tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16889679484958218872024-02-20T02:35:19.113-08:00Signed in InkAn everyday blog by a not-so-everyday girl.girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-60974766806350436062015-02-03T12:22:00.003-08:002015-02-03T12:22:52.893-08:00I'm okay with being "done".<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I did so much
blogging when I was on maternity leave with my son. I had two blogs that I (somewhat) kept up with. Guess how much
I've blogged since my daughter has been born.
You probably guessed zero, and, of course, you're right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My son is 3.5 years
old. He will be Four in July. This July. Four? Wasn't he just born? I'm pretty
sure I blinked and he grew into an amazing, smart, stubborn little person. I
feel like I've called him a toddler for so long but now he's not even that. He's
a kid. Ouch, my heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">His sister was born a
month before he turned three. He was there (here?) for her homebirth. She came
fast and has filled our lives with the drama we didn't know we needed. She was
a more difficult newborn than he was. She cried a reasonable amount. She hated
the car. She wouldn't nurse to sleep. She made me question everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">She turned four
months old and started getting easier. My overactive letdown evened itself out
(the cause of some of the newborn fussiness and reason she'd never fall asleep
nursing) and I figured out she was getting overtired and therefore cranky all
the time. Finally I could enjoy her - my second and last baby. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Yes, we've decided we
are "two and through". No, we haven't done anything drastic but we are
sure our family is complete. I always said I wanted to be done having babies by
30. I'll be 29 this year. I had super easy pregnancies and labour/deliveries. I
am overwhelmed by how incredibly lucky I am with two healthy children. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I love having two kids. The love between them is so amazing to witness each day. My daughter's face lights up in the mornings and after naps, when she sees her brother. He can merely talk to her and she'll giggle - my husband and I practically stand on our heads to get a laugh out of her. </span><br />
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I really am okay being done having babies. I thought I'd be sad as she outgrew each size of clothes and as she became a baby rather than a newborn. I figured I'd be devastated when she started crawling, pulling up to things and babbling, knowing this was the last time we'd have these "firsts". But I'm not. Yes, she's my last baby. I'm okay with that.<br />
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My son is so excited when she learns new things. He cheers for her and tells her he's proud of her. There's no way these milestones could be sad. No, I'll never have another baby who's stationary. And that sleepy newborn stage is a thing of the (very far) past for us. And that's okay.<br />
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I may be slightly sad I'll never be pregnant again. I loved being pregnant. I loved labour and birth. I had such amazing experiences and I'm considering myself very lucky. BUT I love her being 7 (almost 8!) months old. She claps. She says mama and dada. She shrieks. She's going to be running before we know it. But I don't miss her newborn, tiny baby days.<br />
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I guess I'm kind of grateful that she was a "hard" newborn. I know in a few years from now I won't remember it anyway, but right now it makes it easier to not dwell on her growing up so fast. Also, I'm pretty darn excited thinking about what we will do as a family of four as they get bigger. Camping, Disney World, trips to the beach - I can't wait! The baby days are hard - no sleep, trying to get on a schedule, trying to stay sane, keeping little people fed and happy AND maintaining a marriage, whew. Of course looking at their baby pictures is nostalgic and we "aww, look how tiny they were!" all the time. But no, I'm not sad my babies are growing up and I won't have another one. I know our family is absolutely complete with our boy and our girl. <3 p=""><br />
<br /></3>girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-61857636214189520812014-01-15T07:46:00.001-08:002014-01-15T07:46:53.767-08:00New year, new plan - changes to comeWell. It's been like 8 months since I've blogged. Too long. Summer 2013 was amazing and flew by much too fast. I can't believe I didn't post once all summer. Crazy. My boy turned 2 years old in July. We spent an awesome week at our cottage and had two birthday parties for the boy. My husband and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary in August.<br />
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September was a great month as well. We celebrated my husband's birthday, as well as my brother's and my mother in law's. And, though we didn't know until a few weeks later, we conceived our second baby! I found out on October 1st that I was pregnant. We'd been trying for close to a year, though only 6 or 7 months of that time I was even ovulating. It took about the same amount of time to get pregnant this time as it did with Noah. My due date is early June, a month sooner than I was due with Noah, 3 years ago.<br />
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October flew by, we announced the pregnancy to my husband's family on Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving is mid-October), and to my Mom on FaceTime a few days before that. Halloween was fun, though it was pouring rain all day and evening so this Dora and Boot got very wet Trick or Treating.<br />
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I can't really remember November much - other than getting ready for Christmas, putting up the tree, shopping. I guess that's pretty much what November consisted of! Oh and Noah got to go see Santa at the mall and tell him what he'd like for Christmas (a drumset).<br />
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In December, we found out that my brother and his girlfriend are expecting a baby this coming summer as well! They are due in July, right around Noah's birthday. My best friend (who lives TOO far away) is also pregnant and due in July as well. I'm so excited for all the babies!<br />
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Christmas was great, Noah got spoiled and had an awesome time with our family and friends.<br />
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And now it's January 2014. A new year. A big year. I will be a Mom of two. Noah will become a big brother and get his very first cousin. I am still figuring out how I will make everything work and still be the Mom I want to be (the Mom I was/am to Noah) as a Mom of 2 and doing home daycare as well. I know everything will work out how it's supposed to. It's going to be busy summer and I'm so excited!<br />
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Oh, and in four days we get to see this baby on the ultrasound for the first time and (fingers crossed) get to find out if Noah's getting a little brother or sister. We cannot wait.<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-14639442168038624612013-05-01T17:50:00.002-07:002013-05-01T17:50:28.269-07:00It feels like summer.. May 1st, what a great day to have *gorgeous* weather. It was +25 C today, and Noah and I spent the entire day outside. We went for a morning bike ride with Dad (Noah in the bike trailer), played at the park, went for a ride in the wagon and then played in the front yard with the make-shift "sensory water bins". It was an all around awesome day.<br />
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~~~</div>
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"Say cheese!"</div>
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Laying in the sand at the park</div>
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~~~</div>
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Oh, get this. My little boy is "almost two". I say that because when someone asks us how old he is, we no longer answer with "21 months". We say, "he's almost two". I don't know when this happened, but it makes me very sad. I mean, he's so sweet and smart and funny - but I just can't believe he'll be TWO years old in a few months. </div>
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Yesterday was a rough day with him, he literally whined all day, nothing made him happy. He got mad at me for offering something, then for not offering something what he really wanted. I was supposed to be a mind reader, apparently. There was a lot of screaming, for no reason, and hitting out of frustration, which is unlike him. He also went to bed an hour early, woke up at midnight extremely pissed off and didn't go back to sleep til after 2am. It was hard, and I felt very... done. But then he woke up at 8am in a great mood and we had an amazing day today. No whining, no screaming, no fighting.</div>
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I know some days will be harder than others, especially with him approaching two years old. But having a great day right after a terrible one made my perspective quite a bit better. And he gives the best hugs and kisses, so that helps, too. </div>
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Here's to hoping tomorrow's just as great as today - but if it's not, we'll get through it and I'm going to try to smile and laugh more with him, and yell less... even if I feel like I'm about to explode (or rip my hair out). He's just a little guy, I have to remember, and he doesn't <i>mean</i> to make me crazy sometimes. Sometimes I just look at him and I'm so overwhelmed with love and I feel like a terrible Mom for ever yelling or getting upset with him. I must remember to take a deep breath and let it out, listen to him then proceed. That's my goal, going forward. </div>
