Summer Blog Challenge, Day 37

Day 37: Something you would attempt if you knew you couldn't fail.

This is a hard one. I think I would attempt to follow my dream and open a store in our hometown that carries all natural, organic, and green products for pregnancy, new mommas, babies, and children. We have something similar about 25 minutes away, but it would be nice to be able to provide that closer to home. I'd sell cloth diapers, cloth wipes, wipe solution, diaper creams, wet bags, baby carriers that are SAFE, wooden toys, etc etc... how fun would that be?!?!

Summer Blog Challenge, Day 7

Day 7: Picture of Something That Makes You Happy

Please excuse my hideousness... ew.  I was sick this day, and if you can see my bump I'm 15 weeks pregnant in this picture. This is something that makes me happy... babywearing. I love love love wrapping Boogie onto my back and I am SO excited to have a new "squishy" to wrap against my chest and get constant cuddles. I don't know how you could not WANT to babywear, it's so convenient and so much easier than lugging strollers and carseats around!

International Baby Wearing Week

Last week was International Baby Wearing week... and I was planning on doing another post about baby wearing but I forgot! Oops! Anyways, this is copied from a great thread on the Baby Wearing Board on Babycenter.com, you can see the thread here.


Why Babies NEED to be worn:

1. Wearing/holding increases oxytocin, the bonding hormone, and can help new mothers reduce depression and increase milk supply.
2. Wearing/holding helps newborns regulate their body temperature, breathing, and heart rate.
3. Wearing/holding means baby's needs will be met sooner, reducing the stress on both mother and baby feel from crying.
4. Wearing/holding baby tummy-to-tummy position helps the baby develop muscles, head/neck control, and visual accuity. "Tummy Time" is really only necessary for babies who spend a majority of time in fixed positions, such as in a crib, car seat, swing, etc. 
5. Wearing/holding baby in an upright, tummy-to-tummy position reduces gas pain and reflux.
6. Wearing/holding baby helps baby's cognitive development and emotional security. By being able to see mom's world, watch her reactions, and watch her work, baby spends most of the day learning. Also, studies show baby hears much larger amount of language when worn than a baby would hear otherwise. (Essentially, you talk to a baby you can see)
7. Strangers in public are far less likely to touch baby, reducing spread of unfamiliar germs.

Why MOM needs to wear:

1. Mom can go places without carrying bulky or heavy equipment. (How soon post-partum would YOU want to carry a 15 pound car seat?)
2. Mom can get things done at home being hands-free. You can even hands-free feed!
3. Baby cries less reducing mom's stress.
4. Wearing can help reduce depression and increase milk supply.
5. Promotes bonding and attachment.

Baby's Physical Needs

A newborn baby has almost no motor control at birth. Muscles are tense, tendons are short, and it takes all the energy available just to eat, breathe, and sleep. A newborn cannot see much at all, maybe several inches away in poor focus (enough to latch on while breastfeeding). At this stage, the baby needs to be kept in a relatively fetal position. Knees should be bent, back should be hunched roundly. The "starfish" or "crotch-dangler" shape found in most carriers actually can dislocate the baby's hips and put pressure on his/her soft, flexible spine. Blood flow to the legs is almost always reduced, giving the baby blue legs. Great care is also needs to be taken to ensure the baby's chin isn't to his chest. This position makes it very hard to breathe and without head control to move, a baby could suffocate in minutes. The most natural  solution is to carry the baby with his head resting on your chest or shoulder. 

As the baby grows, he can see a little more clearly. Most babies can see about the distance from mom's chest to her face after a few months, and he/she will start to enjoy seeing faces. Beyond that distance, the world is still quite blurry. Head/neck control is something that takes effort, and the baby can become frustrated if too much work goes into looking around, which usually ends in fussing and banging his face on mom's chest. At this point, many misinterpret this as the baby's desire to face out and "see the world", but the baby's focal distance is still not enough to see much. In fact, facing out puts MORE strain on the baby's tired neck, resulting in a slumped position where he rests his face on the carrier's edge. Facing out also adds the problem of the baby bearing weight on his chest, reducing the expansion. Hip and legs are unsupported. A high back carry in a wrap helps, or a hip carry. In this way, he/she can still rest when tired.

