Monday, December 15, 2008
WIP: Gingerbread Men and SOAP!
You know, today I woke up and just didn't feel like doing ANYTHING. Well, actually I felt like we might make Gingerbread cookies. But then I realize that before any of that can be done, we need to get dressed, change the diaper, make breakfast, clean up the kitchen, etc.... and suddenly making cookies seemed like a terrible and challenging feat. I hate that feeling.
Our goals today consist of going to the post office and continuing the laundry. Tomorrow is story hour (which we may or may not go to) but we do have to go to the library to return books... This morning we are making Mickey Mouse waffles and then we will hopefully start making these cookies for real. Ardyn has a "tie your shoes book" that was a hand me down, and she loves that thing. She likes to sit and look at it "shoe!" and drag it all over the house by the shoestrings. It's become her favorite book, all because of those strings.
Yesterday I tried a tutu on Ardyn that I had found for $5 at Marshall's. I always said I was going to make her one to play around in, the kind with the flower petals trapped between the layers. when I saw this one for $5 I knew that it was worth it, you can't really buy all the materials to make one for that. The smallest size they had was a 4, but holding it up I knew that it would fit, especially because it has to go over a cloth diaper butt to get to her waist. It fit perfectly when we tried it on yesterday and she played in it quite a bit. She would say "pretty" over and over again and had a great time with it.
12:12pm----------
Well, we made our gingerbread dough! It was tons of fun. She was so excited and counted each "cup" of flour, etc. along with me. She loved to stir the flour and scoop it. I loved seeing the recognition in her eyes when she matched up what we were doing with the pretend stirring that she does in her play kitchen. So now the dough is chilling in the fridge so that we can roll out and cut them into men this afternoon.
Daddy is sick with our cold, so he's on the couch with Ardyn, reading her the Christmas books from the library one more time before we take them back tomorrow. We've got the Christmas music going too.
Hope ya'll are having a good day!
3:28pm -----------
We have rolled out the Gingerbread men! Well, two dozen of them at least. Then "Quality Control" (see the photo of her taste testing) had to take a nap. There's probably another dozen, or perhaps 2 dozen left to go. We just made a half batch as we don't need them coming out our ears... especially if they are icky tasting. Hee.
I have been making soap today. I am using a glycerin soap base. I am making grapefruit scented and peppermint scented. I have decided not to use dyes... so the soaps are paraben free, dye free, and have not been tested on animals and contain no animal bi-products. I would like to make all our own soap, but I wanted to try 5 pounds of soap base before I decided to buy any base in bulk (being like 25 pounds- which is much cheaper.) You can save big money by making your own soap, and it is NOT hard if you use the melt and pour method. I have 4 grapefuit bars made, and 4 peppermint bars. I thought about giving some away as Christmas gifts, but I just know that people would be like "soap?" I guess homemade soap is not as exciting to everyone. LOL. I think it's pretty cool that you can save money, and control your ingredients, exactly to your specifications. I get bugged by the fact that pretty much everything contains parabens and all kinds of scary ingredients. If I were to give some away, I would package it up pretty with a nice tag, but if I am just going to keep it for our use (which is my eventual intention, to make all our soap at home) I will just put it in a box or a ziploc or something. I already have pretty packaging for gifting in mind, but I have yet to think of someone who would truly like it, appreciate it, and not laugh or complain behind my back. That's kinda sad, isn't it? Well, I guess that isn't true. Now that I think of it, Evan's mom's side would be really receptive to the idea. And their Christmas is this weekend, so maybe I will try that and see what happens.
5 pounds of soap base makes about 22 four ounce bars. That's about your average bar soap size. I spent $14.95 on 5 pounds of soap base, but if I purchased 25 pounds it would only run me $40 (including shipping, purchased online.) So currently the soap cost me $0.68 per bar, and if I were to buy the base in bulk (which I will do from this point forward, now that I know how easy it is) I would get about 110 bars of soap for $40, which would amount to $0.36 per bar. You of course have your cost of soap molds and fragrance if you choose to use those, but a mold cost me $2 and is reusable over and over, and the fragrances are between $3-10 each depending on if you use fragrance or essential oils... and it only takes about 3 drops of oil per BAR of soap, so it's pretty intense to calculate that down to a per bar price. If you buy Dove soap in BULK at amazon, you spend $1.16 a bar, not including shipping.
Our goals today consist of going to the post office and continuing the laundry. Tomorrow is story hour (which we may or may not go to) but we do have to go to the library to return books... This morning we are making Mickey Mouse waffles and then we will hopefully start making these cookies for real. Ardyn has a "tie your shoes book" that was a hand me down, and she loves that thing. She likes to sit and look at it "shoe!" and drag it all over the house by the shoestrings. It's become her favorite book, all because of those strings.
Yesterday I tried a tutu on Ardyn that I had found for $5 at Marshall's. I always said I was going to make her one to play around in, the kind with the flower petals trapped between the layers. when I saw this one for $5 I knew that it was worth it, you can't really buy all the materials to make one for that. The smallest size they had was a 4, but holding it up I knew that it would fit, especially because it has to go over a cloth diaper butt to get to her waist. It fit perfectly when we tried it on yesterday and she played in it quite a bit. She would say "pretty" over and over again and had a great time with it.
12:12pm----------
Well, we made our gingerbread dough! It was tons of fun. She was so excited and counted each "cup" of flour, etc. along with me. She loved to stir the flour and scoop it. I loved seeing the recognition in her eyes when she matched up what we were doing with the pretend stirring that she does in her play kitchen. So now the dough is chilling in the fridge so that we can roll out and cut them into men this afternoon.
Daddy is sick with our cold, so he's on the couch with Ardyn, reading her the Christmas books from the library one more time before we take them back tomorrow. We've got the Christmas music going too.
Hope ya'll are having a good day!
3:28pm -----------
We have rolled out the Gingerbread men! Well, two dozen of them at least. Then "Quality Control" (see the photo of her taste testing) had to take a nap. There's probably another dozen, or perhaps 2 dozen left to go. We just made a half batch as we don't need them coming out our ears... especially if they are icky tasting. Hee.
I have been making soap today. I am using a glycerin soap base. I am making grapefruit scented and peppermint scented. I have decided not to use dyes... so the soaps are paraben free, dye free, and have not been tested on animals and contain no animal bi-products. I would like to make all our own soap, but I wanted to try 5 pounds of soap base before I decided to buy any base in bulk (being like 25 pounds- which is much cheaper.) You can save big money by making your own soap, and it is NOT hard if you use the melt and pour method. I have 4 grapefuit bars made, and 4 peppermint bars. I thought about giving some away as Christmas gifts, but I just know that people would be like "soap?" I guess homemade soap is not as exciting to everyone. LOL. I think it's pretty cool that you can save money, and control your ingredients, exactly to your specifications. I get bugged by the fact that pretty much everything contains parabens and all kinds of scary ingredients. If I were to give some away, I would package it up pretty with a nice tag, but if I am just going to keep it for our use (which is my eventual intention, to make all our soap at home) I will just put it in a box or a ziploc or something. I already have pretty packaging for gifting in mind, but I have yet to think of someone who would truly like it, appreciate it, and not laugh or complain behind my back. That's kinda sad, isn't it? Well, I guess that isn't true. Now that I think of it, Evan's mom's side would be really receptive to the idea. And their Christmas is this weekend, so maybe I will try that and see what happens.
5 pounds of soap base makes about 22 four ounce bars. That's about your average bar soap size. I spent $14.95 on 5 pounds of soap base, but if I purchased 25 pounds it would only run me $40 (including shipping, purchased online.) So currently the soap cost me $0.68 per bar, and if I were to buy the base in bulk (which I will do from this point forward, now that I know how easy it is) I would get about 110 bars of soap for $40, which would amount to $0.36 per bar. You of course have your cost of soap molds and fragrance if you choose to use those, but a mold cost me $2 and is reusable over and over, and the fragrances are between $3-10 each depending on if you use fragrance or essential oils... and it only takes about 3 drops of oil per BAR of soap, so it's pretty intense to calculate that down to a per bar price. If you buy Dove soap in BULK at amazon, you spend $1.16 a bar, not including shipping.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thanks for Reading.
How was everyone's weekend? Filled with mad shopping excursions? I was thrilled that Evan found Ardyn's Christmas Eve outfit in the van yesterday. He also brought her kitchen in and assembled it. It took FOUR HOURS because of all the small pieces. You can see pics on flickr.
I connected with a mamma on Diaperswappers and swapped my small girly pocket diapers (that I obviously won't need with a boy) for some gender neutral AIO's. It was a great swap and just happened to be pretty amazing that we connected. I love things like that. It's such a good feeling to swap with someone else. It gives you that satisfied feeling of helping each other out, and also of recycling things that are already doing so much good for the environment. I love the cloth diapering community. There are so many supportive people out there to meet.
Ardyn is in bed tonight and I am listening to the sleet bounce off the windows. It has just rained on and off the past two days and erased all our snow, and tonight it has been sleeting and snowing, and the ground is just barely covered right now. We had a pretty relaxed day, and we snuggled in bed together watching TV most of the morning. I have been having Braxton Hicks Contractions.... got my first one yesterday and then started having them regularly in the afternoon. Then they stopped until this morning, and so I lay in bed and we rested. We are all still pretty "snotty" and need our rest. This was evident by the fact that Ardyn took a 3 hour nap this evening and I had to wake her up from it for fear she would be up all night. She was not pleased at being woke up, in fact, she was downright upset. Even the sight of a bubble bath waiting for us (I ran the bath before waking her) didn't cheer her up. She just wanted to cuddle with me and go back to sleep. We did have a nice bath though. She is really getting into putting her mouth and nose underwater. Not sure what suddenly gave her that confidence, but she is always holding her breath and putting her lower face in and then coming up a few seconds later with a big gasp.
The baby has been super active and it's hard for me to believe that I am closing in on the third trimester now. It really hit me the other day when the midwife in training said that at my next appointment I would be having bloodwork and then coming every two weeks. Is it that time already? I am still going through baby clothes, washing, putting away. I stain treated all the clothes that I brought out that had re-appearing breastmilk stains, and the stains lightened. My mom is going to try a product that she has at her house, to see if it will remove the stains. She said it removed grease stains that were on sweatshirts that had been in her closet for years. I am anxious to see if it works. While I have still had much of the energy I did before pregnancy, being sick has made me more tired and lazy. I am hoping that I am just about better, and that there are Gingerbread cookies in our future.
I am washing diapers and waiting for Evan to get home. He is on the road and I am making myself focus on things so I don't worry about him with the sleet. He said he is only going about 30 mph so it might be a while. In fact, let me run down and put soap in the diaper load... Be right back.
