Fuzzi Bunz review

Okay, so I haven't had time to review all the diapers I tried, but I doubt any of my reader's will mind. On to the winner... FUZZI BUNZ!

I love this diaper for several reasons (wait a minute; did I just use the words 'love' and 'diaper' in the same sentance? Boy, do I need to get out more!).

Anyway, I 'love' it because it is a one-size diaper, meaning it can be adjusted to fit babies from seven to thirty-five pounds. This makes it a great value, as it should last through several babies. The sizing system is different than others I've tried. Most one-size diapers use rows of snaps along the front to change the size, but Fuzzi Bunz uses adjustable elastic at the leg openings and the waist, giving your baby a snug fit. They also come with two different sizes of inserts, which make them even more adjustable.

I was going to make a video review so you can all see what I'm talking about, but since I don't really have time for that (because I'm busy washing them!), I'll just let the experts do it for me.

Gro Baby Review

I need to clean the kitchen and get ready for church tomorrow, not to mention catch up on my Book of Mormon reading, but I just wanted to post another quick review (you're all dying to read my diaper reviews, right?)
Tonight's review is on the Gro Baby Organic Diaper, which I thought would be my favorite, but it wasn't. It retails at $24.95, which includes the diaper and one soaker pad.

What I liked about it:

ORGANIC: Who doesn't like organic?

ONE-SIZE: I like that it's a one-size-fits-all diaper, which means you can use it the entire time your baby is in diapers. This is accomplished by rows of snaps in the front, which, when snapped together, cause the material to fold over itself, making it smaller. There is also a long row of snaps along the front to adjust the waist size. It's a good system, but I like the Fuzzi Bunz sizing system better, in which the actual elastic is lengthened or shortened to adjust the size.

EASE OF USE: This diaper is fairly easy to use. You don't have to pin or fold, but you do have to snap the soaker pad (which basically looks like a big maxi pad) into the diaper.

What I didn't like:

UNSNAPPING YUCKY SOAKERS: The idea of snapping the soaker pad into the diaper is okay, but the problem is that you have to unsnap the wet, dirty soaker before washing it. I didn't figure out a way to do this without getting my hands wet/soiled.

LEAKS: Once the soaker pad gets wet, it tends to bunch up since the only thing holding it in place are two snaps, which can lead to leaks.

ONLY ONE SOAKER SIZE: Even though the diaper is highly adjustable, it only comes with one size of soaker. It was too big for my 15 lb baby, and seems like it would be too small for a toddler.

Overall, this seems like a high quality diaper, but it just wasn't exactly what I was looking for. It does come in a lot of cute colors and prints, which is a plus.

BumGenius AOI Review

It's been one week since I received my package of cloth diapers, which was long enough for me to choose a favorite. I'll be writing a short review of each diaper I tried, with the winner coming last.

Today's review is on the BumGenius all in one diaper. Retail Price: $15.95

What I like about it:

EASE: This is a very easy diaper to use. No folding, no pinning, no stuffing. It comes on and off just like a disposable, but instead of throwing it in the trash, you throw it in the diaper pail to wait until wash day.

FIT: Elastic on the waist and legs give this diaper a very snug fit, which makes leaks unlikely. The fit is trimmer than prefolds or one size diapers.

LOOK: Lots of cute colors available

What I don't like about it:

DRYING TIME: Because it truly is all-in-one, it is a very thick diaper which makes for a long drying time. When my other diapers were bone-dry, this one was still damp. This was my biggest turn off for this diaper.

APLIX CLOSURE: I worry the aplix (think Velcro) will wear out. It also can scratch the baby, and may not last as long as snaps. Oh, and it doesn't look as cute as snaps.

Overall, this was a very good diaper. It is near the top of my list, but not my favorite. I would recomend it to those who want a convenient way to cloth diaper.

Doing My Part to Preserve the Earth (one diaper at a time)

I'm expecting a package in the mail tomorrow. I'm very excited about it, but also a little nervous. You see, it is a package of cloth diapers. That's right, I'm converting to cloth. I had never really thought about it before, but last week I was looking up articles on how to recycle old jeans when I saw an ad on the sidebar for gdiapers. The diapers looked super cute, so I clicked on the link. The site got me thinking aobut alternatives to disposable diapers, and I spent the next three hours researching cloth diapers!
I came to realize how bad disposables are for the environment. Think about it. You take your baby's poop, wrap it up in a plastic casing, and send it to the landfill to sit for who knows how long (many suggest 500 years)!
There are so many choices out there when it comes to cloth diapers. I did a lot of research and decided that I just need to try out several different types and brands before I decide what I want to go with. My package will include some prefolds with Snappis, two different diaper covers, a BumGenious all-in-one, a pricey Gro Baby organic one-size-fits-all diaper, a FuzziBunz pocket diaper, and a few others that I don't remember. I'm excited to try them all out and will keep you posted on how it goes. Wish me luck!
By the way, if you're thinking about jumping on the cloth-diapering bandwagon, enter this contest, maybe you can try cloth diapers for FREE!

