Monthly Archives: March 2012

To Dwell

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(yesterday afternoon)
Me: Can we hang out together tonight?
Hubster: What do you want to do?
Me: Nothing really.  I’d just like to dwell in the same room with you when we’re not asleep.

You know your spouse has been super busy lately when your idea of hanging out together is simply to dwell in the same room!

Hubster is in the midst of his final five weeks of graduate school, as well as a job search.  He’s also been experiencing numerous situations at work that need resolving, and require more attention than usual.  All of that has kept him extremely busy recently, and I don’t expect things to slow down until after graduation.  One awesome thing about having a live-in position is that C and I get to see Hubster when he pops home for lunch.

I’m eager for the quality family time that we’ll have in the time period between graduation and moving.  We’re planning a small vacation, C’s first trip to the zoo, and simply dwelling as a family.

Here’s a throwback picture of Hubster and me, from 2007.  We’ve been best friends since not long after we met.  We’ve always loved dwelling together.  I love you, Hubster.  C and I are proud of you and cheering you to the finish line!

Eating Right for PCOS

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I’ve been doing a lot of Google searching about PCOS and the type of diet that is best for people with it.  By diet, I don’t necessarily mean a temporary way to eat to lose weight; I’m talking about diet as the lifestyle necessary for optimum health with this condition.  My goal is not only weight loss (though I am motivated by my doctor saying it’s “nearly impossible” for women with PCOS to lose weight), but optimum health because I want to give myself every advantage against the fertility difficulties that can result from this condition.  I want more babies, yo! ;)

The result of my searching has been low carb, low carb, low carb (20-60g/day)!  So I’m going low carb, folks.  This isn’t going to be easy.  I love chocolate like whoa.  I like bread, rice and pasta.  On the flip side, I love fruits and vegetables.

Yesterday was my first day of intentional low carb eating.  It was rough.  I’ve read that the first week (or sometimes more) is filled with low energy and cravings as your body adjusts from metabolizing carbs to metabolizing fats.  The good news is that once you pass that phase, you reportedly have tons more energy and feel better than when you had lots of carbs in your diet.

I just need to get myself through this adjustment period!  I’m hopeful that this lifestyle change will have positive effects on PCOS, PPD, increase my good cholesterol, and more.  It should also give me an edge on avoiding the diabetes that my grandmother had.  Wish me luck! ;)

Guest Post: DIY Baby Wipes by SupermomInTheMaking

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Today, we have another guest post from my friend Rachel, from Supermom In The Making.  She blogs about the adventures of making it work with two hands and three babies.  Rachel is a mom to three children under the age of two, including 1-year-old twin girls.  Below, she teaches us how to save money by making our own baby wipes.  Enjoy!
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Baby wipes are a necessary part of any parent’s arsenal, therefore, a necessary expense. While they’re not all that expensive, the cost still adds up to a surprisingly high number over time.

For example: We had three kids using baby wipes in our home at one point. So if I went on Amazon and bought a 3-pack of 184-count Huggies wipes, that’s $21. We would go through that 3-pack in approximately a month. So, for the sake of easy math, let’s pretend we bought another 3-pack at the beginning of each month. In one year, that would come out to:

  • 1 kid – $84
  • 2 kids – $168
  • 3 kids – $252 (That’s $504 in two years!)

For me, that’s over $500 on wipes in two years’ time. WIPES. This is something that you use to wipe poop off of your child’s rear end. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a lot of money to be spending on poop duty.

Thankfully, if you don’t mind taking a few extra minutes to make your own, that cost can easily be cut in half, if not more! I got this “recipe” for baby wipes from a family friend and I was surprised to find how well they actually worked.

Here’s what you need:

½ Bounty Big Roll

1 ¼ cups warm water

3 T. baby oil

2 T. baby shampoo or wash

Cut paper towel roll in half. In the pictures I am using a cheap roll of paper towel. They still work, but they don’t hold together as well as the nicer paper towel. You can use whatever kind you want, but I’ve found Bounty Big Roll works the best. I would also recommend using scissors. I tried using a serrated knife… big mistake. I had paper towel confetti raining down in the kitchen.

Mix liquids well in container. Add paper towel cut-side down. Leave 5 minutes.

Turn roll cut-side up. Leave 15 minutes, then pull out center tube.

Pull wipes from center. Make sure to cover container when not using the wipes to prevent drying out.

The great thing is that these wipes work just as well for potty training. Say goodbye to potty training wipes!!

Finding Baby Clothes on Consignment

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The midwest is experiencing an unseasonably warm spring (as in, temperatures 30 degrees higher than normal), and I realized that all of the shorts I have for C are a size too big.  ARGH.  Um, weather, didn’t you know that I don’t want to spend money buying C more clothes that he’ll only wear for a short period of time??!!

Enter the consignment shop.  I bought C two pairs of shorts, one sleeper, and one two-piece set of pajamas for $16.  SIXTEEN DOLLARS.  Ok, seriously – how did I not find out about this sooner?!  Our local baby consignment shop has onesies for $1.50 (or 10 for $10!), sleepers for $4.50, shorts for as low as $2.50, etc.  And they’re mostly name-brand items!  Unless there’s a specific item I want or a huge sale at my favorite name-brand store, I have found my new go-to place for anything that C needs.

