Brittany Garner Design | The Blog

BrittanyGarner.com has moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 15:42:00 +0000

I moved my URL and I'm web design dumb and can't figure out why it doesn't just update...so, refollow me! :)

Biz Talk: Identity Crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 10:00:00 +0000

I've spent the beginning of 2014 trying to figure BGD out. Am I a wedding designer? Am I a stationery designer? Am I an online boutique owner? How do I define my business? Who is my customer? Where do I need to go from here? What has my blog morphed in to? (Answer: a blog with zero content, that's what.) And on. And on and on and on.

I'm exhausted.

I've come to realize that while, yes, some of those questions are valid from a business standpoint I don't have to have everything answered right this very minute. There are some facets of this venture that will be learned along the way and that's ok. I'm trying not to get caught up in the who/what/when of it all and just take it in stride. In order to do this, I vow the following:

Create, create, create. If a brilliant idea strikes me I immediately write it down or go sit down at my desk and sketch it out. In the past I would let it stew in my head until I either forgot about it or got sick of hearing it bounce around in my brain. This way, it gets out of my head, onto paper and I can carry on about my day. No information overload allowed.

Learn to say no. This is so tough. One of my biggest goals for BGD is to make it my full-time job so I've always had it in my head that saying no to any client was pushing me farther from that goal. I've realized, after taking on a few difficult and draining clients, that the opposite is true. When you do the work that makes your heart happy everything else will fall in line. It's not doing me any favors if I dread the work I have to do that day. I become such a better designer and all-around human being when I'm excited to do my work every day.

Stop taking things personally. As an introvert, I pour my hear and soul in to just about everything I do. When a client takes to something I've created as not good enough, I tend to internalize it. I feel it right in my gut. This is a real problem for someone whose business is run by other peoples' tastes and critiques. I've made big strides in this department but still have some work to do.

Just write. I opened up blogger and tried to write a post more times than I could count. I think, stemming from this identity crisis, I was worried I wasn't defining what BrittanyGarner.com really is. Which is what? It's me. My goal is to post twice a week with a mix of design, business, and life. It will take form and I don't have to control every aspect.

Have you ever gone through a business or blog identity crisis?

Goodbye, March | Hello, April

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 10:00:00 +0000

March came and went pretty quietly. We lived it in limbo, I'd say. We're moving (I know, again) mid-April so a lot of March was preparing mentally for that. Still not prepared physically, in fact, we've packed exactly zero boxes so we're really on the ball these days.

Harrison is taking to this Being A Two-Year-Old thing quite nicely. Every day is a new adventure.

I'll be 29.5 weeks pregnant with G2 when we move. I'm hoping I'll be more help than I can anticipate buuuut we're not holding out much hope. And look! I've actually documented weeks 26 + 27. Comparison shots. Pregnant with Harrison on the left, G2 on the right:

+ + +

LOOKING FORWARD...

+ I can't wait to move. Bigger space, a yard(!!!) and somewhere we can stay put for a long while until the time comes to buy.

+ Big things for BGD. New products, new philosophy, new digs...and I'll be sharing it all along the way.

+ Getting organized. In all aspects: home, office, and in my own brain.

+ Cannot wait for some better weather. The end of March was pretty rainy and tornado-y (in northern California!) so I can't wait to see signs of spring.

Bring it on, April.

Let's Catch Up, Eh?

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:52:00 +0000

Oh, hello. Is this how big time bloggers do this? Announce you're having another kid then promptly disappear for three months? Good thing I'm not a big time blogger, right? Ha.

My second pregnancy has been a little bit of a curveball. I can't really find one similarity between cooking Harrison and cooking this little munchkin with the exception of peeing constantly. This one has been harder and I'm sure it mostly has to do with the fact that I can't take a nap every day like I did with the first. Harrison keeps me busy. That's ok. I'm surviving. And in the throes of it all, we're over halfway there and I think I've finally found a balance.

Baby G2 is a boy. Brothers. :)

I have so much more to catch up on including a big boy's 2nd birthday and recent BGD awesomeness. Stay tuned.

