A "different" list of baby essentials and DIY wrap 2 for under $20.00!!!

I am a mother of 4.  I have been given SOOOO much baby advice.  And like all mothers...I keep the good and toss the rest..(OR call up my friends and laugh at the bizarre!! For example, tape a quarter to the baby's belly button to turn an outie into an innie! HA!)  Here is a list of some of THE best advice i've received and discovered for baby products.

1.) Sandwich bags: These things are great, cheap and found just about everywhere!  The reason they're fantastic...you can use them to pack paci's, dirty diapers, medicine AND outfits that get messy when you're out.  Explosive diarrhea can happen ANYWHERE.  Keep these handy in your diaper bag.  And not just for the diaper bag.  Nursery too.  Diaper genies are pricey...really..they are.  Once you add in all the refills...babies go A LOT!  Simply keep a box of sandwich bags by the changing table..put your dirty diapers in em.."zip" em up..and toss.  Cheap and effective odor control!

2.)Cloth diapers: If you are choosing to cloth diaper..then for obvious reasons.  If not..BURP CLOTHS!  They really are the best.  My cousin, Natasha (also a Mom of 4), got me a 13 pack when I was pregnant with my first baby, Natalie.  They really are fantastic.  They're actually absorbent! The cutesy ones in boutiques and at Walmart just aren't.  AND they're bleachable!  And 13 for around $10.00 versus $10.00 for 3 that are basically printed wash cloths...think about it!  And if cutesy prints are important to you...stitch some fabric over these.  You'd still come out saving $$$...and some of your tops.

3.)This Infant Bather: 

The reason it's awesome, well..it's mesh.  A newborn is not going to be able to sit comfortably in a plastic tub until they're able to sit.  At that point baby can just sit in the bathroom tub!  This little $13.00 (found at Walmart) mesh bather holds the baby softly.  The baby is not floating up or slipping down which happens in the big bulky plastic tubs.  AND it warms up with the water...because it's mesh and like a big cloth.  I love these things..they're cheap..and all you'll need until baby is ready to sit in the big people tub :)  You can go without ANY tub or bather by simply sitting in the tub with your baby or showering with baby.

4.)THE nasal bulb syringe from the hospital: DO NOT LOSE IT!  They're THE best one's you can have.  And I haven't been able to buy one in a store that can compete with the one's i've brought home from the hospital with me.  They're soft and flexible.  Perfect.  I don't know why you can't find them in that quality from a store...conspiracy!

5.)White men's T-shirts: This really isn't for baby.  And you really don't NEED them.  But I LOVE mine.  I have 20 white mens v-neck tee's.  They're perfect for days at home....and when you're just bringing baby home...especially if you're nursing...you don't really get out that often.  At least I don't.  They're cheap, bleachable (spit up and baby food stain friendly), they stretch and they look cute with jeans and a cardigan (for when people just SURPRISE you and show up to meet baby) OR with sweat pants.  They've become a staple in my Mommy wardrobe.
  That's really it for my list...so..here's a wrap tutorial :)
  If you've looked at the price tags on a Moby or Boba wrap you know they're not cheap.  What you may NOT know is...this is just a 10 ft. piece of Jersey knit cotton fabric.  Really....that's it.  Now...go check the price of jersey knit cotton fabric.  Yup..that's right....on average $3.97 a yard in a fabric store.  Since I live in HAZARD there is no fabric store.  So..off to Walmart I went.  I paid $18.86 for 5 yards.  That's all you need.  5 yards.  The fabric is usually 50-55 inches wide.  The wrap only needs to be 25!  So..BARGAIN..2 wraps for under $20.00 versus the price tag on a Moby.  I'll take it!  Of course you need to cut the fabric in half ...giving you two 5 yard pieces with the width of 25 inches each. TWO WRAPS! Fold one of your pieces in half again...and lets put this thing on!

 Find the middle of your fabric..place it in the center of your belly. SEAM side up.

 Like this! Where..it's really a personal comfort thing...but you'll want it pretty close under your breasts.

 Take one side....and wrap it behind and over your shoulder.  CAREFUL not to twist or bunch the fabric.  The seam "pocket" should be pointed at your face.