Okay. I really just want to go snuggle in bed and play solitaire for a while. I have really mastered the three games that I have for Nintendo DS. But I can't give up Touchmaster. It's so addictive. But the brain power that it uses is a good thing, especially for someone dealing with Placenta brain. I think I will trade in my two games and get two other used games. I bought these used, and so I don't know how much they will give me for them at Game Stop, but I don't play them so even If I trade in two and only get one, it's better than having them sitting there looking at me. I borrowed a Super Mario game from a friend, and it drives me NUTS because there is this bouncy mushroom world that I hate and I always die in, and every time I get past it, and go on to the next level, when I decide to quit and go to sleep, it takes me BACK to the bouncy mushroom level even though I already BEAT it. I hate that game. I almost never play it, because of those damn bouncy mushrooms.
I've been called for Jury Duty. It's the first time since I turned 18 and registered to vote, so I am excited instead of annoyed. But since there isn't much action in this small town area, I doubt there will be an actual need for a Jury. But if there is, I will be there. I just hope it isn't something long and drawn out... but something short and sweet. I'd love to be able to use the line "You know I can't talk about the case..." LOL.
Well, my feet are cold, the baby is kicking me constantly, and I feel hungry... so I am going to grab a snack and head for some solitaire in bed. Everyone take care and hopefully you are able to relax and prepare for your holidays. I am really looking forward to spending time with family this Christmas. Our first gathering is this coming Sunday. Sleep tight!
I connected with a mamma on Diaperswappers and swapped my small girly pocket diapers (that I obviously won't need with a boy) for some gender neutral AIO's. It was a great swap and just happened to be pretty amazing that we connected. I love things like that. It's such a good feeling to swap with someone else. It gives you that satisfied feeling of helping each other out, and also of recycling things that are already doing so much good for the environment. I love the cloth diapering community. There are so many supportive people out there to meet.
Ardyn is in bed tonight and I am listening to the sleet bounce off the windows. It has just rained on and off the past two days and erased all our snow, and tonight it has been sleeting and snowing, and the ground is just barely covered right now. We had a pretty relaxed day, and we snuggled in bed together watching TV most of the morning. I have been having Braxton Hicks Contractions.... got my first one yesterday and then started having them regularly in the afternoon. Then they stopped until this morning, and so I lay in bed and we rested. We are all still pretty "snotty" and need our rest. This was evident by the fact that Ardyn took a 3 hour nap this evening and I had to wake her up from it for fear she would be up all night. She was not pleased at being woke up, in fact, she was downright upset. Even the sight of a bubble bath waiting for us (I ran the bath before waking her) didn't cheer her up. She just wanted to cuddle with me and go back to sleep. We did have a nice bath though. She is really getting into putting her mouth and nose underwater. Not sure what suddenly gave her that confidence, but she is always holding her breath and putting her lower face in and then coming up a few seconds later with a big gasp.
The baby has been super active and it's hard for me to believe that I am closing in on the third trimester now. It really hit me the other day when the midwife in training said that at my next appointment I would be having bloodwork and then coming every two weeks. Is it that time already? I am still going through baby clothes, washing, putting away. I stain treated all the clothes that I brought out that had re-appearing breastmilk stains, and the stains lightened. My mom is going to try a product that she has at her house, to see if it will remove the stains. She said it removed grease stains that were on sweatshirts that had been in her closet for years. I am anxious to see if it works. While I have still had much of the energy I did before pregnancy, being sick has made me more tired and lazy. I am hoping that I am just about better, and that there are Gingerbread cookies in our future.
I am washing diapers and waiting for Evan to get home. He is on the road and I am making myself focus on things so I don't worry about him with the sleet. He said he is only going about 30 mph so it might be a while. In fact, let me run down and put soap in the diaper load... Be right back.
Okay. I really just want to go snuggle in bed and play solitaire for a while. I have really mastered the three games that I have for Nintendo DS. But I can't give up Touchmaster. It's so addictive. But the brain power that it uses is a good thing, especially for someone dealing with Placenta brain. I think I will trade in my two games and get two other used games. I bought these used, and so I don't know how much they will give me for them at Game Stop, but I don't play them so even If I trade in two and only get one, it's better than having them sitting there looking at me. I borrowed a Super Mario game from a friend, and it drives me NUTS because there is this bouncy mushroom world that I hate and I always die in, and every time I get past it, and go on to the next level, when I decide to quit and go to sleep, it takes me BACK to the bouncy mushroom level even though I already BEAT it. I hate that game. I almost never play it, because of those damn bouncy mushrooms.
I've been called for Jury Duty. It's the first time since I turned 18 and registered to vote, so I am excited instead of annoyed. But since there isn't much action in this small town area, I doubt there will be an actual need for a Jury. But if there is, I will be there. I just hope it isn't something long and drawn out... but something short and sweet. I'd love to be able to use the line "You know I can't talk about the case..." LOL.
Well, my feet are cold, the baby is kicking me constantly, and I feel hungry... so I am going to grab a snack and head for some solitaire in bed. Everyone take care and hopefully you are able to relax and prepare for your holidays. I am really looking forward to spending time with family this Christmas. Our first gathering is this coming Sunday. Sleep tight!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Windows Installed!
The new windows. Are installed! YAY!!! )pics on flickr) I haven't noticed being able to turn the thermostat down, but I have already noticed a more consistent temp throughout the house and no more drafts along the walls/windows. I have also noticed the toilet seat is about 10 degrees warmer (bonus!) and that the furnace isn't running as frequently to keep up.
They arrived an hour and 15 minutes early (yikes) and got the entire job done, 12 windows inside and out, cleaned up, did the paperwork, and left in a total of 5.5 hours! Just two (very experienced) installers. They did a fabulous job, left minimal mess (bonus #2!) and were very polite and funny.
Ardyn spent the day at MIL's house. We got all the curtains washed and the curtains and blinds all back up. Then we are (for the first time since breakfast) at 4pm and went to get Ardyn, and took her to my parents, where she stayed the night and will be for most of today.
Last night I was alone and ran to the mall and Hobby Lobby. I had gotten TWO of those coupons for JCPenney where you save $10 on any purchase of $10 or more, and I fully intended to use them both. I also wanted to exchange a cricut cartridge at Hobby Lobby, since the cricut rebate includes a free "My Community" Cartridge, I exchanged that one for "New Arrival." At JC Penney I got Ardyn 2 pair of training pants and 5 pair of pretty girly underwear for about $3.00! They were 8.99 each, and buy 1 get one half, and then the coupon, and it was super cheap! Then I got something for myself (ahhh) a track suit that is non-maternity but still looks cute as maternity (I am surprised at how many non maternity items I wear comfortably this pregnancy- all by my jeans!) and it's hot pink with stripes down the legs and arms. It was originally $26.00 for each piece, but they were cut back to $14.99, and add in the $10 off coupon.... the whole suit was $20 including tax. I also got some hair clips for Ardyn that were buy 1 get one half. She needed some purple and pink ones. She has outgrown some of the ones she originally had, as her hair amount has really increased and it's pretty thick. Plus she has broken or lost a few. Some of the clips will match her Christmas outfits, so that is exciting for mom. I also got her a sweater to wear for Christmas and to go see Santa, that matches her skirt... it was at Bergners for $25, and it was already 50% off and then I saw a snag (teeny tiny) that got me another 10% off. So 60% off amounted so something like $11 including tax. Good deal! Except this morning, I can't FIND it. Or the skirt that I took with the match. I have a very scary feeling that I left it in the bathroom at Penneys or something, but I keep telling myself that it's probably in the van and I will have Evan look in a while. It would really suck to have a full Christmas outfit and have lost it at the mall! We have three Christmases to attend, so I have got something planned for each one, and losing one outfit (plus it's the santa outfit!) is making me frantic just thinking about it! then I grabbed some things for home, like bananas, tylenol for Ardyn, Pedialyte to keep on hand for this icky flu season, toothpaste, stuff like that.
Today I have big plans to do things around here, but Evan woke up with "my cold" (which I've had for a week and Ardyn for 5 days) and so he is sleeping a bit longer. We intend to assemble the kitchen for Santa, and also I want to put up the blinds in the nursery (the caulk was still drying last night) and I am doing laundry and also *hope* to start on my Christmas Pajamas and get the floors mopped. I have a feeling I am going to ignore the floors. They aren't really DIRTY so they might slip by another week or so. I have pulled out all the boyish clothes that I had for Ardyn at 0-3 months and all the Gender Neutral Infant socks, and am washing those today also. I was surprised to find just how many items had stains that re-appeared after storage. I knew that formula stains came back, but I had been told by several people that breastmilk stains would not. As Ardyn never had formula, I thought I had nothing to worry about. Well... wrong. I noticed the most that outfits from daycare had stains, and I figure it's because the spit up sat there for a bit before anyone noticed or got to her. It made me feel really badly and even better that I am home and will be home for Marek. I loved Ardyn's daycare, but they just can't be everywhere! So I have treated with Shout advance and am letting them sit. I don't have high hopes as I had hand me down clothes where the stains would not come out, but it's worth a try.
Since I am working on clothes still, I decided it's time to see what I have that is affected by the Carter's "recall" (the one that isn't really a recall) and so I have pulled a few things with the offending tags. I was worried that the one blue dress that Ardyn wore in the parade when she was 5 days old, would have that tag, and I would want to keep it since it is so tiny and cute, and luckily it did NOT have that tag. But all of the rest of her Carter's onesies and sleepers do. So I have several more sizes and totes to get through and then I will decide about sending them back for my refund.
Well, I guess I should get going and accomplish something. Maybe I can make Evan wake up.
They arrived an hour and 15 minutes early (yikes) and got the entire job done, 12 windows inside and out, cleaned up, did the paperwork, and left in a total of 5.5 hours! Just two (very experienced) installers. They did a fabulous job, left minimal mess (bonus #2!) and were very polite and funny.
Ardyn spent the day at MIL's house. We got all the curtains washed and the curtains and blinds all back up. Then we are (for the first time since breakfast) at 4pm and went to get Ardyn, and took her to my parents, where she stayed the night and will be for most of today.
