Prefolds...they aren't so bad after all!

Sorry about my messy look!

It's just as easy, I mean you probably have a few extra steps. But you don't really need all the extras to be successful at cloth diapering. I promise!

-Jess

Why I've been MIA

My laptop is old and needs a new keyboard apparently.
The letter "m" will not work and the "." gets stuck. I might post a few things with my phone, but I fear it might turn out not the way I want it too.
Just letting y'all know why I've been absent. If you follow me on YouTube then you'll get a ton more updates.

How Crunchy Are You? TAG

Crunchy A.K.A Hippy ;)

I actually enjoyed doing this TAG and I would love to hear and/or see what other moms answers are. There will be NO arguing/debating at who's right or wrong. How we choose to take care of our kids and ourselves is our own decision. The way that we each live our lives are all unique and different and do the best we can the way we know how too. This is a no judging, no negative attitude zone! :)

Enjoy!

1.)Will/did you have a natural child birth?

2.) Will/are you breastfeeding? For how long?

3.)Will/are you co-sleeping or bed-sharing?

4.)Will/are you baby wearing?

5.)Will/are you eating an organic, natural lifestyle?

6.)If you have a boy will/have you chosen to circumcise?

7.)Will/are you choosing to cloth diaper?

8.)Do/will you choose to vaccinate your child(ren)?

9.)Do/will you use natural forms of birth control?

10.)Do/will you choose to home school your child(ren)?

I'm probably about 50/50 on most of these.

What are your answers? I would love to hear them! Details and all! ;)

Our Regrets

I have been cleaning my house, but while I have been doing that, I have been doing SO much thinking about how I have been cleaning up my life, and although my blog is leaning towards having a more simpler life, I feel like I have not been living up to it. 

I feel bad and I"m sorry for that!

I have been debating on whether or not to write about this, but this is my life, my journal, me. 

Here is our story, our regrets, our mistakes.

When Ben and I first got married we lived BIG, with very little money. Not the best thing to do. Our first large credit card purchase together was a laptop. Not a crappy one though, if and when we buy technology equipment we don't go for the off-brand as you may call it.

Go big or go home, Ben always says said.

Well that $2,000 credit card purchase over time turned into more and more. I did put a little on there for the wedding, but it was only about $400 the rest came out of my own money that I have been saving.

Ben and I always talk about how we wish that we could go back and do things differently. We say that a lot! This is why I am making this post. I'm tired of the regret.

We are already kinda living cheap. We live in a townhome/apartment paying only $600 a month, all we pay for is electric. We don't have cable, we only have internet with Netflix. Sometimes I can get a good signal on my box and I can watch A t.v show without static interruption, we only get about 3 maybe 4 channels on a good day. We take advantage of the state benefits, SNAP, WIC, OHP, and food boxes. We don't feel bad doing this because 1.) We fall under the state guidelines for help(I am always honest about how much we make) 2.) We have always(and always will) paid our taxes! Last year was our biggest tax break because of Josiah. The years before, we would get hardly anything back, sometimes we would owe! The money that we do get usually goes straight towards first--things we need around the house. Then--to debt even that doesn't go very far.

Our largest debt that we have(but doesn't have interest tacked to it) is Ben's restitution.

(more on this in another post)

(He is OK with me posting this and is thinking about writing a little something from his childhood experience)

When I first married him he had just a little under $30,000 (it was over this amount when I met him) owed to the state. We have it on a set system to pay only $150 a month. It's not much, but when you can put that $150 toward savings, it adds up!

The last bill that I got is now down to about $16,000. We have worked our butts off to get to this point.

However, we still have a long ways to go!

We honestly don't pay much for living, we just pay a lot into debt. We saw things that we wanted and we bought them without thought. 

The advice that we give to newly weds is to live simply, work to put money aside into saving, when you have a stable, good-paying job, then live big! Pay cash for everything, don't use credit cards. There are other ways to build credit. You really want that new T.V and you don't have your own money to pay for it? 

Save up for it!

Yeah, yeah, that's some talk for someone who is in debt.