Forty Days

I haven't been doing so well spiritually. It's not that I've commited any great or malignant sins, I've just sort of let the little things fall to the wayside. Little, but important things like reading my scriptures. Life has been busy this past year, what with building a house and having a baby, and I'm sorry to say I've really lost touch with the Spirit.
I've decided many times that I'm going to "start reading the scriptures more" but I just haven't been able to get back into the habit.
So I've been praying the past week or so to know what to do; how to get the Spirit back in my life, how to get back on track, and tonight as I was rocking my baby to sleep I got my answer. I tried to brush it off, to tell myself I didn't have enough time, but the Spirit kept telling me, and I finally said, "Okay, I'm going to do it!" So, I'm starting reading the Book of Mormon tonight, and my goal is to finish it by the end of the year.
I'm the type of person who needs a day by day plan if I'm actually going to complete something, so I pulled out the calculator to see how many pages I needed to read a day. It turns out there are forty days until the end of the year! I got really exited when I realized that I'm going to read the Book of Mormon in forty days; I doubt that's a coincidence. I'll need to read 13.2 pages per day to reach my goal, but since I prefer not to stop in the middle of a chapter, I've made up a schedule of which chapters I need to read each day to keep me on track. Tonight I'm reading 1 Nephi 1-7.
I wanted to blog about this so that I'm accountable to others. If I kept it to myself, it would be easier to give up (which I know I'll be tempted to do). So please, ask me how my reading is coming! Get on my case! I need the encouraement. And if anyone wants to join me, I'd be more than happy to share my schedule with you.
I'd better get off the computer so I can start reading!

Looking Back

Does this sweater look familiar to you? If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recognize it from the post titled "A Little Daydreaming Never Hurt Anybody". Here is an excerpt:

"I found the cutest red ribbed sweater. I couldn't resist taking it off the rack, carressing the soft cables, and imagining a baby girl in it. A sweet little bundle of cuddly softness. I could almost smell that new baby smell that I love so much. I could almost feel the warm softness of her baby skin against mine. I imagined the peacefullness of nursing her at night, the moonlight falling on her cute little face. . . I was in baby hunger heaven.
I was suddenly jolted out of my heaven with a high-pitched scream from my toddler- my boys were fighting- again!! In no time at all, my thoughts switched from cuddly softness to red-faced screaming baby. From sweet baby smell to the smell of baby puke that's been on my shoulder for two days because I haven't had a chance to shower. From peacefullness to absolute exhaustion and sleep-deprivation.
My baby hunger heaven didn't last long. I collected my now crying kids and dashed away from the baby clothes as quickly as I could without looking back! Another baby? Now? Are you kidding me!?! I made a mental note to stay away from the baby girl clothes for a while.
But sometimes I think back to that sweater . . . and once again imagine my little bundle of sweetness. Maybe not any time soon, but someday. Someday."

I find it ironic that I was pregnant when I wrote that (but of course, I didn't know it). It turns out my 'someday' came sooner than I had expected. My little bundle of sweetness is now almost five months old, and though she has been red in the face from screaming on more than one occasion, her puke has become a permanent part of my wardrobe, I've had less sleep in the past five months than I used to get in one night, and my life is generally chaotic, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It is all worth it when I see her smile. She absolutely lights up my life.

As for the sweater, it's from last year's line, so I wasn't able to buy it, but I got what I wanted: a sweet baby girl.

