Poo Free: just another step to remove toxins from our home.

I have been using toxin free cleaners, soaps, detergent and lotions since September. I'm not telling you anything by telling you our skin is out biggest organ. And we absorb everything we put on to it into our bloodstreams. Including our hair. Did u know that some popular baby soaps contain formaldehyde? Babies are being born with formaldehyde in their blood systems because of products we use to clean our homes, dishes clothes and even ourselves! Yikes! Our dishwasher detergents put of toxic fumes our family is breathing in. It's scary stuff people!
After hearing (if you want to hear more- call, text or email me!!) and researching this, it was a no brainer that we would do all we could to eliminate as much of this from our home as we could! I have been using Melaleuca products to ensure our home is safe and as toxic free as can be for my family.
When I saw my Sister in law pinned a site all about going poo free I was intrigued. She started using vinegar for her conditioner and on her face and had fantastic results right away. I began about two weeks after her and it's been a week and a half now and I'm loving it! I encourage you to research it more and see if it's a fit for your family! :)
I have also kept an eye on how much soap I'm using on my kiddos and how often we wash their hair. BR is a super messy eater but her hair rinses so clean just with water. Same for G! I'm not sure why we get it so in our heads that we have to suds up to get clean.

Anywho, enough for my rant. I hope this encourages some of you to look further into making your home a safer place to live by removing the toxins! :)

Sleep glorious sleep!

Turns out Babygirl BellaRose is a sleeper after all. She just needed her Mommy and Daddy to encourage her confidence.
So two short weeks after we implemented the cry it out method in our home, we are all getting amazing sleep! Including 3 nights now of a full nights sleep!
The first two nights were the roughest. But since then it been smooth sailing. She naps twice a day. At 9ish and at 2ish- for 1.5 hrs or so a piece. Then she and G go down between 7-8 pm and sleep until 6-7 am! It's like a little slice of Heaven here on earth.

Crying it out

I go back and forth, back and forth on whether or not crying it out is right for our family. My reasons for not wanting to do it have ranged from: her feeling like we don't love her and therefor causing trust issues, to waking her brother, to the physical pain it causes me to hear her cry. My reasons for wanting to do it: she is stubborn, smart and spoiled. The three dangerous "S's". Ha! She has not gone to sleep on her own for 8 months. Mostly our fault because each time she got the slightest stuffy nose or another ear infection or was just fussy, daddy sleeps on the couch with her. We likes this. A lot.
But 8 months of no sleeping in the same bed, broken sleep, and playing musical beds has taken its toll on the romance and ultimately our marriage. We are tired, cranky and over this whole not ever sleeping in the same bed thing.
So last night my exhausted, but wonderfully sweet husband had had enough! She was clearly exhausted. She didn't wanna be put down, didn't want to be held and didn't wanna nurse. So he put her in her crib where she cries standing up for about 10 minutes and whimpered softly for about another 6 while she laid down. Normally, 10 minutes is my max. I freak out!!! I start having trouble breathing and sometimes cry. So I give him or Martin does so I don't flip out. Last night I wanted to trust his instincts and I was distracted by my sister in law being here so I let her go. I was AMAZED that she laid down and went to sleep. On. Her. Own.
So I tried it again for morning nap. 6 minutes and she was out!
I will keep this up because obviously she has learned a bad behavior and we all know she can un learn it!
:) yay for sleep!!!

The fog has lifted!

So I've weaned off the Zoloft I was on for post partum depression and anxiety. The plan was that I would go on Paxil after weaning but I am feeling so clear headed and no major mood swings or anxiety so far so I am thinking I'm going med free!

When I was on the Zoloft it definitely took the edge off of my anxiety to begin with but then I just started feeling foggy, emotion less and always just barely there. I talked with my doctor about it and at first we both chalked it up to depression and needing the dosage adjusted. So we did that. I got worse so we backed off. Nothing changed so I went back and we decided on a different med altogether. I weaned off and started to feel the fog lift.

Now instead of my son begging me to do crafts, I just have them ready for him at random times. And instead of him whining he want a picnic lunch, I set one up before he gets home. Instead of him asking for cookies, I bake him some fresh every couple of days. I know I'm no Supermom, but it sure feels good to be back!

A little dirt never hurt: living life in the moment

I've been trying so hard lately to take each sermon Mike preaches to heart and live it out throughout my life. :) this week we went to E-steps and one of the things we heard/talked about was living life in the moment. It hit home. It's something I have been purposely trying to incorporate into our family life. I once read a blog that has stuck with me on saying trying to eliminate the word no from our vocabularies. And instead saying yes or instead. So having all of these things in mind today when G wasn't going to nap, I said lets go for a walk. It got us all out so we didn't get cranky. The exercise and fresh air combined with sunshine and a quick visit with an aunt refreshed us all and made for a nice evening. Graham wanted to play outside when we got home and I decided to clean up the kitchen while I watched him from the windows and sliding door. He made his way from the play house to the mud pit pretty quickly and instead of stopping him, I let him play. I did take him his boots out so that his feet didn't get so cold and wet. I think this caught him by surprise. :) I need to live like this everyday.

Proud parenting moment

Graham got his hair cut last night which he loves to do because he has a crush on Holly the girl who cuts it. He was really making on her this time too. He asked for her to come have a sleep out with him. Lol! He wanted red spikes to impress her after his hair cut. I'm afraid the colored spikes are going to be a "thing" now. :) luckily uncle T brought over some of Wylie's old colored gel for him to have.

The best was at dinner though. We were well into our meal when G yells: "we b-forgot (that's how he says forgot) to pray!" Martin and I smiled across the table at each other because we have been trying out best to pray at meals everyday! Apparently it's sticking with him! He proceeded to pray for us and it went something like this "dear Jesus, we thank you for our day and for our morning and for mommy and bella and daddy and. GrahAmmy and mommy and our food and drink and for mom, Amen!" I was giggling by the end because he was really thankful for me! :)

It's moments like that that tell us we are doing an ok job! I'm so proud to be his Mommy!

BellaRose also learned to wave bye this week and she is loving the stairs and peek a boo games! She tries to sign "all done"! She also smiles for the camera. She is a ham!!! I adore being her Mommy!

Daddy's little girl

Lately my baby booger has been looking more and more like her daddy! Tonight the cheese ball was smiling for me but every single picture had her eyes closed! I was rolling laughing. She is full of personality and such a hoot! :) here is some of the photo shoot!