It's a great day for hockey!

Kirsten is 16 weeks old today! And the Penguins are beginning their 2nd round in the Stanley Cup Championships!

LET'S GO PENS!

Knicker Nappies review

It is safe to say that my obsession with diapers has taken on a whole new form. I am now on a mission to try all types of diapers and find the absolute best for my baby. Ever since Pampers has switched their diapers to this new Dry Max I am more determined than ever to use cloth full time.

I am currently workin on a big post about the new Pampers. I feel let down and extremely worried for our babies, and the lengths companies will go to show their constant lack of consideration for us.

Anyway, onward to my KnickerNappies review!




I discovered KnickerNappies the way that I discover most things, through twitter. I was chatting with other cloth diapering mommies (Monday evenings at 8pm on Twitter. Use the #clothdiapers hashtag). I heard the name a few times and decided to cruise over to their site and check them out.

The first thing that caught my eye was that these are pocket diapers. As a person who normally uses shells and inserts, I immediately raised my red flag and thought, "oh this will just be too much work!" We have another pocket system and we use them as our "back up" diapers because I just flat out dislike stuffing diapers and pulling out the insert!

About a day passed and a post showed up on my Facebook from Wee Little Changes, one of my favorite cloth diaper retailers. She was searching for reviews on the Knicker Nappies diapers. Always up for a challenge, and always ready to purchase for diapers (mama has a shopping problem, remember?) I immediately responded that I would love to participate.

I figured my review mostly would consist of how much I dislike stuffing a diaper and dealing with pockets. Also, Knicker Nappies has snaps, something that we personally found were difficult to use on our baby. I prefer the ease of velcro, and the ability to get a secure fit each time, without being confined to the snaps. I'm sure you can guess where this is going. Yes, mommy was proven wrong on all accounts!




First off, it is important to know that you should prep your diapers before using them. I washed the KnickerNappie diaper 3 times before use, but of course, after more washes they become more absorbent. The diaper I received is their one-size diaper, so I read the directions provided and snapped the front snaps so that it was set to the middle row. There is a row for newborns as well as settings for older children. I do admit to loving one size diapers. They fit well on Kirsten and I like the idea of not having to buy a small, medium, and large sets of diapers. (I included a photo from the Knicker Nappies website that explains their diapering system and shows the snaps off well).

Included with the diaper were two inserts.
Pictured are an example of the inserts I received. They are made of an "ultra absorbent microfiber." The Knicker Nappies site also states that these can be used in other pocket diapers.

When using pocket diapers I usually sit and stuff them all at once, so that we can have quicker changes. Since I only had one of these I waited until changing time to see how quickly we could change using this diaper. The pocket is located at the top of the diaper, not in the middle where you would stuff it within two folds. Stuffing was simple (I used the larger of the two inserts) and quick. I had a wiggly baby and was afraid that she would make things difficult, but getting the diaper on was actually rather easy. The snaps were different from the SmartiPants diapers we have, whereas the snaps went backwards toward the back instead of coming up to the front around baby's belly. I adjusted the snaps to find a good fit and assessed it. It appeared to fit her rather snug and close to her body.

One thing that has always bothered me about cloth diapers is the bulkiness. I am certainly a mommy who loves to dress up her baby, and having a bulky diaper just does not go with too many outfits. It makes pants too tight and the baby's butt appear 5 sizes larger! The KnickerNappies were unlike a lot of diapers I have used in that it was rather slim. I suppose that is something that comes with having pocket diapers, it allows for a closer fit and eliminating a lot of bulk from other types.

I liked the fact that there was elastic on the back as well. This allowed for more room and the diaper to stretch as Kirsten moved about. I always feared I would place a diaper on way too tight, causing it to cut into her abdomen. However, the elastic waist band was great for relieving this problem.

Kirsten decided to only pee in the diaper this time. As far as I could see there were no leaks and the diaper did not have any odor (something we really dislike about disposable diapers). I washed the diaper with our others and it came out absolutely clean, no stains at all. I have yet to see it in action with a poopy diaper, but as far as I can tell it holds up well and cleans well too!

My only cons for this diaper is that, again, snaps can be difficult if you have a baby who likes to wiggle and move. Kirsten was wiggling about on the changing table and it took me some time to snap it into place. At first it was a bit awkward figuring out the snaps, but if I were using the diapering system full-time I could certainly get used to it.

Great pros are that it is a slim and cozy fit. I had on one of Kirsten's smaller onesies and it fit over it very well. No pulling at the onesie, causing discomfort for the baby. Also, no need for me to get out her "cloth diaper" specific clothing! (By the way, I really enjoy that it is offered in white. I tend to steer more in the direction on fun prints and colors, and never thought of using a white diaper.)

I will mention too that their customer service is really great. I often "tweet" to KnickerNappies and receive replies and encouraging responses often. Reading their blog as well is very informative and makes me feel like I am dealing with a company that is very family centered, which is important to me, since being let down greatly from a big disposable diapers company. I am providing links at the bottom of this post to their Twitter site and blog!

Here are a few photos of Kirsten using her KnickerNappies diaper!