People, you have to check this out.  It’s awesome sauce.  :)

Our Week in Pictures

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“Look, Mama!  Now I can pull myself up whenever I want, even when you’re not watching!”

“I also like to leave behind a path of destruction.”

On my shopping spree to find new clothes to flatter the new body shape that C left me with, I found what I think will become my favorite dress of the summer season!  Please excuse the awkward self-portrait-in-the-bathroom. ;)

Other things that happened this week:

  • C learned how to clap his hands.
  • C gives high fives.
  • When asked where his ear is, C will reach for his ear!
  • C started to walk while holding just one of our hands instead of two.
  • After I finished reading “The Wheels on the Bus” and singing it to C with the hand motions, he paged through the book.  When he found the “wave goodbye” page, he smiled at me and started to wave goodbye!

C and I had a lot of fun together this week and I’m having so much fun watching him grow and learn.  What were some of your highlights of the week?  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!  

Tomorrow I’ll announce the winner of the BluePay contest!

Another Scary Step in the Right Direction

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C and I had the best morning together yesterday.  We went to our newly remodeled Target (don’t even get me started on how excited I am about it!), had a lot of fun playing and laughing together and then I enjoyed a vanilla latte and he took a 2.5-hour nap.

Then my day took an interesting, nerve-wracking turn.  The psychiatrist’s office called to say that they had a late cancellation.  Coincidentally, Hubster happens to have very few meetings on Wednesdays, so I took the appointment knowing he would be able to watch C.  Back in February, I had scheduled my first counseling appointment for April 6th.  I think the spur of the moment appointment was a blessing, because I got really nervous.  Like hands shaking, butterflies in the stomach nervous.

I pinpointed my fear of counseling – while I knew that it would be an important step in my journey to healing from PPD, I also knew that I still experience issues that would require me to revisit an unpleasant (to say the least) situation in my past.

That situation was actually the first thing, after background information, that we ended up discussing in the appointment.  I have some major trust issues from that experience, which I’ve discussed with you all in the past.  My therapist was able to shed some light on how I now approach my relationships.  That experience has left me with an all-or-nothing view on trust, and contributes to the social anxiety that PPD has left me with.  When I meet someone new, I automatically put them in the “don’t trust” category and am just waiting for them to do one thing to prove me right about that.  As for the people already in my life, I have them in the “trust” category but am so guarded because I’m anticipating that they’re going to do something to lose my trust.  What I need to come to terms with is that most people aren’t in the “perfectly trustworthy” or “completely untrustworthy” categories, but fall somewhere along the spectrum; and just because someone might do something to disappoint or betray my trust, that doesn’t mean it was intentional or that it would happen again.

Whew…I’m emotionally exhausted from just that one-hour appointment.  I feel very comfortable with my therapist; she’s extremely nice.  It was just the first time in years that I’ve revisited my whole story of that period of my life (domestic violence) and it brought a lot of feelings up.  I had never talked specifically about certain feelings before.  But I feel hopeful that this is a facet of my life that needs to be examined as part of my healing.  I don’t think I can be whole until my ability to create and build relationships is repaired.

If you’re still with me at this point, I want to tell you that I’m thankful for you being a part of my life and experiencing this journey with me.

Review: Boogie Wipes

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Ever struggle to get the crusty boogers off your sick child’s nose?  I certainly did.  C would get so angry with us when we tried to wipe his nose.  He’d flail, kick, cry and shake his head wildly.  Then I remembered hearing about how great Boogie Wipes are.  My practical side was skeptical – wouldn’t a wet washcloth work just as well?  After fighting C for two days during his latest cold, I decided to give the Boogie Wipes a try.

Let me tell you, I wish I would have tried them sooner!  A few swipes with a Boogie Wipe were enough to make the crusty boogers disappear.  It took less time, which meant less of a struggle between C and me.  AND – they smell fantastic.  We bought the Fresh Scent.  It freshened up C’s entire face and made him smell great.  :)

I’d recommend them!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this review.  The thoughts and opinions stated above are completely my own.

Non-Slimy Finger Foods?

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Do you know of any healthy finger foods for a 10-month-old that do not have a slimy texture?  I’ve been brainstorming for days, but haven’t come up with any fruits or vegetables that wouldn’t be slimy!

C is very particular about texture.  He doesn’t like to have anything sticky or slimy on his hands.  I gave him some bananas last night and he angrily flailed his arms and gave me the stink face.

This child is basically my clone.  For realsies.  *sigh*

$50 Gift Card Giveaway Courtesy of BluePay!

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Are you a business owner?  Whether you have a small or large business, are in retail or the restaurant business, BluePay is your financial gateway.  With BluePay’s wide variety of merchant services, secure payment processing and very competitive rates, you can’t afford not to check them out.

We all know that mobile credit card processing is a highly sought after need right now, and if you want your business to be successful, it truly is a requirement.  BluePay answers that call to action with their mobile merchant account services.  Accept secure transactions on-the-go through your cell phone, smart phone or iPhone.  With BluePay, you will always be ready for any sales opportunity!

BluePay is generously offering a $50 gift card of your choice from icardgiftcard.com to one lucky reader!  To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post before 5:00pm CST on Friday, March 23rd.  The winner must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States.  A winner will be selected via random.org and will be announced on Saturday, March 24th.

Good luck!

Disclosure:  I will receive a $50 gift card for hosting this giveaway. The thoughts and opinions stated above are completely my own.