Last night I was alone and ran to the mall and Hobby Lobby. I had gotten TWO of those coupons for JCPenney where you save $10 on any purchase of $10 or more, and I fully intended to use them both. I also wanted to exchange a cricut cartridge at Hobby Lobby, since the cricut rebate includes a free "My Community" Cartridge, I exchanged that one for "New Arrival." At JC Penney I got Ardyn 2 pair of training pants and 5 pair of pretty girly underwear for about $3.00! They were 8.99 each, and buy 1 get one half, and then the coupon, and it was super cheap! Then I got something for myself (ahhh) a track suit that is non-maternity but still looks cute as maternity (I am surprised at how many non maternity items I wear comfortably this pregnancy- all by my jeans!) and it's hot pink with stripes down the legs and arms. It was originally $26.00 for each piece, but they were cut back to $14.99, and add in the $10 off coupon.... the whole suit was $20 including tax. I also got some hair clips for Ardyn that were buy 1 get one half. She needed some purple and pink ones. She has outgrown some of the ones she originally had, as her hair amount has really increased and it's pretty thick. Plus she has broken or lost a few. Some of the clips will match her Christmas outfits, so that is exciting for mom. I also got her a sweater to wear for Christmas and to go see Santa, that matches her skirt... it was at Bergners for $25, and it was already 50% off and then I saw a snag (teeny tiny) that got me another 10% off. So 60% off amounted so something like $11 including tax. Good deal! Except this morning, I can't FIND it. Or the skirt that I took with the match. I have a very scary feeling that I left it in the bathroom at Penneys or something, but I keep telling myself that it's probably in the van and I will have Evan look in a while. It would really suck to have a full Christmas outfit and have lost it at the mall! We have three Christmases to attend, so I have got something planned for each one, and losing one outfit (plus it's the santa outfit!) is making me frantic just thinking about it! then I grabbed some things for home, like bananas, tylenol for Ardyn, Pedialyte to keep on hand for this icky flu season, toothpaste, stuff like that.
Today I have big plans to do things around here, but Evan woke up with "my cold" (which I've had for a week and Ardyn for 5 days) and so he is sleeping a bit longer. We intend to assemble the kitchen for Santa, and also I want to put up the blinds in the nursery (the caulk was still drying last night) and I am doing laundry and also *hope* to start on my Christmas Pajamas and get the floors mopped. I have a feeling I am going to ignore the floors. They aren't really DIRTY so they might slip by another week or so. I have pulled out all the boyish clothes that I had for Ardyn at 0-3 months and all the Gender Neutral Infant socks, and am washing those today also. I was surprised to find just how many items had stains that re-appeared after storage. I knew that formula stains came back, but I had been told by several people that breastmilk stains would not. As Ardyn never had formula, I thought I had nothing to worry about. Well... wrong. I noticed the most that outfits from daycare had stains, and I figure it's because the spit up sat there for a bit before anyone noticed or got to her. It made me feel really badly and even better that I am home and will be home for Marek. I loved Ardyn's daycare, but they just can't be everywhere! So I have treated with Shout advance and am letting them sit. I don't have high hopes as I had hand me down clothes where the stains would not come out, but it's worth a try.
Since I am working on clothes still, I decided it's time to see what I have that is affected by the Carter's "recall" (the one that isn't really a recall) and so I have pulled a few things with the offending tags. I was worried that the one blue dress that Ardyn wore in the parade when she was 5 days old, would have that tag, and I would want to keep it since it is so tiny and cute, and luckily it did NOT have that tag. But all of the rest of her Carter's onesies and sleepers do. So I have several more sizes and totes to get through and then I will decide about sending them back for my refund.
Well, I guess I should get going and accomplish something. Maybe I can make Evan wake up.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Stuff. Not really exciting, just stuff.
Today really HAS been a busy day. Last night I was winding down for bed and it turned into cleaning my closet (which I hadn't done since about right when I was getting ready to go back to work and packed away all my maternity clothes and pared down my "non-pregnant" wardrobe after losing 50 pounds from breastfeeding. Well, I cleaned the closet and didn't get to bed till around 2am. Okay. 2:30.
Today The 5 KL0's that I was expecting came in the mail, and I was SEVERELY disappointed. They were CRUNCHY. and I mean so crunchy that I wouldn't put them on Ardyn, let along a new baby's butt. I soaked them for an hour in Oxyboost and washed them in hot with Charlie's and Oxyboost, and I am hoping that they will dry up fluffier and be useable... otherwords, there was $35 down the drain. The price was really good, and I guess now I know why. I kinda feel like I got taken, because the mamma said nothing about them being so crunchy. I have 6 new and 6 used KL0's already, and they are still nice and soft. The tags on these diapers don't show much washwear at all, so I can't figure out why they are SO crunchy. Unless she bleached them or used some type of bad soap on them.
Today I picked up the house (again, thank you toddler whirlwind) and made Ardyn and I lunch. This evening we took down all the mini blinds, roller shades, roman shades, and curtains. This SHOULD be the very last day of our old windows. I took some pictures of the old before they are gone. My biggest fear is that the installers will crack out woodwork headpieces (which are original woodwork) when trying to remove them.
I decided to put my living room curtains in the wash (and discovered that they are DRY CLEAN) and I washed them anyway. I hate that unnecessary dry clean crap. We will see how they turn out. Costs almost as much to dry clean them as to buy new curtains (especially when you buy Curtains at Target or Penney's.) The bedroom and dining room curtains were washed fairly recently, so that leaves the bathroom and kitchen, which are in the wash right now. I am also washing the cover to Ardyn's high chair (which says surface washable only) but the underside is too gross for me so it's in the wash now. We just switched today from her Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair to the First Years High Chair/Booster. Even though I love the Space Saver, it sits up really high, and the arms make it impossible to get it up to the table. Because she isn't using a tray anymore, that is a REALLY annoying feature, so we got the hand-me-down high chair out and it works great. It's low enough to go under the table and high enough for her to reach her plate well. Her belly fits right up against the table. We will just put the other one in the attic until there is a new baby to use it. (P.S. The cover to the space saver high chair washed just fine in the washing machine. It's nice and clean and just like new now.)
I am NOT looking forward to getting up at 8 tomorrow to ship Ardyn off to Grandma's while the window installers are here. But it needs to happen. So we will get up at 8.
I also found an online rebate for the Cricut Expression machine. You get two free cartridges (My Community and Printing 101) for just $7.95 shipping and processing. Totally awesome. I am really lucky that someone emailed me that! YAY!
Ardyn said "cook" tonight when I asked her if we should cook supper. It's a simple enough word, she just hadn't found the occasion to use it before I guess. So we started ourselves the gourmet cuisine that we both ADORE. Fish Sticks and tater tots. I LOVE tater tots. They are like one of my favorite foods. Yum-o. My mom always breaks out how many calories are in each tater tot and I always laugh and tell her that I need calories to grow babies. Yum. I try to limit the fish stick/chicken nugget/tater tot thing to once a week... but If I could I would eat them several times a week. One other thing I have wanted lately is velveeta shells and cheese. But we are out. And I have to eat it while Ardyn is asleep because the tasty cheese beckons her. Can you blame her?
It's strange to sit here in a wide open house with no curtains or blinds. Really strange. It feels like we just moved in or something.
My mom group (online) has had some really awesome crafty ideas posted lately, and I have filed them accordingly. After Christmas I hope to break out a few new things. I am hoping to make my own Christmas Pajamas this weekend, since Ardyn and Evan's are all done already. I get to be last. LOL. The pants will be okay (I still wear non-maternity lounge pants and organic cotton pants all the time) but I am a little worried about the length of the shirt, and may have to alter it to allow for belly room and height in the front. This may require more concentration than I am capable of with Ardyn on my lap or pulling my pant leg, so I am going to try to do the shirt FIRST and get that done for sure this weekend. Although I dread doing the shirt first. Oh well.
Here are the photos of the "Pucker Up" and "Yucky" Shirts that I embroidered- just finished the carrot yesterday.
I listed all of my girly pocket diapers and covers in size small... I want to sell them so that I can get some GN things and some things that we will use more of (Goodmamas! lol) Pics of what I have for sale are on Flickr. You can see the listings at diaperswappers or email me if you have any interest.
I also tried to "fix" the KL0's and they looked great coming out of the wash, and I was drying them, went to get them out, and they were nice and fluffy (okay, not really, just not as crunchy) but they are now a tinge of BLUE because I dried them right after the load of jeans! Doh! That has never happened before! Oh well, I will get them white again with another soak, someday.
Okay, time to do something like clean the kitchen. Ack.
Today The 5 KL0's that I was expecting came in the mail, and I was SEVERELY disappointed. They were CRUNCHY. and I mean so crunchy that I wouldn't put them on Ardyn, let along a new baby's butt. I soaked them for an hour in Oxyboost and washed them in hot with Charlie's and Oxyboost, and I am hoping that they will dry up fluffier and be useable... otherwords, there was $35 down the drain. The price was really good, and I guess now I know why. I kinda feel like I got taken, because the mamma said nothing about them being so crunchy. I have 6 new and 6 used KL0's already, and they are still nice and soft. The tags on these diapers don't show much washwear at all, so I can't figure out why they are SO crunchy. Unless she bleached them or used some type of bad soap on them.
Today I picked up the house (again, thank you toddler whirlwind) and made Ardyn and I lunch. This evening we took down all the mini blinds, roller shades, roman shades, and curtains. This SHOULD be the very last day of our old windows. I took some pictures of the old before they are gone. My biggest fear is that the installers will crack out woodwork headpieces (which are original woodwork) when trying to remove them.
I decided to put my living room curtains in the wash (and discovered that they are DRY CLEAN) and I washed them anyway. I hate that unnecessary dry clean crap. We will see how they turn out. Costs almost as much to dry clean them as to buy new curtains (especially when you buy Curtains at Target or Penney's.) The bedroom and dining room curtains were washed fairly recently, so that leaves the bathroom and kitchen, which are in the wash right now. I am also washing the cover to Ardyn's high chair (which says surface washable only) but the underside is too gross for me so it's in the wash now. We just switched today from her Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair to the First Years High Chair/Booster. Even though I love the Space Saver, it sits up really high, and the arms make it impossible to get it up to the table. Because she isn't using a tray anymore, that is a REALLY annoying feature, so we got the hand-me-down high chair out and it works great. It's low enough to go under the table and high enough for her to reach her plate well. Her belly fits right up against the table. We will just put the other one in the attic until there is a new baby to use it. (P.S. The cover to the space saver high chair washed just fine in the washing machine. It's nice and clean and just like new now.)
I am NOT looking forward to getting up at 8 tomorrow to ship Ardyn off to Grandma's while the window installers are here. But it needs to happen. So we will get up at 8.
I also found an online rebate for the Cricut Expression machine. You get two free cartridges (My Community and Printing 101) for just $7.95 shipping and processing. Totally awesome. I am really lucky that someone emailed me that! YAY!
