7 Months Old

My baby is 7 months old today. I can't belive how fast it has gone by. With Cale and Carter I thought the first 9 months drug on. They were so hard for so many different reasons. This time around has been so much easier. Mack did have a couple really fussy days at the beginning of the week, but has since gotten into a pretty good routine (for now). This kids craxks me up! I am very certain that he is going to keep us more on our toes than the first two. Within a weeks time he is pretty much sitting up on his own, he has had Cheerios and Puffs, and he is trying to crawl! He wants to go so bad!! He lays on his tummy and kicks, then he gets up on his knees for a second or two and then falls back down. The getting on the knees thing has really just started the last couple days. He loves the water!! He kicks and splashes himself in the face and just really loves any water he sees. He also loves his big brothers so much. Anytime they are around or in an ear shot he is looking for them. They also love him (and his toys) and love to make him laugh.

Cale and Carter are taking swim lessons and making tons of improvements!! I have those pictures on my cell and need to get them off and upload them. They are getting ready to do soccer and then probably basketball and anything I can get them to try. Cale loves soccer and we have been playing a lot at the park. He is also in love with playing basketball. I also registered them for Kindergarten today!!! That is so sad. I can't believe they are getting ready to turn 5! It started out as a long road, but quickly picked up the pace. I will write more about them turning 5 very soon.

Here are some pictures of my 7 month old baby!


Loving his tummy time pillow mommy made him



I was trying to get some pictures for work and this is what kept happening...eyes closed. Don't know if you watche My Name is Earl, but Earl Hickey always had his eyes closed in his pictures. This is little Earl.

Love it with the drool. I think he is cutting a couple teeth

This one is my favorite! I love that face!

Business As Usual

I was pretty busy with work last week and was excited about that!  I have thankfully continued to have work come in this weekend too.  I also have another market in downtown Raleigh on May 8th that I am very busy getting ready for.  I have some wonderful repeat customers that want more ponytail holders, so I am going to have a lot made.  I have caved to all the social networking ways to spread your business and by that I mean that I have a facebook fan page and have twitter account or whatever.  If anyone is interested in becoming a fan you can find Oh Sew Cute Designs on Facebook and twitter it is ohsewcutedesign.  I don't really post very much at all on Facebook.  I mostly tweet when I post a new item in my shop or I have a sale and relist it or I just have something to say.  I don't have very many fans or followers yet and I am not sure I am very good at posting on either one.  It is funny that the once a week (if that) that I post something on Facebook I seem to lose a fan, but then I gain a fan, so it evens out.  On Twitter I have been gaining followers and only lost a couple.  I have no clue who these people are that drop me, but I just notice that the number changes.  It may change more, but I just don't look that often.  I just think it is funny that the more I post I gain more followers in Twitter, but when I post on facebook I lose someone.  It's like being unfriended on facebook.  Why?  I have seen some friends post about this on Facebook, so I know I am not the only person who wonders why people friend and unfriend and such.  Did they not like my product or did they not like me?  Do I post too much?  I don't know and I get over it, but I would just like to know why sometimes. 

Anyways, I got accepted on to the Etsy Baby Team.  I am not sure what this is going to entail, but I think that it will offer some exposure. I really love sewing!  It is such a stress reliever!  Also, I have started making ribbon tag blankets again!!  I have known how to "fix" them for quite awhile, but never really had the time to add them back and to take the time to figure it out.  Well after making one for Mack for Easter I realized how much I missed making them.  I have one made so far and it is in my Etsy shop, but I will be working on more this week (if Mack will let me). 

Friday Findings

I really had no clue what to title this and it is Saturday, but I am going to try and do this on Fridays (we'll see if that happens).  Well this week I realized that our dishwasher has been cleaning really good lately and here is why. 

For a long time it has not been cleaning good.  We bought it new 4 1/2 years ago, after year 2 is when it started not cleaning good.   I couldn't figure out why.  We adjusted everything!  We had the exact same dishwasher at our old house and loved it.  It was like that old commercial where you could put a plate in with a whole cake and it would clean it spotless.  Well this one stopped cleaning!  It was so frustrating have to pre wash stuff.  Defeats the purpose of a dishwasher.  Andy and I were convinced we needed a new one, but stuck it out.  I am glad we did.  This week it hit me, about the time it stopped cleaning good is when I started couponing and switched detergent brands because one leading brand was way cheaper (I will not say the brand, but it is the one that always puts coupons out). Finally not that long ago I was just thinking that I would switch back to the detergent I always used and see what happens.  Well this week it hit me that we haven't taken dirty clean dishes out of the dishwasher in a while.  The only change was...switching back to Cascade!!!  (Andy told me to put that they are not paying me to endorse their product.  They are not, but if they want to I will take their money :) This is totally true! I would not put this about a product unless I firmly believe that it was the detergent.  I will now pay more for the Cascade because it is worth every penny!!!

