Cloth Wipes Solutions

www.zany-zebra.com/cloth-wipe-solution.shtml
A neat post on homemade cloth wipe solutions.

Trying to earn some more Cloth

I have entered yet another give away for cloth diapers. 
I am sure my rotten luck will persist so I am not holding my breath.

The crud and bed time

Warning: Random Post

How is it a 24 year old woman cannot make her self go to bed on time? Seriously I am an adult and yet here I am at 11:30 p.m. still up because let's face it I have a Craigslist obsession and I self sabotage my bed time every single night. I don't know why I stay up. I am actually under the weather and miss work because I couldn't breathe without hacking this afternoon when the Hubs came home from work.

I want to blame it on the hour and a half nap I took but I doubt that is really the problem.

I want to blame it on Craigslist but that is just a tonight thing.

I want to blame it on the diapers I was washing/now drying but it isn't that either.

Anyway in other non-related topics, Happy Birthday to me I am 24 today but I feel ancient.

I feel ancient because at 24 I have already:

Adopted a dog,

Graduated from college,

Got married,

Found a job,

Had a baby,

Live in a house (not own),

Got into debt.

I know, I know poor me! How horrible that is! (I must be delirious to be complaining) All of these blessings and I complain. Really it isn't that bad but seriously? When did my life hit fast forward? I now worry about how clean my house is when my in-laws come over or genetically engineered food. It is going by fast as usual. Anyway I forgot how I was going to end this post so good night all.

Picture Post

So I am a sucker and thought I should share some of recent photos.

This of LM's first trip to a park.

I really like this photo but the Hub's said he looks way angry.

Just hanging out after bath time with my land shark.

Daddy with the land shark.

Our cute land shark.

Here I am with the Hubs at the Tulsa Symphony. We went for a super date night that included dinner at Red Rock Canyon Grill, Dessert at the Melting Pot and the Symphony!

Here is a favorite of mine, the quality is not good but I caught this while he was taking a morning nap.

This one is after Andy and Stacy's wedding.

LM's first trip to the pumpkin patch with his cousin. We dressed them in their Halloween costumes. That was the only time Elliot got to wear his.

More at the Pumpkin Patch, this shot is one of my favorites.

Remembering

Today I enjoyed the usual little moments with my Little Man. My special moment that happens everyday is when he is asleep or is falling asleep and I put him on my chest (he's so big now its like he is sitting on my leg) and I make his body hug mine as I hug him. Sometimes he lets out a little sleepy sigh, sometimes not. I can kiss his fuzzy head and smell his baby smell (not as noticeable as some babies - I wonder if it is because I don't bathe him everyday? - but I digress). And today I couldn't help but wonder if I am going to remember this?

Time is a thief, a crook, a bandit, that steals my memories and makes them fade. If this moment is captured by a picture will I remember it? If I have more children, will LM's memories blur with theirs? It breaks my heart when I think that I could forget. I try to make time everyday to have my moments with LM, he grows so fast, he changes so much. Every other week I have to adapt, to figure out a new way to help him sleep, or eat, or play.

When he is a teenager, will I remember how small and tiny he was today? I have trouble remembering almost 5 months ago how fragile he seemed but sturdy at the same time. I vividly remember the Dr. handing him to me while he was still attached to me. I remember the awe and clarity of that moment even though the whole experience is fuzy, distorted from the drugs, the exhaustion. I want to not forget. I want to remember it all the way it felt, how heavy or light he was, his smell, his squealing, his jumping, jumping, jumping, his cry, his laugh. I know some things will slip through the cracks of my mind. I just pray that my special moments, some of them at least, will remain with me and keep me going, the way they do every day now.

Growing Up

Do you ever have that "oh sh**" moment when you look around and realize "Crap I am an adult and there is no one to bail me out of this mess."? Lately I feel like I am having a constant "Oh sh**" moment, 24/7.

Don't get me wrong I like being an adult [I think]. I wanted the responsibility and such but I have this feeling like I am a kid who climbs up the tree and then realizes half way up that I have no idea how to get down.

Just thoughts I have had lately.

On another note, I think I might want to think about the direction and content of my blog.

Renter's Carpet

There is this color of carpet and style that my husband affectionately calls "renter's carpet", from the days when he used to work for a carpet store/warehouse (rhymes with balls).

I have been a renter for the last 5 years and I have lived in 5 different places (3 apartments and 2 houses). My first apartment had this hideous teal green carpet that must have been in style in the 70s or something because it appeared to be that old. Luckily my mother had a steam cleaner (something the Hubs says you aren't supposed to use on carpet). That teal carpet though still made my feet dirty after being cleaned twice and rinsed! In the first house I rented they replaced the carpet in my bedroom so at least my room was slightly more sanitary. Our first apartment together (the tiny 500 square foot one, we could hear the neighbors and I was terrified when the stairs iced aparment) had reasonably clean carpet that the management cleaned before we moved in.

