Monday, February 29, 2016

Tips for Boosting Your Supply

Increasing Your Nursing Supply
Let me first say, before I go anywhere with this post, I’m NO expert.  I am NOT a Lactation Consultant.  I DO have a doctorate, but not in boobie functions (did I really just write “boobie functions”?!?!)  With that said, I’m a research junkie, and when it comes to my kids you can bet that I’m pretty extensive.  And when I say research, I’m not talking reading forums and comment reels; instead I’m referring to real statistical research.  Of course I consult for anecdotal evidence, but that is not what I base my decisions on.  When it came to nursing, I was thorough before Dutch was born and even more exhaustive on research after he arrived. 

I’ve never really shared my nursing experience here (maybe I should?), but it has been extremely positive.  As I was trying to prepare myself before Dutch was born, I got a lot of negative feedback about nursing (it’s painful, it’s hard, most women stop nursing by 2 months postpartum, etc).  I can honestly say, that nursing has been one of the most natural and, dare I say, easiest and enjoyable experiences of motherhood.  Considering how challenging conception was for us, I gladly take something natural.  My breastfeeding journey in a nutshell: I have provided Dutch with breast milk for the first 19 months of his life (he’s only 19 months old right now…so hopefully that number will increase).  I exclusively breastfed (EBF- no rice cereal, no formula, no solids) him for the first 8 months before he demonstrated interest in solids, and then continued to nurse him until he was 15 months old.  When I got pregnant with Ellis, Dutch was 10 months old and I continued to nurse him while I was pregnant.  Around the time he was 15 months old, and I was 5 months pregnant with Ellis, my milk started to dry up and I started to produce colostrum for Baby #2 (this is very normal & common).  I continued to dry nurse him until Ellis was born.  So far nursing with Ellis has been even easier than it was with Dutch and my supply is much greater.  With Dutch, I only had about one week of milk stored up for him and I was always worried about having enough in case something happened.  This time around my supply is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum and I’m storing like crazy. As of 9/24/18, I am coming back to amend this post and add on to the story.  I tandem nursed my kids until Dutch's 3rd birthday when he chose to stop nursing.  Ellis nursed exclusively until she was a little over a year old when she demonstrated interest in solids.  She nursed until she was about 28 months old when she weaned herself.  Overall a very positive experience nursing.  After Ellis, my supply was so great, mostly because of what I had learned with Dutch and lifestyle changes, that while I was tandem nursing I was also able to donate several thousand ounces of milk to the Milk Bank.  Again, I'm not an expert on nursing, but I have learned a lot about it, and if you have any questions please email me, I would love to help you in any way that I can.

