Longest Blog Ever

Enjoy the book I wrote on cloth diapers, I have been working on that for a while now and finally published it. Hope it helps :)

Mouseless House

I know you are wondering what about the mouse... So, yes, after he licked the peanut butter off the trap for two nights in a row, his time came to an end. And I am glad to say that it was a boy mouse, which means no little baby mice living in my couch. And there was no girlfriend mouse either, we kept the trap out just in case, but nothing. So we are now mouseless and very happy.

OH MY GOSH!!!

We have a mouse! I can't believe it; the mouse ran out from under the coat bench to under the couch, and I only saw the blur. It scared me to death, but I kept from screaming somehow because I had just put Ashley down and I guess in the back of my mind I didn't want to wake her up. I just can't believe it. And it is probably getting fat from the crumbs Tessa drops here and there that we don't find. Needless to say, I am sitting on the chair tonight, not the couch, and am well prepared to head to wal-mart tomorrow to buy a trap (or two).

Cloth Diapers, Part 2

Yes, a continuation of my cloth diaper post. I had a few questions asked about my new cloth diaper obsession, so I want to go into a bit more detail. Please stop reading at this sentence if you aren't interested in diapers or baby poop.

And sorry that this is the longest blog in the history of blogs :)

By the way, a little testimonial from my husband. Last week I went shopping and he stayed home with the kids. Well, he said he smelled baby poop coming from Ashley. I had a disposable on her because we have a few and it was handy. He opened up her sleeper and she had poop all the way up to her chest. Ugh! Not a fun time. So this past weekend, I again left the house alone, but before letting me leave, Kirk asked me if Ashley had on a disposable or not, because he wanted cloth this time because she doesn't have blowouts in them and he doesn't want to clean up a huge mess again!!! How about that for a changed man?!

Oh, another By the Way tid-bit, ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS use the bio-degradable liners for kids with people poop. I forgot once with Tessa this past week, and icky-icky. Now I know why people hate cloth diapers, if it wasn't for the liners, I don't think I could do this either. So, if you decide to try it, PLEASE make sure you order liners too, otherwise, you are not going to enjoy it at all, trust me!

Let me give you all a little cloth intro on the types of diapers available and what I think of them:



Prefolds- these are the white rectangular diapers (sometimes used as burp cloths). You can't buy wal-mart diapers, they don't work. There are diaper-service quality prefolds you can buy, they are cheap, like less than $2 a piece, but have to be folded and pinned, or snappied on. FYI, a "snapppi" is a little y-shaped stretchy item with little teeth on the end (similar to ace bandage grabbers) that holds the diaper on. The snappi is super easy to use. I tried the prefolds for like a day, and decided that this was hard-core cloth diapering. I mean, Ashley peed through this diaper by the time she finished nursing. So I would change her when she woke up to eat, then change her again when she finished eating, then change her again when she started to fall back asleep. This meant for a lot of changes, and then if you add Tessa to the equation (I didn't have prefolds in her size to try), that would be over 20 diaper changes a day, maybe 30. Needless to say, I only tried these for one day! Also, I have a very hard time keeping the newborn runny poop in these because they don't have any leg gussets to catch the poop. Now, I am going to try to make a few prefolds to have as a backup, but I want to make mine with flannel and put a microfiber towel in the middle to be the soaker area. Microfiber is VERY absorbent.



Prefolds do require a waterproof cover, which are easy to use. They Velcro on similar to a disposable diaper and come in cute colors and patterns. And they can be used over and over during the day, as long as they don't have poop on them.



So, in my opinion, prefolds are too much of a hassle for me, even though they are super cheap, I just can't do it.



Fitteds- These are nice. They are all cloth and come in different sizes. They range usually from newborn to x-large. They are usually made out of some super soft materials and come in fabulous patterns and colors, and I mean fabulous! I tried a few on Ashley, and they fit well and keep the poop in. They have leg gussets and elastic on the back to prevent blowouts. These also require a waterproof cover, unless you just let them where the diaper with no cloths over it. But there is an option of having wool clothing to go over the diaper, which sounds weird, but it's not. In fact, I wish I had some fitteds so that I could get the cute wool covers (tell me those aren't darling pants). Wool is naturally water-repellent, and when you add some lanolin to it, it because pratically water-proof. The wool covers come as just covering the diaper (like the panties that come with little baby dresses), as shorts, or even as pants. Most have draw stings, and you can get them with cute little designs on them, like animals on the back or rainbow colors. I totally think they are the cutest thing ever!



Anyways, fitteds are great, but the only downfall I can see is that you have to buy sizes. So that means more money. But that also means that if you plan to use them for another baby later on, they will have less where and tear. They do make one-size fitteds, by GoodMama, but they come in at $35-$38 bucks a piece, yikes. But I tried one, they are great diapers, but not really a true one-size because Ashley was 2 months old, and they thing swallowed her. So they could probably be used around 5 months and on.



So, I like fitteds, I really do.



