Every night I sing to my kids. Since the twins, Peanut and Melody all have different bedtimes, that means I sing three different times. Peanut and the twins get rocked and sung to for several minutes before laying down to go to sleep (then they get more singing and rocking if they have trouble going to sleep for any reason). Melody gets stories, a prayer, songs and a few minutes of snuggles before saying good night.
Bedtime is one of the hardest most labor intensive times of the day at our house since everyone is still in the phase of needing so much love and care to help them drift off to sleep. Even as I write this Melody is laying quietly in her bed with the door cracked (so she has some light) while she waits to fall asleep. She will probably wind up with a few more hugs/kisses and snuggles before the night is over if she can't fall asleep on her own.
Tonight as I sang to each of my kids, I couldn't help but be thankful that every day, three or four or more times a day, I have a reason to sing and praise God for His goodness. The songs of my childhood- camp songs, hymns and the like- flow out of me and I remember the connection I felt to God when I sang them growing up. I am glad that my children will hear hymns and traditional songs and associate it with sweet memories of being tucked in bed by their parents, and I'm glad that I have a reason to sing.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Eczema and Mommy Angst Part 2
Here is Part 1 of this post- be sure to read there first. Full Disclosure: There is more talk of baby poop here. If you'd rather not read about that, feel free to skip this post also!
Round of Antibiotics for Craig #2
Craig seemed better. He slept better. His poop was thicker a few times. Things were looking up.
Then yesterday the diarrhea came back. I checked his temperature and it was back to 100.
Did he catch strep throat again?
Is his eczema infected again?
How do I figure this out?
Obviously, we will be making another trip to the doctor this week. But I just can't help but wonder what is going on?
Why does he even have eczema? What will make it better? Will I be able to help him figure this out? I want SO BADLY to figure out the why's and the hows of this eczema thing, so that by the time he is old enough to talk about it, I have answers for him and a list of things that help or heal him. With my asthma, my mom and modern medicine were always able to put me back to normal, even after a really difficult time. I am so worried that the solution won't be so easy for Craig. (The same feeling tortured me when Peanut wheezed for two months last year in spite of intervention.) I feel constantly plagued that maybe he is not healthy. Maybe he is sick. He is my "fussy" baby. He comfort nurses until he can't comfort nurse anymore. A lot of times he needs me with him to fall asleep. Is he just sensitive and attached or is he trying to tell me that something is not right with him? In the meantime, we are also missing vaccinations since you can't get them when you are sick and running a fever.
Mostly we are good... I usually can't even tell anything is wrong with Craig at all unless I take his temperature or change a (liquid) poopy diaper. He plays and laughs and snuggles and is pulling up to stand and trying to cruise around the furniture. This is a strong but sensitive kid (every woman's dream... I will have to watch out one day!) and a toy stealer. He is over 20 lbs and in the 90th percentile for height and weight! I absolutely love this sweet boy. I am just a little crazy over this eczema thing. Like I said before... I want to be able to fix it for him. I want to make it go away. Just like my mom did for me.
Does this mommy angst ever subside? I know I get it honestly. My mom could teach a class about how to worry about your kids. I used to laugh at my mom and her worrying ways. But now I understand them. I am becoming my mother in a lot of ways. Yet even as I write this, I am remembering my mom's words of comfort- to lean on God and trust him to provide and care for us. My mom was successful because her source of healing came from the Ultimate Healer. It didn't come from her (as much as I would like to think it did). It came from God. He was in my mother's touch and my mother's decision making ability. And He can provide that for me too.
So, Lord, hear my plea. Give me wisdom. Give me your healing touch for my children. Give me a heart that leans on you in hard times, so one day when Craig is lamenting that he can't fix something for his own children, he will remember that You were there for him when he was a child, so you will be there for his own child. Help me trust you more- even in adversity- in infections that don't seem to want to go away and eczema that is painful and not healing (yet).
And mom... if you are reading this, thank you for always taking care of me when I was sick. Thank you for leaning on God to provide for us and teaching me that He is faithful.
And to you dear friend or reader, if you have made it through all of this personalsw4 processing, thank you for sticking with me. Your support is welcomed and appreciated. But please... no horror stories of eczema or illnesses in the comments... and prayers welcome. :)
In His Grace,
Rachel
UPDATE: After writing this post, Craig's fever went down to 99.2 and then the next night was down to 98.8. He also had some thicker poo's! So whatever was ailing him, I am pretty sure it is on it's way out. I am one relieved and thankful momma!
Round of Antibiotics for Craig #2
Craig seemed better. He slept better. His poop was thicker a few times. Things were looking up.
Then yesterday the diarrhea came back. I checked his temperature and it was back to 100.
Did he catch strep throat again?
Is his eczema infected again?
How do I figure this out?
Obviously, we will be making another trip to the doctor this week. But I just can't help but wonder what is going on?
Why does he even have eczema? What will make it better? Will I be able to help him figure this out? I want SO BADLY to figure out the why's and the hows of this eczema thing, so that by the time he is old enough to talk about it, I have answers for him and a list of things that help or heal him. With my asthma, my mom and modern medicine were always able to put me back to normal, even after a really difficult time. I am so worried that the solution won't be so easy for Craig. (The same feeling tortured me when Peanut wheezed for two months last year in spite of intervention.) I feel constantly plagued that maybe he is not healthy. Maybe he is sick. He is my "fussy" baby. He comfort nurses until he can't comfort nurse anymore. A lot of times he needs me with him to fall asleep. Is he just sensitive and attached or is he trying to tell me that something is not right with him? In the meantime, we are also missing vaccinations since you can't get them when you are sick and running a fever.
Mostly we are good... I usually can't even tell anything is wrong with Craig at all unless I take his temperature or change a (liquid) poopy diaper. He plays and laughs and snuggles and is pulling up to stand and trying to cruise around the furniture. This is a strong but sensitive kid (every woman's dream... I will have to watch out one day!) and a toy stealer. He is over 20 lbs and in the 90th percentile for height and weight! I absolutely love this sweet boy. I am just a little crazy over this eczema thing. Like I said before... I want to be able to fix it for him. I want to make it go away. Just like my mom did for me.
My little Craig-y.
So, Lord, hear my plea. Give me wisdom. Give me your healing touch for my children. Give me a heart that leans on you in hard times, so one day when Craig is lamenting that he can't fix something for his own children, he will remember that You were there for him when he was a child, so you will be there for his own child. Help me trust you more- even in adversity- in infections that don't seem to want to go away and eczema that is painful and not healing (yet).
And mom... if you are reading this, thank you for always taking care of me when I was sick. Thank you for leaning on God to provide for us and teaching me that He is faithful.
