tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19945213011999868662024-03-05T12:33:22.189-08:00Donating HopeAn anonymous egg donor turns to donor sperm to grow a family.dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.comBlogger522125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-33305299739316019132015-06-05T06:28:00.001-07:002015-06-05T06:28:13.612-07:0015 MonthsHow did this happen? Where did the time go? When did my Little Buddy become a Little Man???<br />
<br /><ul>
<li>He talks! Our words right now are Ree (read, said with a book in hand), Bwee (please), Bah (ball), Bee (beep, said when touching your nose), Buh (baby, said when playing with his baby doll), Mommy (SQUEE!!!!), and Dada. </li>
<li>He is totally into books, bringing us three or four at a time and asking us to Ree (read) with him. Then he crawls into your lap to hear the story. Oh, my heart!</li>
<li>He can go up the playground stairs and then down a slide all by himself.</li>
<li>He plays peekaboo constantly when we want him to chill. Car seat, bedtime, and nursing are his favorite times to cover his eyes and get us to play with him.</li>
<li>He gives kisses! He will close his mouth, lean towards you, and make a MMM sound until you give him a kiss. SO SWEET! </li>
<li>His favorite thing is going outside to play! The backyard is the best thing ever and he will happily play out there for hours without getting bored. </li>
<li>A close second is anything involving water. He loves to play in the fountain in the backyard, water the plants, swim in the pool, get in a bath, and drink water. If he is splashing, he is happy!</li>
<li>He loves watching Daniel Tiger and VeggieTales. Awesome. </li>
<li>He loves music! Little Buddy will stomp along with the beat when I'm in rehearsal. He also dances whenever I practice guitar. Woohoo!</li>
<li>He is currently in the carbivore stage of eating, consuming crackers like it's his job. We finally found an organic, ethical chicken nugget we can make at home that he likes. He wants to use utensils to feed himself but all it does is make a mess and frustrate him. It's a work in progress.</li>
<li>We have FINALLY reached the stage in the nursery at church where he will stay the entire time without me needing to be in the room. I listened to a sermon in real time for the first time in 15 months last week. WOOOO!</li>
</ul>
<br />
Little Buddy is an absolute joy, constantly laughing and playing. He makes everyone around him smile. <br />
<br />
We are "that family" - still breastfeeding, still cloth diapering, still baby wearing, still co-sleeping, still wearing amber necklaces for teething. And I love every second of it!<br />
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(Don't mind my pj's, no makeup, and terrible camera angle. It was bedtime.)</div>
dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-30017583120096051052015-06-02T06:45:00.002-07:002015-06-02T06:45:41.823-07:00A long timeIt's been a while, I know. I was on Face.Book yesterday wondering how to ask anonymously for prayer and share some exciting stuff with people I trust, Then I remembered: oh, hey! I have a blog! Not that I write anymore, and not that anyone is still reading, but I have an outlet for these kind of things.<br />
<br />
No, I'm not pregnant. Let's just get that out of the way.<br />
<br />
R has a job opportunity. His interview was yesterday and we should know something next week. If this opportunity comes together, R would no longer be working from home. Since we live out in the country, the office is 45 minutes away without traffic. At least an hour each way WITH traffic. That's a lot of driving, and a lot of gas money, for a someone who has been working from home for five years.<br />
<br />
So, we are looking at houses. Well, house. Single. Because we already know which house we want. It is an absolutely gorgeous home in the subdivision behind our church. Like, this house is within walking distance to our church. Something like 0.02 miles. The front of the subdivision is directly across the street from the turn in to the church parking lot. And, with traffic, it is 25 minutes from R's new office.<br />
<br />
We love it. It is beyond perfect for our family. It is on the size of property R wants and has the access to amenities that I want. The very first time I saw this house, I knew it was the one I wanted our family to grow up in. The price just dropped $15k, putting it right at the top of our budget.<br />
<br />
Of course, we would have to sell our current home. Our home is great and, while it's felt small since Little Buddy has become mobile, it is the right size for a young family. Our lot is one of the largest in the neighborhood and comes with all the bells and whistles: full privacy fence, deck with pergola, fire pit, vegetable garden, play house, sandbox, and swing set with slide. R has put his blood, sweat, and tears into the yard and is looks perfect.<br />
<br />
The inside of our home is pretty customized - bold colored walls, asian art, baby stuff... We would need to pull WAY back on the decor and remove all of the personalization. Hopefully we wouldn't have to repaint, but I wouldn't be surprised if a stager asked us to repaint. We would be looking at almost a thousand dollars of work to get the house ready, just from paint, painting supplies, and a storage unit to empty out the clutter.<br />
<br />
But it would be worth it for that house. For that closeness to R's work. For the amazing schools the house is zoned for. To be able to walk to church/work. (Did I mention I'm being brought on at our church as a part time staff member? Yeah, that is happening. Finalizing everything tomorrow! WOOOO!)<br />
<br />
So, we could use prayer. As much as we want R to get this job and as much as we want that house, we want what God wants for our family. So please join us in praying for this job opportunity - that R would only get a job offer if it is where God wants him to be. That, if he receives a job offer, that the Lord would clear the way for us to move closer to R's work. And, if we do move, that it would be into the house God wants for us.<br />
<br />
Because, you guys, in my head we are already packing and moving into that house. <3dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-41214606670496196992015-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:002015-03-31T13:53:01.562-07:00Long Time, No BlogSo, it's been a while. Just to get it out of the way: No, the diet didn't work out. I ate all of the carbs. They were delicious. Oh well.<br />
<br />
Little Buddy turned One! The luau was amazing and a ton of fun. I meant to get all of the pictures and ended up with just a couple. But they are great :-) There was much reminiscing and balloons and food. Perfect!<br />
<br />
Today, I turn 34. Ouch. It feels much older than 33. Too close to 35 which is too close to 40! With work, parenting, and leaving for vacation tomorrow, I haven't really had time to celebrate today. But there will be Mexican food and I've been promised Publix cupcakes when we get to Florida tomorrow.<br />
