I decided it would be a good idea to start getting ready now for our second baby's arrival (in May). That could seem a little extreme to some, but it makes a lot of sense to me and the way I function. Thankfully, Sean is totally on board and can appreciate the benefit of being prepared, even if he wouldn't initiate it himself. We all know how fast time can go by, and I didn't want to turn around, have it be a month before the baby's due and not have anything ready for him/her. Especially because there are several projects we know need to get done anyway and have just been putting off. Now we have motivation.
A couple weeks ago we tackled the downstairs bedroom closet. It's a guest room and therefore the closet is not accessed frequently, and hasn't really been organized since we moved in over a year ago. It ended up being a fairly quick and easy project and it feels so good to have that out of the way. This weekend we deep cleaned the upstairs bathroom (yuck), as well as purchased a shelving unit for our room that will house the new baby's clothing, burp cloths, etc. We still have several things to accomplish (organizing the garage, painting walls, replacing carpet, washing and putting away baby clothes) but I know with this plan of action, it will all get done in plenty of time.
It's really exciting getting these projects checked off our list, knowing that when we are finished with everything all we have to do is wait expectantly for our new little one to enter the world.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Preparing for Potty Training
We have yet to decide when to start potty training Declan. I know he's only 16 months old and I know that most children (especially boys) aren't ready until they are closer to two, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately and wanting to prepare ourselves as best as possible.
My first thought is to wait until after Baby #2 comes because we will be spending lots of time at home recuperating and adjusting so it will give us the time to focus on training him. Sean will be home for two weeks and then my mom will be here for the two after that, so I will have lots of help. I don't want to start training before the baby comes, have Declan do really well, and then regress because of the life changing event of a new baby entering our world. But then I think about how advanced he is in so many areas and that he may have the ability to catch on really quickly and that it will stick. He is already telling us when he has poo poo and sometimes he'll even say "Poo poo" but has none, then a few minutes later he does. So it's as if he knows when he has to go.
We haven't done any reading or research on the subject, so we are total novices at this whole area. And before we dive into the land of the unknown, I thought I would see what advice and suggestions we could get from friends and family. So, feel free to comment or send me a personal email/message with anything you feel might be helpful! Thank you!
My first thought is to wait until after Baby #2 comes because we will be spending lots of time at home recuperating and adjusting so it will give us the time to focus on training him. Sean will be home for two weeks and then my mom will be here for the two after that, so I will have lots of help. I don't want to start training before the baby comes, have Declan do really well, and then regress because of the life changing event of a new baby entering our world. But then I think about how advanced he is in so many areas and that he may have the ability to catch on really quickly and that it will stick. He is already telling us when he has poo poo and sometimes he'll even say "Poo poo" but has none, then a few minutes later he does. So it's as if he knows when he has to go.
We haven't done any reading or research on the subject, so we are total novices at this whole area. And before we dive into the land of the unknown, I thought I would see what advice and suggestions we could get from friends and family. So, feel free to comment or send me a personal email/message with anything you feel might be helpful! Thank you!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The New Year
I don't know about you, but for me there is always a period of time after the holiday season where I feel sad, blue, and at a loss of direction and purpose in life. From the beginning of Fall to the end of December is my absolute favorite time of year, and there is always something to do, so my days are full of fun and pleasure. But then January hits and I'm like "What is the meaning of life?!?!" (That's an exaggeration of course). I miss the hustle and bustle that the last three months provided and feel let down that there isn't much to do in the early months of the year. There aren't any holidays to look forward too, the weather is usually really crummy (especially in Southern Oregon) so you can't play outside much, and you're just kind of waiting for Spring to come.
That being said, I have determined to make the best of these few months of typical drabness and enjoy the wonderful things life has to offer. To look for the excitement and thrill that comes with living this life God has blessed me with, especially life lived with at toddler!
Some of the activities we've been up to have included:
-A date with my husband which included lunch and seeing 'Les Miserables'
-Taking walks with Declan (weather permitting of course) to the nearby playground
-Enjoying my expanding baby bump and my silly, delightful boy
-Taking trips to Kid Time, a children's indoor discovery museum
-Playdates/Dinners with friends
-Introducing Declan to coloring (he LOVES it)
-We also have lots of projects to accomplish around the house before the new baby comes so that will keep us very busy and productive
That being said, I have determined to make the best of these few months of typical drabness and enjoy the wonderful things life has to offer. To look for the excitement and thrill that comes with living this life God has blessed me with, especially life lived with at toddler!
