Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken

I ran across these words today. It's surreal how someone so small can change your entire being just by existing. I never understood it, I don't suppose anyone can until they experience it for themselves. I didn't plan on becoming a mother or really have the desire to become one but now I wouldn't trade my life for anyones. I have given up my career, my independence, my social life, my friends, my body (lol), hell even my credit score haha! But I would not change a thing. I wouldn't give up one second I've spent with my little guy for a million vacations or road trips or festivals or everything I used to love doing before he came into my life.

Before I was a mom I forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations. Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night. Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom. Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy. Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

This I promise you...

This I promise you...

I will not be a perfect parent but I will be the best parent I can be.

I will never stop reading and singing to you and with you...no matter how dorky you think it is:)

I will never take you for granted.

I will show you as much of the world and all the diverse people in it as I possibly can.

I will never be too busy to help you with your homework, or a project, or to talk or anything you will ever need.

I will teach you that money and things are completely unimportant compared to integrity, humbleness and empathy.

I will teach you to give.

I will teach you to love.

I will teach you to respect people's differences.

I will never put my needs before yours.

I will always think you are beautiful and perfect...no matter if you come home with rainbow hair, tattoos on your eyelids or no arms or legs.

I will share our lives with people of dignity and honesty.

I will kiss and hug you every day even if you get too cool for it.

I will not stop caring about what you eat or get too lazy to cook you good meals.

I will always give you the benefit of a doubt and a chance to explain.

I will never say "Do as I say and not as I do".

I will make sure your home is always a refuge and a safe haven.

I will never be too old to splash through puddles, dig up worms, jump in the fallen leaves, or lie on my back and look at clouds with you.

I will keep everything you ever make for me.

I will always care about your grades and make sure you are doing well in school.

I will give you rules and guidelines and make sure you know what they are and that you follow them.

I will punish you when you don't...because I love you.

I will never make you feel like a burden in my life.

I will take you to the beach and build sand castles with you.

I will eat ice cream on hot summer days and drink hot chocolate on cold wintry nights with you.

I will swing on monkey bars with you at the park.

I will tell you I love you before bed every night...and at the end of every phone call...AND even when I don't like you very much at that moment in time.

I will ALWAYS love you.

I will color with you, run through the sprinklers with you, throw the football with you, come to your ball games or art shows or poetry readings, dance recitals, concerts or whatever...I will be there.

I will not leave your baby book unfinished.

I will not stop taking pictures of you and being proud.

I will make you homemade chicken noodle soup and let you watch cartoons all day when you are sick.

I will care about what you have to say and listen when you talk.

I will eat dinner at the table with you.

I will teach you to have an open mind and not be ignorant.

I will teach you to love people for who they are on the inside.

I will get you a math tutor:)

I will laugh at your knock knock jokes.
I will teach you how to grow things.
I will teach you how to take only what you need.

I will give you a curfew and check to make sure you are where you say you are.

I will be the cool mom when your friends come over.

I will teach you about good music...classic rock:)

I will make a big deal out of your birthday every year.

I will put up a tree, dye eggs, carve pumpkins and cook massive dinners every holiday.

I will take you on vacation with me.

I will make sure we continue to donate our time, money and possessions to charity and teach you why this is important.

I will get you a dog if you want one.

I will hold a funeral for any of your critters we lose along the way.

I will pop popcorn and cuddle up under a blankie with you on movie nights.

I will have "The Talk" with you before it is too late.

I will slip you notes into your book bag and lunchbox.

I will make you try everything at least once.

I will not come to your school looking a hot mess.

I will take you camping and show you how to roast the perfect marshmallow.

I will push you on the swings until my arms turn to mush.

I will check to make sure you brush your teeth every night.

I will peek in on you before I go to bed at night.

I will make you wash your hands before you eat...every time.

I will teach you how to cook and clean and do laundry so you are not helpless like so many men.

I will make cupcakes for your classroom.

I will make you eat green things.

I will be your mother and not your friend.

This I promise you...and so much more, my love.

Song of the day:)

I make up ditties for G Funk every day...it makes him smile which in turn always makes me smile:) Typically, they are just words to other songs Graysonfied but today I came up with an original for him! Thought I'd share with you...here is our silly song of the day:

G is for the grass outside

and

R is for rain OR shine!

