In my attempt to be organized....

I shall make a list!  ...or five.  But I shall start with one and see where that takes me.  I know this blog has become less my inner thoughts and epiphanies and has become a place to vent and attempt to make sense of my brain.  Don't worry, I have no doubt it will go back to where it was eventually.  But for now my unsuspecting readers, I have you caught! You get to be my sounding board so I can try to be organized - and you can't get away Hahahaha!!!!  Ok, so you can.  But somehow it is easier to do all this when I know someone is listening.  

First:

To Buy

Cloth diapers - oh goodness, that has already branched off into it's own list.

This is my current plan of what I need to get.  I will have to double check what I already have...but since I didn't start with Ayla until she was 4 months old I know for sure that I have no newborn things and I also know my diaper pail liners are no longer completely water proof.  Everything in bold is what needs to be bought and prepped before the baby comes.  Everything else can be bought more slowly and things such as the diaper sprayer can wait until baby is 6 months old/eating real food.

Green mountain

Newborn orange $28 /dozen, (1/12)

Small yellow $33/dozen, (1/12)

Workhorse fitted - 7.95 for snaps closure, size small and up (1) 

Cotton Velour Wipes - 12 for $12.00 for size large 8"x8" (2)

Cotton babies

Kissaluvs Hybrid One Size Contour Diapers - $10.95 (3)

Planet Wise Diaper Pail Liner - $16.50 (2)

bumGenius Diaper Sprayer - $44.95

Pin Stripes and polka dots 

Kissaluvs Marvels One-Size Diaper Cover - $15.95 

New Blueberry Coveralls cover - $16.95 

Thirsties Duo WRAP Covers - Snap Closure Size 1 - $12.75 (3)

Amazon.com 

Snappi Cloth Diaper Fasteners - Pack of 3 – approx $7 (3)

Any cloth diaper pro's feel free to weigh in.  They don't HAVE to be bought from the places I marked.  But those were the best deals I found.  Though buying only snappies from Amazon and paying an extra $5 in shipping works out to be more then adding them onto my green mountain order even if they cost a bit more there.  So I will have to evaluate all that.   I wash every 1-2 days.  Just can't stand a diaper pail sitting dirty for to long, especially during the summer.  So I figure I will start with less, and buy more if needed rather then over stock only to discover I didn't need as many as I thought.   That also reminds me I need to get a clothes line up in the yard.  BTW, I will now be color coding words I use in conversation that need to be added to my list.  I can use the current pail I have now, but the lid is broken on it.  As it is, it bugs me (I still use it for dirty rags and clothes that have endured accidents) but I can deal when I only use it once every day at most.  Make that 10-20 times a day and it will drive me insane. 

I am late in buying these things.  I don't know why but I have a major mental block with buying anything baby until the last minute. I guess I don't want to be one of "those" moms that has everything prepped and ready months in advance and then has nothing to do the last few months and ends up washing and folding baby clothes all over again.  Not that there is any thing wrong with those moms...they are likely wiser then I!  It is just not me. 

Ok, what is next...?

You know what, screw this - I am first going to make a list of what I HAVE and then I will work onto what I need.

I have:

An Amby bed 
A Beco Butterfly baby carrier (my pride and joy, though I still need to get it from the friend who was borrowing it - hence the blue)
A pocket sling
A nursing cover
A baby swing

24 Cloth diapers for 4 months and up and at least one cover.

A take home baby outfit (covered in monkeys!)
One very soft polka dotted unisex baby blanket I couldn't resist right after seeing two lines on a test. (Goodness I hope I remember where that is!)
Avent manual breast pump
2 breasts that I am betting will start leaking any day now.

Is that all?  Hmmm.  Alright, so let us see how this next list goes:

To Get (before baby is born):
Cloth diapers
Diaper pail
Clothes line
Swaddling blankets
Diaper changing pad
Lanasoh (soon, need to start prepping)
A few baby bottles (you never know - this one might actually take them!)
B. milk storage bags
Carseat/strollar (I believe our only big ticket item)
Possible new carseat for Taylor (so we can fit three across)
Medicine/toiletry type stuff (diaper rash cream, baby lotion, gas drops, baby wash, etc)

My brain just stopped working.  There has got to be more, I have come to a stand-still.  I know I don't need as much this time.  3rd child you just don't need as much.  I know I hate boppies, I know I need very little new-born clothes until he/she is born and we know the gender and size.  Then a few packages of onesies and some pj's should do it. A crib we can wait a long time for since we have the amby bed and that will be fine for 6ish months at least. What am I missing?