And to you dear friend or reader, if you have made it through all of this personalsw4 processing, thank you for sticking with me. Your support is welcomed and appreciated. But please... no horror stories of eczema or illnesses in the comments... and prayers welcome. :)
In His Grace,
Rachel
UPDATE: After writing this post, Craig's fever went down to 99.2 and then the next night was down to 98.8. He also had some thicker poo's! So whatever was ailing him, I am pretty sure it is on it's way out. I am one relieved and thankful momma!
Eczema and Mommy Angst Part 1
WARNING: There is talk of baby poop in this post. If you don't want to hear about it,
then you can skip this one.
So here it is in written form.
Craig has eczema.
I have chatted with a few friends about it. I have researched way too much about his eczema online. It bothers me mentally and emotionally constantly. I love all of my children so much and if something is wrong with them, I (of course) want to fix it.
Growing up my mother did an EXCELLENT job at learning how to manage my allergies and asthma. So much so that I have grown into a person that doesn't feel defined or limited by these problems even though they are somewhat limiting. As a mother myself now, I desperately desire to learn to manage my children's ailments so that I can teach them how to manage them when they are old enough.
But some things just seem complicated. Like eczema. I am having trouble working this out.
When Craig was about two months old, I noticed he had dry skin on his legs. I didn't think a thing about it. "Oh, dry skin... no big deal... babies get it... it goes away."
Then after a few weeks (months?) it dawned on me... this is not going away.
Then I googled "infant eczema" having no idea what would pop up. That was probably the biggest mistake of my life. HORROR stories about people with eczema and how it controlled (and ruined) their lives were everywhere on the internet. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I cannot stand listening to deep dark tales of what terrible thing happened to so-and-so (especially when it doesn't effect me or someone I have a connection to) because it effects me SO MUCH emotionally. I found myself treasuring the sweet skin that Craig did have that was not effected, since I was afraid that it would later be covered by dry scaly weeping places. And to a large degree, I was right. Eventually, most of his arms and legs began to change and become covered in red and dry, weeping spots.
So my stress level about eczema went like this...
I learned that steroids would not be safe for babies since things put on a baby's skin can enter the their bloodstream prior to six months old. Apparently it is why babies should not wear sunscreen or go swimming in chlorine, etc. However, at Craig's four month check up, the doctor recommended Hydro-cortisone cream as the only solution while I began experimenting with cutting out certain foods. I wasn't ready to use hydro-cortisone cream yet.
So we found some helpful solutions at around four months:
1. Prayer
Honestly, we began to pray for Craig directly- laying on hands and with authority for weeks (and making a call to Bethel church and having him prayed for)- and parts of his eczema (noticeably his forehead and patches on his legs) began to clear up A LOT. It was amazing. Besides some of his eczema clearing up, it was a good time of being ministered to by God personally also.
2. Water + Cerave Lotion
Several times, I wet Craig's skin and put lotion on it while it was still wet. This seemed pretty effective.
3. Bathing Once/Week
This seemed to be the perfect balance for bathing between not too much and not enough.
4. Only wearing cotton clothing
5. Putting all of our clothing on an extra rinse cycle to get out any extra detergent (and using all free and clear type detergents and dryer sheets.)
6. Vitamin D supplements (not sure if he really needs this, but many people have found it has helped their eczema!)
However, by his six month appointment there were two pretty significant spots (in the creases of one elbow and one ankle) that became open wounds and had a yellow film indicating infection (in spite of the fact that many other spots seemed better). Just after this appointment, he began to have diarrhea. One round of antibiotics later, he still had yellow film on the areas and still had diarrhea.
I thought maybe the antibiotics had caused the diarrhea- or maybe he was teething?- or maybe he was having very loose stool due to not eating solids (I delayed that past 7 months). Sometimes when he ate bananas or sweet potatoes his bm's would thicken up (sorry if this is TMI... you were warned!)
Finally, Melody got sick with something too (another story for another post?) and Craig had an outburst of what looked like hives (that I could not pinpoint a cause for), so I took both kids to the doctor the same day where Craig tested postive for strep throat.
Continue reading Part 2 of this post.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Milk Jug Halloween Decorations
Crayola posted this on their facebook page and I just had to re-post this here to bookmark the idea for myself!
Milk Jug + Black Marker + Sand (to keep it from blowing away) + orange glow sticks = fun/easy decorations to make with kids!
What a wonderfully kid-friendly, easy- peas-y idea for a little Halloween fun! Thanks Crayola!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Milk Jug + Black Marker + Sand (to keep it from blowing away) + orange glow sticks = fun/easy decorations to make with kids!
What a wonderfully kid-friendly, easy- peas-y idea for a little Halloween fun! Thanks Crayola!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Crazy over Christmas
You can go ahead and hate me... I am one of those people this year.Halloween is tomorrow and I am already ready for Christmas! (Emotionally ready, not prepared ready, ha!)
Having kids makes the holidays so much fun. Melody is old enough to begin some real traditions with her and I am excited to incorporate the twins into a few of the traditions we already have.Also I am actually looking forward to cooking for Thanksgiving. The beauty of having Thanksgiving at your own house is that you get to be in charge of the menu. This will come in handy since we have some food sensitivities to work around (Melody- no peanuts, no white flour, Me- no dairy, Criag- no bananas).
BUT crazy as it may seem, I (currently) feel UP to the challenge! From somewhere deep inside of me the energy and enthusiasm is welling up to make a yummy Thanksgiving dinner and work around all of our food challenges.If I can wrangle my time well, maybe I can get a few things posted this year about our menu and our holiday traditions- but no promises. (Just being honest. :) )
Okay... off to be sure Melody's Halloween costume is ready for tomorrow!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Inspire Me! Monday: Getting your children to listen
Getting your children to listen.
Am I the only person who has a child who listens pretty well to others but suddenly has selective hearing when it's time to listen to Mommy or Daddy?
Really?! I AM the only one?!
:)
It has been awhile since my last Inspire Me! Monday post, but I found this article online and wanted to put it somewhere that I couldn't lose it and also share it with others.
As a parent, I am constantly learning new things and searching for positive and encouraging ways to fulfill my role as a mommy. I have read a lot of books lately and found a lot helpful information about how to work things out with my 3 year old as she becomes more and more independent, resourceful and opinionated about her activities and her time. She is a sensitive, caring, perceptive, structure-loving (and I am not a structured mommy!) beautiful, wonderful girl. Sometimes we are so different though (and sometimes we are so the same) that I need a little inspiration about how to navigate these young and formative years.
This article by Dr. Sears is one of the most helpful (and short!) articles I have read about speaking to your children and avoiding power struggles while still teaching your child to heed your voice! I was excited to see there are a few things on the list that I already do (and that work!) and also to see that there were many new ideas that I can try!
25 Ways to Talk so Children Will Listen
So what do you do to help your child become a better listener?
