Love It or Leave It: Baby Items Months 2 - 4

Since my last love it or leave it post Reaghan has grown up quite a bit and we are using a lot more baby gear! Hopefully this can give you an idea of what might be helpful to have on hand during these months of baby development!

Love It:

Baby Monitor

From the start we knew we wanted a video monitor for Reaghan's nursery. They obviously aren't necessary, and audio ones can do the job, but I LOVE being able to see her in her crib when she's sleeping. Especially when we transitioned her to her crib for night time! It's helped me in learning her cries and body language; knowing when she can fuss herself to sleep and when she might need a little help. This is the one that we have...

Play Mat

During 2-4 months tummy time is crucial in helping babies reach important developmental milestones like head control and rolling over. I love giving Reaghan "down time" to lay on the floor and learn to play with and reach for her toys and find her feet! It's important to me that she learns to independently entertain herself. We have the one pictured below, given to us at one of our showers.

Bumbo

I love our bumbo with the tray! As Reaghan began to get head control, she wanted to be upright more and more so she could see what was going on. (She's a nosy one ;)) This was definitely more in the 4th month than the 3rd. She started to like sitting in this more than laying in her rock n play, so it's been good to sit her in while I get dressed or putting on make up etc. The tray is great because I can put some toys on it to keep her occupied. It works the best on the floor, but I admit I've set her in it while its on my bed so I could engage her a bit. I just have to keep an extra close eye on her if its not sitting on the floor.

High Chair

So pretty much the same reasons I love the Bumbo, I love the high chair. She sits in this every morning while I make/eat breakfast and dinner time is so much easier now that she can sit in this while we eat. Also, like the Bumbo, we didn't start using it until her 4th month. We got a good deal on an Ingenuity brand from WalMart that converts to 3 different styles shown below.

Disposable Pads

This one isn't super specific to age, but we didn't have a need for them until we were into Reaghan's 3rd month. We were suddenly in this weird "in between" diaper size and we had a diaper blowout literally almost every day. I knew we needed something to cover her changing table cover so I wouldn't have to wash it every day, and these disposable pads have been perfect. I can use the same one for 4-5 days if we don't have an incident, so this box of 36 have lasted us almost 2 months. 

Exersaucer

I love how active and fun Reaghan is getting as she grows. My parents bought her the one shown below for Christmas and she LOVES it. Personally I prefer these to the Johnny Jumpers you hang in the doorway. Yes they take up space, but I like that they are securely on the ground. Either way - coming from a PT standpoint - I'm careful to limit the amount of time Reaghan spends in it in one setting to decrease chances of hip developmental issues. 

Baby Swing

LOVED the swing during the 2-4 month time. It has been really helpful for Mark when he is home alone with Reaghan on Mondays. If she's struggling to nap in her crib for him and he doesn't have the time to work on it with her (because he's also working) she will take a good nap for him in the swing. I can see her outgrowing this soon as she likes more and more to be busy and upright, but as of right now, it is still nice to give her a change of scenery. 

Leave It:

Boppy Pillow

Honestly, I hate to put this on the leave it list. I wish a had an "eh, sorta helpful" list, because thats how I felt about the Boppy. I did use it occasionally while nursing and I would sometimes use it to help prop Reaghan up - and when I used it, it was nice. It definitely had its helpful moments, and before Reaghan was born I was sure it would be essential because so many people swear by it. But honestly, was it something that made my life soooo much easier and something I used every day??? Not really.

 There are a few things that we still haven't pulled out of Reaghan's closet that I'm excited to try out as she gets a little older! I will update as she grows!

**No affiliations present in this post. As always, I am expressing only my opinions and experiences.**

Rolling Over

This is the face of an accomplished 4 month old.

Who just prior to these pictures managed to roll from her belly to her back 

all on her own for the very first time!

She was awfully proud of herself.

When God Answers Prayers... And When He doesn't.

Can I share a deep, dark secret of my soul?

It's a thought that might make me sound like I'm less of a Christian, or that my understanding of the bible is poor.

