Snuggle Time

Ward loves to randomly come into our room and jump on our bed yelling "snuggle time" and ...yeah....snuggle with us.  I don't know how much longer it's going to last but I'll be sorry when it's gone.

Top Ten Mommy Tips

My cousin just had a baby 8 weeks early and her sister sent out an email asking for ten mommy tips for her. It was fun and a good reminder for me of what I need to be thinking about. I thought I'd throw them up her and try to get back into blogging. ( I was mostly thinking about babies.)


Top Ten Mommy Tips 

I cheated and put 5 in one on a few of these but, hey, I have a ridiculous overflow of advice. 

1. Constantly remind yourself that the difficult stages only last a few months at a time. It helps you endure them. ( Some of the sweet stuff only last for a few months at a time too. So savor those things.) The lack of sleep is really tough but try to let it go for awhile because you will get it back. 

2. I learned the "5 S's" from a book called, Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. It's pretty common sense just put in a pattern. This method really worked for all my kids. It is a way to calm your baby and stop them from crying. You are supposed to do them in order.

1. Swaddle- don't be afraid to make a nice tight swaddle they can't move their legs and arms in. They like it. Really.

2. Side- Turn them on their side or stomach in your arms. 

3. Swing- I think of it more as a "jiggle" than a swing.

4. Sound- turn on some sort of white noise (static from radio or vacuum) or make  a "shhsh" sound yourself. (Yes, you will feel silly but the relief is worth it.) 

5. Suck- let them suck on your finger or a pacifier

3.Sleep when the baby sleeps. Ignore messes and get the sleep when you can.

4. Cold iceberg lettuce leaves feel great shoved in you bra when you are engorged.

5. 5 Great toys:

1. wooden or metal spoon (little babies love them.)And when they are older if you can stand the noise add a pot. 

2. a small ball (8 months) They will roll a ball back and forth with you for hours.

3. stacking blocks (6-8 mos) they love stacking and knocking them over again and again

4. sunglass (12 mos) Cutest thing ever.

5. Legos  (4yrs +) Boys love them so much it's weird.

6. Keep an extra outfit for you and the baby in your car. Especially a shirt. Spit up is gross.

7. Burp your baby really well after every feeding. Any leftover gas will equal torture (in the form of a super fussy baby) for you later.

8. Make a habit of putting your baby on the floor (on a blanket) a lot. Let them fuss some. Turn them on their bellies then back on their backs. The more they get used to being on the ground the more time you have to get things done and the faster they learn to crawl and walk but you have to teach them by making it a habit. 

9. Moby wraps or similar are terrific. They give you free hands and are easy on your back. www.mobywrap.com

10. Moms love to give advice. Accept it all graciously and glean what you like to use for yourself. Don't let it offend you when people think they know best because a lot of people think they know best when it comes to kids. Just remember, you know best for your baby. 

# 5

I am pregnant with number 5!

And if one more person makes a hint that I don't understand birth control or that this was an accident I will lose it. ( Only a couple of people have done this it just irritates me to no end that people think you couldn't possibly want 5 children on purpose.)

We are hoping for a girl.

I am a bit sick with the nausea but not nearly as bad as most of them. Yea for low level nausea instead of high level nausea!!! Whoo hoo. This is why blogging isn't happening much lately.

Yea for baby #5.

New Stuff

I got some fun new things from Pottery Barn while my mom was here. (She works there.)

Plant Stand 

New library bin

Wicker lamp shade

Garden Update

 Harvesting beets and turnips

 The peaches are making my tree bend like crazy. 

 Time to replant. 

artichoke and cucumber

I have been letting my chickens roam the yard more but they are eating as many peaches as they can reach, begonias and my cabbage. Hoping to make them a bigger yard.

"The paralyzing effect of nuance, its exploitation as a warrant for passivity, is a kind of decadence." -Leo 


Found this quote via my former pastor, Toby Sumpter, and really liked it.  

Renata's Plot

Renata has been begging me to have her own plot or area of the garden. I tried a couple of things but ....ahem...I had a hard time letting go and letting her really take over a part of the garden. She kept asking for her own plot and I decided it was time to give her one.  I had a perfect place for it and a friend gave some fun wood with a tiny bit of decorative wavy trim on it . I thought it finished it off nicely. She wanted to plant flowers and we got her a bunch of annuals. Now I just have to figure out what to do about all the other kids who now also want their own plots.