Edit

We've been working with Dani on a project for school for Black History Month. We found this while proofreading.
We also fixed it, but not before I died laughing on the floor.

Laundry Soap

Along with my recent endeavor into coupon shopping and building a stockpile, I made my own liquid laundry detergent. There are several recipes floating around on the internet and even some for powdered, if that is what you prefer. This is the one I used.
1 bar Fels Naptha Soap. It is located in the laundry aisle. I really like how it smells. Grate this.

Add it to 12 cups of water, heat and stir over medium heat until the soap melts.

While it melted, I put 1 1/2 cups of Borax, and 1 1/2 cups of washing soda into a 5 gallon bucket. These are also both found in the laundry aisle.

This is your melted soap. It is yellow because the soap itself is yellow. You can use other types of soap, Ivory was the most substituted in what I read.

Add your melted soap and 8 more cups of hot water into the bucket. Stir this until the Borax and washing soda are dissolved. Then add 12 cups, and 2 more gallons of water. I added cold and it seemed to gel instantly with the temperature change. I'll try adding warm water next time. Stir, and stir, and stir some more. I also used a whisk to break up a lot of the clumps. I was literally elbow deep in laundry det.

Let it sit for 24 hours before you use it so that it will gel appropriately. I whisked several times in this 24 hour period. You use 1/2 cup per load and 1 cup for large loads. It is low sudsing so it is safe for HE machines.

This made a little more than 3 gallons for me and it should last me 6 months. I have lots of the Borax and washing soda left to make more batches when I run out. I refilled old detergent bottles that I had kept for this purpose. I did notice that it tends to separate as it sits, so I give the bottle a real good shake to remix it. I may fill up another container halfway so this shaking is a little easier. I am suffering from Tennis Elbow from schlepping around the Squirt so anything weight bearing is a little painful.

If you want a different scent, you can add essenstial oils. 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. depending on what you like. I'm wondering about getting some lemon grass so that it will help detract mosquitoes.

I calculated the cost that it took me to make. Based on what I used of the ingredients, not including the water, it was $2.00 to make just one batch. That works out to .02/load.

This was a lot of fun as I enjoy doing things like this. I am really enjoying this frugal lifestyle that I started. Do me a favor though, when I start cleaning and reusing zip top bags, have me committed, K?

Transition

It's official. 75% of our household is in school. E's online class started this week. My classes are in full swing. Dani just brought home a good report card. Yay!!

I'm trying my best to make the transition easier for all of us. Tues. and Thurs. nights are slow cooker nights. I'm trolling sites like here and here for ideas. Before I leave for school in the morning, I put dinner in the crock pot. This leaves me time in the afternoon to catch a nap if a certain smallish person in our house doesn't let me sleep through the night. We have been working ahead in Dani's homework on the weekends and on non karate nights so that she has some extra free time. E's routine is very flexible as his class is online and he can check in several times a week.

Speaking of transitions, the Squirt is growing, still. I know, right? He will be 5 months old on Monday. I had to start moving him up to 6mos. clothing. I think it is more in his height. I've also realized that he doesn't like wearing pants. I think that they may be too tight on his waist. So we have a lot of diaperless time, or as the wildly cute newest internet term in the Nicky noo-nah!! Love it.

And lastly, I had to give him a suppository today. He hadn't pooped in 5 1/2 days. Now, I am really perplexed in this. He only gets a formula bottle four times a week. Two each day that he is at the sitter. He has decided that anything that is not milk, he hates. So, we have had no cereal. Only in the last day or so have I introduced juice because I am desperate to get things moving, so to speak. Right after I administered the suppository, I sat him on the toilet and he did go. So, at least some of the pressure is off. Oddly enough he hasn't exhibited any signs of discomfort over the past week. So, I am guessing he wasn't in pain, but I thought that 5 days was a little excessive.

Otherwise, things are good. I have pictures to post of my homemade laundry soap making experiment. My class load isn't too bad. I'm sleeping better. Dani is awesome. I have an amazing husband. I'm really happy.

Wow.... I'm REALLY happy.

For real.

