May 15th is Hyperemesis Gravidarum awareness
day! In honor of this day, I thought I’d
share my HG story.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Slacking off...
For some reason, I didn't think about how much starting back to work, even part time (for now) would impact the rest of my life. After all, I usually got a lot of stuff done after baby is in bed, and before I am. Those two precious hours are usually my "grown up" time.
What I forgot was how much I usually do during the day so I can have that grown up time! Running errands, cleaning, meal prep...all of this is now either crammed in my too-short mornings, or that two hour window at night. The time I get with my little guy should be play/fun time!
Funny story, my second day back at work, I picked up Levi around 4 from daycare (an awesome in-home daycare run by a friend). We got home, I gave him a snack, tossed Curious George on the TV, and went to clean the bathroom, my Wednesday chore. As I was on my hands and knees wiping the grout around the tub, he toddled into the room, took the rag out of my hand, and sat in my lap. I melted. We went back into the living room and snuggled on the couch for about an hour. I'll do my cleaning at night.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
March Madness: 2012 Brackets, Mascot Style
First order of business:
I'm slacking on the de-cluttering. This week I've started a new job, re-started an old job (bringing the job count up to 3 - each of which is like 8 hours a week...I should de-clutter my jobs!), started Levi in daycare, enjoyed 75 degree weather in Chicago in March, and made an amazing steak dinner using this recipe. Do I get a pass? I'm ahead of my 40 bag goal. And I'm planning on spending this weekend clearing out the garage, which will more than make up for this week's craziness. I do expect to get rid of some stuff tomorrow, as I have half the day off. Whew.
Oh yeah, and I did my March Madness bracket. A bit of history: I know exactly zero about March Madness, but a few years ago, I wanted to participate, so I made a bracket based on which mascots would win in a fight. This has continued for the past 6 years, and as always, I will do the same. Here's how I see the tournament going:
In the south, The Witchita State Shockers dominate, because frankly, you can shock a lot of things, including Hoosiers (who beat Aggies because I feel like it, and no one knows what either actually are) and Kentucky Wildcats, who don't really understand electricity. Speaking of Wildcats, they'll go to the Sweet Sixteen by trouncing the Hilltoppers in the first round (mostly by biting), and some other UConn Wildcats in the second. How does one determine which wildcat wins? Wildcats are native to Kentucky, but I'm pretty sure they're not hanging around Connecticut. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Highlights from the rest of the south: the Duke Blue Devils will join the Shockers in the Elite Eight, because Satan is pretty powerful, even over worthy foes such as Mountain Hawks and the Irish (who, as we know, rarely conquer the devil that is whiskey, yet can beat the Musketeers because there's only 3 of them). The Devils will have a good fight with the Baylor Bears, who have God on their side, but they are ultimately just Bears, and the Bible doesn't really address whether Bears truly have souls. The Bears start out the tournament by beating the Jackrabbits for obvious reasons, while the Rebels will beat the Buffalo, because that's what happened during the 19th century. The Rebels will, of course, be torn limb to limb by the Bears. In the final epic battle between the Blue Devils and the Shockers, we learn that the Blue Devils are ultimately a hologram meant to frighten (a la the Wizard of Oz), and the Shockers will simply turn off the lights, making the Final Four.
Meanwhile, in the East, the competition heats up when, in a series of upsets, the Syracuse Orange beats a Bulldog, who didn't realize that his color blindness was his downfall, the USM Golden Eagle defecates on the Wildcats, blinding them, and the Commadores, using their skills learned while on tour doing early 80s R&B, overcome the Crimson, a color which is not appropriate for spring fashion. Elsewhere in the East, the Badgers are dominating because frankly, they don't give a shit. Not about R&B, and not about Golden Eagles, who beat the Orange with their keen eyesight. Also, Orange is a color, and I can't see many ways that a color can win a fight.
The Bearcats also dominate because if Bearcats really existed, that would be super cool. They'd be fast like cats, and scary like bears. A Bearcat could easily overcome a Ram or a Seminole. Side note: I have no clue what a Bonnie is, but I'm pretty sure an Indian could take one out. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes are choking everything in their path, from Mountaineers (who can easily outlast Bulldogs, who have a shortened snout and are prone to breathing problems when climbing mountains) to Greyhounds. However, like my cats, the Bearcats would rather bat around the small, round Buckeyes than attempt to eat them, effectively shoving them under the TV stand where no one ever hears from them again. In an epic showdown, the Bearcats then face the Badgers. As internet nerds hold up pictures of the Badger's pom squad (the honeys), the Bearcats realize that the Badgers don't give a shit that Bearcats are awesome, and thus lose in a truly psychological battle. Know your (Honeybadger) meme.
Out West, Spartans are dominating everywhere, as both Michigan State and Norfolk enjoy a series of wins, realizing their no-frills lifestyle prepares them well for battle. Michigan Spartans eat the blackbirds (in a pie, like the nursery rhyme), and spear the Tigers (who have recently destroyed Billikens...WTF is a Billiken?). They then face the Lobos (another shout out to 80s music - Los Lobos) who appear to be wolves and i'm pretty sure that historically speaking, Sparta did good job of beating down wolves. The Lobos were pretty tired anyway, having taken out some Wildcats and 49ers, who were frankly underprepared to do anything but pan for gold. I panned for gold on vacation once, it's not as fun as it sounds.
On their way to facing Norfolk, UVA wins out over Florida. Although UVA is the Cavaliers, as in horse-riders, I choose to imagine them as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Cute, right? They beat out the Gators because the game takes place in Phoenix, and Gators don't thrive in that climate. Unfortunately, the Spartans have no use for small, adorable, useless puppies. The Murray State Racers easily outpace their opponents (Rams, Eagles) including the UVA Spartans, who have no horses due to their minimalist lifestyle, and simply can't keep up. The Michigan State Spartans, however, have recently realized the advantages of owning horses, and are able to keep up with Murray State, fueled by Blackbird pie, and are victorious.
While all this is going on, there are some pretty epic battles in the Midwest. The Blue Jays sail over the Crimson Tide, and the Tarheels outrun the Catamounts (seriously, who comes up with these things?). The Wolverines, as awesome as their name suggests, beat out the Wildcats and the Owls (who trumped the Bulls in a nighttime showdown). Meanwhile, the Azteks and Titans are dominating, The Azteks come out ahead of the Boilermakers, who narrowly beat the Gaels (a team that nearly won based on the fact that they share a name with my street). The Titans are able to squeak by a Wolfpack and some Bears (who again beat a Bulldog - this is a fairly common matchup over the years). When it comes down to the Titans and Azteks, the Titans win out because they just sound fiercer.
So we're down to the final four. The Badgers and Titans both fight bravely, but ultimately the Badgers overcome. I base this on my slightly irrational fear of badgers, having read On The Banks Of Plum Creek as a child, where Laura is unreasonably frightened of a badger. During the other game, the Spartans and the Shockers face off, a match up that proves to be one sided as the Spartans have no idea how to utilize electricity, and are quickly shocked to death or loss or whatever happens in these matchups.
In the final game, the Badgers and Shockers are matched up. While one may initially think that the Shockers would employ their usual shocking tactics, they forgot one important detail: Badgers don't care. They cannot be shocked. And so, the Badgers win the 2012 March Madness tournament of Mascots.
Frankly? They're not impressed.
