Excited about messy diapers!!

I am one crazy person you might be thinking.  Who likes to change poopy diapers?  well, I've come to see a trend in my day.  I really do breath a sigh of relief when that odor comes wafting to my nose.  With pregnancy it could be from a completely different room!  That relief is coming from realizing that once I change and clean out his poopy diaper, he's done for the day!  Then, like today, I get thrown a curve ball and bam!  What?  I think.  How can he have another messy diaper?  He already had one today.  He has a very reliable schedule of one per day!  Then I remember the menu from yesterday and realization sinks in.  Oh yeah.  I told myself to expect this.  But then I know after round two that it's been a long time since there has been three rounds, so I'm safe for the day.

As a cloth diaper mamma, these messy diapers mean a lot more to me than disposable diaper mammas.  Mainly because I have to actually clean out the diaper in the toilet before the diaper work is done.  However, when I get blessed with a messy diaper that comes clean quite easily, I throw a silent cheer as the next time I might not be so lucky and could end up with a mess on my bathroom floor.  The good old diaper sprayer.  

My Easy Homemade Packing Tip For Really Big Packages

Today I had to wrap and package up my little niece's birthday present.  It was very fun to wrap.

She is going to LOVE it!!

It actually didn't take up the whole roll of wrapping paper.

Here's what I did:

•  I found a grocery store in my area that still offers paper bags for groceries.  I bought a few groceries so the store would be compensated a little for the paper bags.  I wasn't sure how many I needed so I just started with four.  I will be building up a supply as I shop so I will be ready for present mailing season!
• Next I carefully opened up all of the bags and lay them flat.

• Next I taped all of the bags together making sure the side I wanted facing out(not the side with the grocery store name) had the tape on it to make it more secure.  I started with three and checked to see it it would be enough, but the package was too big so I ended up needing all four.  I made sure to tape all of the seams so the paper would be secure.
• Lastly, I treated the package like a present and wrapped it.  I used packing tape and then proceeded to run out so I found some duct tape that I knew would hold it nice and tight!  

Here is the finished product!  All set to address and mail!  The grocery store I got the bags from had handles that I removed before wrapping the package and since I will be going to the post office with the package as well as most likely carrying a small toddler, I taped two of the handles right back on the package!  Besides, the post office workers will now have something to grab on to and hopefully not manhandle and tear the package!  It's also not very heavy so if you have a heavier package be careful if you're trying the handle idea.

I would love to hear what types of things you would pack using this idea!!

Happy Halloween?

With so many differing opinions regarding Halloween and the should we as believers allow our kids to go Trick or Treating or not?  Well, hubby and I have prayed about it quite a bit even before munchkin number one was born.  We have come up with what we feel is right for our family.  We think that it is great for kids to dress up and use their imagination.  When they're really little as mine is right now they don't even understand anything about it.  If we skipped it they wouldn't even notice.  At this point it's mainly all about fun for mom and dad(you know it's true) and great pics.  Next year we might need to explain things a little bit.

What we've decided is that we think it's ok to do the whole trick or treating and pumpkin carving.  Don't forget the tradition of watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown".  We plan on explaining to our munchkins that these are just fun things to do as a family together.  We're in the process of deciding what we're going to say in regards to Halloween's origin and what some people believe and how since we love Jesus we just make it fun.

For now we just love the cute stuff and love the memories that we're making with our munchkins!  I'd love to hear you're thoughts on Halloween and traditions you have!!

Our little lion cub

First pregnancy craziness

So right now I'm currently pregnant with baby number two and already I've noticed the difference.  Well, I wanted to share about my experience with baby number one for those that happen to be working while pregnant as well as for my little munchkin so he knows what mommy went through carrying him.

So let me just start by saying that pregnancy is HARD!  Working while pregnant is even harder.  Less than a week after coming home from an amazing honeymoon(cruise and Disneyworld) my new husband and I were getting ready to take the 45 minute drive to the nearest Target when, standing in the kitchen, I almost fell over from stomach cramps that came on me very quickly.  I knew when I should have expected them, but at that time it was too soon.  So I hit up Ask dot com to find out what might be going on.  One of the first answers was pregnancy.  Both my husband and I were shocked, but excitedly hopeful.  I had heard it could take several months to get pregnant. I don't remember why but we decided to wait four whole days to take a test.  So the test was of course positive. I was very happy although my husband was understandably doubtful.  We decided since it was so close to Christmas we would take another test on Christmas Day which was three days away and tell my mother-in-law.  We also called my parents and told them on Christmas too.  Everyone was very excited.

