Viv & Michael's World

why i have been missing in action

2011-08-04T09:34:00.000-04:00

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'till tomorrow,
For children grow up, I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby,
And babies don't keep.

--Ruth Hamilton

this is the best way i can sum up why this blog has been so quiet. as i watch my boys together i realize this time will be short that they are this little and still want to spend time with me. so blogging has taken a back seat for now.
not much to update other than we patiently wait for the return of AF after the hysteroscopy which revealed a polyp of placental tissue and inflammation which i will be on antibiotics for 6 weeks total to eradicate. i also O'd on my left side so i'm hoping its a sign that things are still working ok even after being on estradiol my body kind of picked right up after the dose was over.
so for now that is all i have to share. hope everyone is enjoying their summers i just wish it didn't have to end.

still educating myself on RPL and its possible causes

2011-07-13T13:05:00.000-04:00

As we prepare ourselves for yet another surgery due to my sometimes dumb body and habit of loosing babies.
i'vee been keeping busy with dr. google to anwser some questions and raise even more for me to present to my RE.
I hope that my "research" can maybe help others who actually have a life and don't scour the interwebz, while the lil one is snoozing, instead of oh i don't know cleaning, laundry and the shopping list of stuff i need to do while he is asleep.
As some of yo may know i'm going in for a hysteroscopy tomorrow to "poke" around and remove any scar tissue from previous D&C and/or other causes.
so on with today's lessons:

What is Hysteroscopy?

minor surgical procedure utilizing a thin fiberoptic tube or hysteroscope to see the inside of the uterus (endometrial cavity). Hysteroscopy allows the doctor to diagnose and treat a variety of uterine abnormalities which may cause infertility, recurrent miscarriages, abnormal bleeding and pain.

which bring me to why i'm having so many losses...the honest anwser? we really don't know yet and i'm hoping this procedure tomorrow can clear some stuff up. if there is significant scar tissue to be removed then mre than likely that is why. see if the baby implant on scar tissue...its dead tissue with no real blood flow to it so baby won't get a proper blood supply. the other possibility was a heart shaped uterus or bicornuate uterus.

although he is pretty sure the later is not the case since the u/s all show a round/oval shaped uterus.

Recurrent Miscarriage

probably no aspect of infertility is more traumatic than becoming pregnant and then losing the baby to miscarriage. And while most women who miscarry do go on to give birth to a healthy baby in the next pregnancy, infertility specialists are often called in to find out the cause for the recurrent pregnancy loss and recommend treatment.
The incidence of pregnancy loss among all women is about 20%. Statistics show that if the first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, the second has similar possibility - 20% - of the same outcome. After two miscarriages, however, the risk rises to 25%-30%. So, only about 4% of women will experience two consecutive pregnancy losses and less than 1% will experience 3 or more consecutive miscarriages. For this reason, most experts recommend that a woman see a fertility specialist if she has experienced two miscarriages in a row. For a woman who has had three consecutive miscarriages but no history of live birth, the next pregnancy has a 30-45% chance of ending in miscarriage. Keep in mind, however, that this means she still has better than 60% odds of carrying the next pregnancy to term!
It had long been believed that - unlike "first" miscarriages, of which a little over half are caused by chromosomal abnormalities - recurrent pregnancy loss had other causes. However, recent research has demonstrated that about 60% of recurrent miscarriages are also caused by chromosomal abnormalities. Researchers are still debating what causes the remainder. Possibilities include immune system malfunction, hormone imbalances, distortions of the uterine cavity, and pelvic infections. Studies have also linked the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and excessive caffeine consumption to an increased risk of miscarriage.
The risk of miscarriage increases with age, and, in many cases, can be attributed to an abnormal egg. As a woman gets older, the quality of her eggs diminishes resulting, not only in more miscarriages, but also in an increased infertility and genetic abnormalities (such as Down’s syndrome) rates. When a woman seeks medical care for recurrent miscarriages, her doctor will first seek to diagnose the cause for her problem.

What causes recurrent miscarriage?

A cause for the miscarriage can be identified in only 50 % of the cases.

Genetic causes - Your doctor may recommend genetic studies (chromosomal analysis) for you and your spouse. The incidence of chromosomal abnormality in either spouse is approximately 1-3 %. Whenever possible a genetic study of the miscarriage tissue should be obtained. IVF and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) has not been found to be particularly helpful as a screening tool for recurrent pregnancy loss, but may be considered in cases of repeated miscarriages attributed to abnormal chromosomal studies (karyotype) in either spouse.

Uterine factors - If, for example, the woman is found to have uterine fibroids or polyps (two types of benign growths) hysteroscopic or laparoscopic surgery may be advised to remove these. Similarly, if she has a uterine septum (a congenital condition in which the uterus has a wall through the middle of it), surgery can correct this. Sometimes, scar tissue within the uterine cavity is responsible for the miscarriage (Asherman’s Syndrome).

Cervical factor – Incompetent cervix is associated with second trimester pregnancy loss as a result of weakening of the cervical tissue. The treatment involves placing stitches to strengthen the cervix and prevent it from dilating prematurely.

Ovulatory factors - If blood tests indicate that a woman has "luteal phase defect" (not producing enough of the hormone progesterone to support an early pregnancy), treatment with progesterone (injectable, vaginal tablets or suppositories) may be considered. Another option is HCG injections to increase the production of progesterone from the ovary. If the miscarriage is caused by faulty ovulation, treatment with fertility medications such as Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene) can restore normal ovulation and may improve your chance of a successful pregnancy. In some patients with ovulatory dysfunction caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), treatment with Insulin blocker (Metformin) has been shown to improve ovulation and may also decrease the risk of miscarriages.

Advanced reproductive age has been associated with diminished ovarian reserve and increased rates of miscarriage. After age 40, 30-40% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, most often as a result of an abnormal number of chromosomes in the embryo (aneuploidy).
Infectious causes - In some patients a miscarriage can be associated with the presence of an organism called "Ureaplasma", which can be detected by a simple cervical culture and treated with an antibiotic, such as, Doxycycline.
Immunologic factors - such as Antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) or Factor V. In these types of cases, aspirin therapy (81mg daily) may be prescribed during pregnancy. Low dose Heparin therapy has also been demonstrated to be successful in about 80% of patients with recurrent pregnancy losses. Recent studies demonstrated both aspirin and heparin therapy to be equally effective in treating recurrent pregnancy loss with about 80% live birth rate.
Unexplained recurrent miscarriages - In women with unexplained or unknown cause for the recurrent miscarriages, no specific treatment has been found to be helpful.
In a recent randomized placebo-controlled study (2/2010) of 364 women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages, Aspirin and low-molecular weight heparin treatment did not improve live birth rates. 54.5% of women given aspirin and heparin had live births. 50.8% of women given aspirin alone and 57% of women given only placebo (sugar pill) had live births.
Most importantly, aspirin and heparin therapy can increase the risk of placental abruption and pregnancy loss. The take home message is that there is no proven benefit to this treatment in women with recurrent miscarriages and that such treatment may increase the risk of pregnancy loss. Treatment with aspirin and heparin should, therefore, be reserved for patient with recurrent miscarriages caused by inherited thrombophilia or antiphospholipid syndrome.

Leukocyte immunization and Immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy have been evaluated in patients with recurrent miscarriages. The treatment is expensive and has been shown to provide no significant benefit in preventing further miscarriages. Similarly, natural killer cells (NK) have been implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss, but it is still not certain that NK are necessarily bad in humans.

RPL TESTING

An evaluation for known causes of recurrent pregnancy loss is most often initiated after 2 or 3 consecutive pregnancy losses and may include the following:

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG), Saline Infusion Sonography (SIS) and hysteroscopy to make sure that there are no uterine abnormalities.
Progesterone level or endometrial biopsy to see if an ovulatory disorder, such as corpus luteum defect, is causing the problem.
Chromosomal analysis (karyotype) for the husband and wife.
Culture for Ureaplasma organism.
Immunologic workup (anticardiolipin antibodies, thrombophilia panel).
Day 3 FSH and Estrogen (E2) levels to evaluate the ovarian reserve.
Thyroid, prolactin, blood sugar and insulin levels (in PCOS patients).

Looking for sperm defects (Sperm DNA fragmentation) has not been proven to be helpful for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss.

What can I do to prevent another miscarriage?

Keep in mind that even if the cause for your miscarriages is unknown, you have about 60 - 70% chance of having a successful outcome with your next pregnancy.
If the cause for your miscarriage is known, specific treatment can improve your chances for a successful pregnancy.
Maintain healthy weight and exercise regularly; avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking. Consider folic acid supplementation and baby aspirin therapy. Seek support from professionals or family members to help you cope with the emotional difficulties often experienced after a miscarriage.
If you are over 40 with recurrent pregnancy loss, the problem may be attributed to poor egg quality. In such cases, Donor egg IVF can be considered.

So as you can see its alot to take in. My personal belief is i may have ascherman's syndrome because of all my D&C, which in hindsight i wanted done to just get it done with and be able to move forward, but now it seems like its making me wait anyway to move forward. damned if i do damned if don't.

passing time

2011-06-16T15:44:00.000-04:00

as we wait for my body to heal i've been keeping busy sewing and doing other crafts, so i figured i would share with you guys what i've been doing.
as i was driving through town a couple of weeks ago i saw a girl wearing a stripped maxi dress and instantly wanted one because it looks so summery and just cute and simple yet put together.
i saw a couple online and in stores and tried them on but wasn't crazy about either price or fit or stule or all of the above. so i figure i would try making it myself.
i used a dress i already own, or more like 2 because its the top of one and the bottom of another.
i used those to make pattern pieces. then i cut my fabric and started piecing it all together.
i made the chest and back area double layers to conceal a bit more since the fabric is thin, not see through but thin

double layered

the front top part where the straps will meet with the bodice

i left about an inch all around so i could fold over, pin and sew the seam allowance

and so i could have straight lines, not jagged

i lined up the top front part and the bottom front skirt part right sides together and sewed so the seam would be hidden

the srtaps were basically long tubes sewed right sides together, then i used a saftey pin to pull one end through to the other side to put it right side out.

the straps attached to the back piece

the front piece where the straps will meet and attach

the edges of the dress's seam allowance

the final product. i added a flower made following this tutorial

flower close up

i got my own labels from etsy. just think the give the clothes more of a finished look

i attached the flower with a pin just in case i ever wanted to attach it to a headband or a belt or whatever

ta-da !!!

.
ok so moving on, i made Gabriel this shirt following this tutorial

close up of the embroidery. honestly i did this in bed watching tv after the kiddos were sleeping.

and finally, darren had this cute ikea table that he was supposed to use for homework, yeah he never did, so it moved to Gabriel as his drawing station but soon it became a rainbow of crayon colors on it., i couldn't really paint it because its not real wood, i guess if i had sanded then primed maybe i could hva painted, but i went the easy route bought chalkboard contact paper cleaned said table and voila instant chalkboard top table leaving room still for his paer roll to paint/drawn on, and its the perfect height.

And finally my two projects lined up and ready to go.
flat front pants with seersucker fabric. pattern found here

and i got all these cozy and fun flannel colors and train fabric to make this blanket for Gabriel

lastly but with out a picture, i got a gorgeous orange chiffon that i will be using to make this for myself.

so as you can see it should keep me busy as we wait for things to get moving.

the post i didn't think i would have to write ever again

2011-06-08T12:43:00.000-04:00

i'm sure you guys have been wondering where the heck i've been, or not if i have any readers left.
well besides sewing and keeping busy with the boys i alos got an nice surpise on mother's day that had kept me..well...praying to the porcelain gods for quite some time.
I got a bfp and we were over the moon.
things wen't pretty normal( well normal for us anyway/0 we started the lovenox shots and the progesterone and then last week we had out 1st u/s which showed a faint heartbeat but also that i was a week behind schedule. Dr. wasn't really worried and said maybe i implanted late and wanted a repeat u/s this am.
i just got home from said u/s which showed not change in baby's size and more notably, no sign of heartbeat.
i'm devastated, i feel like no matter what i do i keep letting my husband down, i let my son down as he wants a big family, i feel, no i know that I am the problem, that more than likely its my eggs that are the issue.
michael says he want to talk to our Re and see if maybe he would rather do IVF so we stop having all these losses, that maybe we can control things and make it as good as possible.
i'm pretty sure we will be meeting with the genetic specialist and our RE to see what the best course of action is, because to be honest with you, 6 losses is just to much to handle at this point. i want a big family and carrying a pregnancy is obviously not an issue.
but how much more heartbreak can one person really take, even if they are as stubborn as i am?
please keep us in your prayers as we head in for a D&C this friday.
and more importantly hug your little ones extra tight tonight because they are truly a blessing and for those of us who struggle and fight and loose part of our souls in the process to have such a magical experience they are priceless.

handmade goodies

2011-04-28T14:07:00.000-04:00

As promised here are a few of the things that have been keeping me busy lately, besides the boys of course

Scalloped edge baby blanket

don't mind the fact that its so wrinkly, G loves to cuddle with it. My next step is to embroider his initial on one corner but for now baby steps.

