Home Pre-school

To help get a little more routine to our days and rhythm in our life I am planning to start doing a little home preschooling come March.
Liv will be 2 1/2, which around here is a common age to start pre-school. Personally I feel this is too young, but I don't feel some more structure and lose learning and playing is the same as actually going to pre-school.
I've been having a little bit of a hard time getting a nice routine with our days since Eve has been born. I am planning on starting the New Year with getting back into some more structure then come March do one day a week like a pre-school, or more accurately called a play school. Liv is too young for real schooling, but not too young for story-times, crafts and other types of play.
Thursday will most likely become our pre-school day.
Keep an eye out for my curriculum for her. I will be doing things to help learn letters, colors and shapes, using stories and other activities.
I think March is a great time for us to start since it will be Spring so I can use lots of seasonal things to bring in our home and play time.
I really enjoy the Waldorf philosphy so I'm hoping to use some of that in my pre-school for Liv.
I've been collecting ideas and started a binder for my ideas.
The binder is divided by months since I plan to teach along with the seasons and holidays. I'm going to put all sorts of appropriate activities in my binder for children up to 5 years old, but will only use age appropriate stuff. This way I won't lose any ideas that are great for older children, and I can reuse lots of fun seasonal stuff that is great for all ages.
Wish me luck!

Meal Planning

I like to refer to myself as a Stay at home Mom, or a Radical Homemaker. Radical homemaking differs then what some people think of as homemaking now. Its like going back in time, being a real homemaker, not just watching soaps, popping in TV dinners or getting take out.
One thing that has helped me so much since becoming SAHM or Radical homemaker is menu planning.
I don't know how I lived with out being more organized at home.
I bought this from Target last year

Sunday is my planning day, or night. I sit down with the circular and plan my meals for the week. I do it based on sales and what I feel like, what our week look likes and what frozen meats I may have.
Some people go very specific for each day, Monday-Soup, Tuesday-Beef, Wed-Pasta. For my family I have just found that it does not work. There are certain foods we eat maybe once a month so my weekly planning is a little more open.
This week my meals look like this.
Sunday-Roast
Monday-Cx Quesidillas
Tuesday-Soup with leftovers from the roast
Wed-Sausage with peppers and onions
Thursday-Pasta night
Friday-Pork chops with Apple sauce
Saturday-Turkey burgers
Sunday-Chicken roaster

One plus is getting to use my leftovers. I like to cook bigger meals on nights my husband will be home so I can use the leftovers. With out planning I wouldn't be able to do this. It also helps me save money and plan lunches too.
I can mix in new recipes while keeping old stand bys there for most nights.
It is so much easier to not have to worry what is for dinner. I can plan healthier meals for my family, shopping is easier too.
I keep my list right on the fridge, I write down when we run out of things. Or I add things when I think of a good recipe for the next week.
Try menu planning for a month and you will not know how you lived with out it.

Christmas Cheer

This is the first year where my daughter, Liv, gets Christmas. She understands that Santa comes and bring presents at night. She gets that you leave cookies and milk for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer. She every night she asks me if Santa is coming. She has been cracking me up with some of her Christmas ideas and sayings this year.
"Santa wears boots 'cause he likes to splash (in puddles)", which is one of Olivia's favorite things to do.
"I wanna cook and eat the snowman." Took me about 5 minutes of her saying that to realize she was talking about the Snowman cookies we saw earlier in a cookbook.
When she told Santa what she wants for Christmas she told him "presents."
After watching a video that showed elves making toys she got all excited and said "they are making presents for me?!?" "yup for you and all the other boys and girls" I replied "yes and me!"
"Santa likes red."

"Santa likes cookies, chocolate cookies"
Tonight she asked to say a prayer for Santa.
I have tried to explain to here that Christmas is not just about Santa, but about Jesus and his birth. But I think that idea is lost on a 2 year old. But it doesn't mean I will not try and keep telling her what Christmas really is about.
I'm not sure if tonight she got it a little more or if she was just thankful that Santa comes on Jesus's birthday since she said "Thank Jesus for Santa"
I'm sure the later, but hopefully I will think the first.