My complete bracket can be seen here: http://apps.facebook.com/cbssports/brackets/64600515/1
I'm slacking on the de-cluttering. This week I've started a new job, re-started an old job (bringing the job count up to 3 - each of which is like 8 hours a week...I should de-clutter my jobs!), started Levi in daycare, enjoyed 75 degree weather in Chicago in March, and made an amazing steak dinner using this recipe. Do I get a pass? I'm ahead of my 40 bag goal. And I'm planning on spending this weekend clearing out the garage, which will more than make up for this week's craziness. I do expect to get rid of some stuff tomorrow, as I have half the day off. Whew.
Oh yeah, and I did my March Madness bracket. A bit of history: I know exactly zero about March Madness, but a few years ago, I wanted to participate, so I made a bracket based on which mascots would win in a fight. This has continued for the past 6 years, and as always, I will do the same. Here's how I see the tournament going:
In the south, The Witchita State Shockers dominate, because frankly, you can shock a lot of things, including Hoosiers (who beat Aggies because I feel like it, and no one knows what either actually are) and Kentucky Wildcats, who don't really understand electricity. Speaking of Wildcats, they'll go to the Sweet Sixteen by trouncing the Hilltoppers in the first round (mostly by biting), and some other UConn Wildcats in the second. How does one determine which wildcat wins? Wildcats are native to Kentucky, but I'm pretty sure they're not hanging around Connecticut. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Highlights from the rest of the south: the Duke Blue Devils will join the Shockers in the Elite Eight, because Satan is pretty powerful, even over worthy foes such as Mountain Hawks and the Irish (who, as we know, rarely conquer the devil that is whiskey, yet can beat the Musketeers because there's only 3 of them). The Devils will have a good fight with the Baylor Bears, who have God on their side, but they are ultimately just Bears, and the Bible doesn't really address whether Bears truly have souls. The Bears start out the tournament by beating the Jackrabbits for obvious reasons, while the Rebels will beat the Buffalo, because that's what happened during the 19th century. The Rebels will, of course, be torn limb to limb by the Bears. In the final epic battle between the Blue Devils and the Shockers, we learn that the Blue Devils are ultimately a hologram meant to frighten (a la the Wizard of Oz), and the Shockers will simply turn off the lights, making the Final Four.
Meanwhile, in the East, the competition heats up when, in a series of upsets, the Syracuse Orange beats a Bulldog, who didn't realize that his color blindness was his downfall, the USM Golden Eagle defecates on the Wildcats, blinding them, and the Commadores, using their skills learned while on tour doing early 80s R&B, overcome the Crimson, a color which is not appropriate for spring fashion. Elsewhere in the East, the Badgers are dominating because frankly, they don't give a shit. Not about R&B, and not about Golden Eagles, who beat the Orange with their keen eyesight. Also, Orange is a color, and I can't see many ways that a color can win a fight.
The Bearcats also dominate because if Bearcats really existed, that would be super cool. They'd be fast like cats, and scary like bears. A Bearcat could easily overcome a Ram or a Seminole. Side note: I have no clue what a Bonnie is, but I'm pretty sure an Indian could take one out. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes are choking everything in their path, from Mountaineers (who can easily outlast Bulldogs, who have a shortened snout and are prone to breathing problems when climbing mountains) to Greyhounds. However, like my cats, the Bearcats would rather bat around the small, round Buckeyes than attempt to eat them, effectively shoving them under the TV stand where no one ever hears from them again. In an epic showdown, the Bearcats then face the Badgers. As internet nerds hold up pictures of the Badger's pom squad (the honeys), the Bearcats realize that the Badgers don't give a shit that Bearcats are awesome, and thus lose in a truly psychological battle. Know your (Honeybadger) meme.
Out West, Spartans are dominating everywhere, as both Michigan State and Norfolk enjoy a series of wins, realizing their no-frills lifestyle prepares them well for battle. Michigan Spartans eat the blackbirds (in a pie, like the nursery rhyme), and spear the Tigers (who have recently destroyed Billikens...WTF is a Billiken?). They then face the Lobos (another shout out to 80s music - Los Lobos) who appear to be wolves and i'm pretty sure that historically speaking, Sparta did good job of beating down wolves. The Lobos were pretty tired anyway, having taken out some Wildcats and 49ers, who were frankly underprepared to do anything but pan for gold. I panned for gold on vacation once, it's not as fun as it sounds.
On their way to facing Norfolk, UVA wins out over Florida. Although UVA is the Cavaliers, as in horse-riders, I choose to imagine them as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Cute, right? They beat out the Gators because the game takes place in Phoenix, and Gators don't thrive in that climate. Unfortunately, the Spartans have no use for small, adorable, useless puppies. The Murray State Racers easily outpace their opponents (Rams, Eagles) including the UVA Spartans, who have no horses due to their minimalist lifestyle, and simply can't keep up. The Michigan State Spartans, however, have recently realized the advantages of owning horses, and are able to keep up with Murray State, fueled by Blackbird pie, and are victorious.
While all this is going on, there are some pretty epic battles in the Midwest. The Blue Jays sail over the Crimson Tide, and the Tarheels outrun the Catamounts (seriously, who comes up with these things?). The Wolverines, as awesome as their name suggests, beat out the Wildcats and the Owls (who trumped the Bulls in a nighttime showdown). Meanwhile, the Azteks and Titans are dominating, The Azteks come out ahead of the Boilermakers, who narrowly beat the Gaels (a team that nearly won based on the fact that they share a name with my street). The Titans are able to squeak by a Wolfpack and some Bears (who again beat a Bulldog - this is a fairly common matchup over the years). When it comes down to the Titans and Azteks, the Titans win out because they just sound fiercer.
So we're down to the final four. The Badgers and Titans both fight bravely, but ultimately the Badgers overcome. I base this on my slightly irrational fear of badgers, having read On The Banks Of Plum Creek as a child, where Laura is unreasonably frightened of a badger. During the other game, the Spartans and the Shockers face off, a match up that proves to be one sided as the Spartans have no idea how to utilize electricity, and are quickly shocked to death or loss or whatever happens in these matchups.
In the final game, the Badgers and Shockers are matched up. While one may initially think that the Shockers would employ their usual shocking tactics, they forgot one important detail: Badgers don't care. They cannot be shocked. And so, the Badgers win the 2012 March Madness tournament of Mascots.
My complete bracket can be seen here: http://apps.facebook.com/cbssports/brackets/64600515/1
Monday, March 12, 2012
Strange Things....
Today I am going to get rid of the strangest thing in my home.
A tin of dog ashes. From a dog I did not own.
You may be wondering how I came to be the owner of this particular tin of dog ashes...so here's that story.
You may be wondering how I came to be the owner of this particular tin of dog ashes...so here's that story.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Squash Mac & Cheese
I love Mac & Cheese. I think most people do. Any opportunity to add vitamins and fiber to a crowd-pleasing dish is A-OK in my world! I like this dish because the squash adds an extra layer of flavor, while cutting down on fat and adding lots of good vitamins.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday: The Shelf Fell Down! (Day 15)
At some point yesterday, my laundry room shelf fell down.
Let me first point out that I'm the one who "installed" the shelf. And the one who hoards various laundry and cleaning products. And balanced it all precariously on a poorly installed shelf.
