The Birthday Boy

Well.

So Raymond turned two last week (Sunday, June 5th, to be exact). It was over and out a happy happy day.

We started out (early) with presents and and abundance of balloons (boon! He loves boons.) Raymond's room is right off the basement "living room" here at Jeremy's parent's house. So right as he walked out of his room he walked right into the festivities.

Raymond loves horses (horsies!), so we gave him an enormous horse coloring book (he also loves coloring), and the soccer ball on the floor. 

He also loves (LOVES) all things Sesame Street, most especially Elmo, related. So waiting for him was some Elmo juice (Elmo was on the front). Oh and he loves juice. Can you see how he's fiddling with his fingers while I open the juices for him.  What I love most about this picture, however is Ginny. She was a bit out of it still. Oh how I love that little face!

Yea. Mom got the juice open. He drank all four in about thirty minutes. You get to do those sort of things on your birthday.

My parents gave him toy dishes and food (that velcros together so you can cut it. So cool, and definitely a hit with the birthday boy).

We spent the morning before church playing with toys (bubbles also came from gma and gpa T. and were never ending fun). We had waffles (still a favorite) for breakfast.

After church we busted out the Elmo cupcakes.

Ok so they didn't turn out perfect. But not bad. The black icing was running at first (and I couldn't figure out why). The red frosting was really only dark pink. But they tasted good! And Raymond immediately knew they were Elmo.

We did blow out a #2 candle... but didn't get it on film. Sorry.

But they sure were tasty. I think he only ate one on his birthday... but all week long he ate "Elmo tate" and was happy happy boy. (Note: Raymond usually will have nothing to do with sitting in a high chair any more... but was willing to do anything we asked in order to get that Elmo cake.)

Since it was just us on his birthday (Jeremy's parents were out of town), it was pretty low key. We talked to the Torgerson crowd (my family) who were all together in Vegas for my nephew's blessing. And we drove all over Blanding to look at the horsies. Something Raymond loves to do.

We've taken quite a few family drives to look for horses in the last few weeks. We also know where to find piggies, sheep, a llama, and cows. Just in case horses aren't out and eating.

All in all, it was such a quiet, fun day. I'm pretty sure they sang to him in nursery. And we told Happy Birthday all day long.

A few fun facts about Raymond:

• He loves TV (much to my disappointment). Elmo and Mickey Mouse make him most happy. (I pick Mickey Mouse if at all possible).
• He loves all animals.
• He loves people. He is so good for other people (like in nursery and this last Sunday when we spoke in church and had him sit with the neighbors). He's as much a ham as he ever was
• He loves to talk. He will repeat (or try anyway) anything you ask him too. He seriously learns new words every day.
• He loves his numbers. He can count (mostly on his own) up to about 14 (although he things 11 is 7 and will often go back to 8 after he says 11. It's pretty cute. We've got to get it on film).
• He loves reading books still (even though that TV is so enticing). 
• He loves peanut butter, eggs (eggies), hot dogs, strawberries, raisins, and yogurt (to name a few). And any kind of "treat" he can weasel out of us. He most definitely has a sweet tooth. He's pretty brave and will try most things (and like them! Like artichokes. What two year old likes artichokes?)
• He loves to investigate "ouchies" on himself or anyone else. He'll remember where someone's ouchie is (even months later) and point and look at it as long as you'll let him.
• He loves to be outside.
• He knows how to throw a pretty good tantrum.
• He still loves his blankets (all five or so of them) and will tote them all over the house.

Oh and seriously, he's adorable. I know I'm his mom and all, but he's a cute kid.

Happy Birthday, Raymond!

Who's child is this?

Raymond is a social butterfly.

Disclaimer: he can be very slow to warm up sometimes, especially in new places or situations, right after taking a nap, or around people he doesn't know. He will be a little introvert until he's comfortable... and then watch out!

Seriously though, this boy loves to be around kids his age. We were first to arrive at play group at the park today, so we just sort of did our thing for a while. Raymond wasn't too excited about the swings, the slide, or the dandelions (which he usually loves to find and pick). It was a little windy and chilly and overall blah.

And then Micah showed up. And WOW Mr. Social Butterfly came out of his cocoon. He was talking and running and ecstatic to do any and everything the park had to offer.

And the more kids that showed up, the more animated Raymond got. No one was more excited to go down that slide, more eager to run across the grass, more ready to dig in the dirt than Raymond.