G2 Coming Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 22:52:00 +0000

Harrison is going to be a big brother! I'm due in June 2014 and we are thrilled! :)

Yo Gabba Gabba 2nd Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Harrison's friend Colby turned 2 at the beginning of the month and I had so much fun designing these Yo Gabba Gabba invitations for him! We celebrated the big 2 year old with yummy food and a bounce house, so much fun!

FOOTLONG! Whose got the footlong!

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 19:41:00 +0000

Halloween was a blast. Harrison learned very quickly that if he held up his pumpkin to a stranger they gave him candy. Then he learned how to get in to said candy when no one was looking. Best day of his whole life. Also, best costume he'll ever wear. Not sure how we're going to top that one. And if you're unfamiliar with the movie Dumb And Dumber, here's an awesome clip:

Fall Inspired Baby Shower Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 20:12:00 +0000

I love fall. And I love babies. This invitation was right up my alley. I loved using the fall colors with a few not-so-traditional colors tossed in there. One of my favorite baby shower invites to date!

In Defense of Design

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I've had these thoughts brewing in my brain for a few weeks now. And the topic is now cemented in my brain after seeing a pin entitled "Don't Spend Money On Graphic Design." Ouch.

I always tell people that I started to love design when I learned how to manipulate the HTML on my MySpace profile. Getting creative with the background color and <bold> tags. It began my love affair with computers and by extension, print and web design.

In college I was a Mass Communication Design major which, admittedly, forced to learn a little about a lot. Everything from film/television critiques to photography to advertising. But my favorites were always the design classes. I honed my graphic design skills and learned the basic principles along the way. After college I decided to go my own way with graphic design and created BGD. I have learned so much in the 3 years I've been doing this and I have so much more knowledge to gain.

Through this venture in to the design world I have met other designers who inspire me daily. I believe I have become a better designer in seeing their work. Then, there is the flip side. It is becoming more frequent that I see people with no formal training or even knowledge of how to use Photoshop creating things that they give away for free or, sometimes, attempt to sell.

I don't want this to be misconstrued as me trying to hinder creativity in any way. By all means, have at Photoshop! Play with the tools! Try new things! And I'm also not trying to say that if you don't follow every graphic design principle that makes you a bad designer.

I'm saying don't steal other people's ideas. I'm urging you to not recreate things that aren't yours. I'm saying it cheapens what I (and millions of designers) do every day when someone takes 5 minutes to change the color and font in a Word Document and pass off a "printable" as graphic design. Any design that isn't carefully looked over or edited. Or uses Papyrus. Or is grammatically incorrect. Or has improper kerning.

I understand that everyone is looking for a deal these days but the time and effort that goes in to a piece of art should mean something. I have seen countless Etsy sellers who undercut prices and therefore make it harder for the rest of us who value our work to make a living.

End rant. Thanks for listening.

{CMYK design}

What Type of Personality Do You Have?

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I took this test when I was in my college Advertising class. The professor wanted to match us up with other personalities who work well together in hopes that we would create some amazing ad marketing campaign and conquer the world. I got put in the group of "leftover" personalities that there was no place for. We ended up using talking fruit in our commercial for Sun Pacific Cuties. It was terrible.

Then, I was an ISFJ then and I remain an ISFJ now after I was inspired to retake the test by this lady. I think it's pretty spot on.

{If you're unfamiliar with the Myers-Briggs model there's a good explanation here.}

+ ISFJ personality traits also shine in administrative or clerical roles. {Oh, hey, desk job that I love but is no challenge to me.}

+ ISFJs are interested in maintaining order and harmony in every aspect of their lives. {Or I get stressed the eff out.}

+ They are steadfast and meticulous in handling their responsibilities. {Which also means I suck a delegating. True dat.}

+ Although quiet, they are people-oriented and very observant. {I would rather listen than talk.}

+ Not only do they remember details about others, but they observe and respect others’ feelings. {Too many details. Like Tyler's phone number when we first met. And everyone's birthday.}

+ Friends and family are likely to describe them as thoughtful and trustworthy. {Is this true, family and friends??}

+ An ISFJ can easily notice discrepancies in someone’s story when the person repeats it again after a long period of time. {It's how I discovered my brother's secret marriage. But that's a story for another time.}

+ ISFJs will always put their family first.

