Truck Time

Today was a perfect day to go check out some BIG trucks!

Last year we took RC to the local Touch a Truck event. He was very shy and wouldn't really get on any trucks. This year, was a totally different story. I told him last night we were going today and he was very excited.

Once we got in today he ran from truck to truck checking each one out. No being shy this year. He had a blast pressing the buttons (even though everything was fully shut off), "driving" the trucks, and trying to seat belt himself in!

Next year will be Tank's turn to check everything out. This year...he just go to ride along and watch big brother have a blast!

checking out the ambulance

what a gigantic tire. It made a pretty good slide too!

A perfectly sized semi-truck!

A "Totally Brilliant" Fireman Sam Birthday

Wow...it's been forever since I have blogged. What better way to get back to it than to post about RC's 3rd birthday! I had so much fun with his theme...Fireman Sam.  For those that don't know it is a British kids show. Aside from Veggie Tales, RC is obsessed with it

Anyway...back to the party!

I had a very limited budget for the party so I had to really become creative. Plus since it's a British show and isn't super popular in the States, Fireman Sam stuff isn't readily available here.

Let's start with the decorations. Since I decided to give it a try to have his party outside I didn't go crazy on decor. There was a Happy Birthday banner that was fire themed. The main thing I did was created a utensil holder out of a formula container and made it look like Jupiter the firetruck from the show.

I also painted a piece of cardboard to look like the front of Jupiter the firetruck and made it into a photo prop for the kids. I tried to get pictures of all the kids that came to the party in it.

Lastly I was able to print out and tape together a RC sized Fireman Sam for the front door.

Now for the food! I tried to think of ideas that would be something from the show. I came up with:

Match Sticks: Pretzel Sticks dipped in red candy melt chocolate

Fire Hydrants: Chocolate chip cookies (cut with a fire hydrant cutter)

Dilas' Dogs: Hot Dogs cut into 1/3's with a toothpick for serving

Bella's Pizzas: Ritz Cracker Pizzas (cracker, sauce, pepperoni, shredded cheese)




Activities included bean bag toss, fire buckets, and a find and seek game along with just letting the kids run around crazy.

Finally the cake...my masterpiece! I had fun with this one...well I have fun with all the cakes I make! This one was a blast as I knew RC would love it as it was shaped like Jupiter the firetruck! I used one half sheet cake to form the entire truck!

Happy 3rd Birthday RC! We look forward to many more years with you!

Creation Family Devotional

Tonight was the start of our weekly family devotionals with RC. Travis put me in charge of the family devo lessons. We decided to stick with major stories from the Bible...particularly ones that are in RC's Bible! No better place to start than the beginning with creation!

I decided aside from just reading about creation in his Bible, we would do a craft as well! RC loves to glue things and cut things...well attempt to cut things. Our Kingdom Kids has a creation song, so I prepped a page for each day of creation. RC then got to glue everything down and we sang the song. Afterwards I laminated the pages.

For the first one, I think RC enjoyed it. He is still pretty young so he didn't get what we were doing, but now we have the pictures to go with the song so we can continue working on it with him!

Coloring the sky

Even Daddy helped out with the craft.

Trying to figure out how to use a glue stick properly!

Here is our final project!

The little things

It's the little things...

Something that made us crack up....RC singing the Veggie Tales theme song.

Just picture him singing....

Veggie Tale, Veggie Tales, rrrrr, rrrrr, rrrrr, 

Broccoli, celery, got to beeee veggie tales

calflower, ha for you

bonk!

Now picture the real words based on what he was singing.

Veggie Tales, Veggie Tales, there's never ever ever been a show like Veggie Tales

Broccoli, celery got to be, Veggie Tales (he has that line down)

Cauliflower, sweet and sour, HALF AN HOUR, Veggie Tales

To Elf on the Shelf or Not?

