1. I obviously had to make a decision on the swimsuit whether I wanted to or not. I appreciated all of your suggestions so much and visited lots and lots of links to find the right one for me. I didn’t end up choosing any of the three suits that I posted. I knew I needed a suit with lots of ruching in the mid section to camouflage any problem areas, so I chose this suit from J.Crew in black. It’s really flattering and has a nice little detachable halter strap. I do wish the leg was cut a little higher, but I wear a cover up most of the time anyway.
2. So sad about John Hughes. I think more than half of my list of all time favorite movies were his movies. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Home Alone are both family favorites around here. My dad saw Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in the theater and we gave it to him for Father’s Day that year because he talked about it so much. We have home movies of my brother and me at ages 5 and 2 singing “Twist and Shout” at the dinner table. I knew that “Twist and Shout” was Ferris Bueller’s song before I ever knew it was a Beatles song. Our family quote is, “Never had one lesson!”
Todd and I quote Home Alone on a daily basis and joked about naming our first child Kevin McCallister– K-Mac for short.
Everyone has sentimental stories about the John Hughes films and that’s what makes him and his movies so special. If any of his movies are on TV you’re going to stop and watch no matter how many times you’ve seen it. They’re movies that you can sit and watch with your parents or your child and not feel embarrassed or ashamed. What a genius. Thank you, John Hughes.
3. Hudson is 2 months old. He was born 9 weeks ago today! I can’t believe how big he is– but honestly, it seems like he’s been with us for a whole lot longer than 2 months! He changes every day and we’re about to get a big belly laugh out of him. He has his 2 month check up when we get back and I’m dying to know how much he weighs.
4. I’m feeling okay this week. Thank goodness! I am finally starting to feel like myself again and I honestly believe that it is all due to prayer. All of the issues I was noticing last week have just disappeared this week. I got started back on the pill on Sunday and started having some terrible side effects on Monday afternoon that lasted until Wednesday night. I wasn’t sure that they were due to the pill until I started analyzing the differences in my habits and it dawned on me, “Oh! It’s the pill!” I started Googling around and then I asked everyone on Twitter about some common side effects of Yaz and immediately stopped taking it. 24 hours later I was fine. Not sure what birth control method we’ll use now, but pregnancy is not an option right now, so we’ll be finding something that works soon.
5. I am just pages away from finishing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Love. This. Book. It’s a great summer read and you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.
Next up: Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham. Has anyone read this book? Thoughts?
I got a bit scorched yesterday. I was trying to stay in the shade, but my legs got too much sun, so I’ll be sitting inside today finishing my book and helping my mom snap beans while watching HGTV. I can’t even tell you how beautiful the water is. It’s so still and clear blue. I love to watch it from the air conditioned condo!
I’m going to read The Help next – been hearing good things about it. Do not take Yaz – I’ve heard way too many bad things about it. Go for the IUD – you can take it out whenever and is the best.
Your vacation sounds lovely! So nice to be able to enjoy that time with your family!
Great to hear you are feeling better! I’ve been worried about you missy! I hope you find something that works for you soon! BC and be tricky!
I just purchased The Help from Amazon! I have a couple more days to finish the book I am reading, then The Help. I have heard wonderful things about it! Cute bathing suit!! xoxo
I cannot take ANY BC pill. I have an intolerance to hormones. So here’s hoping there is no unplanned babies in our future! Ack!
That suit is adorable and a great solution to a post-baby tummy bump! I love J.Crew!
I recently went off the pill as well. I was concerned about all the hormones going into my body and I just didn’t feel good about taking it. I can’t believe the difference once I stopped taking it. I feel so much better. I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until I stopped taking it. It was giving me headaches and definately affecting my mood. I’m now attempting to learn the fertility awareness method but it’s a little daunting. It’s definately going to take some time to figure out.
On another note, I have been wanting to read The Help for a while so I’m glad to hear it’s good. It’s so enjoyable to find a good summer read and just sit back and soak it in. Enjoy your day reading.
The Help is such an amazing read! I did not sleep for about 48 hours because I was so engrossed. I immediately gave it to my Mama, who adored it too!
I wish I was at the beach right now. My fam has a place at Watercolor (next to Seaside). I was there in May on my Honeymoon, but want to be back right now! Is it super hot right now?
