Product JUNKIE!!

I am a complete product JUNKIE!!! I have spent ALOT of time researching different pregnancy/baby products throughout my pregnancy.  There are some great things that I want to try, and have managed to get them all on sale.  One thing you will learn about me is that it has to be on SALE. Nothing from the front of the store, always walk to the back to the sale racks to see what kind of deal you can get.  I have also been doing a lot of online shopping and I always have a coupon to use.

Here are my tips for using and finding coupons.
-I created a separate email that specifically has all my online deals and coupons going to it.  That way, my main email is not clogged by daily emails.
-After I created that email, I would go to all the different sites, Target, Buy Buy Baby, Albee Baby, Walmart, Babies R Us, Old Navy, all of them, and sign up for their emails. Most of the time, they send you a 10 -20 percent off coupon just for signing up your email.
- Keep a watch out for those emails, because they are always sending great deals.
- If you can wait until a holiday, they usually have good sales.  Easter, Memorial Weekend, Presidents Day, Labor Day, you name it, and someone will be giving an extra percentage.
-SHOP WITH A PURCHASE.  Just don't go online to find something,  purposefully wait until you have a coupon, or its a holiday time to find what you need.
-Use each store against each other! Many have price matching, so if you find a deal on one, and there is free shipping at the other, use the deal
-I like shopping online better because the tax is little, and sometimes there is no tax, and there are always free shipping deals.  I live in a rural area, and I don't have the big stores around me, so it is nice to order things online.
-And lastly, shop around! Don't go with the first deal you find.  I really wanted the 4moms Mamaroo. It retails between $220-250.  I did not want to spend that much.  I know I wanted at least 20 percent off in order to buy it.  For that quality of swing, I knew that it would cost some money, but again, I will not pay full price.  So I shopped around.  I looked on Amazon, Babies R Us, Target, all those places.  I had a in store coupon with Babies R Us, but the closest store is 45 mins away.  Not a bad drive, but what I was saving with the coupon, I would have had to pay in gas.  I ended up finding the same 20 percent off coupon on Albee.com.  No shipping or taxes, and a few strokes later, I purchased my Mamaroo, and I am waiting for it to be at my door step.

I hope these tips help.  Now here are some of the top products that I am excited to us:

1. 4 Moms Mamaroo- I am excited to finally use this.  In just a few short weeks, my little man will be able to swing, rock, bounce and more to his hearts desire.  My husband saw a video of it, and calls it the "Levatator 500".  We often joke that if Baby Ray gets fussy, we just have to put him in the levitator!

2.  Moby Wrap-I decided to go with this wrap in the very beginning to keep baby close to me.  I was skeptical about wraps at first because I did not know how secure it was going to feel.  I will have to let you all know how it works out, but I am hopeful that I will be able to get a good wrap going so that baby will feel close to me.  I used a 20 percent coupon on this at Babies R Us and they have free shipping on baby gear!

3. Medela Breast Pump- It may be a few weeks before I use this because I want to exclusively breastfeed in the beginning, but I have heard nothing but good things about this breast pump.  It could double as a diaper bag as well.  I am being very optimistic about this whole breastfeeding thing because I really want to have that experience with my child for as long as possible for both of us.

4. Graco Snugride Classic Connect 30 Carseat- Everyone needs a carseat, and Baby Ray will for sure spend some time in this.  I just like that I found a carseat that I like, in the colors that I like.  The excitement about this item probably comes from the fact that being able to use this means I get to bring him home for the first time! (Smiles)

5. Graco Travel Lite Crib-  This is a portable crib/playyard.  I am finding that space is quickly becoming limited when it comes to preparing for this little one.  I have read back and forth whether or not we would need a play yard, but I wanted on that would not take up a lot of space, and that would travel easily.  Early in Baby Ray's life, we will be traveling due to the military, and I wanted a safe comfortable place for him to sleep in.  Also, we have a town home, and I wanted a place downstairs that he could nap instead of walking upstairs and putting him in his bassinet or crib.

6. Baby Nursery- I am overall excited about his nursery.  I don't know how much time we really will spend in there because summer times in this house get hot, and we will either be in our room with the air conditioner or downstairs (where I plan on putting an air conditioner as well).  But for the time being, I spend a lot of time in his nursery right now.  It has a queen bed in there as well, to double as a spare room, or a bed for Brandon and I when we can't decide to let him sleep in his room by himself.  The dresser was my first dresser that I bought when I moved out on my own.  I love the colors.  The room is inspired by the Carolina Panthers, so the colors are a teal blue, black, white, and silver.  I love the mirror with his name on it (can't show you because it is still a secret).  I cannot wait to fill up the frames on the wall with amazing pictures.  I remember putting his crib together and all the time I spent to putting his room together.  It is a little bitter sweet, because I wish Brandon could have been there, but I know we will create many other memories in that room, raising our son.

Well, that is it for me right now.  I will do another post a month or so in after I have used the products a lot to give a more accurate review of them.  Until then

Have Joy
With Love
Nikki

Over the last few years...

BrowniesBumpReport 

Where do I begin...do I start about our journey of TTC; maybe my military career? What about the amazing journey that allowed me to work with a great group of high school kids.  Either way, there is so much to talk about, but never enough time.

