The Most Random Post Ever

My silence is not because anything bad is happening or that I am feeling bad from this pregnancy. It has just been that - Silence.

I've been spending a lot of my free time sewing, which has left me not in the mood to blog. Sorry. I wish I had a better excuse, but I the fact is when I am not in the mood to blog, I'm just not in the mood.

But I know that many of my friends and family near and far read to know updates on our lives so here is a very random update on our lives:

• Calan is basically potty trained. YEAH. We have issues with the big No. 2, but he is getting there. We have not had him in a diaper since the day we started potty training. We have had good days and bad days, but I am happy to say the bad days do seem to be behind us. He knows when he has to go No.2, but unfortunately won't sit long enough to do his business, so we are back and forth to the potty a ton when he has to go and it literally is a game of rouilette if we make it or not. This morning was a success; 2 days ago, not so much. It is different having only one kid in diapers. I have to make myself do diaper laundry since I have so many diapers to choose from I never run out. 
• I am officially in my third trimester. I will be 29 weeks tomorrow and I am so done being pregnant. I wondered if I would feel done with this third pregnancy and feel like our family was complete. Well, let me tell you, I know that I am done. I am so over being pregnant and so ready for this little girl to get here. The days and weeks are ticking by so slowly. Winter is not helping either. This pregnancy is not any worse than my others, but being pregnant for basically 3 years is enough. I am done. I am ready to move on from this part of our lives. I am ready to just focus on our family and develop our family bond. (Now if something were to happen, we would be happy about it, but there will be no more planned Wilsons.)
• Maisie is talking and learning new words every day. My favorite is the way she says thank you. It comes out "dank ooo." She is really starting to come into her own. She is definitely a little momma's girl. I am sure that when her sister gets here that is going to be a little bit of an issue, but I love all the hugs and kisses I get from her now. She is seriously adorable. (I'm bias, I know). 
• We've been taking the kids to swim lessons on Saturdays at our local high school. We have all really enjoyed it as a family. Maisie is quite the little fish and took to everything really well. Calan takes a little while to open up in the water. Bob and I have both really enjoyed do this as a family. I guess these are the things that will be hard to give up once we are out numbered. I am so glad we did it while we could. 
• We are looking forward to transitioning Calan to a big boy bed. He is ready. His rocking is way better, but he still does it when he wakes up and it is usually accompanied by loud singing as he pounds into the rails of his crib. I am praying that transitioning to a big boy bed resolves the rest of the body rocking issue. We are moving our full-size bed that is currently in our spare bedroom since the spare bedroom will now be the nursery. Once the bed is moved, I'll be able to start setting up the nursery. Yeah. 
• I am so excited about this little one's nursery. I am basically making everything. I have been sewing up a storm and I am loving everything. I can't wait to share it with all of you. Everything that I am making should transition perfectly into a room that the girls will share in about a year or so. 
• Have I mentioned I've been sewing? If you follow me on Instagram, you've been bombarded with my sewing pics. I am completely obsessed. I have sewn bibs, burp cloths, clothes, nursery items, etc. I just can't seem to stop. Tonight I hope to make a pillow for the nursery. I am going to miss my craft space once it becomes the nursery. I am going to have to figure something out. It has been a great stress reliever and creative outlet for me. I don't think I will be able to give it up at this point.

Life is just moving along. We are all doing really well. I am counting down the days till winter is over with. Bring on the sunshine and warmth.

Calan got this helmet at the grocery store and kept calling it
his "football hat." Can you tell we are Spartan fans? Go Green. 

We took the kids down to the park one snowy day. They had fun, we froze.
I can't wait for spring. 

Here's Maisie just talking on the phone. She jabbers away. (P.S. I made
the shirt she is wearing and made a matching dress for her sister.)

Here's Calan waiting patiently to go golfing. It was a random 60 degree day
in January, so we had to take him to the range to test out his Christmas
present. He loved it. He kept cheering for himself, Bob, and everyone
around us. He doesn't quite understand that golf is a quiet sport.

Here's a sneak peek at one of my nursery projects. These will be fabric
bins that will hang above her changing area and hold things like wipes
and creams.

Feeling a bit sentimental these days

I am in full-on birthday-party mode. Calan will be 2 on Sunday. I will be the mother of a 2-year-old. OH MY GOSH. Where did the time go?

I will no longer have 2-under-2. I will have a 1- and 2-year-old. When did that happen?

I look back to Calan's first birthday and can't believe that he was so little when I thought he was so big and can't believe I was so big, when I thought I was so little. I was 9 months pregnant with Maisie and my big little guy wasn't even walking yet.

I am feeling a little sentimental for my newborn babies, my non-moving, sleep-on-you babies. My wiggly, can't sit still babies are all over the place now. Their getting into all kinds of mischief.

I just want to hold on to those little babies for a little longer. Calan now tells me to "Let Go" when I have hugged him too long. I just want to hold him all the time.

I had to buy Maisie some 18 month summer clothes because she is already busting out of her 12 month clothes. She is so tall her shorts barely go over her fluffy butt and her Buddha belly is hanging out of her shirts.

I am now cooking for a family of 4. Maisie is eating basically everything that we are eating during meals. Unless I am being lazy, she rarely has pureed baby food anymore.


Everything feels like it is happening too quickly for me. I want to savor this year for a little longer. I want my babies to be just like they are for just a little longer.


I want Calan to sing at the top of his lungs "Farmer and the Dell" all the time. I want him to count "2, 3, 6, 1, 2, 3, 5" again and again. I want him to mumble prayers and say "Amen" when I am taking too long to say them so he can start eating. I want him to say "Dank you" when I hand him what he wants and "sure" when I finally repeat what he was trying to ask correctly forever.


I want Maisie to smile with her 4-tooth grin all day long. I want her to try and escape out of our family room and smile back at me to only turn and move faster wiggling her little butt. I want her to raise her hands above her head when I enter a room every time because she is so happy to see me. I want her to bee-line to any shoe left in her reachable space forever.


