why I'm on birth control

Ok, just joking with the title! :) But I will say, whew, GO YOU moms with more than one kid. This morning, Grace came over to play so her mommy could sleep, puke, and gestate a new kid in peace. We had a great time together, but I will say that it was REALLY hard to manage both of them when my little guy is fighting sleep altogether. He would cry, she would cry. But we had fun all the same. Grace loves books and I loved reading them to her, book after book! She showed off all her animal sounds and letter recognition. She also spent a lot of the time trying out Owen's things:
Snack time. Gotta love cheerios!
She kept using the monitor as a phone. She'd hold it up to her ear and say "ello?" Adorable!We hope you come back and play with us soon Grace!

Sweet. . .

corn that is. Today was a fun day! We kissed daddy goodbye this morning as he went to Peoria (well, Morton) for an interview with a company. I have to be kinda vague at this point, but let's just say that our many days years of prayers for a new job might be working. I don't want to jump the gun, but we're so excited that maybe a door might be cracking open. We feel like we've hit wall after wall as we press into God about where we're supposed to go in life. So just keep praying for us. It's no surprise to anyone that I would LOVE to go to Peoria. Not only because of my parents, but the idea of church planting again is really exciting to us!

So back to today, despite having a rough go at his naps (I need a whole other post for that one), I re-organized all his clothes (for the millionth time). It's pretty sad to pack away all those cute 0-3 clothes in a tub. But I'm excited for some of the new ones he's getting into. We tried out the new Bumbo:Then we got ready to head out for the Sweet Corn Festival! Despite the heat, we thought it'd be fun to have dinner there! Aren't my guys the cutest?
I'm so in love with him:
Our attempt at a self-family portrait:
We ate some corn, which was a little disappointing, but the cotton candy was (as always) great. The kettle corn was also fabulous! We walked around, listened to a little of the bad music and went home just as Owen was about to lose it. Bath and bed time went great and now it's time for a movie.

Thank you Jesus for this bit of hope. We trust that you have good plans for our lives and we look forward to what's in store for us this next year!

lovies

My sweet little man is starting to love blankets up by his face and rubbing them between his fingers. Darn, I guess I'll HAVE to get on Etsy and get him a couple "lovies." :) Maybe a tag blanket? Do any of your kids have favorite blankets or stuffed animals? I'm definitely picking up one of these from Angel Dear that we have at Bella. They're SO soft!

One Week Boutique

For those of you not in the area, let me explain the greatness that is One Week Boutique. Twice a year, mommies clean out their kid's closets for the biggest "garage" sale I've ever seen! That's the really short version. It's way more complicated and they have quite the system in place. Last winter I went with my mom to the early birds new mommy sale. I was really disappointed with the long lines and nothing I needed. WHAT WAS I THINKING!?

This time around, I was a consignor, meaning I brought items to sell. I had to drop off my stuff early so I had time to walk around the sale before it opened. I made a list of things that I wanted, in order of the things that might go the fastest. I also got into the sale earlier because I was a consignor. Although I did wait in line for about an hour, here is what I scored:
Just for fun, I thought I'd try to see what I would have spent if I bought all these things new! Maybe if just to help me justify what I spent!

1. Exersaucer - average $80, but I did see one at Walmart for around $50, so I'll say $65 (Mom, aren't I a little small for this thing? :)
2. Bumbo seat with tray - $50
3. Janie and Jack sweater - $44
4. Fisher Price Little People Cement Truck - $12 (missing the people, but oh well)
   
5. Fisher Price Little People Dump Truck - $12
6. Fisher Price Little People tractor - $18
7. Fisher Price Peek a Block Train - $70 (I know, seriously?!)
8. Halo Sleep Sack - $30
9. Tiny Love Gymini with lights and music - $55
10. Baby Einstein Baby Da Vinci From Head to Toe DVD - $17
11. Black Pea Coat- $30?
12. OshKosh Fall Jacket - $15?
13. 3 pairs of shoes (Old Navy, Gymboree, and Carter's) - $20?
14. Halloween costume - $15? here's a sneak peak
15. Lots of other clothes (one button down, orange puffy vest, Nike Windbreaker set, gray firetruck outfit, 2 sleepers, fleece vest and pants, Adidas hoodie, romper) - $100? Can you tell I was loving the orange?
16. new pack of 3 Gerber slip on shirts - $6
    
17. 11 Carter's onesies (4 long sleeve and 7 short sleeve)- $20?