That is the question for this year. Last year we did pull out the Elf on the Shelf my sister had gotten for us. I struggled though with part of the idea behind it being a naughty elf and getting into trouble. With RC having been 18 months last year at Christmas and that we had started battling with him and the naughty things he was doing, I felt having our elf do anything naughty was wrong.

This year, I really struggled with whether or not I even wanted to bring our elf back out. We want to focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas. We want to celebrate Jesus. We don't want RC and Tank to think it's just about the presents. This year I decided to search around and see how we might be able to make it work. After all, RC did enough having Qwerty around last year and this year can understand it even more.

Last night Qwerty came back with a letter from Santa. Even though we aren't going to push Santa, we still will get pictures with him and have some fun. We'll let the boys make up their mind as they get older.

The letter from Santa was a request to have Qwerty spend the Christmas season with us so that he might learn about Jesus from RC. He needs to learn how to pray to Jesus and learn that Christmas isn't about presents!

Tonight during our bedtime routine, Qwerty joined us to listen to our Bible story and to pray. Oh and if you haven't maybe figured out, Qwerty the Elf is allowed to be played with. He must stay on the mantle during the night to watch over us all.

RC - "Jeus"

A goal of having Qwerty around is to help RC with things like praying as well. We'll see how all this works out this year. Along with trying to teach Qwerty about Jesus and how to pray, we'll be trying some nightly activities with scriptures and crafts!

I worried, but he pratically had no idea we were gone

Sunday, my hubby and I went to a church retreat. I'll write more on the retreat later. This post is simply about having to leave my baby boy behind for the firs time. RC is 2.5 years old now and spent his first nights away from home and away from family for 2 nights while we took Tank (aka Little Critter) to a church retreat for staff and staff in training.

I was very nervous. We wanted to bring RC home from church and take him to his friends house. They were taking him to lunch after church instead so we had to say goodbye at church. RC just gave us a look like "okay you can leave now. You've said goodbye like a million times." I wanted to just cry.

I knew he was in good hands and with one of his older friends he just loves to hang out with (and sadly will be moving halfway across the WORLD soon!), but I still just couldn't help but worry how he would do come bedtime.

Well he did fantastic. In fact, my friend said he went with no paci for both nights! He did get a little sad when my friend walked to our place to bring our milk inside for us. He got to our apartment and said "mommy's back" and then got sad when he was told we weren't back.

He perked up fairly fast though. The bonus of being 2.5 years old!

Upon our return, he was happy to see us. Get gave me a big hug, got his shoes on and went out to "find da" as he says. He got to play with another friend when we got home.

Then it was bedtime. Oh how he did not want to go to bed without his paci. We kept it away at first and let him cry for a little bit. Then we went back in as he wasn't settling down. He wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with me. It broke my heart. He usually wants to "nuggle" at bedtime and read stories with me. He wanted none of it before his complete breakdown or after.

He finally fell asleep with no paci to wake not 30 minutes later crying again. He was practically still asleep during this fit. Travis decided to let him have the paci...and what does he do. Immediately stop crying and fully pass out.

Oh how I wish he would ditch that paci. I am so thankfully he did great for his first time away from home, but tomorrow I pray he wants nuggles from mommy again!!!

Potty Training Adventures

It's that time...the time that your baby isn't a baby anymore...potty training time! That's right RC is taking us on the potty training adventure. Back in July when we went to see my family, he saw his cousins, "Big Guy and Little Guy," using the potty and decided he wanted to do the same.

He would walk around pulling his shirt up and if you let him, walk up to the toilet like he was going to stand there and go. When we returned home, we decided to let him try going whenever he wanted to. I felt at that point, he really wasn't ready. He had no clue when he was wet which I knew would make potty training difficult.

It has been a not even a month of letting him try occasionally and wearing some cloth trainers that he now understands when he is wet. We invested in cheapy cloth trainers that are basically worthless and just like underwear and we invested in a couple really good trainers. So far the Blueberry trainers we got from Abby's Lane (my favorite cloth diaper store) have been the best. They actually hold an accident...unless of course it's a really huge accident which only a diaper would actually contain.

