Two in Diapers

This is the 3rd time in my life that I have had 2 in diapers :)  And it's really not so bad.  I find actually that having a newborn makes it easier to remember to change the toddler!  I think it is because the toddler is off busy and playing and it's so easy to just let them stay in their diaper.  In my opinion Kara is close to being toilet trained - and she might be already if I had more time to focus on it.  I'm hoping that when William is a little older I'll be able to help her learn to use the toilet.  She really dislikes her diapers and I've resorted to using disposable diapers when she's sleeping - due to the fact that she takes her diaper off as soon as she's in bed!  With the disposables I am able to tape the tabs so that she can't.  Right now they are both in cloth diapers (except when Kara's in bed).  I don't have much time to write right now so I'll just leave you with this sweet picture of my changing table :)

 

I love using my washing machine to change their bottoms!  It is right by the bathroom so  it is easy to get my cloths wet (I use cloth wipes I made myself out of old flannel).  I store the diapers in the cupboard above the machine.  It is also easy to clean the solids off of Kara's diapers, and it's easy to put all the dirty diapers into the diaper pail which I store in a bathroom cupboard.  And then when it's time to wash, the pail is close to the washing machine where they get cleaned :)  It's a wonderful system that is so much more convenient than I had set up in my previous home!  Another bonus of the washing machine/change table is that it is just the right height for changing them.  I don't have to bend over of kneel on the floor.  And don't my sweeties look so cute entertaining each other?! 

He's Here!!

Amidst all the chaos in our lives . . .

Has come this blessing . . .

William Isaiah Wayne was born on Monday, August 19 at 2 in the morning.  He came after a mere 2 hours of labour.  I say mere because it was short - not easy!  In some ways it was much more difficult than some of my longer labours, but that's a story to have over tea :)  There were no complications and the doctors and nurses were so good and did everything I wanted.    So right now we're packing up our house, we're missing TR who is at the acreage every waking minute to get our house ready, we're having lots of meltdowns and tears (thankfully it's mostly the kids - so far my emotions have been fairly stable), we're adjusting to a new baby while having our lives totally changed.  We're so thankful that Granny (TR's Mom) has been here to help us.  I've been able to rest lots and recover from birthing my sweet babe.

William got to go to our acreage already!  We went when he was 2 days old for Papa's birthday celebration.

He is such a sweet babe and we all love him like crazy!!  Ben is so happy to have a brother and my girls always want to hold him and kiss him. 

Looking back on previous bellies :)

 I love to look back and remember my previous pregnancies - especially now when I am anticipating the end of this pregnancy!  In the above picture I am pregnant with Benjamin.  This photo was taken about a month before he was born. (I can't find the picture of when I was pregnant with Chloe)

Here I am pregnant with Kara - about 2 weeks before she was born

And here I am just recently with #4 :)

Soon I will be able to look back and reminisce about my pregnancy with this babe . . . but for now I remain pregnant.  This is officially the longest I have ever been pregnant.  Not exactly the record a Mom hopes to make!  But I am patiently waiting and confidant that God knows my babes birthday and the right time for her/him to be born.  And just because I know that Leanne loves baby toes, here is one last picture to leave you with :)

Benjamin's sweet baby toes *sigh*

We're Chewing 'Till Our Jaws Hurt

Life is a little like a whirlwind right now. 

Have we bitten off more than we can chew? 

Yes.

Yes.

Yes!!

But what can we do?  We're already on a roll and so we just keep going, giving thanks everyday for the many people in our life who are helping us through this part of our journey.  So what's all going on?

1. Our baby's due date has come and gone.  Not that I'm surprised - but it does mean that any day we will get to meet him/her!!!

2. We have about 2.5 weeks to be out of our current house.  That includes packing it up and cleaning it.

3. Our new house has proven to be in worse shape than first expected and TR goes back and forth about whether it is even worth fixing.  At this point he is doing his best to fix it and we will be moving out there - but it is taking longer than expected.

4. We had hoped that TR's brother would be coming up to help with the house and at the last minute he had to change plans and couldn't come.  As much as we understand it does mean that we're not sure now whether we'll be able to get it liveable in time.

5. I am trying to garden.  Thankfully I have had so much help.  Yesterday my sister brought me 3 buckets of raspberries that her, my Mom and my niece picked for us!  What an incredible gift of love that was.  They took time out of their busyness and picked for me.  Most of the time I walk out of my garden as quickly as I walked in because the sight of it so overgrown and uncared for makes me feel awful.  I did manage to pick some rhubarb the other day and freeze it.  This morning I picked some beans and I intend to throw them in my dehydrator. 

And I am tired.  This week I can especially feel my energy levels dropping rapidly every day.  The baby is getting ready and my body is feeling it.  I can hardly believe that in 2 weeks we will be saying goodbye to this house where my children have lived their whole lives (except for Chloe - she was 3 months when we moved in).  A little sad - but I am also very excited about the adventure!  God has answered the prayer of my heart and while it has been hard, I am also incredibly thankful and excited about what He has in store for our family! 

Exploring our acreage with our new workhorse :)

The Pull Ups

Here is a picture of the cloth pull ups I made:

We actually call them pull up shorts :)  Aren't they fun?!  I tried many different patterns and this is the best one.  I have to admit that I was just about ready to give up on sewing him some when I found this pattern.  I watched a video tutorial and then found another tutorial without video.  Between the two this is what I came up with.  Not all that much fun to sew - but worth it!  Ben can wear these and not feel like he is wearing a diaper.  I can do up the snaps and he can pull them on himself.  Then in the morning or if he needs to use the bathroom he can either pull them down or unsnap them.  They are a pocket diaper - here is a picture of the inside:

The outside fabric is cotton and just scraps that I had in my sewing box.  The inside is flannel scraps.  I put elastic in the back and the by the legs and in the tabs.  The elastic was the worst part.  I would have loved to not use elastic, but that is what helps to hold in the pee :) 

I have found that they are not 100% leak proof.  But he tends to pee. A. Lot.  So on the nights when he doesn't pee as much then his jammies are still dry but on the nights that he doesn't . . . his jammies get wet - but usually not enough to wet his bed. 

