Well, most of you know by now that I'm preggo with #2! We are very happily anticipating adding another little girl to our family in early April. The pregnancy has been going very well - I initially had some nausea and some extreme fatigue, but that passed pretty quickly this time. I've been feeling great for a month or so. This little lady is much more active than Jemma was. Jemma would only kick in the evenings or when I laid down to rest; this one is kicking me all day long! She especially hates when I sit down to drive and repeatedly kicks me where the seat belt presses into my stomach :)
We've been telling Jemma that there is a baby in Mama's belly, but I'm not sure how much she understands. She loves her cousin Ella and loves to help change her diaper, hug her, and bring her a "ki-ki" (her word for pacifier). I'm hoping this will transition well when she has a little sister of her own! We're in the process of moving her to into her big girl room. It is decorated and ready to go, but we're making a slow transition to sleeping in the big girl bed. She is still preferring her crib, which is fine. We have plenty of time to move her. The new baby won't need the crib for several months anyway.
I switched OB practices this time, mainly because I wanted to develop a better relationship with my doctor. The first practice I used had 5 doctors and it was hard to get to know all of them. This one has 2 and it is also much closer to our house. The doctors are amazing and I really like both of them. They spend time talking to you and genuinely care how you are feeling and how the pregnancy is going. I've been really happy with my switch so far. I'm determined that this time I'm going to have a natural birth and my docs are so supportive of that.
Overall, we are all doing great. It's amazing how fast this pregnancy has progressed. It's halfway through and I feel like we still have so much to do before this little one makes her appearance! I'll continue to keep you updated! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Why I wear Jemma
Babywearing is just that - wearing your baby in a carrier. For me, that carrier is simply a piece of cloth, or a wrap. I also use ring slings, which are essentially short wraps with rings sewn on one end so that they can be easily adjusted. This has been a wonderful experience for us. I initially thought it would just be convenient for trips to the store or to get housework done. It has definitely helped with those things, but it has done so much more.
When Jemma was little, it helped me simply get chores done and keep her happy. I quickly learned that just putting her down in something didn't work. She wanted to be held. After I returned to work, it allowed us to reconnect after a busy day, when she had been missing me and I had missed her.
Once she was older, she was able to see and look around her world, all while safe and secure next to her mama. It saved my sanity during teething when all she wanted was to be held. We went to the zoo without having to lug a stroller and get her in and out everytime she wanted to see an animal.
Now, at 19 months, Jemma still gets carried a few times a week, for errands in a store or today when we went to a large celebration at church. She asks to go "up." She loves to go for rides on Mama's back. A baby carrier is an invaluable tool with a squirmy, wiggly toddler who likes to run in public!
I'm sharing my babywearing experience in the hopes of making a difference. If you remember, earlier this year the Infantino SlingRider and similar "bag slings" were recalled. It is heartbreaking that parents and families who were trying to do a wonderful thing with their children were sold an unsafe product, and even more tragic that children had to die for the recall to occur. Babywearers had been saying for year that bag slings were dangerous. The baby essentially sat in bag or purse, Mom (or Dad) wasn't able to see the baby, and it also placed the child in a poor position for breathing.
Due to the heartbreaking tragedy that occurred with this ONE TYPE of soft carrier, the CPSC has deemed ALL soft carriers to be unsafe and is making a move to recall ALL types of soft baby carriers from the market. (This includes my beloved wraps, ring slings, pouches...and it could go on to include other soft carriers such as mei tais, podegais, etc). The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance has issued an emergency call to action asking for all moms and dads alike to step up and voice their support for babywearing. That is why I am writing today, in the hopes of sharing a positive experience and showing the joy babywearing has brought to my life and my daughter's life. Babywearing has immense benefits to both mom and baby and has been practiced by mothers all over the globe for centuries. This isn’t a new thing. It is safe.
If by some miracle someone from the CPSA happens to read my little blog or any of the other countless stories being posted throughout the internet, I urge you to not recall ALL soft carriers. Instead, talk to the parents who wear their babies everyday about the benefits. Please work with the BCIA in the effort to always manufacture safe soft carriers as you do with every other product you recall.
Thank you for listening.
~Erin
When Jemma was little, it helped me simply get chores done and keep her happy. I quickly learned that just putting her down in something didn't work. She wanted to be held. After I returned to work, it allowed us to reconnect after a busy day, when she had been missing me and I had missed her.