I decided not to share with my coworkers for the first few months to make sure everything was ok.  I did tell my boss so if anything did happen she would know why. It was an extremely difficult first trimester.  I would come home from work and be so tired I would fall asleep about 7pm.  I remember feeling horrible because here I was newly moved in to the house we were renting, newly married, and so tired that I couldn't even unpack let alone clean the house.  Thankfully I married the most amazing understanding man on the planet!  He really helped a lot when I couldn't do much.  I learned that in order not to feel sick I needed something in my stomach every two hours and I could tell if it was going on two hours and fifteen  minutes.

Here I'm 12 weeks pregnant and not yet in maternity clothes

Thankfully my second trimester was much better.  I started having longer increments of feeling better.  I also popped out pretty quickly too.  I think that's because I'm small so baby has nowhere to go but out.   We did a lot of traveling during my second trimester.  I think a lot of that was because we were still newlyweds and wanted to visit a lot of people that couldn't make it to the wedding and just spend time together as a couple getting to know each other.

Here I'm 20 weeks pregnant and showing a lot.  I'm standing in the house we bought!

So to add insult to injury, err pregnancy, newlyweds, pregnant and we also just bought a house as I was into my second trimester! Whew!  That makes me exhausted all over again!  What were we thinking?!  Well, in retrospect, I'm very thankful.  So on top of working and just being married, we had to move.  I am so so so thankful for my mother-in-law!  She came and helped me get a lot of things done to clean up the rental as well as put together our new house.

I remember the second trimester was the easiest and it went by the quickest.  I don't remember a lot about my second trimester, but I do remember that so many people had their ideas about me.  Everyone was convinced that I was having a girl based on that old wives tale on how I was carrying the baby. Then as the pregnancy progressed, there were other ideas that I was having twins!!

Here I'm 28 weeks(WOW)

In any other woman I look like I could be due any day, but I still had 12 weeks left at that point.  I take it in stride and just use these pictures to see how I may look during this pregnancy.  I was definitely all baby.

The third trimester was the roughest.  Because I was so big I had problems with my back as well as my knees and ankle hurting.  I also had tough heartburn at night and drank a lot of milk and tried sleeping propped up with pillows to help ease it.

I was still working full time and some even more than 40 hours a week.  I tried not to show my fatigue or the aches and pains that I had.  I have seen pregnant women whine and complain and I wanted to carry my fair share of the work load.  The beginning of July I got a vacation week and used it to relax and get things done putting the house together after the move.  It was great!!  Upon going back to work being about 34 weeks, the baby decided that he didn't like it.  I went from listening to my body and taking it easy when necessary to ignoring the need to relax at my desk and work through it.  I started having strong Braxton Hicks contractions.  After that Monday when I got home I knew that if I relaxed and they went away that they were true Braxton Hicks.  If they continued then it was real labor.  Well, the next morning I felt much better getting a full nights rest and relaxing.  The next day at work the same thing happened.  I even had to lean over the counter after hours to relax because the contractions were so strong.  They went away after I relaxed that night so I dismissed it again.  I was scheduled for my doctors appointment the next day on Wednesday and had a half day at work.  Because I didn't get that time to relax like I did when I could sleep it off, I was in a lot of pain when I got to the doctors office.  She came in to my room and I was having a very rough time.  She asked what was wrong and I told her.  She did my exam and ordered me to go straight to the hospital.  She was worried that I was in premature labor.  I knew it wasn't because as soon as I rested I was fine.  I had to do the tests and lay very uncomfortably in bed with monitors on.  They gave me medicine to stop the contractions and the OB prescribed additional medicine as well.(Upon reading the warning label stating not to take it to stop preterm labor I threw it out without taking any)  We finally got to go home where I had the order of bedrest for at least a week.

32 weeks and feeling it!!