I was feeling particularly adventurous one afternoon and decided to tackle a button down shirt. if you look closely you will see many imperfections but overall i'm happy with how it turned out. I have to admit the collar was a bitch and half to make!
i used this pattern and one of his shirts to help me along the way

then i figured "hey I want something for me" i had been perusing catalog for dresses for D's communion and came across this Lace-Stripe Tissue Tee from J.Crew

i love how the lace gives this simple tshirt a romantic detail, what i didn't love? the price tag $58!!!! for a tshirt
I grabbed a plain white tshirt from H&M and placed 4 strips of lace where i thought i would want them and pinned in place about a hand width apart

CAREFULLY, try it on to see if the lace is where you want it.
use liquid stitch to hold the lace in place then sew.
I also stitched the lace down the side of the shirt so it wouldn't pull up and so it would be more secure.

cut the excess lace from the side and enjoy!

A different child

2011-04-25T14:26:00.001-04:00

A different child, people notice

There's a special glow around you.

You grow surrounded by love

Never doubting you are wanted;

Only look at the pride and joy

In your mother and father's eyes.

And if sometimes between the smiles

There's a trace of tears,

One day you'll understand.

You'll understand there was once another child.

A different child.

Who was in their hopes and dreams.

That child will never outgrow the baby clothes.

That child will never keep them up at night.

In fact, that child will never be any trouble at all...

Except sometimes, in a silent moment,

When mother and father miss so much

That different child.

May hope and love wrap you warmly

And may you learn the lesson forever:

How infinitely precious,

How infinitely fragile is this life on earth.

One day, as a young man or woman

You may see another mother's tears

Another father's silent grief

Then you, and you alone will understand

And offer the greatest comfort.

When all hope seems lost

you will tell them with great compassion:

"I know how you feel.

I'm only here because my parents tried again."

BPA and baby food

2011-04-13T16:39:00.000-04:00

I try to feed Gabriel and of course the rest of my family as much organic food as i can, specifically any fruit/veggie which skin is edible. Milk, eggs, and cheese. So it was a given that baby food for on the go or when i'm running low on homemade kind was to be the same standard.
my favorites and Gabriel's are earth's best, ella's kitchen, happy baby, plum organics and sprout. Love them all.
My MIL tends to give him what i tell her or she cooks pastina (pasta stars that are minuscule) in chicken broth with veggies.
She did get recently the Gerber toddler meals, which i though was and easy option. Fast forward to last night and when everyone was asleep i was reading May's Glamour magazine which happened to have an article about plastics in general and how they can be dangerous.
It had a part that said BPA has been linked to infertility and went on to mention that most dangerous are plastics with the #7 on the bottom. You can google and will get lots of info on this.subject.
Now back to Gerber:
from green and clean mom

"Now there’s the BPA issue and most of what I used from Gerber was in plastic. Just wonderful, another reason why making your own food probably is the best. So I called the company and wanted to hear what they had to say about BPA and their food in the plastic. The lady on the phone was just darling but uninformed and tried to explain which plastic was safe and which wasn’t and what the FDA says is safe and how Gerber’s priority is safety. A scripted answer and when I pushed for more details on exactly what number plastic was the baby food containers and the juice in, she said she couldn’t find the documents. Hmmmm? I was then asked for my address and she politely said she’d send me coupons. Thanks.
A letter arrived in the mail, nearly two weeks later but the coupons came in two days. A nice letter explained how I can be assured that all Gerber products are safe and meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements for safety. They explain that the FDA sets regulations for food and plastic interaction and they are well within the federal limits. The Gerber® Graduates® plastic food containers are not made from polycarbonate. Gerber chose the multi-layer #7 plastic to keep food fresh and safe, that’s their reasoning.Their final statement to me was this, “Gerber believes that when used as intended by FDA, these products are safe.”
I drove to the store and looked at all the Gerber plastic and all of the juice containers say #7 and all of the plastic baby food containers are #7. If the plastic is multi-layered then why have a #7 on them? What is the point of parents using BPA free bottles, sippys, teethers and toys when the food they are giving their children is packaged in BPA plastic? I’ve written enough posts on BPA, started a project to help daycare convert to BPA Free products but the big wigs are hiding behind an approved limit. Gerber has been in business for 80 years and they clearly state they have helped family raise happy, healthy babies. Moms decided for yourself if you feel that Gerber is a company you can trust. I, however, believe that Gerber is hiding behind the FDA and needs to make a change, fast! It isn’t enough to just offer me a handful of coupons and discounts to forget about the BPA!
If you feel the same as I do, call or write the company and tell them your feelings (1-800-4-Gerber). We have to start demanding that large companies make these changes and stop accepting what the FDA deems as safe limits. Enough is enough! Safe Mama has also composed a great post that might be worth reading. Safe Mama mentions Gerber claiming all of their products were BPA Free but in my formal letter, there is no statement such as this. I guess we were on the same wave length! Moms Rising started a petition for you to sign that lets the CEO’s know, we want change. For now, maybe begin making your own baby food, choose foods in glass jars rather than plastic (be sure to recycle them) and maybe consider buying from a company that makes organic baby food in safe containers."

Here is some more info from the Glamour article:
3 chemicals to know and AVOID

Bisphenol A (BPA) - linked to infertility problems & heart disease. Don't microwave food in plastic containers and choose glass over canned goods.

Phthalates - found in some cosmetics, air fresheners & cleaning products especially ones with fragrance. Contributes to weight gain, may interfere with male-type hormones. Go fragrance free.

Tributylin - in some shower curtains, TBT may turn stem cells into fat cells. Buy PVC-free plastics.

HOW TO STAY SAFE
1. eat well and exercise
2. buy fresh produce if possible(no packaging)and choose food foods in glass containers instead of metal cans.
3. no plastics in the microwave
4. always try to buy organic version of foods with edible skins
5. check the safety of your cosmetics - database.com enter 5 items you use the most and it will rank its potential health hazards. josie maran cosmetics is a great "green" healthy choice
6. don't use cleaning products with fragrance or air fresheners - I've been using method or just plain vinegar to clean, safer for baby, us and mother earth. Search the blog i have a post for homemade home cleaners that are baby friendly and easy to make.
7. filter your tap water - we use PUR attachment and it works amazing.
8. take off your shoes before entering your home - don't track in outdoor stuff like pesticides and other cancer-causing substances, plus it keeps your floors cleaner!

Just wanted to share some info and food for though. I'm not getting anything for mentioning any of the above brands, just sharing what has worked for us
And like glamour says " Be Proactive, don't wait for the goverment to tell you not to eat something or use something because bv the time they do and IF they do, too many people will have suffered"

in the meantime i'll probably use up whats left of the gerber food just not heat them up in said container, Then i guess i'll have to keep up with my homemade food for our little monkey.

Busy

2011-03-28T17:54:00.000-04:00

This once a month blogging thing has got to stop and it will i promise...BUT i do have a legitimate reason, we have been house hunting and it looks VERY promising (fingers crossed) and i have been putting my birthday gift

to very good use and i will be showing you some of my "creations"

oh yeah besides that i also have a communion to plan and put together and my little monkey who is exhausting but so much fun to watch his antics every day.
He currently has 2 molars and 1 incisor cutting through at the same time and my arms can prove that with lots of black and blues.
stay tuned!

Praying

2011-03-11T20:02:00.000-05:00

i was getting ready to finally (yet again) update my blog and had a long post with pics all set to go, but for now and in light of the events in Japan today, my only request is please pray for all of those people. My heart goes out to them for i know how fast an earthquake can be devastating but a tsunami on top?
God Bless them all and give them strength.

Yes we still exist...finally updates

2011-02-09T19:07:00.003-05:00

I know i know i have been a craptastic blogger, but we were away in costa rica and with the boy's party, well lets just say i was lucky i was bale to wash my hair as often as i did.
so without blabbing too much, i wanted to share some pics from Gabriel's 1st Bday and Darren's 10th! (holy crap that makes me feel old)
I had been brainstorming for the longest time about how to "them" the party and since they are both HUGE milestones it seemed unfair to have to throw 2 different parties or our friends and family to have to travel to, so for this year we decided to combine them. i think its the only time this will ever work due to the huge age difference. elmo and transformers don't quite go together. so along with Darren we came up with Seuss and his thing 1 and thing 2.
it worked out perfectly for us.
so i scoured the interwebz for inspiration and quickly found lots of ideas for baby showers not so much birthdays of such an age gap so i got creative with the ideas.
i'll post the link to the inspirations down below, make sure you check them out these ladies have mad skills and i couldn't have come up with many things without their creativeness.

THE DETAILS
I made both of these banners

Then i used the same template to make them each a personalized poem, and below are the 12 months of pics of my little monkey

The gift table, its hard to see but i bough the birthday book from seuss and put a note telling guests to please leave a message in the book. it will make for a nice keepsake

I couldn't decide on centerpieces and on a christmas shopping trip to khols i found these guys for $5 each. add balloons and voila perfect centerpiece

Found the ice bucket at the $ section in target and it was the perfect place to hold our personalized silverware, or plasticware as Darren would say

The menu, there is one for the dessert table as well.

These evntually became crayon rolls that were part of the goodie bags, which i totally forgot to take pics of but do have extra so i have to find it to show you guys.
They had a crayon roll, a bottle of bubbles (personalized of course) a mini coloring book and a baggie of goldfish..
I got the squares from ebay and this was not its intended initial use but they worked perfectly.

THE FOOD

red velvet and cream cheese thing cupcakes...yes the cotton candy "hair" would have looked better but i had no time to find it let alone put it one.

chocolate dipped marshmellows, again i wanted to do cake pops but time was an issue

chocolate dipped/drizzled pretzels and oreo truffles (yum and super easy to make, look here for the recipie)

sugar cookies with royal icing with a D or G

vanilla cupcake with orange tinted buttercream frosting and a wocket on top

green deviled eggs, we also had hams and swiss sliders but somehow do not have a pic of them.

salads

spinach dip (thanks jules)

The amazing cakes our beloved baker made for us, it was beyond perfect and delicious

THE GUESTS OF HONOR

my big boy

and my little monkey

let them eat cake

in case you are wondering i got his customized shirt from SewMuch2Sew over at etsy. she was super helpful and even though it was a last minute thing she was able to get it to us on time for the big day. Its hard to see but its got his name under the 1.

PINATA TIME

PARTY PEOPLE

inspirations
google image search was very helpful for "seeing" ideas but these sites were great

http://dayswithbabykam.blogspot.com/2010/09/party-planning.html - totally stole her directions card

http://annies-eats.com/2010/06/28/andrews-second-birthday-party/ - lots of food ideas for combining the blue/red colors

http://www.amberhousley.com/2010/06/index.html - lots of visual ideas

http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2010/01/dr-seuss-birthday-party.html - inspiration

http://karaspartyideas.blogspot.com/2009/07/dr-seuss-baby-shower.html - more inspiration (color)

As promised...although late

2011-01-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

So I'll try to make this as easy as possible.
and in order.
so his 11 month photos

and his cake

Gabriel's first christmas was priceless! We did gifts with Hubby's parents first and he got lots of goodies

Gabriel shared the love with the pups, gibving them his puffs.

that is all for now. i will be posting pics soon of Gabriel's first birthday party which was this past saturday and part of the reason i have not been updating as much, since I DIY alot of it.

slacker

2011-01-11T17:11:00.000-05:00

I know i know, it been almosta month since i last blogged! bad me! BUT i have a legitimate excuse. I actually we have all been sick! like went to bed died and then somehow woke up the next day feeling worse sick! the boys too!
not to mention new years!
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!! by the way!
oh and did i mention i had the craziest idea that catering my own DOUBLE birthday party would somehow be easier (read: cheaper) than just going somewhere and having someone else do it all for us?!
Well said party is this saturday. Meaning I have ALOT of cooking to do, we are expected to get hit with at least 12 inches of snow tonight, which means all my errand will now be pushed to Thursday which I'm working ! ugh its been a crazy mess and ioh yeah we leave for costa rica the following weekend and i have yet to pack for all of us!
OMFG!!!!
ok vent over, i do promise however to update within the next 24 hours with TONS of pictures
11 months! holy crap Gabriel is going to be 1 already?! don't get me started
Christmas pics
the noreastern we gt hit with onCchristmas weekend a
and more ( i think)
so for now just a quick update so ya'll know i'm still alive.