Ardyn said "cook" tonight when I asked her if we should cook supper. It's a simple enough word, she just hadn't found the occasion to use it before I guess. So we started ourselves the gourmet cuisine that we both ADORE. Fish Sticks and tater tots. I LOVE tater tots. They are like one of my favorite foods. Yum-o. My mom always breaks out how many calories are in each tater tot and I always laugh and tell her that I need calories to grow babies. Yum. I try to limit the fish stick/chicken nugget/tater tot thing to once a week... but If I could I would eat them several times a week. One other thing I have wanted lately is velveeta shells and cheese. But we are out. And I have to eat it while Ardyn is asleep because the tasty cheese beckons her. Can you blame her?
It's strange to sit here in a wide open house with no curtains or blinds. Really strange. It feels like we just moved in or something.
My mom group (online) has had some really awesome crafty ideas posted lately, and I have filed them accordingly. After Christmas I hope to break out a few new things. I am hoping to make my own Christmas Pajamas this weekend, since Ardyn and Evan's are all done already. I get to be last. LOL. The pants will be okay (I still wear non-maternity lounge pants and organic cotton pants all the time) but I am a little worried about the length of the shirt, and may have to alter it to allow for belly room and height in the front. This may require more concentration than I am capable of with Ardyn on my lap or pulling my pant leg, so I am going to try to do the shirt FIRST and get that done for sure this weekend. Although I dread doing the shirt first. Oh well.
Here are the photos of the "Pucker Up" and "Yucky" Shirts that I embroidered- just finished the carrot yesterday.
I listed all of my girly pocket diapers and covers in size small... I want to sell them so that I can get some GN things and some things that we will use more of (Goodmamas! lol) Pics of what I have for sale are on Flickr. You can see the listings at diaperswappers or email me if you have any interest.
I also tried to "fix" the KL0's and they looked great coming out of the wash, and I was drying them, went to get them out, and they were nice and fluffy (okay, not really, just not as crunchy) but they are now a tinge of BLUE because I dried them right after the load of jeans! Doh! That has never happened before! Oh well, I will get them white again with another soak, someday.
Okay, time to do something like clean the kitchen. Ack.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Laundry.
It's been another long day. I have felt a little better, but Ardyn spent half the day in misery and the second half being much like herself. She was so upset with everything after she woke up for the day, she wanted to be held constantly and comforted and she didnt want you to leave her side and I could just tell she wasn't feeling well. After a night of holding her so she would sleep (totally unlike her) I really wanted to NOT be holding her. I needed to wash diapers so Evan took her into our room and sat with her, and when I came back up from starting my load, she was crashed out. He was wide awake and not really wanting to sleep, but he couldn't move without her waking and getting upset again, so he lay there with her for almost THREE HOURS while she slept. She had only been awake for about two, but that will tell you how tired she was. While she was sleeping, I did lots of laundry, finished the embroidery of the carrot t-shirt for Marek, and watched an episode of the Girls Next Door and John and Kate Plus 8. I ate my two hostess cupcakes that I had stashed. I picked up the nursery and reorganized a few drawers, and some diapers, and hung up clothes, and pulled out too small things to pack away.
I have lots to do tomorrow, so I REALLY hope that Ardyn sleeps through the night tonight and that I am able to sleep too. I would love to take a Tylenol PM, but if she doesn't sleep and is still not feeling well, that would be hell to function while sick AND on Tylenol PM.
I am so excited that the windows will be here Friday morning! I really hope they get them all installed in one day as promised, because we can not be in this house all weekend with no blinds or curtains on any windows and all that cold air seeping in with nothing to block it out.
I am making ramen noodles and doing laundry. I put Ardyn to bed early (10:15pm, ha ha) so that I could get some things done and she can get some rest and hopefully feel better sooner.
Last week I decided to wash my bathtub mat in the washing machine. It came out sparkling. So tonight I washed all of Ardyn's plastic pocket bibs in the washing machine with my load of towels and dishcloths, and they came out wonderfully and very clean. I am going to keep doing this. If specific bibs don't last the wash, then I will just get more of the ones that do. I am so sick of handwashing plastic bibs and picking food out of the pockets that I just give up. I realized tonight that with another one on the way already, I will never have a break from the damn things. I do love the bibs that have pockets that unsnap, but I don't love that you can only get one for the price that you can get 3-4 other bibs in a pack. I have one of those, and it is my favorite. But I also like the ones that are like a kitchen towel with a hole in the neck. Those are great to just toss in the wash and they work well for Ardyn now that she isn't a pureed mess.
It's time for me to hang some laundry and wind down for some sleep. Have a great night, and tomorrow.
I have lots to do tomorrow, so I REALLY hope that Ardyn sleeps through the night tonight and that I am able to sleep too. I would love to take a Tylenol PM, but if she doesn't sleep and is still not feeling well, that would be hell to function while sick AND on Tylenol PM.
I am so excited that the windows will be here Friday morning! I really hope they get them all installed in one day as promised, because we can not be in this house all weekend with no blinds or curtains on any windows and all that cold air seeping in with nothing to block it out.
I am making ramen noodles and doing laundry. I put Ardyn to bed early (10:15pm, ha ha) so that I could get some things done and she can get some rest and hopefully feel better sooner.
Last week I decided to wash my bathtub mat in the washing machine. It came out sparkling. So tonight I washed all of Ardyn's plastic pocket bibs in the washing machine with my load of towels and dishcloths, and they came out wonderfully and very clean. I am going to keep doing this. If specific bibs don't last the wash, then I will just get more of the ones that do. I am so sick of handwashing plastic bibs and picking food out of the pockets that I just give up. I realized tonight that with another one on the way already, I will never have a break from the damn things. I do love the bibs that have pockets that unsnap, but I don't love that you can only get one for the price that you can get 3-4 other bibs in a pack. I have one of those, and it is my favorite. But I also like the ones that are like a kitchen towel with a hole in the neck. Those are great to just toss in the wash and they work well for Ardyn now that she isn't a pureed mess.
It's time for me to hang some laundry and wind down for some sleep. Have a great night, and tomorrow.
LONG night
Last night. Was a long night. Ardyn hadn't even been in bed an hour when she woke up. And cried until 2am. She would consistently fall asleep in my arms and wake up very startled and upset. I just know she wasn't feeling well. At 2:30 Evan made our bed and we lay Ardyn back in her crib and I went to sleep, only to be awake at 4:30 and getting her into our bed at 5am as it started all over until about 7am. Then she was able to relax and sleep for a few more hours on and off and I was thanking god because there it does suck to be sick yourself but not getting any rest. Ugh.
Today I feel like I have been hit by a big truck. Ardyn's fever was back around 11am today so she got some more Motrin, and she looks like she is a little bit more herself now.
Take care. More later if I am still functioning!
Today I feel like I have been hit by a big truck. Ardyn's fever was back around 11am today so she got some more Motrin, and she looks like she is a little bit more herself now.
Take care. More later if I am still functioning!
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Newborn Fluff n Stuff
Today was an okay day. I had an appointment with my midwife, which was short and uneventful, except for the preceding events.
We woke up at 8am (not our style) to Ardyn crying and having a fever that I just knew was coming for about 3 days. Poor Evan stumbled around and got the childproof Motrin out of it's package, and accurately measured her dose while half-asleep while I tried to relax and hush her while trying to find the remote to turn on some Little Einstiens because I knew that it would tell us in about 2 seconds how bad it "really" was. If Einstein's comes on and she stops crying instantly, you know that she will live. If not, probably consider a trip to the ER. So she got her Motrin, stopped crying, and then settled into snuggle in bed with me and watch TV for another 3 hours while I drifted in and out of sleep. When I finally was somewhat able to breathe and function, I realized that she had gotten so wet that she leaked through her diaper, her pajamas, the comforter, blanket, top and bottom sheet, and right onto the mattress protector. Ack. So I gor her cleaned up and dressed and eating cheerios on our stripped bed while I took a shower and dressed and then we made some lunch and went out in the snow to head for the Dr. Visit.
She took a nap just before we left, a very short nap that lasted until 2pm when her Motrin wore off and I knew that we had to leave to make it to my appointment. I woke her with motrin already measured which was good because her hair was already plastered to her forehead with sweat and she was starting to burn up again.
She made it through the whole rest of the day without Motrin but by 11pm she was getting ready for bed, getting hot again, and got her last dose of the day which I hope lasts her through the night.
This evening we were laying on the couch together surrounded by used kleenex, the remote, the telephone, and the giant mug of orange juice we were sharing (Vitamin C at the suggestion of the midwife) and she fell asleep all snuggled in with me. I really wanted to just stay right there and nap with her, but I decided to put her in her toddler bed for a trial nap and to start washing our bedding (oops hold that thought while I go check the dryer)
Okay- so I was able to cram the King sized Down Comforter into the washer (barely) and not throw out my back getting it out again (juuuuust barely) and it's almost dry... and then I washed the blanket (dry) and the mattress pad (drying) and the sheets are in the wash right now. It's 12am, so that puts me to sleep in a made bed somewhere around 2am I predict.
As I put Ardyn in the toddler bed, she went to sleep like she had been there her whole life. Then I proceeded to try to accomplish something, and after starting the laundry, I was upstairs and the power. Went out. Ack. And I stupidly sat there because it was REALLY dark. Really. And I waited. No power. So I grabbed the nearby cell phone and used it to light my way to the nearest flashlight which I used to light my way to the basement where my drawers of candles are. And then I carried a giant cardboard box of pillar candles up and started lighting them all over. And of course in the middle of this, Ardyn wakes up. In the complete Dark. And so I get her up and she sits on the couch in the candlelight and I give her a flashlight to play with. She was totally cool with it, but said "Oh No!" and "Where Go?" a few thousand times. Eventually I got everything well illuminated and we sat down to wait. My cell phone went dead the moment I connected with Evan and I thought he would be coming to rescue us soon. We just waited, and in about an hour the power came back on. See the picture of Ardyn holding a candlelight vigil from her spot on the couch?
Tonight I got a little inspired to make my own soap. All Natural with essential oils for fragrances. I haven't of course, got all the supplies around to make my own soap, but I was reading online that making your own organic soap can be as cheap as $0.75 per bar. And I did some investigating and found the place where I would buy supplies if I had $30 to my name right now... but being in a financial pinch and having Christmas coming up.... where even if someone does't require a gift, they certainlg require that you bring an appetizer ($$ ingredients$$) and perhaps yourself ($$ gas money $$) and maybe that you look nice ($$ new sweater $$) and hopefully they got your Christmas Card ($$) and overall it just can be draining.
