Hippy Care

SBR loves his bath time!  Imagine my heartbreak when
I learned sometime last year that Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo has carcinogenic products in its formula.  Read the Forbes article here.

This article states Johnson and Johnson responded stating they will be working to re-formulate their products in the next 2 years.  Really... 2 years?  Well, since they are in no hurry to change this, I am in no hurry to continue to use their products. 

I think I actually quit using their shampoo and bath soap prior to this news-break and had started using natural products anyway.  I was still using lotions and with bebe 2.0 on it's way, gifts of J&J products have started entering our home again. 
For me, it's really hard to resist the pink bottle of lotion with a newborn, it's a classic, must-have scent! 
But, I will take my stance and refrain. 
It's the principle! 

So I started researching online organic and natural products.  The brand we use for SBR only makes kids products, not baby.  Other brands are SO ridiculously expensive and decieving.  All-natural or Organic does not mean there's not non-natural products in them. 
And to get "organic" on your label does not require as much standard as one thinks. 
Then I was reminded of my great friend- Page Turner, who recently has become obsessed with making her own natural products at home (her blog here).  

So, I've decided to try that route!  It looks like initial start up costs may start to get up there, but with the amounts you make and use, the savings will be incredible!

I plan to make the following this week. 
(in all my spare time to kill with 17 days left!)

Baby Powder

Diaper Rash ointment (this is plain ol' Coconut Oil... that's it.  Have you never used or heard of the benefits of Coconut oil?  you MUST check it out.  This natural product is so amazing and a cure all for everything! I've seen the cheapest prices at Trader Joe's).
It is not recommended to use oils or lotions with the use of cloth diapers, per my research, coconut oil is just fine and does not leave a film that will cause them to repel... bonus!

Shampoo- of course this is what fueled my search!

Moisturizing Milk Bath

Lotion

I cannot wait to see what the results are and to share samples with some friends!

I will share recipes after I figure out good ones that work. :)

Big Boy Room

Not finding out the sex of the baby has many perks, one being, a neutral nursery.  The obvious move is to graduate SBR. 

We no longer have a separate room for guests.  (you are certainly welcome, with warning us first, you just won't have the fancy accommodations you may or may not have had before.)

 

In the stages leading up to the big move, I was a bit emotional.  At one point, while the boys were in WI, I hadn't been in the nursery for about 3 days.  I walked in for whatever reason and it hit me like a ton of bricks.... SBR isn't a baby anymore.  And he had definitely outgrown his current digs.

I had a whole master plan... we would slowly move SBR into his new room.  His first sleep would be on a Friday, so we would have the whole weekend to adjust.  We were not going to set up the new crib in the nursery until we were certain he was comfortable in his new room. 

Yet again, SBR has proven to go with the flow, un-phased by leaving his 'baby' room.  It, yet again, was harder on me than him.  

He LOVES his new room.  Why wouldn't he?  It's filled with things that interest him.  Spiderman, Dinosaurs, Trains, his TOYS.  

Because Mr. Husband and I share the same amazing ability to procrastinate, the move happened on a Sunday.  The new crib is still not up.  Not because SBR has ANY desire to set foot in the nursery, but because we still have 5 weeks. 

 None of this has proven to be a problem at all for SBR. 

Please, take a tour of SBR's "Big Boy-preparing to be a Big Brother-baby no more (but always momma's baby) Room:" 

as you walk into the room

 From the opposite corner

 

I wish these were all the toys.

 

 

Hanging sling bookshelves

 

 SBR and I painted this sometime last year at As You Wish Pottery

 

 This is where I think the stuffed animals belong.

 Clearly I'm wrong

 Obviously it is not a storage bin for anything.

 

  my concerns for him not adjusting or being able to sleep soundly in his new room were ridiculous.

Leaving his mark in the nursery

 

It will eventually say:  "Reid was here" 

Notice how the shirt says SBR?  

I just love when things come perfectly together!

Growin Up

Someone told me while your pregnant your older children will 'grow-up' to make room for a baby. 
I'm sure it seems this way, really 9 mos in a toddler-growing-world is a long time and there is a lot of growing up to be had.   So I guess I believe the statement, but maybe not the logic. 

