5/52

Ladybird showing me that milk is good for her body and teeth.

Besides eating and sleeping, bathing is probably Zeke Bears favorite thing to do.

Sorry for low quality photo but I had to share my little Viking. We went this past weekend to the Nordic Festival at the Kennedy Center and this is little man sporting a Viking hat. 

Cheers to doing this 47 more times.

Two Months

Zeke Bear is 2 months old and he is still averaging 1 pound a week in weight gain. My husband and I are amazed because if you look at his arms he has defined muscles like you can see where his deltoid would be or tricep etc.

Updates

• Zeke Bear at two months you weigh 14 lbs 11 oz.
• You are in the 95 percentile for weight and height.
• You can kick your feet with a lot of force.
• You are sleeping 6-7 hours at night.
• You are still nursing beautifully.
• You don't tolerate being hungry you scream your little head off.
• You love baths.
• You used to scream and cry for diaper changes but now you smile and coo.
• You have a nice little bald spot on the back of your head from where you sleep at night.
• You had cradle cap up until a week ago where I worked on it and now it's all gone.
• You love to be bounced to sleep and held.
• You fall asleep instantly in the ergo or solly baby wrap.
• And when you find your fist you love to suck on them.

Cheers my precious baby boy.

1/52

I just found this really cool Link-Up from Che & Fidel to take a photo a week of my little darlings for the rest of the year. So get used to seeing my little ones every Sunday. I think this is really cool because I get to see how much Zeke Bear and Lady Bird grow and change over the course of the year!

Cheers to doing this 51 more times.

Solly Baby Wrap

I love wearing my babies, with Ladybird I used the Ergo and with Zeke Bear I am using the Ergo outside of the house and the Solly Baby Wrap indoors. I am able to do everyday task around the house while bounding with my little man. I love knowing that he is close to me but I don't have to choose between doing the much needed laundry and being close to my baby its a win-win and it usually puts him right to sleep.

The Solly Baby Wrap is much like the well known Moby Wrap sold in big box stores like Target and Baby specialty stores. I found the Solly by stumbling upon the creator of the wraps blog way before I was pregnant. Once I was prego a friend let me borrow the Moby so I could use it once baby arrived well I ended up ordering the Solly because it was a great deal on a discount site called Zulily.com. The wrap is made with organic cotton, it's super soft and light weight and I love the print. This wrap has some really cool features like it folds into itself and even have a bobo (pacifier) pocket.

 Cheers to keeping babies close the heart.

I am not allowed to kiss boys

I witnessed the most adorable encounter and conversation this evening that I want to blog about and also archive it in my amazing mommy memories.

Allow me to set the scene:

We attend bible study on Friday nights at a friends house while all the kiddos go to the basement to play and the adults are upstairs having fellowship and Spirit lead Bible study. Bible study is over around 9 PM and so the kids come upstairs and play and run around while the adults finish off the conversations they were having before Bible study started. The host of Bible study has a little boy who is absolutely adorable and is such a sweet boy. Both families mommies have joked that we have already prearranged their marriage, between this little boy and our Ladybird. This little boy is just so sweet to Lady and I don't know if he is like that with all the little girls our just my baby girl and he is not much older than Lady but by two years. 

Tonight he asked his mommy if he could give his trophy to Lady because she did really good at playing a game that evening. So he went to Lady and offered her his trophy and of coarse she accepted and then right before leaving he not only hugged her but also gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

Lady's face was priceless she was a bit shocked and I don't know what else was going through her mind. I then said in a joking manner "Lady is not allowed to receive kisses from boys." I did not think she heard me.

Apparently she did! later that night on the way home... the following conversation took place in the car.

Lady: Did the Boy not want his trophy

Daddy: No I think he just wanted you to have it, he was being nice. Isn't that nice Lady?

Lady: But next time I just need to say "I am not allowed to get kisses from boys."

Daddy: immediately responds... that's right! Lady we don't give kisses to boys until we are married.

Lady: I am going to get married when I am older to the Boy.

Daddy: Hmm... did you know that God has prepared a husband for you and you will get married when you are grown up like Mommy and Daddy.