But it is this...

Sometimes when God performs miracles and answers prayers for others, I feel betrayed.

Why? Shouldn't I be praising His name for answered prayers? I often join my brothers and sisters in Christ praying for provision or healing or a miracle in a tough situation and I do rejoice when God answers the prayers in the way that we are asking. I celebrate, I thank him and I proclaim His good deeds to others. But, there is always a small part of me that wonders, deep down, why God has answered prayers for another but not for me; not for my family.

My brother was in a tragic accident in 2000, when he was only 9. We prayed that he might be able to walk again, that his ability to remember, learn and speak might be restored to normal, and that he wouldn't suffer from seizures. None of these things have been granted to us.

My sister and her husband are struggling with infertility. We've prayed for 4 years for God to open her womb. We are still waiting.

But....

A dear friend of the family had a stroke this past weekend, we prayed earnestly for his life and for healing because it didn't look good. I am overjoyed to share that God did answer our prayers and our friend is beginning his road to recovery. I can't thank God enough for hearing our cries. Seriously.

That small part of me that wonders "why not me?" in no way means that I am not rejoicing for the answered prayers for others. But the question still creeps up in my heart. I feel guilty writing it down, but it is truly the way that I feel and I sure do have to put every effort forward to not allow that feeling to take root and grow because I know there isn't an answer. No one can say why God answers some prayers and not others and I know I don't, in anyway, deserve to know the answer.

I realize I'm not the only one with unanswered prayers, which I guess is one reason I'm sharing this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who sometimes wonders why.

What's more? I don't have a beautiful, theological thought to summarize this confession. All I know is  this...

God is still God. Whether prayers are answered or go unanswered, He is still good. I love Him because He first loved me. He gave his Son so that I could have life everlasting and even though it seems like a far way off sometimes and it doesn't fully take away the hurt in the here and now, the prayers that feel unanswered will be wiped away one day. Maybe we'll understand why we didn't get what we asked for, or maybe it just won't matter anymore.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Nostalgia

I am unashamedly nostalgic and sentimental when it comes to saving keepsakes from different seasons of my life. In fact I have a pretty big tote that holds all of these momentos. I started this tote during my late years of highschool and brought it with me when I married. It got a little beat up during the move (over 2 years ago) and I just now brought it back down to reorganize and put into new totes!

As you can see I've saved a really ridiculous amount of things. I mean dried prom flowers... My corsage from prom? I almost threw them out when I went through the box, but when I took them out of the brown bags they were still so pretty and I could just picture myself one day showing Reaghan what her daddy gave me when we were in high school. 

I've saved this shirt that Mark made me when I was 16. "Sweeticle" - it's a long story that wouldn't  interest anyone, but it holds "sweet" memories for me.

Mark actually made me a few different shirts with inside jokes on them. It's pretty funny now to think about how much I loved them then!

I'm also a lover of cards. I love to give them and to receive them. And I save ones that make me think of certain times or mushy feelings. Like this birthday card my little sister made for me. She went through a phase where she always hand made the best cards for people and would draw all of the things they loved in their card. I save it because it reminds me of her cute little face. (and maybe because she said my face was "beutiful". ; )

I've also kept letters to myself - like this one from a mission trip I went on when I was 16. It reminds me of how passionate I was for missions when I was in my teens. 

But my favorite of all the things I save are my journals. These are only some of the ones I have. I've always kept a journal, starting with the hot pink hello kitty one at the bottom of the pile to my pregnancy journal at the top of the pile. This project of putting all of my things into new totes took me almost all day and its because I spent the majority of the time reading through these old books and remembering days that I had forgotten, recounting things the Lord has taught me that I may or may not be living out now, and reliving all of the precious details of Mark's proposal. 

If you have never kept a journal, I highly recommend doing so. Life goes by so fast and we forget so many wonderful moments... the details of this life we've been given deserve to be remembered!

