Second Hand

I remember when I was younger always going to Goodwill, Savers, Garage Sale, and any other second hand store. It was either there or Target that all of my clothes would come from. The second hand stores were the norm; Target was a treat. I grew so tired of not having the new clothes that all of the other kids in school had. And once I was old enough I vowed to never by from a second hand store, either for myself or for my children.

I broke that rule for myself a long time ago when I moved into my first apartment. Pretty much everything in it was furnished by several of the Goodwill’s around the Saint Paul Area of Minnesota. But I still held onto that promise that I would never under any circumstance but my children items in a second hand way.

I broke that rule too. I went to the Munchkin Markets way back on the first weekend of May. And then this weekend I went to Once Upon A Child for the first time. And then I went to Half Priced books for the first time as well.

An exersaucer costs between $99 and $120, or at least the ones I’ve seen, and bought. A Leap Frog Learning Table costs about $45, and a Leap Frog Drum costs about $22. The books that I bought for Logan can cost anywhere from $5 to $16 new. Would you like to know how much I spent on all of this?

I bought all of this, and then some at the Munchkin Markets back on the first weekend of May.  How much did I spend?  Only $115.34!  How much would just some of this of cost me new? Over $350!  Can you believe it!

I bought this on Sunday at Once Upon A Child (My fist visit).  How much did it cost me? Only $48.03!  How much would it of all cost new? Around $148.97! OH MY GOODNESS!  That is over $100 savings right there.

I bought these books at Half Priced Books on Saturday.  How much did it cost me?  Only $11.63.  The total came to $26.63, but I had a gift card for them for $15.  How much would it all of cost new?  At least $56!   Guess what, that really is about half price for everything!

So have you realized something from these pictures?  Logan now has 3, count them, Exersaucers!  Why so many?  Well it's because one is for home, one for Aunty Carlynn's, and one for Grandma and Grandpa's.  He needs to have toys where he spends most of his time.  He also has two of the 'pop up animal' things.  Once for home and one for Grandma and Grandpa's.

Logan LOVES his newest exersaucer, the one at home.  I'm so glad too since I had to bring him with and he just started fussing like crazy when i was looking at it and trying to figure out which one among all of them I would get him.  In the end I picked out the one that also had the hanging toys and the most visual (with lights) and the most noisiest.  I guess I picked correctly.  Once I put him in it and he figured out it was so bright (lights) and noisy (music) he just lite up with joy!

How can you deny such a wonderful and curious baby?  I know I can't!  That's why I've had to stat buying second hand.  I just make sure to wash everything up real good before the babe gets at it.  Who know's who had it last and what is still on it!  Look at those savings.  You can't beat them!

Recipe Friday - Triple Chocolate Torte

This is the wonderful dessert that I made for Dustin for his birthday.  It was easy and 'Oh so yummy'!

What you need:
1 box (1lb 2.3oz, or a 13'X9' size) Fudge Brownie Mix
1 1/4 cups Milk
1 (4 serving) box white chocolate pudding and pie filling mix
1 (8oz) container frozen whipping cream, thawed
miniture chocolate chips (as many as you'd like, I used about 2/3 of a bag)
Strawberries...or your favorite fruit (you deside on the amount)
9-inch spring form pan
Cooking spray
plus the ingredients on the box of brownies

1. Heat oven to 325^F. Spray bottom of spring form pan with cooking spray. Make brownie mix as directed on box.  Spread in pan.
2. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the brownie. (I actually still have some solid goo, not liquid, come out on mine.  That's how you get the nice chewy brownies.)  Cool Completely and leave in the pan!
3. In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding mix until thickened.  Fold in whipped topping, chocolate chips, and some cut up, bit sized, fruit.  Pour over brownie.
4. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours or more.
5. Remove side of pan, top with fruit if desired, and serve.

Makes 16 servings.

I got the base of this recipe at Betty Crocker.  But, as always, I make it my own.  I added more chips, plus fruit into my cake, and I just change it around on how to make mine verses what they tell me to do.  I suggest the same to you.  Make any recipe you have your own!  Enjoy this delectable dessert time and time again and change it each time if you'd like.

