We bought a house... Hooray!

It is so amazing and we feel so thankful and blessed for the opportunity to start building a long term home. There are so many things to say but also so many things to do.

On Saturday we scrubbed the place top to bottom and applied the first coat of paint. Sunday was dedicated to finishing the paint - trim and all. Today my mom and I organized lots of kitchen stuff and put up our new bathroom stuff while the guys replaced the oven hood, hung curtains, tore down some drywall (it is ok- everything looks fine) and replaced outlet covers.

Combine that with jobs and chores and a precious toddler and we are so busy! And exhausted. And happy :)

More pictures and updates to come as we get settled.

To Do Lists

Lately I have a million to-do lists going on. They look something like this:

• Change our address
• Go through stuff in storage
• Transfer utilities 
• PACK!!!

Or,

• Buy Bedding
• Buy Washer/Dryer
• Buy Dresser

Or,

• Write study guide
• Write exam
• Finalize grades 

It is a busy time, but we are so, so excited to move and I am excited to be finished with the semester.

It is crazy how much time and energy it takes to move - and how much coordination is required when you want to do it efficiently. I think this week is going to be the hardest for me because there are a million things that I want to do, but (as David kindly reminds me approximately 6 times a day) a lot of them don't make sense to do until we have actual keys to our house.

Still, I am very much a planner and a list-maker. I like to look ahead, try to be prepared and I love to bring together a bunch of moving parts in the most efficient way possible.

So for now I will brainstorm and dream and plan, and be constantly thankful for how blessed we are.


What kinds of things are taking over your to-do lists lately?

Do you enjoy moving? Or does it stress you out?

These two made my day awesome. Love them!

Lessons in Parenting: Sleep

This post will most likely come off as rambling... Because I am tired. Our wonderful sleeper had been not so wonderful over the last three weeks and it is starting to take its toll.

In Lydia's first year it seemed as though transitions were always happening - we would get a schedule and then 2 weeks later everything would change. But ever since she has turned a year, things in the sleeping department have become so much more predictable. For almost 4 months Lydia slept for 10-11 hours straight at night and took two naps each day, totaling around 3 hours. It wasn't always perfect, but 90% of the time David and I could count on long stretches of glorious sleep each night. I am aware we were spoiled and am so grateful that she slept so well.

BUT lately we have had a much different experience around here. About 3 weeks ago David started working long hours, so he wasn't always home in time for Lydia's bedtime routine. Usually I nurse her before dinner and then after dinner daddy gives her a bath, reads her books and puts her to bed. Before this point she hadn't been nursing to sleep (at nights) since about 10 months. When David wasn't available for bedtime and it was up to me, Lydia made it clear that not nursing to sleep wasn't an option. If I was the one rocking her nursing better be a part of it! The first night I had to do this she woke up at 12, then 2, then 3, then 4:30. And every night after that when I nursed her to sleep things weren't much better. Some nights she would wake up multiple times but fall back asleep quickly - other nights she would stay awake for long periods of time (12-3 am). It was really difficult - especially as we were in the midst of tax season and David and I were both already exhausted!

In the midst of the bad night sleeping, a transition to one nap started. Some days Lydia would take her morning nap for babysitters, other days she would not. If she did take a nap everyone would always say how quickly and easily she fell asleep, whereas when I would try to put her down for her afternoon nap it would take 25-45 minutes. Then yesterday - she didn't nap. The WHOLE day!

She looks so cute, but so sleepy!

In general sleep is kind of a mess right now. And most likely Lydia is probably just transitioning, and we messed up her routine, and she is getting another tooth! (Do all parents hate teeth as much as I do?)

I am also wondering about the whole nursing thing... I feel lately as though she is much more antsy when she breastfeeds and is much less comforted. I don't think either of us are ready to wean, but I have come to the conclusion that at least for a while I am going to try hard to never nurse her to sleep. This afternoon I came home and nursed her in the living room with the lights on, then brought her into her nursery and put her to sleep without nursing. She protested (loudly and violently) for about 2 minutes then was out. She has been sleeping for 2.5 hours at this point.

As usual, Lydia's timing kind of couldn't be more perfect (assuming there was any perfect time to get bad sleep). We will be moving in 1-2 weeks, so if we are going to go through a transition phase it might as well be now! Within 2 weeks we will be living somewhere new, I won't be working for the summer, and our days will look much different. Hopefully as we all settle into a new home and a new rhythm everything will fall into place.

