Seven Months Old

Call me cliche, but HOW IS THIS HAPPENING? Nash and Gray are getting so big. SO big. They are a blast. I thought for the longest time that when I had a baby six months would be the hardest milestone. When the boys turned six months and I didn't feel panicked about them growing up too fast, I figured I had beat the system. Lies. It happens at SEVEN months. I always say that keeping a good record of things brings peace because you can always go back to them and re-remember it all. So I'm hoping I feel better after this post is written. Regardless of how big and old my boys get, they'll still be mine. I do not look forward to the day when their world becomes bigger than our little family.



In the meantime, check out the rolls on these legs. Ooh, I could just eat 'em. They are also quite ticklish. I love it. [Nash]



We have been spending a great deal of time on the blanket. The boys are rolling and scooting and moving all over the place. No crawling yet, but they rarely spend time on their backs anymore.



They are also really really talking to each other more. Sometimes when I can't figure out why they're cranky, I realize I have had one or the other on my hip all day and they haven't spent enough time with each other. As soon as I set them down together, all is well. I love that they love each other.



Also, cloth diaper bums are the cutest. End of discussion.



We are drooling a LOT. I tried the whole bib thing for a while. However, I like bare chests better than bibs. So this is how Nash looked for about a week straight.



I've been trying to plan fun at-home dates for me and Cam. We have left the boys with a babysitter twice now, but we can't always afford to go out. So we do fun things at home. I've become a little more confident with how to get stuff done around the house while the boys are awake without feeling guilty because I'm "neglecting" them somehow. I think that comes with the territory of being a new mom. This time, we were making peanut butter cookies for a fondue night with Dad after the boys were asleep. So fun. And the boys loved all the sounds and colors in the kitchen. We have since spent a lot more time in the kitchen making treats and doing dishes. Or just staring at the dining room fan. That's a favorite too.



The boys are really good nappers. These super soft "heaven" blankets [as my mom calls them] were made by their "Meme" [Cam's mom.] and are a must for any nap or bedtime. [Still trying to figure out a good way to get them through the washing machine every week. At this point I just bank on a skipped nap... Because by the time I get them up, nursed, fed, and changed there isn't enough time to get them washed and dried for the next nap. Anyhow, I'm sure it'll work out soon.



Melt my heart. I love a dad and his boys.



We found these high chairs on craigslist for $15 and $20. I'm so glad we have them. The boys spend a good deal of time in them. I made them some oat + banana cookies and we've been practicing feeding ourselves...that is until I realized that the reason Nash was constipated is because oats and bananas can cause that. [rookie parenting...] So we haven't eaten them in a while. Things have since leveled out so I'm tempted to make them again because they both absolutely love them and it made for a fun afternoon snack.



One time, Aunt Lindsay sent us a package of fun new books to read because her Lillie is getting too old for baby books. The books were extremely well received. We read all of them in one sitting on the couch. We tasted a lot of them. And then we realized the package had been wrapped in brown paper. Oh boy. Endless entertainment.



We had to taste that too. Clearly we like eating.



Oh my beautiful boy. [Gray]



Wrestling is a favorite now too. Nash is big into grabbing hair. My hair, Dad's beard, Gray's hair. He also likes grabbing cheeks. Gray, on the other hand [also likes hair] but prefers arms. It is hilarious to watch them try to grab each others limbs and hair and faces. I have had to stop the rough housing every now and again because we still need to learn how to be nice. But I am all for letting them be boys. I hope they get used to playing and rough-housing. I hope they skin their knees and break a bone once in a while. I hope they get mischievous. I hope they concoct schemes with each other. I hope they get into trouble. Trouble is one of the best ways to make friends. And I hope they are best friends.



For a while, Nash was the only one rolling over consistently. Gray would scooch around on his back. I would lay the boys down on their backs together and Nash would flip over to play with Gray and inevitably land on his stomach. And then one day, Gray decided to beat Nash to the punch. I had laid them both down and then ran downstairs to take care of their diapers. When I came back up, they looked like this. And neither knew quite how to react. It made me laugh.



