Diaper days!!

Molly was very patient. no crying, no mess, no fuss... and a nice snug fit ;)

We got 2 dozen liners that are like the original diapers we were wrapped up in as kids- and got four covers that even if get wet can be washed right away and dry fast. the two on the right are all-in-ones that can be taken in the diaper bag so you save a step.

Ryan and I have decided to go the route of cloth diapers... and we're EXCITED about it! along with the other 5% in this country.

There are many reasons we decided to embark on this particular adventure...

1. the obvious- helping out the world one diaper at a time...

2. money saver- a statistic i found that said you can save $2,000 per child during their entire diaper-using years. with that figure right there i'd make my decision.

3. i have sensitive skin and allergies and have since i was a baby, so i assume my child will too. (your welcome in advance Luca) So, why would i want to immediately put him into diapers, which he'll be in every day all day long... with known chemicals? I know many many many kids never get any side effects from disposables, but with my skin history it's important.

4. we bought a supply of probably 3 months (in size) before we'll have to go up a size and spent $150... the space it took is in half of a drawer. so not only do i not have to go to the store and buy boxes of diapers (which is a lot more expensive than i thought- and i looked at costco!), but i don't have room to store any boxes. Luca's closest is currently being shared with me and my summer clothes as well as Ryan with his guitars and gear... so NO room for much else.

Now, i know what you're thinking- "but you can't just throw away the stinky diaper, you have to handle it and wash it and fold it and...."

well, i'm fine with that. i don't have to start "hosing-off" the poop until solid foods are introduced and by then i'll be a natural :)

I think the biggest obstacle to get over (i say this like i've had 5 kids already) is the initial "I can do this" idea. it IS a little scary and overwhelming at first thought, and just ignore it and buy disposables... but I can honestly say I am actually ready for it and excited to be into the cloth diaper world. There is a growing group of mom and dads out there who agree and I look forward to other friends of ours to jump on board!

If it is something you're interested in, I found a local Bakersfield mom who has a side business- Planet Bambini, selling cloth diapers and many other eco-friendly products. i wanted to buy SO much more, but nobody actually gives me that $2,000 that i will save... Look her up if you're interested and start Clothin'!

Baby Shower!

Luca's due date board! Can't wait to see who was right!!!

So many amazing designs!!

Tea Time !

An awesome group of ladies (and Ryan)

The month of December was a blur... I almost feel like I got ripped off. Well, not quite but it sure did go by way too fast.

I finally have pictures and have time to write about the fabulous shower I was given by my family and friends! I felt so blessed to receive so many gifts from the heart... almost everything was unique and I can actually say when I use these items, when Luca plays with the toys, and I read him books, i know exactly who they came from!

The shower was so awesome- we had a "tea party" thanks to my mothers amazing tea cup collection, the weather was great and everyone was able to decorate onesies beautifully! Everyone filled out an "heirloom" card that made me laugh, cry and get so excited for my son to arrive and meet all his amazing mentors :)

Thanks again to everyone who attended and shared with me this time to get ready for little Luca to arrive!

Sale baby!

So as I was standing in line at JM's 50% closing sale.... I realized pretty much everything we've purchased for this baby has been on sale. I didn't feel bad about it at all.. in fact I felt very proud and when i'm finished purchasing this seemingly endless list of items, I might even add up all my savings and go shopping for myself.

not a bad idea...

Today we bought the car seat (something Ryan has been fretting about). I for sure thought it wouldn't be there still since the store started it's sale at 20%, but sure enough the right color and everything was waiting for me to come take it home!

The stroller we found came without a car seat so i had to pick out not only a matching car seat but one that had an adapter- but i love the stroller so it was worth the extra hunt and with all these sales no extra cost!

the stroller is a gift from my sister so i don't have a real picture but i'll put it all together after sunday for those of you not able to be there (and i bet are dying to see what it looks like!)

7 months

My lovely sisters, mom and Nate

This second trimester has gone by smoothly, thank God!

As we all know, the holiday's are well under way and I am so busy with normal Thanksgiving/Christmas activities, work, plus all the baby stuff and as if thats not enough my month of December is FULL of catering events... So "we" are working pretty darn hard!

For an update... Thanksgiving was wonderful- we had a "friends-giving" that turned out delicious and fun. Thanksgiving day was also great- full of good food and family.

The baby room is coming along (no pictures yet) it's still in progress... trying to get ryan to NOT use it as his junk room. I think he's drawn to it since he used that room for 3 years as his "music room".

Otherwise, we are all doing great! Planning the shower this Sunday and very excited for it! I can't wait to see so many of you that I haven't seen in too long!

surreal....

Technology these days is absolutely amazing! I guess I already know this, but with so much technology in my day-to-day life I forget how much we can actually do that our parents didn't even think about... like the ultrasound.

Not only can they show you the baby growing inside you (its own phenomenom in itself) but can show you the heart, the lungs, the brain, the kidneys, everything! All I thought i would see going in was a profile with some fingers and toes.

We chose not to get the 4-d, a little bit TOO weird for me. I'd like to wait and be surprised at what my baby looks like... and plus they're kind of freaky.

3 1/2 months to go and so far our baby is healthy and having a ball :) for the last week i get woken up like clockwork in the middle of the night, with some rolling around and punching or whatever is going on in there... and don't worry, i wake ryan up every time. Just getting him used to some sleeping interruptions...

5 months!

5 months have gone by quickly! which makes me a little nervous about how fast the next 4 are going to go... not only do holidays always fly by but with something to anticipate like a baby, this winter is going to go so fast! And I love winter... please take your time!!!

On a side note, we've received the crib! It's still in the box taking up quite a bit of space in the dining room, but it's one more thing to check off! So once that comes out of the box a picture will be up asap :)

But anyway, this is me at 5 months. i'm growing in one direction only, which is a good thing i guess.... it's so interesting to see how different people grow. it will be even more interesting to see how much bigger i get.. ah scary!

Green

Pieces are coming together and at a bargain too! lovin' it!!

If you know me and my style you know I don't like cheap junk... i'm not sure if anyone would admit they actually like cheap stuff (and i'm not talking bargain) or junk, but I hate it. I can't always afford everything I want, but I've learned to find a way if my will is strong enough!

So obviously, I'd love a brand new, beautiful dresser to accompany the crib and bassinet and other pieces we've gotten new... but for some reason the dresser has consumed me for the last few weeks. I didn't want to pay a stupid amount for a new dresser and I also wanted something a little unique for our child to use in all the rooms they move into and maybe even when they move out... (yes i think to the future)

I first started looking at antique stores and came to nothing to my liking and finally found a craigslist piece that was under 100 bucks and adorable, completely fitting our style! It is not enormous and it's not perfect, but I love it! I'm happy with my find :)

Now, I don't normally do this but if you feel like you have an opinion that could help then go ahead and answer my question...

Our room is neutral, with beige/lt. brown and white stripe walls; a medium dark traditional crib; cream, white, green bedding; beige rug; white chair. (I do have some unique/fun pieces and ideas, it won't be boring and blah i promise) So I decided to move my desk into the nursery so i can also do my stuff with the baby (thats not where i need your opinion) as well as passing the desk on if they want it for school...

the problem that i find is the colors of the desk and the dresser. they are both nice colors but don't want too many shades of green if they don't work. I hear all the time that i can decorate with many shades of the same color and I just want some opinions if you care to give. I can't put it all together yet bc ryan is still in the room... so it's all just a vision....