9 month Checkup

Today we went to our 9 month Checkup. This is the best picture I could get of the little boy before we put him in the car this morning! It was cool enough for him to wear a windbreaker on the way there but not on the way home. Got to love that Texas air!

Ethan got 2 shots today: his last Rotavirus and his first Flu Shot. Babies getting their first time flu shot have to have 2. The second one will come in 28 days. He also had to get his blood taken from his toe for an iron test. I knew as soon as she put that band aid on his toe it would end up in his mouth and it did! He was a little low so she wants him eating iron rich foods. Broccoli here we come! We will also be starting some meat, cheese and branching out on our vegs and fruit.

He weighed in at 19lbs 7oz (40%). His head is 45cm (45%). His height is a little on the low side 26.5in which is only in the 5%. She said he is due for a growth spurt any time now!

She also said, if we are going to get him to sleep through the night, then now is the time. He still wakes every 2hours, sometime every hour. I have been going to him because he's so sweet and I hate to hear him cry. Maybe the lack of sleep is why I can't get over my cold!

Wish us luck on finishing up the sleep training.

Traveling with Cloth Diapers

We have been traveling with Ethan since he was 2 months old. We have also been cloth diapering Ethan for that long. He has been back and forth visiting my family in Oklahoma almost once a month and we went to visit Eli family in South Carolina in May. During the trips to Oklahoma we have used a combination of Cloth Diapers and disposables. On our trip to South Carolina we used all disposables. I was pretty sure I didn't want to spend my whole vacation washing diapers!

At first I was not real comfortable or confident enough to travel totally with cloth. As I have gotten more confident in my cloth diapering abilities, we have switched to all cloth during our trips. It also helps that we stay with my parents so I have a washer and dryer at my convenience.

As our 2 trips in October get closer, I've been researching alternatives to using disposables. We will be traveling by car to the Gulf Coast and flying to Oregon. Both trips are for the weekend (Thursday or Friday through Sunday) so the amount of diapers needed will be between 30 and 50 for each trip (Because I will be unable to wash any cloth we won't be taking any).

"Why not just buy a pack of Pampers for your trips?" you ask. Well, I thought about that. But the reason why we are taking these two trips is for Eli's work. We we'll be around all of Eli's "science" friends and co-workers. I love to brag that I use cloth diapers. I feel very strongly about using cloth and like to share my passion and success with others. If I'm bragging about my cloth diaper use while changing my little boy's plastic, chemical filled disposable, I don't think it would look too good!

There are quite a few diapering systems out there that have a cover with disposable inserts. With these systems, you buy 3 or 4 starter diapers that comes with 1 or 2 cloth inserts. Then, if you want a disposable option, you buy the disposable inserts. The difference between these disposable inserts and disposable diapers is the inserts are biodegradable and you can even compost the wet ones! Some of them are even flushable, but I would be afraid of clogging the toilet and that would not be good. Whenever it is time to change the diaper, you just remove the insert, toss, and add a new insert and your done! If there is a leak, aka baby poop blowout, you just change the cover, too. You can hand wash the cover and let air dry while you use the others.

I read up on a few different brands and I really wanted to go with the GroBaby and their new Biodegradable Soaker pads. They seemed to be the nicest and I think I would like using them on a regular basis with their Organic cotton snap in soaker pads. They are also one size so I wouldn't have to keep buying different sizes. The only downfall is they are priced at $24.95 per diaper and I would need 3 or 4 of them plus the disposable inserts (19.99 for 50, .40c per insert).

Just this month CottonBabies introduced their newest diapering system: the Flip! I am so glad I didn't rush out and buy the GroBaby's. I'm sure Grobaby's are great diapers but I love my BG's 3.0 and the Flip's are designed to fit similar to bumGenius but with snaps instead of the velcro closure. And I'm sure you all remember the problems I've had with the velcro! They are a one size diaper, so you only have to buy them once. These also have the cloth inserts (microfiber and suede) and disposable inserts. These are 16.95 for one cover and one cloth insert. The disposable inserts are $4.95 for 18, the cheapest out of the 3 (grobaby, gdiaper and flip) at .28c per insert. The 2 downfalls are: they don't come out until 10/31 so they aren't even an option for our trips and they haven't come out yet so no reviews. And I don't buy anything without reading a review first!

