Spit-up
Crying (and therefore a paci)
Sleeping
Oh well. At least he's cute!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Cloth in the ( hand ) Wash
So, I promised I would talk about our experiences so far with washing cloth diapers...
Initially I decided that there was no way I could even try cloth diapers because we don't have a washer and dryer. But after hating the disposables, I wanted to see if there was any way to use cloth. I mean, I wasn't having trouble using cloth wipes (I hate baby wipes!), so why couldn't I make cloth diapers work too?! I read a blog that talked about a 1 week hand washing challenge, and I was intrigued. If there was a way to wash by hand, I wanted to give it a try.
Jonathan was less than thrilled when I told him what I had in mind, but somehow I convinced him to let me try. He told me he would buy me the real supplies if we decided to go this route. Until then, I had to scrounge for my supplies.
The first two steps I don't have pictures of...
First I rinse each diaper in the sink as it comes off the baby. I don't really like to have dirty diapers just sitting around waiting to be washed. Plus, the pee-soaked diapers smell nasty after a little while! I think the disposable diapers must have some kind of chemical deodorizers in them. Gross! I don't want that kind of stuff on David's skin all the time!
Second, about half an hour before I'm gonna wash the diapers I put them in the wash bucket to soak. This isn't actually necessary since I do the initial rinse, but I usually do it anyway.
Add about 1 Tablespoon of cloth diaper safe soap to the empty wash bucket.
Add HOT water to make the bucket about half full.
This soap makes the water slightly cloudy.
Add diapers and covers.
Plunge for 5 min with a toilet plunger to agitate.
Usually I take my ipod with me and just listen to a 5 min song.
This takes a lot longer without the music.
I like to vary my plunging so that it gets the diapers really clean.
Dump water and diapers
I like to wring some of the water out at this point.
This means less soapy water goes into the rinse water.
Return the diapers to the bucket and re-fill with water.
Agitate for 1-2 minutes.
Repeat rinse until water stays clear of suds or cloudiness.
Dump everything out and wring it out one more time.
Once I convinced Jonathan that we were gonna do this, he made me a clothesline!!!
Before this, we would hang them over the bar in the bathtub.
Individual diaper rinse - 1 min each
Optional pre-soak - 15-30 minutes
Agitation - 5 minutes (this varies by how dirty the diapers actually are)
2 Rinse cycles - 4-5 minutes
Wring and hang to dry - 5 minutes
If you don't count the pre-soak I never spend more than 30 minutes cleaning the diapers. It takes at least 45 minutes to do that wash part at the laundry room. Plus I get a fabulous arm workout! I haven't noticed any changes yet, but I bet after a while I will have some killer toned arm muscles!!!
*Special thanks to my wonderful hubby who took this time to learn how to wash the diapers so I could hold a sick baby and take pictures of the process. You're the best J-man!*
Next up should be a post about which diapers work best with the hand washing situation, and what we are gonna do long term with diapering. Gotta say it here though, I'm in love!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Claire Comes
Sweet little girl just sleeping away.
Proud (and amazing looking!) mom and dad with their newest little one.
What a good looking crew!
Big sister and brothers are eager to help mom and dad with loving on little Claire!
She's so cuddly, who could resist it?!
This delicate flower is so photogenic, it's insane!
5 weeks old here and still rocking the photography world.
*All of these photos are downloaded from facebook. I do not own the copyright to any of them. Check out Adriana Brock Photography! This little girl's aunt is an amazing children's photographer.*
From the Wilds of Africa... AUBREY ARRIVES!!!
So back on the catching up from all these babies arriving...
About 7 hours after David was born (I think), Lauren (Jonathan's sister) checked into the hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, to be induced. We spent the morning waiting for news. I remember asking every couple hours after David was born if Aubrey was here yet. We literally could not wait for her to be here!
Aubrey Kay made her appearance at almost 4pm Kenya time the day after David was born. This beautiful girl is a mere 13 hours younger than David. She was 6lb 7oz at birth... Same exact weight as Alexa! Can't believe that they were identical sizes at birth!!!
One of the coolest things about this birth was that Lauren's parents got to be IN KENYA for the birth! We know it was awesome to be able to have your mom there, Lauren!
Gorgeous mom and baby shot! It's incredible how much my beautiful sister-in-law radiates with her little girl in her arms! Actually, she usually radiates with joy anyways... Just even more with this precious little one!
Family photo in Kenya. They moved houses when Aubrey was less than a week old, and moved countries (to the UK) when she was only a few weeks old. Next up is a visit to the US when she is less than 3 months old! Talk about a world traveler!