<br />
And, yes, vacation tomorrow! Woo!!! Two weeks in Florida! I can't wait to spend time with my parents and my BFF. In addition to all the regular totally fun stuff we have planned, I also have one-on-one time planned with both of my parents. My mom and I will be doing a Bible study together while I'm in town and my dad will be teaching me to play guitar. I can't wait!! And my BFF and I are taking Little Buddy blueberry picking at his parents' farm. Yay!<br />
<br />
We are still breastfeeding, although Little Buddy is slowly getting into solids. We are still cloth diapering full time. We are still baby wearing. We are still co-sleeping. I'm so proud of us for crossing the 1-year mark on all of these!<br />
<br />
I'm struggling with my weight and body image issues right now but choosing to celebrate everything above. This first year with Little Buddy has been SO different from my first year with Little K. Our God is amazing! I never knew life could be this good, this blessed, this wonderful. Praise God!<br />
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dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-7227911270785790502015-02-04T08:42:00.002-08:002015-02-04T08:42:55.412-08:00Day 3/33: Five Down and Day 4/33: MomentumDay 3: My favorite thing about removing carbs from my diet (cause, let's be honest, carbs are delicious and it is a daily struggle to just say NO) is the instant results you see on the scale. After just two days, I'm already showing five pounds down! Woo!<br />
<br />
The past few days have been okay. A little stressful at times (I am craving carbs like WHOA) but mostly delicious and encouraging. I managed to workout yesterday and I went to karate tonight. I have decided that 25-28 net carbs/day is actually a good number for a nursing mom, freeing me to eat enough to keep up a solid milk supply.<br />
<br />
My water intake is going great and I'm making sure we get plenty of
fiber each day with a minimum of artificial sweeteners. R is eating
carb-free until dinner each night while I'm taking them in throughout
the day. Last night we had lower-carb chicken fajitas from the slow cooker and tonight is beef stew with cauliflower instead of potatoes. I picked up some SF candies to satisfy those random sweet tooth moments. And I figured out that a tablespoon of heavy cream in my smoothie makes up for the lack of banana. Mmm - creamy! <br />
<br />
Day 4: Today is a little off track. My carbs/water for the morning are in great shape but conference calls and early release at school has made fitting in a workout difficult. I'm going to try to workout this afternoon around 2:00 PM once Little K is home and Little Buddy has napped. We will see! I don't want to lose momentum.<br />
<br />
I made <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/356277020497241386/" target="_blank">these low-carb biscuits</a> last night to go with out beef stew and they were great! A little bitter but it was SO nice to have a bready treat to dip in the bowl. 8/10 - Would recommend :-)<br />
<br />
In other news, Little Buddy is turning 11 Months tomorrow! EEK! Where did my baby go??? <br />
<br />dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-77712023635648872702015-02-02T08:55:00.001-08:002015-02-02T08:55:27.486-08:00Day 2/33: One Day and One WorkoutYesterday brought some cold, harsh reality. R and I weighed ourselves and took body measurements. The last time I stepped on the scale, I was 5-7 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. yesterday showed 14 pounds over. EEK! I am so disappointed!! And when we took body measurements, several of my measurements were the same as R's. UGH! After that, I had to keep repeating to myself, "This is the starting point, this is the starting point."<br />
<br />
Weigh-in and measurements will take place every Sunday morning. I'm hoping to see a difference in my weight after one week.<br />
<br />
Day one of the diet went... okay. Here's my day:<br />
<br />
Est. 75oz water<br />
8:00 AM: Chai Tea Latte - 3 Net Carbs<br />
11:00 AM: 2 egg omelet with 1/2C broccoli and 1/3C Cheese, 1.5 pieces organic bacon - 1 Net Carb <br />
2:00 PM: Sugar Free PBJ Smoothie - 10 Net Carbs<br />
3:00 PM: Organic Hot Dog (I was so hungry!!) - 0 Net Carbs<br />
6:00 PM: Chicken Marsala with steamed Green Beans - 6 Net Carbs<br />
8:00 PM: Low Carb Ice Cream - 6 Net Carbs<br />
<br />
At 26 Net Carbs I'm obviously WAY over the 17 Net Carbs I was aiming for the day. Bleh. I am trying to figure out if that's okay since Little Buddy is still 95% breastfed. I do recognize that I need to keep my supply up and that requires fat, carbs, and calories. I dunno. I'm going to tweak my smoothie and see if I can at least get it down to 8 NC and look up homemade SF treats. I'm going to take 2 Glucocoman with my smoothie to make it to dinnertime without another snack and I need to get up to 100oz water with at least 25oz before my latte in the morning. So, there's improvement to be seen.<br />
<br />
On the upside, I did manage to take my <a href="http://www.shaklee.com/us/en/" target="_blank">vitamins</a> today. Woo!<br />
<br />
As far as working out, today was day one. I worked with a personal trainer over the summer so I did one of the workouts he taught me. All told it was 40 minutes of work which I feel is a good start. Today is all rainy but, as long as the rain stops by noon, we are still going to try walking after lunch. I may try doing some jumping jacks and some weights this evening before dinner.<br />
<br />
Speaking of dinner, low-carb chicken fajitas are already in the slow cooker. Awesome.<br />
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Only 32 days to go!<br />
<br />
<br />dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-12432000416620608632015-02-01T06:42:00.000-08:002015-02-01T06:42:33.909-08:00Day 1/33: A Whole New Attitude (to food)Of course, as soon as I decide I'm not going to blog anymore I end up with something to blog about. <br />
<br />
Today is February 1st. We are exactly 33 days away from Little Buddy's first birthday. And I'm still not at or under my pre-pregnancy weight. Bleh. And I know exactly why. We have been eating takeout with embarrassing frequency through this first year of Little Buddy's life. So often that I'm going to just skip over the exact number of days per week to avoid the judgement that is sure to reign down on me.<br />
<br />
So! It's time for a change. I've been feeling this way for a while lately but the final straw came from R. He went to his yearly physical last week and has gained more weight than he is comfortable with. So here we are. Doing the big D word - Diet.<br />
<br />
But, really, it's a lifestyle change. We are removing the whites from our diet (white flour, white rice, white sugar...) and adding 60-75 minutes of activity into our days. Call it Low Carb, Paleo, or <a href="http://www.trimhealthymama.com/" target="_blank">THM</a>, bad carbs are out and lots of movement is in!<br />