UP: a short review

I just watched Pixar's newest film, UP, and I must say I am disapointed. In my opinion, Pixar is going downhill. Toy Story is by far still the best film they have produced, with Toy Story 2 coming in close second. I was not too impressed with Wall-E, and am very disapointed with UP.
It had its good points, but overall just was not a good story. I think they tried to put in too many sub-plots. I absolutely hated the doberman with the high-pitched voice. I guess that was supposed to be funny, but it struck me as just stupid. I didn't like the dogs in general. I did like Dug because he was such a typical dumb dog. Some of his lines were pretty funny.
I think what bothered me the most about this film is that I thought it was supposed to be a kids' film, and it really isn't. I made the mistake of letting my kids watch it before I myself watched it (a mistake I won't make again), and there were several parts that disturbed them. At one point, my four year old yelled, "Mommy, this is not a good movie!" and ran to his room nearly in tears. Later, when my husband and I watched it, I realized it had way too much violence, peril, and mature themes in it for kids.
The idea of the house floating via helium balloons was fun, but it truly was a disapointment. I give it two stars at best.

Still Here

Just wanted to let you know I'm still here.

Since I haven't posted for a while, and there's no way I can write about everything that's gone on since my last post, I've come up with a list of possible titles of posts I may have written these past couple months had I been blogging.

Caulking 101: What I've learned

How I Know my Zoloft is Really Working

My Quest for a 30 inch Towel Bar

Things I Want to Buy for my New House

The Miter Saw and Me

Three Kids, a Bag of Marshmallows, a Package of Cookies, and No Adult Supervion

The Never Ending Laundry

Why Can't The Cabinet Guys Get it Right?

I hope to start posting again when things settle down a little. Until then, you'll just have to be satisfied with my list of titles.

Things are Looking up

Last week, when I wrote my post in which I tried to pawn off my boys, I was feeling extremely anxious about this whole post-partum mother-of-three thing. Since then, I've been feeling much better, both emotionally and physically.
My dear Hubby left last night, and though I miss him already, I'm glad he's back to building our house, and I know we will be okay here without him. My dad and stepmom are going to be helping me out quite a bit. I always feel the worst in the mornings (exhaustion and nausea are my constant morning companions), so my dad is going to take care of the boys in the morning so I can stay in bed until nine. That will help out a lot. I would be beat if I had to get up with them every morning at seven!
My stepmom is folding all my laundry for me and she's also doing all the dishes. And my dad is cooking dinners. I really am blessed to have them helping me out so much. I know I will make it through this. The Lord has already given me strength, and I know He will continue to do so. I think my biggest challenge right now is just to try not to keep wishing time would go faster. Each day seems to drag on . . . I guess that's just because taking care of a baby is so monotonous. I feed her every two to three hours . . . then change diapers, put her down for naps. . . it seems like that's all I do anymore! It will be nice when I can get back to normal life.
My dad took the boys to the fourth of July parade. They are there now, and I sort of feel left out. I mean, it's nice to be home and be able to rest. . . but it makes me feel kind of isolated, ya know?
Anyway I think I'm just rambling now, so I'd better sign off.
But like I said, things are definately looking up.

Up For Grabs . . .

Two adorable boys, ages 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. Yours to love and enjoy for six weeks!!!

Ha ha! Think anyone will take me up on my offer?

I love my little girl, and I love my boys dearly, but I'm thinking I'm going to need some help. Even with Hubby here to help, I'm having a hard time. The postpartum period is tough. My husband took the boys camping yesterday, so I had an entire twenty-four hours to just be with my baby. I rested when she rested and drooled over her cuteness when she was awake. If only I could do that for six weeks (the time it generally takes to recover from pregnancy, labor, and delivery), things would be great. But I know that in reality, I can't. I have two little boys who require almost constant attention, and I honestly don't know how I'll do it once my husband leaves. My dad and stepmom are so busy with work and thier church callings, I know they won't be able to help me out as much as I'm going to need it. I'm just feeling really anxious right now about how I'll survive the next couple of months. I've had problems with post-partum depression before, and I'm just scared that it's going to happen again.

Honestly, I wish I could ship my boys off for a few weeks. As much as I would miss them, it would allow me to take care of myself so that I can heal faster and be a better mom to all of them. I need time to rest and to get to know my baby. Maybe I can get some help from people around here. I think I'd even be willing to pay someone for child care if it would mean having a break from my boys for a couple hours a day. I'll have to look into that.

I know I'll survive somehow, but I just haven't figured out how yet . . .

My Baby Girl

Camping with Cousins

We had a fun time last week. My brother, his wife, and four kids came to visit, as well as my sister and her two kids. The boys loved having their cousins here. We went hiking, camping, and canoeing. Here are some photos from the week.
My dad grilled hamburgers and hot dogs over an open fire while we were camping. I had a hamdogger. Doesn't it make your mouth water?

This kid is working on his second hot dog, after having TWO hamburgers! I think he ate the most out of anyone there (which included both pregnant and nursing moms)!

