In a Sea of Orange

In the past week, we've gone pumpkin picking twice. First, while visiting my husband's grandmother, and second a little closer to home. Peanut was thrilled with both trips, and Munchkin is very much looking forward to when we carve and decorate. We are slowly, but surely, working out way through our fall list.

Linking up with Mama Kat

5.) Show us your pumpkin patch.

Into The Fall

I just found the Back to Blogging Challenge by The SITS Girls, but I loved the Day 1 challenge. I am a list maker. In the past few years I've become very digital, but I had a physical planner up to the point that it no longer fit into my diaper bag (those are stories for another time). So with this new season and fresh start, here is some of what we plan to do this autumn, in no particular order.

Pumpkin picking at the farm - This isn't something that I did growing up, but we've been doing it every year since Munchkin was born. I love it, Munchkin loves it, and now that Peanut is a little older, I'm sure that he'll love it too.

Hey rides and mazes - I think that the boys will get a kick out of this.

Carving and decorating pumpkins - We haven't really decorated pumpkins before, but now that we have a bit more room, this could be a wonderful activity for the boys.

Playing on a tractor - The farm that we usually go to pick pumpkins has tractors set up for people to play on.

Feeding animals at the petting zoo or farm - I think that Peanut would love the animals now that he is old enough to actually participate.

Boo at the Zoo - We've been doing this for a couple of years now, and it really is a fun family weekend activity.

Costume parades and parties - Our fall is filling up quickly with these Halloween-type activities

Trick or treating - Munchkin went for the first time last year, and he is definitely looking forward to going again this year.

Playing in the leaves - Both boys seem to love playing with leaves.

Baking pies - I am not a fan of cooking, but I love to bake. This is a fun season to bake in.

Family movie night - Planning on taking full advantage of our Netflix account.

Family game night - I'm almost embarrassed that we haven't done this before, but I am looking forward to getting to play with the entire family.

Making Thanksgiving desserts - Thanksgiving is my mother's holiday, and she always makes a feast. I try to bring a variety of desserts, and maybe Munchkin can "help" me with the baking this year.

What are you and your family planning on doing this fall?

Preschoolers in the Mist

Tuesday was the start of fall. A new season. A fresh start. And while things around here might no longer feel like summer, the leaves have not yet started to change, and we aren't overrun by pumpkins. Yet.

But fall is a great season to be outside. The air is a little cooler, but not so cold that everyone is bundled up to the point of not being able to move. So in fall, we spend more time outside. Eventually, we'll make it to the pumpkins, the orchards, and the yellow, orange and red trees for miles. But on Tuesday, we headed to the zoo.

And if this is what the boys think of when they think of the beginning of fall, I will not be upset.

Linking up with Mama Kat

1.) The first day of Fall is September 23rd, take a photo and share what the first day of Fall looks like in your next of the woods.

Wordless Wednesday: Breastfeeding Around Us

Feeding Baby Part 1: Breastfeeding Supplies

This post has been a long time coming, as I basically have been breastfeeding for the past fifty-one months, with the exception of the nine months I was pregnant with Peanut. As this is World Breastfeeding Week, I figure that this is as good a time as any. Here are some items that I have found the most useful, especially in the beginning.

Nursing Pillow - I personally use the Boppy, and it works great for me. I'm still using the same pillow that I got as a shower gift for Munckin, although I did get new covers this time around. We brought it to the hospital for both boys, our friends and family used it to hold the boys, both boys used it to help them learn how to sit, and of course for nursing. When Peanut first came home we would use the Boppy to help Munchkin hold him. It is definitely one of my most used baby product hands down.

Nursing Bras - Hands down my favorite brand was Bravado. Before Munchkin was born, I went to a maternity store and was fitted for nursing bras. I cannot remember what brands I ended up with, but they were just ok. I had a sleeping bra and two daytime bras, and I do not at all regret getting them, I am so glad that I went and got fitted. I don't remember when I discovered Bravado, but I was much happier once I did. I had a Body Silk Seamless and an Allure bra and I loved how they fit and how easy it was to nurse in them. Towards the end of my pregnancy with Peanut, I got the Original Nursing Bra to use for sleeping and around the house.