But this is what Ben and I have learned. Our most recent debt purchase is my car which was way back in January of 2011. Before Josiah was born! I really wanted a safer larger family car. It took me weeks to find the perfect car and although we didn't pay cash for it, it is the only big thing that I don't regret purchasing with my husband.

I'm not going to tell you exactly how much debt that Ben and I have, but it is way more than the $16,000 mentioned. We don't struggle every month like we used to anymore. We watch where our money is going. The little things that I do to help my family has been somewhat of help. Cloth diapers, homemade household products, second hand shopping, coupon clipping, etc.

We are very grateful for friends and family that help us out so much! Just about a month ago we got an A.C for free! That has been amazing with this HOT Pacific Northwest weather we are having. 

For Ben's birthday he got some money and a Best Buy gift card from both his parents and mine. He was able to get some nice new clothes. We get free-babysitting when Ben and I just need some time alone. Girl friends of mine are generous enough to let me borrow some of their maternity clothes for this pregnancy.

We are so blessed!

Some of you may ask, but what about the baby on the way?

Yes, I have thought that too. We were given so many things with Josiah that we honestly aren't that concerned. You really don't need 3/4 of the stuff that people say that you "need". We have all the essentials and if we absolutely NEED it, we will have the money for it. For as of right now, we don't need anything. I mean if it's a girl, then yes, girl clothes are helpful, but hey, she can wear some of her brother's clothes, right? ;)

That's where this thought came into place. While I was cleaning out Josiah's closet I noticed all the things that we spent money on, but I didn't really use them. I had a lot of doubles, and large amounts of one item. Most given to me by the very generous friends that I have.

Now its in a box, ready to go to a lady who is due here in a couple of months with her first baby boy. 

All the unnecessary baby stuff that I'm getting rid of is just the beginning of cleaning out my closet. :)

I'm excited to not only make a little more room in my little home, but I'm excited to fill it with nice things that I  can use over and over again. Things that may not be brand new but still are in good working order for the years to come.

This is what's been going on and I just wanted to let you all know my thoughts for the day.

Thanks for reading. :)

-Jess

VEDA Day 12

Every Sunday after church I make my way over to my parents house where Trader Joe's nearly expired food is gone through, and used for people in need.

There is so much that God has blessed this little ministry with, I am able to take a few pieces of food home with me, a big help to us at times!
Healthier choice food boxes are made, and delivered to some homes too.
This is what my Sunday's look like!

Co-Sleeping: Change of Heart?

I think so!

So I did talk about this in my Youtube video, but I just wanted to have it in my blog to have more specific details on the matter.

Co-Sleeping with Josiah:

Yes, we slept in the same room till he was rolling over. When he started doing that, we moved him from his bassinet to his crib so that he had more room to "roll". He never really slept with us, the first couple of weeks he slept on mine or Ben's chest on and off and after that he was fine and slept by himself in the bassinet beside me. I didn't bedshare with him because 

a.) I did what society told me that's what I was suppose to do with my baby 

and 

b.) I didn't know what the heck I was doing!

I honestly think that if I would have done my research and asked questions I probably would've have succeeded with a lot of things. I regret some of the things that I did(and didn't do) with Josiah. 

But all in all I'm glad that he is healthy and alive today!

I'm so happy that I get to try again, I know more of what I am doing now. I feel more confident than ever with this baby. I'm not scared like I was the first time around. I'm reading and watching and doing and experimenting. I'm choosing to do things that I didn't do the first time. I'm doing what is comfortable for me. 

Co-Sleeping with #2:

More like Bed sharing! I'm still trying to convince my husband,(which I'm slowly succeeding at!)he still doesn't quite understand the benefits of it all. But that's OK, I'm a patient woman, and I will continually try to point out the facts to him. Facts are big to this guy! :) My thoughts on this now is that your baby has been inside of you for 9+ months, that's all it has known! Why put that poor little newborn in a bed all by itself? Let's just say that mom and baby, aren't going to get as much sleep as nature planned. 