This post sucks

What's the point of having a baby that sleeps through the night if he doesn't sleep through the night?

I don't know what is wrong with him.

Maybe its because his quilt needs to be washed so he didn't get to sleep with it the past 2 nights? See previous post and the bullet referring to the Puke Bath I was subjected to. Maybe he doesn't like being swaddled anymore so he has to learn not to flail his arms while sleeping and wake himself up.

Maybe he's teething? He has been gnawing on his hands and wrists for a couple of weeks, but not drooling.

Getting a cold? His nose sounds very snuffly. He coughs a little bit, but most of the time I think he just likes to make the noise but there are a few 'real' coughs in there.

Come to think of it, his naps haven't been that great for the past few days either.

As for other Squirt news , he currently uses a bink. Though it seems that the only time he really uses it is when he lays down for a nap or for the night and when he gets really upset and needs to be soothed. I have seen him suck on 2 fingers but his coordination still isn't that great to have formed it as a habit. Also, when he is in the swing, he doesn't use the bink to fall asleep and sometimes when I lay him on the floor to play he dozes off with nothing in his mouth.

My reason for introducing the bink in the first place is because I currently have a 7 1/2 year old who still sucks her thumb.

So, at what point do you start weaning from a bink? I was thinking at 6 months. But is that too soon and will it cause him to find a substitute soother such as his fingers or thumb?

About Last Week

Oy. I'm glad last week is over with. I'm giving it to you in bullet style because every time one of these things happened, I felt like I was dodging one.

• I emailed E at work to ask him a question and as soon as I hit 'send' my laptop POPPED and the screen went black, it partially rebooted and told me I had a system error. I suspect that the hard drive died.
• I missed an appt. of Dani's with the ortho. for her elbow. When I made said appt. the receptionist asked about the 5th. I said I have another appt. that day, so she set me up for the 6th. Well, when I get to the appt. on the 6th, Dani's Dr. is not even there on that day. She was still scheduled for the day before. And they didn't bother to call and let me know that I had missed the appt. That would have been nice, wouldn't it?
• While leaving for said appt. I back out of the driveway and close the garage as I'm leaving....only the garage door gets ALL kinds of jacked up on the way down. Well, the 3 feet down that it made it anyway. The cable had popped off the pulley system and on the opposite corner the roller had popped off the track. E and I had to force the door closed without squishing ourselves and now we have to replace the door. Bye-bye tax refund.
• My left hand was practically useless for 2 days after the garage thing because evidently I strained my muscles somehow and I lost most function of my left thumb.
• It took me 2 hours to do my grocery shopping because it seems like every 5 minutes I had to stop and soothe the Squirt. I was so exhausted by the time I was done. And between schlepping all the bags into the house, feeding the baby, getting Dani from her Scout meeting and throwing something together for dinner, it took 3 hours to get everything put away.
• The night that I needed the Squirt to sleep through the night, he didn't. I was up with him twice the night before my classes on Thursday. He must has sensed my excitement.
• E came home in a foul mood Friday. Male PMS I swear. He was grumpy and impatient and short with Dani. Which makes me feel that I need to compensate for him so I am extra sweet to her. I spent the weekend being a mediator between the two of them.
• We spend Sat. shopping in P'Cola. Dani wanted a new Webkinz and I had a coupon for a bookstore that sold them. Only the one that she wanted had had the tag stolen off of it.
• We bought ourselves a new computer chair because it was on sale for $50. Only on the way home I realized that our total was a little high.... the sale didn't go through at checkout so E had to go and reconcile the receipt the next day.
• The kids got E a dartboard for Christmas. We have been trying to get a nice space of wall accessible in the garage to hang it up and we still haven't gotten to it.
• My bio teacher (who is a 5 ft. Asian woman and speaks with a Jamacain accent) assigned 12 chapters to be read for our first section.
• And as an honorable mention. Last night I was getting the Squirt's quilt ready to put him to bed. He still likes to swaddle so I was getting it and him into position (he was over my shoulder). I was seconds away from putting him down, then he burped.... sort of, and I heard him spit up a little.... only he didn't get his head away from my shoulder so he kind of breathed it back in through his nose and his mouth, and think that make him choke which made him throw up. He wretched 3 times and each time a substantial amount of milk came back up. I think he threw up everything he ate from the whole week. He was literally covered head to toe, it was up his nose, in his ears, on his head. Then there was me. It had pooled on the burp rag then ran down my back, he slammed into my head which put it in my hair, and when E grabbed him the pool ran down the front of my shirt, down my cleavage, and all over the floor. Of course I had given him a bath an hour earlier.