Over the past few days I have just generally felt like I have a little baby again - and then I remember she still is a baby, in a lot of ways. The thing that I love most about parenting is that the moment you think you have it down, it hits you upside the head and reminds you that being a mommy is in no way about accomplishments: about sleeping through the night, or having a clean house, or being able to DO anything with your day. It is about having patience, kindness, gentleness, self control and humility. It is about loving your child - not mastering their habits. And this is always, always a good lesson to learn.

Oil Cleansing Method

I haven't washed my face in 2 weeks... which is a really big deal if you know me. I grew up with bad skin - I started with chemical filled creams in middle school, then graduated to taking antibiotics every day in high school. Finally in college I found a dermatologist who would prescribe me Accutane and went through a miserable 5 months with the payoff of tolerable skin. This may sound dramatic, and maybe it is, because when you have acne it is always 100x worse to you than it is to anyone else. But all I am trying to get at is that I have always felt a little uncomfortable with my skin and have always gone to lengths to take care of it in the best way I know how.

After Accutane and as I got further and further away from being a teenager my skin did get better. Much easier I guess. I didn't need pills, or creams, or even Proactiv anymore. Just a mild face wash and Cetaphil moisturizer twice a day, everyday. I was fine with this routine really, but one day my friend Holly (who has the same skin and hair as I do) mentioned using something called the oil cleansing method and I was intrigued. I have also been having a shift toward hippie tendencies in general lately which I hope to write about later, and the combination of the two within one week got me researching.

When I say researching I mean I read two articles, then decided to go for it. The best post that I found on the Oil Cleansing Method was written by Crunchy Betty. Her post on going without shampoo is really good too!! And ALMOST has my convinced :) Anyway, basically the idea behind the oil cleansing method is that by washing your face with chemicals you are stripping it of its natural oils, thus the need for another chemical-filled moisturizer afterwards. But if instead you simply use oils to open your pores, remove any make-up and take the dirt off, the balance of oils that your skin would naturally produce isn't thrown off. The result should be healthier skin, a lower maintenance routine, less expensive skin care stuff and a more "green" way to wash your face.

So, here is what I do and what you could do too! Crunchy Betty's site has more options, but this has worked for me.

What you will need:

A bottle of castor oil. You know, the nasty stuff that when ingested is supposed to help you go into labor. It is super cheap and can be found at a Target or Walmart-type store. I had to ask behind the counter to get mine. This is the part of the mix that will help clean your face.

Some extra virgin olive oil. You can try different types of oil here - this one is meant to make the application process easier.

A clean, empty bottle.

What you do:

I have "combination" skin - so not oily, nor dry, just somewhere in the middle. So I used 1 part castor oil to 3 parts olive oil. I started with 2 Tbs of castor oil and 6 Tbs of olive oil in my bottle. One night I just added them together and shook it up.

As you go forward you can decide what mixture works best for you. If your skin is getting dry add more olive oil to the mix. If it feels greasy or you feel like it isn't getting clean enough, add some castor oil. Just experiment a little!

Once you have the stuff, you will wash your face every other day. Get some hot (as hot as you can stand) water running in the sink and soak a washcloth. At the same time apply a dime to nickle-sized drop of oil onto your face. Rub it in really well and just spread it out to cover your whole face. Squeeze most of the water out of the washcloth and then place it over your face- kind of creating some steam for your skin. This is to allow your pores to open up and for the oil to get into your skin a little. Wipe the oil off with the wash cloth, then do one last rinse with more hot water.

In the beginning I was freaking out about not washing my face everyday. I wear make-up! What do I do! But I soon found out that warm water and a washcloth will remove my make up just fine, and I don't really HAVE TO wash my face in the morning... all I did was sleep, right?

The results - for me:

I was sure I was going to break out. But I didn't... not at all. I currently have around the same amount of breakouts that I did before, but now they seem a little different. More like clogged pores than giant, gross knots on my face. Also, I have had no need whatsoever for a moisturizer and my skin just feels so smooth all the time. The thing that surprised me most though is that this method has drastically the amount of blackheads that I have. My pores have definitely gotten smaller and I think the tone of my skin has improved. I should mention too that I haven't changed anything about my foundation - I use Loreal true blend liquid foundation when I teach and want to look older than 19, and on the weekends I wear Bare Minerals powder foundation.

