Crunchy Panda Bear

date night

2011-06-13T21:22:00.003-04:00

Brian and I took some much needed time for each other last night and it was wonderful. Back in March I bought 2 tickets for us to see Ray Lamontagne live, and the day finally came that he was in town. What a night!

Much of our time, ok all of our time, is spent wrangling our two babies. I wouldn't change that for anything. Brian and I have become a great parenting team. We tag team diaper changes, feeding bed time...all of it is done in tandem. Let's just say I have no idea how anyone can parent children alone and stay sane. Raising kids ain't no joke and I am forever grateful to have such a wonderful and supportive partner. I am first in line to admit that I hate leaving the kids unless I have to.(That's called "Mom guilt" for all of my friends that aren't moms yet. ) I don't leave them for haircuts or spa days. I don't leave them for doctors appointments or grocery trips. Every errand that I run, every meal that I make and every "date-night" involves our two precious babies. And really, I enjoy this life. I love doing life with our kids and teaching them about this crazy place that we call home.

But wow, something about a few baby-less hours is just priceless. We held hands and walked through the concert venue, we people-watched like nobody's business, we cheered, we sat in silence as Ray astounded us with his raw voice. And last night I remembered all over again why I fell in love with Brian. Life isn't about the 9-5, the meal plans and the daily grind. It's those little moments, the look of pure joy on your husbands face, the uninterrupted conversation, the simple pleasures of just being together. That, to me, is living.

John Hardy: My green school dream | Video on TED.com

2011-01-31T09:08:00.000-05:00

Please take the time to watch this, so inspiring!

John Hardy: My green school dream | Video on TED.com

2011 Goals

2011-01-20T15:56:00.003-05:00

I will start off by saying one thing, we will not be having a baby in 2011. It seems a bit strange, as Julia was born on June 9, 2009 and then David came on June 29, 2010. Brian and I really feel like our family is complete. We have two happy and healthy babies and we are so excited to see how they grow and change in this new year.

But would you believe as the ball dropped signaling the start of 2011, I sat on my couch and cried. Watching the ball drop on our computer (no TVs in this house-more on that later) and all of the people celebrating brought on a rush of emotions. I am not pregnant this year and there will be no new baby to welcome this summer. I got it all out of my system on January 1, 2011. And then that was it. Bring on 2011!

Getting back to the point of this post...Goals for 2011. With no sleepy newborns to watch and keep me inside all day I am hoping that this summer will bring new adventures for our family. Here are some of my 2011 goals.

1. Read 25 books.

2. Make more of our food from scratch and ditch as many processed snack foods as possible.

3. Decorate our bedroom, new furniture and all!

4. Learn how to preserve food.

5. Be more active in the planning, planting and harvesting of our garden.

6. Plan and go on a date with my husband at least 6 times this year. (sans kids!)

7. Learn how to use our camera and take photos.

8. Line dry our clothes whenever weather permits. ( I didn't do too well with this last year)

9. Come up with a solution for organizing our recyclables.

10. Take a girlfriends trip. (Lauren, are you reading this?!)

So, there it is. What are your goals for 2011?

Tot School

2011-01-18T08:27:00.004-05:00

Julia Claire will be turning two this year! How on earth my 4 pound newborn transformed into a talking little person over night I do not know. I have wanted to start something called Tot School with her for a while now. I have been slightly busy with her brother (2 under 2 is not for those who like sleep!) but now that he is playing with toys and generally happy to be watching whatever is going on around him, I am ready to start some planned activities with Julia.

From the Tot School website: "Tot School isn't really school at all! Don't let the name confuse you! Tot School is basically a focused time each day on the tot in your family." "Tot School is the time each day I spend with my tot, exposing early learning skills through FUN play."

I am not much of a "planner" I would much rather just jump into something new and figure it out as I go. Brian and I believe that learning is something that happens all of the time. Through play, observation,reading and talking...learning is living. We strive to create an environment that promotes learning for all four of us, and as the babies grow older this will evolve into something more specific. (I would love to have a designated "space" for planned activities to take place.)

Yesterday morning, while Brian was slaving his life away at his desk at work, the kids and I began our Tot school. With Julia still being on the young side I decided to start small. I created a small sensory bin for her to explore. I just used an old Tupperware container and filled it with small objects from the house. Macaroni noodles, rice, heart shaped sprinkles and some gauze for added texture. I threw in a little container for her to fill and dump. (working on those pouring skills!) To say that she loved it would be an understatement. I parked her on a blanket, gave her the box and opened it up. She laughed. I showed her how to fill up the little plastic container and then how to pour all of its contents out. She giggled. I let her play with it for a good 15 minutes. Exploring the new textures, pouring, scooping, using fine motor skills to pick up the small pieces. And then she started to put the rice in her mouth...and we were done. She screamed, she kicked, she threw an all out hissy fit. Tot School was over for the day, and she was not happy about it!

Parenting is fun! I am so very excited to see where these little ones take us as they grow older and learn more and more about this crazy world and their surroundings.

Homemade baby food

2011-01-16T14:45:00.004-05:00

Our little man is growing up, and with that comes the introduction to something besides breast milk and formula...real food! Introducing your baby to food can be exciting and scary. There are so many different brands and types of baby foods out there. Jarred meats and stage numbers are confusing-and gross looking!

If you haven't shopped for baby food then you don't know how costly it can be. Simple purees can cost .75 for a mere 2.5 ounces! Baby food is such a simple thing to make. I am the first to admit that I am not a cook, but knowing what is going into my precious babies' mouths is important to me. So, I put on my apron and channel my inner Diane Keaton ala "Baby Boom." (Am I the only twenty something that is obsessed with this movie?)

We choose to feed our children organic fruits and vegetables. Brian and I feel like limiting the exposure to chemicals and pesticides is the best choice for our family. If you haven't switched to organic fruits and vegetables, you can start by switching out conventional produce in the "Dirty Dozen".

Step One: Get your helpers ready. AKA- Strap your toddler into her high chair and fill her plate with lots of yummy foods to keep her busy.

Step Two: Bake or steam your fruits and veggies. Today I baked sweet potatoes and put apples and pears into the crock pot. I find the crock pot method to be very easy. I simply cut up the fruit, cover with water and turn on high for around 3 hours or until it is soft.