We got our cards!

2010-12-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

and as always shutterfly delivered! i love how our card looks!
It very classic but not stuffy it has a clean look to it and i love how it all just flows!

loving it!

Cooking help

2010-12-10T23:45:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if i mentioned it before but after i had Gabriel i was in a fog to say the least, and once i went back to "work" its been hard to pin down a routine that will work for our family. With karate lessons, CCD, gymboree and general errands being run not to mention the winter motnths ahead, well you can say that meals have gone the wayside. Our menu was becoming more and more take-out/ sandwhices than the new dishes i would find in magazines or on shows and was willing to try out.
Now that G is walking forget it kitchen and mealtime were a mess.
Unitl i met my saviours
enter Pocket full of posies, their system for mealtimes have helped me out so much that i don't need to figure out what meal to make each day. i take a couple of hours on sunday to do the shopping and plan my menu and that is it. they provide you with the recipes and the ingredients you nee. they make it way easy to plan dinner.

We'dRight now they are offering a free set of recipes,!!
Offer ends December 24 at midnight. Enter code "FREEBIE" in the instructions box at checkout.
so try them out, they have given our meals a makeover

kinda late 10 month post

2010-12-01T18:46:00.000-05:00

with the holidays i completely forgot to update G's 10 month pics and of course cake!
so here you go

he tried escaping.....

showed me he was done....

and then the shoot was over

Hope everyone had a good thanksgiving...oh and speaking of:

LOVE how adorable my boys looked!

I'm sorry but WE need to respect THEM? really?!!

2010-11-29T22:34:00.001-05:00

read the whole story here

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our annual jib jab dance

2010-11-27T00:11:00.001-05:00

shutterfly promotion

2010-11-17T23:07:00.001-05:00

everyone who knows me, know that I am a huge a fan of DIY personal photo books. Shutterfly has been one that I reorder from all the time! in fact i have about $200 worth of books waiting to be ordered but i'm still working on our disney book!We also get our Christmas cards with them!
I love all the designs they offer and how fast they are.
Along with phot books i also order our christmas cards with them every year.
I love how we can choose whimsical or modern cards and even traditional cards and how we can incorporate more than one photo in it since its so hard to choose just one.
I noticed this year they also have cards that can double as or christmas letter. While i'm not a fan of writting christmas letters, let alone send them out, i thought this was a cute idea.

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/love-2010-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93476

I also really love that they offer canvas now
http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art

even better (well for me)
spanish cards i can send to Costa Rica and they'll actually appreciate them

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/feliz-navidad-2010-tarjetas-de-navidad-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93477
·So what are you waiting for?!!!

Right now they have an amazing deal for ALL bloggers
You can get 50 free Christmas cards to send to family and friends!
http://bit.ly/sfly2010

enjoy!

Turkeys for my boys

2010-11-17T13:30:00.001-05:00

I've been very crafty lately, don't really know why since i have no time left between D's after school activities and keeping up with G and the house and what not, not to mention feeling lousy from a double infection that is just now clearing up.
I like keeping busy but this was insane. somehow though in the midst of the chaos that is our life i managed to whip up these 2 shirts for my boys to wear at thanksgiving.

I have to say they came out pretty good I was even impressed.
i made D's on a regular sized t-shirt and G in a long sleeve onesie he had.
the total cost of the project was maybe $10 including the t-shirt and once G was asleep it took about 1 hour from start to end.
The hardest part was tracing G's hand, but the rest was easy peasey.

What I used:
White tee shirt / onesie
Heat 'n Bond (the red package) i bough a 1 yard package
jumbo orange Rick Rack
red ribbon
fabric in red, orange, yellow, and brown (I bought fat quarters and was able to do both of the boys on one piece with some careful placing)
Liquid stitch
2 googly eyes
lighter
I hand drew the body but you can use this

Trace your child's hands on a piece of paper and cut out them out to use as templates.
for the beak i just cut 2 triangles of yellow felt and sized accordingly (use your judgement)

the Heat 'n Bond package will explain how to use it,but basically i ironed the fat quarter and then applied the Heat 'n Bond to all the fabric.

Using your hand templates i traced with a pencil on the heat bond paper, then cut out the hands, the turkey's body, and beak.

Arrange the hands on the shirt how you'd like them, and iron them down one by one.
place the body down and then the rick rack to see where the lgs would go, then remove the body and glue down the legs with liquid stitch THEN Place the turkey's body back in the middle and now iron down
then place the eyes on with the liquid stitch ( you could also do this art after you do the wattle and beak)

I cut the red ribbon by eyeballing the length that would work with each turkey then used the lighter to "seal" the ends so they won't fray

Fold the ribbon to form the wattle and glue down
next place your beak and iron down
You're done !

This is what happens when daddy is in charge

2010-11-15T16:06:00.000-05:00

I asked Michael to watch the boys for awhile so i could work on the invites for their birthday party.
I can't wait to share more details on what we are doing but it will be seuss-spectacular!!!
i finally finish them not an hour later and this is what i walked into:

I love Gabriel's face when i caught him trying to make a break for it!

and we are walking!

2010-11-08T20:14:00.000-05:00

ok really this is a bit too fast for me!
sorry for the sideways thing i took it on my phone
but seriously how did i got from this

to this:

November 5th

2010-11-07T00:30:00.001-04:00

5 years ago, it was a gorgeous spring like like day with 72 forecast of sunny skies, except it wasn't spring it was november and it was the day i would marry the most amazing man i had ever met.

our story is ordinary...well sort off
Boy works at bar
Girl works at restaurant
Boy and girl meet they fall in love, they date then
they break up
we stayed sort of friends and eventually 6 months later we got back together.

I still bug him that he broke my heart but his response is "well i more than made up for it!"
you sure did baby!
This coming Feb we will be together for 9 years! 9 freaking years! amazing i might add

I love that i can be myself, be goofy, weird even!

or look like crap when i don't feel like being "put together"
I love that we can be silly together

or that he doesn't care if sundays are sometimes jammy days and we do nothing but eat and watch Tv.

Our wedding was nothing short of spectacular.

It still amazes me that i was able to land such a great man. Not only is sexy as hell, but what makes him even hotter than McSteamy is how he was/is with D. He has always been so loving and caring and nurturing, that for once in my life(at least with the guys i dated) i felt safe and taken care of. He is quite literally my knight in armor, my est friend and of course to finish being super cliche he is my soul mate the love of my life.
So here is to another amazing 5 years times a gazillion and to our happily ever after lasting a lifetime!

9 months!

2010-10-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

Holy crap where did the time go?
How is it that i have a 9 month old crawling/cruising/ 8 tooth baby?
its crazy how we spent 39 weeks wishing they could just fly by so we could finally hold you and now another 39 weeks have flown by and man do we wish time would just stand.
You amaze us everyday with how cheerful and happy you are and how you look at your brother...oh it melts my heart.
You are one very determined little man, when you get something in your head there is no stopping you...hmmm wonder where you get that from
You love Gymboree and climbing all those fun contraptions gets youi so excited.
You love meal time and will always reach fr anything on our plates, and you make it very clear what you like, apples and most fruits, and what you don't like, potatoes, and cereal.
although you still love nursing, and i get a joy out having that be "our" time.
I love how at night in bed you like to stick your tootsies in my legs so you can feel me there.
and watching you sleep is magical, sometimes you let out this huge smile while sleeping and i hope your dreams are always this sweet and happy.
it has been an amazing ride watching you transform from newborn to baby and to thing you will be 1 in just 3 months is insane!
We...well I since i'm incredibly OCD am already planning your party, and since it will be a joint BIG milestone party 1 for you and 10 for your brother, what else than a thing 1 thing 2 theme?!
yay
keep shinning my boy you are our sunshine

Your cake...so yummy

Love the faces you make!

look at those chunky monkey thighs!

Update and wow i suck at blogging!

2010-10-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

Well not really, maybe just a little, but so much has happened since my last post. I was having a very hard time with that date and i think it hit me more because we knew we had to put our beloved ju-ju to sleep. Zoe was such a huge part f our lives she was our little princess and was the sweetest ferret you will ever have met. she thrived on cuddling and giving kisses she was just a doll plain and simple. Having to say goodbye to her so close to those dates was very hard. I cried alot and i think it wasn't just for her, but i cried for my babies.

People assume that once you get your take home baby then it should be ok for you to get over the other losses, let me tell you something...you don't...well at least i don't. My heart is broken and will probably never heal and then i also feel extremely guilty because i have this amazing bouncing happy boy who just want to be held all the time and loved and here i am missing what could've been, it sucks to be in that position and while i will never change how we got here since it made us stronger. it still and will always hurt.

But i digress , Zoe will be missed terribly and some of you may be thinking "but she was just another animal" to us she was another baby, our baby, and now she is gone.
I know in my heart it was better this way. She was diagnosed with insulinoma which is very common in ferrets and although she did very well on prednisone for about a month, her little body could not take any more and she was starting to show signs of internal bleeding and very labored breathing. i wanted to be selfish and keep her for as long as possible BUT i was not willing to let her suffer.

Today is Pregnancy and Infant loss awareness day...

2010-10-15T18:53:00.000-04:00

Sitting down to write this post has been harder that i thought it would be.writting for me has always been an outlet, a way to express my emotions and just let it all out. Today though the words are not coming so easy and "getting it out" isn't a relief either. Our first pregnancy, the one we longed for so long, the one we celebrated so much and shared with our loved ones, the one that on valentine's day's was announced to us was over, that baby would have turned 2 this past Sept.
There is not one single day since that moment where i don't miss and think about our baby. We went on to get pregnant 5 more times since and lost 4 more babies.
Time has helped to ease the pain. the wound is still open though and i don't know that it will ever fully close let alone heal. My heart aches for my babies, for the "what could've been" I can't help feel like i failed my husband over and over, my family, myself. i mean come on i am a relatively healthy young woman. No 28 year old looses babies like this.
Well i did and in my heartache i also feel extremely guilty because i DO have a gorgeous perfect little boy who looks yup at me and just smiles this big toothy grin and gives me slobbery wet kisses and some women well they don't have that, and here i am feeling sorry for myself.
I feel like i'm cheating my baby out of love by grieving and when i'm sobbing while he sleeps i feel an incredible amount of guilt because he deserves to have me, all of me.
but yet my heart is broken and it hurts and there is a void that will never fill.
I wanted desperately to have him and somehow make the pain a bit more tolerable but its not the same.
please don't get wrong i adore my sons and i am eternally grateful to the good Lord for allowing me such a blessing, but my heart aches.
some days are better than others, some are just dark and i feel so alone in this even though and unfortunately i am not,its a hard thing to deal with.
to all my sisters out there who have lost their child, along with my 5 candles i am lightning tonight i will also light one for your babies and say a prayer that the void and pain is bit more tolerable.