A is for the air we breathe

and

Y is just for you and me!

S is for my silly son

and

O is for my only one!

That brings us to the letter N

let's start it over,spell again! :)

I know it's dorky but that's what being a mommy is all about! Grayson is going to be SHOCKED when he gets to Preschool and realized not every nursery rhyme has his name in it lol! Geeeez I adore that little guy!

The Good, The Bad and The Flabby

This weekend was a roller coaster for me. On Saturday Deb had a little get together with yummy food, tons of beer and good friends of ours. I had to wait until G woke up from a nap so I could feed, hose off, dress and pack him up to go 4 houses down. It's unbelievable the forethought and maneuvering it takes just to get out the front door these days! So we finally get there, drag all of our junk and entire stroller up two flights of stairs and get ready to party on down...or not. Grayson was just not content and a bit fussy the whole time. I kept trying to get into the groove and have a good time hanging out with friends but it's kinda hard to when you have a 7 month old moaning & groaning the entire time. I felt like I could not even keep a train of thought flowing through my head and out of my mouth because I had to constantly keep G entertained to keep him from crying. I finally gave up around 7:00 (after several attempts to pass him off to daddy watching golf in the Man Cave). I took the little man and all his stuff back down the hill for a bath, storybook and good night's sleep. I was feeling strangely afterward or maybe just torn over my feelings. Part of me was annoyed and frustrated that I couldn't just hang out for one night with some friends and have an adult conversation over a beer and the other part of me just wanted to get home with my little guy so he could settle down and we could snuggle up for the night. I have a feeling I will struggle with this for awhile until I find a happy median with my new mommy role. Anyway, it was good to see everyone for a bit and we did get an amazing cross stitched picture for the nursery from his "Aunt" Casey...loves it! Better luck next time:)

On the other hand, we woke up this morning in a fabulous mood. I actually BAKED peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies...before noon...from scratch;) Crazy huh? I felt great, Grayson was back on schedule and my happy cuddly baby he normally is and we made it out the door without forgetting a thing to go see his new girlfriend on time. Ava is beautiful...probably the prettiest baby girl I have ever seen at her ripe ol' age of 9 days! We brought over flowers, cookies and a sweet little onesie I made for my future daughter in law. The babies spent a little floor time together and Grayson couldn't keep his hands off of her. He kept reaching over to her to rub her arm or put his hand on her chest...it was SO stinkin cute. I actually got a little teary eyed to see our little ones side by side*Imsuchawussnow*. Life is just funny...one minute you're wobbling back to your dorm room in 5 inch heels and backless "shirts" as the sun comes up and the next you're staring down at your two babies lying next to each other on a play mat. Soooo strange but in a good way really. Grayson was great today and it was just a nice day all around for us.  I hope he is as tolerable this weekend while we are in The Grip for a few days visiting a bunch of loved ones.

So to make a long story short(er) I am still coming to grips with my new role but some days are better than others. It's hard being the only one with a baby out of the core group of friends you have been hanging out with for the past 5 years. Sometimes it sucks...majorly...but sometimes it is great. I guess it all balances out.

On an entirely different note ...can this heat PLEASE go kick rocks? I am dying to get outside and do some walking with G. He needs some fresh air and I need some exercise...badly. He is 7 months old and I am still carrying around an extra 45-50 pounds on my tiny frame (not all of it is from the baby folks!). I feel gross, I look gross and I am tired of it. Every day I have to put on real clothes instead of pjs I almost end up in tears. I have been smoking alot lately too which is making me feel like crap as well. I need to quit. Again. I seriously need to try and salvage some of my youth and physical appearance before I hit the Point of No Return *echo echo echo*  and I'm close. I keep having flashes of showing up at the grocery store in size 22 bleach splattered sweatpants and worn out house shoes, riding one of those motorized carts, the aisles echoing with my smoker's hack!! Don't lie...you know you've seen these folks...I have! I just simply can not go on this way any longer:) My back has been killing me a lot lately too...this bone structure was not made to support this much weight!! I know I know...quit whining and do something about it. I am...it's on the To Do List...sigh:) I have never wanted the Fall to get here so quickly in my whole life or craved the outdoors so strongly. Fingers crossed for a longer autumn and a milder winter than I think we are going to have!