+ ISFJs find it difficult to deal with conflict situations and would much rather hide everything “under a rug”. {Guilty.}

Some famous ISFJ's include: Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Teresa, Bruce Willis, 50 Cent, and a shit ton of Military Generals. (And why yes, I did purposely leave out Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson and Tiger Woods, what of it?)

I asked Tyler to take the test too, he said, "ok, but you can't leave me if we're incompatible." Deal.

He's a ENTJ. Basically, we are polar opposites. A study in duality, if you will.

+ Dual families are long-term, reliable, stable and happy. {:)}

+ ISFJ's are quite conventional and traditional, and might be a little frightened if the ENTJ gets too unconventional and out of the ordinary. {Welcome to my life}

There are a lot of articles on personalities in marriages at your Google disposal. Basically, because we survived the first few years together, we're good for life.

I also forced all of my coworkers to take it and I work with 4 extroverts. So there's that.

This stuff fascinates me.

Take the test! And make your partner take it too. It's more fun that way. Then let me know what personality type you are!

{Be Yourself print}

2012, in retrospect

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Wow. I thought last year was crazy? Man, I really had no idea. 2012 was a whirlwind. I will look back on this year as the most challenging year of my life. But I'll also look back on this year as a year where I truly learned how to love, a year where my heart has never been more full and a year where I learned the most. I can't say I wouldn't change a thing but I'm proud of where I (and we, as a family) am today.

January 2012 barely exists in my memory. I was massively pregnant (36 weeks, 37 weeks, 38 weeks, 39 weeks) and slowly losing my grip on reality. I thought I was going to be pregnant forever I think. We finished Harrison's nursery!

BABY MONTH! I hit my due date and freaked out about induced the following week. But my water broke the night before the induction date and Harrison made his arrival in dramatic fashion on February 9th, 2012.

One month with Harrison. Healing super slow with many frustrating setbacks. Reopened BGD this month after maternity leave. So happy and thankful that I got 6 months of maternity leave from my regular job though.

Blogging slowed way down as I spend most of my time laying on the couch, nursing H and just trying to feel like a normal human again. I did a life update and reading it now just reminds me how incredibly far we've come. Two months with Harrison.

Only one post this month: three months with Harrison. But in real life, I was finally feeling like my old self, getting out of the house more, reading more. Finally getting the hang of this parenting thing, I think.

Four months with Harrison. I (finally) recapped all of my baby showers. Better late than never. :) Breastfeeding continues to go really well and I shared some of what I've learned. June also marked my last month of maternity leave, I dreaded returning to work and leaving my boy.

We had our first family photo shoot. Five months with Harrison. I struggled with post-pregnancy vanity. My body went through hell, absolute hell, but I survived. Harrison started sitting up and doing hilarious things. I made it through my first month back to work. Just barely.

I talk about my boobs more, including a pumping at work essentials post. I shared my favorite iPhone Photo Apps. Six months with Harrison. We were unhappy with Harrison's daycare and felt absolutely helpless. We were so unsure/didn't know what was normal. Being a parent is hard, yo.

We decided to take Harrison out of his daycare and started taking him to an in-home lady who we LOVE. BGD business continues to grow and I hope every day that I can someday do it full time. :) Seven months with Harrison.

The Garner's went on a road trip to Fort Bragg for my cousin's wedding and flew across the country to visit family in Virginia (1, 2, 3, 4). Eight months with Harrison. Our little dragon celebrated his first Halloween.

Nine months of Harrison. Remembering to be thankful was a theme for this month. I am so, so thankful for everyone and everything in my life.

A few free printables from BGD were made available. Ten months with Harrison. I announced my Life List 2013 project.

Here's to an amazing 2013, friends! xo

2012 Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Total books read in 2012: 18

That's a far cry from my goal of 40. What was I thinking? hahaha.

