Snack Time...

Snack time at the T Rex Family household just changed. T Rex no longer dines alone at his table. Bebe Sister has taken her place at the little table.

Truly amazing how fast these kids grow. I seems like just yesterday Grandma and Grandpa gave one year old T Rex this table. Now he's sharing it with his baby sis. And even though her feet don't reach the ground she still gets up on that chair all by herself. This is becoming quite the nostalgic piece of furniture.

Do you have a nostalgic piece of furniture or maybe something else that carries with it strong memories?

One Year Cloth Diaper Anniversary...

A year ago I joined the ranks of cloth diapering. It was at this point our tiny daughter was big enough to fit into her Bummis and prefolds. These worked well for us during the day but not so great on outings or at night. The fit was just not yet right.

Just when I was starting to get a bit discouraged and thinking cloth might not be right for me, enter another mom (Caitlin) who was also exploring the realm of cloth. She had been doing a ton of research and actually purchased a few of the more "modern" cloth diapers. She offered to let me try the ones she had purchased.

Among these were three FuzziBunz size small diapers. She said these were her favorite. The first time we used them we had complete failure. Leaks, leaks, leaks. I liked that they were a pocket-style diaper but I was not big on snaps. But since they were her favorite, I decided I had to try them again. Remember, keep in mind, she and I were both novices and we did not have anything or anyone, other than the internet, to offer any suggestions. So, away to the internet discussion boards I went.

Aparently, I was not securing the diaper tight enough to the baby. I tried them again - LOVED, LOVED, LOVED them. I think Caitlin had to actually ask for them back. The snaps were still not my favorite, but the diapers were so trim that for the first time my tiny girl with her really tiny head did not have a diaper hanging down to her knees. And, outings became a pleasure. We even started venturing into trying cloth at night.

Well, these diapers have been used at least 3 times per week for the past year. This means each diaper has been used about 156 times. Multiple that by three which totals 468 diaper changes. This many diaper changes would cost an estimated $117 if I were using disposables. If these diapers were purchased new they would cost about $17-$18 each for a total of $54. Hence, you can see the cost savings is over 50%.

However, I did not purchase these diapers new. I loved the ones Caitlin loaned me so very much that I offered to trade her for them. She needed some air miles and I needed diapers. Worked out great. Therefore, I would say, this was a much more significant savings for us.

Additionally, these diapers still look as amazing today as they did when I first tried them out. Because they have snaps, you can hardly even notice the wear these diapers have endured. Not a single snap has needed replacing. Not a single stitch has come undone. Zip, zero, nada. One hundred fifty-six uses each and they still look amazing. Also, this has made me a huge fan of snaps, too. My velcro or hook/loop diapers have not held up as well. They still get the job done but do not look nearly as nice.

The most wonderful part is these diapers acted as my "gateway" diaper. They took me from being a part time cloth diapering mom who was considering giving up to a full time cloth diapering mom with an addiction for fuzzy, fluffy diapers!

I have many more FuzziBunz diapers in my stash adding two more size small (yes, my daughter at 19lbs still fits into these despite the sizing saying the upward size is 18lbs) as well as several one-size (these are adjustable to all the various sizes). We love them all but I still have a soft spot for the original three. I think they will be going in her hope chest. Maybe her daughter will wear them some day!

Snowy Days...

The past few days have gifted our area with lovely whiteness.



T Rex insisted on going out to play. However, Bebe Sister had to stay inside where it was warm.

Someone was not so happy staying inside while her brother played outside.



Finally, the weekend arrived and I remembered I had purchased a snow suit for Bebe Sister. I found an amazing deal on this used suit (bibs and coat) - $13. I did get it quite large so she could use it next season not intending to use it this year (hence the good deal). However, we did manage to tuck and roll a few things so she could go out and play.

Moving in her suit in the slippery conditions posed a bit of a challenge. She had a great time for about 5 minutes, after which she declared her disdain and play time was over. It took longer to gear up to go outside than actual time spent outside. However, it was her first snowy playtime so I'd say that merits success.