I want to remember it all. I am not ready for this season to be over. I thought I would be, but I am not. I love having 2 babies. I love watching them grow, but growing means one day they won't be babies anymore.

I know that they will always be my babies. I am just feeling a bit sentimental right now. I just want to hold on for a little bit longer. This momma isn't ready to let go.

Love that this little guy made me a mom. 

The picture I used to announce I was pregnant on Facebook.

Calan's first trip to the zoo. 

First birthday

My two babies. 

Confessions of a reading addict

So, again, this week has gotten away with me with little blogging. I wish that I could say that it was because I was so busy with my kids that I didn't have time or that I was so busy cleaning that I didn't have time or that I that I was doing anything else other than reading. But I started reading the Hunger Games Trilogy on Saturday and couldn't stop till all 3 were finished. I finished last night at midnight.

The house is s disaster. I have tons of laundry to do.

Hello, my name is Jodie and I am a reading addict. My husband thinks I am nuts. He thinks that I don't actually enjoy books because I have to get to the end as fast I can. The truth is just the opposite. I get so into characters that I need to know what happens to them.

I get this trait from my mother and father. (My sister and brother are the same way too.) I do not read all the time because I know when I pick up a book, I won't put it down till it is done.

Books are just so much better than movies, but because I am an addict, I can't always indulge my temptations. Movies are just sometimes better for me. About 2 hours and I am done. Instead of 5 days of neglect.

My kids were fed, they were changed and dressed, they were happy, but other than that, I was just a selfish mom this week.

So it goes without saying that I left little to no time for blogging.

But I have started the next week of the 4-week Freezer Challenge that I am doing and we had homemade waffles yesterday for breakfast. Yumm. All the dinners I made last week were delicious and are already coming in handy. Yesterday, we had the marinated chicken that I threw in the Crock-pot and tonight, we are making our own pizza. Tomorrow, we are going to have the freezer lasagna, and Saturday, we are having chicken kabobs on the grill (hopefully, it isn't raining). I highly recommend this challenge. It has been great so far!

As for our holiday weekend, it was great. I can't for the life of me remember what we did Friday, but Saturday was the Race for the Cure. We had a great time as a family, but I was a little saddened by the event. It was Memorial Day weekend, so I knew that attendance would be low, but to read some of the comments on news articles about the whole Planned Parenting issue, I was saddened by how many people are ruining this event. As a survivor, I want to walk proudly with family and enjoy my time with them. I hate that it was something else this year. I am praying that it is better and more uplifting next year. (It also rained, so that didn't help the mood either.)

Saturday night, we celebrated my husbands 31st birthday with family and friends at a local brewery that has a golf simulator attached to it. The guys had fun golfing. Since no other groups were playing, we had basically a private room for ourselves. It was GREAT! We came back to our house and finished the night with a bonfire. I love summer.

Sunday, I made Bob one of his favorite breakfasts croissant French toast and we did a little yard work during nap time. That night we spent with family celebrating Bob's actual birthday and just hanging out. My reading addiction was in full swing by Sunday night, so basically, I sat outside with everyone reading well into the night.

Monday, we went out and hung out with Bob's Mom's side of the family and met the newest family addition. Even though he is 7 months old, this was Kian's first trip to the United States. Bob's cousin and husband live in Germany and are visiting for a couple of weeks. Calan had a blast with all the kids around. He played and played and played and played. Maisie just kind of chilled and chewed on whatever she could.

Then it was Tuesday and life was back to reality, except for reading books 2 and 3 in the trilogy. I am glad I didn't miss everything this weekend, but I probably should not pick up another book till I can learn some self control. (Or maybe not.)

Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

The kids sharing a cart for the first time when we went to Costco to get ready for the weekend. They thought it was the best thing ever.

Bob's birthday dinner Saturday night - Crab legs and steak kabobs. I didn't really get anything for Bob this year, so I just focused on his stomach. Favorite dinner, breakfast, and snacks. He loved it all.

Bob taking his first shot on the golf simulator.

Part of our work on Saturday. I am really trying this year to keep our gardens looking good. Because I was pregnant or with a newborn the last two summers, I just let things go and did not care. This year, I care.

Bob's dad and Maisie on Sunday. Izzy (the dog) looks to be a little bit jealous.

Calan refusing to fall asleep on our way home from Bob's cousin's on Monday night.

 

P.S. I am trying to get some upcoming blog ideas. I know that this is a family blog, but is there anything you guys want to know about me or my family. As you know I am pretty much an open book. Having some ideas ready will hopefully help me stay on top of writing. So, if there is something you want to know more about please let me know. 

Would I do it again?

Would I have children so close in age if I could do it all over again? My answer overwhelmingly is YES!

Maisie was not a surprise. She was not an amazing accident. She was planned and hoped for.

We wanted our children close in age. We wanted our children to have a sibling. When I envisioned Calan growing up, I saw an unknown sibling with him, even from a young age.

Did I know what I was getting into? Absolutely not! Did I worry if I would be able to handle it? Absolutely. But I have not for one second thought that I should have done it differently. Having two children close in age isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for me.

I have had my ups and downs, of course. There are nights when I get little sleep because they have tagged teamed me and there are days when I wish I could get a break. I am human after all. But I think no matter what age children you have those feelings are no different if your kids are close in age or if they are not.

What I love about having 2 kids close in age is that I am doing it all at once. Yes, I have 2 kids in diapers, but if I have 1 kid might as well change another diaper. I would actually hate to get out of the diapering stage and then have to start all over again. (Someone else might see that differently, but that is the way I see it.) It is the same with food. If I am cutting up and preparing one meal, might as well make it two.

I love that toys are similar. There are no choking hazards laying around for Maisie to play with right now. Most toys are still "edible." I love that I already have to teach my son to share with someone else. His toys from what he can remember have never just been his. While most of the time, Maisie gives up a toy pretty easily, Calan does have to ask nicely to use it. Or he has to trade her for the toy that he wants. All life lessons that I am so happy that I have to teach now and every day.