Pockets- These are what I use. They have a water-permeable inner lining, and a waterproof outer shell. In the back, there is a slit or opening, and this is where you slide in the absorbent liner. You can control how much absorbency the diaper has by how much lining you put in. Also, these can be bought in a one-size, and these really are one-size. They can go from 8 lbs to 35 lbs, or so they say. Ashley and Tessa share diapers, and Tessa is about 26 lbs or so, and Ashley started in these around 11 lbs, when she was 2 1/2 months old. So far, no blow-outs in these, and that means a lot since she just had a blow-out (a HUGE blow-out) in a disposable last night. There is a little work involved since after the wash/dryer you must "stuff" them with liners again. It doesn't take very long, and I don't mind since I know I won't be washing anymore poop-stained shirts and pants now.



So, I totally love my pockets. They work great, and I think are totally cost efficient. I paid $18 per diaper, but they are one-size and Ashley will where these her entire diapering life, and then hopefully the next kid will use these also, so totally cost efficient.



All-in-Ones- These are waterproof on the outside and have a thick liner built in, similar to the pockets but you don't "stuff" the liner since it's already sewn in. These can also be bought in a true one-size, but are a little bulkier since you don't control the thickness of the liner. The only real downfall I have heard of (I haven't tried these yet) is that they take forever to dry since they are so thick.

Wetbags - A necessity for your diaper bag. A cloth bag that has a waterproof layer in the middle for your dirty diapers. Also great for when your kid has an "accident".



OK, enough terminology. Here is a list of links to find tons and tons of info on CDing.



Diaper Pin - this is a great website with reviews of almost any and all diaper brands out there, plus lots of info on cloth diapering (CDing for short).

Jillian's Drawers - If you want to try out CDing but don't want to make a huge investment, try out Jillian's Drawers program. You put down a deposit, they send you some great NEW diapers to try out for 21 days, if you don't like them or don't want to buy them, you mail them back and they refund you all but $10. If you keep all the diapers, you don't pay anything extra, and your next order is free shipping. So it's a great way to try before you buy!

Diaper Jungle - This is a wonderful website that you should really look at. It has tons and tons of information, and it's super easy to navigate around on. On the home page they have 3 columns: why use cloth, choosing the right diaper, and how to wash CDs. Really this is a great place to check out.

Baby Bummies - this is where I bought my diapers. She is in American Fork, so if you are local, you can go check out her stash and pick up diapers to save on shipping costs.

Cotton Babies - Another great online store that sells practically every diaper out there.

Diaper Swappers - I LOVE this website. It has sooo much infomation on it. It is a huge database of forums, including diapers for sale or trade, Work-At-Home-Moms online stores, lots and lots of information about CDing, with forums you can ask questions on about any subject, from feeding to diapering to being thrifty for your family. I love it.

I was thining about hosting a "home show" on diapers. So that everyone can check them out in person. This wouldn't be a bring-your-checkbook kinda home show, just an informative show to learn more. Would anyone be interested?

What I Have Done

Ok, I don't always do these things, but Kirk and I saw this on another blog and where discussing our lists together. So here is my list, and maybe Kirk will post his list too. He is a little ahead of me because I have never been out of the country, and he has been all over the world as a child! It is always fun to learn new things about people you think you already know.

This is very easy to do and pretty fun. I hope everyone who finds it interesting copies and pastes it, then highlights (bold faces) what they have done :)

1. Started your own blog - obviously:)

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language - does high school spanish class count??

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach in the moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades - totally on my "wish list"

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee - many childhood summertime memories involve bee sting :(

100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person

101. Learned to play an instrument

So, what have you done???

Cloth Diapers

Yes, that is right, I said cloth diapers. I know what everyone is thinking, the dreaded swishing in the toilet, right? Not anymore. I must say I am really liking my new diapers. I even got the hubby's approval today. I asked him if he was ok with the diapers, and he said, "yeah, they're fine. They help the girls bottoms look better" :)

So, I decided to go with BumGenius brand. They are waterproof, with mircofleece on the inside which is super soft for the girls, and they velcro on very much like a disposable, and the best part, they are a one-size-fits-all, so both Tessa and Ashley where to same diapers! Well, hopefully Tessa won't be wearing diapers much longer :) we will see how that goes... Anyways, this may be TMI for some, they are working great. No leaks, and the breastmilk poop soaks right in to the material, so no blow-outs. And for Tessa, with her "real people" poop, they make bio-degradable tissue-paper type liners to go in them. So when she poops, you just dump the liner and poop into the toilet, and she likes to flush it down. Ashleys cute little bottom looks good now too, it was always a pinch redder then her skin elsewhere, because of the diaper, but now you can't tell a difference in the skin shades.

Did I mention that they are cute too? We have pink, yellow, pastel green, sky blue, grasshopper green, royal blue, it's fun. I also got crafty and sewed a few diapers, for backups. But the really best part is that I don't have to buy anymore diapers, at all. How great is that??!! I just toss these in the washer every other day or so, and wa-la, I have a never ending supply of diapers.

Kirk told me the other day, he never thought I would be this domestic. When we were dating, I was scared to death of kids and diapers and all that stuff, and now I am knee-deep in baby poop and spit-up and totally ok with it (well, as long as it doesn't get on me)!

