Sunday

So, this weekend was interesting. Well, Saturday was pretty great. We went up north and took the docks out at Hubs Grandmothers. It was nice, cool but nice, and Button had a blast.

Then we went home, and I tried cutting her bangs ... BIG MISTAKE! She turned her head (that is my story and I am sticking to it!) .... it looked awful. I know it will grow back,  but I hate that I did this to her. I know it was an accident and that she will look fine, but come on! Oh well. What is done is done, and MIL helped fix it Sunday ... So she doesn't look so much like a little boy anymore.

Sunday was a different story. She was so tired! But she was up bright and early. And then she was all over the place. Throwing temper tantrums. Acting like a crazy little person. Driving me nuts.

So we finally went for a car ride - and she fell asleep. I was thankful. I thought, this will be great. She can take a catnap now, and then her real nap later.

No way.

We went to the in-laws for some football fun and had a great time, but towards the end, she started acting up so I took her home. More temper tantrums. No nap - she would not sit still!

Finally, about 7pm she fell asleep in my arms. I love those moments. I know that she will drive me absolutely crazy from time to time, but I love when she snuggles in and sleeps.

Of course, this morning, she didn't want to get up - she crawled into bed with me about 5:45am and was still zonked out a little before 7am when I got her up to get ready for school.

And she picked Monday to sleep in, when we all had to get up. :) I think she does that on purpose!

All About Cloth

So of you may know that I use cloth diapers (most of the time). I love them. They are so easy. And cheap. And I LOVE cheap.

What do I use? I have a small collection, mostly prefolds and covers. Prefolds are like the diapers your mom used for you with safety pins. But pins are no more. You can fold them and put them into a cover, that snaps or Velcros onto your child and BAM! they have a diaper on. It is great. Then, you change it as needed and instead of throwing it away, put it in your laundry (I suggest separate loads from your real clothes though!).

For me, I have several brands, but I love Thirsties covers. What I have learned is that I like the snaps better than the Velcro (kids learn how to rip off Velcro ... who knew?!). The snaps also tend to last longer. A great tip, Thirsties has an outlet. That means cheap diapers. I buy them there when I can find them.

For nighttime, I use Flip covers. Why? Because I can stuff more into them. I use a prefold and then some extra inserts. This prevents leaking (for the most part) if you child is a heavy wetter, which mine is.

I have a few Bummis covers, but they are Velcro. See above why I dislike Velcro. Although, my sister prefers it. Maybe her son does not pull his diaper off as much. What I LOVE from Bummis are the flushable cloth liners. Why? Makes poop easy to clean up. When I remember to use them. (That is the key for easy clean up - remembering to put the liner in!)

I don't use cloth wipes. No real reason, other than I am lazy and wipes are cheap. I have some. They look pretty in the drawer, but I never remember to get them wet to use as wipes. Plus, the disposable ones are right there.

I dislike All-In-One's (AIO's). They just don't seem to fit Button very well. Plus you have to have more of them. I have a million prefolds and several covers, but I would need one AIO for each diaper she would use a day, times like 3. That is too many for me. Plus, I get pretty colored covers and have fun. Covers can be used again in the same day before washing - unless of course there is poop on them. Then I would strongly recommend washing before using again. But I know people who love AIO's. Just not me.

I would also suggest finding a local retailer. Mine is the Mom and Pop Place. This place is amazing. You can go there and get sucked into all kinds of cloth diaper things, toys, games, and more. Plus they have really good food in their cafe and a play area for kids. What more do you need when you have a child who is taking a sick day but really isn't sick??

This got longer than I expected. One last thing - it is only about 2 extra loads of laundry per week. I can handle that. And we do keep disposables on hand for when I don't get the laundry done (it happens from time to time), traveling (we do use cloth while traveling, it just depends on where we are going), and for Hubs. What can I say, he tries hard, but never quite understood cloth. But he loves the money we save!

Have a great weekend!!

It's A ..

Girl!!!

We are excited to be welcoming another little girl into out lives. At the end of January we will be blessed with another baby girl. Everything looks good so far, and I can't tell you how excited we are. 

Just wanted to share!

Anticipation

This anticipation is killing me. At first, when we found out we were expecting again, I thought I could wait until the baby was born.

Now that I know we are going in tomorrow to find out if this baby is a HE or a SHE, I can't seem to wait. I want to know now! I can't remember if it was like this with Button, but I am so excited I am ready to burst.

Now, to tell you the truth, I don't care either way, I just want to know. I want to go out and get cute little outfits, and something to bring Baby home in. I want to call this baby HE or SHE instead of Baby. I want to know if I need to get anything specific and get out the tubs in the basement and get everything organized.

One more day. 26 hours or so, give or take a few minutes and offices running late, we will be getting out anatomy scan.

Now, I know this scan is about SO MUCH MORE than just gender. With Button, there was an abnormality. We had to go see a specialist because of an echogenic foci on her heart, which can be a marker for Down Syndrome. It was a scary, scary time. We saw a genetic counselor, we had a long ultrasound, we saw the specialist, then back to the genetic counselor for more discussion on our options and what we wanted to do. We declined the amino - the risk was not worth the knowledge to me. It truly did not matter, I loved Button so much by that time, it did not matter, as long as she was happy and healthy and would be part of our lives for a long time.

I am nervous something like this might happen again. I know it is a possibility they might find something worth looking at in more detail. I know that we might have to make the trip to the larger hospital and the specialist again. But I also know that I will get to see my precious baby tomorrow and find out (if she or he is willing!) if baby is a boy or a girl.