Today I’m going to share the tips & tricks that I researched and practiced with Dutch to maintain my supply.  If I need to try them again this time around I definitely will.  So this post is as much for LWTH readers as it is for me lol  There are two really important things to keep in mind before you even begin to gauge your nursing supply:
  1. Silly Pump, Tricks Are For Kids- Before you get anxious about your supply, keep in mind that what you’re expressing through a breast pump is not an accurate measure of what you’re actually producing. While pumps are great, they are nowhere near as effective at emptying the breast as a baby. So you are probably producing a little more than what you’re pumping; don’t let that number torture you.  (Sidebar- I’m pumping right now as I write this post and I’m going to ignore the number on the bottle because it doesn’t matter!)
  2. Supply & Demand- Now you might not want to hear this, but boosting your supply here and there is easy with supplements, but if you really want to boost your supply AND maintain it, it will take a lot of effort, work, discipline, and dedication. Supplements will do very little for long-term effect. If you’re looking for a quick-fix or a pill to pop, there isn’t one. If there was, women wouldn’t have struggled with this for years. At the most realistic and natural level- your supply is just like the economy; a supply and demand economy. If your breast and brain are not registering that there is a demand then you will not produce. Pure and simple.
If your supply has dipped with stress or any change (e.g. returning to work), here are some things that you can do to not just boost your supply, but maintain it (and the key here is consistency. You cannot do it here and there and expect lasting effects, you have to be committed, but if you really want it, you CAN do it).
  1. Power Pump- Pump for 20 minutes on both sides simultaneously every 2 hours no matter what (day and night, for 3 days straight), even if baby is getting ready to nurse again, the body will adapt and think baby is going through a growth spurt and produce more. Do not pump one side and then the other; make sure to do it simultaneously for at least 15 minutes (20 minutes is best).  Pump even at night, *even* if baby is sleeping. I know that sucks but it's only for a few days. The key is to keep the breast empty so the body makes more. Never, ever, go more than 4 hrs without emptying the breast. Even try compression pumping and hand expression when you're done pumping to get every last drop out.  If you don’t empty the breast, the brain thinks you have made too much milk and so you will decrease production. (remember…supply & demand).
  2. Oatmeal- Eat oatmeal every morning, and not the instant kind but real oatmeal.  Forget all that sugary stuff, just real boring oatmeal.
  3. Calories- Eat eat eat! Did you know that it takes more calories to make milk than it does to grow a baby?! When you’re pregnant you should eat 1200 calories/day, but with nursing you should be eating at least 1500! Of course this should be good and healthy foods, but you have to eat!  “When your body is feeding a baby it is not the time to go on a diet” <~~~~ My caregiver told me this! And get this, research suggests that carbs are the best…..so bring on the calories!
  4. Water- Drink a ton! You should be drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day (not sparkling water, or drinks that contain water, but real water). Again this can’t be just here and there; you’ve got to be consistent.
  5. Peppermint- Anything with peppermint should be avoided as it can decreases production- this includes essential oils.
  6. Fennel- I used Young Living’s fennel essential oil topically on my breast applied after nursing. You want to be careful with this though because the baby should not ingest this and you should not be exposed to this for more than 6 days straight. (Essential oils sidebar- My family is obviously big users, but you want to be really careful and aware of what you’re using. Oils are very powerful and can effect more than maybe what you intended. You want to stay away from reading blogs and pop culture commentary on EO’s. To really be informed, look at the scientific empirical studies and literature.) What you can do on daily basis and that is safer for baby is the Fenugreek oral supplement. This was initially designed to be a digestive supplement so obviously that means one side effect may be diarrhea. The fenugreek oral supplement you can take up to 12 a day. Take two every few hours with an entire glass of water. You're taking enough when your sweat smells like syrup. I know that's weird but it's true.
  7. Tea- Drink 1-2 cups of Mother's Milk tea a day, in addition to your water.  With Dutch I packed this in my hospital bag but I totally forgot about it.  I didn’t start drinking the tea until I got home and by day 5 without my milk arriving he was one hungry baby.  I started drinking this tea and 45 minutes later my milk arrived.  So with Ellis, I started drinking this just hours after she was born and my milk arrived before I even left the hospital.  Happier baby and happier mama! I don’t mind the taste but some women do, so add a dash of my favorite raw organic & unfiltered honey.
  8. Beer- One dark hoppy beer every night. The hops increases lactation.  Hops are very similar to oats (see #2). An IPA is a super hoppy beer.
  9. No Distractions- When you’re pumping or nursing, don’t do work or email or anything stressful during pump time.  For me, my mind can only do one thing at time and anything stressful decreases my output. The smallest distraction decreases my supply. I have to be completely calm and relaxed to really express all of my milk.  This is a good time to get on a TV show binge or read. 
  10. Baby While Pumping- I know this sounds so primal but my doula & midwife both recommended it and it works: watch videos on your phone of your baby while you pump.  These good feelings (and production of oxytocin) will promote lactation.  When I was working I would also smell the jammies Dutch wore to bed the previous night while I pumped.  Again, I know, it’s super primal but I swear it works!
  11. No Schedules- If baby is hungry, do not wait until a scheduled “lunch time”; babies don’t have that. They are hungry when they are hungry. Do not hold out milk (not good for baby and not good for your ta-tas). When baby shows signs of being hungry, even if it isn’t on his typical schedule, allow baby access to the breast. Nurse on demand. Schedules can be rigid sometimes and even stress out parents. Mama’s need to be as stress free as possible.
  12. Sleep- I know this is a bit humorous, but sleep as much as you can. If you’re taking care of your body by eating healthy, drinking water, and sleeping appropriately you will be more effective at producing. I know that is a lot, but if you do it all consistently for like 2-3 weeks, your supply will improve.
Okay so there you have it: these are the things I have done to maintain my breast milk supply.  For some women, when their cycle returns they will see a big dip in their supply, so hop back onto this schedule a week before you start and maintain this throughout your cycle and the week after. Ditto that if baby hits a growth spurt.  I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions that I can help with.  Also if you have tips for ME, please send them my way!!!!
xoxo Darby

