Yarn Wreath and fabric wall decor

I started these projects awhile ago but haven't posted yet because I'm a procrastinator.  It's cloudy out today, so the lighting isn't the best.  My camera tries, but it just can't show the true colors.  You can get the picture though.

First, the fabric on canvas project.  We are moving in a month so it's pointless to put it on the wall.  Especially since I have shelves waiting to be put on the wall that Matt was supposed to put up several months ago.  Hint hint.

So anyways, I just cut the fabric so it would fit on the canvas and be even.  Not too hard with the fabric I chose.  I borrowed my dad's staple gun.  I tried to make perfect corners but the canvas didn't have perfect corners so they came out slightly wonky but oh well.  For some reason, there were some sides of the canvas where the staples went in nicely, but most of them wouldn't go in all the way.  I tried several times.  So in true Julie fashion, I took a hammer to the staples that stuck out and flattened them so it would fit evenly on the wall.  It still holds the fabric so what's the difference?  This is why we don't have nice things.

Well here is the finished result.  On my lovely kitchen floor:

 The red fabric has polka dots, I'm not sure if you can tell.

Next I wanted to make a yarn wreath for Easter, and then Easter came and went and my door was still naked.  It still works for spring and summer.  The colors aren't true to life, the dark flowers are actually fuchsia, not red.

Here are my materials: four colors of felt, a roll of yarn and a straw wreath form with the plastic kept on.  I just tied it around the wreath once and wrapped the yarn around.  That was a tedious process but I like tedious things.  The yarn is not that blue, it's more aqua.  Here is my finished wreath:

This will go on my front door of course, but that's inside.  My poor boys will live in such a girly household, I better contain myself :)

26 weeks and a nursery chill pill

     So I totally failed on the 25 week post and picture.  I didn't even take a picture.  I might just do surveys every couple weeks or so, I don't want to get repetitive.

So here is a 26 week picture:

     We had an appointment on Wednesday and I measured at 26 weeks (a couple days early) so everything is good.  We heard his heartbeat and he was kicking the monitor thing.  He seems to move the most when I'm on my back or my side.  So last night I was on my side, ready to go to sleep and I felt my belly totally spazzing.  There were limbs and either a head or bottom flying everywhere.  That's what it felt like anyways.  I would love to know whats going on in there!  So Matt got to feel it, and I don't think he has ever felt that much movement.  He hasn't felt the limbs before either so he really liked that.  He said it made his day :)  I also felt hiccups in the morning for the first time.  So cute!

     I realized that I’ve spent way too much time researching for Adrian’s nursery.  It’s really hard when I see all these pictures of perfect nurseries on the internet; it makes me feel like I want a perfect nursery too!  This is ridiculous though, who is even going to see it?  My family won’t care if the furniture matches and Adrian won’t know if his curtains match his bed skirt.  My MIL gave us a dresser and I was planning on painting it white but then I realized Adrian might not appreciate a white dresser once he gets older. It’s really a perfect dresser for a boy the way it is.  It’s nice and sturdy and there’s nothing wrong with the wood finish.  I still want the room to look nice and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m going to take a chill pill and not worry so much about perfection.  One thing I know I want for sure is a couple canvases with quotes painted on them.  So here are a few that I’ve found that I really like:

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

— J. K. Rowling

What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God

- unknown

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island."

— Walt Disney

A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.
-Winnie the Pooh

"there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

- Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

     I LOVE quotes so I'm sure I will do tons of research before I pick something.  I think the nursery will have blue walls with green accents instead of the yellow I picked at first.  There are some gingham curtains and a crib dust ruffle in green on the Target website, so I might just go for that.  I'm making this way too complicated!  Matt is going to draw a couple cartoon-y monsters and I'm going to get a few ugly dolls and make an ugly doll mobile.  It will be a subtle but fun theme.

     Hopefully in 14 weeks I will have Adrian in my arms.  I told him he is not allowed to be late because we have to go to Emilee's wedding!

Return of the Cloth Diaper Addiction; 24 weeks

     My MIL and her sister went shopping in Minnesota and she came back with tons of clothes for Adrian, as well as some blankets, socks, bibs, booties, and an awesome closet organization set for his room.  That was fun to look through!  So I really have no idea how many clothes I need, and if I have enough 0-3 month clothes or too many newborn clothes.  My guess is yes to both, but who knows how many changes he will go through every day, how big he will be at birth and how fat he will get.  I was a porker.  With an afro.  Matt was two months premature and a twin, so that gives no clues. 