But the fat cat is the one who jumped up on the shelf, unbalancing it and making it tip over, scattering everything around the room. So really, this is 100% Faith's fault.
Let me first point out that I'm the one who "installed" the shelf. And the one who hoards various laundry and cleaning products. And balanced it all precariously on a poorly installed shelf.
But the fat cat is the one who jumped up on the shelf, unbalancing it and making it tip over, scattering everything around the room. So really, this is 100% Faith's fault.
You're not pinning this on me.
Speaking of pinning, after we cleared out the laundry room, got rid of a bag of stuff (including some boxes we didn't need, mostly empty bottles of detergent, and an extra iron), I reorganized my pinterest-inspired cleaning product storage.
Yep, it's an over the door shoe holder! I also realized that I have multiple bottles of most cleaning supplies...time to start using those up, instead of just buying new and forgetting about the little bits I have left.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Days 13 and 14 - Running up against resistance...
Yesterday's purge was just about the same as Tuesdays...books, books, and more books. I have two crates ready to go, once I find a charity book box, or the Salvation Army people set themselves up in front of Walmart again. I figured, rather than bore you with another post full of pictures of books, we'd just move right along (ironically, one book that I kept is titled "Organize Yourself"...this same book was once in a bile of junk in my first apartment and my roommate took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook...yes, I've read it, and the author is insane...she advises that you alphabetize your canned goods...don't know why I'm keeping the book).
So onward to today. I already need a break from the office...I get overwhelmed in there because about a quarter of the stuff belongs to my husband, and while's he's vocally on-board with the purge, I don't think he's truly on-board.
Case in point: the kitchen.
I figured the kitchen would be a good place to purge tonight, because he doesn't really care about the stuff in there as far as I know. One thing that's bothering me lately is the area on top of the cabinets. There are a few things up there that I use (food processor, crock pot, cookie cutters), and a few boxes that we *may* need if we move again. Then there's the other stuff...
So onward to today. I already need a break from the office...I get overwhelmed in there because about a quarter of the stuff belongs to my husband, and while's he's vocally on-board with the purge, I don't think he's truly on-board.
Case in point: the kitchen.
I figured the kitchen would be a good place to purge tonight, because he doesn't really care about the stuff in there as far as I know. One thing that's bothering me lately is the area on top of the cabinets. There are a few things up there that I use (food processor, crock pot, cookie cutters), and a few boxes that we *may* need if we move again. Then there's the other stuff...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Freezer meals (the basics, plus chili), Part 1 of many
So, when I go back to work, my husband is going to be on his own for dinner (for himself and baby) 4-5 nights a week. I'm hoping to eventually cut that down to 3 nights a week, but while I'm building my caseload, I'll be gone every night.
Like most people, he's so tired when he gets home from work that it's tough to get together a good, healthy meal without resorting to frozen pizzas and skillets.
Before baby, when we both worked, we did just that. We'd generally have frozen pizza one or two nights a week, those Bertolli skillet things at least once, and something really easy like spaghetti with sauce or mac and cheese. Then, once I was pregnant, I didn't go in the kitchen for almost 3 months. To be completely honest, I have no idea what my husband ate. Since the grocery store made me vomit, he did all the shopping, and as far as I know, he fed himself on like $25/week. All I could eat was tator tots and iced tea. I'm pretty sure he ate a lot of hot pockets, frozen pizza, and mac and cheese.
After Levi was born, I started changing our eating habits: more whole grains, fewer processed foods. I try to limit our skillet meals...those things have a TON of sodium. However, I was only working a few hours a week, so I had time to make good, whole food meals most days, even if it was in a crock pot. Don't get me wrong, we still eat those skillets sometimes, or frozen pizza, but I make an effort to keep our diet low in processed food.
So all of this leads me to my freezer meals project!
I'm starting of easy: crock pot meals. I love love LOVE the Reynolds slow cooker liners. They make it easy to store and freeze food, plus they give me a happy husband because he doesn't have to scrub out the slow cooker.
So here are the basics of freezer cooking in Mindy-land:
1. To store crock pot meals, I put the food in a slow cooker liner, twist it shut, and put that in a plastic gallon freezer bag labelled with the date, the food, and what needs to be added in the slow cooker.
2. Most Crockpot recipes are pretty basic: Add veggies, add spices, add meat, freeze. Then add liquid or sauce when you put it in the slow cooker. Easy peasy.
3. The following things don't work well in a slow cooker or freezer (although there are exceptions): Noodles, rice, dairy, herbs, anything you want to eat crunchy.
4. Crockpot recipes are fabulous for adding extra veggies...shredded carrot can be hidden in almost any recipe. So can chopped onions.
So, without further ado, here's my first crockpot freezer recipe: Chili!
Chop half an onion, and 2 cloves of garlic. Grate a carrot. Place veggies in a bag with 1/2 pound of dried beans. Add 2 Tbs Worsteshire sauce, and a packet of your favorite chili seasoning. Top with a small can of tomato paste. Add in 1 pound of ground chicken, turkey, or beef. Freeze.
On the day you want to eat it, place crockpot liner of food in crockpot. Add 2 cans of beef broth. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Serve with cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream.
Like most people, he's so tired when he gets home from work that it's tough to get together a good, healthy meal without resorting to frozen pizzas and skillets.
Before baby, when we both worked, we did just that. We'd generally have frozen pizza one or two nights a week, those Bertolli skillet things at least once, and something really easy like spaghetti with sauce or mac and cheese. Then, once I was pregnant, I didn't go in the kitchen for almost 3 months. To be completely honest, I have no idea what my husband ate. Since the grocery store made me vomit, he did all the shopping, and as far as I know, he fed himself on like $25/week. All I could eat was tator tots and iced tea. I'm pretty sure he ate a lot of hot pockets, frozen pizza, and mac and cheese.
After Levi was born, I started changing our eating habits: more whole grains, fewer processed foods. I try to limit our skillet meals...those things have a TON of sodium. However, I was only working a few hours a week, so I had time to make good, whole food meals most days, even if it was in a crock pot. Don't get me wrong, we still eat those skillets sometimes, or frozen pizza, but I make an effort to keep our diet low in processed food.
So all of this leads me to my freezer meals project!
I'm starting of easy: crock pot meals. I love love LOVE the Reynolds slow cooker liners. They make it easy to store and freeze food, plus they give me a happy husband because he doesn't have to scrub out the slow cooker.
So here are the basics of freezer cooking in Mindy-land:
1. To store crock pot meals, I put the food in a slow cooker liner, twist it shut, and put that in a plastic gallon freezer bag labelled with the date, the food, and what needs to be added in the slow cooker.
3. The following things don't work well in a slow cooker or freezer (although there are exceptions): Noodles, rice, dairy, herbs, anything you want to eat crunchy.
4. Crockpot recipes are fabulous for adding extra veggies...shredded carrot can be hidden in almost any recipe. So can chopped onions.
So, without further ado, here's my first crockpot freezer recipe: Chili!
Chop half an onion, and 2 cloves of garlic. Grate a carrot. Place veggies in a bag with 1/2 pound of dried beans. Add 2 Tbs Worsteshire sauce, and a packet of your favorite chili seasoning. Top with a small can of tomato paste. Add in 1 pound of ground chicken, turkey, or beef. Freeze.
On the day you want to eat it, place crockpot liner of food in crockpot. Add 2 cans of beef broth. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Serve with cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream.