As the baby gets older, care needs to be taken to ensure his carrier still supports knee-to-knee. This position gives the child a good seat, ensuring his comfort and mom's as a seated child supports some of his own weight. Most babies with good head/neck control who are sitting up can be back-carried to give the added benefits of a good view and a safe distances from reaching items.

Description of Being Carried in a "Crotch-Dangler" (Bjorn type carrier)

Pick your child up facing your body, hand under his/her bottom. See how his/her legs naturally go? Knees up, legs bent, wrapped around you. This position keeps the stress off his/her spine and keeps his/her hips forming correctly.

Now look at the position the "crotch-dangler" uses. He/She is supported essentially by a huge 'wedgie', legs dangling over nothing. His/her spine is compressed or arched and stressed. His/her legs have NO support. His/her hips are actually nearly dislocated (babies are NOT meant to have straight legs like adults). If you're facing him/her tummy to tummy against you, her knees are being flexed BACKWARDS each time you step. Ouch! If he/she is facing out, he/she is being supported by his/her weight on his/her crotch and his/her breastbone. This makes it hard to breathe, stresses him/her out, and leaves him/her staring at the floor much of the time.

Go over to a high couch or stool or something with a hard thin arm. Straddle it and take your feet off of the floor. Struggle to balance. Feel that pressure. Now imagine that is the only position you can be in for hours while mom shops. This is your "crotch-dangler"

Here are some more links to great articles with information about baby wearing:

Strollers, Baby Carriers, and Infant Stress

Why You Should Avoid Crotch-Danglers

Infant Carriers and Spinal Stress

Importance of Positioning in a Carrier

9 Reasons NOT to Carry Your Baby Facing Out

Facing In? Facing Out?

Why We Do the Things We Do...

I firmly believe that once you have children everyone else forgets the filter for their brain/mouth... seriously. You'd be amazed at the questions and comments you receive when someone doesn't understand or believe in a decision or life choice you have made for your child. Not only in your day to day face to face life but even in your virtual online communities! It's insane! We are a breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, baby-led weaning family... and for a lot of people some of those life choices are hard to understand. I've had comments about all of these so I'm going to explain these and some other choices as well.

Breastfeeding: I remember my mother breastfeeding my baby brother, I remember mom's nursing their babies in the nursery at church, I remember mom's breastfeeding their children at camp when I worked there... it's always been a part of my life. A small part, but it was always there... it never felt weird, it never made me feel uncomfortable, it never made me think twice about nursing my own children. I don't think formula is a bad choice, I DO think it should be the last resort, I DO think it stinks (especially when it is projectile vomited onto you... thanks Jonathan! lol), I also think some mothers use it as the easy way out. Just TRY breastfeeding, there's no harm in trying! If it makes you uncomfortable, then OK... switch to formula. If after trying everything and you don't produce enough... then OK, switch to formula. But you'll never know what it could be like if you never try! I cannot describe the joy I feel when I nurse my daughter, it's comfort, nourishment, and love to her. She drifts off to sleep nursing, she smiles when nursing, she finds comfort in nursing... why would I not want to do that for her as her mother? Another thing with breastfeeding is extended breastfeeding. A lot of people think it's gross, they find it unnatural to nurse your child for more than 6 months or a year. It's a shame that people in our society feel this way when in other parts of this world and "way back when" it was completely natural for a child to nurse til 3, 4, or even 5 years of age. I don't plan on weaning Boogie, I do plan on encouraging her to find comfort elsewhere when she hits 18 months. I have no problem nursing her until she is 2 or maybe 3... I would prefer not to because most likely I will be pregnant at some point in that time frame and I just can't fathom being as sick as I was before and nursing at the same time. I don't plan on letting her nurse whenever she wants if we reach that age, maybe before bed, maybe when she's sick, maybe when she falls down... it will be comfort above all else. And I have no shame or fear in sharing this picture of Boogie nursing. I just wish more people would stop looking at is as something sexual or gross and as a way of nourishing my child.

