Remember Me?

Hi, I'm still here. I really do want to keep up the blog so everyone can know all the exciting things happening in our lives and watch Mina grow. I think as my work schedule becomes more regular, it will be easier to find time to write. The past couple weeks have been a little crazy as we are trying to open in a week or two. I anticipate the next few weeks will be busy too. But this week has been a nice lull, the calm before the storm I guess. So what haven't I shared?
I don't think I ever mentioned anything from Mina's visit to California way back in September. Mina was the perfect present for her Great Grandma's birthday. We were able to spend a lot of time with family which was great and Mina helped her newly engaged Aunt take engagement photos and look at wedding venues. Mina was incredibly spoiled with all sorts of new toys and clothes and there was never a shortage of people to hold and play with her. She impressed everyone with her awesome crawling skills and figured out how to climb over a small ledge while we were there. Highlights from the week were swimming with Grandpa, visiting Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Center, and playing in Great Grandma and Grandpa's family room every morning (except when she toppled and bumped her head on the tile). The week ended up going by way sooner than I expected and we didn't get a chance to see everyone we wanted to. This means we will have to go out again soon and hopefully Ben can come too next time. I think the best way to share all the fun Mina had is through pictures:

Just Keep Swimming

It's 9:00 on a Thursday, Mina is sleeping, the diapers are in the laundry and I am breathing... just barely. The past month has been an ocean of never-ending waves. So many amazing things have happened but I have hardly gotten a chance to appreciate them as the next body-beating wave comes over me. Somehow we are all staying afloat. I love my job, Mina loves daycare and soon we might have some money for more than just paying the bills. But I am exhausted.
So for now you will have to excuse me for not writing much. Right now all my extra energy after work is going to my beautiful baby girl. This girl is crawling everywhere, pulling herself up and exploring so she requires a lot of energy. Yesterday, on her 8-month birthday, a tooth poked through and today there is a second one! She is growing so quickly.  I think it goes quicker when I'm not around for every
(sometimes painstaking) moment.
I am still here. We are tired, but happy. Next time I do find time to really write, I'm sure I will have much to share.

A Little Bitter but Mostly Sweet

I have started writing this post a few times now but I'm having trouble because I have to make a confession; I am back at work and I love it. I love being in a kitchen again. I love having my own identity besides "Mina's mom" and to my surprise, I don't really miss being home with my baby. I feel a little guilty about this. I thought no moms wanted to go back to work because they hated being torn away from their little ones. Why am I enjoying it?
I think for the past seven months I have been so focused on Mina that I forgot how to be myself. I knew I loved being a mom but I forgot I had other loves as well. When I am at work, I don't feel like I am losing precious time with my daughter. I am spending time on myself so that I can enjoy the hours with Mina more. I love her so much and the evenings and days off are wonderful. I don't believe everyone needs to work to enjoy time with their children but it seems like maybe I do, at least right now. My pastry career has just begun and I'm not ready to give that up yet.
I thought I was made to be stay-at-home moms. But the mental and emotional stamina required to be home with a baby all day is a bit too much for me right now. I'm still overjoyed to be a mother but having the work day away from Mina helps me be a better mother when I'm with her. Being away this past week has also exposed what an amazing Dad and husband Ben is. Her and Mina have had some great times together. Despite his full work schedule, he has managed to cart her to babysitters, wash diapers, feed her and much more. Out of the two of us, I think he would make the better stay-at-home parent. His capacity to endure mustache pulls, pinches and bites while happily holding Mina amazes me.
I'm sure it will be a struggle to find and maintain a good balance of work and family but we will try the best we can. Wanting to work doesn't make me less of a mother or mean I care any less about my baby. I won't say I have enjoyed every moment but I have been so blessed to stay home with Mina these past seven months and wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm also excited about my new job. I applaud parents who juggle work and family and those who have the taxing job of being home with the kids. We are all doing amazing things.

Embracing the Chaos

Last week, Mina and I were in CA visiting family. Lack of internet and a dying computer meant a short break from blogging but now I'm back and have a lot to talk about. Life has been a little crazy lately. I'm starting work again which means getting used to being away from Mina (spoilers: it didn't take much getting used to). We've also been traveling and taking care of things I should have done months ago. And I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Then I got frustrated I was stressed. If I'm this busy when I am at home taking care of Mina, what is going to happen when I add work on top of that?
Despite being a little jet-lagged I got myself (and my family) out of bed on Sunday and went to church. Exactly what we talked about is a little foggy but we got a little stress test where life events in the past year equal a certain amount of stress points. I think the top of the list is death of a spouse then it goes all the way down to vacations and Christmas. You write down the points as you go down the list and total them up at the end. Anyway, I went down the list and realized I was marking a lot of events for the past year. When I got to the end, my total was much higher than expected. I came to a realization: I have had a remarkably stressful year. I should be a little overwhelmed and worried. In the past 12 months, I have been pregnant, had a baby, moved, quit my job, found a new job, travelled on a plane with an infant and made changes in my diet and sleep habits several times. Maybe right now, I just need to breathe and let all that has happened sink in.
I think too often, I get so caught up in worrying about nothing and letting God take care of things that I just add more stress on top of the pile of events that I'm worrying about. But stress and worry are natural, human emotions and just a little bit can often prompt action that will make life better. Right now, I need to recognize that yes, my life is a little crazy. I do not have it all together but I don't have to. This uncertainty I'm feeling is normal. So I should breathe it in. I will learn to revel in the worries and dance through the stress because if I don't, I will be sending Mina off to college in 18 years wondering where the joyful part of motherhood went. The happy is found in the midst of the crazy when I'm trying to readjust a baby to Eastern time, when I'm wondering how I could have known to add Mina's name to a daycare waitlist before I knew she existed, when I'm desperately hoping my first paycheck comes in before I have to pay rent.