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Hawley Peeps Monthly: Month One

Because clearly I am so on top of things (lies alllllll lies!!!!!! ughhhhhh so far from the truth), I am sharing both of my kiddos one month posts.  In reality, I’ve been keeping track of each month for Dutch so far, I just have the posts sitting in my drafts.  I figure since baby number 2 is about to lap me…..it’s time to finish these posts. So I’ve decided to post the first month of both Little Peep (Dutch) and Teeny Peep (Ellis) together.  Now I am completely aware that comparing your children is like the ultimate sin, so to be clear, this is not a comparison post of Baby #1 to Baby #2.  I am simply keeping track of each milestone in the first month of life for each of my kiddos.

Dutch & Ellis, this is your mother speaking, if you’re reading this years later, please know this is not a comparison or some form of torture that you two use to see who is “the favorite”.  If you’re looking for a favorite, I can assure you that you’re wrong already; there is no favorite!

 Month One- Dutch
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  • You were born on a Monday, 6/2/14
  • You like your hands by your face and you’ve got long nails
  • Wrinkles brow when thinking
  • Weight at birth was 7.11 lbs, next day was 7.7 lbs, and 7.2 lbs when left the hospital.  At 2 weeks you were up to 8.10 lbs
  • Not a fan of baths
  • Hates to have clothes or diaper changed
  • Loves to snuggle
  • first restaurant out when you were 5 days old was to Longhorn Steakhouse with the Nanny & Papa
  • Sleeps on mommy
  • Holding your head up by yourself before we left the hospital; incredibly impressive.
  • Loves playing with daddy
  • Met Nanny & Papa, Grammy, & Aunt Nana
  • Does great in public so far
  • First trip out with just Mama was to Target.  You were two weeks old and slept the entire time :-)
  • Has been to Babies R Us, both Houston airports, grocery shopping 4 times, lunch with his friends Thomas and Sawyer, Sam Moon, Tiny Boxwood
  • Loves walks around the neighborhood
  • Loves a car ride
  • Sleeps 1.5 to 2 hour intervals
  • Eats every 2-2.5 hours
  • 100 % breast fed
  • Starting to get indentations where rolls will be
  • Been to 2 dr appts for you and one for mommy
  • Disposable diapers for now until grows into cloth. In newborn size for 2 weeks and moved to size 1 at 3 weeks old
  • Visitors have slowed down help has left and no more meals. ...it's time we figure it out. Sad and scary and exciting all at the same time
  • At your 1 month appt: 22.5 inches long and 10 lbs 3.5oz, good eater, no shots because a day too early, bowed legs are normal. The results from test last time were normal. Not congested. Dr. said your neck muscles are impressive.  Projected to be 6’1 when you grow up.
  • I asked her about the gas and she asked me about chocolate. ..which I had a lot of last week so that's out of my diet now and she said it would take about a week to leave my milk
  • Loves the pacifier