That's a grand total of $579! And what did I get it for? $170! Woohoo. Go me for saving us $409. And that's without the money that I'll be making on selling some things. I'm even more excited about next spring when Aubrey and I volunteer and we get in FIRST for the sale. What a great budget friendly way of stocking that kid's wardrobe! And to close, here's my little man checking out his new play mat for the first time. Not the most exciting video in the world, just a warning.

just pictures

"I've found my hands!" I know it won't be long before everything is going in his mouth!
And thanks Brianne for my monkey outfit!

first day on the job!

Today (Wednesday) was my first real day at Bella! I cried pretty hard last night and on my way to work. I had to keep telling myself that it was good for him and me (and Grammy)! All in all, it was an ok day. I put out some new adorable clothes, redressed mannequins, rearranged a table or two, sold a few things, and did lots of cleaning.

Many people have said that I might enjoy the adult interaction from a job. But on the whole I will say that I much prefer baby talk at home with Owen. But I'm definitely giving it through September and then I'll see how I (and our budget) feel at that point.

Happy Birthday Angie!

Oops. . .forgot to post this sooner! Happy birthday to my dear friend Angie! I am so lucky to have you in my life. I am looking forward to see what this year has in store for you! Hope you enjoy getting a few new things to help you with your new knitting stash!

hanging out at Pam's (I didn't mean to coordinate):
Laura and Owen:
out before the party even got going:
the birthday cupcake (and "candle"):
I think we all know what she wished for:
He loves the birthday girl!

convertible car seat

I know it's a little early to be researching convertible car seats! But the way this little guy is growing, I know I'm going to have to give up my beloved bucket seat earlier than I want to! And we'll need to be stashing away the extra cash for it. :) So I just thought I'd ask out there in mommy-land which seat you got and why. I'm leaning towards the Britax Marathon, but there are SO many options out there. Help!

his birth announcment

I realized I never posted this. I LOVE the way they turned out. Thanks to Jenna for the pictures and to Sara at Less Ordinary Designs for the layout!

Vaccinations

I've had quite a few of you ask about my delayed vaccination plan, so I just thought I'd post it. This has been gathered from lots of web research and from Dr. Sears The Vaccine Book. Of course, it's subject to change as I continue to research and ask questions from other mommies! Note to those of you with co-pays. This will require you to go in every month as opposed to the every other month schedule set by most pediatricians. I just have to make sure I stay on top of scheduling additional appointments and be ok with the additional co-pays.

Age	Planned
birth	none - declined HepB
2 months	DTaP*
3 months	Pc, Hib
4 months	DTaP, Rotavirus(RV)**
5 months	Pc, Hib
6 months	DTaP, RV
7 months	Pc, Hib
8 months	RV
9 months	Polio (IPV)
12 months	Mumps***, IPV
15 months	Pc, Hib
18 months	DTaP Booster (maybe), Chickenpox****
2 years	Rubella***, IPV
3 years	Measles***
3 1/2 years	Hep A, Hep B (if going to preschool, if not, hold off)
4 years	Hep B, IPV
4 1/2 years	Hep B
5 years	MMR Booster
6 years	Chickenpox
12 years	Hep B (3 doses – if not given at 3 ½)
13 years	Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)

Notes:
*DTaP - there is a little controversy over this one as the Diptheria and Tetanus aren't little kid diseases, but the Pertussis is. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for just the Pertussis, so they have to get the whole thing. Recommended brand: Adacelc. Do Not Use: Daptacel, Infanrix, or Pediarix.