Babywearing:  I get almost as many comments about babywearing as I do about nursing... just in different ways. I've heard everything from "she's gonna fall out!" "she's not safe!" "are you crazy?!?!" and more! I wear my daughter because it's easy, because it's comfortable, because she likes it, because it's safe, because it keeps her close to my heart at all times. I don't have to worry about keeping the stroller in my car or lugging it around. All I need is my wrap and Boogie and I'm good to go. I can wear her on my back, against my chest, or even on my hip. She never fusses unless she's fighting sleep, and usually that only lasts for a few minutes until she's napping on me. If she becomes overstimulated in a store or at an event, all she has to do is put her face against me and rest. When she grows tired she can lean against me and close her eyes and sleep. If she wants to see the world she can hold herself up and look around and people watch... all of these things she can do while being worn. I know she is secure. I know she is safe. I know she is happy and content and that as long as she is near me and I'm near her... all is right with the world. There are bad and wrong ways to babywear though... never forward face your child, never buy a crotch dangler, never wear your child on your back in a stretchy wrap... do your research, read carefully, and educate yourself on proper babywearing!

Cloth diapering: You even mention the words cloth diaper and people give you the "ew, gross" look. ::sigh:: It's really not ANY grosser than a disposable diaper. Sometimes I think sposies are more gross! So why do we cloth diaper? Main reason? They're so stinking cute. Yea, seriously. Second reason, and the reason that swayed my hubby? Money. I have spent a total of about $600 on diapers... how much do you think 2 years of disposables would have cost us? A heck of a lot more than that! I wash diapers every other day or every 3 days depending on our schedule, poopy diapers are rinsed with the pull down shower head and sometimes with my hands (yea... and that's why we have soap and water and antibacterial gel to wash our hands.. it's really OK), and Boogie's booty stays super cute in her cloth. We have used sposies a few times, in the beginning because she was so tiny she didn't fit in any of her dipes... she started out in preemie disposables! She got a rash her first week of life in disposables! We used disposables again just before our vacation so that I could get all her diapers washed and so we wouldn't have any dirty diapers when we got there.... she got a rash then too. Well guess what... no rashes in cloth with the exception of one tiny little red spot on her bum when she pooped. And with a little bit of CJ's Butter it was gone over night. We love cloth diapers. Period. It's just a way of life now.

Co-sleeping: This one is pretty controversial... and to be honest, before I got pregnant and WHILE I was pregnant I was dead set against co-sleeping. It terrified me... I heard horror stories about it. There are safe ways to co-sleep, you just have to be smart about it and be aware of your child. The only way Boogie sleeps through the night is beside me (with the exception of the past few nights unfortunately... we are either dealing with teething or a mega growth spurt at the moment). She cuddles up next to me, periodically nurses or reaches out to me, and she is content. She wakes up every morning around 8 am, reaches out to me, plays with my lips until I wake up, smiles, and then nurses herself back to sleep. It's blissful... and then we both sleep until 10 or 11am. She never wakes up upset, she never wakes up crying for me... because I'm there. There are always smiles, coos, and laughter... and the occasional yucky diaper. That part isn't so fun I'll admit, LOL! I don't want to co-sleep forever, I do want my bed back someday... but for now I'm happy with it, J's happy with it... and Boogie is all for it as well. And believe me when I say that co-sleeping does NOT affect your intimate moments with your hubby... being parents is to blame for that ;-)