A Little Venting but a Real Problem

I am frustrated. I should be going back to work within the month so we are looking for childcare options for Mina. Turns out, the first four years can be as expensive as sending your kid to college... a moderately expensive college. I'm sure Ben and I would qualify for some sort of government assistance but I don't really want to apply as I don't think we should have to use that and it will probably take six months and a lot of headaches getting the application processed by which time one of us may have gotten a raise and we'd have to start over again.
I had a brilliant plan to deal with this problem. Ben and I could work offset shifts so we would only need daycare for 3-4 hours each day. But I was overlooking  something. I assumed that daycare centers wanted to do all they could to meet the needs of the parents. Turns out they do all they can for parents who work 9-5 monday through friday and don't go into work on federal holidays (even the small ones like Columbus Day) or in inclement weather. They also assume your kid never gets sick and if she does, you can drop everything and be there to pick her up within the hour. Wouldn't it be nice if that actually even remotely resembled how the world worked? Most daycares in our area have a rate for full-time daycare but won't take children for part day since it disrupts the schedule. I also have yet to find one that is open on Saturdays. I don't expect all daycares to cater to my family's personal needs. I did expect to find some recognized people other than businessmen might want to put children in daycare.
Instead, we may have to find a nanny. The average hourly pay for nannies in DC is $15-$18. I really want Mina to get the best care possible when I'm not around but from a practical standpoint, I cannot pay a nanny more than what I'm making in an hour. It just doesn't make sense. This leaves me with a difficult conundrum, one probably faced by many lower income moms. The question is no longer "Can I afford to stay home," but is instead, "Can I afford to go back to work?" The sad conclusion is that it is going to be really difficult to afford either. And I thought getting a job would be the hard part.
So for now we have some difficult decisions to make. If we do hire a nanny, it would only be for a few hours so we can afford it. I actually liked the idea of Mina going to daycare and being with other babies though, so I will keep looking to see if any do half-days or are open on Saturdays. It probably doesn't help that we are looking in downtown DC where everything seems to shut down on the weekends. Wish us luck.
It would be a lot easier for me to overlook this problem if it were just a difficulty for our family. I'm guessing it's a problem that faces many, especially lower income families who would struggle to afford daycare anyway and don't get such luxuries as paid sick days or vacation time they could use to take care of their kids. I'm not trying to suggest that nannies are greedy or don't deserve what they are making (well not all nannies, the one asking for $25/hour is an exception). I also don't think daycare workers make extravagant salaries. I just see a problem and maybe it's a little naive, but I think there has to be a way we can fix it. Suggestions anyone?

Bigger on the Inside (I wish)

Mina was about three months old when I finally caved. I'd rewatched "How I Met Your Mother" countless times. I even tried the Netflix original "House of Cards"which turned out to be a good choice. But by three months (nearly five months since I'd been off work), I ran out of shows. So I did something I told myself I wouldn't. I watched "Rose," episode one of the new "Doctor Who." It was okay but I wasn't sure I understood the obsession with this show. So I watched episode 2 and then 3. And then the binge-watching began. Season 2 started getting really good. Somehow, a month or so later, I ran out of episodes to watch on Netflix (6 series of episodes) so I re-watched them all with Ben and got him hooked too. While watching, I noticed something. Mina was mesmerized by the opening sequence of the TARDIS flying through space. I had seen a TARDIS-themed cloth diaper made by Seams Geeky (if you are into anything geekery do NOT check this out - I am warning you). Unfortunately we didn't have diaper money, and her dipes are super hard to get. But then I saw a galaxy print PUL for sale from Diaper Sewing supplies and found a TARDIS patch on Etsy from PrincessHeirlooms and this is what happened.

Time and Relative Dimension in Space: T.A.R.D.I.S.

It is definitely not perfect but it is really cute and is pretty effective at holding in poop and pee which is more than I can say for my last attempt at a pocket diaper (cute but leaks). I also used buttonhole elastic so it can be sized to grow with Mina but doesn't have a bunch of ugly snaps in the front. Using this elastic in both the legs and the waist makes for a really perfect fit. I'm really happy I made this even though it probably wasn't the most cost/time effective way to get a TARDIS diaper. Next project is making a blue tutu which should be much easier and cheaper.

Feeding the Family

I could write a meaningful, reflective piece about how sad it is to put away Mina's 3-6 month clothes or about balancing my career goals with being a mom as I search for a job OR I could write about my delicious dinner last night. Dinner it is.
Last night Ben was home and I had a dilemma - I had no plans for dinner. I had some sweet potato tots in the freezer I could use as a side but nothing for the main course and I didn't want to go to the store. I decided to go with an old standby, black bean burgers. I love these because I almost always have a can of beans on hand (you can use pinto or even chickpeas) and the rest of the ingredients can be adjusted based on your tastes and what you happen to have in the fridge or pantry. Also, they are really quick and easy to make.
To begin, I made hamburger buns. You can use any bread you have on hand, but we didn't have much left so I wanted to make buns. I had very little time as I started thinking about dinner around 5:00. Luckily, an internet search yielded this tutorial from Taste of Home for quick hamburger buns. From the point of view of a pastry chef, it makes an extra-yeasty and not very flavorful bun, but as a mom who wants to get dinner on the table in an hour, it is a lifesaver and pretty tasty too.
Now for the burgers. I always start with a can of beans (any kind), an egg, bread crumbs, and salt/pepper. Everything else can be adjusted based on what is available. I don't usually measure my ingredients either. This is a rough recipe but make yours to taste. I also will use different seasonings based on the beans; I use - curry and paprika with chickpeas, for example.

Black Bean Burgers
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 egg
bread crumbs (2-4 Tbsp)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion (optional but good)
Salt (approx 1 tsp)
Pepper (1/2 tsp)
Cayenne (1/8 tsp)
Chili Powder (1/2 tsp)

- Reserve 1/4 of the black beans and set aside. Place the remaining black beans in a food processor along with the onion and egg. Process until smooth.
- Add bread crumbs and process until you get a mold-able consistency (runnier than cookie dough but thicker than muffin batter, you just need to be able to form it into a patty)
- Season to taste.
- Stir in the remaining whole black beans.
- Heat up a skillet over medium heat and add oil to coat the bottom.
- form patties and cook in skillet, 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned

We topped our burgers with pepper cheese and sweet sauteed peppers. A winning combination with chickpea burgers is goat cheese, caramelized onions and a blueberry balsamic glaze. This is an easy dinner that anyone can do with whatever ingredients are on hand. So it is great for people like me who are terrible at planning out meals at the beginning of the week (I envy my mom's skill at this). It is hard to share recipes since I don't really measure things out but I hope this makes sense. Just keep tasting and you will reach something delicious. Enjoy!

Yum!