Step Three: Puree! I use a small Cuisinart food processor. There are all sorts of appliances that you can use to puree your fruits and veggies. I like the mini processor because it will see me past baby food making and be a useful kitchen appliance for many years.

Step Four: Pour pureed baby food into tray for freezing. I have a lidded tray made by OXO that I bought of of amazon. Once the cubes have frozen I pop them out into freezer bags and label them with the contents and date. FYI-Sweet potatoes and squash look very similar, so unless you like feeding your baby mystery vegetables I suggest labeling everything.

And there you have it...easy peasy! Happy baby food making.

Resources that I use. www.wholesomebabyfood.com and the book titled, " Cooking For Baby" by Lisa Barnes

Homemade Bread

2011-01-15T14:26:00.008-05:00

I've been wanting to bake bread for my family for a long time. We buy our bread at a local grocery store, Dorothy Lane Market. Fresh bread can cost $4.50 a loaf from there. I'm ok with that though, the quality and taste are top notch. It is our goal, as parents, to teach our kids to love real foods. Not squishy wonder bread and super processed candies. We try our best to introduce Julia, and eventually David, to fresh and local real food.

Enter Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day. If you haven't heard of this, google it! If I can do this anyone can.

I had been longing to learn this method of baking fresh bread for months. I watched YouTube videos, read blogs and googled my little heart out. Santa must have been watching. The wonderful book showed up under my parents Christmas tree (Thanks Mom!) The week after Christmas, I began baking.

Without further ado, these pictures are worth a thousand words.

Step One: Mix dough, let it rise then put it in fridge for easier handling. This is what it looks like after being in the fridge overnight. It is all yeasty and bubbly.

Step Two: Dig into the bowl with floured hands and shape the dough. This takes 1 minute tops. Drop it into an oiled pan, let rise for an hour, then cut vents on top.

Step Three: Bake the bread for 35 minutes, then cool on rack. We have yet to let the bread cool before tearing into it.

This fresh bread costs around .60 a loaf using all organic ingredients. YUM!

The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

2010-03-23T09:50:00.001-04:00

If you haven't seen this yet, please watch it. I have to admit, this is one of my biggest nasty eco-habits. I love me some bottled water! Making a commitment to ditch the fancy water is on my list of things to do to live a more simple and healthy lifestyle. Are you addicted to the bottle?

Cloth Wipes

2010-02-21T10:40:00.002-05:00

Many of you know that Brian and I have been using cloth diapers on Julia since we brought her home from the hospital. We both feel that we are doing what is best for her, by keeping yucky chemicals away from her body and out of the landfill. In addition to using cloth diapers, we use cloth wipes. It just made sense to us to use re-usable wipes. They go in the same dirty pail as the diapers and get washed with those every few days. I use flannel wipes that I bought from a work at home mama here. They are incredibly soft, and I only need 1 or 2 for extra messy diapers. It is really nice to not have to buy packages upon packages of disposable wipes and diapers every week. If you don't do it for health reasons or the Planet, do it for your wallet! You won't be disappointed.

If you'd like a chance to win a set of your own re-usable wipes check out this awesome giveaway. My friend and fellow eco friendly mom has an awesome blog with lots of product reviews and chances to win cool prizes-check it out!

Once upon a Baby-wipes giveaway

awesome giveaway!

2010-01-28T06:32:00.003-05:00

Check out this great giveaway from one of my mama friends! I would love to have one of these carriers for Julia and baby number two. If you know anyone with small children, tell them to enter! :)

http://onceuponbaby.blogspot.com/

autumn is here

2009-10-20T08:50:00.005-04:00

Time sure does fly with a little one around! October is always a fun month for Brian and I, we both love the season change. I wonder what's in store for us this year? September '06-we fell in love, October '07-We got married, November '08-We found out we were pregnant....That means December of this year should hold something good!

Here are some pictures of our Autumn adventures with Julia. Having fun at the pumpkin patch.

Brian and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary at The White House Inn. We had fun reminiscing about our wedding day. We even got to spy on a wedding taking place while we ate our dinner. It was so nice to have an evening with my handsome hubby.

Julia celebrated her 4 month birthday-she is 12 pounds 12 ounces and 24 1/4 inches long!

3 Months!

2009-09-12T17:40:00.007-04:00

Julia Claire is 3 months old! Time is flying by with our little girl, she is getting so big. According to our bathroom scale she weighs 12 pounds.

Over the holiday weekend we went out to Cox Arboreteum to get some pictures of Julia to celebrate her 3 month birthday. Brian did an awesome job!

Nature Baby

Julia's favorites/new things:

-Loves listening to Daddy play guitar

-Loves looking at herself in the mirror

-Laughs at Mommy dancing around the kitchen

-She is eating 5 ounces every 3-4 hours and sleeping 12 hours each night.

Playing catch up!

2009-08-25T20:21:00.004-04:00

Ok, it is been way too long since I've written. I guess I've been sort of busy...

Julia is now 2.5 months old! We cannot believe how fast she is growing. Fun new things include: big smiles in the morning, laughing at Daddy when he does goofy things, sleeping longer periods of time at night (yay!) recognizing the faces on her animals and smiling at them, grabbing and reaching for her binky, toys, or animals and lots of awake time during the daytime. We are having so much fun playing with Julia and watching her develop new skills everyday.

Here she is at 2 months, weighing 10 pounds 2 ounces.

Brian started taking some classes at Miami. We realized that he was able to take some classes for free since having Julia. He is now a "non-traditional" student due to his age and having a child. Unfortunatley, the government will only give him money for school for one semester, so he is just taking a few classes for fun. Then he will graduate with his history degree and be done with college. He is taking digital photography, an appalachian music course, a course about national parks and a history course. I think that he will have a lot of fun in his classes. I'll admit that I'm kind of jealous of him. (not the studying and homework part though!)

I'm starting to work more in the next few weeks. I've only worked two days since Julia was born. In September I think I am working about 6 days. I have 3 days lined up for October so far. I'm so glad that I don't have to leave Julia every day! I missed her terribly the last time that I worked. While it is fun to be around adults and do something that I love, it is still so hard to be away from Julia. I don't know how full time working moms do it-I guess they do it because they have to. I'm so very thankful for my wonderfully flexible job!

Well, hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my blog a little bit better in the next few weeks.

