Tomorrow, #2 (must come up with a better name) turns 7 months old and I'm starting to keep my head above water. I don't know what the future holds as far as this blog is concerned, but I know that I'm going to try to get back to blogging for the sake of memories. I have to write up #2's birth story, post about how awesome it is to be breastfeeding, our adventures with baby-led solids, my battle with postpartum depression, and so much more.
Our household has evolved from a home with a baby to a home with a toddler and a baby. We've made some changes that I look forward to sharing with you. Lots of things are the same; I'm still in school and still love cloth diapers, real foods, and other "crunchy" stuff. I hope to include more political stuff, too. (Sorry I missed the chance to give my $0.02 about this whole election season.)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I'm a Mean Mom, and That's Okay.
I found this post hanging out in my drafts folder:
In my son's almost 7 months on this planet, Hubby and I have made lots of decisions about parenting. We've learned that just because it's "normal" doesn't mean that it's in the child's best interest. A great example of this is disposible diapers. They are the cultural norm, but cloth diapers are better for baby's health. Thus, we've chosen to use cloth diapers. This isn't a condemnation of parents that use disposibles, just a choice that we've made.
In my son's almost 7 months on this planet, Hubby and I have made lots of decisions about parenting. We've learned that just because it's "normal" doesn't mean that it's in the child's best interest. A great example of this is disposible diapers. They are the cultural norm, but cloth diapers are better for baby's health. Thus, we've chosen to use cloth diapers. This isn't a condemnation of parents that use disposibles, just a choice that we've made.
Some of our choices have been met with hostility. I've been dubbed a "mean mom" by some family members, behind my back. That's cool. I just wish they had the guts to say it to my face. Oh well. I'm sure that as we have more kids and we make more decisions, I'll be seen as even meaner. It's a small price to pay, if it means that my kids have a concience and are free-thinking, healthy people. At the end of the day, my Husband and I are the ones responsible for how our children are raised. Others can provide input, if they think they know a better way. I'm cool with that. Really. But in the end, Hubby and I have to stand before God and give an accounting of how we did as parents, stewards of the precious souls He blessed us with.
Here's a list of things that make me a mean mom:
- Our kid(s) get toys from consignment stores and yard sales. They're in fabulous condition. I think Babyzilla owns 3 brand new toys.
- Our kid(s) get clothes from consignment stores and yard sales. Most of them are basic and are intended to be passed on to future siblings, cousins or friends, or to be re-sold.
- I won't buy a birthday cake for my kids. All birthday cakes will be made from scratch with real ingredients. Icing? What's that? It's not something that our kids will eat at a year old. Recipe here.
- I won't take our kids to the circus. I have moral issues with circuses. If they really want to go when they're older, I'll explain to them about animal abuse and let them make the choice.
- Barbie has no place in our home. Barbie is known for being "fashionable." That's it. She doesn't do anything constructive. She just stands there in her high heels and revealing outfits and "looks pretty." I expect more than that from my daughters (and sons, for that matter). Also, we're not buying into the whole Disney Princess thing. In addition to the poor body images they portray, almost every "princess" is haralded for marrying well and being pretty. That's it. I won't be able to keep them from these things entirely, but we're going to give it our best.
- Xbox, Wii, PlayStation, etc. have no place in our home. TV is also very limited. This goes for adults too.
- Toy guns, swords, etc. (you guessed it) have no place in our home. If my kids are going to play cops and robbers or pirates, it's going to be with sticks or paper towel tubes.
- Dora, Lightning McQueen, Spongebob, whatever the "hip" thing is at the time is not going to run my kids' brains. Sorry ad agentcy. We're not raising mindless consumers.
- Not every kid is going to get their own room. Even if we could afford a 6 bedroom/ 6 bathroom house, we woudn't get it. Kids do not need their own bedroom or bathroom. The exact split up will be evaluated as more kids are born.
- Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc. don't come to our house. Christmas and Easter are about Christ. This will be elaborated in a future post, I'm sure.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Chili Wheat
Chili Wheat
4 cups water
1 onion, chopped
½ Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cumin
3 Tbsp beef broth or 1-2 bouillon cubes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 ½ whole wheat berries
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp dried basil
Pinch of cayenne
Place ingredients in a slow cooker, stir, and cook on high 6-8 hours.
You can also add kidney beans to make it more chili-like.
About that New Year's Resolution...
As you may have noticed, I have not had much luck keeping that resolution about posting twice each week. I appologize. Life has been, well, crazy. I'll do my best to catch you up on what's been going on.
First things first. My school schedule is different this semester. Usually, I have 4 night classes, each lasting 4 weeks. This semester, I'm taking a day class in addition to 3 night classes, so I won't have a night class the last month of the semester (right after Bump #2 gets here). Instead of having my days (except Wednesdays) free, I have class on Monday and Wednesday. My class cuts into my practicum hours, so I've had to go to my practicum class on Fridays to make up hours. I also have twice as much homework as usual. It's not overly demanding, but it's just thrown off my groove. I've reworked the cleaning schedule to make it work, but it only works if I follow it. At 35 weeks pregnant, I have energized days and tired days. When I'm exhausted, it's all I can do to keep Babyzilla from destroying the place. He's 13 months and into EVERYTHING!
Hubby's a great help, but he's tired, too. He's working his butt off at work, so he'll be able to take off once Bump #2 is born. He's the one that gets up when Babyzilla has a bad dream, does most (almost all) of the dishes, and is working on clearing out the former guestroom so it can be Babyzilla's room. After we get it all cleaned out (we're almost there), he's got to put together all of the furniture. We're also redoing the living room, because little hands have way too much access to movies and board games but not enough organization for toys. We're making the hutch into toy storage and putting the movies and games in a cabinet (that Hubby has to put together) that we can lock.
Then there's the fun (heh) we've had with our VBAC journey. Babyzilla was 10 and a half pounds at birth. He measured 2-3 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy. Bump #2 has measured spot on (about 1 week ahead) the entire time. Even so, the midwives were insistant that this baby would be bigger. One (Midwife Dread) went so far as to tell me not to put much hope in a VBAC because my other baby was so huge. About a month ago, I had an appointment with Midwife Dread. She measured my belly. I had measured about 1 week ahead at my last appointment. This time, I measured 4 weeks ahead. That's not normal. She told us we were going to have an ultrasound and left the room. At check-out I asked if this meant we might get our due date moved. She said that they have to use the u/s from earlier, and that, depending on what the u/s shows, Dr. ______ may not be comfortable with a VBAC. I had whiplash. I vented to the Facebook group for my local ICAN chapter. That weekend, we all pow-wow-ed at a local park. I was showered with support. I went into the ultrasound with confidence and went into the following appointment armed with knowledge. Next appointment we got our results. He's around 40th percentile, and my fluid levels are normal. *Blows raspberries* I'm so glad I agreed to that ultrasound. Now they can get off my back about his size!
Tonight, I start my last class of the semester. I forgot to count Spring Break in my planning, so instead of 4 weeks to the end, I have 5. That means my final is within a few days of my due date. I've had intense Braxton Hicks for the past couple of weeks, and my hips are no longer on speaking terms. Everything indicates that I won't go all the way to my due date. We'll see how it goes. I plan to get my practicum assignments done as soon as I can. My Spring Break will be spent with my hands chained to the computer. If all else fails, I bring the baby to class. There are 6 of us in the class, so I'm not overly worried about exposure to deadly funk. He'll be wrapped up in the Moby and get nursed while the instructor lectures. I didn't do that with Babyzilla, and I regretted it.
Yeah, that's life right now. On the plus side, I've collected a bunch of recipes over the past month. I'll get them up eventually. Some of them are freezer meals for when the baby comes. I didn't plan ahead at all with Babyzilla. Not making that mistake again.