Links!
Follow KnickerNappies on Twitter: KnickerNappies

Read their blog: KnickerNappies blog

Frazzled Mommy vs Smug Mommy

Let me tell you about my day....

After work I picked up Kirsten to head to the mall to shop for a dress for the wedding we are attending this weekend. I hurried up and packed her bag, hoping that I remembered everything and that she would be good enough for me to at least try on a few things. I ran through the mall, literally ran, from store to store. We first went to Express so I could try on a dress I was eyeing online. Of course it fit well, but I am really awful with decision, and Kirsten was being good, so I opted to check a few other stores.

See that is where I went wrong. In mommy world there is no "shopping around." There is only "get the first thing that remotely fits and get the hell out of there!" However, I'm a rookie to the frazzled mommy thing, and decided to take a chance and try a few other stores. I went upstairs to BEBE and was promptly ignored by the girl working in the store. I grabbed two dresses and asked to have a fitting room. Kirsten was beginning to get fussy so I gave her my best "this is urgent" look. She barely looked up from her folding and told me to just head on back.

In the dressing room Kirsten decided to just explode in a little ball of fury. Screaming, turning over, red faced... the full out baby tantrum that can only be remedied by hold, bouncing, bottle, and all attention on her. I never got dressed into two dresses faster in my life. Of course neither were the dress so I got dressed back into my formula stained sweatpants and spit up covered t-shirt, threw on the ERGObaby carrier, put Kirsten inside and ran out of the store. I highly doubt Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum even noticed.

Sensing a meltdown I immediately went to the food court to give Kirsten a bottle. With baby's belly full and happily snuggled up in her carrier, we headed to White House Black Market. Since Kirsten was now attached to my body, and me fearful and frazzled, I immediately told the girl that there was no way I could try any dresses on, I had to pick one and try it on at home. This was probably her lucky day because I went through the store so quickly I really am unsure of what I even purchased. Hopefully it is a full outfit!

As we exited the store, baby still fairly pleasant and me with a successful purchase in hand, I figured it was time to reward my super mommy skills with a smoothie. I began to head over in the direction of Orange Julius when I heard it, that sound that can stop any mommy in her tracks, the sound of my baby completely unloading in her pants! I did an immediate 360 turn and headed right for the bathroom. I laid Kirsten down and opened up her diaper to assess the damage (she was wearing a Pampers disposable diaper at the time. Go ahead, go ahead and tell me about how this was probably my hugest mistake of the day). I was face to face with a super full diaper, and as I checked things out, the poo had made it way completely up her back! Yes, one of those poo explosions!

I cleaned her up, got her dressed, minus the poo filled onesie, and strapped her into her car seat. As I was leaving it dawned on me that we had NO formula at home (of course) and needed to stop at ToysRUs on our way home. Kirsten was being good again, why do babies insist on faking us out like this??) and I figured a quick trip would be easy. Safely inside the store I sprinted to the formula section, got what I needed, then headed to the check-out line.

In front of us was a woman with a newborn, asleep under his BundleMe while his mom and grandmother bought what had to be the entire store. I managed to smile at them through my heavy breathing from setting the record for fastest trip to ToysRUs. Just then, my content baby decided to turn into screaming "if you don't pick me up right now you'll be sorry" baby! I tried a pacifier with no luck. I tried her little stuffed kitty that she has been in love with lately, but not so much at the moment! That was it, I just had to deal with having a screaming baby and prayed these people would hurry.

The grandmother of the baby in front of me ran to her baby and peeked in on him, sleeping soundly in his car seat. The daughter asked what she was doing and she replied that she heard a screaming baby. They both look right at me, look at red faced tantrum throwing Kirsten, and smirked. The mom says "oh mom, its not my baby. He is a GREAT shopper! He doesn't do anything!" And again, another smirk in my direction. She then turns to the girl checking them out and says, "oh it must be so difficult working here with screaming babies all the time."

My blood began to boil and my hair began to stand on end. Was this woman series? You would think a fellow mommy would understand, that there would be this unspoken bond. I don't mind getting the "can't you shut your kid up" stares from other people, but I really thought a mom would be able to at least show some sympathy! Not take this moment to brag about her baby!

I quickly turned the stroller around and headed to a different row to check-out. One more minute in the line with Miss Smug Pants and I was going to start throwing punches... or Desitin in her eye!

From now on I have decided that there should be an unspoken law amongst all of us mommies. If one mommy is having her "frazzled mommy" moment, there shall be NO bragging and NO smug looks in her direction. If you break the rule, your child shall suffer from terrible diaper rash!


I suppose my point is this.... as a mom we think we have our kid figured out, and that every once in a while they will throw us a bone and give us 5 minutes to try on dresses. Instead, reality sets in, and we have to deal with it. Before I had a baby I always wondered why moms looked so frantic, I figured they just weren't in control of their kids. It's not so much that we aren't in control, we are just learning how to live our lives and allow them to live theirs at the same time. And usually, it clashes into one huge red faced tantrum.