Once she was older, she was able to see and look around her world, all while safe and secure next to her mama. It saved my sanity during teething when all she wanted was to be held. We went to the zoo without having to lug a stroller and get her in and out everytime she wanted to see an animal.
Now, at 19 months, Jemma still gets carried a few times a week, for errands in a store or today when we went to a large celebration at church. She asks to go "up." She loves to go for rides on Mama's back. A baby carrier is an invaluable tool with a squirmy, wiggly toddler who likes to run in public!
I'm sharing my babywearing experience in the hopes of making a difference. If you remember, earlier this year the Infantino SlingRider and similar "bag slings" were recalled. It is heartbreaking that parents and families who were trying to do a wonderful thing with their children were sold an unsafe product, and even more tragic that children had to die for the recall to occur. Babywearers had been saying for year that bag slings were dangerous. The baby essentially sat in bag or purse, Mom (or Dad) wasn't able to see the baby, and it also placed the child in a poor position for breathing.
Due to the heartbreaking tragedy that occurred with this ONE TYPE of soft carrier, the CPSC has deemed ALL soft carriers to be unsafe and is making a move to recall ALL types of soft baby carriers from the market. (This includes my beloved wraps, ring slings, pouches...and it could go on to include other soft carriers such as mei tais, podegais, etc). The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance has issued an emergency call to action asking for all moms and dads alike to step up and voice their support for babywearing. That is why I am writing today, in the hopes of sharing a positive experience and showing the joy babywearing has brought to my life and my daughter's life. Babywearing has immense benefits to both mom and baby and has been practiced by mothers all over the globe for centuries. This isn’t a new thing. It is safe.
If by some miracle someone from the CPSA happens to read my little blog or any of the other countless stories being posted throughout the internet, I urge you to not recall ALL soft carriers. Instead, talk to the parents who wear their babies everyday about the benefits. Please work with the BCIA in the effort to always manufacture safe soft carriers as you do with every other product you recall.
Thank you for listening.
~Erin
Friday, August 13, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
How having a baby changed my perspective, AND how to make your own cleaners
So, as I mentioned in my last post, I'm going to start adding some more posts here about me, Tom, our stuff. I've been having a hard time coming up with things to say about Jemma on a frequent basis. Don't get me wrong, she's adorable, and I love her dearly, but mostly her days consist of eat, play, sleep. You can only talk about that so many ways. So, I've opted to start adding some things about our parenting and lifestyle, mostly because Jemma has had such a profound impact on my view of the world. She's kinda turning me into a hippie, frankly. Before Jemma, I never put much thought into what or how I ate, what kind of cleaners and toileteries I used, what kind of impact I was having on the world. Now, I have someone to worry about, someone who needs me to be healthy, needs me to protect her, someone to leave a legacy for. I want to leave her with the best world that I can.
When I first got pregnant, I had just read Marly and Me (awesome book, by the way). In it, the author's wife has a miscarriage shortly after using some heavy duty chemical cleaners, and although the doctors said that didn't have anything to do with it, the couple was convinced it did. Being newly pregnant, this scared the dickens out of me, so I started looking for some more "green" alternatives to my household cleaners. I searched loads of websites and found that I could make safe gentle cleaners on my own! And on top of it, it was super cheap!
I've been making my own cleaner for over 2 years now, and I would not go back to buying commercial products. In fact, I bought some bathroom cleaner a few months ago because I could not get rid of this mold in our grout, but the smell made me so dizzy I got rid of it. (Fixed the mold problem with bleach, by the way) This weekend I made everything I'll need for several months, and I did it in a few hours with things I keep at home. I wanted to share my recipes and show you how simple and easy this is. I purchased some essential oils at Cincinnati Natural Foods, but really they are not necessary, they just add a pretty smell :)
My ingredients!
Supplies!
All-Purpose Cleaner:
1/2 tsp castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner's in Peppermint)
1/2 tsp washing soda
1 tsp Borax
1 cup water
*optional* 10 drops essential oil of your choice
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
1 cup water
1/2 cup soap (I like Dawn for this)
1 cup bleach *The bathroom is the only place I use bleach and only because our toilet bowl seems to grow this obnoxious mold I cannot get rid of in any other way)
Window Cleaner:
1 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp castile soap
Soft Scrub - Baking soda mixed with liquid soap to a frosting like texture.
Deodorizer - for the trash cans, carpet, etc. - BAKING SODA! Sprinkle and let it be or vacuum if it was put on carpet. Sometimes I mix some essential oil with the baking soda before I sprinkle it if I'm wanting to smell something pretty.
