She's now 4...how'd that happen?!

This little lady came into our lives 4 years ago today.

And we were forever blessed and changed.

She's an intelligent beauty, a joy to be around, a chatterbox beyond the regular sort, my fellow snuggler, a true Daddy's girl, and my best friend.

We sit here, truly wondering where the last 4 years went...and looking forward to the many adventures we have to come.


Happy 4th Birthday, Princess Danae. We love you forever and always!

Wallpaper

I don't like wallpaper.


In fact, we are enemies right now.


We are in the throes of a big living room project, which (if you haven't guessed by now) involves wallpaper removal. It's a big room, so lots and lots of wallpaper removal. Wallpaper that's been on plaster walls for probably 80+ years. NO.LIE.


This stuff is like a second skin. There's nothing else under there. Just paper against plaster. But it's on there so snug, and the glue is so thick. And I no likey.


But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Soon...very, very soon...this paper will be off. And the primer will go up. And my ceiling will be painted white. And my walls will be...well, I'm not going to give that one away quite yet. I will say, though, that they won't be your ordinary tan, cream, or even pale color. You'll just have to tune in sometime next week to find out! :)

3 months...a little late

I need to play catch up with most things lately...emails, birthday gifts, pictures. But I thought I'd post these...better late than never! :)


3 months preggers on September 24:




(sorry for the blurriness!)

It's hard to believe that almost 17 weeks of this pregnancy have gone by already! It feels like it's going by faster than the first two did. Probably because we are constantly on the go and running after two little babes plus a dog. That would do it.

Have a happy Monday!

She's My Daughter

Hubby says she's just like me.

Sassy yet snuggly. Smart...especially when it comes to getting her way. Gets frustrated easily. Loves her brother tremendously. Very helpful. Independent.


Maybe we've taken the independent thing a little too far.




Here's what I found out happened one morning this week when Danae took the dog out to "do her business". Danae apparently had to go, too. And, in her mind, doing this (notice the wet ground) was probably much more efficient than running in the house to use the bathroom.


That's right. Efficient and a multitasker. She's my girl.

Wordless Wednesday

I find him in here at least once a day!

Cloth Diapers and Planet Ultra Detergent

Many of you know by now that we decided to cloth diaper our youngest last year when he was born. While many of our friends were “going cloth” with their babies, we didn’t just jump on the band wagon. ;o) Friends provided us with websites to check out, price comparisons to read, brands to research…and in the end, we feel we made a cost-effective decision that was right for our household. We will also use the diapers with #3 when he/she debuts in March, saving even more money. Cha-ching!

However, moving to a bigger house four months ago also brought with it laundering challenges. We found out within a week or two that we have very, very (and I do mean VERY) hard water. Besides noticing that my bath towels were coming out dingy after a full wash cycle, we also noticed the telltale odor that stayed in the baby’s cloth diapers, even after two wash cycles. The real kicker, though, was when we would change his diaper and the ammonia smell was so strong it would burn his skin and our nostrils. Really, really not cool.

I recently had the opportunity to try out Planet Ultra Liquid Laundry Detergent on Caedon’s diapers to see if it would kill the mineral build-up problem. You see, you can’t just wash cloth diapers with any old detergent, as most of them on the market have additives and stuff that stays in your clothes to keep them (and you) smelling fresh. With cloth diapers, additives and build-up are a nightmare and make it so that the diapers don’t get fully clean, leading to yucky smells. Planet Ultra is free of dyes, phosphates, softeners and enzymes, making it a perfect candidate for cloth.

The first diaper load came out smelling clean and ammonia-free. Success! The second load, however, contained a lot more, umm, “soiled” diapers, and after the two wash cycles, I wasn’t too happy with the odor coming from my washing machine. The diapers smelled like I just rinsed them with the hose outside and did nothing else. Bummer. (I did follow all instructions, adding the correct amount at the right time, etc.) I did one last wash cycle, adding a little white vinegar to the water (which is known to help with hard water issues), and that did the trick.

While I do praise Planet for making an eco-friendly detergent that has great potential for clothing, I cannot say I’d use it again for my cloth diapers. I need my son’s hiney-coverings to come out clean after each wash and not need a third wash cycle. While Planet is probably great for regular clothing and softer water, I’m not so sure it can handle the hard water flowing through my house.

At this point, I might need to just stick with vinegar (Sarah’s suggestion) and then bleach the diapers once per month, as suggested by BumGenius (the diaper brand we use).

If you have hard water and/or if you cloth diaper, do you have a favorite detergent that you use? Any recommendations for me?

My Susan G. Komen Soapbox

I'm going to get on my soapbox for a minute. And I hope I don't offend you.


October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and you'll be seeing more and more products in the stores that support breast cancer research, treatment, awareness, etc. Pink will be everywhere, making it difficult to leave the candy aisle without those too cool rosy M&M's .


While I truly believe supporting the research and destruction of this horrible disease is of great importance, I also think you need to be educated in the decisions you make.


Most (if not all) of the products and campaigns you see out there support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. You probably have also heard of Komen for the Cure, the Breast Cancer 3-Day, and other various runs/walks intended to raise money for the organization.


BUT, what you probably won't see reported is the fact that Komen is a huge support for Planned Parenthood and gives massive dollars to that organization every year. YES. The same Planned Parenthood that advocates killing children in the womb and performs HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of potential cancer-causing abortions every year gets beaucoup bucks from the very organization that claims to want to eradicate another form of cancer. Unbelievable.


Why am I writing all of this? To inform you. If you are a pro-lifer, a survivor of cancer, a witness of someone else's cancer battle, or even a pro-choicer who doesn't want to be duped, I URGE you to be informed and to put your money to use by another breast cancer research group. Even though Komen might have the biggest campaign, there ARE others out there! Do your homework and know where your money is going.


Ok...I'll step down from my soapbox now.