I got this from a fellow bumpie's mom and it has the dates of our 2 babies, little did i know 3 more would need to be added when all was said and done.
check them out at inscriptions of the heart

moving everywhere

2010-10-06T13:50:00.000-04:00

Babyproofing was always in the back on mind and while i didn't want my home to becaome ne big bubble i also did not want to see my little man get hurt. the kitchen has a gate and unless we are there with him G doesn't really have access to it. so mainly he stays in the living room in this big looks-like-its-made-for-the-dog thing.

we have a big plush comfy throw from restoration hardware that i got last christmas. and a whole bunch of toys for him to play with while i cook.
Most of the other times we are upstairs and there is my problem area. besides the obvious power plugs i didn't think of much else. Turns out my dresser drawers and ***EEKK** my make up table are all fair game.
SO i just got back from BRU with some of these little babies.

i hope for now it works. he is becoming so mobile and with him cruising also just makes for a whole lot of headaches to come

seriously people? get a grip

2010-09-23T13:37:00.000-04:00

Katy perry who I love and is crazy in her styyle choices did a song for sesame street featuring elmo here is said video.

turns out some parents thought it was too racy for their children!
uhm hello the outfit is nothing short of what you would see walking down the street on a summer day. its not like she's in boyshorts and a bikini top! seriously people get a grip.
sesame street pulled the video from their site which i think is absurd. yes they are a "wholesome" show but come on katy looks cute she is not under dressed or whatever these people are saying. and as for her being too jiggly or showing too much cleavage, D sees me feeding his brother so he is used to my boobs being out, to him its just a way to feed his brother. he is not getting any "sexual" input from seeing boobs and i think its because he is so used to seeing them now that G is here that he's kind of like "ehh boobs" he is a boy and eventually he will get the whole boobs on girls thing, but i believe that if i were to make a big deal about this type of stuff then his curiosity will be peaked.
for now he is happy with satr wars and lego and this kind of thing made no impact on him whatsoever.
As for G all i can think he thinks is "FOOD"

"green" homemade cleaning solutions

2010-09-23T11:48:00.001-04:00

I had posted before about how to be more eco-friendly with cleaners, well now that G is here i'm trying even harder to stay away from harsh chemicals. especially on the floor now that he is crawling/cruising.
We purchase a steam mop

and have loved how it works.
I try to do a deep floor clean once a month and yes i'm still using bleach in the kitchen only because our shitzu is a nevous peer or has a bladder the size of a pea. Potty training with her has not worked and regardless of how many times a day we take her out, she'll still manages to pee in the kitchen. so we gave up and got one of these.
yeah she used it once and then would just use it as bed and still pee on the floor. so we have resorted to laying down doggie pads but really those things can get expensive so newspaper has been the substitute which means i mop every day 2-3 x a day. its exhausting !
I use the sweeper

and a combo of their antibacterial stuff and vinegar. then once a mnth i use bleach to mop mop again with hot water and then one last time with the steam mop. oy!
Anyway here are some things i have been using

*Multi Surface cleaner/disinfectant

In an old spray bottle fill up about 1/4 way with vinegar, put in about 5 drops of soap, a few drops of Tea Tree Oil, and fill the rest of the way with water.

*Window Cleaner, Streak Free
Spray on wipe off with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine
1 1/2 c. vinegar
2 c. Water
1 T. Cornstarch

*Scratch Free Scouring Powder

1 c. Borax
1 c. Baking soda
Fragrance oil of choice.
Mix.and you can put it in a canning jar and punch holes in the lid to use it like a can of comet.

If I need to get burnt on food out of a pot and that mix doesn't work I add a little salt and that scrubs anything out.

*Drain Cleaner-
I sometimes get slow drains. Draino is bad for your pipes, horrible for the septic system (and the environment if your on city sewer) and the fumes are horrible. I put some baking soda down the drain, about a cup or so, then chase it with white vinegar. Let it sit and work a few min. Then follow it up with some boiling water. Works great.

Laundry-
These are my two favorite recipes both are from the Duggars website.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - i found it in stop and shop. Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Top load machine

ilike this one better because its powdered and lasts forever.
1 soap bar (ivory works best especially for sensitive skin)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
1 cup oxyclean
-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: You can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars, you can use fels naphsa but its hard to find and can fade darks. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps.

for a fabric softener- I just use plain old white Vinegar, works for CD as well

I try to hang most of my laundry to dry, The sun is free, and does wonders for whites!

Mopping

For mopping we bought a Bissell Steam Mop. It works great and mops with no chemicals. I love it! You can just use plain vinegar in mop water as well,

There are so many good things about homemade cleaners. They are cheap, work well, great for the environment, and easier on us. I can get a gallon of Vinegar at shoprite for $2, and huge boxes of baking soda for $1.50. I only use a few drops of oils and you don't even need those. Hope this helps someone!

why i don't have mom friends

2010-09-22T19:42:00.000-04:00

bad blogger and 8 month update

2010-09-22T09:33:00.000-04:00

ok so i'm terrible at keeping up the last couple of weeks, but can you blame me? Gabriel has been full blown crawling/cruising EVERYWHERE, i can barely pee let alone blog or upload pics. until he is alseep and at that point i don't even know my own name. it sucks because i go through moments where i make a mental list of posts i would love to do but then it all blanks out whne i sit at the desk.
so here are 8 month pics and hopefully later today i'll get to upload some videos we have of G.

super late 7 months pics

2010-09-02T11:12:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for back to school has been even more hectic this year than any other. so with out further ado here are the 7 month pics.
although its getting harder and harder to keep him still for pics!

Oh and can't forget the cake pics

G had his appointment yesterday and although they did not weigh him we did at home and he is 22.4 lbs! holy hell how is my child so big??!!

Mickey's gone mad

2010-08-25T18:45:00.000-04:00

Bedtime can be absolute hell for some households, not to brag but luckly for us its been a breeze. We co-sleep with G and granted M was opposed to it at first, now he can't imagine and actually doesn't want the day when he will sleep in his own bed. I was and is still met with "yo are crazy for doing that, he will never leave your bed" to "you are spoiloing him" (when he was younger. You know what neither of those things happened nor will they happen. I happily co-slept with D. he went from a bedside bassinet to my bed to his toddler bed with no issues whatsoever.
G's evening routine has been bath, breast, massage, story and bed with little to no resistance. Rocking and feeding him before bed is such a precious time and one that i still get to enjoy all by myself, no one else can feed him and that feeling of his warm little body curled up next to mine is perfection at its best. Lately though him ripping his hair out while cooing himself to sleep has become an unwelcomed addition to our routine.

With his eyes half closed and nursing slower and slower, G has taken to ripping out his own hair. At first i thought he was "scratching his head because he was hot, but when it became and every nap time thing i realized i had to do something. I realized he was doing it not even fazed by his own pulling! My child is crazy... he'll never have a "decent" girlfriend or sane roommated and he'll probably end up homeless because he likes to rip out his own hair.
I turned to the now it all...aka google, turns out this is normal, its a comforting feeling for them. like sucking the solution is to give the child/baby something else they can channel their energy into like a lovie, so I gave G piglet and mickey rattle.
problem solved...sort of...now I feed G, while being beaten about the head with Mickey or piglet.
at least someone is sleeping soundly and with some hair left

A day of hope

2010-08-19T23:13:00.000-04:00

http://august19thdayofhope.blogspot.com/

i wish i was this creative

2010-08-18T17:15:00.000-04:00

I'm totally digging these 2 sites, i wish i had the time and creativity to do something like this!

new dress a day

mila's daydream

Back to school and endoscopies

2010-08-18T11:03:00.000-04:00

Getting things ready for back to school seems like a relatively easy thing to do right? wrong, D's school, rather the 4th grade team of teachers think its necessary for each child to have 6 boxes of #2 pencils, yes you read that right 6! but not any pencils they have to be Ticonderoga pencils. uhmm yeah do you know how hard it is to find those things? and they have to be sharpened when sent in. add this to the mile long list of additional things they ask for. ok wipes tissues pencils fine i get that they need that. but sometimes their request are a bit crazy. anyway the whole point of that rant is i have been incredibly busy.
I had not wanted to share on here that D had to undergo and endoscopy last week, all is well and he is doing great. Since he turned 1 and slimmed down from all the walking he stayed on the thinner side of the growth chart but maintained a healthy weight for him. last year he was labeled as failure to thrive because he lost weight. we tried everything, hiding veggies in food, medications, supplements, even threats of injectibles and feeding tubes. (drastic and mean i know but we were helpless and frustrated and beyond scared that our little boy was literally meting away before our eyes. I mean he is going to be 10 in January and he weighs 47 lbs!!!!
He is an extremely picky eater but the straw that broke the camel's back was when 2 months ago he lost 4 lbs in 1 month. his nutritionist decided we need the endoscopy to rule out anything we may have missed with all the other tests. the results? a mild hiatal hernia. she prescribed prevacid although he shows no symptoms whatsoever there is a chance he will once he gets older. Also a mild lactose intolerance which caught us off guard since he loves milk and has never had any reactions to it. She said it may show up and be there but not cause any symptoms at all. or that it may cause symptoms with say yogurt but not milk. But most importantly he is completely healthy, no parasites, no celciac nothing, picture perfect GI tract and stomach.

So with that said we now are going to check in with a feeding team at St. Joseph's hospital to check his eating behaviors and ours as well and with the help of the nutritionist, a psychologist a GI specialist and a whole bunch of other people. we will hopefully figure out a way to make diner a pleasant time for our family and not one that ends with fights because he is well not eating or dragging it out.

bad blogger

2010-08-09T17:21:00.000-04:00

Wow summer has really taken me away from being here, not that its a bad thing i have been able to spend lots of outdoor time with my boys especially now that D is all healed from his foot. he still imps but his Dr. assured me he is guarding (protecting) his foot because sub-consciously he thinks its gonna hurt. i have caught him walking/running normally but every now and then when he remembers he walk the "thug" walk as Dr. H put it (i swear his words not mine)
In other news, we had a great weekend upstate by lake george. besides some white-trash-rednecks making stupid comments. ok seriously if you see someone with a stroller then please don't walk behind them because they (i assume) have a baby in said stroller and will more than likely have to make frequent unexpected stops. and if you are up my ass then don't make the stupid comment that " ugh don't you love it when people just fucking stop for no reason" to which i turned back and said "well EXCUSE ME usually works asshole!" then he mumbled something and all i got as did hubby was "you're lucky your a girl" yeah ok one flick of my well manicured finger and you would be on the floor idiot, and don't even get me started on what M would do to you.
ANYWAY on to better things
We went camping in the end of july and had a blast, although D complained it was NOT camping and i agree we had AC and a shower in the cabin, usually our cabins consist of 2 beds and a table. but i'm glad we did because i can't imagine roughing it with monkey not even my version of roughing which requires electricity for coffee in the AM and a bed.
Check out the pad

We like it so much that M actually suggested we look into buying one of these things. uhm heck yeah!
we even gave G his bath there comfortably...see...

We ended that weekend with a quick trip to space farms zoo. its really neat how close you can safely get to the animals and even feed some of them.

I also think his 2 top teeth are starting to really bug him i've yet to feel them but he started up with his chewing on anything and everything he gets his hands on. luckily my boobs have been spared but only Gd knows how long that will last! oh yeah that reminds me! YAY for me & my trusty boobs we made it to 6 + months of EBF'ing. seriously you guys have no idea how happy that makes me because there have been days where i thought i wasn't going to make enough to keep him happy...cue in the miracle tea and pills which i truly believe help. oh and tons of water too. so a big pat to myself for pushing through 3 milk blisters engorgement and all else that comes with BFing

That all for now hope you guys had a good July as well

6 month update

2010-07-27T21:10:00.001-04:00

Wow how is it possible that time has passed us by so quickly that our little miracle monkey is half way to being 1 year old. Ugh i get shivers every time i think of that.

He has brought so much joy to our life and i can't help but gloat and beam brighter than the sun when i catch a glimpse of my little baby with his brother or better yet with daddy.

It will never cease to amaze me how much he has grown and how his little (READ BIG) personality is shinning through. He constantly shows us what he likes and what he doesn't.
His toes and feet being one of those loves.

He loves to roll around and has gotten quite good at it.
He loves to play airplane and then he somehow tucks his hands under his belly and pushes his tush way up in the air. This kid is going to be crawling before we know it and honestly i would be surprised if he walked before turning 1.

He loves my camera and its like he knows when i'm snapping shots of him because even though he is extremely happy, he turns the charm on even more when he sees the camera.

so with out further ado, although its a bout a week late here are Gabriel's 6 month pics.
No the best quality and M was getting annoyed that i couldn't get the settings right and shooting without flash while it was rainy and gloomy out so i gace in and shot with flash (EEKK) sorry guys sometimes i have to pick my battles

TEETH!!!!

2010-07-19T17:49:00.000-04:00

Did i mention Gabriel not to be outdone by his big brother decided he too would sprout both bottom teeth at the same time?!
Yup, I accidetally realized they had broken through when sunday night he shoved my finger in there to bite on and i felt them. My heart ached for a second because my gummy smile was gone forever. My little baby has teeth, well he's always had them but now they are out! boogers! this is going by to fast.
Here is proof of his pearly whites he now loves to show off whenever he can.

just enjoying life

2010-07-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

I'm amazed to see how much Gabriel has changed in the last 6 months.
Our life is a mere shadow of where we were 2 years ago this time. we were surrounded by heartache with every pregnancy and fear in our hearts.
Now I am beyond thankful for having such an amazing family. Don't get me wrong we still have our share of trials to deal with and our life is anything but perfect. Except when it comes to our boys. they simply put give us a million reason to start each day and simply enjoy US.