I didn't think kids this age really "got" the whole friend thing. I thought they were still pretty independent players. And maybe so, but Raymond is much happier about it all when a few little guys his age are around.

Really and truly he thrives off social interaction.

And to be honest I can't for the life of me figure out where  it came from. I was super shy as a child. Jeremy claims to have suffered from mega anxiety as a child when left to play at other kids houses. Nope, this is all 100% Raymond personality shining through. He has been this way from just about the time he could look over my shoulder and makes faces at people in church.

It makes me excited for a year from now when Ginny will be much more of a little playmate for him. I have high hopes that the two of them will love playing and being together. And maybe Ginny will meet some of his social needs... either that or I am going to have to be much more proactive about setting up play dates for the boy!

It's been a while

Since some mirror pictures have graced this space. Today definitely wasn't my best photo-shoot (although that isn't stopping me from posting the results--proceed with caution), but it does showcase a few things I love:

1.Sweet Virginia with all her four and a half month  grown-up-ness. She was desperately trying to see what was happening on the camera screen. Can you believe how big this cute girl is? She is super-dee-duper alert and active. She loves to get one-on-one attention, play with Raymond's pirate doll (as in, she adores this doll), go for walks in the increasing spring weather, and eat rice cereal (I know! I can't believe I caved and started already either. But she loves it, so I guess I'll forgive myself).

2. My Baby K'tan. I cannot sing the praises of this baby sling enough. I love, love, love it. And so does Ginny considering she likes to be totted around almost everywhere I go.  (And um, yes. She does have a mullet. I keep debating whether or not to cut it. I will also admit that her hair seems to be growing in much more red than it was at birth. Or maybe all the dark hair is just falling out and leaving the few scattered red ones to fend for themselves? Only time will tell.)

3. And we couldn't leave Raymond John out of the  mix. Only he wasn't very happy I wouldn't give him the camera. Sorry dude. (And yes, this boy's hair gets curlier and curlier. I love it with my whole heart.)

Sorry I didn't get a single good picture of either of my kiddos smiling. They do smile quite often, however. You'll just have to take my word for it.

It shouldn't be hard...

...to sit very still
And think about Jesus, his cross on the hill,
And all that he suffered and did for me;
It shouldn't be hard to sit quietly.
It shouldn't be hard even though I am small,
To think about Jesus, not hard at all.
Primary Song Book, pg 71

Key word here: shouldn't.  Oh but it is, isn't it?
 

I have a friend who has asked me a few times how we keep Raymond reverent during sacrament meeting. I'm sure every single time I look at her surprised and incredulous... because I wasn't sure there were many specific things we were doing to make it happen. And besides that, I'm not sure I think Raymond is always very reverent. He loves to make faces at anyone and everyone sitting behind us (a true little charmer), he likes to try to get to the bench behind us by any means possible, he has been known to start vocalizing his frustration when he doesn't get what he wants immediately.

But by and large, I will say Raymond is a pretty calm little fellow, particularly in public or around people he doesn't know. This means that at Church he can be much more introverted than at home, and will fairly quietly observe everyone and everything around him.

And on top of all that, he and I read books together all day every day. We spend (literally) hours and hours looking at books together. Every day. Thus, when we get to church and his church bag is full of books to look at, he knows what to do. He is very used to that sort of entertainment.

But the question from my friend prompted an in-depth conversation between Jeremy and I on our philosophies about sacrament worship with kids. And while we are not perfect, we are idealist who work hard at putting their ideals into practice. It was interesting to put to words the things we have been almost subconsciously doing with Raymond. I thought I would share what we've learned in the past (almost!) two years.

