I'm in Love

Some may ask, what do you do now that you are not working?  Well, two weeks ago, I watched my nephews (post coming soon), and last week I organized my home to get ready for a party (post coming soon), today I made these.

These are Big Butt Baby Pants and I am in love.  They are meant to fit over cloth diapers.

I also made these baby tights.  Although I had to make the legs a tad bit wider for Alice's chubby legs, but they turned out great too.   Now she can wear all her cute dresses without freezing to death.

Well, I am off to make another pair of Big Butt Baby Pants, so wish me luck.

5 Months

I can't believe my little girl is 5 months already.  I may be biased, but she is the cutest things on the planet.  She is almost always happy and smiling (other than when she is starving, tired, or has a wet diaper).  Her are a few things she is up to these days.

• She gives out smiles to anyone and everyone.  If you talk to her and smile, she will almost always smile back.  It is a whole body smile that reaches from ear to ear.
• I heard her laugh for the first time on August 27th.  My mom was tickling her around her neck.  It was so cute.  She has laughed a couple other times, but apparently giggles are only for the most hilarious circumstances, and only she knows what those are.
• She rolled over from her tummy to her back on September 16th.  She hasn't done it since, but is tolerating tummy time better longer and she holds her head and chest us pretty well.
• She loves to stand
• She will sit for long periods of time on the floor with a little bit of support.
• She loves her toys.  Her current favorites are a little colorful cow that crinkles and a couple teething toys I just got her.  She also loves her playmat with the hanging toys.
• She is chewing much more.  I think she is beginning to teeth.  More drool, and chewing in addition to her sucking.
• She loves loves loves her Pacifier.  I am planning to get rid of it in the next few months.  I know it is going to be difficult for both of us.
• Her vocal skills are expanding.  She is a very proficient spitter.  She blows bubbles so hard that spit end up all over her face including up to her forehead.  She is also talking much more, but in the form a growl.  My niece said she sounds like a dinasour.  (I will post some video of her growling later)
• She is now grown out of most of her 0-3 month clothes and now fits most of her 3-6 months clothes
• I miss the 4 month visit, but her stats then were 12 lbs, 12.5 oz (32%), 23.25 in tall (17%), and 39.25 cm head cirucumference (9%)
• Based on my measurements, she is now 14.0 lbs, 23.5 in tall, and 40 cm for head.

Overall, we loves our little Alice, and she is just the most precious little baby.

Am I a terrible parent?

Bella and Alice are great friends.

I often see Bella snuggled up to Alice when she is lying on the floor.
I often see Alice running her hands through Bella's fur.
I often see Bella playing with Alice's hands when they are waving around.
I often see Bella bring Alice one the dog toys to play with.
Bella is also always tolerant when Alice gets a grip on her fur.

Overall, they are great friends and love each other.  I let them play together, I let Alice toughen up Bella, but is this taking it too far?

Bella seems to be obsessed with Alice's skin.  It must be very tasty.  I don't complain much about the hands and feet, but we have been working with Bella to avoid her face.  I figured as long as Alice doesn't complain it isn't too bad.  Right?

Summer Fun

This summer, we had a lot of fun.  We loved being able to incorporate family activities and having Alice.

We made new friends, and said goodbye to one of them.  Maria moved back to Utah so her husband could go to grad school.  We miss you Maria.

Maria & Creedance, Shirlee & Alice, Kathryn & Evan, Cara & Brooklyn

Creedance - March 19

Alice - April 19

Evan - May 12

Brooklyn - June 7

This is us in February, funny how we all had our hair down here, and up with our babies.

We have enjoyed many get together's with friends, afternoon walks with Kathryn & Evan, hanging out at my parent's house, playing on the lake.

We even ventured out and went camping at Bank's lake for 6 days with almost my whole family.  Becky and Marcus we sure missed you.  We had a great time watching the boys play in the sand, and we all had a great time on the boat.  Alice loved the boat, and fell asleep in her giant life jacket every ride.  Here are few pictures of our trip.

The babies sleeping on the beach

The rest of us relaxing on the beach

Alice back at camp on her lounge chair ( don't worry, she still doesn't roll over)

We have also spent time with cousins.  We went to the Clark County Fair in Vancouver, WA with Melissa and the boys, sorry no pictures, and we also got to spend time with the Poe's on that trip.  They came up to Olympia later and we got to see them again.  It is so fun to see all the cousins playing together. 

- 2 cute girls less than 2 weeks apart

 See they are already friends

Pre-Pregnancy Goals

When I got married over 7 years ago, I was at a weight that was healthy.  I thought I needed to lose another 10 lbs, but who doesn't.  Shortly after we were married, I took a job that sat at a desk.  By Christmas I was up about 10 lbs, and by the next summer, I was up another 10.  I then took a job working at a desk and lots of extra hours.  I gradually over about 5 years put on another 15 lbs.  I yo-yo'd between 145 and 160 for a long time.

Dusty and I both knew we were overweight and set some real goals, that were difficult, but reasonable with some real rewards.  My reward was that we would sign up for adoption.  When I got laid off, I worked to get my whole life back on track.  Part of that was my weight.  I worked hard last summer and I reached my goal (which was 10 lbs above my wedding weight).  Just as I reached my goal, I found out I was pregnant.  My reward was met somewhat, but for a time, put on hold.

I was super happy to be pregnant, but I also knew that just as I reached my goal, it would go away very quickly.  
While I was pregnant, I don't think I ever got huge.  I felt huge, but looking at pictures, I wasn't very big.  Maybe it was due to the extra room inside my belly from the missing organs, or perhaps, Alice was just compact.  Nonetheless, I didn't look huge. 

