Day 8

Short term goals for this month

My short term goals for the month of November are to keep my grades A's in the 3 psychology classes that I am taking currently, keep my sanity while my husband is away training so I have no help with our baby, and to maybe loose a couple more pounds of baby weight.

Happy Halloween

Today we did a little photo shot with Cookie Monster and Elmo.....

Day 7

A picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you

 

This little girl has had the biggest impact on my life so far, she means the world to me and I don't know what I would ever do without her.

Day 6

Favorite Superhero and Why

I am not really big into the whole superhero thing but if I had to choose a favorite I would probably choose Super Man.  Back in the day we use to watch Smallville all the time which is based off the Super Man story.  I guess I like Super Man because for one, he can fly, and who wouldn't want that, and he is also really fast and really strong.

My Little Cookie Monster

Here is Hailee in her Halloween costume.  She is Cookie Monster for her first Halloween, it was hard to find costumes small enough for her so there wasn't much to choose from but I think it turned out really cute, and her friend Michael is Elmo, we are going to take some pictures of them together closer to Halloween.  I took this picture early because I entered it into a contest.  Hope she wins....

Day 5

A picture of somewhere you have been

This is one of my favorite beaches.  It is in Lincoln City, Oregon, someday I hope to live not far from here.

Day 4

A habit you wish you didn't have

One habit I wish I did not have right now, although it is a delicious one, is carmel frappes.  I try to limit myself to one per week, but they are so good and about the only thing I really crave.  Funny thing is I didn't even drink coffee before I had my baby.

Day 3

A picture of you as a child

Day 2

The Meaning Behind My Blog Title

I always have trouble thinking of a name for something such as a user name, email, password, and just about everything else, but when it came to naming my blog I didn't have too much of a problem.  As you know my blog is called LentLife, I guess it is pretty self explanatory because our last name is Lent and it is all about our life.  I wanted to create this blog for family that is on the other side of the country and for my husband when he deploys to Afghanistan in the spring, that way everyone can stay caught up without me having to email each person individually,  and I get to get all the rambling out of my head :)

Monica

Day 1

This is the most recent picture of me, and that is my little girl Hailee at two months old

15 Facts About Me
1. I was born and raised on a small island in Southeast Alaska called Ketchikan.

2. My favorite place in the world is to be on a beach somewhere listening to the sound of the waves crashing ashore.  It is very calming for me.

3. My hair has not been its natural hair color since I was in fourth grade (mom is a hairdresser).

4. I have 7 tattoos and will be getting many more, I love them.

5. I love taking pictures and one day I will buy myself a really nice camera.

6. I have a daughter and I love her more than life itself, I never knew you could love something or someone so much until I had her.

7. I have drove across the country 5 times and have seen some amazing places such as Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Yellowstone, The Red Wood Forest, Golden Gate Bridge, and drove the down the whole west coast.

8. I love wine and have visited a few amazing wineries in Oregon, California, and Arizona.  I plan to visit many more.

9. I love animals and I think I have always had some type of animal, I have had dogs, cats, birds, fish, rats, sugar gliders, mice, frogs, and a turtle.

10. One of my favorite thing to do is go shrimping and crabbing with my family, I love pulling the pots to see what our catch was.

11. I was a vegan for a year, then a vegetarian for 6 months before I got pregnant, and now I eat meat.

12.  I am married to my best friend and we have been together for 8.5 years now, I am glad I get to share my life with him.

13. I went to school and became a massage therapist, then decided it was not enough for me so now i am getting my degree in psychology to become a youth counselor.

14. Some of my hobbies include; crocheting, scrapbooking, growing vegetables, photography, and making different crafts.

15. I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and cousin.  Someday I hope to be an auntie too.

My New Challenge

The break down:
day 1 – recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind your blog name
day 3- a picture of you as a child
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you’ve been
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you’re proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- write a bucket list of things you want to do before you die
day 12- write a poem to someone you love
day 13- your 5 favorite books and why
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- a picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- write about a sweet memory from your past
day 20- write a letter to someone
day 21-a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave a lot
day 24- post your favorite quote or verse of scripture and why
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- list 10 things that you are thankful for
day 27- my day job verses my passion
day 28- cruise a thesaurus and pick out 10 words you like the sound of
day 29 – favorite tv shows and why you like them
day 30 – movies you can watch again and again.

"Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else."

The Tiny Parts

People have always said to cherish every moment with your babies because they grow up fast, well I have cherished just about every moment, but did not realize how fast babies actually grow.  Little Hailee in now a little over 2 months and I can not believe how fast it has gone, kinda makes me sad, but I am also excited to watch her grow.  I wanted to document the tiny parts of her that I don't want to forget.

 
 



Cloth DIaper Adventure Part 1

So I received my first set of cloth diapers about a week ago from my Grandma.  She bought me 11 diapers to get started.  I have to say when I got them in the mail I couldn't wait to open them.  They come wrapped in their each individual package.  When looking online there are so many different choices for cloth diapers.  After months of reading reviews and comparing prices I decided to go with the Kawii Baby Diaper at http://www.theluvyourbaby.com/  The prices are very reasonable and if you order straight from them it is cheaper and they offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount.  They also have very cute designs, most other brands are solid colors.  The set I received from my Grandma were the one size snazzy minky, and I love them, they are so incredibly soft.  I also decided to go with the snaps instead of the Velcro because I feel that Velcro would wear out faster.

Once you get your diapers you have to wash them a few times before using them, this is to get out any residue that may be left on the diaper from the manufacture that can cause it to not absorb as well.  I only have access to a washer at the laundry mat so my routine may be a little different. 