Baby-Led Weaning: The concept of BLW is that your baby learns to chew, maneuver his/her tongue, use their hands and fingers to grab, and all the wonderful tastes and textures of food. Boogie gets large sticks and chunks of food instead of pureeds, she LOVES it. So far we have tried sweet potato sticks, zucchini sticks, squash sticks, sliced apples, banana, avocado, yogurt pops, toast, carrots, green beans, peas, broccoli, wagon wheels, mango, nectarine, and plums. She has "choked" once, however I wouldn't really consider it choking because she was technically just gagging everything... however I helped her vomit to get it out. That's how they learn though... she's learning what to do with those big bites, she's learning how to chew her foods, she's learning how to hold her food.... it's a little scary for my hubby, but he's learning too. It's incredibly messy and incredibly fun... and I'm hoping that my little girl will turn into a non-picky eater as she grows!

Amber Teething Necklaces: Ugh... this is one that gets bashed a LOT on my birth board, so annoying. A lot of people consider this pseudoscience... and while they are kind of right, it doesn't mean that these don't work. If you had seen my child this past week without her necklace you would believe me when I say that these necklaces do in fact work. Now, I will say that while amber teething necklaces do work, I want to also say that they are NOT a cure all. There is still some pain when your child is teething, they will still have drool... BUT it takes a great deal of that pain and drooling away. Last week Boogie was a drooling, screaming, crying mess. This week, with her necklace, she is back to her normal self. I have every confidence in supporting these necklaces... they work.

So... there you have it. Don't like it? Oh well... Boogie's not your daughter! Want more info? Email me :)

Babywearing Safety

I am by no means an expert, but while I have only been a mommy for 5 months... I feel like I am knowledgeable and have done enough research to be able to share some safe babywearing tips with YOU! As I posted in another blog entry, babywearing is something I'm very passionate about. If you are planning on jumping into wearing your child, please research all available child carriers and be sure to not only read what the product's manufacturer has to say, but also reviews given by fellow momma's!

My favorite places to find reviews is on Baby Center's Babywearing Board, Baby Center's Babywearing Review Board (you  must be a member of BC and request to be added to this group to see reviews!), and The Baby Wearer. I researched all of my carriers, including researching if a homemade woven wrap would be safe. The Baby Wearer board has several posts, and I was pleased to find so many momma's giving their homemade wraps great reviews! Now, if I had discovered this site in the beginning, I may have used it prior to purchasing my carriers. The site, Pax Baby is a site you can purchase carriers and/or "rent or borrow" wraps so that you can decide which carriers are best for you and your little one! I purchased an Ergo, the original, and both infant inserts, and while I liked it it wasn't as comfy or as cozy as my wraps. I sold it to a great friend of mine who LOVES it, but I may not have made the purchase in the first place if I had tried it out before buying it! I also own a Moby Wrap, a Dolcino Woven Wrap, a Gypsy Mama Bali Breeze Wrap, and a homemade Osnabur Woven Wrap.

Some of the things I learned, especially after reading through many posts on Baby Center's Babywearing boards, included the dread "crotch danglers". Here is an article about how "crotch danglers" can be damaging to your little one's spine and hips... but please remember that this is someone's theory, and I believe it to be very true. When a child is placed in a forward facing carry, other than in a Buddha carry (in a ring sling), you are placing pressure on your child's shoulders and chest area... while they are being completely supported by their crotch. Please... just think about that. Would YOU want to have all your weighht supported by your crotch? I'm thinking NO. For the parent, your center of gravity can be completely thrown off, meaning you are more likely to trip or fall with your child in your arms! You are also supporting your little one with your shoulders and neck, which pulls on your back and can be very uncomfortable. Another issue, and I have found this to be true with Elah when belly to belly, if your child is facing out, they cannot turn into you for comfort. Elah becomes fussy and irritable when overstimulated, but when she is worn, she can turn her head into my chest for comfort and sleep if she is tired.

I LOVE wearing Elah on my back. I can get so much more done! What I learned about back carries is that it is NOT safe to wear your little one on your back in a stretchy wrap. Stretchy wraps include Moby Wraps, Sleepy Wraps, Homemade Jersery Wraps, etc. Don't believe me? Check out THIS babywearing blog, and please watch the videos!

