1. My mom is visiting! She arrived on Wednesday, and it's bliss! And she'll be back SOON--whenever Anna Reaghan is born. :) With her help, the house/ironing pile are totally being whipped into shape! :) THANK YOU, Mom! Asa is ecstatic that she is here and asks, "Where Mine-uh?" whenever I get him up from a nap or in the morning... he has to make sure she hasn't snuck off somewhere (Sunday morning ought to be fun when she won't be downstairs waiting for him to get up). He is also occasionally calling her G-Ma! And he's finally referring to my dad as G-Pa! :) It is so fun to see Asa and my mom enjoying each other SO much. Love, love, love.
2. Our new couch for the basement was delivered yesterday... except it was too long to fit into the basement doorway! It was too tall for a straight shot, and there's a corner near the basement door that prevented any angled maneuvers. We figured any couch (it's not an extra long couch or anything) would give us similar problems, so the store took it back and is delivering a love seat from the same collection instead--tomorrow! The basement will be so homey then as we put down our carpet piece last weekend... but that's a post in and of itself. Let's just say it's a comedy of errors to try to put carpet down when the scenario involves a huge thunderstorm complete with tornado sirens, a lady who's 9 months pregnant, a 15 ft. long roll of 18 ft. of carpet, and the corner that prevented the couch from going down to the basement.... among other things. Everyone survived, we laughed a lot (A LOT), and we all love the cushy carpet under our feet downstairs now.
3. This week I worked to set out larger baby gear items for Asa to get used to. The big swing is now set up (I put it in our room so Anna Reaghan can nap in there with some sound separation from Asa if he's playing in the living room or we're eating a meal while she rests, etc.). The bouncy seat is currently also in our room, but only because Asa is ENAMORED with playing music on all the baby gear and we're trying to spare the fresh batteries we put in things. :) The travel swing is upstairs so there's a place to put her besides on the floor if we're up playing in the kids' rooms or the loft (or eventually sewing? Someday? I know I'll have to take a hiatus, but I also remember how refreshing it was to sew again when I got around to it after Asa was born). Asa seems mostly to have quenched his investigative desires to try pushing the swing really hard, sit on the bouncy seat, etc. the first day they were set up. Now he likes to put Anna Reaghan's stuffed hippo into them, turn the music on, and cover hippo with a "cozy" blanket. What a sweet big brother he is already! :)
4. Matt was supposed to be traveling to California this weekend--I'm pretty sure I mentioned how that wasn't my favorite since it's so close to our due date ;)--but this trip was canceled! He still has to go next week, so please keep praying Anna Reaghan stays put. I'm thankful we eliminated one of the times Matt would be gone though. We're down to a 36 hour window next weekend.
5. I'm feeling well for being almost 37 weeks pregnant! I take it easy getting up off the floor when I've been playing with Asa, and I ask for Matt's help with little things I *could* do but it's easier to ask for help on (picking something I've dropped it, etc.), I'm tired but not exhausted (don't worry, I know that's coming ;))... the biggest change I've noted is that I have reached the stage where I am hungry at meals, etc. but Anna Reaghan is too big to allow me to eat very much. I eat about half of my meal and just can't take another bite I'm so stuffed. So I stop and if I get hungry later I have a snack. I vaguely remember this with Asa, but not as strongly. Then again, they think she might be up to 1/2 lb. bigger and I think I'm carrying her higher... she must be squishing my stomach more than he was!
That about catches you up on us! Stay tuned--the official "place your bets" invitation is coming very, very soon. Start thinking---what day will Anna Reaghan arrive, how much will she weigh, how long will she be, and if you want bonus points you can follow Brad's lead from Asa's guess collection and even include an estimated TIME of birth! I won the weight/length guess last time--I was SPOT ON! We were all off by daaaays with Asa's birth date of course (today is the anniversary of his due date, by the way). ;) It will be fun to see who's closest this time!
Showing posts with label baby gear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby gear. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Anna Reaghan's Room
Anna Reaghan's room is still lacking the wall art we have planned, but we finally moved the glider into her room and rearranged the furniture. I figured enough of her room was in place that we ought to give you a sneak peek. :)
This is your view to the left as you walk through the doorway. You are seeing the changing table immediately on your left, past that is the glider, then the new table, closet door, and the curtains we made (going counter-clockwise)
Straight in front of you as you walk through the doorway: crib and curtains. A bookcase will be going in the "blank" wall space between these two.
A better view of the reading/rocking/nursing area :)
Better view of the changing table wall
Standing in front of the window looking back at the doorway
This is the basket I found on clearance at JoAnn's and made a liner for which matches the curtains
Anna Reaghan's crib
Another view
Dresser drawers: sleepers, onesies, and swaddling blankets
bibs, shoes, socks, tights, and hair bows, oh my!
A peek in Anna Reaghan's closet
Asa checking out Anna Reaghan's bed
He's dancing with her owls
Showing Anna Reaghan how to lay down in bed :)
;)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Weekend Rewind
Pregnancy brain is taking over more and more of my memory functions, but I'll do my best to recap our weekend for you. :)
(Thursday: I went to a consignment sale with Asa and found 2 things for him and several more for Anna Reaghan. I've had my eye out for a few things to fill in the gap if she's in the 3/3-6ish month size range when the season changes to fall and cooler weather. I scored big at the sale and paid an average of $4/item, and most of the things I found were top reselling brands--yea!)
Friday: I am really struggling to remember what in the world we did on Friday. :) I really am not sure, and that feels pitiful! I think Friday is the day we pretty much stayed at home and did nothing because I overdid it on Thursday between wearing Asa at the sale (forgot the stroller, so I tied him on with my mei tai which is just getting more taxing as Anna Reaghan grows--normally he's still super comfy in it), vacuuming (which also involved holding a terrified 22 month old), and other household tidying. It was just.too.much and I was really hurting (well, the most sore I've been in this pregnancy) on Friday as a result.
Saturday: Asa's new chair was delivered from the furniture store! Hooray!! He was slightly confused at first. At nap time he was running around with his favorite book, The Jesus Storybook Bible, and I asked him to take it to his chair so we could read it. He ran out of his room and to his "old" chair (the glider) that was sitting in the loft. We kind of giggled and directed him back to his room and continued to make a show of his big, new, comfy chair. He is no longer confused. In fact, from downstairs he spotted Anna Reaghan's quilt folded over the back of his old chair and he called out, "Sister's!" He gets it.... kind of. :) He's also taken to calling most girls "Anna" initially, so something in his sweet head is associating "girl" with "Anna" "Sister" "Reaghan" etc. She'll still rock his world, but at least he's picking up a few things we've said. After his nap, we went to Babies R Us to look for a stuffed animal to take "progress" pictures of Anna Reaghan with, ala Asa's Snoodle pictures. They had nothing. It was abysmal. But we did find the outfit I later returned and bought for Anna Reaghan to come home in. :) Then we stopped at Walmart for a few random things. No stuffed animals there either. Lastly we tried Toys R Us, and that was the most pitiful of all. Half an aisle of the most generic brown bears and blue dogs you can imagine. Seriously--where do you find good stuffed animals these days??? Matt mowed the yard after our errands, we discovered a bird's nest WITH an egg in it,
and then he grilled burgers for dinner. Yum! Happy Sunny Saturday to us!!! We haven't seen many of those yet. ;)
Sunday: I had my nursery volunteer orientation while Matt went to our Sunday school class. It was "breakfast Sunday" where everyone brings something to share for breakfast during the class. I tried a breadmaker cinnamon roll dough the night before, so we contributed a pan of those. They are yummy! Even Asa liked them (and he's not one for particularly sweet things). After Sunday school was the worship service, and then we actually stayed for a little lunch gathering for new/newer attendees to hear from the pastors and have a chance to ask questions. Then it was (past) nap time, so I relaxed while Matt ran a few errands. Then he completed some honey-dos while I went and got the coming home outfit for Anna Reaghan and spotted a few things for Asa's birthday at JoAnn's. I made lasagna for dinner, and Asa LOVED shaking parmesan cheese on each layer and placing lasagna noodles in the pan. He is very intrigued by what goes on in the kitchen. :)
That about covers it! Now we're on to a new week, more rain, another check-up for me on Friday, and trying to get Asa's naps back in order after some of the weekend's deviance from our regular routine. :) Happy May to you!