Ah well.  I will come back to these lists I am sure.  That wonderful "edit post" button will be my friend and I shall just add things (or take them away) as needed.

Next on my list of list making is what needs doing before baby is born.  Once I have that done I can start assigning myself tasks.  But that will have to wait for another time.  Right now I am tired.  I think Ayla and I will go on a walk in a little bit and perhaps stop by the grocery store before getting Taylor. 

Thanks for listening, it truly makes all this easier knowing you are there to bounce ideas off of.

Until next time...

Taylor Joelle

I interviewed Taylor this morning for her 5th birthday.  The birthday was yesterday, Easter Sunday so we were VERY busy all day.  But both kids were begging to go to bed by 6pm so I think it was a successful day!  

Taylor is so very grown up it seems, still very emotionally driver, but she is learned the skills she needs to have control when she needs it. Such growth! She will walk me through her process sometimes saying things like "when I am sad I like to draw a picture and that makes me happy again."  Or "I pray to God when I am scared that he will help me to not be scared and he does! I will have a bad dream and I pray God will help me not to be scared and then I pretend a happy ending for my dream and it makes me feel better."  It is funny to see this process in someone so young, yet she is learning all this on her own and it is working! 

Taylor is getting older though, she gets embarrassed when there is romance of any kind around her (doesn't like to see daddy give mom kisses), she hates wearing leggings under dresses, that is our biggest point of conflict right now. She LOVES ballet and art projects of any kind.  She will play for hours with her imaginary friends: Lilly, her dog Ruthio and her horse Cherry.  I loved that while answering the questions below, she would use "we" instead of "I" in talking about playing - because to her, our family is a "We."  Her sister is always involved, I remember doing the same thing as a kid and noticing when others didn't.  She is part of the whole and is very happy there, that makes me smile.  We have very few toys around lately, since all my kids want to do really is play imaginary games (dress-up, hide and seek, stuffed animal pretend games, etc) read books, listen to CD's and play in the backyard.  Could life be any sweeter?

Anyhow - on to Taylor, 5 years old~

What is your name? Taylor

How old are you? 5

When is your birthday? April 24th (Easter Sunday this year)

What is your mommy's name? Sarah

What is your daddy’s name? Ryan

.

What does your mommy do all day?  Ummm....sit? I don't know...(sit!?! Where is she getting this? With a little more prodding and asking the question again...) Cleaning and sometimes playing with us.

What does daddy do all day? I don't know...Well, I know he works all day. Router Table or different stuff.

What do you like to play with mommy? A game!

What do you like to play with daddy? Catch, sometimes daddy runs around and we try to catch him!

What is your favorite color? Pink, and purple

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Ballerina for my job

Where do you want to live when you grow up? Near you guys, if there is any place near.

What is your favorite food? Mac and cheese and Peanut butter and jelly.  Those are my favorites because they are yummy.  Though mac and cheese is not very healthy, even for five year olds.  

What is your least favorite food? Pickles

What is your favorite thing to eat at a restaurant? Sushi (it is true!  She asked to go to sushi for dinner on her birthday.  Though I have a little feeling she just wants to go so she can see them cook the food on the tables again and so she can feed the fish in the pond outside)

Do you know what church is?  Where we go to praise The Lord.  Sometimes I call it Sunday School.  I love playing there with my friends. 

What is your Sisters name? Ayla

What do you like to play with Ayla? Games.  Sometimes we make up new games and sometime she teaches me games she makes up.

Do you have any friends? Who are they? Abby and the whole people at my class at school and the people at church.

What is your favorite thing to wear? Dresses, like my new dress.

Where do babies come from? From Mama's tummies.  God sends them in there.

What is your favorite show? Aurthur

What is your favorite toy? My balloons, My Birthday balloon, I like playing with it.  What if I brought my balloon to show and tell? Would that be silly!?!

What is your favorite thing to help Mommy do? Everything, everything you ask me to.  (Really?  Even when I ask you to clean your room?) Even if you ask me to clean my room.  Though sometimes I cry...because I am happy.

What is your favorite thing to do outside? Easter Egg hunt near Easter.

Where do you like to go in the car? When it is lunch time to a place where we can eat lunch (Ayla: To the grasshopper store Sissy?) No Ayla! Not the grasshopper store!