Maybe I am crazy, but I think this method works way better for me. And it is so easy, and so cheap. After doing this experiment I would say I am definitely more open to trying other things like it. I use so many chemicals every day - on my skin, my clothes, my hair and in my home - without ever thinking about it. Don't get me wrong, there are awesome things about deodorant, mascara and laundry detergent. But if the cheaper, "greener" things work just as well (or better!) then I don't see why I wouldn't make a switch.

I will keep you posted and try to let you in on my experiments as they come :)

15 & 16 months

Today my baby is 16 months old - and she is just so much fun lately!! These past 2 months have been absolutely crazy, but really good too. Lydia is on the move, always into something and learning constantly. I have so much less free time throughout the day but I don't even mind because I have gained a new companion. We color together, go on walks, make dinner and do laundry. She is my little helper in everything I do and the vast majority of the time she is a pure joy to be around.

Her most favorite thing in the world right now is to be outside! At the dog park, on the swings or at the zoo - she is just happy to be in the sunshine. I am so, so happy that the weather is getting nicer and that being outside is something that I want too. Yesterday we went to the park and she was able to climb up the stairs by herself and go down the little slide by herself too! Seriously, she is just too big. She does tend to throw minor (or.. major) tantrums when we come inside...

Fish face at the zoo!

 Lydia's personality continues to blossom. She is such a little ham and makes funny faces all the time. People regularly comment on the variety of her expressions and she definitely always has her own opinion. It is very clear lately that David and I need to start talking about a discipline philosophy/plan because this little girl has some fire in her. She asserts her own will often and, like I mentioned above, has thrown plenty of tantrums. At this point I try to stay calm, ignore the tantrums, and make sure to ultimately assert my will upon her since I am the adult. A daily battle is diaper changes and putting her in her car seat. They each happen about 5 times a day - and yet she screams every time!

Along with her personality is coming a vocabulary. She can say so many words: mama, dada, Rooney, papa, nana, Josh, Aunt Jen, GiGi, pawpaw, mawmaw, more, all done, uh oh, no, yes, pretzel, water, night night, nurse... are you bored yet? There are a lot more - pretty much anything you say she tries to repeat. And beyond saying words, she is understanding sentences like crazy. Today I said, "Lydia, can you go pick up the green ball and throw it in the basket?" - and she did exactly that. She is also catching on to cause and effect which is awesome. It is incredible to see her learn! Really the best feeling in the world. She is also starting to show affection more often through hugs, kisses and loving on tiny babies. This last one doesn't help with baby fever by the way...

  
 

At her 15 month appointment Lydia weighed 20 lbs, 7 oz and was 30.5 inches long - hanging right around the 50th percentile still. Lydia is continuing to take 2 naps a day (at 10:30 and 3) although I am almost positive she is ready to transition to 1. Night sleeping has been rough - but I think most of it is due to the fact that I had to start nursing her to sleep again because David wasn't getting home until after her bedtime. Last night daddy put her to bed and she slept for 11 hours straight. She is nursing 3-4 times a day and it eating really well. Sometimes she will go through days or weeks when she is picky, but I do my best to restrict junk foods and soon enough she gets hungry enough to eat the good stuff again.

  

Another big update is that we started potty training! Well kind of.. About 3 weeks ago there were multiple days in a row when Lydia pointed to her diaper and said "poop" 5-10 minutes before she actually pooped. She was consistent in telling me and in being right. I didn't want to get into this whole process until at least 18 months, but I knew this was a big sign that she was probably ready. So I ordered an Elmo (her favorite!!!) potty off amazon and it came in the mail yesterday. Within the hour she had pooped in it... so crazy! We are no where close to being out of diapers, but the less dirty ones I have to change the better. I will keep you updated as the transition progresses :)

All in all our  little girl is just wonderful. I am so excited that I only have 3 weeks left until I get to spend all day every day with her! 

Our weekend

This weekend we did so many fun things. David has one more long weekend of work before tax season is OVER!! I can't wait- but in the meantime I have tried to keep busy. So this past weekend I made a trip to Lexington to see old friends. The trip definitely made me nostalgic for our wonderful times there. I visited the math department, hung out with our oldest, best friends and spend the night with my sister. Lydia was mostly great (she only threw a couple tantrums), and she slept wonderfully in her pack and play. On Saturday we ate delicious Magee's donuts, took a walk at the arboretum with my adorable pregnant friend, then met another friend's new baby.

