Hanging in VC today.
Adventures of an accidental stay at home mom!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Cloth diaper 101
Okay ladies and gents. After about two months of cloth diapering, I think I finally have the hang of this thing. DISCLAIMER, I am by no means an expert, but this post is meant to be a break down of the different types of cloth diapers. Since starting many of my friends have also told me that they would like to learn more about CDing.
So welcome to hello sunshine's CD Tutorial
When starting out the most overwhelming thing can be deciding which route you would like to go, mostly because the terminology can be so intimidating! So we will go slow.
The most basic form of CDing would be pre folds and covers. This is old school with a twist. Prefolds haven't changed, they are still a rectangular piece of fabric that has a thicker middle section that is meant to be the absorbent area. If you opt to wrap the prefold around your baby you can still use Pins, or there is a much less nerve wracking option called a snappi. This is a stretchy plastic contraption with small (and much less sharp) hooks to hold everything down. Or you can opt to go without entirely since the cover will hold everything it. and speaking of covers, it's covers that have gotten a modern makeover. Plastic pants have been done away with. Now covers are made from fabric with an inner waterproof layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate). Instead of pins now covers either come with snaps or Velcro(often referred to as aplix or hook and loop) that mimics disposables (aka, sposies). There a many covers out there, but here's what I use.
One size Flip cover with snaps.
Another option would be pocket diapers. Pocket diapers have the same waterproof layer as a cover and a layer of some type of stay dry fabric on top of that which is what sits against baby's skin. Either at the front or back of the diaper there will be a pocket in which one would stuff an absorbent insert, usually microfiber. With these diapers once baby goes, so does the diaper, it's time to wash. The plus side to pockets is that they tend to wear really well over time, so if you're hoping to CD multiple children, pockets will generally be the best bang for your buck. A downside would be that there is just a few more steps involved. These diapers also can come in specific sizes based on weight ranges, or you can purchase one size diapers that come with rise snaps so you can adjust how tall the diaper is, and either waist snaps or Velcro to get a snug fit. The majority of my stash is one size pockets, but I hope to CD any future kids as well.
One size Alvas, Fuzzibunz, and Bumgenius
Next are all in ones (AIO). All in one diapers are the easiest in that everything is all sewn in, there is nothing you need to stuff, wrap, or pin down. These are the most similar to sposies. Therefore, these are the most expensive. These also have a layer of PUL, but everything absorbent about the diaper is sewn down(either partially just on the ends or all the way), so all the changer has to do is take off the dirty diaper and put on a new one. I use these diapers when I change a diaper the go (my diaper bag stash).
Bumgenius all in one Freetimes
A similar option is an all in 2 (AI2). These diapers are (to my best understanding, I do not have any however) similar to a cover with absorbent inserts that snap in, so they fit similarly to the all in ones, but when the insert is dirtied you can just pop the insert out and snap a new one in.
And now, to close out the diaper portion of my tutorial, we have fitteds and hybrid fitteds. Fitteds have a special place in my heart because they changed night times for us. I can now sleep through the night because my son no longer wants to be changed in the middle of the night. Regular fitted diapers are made of ultra absorbent fabric, but they have no waterproof layer, so they DO need a cover over. But when they have a cover, man, do they contain a have wetter.
NOW, hybrid fitteds are like cloth gold around here. Hybrid fitteds also do not have the waterproof layer, but many inner layers of absorbent fabric that suck up any and all moisture and and outer layer of fleece that repels moisture back into the inner layers of the diaper to ensure the outside stays dry. The best part is the inside of these is made with a soft stay dry fabric (like velour) that wicks moisture away from the skin and keeps baby nice and comfy. Here's ours.
Gray star boutique hybrid fitteds
Now that you know the different types, here's how to care for them!
Diapers should not be washed in standard detergent as it has soaps and brighteners that can build up in the diapers and cause all sorts of problems (ammonia build up, bacteria, stink...oh my!). You can buy a cloth diaper specific detergent like Rock n Green or Bumgenius detergent, but for the most part, those are just an expensive alternative to something you can get much cheaper. Pretty much any free and clear detergent you would use for your baby's clothes will do (although as of late I have also been hearing to be wary of all liquid detergents), but here is a link to a helpful chart of which detergents are safe and which are not. If you want an all natural option, soap nuts are amazing, and can be made into a powder or a liquid (stay tuned for my recipe and a tutorial on how I make it).