Our current house though has this "renter's carpet" its brown, its sculpted (or it was at some point) and to me it is disgusting. Maybe it is because I am a mom now, but I fear for the day my child starts to crawl because it just looks gross and there is no chance of us getting it replaced by the landlord because our rent is "so cheap". Anyway, anyone have suggestions for nasty, nasty carpet? I have already checked there aren't beautiful hardwoods hiding beneath it. :(

The Little Man's First Movie

This is what the Hubs and Little Man do while I am at work...

Note: My baby is only 4 months old, this is a work of fiction!

Placeholder

Isn't he a cute placeholder?
I am posting because I have something to post later but I need to remind myself.
Plus who doesn't love antici-pation!

I type

I type this late at night...

I type this late at night, during the day, during nap time.

I type this with a purpose, without a purpose, intending to post but not quite getting the words write so it only is a draft.

I type this so I can share, so I don't have to share, so I can reflect, so I don't know why I type this but I do type and it is messy and not very good but I imagine somewhere I type this and it gets read or it doesn't but still I type this.

Random thoughts don't really make sense.

LM has started rolling.

Rolling back and forth from his back to his front and back to the back (but only the way he came). It is a silly half roll but it gets him where he wants to go often enough. It also has me super paranoid about leaving him unattended for a microsecond.

LM has also discovered new ways to talk. He mumbles like he is blowing bubbles but without the bubbles. He also does this fake cough and hyperventilating then scream thing that he thinks is hilarious, especially during mass (thus why we went straight to the cry room).

LM is just making me realize how fast it is going by. He doesn't even fit into 3 month stuff or even 6 month old stuff. I want him to stay a baby but yet I love all the progress he makes. I love the way he looks at me or the Hubs and I can just see the love and adoration. It is a drug and I love it but I know soon enough it will be "I hate you" and "You can't make me". I want to ask my mom how she copes with how it went by so fast. I want to know exactly how it feels for her babies to have babies. At the same time I don't want to know. I just want to absorb every moment and cherish it but I know my weak human memory won't ever do it justice.

Traveling with babe

Okay back in the day (what like a year ago) I loved taking weekend trips. I would travel across the state on a regular basis. Choctaw, Okemah, Stillwater, Tulsa and anywhere road trip yes I am in. Driving never, ever really bothered me.

Enter husband, traveling still fun a little more work if I want to leave because let's face it I packed for both of us or someone wouldn't have socks or underwear (makes me wonder about all the trips he made to Stillwater).

Enter infant, packing now takes a hour and a half, I kid you not. This is with me furiously trying to pack and taking off early. Also I don't always pack as much when we go to my 'rents because I have stuff we use of theirs. Mind you I am taking care of the baby half the time, poor hubs is exhausted from work but seriously?!

This is my process. (Yes I have a process because in the last month we have been to Mammaw & Pappaw's every weekend.)

First-I mentally make a list of everything we need for the weekend. [clothes, diapers, stroller, camera, diaper bag, breast pump, breast milk, baby swing-we have given up on the bassinet]

Second-I gather all the Mommy & Daddy stuff and pack their bag.

Third-I gather all the Little Man stuff and pack his bag [includes clothes, burp rags (optional), blankets, carrier, cloth diapers, doublers]

Fourth-I pack the diaper bag.

Fifth-I pack the breast pump, milk, bottles and all parts. [half the time I have to pack them dirty if we are going to my Mom's because I am in a hurry and thus can wash them at her house]

Sixth-I pack my purse, our camera(s), any video games/ipods we want.

Seventh-I gather all items going on the trip and set next to back door so I can double check I have everything.

Eight-I prepare the car [usually have to clean a little] and load all the stuff (a feat in and of itself as we both have smaller cars and a ton of stuff and that is without the jogging stroller.)

Nine-Everyone gets in the car and we go as Mom is covered in sweat and exhausted.

Ah, how life changes with a babe.

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

I can't remember exactly what I posted (or if I did) about our new adventure into cloth diapering. So, we are trying cloth diapers, have been about for a month now. Now you are caught up.

