Happy New Year

This year has been a whirlwind. Here is a list of a few random things I’ve learned, experienced, and captured in the book of 2011 that will be placed on the shelf of my memory. Happy New Year, Everyone!


-Blonde hair , short hair, Long Hair, Brown hair- My hair styles in one year alone could be a Dr. Seuss book.

-Sometimes the best things in life come in big packages…like 9 lb 10 oz packages.

-Going to the beach while pregnant really is the best way to go. You can eat as much as you want because your maternity bathing suit and baby are your ticket to not having to suck anything in.

-Good things come to those who wait. ..especially when the wait is long and painful.

-Season changes with weather often leave me with wardrobe variety and allergies. Season changes in life leave me with new friends, new beginnings, and spiritual growth.


-Only the cuteness of your child can overcome the trifecta of being peed, pooped, and puked on in a matter of hours.

-The Epidural- Best. Invention. Ever.

-Every parent of an infant needs a ceiling fan. If you have had an infant, you know why.

-A husband that will get up during midnight feedings with you is a keeper. One that cracks jokes and makes fun of you while you’re working the breast pump at 2 AM…even better.

-Peeling potatoes, spreading homemade pizza dough, and cleaning a lasagna pan that that did not get sprayed with oil- The 3 most annoying kitchen related activities known to man.

-I should NEVER watch shows about UFO sightings or hear ghost stories right before my husband goes on a business trip.

-Yelling at a computer printer doesn’t help it unjam.

-Sugar Feet, Princess, and Kiddo- The three favorite names I’ve been called by grocery store cashiers

-Never underestimate the value of a delivered meal to a family with a newborn.

-A few toothless smiles cover a multitude of sleepless nights

-Pintrest is dangerous thing for my “Can you make me this” list for my super creative husband

-Time flies when you are having fun so try your best to savor the moments while you’re in them!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!!! May you have a blessed Christmas celebrating the real reason for the season..A King was born unto us!

Homemade Liquid Handsoap

A couple of my soap dispensers were getting low and I noticed my refill jug only had a few drops of soap left in it. The other day I also ran across a recipe for homemade hand soap. I thought, “Why not?” And so I did.

Ingredients:
2- 4oz bars of soap (not beauty bars or moisture bars. Needs to be bar soap)
2 Tablespoons of Glycerin (Found in the first aid aisle)
1 Gallon of Water

Large pot, cheese grater, wooden spoon, and container for soap


First use the cheese grater to shave the bars of soap. Next place the soap shavings in 1 gallon of heated water (heated at high heat close to a boil). Add Glycerin. Stir until all soap shavings have melted. Remove from heat. Let sit undisturbed for 10-12 hours. Stir soap with a wooden spoon. Soap will have hardened. If needed, take electric mixer and mix up the soap. Add water if after mixing, it is not the consistency of liquid hand soap. Pour into container and store.


The bars of soap were $1.75 for 2 bars. The Glycerin was less than $3 and I used a small portion of the bottle (less than half). The gallon jug is over twice the size of the Softsoap refill that I usually buy (See picture to compare). The cost of making this soap was just a fraction of what you would spend at the store. It was kind of fun to make and was very easy to do. The bar soap I used was Pomegranate Mango (Softsoap Brand). It’s got a nice scent and a pretty pink color too!

You know you've been baptized into parenthood when...

-You can’t leave the house because you have run out of clothes that don’t have vomit on them

-You’ve been pooped, peed and spit up on all within a matter of a few hours

-You keep checking the baby’s diaper and then realize the smell of urine is coming from your own clothes and left from the last diaper leak

-You find yourself humming a strange tune in the grocery store and then recall it’s the song from the baby bouncer music box

-You ride in the car with white noise blaring through the speakers just to get some peace and quiet

-You learn how to do most household chores with one arm

-You agree that no one should cry over spilled milk, but would argue for the exception of breast milk. If that spills, it’s more than acceptable to cry

-You can put the 20 pieces of a Dr. Brown’s bottle together in your sleep

-You kiss your baby’s temple and get smeared eye goop on your face and somehow you’re not really bothered by it

-You’ve considered taking a swig of your child’s Milicon because it’s easier than trying to find the bottle of Tums in the other room

-Your breakfast, lunch, and dinner are at times one in the same meal

-You need to change your camera battery as often as you do the baby’s diapers

-You love watching your baby sleep peacefully and could literally stare at them in awe for hours while doing so

DIY Fisherman Costume

We made our costumes again this year. I was pretty proud of the fact I spent less than $10 on the whole family's outfits. The shark costume was supposed to cost $12.50 at the store. That was the sale price since it was 50% off. I thought that was a good deal. It was the last one in that size, and when I got to the register to pay, I saw there was no tag on it. The cashier insisted on looking the code up in her computer. When she did, it rang up as $0.68! I felt guilty and pointed it out to her. She told me, "I looked it up and it says shark costume and that's a shark costume. I'm giving it to you for that price." She looked frustrated with me for trying to point it out. So...i just let it go and was happy to get a bargain! As for the adult costumes- we had the clothing and hats already. All I had to do was buy safety pins, fishing worms, and a few bobbers. My creative husband took our antique fishing rods and put them on a couple wooden sticks. Easy DIY costumes!

4 Weeks

Our son turns 4 weeks old tomorrow. Although these past few weeks seem kind of blurred, we have had many wonderful memories of the start of his life here with us. Along with those good memories, I have learned more than I ever imagined I would in this short time. I think it’s safe to say, I had no idea parenting was going to be this challenging. Turns out I don’t know everything and have found myself praying (a lot) for guidance. The cuddles and smiles thankfully make up for those insecure moments when I find myself the need to apologize to my son with the words, “Sorry, I’m new at this and don’t know what I’m doing.”

Here are a few things I’ve learned in the short time I’ve had my new job as “Mom.”


- I rely on positive reinforcement more than I thought. Not being able to comfort a crying baby for a long period of time is not easy (but apparently normal)
- Babies go through approximately 200+ diapers a day
- I can function on less sleep than I thought I could
- Everyone has an opinion when it comes to babies and how to raise them. Not everyone knows how to keep it to themselves.
- Newborns don’t come with a manual but really should
- “I don’t think that’s normal. Maybe I should call the Dr.” is a common everyday thought the first week of having your child at home.
- A couple smiles (real ones not gas) can make an evening of crying so much easier
- Cuddles are precious at any hour of the day
- It’s entirely possible to have a love/hate relationship with a breast pump
- The sounds that notify you of a dirty diaper are not the sign of an immediate diaper change need. Wait..there’s probably more coming. If you’re in the midst of a change when it does, you will be covered in it and need to change yourself. Don’t jump the gun.
- That nook between my neck and shoulder was long ago made for my little boy. Who knew?!
- The value of a prepared meal for new parents is immeasurable. A month FULL of meals brought to you by sweet friends is absolutely amazing.
- The miracle of life and a baby’s tiny little parts are some of the coolest things you can witness in life.
- When picking up your crying child and his tears actually stop as if comforted by his Mother’s arms…Ahh…that’s a really great feeling
- Elastic is a post partum woman’s best friend. So are girlfriends who tell you that you look great when you probably don’t.
- Date night with your spouse is more than okay within the first few weeks. In fact, it should be mandatory.
- Best advice you can give a new Mom- “Do what works best for you and baby and don’t worry about what the books or others say or think.”

He is Here!!

Our little Bundle of Joy has Arrived! 9lbs 10oz 21 3/4 inches. He arrived on Sept 27th at 5:38 PM!