And so it begins. You have to be wary of the quiet ones, I think. Gray has been lying in wait to wreak some havoc. I laid the boys down and gave Nash a frozen mango pop. He had been teething and I was out of ice, so frozen mango was the next best thing. I watched Gray stare at it for about a minute and then reach right over and snatch it out of Nash's hands. Nash totally freaked out. How do you teach two infants to share?! I just went and got another mango pop. ha.



I finally snagged a couple pictures during our thrice daily train break. Seriously, EVERYTHING stops when the train goes by. They don't touch their toys, they stop eating. It's so wonderfully boy-ish to me. I love it. I love that it runs right through our backyard. I love how serious they get. I love that the trains are short. I love that it makes this deep rumbling sound that makes their little eyes get wide. I love that sometimes the cars are super bright colored. I love that every now and again a little tractor goes across the tracks, and it gets the same hero's welcome as a full fledged train. I also love that they never run in the middle of the night. And that most of the time, they coincide with mealtimes. Win-win.



We also love when Daddy comes home. Dad is working SO hard at school right now. He leaves before the boys get up every morning and comes home [hopefully] in time for dinner, but sometimes it isn't until bathtime or even after bedtime. He is totally rocking his schoolwork though, so I can't help but be bursting with pride over the whole thing. And he spends so much more time with us than I thought he would going into this Chiropractic School. I am in awe of how he manages and balances everything. To have a husband and father who can be away all day long and then come home and act like there was never anything on his mind but his girl and his boys is a priceless and rare thing. He is incredible. We are so lucky.



This is what our mornings look like. I get up and nurse the boys and then we come downstairs for some strawberries and couscous. After that, I try to clean the kitchen and the boys play in their high chairs. I love that we are not really in a hurry to get dressed for the day. They are rarely up for more than 90 minutes before they're ready for their morning nap. And if they're still in their pajamas at that point, I get them dressed before putting them down. But I have always been one for relaxed mornings.



Every now and again I can hear the boys talking to each other when I'm not around. Every time I come in the room and ask what they're talking about, Gray gives me this look. "Uh, MOM, we were TALKING." At which point I say "sorry to interrupt" and kiss their cheeks and let them be. They don't resume their conversation until I'm out of sight. It is so funny to see their personalities. I told you, you have to be wary of the quiet ones!



Beautiful, beautiful Nash. I can't get enough of his little chin. And those big blue eyes. Oh melt me.



I recently got called to the Young Women's organization in our church. I am the Personal Progress advisor. It pretty much means I get to be a perpetual EFY counselor. Boom. Best calling ever. Either way, part of that means I go to activity night on Wednesdays. After my first one, I came home and the boys were asleep. It was SO HOT in our house that Cam put them to bed in t-shirts instead of jammies. I went upstairs to kiss them when I got home and found Nash like this. Oh my gosh. I laughed so hard. We took a few pictures and then straightened him out.



Oh! Those thighs. I feel like he looks so big and grown up in this picture. Almost like a toddler. Gray is a big boy. I love his chub. I love how thick and strong he is. I love feeling his hands and feet. They are pudgy in the best way. He has such squishy cheeks. And his mouth gapes open when he sleeps, just like his dad. Add his fuzzy hair to the mix and I just can't even take it. He is perfect in every sense of the word.



Conference Saturday morning was a little rough on the boys. It was a super chilly day [THANK YOU TEXAS for making me a little less homesick!]. We had a wonderful morning with pancakes on the couch and dressed in our comfies. The boys were so groggy! We got them up and fed them before the opening session. They napped through most of it. Oh it was wonderful. I love general conference! Crazy to think that last conference they were just barely home from the hospital! And that a year ago I didn't even know what they looked like. Time goes so fast.



That chilly night, we dressed the boys in some fuzzy sleepers. And they got the sillies.



Conference Sunday was another snuggly day. I have accepted that at this time of my life, the best use of my time is not taking notes during conference like I normally do. I got maybe a page out of the whole weekend, but I cuddled my sweet boys and listened as best I could and I felt the spirit just as strong, if not stronger. Just the other night, we had some friends over. They watched the boys while we went to go pick up a new-to-us washer and dryer because ours...died...[lame.] We got to talking and somehow in the middle of the conversation I said "I really love being a wife and mom." Y'know how sometimes when you say something out loud it just reaffirms how strongly you actually believe it? This was one of those times. I got an e-mail a while ago from a college friend who mentioned that she loved seeing someone actually love motherhood and all that comes with it. And oh, I do. I really, really do. I wouldn't trade it for anything. And it brings so much joy to me that the way I live and act and think reflects that.