Finally, the office! (Day 12)
Today (well, yesterday...I wrote half the post then had to go to the laundry mat because our dryer broke), I braved the office. It's totally overwhelming, totally overflowing, an (along with the garage) totally embarassing.
Let's start with the books. I have a book addiction, and I hate getting rid of them. I was so glad to get a kindle for Christmas...at least my book fetish won't be taking up any more space in my house! Even better, I won't have to move any new books I get...
Let's start with the books. I have a book addiction, and I hate getting rid of them. I was so glad to get a kindle for Christmas...at least my book fetish won't be taking up any more space in my house! Even better, I won't have to move any new books I get...
Monday, March 5, 2012
Recipe time! Whole Wheat Tortillas!
It's a good day. Mom made quesadillas!
I'm going back to work next week! Since halfway through my pregnancy, I've only been working 8-10 hours a week, and I'm going crazy! But I finally got the state of Illinois to cooperate, finally got my Psychotherapist license, and was hired on by my favorite internship site!
In preparation, I'm slowly filling the freezer with food. It's not that I don't trust my husband to get food on the table at night (since I'll be working evenings). It's that I don't trust my husband to get healthy, fresh food on the table while being followed around by my favorite Toddler.
First up for the freezer food: whole wheat tortillas!
Why tortillas? I mean, they're dirt cheap at the store, keep forever, and are easy to find. However, I've been making a commitment to try to get 75% of our grains as whole grains. And whole grain tortillas are a) expensive, b) not always 100% whole grain, and c) still full of a bunch of crap I don't want to feed my child. So I make my own, with only 4 ingredients. And they're delicious.
Too Many Sippies! (Day 11)
Before Levi was born, I had this dream. A dream that he would use the Take n Toss sippy cups - the only ones that stack together nicely and take up very little room.
Of course, once we introduced the sippies, I learned that it was not to be. We tried several kinds of sippies, hard spouts, soft spouts, straws....finally he decided he'd accept the Munchkin Mighty Grips sippies.
Which are now discontinued. Or at least not available at any stores near us. Sigh.
I've gotten him to the point where he'll drink juice out of the Take n Toss, but he only drinks milk if it's in the Mighty Grips.
Of course, this means I have a cabinet full of rejected sippy cups, plastic dishes, and unmatched tupperware. It can't be babyproofed (well, not with my sophisticated hair-tie system), so it's Levi's favorite cabinet. He loves to "help" in the kitchen, surrounded by rejected sippies.
In my fancy bag-counting system, 2 Target bags = 1 garbage bag, and the sippies only filled one Target bag, so I scoured the rest of the kitchen and filled a second bag with odds and ends. A couple of extra spatulas. An extra can opener (my excuse for keeping it before: "what if I lose one?"). And my second tea kettle. Again, I have no idea why I thought I needed two tea kettles. The one I'm keeping looks like a cat, so I'm in good shape.
Of course, to get some of the kitchen stuff, I had to stand on a chair. Which apparently taught Mr. Toddler to do the same.
Of course, once we introduced the sippies, I learned that it was not to be. We tried several kinds of sippies, hard spouts, soft spouts, straws....finally he decided he'd accept the Munchkin Mighty Grips sippies.
Which are now discontinued. Or at least not available at any stores near us. Sigh.
I've gotten him to the point where he'll drink juice out of the Take n Toss, but he only drinks milk if it's in the Mighty Grips.
Of course, this means I have a cabinet full of rejected sippy cups, plastic dishes, and unmatched tupperware. It can't be babyproofed (well, not with my sophisticated hair-tie system), so it's Levi's favorite cabinet. He loves to "help" in the kitchen, surrounded by rejected sippies.
In my fancy bag-counting system, 2 Target bags = 1 garbage bag, and the sippies only filled one Target bag, so I scoured the rest of the kitchen and filled a second bag with odds and ends. A couple of extra spatulas. An extra can opener (my excuse for keeping it before: "what if I lose one?"). And my second tea kettle. Again, I have no idea why I thought I needed two tea kettles. The one I'm keeping looks like a cat, so I'm in good shape.
Of course, to get some of the kitchen stuff, I had to stand on a chair. Which apparently taught Mr. Toddler to do the same.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Day 10 - 1/4 of the way done!
So here I am, 1/4 of the way done with my Lenten purge. Some fun facts:
1. I am a giant nerd. I have a spreadsheet of the areas I've cleared out, how many bags/boxes I've removed, and where they went (trashed/recycled, sold, donated, returned).
2. From this spreadsheet we can learn that I have removed 19 bags or boxes of stuff from my house. Let's let that sink in...19. So I'm ahead of schedule! Eight have been donated. Three have been sold (or at least listed....still waiting on some pick ups!). Three have been recycled or trashed, three returned to their original owners, and one has been passed on to a friend. This is one of those times that I wish I could pile it all up and take a picture. The sheer volume of this is mind boggling...and I still have 3/4 of Lent to go!
3. There have been some major improvements to my daily life. Since clearing out and organizing Levi's toys, my nightly clear-out of the family room has been cut down to 5 minutes instead of 30. My clothes are easier to see and organize. The linen closet is no longer spilling out into the hallway. Best of all, we had friends over last night, and instead of spending the entire day cleaning, we spent an hour doing the deep cleaning things (mopping floors, vacuuming) and were done!
4. In the words of my husband (who is only kind of on board with this project) "but we still have way too much stuff!" Seriously, it doesn't feel like we got rid of 19 bags of stuff. I can still look around and see tons of stuff that is begging to be bagged, listed on Craigslist, and taken out of my house.
So onward we go! Last night when our friends were here, we gave them back their baby swing that they loaned us for Levi.
Levi napped in that thing for almost 6 months. He had reflux, so the upright position and the rocking soothed him. Even so, I was grateful to see it leave our garage. If there's anything I learned about baby gear, it's this: Everyone has too much. If I'm ever in need of a baby swing again, I'm sure I can post to Facebook and have one in my family room in days.
And now I'm glad it's Sunday, a day of rest.
1. I am a giant nerd. I have a spreadsheet of the areas I've cleared out, how many bags/boxes I've removed, and where they went (trashed/recycled, sold, donated, returned).
2. From this spreadsheet we can learn that I have removed 19 bags or boxes of stuff from my house. Let's let that sink in...19. So I'm ahead of schedule! Eight have been donated. Three have been sold (or at least listed....still waiting on some pick ups!). Three have been recycled or trashed, three returned to their original owners, and one has been passed on to a friend. This is one of those times that I wish I could pile it all up and take a picture. The sheer volume of this is mind boggling...and I still have 3/4 of Lent to go!
3. There have been some major improvements to my daily life. Since clearing out and organizing Levi's toys, my nightly clear-out of the family room has been cut down to 5 minutes instead of 30. My clothes are easier to see and organize. The linen closet is no longer spilling out into the hallway. Best of all, we had friends over last night, and instead of spending the entire day cleaning, we spent an hour doing the deep cleaning things (mopping floors, vacuuming) and were done!
4. In the words of my husband (who is only kind of on board with this project) "but we still have way too much stuff!" Seriously, it doesn't feel like we got rid of 19 bags of stuff. I can still look around and see tons of stuff that is begging to be bagged, listed on Craigslist, and taken out of my house.
