In the Crib

We finally decided that a change had to be made.

Brooklyn hasn't had the best track record when it comes to sleeping. She despised her bassinet so we bought her a cradle swing which was a life saver. She has slept in that plush, musical, little swing since she was just shy of 2 months old. Well, our little girl needs more space to sprawl out and twist and turn so we had to change the scene. We tried the crib a few times but could only handle listening to her cry for about, oh, 3 seconds. Seriously, isn't it heartbreaking to hear your little baby crying?

We obviously are first time parents and just weren't ready to let her cry it out, so into our bed she went. Four or five weeks have passed and I swear that none of us have slept more than three broken hours a night in those weeks. "Fairly cranky" is a phrase that could be used to describe me when I'm sleep deprived and my poor husband has to work for a living! Most importantly, Little B needs her beauty rest.

We knew what we had to do.

On the fateful day of July 22, we had the resolve to lay her down in her crib. Cody and I prepared for it all day. We read passages from a book that was given to us, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and we reassured each other that we must try again and it is the very best thing for our baby. We went downstairs, watched "The Bachelorette" (Yay for Jef!) and listened off and on to her cry for about 25 minutes while we squeezed each others hands in solidarity. She woke up a few times during the next two nights but on the THIRD night, that little princess slept from 9 pm until 7:00 freaking AM!

                                                                   Happy Baby!


Parents, this stuff is hard and it puts you to the test. RIGHT?!

Brooklyn is 9 months old today and she was ready. We know it will help her in the long run and it's pretty great for Cody and me, too. I like to call this a WIN WIN WIN!

XOXO

Wendy

Summer Favorites!

I'm back from my girls trip and finally recovered...I think. It was incredible! Now that things are back to normal, I thought I'd share some of my summer must haves. Take them or leave them--they're just what I'm really into at the moment. Enjoy!

1. "Rock Your Hair" Hairspray (Marshall's-$9.99)-I LOVE this can of hairspray. Mostly, I love the look of the can! It works well and is light, but honestly, it's more about the packaging. Just being honest.

2. L'Oreal Sublime Bronze *Gelee* (Walgreens $10ish)-My very favorite self-tanning product. It looks so natural and is easy to apply. While I was pregnant, I used it a TON to help my self esteem :) I often use it after I've done my airbrush tan at home to blend in my streaks. I have lots of practice to do with my little at-home airbrusher, but that topic is for another day!

3. Old Navy Water Bottle ($8)-It is super cute and the lid pops up and reveals a rubber straw that just folds over once the lid is closed. I carry it with me everywhere. I like how stylish it is and that I don't have to keep buying individual water bottles. Look at how environmentally aware I've become!

4. Shea Moisture, Raw Shea Butter Lotion (Target-$10)-It smells delish and is really softening. It brings such a different smell that lasts. I also snagged the body wash.

5. Sally Hansen "Complete Care" Base and Top Coat ($5 or so)-This product has been in my little nail polish bag for years. I have tried a variety of others and this is the little nugget that seems to work the best. The true test is happening now-I just used some cheap nailpolish (NYK-$1.73 at Target) with this base and top coat. I'll let you know how long it lasts.

6. Leather Wrap Bracelet-Nordstrom's sells these little cats for around $12. Bracelets are my top accessory of the moment and they need to be sturdy so B can't break them but can mess around with them. I am rarely caught without this guy.

7. "W" Necklace-This is straight from Billings, MT. You NEVER see a "W" on necklaces. I guess it is a weird letter? I saw this while shopping with my MIL and picked it up and put it down about 41 times before I decided it was a must have. (I'm trying not to spend as much...) No regrets about this sweet purchase. I've worn it just about every day.

8. Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil (Target $14)-Truth be told, I've only tried this once and it was yesterday. It was nestled in by the Shea Butter lotion I spoke of above and looked intriguing. It smells so fresh and reminds me of the Aveda products. It softened my ends with only a few drops. You can also use it as a deep conditioner when you have the time. That will be my next experiment.

