Jacob Brian

Jacob is not what I would consider an infant anymore, but a full fledged baby.  He is starting to finally sleep at least 6 hours a night consistently. (I will probably regret posting that, but it's been almost a week, so I think it's safe!)  He is still nursing like a champ and has started eating most fruits and veggies.  He HATES peas.  That is the only food he has ever turned away from.  He is starting to roll more and can sometimes go from back to front.  He's also starting to push up a lot and is turning in circles.  The legs haven't figure out what to do yet and for the moment, I am ok with him being stationary.

He is still quiet and reserved like his Daddy.  He's a thinker.  He thinks carefully about what he is going to do before he does it.  He's also an observer-he watches you carefully as if to see what to do or what not to do.  Basically, he is James in a smaller package. 

He is very sweet and smiles a LOT.   He is fitting into his exersaucer finally and loves playing in it.  Unlike Connor who used to jump and man-handle it, he loves to carefully observe each toy and see what it does. 

He absolutely ADORES his brother.  I love watching them together.  Connor still is the only one who can get Jacob to belly laugh (James and I can get small chuckles, but not full out laughter). 

He loves spending time with his Daddy.  He follows James with his eyes anytime James is around.  He can spot him from accross the room and will give him the BIGGEST smile. 

He is very sweet and is a great baby.  He definately has his quirks, but I have had to learn that not all babies are the same.  Jacob is Jacob (not Connor) and that was the first reality I had to face.  He loves his Mommy time (especially in the middle of the night!) and does not like to be left alone or in the nursery at the YMCA or church.  He still refuses the bottle, but I am proud that we have made it to 6 months and still nursing strong! 

He recently started playing Peek-A-Boo with us by putting his head on the floor and picking it up when we say "Boo!"  Pretty funny and exciting that the next stage of his life is coming up quick!

Connor James

Connor is no longer a toddler, but is a full blown BOY. The kid is stubborn and opinionated just like his me, which I am sure is better for a boy than a girl.  He knows his ABC's and can count all the way to 13 or 14 some days.  He also knows his colors and can distinguish a lot of different animals.  He is constantly on the GO and definately keeps me on my toes. 

He loves playing in water, but hates it in his face.  He loves throwing balls, but they typically hit him in the head.  He LOVES "helping" Daddy with any tools or builing things, but usually walks around and hits walls with his pretend hammer. 

He LOVES Woody & Buzz.  He wears this hat and his cowboy boots ALL the time.  We rarely leave the house without the boots in tow.

He is an amazing big brother.  He loves playing with Jacob and to this day, is the only one who can get Jacob to laugh. 

He's a goof!  He can make us laugh like no one else can.  It cracks me up the things he comes up with.  I mean, where does he get this stuff? 

He loves being outdoors.  We took a trip on a local cruise and he loved it.  We saw a snake, turtles, birds, and even a train (that was the highlight of his day!). 

He can open and shut doors (locks included).  He can get to pretty much anything in the house if he wants it. 

You will rarely find him with clothes on, and if he is dressed it's because I've chased him around with his clothes making sure they stay on.  He pretends to fill up his car with "gas" and tells me when we're low on gas.  He knows his right from left and even that green means "go" and red means "stop." 


                                     
 
He is an all around joy and I am excited for what our future with him brings.  He makes it hard to discipline him because he always tries to avoid it by doing something funny to distract you. 

This is perfect!

Source: imgfave.com via Megan on Pinterest

Why I Cloth Diaper

I use BumGenius 4.0 & Organic All-In-Ones AND Thirsties Duo Wrap Covers with Premium Chinese Prefolds

I am finally feeling brave enough to post a blog about cloth diapering.  So, to all of you naysayers out there, keep your chuckles to yourself :)  A lot of people that I have talked to recently have said that cloth diapering is just not for them.  I used to think the same thing.  I used to think that I could not handle ONE MORE LOAD OF LAUNDRY a week.  I used to think it was just way too difficult.  It was just a 'California Fruits & Nuts' kinda idea.  

I've been blessed with knowing some pretty great ladies who have inspired me to change my throw away habits (Amanda, Jenn, Megan & Brooke to name a few).  Since beginning, I have become increasingly aware of the amount of trash I used to add to the landfill each week.  My new goal is to only fill up our curb-side trash can once a week and to NEVER have more than can be hauled away in one load.  That means I've had to pick up my game with recycling AND cloth diapering. 

There are many benefits to cloth diapering and cost savings is a definite perk.  Before starting to cloth diaper, I would spend about $30/week on diapers.  Add that up over 55 weeks and you can be spending a pretty penny.  With the savings, I have been able to start a college fund for the boys and am able to contribute $100 to each child monthly.  The goal there is for them to leave college without loans or debt. 