Here's what I read this year:

When She Woke - Hillary Jordan
Gathering Blue - Lois Lowry
Messenger - Lois Lowry
Feed {Newsflesh Trilogy} - Mira Grant
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer
City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak
Delirium - Lauren Oliver
Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver
Fifty Shades of Grey - E.L. James
Insurgent - Veronica Roth
The Fault In Our Stars - John Green
Baby Led Weaning - Gill Rapley, Tracey Murkett
I Am the Messenger - Markus Zusak
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Dark Places - Gillian Flynn
Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

{Thoughts about each book can be found here}

I really went on a Gillian Flynn binge there at the end, can't wait for her next (unannounced, unplanned) novel!

Now, I'm going to be a leeeetle more realistic with my reading goals this year.

Goal for 2013: 15

What was your favorite book this year?

Virginia 4

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Seeing Tyler's family is so bittersweet. I absolutely love being around them but it sucks because eventually we'll go home and they'll be 3000 miles away again. I hate the distance. Harrison sure does love his Grandpa, Nonnie, Aunt and Uncles. :)

I guess I've kind of heard how a grandbaby can really bring the family together but it's kind of amazing seeing it in person. This one little human just brings Tyler's whole family together. It's really neat to see.

Virginia 3 {The 1980's Car Seat Fiasco}

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I always laugh when people ask what kind of schedule Harrison is on. Um, the "go with the flow" schedule? I have been really bad about keeping nap times scheduled or putting him to crib (you know, instead of 'to bed') at the same time. I can tell when he's tired and I just go from there. And of course, I have a general idea of when he'll be tired. But anyway, regardless of whether or not this is a huge mistake in every day life, this lack of schedule was a real benefit on vacation. He napped primarily in the car (actually, the van. Yep! Tyler and I drove a minivan around Virginia. Like a little family. hahaha). He stayed up late (and mostly slept in, which was great) and was never really that cranky.

It worked out for us.

I think he actually loved sleeping in that car seat.

Funny story about that car seat actually. We arrived in Virginia around midnight, my MIL had arranged getting us a car seat. I asked her to make sure it was rear-facing, I didn't even think to tell her to make sure it was from this decade. This is what she had for us when we showed up:

I wish I were kidding.

We went straight to Wal-Mart and bought a new one. Like, one that would actually save his life had we been in a car accident. Ha!

Virginia 2 {Life On The Farm}

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 10:00:00 +0000

We stayed at Tyler's dad's house. He lives on, like, 3045798047 acres or something to that effect with horses and dogs and the one lone guinea hen in Chesapeake, Virginia. It's beautiful out there.

And the weather? PERFECT. With the exception of the first day and half when I thought the humidity was going to melt my face off. Seriously don't know how people live through that all summer.

Virginia 1 {Traveling With a Baby. Alternate Title: We're Never Leaving The House Again}

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:34:00 +0000

We did it. We made it on a cross country trip with a nearly-8-month old. It was exhausting. Between the 279 bags we carried, the heavy stroller to push, anticipating when I was going to be able to give my boobs some relief, breastfeeding on the airplane, breastfeeding in the airport, making sure to communicate clearly with my husband (because, you know, I sometimes think things and forget to say them out loud then get mad at him for ignoring me. Seriously.), two five hour flights each way, a 3 hour layover on the way there and two shorter flights, WE DID IT. And you know what I learned? I'm never doing it again.

pre-flight

Just kidding. Kind of.

If we went solely off of Harrison's behavior we would fly every day. He was awesome. Only getting fussy on the long flight home, which turned out he was constipated judging by the poop-splosion that happened in the In-N-Out parking lot in Sacramento. Seriously disgusting and honestly, quite impressive for a little human. (Remember that time I said I'd never talk about baby poop on social media? HAHAHA.)

We made sure to have his diaper bag stocked. We brought piles of toys. But the thing that kept him occupied 90% of the time? My freaking necklace. He chewed, sucked on and beat that sucker to hell. Totally worth it.