First things first. My school schedule is different this semester. Usually, I have 4 night classes, each lasting 4 weeks. This semester, I'm taking a day class in addition to 3 night classes, so I won't have a night class the last month of the semester (right after Bump #2 gets here). Instead of having my days (except Wednesdays) free, I have class on Monday and Wednesday. My class cuts into my practicum hours, so I've had to go to my practicum class on Fridays to make up hours. I also have twice as much homework as usual. It's not overly demanding, but it's just thrown off my groove. I've reworked the cleaning schedule to make it work, but it only works if I follow it. At 35 weeks pregnant, I have energized days and tired days. When I'm exhausted, it's all I can do to keep Babyzilla from destroying the place. He's 13 months and into EVERYTHING!
Hubby's a great help, but he's tired, too. He's working his butt off at work, so he'll be able to take off once Bump #2 is born. He's the one that gets up when Babyzilla has a bad dream, does most (almost all) of the dishes, and is working on clearing out the former guestroom so it can be Babyzilla's room. After we get it all cleaned out (we're almost there), he's got to put together all of the furniture. We're also redoing the living room, because little hands have way too much access to movies and board games but not enough organization for toys. We're making the hutch into toy storage and putting the movies and games in a cabinet (that Hubby has to put together) that we can lock.
Then there's the fun (heh) we've had with our VBAC journey. Babyzilla was 10 and a half pounds at birth. He measured 2-3 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy. Bump #2 has measured spot on (about 1 week ahead) the entire time. Even so, the midwives were insistant that this baby would be bigger. One (Midwife Dread) went so far as to tell me not to put much hope in a VBAC because my other baby was so huge. About a month ago, I had an appointment with Midwife Dread. She measured my belly. I had measured about 1 week ahead at my last appointment. This time, I measured 4 weeks ahead. That's not normal. She told us we were going to have an ultrasound and left the room. At check-out I asked if this meant we might get our due date moved. She said that they have to use the u/s from earlier, and that, depending on what the u/s shows, Dr. ______ may not be comfortable with a VBAC. I had whiplash. I vented to the Facebook group for my local ICAN chapter. That weekend, we all pow-wow-ed at a local park. I was showered with support. I went into the ultrasound with confidence and went into the following appointment armed with knowledge. Next appointment we got our results. He's around 40th percentile, and my fluid levels are normal. *Blows raspberries* I'm so glad I agreed to that ultrasound. Now they can get off my back about his size!
Tonight, I start my last class of the semester. I forgot to count Spring Break in my planning, so instead of 4 weeks to the end, I have 5. That means my final is within a few days of my due date. I've had intense Braxton Hicks for the past couple of weeks, and my hips are no longer on speaking terms. Everything indicates that I won't go all the way to my due date. We'll see how it goes. I plan to get my practicum assignments done as soon as I can. My Spring Break will be spent with my hands chained to the computer. If all else fails, I bring the baby to class. There are 6 of us in the class, so I'm not overly worried about exposure to deadly funk. He'll be wrapped up in the Moby and get nursed while the instructor lectures. I didn't do that with Babyzilla, and I regretted it.
Yeah, that's life right now. On the plus side, I've collected a bunch of recipes over the past month. I'll get them up eventually. Some of them are freezer meals for when the baby comes. I didn't plan ahead at all with Babyzilla. Not making that mistake again.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Year, New Blogging
Happy 2012! Last year, I didn't keep up with blogging like I'd hoped. Between adjusting to being a first-time mom (teething, sleep regression, etc.), hectic school schedules, and the challenges of pregnancy (especially pregnancy while chasing after a growing baby), blogging just wasn't a priority. I hope to change that this year. My schedule is more predictable, and I've got a rhythm going with Babyzilla and the Bump. So here's to a new year and new goals!
My goals for this year, in no particular order:
- Earn a 4.0 for the semester
- GET MY VBAC!
- Establish a successful breastfeeding relationship with the Bump Baby.
- Update blog at least twice a week
- Re-do and stick to weekly schedule
- Learn about and implement cloth wipes
Monday, November 28, 2011
But Wait! There's More...