This week has to be better.

One Fun Hippie and an Old Crow

Today is my first day back in class. My self prescribed maternity leave is over. I'm currently in between classes. I have a lot of time to kill so I'm at the library scouting websites to see if I can get any good deals on a Bio book. Hopefully I can find one and return the one I paid full price for before the return date.

My other class in Eng. Lit. My teacher is a hippie. I love her already.

I think I did great getting myself and the Squirt out the door this morning. I even donned a real bra instead of a nurser. I'm feeling like I belong in society and everything. The only things I forgot were my cell phone, and to put on a real pair of shoes. I'm wearing my fake Crocs. I meant to put on sneakers, but oh well. At least they aren't my slippers.

The old bird in the book store wasn't impressed with me I don't think. Nor I with her. She rang up my book, took my card, gave me my card and I started putting my things away and getting them ready to carry. While my receipt was printing she said, "Slow down, you're awfully brisk. I need to tell you that you have until the 15th to return your book and you must have your receipt." I guess I have to go as slow as the staff that works there to understand that I need my receipt to return my book. My speed in doing things is a curse of being a highly efficient person.

Criminy.

Again

There has got to be a better way. Today I started my FOURTH blocked milk duct since December 23rd.

FOURTH!!!

I want to cut off my boobs.

4 Months

The Squirt's fourth month was almost magical. He went from a mewling newborn to an excitable baby. He squirms and twitters with excitement when he sees a member of the family. He loves Dani and the feeling is mutual. She makes him dance by moving his arms and legs for him and he loves it. We've gotten full on laughs and, toward the end of the month, hyper squeals.
My waning breast milk supply made me curious to try a little bit of cereal before bedtime to make his belly fuller while sleeping. He can take it or leave it. Most of the time I leave it. He can eat it, but he doesn't get excited when he sees the spoon. Now show him a boob and he gets excited. He flails his arms and when I pick him up he turns his head into my breasts waiting for me to feed him.

He had his first visit with Santa. And there was no crying!! I don't even think that he realized that there was a strange man in a red suit holding him. Though I think we missed the traditional Christmas squawl by mere days. He has started to look weary when a non family member is holding him. It's almost as if he believes that if he avoids eye contact then that person doesn't exist and all is well.

Christas was good to him.... at least as good as it can be for a baby who is completely immobile and gets by on his good looks alone. Just toys for this little boy.

And because everyone needs a "Stupid Christmas Hat Picture" I donned reindeer antlers on him. He loved it. Everytime he moved a little bit the bells would jingle which caused him to move again.

He has grown 7 inches since birth making him a tall 26 inches. He hasn't gained any weight since turning 2 months old. Part of me is a little concerned, and part of me is fine with that. He gained a lot in his first 2 months and I think he plateaued. Also, I don't think he has been getting enough from me.

So we started the 5th month off by supplementing formula. I still feed him every other feeding. That is exactly the time frame that I did that with Dani so it doesn't come as a huge surprise. However this time it makes me sad and upset because now I know it is attributed to PCOS.

He isn't rolling over yet, tummy time is grounds for a huge tantrum, and laughing is on the top five list of favorite things to do. Naps are predictable after about an hour of awake time in the morning. He exhausts himself and must rest. Baths are a joy.... he splashes incessantly. And as for sleeping through the night, for the most part we are there. Sometimes he wakes up though and replugging the bink just will not do. And there is the occasional 3 am poopy diaper that can't wait til morning.