Here's my two-year-old with his cousin who is the same age. Yummy dinner!

And here he is with another cousin, who is just six months older. Dessert!


Getting ready to go out on Grandpa's canoe.
Heading out onto the lake in hopes of catching a fish.
He was a little disapointed about not catching anything, but he had fun out on the canoe anyway.
And to top the week off, two of the kids went to the emergency room on Saturday. My brother's two-year-old daughter smashed her thumb in the sliding door of their mini-van, and within half an hour, my two-year-old had stuck a small, plastic ball (the size of a bee-bee) in his ear. It was pretty deep, and I knew if I tried to remove it, I would do more harm than good. The doctor sucked it out with a tiny vaccuum. Too bad we didn't get a picture of the two of them in the emergency room toghether!

"Just kidding, Mom!"

So I wake up at midnight to the familiar feeling of a contraction. But not too familiar , because unlike the Braxton Hicks or "practice" contractions I've been having lately, this one is long and strong. Feels like real labor. I use the bathroom and then try to go back to sleep. But the contractions keep coming, and I can't sleep.
I call my husband a little before two o'clock to tell him what's going on. After some discussion, we decide to wait another hour or two before he leaves to come down here (it's a six hour drive). We don't want him to come if this isn't the real thing. I try to sleep again, but can't, so I decide to pack a bag to take to the hospital. I'm feeling like this is the real thing and am getting excited about having the baby! I figure once I get my bag packed, I'll wake my dad and stepmom, call hubby and tell him to come on down, and head to the hospital.
The bag is packed and I'm ready to go, but then I realize I haven't had contactions during the half hour it took to pack it. Hmmm... I lay down in bed again and hope I feel more contractions soon. But they never come. I look at the clock. It's a little past four. Guess I'll try to sleep.
My kids wake me up at seven, and I'm disapointed to realize that my labor has stopped.
Not a very nice trick to play on me, was it? Oh well, guess she'll come when she's ready. In the meantime, I'm getting some practice at being utterly exhausted from lack of sleep. . .

Look at This!

Our house finally looks like a house! It's very exciting to see it taking shape!

A Memorable Memorial Trip

My maternal grandparents lived in Annabella, Utah when they were a young couple. While living there, they lost their first child to kidney failure (which we now beleive was a complication of Hyperoxaluria, the same disease my mother died from). She was twelve years old when she died, and it broke my Grandparent's hearts. Her name was Twila, and she died before my mom was born. I have always enjoyed hearing stories about her, and have for some reason felt a special connection to her, but I had never been to visit her grave.

My husband suggested the boys and I visit her grave since we are down here near Annabella (by the way, the last 'a' is silent, making it sound like Annabelle). Since my Dad and stepmom were out of town, and it was Memorial Day weekend, I decided it would be a good time to go.

The cemetary isn't very big, so it was easy to find her headstone. We took some pictures and spent a while there enjoying the peaceful scenery.

We were about ready to leave when a vehicle pulled up behind my van, which was blocking the narrow road that goes up the center of the cemetary. I quickly started to get my kids in the van so I could get out of their way. An older gentleman rolled down his window and said, "You don't have to leave on account of us!" We started to talk a bit, and he asked me which grave I was visiting. It turned out he was a good friend of my Grandpa's back when they lived in Annabella! After talking for a while, he and his wife offered to show me the old house my grandparents had built and lived in. I, of course, accepted the offer. We drove to the house, took some more photos, then said goodbye to our new found friends, and headed back home.

It turned out to be a great trip. Here are some photos:

We stopped to get some pictures by the sign. The boys had fun climbing on the rocks.

My four-year-old took this one. Not too bad.

Me next to the headstone. My four-year-old took this one, too.

My Aunt Twila's headstone.
The boys and me in front of the house my grandparents built.

Those are turkey coops in the background, built with the same stone as the house was built with. My Grandpa built them and raised turkeys.
A side view of the house.

A Gentle Reminder

The day has been getting better since my last post. We went on a nice drive over the mountain and to the lake, where we drove through the campgrounds to scout out a nice place to go camping when my siblings come to visit in June. The boys loved seeing all the tents and firepits (the campgrounds were full due to Memorial Day weekend), and they got really excited to go camping in a couple of weeks (yes, I'm going camping when I'm 37 weeks pregnant; crazy, I know).

They slept on the drive back, then we had a simple dinner and I got them to bed early without too much complaint on their part.

