Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy new year!

In just under and hour and a half it will be January 1, 2012.

Me oh my how the year has flown. This year has been amazing, a few set backs (having to move TWICE) and a great gift (baby Samuel!).

I have gotten to see my daughter grow from a tiny infant to an independent toddler. I got to watch the progression of my belly as it once more stretched to accommodate a great gift. My first wedding anniversary was quiet but very exciting.  I was blessed with a healthy little boy on July 28th. I was gifted with the joy of watching my children fall in love with each other, Sophia becoming the best big sister I could have hoped for.

For 2012 I can hope for nothing more than the overall healthy of my family, the joy of watching my son grow into the independent boy I know he'll be, and the continued growth of Sophie into an amazing little girl.

I wish the best New Year to all of you. May your hardships be lessened and your blessing grow.

God bless and Happy New Year to all!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Week of 12/26/11-1/1/12

Color: Yellow
Letter: Cc
Number: 3
Our rhyme is: Higgledy Piggledy

Our songs are:
     Classical: Prelude No. 1 from well tempered Clavier by Bach
     Silly: Alphabet Song

Language: Duck
     French: canard
     German: pato
     Spanish: ente

Book: "Baby Beluga" by Raffi (yes we have a board book of this!)

Sign: "milk"

Week 3

So Sophie has pneumonia, RSV and we recently learned to anticipate roseola in the next few days. Because of this and the fact Christmas is this week (seriously what terrible luck for a toddler to be sick Christmas week) we're taking a week long Holiday from the schedule. I will post next week tonight though.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A note on our reading

This week our book is "Room for a Little One" the previous week it was "Who is Coming to Our House?"

Right now my books are seasonally appropriate for my family since we're celebrating the Christmas season. I also am planning to go out sometime this weekend and get perhaps a book on Hanukkah. But if you are following these little suggestions (please by any means do! just if you use my idea in a blog link it back) I suggest you use books you already have.

Find a book, perhaps one you little one doesn't show much interest in and the night before your week starts put the book out in an obvious place. With my kids they have a little cube shelf that we stick their toys in. The books are at eye level for my toddler. I usually store them spine out because its more space efficient but I take the book of the week and turn it so the cover is out. She instinctively grabs it first, maybe because its closer or perhaps because its got more to look at than the spines.

I'm sure you already do this but whenever they bring you the book read it to them. But, as a suggestion, I know that I am guilty of as soon as she's off doing something I stop reading (especially when it's the 30th time that hour she asked me to read it). Instead even if they're on the other side of the room fiddling with a toy continue to read. If you have time finish the book even if you think they aren't listening. Read in a louder clear voice the rest of the book, even if it is the 30th time.

Did you know it is suggested your toddler hear 30,000 words a day! Reading these books over and over is an easy way to ebb up your count.

Week 2

After the fun we had with our red apple last week I decided snacks were a perfect way to illustrate to Sophie amounts and colors.

Sophie loves food and loves to eat. She actually began walking because we would bribe her with graham crackers. So yesterday Sophie had oranges for snack. She usually only eats half an orange for a snack so I cut an orange into quarters and gave her two of the quarters. She enjoyed that part.

I think she's beginning to catch on to the fact I'm teaching her. She loves to learn new things, and like any toddler she's pretty darn determined to get things down. I swear she pointed to B on the alphabet chart 30 times today. When she points to a letter (even if its not this weeks letter) I always say it aloud. I've decide that to differentiate other letters from letters we learned when she points I'll say something like "B: b for ball" or since we learned A "A: a for apple" (there's that food again)

Sophie is pretty familiar with the "more" sign, she will use it on random. I'm really reinforcing it using it almost anytime I say the word, more.

Our language word of the week holds new meaning. I've discovered recently Sophie is terrified of strange dogs. She is regularly exposed to a 70lb standard poodle and a miserable 15lb Pomeranian. She has never shown fear to dogs before but on Monday we went to visit a friend and she was paralyzed with fear, she literally backed under the tree and just laid there screaming. This worries me because after the devastating loss of her 11 year companion, Phoebe, my grandmother has just gotten a new dog. I'm using the opportunity to try to remind her that dogs aren't bad. We're looking at lots of pictures of dogs.