Month One- Ellis
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  • You were born 1/17/16 at 6:20pm on a Sunday.  You weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and were 21 inches long
  • Had to do several bilirubin tests but ended up passing before we left the hospital
  • On day 2 you dropped to 7 lbs 11 oz, and then to 7 lbs 4 oz. but totally normal.  Now we're working on getting weight back on you
  • You HATE to be cold or to have your diaper changed
  • You still have hiccups all the time like you did in my stomach…usually once in the morning and every afternoon around 4:30.
  • Your first restaurant out to eat (at 8 days old) was to Starr Pizza...we sat outside on the porch for lunch, next restaurant was a sushi happy hour ...you did great and slept through both
  • You have been to the park (7 days old)
  • You’re a pretty good sleeper so far....sleep most of the morning and then wake up in the afternoon for a little bit and ready for bed between 9 and 10.  You give mama a 3-4 hour stretches of sleep at the beginning of the night and then 2.5 hour stretches of sleep between feedings until the late morning.
  • You have overeaten 2x & made yourself sick
  • 100 % breast fed
  • Chocolate is mama’s postpartum craving again, but just like with brother, you do not tolerate well.
  • You like to eat, snuggle, and be swaddled.
  • At your 2 week appt: 8 lbs 1 oz (45%), height 20.5 in (62%), head 14.13 (71%)
  • You have the cutest dimple on your right cheek. 
  • Met your Nanny and Papa
  • You love to sleep with mama every night.
  • You seem to be a deep thinker, you will furrow your brows like you're thinking about something and you're very quiet
  • 2/11 starting to lose your baby hair
  • You’re becoming more alert and starting to track mama and daddy 
  • Starting to hold head up by yourself
  • You really enjoy mama carrying you around in the baby wrap
  • You’re too small for the cloth diapers, so you’re wearing disposable
  • We’ve had several play dates so far, and you’ve slept through all of them.  You really like your sleep hehe
  • First trip out with just Mama and Dutch was to Target.  You were two weeks old and slept the entire time :-)
  • At 3 weeks old mama ventured to Costco & HEB & the post office for the first time with just you and brother.  We did great!
  • Your cry is short but loud, and random....like a pterodactyl
  • At your 1 month appt: 9 lbs 3 oz (50th percentile) and 22 inches long (87th percentile), projected to be 5'9 when grow up, 1 shot, a little congestion and using oils to treat, some baby acne on face and around neck, watery left eye (probably a clogged tear duct that has been this way since birth), holding your head up very well, tracking mama and daddy with your eyes, starting to smile
  • Took your first road trip to Austin with Aunt Grace
  • Mama loves to dress you up and we’re starting to get to know you better everyday
  • You’re very quiet and thoughtful
  • Unless you’re cold, need to pass gas or have a BM, or are hungry you don't cry much at all
  • You look around and take a lot in
  • Eating every 2 hours around the clock  You eat well and then go right to sleep
  • Took your first nature hike with mama, daddy, and brother
  • At 4 weeks old you smiled a real smile for mama
  • Still in newborn clothes & newborn size diapers
xoxo Darby

