Monday, January 30, 2017

3 month update

August is 3 months!
He's doing great. Still eating well, slept 7 hours last night, and is generally a pretty happy guy.
We have been doing the cloth diapers since 6 weeks or so, I forget, and it is going good. I have to do a load of diapers maybe every 2-3 days, so that's not bad, it's easy. The only problem is his diaper pail was too small to hold more than a days-worth. So we still use that pail for the disposables he wears at night, and then just have a trash can in the corner of his room with a wet bag liner, but it doesn't close so by the 3rd day it is smelling pretty ripe in there! I could've gotten a trash can with a lid, but since I wanted it to fit between the wall and dresser none of them were wide enough. Oh well.
I went back to work last week. One day he was with my mom, and the past weekend he was with Daddy. Everyone did great. I came home and Doug had kept a little chart of when he ate and slept and then the next day it was pretty close within a half hour! So today I tried to keep one, but he's super off. He was only sleeping 45 mins for Doug, and it just hit 2 hours over here for me. Every day is a bit different!
He hasn't gotten any colds again, and he's made it to 3 months without getting Pertussis so we are pretty thankful for being out of the super dangerous window and feel ok about our decision to delay his vaccinations.
I wish he liked to cuddle more, I try wearing him in the Ergo but he's not super excited about it. So then bought another carrier (since my Ergo won't let baby face out) I almost like this one more and it was only $25. But he still doesn't last too long in it either.
it looks like he's trying to see how he looks in the camera :)
His neck is pretty controlled now, he's been sitting in his Bumbo chair
He was going to town gnawing on that thing.
Still fits in his 0-3 month clothes, all the torsos are a little too short for the cloth diapers but we're making it work. Maybe someday I'll either make or buy some of those onesie extenders.
That little hat! When Doug and I got the gender test results back at about 9 weeks we had the nurse leave it in a voicemail, then we went to Baby Gap and picked out a pink hat and a blue hat, asked the cashier to listen to the voicemail and then ring us up for the right gender while we weren't looking. Then we went out to dinner and opened the bag, that's how we found out we were having a boy. Seeing that little blue hat in the bag that day, and now seeing it on my precious baby boy, oh the feelings!!
He's such a cutie.
2 cuties! I'm very blessed.
I'm starting to see the resemblance to his daddy in the eyes/eyebrows, took me awhile to see it.
So anyway, we are all doing very well :)

Monday, January 23, 2017

the nursery tour

I guess I never did a post on August's nursery, here it is:
here was the room before
I put the pallet wall up myself. Real pallets can be dirty and full of chemicals, so we used wood from my dad from a old pipe organ crate he had made. I cut all the boards in the garage with a saw and used the nail gun to put them up
I went thru with "stainable" caulk and patched hundreds of little nail holes. Then we stained it to discover it wasn't stainable at all! It looked awful. It was almost polka dotted. So then Doug went thru and with a pocket knife scraped out all my putty and put in this wax crayon stain that matched the color of the stain we used. It was a huge pain. But looks great now.
I got this lantern online, it had been a kerosene lamp but they altered it to be electric. I wanted navy, but when it came it was a bright teal blue. So then I spray painted it this nice hunter green, turned out great I think!
We painted the walls a soft light brown. We chose an outdoorsy theme so lots of wood and nature. The park posters were from Amazon, and I did some free Bible verse printables. I got all the frames from Wal-mart. There is our little mushroom bank from Austria. The Jesus poster Doug had already, it's really cool, His whole face is made up of Bible verses and some tiny drawing of like a shepherd with his lambs.
The crib was Jenny Lind from amazon, I got the mobile pieces in a garland and strung them into this mobile myself- it plays 'the teddy bears picnic which my Dad always sang to us, and the quilt was handmade by my aunt.
more National park art over the changing station.
Bookcase and rocking chair from Craigslist.
Doug made this curtain rod from an old paddle.
This is how his room looks now, with the rocking chair that I was rocked in as a baby!
I love this sweet little room. I used to go in there before he was born and rock the cat. Look at all his tiny clothes. Look at his books and imagine reading and singing to him. Look at the art and hope he'd be a little boy going on adventures with us. I get so sad every time Doug talks about moving.
Such a cute room and he hasn't spent one night in it yet. We use his room for changing and getting dressed, but so far he sleeps in a little side bed in our room.
My friend Liz's husband made this side-bed for their son and we're borrowing it. It's so great having him close. Doctors recommend babies be with mom and dad until 6 months, supposed to make them "feel more secure", and lessens the chances of SIDS. I love having him close. I'd planned on transitioning him at 10 weeks into his own room before I went back to work, but he's still getting up 1-2x per night, so I haven't. It's pretty easy, I hear him stirring and wiggling, just change his diaper, nurse, and we go right back to sleep. He's never really laid there crying, so that's great.
A mini tour of this crib, haha, a pad to catch diaper leaks, mostly catches spit-ups; a pile of diapers and wipes by the feet, a trash bag hangs at the end for dirties; he's swaddled at night and gets a blanket on top; he's got a little turtle mirror there he can admire himself; little mittens for when he wiggles his hands out and they are cold; and a flashlight we used to use a lot when he was little to peek at him; a white noise machine (we already sleep with a fan, but sometimes if he's fussy he gets the waves too); and recently a piece of cardboard wedged between our beds. A couple times I've woken up to see he's inch-wormed himself into the crack, he definitely can't fall through, I just worried he'd smother himself in my covers.
Anyway, I love having him close. I stink at side-lying nursing so still have to sit up and get the Brest-friend pillow and nurse, but it's super quick and easy. I think if he was in his own room by the time the monitor picked him up he'd be crying too loud and it would be hard to calm back down, I love how quick it is to grab him or sometimes just reach over and pat his head and he'll go back to sleep. I don't think he'll stay till 6 months, but when he can sleep thru the night, out he'll go. Doug says we can re-do the wall at the next house, but it was so much work! We'll see.

