Judah and Grams

No, this blog is not closing. I thought it would be a quick thing to try to add a third column to this page, but now what was once on the right is now underneath all these posts. I messed up the template html, and I think it may take me awhile to fix my mistake.

I will continue posting through the mess of it all, and hopefully soon I can spend the time I need to fix it.

Judah had his much anticipated appointment with the urologist. The doctor was able to complete the circumcision and further surgery will not be required!! That is an anser to prayer. Judah is up to 7lbs 2 oz.

Judah and Grandma

Baby Carrier Review

This is the baby sling I have. I absolutely LOVE it!! There are three reasons why I can't live without this item.
1. When we go out to stores I carry him around in this and people leave us alone! Judah avoids all the sick and germy people that seem to be drawn to babies. It just looks like I am carrying a giant purse in front of me =)
2. He can nurse in it. It keeps me well covered and it frees up BOTH hands!!
3. When he just wants to cuddle and I just want to get things done I can carry him around in this and we both get what we want!!

Judah's first babysitter

Mum and Esther - or 'Grandma' and 'Aunt Essie' - watched Judah this evening so Paul and I could go out. It was so nice! We went out to Macaroni Grill. I have to say, that place gets a 10 out of 10 from me! The food was better than great - how can you go wrong with freshly made bread with oil to dip it in? The atmosphere was relaxing and fun, and yet cozy and romantic too. They had paper covering the tables with crayons on each table, so we sat and drew hearts and roses (yup! Paul was drawing roses!) and then played the 'connect the dots' game. Our food came before there was a winner =)
Judah had a good night bonding with his Grams and Auntie.

His first picture with his Aunt Essie

Still scratching my head

A couple weeks ago Paul told me that I was a fun person to be married to.
Nice, huh?
But then he continued ...
"Even if you were stuck in an empty room by yourself you wouldn't get bored.
The things in your head
would keep you entertained and have you laughing."

Is that a compliment or an insult??

Life According to Paul #3

Paul is weird. And that is me being gracious. He has these two items that I have been dying to throw out. Two seemingly pointless and completely ugly items. But according to him they are unique and precious. He's called me unique and precious too. I am hoping he meant it differently than he meant it about these items. But hey... at least I know he won't be throwing me out seeing as he won't throw out these two things. He values all his 'unique and precious' things!!

My Husband My Hero

Paul is the best!
Last night he said he would get up with Jude through the night so that I could sleep. And he did!!
I got six and a half hours of sleep in a row!!

A couple random thoughts

I was kissing Judah this morning and he spat up directly into my mouth. It wasn't like he'd JUST finished eating - I am a little smarter than that! I had waited a good little while, and he'd already spat up his usual little bit. *ick* Just thinking about it makes me shudder.

Mum and Esther will be here SOON - just a matter of hours! Woohoo! I am super excited.
Paul got home earlier than planned today, so we've had the whole afternoon together and he has tomorrow and Monday off! We're spoiled this weekend. Isn't it sad that I consider it a treat to have my own husband at home with me?? Ah well. Gotta stay positive =) He could be over in Iraq where I would never see him during the week. At least here I get to wash his socks and hear him snoring =)

Runner Up

I almost posted this picture for my Photo Hunter 'soft' picture... but then decided that I cannot use pictures of Judah for it. BUT there is nothing in my rule book about not doing a "runner up" picture - especially since Crystal posted seven pictures on hers. So this is my runner up picture. Please don't ask why my son is in a popcorn bowl. Just enjoy the fact that he looks soft and cuddly and is on a soft blanket. =)

Theme: Soft

McDonald's soft ice cream. MMM yum! This is a summer time treat that Paul and I absolutely love. Actually, it doesn't even need to be summer time. We have such memorable, lovey dovey, gushy (is that soft??) feelings associated with this ice cream. We could eat it any time. When our funds were low this was a really special date!! For .49 - .99 cents (depending on the time of year and the location!) we would buy a cone (always asking them to make it as big as possible!!) and then we would sit in our car, licking our cones and talking about everything and nothing. Even when we have more than just $1.00 to spend on dates this is still on the 'old favorites' list and is something we do. It doesn't matter that the ice cream may not be the best in the world. It is *our thing* to do, and that is what makes it special.

My baby is growing

Judah has outgrown one of his preemie outfits! It's both sad and exciting all at the same time. I like him being so tiny, and I am going to miss how little he is. BUT I can't wait for him to get a little bigger to be able to fit in all the cute clothes we have for him and to start being able to play with him!!