Love,
Rachel
PS- Yes I know that it is Sunday, I am just ahead for Monday! :)
Am I the only person who has a child who listens pretty well to others but suddenly has selective hearing when it's time to listen to Mommy or Daddy?
Really?! I AM the only one?!
:)
It has been awhile since my last Inspire Me! Monday post, but I found this article online and wanted to put it somewhere that I couldn't lose it and also share it with others.
As a parent, I am constantly learning new things and searching for positive and encouraging ways to fulfill my role as a mommy. I have read a lot of books lately and found a lot helpful information about how to work things out with my 3 year old as she becomes more and more independent, resourceful and opinionated about her activities and her time. She is a sensitive, caring, perceptive, structure-loving (and I am not a structured mommy!) beautiful, wonderful girl. Sometimes we are so different though (and sometimes we are so the same) that I need a little inspiration about how to navigate these young and formative years.
This article by Dr. Sears is one of the most helpful (and short!) articles I have read about speaking to your children and avoiding power struggles while still teaching your child to heed your voice! I was excited to see there are a few things on the list that I already do (and that work!) and also to see that there were many new ideas that I can try!
25 Ways to Talk so Children Will Listen
So what do you do to help your child become a better listener?
Love,
Rachel
PS- Yes I know that it is Sunday, I am just ahead for Monday! :)
Monday, October 14, 2013
Still here!
I'm still here! We've just been a bit... well, um... busy at our house these days.
Let me just state (not complain- just state)... 1 preschooler, 1 special needs baby and twin babies is hard.
I knew that life would be hard with four kids, and I fully anticipated that. Let me also say, that my kids are a joy. Sometimes I walk from kid to kid, rocking, nursing, feeding bottles and singing, rubbing backs and snuggling at bed time, and in between kids I think "that was such a sweet moment... *deep breath*... let me go find the other baby/kid that hasn't settled yet and have more of them!" It is an intensely tired kind of enjoyment that lives over here in our tiny house.
Here's what we are up to in list form (it's all I have time for).
*Peanut is pretty much down to one nap. However, he took a morning nap today, so I guess sometimes we are still doing two? Update: didn't fall asleep for the 2nd one- so I guess one it is :)
*Craig is pulling to stand and trying to cruise.
*Melody is in preschool and loving it.
*Melody officially has a peanut allergy complete with epi-pen.
*I feel like we are fighting a losing battle with the yeast infection/white flour (melody) and eczema (craig) issues... I sense the GAPS diet looming in our future in a couple of years.
*Not having time to cook food is keeping me from introducing baby led weaning... I gave bananas- I think Craig is allergic to them (rashy eczema got worse on face and fingers after eating them), so the babies are still pretty much always breastfed (except for the bottles they get a few times a week while I teach dance or deal with milk supply issues).
*I HEART breastfeeding twins.
*We bought the kids redskins jerseys/onesies (and I got one too!)... but this is the stinkiest season on record (in our lifetimes as fans ;) ). Good thing we don't have much time to watch.
*I am currently still listening to baby lullabies on pandora even though the kids are down for naps. It is soothing :)
*Besides taking care of kids, I am teaching dance twice a week and helping to put on the Nutcracker show this fall. Those two things are pretty much all I have time for.
*And going to church on Sunday. Church has pretty much ROCKED lately.
*Confession: I am late to church EVERY Sunday, by a LOT. Thank you to all the really nice ushers who help us find seats late in the game :) Feeding 3 babies (one who is a slow special needs bottle eater), dressing 6 people and showering (sometimes) 2 of us takes time. There is no changing this right now. I am trying really hard not to feel guilty about it and just enjoy the church I am there for.
*My parents visited this past week end and it was a breath of fresh air!
*I am out of time to type... I hear babies :) Yay 15 minutes of bliss :)
Prayers appreciated :)
Rachel
PS Someone told me they are praying for energy for me on Sunday (thank you!), anyone can feel free to pray for that. And health. We are needing some major prayer for health in our whole family over here if you are up for it. Thank you in advance :)
Let me just state (not complain- just state)... 1 preschooler, 1 special needs baby and twin babies is hard.
I knew that life would be hard with four kids, and I fully anticipated that. Let me also say, that my kids are a joy. Sometimes I walk from kid to kid, rocking, nursing, feeding bottles and singing, rubbing backs and snuggling at bed time, and in between kids I think "that was such a sweet moment... *deep breath*... let me go find the other baby/kid that hasn't settled yet and have more of them!" It is an intensely tired kind of enjoyment that lives over here in our tiny house.
Here's what we are up to in list form (it's all I have time for).
*Peanut is pretty much down to one nap. However, he took a morning nap today, so I guess sometimes we are still doing two? Update: didn't fall asleep for the 2nd one- so I guess one it is :)
*Craig is pulling to stand and trying to cruise.
*Melody is in preschool and loving it.
*Melody officially has a peanut allergy complete with epi-pen.
*I feel like we are fighting a losing battle with the yeast infection/white flour (melody) and eczema (craig) issues... I sense the GAPS diet looming in our future in a couple of years.
*Not having time to cook food is keeping me from introducing baby led weaning... I gave bananas- I think Craig is allergic to them (rashy eczema got worse on face and fingers after eating them), so the babies are still pretty much always breastfed (except for the bottles they get a few times a week while I teach dance or deal with milk supply issues).
*I HEART breastfeeding twins.
*We bought the kids redskins jerseys/onesies (and I got one too!)... but this is the stinkiest season on record (in our lifetimes as fans ;) ). Good thing we don't have much time to watch.
*I am currently still listening to baby lullabies on pandora even though the kids are down for naps. It is soothing :)
*Besides taking care of kids, I am teaching dance twice a week and helping to put on the Nutcracker show this fall. Those two things are pretty much all I have time for.
*And going to church on Sunday. Church has pretty much ROCKED lately.
*Confession: I am late to church EVERY Sunday, by a LOT. Thank you to all the really nice ushers who help us find seats late in the game :) Feeding 3 babies (one who is a slow special needs bottle eater), dressing 6 people and showering (sometimes) 2 of us takes time. There is no changing this right now. I am trying really hard not to feel guilty about it and just enjoy the church I am there for.
*My parents visited this past week end and it was a breath of fresh air!
*I am out of time to type... I hear babies :) Yay 15 minutes of bliss :)
Prayers appreciated :)
Rachel
PS Someone told me they are praying for energy for me on Sunday (thank you!), anyone can feel free to pray for that. And health. We are needing some major prayer for health in our whole family over here if you are up for it. Thank you in advance :)
Friday, July 12, 2013
Pinterest Fun
So here is a random question... When you pin something on pinterest, do you take the time to read the article at it's original source or do you just pin things based on the picture listed?