In my search for options, I asked the mama's on my favorite baby board what they used when traveling. One of my online friends was sweet enough to loan me 3 of her gDiaper covers! gDiapers are very similar to the GroBaby but quite a bit cheaper. They come in 2 different sizes, s and m/l. The little gpants (covers) range from 14.99 on sale to 18.99 for the cute prints. The inserts are 14.49 for 32 (m-l size), 45c per insert. Some say they don't work as well as the GroBaby but other swear by them. And since gDiapers are located in Portland, OR it's only fitting that we use these on our trip to Oregon! Also, they sell these diapers and disposable inserts at my local HEB grocery store. I've already picked up a pack that were on sale for $13.50! One more pack and I think we will be set.

I will update you on how we liked the gdiapers when we get back from our trips. I'm very excited to have a simi-cloth option while traveling!

How do you travel with cloth diapers? Head on over to Dirty Diaper Laundry and join in on our 3rd Cloth Diaper Carnival!

9 Months Old!!!

Here's Ethan all dressed up for Church this week. He got to go to the nursery for the first time! I wasn't going to leave him back there because I've never left him with anyone but family. Ethan had other plans when he saw all the toys and other kids to play with! They even had the same Leap Frog learn and play that he has at home!

He love "typing" on his keyboard. I had to cut the cord off of it because he kept chewing on it.

His new favorite thing to do is put this toy on his leg and kick!!

Ethan is 9 Months old today! WOW! I can't believe it has already been that long. He has learned lots of new things this month:

Sit up from his belly.

Almost getting to hands and knees from a sitting position.

Is taking baths with out his bath seat. What fun for mom and dad! Babies sure are slippery.

I think he is getting another top tooth!!

He has had his first cold. We have gone to the duck pond for the first time.

Next month is going to be very exciting for us all. We will be going to the Gulf Coast and the coast off of Oregon!!

Dear Mr Cowboy,

I understand you have a dream. I, too, have had dreams.
I hope your dreams come true, soon.

I do enjoy your music during the day.
Sometimes my little boy and I even dance to your songs. When they are good.
Like when you play Johnny Cash or Garth Brooks.
But occasionally you play crap. Or the same tune, over and over again.
I'm sure you wrote those yourself.

And why can I hear you so clearly?
You live across the street and 3 houses down.
You play inside your "studio" aka your garage with the door shut.
I am sooo glad I don't live next door to you.
We would have moved by now.

When do you work? When do you sleep? You seem to rehearse all the time.
We're talking 6am here!
But thank you for stopping before 10pm. Because if you went past 10:01 I would call the cops. I know the law.

My husband says it could be worse; At least it's country music.
So true.

I hope when you make it big you: first move to a new neighborhood and: remember the people who listened to you rehearse day after day and at least send us some free concert tickets.

Good luck to you and we'll hear you in the morning.

Your neighbor,
Melissa

Do Not......

Leave your baby unattended within reach of a full bowl of mashed avocados and bananas!!! Things will not turn out well. Just ask Ethan:

Click on the pic to inlarge for the full effect.

Curtains for Grandma

My Grandma recently got new carpet through out her house. Grandpa Scotty also had the walls in the living room painted and built a beautiful new mantel piece. So to finish off her new room she said she had always wanted pink organdy curtains. She said her Aunt that she would visit when she was young had some and she loved them. So Mom and I got on ebay and found some pink organdy from India! I made sure to talk to Grandma and create them just the way she wanted them. Here's what she had:



And here are the new Pink Organdy:They really brighten up the room. And best of all Grandma loves them! I put a thick ruffle across the top to give it that "girly" feel. The pink is just right; not too pepto!
This is the mantel Scotty made for her. Isn't it beautiful? And the wall behind it is a light, almost pink. It goes great with the new curtains!

Look what he can do!!

This is what I found when I went to get Ethan up from his nap today:

Our little boy sitting up in his crib!!! How he got that way, I have no idea!! He was having a great time kicking and squealing and "playing" with the pooh print on his sheets.

Before we know it he will be pulling up and walking! I need to get finished "baby proofing" the house.
***Update**** He did it twice last night! Once at 3am and then again at 7. I can't wait till I figure out how he's doing it!

Or so she says...The Bully at School

I have to pass this along.
Mariel over at "Or so she says...." has posted a great blog: The Bully at School. This really touched my heart because I was very shy in grade school and was bullied quite a bit. She really gives some good advice on how to deal with your child being bullied. Even if they are not, she gives tips on how to teach your child to not bully and stand up for others.
It is my worst fear that my boy will be as shy as I was and have a hard time in school. By following these tips, I hope to help him along the way.

