Declutter with Creative QT

New Years Resolution …. Declutter! I don’t know about you but my kids receive several stuffed animal friends during the holidays. They are starting to take over their room and the playroom. To them they all have a sentimental value and they can’t seem to part with them.

Instead of shoving them all under their beds I found an awesome alternative. Creative QT makes a fillable Stuff ‘n Sit Chair. They have several different patterns to choose from we choose the pink and white stripe to match perfectly in the Girls Playroom.

This Stuffable Storage Bean Bag is perfect for all their stuffed animals making a cozy seat. You can also fill with dress up clothing or hand me downs you have laying around that you’re waiting for your child to grow into. Just unzip, stuff, and zipper closed! Now you have a super comfy chair and less clutter eating around.

The Girls are really enjoying them and I’m loving how clean their rooms look now! Head over to Creative QT and pick out ones to start stuffing! Use code 20BRYNNNORA and you will receive 20% off your entire order. The code is valid through 12/31/19.

Our Summer Vacation

Every summer we stay local and go to the Jersey Shore for our family vacation. This summer we went to Cape May, NJ. Cape May holds a special place in my heart. As a child Cape May was the beach I spent many summers exploring. My grandparents had a house there. I just love the atmosphere. The victorian homes mixed with the beach is a total dream!

Almost 11 years ago, when Dom and I got married we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in Cape May the weekend after the wedding. Our honeymoon was planned for a few months after the wedding but we wanted to stay somewhere special after. So it was the perfect little getaway for us.

This year we stayed a block from the beach so daily trips to the beach were a must! We even went back at night some days to watch the sunset. The beach is my happy place. Brynn and Nora loved looking for shells and sand crabs. Brynn enjoyed riding the waves on her boogie board. They also spent a lot of time fending off the momarazzi. How could I not take pictures when we were in my favorite place in our favorite matching Kortni Jeane swimmers ?!? These bathing suits are not only so adorable but super comfortable. I’m loving their mix’n’match style!

If your in Cape May you have to visit the Cape May County Park & Zoo. Its by far the best Zoo in the Area. Its free and open year round. They also have the Tree to Tree Adventure park for those who like to zipline.

One night we did a horse and carriage ride. We learned so much about Cape May’s history. The girls loved the experience of being on a horse and carriage like Cinderella and we loved hearing interesting facts and fun stories about different homes and past residents. If you are visiting I would definitely recommend taking a ride around town with Cape May Carriage Company.

The Washington Street Mall is the perfect place for everyone. Lots of unique shops, sweet treats, and places to dine. If you need a pick me up stop in to Coffee Thyme for one of their delicious flavors of coffee.

Cape May also has an arcade on Beach Avenue. Its the only “boardwalk” I grew up with. Unfortunately, the girls have been spoiled with Ocean City’s Boardwalk so two nights we made the trip to the Ocean City. The girls love going to Gillians Wonderland Pier. So many fun rides! My sister and her family were down from New Hampshire and staying in Ocean City that week. So it was nice being able to visit and the girls love seeing their cousins.

While we were in Cape May we also celebrated Nora’s 3rd Birthday! Which called for more pictures on the beach! Her fun sparkler candle was from Ellie & Piper Party Boutique.

The Cape May Lighthouse, Wold War II Lookout Tower, and The Nature Conservancy are also fun stops to make. Unfortunately this time there we were unable to fit them in. We had a great time on our Family vacation in Cape May and can’t wait to go back!

Gifts for Your Little Sweet Heart

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Valentine’s Day is probably my MOST favorite holiday! I know to some its a corny made up day but to me it means SO MUCH MORE. Being a mom that went through years of infertility and loss, I honestly dreamt about these moments for many years. Now that I’m able to experience these little (but oh so special) moments I go a tad over board but that’s ok right?!? I also love any excuse to find cute things that I know my girls will love. I put together a list of my favorite items for the girls that make the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts! I hope you enjoy!

Rain Boots – London Littles Rain Boots are so adorable. The girls are going to be so excited for NEW rain boots! They also worked so perfectly to stuff with all the other goodies instead of a gift bag.
Book – I always try to get the girls a new book for holidays to spice up their collection. This Sweet Hearts board book is so perfect for the Valentine’s Day Theme and has a great story celebrating LOVE!
Bows – These gorgeous bows are from All the Pretty Pretties! Im so in love with all their bows for each holiday and everyday wear! These prints were my favorite for Valentine’s Day! They have so many others to choose from making it impossible to pick!
Nail Polish – Lots of Sparkles! Piggy Paint is my favorite polish for the girls . Its Non-toxic and safe for the littlest loves in your life!
Wands – These hand made Conversation Heart Wands by The Della Rose Boutique are so adorable and I know the girls are going to love playing pretend with them!
Magnetic Dress-up – Mudpuppy is our go to for Non-digital toys/games. The Magnetic Dress-up Set is the perfect solution for lost game pieces. They come in a closable tin case and will be so perfect for the girls for in the car and when we go out to dinner.
Stuffers- Lots of the little stuffers and candy I found at Target. Most were in the Target Dollar Spot!