<br />R and I each have 20 pounds to lose. The general plan is to stick to a strict(ish) Low Carb diet with a few fruits thrown in until Little Buddy's first birthday. Then, after taking the day to splurge on cake and luau noms, step back and talk about how Low Carb felt for each of us and how we want to move forward.<br />
<br />
For exercise, we are going to trade off 30 minute workouts in the morning while the
other watches the baby and take a 2 mile family walk at Noon. Plus I
have karate 2 nights/week.<br />
<br />
To take care of our food, I have prepared 13 low(er) carb freezer meals for the slow cooker. During the day, we have: coffee, eggs, Applegate bacon, cottage cheese, salads, no-sugar smoothies, raw almond butter with celery, and the occasional apple. I'm also picking up frozen burgers for when we are craving fast food (I'm not above making oven baked sweet potato fries to go with 'em on occasion). I have almond flour for breading chicken and tons of veggies to be steamed, roasted, and stir-fried.<br />
<br />
We are taking bits from each of the "diet plans" above. Low Carb, of course, reducing the amount of carbohydrates in our diet over all. Paleo by eating whole foods rather than processed. And THM by eating on 3-hour cycles, eating until we are satisfied, and not excluding fruits.<br />
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The hope, of course, is that the next 33 days will help us re-learn how to eat and take care of our bodies, as well as turn our family into a healthier and more budget-contentious one.<br />
<br />
Sit down, hold on, and here we go!dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-66531519080949148612015-01-26T05:19:00.000-08:002015-01-26T09:42:00.177-08:00MIASorry for disappearing for the better part of two months. I didn't even manage to put up Little Buddy's 10 month update! For the first time in four years, I didn't submit anything for Creme de la Creme. I am feeling further and further removed from this space. What do you say about infertility when your child is home with you, learning to walk and sprouting new teeth practically daily?<br />
<br />
Things are going well here. Very well. Little Buddy is thriving, Little K is doing well. R and I resumed date night last week and it was great (amazing! wonderful! I remember why I married this guy - we actually have a great time hanging out together!). <a href="http://jammingwithdani.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">I joined Jamberry as an Independent Nail Consultant</a>. Work is rocking. I went back to karate after the holidays. Cloth diapering is still going strong, as is breastfeeding. I've started getting dressed and putting on makeup again. I've finally come into my own as a vocalist at the Saturday Night Service. My parents are looking at buying some land just up the road and retiring to NC to be nearer to us. I bought new coffee pods for my coffee maker...<br />
<br />
Life is happening. It's not new or remarkable but it is ours and we love it. I feel like I don't have the time or drive to update in this space as often, simply because, if I do, I feel like I will miss experiencing some part of what God has given us. (In the ten minutes it took me to write this post, Little Buddy has discovered that he can reach the cats on the chair and learned how to unplug my laptop.)<br />
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I'm not sure of the future of this space. Sometimes I think about having another child (please, sir, I want some more...) but it isn't the overwhelming, all consuming ache that was there before Little Buddy was a part of our lives. R and I even looked up baby names only to realize we don't like anything we found for a boy. R insists that he is done, that nothing could ever convince him to have another child so please just let this idea go. I may be back here to talk about those thoughts and feelings. Until then, please know that I love each one of you and am praying for you.<br />
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Please feel free to come find me on Facebook:<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_232264565"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/danielle.piperspencer">https://www.facebook.com/danielle.piperspencer</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jammingwithdani?ref=hl">https://www.facebook.com/jammingwithdani?ref=hl</a><br />
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And on Instagram @dspencer0331</div>
dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-54144331158452843732014-12-11T11:01:00.001-08:002014-12-11T11:01:21.421-08:00Nine Months or 40 weeksLittle Buddy turned nine months old on December 5th and 40 weeks old yesterday. I can't believe our little man has been out longer than he was in! Life with him is such a joy that it's hard to find the words so, for now, I'll just stick to facts:<br />
<ul>
<li>Length: 29.5", 81%</li>
<li>Weight: 18.5lbs, 19%</li>
</ul>
Our long and lean boy! He was 36% for weight at his last check up but started crawling a little over two weeks ago, causing him to slim down even further. When we had our last check, we were given instructions to start him on solids with a lot of fat along with continuing to breastfeed. The plan was to do baby led weaning, giving him "real" table food rather than purees. Little Buddy wasn't very interested in that and would gag a lot when trying to eat. We switched to purees last week and it's been going much better! I'm melting down coconut oil into some of his purees to try to beef him up a bit. My mom was able to reassure me, though, that I was long and lean, too, so no reason to be overly concerned.<br />
<br />
He did start crawling about 2.5 weeks ago and immediately went into standing/couch walking the next day. Eek! We now have a SUPER mobile baby and a great many baby gates around our house. Most of our pictures are blurry these days as we attempt to capture a smile before he crawls away!<br />
<br />
We tried sleep training and, after three+ weeks, only got him to sleep 1 hour in the pack n play before needing to come back into our bed (and even that was with anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of crying). I looked up how to sidecar his crib and we did that this week. So far it's going better with me nursing him to sleep in bed and then just shifting him over to the crib tethered to my side of the bed. It's still just an hour or so of sleep but there's no crying and we have a lot more space for the grownups to sleep.<br />
<br />
Little Buddy has learned to crawl over to us and demand attention by pulling pants legs or lifting his arms to be picked up. We are trying to ask him if he wants "up" before picking him up to teach him an action word. He has been babbling "da-da-da-da-da" and "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba" for a couple months already, adding "muh-muh-muh" and "nuh-nuh-nuh" recently.<br />