EVERY PARENT:
1. Talk to your child about BEING A LEADER and not a follower.
2. Teach them to NOT ACCEPT bullying in their group of friends.
3. Teach them that it is RIGHT to stand up for somebody being picked on.
4. Teach them that it is kind and good to SEEK OUT those that aren't being included, and include them in activities, the lunch room, parties, etc.
5. Tell them it is RIGHT to report bullying to the teachers.
6. Teach them it's MORE IMPORTANT to do what's right than to be popular.
7. ASK THEM about their friends and how they treat others.
8. TELL THEM about how bullying and having no friends can affect children.
9. SHOW THEM by example how to be considerate and thoughtful of others feelings.
10. KNOW the signs of bullied children and be open-minded that YOUR child might be the bully.
* NEVER DO NOTHING! *

Randall's Deals

I first have to say a BIG "Thank You" to Melissa @ Melissa's Bargain blog for all the great advice she gave me and answering my many questions! If you are interested in saving $ on everything from food to toys check out her blog. It's packed full of tips and hints on saving by using coupons combined with sales to save the most.

On my trip to Randall's tonight I spent $39.14. I saved $34 with my Remarkable card and 7.40 with coupons. That's 53% savings!
I avoided shopping at Randall's because of the distance it was from my house and the higher prices. But with Melissa's help, I have learned it can be a lot cheaper and worth the drive!

Here's what I bought:
12 Gerber 2nd foods (for our trips in October)-$11.96-On sale $1/1 (not sure how I got one for .96?)
6 Campbell's soup(chicken noodle and tomato)-$2.2-On sale for $1/1, doubled coupon .40
2 packs Oscar Meyer bacon-$4.5-On sale $2/6, coupon 1.50
12 pork chops-10.65-On sale $1.99/lb
2 bags Fresh Express Salad-$2.49- On sale BOGO, coupon 1
2.73lbs of Bananas-$1.34-.49/1lb-Not on sale but a good price and we needed some!

This next deal took me awhile to figure out how I was going to do it. Take a look at what Melissa did here. You can also see my very long conversation with her while I tried to figure out what I was doing! Melissa was very kind and helpful.

This was a mixture between Natures Valley granola bars, Cereal and Betty crocker fruit snacks. I choose to focus only on the granola bars and cereal because we don't eat fruit snacks (we would eat them so I don't keep them in the house!) You could buy a mixture of these products 4/$6. This is a good deal in itself but add some coupons onto it and it becomes an awesome deal!

4 boxes of NV granola bars-Started at 3.49 each + .79 card savings=2.50 + 4 IP (internet printed) .40/1, + 2 loadable(off Randall's web site directly to your card) .40/1 (I think I got 1 extra .40 off because the guy ringing me up tried to tell me I couldn't use one coupon per product. I said "Yes, I can" and he said he didn't have time, that he would get in trouble and just started ringing in the coupons without counting! I have worked in retail long enough (10+ years) to know he will not get in trouble as long as he does what's right for the customer and my coupon said one per item and I had 4 and was buying 4.)

1 box of Cin Crunch Cereal-Started at 3.49 + .99 card savings=2.50 + 1 IP .55 + 1 loadable .55

1 box of Trix -Started at 3.49 + .99 card savings=2.50 + 1 IP .55+ 1 loadable .55

2 boxes of Cheerios- Started at 6.98 + 1.98 card savings= 5 + 1 clipped $1/2

Then they take off $4 for every 4 items you buy.

So without you having to grab a calculator I let you know what I paid for all this- $6!!!

And after all this I got some coupons from Randall's for free Capri Suns the next time I shop!

Yes, this takes some time to plan and figure out what and how you are going to shop. But I like this because it keeps me from impulse shopping! And that in itself saves money! I've been working to learn this "game" for awhile now and learn something new every day. I shop mostly at Target because you can use a target coupon + a manufactures coupon to save even more. But after today I will be looking at Randall's a lot closer!

Random Tuesday (It is Tuesday, Right?)

On Friday the baby had a runny nose. His first. He seemed to be feeling okay so I put him to bed with some Motrin and we had a terrible night. He woke up so many times! The next night he was much better but it was mine and Eli's turn to get sick. Really sick! Don't worry, it's just a cold, but it's one of those colds that when you wake up in the middle of the night, you feel like you have been hit by a truck. I've never been hit by a truck but I know this is how it would feel!

Eli has stayed home from work the last 2 days so we can all recover together. When I say "Eli has stayed home from work" what I really mean is Eli is "working from home"! The man never quits. He has really helped me with the baby so I could rest and recover.