Sam

Carl was mandated last night and Sam seemed to know mommy was feeling lonely and couldn't sleep. Even though he sleeps through the night any other time last night he woke up around 1, not to eat but because he wanted ME.

Normally I try to keep the amount of snuggling at night down to a minimum. But I couldn't sleep and I was missing Carl.

I don't know if it was the start of sleep deprivation creeping in amidst the soft blue glow of the night light but I swear he looked particularly angelic. I can't believe 4.5 months have passed since he was born. He is my amazing boy.

Sophia was a good baby but Sam takes the "good baby" award. But last night that was just more poignant  and I cried for 20 minutes while rocking my sleeping boy. I wasn't sad but I wasn't particularly happy either, I was just in awe of my little boy. He has such a beautiful face and a sweet temperament.

I believe I'll always remember how he looked last night all snuggled into me, his face glowing slightly from the night light, and I believe that memory will get me through some days when he is older.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Week of 12/12/11-12/18/11

Color: Orange
Letter: Bb
Number: 2

Our rhyme is: Georgie Porgie

Our songs are:
     Classical: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43, Var. No. 18
     Silly: Wheels on the Bus (I like the raffi version best)

Language: Dog
     French: chien
     German: hund
     Spanish: perro

Book: "Room for a Little One" by Martin Waddell and Jason Cockcroft

Sign: "more"

Monday, December 5, 2011

Week 1 Day 1

I'm not going to say I'll update about this every day but pretty close in the beginning.

I had the little girl I babysit today (she's 13 months old) so regardless I started. I babysit this girl at least 2 times a week

I wrote up a list of what we're doing and placed it above our alphabet board. This is to remind my husband and myself of what we're working on this week. Carl was all excited and immediately showing Sophia red things, we have an Elmo winter hat that he immediately put on her head. She pretty much wore the hat all day, taking it off only to give it to me to put it back on. If I didn't loudly proclaim "Sophie, this is your RED hat" she would rip it off and give it back. Perhaps a red shirt tomorrow?

I think I read her "Who is coming to our house" at least 14 times. I actually hid the book for a while to avoid reading it over and over and over. The book is a sweet little story about the animals getting ready for someone coming to their home. A chick sweeps the floor, a momma pig pushes her babies to make room, and a mouse answers the constant question "Who is coming to our house?" At the very end Mary and Joseph arrive late in the night and the animals all welcome them to their house.

I had Carl draw a red flower and next to it I wrote "rote blume, rouge fleur, rojo flor" Please be aware I do know that "Red flower" in French and Spanish are formed differently but I wanted to illustrate that red, rote, rouge, and rojo are all the same word. I let Sophia hold the picture and I started by saying "Look that's a red flower" then later "Look a rote blume" and so forth.

As for the sign every time I said the word "please" I would sign it. When I would prompt her to say please I would take her hand and help her do the rough sign as I said "Sophie say please." Later this evening when she brought "Who is Coming to Our House" to me I prompted her to say please and I had her make the sign. She didn't sign "please" but she said it, this is the first time she has ever said this.
 this is the sign for please

As for the number 1 and the letter A I would point out when she only had one of something. I also pointed to one on her number chart and said one, uno, un, ein. As for the letter A, I was kind of shocked to find I didn't have many toys that started with A or really any objects. I'm having Carl stop at the grocery store after work to get red apples.

Tomorrow for snack I think we're having one red apple.

Week of 12/5/11 to 12/11/11

This week we are leaning about:

Color: Red
Letter: Aa
Number: 1

Our rhyme is: Rub a Dub Dub

Our songs are:
     Classical: Minuet in G by Bach
     Silly: Baby Beluga by Raffi

Language: flower
     French: fleur
     German: blume
     Spanish: flor

Book: "Who is Coming To Our House?" by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff

Sign: "please"

Baby school

I worked in a daycare for over a year, before that I was a babysitter almost everyday and now I have children of my own. If there is one thing I'm passionate about its early education.

Some parents and children get along fine without structure, some prefer a schedule and routine. There is nothing wrong with either of those ideas. I personally need a routine (this stems from the daycare). So I have decided that now that Sophia is 16 months old (holy moley how did that happen?) she would be starting to become familiarized with her numbers, letters, and colors. Since neither of my kids are going to daycare I'm going to step back into my roll as an early ed teacher! It will be trial and error but I can't wait.