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Professor Peep

12523674_947566161964308_1949669140_nOn Monday I checked in with y’all to share how life with two babies under the age of 2 has been.  While it is tough and different, we are learning to juggle better and better every day. 
I’ve only been a mama with 2 under 2 for a month now, so I know that I have A LOT left to learn.  Honestly, I’m totally okay with that; I welcome a lifetime of learning with them.  But so far, here is what I have learned from my two sweet Hawley Peeps:
  • Get out of the house everyday!  This is a must and something I learned with Dutch.  From the first day I was home alone with him we went out.  We just need to do it.  Yes it’s harder with two, but something that they need as much as I do.  With both babies I have been petrified about this task, but I just had to rip the band-aid off and do it.  I have done it both times on my first day alone with the babies, and I've been grateful both times to have crossed off that milestone quickly.
  • Mamas need more leggings than they think they do.  I will never have enough leggings and I don’t care what anyone says, but I’m wearing them as pants…..in, get this, public!  Gasp all you want haters lol  Costco had some amazing leggings on sale this month in multiple colors, 2 pairs for $11.99……and I bought 6.  So yeah, I wear leggings like it’s my uniform!
  • Strap the baby in!  When Dutch was a newborn I never strapped him in to the baby gear.  No one was going to knock him out of the swing, bouncer, or rocker.  It was just me.  But now, oh goodness, Ellis must be strapped in.  While Dutch has never even expressed interest in pulling the baby out of the baby gear, we aren’t taking any chances.
  • Go outside.  It doesn’t matter how hot or cold it is, go on a walk everyday.  The sun and fresh air will do you some good. 
  • Give your 1 year old some credit.  One year old children are very smart and they learn quickly.  This can be a good thing or a bad thing (i.e. watch your mouth).  Dutch has caught on to this big brother thing really quickly and he adores “Baby Ellis” :-)
  • Healing takes time. I’m steal healing from birth which has been extremely hard both physically & psychologically.  All mamas know that labor and delivery is tough and those battle wounds are intensely life altering.  I know that with time complete healing will happen and that will make mommying even better.  Honestly, this has been the hardest part of being a mama to my two young babies.  I thought the hardest part would be the kids, but instead it has been me; the exact opposite of what I anticipated.  I’m a work in progress and I’m learning to give myself some grace.
  • Dry shampoo is ah-maz-ing.  I’ve  said this before and I’ll say it again: I don’t know how women have lived without this stuff.  Here is the shampoo that I use on the reg.
  • Forgo pride.  Ask for help when you need it.  Accept that God gave you a village to help you; you don’t have to do this mama thing alone!  (I’m still learning this one and I probably will be for the rest of my life).  It’s just me around here, since the Mr works such long hours.  I can’t do it by myself especially since I’m still healing from a pretty rough labor and delivery.  I need help and I have to humble myself and ask for it.
Life with 2 Under 2
I know that these are just a few minor lessons that I’ve been learning lately, and that there are a bazillion left to learn.  Soooooooo mamas with 2 under 2, please share with me some tips and tricks that will help save me some learning time :-)
xoxo Darby

Monday, February 15, 2016

Coming Up For Air- Life with 2 under 2

Now that Ellis is almost a month old, I feel like it’s safe to say that I am officially a mom of two kiddos and it’s time that I report back on what life with two kiddos is like.  When Ellis was conceived, and Dutch was only 10 months old, my very first feelings were elation….but that very very quickly began to change. I started to worry about what life would be like with two babies under the age of 2.  Quite honestly I started to freak out.  I was so scared!

-How was I going to juggle the needs of two babies?
-How could I give them both the attention they need?
-How would I be able tell one child to wait while I attended to the more urgent needs of the other?
-Would my body be able to care for two children while under extreme sleep deprivation?
-How would I go to the grocery store? What gets unloaded into the car first: kids or groceries?!
-Would both of my children feel loved? Would one feel neglected? favored?
-How was I going to be able to juggle two babies without any help from family?
-How could I be a mom to two kiddos and still have enough energy at the end of the day to be a wife to the Mr?
-Could my heart even expand enough to love them all?!

I was very aware that I was not the first mama to go through this so I started reading blogs, books, and talking with other mamas with two children under the age of two.  I wanted to mentally prepare myself for the extreme challenge I was about to embark on.  And I can completely and honestly say:

I WAS WRONG!

-Maybe I’m still in the “honeymoon phase” and it’s too early to say?
-Maybe I just expected the absolute worst possible experience?  I am usually an optimist but this sounds really pessimistic?
-Maybe I just really prepared myself?
-Maybe I was blessed with a good batched of kiddos?