All is Calm on our Leesa

Your parents always tell you that time passes by in what seems to be an instant when you have children. While it surely felt like only yesterday that welcomed in our first miracle to the world, here we were transitioning our two and half a year old to her first ‘Big Girl’ bed. The transition was bittersweet. Out went all of the items we had dreamed about for so very long – the crib and the changing table. In came the big girl bed and the dressers. While we were redoing her room, we were fortunate to receive a bed frame that belonged to my grandmother. The bed frame was perfect, but the mattress, having years of use, was much to be desired. Fast forward another two and half years, and our second born, Nora, is getting closer to her ‘Big Girl’ bed. This seemed like the perfect time for an upgrade for Brynn and a brand new start for Nora.

When researching mattresses, we knew that comfort was a top priority. As a first time parent, I never really understood how important a comfortable bed makes when ensuring a good night sleep for not only your child, but the parents as well! The bed is more than just a place to sleep each night. It is that happy place you go to to feel safe and warm. It is where you recharge yourself to be your best self each day. It is where you read to your children and watch their imagination sparkle. It is where you cuddle for as long as you can until the day they no longer want to cuddle with you!

Now, back to the topic of comfort. Ever since we moved Brynn to a bed she has been a very restless sleeper. She constantly tosses and turns throughout the night never seemed to find the right position. Therefore, we knew that we needed to find a mattress that would cuddle her perfectly so that she could be snug and cozy.

This broght us to the Leesa Mattress. We knew this would be the perfect mattress for our daughters. Its new top layer of foam contours to every curve of your body so that it feels like you are floating on air. Brynn would always toss and turn, preferring to sleep on her side. Luckily, the Leesa mattress is perfect for all positions, but is especially comfortable for back and side sleepers. With the Cooling Foam Top layer and the Contouring Memory Foam right underneath, this mattress is sure to give you a Silent Night of sleep.

Unboxing the Leesa

Setting up the Leesa Mattress couldn’t have been any easier. It arrives at your doorstep in a box packaged in a vacuum sealed plastic covering.The box can easily be carried directly to the bedroom and step-by-step instructions are provided right on the box. Within seconds of cutting the plastic covering, the mattress is full size, making for a very convenient and simple process. It is also quite amazing how such a big mattress can fit into such a small box.

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The first night on the Leesa

Every since Brynn started talking, she has always been quite expressive. As such, we were pretty curious how she would critique her new bed. ‘Oh my gosh, I love this bed,’ she proclaimed over and over. As a parent, you quickly realize that changes are scary for children, especially changes to sleep routines. A new mattress is a pretty big change. Fortunately, Leesa offers a 100-night risk free trial, though it only took one night for Brynn to fall in love with her new mattress. In fact, she slept well past her normal wake time the very first night on her new Leesa and has never looked back. Night time is now a breeze and there is now calm and peace instead of tossing and turning.

My Two Rainbows readers get $160 off their Leesa Mattress when using code : BrynnNora

This post was sponsored by Leesa, thank you for supporting the brands and organizations I work with. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I only choose to share brands we have tried and love ourselves as a family.

The First Rainbow

Once we heard the amazing news of having THREE “normal” embryos we were so excited to start our next cycle. Of course we were scared but we went in to the process with so much faith in this amazing science.

After having two miscarriages my brain was programed with so much doubt. I’m already cursed with anxiety so adding these doubts on top of anxiety was a recipe for disaster. The only thing that kept my faith high was knowing we never did the PGS testing on the other embryos I had miscarried so this time was … DIFFERENT.

We started our frozen cycle and basically I was on a ton of medication to trick my body. Along with all the meds comes lots of symptoms: Hot flashes, mood swings, and depression. There were lots and lots of doctor appointments, ultrasounds, and blood work. This process is a huge numbers game. Levels have to be perfect for better success rates.

Transfer day came and I was pretty nervous to say the least. The plan was to thaw the best quality embryo and transfer. There is always a chance the embryo will not survive the thaw. It is a low percentage but obviously we don’t have the best of luck. During the transfer you are awake and have to have a full bladder so the nurse can perform an ultrasound as the doctor uses a catheter to insert the embryo into the uterus. This process is very nerve wracking on top of having to pee like you have never had to pee in your life. Its slightly uncomfortable. After the transfer the doctor has you lay there for 30 min. The LONGEST 30 min of your life with a full bladder. Then you are sent home and advised to do bedrest for the rest of the day and light activity for the next 2 days following.

During this time I tried to watch funny movies and look up Pinterest DIY projects. It was a very difficult time because it was just me and my thoughts most of the time. It sounds so crazy now to say out loud but I would hold my belly and wish her to life. I needed her to know how much I already loved her and needed her in my life.

On day Four after the transfer I had a gut feeling I was pregnant. I decided to take a test and as soon as I saw the two lines I didn’t get as excited as I had in the past. I had been down this road before and I wasn’t in the clear just yet. So as good as it felt I just couldn’t be happy. I had blood work every 3 days for two weeks. My levels continued to rise perfectly.