Mornings

I love mornings. It is the only time of the day that it is truly just me and the baby. No running around, no distractions, no phone calls to make or emails to answer. Mornings are a time just for us, and I cherish every moment of it.

I wake up to the sound of her stirring and scooting around her bed. I roll out of bed and sleepily make my way to her room, turn on the light, and lean over the side of her bed. I am always greeted with the biggest smile and some coos. I love this moment. The moment she realizes, "mommy has come to get me!"

I change her diaper and sing songs to her. She giggles and smiles and gurgles back at me. She honestly never has minded getting her diaper changed, and I really love these moments too. A lot of babies squirm and make it a huge hassle. I actually look forward to a poopy diaper so I can lay her down on her changing table and discuss the days events with her.

I put her pjs back on her and we head down the stairs. We greet the dog with a happy "good morning!" and proceed on to the kitchen. I mix up some breakfast, Good Start Gentle Plus in a Born Free bottle, her favorite! I grab a cup of tea for myself, and we make our way to the living room. I turn on the tv, Nick Jr of course, and we settle into the couch.

She loves watching Blue's Clues in the morning, and it has become of my new routine. I often look at the clock when she wakes up and think "oh no! It's 7:30! She missed an episode of Blue's Clues!

Anyway, these mornings are so precious and I am so happy that I am able to share these with her. I will tell her about them years from now. "We used to watch cartoons every morning. You would enjoy a bottle and I'd sip on tea as we watched Blue and Steve discover new things and teach us about colors and shapes!" She will proceed to roll her eyes, embarassed that I remember such a thing. But I will smile and think.... where did those mornings go?

I hope we always have our mornings. I hope life doesn't take them away from us. No phone calls, no emails, no "I'm going to be late!" Just mornings, breakfast, and us.




Morning are also full of fantastic discoveries!

and she grabs stuff....

As if over night, Kirsten went from just mindlessly batting at her toys on her mat, to grabbing them! She studies them, follows as they swing around, and watches as her hands grasp onto the little rings. It is amazing how this happened in the matter of a day.

She is also on the verge of rolling around! She goes in a circular motion around her mat, scoots on her back around the bed, and nearly rolls completely over.

At 15 weeks our baby girl is discovering a whole new world and it is really exciting to watch happen right before our eyes! We will begin nailing stuff down now, because crawling can only be right around the corner!

Rockin Green Cloth Diaper Detergent Giveaway (CLOSED)

Hey guess what??? I was the lucky winner of a 6 MONTH SUPPLY of Rockin Green Cloth Diaper Detergent!!! I won it by just being a fan and commenting on Facebook (be a fan of their facebook page for updates on giveaways, sales, and other fun things! facebook link)!!! I was in such shock, and could not wait to get it all in the mail. Well the package came today and boy was it heavy!! I immediately opened it and was really pumped to get started. I have a load in right now using some Hard Rock Monkey Snacks (sounds delicious right?)!!

Well it would be REALLY selfish of me to keep this entire 6 month supply to myself. So I decided I would have a FLASH GIVEAWAY that only lasts through the weekend for samples of Rockin Green!!

Are you excited yet??


I am going to give away 5 samples of my 6 month stash to my amazing blog readers!!!
One sample per winner (so 5 winners)
Not entirely sure on the size of the sample yet, but it'll be enough for a few washes!

Now for the details....



Please leave a separate comment for each of these entries. And make sure I have your email so I may contact you (if it is not in your profile)

1. Leave a comment telling me which scent you would love to try or is your favorite! (a link to their site where you can find a list of scents is at the top of this post)

2. Follow me on Twitter (PGHmommy)

3. Follow Rockin Green on twitter (rockingreensoap)

4. Tweet about the giveaway! (leave me the url to the tweet) You can tweet the giveaway once a day, so remember to leave a comment for each tweet! Come up with your own fun, original tweet!!

5. Be a good friend and leave a comment with your FAVORITE Rockin Green retailers! Leave a link to their site! You can leave up to TWO different retailers, use separate comments.

Giveaway will run from 4/23/2010 and END on 4/25/2010 at 8pm!
I will be mailing out the sample. Shipping costs will be taken care of by me!
I have a limited variety and will email the winners the choices from which they can pick!
Winners will be chosen at www.random.org


So spread the word because this will be ending SOON!

My Husband -- The Big Fat Exaggerator!

So tell me, am I alone with this or does everyone else's husband do this?

Does something happen to husbands when they are with their friends and discussing their children that causes them to completely over exaggerate their duties? Do they just suddenly get it in their heads that they did a lot more than they actually have done?

My mom laughs at my dad constantly when he talks about when I was a baby. I was a realy awful, terrible baby. I screamed for probably about 7 months straight. My parents talk endlessly about how difficult I was and they thank God every day that I finally grew out of it (after 27 years, har har har). Well my dad will tells me about how he stayed up with me at night and did feedings, changed all of my diapers when they first got home because my mom was so sick after giving birth, and the hours of rocking me as I screamed until my head popped off.

According to my mom though, this never happened. She laughs every single time he tells these horror stories because she says that he never did these things. She said men tend to exaggerate when it comes to their children, the good and the bad. They want this badge for changing ONE diaper, when the wife changes the other 5,000.