It started raining last night around 3am and hasn't stopped! We need it so bad. It rained the whole time I was in Oklahoma but it still wasn't enough to get us out of the extreme drought we are in. Hopefully this will. It sure is making our grass green!

Speaking of rain, have I told you I am cursed when it comes to cars and rain?

I lived in Los Angeles for 5 years and while I was there my Sunfire started doing something really strange. When it would rain, it would not start! After the rain would stop and the sun would come out, it would start right up. I took it to the mechanic and he said he didn't see anything wrong with it so he needed to see it during the rain (I don't think he believed me!) So the next time it rained I called and he sent a tow truck, costing me $100 (this was before I had AAA. Helpful hint: get AAA. It's cheaper.) When the car got to him it started right up! He said he would try a few things out and see if we couldn't figure out the problem. Apparently there are some computer chips that are connected to the starter. He changed these and the next time it rained it started right up! I guess they were getting wet, shorting out and not allowing the car to start. Problem solved! I still get a tight feeling in the pit of my stomach every time it starts to rain......

me+car+rain=problems

Remember I got a new (2007 Pontiac Vibe) car? Remember the curse?

While in Oklahoma 2 weeks ago I had my first experience with rain+new car. After it had rained for awhile and I had been driving around town, I came home and found the passenger side floorboard both in front and back seats were wet! Now, it's not coming from the window or the door because the carpet that goes up the side is not wet. And the carpet between the front seat and the back seat, under the seat, is not wet. We were thinking that the water was coming from under the car. There are plugs in the bottom of the car (why? I don't know) and my dad thought they might not be in tight enough. We took them out and let the carpet dry out. We put them back in and put some sealant on them to make them waterproof. Problem solved? Not quite.

I got into my car this morning and looked before I even started the car. I found a very wet front and back floorboard!

So I head over to Swagbucks to do a quick search to see if anyone else is having this problem. I found MANY people are having this same problem! Here was an answer I found:

"because your ovberflow or condenture tube is clogged
remove it and just blow it out with air" (spelling not changed!)

" Your heater coil is most likely leaking. The heater coil is on the passenger side of the car just behind the dashboard/glove compartment. If it has a bad enough leak, the water could go all the way back to the back seat area.
Check the coolant level in your car as soon as possible or you might damage the engine."

So many different solutions but none that happen just when it rains. Eli says we should wait until it's not raining before we start our investigation. If anyone has any ideas please let me know!

Eli and I gave Ethan a bath together the other night. We were both sitting on the floor leaning back against the wall where we could still see the top half of Ethan but not the bottom half. Eli later tells me he heard Ethan making some farting noises but when he looked he didn't see anything. Can you tell where this is going? After we sat there talking for awhile Eli gets up to start washing the little boy. He says very calmly "Ethan has pooped in the bath." What!!! He has never done this. Even when he was very little. So Eli got the baby out and cleaned him up while I cleaned the bath tub. I was able to use the poop sprayer to help me with the job. What fun!!! We laughed about it even while it was happening. And, of course, I had to get a pic.

I'm always so thankful when my husband fixes things! He updated my computer so it runs so much faster now and he fixed the garbage disposal. Love him.

I watched "Hoarders" on A&E last night for the first time. Is it just me or does that show make you want to get up and clean your house? I do have to admit, I am some what of a hoarder myself. I tend to keep things that other people might get rid of. Old love letters, mementos of my childhood, empty jars I might do some craft project someday. Oh, and I have a problem with buying cheap, cute fabric remnants from Walmart.

But, as I told Eli last night, there are two things that are different between me and those people on the show:

1. My stuff is more organized. I keep all my fabric in plastic containers separated by colors.

2. I throw away trash.

And as for the old love letters, I found them as I was going through all the containers my parents brought me full of stuff from my childhood. I told my husband that I still had them and didn't know why I held on to them. He said in all his wisdom: I got rid of stuff like that when the relationship was over. I just don't see the point in holding on to the past. How right he is. I threw them all in the trash along with a lot of crap I didn't need or even know I still had. It feels really good and "cleansing" to get rid of stuff you have been hanging on to for so many years.

Sorry my randomness was so long. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Giveaways!!!!

Here are giveaway's I'm vying for:



Family of the Cloth:Drybees Fleece Night Times Ends 10/2



The First Time Around: GroBaby The Natural Baby Company Ends 9/23



Or so she says: 9 prizes to win!



One pink fish: A blog makeover from IndieChick!!!!