Friday, January 20, 2017

a week of vegan meals

Started the week with a week of vegan meals. August has been spitting up a lot, and Liz thinks it's dairy. So why not try a dietary change? She had given me a recipe book of 1000 vegan recipes for my birthday and I hadn't even made one. It was a cookbook with no pictures, crazy right?! We eat with our eyes first, but I cracked it open and tried a couple.
This was an African-inspired stew over couscous. This was delicious.
This was the Jamaican-inspired stew, again over couscous. It had coconut milk, so it was smooth, but the African one tasted better I thought.
A recipe from Alicia Silverstone's Kind Diet, ginger baked tofu. Meh. I like tofu when the Thai restaurants make it, but I cannot duplicate this apparently. Doug actually liked it more than I did.
I made another of hers a fried Udon noodles with cabbage, but it had a lot of paprika in it, and I guess I don't really care for paprika. Neither of us wanted the leftovers so that one went into the trash.
Side of berries. That Fresh Thyme grocery store, when they have deals, they have good deals!
A favorite from Oh She Glows, butternut squash black bean burritos with avocado.
And another tasty recipe, Spicy Vegan Potato Curry. So good.
But did it help with the spit up? I don't really think so. It just seems like some days he spits up a lot, some days hardly at all. And I don't understand this: I nurse him at night and he goes right back to sleep and almost never spits up? So I think it can't be food related. Plus isn't my milk dairy? ... anyway...
Today some of Doug's old co-workers came over for lunch, I made non-vegetarian chili and cornbread. And little August dressed up to watch the inauguration of President Trump. Now a lazy afternoon awaits us, a last chance to relax before I go back to work next week! :(
Whats the deal with these protesters?! So brave in their masks and vandalizing streets and cars, smashing in the windows of a Starbucks?! What does that even have to do with not liking Trump? Way to be responsible citizens. What happened to peaceful demonstrations of MLK and Ghandi? I was in the anti-abortion march in DC one year and all we did was march and show up. Nothing like this. Geez, here's hoping for better things ahead for our country. And there ya go, there's a guy in a Free Hugs t-shirt, that's the kind of US I want to live in. Anyway.
Back to food real quick, nursing cravings are more serious than pregnancy cravings!! Last night I tried to get Doug to go get me a chicken tender, however, my craving was not taken as seriously unfortunately, and by the time he said he'd go get it for me, the restaurant was closed! However, it was funny, he was pretending to be on the phone with them.. "oh Chicken Shack, you closed at 9:45 (it was 9:46), oh what's that? Your chicken will taste even better tomorrow?" It was pretty funny I have to say.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

