12 Months old!!

Ok this is a tad late but we just celebrated his first birthday this weekend.

It was a crazy year! One year ago today we were having a snow storm and the roads in CA were closed. The morning my water broke it was 47 degrees so the snow had been melting and they opened up the interstate 14 and we were lucky enough for that so we could get to the hospital in Lancaster, CA to deliver Con-man.

My water broke at 12:30am we left the house at 1 something and got to the hospital 45 mins later, my contractions were 3-4 mins apart & were very strong. We were admitted to triage and they only had one bed left, ha! After about 30 minutes a nurse finally came in and got me all hooked up and monitored. Connors heart rate was erratic, and even though we had been through this before I was concerned! I was dialated to a 4-5 when I got to the hospital and 80 % efface. They told me they were hooking me up to IV for fluids to help calm his heart rate, (really it was Pitocin to escalate the labor) I was extremely uncomfortable and wanted my epidural.. haha they told me I had to wait till I was in a room to order one, and that there was currently no laboring rooms open.. (umm seriously??) Within a half hour I went from 5-8.5 cm and almost 100% effaced. They found a room for me and sent me down.. I was ready to order my epidural.. they told me it was too late and by the time the anystiologist got to me (there were others in line in front of me) I would already be having the baby.. (Oh thanks..) Ok then I would like some pain meds.. they talked me out of those too.. gee thanks ..

once my doctor finally showed up 10 mins later I had already been at the verge of delivery.. haha begging to push (TMI sorry) I was so scared he wasn't going to make it out ok with his erratic heartrate still going crazy and I could hardly breathe they had a oxy mask on that felt like it was suffocating me, no wonder Dan wasn't very hands on.. I am sure he was kinda freaked out.. lol poor guy!

Well after 4 contractions of pushing Connor Nicholai Fredrickson was born at 4:49 am

Beautiful baby boy! 8lbs 7 oz and 21inches long.

 

He is still such a beautiful boy and we love him dearly! It is so amazing how much personality and bonds he has made in just a year. He and Caiden are already best buds and have an unheard language of their own. I fell so blessed to have such amazing children in my life!

 

Ok on to what Bubba is up to now a days.

 

He loves to walk, loves walking around the house and exploring. He loves seeing what Cade is doing and playing right with him. Chasing after him or driving cars around the floor with him. They are seriously cute!

 

Eat: He still likes pretty much everything and when he is done he will tell you or throw his food on the floor or squish it in he lap.. yes awesome!

 

Sleep: He went through a not wanting to nap phase that thankfully he grew out of quickly and is now sleeping great again. He still taking 2-3 naps depending on the day and what we are doing, totaling 3-4 hours

 

Play: His favorite toy is probably a ball, he always has one in his hand or is chasing after one. He points to a ball and says ball even!  lol but he does like other toys too cars, bowls, cups..

 

Speech: He sticks to Dada (anytime im on the phone or he sees a picture on the wall) Ball, mum, num num, all done, & signs all done and more and yes ..

 

Routine:

8:30am-9:45am wakes up

10:00 am breakfast

11:00 am Play outside if nice or else inside

12:00pm snack

12:30 Bubba nap

2:30 Boo Boo nap

3:00 Bubba up & lunch

4:30 Boo Boo up & lunch

5-6 Play outside & make dinner

6:30 dinner

7:30 Bubba bed

8:30 Boo Bed

 

Its been such an amazing year watching them both grow and see the friendship bloom. They are both seriously cute!. Love being their Mom!

 

 

 

 

 

11 Months

Phew this month sure past us by quickly!!

 

Eat: he loves chicken & avocado, & bananas & peaches & watermelon!! We are still nursing and he is pretty happy with it.

Sleep: He has been taking 2 -3 naps a day totaling 3 hours, he likes to go to bed around 7:45 -8pm

Play: he is really into cars, balls and movie cases!

Whats New? Connor started walking everywhere half way through this month and he is very good at it.. The stinker also figured out to crawl under the gate to go upstairs.. :/

Speech: He says dada frequently and ball and signs more and all done.

