Robots & Waffles

Clutter Challenge Day #4

2014-01-12T21:01:00.003-05:00

So today marks day 4 in the Clutter Challenge. I slowed down a bit yesterday, and didn't end of up really clearing my desk until this morning. Meanwhile I've worked on two additional projects today - so I feel caught up.

So if you remember from my last post, my desk, where I sit at daily looked like this:

before

Its an awful workspace, but I cleared a lot of garbage out, took things like jewelry to right place, and just organized a bit better. In my defense this desk, has suddenly become the accumulation of the things that were at my work desk, plus the things previously there. But here are the results!

After

I'm pretty happy with the results, the black file on the end, and white storage under the desk are their own special clutter mess that a plan on tackling during this challenge. The black file really needs help as it has labels for projects/groups I'm no longer involved with.

before

My project today was to tackle the kids feeding stuff drawer, which is at C's level, so he likes to help organize. I took everything out of the drawer and tossed a lot of stuff we never use (we had probably 15 pacifier covers and I can't remember the last time we used one.) I also sorted the things that we are not quite ready to use with H yet into an empty basket that we keep in the kitchen, as we might as make it hold things. I also put burp cloths in there since H now self burps and we don't need them often. If we can keep this up, this should make it much easier to find things!

Basket with burp cloths and future items.

After

My last project of the day was to determine if all those extra items we've been keeping in the basement are worth it (kitchen stuff like coffee mugs, old napkin holders, etc.) I found about 9 things that I'm going to try and sell on craigslist first.

For tomorrow I'm thinking I'll tackle our front hall - too many shoes, coats, mittens, and scarves. Plus mail, and I need a way to store H's shoes as they are too small for our shoe bench and they get loss easily!

Clutter Challenge Day 2

2014-01-10T20:07:00.006-05:00

How did your first project go?

Mine took a bit more time than I expected. First of all, our Christmas decorations were still up. Secondly, H was/is incredibly fussy.

Before

But happy with the results, threw out most of the paper/plastic bags that hold stuff, but don't really hold a shape, so they constantly fall over.

Our biggest collection of holiday stuff is Christmas. I organized the boxes into sub categories (linens, outdoor decor, etc.) I also made sure every box has what's in it written on the top and two sides, so I don't spend as long trying to figure it out.

Here's the results. Our mini Christmas tree is the only thing in a bag still, I couldn't find a box that would fit it. I'm really happy to have all the Halloween costumes in a box, rather than half stuffed in a basket or laying across random boxes. Lastly each holiday has at least one box, making it much easier to grab the right stuff. I got a rid of a box called "Other Holidays" by doing this, which means I won't have to go through the most recent holidays stuff to get to the bottom of the box.

After

My project for the next 24 hours in my desk. As you can see there is quite a bit of stuff on it. A lot of it not really desk related. And I have a hard time finding the things I need, but for whatever reason, my desk has become one of those catchall in the house. Like we need a proper junk drawer or something.

somehow I still use my computer here.

10 day clutter challenge

2014-01-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

Does anyone else feel like all the new stuff from the holidays makes your home feel smaller and you have too much?

If so, join me in my 10 day clutter challenge. We'll organize, toss, and donate all that stuff in your house.

It's a simple challenge. Pick something to tackle that's driving you crazy. Take a picture of your before. Organize. Take a picture of your after. Repeat each day.

My first thing is going to be our holiday decorations. Halloween costumes, easter eggs, and ornaments just everywhere.

Crafts - Yarn Letters

2014-01-06T17:57:00.001-05:00

Letter H hanging on the wall (zoomed in)

To decorate above H's crib I spelled out his name with these homemade letters.

Each letter doesn't take very long, but I kept putting off finishing these with two wiggly boys. And one of the letters I did backwards at first, so that didn't really encourage me to finish, because it looked so perfect minus being backwards.

I liked how these turned out a lot, so I am considering making something similar above our front door (either a large K or the house numbers...)

I bought everything I needed at Pat Catan's, but I believe you could find all of these items at any craft store.

Supplies:

Paper-Mache letters, similar here.
Glue Gun and Gluesticks
Yarn, I used a flat yarn. Pat Catan's sells bags of balls of yarn on clearance. That's where I found mine. Something similar would Lion Brand's Fettuccini line. I find the flat yarn hid ends and trouble spot better.

Starting the H. I forgot to the end at the top,
had to go back try to tuck it in and wrap around
the front part of the letter again.

Something to attach it to the wall. I bought picture hangers, but my husband wished I had used 3M Strips instead (maybe next time!)

How to:

Examine the letter, try to pin point trouble spots. For instance, the ends of each H.
For the ends cut smaller strips that are 2-3 inches. Glue the strips on. I made a line of glue on the front of the letter, then attached each strip. Then flip the letter over, make a line of glue and attach the other end of the yarn strip. Trim the strips, but don't worry too much as they will be covered by more yarn. Repeat for each letter end.
From the back of the letter attach the end of your ball of yarn. Start wrapping it around and dotting glue as needed. I always glued the yarn when it reached the back, and would add dots on the sides and front as needed. When finished wrapping a section, glue and tuck in the end to the back. It's okay to break wrapping into multiple sections. With H I started on the bottom left, got to the center, wrapped the whole letter for the middle, and then continued wrapping the the top right. After that I wrapped middle to make feel more stable and cover the sides. The I wrapped the bottom right and upper left individually.
Certain letters are easier to do than others. I think J, I, S, T, D, and Y would be the easiest. I think N, R, Q, and Z would be the hardest. Lastly, try to make sure you have the front and back correct. You don't want to beautifully wrap a letter only to find out its backwards.
Attach your wall hanger, hang it up, and show off your newly completed project!

Next time I make this I'll try and take better pictures, I got into a zone and forget to take more helpful photos.

Completed letters on the wall, trying to still keep some privacy,
but wanted to show the yarn go multiple directions.

Holiday update!

2014-01-02T17:53:00.002-05:00

H dressed as Baby New Year at our
annual New Year's Eve Party

First of all Happy New Year! 2013 was an adventurous for us, so I'm looking forward to all the fun things happening in 2014 (turning 30, M finishing grad school, H's first birthday, taking a real vacation!)

There are two things I would like to accomplish in this post. First the final Holiday Weight Loss Challenge update, and then a Holiday gift review.

Here's my updated stats:

12/22: 1X6.4lbs 01/02: 1X6.2lbs .2 lb loss!
Hips 12/22: 44.5" 01/02: 44.5" Same
Waist 12/22: 40" 01/02: 39.5" .5" loss!
Left Thigh 12/22: 24" 01/02: 24" Same
Left Arm- 12/22: 13" 01/02: 13.5" .5" gain

So I did a great job on the healthy snack/lean protein goals, terrible on the exercising. So I actually was expecting to go up. I'm really excited that I lost a total of 3.6lbs during a season full of delicious foods, alcohol, and too many cookies. I wish I had been able to get more in the habit of exercising, but the week of being sick really put a dent into things. Here's hoping a pick up a few more good habits in 2014.