(Thursday: I went to a consignment sale with Asa and found 2 things for him and several more for Anna Reaghan. I've had my eye out for a few things to fill in the gap if she's in the 3/3-6ish month size range when the season changes to fall and cooler weather. I scored big at the sale and paid an average of $4/item, and most of the things I found were top reselling brands--yea!)
Friday: I am really struggling to remember what in the world we did on Friday. :) I really am not sure, and that feels pitiful! I think Friday is the day we pretty much stayed at home and did nothing because I overdid it on Thursday between wearing Asa at the sale (forgot the stroller, so I tied him on with my mei tai which is just getting more taxing as Anna Reaghan grows--normally he's still super comfy in it), vacuuming (which also involved holding a terrified 22 month old), and other household tidying. It was just.too.much and I was really hurting (well, the most sore I've been in this pregnancy) on Friday as a result.
Saturday: Asa's new chair was delivered from the furniture store! Hooray!! He was slightly confused at first. At nap time he was running around with his favorite book, The Jesus Storybook Bible, and I asked him to take it to his chair so we could read it. He ran out of his room and to his "old" chair (the glider) that was sitting in the loft. We kind of giggled and directed him back to his room and continued to make a show of his big, new, comfy chair. He is no longer confused. In fact, from downstairs he spotted Anna Reaghan's quilt folded over the back of his old chair and he called out, "Sister's!" He gets it.... kind of. :) He's also taken to calling most girls "Anna" initially, so something in his sweet head is associating "girl" with "Anna" "Sister" "Reaghan" etc. She'll still rock his world, but at least he's picking up a few things we've said. After his nap, we went to Babies R Us to look for a stuffed animal to take "progress" pictures of Anna Reaghan with, ala Asa's Snoodle pictures. They had nothing. It was abysmal. But we did find the outfit I later returned and bought for Anna Reaghan to come home in. :) Then we stopped at Walmart for a few random things. No stuffed animals there either. Lastly we tried Toys R Us, and that was the most pitiful of all. Half an aisle of the most generic brown bears and blue dogs you can imagine. Seriously--where do you find good stuffed animals these days??? Matt mowed the yard after our errands, we discovered a bird's nest WITH an egg in it,
and then he grilled burgers for dinner. Yum! Happy Sunny Saturday to us!!! We haven't seen many of those yet. ;)
Sunday: I had my nursery volunteer orientation while Matt went to our Sunday school class. It was "breakfast Sunday" where everyone brings something to share for breakfast during the class. I tried a breadmaker cinnamon roll dough the night before, so we contributed a pan of those. They are yummy! Even Asa liked them (and he's not one for particularly sweet things). After Sunday school was the worship service, and then we actually stayed for a little lunch gathering for new/newer attendees to hear from the pastors and have a chance to ask questions. Then it was (past) nap time, so I relaxed while Matt ran a few errands. Then he completed some honey-dos while I went and got the coming home outfit for Anna Reaghan and spotted a few things for Asa's birthday at JoAnn's. I made lasagna for dinner, and Asa LOVED shaking parmesan cheese on each layer and placing lasagna noodles in the pan. He is very intrigued by what goes on in the kitchen. :)
That about covers it! Now we're on to a new week, more rain, another check-up for me on Friday, and trying to get Asa's naps back in order after some of the weekend's deviance from our regular routine. :) Happy May to you!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Little Catch Up
So it's been about a week and a half since my last update. Oops! :) Asa and I took off to Tennessee for a quick visit with family before Anna Reaghan arrives. Her arrival should not not be imminent, but May is the last month I'll be able to travel home and it's full of all sorts of things going on back home that wouldn't make it possible for Mom to come get me (and we're saving Matt's time off for those early days and the holidays). She graciously came to retrieve us :), and we had FUUUN playing with cousins and one of Asa's little friends while we were in town. :)
We drove down on Thursday, and Asa was amazing in the car. He is usually awfully easy-going for how long he is strapped to a car seat. He's much more patient than I am--I wiggle and change positions constantly. He never made even one sound that was remotely fussy sounding. Incredible. The drive took up most of Thursday, and on Friday we tried to get Asa back into some kind of routine after being thrown off in by the car trip. We played outside a LOT and soaked up the beautiful Tennessee sunshine and spring time. Asa and I even accidentally had some rosy cheeks by the end of the day!
On Saturday Joy hosted a sweet gathering of my mom's closest friends and a few of my friends who still live in town to celebrate Anna Reaghan. I have never seen so much PINK in my life! I crack up and just how different this whole girl baby thing is from a boy baby... especially when it comes to clothes. :) Everything was incredibly thoughtful and the food was delicious (Joy's strawberry cake is amazing!), but the best part was seeing sweet friends who've known me and prayed for me for so long. I am so thankful, especially living far from home, to know we have an army of prayer warriors supporting us--even states away. :)
G-Pa played with Asa at home during the baby shower. They played outside at the water table and got soaked! :) One of Asa's uncles and a cousin came over to play during the shower as well, and I came home to find Asa alllll snuggled up in G-Pa's lap reading books (and in warm, dry clothes). It was a precious sight. :) We got the Bobe's down for a nap, and later in the evening Mimi came over (my mom's mom) for dinner on her very birthday! What a special lady to share the spotlight of the day with me. Our whole family party for her was on Sunday, but we still wanted to do something special on her very birthday. :)
On Sunday we got to worship at Cedar Springs and then have lunch with Brad & Joy and 2 of Asa's 4 Tennessee cousins. Asa actually ate as soon as we got home, and he played just long enough to see his cousins when they arrived after their church service. Then he was off to bed so he could be pleasant for the evening's birthday festivities. ;) Before the party we hopped over to my friend Rachel's house so we could catch up and Asa and her daughter Caroline could play. Caroline was so sweet to share everything in her playroom and Asa was mesmerized by her kazoo. :) Before we left, we played in her backyard and the kids had a few turns climbing up and sliding down the slide and a few pushes on the swings. :) All the fam came over that evening for yummy and fun grilled out birthday dinner in honor of my grandmother. I couldn't believe how all the cousins have grown!