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-53492811958239913752013-02-25T10:58:00.000-08:002013-02-25T10:58:40.010-08:00Re-making crayonsI have a toddler who *loves* to draw/color. He has a whole bin of crayons that have come from different places and people, I threw them all together rather than keeping separate crayon boxes, etc. I also keep him coloring books and stencils in the bin, too. It works great.<br />
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Of course with little hands (and, I should admit, my hands) doing so much drawing, crayons break. Even the thicker ones that are meant for toddlers. Noah will still use the little pieces to color with but they were driving me crazy.<br />
<br />Today I decided to try melting them down and re-making crayons. I pulled out a foil muffin tins and a silicone icecube tray, and that was really all I needed to do this.<br />
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Step 1 - Peel off the paper and put crayon pieces in the tins, in a cupcake pan. I preheat the oven to around 400 degrees (C) and then put these in the oven just like this. I checked on them every few minutes and I stirred them around with a tooth pick a few times. After about 8-9 minutes, they were full melted so I pulled them out.<br />
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Before going in the oven</div>
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After I took them out of the oven</div>
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Step 2 - Let cool, but only a few minutes, until you can pick the muffin tins up. If you let them cool too long they will start to set. Then pour into mold (any shape or size works!)</div>
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I only made enough to do these four, because I wanted to see how it turned out before a ton of them. </div>
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Step 3 - Put the mold into the freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until completely set. Took about 15 minutes for me. </div>
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Step 4 - Pop the new crayons out of the mold!</div>
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They have a bit of "frost" on them in this picture, but as soon as they warmed up a bit and Noah started using them, it went away.</div>
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I was a bit unsure of how these would actual work, but they draw really well! I ended up with a redish/pink and a brown, but that's cause I just put random colors together in the muffin tins to melt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXZfCYYd6Kr0IblMducFSpKTmy27pXv7T19EHSlJbeocMv0cbvLiOuBBLKZrrA1sPMx0X963d3hqivIv5q815jgEbXd5Z7uydmxvx2aHFs_kiP-OtMFSiSwg9OvbQ_A2Jgv2hyphenhyphenL6d5kGs/s1600/Feb25-13+(22).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXZfCYYd6Kr0IblMducFSpKTmy27pXv7T19EHSlJbeocMv0cbvLiOuBBLKZrrA1sPMx0X963d3hqivIv5q815jgEbXd5Z7uydmxvx2aHFs_kiP-OtMFSiSwg9OvbQ_A2Jgv2hyphenhyphenL6d5kGs/s320/Feb25-13+(22).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is the crayons and how they actually worked on paper.</div>
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And finally, Noah actually coloring with them. He loves how easy he can grip them and scribble, too!</div>
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-70548710070660367082013-02-22T12:40:00.000-08:002013-02-22T12:40:34.322-08:00It seems like Fridays are the only day I get a chance to sit down and write. It makes sense, as it's the only day I don't have extra kids here during the day. I wasted most of Noah's nap already - played on my phone, wasted time on Pinterest (though I did find a good sweet potato burger recipe for tonight) and did the dishes. Now, I sit here and can't believe I still have a few minutes to post here. He's still asleep, so I will write until he wakes.<br />
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Every day that passes brings us closer and closer to spring. I know this, but why does it feel like winter will never end? It's snowing *again* today. I'm sick of my winter boots that are no longer waterproof. I'm annoyed with pushing the stroller (and double stroller, some days) through so much snow. Boo. I am so ready for February to be over, that is for sure. Only one more week. March will be better, right?<br />
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This face tends to make everything okay. He got this take-apart toy for Christmas and suddenly *loves* it. He knows how to make the drill go and he can take out the screws himself. Once it's all apart, he calls for me to put it back together. And I do, and he takes it apart again. And, repeat.<br />
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He has so many new words and phrases all of a sudden. He loves saying "yeaaah!" and "Oh no!". He also puts words together now, like "Ruby, no!" and "Mama, draw?" and "Dadda, please!" He can sing the Batman song (Na Na Na Na Batman!) but he thinks all superheroes are Batman. Ha. He still loves kitties, dog-dogs and owls (who who) and he can show you *all* of his body parts and make almost every animal noise/sound. He amazes us so much.<br />
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We have a busy weekend ahead of us, thanks to Noah having a bad cold last weekend, so we got nothing done. We have a family dinner, tons of errands, groceries and a friends' baby shower. I'm exhausted just thinking about all the running around.<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-54352470906739837272013-02-15T13:19:00.000-08:002013-02-15T13:19:04.923-08:00Flashback FridayA quick post as I'm on my way out the door - Flashback Friday, since I haven't done one in a few weeks.<br />
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My boy, February 15th last year, and today! </div>
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girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-68082838120352739662013-01-29T11:02:00.000-08:002013-01-29T11:02:39.270-08:00Tuesday Truth<br />
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I guess this constitutes as my Tuesday Truth post. It's definitely true that I'm feeling this way.</div>
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The roller coaster ride of emotions that is – deciding when
to have another baby. </div>
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My husband and I always knew we wanted to have two kids. It was
something we talked about before we were even engaged. He is one of two kids and I
am one of three. Being the youngest of 3 wasn’t always fun growing up, especially
since my sister is seven years older than me, and my brother is three years older. Paul
and his sister are about three years apart, but have always been close since it was just the two of them.</div>
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Two seemed like the right number for us and I always wanted
them close together. Well, it took *sixteen* months for my cycle to return after Noah
was born (thanks, extending breastfeeding). It’s still not regular, either. So,
now it’s looking like Noah will about about two and a half years old when we
welcome a new baby (if it happens when we are hoping, in a couple months). </div>
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I can’t wait to be pregnant again. I loved being pregnant,
even right up until I was overdue. I loved growing my baby – the morning (all
day) sickness was well worth it. I had an amazing birth experience, and I’m so
looking forward to doing it again. </div>
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But here’s the thing – I worry so much about how a new baby
will affect Noah and our family of three. I know this is a normal concern
(right?) but I keep wondering… will Noah’s feeling for me change? Will I feel the
same way towards new baby that I did towards Noah when he was born? Will I feel
differently about Noah? And all these feelings make me take a step back and
really think how lucky we are to have such an awesome kid… and why would we
change that?</div>
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I’m also constantly worrying about the age gap between Noah
and potential new baby. I always thought I’d have two much closer together. Now
I’m convinced that 2.5 years is a good gap, but what if Noah is right smack in
the middle of the “terrible twos”? What if he’s not consistently sleeping
through the night? How will I handle a two and half year old and a new born all
day, by myself? I have <b>so</b> many questions.</div>
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But of course I know that it will work out the way it’s
supposed to – it always does for us. I cannot help but feel like this decision is just *too* big. How am I supposed to know if I'm doing the right thing?</div>
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If anyone feels like weighing in on my feelings/thoughts
here, please leave me a comment (experience, etc). </div>
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Happy Tuesday! </div>
girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-44260592478268085112013-01-24T11:34:00.004-08:002013-01-24T11:34:56.583-08:00Wednesday Review<br />
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Okay, I'm a day late... but I'm sure no one will judge me. I'm planning on posting review on Wednesdays - baby products, Mama products, books, toys, etc. My first one is my stroller; I hope it helps some Moms-to-be out there researching strollers (I know it can be overwhelming)!</div>
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<a href="http://www.maxi-cosi.com/ca-en/products/strollers/strollers/foray-lx.aspx" target="_blank">Maxi Cosi Foray</a> Stroller – Review</div>
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This product is – definitely – my most used baby item. I
knew I needed an awesome stroller because of how much walking I do. I do not
have a driver’s license therefore everywhere I do during the week, I walk (or
bus). I didn’t even know I’d be using our stroller <b>this</b> much. I have
used the stroller at least once (usually twice) every day for 18 months. </div>
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When we first started researched strollers, we only knew
what kind we <b>didn’t</b> want. We didn’t want a “travel system”. I was
undecided which infant car seat we were buying, but we’d figure that out later.