I'm thinking of doing another challenge soon, I'd really like to lose 10lbs by the end of February. I'm attending a clothing swap and I'd really like to like to swapping for the next smaller size.

We had a wonderful Christmas - we got to see both our families and friends. This was the first Christmas where C was excited - he lets us sleep in until 9:30am, but once he was up he shoved M's glasses on his face and yelled "presents! presents! eggies!" So our stocking from Santa trumped eating scrambled eggs.

I wanted highlight a few gifts the boys received and a few gifts that we gave.

dollhouse

My parents gave the boys the Melissa & Doug High Rise Dollhouse. C loves it, although his new robot and airplane spend a lot of time in there too. H likes to look at it, I think he'll really enjoy it as he gets bigger. My in-laws gave H the Kidsline nap mat in Yellow Giraffe. It's adorable and it doesn't take up too much space. Previously we were using a Moses Basket, but H has recently gotten too big and finds ways to wiggle out of it, this napmat has become the perfect next thing, its not as clunky as a pack n play and its super soft. On a humorous note, C got the book version of "What does the fox say?" from his Uncles. When its read out loud, it reminds me of William Shatner covering a song. Lastly, I love the Gund Baby Simply Modern Bear set that H received, we got him the blanket bear, my grandma gave him the stuffed animal which comes with an adorable baby bear, and my parents got him the matching teether. We also received many other wonderful toys, clothes, and books, but I can't list them all. Plus most of H's presents are still in their packaging, since he's just starting to play with toys. The gifts from my parents and grandmother came from Fun Buy The Pound, but they don't have an online store for me to link too. I suggest if you are in the Pittsburgh area to stop in and check it out.

H in his nap mat

Some of my favorite gifts to give this year...

Zimmerman Kitchen Lotions & Soaps: Andrea was really great at working with us to put together a selection of products to send to my Sister and Brother-In-Law. Andrea makes everything herself, and the lotions are great for people with dry skin!
The Jesus Storybook Bible on DVD. Our church gives this bible at Baptism, but its hard for C to sit through the story. For whatever reason, he'll watch the same story, same wording though. Atleast its a start...
Flowers! 1800Flowers did a great job with the flowers, gift baskets, trees we sent to friends and family. With a shorting Christmas season, and losing a week to being sick, this was a nice way to get gifts out. They also started a passport program where you get free shipping for a year when you pay $30. Which has already paid for itself. We did use Teleflora for one gift, and they were terrible. They didn't have any tracking available, didn't let me know that the flowers that were supposed to arrive on the 24th were not going to be delivered then. Then they promised me they would deliver on the 26th. Once again did not deliver or notify me of changes. Promised me that they would deliver on the 27th. Morning of the 27th I get an email saying they can't make the arrangement I picked...the flowers did arrive on the 27th, and the recipient was pleased.
C got a robot bib from this etsy shop. He loves it. Its his first pick of bibs.
Another Etsy gift, for my BIL's girlfriend was a great clutch from the Sweet Sugar Beet. Haley makes fantastic bags, she's done both my diaper bags, as well as my wedding clutch, and gifts for my bridesmaids.

T-Rex Shirt

T-Rex Shirt for my brother. Saw this and knew it was for him. First time using Fab.com, they shipped quickly and both items I bought were well received by the giftee.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's!

Weight Loss Challenge! 9 Days left!

2013-12-22T13:55:00.002-05:00

So how are you all doing?

Well, I don't even think I need to analyze my goals this week. C came down with a fever Monday night and got the entire family sick. So I have not concentrated on this at all. Our sleep schedules are off, runny noses, bad coughs, not a great time to diet or work out. I lost weight, but I think thats because I had a loss of appetite for a few days and most of my meals involve soup.

Here's my updated stats:

12/15: 1X7.4lbs 12/15: 1X6.4lbs 1 lb loss!
Hips 12/15: 45" 12/22: 44.5" .5" loss!
Waist 12/15: 40" 12/22: 40" Same
Left Thigh 12/15: 24" 12/22: 24" Same
Left Arm- 12/15: 13.5" 12/22: 13" .5" loss!

How to participate this week:

Review your goals and figure out why they didn't work if you failed.
Come up with 6 goals if you failed some, 7 new ones if you passed completely (as clearly you need more of a challenge!)
If you failed, like me, your six goals should include the ones you didn't pass.
Give yourself one free day of not worrying about this. I'm choosing Christmas.

New goals:

Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week.

Walk 3 times this week.

Complete an arm exercise three times this week.

Try a healthy snack first before opting for a sweet snack.

Start adding more lean protein to my diet.

Stretch for 10 mins everyday.

Weight Loss Challenge and Update!

2013-12-17T13:27:00.001-05:00

So for those of you following along, how did your week go?

Here's my updated stats:

12/8: 1X7.8lbs 12/15: 1X7.4lbs .4 lb loss!
Hips 12/8: 45" 12/15: 45" Same
Waist 12/8: 39.5" 12/15: 40" .5" gain
Left Thigh 12/8: 24" 12/15: 24" Same
Left Arm- 12/8: 14" 12/15: 13.5" .5" loss!

Here's how my goals went:

Drink 5 glasses of water a day. Passed! I noticed that I am drinking more water and I don't have to think about it as much

Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week. Failed. I started off this week doing awesomely, but I had 2 days where we ended up being out later than expected, plus 3 parties. Hence the gain in the waist, I noticed a big difference on how I felt at the end of this week after not doing anything for awhile.

Walk 3 times this week. Failed, I got 2 out of 3. The snow didn't help.

Complete an arm exercise twice this week. Passed. Slowly getting toned.

Try a healthy snack first before opting for a sweet snack. Failed. So when you make a goal, make sure you have some healthy options before deciding this should be a goal...

Eat a piece of fruit 5 out of 7 days. Passed. We bought oranges, so lots of citrus. C has been stealing all the bananas, so I haven't had that as an option.

How to participate this week: (Same as last week)

Review your goals and figure out why they didn't work if you failed.
Come up with 6 goals if you failed some, 7 new ones if you passed completely (as clearly you need more of a challenge!)
If you failed, like me, your six goals should include the ones you didn't pass.

New goals:

Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week.

Walk 3 times this week.

Complete an arm exercise three times this week.

Try a healthy snack first before opting for a sweet snack.

Start adding more lean protein to my diet.

Stretch for 10 mins everyday.

