Preparing for Baby

Oh.  My.  Goodness...  I cannot believe that in less than 3 weeks we will have our baby in our arms!  I am still shocked that we have made it to full term and the gender of our baby is still a surprise!  Nathan and I have been getting more and more excited for the birth now that it's almost here.  What an amazing moment that will be to find out who our baby is!  We are prepared with a name for either a boy or a girl, but it has been so strange to not know who this child is that I am carrying.  This has really been a different experience than I imagined, but definitely in a good way.  I am still in that day-dreamy phase that most moms leave behind in the second trimester when they have their ultrasound.  I am always thinking, "I wonder if it's a boy or a girl?!"  This pregnancy HAS seemed never-ending, (mainly because I am chasing after a baby already) but I can't complain.  I have had very healthy pregnancies and I know some are not as fortunate.  I realized last night that I have been pregnant for 27 months total out of the last 4 years.  That just seems unreal!

I know when we decided that we would not be finding out the baby's gender via ultrasound our family thought we were crazy!  I just knew that even if we knew ahead of time the only thing we would need to buy would be diapers.  We had some neutral clothing from when the girls were newborn, but newborn clothes are so inexpensive that it wouldn't be an issue to go out and purchase some boy outfits if we had a boy.  Also, the preparations that take place for the third baby are so different than the first, or even second time around.  I haven't felt the need to decorate an entire nursery.  Even if we had an extra bedroom, there is NO WAY that I would have had the energy for that this time around!  So I guess it's safe to say that if this was our first child, we would NOT be able to handle the mystery.  One of the main reasons I wanted to keep it a surprise is because we have decided this will be our last baby.  I always thought the delivery room experience would be more special, I just couldn't resist with either of the girls.  Since this is our last chance, I really wanted to wait and I am so glad we did!

As far as the big stuff goes, we have all the necessary baby equipment already (thankfully in neutral colors).  The new baby will be sharing the nursery with Caroline, so we just got some neutral bedding and put up a second crib.  It is still very girly in the nursery, complete with the pink chandelier.  If we end up with a boy, then some redecorating will definitely be in order.  The baby will be sleeping in our room for the first several months anyway, so I couldn't see any reason to change Caroline's room around before the birth.  When I was pregnant with Caroline, I made so many personalized outfits for the girls.  I love matching my kids and I LOVE monograms.  I decided not to go overboard with monogramming, because I didn't want to be stuck with personalized outfits that we can't use!  I made one outfit for each name.  That way, the baby will have a special outfit for pictures.  

For boy :)  There are actually matching pants and a hat for this, just not pictured.

For girl :)

Everything else is ready and set for baby #3 to complete our family.  We have drawers stocked in some boy, some girl, and some neutral clothing.  We have the nursery stocked with all the newborn essentials and the pack and play is ready to be set up.  The only thing we did differently this time is purchase a co-sleeper that will be placed in our bed for the baby to safely sleep in.  Nursing Caroline as a newborn was the most exhausting thing I have ever experienced and I have heard many nursing moms recommend a co-sleeper so you can both rest safely.  I actually bought one used for next to nothing, so no major expense there!  We have our hospital bags packed and arrangements made for the girls during the hospital stay.  We are so, SO blessed to have family nearby.  We will keep you posted in the upcoming weeks!  Thanks for reading!

Love, Maegan

Olivia's 1st Day of Preschool!

It is hard to believe, but our big 3 year old had her first day of preschool yesterday!  While my main interest at this point is continuing on the path of schooling at home for the most part, I recognize Olivia's need to learn from other adults.  She is very social and even though we have a diverse playgroup, I knew she would benefit greatly from being around different kids and teachers.  We decided a while back to join the local homeschooling co-op and I am so glad that we did!  The first day really went well.  A local church allows the co-op to use their building for classes every Friday, and I have to say I was very impressed with how the classes were set up!  They were much larger and much more child-friendly than I had imagined.  They were all painted in bright colors and each room had a wild rug.  Olivia definitely approved.

