Girl in the Yellow Sweater in D.C.

Note: Very late but worth the wait 😊💛

March 2024 in Washington D.C. was perfect. 

It was officially spring season, flowers were in bloom and the beautiful Cherry Blossom trees were on full display everywhere.🌸

    

The flight from NAS to DCA was about 3hrs. I am one of those passengers who fall asleep as soon as their seatbelt is buckled so I slept just about the entire flight.

 

Cherry Blossom trees at Potomac Park🌸 

The weather was such a welcomed change from the constant heat in The Bahamas. In the morning it was mid 30s°F. During midday the temperature was 58°F at most and rapidly declined as the evening and night time rolled in. I love cooler weather, being an October baby and all, so I was enjoying the weather. At night it got to low 30s and that's when the fireplace 🔥 came to the rescue.

ASCD Conference

The main purpose of the trip was to attend the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Conference aka ASCD Conference. 

This was my first international conference and I was super ecstatic for be in attendance. It was invigorating to be immersed in such knowledge among experienced educators pouring and sharing their tips and advice with the attendees. I was able to explore various innovative approaches to curriculum instruction and student engagement.  

Propello was giving away swag like none other. We had so much fun visiting the various vendors and checking the latest advances in education. We left with items from pens/pencils, erasers, T-shirts to tote bags, cups, stickers, stress balls, free reading books and everthing in between. "Ya know we teengsy."

Time to unwind

One thing for certain, two things for sure, educators work hard and play even harder! After all of the sessions of the conference were said and done, we took on Washington DC and had a dandy hunni.

       

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We took in an NBA game. Washington Wizards vs Toronto Raptors. I don't always understand the game of basketball but I was cheering like I had a stake in this game. The enegery in the stadium was infectious, it was difficult not to get in on the fun. Watch some of the highlights below 👇🏾

    

Washington Wizards Dancers half-time performance 💃

Washington Wizards won the game 112 to 109 over Toronto Raptors. We were sitting next to a father and son duo who were clearly Raptors fans and they boo'd the Wizards the entire game lol 😂😂😂At one point I started cheering with them too. The little boy was so passionate about seeing Gary Trent, we starting cheering for Trent as well. It was all good, clean fun.

Museum of Illusions

 I love to visit places that ignite genuine excitement and this museum did just that. I laughed so much and had a great time. The staff was helpful in showing us how to work the illusions, they took photos and videos of us whenever we asked them to assistance. It was a great experience.

    

    

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I love to walk so I took a self-guided walking sightseeing tour. If you're equipped with Google maps, comfortable footwear and you know what you want to see, you can find anything and that's exactly what I did. Come take a walk with me...

POV: South Portico of The White House

United States Department of Commerce

National Mall

National Park that features iconic landscapes and showcases important museums and memorials of prominent figures of the U.S. history.

The Washington Monument

Honoring the first U.S. President, George Washington

   

The Lincoln Memorial

Honoring the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln

National Mall Tidal Basin

Cherry Blossom trees are in abundance around the basin and throughout the park. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial 

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and the struggle for freedom, equality and justice. 

World War II Memorial and its Rainbow Pool

Honoring those Americans who served and fell during WWII

Seven Reasons by Enrique Limardo

    

CityCenterDC

Bowl America - Falls Church, VA

I take any opprtunity I get to bowl. This was a fun, light hearted way to end the night. I played a few arcade games while waiting for a lane. One of the workers, Tyrone, was really nice and had us laughing and ya know I love to laugh. "The food was nice and the drinks were refreshing" lol IYKYK

Outside of what was showcased here, I did get to visit some shops, bars and several other restaurants. I used Lyft for getting around and stayed at Residence Inn Falls Church, VA

"The one where she heads home"

For as much as I love to travel, I equally love getting to go back home.

Have you visited D.C.? 

What were the highlights for you?

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#donnellsworld #girlintheyellowsweater

The Jøurn3y continues: The Milky Way 🤱🏿

The Journey continues 

through 

The Milky Way 🤱🏿

Whenever I thought about being a mom and feeding a baby, my mind automatically went to breastfeeding because that was all I was surrounded by. My Mom has five children and she breastfed all of us so I was always familiar with the process of breastfeeding or nursing.