I love that they still go to sleep at the same time and nap at the same time. I love that for 3 hours everyday, it is just me. I refresh. I blog. I can get things done. I can nap if I want. I can clean if I want. From 12:30 to 3 or 3:30 every day it is just me. LOVE THAT!

Of course, going out somewhere is not the easiest. It is one huge downfall to two small children. My diaper bag is huge. And eating out is not completely easy, but it is all possible.

I get so excited for this summer and watching Maisie walk along and follow her big brother. Or Calan reaching for Maisie's hand to walk with her somewhere. They are quite the duo already. I love hearing them laugh together from another room. The bond is growing.

Please do not get me wrong, siblings are siblings and there will always be issues, but close together or far apart, those issues are the same.

So, would I do it all over again? Yes. But am I ready for more? Not right now. I am not crazy after all.

Plus, both stay in a stroller, so no chasing after an older child. Containment is sometimes really, really good.  

How? When? And What Do I Need to Start Cloth Diapering?

Maisie's diaper stash before she was born. I now just use the colorful diapers (Katy-dids and Oh Katy's) on the right

We decided to cloth diaper Calan before he was born. I would love to say that we did it for the environment, but honestly it was for primarily financial reasons. (Though to be honest not sure how much money we really have saved.) Before being pregnant, I would have thought someone who cloth diapered was crazy, but knowing someone personally who cloth diapered made the idea less crazy and actually feasible back then.

There is a ton of information out there on how to cloth diaper and how to start, but reading it and actually doing it are two totally different things. I remember taking a how-to class and when it was done, Bob and I just stood there still overwhelmed by all the different options. While the class was priceless and beyond necessary, we still stood there clueless on what we actually needed and how to actually start. We knew we wanted to cloth diaper, but standing there overwhelmed made the idea seen crazier than we had already thought. 

So here is my tips on what you need to do to start cloth diapering:

• Signup for a how-to class at your local diaper store. If you are from Metro Detroit, check out Modern Natural Baby's classes. If you are from Ann Arbor area, Little Seedling is your go-to (Bob and I took their class).
• Before you buy any diapers visit a diaper store and actually touch different types of diapers. Cheaper diapers are cheaper for a reason, but the most expensive are not always best either. 
• After looking through diapers, Google search reviews on the diapers. There are hundreds of Mom-blogs that review cloth diapers. Find out the pros and cons, but remember no diaper is perfect and there is no perfect diaper for every baby.
• Decide if you are going to cloth diaper a newborn or wait till they are about 12 lbs. Newborn diapering requires a few extra purchases, but is absolutely feasible. Decide what you want to do for night-time diapering. As a newborn, a thick fitted works great, but it gets trickier as the baby gets older. We use disposables now, but we used fitteds at night for about 13 months before we went to disposables. 
• Now that you are filled with knowledge, REGISTER (if this is before your first baby). My friends and family really helped us get started.

What do you register for? (There are a ton of lists online, this is just what I would recommend to anyone)

1. Wetbags (2 medium)
2. Pail liners (2)
3. Diaper sprayer 
4. 24 prefolds (if cloth diapering a newborn)
5. Minimum of 3 small diaper covers  (if cloth diapering a newborn)
6. 3 cloth diaper snappies   (if cloth diapering a newborn)
7. Minimum of 20 one-size diapers (this is your main stash)
8. Variety of extra diapers (all-in-ones, pockets, etc.) 
9. 3 thick fitted diapers (for night-time diapers)
10. 3 hemp inserts (for night-time diapers)
11. 3 medium covers (for night-time diapers)
12. Minimum of 20 cloth wipes (easier than disposable wipes when you are cloth diapering, I think)
13. Cloth wipe solution
14. Cloth diaper safe detergent (I use Allen's Naturally)

You can register for a cloth-diaper safe diaper cream and a diaper pail too, but I would just buy a jar of coconut oil and a plastic tall trash can with a flip-lid. Just make sure that the trash can does not have step pedal. It ruins the pail liner.

Also, ask any questions. I don't know a single person who cloth diapers who doesn't like talking about it. Those that cloth diaper actually want to share their knowledge, so ask! Good Luck!

Long overdue 7 month / 20 month update

Well, this month is almost over, and Calan will be 21 months in 9 days, but I still haven't shared everything that has been going on for my 7- and 20-month-old. So here it is:

Sleeping

• I would love to say that Calan's rocking is done, but it is still going strong. I feel like a little bit of a broken record about it, but I just wish it would stop. We have tried intervening and we have tried ignoring; nothing seems to help. Though I have found that during nap time, if we get to him right as he starts, he will stay asleep his full nap. So, that is a little victory. His naps were hit or miss this month with some only an hour and a half and others a nice 3-hour nap. But his night sleep (besides rocking) has been good.
• Maisie is still sleeping upstairs. I thought I would try letting them nap together, but I found that one of them would ultimately wake up the other one too soon, so that was short lived. Just the other week, we tried night sleeping together, but unfortunately they got sick, so that was short lived. Maisie is great about missing a nap and making it up later. Calan was never like this. Most kid activities are during her morning nap, so if we are out and about, she usually doesn't nap. However, she takes a great 2.5- to 3-hour-nap in the afternoon and if needed, she will take a catnap from 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. My girl is a great sleeper other than ending up in bed with us each night around 4 a.m. till 7 a.m.

Eating

• Again, I sound like a broken record with Calan on eating. He loves his carbs and fruit, but meat and veggies are hit or miss. I try to hide them and he just eats around them. He would eat 20 bananas a day if I let him. There really haven't been any new foods; just trying to get him to eat vegetables. He has started to eat with a fork and spoon. He makes a mess, but he will eat more veggies if they are on a fork or spoon.
• Maisie is doing a lot better at eating solids. Though she still won't eat plain cereal. I usually just mix it with whatever veggies or fruit she is having with it. She has had bananas, pears, sweet potatoes, and peas. I have tried giving her Cheerios, but she does not seem interested in self-feeding yet. She still makes a bit of a mess with the solids, but at least they are being eaten.