I would love to win any of these prizes! Wish me luck. Well, it's not really luck. It's more random drawing, but I have to win sometime, right? If you would like to win head on over to any of these sites.

Petting Zoo- Snake Farm

As promised, here are pics of the petting zoo inside the Snake Farm. You can't really tell but Ethan LOVED all the animals. He just laughed and laughed. He would reach out his hand and tried to touch all the animals. He was successful for the most part. We did keep his hand out of the mouth and behind areas!These Birds weren't in the petting zoo but I did not include them with the last post and I thought they were pretty.Same with this lama (I think?). She had the prettiest eyes and long eyelashes!
What???? I think this is a ROUS.

And I really think this is a cross between a rabbit and a Jack Russell Terrier! Or maybe a Rat Terrier? Yes, I think he put his hand in his mouth after touching the animals.

We did not touch this! (Is he doing what I think he's doing?...you say to yourself. I'll answer you: Yes. And I took a picture of it.)

This goat loved Ethan! And Ethan laughed at it every time it came around.

Here Eli is trying to show Ethan the pigs in the mud but the goat really wanted their attention.


Okay Goat, I'll pet you!

Here was my favorite part: All the mamma's to be and......

The mamma's with their new little ones:


How cute are they???? Oh, I wanted to have a new baby right there in the barn!

These piglets were so little and newborn they didn't even have their eyes open! So sweet. And the best thing: They are breastfed!!!

I didn't get a pic of the Huge Sheep that tore my bag of food open as soon as we walked into the fence! Oh, well. Again, we had a great time and will most likely go back every year.

Breastfeeding

Texas Law-Car Seats and Freebies

Texas passed a new car seat law and it went into effect September 1, 2009. Basically, children now have to be in some type of restraint until 8 years old or 4'9. I think this is a great law because motor vehicle accidents are the #1 killer of kids. Out of all the things we worry about with our children this is one thing we know we can always do right! Having your child properly restrained can keep them from having serious injuries in a car accident.

If you don't live in Texas check out SeatCheck.com to find out your state's laws and the location where you can get your car seat inspected.

Choosing the best car seat is important. After much research, we went with the Britax Roundabout Convertible. It was compact enough to fit in my old Sunfire but had the safety features and weight limit we were looking for. I plan on having Ethan rear face until 30lbs. The law is 20lbs and 1 year old but, after much research, we have decided that the longer they rear face, the better. And the way he eats that could be sooner then later!

Ethan is very comfortable in it. He loves to be able to look out of the windows at all that passes by. This seat is good from 5lbs-40lbs so we will be using it with the next baby also. By then Ethan will be in a seat for bigger kids!

We had our car seat inspected on Tuesday and we had been doing a few things wrong. The seat wasn't buckled in tight enough. It should not be able to move more then 1 inch. We were told we shouldn't have hard toys or the rear facing mirror because in an accident they could fly around and hit us. (I think that could really go for anything you have in the car so we will be leaving the mirror so I can see him. I will risk it hitting us vs not seeing him choke.) We also didn't have his belt tight enough.

Here's before:

And after:You really shouldn't be able to get your finger in between the baby and the strap.

Over all I feel much happier now about the safety of my car set. And the great thing about it was it was free! Here are some more great child safety web sites:

NHTSA

Safe Kids, USA

Speaking of free:

I signed up to USA Baby e-mom rewards program and Ethan got a free pair of Robeez shoes! All the stores are locally owned so I'm not sure if your local store is doing the same but it wouldn't hurt to look. Robeez has the cutest soft soled shoes for crawlers up to toddlers. This is the pair we picked (retails for $19.99):

He already has a pair of winnie the pooh ones that were given to him by his aunt and uncle. After getting our free shoes we walked around the store and found this:

This is Arnold the Snoring Pig! Ethan just laughed and laughed big belly laughs the whole time Arnold was "snoring". It was so funny to see! He even started laughing when I played this video!

When we were in OK last week, a friend of mine who has 2 little boys gave us 2 boxes of cloths (2T-4T) and 1 big box of shoes! They are all so cute and I can't wait till he can fit into them. There was even a pair of cowboy boots! Good thing we live in Texas.

Harlequin is celebrating its 60th anniversary and they are giving away Free books! I found this one at the mall on a stand only the free copy is red. You can't really miss it; it's a whole bunch of the same books with a big "free" sign.

You can also go to their web site http://www.harlequincelebrates.com/ and download a variety of great romance stories for free! I'm not a big harlequin fan but I love free.

Remember: Buckle up for Safety!!