Despite my looks, I did gain weight.  I gained about 30 lbs.  I think I lost a little just before she was born, but I gained a fair amount.  I was prepared to be wearing maternity clothes for many weeks, and that it would take about 9 months to a year to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which was hard to get to in the first place.

I am not sure if it is due to nursing, or walking up and down the stairs more to change diapers, check on Alice, etc, but I pleased to say that I was back to my goal weight a few weeks ago, and now am about 4 lbs under.  I have not weighed this little in seven years. 

I think my shape is still a little different than it was seven years ago, but I am okay with that.  I am going to try to lose another 10 lbs, and keep staying healthy.  I feel it is very important to be healthy for Alice, and any other future children we may have either through adoption or pregnancy.  Being at a low weight will definitely help manage my PCOS and our hopes for me to carry another child. 

Creases

It seems that 2010 is a year for babies.  We have many friends and family who have babies or are due in the near future.  Every baby is an individual creation of our heavenly father and is different from any other, but it is hard not to compare different personalities, features, sizes, abilities, etc. 

My baby is chubby.  She is thick, dense, and has creases.  I love every one of them.  She is not so chubby that she is fat, just full and healthy.  She has chubby cheeks, dimples on her hands and elbows, rolls on her legs, a bonus chin, feet that seem taller than long, and every bit of her is adorable.

Diaper Free

As a new mom.  I want to be as educated as I can.  I check out lots of library books about babies on subjects as calming them, helping them sleep, baby sign language, and more.  One subject I have researched is Natural Infant Hygiene or Elimination Communication.  My favorite book is Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer. 

It is basically getting to know your baby so that you can help her with her elimination needs.  Just like you know what your baby does when she is hungry, or sleepy, or needs some cuddle, you also know when she needs to go.  If you can know when she is needs to go, you simply undress them and hold them over a receptacle so that she can go in the receptacle instead of her diaper. 

I know it sounds a bit odd, but we thought we would give it a try, and it has worked for us.  We have better days than others, and times when I can pay more attention, but she will go in her little potty, and it is certainly easier to clean up a potty than wash a diaper.

We have also noticed a difference in her bowel movements.  She was very infrequent sometimes going 8 days between movements.  In the past couple weeks, since holding her over the toilet, the frequency has increased now to about once every day or two.  We can usually catch them in the toilet, and I have found that to be quite nice.  Hopefully, we will continue to have more good days.

Alice still wears a diaper regularly, but who knows, maybe someday we will go a whole day diaper free.

Welcome Gabriel

Within one year, Grandma Lybbert is expecting 5 grandchildren.  Alice was first, Benjamin was number two, and number three just arrived.

Welcome Baby Gabriel.  He was born on Tuesday September 7th, at 1:01 am.  8 lbs, 13 oz, 21 inches. 

Gabriel Reid

With his Mama - Doesn't she look awesome?

Here are all the kiddos - Braden, Rylee, and Gabriel

(by the way, all photos were stolen from Brett's Facebook page)

Hair Styles

The most common comment we receive about our little Alice is definitely "Wow, look at that hair."  I don't really do the headbands with the big flowers or bows, but I do like to comb her hair differently. 

When she was smaller, and her hair was shorter, I loved the mohawk.

Then there is the straight up - It usually doesn't stay that way

Most often we go with comb to the side look

Occasionally we add a little bow

This Sunday, we tried a whole new look.  The ponytail.

She didn't really like the process of getting the ponytail in, but I thought it was cute.  What is your favorite style?

Fruits of thy Labor

On my labor day this year, I ventured into a new project.  It was long, it was exciting, and most of all it was (or will be) YUMMY.  I canned fruit.  I did 26 quarts of peaches, 14 quarts of pears, and 6 quarts of applesauce.  We borrowed a pressure cooker, and some jars from Dusty's Mom, and went to work.

I learned a few things about canning that I found very interesting.

• It takes a long time (or I am just slow)
• It is more fun when there are a couple people
• Your feet hurt after a while of standing in the kitchen
• Babies don't like being ignored even though you have peach juice and sugar all over your hands
• Blanching is amazing
• Salt and vinegar keep pears from browning
• It is hard to stuff fruit into jars tight enough
• The whole process uses lots of pots and leaves everything sticky

Dusty helped peel and slice the peaches, and peeled a few pears.

Here is the finished product (applesauce not pictured)

I am very excited to eat all the yummy fruit.  And I plan on doing more in the years to come.

The Beginning

Today is a monumental day.  I got out the sewing machine, tried to sew and found it was jamming in the bobbin area.  I did some Google research, and decided it needed to be cleaned.  I found my owner's manual, read it and cleaned the machine.  Amazingly, Google came through again, and it was fixed.  Then I proceeded to make these.

 

They are cloth wipes for a friend who is due later this month.  I just found out she is planning on using cloth diapers, and all cloth diapering mommies need cute cloth wipes.  They are finished 7 by 8 inches and just one sheet of flannel.  I have some that I made for Alice, but I surged the edges and they just don't look quite as cute and finished.  They are not perfect, but I had fun making them. 

One thing I didn't do today was work!  Yesterday was my last day as a professional employed accountant, now I am a happy, project doing, unpaid Mom, and I couldn't ask for more.  Hopefully this is the first of many sewing projects so I don't have to open the manual every time I sit down to do a project.

I have lots to blog about and fun projects to update you on, but those will come later.  I need to finish the rest of my wipes.