So onward we go! Last night when our friends were here, we gave them back their baby swing that they loaned us for Levi.
And now I'm glad it's Sunday, a day of rest.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Day 9 - That Moment of Panic
We've all had that moment of panic. The moment when something important isn't where you left it. Or where you thought you left it. I confess, I have these moments of panic more often than the average person.
I'm horribly, horribly disorganized when it comes to papers. It doesn't help that I also have a mischievous toddler who LOVES papers, and really loves to throw things away. I'm in the habit of checking the garbage can every time I throw something away, just in case he has tossed a toy, book, or important document in there.
Today I had that moment of panic when I realized I was missing my license and debit card.
What ensued was two frantic hours of tearing apart the living room and kitchen, going through every pile of papers, every end table drawer, my laundry, Levi's room (as he loves to hide his favorite objects in there), and eventually the garbage. Turns out the kiddo had hidden the cards under the tablecloth on the table.
Good news #1: during the process of searching, I was able to toss a bag full of old greeting cards, coupons, receipts, and other odds and ends.
Good news #2: I realized that as I got rid of stuff, there would be fewer of those moments of panic. Thank goodness!
I'm horribly, horribly disorganized when it comes to papers. It doesn't help that I also have a mischievous toddler who LOVES papers, and really loves to throw things away. I'm in the habit of checking the garbage can every time I throw something away, just in case he has tossed a toy, book, or important document in there.
Today I had that moment of panic when I realized I was missing my license and debit card.
What ensued was two frantic hours of tearing apart the living room and kitchen, going through every pile of papers, every end table drawer, my laundry, Levi's room (as he loves to hide his favorite objects in there), and eventually the garbage. Turns out the kiddo had hidden the cards under the tablecloth on the table.
Good news #1: during the process of searching, I was able to toss a bag full of old greeting cards, coupons, receipts, and other odds and ends.
Good news #2: I realized that as I got rid of stuff, there would be fewer of those moments of panic. Thank goodness!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Day 8 - The Love/Hate Craigslist Relationship
Since last summer, I've been periodically posting my belongings on Craigslist. Today, after another sweep through Levi's room, I listed a few more things. Extra gifts we've received (friends and family: we no longer need piggy banks, stuffed animals, or blankets!!), some cloth diapers we never used, and some more toys. Some stuff I'm OK with donating, but there are other things I'd rather sell. Plus, the more money I bring in, the more I can justify my random book, coffee, and Babylegs purchases.
I love Craigslist.
I've met some awesome people through it. In fact, when I sold my pump, the person who bought it went to the same grad school as me, and we commiserated in the Meijer parking lot about post-partum depression.
Where else can you find people who want your old hangers? Or bottles? Or TVs from 1975?
Again, making money from your stuff without the hassle of a garage sale? Awesome.
I found our awesome deal of an apartment on Craigslist and negotiated a $20/month additional discount. Win. I also got a $90 Jumperoo for $25 bucks.
I also hate Craigslist.
For one, I have a whole pile of "Craigslist Stuff" sitting in my very small family room. My 1-year-old likes to rifle through it, occasionally putting things "away" in the garbage can or his toybox.
Also, people are crazy. There are scams. If you're a missionary in Zimbabwe, I'm 99% sure you don't need to be my landlord, or purchase my car.
It's a pain in my butt as well. Right now I'm negotiating with a lady. She wants to buy my bottles. She saw my location and thought "although I live 70 minutes away, I will be in that general area on one specific evening during a vague timeframe, so I'll buy those." When I had to work at that time (you know, because I can drop everything at 2 hours notice because you have a return to make), she began negotiating for a pick up somewhere else. Except her plans are constantly changing, as is the location of the pick up. Sigh. I wish someone else would just want the bottles already.
There's also the fear of being raped, murdered, or robbed. I'm constantly texting my husband with things like "we're meeting a lady in the Cracker Barrel parking lot, if you don't hear from me by 3:10, assume I've been kidnapped." Or "Yay! I wasn't raped! Now we're at Target!"
I think I need to start giving my Craigslist stuff a deadline for getting out of my house. I also need to set better limits with my postings. Any suggestions?
I love Craigslist.
I've met some awesome people through it. In fact, when I sold my pump, the person who bought it went to the same grad school as me, and we commiserated in the Meijer parking lot about post-partum depression.
Where else can you find people who want your old hangers? Or bottles? Or TVs from 1975?
Again, making money from your stuff without the hassle of a garage sale? Awesome.
I found our awesome deal of an apartment on Craigslist and negotiated a $20/month additional discount. Win. I also got a $90 Jumperoo for $25 bucks.
This thing was only 25 bucks!?
I also hate Craigslist.
For one, I have a whole pile of "Craigslist Stuff" sitting in my very small family room. My 1-year-old likes to rifle through it, occasionally putting things "away" in the garbage can or his toybox.
Also, people are crazy. There are scams. If you're a missionary in Zimbabwe, I'm 99% sure you don't need to be my landlord, or purchase my car.
It's a pain in my butt as well. Right now I'm negotiating with a lady. She wants to buy my bottles. She saw my location and thought "although I live 70 minutes away, I will be in that general area on one specific evening during a vague timeframe, so I'll buy those." When I had to work at that time (you know, because I can drop everything at 2 hours notice because you have a return to make), she began negotiating for a pick up somewhere else. Except her plans are constantly changing, as is the location of the pick up. Sigh. I wish someone else would just want the bottles already.
There's also the fear of being raped, murdered, or robbed. I'm constantly texting my husband with things like "we're meeting a lady in the Cracker Barrel parking lot, if you don't hear from me by 3:10, assume I've been kidnapped." Or "Yay! I wasn't raped! Now we're at Target!"
I think I need to start giving my Craigslist stuff a deadline for getting out of my house. I also need to set better limits with my postings. Any suggestions?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A Pair and a Spare (Day 7)
I hold onto stuff. A lot. My linen closet is a prime example. Not only do I stuff it to the brim, but then Rosie the cat jumps in, knocks piles over, and now the door won't even close.
I've been reading a bit about minimalism recently, and learned that some people live with only 1 or 2 sets of sheets. In a house with 2 cats, a dog, a sweaty husband, and a toddler, I'm not sure we could get by with a single set of sheets. However, the "pair and a spare" theory sounds like it will work - 3 sets of sheets, one for the bed, one in the wash, and one as backup. And since I don't really like the set that's on our bed right now, I chose our silver set (which we got for our wedding and has held up beautifully!), a dark blue set, and a light blue flannel set.
As for towels, I have a set from before we were married, the set we registered for when we got married, a random non-matching set that someone got us for the wedding, a set that matched our old bathroom, and a set that matches our current bathroom. Whew. Narrowed it down to the 4 towels that match our new bathroom, the 2 from the old bathroom (that can pass in the new one), and 2 extras. And beach towels. Eight still seems like a lot when you think about it, but my husband sometimes uses a new towel every day (a habit I've mostly broken him of, but sometimes he slacks). Plus there's the inevitable towel mix up when I need a new midweek towel, and the random messes that require towel useage - I think 8 towels is a good place to be!
So here's the after:
Bottom shelf is guest room sheets and baby crib sheets (I kept 4 sets of those - that kid is a pooping barfing machine). Second shelf is our three sets for the master bedroom, plus some extra pillow cases. Third shelf up has hand towels, wash cloths, and kitchen towels. Next up is the shelf of bath towels. Yes, there's only one there. It's laundry day. Finally, the top shelf has beach towels and paper towels. Whew!