**Rotavirus – Have to start by 14w9d. Can’t be given after 8 months. Still undecided about delaying this one a bit. They say if your baby is breastfed and not at daycare, then it's not a big issue. What do they use – Rotarix (can’t be repeated if spit out) because it requires only two oral doses, compared with three for RotaTeq (can be repeated if spit out) Same questions go for the Pc vaccine – is it really necessary if no day care and breastfeeding?

***MMR - there is mixed info about whether or not you can split these up anymore.
If you can split:
Mumps – 12 mo
Rubella – 2 years
Measles – 3 years
Booster – age 5

If you can't split:
MMR – age 4 (done all at once with no other vaccines)
Booster - age 5

****Chickenpox (varicella)- I'm still not sure about the chickenpox one. I think I'd rather expose my young kid as the immunity is better from actually getting chicken pox than the vaccine. If they haven't gotten it by age 11 or 12, I'd vaccinate.

Other notes:
- Still unsure about Hep B at all and same as Pc.
- No Vaccine should contain the preservative Thimerosal. (usually in the flu vaccine)
- All shots must be separated. No combo shots. Only one shot containing Aluminum is allowed at a time.

Happy 2 Months!

Ahhh. . .it's been 2 months already! Here's a run down of this month. I totally believe people now that say that every stage is SO fun!

Measuring
At his 2 month well baby check, he weighed in at 13lbs, 9.5oz and is now 24 1/4 inches tall. Both of those are in the 83rd percentile. His head is still on the smaller side at 39.3 cm (32nd percentile). To me, he feels huge! There's no way I'm going to be able to lug him around in that carrier until he's 22 pounds!

Milestones

• He's smiling a ton, but they're hard to catch on camera. Here's a couple for you. It's amazing how much he's filled out this month. The first picture was from the start of month 2 and the second picture was right at the end.

• He's moving his head to follow sounds and people. He'll follow me with his eyes and head around the room.
• He's reaching out to grab things with both hands:
• He's cooing and making a ton of noises. His favorite sound is /m/ and many times it sounds like he's saying mom. Aww. (Darn video uploader is having problems. I'll have to post those adorable videos later!)
  

Schedule
He still doesn't have a "get up at 7, nap at 9" schedule. But ohh, I'm looking forward to that day. Right now, I'm devouring the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and am glad to say I was already doing many of the principles he talks about. Owen sleeps, gets up and eats, and is then awake anywhere from 45 min to an hour and half. I'm learning how to recognize his sleepiness cues which are always a yawn or rubbing his eyes. If he starts crying, I know I've waited too long and it's always harder to get him to go to sleep. He's definitely getting better at going right back to sleep in the middle of the night. So even though we're still getting up 3-4 times a night, that makes getting up a little more bearable! He still doesn't love naps during the day, but we're working on that! They're pretty short, around 30-45 minutes, so I'm sure not getting a lot done around the house!

Feeding
He's definitely turning into a little chunker and is still a champ nurser! He almost always only eats from one side now which was a little painful at first, but the boobs have adjusted. Sometimes during the longer night stretches, I pump the other side. He averages about 7-9 minutes which I know after talking to several mommies is fast and I should be very thankful!

Other things that have happened:

• He got a mild case of cradle cap this month. But a regular routine of baby oil and a soft brush, then a bath cured it right up.
• He stopped pooping. Seriously, it went from everyday to every 3-4 days. So after scouring the web, I called the doc. She said this is totally normal. The first couple days, we had to use gas drops because he was hurting. Now the boy just farts all the time and man do they stink. Also, because of the back up of poop, I always have to be prepared for an explosion. One happened last night at church and it took my mom and me almost a whole pack of wipes to clean that poor boy up. I have never seen anything like that. Whew.
  
• He had his first shot (DTaP) at his 2 month well baby check. Dr. Tripathy was fully on board with our delayed schedule. It just means I have to take him in every month instead of every other, but no biggy!
• He still won't fall asleep in the stroller and really doesn't love his bucket seat.
• We're still swaddling for all our naps and bedtime, but that boy is a Houdini and always finds a way to get his left hand out. Any tips swaddler moms?
  