1. We believe that the goal of sacrament meeting with kids is not to simply keep the children quiet so mom and dad can get something out of the meeting. I'll say it again: the goal is not to make them quiet. The goal for us is to teach reverence. And there is no better time and place to teach than than actually during the meeting. This means we are not stressed out about no longer being able to take notes, hear the whole talk, or otherwise be spiritually uplifted. I mean obviously we want those things to be possible, but know that in the grand scheme they won't always. And that's ok.
2. We work hard to spend the meeting teaching Raymond reverence. We do that by involving him actively in what is going on. For his whole first year of life, Jeremy was in a bishopric and thus never helped with Raymond. When that ended, we shared the responsibility. Now Jeremy takes full custody of Raymond and I of Ginny. So for now, this applies mostly to Jeremy (since Ginny still likes to cry all during Sacrament meeting, I am either at the back of the chapel bouncing her in my arms or in the mother's lounge). Anyhow, Jeremy will sit Raymond on his lap and talk to him through most of the meeting. Pointing out and discussing what is going on during Sacrament, singing hymns and pointing at the words together, pointing out the bishop, and looking at books about Jesus. 
3. We are super ridiculously strict about what our kids are allowed to do during sacrament meeting. The point for us is we do not want to trap ourselves into behavior that will be inappropriate in the future. For example, he is not allowed to eat (he can drink water from his sippy cup, however). We don't do cheerios, raisins, or fruit snacks. He will not starve for an hour. This means we purposefully feed him right before we come. And before he went to nursery, he did get snacks during Sunday school and the third hour. Obviously I know that snacks work for keeping kids quiet, but there's nothing worse than watching seven, eight, twelve year olds eating their way through the meeting too. It's a bad habit we don't want to start. This goes for toys and games too.  We are even getting stricter about coloring or drawing. 
4. We provide other appropriate materials to help him get through the long meeting. For Christmas this year my mom made and assembled church bags for all the grandkids. They are FANTASTIC. She bought quite a few books at Deseret book and we have a few others we rotate into the mix. Since Raymond likes reading books (mentioned earlier), this works great for him.When he sees the bag, he knows it's time to go to church.
5. We teach as clearly as possible that being in the meeting is always better than being in the hall. Jeremy and I both work hard at making being in the meeting more "fun" than getting taken out. Obviously Ginny is too young to really learn this yet, but pretty soon, she will. We started very early with Raymond making the hall a no-good place to be. He gets held tightly in Jeremy's arms with no talking and very restricted movement. No walking in the halls. No looking at pictures. No talking to other people. While being in the meeting means he can move anywhere on our bench (we take a whole side bench). whisper with mom or dad about what's going on, look at other people, read his books. I can't even remember the last time we took Raymond out (unless it was to change his diaper). He knows he would rather be in the meeting.
6. We are diligent about getting to church early. This might seem like a bad idea since it just prolongs the whole meeting, but it actually makes reverence better. Raymond is allowed to stand on the bench and watch people come in (he loves to do this). He shakes the bishopric's hands. He can eat the piece of candy the high counselor gives him (only before the meeting starts). The prelude music really does get him in church mode. It is a calm and quiet transition for him.
7. At five after, if the speaker has not stopped speaking, we don't restrict or hold him back any more. (Well, obviously we wouldn't just let him scream or anything). But if the meeting goes long, we lighten up a little. And hope the speaker takes the hint!
8. We believe nursery is inspired. Hooray for play time after all that reverence!!

It's definitely a work in progress, with some Sundays much better than others.  We'll see how it goes as Ginny begins getting older and as more children get added to the bench. Maybe we'll learn that all are efforts really don't amount do much and it's just Raymond's personality that seems to make it more-or-less work. That and that fact that so far there are only two of them (and two of us)!!

Anyhow, what do you do to teach reverence to your little ones?

speaking of redheads

Right as I was about to start typing I was temporarily distracted by the fact that my feet are purple. Does this happen to you? I have extremely poor circulation.

Speaking of blood flow, did you know redheads are bleeders? Neither did I until Valley View Medical Center staff told me so every single time I had to have any sort of blood work done in the last two and half years.Funny thing is, at least in my case, it's true.

Redheads also (supposedly) bruise easily. Also true in my case.

Speaking of redheads, I think general we get a pretty bad wrap. You know, the whole personality-matches-the-hair bit. (I guess blondes have it worse, though. I shouldn't complain.)

Just last week I had a whole conversation with the checker at Wal-Mart about Raymond being a redhead. You know, feisty and fiery. We made small talk about his temper.

And as I walked away, I thought about how I don't agree with what I just off handedly said about my son. That he has a personality to match his hair.

Because while he can throw a pretty good tantrum when he wants to, I don't know a toddler who can't. Redhead or otherwise. I don't really think it has much to do with his hair.

But speaking of Raymond, I must say that boy really does get cuter every day. Today he got a hair in his mouth (ahem, one of my very own red hairs) and came running to me with his tongue hanging out and said (as best he could in that position), "gross!" I laughed.

He seriously says the funniest things  (or maybe they are just funny because of the way they come out of his little boy mouth.) He kept trying to say strawberry tonight.Endearing in every way.

Speaking of strawberries,  I'm pining for summer and walking weather and short sleeves. Last night the wind got up to 50 mph around these parts. I'm serious.