Truthfully, I keep way more things than I probably need to. I am, as I said, sentimental that way. Do I really need my cast from when I broke my arm when I was 8? Probably not. But I love to look at the names of the people that signed it and remember childhood friendships! It's just who I am. Anyways, I finally finished my project and split up my things into 2 totes so they wouldn't be so heavy. I added some new momentos of my first few years of being married, and then put them back up in the attic. 

I probably won't see them for a couple of more years, but I know I'll enjoy pulling them back out again. And you can be sure I'll have a box or 2 of Reaghan's things by the time she's old enough to appreciate it. : )

What about you? Do you find yourself holding on to things from your childhood?

See Reaghan Grow! {4 Months}

Reaghan turned 4 months old yesterday! Her 4th month was so much fun as it took us straight through Christmas and New Years. We enjoyed so many "firsts" with her and made so many memories. I feel like she has grown up a TON in just 4 weeks.

Here is what she's been doing:

• Her 4 month appointment isn't until Tuesday so I will update her Stats after that!
• She is in size 2 diapers. Still fits into some 3 month outfits but mostly 3-6 month clothes. It seemed like in a 24 hour span she outgrew all of her 0-3 month footie pajamas! One night they fit, the next night she was just too long!
• We transitioned her to her crib just after New Years. The first week was a challenge but she has finished her 2nd week of sleeping in her nursery and its going better!
• We start her bedtime routine around 9, which includes a bath, and she easily falls asleep by 9:45. The only down side is she now wakes up for a feeding between 3-4am where before she was sleeping 10-12 straight hours. (Not sure if this is a growth spurt thing or a crib vs. rock n play thing.) She is also waking up for the day around 7-7:30 instead of 9.
• She can scoot herself in a 180* in her crib at night - swaddled and everything! Head is at one end when I put her down and at the other when she wakes up in the morning, so we are starting to wean her from the swaddle.
• She is in a much better nap schedule - usually 1.5-2 hours in the morning and afternoon and a few cat naps here and there.
• She has lost quite a bit of hair on the top of her head, but it is getting thicker in the back!
• She is laughing more and more at silly noises and faces. It is the sweetest sound.
• Sometimes family gatherings overwhelm her a bit and she just needs her mama when it gets a bit too overstimulating. But she's still quick to offer smiles!
• She is trying to roll over but hasn't quite figured it out yet. Her first serious attempt was on 12/27. When laying on her back, she will swing her legs up in the air and get on to her side, but can't go any further. We practice it every day. :) Also practicing rolling tummy to back.
• She loves to lean forward when I'm holding her, trying to reach for her feet or any object that I might have in my hands and she likes to "stand" with support.
• Loves to sit in her high chair, her Exersaucer that she got for Christmas and her Bumbo seat - anything where she is up and can grab at toys and watch activity.
• She is doing much better at tummy time and playing independently on her floor mat with her toys! Sometimes long enough for me to workout while she watches.

She is mesmerized by pretty patterns!

Loves to try to sit up but only lasts 1-2 seconds before falling too far forward or to the side. She has a while to go before this skill is fully mastered!

Hence the reason she is leaning wayyyy back in the seat for this picture! I have to be careful to lean her back far enough that she cant pull herself forward if I leave her sitting somewhere, even for a second or two!

It was just this time last year that I found out I was pregnant with her and she has been the best part of every day ever since. I never knew I would find so much joy in watching her grow, learn and discover new things. Sometimes its hard to remember what it was like before she was in our lives.

Smiles can quickly turn in to little fits if mommy is taking too many pictures. ; )

Real Life Friday

Sometimes it's a little tiring trying to post pictures of a perfectly decorated, clean house with pretty edited pictures. (Not that my pictures are really every that edited because, well, I'm no photographer and all my pictures just come from my iPhone!) So instead I'm just going to share what's really happening this Friday morning at the Poindexter house... 

I've completely let laundry get out of hand this week and my husband's closet is paying the price.

Thankfully his office believes in "Casual Fridays" and he was able to wear jeans to work today, because I'm pretty sure he didn't have any other pants clean.