William
Daddy doesn't like going to work and being away from him all day. But now with my new work schedule, they're going to get some good time together. Thankfully, Owen is taking a bottle no problemo!

Me
I had my post partum check up on Thursday, July 22nd with Christi. She assured me that my stitches healed great and I was ready to jump back on the wagon. Haha. That's been a slower process than I thought it would be. :) I've realized that these last 15 pounds aren't going anywhere and I'm ok with that for a little while. But I'm still loving moomyhood! We decided to go with the progesterone only birth control for a little while. Ok, so I've picked it up, but actually haven't started taking it. I'm just praying there aren't any changes in my milk supply, but will quit instantly if I see any changes. Then, around 6-9 months I'll start charting again. 18 months is about the closest I think I could handle #2.

Here's a few more pictures of my darling boy:
I love you so much buddy and can't wait for more of doing life with you!

Bella

No, this post isn't about this sweet little girl, Bella, although I could write and write about how great her and her mom are!It's about my new job. That's right folks, as of today, I'm a working woman again. A few weeks ago, Laura emailed me saying they were looking for someone at Bella for about 10 hours a week (well, technically 14 one week, 7 the next). It's an adorable little boutique that just moved to a new store on Neil St. I met with Jennifer, my boss and she was super sweet! I went home and really went back and forth about it. This was a really hard decision for me. I was most likely going to have to sub on Thursdays and Fridays (when my mom was free) and I was DREADING this decision. Not because of the kiddos, but my fear was that I would get into a classroom where I didn't have a break, and therefore couldn't pump. I'm not willing to sacrifice all the hard work we've done so far with breastfeeding. But Jennifer said that it would be no problem for me to leave the floor once or twice a shift to pump and there's a cute bathroom to do it in, along with a fridge for storage! So I'm working every Wednesday and every other Friday from 1-8. Ahh, that seems likes a long time, but my mom's going to watch him from that 1-5 time and then William will be home with him. It's totally doable. I can pump. A little extra money. A good reason to shower and wear "real" clothes. And maybe no subbing (I'll have to see how I feel about that every other Friday). I did cry on the way to training today, but everyone survived and my mom loved having time with her grandbaby. Laura was a great trainer and we had some good conversations along the way!

Speaking of the other Bella's mom, Michelle. . .she bought Owen these adorable shoes from See Kai Run. He's actually going to wear them to church this weekend. Aren't they precious?
Well, here's the problem. I'm working to actually bring a little more money into our house. But this job could be dangerous. Thankfully, I don't have a girl. Seriously. We carry Daily Tea, Sweet Petunia, Mimi and Maggie, Baby Lulu and so much more. My entire paycheck would go towards those stinkin' cute bows, dresses, and oh those winter coats. It will be seriously hard for me not one off those pink and brown over the top coats, just to stash away for a *hopefully* future girl. I digress. So all in all, thanks to Owen being Owen, I won't lose my whole paycheck!

Lafayette ladies

Last Thursday, Owen and I took a little road trip to visit some very special ladies in my old stomping ground. It was my first longer drive with Owen. He started crying a few minutes into the trip and I thought I might be crazy for doing this. But by St. Joe, he was asleep and stayed asleep as long as the car was moving. :) We met at Teresa's new house which was GORGEOUS! I miss these gals SO much and it's always so good to catch up on the Cumberland drama. It feels so weird to not be talking about getting my classroom ready! Here we are from L to R: Courtney, Teresa, Kassi, Kathy, Brianne, grumpy Owen, me, and Angie. I hope we continue to keep in touch for a long time!
Then, on my way out of town, I decided to call me old neighbor just to see if they were home. I was in luck!! Erin (and Abby at the time) was the greatest neighbor a girl could ask for. She's a riot to hang out with and always willing to loan out anything she has. Malia was born 1 day before William and I got married. I guess Erin had a good reason for missing the wedding. I cannot believe she's 3 years old (going on 16). We miss having them as neighbors!! Here's the little miss practicing to be a big sister:
We had to make one stop in Danville on the way home because Owen was a little tired of his car seat and screaming, but all in all, it was a fabulous day catching up with good friends!

already?