*All photos in this entry have been downloaded from facebook. I do not have the copyright to ANY of them*
About 7 hours after David was born (I think), Lauren (Jonathan's sister) checked into the hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, to be induced. We spent the morning waiting for news. I remember asking every couple hours after David was born if Aubrey was here yet. We literally could not wait for her to be here!
Aubrey Kay made her appearance at almost 4pm Kenya time the day after David was born. This beautiful girl is a mere 13 hours younger than David. She was 6lb 7oz at birth... Same exact weight as Alexa! Can't believe that they were identical sizes at birth!!!
*All photos in this entry have been downloaded from facebook. I do not have the copyright to ANY of them*
Cloth on the Bum
We decided to try a 30 day trial of cloth diapers from a local store in Dallas. Basically we can try as many different kinds of diapers as we want, and we just return what we don't like for a refund minus a small fee (like $1.25 per diaper change). Below are our starters...
Sometime soon I'll share our washing process, since we don't have a washer and dryer and must frequently HAND WASH these diapers. It's a blast. Seriously.
A. Best Bottoms All-in-Two diaper shell
B. 2 Staydry (microfiber) Best Bottoms AI2's Liners
C. Bummis Flushable Diaper Liners
D. Tiny Tush large Organic Flat Diaper
E. Flip Diaper Cover
F. Lulu's Cloth Diaper Laundry Soap
G. Snappi (replaces nasty diaper pins)
H. Large Organic Cotton Prefold
I. Stay Dry Infant prefold
David is sporting the Flip cover. Notice the gaping at the legs.
Bad for our boy who always leaks out the legs...
Here is the infant prefold with the Snappi and the flip cover.
Flatfold diaper in an origami fold.
Red diaper with BB liner will go over this to create an overnight diaper.
Origami flatfold with Snappi. Super comfy and adjustable.
Snappi is similar to the gripper things that come with Ace bandages.
A good look at the different snaps that adjust the cover.
Top row adjusts waist (the flaps can even overlap for newborns).
The others adjust the rise of the diaper (4 possible heights).
David is on the second smallest rise right now.
Notice the extra fabric and elastic forming a second leg gusset?
That makes this one our favorite. We love the extra security around the legs!
This super thick (do you see this thing?!) diaper has never let us down overnight.
The same thing can be achieved by just putting two of any of the diapers together under the cover.
Sometime soon I'll share our washing process, since we don't have a washer and dryer and must frequently HAND WASH these diapers. It's a blast. Seriously.
Friday, November 9, 2012
David's Birth Story
How can I put into words what happened that day? This will be a sad attempt to capture those precious memories...
Warning... I'm gonna talk about labor and delivery here, so if you don't wanna read about the details, just skip on by!!! This may be TMI!! And it's pretty long too!
10 am Appointment with Cecily, my midwife.
The nurse asked if I wanted to be checked for dilation at this appointment. I told her that since it doesn't really mean too much at this point, I would rather not. Cecily comes in and says that we should. Turns out that I was 4cm and 90%. Since I was not in active labor yet, we asked her what this really meant for us. "Don't travel more than 1 hour from the hospital this week. You probably won't make it to your appointment next week."
"Should I still go visit my sister today on the other side of the city?"
"That's fine."
Noon Lunch at Jen's
Feeling uncomfortable with a crampy stomach, but thinking that was just from the dilation check and my niece and nephews crawling all over me. I called Jonathan after his classes got out at 11am and told him what the midwife had said about it being sometime this week. I started having a few random Braxton Hicks contractions, but they weren't any different from what I had been having for the last couple months.
2:30pm Driving Home
We left around 2:30 to drive back to our side of the city. We had to pick up my brother and sister from their schools. Being super thirsty, I asked if we could stop for a drink at Sonic. As we were waiting for our drinks, I noticed that I was getting way more BH contractions. Like... every couple of minutes. I decided to start timing them using a contraction timer app on my ipod. I texted Jonathan and told him he may want to think about heading to Tulsa for the afternoon and evening, just in case. After about 3 in a row that were 2 min apart or less, lasting 45 sec, I told my parents about them. A few minutes after we got on the highway, I felt a small pop in my abdomen and felt a small trickle of liquid. I knew I must be imagining things. I texted Jonathan again and told him that my water might have just broken, that he should definitely head to Tulsa just in case. I mentioned this to my parents, and within 5 minutes it became clear that this was definitely the day. Debate time... We are 30 minutes from the hospital, and 1 hour from home. Do we go home to get the birth supplies? Or straight to the hospital? Being a first time mom, we knew I had hours to go.