On another note, poor Sam isn't going to remember a time when mommy wasn't teaching him.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 30



I am thankful for the stars.
This includes the sun. Without the sun we wouldn’t actually be able to live on this planet. The stars are also amazing. We use our imagination and pain pictures using them. We use them to look beyond our self centered world into the world of wonder. You help but wonder about things when you look up into the sky at night.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 29



I’m thankful for my memory.
With my memory I can remember the first day I met my husband, or the way I felt the first time I held my children. Memories keep people who have passed alive, or never let people live down something silly they did. Memories are windows into the past and help remind us where we come from.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 28



I’m thankful for hope.
Hope that tomorrow will be better than tomorrow, hope that your children won’t have to experience some of the terrible things in the world. Hope can help people who are sick or those who have fallen on hard times. Hope makes the world a whole lot brighter than if you take it for what it is and the idea that things will never get any better.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 27


I’m thankful for food.
I’m thankful for the fact I have the ability to by the food I need. Another thing I love is food itself. People come together over food, sometimes the only time you see people you love is at the dinner table. Also if you ask me there are some foods that just taste awesome.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 26


I’m thankful for sleep.
I love sleep, which probably makes me lazy. I love to lay down at night and dream. I also love when my children sleep. I am so lucky to have two wonderful sleepers. The fact that they go to sleep at 7pm allows me some much needed time: whether it’s to just relax or clean. Or sometimes I use that time to go to sleep myself.

Friday, November 25, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 25


I am thankful for my body.
It may not be perfect but it does some pretty amazing things. It has created and carried two beautiful and amazing children. It allows me to enjoy the world around me. And for all of its flaws just the fact that I’m alive is pretty darn awesome.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 24


I am thankful for my family.
I was blessed with a family and the ability to build onto my family. I am thankful for the time I spend with them every day. I love my children and my husband for everything they have done for me and helped me realize in my life.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 23


I am thankful for today.
I am thankful for the fact I woke up this morning and held my son. I am thankful I get to play with my daughter and kiss my husband. I am thankful for the fact that I am here today.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The big girl bed.

Sophia was starting to really get stuck in her crib (like wedging herself between the slats) and it was starting to get very dangerous. So Carl and I made the decision, it's time for a big girl bed. It's nothing special. Just a twin sized mattress thrown on the floor in her room.

Just a bed... for my baby 

I can honestly say she was ready for the transition but I was not. No sooner had I laid her down did the tears start flowing. My baby is losing her baby-ness. There are no more bottles or jumperoos. She can walk and talk. Now suddenly we were saying good bye to the crib? It was hard on me. Her on the other hand, not so much.

She looks so tiny in that bed.

She did very well on her first night, tonight is night two.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 22


I am thankful for medicine.
We have medicine for almost everything now. Have a headache? Take this. Ear infection? Take these. But not that long ago things we can easily cure with a pill, killed people left and right. We are so blessed to live in a time with excellent infection control, and the technology to create medicines to help heal things that were one absolutely fatal.

Monday, November 21, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 21


I’m thankful for modern technology.
I mean we are now so accustom to things like computers, cell phones, and TVs that we take them for granted. But modern technology has impacts on all of us.
One of these machines I am most thankful for is the ultrasound machine. It has checked on my children at times when I needed to know they were okay. It reassured me my daughter was still growing early in my pregnancy when everything else said she wasn’t and an ultrasound allowed me to connect with my babies before I could really touch them.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 20



I’m thankful for rainbows.
Both figurative rainbows and real ones.
The rainbows in the sky are beautiful and such a blessing to look at. The symbolize the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel since they appear after storms.
I also know the term “rainbow” to stand for the child born after a miscarriage or pregnancy loss. My little rainbow is growing every day. She really was the light at the end of the darkest time in my life. I will be thankful for her every day.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 19



I’m thankful for the difficult times.
Just like mistake difficult times are a tool for teaching. They teach us to be grateful for what we have, they teach us to work harder for an “easier time” and they teach us not to take things for granted. Some of my favorite memories take place in difficult periods of my life, like the first apartment I ever lived in with my husband. They also allow you to realize the people in your life that are worth keeping.

