girl time

We are another weekend without "dada" as Charlotte now says! The past couple of days she has gotten a lot more verbal and says "baba" and "dada" a lot. Se loves to growl still, this phase of growling has lasted a long time! I'm sure it will pass..... eventually.

She has discovered the joy of opening doors! That just started yesterday...

Since we are "just the girls" again this weekend, we decided to celebrate and have a girl's movie out with at a friend's house. "The Devil wears Prada" was the flick and it was fun! I had seen this movie quite a while ago and had forgotten most of it. These type of movies always open my eyes to my lack of fashion sense, but I love the New York world it takes me too. Someday perhaps we will hit the streets of New York for a shopping spree....

In the meantime... it will be the streets of Freddy for a chilled latte (pour moi) and a Baby Mum Mum (for my girl)...

We found some natural baby sunscreen at a local health food store, which is great. I debated getting the UV cover, but I don't think it would be very fun for Charlotte to be covered by black mesh every time we are out. The stuff I found is called "Badger Sunscreen" and the only chemical is Zinc Oxide, which is the same stuff used in diaper rash cream. Of course I will try my best to stay out of the sun at the peak times, but we will probably be outdoors a lot this summer, and I really wanted to get something that was good for her.

(Second cupping it......)

I also found a BPA free sippy cup for her at a local baby shop and it has a soft spout. We tried one from the Superstore and she didn't know how to suck on it. With this one, some water comes out when it is tipped and so it may enourage her to suck the water out. We will try it, anyway!

Rocking it out in the stroller, with the soother she loves to chew on!

I also picked up some freezer trays with a cover for making my own baby food... I have been using bottled food so far, but now that she is eating more I am going to start making it.

She is so sleepy...

The last thing we did was wander by the market and pick up some popcorn for a treat (for me!) later on. Now we are home and the other girl (aka Ava) really needs some exercise and attention. Soon we will go for a walk, make supper and chill out together this evening. Hope you are enjoying the gorgeous sunshine and t-shirt and short weather :)

What have we been up to lately?? It seems like we have been going nonstop, but I think that's because I have to move pretty quickly to chase Charlotte around the house. It's especially strenuous at other houses when I have to catch her before she flies toward the stairs or pulls their glass decor off shelves, or eats their newspaper.... so many adventures!

Hubby was away on the weekend, Friday night supper until late Sunday night. It was a challenge, as he is rarely away. I was totally not used to never getting a break! We kept really busy, and even made a trip to Green Village. I got ice cream and pansies and Charlotte became very serene the whole time we were there. I have a feeling it was the calming music, green foliage everywhere and the calming environment that settles over you when you enter. Maybe I should go more often...

We had some long walks in the glorious sunshine, which Ava enjoyed too. I need to find some natural baby sunscreen... any suggestions out there?

Now we are attempting a second round at brownies (this time, from scratch) and hopefully settling in for a quiet nap. Tomorrow is MVI day and I will be stripping my diapers tomorrow. I still need to post on my diaper sprayer, I haven't forgotten! Also, I have been doing research on Creative Play, a post will be coming!

Time for cuddles....

8 months old

Some days I cannot believe that God has blessed me with this amazing, beautiful girl. I can smell and feel spring today, and my heart feels refreshed and renewed. I love Charlotte more than I could ever express through words. I am so grateful for this day, and this joy I have in being a wife and mother.

Here are some Easter pictures! We had a wonderful weekend together, and enjoyed a big family potluck.

Charlotte loves to "drum" and he couldn't pass up the opportunity to let her experience a real drum set... (not just plastic containers!) A taste of things to come....

sleepy time

I read the chapter on sleep in "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg yesterday. As I was reading, I felt this overwhelming sense that Charlotte will never sleep through the night because of the habits I have instilled in her. Because she gets milk when she wakes up, she will continue to wake up, even though she might not be hungry. Also, I have only allowed Charlotte to soothe herself to sleep a few times. Mostly, she nurses to sleep because that's what makes her sleep longer, and that's why I kept on doing it! According to Hogg, that is a huge mistake. She needs to be able to get herself to sleep, and should be sleeping approximately 12 hours at night..... STRAIGHT!

So last night I tried putting her down, I tried the soother (because I notice that she is sucking to soothe now, when before she didn't)... I tried rubbing her back, sitting in her room while she stood holding the crib bars and making spitting noises.... and guess what??? She didn't go to sleep!

My dear husband tried to convince me that it was ok. That I believed strongly about nursing on demand and that co-sleeping is not the end of the world. She tucks in bed with me for periods of time throughout the night to nurse (while I sleep). He tried to convince me that I had not done everything wrong!!

