Fall movie preview

So each season I love doing this kind of blog. We all know I love movies. And going through the previews is something I love as well. Finding ones I want to see and sharing them with you. I usually have a lot but for some reason, this fall season doesn't have that many movies that look good to me. But here we go.

The Martian

October 2

Rated R

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor

I am actually reading this book right now. I am about halfway through and can't wait to finish it. I love Matt Damon and I am so glad he is doing this role.

Pan

October 9

Rated PG

Starring: Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, Garrett Hedlund, Cara Delevingne

It's the story of Peter Pan which is so fascinating to me. We always saw him taking the children to Neverland but his actually story has never been told so to see how he becomes who is, is just really cool.

Our Brand is Crisis

October 30

Rated R

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie

A Bolivian presidential candidate is failing badly so he hires a management team, ran by Sandra Bullocks character. Billy Bob plays her professional nemesis. Based on true events.

The Peanuts Movie

November 6

Rated G

Starring a bunch of kids as the voices

The whole gang is back as they embark on a epic adventure together. And can I just say the soundtrack is amazing! I wonder which neice or nephew I can tag along with for this....?

Spectre

November 6

Rated PG-13

Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Lea Seydoux, Naomie Harris

James Bond is back. Need I say more?

By The Sea

November 13

Rated R

Starring: Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt

OK......my two favorite people in the world are back in a movie together. I don't care what it's about or if it's good or not, my butt will be in a seat drooling over these two. Angelina wrote and directed it. (I can't say enough how much I love this women). But in all honesty, this movie looks amazing! About a husband and wife and coming to terms with unresolved issues in their lives.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2

November 20

Rated PG-13

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci

Katniss is back in the last movie for the series. Can her and District 13 win against the capital? If you've read the books then you know, but if you haven't then you are in for a good time.

That gets us through the fall season! Are you excited about one in particular? Am I missing one you think I need to go see? Let me know! 

8 weeks

How old? 8 weeks

Likes? Kisses, snuggling, music

Hates? Falling asleep on his own, the quiet

Milestones this week? Sitting in the Bumbo seat, sleeping in the pack-n-play at night, smiling at me when I smile at him

Sleeping? He still likes his cat-naps during the day. He will do one to two 3 hour stretches at night. He just likes being with us and being involved and is afraid he will miss out on something. 

Eating? Ever since we switched him to soy, he has had a much better tummy and poops. We were giving him 4oz every 2 to 3 hours but I have cut him back because I felt like it was too much and it hurt him. So he eats 3oz every 2 hours and it has made a world of difference. 

30 in 30: 3: Breastfeeding

So part of my 30 in 30, I knew I wanted it to be breastfeeding. And since it is an option to choose, not something that is automatic, I thought it would be something to use and blog about. 

So you must know something first, both my mom and sister had a hard time producing milk. They both struggled with it and eventually had to stop because they just couldn't give enough. And it's not worth your child starving! So I went in with the mindset that if it didn't work, if I was just like my mom and sister, it would be no big deal. They make formula so good now and him eating is more important than me burning calories and having that experience. 

And before all of you breastfeeding moms who are way into it give me backlash, telling me all about the benefits of it, I KNOW IT ALL. I understand it and breastfeeding was/is important to me. So please, no critics bashing me on my experience or decision. 

Ok, here goes my story, my 30 in 30, number 3, Breastfeeding.

My sister in laws informed that I could get a free pump from the government through my insurance. So I went online and picked one out that looked right for me. I got the Medela Pump In Style, Advanced Breast Pump.

So Brody has arrived and I am back in the room with Bobby when a nurse comes in. She simply ask me if I had decided to use formula or breastfeed. I told her I had wanted to try breastfeeding. Next thing I know, my gown is undone and this sweet little women is massaging my breast. She told me that she was going to try to get them going since Brody wasn't able to get on me himself that evening. She was trying to get the colostrum (the good stuff) going. She massaged what seemed like forever. Having just a little luck, she decided to let me go up to my own room and another nurse would be in to help me. So I get up to my room and my night time nurse comes in. She had asked me if I knew how to pump. I told her I hadn't, that I hadn't even looked at it. And she was more than willing to help me. So she showed me how the pump works and away I went. 