Here are some tips I've gathered from BC's Babywearing Board - I do NOT take credit for these and you can find the full post HERE:

Pouch - These are tubes of fabric that you fold in half and wear like a sash. Your baby fits into the pocket made by the fold. These must be correctly sized in order to work properly. These come padded and unpadded.
Best for: Infants in several different carries and toddlers in the hip carry. Good for quick trips.
Not recommended for: Long carries with a heavy baby.
More info on Pouches
How to use them here and here.

Ring Sling (RS) - A carrier similar to pouches but with adjustable rings. These also come padded and unpadded.
Best for: Newborns through toddlers, great for nursing
Not good for: Some ring slings are not good for heavy toddlers
More info on Ring Slings
How to use them here.
How NOT to use them (works for pouches too) See this, this, this and this
Correct positioning
Nursing in a RS

Wrap - A long piece of fabric that you wrap around you and your baby.•Stretchy - Worn on the front only, no matter what the photos on other sites show. It is not safe as a back carrier.


Best for: Newborns and up to about 18lbs (except for the Wrapsody which is more supportive!)

Not recommended for: Heavier babies, back carries, hip carries



•Woven - A woven piece of fabric that you wrap in various ways around you and your baby.

Best for: babies of any size

Not recommended for: These are great for everyone who has the patience to learn how to use them. It is not that hard, I promise! Practice, practice, practice!!

More info on WrapsHow to use them: here, here, stretchyNO back carries in a stretchy!Brand comparisonsOfficial Fish ThreadHow to break in a wrap:•Use it!

•Wash it (according to the directions--silk, wool, and cashmere should not be put in the washer/dryer)

•Put it in the dryer on no heat with an old pair of sneakers or tennis balls.

•Iron it.

•Sit on it.

•Sleep with it.

•Braid it

•Use it as a hammock/swing for your child.

•Pull it back and forth through your crib bars

Mei Tai (MT) - A large piece of fabric with long straps that you tie on. Can be worn on the front or the back. Since it ties on it does not need to be sized. XL straps are available on many carriers. Variations include a contoured body, hoods, and headrests.
Best for: Babies to toddlers.
Not recommended for: Tiny newborns only because they are not as easy to use as other newborn carriers. They are still safe though and many people use these with newborns.

•Wrap Conversions (WC) - MTs made out of woven wraps.


•Podaegi (Pod) - A carrier similar to a mei tai that has a blanket instead of bottom straps so only the top straps are used to secure the carrier.

•Onbuhimo - A carrier similar to a mei tai without a waist strap and uses rings on the waist to thread the shoulder straps through

More info on Mei Tais
How to use them: here and here

Soft Structured Carrier (SSC) - A carrier similar to a Mei Tai but uses buckles instead of ties. These are super comfortable and can be used for front or back carries and these are especially good for heavy toddlers. Can be adjusted for different users. Very dad-friendly!
Best for: Babies to toddlers.
Not recommended for: Difficult to fit depending on body shape. Some are difficult to use with newborns.

More info on SSCs
How to use them: here and here
Comparisons: here and here



I hope that all this info helps you decide what type of carrier to use and how to safely wear your little one!

Why, Mr. Sandman! It's So Nice to See You Again!

