We had a great weekend here and as promised Franco did indeed finish our basement. We just have some cleaning up/organizing to do and then I will post very raw, undecorated pictures. I am so excited for Franco to finally have an office space. I know he has been very cramped working upstairs with all the hustle and bustle of daily life with a baby. We will also have a den-like area for TV and then a play space for Frankie J./workout space for me.
I am super excited with the thought of a workout space. That was something I really wanted to focus on for me in the new year. I had initial thoughts of joining a gym, but quickly realized that in the season of life I am currently in that was not going to work schedule (or lack there of) wise. I also cannot wait to design a fun play area for Frankie J. I love the idea of a dedicated space to have for all of his toys so that upstairs can be less crowded and more of a living space. If you know me, you know that I will now be on Pinterest non-stop until I figure out how I want to arrange his space.
I had a thought this weekend of all the things that I found helpful to make life more convenient upon the arrival of Frankie J. and thought I would share them with you all.
1. Freezer Meals. This was definitely one of the best things I did before Frankie arrived. We survived off of these meals for at least two months if not more. I made a whole bunch of pulled pork, chili, pasta al forno, chicken pot pies (thanks mom), zucchini pies (thanks to my aunt), and cannelloni courtesy of my mother-in-law. We used the pulled pork for barbecue nights, tacos, and even nachos!
**For the chili recipe, I only brown the meat in the pan. I throw the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot raw and let the crock pot do the work.**
2. Duplicate loved items. We have a two floor home and I knew that I would not want to be constantly going up and down the stairs for diaper changes and naps. This ended up being so important because I had a c-section (unplanned) and was not allowed to be doing stairs. I added a pack and play to my registry and used it as a changing/napping station for downstairs. I made a basket of all necessary diapering items and also added some swaddles. I found these SwaddleMe to be super easy and functional. Franco and I could not master the art of swaddling using the adorable muslin blankets we had. We did not register for these and were gifted them and they were life-changing. I also highly recommend the Sleepea 5-second swaddle. It is the same swaddle that we use in the Snoo minus the tethers needed for the Snoo. We were also given a travel white noise machine which I highly advise you keep in your second nap space as well. We have the Cloud B Sleep Sheep, which I love, except that it turns off after 45 minutes. If purchasing/registering for a travel one I would find one that does not turn off because that can cause your child to wake up.
3. Grocery Delivery Service. This is actually something I started a few weeks before Frankie J. arrived because I found the task of grocery shopping daunting and uncomfortable. We use Amazon Prime Now who partners with Whole Foods. I know this may sound a bit pricey, however I feel that it ends up being comparable to going to the store because I avoid putting random items in my cart. I also love that it saves me my time, which is something that is very scarce these days and I would much rather do it while Frankie is napping and spend our time playing together. Delivery is free and you have the option to leave a tip.
4. Nursing Friendly Clothing. This is only applicable if you are able/wish to nurse (and we all know that fed=happy no matter how you feed your child). I spend a majority of my time in athleisure wear now and wanted to find the best nursing options. I am pretty sure I have tried every nursing cami and bra out there. I really like the Medela Slimming Nursing Cami for daytime use under workout tops and sweatshirts. I find these to be awesome for nighttime wear and a more comfortable, loose fit. As far as nursing bras are concerned, this is where I had the most difficulty. I was unable to use any of the wireless nursing bras because they were not supportive enough for me. I find this bra to be my favorite for the times I decide to actually where real clothes and leave the house!
I hope that this was helpful and I would love to know things that you find save you time and energy in your parenting journey! Here is to a smooth finish to the week, as it has been a bit of a rough start here with sleeping and technology!
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