I began to notice this with my husband. He will go through spurts of doing everything for Kirsten. He will insist on changing tons of diapers, feeding her, putting her to bed, and giving her a bath. It is a really awesome break for me! My arms breath this huge sigh of relief. But then it ends, and I don't see his enthusiasm for weeks. However, soon after he goes through his Super Dad spurts, he will go on and on to friends about all he does for Kirsten. "Oh I change he diapers all the time. Just yesterday I changed 4 diapers AND gave her a bath!" All of his guy friends "ooooh" and "aaaah" at his abilities to do it all with such ease.

And I just sit back and think... "well played hubby, well played."

Wordless Wednesday - Bed time kisses

I have a few friends who blog and do something called Wordless Wednesdays. So this is my first Wordless Wednesday post. Expect no text from here on out of Wednesdays... just fun photos!

Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

I am honored to announce my very first review and giveaway for MommyBurgh!!!

I am constantly on the look-out for more efficient ways to do things with my baby. From having a diaper bag with straps that hang from my stroller to a wet bag that holds in our stinky diapers with no problem. Well another major problem that I noticed early on in motherhood is the fact that babies drool... a lot. And have boogies... a ton of them. And that other stuff, you know, the stuff that is neither drool or boogies. At first I would use anything that was handy in order to wipe off all of those boogies and spit-up coming out of my baby, a burp cloth or even my shirt sleeve. As much as I love walking around with drool covering my shirt, I needed to find a solution.

Kirsten was very much a drooling, spit-up kind of baby. She also has rolls, lots of them. When she was only a few weeks old I noticed this stench coming from her 3 chins! I soon discovered that it was from formula that would get trapped under her chin when she would spit-up or drool it out while feeding. I couldn't carry around a wash cloth where ever we went, and of course using regular baby wipes was not an option (hello! alcohol!), so I took to the internet to find my solution.

My solution was Boogie Wipes. I checked out their website and just knew that these were going to be the answer to our problems. I hurried out to BabiesRUs and bought a few packages of them. When I returned home with my packages of wipes I was so excited to show my husband my fantastic find. "But they are just wipes right?" he said to me. "No! They are so much more! They not only clean up boogies, but they can be used on her face too!" I replied. He seemed skeptical, but I wasn't going to allow that to stop me from being so excited about these wipes.

As luck would have it, and a dash of irony, Kirsten got a cold that very week. Boogies everywhere. Sneezing constantly. And just an all around mess. I used baby q-tips to get the boogies out of her nose, but they can only do so much and go so far up her nose! And the boogies just kept coming! I think we went through 500 q-tips in a day! I immediately gave up on the q-tips and turned to my new package of Boogie Wipes.

These wipes helped us out so much when Kirsten had her cold. She had such a hard time breathing and they really cleaned up the boogies in and around her nose. Obviously using a regular tissue on a baby will cause their little nose to go raw (you know what I mean... I hate having a cold for this very reason). As I said before, the q-tips just were not working out for us either. I tried nose nasal aspirators that they use in the hospital, but it never sucked the boogies out! I tried two different brands with no luck. Boogie Wipes were my only friend!

I never hesitated to grab a Boogie Wipe and clean off Kirsten's face, under her chins, or her hands. She is certainly going through one of those phases where her hands are in her mouth 24/7, so it is very important to me that she has very clean hands! And now my husband is convinced that it is a great product and uses them all the time!

When I was still pregnant I took advantage of a super sale and bought tons of hand sanitizer. I thought, "we will need these because so many people will want to hold the baby!" Well I really changed my mind when I realized that the chemicals in many hand sanitizers are very unsafe for babies! So yet another use for our Boogie Wipes, I use them on my hands all the time! They get baby diaper rash cream off too! (We have all been there... you are out and about, slather on the diaper cream, and stand there thinking "now what??")



Lets talk about how the product works. Well if you use disposable baby wipes to clean your little one's bottom, then you are already a pro at using Boogie Wipes! They come in a very convenient package that looks just like disposable wipes and have a snap on top so that they don't dry out. They fit very well in any diaper bag! I have enough room for my Boogie Wipes, diapers, and my other wipes for Kirsten's bottom! It makes it very easy to grab them in a boogie emergency! You can also purchase individually packaged wipes. They are very small and can fit in pockets or purses!



I have been so excited about this product that I wanted to share it with all of my amazing readers and friends! I immediately contacted Boogie Wipes on Twitter and began showering them with compliments and telling them about the many ways I use my Boogie Wipes!

I then emailed the company and they immediately replied telling me they would love for me to do a review and giveaway! I was so excited! They sent me over a box filled with some goodies too!



Until I got my package from Boogie Wipes, I was only using one scent of the product. I used the unscented wipes because I was concerned about the scented being too much for Kirsten's skin. She had very dry skin when she was only a few weeks old, so I have always been careful about what I use on her face. In the box were samples of all of their scents. I figured I could use the scented ones on her hands, but in a pinch, needed to use them on her face. There was no reaction! Just a very fresh and fun smell! Other scents available are Great Grape, Magic Menthol, Fresh Scent and Unscented. I really liked all of the scents. I can imagine that Great Grape would go over very well with an older child too!