Dangers of CIO

I have never been a huge Cry It Out fan (CIO) something in my heart just never felt right about leaving my baby to cry in the dark to "teach" her to sleep on her own. Believe me there were nights with my first I was so exhausted and frustrated I wanted to, but I never did. I might of left her crying for a few minutes to compose myself and get some energy and relax so I could better soothe my baby, but never left her long and never did this to teach her to sleep.
In an ideal world babies would not be left to cry, but we do not live in an ideal world. Parenting has become increasing isolating and lonely, which is why so many of us SAHM come to the internet for support and advice.

Moms and Dads have to get up for work, grandparents are miles away, siblings, aunts, uncles are not around to help give mom and dad a break, a high needs baby, a baby with other young children, there are many reasons why parents turn to CIO. One big one is the idea that your baby should be sleeping through the night. Once you get over all the shoulds that come with parenting life will be much easier. Baby should be sleeping 5 hours by 3 months, no more night nursing after 9 months. All these rules and suggestions about parenting drive us nuts. Baby needs to sleep in his back, in his own crib, on a hard mattress with nothing, and to top it all off baby needs to learn to fall asleep on his own around 4 months. If not let him cry. To me what is the worst part about all these recommendations is that if your baby doesn't sleep through the night is that you feel like you failed or did something wrong.
This is how I felt during a lot of the first few months with my first.
Liv would only sleep with me, only nurse to sleep. I heard it all, that is dangerous to co-sleep (this is a myth and many studies show that co-sleeping prevents SIDS) that they will never leave your bed, that I am creating a bad habit.
I just have to say that I am lucky that my Aunts and mom did their own thing and nursed us, slept with us and rocked us to sleep. Once I heard that and found attachment parenting I decided to ignore the should of and lead with my heart.
I often saw blogs and post about the physical and emotional dangers of CIO, but most of it was on attachment parenting forums or blogs. I was surprised to see an article about it on WWW.psychologytoday.com a resource I used often in college and several times when I was working on my masters degree in Social Work.
Here is a great article about how crying it and leaving a baby to cry goes against our natural instincts and there is a reason for it.
As I stated about I don't want people who are struggling with a colic or high needs baby to think they are failing or bad. Or just someone who needs to take 5 from a screaming baby, like I admit to having done.
I just want to expose people to other ideas and science other then what the American Pediatrics suggests and almost orders us to do, or according to them, we are not doing our jobs as parents right.
Parenting is not an exact science, but more and more science has been showing us that what we feel in our hearts is most often what is best for your baby.
So feel free and confident to nurse your baby, "spoil" them, hold them tight, kiss them, sleep with them, attend to all their cries, and dote on them and love them as you feel is best.

Holiday Crafts with Toddlers

I just love Christmas crafts, but most are above the ability of my 2 year old. And I don't have too much time to really help with a newborn on me most of the day.
I found one craft in one of the many books I checked out from the library that show activities and crafts.
The first thing we made was snow. All I did was get a black sheet of paper and gave her a white piece of chalk to color snow on the paper.

The second craft I took a red piece of paper and cut it in the shape of santa's hat. Then I glued it on a pink piece of paper and let her color in his face. We also glued on cotton balls to decorate it.
The next day we decorated gingerbread men. Decorating cookies is easy enough and she loved eating the results. We will do more cookie decorating closer to Christmas, and make enough to leave some out for Santa.

Happy Holidays!

Hold On

Last time while breastfeeding Liv this was the time I was about to give up. I was exhausted from being up at night, having to stop every where we went out to nurse, tired of being used as a pacifier. Everyone else I know who breastfeed gave up right around this time, the 3 month mark.
But with Liv I was determined to make it to 6 months. I would not give up and was so glad I didn't. What people don't tell you is that just when you think you can't handle it anymore, it gets easier. (people may not tell you that though because unfortunately most don't make it past those very difficult first few months) Some where during that third month Liv started sleeping better and longer. I could go out with just diapers and wipes, and unless it was a longer trip she was happy as a clam, not needing to nurse.
This to me is the best part and easiest part of nursing. No solids yet, so you don't have to worry about snacks or other food while out, no bottles or heating up formula. Just you and your baby enjoying life. And because I found it so easy and enjoyable we blew past my 6 month goal and nursed until Liv was 19 months. And believe me with all the problems we had in the start I never thought we would even make that 6 month mark. I really hope I can do the same with Ev or even longer if she wants. Horrible morning sickness dried out my supply, with out that I think Liv would of nursed even longer. Plus that breastfeeding bond that everyone talks about really kicks in when they get older. When most babies will be feeding themselves bottles and food you will have yours close to your heart, where babies belong.
So if you have reached the 3 month mark and think you can't take anymore to quote The Killers "when you can't hold on...hold on" I promise it will get so much easier really quick, and you will be so grateful you held on just a little bit more.