One Month

2009-07-09T20:19:00.005-04:00

Dear Julia,

Mommy and Daddy cannot believe that you have been on the outside for one month already! We are so thankful for you and want you to know that we love you everyday. Watching you grow and change has been so amazing. You are getting so strong and developing such a sweet personality. You love to cuddle with Mommy and sleep on Daddy's chest. We often find you sleeping on your left side-just like Mommy sleeps! You like to hear Daddy sing and play guitar and you love the music from your mobile.

You are sleeping 3 hours at a time during the night. You eat 3 ounces of formula every two to three hours. You are sure to let us know when you are hungry by forcefully ejecting your binky from your mouth and letting out a wail! Thankfully Mommy is always ready with a bottle close by. We wouldn't want you to cry more than necessary. We are looking forward to watching you grow and know that you have a lot in store for us.

We are so glad that God gave us you. We love you everyday Little Panda Bear.

-Mommy and Daddy

You weigh 7 pounds today

Tried It!

2009-06-26T15:01:00.003-04:00

Brian and I have been using these reusable produce bags for about a year now, they are great! I saw these bags in Yellow Springs during their semi-annual street fair last June and I had to have some. I was able to bargain with the seller and score two big bags for 5 bucks, go me!

The large net bags hold all of our fruits and veggies during a grocery trip, making it unnecessary to use several of those obnoxious plastic baggies available at the store. (Seriously what can you reuse these for, they are pretty useless!) Of course the check out people always look at me like a crazy lady when I pile my mixed bag of fruit on the conveyor belt, but I don't mind. I actually kind of like being different, maybe the baggers and clerks talk about me when I leave, "Crazy, organic-buying, bag lady freak!" ha!

Anyways, I highly recommend the Eco-Bags. They are easy to use, hold a ton of fruits/veggies, easy to carry, and of course they help keep those darn plastic baggies out of the landfills. You can order from the Eco bags website or even try your hand at making your own.

http://www.ecobags.com

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T12:54:00.002-04:00

Birth Story

2009-06-13T13:53:00.005-04:00

Baby Julia is here! Here are the details on the birth of our precious baby girl:

I went into the hospital on Monday, June 8th to start the induction process. We arrived at 7 and it took about an hour to get fully checked in. We got to our room and got all cozy thinking that we would be there for the night before getting the pitocin drip in the morning. After getting my cervix checked (0 dialation) and getting my IV started I got the cervadil placed inside of me. This was about 9:30 pm.

Brian pulled out his little couch bed and set it all up beside the hospital bed. We turned the tv on and starting watching a home show on PBS. At about midnight I starting having really painful contractions. My entire body was shaking with each one, I thought for sure that I was going to vomit and that all the bones in my pelvis were breaking. We started to get kind of worried since we had 12 hours of this. My nurse came in to give me some medication for the nausea and decided that she should check my cervix. At this point I 5 cm dialated. I had gone from 0-5 in about 2 hours. The nurses started to freak out a little bit and decided to take the cervidil out and let us wait it out.

They went to call my midwife to let her know that it was about time and that I was progressing quickly. By that time I had another horrendous contraction, they checked me again-I was at 7 cm. dialation. Then the next contraction came-9cm dialated!

The room filled with residents, the nurses were all scrambling around. I could hear them on the phone with my midwife-she was on her way, she was rushing. I had to push-I told the nurse I couldn't stop it. The resident scrubbed down and set everything up at the foot of my bed. My body starting to push on it's on. Brian and the nurses started coaching me through the pushes. The nurse from family beginnings came in and she was right up in my face telling me what to do.

After I did one set of pushes my Midwife Margie showed up. I was relieved to see her, but at that point it didn't matter-the room was filled with nurses and residents, the NICU team and students. I didn't care who was in that room by this time, I was going to have my baby!

Brian held my leg and gave me the play by play, he kept telling me that I was doing it and that Julia would be here soon. At 3:05 am the nurse looked at the clock and asked me what time we thought our baby would arrive. She guessed 3:12, I thought she was joking. I said, "You are just saying that to make me feel better!"

Well after another sets of pushes her head was out, one more push and her body was out-She was here! Brian cut the cord and Margie put her up on my chest, she was beautiful. Her eyes were open and she was looking all around at everything. Brian and I were still in shock that we actually had our baby in our arms.

They quickly took her over to the side to do all of her tests. The NICU team wanted to take her away but Brian protested telling them that they could do all of her testing in our room with us. Of course they were able to do that, we had been told that we would never have to be separated from our baby. The tests seemed to take forever, she was screaming the entire time!

During all of this Brian was standing over by Julia while Margie and I were waiting for my placenta. I felt like I was gushing a ton of liquid all over the place. I'm sure that I was. Margie pressed on my abdomen and with a tiny push the placenta came out. It was as big as Julia! She put it in a pan and we looked at it. Pretty gross but still pretty cool.

The nurse got me up and we went to the bathroom. I was surprised that I was able to urinate right away-so happy that I didn't have to get a catheter. I got all cleaned up, we got back into bed and held our little girl. They brought me a boxed lunch and I was able to eat and enjoy Julia. After a few hours they moved us to a much smaller room where we stayed until Thursday.

Julia is just perfect. The nurses were all amazed that I was able to deliver her without any medications, I don't think anybody thought that I had it in me. But we did it, and now we have this precious baby girl.

Brian and I thank the Lord for blessing us with this little miracle. There is nothing like sharing her with the man that I love so much-she is ours and she is perfect.

First family picture, minutes after birth

Julia Claire Eversole June 9th, 2009

3:22 am 4 pounds 14 ounces 18.5 inches long

39 weeks

2009-06-07T16:35:00.004-04:00

More 39 week photo's here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2309916&id=7721117&ref=mf

The love of strangers...

2009-06-03T18:37:00.003-04:00

For the past year or so I have been involved in an online community sponsored by the same folks who hosted my wedding web page. (Remember that on theknot.com?) This online community has several message boards available to connect with other women going through the same things that you might be going through at a specific time in your life.

I belong to the one called "The Eco-friendly Family" I chat with women about all sorts of topics; from raising a family with eco-friendly values to cleaning your home with natural products. They have always been such a wealth of knowledge and supportive group for me, and I hope that I contribute my best to all of them as well.

After Bella's accident these women joined together and devised a plan to sell some handmade items in Bella's honor. The items are being auctioned off on Hyenacart and the money earned will go towards our emergency vet bills.