The first stroller I found online that I loved was the <a href="http://www.kolcraft.com/brands/contours/strollers/contours-options-3-wheeler-stroller.html" target="_blank">Kolcraft ContoursOptions</a>. I loved the three-wheeled design, how the seat flipped to face towards the
parents and then flipped forward, and how numerous infant seats could snap into
it. And then I discovered it wasn’t available in Canada. So, back to the
drawing board I went – but this time I knew what style I wanted. I Googled and
searched and came out with a few other similar strollers, including the Maxi
Cosi Foray. I knew nothing about this company but it got good reviews and
looked really nice. And it was available at Babies R Us, and in our store. The
only about it I didn’t like? The $399.99 price tag. But, off we went to look at
it in person anyway.</div>
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It must have been our lucky day (or some kind of strange
coincidence) because when we got there and found the stroller to “test drive”, it
was on sale, for half price. This made it a done deal for my husband, though I
just wasn't so sure. I really liked the stroller, and Paul kept saying “we’ll
never find another stroller like this for this price”. He was right. But I
didn’t think we were actually <b>buying</b> a stroller today. I thought we were
just looking, test driving. So, I looked at others (nothing compared) and
checked out every little thing possible about the stroller. I just loved it. My
husband said we “couldn’t leave without it” so – we bought it. I was *<b>maybe*</b>
16 weeks pregnant. </div>
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So, yes, it was a long time before the stroller actually got
put to use. Of course, my husband took it out of the box and put it together
almost right away, so it was hanging out in the nursery for months before our
baby was even born. </div>
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<br />See?</div>
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Somewhere over the next little while we decided we needed
the Maxi Cosi <a href="http://www.maxi-cosi.com/ca-en/products/car-seats/infant/mico.aspx" target="_blank">Mico</a> infant car seat – one of the only downfalls to the Foray is
that it only works with the Mico seat. Luckily, I found one in great shape that
didn’t expire for a couple more years on Kijiji. There was no way I was paying
another $200 for the car seat that worked with the stroller. </div>
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Anyway, we used the stroller for the first time the day
after Noah was born. It was the middle of July and a Friday evening, so we
walked to the gas station to get Slurpees with our brand new, tiny baby in the
Mico seat, snapped into the Foray base. It was the best feeling ever. </div>
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Noah outgrew the Mico car seat around 3-4 months – we
upgraded to a convertible car seat and switched him to the main seat, which came
with the stroller. He looked so small in it at the time. The stroller
information says for use from infants 6 months up until 50 lbs. Well, Noah was
a big 4 month old (around 18 lbs) so I know he was safe in there. I kept him
facing towards me in the big seat until he was about 9 months old. I love
having him face me – I could see if he’d fallen asleep and I could talk to him
and whatnot. But by 9 months, he was ready to see the world and he was a lot
happier to be facing outwards. </div>
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Here's Noah, around 6 months old, in the stroller with the big seat.</div>
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Around that same time (9-10 months) I started taking Noah
out for a walk when it was around his nap time. Previously I had always nursed
him to sleep but he made it impossible to transfer him – he’d wake up and be
pissed off that I’d tried to move him. So, I decided to see if he’d sleep in
the stroller. And he did. The best thing about the Foray is how the seat comes
off easily. For months, Noah napped only in the stroller and when I got back to
house, from my walk, I just lifted off the seat and brought him inside. I was then
free to get stuff done (no longer stuck in nap jail) and he slept as long as he
needed. Amazing. </div>
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I have so many favourite things about the Foray. The brake
is a one-step push with my foot and it’s awesome. The handle that goes shorter
(for me) and longer (for my husband) is great too. And, of course, the fact
that the seat can flip around and be lifted off easily is a huge plus. The seat
also has many reclines, both facing the parent and outwards. Facing outwards, I
can have Noah laying basically flat if I wanted him to be. The wheels on the Foray are great - large bike tire wheels at the back and two small wheels at the front that can lock (great for winter and snow) or be unlocked, giving it amazing turning ability. </div>
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One of the only other negative things I can think of is the
fact that the seat itself can’t be washed. I wish I could just take the seat
padding off and throw it in the washing machine. It says “spot clean only”
which is often difficult, depending on the mess. </div>
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The basket underneath the seat could also be a bit bigger (it's small compared to travel system strollers) but it definitely does the job. </div>
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I’m not a huge fan of the way the stroller folds up, but
thankfully my husband is a pro at it and is the one who almost always folds it
up / puts it in the SUV / unfolds it. Until Noah was about six months old, I
didn’t even know <b>how</b> to do it because my husband was the one who did it
all the time. Ha. </div>
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We have since bought a small, cheap umbrella stroller for
quick trips or if my mother-in-law is taking Noah and I somewhere, etc (the
Foray doesn’t fit as well in her car). My husband <b>hates</b> the umbrella
stroller. He says it’s too short for him and he doesn’t feel like Noah is as
safe in it. I hate that Noah would
never fall asleep in it. So we still bring the Foray 99% of the time, even now
that Noah is 18 months old. </div>
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I’m lucky that my toddler still likes being in the stroller.
He doesn’t fight to get out of it and he’s usually happy in the stroller for
trips to the mall or the Farmer’s Market. Maybe it's because his Foray is so comfy!</div>
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I'm planning on buying a <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3942022" target="_blank">Buggy Board</a> when we have a new baby in a year or so, which snaps onto the Foray at the base and would allow Noah (who will be about 2.5 years old) to stand on it while I push the new baby in the stroller. </div>
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Just knowing I will get about 4 years out of my stroller (two years per baby) or more, makes it worth the $400 price tag. The fact that I got it on sale for $200 is even better, obviously. </div>
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To conclude, if you're looking for a stroller that's "different", definitely keep in mind and check out the Maxi Cosi Foray. It's an amazing, stylish stroller, worth every penny in my books. </div>
girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-87497549727275149242013-01-18T18:43:00.001-08:002013-01-18T18:43:33.087-08:00Flashback FridayHere it is - my (late) Friday post. This one blew me away, actually. It's so hard to believe how big my boy is already. 18 months! I'm not sure how it's possible.<br />
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<b>January 18th, 2012 and today, January 18th, 2013</b></div>
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I know, I know. This is something every Mom says. But it's just so true. A year ago he just sitting up on his own, drooling alot (no teeth yet) and chewing on everything. He wasn't even crawling yet! And now, man, he's a more like a kid than a baby. *Mind blown*</div>
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And now all I can think about is how my Mom must feel. I'm <i>her</i> baby and I'm almost 27 and have my own toddler. It must be so crazy for her. </div>
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I'm <i>so</i> looking forward to this weekend where we have nothing planned. It seems like every weekend since the fall we've just had packed with things to do. Sure, we'll get groceries and do our usual errands... but we have no obligations and have no set times to do anything. I hope Noah sleeps in tomorrow (ha!) and we can be lazy around the house most of the day. I'm hoping to get some reading and writing in tomorrow as well. </div>
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It's supposed to get darn cold next week (-20 C), so bundling Noah up for our afternoon walks doesn't sound fun anymore. At least I got snow pants for Christmas and I recently bought a neckwarmer - I might not look stylish but I will not be cold. Noah has two snowsuits but I am liking the one piece better. I know we haven't had much of a winter yet (besides a ton of snow that is already melted), so the worst is obviously yet to come. But I will keep reminding myself that thanks to Global Warming our Spring usually begin in March now. Sooo, only 1.5 more months of winter! </div>