Weekly Rhythm

I've posted before about our weekly rhythm. Have a nice routine helps me greatly organize the duties of the house and helps me plan out actives and other things to do so I don't feel stuck home all week.

Lately our rhythm has been this
Sunday-Church in the morning, afternoon, outside play time maybe some football, cook a nice big dinner
Monday-Market, grocery shop
Tuesday-Library story time. Liv does a story time at a local library that even has a simple craft after the story. After this she plays in the kids area and checks out a book.
Wednesday-Wash- laundry day and garbage day. This was our library day before story time so if its raining or too cold out we go to the closer smaller library and check out some more books and play a little bit.
Thursday-Errand day
Friday-Floors, my big cleaning day
Saturday- free day

The reason I am returning to this topic is my amazement of how my toddler gets our weekly rhythm. We have been doing this routine for well over a year, with the exception of the story time which started in September. She has no concept of days of the week(monday, tuesday) but sure gets our routine and which days come after each other.
On Wednesday after breakfast Liv went in the bathroom, removed the bath mats and threw them down the stairs and took out new mats and put them on the floor. I always do this Wednesdays with the wash. I couldn't believe my eyes when she started to do this. She just knew that is what we do. Keep a nice routine really works.
We have been slacking on our daily structure and rhythm with a newborn in the house, but seeing how much the weekly rhythm works for her and has her helping out with the household chores I am eager to get back back into a routine, and a little better one to help our day go even more smooth. I feel it helps so much and our routines are one huge reason why Liv does not have too many tantrums.
She always knows what to expect and what is expected.

Related articles

• Rhythm with a New baby (tenderheartmomma.blogspot.com)

Thanksgiving

Even though I have a baby who will only sleep with momma I am thankful, just for the fact that she is healthy and happy when she is near me. The one thing I learned from Liv is "this too shall pass" so I try not to stress and just live in the moment.
I am getting excited to have Thanksgiving as my mom's. Liv has been my little baking partner so she will help me bake pumpkin cheesecake this year. I love doing this with her. My mom would get frustrated with my sister or me in the kitchen and never taught us how to cook or bake. The most we did was decorate cookies. I am thankful that I can remember being shooed out of the kitchen and hating it. So I am thankful that I can change this and try to let Liv help out as much as she can. I hope she has wonderful memories of us spending time in the kitchen baking and cooking.
Life can be hard, but I am just so thankful this year for two beautiful girls that I love dearly. And that I will get to spend the day with my family.

This Thanksgiving I am just so thankful for all the blessings of this year.

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• Thanksgiving Thoughts (rememberrohner1.wordpress.com)

Fit after Baby

When I had my first child I was to tired and new to motherhood to worry about losing the 40 so odd pounds I put on while being pregnant. It took about a year and I got within 2 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight. Then I got pregnant again.
This time I am, for some reason, very focused on losing the weight and getting in shape again after the baby. Seeing pictures of Rebecca Romijn on TMZ at 39 after twins in a bikini looking fad doesn't help. Power to her, I just want to get in my old shape again. We just put some much pressure on ourselves as women and moms. Some of it is good. It is good to not just totally let yourself go after having kids. Its not good for your health or your psyche. But my goal of being able to wear a bikini again. Is that unrealistic? I don't know.
Unlike Hollywood elite I don't have a trainer, a dietitian,a cook and someone to watch my children when I work out. Lately I don't even have my husband at home, who has been forced to work long hours due to the poor weather in our state.
I just want to look like my old self right now. I know, being only 2 months postpartum that that is very unrealistic. Especially since I put on 40lbs again with this pregnancy.
I am making some simple changes in my diet and trying to move, walk, do 10 min work out videos, rake leaves, anything that moves my body.
I gave up soda, sweets and am trying to not eat in front of the tv. I'm trying to eat 3 solid meals a day with one snack of fruit or vegetables. I am also adding coconut oil to my diet, which is supposed to help weight-loss.
I am also breastfeeding, which burns 500 calories a day. But it can also make you so hungry so I don't know if breastfeeding really aids weight loss that much.
Once the baby is on a sleep schedule I'm planning on doing some work out videos and lifting weights. My sister has the Psx90 series on DVD and I have heard great things about it. I also plan on starting doing yoga and Pilates. I love yoga and Pilates and did it before I was pregnant. Its great for my mind as well as my body.