Tomorrow I NEED to order a BIG 48 pound bucket of Oxyboost because I am out and I need to wash diapers (once I get all the bedding out of the washer and dryer) and that's about $116 plus $16 shipping. But it's a necessity. And 8 months worth of Oxyboost costs less than 1-2 months worth of sposie diapers, so, not really a big deal.
I am hoping to feel A) better tomorrow and B) Ambitious tomorrow so that we can turn the ingredients we have looking at us into Gingerbread Men. But I want Ardyn and I to both feel well enough to enjoy it.
Last night we spent some time in the sewing room and I did some organizing. It was a mess down there (still is) but it is now a lot closer to becoming organized enough to work. I put all my fabric back in it's categorized drawers, and took inventory of my fabulous soft diaper fabrics with the intentions of making my postpartum mamma pads. I have my proto-type completed, but I want to make them with the more expensive fabric remnants that I have left, like Microfleece, Microfiber, and Organic Sherpa Fleece. I cut 5 toppers of Organic Sherpa and started to trace and cut out Microfiber inners. Ardyn wanted to help, so I gave her one of my tracing markers to hold and she mimicked me in the air as I traced around my cardboard pattern piece, and then she sat on my lap and remarked "sharp" over and over again as I cut them out with one hand while holding her with the other. I also put snaps on twelve winged pantyliners with four layers of pretty pink flannel each. That brings my pantyliner total to 15, which should be SO nice to have in the postpartum era. Now I just need to get crackin on the postpartum mamma pads. I would KILL (okay, figuratively speaking) to have some OBV (Organic Bamboo Velour) to get toppers made for my pads, but besides being expensive, it's hard to obtain and according to sources, even harder to actually GET to your house. That's what the innsers of all Goodmama diapers are made of, and I keep hearing how wonderful it is to have on your num whether you are a mamma or a baby. And what postpartum mamma doesn't deserve the best on her bottom? Especially when the bottom feels like it has fallen out? Well, I have till April, so a miracle could still happen I suppose.
Almost all of the newborn diapers are here, I am still waiting on a dozen fitteds, 4 covers, and a swim diaper, swim trunks, and water shoes. Lets show off some pics so far, shall we? These are just the Newborn/XS Size, not the smalls (which are still packed away and will fit at around 10-12 pounds)
20 Preemie Prefolds: (I dyed the ones on the right myself, the left 8 are Thirsties color prefolds)
23 Newborn Fitteds and 2 Bum Genius XS AIO's:
Embroidered T-shirts, Charcoal Wool Longies, 2 Newborn Diaper and Shirt sets: (notice the puckered lemon is a new t-shirt that I embroidered. I am working on a yucky carrot shirt right now.)
10 Thirsties Diaper Covers- Building my rainbow :)
2 Side Snapping Newborn Shirts I just tie-dyed for the baby:
Maternity shirt I did for me:
Shirt and socks I did for Ardyn:
So there's plenty going on around here. Tonight Evan made a delicious breakfast for supper, bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, orange juice. It was delicious. Ardyn put away 2 strips of bacon, 3 scrambled eggs, and a half-piece of toast by herself! But she didn't eat well earlier in the day due to not feeling well, so I guess that's a good thing.
We woke up at 8am (not our style) to Ardyn crying and having a fever that I just knew was coming for about 3 days. Poor Evan stumbled around and got the childproof Motrin out of it's package, and accurately measured her dose while half-asleep while I tried to relax and hush her while trying to find the remote to turn on some Little Einstiens because I knew that it would tell us in about 2 seconds how bad it "really" was. If Einstein's comes on and she stops crying instantly, you know that she will live. If not, probably consider a trip to the ER. So she got her Motrin, stopped crying, and then settled into snuggle in bed with me and watch TV for another 3 hours while I drifted in and out of sleep. When I finally was somewhat able to breathe and function, I realized that she had gotten so wet that she leaked through her diaper, her pajamas, the comforter, blanket, top and bottom sheet, and right onto the mattress protector. Ack. So I gor her cleaned up and dressed and eating cheerios on our stripped bed while I took a shower and dressed and then we made some lunch and went out in the snow to head for the Dr. Visit.
She took a nap just before we left, a very short nap that lasted until 2pm when her Motrin wore off and I knew that we had to leave to make it to my appointment. I woke her with motrin already measured which was good because her hair was already plastered to her forehead with sweat and she was starting to burn up again.
She made it through the whole rest of the day without Motrin but by 11pm she was getting ready for bed, getting hot again, and got her last dose of the day which I hope lasts her through the night.
This evening we were laying on the couch together surrounded by used kleenex, the remote, the telephone, and the giant mug of orange juice we were sharing (Vitamin C at the suggestion of the midwife) and she fell asleep all snuggled in with me. I really wanted to just stay right there and nap with her, but I decided to put her in her toddler bed for a trial nap and to start washing our bedding (oops hold that thought while I go check the dryer)
Okay- so I was able to cram the King sized Down Comforter into the washer (barely) and not throw out my back getting it out again (juuuuust barely) and it's almost dry... and then I washed the blanket (dry) and the mattress pad (drying) and the sheets are in the wash right now. It's 12am, so that puts me to sleep in a made bed somewhere around 2am I predict.
As I put Ardyn in the toddler bed, she went to sleep like she had been there her whole life. Then I proceeded to try to accomplish something, and after starting the laundry, I was upstairs and the power. Went out. Ack. And I stupidly sat there because it was REALLY dark. Really. And I waited. No power. So I grabbed the nearby cell phone and used it to light my way to the nearest flashlight which I used to light my way to the basement where my drawers of candles are. And then I carried a giant cardboard box of pillar candles up and started lighting them all over. And of course in the middle of this, Ardyn wakes up. In the complete Dark. And so I get her up and she sits on the couch in the candlelight and I give her a flashlight to play with. She was totally cool with it, but said "Oh No!" and "Where Go?" a few thousand times. Eventually I got everything well illuminated and we sat down to wait. My cell phone went dead the moment I connected with Evan and I thought he would be coming to rescue us soon. We just waited, and in about an hour the power came back on. See the picture of Ardyn holding a candlelight vigil from her spot on the couch?
Tonight I got a little inspired to make my own soap. All Natural with essential oils for fragrances. I haven't of course, got all the supplies around to make my own soap, but I was reading online that making your own organic soap can be as cheap as $0.75 per bar. And I did some investigating and found the place where I would buy supplies if I had $30 to my name right now... but being in a financial pinch and having Christmas coming up.... where even if someone does't require a gift, they certainlg require that you bring an appetizer ($$ ingredients$$) and perhaps yourself ($$ gas money $$) and maybe that you look nice ($$ new sweater $$) and hopefully they got your Christmas Card ($$) and overall it just can be draining.Tomorrow I NEED to order a BIG 48 pound bucket of Oxyboost because I am out and I need to wash diapers (once I get all the bedding out of the washer and dryer) and that's about $116 plus $16 shipping. But it's a necessity. And 8 months worth of Oxyboost costs less than 1-2 months worth of sposie diapers, so, not really a big deal.
I am hoping to feel A) better tomorrow and B) Ambitious tomorrow so that we can turn the ingredients we have looking at us into Gingerbread Men. But I want Ardyn and I to both feel well enough to enjoy it.
Last night we spent some time in the sewing room and I did some organizing. It was a mess down there (still is) but it is now a lot closer to becoming organized enough to work. I put all my fabric back in it's categorized drawers, and took inventory of my fabulous soft diaper fabrics with the intentions of making my postpartum mamma pads. I have my proto-type completed, but I want to make them with the more expensive fabric remnants that I have left, like Microfleece, Microfiber, and Organic Sherpa Fleece. I cut 5 toppers of Organic Sherpa and started to trace and cut out Microfiber inners. Ardyn wanted to help, so I gave her one of my tracing markers to hold and she mimicked me in the air as I traced around my cardboard pattern piece, and then she sat on my lap and remarked "sharp" over and over again as I cut them out with one hand while holding her with the other. I also put snaps on twelve winged pantyliners with four layers of pretty pink flannel each. That brings my pantyliner total to 15, which should be SO nice to have in the postpartum era. Now I just need to get crackin on the postpartum mamma pads. I would KILL (okay, figuratively speaking) to have some OBV (Organic Bamboo Velour) to get toppers made for my pads, but besides being expensive, it's hard to obtain and according to sources, even harder to actually GET to your house. That's what the innsers of all Goodmama diapers are made of, and I keep hearing how wonderful it is to have on your num whether you are a mamma or a baby. And what postpartum mamma doesn't deserve the best on her bottom? Especially when the bottom feels like it has fallen out? Well, I have till April, so a miracle could still happen I suppose.
Almost all of the newborn diapers are here, I am still waiting on a dozen fitteds, 4 covers, and a swim diaper, swim trunks, and water shoes. Lets show off some pics so far, shall we? These are just the Newborn/XS Size, not the smalls (which are still packed away and will fit at around 10-12 pounds)
20 Preemie Prefolds: (I dyed the ones on the right myself, the left 8 are Thirsties color prefolds)
23 Newborn Fitteds and 2 Bum Genius XS AIO's:
Embroidered T-shirts, Charcoal Wool Longies, 2 Newborn Diaper and Shirt sets: (notice the puckered lemon is a new t-shirt that I embroidered. I am working on a yucky carrot shirt right now.)
10 Thirsties Diaper Covers- Building my rainbow :)
2 Side Snapping Newborn Shirts I just tie-dyed for the baby:
Maternity shirt I did for me:
Shirt and socks I did for Ardyn:
So there's plenty going on around here. Tonight Evan made a delicious breakfast for supper, bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, orange juice. It was delicious. Ardyn put away 2 strips of bacon, 3 scrambled eggs, and a half-piece of toast by herself! But she didn't eat well earlier in the day due to not feeling well, so I guess that's a good thing.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Sign the Breastfeeding Petition to President Elect Barack Obama....
Dear Friend:
We hope you will take a moment to help put breastfeeding on the agenda of the new administration: to ask President-Elect Obama to place a high priority on breastfeeding as an essential public health issue. There is virtually universal agreement among health care experts that, with rare exceptions, breastfeeding is the optimal method of feeding all infants, sick as well as healthy, preterm as well as full term. In addition to the myriad health benefits provided to mother and infant, breastfeeding provides significant economic and environmental benefits for families, employers, and society by reducing health care expenses, eliminating the need to purchase expensive formula, and reducing absenteeism from work to care for sick infants. Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding at: www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding.
The United States Breastfeeding Committee has created a petition to the President-Elect, urging him to take several actions to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.