Yes I am familiar with the very natural worries of growing a family, but that’s all they were for me.  I had a lot of apprehension and it was all for nothing.  Life with two under two is WONDERFUL!  I absolutely love it!  Having two children is ah-maz-ing…..and having them so close together is a greater blessing than I could have ever imagined.

-Yes, everything is different.
-Yes, I’m sleep deprived.
-Yes, everything requires more planning than before.
-Yes, I’m jugging too many things and my mommy brain has reached an all-time stupid level, and I can’t even remember what time I got up to nurse last night…even though it was less than 3 hours ago (I think).
-Yes, I’m hooked up to a machine pumping more than I would like.
-Yes, life is so cyclical it’s hilarious: nurse baby, burp baby, nap baby, play with 1 year old, feed 1 year old, nap 1 year old, cook, laundry, clean house, feed dogs, shower (maybe)……REPEAT (fit sleep in when possible).

You know, ALL of my worries actually came TRUE, but it isn’t nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be.  In fact, it’s heavenly. Of course my 1 year acts like a 1 year old, and of course my newborn acts like a newborn……they aren’t exempt from natural behaviors.  But seriously, life is so good with my 2 young babies at home.  Even though things are very different, life is sweet these days.   I am in full-blown heaven on earth and I absolutely love my job as a mama to Dutch and Ellis.  Every worry turned out to be completely true and tough, but not impossible.  I think I lacked faith in my ability to mother and I forgot how resilient and quickly children learn.  Nothing has been impossible, it has simply take more time and effort.  For example, I was most nervous about juggling……well God, again, had a funny way of teaching that lesson to us quickly.  Less than 12 hours after Ellis was born we got a text with a picture of nasty boogers coming out of Dutch’s ears (yes, “ears”, NOT, “nose”).  Well that isn’t normal :-/  So from my hospital bed I was calling Dutch’s surgeon from last summer and coordinating with the pharmacist to get him his meds and then figuring out how to get the meds to him since we were in the hospital.  Then as soon as we got home, Dutch sprained his ankle, got a black eye, and started getting 3 new teeth.  So yea, life is tougher, and we’re juggling more, but the watercolor of our home is much more colorful, fun, and covered in love.

God has answered our prayers for children, and He has gifted us with more patience, strength, and energy than we ever could have imagined possible.  We consistently pray that He will continue with these provisions, otherwise we would be failing so much more in our roles as parents.  We are SOOOO grateful for the prayers from others and those that have brought us meals and watched Dutch while we were in the hospital.  We could NEVER have transitioned so smoothly to a family of 6 (of course, I can't forget our 2 four-legged family members) without my amazing bestie……she is an angel!

Friends, it has taken me a week to write this post and as I write it, I’m not sure when my last shower was, there is a baby napping in his crib and one on my lap, laundry is all over the dining room table, and I should be getting dinner prepped for tonight (oops!).  I have a bazillion drafts to finish writing for you, but I am still behind and lack routine. I dare not rush this phase of life as it goes too quickly, so I will sit still and embrace this chaotic and magical chapter in our lives, because it is spectacular!
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For more pictures of our life lately, you can follow us on Instagram!
xoxo Darby

Friday, February 12, 2016

Coq au Vin

I’ve told y’all before that the way to my heart is through french food.  It just is. I love it!  Coq au Vin is no exception.  I love to order this when I’m out at a restaurant, but it is so easy to make at home!  Give it a try, and tell me what you think!
From the Kitchen of Darby Hawley
Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 whole Fryer Chicken
½ whole onion, diced
½ cups carrots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs butter
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 cups burgundy wine
1 lb fettuccini
2 tbs butter
parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Saute bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium low heat until fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Increase heat to medium.
2. Salt fat site of chicken pieces, then place chicken, fat side down, in skillet and cook in bacon grease until both sides are nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a 2-quart baking dish, skin side up.
3. Saute onions, carrots and garlic in bacon grease until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from grease with slotted spoon and set aside.
4. In a separate skillet, saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
5. Layer half of the bacon pieces, carrot/onion mixture, and mushrooms in pan with chicken.
6. Drain grease from the large skillet, then place over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups Burgundy wine, using a wire whisk to scrape loose all the burned/brown bits. Lightly salt liquid and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter.
8. Serve chicken in a pasta bowl with noodles, sprinkling minced parsley over the top. Spoon juice from baking dish over the top of everything.
9. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman
xoxo Darby