When we began our cloth diapering adventure, we did so to save money. The environment had absolutely nothing to do with it. Even now, I list "cuteness" over "environmentally friendly" when listing the reasons I love cloth diapers. After diving into the world of cloth diapers, I learned about the health benefits. Money and health still rank high on my reasons to skip the diaper aisle at the grocery store, BUT I've found other benefits to fluff.
- Stink: When Babyzilla has a rather stinky poop, it gets flushed down the toilet. Actually, all of his poops get flushed down the toilet, but I'm most thankful when it's a really stinky one. With disposable diapers, the stink stays in the trash can until you take out the garbage. Even if you take it out every night, a stinky poop in the morning will fester. People tell me that cloth diapers are "way gross" but I think letting poop sit around and stink up your kids room is grosser (more gross?).
- Blowouts: Really, it's more the lack thereof that I love. I'd heard horror stories about car seats, couches, carpet, etc. covered in poo. Babyzilla had one blow out in his 10 months on Earth, and it was while he was wearing a disposable diaper. Relatively speaking, it wasn't that bad of a poo. He's had way worse since then, but the pocket formed by the pre-folds holds the poo. There have been some stinky, messy ones, but never a poo leak. No matter how bad a poop is, I'd rather spray it down the toilet than scrub it off the walls, carpet, and couch.
- Versatility: We use pre-folds, which look like a thick dust rag. I've used them in more pinches than I can name. They're burp rags, soft enough for wiping faces, extra padding on high chairs in restaurants, toys (especially for peek-a-boo), oh the list goes on and on.
- Travel: By using our overnight method (bamboo insert with a pre-fold and cover), Babyzilla can ride in the car for hours without getting a rash or needing to make a pit-stop just to change a diaper; a big time-saver, let me tell you.
- Emergency preparedness: We live in Florida. Hurricanes are real. I have a great deal of peace of mind that, in the event of a big storm, my kid has diapers. Worse case, I have to hand-wash diapers in a 5 gallon bucket with rain water and line dry them. (We have drying racks that we use on a regular basis.) Super clean? No. Better than nothing? You bet.
- The illusion of a butt: My kid has NO butt. The cloth diapers give him some padding so his pants stay up. I know most people don't have this issue, but it makes my life a heck of a lot easier.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
I'm Baa-aack and I Have BIG News!
It's been far too long since I've done a blog post. Make no mistake. It's not because I ran out of things to say. Oh no. If anything, I have even MORE to say. I've been absent from the blog because I've felt like garbage for the past few months. Why am I feeling so yucky? Glad you asked. The answer: I'M PREGNANT! Surprise! Trust me, it was a surprise to us, too. You remember Babyzilla? Yeah, he's 9 months old and I'm 4 months (17 weeks) pregnant.
This pregnancy happened a lot faster than we'd planned. Babyzilla and Bump #2 will be 14 months apart. On the one hand, having 2 kids under 2 years old while being a full-time student is going to be a challenge. On the other hand, Hubby and I knew that we never wanted Babyzilla to be an only child. Actually, we'd love to have at least 4. However, once I hit 30 and definately by the time I'm 35, I don't want to get pregnant again, so we've got just over 7 years to make this happen. With the small age gap, we won't have to worry as much about Babyzilla adjusting to the new baby. He won't remember a time without his brother/sister. Another bonus to the more, faster method is that we never get a break from diapers and feedings. I know that doesn't sound like a bonus, but think about it. When you're used to running a mile a day, it's not so bad. Take a week off and it feels so much harder. Same thing with babies... at least that's what we're telling ourselves. With about 23 weeks left in this pregnancy, you can bet your bum that there are going to be posts, maybe even rants, about my journey to a VBAC and other tid bits I pick up along the way.