SIGN THE PETITION TO PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA:
www.usbreastfeeding.org/obamapetition
In the coming months, our leaders will be focused on our economic and financial future. This time of crisis also presents an opportunity to remind them that working mothers are an essential part of our nation's economic security, just as the health of our children is a critical part of our future. A full three-quarters of mothers are now in the labor force. As government and employers cut back in response to the recession, many more families are struggling to cover the rising costs of health care, groceries, and other necessities. We need your support to ensure that in these troubled economic times, all women and families can access the resources and support they need to do what's best for their babies.
Demonstrate your support for breastfeeding by signing the petition now. And please don't forget to forward this message far and wide so as many people as possible get a chance to sign on too. Every signature counts. Sign on here: www.usbreastfeeding.org/obamapetition
Thank you!
Rant-ish
Don't you just hate bill collectors? Ugh. I still have some of my hospital bill from the Beebs to pay for, and they have been calling and I just know that they aren't going to like my answer of "I don't have a job. I don't have income. Talk to my husband." And seriously, it frustrates me, because after working there, I know how much they write off for medicare and medicaid and I also know that my insurance paid for 90-100% of everything from delivery to hospital stay, and I made payments from each paycheck while I was working there (for 6 months after my daughter's birth) so the last $2000 is really just an annoyance for me, because without income, $2000 is alot of cash to just write a check for. It's interesting because they like to escalate the phone tree on me, and have someone "bigger" and "higher" up call me as though this will spur me into check writing action.
I am tempted to call them back and explain that I don't have income, and that they need to make my husband the guarantor on all my bills, but of course they wouldn't listen to me anyway. They'd just launch into their bill collector thing about how I am legally obligated, blah blah blah. and I would eventually get stressed out and have high blood pressure until I have to tune them out because that's what you do when you don't have $2000. I might have to deliver this next one at home since I won't have the bill paid yet from the first one.
So Ardyn just fell asleep on the floor in her playroom. I wanted to put her down, but my mom was here and she commented that "Ardyn didn't want to take a nap while grandma was here" and that she could "Take a nap when grandma leaves" and I wanted to put her down but thought, okay, whatever, and 5 minutes later she's asleep on the floor. Poor kid. Mom knows best. That's the bottom line.
I have had some newborn fluff arrive today, a bunch of used diapers that I got from Diaperswappers. They are very nice and it's exciting. I have two more t-shirts hand embroidered and I am thinking of going to the basement and tie-dyeing a couple.... But I don't think Ardyn will sleep long enough for me to get it fully accomplished and so I might just wait until she is "gone" someday with grandma. Windows are FINALLY scheduled to be installed the end of this week. Thank god. I am not thrilled about the fact that we have to take down all our blinds, shades, and curtains... especially considering that all the blind and shade mounting brackets have to be taken down also. Ugh. I know that Evan will do the work, but I will have to hear him bitch and whine about it for days, so that's no fun for anyone.
Maybe the bill collection people read my blog and they are like "She's buying diapers! She has money! Pay your bill" but I have to say, how many people do you know who are willing to buy cloth diapers and go through all the work to use and wash them, because they are trying to save money and be environmentally responsible? And how many of THOSE people are buying USED cloth diapers? Hmmm? That's right. And when I spend my birthday money on cloth diapers, you know, I am rolling in the dough. It would be SO much cheaper to spend $20 a week on disposable ones. R--ii---ght. That is the best answer I suppose. So for all you bill collecting stalkers, no I don't have $$ to burn.
I find myself incredibly lucky that before I was a SAHM, I considered it important to purchase and stock up on not only diapers for Ardyn until she is potty trained, but half of what I would need to CD a newborn (even though I wasn't pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, nor sure how easy it would be to ever get pregnant again.) And also how lucky I am that I have lots of craft supplies, fabric, embroidery patterns and floss, and a sewing machine that entertains me and allows me to make cute things for my children to wear and play with when money is tight. You know alot of other moms who handsew fleece cookies and aprons from dishtowels that they bought last February to give to their children for Christmas? They are out there... all over the internet... but in person they aren't hard to find. It's one of the luxuries and sometimes downfalls of staying home. Funds are tight. You use $2 shampoo instead of $20 shampoo. You don't shave much because razor blades are a ripoff. You dye your own hair out of a box from Wal-mart instead of spending $90 twice a year for fabulous foil highlights. You don't get pedicures, manicures, or new clothes... and in fact you spend many of your days in lounge or pajama pants. A blessing and a curse. Depends on how you look at it. I se it as a blessing. There is nothing, not even a bill collector, that can make me wish I was working right now and missing my kids growing and changing. That's my decision.
Okay, done with that rant.
What else to talk about? My endless cold? naw. The dipers that I should be putting in the dryer? The dishes that I should be loading into the dishwasher. Ack. guess I had better do those things while the beebs is napping.
Take care.
I am tempted to call them back and explain that I don't have income, and that they need to make my husband the guarantor on all my bills, but of course they wouldn't listen to me anyway. They'd just launch into their bill collector thing about how I am legally obligated, blah blah blah. and I would eventually get stressed out and have high blood pressure until I have to tune them out because that's what you do when you don't have $2000. I might have to deliver this next one at home since I won't have the bill paid yet from the first one.
So Ardyn just fell asleep on the floor in her playroom. I wanted to put her down, but my mom was here and she commented that "Ardyn didn't want to take a nap while grandma was here" and that she could "Take a nap when grandma leaves" and I wanted to put her down but thought, okay, whatever, and 5 minutes later she's asleep on the floor. Poor kid. Mom knows best. That's the bottom line.
I have had some newborn fluff arrive today, a bunch of used diapers that I got from Diaperswappers. They are very nice and it's exciting. I have two more t-shirts hand embroidered and I am thinking of going to the basement and tie-dyeing a couple.... But I don't think Ardyn will sleep long enough for me to get it fully accomplished and so I might just wait until she is "gone" someday with grandma. Windows are FINALLY scheduled to be installed the end of this week. Thank god. I am not thrilled about the fact that we have to take down all our blinds, shades, and curtains... especially considering that all the blind and shade mounting brackets have to be taken down also. Ugh. I know that Evan will do the work, but I will have to hear him bitch and whine about it for days, so that's no fun for anyone.
Maybe the bill collection people read my blog and they are like "She's buying diapers! She has money! Pay your bill" but I have to say, how many people do you know who are willing to buy cloth diapers and go through all the work to use and wash them, because they are trying to save money and be environmentally responsible? And how many of THOSE people are buying USED cloth diapers? Hmmm? That's right. And when I spend my birthday money on cloth diapers, you know, I am rolling in the dough. It would be SO much cheaper to spend $20 a week on disposable ones. R--ii---ght. That is the best answer I suppose. So for all you bill collecting stalkers, no I don't have $$ to burn.
I find myself incredibly lucky that before I was a SAHM, I considered it important to purchase and stock up on not only diapers for Ardyn until she is potty trained, but half of what I would need to CD a newborn (even though I wasn't pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, nor sure how easy it would be to ever get pregnant again.) And also how lucky I am that I have lots of craft supplies, fabric, embroidery patterns and floss, and a sewing machine that entertains me and allows me to make cute things for my children to wear and play with when money is tight. You know alot of other moms who handsew fleece cookies and aprons from dishtowels that they bought last February to give to their children for Christmas? They are out there... all over the internet... but in person they aren't hard to find. It's one of the luxuries and sometimes downfalls of staying home. Funds are tight. You use $2 shampoo instead of $20 shampoo. You don't shave much because razor blades are a ripoff. You dye your own hair out of a box from Wal-mart instead of spending $90 twice a year for fabulous foil highlights. You don't get pedicures, manicures, or new clothes... and in fact you spend many of your days in lounge or pajama pants. A blessing and a curse. Depends on how you look at it. I se it as a blessing. There is nothing, not even a bill collector, that can make me wish I was working right now and missing my kids growing and changing. That's my decision.
Okay, done with that rant.
What else to talk about? My endless cold? naw. The dipers that I should be putting in the dryer? The dishes that I should be loading into the dishwasher. Ack. guess I had better do those things while the beebs is napping.
Take care.
Down with the sickness....
okay. Maybe not down. But I am sick. Welcome to day three of "I can't breathe yet snot is running down my very raw throat."
Saturday was my grandma's 80th Birthday party lunch. I survived despite the sickness (day 1) and there are Flickr photos to prove it.
Sunday I just lay low around home, stuck my butt to the couch with lots of hot tea, kleenex, cough drops, cookies, and my embroidery basket, which resulted in three new baby t's for Marek (that's his name.) and here they are:
Last night Ardyn's teeth went into her bottom lip when she hit her chin on the bathroom sink while getting ready to brush. We had a blood and screamfest and then once it stopped bothering her she ate Tacos and Oranges, so it must not be too bad. Although she is avoiding ketchup today. She has a serious loss of coordination going on as she has fallen down (stupidly) several times today... so we are keeping our eyes on her. This morning she spent an hour in the rocking chair with me, while I sang to her, and she cuddled. Unlike her so I wonder if she might be coming down with *something* herself.
That's all for now but we will keep you posted. Fat lip pictures will be on Flickr soon.
Saturday was my grandma's 80th Birthday party lunch. I survived despite the sickness (day 1) and there are Flickr photos to prove it.
Sunday I just lay low around home, stuck my butt to the couch with lots of hot tea, kleenex, cough drops, cookies, and my embroidery basket, which resulted in three new baby t's for Marek (that's his name.) and here they are:
Last night Ardyn's teeth went into her bottom lip when she hit her chin on the bathroom sink while getting ready to brush. We had a blood and screamfest and then once it stopped bothering her she ate Tacos and Oranges, so it must not be too bad. Although she is avoiding ketchup today. She has a serious loss of coordination going on as she has fallen down (stupidly) several times today... so we are keeping our eyes on her. This morning she spent an hour in the rocking chair with me, while I sang to her, and she cuddled. Unlike her so I wonder if she might be coming down with *something* herself.That's all for now but we will keep you posted. Fat lip pictures will be on Flickr soon.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Thursday.
Not much happened today. We were pretty lazy. It was good.
Listening to Christmas Music, running myself bubble bath, brewing some Chamomile Lemon Tea, and hoping to get a post in here before the tub gets full.
We took a BIG long nap today. I actually slept on the couch, strangely enough. I never sleep on the couch. I can't stand sleeping anywhere but my bed. But I took a two hour nap (although I was awoken a couple of times) and that was awesome and apparently much needed.