The co-op offers a wide range of classes suitable for kids of all ages.  We had to be out of town on the day of registration so a friend was able to take our paperwork and sign her up for us, thankfully.  At that time, we were told that all of the classes had filled up quickly so they would have to open more.  That in itself was a good sign!  I never would have imagined how much the homeschooling community in this area is growing.  It was a very reassuring feeling when we walked in Friday morning to find the lobby filled with families who are all on similar paths.  While their reasons for homeschooling may be different, they have all been called to the same place!  Anyway, since the original classes filled up so quickly, I was anxious to see who her teachers would be and what classes she would be in.  She was placed in Fun Fitness for first hour, Reading Alive for second hour, and Preschool Art for third hour.  I think it is going to be a great semester there!  She was kept busy during her classes and did well being separated from me, which made me feel very confident about the rest of the year.  

While Olivia is taking classes, I will be working in the nursery.  The first day was a little hectic but that's to be expected for the first day!  I am looking forward to field trips, school pictures, and the fall party already.  Those are the things about school that I remember being so excited about as a child.  I didn't want my little ones to miss out on them, so I am SO excited to learn that we will still be able to participate in those things!  Holiday parties and field trips?!  It doesn't get any better.  It just doesn't.  I am also thankful that we are able to be a part of an organization that is ran by the parents.  I definitely felt a sense of community there and I am really looking forward to getting to know the other families better.

Enjoy the pictures!  We had quite the photo shoot so I had to share!  

Olivia and her friend Ethan

Love, Maegan

My First Quilt!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was working on a quilt for Caroline's first birthday, and I DID finish it in time for her party!  For those of you who know me well, you understand what a major accomplishment that is  I love all things crafty, but a quilt has never been at the top of my to-do list.  I just thought it was something way out of my league.  A couple of months ago, I signed up to help with a quilting ministry at LaCroix which sparked my interest.  Due to their meeting times and my busy children, I haven't had a chance to make a meeting and actually help out, but it has been on my brain.  I am sure that everyone there could give me PLENTY of pointers.  I found a DIY blog post (at the fickle pickle) with some simple instructions.  I followed them for about half of the project, then decided to just skip the rest and just do my own thing.

Since Caroline had a John Deere theme for her first birthday party, I decided to put those John Deere scraps to good use.  My mom had them in her crafting closet (and seriously, y'all.. They have been there since I was in elementary school) so they didn't cost me a penny.  I spent less than $15 on the other supplies, since I used a 40% off coupon on the batting and the backing and trim fabric.  

This is what the squares looked like once they were sewn together. 

(Nothing fancy, but once again, FREE.)

Since Caroline had a John Deere theme for her first birthday party, I decided to put those John Deere scraps to good use.  My mom had them in her crafting closet (and seriously, y'all.. They have been there since I was in elementary school) so they didn't cost me a penny.  I spent less than $15 on the other supplies, since I used a 40% off coupon on the batting and the backing and trim fabric.  I sewed all the squares together, then  sandwiched the batting between the quilt front and backing.  For the backing, I chose a light yellow polka dot fabric.  Once that was ironed together to hold in place, I pinned and sewed on the diagonal to make it an official "quilt".  I trimmed it with some green fabric with white polka dots, and put some finishing touches on.  This is what the end result looked like:

It is NOT perfect by any means, but I doubt that Caroline will be complaining any time soon.  I think for the first quilting project, it turned out pretty okay.  It has been in our living room floor since Saturday serving as a  playmat.  I just had to share!  

Love, Maegan

Caroline Turns One

I cannot believe that my baby will be one tomorrow...  This year has just flown by!  It is so hard to imagine what life was like before Caroline was in it!  She has changed our world, all changes for the better.  As a baby, I thought she was so quiet and mellow.  She still is at times, she is very good at playing and entertaining herself.  She feeds herself, soothes herself, she plays well alone.  But there is a whole new side that has really started to show lately!  She is very independent, walking all over the house, and getting into ALL kinds of things.   She is an adventurous baby, for sure!  She will climb on just about anything, which is something Olivia has never done.  It is so amazing to watch their relationship grow.  They are more like sisters, these days.  Fighting over toys and learning how to share together.  I can't wait to watch how they grow over the years, especially with a new sibling joining our family in just a few short weeks.

