Finished

I finished this little number a few weeks ago now.  I have been having the hardest time getting a decent picture of it to share though!  The lighting needs to be right, and you need to have a place to "display" it for the picture.  Oh well.  Here it is.  It was SO fun to make, and actually took me a few weeks to complete.  It was the perfect winter project.  Call me crazy, but I'm thinking of starting another one yet this winter.  Anyone interested in purchasing this one?  It'll be in my Etsy shop in the next few days.  Speaking of Etsy, I'm working on a few new things for the grand re-opening of my shop!  Stay tuned...

And just because he's cute and I'm INCREDIBLY blessed to be his mama...

Doesn't he look like he's hard at work?  No, we don't resort to turning youtube on for Levi when he's fussy...yet.  The day will come, I'm sure of it!  In this picture, I'm pretty sure it was just a plain, inanimate screen that had him so captivated.

Levi in action...

Yes, I do realize that these videos are way cuter to Nathan and I than they will be to any of you.  

BUT, nevertheless, here they are. : )
(remember to turn off any web protection programs you may have if you're having trouble watching these)

about the tears...

Ok, I have a question for ALL you moms out there (it doesn't matter how long ago your kids were babies)... 

A little background first: The latest "trend" (is it a trend?  I don't know...) in parenting is to teach your baby to "self-soothe" which means putting them to bed awake and letting them put themselves to sleep.  The idea is that you'll have a good sleeper who doesn't rely on you to be able to fall asleep.  Sounds good, in theory. 

Here's the problem: I am sick of Levi crying each and every time I put him down for a nap (3-4 times a day).  Occasionally he'll go down without tears, but most of the time it takes alot of coaxing (and patting, rocking, nursing and bouncing) to get him to sleep.  He has no problem putting himself back to sleep in the middle of the night (unless he's hungry), but the initial "let's fall asleep now" is torture for both of us almost every time.

So here's my question: What did you do?  Did you rock/nurse your baby to sleep?  And if so, was your baby a good sleeper, or did they rely on you to fall asleep every time?  Did you teach your baby to self-soothe?  If so, how long did it take, what age did you start, and did your child ever show signs of resisting it like Levi seems to?  I've been trying to teach Levi to self-soothe since before Christmas and, aside from a couple good days here and there, it has mostly just been alot of tears and frustration.  I'm beginning to think that rocking him to sleep every time would be better than this.  Thoughts?  In the end, I'll do what's best for us, but I'm interested in hearing what other moms have done and how it worked for them in the long run....

Thanks.

Play time!

I get to spend my days doing this...

 

Building tents with my little man!

Nathan, on the other hand, spends his days like this:

I'm sure glad he's the one who chose to go back to school!  Otherwise I might feel a little bad about all the fun I'm having...

Picture post!

Everything goes in his mouth...if he can get his mouth close enough!

Such a cutie!

Doesn't he look BIG?  Just chilling out together.

Poser!  We'll just put this one in his "save-for-wedding" folder.  Hehe.

This is the diaper bag I made.  There are a few things I would change on the next one, but it worked out pretty well.

Inside of diaper bag.  Fun? yes.  Fun to find things in?  yes.

Reading Scaredy Squirrel together.  Levi noticed books the other day after months of reading to him.  He looked wide-eyed from the book, to me reading, back to the book until the second last page.  Pretty good attention span for a 4 month old!

He does get distracted by noisy cameras, though.

Can my heart possibly smile any more???

Nursing Cover

This is the one I have!

Here it is again!  If anyone missed the last promo code for a free nursing cover (or realized what a great gift it could be for a new mom), you can use this one: EXPECTING.  Just go through the order like normal and enter this code.  It should bring your order total to $0.  All you need to pay is shipping (around $10).  You can order as many as you want too, but they must be on separate orders, so you're paying the shipping every time.  Also, you can buy a gift set, but this will end up costing $5 plus shipping (they subtract $32 from your order, no matter what your order is).  Still a very affordable gift.  Here's the link:

http://www.uddercovers.com/

February 13, 2010

What an exciting and unbelievable day.

One year ago today, we found out about Levi. 

(did I knock the breath out of anyone with that picture?  you're welcome.)

Of course, a year ago we had no idea that "it" was in fact Levi.  But it turns out that it was!  Boy were we excited to see those two pink lines...

It's amazing what can change in a year...

(there's a 7.5 week old Levi in there)

Last year I was spending my days crocheting, hanging out with friends in the Court (at seminary), sewing, and pretty much just being a normal seminary wife.