I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am for this group of women. Just thinking about it makes me tear up! The support and love is abounding...I just hope that some day soon I am in a position to give back to them.

Visit the website and read the action information. It ends on June 5th and there are some pretty awesome things for sale! http://hyenacart.com/EcoNest/index.php?vid=3046&category=1

Tried it!

2009-05-31T17:49:00.003-04:00

I have decided that I will start adding reviews of different eco-friendly products that I have tried. Not only will this help me think of something to write on here, but it might actually help a reader. (If anyone actually reads this thing besides my husband and mom!)

I thought that I would start with something that I use everyday-the Klean Kanteen.

I have the 18 oz. size in green. Brian has a huge 40 oz. one that is stainless steel. Awesome features include: -BPA free, including the cap -Doesn't retain flavors or odors -slim design -Made from high quality food grade stainless steel (#304 if you are into specifics) -Dishwasher safe

-Durable -Easy to carry loop on cap

The slim design of my 18 ouncer makes it easy for me to carry with me everyday. I simply toss it in my purse and go. I also discovered that it fits nicely on the side of my new baby bag. The one downside to the klean kanteen is that it collects some condensation on the outside when you put cold liquids in it, this isn't too big of a deal to me but to some it might be. I love that I don't have to buy tons of bottles of water anymore, I just fill it up with filtered water and I'm all set.

You can purchase klean kanteens online and now at several retail stores. Brian bought mine for me as a Christmas present at Dick's sporting goods. I have also noticed that two local stores; Great Miami Outfitters in Miamisburg and Green Living in Yellow Springs are now carrying the Klean kanteens.

The price for the 18 ounce bottle is around $16 and well worth it. So, if anyone out there is looking for a new reuable bottle I highly recommend the Klean Kanteen. Chose your favorite color and the perfect size for your needs and I'm certain that you will be one pleased customer!

Oh, I forgot to mention-they also make a tiny 12 ounce "Kid Kanteen." Complete with a sippy spout made by Avent. I can't wait to get a pink one for Julia!

Question time!

2009-05-26T21:44:00.003-04:00

How far along? 37.5 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds

How much does baby weigh? 4 pounds last time they measured, we should get an updated weight this Friday.

Stretch Marks? None really

Sleep? Much better since we moved the dogs to the guest room, still waking to pee several times during the night.

Best moment this week: Ok, I have two. #1: Going to an Aveda salon and getting my hair cut, complete with head massage and a mini-facial. #2: Going to Taylorsville Metropark with Brian, seeing a huge woodpecker and relaxing in the park, finishing the day off with a nice meal at Brio.

Movement: All the time. She likes to dance when music is playing and she really likes it when I eat!

Food Cravings? Nothing really

Labor signs? Some random contractions here and there, can also feel that she is getting much lower.

Belly button in or out? My turkey timer has popped!

What I miss? Clothing that doesn't involve a huge piece of stretchy fabric over my stomach.

What I'm looking forward to? Holding my baby girl!

Milestone: We are so lucky that we get to go to the midwives office 2 times a week now! I'm really getting to know those folks!

Julia update...

2009-05-12T11:12:00.003-04:00

Brian and I spent the entire day at the hospital yesterday, it was pretty exhausting. I had my regularly scheduled appointment with Dr.Guy (who I love!) I have gained 1 pound, my blood pressure is still low and Julia's heartbeat sounds great. He talked a little bit about possibly inducing me at 38 weeks, due to my belly not growing as much as they would like. Apparently there was no change in my belly measurements from my last appointment.

After that we were sent to Perinatal Partners to get another growth scan ultrasound. We found out that Julia has her head down near my right hip and is facing my back. The tech measured all of her little bones and listened to the blood flow through the umbilical cord. She was also able to show us that Julia has hair on her head! She left and went to show Dr.McKenna the results, he came back in and said that he would like me to immediately go next door to get a non-stress test. The NST measures Julia's activity and heart rate and how the correspond. It was fun watching her heart rate jump every time she moved. The tech said that I had a "wild child", which I have been saying all along. She must like to dance! During the NST Brian had to run home to take care of Bella and make sure that she had her medicine, since we weren't planning on being gone that long we hadn't arranged for anyone to stop by and take care of her. I ate at the hospital and waited for him to return for our birth class.

We had a fun time at the class this week. The focus was on relaxation and breathing. We got to sit on yoga balls, get massages, smell some wonderful essential oils and lay on bean bag chairs. Kim did some fun exercises with us and really got us in the mindset of working together with our husbands or coaches. Needless to say we were relaxed and ready for bed by the time we left.

The fun doesn't stop there...this morning one of my midwives called and said that they had all reviewed my ultrasound and NST. The results show that my amniotic fluid is low, so I'll have to get a test every week to measure that.

So this means every week I'll be going to my regular midwife appointment, visiting perinatal partners to get a growth ultrasound, getting my amniotic fluid measured (called an "AFI") and going in twice a week for the non-stress test. I'm thinking that I might as well just pack my sleeping bag and spend the night there!

This is going to be a long few weeks...and baby Julia may just want to arrive early. All of this on top of Bella's recovery and trying to work a few more days is making things quite chaotic. But I guess I better get used to chaos, life as we know it is about to change! Looking forward to my 2nd baby shower this weekend, then Brian and I will know what else we need to get to better prepare for our little Panda Bear.

35 weeks and 2 days pregnant, 33 days to go. (could be even less, eek!)

Woah!

2009-05-07T18:20:00.002-04:00

With all the trauma that we've had this week with Bella, I haven't been able to post an updated Belly photo. I promise to post one on Sunday!

I just wanted to say-OMGoodness! I am 34 1/2 weeks pregnant-only 37 days till my due date. How did that happen?!!

Bella news: We are hoping for surgery tomorrow on her leg and that she will be back home with us this weekend. I'm used to her going to bed early with me every night so sleep this week has been much harder, plus all the worrying that I've been doing about her hasn't helped either. The house isn't the same without her-can't wait to get her in my arms!

Bella Susan...

2009-05-04T10:07:00.002-04:00

Here is an update on our dog Bella-written by Brian.