(Look my little rocker baby in his matching cloth diaper! Aren't they cute? [the diaper and the baby])

I had bought some diapers before Little Man was born (way back when we call him LM because we were stumped on the name front). And then we received tons of disposables but after buying a box of diapers and reading some more on cloth diapering I decided I did not want to 1) spend money on diapers I threw away, 2) contribute to massive landfills and dispose of human waste that way, 3) put chemicals that actually freak me out (what do they put in these 'sposies seriously) next to my babies junk. So after talking to the hubs and convincing him I would train him and we would save moo-la we decided to try it out. I started using the two BumGenius 3.0 dipes I had purchased and then I purchased 4 other brands of pocket diapers (1 FuzziBunz One-Size, 1 Happy Heiny One-Size, 1 GroBaby One-Size and 1 BumGenius Organic One-Size).

Anyway it definitely took some learning but I at once loved them. The Hubs took some convincing (especially since the leaks have happened mostly on his watch). Apparently LM is a super soaker and we need to change him often. Also if you are trying out different brands and or types I would give yourself some time to get used to them all because they are not all the same.

I went the pocket diaper route because I wanted it to be the easiest thing for the Hubs. Though now I figured out that I could have went with prefold (flat layered cotton you fold or pin onto a baby) and wraps and just prefolded the cloth and placed it in the wrap. Who knows maybe I will buy some of those next round. The other thing is I wished I had started buying diapers earlier because while they are cheaper in the long run the initial cost is kinda high. I also didn't really notice a change in our bills either because I run a load every day for the diapers.

I love CDing!!! It isn't really more work than one load of laundry a day. I use them when we travel and go to visit my mother and everything. They are soft and keep him dry plus I get to re-use them and I don't feel wasteful. Best of all it is cheaper!!!!


Here is a link I posted because I am trying to win some free diapers!
FuzziBunz® Cloth Diapers, Wipes, Changing Pads and Nursing Pads: Earth Friendly Baby Care!

My wanna-be blog

I think I figured out what kind of blog this is...it is a wanna-be blog. It wants to be important and have interesting things to say that people will devour! But alas my life is not that interesting.

Anyway, we had the dreaded garage sale and made some dough and got rid of some stuff. I think it is ridiculous the amount of crap we have (do not get me started on the trash we produce). I not to throw usable stuff away because that is wasteful but either donate or sell it but seriously it is tempting to have a dumpster and chuck everything I have not used nor thought about in the last 6 months.

I imagine this will only get worse as LM gets older but right now I have to contend with all the stuff the Hubs brought in (from his parents house that we didn't sell, more than all the stuff we set out for the garage sale, probably).

Good news we made some dough, bad news I got ate alive by mutant mosquitoes!

What happens

I noticed this change that started happening some time last year, my tastes changed and the things I obsessed about changed.

I stopped looking for new music to listen too, I spent my nights reading while my husband was asleep, I started to love design blogs and became interested in furniture. After I became pregnant my interests became preparing for the baby (totally understandable). This makes me question my interests, makes me wonder who am I?

Who am I, what do I want to do with my life? These questions have always been the hardest for me to cope with. It seems like every time I settle into a role everything changes. Not necessarily bad but lately I wonder and worry about the "mommy-ness" I seem to be oozing everywhere. I know I am relatively young for motherhood (especially since none of my friend that are my age have kids) but I don't mind. I love children.

Maybe the thing that stresses me out the most is what other think of me. Believe it or not I am really a people pleaser. I can't stand for people to be upset with me, I don't want them to think ill of me. So where am I now? I don't know.

Garage Sale

The hubs and I have decided to have a dreaded garage sale. You know the kinda of event where you put tons of time and effort to have people come dig through your old, unwanted, rejected stuff, in vain hope of making say a few bucks after haggling with everyone over your unwanted crap. Gee I sound so enthusiastic! But really we are probably choosing a horrible weekend to have it being a holiday and all but I want it to be over already.

I did have half a post written about cloth diapering but after re-reading it I decided it was crap and I could do better. My thoughts on that adventure at a later date.

This post is not exactly insightful but it is the best I have at such a late/early hour. So I will leave you with a cool pic.

I love how their mouths are both slightly open. Sleeping pictures... a favorite.

Naps and Sleep and Such

Update on the napping:

After much thought and debate we have been trying to not hold LM when its nap time (goes against all my instincts!). Instead we have been swaddling and placing him in his bassinet with a hand on his chest until he falls asleep. When he gets really upset we try to pick him up and calm him and then repeat the placing in the bassinet. If he really wants motion or to be rocked we have let him sleep in the swing.

After only 3 or 4 days of this method he fell asleep in 8 minutes!!!! (I know I am probably cursing myself by bragging) Yesterday he napped for an hour and a half! so sahweet success thus far. Had to share.