On Monday and Tuesday we had more fun cousin time. I'm so glad we got to see ALL my family while we were in town, even though it felt like a quick trip! All the cousins are so sweet to Asa, and he just LOVES seeing them and copies whatever they do--he definitely came home with some new tricks to show Daddy. :)
Wednesday was spent back in the car driving to Ohio. Thankfully we had good weather, no car or road problems, and a cooperative traveler again. :) It's been fun to show Matt all our PINK! Mom stayed with us an extra day on this end so she wouldn't have to turn right around and drive back to TN by herself with basically no break. We had a leisurely day on Thursday and took care of a few minor errands before Asa showed G-Ma the huge park that's just a short distance from our new house. He loved going down the slide on the toddler playground and looking at the different structures (and giant tires) on the big kid playground, though he's not too sure of baby swings (he prefers the Fisher-Price kind that's very secure to the round baby swings at a park--those garner his "serious Asa" face). He loooooooved being "side! side!" (outside!) He isn't going to know what to do with himself when it warms up here in Ohio once and for all after being cooped up in the house all winter! :)
This morning we had a check-up with my doctor. I'm 28.5 weeks along (29 on Monday). Time is absolutely flying! I had the glucose tolerance test. Maybe I'm just naive, but I passed with flying colors with Asa, so I'm not anticipating a problem. It was a quick appointment as we have been so thankful to have another smooth, complication-free pregnancy. We have switched from appts. every 4 weeks to every 3 weeks now and will return for another appointment on May 6 (31 weeks), then one 3 weeks later (34 weeks), then 2 weeks later (36), and I think we switch to every week at 37 weeks. I can't believe we're at the point of going more frequently! The staff is always really friendly to Asa which I appreciate. I mean, goodness, they're in the baby business, but I know most people don't bring their little ones with them. They were super sweet to him today as Matt got held up at the office and couldn't meet me in time for the glucose test blood draw (he made it in time to hear Anna Reaghan's heartbeat, however ;)), so the nurses and I were working together to keep Asa occupied and distracted as he was a little clingy around all the strangers and Mommy having to do strange things. :)
That about catches you up on us! I hope to post pictures of Anna Reaghan's room soon. It's still a work in process as far as details, but we have her bedding in place and there are enough pieces coming together to give you a sneak peek. :)
We hope you have a wonderful weekend and a heart full of joy and worship this week as we celebrate and remember Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
Christ is Risen!
We drove down on Thursday, and Asa was amazing in the car. He is usually awfully easy-going for how long he is strapped to a car seat. He's much more patient than I am--I wiggle and change positions constantly. He never made even one sound that was remotely fussy sounding. Incredible. The drive took up most of Thursday, and on Friday we tried to get Asa back into some kind of routine after being thrown off in by the car trip. We played outside a LOT and soaked up the beautiful Tennessee sunshine and spring time. Asa and I even accidentally had some rosy cheeks by the end of the day!
On Saturday Joy hosted a sweet gathering of my mom's closest friends and a few of my friends who still live in town to celebrate Anna Reaghan. I have never seen so much PINK in my life! I crack up and just how different this whole girl baby thing is from a boy baby... especially when it comes to clothes. :) Everything was incredibly thoughtful and the food was delicious (Joy's strawberry cake is amazing!), but the best part was seeing sweet friends who've known me and prayed for me for so long. I am so thankful, especially living far from home, to know we have an army of prayer warriors supporting us--even states away. :)
G-Pa played with Asa at home during the baby shower. They played outside at the water table and got soaked! :) One of Asa's uncles and a cousin came over to play during the shower as well, and I came home to find Asa alllll snuggled up in G-Pa's lap reading books (and in warm, dry clothes). It was a precious sight. :) We got the Bobe's down for a nap, and later in the evening Mimi came over (my mom's mom) for dinner on her very birthday! What a special lady to share the spotlight of the day with me. Our whole family party for her was on Sunday, but we still wanted to do something special on her very birthday. :)
On Sunday we got to worship at Cedar Springs and then have lunch with Brad & Joy and 2 of Asa's 4 Tennessee cousins. Asa actually ate as soon as we got home, and he played just long enough to see his cousins when they arrived after their church service. Then he was off to bed so he could be pleasant for the evening's birthday festivities. ;) Before the party we hopped over to my friend Rachel's house so we could catch up and Asa and her daughter Caroline could play. Caroline was so sweet to share everything in her playroom and Asa was mesmerized by her kazoo. :) Before we left, we played in her backyard and the kids had a few turns climbing up and sliding down the slide and a few pushes on the swings. :) All the fam came over that evening for yummy and fun grilled out birthday dinner in honor of my grandmother. I couldn't believe how all the cousins have grown!
On Monday and Tuesday we had more fun cousin time. I'm so glad we got to see ALL my family while we were in town, even though it felt like a quick trip! All the cousins are so sweet to Asa, and he just LOVES seeing them and copies whatever they do--he definitely came home with some new tricks to show Daddy. :)
Wednesday was spent back in the car driving to Ohio. Thankfully we had good weather, no car or road problems, and a cooperative traveler again. :) It's been fun to show Matt all our PINK! Mom stayed with us an extra day on this end so she wouldn't have to turn right around and drive back to TN by herself with basically no break. We had a leisurely day on Thursday and took care of a few minor errands before Asa showed G-Ma the huge park that's just a short distance from our new house. He loved going down the slide on the toddler playground and looking at the different structures (and giant tires) on the big kid playground, though he's not too sure of baby swings (he prefers the Fisher-Price kind that's very secure to the round baby swings at a park--those garner his "serious Asa" face). He loooooooved being "side! side!" (outside!) He isn't going to know what to do with himself when it warms up here in Ohio once and for all after being cooped up in the house all winter! :)
This morning we had a check-up with my doctor. I'm 28.5 weeks along (29 on Monday). Time is absolutely flying! I had the glucose tolerance test. Maybe I'm just naive, but I passed with flying colors with Asa, so I'm not anticipating a problem. It was a quick appointment as we have been so thankful to have another smooth, complication-free pregnancy. We have switched from appts. every 4 weeks to every 3 weeks now and will return for another appointment on May 6 (31 weeks), then one 3 weeks later (34 weeks), then 2 weeks later (36), and I think we switch to every week at 37 weeks. I can't believe we're at the point of going more frequently! The staff is always really friendly to Asa which I appreciate. I mean, goodness, they're in the baby business, but I know most people don't bring their little ones with them. They were super sweet to him today as Matt got held up at the office and couldn't meet me in time for the glucose test blood draw (he made it in time to hear Anna Reaghan's heartbeat, however ;)), so the nurses and I were working together to keep Asa occupied and distracted as he was a little clingy around all the strangers and Mommy having to do strange things. :)
That about catches you up on us! I hope to post pictures of Anna Reaghan's room soon. It's still a work in process as far as details, but we have her bedding in place and there are enough pieces coming together to give you a sneak peek. :)
We hope you have a wonderful weekend and a heart full of joy and worship this week as we celebrate and remember Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
Christ is Risen!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
One of THOSE Crazy Moms
Okay, well, *I* don't think it's crazy, but YOU may think it's crazy that we have switched Asa to cloth diapers full time during the day (we still use a disposable diaper at night).
What?!? Where did this come from?? I have been intrigued by cloth diapers since before Asa was born. My friend Holli was the first person I knew using cloth diapers, and she made it seem SO easy. And to be honest, they were even cute (alright, so her ADORABLE daughter didn't hurt the cuteness factor). I mentioned it to Matt when we were expecting Asa, and as much as I tried he was not to be convinced. He was grossed out (he thought I'd throw a load of dirty diapers AND our clothes in the washer at the same time and never quite got that image out of his head) and there was NO changing his mind. He said he'd be willing to reconsider if we had more children.
Enter: pregnancy #2! Ha! I started gently mentioning to Matt I'd like to try some cloth diapers on Asa to see what I thought. I had read a LOT about cloth diapering and determined what style I thought would work best for us. The amazing thing is that cloth diapering these days has soooooo many options! And even if you choose to use a prefold (think the style of cloth diaper often used for a burp cloth) and cover, you never need to touch a pin! There are great inventions, and modern cloth has come such a very, very, very long way. No rubber pants. Seriously. The diapers we are using on Asa look and go on JUST like a disposable.