Ok.....so can I just say how weird it is to look down and see your nipples going back and forth, feeling this pulling sensation and trying to imagine milk coming out from it! It's weird. The first pump I did, not some much luck. But I kept trying every 3 hours since Brody wasn't with me. One of Brody's NICU nurses came in to see me, and told me that when he got off the IV, if he was hungry, would I like them to give him formula. I told them yes, don't starve him while I am trying to produce milk. When I was finally able to go see Brody, which was 10am the following morning, he had already had a few bottles. Trying to get him to latch was impossible! He refused it. I had the sweetest, best lactation nurse who was so kind and patient in the room with us while Brody was fighting and screaming. Then playing possum. It took a good 5 minutes to get him to even suck on me. But this boy of mine likes the instant gratification of a bottle. When he is hungry, he wants it then and now. Not, oh hey let's suck for a few mins and barely nothing. So for 2 days, even though we tried, he got fed from a bottle. And I just pumped. And everything I pumped, his nurses would give him before the formula. Which was great! When he did finally get in our room, it was easier to pick him up and try but he still wanted nothing to do with it. 

By the time I left the hospital, I was producing about 1/4 of an ounce from each boob, each time. And I couldn't have been more excited. I just needed to get him to latch. And I knew once we got home, I would have time to sit there and try to train him on it. And boy did I try. But he just wasn't interested. So I talked to the lactation nurse at his pediatrician office about it and she suggested to try to get to him before he realized he was hungry. And she suggested taking Fenugreek pills to help with my milk supply. 

He latched only a few times after that and I was wearing myself out, stressing myself and him out and neither one of us sleeping because of it. So I told Bobby I would just pump and he can get it in a bottle instead. That I felt like I had tried and it just wasn't something I wanted to keep fighting my baby on. So we got some formula to help supplement since he wouldn't get enough on my milk alone. About 2 weeks later, I was pumping about 1/2 an ounce each boob, each time. And about this time is when it really started to hurt me. Every time I would turn that pump on, I would cringe. Ugh! And I can't even describe the pain to you. Like having a sore that you keep pressing and pulling on and it keeps getting irritated. It took another week for the pain to stop and me get use to it. 

About week 5, I noticed my milk that was coming out was slowing down some. That I wasn't getting as much as I was. But I didn't let it bother me or upset me. To just keep pumping and giving him what I could.

So here we are, 7 and 1/2 weeks later. And I am officially done pumping. I have almost dried up despite my effort of taking 6 Fenugreek pills a day and drinking water like it's going out of style. I tried this morning and I only got 1/8 of an ounce from each boob. And I know it's because he never latched. I know if he had, it would have been better. But he didn't and it is what it is. 

Here are some questions I get asked about it:

How did you get a free pump and do you like it? 

Please go to https://pages.email.edgepark.com/bp/eligibility/form/?rc=EPBPMAIN to see if you qualify. After I ordered it and they confirmed it with my doctor, I received it in 2 days! It was a great pump for being free. I don't have anything to compare it to but I read that Medela is the best rating pump so I knew I couldn't go wrong. 

Does it bother you he didn't latch?

No, it doesn't bother me. He wasn't a fan and it was nothing against me. I still have plenty of time bonding with him and I don't need him sucking on my breast to do that. Plus, Bobby gets to feed him and I love that. And I get to sleep more at night because of it. 

Do you think if he had only the boob from the beginning would it been easier?

Yes! If he would have been in our room that first night, and I was the only option for him from the beginning, it would be a different story. But my baby was in NICU and hungry and I wasn't making anything at that time. And I refused to let him starve. So it is what it is. Yes breastfeeding is free and formula is expensive but oh well.

Does it really burn calories?

YES! I am 1 pound away from my beginning weight and I have to say that 80% of it is from breastfeeding. I don't eat a lot anyways so burning those calories on top of it only helped me drop the weight faster. 

Are you upset you are done?

I wouldn't say upset but I am a little sad. I'm proud of myself for trying and sticking it out even when he wanted nothing to do with it. With my family history, the fact that I went this long is really amazing. Plus, he got the good stuff, he got the benefits from it and he's a happy, healthy baby. 

Now, hand me my sushi, my jalapenos, my wine and my tequila shot because this mom is free to have it all. 