But I had the hardest time breastfeeding Josiah, my thought then was, why should I always have to be the one up in the night every 2 hours? Little did I know that if I bed shared with the little guy, it would've have made breastfeeding at night 100xs better! Instead of getting up out of my bed, picking him up, get situated, get boob out, then feed. I could have just(let's just say it cause its true) plop boob out, then feed. I could still be half asleep(but aware), while feeding little Josiah.

Like I said, before I had no idea. Now? Bring it on!

Here is another good reason to bed share

Now what momma doesn't want to wake up to that every morning?

This was about March, but it was still so cold that we all camped upstairs by the fireplace where it was nice and warm. We didn't sleep altogether on the air mattress, but when i woke up to make breakfast, I set my little man down right next to my hubby. I love this picture. :)

The only issue that I have with bed sharing is the room. We only have a queen size bed and just with Ben and I needing our own space, its close to fine. But there is a solution that I found(actually my friend Jessica posted) that may work. I just gotta put the hubby to work about a few weeks before LO is born. 

It'll be perfect and I can't wait for the experience.

My blogger friend Kayla did an excellent post on her view on Co-Sleeping and the facts.

I copied a list of the benefits of co-sleeping,(hope you don't mind K)but check her blog out! 

She's got some awesome views on topics that I'm going to be using with #2!

• Mother's can react better and quicker to their baby.  As in, they can sense when their baby is waking more easily and quicker and can get them settled back down and back to sleep.  If the baby is in another room, the baby has to wake up more fully to be able to cry louder to wake up the mother, which then can take longer to settle the baby back down and get him/her back to sleep.

• Nighttime bonding makes for more independent children.  Research has shown that babies that co-sleep are more independent and have higher self-esteem than solitary sleepers because they have secure attachments to their parents.

• Feeding is easier.  It encourages breastfeeding.  It's so easy to just roll over and feed your child.  Neither the mother or baby has to fully wake up, which makes falling back asleep that much easier.  The studies show that co-sleeping babies want to eat about 3 times as often as solitary sleepers during the night, but because of not having to get out of bed or fully wake up, co-sleeping moms have reported better and longer sleep than those who have to get out of bed.  (I can 100% attest to this!)

• The working father gets to have snuggle time and extra bonding with his child, when he doesn't get a lot of time during the day for it. 

• Co-sleeping can reduce the risk of SIDS because the baby is hearing the mother's breathing rhythm and her carbon dioxide breath encourages deeper breaths from the baby.

• Stress hormones are lower in both the mother and baby, which helps promote healthy growth.

• They grow up actually more independent from their peers.

• They perform better in school, have higher self-esteem and fewer health problems.

• Co-sleeping is commonplace in 2/3^rd’s of the world. 

• Co-sleeping children have fewer nightmares and fewer nighttime disturbances.

• Although there are risks of co-sleeping (blankets, getting trapped in between the bed and headboard), there are also plenty of risks that come with babies sleeping in their own crib also.  (Crib safety recalls are anything but rare.) 

Thanks for reading!

-Jess

Husband Tag!

Questions from this TAG are provided below.

1.) Where did we meet?

2.) Where was our first date?

3.) Where was our first kiss and how was it?

4.) Did you know I was the one?

5.) What was your first impression of me?

6.) When did you meet my family?

7.) Do we have a tradition?

8.) Where was our first road trip?

9.) What was the first thing you noticed about me?

10.) Who said I love you first and where?

11.) What do we argue the most about?

12.) Who wear the pants in the relationship?

13.) If I'm watching TV what am I watching?

14.) What is the one food that I don't like?

15.) If we are out, what drink do I order?

16.) What is my shoe size?

17.) What is my favorite kind of sandwich?

18.) What is a talent that I have?

19.) What is the same that I'd eat everyday if I could?

20.) What is my favorite cereal?

21.) What is my favorite music?

22.) What is my favorite sports team?

23.) What is my eye color?

24.) Who is my best friend?

25.) What is something I do that you wish that I didn't?

26.) Where am i from?