I found out that my local Market District Giant Eagle has health & wellness programs, including a personal consultation with a dietician! This program is sponsored by Highmark, so if they are your insurance carrier you get a free consultation each year. I had mine on Friday and thought she did a wonderful job of finding me foods I would like to eat, highlighting what I did well, and areas to improve on. She also did a great job helping me figure out where I should be weight loss wise (since the BMI shouldn't be your end all be all, since it doesn't calculate muscle and frame). Right now I need to lose about 37-47lbs to be in my ideal range, where the BMI has me at over 50.

This means if I can lose 5lbs a month for the next 10 months I should be in good shape! That feels like a much more reasonable goal.

In other news, here's H and Santa at one of our parties this week. H is asleep, and C was not having it...

Weight Loss Challenge Update

2013-12-08T16:08:00.002-05:00

join the fun!

So for those of you following along, how did your week go?

Here's my updated stats:

12/1: 1X9.8lbs 12/8: 1X7.8lbs 2lb loss!
Hips 12/1: 46" 12/8: 45" 1" loss!
Waist 12/1: 39.5" 12/8: 39.5" Same
Left Thigh 12/1: 24" 12/8: 24" Same
Left Arm- 12/1: 15" 12/8: 14" 1" loss!

Here's how my goals went:

Drink 5 glasses of water a day - I know you are supposed to drink 8, but honestly I can go all day with 3-4 drinks (this includes coffee, milk, soda, juice). Failed. Got up to 3-4 glasses, but most days didn't make it to 5 each day.

Make 5 out of 7 dinners include salad as half of the plate. Passed. This one was almost too easy.

Go on two walks this week. Passed. Walked around the mall a couple times.

Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week. Failed. I only got to 3, my stomach was having a few pinches of pain since its still healing from my c-section in August.

Order all coffee drinks with no whipped cream. Passed. Switched from holiday/special drinks to either a vanilla soy latte or just plain soy latte, there's less temptation to want whipped cream with a latte.

How to participate this week:

Review your goals and figure out why they didn't work if you failed.
Come up with 6 goals if you failed some, 7 new ones if you passed completely (as clearly you need more of a challenge!)
If you failed, like me, your six goals should include the ones you didn't pass.

My new goals:

Drink 5 glasses of water a day.
Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week.
Walk 3 times this week.
Complete an arm exercise twice this week.
Try a healthy snack first before opting for a sweet snack.
Eat a piece of fruit 5 out of 7 days.

Lastly, have you notice any funny behaviors you've picked up about dieting? For instance, I always feel a need to eat all the unhealthy food before dieting so its not there as a temptation. Then I get mad at myself for gaining weight.

Hello!

2013-12-05T07:34:00.003-05:00

Just incase you needed a smile this morning!

Weight Loss Challenge Day 1 & 2

2013-12-02T14:23:00.001-05:00

So as I mentioned in my last post my goal is to lose some weight in December. This is particularly challenging for me, because I pretty much love sweets and Christmas foods. Mint is one of my favorite flavors - do you know how many things are not very good for you but deliciously flavored with mint?

So here's the deal - we all know what's involved in weight loss, but generally don't want to do it, because it takes effort.

I'm setting 5 goals for this week that I think will help me lose some weight - I've heard that a goal should be between 1/2lb to 2lbs a week. Which means by the end of the month I'd like to lose somewhere between 2 and 8lbs.

Goals:

Drink 5 glasses of water a day - I know you are supposed to drink 8, but honestly I can go all day with 3-4 drinks (this includes coffee, milk, soda, juice)
Make 5 out of 7 dinners include salad as half of the plate.
Go on two walks this week.
Complete the Petite Athleat's the 300 challenge at least 4 out of 7 days a week.
Order all coffee drinks with no whipped cream.

Current Stats:

Okay, I'm not totally comfortable with my current weight (obviously, since I want to lose weight) but as December 1st I weighed 1X9.8lbs. I'm uncomfortable with enough not to share the full number to the general public.
Hips - 46"
Waist - 39.5"
Left Thigh-24"
Left Arm-15"

How to Join:

This week set 5 reasonable goals for yourself - little things that you know that if you get off the couch you can easily attain.
Take your measurements to help figure out which areas you want to target first.
Find a way to record your results - your own blog, facebook, google+, twitter, instagram, leaving a comment here.
Officially record your results next Sunday

Quick update

2013-11-26T16:37:00.002-05:00

November has been a busy month for us...

I have several things I want to blog about, unfortunately H has been a bit clingy lately and not letting me use the computer often.

I officially quit my job on 11/20 to become a Stay Home Mom. Weird, right? I feel more relaxed, but its very strange thinking I'm not going back, I worked my department for over ten years.

Also H had ear tubes put in, although the procedure was quick, I was terrified. You might ask why someone so young had tubes put in? Here's the story:

At birth the state requires babies to have a newborn hearing screening. H failed in his left ear. The said not to worry most babies pass the next time. H passed in his left ear on the second test, but failed in his right ear. These tests were done by speech pathologists, who then had to refer him to an audiologist. The audiologist did another pass/fail test. This time he failed in both ears. This was a low point for us, we started researching hearing loss in infants, wondering if we should learn sign language, and it took a lot not to cry, realizing that there was a chance that H wouldn't have a "normal" childhood like C. After that appointment, H was scheduled for an ABR test at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. That was our first bit of hope, the audiologist there determined that H's ear drums weren't moving correctly due to fluid trapped behind the drum. She referred us to an Ears, Nose, & Throat doctor. That doctor determined the best course of action for H was to put in tubes so that his ears would drain. H had this procedure done on the morning of 15th. By that afternoon, we could see that he was already hearing better. We have a follow up soon, where they will determine if there is any hearing loss at all, but I am so hopeful. Until the ABR test I didn't even know his hearing could improve or that in theory his hearing could be so easily fixed. We are so grateful that things how things have turned out so far.

Since the procedure, H really doesn't want us out of his sight though, I don't know if its a normal baby phase, something to do with having surgery, or if suddenly being able to hear better is scary.

Lastly, starting December 1st, I'm going to start a holiday weight loss challenge - anyone is welcome to join me. My main goal is to lose some weight (no specific number) rather than add on some (which is typical with peppermint mochas and cookies being readily available.) I promise I won't bore you with a list of things I ate today. If you blog feel free to join me in the challenge, if you don't blog feel free to join me as well via the comments section, twitter, or facebook. Looking forward to starting 2014 slightly thinner than I was in 2013!

A Celebratory Weekend!

2013-10-21T10:50:00.002-04:00

I can't believe its already been another year, but C's Second Birthday has already passed. This year we tried to keep things simple. We also were celebrating H's Baptism, so we had a joint party for that with our families.

C is really into robots, so everything this weekend has a robot theme. For his actual party we had fancy grilled cheese sandwiches (his favourite) and soup for M & I. I made a pan of brownies and then cut the squares so I could make it a robot. I then decorated it with mini M&Ms and blue icing. With only three people eating the "cake" I didn't want to make anything too big.

