Thursday, September 30, 2010

7 weeks



I have come to realize that the array of human emotions can be seen upon the face of a sleeping baby. Tiny flutters of smiles and laughs are scattered between the saddest frowns and red-faced grimaces. I could lie all day watching Baby V. I nestle in close to him and breathe in his soft milky scent. I examine his thick eyelashes that grow longer every day, his dark wispy hair, and the small pulsing soft spot on the top of his head. I place my finger in his tiny hand and he grips his long baby fingers around it. I kiss his chubby cheeks and nuzzle his wrinkly neck. I am so in love. His eyes flutter and a signature smile appears. Whether the books say it truly is or not, it looks like pure joy. He makes a small contented sound, somewhere between a sigh and a coo. Yes, Baby V, I too cannot express these feelings in words.




Happy 7 weeks! 

Monday, September 27, 2010

Our Cloth Diaper Adventure

I knew before I was even pregnant that I wanted to try cloth diapering. I had read about it on other blogs and read the endorsements for it and being the quasi-hippie mother that I am, I had to try it. However, friends and family were pretty discouraging about it. Everyone said I wouldn’t be able to do it or I wouldn’t last long doing it, it’s just too inconvenient, etc. So when a friend told me about the g-diapers I decided that this hybrid was a good middle ground and convinced everyone around me that I would AT LEAST use these diapers. But the journey did not end there, we ended up experimenting with a few different types….

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers, Stage 1 (8-14 Lbs), 56-Count Packages (Pack of 4) (224 Diapers)       The organic disposable: We chose to start with this one since newborns are too tiny to fit properly in many of the cloth varieties. We even brought them to the hospital to use instead of the generic disposables they give you there. These worked out great for the 2 weeks that we used them. However, we were determined to use cloth so as soon as he had grown a little bit we switched over.

Bummis Super Brite Diaper Cover, Green, 8-16 PoundsThirsties Diaper Cover- Celery, Small (12-18 lbs)        The pre-fold with cover: We learned about a new diaper service in our area through our birthing class. It seemed like such a great idea to have this service do all our diaper laundry for us! Basically the service brings you a huge load of clean pre-folds and you need to have your own diaper covers and Snappis to secure the diapers with. Every week on a specified day, they pick up your big bag of dirty diapers and provide you with a new bag of clean ones. You have to purchase their starter kit at first which includes a diaper pail with a special cloth liner and a little orange scented disc in the lid to prevent smelliness. I purchased a Bummis cover at first and I did not like it at all. It is supposed to be waterproof but it seemed like it was just another layer of cloth and the urine would soak right through the whole thing. I was very discouraged because we seemed to be changing his whole outfit every time he peed! However, I read reviews online and bought a Thirsties cover to try. This one seemed to work much better with less leakage.

     
gDiapers Little gPants 2-Pack Orange & Vanilla, Small
      G-diapers:  Meanwhile, we were using the g-diapers as well. G-diapers are a hybrid diaper meaning that you can use cloth or biodegradable inserts. They are include a cute little fabric outer cover with a snapped in plastic liner that you fill with your insert of choice.  I had received several g-diapers at my baby shower along with a few packs of the biodegradable inserts. I bought a 6 pack of cloth inserts as well. Once we ran out of the biodegradable inserts, we would occasionally use the cloth ones and take the g-diapers when we went out and the pre-folds were too much work. We found ourselves using the g-diapers more often than not as they were more convenient than the pre-folds and we only had 2 diaper covers for the pre-folds so we were constantly washing those and needing to use something else in the meantime!

bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper Blossom      Bumgenius: We finally decided to cancel the diaper service. We were still doing a decent amount of laundry with the cover and the g-diapers and realized that washing our own cloth diapers was completely feasible and the most economical solution! I started scouring e-bay for good deals on diaper bundles. I wanted to try bumgenius diapers because I had heard so many good things about them. I found five of the bumgenius 3.0 (Velcro closure) on ebay for a pretty good deal and bought those. Right away I loved them! They are soft on the inside, cute colors, don’t leak, and are easy to wash. I decided that this was the way to go and went back on ebay and found another lot of 12 of the bumgenius 4.0 (snap closure).

