Cloth from birth!

Well everyone, my EXTREME delay in posting can only mean one thing. Baby K is here!  He was welcomed into the world by Polish Prince, B, and myself one month ago today and it's been crazy ever since! I'm happy to say I was able to achieve my completely un-medicated VBAC when it came to his delivery. (It didn't help that by the time we got to the hospital I was already at a 9.5! No time for meds now!).  Anyway, I thankfully had packed our hospital bags a couple days before and had plenty of fluff for our new little man! 

Very first diaper! Rumparooz Lil Joey!

Polish Prince getting in on the action

Welcome Baby K! 9lbs 13oz!

 I'll be doing a post on my experience with the various diapers we've tried. But just to give you an idea, we have: 

Lil Joey's AIO

GroVia newborn AIO

One Sweet Pea Newborn AIO

Thirsties AIO size 1

BumGenius XS AIO

Bumkins Snap In One OS

Oh Katy pocket OS

Geffen Baby prefold size Small

Rumparooz and One Sweet Pea covers

Such a good big brother!

We were only in the hospital for about 26 hours, so there weren't many shift changes in the staff, but all of the nurses and the on-call pediatrician loved little man's fluffy bum! One was shocked at how easy they were to change on top of how cute they were! Plus, he looked so awesome rocking the colorful diapers with the little half shirt the hospital provides. I had no issues with the mecomium coming out of the diapers when I washed them and all of the diapers we brought fit into a medium wet bag so there was no need to worry about the laundry until a couple days after we were home. Overall, it was such a great success and I'm so happy we did it (and are continuing)!

I'm definitely a crappy mom!

One of my fellow bloggers, Life with Levi, threw out a challenge to those that oppose the "mommy wars" that seem to be never-ending. A way to embrace the title of "crappy mom" that other parents choose to label someone who does things differenty. 

As parents I feel like we make the best decisions for our children based on our own experiences, knowledge, research, etc. Whether your a first time mom or Michelle Duggar, parenting can be scary. You always wonder how the decisions you make will affect your child, the last thing you need is some complete stranger at the grocery store, on the internet, or wherever to pass judgement on you simply for doing what you feel is best. Now, I'm not going to say I haven't been that person myself a time or two, but I try my best to internalize my judgement and not let it pass through my lips. If it passes through my lips, I try my best to share those feelings with people I trust and not at the mother/parent who's parenting style I may not agree with. Catty/snarky? Sometimes, but it's reality, let's be honest. 

I do my best to live by the philosophy that as long as the child is safe and loved that each parent's style for child-rearing is up to the parent. So, with that being said, I'm following suit with Life with Levi and proclaiming the ways I'm sure I've messed up Little B by someone else's standards: 

I had a c-section. 

I got an epidural as soon as they let me

I never read "What to Expect..."  and I never took a Lamaze or Birthing Class

I've breastfed (and am still breastfeeding) B since day 1

I'm a lazy babywearer, I use wraps/slings/soft-structured carriers because I don't want to invest over $100 in something made of organic whatever and learn 19 different ways to tie it

I don't work outside the home

We cosleep

B has been caught more than once with dog food in his mouth (as far as I know he hasn't actually eaten any of it)

We have pets; 2 dogs, 1 cat, our house has furballs...constantly

Our decision regarding circumsicsion was made between my husband and myself, it was our parenting choice either way

We immunize

We never used rice cereal

We never bought (or fed B) pre-made baby food

I often don't buy organic fruit

We do not own 85% of "recommended items" on standard baby registries
We cloth diaper (obviously ;))

When B cries at night, I pick him up, most times nurse him. He has never "slept through the night"

We listen to all sorts of music in the car, none of it resembles the Disney Channel

I've forgotten "story time" once or twice

When B pees on the floor during diaper changes, I laugh

His "off-white" rocker in his nursery is more than just "dingy" 

I haven't had a drink, by choice, since starting fertility treatments back in 2010. (Actually, that's not entirely true, I did have half a glass of wine on our anniversary and drove home without the headlights on, not smart)

I'm almost positive this list is endless and there's probably 10 million other things I'm missing. I'm also positive that some people reading this have pretty strong objections to some of the choices Polish Prince and I have made. Heck, there are times that I even question what we're doing. But at the end of the day, when I look at B, and he is a happy, healthy, playful, developmentally "normal" 1 year old, I can't help but feel like we're doing something right. Other people have done, and will do, the exact opposite and also have happy, healthy 1 year olds and that's fine. That works for them. This works for us. I hope that going forward I will remember that and bite my tongue when I'm about to pass judgement. 

Oh my dear...

I know I've taken a blogging hiatus lately, but I didn't realize it had been so long! The summer has flown by and the holidays are already upon us. Kicking off the fall is a very special "first" for us. Our "little" B turns one tomorrow and it's very bittersweet. I'm sure I'm not the first, or last, parent to feel this way. It's been a whole year since our lives have changed, a whole year of changing diapers, of sleep deprivation, of crying, of giggling, of milestones, a whole year of growth that will never be matched.

This time last year I was waddling through the grocery store, smiling while gritting my teeth through this conversation:

Well-intentioned complete stranger:(WICS): "Whoa, you're going to pop any day now huh? What is that, twins?" 
Me *awkward laughter* "Yup, today's actually my due date, so we'll see I guess!"
WICS: "Now honey, I'm a nurse, and it looks like you're going to have that baby soon, you should be resting. "
Me: (not in the mood for "friendly" advice). "Oh, ok, thank you. Have a nice day. 

Polish Prince was not too far away and the complete look of shock on his face was pricelsss. It's weird that men don't realize how when someone is pregnant, it seems anyone within eye-sight, earshot, or 100 yards seems to lose their filter and say and do very inappropriate things to complete strangers. Mind you, said pregnant woman (if they are anything like me) is genearlly hormonal and "over-it" at this point. So yes, getting back to it, Polish Prince was shocked that not only was WICS giving me unsolicited advice, she also asked the twin question. At least she refraind from touching my belly. That was a pleasant surprise. Another side note, since when is someone *not* touching your belly considered a surprise...

Anyway, we had been home for about an hour after the grocery store excitement and I was folding laundry on the couch when my water broke and the adventure began. That day will live on in my memory forever and I hope I rememeber it as vividly as I do now. I also plan to take some time tomorrow to write B's complete birth story. Perhaps I'll share it when I do. 

Until then, please be patient with my lack of attention dear blog, I promise like an old friend I will return soon! I have big plans for you! :)

At the stoplight outside of the hospital. Going in a family of two, coming out a family of three!