His big presents this year were a balancing bike and Hanna Andersson Star Wars Pajamas (sounds silly that these were a big present, but HA clothes can cost the same at the bike! They're worth every penny though and he loves them.)

The next morning we had a breakfast party at Fun Buy The Pound. Last year's party was easy, this year's was even easier. We had Muchkins from Dunkin Donuts (the pumpkin ones were amazing!), bagels, and coffee. The kids got to munch on food and run around while we had coffee. This year I made robots out of scrapbook paper for their goody bags. My sister was able to make shirts again to give out as favors (C is modeling it on the left), and the other big item was an articulated wooden robots from the House of Marble. C has two of these and can't put them down!

The following morning was H's Baptism. He wore the same outfit I made for C and it was a nice service that he slept through. After the service we had a lunch for our families at The Sewickley Cafe. Which was wonderful - the staff was very accommodating and the food was delicious! It was nice to have so many people together to celebrate and we finished off with a Robot Birthday Cake from Paddy Cake Bakery in Bloomfield. C had been waiting for this cake for weeks, whenever we mention his birthday he would say I-E I-E? (which apparently is the sound robots make...)

Overall, it was a fun, exhausting weekend to celebrate two important events in our kids' lives. Although I'm hoping we won't have so much overlap again!

Welcome Baby Bean!

2013-10-02T20:06:00.003-04:00

So a lot has happened since my last post...including the arrival of Baby Bean! I haven't yet decided if I should refer to him as H in this blog, or continue with bean (thoughts?)

So I woke up on August 28th very hungry and with bad back pain at 4:30am. I didn't think much of this, well I was very pregnant, and H had put a lot of pressure on my spine all week (at my last check up he hadn't fully turned to my back), so I just figured that was all. Around 6, I realized that I was having contractions, but they weren't regular or bad, so I told my husband to go to work.

So still in denial I did my best to get through my day - I had big plans of baking cookies and a playdate with C's friends. After lunch I realized my contractions were getting regular and that I should probably time them, but I was still in denial, as I was scheduled for a c-section the next day. Around 2, I realized this wasn't happening. And the contractions were getting closer. C was great and would hold my hand during a contraction or give me a hug. I also realized I wasn't really packed for the hospital and C wasn't packed for a night at my parents. So I got C to take his nap and then I started ironing my clothes to pack...crazy right? Around 4, I told M we were at 5-6 mins(but only 45 seconds long) and I should probably call the doctor. The doctor said I should get to the hospital, so I called my mom, who was much closer than M to me and asked for a ride. We got to the hospital and it became clear that H was arriving earlier than scheduled. M and I decided that the C-Section was still the best idea, and by 8pm H was here.

C has done really well being a big brother once we got home from the hospital. He holds H's hand when H is upset, gives him hugs, and insists that H wants a pacifier all the time (C would like his all the time). My favorite is that he can't say H's yet, so its really cute to hear him say H's name.

H has been a relatively easy baby. He's already sleeping 3-4 hours at a time and sometimes more. He's a hungry dude and gained almost 3lbs in his first month! I can't wait to see his little personality grow and see how he develops.

My next post will probably be a review of C's birthday - I can't believe he'll be two in just a few days. We also have H's baptism coming up, so its a big week for us.

Parenting...

2013-08-19T14:05:00.003-04:00

I feel like nowadays moms feel the need to be labeled and categorized into little groups, at least that what blogs, news articles, and Facebook will tell you. One of my favorite blogs, Fearless Formula Feeder, help start an "I Support You" campaign at the beginning of the month for World Breastfeeding Week. For those of you who don't know, there can be a lot of animosity between breastfeeding and formula feeding, and this campaign showed photos of moms from both sides feeding their babies and declaring that whatever parenting choice you make, they would support you. What I found interesting was how many people also mentioned other parenting choices - since it seems like there is controversy over almost every parenting choice.

It got me thinking...what other labels have I chosen or fallen into as a parent? There are some that we chose on purpose, like cloth diapering (at home only - we're trying to be frugal, but I'm not ready for a full time commitment!), but there are other parenting styles we fell into - like co-sleeping. We don't co-sleep every night, but C is a snuggler and there's something very rewarding for me about holding my baby and watching him fall asleep. That being said at 3am when he's decided to lay horizontal and kick me in the back, I am not such a fan of co-sleeping, and sometimes starts a kicking war with bean (nice to know sibling rivalry starts in the womb?) But will we co-sleep with Bean? I don't know. First of all, I'm worried about C jumping into bed with us and if Bean is in there what would happen. Secondly, co-sleeping with C was organic, we didn't mean to sleep with him, it just sorta happened amongst all the exhaustion late at night. Bean might not need to be snuggled regularly, he's certainly more active in the womb that C was, so maybe he'll want his own space? We'll see. So that's one type of parent I am.

But there are all sorts of other types of decisions you make, that could unknowingly put you in a category. From what type of food to feed your baby to circumcision to car seats to what toys you let them play with. For instance, I didn't want an exersaucer, I didn't see the point, so we got a walker - if you're bored look up what a terrible parent I am for that decision (apparently walkers delay walking, C started walking at 10 months, so I'm glad he was "delayed".)

I wonder if the internet didn't exist would we have as many strong opinions about parenting choices? Or would we just do what seemed right for our child? Would we still label ourselves? Was it easier for past generations, because you just did what your mom, doctor, and close friends told you? Rather than posting a question online and getting "informed" answers from strangers?

I recently started watching the show "Pretty Wicked Moms" on Lifetime, its a terrible bit of reality tv. But from the beginning these ladies are labeled, "Doggy Mom","Alpha Mom", "Queen Bee", etc. And they're all fighting to get their way of mothering recognized as being the best.. When did it become every mother's right to determine how else another mother should parent? I know we all judge, but there's a big difference between thinking "I wouldn't give my toddler soda" and bringing homemade organic snacks to share with everyone to make sure the other kids get something healthy...

So yes, I realize I am judging mothers who judge, but here's the thing, I still support you, even if I think your way of parenting is crazy. I am not perfect, but I am the best mom for C and Bean, and I know you will make the right choice for your kids (and when we don't make the right choice, its a lesson learned, for instance maybe co-sleeping with C is a terrible idea, and when he's 7 and I'm still getting kicked in the back because he refuses to sleep in his own bed, I realize this wasn't best idea (unless he turns out happy, healthy, and well adjusted and sleeps in own bed by then...))

Silver Linning

2013-07-13T16:22:00.001-04:00

This has been a rough week at our house.

On the Fourth of July, the motor in our furnace broke, which means that no air conditioning can be pumped through our house. Luckily, M believes as soon as he can get the part, he can fix it.