Those are the main cleaners I use for everything. I've learned to use vinegar, baking soda, and soap to clean. There are lots of nice alterantives at the store, too, but they cost a lot more and really, this is so easy. My friend makes her own laundry detergent and I can't wait to try that out. I'd also love to learn to make my own soap!
On a side note, I'm on the lookout for a kid-friendly bug spray, so if anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear it! Jemma is a mosiquito magnet.
When I first got pregnant, I had just read Marly and Me (awesome book, by the way). In it, the author's wife has a miscarriage shortly after using some heavy duty chemical cleaners, and although the doctors said that didn't have anything to do with it, the couple was convinced it did. Being newly pregnant, this scared the dickens out of me, so I started looking for some more "green" alternatives to my household cleaners. I searched loads of websites and found that I could make safe gentle cleaners on my own! And on top of it, it was super cheap!
I've been making my own cleaner for over 2 years now, and I would not go back to buying commercial products. In fact, I bought some bathroom cleaner a few months ago because I could not get rid of this mold in our grout, but the smell made me so dizzy I got rid of it. (Fixed the mold problem with bleach, by the way) This weekend I made everything I'll need for several months, and I did it in a few hours with things I keep at home. I wanted to share my recipes and show you how simple and easy this is. I purchased some essential oils at Cincinnati Natural Foods, but really they are not necessary, they just add a pretty smell :)
My ingredients!
Supplies!
All-Purpose Cleaner:
1/2 tsp castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner's in Peppermint)
1/2 tsp washing soda
1 tsp Borax
1 cup water
*optional* 10 drops essential oil of your choice
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
1 cup water
1/2 cup soap (I like Dawn for this)
1 cup bleach *The bathroom is the only place I use bleach and only because our toilet bowl seems to grow this obnoxious mold I cannot get rid of in any other way)
Window Cleaner:
1 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp castile soap
Soft Scrub - Baking soda mixed with liquid soap to a frosting like texture.
Deodorizer - for the trash cans, carpet, etc. - BAKING SODA! Sprinkle and let it be or vacuum if it was put on carpet. Sometimes I mix some essential oil with the baking soda before I sprinkle it if I'm wanting to smell something pretty.
Those are the main cleaners I use for everything. I've learned to use vinegar, baking soda, and soap to clean. There are lots of nice alterantives at the store, too, but they cost a lot more and really, this is so easy. My friend makes her own laundry detergent and I can't wait to try that out. I'd also love to learn to make my own soap!
On a side note, I'm on the lookout for a kid-friendly bug spray, so if anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear it! Jemma is a mosiquito magnet.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Blog edits
I'm going to be updating our blog layout, changing things around. I've decided to expand this to more about our lives, as really Jemma's life is only so interesting every few months :) So forgive me if everything is a little messy for a few days.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Jemma's Dollhouse
About a month ago, we were purging all our toys at work since we are being renovated soon, and I was able to save this lovely wooden dollhouse from the garbage can.
It needed a lot of love, but I thought it would be great for Jemma. I have wonderful memories of playing with our dollhouse at my Grandma's and ours at home, and it was always so fun. I knew Jemma would like it. Every girl should have a dollhouse! It needed a lot of love though - sanding and painting. My youngest sister spent the weekend with me a few weekends ago, and she helped pick out the paint and we got started! We did a lot of sanding and smoothing and then all the painting started. We wanted it to be bright and cheerful. This is our finished product. I'm so happy with it, and Jemma seems to enjoy it so far! She tried to climb in, which is pretty fun. I also found a little bunny and bear family to live in it, although she still puts her big babies in it :)
It needed a lot of love, but I thought it would be great for Jemma. I have wonderful memories of playing with our dollhouse at my Grandma's and ours at home, and it was always so fun. I knew Jemma would like it. Every girl should have a dollhouse! It needed a lot of love though - sanding and painting. My youngest sister spent the weekend with me a few weekends ago, and she helped pick out the paint and we got started! We did a lot of sanding and smoothing and then all the painting started. We wanted it to be bright and cheerful. This is our finished product. I'm so happy with it, and Jemma seems to enjoy it so far! She tried to climb in, which is pretty fun. I also found a little bunny and bear family to live in it, although she still puts her big babies in it :)
Monday, May 31, 2010
The Littlest Robben :)
I'm so proud to announce Jemma has a new baby cousin! Her name is Ella Grace Robben, and she was born today weighing in at 8lbs, 4oz and 21 inches long. Mommy and baby are doing great and recooperating at Bethesda North hospital. I am so excited to have a beautiful little niece.
