One Year Old Ralphie

Last week was perfect springtime for the Carolinas. Glencairn Gardens is in full bloom, and the sunny days just beckoned come enjoy us. Ralphie and I had just come home from our trip to Ohio and Michigan, and taking several days, in between loads of laundry, house cleaning, and photo editing to just relax seemed more than worth while.

This particular day is etched in my mind. It's one of those days I want to remember forever. Apple slices, PB&J, clementines and crackers. My smiley, wide-eyed boy sitting there, just looking at me. So happy to just be.

Just him, and me. 

 I love living so close to this little patch of paradise.

He soaks up, with this little quizzical brow, every bush, flower, and person we pass. He smiles with delight at the ducks and water fountains.  He smiles half smiles as I do stupid things to try to get him to grin for the camera. How big is Ralphie? That one he knows like the back of his hand.

Sooo Biiiig!

He's quiet and observant, but waves at anyone who says hi to him. Tossing a ball and crawling after it is a favorite pass time right now. Or, pushing his fire truck from one end of the house to the next, and back again. Best of all, take him outside. He will sit for an hour and watch the cars go by.

Still not walking, but getting close. Every chair was made for pushing, every box was made for climbing, and if he can find a box that needs emptied before climbing, that is even better. There isn't a cupboard in the house he hasn't discovered, a basket whose contents he doesn't know by heart. If Toy Story were true, and toys really could come to life and talk, they would probably say how slighted they felt, and the wooden spoons and measuring cups would toss their heads and laugh.

He is delightful this boy of mine, and every day with him I treasure. Every change, every milestone makes my mama's heart rejoice, even if first it twinges just a bit, and sighs thinking of days gone by. One year old Ralphie. He's just great.

Bath Time...

... is a blast these days.

I have hair to spike now, see?

Mama just covers me is sweet-smelling bubbles, and tickles my tummy, sings me songs, and makes me giggle.

and then, o, then! When Mama turns on the hose, it is the. best. ever. I can hardly contain my excitement.

 It is really the coolest thing. If you haven't ever tried one, you just have to. It tickles your tummy, and gets you all wet.

and no matter how hard you try to catch it, it always escapes!

I know lots of kids don't like bath time, but me, O, yes! I try to get as dirty as possible every day, just so Mama with give me a bath before bed.

And most nights she does, just 'cause she loves to see me smile.

Ralphie is 6 Months Old!

Half a year. Where did time go?

My Handsome Boy,

You are a delight. These six months have been a joy. I go to bed at night and feel blessed to be your mama.

You coo and babble nearly all day long. You talk to your toys, and to your hands, and to Zoe.

You and Zoe have really become friends this past month. She plays with your hands and feet, and you watch her, all curious.

You are so strong. You can stand yourself up on your own when we hold your hands, and are getting closer and closer to sitting every day. You rolled from your back to your belly this month, too. You scoot yourself all around, somehow. We don't really know exactly how you do it, but one minute you'll be in the center of your mat with your head toward us, and the next you will be on the other side, turned around completely!



You are ticklish. It is adorable.

I have to admit, I'm a little sad about this birthday. I've been very reminiscent of the days when you were teeny tiny. It's bittersweet to see you grow. But, I am so thankful that you do, and that you are healthy!

You are friendly and smiley when people say "Hi" to you. You have started grabbing faces with both hands. It is really darling.

I am trying to teach you "kiss." For now, you just think it gives you license to chew on something else, but I think you'll get it soon.

Before you turn seven months we'll probably start you on some solid food. It'll be exciting! You reach for our plates, grab at our forks, and gawk at food when it is in front of you. Last Sunday, during communion, you nearly spilled a whole glass of wine all over yourself (and me!) because you grabbed for it so quickly!

You are a sweet, sweet boy, full of smiles and giggles. You are a good sleeper, a good eater, and over all content.

Daddy and I love you to pieces. We love you even more than last month.

Love, Mama

Top Baby Items

As Ralphie's 6 Month Birthday approaches (!!!) I've been thinking about all the baby stuff we have, what we love, and what's just OK.

So here is my Top 12 List of "essentials" to get any mama through the first 6 months. Of course they're not all necessities, but I was thankful for each item on this list.

12. A good car seat

I love our Chicco Keyfit 30 in Limonata. It has a super snug and secure fit, even coming home from the hospital at 6 pounds. The padded head cushion moves up as baby grows. Only complaint is that the visor isn't quite long enough to really block the sun. I love the sleek look of this carseat, too. It's not ridiculously bulky. 