I'm hoping to fix the cheapy cloth trainers to be similar to the absorbency of the Blueberry trainers if I can manage to get some extra sewing time in!

Today to help with sitting on the potty, we invested in a potty seat. He hasn't liked sitting on the potty backwards. He was very excited to get the new seat.

Upon getting home, he wanted to try it out immediately. He even showed it off for a picture with the biggest "cheese" ever!

As we head down this road, I plan to just listen to him. If he doesn't want to wear underwear or trainers...he doesn't have to. If he doesn't want to try peeing in the potty...he doesn't have to. Right now, that isn't often that that happens.

I'm sure we will have many accidents along the way. Hopefully he when he is fully ready, it won't take him long.

So far my favorite thing he has said while trying to go to the bathroom...

"oh noooo....it's broke!" as he stands there not able to pee in the toilet! LOL

Newborn Cloth Diapers - The Good, The Bad, The Not Worth It

We began cloth diapering with RC around two months old. We had to wait because RC wasn't big enough to fit the BumGenius 4.0 one size diapers we had bought for him. We had opted to skip newborn cloth diapers due to the cost at the time and from the original research on cloth diapers I had done, I had found that he should have been able to fit the one size diapers. Well he would have had he been more of an 8-9 pound baby. Instead he was 6 pounds 15 ounces and super skinny!

Well then it was time for baby #2. We still have a great stash of one size diapers, but again no newborn cloth. We decided to invest in some newborn cloth to get us through the first month - two months. Yes I hate disposables that much that I opted for newborn cloth that would only be used a short time.

Tiny Tush Mini Elite

GroVia Newborn AIO

Thirsties Duo Wrap - size 1

Planet Wise Cover - size 1

Bummis Tiny Bots

Prowrap - newborn size

 For the fun of it and so it maybe helps someone else, I decided to post the pros/cons I saw for each of the newborn diaper we used.

My favorites were the Newborn Blueberry Basix & the Bummis Tiny Bots. The covers were great in the first few weeks, but now that he is about 2 months old, we are having major leaking/wicking issues in less than an hour. That means I get one use and then have to move onto a new diaper. The nice thing about covers is being able to reuse them and right now that isn't happening.

I also loved the fit of the GroVia's but those were quickly outgrown, especially in the rise. My Little Critter was in the 90th percentile for height at birth. Needless to say we may have many rise issues with him!

Overall I was happy with all the diapers I picked for the first several months. I think it was worth the money spent as well since he went through so many diapers in the beginning. Since Little Critter is gaining weight like crazy he has outgrown all but a few covers. Those probably won't last much longer either!
Now we are onto the one size diapers that big brother RC has used for the past two years. I did, however, just recently purchase a few new brands to try out with Little Critter.
*These are my own thoughts. No one paid me or provided any of the diapers. I purchased my diapers from Abby's Lane (not a referral link).