We take the time to be silly for no reason

and be amazed by little parts especially when they are in custom flip flops made women who have helped raised me when at my lowest points. women who I consider friends.

And to just enjoy these precious smiles and simple moment that make up our days

You Might Be a Mommy If . . .

2010-07-19T17:23:00.001-04:00

You Might Be a Mommy If . . .

By Leslie Wilson

- Every shirt you own has spit-up on the shoulder.
- Must-see TV includes Barney, Arthur and Disney Playhouse.
- You carry a diaper bag instead of a purse.
- You analyze babies’ bodily functions with women you just met.
- “Sleeping in” is when the clock reads 6:30 a.m.
- You never go anywhere without baby wipes.
- You sleep with a baby monitor a foot away from your head.
- With each subsequent child, you’ve progressed from sterilizing the pacifier to washing it off to blowing on it, invoking the three-second rule.
- Your children are better dressed than you.
- You used to be known by your first name - now you’re Jordan’s mommy.
- You store five sizes of clothes in your closet.
- You call your husband on his cell phone in order to have a real conversation with him.
- You go to bed at 12:30 a.m. and get up at 5:00 a.m., thankful for the extra sleep.
- Excitement means Pampers are on sale.
- You consider PBJs and Cheetos a nutritious meal.
- You can change from lounging-sweats casual to night-on-the-town glamorous in three-and-a-half minutes.
- “Doing lunch” means meeting three friends and their preschoolers at the McDonald’s Playplace.
- Hearing the words, “I’m done,” from the bathroom sends chills up your spine.
- You own more Disney movies than pairs of shoes.
- You can pee with three children watching you - and only two are yours.
- You spend more on babysitters than you do on utilities.
- If you were trapped for days in your car, you could survive on the Cheerios and french fries on your floorboards.
- You can tell what your daughter ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner by looking at the front of her T-shirt.
- You willingly hug and kiss a kid who has sticky fingers, sweat-drenched hair and a milk mustache.
- You’re overworked, overcommitted and underappreciated - and you wouldn’t trade your life for anything in the world.

where the heck have i been?!

2010-07-11T17:33:00.000-04:00

woohoo can't wait for this in october

Indiscreet Breastfeeding Manifesto

2010-07-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

I will nurse my child anytime, anywhere, no matter who is present or what I am wearing.
I will bare my breast with pride and confidence.
I will not apologize for nourishing and nurturing my child.
I will not smother my child with a napkin or blanket.
I will smile at everyone around me and ignore rude stares.
I will know that I am giving my child the perfect infant food from the most efficient, ecological, and economical delivery system.
I will know that I am giving my child the healthy start that is his or her birthright.
I will set an example for women and girls, educate the public, dispel breastfeeding myths, desexualize the breast, and make the world a better place, all through the simple act of feeding my child.

read the whole article here

Our 4th of July weekend recap

2010-07-05T22:44:00.000-04:00

We started our weekend by giving our pups baths...yes people VERY exciting saturday night for us. But it was gorgeous out and they REALLY needed it.

after we sat on our wicker chairs and just enjoyed the evening.

Sunday rolled around and we gave Michael his BDay gift early because well i wanted him to enjoy it for 2 whole days and because i was dying to see his reaction which was as expected, i think he knew he was getting this and was so excited about it!

he did not however know he was also getting this

his eyes just lit up like a child during Christmas or when i spot a decadent slice of chocolate cake.

Anyway he spent 2 hours playing on that thing while G and i napped before getting ready to head out to meet friend for dinner and fireworks down by Edgewater.

We had an awesome time, the crabhouse ike always was yummy. Michael had clams on the shell, followed by a crabmeat, mango and avocado salad thing, I had Mahi Mahi with mango as well. and then chocolate cake of course with a candle in it for my hubby.
Then we parked our butts outside on the pier and awaited the fireworks!

Macy's; just like last year kicked firework butt! they rocked, and yes we had a better view last year BUT they were not as loud and G actually fell asleep for the finale!

Then we headed home and called it a night.

This morning i set up the baby pool for the boys to play in. D still has his cast n for 1 more week so this was all i could offer. They had a blast.

Dinner was interesting to say the least G loves his bananas... tonight though not so much and he made it very clear as you can see

After he got extremely fussy which is very unlike him so while i was trying to soothe him he stuffed my finger in his mouth and i found the culprits of his irritability.
Seemingly overnight his 2 yes BOTH bottom teeth came through!!!
I have been check his gums since he was like 3 months old because all of a sudden he became a drool monster and i had read somewhere that massaging his gums can help ease the pain. I'm telling you for the last 2 months i have not felt anything not even a hint that his teeth where coming, no bump nothing and BAM tonight 2!
Uhm hello little man..monkey ..seriously you NEED to slow down. I want to keep you a baby forever didn't you get the memo?
I'm gonna have to order these tomorrow from amazon as i have heard really good things about them.

I am curious about these:

if anyone has any experience with them please let me know. i know they are for older babies though so i'm not sure.

I gave him this teether to try in desperation to give him some relief and he loved it, i guess the little bristles soothes him more than Sophie, but no worries she has yet to be replaced. He fell asleep right away holding sophie and the teether in place of milo.

We gave Michael his cake (Swiss bakery does it again)

And now all my boys are peacefully sleeping and i am basking in the joy of how blessed i am to have such an amazing little family.
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th!

Look what G got in the mail

2010-07-02T19:13:00.000-04:00

Why yes its a letter from the white house welcoming my little boy to this world

For a free personalized greeting from the President and First Lady like the one below, just mail the new baby's name, address and birth date to:

White House Greetings Office
Room 39
Washington, DC 20500

In case you have trouble reading the above graphic, the greeting says, "Welcome! Your arrival is a cause for great celebration for your proud family. We wish you a long and happy life, filled with chances to learn, ideas to explore, people to love and dreams to fulfill."

Gabriel's Christening

2010-06-29T22:38:00.000-04:00

Sunday was in one word, perfection, it was very hot and extremely humid here in NY but it was also magical, being witness to our little monkey's day.
We were surrounded by friends and family who all came to celebrate this momentous day in our young baby's life.
We are grateful and humbled by how much our family & friends are always there for us in good and bad times.
My little man was a happy as can be like he always is. always smiling and always bouncing...no seriously this boy ALWAYS bounces even when he sleeps his legs are going.
check out the fun times we had.

The details

The gorgeous rosary was made by seller hello designs. The pictures do it NO justice, it was amazing and so perfect! Can't wait to order one for D's 1st communion next year

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend

Gabriel's favorites

2010-06-24T10:20:00.000-04:00

remember how i told you last week about these things that G is in love with?
here is proof in case you were wondering

Unless of course your brother shoves cake in front of you

5 months

2010-06-24T10:12:00.000-04:00

ooh i found toes!

Holy heck where has the time gone?

I cannot believe my little man is 5 months already. He is accomplishing so much, still tipping over though when sitting up, i think he just like to be held so he can bounce in our arms.
He rolls over like there is no tomorrow, gone are the days we could put him down and change his diaper without a fuss, now we are lucky if we can get it on him in one try.

He has also mastered the art of blowing raspberries and he loves it. he will sit and look at me and get all serious then purse his lips and whoa bubbles galore.
I love it. I can't get enough of his chubby legs and his round cheeks.
I'm completely smitten with this boy! he has got me wrapped around his chubby little fingers.

Father's Day

2010-06-24T10:04:00.001-04:00

Father's Day was a complete bust and relatively quiet. Hubby didn't want to go anywhere because of how he looked from last week's accident. So we stayed home. Kiddie kandids fucked up because I had done a session with the boys and had this nice frame made up to give to him for father's day. they claim the lab was/is backed up. to this day i have not yet heard anything. so i guess we will be sticking to the picture people since at least i get the pic same day. It just sucks that they don't have the props they used to when Darren was a baby.
Anyway
To my husband on his first father's day (with a baby anyway)

How can i express the joy that fills my heart whenever i see you with our boys. evry little girl dreams of their prince, their knight in shinning armor and i can actually and proudly say i AM one of the lucky girls who found her knight.
You (as proven by Sunday's fiasco) have shown me you will always protect our boys and be there for them.
I fall in love with you even more now because of what an amazing father you are and how much our boys look up to you.
I love you baby and happy Father's Day

It been a crazy hectic week

2010-06-18T09:36:00.000-04:00

I have not been able to post much this week although I sit at night in bed when I can't sleep and think of stuff I can write about on my next post (obsess much viv?) like how Gabriel is loving these little heaven sent things and how I could NOT live without these, as in if i had to pick 3 things to use after baby what would the be?... this would be #1

Instead I've been taking care of my older babies as in hubby and Darren because during our usual Sunday walk which somehow became a bike ride,
It started out just fine

Until Michael & Darren both went over the bike's handle bars and had a very intimate encounter with the sidewalk.
Darren ended up with 2 broken toes and Michael...oh my baby he has stitched under his eye
above his upper lip all the way to the nose, inside his mouth. a chipped tooth and another that had to be popped back into place and is now in place with braces...oh yes as in metal mouth braces!
I'll spare you guys what my husband looks like but for now here is a thumbs up from my big strong boy hoping you guys have a less eventful weekend than we did

Cloth Diapers : The big change

2010-06-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

Look what came in the mail today!

I'm so excited to try these. since i was pregnant with Gabriel the thought of cloth diapering came and went and initially i thought "eww never" i remember being cloth diapered and I did NOT want to go through that.
I figured i would be the pampers snob i was with Darren. (Huggies did not work at all for us with either one of the boys, they had terrible leaks as in not just clothes but sheets, mattress and anything or anyone monkey came into contact with. I do love their wipes more than pampers though!)
Then the whole dry-max pampers situation came to light with reports of infants having chemical burns on their tushies. Although Gabriel had been wearing them for 4 months without problems, i didn't want to take a chance and so that whole situatuion kicked my butt into gear to look into cloth seriously.
Also it was killing me seeing our garbage pail full of 'sposies that would take up to 500 years in out landfills, oh and i've been on a green kick too.
I started researching my options, turns out there are many to be had. The amount of choices is overwhelming to say the least
Pre-folds

Hybrids - GDiapers

pocket diapers or one size - fuzzibunz
all in ones (AIO) - bumgenious / Grovia
one size - rumparooz
sleeve - thisties
fitted - kissaluvs
flat - birdseye

And those are just the types. then you can add liners, covers, inserts, doublers...you get the idea.
Anyway we decided and by we i mean I, that hybrids would be a good place to start just to get the hang of it and get comfortable. We compromised this time we is HE. that we would target brand up& up 'spoises for nighttime since we didn't want to wake up with shit all over us. BTW target diapers ROCK!!!!
So off i went cyber shopping at amazon after reading many many reviews and pouring over sites explaining an breaking down cloth diapering. We came down to 3
Gdipares
bumgenious
and fuzzibunz.
They all have their pros and cons and as i go about testing each one i'll update. So far what i like about the Gdiaper is how easy it is.

this is what the main cloth cover looks like with the inner snap-in liners

then you add the disposiable/compostable liner to the inner one into the pocket it forms

finally put in on

The velcro makes it easy to put on baby
We have had blowouts (2) where it leaks onto the inner "plastic" liner but he's done that with pampers and actually worse. so i'm not discouraged yet. I love their cute designs and how comfy they are. Yes you need to practice getting the insert just right but in the diapers defense i got the small size liner which goes up to 14lbs and Gabriel is 15 something already.
I love the G on his butt too!

I'm waiting on my fuzzibunz and bumgenius to come in the mail so i'll keep you updated once i use those. so far Gabriel seems to like his Gdiapers

For more cloth diapering info check out this site or just do a google search

Seriously Rabbi STFU!!!

2010-06-09T21:47:00.000-04:00

This man decided he all of a sudden "knows" what is right for a baby! He decided to write this article about how breastfeeding can affect your marriage.
Essentially, the Rabbi says that women who are devoted to breastfeeding are committing a “cardinal sin” by not putting their husbands and thus their marriages before the needs of their children. He goes on to say that when husbands see their wives breastfeed they lose interest in their wives sexually, and since the “erotic nature of a wife’s body is a principle element of attraction in marriage,” choosing to breastfeed and bond with your baby is akin to choosing the demise of your marriage. “It is not the bad thing you do that destroys a marriage, but all the good that you fail to do, preoccupied as you are with a sinful relationship that diverts your attention away from your spouse.”
Sinful relationship? Wow.
he says "
Obviously, breast-feeding is not the same as carrying on an extramarital affair. But when a mother gives her breasts to her son and takes them away from her husband, the effect on the marriage can feel the same"
uhm seriously, i doubt my husband feels that our son is "stealing" my breast from him!
like Hailey said:
"Stick to the Torah... what you know, because you are not a woman and do not have a woman’s intuitive wisdom!

