I’m going to attempt to post a few of the photos taken with my BlackBerry throughout the week on a regular basis. I usually don’t lug around my DSLR unless we’re headed to an event or I know there will be some prime picture-taking opportunities. Good thing for phones with cameras, then. ;)
The weather has been cooperating for me to hang cloth diapers on the line. We use prefolds and Flip diaper covers.
Baby Q is big enough to ride in the Kelty carrier! We were headed for a walk around the neighborhood – of course, she now sticks her tongue out at the camera.
We acquired three duckies! A neighbor of ours wanted to find them a new home, so we took them in. One is a Crested and two are Pekins – the females are layers, so we get two fresh eggs every day.
While visiting my BFF up in Virginia, I was treated to fabulous food at Smokey Bones. Marinated chicken, broccoli and the BEST sweet potato fries I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
Baby Q has new wall art – flowers from IKEA. I wish we had one closer than Virginia, I love IKEA.
Recently I’ve debated whether or not to put Baby Q in her own room. She’s now five months old, has been sleeping very well and can fall asleep on her own. We’ve co-slept/bed-shared since birth and breastfeeding and changing diapers throughout the night was much easier. Now that those aren’t a necessary routine while we’re asleep, a move to her own room would be possible.
I would love to be able to lay in bed with my husband and talk about the day and concerns the way we did before Q was born. It would be nice to be able to be the bed-hog again – sorry Mr. Husband, looks like you’ll never have more than an eighth of the bed if Q or I have our say.
But then I really think about it. I don’t want to have Q sleep across the hall in her own room. I love waking as the sun is lighting the world and seeing Baby Q peacefully asleep. There is nothing better than watching her for a few minutes before her eyes flutter open. The greatest part about sharing our bed is that Baby Q looks at me mere seconds after she opens her eyes and smiles a wide, toothless grin and it melts my heart.
I don’t want to give that up. She’s only young once and there’s just something so powerful and so moving about a baby’s first smile of the day. So happy to see me and so enthusiastic about the day to come. Grinning, and cooing, stretching and kicking her legs and touching my face to make sure I’m paying attention. Every morning is a wonderful one because I am greeted by my glowing, joyful daughter. No day is a bad day because we start it out right – next to one another, smiling and happy.
So while she could sleep in her own room, in a bed all her own, I don’t think we’d be as happy as we are now. I’m going to savor this moments while I have them.
Today is the last day of my visit with my best friend Brittany. Like my mother said, it’s as if Baby Q has had two mommies for the past week. I’ve had a blast and Baby Q fell in love with Brittany’s two pups. Life is good when you have friends. I’m sad to see this week-long visit coming to an end, but it’s time for us to head on home.
While we were here in Virginia, Baby Q started a new thing. Sticking out her tongue and making funny faces. She thinks it’s hilarious, and honestly? It is! She woke up one morning and realized, hey – this tongue of mine? It can make other people laugh! Now that’s all she does – to strangers, to me, to the dogs (and she waits for a reaction from them) and she gets it.
As Brittany says, “action, reaction.”
I can’t wait to visit again!
Baby Q and I are spending some wonderful time with my best friend, Miss Brittany. She lives a state away, so we don’t get to see one another as often as we’d like but we make do with Skype! ;)
The photo is Brittany and I sometime in 2008/2009. We were coworkers in California and our friendship blossomed from there on out. Soon she’ll be moving to Florida closer to her family but she’ll still be my BFF and it will give Baby Q and I an excuse to go to Disney on vacation. ;)
Slowly but surely, we’re going “greener” in our house. I already do cloth diapers, cloth breast pads (to control the mommy milk leaks!) and cloth mama pads (okay, so I haven’t had to use them yet) but we still used a heck-of-a-lot of paper towels.
So, the other night while perusing through blogs, I came across an article about how to replace paper towels with regular towels. It was such a simple concept, I have no idea why I didn’t think of it myself!
Off to the store I went – Baby Q in tow. We picked up a small trash can and 27 bar towels. They’re slightly larger than a washcloth, so they aren’t huge towels but aren’t tiny cloths either.
I stacked them nicely in a planter given to Baby Q from my in-laws. The plant died while we were on vacation so I figured I’d put it to use! They sit to the left of our kitchen sink. The trash can is propped next to the refrigerator and I just toss the towels in as I use them. I may find a new place for the dirty towel bin. The whole load will go into the wash once every few days or as needed. Isn’t it a brilliant idea? And so easy.
The towels can be re-used if I want or I can just clean with them and toss ‘em. Just like paper towels but much cheaper (I paid for the towels and bin what I would have paid for a 4 pack of 100% recycled towels) and much better for the Earth.
I won’t lie – we’ll still keep paper towels around for the messy messes. Like when the dog gets sick or the cat brings us a dead lizard/cricket/toad “present”. But for the little things like cleaning the handles of the refrigerator door, wiping up the table after dinner and cleaning out the microwave I am very happy to take out a cloth towel.
My dear Baby Q, you’re growing so quickly. Every day it’s a new milestone. I need to remember to stop and take a moment to absorb it all. To spend time cherishing now. I don’t want to forget the way you smile when you wake up and see me. From here on out I am going to take more pictures and spend more time. Because you’re only young once and I don’t want to waste it.
I think I have to give up the coffee. I’m an addict. Some mornings I make coffee here at home. Most mornings I head to a local coffee joint for a 24 ounce frozen, blended yummy beverage. The mornings I can’t do either I make sure to pick up a refrigerated Starbucks frappuccino (in vanilla – the best flavor!)
Either way, it comes out to me spending at minimum $100 every month on coffee and drinking a LOT of calories (and a lot of sugar). I think I used it as an excuse to have something sugary. “It’s coffee,” I’d say, “It’s allowed!” but I don’t think it is. 24 ounces of hazelnut, caramel, chocolate and whipped cream isn’t exactly a Primal or Paleo food source.
Do I even have to mention the caffeine? Yesterday I wound up with a killer headache. I haven’t had a headache in quite a while and I think it was from caffeine withdrawal, ha! But it was that final boot to the butt that inspired me to do a coffee-cleanse.
So, until September 15 I am going without coffee! Let’s hope I don’t die of deprivation and have the strength to do it. Oh, and for my regular coffee dates with friends at our local coffee shop – I’ll have to do a fruit smoothie. ;)
Are you with me?
Lately I feel as if I’ve been really neglecting Q and Us. What can I say? I spend all day on Wordpress working as the web developer for a group of newspapers. Sometimes I just want to be done with Wordpress (but oh, how I love thee!) and I find that my personal blog takes the hit.
We’re all alive and happy, though. Our family went to the last baseball game we’ll see of the season. Baby Q wore adorable Homerun Baby Legs for just a short time since it was super hot out. Oh, how I love the humid summers in North Carolina. ;)
Our plans are to relax all weekend because soon Mr. Husband leaves to jet around the country for work but he’ll be in and out occasionally so Q and I will be enjoying our girl-time while he’s gone. I’m thinking to the beach, a pedicure for mama and a mini-vacation to visit my BFF in Virginia – she needs another Baby Q fix. :D
Baby Q went to the pool today for the first time. We went with her friend Burgandy and Burgandy’s mommy. I knew Q liked the water from being in the lake and splashing with me in the bathtub. What I didn’t know was that Q really likes the water. She wants to swim and splash and squiggle but she’s still a bit too young yet. Burgandy (who is 7 months) is a regular at the pool and her mommy is a cloth diapering breastfeeder, too. After tasting the water about 30 times Q was ready to head home but we’ll be back next week!
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