Sweet Kisses

Tonight, we all walked up to the Art Museum for a concert of Utah's Handbell Ringers (or something like that). It was really cool to listen to them play the bells. We got there a few minutes late and pulled up a wooden bench just outside the back large doorway where the chairs ended (all the seats where taken already). Tessa was standing on the bench next to me, looking at the bell ringers through the crowd, when she reached her hand over my shoulders and around my neck, pulling me close to her. She held that for a few seconds, then turned and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. She smiled really big and I could tell she was happy to be the first on to kiss, because usually I kiss her, then she returns and we do that back and forth. So it was super cute that she kissed me first. It's these little moments that make you realize that your children really do love you, because it's hard to believe it sometimes while they are in the middle of throwing a fit or running away from you.

It was one of those sweet moments that I file away in my mind and hope I will always remember.

Early Mornings and Long Days

So, I haven't blogged much since October. It's all due to the new schedule. Kirk has taken a second job; Early Morning Paper Delivery to businesses in American Fork and Alpine area. Yep, he gets up around 2:50-3:00 AM to go deliver papers, it's crazy. He hits the sack around 8:30 normally, sometimes he is stil up at 9, but not that often. I want to make sure he gets the rest he needs, it's very important to be rested. So, he started this job at the end of Oct, when Ashley was about 7 weeks old, and not sleeping at night. But, I am proud to say that she is now sleeping through most of the night. It goes like this. Bath, nursing, and in bed around 8:30 or 9, I get up to put her binky back in once or twice around 3-4 AM, and then we get up to nurse around 4-5 AM. Then she is hungry again around 6-6:30 AM. So not that bad. I tend to put her in bed with me after she eats at 5 cause she never really sleeps that well in those early morning hours unless shes snuggled up to me and I get sick of crawling out of bed to put her binky back in, plus Kirk is gone and I need a warm body :)

Anyways, our new schedules are super tight and don't allow for much downtime for either of us. Especially with the house on the market, I have to work super hard to keep this place in decent enough shape. So blogging is way down the priority list now, and since Kirk said he is going to get me a gym pass for Christmas (thank you so much Kirk!, I am tired of being fat after Ashley) I expect my computer time to go down even further. So that is where we have been and why no one hears from us anymore!

Body Worlds

My mom and I went to Body Worlds on Monday evening. Very cool and not creepy like I thought it might be. I was sure that I might get grossed out seeing real bodies that have been skinned and preserved, but they totally don't look real. They look like plastic, probably because they have been "plasticized". I recommend everyone go see this exhibit, it is a little pricey($22 each, $20 with a coupon), but it's a once in a lifetime experience.

They have every body part available to see. There is a section on smoking, and I don't know how anyone who sees this can continue smoking. They show a set of healthy lungs, and a set of smokers lungs next to each other. The smokers lungs look like charcoal. And they have lungs with emphysema, which I can only describe as this: lungs look as if they might take up about a gallon jug size area. The emphysema begins to remove golf ball sized parts of the lung. Those golf ball sized holes can add up fast, and that would make breathing incredibly difficult.

There is also a baby section. They have babies from 5 weeks up to 35 weeks. It is amazing to see how fast they grow and how insanely small a 5 week fetus is, almost too small to see, almost like the size of a lady bug or maybe a small ant, it's just crazy.

Again, it is a once in a lifetime (ok, maybe you may have another chance years down the road) opportunity. I encourage all to see this exhibit!

House 4 Sale

It has been a busy past few weeks. We put our house up on the market about 2 weeks ago, and it is way difficult keeping this little place clean and clutter-free with two kids at home. So it leaves me not a lot of time for other things! But it is so exciting, because I hate this place. OK, I don't really hate it, but it has gotten very small since Ashley came along. Well, it has always been small, but now it's super small. So, we decided to list it and see what happens. So far we have had 5 walk throughs, with good feedback, but no offers. I told our agent that I am ok to stay until next August, but I don't want to be in this little house next winter with two toddlers. All in all, I am glad we bought our home a few years ago. It has been a fun place to live, to learn a little about home repairs (like the tile work we did in the bath), and make good memories, after all, this is the house our girls came home to! Check out our house online: http://www.utahrealestate.com/846776

quick update

Just a quick update on how big Ashley is. Growing up so fast!

Ashley loves her baths! And Tessa loves to "help"!

Daddy's BDay

Kirk celebrated his birthday on Oct. 6. Tessa was very excited to help make a cake for him, as you can tell. She didn't want to put the "candies" (sprinkles) on his cake, just eat them off the plate! It was a very laid back day, I wanted to do more, but with Ashley being only 5 1/2 weeks old, I thought I did great to cook dinner and make a cake! Kirk, I hope you enjoyed your birthday!

Growing So Fast

Ashley LOVES her binky!

And I mean really really loves it!

Time goes by sooo fast. It's crazy. Ashley will be 2 months old this week. She is getting so big so fast. I weighed her (and myself...eek) last week, and she came in at 10 and a half pounds. I'm not going to tell you what I came in at!