On Sunday David and I got to go to the zoo together!! It was a beautiful day and an absolute blast. Lydia is at a great age for this and he loved it all. The manatees and fish were her favorite though... And the peacock!!

 

All in all it was a fantastic weekend. Now that spring has sprung I am kind of over working- so I am glad I only have three more weeks! 

Easter Pictures!!

Finally some pictures from our Easter! I hope you enjoy... They are taken mostly by other people while we are coloring eggs on Saturday, then spending Sunday with family hunting them! An sorry for the lack of captions- I am posting from the phone again :)

Cloth Diapering and (trying) to Go "Green"

I have written a few times about cloth diapering - once in the beginning to summarize gDiapers, and another time to talk about our switch to Grovia AIO's (all in one's). Since then we have switched again to Grovia soaker pads with Flip covers. In short, if you want to cloth diaper be open to trying new things, and if something about your diaper isn't working for your baby at that stage in their life then just try something new. There are SO many options.

As I mentioned before I started to use cloth diapers because they were cheap (free for me in the beginning actually), and since then they have continued to be a better financial choice. With cloth diapering you have to spend larger amounts of money at one time which can feel expensive at the time, but in one year of cloth diapering I have spent a total of about $375. That includes diapers, wet bags, cloth wipes, and diaper liners. The average parent spends $50 a month on diapers which is  $600 a year! Also, at this point the diapers that I have will probably last Lydia until she potty trains - so assuming that happens around 2 years make that $375 vs. $1200. Now, every now and then I buy disposables - for overnight or for long trips, but I still would tell anyone that if you want to save money with babies choose cloth!

So it started because I am frugal, but since then something has changed. In January Lydia got a yeast infection that was really hard to get rid of and during that time we switched to disposable diapers for about 3 weeks since the cream that the doctor gave us couldn't be used with our cloth diapers. Over those 3 weeks it hit me how accustomed I had become to washing my diapers rather than throwing them away... I just felt so wasteful! I am not saying using disposables is wasteful - it is totally a personal decision. It just surprised me how normal using cloth diapers had become to me; how making a decision to do something differently then changed what I saw as "normal".

Since then I have become a little bit inspired. I do so many things (especially around the house) because I think they are normal and it is just the way I have always done them. However, maybe if I just try to change them up I will be alright with a new normal. I would like to be less wasteful, more organic, more "green" in general. As I try new things I will let you know how they go!

15 Months Post Partum

I know that I said here that my 9 month post partum update would be my last, but lately I have been telling a lot of new mommies out there how much has happened to my body since that time. It took me 9 months to lose and keep off all of my baby weight, and I think that having it off by 9 months is a good, attainable goal. However, I now would advise most people to wait until 12 or 15 months post partum to expect to have their "old body" back.

 (3 days vs. 15 months post partum)

 Something has happened in the past few months and all of the sudden my tummy is flat, my face isn't chubby, I have more energy and my hormones have leveled out. I now feel so much more like my old self. Some things will never return to normal, but in general I look in the mirror and feel like me again.

 (8 months vs. 15 months post partum)

Around 13 months post partum I did Best Body Bootcamp, which I think helped move things along, and I also believe that extended breastfeeding has continued to keep my weight low (and in fact some days I still struggle to eat enough, depending on Lydia's preferences). But beyond the number on the scale I am finally seeing muscle tone again which was something I wasn't sure would ever come back!!

So in short... just be patient. Having a baby is a huge thing for your body to handle and sometimes I think we are too hard on ourselves and on other women. Some things just take time - and getting your old body back after baby is definitely one of them.

A new month - a new goal

I have missed blogging! And I like to think you may have missed it too. It is now April... and March just FLEW by. Seriously, I don't know what happened.

I know what didn't happen though - any writing. So I am going to try to make it more of a priority this month. I enjoy it, it is good for me and I LOVE being able to go back and look at the memories that I have logged.

Anyways, just dropping in to stay, "stick with me!". I have lots to tell you and I am hoping to start writing about some new subjects soon.

I will leave you with that nail biter :)