We celebrated Caroline's birthday over the weekend and it was the PERFECT party.  We decided to keep it just family and close family friends, and it was really great.  We had a John Deere theme, and as I posted before, my friend Jessica made Caroline's invitations and banners.  It was ADORABLE.  I mean, really, really adorable.  I made a precious tutu for Caroline and a matching shirt and bow for both girls to wear to the party.  They weren't too fond of the pre-party pictures, but I did get one good one.  (**When you have multiple children, "one good one" refers to the only one where they are both sort-of looking and smiling.)

I just love this one!  :)

After the pictures, we let the birthday girl lose the tutu and hair bow and we got the party started!  It was a simple party in my parents' back yard, nothing fancy but it was perfect for the birthday girl.  I was so worried about having a party outside in AUGUST, especially with all of the heat waves and record-setting high temps lately, but I am glad we took a chance on it.  The high for that day was 81, and it was sunny and breezy.  Here are some pictures from the party!

Mommy and her girls!

My mom and I wrapped our presents to match the theme, so I had to get a picture! :)

Daddy and the Birthday Girl

 We had all the guests write a message on the frame for Caroline

 Birthday banner and tutu

Close-up of the tutu and bow

 Kennedy, Caroline, and Olivia playing on the quilt

 Caroline's John Deere cake (which was DELICIOUS)

The food table!  We kept it simple, with just hot dogs, chips, and drinks.  

Big sister had to get a little taste, too!

I can't imagine how her dad could have been made any more special!  We are so blessed to have friends and family to share in her special day.  I know there are lots of out of town family members that wish they could have made it, too, but hopefully these pictures and words help to make them feel like they were there!  Thanks for reading!  

Love, Maegan

End of Summer Changes

There are MANY changes going on in our household lately.  I think both kids are trying to prepare me for the lack of sleep that goes along with having a newborn in the house, because no one has been sleeping past 6 a.m.  I'm taking the opportunity to use this to get us on an earlier schedule.  Earlier bedtimes, earlier wake times, earlier nap times!  Gavin (our nephew) starts kindergarten this year and we will be picking him up from school, so this schedule will fit our needs for the year.  I am looking forward to having a school-age kid in the house.  I just love seeing all those papers and notes from teachers!  That is definitely something we would be missing if we decided to homeschool during the elementary years but we do have Gavin to share those things with us.  Last week, we signed Olivia up for a few classes with the SEMO Homeschoolers.  It is a co-op that offers elective classes for children who are being primarily homeschooled.  Obviously, she is just in the Pre-K phase of this but I think joining for the year will give us an idea if this is something that our family wants to pursue.  As of right now, she is signed up for Fun Fitness, Reading Alive, and Colors and Shapes.  It was VERY affordable, so that's a bonus.  It is a volunteer-based program, so we will see how volunteering with two babies will go!  Classes start the end of August, so hopefully that will give us a little time to settle into a routine before baby #3 arrives.  I am really looking forward to seeing Olivia grow as a student.  We have been off of our preschool routine the last few weeks, but started back this morning.  She amazes me at how well she retains information!  I think she will be reading by next summer.

Olivia and her friend, Ethan at the Osage Center

Another new change that is definitely worth noting is that Caroline has been walking on her own this morning!  She has been taking a few steps here and there, but today is the first day I have seen her really take off on her own.  She definitely isn't afraid of anything.  She has been jumping off of furniture and climbing onto things for months.  She is a wild child!  She has several fading bumps and bruises on her forehead from the new hardwood floors.  She also still likes to explore under the kitchen table, but she hasn't quite figured out she's too tall!  In the last several weeks, both kids have had doctor visits and Caroline is 19lbs and Olivia is 37 lbs.  It is hard to believe that they are so big!  All of Caroline's growing must have worn her out, because she has had a hard time staying awake at the table :)

Such a sleepy girl!