Now every washing routine can vary, ask 5 CDers, you will get 5 different answers. It really depends on your water, how often your washing, detergent, etc. Generally, you will have a pre-rinse, a hot wash with detergent (possibly a second hot wash without) and an extra cold rinse. I do a cold rinse, hot wash with soap, hot wash no soap, extra cold rinse and it works for me; no build up, no stink.
Finally, anything with a pul layer should be line dried, all others can go through the drier.
**BONUS** It occured to me after the fact that I didn't talk about diaper creams, and I really should. Diaper rashes can be awful and have the power to make even the most capable and confident parent feel like a big ole pile of poo if they can't fix it. The go to with Sposies is some type of (usually) zinc and/or petroleum based cream. BIG CD NO NO. When used regularly in CDs, creams can actually ruin cloth diapers (don't worry if it happens on accident, there might be a stain but the diaper should be fine). There are some cloth diaper safe creams on the market and here is where you can see a break down on what's good and bad. Also, for a natural alternative, we use coconut oil on any sign of irritation and so far that has kept rashes away.
Let's be real though, some diaper rashes are just down right awful and putting oil on it just isn't going to cut it. If you find your baby with an awful rash and your gut tells you to reach for the desitin or butt paste, there is a way!!! You can buy fleece or disposable liners that you would put between baby and diaper to keep the cream from getting on the fabric. You would also need to do this for circumcision care if you plan to cd a newly circ'd baby.
What anyone starting out should know is that cloth diapering is NOT scary, and it is much easier than you think. The actual diapering portion is no different that putting a sposie on a baby's butt. The only extra thing is one extra load of laundry every other day (you can stretch this to wear two days and wash on the third, but it should not be stretched longer than that). The plus side is, for the first six months of a baby's life, while they are on a purely liquid diet their poo is 100% water soluble, therefore all you have to do is take the dirty dipe and drop it in the laundry. Once they start solids you will want to get a diaper sprayer to spray off the poo or just do a quick dunk in the toilet. If you're thinking about CDing, DO IT! You will love it! It may not be for everyone, but man is it for us!
So welcome to hello sunshine's CD Tutorial
When starting out the most overwhelming thing can be deciding which route you would like to go, mostly because the terminology can be so intimidating! So we will go slow.
The most basic form of CDing would be pre folds and covers. This is old school with a twist. Prefolds haven't changed, they are still a rectangular piece of fabric that has a thicker middle section that is meant to be the absorbent area. If you opt to wrap the prefold around your baby you can still use Pins, or there is a much less nerve wracking option called a snappi. This is a stretchy plastic contraption with small (and much less sharp) hooks to hold everything down. Or you can opt to go without entirely since the cover will hold everything it. and speaking of covers, it's covers that have gotten a modern makeover. Plastic pants have been done away with. Now covers are made from fabric with an inner waterproof layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate). Instead of pins now covers either come with snaps or Velcro(often referred to as aplix or hook and loop) that mimics disposables (aka, sposies). There a many covers out there, but here's what I use.
One size Flip cover with snaps.
Another option would be pocket diapers. Pocket diapers have the same waterproof layer as a cover and a layer of some type of stay dry fabric on top of that which is what sits against baby's skin. Either at the front or back of the diaper there will be a pocket in which one would stuff an absorbent insert, usually microfiber. With these diapers once baby goes, so does the diaper, it's time to wash. The plus side to pockets is that they tend to wear really well over time, so if you're hoping to CD multiple children, pockets will generally be the best bang for your buck. A downside would be that there is just a few more steps involved. These diapers also can come in specific sizes based on weight ranges, or you can purchase one size diapers that come with rise snaps so you can adjust how tall the diaper is, and either waist snaps or Velcro to get a snug fit. The majority of my stash is one size pockets, but I hope to CD any future kids as well.
One size Alvas, Fuzzibunz, and Bumgenius
Next are all in ones (AIO). All in one diapers are the easiest in that everything is all sewn in, there is nothing you need to stuff, wrap, or pin down. These are the most similar to sposies. Therefore, these are the most expensive. These also have a layer of PUL, but everything absorbent about the diaper is sewn down(either partially just on the ends or all the way), so all the changer has to do is take off the dirty diaper and put on a new one. I use these diapers when I change a diaper the go (my diaper bag stash).