Nash and Dad during conference. He had Nash laughing so hard! The boys get so silly when Dad is around. I think they were pretty jazzed to spend so much uninterrupted time with him. It was a much needed break for everyone.



My sweet, content Gray baby. Sometimes when I put my forehead against his he grins into my eyes so big he scrunches up his nose. It is the best. After the Sunday Morning session of General Conference, Cam took us for a family drive through one of the nicest neighborhoods in Dallas. We commented on the beautiful homes and landscaping and picked out little signs of just how lavish these people live. It's not for me. I have no desire to live like that. I like managing my own home too much. And if we ever had money like that I can think of a ton of other places to spend it than on a mansion home and landscaping. [IVF grants for starters.] But it sure is fun to see all the detail. It's like peeking into a whole 'nother world. And I absolutely love houses. We drove around for a couple hours and then drove by the Dallas temple. The boys were sleeping by the time Cameron agreed that we should probably take a few pictures of them now that they can sit up on their own and we were around some seriously beautiful lawns and flowers and trees. So no pictures. But it was one of those times that your heart just feels content. And the small bite in the air didn't hurt either. Texas almost gave me a true fall day. And it couldn't have been timed better. I wore a scarf and a sweater and we didn't even turn on the A/C in the car.



Speaking of sitting up on their own... [Also, please notice Gray's "boxers." Again, cloth diaper cuteness. I may sag his pants intentionally next time. don't hate.]



They were playing and sharing together so nicely! And this is the first time they have sat up on their own at the same time! I was so proud of them. I took almost 50 pictures of just this one occurrence. I was so excited! They were pretty proud of themselves too. And then I brought the toys out and things got serious. Ha.



The day they turned 7 months, we donned our adventure hats and went to get a library card and check out some books.



Caption contest. Go. :)



We took the boys out to dinner [with an awesome coupon] to Humperdink's. It was wildly successful, so I had to take a picture. We ordered, fed the boys their dinner while waiting for our food and then enjoyed our meal. The boys got a little fussy after they finished eating, but it wasn't bad at all. I loved being out with all three of my boys. I love how well behaved they are and how handsome.



Cam and I still go in to kiss them goodnight every night before we go to bed. And sometimes I have to take a step back from the situation and realize that yes, this is really my life. this is really my home. those are my boys. I am their MOM. They are closer to a year old than newborns now. And yeah, writing down the details calms my heart. I am so in love. I couldn't be happier. The house isn't always clean. The boys aren't always happy. Things go crazy every now and again. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with everything that I actually do nothing. But at the end of the day, we have the best life. The very, very best life.

Home Management Binder: Budget

If you missed it, the overall post about the home management binder is here.

Ah, the budget. It is such a scary thing to tackle finances...or it used to be. I decided one day that in order to stay on top of my finances I couldn't rely on receipts. Receipts cause paper clutter. And it builds up until I can't deal with it anymore and just throw it all away, which results in us totally forgetting our budget and buying extra Blue Bell ice cream, which is not good for your figure OR your wallet. This resulted in me making a very small printable for my wallet. It was about the size of a dollar bill and I taped it to my check book. Any time I bought anything, I would record it on the piece of paper. [Cameron would let me know if he spent anything as well.] Once a week, I would update our budget totals and share them with Cameron so we were on the same page. It worked brilliantly, but it was a lot of work. I found myself re-totaling everything up all the time. I needed a ledger. And I needed a little more space to keep things clean.

Enter the binder. [Click image to download blank printable version.]

I'll spare you the actual details of our budget for September. It's not very impressive...we're on a student loans salary right now. But I will say that it saves me so much time! My binder goes with me wherever I go. I write down the total while the grocer is bagging my groceries or right after I get back in the car from pumping gas. I can make sure all of our utilities and insurance payments are on time and I know exactly what date they were paid. I know immediately how much we have left in each budget. There is no guess work.