Ashley is fun. She is going to be a happy little girl, she smiles so much now and has started batting at hanging toys. She has began rolling over, from her stomach to her back. Tessa didn't do this till she was like 8 months old or something, she was a lazy baby, she never even crawled, she just hated her stomach! But Ashley loves it. I try to give her "tummy time", but she just lays there on her stomach and falls asleep, happy as can be!

Her are a few pics of Ashley and Tessa...

Watching TV, Tessa's favorite pastime.

Tessa is a very hands-on and up-close kinda sister.

CopyCat

We wondered how long it would take for this moment to happen...

Welcome Baby Ashley

We took Ashley's newborn pics on Saturday. Some are posted on my friend Amy's blog www.amyharrisonphotography.blogspot.com I absolutely LOVE the picture of her sucking her cute little thumb! And again, Amy has done an amazing job! Thank you Amy!!!

Entertainer of the Year

Tessa has learned the fine art of dancing and singing!

Singing 1 through 10.

Singing the ABC's. My favorite part is the "That's great" at the end of the song!

1 to 10

Tessa has learned to count from 1 to 10. We are so proud! Who ever thought you could feel such pride in such a simple thing. She likes to look through books and count pictures, like pieces of candy or animals. She is growing so fast, it's amazing. Makes me glad to have a new little girl because Tessa is becoming a big girl :)

Toes

Tessa loves baby Ashley's toes, and ALWAYS wants to see them!

Just Pictures

Laura's last few moments being pregnant with Ashley.

Daddy and Ashley.

She is always sleeping.

So small in her huge carseat.

Tessa holding "Baby Ashley".

Tessa kissing her new baby sister.

Tessa and Baby Ashley

Tessa loves her baby sister Ashley, especially her hair bows!

Tessa with Grandma and Ashley.

Thumb Sucking

Ashley Jane Lydia Lela Guadalupe Isabel Johnson

Well the day has arrived. I have been given the task to update the blog site (this is Kirk). Our daughter was born this morning at 7:49am. There were no complications with the c-section. She weighs in at 6 lbs 11 oz and is 18 1/2 inches long. We couldn't decide on a name yet so we just decided to use every name on our list. We will actually probably decide on a name tonight or tomorrow after Laura gets some rest.
I have taken a lot of pics but in all our preperations we forgot to pack the USB cable to download the pics. Sorry. Tessa is thrilled to have a baby sister. She refers to her sister as "Tessa's baby". We will have to make sure she isn't too helpful with the baby. It is very cute to watch her interact with our new one.
Mother and baby are doing great. I'm sure Laura will be posting something tomorrow after she has gotten some rest. Stay tuned for pics and the decision of the name.

Baby Update

2 days to go!!! Wow, it has went by so fast. It's strange, because part of me, well, most of me, is tired of being pregnant. But the other part of me is sad that I only have 2 days left to be pregnant. It's odd that I feel that way, but I enjoy feeling girl #2 moving around in my belly. With Tessa, we were so excited for her to come out so we could see her. But this time, since Tessa is here with us, I just kinda enjoy the pregnancy more because I am not as anxious about having baby #2 here right now.

Anyways, tomorrow is cleaning day, then Tuesday I pick up my mother and step-father from the airport. They will be staying with us for the next 2 weeks to help with Baby and Tessa. Then on Wednesday morning at 5:30 am, Kirk and I head to the hospital. At 7:30, we go in to the OR and have our baby girl! How crazy to think that this is all planned out, that we know what is going to happen at every moment. The only thing we don't have planned is her name. We have a few we keep tossing around, the list probably has about a dozen names on it, but we aren't set on anything in particular yet.

So, check in Thursday or Friday for pictures and all the details of Baby Girl #2!

I am a Princess

You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I saw this on another blog and had to do it, because I am a princess, well, I guess now that I have kids and a husband, I am a queen!!!

Idolized

So I had to add another playlist to my blog... My favorite american idols. I heard "Billie Jean" on my friends blog, and was reminded how much I love David Cook. This is really the first year I have religiously watched American Idol, and I got Tessa loving it too! She would wave her hands and sway along to the music. Anyways, David Archuleta was very good also, but I just loved David Cook (and he's from Missouri)! He can sing anything, every type of song, he just does it all. I had never really heard Billie Jean, but when he sang it on the show, I was awe-struck, it was sooo good. He reminds me a lot of Our Lady Peace, who I just loved a few years back. I would listen to their CD everyday, it was a phase I guess. Anyways, I have no idea what the Idols are doing now, but I am really hoping that Cook does a concert here sometime next year!

Baby Update

We had an appt. today and doc says pack our C-Section bag. Plan is next wednesday at 7:30 am, which means we have to be there at 5:30 am!!! I asked him if he was joking or not, and he said sorry, he wasn't. So, I guess I will be planning on a few naps that day, and so will Kirk! We do have to do a stress test again this Wednesday, but he thinks it will be fine. Doc said if the fluid is low, then we'll just take her out this week (but I'm not ready yet)! So, I have 8 days to finish everything I have put on my list of 'things to do before the baby comes'. I guess it is kinda nice to know exactly when she will be here!