Bumgenius all in one Freetimes
A similar option is an all in 2 (AI2). These diapers are (to my best understanding, I do not have any however) similar to a cover with absorbent inserts that snap in, so they fit similarly to the all in ones, but when the insert is dirtied you can just pop the insert out and snap a new one in.
And now, to close out the diaper portion of my tutorial, we have fitteds and hybrid fitteds. Fitteds have a special place in my heart because they changed night times for us. I can now sleep through the night because my son no longer wants to be changed in the middle of the night. Regular fitted diapers are made of ultra absorbent fabric, but they have no waterproof layer, so they DO need a cover over. But when they have a cover, man, do they contain a have wetter.
NOW, hybrid fitteds are like cloth gold around here. Hybrid fitteds also do not have the waterproof layer, but many inner layers of absorbent fabric that suck up any and all moisture and and outer layer of fleece that repels moisture back into the inner layers of the diaper to ensure the outside stays dry. The best part is the inside of these is made with a soft stay dry fabric (like velour) that wicks moisture away from the skin and keeps baby nice and comfy. Here's ours.
Gray star boutique hybrid fitteds
Now that you know the different types, here's how to care for them!
Diapers should not be washed in standard detergent as it has soaps and brighteners that can build up in the diapers and cause all sorts of problems (ammonia build up, bacteria, stink...oh my!). You can buy a cloth diaper specific detergent like Rock n Green or Bumgenius detergent, but for the most part, those are just an expensive alternative to something you can get much cheaper. Pretty much any free and clear detergent you would use for your baby's clothes will do (although as of late I have also been hearing to be wary of all liquid detergents), but here is a link to a helpful chart of which detergents are safe and which are not. If you want an all natural option, soap nuts are amazing, and can be made into a powder or a liquid (stay tuned for my recipe and a tutorial on how I make it).
Now every washing routine can vary, ask 5 CDers, you will get 5 different answers. It really depends on your water, how often your washing, detergent, etc. Generally, you will have a pre-rinse, a hot wash with detergent (possibly a second hot wash without) and an extra cold rinse. I do a cold rinse, hot wash with soap, hot wash no soap, extra cold rinse and it works for me; no build up, no stink.
Finally, anything with a pul layer should be line dried, all others can go through the drier.
**BONUS** It occured to me after the fact that I didn't talk about diaper creams, and I really should. Diaper rashes can be awful and have the power to make even the most capable and confident parent feel like a big ole pile of poo if they can't fix it. The go to with Sposies is some type of (usually) zinc and/or petroleum based cream. BIG CD NO NO. When used regularly in CDs, creams can actually ruin cloth diapers (don't worry if it happens on accident, there might be a stain but the diaper should be fine). There are some cloth diaper safe creams on the market and here is where you can see a break down on what's good and bad. Also, for a natural alternative, we use coconut oil on any sign of irritation and so far that has kept rashes away.
Let's be real though, some diaper rashes are just down right awful and putting oil on it just isn't going to cut it. If you find your baby with an awful rash and your gut tells you to reach for the desitin or butt paste, there is a way!!! You can buy fleece or disposable liners that you would put between baby and diaper to keep the cream from getting on the fabric. You would also need to do this for circumcision care if you plan to cd a newly circ'd baby.
What anyone starting out should know is that cloth diapering is NOT scary, and it is much easier than you think. The actual diapering portion is no different that putting a sposie on a baby's butt. The only extra thing is one extra load of laundry every other day (you can stretch this to wear two days and wash on the third, but it should not be stretched longer than that). The plus side is, for the first six months of a baby's life, while they are on a purely liquid diet their poo is 100% water soluble, therefore all you have to do is take the dirty dipe and drop it in the laundry. Once they start solids you will want to get a diaper sprayer to spray off the poo or just do a quick dunk in the toilet. If you're thinking about CDing, DO IT! You will love it! It may not be for everyone, but man is it for us!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Holy March
March was insanity over here. I am not entirely sure why, but man am I glad to see March go.
In the ohhhhh, three weeks since I have blogged (has it really been THREE WEEKS) we've had visits from old friends and family and Ei met his future wife, because yes, I do have an arranged marriage for my son ;). We have battled allergies and colds. We transitioned little man out of our bedroom and into his crib (tear). I got my crafty on and made curtains for my son's room (future post to come). And finally we planted our summer garden (another future post to come)! It doesn't sounds like a lot, but I feel likes have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
So bring it on April. We are ready for you ( though admittedly, April is already proving to be insanity as well....le sighhhh). I have a lot in the works this month. STAY TUNED!