All vitals are back to normal. The doctor prefers that we don't come tonight. :0( He says she is alert and doing well. I wish i could see for myself. We will pick her up early tomorrow morning and go straight to her regular vet. I don't know, but I'm guessing they will want to have surgery to fix up that leg tomorrow.
Many have asked about want happened. She was hit by a reckless driver in front of our house. It all happened so fast. It was like a bad nightmare. The man in the car lives down the street. He has been warned numerous times by several neighbors about driving too fast in our neighborhood. He pays no mind of those warnings. Last night he was going extraordinarily fast. There is not much traffic on our street, so when someone comes flying down the road at 80mph in our 25 zone, It's not hard to notice. Bella would never step foot in that street unless i authorized her to do so. I trust her 110% And yet there she was. I cannot explain it. Only a feeling of helplessness, a flash of terror. The unthinkable had happened. Not Bella! She is the good one. The perfect dog. Completely obedient and intelligent. Overcome by some force beyond her control. Beyond my control. Instinct maybe? Fear? Did something startle her? She was siting by my side, just like always and in a flash she was gone. The car seemed to appear out of thin air. The screech of tires. The violent impact. The sound of Bella scream. All in an instant. The picture and sound forever etched in my mind. My poor girl. Her back leg was broken and pinned under the front tire. I screamed at the driver to back off of her. He backed up and she screamed again. I picked her up in my arms. She was terrified. Not herself. Blood. The smell of death.
The sound alerted the neighbors and they appeared instantly, the verbal hostility was immediate. After all, this man has been warned. There are children living here. He was getting it from every angle. I screamed at him to leave before i lost my mind. I ran in the house with Bella. I laid her down on the couch. Bleeding. Dying. I didn't know what to do. Why don't we have a plan for this? Where are the emergency numbers? We don't have any numbers? It's Saturday at 11pm. Where do we get help? Can we get help? Steve, my neighbor, cousin, and police officer, pointed us toward the emergency vet clinic.
I picked Bella up an carried her to the car. She was not doing well. Her breathing was heavy. Labored. Every ounce of her strength, used just to keep breathing. Meg drove us to the clinic. As i sat in the back seat with Bella I began to cry. She was not going to make it. I could hear her lungs filling with fluid, like she was breathing underwater. Megan, driving. Shaking. The drive seemed to take hours. My baby girl was going to die in my arms. I told her that i loved her. I comforted her the best our knew how. Each moment could be our last together. We pulled into the clinic. I picked her up and ran her inside. Nobody there. I laid her on the bench in the lobby. Was anybody working here? They said they would be ready for us. Someone finally appeared and went to get a gurney. We laid her on the gurney. She was so strong. Now she seems so fragile and delicate. Then they took her away. I thought that was the last time i would see her alive.
Then it seemed like all anyone wanted to talk about was money. What a time to talk about money? They want the money now? We don't have that much money available to us unexpectedly late Saturday night. They won't treat her if we don't pay now? No, I do not want to apply for an emergency pet credit card. This is ridiculous! My dog is dying! Please help her! The doctor called us in. Of course she said Bella was not doing well. Her lungs were collapsed, her leg broken, puncture wounds and head trauma, broken teeth. They might be able to help her, but her condition was critical. It was likely that she would not survive. I asked them do everything they can for her. I would figure out to a way to pay. I convinced them to take all the money we had available to us as a deposit. And agreed to pay the rest on Monday. They reluctantly accepted my offer. Then we waited. And cried. And prayed. And waited.
I'm not sure what they did for her after that. Whatever they did, i am thankful for it. At the moment she seems to be recovering well. Considering her injuries, that is a miracle. Only time will tell what Bella's future holds.

So blessed...

2009-04-26T22:23:00.007-04:00

We had our baby shower today and had so much fun! My family as well as some of my friends were there to celebrate with me. We ended up with some awesome gifts and tons of super cute clothes. Julia is going to be one stylin little girl! Here are some pictures from the day...Thank you everyone for your generosity-Brian and I are overwhelmed with joy!

This last picture shows her presents all laid out in her room. Among the adorable clothing she received a bobby play gym, monitors, crib sheets, blankets, books, 2 cloth diapers, a picture frame, organizers, a bottle and a sippy cup and several gift cards.

Updates

2009-04-20T19:11:00.003-04:00

I saw this format on another blog and thought that I would steal it for something different, enjoy!

Far along?: 32 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain: 11.5 pounds
How much does baby weigh?: close to 3 pounds
Maternity clothes?: Kind of. maternity jeans are super comfy, shirts aren't too much of a big deal-I can wear both maternity and non. I also wear my belly band with my regular pants.
Stretch marks?: Nope!
Sleep?: Very random these days. I tend to sleep better on the couch. I wake up every time I have to move positions, which is very often.
Best moment this week?: Seeing Brian's face when Julia moves so much!
Movement?: She's a crazy lil girl! Always jumping around-especially when there is music playing or Daddy is talking to her.
Food cravings?: Not many cravings these days, but I do love me some ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate!
Labor signs?: Thankfully, no.
Belly button in or out?: neither, just even with my belly.
What I miss: Having enough energy to clean my house without taking a hundred breaks.
What I'm looking forward to: Getting her room all put together, and of course her arrival!
Milestone: By the end of the week I'll only have 50 days until her due date, yikes!

Cloth diaper stash!

2009-04-16T15:22:00.007-04:00

I think I finally have everything that I need for Julia's little bum when she arrives. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't love more-the fluff is just too cute! But here is what I have...

4 Swaddlebees fitted diapers with snaps, 2 thirsties fitted diapers with velcro. These types of diapers require an additional water-proof cover to be put over top of them. The beauty is that you don't have to change the cover with each diaper change. Just rotate two throughout the day-letting the one not in use air out in between uses.

2 Bum Genius all in ones-the light pink ones. These have a super absorbent core with a waterproof outer layer. They function just like a disposable-the only downside is that they take forever to dry! Next are the covers that form a leak proof barrier over the fitted or prefold diapers. I have 3 XS thirties covers and 1 newborn cover made by Bummis.

Pictured here are 14 infant size prefolds and 4 preemie sized prefolds. These are the "old fashioned" type of diapers or "burp cloths". Pins are no longer used to fasten the diapers, I'll be using a little stretchy thing called a snappi. It has plastic teeth on three ends much like an ace bandage fastener. The snappi is the little green thing on top of the stack of prefolds. Basically, you fold the diaper, snappi it shut, and put one of the covers over it. Easy-peasy!