And for a last unrelated note, I have decided that I love to dress "Baby Birginia" in pale pink more than any other color. Even red! It suits her so well. I was sure I wasn't going to be a only-dress-my-baby-girl-in-pink kind of mom. But I purposefully do laundry to recycle my favorite pink outfits faster. Maybe it's because she isn't a redhead. (And the stereotypes continue.)

And there you have it.

Sweet Nothings

So much of each day is filled up with tiny seemingly insignificant moments that testify of the sweetness of motherhood...

Raymond wrapped his arms around my legs, then peered up and me and smiled.

Ginny, tired and hungry and distraught, instinctively nestled in to me and let out an audible sigh of contentment at what I had to offer her.

Raymond laughed hysterically each time I threw the ball up toward the skylight in our kitchen. Dressed in only his diaper, he scampered after it each time it landed, giddy with excitement for me to throw it again.

Snuggled into her baby sling across my chest, Ginny and I danced quietly around the living room.

As I rocked and nursed, Raymond settled himself onto the couch, opened the picture Book of Mormon, and--with finger pointing emphatically at each picture--jabbered aloud the story to me.  Interjected into his pretend reading were the clearly identifiable names of Nephi and Alma.

Struggling to hold her head upright, Ginny's eyes swept around the room until she saw Raymond. And then with a look of astonishment at whatever antic he was doing, she intently watched his every move for as long as she could hold her little head up.

With sippy cup of water in one hand and  favored blanket in the other, Raymond settled comfortably into my lap so that we could sing and rock before "nigh night."

After Raymond insisted "hold her!" and I propped Ginny up on his lap, she proceeded to stare intently as he  pointed to and named all of her body parts (elbow! chin! eye! knee!)

Caught in the act of a "no! no!" Raymond quickly lowered his head and then slowly swept his eyes upward through his incredibly long red eyelashes in a look of feigned innocence. It is a look he knows to be irresistible every time.

While sitting quietly on my lap, Ginny instinctively reached out and wrapped her long slender fingers around one of my own.

Such simple, sweet little events that make me glad to live with these two little people. Glad to be recognized by them. Glad to be the one they turn to for comfort. Glad to be someone they trust and love. Glad to be responsible to nurture and love them.

to clean or not to clean...

When I moved into my own apartment for the first time, I was surprised to discover how much of a clean freak I am. Every Saturday I would sweep and mop and organize. I loved keeping that apartment spic and span. And with only myself making the messes, it was pretty easy to do.

There is something so calming and peaceful and good about a clean living space.

Getting married added a new dimension to Saturday cleaning. Not that Jeremy is overly messy (although I think his mess-tolerance is much higher than mine), but two people are inevitably messier than one.

I soon discovered an interesting fact about myself: I have a much higher tolerance for my messes than for someone elses. Hmmm.

Enter toddler to the mix. Wow. I can't even clean the first mess before another one is underway. Crayons thrown around the living room. Pots and pans pulled from the cupboard and spread out on the kitchen floor. Toys dumped from their places, and books strewn about the room.

All done in one nursing session.

I don't know how he does it so fast. His latest favorite is to open the fridge (a sad day when that skill was learned) and line the ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce up on the table or throw everything he can grab into a pile in the baby swing.

Sometimes I want to pull my hair out in frustration. Because messes that big nigh unto give me anxiety.

We're working on the concept of putting away what's out before moving on to the next toy. It hasn't caught on quite yet.

But today, as I was reminding myself to breathe deep and not let it get to me, I thought about how this is life for a while. Once Raymond is old enough to be better at picking up after himself (or at least able to understand that concept), Ginny will have taken his place in mess making. And another after her. And so on. I am only at the beginning of toddler messes, I think. (I'm not sure I want to know what comes after toddler messes.)

Anyhow, it's a struggle for me. To let the cleanliness go. To be ok with cracker crumbs inevitably sprinkled all over the carpet. To not crawl after Raymond all day (everyday) putting away what he just got out and already left behind.But to be quite honest, the constant clean-up duty is exhausting sometimes. But I can't just give it up. I can't live like that. Such a conundrum.

Anyone else been able to strike a better balance with this? Thoughts?

The boy lovingly refered to as "The Man Child"

 
Well poor little Raymond certainly hasn't made the center stage on this blog for quite some time. But that doesn't mean he isn't large and in charge around here. Somehow over night he went from a baby to a toddler. That's not to say he's lost all his baby-ness. Because I'm pretty sure his cheeks are as kissable as they were on day one. But he has mastered the art of puckering up himself... which is just about as tender as it comes.