Feeding the Beast

August is National Breastfeeding Month. Today, August 15, is supposed to be a public breastfeeding day. I may or may not breastfeed in public depending on whether or not we go out for a few hours and whether Mina gets hungry, since it is really all about feeding your baby. I did think this would be a good opportunity to share a bit about Mina's feeding journey.
A few weeks ago at Disney World, I realized how far we had come. I was really nervous about having to take time out and find a place to feed Mina several times since we'd be gone all day. In the end, it was so credibly easy and comfortable. But let's start at the beginning.
Shortly after Mina was born, she needed to eat. It amazed me that she knew exactly what to do right away even though I really had no clue what I was doing. I thought feeding Mina would be so easy. I wasn't exactly prepared for the next few weeks. I definitely didn't think it would be nearly impossible to wake her up to feed her but she was (and still is) a very sound sleeper. The next surprise came on Mina's third day of life when I had to go to urgent care for an epidural complication. Due to me being unable to sit up and receiving morphine, Mina had formula that whole day. I panicked that my milk was never going to come in and Mina wasn't getting enough nutrition because of all the things I'd read about formula destroying breastfeeding. Guess what? Mina didn't grow any extra limbs and my milk still came in that same evening and everyone was happy.
The next several weeks were a bit rough. We didn't experience any major problems, but it is strange being someone else's food source. I went from feeling like a vending machine to viewing Mina as a tiny vampire sucking the life out of me (I guess her name is from Dracula). I had to remove onions from my diet and experimented taking out dairy, soy and eggs but decided it wasn't worth it. I ended up being so grateful for the free bottles of formula the hospital gave us. Other than that day in urgent care, I think I only used three or four of them but they were at the most crucial moments. The night I found out I shouldn't eat onions, Mina couldn't keep any of my milk down. It was the only way she could get eat. At other points, I was ready to give up on breastfeeding and even being a mother. It was such a blessing that Ben could take the baby and a bottle and help out until I could get my crazy post-baby emotions in check. By month three, everything had gotten so much easier. My body figured out how much milk Mina needed and when and I (sort of) determined the difference between hungry and other cries.
The only remaining struggle was breastfeeding while we were out of the house. I tried blankets, but Mina would just kick and pull them off. They were also keeping her way to warm in the summer months in DC. Then I discovered how to use clothes to my advantage. I have several lightweight scarves that I can easily add to an outfit. They keep me covered without making me or Mina hotter. Another winning outfit combo was a stretchy tank top underneath that can be pulled down while the top shirt is pulled up. I found when I used my outfits like this, hardly anyone even noticed, I was feeding Mina (I confused a waitress once when the baby just disappeared). More importantly, both Mina and I were comfortable. I hear a lot of stories of women being asked to leave places because they are breastfeeding, but this has not been my experience. I have fed Mina in museums, on a plane, at Disney World, in front of the US capitol, in restaurants and many other places.
Although difficult at first, feeding my baby has become second nature over the past six months. I don't know what we will do when I go back to work as pumping may not be feasible in a restaurant setting, but we can figure that out when we get there. Mina is now eating oatmeal, fruits and veggies as well and she is loving them. I guess Mina has not been exclusively breastfed since birth but she has been loved, she has been fed, and she has been happy. I support feeding your baby whenever, wherever and however, you need to. This is the story of how things have gone for Mina and I but I'm sure it is different for everyone. I hope this can encourage others to do what is best for them.

Never Let Go

I love watching Mina grow. The past few months her grasping motion has improved so much. It is fun to watch her intentionally grab her toys and move them closer to her, usually to her mouth. It is not fun when she practices grabbing my hair, even less fun when she goes for the neck and least fun when she decides my eyes look fun to grab. I put up with a lot of this abuse, but everyone has a breaking point. When Ben is home, he helps me unclench Mina's fingers from my skin. When it is just me, I repeat "No" and "ow" in the hope that Mina might realize that she is hurting Mommy. It hasn't worked yet.
These are not little love pinches either. Mina has nails and she knows how to use them. Sometimes I think her hands have turned into claws. When Mina grabs hold, she holds on tight and she is never letting go. The funny thing is, neither am I. If I am carrying my baby upstairs to change her diaper and she clenches the skin on my neck between her fingers, I will not drop her. I may want to drop her (just a natural reaction to pain, I would never dream of intentionally hurting my baby), but I hold on, because I love her.
Over the past few weeks this endless pinching has been a huge source of frustration. But yesterday in church, we sang "You Never Let Go" and I was left with a beautiful picture. A picture of God not only as Father but as Mother too. Holding on, never letting go of us no matter how often we pinch, kick, bite, scream or grab. We, unlike baby Mina, know what we are doing, it is intentional. Yet God, the best mother, still loves us, still holds us and never dreams of letting go.
I confess I don't think I have that kind of love. When Mina pinches me, I get frustrated and a little angry, even though I know she isn't trying to hurt me. But it is reassuring to know that I am loved so intensely. That ultimate example of motherly love gives me the strength to keep mothering on, even when it hurts. Besides, Mina has an adorable, heart-melting smile. It is impossible to stay upset with her for long.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff

Today is Mina's half birthday! I know I still have a long way to go as far as raising a daughter, but it seems like a big milestone. On February 9, six months seemed so far away. There were days (and nights) I thought we would never make it. Other times, I felt Mina was getting so big so fast. It's funny how time works like that, always playing tricks on us. I am going to review some of the high and low points, the hours when time stood still and the moments that so quickly slipped away.
I can't describe the feeling when my baby girl was placed in my arms for the first time. It was a sort of euphoric disbelief. I was truly in awe. The next 24 hours would bring more of that feeling but also plenty of pain and frustration. These past six months have been a balance of all these emotions as I watch Mina grow.
During her second and third months, I spent my last hours of the evening with a fussy baby thinking Ben would never come home. During the same period, she began rewarding me with smiles when I came to get her up in the morning. Those smiles were so much better than my morning cup of coffee at waking me up and preparing me to face the day.
I really try to cherish every moment with my beautiful girl, but Mina's fourth month dragged on forever. One day, she stopped napping in the afternoon. I thought she would never nap again. It was just two or three weeks but it felt longer than the previous three months of Mina's life.
Each new week over the past six months has brought new challenges and new joys. Some of those firsts (smiling, laughing, eating solids) I would love to relive again. Other moments, I could have happily gone without. But life has to be lived. I don't get to manipulate time and see what Mina will be like in another six months. I just get to be with her right now and right now she is a beautiful, happy baby girl and I could not love her more.

Wilhelmina at 6 months

A Fluffy Vacation

With some trepidation, we decided to attempt cloth diapering away from home on our Florida vacation this week. I looked up everything I could about successfully using cloth diapers on vacation and gave it a go. Here are some steps I found to making it work.
1. It is important to remember you do not want dirty diapers sitting in the diaper pail waiting to be washed for a week while you are gone. Gathering tips from other blogs, I decided to put Mina to bed in disposables so I could quickly wash the last load of diapers before we left. Since we were leaving the house at 4:30 am and it was already midnight when the wash was done, I took a nap while the diapers were in the dryer then got up to finish packing them. I used disposables until we got through airport security.
2. I didn't have room to pack all of Mina's diapers but needed most of them so I wouldn't have to wash every day. I ended up bringing about 15 prefolds with 7 covers, 3 pockets with 6 inserts, one fitted and a wool cover. This was enough to allow me to wash every other day, I also brought several wipes, fleece liners, a wetbag and my pail liner which works as a stand-alone wetbag.
3. When we got to Ben's parents house, I turned a short bookshelf into a changing station by placing a folded towel on top and rolling the side in to help keep Mina from rolling off. I arranged the various diapers on the top shelf. Instant changing table!
4. We thought cloth diapering on our trip would be manageable since we had easy access to a washer and dryer. I brought a sample pack of Ecosprout soap (very happy with it) as well as some soap nuts which are what we usually use. I missed having my clothesline but doing laundry every other day actually wasn't too inconvenient. I tried to plan the vacation so Mina would have "recovery days" in between our adventures so this made it easy to do laundry while she was relaxing.
5. Show off that cute fluffy bum. Mina wore a lot of adorable dresses this trip and it is always fun to talk about her diapers, especially if I made them.

Did I mention we got an adorable My Swim Baby swim diaper and matching rash guard and sun hat in Wilma the Whale?