This pregnancy happened a lot faster than we'd planned. Babyzilla and Bump #2 will be 14 months apart. On the one hand, having 2 kids under 2 years old while being a full-time student is going to be a challenge. On the other hand, Hubby and I knew that we never wanted Babyzilla to be an only child. Actually, we'd love to have at least 4. However, once I hit 30 and definately by the time I'm 35, I don't want to get pregnant again, so we've got just over 7 years to make this happen. With the small age gap, we won't have to worry as much about Babyzilla adjusting to the new baby. He won't remember a time without his brother/sister. Another bonus to the more, faster method is that we never get a break from diapers and feedings. I know that doesn't sound like a bonus, but think about it. When you're used to running a mile a day, it's not so bad. Take a week off and it feels so much harder. Same thing with babies... at least that's what we're telling ourselves. With about 23 weeks left in this pregnancy, you can bet your bum that there are going to be posts, maybe even rants, about my journey to a VBAC and other tid bits I pick up along the way.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Hawaiian BBQ chicken
Hawaiian BBQ chicken
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can crushed pineapple (cubed works fine too)
1 16 oz bottle of barbeque sauce (any brand will do, but try to find/ make one with as few preservatives as possible)
Place chicken in a 3-5 qt slow cooker. Dump in pineapple and barbeque sauce. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8.
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can crushed pineapple (cubed works fine too)
1 16 oz bottle of barbeque sauce (any brand will do, but try to find/ make one with as few preservatives as possible)
Place chicken in a 3-5 qt slow cooker. Dump in pineapple and barbeque sauce. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8.
Weekly menu: 8/29/11 - 9/4/11
Monday: Dinner at Mimi's
Tuesday: Salsa chicken and peppers, brown rice, slices or cubes of cantaloupe
Wednesday: (Feeding missionaries) Lemon-herb roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, French bread, salad, peas, steamed carrots
Thursday: Spaghetti, garlic bread (if we have leftover French bread), salad
Friday: Mexican pita pizzas with leftover chicken, steamed broccoli
Saturday: Not sure. Grandma's coming for a visit.
Sunday: Hawaiian BBQ chicken, dill mashed potatoes, asparagus
Tuesday: Salsa chicken and peppers, brown rice, slices or cubes of cantaloupe
Wednesday: (Feeding missionaries) Lemon-herb roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, French bread, salad, peas, steamed carrots
Thursday: Spaghetti, garlic bread (if we have leftover French bread), salad
Friday: Mexican pita pizzas with leftover chicken, steamed broccoli
Saturday: Not sure. Grandma's coming for a visit.
Sunday: Hawaiian BBQ chicken, dill mashed potatoes, asparagus
Friday, August 26, 2011
Cool Things Babyzilla Does: Month 7
Another month gone? It just doesn't seem possible that it's been 7 whole months since you came into the world. In some ways it's like you just got here and in others it's like you've always been part of our family.
Some things you do now that you're a big (and I do mean BIG) 7 month old:
Some things you do now that you're a big (and I do mean BIG) 7 month old:
- Wear size 24 month clothes
- Love to hit buttons
- Chew on EVERYTHING.
- Roll from back to tummy and tummy to back.
- Crawl... backwards. We'll work on that. You've managed to get stuck up the leg of the coffee table a number of times. You can't put your feet on the ground to rool out of it, but you can't crawl forward either. You just look up at Daa-ee and I with a pitiful "Help me!" look. It's hilarious! Yes, we come to the rescue.
- Drink out of Mama or Daddy's glass. We hold it and you sit away.
- Hold your own bottle. I'm sure you could have done that earlier if we didn't use glass bottles.
- Say even more words. "Hi Da-ee!" is very common. People can tell me that you don't know what you're saying all day long, but I don't believe it. You only say it when Daddy comes into the room or when he's on the phone. You know that people say "hi" when somebody walks into a room or talks on the phone.
- Sign more. You have developed your own sign for "Change my diaper." You pat your diaper and then pull on the crotch area. We ask if you want your diaper changed, you smile and giggle. You give the sign for "milk" when you want a bottle. I never taught you that. I did the milk sign when I went to nurse you, but never for a bottle. I guess liquid food is all the same in your eyes.
- You love to grab hair and earrings. We're working on that. We don't get mad. You're a baby. You don't know that it hurts. But, we made a sign for "let go." It works really well.
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