27.) What kind of cake do you make me for my birthday?

28.) Do I play sports?

29.) What could I spend hours doing?

30.) What did you fall in love with me?

Pregnancy: Week 12

Finally!

I am officially in the 2nd trimester! This brings such a relief to know that the chance of having a miscarriage drops tremendously.  I wasn't really concerned about miscarrying anyway, but just reaching this goal makes me feel so much better. Not sure if you do this, but I set goals for dates and times especially when pregnant. Every event that passes I feel better and better as my EDD gets closer and closer.

This week has been fun! But I also haven't really been doing anything. The days have been going by so fast and I am thankful that the entire first trimester just flew by! I mean, yes I was sick and tired and couldn't keep much food down, but it went so much faster than the first time. I wonder if this just happens when you have more children. Maybe the kid(s) you have keep you so busy running around in circles, that you don't have anytime to think about your pregnancy? Either way, that's OK with me!

Alright, let's get to the pregnancy update for week 12! WOW! :)

I added a new category.

 Things I'm looking forward to this week?

Today is Ben's birthday! The big 25! Tonight his parents are taking us out to dinner, and I'm going to try and attempt to make him his favorite cake(German Chocolate).

Not something to look forward too, but what just happened yesterday was that Ben passed his test for the electrician apprenticeship program. He gets an automatic interview if he passes. He pretty much knew that he passed, but seeing it on paper, is reassuring. Hopefully he can get hired as an apprentice somewhere so that he can get some school going so that he can do something that he actually enjoys. Prayers are much appreciated at this time. :)

Symptoms?

Not many, cause now I'm actually feeling good and I am finally catching up with the housework. My poor bathrooms have been neglected long enough.

The only one that I can think of is that I'm a little more easily agitated. I'm controlling it, but some days it is hard!

Cravings?

Chocolate. Cereal. PB&J sandwiches. Spaghetti. Fresh salads. Berries. Peanuts.

Maternity?

Pants are starting to be hard to get into. I've been doing the rubber band trick for this week. I have been struggling to find shirts that are loose fitting and not hugging me at the waist. My husbands t-shirts and shorts have been my attire for everyday wear until I go out of the house. I have a few things that look nice, but I want to save those for when I actually see people. :)

I have been doing video logs lately. I want to keep both my blog and videos for myself to look back on one day and see what I went through and remember what pregnancy was like for me. Some women that are in the same week as I am like to compare and talk about their symptoms as well. So I post for them too. :) I cover everything from symptoms and sometimes a belly shot at the end if you're lucky. haha.
I will start including these every week with my blogs.

Pregnancy Vlog

Cloth Diaper Wash Routine Video

Everyone has a different routine, I'm not saying that this way is the right way. It's just that this way works best for us and keeps us from getting stinky diapers. Not washing every day or every other day led to stink issues and ever since doing this routine we haven't had a problem in over a month. Also, I forgot to add that I use Calgon water softener every once in a while to help my cloth diapers from having too much mineral build up.

Postpartum Journey. Video

Postpartum Journey with Josiah.

Bonus

Tips that I have learned and will use with #2!

Let's Talk: Breastfeeding Pics?

What do you think?

I think that breastfeeding pictures are beautiful! However some think differently. 

It is a good idea to be modest and to be careful not to show full on boob to the world, but something as tasteful as the pic below, is not something to complain about.

It is probably the most covered up photo of breastfeeding that I have seen. This momma posted this picture of her son's first latch in honor of this week which is in fact Breastfeeding Week.

Most of the people that follow her YouTube are very aware of her "crunchy" ways.

Baby-led breastfeeding

Co-Sleeping

Healthy/Organic Eating

Cloth diapering

and much more that I can't remember.

She is one of the women that I look to for advice, and with this next LO on the way, I am looking forward to getting advice from someone who breastfed her eldest son till nearly 2 and is breastfeeding her youngest son now. She has tons of videos on how-tos, her day-to-day life and great BF advice videos. She talks about her struggles, and talks about how she handled them. She is a great Youtuber to follow if you are interested in the more natural way of things.