Fuzzibunz Perfect Size Diaper Apple Green, Medium     
      Fuzzibunz: We also have a lonely Fuzzibunz diaper I purchased while I was pregnant. Fuzzibunz are just as great as bumgenius with the only major difference being they have adjustable leg gussets so if you have a really tricky baby to fit, then these might be a better option.



So we are currently using 100% cloth diapers and I even think I’m going to start using cloth wipes soon as well. I heard that you can just put them in the wipe warmer with a little bit of baby shampoo and baby oil and you’re good to go. Then you just throw those in with the diaper laundry. There are so many new types of all in one cloth diapers out there now I’m curious what some of the other brands feature. I can’t rave enough about the bumgenius though and it saves you so much money in the long run and is better for the environment! It’s just an overall great thing.
Have any of you tried any other cloth diaper brands? I am very curious to know other people’s experiences with them!  

Fab Baby Shop: Seven Smooches

I love this little shop of handmade things for babies and small children called Seven Smooches. Their products are all beautiful and high quality. Everything is made one of a kind from recycled wool sweaters and vintage pillowcases or feedsacks! So your baby can look cute and be green at the same time!

 I LOVE these wool booties!


Isn't this a beautiful caterpillar blanket?

Also featured on DesignMom.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Macarons

One of my favorite things I discovered a long time ago through blogs is French Macarons. They are beautiful to look at and even more wonderful to eat! I'm sure many of you have seen pictures of them on other sites as they have become quite popular in the United States. I came upon a new little business at a small fair next to my regular farmer's market who was selling them. We bought a little box and the Baby's Daddy and I devoured every last crumb of luxurious flavor. The flavors were pistachio, vanilla, raspberry, chocolate, coffee, and lemon. If you find a place to buy these and they are made well I strongly recommend trying them if you have not already!






Why we love going out to eat

"...we all become actors, to some extent,
when we go out to eat. Every restaurant is a
theater, and the truly great ones allow us to
indulge in the fantasy that we are rich
and powerful. When restaurants hold up their
end of the bargain, they give us the illusion of
being surrounded by servants intent on
ensuring our happiness and offering
extraordinary food.
But even modest restaurants offer the
opportunity to become someone else, at least
for a little while. Restaurants free us from
mundane reality; that is part of their charm."

-- Ruth Reichl
 


This is from a new book I'm reading, Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth
Reichl, and I am absolutely in love with it! Former restuarant critic
for the New York Times, Reichl's writing makes your mouth water!
The book is a story about her first years at the New York Times and how she had to disguise herself in various costumes so as not to be recognized.
Her actual restaurant reviews are sandwiched in between these entertaining anecdotes. I'm halfway through the book so far and I can barely put it down! If you love food this is a great read.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Fab Rainy Day September 24, 2010


Fab links for a rainy day (or a sunny one!):

Food

I am dying to try these raw chocolate bars.
Cute printable labels for your spices.
Check out who Epicurious thinks are the World’s Most Influential Chefs in the past 15 years  and then Pre-order the cookbook from the restaurant named best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine 2010.
Make your own soft pretzels…mmm!
Learn how to properly cut these fall greens.
I’m dying to make these!
Check out the beauty that is Golubka.
Art

This is awesome!
I want this print.
I have always loved mismatched china, when we get a house someday I’d love to do a display like one of these.
Gorgeous colorful wedding!
Thanks to Design Mom for showing me this print which I want to put in Baby V’s nursery.
Imagine having an outdoor party with these.
I want to do this with Baby V’s drawings someday!
Baby
Make a portable tea party!
Make this mobile for newborns, or buy this gorgeous one for an older baby.
You have to make an account but it’s worth it for this lot of Free Baby Knitting Patterns.
I used this birthday calculator to pick the day I wanted Baby V to be born (he wasn’t but it’s still fun!)
Baby’s change soo fast! Tracking Baby V’s development.
Make one of Martha’s baby keepsakes.
Cool accessories for kids.