Friday, November 18, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 18


I’m thankful for books.
I love books. I have always loved books. They can teach you so many new things, remind you of things you already knew, or just take you somewhere different. They allow you to live places that couldn’t really exist or take you to a time you’ll never actually get to see. I always get excited when I enter a book store, even more so when I can come home with a handful.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 17


I am thankful for my mistakes.
This might confuse you. Shouldn’t I be thankful that I don’t make more mistakes? To answer honestly, no. I wouldn’t have learned so many important lessons if I hadn’t made mistakes in the past. While at the time most of them seemed like awful things to learn now I am thankful for the chance I had to learn them.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 16



I’m thankful for my phone.
Oh how lucky we are to have such amazing little electronics. My phone does everything from take pictures to reminding me of important events. It allows me to get in contact with my husband throughout the day. It also gives me confidence to leave the house knowing I can reach someone almost instantly if something were to happen. You will rarely find a time when my phone is not within arms reach, if not closer.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 15


I’m thankful for warm showers.
I’m selfish and love my warm showers. I get crabby if they’re cut short by someone trying to do the dishes or calling for me. I admit I probably waste a fair amount of water just standing under the shower head enjoying the feeling of the warmth. The rare occasions I get to shower at night it helps me relax and enjoy the day I just had. In the mornings it helps wake me up and lets me think about everything I need to do during the day.

Monday, November 14, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 14


I’m thankful for Fall.
My favorite season is Fall. It’s full of color and carries the promise of some serious fun. Whether it’s playing in the leaves or getting to dress up and act like a child even though you outgrew that years ago. The temperature goes down and allows us to run wild and enjoy the beautiful leaves. It also carries the idea that you should enjoy everything while you have it, because just like the leaves on the trees, life changes quickly.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 13


I’m thankful for music.
All types of music. I appreciate Bach but love listening to some country.
Music inspires so much. It can inspire an artist, it can help along some amazing pieces of literature, and one of my favorites: it can help lull you too sleep. Both of my children fall asleep at night listening to a classical CD played on loop. I swear my daughter will hear The Four Seasons by Vivaldi one day and just collapse on the spot.
Music can drive a person to run faster and can make a shy person dance. Music is a beautiful and powerful weapon.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 12


I’m thankful for the ability to do nothing.
We spend most of our lives with “something to do.” We run errands, go to work, and manage the house. Some days it’s just beautiful to not have a plan and just enjoy life as it comes. Waking up and not immediately thinking “I have this to do” is refreshing. Not rushing the children into clothing and out the door and instead just enjoying pajama day is so much fun. You can learn an awful lot by doing “nothing” for a change.

Friday, November 11, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 11


I’m thankful for laughter.
Laughter is the best medicine. It can make a person feel better when nothing else seems to work.
I love to listen to the sound of Sam laughing, knowing most of the time he’s laughing at his big sister. Sometimes the sound of laughter and get me to go investigate what my little trouble maker is up too. Even just the sounds of them laughing make my day brighter.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 10


I’m thankful for my home.
I am privileged enough to have a home. Homes keep us sheltered from the elements but they do so much more. On their walls we hang memories and under their roofs we create those memories.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 9


I’m thankful for the internet.
This might seem like something silly to be thankful for but the internet holds so many opportunities. I can learn new things almost everyday just by getting bored and looking around at things. I can almost immediately know of things that have happened half the world away.
I have met people online, who have helped me through difficult times. Some of these people could probably tell you more about me or my family than some people I know in real life.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 8


I’m thankful for my cats.
Some of my first memories involve cats. They can be such fun, or want nothing to do with us lowly humans.
I love the feel of my cats curling up on my legs at night and watching them chase imaginary lights on the wall.