My mum and sister are starting their trip down here tomorrow!! Woohoo! Hopefully the weather will be good and they'll get here on Saturday! I can't wait!! Judah gets to meet his first extended family members and I will have people here all day to help with diapers =)

Thursday Thirteen #14

I love baskets so much! Here is my list of thirteen places/uses I have for some of my baskets!

1. In our bedroom holding magazines

2. In our bedroom holding all my belts

3. In our bedroom holding my hair things

4. Under our bathroom sink holding my hair dryer and straightner

5. In the bathroom closet holding extra razors, soaps, etc

6. In the laundry room holding sample packs of laundry soap and the dryer sheets

7. In the living room holding diapers, wipes, burp cloths and a change of clothes

8. In the living room holding all Judah's baby cards

9. In the kitchen cupboard holding our hot drinks

10. In the kitchen cupboard holding our snacks

11. In an extra closet holding my scrapbooking supplies

12. In Judah's room holding all his clothes, diapers, blankets, etc (he's got six baskets!!)

13. In Judah's room holding all his books and stuffed animals.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

His new bathrobe

My two most favourite people ... so cute together

We love our baby =)

Life According to Paul #2

Paul wouldn't let me forget the fact that Monday means his thoughts and opinions get posted on my blog. He's been checking in all day to see if I have posted the genius thoughts of his. Um. Nope. I had to think of a genius thought worth sharing with the world. Just teasing - I married a really, really smart man ... but some of his ideas make me wonder.

Like his idea about bathrooms:
If bathrooms were up to him they would serve many functions. Every bathroom would hold a library worth of books. A computer desk would be stationed just in front of the toilet, with a keyboard within easy access, so while you're doing your business you can do your business too.
Towel heaters would be essential. And for when you're showering a TV with the World News playing.

My thoughts? Men spend enough time in the bathroom with just their imagination to amuse them. They don't need any encouragement to spend even more time in there.

"Momma JUST FEED ME!"

We're parenting all wrong ... or all right??

Three weeks into this parenting thing and according to chapter four of one book we're doing great. Chapter six of another book tells us we're doing it all wrong.
Really, who cares?? Who reads those books to find out how they're doing? It's not like you'll get a report card. Those ended in grade twelve. In five years your once baby won't report you for having let him or her sleep in your bed. And he won't remember that maybe you forgot every now and then and let him sit in a dirty diaper for a little longer than he should have. And whether he had the breast only, a bottle only, or a bottle and the breast mixed together (oh horrors - every books nightmare - that's us! We don't 'fit in' to any of those books, we do it all!) in a few years it won't matter. No child would still be on the breast or bottle.
I think the purpose of parenting books is to make parents sweat just a little bit more. So they can make their own report card for themselves. Who needs that stress??
I am going to write a book all parents should own. It will be called "The One and Only Parenting Book All Parents Should Own." And when it is opened it will be blank. Absolutely totally blank. That way there is no conflicting advice. No standard to meet. No one telling you you're doing it right, and then the next chapter telling you you're doing it wrong. We're all intelligent people - God made us that way.
I wonder if anyone would buy my book??

Breast milk and its uses

Our freezer is quite full of frozen breast milk from when I was pumping when Jude was in the hospital. It comes in handy on the mornings Paul isn't working and he can give Judah a bottle so I can sleep for four hours instead of two. Below is a list of other useful things breastmilk can do - haven't tried any of them myself!

But the list entertained me =)

Some of the many holistic uses of breast milk
(other than your child's most important food of course!)

*Eye infections: Squirt in an open or closed eye. If the eye is closed have the person lie back, squirt it, then open his or her eye. Do this four or more times per day.
*Plugged eye ducts: Squirt into the eye crease at the nose. Do this four times one day and two times the next.
*Conjunctivitis ("Pink Eye"): Same as Plugged eye ducts, but continue with four times daily until the crust is gone.
*Sties: Same as Conjunctivitis.
*Sore/cracked nipples: Rub into nipples and air dry.
*Scratches: Squirt and air dry, bandage, etc. as normal.
*Scrapes: Same as scratches.
*Burns: Same as scratches.
*Gouges: Same as scratches.
*Diaper rash: Squirt and air dry.
*Mosquito bites: Squirt on bite and rub in. Stops the itching.*Ant bites: Same as mosquito bites.
*Ear infections: Squirt or pour into sore ear. Can also then follow with warm (not hot) olive oil and garlic.
*Acne: Wash face with water, then follow with breastmilk squirted on to a cotton puff and apply all over face.
*Sore throats: A squirt of breastmilk, either directly or applied from a sterile plastic cup.
*Stuffy noses: Squirt into nose and suction or squeeze out as you would with saline.
*Contact lenses: If you have an irritant under your lens and forgot your eye drops, take it out, hand express to get a nice little stream going to rinse contact off.
*Eye puffiness and redness: Express breastmilk and pour over eyes. Does as good of job, if not better, than tea bags!
*Cold sores/Fever blisters: Express a small amount of breastmilk onto clean finger and apply immediately to cold sore. Ends pain and helps speed the healing process.
*Chicken pox: Use as you would Calamine Lotion or other ointment.
*Chapped lips/skin: Express a small amount onto fingers and wipe over lips or skin. Do not rub it in...leave a little wet. (This feels great on chapped lips and it normally only takes a day or two to clear!)
*If you have an older child/spouse who is ill, give them some breastmilk. It's a great immunity boost!