On to my cooking and health for the week.  We ate at home every night this week!!!  I bought a ham on Tuesday and guess how much an 7lb ham was...$7.00!!!  Harris Teeter rocks!!  We ate that for a couple nights and had brinner (breakfast for dinner for you none Scrubs watchers) one night for dinner.  Then yesterday morning Andy put a Boston Butt in the crockpot to cook and make BBQ for supper.  It was so yummy!!! This is the easiest meal ever!  Just put it in, let it cook on low for about 7 hours, and then shred it and you have pulled pork!!!  I also made homemade Mac and Cheese.  The boys devoured it. I found the recipe on the Kraft Food and Family website, http://www.kraftfoods.com/.  It is so easy and very yummy.  The only thing is I didn't bake it, which it called for.  We like our mac and cheese gooey.  By the way, the BBQ is probably healthy as it has nothing on it except the sauce you choose after it is cooked.  However, the mac and cheese is probably not the healthiest.  I did use 2% milk and 2% milk Velvetta and natural unsalted butter.  I would have used whole grain pasta if I had some, but didn't have any on hand. 

Homestyle Mac and Cheese
2 cups elbow noodles
3 Tbsp of Butter
1/4 cup fllour
1 cup milk
1/2 lb or 8 oz of Velvetta cut in to 1/2 in cubes

Cook your noodles.  In a sauce pan melt your butter on medium.  Then whisk in the flour.  Stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Then slowly pour in milk.  Stir constantly until it thickens and boils.  Then add Velvetta and stir for 3 mins or until cheese is melted.  Then mix with noodles and yumm-o mac and cheese is ready!!!

There is a baking part, but since I don't do it, I don't know what it is.  You can find this on the Kraft website if you want baked mac and cheese. 

What I have Learned or Not

I read a very interesting article in Parenting or Parents or something last weekend.  It was titled, What I learned I learned from my second child.  You know that is kind of true.  This person talked about for kid one You Get What You Get and You Don't Throw a Fit was a settlement whereas for kid two it is just the way life is.  I would like the think that kids one and two  or one, I really don't know what Cale and Carter are considered, would know it as a way of life, but probably not.  Take this past week for example.  We started swim lessons with Cale and Carter.  Well they will not put their face in and won't jump in.  Mack on the other hand, I always let the water run in his face at bath time.  Maybe that sounds mean, but he DOESN'T CARE!!!  He doesn't even act like he notices!  Crazy!  This is the child who doesn't cry when they draw blood from him whether it is his arm, finger or heel.  I am hoping that this is a good sign and that he grows up just dealing with stuff.  I do realize he is only 6 months old and a lot does change once they hit toddlerhood. 

Another issue has been sleep and naps in our house.  I totally stink at naps!  I told myself I would not make the same mistake that I did with Cale and Carter, they didn't nap until 10 months old.  Well Mack started off napping great, but the past few months he has gotten worse and worse.  At night he does pretty good.  We did cry it out, which I highly recommend, and he has done great.  However, I try it during the day and it does not work.  The doctor said today that he should take 3 1 hour naps a day.  Yeah right!  Then she recommended I read the Healthy Habits Sleep book.  Yeah, did that too.  I actually still have it because I had borrowed it from a friend.  I guess I will read it again even though I didn't find it very helpful.  I will try again.  It is hard because I have been trying to find the perfect time for him and I can't!  It always seems like he naps at the same time for a few days and then he doesn't.  Who knows.  I know that it worked itself out with CnC and they turned into wonderful nappers and I hope it does for Mack too. 

By the way, the boys started off a little rocky at swim lessons (well Carter did).  Today however, they did great.  They wouldn't go under the water or jump in without holding the teachers hand, but it was only day two and at least they got in and listened. Hoping they will be braver on Tuesday. 