Buy Some Boogie Wipes: Visit Boogie Wipes website and purchase your own packages of the wipes.
You can also check for local retailers to find them in stores near you!
Join Boogie Bunch for $1 off coupon on Boogie Wipes!


So enough of my gushing... lets get on with the giveaway!

Giveaway Details!

Prize: Two (2) packs of 30 - count wipes! (great grape, simply unscented, magic menthol, and fresh scent, combination varies)

Make sure to leave your email if it is not provided so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Entry: In a comment, tell me which scent you would like to try the most and another way (other than wiping up boogies) that you would use your Boogie Wipes!

Extra Entries: (leave a comment for each of these entries)

1. Follow my blog on google connect (located on the right side of this page)

2. Follow me on Twitter: PGHmommy
please leave your Twitter usename

3. Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter: BoogieMom
please leave your Twitter usename

4. Become a Fan of Boogie Wipes on Facebook.

5. Tweet the giveaway! You can tweet once per day for an additional entry each day. Make sure to leave me the url for the tweet!!!
Use this tweet or make up one of your own, just make sure to include url to my blog, PGHmommy and BoogieMom in your tweet!
"It's spring, that means allergies! Cure runny noses with Boogie Wipes! WIN them at http://tinyurl.com/yyba77q @pghmommy @boogiemom"

6. Grab my button (left side of this page) and put it on your blog for an additional TWO entries! (comment twice so you are counted twice)

7. Click and Vote for my blog (using the links on the top right of this page) on Top Mommy and Top Baby blogs. One entry for each vote, and you can vote once a day. Leave a separate comment for each vote!



Giveaway begins April 20, 2010 and ENDS on May 7th, 2010 at 5pm EST
Winner will be chosen at www.random.org
Boogie Wipes will be contacted with the winners name and address and will be sending out the prize within 30 days

Kirsten LOVES playoff hockey!

A little video of Kirsten going crazy over playoff hockey! Okay, maybe she wasn't laughing at the game, but she has Penguins socks on, that's close enough!

No Cry It Out for this Mama

As I often mention, I frequent message boards daily. I love the idea of a community behind motherhood and message boards have really hit the spot for me. Granted, sometimes they can be rather childish and bitchy... generally they are very welcoming and helpful. I honestly would have jumped off a bridge if it weren't for some advice I received from amazing mothers on the boards I visit.

Anyway, a topic that is discussed often is the "cry it out" method. The number one discussed topic on boards is sleep. We all go into motherhood hearing horror stories of babies who didn't sleep for months! Or hear about these amazing babies that just sleep, all the time! You hear the stories, but then you get your baby and have to actually deal with sleep on your own.

The first few weeks are known as "survival mode" in parenting. You will do whatever it takes to get the baby to sleep. I began my sleep journey with Kirsten by waking every hour. And then every two. And then there would be times she would sleep maybe four hours at a time. But soon enough she figured it out and slept through the night, maybe waking once. This was amazing for us. Granted she was in her car seat or Nap Nanny, but still, the kid was asleep... gold star for mama!

However, getting Kirsten to those amazing hours of sleep seems to be the issue where "cry it out" comes into play. I prefer to rock and feed my baby until she goes to sleep. Sometimes she needs the bottle, other times she just falls asleep on her own, in my arms as we rock to soft music in the background. I personally adore this time together, especially after a long hard day.

For naps it is generally the same deal, except it takes place in the living room or while pacing around the house. Sure it takes away from stuff I could be doing. I have to drop everything, pause Lost, and pace around the kitchen in order to get her to settle down. I wish I had a baby that could be laid in a swing and just settle on her own, but Kirsten is very much a "I need to be held, and if you think you're putting me in that bouncer, you are WRONG" type of baby.

So some mothers turn to "cry it out." Something I personally have no interest in trying... ever. I hate the sound of my baby crying and feel it is my job to be the one who soothes her, and puts her to sleep (or Todd for that matter). I have had mothers tell me, "well you can't rock them to sleep forever." or "they have to learn sometime." Well what happened to allowing the baby to learn on their own? Meaning, I won't force her to learn it by placing her in her crib and waiting for her to just tire out and sleep.

I realize that the parents don't just leave the baby in their room and allow them to cry for hours. I just prefer soothing her to sleep by picking her up and helping her, than any other way. I only get these few months with Kirsten as a little baby... I don't want to force her to grow out of the "I need my mommy NOW" phase too quickly!

I took this from www.babycenter.com: Crying isn't the goal of this sleep training method, but advocates say it's often an inevitable side effect as your baby adjusts to sleeping on his own. They say the short-term pain of a few tears is far outweighed by the long-term advantages: a child who goes to sleep easily and happily on his own, and parents who can count on a good night's rest.

Perhaps I am creating a child who will require mommy to always put her to bed. But really, when will I ever stop putting her to bed. Maybe our routine will simply change... from bottles and rocking to books or songs.