It's a Truck

My husband has always been a truck guy. There are reasons for this. He's a practical guy, he knows that our family hauls a lot of trailers and items in the trailers up north. We have a camper. He has a lot of tools. Then of course he is tall, so he needs the leg room.


We also have a car and it is better on mileage then the truck. So whenever we go out I try to get us to take the car. "But the truck is so pretty!" "But what about the truck?" but, but, BUT! is all I hear from him. So we usually take the truck everywhere instead.

Because of this Logan knows the truck. I mean he really knows it. He's only 4 months old, but he can apparently recognize the truck when he sees it. Why do I say this?

Our favorite local car wash is the Downtowner in Downtown Saint Paul. They give you a free car wash for your birthday within a week of it. Today, Dustin had the day off of work and took Logan down to the Downtowner before coming to see me for lunch since his week is almost up. He brought Logan in while the Truck was being washed. Logan was faced towards the window where you can see the vehicles being washed, which was behind Dustin. Out of no where Logan starts laughing and getting a huge smile on his face, and is not looking at Daddy.  Instead Logan is looking behind Daddy. Dustin looks to where the smile is directed and sees the truck. Logan couldn't take his eyes off of it! He followed it until it was out of sight...which then proceeded with the smile and laughter being taken with it.

My child knows his truck apparently. I can't believe it! I guess this is the start of many years of a vehicle obsessed guy (other then the hubby) living with me. I thought we would hit the building blocks and Lego’s before the trucks. I guess Logan has other plans though.

The Remote Fight

So you know how your husband always has to have the remote? You try to get him to give it up. You try to ask nicely. You try to bribe him with a back rub, his favorite cookies, or even a new video game. You finally try to pry it out of his fingers that have a death grip on it. You do this all while he sits watching TV or is just channel surfing back and forth when there is nothing on, other then that one show you really want to watch, and he doesn't even notice you doing any of this.


Well, apparently the babe is either being trained in on this procedure or the hubby just doesn't mind giving the remote to the little one....

If only I were that adorable, then maybe I'd be allowed to have the remote too! Then all I would have to do is look at my husband and make a little whimper, and Viola, I'd have that wonderful little device that all husbands need to have in their hands.

Oh boy, soon I'll have two men to try to pry the remote from! 

4 Months Old!

My wonderful Logan is now 4 months old! It doesn’t seem like that long, and yet it also feels like it has been longer.

I know that doesn’t make since so let me try to explain:
It seems like it was just yesterday that I was being told to make soothing, low sounds. It seems like just yesterday that he was being put on to my bare tummy. It seems like just yesterday that I held him for the first time, exhausted, but not wanting to close my eyes for fear of missing something amazing…Logan.

It’s also hard to remember what it was like not caring for, thinking of, and loving my little boy. Sure he was only born 4 months ago, but I’ve known him for so much longer then that. I knew that I was pregnant before anyone else did, even the pregnancy test. I could feel him move inside of me everyday since August. I thought of him before thinking of me since before he was conceived trying to make my body the right and safe place for him. It seems like I’ve been changing diapers for years and giving kisses and hugs and love for decades.

Would I change any of it? Never. He is my boy and will always be my little baby. Even when he sky rockets above me in height and is having a baby of his own, he will always be my baby boy.

At Logan’s 4 month appointment yesterday he had his next two immunizations. He took to them pretty well. He cried for a limited amount of time, though I’m sure it would have gone on much longer if I didn’t have my tricks. What are these tricks? Well it’s called a mirror and running water. No, not a magic mirror; just a plain old everyday mirror. I just tell Logan not to make the baby in the mirror sad. If that doesn’t work then it’s on with the water and Logan just perks right up. (That’s my boy! He LOVES the water, just like me)

Here are two prime examples of Mommy knows all:
Everyone keeps trying to tell me that Logan is teething. This is based on the fact that he drools so much that someone will think he is trying to rival Niagara Falls! He also loves to bite and chew on things, including our fingers. I tell everyone that I check his gums for teeth and buds and bumps and any sing that he is teething nearly everyday. And I continually tell them the same thing, “Nothing is there. Logan is not teething.” Without me even asking his pediatrician she said to me, “Doesn’t seem like he’s teething at all yet. The drool is normal, it’s just because babies make more saliva then they can swallow.”