I always read the original source and I don't pin it unless I like the whole original thing. I am a bit obsessive about "Pinterest clutter" (a concept I just made up ;-) ). I definitely don't pin anything I wouldn't actually do or something I haven't read. That doesn't mean I get to trying all the recipes or all the ideas, but I at least don't pin ones that I think are cool but would never do (that is what the "like" button is for).
So what about you? Do you pin every thing that you like? Do you only pin a few things? Every thing? What are your general feelings about pinterest? Love it? Hate it? Tell me in the comments!
Just curious ;) Respond and later I'll add comments to the body of this post!
Love,
Rachel
I always read the original source and I don't pin it unless I like the whole original thing. I am a bit obsessive about "Pinterest clutter" (a concept I just made up ;-) ). I definitely don't pin anything I wouldn't actually do or something I haven't read. That doesn't mean I get to trying all the recipes or all the ideas, but I at least don't pin ones that I think are cool but would never do (that is what the "like" button is for).
So what about you? Do you pin every thing that you like? Do you only pin a few things? Every thing? What are your general feelings about pinterest? Love it? Hate it? Tell me in the comments!
Just curious ;) Respond and later I'll add comments to the body of this post!
Love,
Rachel
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Lately...
What we've been up to lately...
Getting our house ready to sell.
In the last month or so we have started thinking about moving to a home that will sustain our family of 6 long term. We love our house now. It is 1100 square feet and it doesn't even feel too small for us right now. But we know that while it feels comfortably full, there is no room for growth. NOT that we are planning to grow any time soon or anything... but we aren't ready to say we are done with having kids. We have no idea how they may come in the future (naturally, through foster care, through adoption) but the next house we buy will need room for the possibility.
After thinking about this (and also that we need to live in a little different neighborhood with small children), we have found wonderful houses twice. Both times they have sold before we could make an offer. Mostly since no offer will be taken seriously until our house is on the market. Now that our dream houses (for the right price) are no longer out there we are still feeling motivated to move. Even if we rent for awhile, that is okay, since owning a home is currently holding us back from being able to buy a new one (especially since we aren't interested in renting ours out and becoming landlords).
So we have been moving forward getting ready to sell. We have lined up someone to do repairs around the house. We are getting a new front door. The bathroom ceiling has been repainted. Several other rooms will be painted in the process. We are rearranging furniture to make more sense to potential buyers... And as someone who loves to decorate and "stage", I am also having fun making the house look nice! :)
We are also still dealing a lot with Peanut's health issues. Pray for him. There are too many things going on with him to even list. There is also a court date coming up at the end of May that will give us an idea of what his life holds for the next season. Just pray for Peanut if you think of him. Pray God's will be done. Pray protection for his little life and for complete healing for his illnesses/complications. Lately, it has started to make me very sad to see how delayed he really is... I am starting to feel helpless to help him improve- even doing all of the therapies, etc. it is hard to wait for improvement that comes so slowly.
Peanut started to say "Mama" this week. My heart melts every. time.
Melody is a little girl now (she would say a big girl :)). She is potty training. It is going well so far.
The twins are doing great. Craig is humongous. I call him a "hoss". Georgia is precious and peaceful. Melody has started to call her "Georgie". Sleep wise the twins are finally on a pretty good routine. They eat around 6am, 9 or 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 6:30pm and 9 or 9:30pm- with the occasional extra feeding thrown into the late afternoon. Then Craig has been sleeping until 5am or 6am (depending on if the last feeding is closer to 9pm or 10pm) and Georgia is still waking up once at night- usually around 3am. I don't nurse the twins together- they are REALLY big. It is kind of hard to juggle them both at the same time. Not to mention it means I am stationary if I feed both together. I need the ability to chase my other little ones around or care for them (make them meals, bottles, etc) so while I don't "Tandem Nurse" I do "Tandem Care" for my family. I am usually nursing a baby while giving Peanut his morning bottle, or nursing a baby while I help Melody go to the potty. I have started to use a ring sling which has seriously helped the nursing while doing something else thing.
All in all we are insanely busy. We are also insanely crazy thinking about selling a house/moving while we adjust to twins and care for Peanut in the midst of all of these health issues. But it is fun. And one day when we live in a house that we aren't going to move from for a long time and Peanut is a little bit healthier and the twins are a little older, life will feel positively easy. Easy Peasy as I like to tell Melody. But I'm not longing for that kind of easy at the moment. I am loving these crazy days. As I said on Facebook recently, this is a good kind of chaos.
Our children are blessings. Our life is crazy, but happy. And again, we are so thankful to everyone who has helped us in this season. We really are doing well because of you.
I am off to get a few hours of sleep now. Well... after I attempt to clean up our living room a little bit. We moved furniture around tonight, so it needs a little help... then I will get a few winks- I promise! :)
Love,
Rachel
Getting our house ready to sell.
In the last month or so we have started thinking about moving to a home that will sustain our family of 6 long term. We love our house now. It is 1100 square feet and it doesn't even feel too small for us right now. But we know that while it feels comfortably full, there is no room for growth. NOT that we are planning to grow any time soon or anything... but we aren't ready to say we are done with having kids. We have no idea how they may come in the future (naturally, through foster care, through adoption) but the next house we buy will need room for the possibility.
After thinking about this (and also that we need to live in a little different neighborhood with small children), we have found wonderful houses twice. Both times they have sold before we could make an offer. Mostly since no offer will be taken seriously until our house is on the market. Now that our dream houses (for the right price) are no longer out there we are still feeling motivated to move. Even if we rent for awhile, that is okay, since owning a home is currently holding us back from being able to buy a new one (especially since we aren't interested in renting ours out and becoming landlords).
So we have been moving forward getting ready to sell. We have lined up someone to do repairs around the house. We are getting a new front door. The bathroom ceiling has been repainted. Several other rooms will be painted in the process. We are rearranging furniture to make more sense to potential buyers... And as someone who loves to decorate and "stage", I am also having fun making the house look nice! :)
We are also still dealing a lot with Peanut's health issues. Pray for him. There are too many things going on with him to even list. There is also a court date coming up at the end of May that will give us an idea of what his life holds for the next season. Just pray for Peanut if you think of him. Pray God's will be done. Pray protection for his little life and for complete healing for his illnesses/complications. Lately, it has started to make me very sad to see how delayed he really is... I am starting to feel helpless to help him improve- even doing all of the therapies, etc. it is hard to wait for improvement that comes so slowly.
Peanut started to say "Mama" this week. My heart melts every. time.
Melody is a little girl now (she would say a big girl :)). She is potty training. It is going well so far.