Before I lose my head, I want to record some of the latest and greatest of the Life of RayJ.

1. He (as always) loves books. We went through weeks of reading (for hours, literally) the Jazz book. Random, I know. Now we read the Fisher Price Baby magazine over and over. And flip endlessly through the pages of Gyo Fugikawa's ABC book and the Julie Andrews Songs, Poems, and Lullaby collection.

2. But actually, what we spend most of our time looking at (at Raymond's request) is the Church's spiral bound Gospel Art Book. Really, the boy knows where this book is at any given time. He can say Jesus, Moses (probably the cutest thing I've ever heard... it's more like Mooo-ses with his little lips puckered for the long ooo), and prophets (more like sa-sets). He can point out Jesus in any given picture and randomly throughout the day points at the picture of Christ on our wall saying, "Jesus" over and over. It's quite humbling, in fact, to witness his sincere and completely voluntary interest in all things "Jesus" or "prophets" related. He regularly flips through Preach My Gospel, the hymnbook, the Children's Songbook, the Gospel Principles manual, the Temples Ensign, and of course the Gospel Art Book. If I try and put any of these books out of reach, the boy knows and lets me hear it.

3. He is our little explorer. I swear he wants to get into every cupboard, nook, and cranny of this apartment. It might just be a long winter, folks. He is happiest when let out of doors for his explorations.

4. He is as social as ever. He smiles and charms anyone (particuarly in church) who looks his way. He's never happier than when he has a captive audience. With that said, he still takes a considerable amount of time to warm up to new situations and people... and will give the blank stare for quite some time before the grins come out. But once they do, watch out! He is a champion at the institute nursery--always happy and playing. But, I must admit he's a mama's boy to the tee. He won't even always let Jeremy carry him when we are out and about. He loves to be held by Mom, that's for sure.

5. If I let him, he would subsist on Marshmallow Maties alone. He stands at the pantry door banging his heart out to get them all day long. Other favorite foods (do I even admit this?) are "nanas," yogurt, (ahem) hot dogs and corn dogs, tater tots, and waffles. I do make him eat oatmeal every morning (gotta start the day healthy at least), and I squeeze some peas into his diet occasionally (the only vegetable he really likes). Healthy eating is a work in progress, right?

6. He would color (aka throw crayons and colored pencils around the house) all day long if I let him. But, sadly for him, I don't. He is slowly getting the hang of actually "coloring." Man, he loves his crayons!

7. He is a jabberer to no end. And, happily, he is finally saying more words with more clarity. The running list includes: eat, out, up, off, ball (ba), bath (ba... much like ball, but usually pretty clear when used in context), dada, mama, leche (milk), baby (baba), soft (saaaa), night night (nana), yeah, all done (a da), hot, toast (tost), bye bye (surprisingly clear!), and (as mentioned) nana, Jesus, prophet, Moses, and I'm sure there are more I can't think of... he also says quite a few animal sounds (baa baa, nay nay, hee haw, ssss (snake), mooo, roar, buzzz, meow, fish sound, oo oo ee ee aa (monkey), yippee dee (pea cock), cheep cheep (chicks), woof woof...)

8. By and large, he is a very happy boy. Despite the trantrums he likes to throw when he doesn't get his way (which seem to be diminishing as I simply ignore them and him while he bangs his head on the floor or wall), he mostly is smiley and happy. We certainly have fun together... although (of course) the most fun is had when Dad is home. Mom is much calmer with him than Dad, that's for sure! (Who else will tickle and tackle and throw balls in the air to no end?)

I certainly admit I love, love, love this stage. He is always doing something new and exciting. I love watching him make new connections and say and do new things. I love seeing the little person he is becoming. I am excited to see how he reacts and changes to a new baby sister, and I'm confident he's going to handle it beautifully.

Pictures taken by Stanford Richens last Friday. Hooray for photographers in the family!