And this is what is getting donated. I'm waiting until my husband gets home...not because he's particularly attached to our linens, but because I don't want to freak him out when he comes home and we have less than half the sheets we used to have!
As for towels, I have a set from before we were married, the set we registered for when we got married, a random non-matching set that someone got us for the wedding, a set that matched our old bathroom, and a set that matches our current bathroom. Whew. Narrowed it down to the 4 towels that match our new bathroom, the 2 from the old bathroom (that can pass in the new one), and 2 extras. And beach towels. Eight still seems like a lot when you think about it, but my husband sometimes uses a new towel every day (a habit I've mostly broken him of, but sometimes he slacks). Plus there's the inevitable towel mix up when I need a new midweek towel, and the random messes that require towel useage - I think 8 towels is a good place to be!
So here's the after:
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Day 6, I think...
I do believe this is the 6th day of my 40 bags challenge. And, as I mentioned earlier, I have a sick kiddo who won't let me do anything. So, like yesterday I had to set my sights lower (even though internally I want to go tackle the mess in the office).
So with baby on my hip, I tackled one of the things I'm most ashamed of: the recycling situation.
I always save boxes, bottles, jars, etc. meaning to recycle them. However, the recycle bin is downstairs in the garage, it's cold, I can't leave the baby alone, etc. Couple this with my water bottle issue (I always think I'm going to re-use them, so I have them strewn everywhere), and I have all kinds of recycling scattered all about the house.
Since I'm also out of plastic bags, I grabbed a box and went to town. Water bottles in the bedroom, boxes i the kitchen, empty shampoo bottles in the bathroom...and I filled an entire box!
To the recycling it went!
So with baby on my hip, I tackled one of the things I'm most ashamed of: the recycling situation.
I always save boxes, bottles, jars, etc. meaning to recycle them. However, the recycle bin is downstairs in the garage, it's cold, I can't leave the baby alone, etc. Couple this with my water bottle issue (I always think I'm going to re-use them, so I have them strewn everywhere), and I have all kinds of recycling scattered all about the house.
Since I'm also out of plastic bags, I grabbed a box and went to town. Water bottles in the bedroom, boxes i the kitchen, empty shampoo bottles in the bathroom...and I filled an entire box!
Yum yum, Spaghetti Squash!
I had so many plans for today...errands to run, projects to finish...but I still have a sick kiddo. All he has is a cold, but at 13 months, he's already perfected the Man Cold. He laid around all day moaning and wanting me to hold him, rub his back, and never ever do the one thing that might make him feel better (use the nasal aspirator). He also refused to eat much, threw milk at the dog, and followed me around whining "mamamamamama" no matter what I did.
So my plans were shot. Since I couldn't go anywhere, however, it was a perfect day to make spaghetti squash!
Most of my recipes are fairly quick and easy, but this one is time (but not labor) intensive. You kinda have to be home for at least 2.5 hours to make it happen. So it's a bad idea if I'm working or out running errands, but perfect for a cold day stuck inside. The good news? Your labor only takes 5-10 minutes at the beginning, and about 20 minutes at the end. The rest of the time you're just babysitting the oven. So here's how it happens:
Grab a spaghetti squash...they should be in your produce section of the grocery store by the butternut and acorn squash. Squash is wonderful: cheap, filling, and healthy. Butternut and acorn squash can both be used in mac and cheese and soup. Spaghetti squash is the oblong yellow squash. You can see the sticker on it up there. It should be labeled.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Cover a pan in foil. I bend up the edges of my foil to catch drippings. This isn't really necessary, but I hate doing dishes, and we have no dishwasher, so I cover pans in foil.
Now it's time to cut the squash. This is the most challenging part of the whole thing. I use a long, skinny knife. Shorter knives get stuck, while the cleaver-like knives are impossible to get through the skin.
To start, I insert the point of the knife in the squash (to cut it lengthwise), and push it all the way through. You can see in the picture that the rind of the squash will crack (most of the time), which makes your life easier. Wiggle the knife around until it comes loose. Flip the squash over and do the same at the other end. More cracking, more wiggling.
Find the biggest crack on the squash and put your knife horizontally in that crack. Press down. The crack should lengthen. You may have to repeat on the other side, but eventually the whole squash will crack in half.
Next, scoop out the seeds. You can use a normal spoon, but I find an ice cream scoop works wonderfully. If you have a pumpkin carving spoon somewhere, that would work well, too. Pumpkins are squash, after all.
Lay the squash face down on the foil-lined baking sheet. Put it in the oven, set your timer for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, turn off your oven. Leave the squash in the oven. You can open it and check to see if the squash has gotten squishy (if you have a large squash it might need a few more minutes; you want it just a little squishy), but put it back in and close the door.
This is where my method differs from most I've seen. Let me explain: I had a heck of a time for awhile where my squash would either be burned and dry, or not cooked enough. Even if I checked on it regularly, I'd miss that window of perfect squash-ness. This method keeps the moisture/steam from the squash in, and gives gentle heat for that last little bit of cooking. Added bonus: it will be cool enough to handle when it's done.
Leave the squash in the oven for 1 hour. Oven off, squash in. This is probably against every food safety guideline out there, but whatever. It makes delicious squash.
Toss with your favorite add-ons. Tonight we had sauteed mushrooms, red onions, and italian sausage, topped with mozzarella cheese. Yum.
Other favorites include pesto or marinara sauce (just make sure to go lightly, spaghetti squash gets soggy easily) with whatever veggies are available.
A great side dish: toss the squash with parmesean cheese, some bread crumbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Yummy.
Traditional recipe format (because that's what people do):
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (find one that's not the biggest or the smallest)
1 Tb olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Line a pan with aluminum foil
Using a long, skinny knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise
Scoop out the inside seeds
Coat the inside of the squash with olive oil
Place, cut side down, on foil-lined pan
Bake for 45 minutes
Turn off oven, but do not remove squash
Let it cool, in warm oven, for 1 hour
Remove from oven
Starting at the stem end, scrape "spaghetti" out of squash
Mix with your favorite toppings and eat!
So my plans were shot. Since I couldn't go anywhere, however, it was a perfect day to make spaghetti squash!
Most of my recipes are fairly quick and easy, but this one is time (but not labor) intensive. You kinda have to be home for at least 2.5 hours to make it happen. So it's a bad idea if I'm working or out running errands, but perfect for a cold day stuck inside. The good news? Your labor only takes 5-10 minutes at the beginning, and about 20 minutes at the end. The rest of the time you're just babysitting the oven. So here's how it happens:
Let's pretend for a minute that I don't have the ugliest counters that ever existed. And that I don't buy ginormous jugs of olive oil. Don't judge me.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Cover a pan in foil. I bend up the edges of my foil to catch drippings. This isn't really necessary, but I hate doing dishes, and we have no dishwasher, so I cover pans in foil.
To start, I insert the point of the knife in the squash (to cut it lengthwise), and push it all the way through. You can see in the picture that the rind of the squash will crack (most of the time), which makes your life easier. Wiggle the knife around until it comes loose. Flip the squash over and do the same at the other end. More cracking, more wiggling.
