Growing Up

Bryan weighed in at 12lb, 11 1/2 oz last week, and grew a whole inch and half, bringing him to 25 inches! He was happy, flashing smiles at the doctor, and wiggling all over the exam table. The doctor concluded that he was super, and told me to 'Keep breastfeeding'. Like he has to tell me that! LOL But he is doing good. He is grabbing for things, catching things, and mouthing EVERYTHING. Toys, fingers, clothes, blankets, anything that you put in front of him. He sleeps most nights, only to wake a few times for a little 'nip'. I often don't remember how many times, or which side he nursed on last when we get up. He has a yucky cold at the moment, so night times have been a bit ruff. But he's getting the best, so it should be over soon.
On other news, we had the flue run through the house. It started with Angelina, and then Goran and I had it few days later, on the same day. It was awful and retched, but I'm glad to say my breastfeeding babies didn't get it. YEAH! One up for breastfeeding.
Angelina has started her last session of preschool and continues to luv it. Everyday she asks when and how close the day is for her to go to preschool. And after speaking with her preschool teachers, they tell me she is wonderfully behaved, a joy to have in the class room. I don't know why she is so bossy with her friends here, or so defiant when I ask her to do something. There is alot going on, with day care, a new brother, and a long winter. She is often fighting for my attention, which I am sure is hard on her. But then it seems, when I have a few minutes I can give just to her, she doesn't want it. Go figure! 4 year olds.
Grace is growing and changing. Some times she seems so grown up, and other times, like when she crawls into my lap, and curls up like a baby asking for 'nursies' she seems so little. Sometimes she goes to bed sooo well, I can't believe it. She will take her 'sue sue', give a kiss and hug, and go by herself. Other times she cries, and yells at me, and nothing I can do can fix what ever is wrong. I don't know. I know she is finding it hard to share me as well. But she does have those few stolen moment with me during the day for nursies, which is really just time connecting. And when we go for walks (almost everyday now) she likes to walk all by herself. Off she'll go running to the hydro/cable boxes...which really is just a quick walk for me...but off she goes non the less. All these little steps to 'growing up'.
Well thats about all for now. Life just seems to being going so fast, and I just want to enjoy these years with my little ones :)

A Whole Month!!

Wow, its been a month! How time flies!
Work has returned for me, and the kids are loving it. Every morning Angelina will ask me who's coming that day, and Grace and the little girl her age are learning how to play together well. And Bryan loves having the other kids to watch. He has never slept so good as now! With all the kids to watch, the fresh air he gets, and all the moving around he does, come nap times and night time, he is out for the count! I also sling him a lot more now then ever before, and he loves that as well. He moves around with me, he can hear my heartbeat, see the kids, and dinner is just a head turn away..LOL! Its very busy for me. I find by the end of the day I'm quit exhausted. But it gives our day a good routine, I'm eating healthier, as I cook better when I'm doing daycare, and I'm getting fresh air being outside every day. NOt much else is new, so I will end with some pictures. enjoy, post much sooner next time:)



1. Mommy and me, my favorit place to hang out, have a nap, a meal...

2. Can you move the book a bit so I can have a look??

3. Just a little further...I've almost got it....YEAH I DID IT!

4. Peek A Boo (This game's a bit over rated)

5. Me and my friend Parker, buddies to the end.

6. Me and my sisters.

7. I think they forgot someone in this picture!

A few random pics

Its all about the food for these three!!

A snack and nap....what could be better. If only we were all trying to put on 2 oz's a day!!LOL

A yummy cupcake for her birthday!

Mmmmm chocolate pudding!

Mama's boy having a peaceful nap.

Daddy's Angel

Daddy's Sunshine

Quick Update

Bryan weighed in at 11lb 9oz, and 23 inches long. Not a huge weight gain, but the doctor said he looks great and, "Just keep breastfeeding." He screamed for his needles...poor guy. I've given him Tylenol to help with any discomfort, which I beleive he must be in because he is a wee bit fussy as the afternoon turns into evening.
Grace weighed in at 25lb. The doctor was very surprized to hear that I was breastfeeding her. His eyes kinda bugged a bit, and he said, "You breastfeed both of them?"
"Yep!" I replied with a smile.
I was worried about her reaction to the needle, but she just watched. No tears, no whimper, honesly, nothing. Just big eyes as she watched it all happen. She got a bandaid and a sucker when she was all done and checked to make sure the bandaid was still there when we got home. Very cute. If you ask her, "Did you get a needle?" She says "Yep!"

I noticed looking though the blog that I haven't posted to many pics. in the last little bit. I will take some in the next few days and post on the weekend with them.

More about diapers...

