the older sibling for the new arrival with sticker activities, interviews, and pages for recording the baby's words and behavior. The great thing about this book is that not only does it give the older sibling a unique perspective on the new arrival, but also it's a nice keepsake for capturing the baby's first year (recommended ages 2 to 6).

If you have a strong passion for helping children and want to pursue a career as a therapist or counselor, consider pursuing a degree in child psychology to help you pursue your career aspirations.

Sources

Family Education (2012)
Reading Bug Blog (2010)

Post-April Sponsors.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Sun, 06 May 2012 03:10:00 +0000

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[Constantly taking on new clients, full custom blog design $65 and all a la carte items $20 and under! Don't Miss Out!]

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[There's still plenty of time to join and be featured! $20 flat fee. Email me at pepperandherpups@gmail.com ASAP!]

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Babies. Hospitals. & My Absence in Blogging.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:09:00 +0000

The reason behind my complete and utter absence since the 20th is due to our little guy being hospitalized.

We noticed Zack felt a little warm that Friday afternoon, took his temperature and saw he was definitely dealing with a fever. Since he had just turned a week old and obviously couldn't be given any medicine to help with the discomfort I thought a short walk in the cool breeze might do him a little good.

He was extremely fussy the entire time, which is very unlike him so we headed home to relax and see how he was continuing to feel. When it got closer into the night, he wouldn't feed for me and continued with the constant fussiness. Once he refused to breastfeed, I knew something was definitely wrong and decided to take his temperature again. This time it was 100.8 and I immediately got on the phone with the on call nurse for our Pediatricians Office.

She of course advised us not to give him any medication and to take him straight to the hospital since children under a month of age should go in if they've been crying for more then an hour straight and have a fever of 100.5 or higher.

In a complete panic, I threw on a sweatshirt and grabbed his diaper bag, put our little guy in his car seat, and headed to the hospital. Thankfully, we live literally right down the street from the hospital so I didn't have much time to freak out during the ride over.

The nurses and doctor were quick enough to decide that they wanted to transfer him to the nearest children's hospital since they didn't specialize in pediatric care. Richard had stayed at home since Adrienne was asleep and we didn't want to wake her since we thought we would have a short stay in our hometown hospital.

So once they told me he was getting transferred, I immediately called home to let Richard know what was going on and to get a hold of his Aunt immediately so she could take Adrienne for us while we went with Zack.

The Children's Hospital we've been staying at is an hour away from home, so to say the least we were unprepared to have such an extensive stay. [As I'm typing this, I'm still at the hospital with Zack and Adrienne since Richard has been driving back home every couple days to check on Tator and make sure he's okay. Were being discharged this Friday morning. THANK THE LORD!]

So many tests have been run on him and he had to have a spinal tap 3 days in a row since they continually weren't able to get any fluid from his back for the main test in seeing if he had a Viral or Bacterial Infection. The two doctor's that have been taking care of him have had a hard time figuring out what exactly is wrong.

At first they thought it was Bacterial, but one of his main tests came back with a false positive so their still not sure what he has. Since their not certain, they have been and will continue to treat it as a Bacterial Infection with the antibiotics he's on so that way they can make sure he has the most effective round of recovery.

He also had staff in his urine which caused a rash all over his little body so he's been taking an additional medicine for that, which has thankfully cleared up [were thinking he might of gotten it in the hospital when he was circumcised].

I've definitely had my moments of breaking down and am so glad to see our little guy feeling much much better. It's been an extremely long 2 weeks and I can not even explain how happy I am to be taking Zack home Friday Morning.

A home health nurse will be meeting us at our house that morning since they placed a PICC through his leg as a longer/permanent iv [he originally had to have his iv on the side of his head since they could not for the life of them find a vein to get him hooked up to some fluids. So sad! I didn't have the heart to take a picture of him since he was in such constant discomfort from it] so that we can give him his antibiotics for the duration our doctor has intended for.

If all goes well, we have an appointment to come back on Tuesday to see if the doctor feels that he needs to continue his antibiotics for another 7 days or if he can be taken off of them and have his PICC removed.

All of your good thoughts and prayers would certainly help us during this time. & I wanted to apologize for my absence in blogging. When I said we were certainly unprepared to be here for 2 weeks straight, that entailed the lack of my laptop, clothes, diapers, and many other items we desperately were in need of.