We got a lot of advice leading up to this trip, some of it worked, some of it didn't. Like feeding him on take off and landing. The first flight I fed him on take off without incident but on landing he was sleeping so I didn't wake him up. He was perfectly fine. I think it just depends on the baby. I wish I would of taken the advice someone offered up to take less than we think we need. We had way too much crap to carry around the airport and we didn't use half of it.

Bubble Guppies with head phones that kept his attention for about 6 seconds.

The thing we didn't anticipate was that 3 of the 4 flights were not full so we got a whole row of seats to ourselves. LIFESAVING. I'm telling you. So my only piece of advice on long flights? Hope and wish and pray for your own row of seats or buy that extra seat. Or...well, I was going to say something off color about getting your row-mate kicked off the plane but I just can't. Use your imagination.

And just so you know, other passengers are generally understanding and get it. When Harrison was fussy we just did everything we could to comfort and calm him. People saw that we were trying our best and not once did I see a stink eye from anyone.

The real reason I'm not in a hurry to travel again is simply because I can't handle the stress. The anxiety. The stress. My left eye hasn't stopped twitching since we got home. It twitched a record number of times while we were there. Maybe now I can consider myself a pro and not be so stressed out leading up to travel but god dammit, staying home sounds so much better.

Traveling With a Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:51:00 +0000

I've asked this question on Twitter and in my mom group on Facebook and I'm about to ask here too: how in the hell do you stay sane traveling with a baby?

We are going on a 4 hour road trip for a wedding this weekend and then flying to Virginia next Tuesday. So I need all of your tips!

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

I've gotten some good tips already like, breastfeed on take off and landing. Board first to get yourself situated while dad and baby board last to burn off last minute energy. Pre-write sorry notes from Baby to passengers. I'm going to pack snacks, a few pumped bottles, my manual pump, new toys that will be exciting for H and a change of clothes for us both. What else?

Let me give you the run down. The car trip is 4 hours on a winding road without many places to stop until our destination. We're leaving in the morning during what is usually his morning nap.

The plane ride is at 11 a.m. and will be 5 hours long (shoot me now). We have a 3 hour layover then another 1.5 hour flight to Norfolk at 11:30 p.m. I know. Please tell me we'll survive. Lie to me if you have to.

Daycare {Part 2}

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement on my daycare woes.

I am thrilled to report that we decided to move H to an in home daycare and it has been one million percent better. Like, I didn't even know how heavy the whole situation was weighing on me but wow, do I feel 700 pounds lighter. My appetite has returned and I feel like a whole new woman.

We called Miss R on a recommendation from a professor I work with. Her home is beautiful and kid-friendly, and it has an awesome outdoor area with great toys/equipment. She was nice and welcoming. She's been taking care of children for over 30 years including raising 5 of her own.

I am in love with Miss R not just because she is super sweet. But she tells me about his day, she's honest and really seems to love kids. While she's licensed for 8 kids, she only has a maximum of 4 at a time. And 2 are her grandsons. It's so, so great.

I am totally a believer in mother's intuition now because I got a good feeling from the minute I walked in to her home--unlike any of the times I stepped in to our former childcare facility. It's so hard to explain but I just knew this was the place for us. My biggest fear throughout this whole saga is that I was just a paranoid, worry-wart mother and I would feel like this no matter where I left him. Therefore, I should quit my job, move to the ghetto and make Harrison live in a bubble for the rest of his life. Thank goodness, this isn't the case. No Bubble Boy for H!

The Daycare Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I've been putting this one off. It's been really hard to write about but here it is.

We looked at a few daycare's before I went back to work and we knew our options were limited in this town. We found one I really loved and one I knew would be fine, but didn't get quite the same feelings about when we visited. We went with the latter. The reason? The tuition was $150 less. I absolutely hate that our financial situation has to dictate our childcare situation. I HATE IT. But those are the facts.