Today I am grateful for:

1. Toys on the living room floor. Really I am. I love watching that little boy put his blocks in and out of the bag they came in. And then throwing them across the room. 
2. The fact that I only gained three pounds in the last four weeks. I was sure the amount of ice cream, brownies, and marshmallow maties I have eaten in the last week would have done more damage. Here's to a healthier week!
3. Kind words. A friend gave me a little thank you note (for nothing in particuar) on Sunday... and it's still making my day.
4. Living en route to Provo. It means we get to be a designated pitstop for family going back and forth to California. It's seriously the best.
5. Good books. I am reading The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings--a book I remember loving in my youth (but remember very little else about). The father and son have the most tender relationship. The simple beauty of their lives and their relationships is inspiring.
6. My pioneer heritage. Yesterday my dad brought me ALL of his family history stuff. I have been wanting to get my hands on it for a while--to make copies of the stories and start helping him weed through all the many (confusing) pedigree charts. I learned yesterday that Ann Roberts (my great-great-great-great grandmother had 15 children--five single births and five sets of twins (there is hope for me getting a set of twins someday!!). Her husband died when the oldest was 16 and she was three months pregnant with the last set of twins. Talk about a righteous and faithful woman.
7. The fact that Raymond's blood type is O Negative.There seems to be significant confusion about what my and Jeremy's blood types are (new tests are pending). And when you're pregnant, the Rh factor matters. But I have the feeling I should have gotten a RhoGAM shot while pregnant with Raymond, and didn't. It's just lucky that since (I think) I'm A negative and not positive, he also ended up having a negative Rh. Or it could have been fatal. Long (confusing) story. But I'm glad. What would I do without that little fellow?

And oh so much more. Life is good. I am happy.

Namesake

I love that Raymond is named after his Great Grandpa Raymond (Johan) Christiansen. I love that there is already a picture of Grandpa Raymond in his room. I hope his whole life long we (as in Jeremy, since I never met Grandpa Raymond) will tell him stories about his namesake. I hope it helps to instill a love for his ancestors--that little Raymond's heart will turn to his fathers, so to speak. And that he will have some of the characteristics that make all the Christiansen children talk fondly of their gandpa.

So as one of our Summer Break activities we planned to visit Grandpa Raymond's grave (and Grandma's, as they are side by side). Yesterday, after a very fun picnic in the park, we decided to head out to the Enoch cemetery where Grandma and Grandpa Christiansen are buried and to see a little bit of the town where they spent their whole married lives.

Unbeknownst to us, it was Grandpa's birthday. He would have been 97 yesterday. Raymond enjoyed leaving flowers. Jeremy joked about how Grandpa had hands like a compass. And Grandma loved Fiddler on the Roof just like we do.

It was a lovely afternoon.

Cloth diaper report: one year later

It was the last week in July 2009 when our first package of  (six) cloth diapers arrived and I mad-dashed to get them prewashed and on Raymond. A few weeks later we ordered twelve more and jumped in with both feet.

Since my last report I've gone from Fuzzibunz to homemade. We've battled the Yeast Monster and the dreaded Ammonia Smell. I've had my doctor fumble over the snaps (as we're his only cloth diapering patients) and gotten a few weird stares from neighbors as they look curiously at my diapers hanging on the line outside my apartment.

But all in all, I'm still on the bandwagon. Still glad we made the decision to go cloth.

It's funny to me that during probably the worst part of "how do I get this stink out of my diapers/bathroom/house" I also started cutting out some 30-40 more diapers. Still confident that I would figure it all out and that gearing up for the next sizes was the only option.

Let me remind you that I am not on a convert-the-world-to-cloth crusade. By any means. But for those of you curious about the whole program, here's my one year report:

My thoughts after a year

• At some point all cloth diapering mothers will talk/complain about the dreaded Ammonia Stink. Wow. Watch out. This has been harder to get rid of that I would have thought. Partly because everyone has a different opinion about how to do it. I think I've finally gotten rid of it (mostly) with 7 consecutive hot washes (sans detergent) to strip them clean of bacterias and residue. I've also been experimenting with Tea Tree Oil in the wash. We'll see if the TTO works in the future or if I have to do the multiwash again. Either way, from what I understand this is something I should be doing roughly once a month.
• I've also changed my diaper pail set up to help eliminate stink. We are using a regular kitchen trash can with a flip lid and a liner made from PUL fabric (the same fabric I use to make the outer shell of my diapers). When I throw the diapers in the wash, in goes the liner as well. I have also sews in a little piece of terry cloth to the liner to put some Tea Tree Oil on to help cut odors as well. The pail contains the stink pretty good when the lid is closed... but watch out if you leave it open! (But isn't that the same with disposables??). I'd also love to try this odor spray sometime.  So far this system is working. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the Little Lady's diapers as I probably will not be changing her as much in Raymond's room with easy access to that pail. I'm considering making a hanging diaper pail (much like this one) to put in my bedroom. We'll see.
• I've learned that yeast infections (or any diaper rash for that matter) and cloth diapers don't mix too well. Part of the problem is that most diaper creams you can buy at the grocery store will coat the diapers and cause repelling and staining. So you have to use liners or do disposables or use a cloth diaper friendly cream (I just bought this brand and so far am happy). The bigger problem is, however, that the yeast can continue to live in the diaper--even after it's been washed--and reinfect the baby if the diapers aren't cleaned and treated correctly. There are many suggested ways of doing this. I've even boiled the suckers. Let's all cross our fingers the yeast is officially dead (I think it is). In the meantime, I'm really happy to have a cloth-diaper friendly cream for everyday little rashes.
• While I am super glad to be making my own cloth diapers--and happy with the results (much much trimmer, much more cost effective, not too difficult, pretty cute still)--they are time consuming. It's taken me hours just to do the cutting out... let alone the sewing! But I guess I am making a lot of diapers, so that's to be expected. It sounds pretty easy to just order them though. But I'm saving hundreds of dollars by making my own, so can't complain there!
• Speaking of sewing my own, I am really happy with the pattern I bought. The diapers are probably the trimmest you can get (without doing disposables) and yet I've never had a blowout. Ever. Yes, they've leaked some when he's super wet (but that is more a problem of repelling or insert fabric choices), but no stinky diaper blow outs. The pattern designer has also been more than willing to email back and forth with me as I've worked on getting just the right fit. Seriously great customer service. The pattern is easy to read and understand and has lots of pictures. I know you can get a few free patterns online, but seriously, this one is worth every penny if you are thinking about making your own.
• I think they are much more comfortable for Raymond. While we were battling the yeast infection and in and out of disposables for about three weeks trying to get rid of it,  it seemed like the poor kid was sweating to death. Not to mention cloth are cuter. I really do think so (oh you should see the newborns I'm making. Really, they are darling).
• While I really am in this for the money saving aspects, I find that I do really feel good about the environmental benefits. I guess I'm granola that way.
• I still don't think it's that much more work to wash and fold them.My routine has changed a bit from my six month report however. Even though Raymond goes through considerably less diapers than he used to, I still like to wash every two days. Up until about a month ago this meant that every other day I threw the diapers in the wash right after putting Raymond to bed, did the cold rinse, hot wash (now using Sun Free and Clear soap, not Tide... still debating getting a cloth diaper specific brand). Then I would hang dry the diapers and throw the inserts and wipe in the dryer. While I still (mostly) follow this routine, I find I like drying the diapers in the sun because of the bacteria-killing effects, so have started washing during the day rather than at night. I'll admit, the night routine was easier. But I like the sun bleaching, so for the next few weeks I'm sticking with the day-time routine.

And there you have it. The One Year Cloth Diaper Report.

Feel free to leave a comment or even email me if you have more questions! (carlyjane35@gmail.com)

Rock a bye baby

For all of Raymond's short life, I have rocked him to sleep. Up until a month ago, this was connected with nursing him to sleep. But always in the rocker, always in a semi-dark room, and often humming.

Now that I don't nurse him before laying him down, I still swaddle him (I know, I know, he's a year already. But he likes it.) under the arms, nestle his head into the crook of my arm, sing, and rock.

On busy days I sing only one or two songs before putting him in his crib. On slow quiet days I sing four or five. Long and slow and low.

He's always been a wiggler, kicking and sitting up and readjusting himself into a more comfortable position (hence the need for swaddling), but I know he likes it as much as I do. He's funny about it too. He won't let me look at him (or he'll push my face away obstinately if I try), and he won't let me stop singing while rocking (or he'll cry or wiggle loose until I start up again).

I love this stage of rocking my baby before putting him to bed. I forget how fast it will pass. In a few months or years he will be too long, too big, too independent. I think he will always like to be tucked in tight, but I wonder for how long he will let me hold him in my arms and sing Stay Awake or My Heavenly Father Loves Me over and over and over?

Three times a day we under go this sacred little ritual--morning, afternoon, and evening.  Three calm, quiet times each day. And I am grateful that he is still a baby who lets me sing him to sleep.

The Birthday Boy

Well, it just must be your lucky week... two picture posts in a row. Granted these pictures won't be as good as the last ones, but they were taken with love for our little fellow, and that's all the counts, right?

