Bump Update: 26 Weeks

So in the past month I have had 2 situations become "blessing in disguise" moments.  Don't you just love it when God can bring good from a bad situation?

First, right before we left for our trip to Michigan, I had an appointment to get my oil changed.  I dropped it off 15 minutes early, was told it would be 45 minutes.  Came back an hour later and they had forgotten about my car.  After a fuss they got it done in record time.  I paid and headed home to start packing.  I called to complain the next day and we ended up with a FREE oil change.  Which was a huge blessing at the time!

Then, this week happened.  haha.  Monday night, I managed to lock both sets of keys in the Subaru while at the post office.  BOTH.  The first place I called came and couldn't get inside.  Then the sweet, kind lady (Beth) who runs our post office called another guy for me.  He wasn't it but his son was and would be down shortly.  When he arrived Beth told me that they were expecting as well.  So him and I started chatting and it turns out they are due just two weeks before we are!  

He mentioned that they had to start going to classes this week because the next one wasn't offered until mid-September.  I rattled off something about scheduling ours at my next appointment. Somehow, later in the conversation, he mentioned where their classes were - just so happened to be where ours should be.  Panic set in.  September is really pushing it for us... I'm such a planner, I can't wait that long for birthing class!  He saved my car keys, turned off my car alarm, I thanked him and told him I might be seeing him on Wednesday.

I called the OB department the next day and they told me it was my choice.  But it turns out the classes didn't start until the 2nd week of September, putting the last class just one week before our due date.  I did NOT want to risk it.  I registered over the phone and we had our first class Wednesday night!

If I hadn't locked my keys in the car...we wouldn't be starting class until mid-September.  Talk about stress!  haha.  I'm such a planner - there is no way I could have waited that long...  

Love moments like this.

So in all the craziness this week, we didn't get an actual belly shot.  However, today I noticed how off center and lopsided my belly is.  Justin got a kick out of it and so did my parents.  ;)  So I tried to get a picture...it isn't the best - but hopefully you can tell.  Little stuff like this really amuses me.  Pregnancy is quite the adventure!

The pink arrow shows which side she's laying on.  And the teal arrows show how you can see my hip on one side and not the other.  Tehe.

This week, baby is the size of an: Eggplant and as long as a green onion!

Next appointment: Just a couple of weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Eh.  Not sure.  Don't pay attention as much now that I know I'm gaining. 

Exercise: Walking.  And working around the house.  And then there was that 15 mile kayak trip....  ;)

Maternity Clothes:  Still just those shorts.  Though my outfits are becoming a bit more difficult.  The dress I laid out for Sunday was too short in the front because of my belly.  :P  BUT, I found a super great deal on a pair of Gap long and lean maternity jeans!!  Got them in the mail yesterday.  While not as long as I had hoped, they are long enough and that is a feat in itself.  I cannot tell you the number of pairs of pants I've tried on and all of them have been too short.  Why can't we size pants the way men do??

Sleep: Not too bad lately.  But every time I wake up I have to pee.  And our little Sprout is kickin' like crazy!

Food Cravings/Aversions: A Heluva truck drove by while I was on a walk the other day and I just had to have the Bacon Horseradish dip that was advertised on the side.  Went to Walmart immediately after work.  ;)

Movement: All of the time!  SO fun!  While i was eating dinner, my plate was laying across my belly.  You could see it wobble every now and then from her tiny little movements.  Too funny!

What I Miss: A friend pointed out that I always list sushi.  So...I have to come up with something else I miss this week...hmmmm.....being in control of my emotions.  lol.  I get in this rut now where I just can't kick the mood I'm in.  And I know it!  So frustrating.

What I'm Loving: Hubby's involvement.  The more this little Sprout kicks and squirms for him, the more he talks to her.  It is super sweet!      

What I'm Looking Forward To: My glucose test?  haha.  Not really, but it is just another milestone I can put behind me over the next week I suppose...  

Best Moment This Week: Figuring out that we are those parents at birthing class.  haha.  We aren't going to be verbal about it or troublesome.  We just do what we're told and blend in.  But I kept giving Justin the eyeball over some things that were said (by the teacher mind you).  I thought I was on my own until he mentioned something not making any sense after reading our Bradley book.  Love when we're on the same page!  Just glad I'm more reserved or we would be totally obnoxious!  And to clarify, I don't think there is a perfect method - you have to do what works best for you.  There are just some small things they teach, I think, that don't make sense.

Milestones: Baby Girl is almost 2 lbs!  And her eyelids are able to open now.  Cool fun fact right?