Finances aren't such a daunting task when they're done as you go!

In my binder, I printed 3 of these, front and back, so I have enough for a year. [4 to a page, cut in half]. I am blown away by the peace of mind this little piece of paper gives me. It also allows me to have more fun, because I can purchase fun things guilt free when I know where the money is coming from!

Up Next: Kitchen [Meal Planning + Shopping Lists + Freezer Tally]

Blog Site Design: Pound the Pavement for Parenthood

I am honored to have been a part of this project. This organization, Pound the Pavement for Parenthood, is the organization that changed our lives forever last summer. The founder and my good friend, Jill, wanted a new look for the site, so I designed their new logo [look close at the reflection...] and website. It's hosted on blogger, but once we get the URL changed, you'd never know. Hosting it on blogger just makes things really easy to update in the future. Coding it isn't the easiest, but I think the result is totally worth the time it took.

Pound the Pavement for Parenthood is the coolest non-profit. We found it last summer and attended a race for another couple trying to save money for IVF [they're expecting twins now, by the way!] Pound the Pavement helps organize the race and the couple comes out of it with a lot of support and funds for their treatment [or adoption!] and all us infertiles get to support each other and make friends with others in our same situation. Of the 4 couples we met at that race, there are now 6 babies either here or on the way. [2 sets of twins and 2 sweet little girls]. One of the best ways I found to cope with the depression that so often comes along with being infertile was to help others conquer it. This organization does just that. My involvement with PPP is far from over. I'm the webmaster and I'm on the selection committee for sponsored couples. I also intend to start up a race or two in Texas once we get down there. If you're interested in starting a race in your area or being sponsored in an existing location, check out the site! There's info or contact info for any questions you might have.

If you get the chance, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. There are exciting things happening and I know many of you could be considered for sponsorship. [You don't have to live in Utah!]

How Sweet It Is

I think it's time.

I'm not really feeling fat. I'm not really feeling cranky.

I'm just becoming more and more aware of the effects my eating habits have on my body, my mood, and (for the next 2 months + however long I breastfeed) my boys.

I've been playing around with the idea of doing this again. It's kind of pointless to only do it for a year, though. I've already proven to myself that no treats for a year is very possible. Last time, I learned that my body absolutely loves when I don't eat treats. I sleep better, I have clearer skin, I freak out at Cam less often. Wins all around.

I told a friend of mine that I was going to do it again as soon as the boys were born, because I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with calories, so I just need to keep eating everything right now, but really? That's lame. These boys don't need empty calories and high fructose corn syrup. They need real, good, food.

So, I'm starting now.

No more cakes, cookies, brownies, soda, candy, etc.

And it's not just for a year. It's for good. To make the lifestyle change realistic though, I know I'll need "free days" to pick ONE treat. To avoid me justifying extra "free days" (like, HEY! Today is National Sock Day. Let's celebrate!) I've made a list. Every year, I can pick ONE treat on the following days:

1. January 2nd - Our Anniversary


2. Valentine's Day


3. The Boys' Birthday


4. Easter Sunday


5. 4th of July


6. My Birthday


7. Cam's Birthday


8. The Last Day of School (this will eventually be in June, once our boys are in school. For now, it is to celebrate the end of the chiropractic school trimesters that end in May and September.)


9. Halloween


10. Thanksgiving


11. Christmas Eve/Day


12. New Year's Eve

This gives me roughly 1 treat a month. Do I HAVE to eat a treat? no. I can totally see myself not wanting one after I get going. But I also love celebrating holidays, and to me celebration almost always involves food.

Going off treats the first time made me realize just how much access to junk I have. Multiple times per week there are just plates of brownies and cookies and everything else for the taking. Church activities are the worst for this. Making the decision that I wouldn't have any before hand made it so easy to avoid it in the moment. And I loved it. It hasn't even been a year, but I miss it. (I'm sure that sounds strange to some of you, but don't knock it 'til you try it!) I also think that by having this list made, it will make me really think about what I want to indulge in that day.

Like the day the boys are born? You better believe I'm having an irish cream cocoa bean from the cafe where my sister works. And I really look forward to it!