Harrison has been going to daycare for a month now. The positives have been:

He sleeps SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD on the days he goes to daycare. They poop him out.
I know he's cared for while we're working.
He gets to socialize with other kids and boy oh boy, does he love other kids.
The smile when I pick him up is priceless.
He sleeps SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD. :)

And yup, you know what's coming next, the negatives:

I don't feel like he's special there. Obviously his teachers have other kids to look after but I can't shake this feeling.
Dropping him off is torture. Absolute torture. And Harrison doesn't even cry...all the tears come from me.
I'm not crazy about his teachers.
Everyone wears shoes where the babies crawl around all day.
I'm afraid I'll have these feelings no matter where I send him.

I'm sure I sound like a whiny mom. These feelings aren't completely unfounded though. For example, the second day we dropped H off the morning teacher said something to the effect of 'because H is a big kid, we need to feed him real food during the day, breast milk isn't enough.' Now, I know she was just trying to be helpful and was very nice about it but this went against everything I knew to be true. Doesn't she know that food before one is just for fun?! Isn't it common knowledge that breast milk is technically all he needs until one year of age?! And hello? He's growing and thriving because of breast milk, why mess with a good thing? What I wasn't prepared for was explaining our parenting decisions. Being questioned was new to me and it made me feel off from the beginning.

The other thing that has me feeling off is their lack of willingness to offer up information about H's day. Again, I know they are busy. But maybe just a story about what he did, who he played with, what his favorite toy is, anything really, would make me feel more at ease. I ask questions and they answer with a smile but mostly I get there, sign him out, pick up his daily 'diaper change/ounces eaten' sheet and we head out. It feels so impersonal.

Perhaps the biggest thing is just my intuition. I haven't had a warm, fuzzy feeling at all but I would be happy to feel a lukewarm, slightly soft feeling. But it's not there. I put great stock in first impressions and going with your gut but haven't been doing that in this situation.

I never imagined it would be this hard. I'm still not sure what we're going to do.

Breastfeeding Essentials :: Pumping At Work Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:00:00 +0000

As a follow up to my first breastfeeding essentials post, I thought I'd share the things that have made my life easier while pumping at work.

Awesome pump:
I have the Medela Pump In Style Advanced and I'm sure I would be screwed without it. Hands down, the most incredible pump. I've tried a few.

Extra bottles with lids:
To store what you pump. Don't forget lids. That would be a real pain.

Somewhere to store pumped milk:
I have a fridge at work that I store my milk in. An ice chest with ice pack would work too.

A place to pump:
Somewhere private with an outlet. I have a shared office and could really care less if my boss stays in the room (most of the time she leaves) but our office connects to the Chair's office and the main office so I just close and lock both of those doors when the time comes, and the Chair knows what's going on. It works. You just have to find what works for you.

Medela wipes:
To wipe down all pump equipment in between pumps. I personally don't use these but I've heard they work great.

A good nursing bra and nursing pads:
Goes without saying, really, you need to be able to get those suction cups on there without too much resistance from your wardrobe.

Button down shirts:
This saves SO much time and hassle. I stocked up on a bunch at Old Navy for cheap and they are so much easier than having to pull up a regular top.

Other pumping at work tips:

If you have one, put the times you pump in your shared calendar so coworkers won't try to schedule you during those times.
Practice before you go back to work. For one or two days, only pump at the times you anticipate you'll need to back at work. If you're pumping more than or the same amount that the baby eats, you're good to go!
I store my suction cups (I know there's a better word for these haha) and all used bottles (even if empty) in the fridge in the little storage container that came with my pump. That way, you don't have to wash them after each individual use. If you can get over the initial nip freeze when you go to pump again, it's worth it. ;)
Don't wear a dress to work. I learned that one the hard way.

MY PUMPING AT WORK ROUTINE

10 hour days (summer hours):
6:15 a.m. pump before work
9:30 a.m. pump
12:30 p.m. pump or feed baby (Tyler brings Harrison to visit on the days he has him)
3:30 p.m. pump
5:30 p.m. off work

On these days I come home with approximately 18 ounces of milk. Harrison only drinks about 12 ounces of our freezer stash so it allows me to continue building it.