Fall TV

Since today is officially the start of Fall, I thought it was only right to tell you all about the shows I watch. If you know anything about me, you know I LOVE TV. I look forward to my shows every year and I tape on every TV in the house just so I can see it all. I spend a good amount of my time watching TV. I just love it. It's my entertainment. Here is what I watch or will be watching this fall season. 

On ABC, the returning shows I will be watching are: 

Castle

Dancing With The Stars

The Goldbergs

Grey's Anatomy

SHIELD

Modern Family

Shark Tank

On ABC, the new show I am watching is:

Quantico

On NBC, the returning shows I will be watching are:

The Blacklist

Chicago PD

Mysteries of Laura

The Voice

On NBC, the new shows I will be watching are:

The Blindspot

Heroes: Reborn

On CBS, the returning shows I will be watching are:

The Big Bang Theory

Hawaii 5-0

CSI: Cyber

CSI-The finale 2 hour show

On CBS, the new shows I will be watching are:

Limitless

Supergirl

On FOX, the returning shows I will be watching are:

Bones

Gotham

On FOX, the new show I will be watching is:

Scream Queens

On FX, the returning show I will be watching is:

American Horror Story

On FX, the new show I will be watching is:

The Bastard Executioner 

On AMC, the returning show I will be watching is:

The Walking Dead

On AMC, the new show I will watching is:

Fear The Walking Dead

I want to know which of the shows I watch, you watch? Which are you the most excited about? Are there any I watch you can't stand? Could you talk to me for hours about one particular show (and trust me, we could)? 

So if you need me at night, I'll be on the couch with my glass of wine, smelling my pumpkin candle, snuggling my new baby and both of us in the arms of my husband. 

Or I might look like this....

7 weeks old

How old? 7 weeks 

Likes? Snuggling, playing in the water, Gripe water (he suffers from hiccups so he gets a good amount of Gripe water during the day to help)

Hates? Being left alone, when he has to poop

Milestones this week? Ok, so this is going to sound weird but....he is already saying mom. When he is crying, he says mom while he is crying. I thought I was going crazy and asked Bobby and he said, no he just said mom. Now, he doesn't look at me and say it so I don't know if I can count it, but knowing it's somewhat that, melts my heart. And after he has said it, I hold him and calm him and he will say it a few more times. He likes to stand on his legs and move his head side to side. He has found his hands and is starting to suck on them. 

Sleeping? He isn't a very good sleeper. He likes cat naps. This is where we struggle the most with him. The doctor said to wait till 8 weeks to have him cry it out. So he has another week of cat naps before the tough love comes out. 

Eating? 3 to 4 ounces, every 2 to 3 hours. So we have finally figured out the right kind of formula for him. We went through every Enfamil they had and the only one that seems to be easy enough on his tummy is Enfamil Prosobee, which is their soy based one. Yes, he is on soy. That doesn't mean he will go through life with a milk allergy, it just means his system right now is having a hard time processing it and this is what he needs right now. It is such a relief to finally figure it out. His poops are better and he doesn't need gas drops as much. 

Happy Birthday Colton Levi Talbert

Happy Birthday to my sweet Colton! 

What an amazing kid you are. You are kind, sweet and so very loving. You have such a big heart and I love you so much. From what I am told, you are a great cook and love being in the kitchen. Speaking of that....I thought I was promised cupcakes a long time ago from you. 

(I may be making this up). 

You are going to make an INCREDIBLE big brother based off how I see you act with Kent, Billie Marie and Brody. As soon as you come in my home, you go to Brody and give him a big kiss and you are so interested in him. You are sweet and gentle and want to know everything about him. 

Your friendship with Kent is something I love. You are always interested to know where he is and what he is doing. I hope you and him have this friendship for the rest of your lives. It is something very special and my heart just sings when I see you two together. 

Thank you for being such a great kid. I take great honor in being your Aunt and you make it so easy for me to brag about! I love that you love video games and I love sitting with you while you play. I hope you have a wonderful 6th birthday and know how much I love you. 

Love, Aunt Dani

Newborn Photos

About 4 weeks ago, I had my good friend Mrs. Becca Egger come and take Brody's baby photos. And boy, she did not disappoint. Y'all....I just love her. She did our wedding, and my maternity and it was without a doubt I knew I wanted her to take Brody's pictures. She is the best! And what I love about her is that she captures the small things and makes you feel super comfortable. She is up for anything and is quick shot. 

