Friday 30 November 2012

Double strollers & baby carriers - solved!

Thank you everyone for all your input on my last post. It really helped me out!! I love having helpful mommies out there :)

We purchased a double stroller Wednesday night off of a couple on craigslist. We got the Phil & Teds double jogger and we are very happy with it. We got it for a fantastic price and they even have us the rain cover and a Graco car seat adapter for free. Saved ourselves ALOT of money! Because this stroller can be used as a single or double we plan to sell our Graco jogger to earn back a bit of the money. I loved that stroller but we really don't need two in this case.

As far as a carrier, we went with the ergo and have been able to buy one off of a couple we know through church who had an extra. Still need to get a newborn insert but another church friend offered to let us borrow there's. again I say, you mommies are so awesome!

I feel like things are coming together for baby number 2! We already purchased the perfect toddler bed for Noah off craigslist for $40 so we can use the crib we already have for the baby. My friend and cousin has offered to let us use their swing once they are done with it, and if we have a another boy we will have lots of clothes to use already.

Speaking of baby gender, we have a 3D ultrasound booked for January 5th! We could ha e had it done a week or so earlier, but with the holidays hours are weird and I don't know what our schedule will be like. Hubby still says girl, because he says it's been really different this time around. I say boy, just because I said girl last time and I was wrong, so I'm assuming its a boy haha. We shall see! I am really not sure which I prefer at this point as there are benefits to both. So, I will leave that in Gods capable hands to decide.

We have some special visitors here right now staying with us. Sure nice to have extra people around to entertain my son, especially considering I've had a nasty cold the past few days.

Enough rambling from me. Take care all!

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Double Strollers & Baby carriers

Okay mamas of multiples (and by multiples I do not mean just moms of twins... although I welcome your suggestions as well) I need advice!
As I look towards the arrival of our second child and ponder the few purchases we plan/want to make, I'm curious to know what you who have been through this did.

First of all, double strollers. This is one thing we plan to get as we will end up having two under two for a while. Even though our son Noah can walk very well, If I am out at the mall or we are doing a day trip/vacation he is not going to be able to walk all day. We love the single jogging stroller we have now (Graco Orbit) and we plan to keep it, but I don't think a double jogger is really going to be necessary for us. We are seriously considering the Graco Ready to Grow double stroller that changes in multiple ways and accommodates both toddler and infant well. It's also priced at around $180 which fits my budget quite nicely. However, I am willing to do some craiglist hunting to buy something more top of the line if I can get it for a good price. Thoughts? What did you use?

The other question I have is in regards to a baby carrier. I didn't look into them too much with my first because my two hands were pretty much always free to hold him if need be. I also was scared off quickly by going into a store one day and asking about a sling and being told that they are highly dangerous and should be avoided. I'm not someone who hikes, so I don't need a super heavy duty carrier that is comfortable to wear all day long. I just want something to put baby in that will keep him/her close to my body while I move around the house with a toddler. Again, what did you ladies use? Or am I ridiculous in thinking that I'd use one of these?

PS - if any of you out there are cloth diapering mommas and can suggest a good diaper sprayer I am in the market for one of those too.

PPS - I just finished my entire Hawaii 2012 vacation video in an hour. Go me!!!

Carolyn

Sunday 25 November 2012

Busy weekend

It's been a bit of a crazy weekend around here.

Friday night we had a house full of friends for a little 'trimming of the tree' party. Lots of food, lots of laughs and lots of fun. It was the first time I've really entertained in months and it felt awesome to have the place filled with loved ones. The boys weren't a great help when it actually came down to decorating the tree, but thanks to the ladies it got done!



Have I mentioned on here that there are FOUR ladies at our church pregnant? Maybe this doesn't seem like that big of a deal to others, but we don't go to a mega church. There are under 100 members, so to have four babies due within six months of each other is a pretty crazy thing. It's pretty awesome though and we are very excited!

3 out of 4 pregger ladies. Approx. 35 weeks, 30 weeks and 14 weeks.