11. Bouncy Seat

An oldie, but a goodie. I love that this "toy" can move to wherever I am. The particular one that we got is really cozy, but the toys are not that interesting... still, very useful.Planning to use this as a high chair when we introduce solids next month, too!

10. "Neuron Stimulator"/ Floor Mat

Definitely the most-loved "toy" we have. Great for tummy time, and endless hours of entertainment. It was especially adorable when he realized he could play with all the things hanging above him.

9. Amber Teething Necklace

Amber, when warmed against the skin, works as an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, helping to reduce the effects of teething naturally. No dyes, so syrups, no high fructose corn syrup. Sold? I was. We'll see how they work when his little toothers are ready to pop through. In the meantime, I still try to keep it on him, because it's supposed to reduce drool, and boost immunity. Definitely worth the average $20 retail.

8. Glider 

Just get one. Your new-mama-nursing-back will thank you. So comfy, especially at 3am.

7. Puj Tub 

I love, love, love our Puj Tub! It opens in a snap, and cleans in a jiffy. There's no huge tub to fill, or store. It hangs easy, peasy on a hook in your bathroom. When he was little we used the bathroom sink. And although the box does not recommend this, I use it in the kitchen sink now (he was pushing himself out of the bathroom sink). It really is fabulous. And now they're making them in pretty, fresh colors! Get one. You'll love it.

6. Cloth Diapers

The average disposable diaper takes at least 200 years to decompose (I thought it was 90, but checked my facts and was SHOCKED.) Disposables have harsh toxins that are linked to cancer, and cost an average of $1000-$1600 per child per year, depending on the brand and frequency of change. Cloth diapers are used up to 200 times on multiple babies before they can be used for cleaning rags. They contain no harsh chemicals or toxins, and cost $100-$1000 from birth to potty depending on the brand and style you choose. These facts sold us. We LOVE all of our cloth diapers. I plan to post more about them later, so stay tuned if you're interested.

5. Bumbleride Indie

**drolls** It pushes through grass, sand, gravel and dirt like butter. It's cute, weighs only 20 pounds, and is safe for baby from birth til 45 pounds. It's the stroller of all strollers.

4. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets

These things are SO wonderful. Large and lightweight, they are perfect for swaddling, cuddling, and nursing. Ralphie is already attached to his. 

3. Moby Wrap

We love our Moby Wrap. There are so many slings and baby carriers out there, I honestly didn't even look into all of them too much. I just liked the Moby because of all the different ways you can carry the baby in it, and I had at least one friend who raved about it. :) After six months of use, I can say it was a fabulous choice. I've used it at church, community group, the library; in the airport, restaurants and grocery stores; while shopping, cooking and cleaning. Arms free, baby happy! 

2. Boppy Pillow

This goes along with the glider. You wouldn't guess that nursing a tiny newborn can be hard on your back, but it is! I still prefer to use it while nursing, just because it supports his body so well, and keeps my hands free. It also doubles as a tummy time pillow, photo prop, and sitting assistant!

1.Baby Wise

Our Number #1 baby item cost us .50 cents. We can't begin to say of thankful we are for the principles in this book! Ralphie is not the best-case Baby Wise Baby, but I like to think he is at least an example of how a little can go a long way. He knows how to sleep, and will sleep, just about anywhere. He can sleep through anything, and soothe himself back to sleep if he does wake. His naps and feedings are predictable, giving me freedom to meet friends, go shopping, or go to the gym at consistent times each day.

We haven't taken everything in this book. I, especially, have been "softer" than Dr. Ezzo probably would have liked. But I am my baby's mother, after all.

What we have loved is the security and consistency that it has given Ralphie, and the healthy, happy, content baby he is because of a healthy sleep schedule. 9 times out of 10 he wakes from sleep cooing and smiling. What parent doesn't want that?!

I could go on and on for paragraphs. Tell you our whole story, the ups and downs, and all the victories ... but I'll stop at this: Are you exhuasted? Is your baby grumpy? Do you feel stretched to your limits day after day? Get Baby Wise. It'll change your life. Guaranteed. 

DIY: Wipe Solution

Hello friends!

Did you know we're cloth diaper fanatics around here?

Well, we are.

And along with cloth diapers come cloth wipes.

