Ahhhhh bath time. 15 minutes of wrestling with a soaking wet, soapy, splashing, toy throwing baby. While making sure they don't drown.

Today I was going about my day, cleaning, pulling weeds, playing with baby. She had some lunch which involved yogurt, so then it was time for a bath.

Usually I take her in the room to change her out of her outfit and check her diaper before we go into the bathroom. But, alas, things did not go as planned and I got distracted. Rubber ducky made his way into the tub and as it was filling I started undressing the baby with one hand while swatting the dog away with the other.

Check water temp. Jammies off (yes, if uou are keeping track she was still in jams at lunchtime.) Add soap. Throw toys in. Check water. Take off diaper. Holy shit. There's a shit. There is a mushy poo squished in her butt. I have no wipes, water running, a naked baby, and a dog with no boundaries when it comes to personal space.

I knock the toilet paper roll off of the counter (because of course it isn't on the holder) try to wipe most of the poo off with the diaper. Then start fiddling around with the TP roll, shoo the dog, ball up TP, scoop up crawling baby, is there poop on me, poop. Why? Poop.

I managed to escape the whole fiasco untainted by bodily excretions. Into the tub she went. I will never be caught of guard like that again. Rookie mistake.

Normally when I am on my bath game I:

• ​Change her out of her outfit in the room
• Put on a fresh diaper for transportation to the bathroom (never transport nakey, she got excited when she saw the tub once and peed on my leg)
• Gather everything I need and place within arms reach: soap, shampoo, towel, washcloth, kneeler mat, toys...
• Silence my phone, especially if baby is mobile they need your undivided attention.
• Enjoy my alone/playtime with baby.

FACT:
lf the cookies are for lactation the calories do not count.

Milk supply dip, NO!!! Excuse to eat cookies, YES!

I can only speak from my experience, but these bad boys increase my supply in under a weeks time. So eat up momma. Plus if you are pumping like a banshee, you have some calories to spare.


Makes: about 32 give or take for size, and take for the ones that didn't make it to the cooling rack.

Serving size: how ever many you serve yourself.

Preheat that oven to 350.

What cha need, you will probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen aside from the flaxseed meal and brewer's yeast. Those two ingredients are the heroes here so you will have to plan ahead a bit.

First: combime 2 tbsp flaxeeed meal and 4 tbsp water in a small bowl and set aside

Dry: combine dry ingredients and set to the side (except oats and chocolate chips)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 cups of steel cut oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 heaping tbsp Brewers yeast
2 tbsp flax seed meal (which you have already prepped per the instructions above)

Wet: cream together butter and brown sugar, add eggs one at a time, blend. Add vanilla, and flaxseed mixture.
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp water (which you have already used to prep flaxseed per the instructions above)

Add in dry ingredient mixture slow. Then fold in the chips and oats. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
I just use two spoons and drop this on the sheets, I dont have time to be fancy.
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Cook time: until GBD! (Golden brown and delicious) about 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Cool them on racks before storing. This recipe freezes really well as dough or already cooked, I doubt you will need to freeze any. Watch for sticky fingers from your significant other, these are so yummy!

I had a hard time finding the Brewer's yeast the first time. NOT baking yeast. This:
​

We have arrived back home safe and sound from our first road trip. Mostly in one piece....

We packed everything up and started on our journey, bright eyed a bushy tailed ready for some R and R and then it began. Babygirl had been a bit fussy in the days prior and even spit up at lunch time at daycare on Thursday, which she never does. So, fast forward to two hours into the 16.5 hour drive and a restless baby (she had been up every two hours the night before we left) in a sleep/wake/fuss cycle, and one hopleless and helpless mommy curled up next to her in third row of our rented mini van. Misery.

By the time we finished the drive my precious peach had a new, pearly, gap toothed smile. This kid literaly gained two teeth in the car. As bad as I felt for myself I couldnt imagine what she was feeling having no clue why she was in this seat for hours on end or where she was going, or who all these people were that she was living in a house with for a week.

Traveling with a baby is so hard. Draining. Like triathlon draining, while constantly in a state of fear and worry if something out of your control is going to happen.

But, it did have its lovely moments. Going from the pool to naps to pool time again. 24/7 with my baby girl and husband for a whole week, I wouldn't trade that for the world. The sense of excitement and wonder when her chunky toes touch warm sand for the first time, that's why we do it. That's why we work so hard. That's why we sacrifice. To see the look of amazement on their faces as they discover a whole new world.

I will never get into a car for a 20+ hour journey again with a teething, sleep deprived, 9 month old baby. But, if you are brave enough to do something similar to this make sure you check out my packing list and grab these teething essentials:
Nuby keys you can freeze and store in the cooler
CHILDREN'S ADVIL
Hyland's teething tablets
Chew beads teething necklace
Sophie la girafe teether
Puffs, I like the plum organics

Also pack your patience and some supportive people in the car. It's gonna be one hard ride. Like a tin torture chamber with little to no leg room, with the Daniel Tiger theme song on repeat with back up vocals of a screaming baby.

Important to note: cutting these two teeth was especially harder on my little one than her first two that were on the bottom in the center. She also wanted to cling to me and nurse constantly, it was similar to having a new born, I think the sucking helped her mouth. So, I basically had a drooling spider monkey attached to my body for the majority of the trip. Great to be so needed, not so great for the family we met that wanted to spend time with her.

Good luck to any of you brave mommas traveling with a teething baby. You can do it! Remember, you know your baby best, listen to their cues and your instincts.