Brand/Type	Size/Weight	Price	Pros	Cons
Newborn Blueberry Basix	Fits 6-16 lbs	$17.95	Umbilical cord notch Prints & Solids Easy to stuff Fits longer	Snap only Slightly bulky Long air dry time
Thirsties Duo All In One	Size 1: 6-18 lbs	$15	Snap or Aplix Prints & Solids No stuffing Fits longer	Slightly bulky Leaks/wicks quickly with a heavy wetter Long air dry time
Bummis Tini Fit by Tots Bots-New!	Fits 5-14 lbs	$18.95	Trim Fit Good absorbency Fits longer	Aplix only Solid colors only Difficult to stuff Long air dry time
GroVia Newborn All In One	Fits 5-12 lbs	$14.95	Trim Fit Prints & Solids	Snap only Low Rise Leaks/wicks quickly with heavy wetters Quickly outgrow (especially rise if long baby) Long air dry time
Tiny Tush Elite Mini Pockets	Fits 4-15 lbs	$18.95	Snap or Aplix Prints & Solids 4 rise adjustment for better fit Easy to stuff Fits longer Air dries quickly	Slightly bulky Leaks/wicks quickly with heavy wetter
Thirsties Duo Diapers	Size 1: 6-18 lbs	$17.50	Double Gusset Prints & Solids for better fit Easy to stuff Fits longer Air dries quickly	Slightly bulky Leaks/wicks quickly with a heavy wetter
Thirsties Duo Wraps	Size 1: 6-18 lbs	$12.25	Double Gusset Snap or Aplix Prints & Solids Use with favorite insert for better fit Fits longer Air dries quickly	Leaks/wicks on the outside with heavy wetter
Planet Wise Diaper Cover	Size 1: 6-18 lbs	$17.95	Double Gusset Use with favorite insert Double row of snaps for better fit Fits longer Air dries quickly	Snap only Prints only Wicks on the outside with heavy wetter
Bummis Super Brite Cover	Small 8-16 lbs	$12.65	Double Gusset Use with favorite insert Fits longer Air dries quickly	Aplix only Prints only Leaks/wicks quickly with heavy wetter May not fit for a couple weeks
Prorap Classic Cover	Newborn 6-10 lbs	$8.50	Double Gusset Inexpensive Use with favorite insert Air dries quickly	Aplix only White only Leaks/wicks quickly outside with heavy wetter Quickly outgrow NB size

My Big One Month Old

It's hard to believe it's already been one month since Little Critter was born...actually almost 5 weeks already! Little Critter isn't too little though! He might need a new nickname already. At his 2 week check up he had gone from 8 pounds 4 ounces (at 4 days old) to 9 pounds 7 ounces! Then he jumped to 11 pounds one day before turning 1 month old! He doesn't seem big though. I'm not sure where he is putting it all! He is definitely a big eater. We will be in trouble come teenage years between RC and Little Critter for sure.

So far Little Critter just eats, sleeps and poops...just like all babies! LOL He is starting to "wake up" and he is starting tell stories too. He loves to give squishes like his big brother RC.

I've had a blast cloth diapering him so far as well. One of these days I will write a blog post on which diapers have been my favorites, which have not been and why.

 

Postpartum Update

Well it's been 5 days since Little Critter was born. I came home from the hospital on Sunday. So far recovery this time around seems so much easier. I'm not sure why exactly. Yesterday we went out for the morning for Little Critter's first doctor appointment and then went and ran a couple of errands before heading home. We were gone for about 4 hours, I wore Little Critter for most of it, and walked quite a bit. By the time we got home I was tired, but it was more I just needed to lay down and rest for just a bit. With RC, I would get pretty tired after just walking for 15 minutes or so and then need a nap for a couple of hours it seemed!

Today I actually sent my hubby to work! A friend came over for a bit to hang out and have lunch. For the most part I have been by myself all day. It hasn't been too bad. RC has only had a few listening and obeying issues we had to deal with this morning, but for the most part it has been a successful day on my own.

I also decided to try going without any Motrin today and have been feeling great! I am finally getting tired, but I think that's also because I have been sitting typing this and browsing the internet! LOL

Hopefully recovery continues to go quickly and we will be able to be out and about soon; I hate just sitting home.

 

Yes My Son Is Still Rear-Facing...

and will remain so for some time. Today my hubby asks me when RC can be forward facing. My response: when he outgrows the seat in rear facing. My hubby didn't exactly like that answer. He is a very specific kind of guy. So I started rattling off the specs of RC's car seat.

We have the MyRide 65 for him. This seat rear faces to 40 pounds. RC is about 26ish pounds. Height in rear facing is 1" below the top of the seat. That should mean RC needs to be about 39ish" I believe before he outgrows the height requirement.