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Ugh... before I know it I'll be planning the 2nd birthday party. Less than six months away...</div>
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girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-85328235345777997462013-01-15T11:28:00.000-08:002013-01-15T11:28:14.826-08:00Tuesday TruthsI just have about half an hour here to post. I have two toddlers napping and (as always) either of them could be up at any moment.<br />
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Tuesday Truths will be random things/facts going through my mind at the moment - all truths. They may even be things I haven't really said out loud before.<br />
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Truth #1 - My husband has been Smoke Free for SIX months as of today. He quit smoking the day of Noah's 1st birthday party and hasn't looked back.<br />
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Truth #2 - I got tattooed just four days ago and I already want another new piece. Before that, it had been 3.5 years since I got tattooed.<br />
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Truth #3 - I cannot wait to get pregnant again, but I'm terrified of having a girl. I, of course, will be happy either way, but I just can't picture myself with a daughter. I've always dreamed of having 2 (or 4) boys. I want Noah to have a brother.<br />
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Truth #4 - I eat entirely too much junk food/unhealthy food, but I walk *so* much that I'm pretty sure it cancels it out. And I'm down 25 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight, so I don't really see a problem. I also have zero interest in "working out", but I do go for at least 2 fairly long walks every day, so it's a form of working out, right?<br />
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Truth #5 - I *love* being a stay-at-home-Mom and hate when people ask me why I didn't go back to work. I can't stand the thought of being away from my kid and having someone else hang out with him. Although, I did love going to see a movie with my husband this last weekend and leaving Noah at home with his Aunty. I love that I raised a kid who is rarely ever away from me but doesn't have a hard time adjusting when we are apart.<br />
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Truth #6 - I love when my toddler is sleeping, I love having even an hour to myself... but then I get bored and just sit there playing on my phone or on the computer and think to myself <i>What did I do with my time before I had a kid?</i> So, I love having short periods of time to myself. To recharge. But man, I love hanging out with my kid. He's so fun!<br />
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Truth #7 - I really love cloth diapers and clothing diapering Noah. So much so that I will be sad when he's potty trained. By then I'll have a newborn in cloth again... but still. I love seeing him in his adorable diapers.<br />
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That's it for now. I am hoping to get my stroller review typed out for tomorrow, but we will see. Happy Tuesday everyone!<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-63179568443401000512013-01-07T10:52:00.000-08:002013-01-07T10:52:03.292-08:00Monday MontageFor my first edition of <span style="color: #38761d;">Monday Montage</span>, I will post a collage of random pictures from this past weekend. Future weeks may have specific themes, I can't say for sure.<br />
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Noah loved playing in all the freshly fallen snow. It was super sticky and I built him a snowman, and then we sung Frosty the Snowman (over and over and over). He's not a fan of reindeer but he *loves* snowmen. </div>
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I'm off to have lunch and do some reading while Noah and Masen (little boy I babysit during the week) are napping. From 1pm to 2:30pm (ish) it's the most quiet and peaceful time of my day and I must take full advantage of it. If there's one thing for sure, it's that they will wake up and they will want to play, play, play!</div>
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Happy Monday!</div>
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-17128900754230953692013-01-04T16:42:00.001-08:002013-01-04T16:42:42.297-08:00Flashback Friday!And here it is... I present you with January 4th, 2012 along side today, January 4th, 2013. The difference is quite literally amazing. One year older. Almost six months in the first picture (and *so* chubby) and almost 1.5 years in the second picture.<br />
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He was a baby in the first picture... and he's a kid now. It's so insane and amazing and sad all at once. I love this age. He is so smart and he understands everything I say to him. It's so cool to watch him learn things every day and see how excited he gets when he figures something out. But man, knowing he'll never be that baby again is pretty upsetting. I totally feel like he'll be heading off to kindergarten before I know it.<br />
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It's late now and my eyes are heavy - I wish I'd gotten around to writing out this post earlier. It's just about time to go put my toddler (*sob*) to bed.<br />
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Hopefully I will get another post written out tomorrow and posted either sometime on the weekend or on Monday. Have a great weekend!<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-37352082175083435032013-01-03T10:56:00.000-08:002013-01-03T10:56:48.198-08:00So this is the New Year...And to quote Death Cab, many years ago... "And I don't feel any different."<br />
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Well, except that it's definitely January weather outside. Today is *freezing*. Our snow is sticking around. It's winter, for sure. But this always happens in January, so I should not be surprised. Noah actually enjoys playing in the snow - he loves holding snowballs and throwing them. Next week I am planning on patting down some of the snow in the back yard (on the hill) and making a "slide", for Noah and Julia (the 6 year old I babysit after school). I'll probably go down it, too, I'm not going to lie.<br />
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I do plan on doing a few things differently in 2013, including blogging a lot more. I do regret not blogging/writing/reading much at all last year. Yes, I was busy. But there was always nap time. I do think that while nap time used to equal Facebook time, now it will be my quiet time for reading / writing. I'm very much looking forward to this. I really could stand to be on Facebook just a little bit less.<br />
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To force myself to stick with blogging regularly, I am now implementing some weekly posts. Perhaps Monday Montage? Tuesday Truths? Wednesday Reviews? Or Flashback Friday? I have tried these before and wasn't all that great and keeping up with them - but I'm hoping this year will be different. I'm going to attempt to do a couple each week to start. Today is Thursday and I can't come up with a clever Thursday theme... so today will be random. Ha.<br />
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Anyone out there that would like to recommend great books they've read recently, please do so in the comments! I'm always looking for new books to download for my Kobo reader.<br />
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Check in tomorrow - it will be Flashback Friday (a photo from sometimes over the past two year along with a photo from the current day). I'm considering also picking one random idea off <a href="http://stayathomemoms.about.com/od/thesahmcommunity/a/101-Blog-Content-Ideas-for-Moms.htm" target="_blank">-this-</a> list to blog about on Fridays. What do you think?<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-56987809977643692802012-12-31T18:51:00.000-08:002012-12-31T18:51:01.092-08:00The final day of 2012...And I'm drinking wine and sitting at my laptop, literally amazed at how fast this year has gone.<br />
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It feels like Noah was *just* born, and he's he's now almost a year and a half old. We just celebrated his second Christmas - though the first one he really got to enjoy. He had a great day, and made out like a bandit, of course. Spoiled boy.<br />
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Christmas morning 2012</div>
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But maybe I should go back to the beginning. This year was the year of Firsts, especially for Noah. He learned to crawl, then walk, then run. He went to Sauble Beach for the first time. He had his first birthday. Then he learned "no", but also to give kisses and hugs, which makes up for it. More recently, he started sleeping in his "big boy" twin size bed. *tears* He's getting so big. </div>
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This year was amazing for me, as well. I had the first half of the year on Maternity leave, which ended in June. Thinking I was going to have to go back to work, it was a depressing time. But someone had a plan for us, for sure, and I was able to stay home with Noah, while babysitting a couple of friends' kids. It has been amazing to get to be with my boy every day. I have not missed any of his firsts, because of this. I am so blessed. </div>