I promise
Pour a half tablespoon of olive oil in each half of the squash, then use your fingers to coat the squash halves. You could use cooking spray for this, but I recently discovered that it will kill us all or something. So I went out and bought a 3 liter bottle of EVOO.
After 45 minutes, turn off your oven. Leave the squash in the oven. You can open it and check to see if the squash has gotten squishy (if you have a large squash it might need a few more minutes; you want it just a little squishy), but put it back in and close the door.
This is where my method differs from most I've seen. Let me explain: I had a heck of a time for awhile where my squash would either be burned and dry, or not cooked enough. Even if I checked on it regularly, I'd miss that window of perfect squash-ness. This method keeps the moisture/steam from the squash in, and gives gentle heat for that last little bit of cooking. Added bonus: it will be cool enough to handle when it's done.
Leave the squash in the oven for 1 hour. Oven off, squash in. This is probably against every food safety guideline out there, but whatever. It makes delicious squash.
Just out of the oven squash. See the yummy roasted parts?
Next, use a fork to scrape from the stem end down. The spaghetti strands will start to separate.
Other favorites include pesto or marinara sauce (just make sure to go lightly, spaghetti squash gets soggy easily) with whatever veggies are available.
A great side dish: toss the squash with parmesean cheese, some bread crumbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Yummy.
Traditional recipe format (because that's what people do):
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (find one that's not the biggest or the smallest)
1 Tb olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Line a pan with aluminum foil
Using a long, skinny knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise
Scoop out the inside seeds
Coat the inside of the squash with olive oil
Place, cut side down, on foil-lined pan
Bake for 45 minutes
Turn off oven, but do not remove squash
Let it cool, in warm oven, for 1 hour
Remove from oven
Starting at the stem end, scrape "spaghetti" out of squash
Mix with your favorite toppings and eat!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Next up: The "Office"
We currently live in a 3 bedroom apartment, and the third bedroom is what we call "the office." In reality, it is a catch all for stuff that doesn't have a home, a hiding place for the cats, and home to a million books and papers.
I planned on today being the start of the hard part: cleaning the office. And now I have a sore throat, a sick kiddo, and zero motivation.
Such is the beauty of the 40 bag challenge: all I need to do is fill one bag. Not clean the whole office, not fix everything at once, just one bag. Much less overwhelming than fixing the whole thing at once.
One bag can take 10 minutes. I can find 10 minutes today even though I need to run errands, take care of Levi, and go to work. So 10 minutes is what that office is getting...10 minutes, one bag. I can do this.
Such is the beauty of the 40 bag challenge: all I need to do is fill one bag. Not clean the whole office, not fix everything at once, just one bag. Much less overwhelming than fixing the whole thing at once.
One bag can take 10 minutes. I can find 10 minutes today even though I need to run errands, take care of Levi, and go to work. So 10 minutes is what that office is getting...10 minutes, one bag. I can do this.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Day 4 - Baby "stuff"
Honestly, I could probably purge about 40 bags just from Levi's room, closet, and the garage (where more of the stuff we're saving resides).
Deciding what to save and what to keep is difficult for me emotionally. The original plan was to have 2 kids in close succession, and be done with it. I figured 15-18 months apart would be perfect. The sleepless nights would be like a bandaid - rip it off and get it over with. I could take a 2ish year hiatus from my professional development, then jump back in. My kids would grow up as best friends. If I still had the urge to have more kids, I could adopt.
Then I got pregnant in May of 2010 and developed Hyperemesis. As a result of this, I lost 12 pounds by the time I was 7 weeks pregnant, my thyroid went crazy, and I was more or less non-functioning for 4 months, and only semi-functioning for the next 3 months beyond that. I got a wonderful 5 week reprieve where I felt great, then started non-productive labor at 35 weeks. Contractions every 20 minutes for a month? Awesome. I'll go into all the crazy details about my pregnancy complications, labor, and delivery someday, but long story short, I could only function for 5 of the 40 weeks I was pregnant. Add in an unexpected C-section and an almost 10 pound baby (amazing for someone who didn't gain weight until I was 28 weeks pregnant!), and my hopes of close together children were dashed. We were financially and emotionally spent...
Getting rid of some baby stuff was easy - the things that represented those broken dreams. Almost immediately after giving birth, I gave away all of my maternity clothes. In my closet they were a daily reminder that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to handle another pregnancy. We survived 5 weeks of breastfeeding, but I was heartbroken that it didn't work out. So I sold the pump, another reminder that my body continually failed me.
But I have a hard time letting go of the things that represent HOPE. Hope that there will be another baby someday. Hope that we'll be in an emotional, financial, and physical place to make that happen. For me, our stash of bottles is pretty much at the top of this list. Who knows if breastfeeding will work out next time, or if our next child will be OK with the same brand as Levi. Don't get me wrong, it's a relief to be off of the bottles, the washing, the boiling, but I wasn't ready to let go.
Until yesterday. I listed them on Craigslist (along with a pack of diapers that gave Levi a rash). I immediately got multiple responses. As hard as it is to let go, I hope they can bless someone else. As we talk about getting closer to God, I know that He will ask me to let go of things I'm attached to. I'm working on being OK with that.
Deciding what to save and what to keep is difficult for me emotionally. The original plan was to have 2 kids in close succession, and be done with it. I figured 15-18 months apart would be perfect. The sleepless nights would be like a bandaid - rip it off and get it over with. I could take a 2ish year hiatus from my professional development, then jump back in. My kids would grow up as best friends. If I still had the urge to have more kids, I could adopt.
Then I got pregnant in May of 2010 and developed Hyperemesis. As a result of this, I lost 12 pounds by the time I was 7 weeks pregnant, my thyroid went crazy, and I was more or less non-functioning for 4 months, and only semi-functioning for the next 3 months beyond that. I got a wonderful 5 week reprieve where I felt great, then started non-productive labor at 35 weeks. Contractions every 20 minutes for a month? Awesome. I'll go into all the crazy details about my pregnancy complications, labor, and delivery someday, but long story short, I could only function for 5 of the 40 weeks I was pregnant. Add in an unexpected C-section and an almost 10 pound baby (amazing for someone who didn't gain weight until I was 28 weeks pregnant!), and my hopes of close together children were dashed. We were financially and emotionally spent...
Getting rid of some baby stuff was easy - the things that represented those broken dreams. Almost immediately after giving birth, I gave away all of my maternity clothes. In my closet they were a daily reminder that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to handle another pregnancy. We survived 5 weeks of breastfeeding, but I was heartbroken that it didn't work out. So I sold the pump, another reminder that my body continually failed me.
But I have a hard time letting go of the things that represent HOPE. Hope that there will be another baby someday. Hope that we'll be in an emotional, financial, and physical place to make that happen. For me, our stash of bottles is pretty much at the top of this list. Who knows if breastfeeding will work out next time, or if our next child will be OK with the same brand as Levi. Don't get me wrong, it's a relief to be off of the bottles, the washing, the boiling, but I wasn't ready to let go.
Until yesterday. I listed them on Craigslist (along with a pack of diapers that gave Levi a rash). I immediately got multiple responses. As hard as it is to let go, I hope they can bless someone else. As we talk about getting closer to God, I know that He will ask me to let go of things I'm attached to. I'm working on being OK with that.
Day 3 - Baby Toys
Last November, I felt so bad for my little guy. He didn't have many toys, and he was getting to the age and mobility where he needed toys.