I am just frustrated, not being able to fit in my old clothes, having a muffin tops and looking frumpy and dumpy. Always wearing sweats since that is all that fits. I have never really been over weight so it just really bothers me. And what bothers me most is the lack of time to work out. With a newborn its almost impossible to find the time.
And having the holidays come up isn't a help. This is a time most people gain weight and I'm trying to lose it.
This past Monday was the day I am making conscience changes to lose the weight.
My goal is 25lbs, my extra fit goal is 30lbs.
I hope I can meet my goal, in a realistic weight. Deep down I know I will not lose it over night, even though I wish I would. I took 9 months to put on, so it can take 9 months to come off.
7 months to go...

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Newborn Necessities

Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby and your neighbor and mom friends will often tell you of all the items you need to buy your newborn. I always had a hard time submitting to this idea that newborns need so much junk. The practical, green being just hates spending money and wasting resources on stuff that will be used for such a short time and after being used maybe once or twice more by another kid will end up in a landfill.
The one thing everyone told me I need is a swing. I registered for one and didn't get it. After buying a nice crib set we didn't have much left so I didn't get a swing. We did end up getting one from a friend and I'm so glad we got it used.
Both Ev and Liv are not fans. I was hoping that Ev might like it, but right now its collecting dust in our living room.
I also registered for a fancy expensive playmate. I don't know why. I just put Ev on the ground with a blanket and some toys and a child's mirror. Same effect and purpose for an 1/8 of the cost.
A bassinet, this could be good if you child sleeps well alone. Liv didn't and Ev doesn't right now so we co-sleep. I was very stress about this with Liv, thinking she would never sleep alone (I support co-sleeping completely, but long term its not for me) and at 3/4 months she slept in her crib.
Cribs, I spent the extra money on a great quality convertible crib. One that goes to a toddler bed then to a full bed. Now she will have it for life, or at least as long as she is living in my house. Now that is green.
The only items I really found as a necessity for the first months are the following; tub with a sling, boppy or a nursing pillow, baby carrier (moby, bijorn) and a bouncer for sleep and its great for kids with reflux, which my first had. A glider is also a huge buy for me. I spent so many nights rocking Liv and nursing her in the glider. We now read together on it, she still loves sitting on my lap and reading together then singing some songs before bed.
I never had a exersaucer, a walker, fancy swings or other gizmos and I did find.

Save the money and put it in a college fund for you kids.
Most of the stuff is a gimick just to sell money. Few of the stuff they claim that makes life easier actually does.

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• Co-sleeping with a newborn and occasional toddler: co-sleeping crib (nurturingcareermama.wordpress.com)
• No More Bumpers: Pediatricians Recommend Spartan Infant Cribs (blogs.wsj.com)

Babies Don't Keep

I would love to have a sleep schedule for my newborn. It would be so nice that at 9, 1 and 4 I could put her down for a nap in her crib and do what I need to do. Some people somehow manage this with children this young. I think they must have easy babies, or have nothing else to do then get them on a schedule or spend all their time working on one.
It is very easy for a newborn to get over stimulated, and once they do it can take a lot to get them to sleep. After an hour tops, Ev starts to show signs of over stimulation. In an ideal world before this I would go up to her room (as most parenting books suggest) do a nap routine and put her in her crib sleepy. Since she isn't over stimulated and just starting to get tired theoretically she should easily go down.
This is great in theory, but who has the time. Every 2 hours to make sure this happens, I would have no time for anything else. By the time a basic breakfast of cereal is over Ev is already in over stimulation mode. Things like this is why idea like Babywise and other baby theorist drive me nuts. Yes if I had the time maybe, but who does?
So for these first few months I do what I have to to get my little girl to sleep. Often that is putting her in a baby carrier and getting ready or cleaning or doing whatever was needed to be done, and in the carrier she falls asleep. She may fight it if she is very over tired, but its rare that she gets to that point. Often I will sit on the couch and read with Liv while Ev nurses to sleep. We have a nice relaxing family time. When we are done reading I often sit with Ev for a bit, I am tired from having a newborn wake a night, and when she is over stimulated she wakes very easily when first falling asleep. This is common.
So I made sure to stock my mind, and bookcase, with nursey rhymes, fingerplays and movement songs to sing to my older daughter. She will dance around while we sit and watch. She will also read to us.
We sometimes dance or walk around the house or yard. I just put Ev in the moby or bijorn (always the bijorn when dancing)and Ev gets lulled to sleep while Liv gets some one on one momma time.