The post about all the pros of cloth diapering is soon-to-come but in the meantime, here's this sweet-smelling, easy to make, healthy-to-boot, wipe solution to clean your baby's bum.

Can I say you don't even have to use it for diapering. It has all the essentials for a hand sanitizer, or just a clean spray to wipe down Baby's face after a hot day. I love it.

5 ingredients:

2 cups water

1/8 cup baby wash of your choice

1/8 cup coconut oil

8 drops lavender oil

4 drops tea tree oil

Shake. Spray. Smile.

So, why these ingredients, you're wondering, right?

Tea tree oil is antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal and antiseptic. Used alone, though, it is very harsh on the skin - great for zits, bad for babies. Adding water and oil help to calm the harshness. 

In addition, the water rinses, and the oil smooths. Coconut oil has hundreds of uses (here are just a few), but for this solution it works as an excellent moisturizer, and also has all the anti-germ properties of tea tree oil. 

The soap cleanses, washing away the traces of germs. 

And the lavender... well, that just smells soooo niiiice. 

Total Cost? So cheap I didn't even bother doing the math. 

One Year Ago...

... two blue lines changed our lives forever.

It was the forth of July weekend. I was "late," and we both had a gut feeling that the baby we were hoping for was coming sooner than we imagined. But we were nervous. Nervous the test would read negative, and we would be sorely disappointed. 

So we kept putting it off.

Friday, July 1st we left to spend a weekend with my family in Michigan. We arrived, the fun began, and yet we couldn't shake the idea. On the plane ride up we agreed we would enjoy the weekend and try not to worry one way or another about the results of an eventual test. We planned to take a test Tuesday morning, together, alone, in our home. 

But within hours of our arrival my sister was on to us, and by Saturday evening she had her husband persuading mine that we should take a pregnancy test soon. Like today... Or tomorrow. 

So Daniel "surprised" me (he's always looking for an excuse to surprise me) by bringing home a test, and we snuck/sneaked/whatever into the basement, alone.

I couldn't look. There were knots in my stomach. Daniel took my hands and we prayed for the Lord's will, whatever the outcome. We prayed we would know his joy, whether positive or negative. But both our hearts were racing with excitement! 30 long seconds passed. I squinted my eyes tightly shut, and squeezed Daniel's hand. 

"What's it doing? Does it say anything yet?" I asked.

"Well, yeah... what does a plus sign mean?" Daniel asked, genuinely confused.

I beamed from ear-to-ear. A smile I could not shake from my face for the next week. "That means I'm pregnant! We're gonna have a baby!"

I was wrapped in a big bear hug. He squeezed me so tight. He was so happy.

We were so happy.

We told his mom first, and then my family after dinner that evening. Then grandparents, and best friends as the days passed.

I remember pure joy, being able to share news that made everyone so happy.

When we got home, we went to Wednesday night prayer meeting at the church we had come to as newlyweds a year before. I thought the room was going to explode with excitement and delight when Daniel made our announcement.

Babies are such a gift. The happiness that surrounds them is infectious.

And now, a year later, we're bouncing our sweet boy, and remembering...

B is for...

Life has been a bit of a whirl. I knew I needed a "B is for..." but just didn't get to it. Gotta prioritize, and it just didn't make the list - the picture or the post. So... how about a picture from the newborn days?? :)

B is for Books!

A is for...

I saw a suggestion on Pinterest to take photos of your child with objects starting with every letter of the alphabet. I thought it sounded like a fun idea - something that would challenge me to really use this camera, too. So, I'm thinking every Friday is going to be Alphabet Friday! K? K.

A is for Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets 

Seriously. These things are Uh-Mazing. Mama loves them, Baby loves them. 

 They're perfect for nursing in public, I've found, because they're so large, but breath-able, so Baby doesn't get stuffy during meal time.

Someone lent the two blankets we have to us, and we're definitely getting our wear out of them. These will be a "must have" for Baby No.2

I find myself doing Ralphie's laundry sooner, just to keep these clean all the time! (I'd love one for every day of the week! Haha.)

 Ralphie loves them, too. I always find him gripping the corners with his fists - he doesn't do that with other blankets. I won't be surprised if these end up being his lovey item.

They come in so many adorable prints, but the solid white are great, too!

 They are light-weight enough for hot weather, but snug enough that Baby will stay warm.

It was fun to take these pictures and get a few smiles out of Lil Dude. He is so smiley these days! We're really loving it.