Easter Weekend

We had a very busy Easter weekend.  It helped to have beautiful weather!  This is the first year in several years that the weather has been warm and sunny.  We kicked it off on Friday by going for a nice long hike around Lake Johnson. Well around half of the lake.  It was a lot longer than I anticipated.  Especially since I was wearing Mack in the Bjorn.  Then on Saturday we decided to go to the zoo, along with everyone else in NC.  We did thing we must have missed the memo that it was redneck day ;)  Andy and I left feeling like we needed to go get some tattoos or something.  It was crowded, but not too terrible.  By the time we left it had gotten more crowded and we skipped a few things.  After leaving we stopped down the road at the Cookout in Asheboro.  The kids were so excited because it was an EAT IN Cookout!!!  We don't have any of those and I really think it was the highlight of the trip.  My kids love to eat and they love to eat restaurants.  After coming home we showered and then the boys dyed Easter eggs.  Then it was bed time!!

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day!  Andy served at the early service they added at 7:45.  So I was left to get ready and all three kids ready and to church by 9:15.  Andy asked me could I handle it.  My response was that I do it Monday-Friday, so I think I can handle one more day.  I did it and we made it on time.  However, Andy was waiting for us when I got off the bus at church and he wasn't too thrilled with the outfits the boys had on.  He said they looked like they were going to beach and too fratastic.  Oh well, they were happy and I thought they all looked handsome.  I say that I don't have a girl so I can dress the boys however I want and I want them to match and look nice.  The sermon was really good on Sunday!  I really do love our church.  The pastors messages are so good and feel like he really tells it how it is and speaks straight from the Bible.  Some churches we have been to I feel like they just beat around the bush and just stand there read scripture and never relate it to modern life.  I think that if people are going to accept Jesus into their lives they really need to see the truth and relevance of Him and the Bible in their life.  It is more than just being a good person and living a good life.  It is knowing and believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God.  The one thing that is different with Christianity than other religions is not the teachings of Jesus, but the fact that He died and came back to LIFE.  No other religious person did that.  They would all be in their graves.  This is what the sermon was about, or the gist of it, on Sunday.  I did not come up with this our pastor Mike Lee did.  You can hear the sermon here, http://www.gethope.org/. 

After church we had a nice traditional Easter dinner at Chili's,haha.  A couple from our small group, Philip and Wendy, joined us for lunch.  It was yummy, but I wish I had got a margarita.  I miss those.  Anyways, we went home and had an Easter egg hunt in the backyard.  Cale was pretty disappointed that there was nothing in the eggs.  I told Andy that we should put some change or something in there and he said no.  He is no fun.  I should have done it anyways.  Lately I have read some moms' blogs that blog about everything and have people advertise on their blogs and so on.  I think that if I had time I could write just as meaningful stuff as these moms.  I have lots to write about.  I mean I had twins, what could give you more material than that?!  Well I guess having higher order multiples.  Then I thought maybe I can make myself blog every Monday and do a Mommy Monday where I write about mommy stuff that happened that week or tips or products that I like.  I wish this stuff had been around more when my twins were babies, because I needed lots of help then!!!  Life was so crazy, well I guess it still is. 

Here are some pictures from our weekend...Enjoy!!

Long Time---Good News!

Since my last post Mack had his 6 month check up and everything come back great!!!  That means for the past week and half I have been able to add dairy and soy back to my diet and nothing has happened to Mack!  This is great news and a relief.  However, dairy and soy now make me a little sick when I eat it.  Oh well, it is for the best since it does prove to be helpful in losing weight and I have 15 more pounds to go.  More about Mack, he is now up to a whopping 17 lbs 14 oz and is 27 1/2" long!!!  That is a big boy.  He is in the 75% in height, which is a number Cale and Carter have never seen (poor things).  Mack may catch up with them one day.  We did get the go ahead for doing cry it out at night.  The doctor said we could if we wanted and I said, "Are we opposed to sleep?  No."  So we started that Sunday night when we got back from Charlotte.  He did great! Cried only 30 mins around 9:30 and then slept all night!!!  Every night since has been great.  He may wake up once sometime, but cries for a minute or so and that is it!  He has been sleeping until 7:30am!!  Sleep=Good.   Now if I can be more consistent with his napping schedule.

In the past week and half since I last posted (sorry about that), we have taken a little trip to Charlotte.  Andy wanted to go ride his bike in some trails with his brother, so me and the boys hung out with the rest of the fam.  The boys got to spend the night with their cousins and they love spending time with them.  I got to have pizza for the first time in 2 1/2 months and it tasted so good!  The boys dyed Easter eggs with their cousins too and loved every minute of that.  Cale of course wanted to eat his right away.  Yes he likes hard boiled eggs (I do to) and as he says, "I"m hungry all the time." 