I have a hard time believing Raymond John (RayJ, Monkey, Sunshine Boy, Bean) has been around a whole year. At the same time, I can't imagine life without him. He really is such a happy boy. Especially if he's had a good night's sleep and a nap. Especially if he's been eating watermelon. Or cake. Or strawberries. And most of all if there are lots of people around. He loves to be around people.

We started off the morning just the way any Birthday morning should be started: with presents.  Too bad the first present (a ball) was so entertaining and all-absorbing that it took some serious effort to get him to pay attention to anything else. Oh wait, until some of these other presents got themselves out of their paper. Oh yes, there has been some fun playing around here!

(Note the darling birthday hat from Aunt Tasha. Seriously so cute. And the 1 is velcroed on, and came with a 2 and 3 from coming years. Love it.)

He sure loves his new truck push toy from Grandma and Grandpa T. I wish I had gotten a picture of his face while pushing (but man, he goes fast!)... because he has the biggest grin. Every time he found it anew during the day, that grin would show up again.

Here is the new Pirate doll I made him. Arrr matey! He actually liked it enough that he dropped the ball to hold it when it was unwrapped! That's happy.

Here is the new Birthday Banner I made for the occasion. I ended up giving the last one to Paige (long story)... and am happy with the new version.

Mmmm... Banana cake.

All in all, it has been just about the most perfect day. Raymond has been happy all day. He got waffles (his favorite) for breakfast along with Strawberry Puffs (from Aunt Tasha... great idea! He's eaten half the container today!). We played all day, went to Wal-mart to spend some of the money Grandmas sent (always fun!), had cake with Nick, Jeanine, and Sadie, and ended the day at the park. Really, it couldn't have been better. Now that sweet boy is tucked in his bed dreaming away. I sure do love him.

Blanding, Birthdays, and a Baby Blessing

(All pictures taken (stolen?) from Jackie. Seriously so great.)

Did I mention we bought a minivan? Yep. We went from a (super small and squishy) hatchback to a minivan. Let me tell you, the difference it palpable. Wow. Talk about leg room. So needless to say, we were excited to try out the new (to us) van on a trip to Blanding this last weekend. And let me tell you, it was a party.

Five of the seven siblings were able to be there, which meant there was plenty of chaos to go around. Saturday's big event was a Birthday Bash for Raymond (who turns one tomorrow) 

 

and Chloe (who turned one yesterday).

Cansas made some darling Cookie Monster cupcakes

And Debbie made it a kid friendly party with some to-die-for homemade mac and cheese, corn on the cob, watermelon, and party hats for everyone. Raymond ate (devoured?) his whole cupcake minus the marshmallows.

But the real star of the weekend was this sweet fellow:

Meet Mr. Hudson Cole (it was my first time meeting him! I could have gobbled him up). He officially had his name put on the records of the church...

Jackie (Hud's mom, Jeremy's sister) sure does know how to keep her guests happy. The weather was ideal and the food table contained grilled chicken and pork kabobs, strawberries, pineapple, mangoes, grapes, veggies, shrimp, rolls, and Debbie's divine key-lime-with-mango-frosting cupcakes. Wowsa.

Since Raymond had liked his Cookie Monster cupcake so much, I decided to see if he could handle the key lime...

I think he's still trying to recover from the sugar rush (particularly since I try really hard to not give him much sugar most the time. He was in heaven.) Tomorrow's birthday agenda includes Grandma Ts famous banana cake with cream cheese frosting... I'm hoping he likes it as much as the cupcakes from last weekend!

All in all, it was a wonderful little weekend getaway. We sure do love Blanding.

That cute Raymond Boy

Well, words couldn't describe the wonderfulness of home right now. Life doesn't get much better. The wedding was beautiful and perfectn (see here, here, and here to see for yourself). The family in town has been heart-filling. The food in my mom's fridge as been tastey. Goodness, I feel spoiled.

And to add it all, I have a few good photos of Raymond to boot! Tasha did a little photoshoot of my guy (since you already know my own skills, this should make you happy)... and there were so many darling shots. Here are  a few of my favorites:

Here is the oft-seen "crying face." If you do it back to him, he realizes how silly it is and can't help but laugh. love it.

Still a very happy clapper.

I love his crooked little smiles.

Hello cheeks, please stay as long as you like. Don't you just want to kiss them?!

I had to throw this one in so you could see how cute his little outfit was. Love that little red car on the side!

Can you blame me for loving them all? All week people have been telling me that my blog pictures don't do his cuteness justice. And I know it's true. I think these do it some though. He is such a happy, smiley, sweet boy. Oh how we all love him!