While I was lying next to my oldest's bed talking to him in the semi-darkness (as is our ritual), I noticed a change in the light that was peeking through the window. It was suddenly more yellow and vibrant. Once I said goodnight to him and left, I hurried out to the front porch, where I was happily greeted by a gorgeous rainbow! There was also a gentle breeze, a sprinkling of rain, and the clean, fresh smell that so often comes with rain.

I just stood there soaking it all in. An overwhelming sense of peace came over me, and I was reminded of how much God loves me. I also thought of how blessed I am to be a mother to my two (soon to be three!) wonderful children, and how important the work I'm doing as a mother is to God's great plan of salvation. I realized that though I often get frustrated and sometimes feel like a failure, in general, I'm doing pretty good as a mother, and I have a lot to be thankful for.

A Day of Rest?

I'm very frustrated right now. I used to love Sundays, but with two young boys, it's hardly a day of rest anymore. I spend most of sacrament meeting so focused on keeping them quiet that I only hear bits and peices of the speaker's talks. And though I used to use the time during which the sacrament is passed to reflect on my own spirituallity, remember the Savior, and truly think about my baptismal covenants, now I just spend that time fretting about whether or not my kids are distracting the rest of the congregation from this sacred ordinance.

I'd like to spend the majority of the day after church reading scriptures, the Ensign, and other church materials, or taking a much needed nap, or quietly meditating, but those no longer seem to be options. After lunch today, I let the kids play outside for a while, then we read and I put them down for naptime and quiet time. My youngest usually still takes a nap, and even if he doesn't sleep, he will just play quietly in his crib during naptime.

It's a different story with my oldest. He seems to need constant attention! I told him to have quiet time in his room today so that I could take a nap. I gave him plenty of things to do in there. He has puzzles, coloring books, picture books and toys to play quietly with. I left him in there at two o'clock, and told him to stay until I came and got him.

Then I went to my room to read and relax. I read an article from the Ensign, then lay down for a nap. At 2:20 (probably five minutes in to my nap), I was awakened by my oldest coming in to show me one of his toys. I groggily told him to go back to his room until quiet time was over. He left, but he didn't go to his room. He went into his brother's room and started talking and laughing with him. I don't know if he woke him up, but he knows he's not supposed to go in there during naptime. I got out of bed and angrily told him to go back to his room and stay in there until quiet time was over. This, of course, made them both cry, which is turn, made me feel frustrated and guilty. I was unable to rest after that.

This scenerio is not uncommon for us on Sundays. In fact, it is the norm. My oldest always says he hates Sunday, and I can't really blame him. He doesn't get to do a lot of the fun things he does on other days. Things like going to the store or the library, jumping on the trampoline, running through the sprinklers, or helping me with the laundry. I feel like I've already ruined him and he's only four years old. I would like to help him focus on things we get to do on Sunday, rather than those we should refrain from doing, but, honestly, what is there for a four-year-old to do? He says that he hates primary, and he just seems bored the rest of the day.

How do I teach my children to look forward to and enjoy the Sabbath? How do I get to a point where I look forward to it like I used to, rather than fretting about what to do with my children all day? What are some things you do with your chilrdren on Sunday? I know part of my frustration stems from the fact that I don't have my husband here with me now to help out, but even before we moved here, I still often got frustrated and was at a loss of activities to do with my kids on Sunday. If you have any suggestions, please offer them!!!

Since quiet/naptime was a flop, we are going for a drive now. That is something we frequently do on Sundays to pass the time. The kids are strapped down, and though I can't sleep, at least we can listen to church music and enjoy the beauties of the earth and each other's company. I'm feeling better now after venting. Blogs can be good for that sometimes.

You Can't Tell a Book by it's Cover

This is in response to a blog post by my sister-in-law (hi, Kristen!). She made a list of six books she couldn't put down, six she had put down, and six she made herself finish, no matter how agonizing. So, I've done the same:

Six books I couldn't put down:
1. Holes by Louis Sachar

2. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

4. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (the second time I read it... I had a hard time getting through it the first time around because it was so dark and dreary, but I LOVED the ending, so when I picked it up again, I couldn't put it down because I was so anxious to get to the ending)

5. Anthem by Ayn Rand

6. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo

Six books I have put down:
1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (what a slooooow start! I just coudn't get into it and haven't picked up a Harry Potter book since).