***UPDATE***

Rabbi Shmuley wrote a retraction of the article.It turns out they’ve been receiving a number of comments (oh, really?! can't imagine why)
read it here

It seems to me that Rabbi Shmuley’s first article passionately vented his personal opinions about breastfeeding and women and his second article was written after he’d composed himself a little. It’s too bad he didn’t write the second article first. I think he could have saved himself a great deal of negative press.(quoted from breastfeedingmomsunite.com)

Baby Mamas (Put a Sling On 'Em)

2010-06-08T22:06:00.001-04:00

We died...and went to heaven

2010-06-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

and heaven is now promptly sitting on my hips!
and by heaven i mean these:

uhuh! my thoughts exactly!

you can thank bakerella for this!
oh and your welcome but i don't take responsibility for any extra stuff on your hips!

This is what nap time looks like

2010-06-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

When Gabriel decides he won't nap without me. I had to get stuff done while he napped so after he fell asleep while nursing i had no choice but to put him in the crib like this. he is such an angel

Memorial Day recap

2010-06-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a good memorial day. We started our weekend by spending time with family on saturday. Sunday we went to a BBQ

Then Monday it was all about the water play

It was a great weekend and just the prelude of what is to come this summer!

4 months already?

2010-05-19T17:07:00.001-04:00

wow little man where did the time go? I can barely remember being 4 months pregnant with you and now here you are speeding along.
this month has been amazing, you have changed so much from when we first brought you home.
here are some of those changes:

You have the most adorable belly laughs EVER.

you can turn from back to belly with so much ease now its crazy!
you have been hooch(tuner&hooch) as in you are such a drool monster! seriously you have more outfits changes in a day than J-lo does for any movie!
you have started showing a real interest in food, like the day you were gawking at the apple cake on the table and decided it would be a great idea to dive into head first mouth wide open!
did i mention you are barely fitting into 3-6 month clothes and 6 months is actually a better fit!

here are some out takes from this afternoons monthly photo shoot

1 year ago today

2010-05-18T20:50:00.000-04:00

This changed our lives forever!

and today we have him

Mother's Day

2010-05-14T23:05:00.000-04:00

I had an awesome mother's day busy and crazy but amazing!
The day started off with us going to 9am church since Michael had planned brunch for us at 11 am( our normal church time is 10:15am)

So off we went and came back home to "relax" for about an hour, then we were off again to Brunch (i'll add pics soon, too lazy to go downstairs for the camera)
we got home around 1pm.
I laid down with Gabriel to try and get him to nap which he did. but i was also trying to get y hair and makeup done since we had Kristin's wedding at 4pm.
I managed to get myself decently put together and off we went again.
We got there and it was super windy and cold (hence winter coats in May)

The place was beyond gorgeous and Kris, well she looked stunning!

I just have to say i LOVE this pic pf Kris and her dad dancing!

Darren had such an great time, he literally danced the whole night, so much so that his feet were hurting BAD by the time we got home.
My husband who have i mentioned is beyond amazing, got me a card that like always had me bawling and along with it this gorgeous necklace.
Darren says it me(on the left side) holding(hugging) him )on the right side) and Gabriel(lil diamond in the center). He says it reminds him of how i will always protect them! needless to say he made me cry as well

I have so much to thank God for this mother's day but i must confess its also bittersweet because although i have 2 perfect and gorgeous and healthy boys, i also think about my angels and what it would've have been like with them here. I miss my babies...every day...i miss them terribly and it would be a lie to say I don't still cry for them. I will always wonder and always miss them, but for now i rejoice in what the good lord has given me.
I also miss my mom terribly, she is my best friend, my confidant and we have hit some unexpected road bumps in our journey to get her back home. I pray that it all works out and she can be with me soon so i can hold her kiss her and thank her for being the most amazing strong woman she is; and for teaching me how to be an almost,equally awesome mother.
hope every one had a great mother's day!

Aromatherapy for babies/children

2010-05-13T08:33:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, Darren has winter asthma, basically happens when the air is super cold he gets a cold-like symptom and if left too long eventually starts wheezing to the point of need a nebulizer treatment. sucks i hate seeing him like that because it just wears him down completely, and if you know D well he is spirited to say the least!
Michael's brother has suggested oils to help with this and they have worked so i'm passing on the knowledge to you guys.
As always consult your child doctor BEFORE starting anything!

Introducing aromatherapy to babies

Use Lavender essential oil. 2 drops of on a tissue kept near bedside while feeding associates the aroma with love and comfort and helps in sleeping.

Teething

To ease out teething pain in kids use Chamomile oil. Wrap some ice cubes in a cloth and then put 1 drop of Chamomile oil.

Bathing

To give a nice aromatic bath to your baby, add 1 -3 drops of lavender & roman chamomile to the soap and add to the tub.

Cleaning children's rooms and school bags

Citrus Oils like Orange, Lemon, Bergamot or Mandarin oil. A few drops added to water acts as natural cleaning agents

To calm crying or irritated baby

To pacify a crying baby put one drop of lavender oil on your shoulder and then put the baby to sleep while rocking the baby. Rest the baby's head on your shoulder while doing so.

Tantrums

Roman Chamomile has calming effect on the babies and it also helps in putting them to sleep. Put one drop of Roman Chamomile on the pillow of the baby at bedtime or in the bath tub mixed with the liquid soap. It is advisable to use half the recommended amount if pregnant or breastfeeding the child.

Depression, stress, tension, frustration and anxiety

Use Sweet Orange or Mandarin oil in a diffuser. Both these oils help to release stress and anxiety

Chest infections or stuffy nose

Eucalyptus Globulus (use only Eucalyptus Smithi for children). 1 drop on the corner of the pillow. It facilitates breathing and is an effective analgesic.

Colds and coughs

To stop cold and cough add three drops of Eucalyptus Smithi to a bowl of boiling water and place it under the bed.

Insect or spider bites

Tea Tree oil dries up, swelling decreases, no pain or itching.

Essential oil use:

Dosages

Use one third of the adult dose for children. Since the skin of the children is very delicate make sure to blend the right amount of essential oil with 16 oz of water , then shake it nicely and then add to the bath tub. There are very few essential oils that can be used with kids. Some are lavender, geranium and rose. Always make sure to dilute the oils in sweet almond or milk.

Eucalyptus Smithi is the only Eucalyptus essential oil that should be used on children. Eucalyptus Globulus, which is the most common, is usually rectified and is not suitable for children. Do not use Eucalyptus on babies younger than 2 months.

3 month cake

2010-05-03T22:40:00.000-04:00

I completely spaced out and forgot to show you guys Gabriel's 3 month cake

it was so so good BTW!

here are some recent shots form the weekend...did i mention it was 90 on saturday?! yeah 90 in april..unheard off but i will totally take it i LOVE and have been craving for summer days since uhm last September!

AP / BFing humor

2010-05-03T15:15:00.001-04:00

for more go here

custom easter baskets

2010-04-28T18:11:00.000-04:00

I wanted to do something special for the boys this year, not just your run-of-the-mill-toys-r-us-basket
so i did some searching on etsy and came across Paper pixie crafts.
I reached out to her and explained just what i wanted but was flexible and let her go wild.
She came up with the most fun personalized baskets i have ever seen and needless to day the boys loved them. take a look

She made one for Darren with customized checkers transforemers VS star wars, pesonalized water bottle, zhum zhum pet which he was dying for and some other goodies

She made another one for Nicholas who is 2

and of course one for Gabriel complete with his own "tie" shirt which i had been wanting to get for him. She stepped it even further up when she made him matching pants and little bag for it all. LOVED IT!

super late easter sharing

2010-04-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

No matter how hard i try i can't seem to catch up on my blog. trying people i swear. anyway here i s a photo recap of easter this year.

We started with an egg hunt all over the house

outdoors as well

Darren found his custom basket with lots of goodies in them

Dolce was curious about the "grass"

he even go some play time

Gabriel had his own personal basket too

We had an awesome day

National Infertility Awareness Week

2010-04-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

(((HUGS))) to all of the women out there who struggle with infertility. My heart aches for you and I pray that you'll be able to soon enjoy the blessings children bring to our lives, regardless of how they enter this world.

*~* 1/8 women experience the challenges of infertility in her lifetime *~*

3 months already?!

2010-04-19T15:45:00.000-04:00

Your baby has been able to recognize you since he was just a few days old, but now he may actually be able to show it. About half of babies this age begin to exhibit an obvious recognition of their parents.

Your baby will probably continue to smile at strangers, especially when they look him straight in the eye and coo or talk to him. But he's starting to sort out who's who in his life, and he definitely prefers you, your partner, and perhaps a few others.

Your baby may quiet down and make eye contact with you, or he may search for you in a room and move his arms in excitement or smile when he finds you. He may even find your scent calming and comforting.
If your home is bilingual, your baby will benefit from hearing both languages spoken regularly. Don't worry if some of his verbal skills seem to lag a bit at first. He'll not only catch up later, but he may also excel in his general language skills.
Your baby is probably able to sit upright when propped up by blankets or pillows. If he can do this for short periods without slumping forward or immediately toppling to the side, by all means let him enjoy the new views that come with sitting upright on the floor or next to you on the sofa.

lusting for

2010-04-09T13:33:00.000-04:00

I completely and totally love this chair and think it would be fab for Gabriel thoughts
Lad of nod has them for $99 + shipping

3 guesses who we root for

2010-04-09T12:42:00.001-04:00

update

2010-04-09T12:40:00.000-04:00

Your baby is becoming very handy. Although he's already aware of his hands, he's now inspecting them like Sherlock Holmes. He turns them around, the better to look at his fingers from all sides. He opens and shuts his fists, watching each finger as it moves up and down.
uhmmm you think?

the beauty of birth

2010-03-31T10:48:00.001-04:00

Giving birth was one of the most powerful moments that will define my life, being in the moment is so different than watching it but this video made me feel like it was happening for me all over again
get your tissues!

Theo's Birth video from hailey bartholomew on Vimeo.
and for a trip down memory lane here is Autumn's awesome job of telling our birth story

Melissa had this on her blog and i had to share

Wubanub or paci plushies...our latest debate

2010-03-29T15:49:00.000-04:00

Ever since i knew i wanted kids at like 16 i knew what i didn't want...pacifiers! Totally against it and its my personal opinion that they suck and are useless! i hate them. I don't flame anyone who DOES use them, i just never liked them....until i read in a study that they may actually reduce the risk for SIDS.
I suddenly became a binkie lover... bring the binkies on.
Gabriel was a champ, he took to them no problem and thank the lord they did not interfere with breastfeeding.
He only gets them at night or some nap times, problem is he bear hugs my hand and falls asleep that way, when i try to move my hand he usually wakes up.
I had heard of the wubanub and thought hey that would be great because he can hug the animal and not my hand. my only gripe was they are attached to the soothies, so sanitizing them isn't easy, plus nothing against the soothies but they are just not pretty! lol
i did some more research and found paci plushies, same concept except you choose what paci you use and they detach so sanitizing the paci's is super easy.
i ended up getting both because i figured we could keep one downsatirs/car and one in our bedroom.here are my observations about both of them:
paci plushies on the left, wubanub on the right

~side by side they are the same size,
~ the paci plushies are definitely softer/squishier than the wubanub, and i think they have a cuter face but that is me.
~ the paci plushies also have flatten out paws which make it easier to stay in place when monkey turns his head

~ love the fact that we can use our choice of paci instead of being "told" what to use

final verdict...

Gabriel LOVES his little friend Milo

he still uses the wubanub but Milo is def his fave!
you can find either of them at amazon.

so true

2010-03-28T22:48:00.002-04:00

"You are writing the story of your only life, every single day. And my greatest hope for you, sweet child, is that I can teach you how to write a good one."
-Katherine Center (check her out here)

a shoe club? too good to be true....

2010-03-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

I recently decided to try out Shoe Dazzle, which is a shoe shopping membership club. Conceived by Kim Kardashian. Basically you take a small quiz about your style preferences and within 48 hours of that a team of stylists select five pairs of shoes for you to select your pair for the month.