Then Christmas happened. And his birthday. Holy cow! The little guy now has more toys than any child could play with. Blocks, drums, balls, trucks, books, stuffed animals...
Guess what he plays with? The cabinet full of plastic cups. My phone. Dog toys.
Sigh.
I had such grand plans for a toy purge, but it turned into more of a toy organization project. I can't shake the feeling that he NEEDS toys. Truth be told, he plays with his drums and his hammer.
Anywho, last night I purged enough that all his toys fit into my ancient toybox and a set of shelves. For the purposes of this activity, I didn't consider puzzles or books to be toys...they're in their own category. But hey, my family room looks a lot better, and I have two Target bags full of toys to sell or donate.
And right now he's playing with a sippy cup lid and the garbage can.
Then Christmas happened. And his birthday. Holy cow! The little guy now has more toys than any child could play with. Blocks, drums, balls, trucks, books, stuffed animals...
Guess what he plays with? The cabinet full of plastic cups. My phone. Dog toys.
Sigh.
I had such grand plans for a toy purge, but it turned into more of a toy organization project. I can't shake the feeling that he NEEDS toys. Truth be told, he plays with his drums and his hammer.
Anywho, last night I purged enough that all his toys fit into my ancient toybox and a set of shelves. For the purposes of this activity, I didn't consider puzzles or books to be toys...they're in their own category. But hey, my family room looks a lot better, and I have two Target bags full of toys to sell or donate.
There are more. I swear. But the kiddo keeps taking them out of the bag and hiding them...apparently I've passed on my Hoarder's gene.
And right now he's playing with a sippy cup lid and the garbage can.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Day 2 of purging - baby clothes
I'm starting out easy.
Our old house had no closet in Levi's room, so I'm very very very good at getting rid of baby clothes. I've also been fortunate that I have an awesome network of mommas, and we rotate clothes among ourselves. So as soon as he's out of one size, I usually have a place for those clothes to go, and a new set of clothes coming in.
There are, however, stragglers. That shirt that happened to be in the wash while I was packing things up. Those socks that he stuck between the mattress and the wall (kid refuses to nap while wearing socks). The clothes that came back to me, and I haven't decided yet what to do with them (AKA all the 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes!).
So I finally got on all that stuff. Kept the gender neutral clothes for when we decide to adopt, or I lose my mind and decide to attempt another pregnancy. Sorted the rest into 3 categories: small clothes for my friend whose due in April, donation clothes, and clothes that another friend wants back. She's also getting her baby swing back. Arranged meetings for the hand offs, made a craigslist posting for some of the stuff I found in the process (see tomorrow's post), and I'll head to the donation bin tonight. Total time: 30 minutes with toddler assistance. Granted, I was already pretty organized in this area, but it feels good. When I go to get toys out of Levi's closet, I will no longer be bombarded by flurry of baby clothes!
A word on the donation bin. When we were moving, this was my best friend. Random bins around town that accept clothes and shoes. Some even accept books, small housewares, and more! I've learned, however, that these bins move! I had a trusty bin in the grocery store parking lot, perfect to drop clothes off on my way to shop...then I pulled up one day and it was gone! Another time, I made a mental note of a bin that accepts books, then I showed up the next morning with an entire set of encyclopedias from 1978 (found in the old basement), and it was also gone. So I drove around for a week with those encyclopedias until another bin magically appeared in front of Home Depot. They pop up and disappear overnight...
Our old house had no closet in Levi's room, so I'm very very very good at getting rid of baby clothes. I've also been fortunate that I have an awesome network of mommas, and we rotate clothes among ourselves. So as soon as he's out of one size, I usually have a place for those clothes to go, and a new set of clothes coming in.
There are, however, stragglers. That shirt that happened to be in the wash while I was packing things up. Those socks that he stuck between the mattress and the wall (kid refuses to nap while wearing socks). The clothes that came back to me, and I haven't decided yet what to do with them (AKA all the 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes!).
So I finally got on all that stuff. Kept the gender neutral clothes for when we decide to adopt, or I lose my mind and decide to attempt another pregnancy. Sorted the rest into 3 categories: small clothes for my friend whose due in April, donation clothes, and clothes that another friend wants back. She's also getting her baby swing back. Arranged meetings for the hand offs, made a craigslist posting for some of the stuff I found in the process (see tomorrow's post), and I'll head to the donation bin tonight. Total time: 30 minutes with toddler assistance. Granted, I was already pretty organized in this area, but it feels good. When I go to get toys out of Levi's closet, I will no longer be bombarded by flurry of baby clothes!
For my BFF Craigslist
A word on the donation bin. When we were moving, this was my best friend. Random bins around town that accept clothes and shoes. Some even accept books, small housewares, and more! I've learned, however, that these bins move! I had a trusty bin in the grocery store parking lot, perfect to drop clothes off on my way to shop...then I pulled up one day and it was gone! Another time, I made a mental note of a bin that accepts books, then I showed up the next morning with an entire set of encyclopedias from 1978 (found in the old basement), and it was also gone. So I drove around for a week with those encyclopedias until another bin magically appeared in front of Home Depot. They pop up and disappear overnight...
Thursday, February 23, 2012
For the next 40 days...
Lent.
I spent my childhood and teenage years giving something up. Pop. TV. The ill advised year I gave up fast food, not remembering that I'd be on the choir/band bus to Florida (I ate a lot of granola an Subway).
In college, I started adding something into my life. I'm not Catholic, so I figure I can be flexible. Reading the Bible daily. Exercise. Getting up before 9am. Packing a lunch. Actually completing class readings. You know, grown up things.
I had no idea what to do this year until I read this today: http://augustfields.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-bags-in-40-days-preparing-for-easter.html
It was perfect for two reasons. 1) Lately I've been frustrated with our "stuff." It's getting in the way of what I want for our lives: more time with Levi, less chaos, closeness to each other and to God. 2) I've already started! Tuesday night I took 2 giant bags of clothes to the charity bin. So it doesn't matter that I missed Wednesday.
I spent my childhood and teenage years giving something up. Pop. TV. The ill advised year I gave up fast food, not remembering that I'd be on the choir/band bus to Florida (I ate a lot of granola an Subway).
In college, I started adding something into my life. I'm not Catholic, so I figure I can be flexible. Reading the Bible daily. Exercise. Getting up before 9am. Packing a lunch. Actually completing class readings. You know, grown up things.
I had no idea what to do this year until I read this today: http://augustfields.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-bags-in-40-days-preparing-for-easter.html
It was perfect for two reasons. 1) Lately I've been frustrated with our "stuff." It's getting in the way of what I want for our lives: more time with Levi, less chaos, closeness to each other and to God. 2) I've already started! Tuesday night I took 2 giant bags of clothes to the charity bin. So it doesn't matter that I missed Wednesday.
This is just the cardigan sweaters...
Last August, we had a giant garage sale. I got rid of almost half my clothes. Somehow, I still had way too much...so I got rid of more. Here's the "after" sweater picture.
Five seems much more reasonable. Yes, two are black. One is short sleeved.
So I got rid of two bags of clothes and shoes. I took pictures to remind myself what things looked like before, and that I will never really miss all those clothes I'll get rid of. Fingers crossed.
My goal tonight: figure out what to do with outgrown baby clothes!
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