Mina Travels

Early Wednesday morning, the Schwanda family left for Florida to visit family and friends. I was a little nervous about travelling with a five-month old, so nervous that I actually packed early. I am normally a last-minute packing professional, but this time I started lining up outfits and toys three days in advance. This way I could constantly add things as I thought of what we needed. While taking care of a baby, it is much easier to pack a little at a time since I have to be ready in case Mina wakes up early from a nap or spits up all over her play yard. While  packing, I was also combatting the beginning of a heat wave in DC. It was in the upper 90s outside and we don't have AC. So upstairs, where all the clothes I needed to pack were, was quite toasty. This also made packing all at once a challenge. Little by little the bags were packed and I reviewed lists in my head several times to make sure I had everything. So far I haven't thought of anything I forgot which may be a record. With the packing complete, the next challenge was the plane trip.
The flight from DC to Florida is a pleasant two hours, a perfect length for a baby's first flight. Unfortunately, our flight departed at 7am. We planned to leave the house no later than 4:45 so we could catch the 5:15 train from the metro where are car is parked (parking in the multi-day spots at metro costs $5 for the entire trip, much better than airport parking). I was hoping we could get Mina changed and dressed quickly and she would fall back asleep in the car and continue to sleep until we got on the plane since she doesn't normally get up until 9:30. But getting up early was too exciting for her and we had no such luck. Ben took her through the airport in the carrier and she was almost asleep when we reached the front of security and had to remove her from the carrier. So I ended up feeding her while we waited at the gate instead of on the plane as I had planned. They started boarding sooner than expected and we didn't get to board early as a family with a small child since I wanted to make sure Mina had a fresh diaper before she got on the plane. But we still got to board and we had a row of two seats to ourselves.
Mina seemed really excited and tried to fight sleep but shortly after take-off, sleep won over both baby and daddy. I even heard the stewardesses talking about how sweet she was. She slept almost until our descent into Orlando. She started talking then, but was still content and happy. It was a great plane trip.

All tuckered out

Now that we are here, Mina is loving all the attention from her Grandma and Grandpa, Aunts and Uncles. My back and arms are loving not having to hold her very often. Later this week, I will try to update you on how we are using her cloth diapers away from home but we will be busy. We have a wedding to go to, Disney World, the beach... all sorts of fun things.

Cleaning Day!

I am trying to clean the house really well before we leave for Florida next week. We have friends visiting shortly after we get back and I would rather fruit flies didn't set up camp while we are away. Today, I started with the bathroom.
Cloth diapering Mina has led me to look at other ways I can easily be more eco-friendly and save money. Surprisingly, these two things often go together which is awesome! I now do almost all my cleaning with just vinegar and baking soda. I made an all-purpose cleaner that is one part vinegar to three parts water. I added a few drops of lavender oil to combat the vinegar smell. It works great on floors, counter, sinks and even mirrors. Since I added the lavender, it makes the bathroom smell lovely too. to clean the toilet, I sprinkle baking soda around the bowl, then pour some vinegar into the water. I let that sit while I do some other cleaning then it is easy scrubbing with the toilet brush. For the tub, I sprinkle baking soda all around and then scrub with a vinegar-soaked rag. It takes a little more elbow grease then a bleach-based cleaner but it gets the tub shiny, white and beautiful. The best part is I don't have to worry what chemicals I might be mixing together or inhaling. This is a lot more important to me now with a baby around as she is more sensitive than me.
This way of cleaning is also much nicer on my wallet. Baking soda and white vinegar are super cheap. My one-gallon jug of vinegar cost around $2.00. I don't think I could get any other cleaner for that price. I still keep one disinfecting spray and bleach on hand for the really germ-y things (raw meat, mold, etc.) but vinegar easily handles most jobs. I think vinegar is actually a disinfectant too but it doesn't kill everything and needs to be fairly concentrated. I figured it was easier to have another cleaner just for occasional use than worry about whether things were actually getting clean.
Now that my bathroom is looking lovely, I can move onto bigger and better things - the kitchen! Maybe I will finally get rid of these crazy fruit flies. I've already taken some steps like dumping the compost out after every meal, taking the trash out daily, and generally keeping things clean. I just don't want to leave for over a week if there are any still in the kitchen.

Another Month...

Yesterday marked Mina's 5-month birthday, and what a month it has been. At the beginning of month five, Mina got round two of vaccinations (not fun) and then had a visit from Grandma and Grandpa (very fun). She celebrated her first 4th of July this month (and Canada Day) and helped Daddy celebrate his first Father's Day. It has been a month of many firsts, in fact. Here are some of Mina's new favorite activities.

• Sitting in her high chair and eating solid food! She just has a small portion each day and her favorite so far seems to be Spinach and Rutababga (Surprise)
• Rolling off the activity mat and onto the carpet as soon as our backs are turned (Don't blink, don't even blink!)
• Pulling on Mommy's hair and Daddy's mustache
• "Reading" soft books
• Chewing and/or sucking on everything, especially sunglasses and magazines
• Trying to use Daddy's computer
• Sitting up without help for a couple seconds then diving to the side or front
• Laughing for no reason

It is so exciting to see how much Mina grows in just a month. It is another exciting month ahead, too. A week from now, Mina will experience her first plane trip. While we are in Florida Mina will go to a wedding, Disney World, and the beach. She will also meet a lot of new people. I hope it all goes well. I really like Mina at five months. She is unbelievably cute, so much fun and not quite as dependent on me as she started out. 

Smaller on the Inside

For the most part, I love the little rowhouse we are renting. We have two bedrooms, a small office/closet and a basement. On the first floor we have a nice-size living and dining room. Then there is the kitchen. It is about the size of a small hallway, countertops included. The counter on the left side is about half the width of a normal counter top and underneath the cabinets. It also has no electrical outlets so it is really only useful for housing the spice rack and occasionally some dirty dishes. The counter on the right is a normal width but half of its length is taken up by the sink which is usually full with dishes since we have no dishwasher. Of the remaining half of that counter, two-thirds is occupied by the dish drying rack which is almost always full. If I push the drying rack partway over the sink, I have just enough room to fit my Kitchenaid mixer.
This weekend I made a lemon cheesecake for a party and decided to put candied lemon peel on top. I also made blueberry basil lemonade inspired by Sweetgreen. All this in a miniature kitchen was a recipe for disaster, especially when persistent fruit flies decided to join the party. But somehow, bothe the lemonade and cheesecake turned out great and there were no casualties. I did have to use the overflow space of my dining room table to juice lemons and roll out cheesecake crust. I also had to put the candied lemons in front of the fan all day since the humidity inside was killing them (old house = no ac). The biggest secret to making a small space work is staying on top of the dishes. It would be really easy to just keep piling dishes in the sink and go on baking and try to deal with the dishes later. But that usually results in an unusable sink and dirty dishes taking up chunks of that precious counter space. I also try to clear away anything I'm not working on at the moment. It either goes in the fridge or on the dining table. I've had a tiny kitchen for so long now, I'm kind of used to it.
I still dream of having a big kitchen. If I could, I would just turn our dining room into a kitchen expansion. This dream kitchen has a marble island for rolling doughs and a butcher-block counter I can chop directly on. It has a five-burner gas stove and an electric oven. If I'm really luck it also has a separate brick oven for pizza and bread but I try not to get carried away. A dishwasher (other than myself) would be nice, too. My last kitchen was the size of a closet, this one's a hallway. Maybe next time I'll get lucky and have something kitchen-sized. A girl can dream, right? I have now realized that the kitchen is probably the most important room in the house to me so next time we look for a place to live, that will be priority number one. Air Conditioning would be nice too.