Activities

• Well, TV watching is still more than I would like, but with the weather changing, I think this problem will fix itself. However, we have been doing more out of the house. We joined the Royal Oak Mom's Club and between that and other friends and outings, we have kept ourselves pretty busy. We have gone to a few indoor play centers and he really loves going down slides. He is such a social little guy. He loves to play chase with other kids. Some little 3- or 4-year-old usually matches up with him and let's him chase them around. He grins and laughs the whole time.
• Maisie is doing her thing. She is starting to move. She pushes herself around in a circle and scotches backward. She loves to be on the ground, and actually holding her is quite difficult because she twists and turns to be put down. She loves to be talked to and smiles and grins and kicks about when you just look at her. Cracks me up.

Schedule

• 7/7:30 a.m. – Maisie and Calan wake up. Maisie eats and gets dressed. Calan slowly rises and either plays with some toys or watches TV and drinks milk
• 8 a.m. – Family eats breakfast (even Maisie eats with us at the table).
• 8:30 a.m. – Bob leaves for work. I do a few chores and make some coffee and we play for a bit in our family room.
• 9 a.m.- Maisie naps and Calan plays in his pack-and-play. I either shower or do chores or just enjoy some me time.
• 10:00 a.m. – Calan and I play. I usually try to do some activity with him, but he usually does what ever he wants.
• 10:30 a.m. – Maisie wakes up.
• 11 a.m. – Maisie drinks a bottle.
• 11:30 a.m.- We have lunch (all of us).
• 12 p.m. – Calan and Maisie have blanket time. This means Maisie is usually on her play mat.
• 12:30 p.m. – Calan and Maisie naps. I do whatever needs to be done (me time, shower, blog, chores, etc.)
• 3 p.m. – Calan wakes up
• 3:30 p.m. – Maisie wakes up and has a bottle and Calan has a snack.
• 4 p.m. – We play or do some errands.
• 5 p.m. – I start cooking dinner, so either Calan continues playing well or if he is cranky, he has been playing in his pack-and-play again.
• 5:45 p.m. – Dinner for everyone.
• 6:15 p.m. – Bath time
• 6:45 p.m. – Maisie has her bottle
• 7 p.m. – Maisie and Calan bedtime
• 11 p.m. - Maisie has a small bottle
• 4 a.m. - Maisie tends to wake up and moves into bed with us (a HORRIBLE habit that we are going to try and break this weekend)

Overall

• Calan still is the happiest kid I know. Every time we are out and about, strangers comment on how smiley he is and ask if he is always that way. And besides when he is a bit cranky, he really is ALWAYS that smiley. If you just start laughing, he starts laughing. Cracks me up. He has become a great big brother and really has been amazing with Maisie, but I have noticed a little jealousy. For example if I am holding her in my lap, he tends to move on to my lap as well. He is learning to share a little. He knows the word, but says it as he takes whatever he wants or if we try to take back something, he holds tight saying, "share, share." Better than nothing I guess.
• Maisie is really on the move. She is inching her way to mobility. Not sure what I am going to do when I have 2 mobile children, but many mothers before me have done it, so I am sure I will be just fine. She isn't very vocal and hasn't started saying and sounds yet. She does giggle and coo, but no "ba, ba, ba" or "da, da, da" yet. She is really observing so many things. She has really started to study the world around her. Love her smile and her two little teeth that show when she grins. She melts my heart.
• As a mom of two little guys, I would say that since 6 months life has gotten increasingly more difficult. I feel a bit stretched. It probably hasn't helped that Bob is working a ton, so I am doing a lot by myself. However, I am starting to get use to my new routine and as the weather keeps getting better, life seems to be getting better. Can't wait for more.

Calan and Maisie at 6 months. 

P.S. This is my 200th blog!

Roommates?

When we were planning for Maisie's wonderful arrival, we (I) decided that it would be best for them to share a room. This kept one room open for a spare bedroom and office and it kept all the baby stuff in one room. In my mind, it was a great idea. In my mind, I figured by at latest 6 months they would be sharing a room. 

Well, great plans are always foiled by reality. Maisie's crib has basically stayed untouched the past 7 months. She sleeps in our room in a pack-and-play. For the most part it has worked. I have actually been pretty attached to my little bug and have been a little resistant to letting her sleep in the nursery. 

But, I am beginning to think that it might just have to be like a ripping off a Band-Aid; I just have to do it. I have to accept that there will be a little bit of a transition and they won't sleep perfectly, but to be honest they don't sleep perfectly now, so what would be the worst that could happen?

Today, they are napping in the same room. This is the second time I have tried it. The first time, Calan woke halfway through and Maisie started to cry, so I moved her to her pack-and-play and settled Calan back down, so he would sleep longer, which he did. She, however, was up, but luckily took an evening nap to make up for her short afternoon nap. 

Today, they both went down pretty easily and have been asleep for about 20 minutes. Their afternoon nap is actually pretty close to the same amount of time. They go down at 12:30 and usually sleep till about 3. I realized if they were sleeping the exact same time, they should be sleeping in the same room together during their nap, so I could do things like actually make my bed and clean up my room during nap time. 

I figure if they both can fall asleep with each other in the room, then it is probably time that they be actually sharing a bedroom. In my mind, I feel like it is time, but in my heart, I am not so ready. I don't know what my big hang up is about it. I am pretty sure that they will do fine together. I just need to try. 

I guess it is time for Calan and Maisie to finally be roommates. 

Dreaded Yeast Beast

I love that we cloth diaper. I love how cute my kids look in their diapers. I love never really running out of diapers. I love that cloth and not chemicals touch my babies. I love that I am not throwing away 12-16 diapers a day. I love the money that I think that we have saved. BUT what I don't love is YEAST!

I feel like I was a little blindsided by yeast. I had heard a little about it on diaper forums, but I had no idea how bad and annoying it can be and how much trouble shooting I had to do to figure it out and get rid of it. 

I am not exactly sure when our yeast issues started, but at about 14 months, Calan started to get rashes. I would get one healed and then the next would start. I would think we conquered it and another would appear. Luckily most of the time, they did not bother Calan, but a few times, the open wounds (yes open wounds) were pretty painful for him and it broke my heart. 