Here is one of the tutorials I used. 
Here is a video tutorial.  It is a 4 part series - once you click on the first video you should be able to find the rest. 

Busy Summer Days

A good friend (who is also pregnant) was over the other day and we were discussing pregnancy and what it's like when you're so close the end.  She still has a few months to go and was saying how nice it was to get to the nesting stage.  That little surge of energy right at the end that helps you get all sorts of things done. 

And I was sad to admit that I don't know that I've ever felt that.  Right now I am only 2-4 weeks away from meeting this little one and there is no nesting in sight.  I also can't recall nesting with any of my other babies.  *sigh* 

But even still I am getting lots done - and most days my energy levels are not too bad.  A few days in the last month I've laid down for a nap, but most days I can function without them.  Since our house has sold I've been trying really hard to get things organized and sorted and whatever is possible to pack up.  Thankfully I've had some wonderful people come over to help!

I've also been trying to get some sewing done.  Some of my cloth diapers are 3 years old and they have been used for 3 years (not on the same child :) straight.  And washed every 2-3 days.  And they are falling apart! 

With another baby on the way I decided that I needed to have a few more diapers on hand!  I bought some newborn sized covers and sewed some fitted diapers to use with snappi's (I wanted these especially for the beginning so I can adjust them to accommodate the umbilical cord), and some prefolds.  But I remembered that when Kara was little it didn't take long and her and Ben were using the same prefolds inside their wraps - so I also made some bigger prefolds too.  Also Benjamin still needs something for bedtime and he was getting very upset at needing to wear diapers (and I just couldn't justify the price of pullups (plus they don't come in the "greener" version of disposable diapers) so I decided to sew him some nighttime shorts. (another thing about the cloth pull ups is that he can really tell once he's peed in them.)  It took me quite a few tries to find a pattern that I liked.  But I've finally sewn him some nighttime shorts that work well and that he likes to wear.  I will try to take a picture of them soon.  I also decided that my cloth wipes were looking pretty sorry and so I sewed up a batch of some new ones. 

When I've not been sewing or packing I've been trying to do some gardening and harvesting.  I've made some rhubarb concentrate and canned it.  I canned 7 chickens and then boiled the bones and canned the broth.  I've been picking and freezing peas.  I've been trying to weed a little and water the garden.  Thankfully my Mom has taken on the task of my garden that is at her place.  What a relief that is to not have to go out there and tend it!  The rabbit hutch was in serious need of clean straw so I emptied that and laid out clean bedding.  I don't even want to tell you how wiped I was when that was done!

TR has been away for work which has been quite difficult in some ways and easier than I thought it would be in others.  I think it really helps that it's summer time and we've been so busy during the days.  Benjamin is saying goodnight to him in the above picture :)

Cookies for breakfast is something that my kids (especially Kara and Ben) really enjoy!  They think they're getting something special but what they don't know is that these almond flour cookies are actually pretty healthy :)

With so much busyness going on Chloe actually fell asleep during quiet time!  Pretty much never happens unless she's sick.  I found her like this with the stereo right up to her ear :)

 

Chloe asked me if we could have a picnic outside and I just really wanted to say "no".  I was busy trying to box up some things and just didn't want to take the time for it.  But I said "yes" anyway and was so thankful that I did.  She set up the picnic area (not quite sure why she wanted it roped off) and we had a lovely lunch outside.  

 

I was feeling really stressed for a while that the baby would come and I would be unprepared.  So a couple weeks ago I took out all the newborn things and washed them and put them in the dresser.  Still not sure that I'm ready for the baby to come just yet (I still have so much to do!!!) but at least now I can relax that when the baby does come it will be clothed and swaddled in clean clothes and blankets :)

Taking a Break and Having Some Fun in the Park

This summer is becoming one of busyness and craziness and is fast becoming overwhelming.  We have sold our house and hope to buy an acreage.  If everything works out we will be gaining possession of it as early as next week.  It needs a lot of work before we can move in.  It hasn't been lived in for years and does not even have insulation or walls where the bedrooms are supposed to be.  It has no water supply and the sewer system looks questionable.  Thankfully TR is planning on taking some time off to work on it and get it liveable before we have to move out of this place.  We're also looking forward to the help of his Dad and brother who will be coming up.  In the midst of all this there is my garden.  There is packing this house.  There is having a baby. 

There is also my 3 children who love to go to the park.

And so, despite my growing list of to-do, we headed out early one morning and walked/biked to the library and visited the park.  

 We made some great memories.  Kara learned how to independently "do it myself!" both up and down the slide :)

Chloe had a blast showing me all the tricks she could do :)

Ben learned lots of neat tricks too :)

We ate mango with our fingers 'cause Mom forgot the forks.  (I just have to say that I could not stomach the thought - remember they were just playing with sand!  But to them it was just exciting!) 

And we enjoyed a leisurely walk/bike back home.  

What you don't see is the messy house and my list completely unchecked when we got back home.  But it was worth it.  I am hoping that in between all the chaos and busyness of this summer we will have still made lots of great memories and enjoyed spending time together in the great outdoors.  Because like anyone who lives here knows - summer goes by so quickly.