Evan called the window people again today, because neither the salesman or the general manager/installer in charge of our job would call us back. He basically let them know how upset he was and that no one would return our calls and was told that yes our windows had been in for two days and a NEW installer would be calling us on Monday to schedule an install. Thank GOD. It's freaking cold in this house!
Tonight we made the chocolate cake mix (into cupcakes) by Cherrybrook Kitchen (dairy free) and I have not been really thrilled with the taste. Ardyn likes them, which is the point, so that's okay. The frosting that we got from Cherrybrook Kitchen is really hard to spread (they recommend room temperature) so I may need to warm it up a bit. It's not really creamy. I am not sure what it is about the taste that bugs me, but remember my pregnant taste buds can taste anything funny. I might try one tomorrow after I get them frosted, but right now it's midnight and I don't see them getting frosted today.
The Christmas Cards are done, and waiting to be mailed. Tomorrow.
Today I paid for a bunch of newborn diapers (mostly used) that I had lined up over the weekend. I am expecting the following:
I recently scored three NWT Thirsties covers off Diaperswappers in size Large for Ardyn, because she seems to be outgrowing the rise on the mediums, especially with a goodmama on... problem being that the larges are still HUGE on her and I don't know if she will ever be able to wear them before Potty learning. So I will just keep the tags on them until I know for sure if she will need them.
---------------
You know, there is nothing worse than getting ready to relax in a bubble bath at midnight with a hot cup of tea, and stepping into a bathtub of tepid water. You know, because you washed diapers and ran the dishwasher and suddenly there IS no more hot water? And no matter how much water you try to add, it only gets colder in the tub and no matter how much you try to relax you just get more and more pissed off and you think that your skin might shatter from freezing so you just get out? Yeah. That was So relaxing!
I had planned to really relax. Really. I even got out the biolage. Ever since starting to stay home, there have been several personal financial sacrifices that I have made. From things as major (but insignificant) as having $90 hair coloring (three colors, foiled professionally) twice a year, to an $8 box of haircolor at wal-mart that I do myself (which really just is my "normal color" but helps keep my hair soft and smooth and stops me from noticing how my hair grows an entire shade darker in pregnancy and a shade lighter in summer!) To things as minor as switching from a $20 liter of Biolage to a $5 bottle of clairol or equate shampoo and conditioner. But I secretly keep the remaining biolage liters in the linen cupboard, and once in a great while I take a bath alone and uninterrupted and use the biolage and be happy with silky soft hair. Ahhh. I even broke out the biolage. And then had a cool bath. Yay. I also sometimes think of the massages and pedicures that I am missing, and trips to the mall for reasons besides seeing the easter bunny or santa claus. You know, like to shop for fragrances, lotions, and CLOTHES for myself. (unheard of.) I can't even tell you the last time I went through the purse and jewelry aisle in Target. I just avoid it. It's too hard for me. Actually, I bought a new purse at Target about the time I went back to work after having Ardyn. Or.... no wait, I had that purse when I was pregnant. Guess I can't say that. But I did buy one for myself right before I left work. And recently bought a new scrapbook tote while on my weekend getaway, that I use for a purse and get SO many compliments on. It's awesome, plus it holds a sippy cup and a diaper... so it's every mom's dream.
I should go to bed. But I am not feeling relaxed, just cold. It's 5 below tonight with the windchill, and the windows are crap, so I am feeling chilly.
Listening to Christmas Music, running myself bubble bath, brewing some Chamomile Lemon Tea, and hoping to get a post in here before the tub gets full.
We took a BIG long nap today. I actually slept on the couch, strangely enough. I never sleep on the couch. I can't stand sleeping anywhere but my bed. But I took a two hour nap (although I was awoken a couple of times) and that was awesome and apparently much needed.
Evan called the window people again today, because neither the salesman or the general manager/installer in charge of our job would call us back. He basically let them know how upset he was and that no one would return our calls and was told that yes our windows had been in for two days and a NEW installer would be calling us on Monday to schedule an install. Thank GOD. It's freaking cold in this house!
Tonight we made the chocolate cake mix (into cupcakes) by Cherrybrook Kitchen (dairy free) and I have not been really thrilled with the taste. Ardyn likes them, which is the point, so that's okay. The frosting that we got from Cherrybrook Kitchen is really hard to spread (they recommend room temperature) so I may need to warm it up a bit. It's not really creamy. I am not sure what it is about the taste that bugs me, but remember my pregnant taste buds can taste anything funny. I might try one tomorrow after I get them frosted, but right now it's midnight and I don't see them getting frosted today.
The Christmas Cards are done, and waiting to be mailed. Tomorrow.
Today I paid for a bunch of newborn diapers (mostly used) that I had lined up over the weekend. I am expecting the following:
- 4 New Prowraps Diaper Covers in Newborn (white color)
- 5 Used KL0's (Kissaluvs Fitteds Size 0 with the Umbilical Cord Snapdown. We already have about a dozen of these at home)
- 2 Brand new newborn fitted Mutts (Muttaquin baby)
- a used Bummis swimmi diaper in small (we have an identical one in medium that Ardyn wears/wore)
- Five used Thirsties Covers in XS
- 2 used XS Bum Genius AIO's (All-In-Ones) in twilight and grasshopper
- 1 used pair of newborn sized Charcoal Knit Longies
- 2 used newborn fitted Mutts in natural with yellow and green serging
- 2 complete newborn fitted diaper and t-shirt sets. One with sheep and one with duckies.
I recently scored three NWT Thirsties covers off Diaperswappers in size Large for Ardyn, because she seems to be outgrowing the rise on the mediums, especially with a goodmama on... problem being that the larges are still HUGE on her and I don't know if she will ever be able to wear them before Potty learning. So I will just keep the tags on them until I know for sure if she will need them.
---------------
You know, there is nothing worse than getting ready to relax in a bubble bath at midnight with a hot cup of tea, and stepping into a bathtub of tepid water. You know, because you washed diapers and ran the dishwasher and suddenly there IS no more hot water? And no matter how much water you try to add, it only gets colder in the tub and no matter how much you try to relax you just get more and more pissed off and you think that your skin might shatter from freezing so you just get out? Yeah. That was So relaxing!
I had planned to really relax. Really. I even got out the biolage. Ever since starting to stay home, there have been several personal financial sacrifices that I have made. From things as major (but insignificant) as having $90 hair coloring (three colors, foiled professionally) twice a year, to an $8 box of haircolor at wal-mart that I do myself (which really just is my "normal color" but helps keep my hair soft and smooth and stops me from noticing how my hair grows an entire shade darker in pregnancy and a shade lighter in summer!) To things as minor as switching from a $20 liter of Biolage to a $5 bottle of clairol or equate shampoo and conditioner. But I secretly keep the remaining biolage liters in the linen cupboard, and once in a great while I take a bath alone and uninterrupted and use the biolage and be happy with silky soft hair. Ahhh. I even broke out the biolage. And then had a cool bath. Yay. I also sometimes think of the massages and pedicures that I am missing, and trips to the mall for reasons besides seeing the easter bunny or santa claus. You know, like to shop for fragrances, lotions, and CLOTHES for myself. (unheard of.) I can't even tell you the last time I went through the purse and jewelry aisle in Target. I just avoid it. It's too hard for me. Actually, I bought a new purse at Target about the time I went back to work after having Ardyn. Or.... no wait, I had that purse when I was pregnant. Guess I can't say that. But I did buy one for myself right before I left work. And recently bought a new scrapbook tote while on my weekend getaway, that I use for a purse and get SO many compliments on. It's awesome, plus it holds a sippy cup and a diaper... so it's every mom's dream.
I should go to bed. But I am not feeling relaxed, just cold. It's 5 below tonight with the windchill, and the windows are crap, so I am feeling chilly.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Petitioning Amazon.com for Rice Dream in Larger Containers
I have recently had three completely infuriating experiences at Wal-Mart. This has led me to get serious about my quest to do my shopping elsewhere.
I have been doing research tonight on purchasing Ardyn's Rice Milk online for hopefully a lower price (or comparable) in bulk. I started with Amazon because they generally have an awesome grocery selection AND Free super saver shipping. What I found wasn't at all what I expected. They carry Rice Dream in only 8 ounce containers (Single serving size, similar to a juice box) and the manufacturer also provides a 32 and 64 ounce carton. The bigger the carton, the lower the price, and the less packaging waste. (although I recycle the cardboard anyway.)
Well, the 8 ounce containers add up to 216 ounces in the case of 27, but the price makes it about $0.16 an ounce via amazon. This doesn't even begin to compare with the $.05 an ounce price at Wal-Mart (evil) and that doesn't even consider the excess waste that those tiny containers would cause at our house. I checked google and found that the Rice Dreams website (manufacturer) sells only the 32 ounce and 8 ounce sizes, and buying a case of 12- 32 ounce boxes would cost me $.10 an ounce without shipping costs- that's double the Wal-Mart price.
I am frustrated by this. I have called amazon and they have suggested that I leave a product review (which I was already halfway through doing) and that each review is read and the more people request a product, the better chance that it would become available. I am not holding my breath, but it's worth the try. Hence the title of this blog posting, because you wouldn't BELIEVE what companies google about themselves. Seriously. So onward with amazon selling a larger container of Rice Dream.
In the meantime, I have called a smaller local grocery chain (where I will forever more be doing the majority of my grocery shopping to avoid Wal-Mart) and while they don't carry it in stock, they have offered to check their supplier and order it for me by the case. Tomorrow morning I need to call the man in charge of ordering groceries and see if he can get it for me. So even if I don't get a price break by purchasing it by the case, I wouldn't have to haul the damn cartons home every week and I wouldn't have to buy it at Wal-Mart. Pure Satisfaction. Right now she drinks about a 32 ounce container a day (yep) and that adds up to 3.5 half- gallon cartons a week. So depending on how much comes in a case, we would be using about 14 cartons (or 7 gallons) a month!
I have been doing research tonight on purchasing Ardyn's Rice Milk online for hopefully a lower price (or comparable) in bulk. I started with Amazon because they generally have an awesome grocery selection AND Free super saver shipping. What I found wasn't at all what I expected. They carry Rice Dream in only 8 ounce containers (Single serving size, similar to a juice box) and the manufacturer also provides a 32 and 64 ounce carton. The bigger the carton, the lower the price, and the less packaging waste. (although I recycle the cardboard anyway.)
Well, the 8 ounce containers add up to 216 ounces in the case of 27, but the price makes it about $0.16 an ounce via amazon. This doesn't even begin to compare with the $.05 an ounce price at Wal-Mart (evil) and that doesn't even consider the excess waste that those tiny containers would cause at our house. I checked google and found that the Rice Dreams website (manufacturer) sells only the 32 ounce and 8 ounce sizes, and buying a case of 12- 32 ounce boxes would cost me $.10 an ounce without shipping costs- that's double the Wal-Mart price.