I used so many disposable diapers over the last 5 months that I hate to use, but I just could not figure out why my yeast kept coming back. 

Here is what I think I did wrong:

• I kept thinking just washing and using would get rid of the issue.
• I kept thinking that if I could get rid of the rash that it would disappear in the diapers. 
• I kept thinking that using enough cream would cure the issue.
• I kept thinking that my wash routine was fine.
• I kept thinking that toddler pee was the same as infant pee.

Needless to say, I had denial issues when it came to yeast. When I was researching cloth diapers, I read how few diaper rashes babies in cloth had. I have horribly sensitive skin. I figured that there was a good chance my kids would have skin issues, so fewer rashes sounded great to me. 

Not sure when Calan had his first rash, but I totally believe that rash-free diapering in cloth or disposables is a complete myth. I truly believe that rashes are unavoidable.

However, when it comes to yeast, there is hope. I never thought I would figure it out, but we have been rash free for 2 weeks and his butt looks great. 

Here is what I did:

• I finally took all of his pocket diaper micro-fiber inserts and boiled them for about 10 minutes. I could not believe all the pee that boiled off. It was my first hint that my wash routine was not as great as I thought it was. 
• I changed my wash routine. I was having yeast issues before we got a new washer and dryer for Christmas, but the HE washer was just another obstacle to resolve. I currently have a LG HE Top Loader. I start with a rinse and spin cycle with an extra rinse at high speed spin. Then I do a rinse cycle with no spin. I then do a hot cycle with detergent and  a 30-minute soak and an extra rinse. 
• Sniff test does matter. I do way more smelling. If the diapers seriously do not smell clean, then I do another rinse. I use to think that they smelled OK, but I now see that a little smell does matter. 
• I dry on high heat. I know that high heat is not great for PUL, but it is killing the bacteria that causes yeast. 
• After spending a ton of money on cloth-diaper safe cream and still battling rashes, I have fallen in love with pure coconut oil. At about $10 for a huge jar, you just can't beat it. 

For first-time cloth diapering mommas, it is nothing but trial-and-error. From leaks and fit to washing and rashes, I have struggled with it all. I still love cloth diapering, but it hasn't all been easy. The bright side to problems is that there really is a solution out there. Hang in there. When you have your second child, these issues disappear. Cloth diapering Maisie has been a breeze. 

19 month/ 6 month update

Another month has past and by far, this was our hardest month. It seemed like the perfect storm. The kids have gotten into a schedule that is basically a tag team and that includes their night sleep. I am hoping that this month everything gets better.

Despite all the craziness, there have been some amazing moments too. Maisie has grown leaps and bounds and Calan is just a bundle of toddler fun. He is into everything and it is getting fun (and exhausting) watching him explore. He continues to be an amazing big brother getting things for Maisie and helping her. However, he has injured her as well exploring his ability to bite. He has only done it twice - once last month and once this month. I am just praying that it is not a regular thing. He has some chompers!

Here's what the kids have been doing this month:

Sleeping

• Calan – He has been waking up in the middle of the night and really having a hard time settling down. I have had to sleep on his floor twice in order to get him to rest. Not fun! With him being sick with a cold most of this month, we would switch back and forth from one-nap and two-nap days depending on how he was acting or slept the night before. He was pretty good switching back and forth. I could tell when he needed them. But overall, not a good sleeping month.
• Maisie – Still not sleeping through the night. Pretty much my fault at this point. I am working on getting her to stretch it out, but I still seem to wake up twice. She is good with a pacifier for one wake up, but usually needs 2-4 ounces of formula during the next wakeup to settle back down. She is down to 3 naps already. Her morning is actually her shortest, which isn’t exactly normal. She usually sleeps about an hour. Her afternoon nap is usually about 2.5 hours, and her evening nap is usually 1-2 hours.

Eating

• Calan – Starting to wonder if veggies will ever go back to being easy. He still loves bananas and now stands at the fruit bowl saying banana-nana over and over and over again. He usually eats a HUGE breakfast and a good-size lunch, but tends to eat way less at dinner. Probably because it is the meal I give him the most veggies.
• Maisie – We have started to give Maisie some oatmeal cereal. She is not doing very well with it, but each night we try just a little and she is getting better at it. She just is not quite getting the whole tongue and swallow thing. I know that it takes time, but it is still frustrating. Hopefully by next month, we will have it done and working on some veggie purees.

Milestones

• Calan – Again, Calan’s vocabulary and understanding astound Bob and I, as well as his ability to tune me out already. He loves to sing and has started to sing-along. He inserts the words he knows in songs like the letters C, G, and P in ABCs or High and Sky and Star in “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” I love listening to him sing to himself as he is going to sleep or while playing in his pack-and-play. It cracks me up!
• Maisie –Maisie has had an amazing month on milestones. She got her first tooth and the second should be popping out any day now. She is rolling over back to stomach. She has started to connect a few rolls together, but still isn’t getting too far yet. She just loves to be on her belly now. She scoots around to get to things she wants to grab. She is starting to sit up. I still need to have a Boppy around her for support, but she does sit up for about 20 seconds unassisted.

Activities

• Calan – Calan is all over the place as usual. He is all boy when it comes to activities. Hates doing crafts, but loves playing with his trucks, cars, and balls. Unfortunately, he is also getting use to some TV programs and has begun to ask for them. Pretty much a sign that I have let him watch too much. I’ll be trying to wean him a bit this next month. Calan also loves to clean. Don’t ask me why, but the vacuum just is amazing to him. If he is getting whiny or irritable, we usually start cleaning together and his mood perks up instantly. I hope he stays like this FOREVER.
• Maisie – She is a burst of energy. She is so awake and active right now. She is pretty much always smiling and loving her new tricks like rolling over and sitting up. She is really exploring and studying things right now. I am pretty sure over the next month, she is going to be giving Calan a run for his money. Not sure what he is going to do once she is mobile.