Now, one year later, we have a bouncing (literally, he's in his Jolly Jumper as I type) 4 month old baby boy.  He's wonderful, amazing, adorable, and ours.  A year ago today is when one of my life's dreams came true.  Wow.  I will never take that for granted.

This guy was worth all the waiting...all the tears and worries and stress and pain.

What a year it's been!

This is how we roll...

This is how Levi and I get around these days. 
-  Toques for both of us. 
-  Moby wrap (THE best - and only - baby carrier I've ever used). 
-  Blanket over Levi on the front. 
-  Nathan's hoodie backwards on me so that it covers Levi - hood can be used to cover Levi's head completely on an exceptionally windy day. 
-  My jacket on me. 
-  Oh yeah, and my fuzzy socks on Levi's legs, just for an extra layer and to protect that skin where his socks and pants don't quite meet. 

But even with all this, we still don't go out when it's cooler than -15 degrees C.  That, my dear friends, would require pulling out the big guns...

I now understand...

why young moms "let themselves go."

You see, I never really understood this before.  At the very least, I never thought it would be me.  But I see myself slipping and the slope is a very slippery one, folks.  Look out.

When you become a mom, your "me" time flies out the window.  Buh-bye!  It is replaced by many wonderful things like peek-a-boo and diaper changes and feedings.  I love these things.  LOVE.  I went through a few years of wondering if I would ever have these things and I count each one of them a blessing.  Even my lack of "me" time at this point in my life is not something I would change.  But here's the kicker:  What do I spend my limited "me" time doing?  I'd say there are three categories, no four, of things I could do.  I could do housework/take care of the home.  I could do something for someone else.  I could do something that I enjoy.  Or I could get ready for the day.

It's a tough decision some days.  Do I shower and do my hair, get dressed and put on makeup, thus forfeiting my entire morning "naptime" to looking presentable?  This hardly seems like the best option, seeing as my hair will sooner or later end up in the drooly palms of little hands.  My makeup will be smudged and wiped clean by a little face pressing itself against mine.  And my clothes will be spit up on before noon.  Yet, when I decide to just put on sweats and leave my hair and makeup undone, those are invariably the days when someone unexpected comes to the door and I shamefully answer the door in all my mommy-full glory. 

I could say that I do these things for myself.  And to an extent I do.  But when you get a haircut to make this morning ritual more streamlined and it only adds more work...that's when I start to question whether I really need to do this today.  I could throw on a toque and be done with it, free to move on to more enjoyable things (like sewing my new diaper bag -!!!- while the little man is still dreaming of gumdrops and unicorns - oh, but I hope that's not what he dreams of).  Alas, today I know that someone will be coming to the house.  I must be at least 50% presentable...if only I could hire someone to stop by the house every day and style my hair, choose my clothes, and perfect my makeup while I sit and relax.  Now that would be multitasking at its greatest.

So, yes.  It is a battle indeed.  To groom or not to groom, that is the question these days...

4 months.

Levi is four months old today.  He just keeps getting more and more sweet with more and more personality!  We are having so much fun with him and I'd like to think he doesn't mind being with us either : )

There have been many changes in this past month.  Our first month with an "infant" instead of a "newborn" has been fun.  Here are a few of his latest accomplishments...

Yep!  That's Levi sitting on his very own!  It only lasted about 30 seconds, though, before this happened...

haha.  He is getting closer and closer to being able to balance himself and stay sitting though.  He may have a couple weeks to go before he's sitting all on his own, but he's getting there! 

Let's see, what else?

Bald spot is still there, though we noticed the other day that there is a bit of "stubble" coming in on it, so hopefully it won't be long before our little guy is back to having a full head of hair!

Levi has always been a solid guy.  Last time I weighed him, he was 15lbs 8oz (ish) so by now he's got to be pushing 16lbs.  He'll soon double his 8lb 2oz birth weight!

Levi has been enjoying his Jolly Jumper alot this month.  He's gone from spinning slowly in circles, not really sure what to do, to a bouncing, happy little guy when he's in there.  We always have a bib on him while he's jumping, though, because in addition to the mass amounts of drool that soak his shirt in 5 seconds flat, Jolly Jumpers also tend to bring out the best in babies...or the best of their lunch at least.  His tongue is always out too.  That started just before we headed into the fourth month in early January and, with the exception of a couple days when he seemed to have forgotten about it, has held strong ever since.

Here's another tongue picture.  He loves to smile.  He's not always so sure about new situations or new people (he has started making strange a bit this month) but Nathan and I get alot of this.  And belly laughs.  Oh my, those are simply the best!