 Repeat for the other side.  AGAIN..Careful not to twist or bunch.















Should look like this in the back.

 Now....Take your shoulder pieces and hold them together...again...careful not to twist or bunch.

 Slide them under the piece at your navel.

 Now....this depends on which hand is your dominate hand. I'm right handed so I take the right piece over the left.  If you're left handed..do the opposite.

 AND tie it in the back.

 Take baby...lay baby on your dominate shoulder...my right.

 Open your little seam pocket.

 And slide baby in feet first.  Careful to make sure there is fabric between your chest and baby.  Baby's head should be resting pretty close/on your heart.

My snuggle buddy was lifting his head though. Take the other pocket and fold over baby.  Like so.

 Now take the bottom piece and pull over baby's bottom.

 And on up!

My little snuggle buddy was wiggly...but here he is...all snuggled in and i'm hands free!  To eat...to paint...to sew..to shop.  And there ya have it!  Wear your baby..on a budget!

Strep throat and maternity jeans!

  Sometimes I fight the universe.  It's true!  I demand positive things!  I try to keep positive thoughts on my mind...and positive words in my mouth.  The latter is a bit hard.  ANYWAY...our family has been fighting a cold.  A nasty one...headaches...ear aches...scratchy throats.  It's fall..so silly me just assumes allergies and weather changes are to blame.  But...in the back of my mind there's this tiny voice saying.."it's strep...oh gosh...what if it's strep!".  There are 2 common illnesses that I fear.  A stomach virus and STREP THROAT!  If they get into our home it seems like they linger for weeks!  Strep throat requires everyone going to the doctor($$$..and well, have you ever tried taking 3 or 4 kids to the doctor in the same day?)....everyone getting medicine($$$)....everyone feeling cranky and crappy....time out of school..basically a bad time all around.  AND IT LINGERS.  It's WAY worse when it's a one at a time deal.  But in this instance we lucked out!
    Harlow decided he was going to the doctor this morning after dropping off the kids.  I refused.  I was thinking positive thoughts and deciding that we all just had a sinus infection and would get well on our own.  Fighting the universe!  Ace was going to go with him but decided he felt better at the last minute so...off to school he went.( Parents of children in his class...I apologize!). *sigh*
   I waited at home...feeling awful with my sore throat and headache.  The phone rings around 9 am....it's Harlow...out of the doctors office..it's strep.  AWESOME!  Just awesome!  So, I went to find some clothes to put on...Now, I just had Sawyer 4 weeks ago.  So..why I decided to pull out my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans I don't know!  I got one leg in....HA..pulled them off and sadly walked back in my closet to find my maternity jeans.  Tops don't fit either so instead of putting on a maternity top (I REFUSE!) I grabbed one of Harlows sweaters and pulled it on.  Maternity jeans and my husbands shirt...I have pretty high self confidence..but lets be honest, any woman would be feeling lousy at this point!
   We put the toddler and baby in the van and Harlow drove us to the clinic.  Once we're there I realize that I will have to be weighed.  I actually got pretty excited to see what the scales read! ( I won't give you guys a number...but lets just say i'll go through a couple pairs of running shoes before I get back into those skinny jeans! ) And answer questions like "Are you still breastfeeding?" ..(No, wish I was...but my body fails at that soooo)...and "Do you drink?" ( No...but now that you mentioned it! )
  When we got back in our room I tried busying Weston with magazines and songs.  I'm so blessed that we never have to wait long at our doctors office.  They came right in and we were out with the sad diagnosis that we, too, have strep!  Awesome...so now it's 3 out of 6.

   We went straight to the school...checked the kids out and headed straight back to the clinic.  SURPRISE SURPRISE 5 out of 6 now!  After spending FOREVER in CVS we're now home.  With antibiotics, new toothbrushes and tylenol.  AND this...

   Yes, folks...that is a coffee cup of cheap wine.  :)  I don't think I could end this day any better!
 