As you can see T Rex was delighted to have his Bebe Sister outside for playtime.

Ready for Bed...

Here the kids are ready for bed...

Bebe Sister is wearing a hand-me-down pair of PJs from her brother. They have alligators on them. However, we've put her in a girl-ly sleep sac so you cannot really tell. She can get around in that sac pretty good. Her dad learned to walk in his nightgown when he was about her age. Life father, like daughter.

T Rex is on the stairs showing off his sleeping attire. These are up-cycled wool short pants. He still has night-time potty accidents. We wake him up every night around midnight to use the restroom but he still only stays dry about 50% of the time. I know this is pretty common so we haven't been too discouraged and have tried to work around it.

Thus, we started putting "night time underwear" (aka a loose-fitting cloth diaper) under some wool pants/shorts. This way, if he does pee in the night, his bedding stays dry. He doesn't seem to mind. Maybe the compromise for him being potty trained at such an early age (18 months)? Not sure.



Questions for you parents out there - were your kids sleep sac kids? And if so, at what age did you move to blankets versus the sleep sac (I'm still feeling paranoid about SIDS)? Secondly, when did you kids achieve night time dryness? Did you have any night-time challenges.

Finding Love...

Today, in honor of Valentine's Day - a day celebrating love - a few of the ways I've found love in our home today...

T Rex Dad giving me an extra 90 minutes of sleep this morning... 

The upon waking, seeing that both kids have already been fed breakfast...

The kids playing nicely so I could power through Monday morning chores...

A loving brother sharing a kiss with his Bebe Sister...

Big Brother T Rex reading to his sister so his mom could continue uninterrupted with vacuuming and laundry...

In the giving of rides in the ever popular Cozy Coupe...

And in the reciprocation of such courtesies...

Yes, I'm feeling the love today...how about you?

Balance...

I find it a daily challenge to try to get everything in my life in balance. I know many people struggle with this and can relate. 

I struggle to balance being a wife and a mother. I struggle to balance getting the household chores done without detracting from the precious time I have with my young children. I struggle to balance my personal and professional lives. I struggle to balance treating holistically and treating medically when caring for my patients. I struggle attaining a balance between my physical desires and my spiritual needs. I guess I just struggle.


I know there are no quick fix answers. And I know that often it's just that I need to re-evaluate my priorities. And sometimes, doing something fun really does need to be moved up on the priority list. I also find there is a predictable cyclical nature to some of my more anxious feelings about all these things. 


However, when it all boils down to it, I think I'm doing alright. It may seem to me like I'm flying half a ship but really, I'm doing alright. The kids are happy, healthy, and thriving. We have a clean home full of love. My time outside the home is minimal. My patients seem to appreciate the therapeutic options I offer. And all school assignments are turned in and on time. I guess the big question then is why I think I struggle.

Thank goodness for a wonderful husband for reminding me to take a step back and look at this - to look at our sleeping angels in their beds and the amazing lives we made for ourselves. And it's a mighty nice bonus that a little T Rex randomly gives me snuggles and statements of "Luv you, Mama" and my tiny little girl offers me a sip from her pretend cup of tea.


What do you do to achieve a balance in your life?

T Rex Dad's Sacks of Potatoes

It seems that the tension level in the house always reaches its highest levels right around supper time. Probably because it's the end of the day and we're all approaching the "all done" barrier. Or maybe it's that delightful witching hour phenomenon.

Regardless, I've been having to get more and more creative so I can make supper. Recently, we put up the instant tent in the kitchen. This was mildly successful. The magnetic letters seemed to buy a few more minutes...

Then it's off for baths while the meat simmers or the rice steams. This way, when T Rex Dad arrives home, the kids can be fresh and clean, ready for dinner, and to become "sacks of potatoes"...

So, although, things reach a high stress tense point where we all either act or feel like throwing ourselves on the ground and spinning circles (if you've ever had a toddler you know what I'm talking about), things seem to magically come together right when T Rex Dad gets home.

What's it like at your house just before supper time - calm or crazy? Do you have a "witching hour"? If so, when is it?