The panda bear that you see is a pair of wool shorties-you would use this like any of the other covers, doubling as super cute little shorts! I also have 26 cloth wipes-good for all sorts of messes, 1 wet bag and 1 pail liner. The wet bag is the pink and green flowered bag in the picture. It is made from a waterproof material, so when out and about you can throw dirty diapers and wet clothes in it. The pail liner is the same concept, only used to line your diaper pail in the nursery.

31 weeks!

2009-04-12T17:43:00.009-04:00

On Good Friday I had an appointment with one of my midwives, Lisa. We've seen her one other time, she is not our favorite. She is not as calm and soothing as Cat, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I go into labor on Cat's shift! They did the normal weight, blood pressure and measurements of my belly. Lisa realized that I hadn't grown at all since my last appointment three weeks ago. Brian and I were certain that I had gained weight, I feel and look much bigger! Well that sent Lisa into a tizzy-she told us that we needed to go downstairs to get a growth ultrasound to make sure that Julia was still making progress. Of course Brian and I were sent into a tailspin of worries. We had to wait nearly 4 hours to see Dr.McKenna and get the ultrasound. Unfortunately we didn't get lots of cute views of our little panda bear. They were busy measuring bones and listening to the blood flow of the umbilical cord. The Dr. told us what we all have been guessing this whole pregnancy-that I can expect a small baby! Everything looked great and Julia is growing well. She is estimated to be 2 pounds and 12 ounces, only in the 20th percentile for growth. She said not to worry unless she drops below the 10th percentile-whatever that means! (all this math confuses me) We were relieved but a bit annoyed that we went through so much worrying and waiting-such is life I suppose.

Today I am 31 weeks pregnant, 62 days to go.

P.S- I don't know why this entire post got hyper-linked...

30 weeks!

2009-04-06T19:08:00.001-04:00

Yesterday marked 30 weeks into my pregnancy! Brian and I still cannot believe how fast my pregnancy has gone. Besides a little heartburn or a few random aches and pains, everything has been pretty normal. I am very grateful for that! I do feel like my belly is growing more and more as each week goes by. We love watching Julia move around, she is getting so big and strong. We can now see and feel her moving on both sides of my stomach at the same time, signs that she is getting longer. I'm still betting on a small little panda bear, my guess is around 6 pounds.

Well, if anyone is wondering about Daisy, we have found her a new home. At the Eversole house! We just couldn't resist her squishy hersey chocolate face. We took her to the vet and got all her shots and had the dr. check her out, he says that she is in perfect health and is very happy to that she is in good hands. Bella is having a blast playing with her and of course, being a bit of a bully. We are certain that Daisy will become a great member of our family, she has already brought us so much love.

Today I am 30 weeks, 1 day pregnant. 68 days to go...

Daisy

2009-03-28T11:29:00.002-04:00

On a rainy Thursday morning this sweet girl showed up at my back door. Brian couldn't resist her chocolate face, so we have been taking care of her for the past few days. Bella absolutely loves playing with her, although she does get annoyed when she's had enough rough-housing.

We've taken up to calling her Daisy. She is all puppy; gangley legs, un-sure of size, using the house as a potty, sloppy drinking-puppy. As much work as she is I'm starting to warm up to her. (Not that I'm the one doing the "work"thankfully that is Brian's territory.)

We've been looking all over for her owners, who apparently aren't looking for her. Brian made several calls to all the shelters near by, took her to the vet and scoured the web for lost dog adds. Nothing. The vet checked for a microchip and tested her positive for round worm. My husband got the joy of seeing these worms up close and personal, yuck! We have three days of medication to give to her and then she goes back to make sure everything is cleared up. No microchip either.

Of course Bella's vet thinks that we should keep her and that she would make the perfect addition to our growing family. I'm not convinced...yet. Dogs are expensive, especially big ol' dogs. Together they would cost around $45 a month just in food! Then there is the cost of getting her spayed, up to-date on shots and on monthly flea, tick and heart worm pills.

On the other hand, she has the sweetest disposition, and is already learning the rules around here. She goes to the crate when told and sits and waits patiently for her food. She would also provide some good playtime and entertainment for Bella, especially once Julia arrives and Mom and Dad are occupied.

If we do keep her poor Brian will be severely outnumbered. That will make 6 girls-2 hens, 2 dogs, 1 wifey, and 1 baby girl-that he has to take care of. Can he handle all the estrogen?!

I guess we will take care of Daisy for the next few days while we make a decision. I will not take her to a kill shelter though, maybe a lab rescue group will take her and find her a nice home. Maybe she just needs to live with us....

28 weeks and 6 days pregnant, 78 days to go.

27 weeks, 3rd trimester!

2009-03-17T11:16:00.001-04:00

Holy Cow! Brian and I cannot believe that I have just entered my third trimester! Time is flying by us, as we have both been busy with work and projects around the house. Brian has built up quite the wood pile for next year's winter. He has managed to find enough people that need trees taken down that won't use the wood. This will save us so much money next winter, I'm proud of my lumberjack husband! We also have been busy working on Julia's nursery! The crib arrived last week while I was in Kentucky for work. Brian had it all put together and in place by the time I got home. It looks great in the room. All of the furniture is in place, now we are just waiting on accessories, and the baby!

Julia is moving around like crazy. Last night I was laying on my back on the couch when all of the sudden my stomach got really tight and a big bulge formed to the right of my belly button. I thought that my belly was going to pop, we were totally freaked out by it! It had to have been her head or butt, it was very hard and big...eek!

In other news we started our seedlings last week. Brian and I are really excited to get in the garden. We both learned so much last year and now we are ready to go! Brian built a raised bed and we are going to try our hand at square foot gardening. From the research that we've done we think that this type of gardening will produce more yield and be less abrasive to the Earth. It also takes up less space, and is much easier to harvest compared to regular row gardening. Come planting time I'll have to share some pictures-it can't get here soon enough.

I am 27 weeks and 2 days pregnant, 89 days to go!

Nursery

2009-03-02T19:21:00.003-05:00

Brian and I have finally started on Julia's room! (Thanks Mom and Dad!) Her room is painted a light green color, with white trim and crown molding, and the original wood flooring. I really want her room to be soothing and peaceful. I think that we will all enjoy spending time in there.