Lady: When I get a little older I will give kisses to my husband?

Daddy: Uhh... when you are MUCH older Lady.

Lady: OK... smiles.

Meet and Greet

 Monkey has had a busy couple of weeks with Thanksgiving, Christmas, family in town and now meeting Snow White and Rapunzel. He is turning into quite the ladies man. I had to pull some strings to get these connections but we made it happen and Monkey is soaking it all up. 

Cheers to personally knowing some friends in high places (castles). 

Christmas Traditions

Last year I read about a Christmas tradition where on December 1st you wrap 25 Christmas books and each night your children open one book and read it as a part of their bedtime story. You recycle the same books every year. 

I loved the idea but I didn't like the idea of having to purchase 25 books all at one time. I find it a blessing from God that I went to a Library sale and bought most of our books for a $1. This tradition was a lot easier on our pocket than I thought it was going to be. As the children get older I will switch out some of the easy readers for some classic Christmas books. Lady has thoroughly enjoyed opening a present every night after dinner. 

We still don't have 25 books but we are a lot closer than we were before the library sale. 

Cheers to creating new Christmas traditions.

I want to be...

We went to Monkey's one month appointment yesterday and the Doc and Lady had a full conversation and I was surprised and quite proud of her response.

Doc: Do you want to be a doctor when you grow up?
Lady:NO!
Doc: Then what do you want to be?
Lady: I want to be a mom.

I think she is off  to a great start because she is very motherly with her baby brother. She really loves to give Monkey hugs and kisses all day long.

Cheers to Moms everywhere.

Review: National Children's Museum

This post is my personal review about the National Children's Museum at the National Harbor in Maryland.

On Monday we visited the new Children's Museum at the National Harbor. I was expecting something grand like the Please Touch Museum in Pennsylvania or maybe the Children's Museum in Tampa, FL but it really disappointed me. It's more like an interactive play area in wide open space. The staff and location are not very child or mommy friendly. The museum employees were not mean or rude but they were not child friendly and by the looks of it they are paid to interact with the children except there not very interactive.


Some things I noticed:

• No Hand sanitizer stations anywhere in the building (this is no-no especially with children during flu season)
• There is no area to nurse infants (You would think there would be a designated space for this. I want my life to be made easier not more difficult when travelling with my toddler and infant. I am not opposed to nursing in public but after I nurse I typically change a diaper so maybe having a one stop shop where I can do all of that and have my toddler with me.)
• The staff did not freely allow free play they kept interfering with the children's imaginative play. 
• A museum staff member even reprimanded a child for putting a toy in his mouth and threatened to take it away. (I understand germ spreading but I don't think it was appropriate for staff to threaten to take toys away.)
• There was no snack bar or lunch area.

When I asked who I could talk to, to give some suggestions the women replied that I could give the suggestions to her. When I started to speak she walked away and thankfully there was another women there but she took my suggestions very defensively as if I was criticizing her work and her museum. 

With all of that said Lady had a great time playing and making crafts. We even bought a season pass.

Go check out the museum its a good place to spend a few hours in doors while your little one spends some energy.

 Making buttons.

The museum offered story time and then had a craft to go with the story. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Lady made a Caterpillar, a Butterfly and even a piece of fruit.

Here she is making tribal paper beads like those made in Tanzania.

Cheers to having a place to review and vent.

Anthropologie

I finally broke my Anthro cherry and its not even for me (one day though). I had been eyeing there fabric lowercase letters for several months and just the other day I walked in and they were on sale.

I wanted an E for Ezekiel's room but daddy caved and bought one for Ava Jolie as well. 

  Can't wait to put it up on his gallery wall (that I am reorganizing) will post pictures soon.

Cheers.

Cloth Diapering Haul

Vlog learning in progress. I would like to vlog (make videos) more but still need to learn a few things and maybe hire a camera man. Bare with me in the process. Enjoy the over drawn lengthy video and just beware it abruptly stops (that may be a good thing).



Cheers.