I got so lucky. He is so precious. E and I have a hard time remembering when he wasn't here with us. Yet he has only been here a short time. He has just fit in perfectly. I stare at him and wonder what he is going to be like when he is 1 or 2 or 3... then I stop myself and say, "Liv, he'll get there... don't forget what he is like now." So, I stop, and trace my fingers down the bridge of his nose, and brush away his non hair off of his forhead, kiss his cheeks and snuggle into his neck. And I vow to never forget what it feels like... because I will never be able to do it again.

Redux

I guess it's that time of year to jump back on the fitness train.

Last night I drempt that I won the title of "Meatiest" in a beauty competition.

No Brainer

I swear I have no brain. About halfway through the day yesterday I realized that the bodysuit that I had dressed the Squirt in in the morning had been backwards. I then decided that since it had already been half the day, we weren't going anywhere, and he wasn't complaining that I would leave it that way.

This year for Christmas dinner we are going Mexican. I've wanted to start a tradition in our house for a long time of having a different ethnically prepared dinner but never got around to it until last year. Don't get me wrong, I love a good turkey dinner, but not 2 of them so close together. Last year was the perfect time to start. H@ ll m@ rk started a new ornament series called Doors Around the World or something like that. Last year was Germany, so we had a German menu. This year is Mexico so we are having Mexican. It saves me a lot of trouble narrowing down the country myself. ****This all feels familiar being typed.... maybe I explained this last year?****

With my decreasing mental faculties, I am so glad that my brother is coming out to visit. He can help me cook. Today and tomorrow we have cookies to bake, a pork roast to cook, tamales and empanadas to fill, and guacamole to make. I still have to get a few things from the grocery store. I also have to finish cleaning the house.

Do any of you have special family traditions?

Exposed

I just got home from picking up a few odds and ends from my grocery list.

I put those few things away on the shelf in my laundry room and walked into the kitchen.

Then I heard a horrendous crash.

My shelf fell off the wall. I currently have cereal, bottle pieces, popcorn kernels, soup cans, cartons of broth and stock and several other things sprawled across my laundry floor.

The crash woke the baby.

I went into my room to change my shirt because long sleeves were not cutting it and I need to turn on the A/C.

When I whipped off my shirt I discovered I have been running errands around town with my nursing bra unhooked.

It's not even noon.

How's your day going?

Lost and Found

Just when I wonder if the internet hinders my relationships with people instead of helping them, I get a kick in the pants.

About 9 years ago, my very best friend, her then husband, and their 4, soon-to-be 5, children moved to Japan. We both promised to keep in tough with phone calls and emails. We even played a game online together that we spent several hours on. I was sure that with the ease of electronic communication we would never lose touch. Well, we did. Changing emails addresses, both of us moving, then her separation and divorce from her husband and we quickly lost touch. We only exchanged one phone call and email until 2004, I think. There has been nothing since.

At least once a month I would search for her on MySpace, but I had no idea if she had gotten remarried and changed her name. So, my searches were in vain.

Then last week, a great thing happened. She found me. I have been elated ever since. We quickly exchanged phone numbers and started catching up. We cried over each other's pictures and how much our children has grown. We talked about old friends and where we've been. We still have lots to talk about. Her life is different now but still wonderful.

I've missed her so much. It's perfect that she found me this time of year. We spent 3 or 4 Christmas' together and they have always been my most memorable.

The best thing about finding a soulmate is that when you lose touch and reconnect again, its as if no time has passed.

I'll Have Cheese with my Whine

I'm having a kind of crappy day. Mainly because I just feel like it. I really look forward to the weekends because that is when E and I try to spend some time together.... remembering what the other looks like mostly. Well, he got nominated/volunteered to videotape a Christmas party on base for the kids of the squadron. It's for good cause.... most of the kids have at least one parent deployed and its nice for the families to get together. However, Dani had a Scouting commitment to go to the local art studio to Paint with Santa. They had already paid when E told me that he was going to the squadron thing so we couldn't cancel.

So, we've not been together for most of the day. Well, I take that back. We were together this morning, or at least he was here whilst on the phone trying to find a troop to go to GA to inspect a plane. A plane that isn't even from our base. And evidently, the 4 bases in between E's and the one in GA do not have any personnel/equipment to do the job. I find that hard to believe.