Dinosaur Museum

We went to the dinosaur museum last week with Tessa's cousins Jake and Jonny. She had a blast! When we pulled up to the museum, there is a large T-Rex painted on the building, and she points and says "dinosaur". I have know idea where she learned that at! It is a super cool place to go, I have always wanted to go, and since all Tuesdays in Aug. are only $2 per ticket, we decided to go. So did everyone else in Utah County! I have never been in a building with so many children and strollers in my life (well, maybe at the circus or in line to see santa)! It was neat to see all the skelatons and fossils and they have lots of interactive stations for kids (too old for Tessa, but if she was 3 or 4, she would have loved them). So, if you are in the area, check out http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/ and go on a Tuesday this month, it's well worth $2 even if it is crowded!

Playing at the "erosion table".

Who knew that plastic palm trees make great shovels?
Petting the dinosaor with Jonny.

Baby Update

We had an appt. today. Things are good. Baby is head down, as she should be. But doc still says it will probably be a C section, we have no signs of anything going on to get that baby out. So 14 more days till surgery and then we will be a family of four!

We had a stress test last week, and that was ok also. Tessa was induced because her fluid was really low, and doc says low fluid will probably happen with all my pregnancies because of the history. We got checked, she is at an 11. They want us to be between a 7 and 21, so we are good for now. Tessa's got low about a week before her due date, thus the reason doc has scheduled us a week ahead of our actual due date. The test was kinda nice though, the nurse checked again just to make sure she is a girl (we don't want a surprise!) and she took a few minutes to let us peer at her again. She looked so baby-ish, not alien-ish like at the 20 week ultrasound. When we saw her little calfs, Kirk said it seemed so real, it's like she's holding up her legs for a diaper change. Totally cute little legs.

So, yep, it's getting close!

Gymnastics

Tonight, Tessa and Kirk were in the living room watching the Olympics while I was in the kitchen. Kirk comes in laughing telling me to come watch Tessa. The mens gymnastics were on, China was doing the floor routine, and Tessa would watch them tumble and throw their hands up, then she would drop to the floor, roll around, then stand up and throw her hands up. She would lean her head back and we thought she was gonna fall over! It was sooo funny, she is such a girl. I told Kirk that every little girl wishes that she could be like the gymnasts and will try to copy them, and Tessa is a total girl :)

Pictures!

Yea!!! I am so excited! My pictures are done and they look great! We took our maternity pics last Saturday, it was a blast, and we love them. I have always loved having my picture taken, but it was really fun with Tessa and Kirk. Kirk feels a little cheesy, I think, but it's just so cute to have belly pics with Daddy. Tessa had a lot of fun running through all the cloth backdrops hanging up, it was hard to get her to hold still. If you want, you can check out my friend Amy's blog at http://www.amyharrisonphotography.blogspot.com/ to see them and all of her other great pics. She really does a great job! Thanks again Amy!

Recipes

For my beloved Notebook, I am looking for quick and easy recipes to put in it. If anyone has recipes they would like to share, I would be so happy. Even the basics like Tator-Tot casserole are great to have, because honestly, I just learned how to make that one last year!! So, if you want to share, email me or leave it in comments. BTW, Lali, I would love to have your Swedish Steak recipe, that was great when you made it for us! I will repost any I get so we can all enjoy! Thanks!

Home Organization

Perhaps it's because we are having the baby this month, perhaps it's because my mother is coming to stay at our house, or perhaps it's just finally time, but whatever it is spurring my great desire for an organized home is a good thing. I joked with Kirk that it has only taken me about 8 months of being a SAHM (stay at home mom) to finally get on the clean & organized boat. I have been trying really really hard these past few weeks to keep up on housework and finances (which is like a totally other post all in itself)!

So, having great desire but not sure how to proceed, I went to the Internet. I found a great website called www.organizedhome.com where I learned about a wonderful tool called the Home Notebook. I have been dreaming about one of these for quite a while, but didn't really know how I wanted to set it up. So, on this beloved website, I found forms to print and categories to put in my Notebook. I was so excited :) Now, I know you want to know what I put in my Notebook, so here it is:

1) an emergency contacts sheet, which includes all the info a babysitter would ever need in the case of an emergency (I printed it out on the organizedhome.com)

2) a weekly day-by-day chore chart. It can be overwhelming when the house gets sooo dirty that I don't know where to start cleaning. Now, everyday, I know what I am doing, and this way, the house never gets out of control (hopefully)!

3) a local yellow pages I put together of all the restaurants and phone numbers that we may want food from after the baby comes. Or when we have out-of-town guests here, they can see what all is close by. I am also enclosing a section full of take-out menus.

4) a food section. It has two pages of menu choices, all under the main meat heading, of things I know how to cook and that are fairly quick and easy to make. Next, I have a blank weekly menu page I can take out every week to plan out our family dinners. I don't worry about breakfast or lunch, cause they don't require much more than instant oatmeal and sandwiches. Also included is my absolute favorite thing: my grocery shopping list. I spent two hours making this beauty and just LOVE it. It is a two-page all-inclusive list of everything I could think of that we buy at the grocery store. I set it up for Wal-Mart, since that is where I do most of my shopping. I started with Dairy, which is in the complete back of the store, and worked my way up the isles category by category so it ends with freezer and fruits & veggies. I don't worry about forgetting anything now because before I go shopping I go thru the list and mark anything I need. It also helps me to not buy "extra stuff" that we don't really need, because I know that I have a complete list and I feel safe knowing I didn't leave anything off.