Routine:
730: wake up nurse
8:00: eat bfast
9:00: playtime or errands
10:00: bub nap & nurse
11:00 -12:00 lunch
1:00 boys nap & con nurse
3:00 snack time bub& playtime
4:00: snack time cade
5:00: errands / make dinner
5:30: bub nurse & nap
6:00: dinner
7:00: playtime with dad
7:30: bubba nurse & bed
8-830: Cade story time & bed

Cloth Diaper Report -12 months

How many diapers (shells) a day used? 2, (changes: morning, after nap, after dinner & before bed)

How many wipes? 1 in the morning, 3 if poopy, none for wet

What Brands were used? SoftBums, Rock-a-Bums, Mud Butt

What brand/ style fit best? SoftBums omni & Rock-a-Bums

Were you able to reuse your AI2 shells during the same day? If so how many times? Yes about 2-4 times,

What fit problems did you have? None

What was the print/ color you grabbed the most? SoftBums Firecracker Omni

Best on the go diaper? Rock a Bums

What type of insert/ soakers worked the best? Really digging the rockabums soakers with the grey fleece top they hold up good for 3-4 hours never worry about poop.

The worst? Grovia poop gets between the two layers = messy

Overnight? OS Bamboo pod in OMNI shell

Did you have any blowouts? None

What was your washing schedule like? Hot wash heavy duty, then a warm wash normal, washing 2x a week air drying shells, pods dryer
Detergent used? Using Tide original powder.
Love it or hate it? Hate how I never can smell his poop but then again that's not all bad.. I usually change him regularly so he doesn't go long with a dirty diaper before I'm caught by surprise.

Things you learned? Hmmm spraypal is my new bestie!.

Fit pictures:

Storytelling Time

I finally finished my pregnancy album I made for my pregnancy with Bubba!! Hey only took me 11 months.. lol Now I need to get started on his first year album.. I might get that one done by the time he's two! ?

Shutterfly has some really great storytelling albums that make it look like you spend a ton of time on designing them but you really only need to fill in the pictures and text. Shutterfly is a company I love to support because they donate so much money to families in need and who do marvelous things for their community!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly allows you to customize your photo book just the way you want.

Freezer Crockpot Meals

Me and a group of my friends got together one weekend day to put together some freezer meals for all of us. We have all seen it done on Pinterest and they make it look so easy!

We decided each of us would pick two recipes, then we would buy enough so each person coming could bring home 20 freezer meals. There was 5 of us coming so each of us had to multiply our recipes by 10!

(The math still gets me all confused.. haha)

Here are the recipes:

Cashew Chicken:
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/10/slow-cooker-cashew-chicken.html?m=1
Honey Sesame Chicken:
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe.html?m=1
Penne Pasta:
http://www.fiskerellibellies.com/2012/01/pasta-lasagna.html
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas:
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/2012/02/freezer-meal-creamy-chicken-enchiladas/
Teriyaki chicken: http://melissafallistestkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/freezer-cooking-slow-cooker-meals.html
Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken:
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/09/slow-cooker-black-bean-and-corn-salsa.html
Orange-Apricot Pork Chops:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/01/orange-apricot-pork-chops-in-crockpot.html
Lasagna:
http://www.momswhothink.com/easy-recipes/lasagna-recipe.html

Tortilla Chicken Soup:
1 pkg of red beans and rice (Zatarain's)
1 1/2 lbs diced chicken
2 cans (15oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans chicken broth or 1- 32oz
1/2 onion, diced
Dash of chili powder
shredded cheese
Tortilla chips or Fritos
Sour cream to top
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in gallon ziplock bag, double bag it for security.
Defrost overnight in fridge, place in crockpot, cook on low for 4-6 hours
Serve with cheese, sour cream, and chips

Potato Soup: (doubled)

1/2-1 lb of bacon, crumbled

1 large can of chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 8oz package of cream cheese

8-12 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 clove of garlic, minced ( optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat over med. heat until potatoes are cooked through.