Yesterday we had a shower for my cousin and her new arrival at my moms house. More food, more family, more love. Awesomeness. Today my coffee mommas group was suppose to have our monthly Starbucks get together, but due to illness and busy schedules it just didn't work out. I love getting together with that group, indulging in a treat and chatting about all things parenthood. Hoping to reschedule soon. Tonight we'll be at my parents for dinner as we do most Sundays.

Look at the pure joy on this kids face. He LOVES slides. Thanks Jason for the great pic ;)
With busy weekends like this, you can see why I like my Mondays to be quiet and laid back. The in laws arrive in a few short days and we'll once again be fairly busy. Can't wait though!

Hope you all had a great weekend too! Much love.

Friday 23 November 2012

Hello Christmas Tree!

Last night Matt and I, with some 'help' from Noah, put up our Christmas tree. He wanted to be involved in every moment! We followed daddy downstairs to get the box, he stood right next to daddy as he pulled out the pieces and even climbed underneath the tree while daddy hooked things up. And when the lights came out, boy oh boy was that exciting. Once all the lights were strung and we turned it all on, Noah stared at the tree with a big grin and said a whole bunch of words that we couldn't understand. He also grabbed several of his toys and through them under the tree. I don't know if he actually understands that toys will be under the tree or if he just thought that was a cool spot to put them. But I try to never underestimate my child, because I kind of think he is a smarty pants (don't we all think that of our children?)




Tonight we are having a few friends over to 'trim the tree' and make it look all pretty. It's the first time I've had people over in a long time because my house has been a disaster. I'm really looking forward to it! I'll be sure to post a few photos of the finished product.




Tuesday 20 November 2012

Christmas memories

I'm sitting here, alone in my quiet house while the little one naps upstairs. I just finished watching a Christmas movie all warm and cozy with my feet up.

My mind is wandering, thinking about our family Christmases as a child. For some reason, there are a few things that just stick out so strongly in mind.

I remember standing on the upstairs balcony of my house, next to my bedroom door. It was completely dark except for the lights shining on the garland of the banister. My mom was sitting in her rocking chair in the downstairs living room, pregnant with my little brother Matthew. She was listening to Carol of the Bells and quietly rocking back and forth in the darkness. I wonder what she was thinking about. For some reason, that moment in my memory feels so magical that I wish I could relive it.

Another one that stands out was a repeating occurrence on Christmas Eve. We always went to my Grandma & Grandpa Creamore's around 4pm to open our gifts from them. For whatever reason, I always think of the fact that we would have a glass of Pepsi and eat rippled chips with French onion dip. It was tradition. Even to this day, though my grandpa has passed on and my grandma no longer lives in that apartment, I still think of that. And I always find myself craving that glass of Pepsi and those chips. Odd isn't it?

Another? Pjs. I remember getting a new set of pajamas every Christmas Eve. It was so special because I always felt pretty and cozy when I went to bed that night.

There are many more, but I just felt like sharing a few if those moments with you. I hope I can recreate moments like that with our children. Memories that aren't all about getting the best or most expensive gift. Memories of special times with family. Because those are the moment that stick with us forever.



Monday 19 November 2012

Feeling good!

I am happy to say that I am finally feeling normal again! I have the energy to do what I need to (for the most part) and other then being starving half the time my tummy is behaving! I still go to bed early, but that was pretty standard with my last pregnancy so I'm thinking that is just normal for me.



I'm hungry pretty much all the time now and everything I eat taste way better then I remember. Noah and I made banana chocolate chip muffins this morning and I've already had two. Yeah, bad Carolyn. But I'm making sure to balance it out with lots of healthy things. Noah enjoyed tasting a few chocolate chips while I baked.

Mmm! These things are good!

Speaking of Noah, he is going through a bit of a picky phase. He definitely has his foods that he loves (mainly cheese, cheerios and yogurt) and it's difficult to get a good amount of vegetables into him unless it's in the form of spinach. I realise that's totally normal for kids though and I am just trying me best to give him a balanced diet.



My husbands parents are arriving next week from Ontario and will be spending about 10 days with us. We have tickets to the Michael W Smith concert as well as the Christmas train in Stanley Park. There is also a Kick off to Christmas party at our church that we will be attending with them. It'll be so great to be able to celebrate with both sides of our family this year. Very special!