5) a list section. This includes a list called "Projects to Do", which has a date heading, a project heading, and a cost heading. When we think of something we need or would like to do, we write it on the list so we don't forget it later. And with the cost heading, we can prioritize our expenses to include certain projects. The next list is a "Things to Buy". Here we write down "extras" we want or think we need. It also has a cost heading and a store heading so I know where to get it at. I put the more expensive items that we can't afford right away and the little things we need but that don't go on the grocery list on "things to buy". Right now it has some baby items, like the double stroller and a bassinet, and also the random things, like a thicker shelf for the TV armoire that we need to get at Home Depot. Also in my list section is a Birthday/Anniversary list. How many times do I flip the calendar and see that someone is having a Bday that week and don't have time to send a card or gift. Plus, I don't keep up on my calendar like I should. This way, at the beginning of the month, I can go check the list, and mark off if I sent or already bought something.

This is all I have for now, but it is still a work in progress. It really does help me though. If anyone wants a copy of my Grocery Shopping list or any other list I made, leave a comment with your email and I will send it to you. They are excel files so you can change it up to fit your family a little better. Now Mom, when you come visit this month, make sure to say how clean the house is!!!

Nighty-Night

Kirk told me that I am wrong, but I almost feel like a bad parent. Tessa has learned that she has freedoms now that she is in her big girl bed. Freedom to get in and out when she pleases, freedom to walk out of her bedroom, freedom to play and read if she wants to. We typically push her door closed but not shut, so that we can check on her easily without waking her when we go to bed. Well, she now knows this also. So, we began shutting her door, nice and tight, so that she can't get out. And yes, I feel a little mean, but she needs to know that bedtime means bedtime, not coming and going time.

So, as I sit here and type, I can hear her rattling the doorknob, and knocking on the door. She is yet to make a sound (I have the moniter on) but is trying that door pretty good. I guess we just have to do what we have to do. After she falls asleep, we open the door again so that she can come out when she wakes up, but I still feel a little mean and a little sad locking her in. Hopefully she will learn to stay in bed soon so I won't feel so guilty :)

Good nights and naps

Well, I don't want to speak too soon, but Tessa is asleep in her bed again. That makes this the 3rd time; yesterday naptime, last night (all night), and todays nap. I think she loves it, cause when she wakes up, I don't hear anything, just a few random noises. So I go check on her, and there she stands, collecting books to go read in her new bed. She gets all excited and runs back over and crawls into the bed. It's cute and I am so happy the transition is going well :)

My Wonderful Husband, Part 2

I believe I may be the luckiest girl ever. Yes, I am quite sure of it. Kirk is such a good husband. He takes very good care of me. Tuesday, he told me he had made me another apppointment for Wednesday, and that he lined up one of our favorite babysitters to come over so I could go without concerns of Tessa. So, what did he do?? He made me an appointment to get a massage and a pedicure, because I have been so sore and I can't reach my feet very well anymore! (this may have had something to do with me asking him to rub my back every night too!). But none-the-less, he made the appointment and I fully enjoyed it. AND, to top it all off, he stopped by the spa an hour before me to drop off flowers and a card! Is he not just the most thoughtful man ever?!! I love him so much, and I sincerly believe that I am the luckiest girl ever!

A nice lady having her toes painted 'glittery purple' took this for me so I can always remember the day.

Boy do I look 8 1/2 months pregnant!

Sweet Dreams

We bought Tessa a toddler bed this past weekend. Today is Thursday, and she has yet to sleep on it until now! I just put her down for a nap about 15 mins ago, and I haven't heard a peep. I need to go pop my head in there in a moment, but she's such a light sleeper it's tough to check on her without waking her. But I am so excited she is on her "big girl" bed! If all goes well, we will take down the crib this coming week.

Oh, and she wore her first hair clip/barrette today. No, it didn't have any purpose but it looked cute. Of course she lost it outside somewhere, or maybe Rosco ate it, but it looked cute while it lasted. Good thing they are cheap!

6 Weeks to Go

Depending on the day, 6 weeks seems like a short time and I start freaking out because I am not prepared to have Girl #2, but on other days, it seems like forever because I am sooo uncomfortable. I woke up 3 times last night. Can't get comfortable, I have a headache all day today, and I can't seem to shake it. And my lower back is way sore. Really, the list keeps going and going. I don't remember being like this with Tessa, but I am sure it was a similar experience, it's just been a while and I don't' remember. But we are on the countdown so it's not going to be much longer.

The doc has set us a preliminary C-section date of Aug. 27. We don't want to have another C if we don't have too, but our chances are pretty high. We start weekly stress tests at 37 weeks to watch our fluid levels (that's why Tessa was induced) and he said if I don't start to show any signs of going into labor, then we will be planning on the C. So, we just keep hoping things go good and we don't need the C. Anyways, this is our pregnancy update for those of you who were wondering how it is going!