Then last Saturday I sprained my ankle and the top of my foot. Sunday & Monday I was on bed rest. Tuesday I was fitted for a giant boot thing after waiting over an hour and half at the Orthopedic doctor (super thrilled about the whole thing...) And have spent any time in public explaining what happened and when my due date is, and yes, its good the baby didn't get hurt. And the boot thing is heavy, and causes my left foot to be about an inch higher than my right (and puts lots of stress of my right side). I also can't do very much now, so its very frustrating and I feel bad for M, since he has to do everything.

But we've been trying to keep things fun. Yesterday I took C to dig for treasure at the library, which he really enjoyed. Then we went to Soergal's to pick blueberries with my youngest brother. Last night I helped out at my mom's store during the Sewickley Night Market - filming all the kids for our dancing duck contest - you should go vote :)

Its really been getting hard to chase C around, and now its near impossible. We can't go on walks, and its hard to pick him up from a tantrum. Anyone have some good tips?

For those of you who are interested...Pregnancy update - 32 Weeks:

-Normal sized baby is 18 inches 4.25 lbs. I believe this dude is bigger
-M really felt a kick today for the first time (with C he couldn't feel much because the placenta was over my stomach, so this the first real baby kick he's felt in general)
-I can actually see the baby moving, its weird
-We have a scheduled repeat C-Section for September 2nd - Labor Day! So hopefully bean doesn't try to leave any sooner, as I'm not really mentally prepared to try a VBAC and the doctors estimate my success rate around 50%. I would much rather have a planned c-section than emergency (planned is safer for me and bean.) So let's hope he listens!
-Only 7 more to go!

I'll try get a photo later on of how pathetic I look...:)

52 Weeks of Blogging with a purpose: Week 3 - My Life 5 Years From Now

2013-07-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

Thanks to From Mrs to Mama for this idea....and to In This Crazy Life and God Will Fill This Nest for keeping me inspired to keep up with this!

My Life 5 Years From Now...

This is the kind of thing they ask you on a job interview that I've always struggled with, not because I don't have a plan, its just very flexible, and sometimes its nice not knowing where your life is going.

In 5 years, M and I will have just celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. Which is crazy to think about, as I can't believe its already been 4 years, then again I can't really remember what life is like without him either.

C will be turning 7, which means he will either be entering first or second grade (we haven't decided if he should oldest or youngest in his class.) Bean will be turning 5! Which is hard to think about when little dude still has two months until birth. He'll be in preschool, and we'll be facing the same decision about when to start Kindergarten.

I'll be in my mid-thirties, very weird, and maybe by then I will be able to balance it all to do what I really want to do. I hope to have a fair share of volunteer activities and be a stay-at-home mom. I think we will be in the same house, since we bought this one with the intention that we could spend the rest of our life in it. There are two reasons I would consider moving, 1.)Obviously if M was to get a job in another city, 2.) to move to up in the world, assuming M starts making a lot more money (I'm talking about a community where our house would cost easily 3 times as much as our current) and we could find a house with a bit more space (which more money doesn't necessarily mean)). This is also around the time that we would like to think about baby #3, M and I both agree that we would love to have more kids, but we need a bit of a break, and I am not a mom who would choose to do 3 under 5, I just feel completely overwhelmed by the idea (those of you who are, I give a ton of credit, since I know its not something I could handle.) Also since I am likely to have a repeat c-section with Bean, I really want to give my body a long period of time to heal.

In an ideal world, I would love to think we will have all of our student loans paid off in 5 years, but I just don't know how realistic that is. We're working on getting about 8 small one paid off this year, but the rest are very large and I'm just not sure how feasible that it.

I'll also be driving a car with a third row by this point (but not a mini-van, I refuse to drive one!) Right now we have a wagon/crossover and it works now, but I know we'll want a third row if another baby k joins us, and I don't know how well these things grow with the family. M keeps pushing the mini-van idea, but I told him if he wants one, he can drive it.

Also in 5 years I could be teaching my little brother how to drive, who was born the same week I failed my first driving test. My youngest sister will be graduating from college, and hopefully one of my siblings or M's will make me an Aunt (I can't wait to be an Aunt, you get to do all the cool stuff of being a mom, with being able to hand the baby back when they get cranky!)

And the count down begins...

2013-06-30T22:33:00.000-04:00

I'm 7.5 months pregnant, and I have to say, I am at the part where I am remembering how awesome not being pregnant is and how uncomfortable being pregnant is. So my new plan is each week to post a picture, give some insight on what's going on with me and the little dude.

So at 30 weeks...

Due to bean's movements I cannot sleep for more than 3 hours without having to get up
Some of my maternity clothes are feeling snug
A 2-3 block walk can be a challenge
Bean must be growing because I am hungry and exhausted all the time
On Sunday, for the first time ever, I ate pickles and ice cream (although not together). I had chicken nuggets and pickles, and then ice cream.
Baby is apparently the size of a cucumber.
This week's doctor's appointment is my last monthly appointment, I'll be seeing them every two weeks now.
Bean is kicking up a storm, so I'm not sure how he's going to gain any fat since he's very wiggly.
Its been really hot lately. I could go for a mojito or a gin and tonic (don't worry, my go to bar drink is a Shirley Temple). I'm glad we have AC. I'd be a lot happier if it was like 70 degrees out instead of high 80s.
This is the first week where I feel so big that I can't do much. Before it was a shouldn't.

Didn't get a chance to get a picture this week sorry! I've been waiting since Wednesday to post this for one, and I just haven't had the chance!

52 Weeks of Blogging: Week 2 - Ten Things I Live For

2013-06-30T22:21:00.001-04:00

Things that I live for or can't live without...

My family - I love my kids, M, my parents, grandma, siblings, etc. Need I say more?
Mystery Books - I love the puzzle of figuring out who, what, why? And it gives me some me time.
Bubble baths. I can read books and relax,
Snuggles.
Traditions. From silly things like giving my kids their first friend at the hospital to having a traditional dinner (fine china, silver, etc.) for holidays. I think these things make life more stable and create memories.
Sweets. I love dessert, candies, etc.
Crochet. I love how I can relax, but still feel like I am achieving something.
Cooking. It amazes me how satisfying it is to make a delicious meal, sometimes out of things you don't expect to taste good. Like have you ever tried vanilla extract on its own? Yuck.
Art. I love creating and viewing art. But not in a pretentious way, I just love seeing how God has people express their world, and that he gives so many people the opportunity to do so.
That moment when you have the full bed to yourself. No toddler pushing you off, no one to steal the sheets.