Schedule

• 7/7:30 a.m. – Maisie and Calan wake up. Maisie eats and gets dressed. Calan slowly rises and either plays with some toys or watches TV.
• 7:30/8 a.m. – Family eats breakfast. Maisie plays in her bouncy chair.
• 8:30 a.m. – Bob leaves for work. Calan plays in his pack-and-play. Maisie plays either in her bouncy chair while I shower or her play mat while I do some chores.
• 9 a.m.- Maisie nap
• 9:30 a.m. – Calan finishes pack-and-play time and he gets dressed. Helps me with some chores.
• 10:00 a.m. – Calan has free playtime. Maisie has been waking up usually between 10 and 10:30.
• 10:30 a.m. – Maisie eats. Calan watches some TV or if he is playing well with toys then no TV.
• 11 a.m. – Calan and Maisie play together. This is usually with Maisie in the exersaucer and Calan playing around her.
• 11:30 a.m.- Calan and I have lunch. Maisie usually goes down for her second nap.
• 12 p.m. – Calan has blanket time.
• 12:30 p.m. – Calan naps
• 1:30/2 p.m. – Maisie wakes up
• 2 p.m. – Maisie eats
• 3 p.m. – Calan wakes up
• 3:30 p.m. – Calan snack time.
• 4 p.m. – Maisie has her third nap for the day. Calan has free playtime.
• 5 p.m. – I start cooking dinner, so either Calan continues playing well or if he is cranky, TV gets put on again (I know … This is what I need to change.)
• 5:30 p.m. - Maisie wakes up has some solids.
• 6 p.m. – Dinner for everyone.
• 6:30 p.m. – Bath time
• 7 p.m. – bedtime if Calan had a bad nap.
• 7:30 p.m. – Maisie and Calan bedtime

Overall

• Calan – Calan continues to listen pretty well to us. He follows instruction 70% of the time and I think that is great for a toddler. He laughs at everything. Says hi to EVERYONE. Loves being social and loves to sing.
• Maisie – Maisie has completely broken out of her shell. She is nothing but sunshine and smiles. Even when she wakes me up in the middle of the night she grins from ear-to-ear. For being a lump on a log for so long, she has become a fast learner. She has exploded in size, going from 10lbs 12oz at 4 months to 16lbs 4oz this month. I hope she slows back down a little.

New favorite way to play. 

Out to lunch. 

Best nap hair yet!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today I am 31. Yep, I am officially in my 30s, not just 30, but in my 30s. And to be honest, it feels kind of great.

To think 10 years ago, I was 21. A crazy night yes, but I don't think that I would want to go back for any amount of money. In that 10 years, so much has happened. I am such a different person, and I love the person I have become. I became a college graduate and a retiree in 10 years. I became a wife and mother. I became me.

To think 20 years ago, I was a 11. And Whoa, what an awkward kid! So glad I am not her anymore. I joke that I was a nerd, who never actually knew I was a nerd, and so I tried to be who I wasn't. For a young girl, I think that is hard and confusing. I most definitely would not change my 30s for my teen years ever again.

And to think in 10 years, Calan will be 11. Time is so crazy. It can seem so long when you are going through it, but it becomes just a blink of an eye when you look back.

Not sure what my 30s will look like when I look back, but so far they have been kind of amazing. So, happy birthday to me.

Anything Goes Thursday: Walking Zombies

Hello, middle of the night wakings. Hello, awake children and dead tired parents. Hello, coffee.

I really thought I had it pretty easy the first 6 months. Maisie has been a great sleeper. Even with all of Calan's rocking issues, he was still sleeping and being quiet. I was rested, the kids were rested, we had our routine. Everything was going so smoothly.

And then the last 2 weeks happened. We are amongst the perfect storm. Sick Calan, Wonder Week 26 for Maisie, and I think both are teething. They have been tag-teaming who is up and who is asleep, which leaves me little to no sleep after about 3:30 a.m. (I remember the nights when I would stay up till 3:30 and sleep in till 11, oh the memories.)

Being 13 months apart has created this perfect match up of development and physical changes in the kids that has left me without a good nights rest in more than 2 weeks. I miss sleep.

Now, in the kids' defense, I have not been going to bed early in order to make up for my lack of sleep, so that is most definitely my fault. I just hope that these rough nights are numbered. I am done with them.

They have left me pretty cranky, tired, without motivation, just an all-around sloth.

Don't you love though that no matter how long your kids have you up at night, they seem to wake up with a smile on their faces like nothing happened. I love their innocence even though I want to die.

I honestly do not mind being woken up in the middle of the night as long as it is a quick back to sleep. It is the 40 minutes to 2 hour wake ups that have me up and cranky.

I am just ready for my little ones to sleep. But until then, COFFEE you are my best friend.

Anything Goes Thursday: Our first baby

My favorite picture of Elle when she was 4 years old. She is now 8. 

As some of you might have read on Monday, we almost lost our 8-year-old husky/lab Elle on Sunday. It was scary, crazy, overwhelming, and just plain awful. She is on the mend and we could not be happier.

On Saturday night, Bob took Elle to his brother's house to watch the Lions game and let Elle play with their husky Layla. It is not uncommon for Elle to move pretty slowly the day after she plays and it is not uncommon for her to favor a paw or two (like sore muscles) after playing with Layla. When Sunday came around, she was pretty lethargic, which seemed pretty normal to us.

As the day went on though, she was really barely moving and needing help to get outside. I was gone at a family birthday party with our car that has car seats. Bob just thought that she probably injured her paw and was just tired, which happens often after Elle rough houses with another dog.

When I got home around 4 p.m. from the party, Bob was cooking some bacon. I tried to give Elle a piece and she barely moved her head to even smell it. She would not eat it. I touched her paws and she was not tender to them, so I began to think something else was seriously wrong. I felt her tummy area and she seemed uncomfortable when I did that. So I again thought something was wrong. I told Bob that I thought she needed to go to the emergency vet. We carried her to our car and Bob took off and I stayed back with the kids.