Sleep is always a hot topic among young moms.  Thankfully, Levi is starting to sleep a bit more.  This month he has gone from sporadic 20-45 minute naps to at least one hour-long nap most days and for sure three naps each day.  It's nice to know that I'll have at least a little time to myself during the day, even if I'm just doing the dishes or making supper!  At night he is still up on average every 3 hours but he has given us one 7 hour stretch and a few 6 hour stretches so I can't complain.  Unfortunately, I haven't started going to bed when he does, so I never get the full 6 hours of sleep when they happen.  You'd think I'd learn...  

From birth, Levi has loved to stand on his own two feet.  His legs have just been getting stronger and stronger.  He can now stand with just our fingers in his hands.  He'll often prefer to stand in your lap over sit.  While his balance still has quite a ways to go, the strength is certainly there.

I mentioned a few posts back that Levi loves to grab things.  At the beginning of the fourth month, he wouldn't hold anything, even if you put it right in his hands.  Now he will roll onto his side and grab something off the floor beside him if he wants it.  And of course, it always goes straight into his mouth.

Speaking of rolling, Levi has rolled both from front to back as well as back to front.  I wouldn't say that he's "mastered" it yet, but he's done both a few times each.  He can turn in circles both on his belly and on his back but I don't think he's figured out that this can get him places yet, or even get him closer to what he wants.  He just cranes his neck to look at something and it will end up turning him.  I was surprised one evening when I left him in his crib and came back a few minutes later to find his head facing the opposite direction.  We seem to have a mover!

This is the most precious little boy.  He makes us laugh every day and we are so very blessed to be his parents.  While I am often on the tired end of the spectrum, he makes it easy to push through and still love life. 

Your mommy and daddy love you so much, Levi.  We love to watch you grow and learn new things.  We are so proud of you!

Worth thinking about...

I've been thinking about the Sabbath lately.  Actually, I should say that I've been reading a book called "Sabbath" by Dan Allender and that's what has me thinking about the topic. *a few of these thoughts are taken from there, so to avoid anything even remotely like plagiarism, I'll admit that now*  What is the Sabbath?  Is it really a command as important as "Do not steal" or "Do not kill"?  How is it supposed to look in our lives?  And what does it mean for a stay-at-home wife and mother? (Warning: If you don't like inconclusive thoughts that spew in a number of different directions and never arrive at a final destination, you should probably stop reading now)

In this book, Allender talks about how the Sabbath is a command that we should all obey.  He points out that it is, in fact, one of the ten commandments.  Ok.  This hit me JUST a little.  I've always known that the Sabbath was important, but as important as not killing someone or stealing from them?  Really?  Wow.  That's pretty important. 

So if the Sabbath is so important, what is it supposed to look like?  Are we supposed to count our steps and not walk more than 100 in case it turns into work?  Or are we supposed to not drive anywhere?  Or is driving to church and home again ok, but not to the mall?  Is it even ok to go to the mall on the Sabbath?  And what about the grocery store to pick up a few things that you need for lunch?  Speaking of lunch, that's right, today we decided to eat out.  Is that allowed, or should we refrain from eating out on the Sabbath because we are "making" someone else work on the Sabbath?  Or maybe the reason to not eat out on the Sabbath is because we needed to drive to the restaurant, walk to our table, and pay for our food .  If we're not careful, the Sabbath can become awfully legalistic, and I think that is almost as serious as ignoring the day altogether.

At this point I sit back and ponder what I've been reminded of so far. 
-  The Sabbath is a command and, therefore, a very important day to honour every week. 
-  We should not be legalistic about what we do or do not do on the Sabbath. 
It seems like there is a big margin of ways to go wrong here...

This is where I get stuck a bit.  See, I am a stay-at-home mom.  My "job" is to take care of Levi, to cook meals, to clean up, to be at home and keep things running smoothly on a day-to-day basis.  Yet a big part of the Sabbath for most people is not going in to work.  See my dilemma? What happens if your work is around you just as much on the Sabbath as it is every other day of the week?  Levi and Nathan need to be fed just as much as any other day.  Levi's diapers need to be changed and, as much as I may try to plan ahead, I may need to throw a load of dirty diapers into the washing machine.  My work doesn't necessarily stop (though there are things I can put off doing for a day and I do recognize that) just because it is the Sabbath.  My Sabbaths don't necessarily feel like a day that's more "special" than the rest. 