Just so we end on a happy note, here are some things I love about our house: cute, brick, nice front porch and back deck, sizable yard for the city, lots of storage space in the basement, really nice neighbors, radiators are more efficient and less expensive for heating in winter.

Progress in Washington... It's not what you think

It has been a week of big decisions here in DC but the most important one was made yesterday. About eight blocks North of the Supreme Court, in a parking lot, under a grocery store, one man decided to do whatever he possibly could to get my car running, and I am so thankful.
Let's back up to last week when I left my car lights on... oops. When I went to move the car for street sweeping, nothing happened. My car was completely dead. We tried jumping it a couple days later but still no success. Finally, we had it towed to an auto repair shop. They jumped it there and somehow got it running. Ben wanted to make sure it ran for a little while to get the battery charged up so he waited in the car outside while I got Mina dressed and ready for a quick trip to the store.
It was not quick at all. After getting our groceries, we returned to the car and it wouldn't start. We asked several people if they had jumper cables with no success so Ben and Mina went on a walk down to Autozone to buy some. While they were gone I found someone who did have cables. He came over to help, but despite several tries, we could not get the car started. I explained my husband was walking to autozone and could get a new battery so this kind stranger offered to take the old battery out and leave me with tools to put the new one in. I was so grateful. Unfortunately, I didn't call Ben in time to let him know that cables did not help.
When Ben and Mina came back with just the jumper cables, this man drove Ben back to Autozone so he could get a new battery, brought him back, and helped put the new one in. After all that, the car finally worked!
I do not know what we would have done without the kindness of this complete stranger. As we were leaving, he casually mentioned that he was a Christian and he just wanted to share God's love. Wow. What an inspiration. I feel good if I help someone by picking up something they dropped. This stranger spent over an hour at the end of his workday helping two people get their car working again. It is so encouraging to see someone actually sharing Christ's love, when just blocks away others are protesting in His name.
When it comes to truly changing lives, it is these small decisions that really matter - the decisions made by those around us and the decisions we make towards others. Laws will change but God's love is constant. It is love that really determines the course of our lives. I know from experience that major decisions are made in DC each day. They just aren't the ones most people are thinking of.

Good Morning

The car isn't working so we can't make it to church today. Instead, it is the usual morning routine for me. I get up, usually take a shower or have breakfast then get Mina up and feed her. Then Mina gets to hang out in our bed with her Daddy while I get some time to myself. This time usually involves coffee and either washing dishes or doing laundry (the water in our house makes it impossible to do both at the same time). After those chores are out of the way, I usually have about 20 minutes before Mina and Ben come downstairs all to myself. I check my email, facebook, read articles and sometimes write, which is what I'm doing today.
I was thinking about writing about going back to work and some frustrations with working in restaurants but figured I could come up with something more uplifting for the first thing in the morning. So let's revisit the second part of my morning routine - the part where I get Mina up. Sometimes I walk into her room and she is still sleeping peacefully so I give her a few more minutes while I get some time to myself. Other mornings, she is just waking up as I walk in. I say "Good Morning" and I get a beautiful smile. It is the best way to start the day - almost don't need my cup of coffee (almost). But it is a great reminder each day to appreciate the little things and all of Mina's sweet smiles. I try to remember those smiles around 9:00 each night when Mina is tired and cranky but fighting sleep as hard as she can.
I will admit I'm not very good at it. I often go to bed exhausted and wondering how I manage to spend all day taking care of someone so needy. But then the morning comes and Mina's smiles manage to get us through another day. A day during which I will wonder how something could be so precious and wonderful and also question how this little monster managed to steal all my time away from me. Those sweet morning smiles are a reminder that Mina is actually a blessing, not a monster. No matter how much she cries for bo reason, pinches my neck, or pulls on my hair, love will always win out. My love for my baby girl defies all logic. It isn't perfect. I am often frustrated and upset and I don't expect that will ever go away, but still love endures just like her smiles.

A Day in the Life

Today was the first day of summer and the last day of Grandma's visit to DC so it was a very exciting day in the life of little Wilhelmina. After an exhausting day of shopping yesterday, Mina slept in this morning. Hooray! After getting up, she had her usual "Daddy time." We played a bit and then it was time for lunch. Mina got to sit up in her new high chair and get some tastes of solid food (we are just giving her a small portion around lunch to start). Today we went with a storebought concoction of butternut squash, carrots, apples and prunes from Ella's Kitchen. Mina loved it. I loved that it only contained the fruits/veggies and just a little bit of lemon juice and comes in an easy-to-use squeeze pouch.

Hmm... butternut notes... with a hint of apple...

This stuff is DELICIOUS!

After lunch we went out to Eastern market to do some shopping for Mina. She got some new books and an adorable 4th of July outfit from Grandma. Mina is considering buying some movie-star style shades as she can't go anywhere without being stopped and told how cute she is. 

When we returned home, Mina had an evening swim in her whale-of-a-tub. She got to try out her new "Wilma the Whale" swim diaper and hat - so cute. She loved splashing in the water and playing with her dinosaur bath toys.

This is the life

Our first day of summer ended up being a little too exciting so Mina is now enjoying a pre-bedtime nap.  But it looks like it is going to be a great summer!

Time for Real Food

Most pediatricians and the AAP agree solid foods can be started between 4-6 months. Before Mina arrived, I read many articles on the nutritional benefits of breastmilk and how exclusively breastfeeding should be done for six months or even longer. I decided not to start our baby on solids until at least six months since that would clearly be better for her. Then Mina actually arrived. Even without any major difficulties, breastfeeding is hard work. I read babies need to eat less often as they grow older and was really looking forward to that. But since cutting out Mina's middle of the night feeding around eight weeks, she hasn't slowed down. Lately, she has been wanting to eat even more often. She also acts hungry whenever we eat, regardless of when she was last fed and watches us like a hawk. When we went to her 4-month check-up and her pediatrician gave the go-ahead for solid food, I was so ready.

We decided to start with fruits and veggies rather than rice cereal or oatmeal. First food: avocados. I blended them with a little milk, then froze small portions in an ice cube tray. Mina gets one small portion per day. As of day three, it seems like she still isn't really sure what to do with the avocado but she is swallowing more than she is spitting out. It is an exciting time in Mina world. 