<br />
He still hates the bottle, ugh. We tried introducing a sippy cup which he likes to chew but not suck on. He does like drinking water from a cup while in the bath, though, so we'll see how that goes.<br />
<br />
Little Buddy still cries when he's without mom or dad. I had to drop out of BSF since he wasn't tolerating the nursery and something similar happened with my small group, too. Little K has started spending time in the church nursery with her brother while I'm on stage singing, which has helped a bit but is still a delicate balance of will he/won't he cry. *sigh*<br />
<br />
He loves the Christmas tree and Christmas lights outside. He cried when he met Santa. He dances when he hears music, especially in rehearsal with me. He naps best in the Ergo. He has four teeth with 4 more coming in. He whines when he's tired but talks and laughs a ton. He's completely perfect.<br />
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I am so thankful for this boy every single day.<br />
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<br />dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-13239684532126725152014-12-05T14:34:00.003-08:002014-12-05T14:34:54.427-08:00Yesterday and TodayR and I celebrated six years of marriage yesterday and Little Buddy turned nine months old today. I feel completely covered in blessings. God is good!dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-64258352594373990932014-11-28T20:29:00.001-08:002014-11-28T20:29:44.673-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 28Trying the turkey<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKvF1iwWwrpsrekWJGe7kvAtmUbDVR6O4oejgV2cCNsMwvsNiclZ5V1y7j_SvFRpPZ7n7O8yZcYPKxOhuoLEiMYYZcwp1LCQXKL_YJos9fpWRZBus5GcQhDWDD5YP3d-IQ2i-d22GVBg/s640/blogger-image--556688199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKvF1iwWwrpsrekWJGe7kvAtmUbDVR6O4oejgV2cCNsMwvsNiclZ5V1y7j_SvFRpPZ7n7O8yZcYPKxOhuoLEiMYYZcwp1LCQXKL_YJos9fpWRZBus5GcQhDWDD5YP3d-IQ2i-d22GVBg/s640/blogger-image--556688199.jpg"></a></div><br></div>dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-10392775026502389572014-11-27T16:43:00.001-08:002014-11-27T16:51:58.973-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 27This is my "I caught the oven on fire" face. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGxpjP8exeLTBIFtoRFtPg5pEFOjbeHAsgicBUsjCaIfOGzIW7lazYnkB2DGdllaUqAJDLSMpUPKBRFLsjx8VVjy_SHc1wEUuVNsJQb0eTsaA7mdpOkxR-0WR60EmD9ZqP9TDUo89SF4/s640/blogger-image-1890227535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGxpjP8exeLTBIFtoRFtPg5pEFOjbeHAsgicBUsjCaIfOGzIW7lazYnkB2DGdllaUqAJDLSMpUPKBRFLsjx8VVjy_SHc1wEUuVNsJQb0eTsaA7mdpOkxR-0WR60EmD9ZqP9TDUo89SF4/s640/blogger-image-1890227535.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This is my "Thankfully the turkey wasn't in it yet" face. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvB8C6heWrl34QmGx0a3Z2ReMnNVgdxkAHu71Tc7g67mJ_BCsAXU86S3kH9T6RyDQe_fP7Cs9W9HGX4DDRV2_S4DGWbPB_iPNkmmkwo1Yrn5mOQP01KHORPnuvKrDgSACETkI57hoGd3s/s640/blogger-image--404383631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvB8C6heWrl34QmGx0a3Z2ReMnNVgdxkAHu71Tc7g67mJ_BCsAXU86S3kH9T6RyDQe_fP7Cs9W9HGX4DDRV2_S4DGWbPB_iPNkmmkwo1Yrn5mOQP01KHORPnuvKrDgSACETkI57hoGd3s/s640/blogger-image--404383631.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Happy Thanksgiving!</div>dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-38294126135088793042014-11-25T11:28:00.001-08:002014-11-25T11:28:49.985-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 25Any situation in which a change of race, gender, religion, or sexual identity to either party involved would cause more or less public outcry is wrong. Period. Stop human on human violence.dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-23753789132483831242014-11-23T11:49:00.001-08:002014-11-23T11:49:36.734-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 23What I found while cleaning out the cupboards today. I'm not sure whether to keep them, throw them away, or find a momma to donate the supplies to. When do you know you're done?<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tNLAd1jAss7i8qfYtsKuwhuQvDWE-vScPwPaciMpGPqahP7V3vBHHdS6b4S2H3pMAoIvnT2Zi20ZsIwWcvYr8OMzfHtyX-8dsC_O2yj5hgoHBwV8LvLf76w_6tvpeAAu5mapUzjfKMg/s640/blogger-image--1782195938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tNLAd1jAss7i8qfYtsKuwhuQvDWE-vScPwPaciMpGPqahP7V3vBHHdS6b4S2H3pMAoIvnT2Zi20ZsIwWcvYr8OMzfHtyX-8dsC_O2yj5hgoHBwV8LvLf76w_6tvpeAAu5mapUzjfKMg/s640/blogger-image--1782195938.jpg"></a></div><br></div>dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-36064235511414815182014-11-22T09:17:00.001-08:002014-11-22T09:17:17.694-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 22I had big plans for today: clean the house, wash the diapers, shower, finish the Thanksgiving shopping, rehearsal at 3:00 for the 4:30/6:00 worship services, dinner, baby bath, and back to bed.<br />
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And then I woke up with vertigo.<br />
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So, instead, I will lay in bed and try not to move my head so I don't get all dizzy again. Praying I feel better tomorrow.dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-42544635771748071472014-11-21T17:16:00.000-08:002014-11-21T17:16:22.478-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 21I've worked late every day this week but I have finally wrapped up the bulk of the work for the conference my work is launching the Monday after Thanksgiving. Woo! Now to finish up a report due on Wednesday. Eek!dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-9797802896474744812014-11-20T20:04:00.001-08:002014-11-20T20:04:44.181-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 20Almost forgot to post today! We are 11 nights in to sleep training and I think we've turned the corner. He is happy to be placed in the pack n play in the evenings! He will lie down, sit up and play, lean against the sides and chill... It's great! He still fussed when it's time to sleep but rarely is it for more than 5 minutes. Praise God! It is such a relief to spend a few hours in the evening without a baby all up on me. Praying that this continues!dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-39628313364619278042014-11-19T09:52:00.002-08:002014-11-19T09:52:32.350-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 19A quick update on our recruit:<br />
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RJR developed pneumonia in October and was moved to the medical platoon for his recovery. The prayer was that he would heal quickly and be able to resume training in time to graduate later in December or early January. It's been three weeks now and he is still having trouble breathing. At this point, December is definitely out of the question and January is close to being taken off the table.<br />