Baby sleep or lack of is a subject with volumes of literature. Cry-it-out methods, no-cry methods, baby-led, parent-led, combination, it is overwhelming and I have had it! Originally I thought "Oh we don't need a method" but now I am back tracking. I thought we will just let LM decide and go about our business, surely there is a middle ground here.

Tonight was my breaking point. See I thought I had noticed a pattern to LM schedule so I have been trying to adhere to it but today not only did I spend at least 30 minutes of my morning rocking him not to sleep he seems cranky quite a bit which is unpleasant.

Continued later on...

I stopped ranting last night looked up a few things on baby sleep and naps and such and I am still confused. LM sleeps like a champ at night seriously but during the day it is crazy. He has happy awake periods but they seems super short and he gets pretty grumpy if we don't hold him. I don't know he is a good baby but a horrible napper.

Today I went to the store about 9:30 Little Man chilled in the sling and was sleepy by the time I put him in his car seat he was asleep (of course until I put him in the car seat). The 5-10 minute drive back to the house he was passed out again. So I unloaded the car and then took him in and let him sleep. I gently laid him down in the bassinet, turned on the noise machine and placed my hand on him. He finally fell into a deep enough sleep I could remove my hand and I went about my business! He slept for about an hour I would guess! Sweet success is what I am calling this.

Wyatt

Wyatt is my first "baby". I have had him for over 3 years (geesh) now. The little mixed breed 10lb furball is odd to say the least. He never listens to the hubs (shhh don't tell) and he loves, loves, loves his crate.

Wyatt has been slightly neglected (as in he doesn't get the most love in the house anymore) since LM was born. So today I decided to take him on a walk with the baby. He was really excited. He trotted along the jogging stroller, his little short legs hurriedly walking to keep up. All was wonderful and fun, the baby was happy, the dog was happy and the Momma was happy until we reached a main street. Wyatt decided that the traffic (that was sporadic at best) was "scary" and refused to walk any further so this was my solution.

Mommy land

So this is my gripe about style and weight loss post baby.

Why is it that nothing fits? My maternity clothes are mostly too big (a good thing) my pre-baby clothes are mostly too small. It isn't because I haven't lost the weight because last time I checked I had lost almost all of it already. It is like my body has morphed into this weird shape that nothing hangs correctly on.

And all the clothes that do fit look frumpy. Not that I had a great fashion sense before but I swear I think my clothes look like frumperella! Anyway that is my gripe for the day.

Nappies

Cue excited new obsession for this week: Cloth diapering.

Seriously what has my world come to that I get so excited and spend hours researching different kind of diapers (and this is not the first time I researched it).

I finally ordered some more diapers because I am sick of blowouts from sposies (aka disposable or throw-away) and the fact I feel super guilty that I am sending my son's excrement to a dump (which is technically improper disposable of human waste). Not to mention it kinda freaked me out how full one of them got this week and it makes me think what the heck is in these?! Why the heck do I want that touching my son? Oh and I read an inspiring post on one of my fave blogs!

So I dived head first into researching all the types of AIO (all in one) One-Sized diapers I could find. During my pregnancy I bought two BumGenius Diapers which I used for the first time this week and pretty much loved but I am unsure how the aplix (aka velcro) would stand up. So I researched further. See I am needing the semi-easy way (which costs slightly more) and I need AIO to convice the hubs that cloth is the shiz. I also wanted to find a WAHM (work at home mom) to buy from. So the choices are apparently endless. I also tried to find a local person to buy from but I kinda had specific brands in mind and wasn't brave enough to order sight unseen homemade ones. [yes I am a chicken]

This morning, as soon as I got paid I ordered LM some new diapers! I am so excited it is disgusting. Wow, I am a mom.

Jobs, Careers and Running a Business

I am not gonna lie I have a job that I don't really love but don't actually hate.

I work part time, which is wonderful since I have a baby. Plus they let me change my hours to fit our schedule so we don't have to pay for a sitter. Super nice. Plus I don't make horrible money especially considering what I do. Mind you I did go to college and get a degree and you don't really need one to do what I do (another post some other time on how much I value college).

Most days I spend day dreaming about not working and staying home with Little Man (LM) or dreaming up of some self employment scheme. Could I be a photographer? Maybe I should open up a shop on Etsy. Most of the ideas I have no idea what I would really do and thus no fruition. I don't know still very, very frustrating. Now I have lost my steam and have decided to end this post.

~out into the void of cyberspace~

Let's get it started

I could start with a blog manifesto but that would require me to have one. I don't quite know why I was inspired to start a blog. I don't know if I will ever share this blog or not. Maybe it is an suppressed desire to express myself as I mature and grow. Anyway like it says I am not a writer and I don't believe I have any profound thoughts.

~stay classy~ (see I cannot even end originally)