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I am so looking forward to 2013, for many reasons. But tonight, it's still 2012, if only for a few more hours. I am planning to eat ice cream and watch a movie while Noah sleeps soundly upstairs. I'm a Mom, and I'm okay with not going out to celebrate tonight - I'll likely be up at 6am anyway. Haha. </div>
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New Year's Eve, 2012</div>
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See you all in the New Year! </div>
<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-41326392826375953332012-10-19T19:34:00.000-07:002012-10-19T19:34:01.499-07:00The leaves are FALLing..I *so* want to start posting here more often and now that Noah has a nap time that I can count on (yes, he's down to one nap now), I have about one hour of free (me) time in the afternoon each day. He naps from 12pm-2 or 1pm-3pm - I always spend the first hour tidying up/doing dishes/putting in laundry, then I sit at the computer with my coffee for the second hour. So far, I usually get sidetracked with Facebook / Pinterest and don't get much done, and before I know it Noah is awake. But recently I've been making a running list of stuff to get done during nap time (I'm obsessed with lists).<br />
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This week the list included : order prints from Walmart photo centre, organize/transfer/delete pictures on laptop, update cloth diaper blog, update regular (this) blog. Well, yesterday I scratched off the first two things and today I'm working on the blog posts.<br />
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I've been wanting to write about my new status as "stay-at-home Mom". I mean, I've always been a stay-at-home Mom, ever since a month before he was born. But I guess I always knew I'd have to go back to work of some sort after my year of maternity leave. Living off my husband's income only was never a feasible option for us, and I knew that. I was prepared for that.<br />
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But then my brother (uncle Aaron) moved here and has been living with us (in the basement) since June. He's giving us "rent" which is helping alot. I also started babysitting a couple of other babies Noah's age, part time, and a little girl every day after school. And suddenly my dream of staying at home, raising my son is coming true. I feel like the luckiest person ever.<br />
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It's truly amazing to be able to spend my days with my son - seeing all of his "firsts" and watching him grow and change literally before my eyes. He's becoming such a little person now - running, climbing, starting to talk. He's incredibly smart (too smart, I think sometimes) and knows what he wants. He's generally happy and funny - but of course he has his moments and has begun throwing epic tantrums. I ignore him and he stops, at least for now. He's literally my sidekick and we love being together, though he's becoming independent now and loves playing with other kids and people. He's just... amazing. I love him so much. Now that I'm feeling all sappy I want to go squeeze him (but of course I just spent an hour getting him to sleep in his crib, so I will *not* be doing that).<br />
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I'm also making and selling my all natural bum balm (<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bubbababybumbalm" target="_blank">Bubba Baby Bum Balm</a>) so there's some profit from that as well. I have a Facebook <a href="http://facebook.com/bubbababyproducts" target="_blank">page</a> and an Etsy shop. I'm participating in a local mom / homemade fair in a couple weeks as well. I'm super excited - hoping to get my product out there a bit more. I am really passionate about keeping chemicals (things we can't pronounce the names of) away from babies skin, so I'm so looking forward to spreading the word about this. <br />
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I'll end this with a recent picture of Noah - and a promise to post around here more often :)<br />
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-33341155660890405492012-08-01T10:39:00.000-07:002012-08-01T10:39:10.293-07:00Well, what can I say?It's been another six months since I've blogged around here - I'm not sure how I keep letting time get away from me.<br />
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My baby turned one *gasp* two weeks ago, and is quickly transforming into a toddler. How did this happen? Wasn't he <i>just</i> born? The party was awesome and we had tons of family and friends there with us to celebrate our little man.<br />
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Here's a couple shots from the big day.<br />
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He doesn't look impressed.</div>
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His cake!</div>
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Opening presents.</div>
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Cake smash!</div>
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"I'm ONE!"</div>
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Since then, I've just been trying to enjoy him the best I can. He's growing up too fast. He runs around, gets into everything and sometimes drives me crazy... but he's so sweet and gives the best hugs in the world. He's so smart - he knows tons of words (mama, dada, dog, cat, hi, buh bye, night night, bubble, ball), he figures things out all the time and we wonder how the heck he knew that! Hearing his little voice call me, "Mama!" or when he wants something and he points and says, "Mama?" - it's just too sweet. You just can't imagine how much you'll love your child and then every day you just love them more and more. It's unbelievable. </div>
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I've been lucky enough to become a "stay at home Mom" as well. My maternity leave ran out and we were still unsure of what we were going to do. I did not want to go back to work and pay someone else to take care of Noah. It just didn't make sense to us. Luckily, a friend of mine who has a son Noah's age <i>was </i>going back to work and asked if I wanted to babysit her little guy. So far it's working out great. I'm just very grateful to be able to stay home with Noah. My husband is amazing. </div>
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Oh, speaking of my husband... he quit smoking for Noah's first birthday! It's been over two weeks now and he's doing awesome. I knew he'd quit when he was ready and he decided to do it now, for Noah, so that he'd never remember his Daddy smoking. Our kids growing up in a smoke-free home (family) was very important to me. I'm so proud of my husband, I can't imagine how hard it probably is. </div>
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These days, I will hopefully get my blogging time in during Noah's nap - that's right, he's already down to one nap per day. It's usually 2 hours long, though, so I can eat, clean up and still get some time on the laptop. I am hoping to be able to post at least once a week here, from now on. I'm still posting more regularly on my other blog, <a href="http://clothdiaperworld.blogspot.com/">Cloth Diaper World</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-70133538675115400012012-01-27T12:43:00.000-08:002012-01-27T12:43:46.722-08:00January is coming to an end...It's so hard to believe that we are already almost a month into 2012. We have so much fun stuff coming up that I don't mind the time passing quickly - but I really hate how fast Noah is growing up. <br />
<P>Noah and I are really enjoying swimming classes, every Saturday. He loves the water, so it's perfect fit. I'm trying to get him ready for summer - we're going to be swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's all the time. And we are planning a big pool party 1st birthday... wow. Less than six months and he'll be a year old. Crazy. <br />
<P>Next weekend is his Baptism, and Grandma Rouse (my Mom) is flying down for the weekend! We can't wait to see her. I'm very excited to get family and friends together to celebrate Noah's Baptism. <br />
<P>I'm working on a few things these days - one of which will result in me opening an Etsy shop in the near future. I'll be selling home made all natural lip balm and cloth diaper safe bum cream. I'm also hoping to start selling some bibs, cloth wipes and wet bags that I've been working on. Stay tuned for more on that!<br />
<P>I'll leave you will some pictures from today, of Noah of course. <br />
<P><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaB0erU6ln8P7NIuAPg8HWQxzDTpeDTRL1q-Pw8LOsgffY8h32XGKHb9pjPRy9fT2eGfuaiCfuMSf1B3XJYtK3OwbJuvfJmfxXvq75oltZ2xw_HgahXOCeDwwrDron7Y0kUoTUn1tm4cP_/s1600/DSC_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaB0erU6ln8P7NIuAPg8HWQxzDTpeDTRL1q-Pw8LOsgffY8h32XGKHb9pjPRy9fT2eGfuaiCfuMSf1B3XJYtK3OwbJuvfJmfxXvq75oltZ2xw_HgahXOCeDwwrDron7Y0kUoTUn1tm4cP_/s320/DSC_1367.JPG" /></a></div><P><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLTndOMhQvX7b9lBOfNvzZ6Scn5ZxCyteQEhcmQJYXkNgmZMWorVaWkSVGKwui-1OajA2sUAzZdkfqPBPTKQn4EMHyyPXwn72hL7n-Y3qUw-QOIy5sbjhh3sDbQbV-Ew4KoF_gPeDKwv-/s1600/DSC_1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLTndOMhQvX7b9lBOfNvzZ6Scn5ZxCyteQEhcmQJYXkNgmZMWorVaWkSVGKwui-1OajA2sUAzZdkfqPBPTKQn4EMHyyPXwn72hL7n-Y3qUw-QOIy5sbjhh3sDbQbV-Ew4KoF_gPeDKwv-/s320/DSC_1484.JPG" /></a></div>girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-81161434557599433352012-01-17T14:04:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:04:39.213-08:00I have a six month old...Four months? How has four months passed since I've posted here? That blows my mind. I apologize. <br />