On a happier note, some photos from today!:

Love at first sight...ahhhhh:)! SO adorable, these two!

A Few of Our Favorite Things

On to the next stage...I'm not in love with this one for sure but we're coping after our first rough patch. We are teething now...eeeekkks! Slobbering, screaming, kicking, OH MY! My sweet angel baby seems to have multiple personalities now. One minute he is the cooing, smiling, funny little guy I have come to love beyond measure and the next instant he is a stomach kicking, red faced hollering, back arching TERROR of a child! The first day in happened I literally plopped him in his swing in front of an (educational) DVD and went to sit on the front porch with my fingers over my eyes and ears, head pounding and feeling like a failure after 8 nonstop hours of crying. Not one of my proudest mommy moments but I had met my quota for the day. That evening I got online to do some research about teething so we would neverrrr have another day like that one! So after mucho Googling and some purchases over the weekend here is some info on the things that have helped for us as well as a couple trial and error buys we have made!

Sophie The Giraffe's Story:

Sophie Sophie Sophie! I could not understand how this little toy could possibly be all that. It was STILL sold out online at Babies R Us, it was unavailable at the 2 closest stores in our area...seriously! I went online and found out you could reserve one for a pick up at a Barnes & Noble if they had any in stock...so we did. Daddy went and picked our gal up Sunday morning after we received our Top Secret email they had one on hold for us! As I incredulously tore into the packaging, I could see that Grayson seemed to be transfixed by her simply painted spots and plain little face. We had a little chuckle after we took her out and found out she squeaked. Did we really just pay $20 for a glorified dog toy??? So after a quick run through some boiling water (and the loss of her squeaking ability...DANG;) lol!) we handed her over during a crying fit. G is smitten by this little giraffe. He coos at her and holds her up in the air to see her face, goes to town chewing on every inch of her 46 year old,100% natural rubber and food painted body and STOPS screaming when his gums are hurting him! He loves her, I love her and I hope you will love her too;) On a side note, you can easily smush her head through a pacy keeper and clip her to anything so she doesn't end up on the ground and off limits on an outing.

Another winner is this super bendy, dishwasher and freezer safe 100% silicone tooth/gum brush. G loves to chomp on this and have me rub it over his gums while singing silly teeth brushing songs!

We finally got off of our Similac Neosure this month thank goodness...3 months early might I add! On the hunt for new formula I have found a real winner...100% certified organic and also with nontoxic packaging we're drinking this now:

Grayson has had no issues during the switch to this formula, has a lot less gas and it doesn't stink like other formulas. The only downside is it's not available at ANY local stores so I have to order it online...ho hum:(

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Things We Love!

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Wastes of Money!

That's all for now...good luck in your endeavors mommas! I'll leave you with a thought for the day that I say RIGHT ON to :):

 "The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn." ~John Lubbock

Musings of the Day...

Do you ever get the feeling that because you choose to raise your child a certain way some people take it as a personal insult because they did it differently?


Opposites DO attract but after the initial attraction wears off...you're just opposites.


Make sure your children have friends at every stage in life! If not, they will try to form cliques wherever they can as adults and try every way possible to exclude somebody somewhere to make themselves feel special and interesting. It's not attractive in preteens but it is down right pathetic in "grown-ups".


Some people are not as clueless as you think they are and sometimes it takes a drunken IM to prove it.

There is nothing worse than holding your baby's arms down as they scream and cry and look into your eyes while they get shots except for maybe being the nurse who has to do it all day.


Some of the most annoying people are the ones who are convinced of their moral superiority simply because they attend church services.


Sometimes, nothing beats a good old crying hissy fit guilt trip to make your point be taken to heart.

That's all...Happy Tuesday.

I'm No Martha.

Well, I've decided to change the name of my blog as of today. When I found out we would be unable to place baby boy in daycare and I would have to quit my job to care for him, I consoled myself with big dreams ala Martha. I daydreamed of fertile fields of organic herbs, fruits and veggies, a basement tricked out for homemade baby product production, sewing and crafts for sale, a storage room bursting with homegrown homemade baby food and juice and even a worm farm. Yes, I said it...a worm farm! I had grand ideas of taking a giant step to the side of the grid (not off of it but tippytoes on the edge at least) and becoming self sufficient and healthy. Unfortunately, life has bitch slapped me right back into reality! My days aren't spent with my little guy happily cooing away in a Baby Bjorn as I skip barefoot through my abundant garden picking our lunch and herbs for the evening bath. I don't slave over a hot food processor all day to make yummy organically grown all natural baby food for my little guy to eat. I don't spend the evening elbow deep in calendula I grew in my back yard making lotion to sell at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. I have done none of this.

