So, since this the first year I get to really decorate, I thought I'd share some of the fun I've been having here. Halloween is a week and a half away and my first Halloween party is next weekend, but I'm still not done yet! There will be more to come!
Found these online, the crunch challenge kind of failed (crunches are boring lol), but combining these three and now there is a challenge and I accept!
I challenge you! Do you accept?
Seriously, I titled this blog "adventures with William and Joshua" and who do I not write about? My two wonderful boys, of course. Not cool, not one bit. I love my children. So, let's talk about what is new in their lives.
William probably has the most to tell since he's older. William actually has two siblings, a fact he only recently learned. He has his brother, Joshua and a sister, Melanie. He's such an angel because despite not knowing for a year that Melanie is his sister, he accepted this fact with open arms and hasn't yet asked the difficult questions (like why it took us a year to tell him). Joshua and Melanie are six months apart and thankfully, her mommy is a good friend of mine. William also just finished second grade and started off his summer right by visiting his grandparents for a week (he comes home tomorrow). William has a girlfriend who is a couple years older than him and her sister wants to be his girlfriend too, lol.
Now to my little boy. Joshua is learning to crawl and just started being able to put himself in a sitting position. He started solids on June 1 and tried peas for the first time today, he liked them. His favorites so far are avocados and carrots. We do a mixture of jarred baby food, homemade purees, and soft or streamed fruits and veggies. This works for us. He's also learning to put himself to sleep without doing the cry it out method. He actually slept by himself in his crib last night from 10:30-4:30, longest stretch by himself yet, I usually only get that kind of stretch when he sleeps with us.
Okay, I think you're up to date on my boys for now. We're going camping next weekend. It will be Joshua's first time going and William's first time in a tent alone. It should be interesting, fun and a learning experience.
Tell me about your kids. Also, do you have any experience taking a baby camping or any funny camping stories? I want to hear all about them. :-)
Blasphemy! How could I have not shared this yet? "This" being my cloth diaper friendly laundry soap (detergent? What's the difference?) This has worked for cloth diapers, kids' clothes, my clothes and my fiancée's muddy, grubby work clothes (ladies, if you're men work outside, you know what I'm talking about).
Ingriedents:
1 bar soap, grated ( I use an all natural glycerine based soap I bought at the local natural food store)
1 1/2 cup washing soda ( found in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores)
1 1/2 cup baking soda
Optional: essential oils for fragerance (I don't do this as I don't want it in my cloth diapers)
Mix ingredients together and store in some kind of Tupperware. Use about 1/8 cup per load with about a tablespoon vinegar in the bleach compartment. Ta-da! Clean clothes. We have an HE machine, if you don't, should probably use more soap.
Do you make your own laundry soap? What is your recipe like?
A friend of mine shared this really great recipe for dryer sheets. You can use pretty much any material to make them (she used cut up of towels,I cut up an old sheet, both worked). These are awesome so I wanted I share them.
store these in an airtight Tupperware container or an empty baby wipe container-anything with a tight-fitting lid.
Take 3 cups water, 1 cup vinegar & 1 cup hair conditioner & mix well. Put the dish towel squares in the container, and poor the fabric softener solution over the top of all of them making sure they are all very wet. when you get ready to dry clothes, just grab one of the wet fabrics and throw it in with your clothes. They will not smell like vinegar, they will come out very soft and actually smell very good.
take the fabric square that you got from the dryer that is now completely dry and just throw it back in the bottom of the container so it gets all wet and repeat the process. Easy!
Every since I learned how bad chemical and commercial based cleaners can be, I wanted to go all natural with them. I do buy stuff at the store that claims to be all natural which is great but I have a goal to take it one step further. I plan to slowly and systematically replace every cleaner and body wash and shampoo, etc in my house with homemade, diy alternatives. It's crazy,I know but it can be done. I've been reading about it and how it is healthier and more cost effective. I just want to do it now. My plan is as we start to run out of things, I'll make replacements. Since we're pretty set on most things now, I'm going to take this time to research. I'm starting with laundry detergent. Wish me luck!
Took three attempts but I managed to make some cute booties for Joshua!
I found the pattern here
When William comes home, I'll share the wallet I made him. :-)
This is mainly a note for myself. I decided to do a 30 crunch challenge starting today. I'm started with 50 crunches and still increase by 5 every day. Every five days I'll take a day off to allow my muscles to rest. So far so good with 50 today.
Well, I was running out of wool yarn and changed the longies to shorties. But they're done! Aren't they so cute?!
Scientific Benefits of Co-Sleeping | Ask Dr. Sears®
We started co-sleeping because it was easier with him nursing. I also felt safer having him in bed next to us, where we could keep a close eye on him. He still started off in his bassinet some nights, but he always ended up in our bed. I was pleased to learn that co-sleeping is best for him.
If you cloth diaper, you know this is a beautiful sight! All our clean diapers drying in the sun! Yay spring is finally here!
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| Cover opened up, looking at the outside |
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| Diaper cover opened up, looking at inside |
I did actually make that cover. Just been busy making some longies now. For those who are unfamiliar with cloth diapering, longies are a diaper cover that is pants. Alternatively, there are also shorties and skirties. I've seen these made out of fleece or wool, as both materials are pretty water proof. When I'm on my computer, I'll actually post information about how wool is waterproof and how to keep it that way. I'll also post the pattern I used. For now, enjoy the picture of my little guy modeling his new cover.
I modeled my pattern off of another. Here's the link: http://flowerscreations.blogspot.com/2012/05/free-diaper-cover-pattern.html?m=1
This is a great pattern also and very easy to make, I just felt it was too small for my needs. As it is late and I'm trying to get a couple more rows of the longies done (pattern can be found here), I'll say good night now.
Who knew that switching to cloth diapers would make me want to be creative again? I'm about to start writing my first pattern, a diaper cover. I made one and wasn't happy with it, came out cute but wasn't his size. So now I'm writing my own and will share it when I'm done.
I finally made something to myself. A pretty headband. A little big, but I like it.
Well, off to work on that pattern. Wish me luck.
A 'worrisome' risk: Most babies are fed solid food too soon, study finds - Vitals
So what are your thoughts? My older son started at 4 1/2 months but when he was a baby we were told that the norm was 4-6 months to start. My baby is waiting till six months at least, regardless of what his doctor might say.
Good morning! Yesterday was fun, Joshua rolled from back to tummy and then later rolled from tummy to back. So proud of my little man! He's currently on his play mat trying to roll onto his tummy again while mommy eats some necessary breakfast. In other news, I'm considering a new endeavor to make some extra money for my family. Saw a post on cafemom today about starting with Tupperware for only $30. Now I'm a natural born skeptic. I know I can sell if I try, but can I justify spending the $30? I reflected on the walk home from the bus stop today and realized a lot of stay at home moms I know or knew used to sell something. My aunt sold Pampered Chef, my mother's friend sold Tupperware and Mary Kay, a few others I know sell Scentsy products. I make and sell jewelry, which isn't that successful but I have made a little bit of money off it over the last couple years. Let's face it though, people don't place as much value in handmade products anymore. But Tupperware isn't hand made and it's been around forever! I'm thinking I should at least try, might help to help my family some.
Tummy time for the baby now, will post more later!
My baby rolled over from back to tummy today! Here he is so proud. Now he's napping. Rolling over is hard work.