I took it easy for the week.  My doctor kept me home until the baby came just because my job was pretty stressful.  I really didn't follow the bed rest rule very carefully though.  I listened to my body and when I needed to rest I did.  I was able to get a lot accomplished with the house as there were still boxes that needed to be unpacked.  It was a long three weeks.  I was achy, uncomfortable and getting bored as I couldn't do what I used to do and at the same pace.

38 weeks at the baby shower ladies from my church gave me.

The highlight of the end of my pregnancy was my mom coming.  She came in time to attend my baby shower.  That was very special to me.  It was such a fun time.  I thought there might be 6 or 7 ladies, but there were over 25 women there(not counting my hubby who came to support me and do my bidding ;) )

My mom's visit was such a nice diversion as we were all now waiting for baby to come.  I was secretly hoping(oops, secrets out!) that he would come before my shower.  What 9 month hugely round pregnant woman doesn't?  I was sadly disappointed.  That day wouldn't come for almost two more weeks!  My poor mother!!  She was planning on staying a month and she was beginning to think that she would have to leave before the baby was born.

Well, that day finally came!  It started out like any other day(sounds like a mysterious novel, doesn't it?) I was tired just like I had been.  When my hubby came home from work about 5:15 I was resting on the sofa after walking around the block with my mom.  I also didn't feel right.  Well, we ate supper then we watched TV.   About 7:30 I needed to use the restroom and heard a pop.  I wondered it my water broke or if I used the bathroom.  I knew that if your water breaks and you're standing, the baby acts like a cork to keep any more water from coming out.  So I thought if I lay on the sofa and it was my water that broke then it would come out.  When I lay down nothing happened, so I knew it wasn't my water breaking.  About five minutes later I had a strange unexplainable feeling and I had to stand up.  When I did I felt a gush of water and I was soaking wet. I told my mom and hubby that my water broke and asked for towels.  I went over to the bathroom so I wouldn't get the carpet wet.  I called my doctor and she told me to go in to the hospital.  I knew that as soon as I got to the hospital I would be strapped down and uncomfortable so we decided to take our time.  I wasn't having any contractions yet so I was doing fine.  Hubby shaved, we checked our bag to make sure we had everything and got the dog and everything we needed for her and off we went.  First we went to MIL's house.  She was going to watch our dog for us.  We prayed for the baby and the birth and headed to the hospital.  I still didn't have any contractions so I felt strange going to the hospital.

I started having very light contractions about five minutes apart on the way to the hospital.  We were not rushing.  For those first time preggo mom's out there or those who have never experienced their water breaking, let me give you a piece of advice.  If you think that it would be a great idea to wear a skirt to the hospital so it doesn't get soaked, you are mistaken.  It doesn't get wet, but it's still not a good idea.  Everything else was soaked and extremely uncomfortable.  I would recommend wearing sweats or jammies or something similar.  When we got to the hospital I was still only having light contractions.  I went to get registered and needed to go to the restroom to adjust my wardrobe slightly.  I couldn't wait for a wheelchair as I was still running water/fluid like crazy and it was very uncomfortable.  When I got to my room I got to change to a hospital gown(yea!!) and the nurses had to check to make sure it was my water that broke(duh!).  Now that I was officially admitted in, the waiting started.  I thought that when your water breaks, things go pretty quickly.  Nope.  It was a long time coming.  I could tell the contractions were starting to get a little stronger.  Hubby and I passed the time by playing Skipbo!  I highly recommend it.  By the end of the game, the contractions were strong enough that I knew I couldn't play another game.  By that time I was having a rough time relaxing.  Getting up to use the restroom was a chore.  I did spend time walking around my room a little.  In retrospect, I should have walked around more or used the suggested exercise ball.  I started having very strong contractions and thought that might mean I was in transition so I was hopeful.  These hard contractions, however, were lasting several hours.  My doctor was concerned that I wasn't getting close to ready for baby to be born so she said that I needed to either have some medicine to relax me or have surgery to have baby.  I took the medicine.  It didn't work at all.  I ended up getting a spinal block which numbs from the waist down.  I was able to relax and rested for several hours.  Baby was getting ready to come!!  I started pushing around 7:30 the next day and with a little too much encouragement my little, big baby was born about 9pm on September 2, 2011.  Because of the too much encouragement in pushing, I tore very badly.  It took the doctor over 45 minutes to stitch me back up.  I wanted to hold my baby so badly!!  Finally almost an hour after he was born I got to hold him.  It was so wonderful!! 