In the ohhhhh, three weeks since I have blogged (has it really been THREE WEEKS) we've had visits from old friends and family and Ei met his future wife, because yes, I do have an arranged marriage for my son ;). We have battled allergies and colds. We transitioned little man out of our bedroom and into his crib (tear). I got my crafty on and made curtains for my son's room (future post to come). And finally we planted our summer garden (another future post to come)! It doesn't sounds like a lot, but I feel likes have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
So bring it on April. We are ready for you ( though admittedly, April is already proving to be insanity as well....le sighhhh). I have a lot in the works this month. STAY TUNED!
Meeting Miss Maggie
Holding hands ;)
First beach trip!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Hello, sunshine
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when sky's are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."
This is, and always has been, my favorite of all the children's songs there are. Growing up my mom used to sing this to me daily. Usually first thing in the morning, she would come in and start singing to me until I woke up for the day. Now that I am a mom I make a point every morning when my son wakes up, no matter how tired I am or how badly I just want to get back in bed, when I first look at him and pick him up I say to him, "Good morning sunshine!" And I give him the best smile I can muster. When Eli is older I want him to always remember how happy I am that he is in my life. And that starts now (actually it already started, really before he was even born).
So in just a matter hours, when he is waking me up and my mind is begging for just a little more sleep, instead I will get up and say, "Good morning, sunshine."
This is, and always has been, my favorite of all the children's songs there are. Growing up my mom used to sing this to me daily. Usually first thing in the morning, she would come in and start singing to me until I woke up for the day. Now that I am a mom I make a point every morning when my son wakes up, no matter how tired I am or how badly I just want to get back in bed, when I first look at him and pick him up I say to him, "Good morning sunshine!" And I give him the best smile I can muster. When Eli is older I want him to always remember how happy I am that he is in my life. And that starts now (actually it already started, really before he was even born).
So in just a matter hours, when he is waking me up and my mind is begging for just a little more sleep, instead I will get up and say, "Good morning, sunshine."
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Going green to save some green; Step two
Lately I have been searching for any means possible to save some money around the house. My first step was switching the baby to cloth diapers. After a month of using cloth, I am so happy we did it! The money savings on diapers is insane, but that's for another post :)
So the latest installment in my going green to save some green adventure is my soaps and cleaning products. We use them daily; we clean our clothes, bodies, counters, dishes, and more with them. In the short run, all these costs separately can be small potatoes, but over the course of a year that can add up to an huge amount of money! So, for now, I am starting small. The first thing I am replacing is our laundry detergent. Now for any loyal readers of Megan's blog, this will look familiar, but for me it's the logical place to start.
So, the initial plan is when our giant jug of Costco Ecos detergent runs out I will be switching to soap nuts. That's right, nuts. They are actually more of a dehydrated berry, but I digress. They are mother nature's cleaner. Throw a few in the wash in lieu of detergent, a few drops of essential oil for scent, and boom, all natural detergent. Now, there are a bunch of ways to make your own detergent that I found while doing my research that are cheap and easy and save you loads of money (click here to see some). I ultimately I settled on soap nuts BECAUSE they are natural, and therefore, cloth diaper safe. All the other detergents I was finding recipes for we're not CD safe because the ingredients would build up in the diapers and then we would have a very leaky problem.
It wasn't until I started looking for the best ways to store my soap nuts that I found recipes for making all kinds of home cleaners out of, you guessed it, the very same soap nuts I was already planning on buying. I can make kitchen cleaner, dish washer detergent, BATHROOM cleaner! All I have to do is buy a bulk bag of these babies off amazon (look at that price tag) (that's 720 loads of laundry at about 4.5 cents a load) and keep them around my house.
So after I make switch in the laundry I plan to go big (because I am already at home ;)). I will be switching our dish washing detergent, hand soap, and multi surface cleaner for the kitchen and bathroom counters. Stay turned for updates and photos!
Want to learn more about soap nuts? Here you go!
So the latest installment in my going green to save some green adventure is my soaps and cleaning products. We use them daily; we clean our clothes, bodies, counters, dishes, and more with them. In the short run, all these costs separately can be small potatoes, but over the course of a year that can add up to an huge amount of money! So, for now, I am starting small. The first thing I am replacing is our laundry detergent. Now for any loyal readers of Megan's blog, this will look familiar, but for me it's the logical place to start.