A prime example of your tax dollars at work.

Anon

To what degree do you rely on blogging or other avenues, such as MySpace or Facebook, for communication with other people? How much do we rely on our computers for interaction? Are we losing some aspects of relationships by relying on the easy technical availability of email, personal websites, or online picture albums?

I know that I rely on them close to 100%. And sadly it is all one-way communication. Meaning it is me looking at other people's blogs or profile pages to see what is going on in their lives. Rarely do I ever participate in a discussion or even start one. But I am trying to get better.

I look at my MySpace friends and I can tell you what they are all up to. But I couldn't tell you when the last time I actually sent them a message or comment. I forget that just because I know that I am stopping by and checking things out doesn't mean that they do.

But I also like the anonymity. Sometimes I don't want people to know that I read their blogs. Sometimes I don't want to comment leaving a URL because I don't want them to know that I have a blog.

I joined Facebook about 2 weeks ago I think because Jeneflower passworded her site for hiatus purposes. She said that I could join Facebook and keep in touch that way. So I did. And the other day, my mom added me as friend. Now I don't even want to be on Facebook anymore. I like having a part of my life that she doesn't know about. I now feel that I have to censor myself. But how naive is that thinking when I am brazen enough to put my point of view out there for her to see? She could find this blog if she tried. I don't really cover my identity at all.

And I've said before, in a weird twisted way I almost want her to find me here so that she can see how I feel without it being turned on me. But I fear it at the same time. Because even though she aggravates me and frustrates me I don't want to hurt her feelings.

So how often do you interact with the bloggers and internet contacts that you follow? Or do you at all? Do you like being anonymous? Or are you extrovert and enjoy having several more ways to communicate with people?

Nipple Watch

Well, I think I had a period the other day. That was easy.

That is right around the timeframe that they came back with Dani. Along with a decrease in my milk supply. So far that doesn't seem to be an issue but I'll have to keep aware of how much the Squirt eats. He still seems really happy after he is done eating. When I pump I get 6oz. and when he eats a bottle he takes about 5oz. sometimes 6oz.

This kid is a monster. 14 pounds!! I am not concerned at all that he isn't getting enough to eat. However, I have to accept the possibility that in the next month or so I will be completely dry.

Damn PCOS.

I think we are nearing the end of middle of the night feedings and on our way to sleeping through the night. I've been working this week on keeping him awake until 7 or 8 and giving him his last feeding at that time. He is in bed and crashed by 8:30 or 9. I've had to get up a couple of times but only to plug in the bink and wrap him up tight in his blanket. To keep him from fidgeting himself awake I pin his arms to his sides and do a half assed swaddle. It seems to help quite a bit. I try to wrap slightly over his chin to help keep the bink in but I don't always get it.

He loves baths. I gave him one last night and he kicked and splashed that water into next week. It took an hour for my shirt to dry. What? Change my shirt? Ha... I don't even have time to go pee.

Teeter

Balance
Shifting
Out of control
Family
Demanding
No where to go
I'm tired
and sore
overwhelmed.
I'll give all that I have for them
But I'm afraid there will be nothing left
For Me.

30 Posts in 30 Days

I did it. 30 posts in 30 days. That's is great sense of accomplishment considering how long it took me to make the first 30 posts to this blog. Wanna guess?

......................................................................................................


It took one year and one month, give or take a few days. I am a lazy slacker.

BUT I think I am in the habit of writing more. More things come to mind that I want to write about. Oddly enough it has become a sort of communication for me. It may not be much of a two sided conversation but I know that someone reads everyday.

My first NaBloPoMo is a success. And it has inspired me to post more. Maybe someday I'll post 2 or 3 times a day? But for now.... I think I'm going to take a couple of days off. My fingers are typed to the bloody nubs.

WOOT!!!!

Baby It's Cold Outside....