Oh How She Grows

Yesterday, marked Mina's four month birthday. I have put together a series of collages from each month of Mina's life so we could see how much she has grown together.

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

She started out spending most of her time asleep or eating. Now my baby girl like rolling herself from her back to her tummy and trying to scooch herself around the playmat. This usually ends in frustration as she isn't very good at turning herself back over. She is much better at sitting up and loves bouncing. A little tooth is poking its way up. She is all smiles and is laughing more each week.

Ch-Ch-Cha-Changes

You may have noticed the blog has a new look... I was sick of the blocks. I want to update it and make it more personal to me and my family so it is going to get a new name too. I never liked "Becoming a Mom" to begin with, but I had to have a name in order to start posting. I have finally decided it is time to change it. I wanted to reflect the balance I am trying to find between my career in pastry and my love of being a mom. Lately, the mom part has been winning out but it is slowly shifting. So I came up with a few ideas and have decided to put it to you guys in the form of a poll. Some things are more comical than serious, but I like giving a few laughs too. So please help me come up with a new name. Participate in the poll to the right or suggest your own ideas in the comments. Thanks!

When I spend hours making a dessert tray of macaroons and chocolate-dipped fruit for a party, it might be time to go back to work.

When the World Stopped Turning

Less than a month ago, I posted something about how I couldn't believe Mina was already three months old and how she was growing up so fast. Well, time played a cruel trick on me. She should have reached 4 months about a year ago. Technically, this month has actually been longer than two of her previous months (30 days past September.... I can never remember the rest but think April has 30 and February has 28). We are still 8 days away from the 4 month mark and I am going a little crazy. Maybe this is the universe telling me it is time to go back to work.
I'm guessing part of the reason this month has gone on for so long is Mina's decision not to take naps. I wish she would talk to her mom before making these big life changes, but we're working on that. Anyway, it seems (fingers crossed) the naps are back! The downside is that she only naps in her crib which is upstairs and it is a sauna up there during the day since we don't have ac. I feel a little bad for her but she is sleeping happily which is better than downstairs, unhappy and not sleeping.
Today I have no great pieces of advice to offer, no newfound wisdom, not even any cute pictures of Mina. I am just tired and so relieved Mina is sleeping. Once I get caught up on dishes, laundry and yardwork (if it ever cools down), I might be able to do some fun projects again... or maybe I will just find myself a good book. If I'm really ambitious I might even finish Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii but that is a massive undertaking (me + video games = comically inept). For now, you can find me sitting in front of the fan debating whether to tackle dishes or laundry first... it's a big decision and the fan feels so nice. Though getting stuff done might actually help this month go by faster so... dishes here I come!

Being Crafty

Last week, a made a blanket for a baby shower gift. I got this really cute dinosaur fabric and didn't want the extra to go to waste so I thought I would make a matching bib or two. Mina taught me that you can never have enough bibs. The bibs turned out to be a real hit and they are so easy to make. Today, I made one for Mina and took some pictures so I could share the process with you. This is the perfect project since I can finish it in less than 30 minutes while Mina is napping.
To start, I had to make a pattern. I found a bib I liked (a nice big one) and traced it then added 3/8" around the edge for a seam allowance.
Next I had to choose fabric (two types). I used a cute sock monkey flannel for the top. The bottom is the outdoor nylon (think parachute) that I used for the bottom of the dinosaur blanket. This is fairly waterproof but still thin and flexible - perfect for a bib. Last week, I used PUL (diaper cover fabric) as the bottom layer, making the bib super-waterproof. If I'm making a bib, I am going to make it waterproof... it just makes sense.

fabrics and pattern

After that, place the two fabrics with wrong sides together and pin the pattern on. Cut out the bib, following the pattern. Then turn the fabric so the right sides are facing each other and pin along the edges.

Sew around bib 3/8" from the edge, leaving a couple inches open at the bottom to turn the bib out. When you are done sewing, cut off extra threads (cutting notches in the fabric along the collar portion makes a cleaner finished product but is not necessary). Turn the bib right-side out through the opening at the bottom. 

Right side out

Now you will need to cut some velcro and pin it to the bib where it closes. Be sure the soft loop piece of velcro is on the underside of the bib and the scratchy hook part is on top (bottom part of bib, top side). Pin in place. Then topstitch around the entire bib about 1/4" in from the edge, tucking the unsewn ends at the bottom under so they get sewn closed. 

Finally sew on the velcro. I usually sew it on as I'm doing the stitched border then just return to sew across the remaining open edge. 

I've found that even if my sewing isn't great, topstitching helps create a neat, finished product.

Last step: take pictures!

Matching monkeys

Because one sock monkey is never enough

This project brought to you by sleep, it's a beautiful thing. Sleep is brought to Mina by hats. She hates them, but they seem to make for long naps... no idea why, but if she's sleeping I won't question it too much.

Confessions

I haven't written a new post in a week. It's not that I'm lazy but I'm not super-busy either. I actually can type with a baby in one arm so Mina is not an excuse. It's just that I haven't had any exciting, cute, or happy Mina stories to share. This past week has been frustrating. My darling little girl has decided she only wants to nap for 20 minutes at a time, if ever. And if she does happen to fall asleep for five minutes, she wants to eat when she wakes up... even though I just fed her. So this past week has been me feeding Mina then desperately trying to wash a couple bowls and some plates while she naps, then feeding her again. And this cycle just repeats with some diaper changes, a bath and playtime thrown in. The plus side is that she is going to bed a little earlier and still sleeping to the same time in the morning... she gets about 10-11 hours a night. So I know I can't complain. But when I stopped getting those glorious two or three hours in the afternoon, it was like my world turned upside-down. I hear kids have a way of doing that to you.
I think Mina and I are finally working out our differences and have settled on some sort of schedule where I'm not feeding her every hour. But it was really painful getting here. It took some crying (I won't say from who) and a LOT of frustration... and some more crying. At first, I tried to get Mina back on her usual routine but quickly realized that just tired both of us out. So we adjusted. I hope I haven't lost my "me" time in the afternoons forever but right now the whole family is happier if we keep Mina entertained, encourage her to sleep in the afternoon, but don't force it if she doesn't want to. Right now I am amazed because she fell asleep while we were walking back from the store and is still out. It has been at least 40 minutes. Woohoo!
I thought getting past the 3-month mark was a huge hurdle and it would get easier from there on out. I guess I was wrong. Will it ever get easier? Probably not. My parents are still taking care of and worrying about me. I'm guessing, like most things in life, it ebbs and flows. Some days will be nothing but smiles followed by a week of crying. I would say to just roll with it, but I tried that. And every time I told myself it would get better, I just felt worse. So don't roll with it. Allow yourself a mini pity-party if necessary, then get help. Having Ben home the past couple of days has been amazing! I didn't have to change every diaper and if Mina refused to be set down, there was someone else to hold her. At the risk of sounding uber-cliche, I am going to propose that it not only takes a village to raise a child but it takes a village to raise a mother as well. Just over three months in to motherhood and I can already see how the support of my friends and family and especially my wonderful husband has kept me grounded and made me a better mom.

