Mom Blog Series: Kristina Tubinis on Pregnancy and Raising Charlee and Levi

I want to thank Kristina Tubinis for her contributions to the Mom Blog Series! What a joy to have a boy and a girl! I love the honesty, humor and simplicity here. I am trying to adopt the "every day is a gift" mantra even during pregnancy because I find myself trying to rush it along to the next milestone. I have to commend her for the dedication to cloth diapering  - I know that is no small task, but it can be done! 

Baby’s Full Name & Birth Date (explain name if it has significance)

Charlee Mae Tubinis, 4/30/13 (Mae is a family name)

Levi Matthew Paul Tubinis, 1/27/15 (Levi – Biblical name, Matthew Paul –family name)

After the excitement wore off, how prepared did you feel to have a baby?

I was completely unprepared with Charlee. She came 6-weeks early. I was so overwhelmed and scared that I chose to only focus on one thing and that was that she had no socks. Maybe because this was the easiest and safest thing to focus on and I didn’t want to think about the dangers of a premature baby.  My family’s support was huge during this time. My sisters brought me tons of socks! Ha! She had to stay in the NICU for a week. As hard as this was, it also gave me time to hurry and finish her room and prepare mentally at that point.

I felt like a pro with Levi at first, then realized that every baby is different and was learning all over again. But I had him at home, so there was no real transition from hospital and I think this helped us settle into life with 4 faster.

One word to describe my pregnancy is ______.

Bittersweet

Now that I am a mom, I wish someone would have told me that ________.

Everyday is a gift. The days may seem long, but the weeks go by fast. They grow up too fast!

What items (beauty, food, medicine) did you swear by during pregnancy?

Water!!!

Exercise is very important

Body pillow

Tylenol PM (J)

Favorite baby book or magazine (if you read them).

Redeeming Childbirth!!

Maternity clothes tips?

Bagging shirts are the best – they don’t have to be maternity

Leggings I lived in

Toward the end you really want to be comfortable.

Share/borrow with your friends!

What was the best advice you received that helped you in motherhood?

You do what you feel is best. Listen to advice, but pray over everything and trust your instincts. Don’t try to diagnose or fix everything with your newborn. Sometimes babies just cry. Focus on staying calm and centering you and not on ‘what is wrong’ and ‘how can I fix this’. SLEEP when you canEvery baby is different, so remember that when taking advice. What worked for them does not mean it will work for you.

How did you decide the items from which you registered (research, word of mouth, random)?

With my first, I relied on others. But researched a ton after Charlee and before Levi. You learn as you go what works.

Where did you register? Babies R US, Itty Bitty Bella, Target

What is your stroller? Do you like it?

Chicco Single (Charlee) – LOVE

Britex Double - LOVE

BOB jogger  - LOVE (But I would get a front wheel that you can fix and unfix)

What is your car seat? Do you like it?

Chicco (Charlee) – this one is great for small babies

Britex (Levi) – I like my Chicco car seat better

Isn’t a baby bottle a baby bottle or are some better than others?

I use Avent glass bottles – I just decided that limiting the amount of plastic exposure was one of the things I would try to do.  It has worked for us and don’t break. I have dropped enough times to know.

Favorite diapers? What the heck is a diaper pail?

I use cloth diapers. It started out as a “green” thing, but it has saved us SOO much money. It is easy and they are cute!

I have a small trashcan with a wet bag.  I carry around a medium sized wet bag with the diaper bags.

For night I do use disposables now with Levi. With Charlee I stuck through the cloth at night. I love honest diapers or target brand for nighttime with Levi. Huggies leak!

Baby monitors are expensive. What did you choose and why?

Samsung – but only because that is what I recieved as gifts. Definitely video though!

Where did you get your diaper bag? What is in it? 

That is something that I went crazy with. I have one JJ Cole Satchel, one target tote, 2 Petunia Pickle Bottoms, one diaper dude

The best ones for cloth are the ones that stretch. The Petunias tight when trying to get 6 cloth diapers in. The JJ Cole is great!

Best place to buy baby clothes?

TARGET

Nursery theme?

Elephants (Charlee)

Foxes (Levi)

What do you wish you had registered for?

I think we were well loved!

What did you think you would need, but it turns out you do not?

So many diaper bags!

Is your baby on a schedule? Was that hard?

Charlee – yes and it worked great. She still needs to be in bed at a certain time though or she is crazy! It was an easy transition from her NICU schedule

Levi – not so much, fed on demand

BUT a bedtime routine really has worked for us – bath, read, pray, nurse, in bed

Be honest. When did you start getting sleep again?

NEVER! JK – I am just now starting to sleep 4 hours with Levi. He is 8 months. I nurse on demand though and we were afraid to put him in his room because of the proximity to Charlee’s. We didn’t want him waking her.

How did motherhood change you the most?

I am so much more patient because of them.

What is your favorite part of being a mom?

Snuggle time!

What is the hardest part?

I have to remember to do things for me. I have lost some of who I am in my kids. I am just now starting to focus on taking care of myself again.

People seem to have opinions about everything related to parenting. How do you deal with that?

Just say “thank you’ and pray for clarity

Your best trick for losing the baby weight.

Breastfeeding!  At least for me.

If you would like to contribute to the Mom Blog Series, reach out to me at jrssell1@me.com

Thanks! Jordan Peterson

Chic Memphis