A new stool for Weston

Our toddler, Weston is just learning to use the potty.  He needed a new step stool so he could reach the potty to flush and wash his hands by himself.  We try to promote as much independence as possible. The problem is....a good step stool is hard to find!  We've had plastic ones....AND wooden ones. But as i've come to find out..even the wooden ones we find in department stores are poor quality and seem to break under the daily use and abuse of my little ones.  Harlow, that sweet SWEET man went through his scrap wood pile and found some pieces that would be perfect for what I want.  A STURDY STEP STOOL!  One to last until our youngest no longer needs one.  How many step stools has this woman had to buy to be causing her this must frustration...over something so seemingly mundane.....TOO MANY my friends...way too many!  SO here's some photos of Harlow at work.  No set plans (we didn't have any..just wen with what we had)....and this is what we ended up with.

Harlow had so much help with this project!  Natalie, Aiden and Weston LOVE "helping" Daddy with his woodworking.

 I love wood!  I really do.  rough cut and all pretty and sanded like this.  Watching scrap pieces of wood coming together to make something useful.

 Now here's where I got crafty.  We don't own a wood burning tool.  And i really wanted a carved out look to this stool.  SOOOO I got to thinking..if I took white paint and used choppy quick brush strokes and painted the words to LOOK like a carving...it just might get me the look I want.

 Once it was all phrased up Harlow stained over my lettering with our favorite stain "mission oak".  And here is what we got!!!

 I LOVE it!  And I can't wait to give the finished stool to the kids tomorrow morning.

Thanks Papa Bear!  You never fail to give me exactly what we need!

What to do when the Tooth Fairy FORGETS to stop by!

Our daughter, Natalie, lost her front tooth yesterday.  She was SOOOO excited for the tooth fairy to come. Normally i'm on top of this.  I make a big deal of it and make special Tooth Fairy coins by painting them with glitter nail polish.  She gets up and is so excited to find the sparkly coins.  It makes me feel so great to give them a bit of magic.  WELL, not this time i'm afraid.  You see, I forgot ALL about the tooth fairy's visit last night.  I was awakened at 8 am by shrill cries "She forgot me!  The Tooth Fairy forgot me!".  There is no guilt like Mommy guilt.  I felt like crying.  Maybe it was the turkey...maybe the fact that i'm running on very little sleep since bringing home Sawyer...either way..no excuse!  Harlow, quickly jumped up...smoothly slid $2.00 under her blanket as he pretended to frantically search her room with her.  She was satisfied with her dollar bills...but concerned that the tooth fairy had paid her for a tooth she didn't take.  My response "She must have been new!  I hope she doesn't get into trouble.  We better leave it out again tonight...and write her a note!"

Why a note?  Because the Tooth Fairy can read any letter you write addressed to her right away!  In her mind!  It's MAGIC!

Forgive the penmanship.  If you can't read my writing..it says
Dear Tooth Fairy,
   I hope this letter finds you well.  I woke up to realize that you had left my daughter payment for her tooth this morning.  Thank you, for a job ALMOST well done.  You must have been groggy from eating turkey because you forgot her tooth!  We have left it in plain sight tonight as i'm sure you'll be back for it.
                              Sincerely, Mrs.Ashley Caudill
                                        Natalie's Mom


 Then I had Natalie take the letter and her tooth...lay it on her dresser for the Tooth Fairy to find.  Then I waited patiently for my sweet girl to fall asleep.  I tip toed to her room once I knew she was good and asleep..snapped a picture of her dresser, grabbed the note and tooth..and slipped back out.
  I then visited this handy website www.toothfairy.capturethemagic.com.  Uploaded my photo..followed the steps...and voila!  Mama captured the newbie Tooth Fairy coming back for Natalie's tooth and reading the note!

I hope that i've made this a GREAT memory for her.  I could have come clean and told her the sad truth about the Tooth Fairy....but why ruin the magic?!?!  And the fun!

Milestones that REALLY matter.