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We are working on very limited information, receiving updates by mail to his mom and then provided to us by her via public posts on Face.Book. It's so frustrating! Between his illness, the uncertainty of a graduation date, lack of communication from RJR to us directly, and the total breakdown of communication by his mom, I don't know what to do to support him. We are still sending him letters twice per week and praying for him daily. His letter to his mom requested more letters because he is bored in recovery but he hasn't been writing us or acknowledged that he has received our letters. Working on not being resentful or miffed about this and reminding myself that this situation perfectly represents the continued communication problems with that family. I do wish he would write us, though.<br />
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We found out that R's father will most likely be attending graduation. Ugh. R has a very strained relationship with his father and I'm not a big fan of him, either, ever since his only response to our pregnancy announcement was to say to R, "Aren't you too old to be a father again?" (Along with no response to the text R sent when we found out it was a boy, no response to a baby shower invite, no card when Little Buddy was born, and only a brief text of "Thanks for the pic" when we sent him a print from the newborn photo shoot. Thanks for making us feel good, man./sarcasm.) With the knowledge that we will be seeing him at graduation, R's and my enthusiasm about the event has really dropped. It now feels like an obligation to endure rather than an accomplishment to be celebrated.<br />
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And I found out that R's ex-wife still calls his father Dad. Umm, they were married for four years and have been divorced for more than ten. That's weird, right? I mean, I have a fine relationship with my ex-MIL but I call her by her first name out of respect of her relationship with her actual children and their spouses.<br />
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I just... yeah. The whole USMC situation is at a back burner simmer right now - causing stress but not at the forefront of our minds since there's no set graduation date. Praying for RJR's healing and taking some deep breaths for ourselves.dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-36356311047746276122014-11-18T14:19:00.002-08:002014-11-18T14:19:59.496-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 18I'm worn out today. Physically and even a bit emotionally. Blech. Theoretically I get to take a one hour mom break at 7:00 PM tonight. I can't wait to stretch out in a bath and unplug for a bit. Motherhood is wonderfully rewarding and terribly exhausting. dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-36970214682485095462014-11-17T04:53:00.001-08:002014-11-17T04:53:16.028-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 17Trying out a new look for my parents' anniversary dinner next month. 😊<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuhFiGEdG1drate3iSaxcmcu1-Sk0kZRrJORZVWJ42kGfvhhcwPDGA9PTMEP_v7mkKm_7BoZoM1T9MH1HmoaY9yzda7yOexSa1VKgMnst5efyVEygs4X-aar8aTiZlHY2Xuznc0yegGc/s640/blogger-image--1367738394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuhFiGEdG1drate3iSaxcmcu1-Sk0kZRrJORZVWJ42kGfvhhcwPDGA9PTMEP_v7mkKm_7BoZoM1T9MH1HmoaY9yzda7yOexSa1VKgMnst5efyVEygs4X-aar8aTiZlHY2Xuznc0yegGc/s640/blogger-image--1367738394.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtD6nXgMuGPgJuAGiHhWQIfJvj6yzjbWVuhyphenhyphen0jzcwrYHOgeSF7heaFzd6kpvN6M0KRnOBKGJFLTgOwQEDdyjlrvtYoWmrKfBzPS0nuYk0KqULqidbUOVYLqzRNwz05rCE3GQY-xypk3o/s640/blogger-image--42780407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtD6nXgMuGPgJuAGiHhWQIfJvj6yzjbWVuhyphenhyphen0jzcwrYHOgeSF7heaFzd6kpvN6M0KRnOBKGJFLTgOwQEDdyjlrvtYoWmrKfBzPS0nuYk0KqULqidbUOVYLqzRNwz05rCE3GQY-xypk3o/s640/blogger-image--42780407.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div>dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-20376497177097065232014-11-16T10:06:00.001-08:002014-11-16T10:07:39.996-08:00NaBloPoMo Day 16Alright, over half way through! We've had a big weekend: Little Buddy cut one of his top teeth and has started crawling all over the downstairs. Definitely time to baby proof! #1: outlet covers like whoa.<br />
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We've also completed six nights of sleep training. It's getting better although by no means perfect. Night 1: 1 hour of crying. Night 2: 45 minutes of crying. Night 3: 5 minutes of crying. Night 4: 30 minutes of crying. Night 5: 45 minutes of crying. Night 6: 30 minutes of whining, 15 minutes of crying. BLAH. All of that crying for a max of 2 hours of sleep before getting back in our bed. Not awesome.<br />
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We're gonna stick with it, though, and learning more every night. For now, we've learned that Little Buddy prefers to sleep on his belly when in the pack n' play. Huh. I'm trying to get him attached to a lovey by holding it by his hands/face every time we nurse with the hope that the familiar smell/texture will help him feel more comfortable in the pack n play. So there's that.<br />
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I think you can tell by the rambling nature of this post that we're a bit sleep deprived. But eventually, everything will be fine and we will be getting awesome sleep. One day...dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-16643309016203662872014-11-15T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-15T00:00:05.596-08:00NaBloPoMo, Day 15When you write a post that you're super excited about and get no comments. #sad<br />
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Oh well, so it goes! At least I have a totally awesome Harry Potter diaper cover coming. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend! dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-3222786445139886572014-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-14T00:00:17.515-08:00NaBloPoMo, Day 14: Leaves!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR65PPAH7kRMTAS71PslIKctrf02dG-s5K1kVvOrA9PZCBz5eRkNQePKUzWW_Aj81KGEdKQzdzlKuTzQwJqg5xIe5nKKGziZ_7QfbFGwztNTiYxLMohSjXIEy0ZcWjnXViLmQ42CnZuxk/s1600/Leaves+Email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR65PPAH7kRMTAS71PslIKctrf02dG-s5K1kVvOrA9PZCBz5eRkNQePKUzWW_Aj81KGEdKQzdzlKuTzQwJqg5xIe5nKKGziZ_7QfbFGwztNTiYxLMohSjXIEy0ZcWjnXViLmQ42CnZuxk/s320/Leaves+Email.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-23852147403830149022014-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-14T08:46:10.163-08:00NaBloPoMo, Day 13: Cloth Diapering: The First Four MonthsI’ve already written this post in great detail six months ago, only to
have it eaten by the interwebs. My apologies if this isn’t as full of fluff and
fun stories as the original!