3 something pm At the Farm
My mom wildly began packing the car when we arrived home, while I hopped in the shower. By the time I got out, I was having trouble not crying through each contraction. I made some phone calls and sent some emails, then we headed out for the hospital.
4:30pm Heading to the Hospital
Seriously, don't ever decide to labor in the car. I'm still texting and calling people as we make the 1 hour drive up into the city, in rush hour traffic. I am begging my older sister to meet us at the hospital with some SmartWater. My sonic drink is making me nauseated and only the water sounds good.
5:25 Arrival at Hospital
Walk (ok, waddle) through like 3 hallways trying to find labor and delivery... Why do they hide it?! I finally find it and walk up to the counter and the lady says, "What can I help you with?"
"I need to check in I guess?"
"I need you to fill out these forms"
*cue major contraction*
"You'll have to hold on"
Meanwhile the 7 nurses sitting behind the counter are watching me about to die from the contraction... One comes out and says, "Let's just get you to a room."
5:40 Finally in a Room
Took us a while to find a room that would be big enough for my birth tub and was clean. Got all situated and vitals checked. 6cm and 80% seemed to me like we still had a little while to go. The nurse is asking me like 200 questions a minute trying to get all of the admission stuff taken care of.
6pm Midwife Arrives
When Cecily finally arrived I felt immediate relief. I had tried walking, standing, leaning, sitting, and laying on the bed. Nothing helped. So sitting on the birthball I breathed through the contractions with Cecily pressing on my lower back. HEAVENLY!!! That is, until she stepped out of the room to take a phone call. As soon as she stepped out of the room I had my first involuntary pushing contraction. I screamed. It was a sound unlike any I have ever made or heard in my life. I thought to myself, "there is no way I can do this for 14 more hours. GIVE ME DRUGS!!!" (I should have recognized this as the tail end of transition, but I was still in the mindset that this would take forever) She came back in the room just as I had my second involuntary push contraction. She is now concerned and takes me to sit on the toilet so she can check me while I'm still sitting down.
6:15pm Here He Comes
Just as Cecily starts to check me I have another contraction. "Oh, that's birth goo. Bring me a birth kit NOW. STOP PUSHING!!!"
"I CAN'T!!! He's pushing himself out!"
"Yes, you can. Now stop."
(Don't ever tell a woman to stop pushing. She can't. End of story.)
"...Ok, now you can push on the next contraction."
*finally!*
Warning... I'm gonna talk about labor and delivery here, so if you don't wanna read about the details, just skip on by!!! This may be TMI!! And it's pretty long too!
10 am Appointment with Cecily, my midwife.
The nurse asked if I wanted to be checked for dilation at this appointment. I told her that since it doesn't really mean too much at this point, I would rather not. Cecily comes in and says that we should. Turns out that I was 4cm and 90%. Since I was not in active labor yet, we asked her what this really meant for us. "Don't travel more than 1 hour from the hospital this week. You probably won't make it to your appointment next week."
"Should I still go visit my sister today on the other side of the city?"
"That's fine."
Noon Lunch at Jen's
Feeling uncomfortable with a crampy stomach, but thinking that was just from the dilation check and my niece and nephews crawling all over me. I called Jonathan after his classes got out at 11am and told him what the midwife had said about it being sometime this week. I started having a few random Braxton Hicks contractions, but they weren't any different from what I had been having for the last couple months.
2:30pm Driving Home
We left around 2:30 to drive back to our side of the city. We had to pick up my brother and sister from their schools. Being super thirsty, I asked if we could stop for a drink at Sonic. As we were waiting for our drinks, I noticed that I was getting way more BH contractions. Like... every couple of minutes. I decided to start timing them using a contraction timer app on my ipod. I texted Jonathan and told him he may want to think about heading to Tulsa for the afternoon and evening, just in case. After about 3 in a row that were 2 min apart or less, lasting 45 sec, I told my parents about them. A few minutes after we got on the highway, I felt a small pop in my abdomen and felt a small trickle of liquid. I knew I must be imagining things. I texted Jonathan again and told him that my water might have just broken, that he should definitely head to Tulsa just in case. I mentioned this to my parents, and within 5 minutes it became clear that this was definitely the day. Debate time... We are 30 minutes from the hospital, and 1 hour from home. Do we go home to get the birth supplies? Or straight to the hospital? Being a first time mom, we knew I had hours to go.