The twins are doing great. Craig is humongous. I call him a "hoss". Georgia is precious and peaceful. Melody has started to call her "Georgie". Sleep wise the twins are finally on a pretty good routine. They eat around 6am, 9 or 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 6:30pm and 9 or 9:30pm- with the occasional extra feeding thrown into the late afternoon. Then Craig has been sleeping until 5am or 6am (depending on if the last feeding is closer to 9pm or 10pm) and Georgia is still waking up once at night- usually around 3am. I don't nurse the twins together- they are REALLY big. It is kind of hard to juggle them both at the same time. Not to mention it means I am stationary if I feed both together. I need the ability to chase my other little ones around or care for them (make them meals, bottles, etc) so while I don't "Tandem Nurse" I do "Tandem Care" for my family. I am usually nursing a baby while giving Peanut his morning bottle, or nursing a baby while I help Melody go to the potty. I have started to use a ring sling which has seriously helped the nursing while doing something else thing.
All in all we are insanely busy. We are also insanely crazy thinking about selling a house/moving while we adjust to twins and care for Peanut in the midst of all of these health issues. But it is fun. And one day when we live in a house that we aren't going to move from for a long time and Peanut is a little bit healthier and the twins are a little older, life will feel positively easy. Easy Peasy as I like to tell Melody. But I'm not longing for that kind of easy at the moment. I am loving these crazy days. As I said on Facebook recently, this is a good kind of chaos.
Our children are blessings. Our life is crazy, but happy. And again, we are so thankful to everyone who has helped us in this season. We really are doing well because of you.
I am off to get a few hours of sleep now. Well... after I attempt to clean up our living room a little bit. We moved furniture around tonight, so it needs a little help... then I will get a few winks- I promise! :)
Love,
Rachel
Friday, March 29, 2013
Twins & Peanut Update
30 minutes to myself = time to write a quick disjointed post about how things are going... please forgive the incomplete sentences and punctuation errors that are bound to occur!
Last Wednesday the twins were four weeks old. The last four weeks are a blur. It is amazing how many things have changed in four weeks though...
Milk supply has gone from shaky to pretty solid...
I have gone from not sure how to handle twin feedings to starting to get a system...
I have realized that ANY system of feeding twins (breast, bottle, pumping, combination, tandem, staggered, etc) is HARD.
I like feeding the twins one at a time, but I inevitably fall asleep while feeding the second twin.
I have never appreciated the ability to nurse lying down like I have with twins. My body gets so tired... even if I am not sleeping, lying down is SO much more restful. Sitting up to do the burping = no fun.
There are so many baby products that I have changed my mind about since having Melody & Peanut... Example: I was gung-ho for glass bottles with Melody... no plastic near my babies! Now I am gung- ho about Breast Flow Bottles since they mimic the breast and help keep babies' suck strong and in a correct placement while nursing. Potato- Potahto I guess...
It is weird to me that some things work better for different babies... Butt Paste & Pampers Swaddlers & Sensitive wipes from Wal Mart are the perfect diaper combination for Peanut (no leaks, no blow outs & diaper rash goes away in one application)... But Balm-X & Sensitive Wipes from Target are the best for avoiding diaper rash for the twins... it is strange to me that you really can't use just any product for any baby on sensitive baby skin.
I am waiting a little longer to begin cloth diapering with the twins.. Sometimes you can change 5 diapers in a 15 minute period with twins... I am going to wait a few more weeks before we start that adventure. We will... just not quite yet.
I am finally to the point that I am so tired that I am okay if the twins cry a bit before they sleep. The irony in this is that when I finally decided to let them cry until they slept (being sure of course that every other need was met) they only cried for about 2 minutes before they calmed themselves and drifted off... Oh irony... I was scared about two babies crying loudly at the same time for hours (or you know, 20 minutes or something) and it has RARELY every happened that way. Again, ironically, the more I try to intervene to help them soothe to sleep, the longer they cry (even with me holding them)... lay them down and they are out in no time flat- even though they are LOUD for a few minutes.
Last crazy thing for today before I go have 10 minutes to myself that's NOT on the computer... Peanut had an ear nose and throat doctor appointment today where we discovered that he has partial hearing loss (meaning only hears REALLY loud noises)... He may have not heard our voices EVER in his life. The doctor believes it is temporary caused by fluid build up behind his ear drum that will hopefully drain eventually (or we may have to help it along somehow)... I can't even write my response to how this makes me feel. It would take hours... I just keep looking at Peanut and wanting to cry because I keep wanting to talk to him and I keep re-realizing that he can't hear me. We have to wait a month to go back to see how his ears are doing. It will feel like a long month... Pray for Peanut to regain his ability to hear and for everything to resolve itself simply!
Thanks for listening to my random tangent...
Love,
Rachel
Last Wednesday the twins were four weeks old. The last four weeks are a blur. It is amazing how many things have changed in four weeks though...
Milk supply has gone from shaky to pretty solid...
I have gone from not sure how to handle twin feedings to starting to get a system...
I have realized that ANY system of feeding twins (breast, bottle, pumping, combination, tandem, staggered, etc) is HARD.
I like feeding the twins one at a time, but I inevitably fall asleep while feeding the second twin.
I have never appreciated the ability to nurse lying down like I have with twins. My body gets so tired... even if I am not sleeping, lying down is SO much more restful. Sitting up to do the burping = no fun.
There are so many baby products that I have changed my mind about since having Melody & Peanut... Example: I was gung-ho for glass bottles with Melody... no plastic near my babies! Now I am gung- ho about Breast Flow Bottles since they mimic the breast and help keep babies' suck strong and in a correct placement while nursing. Potato- Potahto I guess...
It is weird to me that some things work better for different babies... Butt Paste & Pampers Swaddlers & Sensitive wipes from Wal Mart are the perfect diaper combination for Peanut (no leaks, no blow outs & diaper rash goes away in one application)... But Balm-X & Sensitive Wipes from Target are the best for avoiding diaper rash for the twins... it is strange to me that you really can't use just any product for any baby on sensitive baby skin.
I am waiting a little longer to begin cloth diapering with the twins.. Sometimes you can change 5 diapers in a 15 minute period with twins... I am going to wait a few more weeks before we start that adventure. We will... just not quite yet.
I am finally to the point that I am so tired that I am okay if the twins cry a bit before they sleep. The irony in this is that when I finally decided to let them cry until they slept (being sure of course that every other need was met) they only cried for about 2 minutes before they calmed themselves and drifted off... Oh irony... I was scared about two babies crying loudly at the same time for hours (or you know, 20 minutes or something) and it has RARELY every happened that way. Again, ironically, the more I try to intervene to help them soothe to sleep, the longer they cry (even with me holding them)... lay them down and they are out in no time flat- even though they are LOUD for a few minutes.