P.S.- I always do that- think something is wrong with me, then remember I started BC. I detest taking it, however, I am currently on the “ring” (Nuva-Ring). It’s better than any of the pills I’ve taken (small comfort there though).
I LOVE MADELEINE WICKHAM!! I have read all of her books as Sophie Kinsella and some of her newer books as MW. I have not read this particular one, but can tell you that I have yet to be disappointed! Enjoy :o)
Yikes about the pill, but glad you stopped taking it if it was making you sick. I do have a funny story about the pill. My sister and brother-in-law had their first child, Mary-Kate in December of ’08. My sister’s doctor advised her to hold off going back on the pill for a couple of months while her body healed. Well fast-forward three months later, and she found out she was prego with baby #2! Isn’t that crazy? Apparently women are super ferile the months afer giving birth! My sister and her husband were in shock at first…I think we all were! Oh well, another baby to spoil =)
Have a good weekend!
That bathing suit looks awesome! I too had a really bad side effects while on Yaz. Now im afraid to try any pills. I really dont want to consider the IUD but it looks like it’s the best options out there.
it is so reassuring to hear that so many women have problems going back on the pill post-baby. i went on the breastfeeding-friendly pill 6 weeks after having sydney and man . . . i felt off, i felt different, but i didn’t think anything of it for the longest time. i blamed new mom fatigue. i was finally with my college friends in florida on sydney’s 7 month birthday and opened up about how i still didn’t feel like myself. a girlfriend, also a mom, asked if i was on the pill and said to immediately stop it. it had made her feel “off” too. within days of stopping, it was like a cloud lifted and i could finally breathe again.
Hi Erin! I really enjoy your blog (adorable son, by the way). If/when the time is right, consider asking your doctor about Loestrin 24 Fe. It has a lower dose of estrogen, which can prevent side effects in some people. Everyone is different but my body reacts much better to that one – maybe it will work for you too.
I haven’t had a baby (yikes!) but I have definitely had some issues with the pill. My doctor advised Loestrin24 and I LOVE it! It hasn’t effected me like OrthoTryCyclenLO did (which made me a monster). Plus with Loestrin right now, your doctor can give you a voucher that’s good for a year that lowes the price the $24 a month (with or without insurance). Good luck!
glad I am not the only one breaking beans these days! haha Love the bathing suit!! I was put on a BCP after having my little one (forgot the name) it was one for breastfeeding mothers….. DIDN’T work and about ruined my life!! Then had levlin 28…it was great and NO side effects for me. =)
I’m sure that suit looks smashing on you! 🙂 I like it too! I can’t wait to see what you think of the next book, I was thinking of starting that one soon! I can’t wait to see how Huddy’s 2 month check up goes. He is just adorable!
Oh my…The Help is AMAZING. And unbelievable and unforgettable. Yaz totally wrecked my world. I have no idea what your side effects were, but I got restless leg syndrome! Not.Even.Kidding. It was unreal and TERRIBLE. I couldn’t sleep at all. Then I switched to Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and it was a lifesaver. No side effects. Good luck finding what works for you!
I want to be at the beach….! Stay hydrated (I know, I know!), whenever I get sunburned I get sooo parched and then I get sick–so, anyways, hi, I’m now giving advice about sunburns… Moving on… As far as BC goes, can you use the Nuva Ring? I can’t take oral BC because I become SICK AS A DOG, but, I’ve had no problems with the ring (of course I don’t know what side effects you were dealing with).
Have a fabulous vacation!!!
I just went off the pill a few months ago after being on it for 3 1/2 years. My hubby and I don’t want to get pregnant right now but we’re in a place that it certainly would not be the end of the world if we did. So, we decided that I should stop taking it. I could not believe how huge of a difference I was experience just days after discontinuing it. I feel like a different woman! I never really realized how much it was impacting me until I stopped. The only thing I’m not pumped about with being off of it is that I now don’t have exact arrival dates of Aunt Flo. I liked knowing exactly when she was coming when I was on the pill so now, it’s a little annoying. I hope you find something that works for you. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!
I’m glad you’re enjoying your vacation!! Hopefully you won’t get too sunburned. 🙂
Erin, so glad to hear vacay is going great!! That suit is adorable and i am sure you look great in it!! 🙂 I was sad to hear about JH! So sad!! I loved so many of his movies too!
Hi!