Placenta Pills

I have heard and read a lot about a new trend of women encapsulating their placenta and taking it to help with baby blues and postpartum recovery. There is no scientific facts that state that popping placenta pills will help with postpartum recovery but the women that have taken placenta pills swear by it. My midwife had suggested to me that I save and encapsulate my placenta. I have made it a joke every sense. I am really starting to wonder does it actually help and how many ladies have also considered this? I think I would if someone would do the prep work for me. So are there any volunteers to wash,  bake, grind and encapsulate my placenta? Just asking. 

Click the link if you wanna see how its done.

http://www.babycenter.com/101_placenta-encapsulation-see-how-its-done_10365559.bc

Cheers. 

Petunia Pickle Bottom

Look at these delicious looking bags. I had heard of Petunia Pickle Bottom before but never really was interested in them until I held the Sashay Satchel just the other day. I think I fell in love but I am unsure it is big enough (I am the kind of girl who over packs) especially when thinking about having to carry around cloth diapers. The other bag is the Society Satchel and its apart of PPB Cake line, these bags are way more pricey but the velvet fabric on these bags are beautiful.

Waterloo Stop Sashay Satchel Fall 2012 Embossed Fabric

Black Forest Cake Society Satchel

Luvs

Thought this was a funny commercial and made me think will I nurse out in the open. I nursed Ava  for 17 months and always used a blanket of some sort while in public even around girl friends. I typically covered myself out of respect for those around me. After seeing this commercial I thought...huh could I really nurse out in the open like this? We will find out soon enough.

Cheers.

Cloth Diapers

My family and I are about to venture into the world of cloth diapers. Some days I feel empowered and feel excited for all the amazing benefits cloth diapers have to offer and other days I feel lost, scared and confused (ok maybe not all three at once). I have talked to many people about this subject and I have found you have either people who are completely for it and would not choose to diaper any other way or the folks that think I am crazy. I have some fantastic friends who have really helped me through this journey of just trying to figure out cloth diapers (mind you I have never actually cloth diapered a child before well for the exception of putting on a cloth diaper once for Ava at a friends house). I am just in the beginning stages I feel lost just trying to figure out the best way to wash the darn things and this is without poop.

I am not putting any pressure on myself to make it to potty training in cloth diapers so I am taking this journey one step at a time. I would like to get through the newborn stage first although we will be using a combination during this time to allow the meconium to leave his body and second because honestly am I really going to be washing diapers every two days during our first weeks home... Right now I say not a chance.

Cloth diapers are a heavy investment but you save so much money in the long term; like anywhere from $1500 to $2000 that is a lot of money from newborn to potty training.

We have chosen to cloth diaper for several reasons.

1. Have you ever felt a cloth diaper it's super soft and who would not want that on their bum?

2. There are reported to be little to no diaper rashes.

3. Saving money.

4. Much better on the environment

5. His bum will look super adorable in cloth diapers and especially sporting all of those cute prints.

Cheers.

Diaper Bags

With my first little I traded in my handbags for the obvious choice of a diaper bag. I bought several diaper bags and used them all equally but I enjoyed changing it up every once in awhile. One of my favorite diaper bags was actually a Columbia diaper backpack that I wanted for the hubby because it was bit more masculine. I loved having two free hands while using the backpack. When I wore my baby carrier my shoulder strapped bags would fall where my diaper bag was perfect. Like everything else I have done plenty of research of which diaper bag I want for baby #2. We are cloth diapering this time so I figure we may need more room but I am not shy when it comes to large bags. Here are some choices I have thought of so far.

These bags appeal to me because they don't scream I am a diaper bag. They are chic looking and could probably double as a regular handbag after baby has outgrown the stage of diaper bag.

1. Cocalo Couture Chloe Hobo Diaper Bag

2. Charlie - Mustard

3. Kandee J3 (I actually already own this bag which I love but am now returning because the quality is not great. Imoshion the handbag company are releasing a second version with higher quality material.) 

4. Storksak Kate Diaper Bag

Two of these are diaper backpacks from Vera Bradley. I thought since I have a backpack already which is masculine maybe this time I could go for more feminine one this time.  

1. Convertible Baby Bag in Black

2. Get Carried Away Tote

3. Campus Backpack

4. Ergo Backpack

Cheers.