52 Weeks of Blogging With A Purpose: Week 1 - Who I am

2013-06-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

I saw that Bethany over at In This Crazy Life is doing this "challenge" and I thought it would be a great idea to do too. Since sometimes its hard to come up with worthwhile things to say, plus I'll be more likely to devote regular time to this blog. Like her I'm a week behind, so I'll do two posts this week.

Who I am?

Isn't this something everyone tries to define. Personally I hate those exercises where your write down things that describe you and then you're supposed to eliminate each word until you get to one word that describes you. Its just too hard, too many facets, and I just don't believe that any person is primarily one thing, we have too many relationships that define us for us to be one thing. That being said, here are a few things I feel that I am...

A Volunteer

I love volunteering, perhaps that's why I wanted to work at a non-profit, but seriously I would love to quit my job and just help where needed. From planning a special event, to sorting clothes to the needy, to helping in a community garden, or to menial tasks like data entry. These are things that serve a real purpose and I just want to help people, animals, communities, etc. If I had more hours and energy in a day I would devote more time to it. And I want to make sure my kids have a passion for volunteering as well, and don't just do it for a school project and to get into a good college. I hope they can have the same desire to want to give back physically and financially.

An Idealist

I always try to be as hopeful and optimistic about things, which can be hard, since the best scenario doesn't always pan out. This year has been really tough for me, between working full-time, being a mom, and being pregnant, and its very easy to get bitter, which is exhausting.

A Christian Growing in Faith

I'm working on it. Its hard. It can be scary. And sometimes I don't like what God or the Bible wants me to hear. But I find as I grow, some sort of new inner peace developing too. But sometimes I just want to live in the moment. Plus I am terrible at going to church. I always like going when I do, but I just can't remember the last time I felt well rested and ready to go, which makes its incredibly hard to feel motivated on Sunday mornings. I just have to keep reminding myself that he has a plan and to put my trust into him.

Someone who is sleep deprived

As I read through these things I realize how tired I am. And how much its effecting who I am, or would like to be. Between pregnancy, a toddler, and waking up at 5:30am for work I can't remember the last time I got a solid 4 hours of sleep. I need to figure out a way for me to have the my energy back. I might just have to wait 20 years...

A Creative Type

I like to craft, crochet, sew, draw, paint, make wreathes, design emails, create graphics, cards, etc. I like picking out colors and making things pretty and hopefully interesting. I try to follow my own tastes rather than what's cool (I seriously don't get why mustaches are cool.) But I just want the world around me to be visually pleasing.

Naming Baby Bean

2013-06-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

Does anyone think its harder to name Baby #2?

We already came up with perfect name once. But now, whatever we choose will start a tradition and has to be just as perfect.

What if we choose another C name, then all of our future kids names should start with a C. Or the one that doesn't will think we hate them or something. That would also make this blog confusing.
If we choose two family names again, do we have to do that with all of our kids? What if we start running out of names that we like, that are also family names? How far back to do you go? My mom has a family tree book that goes back to the 1600's, do those names count? Last time we picked two of grandfathers' names, does this mean we should always pair up names like this (like my dad, his dad or our other grandfathers?)
Do the traditions have to apply to both genders? Luckily this time its another boy, so we don't have to worry about this yet.
One of the reasons I love C's name that it has multiple nicknames, so if he decides he doesn't like the one we use, he still has plenty to pick from. Should we eliminate a name because it only has one "normal" nickname?

Our current rules:

First name cannot belong to anyone in our generation of our family (siblings & cousins).
Middle name can share the name of someone of our generation, if the intention was to name them after someone of an older generation.
Must be a traditional spelling and name. We want people to be able to know how to say our kids name and not have any trouble spelling it. Plus after spending 5 years of looking over resumes, I just want any future employer to be able to call our kid for an interview without trying to guess how to say their name.
Can't end with a "K" sound, since our last name starts with one. It just doesn't sound great.
Can't rhyme with our last name.
No double initials for first and middle name, like A.A. (oh that would be awful, everything monogramed would be AKA!)
No juniors (M doesn't feel comfortable naming babies after him, and I think sometimes it can be confusing from my experience as a telefundraiser - especially if both dad and son attend the college).

Other things to consider:

What will their initials spell? Monograms? Does it spell out any sort of offensive/infamous groups (like would you want your kids initials to be KGB?)
What could be potential email addresses/usernames? (like I read a story about a Fran Atkins, whose work username/email was fatkins).
What if Prince William and Princess Kate pick our name? We like traditional names, family names, and I'm first generation English-American, its quite likely we are looking at the same lists. I don't want anyone to think we named Bean after the future King of England. But then again does it matter, since it is so traditional? Its not like we've suddenly decided that North is the best name ever.

So I think we have a first name for the little dude, I'm 85% sold, but it's been a lot of back and forth. Once we came up with C's name I knew it was right, even though M wanted to wait to see the baby before giving a final yes. (He thought there was a chance that the baby might not look like the name we picked, despite my telling him that all babies look like babies when they are born and not like specific names.) The middle name is still up for debate. I just want us to be on the same page come the last week of August, so that when the baby is born we can give an answer right away (I know you actually have like 15 days or something, but what do you call the baby in the mean time? Plus can you imagine announcing on facebook, "Baby has arrived, 8lbs 7oz, 21 inches long, no name yet." Like that's one of your first big decisions as a parent, and you've had about 40 weeks to decide (unless you end up on that I didn't know I was pregnant show), shouldn't you just make a decision?)

So why is #2 so much harder to name? In theory, we already know what names we like, so should we just pick the next name on the list? So for those of you who have been there, how do you pick the perfect name for a second time (or 3rd, 4th, 5th...) What are your rules and thoughts on names?

Hello June!

2013-06-05T12:53:00.001-04:00

The kid's room is coming along nicely! M was able to get floors and dressers stained and finished last weekend. C started using a toddler bed on Sunday night, which seems to be a big adjustment for the whole family (since he's no longer contained). There's nothing like brushing your teeth in the morning only to hear the bathroom door open and a sweet little voice say "mama?". Getting him to fall asleep in the bed has been a bit trying, I think the bigger room is a bit scary to him. Plus we don't have the crib for bean in yet or artwork up, so the room feels a bit empty. I'm hoping we can get the artwork up tonight, and the crib this weekend (naturally its just a bit wider than the door frame, so we can't just roll it down the hall!)

M started a new job last week, so its been a big adjustment getting everyone ready in the morning. He's schedule isn't as flexible as his previous job, so he has to be there during normal working hours. It makes mornings a bit hectic, since I have to leave about 15-20 mins before M & C, but it does mean we have extra time in the evening hang out, which I am really appreciative of. I'm hoping that its only a few more weeks of chaos before we settle into a good routine.

Baby Bean will be in here in about 11 weeks, which doesn't sound very long at all. He's constantly kicking me I think to remind me to get a move on to get his room and stuff ready! This week has also been full of pregnancy forgetfulness, from forgetting to tell babysitters that times changed or to leaving my purse at IKEA (somehow managed to remember my keys and phone though...)