So, the initial plan is when our giant jug of Costco Ecos detergent runs out I will be switching to soap nuts. That's right, nuts. They are actually more of a dehydrated berry, but I digress. They are mother nature's cleaner. Throw a few in the wash in lieu of detergent, a few drops of essential oil for scent, and boom, all natural detergent. Now, there are a bunch of ways to make your own detergent that I found while doing my research that are cheap and easy and save you loads of money (click here to see some). I ultimately I settled on soap nuts BECAUSE they are natural, and therefore, cloth diaper safe. All the other detergents I was finding recipes for we're not CD safe because the ingredients would build up in the diapers and then we would have a very leaky problem.
It wasn't until I started looking for the best ways to store my soap nuts that I found recipes for making all kinds of home cleaners out of, you guessed it, the very same soap nuts I was already planning on buying. I can make kitchen cleaner, dish washer detergent, BATHROOM cleaner! All I have to do is buy a bulk bag of these babies off amazon (look at that price tag) (that's 720 loads of laundry at about 4.5 cents a load) and keep them around my house.
So after I make switch in the laundry I plan to go big (because I am already at home ;)). I will be switching our dish washing detergent, hand soap, and multi surface cleaner for the kitchen and bathroom counters. Stay turned for updates and photos!
Want to learn more about soap nuts? Here you go!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Baby Wearing
So without even realizing it, I grew up in a pro (in both senses of the word) Attachment Parenting household. My mom was the queen of extended breast feeding, baby wearing, and co-sleeping. When I got married I swore up and down my child would not sleep in my bed and I thought I would be dying to be done breast feeding by sixth months. And thank God I was so wrong! I am perfectly happy with my son sleeping in his bed next to mine so I can bring him in for snuggles whenever he (I) need(s) them. And breast feeding is probably the coolest thing EVER! You can bet I will be one of those moms that breastfeeds past year ;)
The one area of AP which I was totally for was Babywearing. In fact, I was damn excited to be able to pick out my carriers and always have my baby close. And people LOVE babywearing moms. Every time I go out with Eli in the carrier everyone stops and smiles and look and at him him like he is the bees knees (which lets be real, he is ;D). In the beginning we used the Moby wrap which we borrowed from Miss Megan and is was perfect for the tiny little peanut.
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The one area of AP which I was totally for was Babywearing. In fact, I was damn excited to be able to pick out my carriers and always have my baby close. And people LOVE babywearing moms. Every time I go out with Eli in the carrier everyone stops and smiles and look and at him him like he is the bees knees (which lets be real, he is ;D). In the beginning we used the Moby wrap which we borrowed from Miss Megan and is was perfect for the tiny little peanut.
My all time favorite carrier is the Ergo. It is the most comfortable contraption ever, and even better, it works from older kids as well as small babies.
But do you know what people love more than babywearing moms? That's right, babywearing dads.
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That's our Sprout Pouch, it's Eli's current fav because he can face forward and look around, the others just put him to sleep ;-)
Make Over.
As you can see, my blog is getting a face lift. Originally, I first thought about starting a blog right after Kyle and I got married and I set everything up. Blog title, background, colors, all of it, the only thing that was originally different was the tagline.
So I sat down to right my first blog post and realized that I had nothing of substance to say that wasn't already covered in other blogs so I took down the post and forgot about it. A year later, I now have something to write about and the blog to do it in. However, after talking to my girlfriend and blogspiration, Megan, I decided I needed to make some changes in my blogosphere, which has in turn got me pretty excited about making said changes. I also have something big in the works that I will make another post about later when everything is complete.
So now I have a new look and a new name. Bare with me for now though, because I am not 100% satisfied with my new look, things will probably keep changing :)
So I sat down to right my first blog post and realized that I had nothing of substance to say that wasn't already covered in other blogs so I took down the post and forgot about it. A year later, I now have something to write about and the blog to do it in. However, after talking to my girlfriend and blogspiration, Megan, I decided I needed to make some changes in my blogosphere, which has in turn got me pretty excited about making said changes. I also have something big in the works that I will make another post about later when everything is complete.
So now I have a new look and a new name. Bare with me for now though, because I am not 100% satisfied with my new look, things will probably keep changing :)
Monday, February 25, 2013
How it all started
Yesterday marked a big day for me, but more importantly, us as a family. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of getting out big, fat positive. That's right, one year ago yesterday I was officially one day late and peed on that all mighty stick (Tmi? In this last year I learned there is no such thing).