Happy 2 months little man!

I'll post his full 2 month review after I get a few more pictures. He just wasn't having it today. I guess we're all entitled to our bad days, right?

God is faithful!

Meet my friend Sara:This girl is amazing! The best friend a girl could ask for. She's great at keeping me up to date on life by calling or emailing, she's the best pray-er around, she's the most amazing cook, and well, she's just fabulous. I thank her husband a lot for getting married to her since I knew him first.

Ok, so the story. I won't tell details, because well, it's not my story. But through the course of trying to be a mommy, Sara has had several losses. And then lots of time in between when it seemed like her body would never get pregnant again. We prayed and prayed, but still nothing.

This past Christmas, my family was sitting around the fire listening to my dad read the Christmas story. This is yearly tradition for us, but this year a part in the story stuck out more than it ever had before:
Luke 1:39-45
"A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

I instantly felt like I heard God tell me that this would be the story of Sara and me - that sometime during my pregnancy with Owen, she would call to tell me that she was pregnant and Owen would "jump for joy." It's the kind of word you don't share right away, but I wrote it down and prayed it over Sara every time I laid hands on my belly to pray for Owen.

So fast forward a few months. Sara and Phil finally got an appointment for In Vitro in St. Louis for this summer. It was her last cycle before venturing into this scary In Vitro stuff. I was nearing the end of my pregnancy and thinking I was crazy and didn't hear God at all on that one. But not 2 weeks before Owen made his entrance into the world, Sara called me with the best news I've ever had (save my own positive pregnancy test). She is going to be a mommy in February, with no In Vitro needed! While Owen didn't exactly "jump for joy," I sure did!!

She had a few more scares, but is now well into her 2nd trimester and is on her way to being the most wonderful momma. God is SO good and even though it's almost always not the timing we want, he is always faithful!! Meet Baby Habel:
**This post has been sitting in my queue, waiting for the go-ahead from Sara. I'm SO EXCITED that I can scream it from the rooftops now!**

top 10 baby items

So now that we're almost two months into this whole motherhood thing, I thought I'd make a top 10 list of the items that I use the most often and love along with the top 4 things I don't use or am glad I didn't spend money on. These aren't the "fun" items like cute clothes and diaper bags, more some of the big ticket items. These are in no particular order. Just my top 10.

1. After reading The Happiest Baby on the Block, we've been big swaddlers. Owen gets swaddled for (almost) every nap and bedtime. It instantly calms him and keeps him from jerking himself awake. One of my absolutely favorite gifts was also one of my first gifts I got. Kimberly said she loved them and had to pass on the gift. I will also be passing along these blankets to other pregnant friends. They are Aden and Anais swaddle blankets (a little cheaper if you don't buy from their actual boutique Aden and Anais for Target). For a summer baby, these blankets are so universally perfect. They're lightweight and great for swaddling, using in the stroller, well, anywhere! I also love the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe. He has a hard time breaking out of this one because of the velcro. I just got the next bigger size because we use it a lot!

 

2. I love my Boppy pilllow! It really helped with those frustrating first few days of breastfeeding. While I don't need to use it every time, it's definitely more comfortable to use it than not.

3. I had several people tell me that if I was staying home I didn't need a pump. Liers. I think that everyone who is breastfeeding NEEDS a good pump. There are times when my boobs just don't get the schedule right and I need to use this thing. And it's been great for starting to build up my stash of "liquid gold." I scoured Craigslist for a long time an scored an awesome, barely used Medela Pump in Style Advanced for a fraction of the cost!