My days are spent waiting hand and foot on the world's my self important 6 month old:) There are days I don't shower until he goes to bed. Most days I don't eat until 2:00 in the afternoon. I can change a wet diaper upside down, in the dark with one hand tied behind my back without him even waking up. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I may not be changing THE world or making it a better place but I'm changing HIS world and making it a better place. So I'll just have to be content with my herb garden full of burnt up sprouts, my dinky garden plot with barely struggling plants and veggies, the basement remaining a rarely used Man Cave and buying organic baby food from the grocery store. For now, I am just excited that I have mastered the "putting baby to sleep while wide awake" skill set this past week. However, there is a new spring right around the corner and next year I'll be ready for it!

Forgiveness is a Tough One

“Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time.” Sara Paddison

 I've been thinking lately...a lot actually, about my worst character flaw. We all have them though most of us are unable to recognize them in ourselves. I am not one of the majority with a total lack of self awareness unfortunately. I see and acknowledge every crappy thing about myself even if I would prefer to live in ignorant bliss. My most major hang up is forgiveness, I can carry a grudge like no one's business. I feel like I have been walking around for many,many years with a checklist (a.k.a. shit list) of people that have wronged me growing larger as time progresses. This would surprise a lot of people to know as most of my friends would attest to my easy going and affectionate personality. It is there though...the dark side of my heart that keeps tallies of actions I deem unforgivable. Lately though, my heart is growing weary of keeping count of all the bad things as it fills up with greater things by the day. I think the love I feel for my son has a lot to do with this. It is hard to feel hatred for anyone when you love someone else so very much. I feel as if the love I have for him washed over the negativity I have bottled inside me and made it too heavy to keep lugging around in my daily life. Does that seem really sappy? It does to me too but it also feels true. Not that I am necessarily ready to let bygones be bygones with all the skeletons in my closet yet but just that I am willing to consider it. I think I need a little more time to grow and work on myself. However, I think as my love grows for my son it will be so much easier for me to release my anger and toss it away and let karma handle the details. I think I can change into a person that can forgive if not one that can forget as well. I agree with the old saying" Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"or as our cerebrally astute former president George DUHbya once put it "fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." LOL! After all...you can't change anyone, you can't make them better people or change them into the people you want them to be anyway. You can only change YOURself. You alone determine who gets to take up space in your heart and mind and some people shouldn't be allowed in either...good OR bad.

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”Thomas S. Szasz

“Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head” Ann Landers

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned." Buddha

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

My little man was SIX months old on the 14th of this month...I can't believe it. Half of a year has just flown by in a blink of an eye. I know I'm all clichey tonight but sometimes they are just so fitting! It is incredible how much he has changed in just a month. The past few weeks he has learned to sit up for a few seconds unassisted, learned how to feed himself messily with his spoon, how to hold his own bottle and how to pull himself along with his hands though he hasn't figured out the crawling thing yet. He has also recently learned the art of deception. He now will fake cough if I'm not looking at him and then start smiling when I rush over to see if he is OK. It's a little game we like to play and I have even recently added the pantomime of CPR to it as well which he thinks is hilarious:) He also fake cries to get attention. I fell off the bed laughing one night when he was wailing away and when my husband picked him up he flashed the most devilish grin at me over his shoulder...lord I will have my hands full!

This kid has my heart really! I always feared I would have a hard time bonding with a baby but that has not be the case at all. In fact, I always preferred cats to dogs because dogs are just sooo needy and never go away(my mom still has custody of my little Chihuahua puppy from 7 years ago)! Just the thought of being away from him breaks my heart though. Hell, he is STILL sleeping in my room though I have at least kicked him out of the bed now that he is old enough to reach over and poke me in the eye when he wants to get up. It makes me sad to think about him waking up in the middle of the night cold or scared and mommy not being there to comfort him and stroke his forehead and tuck him back in. It's just all the small things he does that melts my heart. Like when he chuckles with his eyes shut when I sing "Hush Little Baby" or when he reaches his soft little hand out to stroke my arm while I sit next to him in the car or when he scoots so he is pressed against my chest while we are napping if he wakes up and we are not close by or how he holds our hands up to his face when he is tired. I never knew I could crave the affection of another person quite so much! Sometimes I feel like I could just hug him for hours breathing in that sweet baby smell. I have lost my damn mind for real.