So I am excited, nervous, happy, and can't wait to find out everything and to see my little one. Baby has been kicking up a storm and I am getting super excited to meet this little one.

It is interesting, how much more excited I get towards the end of pregnancy. This is the point that everything becomes more and more real to me. I can feel Baby moving. I KNOW that Baby is in there.

And I can't wait! :)

Mommy and Me Classes

Ok, so two posts in one day. Very usual.

As you may have guessed, I work full time. But I would love to do more than just a swimming lesson class with Button. But all the Mommy and Me classes are during the day.

This drives me crazy. I want to take her to a tumbling class. Or dance. Or whatever. But everything is Monday - Friday during the day. Morning really.

What about us? What about those of us who work full time? Shouldn't our kids get tumbling or dance or art classes? Can't we have a few that are after 4pm?

Sure, she loves swimming, and I love taking her to swimming. But I just want something more.

Ok, done now. I will get her signed up for swimming in October. Just beware, it won't be a whale in the water with her, just her very pregnant mother!

Belly Button

When I was in college, I had my belly button pierced. Then, I had a few surgeries, normal stuff, appendix and gallbladder, and they had to take it out. Since my tummy was scarred in several places, I got it pierced again. Hey, I was young and wore a bikini.

Fast forward to my first pregnancy. I had a maternity ring that I wore sometimes but used mainly to check the hole from time to time to see if it was still open. It didn't close, and I was able to put back in my barbell after I had Button.

This time around, I keep checking it, but also wonder why. Why am I checking this? What is the point of it? Sure, I have a great solid gold barbell I had made on a trip to Cairo, but really, will I ever going to show my tummy again? I have scars from surgery. I have stretch marks. And let's be honest, I have plenty of flub. I never was a tiny person (ok, there was that one summer when I worked at the SCUBA diving camp, but that was about it) and even though I work at it.

So why? Am I chasing my youth? Do I just like it that much? Do I wonder what it will look like after this baby?

I mean, no one really ever sees it anyway. But I keep making sure the hole does not close so I can put the pretty gold ring back in.

I am starting to wonder if I am "chasing youth" a little bit. I never thought of myself past the age of about 24 even though I am about 31. Not old by any means, but no longer a carefree twenty something who has no responsibilities. I work full time. I'm married. I am raising a kid (soon to be kids!).

So why? I am just wondering. I think part of it is fear that if I let that go, what will be left there on my now really ugly tummy, scars and stretch marks, but no pretty gold ring to distract from it all. But who sees it anyway??

That is my Monday Morning Thought. Have a great day!

Pedicure

I need a pedicure. BAD.

I remember (before kids, when we were DINKs) getting one at least once per month. And loving every second of it. My toes looked so pretty and I didn't have to do a thing but sit and relax while someone massaged away the callouses on my feet and made me feel pretty.

It has been months. And my last two sucked. I mean, they were really bad.

So the goal for today is to leave work at 2pm, get a pedi, then get Button from daycare. I know, I know. I should get her and go home and play outside.

But my toes really, really want to look pretty. I am giving in!!! Pedi here I come.
(If I can leave work at 2pm .... )

One of those Days

It is one of those days again. One of those days when I want to be home with my little girl.

Last night was terrible. I ate too much too late and then got sick. When I finally fell asleep on the couch, Button woke up at 1am. I was feeling better and climbed into bed with her until she fell back asleep then moved to my own bed. At 4am she was up again, and Hubs went to go get her and bring her to bed with us. She was up at 5am with Hubs and then again at 6am when I finally caved in and got up too. I mean, I still had to go to work today.

We got to daycare and she didn't want me to go. She loves it there - her friends, her teachers. But some mornings, all she wants is Mommy. And as one of her teachers had to peel her off me she was fussing and would not wave or say bye. She ALWAYS waves and yells "Bye" ...

Now I am having trouble concentrating at work and want to go home. I am tired, but hey, I can get through it. But all I want to do is get her from school early and go for a walk or play or ride her new bike.

I love her so much. I know that things will all work out, I am just not sure how yet. But it will, I know that much!

Halfway!!

Yesterday I hit 20 weeks. This is a big deal as I am now officially half way through my pregnancy. 20 weeks down, 20 to go.

For me, this is when it really starts to be fun and exciting. Next week we find out the baby's sex and can really start planning. I am feeling Baby move more and more. Plus, we are going into fall, and I love fall.

I am not uncomfortable yet, but I am also not always comfortable. Sleeping has become more interesting, but it is working. It helps that Button has been going down better and sleeping (most nights) straight through.

We are also having success in potty training. She is going poop and peepee on the potty and at home is asking more and more to go. I have asked Daycare to also help with this, since she is doing so well.

My mom came for the weekend, and it was SO GREAT to see her. We went shopping and ran errands and went out to lunch and played outside. She also got Button her very first bike and helmet. Apparently this is one of those bikes without pedals that is really good for kids to learn balance. My sister got one for my nephew and she does all kinds of research, so it must be true. Me, I ask friends or buy what looks cute. So sue me.

Plus, football is back. I love football. It means its fall and chili time and time to hang out and have fun around the house.

So that was my weekend. Back to work for the week, counting down the days until I am free again for a few days to spend all day with Button, playing. I know these nice days will soon start to fade into winter, with snow. And I will get bigger and bigger and it will get harder to move around. But such is life for a pregnant Mommy to be!