Also, if I really REALLY just can't handle the no sweets situation, anything from here is on the good list.

And if any of you are ready to join me, I welcome you with open arms. I feel like this is a very happy medium for me, but maybe with some tweaks (or not) it will fit for you too. I can't wait for the benefits to start kicking in again!

Bring on the deep sleep, non-crazy dreams, patience, and clear skin!

 

The Six List

From reading other blogs and talking to other women in similar situations as mine, it seems we have similar problems. How do we balance all the different facets of our lives and feel fulfilled and NOT burned out at the end of the day?

I found myself being so angry at myself while I was working full time because I had all these things I wanted to do, but never enough time to do them. I did, though, have time to watch TV shows at lunch, and spend time on Facebook/Pinterest/etc. I was also having a hard time keeping up with my design clients because I just flat out didn't want to do ANYTHING when I got home from work at 5, let alone make a good dinner and tackle even the tiniest of projects.

While trying to find a solution to my productivity dilemma, I stumbled upon this piece of advice:

There is a legendary story that in the 1920's, Charles Schwab (at the time one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States and founder of Bethlehem steel) wanted to get more done each day for himself and his executive staff. He was approached by Ivy Lee, a public relations expert, who told him a "secret" to increase their productivity.

Mr Lee told Mr Schwab to implement this secret methodology and then, after he had seen the results of the method, to come back and pay him what he thought it was worth. Mr. Schwab and his executives tried the idea for a month and received such amazing results that Mr. Schwab wrote a check to Mr. Lee for $25,000, which at that time was a huge sum of money.

Here's the trick: At the end of each day, write a list of the six most important things to do for the next day and order them from one to six. In the morning start with number one. Keep working on it until completed, then move to number two. Keep working on this one until completed, and then move to the next item on the list. Continue this way until completing all the priority items on the list.

I decided to take this a step further, because I need a little flexibility in my day. I need to be able to choose what to prioritize or what to work on. Enter, the six list:



I printed two to a sheet, cut them in half, and got them bound into a little pad at Office Max. Since I'm not working anymore, that top section has been modified to be "baby" focused. A lot of you might be thinking that 24 things in a day is too many. You're right. I shoot to get 3-4 done in each section, but by listing out all 6, in case I'm feeling great I don't just sit around saying "my list is done!" I know the next thing I want to work on immediately. Also, some of my 6 things are very small. I've had a hard time remembering to take my prenatal with food, so under baby, the first 4 normally look like this:

1. Good Breakfast


2. Take Prenatal


3. Good Lunch


4. Take Iron

These might not seem like a big deal, but I know myself well enough to list it because it won't happen otherwise. And when the days all blur together, it's nice to be able to look and say "yep. I did take my supplements today."

Also, when I'm filling out what I want to get done the following day, I already have 2-3 things in each section (because they weren't crossed off) so making the list each night only takes a minute or two. And because it's in a notepad, while I'm working on the list, if I notice something that needs to get done the following day, I can just write it in, instead of hoping I remember that night.

Other things that make the lists are: "plan FHE, shower & ready, catch up finances, pay bills, pack Cam's lunch, read hypnobirthing, take a nap, dishes, sew 1 diaper, deposit cash, grocery shopping, wipe down bathroom, make bed, make dinner, Julie's insert designs, fold laundry, make freezer breakfasts," etc. Some are bigger than others. Some take more time than others, but being reminded of the little things that need to be done is often just as important as making sure the big things get done. Before bed each night, I ask Cam if he has any requests. This makes sure that he doesn't come home from work and ask if something got done that we haven't clearly discussed earlier. He knows there's a time at the end of the day where he can put something on my list.

Clearly, all 4 categories probably won't fit with everyone's situation. I made a six list for my sister Lindsay at her request. She has said that it has helped her get so much done during the day. Which is when I figured I should probably share with the world, because if something works this great for two people as different as me and her, it will probably work great for a lot of you too! Hers looks a bit like this:



The bottom can be used for phone numbers, reminders, dinner ideas, etc.

This design is copyrighted, but I'm happy to make a custom, print-ready file for anyone who wants it. I was thinking $5 for the time it takes to modify would be fair.

Thoughts?