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When Little Buddy was born, I didn’t intend to cloth diaper. Sure I had
thought about it. In fact, cloth diapering was on my regrets list from Little K
and I really did want to give it a try. I researched, poked around on Amazon,
and quickly became overwhelmed. I eventually decided not to stress about it and
just go the disposables route again.</div>
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That lasted less than two weeks.</div>
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By the time Little Buddy and I were driving to the Birth Center for our
10 day check up, we had already blown through our entire stash of disposable
diapers. R and I were done watching our money get covered in poop and thrown in
the trash. When I brought up cloth diapering again, R took a leap of faith and
agreed to try cloth.</div>
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For all my years of wanting to do cloth diapers and looking at the cute
prints online, I had never even held one or knew where to start. Luckily, the
Birth Center has a boutique with an entire room dedicated to cloth diapering.
But I still needed someone with 1.) the real world experience and 2.) who
didn’t want to sell me something.</div>
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Enter Brooke of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrookeDoula">Unconditional
Support</a>. She is a doula and cloth diapering mom in Austin, TX and happens
to be good friends with my sister who pointed me in Brooke’s direction.</div>
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After a great conversation with Brooke on my way to the
appointment/Boutique, we agreed on trying the cheapest CD’ing solution out
there: prefolds with covers. The initial cost was low ($60 for 24 prefolds, $12
for 24 wipes, $85 for 7 covers, $5 for 2 snappis) and the wash routine was
super easy.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diapers!</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWc5t3VISvNLjMz9ZzOZ1wlXkn2jJC8jceERrWVaU1FboFUZYVP4C0r9IPszE0lzTnkSiCUy00TfgaBL35UoMps06IkBfuSty5oZ0hwwccfZNzoxMeWLTjUP1y3Wf3OBkHYC-zs6Er8M/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWc5t3VISvNLjMz9ZzOZ1wlXkn2jJC8jceERrWVaU1FboFUZYVP4C0r9IPszE0lzTnkSiCUy00TfgaBL35UoMps06IkBfuSty5oZ0hwwccfZNzoxMeWLTjUP1y3Wf3OBkHYC-zs6Er8M/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For those first four months, here’s how we rolled:<br />
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Thirsties-Wrap-Diaper-Cover-Hook/dp/B00FFSRFAK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415815157&sr=8-2&keywords=thirsties+duo+wrap">1. Thirsties
Duo Wraps, Size 1</a> (6-18 pounds): These diaper covers are awesome! Double
gussets to hold in liquidy newborn poop. Three rise settings to grow with your
baby. Available in Velcro/aplix or snaps, depending on your preference (we
liked Velcro/aplix to start with and switched to snaps when we sized up). The
best part about using covers is that they can be used more than once; as long
as the diaper is urine-only, you can wipe it out and set aside to dry without
having to do a full wash. I would use 3 covers per day, putting them in the wet
bag either at the end of the day or when they got pooped in, whichever came
first. </div>
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/OsoCozy-Prefolds-Unbleached-Cloth-Diapers/dp/B003AJHDQW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415815211&sr=8-1&keywords=osocozy+prefolds">2. OSO
Cozy Unbleached Cotton Prefolds, Size 1</a>: These prefolds fit similarly to
the covers, 7-15 pounds with a Snappi. We used a simple angel wing fold and a
Snappi as shown in this <a href="http://theecofriendlyfamily.com/2009/08/prefold-picture-tutorial/">picture
tutorial</a>. I sold these and bought a bigger size when we could no longer get
them around Little Buddy’s waist. If I knew then what I know now, I would have
kept these prefolds and switched to a pad fold/trifold laid in the cover.</div>
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<br />
<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Snappi-Cloth-Diaper-Fasteners-Bright/dp/B0031AP83K/ref=sr_1_3?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415815319&sr=1-3&keywords=snappi">3. Snappi</a>:
These are for use instead of diaper pins. Super simple to use, hard to hurt
yourself or baby. Wipe clean, replace if the plastic ever snaps. Two-three is
plenty.<br />
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/The-Original-CJs-BuTTer-Unscented/dp/B006J6LTP4/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415815389&sr=1-1&keywords=CJs+butter">4. CJ’s
BUTTer</a>: Cloth diaper safe diaper cream. I purchased the 8oz container for
less than $10 at the boutique. We use this as a barrier and soothing cream for
Little Buddy any time his tush starts to look red. I have also used this as a
barrier cream for baby acne or as a moisturizing balm when he has dry/flaky
skin. I prefer the unscented with aloe for sensitive skin. I found out later
that you could also use plain organic coconut oil. However, Little Buddy is
eight months now and this container is still half full. This stuff lasts
forever!<br />
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Mother-Ease-One-Size-Cloth-Diaper-Unbleached/dp/B002ZXNPOS/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415815488&sr=1-2&keywords=motherease+bamboo+fitteds">5. MothersEase
Bamboo Fitteds</a>: I bought these originally to be overnight diapers. They are
soft, thick, and easy to fit. In the end I found an overnight solution I liked
better and sold these. Some people love fitteds and some don’t. I am of the
latter group. So it goes. Luckily, there are tons of cloth diaper
buy-sell-trade groups on FaceBook where you can offload your extra diapers at
only a few dollars loss. </div>
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/GroVia-Cloth-Wipes-12-count/dp/B003X3R6TO/ref=pd_sim_ba_19?ie=UTF8&refRID=13YY05F4MTBHX43RNR5E">6. Grovia