I had my first breastfeeding experience in 2010 with my first child for 12 months, second child for 18 months and my third child... we're at 13 months and counting!

 1 day old. My breasts were just as big as he was😓

 11 days into the journey

Baby at 4 weeks old

Having a new born can be difficult but with the right support system it gets easier

 

No matter how many times you've breastfed in the past, with every new baby 🤱🏾 it will always be a new experience. I was so blessed and grateful that I chose such a thoughtful man to have children with. He allowed me time to sleep 😴 and he got up through the night with our boys; he just needed me to feed them. That helped me so much with not feeling as overwhelmed because I did not have to do it all alone. 

Pumping breast milk

Our bodies will naturally supply the milk with what the baby needs but we have to eat right and take vitamins to replenish ourselves. During my feeding/pumping times I always drank lots of water and a hot cup of tea 🍵 before to get a good flow going.

I started pumping at 3 months postpartum because I had to return to work and Luca was going to start at the nursery. My pumping sessions were rocky at first but once I got a solid routine going, it became easier and I produced more each session. In some sessions I could pump 18 ounces of milk, sometimes I got 12 ounces and at other times I'd get 2 ounces. If I was tired, sleepy or not in a good mood, I realized that my supply wasn't as good as when I was in a good mood, well rested and comfortable. 

 I pumped in the library at my work and sometimes in my car because that’s where I was most comfortable. Then I stored it in the refrigerator until it was time to go home. The manual Lansinoh pump worked better for me becuase it was easier to carry as opposed to an electric pump. It definitely worked me more with all of the fist pumping but it worked. Between this manual pump and the silicone pump by Haakaa, I was well on my way into pumping milk. I stopped pumping his milk for nuresery at 10 months and used up what was already stored.

 

Me at 4 weeks postpartum. It was said that it was the breastfeeding that helped with the tightening of my tummy.

I exclusively fed all of my babies until they turned six (6) months old then I gradually introduced various foods like pureed vegetables, baby cereal and mashed potatoes. I purchased this feeder, from Amazon, to help make that transition smoother on both of us. At first I froze breastmilk for him and it helped during the teething phase as he rubbed his gums on the silicone handle and the ice soothed his swollen gums. It is now used to introduce foods like strawberries and other fruits. He now has a strong appetite and enjoys a plethora of different foods.

Co-sleeping

Giirrl...do what works for you and yours! In my case, this was best. I had cesarean sections with my babies and that made it harder and more painful for me to move around so often. That is what led to us always co-sleeping. As my baby got older and more comfortable, our feeding and sleeping positions were all over the bed lol 😂 This drawing could've easily been us, we've fallen asleep like this so many times.

Artwork: @amandaoleander/

 

Breast feeding Advice

Moms milk was made for baby but it doesn't always work out that way and that is quite okay. If you are able to breastfeed, do it for as long as you are able to and enjoy the bonding time before they become toddlers and want to feed from the table top or standing up.

   

Breastfeeding journey 😅Via: IG @juliascribble

 Now that he is walking, this is where we're at lmbo he just comes when he needs to fill up and goes back to playing with his brother. The weaning process will probably be started soon. He is at nursery all day without milk and he is quite fine without it. He only gets milk in the evenings and night now or after a crying spell for comfort.

"Breastfeeding is not only about the milk; it's about the love, the connection, and the bond between mother and child. 🤱🏾💗"

Beautiful breastfeeding artwork by @daizydoodles

Have you breastfed, currently breastfeeding or plan to breastfed your baby? Share your thoughts and let's talk in the comments!

#donnellsworld #girlintheyellowsweater #girlinyellowsweater

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+|| Double Lines ||+🤰🏾

 Pregnancy & Me: Part 3

A Journey...