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I have been blogging though, but over on my other blog. You can go visit if you want - it's called <a href="http://clothdiaperworld.blogspot.com">Cloth Diaper World</a> and, you guessed it, it's my cloth diaper blog. I've been reviewing products, writing posts that other cloth diaperers might find helpful, etc. <br />
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Yes, my life is all about the baby, and cloth diapers are a huge part of that. So, my few minutes of free time a day is usually spent writing posts for that blog. <br />
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The other thing I've been doing alot of is making baby food. So far I've made sweet potato puree, peas puree and butternut squash puree, as well as mashed avocado and banana. I cut up the fresh fruit/veggie, usually steam it for a few minutes and then blend it into a puree in my new hand blender that my mother in law bought me for Christmas. I was using my three year old Magic Bullet prior to that, and it was doing the job, but not that great. I'm very happy with my hand blender! After it's a puree, I spoon it into clean ice cube trays, let it cool, snap on the lid and throw it (not literally) into the freezer. Noah eats 1-2 cubes per meal, once a day so far. He's loved everything he's tried so far, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/379850_10150437845505868_586050867_8827670_269895440_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="460" width="317" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/379850_10150437845505868_586050867_8827670_269895440_n.jpg" /></a></div><center>Eating banana, at 5 months old</center><br />
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Oh, did I forget to mention that he's 6 months old now? How did that happen? He's not quite mobile yet - he crawls backwards but not forwards. He's got an amazing little (big) personality as well. He's very social, loves most everyone and hardly ever cries. He whines, definitely. But crying is rare. He (finally) is back to sleeping through the night - we went through a month or two of him waking up 2-3 times every night to eat. Though those days I just had an extra cup of coffee and didn't let it affect me much.<br />
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We spend our days playing, going for walks in the stroller and then when Noah decides to actually nap, I get housework done - like dishes, vacuuming, laundry, etc. I usually only get online on my iPhone, and usually only when I'm nursing Noah. Although he is now alot better at playing on his own (now that he's sitting up) and that allows me a few minutes to actually get on the laptop and upload pictures, blog, etc. <br />
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I'll leave you with a picture from today, since I have to go start dinner now. I've been teaching myself how to take a better picture with my dslr, without a flash. I'm proud of this one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIW9vavF8M4wSusdtBp-WrfD6-DTJMANnle1B92HtMX8BwxFw4bdqYLgFAlsRXrW2aLNJCMTKdTMT5BdToqNB790wGgm8EYjqxFSFcVLtJeta_im_CNe2WacbWIr2XAEK1w6V6A5SMiPL/s1600/CSC_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIW9vavF8M4wSusdtBp-WrfD6-DTJMANnle1B92HtMX8BwxFw4bdqYLgFAlsRXrW2aLNJCMTKdTMT5BdToqNB790wGgm8EYjqxFSFcVLtJeta_im_CNe2WacbWIr2XAEK1w6V6A5SMiPL/s320/CSC_0870.JPG" /></a></div>girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-41311404896157742932011-09-16T12:51:00.000-07:002011-09-16T12:57:25.930-07:002 Months old!My days pass by do fast now that all of a sudden it's been weeks since I've posted here again. I feel like there's never enough hours in my day. I make lists of what I want/need to get done for the day and then when Noah naps I never seem to get anything done. Most days I vacuum, do dishes, tidy up and do diaper laundry- every other day. And that's on top of dealing with the dogs and taking care of a newborn. If possible I always try to get in a half hour walk with Noah as well. I've lost my baby weight but I have about 10 more lbs until I'll feel great about my body.<br /><br />He's napping now and I'm sitting here typing this out instead of doing dishes. I hardly get on my laptop at all these days though, so it's ok. Dishes can wait. We'll just make more dirty dishes tomorrow anyway.<br /><br />Noah is 9 weeks old already, which just blows my mind. He's 14 lbs and 25 inches long. He's smiling and laughing all the time now, and yesterday he actually kicked and splashed in his bathtub. He absolutely amazes me every single day. We love him more than words can express. We aren't sure how we ever lived without him. <br /><br />Here's a couple pictures from his 2 month photo shoot that I did the other day:<br /><br /><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/318963_10150286197610868_586050867_8172930_1383784603_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 706px; height: 960px;" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/318963_10150286197610868_586050867_8172930_1383784603_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/320983_10150286194290868_586050867_8172893_199437376_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 960px; height: 639px;" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/320983_10150286194290868_586050867_8172893_199437376_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-69674182130816788072011-08-09T19:17:00.000-07:002011-08-09T19:22:01.303-07:00Introducing Noah...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07hhJkJdwJGlzCXzwWSdxwfgLKjQtbyhUEiRa-2mAGADfDuzXdSG05J52uh9MX7EvrDJxuQ_h8SV4sk45lgDwIeygq6_y838a82B77UL9q2NFD93GyHm8p4-fsxClYLIXhOGFLvYlC7pA/s1600/newborn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07hhJkJdwJGlzCXzwWSdxwfgLKjQtbyhUEiRa-2mAGADfDuzXdSG05J52uh9MX7EvrDJxuQ_h8SV4sk45lgDwIeygq6_y838a82B77UL9q2NFD93GyHm8p4-fsxClYLIXhOGFLvYlC7pA/s320/newborn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639046485127259522" /></a>
<br /><center>Our little man, a few minutes old.</center>
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<br />Wow. So now that I’m settled into being a Mama and have a pretty good schedule down with baby Noah, I will hopefully be blogging regularly again. Noah is sleeping now (he usually sleeps between 1pm and 4pm so I should have another hour or so before he wakes) so I figured I’d try to get this written, at least. I don’t have the internet during the day during the week – long story, but Paul works from home now and needs the full extent of the internet for his job, hence I get no wireless internet for my laptop while he’s working. It’s okay though, I would much rather hang out with Noah and the pups and go out for walks than sit around on the computer anyway. But I will try and type up a post hopefully every day or every other day and then post it here in the evening when Paul’s done work.
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<br />So I’m not sure whether or not I’ll post my birth story here. It’s very personal story and I don’t really want it that open to the public. I just finished writing it (almost four weeks postpartum) today. It’s an amazing story and it still blows my mind when I think about it. Just the fact that I gave birth to my son in my living room with no drugs for pain is purely incredible, I think. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back by any means – I know some women just can’t do it that way and I totally respect that. It is just the fact that my birth plan actually happened and I was able to do it the way I wanted to. Anyway, I’ll think about whether I’ll post the actual story here. It’s long. And detailed. So we’ll see.
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<br />I’m handling being alone with Noah and the dogs all day better than I thought I would. I thought that the dogs would be crazy and I’d be locking them up in their crates all day – they are crazy sometimes but I’m able to put them outside in the yard to play and get rid of some of their energy. I’m happy to say that I rarely put them in their crates during the day – only when I need a break or I’m going out somewhere. So I’m happy about that.
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<br />My only issue right now postpartum is this whole ordeal surrounding my decision to pump milk or not. My thoughts are that I’d like to have some in the freezer in case I get sick and can’t breastfeed or in case I go out somewhere and Paul has to feed him. I really don’t plan on going anywhere without Noah for the next few months (seriously!) but we’ll see. Also, I do feel like I’m wasting quite a bit of milk throughout the day when Noah’s sleeping and I leak into the breast pads. I don’t like wasting. My issue with pumping though is that I don’t want him to get attached to the bottle and then not want to breastfeed. This really scares me! I still haven’t made up my mind about pumping – I do know that I won’t be introducing the bottle to him for at least a few more weeks, maybe more.
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<br />Other than that, I’m feeling great. Noah is such a good baby. He sleeps great, he’s on a schedule now so I’m able to get stuff done during the day like laundry, cleaning up, etc. Also, cloth diapering is going amazing. I love it. Even Paul says things like “I can’t imagine us not cloth diapering”. Love him. Even though I’m the one who does all the diaper changes and all the laundry, haha. Oh well.