I must say two things here. 1. THANK YOU Doctor R.D., Thank you SO much. 2. I TOLD YOU SO!!!!

The other? Everyone keeps trying to make my little boy grow up faster then he needs to. Everyone wants to start seeing him eating food, either by their own finger or on an actual spoon. So everyone keeps telling me that I should be feeding him solid food now.

My response? Umm, NO! He’s only 4 months old. This is the start of when he’s able to start solid food and only rice or oatmeal cereal at that. A babies stomach isn’t closed when they are born it’s around 4-6 months that their stomach will finally close. This is the time that you are able to start solid foods, and the later you start them, the better. Children that start solid foods later are less likely to have allergies later in life. If you start them too early then the food will get into their blood and the white blood cells will attack it. The blood will then remember this and will continue to attack this food whenever eaten later in life. So starting food later, closer to 6 months, is best. I didn’t even voice my concerns to Dr. R.D., she just automatically told me to not start him on solids until between the 5th and 6th month.

So again I say to everyone: “I TOLD YOU SO!”

I will evaluate where and how he is doing around 5 months old and then at about 5 ½ months, and again at 6 months, if he hasn’t started foods by these times.

How do you tell if he’s ready? Well that’s simple. It’s when Logan shows an interest in eating. It’s when he starts to constantly reach for mommy and daddy’s food, when he watches our hand go to our mouth from our plate, and when he opens his mouth when we start to put food into ours. I’m constantly watching and waiting to see if and when Logan does this stuff and with consistency. I want it to be that he’s doing it because he’s truly interested in the food and not just because he takes after Mommy and likes colorful and shiny objects and is just getting distracted by these things. (Yes, I did just make fun of myself!)

The good news about this? It means that Mommy and Daddy still have more time to pick out and save up for a high chair. We like versatile things. Things that can be used in multiple places and hopefully have multi-functions as well. But I also want my little guy to be safe, so I research everything as much as I possibly can. We also have a budget to stay within as well, so saving is necessary.

Logan’s Stats:
Height – 26inches long (just below the 90th percentile) 2 inch growth since 2 months
Weight – 16lbs 5.5oz (80th percentile) 4lbs 5oz gain since 2 months
Head – 50th percentile (sorry don’t have the measurements right now) 25th percentile jump

Giveaway!

Head on over to Loving My Life as a Mommy and Wife and enter to win a new nursing cover from Baby Bond!  There are several ways to enter and the giveaway ends on Wednesday June 30, 2010 at 12:00am.  So hurry on over for your chance to win....

Summer Time!!

So it might not offically be summer until June 21, 2010 at 7:28am EDT, but Logan has offically began his summer schedule now.  So did you think that his schedule was hectic before, well now it has just gotten that much more hectic. (When reading this, remember Dustin is home one day during the week because he works every other weekend, though sometimes he doesn't even get a day off for over 14 days straight. Also, he opens at work (6:30am - 4:30pm) and closes at work (12:00pm - 10:30pm) so this is why mornings change as well. It's the life of a Retail Manager.):

Mondays and Fridays - No matter if Dustin opens at work or closes, I drop Logan off at my sister’s house. She and my nephews watch him during the day. Then I pick him up after I get off of work.

Every other Tuesday and Thursday- Dustin and my Mother-in-Law switch back and forth on watching Logan. So one week one will watch him on Tuesday the other on Thursday and then switch the next week.

Wednesdays - Every other Wednesday I drop Logan off at Dustin's cousin's house in the morning and then my Mother-in-Law picks him up and takes care of him until either Dustin or I pick him up after work. On the other Wednesday Dustin watches him in the morning and then drops him off with his mom and then I pick him up after work.

WOO, that was a lot! Guess what, that was just the pick up and drop offs and the 'usual' ones at that. It changes if Dustin's work schedule changes. What changes his schedule is if his assistant managers take vacations. They deserve the vacations; they work hard...since the actual employees don't do what they are supposed to do completely, one of the things that the hubby is trying to change. Also it changes as Dustin's Grandma has Doctor Appointments (Logan's Great Grandma E). Like today, Logan should be, according to the above schedule, with his Grandma this afternoon. Instead he is with my sister and nephews since The Great has a neurology appointment and then Logan has his 4 month appointment today too.