Well, obviously I am smitten but I know this staying at home with him all day can't last forever. I KNOW I need to go back to work but I refuse to stick him in daycare for 8 hours a day. I can't imagine waking up, dropping him off all day and then picking him up at night to feed him dinner and put him to bed. That makes me want to cry just thinking about it! He has become my little companion in life since his daddy is lacking in that department! He hangs out with me while I cook and clean and run errands and go to the park in good weather and even grocery shopping! I love having him with me because everything he sees and experiences is new and that makes it so much more fun and interesting for me. Even the veggie aisle at the supermarket is fun when you are explaining all the different vegetables and colors to a little sponge of a baby! I know I am probably fostering a codependent relationship with him but I just feel like this is such a special time in his life...his first everythings and I want to be the one sharing them with him, not some daycare worker who couldn't care less if he stands for the first time on her shift. Sigh...

So anyway, aside from the heavy stuff...let me tell you about swaddling blankets:) BEST things ever! If I could only have a few items with me as a mother this would be a necessity. Early on you will want to swaddle baby for sleeping and also before being passed around from person to person. They feel secure like this and sleep better, startle less and don't get as sore from all the handling your family may want to impose on their tender new bodies. G spent his first few months in a onesie, beanie cap and a swaddling blankie and that was it! So much for cute outfits, pants and PJ's! Later on they are great to put down wherever your little drooler is playing to keep things unslobbery or to make spit up clean up a breeze. You will want to place a blankie where they sleep in case of a leaky diaper at night so you don't have to change the entire bedding set and also when you change diapers in case of a surprise shower! Also, the baby changing stations at every place I have seen them are DISGUSTING! I don't think they ever get cleaned. I bought a little fold up diaper caddy pad that rocks but before that I would pack a blankie to have to lay down on those nasty things so G would not be forced to lay in filth. They also work as a slobber wiper offer, a chew toy, sun/rain/wind block and bib in a bind. Needless to say, I have about 20 on constant rotation at all times:)

OK that's all the rambling I have in me for one evening. Night folks.

Homage to Rooster Sauce!

If I made a list of my favorite things this would DEFINITELY be on it!

Call it by it's proper name Sriracha, call it Rooster Sauce, call it whatever you like...I call it fanfreakintastic. It makes pizza perfect, eggs incredible, marinara sauce zingy, Chinese food just right, nachos, tater tots, breakfast burritos, black beans, Ramen noodles, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, cream cheese...yuuuum cheeessseeee...OH who am I kidding? I pretty much put it on anything I eat! Thank you Spice Gods for sending this our way and giving me a little squirt of heaven every time I twist the cap;)

Say hello to my little friend I like to call brunch...spicy eggs on pepper jack cheese and peppered turkey breast with Boston leaf lettuce, mustard and a healthy dose of the good stuff between two pieces of toasted multi grain bread:) Make you slap yo' mama!

I'm obsessed but at least I'm not this guy:

But hey...who am I to judge? He probably doesn't have a tramp stamp like SOME of us are still rockin' circa 1998 lol!

50 Things I've Learned So Far....

I saw a list like this on PBS today...25 Things I've Learned as a Parent and thought I'd start my own. Given, I've only had 6 months to learn about being a mommy, mine won't be as in depth yet. I think I'll write one every year though and compare notes on down the road! So here's my list of 50 things I've learned so far about pregnancy and parenting and all that lies between:

1.) Half the crap (or more) other well meaning but ill informed women tell you is untrue so research, research & research some more!

2.) OTC medicine is pretty much pointless...nothing beats a cold like hot liquids, tons of rest and a Neti Pot.

3.)Just b/c you don't have any stretch marks while you're pregnant doesn't mean they have passed you by.

4.) Your feet really can grow to the size of watermelons.

5.) Pregnancy is very hard and lonely if your partner is not involved with it.