Today I laid down with Ev during Liv's nap to get her to sleep. I could use the rest too. I should of showered, cleaned, done laundry, all sorts of things, but I just laid down with my newborn and relaxed.
I learned with my first that these first few months can't be bothered with sleep schedules, or strict feeding schedules or worrying how clean your house is. Getting your child to sleep more at night, and soothing them when they are tired and upset is more important. And getting some rest for yourself too.
This is not the time to worry about when they can self-soothe, it will happen eventually. When they will sleep in their own crib, or or when they will sleep on schedule. It will happen. These first few months are a hard adjustment to your baby too. They spent 24/7 in your womb, being a nice warm temperature, being held and rocked, and always having a nice full belly.
I learned with my first this time goes so quick, so don't stress, enjoy this time. I keep telling myself this. It goes so quick. I don't know how I have a 2 year old already. That time went amazingly fast.

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep -Ruth Hamilton

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Newborn sleep

I've been very lucky this time around.
Since Ev was born she sleeps all night, from about 8pm to 6 or even 9 am, waking to nurse then falling right back asleep.
Liv took 6 weeks to get on a schedule like this. But I sometimes wonder if I delayed it for her.
As a second time mom I have a little more know how behind my belt, I guess I am no longer a tenderfoot, at least when it comes to newborns. Every newborn is different, but I think getting them on a day/night schedule as early as possible can help every new mom.
Expose them to sunlight during the day. I just read somewhere how children and babies exposed to sunlight from 2pm-6pm sleep better, longer and go to sleep faster.
Make night wakings boring, quiet and keep them dark. I change Ev in the dark, only with a night light, unless its super messy or absolutely necessary I avoid the lights for her from 9pm on.
I would love to type more, but newborns are fussy creatures, especially in the sixth week which we are in so I will continue another time.

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• New Mom Sleep Tips (enfamil.com)
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Newborn, second time around

I recently read a saying that went something like this "a first time mom will need all the help she can get, a second time mom will manage just fine and a third time mom, she can come help you."

So far I am greatly agreeing with this.
The second time around I just feel more confident in my parenting. I know what to expect and I have already learned that going with the flow and not by the book will make life so much easier.
Last time I could not get Liv to sleep with out me. I eventually started co-sleeping, even though I read many places how it sets up bad habits and is a SIDS risk. After do some research on my own and even seeing more research how it can prevent SIDS I was happy with my decision. But mostly I was just happy to get some sleep.
This time I knew right away I wanted to co-sleep for the first few months, so even though I have 2 kids, a toddler and a newborn, so I'm not able to sleep much if at all during the day, I am more rested this time then last with my first.

I am not panicked or worried about breastfeeding, is she getting enough, should she be sucking so much, am I making enough? Going to La Leche meetings last time with the questions helped me this time to just relax and nurse on demand. And just living through this experience once before makes me realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel of all this constant breastfeeding.
Even though I have less time for me, and for blogging, I feel okay with how my home is running and life if going with two kids. My house isn't perfect, but its not a mess either.
Now lets just see if I can brave shopping with 2 kids..that one still freaks me out.

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Newborn, second time around

I recently read a saying that went something like this "a first time mom will need all the help she can get, a second time mom will manage just fine and a third time mom, she can come help you."

So far I am greatly agreeing with this.
The second time around I just feel more confident in my parenting. I know what to expect and I have already learned that going with the flow and not by the book will make life so much easier.
Last time I could not get Liv to sleep with out me. I eventually started co-sleeping, even though I read many places how it sets up bad habits and is a SIDS risk. After do some research on my own and even seeing more research how it can prevent SIDS I was happy with my decision. But mostly I was just happy to get some sleep.
This time I knew right away I wanted to co-sleep for the first few months, so even though I have 2 kids, a toddler and a newborn, so I'm not able to sleep much if at all during the day, I am more rested this time then last with my first.

I am not panicked or worried about breastfeeding, is she getting enough, should she be sucking so much, am I making enough? Going to La Leche meetings last time with the questions helped me this time to just relax and nurse on demand. And just living through this experience once before makes me realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel of all this constant breastfeeding.
Even though I have less time for me, and for blogging, I feel okay with how my home is running and life if going with two kids. My house isn't perfect, but its not a mess either.
Now lets just see if I can brave shopping with 2 kids..that one still freaks me out.