My Wonderful Husband

Our anniversary is coming up on Wednesday, July 23. 5 years. Seems so to have gone by so quickly, yet 5 years is quiet a while, I mean, we were only in high school for 4 years, and that was forever! So, last Wednesday evening, Kirk told me I had an appointment the next morning and that he had set up with his Sister to babysit Tessa. He is so thoughtful and sweet. I feel so lucky to have such a good husband. He had set up an appointment to have my hair done. I got highlights (which I haven't had in like a year), a cut (which I was needing), and my eyebrows waxed (which I have always wanted to have done). It was nice. This Wednesday evening, we are going to dinner, and then maybe Friday we will go out without Tessa to celebrate our 5 years. Wow.

Who doesn't love a good backrub?

Today I put Tessa down for her nap just like usual. We rocked a few minutes, then I asked her if she wanted to lay down, she said yes, so I put her in her crib on her back and laid her blanket on her. She rolled over to her stomach right away and started pointing to her back and saying "Back, back". I asked her if she wanted me to rub her back, and she said yes! So I spent a minute rubbing her back. She just laid there silent as could be, enjoying the moment. Kirk says he wants all girls, but I don't know if he has thought about all the back rubbing he will have to do over the years... :)

Tessa is 2!

Tessa turned 2 on Saturday. We stayed up late Friday night putting together her new trike. I reminded Kirk that this is the begining of many years of staying up late putting toys together! But Tessa loved it. We sat it out in the living room so she would see it first thing. Kirk carried her out and she saw it and said "Bike" and was sooo excited. Very cute. She ran over and climbed on and proceeded to try to reach the pedals, which was in vain because her legs are still a little too short to touch both pedals at the same time. She quickly learned how to ring the bell, so she would climb on, ring the bell, then turn around and say bye-bye to us. Today, we took the trike out for her first ride around the block. She made it almost all the way around the block before she wanted off to help push (We spent a little extra to get a trike with a push handle for me!).

We were supposed to go over and have cake with her cousins on Sunday night, but Tessa is getting her last set of molars in, and had a runny nose and watery eyes and drooling mouth, so we decided to pass on the socializing. She is young enough that she doesn't know she missed out anyways. So we stayed home and watched the "puppy show" (101 Dalmatians) almost 3 times, and she thought that was great, cause she doesn't get to watch a lot of TV usually.

Saturday evening we took Tessa to the water park. It was nice, but not $25 nice. She would have had just as much fun at the regular old pool for $3. We had discounted tickets, so it wasn't too upsetting, but now we know to wait a few years before we take her back and pay the high price! But she enjoyed climbing on the stairs of the kiddie pool, then jumping off the bottom step. Of course she could touch where she jumped to, but she thought she was a daredevil!

All in all, it was a good weekend and she had a good birthday!

She can't reach the pedals, but she does have pegs!

Another Home Party!

Yes, it is true, it is another home party. But, I must say, I only have parties of things that I think are worthwhile and down-n-out cool. Soooo, if anyone is interested, I am hosting a fun felt party. You know, the little felt cut-outs that you put up on a board for your kids. I think Tessa will love it. I am going to get her a quiet book and some of the Book of Mormon stories for Family Home Evenings. We are always trying to think of ways to do FHE that she will be interested in, and I believe that this will help her to grasp the stories better. So, I am having my party on Tuesday the 8 of July, yep, tomorrow. It will close up on Saturday. If anyone is interested, check out http://www.funfelt.com/rachelle.html and let me know. I can mail it out to you or drop it off sometime. Just let me know!

Learning to Share

Tessa loves Rosco. Very much. She likes to hug him and kiss him on the top of his head and tell him "good boy". It's very cute. So today, she took their friendship a step farther. She decided to start sharing her juice with him. She would let it drip out onto the porch for him to lick up, but that wasn't good enough, so she just let him start licking her cup. A little too gross for me, but I guess she is learning to share!

Summer Days

Well, it's been a while since I updated our blog. We haven't had anything too exciting happen around here. Tessa did go swimming for the first time this summer last week. We had a playdate with the girls and their little ones from my bunco group. At first, she wasn't so sure about the water; she clung for dear life to my swimsuit, and I clung to my swimsuit too, hoping she wouldn't rip it off with her deathgrip. But after 20 minutes or so, she calmed down a bit, and I pulled her around in the water and she really enjoyed it. So, next week, she starts her own little swimming lessons. We will see how that goes...

I gave Kirk a haircut last night. He is tired of paying when I have a pair of capable hands that could cut it for free (well, he might have to tip)! So, we gave it a try. And, surprisingly, it turned out quiet well, or so he said. I was about half way through, and I stopped to think about what to cut next, when he asked if I was finished. I laughed and said no, and I asked if a normal haircutter would be done, and he said yeah, it would of been finished by then! But all good things take time. So, guess Kirk has a new stylist now, so next time you see him, tell him how great his hair looks!