Terrycloth Wipes</a>: The first wipes I bought were <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Bumkins-Reusable-Flannel-Wipes-Natural/dp/B006J2U4T0/ref=pd_sim_ba_23?ie=UTF8&refRID=13YY05F4MTBHX43RNR5E">single
ply flannel</a>. After washing those a few times, I felt they got too rough for
soft baby skin so I bought these, regulating the original flannel ones to the
diaper bag. These were soft and plush for the first four months but have gotten
rougher with long term use and the stitching around the edges is coming off. However,
at $.50 each, I feel like they were a good purchase; I couldn’t reconcile $1.50+
each for the super soft wipes. I will be keeping an eye out for baby washcloths
on clearance at Target to replace these, though.<br />
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7. Homemade Wipes Solution: Homemade wipes solution
runs the gamut of complexity from plain water to coconut oil/soap/essential
oils/aloe concoctions. Our started simple:</div>
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<ul>
<li>4 C distilled water (distilled water keeps you
from developing musty smells), ½ C witch hazel, 10 drops each lavender oil and
tea tree oil. </li>
</ul>
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I started with this recipe because I already
had all of the ingredients from making postpartum supplies for myself. However,
I later learned that tea tree oil can cause <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/fluff-love-cd-science/resource-links-by-topic/732007200167807" target="_blank">hormonal disturbances</a> and chose to remove tea tree oil from our wipes solution. I also noticed that
Little Buddy’s anus was starting to look red after I wiped him. After a little
trial and error, we developed this solution:</div>
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<ul>
<li>4 C distilled water, ¼ C organic coconut oil
(melted), 7-10 drops lavender oil. </li>
</ul>
</div>
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Since starting this wipes solution,
Little Buddy is no longer red after wiping. I heat up the solution for 60-90
seconds in order to re-melt the coconut oil before pouring over the wipes in
our wipes container. I store any excess solution in the fridge. </div>
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<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/OXO-Perfect-Wipes-Dispenser-Green/dp/B0067GKHVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415815627&sr=1-1&keywords=OXO+Wipes+Container">8. OXO
Wipes Container</a>: Wipes can be stored wet or dry. I store our wipes dry with
a spray bottle of wipes solution for the diaper bag but store them wet at home.
I looked into heated wipes containers but read several reports of people
experiencing mold growth on their wipes from the wet, warm environment. This
container is sturdy and has an airlock seal so our wipes won’t dry out.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wet Bags!</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM6qb7fd3LBugOmsj5AEfO1nEhqQ00WCrZteiwZqL0n_p3jt0A-pykr5vyoCw2E09t79mCBttf04piVr1tuO9ORKZaptst-EOqyMEyyO57453s6t8f2qukJ2chV40SQ-X1nUbYzbE_yg/s1600/Cloth+Diaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM6qb7fd3LBugOmsj5AEfO1nEhqQ00WCrZteiwZqL0n_p3jt0A-pykr5vyoCw2E09t79mCBttf04piVr1tuO9ORKZaptst-EOqyMEyyO57453s6t8f2qukJ2chV40SQ-X1nUbYzbE_yg/s320/Cloth+Diaper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have an almost-complete set of Planet Wise wet/dry bags in Toadstool.
Here’s how it goes:</div>
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<ol>
<li><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Diaper-Midnight-Small/dp/B0039GGU3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415815838&sr=1-1&keywords=planet+wise+small+wet+bag">Small
Wet Bag</a>: This wet bag worked great in our diaper bag for the first 4
months! It can easily hold 3 dirty prefolds and 2 covers when we are out and
about. Now that we are using bigger diapers, this bag has been regulated to
holding dirty outfits for Little Buddy or a spit-upon shirt for me. I still
keep it in our diaper bag and it is really handy. </li>
<li><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Travel-Wet-Diaper/dp/B00JBJDEC2/ref=pd_sim_ba_91?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BA6N7Y07MVFEWVG362E">Travel
Wet/Dry Bag</a>: I bought this wet/dry bag to hold wipes in the diaper bag. I
keep the wipes and the spray bottle of solution in the wet section and a spare
Snappi in the dry section. Works great! I’m considering switching over to cloth
pads for myself and will most likely use this bag for that purpose, needing to
get the <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Wipe-Pouch-Chevron/dp/B00G96N3YY/ref=pd_sim_ba_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=099Q9YJ2QVX32M7ZG4GH">Planet
Wise Wipes Pouch</a> for wipes (which is fine since we don’t use Snappis
anymore). </li>
<li><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Wet-Dry-Diaper/dp/B005WWI0DA/ref=pd_sim_ba_26?ie=UTF8&refRID=13YY05F4MTBHX43RNR5E">Medium
Wet/Dry Bag</a>: This is the first wet/dry bag I purchased at the boutique. The
sales woman recommended it for use in our diaper bag but I found it to be WAY
too large at the time and used it as backup at home when our large bag was in the
wash. However, now that Little Buddy is in bigger diapers (and I’ve purchased a
larger diaper bag), this is my main diaper bag solution. It can hold 5+ dirty
diapers if I really stuff them in there! I can fit 2-3 dry diapers in the dry
section along with the wipes bag, making it simple to drop off in the nursery
at church. Definitely couldn’t survive without this one! </li>
<li><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Hanging-Wet-Dry/dp/B005WWIE3G/ref=pd_sim_ba_27?ie=UTF8&refRID=13YY05F4MTBHX43RNR5E">Large
Wet/Dry Bag</a>: This was my main wet/dry bag at home for the first four months.