Here are a few of my favorites that she captured (ok so it's more than a few cause I just couldn't pick a few). First ones are black and white and then again in color. We went with black and white for my house because they are just so classic and beautiful on the wall. 

Thank you so much Becca! My family just loves you and so blessed to have you in our lives. 

If you are interested in having Becca take your photos (and you should) please go to her website for more information on how to get in contact with her. 

http://www.beccaeggerphotography.com/

6 weeks old

How old? 6 weeks

Likes? Talking, TV, outside

Hates? Being left alone (something we are working on), pooping (when he has to poop, Hulk comes out and by that I mean he screams and cries and wiggles and then poops and is happy) 

Milestone's this week? Turning his head to the sound of my voice, talking to himself, taking his hand and reaching for things. He loves when he is in the Puj tub and the water is running on his legs, he likes to reach for it. He has found his hands and he likes to put them to his mouth. He can hold his head up really well too. 

Sleeping? UGH! It's been rough. He isn't the best sleeper, he likes to be with us and interacting with us. He's afraid of missing something. But once he does go to sleep, he sleeps good. 

Eating? He is up to 4oz and eats every 2 to 3 hours. He will do one 4 hour stretch in the middle of the night which is great. 

4 year wedding anniversary

Dear Diary,

Today is my 4th wedding anniversary. I can't believe 4 years ago I married my best friend. I married the man of my dreams, the man that takes care of me, the man that made a baby with me. I love looking at him and I love seeing him be a dad. He is strong, and forgiving, and loves me for me. Our wedding was so much fun. We just wanted a really big party with our family and friends. And that's exactly what we had. I remember it all like it was yesterday and it was one of the best days in my life. 

I can't image my life without him. There is no one more perfect for me, no one more made for me, no one I would or could love more. Happy Anniversary to my boo, I love you so much!  

Love, Me

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom! 

You are so beautiful and so kind. You were always there for me growing up. Making sure you were at every event and everything at school. You were the perfect room mom and took the time to make sure I knew you loved me. You are a great example for me to be like. As a wife and a mom. I love you, Bobby loves you, Bullet and Dash love you and Brody loves you. 

Thank you for everything. Thank you for teaching me to be nice and kind and to not talk bad about people. To treat everyone equally because we are all made by God. You are a fantastic mother and friend and Mimi and Brody is so very lucky to have you! You always sang You Are My Sunshine to me but it should have been me that sang that to you because growing up you were always that ray of light for me. And now, I sing it to Brody and always tell him that his Mimi sang it to me. 

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

Happy Birthday mom and I love you! 

5 weeks old

How old? 5 weeks 

Likes? Baths, being talked to

Hates? Being alone

Milestone's this week? His head control is crazy good. And we are doing our best to get him to sleep some in his bed. He's just not a big fan of his bed yet so it's been hard. Any advice would be great for helping him sleep in there. He's also awake more during feedings so I see him being more on a day sleep schedule very soon. We have been doing tummy time twice a day and he doesn't seem to mind it. And last night, I looked at him and was talking and I smiled and he smiled back. I don't care if it was gas or not, he smiled on cue to me and I was in heaven. 

Sleeping? He loves to be rocked to sleep. And I love it because it's my alone time with him. They say it's important to look in their eyes when they are being rocked because it helps with the bonding and making them feel safe and comfy, which helps them fall asleep faster. 

Eating? He must be growing because he has been eating so much lately. We have had to give him 4oz a few times this past week to get him full. 

1 month old

How old? 1 month

Weight? 10 pounds (55 percentile)

Length? 22..5 inches (94 percentile)

Likes? Snuggling, eating, the sound of water, the heating pad on his tummy

Dislikes? Being cold, his diaper changed

Eating? 3 oz every 2-3 hours

Sleeping? He takes about 3 to 4, 2 hour naps during the day and only wakes at night to eat, which is every 2 and 1/2 hours

Awake? He is awake a good 2 hours in the morning and a good 2 hours in the afternoon which is great because we are trying to start him on a sleep schedule and him being awake more helps that. 