Goals: Get my cloth diapers cleaned and organized.  I have a couple of blog reviews to get done.  And I'd like to either organize our office or our decor (piled in cubbies around the house) in order to make way for baby stuff.  However, if somehow Hubby finds a miraculous time frame to get the ceiling up, I may be able to paint the nursery!  But with Vacation Bible School this week, I'm doubting we will get much accomplished.

Seek & Save the Lost - You're Doing it Wrong

Now, first and foremost, I am not an expert at saving the lost, by any means.  In fact, in my process of growth and learning, I've probably scared a few of the "lost" away.  But every once in awhile, I stumble across an "evangelism" tool that just misses the mark entirely.  And I can't, even for a second, fathom how they arrived at their methods.

Picture this for a moment: Father's Day Sunday.  We're headed to my Mom-in-Law's church (while visiting family in Michigan).  As we pass another church I notice there are a few people holding signs on the corner.  The largest sign, professionally made, bright yellow, reads:

Thank your DAD today for NOT being GAY!

My jaw hit the floor.  You are doing it wrong.  That isn't helping.  Who thought this was a good idea?  Stop it...just....

My point now isn't about the homosexuality debate.  I don't even want to get into that here.  My point is about reaching those who are lost.  No matter what side of the issue you choose, this just won't do it!  All that does is scream hate!  Not the "you don't agree with me" kind of hate but real, legitimate, no-doubt-about-it, HATE.  And hate has never won a single person to Christ.  Not one.

Now some of you may be asking - why is this hate?  It belittles.  It criticizes.  It is harsh.  It is unforgiving.  The list goes on.  Ephesians 4 lays out how we are supposed to behave - "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

Humility.  Gentleness.  Patience.  Tolerance in love.  Diligent in preserving peace.

That sign, those protesters, embodied none of the above.  They exuded only hate.

But we are called to love.  Because Christ first loved us (1 John 4:19).  And He loved us while we were still sinners  - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Do you think someone needs Jesus?  Do you think they are trapped in sin?  Are they living a life outside of the will of God?

Love them.  Walk alongside them.  Cherish them.  Pull them in.

Do not: hate, badger, belittle, put down, shame, etc.

God will love them SO much that He won't let them stay where they are.

I'm sorry to those to which that sign was targeted.  I'm sorry to those who have been victim to other protests of the like.  I'm sorry for some people's misrepresentation of the Gospel.

God is love.  He will love you where you are.  No matter what.  And He loves you so much that He won't let you stay there.  Thank goodness for that!

Giveaway: Rachel Roundabout Diaper Bag (OVER)

Hey all!  Saw this giveaway and thought it was a perfect fit for the blog!!  Aren't these bags adorable?  I love all 3.  Take a look and get your entries in!  :)

Welcome to The Bumble Collection - Rachel Roundabout Diaper Bag Giveaway! 

Sponsored By: The Bumble Collection

Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys

The Rachel Roundabout Diaper Bag is very roomy with many generously sized pockets! This diaper is perfect for any mom of multiples! Pack everything you might need for a day out with your little ones in one bag! You can read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys full review of the Rachel Roundabout in Royal Ruby Montage here.

One lucky reader will win a Rachel Roundabout Diaper Bag ($99.99ARV) in the print of their choice. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents whom are at least 18 years of age at the time of entrance. Giveaway will end on July 23rd at 11:59pm CST. All Canadian entrants must answer the skills test question in order to be eligible for winning this prize. To enter, simply complete one or multiple of the entries in the entry form below. Winners entries will be verified. A winner will be chosen at random and notified via the email address provided in the Giveaway Tools entry form. Winner will have 48 hours in which to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 

GOOD LUCK! 

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This blog and all other participating blogs are not responsible for the fulfillment of the above prize, nor have the blogs been compensated for this post. Mami's 3 Little Monkeys blog received a Rachel Roundabout Diaper Bag in exchange for her honest review. The Bumble Collection will be responsible for the fulfillment of the prize. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com

Big News: WAHM Review Series!

Hey all!  I am SO excited about this upcoming series!  I want to kick-it-off by sharing my passion behind it and a few things you can look forward to!

As most of you probably already know, my deepest desire is to be able to stay at home with my babies.  I feel, for so very many reasons, that home is where I should be, where I feel called to be.  And though I know God has a plan, I can't for the life of me figure out how He is going to work this out.  But I am holding onto my faith, praying, and reminding myself constantly that He is not controlled by what I know.