During this time were lots of emotionally bad days. Each time I felt at my worst something crazy would happen. I would come a crossed a ladybug . Once in my car, the house, and even at work. This doesn’t sound that crazy but it was currently December in New Jersey so not typical any bugs would be out. I took it as a sign of hope.

We were scheduled to have an ultrasound at 5 weeks. It was really hard because at that point it was too soon to see a heart beat but the doctor seemed happy with the progress and we scheduled our next ultrasound for the following week. It was the HEART BEAT ULTRASOUND.

This was a HUGE milestone for me. I saw our first baby’s heart beat and it was an appointment that had continued to haunted me. It was such an amazing sight with the worst news of my life attached. I wasn’t sure how I would handle this appointment. Of course my anxiety completely took over. I couldn’t sleep the night before. We went into the office and I told myself I wasn’t going to look just incase it was bad news. I didn’t want to see another heart beat if it was only going to end. I kept my eyes closed the entire process as the doctor inspected my uterus and the embryo’s progress.

After a few minutes of inspecting the doctor flipped a switch which turned on the sound and my ears heard the most magical sound of my life. My baby’s heart was beating and it was strong and PERFECT. In that special moment my heart began to feel hope again. A feeling I wasn’t sure I could ever let myself experience again.

My body did not enjoy pregnancy in the beginning. I experienced Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Sever Nausea and Vomiting. Like head in toilet ALL DAY sick. Every time I even tried to sip water or eat ice I had constant dry heaving. I went to the hospital due to dehydration and was prescribed medication to help. Finally around week 15 it went away. The only thing that kept me going through this was the comment most people would say, “the sicker you are the healthier the baby.” Not sure if its true or just something people say to make you feel better. Either way it worked.

Week 27 I was rushed to hospital with sever back pain and nausea. Doctor thought it was my appendix and had the surgeon waiting. Luckily they realized before operating that it was a sever kidney infection along with a few kidney stones. I spent the night in the hospital but was released the following day. This had to of been the worst pain I had felt in my entire life.

July 11, 2013 I was 35 weeks pregnant and went to 7-Eleven for their free Slurpee Day. It was a scorcher of a day. All day I felt lots of front pressure and slight cramping but just thought I had over did it and the heat wasn’t helping. Several coworkers asked “Do you think your in labor?” . It was too early. I’ve heard usually your first comes late. I hadn’t even thought about labor at this point. When I got home that night I realized I was contracting. I called the doctor and they said to call back when the contractions were 5 min apart. They then had me come to hospital to be checked.

Once we arrived at the hospital we were the only ones in the waiting area at 10pm. My husband was freaking out because it was nothing like in the movies where everyone is rushing around and helping you. We were finally taken back after about 35 minutes of waiting (pacing in the waiting room contracting). Once in the back I was checked and was 5 cm dilated. My husband asked ” what does that mean?” and the doctor said ” It means you will be leaving with a baby!”

I couldn’t believe the day was here. Earlier than expected but that was ok because I didn’t have time to panic or obsess over the different out comes. She was about to create her own birth story!

Going into this process I was very nervous because she was a little early so I had to meet with a NICU doctor to go over the possible issues that she may have coming this early but was advised it shouldn’t be anything too serious.I was told she probably weighs 5 lbs and that didn’t seem too bad considering I’m pretty petite myself. I didn’t expect to have a big baby. I was determined to have a vaginal delivery.

July 12, 2013 I was given pitocin when I was not making much progress around 8AM. I did ask for an epidural because pitocin is no joke! Once I was able to push, I pushed for 2 1/2 hours. I finally said to the doctor ,”If you think I need a c-section I’m ok with it because I physically can no longer push.”. She asked how I felt about forceps and I said, ” If your ok with it, Im ok with it.”. So with Forceps and one big push Brynn was welcomed into the world. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19.5 in long!

The moment I heard her cry was the moment I sobbed uncontrollably. A HUGE ugly cry type of sob. I waited so long for this moment! She was brought over to be cleaned up and checked out to make sure she could breath on her own and her vitals were fine. At that point I went white as a ghost and was given oxygen. I had lost so much blood my hemoglobin dropped to a 4. I was advised to get a blood transfusion but for some reason did not feel comfortable with the idea and asked if I could just be monitored and if it was life threatening I would go through with it but if there was improvement Id like to avoid it.

Finally I was able to hold Brynn and just stare at the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. After such a horrible storm we had endured ….Finally a Rainbow!

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This is Us

Hi! My name is Calynn! My husband Dominic and I have been married for almost 10 years! After struggling through years of infertility and IVF treatments we were blessed with not just one ….. but TWO Rainbow Babies, Brynn and Nora. I decided to start this Blog as a way of sharing our story, documenting our memories, and hopefully helping others along the way. I will be writing and sharing pictures about personal memories, mom tips, and also products we love! Welcome to a little glimpse of our life!

More coming soon …………..