When I got a phone call about 20 minutes later, I was not expecting to hear "They said that if we had not gotten her to the vet in the next 2 hours, she would have died!" Bob was speechless, I was speechless, and we were both very scared and wondering what had happened to our poor Elle, who seemed so fine just the day before. Elle was bleeding internally and dying.

The vet said that it could be one of three things causing her bleeding:

1. Her liver, which had elevated numbers back in April and we had an ultrasound then that showed it was OK.
2. A tumor that had ruptured. (Her ultrasound in April showed no tumors, but could have missed something.)
3. Rat poison

At first, we both thought that it had to be one of the first two options. Maybe they missed something in April. Maybe we should have continued testing her to make sure her liver was OK. 

As we waited in the waiting room (I met Bob at the vet), we began to think of all the would have, should have, could have situations. But the bottom line is we just wanted her to be OK. 

When Elle's blood work came back, it showed that the most likely cause was RAT POISON!

We live in a city area and yes have rats and yes have laid poison down, but Elle never goes in the garage by herself, or so we thought. We thought she would never touch it. We thought it would be OK. IT WASN'T!

Luckily out of the 3 possible causes, rat poison was actually the most reversible and should not have any lasting side effects.

Elle was placed in an oxygen tank for several hours to help her breath. She was given a plasma blood transfusion. And she was give vitamin K, which is the antidote to rat poison. As of today, she is so much better. We had her checked out at our vet's office on Tuesday and some of her numbers weren't perfect, so I have to have her checked again on Friday. But she is eating, drinking, resting, and wagging her tail. She looks to be making a complete recovery. 

Prior to this incident, I had really become annoyed with Elle. Dealing with 2 babies left little to no time for our first baby, our dog. We were taking her for granted. We love our dog and are once again treating her like the princess she deserves to be!

Here are some things we didn't know before going through this:

1. Digested rat poison can take up to three days to start to show signs in dogs. 
2. If your dog is acting sick, check its gums. You want them to be pink like your lips. Elle's were white, which meant she was bleeding internally.
3. Trust your gut. (We already knew this one, but still seemed like it should be said. It saved Elle's life!)

Elle with Calan when he was a newborn. (Photo by Purpletree Photography)

Elle with Maisie. She likes the kids best with they are not mobile. 

Elle home and resting after her very scary ordeal.

Anything Goes Thursday: The elusive Holy Grail double stroller still eludes me

I have two young children. Two children who are small and need to be in a stroller and will be in a stroller for awhile. I have different needs than mothers of twins. I need and want a lot of features.

In my mind, I know what my perfect stroller would include:

• Light weight
• Easy, no fail, one step opening and closing
• Side-by-side seating
• Universal car seat attachment
• Easy mobility so you don't have to be perfectly lined up to get through a door
• Snack trays
• 5-point harness
• Parent organization
• HUGE easy-access under basket that can handle the weight of a 2-baby diaper bag plus extras
• Fits easy in a car leaving space for groceries and whatever else I need back there
• Cup holders that fit water bottles as well as coffee cups
• Expandable handles for tall fathers
• Sun shades that cover from head to toe of my little fair angels 

We walked a lot this August to get out of the house.

However, I have yet to find all those things in our price range. Or anything that just comes as is. Is it just me or are all the extra attachments becoming a joke in stroller world? So what do we have you wonder? We have a garage-sale find that we find suitable for our needs, but still misses the mark. We have a Peg Perego Aria 50/50. An oldy for sure.

I love how light weight it is. I can easily get it in and out of our car using one hand. You never know when you might be holding a child while doing it. We actually store ours in the car for two reasons: We don't have a better place and I use it a lot. It fits pretty nicely in the back of our Passat Wagon. I like the dual snack trays, but hate that there isn't a parent organization system or that the under basket can't carry anything of weight at all. It works great in our city living of side walks and malls, but by no means is it meant for off-roading. 

It is a pain in the butt to get going and maneuver in small spaces. Great on walks. If you aren't exactly lined-up to go through a door perfectly, a wheel catches and getting through the door without thinking a million curse words is impossible. I am pretty sure that it will not cut it in the snow. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any this year to test it out.

It technically is not car seat adaptable, but our Graco seat does fit snuggly in it that for sidewalk, easy walks, it works. The seats do recline however so it does work for a newborn.

It is so simple to open and close. I do need two hands to open, but it is so easy and simple. 

The sunshades are a joke. Not sure what they were thinking there. 

When I was pregnant I got a lot of suggestions and recommendations, and I searched and searched. I think I became too overwhelmed that when I saw the stroller at a neighbor's whose children are 17-months apart, we settled with it. 

I am sure at some point I will become a stroller hoarder with one for every situation because the perfect double stroller does not exist.

Or does it? Have you found it? Please share. Tell me what is the best.

What's going on?

I am a blog addict. I love reading about others' lives and struggles and tips and joys. I love connecting with people. I love writing out my thoughts. I love blogging.

I know that there are a ton of mommy blogs out there. I am just ready to be one of them. 

My goal for 2013 is to expand our small family blog. 

Over the last two weeks, I have changed a little how I post. Each day will be a new post that correlates with that day's theme. As you might have noticed over the last two weeks, I have started to do this. Here is what you will find:

Monday Game Plan: This is where you will find what we are hoping to accomplish this week and a quick review of what did or did not get done from the week before. I will also be posting our dinner menu with a few links to the recipes that I am using. Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and convenient for a mom with her hands full. I decided that this would be a good topic for those that might feel a little overwhelmed each day. Setting my weekly goals keeps me sane, so I thought they might help someone too. 

Toddler Tuesday: Who doesn't need more ideas on how to entertain their toddler? Each Tuesday, I will share an activity or craft that I have done with my crazy toddler. I feel like he is a good test model since he has the patience of a fly, so if i can get him to do it than most likely your child will too. 

Wordless Wednesday: I am sure if you follow any blogs regularly, you might have come across a Wordless Wednesday somewhere else. On Wednesdays, I will share fun photos of my little ones from that week. What mom doesn't like to show off a little? 

Anything Goes Thursday: Here is where I will discuss any parenting issues, tips, or thoughts. Anything that is on my mind like cloth diapering for those who have liked those posts in the past. 