This is making me feel quite sentimental abour our own little bean. She has gotten so big, and is turning into such a toddler. It's so hard to believe she was so small once, too. We are so blessed to have these 2 beautiful little girls in our lives!!
This is making me feel quite sentimental abour our own little bean. She has gotten so big, and is turning into such a toddler. It's so hard to believe she was so small once, too. We are so blessed to have these 2 beautiful little girls in our lives!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
3 month hiatus...sorry :)
As you can imagine, we are quite busy with our lovely little lady. So much has happened since my last post!! We had her a simple little birthday party with just family at hour house. She had fun, but she wasn't really into the cake so much.
She is soooo close to walking, but mostly just stubbornly refuses to do it (hmm...I wonder where she gets that from). She's taking around 5-8 steps most of the time if she doesn't realize she is walking. She can walk all over holding your hand, but the second you let go, she sits down and crawls. She'll get it soon though. She loves using her push toy. Here's a picture from us walking outside with her push toy today:
She also LOVES outside. It is her new favorite thing. She loves to walk around and point to everything. We just got a zoo pass so we're looking forward to lots of fun trips this spring and summer.
I promise it won't be another 3 months before I post again, but off to get the munchkin to bed.
She is soooo close to walking, but mostly just stubbornly refuses to do it (hmm...I wonder where she gets that from). She's taking around 5-8 steps most of the time if she doesn't realize she is walking. She can walk all over holding your hand, but the second you let go, she sits down and crawls. She'll get it soon though. She loves using her push toy. Here's a picture from us walking outside with her push toy today:
She also LOVES outside. It is her new favorite thing. She loves to walk around and point to everything. We just got a zoo pass so we're looking forward to lots of fun trips this spring and summer.
I promise it won't be another 3 months before I post again, but off to get the munchkin to bed.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Our growing little girl
I was home sick with Jemma today (I am sick, not her...at least so far!) and I was reflecting on how much she has grown and how different she is. It is amazing how fast they change!! Corny, I know, but I had little else to do other than watch TV on hulu :p
For instance, we have had this little child's chair in our living room since she was about 4 or 5 months old. We originally used it like a bouncy seat, then as a feeding seat, and she had pretty much ignored it for several months until she recently decided it was perfect for climbing on! Today she climbed into it with her snack and sat there while she ate. It is amazing to think that a few short months ago we were placing her in the seat and now she gets in and out herself.
And just so you have a visual, here is Jemma at 4ish months (this was the first time she held a rattle)
And here's her today at snack time...
I can't believe our little girl is going to be 1 in less than a month!!
For instance, we have had this little child's chair in our living room since she was about 4 or 5 months old. We originally used it like a bouncy seat, then as a feeding seat, and she had pretty much ignored it for several months until she recently decided it was perfect for climbing on! Today she climbed into it with her snack and sat there while she ate. It is amazing to think that a few short months ago we were placing her in the seat and now she gets in and out herself.
And just so you have a visual, here is Jemma at 4ish months (this was the first time she held a rattle)
And here's her today at snack time...
I can't believe our little girl is going to be 1 in less than a month!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Things Jemma Says...
I was talking to my grandma the other day, and she mentioned that one of her nieces (or maybe a nephew...I don't remember) had made a list of all the things her baby was saying. I thought that was a cute idea, and thought I'd share Jemma's current vocabulary.
Uh-oh (this is what she says most)
Mama
Dada
Oof (woof)
Og (just starting to use the D)
Mow (meow)
Hi
uh-uh (usually after we tell her no...)
Wow
Look (sounds more like ook, but she gets the L sometimes)
I think that's it...I'll add more if Tom tells me I forgot something!
Uh-oh (this is what she says most)Mama
Dada
Oof (woof)
Og (just starting to use the D)
Mow (meow)
Hi
uh-uh (usually after we tell her no...)
Wow
Look (sounds more like ook, but she gets the L sometimes)
I think that's it...I'll add more if Tom tells me I forgot something!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
My first snow
Since there was such a fabulous snowfall these past few days, I had to take Jemma out for her first time playing in the snow! Much to my dismay, I realized we did not have a sled, nor a snowsuit or even baby gloves...so we made do with a laundry basket, wrapped Jemma up in several layers of clothes, her coat and her daddy's coat with socks for gloves :) Our front yard has a little hill which was just perfect for baby sled riding! She had a lot of fun and we got a good laugh.
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