Kyle and I very much enjoyed our childless days of staying up late and watching TV and playing video games (Kyle) until all hours and then making up for it with copious amounts of coffee the next day (Me). I. Love. My. Coffee. That's why it struck us as odd when one morning I brewed a fresh pot of coffee, popped open my liquid crack, I mean coffee creamer, and after I took my first sip felt completely ill. I was petrified. In that moment the thought of pregnancy never crossed my mind. My only thought was, "My coffee, my coffee, why have you forsaken me?!" Kyle took one look at me and told me I should take a pregnancy test. Is it sad to say I was almost relieved to know that this might be the logical reason why my coffee was making me want to run in the other direction? (Noooo. Right?)
The problem here was I was no yet late, so that first test came back negative. We both had all this anticipation for it that we were truly disappointed when it said not pregnant. I knew it could change in a week, but I was not holding out hope, my weird nausea was just a fluke. So one week later I got up early and made my coffee (which was no longer making me ill, thank GOODNESS), turned on the news and took the test. After you take them they have to sit for a few minutes so while I was waiting I went and poured my coffee, checked facebook and proceeded to forget all about it. It wasn't until about an hour later that I went back into our room and remembered about it. Lo and behold, when I turned the little sucker over it said pregnant.
WHAT THE WHAT?! I read the thing like eight times before my brain caught up with the situation. I then had to call Kyle (who was at work for all of this, perks of never having a Friday class). When he answered the phone I was dying to blurt out "I'M PREGNANT," but thank goodness I waited the extra two seconds because out of nowhere I hear an extra voice over the bluetooth in his car. "HI KATIE," says my sister in law. Cue awakard, "ummmm," from me. "Kyle, I need you to call me back when you're back at work, BYE!" Real smooth there Katie, real smooth.
Twenty minutes later he called me back outside, away from everyone, including my sister in law who at this point probably thought I was a total wack job. He was so excited when I told him the news and overwhelmed at the thought of becoming parents. We managed to keep the secret from our parents for about 5 weeks after that, and at 9 weeks we started to share the news with close friends and family. When I made it to 13 weeks all bets were off and shared the good news with the world. It didn't take long for some people to figure it out though, between morning sickness which set in with full force around 6 weeks (and yes a coffee aversion was part of that, sadly) and cravings for flaming hot cheetos with lime and a dark blue gatorade (which lasted until the end of my second trimester). It's crazy to think about my little man and how up until a year ago he didn't even exist. Now I cannot imagine my life without him, being him momma is the best gift I've ever been given.
Okay enough with the sappy, let's see some pics!
Kyle and I very much enjoyed our childless days of staying up late and watching TV and playing video games (Kyle) until all hours and then making up for it with copious amounts of coffee the next day (Me). I. Love. My. Coffee. That's why it struck us as odd when one morning I brewed a fresh pot of coffee, popped open my liquid crack, I mean coffee creamer, and after I took my first sip felt completely ill. I was petrified. In that moment the thought of pregnancy never crossed my mind. My only thought was, "My coffee, my coffee, why have you forsaken me?!" Kyle took one look at me and told me I should take a pregnancy test. Is it sad to say I was almost relieved to know that this might be the logical reason why my coffee was making me want to run in the other direction? (Noooo. Right?)
The problem here was I was no yet late, so that first test came back negative. We both had all this anticipation for it that we were truly disappointed when it said not pregnant. I knew it could change in a week, but I was not holding out hope, my weird nausea was just a fluke. So one week later I got up early and made my coffee (which was no longer making me ill, thank GOODNESS), turned on the news and took the test. After you take them they have to sit for a few minutes so while I was waiting I went and poured my coffee, checked facebook and proceeded to forget all about it. It wasn't until about an hour later that I went back into our room and remembered about it. Lo and behold, when I turned the little sucker over it said pregnant.
WHAT THE WHAT?! I read the thing like eight times before my brain caught up with the situation. I then had to call Kyle (who was at work for all of this, perks of never having a Friday class). When he answered the phone I was dying to blurt out "I'M PREGNANT," but thank goodness I waited the extra two seconds because out of nowhere I hear an extra voice over the bluetooth in his car. "HI KATIE," says my sister in law. Cue awakard, "ummmm," from me. "Kyle, I need you to call me back when you're back at work, BYE!" Real smooth there Katie, real smooth.