I was always an advocate for baby led routines. I think that babies have this natural ability to just adjust themselves to their situation. I really have no other way to explain how Kirsten just "knows" that it is night time and goes to sleep for hours. If she wakes, I feed her and rock her, and she goes back to bed. If we had to do this 5 times a night, then that is just what we have to do. She will eventually grow out of it and begin sleeping through the night again.

Maybe as mommies we just have TOO much information sometimes. Too many books and experts and opinions.


I would really love to hear more about "cry it out" and sleep training. It was just something we never felt comfortable doing. But I have heard many success stories from mother who tried Ferber.

Making Friends

Last night we had our good friends Rachael and Dave over to watch the Penguins game, and they brought along their newest addition, Jonah! Of course we had to get a photo of them together, and as you can see, they are instant friends! I cannot wait until they are 16 and we show them these pictures! Priceless!

My House, Welcome!

Some lovely ladies on Twitter decided to host a "Twitter House Party" and tour and I wanted to join in the fun! So folks, welcome to my home.....

We have lived here for almost a year. We bought it in June of last year, our first house!


The outside! We plan on changing the shudders and door colors! I really dislike the ugly green!





Welcome to the first room you would come across, the living room (Pete our shih-tzu wants to show you around)! We were so excited about that lime green color, and after living with it for a year, I am so ready to get rid of it! I really want to warm up the room and add some things to the wall. It looks so bare!




And now for the dining room and kitchen. I love our dining room, the colors and furniture work really well together. And I really love seeing her little high chair in the corner! Hopefully someday we can work on our kitchen, I'd love new counter tops!





This next room was the selling point for us when we bought the house, our sun room. We had permanent windows put in so it won't get cold and we could turn it into a real room. We love the hardwood floors and bar!
And as you'll notice, my husband's most prized possession, his Mario Lemieux picture and numbers from one of his jerseys!

Lets go upstairs.....


Here is Kirsten showing off our extremely plain bedroom. I plan to completely make it over soon!




Everyone's favorite room, the baby's room! I love Kirsten's room! And I included a photo of the pillow my aunt made her for her baptism!





Taking a look from the hallway to the third bedroom, or the "guitar room"
And of course a cute wedding photo!


Lets go to the basement and outside in the backyard!!



This is part of our basement. The other part is the laundry room and who really wants to see that? We are turning this into Kirsten's play room and another living room. I cannot wait to open those big windows this summer!!

finally, the backyard!




Do you see that? Yeah we have a green house attached to our house! So much fun right???



Thanks for visiting! Hope you enjoyed!! I will be sure to post updates and we do some changes around the house this summer!

Now go visit some other participating houses... Click here for a full list

Post Baby Body Update

I haven't done an update on how things are going post-baby as far as weight and getting slimmed down.

I decided today would be a good day to post about it because this morning my scale decided to play a really cruel joke. I honestly haven't gotten on the scale in weeks. I would probably say two week ago was the last time, so this morning was really just a shot in the dark. I stepped on the scale and it read "89.5" WHAT???? That can't be right! So I stepped on it again and got the same number! I decided I would hold Kirsten and see if we got different results, and it showed "99." Something is definitely wrong with our scale! When Todd gets home we will have to investigate this further!

Anyway, the true test is really just how I feel and what pants I can fit into, and honestly, I have been fitting very nicely in my size 2 pants, and some size 0 pants. I know, I get it, most women really struggle with their weight post-baby. I am in NO way posting photos or bragging about weight to discourage or put anyone down! I really never had any weight issues. I have always been small, and until recently, never really went above 105 lbs. So dealing with weight is something very new to me. I am so used to be extremely active, and being pregnant for 9 months really changed that, and I am just getting used to not snacking on McDonald's every day!

So here are some photos, because they are a better indicator of how well things have been going than just writing down some crazy numbers (seriously, 89 lbs? I'm not 12 years old!)



These two photos were taken this morning. Pete, my shih-tzu, decided he wanted to be apart of the photo shoot!


And just a reminder of what I looked like at 145 lbs (my end birth weight)!!!

and now for some photos....

Finally got around to taking a few 3 months shots!





Look at her try to roll! My little wild child!
Kirsten is trying to hard to roll from back to belly, she gets completely on her side and just stops. It is so funny to watch! But she is nearly there! Soon she will be rolling all over the house! It is so funny to think we will be sitting around and she will CRAWL in and out of the room!

But, one milestone at a time....

Cloth Diapering at Night (a review)

I realized I haven't discuss my cloth diapering experience in a while. So here we go, a cloth diaper update!


First, let me just say, we have been having a blast with our cloth diapers. I have yet to really run into a problem, and it has been so easy.



Alright, so what is new with our cloth diapers? I bought my first fitteds and wool covers. I was "followed" on Twitter by a really amazing company named Sloomb (Link) and decided to take a peek over at their site. From the start I was impressed. Small inventory, but I really loved the look of their diapers. The diapers are called sustainablebabyish and come in a variety of snaps and snapless assortments.

I actually became interested in these diapers because we had yet to cloth diaper at night. I read that fitteds and wool soakers were the way to go, and Sloomb was awesome in helping me decide which would be the first to try.