Milestones? Holding his head up, smiling, cooing, looking me in the eyes, moving his head side to side

Anything new? Brody inherited my stomach issues. So we are trying to figure out which formula works best for him. After speaking with his doctor yesterday, she wants me to try giving him gas drops before every feeding to see if that helps without having to switch him to an expensive formula. I am not producing enough breastmilk a day so in order for him to eat enough, we have to give formula. So far, it seems to be working. He hasn't cried as much when he needs to poop and is able to pass gas much easier. We do have him on the Enfamil Gentlease and will keep him on that unless he needs to switch to soy (which I pray he isn't laktosintolerant). 

How's mom and dad? We are doing ok. We have a nice schedule going on at night where Bobby takes the 10pm and 12pm shift and I take the 2am, 4am and 6am shift and then sleep in till around 9am. I have 4 pounds to go till I am back to my beginning weight but my body is not what it use to be. And I know that will come when I can start to work out so I am not to worried. It is hard to find time for myself, let alone find time for Bobby. Brody takes up so much of our time because he's so small still and can't really do anything or go in anything to play, so finding time for each other is something we are working on. I am finally able to take a bath (showers for the past 4 weeks, blah) so the past 2 nights, I have taken a nice long bath and it amazes me what 30 minutes to yourself feels like. It's like a switch in the brain and everything is back to square 1. 

His name

Dear Diary,

I have always loved my name. I am named after my dad who is named after his uncle. It is original for a girl and have always loved having a boy name. So when it came time to naming my son, it was the hardest thing Bobby and I did. 

Bobby had a name he really liked and I had a name I really liked. But the name B liked, I was just ok with. And the name I liked, he was just ok with. So we were stuck. 

At 32 weeks, B came to me and said "We really need to talk about a name Dani. I want to call him something other than Mighty Mouse." To which I said, "We still have time. Let's talk about in a few weeks." 

At 35 weeks, B came to me with a list of names he had found that he liked and asked me to look over them and see if anything stuck out. Besides the names we had already talked about, there was only one other name on the list I liked. So we added it to the small list we had going on and went on our way. 

At 38 weeks, B told me he wanted to make something for his room with his name on it so it was time for us to decide from the list. But I just couldn't. I really wanted to see him. I wanted to see what he looked like and I just knew a name would come to us. B hated this idea. He thought I might like one thing and he like another and then our child would still not have a name. But we both kept coming back to this one name that we were growing very fond of. 

At 39 weeks, we made a decision to go with the name we couldn't get out of our heads and if we saw him and it didn't feel right, we could discuss it then. Now to think of a middle name.....back to the drawing board. 

At 40 weeks, as I am in labor, my sweet husband comes and sits next me and says "Babe, I know this isn't the best time but we NEED to decide on a name. Like this is happening and we need to go in there with something on our minds and if it doesn't look like it fits, we can figure that out then." We both loved Brody so much so with that in mind, I really wanted Daniel. Because Dani comes from Daniel and it would be a part of me for him. But Bobby wasn't fully on board with it so I just grew quiet. I then said "Let's just go with Robert. It's your legal name, it doesn't pick one family over the other and it's simple." He said ok. 

So we went in the delivery room with Brody Robert Lewis as his name. 

Then he was born and my husband takes one look at him and turns and looks at me and says "He looks just like you!" Then when I saw him, I thought the same thing. That he had a lot of my features. When we got back to the recovery room, I turned and looked at Bobby and said, "I want to go with Daniel. I want his middle name Daniel." And Bobby said, "I agree. Let's go with Daniel." 

I have a feeling if I had asked for anything at that moment in time, I would have gotten it. There was so much love and emotion flowing through that room, I could have asked for an Escalade and might have gotten it. 

We both loved Brody because neither one of us know or knew a Brody. There was no one to compare him too. The only Brody I know of is Brody Jenner and he's hot so that's cool. I knew I wanted a name that went with Bobby and I. Like when someone say's "Is Bobby, Dani and (blank) coming?" I wanted it to go with our name and Brody does that. 

Brody Daniel Lewis couldn't be more perfect for us and his name is so fitting for him. I'm glad we waited as long as we did and actually saw him because as you can see, anything can happen and anything can change. 

Love, Me