6.) The ugly cry face is almost fatal with a mouthful of Chic-Fil-A.

7.) You may think bringing home a new baby is the hardest thing in the world but NOT bringing home a new baby is a million times harder!

8.) Every woman has a maternal instinct even if it is hidden deep down inside...trust me, if I do...we ALL do!

9.) There is damn good reason men don't give birth other than just anatomical differences.

10.) Having most people speak into your stomach and kiss it never stops being weird and uncomfortable.

11.) There is a bit of chivalry out there still...you just have to be out in public during your third trimester to discover it sometimes.

12.) Don't try to be a martyr, take the meds when offered after a c-section while you are in the hospital b/c you won't take them once you get home with baby.

13.) Pregnancy weight will not go away on it's own no matter how much you want it to and yes...you are officially overweight now that you are no longer pregnant. Sigh:(

14.) You can live on catnaps alone if you take enough.

15.) I will never poop/shower/eat/sleep/etc. in peace again.

16.) Most other mothers out there think they know more about raising babies than you do.

17.) NO ONE knows how to take care of your baby better than you do.

18.) Mothers and babies have a connection that is uncanny and verges on telepathic.

19.) The simple act of washing your hands keeps your baby the healthiest they can be.

20.) You will lose friends.

21.) You will piss off extended family if you exert your authority about your child especially the ones who have "been there and done that" and think they know everything.

22.) Neither one of these things will really matter to you any longer.

23.) You will never be more interested in poop.

24.) Babies smell good all on their own.

25.) You will do anything it takes to protect your little one...ANYTHING.

26.) The first time you look at that little face you will never love anyone more.

27.) You will never NOT have dirty laundry again.

28.) Boys will pee on you and anything else in your home no matter how careful you are so just get used to it.

29.) Your housework can wait...always.

30.) You can never have enough sheet sets or bibs.

31.) Newborn pants are pointless.

32.) It's hard to stop wearing your husband's tshirts once you get started.

33.) You will start to notice all the overt sexuality and violence in commercials.

34.) You WILL shake your bum to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

35.) You have forgotten the end to most of the nursery rhymes and children's songs you grew up with.

36.) Everything is more interesting through a child's eyes so get on their level...in many ways.

37.) This is the most important thing you will ever do.

38.) Your time is the greatest gift you can give to your child. (Even if it is dirty hair, sloppy clothes and no makeup time.)

39.) Just because it's what everyone else has always done doesn't mean it is right. ( A quick example: Dreft laundry detergent that everyone puts on their shower list is completely full of harsh chemicals but no one reads the ingredients b/c it is what most moms use. Same with Johnson&Johnson products...they are pretty much the worst thing you can put on your baby!)

40.) You don't need baby oil or baby powder at all.

41.) Your baby's slobber is not nearly as gross as anyone else's.

42.) Puke happens. Usually right after you have the super cute outfit on your little one and you are walking out the door...plan super cute outfit B too:)

43.) My baby's laugh makes me laugh...every time.

44.) Babies are not lumps on a log...they see and hear everything from day one so treat them like people and not like the furniture.

45.) No drug could ever replace the warm fuzzy you get from the first baby smile of the morning.

46.) Accept help sometimes but not every time.

47.) Corporate America hates mothers.

48.) Your diaper bag is not big enough.

49.) Stroller brakes are important.

50.) I have a lot to learn and to look forward to:)

Welcome Princess #2!

This weekend we welcomed Baby Talya to the family...a happy & healthy little princess! I know her big sister Rachel couldn't be more excited and in honor of the two little Fair girls I made them a couple of tees to celebrate being sisters:

A little dabbling with Power Point and iron on transfers!

A little heat & pressure!

And Presto Change-o two matchy matchy tees fit for a princess...or two!

Welcome to Walmart...shopping cart?

Ok ok...so I try not to shop at Walmart if I can help it but sometimes the lure of convenience beats out my social conscience! I mean, where else can you get and oil change, pick up your contact refill, buy a new bra and shop for dinner??? Especially being a new momma and lugging around an extra 50 (ahem) pounds of baby and baby accessories lol! All right, now that my disclaimer is out of the way...here is my Deal of the Day! :

 100% Organic Cotton 3 piece sets (shorts, one piece and, t-shirt) for $3.00 each

and

100% Organic Cotton Onesies for $2.00 each

I can't say no to a bargain!