Nursing Cover - With Munchkin, I had a Bebe Au Lait nursing cover, and it worked for us. I was not all that comfortable, so I wasn't nursing in public all that often. If I was at someone's house, I would excuse myself to another room. We only had to use the cover a handful of times before he was just too big to tolerate it. Peanut couldn't stand the cover from the beginning, and I had much better luck just using an Aden and Anais blanket.

Shower Hug - I didn't find this in time for Munchkin, but it was a godsend with Peanut. In the early days of nursing, my nipples were so sensitive that I couldn't even stand for the water in the shower to hit them. With Munchkin, I literally held a washcloth over my breasts, but that was not even a little convenient, and didn't always work. I used this with Peanut, and it saved me. Time in the shower was so much more limited, and I didn't want to waste a second. This was worth every penny.

Breast Shells - Again, something that I don't think that I could have lived without in the early days. I personally used the Avent Comfort Breast Shells. I wore them when I was engorged around the house as well as wearing them while nursing. With Munchkin, I only had a single breast pump, and I wore it while pumping.

Nipple Cream - I didn't use this as much with Munchkin, and looking back I wish that I had. With Peanut I used Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter. I kept it on my nightstand and it definitely worked for me.

Breast Pads - There are a lot of options here, and I found them completely necessary for the first few months. This time I used the Avent Day and Avent Night pads. I was not completely happy that they aren't very environmentally friendly, but the convenience factor was huge for me and it was definitely worth my sanity. I considered using Bamboobies to mix into the rotation, but by the time I got around to it, I wasn't using the pads as often and it didn't seem worth it to spend the money.

Avent Breastcare Essentials Set - This was filled with great useful things, and it made a convenient place to store some other items as well. I definitely used the cold packs a lot more than I used them warm, but I was so happy to have them. And I really liked the breastpads, buying more packages to replace what I used.

Currently

Making: Lunches.
Cooking: Side dishes for the (new) barbecue dinners.
Drinking: Water, but still a little too much soda.
Reading: Nothing interesting, looking for something good (and the time to read it)
Wanting: A baby monitor so that we can be outside after the boys are in bed.
Looking: Forward.
Playing: In the backyard.
Sewing: Still nothing, still can't really sew.
Wishing: That we were all unpacked.
Enjoying: The weather, and spending a little more time outside.
Waiting: For the dryer to finish.
Liking: That both boys are thrilled with simple summer things, like playing ball and ice cream for dessert.
Wondering: When Peanut will sleep through the night.
Loving: That when one boy hugs me, the other has to as well.
Hoping: That we will be able to do all that we wanted to this summer.
Marveling: How fast this summer is going.
Needing: An outdoor table so that we can take advantage of the nice weather while it is here.
Smelling: The fresh air coming through the window.
Wearing: Shorts and a tee, seems to be my summer uniform this year.
Following: Peanut as he throws balls into bushes.
Noticing: The curl that's starting at the back of Peanut's head.
Knowing: That while there is so much to do, not all of it matters.
Thinking: That they are growing too fast.
Feeling: Tired, but happy.
Bookmarking: Activities and crafts to try to do with Munchkin.
Opening: Boxes, trying to find missing items.
Giggling: While playing on the grass.

Getting Back To Things

Before I moved, I figured that I would throw a Fourth of July barbecue/party in our new backyard. I had convinced myself that I would be completely unpacked, organized and company ready a week after moving day.

Here I am almost a month later, and we are still living out of boxes. There is so much for us to do before I feel comfortable having people over, some painting projects that didn't get finished before we moved in, some furniture that we still need, as well as the unpacking that has to be finished. I almost want to go back in time two months and laugh at myself for thinking that this would be so easy.

But life goes on, and summer has been pretty good to us. The weather has been nice, and we've been busy. Now is the time that I need to start getting back into a routine, as everything has been thrown off for a while now. I almost feel like I'm treading water, and need a fresh start to move forward. And I want to move forward before I loose this time. The boys will only be little for short while, even Munchkin is starting to seem so big to me, and I want to actually feel like I am here with them, not just around them.

What kind of changes do you make when you need fresh start?