Here is my grocery list: Just for the 2 recipes I brought.
*30 lbs chicken breast or tenders
*5 cups honey
*3.5 cups soy sauce
*2.5 cups diced onion
*2 cups ketchup
*Minced garlic
*5 cups cashews
*Jasmine rice
Flour
Cornstarch
1.25 cups rice wine vinegar
10 tbsp brown sugar
Fresh ginger
(* indicates Costco purchase)

How It Works:

Get your friends: Get a group of friends that want to spend an afternoon chatting, drinking coffee or WINE, and who also want to save some time not having to prepare meals throughout the month, and save money buy buying in bulk.
Plan a day: Once you have figured out who is going to come, pick a day when everyone can be child free for 4-6 hours. (2 for the shopping, 4 for the prep)
Decide how much to make: We picked 2 recipes each for 5 people, which ends up making 20 meals for each person, or 100 meals total. Keep in mind how much room you have in your freezer. 18-20 is the max my freezer can hold. If you have a deep freezer your could do more.
Get the Food: Since chicken is so popular in so many recipes it would be smart for you all to go in on a big bulk chicken buy from a food coop or farmer. We however didn't do that but instead just bought all our groceries individually at local grocery stores or Costco. When picking recipes think about how many onions you might have to cut up or potatoes you might have to peel. lol
Bring Supplies: You will need enough measuring spoons and cups for each person coming, will need enough gallon ziplock bags for each crockpot recipe we just got a big bulk box of them at costco. Will need enough baking containers recipes that require baking instead of crockpot. Gallon pitchers to hold the gallon ziplock bags. Also enough bags to bring all your meals home in.
Prepping the Food: To save time we all precooked our meat before meeting up at our host's house(if the recipe called for that). Then when we got there all we had to do was assemble the recipes.
Assembly: What we found was fastest was to set up an assembly line, 1 gallon pitchers work fantastically for holding gallon ziplock bags for the crockpot meals.

1. So we set up 10 pitchers or pots to hold the ziplock bags for the first recipe.
2. Set up an assembly line each of us responsible for putting one ingredient in each bag till all the ingredients are in the bag.
3. Then we zipped them all up and set them outside (it was 25 degrees out) to chill until we were all done.
4. Reset the ziplock bags in the pitchers and pots and fill with next recipe.

If your doing pasta or lasagna or something that needs to be baked, it works the same just filling some aluminum tins instead of ziplock bags.

If everyone helps prep and assemble each recipe at a time it will go faster than everyone trying to do their own at once.

We each spent an average of $175 on our groceries for our 2 recipes we brought ingredients for.

Which ends up being $8.75 each meal

End of the Night

 

100 Freezer Meals Prepared!

The Dishes.. lol

Tortilla Chicken Soup

Gallon Pitcher holding a Gallon Ziplock bag

Cloth Diaper Report-Month 11

I kinda feel like each month I do this it's so similar. So this month I am going to do something different.

First let me start off with my inventory. Lets just say it's grown a lot since bubba was born.. Lol. darn you SoftBums Calendar Bums!!

I am not going to list off each shell individually that would take me too long but there are:
9 Omni shells,
10 Echo Shells,
1 OS bamboo superpod,
9 OS bamboo pods
1 OS dry touch superpod,
4 large dry touch pods,
6 large bamboo pods.

I am going to see how many times I can reuse the shell in a day and document how many changes and shells & pods we go through till wash day which is once a week.

Day One:
Shells used: Firecracker Omni, & Black Tie Echo
Pods Used: 2- OS Bamboo pods, 2- large bamboo pods, 1 large dry touch pod.
Changes: 5
Wipes: 3

Day Two:
Shells used: Lime Omni, Blueberry Echo, Sprout Omni
Pods used: 2 Large bamboo pods, 3 OS Bamboo pods
Wipes: 6

Day Three:
Shells used: Nuclear Pumpkin Echo, White Tie Safari Omni,
Pods used: 2 Large bamboo pods, 1 large dry touch pod, 1 OS bamboo pod
Wipes: 4

Day Four:
Shells used: Snowcone Omni, Chocolate Omni,
Pods used: 2 OS Bamboo pod, 1 bamboo mini (dh thought it was a large bamboo) 2 large bamboo
Wipes: 5

Day Five:
Shells used: Ebony Omni, Peace-o-phants Omni
Pods used: 1 OS Bamboo pod, 1 OS Bamboo superpod, 1 OS dry touch superpod
Wipes: 3

Day Six -Wash Day:
Shells used: Midnight Owls Echo,
Pods used: 2 large dry touch pods
Wipes: 0

So overall: we were able to use 2-3 shells a day, changing 3-5 times a day. It was a messy poop week apparently because he is getting 2 teeth. We used a lot more wipes than usual.