A Day in the Life..

with a toddler and a newborn

Lets start with late last night, Ev slept all day and around 10pm got some cluster feeding in that lasted almost till midnight. I didn't mind hoping that it would be a nice long stretch of sleep at night, but that wasn't the case. She was up every 2-2 1/2 hours to eat. Liv woke up around 7:30, I'm still exhausted from no sleep. Breakfast, easy cereal and fruit. Too tired to do anything else. TV time, I give myself 15 min or so to watch the morning news, then Liv gets to watch one 15 min Curious George episode. Kitchen clean up, too a while with a baby needing to be held or fed. "Circle" time- fingerplays and songs about autumn. The apple picking one I made up sent Liv off looking for an apple to eat, so we had snack time early. Upstairs to finally get dressed. My mom calls and I answer and right after she calls Liv poops and Ev wants to nurse. The phone call is very short, she tells me she has to cancel her play visit with Liv and us tomorrow to go to my Great Uncle's funeral. Another day home alone. After I nurse Ev and change Liv I call back my sister who mentioned something about visiting last week, but cancelled. She just asked about our Great Uncle and that was just about it. Not much time to talk when a toddler keeps trying to grab that phone. While upstairs and finally doing some well needed cleaning before we get dressed Ev takes a nice huge explosive breastfeeding poop. I just love those. It got all over her so clean up was fun. Oh and I forgot to mention that right before this Liv decided she wanted to take a shower so she took off all her clothes and kept asking to shower. While Ev is on the changing table she pees, a huge pee that wets the whole changing table. Right now I am just glad that I decided to use the changing table not my bed. After I go in the closet to get new clothes for Ev, Liv decided to play hide and seek in the closet. Or really its more of a "where is Liv?" Finally get a new diaper and onsie on Ev when Liv walks out of the closet going, uh oh, poopy. Oh great..Thank God, no poopy, but there is a nice puddle on the floor. Hurrah for hardwood floors, no carpeting. Finally I get Ev and Liv dressed and the pee floor cleaned, its time for Liv's nap. I go downstairs make myself something to eat, eat then Ev wakes up to nurse for a while. Only 1 hour goes by, so I decide to go upstairs to nap myself. Liv usually naps 2 hours or so. But of course not today. Right after I go upstairs she comes out of her room. I try to get her back to sleep, nope. No nap for me, and I just know this will mean a cranky toddler because her nap was not long enough. I rest in my room while Liv reads on the floor by my bed. At least she gave me some quiet time. Finally I get dressed and take the girls out on this nice day. We sit outside and watch the buses go by and drop of the neighbors kids. I feel bad since I can not take her for a walk. I am still too sore to push her and carry a newborn in the moby. We move back inside and color on the windows with window markers. I am ready to pass out. I need a break so we watch a little tv, about 15 min then we go cook an easy dinner. Eat, more coloring and DH comes home to play with Liv a little and then its off to bed for her, blog for me and shortly bed for me. I just realized I still have not brushed my teeth yet today. At least I should sleep good tonight, oh that will happen with a newborn nursing every 2-3 hours. Maybe I will luck out and get a 4 hours stretch, that would be heaven.

My new love

Evelyn was born Sept 1st Very proud to say I did it with no pain meds this time. A much shorter labor did help with that though.

The recovery has been much easier this time. And since I have a better idea of what to expect and how I want things to go we are adjusting as a family fairly well. So posts maybe more a little more scarce till I can get my computer time back with out having a baby on the boob, since that makes it a little harder to upload pix or type anything with too much thought. I am wondering already how many typos and mistakes I have from lack of sleep and doing this with one hand. So for now we will be enjoying the beginning of fall with our new love Eve.

Hurricane Irene and being Prepared, The Green Way

All I keep hearing about is having bottled water, bottled water and lots of it in case you lose power during this hurricane. I can't understand why? Does the bottled water industry have a bad weather contract with the government?