On that note, Logan doesn't just stay in one place all day either like at a normal 'day care'. Instead he goes, or will go, to doctor and therapy appointments for either Great Grandma or his cousins. He also goes from Grandma's house to Great Grandma's house so Deb can take care of her mom while also caring for Logan. And there he has two dogs, lately another baby, and nurses and visitors coming and going...oh and Uncle Mike (Hank) crawling around teaching Logan how to do it. He gets so tired by the end of the day he just doesn't know what to do with himself.

Hopefully this will teach my little boy how to be versatile and 'just go with the flow' as the say goes.

Why do we allow Logan to have such a crazy schedule? Well, because I have to work! Why does that play a factor in it? I priced out what day care would be around us, it wasn't pretty. To go to a center, like a KinderCare or New Horizon, would have been about $400 a week. A WEEK! To go to a home 'day care' it would have been about $175 a week (much better) but also a $65 late charge if I even picked Logan up 15 minutes late...which I would have been about 15 to 30 minutes late when I picked him up 3 days a week. That would have amount to $370 a week. A WEEK! So in the long run, not much better then the center. I make about $555 a week, before taxes and insurance is taken out. Once everything was all said and done my pay check wouldn't have even paid for Logan to go to day care. If I could change my work schedule around it would have been more worth it, that way we wouldn't have the late charge several times a week, but I know that it would just 'start something' at work.

The upside to this? Logan gets to know his family just that much better. He has more versatility in his life and hopefully will better him for the future. It might be hard for me...forgetting where to drop him off, if I'm picking him up or if Dustin has or is already at home with him...but at least I know that my wonderful and happy boy is being cared for by people that he loves.

So I would just like to publicly thank everyone of our family members...and even friends....that take care of Logan either regularly or as back up as well (Marsha and Jessica, and all future people as well). I really don't know what we would do without you. You are all life savers and what makes our family go round on a daily basis. Thank you for loving us and for loving our son so much as to take care of him, and by extension us.

It's a P-A-R-T-Y!

Well, it wasn't really a party but we did celebrate.  My wonderful husband turned 28 years old this past weekend (Sunday to be specific).  And what did my Mr. Hubby want?  Why, to go up north of course!  I swear to you, it is his favorite place in the world.  This is where he can get away from it all, he can cut grass, build a fence, move rocks, make a fire, make a fire pit, take down trees, build cabins, check out the roof of the camper, and just work work work!! 

WHAT!?! That isn't right is it?! I always thought that going up north was for laying in the hammock, fishing, swimming, going for leisurely walks, and just to relax and get away from it all. Not for Dustin and his family, all they do is work.

Well, this is what my darling and wonderful husband wanted, so this is what he got. But I also made him have some fun too. We went to the casino for a couple of hours, though it would have been longer if someone would have remembered to bring bottle nipples with (me, hehe). Dustin took his birthday money from his Daddy Tim and nearly lost it all! I told Dustin that it was time to go, since I lost track of time and didn't want to be late for 'the boss' (aka Logan). But the birthday boy just had to hit the button on the machine a few more times. Good thing he did too. In just a couple of 'spins' he won his money back plus a whole dollar! Me? Well, I left down $15. Oh well, it's not about the money but about the fun and the experience you have.

We then got two scratch off tickets and won our money back plus $4. I think that's right. We bought them in Wisconsin, so we will just have to wait until we go into town again to cash them in. When we got home we also bought two books of scratch offs. Again, we won our money back and then made $10. Boy we were luck this weekend. I chalk it up to the birthday boy myself!

I love to cook and Dustin has always asked me to make Crachida (I'm sure it's not spelled correctly). What is it you might ask? Well, it's just scrambled pancakes. So for his birthday I looked up a recipe for it and made that for Breakfast on Saturday, Burgers for dinner, and then the Triple Chocolate Torte for dessert. (Watch for the recipes over the next several weeks)

(Logan watching the fire on the cake...I think we have a pyro on our hands, just like Mommy!)

(Look at that smoke!)

(The fire is gone.  Now its all about the monkey!)

Sure, it might have been a rainy weekend, but it was a fun weekend.  Why?  Well because I had my family with me and the wonderful men in my life...

And it was a weekend that brought about me making my son into a HUGE GEEK!  Don't believe that this adorable little boy could ever be a geek well just look...