I read “The Wedding Girl” and I am going to be honest. It was just so-so. I love Kinsella/Wickham books, they’re fun, easy breezy reads….perfect for summer! But, I was disappointed in this book and the story is a tad depressing. Not fun, girly, and silly like her other books….sad :o(
Have you considered having an IUD put in? I know that the insertion experience is PAINFUL for women who haven’t had babies (something about a uterus that’s closed tight), but for women who’ve had babies, the more recent the better, the process is generally a breeze. It’s good for 5 years and you never have to worry about remembering to take a pill, change a patch, or get a shot. Talk to your doctor about it! IUDs really can be wonderful methods of BC! Good luck!
Erin,
I saw some others suggested it too, but you should try the nuva ring. I’ve just been on it a few months, and it is great! Only have to remember to put it in once a month, and you can’t feel it at all!
If you want to do the pill, I took Aleese for years, and I really liked that as well!
Good luck!
I went on the pill before we got married and went off of it immediately. I had TERRIBLE side effects and was miserable. We’ve been using other forms and it’s worked for 15 months! 🙂
LOVE the suit…so cute!!!
The pill did weird things to me, too. I have been using NuvaRing for about two years with NO side effects, not even weight gain. I also think there are two dosages, so smaller or more petite women can have lower doses.
Love Sophie Kinsella/Madeleine Wickham! I haven’t read that one yet, but I plan to. Enjoy your trip!
I have horror stories about the pill – and tried three different kinds before my husband finally convinced me to go completely off of oral contraceptives of ANY kind. Mood swings, depression, horrible headaches, nausea, spotting, weight gain, cramping…you get the idea. As soon as I went off the pill, every single symptom either went away completely or was significantly better. Plus, because my mother had breast cancer, my dr and I agreed that NOT being on the pill is better for me (it can raise your risk of breast cancer, because of the elevated levels of hormones in your body. Now we’re just being super careful and using old fashioned rubbers 🙂
Whew! That was quite the anti bc rant! But it is truly scary when you start researching and seeing how many people have horrible bc side effects!
Love the swimsuit, and have a lovely weekend!
I’m off it now but was on Yasmin for almost 10 years and had no side effects. Maybe ask your doc about switching brands?
Glad you are feeling better!
I have always been awful about remembering to take my pill (and have 2 kids to show for it). I am now on NuvaRing. Just started yesterday, but I’ve hear d great things about it. I’m actually getting an IUD after 2 months of NuvaRing, because I can’t take any chances. We don’t want any more kids!
Cute suit! And thanks for the book recommendations!
Glad to hear you’re beginning to feel better. I’m slowly getting caught up on blogs from the past two weeks and I see you’ve decided to be a SAHM. Congrats! I am sure you’re going to love it. I’m a little envious, as I dream about the day I get to be a mom and stay home with my kids!
Erin,
I have the Mirena IUD and I love it! No side effects whatsoever, lasts for five years, and I can have it taken out whenever I feel the need. Now, I don’t have a period anymore but my Dr. and the EXTENSIVE amount of research I did beforehand said it was okay. Really not a single side effect and I don’t have to have anything constantly renewed like a prescription and I don’t have to take something every day. My husband is a medical chemist so I even had him check out all of the hormones and the way it released them. Perfectly safe!
I just finished reading The Wedding Girl. It was cute and a little bit sad. It’s a great summer book to just read while lounging at the beach! Enjoy!
I am not sure I would try the IUD…I have a couple of friends who have gotten prego with it. Also…my cousin had some difficulties where they put it in too high and she had to have it surgicaly removed. It was a bit painful for her. I am back on Yaz and doing OK,but still don’t feel “right”. Not sure I will ever feel “right” for a LONG time. I took it before I got pregnant and it was fine for me…I do notice that it has done some different things to me since I have started again. Not sure what I am going to do either. Love the swimsuit and glad that you have had so much fun with your family. Did you drive by yourself or with your mom and dad?
KS
I am a huge fan of that bathing suit. I bought a J.Crew suit last year so I couldn’t justify spending the money on this suit, but I thought was such a classic suit.
Not sure if this is an option, but I have the Mirena IUD and love it. Have fun at the beach girl!! Happy 2 months to your adorable little boy!