Another thought I have is, if Sabbath doesn't merely mean staying home from work (because, in addition to stay-at-home moms, some people are unemployed), there must be something more.  Some people spend every day watching tv or playing golf or taking care of their family, yet we are all called to take a Sabbath.  What makes a Sabbath look different than any other day for these people?  Could it be possible that we are commanded to make the Sabbath a more special day than just your average day off and to do different things than just your typical "shut off your mind" type things?  Could it be possible that we are commanded to celebrate one day of the week more than the rest?

I find this fascinating to think about.  And I am inspired to find some ways to make the Sabbath back into what God meant it to be.  It's got to be more than just a day off spending the afternoon in front of the tv or taking a nap (though those could be wonderful components of the day!).  More than just going to church in the morning and assuming that this fills the requirement yet feeling disappointed and unrenewed as we begin the new week. 

God gave us a wonderful gift in giving us a weekly Sabbath.  Allender describes it as a day that you should anticipate every week like a child anticipates Christmas, feet swinging and eyes shining.  It is a day to prepare for and delight in.  I'm excited about what this is going to look like in my life because, as much as I have a hard time imagining it, I'm sure God didn't exclude wives and mothers from this command : )

picture post...

The hat Levi is wearing was Nathan's hat when he was young.

Look, one hand!

Sometimes it's just too much work to fill the whole bath tub just for a short evening bath...mostly it was about not getting water in his ears right before bed, though.

Levi playing in his "tent" today.

He really seems to enjoy tents and having the blanket over him.  Maybe there is less stimulation and it helps him relax and focus on what's right there instead of being distracted with the rest of the room?

Hehe...funny faces.  This was an excited face.  His tongue is always out...

See?  Always out.  So cute!  So funny!

Love.this.boy.

He's really started reaching for things intentionally in the last few days. 

It still takes a bit of concentration to actually grab something though.

Focus and determination.

Cloth Diapers

I LOVE CLOTH DIAPERING.  Seriously, best decision ever.  However, wherever I read that 18 diapers is a sufficient diaper stash is quite wrong about that.  I knew that my 18 bumGenius Organic AIO's would be on the low side, but after 3 months of laundry nearly every day, I'm beginning to think that a few more diapers in my stash would be nice.  I don't so much mind doing the laundry, but, with not being able to line-dry them, I'm worried about the daily dryer cycles taking their tole on my diapers! 

So that brings me to my order of business for the day.  The search for additional diapers.  I know I've asked this before, but I ask again...what are your favourite cloth diapers?  When you comment, please let me know if they're velcro/snaps, prefold/fitted/pockets/AIO's, one size/multiple sizes and why you love them.  ALSO, if you are looking at downsizing your stash or know of anyone getting rid of cloth diapers, I would love to hear from you!  Oh yeah, and how many diapers do you have in your stash and how often does that leave you doing laundry?  I've heard that you should wash diapers every 2 days anyway, which I am completely fine with, but right now we're just on the short side...

Another question...has anyone tried the Flip diapers or Econobum?  Those are two of the options that I'm looking at but without knowing anyone who uses them, I'm not sure I want to make the investment (small though it may be).  What is the difference between the two?  Is one better than the other?  Should I avoid both of them?  What do you think?  Are there any other brands I should look into?

best sound ever...

Leave me a comment saying whether or not you can see this video...if nobody can see it, I'll have to try something else!

If you can't see it, does your computer have any web protection on it?  I have to turn mine off to be able to watch it, but I assumed that nobody else would have that problem. : )  

We all know what assuming does...

Before and After...

Yay haircut!  It has been years since the last time I had a salon cut.  It always feels so good...why don't I do this more often?!  Oh yeah.  No income.  One day we'll have an income again...one day...

Before: (excuse the un-doneness of my hair...I didn't do anything with it this morning knowing I was getting it cut this afternoon)

front...

side...

other side...

back...Yes, Nathan is posing behind me.  He made sure he was in the frame...

 And After: (I look so tired in these pictures!  I guess it's probably because I am...)

front...

side...

other side...

back...my favourite part!  People should probably just look at me from the back from now on...

And while I was taking pictures of my hair, I took a few more:

My family...

So much love...

We help each other out of "sticky" situations...

Levi was clearly intrigued by his picture on the computer screen...I was just trying to conceal my intrigue, can't you tell?

"Let me get closer, Mom, I can't see myself"  I had a feeling that a spit-up was coming (certain sounds erupting from within) and right after this picture was taken I put my hand out just in time, preventing my keyboard from becoming the landing ground for what had been Levi's afternoon snack.  Yesss...