I have been busy using that sewing machine. As the piles of diapers grow I need to remind myself that a baby doesn't need toooooo many diapers. I have decided that pocket diapers are by far my favorite. They dry quickly, and I make them a bit slimmer so baby has more room to move around. They take longer to make. Lots of sewing, and cutting, and resewing. But I decided I will be much happier with the finished product if I make what I like, and not second best. A funny story...every time I make a new diaper I am so excited to see how it fits ect, that I can't wait to try it on Bryan. But it never fails, I make one, put it on him, and he poops in it, every time. I am not kidding. I can wait 2 or 3 days, make a few, and he poops 3 times in row to poop in them all. Little stinker!! So I thought maybe I have enough diapers and should make some more soakers. As well he is quickly growing out of the ones he is in. The diapers get bigger, and the soakers have to too. I have a pattern I am going to experiment with a bit plus I found a great one online. Here is the link to it.

http://www.birdcrossstitch.com/soakers/pattern/index_printable.html

I'm all about the 3 R's. So when I am looking for fabric for my diapers I go to Value Village and look there. It’s about reducing the waste in the world, but also reusing, right? That’s how I see it anyways. So I go there and look through bed sheets. As long as they are mostly cotton they are good. I found a Buzz Light-Year one last time so the last 4 diapers I made are Buzz Light-Year and friends. I have more then half the bed sheet left over but thought I would save them for the next size up. The time before I went I got this red plaid stuff, very cute and not gender specific so I could use it on a girl too. (Maybe next time) I thought it was a bed sheet and came home to find it was actually just some fabric from a fabric store. And I'm sure it was like 3-4 yards. Wow, the things people get ride of! I thought I would also try to make wool soakers out of old sweaters. (Another great idea I found online.) There is a great website that tells you how to do it. I would like to try it. It looks much quicker then knitting one. I will keep you posted.

Well that’s about it for now. Bryan and Grace have a Dr.s apt. on Thursday, and I will post after that to keep track of his weight gain. He is growing, I can see it. I am curious to how much he weighs...

Diapers anyone?

I've found a passion, for a while anyways...:) Below are some pictures of what I have made.

Here are the 1st 4 I made. Just a fitted diaper with the soaker sewn right in.

These ones take forever to dry!

And here is Mr. Man showing one off.

This material came from an old pair of PJ's of mine!

Can't forget my wool soakers! This is the 2nd size I've made, and I have 5 or 6. I luv them! A newborn in nice soft cloth and wool! I've had only 2 leaks, in 8 weeks. Really not bad if you think that with plastic covers you get an odd leak. Even disposables you get the odd leak!

Here are the pocket diapers. A pocket diaper is a shell of a diaper, and you add the soakers in the front pocket as you need them. I've made 2, and I like these. They fit nicer in the legs, and dry way faster in the dryer!

And here he is, smiling away! He likes his cloth!LOL

My mom is going away for a week and has promised to let me borrow her sewing machine while she is away! I will make tones of diapers! Well, but then I think, how many does a baby really need? Even if I had more then 36 I would need to do laundry before I used them all. But I figured I would make some for the girls for their dollies and Abby for hers, and make some for Bryan in the next size up as well. Its nice to know I'm doing something good for the enviorment, and for my baby! 2fold actually. Cloth are better for his health, but I am also leaving him a better world by not using disposable, right?

I was thinking of starting a online cloth diapering business! I would sew cloth diapers out of recycled clothes and sell them cheap. And make wool soakers and sell them. But then I was like, "But if anyone wants to cloth diaper their own baby its not hard to do, so who would buy my diapers, really?" I don't know. Its a nice idea because then I'm still at home with my kidz, but I don't really know how practical it is. I will have to think more on it all.

My Last Visit

Yesterday was a sad day for me. It was my last visit with Sylvia. That is always such a hard day. She was my midwife, but as my midwife she became my friend. She supported me, had faith in me, and she is someone I confided in. When little Bryan was breech, she gave me my options, but respect my choice to let my body work and let Bryan turn on his own. Each day that I was over due, she reminded me that my body would do it, despite my fears I would be pregnant forever! During labor she supported me but respected my need for space, allowing Goran and I to work together. She cheered me on when I thought I couldn't go another minute, and reminded me to listen to my body when I had to push. She caught my baby, but let me take him into my arms to hold and adore. After the physical need for her was over in the room, after the birth, she quietly left the room giving my new family uninterrupted time to bond. Over the last 6 weeks she has just been quietly standing in the sidelines, giving advice when I needed it, but letting me mother my baby as I needed, and encouraging me at the same time. Yes, that last visit with her is very hard. The last visit with Grace was hard too. Maybe more so this time, because I've now known her longer and respect her as a person that much more. Because during my pregnancy, labor, and birth, she empowered me. She gave me the faith to believe and trust in my body, and in myself. She did this as a midwife, but also just as being the wonderful person that she is.

Sylvia, thank you for it all. For catching my babies, and making a difference in my births.

As for Bryan he is 10lb 13oz yesterday, and 25 inches long. He is a happy content baby. This too, I believe is due to the peaceful pregnancy, and wonderful birth I had.