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<br />Noah is waking up so I’ll end this here. I’ll definitely make it part of my daily computer time to type out a post and add some pictures. He’s growing and changing so much already. Can’t believe he’s almost a month old!
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<br />girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-39786507774469057692011-05-29T15:53:00.000-07:002011-05-31T17:37:07.284-07:00Another month goes by...Just realizing now that I haven't posted here in a month. Four weeks is a long time, but it sure passes quickly these days! I'm 34 and a half weeks pregnant - less than 6 weeks go to now! In the past month I had two baby showers - we feel so loved and blessed by everyone who came and celebrated our little guy and showered us with gifts! The first shower was at Paul's mom's house and hosted by her and Paul's sister - it was mostly family and family friends, and it was so much fun. My mom and my sister came for the weekend and besides the fact that it rained for three days straight, we had a great time. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbnkZoW90tsxVWeoo6j1qySPdXU-sW6yWFQvxehhmUiy8jAKX3QCb-bUU9WCa11foLHT_bVj9EE5gkOyQV4GFoIW1VxTumiI9ZErs8lRptRxnxLVdXqW8rjrVzscYKvbAKZKu5llwUqVt/s1600/DSC_0988.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbnkZoW90tsxVWeoo6j1qySPdXU-sW6yWFQvxehhmUiy8jAKX3QCb-bUU9WCa11foLHT_bVj9EE5gkOyQV4GFoIW1VxTumiI9ZErs8lRptRxnxLVdXqW8rjrVzscYKvbAKZKu5llwUqVt/s320/DSC_0988.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612280981569317106" /></a><br /><br />Then this past weekend we had our "friends" shower at Paul's best friend's house. It was so much fun, all of our awesome friends came and brought food and gifts! We had an awesome time! Here's a picture of me and Paul from that party:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6dHORw6ZqvHQg3joSozi8GpDVYsZbC2r4xjv6ZSwTGWzNDwMoCzdfdJUzOZ8muLI9oJCKuokF5CCZkc4CzsTS-0oKJybt48sJDKBphmXDbCdLbnK1dy_zLU5vnbsyOA286qUEIZVZMOm/s1600/254561_10150634691905697_824580696_18625596_1462001_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6dHORw6ZqvHQg3joSozi8GpDVYsZbC2r4xjv6ZSwTGWzNDwMoCzdfdJUzOZ8muLI9oJCKuokF5CCZkc4CzsTS-0oKJybt48sJDKBphmXDbCdLbnK1dy_zLU5vnbsyOA286qUEIZVZMOm/s320/254561_10150634691905697_824580696_18625596_1462001_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613041880225365202" /></a><br /><br />I only have three more shifts left at work before I go on maternity leave. It's so hot and busy at work now that I'm really glad to be almost done. I know it's going to be weird to be not working, but at least I'll have time to finish up everything around the house and the baby's room before he makes his arrival!<br /><br />Here's a quick picture of the nursery from a couple weeks ago, before his bedding was set up:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQEIudFrQCl5t7YrUOeH4RowGAsaUQW6cvb_X0lWPPh5ng8Y3vO-_BhUrPEwZN7TQjCZcmZc9lS4PLa77j4CtXgOVcwGPjpqz88SCojkbfzvqsmvWpqCaLcUU4CWJgj_WGpdCfm-iSv4X/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQEIudFrQCl5t7YrUOeH4RowGAsaUQW6cvb_X0lWPPh5ng8Y3vO-_BhUrPEwZN7TQjCZcmZc9lS4PLa77j4CtXgOVcwGPjpqz88SCojkbfzvqsmvWpqCaLcUU4CWJgj_WGpdCfm-iSv4X/s320/DSC_0964.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613043348756454562" /></a><br /><br />I'll post a "finished" picture soon. <br /><br />That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have more to write about next time. I can't wait til I can start blogging about the baby!girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-63192153546809703192011-04-26T17:24:00.000-07:002011-04-26T17:41:46.640-07:00How quickly time passes by...In two days, I'll be 30 weeks pregnant! I swear the last two months have just flown by, as I'm sure the next two will. I can't believe it'll be May in just a few days. May will bring lots of excitement, though, so I'm not complaining one bit. May is my last month of work. I have *two* baby showers in May. My Mom and my sister are coming to visit in May. Oh, and I also have a haircut appointment in May! I love May already!<br /><br />My midwife appointments are happening every two weeks now, until 36 weeks - then they'll be once a week til the end. My appointment last Monday went really well - I got good results from my urine test (no bladder infection) and from my glucose test (no gestational diabetes!). She measured my belly and said I'm right at the right size. I will be having another ultrasound in about two weeks - we are excited to see our boy again as well as hopefully find out how much he weighs (approx.) and what percentile he is in. <br /><br />I really have loved being pregnant. I love talking about it. I love feeling him move and kick. Everyone has been asking me lately if I'm "ready to be done", but I don't think I'm really there yet. I still have ten weeks of being pregnant and I plan on trying to enjoy every minute. This pregnancy has literally flown by and I already know I'm going to miss being pregnant. Not that I'm not *super* excited to meet our little boy - I am so stoked to be a Mom. I'm excited to see him in all the clothes he already has, and to put him in his cute little cloth diapers.<br /><br />He's my 29 week picture, from Easter Sunday:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXF4f0AfYCOW-0JdV97X7d8fn9o_wcjvE0DaEMjDAGYS4930Mj_2B-I87ucKK1N07CSsBzqRS5549gakylw79P6cSvkiaaciNnzR-YbfyMcYL14B2G1mr2MzkCB7eKIgPIaL3h6hzP6KR/s1600/29+weeks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXF4f0AfYCOW-0JdV97X7d8fn9o_wcjvE0DaEMjDAGYS4930Mj_2B-I87ucKK1N07CSsBzqRS5549gakylw79P6cSvkiaaciNnzR-YbfyMcYL14B2G1mr2MzkCB7eKIgPIaL3h6hzP6KR/s320/29+weeks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600056304020518722" /></a><br /><br />Ahh, 18 days til my Mom and my sister get here (and 19 until my first baby shower!). The countdown really is on now - I haven't seen my Mom since Christmas and I haven't seen my sister in... oh man, since *last* Christmas? Living far away from them is hard, but it makes getting to see them even more special!girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-57662695066867785352011-04-07T17:26:00.001-07:002011-04-07T17:38:08.359-07:0013 weeks to go!I can hardly believe that I'm 27 weeks pregnant today. I mean, I *feel* 27 weeks pregnant, that's for sure. My belly is getting pretty big now and my feet get sore when I'm on them too long. I am almost into my third trimester, and exhaustion has hit me once again. Naps are my friend. It's just really hard to believe that we will have our baby in our arms in less than three months now. Wow.<br /><br />My baby shower is in about five weeks - my mom and my sister are flying here for that weekend! I can't wait to see them and have everyone (friends, family) together to celebrate our little boy. <br /><br />This means I only have about seven weeks of work left, if I make it that long. As of right now, I'm planning to work til the end of May, taking off the month of June to relax and nest and get everything ready. I wouldn't ever have thought that I'd want to take four weeks off work before the baby comes, but my job is stressful that time of year and not to mention how hot the kitchen gets. Being on my feet at eight months pregnant doesn't sound good at all. Being Canadian is really awesome - especially when it comes to health care and Maternity leave. I'm taking off a full year - it sounds insane when I say it outloud, as I've never *not* worked, since I was 14. But I know that being a mother can be (and will be for me) a full time job. After the year, I'll go back to work part-time and hopefully my mom will be living here by then so the babe won't have to go to a babysitter or daycare. <br /><br />I can't wait for my mom to move here. She has work to do on her house and then of course putting it up for sale and getting it sold - but I hope it doesn't take more than a year from now for all that to happen. I don't want her to miss out on her grandchildren. She's going to be an amazing Gram. <br /><br />Okay, a couple of pictures to end this post. First, my 26 week belly shot (yes, my belly button has popped out, half way):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW_qSwiaLFVvjGTAtB3n_E93vCy9iP9QzIhGdN9UBUGUjtTbKKL4Ie7ujVvxZpEcQwAq5NfyXM85tMmr-fTYPx1tJVT6V9CZRF7bGq3AbSjCPfvC9Si4_qCZYv5tRw9gM8i7kUmJZ-weQ/s1600/26+weeks.