Sing Us a Song...

I have the worst singing voice...ever. Grayson doesn't care. We sing about our food..."C.A.R.R.O.T.S... that's how we spell carrots YES! Carrots are orange and help you see! Carrots are as yummy as they can be. So be momma's sweet little bunny and put these carrots in your chubby tummy:)! We're eating bananas... B.A.N.A.N.A.S...we're eating bananas!" I make up songs about EVERYTHING...bath time, bed time, getting dressed, rolling over...you name it. I'm pretty sure G won't remember how awful my voice was...just that mommy had a smile and a song for him everyday and I'm happy to oblige.

Mommy Money and Time Saving Tip of the Day!

After preparing dinner do you often end up with a little of this & that leftover, especially by way of veggies, that you can't really make a meal out of? I do often since my hubby eats like a 2 year old toddler and abhors anything green! I have found that if I am just doing a simple "get done fast" boil on my fresh or frozen veggies for a quick meal, I like to do it in veggie or chicken broth. This way you can combine all of the left over vegetables with the stock they were cooked in for a super fast soup base for lunch the next day and it gives them more flavor without the addition of any butter or tons of extra salt. Throw in the leftover protein course you had for dinner and/or some extra pasta/rice/noodles you have hanging out in the fridge getting old(we always seem to make too much pasta or have leftover rice from Chinese takeout!) and you have a super fast, hearty meal in just the time it takes to bring everything to a boil or a quick run through the microwave if you are at the office.

I hate wasting food and lord knows you have no time to cook one intricate meal a day( let alone 3)when you have baby permanently attached to your hip, bottles to sanitize and make, laundry to be washed, dried,folded and put away, housecleaning to put off, grocery shopping trips and the mobilization of a small country to leave the home with baby, strolls through the park to enjoy,baths to be given, diapers to be changed, feeding and hosing down of baby to be doing and every now and then showering and using the restroom in privacy!

Also, speaking of making too much pasta when making dinner and having tons of plain noodles left over... if you run spaghetti noodles back under hot water they will become ummm... noodley again! :) The greatest thing to do with leftover pasta is to make a super simple Spaghetti Carbonara which basically just requires noodles, eggs, bacon and cheese unless you want to get authentic and make an extra trip to the grocery store! Of course if you are only making enough for yourself just eyeball it!

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fresh spaghetti, cooked al dente

4 large eggs, beaten

Salt

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all of the oil except for 3 tablespoons. Add the garlic. Season with black pepper. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the crispy bacon and the pasta. Saute for 1 minute. Season the eggs with salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. Add the cheese and re-season with salt and pepper. Mound into serving bowls and garnish with parsley.

Deal of the Day!

Paper, Plastic orrrr tiny little tote bags that will never hold a whole week's supply of groceries? No more! I found these guys at The Dollar Tree for ( you guessed it) a $1 each. They are the size of a large beach bag and made of sturdy canvas with colored piping. I got green...go figure. Keeping these bad boys in the car for future shopping trips!

Baby Steps!

I sometimes look around my house with complete disdain at all the things I know are wrong and unhealthy but feel overwhelmed to change everything all at once! So this month I have been thinking "Baby Steps, Baby Steps, Baby Steps!"

So far this month I have recycled my entire supply of plastic grocery bags and replaced them with brown paper sandwich sacs. Since I am Queen of the Litter Box this was a super sore spot with me. Seeing all those little plastic bags of poop going in the garbage was driving me batty! At least I know that paper will break down eventually though I wish there was a better alternative for even that! Any ideas are welcome:)

I bought a sweet little bird house and painted it a welcoming aqua and pale yellow and will be hanging it up for our little birdie friends this week. I also bought a bat house to put out...when I figure out how to hang it. Did you know a single bat can eat around 600 mosquitoes in ONE hour? Since mosquito attractant apparently runs through my veins I am UBER excited about my little blind critters replacing all the crap I have to spray on myself to keep from being sucked dry in the summer on my back patio! I also put out an adorable hand made toad house for my yard toads...thanks http://www.etsy.com/! Tonight I released 1,500 lady bugs into the yard which were supposed to go in my lovely garden that my hubby was supposed to be helping me create but I got tired of holding my breath for that to occur!