Monday, November 7, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 7


I’m thankful for my teachers, both the ones in school and out in the world.
There have been teachers who I will never forget and some I barely remember. Some who have taught me so much and others who have taught me only one or two things.
I am so thankful to have some of the best teachers guide me in my life.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 6


I’m thankful for my hands and my sense of touch.
I’m blessed to have both my hands and use of those hands. I can touch my children, feel around for the lost toy, or reach out into the rain.
Without your hands you lose the ability to do so much, and yet people survive without them. I wouldn’t know what to do if I couldn’t throw balls or use my finger to type out words and phrases.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 5


I'm thankful for my heart.
Both my anatomical heart that pumps blood and my figurative heart that is filled with love.
The anatomical heart is a work of art. It keeps us alive and is a true gift that is also easy to take for granted. It beats away day in and day out keeping all of us alive.
My figurative heart is also beautiful. It's filled with the love of my children and my husband. It's experienced breaks and has several layers of stitching that hold it together anymore. But it is still beautiful and I wouldn't want it any other way, because every time my daughter hugs me or my son smiles it gets stronger.

Indian Prefold by Cotton Babies Review

Indian Prefold by Cotton Babies:
I love prefolds. They are cheap and versatile. I'm going to start off and say that I have only used this particular brand. I am very interested in purchasing the Cloth-eez from Green Mountain Diapers but that wont happen until I go to purchase for a newborn.

After the initial prep they puff up to these gorgeous little quilted rectangles. I have been using the same ones for almost a year for my daughter (regular size) and I love them. My husband even loves them.

They are nice and poof up even more over time. They absorb quickly and have been known to hold even my daughter overnight. That kid out pees me even when I'm pregnant. They can get a little rough but nothing a dryer ball or a bit of vinegar in the wash doesn't fix. Also I have not had to do any stripping on these since I bought them.

Summary: I love these. They are great and the most expensive one (premium which is 4x8x4 ply instead of the 4x6x4 ply) is only $2. I would recommend them to anyone.

PS: that is my son... don't judge the snappi we hadn't ordered some in boy colors yet

Flip Cover Review

Flip Covers:

I first should start off to say there is an entire Flip System consisting of the covers and inserts. They have disposable inserts, stay dry inserts, and organic inserts. Personally we use just a prefold or fitted inside the Flip cover. The come in hook & loop and snap closure, 12 colors, and are one size.

Oh flip where do I start. They come to you softer and more pliable than most covers. After a couple washes they get even nicer. We personally only have hook & loop because they're closer to disposables in use. We have 2 covers that we bought almost a year ago. Both are still in use, one in heavier rotation than the other (its a gender neutral color). Our one in heavy rotation has some signs of wear like the loop is getting a little fuzzy and also its coming detached from the actual cover. But those are to be expected when you're using the same cover for two kids every day.

The only leaking issues I have gotten from the Flip come from user error and not cover issues. They are part of my night time solution and I have never gotten a wet bed in the morning while using these.

Summary: I love my flip covers and at less than $14 a cover I'm very pleased with them. I cannot speak for the entire flip system or how the snap closure goes but MY covers are great. I do wish the loop would be sewed on a little tighter but all in all these are my favorite covers.

Bummis Super Whisper Wrap Review


I started using these covers when I began to cloth diaper my daughter, she was around 6 months old and is now 15 months old. I wanted to love these covers because they were so colorful with their cute prints. But honestly as soon as I began using them I ran into immediate issues. The leaked from day one. 
Originally I thought it was a user error since I was new to cloth diapering. But now almost a year later I know I know how to use a cover. But these covers. They leaked with my daughter, they leaked with my son, they leaked with prefolds and fitted alike. They didn't leak through the legs for me, actually they leaked right through the crotch for both children. 

Another issue comes with the size and shape of my children. Both of my kids are big they are 95% and above on the growth charts for both height and weight. While I don't think either of them are very very chubby they fit in the "tall and chubby" category. The bands dug into my daughter's waist and her thighs. No matter how I adjusted the tightness they left very deep, red, indents on her. What surprised me was my son who was a long skinny newborn and the size small left the same marks on him. 

Summary:
I had fit and leak issues. I'm not impressed. The only positive factor these have going for them is the prints, but prints don't keep clothes dry.

