Neglecting my duties

I've been neglecting my blog =/ I apologize. *sigh* It seems life always gets in the way of my good intentions.

What to update on? Lets see....

Turtle-Love is doing well. We are introducing one new food a week. He has had rice cereal, peas, avocados, and sweet potatoes. We will be trying out carrots next. I've made his baby food twice (avocados and sweet potatoes) and it went well enough with my mini food processor. I put the food in the snappi containers the hospital sent us home with to pump milk into. I'm afraid to use them for milk because I watched a girl drop one in the NICU and the top popped open and the milk went everywhere. I'll stick to screw on lids, thanks.

Turtle-Love is gliding across the kitchen floor in his walker and thoroughly enjoys it. He has gotten a bit tired of the jumper at the moment, but has finally figured out how to make the piano play on his own (with his elbow). We've recently realized he needs new, more age appropriate, toys - all of our toys are for around 3 months. Turtle-Love is around7 1/2 months now - its time for an upgrade. We are looking for good deals and while I'd rather go with all wooden toys the fact of the matter is Turtle-Love gets very excited about the ones that make noise and light up (of course) and wooden toys are pretty pricey (of course) so I'm hoping for a healthy mix.

My milk supply has either increased, or I've become more efficient at pumping. I switched to pumping every three hours at work per the lactation consultant's suggestion, which works out okay. Either way - I'm no longer worried or anxious that he isn't getting enough. I bought my firrst nursing top yesterday. It was cute - only $27 (only?! uhhhh, that is a lot of money for a shirt!) which is great compared to some others I have seen. It even has a bit of my personality to it - a little punkish if you will. I've gone 7 months without a nursing shirt, I should be able to go through the end of nursing without one but I'm tired of layering in the summer! The heat index has been in the 110's!

I've also started weight watchers. Toad has too - we both have a wedding to look nice for. Also, we generally need to be in better shape and have better eating habits if we are ever going to expect Turtle-Love to eat healthfully. So far so good, I feel good knowing I'm not just eating junk, and I've been trying new veggies and cooking too. Yum!

We found a great deal on suits for the guys for the wedding. Our wedding isn't a super formal occasion, but it isn't a jeans kind of affair either. The guys will be wearing three piece suits - which Toad happens to look amazing in. I'm very excited. I think I've made a decision about the bridesmaids shoes - but it isn't 100% yet. I'm pretty indecisive, it's myself proclaimed worst attribute. Anyhow, if my decision holds there will be many shocked, and possibly disappointed people. *shrug* I haven't decided, I know the day is about what WE want, and this is what Toad wants. I'm just having trouble with it.

Turtle-Love's baptism is in 2 1/2 weeks. I'm very excited! We've received his gown and are on the hunt for shoes that he might wear with it. If not, oh well. We have our baptismal prep class this Saturday, and then we will need to start making his candle as well. Invitations have gone out but I haven't heard from many people. I hope there is a decent turn out - this is an important event to us and we would like to share it with as many people as they are willing.


Mama MoMo and I are still working on getting our little cloth diaper project running. we have had some great ideas but there is more to be discussed. Hopefully this weekend - after the baptismal prep class - I'll get to sit with her and chat. I missed last Saturday at the Snap, which always sucks to miss because I look forward to it so much all week.

Speaking of cloth diapers, Turtle-Love is outgrowing some of his. We have 5 fitteds that are approaching too snug, and two Lil' Joeys that he has out grown. We have a size small BottomBumpers that the rise is getting low on too, even though the waist is of course fine - my little bean stalk, lol. Toad and I are discussing the possibility of purchasing a few more diapers to replace them in our stash - the number we have in rotation now is fine while we still have disposables for laundry day but we have decided once we have used them all (soon) we will be full time in cloth so we will need an extra days worth of diapers at least. I would love to get a hold of some itti bittis, more AppleCheeks, and a few other diapers I've been eying for a while now. It is just a matter of making the financial commitment. I'm trying to get away from microfiber though. It seems they always produce an oder, even a minute one. I've "rocked a soak" a few times (actually I try to soak over night every other wash) but maybe I should use some funk rock or strip them. There is a woman here local that makes inserts from zorb that I'm like to try. Again, these things require financial commitments and we are already tight. We can make do without the extra diapers I think - but I'm not sure I want to try. I'll have to overview our budget and see what we need to do. It is just so hard to resist buying the adorable diapers!!!

Updating on turtle-love & wedding stuff!

It has been a while since my last post. Uhh. I apologize, it seems my head is all over the place these days.

Turtle-Love

My baby is 6 months old! Actually, he is now 6 1/2 months old =/ On the 14th he weighed in at 12 pounds 1 ounce, and 24 1/2 inches tall. The doctor was pleased with his weight gain, and said he is hitting all the milestones expected of him - sitting up on his own for a few minutes, pushing up onto his hands from his tummy, bearing weight on his legs... etc. We got the okay to start solids too =)

Turtle-Love's first food was rice cereal. We did that for a week, and last night gave him peas. He loved them! He is also getting better with his sippy cup, though he only holds it on his own sometimes. He does try to feed himself with the spoon constantly and does an okay job =) We put water in his sippy cup btw.

Turtle-Love recently acquired a walker and a jumparoo from my cousin. He LOVES them! He hasn't quite figured out jumping yet, but he loves to chew on the teething sunshine and has just learned to push the buttons on the piano, though possibly on accident most times. The jumparoo has all kinda of goodies for him to play with that he loves. The walker has a tray with animals that make noise on it - and he loves them! He instantly lunged for the lion on the tray that says "RAAR!" when you hit him and he likes to chew on his fabric mane =) The other day he learned to actually walk in the walker and now you have to watch your toes in the kitchen (where the walker stays because its not carpet). He even got stuck on the fridge and wiggled free =)

Turtle-Love has also figured out reaching for people to pick him up, and readily identifies different faces and voices. We recently got the Baby Signing Time Sign and Read edition (my soon to be MIL agreed to chip in for it, along with a good friend of mine) from Baby Steals and we plan to start that in the next couple days. I've already been signing the alphabet to him when we sing it, and I sign milk and mommy and daddy when I recall to - or have my hands free.

Turtle-Love will be getting baptized (I'm Catholic) on July 30th. We've ordered the invitations and his gown and received both. After the 1st on the month I'll mail the invitations. I'm worried his gown will still be too big =/ We will see I guess.

On the wedding front...

I love that I'm getting married. And I'm doing my best to plan, and pay for, a wedding that we actually want. Of course, this would be much easier if our money wasn't already so tight. I'm also starting to resent our wedding because if I didn't have to pay for our wedding, I could quit my job and stay home with Turtle-Love - because we live with my mother. Now that I'm back in the office, living with my mother longer and staying home with my son is sounding more awesome than us buying a house. Anyhow, I've gotten off track.

I'm still trying to get an officiant, and we are still working on centerpiece ideas and I'm talking to a few florists for bouquets. Of course - trying to go with the most cost effective solution. I had thought I could make the bridesmaids bouquets and the groomsmen's boutonnieres but the reality is I don't have the fridge space, and will most likely not have the time to make them. I may still do the boutonnieres, they are fairly simple. Maybe I'll do fake flowers so I can make them all. I'm still not certain.I do know I'll be purchasing my bouquet, and it will be real. Is that selfish? I feel like it might be selfish... *sigh*

I'm also looking into bakers. I do NOT want to bake my own wedding cake, and I would prefer if my sister and mother did not have to either. Not to mention, I've only done a 2 tiered cake before which went well enough, and a mini three tier that was a bit wobbly.

Oops, gotta go get back to work. Hopefully I can remember to post again tomorrow!