2. Ursula Under by Ingrid Hill

3. The Work and the Glory series (I think I put down the third one and haven't picked it up since.)

4. Lincoln: A Photo Biography by Russell Freedman

5. On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo (I started reading this when my first baby was a few weeks old and I was in the throws of what I now think was post-partum depression. I didn't just put it down, I threw it across the room and put a dent in the wall. I think I may have jumped on it and screamed at it, too.)

6. How Spider Saved Halloween by Robert Kraus (I was reading this for a book report when I was in first grade, and I kept falling asleep... I don't think I ever finished it or the report. Not that it's not a good story; I was just tired.)

Six books I have made myself finish no matter how agonizing:
1. The truth is, if I don't like a book, I don't finish it. So I don't have any books in this category (unless you count textbooks, but I'm not going to)

A Trip to the Lake

This was a few weeks ago, but I want to post these pictures. I took the boys to a nearby lake for a picnic. Though it was sunny, the wind was freezing!! We braved the wind to eat our sandwiches on a blanket near the lake, then ran to the van for shelter. It was simply too cold to eat Otter Pops out in the feirce wind! It was somewhat disapointing, but still a fun little trip. Guess we'll have to try again sometime and hope for warmer weather and less wind.

One Down, Four (give or take) To Go

The boys and I have been living with my dad for a month now. We should have about four months left before we can move into our new house.
The living arrangements are good; we each have our own bedroom in the basement plus a bathroom and family room down there. Of course, between meals, snacks, and doing dishes, we end up spending a lot of our time upstairs in the kitchen..
The boys enjoy being here with Grandma and Grandpa. The other day, my dad got out his old electric train, which the boys loved. It's pretty neat. He got it when he was ten, which makes it almost fifty years old!
Last week, my dad took my oldest for a ride in his airplane, which was a real treat. That kid loves flying! Little brother and I stayed at the hangar and played with the cat,which was also a treat (he loves cats!).
The hard thing is being away from my husband, and waiting anxiously for our house to be done. Some days go by slow because all I can think about is being together again as a family and having our own house. It will be so nice to own a home! On the other hand, I keep pretty busy taking care of my boys, so some days go by fast. Also, my dad and stepmom scheduled a "Lura's Night Out" every once in a while. One of them stays home with the boys while I go out with the other one. Last weekend I went to the high school production of Grease with my dad, and tomorrow night I get to go out to eat at a fun local restaraunt with my stepmom.
Work on the house is coming along. Today the floors in the garage and basement are being poured. Next week the framing should go up. The boys and are going up to visit for Mother's Day, and I am so excited to see the house! I'm also excited to see my hubby! :)

Stakes Give me Hope

Hubby and I have been toying with the idea of building a house for years. We were originally going to build when he returned home from Iraq back in 2005, but decided to put our money into his education instead. Between then and now, we've looked into buying an already existing home, but for some reason or another, it never worked out.

In January, after much thought and discussion, we set out to find a lot on which to build our home. We found a perfect peice of land for a good price and put a contract on it. Now, three months later, things are finally really happening! Our lot is now staked out and crews are supposed to start digging tomorrow (Monday)! I am so excited that it's really happening. I've been trying not to get my hopes too high because I've been scared that it wasn't going to happen. I realize there may still be some bumps along the way, but seeing these pictures of stakes on our lot gives me hope! Home ownership, here we come!

An Easter Message

Elder Holland's talk last week in General Conference was wonderful. Here is a short excerpt from it set to video. . .

Well, I can't figure out how to put the actual video on here, so here is the link to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc

And a link to the entire talk:

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1032-27,00.html

Happy Easter!

More on Childbirth

In response to Arlynda's comment on yesterday's post about Hypnobirthing, let my clarify a few things. First off, I totally agree that birth is different for everyone. While women's bodies are designed to carry, nurture, and birth babies, it is true that nature sometimes needs help. Nobody's body functions perfectly. A slew of health problems like diabetes, depression, and asthma, to name a few, come to mind. Where would the sufferers of these issues be without medical intervention? Likewise, not all women can safely birth children. I'm grateful for the wonderful medical advances we have to help out when there is a problem.



I think it's horrible that people told Arlynda to just "listen to her body" and she'd be able to birth without a c-section. That kind of ignorance makes me mad. There are cases in which medical intervention is absolutely necessary to preserve the health and sometimes the very lives of both mother and baby. This is why I've chosen to birth in a hospital. While I plan on and hope for a natural, uncomplicated birth, I know there is a chance of something going wrong, and I feel safer being there at the hospital where help will be readily available if needed.