Well, I am on the family computer downstairs and it's pretty much freezing. So I am off to warm up on my main floor. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!



Thursday 15 November 2012

Bugs in the house

We have had several bugs in our house lately, and we just can't seem to get rid of them. No, they aren't the kind of bugs that buzz around your head or hide in the corners. I'm talking viral and bacterial bugs!



For about two weeks now we have been passing a similar bug back and forth between Noah, myself and now, my poor hubby. In fact, Matt should be on his way home from work soon to take a rest. Noah has been battling an ear infection since last week Thursday. He was put on a strong three day antibiotic that kicked in fast and got rid of his high fever, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to fully rid him of it and he is on a second round of a different one now.

I on the other hand seem to be improving. I'm over the cold virus, my nausea is rarely around and I'm not quite as exhausted as I was. I can tell I have entered my second trimester because all of a sudden my hunger has kicked in strong. I ate lunch at 10:00am yesterday, followed by a second lunch a few hours later. I'm sure I'll gain back those pounds I lost in no time. Something else excited, last night I woke up around 1:30am and I could feel the baby moving. Not the kicks and jabs, it's far too early for that. But I was definitely getting that 'water movement bubbly' feeling. Exciting! There really is a baby in there! I can't wait to find out if it's a little he or she so we can start calling him or her by her real name!

Anyone else out there getting into the Christmas spirit? I just came home from a morning at the mall with my momma. We sipped gingerbread lattes, showed Noah where Santa will soon be (as of this weekend) and did a bit of shopping. My in laws will be here in just two weeks from back east and we will be fully celebrating Christmas with them. We get two Christmases this year, how fun is that!?



Sorry for my lack of proper blog pictures lately. I just haven't had the energy to pick up my camera lately and snap pictures of Noah in his daily activities. I am taking a photography class this Saturday with our family photographer and I'm sure after that I'll be eager to practise what I learned and can share some with you guys.

Saturday 10 November 2012

Rough night

Noah's sick again. I think him and I keep passing a bug back and forth between us but it hits him harder. We were up all night fighting his fever and calming his tears. Poor kiddo... and poor us.

Friday 9 November 2012

The blessing of HELP

I've been doubly blessed this week.

Today I enter week 13 of pregnancy. Bye bye first trimester and hello second trimester! Usually this means moving onto feeling your best, but I'm not quite there yet. I feel like I am at the peak of my exhaustion and I am still dealing with nausea from time to time. I've also been dealing with a stupid cold bug that had come back for a second round.
My doctor said the only way I was going to get over this exhaustion and bug was to rest as much as possible. Easier said then done when you have a very active one year old.

But as I mentioned, I've been double blessed this week. Yesterday my mom took Noah out for the morning so I could do nothing. It was hard for me as I looked around at my disaster of a house and thought of the million things I could do to improve it. But I resisted and layed on the couch for a majority of the day. My hubby came home to nothing but leftovers for dinner and then sent me upstairs to relax in the tub while he tidied the kitchen. Yeah, I know, I'm really lucky...

Then today, a family friend came by and entertained Noah all morning long. I was able to rotate between light housework for half hour and then putting my feet up for half an hour. Noah had a wonderful morning of fun and I got more accomplished then I would have in a week. Seriously, my house looks pretty good. Such blessings!!!

I don't think people truly understand what a help something like that is until you are on the receiving end of it. I wish I had offered to help out others like that more before I had a family. I should still try!

Anyways, just had to share. The little one should be waking up anytime now and I may just have the energy to take him out for a bit of playtime and figure out something for dinner.

PS - Hubby is done overtime. I love it when he is around. Yet another blessing... Thank you God!

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Time out!

Well, Noah experienced his first 'time out' yesterday and he was not too happy about it!

He was deliberately disobeying both Matt and I so our little toddler found himself sitting on the bottom stair in our kitchen. He didn't understand at first and automatically got up to walk away, but I repeatedly plopped him down on that step and told him he needed to sit. After about 30 seconds (with alot of screaming) he slouched his whole body, drooped his head down and just sat sniffling. He was only there for a minute (going with the amount of time based on age method) and before he got up I explained to him why he was there.