Mr. Sandman has returned! I have gotten two nights of sleep... literally, NIGHTS of sleep! Boogie goes down sometime between 8 or 9 and sleeps until 12 or 1 (I usually stay up and try to get things done if I can). THEN she goes down after nursing and sleeps until 9 or 10 in the morning! That's like 9-10 hours of sleep! It's AWESOME. Now, let me tell you how she sleeps this much. We co-sleep. Something I said I'd never ever ever do before having Elah, but goodness does it make for a better night's sleep for everyone. Now, we've been co-sleeping in a co-sleeper for about 2 months, and she was in a bassinet/pack n play for the first 2 months (when she wasn't sleeping ON me in an armchair) and then would sleep w/me in the bed until she finished nursing and I was sure she was asleep. But everytime I moved her back to her "bed" she would wake up 2 hours later. So... now, she sleeps in the floor or in her co-sleeper until 12 or 1 and then sleeps with me  (and J) with a pillow behind her back propping her up and facing me belly to belly. Now, I say she sleeps 9-10 hours, I mean that neither one of us get up, or wake up more than 2 minutes tops. She will stay asleep, realize she's hungry and nuzzle up to me and start nursing... never wakes up (it does wake me up, and I help her if she has trouble) but then we go right back to sleep. Before, we'd get up, change her diaper, nurse, and then try to get her back to sleep in her bed... no more of that! I put on her nighttime diaper at midnight and she stays in it until morning, her nighttime diaper consists of a Kawaii or Go Green regular pocket, with 2 microfiber inserts and a bamboo insert. She stays dry for up to 10 hours and stays rash free with TONS of CJ Butter. (This has been a trial and error for WEEKS). Hopefully that will work for us when we do get her to her own bed and she sleeps through the night without nursing!

I was planning on posting pics of my homemade wrap and my new wrap last night but I haven't had a chance... but I will soon! God Bless!

Sneak Peak!

Homemade wrap :) More pics to come!

Babywearing Love

If you are a friend on facebook, then I'm sure you've seen the many pictures I have of my Boogie all wrapped up and snug on my chest or even my back! I can't even begin to express how much of a timesaver babywearing is, and how wonderful it is to have my sweet girl close to my heart. Elah falls asleep almost instantly when she's tired, the moment I tie that knot she's gone! If she's just grouchy and having a bad day, I can wrap her and she just looks around, grabs a hold of my shirt, sucks on the fabric of my wrap and is completely content. Some family members aren't comfortable with the fact that I carry Elah this way, and I've had both good and bad comments from strangers... but either way, I, the momma, know that my Boogie is completely content being worn... and here's my proof:

5 Days

2 Weeks

1.5 Months

You really should spread the fabric across babies back once it's tied on, I didn't do so here... but I did in the last pic of this section!

2 Months

3.5 Months

She dropped a little in the wrap on our walk to my parent's house... the longer you wrap the less often this happens!

And what would a blog entry be without a Flint Monster?

The wrap should be higher on his back, but this was just a quick wrap job on a bigger kid... which I'm so not used too! He was much wigglier and much taller than my Boogie!

So... as you can see, Boogie loves to be worn, and so does Monkey! Now I just have to patiently await my new Gypsy Mama Bali Breeze wrap to come in the mail and for my sweet momma to finish my homemade teal osnaburg wrap! EEK!

A Little Bit of This... A Little Bit of That...

Can you believe it? I sure can't! I never thought I'd get to the end of this semester! I was so sure I could handle taking 4 classes online AND being a SAHM to my Boogie... little did I know how high maintenance Boogie would be! I guess I should have known though right? LOL! She really is a wonderful baby, but it's hard to get things done, especially homework, when this little girl refuses to be put down and wants your undivided attention ALL the time. I started out taking Principles of Biology, Sociology of the Family, Social Psychology, and Critical Thinking. What was I thinking when I signed up for Biology? I mean REALLY? That was a horrible mistake. The other three weren't as bad, however Social Psychology was ridiculous... the way the instructor set it all up was crazy and confusing. It's not her fault that I did poorly, I just had a horrible time trying to figure everything out and missed several due dates and therefore did very poorly on her tests. So in the end I dropped those two classes and am now acing my last two classes and ENJOYING them. That's what matters right? So instead of graduating this Fall, I will be graduating in the Spring. It might be taking me 3 years to get my AA, but this little girl is totally worth the extra time :)

This week Elah turns 4 months old... yikes. Didn't I just write about her turning 3 months old? She's starting to grab things, hold things, and put things in her mouth (yea....). She's definately teething, and that "4 Month Sleep Regression" I've heard and read other momma's talk about... we're experiencing it. NOT fun. Vacation was definately a sleep vacation... one night she slept close to 9 hours! Now I'm lucky to get 3 or 4 out of her. I shouldn't complain though, it could be much worse!