As soon as I saw the Madeleine Wickham book on your post I went to Amazon {dot} com and read a couple of the reviews. I usually find that you can get an honest opinion on a book because there tend to be a lot of reviews. Well, the majority of readers said that the wedding girl was a little more serious and not as fun as the Sophie Kinsella novels. You can also read a bit of the prologue on the Amazon website. Hope that helps.
Great choice on the bathing suit, can’t go wrong with J Crew!
My husband and I have been using condoms since the birth of our first child. Unlike you I had a hard time getting pregnant the first time and just didn’t want to mess around with the Pill for fear it would be hard again (wasn’t). Still going strong with condoms, won’t change till we decide about #3. We are both totally used to it by now. Hassle? sure. Mood killer? not really. Know what is a REAL mood killer? A totally psychotic hormonal wife who can’t stop crying. I don’t want to mess with anything hormonal cause I feel better right now than I ever have in my life! 🙂
I can SO relate to the Ferris Buehler quotes. I feel like my family could hold days of conversation merely by quoting that movie. I like the Brat Pack movies as well.
I think you made a great choice on the swimsuit. What would we do without J.Crew?
Hudson is ADORABLE, congratulations! Enjoy the rest of your vacation!
I don’t know anything about The Wedding Girl but I’ve enjoyed thorougly everything I’ve read by Sophie Kinsella, so you probably can’t go wrong.
I also love the swimsuit you chose!
Pretty in Pink is my favorite John Hughes movie. I’ve seen it a billion times and never tire of it.
I love the bathingsuit that you picked out, and I’m sure that it’s very flattering! It sounds like you are all having a great time at the beach, and that’s wonderful that Hudson is sleeping and travelling so well. I had a lot of trouble with getting back on the pill after Ryder was born, and the hormonal side effects were too much, so I decided to just stop taking it and let my body try to get back to normalcy before trying any other form of pill. I love every book that Sophie Kinsella has written, but haven’t read The Wedding Girl yet, but I’m sure it will be a great beach read! I just started the final series of the Bridesmaid Chronicles, and am on First Wedding, written by Karen Kendall, and they all have been fab!
Wow, do I remember those days. I don’t think my brain started functioning again until like 12 wks pp. So, you’re way ahead of the curve. Ah ha
I love Sophie Kinsella books, so you’re probably going to love that one. I’ll be picking it up soon myself! We’re also facing the big birth control question — it’s amazing how badly you want a baby and then suddenly, in the midst of enjoying that baby, the prospect of another one is daunting and frightening! The only other thing I can add to the BC discussion is that a few years ago, I used the patch for about 48 hours and it put me in the hospital with uncontrollable vomiting. I was super-sensitive to the hormones coming through my skin, apparently. So, you might want to consider that when reviewing your BC options. Good luck with the decision!
I love that bathing suit. So cute! I hate birth control in general. I think it is straight from the devil. I would love to quit taking it.
Hi Erin – love your blog! I just read The Wedding Girl and thought it was a fun read. There are a couple good plot twists that will surprise you. Hope the rest of your vacation has been great!
That bathing suit is SOO cute! I might have to find one on sale and buy it for next summer when I’ll be needing it. 🙂
I used the Mirena IUD for 18 months with good results. I never had a period, which I loved. It effected my moods some, but not in the way the pill ever did. It was painful to put in though, because I had an emergency c-section and had never dialated. The other one to try is loestra or yasmin. Yasmin has a generic now too.
You are doing good being on vacation. I was still in new mommy fog at 2 months. I think it had something to do with Christmas being at the 2 month mark though. Too much to plan for.
I haven’t read The Wedding Girl, but I have loved the other books that I have read by her. That swimsuit is cute!
I still can’t quite believe the John Hughes thing. It really feels like the end of something (and someone, obviously) special with his passing.
Oh, and – thanks for “The Help” recommendation; I keep hearing rave reviews, so I’m adding it to my Amazon list now.
I’m catching up on your blog. That is the same exact suit I bought at the start of the summer. The perfect after baby suit and I get lots of compliments on it. I haven’t worn a once piece in years, but I love it! Hope you are enjoying your vacation. Baby J has almost the exact same trunks that Hudson is wearing in the other pic. We have great taste! =)
Erin, I am so glad that you are feeling better! I’m curious what sort of problems you were having from the BC. I’m on Yaz, and am just wondering if maybe some of the stuff going on with me may be related. If you don’t mind sharing.