3 something pm At the Farm
My mom wildly began packing the car when we arrived home, while I hopped in the shower. By the time I got out, I was having trouble not crying through each contraction. I made some phone calls and sent some emails, then we headed out for the hospital.
4:30pm Heading to the Hospital
Seriously, don't ever decide to labor in the car. I'm still texting and calling people as we make the 1 hour drive up into the city, in rush hour traffic. I am begging my older sister to meet us at the hospital with some SmartWater. My sonic drink is making me nauseated and only the water sounds good.
5:25 Arrival at Hospital
Walk (ok, waddle) through like 3 hallways trying to find labor and delivery... Why do they hide it?! I finally find it and walk up to the counter and the lady says, "What can I help you with?"
"I need to check in I guess?"
"I need you to fill out these forms"
*cue major contraction*
"You'll have to hold on"
Meanwhile the 7 nurses sitting behind the counter are watching me about to die from the contraction... One comes out and says, "Let's just get you to a room."
5:40 Finally in a Room
Took us a while to find a room that would be big enough for my birth tub and was clean. Got all situated and vitals checked. 6cm and 80% seemed to me like we still had a little while to go. The nurse is asking me like 200 questions a minute trying to get all of the admission stuff taken care of.
6pm Midwife Arrives
When Cecily finally arrived I felt immediate relief. I had tried walking, standing, leaning, sitting, and laying on the bed. Nothing helped. So sitting on the birthball I breathed through the contractions with Cecily pressing on my lower back. HEAVENLY!!! That is, until she stepped out of the room to take a phone call. As soon as she stepped out of the room I had my first involuntary pushing contraction. I screamed. It was a sound unlike any I have ever made or heard in my life. I thought to myself, "there is no way I can do this for 14 more hours. GIVE ME DRUGS!!!" (I should have recognized this as the tail end of transition, but I was still in the mindset that this would take forever) She came back in the room just as I had my second involuntary push contraction. She is now concerned and takes me to sit on the toilet so she can check me while I'm still sitting down.
6:15pm Here He Comes
Just as Cecily starts to check me I have another contraction. "Oh, that's birth goo. Bring me a birth kit NOW. STOP PUSHING!!!"
"I CAN'T!!! He's pushing himself out!"
"Yes, you can. Now stop."
(Don't ever tell a woman to stop pushing. She can't. End of story.)
"...Ok, now you can push on the next contraction."
*finally!*
6:17pm Here He IS!!!
He's already out? It's a boy?!
My little toilet baby!
You mean I'm seriously done now?!
Can't believe I'm a mom!
6:20 pm Back to the Bed
Our little chunker! 8 days early and still weighed almost 9lbs!
Our favorite face.
He still makes this face at almost 3 months old...
Every single time he cries.
First time to eat. He's pretty happy here!
8 pm Daddy Arrives from Tulsa
First family photo about 1 1/2 hours after David was born.
I finally got my water!
David with his great-grandparents and daddy.
Grandma and Grandpa were nice enough to pick up daddy from the airport and bring him to the hospital.
The Bump
34 week sister pic at my baby shower! My mother-in-law hosted it at her house. It was fabulous. This is the only picture from that day that I actually look preggo! These are all of my sisters. Well... Not all of them. I also have 5 sisters-in-law, but they weren't all able to be at the shower. So we'll have to be content with blood relatives for now. My sister on the far left is the one who was also preggo and due a week after me.
These pictures are at 35 weeks.
At 34 weeks I moved in with my parents down in Texas. I knew I had to have a Texas baby, so that was the obvious solution. I'm not sure I really look pregnant in these pictures, just really chunky!
Did I mention my parents live on a farm? I thought I would sit around all day reading and being bored... My dad had other plans. Here I am at about 38 weeks. This was the day that we were chopping down trees and moving the stumps around to other parts of the property.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Alexa Appears
Valerie and Nathan decided to wait until the birth to find out the sex of their baby. Everyone said that they would have a boy, and they kinda thought that too. So they were completely surprised when a beautiful little girl popped out on her due date! They had a boy name all picked out, so they had to put their thinking caps back on for this precious jewel's name.
Tiny little Alexa Jade was born weighing 6lb 7oz, and 20in long.
She got some extra loving in the special care nursery where she spent a few extra days gaining her birth weight back.
She may look all cute and innocent here, but this little girl is feisty! She is an active, happy little girl leading the way courageously for all the cousins. Yay Alexa!!!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Something's in the Water!
Let's get some of the early details set straight.