It wasn't fun for either of us, but he totally understood and was a good boy after until he went to bed. Yes! Success!

Thanks to all those who suggested different ideas. It's always nice to hear what other mommies are doing :)

Monday 5 November 2012

Toddlers and tiredness

I have a new bedtime. It's 8:30pm. As crazy as that is I'm finding that 10 hours of sleep is what I need to function decently during the day. I wake up feeling refreshed and have enough energy to somewhat keep my house clean.

Week 12 bump. My shirt does a pretty good job of hiding it :)


Noah has started this new annoying thing. When he's done eating or when he simply decides he doesn't want his food anymore, he throws it on the ground. At first I would just take his plate away but then he ends up not eating and I don't want to send a growing 1 year old to bed without eating. Does anyone have any suggestions of consequences for toddlers that worked well? Or book suggestions? Preferably something from Focus on the family or another Christian company? I'm a big fan of time out (worked like a charm when I was a nanny) but Noah's still too young to understand that concept I think.

 
 


On a happier note, we had a great weekend! Saturday morning we hit up Starbucks on the way to Costco so I could get my first gingerbread latte of the season. Mmm mmm good! We did a bit of Christmas shopping and then went over to meet the newest member of our family, little baby Jackson. Such a teeny tiny adorable little boy and oh so loved already. That evening we got together with my family and had Greek food. We decided instead of spending $15 a person at a restaurant we could combine efforts and make it ourselves. Turned out awesome and was a whole lot cheaper! Sunday after church we enjoyed lunch at Red Robins with friends (and without Noah!) to celebrate a friends birthday. Matt did end up going into work for a few hours in the evening, but Noah was out cold by 6:15 and I spent the evening in bed reading a book. All in all a good couple of days!

Well, gotta run. I've got home made french bread baking in the oven right now! We are having paninis for dinner :)

Friday 2 November 2012

Lazy mom

Lately I haven't felt like the best mother in the world, at least not to Noah. Although my nausea has pretty much disappeared at this point, I am still exhausted and find I just don't have the energy to get down on the floor and play with my son as much as I should. He's watching more TV then I would normally be okay with and often I just feel like laying on the couch instead of taking him outside to play.

Before when he napped it was usually my time to get things done, like cleaning and tidying up. But right now I'm using it as time to either sleep or put my feet and relax.

It makes me feel so guilty! I know pregnancy is temporary and this fatigue I am feeling right now will probably go away for the most part in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime I am just such a slacker! I have managed to cook dinners again and keep my house in somewhat of a working order and that alone feels like an accomplishment.

My poor husband has been working overtime for weeks now. It sucks for me because it means I am totally on my own until Noah is asleep. But it also sucks for him. He doesn't get to see Noah and he comes home to a mess of a house.

I definitely don't feel like a great house wife at the moment.


Thursday 1 November 2012

Our little monster

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween! It was a soaking wet one here. Worst Halloween weather in 18 years so I was told. But despite the wet we still had a great evening as a family.



This was Noah's first real Halloween, as last time he was just over two months old and had no idea what was going on. He picked out his own costume back in August and it turned out to be perfect for him. He looked adorable and it kept him cosy, warm and covered from the rain.



We had dinner at my parents first and got Noah dressed and ready to go there. He received some fun mickey mouse Halloween cards from his Nana, Papa & Grandma as well as a bright orange balloon. He seemed to catch onto the concept of Halloween pretty quickly once he saw what was sitting by the front door - candy everywhere!



We hit up about 10 houses or so before my hubby started to complain about the rain. It is a little difficult to trick or treat when you are trying to balance a heavy one year old, a basket, a camera and an umbrella.



We stopped by my cousins to see their sweet little baby boy and family and then lost steam and headed back to Nana & Papas and then home. We brushed Noah's teeth well (not that he really ate much in the way of candy) and then he promptly passed out.

Today however, was not such a good day in Noah's world. After my prenatal appointment Noah received his one year shots; all four of them. I left the room while Nana helped him through it and rewarded him with a chocolate treat after. Hopefully he wont be too sore and will be feeling much better by tomorrow.