Grateful Friday: I will share anything I am grateful for (obviously). As my life gets busier and busier, it is nice to remember all that I am grateful for. For me it is a great way to refresh and get excited about the weekend. 

Although my daily blogs cover a lot of what I want to blog about, I will share more recipes, crafts, tips, thoughts, etc. throughout the week. My daily blogs are just a starting point of what to expect from Wilson's (almost) Irish Twins. 

I have also set up a Facebook fan page for the blog to better connect with readers as well as friends and family. Be sure to become a fan and share with your friends, too. 

Happy Blogging!

Anything goes Thursday: 18 month / 5 month update

Phew! We made it through Christmas and the kids were champs. It was a nice holiday. We felt a bit rushed and actually Maisie didn't open her presents till the 26th because of us rushing around visiting family.

Our kids were of course spoiled by family and Calan is loving all cars, trucks, and trains. Total boy. Maisie has discovered her feet, so little is competing with those, but I am sure that she will love all of her toys as well soon enough.

We are visiting my parents right now, finishing up our holiday celebrations. And of course, Calan is sick. I had a good 18-month streak of healthy kids, but yesterday Calan had some kind of stomach bug and today he is just whiny. We are surviving and he seems to be doing much better. And thank God for baby Tylenol.

Here's what the kids have been doing this month:

Sleeping

• Calan -He is still half waking up a couple times in the middle of night, so between Maisie and Calan I am up quite a bit for short periods of time. It kind of stinks, but not sure what else I can do other than ignore it. However, when he got sick the other night, I did not rush in at all and wish that I had. I am so use to him waking up that it is hard to know when something is really wrong. Because of the holiday, his naps have been a bit off too. I am hoping when we get home they go back to being 2.5-3 hours. He needs it, and so do I.
• Maisie - She successfully sleeping in her pack-and-play for all naps. She is longer sleeping with a blanket on her head. She sleeps so well for naps. I love it. I just wish her night sleeping was as good has her day sleeping. She wakes up each night at 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. mostly to just comfort nurse. I am realizing that now that she is gaining weight and eating a lot during the day, it is officially time to start training to get her to sleep through the night. We are hoping that it is just going to take a few nights and are going to try this weekend. Fingers crossed.

Eating

• Calan - Veggies are still a struggle, but I just keep offering them and I just don't give him more of what he likes unless he eats some of the veggies. He is doing better. He isn't starving to say the least. Over the holidays, he obviously was not eating very well and was pretty distracted with all the people around. With him still a little sick today, we are sticking to the BRAT foods (Banana, Rice, Apple, Toast).
• Maisie - SHE IS GAINING WEIGHT! Yeah! Maisie is breastfeeding and drinking formula at most meals. She nurses and then drinks a 4-oz. bottle. In the middle of the night I am just nursing and if we are out, she just gets formula. Our doctor would like us to start solids, but I think that we are going to hold off a little longer. She just doesn't seem ready to me. Probably by the end of January though we will start. Calan was 5.5 months when we started with him and I am going to probably wait till at least then too with her.

Milestones

• Calan - He is learning every day. He just seems like a toddler and not a baby anymore. His vocabulary continues to expand by leaps and bounds. He is getting really good at following simple instructions. We have really started to utilize time-outs for him, which isn't a milestone that I am too happy about.
• Maisie - Maisie's feet are her pure enjoyment right now. Little is competing with her feet. She is loving her voice as well and is laughing and smiling all the time. We are loving it as her parents. She just gets so excited and happy that she shrieks with joy. Love it. She is so close to rolling over back to stomach. She gets 3/4 of the way over, but just can't seem to get her arms out of the way to get there completely. Hopefully soon she will be rolling all over the place. I can't wait till she is taking toys from Calan.

Activities

• Calan - I have been doing a lot of little crafts with Calan. Some he has likes like bath paints and some he has not. But I have noticed that he is getting better with painting and coloring than he was in the past, so something is working. He is pretty cute with his toy golf clubs. We say "1 hand, 2 hand, Swing," and he holds the club with two hands and hits the ball. He is so cute looking like a little golfer and Bob just loves it. He even lets the club slide through his hands like his dad. Love it.
• Maisie - She is getting really active with her floor mat and hanging toys. She loves to grab toward them and batting at everything. We have tried the exersaucer, and she likes it a little bit, but still looks a little uncomfortable in it, so we haven't been using it much at all.

Schedule

• 7 a.m. - Maisie wakes up and eats.
• 7:30 a.m. - Calan wakes up
• 8:00 a.m. - Calan eats breakfast has milk.
• 8:30 a.m. - Calan playtime in his pack and play. Maisie starts her nap.
• 9:30 a.m. - Calan dress, helps with some chores with me.
• 10 a.m. - Maisie eats, Calan sits and "reads" books or puzzles
• 11:30 a.m. - Maisie naps / Calan eats lunch
• 12 p.m. - Calan blanket time
• 12:30 p.m. - Calan naps;
• 1 p.m. - Maisie eats / Maisie & mom time
• 2:30 p.m. - Maisie nap
• 3 p.m. - Calan wakes up / snack
• 4 p.m. - Maisie wakes and eats
• 4:30 p.m. - free time (this could be errands, dinner prep, sibling time, anything to fill till dinner)
• 6 p.m. - dinner
• 6:20 p.m. - bath time
• 6:40 p.m. - Calan gets ready for bed; drinks milk
• 7 p.m. - Maisie eats
• 7:30 p.m. - Calan and Maise bedtime
• 10:30 p.m. - Maisie eats
• 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.- Middle of the night feeding for Maisie

Overall

• Calan - Calan was so good during the holidays and with so many different schedules and environments. We were a little exhausted chasing him around, but with everything said and done, he was so god for an 18-month-old.
• Maisie - Love her and love the fact that she is breaking out of her hermit shell. She is full of smiles and laughs. She is growing so quickly now there is no stopping her. I can't wait to see all the milestones she hits this month. Can't believe that next month she will be 6 months. Crazy.