All the shoes you choose are $39.95, so it seems like a pretty good deal. Be warned though, because sizes only go up to 10.
I went through their style quiz after signing up, and I chose this pair of shoes for this month:

Mona

I think that the price makes it worth at least trying out.
They ship via fedex so now I just have to wait until I get the shoes so I can inspect them up close and of course walk in them to test out.
You are not under contract and there is no "cancellation fee" so its easy to quit if you choose to.

its here!!!

2010-03-26T16:58:00.004-04:00

my Vera Bradley bag i talked about in this post is here !!!
i have to say i love this bag, its really well made and for the price i got it at...well you can't beat it!
I got the hipster in puccini
this is the packaging it comes in...very pretty and perfect for a gift

I love all the details

it even comes with an envelope for your invoice

showing off my savings skill...ha ha

even the sticker that holds the tissue paper together is embossed!

love the vibrant colors

the zipper has the name on it

Perfect size to carry on its own or along with the diaper bag. forces me to keep just the necessities in there.
I was surprised also to find plenty of pockets and how extremely well made this little bag is

final result= I LOVE IT

2 month cake

2010-03-26T16:54:00.003-04:00

showing off our 2 month cake...better late than never huh

he was happy with it i guess

and finally our happy family later that night
ok all together...awwww

cutest 37 seconds ever!

2010-03-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

i like suprises!

2010-03-19T15:48:00.003-04:00

I came home today from running errands to find this:

and found this inside:

which had all these goodies!

I had entered a contest on the bump way back when:

Hi Bumpies, I have a fantastic sweeps to share with you that will make you feel great!

Tell us something you do to pamper yourself (for example, I spend at least 5 mins giving myself a foot rub with lotion every morning), and 5 lucky winners will get this fabulous Mom Essentials Tote by Philosophy (a $125 value)!

The tote which is adorable by the way has all these amazing products:

purity made simple

one-step facial cleanser

purity made simple is an award-winning, one-step daily facial cleanser that removes makeup, cleanses, tones and lightly hydrates the skin. this facial cleanser rapidly dissolves dirt, oil and makeup to deep clean pores while maintaining the skin's proper moisture levels. purity made simple is gentle enough for the eye area and even for the most sensitive skin.

you need this product if...

you've tried a lot of cleansers but never found one you loved

you crave deeply cleansed skin

you want a cleanser that will multi-task for you

you wear a lot of makeup

your skin is congested

hope in a jar

world-famous moisturizer

hope in a jar is a world-famous, daily facial moisturizer originally created for the medical market to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, rough texture and dehydration. hope in a jar is an award-winning facial skin care cream loaded with antioxidants in a unique soufflé texture. it hydrates the skin to reduce dryness as it gently exfoliates to leave skin smoother, healthier and more radiant.

you need this product if...

you want to give your skin a drink of water, not a cup of oil

your skin is normal with a traditional t-zone

your skin is sallow and you want it to be more rosy

your skin is sun damaged

you like a moisturizer that is lightweight and non-greasy

you want skin that is makeup optional

when hope is not enough

replenishing hyaluronic acid/peptide capsules

when hope is not enough replenishing hyaluronic acid/peptide capsules are single-dose, oil-free advanced skin treatments designed to nourish skin that is dehydrated or stressed due to climate changes, hormones or illness. hyaluronic acid instantly replenishes the moisture levels in the skin which helps it appear smoother and plumper, while a cutting edge blend of peptides helps stimulate natural collagen production to restore elasticity and improve skin tone.

you need this product if...

your skin is dehydrated and thirsty for replenishment

your skin is dull, devitalized, and in need of extreme hydration

your skin has lost its firmness and elasticity

you want to minimize the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles

your skin is stressed due to climate changes, stress, hormones or illness

eye hope

advanced anti-aging eye cream

eye hope provides renewed hope for skin tissue around the delicate eye area with clinically proven results. in just six weeks, 4 out of 5 people saw significant improvement in fine lines, dark circles, puffiness and smoothness. this lightweight, multi-functional formula provides moisturization to the sensitive skin around the eyes, anti-inflammatory benefits that calm and soothe skin, and light diffusing properties to help brighten skin tone.

you need this product if...

you want the ultimate, multi-tasking formula that does it all

you want an eye cream that delivers clinically proven results

you want a targeted treatement for tired, dark, puffy, lined eyes

baby grace

perfumed body lotion

philosophy's perfumed baby grace body lotion is infused with a scent that was created for women who need to de-stress and nurture their senses. the baby grace scent is formulated with calming, care giving notes to help restore a sense of well-being. if you want to baby soft, smooth skin that smells beautiful and quenches your skin's thirst for moisture, you will love baby grace perfumed body lotion.

you need this product if...

you are looking for a luxurious body lotion with a wonderfully clean scent

you like to layer your fragrance

you like to smell good, not heavily perfumed

you like simple fragrances

you crave baby soft skin

baby grace

perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath

baby grace shampoo, bath, and shower gel is the perfect companion to the baby grace fragrance and baby grace body lotion. philosophy's baby grace shower gel is infused with a scent created for women who need to de-stress and feel nurtured. if you need want a calm, care giving scent to gently cleanse your hair and your skin, you simply must have this product.

you need this product if...

you want baby soft hair and skin

you prefer a gentle formulation

you like to layer your fragrance

you like to smell good, not heavily perfumed

you like simple fragrances

you like a great bubble bath

note: not intended for use on children or babies

Yay i love suprises!
I will post reviews once i tried all this stuff. i have used the cleanser and i love it its tough enough to remove that icky feeling from all day but gentle enough for my super dry super sensitive skin.

2 Months!

2010-03-19T11:34:00.001-04:00

Coos are your baby's way of expressing delight, as well as exercising his vocal cords. You can carry on a "conversation" with your baby now. When he gurgles or coos, say something brief or coo back at him. Then wait for him to "say" something back to you. This kind of conversational turn-taking may not sound like much to you now, but it's actually the beginning of learning how to talk.
Your baby can tell the difference between familiar voices and other sounds, and he's becoming a better listener. He can also show you that he's in tune with his environment. Notice how he looks to see where certain noises are coming from.

An ongoing conversation (although seemingly one-sided) can help your baby develop his sense of place. He may even watch your mouth as you talk, fascinated by how it all works. You'll be amazed by his ability to communicate with a growing repertory of coos (musical, vowel-like sounds), smiles, and unique cries to express his different needs.

the VIVIAN bag!

2010-03-17T22:34:00.004-04:00

yay how cool is it i found a bag named after me...i know i'm a dork...BUT hear me out
Vera Bradley is a well know brand and she sells the most gorgeous bags that can be (lets be honest... really expensive)
Well she is having a huge sell and this bag the Vivian in Vintage Rose is included in it.
Normally retails for $90 it is now on sale for $35
if you think its to "loud" here are some ideas on how to wear it:

what are you waiting for go shopping!
i picked up this one as well the hipster in puccini

retails at $56

sale price $15.77 ( i used a coupon code mcsave17 for an extra 17% off)
shipping $8.00
tax...$ 1. 99
total price $25.76!!!

definitely worth checking out.

Happy Saint Patricks Day!

2010-03-17T22:26:00.002-04:00

From the baby belly...

Mommy & Daddy's lucky charm

8 weeks old

2010-03-16T17:48:00.002-04:00

Your baby can tell the difference between familiar voices and other sounds, and he's becoming a better listener. He can also show you that he's in tune with his environment. Notice how he looks to see where certain noises are coming from.

An ongoing conversation (although seemingly one-sided) can help your baby develop his sense of place. He may even watch your mouth as you talk, fascinated by how it all works. You'll be amazed by his ability to communicate with a growing repertory of coos (musical, vowel-like sounds), smiles, and unique cries to express his different needs.
At this point, your baby will begin to move beyond his early preferences for bright or two-toned objects toward more detailed and complicated designs, colors, and shapes. Show your baby — and let him touch — a wider variety of objects. Good choices include plastic cookie cutters, soft balls, and stuffed animals.

if you plan on having more children READ THIS

2010-03-13T13:41:00.003-05:00

I saw this on the Bump yesterday and thought it was interesting, definitely a good read if anything:

Cervical Scar Tissue – A Big Issue That No One Is Talking About.

by Doula

In my first year of being a birth doula, I had this client. She desperately wanted a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). She told me how in her first birth that she was in labor for hours. Waters broken, Pitocin, epidural, tubes and wires coming from every direction. During her extremely long ordeal the only change to her cervix was the effacement (the thinning of the cervix). Her cervix never opened at all. I assumed at the time that this was because her baby was just not ready to come out. This time could and would be different. She would wait for labor to start. We would stay at home and labor where she was comfortable. When the day came, that is exactly what she did. Her labor seemed to be moving right along. When we got to the hospital I expected they would tell her that she was 4-5 cms. Instead what we got was, 100% effaced but only a finger tip dilated. I think I may have even gasped out loud. I immediately started beating myself up in my head. How could I have read her labor so wrong? 6 more hours would pass with her, her husband and I working hard. Moving from the birth ball to the shower and I swear every inch of that hospital room in between. After 6 hours, still a finger tip dilated. Obviously there is something wrong with her cervix, but what. No one seemed to know. Not the two different nurses that we had the pleasure of getting to know or the doctor who we saw just once when he was coming to explain that she would be having yet another c-section. This is one of those moments in my career that I really wish I knew then what I know now.

I have never stopped thinking of her. There has always been this part of me that wanted to call her and say “I know what it is now, can you have another baby so we can fix it?” I just know this would not make her feel any better. Instead, I keep her close to me whenever I ask the question now during each and every prenatal visit, “Have you ever had any procedures done to your cervix?” Every single birth professional that is assisting clients should be asking this question.

Look, I’m not a scientist, researcher, doctor and anything else that would know how to study this stuff. What I am is a doula that has had the pleasure of attending over 100 births. I know that the client I mentioned above was not the only one who had a c-section because of scar tissue during my earlier days. I can look back and think of all the clients that seemed to be in transition (7-10 cms) but when checked were still only 4cm. Stuck there for hours and hours. Then wondering for days after their c-section if there was something I could have done differently to help.

A New Day!

The day that changed my life as a doula forever, my very own sister was having a baby. She was having her second baby. I told her how great it would be and it would be so much faster than her first. When she started having surges just a few days before her due date, we were excited. I went to her home (3 hrs away) and stayed the whole weekend. She had surges off and on all weekend but nothing really steady. I went home after three days and decided that maybe my being there was freaking her out. For the next week, she had surges every day. I kept telling her it was going to be great. All this work would get her cervix open slowly and gently. Then she visited her midwife. She was just a finger tip dilated. I chalk this up to my sister being a big drama queen. All the surges have been Braxton Hicks! The next weekend comes and I find myself making the drive because this time her water broke. Now we know this baby is coming. She has mild labor, 7 minutes apart for 16 hours. Nothing is changing. I suggest we head in. Something is just not right. We get to the hospital and a different midwife she has never met comes to check her. 100% effaced but only a finger tip dilated. What?! Are you kidding me?! Then the words that changed my life. “Have you even had any procedures done to your cervix?” My sister says “yes, I had cryo surgery done a couple of years ago to remove pre cancer cells”. Midwife “ok well that makes sense, you have scar tissue on your cervix, and I can feel it.” Huh? Scar tissue on the cervix? Why had I never heard of this? My client from before comes rushing back to my head. Of course! The midwife proceeds to explain to my sister that she is going to try and massage the cervix and break the scar up. With some discomfort for my sister, she went from a finger tip dilated to 3 cms in a matter of minutes. An hour later she was 4 cms and an hour after that my nephew was born. Once the scar tissue had completely released, she flew to 10 cms.

As you can imagine, I asked that Midwife a ton of questions. I wanted to know all I could about this scar tissue stuff. Besides “massaging”, what can you do before hand? She shared her knowledge with me. Told me that HPV is so very common and more and more women are having these standard procedures done, but are never informed that it most likely will leave scar tissue. Although less common, this includes women who have ever had a D & C after a miscarriage or abortion.

Once I was armed with the knowledge, my successful VBAC rate shot up as did my vaginal birth rate in general. I would ask the question and if the answer was yes, I would tell them what I knew. I would suggest that they mention it to their doctor so that if anything came up during labor, would he or she be willing to massage the cervix. Also I learned from that Midwife that evening primrose oil taken orally and vaginally would help break up the scar tissue before labor. (Orally taken the entire pregnancy and vaginally each night only after 36 weeks).