Jonathan and I got married in August 2011, a mere week before my senior and his junior year began at John Brown University. We immediately LOVED being married!!! It was so nice to come home after the stresses of our classes and have someone to relax with and talk to. Absolutely nothing compares to with waking up next to your best friend every day.
Nathan and Valerie
Sometime in November we received a box of shoes in the mail from Jonathan's older sister and her husband. It was a pair of baby sneakers. This was their way to telling us that we had a niece or nephew that would be making an appearance in May 2012. Gotta admit that there was a part of me that was super sad at this news. Not sad that they were having a baby, just sad that we couldn't yet. We put the sneakers away on a high shelf in closet we never went in, just so I wouldn't have to see them very often.
Daniel and Lauren
Christmas Eve finds us all Skyping with another of Jonathan's sisters and her husband who live in Kenya. They say they have one more present for all of us. They will send it via email. Everyone checks. A photo of the two of them with +1 painted on it. Oh joy, I thought. Another reminder that we aren't at that stage of life yet. Again, happy for them getting their prayers answered in such an awesome way, but a stab of pain because I can't join the celebration yet. We assure the family at this point that we (the only other married couple) have no announcements to make, and there will not be one any time soon.
Us
Christmas morning. I woke up not feeling well, so I decided to stay in bed and not go to church. I assumed it was just impending lady problems, and that I should just try to sleep as much as possible. Within three days, however, I had figured out that something was not normal.
On our way home from Dallas I told Jonathan,
"Honey, I think I should take a pregnancy test."
"Really?"
"Ya."
"I think you should wait at least another week or week and a half. If you still want to at that point, we can go buy you one."
"Ok."
Five days later...
"Jonathan, I would like you to go read the test. I'm too nervous."
"Ok... It's negative. The two lines aren't the same shade."
"They don't have to be the same honey. It just has to have two lines at all."
"Oh... I'm gonna be a dad then!"
Matthew and Jennifer
We kept it to ourselves for about a week or so, then started telling family and friends. A little while after we told my family, I got the announcement that my oldest sister was expecting her fourth baby... due a week after me. This put us having one baby due in May, two in late August, and one in early September. Oh Man! Cousins galore.
Jonathan and I got married in August 2011, a mere week before my senior and his junior year began at John Brown University. We immediately LOVED being married!!! It was so nice to come home after the stresses of our classes and have someone to relax with and talk to. Absolutely nothing compares to with waking up next to your best friend every day.
Nathan and Valerie
Sometime in November we received a box of shoes in the mail from Jonathan's older sister and her husband. It was a pair of baby sneakers. This was their way to telling us that we had a niece or nephew that would be making an appearance in May 2012. Gotta admit that there was a part of me that was super sad at this news. Not sad that they were having a baby, just sad that we couldn't yet. We put the sneakers away on a high shelf in closet we never went in, just so I wouldn't have to see them very often.
Daniel and Lauren
Christmas Eve finds us all Skyping with another of Jonathan's sisters and her husband who live in Kenya. They say they have one more present for all of us. They will send it via email. Everyone checks. A photo of the two of them with +1 painted on it. Oh joy, I thought. Another reminder that we aren't at that stage of life yet. Again, happy for them getting their prayers answered in such an awesome way, but a stab of pain because I can't join the celebration yet. We assure the family at this point that we (the only other married couple) have no announcements to make, and there will not be one any time soon.
Us
Christmas morning. I woke up not feeling well, so I decided to stay in bed and not go to church. I assumed it was just impending lady problems, and that I should just try to sleep as much as possible. Within three days, however, I had figured out that something was not normal.
On our way home from Dallas I told Jonathan,
"Honey, I think I should take a pregnancy test."
"Really?"
"Ya."
"I think you should wait at least another week or week and a half. If you still want to at that point, we can go buy you one."
"Ok."
Five days later...
"Jonathan, I would like you to go read the test. I'm too nervous."
"Ok... It's negative. The two lines aren't the same shade."
"They don't have to be the same honey. It just has to have two lines at all."
"Oh... I'm gonna be a dad then!"
Matthew and Jennifer
We kept it to ourselves for about a week or so, then started telling family and friends. A little while after we told my family, I got the announcement that my oldest sister was expecting her fourth baby... due a week after me. This put us having one baby due in May, two in late August, and one in early September. Oh Man! Cousins galore.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
The Adventure Begins
Here we are. I never thought I would be the blogging type, but somehow this just seems like a good idea to help keep family and friends involved in our lives. What follows will be whatever seems right for that moment. This may be baby, food, photography, marriage, or school related. Basically just our life... Ok, so that means mostly just baby related at this point, but it will include other random things too!
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