(Socks over the pants to keep the mosquitoes, ticks, and the cold at bay)

(What's on his butt? The new OFF Clip to help with those pesky Mosquitoes)

Logan was the best gift of all Dustin said.  Even though he didn't come on his birthday he is our gift everyday of our lives!

Head on over...

to Gussy has a lot to say {and sew} for the Friday's Featured Artist with Gussy -  Featured Artisit :: Bundel Baby.

Just click the link and head on over.  There is a great giveaway of some carrot rattles.  Good Luck to all who enter.

PS The giveaway ends on Sunday June 13th, so you better hurry on over to enter.

I QUIT!

I QUIT!  Or at least I wanted to.


I know that there are good things and bad things to being a working mom and to being a stay at home mom. Today it seems like there was more bad to being a working mom. I feel left out of things, like I’m not there to se these milestones that my little boy is going through.

Dustin was home with Logan this morning before he had to drop him off at his mom’s in order for him to go to work. Dustin messages me on my Blackberry “He just rolled over from his back to his tummy and then back again.” Then I get “He just did it again.” Then a little later “He did it AGAIN!”

I have never seen this happen yet. I’ve seen him roll from his tummy to his back, I’ve seen him roll from his back to his side, but never have I seen him roll from his back to his tummy let alone do the full circle several times.

If this wasn’t bad enough I missed some more action as well at home today. You see we leave our patio door open much of the time so our cats can go in and out as they like. And on days that are really nice, well, we just love to have all the fresh air coming in. In an apartment all that you get is recycled air from all of your neighbors, so the fresh air from outside is a must!

Well Dustin had the door open, but just enough for the kitties to go in and out. I’ve always though that the following would happen, and I knew that it would be exciting but I NEVER thought that I would miss it.

A bird decided to invade our home! That’s right. He found that little opening in the door, flew right in, went to our kitchen, circled my husband and then did a sudden U-turn for the door again. Apparently he knew he was not where he was supposed to be. On birdie’s way back out he missed the opening in the door and hit the window instead. He bounced right back off the window and tried again, this time going out the way he came in.

As you know, we have 3 cats (one is sick and locked in the bathroom though so he doesn’t pee everywhere). Gizmo and Renny were going crazy apparently! Once Mr. Birdie was gone Gizmo just sat at the door on high alert and watched everything, waiting and daring Mr. Birdie to come back and attack his home and family again, he was the protector.

As you know, I saw none of this myself, though I can picture it all in my head, especially Gizmo the Guard. I heard all of this from Dustin. I’m glad that he told me, but still, it would have been so much better to just be there and actually see it.

I guess that’s just how life is, missing things in order to help provide for the family. After hearing all of this within the first 3 hours of me being at work I just wanted to walk right over to my manager and say I QUIT! right there on the spot. Did I? No. I’m more sensible then that. I know that there will be other opportunities for me to see Logan rolling over and for other bizarre things to happen when I’m around (like the time Gizmo attacked a Siberian Husky right in front of me!). So for now I will just have to sit by and be content knowing that life is happening, and that it will still go on whether I’m there or not, and I will eventually be able to see my little boy hit his milestones (even if I am the last to see them).

MMMMM......MMMMM.......

So what's with all the m's? Well, Logan is what's up with themmmm. He found a new constant this week. Can you guess what it is?


That's right, it's M!

I was getting ready for work this morning and I just kept on hearing Logan in his room with Daddy. He was making a noise I had never heard him make before. MMMMMM....MMMMMM....MMMMMM....and then fussing (that I'm familiar with). I went in and asked Dustin if he was saying "MMMMMM". Yes. He started it yesterday when I was at work I guess.


So I started saying, like any Mommy would do, MMMAMMMA!  Logan just looked up at me and smiled a big smile.  Then I had to walk away to keep getting ready for work.  Again I would hear MMMMMM....MMMMMM....MMMMMM....and then that infamous fussing of my wonderful boy.  I would go back to him, he stopped fussing once he realized I was there, and then I would repeat MMMAMMMA, and then I would get the big smile yet again.

So what is my assumption?  Well, it's that Logan is TRYING to say "mama" and knows exactly who 'mama' is.  Also, that I will win the famous race of being the first word that my little guy says, specially since I still haven't heard any indication of the 'D' sound yet.