The following is taken from their site (destription for the diaper pictured above): sustainablebabyish overnight bamboo fitteds are soft and beautiful, made entirely of organic bamboo|cotton fleece with the soft jersey side out. perfect for day time use & the answer for nights. now with snap in soakers. each fitted includes a 3-layer bamboo fleece doubler.

They come in four solid colors "natural, sprout, kirsche, and teal." Kirsten is a girly girl so we opted for the "kirsche" or pink color. When it arrived I was honestly so surprised by how soft it was. Seriously, I had NO IDEA cloth diapers could be this soft. I was so excited to try it out, but knew washing was in order first. I ran in through the laundry as I normally do with my diapers (I recently won a free sample of Rockin' Green "Hard Rock" Soap and gave that a try. Amazing product!!!!) by doing a gentle cycle and tumble dry. After two times in the tumble setting it was still a bit damp, so I hung it to dry in our laundry room and it was perfect after a short amount of time. I had to hang the soakers that came with the diaper as well, and those dried perfectly after hanging as well. I may just stick to hanging these diapers and soakers from now on.

Anyway.... these diapers require a cover, and I am not a cover user, so this was yet another realm of cloth diapering that was new to me. The obvious choice was to go with a sustainablebabyish cover, since I already had the diaper. The company was running a sale on their double layer organic wool covers so I snagged one immediately.



The cover came and again I was impressed by the quality. It is thick yet still very soft. I was a little hesitant about wool covers. Wouldn't they be itchy or uncomfortable on the baby? Turns out these are super soft, so I really had no worries. I washed it as I washed the diaper and was surprised by its fast dry time. No need to hang it, even though I may opt to do so since that is how I will be drying the diapers.

So now I was set and ready to try it out for the first time. After Kirsten's bath, instead of strapping a Pampers Baby Dry diaper on her, we placed the cloth diaper on her (by the way, the size small fits Kirsten very well, and even has room to grow, she is about 12lbs). Again, so soft, and much for form fitting than our regular cloth diapers. One major complaint with cloth diapers that I have is the bulk, and these were just as snug and slim as a Pampers disposable diaper.

I then put on the cover, which fit her very well, no gapping and it didn't appear too tight. Since she already had a bottom on, I decided to just place a long sleeved shirt over her. I asked this questions on Twitter, about what to do as far as jammies were concerned while using wool covers, and people told me to use a sleep sack. I really dislike sleep sacks, and so does Kirsten, so I needed another solution. I figured she wouldn't be cold, so the long sleeved shirt was fine.

We did our normal routine after that, and I placed her in bed, snug under her blanket. Now some babies are big night time wetters. Kirsten, however, really doesn't pee too much at night. I was a bit worried that she would feel wet while in a cloth diaper that was thinner than her regular ones, and then a wool cover, no type of liner to catch the pee. When I picked her up 7 hours later though, I immediately felt her bottom and it was completely dry. I felt under her and that was dry too. The outside of the organic double layer cover was dry!

I just took it off, along with the diaper, and put it in our wet bag. First night was a success! Obviously to be able to do this every night we would need more than one of each, but so far it has been fun to use the cloth diapers about every third night, when I get to laundry.

I fully plan to purchase more of the sustainablebabyish diapers and covers. They tend to be a little expensive, but the quality is amazing and worth the price. I really want to try to karate pants (pictured),


so that Kirsten can wear her diaper during the day. I also think the stretch wool covers will be perfect for the warmer weather that is fast approaching!

I am also very curious about how to care for my woolies now that I am investing in them. As I said, they tend to be expensive, so I really want to make sure I take care of them properly. While searching around on the Sloomb website I came across their recommended wool conditioner. It is called Pure Solid Lanolin by bella junction (pictured).

I really am in the dark (like most things) about the up-keep for wool covers, so I fully plan on investing in some of this as well!


I am extremely pleased with the quality of these diapers and really can't wait to try more of their stuff. Again, the fit is amazing and so slim. Kirsten wouldn't look like she has a majorly full diaper every time I put one on her! And I am just assuming she feels more comfortable.

I bought a few of the Thirsties brand fitteds and covers, due mostly to my obsession for cute patterns. I have only used them once, and so far like them a lot. I'll be able to write more on it later once we really give them a try!


I mentioned earlier about using Rockin' Green Soap. Here is a LINK to their product. If you have hard water like we do, they have a new solution for it, it's called Hard Rock!

Dearest shopping habit...

Someone pinch me! These shoes are amazing! Oh and guess what? They sell them at Target!


Thank-you Trumpette for 1. making amazing baby shoes, and 2. causing me to go into financial ruin.



Shoes courtesy of Trumpette

Mommy Filter?

I will be the first to admit that I turn to the internet to answer all of my questions. I was never really into sharing until I got pregnant, and now that Kirsten is here, my filter is officially gone.

While pregnant I talked about every single thing that happened to my body. I shared photos of my growing belly, and discussed gas more than a woman ever should.