Disclaimer: All material provided at FreedomPondMoonworks.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Please consult with your Healthcare Provider if you have any questions.

His new blanket

A movie I love

I have become a movie addict (there's not much else to do while Judah nurses!) Today I watched 'I am David' - and it had the same effect on me as it did the first time I watched it. This movie is touching and heart warming. It is the story of a young boy in the 1950's who escapes from a concentration camp in Belgium with the aid of someone inside the camp. He is given a secret letter, a compass and directions to head to Denmark. Having spent his entire young life in the camp he doesn't know much of anything, and he has to make sense of the vast new world and keep himself from being caught. It is a wonderful story, with a great ending =)

Judah and his daddy

Game Night

Judah slept through most of the evening - he wouldn't even wake up for a picture with his cake that Alicia made specially for him!

Not a fan of bath time

Theme: Antique

I don't think I own a single antique, so I took a picture of an old photo I have of my great grandparents (I will be set straight soon enough if that's not who they are!!) I absolutely love old photographs - and I am certain great grandma's dress is an antique by now =)

Child's Play

Paul has created a game with Judah - 'lets see you get out of this swaddle.' He wraps him all up tightly in a blanket, then lays him on the ground and times him to see how long it takes him to wiggle himself out of the blanket... he has been playing it on the floor behind me for the last ten minutes!! Judah is quite the talented wiggler.
In fact during the night he managed to wiggle out of his diaper. Not just out of it, but he somehow managed to get the diaper out of his open ended sleep sack too!! I think he has gotten over his dislike for being naked.
I hope this isn't his new skill that he feels he needs to show off for us each night =)

Tiny little toes

Stoked as a Goat

Paul has the next two days off work!! HURRAY!!! In fifteen year old lingo "I am stoked as a goat." (Ok, so maybe my brother doesn't actually say that, but I can imagine him saying it.)

Paul bought me the cutest Valentines Day present. He bought me my most favourite movie in the world - 'Gone With the Wind' - and along with the movie a promise to watch it with me AND to take me to where most of the movie was filmed (just a few hours from here)! I thought that was SO very sweet of him =)
While he was away he also went shopping and bought me a couple cute outfits. I have one brave - and very fashionable- husband. He does very well picking out nice clothes that actually fit - or that will fit very soon :)
I have decided that it is time to start doing those stomach crunches that the nurse said should be done that day I went home from the hospital =) Can't say I am stoked as a goat about doing those...

Thursday Thirteen #13

Everyone keeps telling me
'Chores will be there forever, your baby won't be. Enjoy him!'
And I have taken them up on that advice. In fact I love hearing that from people because it makes me feel better about what I haven't done at the end of a day!!

Thirteen tasks that should get done:

1. Wash the kitchen floor
2. Vacuum all the carpeting
3. Wash the windows
4. Organize our pots and pans
5. Sort through my clothes - what's too big or too small
6. Sweep the bathroom floor
7. Organize the storage closet
8. Clean off our porch
9. Organize our dvd collection
10. Put away all our clean laundry
11. Organize Judah's clothes
12. Organize my craft closet
13. Dust the knickknacks


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Happy Valentines from Judah =)

What do babies dream of?

Now handwashing is fun

Bath and Body Works hand soap is THE best handsoap to use if you're washing your hands all day long!! When I went out to pick up his diapers yesterday we made a quick stop at the local B&BW just to stock up on some soap.

Well, it was to of been a quick stop.

I had to sit and smell every option there was. And then smell them all a second time. I ended up getting two Cotton Blossom and one Tropical Passionfruit. SO good!! It smells marvelous and keeps my hands moist!

Their soap is worth the money.