Come on Logan, just put the 'A' at the end of the 'M' and I will be even more happy then you already make me.  But really, any word will do.

Memorial Weekend - Sunday

So Sunday Logan was actually wearing CLOTHES!! Can you believe it?

It brought on the excitement of having a tick crawling on Logan's 'area' and then finding on crawling on me. Of course I started yelling for Dustin to come get them and KILL them. It was actually a bit funny because I saw the one crawling on Logan's 'Area' first, then within minutes I had to call Dustin back over to get the one crawling on my foot. I won't even touch them I'm so scared they will latch on to my finger once I grab them. this all led to the day's entertainment of making fun of me because I'm afraid of the ticks. So I obviously had to make fun of my mother-in-law for her fear of mice.

Fortunately no ticks were found on Logan! I'm hoping that he has the best of mommy and daddy. You see, ticks don't usually come after me. I might find 2 a year on me. The husband on the other hand...well, he'd be luck if it was just 2 a day. No worries though, I still get something biting me...Mosquitoes! They just flock to me, even if I don't eat bananas and eat garlic instead. My feet are still covered with those dang red marks. But I have such a reaction to them that I don't just get the little red bumps, I'll get welts, rock hard ones. The husband though, he gets a few bites, but not nearly as many as me. So, I'm hoping that Logan won’t be the strong attractant of either one of these pesky things like Mommy and Daddy are.

Logan didn't want to be out as much as he was on Saturday. I think it's just because he slept for most of the day (that last picture from yesterday's post was actually from Sunday). He was just so pooped out! Even I was pooped Sunday. I actually slept until 6:30am, which is sleeping in for me, then after a while I crawled back into bed with Logan and Dustin and fell back asleep. I couldn't believe it. I never do that anymore! And yes, Logan slept with us. He's going through a spell of wanting to sleep with us, and I'm hoping it wont last. You saw were he slept well this is were he was supposed to sleep, and where he did for a little bit.

The afternoon brought a welcomed surprise. Logan's Great-Great-Grandpa came for a visit (Dustin's Great-Grandpa). So I was actually able to get a 5 generation picture (though Jeremy, Logan's Uncle decided to stay home so he is not in the picture). And no Logan was not happy, he was TIRED! I put him down for a nap right after I finished taking the pictures.

Logan got on a 4-wheeler for the first time and was very curious as to what it was. No, he hasn't gone for a ride...yet. But I'm sure it's not too far off. Heck, everyone wants to get him his own 4-wheeler already. I know that I'm definitely going to have to invest in some ear plugs and fast for Logan.

I was finally able to get a picture of Logan with his Grandma Deb. As I was taking it she told me that I couldn't take pictures of her. Phh, I take pictures when I want! Logan needs the memories, and so do all of the rest of the family. I love to take pictures! This was the best since both of them were actually smiling. The rest of them Deb just looked grouchy...I guess I would too if I didn't want my picture taken.

Then I was also able to get Dustin to take pictures of me and Logan! I couldn't believe it! Seriously, Logan and I have hardly any pictures together. It's actually kind of sad I think. I will just have to make sure to force Dustin's picture skills again!

And finally, I ask Logan's Great-Grandpa S to take a picture of the three of us, a feat that hasn't been done until now. It's not the best, but at least it's something for now.

To end the day we went home. We stayed and gave Logan his bath and got him all snuggled up into his car seat and drove the 2 hours home during the first part of Logan's bed time. By the time we got home it was time for his dream feed. It really did just work out great!

Remember to be silly and make a silly face today...not only will it make others smile but it will make you smile too!

Memorial Weekend - Saturday

I hope you all had a great Memorial Weekend and that you were able to have a long weekend like I did.

Though I would love to make a tradition of honoring or remembering those that serve our country it is just so hard to give up a weekend at the cabin. So I have decided that Memorial Day is also going to go the way of Mother's and Father's Day...it doesn't need to be celebrated on the actual designated day.

So instead of going to a cemetary or to Fort Snelling or anything of that nature we went up to the cabin. Dustin was able to get a three day weekend at the last possible minute. We went up Friday night and came home late Sunday night and Monday we spent over at Dustin's parent’s house. We didn't intend to spend the day there, just do some laundry (ran out of quarters for the machines at home), but instead we ended up staying until Logan's bath time.