9. Garnier BB Cream (Walmart $10)-BB cream is taking over the skincare market. If you haven't heard of it yet, you will. This one is inexpensive but excellent. It has SPF 15 and moisturizes and evens your skin tone with the non-dense color (I can't think of a better way to describe this. Ha!). I love it for the summer because most of the time I am not interested in doing full make up. Try this!

Let me know what you think of this list and of any faves YOU have! I'd love to hear your comments!

XOXO

Wendy

Two Words

GIRLS TRIP!

Tomorrow, I'm  traveling to Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, to meet some dear friends for a ladies-only getaway. This is the first time I will be away from B for more than 8 hours. Luckily, I have one amazing husband who is ready for some "daddy/daughter" time and is 110% capable of doing everything for her (well, almost everything). I could devote an entire blog about how hands on and incredible Cody is. Maybe I will do that one next :) But for now, back to my girls.

We are all mothers. We have been friends since grade school. We need sleep. We need cocktails. We need to be free to talk and laugh and go to bed and get up when we want. We are all looking forward to spa treatments, boating on the lake, and in case I forgot to mention, COCKTAILS. I love each of the incredible ladies who will be a part of these next 5 days and feel so fortunate for the opportunity to spend this time with them.  We will be strolling (ehh....stumbling) down memory lane and it will be GOOD.

Bon Voyage!

XOXO

Wendy

BUTTE!

Every time I go to Butte I feel like I get to share more pieces of my life there with Cody and Brooklyn.  One of the very best parts of not returning to work is getting back to Butte much more often. I appreciate so much the ability to spend more time with my parents and my great friends who still live in Butte. This time we have a balance of planned activities and free time. I'm not one who loves to "go, go, go". Plus, when you have a little one, it's nice to just be at the home base relaxing. Brooklyn, Grandma P, and I will get to spend time with my girlfriends at Tahya's house. I'm anxious to catch up with the girls and their little ones and moms. It will be a little high school throw back. Cody and I are going to the Dynamic Dance & Tumbling show while Papa Sid watches B. This will be his first time seeing a show and God knows I speak endlessly about the studio. It was such a giant part of my life and I love that he's going to see what Krista does and how excellent her kids are. B and I will join Grandma P's "Restaurant Hoppers" group lunch so she can show off her grandbaby! We will also get to catch (pun intended) one or two of Butte Central's softball games which Papa Sid coaches. I <3 BUTTE!

Here are some other "must do's" while I'm in town this week:

1. Bbq on my parents' patio (the weather may inhibit this desire, but it's still on my list)
2. Check out the new Quarry Brewing location
3. Visit Headframe Spirits (yep, there's a pattern)
4. Workout with Tahya at least twice
5. Get a manicure with Krista and hit up Twisted Sisters (the CUTEST little boutique in Butte)
6. Introduce Brooklyn to Elizabeth

If the weather was going to be better, this list would be much larger. But, it's supposed to rain so the rest will be improvised!

XOXO

Wendy

Beachbody Coaching-Why?

It was around 4:00 am in 2006. I was in my downtown SLC apartment (not sleeping) when I saw the "Turbo Jam" infomercial. The little blonde lady (Chalene Johnson) on my screen captured my attention instantly. She was bubbly and fun and SO enthusiastic about her kickboxing workout. Needless to say I ordered the program. This was my intro to Beachbody- the company behind Turbo Jam, P90X, Insanity, Brazil Butt Lift, etc.
 