Last crazy thing for today before I go have 10 minutes to myself that's NOT on the computer... Peanut had an ear nose and throat doctor appointment today where we discovered that he has partial hearing loss (meaning only hears REALLY loud noises)... He may have not heard our voices EVER in his life. The doctor believes it is temporary caused by fluid build up behind his ear drum that will hopefully drain eventually (or we may have to help it along somehow)... I can't even write my response to how this makes me feel. It would take hours... I just keep looking at Peanut and wanting to cry because I keep wanting to talk to him and I keep re-realizing that he can't hear me. We have to wait a month to go back to see how his ears are doing. It will feel like a long month... Pray for Peanut to regain his ability to hear and for everything to resolve itself simply!
Thanks for listening to my random tangent...
Love,
Rachel
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Georgia and Craig
 |
| Georgia and Craig- 3 days old |
Yesterday was our first day at home without extra help. No moms, no nannies... just us.
This morning I am sick with some kind of cold, but yesterday was... close to perfect.
Calm.
Peaceful.
Enjoyable.
One thing at a time.
No dishes were done, no laundry was folded. Just playing with our kids. Taking naps. Nursing babies. Husband and wife talks. Dreaming dreams for our family's future. Making plans.
I will be thankful when my sister arrives in town tonight or tomorrow morning and when our housekeeper comes to do the deep cleaning tomorrow, but yesterday told me that we can do it! We will eventually (keyword- eventually!) go back to being a self-sufficient family.
In the meantime thank you to everyone who has given gifts, brought food, called to check in, watched Melody and prayed for us. We wouldn't be feeling nearly as peaceful without you. You have been God's provision for us.
Love,
Rachel
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Inspire Me! Monday... Birth Stories
This momma is super tired! So I am avoiding writing much and simply sharing some inspiring and amazing (some difficult and some feel good) stories about birth. Enjoy!
Twin Birth with a Suprise
Embracing the Unexpected
Fighting for Natural Birth
Another natural twin birth
A C-section Birth
And as a bonus... I'm sure I will learn many things from having twins... this is what one mama has learned in a year!
10 things I've learned...
Happy Monday to you!
Love,
Rachel
Twin Birth with a Suprise
Embracing the Unexpected
Fighting for Natural Birth
Another natural twin birth
A C-section Birth
And as a bonus... I'm sure I will learn many things from having twins... this is what one mama has learned in a year!
10 things I've learned...
Happy Monday to you!
Love,
Rachel
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Preparing for twins continued...
A little while back I wrote this post about how my head was spinning a little trying to figure out how life is going to work when we have newborn twins, a special needs infant and a toddler.
I thought I would share how we're doing tackling the list I made of things left to do to prepare for Baby Boy and Baby Girl's arrival. Here goes...
1. Plan an overnight for Christian and me away from the kids and chaos of life.
This idea has officially been nixed... by me... Somewhere around two days after I wrote this down, I began to feel so big that I wouldn't have been able to enjoy a week-end away if I wanted to. However, I did spend two days in bed last week-end from being sick while Christian took care of the kids. In an odd way, laying in bed felt really good to my super-pregnant body. We will have to do a special trip for the two of us another time when I can enjoy it more. We will be having the baby go overnight away soon though, so Christian and I get a little extra rest before the twins come.
2. Clean out the clutter from our house and make room for two more babies.
This is a work in progress, but I do feel like progress is being made. So far Christian and his brother moved all of the big pieces of furniture we don't have room for anymore out of the house, general housework is being kept up with and just this morning, I sat down in our future playroom and spent an hour organzing things to go to the attic, to toss or to give away. It is taking time, but we will get there. My parents are also coming this week-end, so I look forward to having their extra hands around to make even greater progress toward getting the playroom and baby room ready.
3. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before babies get here.
This one is hard. I have loose ends hanging all around (it feels like). Things to do for me, for the dance studio, for my business, for the kids doctor's appointments, for the twins... I am definitely trying to stay on top of things, but being tired ALL the time makes it difficult. I will keep plugging along here.
4. Pack a hospital bag and solidify plans for our kids in case of early delivery.
I am pretty sure we have a plan and a back-up plan for where our kids will be during delivery. But I have still not packed anyone's bags... I feel like it's one of those things that still hangs in the loose ends category. Gotta get on this one... It's kind of important!!
5. Pre-register for birth at the hospital and sign up for birthing classes, making sure I know the hospitals policies about twin birth since I want to do it naturally.
I finally made the call yesterday to set up my pre-registration appointment at the hospital. I have decided against birthing classes since a) we have a lot on our plate already and b) I still remember vividly a lot that we learned there and we have pretty much run out of time to sign up.
And that's how we're doing getting ready for the twins to grace us with their grand entry into the world... We still have lots of things to order for the nursery (and 2nd crib, a dresser, etc) but like I said, we are slowly getting there. I know that we are running out of time, but I also can still only move so fast! I told my brother-in-law the other day that I feel like a manitee out of water... I wish I was kidding...
But we are getting lots of help from friends and from a new part-time nanny/housekeeper that I have hired and so I have lots of faith that we will get everything ready in time.
So here is the updated list of what we still have left to do...
1. Clean out the clutter from our house and order what we still need for two more babies.
2. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before the twins get here.
3. Pack a hospital bag for myself and one for each of the kids.
4. Type a general birth plan for my pre-registration meeting at the hospital.
One step at a time!
Love,
Rachel
I thought I would share how we're doing tackling the list I made of things left to do to prepare for Baby Boy and Baby Girl's arrival. Here goes...
1. Plan an overnight for Christian and me away from the kids and chaos of life.
This idea has officially been nixed... by me... Somewhere around two days after I wrote this down, I began to feel so big that I wouldn't have been able to enjoy a week-end away if I wanted to. However, I did spend two days in bed last week-end from being sick while Christian took care of the kids. In an odd way, laying in bed felt really good to my super-pregnant body. We will have to do a special trip for the two of us another time when I can enjoy it more. We will be having the baby go overnight away soon though, so Christian and I get a little extra rest before the twins come.
2. Clean out the clutter from our house and make room for two more babies.
This is a work in progress, but I do feel like progress is being made. So far Christian and his brother moved all of the big pieces of furniture we don't have room for anymore out of the house, general housework is being kept up with and just this morning, I sat down in our future playroom and spent an hour organzing things to go to the attic, to toss or to give away. It is taking time, but we will get there. My parents are also coming this week-end, so I look forward to having their extra hands around to make even greater progress toward getting the playroom and baby room ready.
3. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before babies get here.
This one is hard. I have loose ends hanging all around (it feels like). Things to do for me, for the dance studio, for my business, for the kids doctor's appointments, for the twins... I am definitely trying to stay on top of things, but being tired ALL the time makes it difficult. I will keep plugging along here.