I'd love to share some pictures with you of our wonderful weekend.  There is just so much to show that I will give you a little gimps into our Saturday here...

It was so hot on Saturday that Logan had to be naked...and yes, he actually was completely naked quite a few times.

We had to bring up Logan's play Gym. He just loves it so much. We have officially decided though that we need to get some toys specifically for up north, that way we don't fill up the vehicle with all of Logan's toys all the time like we did this time.

I had to keep moving Logan's area around the yard throughout the day as the sun would move making the shade move. Don't worry though, this mommy is vigilant about apply the sunscreen to her little boy.

Logan and his Great Grandpa S!  I'm so happy I FINALLY got a picture with the two of them.  Logan's Great Grandpa isn't doing the best and is having some health issues (and also his Great Grandma on the other side) so I have just been kicking myself all the time for not getting any pictures with the two of them.  I just need him to know that Great Grandpa was around and knew him and loved him SO much.

More to come later...I don't want to overwhelm you! I know that Logan was certainly overwhelmed by the end of Saturday what with all the fresh air and all.

King of the bed

At Logan’s last doctors appointment his pediatrician asked about Logan’s sleeping habits. I told her that he is sleeping for about a 4 hours stretch the beginning part of the night (8pm -12am) and then about 2.5 – 3 hours for the rest of the night. She told me to have Logan ONLY eat every 4 hours during the night and if he wakes before those 4 hours are up, have Dustin be up with him and hold him over until it‘s feeding time.


We tried this for about 2 – 2 ½ weeks when I finally said it’s not going to happen. See Logan would SCREAM until it was time to eat. Screaming would lead to gas. The gas would lead to pain. The pain would lead to less sleep. Then less sleep would lead to more screaming. You can see the cycle here. So I finally just let Dustin sleep and I would get up and feed Logan ever time he would wake up.

Recently Logan has started to wake up ever 1.5 hours to eat, that is after his 4 hour stretch in the beginning…which has recently decreased to about 3 hours. I was thinking “maybe it’s because he’s not getting a full tummy”. That’s not the case though, he is getting a full tummy it seems like since he drains one breast and then wont take the other…on occasion he will take the other for a couple minutes but that’s all.

This week I finally decided that I didn’t want to get up, so I would just reach over and grab Logan from his pack n play bassinet and put him next to me in bed intending on doing a feeding lying down. Well the moment that Logan is in bed with me he starts to snore again! Seriously, that kid can snore! I feel bad for his future wife, just like a feel bad for Dustin since Logan gets this from me.

Anyway, this has been happening all this week. He starts to wake up and fuss, I hear him and get him before he starts to cry usually, and then I get him and put him in bed with me to feed him. The moment he’s there he sleeps. Well last night was even worse, because what I just described usually happens around 3am or 4am. Instead he would only sleep for about an hour at night until put into bed with me. At midnight after a feeding I put him into his bed. At about 2:30am he woke up again and I just grabbed him and put him next to me, and he was out. I actually had to wake him up at 4:30am for a feeding because I was ‘in need’ of one. I brought him back afterwards and put him into his bed. He woke up about 5 – 10 minutes later. I put him next to me in bed, and low and behold, he was out again. He didn’t even wake up to my alarm going off at 6:30am, and then again at 6:35am, or even when I got out of bed. I had to have Dustin wake him!

So I’m really hoping that this is just a short little faze that he is going through because I know I’m sick of sleeping on the edge of the bed, and I’m pretty sure Dustin is too! Why are we sleeping on the edge of the bed? Well, because Logan is the BIGGEST bed hog I’ve ever met! If this keeps happening then I think that The Hubs and I will need to find, somewhere, maybe from that money tree everyone talks so fondly of, a way of buying a king size bed and soon!

Until then, it’s the edge of the bed for us and little sleep for mommy because I worry too much about Logan either rolling off, being hit by Dustin, having a kitty smother him or lay on him, or something that I haven’t even imagined.

So if any of you can point me in the direction of that ever famous money tree that would be great. And don’t worry, I won’t give away its secret location to anyone else, and I’ll only take what I need. I’m not greedy at all!