Sunday was a little busy, I had a bridal shower and a "bump bbq"(BBQ for people who were expecting baby #2 ) to attend. Both were a lot of fun, but boy was I exhausted afterwards. I think I fell asleep before the sun set.

I was very excited that our grocery bill was $98 this week! I feel like I'm getting closer to my goal. We are trying something new to save a bit of money, switching to cloth napkins for everyday use. Even though paper napkins don't cost that much, I thought it might be worth a try. I've ordered 12 to start with (2.5 napkin users, that seemed like enough?) Since I mostly order all my paper products online, and don't count them as part of the grocery bill, I thought this would help some of our other costs.

Tomorrow is M & I's 4 year anniversary. I can't believe its been that long. Its funny to think that 4 years ago today I was moving furniture, getting my nails done, and getting prepped to go to the rehearsal dinner. And trying to finish a book, so I didn't have to take it on our honeymoon to just read 1-2 chapters.

Alrighty, my lunch break is over, back to work.

Summer Fun has kicked off

2013-05-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

I just think this photo is adorable.

Sorry for my lack of posts recently. I have been working on several half finished posts, but none of them are quite ready to be published.

May has become hot and humid, everyone is having end of the year picnics, and its finally nice enough to go to playgrounds without worrying about mud! This weekend we went to three events that signify the kick off of summer for me.

Apparently the petting zoo is funny.

The first was the Pittsburgh International Children's Festival on Friday with one of my friends. There were a lot of really neat things to do for free (magic shows, art projects, games, and general noise making!) C has a great time and I can't wait for next year's since he'll be able to do so much more stuff. Some of our favorite activities were the hanging sound garden, seeing "Dippy" the dinosaur, petting zoo, spin art on an old record, and When I Grow Up pictures sponsored by PNC.

Look how big Dippy is compared to C!

C & M next to one of the Duquesne
Light truck's drills for telephone poles

Our second event was Saturday morning, Touch-A-Truck sponsored by the Junior League of Pittsburgh. When I was active in the league this was my favorite event to volunteer at - its just really cool. They get 30 plus vehicles together in a big parking lot for kids to touch, honk horns, or show off other cool things (like the bomb squad robots!) C wasn't really interested in touching this year, but he was pretty excited to go and see all the big trucks. I think the firetruck was his favorite. We ended the morning with some ice cream, so really a pretty good morning for him!

After nap time we headed over to Sewickley Unleashed which benefits the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. I wasn't sure how C would do with this, since most of the events are tailored to dogs, and he seems a little unsure about dogs (except Greyhound which he really likes). He seemed to enjoy seeing all the cats up for adoption, and Grandma is on the committee so seeing her is always a plus. Also we ended up getting him a stuffed dog, since he picked up one of toy dogs that Grandma was selling and decided it needed a drink of water from a nearby puddle. It was super cute, and he loves the dog, so I guess it worked out. We also got some homemade treats for our cats, so there is some benefit for those of us without dogs.

I'm pretty impressed that we were able to do all this fun stuff for under $50 for the whole weekend (including food, new stuffed dogs, and admission).

Other than that life has been pretty slow at our house, M has been busy staining and finishing the floor for the kids room. Fingers crossed it will be setup this weekend. The last big project is staining and finishing the dressers from IKEA which he hopes to do over the week, since they will be less work than the floor. Then its assemble the toddler bed and move furniture. I can't wait for this, since our hallway and bedroom has been packed with stuff and I can't even open the bottom drawer my dresser without moving 3-4 boxes. Maybe we just need one of those HGTV shows where we go away for a weekend and everything is magically setup and finished for us? That being said I don't think I could give away design control to a professional designer...I just want the work crew!

Until next time...

Advice to First Time Moms

2013-05-01T11:16:00.002-04:00

There are tons of sites with information for new moms, some of it I found helpful, some of it not so much. Here's my two cents:

Hire a cleaning lady for the first month (and even the last couple months of your pregnancy) if you can. Its worth every penny. There is so much going on when you bring a baby home, its nice to have someone else come in and vacuum. Its also really nice when you're in the final stretch of pregnancy and bending isn't really an option.
Get at least one pregnancy massage. Its amazing, and the baby likes a relaxed happy mommy.
Never say never. I didn't see a point in baby wearing or cloth diapers. I didn't think I would have a c-section. I wasn't going to ever attempt to make my own baby food. These are all things I ended up doing or at least trying. I'm sure that there is a lot more.
That super amazing baby product you bought that everybody loves? Your kid will probably hate at least one of these. C hated the bumbo chair.
Don't focus to much on living in the moment or enjoying every second of it. This is one of the biggest things people say to people with new babies. I sometimes get into a funk because I know C will only be so little for so long, and I should be enjoying EVERY SECOND of it, but I can't. Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I don't want my hair pulled, sometimes I'd really prefer not to be covered in throw up. I can't imagine that anyone enjoys every second of diaper changing. C doesn't even like it. Sometimes I think this is like when I think I want a dog, it would be nice to have a dog to walk or sit on your lap to pet, or play fetch. Then I remember the downside of having a dog. They can be very messy, smelly, and destructive. I think that its similar to people who tell you to enjoy every second, they miss the cuddling and sweet smiles, and have totally forgotten about the tantrums and dealing with sick kids aspect of things.
For every crazy mom you meet, there will be 10 more crazier ones on the internet. You just have to figure out what you're crazy about - organic food, elimination communication, car seats, and find someone to share in the craziness. I'm sure there is a Facebook group for it.
Don't expect to accomplish anything in the first three months of your baby's life. If you can take a shower and unload the dishwasher, you have accomplished a lot for that day.
Enjoy all the snuggling you can get. Even if it means they whack their head into your nose several times. Who needs a nose anyway?
Take advice from your parents, in-laws, and grandparents. Assuming they've raised semi-normal adults at this point. You don't have to always agree with them, but sometimes they have valid points. We somehow got to this point without the latest and greatest in books and websites. I've noticed the grandpa's are really good at pointing out these things. Like when I got into a panic because M & I fell asleep with C in our bed when he was a newborn (on accident) and my dad then pointed out that 100 years ago people always slept with their babies, and that somehow the human race has survived. They'll also give you great advice for when you suddenly realize that you have no idea how to grocery shop with a baby.
Also take advice from your pediatrician, doctor, or pharmacist. If you're bfing and wondering how your medication will effect things, or you kid has a weird rash. Its too easy to Google and ask people on Facebook My guess is the majority of your friends did not spend 6-8 years studying this stuff. I have friends who are pharmacists or MDs and usually when I ask them a stupid question, they tell me I should really go talk to my doctor since they don't know my medical history.
You will not get a lot of the stuff you registered for. You will get a lot of clothes and copies of Good Night Moon (which I don't even understand why people like that book, I think its creepy). You will also get a bunch of stuff that is interesting and you're not really sure you need it. 9 out of 10 times that interesting thing ends up being really helpful. Hopefully you will have some friends who buy you a gift card so you can make sure your baby has things like washcloths.
Take a deep breath now, no matter how much you try to declutter, you will never understand how your child has so much stuff or why all their stuff is so big. (My advice is try to break it up between multiple rooms, then it doesn't seem quite so bad.) Enjoy your nice living room with no big, bright color things, or cars everywhere now.
Before your child is born moms will give you advice, and you think I will not do that. Be realistic, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. I felt really prepared that I had a good idea what babies were like (there is a 17 year difference between me and my youngest sibling). But there is a big difference when it is your child and suddenly you have to do it all. Sometimes you will resort to any type of torture to get that little one to sleep.
Try to have a date night every 6 weeks with your spouse. It can be hard depending on what else is going on in your life and your budget. But sometimes its really nice to eat a meal and not half to worry about what your little one is currently doing.
Take time to care for yourself. You'll feel better if you can have your hair done or catch up on sleep.
Get a Kindle or e-reader. There may be a period when your little one just wants to lie on you and sleep and you're over Netflix and TV. You only need one hand to read and if you fall asleep or get interrupted you don't have to worry about losing your page. And it has a better battery life then a tablet.
Find a mommy group to join. Its nice to connect with others and get out of the house for playdates. Plus its nice to have people going through the same thing as you to talk to.