When I see Momma's out there helping to support the household income AND staying at home I am super inspired!  I would LOVE to be able to turn my crafts into something I could sell.  But I haven't found my niche yet.  Maybe someday.  :)

But I can support other work-at-home-momma's (WAHM) in the mean time!  I thought my blog would be a great way to do that!  You all know how much I love to share the things that inspire me and I know you all are always looking for something fun and unique (I am)!  So I'll be bringing you reviews of some really neat stuff in the near future (and possibly a few awesome giveaways).  I've already met some wonderful ladies and I cannot wait to share their stories and products with you all!

Looking for a unique baby gift?

Are you expecting?

Would you like to support hard-working momma's?

Looking for something unique for your little one?

Wanting to try cloth diapers but aren't sure where to start?

Stay tuned!

And if you yourself are a WAHM, feel free to contact me (learningtobe31@gmail.com) so we can get YOU on the review list!  :)

Bump Update: 25 Weeks

So I've entered an anxious phase.  We are SO busy with commitments here and plans there that almost every weekend before Sprout's arrival is booked.  When I realized this I about panicked.  It is coming SO fast!  And we still have a lot to do with the house...our bedroom isn't even done and hers hasn't been touched!  

But on top of all that I've really started thinking about the BIG day.  I have all these hopes and plans and now I'm just anxious that nothing will go how I hope.  And worrying that I won't be able to breast feed because it is SO important to me.  I looked at Hubby last night and said - "And we can't even practice for this stuff."  It is one of the biggest changes of my life and I don't feel like I can prepare enough.  I can read but how do you remember all of that!?!  And I can "practice" labor positions but let's face it - I can't factor in the pain.  haha.

I don't handle change well.  And I'm glad I know this about myself.  I can prepare a little bit better.  But I'm never going to be fully prepared for that day or the changes (good and not-so-great) that Baby Girl brings along.  

I'm hoping I'm getting my anxiety out of the way now.  It is SO much to deal with.  But we can do it.  And I have faith that God will move through the situation no matter what.  So it will be good.  I just have to remember to expect the unexpected and to know that God is working everything for the good.

Before you go sneak a peek at those belly pics - I absolutely despise the face I am making in the one.  haha.  But it was the best pic of my belly...so I caved.  Just don't make fun.  ;)

Definitely growing!  This comparison is from just last week!  Not a huge difference, but it is definitely there...

This week, baby is the size of an: Eggplant!  Or a Rutabaga according to my other app...but who the heck knows what that is!?!?!

Next appointment: 23 days and counting!  Finally met the last doc on my rotation and she is awesome!  I think she is my favorite!  Hubby couldn't make it this time due to work and vacation and some other things so my mom tagged along and she really liked her as well.  I also found out that 2 of the 4 doctors are leaving the practice.  The good news??  My 2 favorites are the ones staying!  I liked all 4, but it is nice to know that there is a pretty good chance one of the 2 I really, really like will be there to deliver our little Sprout (there is another doctor who is on call...but doesn't see patients throughout the week).  The bad news?  Hubby really liked one of the ones leaving.  AND this means longer wait times...

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Trying not to pay attention.  It has been going well so I think it will stay that way...I hope.  But I have been eating like a horse!  Have you heard of the Hobbit Diet??  That's me right now.  haha.  Like 12 meals a day and I could just...keep...eating...

Exercise: Not as much as I would like.  I really need to start working on labor exercises.  We are getting MUCH closer.

Maternity Clothes:  Just those shorts on occasion.  And maxi dresses.  But I can still wear a few of my normal shorts so that's good.

Sleep: Eh.  Depends on the day.  Stinkin' hormones.  Just thankful we have a/c in our room now.

Food Cravings/Aversions: Nope.  Sometimes I wish I had a fun craving...but nothing...

Movement: Still loving this!  She isn't moving quite enough for most other people to feel - still pretty low and not super hard.  But Hubby can feel her late at night and early morning if she cooperates.  I'm going to miss it being so constant once she gets a little bigger...

What I Miss: Sushi lately for sure.  It was all I could think about while I was getting ready for work yesterday.  Really random...

What I'm Loving: My growing belly and all that movement - it is becoming more and more real every day.      

What I'm Looking Forward To: Kayaking trip on the 4th!  Super stoked!  :)  

Best Moment This Week: Hmmmm.  Not sure on this one...nothing crazy has happened.  I just love the little things - like when Hubby talks to my belly (sometimes before acknowledging me. haha.).