   On Saturday I went to my parent’s house because of the bad storms.  The weather was pretty uneventful in my neck of the woods, thank goodness.  Michelle and Caroline were there too, so it was a nice Saturday.  Mom finally felt Adrian give a good kick, and then of course he stopped when Michelle tried to feel him.  Cheeky little buggar. 

     On Sunday I bought three Thirsties diaper covers because they were on clearance for $9.78!  So I got white, aqua and light blue.  Then I ordered a “free” ($11 shipping) baby sling from an online store thanks to a coupon from Motherhood Maternity.  Then I started a Target registry online in order to keep myself from buying anything else.  I mostly registered for a few things that are only sold online, like cloth diapers, furniture etc.  So if anyone looks at my registry and thinks I’m stupid for registering for diaper covers and no prefolds, it’s because I thought they were too expensive.  I heard you could get them for less than a buck each, so I’m not paying more.  I’m surprised they don’t have snappis.  I’m not all that impressed with their cloth diaper selection; they barely had any colors to choose from and it’s a little confusing to navigate.  I only ended up with 28 items but I plan on having my mom and sister help me soon. 

     I’m feeling a little addicted to cloth diapers again, but according to people on the internet it’s perfectly normal.  

How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain: 7.6 pounds

Maternity clothes?  My belly band is starting to get too tight, but it doesn’t matter because today I realized my work pants are too tight, even all the way unzipped.  And these used to be my “slightly too big” pants before I was pregnant.  Ugh I hate buying pants.

Best moment this week:  I was lying in bed and felt Adrian kicking really hard and I watched my belly move all over the place.  I felt his whole bottom go across my belly.  Either that or it was his head, it was a big round shape.  Matt was a little creeped out, he keeps comparing it to aliens.

Miss Anything? Twirly dresses   

Movement: Right by my ribs at the moment.  Sometimes I think I can feel him stretching.  I’m wondering what hiccups feel like, I haven’t felt anything like that yet.

Food cravings: Totinos pizza, tacos

Food aversions: roast beef

Gender: Boy, and he’s got the wardrobe to prove it

Symptoms: Feels like my belly has gotten as big as it can go, but my womb is pushing against it.  Like a pressure.  I thought I was just full at first but then it didn’t stop until I put lotion on it like my mom advised.  Duh Julie.  Also back pain, I can’t get into a comfy sleeping position.

Looking forward to: April 27^th when we get the keys to the townhouse, and May 17 when we get the anatomy scan

Not your mama's cloth diapers

Besides the few “are you crazy” looks I have gotten, I have mostly felt support for my decision to cloth diaper.  In case anyone still thinks I am crazy, this post is about why I chose to cloth diaper, and what cloth diapering is like nowadays.

Why cloth diaper?

1. As I shared a few posts ago, I am a tree hugger.  I would never actually chain myself to a tree because I’m way too high maintenance for that but I do want to lessen my imprint on the earth.  The only problem with this is, you can either use disposables and add tons of waste to the landfills or you wash cloth diapers and use a lot of water and energy. I’m picking my poison.  So I don’t think there should be a huge debate about who is better, it’s just a personal choice.  This isn’t really helping my case a lot though.

2.  Have I mentioned how ADORABLE cloth diapers are?  They come in so many colors. I think Matt could even get excited about buying them.  I’m not a fan of prints though.

3.  Personally I think they seem more comfortable.  The ones I purchased so far are made of soft cotton on the inside.  There’s a debate about which method causes more diaper rashes but I think as long as you change the diaper when the baby needs it you are probably pretty safe.

4. Cost.  I am nothing if not frugal.  There is more of a cost upfront because each diaper costs around $18 but if you take care of them you can use them for all of your kids.  I am buying “one size” diapers which you can use the whole time the baby is in diapers.  It has tons of snaps so it can grow with the baby.  Let’s just say we have 4 kids.  If I buy about 30 diapers at $18 each it will cost $540.  Then you have to add energy costs and special detergent. So that might add up to $150. I might not be completely correct about all the costs but there is a difference.  Also, I wont really know how much I need until baby gets here.  Also, we are technically going to use disposables for the first couple weeks or so.

     I suck at math so I found a chart.  The cost of disposable diapers depends on the size of the diaper; also the baby needs less as he gets older so the chart I found had a grand total of $2577.35 from birth to potty training (2 1/2 years) with an average cost-per-change of $0.36.  If these calculations are correct and I have 4 kids I will pay $10309.40 by the end of our diapering days.  That’s about how much I will pay for daycare in a year if Matt doesn’t agree to let me stay home. (hint hint Matt)

How have cloth diapers changed, and why do you presume to know anything about my mama?