Enjoy. At some point I will write about surviving your second pregnancy. Anyone have something they would add?

Monday...

2013-04-22T17:23:00.002-04:00

So I was super excited that in less than 1 week I completed one whole thing off my list! I made my own vanilla extract, it's super easy! Just slice your vanilla beans in half, leaving a half inch unsliced on each end, and then add 1/3 cup of vodka per bean. Put in a bottle, shake occasionally, and in 6-8 weeks tada! vanilla extract. The vodka is already turning brown, so I can't wait to try it sometime between Memorial Day and M & I's wedding anniversary. Apparently once you use some, you can keep adding vodka and make some more vanilla. I used Madgascar Vanilla Beans from Penzeys in Pittsburgh's Strip District, but did you know that there are a bunch of different types of vanilla beans? I could make all kinds of crazy vanilla extract if this goes well...

So that was my super good news, this weekend was great, met up with some of college friends at Burgatory for lunch, and went for some delicious Thai to celebrate my birthday. But you know how you know you've become a parent? You say after we go to the nice Thai place for my birthday lets stop at Home Depot to buy laminate floor for the kids' room, because it would be really nice to just look at floor samples and not have a toddler get grumpy because they want to make a mess of all the not free flooring samples. And your husband goes, are you sure this is how you want to celebrate your birthday? I assume in about 25 years C will be really good at shopping at Home Depot, but until then maybe its better to sneak out when we can. Its not like IKEA when I can say if you're a good boy I'll buy some playfood for your kitchen or we'll get meatballs...

In other news, does anyone else feel like as a first time parent you're getting ripped off? Buy this incredibly expensive thing your kid will love it and you'll be an awesome parent because blah blah development. Yet somehow our parents, grandparents, etc made it through without it. For some reason lately my newsfeed has been blowing up with pictures of learning towers. Do you know what one is? Neither did I until today. Doesn't a learning tower seem really cool? The first time I saw one, I was like where is all the stuff? Only to learn that its a giant wooden $200 chair. Does it keep your kid safe while you cook? Sure, but only from falling off a chair or stool. Did I miss a memo? I survived on chairs somehow, C helped me cook pancakes from out step stool. Okay he pretended to stir in the empty measuring cup while I made pancakes. But he's 18 months old, do you really want him actually helping with food yet? I also signed up for one of those Citrus Lane boxes (they did it a deal where your first box is only $10). Its a neat idea you get age appropriate toys and gear. Was I super impressed with the box? Not really. We got a squeezy pouch of bananas, which we already have 3 boxes of since a certain mommy though the woot deal was a really good idea. Good thing C likes bananas...We also received organic combined shampoo & body wash, a Melissa & Doug watercolor pad, a place mat, and a thing to hold juice boxes so your kid doesn't squeeze them and get juice everywhere. All at a value of $25. The juice box thing seems cool, but the rest I could care less about.

Alright maybe this post is a bit grumpy, but C was up every hour or two half complaining half just being grumpy and only wanting to sleep in our bed last night. Despite using some time off from work this morning to catch up on sleep, I'm still tired. Pregnant ladies don't sleep well, and apparently pregnant ladies with grumpy toddlers sleep less.

C is also going through a big attachment phase right now. Apparently, I am not suppose to go anywhere without him. Good thing I leave for work before he gets up. The last two times he's been in a childcare like setting he's pretty much cried the whole time, and then I get to pick him up early. He did okay with my sister on Saturday night but still wasn't a fan of me going without him. Luckily for him, we were buddies all day yesterday while M painted the kids's room. I curious to see how today went...but also really tired.

30 by 30

2013-04-16T10:11:00.000-04:00

I've seen a few friends do these great lists of things they would like to accomplish by a certain age or date. I've decided to give it a try since today is my 29th birthday. So here is my list of things I would like to accomplish in the next year.

Pay off a student loan.
Get more involved within in my community or with my library.
Learn to make pasta.
Read the entire Bible.
Have an amazing vacation/trip planned for M & I's 5th Anniversary in June 2014.
Make myself a dress.
Make curtains for the Kitchen with the fabric I bought 4 years ago.
Have some Mommy & C time each week once Baby Bean arrives.
Put together a giant granny square blanket with all the squares I've received or made over the years.
Add more to the lap blanket I first made M years ago.
Use credit cards less, carry more cash.
Make Baby Bean an outfit and blanket just like I did for C.
Make scrapbook for 2010.
Successfully grow a vegetable garden.
Learn to budget.
Cut back on reality tv and other junky tv.
Take a walk once a week.
Plan a family outing once a month.
Have a date night with M at least every 6 weeks.
Make homemade vanilla extract.
Destash 60% of my yarn collection.
Read, sell, or donate any books I own that I haven't actually read.
Lose an extra 10lbs after the baby weight is lost (so starting October 2013?)
Find a fitness regime that works with my schedule and small children.
Spend more time and less money making fresh meals, rather than relying on processed and prepackaged food.
Finish scrapbook for 2011 (seriously we're talking about 2013-2014 here!)
Get out and explore Pittsburgh!
Organize kids' clothing so its actually easy to sort through.
Pick the perfect name for Baby Bean!
Go on a family vacation!