Milestones: Baby Girl is gaining fat this week!  She should start to plump up and her nostrils will open too!  ;)

Goals: I have been working on the ceiling panals and blog stuff.  Both are coming along but neither are finished.  Just one more coat of paint on the panels I think and then it is Hubby's job to get them up!  The Blog is never ending.  Just trying to make it better in any way I can...but that means a lot of little changes and a lot of time.   Other goals for the week - get my cloth diapers cleaned and organized.  :)

Baby Stuff: Why We Chose to Cloth Diaper

As most of you may have noticed - either on Facebook or here on the blog - we have decided to cloth diaper our little Sprout!  :)

For a lot of people this seems like a pretty crazy choice.  The older generation remembers using cloth diapers and doesn't understand why anyone would want to deal with the hassle when disposables are so much easier.  Our generation just thinks it is pretty gross (honestly, this was the hardest thing for me to get past).

Well, to the older generation: Things have gotten much easier.  Modern cloth diapers can now be just as simple to use as disposables.  You can still do things the old-fashioned way...but you certainly don't have to - not with the unlimited options out there!  

To everyone: Yes, you still have to deal with poo.  But let's face it - you have to deal with poo when you use disposables too (I'll get to more of that later...).

The biggest reason we chose to use cloth over disposables is the cost savings!  If you look up the cost comparison of disposables vs. cloth, you will see the same trend over and over.  Disposables cost anywhere from about $1400 (off-brand) to $2500 (the more expensive natural or organic brands) over 2.5 years.  Depending on the type of cloth diapers you use, the cost is significantly lower!  On average, for the more modern, nicer, name-brand cloth diapers you can probably get a complete stash for somewhere between $500 and $800 at retail cost.  

However, I have learned that you don't ever have to cloth diaper at retail price.  Here are some quick ways:

1. There are plenty of reputable places to get used diapers (not as gross as it sounds since you can "strip" them for sanitary purposes).  
2. There are always sales and package deals going on which brings in cost savings by the dozen.  
3. You can always register for cloth diapers online and Target has at least one modern brand in stores that I'm aware of.  
4. Depending on your preferences, there are "China cheapies" that sell for much less than name brand diapers.  I have heard some good things and some not so good things about these...not sure where I stand on the issue yet.
5. If you are diligent, you can WIN some!  Our budget is super tight now so giveaways have been an awesome opportunity.  In fact, we have at least half of what we need and, to this day, I've only spent $10!  And we still have plenty of time to gather more.  :)

And here is the kicker - after one baby - you can either REUSE your diapers for your next baby making the cost $0 or you can SELL them and get some of your money back!!  You cannot do either of those things with disposables so it is just money gone.  Child number 2 or 3 or 6 will cost just as much as child 1 (though, to be fair, you may have to replace or repair a few a long the way).

The cost savings was a no-brainer for us.  Both of us actually.  After showing Hubby a couple of different charts, he was convinced.  I mean, who doesn't love to save money??  And then when I started winning them, even though he thinks my giveaway tendencies are crazy, he liked the cost savings even more.

These are all the diapers I have accumulated thus far.  I have 12 to date and I've only paid for two of them:

The two light color solids on the top left are the ones I purchased at $5 a piece because a store was going out of business.  Confession time?  I bought these last August I think - 6 months before Sprout even existed.  haha.  I was, and still am, obsessed with getting our stash for as cheap as possible.  ;)

And here's some of the other cloth diaper accessories I have won...meaning no money spent:

Aren't those Diaper Dawgs the cutest??  These might have been the first things Hubby was actually excited about.  haha.  He talks about them every time the subject of cloth diapering comes up.

He was also excited when I got this diaper...which is my personal favorite.  Cutest print EVER!

We also try to be as chemical-free as we can be (yes, affordability factors into this).  Especially when it comes to our baby.  And it isn't hard to discover, after a little research, that cloth diapers are much safer for Baby Girl than disposables would be.  Not going to get into that here though...so take some time and research yourself if you are interested!  :)

And there is always the cuteness factor - they are so stinkin' adorable!!

So what about the poo??  As I mentioned, this was the hardest factor for me to get past.  Who wants to clean those??  Seriously??  

Well, I decided before doing too much research, that I couldn't justify the cost of disposables just because I didn't want the hassle of cleaning poopy diapers.  But then I started looking into it.  Why isn't it all that bad?