4. I cannot say enough how happy I am with my Chicco travel system! I did a LOT of research on this item and absolutely love it! I know some people don't love travel systems because they're big and bulky. To that I say *stick out my tongue.* I love that I can easily take him from the car to his stroller. And oh that stroller. It easily turns with one hand and is a very smooth ride for the little guy. I'll be sad when Owen isn't a bucket baby any more. Definitely money well spent. Well, other people's money well spent. :)
5. I think most new parents register for this item, so I'll just say that I'm glad we did too! Our Graco Pack 'n Play has really gotten some good use. For Owen's first 7 weeks, he did all his sleeping in this in our room. It was nice to be able to hear his every noise and to be able to pick him up and feed him quickly. It got taken with us on vacation when he was 2 weeks old and has also already been used by friends who came to visit this weekend. A great purchase. I will say that we never really used the changing station and we never used the newborn napper. Oh well.
6. Ok, for this entry, I have to say God bless you cloth diapering momma's. There is a special place for you in heaven for how you are saving the landfills. But it's not me. I did a ton of research about cloth diapering and could never get over the overwhelmed feeling I felt about it, along with my deep hatred for the chore of doing laundry. So I'm fine now with saying that I'm a disposable diapering momma and am totally ok with that. We've loved Pampers, although I can't honestly say that we've tried many other kinds.
7. Speaking of cloth diapers, I do really think that every momma needs them, but for burp cloths! These suckers are super absorbent and I use at least 2 a day. See #3 below for more on burp cloths.

8. I have to admit (and repent) that I made fun of the Summer Video Monitor and the mommies that needed them. I'm eating my words. I use this thing EVERY day now that my little man is in his crib far away from me (ok, a few feet isn't far). I love being able to see if he's crying becuase he just spit out his passy or if he's just fighting sleep and will be out soon.
9. I have many friends who didn't get a swing, so I wasn't sure it was a smart investment. But when Grandma Pool bought and sent it, I was really excited. I really love my Bright Starts Ingenuity Swing. It's a great place to set him when I need to free up my hands for something. It usually doesn't put him to sleep, but he seems to really like it!

10. This was one thing that I debated on while pregnant. WHY? I love that my guy likes his pacifier. It has been a lifesaver when he's crabby!

Things that almost made the cut:
Other things that I love and use a lot are sheet protectors. Much easier than changing the sheets! I also love my reusable breast pads. While they're not the best for going out in public because the circles they create, but they're perfect for the night and much more conforatble! I also love the gas drops. We haven't had to use them often, but they work super fast when we need them. Another small thing is diaper bag clips for the stroller. It makes it super easy to clip my bag onto the back and not take up my storage under the stroller.

*ETA - had to add pictures for Holly of the stroller clips. They clip onto my stroller and then hold the sides of my bag up high enough so it doesn't drag down by the wheels.

 

So, now the other end of the spectrum. I tried to make this a top 10 too, but could only come up with 4. These are a few things that I'm either glad I didn't buy or unfortunately, don't use a ton. I don't mean to offend anyone if you like these products, they just haven't been good for me!

1. A wipes warmer. Not needed. My little guy is just fine with his room temperature wipes, especially since I can't make the wipes warm when we're out and about, which is often!

 

2. I bought a barely used Snap N Go Stroller from Craigslist. I thought it would be a good thing to throw in my trunk since it was smaller than my stroller that came with travel system. I took it with me to Michigan so I wouldn't get my new stroller dirty, but I haven't used it since. I love my real stroller so much more that this one is probably headed back to Craigslist.

3. I thought that cloth diapers were pretty boring for use as burp cloths. So I bought a few "fancy ones" that were blue, cute, and had sports themes on them. Terrible. While cute, they don't soak up anything. So much for cuteness.

4. I bought and got lots of small receiving blankets. While adorable, they've become pretty useless. They're too small for swaddling and even playing on the ground. I do use them for small stroller/car seat blankets, but overall I didn't need the TONS that I now have in his drawer.

What are some of your favorite items or things you wish you wouldn't have spent money on? I know they'll be different from mine as I'm quickly learning. . .every mom is SO different for what works for them!