That being said, I think in many cases, doctors intervene when it is unnecessary. I think it's important for women to be informed about the decisions they may be faced with during labor so they can make the best decision for themselves and their babies, rather than just being told by the doctor or nurses what is going to happen next. For example, when I was in labor with my first son, the nurses told me they were putting me on pitocin because my labor was slow. I didn't argue because I didn't really know much about it. I also felt like I didn't really have a choice in the matter. There was no medical urgency to speed up my labor, and had I known then what I know now, I probably would have asked to wait a while longer and to try some natural ways of inducing labor before being put on the drip. It was after the pitocin kicked in that the pain became so great that I opted for an epidural.

Arlynda also commented on the fear-tension-pain cycle. I agree with her that it isn't cut and dry. While I beleive that fear does lead to pain, I also have experienced first hand that you may have pain without any fear at all. But the pain will be heightened if fear and tension are present. Likewise, your level of pain or discomfort will be lower if you are able to release all fear and just relax.

Thanks, Arlynda for your comment. I appreciate hearing from someone who has experienced a different form of birth. As I said earlier, every birth is different. But no matter how it happens, birth is a miracle that deserves our reverence and respect.

About Hypnobirthing

I feel so good right now! I got my kids to bed early, then lit some aromatherapy candles, started my hypnobirthing relaxation cd, and took a nice warm bath. Aaaahhhh. . . it was so relaxing. This is the first time during this pregnancy that I've listened to my relaxation cd, and it really got me looking forward to giving birth. You may be thinking, "looking forward to giving birth? Are you crazy?!" Let me tell you, it doesn't have to be as horrible as everyone in our society says it is. In fact, the process of labor and delivery can and should be wonderful!

For those of you who don't know about hypnobirthing (which I would assume is most of my readers), let me explain a little. First off, don't let the name scare you. If you're like most people, when you think of hypnosis, you probably think of either stage hypnosis (people doing crazy and embarassing things in front of an audience while hypnotized), or you might think of scary people carrying out wicked deeds vicariously through someone they have forcefully hypnotized.

The truth is, you can't be hypnotized without your consent, and once you are in a hypnotic state, nobody can make you do anything you don't want to do. As Marie Mongan, the founder of the Hynobirthing Method explains, "With a better understanding of hypnosis today, we now know that a person in a hypnotic state is fully awake, is in an even heightened state of awarness and totally in control." All hypnosis really is is a deep state of relaxation, so don't freak out about the hypnosis part.

What I really like about the method is the underlying philosophy that birth doesn't have to be painful, nor is it a medical incident. In searching for a quote from the book, I ended up wanting to quote the entire chapter on the philosophy! It's all so good! I've narrowed it down to a few quotes, but really, you should just read the whole book. Here are some of my favorite quotes concerning the philosophy:

"Like the bodies of our sister creatures in nature, the bodies of healthy pregnant women instinctivley know how to birth, just as their bodies instinctivley know how to conceive and how to nurture the development of the babies they are carrying."

"The Hypnobirthing view of birth is that it is a natural extension of the sexuality of a man and a woman, and, therefore, we believe that birth is about them. It is about family fulfillment. . . . For birthing parents, birth is not about science; it's not about anatomy; it's not about doctors or midwives or nurses . . . it's about family-parents and their babies."

"A Hypnobirthing mother learns to embrace her body's innate knowledge of birthing, to relax into her birthing process, working with her body and her baby . . . The result is a truly rewarding and satisfying birth experience, with the entire family, including the baby, being awake, alert and calm, yet energized."

I used Hypnobirthing techniques with my second son, and I can honestly say that it was an awesome experience. It was not completely pain free, and was certainly a lot of work, but it wasn't the horror that our society makes birth out to be. For the most part, it was a peaceful and calm experience. I attribute the relatively small amount of pain and distress I did feel to my lack of practicing my relaxation techniqes.

My first delivery, however, was the horror I expected it to be. I had not yet learned about hypnobirthing, and fully expected labor and delivery to be the most painful and horrible thing I had ever experienced. And it was. The joy of bringing my son into this world was clouded by pain, fear, and drugs (I had an epidural). The following weeks were dark days I don't wish to remember. While I know that there were other factors that played into the stark contrast between the two births (my first baby was considerably bigger, and he and I both had an infection), I think that my expections and preparations had a lot to do with it. Dr. Dick-Read came up with the idea of the fear-tension-pain cycle. Fear of childbirth leads to tension in the body, which leads to pain (tension also makes labor longer). Had I not been so fearful, perhaps my first son and I would have had a better experience.