1. Exclusively breast-fed babies (hopefully ours will be) have water-soluble poo.  That means all you have to do is throw the diaper in the washing machine!  You don't even have to rinse!  I think I probably will...just because...but the point is - you don't have to!
2. If you look at an package of disposable diapers, you are supposed to rinse any solid waste out before putting them in the trash.  Just like cloth.  I know most people don't (in fact, I'm not sure I've heard of anyone doing this) but the idea is that the process of getting rid of poo is supposed to be the same - rinse the poo down the toilet.
3. They make wonderful inventions to help with the poo disposal process: diaper sprayers, spray pals, Diaper Dawgs, etc.  After the diaper is off the baby - you never have to touch the poo again.  The Diaper Dawgs (which Hubby is super excited about) enable you to hold the diaper, the diaper sprayer sprays all the poo into the toilet, and the Spray Pal enables you to contain even more of that mess.  The only thing we don't have yet is the Spray Pal.  And I really, really want one.  ;)  I did see a DIY hack recently that showed you how to make one out of a milk carton...but not sure if it would work quite the same way...
4. Cloth diapers contain poo explosions better than disposables.  If you've ever had a baby or watched a baby for an extended period of time - you know that the poo doesn't stay where it should (aka in the diaper).  So if disposables have more explosions, that means washing poo out of more clothes.  Again, you still have to deal with poo.
5. Cloth diapers have the potential to help potty-train faster since the child is better able to tell when they are soiled.  This means less time dealing with diaper changes...and, yep, poo!

I know this isn't for everyone.  But I do think it is the best choice for our family.  I'm still a little intimidated since I haven't actually had the chance to really use cloth diapers.  But since I know we are making the best choice for us, I know we can do it!  Hubby isn't even all that grossed out.  A diaper is a diaper to him in the end.  I will keep you posted on my cloth diaper journey.  Feel free to send me any questions you might have - if I can't answer them I'll find someone who can!  :)

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Why did you decide to cloth diaper??  Or if you aren't, why not?

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Bump Update: Week 24

Let's get right to it this week shall we?  Definitely starting to look pregnant!

Yes, I have a black eye.  We'll get to that in a minute.  ;)

Here's a comparison shot from last week.  She is definitely growing faster and faster.  Eek!

This week, baby is the size of a: Ear of Corn!  Craziness!

Next appointment: Not until the 24th of July.  But after that they are every 2 weeks!  Can't believe it's that time already!  And I have to go have my glucose done a few days before my appointment.  Hoping I don't have to do the long one! 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Another pound gained so right on track!  Almost to pre-preggo weight, which is good.  I just kept feeling like I wasn't healthy enough for her.  At least now I know I'm almost back to where I was!

Exercise: Getting my walks in on the days it doesn't rain or what I know we have a decent sized window.  And with all the stuff to get done around the house and the beautiful weather, I am MUCH more active than I was when we found out we were preggo.  ;)

Maternity Clothes:  I caved.  Last Friday I wore my first pair of maternity shorts.  I didn't have to but I tried on 2 pairs of normal shorts (ones I hadn't tried yet this year) and they were both too tight.  The 2 pairs I know still fit me were in the wash, so instead of trying on more clothes...I just broke out the maternity ones!  And they are so comfy so I'm glad I did.  ;)  Worn them a couple times since then too.  Probably should invest in another pair since the pants I wore yesterday (that fit on my trip to Michigan last week) didn't want to button yesterday.  haha.

Sleep: Sleep was actually going pretty well...until this happened:

I may have tripped going up the steps leaving work on Monday.  Thank goodness, I didn't hit my belly!  But my face, shoulder, and knee are all scraped up and sore.  I usually sleep on that side and its just been unbearable.  Between the scrapes and my now black eye, I just can't get comfortable.  But every night has been getting better so hopefully my sleeplessness won't last too much longer.

Food Cravings/Aversions: Usually, I just see something and feel like I need it.  But I haven't actually had any real cravings.

Movement: Pretty consistent now.  If I'm not moving, she is.  It is SO fun!

What I Miss: Me not being clumsy.  Oh wait...that me never existed.  Ha!   

What I'm Loving: I think we've agreed on a name.  But haven't decided on spelling, which makes me feel like the name isn't 100%.  And I keep on suggesting other names...but I think this one is going to stick.  However, we are going to keep it a secret until she decides to make an appearance.  :)      

What I'm Looking Forward To: Nothing really baby related happening any time soon.  Hoping to go kayaking over the 4th!

Best Moment This Week: Probably our ultrasound.  She was still a little uncooperative and kept kicking the doppler thingy.  But they got what they hadn't before and everything looks good, so no more peeks at Little Miss.  :(

Milestones: Her face is pretty much fully formed.  She has eyebrows, hair, the works!  And only 4 more weeks until my 3rd trimester!  Yikes!

Goals: Transplant our herbs.  Touch up paint in bedroom.  Get baby stuff found at yard sales cleaned up and moved in.  Yep, that's right.  Checked off everything on my to-do list last week!  Goals this week are to paint the wood panels we're putting on the ceiling and get some blog things fixed up and in the works.