wow!! 

After strep throat and a stomach virus rampage through our house, I AM BACK!
I am trying to rest today. Another day of contractions. boo! I am hoping that she holds off until after the Christmas Day Thunder game. :) I would love that!! 

T has started back to gymnastics. Although it is a huge pocket draining activity, he is rockin'! I love watching him compete. He is working very hard. I felt horrible, but knew I wouldn't make it to another meet until February. So, I am trying to make it every event I can until M gets here.

It has been hard to make the transition from having "my kids" to adding an "our kid". It will be an adjustment for us, but I feel confident that our family will be blessed by the little piece of "glue" I have in our belly. It is the one thing we all share. This sweet, probably crazy, little girl will hopefully bring H and T and t together. It is hard to have a mixed family (as many of you probably know). I just want everyone to feel loved and a part of our family.

On another note...
 I have been reading (on my new hip phone!) about cloth diapering. I am going to divide my stash of diapers and use only half at a time. I will switch out every 3 months. I am hoping that this will cut down on the washing of each diaper. I REALLY need to prewash all of my nifty button diapers. They recommend 7-8 times! I never would have guessed that. Her bedding is done. Curtains are almost done. I think I have everything I need. I think. :)

I really need to practice folding these things.  I have no idea what I am doing. Is it nerdy to have a cheat sheet hanging in the baby room??!!  ha!! I will figure it sooner or later. We will just see how messy it is! :) I am looking forward to this, which people find odd.  They act like it is the end of the world.

I have found that experiences like "green living" "breastfeeding" and "cloth diapers" are an all or nothing event for most people. That if, and when, you make a mistake or don't do something right, you have failed! Any steps toward better living (which include all of the above examples) is a success. If you let yourself make mistakes, laugh at yourself, and allow a learning curve then you will allow yourself to succeed with these types of endeavours. I have breastfed two babies and have had the worst experiences with Le Leche people. They are so over demanding and very all-or-nothing people. When you get to the end of your rope, when it seems like it's all too much; take a step back, breath, use a bottle for a feeding, rest and start again! Relax, it is a natural process and never allow someone else to degrade for trying to do something amazing for your baby. It will happen. promise. I pumped and gave it in a bottle for three months and then switched to the breast. It worked just fine. Why? Because I allowed myself to make mistakes and I allowed myself the time to make the adjustment on my own time.

I have such a soap box sometimes, eh? I will apply the same mentality to the addition of another family member. We will allow the God of our family and our creation to slowly blend our family. To hold us together and to help us when we want to quit.  In the middle of cloth diapers, cloth wipes, compost piles, breast pads and all the other crazy things I want to do - there is a peace that passes all other understanding.