It could hold two days of dirty diapers before being full and only needed
washed once per week. It rocks! Now that we are using larger diapers it can
only hold one day of diapers. I ended up sewing a pail liner for a large trash
can out of PUL and elastic for our main use and use this bag to hold just our
overnight wet diapers which always smell when wet due to the sheer volume of urine overnight.
You can <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Kanga-Care-PL2026-P-Pail-Liner/dp/B00HBYODZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415815122&sr=8-1&keywords=rumparooz+pail+liner">purchase
pail liners online</a> if you don’t sew.</li>
</ol>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Washing!</b></div>
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All hail <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/FluffLoveCDScience/" target="_blank">Fluff Love & CD Science</a>! Our original wash routine was pretty straightforward. However, I later
learned that we were doing things just a little bit wrong. Here is our new and
improved wash routine featuring All Free & Clear liquid detergent:</div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Prewash (or speed/quick wash, depending on your
machine) on Cold with ½-1 cap of detergent.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Towels/Sheets wash on Hot with extra rinse and
extra spin with 2 caps of detergent. Other settings include Jeans or Heavy, depending on your machine.</li>
<li>Throw into the dryer on Medium and then allow
diapers to cool completely before folding. Hot elastic wears out faster, so
allowing the covers to cool completely preserves the elastic and extends the
life of your diapers.</li>
</ol>
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Done. It’s just that simple! No special detergents or additives. With
this routine, we have never experienced stink, ammonia, or rashes. </div>
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The best wash routine and troubleshooting information is available at
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/FluffLoveCDScience/" target="_blank">Fluff Love & CD Science</a>.<br />
<br />
Please note that Fluff Love & CD Science does not recommend Free and Clear detergents. We choose to use a F&C detergent due to eczema. </div>
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*** </div>
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So, there you go! I hope you found this fun and informational. I'm working on our Five Months and Beyond cloth diapering post and will have it up sometime during NaBloPoMo. </div>
dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-91087063945742043002014-11-12T08:50:00.002-08:002014-11-12T08:50:38.075-08:00NaBloPoMo, Day 12: SleepI missed yesterday. My bad. Sleep training is proving to be a challenge. R has spent the past two nights sleeping in the guest room until the end of week one.<br />
<br />
Night 1 was pretty bad, crying for a long time before falling asleep the first time and then waking up every 10 minutes or so until 1:00 AM, finally coming into bed with us at that time. Last night he went down with about 10 minutes of fuss and then slept pretty well until 11:00 PM. He woke up for a nurse then went back into the pack n play and cried for a solid hour before I gave up and brought him into bed. At least we made it past midnight - 12:09 AM to be exact. (Please note that the hour of crying was with me constantly trying to soothe him but not picking him up to do so.)<br />
<br />
It's not all terrible, though. We have found that having the pack n play pulled up next to my side of the bed so Little Buddy can see my face really helps him stay calm. A hand on his chest, rubbing his tummy, and a quiet sing-through of Take My Life and Let It Be calms him down nicely. He gets picked up for a nurse after 10:00 PM and gets picked up any time he sits up to cry (only once last night).<br />
<br />
The goal for this week is to get Little Buddy to fall asleep in the pack n
play next to our bed from 9pm to after midnight with minimal crying. I'm hoping that, by the end of the week, we are at the point of Little Buddy crying for less than 10 minutes at bedtime, less than 5 minutes between wakings, and staying asleep for at least 1 hour at a time. It's not perfect but hopefully will be the first step in sleeping in his own bed.<br />
<br />
What we are doing reminds me of the No Cry Sleep Solution that I tried for one night with Little K. However, having co-slept exclusively for 13 months plus partial co-sleeping to almost 3 years, I'm really not anxious to relive that experience. I swore that I would never do Cry-It-Out but I've gotten to the point that *some* crying is not a deal breaker for me.<br />
<br />
Now, all of that being said, this is probably the worst possible time to start sleep training. Little Buddy started crawling, trying to stand, started solids, and is cutting his two top teeth. Lots of challenges and changes that probably leave him needing more down time (read: nursing/suckling time) each night. Unfortunately, our newly active baby has almost crawled off the bed a few times, making co-sleeping a bit of a safety hazard. He also managed to totally break up mommy-daddy time several times the past week, which is just not okay with me right now. Big ole bag of NOPE to that. Plus I've noticed that I'm a little short tempered with Little K which I believe is related to being totally touched-out by Little Buddy.<br />
<br />
So, yeah.<br />
<br />
All of that wrapped up together means we are sleep training. And it sucks. But it should be better by one week and then we can move forward with stage 2: going back in the pack n play after his 1:00 AM nursing. (That's going to suck, too. Ugh.)<br />
<br />
Pray for us. Please. And send coffee.dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1994521301199986866.post-13771540213944167732014-11-10T19:58:00.001-08:002014-11-10T21:23:46.714-08:00NaBloPoMo day 10Day 1 of sleep training. Currently in the running for WWM (world's worst mom) but praying that it transforms into awesome sleep for all by one week. Pray for us :(dspencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03028178955338687090noreply@blogger.com1