Sawyer, is our newborn.  A whole 3 weeks and 6 days old.  Sawyer, has a cold.  And if you're a parent you know how pitiful a stuffed up newborn baby can be.  The fussiness...the crying...the fighting the sleep!  Anyway, for those non-parental friends of mine who have never had to use a nasal bulb syringe ..AKA snot sucker...it's not a pleasant experience.  Not for baby...not for Mama and Daddy.  While fighting Sawyer to suction his nose..I got to thinking...the baby books really do have it all wrong.  Don't get me wrong..sitting up..walking, talking...those are some biggies.  But the REAL milestones that count, in my opinion, are:

1.) Being able to blow their own nose!  No more nasal bulb syringe, nose frida or crying parents!  The kids a lot happier too.  But then you get a whole new problem of wiping their noses on their little sleeves....eh..one step at a time!

2.)Self burping! No more patting and waiting.  :)

3.)Being able to retrieve their own pacifier!  You know you'll enjoy not being woken by shrill cries in the middle of the night...ones that you're sure means you'll find your kids head stuck between the mattress and the bed..or any number of horrible things you imagine in the few feet it takes to get from your bed to theirs.  Only to find that it's just their best friend..the paci is missing!

4.)Coming when called as opposed to running and hiding! Now, this could just be my kids..but...we're in this stage with our 2 year old, Weston.  He thinks it's a game to run and hide when he hears us call to him. Especially when we're all at the door..ready to leave.  He ALWAYS..never fails..turns and bolts..he'll hide under the bed usually.  There's been a few times he's been crafty.  The most terrifying of these was with Natalie.  She was about 2 years old and hid in a clothes rack at our local Walmart.  I ran frantically up and down the women's department!  SCREAMING her name!  It wasn't until I heard a little giggle coming from a  rack of dresses that I found her.

5.)Being able to buckle their own seat belt! It's awesome to be able to get in and say.."buckle up!"!

That's all I have for now.  Whats your favorite un-celebrated milestone?

Displaying your kids artwork...BEYOND THE FRIDGE!

If your home is like mine..you're bombarded with drawings!  Drawings from school, drawings from Sunday school, drawings from the doctors office...you get it...i'm sure.  Even being covered in paper...I still can't make myself throw it away!  Maybe it's watching them actually creating..maybe it's the look on their faces when they excitedly show me their work. I have a difficult time de-cluttering the paper.  With that said, I had to get creative with displaying all this ART!

Now some pieces are just too precious not to showcase ALL the time..ya know, for all who visit to enjoy.
These are some cheap ($5.00 for 2) diploma frames I snagged at Big Lots.  Easy to switch the pictures out...The glass pops off the front.

OR

We use our windows!  We have these 3 big windows in the kitchen of the double wide.  (Excuse the bareness of it..we're in the middle of a complete overhaul of this place.  I'll blog more on that later.  SO excited though...picture a massive craft project...anyway..)The kids LOVE to cover them in their art and crafts.  Showcased now is their turkeys from Thanksgiving.

I also use a curtain rod with jump rings attached to clothes pins.  It's our brag board for good grades and reports from school.  I'm also working on compiling a book.  Snapping pictures of their artwork and making a photo album is a GREAT way to hold onto those memories and still keep from drowning in paper.  Of course this means you can toss the originals..without guilt.  Just not in front of your littles...of course :)

If it calls for a roux..I call for pizza :)

OK..so not really.  But I did just make my first roux..aka GRAVY!!!  Not going to lie...I panicked when I saw that in order to make this


I HAD to make a roux.  It just looked to tasty to not give it a go.  My kids have gone this long without homemade gravy...and Harlow was cheering me on while browning the chicken.  We had come to far to turn back!  So far so good!  BEST part...took 20 minutes...start to finish!  Minus the 10 minute cooling period...so..I guess, 30 minutes from fridge to table!  Fingers crossed that it tastes OK...if it does i'll pass along the recipe later tonight.

So, you're starting a blog.... :)

   So, I wake up on this beautiful dreary day..and say to Harlow "I'm going to start a blog!".  The kids are busy playing..and i'm just sitting here trying to figure this out.  So, friends..if you'd like to offer advice on this new endeavor feel free to share! :)  I'm actually really excited for this.  I can't wait to share some crafting tutorials with you all.  Not to mention post the goings on of the kids!  They're the funniest people I know.  And if you're here reading it (as opposed to being forced to read my FB updates) then I know you're not completely without a sense of humor.  So..here it goes...the start of a *hopefully* daily blog.