Last week we went to NCSU Farm Days.  Last year they did not have this because of the economy or whatever, so we were totally pumped they had it this year!  The boys got to hold some baby chicks and turkeys, pet bunnies and see the biggest bull I have ever seen in my life!  They are actually scared of it at first.  I am not kidding that thing was huge!!  Mack also had a good time. 

The boys are on spring break this week, so with last week being the last week at school before Easter they had their big egg hunt!  I bet there was well over 1,000 eggs for their class!!!  They had a serious amount of fun!  Carter loved chasing his buddy William to the eggs and seeing who could get the egg first.  Whereas Cale was very focused on finding eggs.  He was so serious and it was so cute!  Cale informed us the other day that when he grows up and can drive that he wants a minivan because the doors open all by itself.  He has given up on asking me to get one since I told him that day would NEVER come!  No offense to people that drive and like their minivans.  I can see where they are very useful, but it seriously makes me almost vomit at the thought of having to drive one. 

This brings me to this past weekend, poor Carter got yet another stomach bug.  He has had two this month alone!  Luckily no one else has gotten sick.  He was up literally all night Friday night throwing up and thankfully he didn't wake Cale up at all and Mack of course woke up, but cried for a minute and fell back asleep.  Cale actually had no clue what had happened the night before.  That kid would sleep through a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant (Christmas Vacation).  Carter ended up falling asleep on the couch at around 3:30 Saturday afternoon and stayed asleep until 5 Sunday morning!  We did change him in to his pjs, but he didn't really wake up.  When he woke up he did vomit again.  So me, him, and Mack stayed home from church while Andy and Cale went on.  This was the first time one of them has gone to church alone.  Cale did surprisingly well.  I was very proud of him.  Carter began to eat and feel better.  Right now they are at Mawmaw and Papaws for a couple days, Yahoo!!!  I do miss them and I think Mack does too.

Ok, I think that just about does it. Here are pictures from the month of March.

Mack's Diet Update

I realized the other day when I posted that I didn't even mention Macks MSPI (milk and soy protein intolerance) issue. Well, I think that he is on the mend!! I really don't want to jinks him, but he is getting much better. By getting much better I mean that I haven't seen any mucus in his stool in a few weeks. It use to be so sensitive that if I got his breastmilk to formula ratio off by even a half an ounce he would have a really messy diaper for a day or more. Lately, none of that. It has been looking more normal everyday. Now this information was a little gross, but he does have a gastorintestional issue. I have now been able to nurse him 4 times a day and I give him one mixed bottle, just for when I am ready to stop nursing.


He has been having some sleep issues, so the doctor suggested I start solids. Since then he doesn't seem to interested in milk. I have been giving him rice cereal in hopes of him sleeping better since he was 4 months, but not much has changed. I then started to add oatmeal. Here is the good part, it is not just any oatmeal but oatmeal with probiotics. Those are the good bacteria for your digestive system. I really believe that is what has helped Mack. I could be wrong, as I am still not eating milk or soy. Although, that didn't matter a couple months ago when I first cut it out he because he was still having issues. I did have a couple hushpuppies today and I am pretty sure they contained at least milk. Nothing yet, so we will see what tomorrow brings. Pray that he is growing out of this because I NEED cheese and chocolate!!!!!!!! Good news is I have lost lots of weight and feel super healthy!

After hearing about this "new" hollywood diet about eating lots of fiber and eating other foods in moderation to lose weight. Really, eating stuff in moderation and lots of fiber will help you lose weight? I thought that is common sense and I could write a diet book. My diet is eat NO milk products or soy products (exception is soybean oil) and you will lose weight. That is most definitely going to help you to lose weight. You will however have to take a calcium supplement or mulit-vitamins, but be careful some vitamins contain soy. Actually I am not a fan of cutting all of something out of your diet, but I have had to and it hasn't been so bad. It has really been an eye opening experience to me to see what is really in our foods. Very scarey! I am not really one of those health food nuts or organic person, but this has helped me to see that the simpler the ingredients the better the food. We pretty much eat no processed foods now because they all contain soy fillers. Rachel Ray had a good point the other week and that is, it is better to eat natural foods versus fat free. The reason is that fat free/lowfat contain fillers. I noticed this a couple months ago when I bought a lowfat creamer for my coffee. There were a lot more ingredients and they were fake stuff. That does not sound good. Do you know what you are eating? Well now that it has seriously taken me two days to write this, I am done for now! I am going to try and post more pictures later and by later that could be in hours or days or weeks who knows!