After trying a couple different styles and determining that Asa is quite sensitive to some synthetic fibers (microfleece in particular) we have settled on mostly pocket diapers. They are shaped just like a disposable diaper, but there is a flap in the back of them to a "pocket" into which you can stuff whatever type of absorbent insert you want. From absorbent to most absorbent, the most common materials are microfiber, organic cotton and bamboo, and hemp. You can customize 1 insert or 1 insert + a little extra booster, change the type of material you insert for play time diaper vs. naptime diaper if you have a baby who is a heavy wetter when sleeping, etc. If you don't want any mess on your diapers, you can even use a fleece (or flushable) liner between the diaper and your baby's skin so any mess flips right off into the toilet (that is how we figured out Asa's skin does not like fleece). In our case, because fleece and Asa do not agree--he got a bright red rash and broke out in welts everywhere the fleece liner touched him--I either use a flannel liner (not as great at shaking off messes, but still helps) or nothing. And the "nothing" option isn't as bad as I thought. Since switching to trying no liner, I am very thankful for the utility sink in our laundry room, and we plan to install a diaper sprayer at the new rental (you can buy one or make it a DIY project). Serious--the diapers come out of the wash smelling like NOTHING, smelling CLEAN, and they are still white on the inside.
We also have a few all-in-one diapers, which means an absorbent insert is actually sewn into the diaper. The ones we use have an insert sewn in AND have a pocket opening in the back if you want to use it overnight, etc. and want to add even more absorbency. These are GREAT for people unfamiliar with cloth diapers and we'll be using them in Asa's diaper bag when he's in the church nursery (the nursery already welcomed us to change him over to cloth while he's there).
You might STILL think I'm crazy. But we don't have leaking issues. I might change diapers SLIGHTLY sooner than with disposables, but not more and 1-2 more diapers a day (IF I change more than I did with disposables, it's usually just 1 one). And that "extra" diaper doesn't cost me ANYTHING more. I even hang dry--and they dry QUICKLY--our pocket diapers (that's another advantage over all in ones.... pockets dry super quickly) and our microfiber inserts. I do use the dryer for our all-in-ones for now (I might try drying them outside when it warms up) and our hemp inserts as they are suuuuuuch a thirsty material and take a long time to hang dry. As for washing, I wash every 2-3 days using a cold rapid wash (you could try a cold rinse and spin, I haven't played around toooo much since my washing routine is working great... why mess with it if it's working?!) with no detergent followed by a hot wash/cold rinse with extra rinse using detergent. You do have to be careful what kind of detergent you use with cloth diapers and how much you use--there are formulations specifically designed not to be high sudsing so your diapers don't develop detergent build up and can easily rinse clean.
It's really NOT that complicated. It's really very simple. And when your baby asks for his fire engine print diaper by making siren sounds whenever he sees it, it becomes extra irresistible. ;) If you have cloth diaper questions, please ask!!! If I can't answer it--because I will admit I'm newer to this than many mamas--I'll be happy to ask someone else for you or direct you to someone with more experience.
P.S. Matt is coming around. I think he still thinks I'm more crazy than sane when it comes to this, but he's becoming intrigued. He's pleased to see how clean the diapers really get in the wash. We're not changing clothes because of leaks (we didn't much with disposables either though). He has requested we stick with disposables for Anna Reaghan, at least for awhile. That is our compromise. But I see him coming over to the cloth side..... hehe :)
What?!? Where did this come from?? I have been intrigued by cloth diapers since before Asa was born. My friend Holli was the first person I knew using cloth diapers, and she made it seem SO easy. And to be honest, they were even cute (alright, so her ADORABLE daughter didn't hurt the cuteness factor). I mentioned it to Matt when we were expecting Asa, and as much as I tried he was not to be convinced. He was grossed out (he thought I'd throw a load of dirty diapers AND our clothes in the washer at the same time and never quite got that image out of his head) and there was NO changing his mind. He said he'd be willing to reconsider if we had more children.
Enter: pregnancy #2! Ha! I started gently mentioning to Matt I'd like to try some cloth diapers on Asa to see what I thought. I had read a LOT about cloth diapering and determined what style I thought would work best for us. The amazing thing is that cloth diapering these days has soooooo many options! And even if you choose to use a prefold (think the style of cloth diaper often used for a burp cloth) and cover, you never need to touch a pin! There are great inventions, and modern cloth has come such a very, very, very long way. No rubber pants. Seriously. The diapers we are using on Asa look and go on JUST like a disposable.
After trying a couple different styles and determining that Asa is quite sensitive to some synthetic fibers (microfleece in particular) we have settled on mostly pocket diapers. They are shaped just like a disposable diaper, but there is a flap in the back of them to a "pocket" into which you can stuff whatever type of absorbent insert you want. From absorbent to most absorbent, the most common materials are microfiber, organic cotton and bamboo, and hemp. You can customize 1 insert or 1 insert + a little extra booster, change the type of material you insert for play time diaper vs. naptime diaper if you have a baby who is a heavy wetter when sleeping, etc. If you don't want any mess on your diapers, you can even use a fleece (or flushable) liner between the diaper and your baby's skin so any mess flips right off into the toilet (that is how we figured out Asa's skin does not like fleece). In our case, because fleece and Asa do not agree--he got a bright red rash and broke out in welts everywhere the fleece liner touched him--I either use a flannel liner (not as great at shaking off messes, but still helps) or nothing. And the "nothing" option isn't as bad as I thought. Since switching to trying no liner, I am very thankful for the utility sink in our laundry room, and we plan to install a diaper sprayer at the new rental (you can buy one or make it a DIY project). Serious--the diapers come out of the wash smelling like NOTHING, smelling CLEAN, and they are still white on the inside.
We also have a few all-in-one diapers, which means an absorbent insert is actually sewn into the diaper. The ones we use have an insert sewn in AND have a pocket opening in the back if you want to use it overnight, etc. and want to add even more absorbency. These are GREAT for people unfamiliar with cloth diapers and we'll be using them in Asa's diaper bag when he's in the church nursery (the nursery already welcomed us to change him over to cloth while he's there).
You might STILL think I'm crazy. But we don't have leaking issues. I might change diapers SLIGHTLY sooner than with disposables, but not more and 1-2 more diapers a day (IF I change more than I did with disposables, it's usually just 1 one). And that "extra" diaper doesn't cost me ANYTHING more. I even hang dry--and they dry QUICKLY--our pocket diapers (that's another advantage over all in ones.... pockets dry super quickly) and our microfiber inserts. I do use the dryer for our all-in-ones for now (I might try drying them outside when it warms up) and our hemp inserts as they are suuuuuuch a thirsty material and take a long time to hang dry. As for washing, I wash every 2-3 days using a cold rapid wash (you could try a cold rinse and spin, I haven't played around toooo much since my washing routine is working great... why mess with it if it's working?!) with no detergent followed by a hot wash/cold rinse with extra rinse using detergent. You do have to be careful what kind of detergent you use with cloth diapers and how much you use--there are formulations specifically designed not to be high sudsing so your diapers don't develop detergent build up and can easily rinse clean.
It's really NOT that complicated. It's really very simple. And when your baby asks for his fire engine print diaper by making siren sounds whenever he sees it, it becomes extra irresistible. ;) If you have cloth diaper questions, please ask!!! If I can't answer it--because I will admit I'm newer to this than many mamas--I'll be happy to ask someone else for you or direct you to someone with more experience.