The first picture is of a bedding set that I really like. It is made from organic cotton and is called "Bunny Meadow". I know that it isn't very practical. Babies can't really use blankets while they sleep and the doctors recommend not using those super cute bumper pads due to increased SIDS risk, but it is so precious. I added it on my registry at babies r' us-one can dream!

The second picture is of the crib that we ordered yesterday. It has a drop side rail, which I think will make it easier for me to get her in and out of her bed. It also converts into a super cute toddler bed. The front piece comes off and it is much like a miniature day bed.

The third picture is off the glider and ottoman that we got for Christmas from Mom and Dad. I was really surprised when we opened this gift. I really wanted a comfy chair to rock and nurse Julia in. This is by far the most comfy seat in the house. The fabric is a micro-suede that is so soft and cozy. Brian and I might end up fighting over rocking her at night!

I bought white sheer curtains that Brian gets to hang for me-he is thrilled about this! haha He thinks curtains are only good for collecting dust. He will also be getting the closet organization system into place soon. I'm so jealous of her closet, it is twice the size of mine-and I have to share with Brian. The only other main thing that we need is a dresser. We might end up moving ours to her room and getting a new one for us. Ours would fit perfectly in her room and it is long enough that we could put a changing station on top of it. We've been scouring craigslist adds for the last few days, I'm sure if we don't find anything there that we will find something at the good ol' Trenton Yard Sales. If you have an old dresser or chest of drawers laying around, let me know!

I am 25 weeks and 2 days pregnant, 103 days until we meet our little panda bear :)

Growing bigger

2009-02-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Here I am at 8, 16, and now 24 weeks. Time is flying by! I can't believe how flat my stomach was in the beginning.
Click the picture to see it larger :)

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T15:22:00.002-05:00

Well Brian and I have had an eventful Valentines Day! We aren't really into buying gifts for eachother and celebrating like most of the world does with expensive dinners and fancy outings. Plus neither of us really need any thing.

So, today we got some chickens! Brian has been begging to raise chickens for the last year, but I haven't been willing to go buy them and all their gear. Last week a girl that I work with mentioned that we could have a few from their flock, I couldn't resist the offer.

So, here they are. We named the red one Scarlet and the black and white one BeeGee. They are scratching away and seem to be very happy here!

Cloth diaper registry

2009-02-12T10:20:00.003-05:00

Brian and I have had a busy week. I had to do an overnight stay in Indy for work and Brian was able to go with me. Brian kept me entertained as well as being my personal driver. I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time. I'm so glad that I married such a funny (and smart, and handsome, and talented) man!

We spent our free time in the hotel watching cable tv. I think I watched about 4 episodes of bringing home baby on tlc and a couple of Jon and Kate plus 8! Brian was all about the history channel while I was working. I'm glad that we don't have cable at home-I think we would both waste alot of time in front of it, turning our brains to mush!

I set up a cloth diaper registry for Julia this morning. I'm not sure that many will even look at it since you have to buy online. I did have fun picking out cute diapers for our little girl! The website is www.jilliansdrawers.com Click on "Gifts" along the top, then chose "gift registries" on the side. To find our list you have to put in my email address (which makes it even harder for people to find, I don't like this feature) smithmn1@gmail.com

If anything, take a look at all of the cute diapers that they have come out with now. These are far from the pieces of cloth and pins that Grandma used to use!

I have my next appointment with the midwife tomorrow morning. I'll be meeting the third midwife in Margie's group, her name is Lisa. I hope that we like her just as much as Margie and Cat. I'll be sure to report back weight gain, Julia's progress, and a belly picture! :)

Girl Power!

2009-02-02T21:18:00.001-05:00

Bella has been so in-tune with my pregnancy, it is amazing really. I'm sure that she knew something was up before we even found out that we were expecting our baby girl. She has always been a super lovey dog-she thinks that she is a lap dog and of course sleeps right in the middle of Brian and I every night. I wouldn't change a thing about our first baby and I certainly couldn't imagine my home without her.
Any time we put her paw on my belly her eyes get really big and she looks right into my eyes. She is very aware of what is going on. I really hope that she is good with the baby and doesn't get too jealous. She is the jealous type. Anytime I'm sitting on Brian's lap she comes and jumps right in the middle of us, she can't stand not getting any attention.

In other news- I'm 21 weeks along! We are having an orientation and hospital tour tomorrow night, which I'm sure will make everything seem even more real. Current symptoms include: Awful heartburn- no matter what I eat or what time of the day. It is pretty constant. Sore legs-this is a new one this week. My legs hurt from about knee down, I hope that they don't end up swollen and yucky. They just plain hurt!

Mom took me shopping yesterday and bought me some really cute shirts. (Thanks Mom!) I thought that since being pregnant I would be over my normal shopping dilemma of not fitting into anything. I was wrong! We picked out so many cute shirts, and still only a handful of them fit. It is kind of nice to be limited to a few stores though, and the maternity styles are actually cute now! I'm excited to have a little bit of a belly to show off in my new clothes. Pretty soon I'm going to have to retire my tummy sleeve and get some maternity pants. For now, the stretchy tube of fabric is working out great.

The last thing to share is that we have decided on a name for our little panda bear. She will be Julia Claire Eversole. Stay tuned for a video of Brian playing her a special song with her name in it!

20 weeks

2009-01-24T17:12:00.003-05:00

Brian and I just got home from Caleb's 1st birthday party. He was so cute smashing his cake all over his face and belly. It is hard to believe that a year ago we were at the hospital meeting him for the first time. I am very lucky to call his Mama my friend. Lauren-how fun is it going to be to watch our kids grow up together?!!

This morning I ordered my first official pink item for little Miss Panda Bear. I got an XS thirsites diaper cover in raspberry pink. We are thinking that she will be pretty small, so I needed to order at least one more diaper cover in the XS size. I couldn't resist the sale on the thristies outlet website, especially when I saw the raspberry color.

This picture is of me and Bella at 20 weeks, time is flying by! I'm feeling really well and getting lots of kicks from our little girl

Baby Girl!

2009-01-21T18:13:00.003-05:00

Brian and I had an ultrasound today and got to see our little Panda Bear. It was a very exciting experience. The tech measured all of her organs, we got to see her heart beating away and all her little limbs wiggling around. Then we got the view, The Panda Bear is definitely a girl! I was pretty shocked, as I had been thinking that she was a boy. My Mom and Grandma guessed it right though.