Friday, November 4, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 4


I'm thankful for my sight.
Without my eyes and my ability to see I would miss out on a whole lot in this world. I know it's easy to take something like your sight for granted.
I wouldn't be able to see the dimples on my son's cheeks when he smiles, or the mischievous twinkle in my daughter's eyes.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 3


I'm thankful for my son, Samuel Richard.
He's still such a tiny little man but he's brought so much joy in the past three months since he was born.
Much of my pregnancy with him was one worry after another, but he proved to be amazing and came out perfect. He was early to smile and just loves to be talked to and played with. He already has this deep belly laugh that can go on and on.
I thought Sophia was a happy baby but he proved me wrong. He is one of the sweetest babies I have ever met, even though everyone promised me I'd never get a baby as easy as my daughter.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 2


I am thankful for my daughter Sophia Grace.
She is my first born child.
The first time her heart began beating she made me something amazing, a mother. With her first breath she proved that miracles are real. Such a good baby that grew up into an amazing toddler. She's so beautiful and inquisitive, she makes life so much fun. It's amazing to see life through the eyes of someone so little, it makes every experience better.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Halloween 2011

Halloween with a 15 month old and a 3 month old is fun.

Carl, Sophia, and I dressed as pirates. Poor Sam was Tigger because they didn't make a baby pirate costume

I'm so proud of Sophia, she actually walked a lot during trick or treat. And yes I did give her some candy, after I went through and took out the ones she could have (hard candy or round candies or candies mommy loves). So onto the pictures!
Sophia's Halloween dress!
Sam's outfit (it says "I'm batty for mommy")

Oh mommy, stop taking my picture

Mom, there seems to be a cat on me...

Yar har, mateys!!!

T. I. Double Guh. Err

Pirate mommy

Pirate daddy

She was very tired at the end of trick or treat

My little Tigger.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 1


I'm thankful for my husband with out this man my life would be very different. He adds humor and joy to my day by barely trying. I'm lucky to have him.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

October 15th


 

I know October is the official breast cancer awareness month. I do not wish to deter from that because it is something we need to be aware of. But October also holds another date I’m not sure many of you would recognize. During the month of October we discuss and raise awareness about breast cancer. Did you know that 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime? Everyone knows about this and talks about it. But would you know that something that has a statistic of 1 in 4 is rarely if ever talked about? This is because it’s considered a taboo.

Taboo [tuh-boo, ta-] - proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable

Something that is taboo is something we don’t talk about, we’re afraid too for reasons of being uncomfortable or fear of judgment. Typically something that is “taboo” is something that isn’t commonplace. But is something that has a 1 in 4 statistic uncommon?  I certainly don’t think so.

1 in 4 women will experience pregnancy and infant loss. I’m sure you know more than 4 women. But when was the last time you sat with a bunch of people and discussed how life changing and heart breaking a miscarriage is? When was the last time you called a woman who lived through infant loss a survivor?

We don’t talk about this because women are created to make babies, carry them for 9 months and then deliver a healthy babe into the world to grow up. And for a woman to get pregnant and lose that baby just isn’t normal. Guess what it is, tragically, normal.

Pregnancy and infant loss ARE life changing and heart breaking and the women who come out the other end ARE survivors.

At the end of October 2009 I found out I was pregnant. My first pregnancy! I was so excited, Carl was so excited, and once I got the nerve to tell them my family was excited. The word miscarriage never, ever crossed my mind. I knew what the term meant but it was real in my life, I never discussed it or even thought about it because I thought it was really rare. Everyone I knew who got pregnant had those babies, so why would I be different? I lived in a blissful state of naivety for 4 days happy as a clam dreaming about my baby.

Unfortunately it all changed very fast. I began losing the baby. I at first found every excuse not to believe it but I instantly knew it wasn’t good. I only truly accepted this fate during a relatively traumatic incident during the a Halloween parade. I sat and cried for weeks about that baby. I worked in a daycare for God’s sake! It was cruel punishment to go to work each day to see babies and know I had lost mine.  

You might think it ends there but the effects linger. I got pregnant again shortly after. But once I knew I was pregnant I also was sure it wouldn’t hold. I spent my entire pregnancy with Sophia holding my breath and waiting for the other shoe to drop, there were times in the beginning when I honestly thought it had. October came again and I actually debated not going to the parade with my family. But I sucked it up and bundled up my newborn and went out. I spent the entire parade wanting to cry but wouldn’t because I didn’t want t ruin anyone else’s good time. And when I got pregnant with my son you would think having a successful pregnancy under my belt would make me comfortable again. Nope. I will never being able to view another pregnancy with the same rose colored glasses again. I will always wait for the other shoe to drop.