Or not. Florida is the winner in meteorlogical trickery. In the past 2 weeks I cannot tell you how often I have switched my central unit from A/C to Heat. Somedays I've turned it off completely and just opened the windows. Now for the past 2 days it's been raining. The tree in my front yard, one of 2 in the neighborhood that actually sheds its leaves, is finally almost bare. Dani is begging for a fire in the fireplace but it is just not cold enough.

Last night we put up our Christmas tree and I had to turn the A/C on. December is only 2 days away! I'm a northern girl at heart. This tricky weather gets on my nerves. And it wreaks havoc on mine and Dani's sinuses. We also still have flowering plants outside which makes it worse. At least the rain will settle the pollen down.

Wow... NaBloPoMo has reduced me to blogging about the weather.

3 Months

The Squirt’s third month of life was nothing extravagant. At least not for him. For me everyday was perfection. We started getting smiles this month and I even got my first giggle on the 26th. It happened while I was kissing him on his neck. That’s was Dani’s first tickle spot too.
He loves baths. He has discovered his feet and likes to kick them in the water. He seems mesmerized by them and I think that he has grasped that he is controlling the movements.

I seem to call this baby any other name except his given one. His nicknames so far are Mr. Peanut, Peanut Butter, Boo-Bear, Cutie Patootie, and Senior Poopypants.

I have always made Dani’s Halloween costume and I wanted to make the Squirt’s too. I thought that since I have been calling him Peanut since he was born that I would make him a peanut costume. I used an old brown towel, stitched it into the shape of a peanut leaving head, arms, and leg holes and slipped him into it. Meh… it was cute, but he looked more like Captain Caveman.

So, I decided that since I had an Undead Bunny, that I would even it out and have a live bunny. I bought him his first Halloween costume. I added a bow to distinguish that he was a boy. E took this picture of him this morning. I didn't get one of him Halloween night. I was so freaked out about Dani and my mom's dog that I didn't get to it.

He has gotten much more vocal and he has started squealing. Especially when Dani starts talking to him. He really loves her.

He’s not really sleeping better. He is much easier to read though. I’m getting better at noticing when he is getting tired or when he needs to burp. And we all look out when he needs to burp. It always seems to be accompanied by some sort of spittle in varying amounts. Poor Dani was trying to help wipe spit up off me the other day and she started gagging. I can’t blame her. There is a reason that I can’t help her when she is throwing up. Thankfully E has a stronger stomach than I and he can handle it.

The transition to his room is going well. He hasn’t slept through the night yet, but he is getting longer stretches. Which in theory I would be too, but that isn’t always the case.

We endeavored out to the beach last weekend to try to get a family Christmas photo, but it wasn't a good day. It was windy, and chilly. The Squirt had just woken up and was hungry so we weren't getting much cooperation out of him. This is one picture that I did like though. The water was gorgeous that day.

E is officially in uncharted territory in baby raising. He deployed for the first time when Dani was just over 12 weeks old. He missed the part of her babyhood when she became socially aware.

Now he gets to share in the smiles and giggles of the Squirt and it makes me very glad. I have always been sad that he missed that with Dani.

Ah, one more thing of note. He has started biting me. Biting hurts very much and he doesn’t even have teeth yet. I guess he gets bored on the boob and decides to exercise his jaws. I don’t know what to do except yelp.

He has a prominent dimple in his right cheek. Dani's is on her left. I don't know where my kids got dimples from. E nor I have them. Can you see the chunkitude that this baby is made of? He is huge. He weighed 12+ pounds at his 2 month appt. and I would guess that his is close to, if not, 14 by now.

So, month 3: smiling, laughing, biting, chunky, sleeping in his own room. I think that wraps up the major milestones this month.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well it's another day of cooking and baking for me. At least I don't have to make the turkey.

Our menu today is
Turkey
mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes
green bean casserole
corn
mushroom and walnut stuffing
fresh baked rolls

For dessert we have
Cherry-Apple pie
homemade cheesecake with an oreo crust and covered in a chocolate ganache
pumpkin pie
a fruit pizza for the kids

Oy, I'm glad a bought some new pants the other day. I'm going to need the room.

Here's to a Happy Thanksgiving to you all!! I'm so thankful for the internet!