P.S. Matt is coming around. I think he still thinks I'm more crazy than sane when it comes to this, but he's becoming intrigued. He's pleased to see how clean the diapers really get in the wash. We're not changing clothes because of leaks (we didn't much with disposables either though). He has requested we stick with disposables for Anna Reaghan, at least for awhile. That is our compromise. But I see him coming over to the cloth side..... hehe :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Long Weekend Rewind
We were so excited to remember Matt had Monday off! As a teacher, I usually had President's Day off when I was working, but Matt has never had it off before. Even though I know he's really busy at work with some deadlines and projects coming together, I think the extra family day came at a great time. It was refreshing for me to have an extra day with him (and I KNOW Asa loved it!) before a hard core week of making deadlines this week. It filled me up in preparation for the long hours that are likely ahead of us the next few days. :)
The weekend was not without its surprises, but we'll get to those in just a minute. ;)
Last week had some glorious days. The highs sometimes made it out of the 30s!!!! WOO HOOOO! I never thought I'd be so happy to see temperatures in the 40s! :) Days on end of snow as far as you can see sure can change a (former Floridian's) person's perspective. ;) In anticipation of the beautiful weather continuing through the weekend, I asked Matt about going to a park with Asa on Saturday and to some outlets on Monday. The plan was set, and we didn't really anticipate any weather complications (yes, that's foreshadowing). :)
On Saturday afternoon, we went to a great park nearby. It will be only 3 miles from the new house! It has a sweet little kid playground, a GIANT amazing big kid playground, and lots of fields and trails for walking, running, and playing. We just didn't expect the temperatures to drop and the wind to HOWL in. Oh my! It.was.so.cold. Asa really enjoyed sliding on the little kid playground, but Matt and I were just about frozen stiff. We knew he wanted to run around, so before calling it quits we walked over to see some geese and give him an opportunity to run around. Thankfully, we went down a small hill that seemed to block much of the wind after we were on the other side! Asa was intrigued by the geese and made lots of bird sounds at them, mostly "quacking,"... so I guess we need to work on duck vs. goose. ;)
We made our way back to the car where Asa was very, very sad to be leaving the park. He was tired, he loves being outside, Daddy was with us. Who would want to leave?!? But we did, and I worked, somewhat successfully, to keep him awake on the short drive home. I took him straight upstairs to bed when we arrived at home, and he took a short nap. Asa had an early bedtime as result, but at least he napped enough to make it til then. ;)
On Sunday we attended Sunday school and church. Asa's separation anxiety, particularly from me, is peaking significantly right now. He cries if I am out of sight for even a moment, so I was concerned how dropping it off at the nursery would go. He started to get upset, but the teachers know him well enough that they took him into the room and got him engaged with something he likes before he actually lost it. Praise the Lord!
Monday was our other big adventure outing day. I found out there was a Gymboree outlet not too far away, and they were having a baby sale + President's Day sale over the weekend. We had not bought anything for Anna Reaghan, and I thought it would be fun to let Asa walk around the outlet mall and maybe find an outfit or two that we really liked. When I checked the forecast, it started calling for several inches of snow. I was so disappointed, but Matt said we'd go anyway and the forecast had been wrong even a day or two earlier. Off we went. We went to Gymboree first, and Matt almost immediately spotted an outfit he loved. I suggested some matching hairbows, and it was a done deal. :)
I continued to browse and found an outfit of my own choosing that I loved. Several years ago, Gymboree had a girls' line of clothes with a goldfish theme that I thought was adorable. I was excited to check out the outlet, because I *thought* they brought back a version of the goldfish line to sell at the outlets RIGHT NOW. And they DID! How sweet is that?!?
We ventured into a few other stores. Asa loved the Carter's outlet. He scurried this way and that, looking at this rack of clothes and that rack of clothes. Squeezing into tiny spaces between racks like he was hiding. It was really cute. :) He also really liked some puzzles they had in the store... that he already has at home. ;) We looked in more stores, ate some lunch, tried a couple more places, and then picked up a soft pretzel before heading out. Asa tried my cinnamon and sugar pretzel, and he liked it! I have no idea how the likely dairy ingredients will affect him today, but it was worth the special treat on our special extra day with Daddy. :) Of course it DID start snowing while we were at the outlets.... and not just a dusting. It was SNOWING. It became harder and harder to see the cars on the highway running right past the outlet!
Matt wonderfully navigated the snowy highway--nothing was plowed yet. Praise the Lord we got home safely AND when we did as the snow continued to pour down! We got the most snow at once in the whole time we've lived here so far! Matt figured the roads would be plowed by dinner time and went out to pick up a bite to eat for us to cap off the weekend, but nothing was plowed yet after all! He ran into roads blocked by spun out cars almost every way he turned. Thankfully when he gave up and headed home, he got behind a salt truck and made it back just fine. :)
We packed a lot into our weekend, but we had time to rest too. I love weekends and family time! :) And next weekend is the beginning of the big move, so it was an extra blessing to have a fun-filled weekend right now. :)
The weekend was not without its surprises, but we'll get to those in just a minute. ;)
Last week had some glorious days. The highs sometimes made it out of the 30s!!!! WOO HOOOO! I never thought I'd be so happy to see temperatures in the 40s! :) Days on end of snow as far as you can see sure can change a (former Floridian's) person's perspective. ;) In anticipation of the beautiful weather continuing through the weekend, I asked Matt about going to a park with Asa on Saturday and to some outlets on Monday. The plan was set, and we didn't really anticipate any weather complications (yes, that's foreshadowing). :)
On Saturday afternoon, we went to a great park nearby. It will be only 3 miles from the new house! It has a sweet little kid playground, a GIANT amazing big kid playground, and lots of fields and trails for walking, running, and playing. We just didn't expect the temperatures to drop and the wind to HOWL in. Oh my! It.was.so.cold. Asa really enjoyed sliding on the little kid playground, but Matt and I were just about frozen stiff. We knew he wanted to run around, so before calling it quits we walked over to see some geese and give him an opportunity to run around. Thankfully, we went down a small hill that seemed to block much of the wind after we were on the other side! Asa was intrigued by the geese and made lots of bird sounds at them, mostly "quacking,"... so I guess we need to work on duck vs. goose. ;)
On Sunday we attended Sunday school and church. Asa's separation anxiety, particularly from me, is peaking significantly right now. He cries if I am out of sight for even a moment, so I was concerned how dropping it off at the nursery would go. He started to get upset, but the teachers know him well enough that they took him into the room and got him engaged with something he likes before he actually lost it. Praise the Lord!
Monday was our other big adventure outing day. I found out there was a Gymboree outlet not too far away, and they were having a baby sale + President's Day sale over the weekend. We had not bought anything for Anna Reaghan, and I thought it would be fun to let Asa walk around the outlet mall and maybe find an outfit or two that we really liked. When I checked the forecast, it started calling for several inches of snow. I was so disappointed, but Matt said we'd go anyway and the forecast had been wrong even a day or two earlier. Off we went. We went to Gymboree first, and Matt almost immediately spotted an outfit he loved. I suggested some matching hairbows, and it was a done deal. :)
We ventured into a few other stores. Asa loved the Carter's outlet. He scurried this way and that, looking at this rack of clothes and that rack of clothes. Squeezing into tiny spaces between racks like he was hiding. It was really cute. :) He also really liked some puzzles they had in the store... that he already has at home. ;) We looked in more stores, ate some lunch, tried a couple more places, and then picked up a soft pretzel before heading out. Asa tried my cinnamon and sugar pretzel, and he liked it! I have no idea how the likely dairy ingredients will affect him today, but it was worth the special treat on our special extra day with Daddy. :) Of course it DID start snowing while we were at the outlets.... and not just a dusting. It was SNOWING. It became harder and harder to see the cars on the highway running right past the outlet!