I've been practicing putting Elah on my back in the woven wrap... it's much more difficult than wearing her on my chest, and not only are my arms short, but Elah is so little it's hard to reach behind me and her to wrap her appropriately LOL! Here's a few photos to show you how I've done:

I look ROUGH in the second picture... but that's because Elah and I... well I walked from our apartment to my mom's house. That's approximately 1.5 miles with a child on my back, a diaper bag, and it quickly went from a nice cool morning to HOT. It was worth it though! I can't seem to get Elah as high up on my back as I would like... but like I said, I'm still working on it. What kills me is how people seem to think she's uncomfortable or she's in danger... so let me just say... babywearing is safe if you do it correctly. I wouldn't wear Elah if I didn't believe with my whole heart that it was safe. Sure, it's a little harder to get her on my back, but I would never put her in danger. I seriously wish I could have photographed some of the looks I got walking that day... how do you think people in Jesus' day carried their children? I bet a lot of them did this! Ok... off my soap box. But seriously, babywearing is AWESOME!

Elah's dedication is coming up soon as well! We haven't set a date yet, but we are really excited to finally publicly dedicate our daughter to the One who blessed us with her. We're going to be doing things a little differently, but it will be just as special. Her godparents are going to lead the dedication, I couldn't choose a better couple to be her godparents and who better to dedicate her than them?

After all that rambling... I really have no idea how to end this.... so.... I'll leave you with this:
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127:3.

Ugh Ugh Ugh

Ugh, AGAIN. I am SO behind in my school assignments, and really it's all my fault. I've just been lazy... between taking care of Elah and trying to keep up with laundry and  housecleaning... I've just "forgotten" to do it. Now... it's not NEARLY as bad as last semester... now THAT was horrible. This semester consists of SO much reading, it's kicking my butt! And I only have 3 classes right now! My 4th starts in March, so I HAVE to get my butt in gear! LOL!  Ofcourse, I will manage, and do well this semester... I just have to stop staring at this beautiful little girl and get to work! I got a ton done tonight... atleast between waking Justin up to get Elah so I could continue to work!

A few exciting things...

I tried out our Ergo Carrier w/the Heart 2 Heart insert today... LOVE it! And Elah loved it too... she falls right to sleep in it, just like in the woven and moby! J, E, Mudgie, and myself walked down to the lake and back... it was SO beautiful today! And apparently it's supposed to be in the seventies tomorrow!

We bought a new camera! I'm so excited! We've been talking about getting a nice camera since... well since our honeymoon actually. Justin and I both love to take pictures, especially when we go on walks... and now that Elah is here, it's more important than EVER to document our lives! I can't wait for the battery pack to charge so we can start trying it out!

Oh and just for the record.... only 41 days until vacation! WOOHOO!

Fluffy Mail!

I just wanted to share the abundance of fluffy mail we will be getting in the next 2 weeks... so I thought I'd just share pictures of all of our goodies. THANK YOU Elah for coming in 2010 so we could claim you on our taxes... not only are you precious, beautiful, and perfect... you have wonderful timing as well! ;-)

First up is my dolcino wrap...

Isn't it pretty? It's a woven wrap, this one is called 'stromboli'... I can't wait to start wearing Elah in it!

Next up are a TON of diapers. Now I want have to do diaper laundry so often and can stop buying sposies!
These are all Go Green Pocket Diapers (gogreenpocketdiapers.com):

Then I ordered a few Happy Heinys...

I will also be getting several wet bags from GoGreenPocketDiapers.com and a "mystery" diaper from Kelly's Closet, where I ordered the Happy Heinys.... meaning a free random diaper of their choosing. I can't wait!