Thursday, September 23, 2010

6 weeks old


Baby V is 6 weeks old today! He has grown and changed so much in the past month and half. He is a BIG baby for his age! He was 10 1/2 lbs at his one month appointment so I can only imagine how much he weighs now.

This is what I have learned as a new mom in the past 6 weeks:

  • Swaddles are a necessity--we learned this early on and we swaddle him everynight for bed

  • Pacifiers are your friend--I initially didn't want to use pacifiers at all but when he was about 2 weeks old and just wanted to suck on something 24/7, the pacifier seemed a better option than the alternative...

  • Tubby time is only fun when Mommy is in the tub as well--he hates being in the baby bathtub by himself, so we take tubs together but they are actually really enjoyable now.

  • Always cover a cute outfit with a bib if you want it to last more than 5 minutes--enough said.

  • Likewise, always pack a couple extra outfits for the baby and at least one extra shirt for yourself when going out.

  • There is always a solution to crying (I know this is not always true for a lot of babies but so far it seems to apply to him).

  • Mornings are now cute time--he is all smiles and little giggles right when he wakes up and his fluffy hair is all disheveled.

  • Swings and baby packs are the only way to get anything done!
I'm sure there is more but everyday is a learning experience!

First day of Fall!

HAPPY AUTUMN!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Craft: Little Hands & Feet

, ar

I've been wanting to make these since Baby V was born! We had a hard time trying to get nice stamps of his hands and feet but these clay keepsakes are so much better!

Materials:
  • White clay
  • A circular cookie cutter or other object (we actually used a round tupperware)
  • Plastic wrap
  • A small round tool to cut out ribbon hole (we used a plastic straw)
  • Rolling pin
Directions:
  • Rip off a chunk of clay and work between your hands until very pliable
  • Roll clay in between layers of plastic wrap with a rolling pin (this prevents clay from sticking to rolling pin) until it reaches about a 1/8" or 1/4" thickness (I found that a little bit thicker made it easier for printing)
  • Using cookie cutter, cut out a circle from the clay
  • Place clay circle back on plastic wrap and put on hard surface
  • Bring baby's hand or foot over clay and press gently but firmly into clay (best done while baby is sleeping!)
  • Use straw to pierce smaller hole at top of circle
  • Bake per manufacterer's instructions
  • Leave plain white or fill in print with paint or paint name and date around outside of print
  • Hand on wall or place on shelf and enjoy!


The result of our apple picking...



 A deliciously flaky and gooey apple pie! The combination of one grandmother's crust and the other grandmother's filling made it perfection!


Monday, September 20, 2010

Apple Picking


What a beautiful day!

Sugar Cane


We went to our local farmer's market on Saturday morning. It is my favorite part of the week. We are lucky enough to live near the ocean and our farmer's market features shellfish, scallops, lobster, and cod loins. Every Saturday we enjoy some kind of shellfish lunch or dinner and I have developed quite a taste for mussels, oysters, and littlenecks! However, my other favorite part of this day is finding new, fresh, and interesting things to cook with! My mouth waters over the golden beets, bags of arugula, fresh baked bread, apples, squash, huge bunches of fresh herbs, and juicy heirloom tomatoes.

On this particular day though, I came across a new ingredient. In a big tub at the end of a booth was a bunch of sticks that looked like bamboo. SUGAR CANE 10 for $1.00 the sign read! Naturally, we had to get ten and see what we could do with them when we got home. Although they are pretty to look at, I was disappointed to find out there is not much the average person can do with sugar cane. Most people, it seems from my online research, just peel it and suck out the sweet juices. I did find this website, which has a recipe for making alcohol with it and using it as skewers for shrimp. Does anyone else know any other uses for this? I think for now we will just enjoy sucking out the sugary liquid but it was still a neat find!

To grandmother's house we go...

This was a photo session I did at my grandmother's house. I wanted to make sure that I took pictures of it so I can always remember it as it is now. My grandmother has so many small collections and antique pieces. These are a handful of the shots I took. I love that objects you've seen a million times can be seen a different way when reproduced in photos. If anyone else does a grandparent's or parent's house photo shoot link to it below I'd love to see it!!

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