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW_qSwiaLFVvjGTAtB3n_E93vCy9iP9QzIhGdN9UBUGUjtTbKKL4Ie7ujVvxZpEcQwAq5NfyXM85tMmr-fTYPx1tJVT6V9CZRF7bGq3AbSjCPfvC9Si4_qCZYv5tRw9gM8i7kUmJZ-weQ/s320/26+weeks.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593003380656133874" /></a><br /><br />Second, some of my "stash" of cloth diapers, so far. I have about six more than this, but these are my "new" ones that I got last weekend. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vzyXNBp9y4BC3EueTqCovXHT9yKMXwQ0hxH2213gV1hnIcN1q4cj3ZptTHMy3JcClen_cNpaC43CFfxEXOHnXAPqPUxd0-IsN4SmVphppxtibj3DeoEQNeQOTQtLy-Lbmb6z6SFCP9do/s1600/diapers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vzyXNBp9y4BC3EueTqCovXHT9yKMXwQ0hxH2213gV1hnIcN1q4cj3ZptTHMy3JcClen_cNpaC43CFfxEXOHnXAPqPUxd0-IsN4SmVphppxtibj3DeoEQNeQOTQtLy-Lbmb6z6SFCP9do/s320/diapers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593004001430889874" /></a><br /><br />I only need to get a handful of newborn diapers, then I'll be ready to go. Well, besides the 30 or so inserts/liners that I plan on making over the next month. I am so excited about cloth diapering, it's pretty silly. Paul is on board, though hardly as excited as I am. Oh well, that's husbands for ya.girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-48280153945925317332011-03-23T14:52:00.000-07:002011-03-23T15:50:56.184-07:00March is going out like a lion, that's for sure.You know what they say, "In like a lamb, out like a lion". Well, it's the second last week of March and while yesterday we had <em>zero</em> snow on the ground and it was feeling very spring-like (not to mention that it was the first offcial day of spring a couple days ago), last night and all day today we are getting dumped on. So far I'd say about a foot of snow and it's still coming down. The weather lady said it should stop by midnight - I'm sure by then it'll be more like two feet. I mean, it's <em>really</em> coming down out there. I am sort of in shock about it - it doesn't feel real. I had (as had many other people) convinced myself that spring was here, snow was gone for good. Good one Mother Nature, you got me. <br /><br />It's my birthday in nine days. I can't believe I'll soon be 25. It didn't seem like a big deal when Paul turned 25 in September, but 25 now seems pretty old. It'll be my last birthday as a non-Mom. This weekend we are heading out for dinner with Paul's parents, his sister and her boyfriend. It's also Paul's Dad's birthday this week, so we are celebrating together, like usual. Next weekend, we are celebrating my birthday again with a party at our friends' place. I'm really looking forward to being around family and friends, but I do so wish my mom, brother and sister and best friends could be here to celebrate with me. <br /><br />So, as of tomorrow I will be 25 weeks pregnant. Hard to believe there's only 15 weeks to go! Here's my 24 week "bump" picture:<br /><br /><a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/187729_586050867_6685241_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/187729_586050867_6685241_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Oh, and I've recently learned that I'm obsessed with cloth diapers. There are SO many brands and styles, and I've found many mothers who make them themselves as well. So far we have five - plus a bunch of liners. We have all pocket style right now, but I'm interested in some all-in-ones and fitted diapers as well. This is the thing I'm most excited about, I think, when it comes to baby. Diapers. :)girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688967948495821887.post-67412460052711236402011-03-03T15:17:00.000-08:002011-03-03T15:40:26.229-08:00In a goosebump infested embrace... my over-anxious hands, cupping your face.This weekend we are getting a new vehicle! I sort of can't believe it - we went to the place last weekend to talk to someone and crunch some numbers, it turned out we could totally afford to trade in our car and get an SUV. The payment will be a bit more per month but the insurace will be basically the same. We are getting a 2008 Pontiac Torrent, much like this one:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0qolkF4VTaH_TVQvJ9191TPDY3A8Z5PPXhN7wEUazXUrmK9pxbCsZL1wVroPUK-wr4ollaYw-t5IsJyu8r_qd5kqkvpRaY6Dt_ouesI7tHjC_8v3sxrismcaJqSEQ9Af29C3hWP3xQUA/s1600/torrent.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0qolkF4VTaH_TVQvJ9191TPDY3A8Z5PPXhN7wEUazXUrmK9pxbCsZL1wVroPUK-wr4ollaYw-t5IsJyu8r_qd5kqkvpRaY6Dt_ouesI7tHjC_8v3sxrismcaJqSEQ9Af29C3hWP3xQUA/s320/torrent.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579999751299070866" /></a><br /><br />I am excited to have so much more space, plus I'll be able to get the car seat that I want for the baby without having to worry about whether it'll fit properly in the car. I'm sure the pups will enjoy it too, and they can now go in the "trunk" space when we go places and be safe to play and everything. <br /><br />We are also heading to the cloth diaper seminar this weekend, and hopefully picking up our first few diapers! On Sunday we are going to Ikea with some friends, possibly getting a few small baby items there as well. It's too easy to spend money on the baby - he already has a few outfits and socks and stuff. <br /><br />Here's my 22 week "bump" picture:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDYiTnsF0nv2o0mffUpD018DuKPpHcQ1gFKrDlYnOyQHzTA_cajrCIZ7ArvrpiCPT5JnPOtPi5iEHjbjuZBMsvsJnRkHnr6uwEHKT-HNjMWmk7RDAv87HRBtvDjfqRWTyGcdvoKVmRVGB/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDYiTnsF0nv2o0mffUpD018DuKPpHcQ1gFKrDlYnOyQHzTA_cajrCIZ7ArvrpiCPT5JnPOtPi5iEHjbjuZBMsvsJnRkHnr6uwEHKT-HNjMWmk7RDAv87HRBtvDjfqRWTyGcdvoKVmRVGB/s320/IMG_0441.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579999758896923970" /></a><br /><br />I definitely feel like everyone can tell I'm pregnant now, even when I'm wearing my winter coat. I've already had a few "when are you due?" questions from strangers, which is weird. Everyone keeps saying that I'm "big" more how far along I am. There's a girl at my work that's almost 30 weeks and I'm just as big as she is. Eeeek. Oh well. I love feeling him kick me all day long now - sometimes it feels like he's tickling the inside of my belly, other times it's definitely kicks/punches. <br /><br />I talk to him all the time now, too. Some people might think I'm nuts, but I want him to recognize my voice. I am sort of wishing now that we were going to name him before he's born - just so I could call him by his name when I'm talking to him. We have decided to have two names ready and then when we see him, we'll decide what his name is. <br /><br />Now I'm off to make dinner for myself and hang out with Ruby and Olivia until Paul gets home.girl-23http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550849440955604599noreply@blogger.com0