Not too long after I got into Turbo Jam I was talking to a dear friend, Betsy, and discovered she also LOVED Turbo Jam. She was the first person I knew that had become a Beachbody Coach. I started looking into it and was excited about what I found. I started "friending" other coaches on Facebook, and started asking them questions about it. Everything I heard and read was ultra positive. What a fabulous community of health and fitness minded people. I decided I needed to become a part of this world. I had since become friends on FB with Jenelle Summers (Chalene's sister who stars in her videos) and she posted about a challenge one of her coaches was hosting. I friended that coach, Kami, and started asking her my questions: Why did you become a coach? How does it work? How much does it cost? Etc., etc., etc.....(I always have lots of questions!) I liked what she said and how responsive she was so I signed up to be a coach under her. What a good decision THAT was! I've been a coach for about a year and a half and want to share with you the TOP 3 best things about being a Beachbody Coach:

1. MOTIVATION! Since I'm a Beachbody Coach, I refuse to slack. People are looking to me to set a good example and that drives me. Big time. 
2. The products WORK! Before I got pregnant, I had lost 12 lbs and 2 pant sizes with Turbo Fire and Shakeology. Post pregnancy, I'm down 42 lbs and 18 inches overall. I'm not to my goal yet but I know with Shakeology and the Turbo Fire/ChaLean Extreme hybrid I'm doing, I WILL get there. 
3. SHAKEOLOGY! This product is ridiculous. It contains 70+ of the healthiest super foods from around the world. It is filled with protein, prebiotics, probiotics, and antioxidants. It's low in calories (140) , very filling and it tastes amazing. As a coach you get 25% off of all Beachbody products and that was a no brainer for me since I knew I would be using ShakeO for the forseeable future. Find out more about Shakeology here: www.myshakeology.com/wendybankhead

 There are many more fantastic things about being a coach. If you want to know more, just ask!

XOXO

Wendy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wendybankhead

Twitter: www.twitter.com/wendybankhead

Website: www.beachbodycoach.com/wendybankhead 

Is Life Over?

When Brooklyn was born I thought my life would never be the same. I feared that I would never have fun again (I know, dramatic, much?!) and would have to give up much of my Cody/Wendy time. Before we had her the two of us did everything together (travel, Harley rides, dinners out, skiing, etc) and I really was a little (understatement) selfish about my time with him. 

Well, the first few months were difficult but with the help of my wonderful husband, and encouragement from friends and family,  we started going places....gradually. We finally ventured out to restaurants (mostly the Olive Garden!), friends' homes and eventually did our first road trip to Butte, MT, over Super Bowl weekend. Once we started, we couldn't stop! I finally felt normal again and began to "get" this parenthood thing and how to balance it all. You can actually have a normal life after a baby? Wow!

I am fortunate enough to be able to stay home with B and so we travel with Cody during some of his work trips. We have gone with him to southern California, Billings, MT and have incorporated family stops into our travels as well. We have seen Jeff in Vegas and my parents in Butte. I have to say, I couldn't ask for more. Here are some pics from Butte, California and Vegas.

 First time dipping her toes in the ocean at Manhattan Beach

 Proud Papa Sid in his office at Northwestern Energy in Butte

Grandma P in her Easter Wonderland with Little B

Cody and B in Huntington Beach

Uncle Jeff with B at the Springhill Suites Pool in Vegas

Mucho has the BEST happy hour in Manhattan Beach (if you ask us). They have specials on beer, wine and appetizers. The bbq shrimp tacos are RIDICULOUS!They were so kind and even let us park our stroller by the hostess stand. Needless to say we went there twice.

 See? You can even go to happy hours with a baby! Ha! http://www.muchomb.com/

The best advice I can offer to new parents is to get out as soon as you feel comfortable and do the things you did before. If the baby cries, it's ok! It won't be perfect but you'll feel like you're living your lives and not stopping for the baby. That is exactly what you'll need!

XOXO

Wendy 

Doing It

I'm doing it. Many of my dear friends blog and ROCK at it. They've been encouraging me to jump into the blogosphere as well. Here I am...jumping! I will be sharing my experiences as a stay at home mom to my sweet baby girl, wife to my incredible husband and Beachbody fitness coach. I hope you enjoy!

XOXO
Wendy

Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/wendybankhead
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/wendybankhead
Visit my website: www.beachbodycoach.com/wendybankhead