Aside from getting ready for the new baby, we have also been getting ready for Caroline's first birthday!  I am just so excited about this.  My husband would tell you I get way too excited over birthdays and holidays. I am already thinking about Halloween and Christmas, but we won't get into that now.  Caroline is having a John Deere themed birthday party!  We are having it outside, EVEN though it will be a million degrees.  Olivia's birthday is in January so this is the first outdoor party I have ever got to plan, so we're taking advantage of it.  Of course, if there is bad weather or a heat advisory we will have to move it indoors.  My parents have such a nice, shady yard so we are having it at their house.  My friend, Jessica made our invitations and banners with her Cricut. She recently opened an etsy store to sell her fabulous creations, so if you are in need of some birthday pretties, check it out here!  She also has pictures of Caroline's banners posted, so you can get an idea of what the decor will be like.  Here is a sneak peek at Caroline's invites:  

They are even cuter in person, if you can imagine that!

I have been working on a few projects for her birthday.  Since it is her first birthday, it is so sentimental (for her momma, at least).  I really wanted to make her something that she would have for years to come.  My mom had some extra John Deere fabric, so I decided to make Caroline a quilt!  Okay, ya'll...  I don't know how to quilt but it doesn't LOOK hard.  I mean, you sew a bunch of squares together, add a little backing, and voila!  A quilt!  Okay, it was a few more steps than that, and ACTUALLY it still isn't finished.  The finishing steps will take all of about 5 minutes but I just haven't got around to doing it yet.  I will post a picture  as soon as it's finished!!!  

We have a busy week ahead of us.  On Thursday, I am hosting a Thirty-One party!  I am so excited.. Really, really excited!  I have been considering becoming a consultant for this company, and when the time is right, it is definitely something I will do.  Thirty-One is a faith-based company that sells totes, and bags, and so many adorable things!  Best of all, they monogram!  If you know me very well, you know how I feel about monogrammed bags...  Probably my favorite thing. Ever.  The girls both got monogrammed overnight bags for Christmas and I just LOVE them.  Anyway, back to the party... If you would like to place an order for this party, you can go here, then click "My Parties" and find my name.  I am so excited about the possibility of joining Thirty-One's team!  It would be a great opportunity to bring in a little extra income, and get out of the house and meet new people at the same time.  At this time, my number one priority is being at home with my family.  I feel like God has led us to this point in our lives and my children need me at home full-time.  However, if I could keep my full-time mommy job and do parties on the side, that would be the best scenario.  I am so thankful that Nathan's job provides us enough so that I can stay at home with the kids.  While it is very much a tiring, never-ending job, it is also a privilege, a blessing, and the most rewarding job.  I am so blessed to be the one watching my children meet every milestone.  Thanks for reading!  

Love, Maegan

Sickness and Savings

Oh my goodness.  What a month July turned out to be!  I am not trying to wish away our summer as a family of four, but I am really glad things are coming to an end.  It seems that the whole month  someone in our house was sick.  Caroline and Olivia both had stomach viruses, then Caroline's virus continued to develop into Roseola.  Poor thing was covered in a rash from head to toe.  We ended up taking her to the ER on Sunday night (this was a couple of weeks ago) because her fever was so high and wouldn't come down.  She was diagnosed with an ear infection and put on antibiotics.  Two days later, she breaks out in hives, on top of the Roseola rash.  Diagnosis?  An allergic reaction to Penicillin.  CRAZY!!!!  So, now you see why we are all glad to say goodbye to July, right?

She looked so precious in that little gown!

Thankfully, that chaos is over and we can enjoy being healthy for a while!  It is unreal how quickly September is approaching!  I had a routine check-up with the doctor this morning and he had nothing new to report.  The baby is growing normally and everything looks good.  We scheduled the Cesarean for Thursday, September 20th!  It just seems so crazy that this baby and Caroline will only be 13 months apart!  It never fails, someone in the grocery store or the doctor's office always makes a comment about how crazy things will be and what a hand-full we will have.  It is true, but I am certain that everything will work itself out.  TONS of mothers before me have parented children just as close in age and managed just fine.  Not to mention, I have about the greatest support group EVER!  I have made so many great friends in the community through playgroups and programs specifically for moms.  I feel very blessed to have such a large circle of friends.  We are making plans and getting things organized and into place for this new baby.  It won't be long and we'll be finding out if we have a boy or a girl.  Olivia is convinced it's a boy (this week).

