Favorite Books

I've been trying to take the kids to the library every few weeks (the books are due every 3 weeks) and we recently made a trip last weekend.  Saturday was a little hot but I wanted to get out of the house and walk around a bit somewhere so I decided to head downtown.  We parked in the parking garage a ways down so we could walk around a bit to and from the library and it was the perfect distance for Zoe.

We didn't get as many books as last time, but we did get a few that are our new favorites.

My sister got Zoe a book a while back called "Knuffle Bunny" by Mo Willems and Zoe absolutely LOVES it and we read it at least once a day.  So we discovered a few more books by Mo called "Knuffle Bunny Too", "City Dog, Country Frog" and then "Edwina-The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She was Extinct".  We've read Edwina two nights in a row so far.  :)

There's also "Iggy Peck, Architect" by Andrea Beaty.  I love the illustrations in this book...It's what drew me to it!

Zoe wanted the book "No More Kissing!" because it had monkeys on the cover!  It's a super cute book.  It's by Emma Chichester Clark.

Books can be a little pricey-especially when you have a 2 year old who can easily destroy a nice book, but once you find ones your child wants to read over and over, it's worth the investment!  We have a great thrift store who is known for their selection of books, so we've found a lot of great finds there.  But they're mostly "older" books.  I need to do more online shopping...There are some great deals that way!

SO ...

... Momma got a new job.

I'm working for a company called Turtle Mountain.  You might have seen our brand in the grocery store, called SO Delicious Dairy Free.  All our products are (as the name implies) dairy free and actually ANIMAL FREE!  YAHOO!  Vegan!  My kind of company.  We make almond milk, coconut milk, and frozen treats out of the almond or coconut milk, as well as yogurts.  We make some soy products (ice cream) but the big sellers are the almond and coconut products.

I'm working in customer relations and I also handle some administrative tasks as well.  I'm just part-time right now and it's a temp to hire position.  It could go full-time at some point but no time frame on when that would be.

Today was my 3rd day and I LOVE it.  I am so happy to be there.  The company is great as are the people I work with.  It's still a fairly small company (even though we've been on the Dr. Oz show and Drew Brees is our spokesperson!) but it's based here in Eugene/Springfield.  

Noah is having a hard time adjusting to the bottle.  He hadn't really eaten much from it before I went back to work and doesn't really like it.  The first thing I do when I get home is nurse him!  Zoe is having a hard time adjusting to all the new changes.  Can't blame her.  We had a great routine, then we brought home a baby.  Got into a good routine with the new baby, now momma's gone half the day and our schedule has changed.  Plus, the week before I got the job we really worked on potty training.  SO many changes for the poor girl.  She's super clingy when I get home and she has random outbursts and tantrums.  And I KNOW it's just because of all the changes.  I'm hoping things will get better in the next few days.

For right now we don't need daycare.  I get off at 3 PM and Tony has rearranged his schedule so he can go in at 3:30.  This means however that I don't see Tony much and 3 days a week he has to take me to work, go home, come back and get me, and then we take him to work, go home, and at 12:00 midnight I have to round up sleeping babies and go get him from work.  It kinda sucks gas wise, time wise, and sleep wise (that cuts into my sleep time) but childcare wise and because we only have the one car, it's just how it has to be.  There are 2 Wednesdays a month I need a babysitter (which I at this moment do not have!!!) because Tony works days the first and last Wednesday of the month.  Luckily I have a couple weeks to figure it all out.  

I mentioned we were potty training Zoe and I'd say she's pretty much there.  She doesn't give a whole lot of warning (yet) when she has to go so we don't take too many ventures out into the real world.  We stay close to the potty!  But she will say "Potty!" when she has to go.  And she struggled with going #2 in the potty for a few days but has since started saying "Potty!" when she has to go #2.  So that is great!  

When we do have to go out, I have her wear underwear and a Pull-Up over her underwear.  I know, it sounds weird.  But when we started potty training months ago, the Pull-Up was basically a fancy diaper and she just kept peeing in it.  Our pediatrician recommended not using Pull-Ups at all for that reason...She actually needs to feel wet to know something happened that shouldn't.  So we just started putting her in big girl underwear, she had a few accidents, didn't like it, and bam.  Potty trained.  But when we're out I want to avoid serious accidents in the carseat or at the store, so I have her wear the underwear so she can still feel she's wet, but not have it leak everywhere.  This idea was suggested by a friend of mine.  Once Zoe can hold it a bit til we find a public bathroom then I'll stop doing this, but for now it works for us.  I'm so very proud of her!  (And yay for less diaper buying and changing!)  Oh and she wears a Pull-Up during nap and at bedtime because obviously sleep training takes a little longer...