4. Pack a hospital bag and solidify plans for our kids in case of early delivery.
I am pretty sure we have a plan and a back-up plan for where our kids will be during delivery. But I have still not packed anyone's bags... I feel like it's one of those things that still hangs in the loose ends category. Gotta get on this one... It's kind of important!!
5. Pre-register for birth at the hospital and sign up for birthing classes, making sure I know the hospitals policies about twin birth since I want to do it naturally.
I finally made the call yesterday to set up my pre-registration appointment at the hospital. I have decided against birthing classes since a) we have a lot on our plate already and b) I still remember vividly a lot that we learned there and we have pretty much run out of time to sign up.
And that's how we're doing getting ready for the twins to grace us with their grand entry into the world... We still have lots of things to order for the nursery (and 2nd crib, a dresser, etc) but like I said, we are slowly getting there. I know that we are running out of time, but I also can still only move so fast! I told my brother-in-law the other day that I feel like a manitee out of water... I wish I was kidding...
But we are getting lots of help from friends and from a new part-time nanny/housekeeper that I have hired and so I have lots of faith that we will get everything ready in time.
So here is the updated list of what we still have left to do...
1. Clean out the clutter from our house and order what we still need for two more babies.
2. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before the twins get here.
3. Pack a hospital bag for myself and one for each of the kids.
4. Type a general birth plan for my pre-registration meeting at the hospital.
One step at a time!
Love,
Rachel
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Big, Big Babies!
Yesterday, I went in for an ultrasound to see how the twins are doing... They are some big, big babies!
We are 32 weeks preggers now...
Baby Girl was estimated at 4 lbs 7oz.
Baby Boy was estimated at 5 lbs!
That is a WHOLE LOTTA baby goin' on!
Who wants to take guesses at how big these babies are going to be when they are born? (Remember, I will be induced before 39 weeks.) Leave your guess in the comments! :)
We are 32 weeks preggers now...
Baby Girl was estimated at 4 lbs 7oz.
Baby Boy was estimated at 5 lbs!
That is a WHOLE LOTTA baby goin' on!
Who wants to take guesses at how big these babies are going to be when they are born? (Remember, I will be induced before 39 weeks.) Leave your guess in the comments! :)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
31 weeks and couting...
7 weeks left to go...
This time is moving so slowly... Mostly because I am moving so slowly.
But I am trying to take the advice I have read about from others who have endured multiple pregnancy... Take things one day at a time. Make it your goal to keep the babies cooking for one more week. See your life in (very) small chunks of time. This makes life feel more attainable.
So every day, I am trying to make a list of four things I need to do. I can't do ten. I can't do twenty. But (usually) I can do four.
#1 is always "Take care of kids"
#2 is always "Go to appointment" if I have one
then I have a teeny bit of room left to tackle something productive... Small and productive.
This way I don't feel stuck... since it is easy to feel stuck when your body is getting more uncomfortable all the time. (I really can feel four little feet underneath my ribs... I swear Georgia has long toenails that keep scratching the inside of me when I breathe deeply!)
Anyway, so one little step at a time. One moment and one task at a time. Then a break. Then eat. Then do another task. Then rest rest rest.
Just focusing on today...
Love,
Rachel
This time is moving so slowly... Mostly because I am moving so slowly.
But I am trying to take the advice I have read about from others who have endured multiple pregnancy... Take things one day at a time. Make it your goal to keep the babies cooking for one more week. See your life in (very) small chunks of time. This makes life feel more attainable.
So every day, I am trying to make a list of four things I need to do. I can't do ten. I can't do twenty. But (usually) I can do four.
#1 is always "Take care of kids"
#2 is always "Go to appointment" if I have one
then I have a teeny bit of room left to tackle something productive... Small and productive.
This way I don't feel stuck... since it is easy to feel stuck when your body is getting more uncomfortable all the time. (I really can feel four little feet underneath my ribs... I swear Georgia has long toenails that keep scratching the inside of me when I breathe deeply!)
Anyway, so one little step at a time. One moment and one task at a time. Then a break. Then eat. Then do another task. Then rest rest rest.
Just focusing on today...
Love,
Rachel
Monday, January 7, 2013
Inspire Me! Monday... Put your blinders on!
Welcome to the sporadic postings of Inspire Me! Monday. :)
Today will be a short post (okay- in retrospect it's not short at all- ha!), but hopefully a meaningful one as I share a thought with you that has been burning in my brain for days now.
A friend of mine (who I have mentioned before) who has an awesome blog, business and love for Jesus, wrote a post recently that I want to share with you.
Before I link you to it, I want to tell you what stood out to me most. I don't know that these were her exact words, but they are close. Here's what caught me eye (and what I can't get out of my head) from her post.
Here's the link to the Post: Little Bit Funky, A Resolution For Us All!
In general, I don't play the comparison game. I don't look at Crystal's blog and think "She does so much and I feel insecure today, so I think I'll decide that she and others like her must not have her priorities straight." Ummm.... no.
However, I DO fall prey sometimes to looking around at what others are doing and think... "Maybe I should be doing that too? They are obviously amazing at following God and serving their family, so maybe I should follow their example!"
Each day that I am given has a purpose and a plan. And at this point, believe-you-me, it looks different than most other people's lives I know! I am semi- housebound with a low immune-system child and 30 weeks pregnant with twins which makes me feel like a big walrus lumbering around. I am realizing that in order to do what God wants me to do to serve my family in this season, it takes doing a very little bit at a time with a LOT of focus.
What kind of terrible trap would I be setting for myself if I compared my list of *four things* I must do today to another person's of 10, 20 or 50 things to do today? What have I gained if I spend my time chasing and trying to achieve what other people are doing if I am neglecting my own purpose in life?
So for Inspire Me! Monday today, think about God's purpose for you and you alone. Take one step at a time no matter what your life looks like and know that God's plans are greater than what everyone else might be doing. If we as Christians all focus on the His purpose for our lives, that is how we function as one body. All of us have different roles, jobs and amounts of work to do based on our own special abilities. Be encouraged that God created your purpose with you in mind. And there is no shame in obedience to Him- even at the expense of not doing what everyone else is doing. Today I pray that you will lay your life down to the only One that matters and find yourself to be lifted up.
Love,
Rachel
"You are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE thing is needed." Luke 10:42
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. " Proverbs 4:25-27
Today will be a short post (okay- in retrospect it's not short at all- ha!), but hopefully a meaningful one as I share a thought with you that has been burning in my brain for days now.
A friend of mine (who I have mentioned before) who has an awesome blog, business and love for Jesus, wrote a post recently that I want to share with you.
Before I link you to it, I want to tell you what stood out to me most. I don't know that these were her exact words, but they are close. Here's what caught me eye (and what I can't get out of my head) from her post.