About an hour after baby was born!!

What a day!!  Well, it wasn't all over just yet.  The first night was quite the learning time.  Learning to feed baby and getting up enough in the night.  Was I ever tired!!  But I was happy.  Well, because of the rough time baby had being born, he developed jaundice.  So I was so sad that he had to stay away from me and in the nursery under special lights. Thankfully I was still able to nurse him while under the lights.  I just wanted to go home.  Finally, after being in the hospital two and a half days after being born we were able to go home. It was so wonderful!!  And from there the adventure begins!!

Proud grandmas!!

Making himself at home!!

He has definitely quickly gotten a hold of our hearts and is now a happy growing toddler.  

So,  here's my takeaway from my working while pregnant:

• It's good to share with your boss right away.  I didn't tell everyone right away, but I did tell my boss because on the chance that something happened(miscarriage, tubal pregnancy, etc) I wanted to give her the courtesy of a heads up.  Plus if I started getting bad morning sickness she would have an explanation.
• Follow your boss's lead on when to share with coworkers. If everything is normal and you seem the same as always, then great; however, if you are moody, queasy, or just having a tough first trimester, then as mine did, she may suggest sharing with everyone so they have a little understanding.
• Don't try to be superwoman.  I tried to prove myself throughout the pregnancy.  When you're in the last few months, you can trust your body to tell you when to take it easy.  While it was ok the first two thirds, I really should have accepted help and admitted that I needed help the last trimester.  I think that would have eliminated the first trip to the hospital.
• Depending on where you work, especially if it is in the public eye, don't take seriously the things customers or clients say.  I ended up in tears after a customer practically told me I looked like a cow.  As wrong and insensitive as that was, his(yes I said HIS) opinion is not that valuable to me in comparison to my hubby or my BFF.

I hope this was a helpful and somewhat entertaining capture of what went on in my head during my first pregnancy craziness!

Stay tuned for Pregnancy Craziness Take 2...

Lazy Cloth Diaper Mamma

I love using cloth diapers on my munchkin and plan on it for the next munchkin as well.  I do, however, use disposable wipes.  I know there are reusable wipes out there(aka washcloths), but I just can't bring myself to have to go through and clean out poopy wipes at least once a day(he's very regular).  With soon to be two and the youngest in that presolids stage, the poo poo is just plain yucky!  I do have an organized system though.

It's not perfect, but it works for me.  To the right of the table is the dirty diaper pail.  I have a liner that I do wash every so often.  I like to insert the liners and fold them so they are all ready to go and I don't have to scramble for a diaper and/or liner and insert it while a messy or soaked child is waiting.  I have two wipes containers.  After I emptied out the plastic white one(given as a baby shower gift) I thought it would work great as a place to store dirty wipes to keep the table clean and smell free.  I keep the clean wipes next to it.  I usually wash the dirty wipes container after I empty it out.  I may try my hand at reusable wipes one of these days.  I'll keep you posted when that happens.

Here he is sporting his 4th of July diaper on the 4th!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Little Tree Christmas

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Merry Christmas

Why I took the plunge!

I finally decided to try my hand at blogging.  Before I begin let me tell you a little bit about myself.  First and foremost I love Jesus!!  That is the most important thing in my life now and always.  I am in my thirties, love Jesus, my hubby, my 1.5 babies, and puppies!!  In case you're wondering about the 1.5, yes I am pregnant with number two due late March/early April. So that's why I'm "midmamma".  I'm closer to middle age as a first time parent than others.

I have read a lot of blogs of moms in their twenties with several children sharing their experiences and realized that I'm sure there are quite a few women who started having children in their thirties and have different experiences than the younger moms. I would love to share joys and challenges of pregnancy while working as well as while being a stay at home mom.  Stay tuned and I'll share about my first pregnancy while working and being a newlywed(whew!) and much more!  Thanks for reading!!