This 20-minute nap was great while it lasted

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone have advice for getting rid of a mouse family that has taken residence in your home? Baby mouse was cute but papa mouse is a giant and they have not made this week any easier.

Mina's Favorite Things!!!! months 0-3

Mina is 3 months old today! I cannot believe it has already been three months since I first met my beautiful baby girl. Instead of doing the reflective-style post I did for her two-month birthday, I am going to share some of Mina's (and mommy's) favorite things from her first few months. There is also a chance to win a prize so keep reading.

6. Activity Gym - this is becoming more exciting by the day. It started as just a mat to lay on but then Mina became interested in all the fun hanging things that rattled and the bright colors. Now she loves the mirror. Every day is a new adventure.

5. Bibs - You may notice in pictures Mina is either naked or wearing a bib. If she isn't, we probably just took the bib off for the picture. Our lovely baby spits up... a lot. When she isn't spitting up, she is drooling. This makes waterproof bibs especially helpful. We have about 20 bibs so I don't have to change her outfit three times a day and do even more laundry.

4.  This Owl - Just a few weeks ago, Mina became absolutely crazy about this gift from Uncle Matt and Aunt Elizabeth. She will be in the middle of a fussy time, but this owl will always bring out a smile. I'm not sure if it is the big eyes or the rattling sound, but Mina loves it.

3. Whale-of-a-tub: Mina loves bathtime! And daddy even taught her how to splash which makes things so much more fun (especially for mommy).  The whale-shaped tub came with a baby whale that sprinkles water over her head. She finds this so much fun.

2. The Swing - we were lucky enough to have friends loan us a swing configured to hook up to the wall socket. That's a good thing because we would have gone through sooo many batteries. Mina loves the fun mirror and mobile above her head and mommy loves how it puts her to sleep every time. It is also nice to have a place other than a crib to just put her down so I can eat and pee and fold laundry - the important things. 

And finally MINA'S FAVORITE THING!

1. Cloth Diapers - it surprises me , but this is probably one of the best decisions we've made for Mina. One day while the diapers were in the wash, Mina pooped all over the one cover we had left out. We put her in a disposable and she immediately started crying. It may have been for a number of reasons, but I think she likes cloth better too. We are saving a ton of money and the fabric is nicer on Mina's sensitive skin. And not putting a ton of diapers in landfills is a nice perk too. Also, a cloth-diapered bum is just so cute!

A couple of Mina's not-so-favorite things

- Hats - this is a sad one for me since I knit her so many cute ones but she wants nothing to do with hats. She will put up with some of the bows we got her but she really doesn't like things on her head. We usually only get them on her while she is sleeping.

- Swaddling - I heard it everywhere: all babies love being swaddled. Well, not mine. This is the one picture we have of Mina in a swaddle. It is her first day of life and she is already kicking out of it. She needs to be able to move her arms and legs. This is probably why she doesn't like the carrier either. Maybe she'll enjoy it more when she can face forward. 

Now for the fun part. I hope the post can be helpful in choosing things for yourself or gifts for soon-to-be moms. Of course, these are Mina's favorites and every baby is different. Anyway, each of you  has a chance to win a gift from Mina. Leave a comment telling me which favorite is your favorite and why. One lucky person will win one of Mina's favorite things. I promise it will be something everyone can use. Hope you enjoyed this first edition of Mina's favorite things.

Mommy-Made Diapers: Wordless Wednesday

And it actually fits and works somewhat decently!

Defeated by the Internet

The title of this post was supposed to be "Procrastinating" and I was going to tell you I should have been fixing the wool diaper cover I knit but felt like writing instead. As luck would have it, the internet stopped working. Unable to write, I did something productive and fixed the diaper cover. About two weeks ago I started knitting Mina this beautiful wool diaper cover. Wool is supposedly great for nighttime but we didn't have money to spend on diapers (so sad). I had some extra wool yarn lying around so I decided to try my hand at knitting a cover. I found a great pattern online. I even taught myself some new skills. Mina was sleeping when I finished it last week so I just decided to lanolize it (process of prepping wool for use as a diaper cover) without trying out the size - big mistake. It soaked overnight and I waited a few days for it to dry completely. I was so excited to finally put it on Mina... the leg openings just wouldn't go up her chubby thighs. I was angry so I ignored the cover for a few days and worked on other projects instead. Today I finally had the courage to try again. I redid the last couple rows on the legs and I think it will fit but I have to wait for Mina to get up from her nap to find out. It is not worth waking that beautifully sleeping baby for.
I also made Mina another PUL cover today. I got fancy and added leg gussets. The first one I made her had a hole that just kept getting worse and worse. I tried to make it work, but all things must come to an end. This new one, my third, has no hole (at least not that I know of). It is cupcake patterned and super-cute. JoAnn's carries Babyville Boutique, a line of products and instructions for making cloth diapers. It makes things really easy and fun. I've been pretty happy using the diapers at home but prefer other diapers when we are out. The fold-over elastic that makes these so easy to make also wicks moisture from inside the diaper to the outside. It also frays and picks up lint around the edges. I have seen diapers made with these supplies for sale on etsy. I, personally, would not feel right selling something of this quality and I hope it doesn't turn people away from cloth diapers or other work at home moms selling quality products. But it is really fun to be able to put this cute diaper on Mina and say I made that.
Speaking of Etsy, if the wool cover works well tonight, I will put it up on my shop for custom order. I am planning on putting a couple other things up as well, so keep an eye out in the next few days: http://www.etsy.com/shop/IttyBittyKnitting

Sacrifice and Grace

I mess up... a lot. I'm a human like everyone else and I'm far from perfect. Some days I can barely hold things together. In moments of frustration and failure, I look at my baby girl, smiling at me or sleeping peacefully and I see true perfection. She doesn't know right or wrong. She doesn't remember yesterday or have any concept of tomorrow. She is here now and she is simply and beautifully perfect. And I see grace - floods of grace, overwhelming me, more than I can comprehend. This gorgeous creation, this small miracle is mine to hold.
I do not deserve her. Some days I feel like I'm doing so much. I'm getting up early to feed her, changing her diaper twice in a row since she won't stop pooping, doing load after load of laundry. But none of these things could ever earn the responsibility I have to care for her. Nothing I do can possibly merit the picture of perfection sleeping peacefully in her swing as I write. What overwhelms me the most is that God trusted me with her. I have screwed up so many times, yet instead of having responsibilities taken away, I am given this amazing girl. She is innocent and untainted by the world and I'm supposed to raise her? How do I do that? How can I be trusted with that?
It is only grace. Grace each morning when she cracks a wide smile as I pick her up out of her crib, and grace every time she falls asleep in my arms. Grace allows me to comfort her with just a touch and it is grace that gives me each precious day with my baby. I have no other explanation - only grace, and it's a beautiful thing.