Some of the activities we've been up to have included:
-A date with my husband which included lunch and seeing 'Les Miserables'
-Taking walks with Declan (weather permitting of course) to the nearby playground
-Enjoying my expanding baby bump and my silly, delightful boy
-Taking trips to Kid Time, a children's indoor discovery museum
-Playdates/Dinners with friends
-Introducing Declan to coloring (he LOVES it)
-We also have lots of projects to accomplish around the house before the new baby comes so that will keep us very busy and productive
 |
| Sean and I before our date |
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| We can see the playground from our house |
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| 23 week baby bump and 16 month old boy |
 |
| Train Table at Kid Time |
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| Toddler Room at Kid Time |
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| Water Area at Kid Time |
 |
| I wonder where Declan could be? |
My Break from Facebook
Taking a break from something is always a good thing. The word break, defined at dictionary.com, is to become detached, separated or disassociated, and by taking a break we are able to relax, reflect and rejuvenate.
Over the last six months, maybe even longer, I was slowly becoming more and more disenchanted with facebook. I won't go into details except to say that I found that it was becoming something that I didn't like nor did I want a part of my life. So, my solution was to take a break. To become detached from the land of social media.
It helped that I took said break right around Christmas time, so I was busy with traveling, visiting family and nursing Declan and I back to health after getting colds, and therefore was not aware of what I could possibly be missing out on.
It felt good to be away from facebook for a while. I had more time in my day and was not feeling the things I had been feeling prior to the break. When I did eventually return, I deleted approximately 200 "friends" and hid several others. I decided to delete people that were not family, and that I didn't feel I had a lasting, close, personal relationship with. If I wouldn't know them and start up a conversation with them if I ran into them in the grocery store, they got deleted. It was so refreshing, and now it is a place that I enjoy visiting, no longer getting annoyed by what I read/see on there.
I encourage you to take a break from something that may not feel is right in your life. Separate yourself from whatever it is, for however long of a time you see fit, and take that time to reflect. You will learn a lot!
Over the last six months, maybe even longer, I was slowly becoming more and more disenchanted with facebook. I won't go into details except to say that I found that it was becoming something that I didn't like nor did I want a part of my life. So, my solution was to take a break. To become detached from the land of social media.
It helped that I took said break right around Christmas time, so I was busy with traveling, visiting family and nursing Declan and I back to health after getting colds, and therefore was not aware of what I could possibly be missing out on.
It felt good to be away from facebook for a while. I had more time in my day and was not feeling the things I had been feeling prior to the break. When I did eventually return, I deleted approximately 200 "friends" and hid several others. I decided to delete people that were not family, and that I didn't feel I had a lasting, close, personal relationship with. If I wouldn't know them and start up a conversation with them if I ran into them in the grocery store, they got deleted. It was so refreshing, and now it is a place that I enjoy visiting, no longer getting annoyed by what I read/see on there.
I encourage you to take a break from something that may not feel is right in your life. Separate yourself from whatever it is, for however long of a time you see fit, and take that time to reflect. You will learn a lot!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The End of the Christmas Season
On Saturday morning December 22nd, Sean and I exchanged our gifts to each other, and gave Declan a couple to open as well, before heading down to CA to spend time with my family.
We had a wonderful, full week complete with visting ALL of my family, taking walks by the creek near my mom's house and lots of playing with Declan's cousins. We even ventured out to Chuck E Cheeses one evening wich Declan thought was amazing!
I am happy to be home and getting back into our normal routine of life. Christmas is always such a happy and joyous time of the year. Especially the anticipation and festivities leading up to the day and I miss it when it's over. But, we have a busy four months ahead of us to prepare and await the arrival of our new bundle of love.
We had a wonderful, full week complete with visting ALL of my family, taking walks by the creek near my mom's house and lots of playing with Declan's cousins. We even ventured out to Chuck E Cheeses one evening wich Declan thought was amazing!
I am happy to be home and getting back into our normal routine of life. Christmas is always such a happy and joyous time of the year. Especially the anticipation and festivities leading up to the day and I miss it when it's over. But, we have a busy four months ahead of us to prepare and await the arrival of our new bundle of love.
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