7.5 hour days (regular hours):
7:00 a.m. pump before work
10:00 a.m. pump
1:00 p.m. pump or feed baby
3:00 p.m. off work

These days I come home with 10-12 ounces. Harrison drinks about 8 ounces on average.

Do you have any pumping at work advice?

Our first family photoshoot

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Once again, my boss Sharon is the best boss ever. She took our first family photos and they turned out absolutely perfect.

My current thoughts on being employed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I go back to work on Monday. I was extremely lucky to be able to have a 5 month maternity leave, not sure if that makes it any easier when it comes to going back but I am thankful nonetheless.

I am ready to go back to work because:

I need a reason to get dressed and brush my hair every day.
It will be nice to have some adult interaction.
I miss my coworkers.
My desk. I like my workspace. What? :)
10 hour work days during the summer mean I only have to work 3 days.

my old workspace, pre-move

I am not ready to go back to work because:

I feel guilty that after every nap, every time Harrison gets hungry, every time he wants comfort, he's going to look for me and I won't be there for him. That hurts.
My department moved buildings while I was on leave, so now my office is a windowless dungeon.
Adjusting to a new routine is going to be hard.
I'm never going to see my husband since we'll be on opposite schedules.
Mid-August is when Harrison will begin going to daycare 2 times a week. Sigh.
10 hour work days. Yes, there's only 3 of them, which is awesome, but 10 hours is long, yo.
I get overwhelmed easily. Going to work on top of everything else I have/want to do? Scary.
Pumping at work is going to be hard.

I'm trying hard not to complain, I'm lucky to have a job and even luckier to have a job that I love. It's hard, though, thinking of H needing me and not being able to be there.

Working mamas, how did you adjust to going back to work? Any tips?

Breastfeeding Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Now, you all know I'm not an expert. I have been a mom for approximately 125 days(-ish). However, there are a few things that have made my life easier as a new mom, and there are a few things that have made feeding another human with my boobs easier.

Breastfeeding is no easy task, it's hard, it's time consuming and it takes a hot minute to get the hang of it. But it is SO WORTH IT, I can't stress that enough. The hard fought battles in the first 6 weeks are worth the sweet milky smiles you get mid-feed at 3 months. And more than that, every pound H gains I feel a bit of accomplishment, I helped him gain that, WITH MY BODY. It's pretty incredible.

Anyway, my breastfeeding essentials are as follows:

Nursing bras and GOOD sports bra:
Almost my entirety of my maternity leave was spent in tank tops and a sports bra. Not just any sports bra though, it is the most amazing sports bra and I originally bought it because of the review on Target's website that specifically mentioned it was good for breastfeeding. You can find it here. I have 5 of them and I'm dreading the day I go back to work and have to wear a "real" bra. ;)

Boppy:
I've seen many people talk about how great the boppy is for breastfeeding, and it's totally awesome, I loved all the different ways I could use the Boppy. I set a newborn H on it, while I was whipping out the boob, I use it as a pillow when I nurse on my side or even stick it between my legs as support when I'm laying down. We rarely use it for nursing because Harrison is just too big at this point but we use it for everything else!

Kindle/iPhone:
Some nursing sessions in the beginning can last for hours. I always had my Kindle and iPhone within arms reach. I was able to read a bunch because of this and also keep up with my twitter feed, of course. ;)

Lansinoh Lanolin:
THIS WAS A LIFESAVER IN THE BEGINNING. Seriously. It helped so much with my sore nips. I would apply it after every feeding. Now, I don't need anything but those first 2 months were brutal.

Reusable nursing pads:
I liked the reusable nursing pads SO much more than the disposable ones. The disposable ones were too plasitc-y and large. I've tried 4 different brands of reusables and the Avent ones are my absolute favorite--they don't lose their thickness through multiple washings and have the best leak protection, in my opinion.

Medela pump:
Speaking of lifesavers, this magic machine changed my boob feeding life. My super cool cousin Megan let me borrow this. I was using my Avent single pump and while it was fine, it was NOTHING compared to this baby. Of course I still feel like a cow getting milked but it has helped me build up a freezer stash of 125-ish ounces.