I am frustrated by this. I have called amazon and they have suggested that I leave a product review (which I was already halfway through doing) and that each review is read and the more people request a product, the better chance that it would become available. I am not holding my breath, but it's worth the try. Hence the title of this blog posting, because you wouldn't BELIEVE what companies google about themselves. Seriously. So onward with amazon selling a larger container of Rice Dream.
In the meantime, I have called a smaller local grocery chain (where I will forever more be doing the majority of my grocery shopping to avoid Wal-Mart) and while they don't carry it in stock, they have offered to check their supplier and order it for me by the case. Tomorrow morning I need to call the man in charge of ordering groceries and see if he can get it for me. So even if I don't get a price break by purchasing it by the case, I wouldn't have to haul the damn cartons home every week and I wouldn't have to buy it at Wal-Mart. Pure Satisfaction. Right now she drinks about a 32 ounce container a day (yep) and that adds up to 3.5 half- gallon cartons a week. So depending on how much comes in a case, we would be using about 14 cartons (or 7 gallons) a month!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Mad Skillz
You know, us mos have some mad skills. For example, did you know that I am the only person (who lives in this house at least) who is capable of removing the toilet paper from it's plastic and putting it into the cabinet beneath the sink? That's a mad skill. And it's exclusively mine. I am also the only one who can carry recycleables to the recycle bin. And the only one who knows how to make the bed or fold a blanket. Today, my awesome-ness overwhelms me.
Actually, what overwhelmed me (I am sitting here recovering) is the fact that my new cleaning lady who I *adore* called like 1o minutes ago to tell me that she will have to clean tomorrow (which I am TOTALLY unprepared for) and that after that she will no longer be able to clean anymore because she has family obligations and it just is too much for her to clean one more place. I can't say I was totally unprepared for that, because honestly I thought perhaps that could happen. Every good thing that seems too good to be true, usually is. So the search for cleaning people continues. It's silly. So while my agenda for today consisted of sewing a diaper, troubleshooting my serger angst, reading a new kids magazine that came, getting cleaned up for my meeting tonight, making a quick list of grocery stuff, taking care of Ardyn, cleaning the kitchen, running the dishwasher, and continuing with laundry.... it has now vastly expanded to picking up the entire house, finding an emergency babysitter for tonight so I can still attend my meeting, finding a home for the totes of clothes and diapers that I have been sorting through, putting away the freaking toilet paper and the clean laundry that is piling up on the couch, taking care of Ardyn, and hoping that I get a shower before my meeting tonight. UGH. This sucks.
More later. I can't sit here for long or my head will explode with the things I should be doing.
Okay. one more room picked up. I don't even know why I bother. I know that Ardyn has 24 hours to destroy everything again. I feel guilty for thinking it, but I am seriously considering confining her to the playroom/bedroom during the day because it would seriously cut down on the strewn-aboutedness that happens when she has nearly the run of the house. I have already made the bathroom and our bedroom off limits, because it was incredibly frustrating to have nothing be sacred. And now her nursery is off limits too because every time she goes in there she attempts to unload all the dresser and armoire drawers, and all the cloth diapers, and all the blankets, and unfold all the laundry, and drag it about the house while squealing and waving it like a flag or dragging it across the floor. If she's in the kitchen she will take every tupperware out of the cabinet, every magnet off the fridge, and get into the garbage and the pantry a bazillion times a day. So I have been shutting that door too. So basically right now I am limiting her to living room, dining room, and her big girl room. But when accompanied she goes into all the other rooms no problem. But at the end of the day when everything is not in the room it started in, it makes picking up that much more exhausting. In order to pick anything up, I have to put something enthralling on the TV, like Little Einsteins or Blues Clues. Otherwise she will jsut follow right behind me and literally trash and undo everything i put away. She gets this mentality like "I wasn't DONE with that" and she just starts tearing things off shelves.
Be right back. Going to clean another room.
Okay. It's especially difficult when you can't find two shoes (that match) to put on your own two feet because one is under the couch and the otheris under the dining room table, or on the front porch, or 3 feet under the kitchen hutch in complete and total darkness. Every crevice, crack, and space in this house is now filled with something that does not belong there. It drives me nuts, because it makes me look like the unorganized fool when we get ready to go and Ardyn is all perfectly dressed and packed, and I can't find my coat, purse, or matching shoes. It looks like MY fault.
And today I called Evan at work and Ardyn had once again broken into the bathroom (one door won't latch) and was busily shredding a roll of toilet paper and trying to get past the toilet lock, and I went in and asked her to leave (which of course she ignored because that's her mood today) and then I picked her up to remove her myself and got promptly slapped in the face (another new thing that she goes through on bad days) and when I told her no hitting mommy and that if she keeps it up she will be spending some time in her crib.... Evan says "don't yell at her" and I wanted to reach through the phone and slap HIM. I said "Don't yell at her? She just slapped me in the face!" (and for the record I did not yell. I used a firm voice and warned her of the consequences, which to him is "mean.") But I know that when she slaps me, and gets warned and does it again, that putting her in her crib for about 5-10 minutes alone in her room, fixes it instantly, and she will even say sorry and kiss me when I go back in to get me. And after doing that has never once hit me again in the same day, or even in the next day. She remembers. And once I feel like she is old enough (soon!) she won't get that one warning hit because she knows better. And she is *almost* there.
Right now she is going down for a nap because she hasn't had one and because she is getting increasingly onery. I said "Do you want to take a nap now?" and she walked through the kitchen, dining room, big girl room, and went right to the door of the nursery. I opened the door and she walked right over to her crib. Poor kid is tired. LOL.
So now I will take this time to get a shower for myself before she wakes up and before my sister gets here to babysit. Whew. In the end, it all seems to work out. God grant me the sanity to keep my cool when I go dish fridge magnets out of the bathtub and get my Pampered Chef Baker's Roller out from under her crib. And also give me the strength to fold and hang my husband's clean laundry without wiping my butt with it first. Or something. Like that.
Actually, what overwhelmed me (I am sitting here recovering) is the fact that my new cleaning lady who I *adore* called like 1o minutes ago to tell me that she will have to clean tomorrow (which I am TOTALLY unprepared for) and that after that she will no longer be able to clean anymore because she has family obligations and it just is too much for her to clean one more place. I can't say I was totally unprepared for that, because honestly I thought perhaps that could happen. Every good thing that seems too good to be true, usually is. So the search for cleaning people continues. It's silly. So while my agenda for today consisted of sewing a diaper, troubleshooting my serger angst, reading a new kids magazine that came, getting cleaned up for my meeting tonight, making a quick list of grocery stuff, taking care of Ardyn, cleaning the kitchen, running the dishwasher, and continuing with laundry.... it has now vastly expanded to picking up the entire house, finding an emergency babysitter for tonight so I can still attend my meeting, finding a home for the totes of clothes and diapers that I have been sorting through, putting away the freaking toilet paper and the clean laundry that is piling up on the couch, taking care of Ardyn, and hoping that I get a shower before my meeting tonight. UGH. This sucks.
More later. I can't sit here for long or my head will explode with the things I should be doing.
Okay. one more room picked up. I don't even know why I bother. I know that Ardyn has 24 hours to destroy everything again. I feel guilty for thinking it, but I am seriously considering confining her to the playroom/bedroom during the day because it would seriously cut down on the strewn-aboutedness that happens when she has nearly the run of the house. I have already made the bathroom and our bedroom off limits, because it was incredibly frustrating to have nothing be sacred. And now her nursery is off limits too because every time she goes in there she attempts to unload all the dresser and armoire drawers, and all the cloth diapers, and all the blankets, and unfold all the laundry, and drag it about the house while squealing and waving it like a flag or dragging it across the floor. If she's in the kitchen she will take every tupperware out of the cabinet, every magnet off the fridge, and get into the garbage and the pantry a bazillion times a day. So I have been shutting that door too. So basically right now I am limiting her to living room, dining room, and her big girl room. But when accompanied she goes into all the other rooms no problem. But at the end of the day when everything is not in the room it started in, it makes picking up that much more exhausting. In order to pick anything up, I have to put something enthralling on the TV, like Little Einsteins or Blues Clues. Otherwise she will jsut follow right behind me and literally trash and undo everything i put away. She gets this mentality like "I wasn't DONE with that" and she just starts tearing things off shelves.
Be right back. Going to clean another room.
Okay. It's especially difficult when you can't find two shoes (that match) to put on your own two feet because one is under the couch and the otheris under the dining room table, or on the front porch, or 3 feet under the kitchen hutch in complete and total darkness. Every crevice, crack, and space in this house is now filled with something that does not belong there. It drives me nuts, because it makes me look like the unorganized fool when we get ready to go and Ardyn is all perfectly dressed and packed, and I can't find my coat, purse, or matching shoes. It looks like MY fault.
And today I called Evan at work and Ardyn had once again broken into the bathroom (one door won't latch) and was busily shredding a roll of toilet paper and trying to get past the toilet lock, and I went in and asked her to leave (which of course she ignored because that's her mood today) and then I picked her up to remove her myself and got promptly slapped in the face (another new thing that she goes through on bad days) and when I told her no hitting mommy and that if she keeps it up she will be spending some time in her crib.... Evan says "don't yell at her" and I wanted to reach through the phone and slap HIM. I said "Don't yell at her? She just slapped me in the face!" (and for the record I did not yell. I used a firm voice and warned her of the consequences, which to him is "mean.") But I know that when she slaps me, and gets warned and does it again, that putting her in her crib for about 5-10 minutes alone in her room, fixes it instantly, and she will even say sorry and kiss me when I go back in to get me. And after doing that has never once hit me again in the same day, or even in the next day. She remembers. And once I feel like she is old enough (soon!) she won't get that one warning hit because she knows better. And she is *almost* there.
Right now she is going down for a nap because she hasn't had one and because she is getting increasingly onery. I said "Do you want to take a nap now?" and she walked through the kitchen, dining room, big girl room, and went right to the door of the nursery. I opened the door and she walked right over to her crib. Poor kid is tired. LOL.
So now I will take this time to get a shower for myself before she wakes up and before my sister gets here to babysit. Whew. In the end, it all seems to work out. God grant me the sanity to keep my cool when I go dish fridge magnets out of the bathtub and get my Pampered Chef Baker's Roller out from under her crib. And also give me the strength to fold and hang my husband's clean laundry without wiping my butt with it first. Or something. Like that.
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