2017 goals

I started writing this post in the end of December, then Kelly's husband died and I've been so brokenhearted for her. I still am, and I still just cannot believe he's gone.
When I think about things from that mindset a list of goals just seems so piddly. However, here I am, and if I'm not intentional, this whole year will pass me by. So I do have some 'goals':
- Plan vegan dinners 2-3 times a week
- Take a trip together. I really want to go to Acadia National Park in Maine. We are thinking maybe early October for a fall colors tour. However, a 15 hour road trip with a one year old? We shall see...
- Finish reading the Old Testament.
- Breastfeed August to 12 months.
- Memorize one scripture passage per month.
- Goal together with Doug, turn this house into our first rental property, and find a new house to move into.
- Spend as much time holding August as possible.
- Hug Doug whenever he wants.
This year I just want to be more intentional about everything. I struggle with being a task oriented versus people oriented person. I find my mind often just thinking about my to-do list and not really on stuff that really matters, people, relationships, what God has for me. Sometimes Doug hugs me and I just half-heartedly hug him and then go off to fold laundry or do something else. And he notices. He's told me, 'someday I'll be gone and you'll miss this'. Ouch. And I know he's right.
And all too soon this little boy will be grown and won't want to be kissed or nap on his mama's chest. I need to be present now.
Last year a friend asked me to think about a word and a verse for 2016, this is what I chose:
But did I do it? I don't really think so. I am thankful for what the Lord has done in this past year, however, I don't know if I've really felt gratitude deep down in my soul. And I want to. And that verse, I want to fully trust God and be so rooted in Him.
Overall this year I want to be more intentional. I want to think on that word and verse daily until it sinks in. I want to meditate on God's word and have it take root in my life. I want my husband to know how much I value and love him. I want my son to know I'll come when he needs me. I want my friends to know I care and want to live life together. I want to be a smart, caring nurse.
This year my word will be grace/gracious. I want to think about this word and have it become a part of my daily attitude and actions. And my first Bible memory verse is John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

prayers requested

My dear friend Kelly lost her husband yesterday evening. Suddenly, unexpectedly, much too soon. Husband of 12 years, father of 3 beautiful children, son, brother, friend. I smiled through my tears imagining him walking into the open arms of our Father in heaven, but it is so unimaginably hard for Kelly and their children.
Please pray for my friend Kelly in the upcoming days, weeks, months, years. Minute by minute I know she will get through this leaning on God's strength and providence and love for her and her children. There will be so many hard days ahead. Please pray for her children to continue to trust in the Lord.
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1b-3a

Sunday, January 1, 2017

A look back at my 2016 goals

How I did on my 2016 goals:
- finish out my BSF Bible study strong. I wanted to join this study but I never want to do the homework and most of the time don't want to actually go to the study! Altho I am always happy when I'm there. I finished the Revelations study and am now in the BSF study of the gospel of John. I still feel the same, sometimes not wanting to go, but I do think it's definitely good for me.
- read the entire OT straight through. Fail. I only made it through Numbers.
- re-do the front landscape in our yard. Done!
I finished this project last May. We'll see how it held up over the fall/winter. I'm sure I'll need to re-mulch. I'm hoping to have better luck and further growth in the spring, especially with my boxwoods, hydrangeas, and peonies. Doug is really wanting us to move next year, so goodbye all my hard work! It really takes years to develop a garden.
- passport stamp!! Doug and I are in the early trip planning stages. Yes! We went on a 12 day trip to the Netherlands, Germany and Austria, resulting in 2 passport stamps :)
- do a devotional guide several evenings a week with Doug either over dinner or before bed. Boo, another fail. We really need to do this. Although, starting Tuesday Doug and I will be taking an Apologetics course together through the Detroit Bible Institute, so that will be good.
- finish a couple books that I am only halfway through: Emotional Spirituality, Made to Crave, and some marriage ones I have on the nightstand. Geez, maybe next year I should look at these goals more often so I don't forget about them all! I did read some in each of these books, but I don't think I finished any of them.
- find a church to attend and get involved in together, preferably in the first half of the year. Ok, we are at least closer in this decision. We have been attending a church we both like and are getting a lot out of the messages so far, it's not perfect, but it seems pretty good.
- And probably like many others, I would like to lose about 5lbs. I feel healthier and have more energy at that lower weight. Oddly enough, I think I met this goal. First gained 25lbs while pregnant, but lost 30, so guess I did that. I still want to stay consistent with exercising and eating healthier more whole foods and plant based meals in 2017.
Overall 2016 was a great year, of course with the biggest blessing being the much hoped for pregnancy and birth of our son August. We also dreamed and planned together for our future, traveled, had dinner and game nights with friends and family, Doug earned his 4th Associate's Degree, and I am 4 classes away from my BSN. I am excited for all that 2017 holds!