I guess part of me agrees with Hogg, in that fostering independance is important (especially now that she is nearing 8 months). And maybe I was supposed to foster it from day 1 instead of starting now. I am torn in this matter, and I know that it will be a huge struggle to change any habits that have developed. I guess you have to live and learn with the first one!

I am going to keep trying to get her down without nursing, maybe starting with nap time. And I think she would benefit from having something else to suck, so I am going to keep trying the soother. (She bites it and plays with it, but doesn't suck it!)

I will try to be discouraged either. It's so easy to lose perspective. She will only be little once, so I will try not to panic about her sleep habits!!

discipline and routine

I have been watching some Supernanny lately and thinking about discipline and routine. I have been wondering about the routine that I establish in Charlotte's life, and really wondering about discipline and at what age children understand. I think that I have been really easy going about everything because I tell myself that she doesn't understand. However, watching the families on the show I am realizing that it would probably be beneficial to Charlotte (and me) to implement some routine in our life. We have a vague routine, and she is changing all the time, so I don't think I can set our day to a strict schedule. But, I do want to have more engaged play with Charlotte throughout the day. And set aside time for music and stories. I also want to encourage imaginative play. She has gotten into the habit of grabbing our glasses, and this is the one thing that I have really said "no" to. I am trying to have a low voice, different from my regular voice, but not loud. I really want to create an environment in our home that she can explore comfortably, so I am not saying "no" all the time. I also think that spending a lot of time playing with your kids provides them the attention they need so that there is less chance they will get into things they are not supposed to, for the purpose of getting attention.

Anyway.... how do YOU deal with discipline? How young did you start? Or what do you think about this topic, even if you do not have children? Do you follow a routine throughout your day? I would love to get some responses on this one! Let's share ideas!

cloth diapers part 2

The update on cloth diapering...

It's going well! I still like it, but I get frustrated with not having enough diapers that fit well. Soon there will be a sale here, (www.littletreehugger.ca) so I am hoping and crossing my fingers that I will be able to stock up on some of my favorite diapers.

I still use disposable when we are out. Which apparently is a lot!! I have tried using cloth a couple of times (when Charlotte has already had her big poo for the day) and I am hoping to become comfortable enough (eventually) to use them all the time, when we are out.

I thought I would explain some more about different kinds of diapers.

FITTED
I have a few fitted diapers, bought used. They are easier to get on than pre-folds, but they still need a cover for waterproof protection. It's like putting on two diapers - not a big deal, but it is quite bulky. I also find it tricky to get the front part totally covered by the cover. If it is not covered, it will leak. I think the reason for this is, the fitteds are a bit too big, and some of my covers are quite low in the front.

POCKETPocket diapers are my FAVORITE! They have an slit inside that allow you to tuck an insert in to absorb everything. They dry easily, and I stuff them right after they come out of the dryer - not a big deal to me. They are easy to put on - no cover needed! Shown above is Ecobumz, I got these used, and they are alright. Not my favorite, because I always need to make sure the fleece part is tucked in to prevent leaks. Also, the velcro tabs are SO long, it is very bulky at the top. Also, there are no velcro tabs for washing, so the velcro sticks to the other diapers. I don't enjoy this!

So this brings me to my favorite diaper so far... the Bumgenius. It is the one diaper we have bought brand new, which is probably why it is my favorite. I'm sure that I will love other brands that have a similar style. You can see the slit for the insert in this picture:


Here is the insert... nice and thick. The diaper comes with two inserts, one is thinner for newborns and a thick one for older babies. There are snaps to adjust the size of the insert.


This diaper is a one-size, which means that it will fit a baby from 7 lbs - 35 lbs. The snaps adjust for the different sizes in the front. (This is different from the blue diaper pictured above. I like the idea of the one-size, it saves you money in the long run.)

ALL IN ONE

I don't have any all in ones, but basically, they are just like a disposable, in that there are no pockets, no covers, you just put them on and go! They are thick though, and could take a long time to dry. They would be the easiest to use.


So that's that! If you are reading this, and know more about cloth diapers than I do, feel free to add your comments! (Or if I have made any errors in the explanations.)

I think the one thing to remember is, cloth diapering does NOT have to cost you an arm and a leg, it can be as simple as picking up used diapers at yard sales, or online. It does not have to be about the latest fad, or having your baby in the cutest diapers. I mention brand names on here, because it is what I have tried and what I know. I can't wait to get out to yard sales in the spring and look around for good deals on diapers. I guess the important thing is trying different options, seeing what works for you, and going with it! More to come on my HOMEMADE diaper sprayer :D

the window

One of our favorite things to do these days. One of the reasons I am thankful we live on a busy street. We talk about the cars, the weather, the people passing by. And she is mesmerized...