Where do you live? Edgewood

What do you like about being Five? That I can do things more easily then when I was 4. When I was 4 it was kinda hard for me to do some stuff.  It was hard because my hand was kind of slippery so it was hard to snap my fingers. And now I"m five it is easier to do it!

What new things can you do now that you are Five? I can tuck my curtain to the back of my bed and go flying in a plane with Granddad! 

Anything you want to remember about being 5?  I think I will remember.

Oh Taylor!  My beautiful redhead, emotional, sympathetic and happy girl. I am glad you like being 5 so far. And I am so very glad I have you.  What a gift you are to me.  You teach me everyday how to be a better mom and a better person.  I love you very much, let us never stop learning together k? 

You know you are pregnant with your third child if...

Stolen from someone - because it made me laugh! This also applies to 4th, 5th, 6th pregnancies I am assuming. I of course don't relate to every one of these.  But they are still fun!

• You completely forget what week of pregnancy you are in and have no idea when your next OB appointment is.
• You don't bother buying anything new (or putting together baby furniture) until it is actually needed.
• You refuse to buy Dreft, and haven't pre-washed any of the new baby clothes. Whatever detergent is on sale will do.
• You have no time to even think about taking "belly shots" much less documenting yourself week by week - this is related to #1.  After all, you have no idea what week you are in unless you count it all out every time.
• You understand that you will never get your pre-baby body back (without plastic surgery.)
• You look forward to your hospital stay...it's practically a spa after all.
• What To Expect is no longer your bible.
• You have your own opinion about exactly how you want to be treated through pregnancy, labor and delivery.  None of this blindly following whatever the health professionals tell you and then being scared and confused when it contradicts. You know your body - you also know it is always different from last time.
• People are already asking you when you are due and there are MONTHS still left to go.
• How your pet will react to the new addition is of no concern to you - whether your current kids will learn how to not damage it is much more important.
• Remember that list of little things you can't do during pregnancy?  Not talking the big things, I mean the "no cold cuts" or "no hot baths" or "zero caffeine." Yeah, not a big deal.
• You briefly contemplate hiring a professional stylist to do your hair and makeup at the hospital, after all you know those first pictures are going to be all over Facebook.
• Nesting? What's the point? A well-organized nursery will be destroyed approximately three days after baby comes home.
• You don't take sleep for granted.
• First timers make you go "awe. I remember thinking that!" and make you shake your head knowing that soon, soon they will know.  For now, all you can do is listen, smile, nod and let them enjoy knowing everything. 
• You get jittery anytime someone tells you that they are jealous of your maternity leave, envious of the long "break" you will be getting. You resist the urge to ask them if they have ever had a vacation that involved major surgery, sleep deprivation, dieting and cracked nipples.
• You are even more excited about the arrival of your newborn than you were with your first. You have been there before, and you know that there is nothing, nothing, more exhilarating than holding your baby for the very first time.

rambles...

Ahhhh, coffee!


I am finally able to enjoy it again and wow, delight does not begin to describe it. You know all those people that claim they get pregnant and don't know it for months and months or even until the end? You know how all those people that have had kids kind of roll their eyes thinking "there is no chance!" Yeah, I am one of those -the ones that could never NOT know. For one thing I grow really fast. I am already having strangers guess that I am 8 months along (just 6 for those who wonder) and the gymnastics that are happening inside at this very moment I am not sure could be taken accidentally for gas.  Not to mention, if I watch my stomach it already turns all sorts of odd shapes along with the "gas bubbles" - especially when I drink coffee! Getting them hooked early.  I"m all about that.  But the biggest thing that has so far happened to me each and every time - and happened to my mother too I am told:  Is that coffee, which is usually the nectar of the Gods' to me, all of a sudden becomes horse piss.  Or something equally disgusting. I can't taste it, smell it, be around it, talk about it or even think about it without gagging and losing my lunch.  I would have to play mental games with myself literally while passing a starbucks in the car because pulling over to the side of the road in order to throw-up is one of my least favorite things to do - regardless of how often I did it a few months ago.  Ugg, I shudder just remembering! So for me at least, the coffee thing would give it away.  Unfortunately, sickness for me lasts until about 20 weeks (that is 4-5 months for those that don't do the week thing) instead of the standard 12. Fortunately, it does go away. Sometimes overnight and low and behold, I can drink and even enjoy coffee again!