This is how I felt even though I had known for less than a week. Imagine how the women who managed to see their babies on ultrasound or the ones that actually got to find out the gender feel. And yet we’re expected not to talk about it because it makes people uncomfortable, sad, or whatever. THIS IS REAL. Not all babies who are conceived make it to be born.

This Saturday, October 15, is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Do your part to make this less taboo and lighten the burden on the women affected.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Green Cleaning Ideas

Once again in my attempt to save money I've found some ideas I plan to use shortly.

A lot of the time "green" living can cross with "frugal" living if you know how to do it.

I cloth diaper so this whole thing came from me searching for a cloth diaper detergent I could make at home. On one of the message boards I frequent I found this blog (The Eco-Friendly Family) that has more than just diaper detergent! It includes detergent for regular clothes, an all purpose cleaner, and a glass cleaner.

I can't wait to try these out.

The Grocery Cart Challenge

I stay at home as I'm sure you've figure out. With everything the way it is it's hard to get by on two salaries sometimes, let a lone one.

 I'm always looking for new ideas and ways to help save money. Of course I try to be frugal but when it's a challenge it makes it more fun.

I found this blog called the Grocery Cart Challenge, written by a blogger named Gayle, who devised the "challenge" out of necessity. Her challenge? Feed a family of 6 on $60 a week.

If you're too lazy to go check it out yourself, though I highly recommend you do, I'll give you the basic run down.

  1. Set a budget for food, she said in the beginning this budget involved other groceries as well (toothpaste, paper towels, shampoo, etc.) but now she has more of a budget to move those off of her food budget. 
  2. Take stock of everything you already have.
  3. Make a menu. This might include searching recipe sites like food.com or allrecipes.com 
  4. Look and see what you already have for the recipe, make a list of everything you don't have

Next you go shopping (DUH). Some shopping suggestions.
  • Try to go shopping alone - aka leave the kids at home, distractions tend to add to more crap in the cart
  • Eat a nice sized meal before you go- remember shopping on an empty stomach encourages craving buys
  • Learn your stores- Don't be afraid of the discount stores (for people in my area this would be Amelia's, Aldi, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree) these will help you keep to your budget. Go shopping at these places first and then whatever is left go to your large grocery store.
  • If you're a two car family (which I'm not) take the smaller of the two for less gas consumption and even more $$$ saved.
  • oh yeah STICK TO THE LIST straying from the list will definitely put you over budget. Just because something is a "great deal" doesn't mean you need it, if its not on the list don't add it. If, AFTER you check out, you have money left at the end of your budget go back and grab a few if you must. 
Don't feel bad if you go over budget, if you look at her site a lot of times her first week of the month shopping is over budget (like $80) but then following weeks are only like $40. It all evens out.

I've decided to aim for a $50 a week budget, we do have one on formula so his food cost wont be included until we start solids. Because out money day falls every other Thursday I'll be doing my planning on Wednesday and shopping on Thursday.

We get paid this Thursday so I'll be starting then! I'll make sure to update!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

It has been almost 2 months

On Thursday Sam turned 8 weeks old. It seems crazy how fast this time has gone.

I'm still alive with my two beautiful children who are both doing just fine.

Sophia is almost 14 months old, wow. I can't imagine where that time went and now with two everything is just zipping by.

Some pictures because I love pictures:
Sam 8.8.11 (just shy of 2 weeks)

Sophia 8.8.11- silly girl!

Poor Sam 8.8.11

My babies 8.18.11 (Sam 3 weeks)

8.25.11 (Sam 4 weeks)

Sam 8.28.11 (1 month old!)

Sophia 9.1.11 (13 months old!)

Sam SMILES! 9.12.11 (6.5 weeks)

Sophia 9.12.11

Babies 9.14.11 (Sam almost 7 weeks)

Outfits for Daddy 9.18.11 (Sam 7 weeks)

9.24.11 (Sam 8 weeks)

Sam 9.24.11 (8weeks)

Sophia 9.24.11