The first time I heard that people still cloth diaper, my first thought was “yuck.”  My second thought was “wow that’s old fashioned, and even though I like old fashioned things there is a reason people moved away from that practice” 

Besides being a frugal tree hugger I am also really curious.  So I did tons of research on cloth diapers and it took me awhile to figure out what the heck everyone was talking about.  There are so many different kinds now. 

Prefolds: These are the kind one normally thinks of when they think of cloth diapers.  They consist of absorbent cloth folded into a rectangle that you cover the baby with, and then you secure it and put a cover over it.  For the most part, gone are the plastic pants and safety pins. Now the covers are cloth (with a water proof outer layer) and instead of safety pins you have these things called “snappis” that are a kind of a T shape.  They stretch and grab onto the cloth and keep everything together with claws.  The baby can’t remove it.  These are the cheapest so I’m going to add some to my collection.   

Snappis

Prefold

All in One: This is a cloth diaper that doesn’t need any prepping.  You just put it on the baby.  It has a waterproof outer layer and the absorbent layer is on the inside.  The downside of these is that they take longer to dry.  They would be good for babysitters who are okay with cloth diapers though.

Pocket Diapers:  You can get different sizes of pocket diapers but I like one size (OS) diapers because then I don’t have to buy as many; although I’m not sure if I can get away with this yet.  Anyways, with a pocket diaper you can use inserts which help absorb waste and you put them into the diaper pocket.  So you can put two inserts in for night time if you want.  So all you have to do is stuff the insert in the pocket and snap the diaper on the baby.  Then you take the insert out when you wash it and it takes less time to dry.

Fitted: These are similar to prefolds, only they are contoured like a diaper and either snap or Velcro closed.  Then you put a cover on them.  These are more expensive than prefolds but less expensive than pocket diapers. 

There might be more kinds but this is quite enough for now.  These are the only kinds I’m going to use.

How do you store/wash dirty cloth diapers?

Most likely you don’t want to know all of the details but I will be washing them myself.  Actually I don’t even know all of the details myself yet, I mean it’s still 5 months away.  I do know that you store dirty diapers in the trash can and just wash them every 2 or 3 days.  Breastfed baby’s diapers can all go in the wash without rinsing them in the toilet.  Once they eat solid foods there is a sprayer you can attach to the toilet so you can spray solids off instead of swishing the diaper in the toilet.  So some of it is a little gross but technically you are supposed to dump all solid waste into the toilet before throwing a diaper away anyways; it’s just that no one does it. 

I’ll have to work out a system for when we leave the house or travel.  I will write an update once we’ve been using these for a few months. 

Easter and 23 weeks

     On Sunday we went to church and they played my favorite song “How He Loves Us” so I was pretty stoked.  That is still one of my favorite parts of my wedding.  After church we went to my parent’s for Easter lunch, since Matt had to work at 2:30.  It was delicious!  One of my dad’s friends from work also came because his family is far away.  Hopefully he didn’t think we were too weird.  Mom made strawberry rhubarb pie and apple dumplings because she wasn’t sure if Matt would like the pie.  She made a good call, Matt hates strawberries.  The rest of us got a double treat!

     Saturday was the last whole day Matt and I will be able to spend together before the baby comes.  He will be working evenings 5 days a week.  So we went shopping and to Cheddar’s and then Barnes and Noble (we went there on our first date, after a movie.  We are weird.)  I’ll be spending a lot of evenings alone or with my parents.  I do enjoy alone time but it’s going to get old really fast. 

I wrote a letter for Adrian:

Dear Adrian,

Two weeks ago Grandma Carlson and I saw you on an ultrasound.  Your dad was at work and couldn’t make it, but we were so excited to find out you were a boy!  The doctor said you weren’t shy, and called you ornery because it was hard to see your face.  I told her it’s because you are a Palmer boy.  J Words cannot express how much I am longing to be your mom.  I love feeling you inside me and talking to you, but I want to see your face and hold you in my arms.  I want to see the look on your dad’s face when he sees you for the first time.  I can’t wait to feed you, clothe you and sing you to sleep.  I can’t wait to share the love and promises of God with you, because he loves you so much, and has done great things for you.  I want you to know you have been so loved and wanted from the very beginning.  You are the answer to a prayer.  Stay put until August please, and until then I will be content with your kicks and constant company.