It broke my heart today to see that the very first comment on this post was mean and awful and clearly didn't understand this beautiful mama.

Here is her comment:

Wtf do people post disgusting pictures like that? Yeah we get it you're proud your kid is sucking your tit but it's gross to see. And do you really want your child to see that when he's older? I'd be embarrassed to see a pic of me and my mom like that. Thankfully she wasn't gross and bottlefed me. And don't bother replying I'm unlinking your page.

Sad? Right?

All the mommas under this comment were super supportive of this picture as I was...

I love this pic! Beautiful! PS, I love you vids and what you stand for. You aren't showing any more boob than a Victoria Secret model at a mall.

It's true, she is being completely modest. Even more modest than all the models you see in magazines.

How is this gross, but not a half naked women? I don't understand people sometimes, but the modern world is so twisted nowadays that it's hard to get the correct point across.

In the end, I would like to hear your opinion.

What do you think about breastfeeding pics?

Pregnancy: 11 weeks

It's weird to think that in just 2 short weeks I will be out of the first trimester!

I have been feeling so much better than I have the past weeks. I am able to eat more without the fear of throwing it up. Go through an entire day of not needing sleep. I still do nap occasionally, but it's not a mandatory nap where if I don't, I just might go crazy. It seems that these first trimester symptoms are letting up earlier, which is great! 

My husband just started dieting today too! I myself have already been "dieting", which really isn't dieting. I have been following the Paleo lifestyle for the last 2 months and my husband is now right along there with me.

It has been hard to follow this, I have the not-so-good for you cravings, although I still treat myself once in a while I still want more chocolate/soda/candy etc.

But because of my pre-pregnancy weight being more than it should be already, I can't gain much more weight. My midwife was so kind and helpful, I told her at my appointment on Monday on how I struggle with my weight after Josiah was born. She just smiled kindly, and told me to not worry about it, just eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, and get a little fresh air while it's still summer. 

I have been working so hard to eat healthier, and just this week I have been feeling good enough to fully get the effects of healthy eating. :)

So today, I'm not going to be ashamed to jot down my weight in the below category.  

Maybe there are moms out there that are struggling like me, I am making this better change for myself now, for my baby and for myself afterwards.

Here's week 11 for ya!

11 weeks

Symptoms?

Other than smelling my husbands cologne from across the room, I'm not complaining. :)

Hair is getting thicker and curlier. Sinus issues. Needing my glasses more and more. Naps are occasional but not needed.

Cravings? 

Anything cold and frozen. Healthy, homemade smoothies have been great during this time.

Sour cream and onion pringles(not a good craving)

Movement?

I know that this might sound crazy and too early for you to believe but I really think that I can feel this little on moving every now and then. I felt Josiah move for the first time at 16 weeks. It feels like flutters, and I can only feel it when I lay very very still. 

Weight?

OK, so here comes the weight from the beginning of before having kids. I'm doing this to keep track myself.

Pre-pregnancy weight, before Josiah: 125

Post-pregnancy weight: 148

I have kept that weight on, I am 5'2 so 150 is considered overweight according to the BMI chart.

Pre-pregnancy weight, baby #2: 151

11 weeks: 157

If you were to ask any other professional, they would tell me that I can't gain anymore than 10 lbs. I have already gained 6! This is the only the beginning and I can only gain 4 more pounds. :/

This is why #1, I love my midwife and she actually understands women, she encourages me so much.

#2 I have decided to eat, and live a healthier lifestyle.

It's never too late! :)

Picture?

Again, no picture, but if you want to check out my YouTube channel, I should have it up before the end of today. I'll do a belly shot this time! Stretch mark glory and all! ;)

Next appointment for my "lady stuff" is on the 27th of August. This will probably be one of my least favorite appointments.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! We got to hear our baby's heart beat Monday! They weren't sure if we were going to hear it or not with the Doppler because I was only at 10 weeks, but we did! 160 bpm, strong and healthy. 

Thanks for reading!

-Jess