Time for a Change

A Great Cloth Diaper Change! On Saturday, Mina and I attended the Great Cloth Diaper Change for Central Maryland. It was an effort to break the world record for most cloth diapers changed at one time and also a way to raise awareness for the benefits of cloth diapering. For me, it was a fun morning spent with other mommas and a great source of freebies and prizes. Sadly, we didn't win anything but I came home with a great grab bag of samples, coupons and even a really nice cloth diaper from Bumkins. It was a fun way to spend a morning.
One of my favorite things about events like this is the reminder that I am not alone. There are other moms out there on this great, scary journey; I am not alone. I am so grateful for all the other blogging moms who I follow online. When Ben is at work and Mina is being fussy for no apparent reason, it's nice to be able to jump on facebook or a mommy message board and know someone else is going through or has gone through the same thing.
As a new mom, I've noticed a lot of people are keen on giving you advice. The funny thing is not a lot of those people are moms. The mothers, the ones who have blazed this trail before or are on the journey  with me, offer support. This is what I need most. Because in a world where just managing to get a seat on the metro is a competition, support can be awfully hard to find, but it makes all the difference.
So thank you Great Cloth Diaper Change and blogging mommies. Thank you all my friends and family. And no thank you to those terrible ads at the bus stop about how cute little Annie brought home artwork and meningitis from preschool today. That is just sad and not at all helpful.

Mina ready to get her diaper changed and be part of a world record

Best "Tax Break" Ever

After working on my taxes for a couple hours last Thursday, the mail carrier knocked on the door. I knew exactly what it was - Diapers!!!!! Yes, that is the level of excitement I have for diapers. Actually, it could be in all caps and use a few more exclamation points. Anyway, I ordered Mina new diapers last Saturday. I wanted to try bamboo and hemp since they are more absorbent and should feel nicer on Mina's bum than the cheap-o prefolds we have been using (the cheap ones still work better than disposables though and you get a lot more for the same price, so a great way to start out). I also got a couple more Snappis and an uber-cute wetbag by Monkey Foot Designs. For those who don't know, wetbags are where the dirty dipes go when you are out of the house. They are waterproof on the inside and hold the stink in. They also have a ton of other possible uses - swimsuits, wet clothes, make-up bag, etc. My original order included some sample liners, the wetbag, a fitted diaper, a set of 3 bamboo prefolds (GroVia), and 2 hemp prefolds (Geffen baby). But because I ordered from Dearest Diapers I got freebies too. This time it was a set of fleece liners and a sample of rash cream.

Mina with the loot

It was a really great reward for all the hard work put into taxes. Of course, I couldn't try the diapers out right away since the natural fibers have to be prepped first so they are actually absorbent (kind of like towels). But we are using them now and loving everything. I really love Dearest Diapers. It is a small family run business near Sacramento. I placed my first order there since I could get a free diaper on an order over $39 (it was a really nice one too). I ordered on a Friday night and it arrived at my door on Monday! CA to DC in three days when two of those days are over the weekend? I was blown away. Great customer service, increasing selection and promo codes kept me hooked. So if you happen to need some cloth diapers (or other baby-related things), I would highly recommend looking at Dearest Diapers. Getting this lovely package of Fluffy Mail made the afternoon of taxes much much better. And Mina was pretty excited about it too.

Summertime?

One of my favorites

We have had some unbelievably warm weather here in DC the past few days... middle of summer warm... Mina sleeps in nothing but her diaper warm. I know we were all tired of the winter that just wouldn't leave but I was kind of hoping for spring. Anyway, we got a chance to enjoy the cherry blossoms for Mina's 2 month birthday.

Mina and Daddy

Two months... wow! I cannot believe my baby is two months old. It seems like I was just putting the finishing touches on the nursery. Somehow at the same time, I can't imagine life without her. It's almost as if now that I'm a mother, that's all I ever was.
So my beautiful girl, let me tell you how much you have grown in these two months. You are longer and heavier, of course. But you are also so much stronger. While tummy time is inevitably cut short by spit up all over your playmat, you are much better at holding your own head up. You love when daddy lifts you up on his legs so you can stand just like a big girl.

You are smiling now. Oh, how I love those smiles, slightly crooked with one small dimple on your left cheek. You are rewarding me with them more and more often. Despite the increasing smiles, you still have your fussy time each evening. Now you are usually content in my arms, but you still love the swing. Despite our best efforts, you do not like the carrier. You just will not be constrained. You tried your best to kick out of my belly. You were an escape artist with the swaddle and now you complain whenever we try to strap you in anything. It seems my girl loves freedom.
I think you also love mommy. You show it by giving me a full night's sleep. You are such an amazing sleeper. Thank you. Thank you for sleeping and smiling, for growing and playing. And thank you for spitting up and even crying. All of these things make you Wilhelmina, my beautiful two-month old baby girl. I will hold on to all these precious things while looking forward to what the next months will bring. I love watching you grow.

When Baking Goes Wrong

OR How I accidentally made a decent gluten-free cookie.
Most great achievements in human history are born out of laziness. That is how tonight's cookie came to be. I'm going on a dairy-free diet for two weeks to try to help Mina's reflux/gas. I'm going all out so no butter (it is gonna be a really long two weeks). Tonight I wanted to make cookies but I'd forgotten to get a dairy-free butter substitute at the store this week. I decided to use peanut butter and a little bit of coconut oil for some extra fatty goodness. I didn't want to wash any more dishes than I had to so I was determined not to use the mixer. So I melted the coconut oil and peanut butter together instead of trying to cream it with the sugar. Everything was going really well until I went to add flour and discovered I had none. I did happen to have some almond flour I used for Danish fillings last week so I used that and cocoa powder instead of flour. Apart from looking like small mounds of black poo, the cookies came out pretty well. I will share something like a recipe with you. In my effort to minimize dirty dishes, I didn't actually measure anything so my approximations might be off. If you follow the recipe and disaster ensues, please don't blame me.

Not too Pretty

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gluten and Dairy free Cookies
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa powder (maybe a little less - mine came out a little too cocoa-ey)
1/2 cup almond flour
Chocolate Chips

- Melt Peanut butter and coconut oil together
- Stir in brown sugar
- add Vanilla and egg and mix
- Stir in cocoa and almond flour
- Add chocolate chips as desired. Since there is no gluten, the cookies won't get tough so you can add and stir as many times as you want until there are enough.
- Place spoonfuls of dough on a cookie sheet. You may want to press the balls down as they pretty much retain their shape
- Bake at 375º for 10 minutes

People claim that baking you need to be exact and measure carefully or it won't work. That is true of yeasted breads and a few other things but I've found that most baked goods, especially cookies, are very forgiving. Maybe if you put enough sugar and fat in something it has to taste good? I guess once you've made enough cookies, you get an idea of what goes into cookies. It's not just a pastry chef thing either. I think most people just don''t realize that recipes aren't always set in stone. So be lazy and get creative... you may just stumble upon something great. Always remember the words "I meant to do that." And if you need a tester for your creations, I'm available.