Breast milk freezer bags:
If you're like my husband, you wonder why you can't just use regular ziplock bags for milk storage. Well, because these are already sterilized for your boob milk. They are also handy as they have a spot to write in the ounces, date and time.

Water (not pictured):
Obviously, eating a balanced diet is important while breastfeeding. But more than anything, drinking water is super important. If I start feeling dehydrated because I've forgotten to drink enough water all day, I see it effect my supply. So, be sure to hydrate!

What did I miss? What are your boob feeding essentials?

Harrison's Nursery: Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Wow! Thank you all for the love on Harrison's nursery reveal. We had so much fun putting it together. And I forgot but a BIG THANK YOU to Tyler who did a FABULOUS job not only painting the amazing horizontal stripes but staying patient when I changed my mind 48539 times. :)

I wanted to answer a few questions that came up about our where we got things and our organization, as we attempt to fit all of his baby things in our tiny room.

STUFF

Crib - K-Mart
Crib sheet - Target
Crib skirt - Etsy (Mellissa's Boutique and fun fact: she designed Tori Spellings most recent nursery bedding, cool huh?)
Prints - Me :)
'H' - Etsy (Say It With Letters)
Diaper Bag - Target (gift)
Blanket - Etsy (Baby Beulah)

Dresser - Yard sale way back in the day, painted
Frames - K-Mart, painted
Chuck T's: - Gift
Polka Dot Storage - Etsy (BaffinBags)

Glider and Ottoman - JC Penney (gift)
Diaper Dekor Plus - Buy Buy Baby (gift)
Boppy breastfeeding pillow - Target (gift)
Side table - Ikea, painted
Frames - K-Mart, painted
Poms - Etsy (Pretty With Sprinkles)

Wiener decal - Etsy (paintlessdecoimpress)
Bumbo - Target (gift)
Stroller - Target (gift)

ORGANIZATION
Like I said before, we had to be smart with our small space. So we stocked up on bins and made sure we had built in storage where we could--with the crib, dresser and utilizing the most out of the half of the closet we were using. (The other side is filled with the pack and play, car seat, and other random things like my wedding dress--haha).

THE CLOSET: I organized his clothes by size. I just made these organizers out of card stock and made them sort of boy-ish with the wiener dog and mustaches.

The closet filled up quickly. I used my old shoe organizer (after cleaning it thoroughly) for receiving blankets and regular blankets. Then I used these wire cubes that I've had since I lived in the dorms for his shoes and bumbo, Moby Wrap and car seat cover. I also think it will be handy to have easy access to the stroller right next to it.

THE DRESSER: For all of his other clothes, I organized each dresser drawer by size. I have no idea if this is the best way, it just made the most sense to me. Then I'll just rotate out and up as time goes on and he grows out of things.

THE CRIB: I LOVE our crib for many reasons but mostly because it has an attached changing table and TONS of storage. Not only the three drawers in the front but the back side has shelves that are great for hiding breastfeeding supplies and such.

Who knows if all of this is the best way to set up the nursery, I'm no expert. It just makes the most sense to me now. We'll see how much of it gets changed around. :)

Harrison's Nursery Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:47:00 +0000

Well it's been a long time coming but I finally have pictures of Harrison's yellow, blue and gray wiener dog nursery! There are still a few missing details (the wiener dog lamp that I've been coveting and a diy chalkboard that isn't quite finished) but it's definitely ready for his arrival!

We had a small space to work with so we had to make sure we had a lot of storage. This crib was perfect for us and Tyler found it on sale so we got a great deal...yep, this is the on he bought when I was 6 weeks pregnant. Ha!

Until baby boy arrives and we have pictures of him to fill our frames, I decided to display our baby shower invites. :)

I am so in love with our glider, it is literally the most comfortable thing. I can envision many-a-night I'll be sitting in that thing nursing Harrison...with all of my supplies within arm's reach.

That's it! Harrison's room. Can't wait until he gets here!