Twenty minutes later he called me back outside, away from everyone, including my sister in law who at this point probably thought I was a total wack job. He was so excited when I told him the news and overwhelmed at the thought of becoming parents. We managed to keep the secret from our parents for about 5 weeks after that, and at 9 weeks we started to share the news with close friends and family. When I made it to 13 weeks all bets were off and shared the good news with the world. It didn't take long for some people to figure it out though, between morning sickness which set in with full force around 6 weeks (and yes a coffee aversion was part of that, sadly) and cravings for flaming hot cheetos with lime and a dark blue gatorade (which lasted until the end of my second trimester). It's crazy to think about my little man and how up until a year ago he didn't even exist. Now I cannot imagine my life without him, being him momma is the best gift I've ever been given.
Okay enough with the sappy, let's see some pics!
9 weeks
17 weeks
20 Weeks
Born 40 weeks 1 day
Friday, February 8, 2013
Crafty moms know how to party!
So anyone who knows me knows that when I got pregnant I became OBSESSED with thebump.com. Seriously though, it was a great resource for me when I was pregnant. When I had a question the first place I went was there. While I was on there I discovered the Birth Month message boards (again, thanks to Miss Megan! I am now sporting her button, go check out her blog!) As odd as it sounds, I became very close with this group of ladies who were all expecting in the month of October. Over time a large group of us decided to split off thebump, and started a facebook group. I won't lie to you all, most days I check the Patch Page (pumpkin patch as we call ourselves) before I check my actual news feed.
Now here's the craft part. Our group loves gift exchanges! We did a baby shower exchange while we were pregnant, baby's first ornament exchange for Christmas, a book exchange, and nowwww a craft exchange!
When I told Kyle about this he literally laughed at me! "What are you going to do! I've never seen you make ANYTHING!". Cue shocked and straight up offended wife! I AM CRAFTY! I have always been crafty! I have a closet full of craft supplies at my parents house! And then I thought about it, I haven't made a single craft since I lived on campus in Northridge. And before that? Probably my sophomore year of high school? So sad!
So not only am I making a craft for the exchange, but I am making a vow to make more of my own things. Gifts, housewares, decorations. One, it feels good, and two, you can save so much money, and really, that's what my life is all about now. ;-)
So I start here, with my craft exchange gift. Here's what I started with:
Now here's the craft part. Our group loves gift exchanges! We did a baby shower exchange while we were pregnant, baby's first ornament exchange for Christmas, a book exchange, and nowwww a craft exchange!
When I told Kyle about this he literally laughed at me! "What are you going to do! I've never seen you make ANYTHING!". Cue shocked and straight up offended wife! I AM CRAFTY! I have always been crafty! I have a closet full of craft supplies at my parents house! And then I thought about it, I haven't made a single craft since I lived on campus in Northridge. And before that? Probably my sophomore year of high school? So sad!
So not only am I making a craft for the exchange, but I am making a vow to make more of my own things. Gifts, housewares, decorations. One, it feels good, and two, you can save so much money, and really, that's what my life is all about now. ;-)
So I start here, with my craft exchange gift. Here's what I started with:
And here's the finished product:
Fashioned after the letters that can be purchased at Anthropologie, for a FRACTION of the price. And even though wrapping the yarn around that J was a pain in my arse, it only took about an hour and a half to make. Damn, it feels good to be me ;-)
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Going Green, to save some green! Step One
Okay so I am all for going green and being environmentally friendly, I recycle I reuse, but any one who knows me knows I have never gone too far beyond that. Just not my lifestyle. Call it a change of heart, call it growing up, or just chalk it up to being more educated, but I have come to realize that going green can have way more benefits than just the environment. And being the secretly selfish person that I am (lets be real, we're all a little selfish, right? RIGHT? Oh...), I have also realized that there are some serious monetary benefits for me and my family. And in this economy an accidental stay at home mom can use all the extra cash she can get.
Step One:
Cloth Diapers. That's right everyone, I said it, cloth dipes. Raise your hand if you think I am nuts (oh look, I raised mine too!). What you need to know is, these days, these are not your momma's (or grandmomma's) cloth diapers. I say cloth diapers and most people think those little gerber cloths we use for burp rags, diaper pins, and plastic pants. These have gone the way of Ferbies, Doug, and Hostess, all once beloved, but alas, have been replaced. Thanks to my beautiful friend Megan (hey when you're done here go check our her blog!) I have been shown the error of my ways. Yes there are still prefolds (those burp rags) and covers (sans pins though, Hallelujah), but now there more options. Pockets, Fitteds, All in Ones (or Twos), Snaps, Aplix, the list goes on!