Sometimes it takes a little while after the sickness goes away for me to be brave enough. The imagination is a strong thing, and when you have an aversion that intense, just because the physical symptoms go away it doesn't mean you don't still have a reaction mentally. This is why I am only just today starting to drink coffee every morning, even though I have been sickness free for a little over a month now. 


I took a quiz the other day - just one of the online ones that take all the old wives tales, some as silly as "show me your hands - if you put them out palm up it is a girl, palm down a boy" (or vice-verse, can't remember) and it said "boy" for me based on my answers. I think it is wrong though. I am almost entirely sure this baby is a girl - mostly from the 8 or so ultra-sounds I have already had. My Doctor likes to look there, and this is not my first child. So as much as I may tell him "we don't want to know" or look away - I am pretty sure there is nothing in between those legs - and we have a very immodest child. Now, I am not a professional, and even if I was, even they get it wrong sometimes. But I will be shocked, to say the least, if I am wrong. I think I could do the mom of three girls though. I will predict that this one would have blond hair and blue eyes - just because I think that would be fun. And so I would have three girls that all look entirely different. They will all have wonderful imaginations and be very polite and well behaved - but love playing in the mud and having adventures. Dad would remain the king of his castle forever and have his own little group of adorers to follow him around. Do you like my fantasy? It is rooted in truth though.  I can clearly remember, before having kids while I was working as a teacher having a conversation. There is one family at the school (still there) that has three girls and I had them all in my extended care. The middle child at the time was in 2nd grade and the mom and all three girls took the second grade teacher out to dinner.  This was a nicer place, not your general McDonald’s where rowdy children are tolerated.  I can so clearly remember her telling the story of wondering how the girls would do at a ritzy place like this (I believe they were 5, 7 and 9 at the time...or something close to it) and she was so pleased when they all were so well behaved. They all put their napkins in their laps, thanked the waitress, ate their food properly and amazed everyone who saw it. Now, I have young children of my own. And I know that behavior like this has very little to do with personality (especially by the 3rd child) and LOTS to do with training. But even before I had kids I remember hearing the story and imagining it, and thinking "I would love to be that kind of mom." I could see myself with my chorus of three girls, all unique personalities - but all of them knowing when it is ok to be crazy kids and when it is the time to use manners and behave.

Of course only time will tell, and I will soon enter into the 3rd trimester which for me means lots of time fantasizing about what this child looks like and what their personality will be. Lots of fun, but the imagining is quickly followed by impatience so I think I need to pace myself!   

Can you tell I have been distracted lately?  I have had little philosophy going through my head and have just had to take things a day at a time.  I suppose in a round-about way that is an apology for not writing.  Though as I have stated before, I write when I have something to say and don't when there is nothing.  Well...I suppose this has been a rather nothing post so perhaps that is not entirely true. That and I am trying to put off cleaning my house and attempting to put all my Costco items away so I think this post is more of a procrastination then anything else. 


Oh - I need something else from you dear readers.  Some more meal ideas.  I know I have asked it a thousand times (well, almost anyhow) but this time I am focusing on beans and rice and other very cheap things.  I need healthy, cheap foods.  It is partially due to my rebellion against food prices rising, and the fact that we are very close to being entirely debt free (aside from the house and the student loans) and I would like things to stay that way. Luckily, with cloth diapers, breastfeeding and so many generous friends with toddlers we don't have a lot to buy for this baby. But I am not so ignorant as to believe our costs wont go up at all - especially since I didn't keep anything but a baby carrier, what was left of my cloth diapers and a few of my favorite baby outfits.

I feel as if I am in preparation mode, we are saving vacation time for Ryan and I am trying to save as much money as I can to pad our savings account as much as possible.  That means for right now, trying to cut general spending.  So give me cheap (but healthy!) meal ideas.  I also need to start making some lists.  Lists of what I need to get before baby is here, and what needs to be bought after.  Lists of cleaning, lists of meals that can be frozen, lists of errands that need to be run in the next few months.  Our May is packed to the gills and so in some ways I feel as if I can't really think on this until after May is over, but that seems rather foolish since that will mean I don't even start until I am 6 weeks away from my due date...and Taylor was three weeks early.


Oh goodness, Ayla's show is done so I should be off. You can tell I am scattered when there are no quotes of any sort in a post. You see, quotes require a certain amount of organization. I am just winging it here! Perhaps later this week or early next I shall take a deep breath and better organize my thoughts - that or you may get to see my above mentioned lists just so I will buckle down and get it done!