   I am starting this blog because I want someone to be inspired.  Many times I have been inspired, entertained, or informed by other people's stories.  I feel that someone expressing a little positivity in a world full of chaos, negativity, and spite, is welcomed.

   My name is Monique Ray.  My friends call me Nikki.  At work I am Lt Ray.  My husband calls me Brownie.  My cheerleaders look to me as a coach.  My entertaining dogs look to me as their source of food and shelter. To the King and Queen (my parents), I am their princess.  To my family I am Nikki Poo, Red, and many more.  In a few short weeks, I will hang up my Lt Bars for full time status of mom.  Mom..that is a new one that I will have to learn how to master.  

   The easiest way to understand me is to know where I came from.  I am 26 years old, and I was born in Virginia.  I moved around some as a kid because my father was in the Marines.  If you ask me where I call home, it would be North Carolina.  That is where I have spent most of my time.  My mom has always been a hard worker, but always found time to be with me growing up.  She is my best friend, my accountability partner, a spiritual counselor, and as I continue to grow and learn about myself as a woman, I have learned that we are twins, looks and mannerisms!! I am her only child, and would not have it any other way.  My dad is a loving man, always provided for us.  We always had the necessities that we needed.  He has 4 girls total, and always called me the son he never had.  I have learned a lot of my "street sense" from him.

   High school was a blast, and college was a time to remember.  I graduated from college in 2009, and in the fall of that year, met a man that would change how I loved completely.  My husband was a soft teddy bear on the inside, and a grizzly bear on the outside.  He helped me grow tough skin, and forced me to throw any ideal of love that I had out the window, and we began creating our own story. Not based on society or any other traditional techniques, but based in God and motivated by pure love.  We were both in the military when we met, which made us fall in the category of a "long distance relationship"  From Sept 09 to Jan 12 we endured the long distance.  In that time, we got engaged in May of 2010, married in Feb of 11, had a beautiful wedding in June of 11, then finally together in Jan of 12.  

   A day before we moved in together, my military career changed completely.  2012 was a rough year for us.  Learning how to live together for the first time, after being married for almost a year was one thing we had to conquer.  Dealing with some not so great decisions that would ultimately lead to the end of my career was another.  As well as deciding when we wanted to start a family.  Over the course of our relationship we have had 4 dogs.  Prince was our first Morkie, Heiress which is our littlest girl who is spoiled rotten, then came Lady, another Morkie full of energy, then our big girl Athena, the husky/lab/retriever mix.  Lady is now at another loving home, and Prince lives with Brandon's mom.  But after all those dogs, we realized, we wanted human kids.  Our journey began in May of 2012.  Seems like we may be moving fast, but we have never looked at a timeline.  We felt we were ready, financially, educationally, and in our relationship.  I thank God that he had other plans.  I did not understand during the process, but I can see it now.  

   After 10 months of trying, different doctors, different techniques, we tried another doctor.  After that first appointment with the new doc, in March of 2013, we found out that I have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome).  Basically, my ovaries were not producing eggs.  On the ultrasound it looked like a bunch of small circles in my ovaries.  My ovaries would produce eggs, but I would never ovulate.  That explains all my irregular periods! It's kind of hard to make a baby when there is no egg.  So began the talk of our options.  Take medicine.  Because PCOS is usually caused by out of whack hormones and being overweight, I could try losing some weight to try and naturally get my hormones in check.  Then there were the bigger procedures, like in vitro, and all those expensive fertility treatments.  I can post another blog strictly on our fertility journey, but God finally blessed us to get pregnant in Aug of 2013.  

   If that process wasn't enough, Brandon deployed in Oct of 2013 (following the timeline yet).  So there I am just about 10 weeks pregnant, and my husband leaves for 6 months.  He was expected to come back in the third week of April 2014.  I found out that I was expected to separate from the military on the 30th of April 2014, and our baby is due May 2, 2014 (only God's timing).  

   So, that is what I have been through the last few months.  Taking care of everything around the house, preparing to be unemployed, going from 2 incomes to 1, and bringing a healthy baby boy into this world, whew, I am tired thinking about it.  Many people say, I don't know how you do it, you are so strong. This is where I stop and say thank you Lord, because he is the only way that I make it through each day.

   Now that we are caught up, here is where we are present day.  I am 34 weeks pregnant.  I have just under 5 weeks left because at around 29 weeks, I found out I have gestational diabetes (GD).  With GD, babies tend to be a bigger weight, so they will more than likely induce at 39 weeks.  My husband is due home in a few weeks, and I am getting all the paperwork necessary to finish my time in the military.  

   What I have learned throughout this entire process is that you cannot do it alone.  I am thankful to my family and friends who have called, checked up on me, and provided resources to make this time a little bit easier.  I miss my hunny like crazy, but this time away has really strengthened our relationship.  God knows the ultimate plan that he has for us, and he knew what he was doing when all of this was happening.  It has made me stronger, and more prepared for this little man to come. 

   There are many blogs that I want to write.  What it is like being a military spouse, while being in the military.  My transition out of the military.  Being pregnant, and becoming a mom.  Please let me know what you want to hear.  I am pretty much an open book.  Some things are kept close to the heart.  But I will be upfront in letting you know that.  I do not know who will be touched by this, or if anyone will follow, but I pray that I am able to reach just one person.  

Have joy

With love

Nikki