On another note, I have had several friends discussing the different ways they cut corners to be able to stay at home with their children during the early years and beyond.  I consider this a great privilege.  During the time that I was a working mother it was a huge struggle.  I constantly felt torn between doing laundry and playing with my baby.  I often felt like I was neglecting her needs by leaving her with a sitter, while I knew that it was necessary for me to be a provider.  This is ONLY speaking for my own family, but I just felt so pulled to be at home with my little ones and thankfully my husband agreed.  Anyway, it isn't easy by any means.  When I was a working mom I had no second thoughts about spending $30.00 on a tub of Tide or buying groceries that would make meal times quicker.  Of course they were more expensive but, they shortened the time that I spent cooking, which in return gave me more family time.  Since becoming a stay-at-home mom, I have the time to make my own laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, cook homemade meals, and re-purpose items that I threw out before.  I thought I would share some of my recipes for those who might be looking for a new way to cut costs!  It is time consuming, but worth it if you want to save a little extra!  

**This is the recipe I follow for homemade laundry detergent.  I usually make a HUGE batch of this, enough to fill up my old Tide dispenser.  It works wonders!  I don't use this for my cloth diapers, I do use a store-bought detergent for those since little bottoms are so sensitive!

**Here you can find the recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent.  I will say that it doesn't dry the dishes as well as store-bought, but if you use a little vinegar in the rinse your glasses will come out sparkling like new!  Also, upon reading reviews it was suggested that you add about 3 drops of original Dawn dishwashing liquid on top of the dry detergent.  This works great!

Another thing we have opted for in our family, is cloth diapering our little ones.  My husband thought I had lost my mind when I suggested this.  I think the initial cost was a shock to him.  Honestly, it does seem pricey when you are purchasing all of the materials.  We use the FLIP System by Bumgenius.  When we first started out, we bought 6 covers and 18 organic cotton inserts.  This was enough to diaper Caroline for one full day, but it seemed like by the time we were done with the washing and drying process we were down to one diaper, or we would have to use a disposable as a backup.  We ended up buying 2 more covers and 4 stay-dry inserts and this stash works perfectly for our needs right now.  Making the switch from disposable to cloth, we also realized we would need a diaper sprayer (a sprayer that attaches to the bottom of the toilet) for washing solids off of the diapers, and a pail and 2 washable liners.  I am so happy with our choice to cloth diaper, and although Nathan wasn't on board in the beginning I think he has been happy with how much money we have saved!  We haven't bought disposables since we went on vacation in March!  Olivia still uses a pull-up just in case she has an accident overnight, and we use the FLIP Trainer for her.  One trainer comes with 3 inserts and runs about the same price as a box of disposable pull-ups.  Overall, our investment in cloth is about $300.00.  We have been using cloth since December.  If we spent $160.00 per month on disposable diapers, wipes, and pullups, over the course of the last 9 months we would have wasted $1,440.00.  That is just unbelievable!  Not to mention, these diapers have been laundered carefully and still look GREAT!  They will definitely hold up for another 2 years, and at that point we will be able to donate them to a family who can put them to good use.  

I have learned that all those little things you splurge on really do add up.  We wash a lot of clothes and dishes in this house, and if I can contribute just a teensy bit by saving money on household cleaning products then I feel like I am doing my job.  I am so thankful that I have such a hardworking husband.  My family has benefited greatly from the sacrifices we make to ensure that one parent is at home with them.  Thanks for reading our blog!  We will update with more pictures soon!  

Love, Maegan

The 4th and More

The last couple of weeks have flown by!  It has been a billion degrees here so we have been doing a lot of "lazy day" indoor activities.  As you know from previous posts, I finally finished our downstairs "homeschool" room.  I picked some things up at yard sales, some on sale sites, and others have been given to us at no cost.  Others have been DIY projects that cost little to nothing to make.  Anyway, our basement is like a real classroom overflowing with educational toys, games, and activities to expand the minds of our children!  It seems like the first few weeks that we had the room all set up we just had one busy day after another.  I was really over-doing things.  We are usually very active during the week, visiting the library, Discovery Playhouse, the park..  I have been trying to fit in all the outings we could before baby time comes.  With three little ones our outings for at least the first month will be on hold, and limited for some time after that while I am recovering and we are all adjusting.  Needless to say, I think I was feeling a little "mommy guilt" and trying to compensate for that by keeping our days busy with summer activities.  I started having contractions a couple of weeks ago, and we slowed things down.  The whole next week we had helpers at our home.  Everyone took shifts!  I don't like to ask for help, and I don't like to be stuck either!  It was certainly a wake-up call. Thankfully, after slowing down on our crazy running around we are all back to our normal routine and the contractions have completely stopped.  Back to the room downstairs, it has come in SO HANDY and they honestly enjoy being at home just as much!  They both get excited to go downstairs and play with the toys and books.  Our kids truly do enjoy educational toys more than anything else.