Since this very important day 3 1/2 years ago, I know I have prevented c-sections. Several times in the hospital I have asked the doctor to please, when he is checking mama to feel for scar tissue. Almost every time the doctor has said “oh yeah, I feel some sort of knot here” or some other variation of that statement. This then leads to a question of; can you try and rub it out?

Why Doctors aren’t talking about this is beyond me. I honestly think they don’t know that it is an issue. I don’t believe it is something they are being taught in medical school. We all need to start talking about it because unless women are being asked the question, they just don’t know.

Written by: Doula Dawn Thompson

one happy baby

2010-03-12T11:29:00.003-05:00

on another note he discovered sophie today:

2 month checkup

2010-03-11T22:17:00.004-05:00

Today finally came. I have dreading this day since monkey was born. his first shots. I cried inconsolably when Darren had his first round of shots, i felt so guilty about bringing him to be poked at and causing him pain, although it probably hurt me more than him. Well monkey was no different and i had Michael come with me so he could hold me if i cried while i held monkey if he cried.
As always he was all smiles for the nurse and happily cooing as the nurse took his weight and measured his length. He is 10 lbs 8oz and 22 1/2 inches. My baby boy is growing so fast! His doctor said he looks great and that he is growing right on track with his chart curve.
He got 2 vaccines today one oral and one shot and boy was he a trooper. They gave him the oral one first and he was awesome. Then I was allowed to start breastfeeding him while the nurse did the shot. He was happily content but then he latched off and screamed for maybe half a second and then proceeded to go back to eating.
He is so perfect.
We then headed over to Ikea to do some browsing and ended up getting 3 of the toys i mentioned yesterday.
We then came home. I was worried he would run a fever but thank God he did not. the only "change" was he was sleepy after the shot but by the afternoon he was back to himself smiling and cooing all over the place.
I know the pic is blurry, but how does this smile not make you want to smile and forget about everything?

let's talk toys

2010-03-10T21:29:00.003-05:00

I grew up part of my childhood in Costa Rica, where playing meant going outside to ride our bikes or play with wooden cars and doll houses my grandfather had built for us. I remember my mom catching baby frogs (they were super cute not slimy and icky) for me to entertain myself while she napped. It was very carefree and natural.
If the day was rainy we all went inside and built forts or haunted houses in the bedroom and played indoors. or we would built play-doh houses and crafts. or we would play jaxs
remember these?

TV was reserved for sunday morning cartoons but once they were done we all went out to play or to the park, or even just for a walk.
I see how my 9 y/o now entertains himself with Ds, Wii, PS2 or his latest obsession...finding star wars based movie clips made of legos on you tube...yes he know youtube(with parental controls of course)
When we started the registry for Gabriel we didn't get many things i deemed unnecessary, this included toys because well he has a n older brother. that said i also didn't want him to go down the same road as Darren has as far as electronics goes. I'm counting the days where we can head out and go to the zoo and take walks and explore nature.
I don't want to introduce complex toys to him, that leave virtually no room for his imagination to flourish once he gets older.
I have been looking at some wooden toys at ikea and i think i'm gonna go get them and try them out. Take a look at how cute and simple these are:
baby gym
building blocks with wagon
push along
stacking ring
toy hammering block
toddler walker

and i also saw these on etsy by seller pinkhouse
very simple clean toys.

I mean seriously I don;t want ot be like this, nor do i think baby needs it:

here is an interesting article i found about this...well sort off

7 weeks

2010-03-10T16:29:00.003-05:00

By 2 months, baby's movements become more voluntary and less jerky, and your baby gains control of his neck. He also starts batting and kicking at toys. Read him simple books that have pictures of bright objects, animals or faces. Place him on his back under a baby gym so he can kick and bat at hanging toys.
Your baby's brain is expanding in size and complexity. It will grow about 5 centimeters during the first three months.
You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to him, sing to him, describe the pictures on the walls. He may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but he's learning nonetheless.
New textures for his hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding the world around him.
Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. In the early days of your baby's life, grabbing was mostly automatic and instinctual and he couldn't let go if he wanted to. Although he can't really grab objects just yet, he can hold things placed in his hands. And, once he wraps her hands around something, he might not let go so easily. He'll also begin to try and bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous objects far from your little one's reach. This means not holding hot liquids or sharp objects while you're holding him.
With both eyes now able to follow things consistently and well, your baby can track a moving object much better, something he may have been able to do for only brief periods since birth.
The stores are packed with developmental toys, but you'll do just as well with everyday objects. Pass a rattle or a bright plastic ladle horizontally in front of her. Then try moving it up and down. This should attract your baby's attention, though he probably won't be able to smoothly follow things vertically for another three months and diagonally for another six months.
You can also play eyes-to-eyes by moving very close to his face and slowly nodding your head from side to side. Often his eyes will lock onto yours.

wait my baby is talking to me?

2010-03-08T23:53:00.000-05:00

Watch Priscilla Dunstan at Oprah show in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

another fabulous giveaway

2010-03-07T20:31:00.002-05:00

Feels like home has a giveaway featuring etsy seller Paisley Pineapple.
make sure you gio check out her blog for a chance to enter.

She has some really adorable stuff. I swear etsy will be the death of me.

please say a prayer for Layla

2010-03-05T23:55:00.001-05:00

For the past couple of weeks I've been following the blog of Layla Grace, an adorable 2 year old losing her battle to Neuroblastoma, a(cancerous) tumor that develops from nerve tissue. It's heartbreaking to read the most current post Not Like This. Please just take one moment and pray for her and her entire family. She is in so much pain, and they are watching their baby pass from something so horrible and it just breaks my heart....
We have endured our fair share of trials, but this...no one should have to loose a child like this EVER

The 25 Most Common Cooking Mistakes

2010-03-05T21:16:00.000-05:00

which ones are YOU guilty of?whole article found here

6 weeks

2010-03-02T18:43:00.003-05:00

The first six weeks can be a real trial. Hold on to the thought that right around that six-week mark you will be rewarded with one of the most gratifying milestones in your entire parental career--your baby will beam a genuine smile at you.
At 6 weeks, about half of all babies can recognize their parents, and many of those babies are so delighted that they welcome Mom or Dad with an excited, gurgly grin. This is one of the first signs that your baby is developing an ability to socialize. In fact, it's called a "social smile," and it's one of the more emotionally gratifying milestones you'll see your baby reach.
Now that your baby's awake for longer periods during the day, you can use these times to support his sensory development. Try singing your favorite lullabies or playing music.

You don't have to limit yourself to children's songs. Fill the house with the sounds of music — from the Black Eyed Peas to Mozart — and watch as your baby expresses his pleasure through coos, lip smacks, and jerking arm and leg movements.

Vaccination alternatives

2010-02-28T23:52:00.002-05:00

With Monkey's 2 month checkup coming up, i've been researching vaccine schedules and alternatives like a mad woman. I read Dr.Sears take on it and have tried to be biased about it all.
I came across this blog in which she talks about this as well. I will leave it up to you to make your own informed decision on what is best for your child, but its always good to have information to make those choices.
Here is the alternate schedule and how it would be administered

Dr. Sears Alternative Vaccine Schedule

With all of the talk of vaccines causing autism and whatnot I thought I'd post this alternative vaccine schedule by Dr. Sears for other parents. He spaces the vaccine's out throughout their youth so that they aren't getting too much medicine at one time. The MMR shot is probably one of the most dangerous and criticized culprits of autism, but this schedule divides them up at 1, 2, and 3 years old.

The months with an * are shots-only visits b/c most doctors don't do well-baby appts those months.
I'm leaving the Flu shot out of this schedule b/c there are footnotes that basically say to start it with 2 doses between 6-12 months during flu season, then get one each year through age 5.lea
e use this list as a tool to discuss vaccinating with your pediatrician.

Dr. Sear's Alternative Vaccine Schedule

2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months*: Pc, HIB
4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months*: Pc, HIB
6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months*: Pc, HIB
9 months: Polio (IPV)
12 months: Mumps, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)
15 months: Pc, HIB
18 months: DTaP, Chickenpox
2 years: Rubella, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)
2 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A (start Hep B at birth if any close relatives or caregivers have Hep B)
3 years: Hep B, Measles (See 3rd UPDATE)
3 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A
4 years: DTaP, Polio (IPV)
5 years: MMR
6 years: Chickenpox
12 years: Tdap, HPV
12 years, 2 months*: HPV
13 years: HPV, Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)

NOTE : The MMR vaccines are no longer split up into 3 different shots. As a result I have chosen to wait until my son is over 3 to get the MMR shot. He has to have 2 MMR vaccinations before starting public school so I will wait as long as possible. However, if there is an outbreak in my area of any of the 3 diseases, I will consider vaccinating him immediately. - Shari

****UPDATED ****
It was brought to my attention that the IPV vaccine is actually included in the above....it is the Polio vaccine. I confirmed with my own research. However, I am leaving this other alternative vaccine schedule recommended from a different author and pediatrician. This is just another option for concerned parents. This schedule is based on Dr. Stephanie Cave's What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations .

Here is her schedule:

Hep B
Delay until the year before starting school, although we may consider starting the series as early as two and half if we are considering preschool at the time.

Hib
4 mo, 6 mo, 8 mo, 17 mo

IPV (Polio)
4 mo, 6 mo, 8 mo, 17 mo (booster at 4 years)

DtaP
5 mo, 7 mo, 9 mo, 15 or 18 mo (booster at 4 years)

Pneumococcal (PREVNAR) one dose at age 2

Varicela (Varivax)
Age four, if at all

MMR
Mumps – 15 mo
Rubella – 27 mo
Measles – 39 mo
Booster – age 5

****UPDATED ****
I ran across this article and decided to post it. It is about a father's struggle with vaccinations and how his decisions effected the way he chose to vaccinate his two sons. He did a year's worth of research and this article is part of his result. "To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is the parental question of our time."

****UPDATED ****3rd UPDATE****
Merck is no longer making the MMR shots separately. As a result, personally, I am putting of the MMR shot until my son enters kindergarten. I am doing this because I think this is what is best for my son in my situation. Hopefully in the next 4 years they will have more answers and I can make a more informed decision. As for right now, this is what I've decided to do and my doctor is supportive. You, as a parent, must make your own decision on when you will get the MMR.

You must read this! grab tissues though!

2010-02-26T14:58:00.002-05:00

THIS is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. And byt he way aren't her eyes just gorgeous?!

I'm thankful and completely blessed with my beautiful boys!

Trying to be "Green"

2010-02-24T12:51:00.002-05:00

No i'm not going all hippie on you but i do want safer products to clean the house with especially with D's asthma during winter( and boy has it been winter-y this year, we are expecting another 12+ in of snow tomorrow!)
and with G being an infant not to mention the dogs and the ferret. I simply need something safe bottom line. Bleach is great but i can't stand the smell so i use it very little. I had try babyganics and i love the scent but its so damn hard to find in stores and i'm not going to pay shipping for it.
So it was a toss up between seventh generation and green works, and while doing some research on both i came to this conclusion:

Green Works cost is about a dollar less than Seventh Generation and about fifty cents more than the average cleaning product. And it works just as well as Seventh Generation all Purpose Cleaner.
Both products will give you a nice fresh fragrance afterward. However, I noticed that Green Works has a delicate scent of lemon.

Green Works all purpose cleaner is made up of plant and mineral based ingredients like coconut-based cleaning agents (nonionic surfactant), corn based ethanol, essential lemon oil, filtered water and biodegradable preservatives. There is no animal testing nor phosphorus or bleach.

Seventh Generation's all purpose cleaner is made up of plant-derived surfactants (for soil removal), natural alkalinity builder for enhanced performance (sodium citrate and sodium carbonate), Preservatives (less than 0.05%), Water. It has no fragrance.

So far i have tried the multi-purpose cleaner and i have to say i'm loving it.

I also got the swiffer wet jet- yes the mop for lazy people but i have a dog who when she gets nervous just pees herself, wherever she is standing! so i mop our kitchen about 3-5 times a day. Plus we got it for free so i can't beat that.
I'm excited to try all the green works products, but i have to finish the old stuff we still have, afterall it would be a waste to just dump it.

My only complaint is they don't have a wood furniture polish, so i made my own. here is a great site i found to make your own cleaners. But for a natural wood polish follow this formula:

Furniture Polish
In a spray bottle mix 1 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a cloth.