And now that Kirsten is apart of the family, I share everything. My Facebook is covered in photos of her doing every little thing possible, I turn to message boards and talk about her poop regularly, and discuss my "aunt flow" openly on Twitter.

I wonder, at what point will discussing such things get old? Or at what point will Kirsten turn to me and say, "mom, can you please stop discussing my life on the internet?"

At what age will people stop caring about how I raise my child? When will this whole "blogging about being a mommy" thing need to stop and I'll have to come up with a new "gimmick?"

I think about this often. Will blogging about a mommy ever get old? Is there a line between over sharing and just talking about normal parenting stuff, but more importantly, will I ever cross it?

As moms we feel this need to over share. I go to the mall and listen to the other "mall mommies" talk over each other about what their baby is doing, what milestones they hit, at what age they were able to do certain things, the color of their kids' poop, etc etc.... The filters are obviously off and these women are just in their glory. Maybe they can't discuss this stuff with their husbands, and they just can't wait to get to the mall and spill their guts about what their baby is doing. I also think there is a huge sense of competition, but I do think it stems mostly from moms just needing to over share with one another.

I guess my biggest question though is, when will I stop feeling this need to over share about my daughter? Does it ever end, or just change forms? As in, we go from talking about poop to discussing their coloring skills, to ballet classes, to how they did on their Algebra test.

Hopefully I will still feel the need to talk about my life, and the amazing journey of being a mommy. But then again, when Kirsten starts using the internet, I may need to change my concept on here. Hmmmmm.... maybe I need to look into baking....

Dear Baby Jesus, save us from teething

I really had no idea when babies began to teeth. I assumed it wasn't until much later, but I think we may be stumbling upon the beginnings of it.

Kirsten has been out of control cranky lately. She is usually really happy during the day, but as the day goes on, she gets more and more fussy.

Not to mention, she is in love with chewing on her hands! She can't hold onto toys quite yet, so her hands have to do for now. And boy oh boy does she get mad when she can't figure out how to stuff her entire fist inside her mouth! The amount of drool on her shirts now is astounding. We go through probably two outfit changes a day, due to her being absolutely soaked!

I try to give her a toy, and put it in her mouth for her, but she squirms and wants no part of it. She wants her fist, and nothing else!

In preparation of teething I went ahead and bought a lot of teething toys, like the rings you can put in the fridge and felt toys for her to suck on, and of course, Sophie the Giraffe is on its way!

Don't know who Sophie is? Well she is, by far, the most talked about teething toy. She is a rubber giraffe that is small enough for the baby to hold. And she has plenty of parts that can be shoved in the mouth. I have heard about this toy for months, and finally am starting to feel the need for it.

You would think with my shopping habit we would already have her, but I decided to hold off and see how teething goes. After last night's scream fest, I hurried up and had her express shipped to the house. Please Sophie, get here soon!

You're 3 Months Old baby girl

As I sit on the couch while my baby girl swings and smiles, I will write a post about how amazing it is that she is already 3 months old.....


Dearest Kirsten,

On April 8th, 2010 you turned 3 months old! This is a large milestone in your growth and development. You will soon be sitting on your own, holding onto your toys without my assistance, rolling around on the floor, and laughing more and more.

I look at this time as when I shall clean out your closet and pack away all of your newborn and most of your 0-3 month of clothing. You are growing so fast that an entire closet of clothing needs to be packed away, and those clothes I stored under you bed, months before you were even born, can now fit you. I really have no idea how we got to this point so quickly, but it is so much fun, and so exciting to see you grow into a beautiful little girl.

You smile all the time, especially when I come into your room in the morning and greet yo with a big "hello my angel!" You squeal in laughter when I make funny noises and faces. You have the biggest smile, and it warms my heart when I see it.

The weather is getting warmer, and the sun is showing its face a lot more, so a lot of exciting things will be happening. We will play in your backyard, go on walks in the park, and even go swimming. I have stocked up on diapers and swim suits, and cannot wait to see your tiny toes touching the water for the first time. I cannot wait to see you discover the water and begin your journey in swimming and playing.

You love to watch tv, especially Blue's Clues in the morning. I love this time spent with you. You drink a bottle, I drink a coffee, and we sing along as Blue and Steve find clues and discover new surprises. I love watching you look so intently at the tv, just happy to be hanging out with me in the morning.

Your hair is getting so long, and showing signs of being blonde. Your eyes are still a bright blue, even though your daddy and I don't have blue eyes. You amaze us with your beauty and how cute you look, even while screaming.

Another big milestone is that you are sleeping without your Nap Nanny in your crib. It is great to see you sleeping so soundly, laying flat in your bed, under your comfy blanket. You look like such a big girl sleep soundly amongst your animals.

I hope this month is a blast for the both of us. I always have such high expectations for you, and regardless if you meet all of the milestones, you continue to surprise me everyday.

I love you so much, and cannot wait to spend this month outdoors, discovering a whole new world that surrounds you.

Love,
Mommy

It's Spring!

We moved into our house last June, so we missed out on seeing the tree in our backyard bloom. Well today it finally did! And it surpirsed me by being a beautiful pink color!





and of course I couldn't resist posing!