Wake up each day and do what God wants YOU to do. Don't wake up and look at what another blogger, pinterester, friend, etc is doing and then wonder if you are doing enough. Wake up and figure out how YOU are supposed to live YOUR life according to God's plan for YOU. Period.
Here's the link to the Post: Little Bit Funky, A Resolution For Us All!
In general, I don't play the comparison game. I don't look at Crystal's blog and think "She does so much and I feel insecure today, so I think I'll decide that she and others like her must not have her priorities straight." Ummm.... no.
However, I DO fall prey sometimes to looking around at what others are doing and think... "Maybe I should be doing that too? They are obviously amazing at following God and serving their family, so maybe I should follow their example!"
I forget that instead of modeling my life after really great people and all the great things they are doing, I should be modeling my life after ONE person.
Each day that I am given has a purpose and a plan. And at this point, believe-you-me, it looks different than most other people's lives I know! I am semi- housebound with a low immune-system child and 30 weeks pregnant with twins which makes me feel like a big walrus lumbering around. I am realizing that in order to do what God wants me to do to serve my family in this season, it takes doing a very little bit at a time with a LOT of focus.
What kind of terrible trap would I be setting for myself if I compared my list of *four things* I must do today to another person's of 10, 20 or 50 things to do today? What have I gained if I spend my time chasing and trying to achieve what other people are doing if I am neglecting my own purpose in life?
So for Inspire Me! Monday today, think about God's purpose for you and you alone. Take one step at a time no matter what your life looks like and know that God's plans are greater than what everyone else might be doing. If we as Christians all focus on the His purpose for our lives, that is how we function as one body. All of us have different roles, jobs and amounts of work to do based on our own special abilities. Be encouraged that God created your purpose with you in mind. And there is no shame in obedience to Him- even at the expense of not doing what everyone else is doing. Today I pray that you will lay your life down to the only One that matters and find yourself to be lifted up.
Love,
Rachel
"You are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE thing is needed." Luke 10:42
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. " Proverbs 4:25-27
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Coordinating Diaper Bums
Won't these be so cute on a little baby boy and girl twins?!
Can't wait!
xo,
Rachel
Twins & Diapers & Super-Pregnant
You would not believe how many things are rolling around in my head (okay maybe you would) as I think about how on earth we will get prepared for these twins.
Thoughts about childbirth for twins (want to try to attempt a natural delivery), wondering if I should re-take birth classes at our local hospital, thinking about all of the things to organize and clean, paint, etc... and diapers!
This is one thing I think I've finally made a decision about. Right now my two kids are currently in disposable diapers. Hopefully Melody will potty train sometime soon and there will be no more diapers for her (she is approaching three years old in March) and with my foster son, he has so many doctor's appointments and family visits, etc, I have just never found the motivation to switch him over to cloth. I am also buying clothes for him as I go along and we all know (if you have done cloth) that clothes need to be bigger to fit cloth diapers and I haven't been able to coordinate buying bigger clothes with a time I can also do the necessary laundry to switch him over to cloth.
When I think about what is coming down the pipe with twins (3 kids for sure in diapers, possibly 4!) I just can't imagine cloth diapering all of them.
But the idea of PAYING for HUNDREDS of diapers per week has me shaking in my boots a little too.
So we are headed right down the middle.
I just got done ordering a dozen more prefolds, 2 cute coordinating Thirstie duo covers (they are my favorite!), and some snappies for the twins.
Yep, I am going to cloth diaper twins right from the beginning and let my other two kiddos continue on in disposables as we have been doing. This way I am not overwhelmed by dirty diaper laundry (or the idea of changing 3-4 cloth diapers in a single outing) OR by the amounts of money we would be spending on disposable diapers for 4 kids.
Maybe I am overly optimistic, but I also hope to feel MUCH better after these twins are born, so that I am not intimidated by the laundry situation for four children and two in cloth diapers.
I am chalking up my lack of laundry skills at the moment to being pregnant, having been VERY busy the last six months and still busy even now and being super-pregnant.
In fact, that is what I think I'm going to refer to being pregnant with twins as from now on. When you are pregnant with multiples, you aren't just pregnant.... you are SUPER pregnant. :) It's akin to having a super hero power. In fact, I think handling pregnancy is a super power no matter who you are or how many babies you are having!
Okay, off to be a super hero momma of the twin baking variety. Donning my cape to handle some laundry for a family of four while Baby Peanut naps. Here's hoping he stays asleep long enough for me to accomplish sorting and starting a load!
:)
Love,
Rachel
Thoughts about childbirth for twins (want to try to attempt a natural delivery), wondering if I should re-take birth classes at our local hospital, thinking about all of the things to organize and clean, paint, etc... and diapers!
This is one thing I think I've finally made a decision about. Right now my two kids are currently in disposable diapers. Hopefully Melody will potty train sometime soon and there will be no more diapers for her (she is approaching three years old in March) and with my foster son, he has so many doctor's appointments and family visits, etc, I have just never found the motivation to switch him over to cloth. I am also buying clothes for him as I go along and we all know (if you have done cloth) that clothes need to be bigger to fit cloth diapers and I haven't been able to coordinate buying bigger clothes with a time I can also do the necessary laundry to switch him over to cloth.
When I think about what is coming down the pipe with twins (3 kids for sure in diapers, possibly 4!) I just can't imagine cloth diapering all of them.
But the idea of PAYING for HUNDREDS of diapers per week has me shaking in my boots a little too.
So we are headed right down the middle.
I just got done ordering a dozen more prefolds, 2 cute coordinating Thirstie duo covers (they are my favorite!), and some snappies for the twins.
Yep, I am going to cloth diaper twins right from the beginning and let my other two kiddos continue on in disposables as we have been doing. This way I am not overwhelmed by dirty diaper laundry (or the idea of changing 3-4 cloth diapers in a single outing) OR by the amounts of money we would be spending on disposable diapers for 4 kids.
Maybe I am overly optimistic, but I also hope to feel MUCH better after these twins are born, so that I am not intimidated by the laundry situation for four children and two in cloth diapers.
I am chalking up my lack of laundry skills at the moment to being pregnant, having been VERY busy the last six months and still busy even now and being super-pregnant.
In fact, that is what I think I'm going to refer to being pregnant with twins as from now on. When you are pregnant with multiples, you aren't just pregnant.... you are SUPER pregnant. :) It's akin to having a super hero power. In fact, I think handling pregnancy is a super power no matter who you are or how many babies you are having!
Okay, off to be a super hero momma of the twin baking variety. Donning my cape to handle some laundry for a family of four while Baby Peanut naps. Here's hoping he stays asleep long enough for me to accomplish sorting and starting a load!
:)
Love,
Rachel
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Verse of the day...
"Then He said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
Luke 12:15, NASB
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