This upcoming weekend we have a mini-reunion with Kirks family. It should be fun. It's nice that Tessa is getting big enough to play with the other cousins. On Kirks side, there are a lot of cousins. There are 4 of them all born within a year of each other, so that's really nice for her. Anyways, it should be fun. Check back next week for the details.

Lagoon Day

Tessa LOVED the boat ride. She rode it 3 times. We stood in line 3 times. And it is a sloooow line. But it was so cute to watch her "drive" the boat and ring the bell. On the boats, again. But this time with an older boy :)
She also rode the Carousal a few times. At the end of the night, Daddy was standing in line for the carousal, and Tessa and I were heading over to join him. We had to walk past the ride to get in line, and Tessa just started crying and wouldn't walk anymore. I bent down and asked her what was wrong, and all she said was "Horsey". I asked her if she wanted to ride the horsies again, and she lit up. She was sooo excited to go again. So maybe she will be a cowgirl afterall.

Tessa petting the horse...

Tessa riding on the whale ride. She wasn't so sure about this at first, but warmed up quickly after she saw us waving and laughing. The funny part is that she is the only kid on the ride, so that really made her nervous!

Savvy Shopper

So, I am so proud of myself. I went grocery shopping last night with a friend. I had about 14 rain checks to Albertsons. All of them for a 10 for $10 deal. So, my friend and I shared them, and shared coupons. And we totally got the best deals of my life. We bought about 70 boxes of cereal, 10 cans of croissants, 17 lbs. of chicken, and 4 chips and salsa. AND, we only paid $88 for all of it! I have never been so happy walking out of a grocery store! This was my best coupon shopping day ever. Just in case, if you live in the Utah area, the website to check out that all my great info comes from is www.savvyshopper.com and it is great. Anyways, I told Kirk I would blog about this, and I believe he thinks I am nuts, but I am just so proud.

Cheetos

These pics are a couple weeks old, but it was so funny...

Loves her Cheetos...

And always shares with her Best Friend Rosco...

Nic's Farewell

Nic and I have been through so much. It is sad to see him go. But he is in a better place, a much better place.

Just in case you don't know, Nic is my horse. The one guy I have always loved, before Kirk, of course! In the past few years, I knew it was going to happen, that our time together was growing short. And the day finally came, last week, that we signed the Bill of Sale. Yep, after 13 years, Nic has a new owner.

He now belongs to a very nice 20 year old guy in Provo. And he is an uptown horse now, in his new ritzy stables. I told Kirk that I wouldn't mind living in one of the barns there, that place is very nice. And it is right against the mountain, so they can go out riding on the foothills anytime. I am happy for him though, he needed a new, younger owner to take him out galloping into the sunset, for that is what Nic loved most, running as fast as he can. Now that I am in Mommy-zone, I can't be doing that. I need a nice slow horse that Tessa can learn to ride on, you know, the type of horse that only walks and might get up to a trot if seriously urged to. So, we will begin the search for that horse next spring, after Girl #2 comes out and I recover! But I will miss Nic. I'm just glad he's in a better place.

True Love

We have been working with Tessa on saying the long awaited "I Love You." Well, it has been going good, everyday we say "I", and then "Love", and then she yells "You." It's very cute. Then, on Saturday, I say the "I Love" part, and she says "Daddy", but what about Mommy??? She will say Mommy when I prompt her, but she says Daddy first...I am a little sad, but it's still cute. SO, this morning, I put on Baby Einstein Animals for her to watch, and while it's queing up, I say the "I Love" part, and Tessa says "Show"! We do this twice, trying to hold in my laughter, and then the next time she says "TV"! Now we know that she really does understand what love means!

Pillow Talk

So, Tessa has been having a bit of trouble going to sleep lately...can we say 10 pm??? I don't know what happened to my beautiful little sleeping angel, she has always been an 8pm-8am kinda girl. So, we made her a pillow. Let me rephrase...I made her a pillow. Yes, I am quite the seamstress, making a toddler sized pillow. I never thought I would feel so much pride in such a small acomplishment, it's a little strange. And I made a little pillowcase with pengiuns on it for her. (Her favorite show on DiscoveryKids is Paz the penguin). And the pillow is helping her sleep, a little anyways, until the novelty wears off! She just looks so cute lying asleep on her little pillow, that her Mommy made for her...

Graduation

After nearly 10 years, the day has finally come. Kirk has graduated!!! Yes, he is a college graduate. He actually finished all his classes in December, but UVSC only walks students in April. It was so great, I was almost in tears. I am just so happy for him. And me. He is currently working at his first job, a career job, and it's going great. Everything is just great!

It's a Girl!

We have had such a busy week. On Wednesday, we had our ultrasound to check up on our new little girl! Yea! We were hoping for another girl; we want Tessa to have a cute little sister to play Barbies and Tea Party with. And, finacially, baby girl(as she will be known as for now) should fit into most of Tessa's old clothes and can share a room with her! Now I don't have to repaint the pink closet doors!

Virgin Blogger

Well, I never thought I would be a blogger, but here I am. So check in later for the scoop, once I figure out how to blog...