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday: Hooks & Hangers

Remember how a couple weeks ago, I told y'all about how I was embarrassed about my laundry Nazi tendencies? Oh I didn't say it like that? Well I should have, because it's completely true.

Well maybe this is another confession, or further proof, that I have a laundry obsession problem.  So here's the deal: I don't like to put any clothes in a chest of drawers; I like everything hung in the closet.  You see, if things are not hung up I forget that they exist (obviously this means I have too much, which is a totally different problem that I'll save for another day).  Of course if everything needs to be hung, this means when the Mr. and I are home shopping, large closets are a must.  But the problem doesn't end there.  If everything is hung up, I have to be very choosey about the hangers I use.  You know if you put a sweater on a hanger you get those bumps in the shoulders.....first-world problems I tell ya!

Okay so anyways, I quickly noticed that when I was organizing Teeny Peep's closet that little girl clothes come in sets: a pair of pants or bloomers goes with a specific shirt or dress.  With little boys there is a lot more mixing and matching of clothes.  For Dutch I hang all of his shirts and onsies and have all of his pants and shorts folded and placed in baskets in rows so that I can see them all at the same time on top of his dresser (see his closet here).  I felt like I wouldn't be able to do this system as well for Teeny Peep because there are specific sets, so I had to figure out something else.  

Initially I was trying to save all of the store hangers so that everything could be hung together.  But those hangers are a real bear to deal with, and honestly I didn't have enough either.
And honestly, they don't look great (.....I'm hearing violins play right now and I'm hanging my spoiled & picky head in shame)
Then I tried just hanging them together on regular hangers.
This system also did not work.
The pants kept sliding and I knew I would just end up with piles of mismatched pants on the floor of the closet.
Finding hangers for pants for children is not as easy as it is for adults.  I started researching hangers (clearly this is a major issue lol) and I came across these clips.  They attach to the hangers that you already have and can be adjusted to any length that they hanger allows.  I read great reviews, so I ordered 3 packs of 12 to see how what I thought.
Wow folks, I'm a believer!  These clips are super easy to transform my baby hangers to hold pants and bloomers.  Now all of my sets for both of my baby peeps are easily organized and hung in the closet!
I'm lovin' the ease of these hanger clips and I highly recommend them for all laundry Nazi's parents of little ones.  So really go get some of these, and please no one comment on the fact that laundry has been a blog topic twice within a month lol

I was not paid for this post, but if Mainstays wants to start paying me I'd gladly accept the extra cash ;-)
xoxo Darby

Monday, February 1, 2016

The Peeps Meet

When I first found out I was pregnant with Teeny Peep, Ellis, I was first ecstatic....then I was immediately terrified.  How would my precious first born Little Peep, Dutch, react? 
Would he feel overlooked? Left-behind?
The moment I was dreading was when they first met, and he realized our family had changed and grown.  It would never be the three of us again. We were forever different.
Silly Darby!
The Lord knew what He was doing when He gave us Ellis.  It was the perfect time in our family's journey and Dutch has been over the moon for his new sister.  He calls her "my baby" and he is right.  This is the sister that we are thrilled to give to him.
Thank you a million times to Grace Hill Photography for capturing the moment when these sweet babies met and our family grew.  Those moments in the hospital are so swift and hard to hold onto, and I'm so thankful that they were captured in this amazing video!  Thank you Grace Hill Photography!!!!

xoxo Darby
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