Why is Baking Soda a Natural Ingredient?

Recently a friend suggested for me to try using baking soda mixed with coconut oil as a face wash because I was having breakouts and I was looking for something new. I tried it and to my surprise it totally worked and exfoilated even better than the stuff I was spending $8-10 a bottle on every few months. I started to tell others how awesome it was, but then started to wonder what it actually was? Am I the only person to sit around and wonder such things? lol. What is baking soda and where does it come from? Why is it considered a natural ingredient?


The research:

So I started to do some research on it and apparently commercial quantities of baking soda are mined in Wyoming and Colorado in the form of the ore trona, Since trona is not pure sodium bicarbonate it has to be processed to derive soda ash first then baking soda is produced from the soda ash by adding C02 Sodium bicarbonate precipitates as a solid from this method naturally.

There are over 62 identified natural sodium carbonate (trona) deposits in the world with supposedly enough raw product to satisfy the world’s needs for thousands of years.

Here is its technical definition:

Sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO₃ (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). The natural mineral form is nahcolite. It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. Baking soda tends to maintain a pH of 8.1 (7 is neutral) even when acids, which lower pH, or bases, which raise pH, are added to the solution.

Heres a brief history on Baking Soda:

Photo Credit

3500 BC: Ancient Egyptians use natron (primarily comprised of sodium carbonate) as a soap-like cleaning agent. They also use it to make mummies.
1843: Alfred Bird, a British chemist, makes the first version of baking powder to help out his wife, who was allergic to yeast.
1846: The Arm & Hammer brand is created. The iconic logo that exists today – which represents Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking – isn’t introduced until 1867.
1924: Recommended to treat & prevent the cold & flu virus.
1927: National magazines like Good Housekeeping and McCall’s begin promoting the usefulness of baking soda in the home.
1970: Arm & Hammer is the sole sponsor of the very first Earth Day. Baking soda gains attention as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical cleaners.
1972: A new use for baking soda receives widespread adoption – Americans begin storing a box of baking soda in their refrigerators to keep food fresh.
1986: To celebrate the Statue of Liberty’s 100^th birthday, its inner copper walls are cleaned and restored with baking soda, which removes 99 years of grime and leaves the copper undamaged and completely clean.
2000: Kids use it for school science expirements
2012: Baking soda is one the the most popular pinterest pins, for its versatility.

Photo Credit

Uses for Baking Soda:

Medical uses

• Sodium bicarbonate mixed with water can be used as an antacid to treat acid indigestion and heartburn. It is used as the medicinal ingredient in gripe water for infants. (dont give your infant a solution of baking soda before asking their doctor if its ok first)
• Sodium bicarbonate has been known to be used in first aid, in treating scalding, to prevent blistering and scarring with instructions to cover the scalded area with a liberal layer of sodium bicarbonate and water paste and seek medical assistance. This is due to the endothermic reaction that occurs between sodium bicarbonate and water and sodium bicarbonate's mild antiseptic properties.
• Sodium bicarbonate can be used to treat an allergic reaction to plants such as poison -ivy -oak or -sumac to relieve some of the associated itching.
• Bicarbonate of soda can also be useful in removing splinters from the skin.
• Treating or preventing the flu: Simply dissolve the recommended amount of baking soda in a glass of cold water and drink it. Recommended dosages from the Arm & Hammer Company for colds and influenza back in 1925 were:
  
  • Day 1 -- Take six doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at about two-hour intervals
  • Day 2 -- Take four doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at the same intervals
  • Day 3 -- Take two doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water morning and evening, and thereafter ½ teaspoon in glass of cool water each morning until cold symptoms are gone

Personal Hygiene:
 



Photo Credit

• Toothpaste containing sodium bicarbonate has in several studies shown to have a better whitening^, plaque removal effect than toothpastes without it. Sodium bicarbonate is also used as an ingredient in some mouthwashes. It works as a mechanical cleanser on the teeth and gums, neutralizes the production of acid in the mouth and also acts as an antiseptic to help prevent infections.
   