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| This is really just the beginning. We have close to 6 inches now. |
Matt wonderfully navigated the snowy highway--nothing was plowed yet. Praise the Lord we got home safely AND when we did as the snow continued to pour down! We got the most snow at once in the whole time we've lived here so far! Matt figured the roads would be plowed by dinner time and went out to pick up a bite to eat for us to cap off the weekend, but nothing was plowed yet after all! He ran into roads blocked by spun out cars almost every way he turned. Thankfully when he gave up and headed home, he got behind a salt truck and made it back just fine. :)
We packed a lot into our weekend, but we had time to rest too. I love weekends and family time! :) And next weekend is the beginning of the big move, so it was an extra blessing to have a fun-filled weekend right now. :)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Big Boy Carseat Update
Asa is still loving his big boy carseat (Britax Boulevard CS)! Our Labor Day travels were his first road trip in it, and he took the best car trip naps he has taken in a long time! He slept about 45 minutes each time (instead of 15-20 in the bucket seat) and he would usually drift off instead of crying and crying first. YEA! We love that he's more comfortable, can see out the windows better, and happier. Hip hooray!
He tends to fall asleep in his new seat more easily around town, too. It's not uncommon for him to drift off on the way home from church since he misses his morning nap on Sundays. Here's some photographic evidence of the ease with which he nods off now that he's nice and comfy. :)
He tends to fall asleep in his new seat more easily around town, too. It's not uncommon for him to drift off on the way home from church since he misses his morning nap on Sundays. Here's some photographic evidence of the ease with which he nods off now that he's nice and comfy. :)
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| On our way back from the farmer's market one Saturday (we went to one about an hour away). One minute he was looking out the window and playing with his truck. The next minute, he was out (this was his first time falling asleep in the new seat). |
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| This is actually in G-Ma's car/carseat when she came to visit (his first time facing forward, too!). He fell asleep on the way home from church. |
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| Once again, Asa fell asleep on the way home from the county fair. |
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Fresh From Florida Kids
Awhile before we moved, I saw a blog post online about the new Fresh from Florida Kids program. If you were a Florida resident with a child under 24 months old, you could sign up and receive some great "freebies" to aid in feeding your child healthy, fresh foods. Sign up I did! I make all of Asa's food anyway--the only store bought baby food he gets is cereal... and I could make that myself, too! But not even one jar of baby food has passed through our doors (or his lips). I was excited to see what the program would send.
Unfortunately, the kit did not arrive before we moved. I figured it would get forwarded, but I wasn't exactly sure what would happen. The post office did forward the package, but it arrived in Ohio postage due since it was a parcel and not just a letter. I made it to the main post office (the one closest to us!) this afternoon, and I'm so glad I went to pay the postage and pick it up! I guess I didn't read the site very thoroughly, because I wasn't sure what was included in the kit and if it would really be worth the postage I paid. Was it ever!
We received a bib, apron, plastic bowl with lid, toddler fork and spoon, tupperware with a keep-cool freezable lid (!!!), recipe book of ideas for fresh meals (yea!), a Munchkin brand food grinder (!!!), a mini chop-chop cutting board (!!!), and 2 reusable shopping bags (one just like my favorite Publix ones even!!!).
Opening the box was definitely a fun surprise! I can't wait to add these new items to my baby food making stash. :)
Unfortunately, the kit did not arrive before we moved. I figured it would get forwarded, but I wasn't exactly sure what would happen. The post office did forward the package, but it arrived in Ohio postage due since it was a parcel and not just a letter. I made it to the main post office (the one closest to us!) this afternoon, and I'm so glad I went to pay the postage and pick it up! I guess I didn't read the site very thoroughly, because I wasn't sure what was included in the kit and if it would really be worth the postage I paid. Was it ever!
We received a bib, apron, plastic bowl with lid, toddler fork and spoon, tupperware with a keep-cool freezable lid (!!!), recipe book of ideas for fresh meals (yea!), a Munchkin brand food grinder (!!!), a mini chop-chop cutting board (!!!), and 2 reusable shopping bags (one just like my favorite Publix ones even!!!).
Here's the loot!
Opening the box was definitely a fun surprise! I can't wait to add these new items to my baby food making stash. :)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Drinking from a Cup
When Asa wasn't gaining weight well and it seemed all we did was nurse, nurse, nurse all day long to get him caught up, we somehow fell off the "give a bottle once/week to make sure he'll still take one" bandwagon. Oh yeah, and the "he HAS to be hydrated; give him water," demands at the not-our-favorite lab didn't help any. You see, we tried water from a cup, but you should have heard him gag and spit and act like we were giving him poison. Then, knowing I might be ruining my son for bottles but desperate to the answers only a blood test could provide, I gave him water in a bottle. He eagerly took the bottle only to act disgusted and horribly betrayed when he realized it did not have mommy's milk in it but that awful water stuff again. He has not taken a bottle. Ever since. I knew that was a possibility, but I thought surely he'd come around eventually.
We tried, not as consistently as we could have, to offer a bottle before/after every feeding a couple days. IF I could get it anywhere near Asa's mouth, all he did was chew on it. I tried other nipple sizes to no avail. I even tried a sippy topper on his bottles. He was not having it, so I gave up.
We tried sippy cups--spouted sippy cups, straw sippy cups. More chewing ensued, but no drinking. I filled them with my milk, diluted and undiluted apple juice, peach juice (since loves his peachies), but still no success.
Then a funny thing happened. During our Day at Disney, Asa drank water from my Camelbak water bottle. Aha! So now we knew he COULD and sometimes WOULD not only drink from a type of "cup" but even drink water!
Someone told me he probably just did not normally have thirst that needed to be quenched as he nurses pretty frequently still. That made a lot of sense to me and I backed off worrying that my son would only drink from me. It's not like it would stay that way the rest of his life (can you imagine?!). He was hot and had a long day at Disney. It was reasonable that Asa was thirstier than usual that day and willing to quench it with a non-preferred liquid.
I have offered him my Camelbak off and on since then and recently he's been more regularly taking a sip here and there (the timing coincides with our highs hitting the 90s... welcome to "spring" in Florida). I had the idea to see if there are any "baby" Camelbaks. I knew there wree baby Nalgenes (grip n gulp), and I was willing to try that but hoped to stick with the method Asa knows and accepts.
I was thrilled to find out that Camelbak DOES make a little kiddie version of their great water bottle. Guess who now has his very own, matching Mommy's Camelbak water bottle?! (don't make fun of the matching Mommy part... if you are looking for a feminine kiddie Camelbak, you have several cute options. None of the masculine designs "fit" Asa, so blue was the only default left).
OH MY, it is adorable to see him slurping from his little bottle. Best of All was the look on his face when I first showed him his. I offered it to him and he took a sip or two. Then I held mine and his up next to each other. I don't even know how to put his reaction into words, but it was obvious he "got" that they were the same and he now had one of his very own. He flapped his arms, squealed, bounced in his high chair, and grinned from ear to ear while laughing. I WISH I had managed to capture it on video. It was pure Delight. It even fits perfectly in the little cup holder on his tray.
There you have it. We are a Camelbak family through and through... even Daddy has one! :) Can't you just see us at our next picnic? :)
We tried, not as consistently as we could have, to offer a bottle before/after every feeding a couple days. IF I could get it anywhere near Asa's mouth, all he did was chew on it. I tried other nipple sizes to no avail. I even tried a sippy topper on his bottles. He was not having it, so I gave up.
We tried sippy cups--spouted sippy cups, straw sippy cups. More chewing ensued, but no drinking. I filled them with my milk, diluted and undiluted apple juice, peach juice (since loves his peachies), but still no success.
Then a funny thing happened. During our Day at Disney, Asa drank water from my Camelbak water bottle. Aha! So now we knew he COULD and sometimes WOULD not only drink from a type of "cup" but even drink water!