After the ultrasound we went out for breakfast to talk about our little girl. Then we headed over to Babies r Us, which has every baby necessity and then some. We had fun scanning things onto our registry. I'm sure that we will change and update it throughout the next few months, but it was fun to pick out cute things for our little girl.

That's all I've got for tonight, I have to get up super early for work.

Panda Bear Fact- Did you know that baby panda's have to be cuddled or they will die?! When Brian and I started dating he starting calling me his panda bear since I loved to cuddle. We have now passed on the name our baby girl.

19 Weeks

2009-01-18T19:15:00.002-05:00

Here are the newest pictures of my expanding waistline. I am 19 weeks along today. 3 more days until the big ultrasound!

Panda Bear update

2009-01-15T09:24:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we had our monthly appointment with our Midwife. Brian was taking bets on how much weight I gained in the last month. He was off by 3 pounds! Although I feel like I've gained a ton, I only gained 3.5 pounds this month. That means that I've gained 7 pounds so far. I'm pretty happy with that. I basically eat all day long.
Cat showed me where my uterus is and how to feel it. It is right under my belly button and will continue to move up as the months pass. We also were able to hear The Panda Bear's heartbeat! It was beating away at 150 bpm. I love that sound!
After that excitement we discussed the glucose tolerance test and my thoughts on it. We decided that before next months appointment I'll check my blood sugar at home twice. One fasting and one after a big meal. If all is well I won't have to drink 50 grams of pure glucose, labeled "glucola." YUCK!

In other good news The Panda Bear has been kicking me non-stop. The most predictable time to be able to feel some swift kicks is after dinner. Usually around 6:30. Brian was even able to feel some kicks, I think he was surprised at how strong they were.

Last good thing to report: We scored an excellent deal on an Arm's Reach co-sleeper on craigslist. It is a bassinet that can be used up to 24 pounds. The cool thing about the co-sleeper is that one side comes down and attaches to your bed. I think that I'll like being able to reach over and touch/see the Panda Bear in those early months. I'm hoping that it will make night time nursing that much easier as well. Brian and I are pretty set about keeping the baby in our room as long as possible, I guess we'll find out once he/she gets here!

6 more days and we'll know if we have a boy panda or girl panda growing inside of me-we can't wait!!!

Cloth Diapers

2009-01-12T11:56:00.004-05:00

One thing that Brian and I decided long before we were expecting The Panda Bear was that we were going to use cloth diapers. Besides being incredibly cute here are some cold hard facts for ya:

-It takes one disposable diaper up to 500 years to decompose. These diapers leave behind an average of 2.7 tons of waste per child.

-Disposable diapers are filled with a gel substance, chemicals and dioxins. YUCK!

-Encasing your baby's bum in a plastic, gel filled diaper is a breeding ground for rash and infection. OUCH!

-Cloth diapers save you a ton of money, YAY! We are spending about $250 to get started. This means that we will break even in 3.85 months (compared to buying store brand sposies') We will save $809.00 in one year (pending we don't buy any more diapers)

-They are so adorably soft and cuddly. You won't believe it until you feel one for yourself.

Our Stash:

24 prefold diapers. We'll be getting 12 newborn orange edge and 12 infant yellow edge to start with. Green Mountain Diapers

4 Newborn Organic Velour fitteds made by Swaddlebees

4 One size Organic Velour fitteds made by Swaddlebees

4 covers from Thirsties

4 covers made by Bummis

The 8 covers and 8 fitted diapers I have gotten on deep sales, not the prices listed in the links. Of course there are some accessories that come along with Cloth Diapering, you can really spend as much as you'd like in this market.

Brian and I understand that this may not be a good choice for everyone, but for us it is. With our schedules one of us will most likely always be home with The Panda Bear, making cloth diapering much easier. We are both willing to take the extra time to diaper our baby in cloth and do what is best for our family. If you have any questions on cloth diapering don't hesitate to ask. I've done a lot of research!

Evolution of a baby belly!

2009-01-09T19:24:00.002-05:00

Brian and I cannot express how happy we are to welcome the Panda Bear into our lives. We certainly weren't expecting this, but we are beyond thankful.
On November 6th, 2008 I woke up as usual and went on with my morning. I made a cup of hot chocolate, then sat at the computer to read my emails before getting ready for work that afternoon. Not long after I had finished the cup of cocoa, I knew it was coming back up.
Now, I cannot remember the last time that I have thrown up-but I do remember that it is not fun. I ran towards the bathroom crying and screaming at Brian to "Come quick, I'm getting sick!" He jumped out of the bedroom and into the bathroom just in time to see me toss my cookies, or cocoa rather, into the bathroom sink. Such a trooper he held my hair back and splashed cold water on my face.
I took it easy the rest of the day, getting someone to take my shift at work, and resting in front of the television. Later that day it sorta dawned on Brian. I had felt fine after my morning sickness and all I could think about was a butterfinger. We went to CVS, picked up a butterfinger and a pregnancy test and rushed home. I ripped open the little stick, promptly read the instructions and peed on the thing. Before I could even get up it had a huge plus sign on it. Brian was waiting near by and as soon as I said his name in a wobbly voice he came in. We looked at the stick in shock, then to the instruction booklet. Back and forth, trying to take it all in. The plus sign was certainly there.
We both started crying and hugged each other for what felt like days. "Wow, we are going to have a baby. We are going to be parents. Are we ready for this? How in world are we going to afford a child? What will our parents think?" With these kind of thoughts running through our heads you would think that we were un-wed teenage lovers, when in fact we had just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Brian will be 28 and I'll be 25 when the Panda Bear arrives. We have a great house with a huge backyard and plenty of room for children to play.
We can say with confidence that we cannot wait to add to our family. Seventeen weeks into the pregnancy and I cannot imagine it any other way. Brian talks to the Panda Bear every day, singing songs and teaching him/her all about life in the outside world. I couldn't imagine a better husband or father. We are very blessed.

First post

2009-01-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've decided to finally jump on the blogging train. I've blogged before, but never really had a reason to keep up with it. I'd like to use this as a place to document my pregnancy, share eco-friendly tips, and of course watch our little panda bear grow! Stay tuned for pregnancy pictures....