• Sodium bicarbonate in combination with other ingredients can be used to make a dry or wet deodorant.
   
• Sodium bicarbonate may be used as a buffering agent, combined with table salt, when creating a solution for nasal irrigation.
•  A paste made from three parts of baking soda combined with 1 part water can be used as an exfoliator for your face and body. It’s natural, inexpensive and gentle enough to use every day.
• Baking soda and apple cider vinegar make a wonderful spa-like bath for soaking away aches and pains and detoxing. It also cleans the tub and the drain, as a bonus!

Cleaning:

 

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• It can be administered to pools, spas, and garden ponds to raise pH levels.
• Baking soda is commonly added to washing machines as a replacement for softener and to remove odors from clothes.
• Sodium bicarbonate is also effective in removing heavy tea and coffee stains from cups when diluted with warm water.
• I have also put it in a empty parmasean cheese container with some essential oil for fragrance and sprinkled it on the carpet prior to vacuuming.
• Sprinkle baking soda in your shoes for a natural deodorizer.
• Leave an open box of it in your fridge to neutralize odors, like last nights leftovers.
• In the event of a minor grease fire in your kitchen, use baking soda to help smother out the flames.
• Baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar is a bubbly combination that has many uses. As a drain cleaner, sprinkle baking soda down the drain, then add apple cider vinegar and let it bubble for 15 minutes, then rinse with hot water. This is a safer alternative to dangerous drain cleaners
• Make a paste with lemon juice and baking soda to get rid of hard water scale on your kitchen sink or bathroom sink.

Entertaining the Kids:

 

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• Play Clay: 2 cups ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda, 1 cup corn starch, 1-1/4 cups cold water (can add food coloring to color clay) Instructions can be (found here)
• Magic Beans: Fill vase/jar with water, Add 3-4 drops of food coloring. Add vinegar, then the ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda, Drop in rice, buttons, pasta – and watch them rise and fall. - (See detailed instructions)
• Sneaker Peekers: Fill a sock with 1 cup ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda, secure with a rubber band, Tie ribbon around rubber band, cut off extra sock (cuff area). Decorate the sock then leave in your shoes overnight for fresh smelling shoes - (See more here)
• Erupting Volcano: Baking soda, food coloring, water and vinager, You know the rest.. (here's the instructions)

Cloth Diapers & Baking Soda:

Photo Credit

• You can use it as a pail freshener by combining baking soda, salt and tea tree oil
• Make your own washing soda (RLR substitute) by heating a shallow baking dish of baking soda at 400 degrees, stirring until its clumpy like washing soda. Then just add 1/2 cup to a load of diapers on hot cycle then do a hot rinse cycle. To remove ammonia & detergent buildup and odors.
• You can also use 1/2cup of plain baking soda to the rinse cycle to remove odors from diapers.
• Use 1/2 cup to wash to help neutralize Ph level on your diapers after a bout with yeast or teething rash.

In Conclusion:

Technically Sodium Bicarbonate, aka baking soda is not a RAW ingredient but it is not chemically processed anymore therefore is a natural by-product. It is considerably less harmful and less dangerous than most cleaning, deodorizing, whitening & medicinal product's on the market. It has proven to be a very economical as well as extremely versitle product with a long history of successful use to back it.


Resources:
https://brightnest.com/posts/a-brief-history-of-baking-soda#sthash.DnYfggPc.dpuf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_soda#Personal_hygiene
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/27/baking-soda-natural-remedy.aspx
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/baking-soda-introduction.html
http://www.bookrags.com/research/baking-soda-woi/
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-arm-hammer-baking-soda
http://www.good.is/posts/seven-surprising-ways-to-use-baking-soda
http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/what-is-rlr-and-how-to-make-a-cheap-substitute/
http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions/solution-9/Baby-Laundry.aspx
http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions/solution-28/Magic-Beans.aspx