Thankfully Richard brought the laptop with him the other day and I will manage my best at getting up my post for our April Sponsors [even though it's a little late] and getting started on our Baby Essentials Guide. I am knee deep in emails and school work that I have too start working on, so please bare with me for the moment.

:)

Wordless Wednesday.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:15:00 +0000

Big Sister Lovin'.

Extreme Cash Giveaway.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:47:00 +0000

It’s time for the April Extreme Cash Giveaway! This month’s prize is... a $500 Paypal cash prize!

There are many entry options and daily entries as well, so keep this page bookmarked so you can come back every day to increase your chances of winning.

Giveaway ends 5/13 and is open worldwide. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Introducing our newest addition!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:36:00 +0000

ZACK AUSTIN.

April 13th 2012

9:55am

8.5 lbs 20 1/2 in

Little Bits of Happiness (5).

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:10:00 +0000

Little Bits of Happiness this week:

- Second to last doctors appointment this week and hearing that our doctor didn't think I would make it too my last appointment. I sure hope so! So everyone send good vibes my way!! We wanna meet this little guy over the weekend, while our favorite doctor out of the practice is on call.
- New glasses, that thanks to my insurance while pregnant only cost me $11 out of pocket. Score!
- Sunshine, impromptu trips to the park, and pizza dates with our baby girl.
- Annual Baby Boutique Sales this weekend! I've only been waiting to go too FOR-EVER.

Wordless Wednesday.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A Little Easter Joy.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:50:00 +0000

(the only still picture i managed to get off her in her easter dress!)

Adrienne; dress- thrifted. shoes-target

I'm not gunna lie. It was definitely refreshing to take some time off from blogging to simply enjoy quality family time. Easter couldn't have come at a much better time. Adrienne and Richard slept in, while I made sure the Easter Bunny had made his stop at our house the night before and got brunch together for everyone.

Once Adrienne woke up, we immediately had to head outside and go on an egg hunt. She took her shopping cart outside with us and was a bit distracted, so I had to point her in the right direction and once she spotted the first egg there was certainly no stopping her! She squealed and laughed each and every time she found a new one, carefully putting each one in her basket.

The sports bottle filled with smarties was an automatic hit with this little gal, along with the mini chocolate bunnies and change that the Easter Bunny had left her. The Easter Bunny did good this year!

Afterwards, Richard and I went on a date to see American Reunion (so good!) as a post-celebration for his birthday while Adrienne spent some time with her favorite Aunt Ruthie. It's the first baby free date we've gone on in a while and it was definitely well spent! Hopefully we can find the time to go out once more before this other little baby makes his appearance into the world:)

All in all, I couldn't of asked for a better Holiday Weekend. Snoozing in, home made strawberry shortcake, quality hubby time, snuggles galore, and family left-overs. Nothings better then that folks!!

Hope everyone else had an amazing weekend!

{Linking up with Mandy's Stepping Out Saturday.}

Little Bits of Happiness (4)

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:24:00 +0000

This little gal has been busy making me happy this week:)

Linking up with Stephanie.

Mommy & Maybelle Design.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:35:00 +0000

The lovely Mechele was the lucky winner to our last giveaway here and I've finally finished her design. She was such a doll to work with, telling me that she wanted something to do with baking and cloth diapers to better reflect her blog and that she really wanted to leave most of it up to me. I always love working with clients that give you full creative aspects.

I thought I'd try my hand at free-handing her design in Photoshop and thankfully she absolutely loved the way it turned out:) Check out her full design here; Mommy & Maybelle.

& if you'd like help re-designing your blog! Head on over to TPAHP Designs for a full list of services/prices (A full custom design is just $65 and a Solo Header is $20).

OR just shoot me an email at pepperandherpups[at]gmail[dot]com

Baby Essentials Guide: JOIN THE PARTY!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:46:00 +0000

Spring Cleaning...with a new blog design.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:18:00 +0000

Decided to start of the month with a fresh fun spring inspired look. The pregnancy and recipes tabs are "Under Construction" right now, but will be displaying all of our different posts for each category very soon to make browsing much more fun for everyone!

Have you been wanting to do a little spring cleaning to your own blog? I'd love to help out!
Full Custom Designs are $65
Headers are $20
& I'll be adding Facebook Timeline Covers to the list as well for $20

Send me an email at pepperandherpups[at]gmail[dot]com

Hope to hear from you soon!!

Sponsor Feature.

noreply@blogger.com (Liz Pulice) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 04:22:00 +0000

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