Someone told me he probably just did not normally have thirst that needed to be quenched as he nurses pretty frequently still. That made a lot of sense to me and I backed off worrying that my son would only drink from me. It's not like it would stay that way the rest of his life (can you imagine?!). He was hot and had a long day at Disney. It was reasonable that Asa was thirstier than usual that day and willing to quench it with a non-preferred liquid.
I have offered him my Camelbak off and on since then and recently he's been more regularly taking a sip here and there (the timing coincides with our highs hitting the 90s... welcome to "spring" in Florida). I had the idea to see if there are any "baby" Camelbaks. I knew there wree baby Nalgenes (grip n gulp), and I was willing to try that but hoped to stick with the method Asa knows and accepts.
I was thrilled to find out that Camelbak DOES make a little kiddie version of their great water bottle. Guess who now has his very own, matching Mommy's Camelbak water bottle?! (don't make fun of the matching Mommy part... if you are looking for a feminine kiddie Camelbak, you have several cute options. None of the masculine designs "fit" Asa, so blue was the only default left).
OH MY, it is adorable to see him slurping from his little bottle. Best of All was the look on his face when I first showed him his. I offered it to him and he took a sip or two. Then I held mine and his up next to each other. I don't even know how to put his reaction into words, but it was obvious he "got" that they were the same and he now had one of his very own. He flapped his arms, squealed, bounced in his high chair, and grinned from ear to ear while laughing. I WISH I had managed to capture it on video. It was pure Delight. It even fits perfectly in the little cup holder on his tray.
There you have it. We are a Camelbak family through and through... even Daddy has one! :) Can't you just see us at our next picnic? :)
Friday, February 19, 2010
Where Shopping is a Pleasure/The Runaway Puppy
Publix, or rather, someone AT Publix, recently made my day and truly helped my favorite grocery store live up to its motto: where shopping is a pleasure.
I made a quick stop to pick up a few things I needed to make dinner for a family at church. When I left the store, I realized one of Asa's car seat toys was no longer attached to his car seat. I unloaded my groceries and then walked back into the store with Asa. We retraced our steps and checked every aisle we had gone down. No toy anywhere. I was sad because he just received the toy for Christmas. And it was a puppy (we do love our dogs in this house). But I was pressed for time and decided I would call customer service when I got home and leave my number and a description of the toy... just in case.
When I called Publix, the employee who answered said he would be happy to take my information. Then he asked what the missing toy looked like. I told him it was a bright orange dog with a velcro strap that would attach to a car seat handle. Then he said, "We have that!" I was SOOOO excited! What a sweet thing the Lord did in showing me He is watching over even the smallest details of my day. And what an honest, caring person must have turned in our little dog to customer service.
I made a quick stop to pick up a few things I needed to make dinner for a family at church. When I left the store, I realized one of Asa's car seat toys was no longer attached to his car seat. I unloaded my groceries and then walked back into the store with Asa. We retraced our steps and checked every aisle we had gone down. No toy anywhere. I was sad because he just received the toy for Christmas. And it was a puppy (we do love our dogs in this house). But I was pressed for time and decided I would call customer service when I got home and leave my number and a description of the toy... just in case.
When I called Publix, the employee who answered said he would be happy to take my information. Then he asked what the missing toy looked like. I told him it was a bright orange dog with a velcro strap that would attach to a car seat handle. Then he said, "We have that!" I was SOOOO excited! What a sweet thing the Lord did in showing me He is watching over even the smallest details of my day. And what an honest, caring person must have turned in our little dog to customer service.
Welcome home, runaway puppy! I'm putting fresh velcro on you!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
5 weeks
+1 day :)
So this week has been kinda nutty. Mr. Asa decided to boycott naps on Monday and Tuesday. I mean, he would maybe go down for 15-2o minutes, but that was it. And that was after a couple tries of laying him down and him waking up after 5 minutes. On top of that, he decided to start the day bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6 o'clock Monday morning. Mommy was not ready for that. Daddy came to the rescue and held him for an hour (when he would normally be getting ready for work), so I could sleep another hour or so. Then he rushed to get ready for work and even came home at 5:30 as promised. He's incredible!
Yesterday out of desperation and curiosity, I popped Asa in Harmony's sling (a friend let me borrow hers to see if he likes it) and started vacuuming. It was only a matter of minutes before Asa started rubbing his eyes and getting a far-off, glazed-over look. I had him sitting up in the sling, but at that point I leaned him back and he was OUT. I vacuumed the whole house to make sure he was good and sleepy. :) The noise totally knocked him out! When I was done vacuuming, I kept him in the sling and reclined on the couch so we could both rest. It was amazing. He was way overtired though from his second day of not napping. But, we realized his early morning on Monday was because we let him start his longer, night sleeps earlier in the evening. So last night Matt worked to keep Asa up for one last wake time instead of letting him sleep right after eating. It paid off.. BIG TIME. After I fed Asa at 7:15 this morning, he and I laid back together until 9:45. That's right, 9:45. He made his momma so happy! All my little 1 and 2 hour chunks of sleep last night added up to about 7 hours. It was AMAZING.
Having not been out of the house yet this week and seeing the sling work successfully a couple of times since I borrowed it, I decided to run by the children's consignment store this morning and see if they had any of this particular brand of sling (Hotslings). I took Harmony's with me and popped Asa in it. It allowed me to actually browse around (since he has strong feelings about the carseat if it's not moving) with 2 hands free! They had a display of new ones, but Amazon is cheaper. Then I found their used ones in the maternity section. I tried on one, and Asa about went to sleep as soon as I leaned him back in it! Perfect! I also found a book I have checked out from the library a couple times that is a great resource (The Nursing Mother's Companion... I highly recommend it along with The Birth Partner for any of my expecting friends out there). I was going to ask my mom to look for it at McKay's, but they had it right there in a used book section! I browsed around a little longer and went to pay only to discover that my driver's license is missing! EEEK. I am afraid we may have accidentally thrown it out (long story). So, they put the items on hold for me, and Matt is picking them up today (thankfully, the store is near his work). Then tomorrow I have an appointment at the DMV to get a replacement license. Another PRAISE is that the DMV is practically across the street from where Matt works. So if Asa is fussy or something, Matt is going to come over and sit with us until we're done. Last time I went (granted, it was when we moved here), they were really good about honoring the online appointment schedule. Hopefully it will be in and out! I already gathered the documents to prove I am who I say I am. :) And they should be able to use the same picture, etc. I could have ordered a replacement online, but I didn't know how long it would take to be mailed, and I don't want to be stuck at home not able to drive until some mystery date. Especially because I have an appointment with our photographer to order Asa's newborn photos on Friday!
So that's about all for us for now. I am so thankful for Asa's great sleep today. It makes having 2 more days until Daddy is home to help for the weekend seem MUCH more do-able. :)
Before I go, here is Asa's 5 week picture and a few other shots. Check out his photo site for the full photo shoot. ;)
So this week has been kinda nutty. Mr. Asa decided to boycott naps on Monday and Tuesday. I mean, he would maybe go down for 15-2o minutes, but that was it. And that was after a couple tries of laying him down and him waking up after 5 minutes. On top of that, he decided to start the day bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6 o'clock Monday morning. Mommy was not ready for that. Daddy came to the rescue and held him for an hour (when he would normally be getting ready for work), so I could sleep another hour or so. Then he rushed to get ready for work and even came home at 5:30 as promised. He's incredible!