"Making the decision to have a child - it is momentus. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." - Elizabeth Stone

    Sometime in 2019 I made up my mind to have my last child. I said, "Next year I'll do it" then the global pandemic hit and I was definitely not going in or near a hospital so my plan was delayed a bit, no biggie! Fast forward to 2021, I said it again, "Next year I'll do it". After talking it through with J, he got onboard my runaway train and I stopped my birth control regimen in February of 2021. Call it intuition, but I just knew I was pregnant from July lol but I didn't take a hpt (pictured above) until 1st September 2021 that confirmed it.

The first trimester was so rough. We were fully engaged in virtual teaching👩🏾‍💻 👩🏾‍🏫and while I taught, gave it my all, I didn't like it lol. I remember during one particular class I turned my camera off, ran to the bathroom with my phone and was bringing up my insides😫. I'd unmute and say "great job" to the students then mute again and go back throwing up 🤮. Morning sickness definitely lasted more than the mornings. Then worst of all, my dad was in hospital from 24th August and passed away from complications of COVID-19 one week after I took the hpt so I never got the chance to tell him I was pregnant as we could not visit him in the hospital and I figured I'd just tell him when he gets back home...I was devasted to say the least, we all were.

👩‍❤️‍👨

16th October 2021, a day before my bday. At this point,  I only told my immediate circle that I was expecting.

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Nice strong heart beat 💓 on the doppler ultrasound. My 👨🏾‍⚕️OB-GYN is Dr. Richard Braham at the Medi Center on Prince Charles Drive, Nassau, Bahamas. He delivered both of my babies.

Once I was safely past the first trimester then we decided to make it known that we were expecting. Like, I really couldn't conceal it any longer anyways because my tummy started to show at 5 months 🤰🏾

I love reasearching and I did just that to find a unique way to announcement my pregnancy that really spoke to vibe. My sister, Donnette, came through 💯with the concept I wanted. The pictures came out great!

Our Pregnancy Announcement Photos 📷 😍

Me at 6 months into the journey.

 

7 Months along

 

I tried to stay as active as I possibly could. At 7 months, my sister and I along with my 8 year old son Liam, went to tour Clifton Heritage National Park. Carrying the extra load coupled with wearing a mask almost daily was taxing on my breathing. I enjoyed any opportunity to be outside without a mask to breathe freely. A Saturday well spent learning and exploring.

I went swimming a few times during the journey.

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8 months in I did my gender reveal and maternity shoot in one. Once again, thanks to my sister Donnette, for her ability to execute my vision perfectly. I knew what I wanted but wasn't exactly sure how to pull it off. I explained it to her and she was like "I got you". Super grateful and extremely satisfied with the outcome. 

Here's a look at my gender reveal & maternity shoot

               

I am officially a boy mom👦👦👦 

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A co-worker and I both gave birth to baby boys in the same month so our department had a baby shower for us before we left for maternity leave. Such a sweet sentiment, I truly enjoyed it.

 

I worked up to 11 days before giving birth, my coworkers are a joy to work with. I was thoroughly surprised on my last day at work before my maternity leave with gifts, food & drinks, music, laughs and great memories. I couldn't have asked for a better send off. I appreciate them all so much 😊.

My nine months came and went and I am beyond grateful for a healthy, safe pregnancy and delivery experience amidst a global pandemic. 

The medical professionals that tended to us were just that, professional. They made MY stay in PMH easy on my body and mind. I had such mix thoughts and feelings going into the hospital from what was in the news and media but my doctor assured me that baby and I would be ok and not to dwell on those things. I prayed and my family & friends prayed for us to get home safely and we did. God is good 🙌🏾.

Pregnancy in itself is a lot to deal with without having to worry about COVID 19. When I saw my son's little face, I was still trying to catch myself but, it was all worth it. He was here, all 7lbs 8oz of him, we were both alive and well and we went home the next day🤱🏿. Now, here we are 8 months later with my little family of 5 still all well, thriving and happy 👩🏿‍🤝‍👨🏽👦🏽🧒🏽👶🏽👣.

(Both photo sessions 👆🏾were taken by Donnette😊) 

#donnellsworld #girlintheyellowsweater #boymom #pregnancyjourney 

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