Another key benefit (and my favorite) is the idea that I am making a small sacrifice to save God's earth.  Yes, I am again, thinking about the movie Wall-E, but isn't that what the world will come to some day?  I am willing to sacrifice my time and effort to help preserve what He has given to me.  I desire to treat His earth the way He wants me to.  I want to make sure there is still a beautiful Earth for Connor and Jacob to inhabit when they grow up.  This is just a small part of that. 

The last factor in my choosing to cloth diaper is avoiding toxic chemicals that they use to produce disposable diapers.  Have you ever noticed that disposables gel up once they get wet?  Well, that chemical is called Sodium Polyacrylate.  This is the same chemical they used to use in tampons, which was linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome, which was removed because of it's toxicity.  It can also cause skin irritations and respiratory problems.  They also have Dioxins, which can skin reactions and altered liver function, as well as impairments to the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system and reproductive functions.  Not to mention the other numerous toxins that are bad for the environment.  I mean, once in the landfill, these things don't disintegrate.  They sit in a landfill and pollute the world around them.  To Read More About Toxins, Click Here


I will post more later on how to get started, which diapers I like and how many I suggest getting.  For now, it is so important for us to think about how we can each play a small part in preserving the Earth.  Whether it's recycling, taking the bus, riding your bike, cloth diapering or any other way you can think of.  We only have one Earth, so we need to treat her right! 

One more project down!

This one seems simple, but I think it makes a BIG difference.  I remember my mom doing this a lot when I was little.  We had this awesome antique table with the most beautiful chairs that she would periodically change the cushions on.  James and I had the table for a while when we first got married-refinished it, then passed it back to my mom who is now holding it in her garage full of treasures.  (Seriously, you don't need to go to an antique store-you just have to be patient and go hunting and you will find ALL kinds of cool stuff).

Anyway, we replaced it right before Connor was born because the chairs from my childhood table were wobbly and needed someone who knew what they were doing to repair them.  So, James and I headed to Furniture Row (which is where ALL of our furniture is from-it's kinda sad) and bought this huge thing.  It was James choice and I was too pregnant to care at the time.  I love the table, but have always hated the fabric on the chairs.

It just looks manly to me, which is probably why James picked it in the first place.  I had this huge pile of fabric that I bought a few years ago that I was going to use to make drapes.  I hung the fabric in the living room for a while to see if I liked it, but whoa mama is that a lot of floral!  It has the perfect colors for my kitchen (or really anywhere in my house), so I saved it thinking that I would someday use it for something.  Sunday, I finally attacked those manly chairs!  I pulled out the trusty staple gun and went to town!

Connor decided to help me with his pretend tools.   He loves fixing things!

All you have to do is remove the cushion, cut out your fabric to fit, stretch it and staple it.  The corners are a little tricky.  I like to fold the fabric in from the middle, then tuck in the sides (kinda like you're wrapping a present.)  It is also best if you do opposite sides first, that way the material is fully stretched accross the cushion.  Here are the final results.  Our Minot house is going to be so cute! 

Apologies for the messy table, but honestly, that's just how it always looks these days.  I would much rather spend time playing with the kids than cleaning up every little mess!

The Definition of Air Force Family

Often times, people don't fully understand what a military member means when they say "(Service Branch) Family."  I would like to share what mine means to me. 

They do what your family would do for you.  They watch your kids.  They watch your pets.  They walk into your house unannounced.  They laugh with you.  They cry with you.  They encourage you.  They love your kids and your pets as if they were your own. Your kids love them. They celebrate holidays with you.  They share meals with you.  They know what groceries are staples in your pantry.  They help you back before a move.  They help you unpack after.  They help you find a home in your new town.  They let you sleep on their couch when you are homeless before a move.  They are in essence, your home away from home.  A reason to love where you live, even if it's in the middle of nowhere.  They are all over the world and it seems as if every base we will move to from this point on, we will have "family" waiting. 

I often ask myself how many "best" friends I will have in my life....and I think I need to just scrap that term because best only identifies ONE.  I have been blessed with tons of amazing friends (read more HERE) and two that I call "best." The beauty and curse of military living is that you have friends all over the world...and none will ever be in the same place at the same time.  But, they are family and you know you will see them again...even if soon means years later. 

Brooke-I am so thankful for your friendship.  I am thankful that you are a part of my family.  I am thankful for your love for my boys.  I know that God destined us to be friends and I will be forever grateful for our long, insightful chats and for you pushing me further in my faith.