Yesterday out of desperation and curiosity, I popped Asa in Harmony's sling (a friend let me borrow hers to see if he likes it) and started vacuuming. It was only a matter of minutes before Asa started rubbing his eyes and getting a far-off, glazed-over look. I had him sitting up in the sling, but at that point I leaned him back and he was OUT. I vacuumed the whole house to make sure he was good and sleepy. :) The noise totally knocked him out! When I was done vacuuming, I kept him in the sling and reclined on the couch so we could both rest. It was amazing. He was way overtired though from his second day of not napping. But, we realized his early morning on Monday was because we let him start his longer, night sleeps earlier in the evening. So last night Matt worked to keep Asa up for one last wake time instead of letting him sleep right after eating. It paid off.. BIG TIME. After I fed Asa at 7:15 this morning, he and I laid back together until 9:45. That's right, 9:45. He made his momma so happy! All my little 1 and 2 hour chunks of sleep last night added up to about 7 hours. It was AMAZING.
Having not been out of the house yet this week and seeing the sling work successfully a couple of times since I borrowed it, I decided to run by the children's consignment store this morning and see if they had any of this particular brand of sling (Hotslings). I took Harmony's with me and popped Asa in it. It allowed me to actually browse around (since he has strong feelings about the carseat if it's not moving) with 2 hands free! They had a display of new ones, but Amazon is cheaper. Then I found their used ones in the maternity section. I tried on one, and Asa about went to sleep as soon as I leaned him back in it! Perfect! I also found a book I have checked out from the library a couple times that is a great resource (The Nursing Mother's Companion... I highly recommend it along with The Birth Partner for any of my expecting friends out there). I was going to ask my mom to look for it at McKay's, but they had it right there in a used book section! I browsed around a little longer and went to pay only to discover that my driver's license is missing! EEEK. I am afraid we may have accidentally thrown it out (long story). So, they put the items on hold for me, and Matt is picking them up today (thankfully, the store is near his work). Then tomorrow I have an appointment at the DMV to get a replacement license. Another PRAISE is that the DMV is practically across the street from where Matt works. So if Asa is fussy or something, Matt is going to come over and sit with us until we're done. Last time I went (granted, it was when we moved here), they were really good about honoring the online appointment schedule. Hopefully it will be in and out! I already gathered the documents to prove I am who I say I am. :) And they should be able to use the same picture, etc. I could have ordered a replacement online, but I didn't know how long it would take to be mailed, and I don't want to be stuck at home not able to drive until some mystery date. Especially because I have an appointment with our photographer to order Asa's newborn photos on Friday!
So that's about all for us for now. I am so thankful for Asa's great sleep today. It makes having 2 more days until Daddy is home to help for the weekend seem MUCH more do-able. :)
Before I go, here is Asa's 5 week picture and a few other shots. Check out his photo site for the full photo shoot. ;)
Monday, June 1, 2009
The countdown
The final countdown to Asa's due date is definitely on. We are under TEN DAYS!!! Now, most of us are thinking he'll be a smidge late, but it's quite surreal that we are SO close. :)
We think he's dropped some, but that's the only real physical sign we've had that it's getting closer. It did have a burst of energy today that seems like the "nesting" many people associate with labor drawing very near. I still took a good 1-1.5 hour nap, because I've read to be sure not to exhaust yourself if the nesting energy kicks in--you need to save that energy because labor could be just around the corner. But I got a ton done today, some if it quite accidentally at first.
Alright, off to spend some sweet time with my hubby before bed. :)
Love,
Us
We think he's dropped some, but that's the only real physical sign we've had that it's getting closer. It did have a burst of energy today that seems like the "nesting" many people associate with labor drawing very near. I still took a good 1-1.5 hour nap, because I've read to be sure not to exhaust yourself if the nesting energy kicks in--you need to save that energy because labor could be just around the corner. But I got a ton done today, some if it quite accidentally at first.
- Something spilled on the kitchen floor, and as I cleaned it up with my Clorox Green Works cleaner, I noticed the tile grout cleaned up quite nicely near the spill. That turned into me sitting on the floor for about 30 minutes spraying and scrubbing the grout. It was not a "big" major elbow grease kind of clean, but the grout definitely looks lighter. And there's no Bar Keeper's Friend powdery residue (as much as I love that stuff) to try to rinse away. :)
- Matt cleaned our shower yesterday, as in, removed the doors from the track and scrubbed everything down. He did an AMAZING job, but he was slightly disappointed that the doors still had some soap scum film. So I read up on home remedies for soap scum and came across a suggestion for Shout laundry stain remover. I use that all the time, so I went to try it, and it worked beautifully! We now have sparkling shower doors in the master bathroom! :) I also read a suggestion to then give the doors a rain-x treatment to help the sparkle last. I'll have to run that one by Matt, because he doesn't want me around strong chemicals right now. :)
- Matt rinsed said shower doors off outside, and he was concerned some of the cleaner and run off from rinsing them may have come in contact with some of the kumquats that have fallen to the ground. Sammy is a big fan of the kumquats. So I raked up all the kumquats and bagged the ones that were near his "cleaning station." We didn't think she really needed to ingest overripe, Tilex-tainted kumquats. ;)
- I gathered together a final group of checks from students for the last 2 Scholastic book orders I turned in.
- I made a list of people to send birth announcements to, so I could know how many stamps to buy.
- I went to the post office to buy stamps and mail the Scholastic payment and some thank yous.
- I put together Asa's swing. We ordered one, but the swing part knocked into the side supports. We were not impressed. ;) We returned it and picked a different one--the one that had highest marks across several sites for travel swing ratings. It actually matches his crib mobile. :) It works GREAT!
- I completed an embroidery order (word is getting out, at church in particular that I can embroider names and monograms). I am done with the "orders" I had waiting right now.
- I cleaned out/organized the pantry. It was a mess. It is back as it should be now (happy sigh).
- I cleaned off (mostly) the desk in the guest room. It became piled high with craft stuff when the guest room closet shelf broke and dumped everything on the floor. :)
- I designed Asa's birth announcement. I've been playing around with designs for about a week, and I think we've settled on one. :) I've REALLY enjoyed learning more about Photoshop.
- I began addressing birth announcement envelopes so they will be ready to roll out. :)
Alright, off to spend some sweet time with my hubby before bed. :)
Love,
Us
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Mission: Accomplished
Since Asa's room is complete, I thought I'd post a little tour of his room. :) First, starting off with some details. :)
The awesome name letters our small group gave us painted to match his bedding.
Bookshelf
Woodland critter photographs Matt's uncle took
Little forest friends
The incredible cross stitch my mom made! Asa's stats will be added to the very bottom once we know what they are. :) So far, we know he'll be born in '09! :)
The closet! This little boy is going to be well-dressed! :)
Now for the tour... starting at the door
Moving counter-clockwise (it's just the way blogger loaded them) to the closet
From the closet to the corner
*that's the nursing cover I made that is hanging on the closet
The corner with the super-comfy chair (Matt fell asleep in it last night)
*and notice the curtains :)
Moving on to the crib
The crib
Around to the changing table
Next corner
The mural
The armoire
And back to the door
And there you have it!
The awesome name letters our small group gave us painted to match his bedding.
Bookshelf
Woodland critter photographs Matt's uncle took
Little forest friends
The incredible cross stitch my mom made! Asa's stats will be added to the very bottom once we know what they are. :) So far, we know he'll be born in '09! :)
The closet! This little boy is going to be well-dressed! :)
Now for the tour... starting at the door
Moving counter-clockwise (it's just the way blogger loaded them) to the closet
From the closet to the corner
*that's the nursing cover I made that is hanging on the closet
The corner with the super-comfy chair (Matt fell asleep in it last night)
*and notice the curtains :)
Moving on to the crib
The crib
Around to the changing table
Next corner
The mural
The armoire
And back to the door
And there you have it!
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