Pre-Wash- I washed the full load of cloth diapers and their liners in the washer twice on cold with 1/4 the amount of detergent I would normally use.  Then I set the washer on cold wash and did not add any detergent.  You could probably just do a cold rinse but I don't have that option.  Also instead of drying them I hung them to dry on my shower rod, they actually dry quite quick.  This will allow your diapers to last longer.

When washing your diapers you want to be careful on what you wash them with, you do not want to use any bleach, fabric softener, borax, stain removers, liquid concentrates or anything that contains brighteners or fragrance.  These can damage your diapers and cause them to leak.  The colder the water you use the softer your diapers will be, and the longer they will last. 

I ordered some detergent specially for cloth diapers called Rocken Green, it has perfect reviews and also has different formulas depending on where you live.  Here in Texas we have very hard water so I got the Hard Rock one.  I will up date with a washing schedule as soon as I receive it.  I am also waiting on another set of cloth diapers that my dad ordered me, yay.  They recommend having at least 24 and you don't want to go longer than 3 days with out washing them.



Cloth Diaper Info

I did a lot of research before Hailee was born because I have always thought about using cloth diapers because there are so many benefits. 

-You will save your family at least $2,500 per child

 

-An estimated 10,000 diapers go into the landfill every day, by using cloth I will be cutting my part out, each family uses an average of 7,450 diapers per child (natural family)

 

-Babies have far less diaper rash, and usually only minor ones if they do get one

 

-Your baby wont be exposed to sodium polycralate, which are the crystals in disposable diapers that can cause skin reactions (Caldwell, Ginny)

 

-Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals. (Diaper association)

 

-Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S. (Diaper association)

 

-Using cloth gives your baby a less chance of developing asthma.  The Archives of Environmental Health tested 6 cloth and 6 disposable, finding that the disposible diapers had high enough amounts to give asthma to mice. (Environmental Health)

 

-In May 2000, the Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that scrotal temperature is increased in boys wearing disposable diapers, and that prolonged use of disposable diapers will blunt or completely abolish the physiological testicular cooling mechanism important for normal spermatogenesis.  (Diaper association)

 

- Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feed stocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR. (Diaper association)

 

-Using cloth diapers will help facilitate quicker potty training. During potty training time children who have been in cloth will recognize sooner when they are wet vs a baby in disposable diapers.  They are often potty trained up to a year earlier.

 

-Disposable diaper are the third largest single consumer item in landfills.  (Diaper association)

 

 

References

 

1.Natural family online

2.The Archives of Environmental Health, Acute Respiratory Effects of Diaper Emissions, Archives of Environmental Health, 54, October 1999

3.Caldwell, Ginny. "Diapers. Disposable or Cotton?," Eco-Baby Catalogue

4.Diaper association

 

 

For me, the chemicals alone that will not be absorbing into my baby's skin is enough for me to put in a little extra effort by switching to cloth diapers.  The added bonuses are, you will save a couple thousand dollars and reduce your carbon foot print.  They are also much cuter in pictures, a disposable diaper is never attractive.

 

 



Inspiration

"Always remember; be kind, be fair, be honest, be true, and all of these things will come back to you." -Unknown

Homemade baby wipes

I like to make my own baby wipes for a few reasons; they are cheaper, I know what is in them, they are great for babies with sensitive skin, like my baby, and I can make them as I need with just a few items in just a few minutes.  As long as you have some Bounty paper towel rolls on hand, you will be able to make them as needed because the other items will last a very long time.

You will need

Lavender essential oil

Tea Tree essential oil

A carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil

Bounty paper towels

and

a container big enough for half a roll of paper towels

 

 

Cut the paper towels in half, you will use half now, and the other half next time.  Use a sharp serrated knife or electric knife, they are a lot harder to cut than you would think.

 

 

In a large measuring cup or bowl put,

1 cup warm water

3 drops lavender essential oil

3 drops Tea Tree essential oil

1 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil, or another carrier oil

 

Pour mix over the half roll of paper towl in the container you have chosen

Allow to soak 10 minutes, then flip container upside down and let sit 10 more minutes

After it has soaked all the way through pull out the cardboard center

and wal-la, you have homemade baby wipes!

 

 

I store the other half of the paper towel roll in a zip lock bag to keep it clean and dust free, and it is ready to go for next time.

 

 

 

Two month pictures on Hailee

Well Hailee is two months old now, and boy did that go fast.  I hope that time slows down a little.  Hailee is becoming more and more alert everyday, she is really changing fast.  At her 2 month checkup with the doctor she weighed exactly 10 pounds, and is in the 88th percentile, which is awesome since she was born a month early. 

Things Hailee likes

 Looking at bright lights or windows

Daddy singing to her
Playing with her tongue

Bath time

Her musical giraffe from Aunt Kathy

Her mobile in her crib, but as soon as it stop she cries

Diaper changes

Sleeping on her belly (found this out by floor time, she just goes to sleep)

The puppies licking her feet

Holding onto your finger

Pulling daddy's chest hair

and

Hanging out with mom and dad

 

 Things Hailee does not like

Loud noises

When the puppies lick her face too many times

Sleeping on her back or by herself

Having a dirty diaper, she will yell at you

Her swing, unless she is sleepy

Being by herself

or

Being cold, she loves to snuggle

 

 

 

Taking her two month pictures were much more challenging than the first time.  She moves a lot more and yells at you when she is not happy.  I do like the pictures better because she has her eyes open and shows a little of her character, but our photo shoot only lasted about 10 minutes, I have learned to be fast, and then she was done.  I think I got some good shots though.