So here I sit, I have officially purchased 20 cloth diapers, enough to start my rotation. I am just waiting for the last few to come in the mail. Fluff mail is the best, I get so giddy, when my diapers show up! Once they are all here the adventure can begin! Wish us luck, and say a prayer!
Step One:
Cloth Diapers. That's right everyone, I said it, cloth dipes. Raise your hand if you think I am nuts (oh look, I raised mine too!). What you need to know is, these days, these are not your momma's (or grandmomma's) cloth diapers. I say cloth diapers and most people think those little gerber cloths we use for burp rags, diaper pins, and plastic pants. These have gone the way of Ferbies, Doug, and Hostess, all once beloved, but alas, have been replaced. Thanks to my beautiful friend Megan (hey when you're done here go check our her blog!) I have been shown the error of my ways. Yes there are still prefolds (those burp rags) and covers (sans pins though, Hallelujah), but now there more options. Pockets, Fitteds, All in Ones (or Twos), Snaps, Aplix, the list goes on!
So here I sit, I have officially purchased 20 cloth diapers, enough to start my rotation. I am just waiting for the last few to come in the mail. Fluff mail is the best, I get so giddy, when my diapers show up! Once they are all here the adventure can begin! Wish us luck, and say a prayer!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Staying at home
Ladies and gents (let's be real, it's probably only my close girlfriends that will read this) I started a blog!
My name is Katie, I've been married to my husband Kyle for 1 year and 3 months and on October 31, 2012 we welcomed out first born, Mister Elias Ryan to our lives.
How is one an accidental stay at home mom you may ask? Well its quite the story. I never intended to stay home, I always assumed I would get too bored and be in dire need of adult interaction other than my husband.
That's why it came as a total shock to me when one week before I was to return to my office job, I started to panic. I can't leave my baby, he's too little, he needs me, he's not ready, I'M NOT READY! However, I was not ready to admit these thoughts out loud, so I kept busy with prep work thinking once I was at work I'd be fine. WRONG! I was not fine, and to make it worse, I had the baby with me. I spent my entire first day back completely high strung feeling like I was failing because I wasn't doing either of my jobs 100%. Being at work with my baby I could neither give my all to my job nor my son, it was a balancing act I was definitely losing.
Well, it would seem God had a different plan for my working situation. At the end of my work day a few things about my scheduling drastically changed, all unforseen, and after looking at my finances I realized maybe I really wasn't ready, maybe my baby does need me, and MAYBE my husband and I don't need me to work as bad as I thought? After accounting for all the expenses that go with being a working mom (gas, childcare, car maintenance, etc.) we decided that for the time being it would be better for me to take this time to be with our son.
I could not have felt happier or more relieved (this from the women who thought she'd be BORED at home) to know that, at least for now, I get to be home and spend my days with this GAWGEOUS face ;-)
My name is Katie, I've been married to my husband Kyle for 1 year and 3 months and on October 31, 2012 we welcomed out first born, Mister Elias Ryan to our lives.
How is one an accidental stay at home mom you may ask? Well its quite the story. I never intended to stay home, I always assumed I would get too bored and be in dire need of adult interaction other than my husband.
That's why it came as a total shock to me when one week before I was to return to my office job, I started to panic. I can't leave my baby, he's too little, he needs me, he's not ready, I'M NOT READY! However, I was not ready to admit these thoughts out loud, so I kept busy with prep work thinking once I was at work I'd be fine. WRONG! I was not fine, and to make it worse, I had the baby with me. I spent my entire first day back completely high strung feeling like I was failing because I wasn't doing either of my jobs 100%. Being at work with my baby I could neither give my all to my job nor my son, it was a balancing act I was definitely losing.
Well, it would seem God had a different plan for my working situation. At the end of my work day a few things about my scheduling drastically changed, all unforseen, and after looking at my finances I realized maybe I really wasn't ready, maybe my baby does need me, and MAYBE my husband and I don't need me to work as bad as I thought? After accounting for all the expenses that go with being a working mom (gas, childcare, car maintenance, etc.) we decided that for the time being it would be better for me to take this time to be with our son.
I could not have felt happier or more relieved (this from the women who thought she'd be BORED at home) to know that, at least for now, I get to be home and spend my days with this GAWGEOUS face ;-)
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