All in all my final answer was between age 3 and 4. I then went on a bit later to explain that the AAP recommends now that children rear face until 2 years old AND until the reach the max requirements for their seat in rear facing mode. Today's seats are getting better and better to keep kids rear facing longer.

Little Critter's seat is the Graco Size4Me 70. It too rear faces to 40 pounds so he too will be rear facing for some time! This household is definitely pro extended rear-facing...even if hubby doesn't quite get it.

After all, if they don't know the difference, why switch them and chance a serious injury when all the statistics support extended rear-facing?

Toy Storage...What To Do?

As we get closer to Little Critter's arrival and our exchange students we are hosting heading home, I have been thinking more and more about how to redo RC's room. In just a few weeks he will be going from toddler bed to twin bed (with 3 drawers on the bed frame).

That storage will help but I am thinking using it for linen storage to start with. My main problem with his toys is he is having trouble with the concept of not dumping every bucket of toys. We are working on this, but so far it is a slow progress.

We also don't have the ability to just store most his toys in an unaccessible closet leaving only a few out. So does anyone have any suggestions for toy storage of things like, cars (specifically little wheelies), little people accessories, blocks, etc.

We have been using mostly a rack that holds removable bins but that just isn't working it seem. Thoughts to help this momma better control the mess of his room? 

It is the main place he plays as we just don't have room in our living room for all his toys. We also are not able to anchor furniture in the room so it can't be anything too tall and easy to tip over.

Veggie Tales Birthday - RC turns 2!

This year for RC's birthday I decided to go with his favorite thing..."uh uh" or rather Veggie Tales! RC LOVES Veggie Tales. Probably because it's the only show he actually gets to watch right now. How can one not like the biblical based veggies stories?

After searching the web for ideas, I found a few to put together his party. First I scored a costume from Lifeway for him to wear...but of course, he wouldn't wear it for the party. So instead he wore his Veggie Tales t-shirt. Which still worked out, but doesn't my little God's Super Hero look so cute?

The food I kept pretty simple. Mostly veggies and fruit and then some pizza. Only some of the food was themed toward the show like:

Pa Grape
Madame Blueberry
Laura Carrot
Cheese Curls (which thankfully did not come alive and try to eat us like in the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything show!)

The rest of the food were not from the shows, but were still yummy: strawberries, broccoli, pizza and of course cake!

The cake. My favorite part of getting ready for a birthday! I decided to be crazy and try another "mad hatter" cake. If you don't remember the fiasco I had back in October this style cake literally drove me mad! This time, I used a Groupon to score actually cake pans meant for this type of cake! So it came out much better.

Instead of making the Veggie Tale characters I decided to use some of the action figures RC would be getting as a present. They were perfect for the cake and made it much cheaper and less time consuming as well!

The decorations I kept pretty simple. For the table just plain colors to match bob the tomato and other characters from the show. I cut out larry the cucumber shaped pieces from green construction paper and spread them on the table. I used some of RC's Veggie Tale toys on the table too.

The rest were just prints I made on the computer, cut them out and glued to construction paper then hung on the window. For my two year old, it was enough. He was impressed and kept saying "cool" as he pointed to them.

It's hard to see in this picture but the bottom right is a big red poster board with Bob the Tomato drawn on it for pin the nose on Bob!

Bob and Larry balloon for the birthday boy's chair of honor for cake eating!

King George's Ducky Punch! Yummy!

Happy Family...sorta. Birthday boy wanted his cake already! LOL

Yummy! This year, he dug right into his cake. He even used his fork!

Pin the nose on Bob. RC actually nailed the nose in the right spot, but the prize went to one of his friends instead!

Coloring Veggie Tale sheets I downloaded from Veggie Tales website.

 
Present time. This year RC got the whole idea and tore into his gifts.

All in all it was a very successful 2nd birthday for RC. He had a lot of fun with his friends.