It is getting late, and I need to get bed. Otherwise, I would continue my ramblings. Natural childbirth is awesome! I'm sure there are other natural childbirth methods that work well, too. I don't know how to rap this up, except to say that I am excited to give birth in a few months!!

Laziness, Laundry, the Economy, and Ketchup

I haven't posted much lately. I frequently think of things to post on my blog, but then when I sit at the computer, I just get lazy and end up reading others' blogs until I'm too tired to post anything of my own. Sad, but true.

I just got done reading my usual blogs, and would normally go to bed now, but I have to stay up waiting for Hubby's laundry to be done so I can bring it upstairs so that he will have clothes to wear to work tonight, so here I am, writing about the current economy and it's effects on ketchup.

That's right, ketchup. You see, we went out to dinner the other night (a rare treat these days). Hubby chose one of our favorite places; Sizzler! Our kids LOVE the salad bar, and quite frankly, so do I. I realized just how much my oldest is growing up when we had to pay for his salad bar because he is no longer "three and under". Oh well, I guess it was inevitable. At least the little one still eats for free.

Anyway, I ordered the endless popcorn shrimp along with the salad bar. Most people will probably think this is weird, but I don't like that fancy shrimp sauce they serve. I like my shrimp with lemon juice and ketchup. Which is where the state of the economy comes in. When our waitress brought out the shrimp, I asked for more lemon wedges and a bottle of ketchup. She reached down into her apron and. . . voila! pulled out a bottle of ketchup.

To my horror, it was a plastic squeeze bottle of Western Family ketchup! I'm not even kidding. Western Family ketchup at the Sizzler. What a disappointment! Not that I'm against generic brands in general. Most of our groceries bear names such as Western Family or Shur Savings, but I expect more from a fairly expensive sit-down restaraunt. What happened to the glass bottle of Heinz? I woudn't mind if they tasted the same, but the fact is, they don't. Call me picky, but ketchup is one of the few things I will pay extra for because the name brand tastes better . . . a lot better. I guess everyone is hurting from the current state of the economy.

But I didn't let it ruin my night. The shrimp was still delicious, and the selection of fresh fruits and veggies on the salad bar more than made up for the ketchup disapointment. It just goes to show that EVERYONE is making changes to save a buck or two.

Oh, and if you want to know more about ketchup read this blog post. And in case you're really bored, have a lot of time on your hands, or just want to know a lot more than anyone should know about ketchup (and mustard), read the entire article.

Five Lucky People...

...get something made by me just for them. It can be anything I want, I get to choose. It can be silly or serious, edible or not, but don't plan on anything alive. There are a few rules involved.

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It will be done sometime this year (Don't expect grand things if it takes a long time. I'm just busy!).
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. (The choice is mine! Muahahaha)
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange and/or silly.

The catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they've posted on their blog win a hand made, super creative, possibly lovely whatever in the world I decide! Be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

PS- A lot of my blog reader's have already posted this or something like it on thier blog. Since I don't have many readers, if you're one of those people who has done this recently, I will go ahead and give you something without you having to make another post (and therefore, 3 or 5 more gifts). Make sense?

From the Mouths of Babes II

My boys and I were reveiwing some ASL signs when the following conversation ensued between me and my four-year-old:

Me: What's the sign for girl?

Boy: (does the sign) You know what a girl is, Mommy?

Me: What?

Boy: Someone who takes care of you, and when you are mean to her she sends you to your room!

Ultrasound Results

I went for my ultrasound today, and got good news. The baby looks perfectly healthy, is right on schedule for my due date, and appears to be a girl! We are so relieved and excited! I stopped spotting a couple weeks ago, but have been waiting for this ultrasound to confirm that everything is okay. No more bedrest and no more worrying. Hooray!

From the Mouths of Babes

I was watching Wow Wow Wubzy with my kids, when one of the characters ate some candy and threw the wrappers on the floor. My four-year-old pointed it out, and we talked a little about how we should throw our wrappers in the trash, not on the floor. I said, "throwing them on the floor makes a mess," to which he replied, "Yeah, that's what Daddy does."

A Good Laugh

My husband and I rented Get Smart tonight. I don't know when I've laughed so hard! It reminded me how fun it is to have a good laugh. See it. You'll love it. (And for all you guys out there, it stars Anne Hathaway, which was all I needed to tell my husband to get him excited about it.)