Love, Mom

Poll!  Is “Don’t Put Your Booger There: Mommy Memoirs” too crass for a blog title?  The first half was going to be my book about being a kindergarten teacher, but since that will never happen I figured this is a good place to use it.  It works for raising a boy.  But not if it just grosses everyone out.  This is a serious question by the way. 

• How far along? 23 weeks
• Maternity clothes?  I went on a shopping spree with Matt, and online.  I should probably cool it for a bit.
• Best moment this week:  I asked Matt if he was spending the night in the hospital with me, and he said “of course!” so I said he can probably go home and shower and change instead of bringing his clothes for a couple days and he said “I’m not leaving you!”  I just thought it was very sweet.  Hopefully he will make trips to subway though, it’s right down the street from the hospital.
• Miss Anything? Being able to sleep in a comfortable position. 
• Movement: Tons!  But not when someone wants to feel him.
• Food cravings: grilled hot dogs and baked potatoes (my mom made twice baked potatoes for Easter and they were heavenly)
• Food aversions: roast beef, fast food
• Symptoms: back pain
• Belly Button in or out? not sure at what point it really qualifies as an outie, but it’s pretty much there in all it’s disgusting glory.  I told my brother as much and he said “eeeeewwwww.”  I thought I was the only one who had issues with belly buttons.
• Looking forward to: Getting the keys to the townhouse April 27^th and Bart and Anna’s wedding on the 21^st!

22 weeks and baby gets a name

This weekend I went on another shopping spree with my mom and sister at the Carter’s outlet in Gretna.  I got about 27 articles of clothing for the same price that one dress from Anthropologie would cost.  Plus my mom bought a couple outfits.  I wasn’t even jealous of the girls clothes (except all the polka dots, I wish boys could wear polka dots.)  Everything is just so adorable.  I got two more overalls, tons of onesies, some of those mittens so he can’t scratch his face, a hoodie, and my mom bought a hoodie with a crab on it and little sweatpants.  This boy is going to have some awesome clothes.  I’m loving the cartoony monsters on a lot of the boys clothes.  Then we went to Osh Kosh, which I wasn’t as successful at.  I did get a navy and white sweater vest, and a white polo onesie, and a navy gingham dress shirt onesie to go under it.  It’s freaking adorable.  I got little khaki’s for pants. 

Matt had a bachelor party ALL day Saturday (first golf, then bars) so I hung out with my mom, Michelle and Caroline.  We went to Applebee’s for lunch, then shopping.  We watched a movie and ate pizza and I spent the night.  My mom bought a memory foam mattress for her guest bed.  It was amazing. 

Tom came to town for a couple days, so on Friday we went to Genji’s restaurant. and then saw “Wrath of the Titans” which was okay, but of course I hated the violence.  We got home by midnight and I felt so old because we used to hang out until 2 AM. 

On Sunday we ate subway at our park.  The weather was so beautiful.  Then we did some grocery shopping and I took a nap.  We are so exciting.  On Monday I convinced Matt that we need to settle on a name.  I’m just impatient and we’ve both liked this name the most for the past few days.  So the baby is: Adrian Thomas Palmer.  I’m so excited to finally have a name!  So now I don’t have to say “baby” all the time.  Although Matt’s mom has been calling Adrian “Danger” or Dange” as a nickname until we told her the real name.  I think it would be funny if it stuck as a nickname. 

• How far along? 22 weeks
• Total weight gain: 4 pounds!  (Since last month)
• Maternity clothes?  I need more summer clothes and a bathing suit.
• Best moment this week:  When Matt came home the other day and was telling me about work and the baby started moving like crazy because of Matt’s voice J      
• Miss Anything? Sometimes I miss my figure, but I’m the one that was impatient for a baby bump so I can’t really complain lol 
• Movement: Mostly at night, mostly when I’m lying down, and it will never happen when someone is waiting to feel it.  He’s so stubborn.   
• Food cravings: Sweets.  All sweets, but mostly sweets with frosting.  My OB said she used to eat M&M’s for breakfast, so I don’t feel too bad.   
• Food aversions: None that I didn’t have before I was pregnant.
• Gender: Boy!
• Symptoms: Really weird dreams.  Last night something evil was pretending to be my mom, but I knew, so I yelled at it and beat the shit out of it and told it it better not do that again.  It didn’t look like my mom when I was beating it up though, cuz that would just be weird.  I’m brave in dreams.
• Belly Button in or out? Practically an outie.
• Looking forward to: Easter, and April 27^th when we get the keys to our townhouse!