Tony's doing okay...Noah is a bit difficult (mostly because of the bottle issue..He's hungry, fusses like crazy, but won't really eat from the bottle) so I know it stresses him out, but I hope things get easier! 

Maybe now that I'm working we can take a trip to the coast or something fun.  Money's been so tight we haven't been able to afford to do much.  But getting away at the coast for a day sounds like fun to us!

Have I Ever Shared ...

my other blog with you?

This other blog is my blog and it's sort of a random bit about motherhood and the things I love.

You can visit it here.

It is different than what I post on here...but sometimes the same.  :)  You'll just have to see for yourself I guess.

Holy Cow!

Wes say it all the time, but Noah is one BIG boy!

He had his 2 month check-up on Monday.  He is 23 inches long (50th percentile, so average) but a whopping 15 pounds 4 ounces (above the 95th percentile)!  Remember, Zoe only weighs 25 pounds!  He will soon be able to crush her.  Haha.  I can't remember exactly what his head circumference was, but I know it was 75th percentile.  He's such a chubby boy, but he's so adorable!  We met a 4 month old Korean baby at the doctor's office yesterday, who was no joke, smaller than Noah!  So funny.

Anyway, he did really great at his appointment, until it was time for his shots.  I always hate when my kids get shots...Especially when they're that little.  And when they're that little they get so many!  He had to have an oral vaccination that took a while for him to get down.  Then he got 3 shots!  His face turned so red with that first shot...But once I was able to pick him up, he calmed right down.  By the time I got him dressed and out to the lobby to make our next appointment, he was almost asleep and once we were to the car, he was totally asleep.  And he pretty much slept most of the day...Not surprising.  Usually babies don't feel great after that many vaccinations but luckily he never ran a fever or got super fussy.  I didn't mind nursing him a little extra (he's a comfort nurser) or holding him that much more.  He's such a cuddle bug!  I love it.

Zoe and Noah were laying on the floor playing together and it was so funny to see them side by side.  If he could roll over, I think he'd crush her.

What else is new?

Well, I got a sewing machine thanks to craigslist.  I offered $15 less than what they asked because the ad had been up for about a month...I decided with the offer I made, if the machine died in a couple months or something I wouldn't have wasted that much money.  And they accepted my offer!  And the machine is in great condition.  It's pretty easy to use, so great for a beginner like me.  And honestly for right now, I don't need anything fancy.  As I get better and do more projects, I imagine I'll save up for something fancier.

"New" sewing machine, means I'll be opening an etsy shop soon!  I'm going to work on a few projects for Zoe to practice my sewing skills and then I'll start making the things I want to sell.  I'm currently working on what to call my shop (I have a couple ideas that I'll share with you later) and what things I want to sell.  I'm working on the details!  I don't expect this to make us rich, but I figure if it'll help clothe the kids or put a couple tanks of gas in our car, it'll help.  Every bit helps.  And it'll give me something to work on and do (besides cleaning, changing diapers, picking up toys!)..It'll be my job.  I've already carved out some time during nap time and after bedtime to really work on things and if I get lucky maybe I'll have more time somewhere else in my day.  I'm really excited!

I found a local fabric shop that I need to check out...I'd like to shop there as much as I can since it's a local, small business.  There's a local thrift store that also had some good fabric for cheap...I need to go there more often to see what they have...I think I miss out on some good stuff because I don't go enough.  They also usually have great patterns.  I really hope I come across vintage patterns sometime.  I think those would be awesome!

And who's watching the Olympics?  Anyone?  Of course the things Tony wants to watch, they don't air on the free NBC channel.  But I've been enjoying the gymnastics, swimming, and diving.  Synchronized diving is CRAZY.  Tony says he doesn't "get" diving...Whatever.  It's so cool to watch!

I thought it was funny when Bob Costas was interviewing the "Fab Five" women's gymnastic team after they won their gold medal and he was saying how none of them were old enough to remember the "Magnificent Seven" back in 1996 and he was asking them what first Olympics they did remember, that inspired them to become Olympians someday...All of them said 2004.  That made me feel old because I definitely remember the 1996 gymnastics team!  It made me chuckle.

Alright, now I'm just rambling.  Stay tuned for more Etsy details!  :)