Olivia using the pegs for counting.  The printable counting sheets can be found here

She loves this more than anything!  It was $8, so I love it too! :)

Caroline is growing and picking up on more and more things daily.  I have such mixed feelings about her 1st birthday that is swiftly approaching...  I am excited because being a ONE YEAR OLD brings so many new milestones, and I guess you could say I am a little sad for the same reason!  She is so hilarious.  I know everyone thinks their baby is hilarious, but really, she is.  She has recently learned to stand in the middle of the floor with no support.  I was able to get a picture of her the second time she did this and I am so glad!  

She was so unsure here!  She is a pro at this now.

She is definitely amused by getting into trouble.  She really is a joy to watch!  I don't understand how someone could be mad at this face.  No, I don't love all of the messes, but I do love watching my children discover new things and explore.  To Caroline, toilet paper isn't just toilet paper.  Toilet paper is some mysterious rolly-thing you can spread all over the floor.  And apparently it tastes good to her, because she likes to sneak into the bathroom and eat some every now and then.  We have finally adjusted our household to shutting the bathroom door at all times.  Good thing her grand-dad has access to free toilet paper.  

"Hey, Mom!"

Just as Olivia's vocabulary is expanding, so is Caroline's.  She is signing more and more things and using motions and sounds to communicate.  We have given her a valuable tool by being able to communicate so young.  She isn't frustrated and when she is ready for her bottle she signs "milk".  When she wants some Cheerios (which is often), she signs "eat".  It is the sweetest thing to be cuddling her on the couch and you can tell she is sleepy and she reaches that little hand out and asks for milk!  I just adore it.  The other day, she was in her high chair having a snack and Nathan went and stood by the pantry.  She signed "eat" and pointed to him, and placed a Cheerio in his hand.  It was precious!  She was sharing her snack, saying, "Here, Dad.  You eat this Cheerio".  It was just so sweet.  She has some crazy moments, too where she just feels like being silly!  

I just love this goofy baby!

She loves her Remy, too!

I really should be doing an update every week!  So much has happened in the past two weeks, it is hard to recall all the sweet things said and done.  We had the best Independence Day celebration.  My brother went with us to Poplar Bluff to visit with Nathan's family.  We all ate too much food and it was a sleepy ride home!  We actually didn't do any fireworks at home, we just ran out of time!  Olivia was so terrified of the fireworks last year that we didn't have much of a celebration.  This year after we got back from Poplar Bluff, we went to see the fireworks display at the park in Jackson. Olivia's reaction was priceless!  She kept saying, "Make a wish and all your dreams will come true!"  I think she may have got that from a Disney commercial, of course. :)  I didn't expect Caroline to care much about the fireworks, but she sat on the blanket in my lap just gazing up at them and reaching her little hands up.  It was perfect.  Neither of them were bothered by the noise, which is shocking because they were LOUD.  It was super hot, and I forgot my camera so the best I have is cell phone pics..  Not impressive, but better than nothing!  

It has been a great summer so far and I am really looking forward to the months ahead.  It is such a blessing to watch our family grow, and the more our family grows and changes, the more I realize just how blessed we are.  I am so thankful that we have healthy, happy children.  I have heard of so many friends lately who are struggling in different ways.  Some are facing health problems and some have children who are suffering from health problems, which is a suffering I do not want to imagine.  It has really opened my eyes to what a blessing we have in our family.  I am so grateful for all of the people in our lives!  We'll update you again soon! 

 ~ Maegan