So many friends have sent, or are preparing to send, their babies to that big scary place this month.  The place filled with tons of rotten, mean, dirty, impolite, entitled children.  Underpaid and over-whelmed teachers, over-filled classrooms.  Scary Janitors.  Mean Bullies! 
I make the decision to 'choose Joy' and not think about it. 
(apologies to those parents affected by this new journey, I'm sure your kid's school is like a fairy princess land. seriously.)

Here is a little poem that made me cry and I'm not even there yet.  But it still sums up every emotion I know I will have when the big day comes.

I wonder what you’re doing right now,

And if everyone is treating you kind,

I hope there is a special person

A nice friend you can find.

I wonder if the teacher knows

Just how special you are to me.

And if the brightness of your heart

Is something that she can see.

I wonder if you are thinking about me,

And if you need a hug.

I already miss the sound of your voice

And how you give my leg a tug.

I wonder if you could possibly understand

How hard it is for me to let you grow.

On this day know that my heart breaks,

For this is the first step in letting  my baby go.

We may not be school-bound yet, but SBR is definitely GroWinG Up.  I try to relish in the fact he really is only 2.  He's with his daddy everyday and with an amazing, loving, caring Friend twice a week.  He's very happy and he's more than very loved.  He's still so sweet and innocent, untainted by our cruel world and thinks his parents are everything!

Here's our little 2 year old baby in the last week. 
I swear the camera adds 2 years, he is not ready for Kindergarten! (and obviously, neither am I)

 



Gender prediction

I actually enjoy pregnancy.  If you know me, this may be shocking.  It still weirds me out, key words still completely gross me out.  But overall, mine have been fairly easy. 
That being said, this pregnancy is pretty different from SBR's. 

If baby in utero is anything like baby in life... we may have our hands full!

SBR was a text-book pregnancy and has been a text book baby.  He is like a reliable clock, always on time, mostly easy going, very sweet. 
In utero, he just rolled around, no kicking, no pushing or shoving.  I did not truly know 'rib pain.'  The worst part of his pregnancy was the constant heartburn.
Nausea stopped 2 days after my 2nd tri-mester began, energy perked right up, and dropped right around middle of 3rd tri-mester and according to my calculations, he was born at 40 weeks to the day.

This little chicken not so much text book...
I didn't get a little nausea and morning sickness until week 20.  Emotions hit the fan starting at 25 weeks.  Both 1st trimester symptoms. Fatigue, all through-out.  This bebe's favorite move is streeeeetchy.. then a quick kick or jab. 
My ribs are very much a problem and very in the way! 
I've been a lot more moody and intolerant, but that could be living in the desert in the middle of the summer, with what has to be the highest humidity percentages on record.  (I know most of my audience is in the mid-west, and I vaguly remember 80% days, but this is HORRIBLE!)

I took 3 quizzes today to see what the *stars* say we're having. 

Friends, family, strangers guessing- I get a good mix of both.  I think a lot of people want girl, so that sort of distorts any real inclination they may have.
With SBR, everyone said boy, except like 3 people.

I'm carrying right in the middle, the heart rate is very average- 140s, I've been craving Mexican and sugary foods.   Most of the little wive's tales people try to use are middle of the road.


My prediction- Girl.  I often, in my head, think girl or she.  We found a girl's name pretty quickly, though we still throw around several and nothing is set in stone until we see the baby.  Mr. Husband comes from a long line of girls, of 10 nieces and nephews there are 4 boys, 6 girls.  Each family getting only one boy.


However, I look at ultra-sound photos and it just completely looks like a boy to me.
I've said all along, I would be happy with another boy.  I think SBR needs a little brother.  I have so many cute, cute boy things that really need more use. 
Plus SBR is going to be the big kid in school, he needs an ally.  
And if we had a boy, we would probably go for #3 to get a girl and I've always wanted 3.  Transistion from nursery to big boy room would be easy.  They would have bunkbeds. 
But if this one is a girl, chances are we will be done.
Mr. Husband thinks Girl.  He was right with SBR.

So, the quiz results?  of 3 quizzes... I got results of: 
 Boy, Girl and Either Way.

Really?  thanks. 
I guess that's better than the one I took with SBR where the 'Madam' predicted a 13 lb baby that was 17" long after 32 hours of labor.  But even she was right on the sex.
funny, I couldn't find her site today... wonder what ever happened to her...