So nasty bitey bugs...you're days are numbered around these parts and no chemicals to boot!

I have donated all of my Tupperware to Goodwill and replaced it with glass containers for my leftovers. I have bought more wooden and stainless steel cooking utensils and hopefully will have all the plastic ones out of the kitchen ASAP! Next to go is that mishmash of plastic cups that accumulate & multiply in the dark while we are sleeping. Plastic is the DEVIL! I make sure all of G's baby items are BPA Free too!

Speaking of Baby G, I have been going crazy trying to keep as many chemicals away from him as possible but it is a huge struggle as a new parent. I had no idea it was not necessary to slather your baby up with baby lotion, oil and powder and that it was actually bad for them! I always saw everyone else using that stuff so I stocked up on items before he even got here. Come to find out most of that stuff is carcinogenic and clogs up their tiny pores CAUSING the skin issues...thanks Free Market for allowing companies to produce & market crap like that for the unaware consumer knowing it poses major health risks:P I have found some great products though that I order online until I start making my own.They are organic, plant based, chemical free,stored in BPA Free containers, and even produced with solar power right here in the good ol' U.S. of A!

Ever wonder what is in your every day products you use on yourself or you little ones? Definitely check out this website http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

It is most definitely eye opening and SUPER scary! I was absolutely shocked at the things that are sold as safe for baby every day...it's disgusting really! For the most part if you keep your baby in a clean diaper and take a regular bath they don't need any of that market driven superfluous junk on them. G hasn't had a diaper rash in over four months...since we brought him home from the NICU with one anyway. I think he smells amazing without reeking of fake baby powder smell too.I LOVE to bury my face in his neck and just breathe in his baby smell!

The last little overhaul I have made this month is finishing up the last of my chemical cleaners. Anyone that knows me KNOWS how much of a germaphobe and clean freak I am so it has been hard to get over this mental block. I am typically the kind of person who loves the smell of bleach and chlorine and will Lysol you if you stand still long enough! I'm trying to break those habits bit by bit and embrace the world of vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda lol! I have switched the remaining cleaners and detergents to Seventh Generation products which claim to be harmless so here's to hoping. I know they do say "not harmful if swallowed" on the warning labels so that makes me feel better.

Next on the To Do list is making my own laundry detergent. I found a ton of recipes online but they are for the most part the same as follows:

Liquid Detergent
1 quart water (boiling)

2 cups bar soap (grated)
2 cups borax

2 cups washing soda

1. Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.

2. Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the borax and washing soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.

3. Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.

4. Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Once it's cool, add 5 - 7 drops of your favorite essential oil per gallon. Stir the soap each time you use it (it will gel).

Powdered Detergent

2 cups finely grated soap

1 cup washing soda

1 cup borax

1. Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.

2. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

I read you could use Fels Naptha, Zote or even Ivory soap but I haven't researched them yet to make sure they are safe. I'll post once I get to this next project!

So, for now, this is what I have accomplished this month. I have a ton of projects planned though to get us even farther on our way to a healthier, greener household that I am super excited about. Fingers crossed I can get these seeds sprouted and in the ground in time to produce fruits & veggies for making all my own baby food! Baby steps!

Taking the First Step

Well...as some of you may know I have bid adieu to Corporate America hopefully for the first and last time! I am now home taking care of my little king until he gets a little older and off of his pesky apnea monitor. I have been a busy little daydreamer though...handmade soaps, red worms, compost, OH MY! I have convinced my city slicker hubby to till up a large slab of sod in our back yard and soon will be filling it with lovely organically grown fruits, veggies and herbs and I can't wait! I have been educating myself on organic gardening for a couple weeks and think I am ready to get to digging in the dirt...now to find some good poo lol! I have also been veeeery interested in making my own baby skin care products so I have been learning about that as well. It really disgusts me the crap companies are allowed to bottle up for you to slather all over your little angel and most people have NO idea how bad it is for them! I'll stop there though...it's a little late to start a full out big business rant this evening...errrrr...morning:) So fingers crossed we don't end up in a cardboard box under an overpass somewhere without my paycheck coming in! We are in the process of refinancing the mortgage but I'll save that for another time. Trust me...you'll want to know about that! Anywho, good night to all and sweet dreams, this baby of mine should be up soon to chug a bottle!