Also, I had to drag myself out of bed from snuggling with this little cuddle bug, who yes, I'm letting take her morning nap in my bed. She had strong feelings about not sleeping in her crib last night (we started transitioning her to the crib a week ago today) and kept us up for some time. This called for some serious snuggle time this morning and when she fell back asleep for her nap I decided to just let the girl sleep where she was! 

As a side, but very important note, I do just want to say that I am thankful for the opportunity to have sleepless nights and cuddly mornings. My heart is tender towards those who yearn for that very thing, my own sister included, and I am humbled to have been given the chance myself. 

Happy Friday to you!

Hoping your weekend is just what you need it to be. 

Italian Casserole

I had a can of pillsbury crescent rolls left over from our New Years Eve party where I tried to make these pinterest inspired "2015" shaped rolls - they didn't turn out quite as crisp as the pinterest version... but they tasted good!

Anyways, I wanted to find something else to make with the left over roll and I found a recipe for Italian Casserole! I think the dish turned out as delicious as it looked!

It was so easy to make! 

You lay the crescent roll triangles in the pie dish so that the wide edges are in the dish pressed together to form a crust on the bottom and the narrow edges lay over the edge of the dish.

Fill the dish with your choice of already cooked, ground meat (I used ground turkey), marinara sauce,  mozarella cheese and ricotta cheese. 

Fold the narrow edges over the mixture until their points touch in the center. 

Then sprinkle the top with mozarella cheese and dried basil.

Bake until warmed through and the crescent rolls are golden brown! Mine took about 20 minutes at 400*.

I loved how easy this was to make and yummy the buttery, flaky crescent rolls were with the pasta filling! I'm pretty sure I'll be making this dish again at some point. 

Adapted from this pinned recipe from the pillsbury website. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/200480620887988055/

The Happiest of 2015 to you!

Happy New Year!

So twenty fourteen is officially over and I have to say I'm sad to see it go. What a wonderful year it was for me and Mark. I loved looking back at my New Years post for 2014 and reading that I didn't have any plans for 2014 other than to just sit back and go with whatever happened, and man was that a good idea! Only 12 hours after I wrote that post I found out I was pregnant with my sweet Reaghan! From that day forward our whole year pretty much revolved around her!

Here's a quick look back:

Travels - We stayed pretty close to home this year. A 4th of July camping trip to NC and a trip up to Charlottesville was the extent of our travels this year! (Well, and a trip to Philly right after the 2014 New Year.)

New Accomplishments - Um. I pushed a human being out of my body. Without any medication. I think that tops my list for this year and all previous years combined.

New Scary Moments - After we found out we were pregnant we discovered about 90% of the OBGYN's in our area had dropped our insurance! Thankfully this was resolved before we got too far into the pregnancy. We found out 2 months ago that there is some uncertainty in Mark's job for the coming year. We aren't sure what all it will entail, but things could be changing for him/us in 2015.

New Milestones Reached - We celebrated our 2nd anniversary! We became Aunt/Uncle to our first niece. We had our first baby : )

New House Updates - We put new floors in! Pergo laminate wood flooring. Mark did 90% of the work himself! He's turning into a jack of all trades kind of man. We got a new roof! This one we hired the professionals for though. ; )

New Things Tried - We took parenting classes during our pregnancy. I switched from full time to part time at the end of my pregnancy and love being a mostly stay at home more than I ever thought possible! Keeping a tiny human alive for 3 months and counting!

Prayers Answered - A healthy pregnancy, a complication free delivery and a thriving baby.

We've also had some "unanswered" prayers this year and heartache in our family that I won't elaborate on because it isn't my story to tell. But we are having faith and remaining hopeful in 2015.


God was so good to us in 2014, even though we know we are undeserving. We also know that if things had been different last year, we would still proclaim God's goodness to us because it doesn't depend on our life's circumstances. But when I have the opportunity to praise him for the blessings of this life I try to do so!

We are looking forward to the coming year and continuing our journey as parents. Having a baby around infuses life with joy and we are excited about watching this beautiful little girl grow this year!

Wishing you the happiest of New Years in 2015!