Tell me, what do you think?

Boy or Girl



Bead Boy

Over his vacation, SBR seemed to become that 2 year old boy you read about.  

Bouncing off the walls right up until nap-time or bedtime.  He's jabbering constantly.  Shows very little fear. 

He's developed an opinion.  He has real likes and dislikes. 

He can no longer be placated with something else when he's screaming for a particular toy, TV show or snack. 

He has favorite shirts, prefers no pants and picks out his shoes.

Sometimes he wants to sport a hat or ear muffs.

While I let his freedom and personality reign in a controlled setting, Mr. Husband truly honors and obeys his attire requests.

We combat instant gratification meltdowns, daily.  Multiple times.  Daily. 

The other night we went to a nearby favorite 'Splash Pad.'

This night he acted like it was the first time he'd ever been. He stayed back, watched the other kids playing and running through the water, timidly playing close to us. 

When he's a little uncomfortable he'll reach for his Baltic Amber necklace and in the cutest way, he'll fidget with it.  He pulls it up above his lips and slides it back and forth. 

He slowly walks over to me and says 'Off?!'  

First I feel confusion, then disbelief, then sadness, I ask...What?? 

He whines 'oofff!!'

Are you suure??

 'OFFFF!!!' 

Slowly I take off the necklace and hand it to him. 

So many emotions sweep over me.  He's constantly had that necklace on since he was 8 mos old.  It can be seen in almost every picture and if you can't see it, it's probably just hidden under his shirt.  

 My mind races.

How can he do this to me right now?  Too much is going on to make me slowly admit he's not a little baby anymore.  You've GOT to be kidding me with this.  He has no idea how naked he looks right now.  Somehow I will get it back on him.  I will let him watch Dora and while's he's distracted I'll put it back on him. Maybe while he's sleeping.

After what felt like minutes, (really 5 seconds) he walks back over to me, hands me his beads and says- 'A-geen?!' (again)

And with a big sigh of relief and tears of joy in my eyes, I put the necklace back on... My Little Baby. 

That was a close call.  Daddy thanks you, SBR.  For not causing another meltdown... from your momma. 

SeaLife

Yesterday I took SBR and his little buddy to the Phoenix Aquarium- Sea Life.  They had a blast!

Forgive me if the photos are a bit blurry.  No flash photography was allowed.

Yes, I'm the girl with the nice camera who doesn't really know how to work it.  So I just take a lot of pictures hoping some turn out good. 

usually works out for me :)

Waiting to enter

  

 

SBR was a little afraid of the Stingrays.

 

Some serious discussion here.

oh the touch tank.  This was at the beginning of the aquarium.

great idea... the rest of the time they thought they could climb and touch or wanted to go back to the touch tank.

Summertime

In the desert, summertime is like the rest of the country's wintertime.  You just don't hang out outside.  Unless you have to or have a pool.... or a toddler who was born in the desert & LoVeS him some outside. 

Never-mind triple digit heat constantly and often above 107, "ou-siii?" is what we hear about all day. 

So... here's what we do to try to make it bearable.  

In pictures...

 

We don't have a pool, our neighbors do, so we aren't completely without,  but they still like us, so we try to do our own thing every now and again. 

 

Swimming.  As much as possible.

One of my favorite summer pictures, thus far.

 

Sometimes if it's not unbelievably hot, we still go to the park & we blow a LOT of "bo-bos."

 

 

you have to get creative when you don't have a pool.  

obviously, this was his own doing, during an opportunity of neglect.

 

Sometimes, we quite literally hide from the heat.

 

 

We paint... our noses.

 

And the biggest event of our summer to date... the baby turned 2!!

We had a party, just the 3 of us.  We figure it's the only time ever again SBR will be the lone child on his birthday.

 

We bought him a little pool and he just relaxed. 

 

Why we spent the $20 on the pool, I don't know.  This tub, obviously, was just fine. 

 and really, who doesn't  like a good book in the pool?

After nap time we opened gifts. 

 

After a nice summer bbq, we had cake. 

Why do kids cry at Happy Birthday?

 Spit the candles and make a wish!!

 

Happy 2nd Birthday to our precious SBR. 

We love you SO much more than you could ever know. 

No birthday suit is complete without the perfect birthday hat!

What a way to end a perfect day!