When I went to the store to buy some canned goods just in case power goes out I couldn't believe it when I noticed I was the only one not buying bottled water.
Did everyone forget how we got water before it came in bottles? From the tap.
I have a filter in our basement and a Brita in the fridge. Today and yesterday I have been just filling up the brita, then when it is done I put the water in a pitcher. I have 2 large glass pitchers full of water. I have also started to fill all the stainless steel bottles that we use instead of bottled water and put them in the fridge. With the brita full too this amount will last us days.
No need to spend our money on bottles that are very wasteful and bad for the environment.
It really surprises me that our family is the only one I know who is doing this and not running out for bottled water.
I just hope for Mother Earth people start to realize how wasteful and unnecessary bottled water is. Even during a hurricane.

Rhythm with a New baby

I am expecting a new baby to enter my life any day now, official due date is Friday.
I have completely slacked on a lot of our routine that has been set up for the days and week since I have become so hugely pregnant.
It hurts to bend, to sweep, to stand for a while and wash dishes, to change sheets, I could go on and on. With my first pregnancy I had some back aches, but this time it starts to hurt much more quickly. I don't think carry my toddler helps, but as anyone with a 2 year old knows this can often not be avoided.
I have decided to get myself back on the flylady wagon to help with my cleaning.
I had some a nice routine with out using Flylady, but my house was never as clean as I would prefer so I hope this will help.
Since I can't do too much now I have been working on starting a control journal for myself.
I have kept some of out weekly rhythm and plan to keep things a simple and peaceful as I can.
I hate the word schedule and can not standing being over scheduled. I know too many moms who even with very young children, have become their chauffeurs. I did not become a mom, and a SAHM to be my child's chauffeur. I enjoy doing simple things with my child, staying at home or local and just doing things with the seasons. My new routine still allows for this.
I am not even going to attempt to keep up with most of the cleaning parts till I am a little settled with the new baby. Cleaning can wait.
But I have made sure to include days for specific activities for Liv. I don't want her to get lost in the shuffle of a new baby.
I have also been working on creating my own seasonal book. I read so many books on seasonal activities but haven't found one that works 100% for me.
I started with Fall since it is coming up soon. I am slowly adding actives, ideas, crafts, poems and stories that I have found in some many other resources, or just ones I love from my own childhood. The poems and story part is the biggest thing right now for me. We have so many great books with lovely seasonal poems, perfect for rainy days, but not one is organized in the seasons so finding the right stories can be a chore.
When I am done I will have all of this right at my finger tips.

For now with out the cleaning part our new weekly rhythm will look something like this
Sunday-Church
Monday- Market and Music day for Liv
Tuesday- Park day or other outdoor activity
Wednesday- Wash (laundry) Library or playdates for Liv
Thursday- Baking day
Friday- Craft day or Playdate

These activities for Liv, for the most part are to be done in the afternoon, except the playdates since they are usually in the morning. I belong to a mothers group and there are playdates once or twice a month. This is the perfect amount for us. They also sometimes do group seasonal actives, like apple picking.
In the morning I like to try to get outside and play in our own yard, or go for walks.
Now that Liv is 2 she likes to try more things and I would like to expose her to more. Crafts is something I think she will love. She has already taken to baking. My grandmother even bought her her own little apron.
I am thinking of getting a nice chalk board to write our daily activities on.
These types of things help me from going crazy staying at home all day. It can get lonely and where I live doesn't help. So if I wake up and know that I have at least something to do for part of the day I have something to look forward to and feel more accomplished

then sitting wondering what it next?

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• The Routine of Being AMAZING (coolcatteacher.blogspot.com)
• Finding our Rhythm (middlemusing.wordpress.com)

A waiting my Baby

I am officially due this Friday and just waiting every day for that moment when you just go "Oh I'm in labor."
I am getting more and more excited to have a new baby in my home.
I recently learned how to knit and this was my first project.
It was a perfect beginner project and it feels so nice to make something for my baby, not just buy something.
This little cat has my heart and soul in it. I am so excited to give this to her when she is born and tell her that momma made this just for you.
I know realize why some people love knitting and crafting so much. You just feel a sense of accomplishment, which shopping for things never fills that void.
I am now going to start a lovely knit blanket for the baby. Something that I can work on while I am still waiting for baby to come and hopefully finish before the weather gets cooler so she can actually use my knit.
My first daughter has a lovely blanket and doll that she sleeps with. They bring her much comfort and I just wish I had these skills to make them for her instead of someone else.
But I am learning and growing.
Maybe I can make her some nice winter mittens, or a new doll for Christmas.
Handmade holidays are the best is they are made from the heart.

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• Knitting patterns for beginners (thriftingvignettist.wordpress.com)