my sweet boy

On Saturday, I loaded up some formula to take to church for the mission trip to Haiti. James asked what I was doing, and why I was putting his baby brother's milk in a bag. I explained that the milk was for some babies who didn't have any milk. Since he is two, I tried to break it down for him by telling him that some children don't have any food, or books, or toys. He just walked off.
As I was hooking John Brooks into his carseat, James reappeared with his favorite board book about colors. He handed it to me and said, "Here Mommy. I can give this to the children...the children who don't have any books."

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15

Your Cloth Diaper Questions Answered!

Q: Why Cloth Diapers?
A: There are really two reasons. First of all, there is a HUGE money savings in cloth diapers. When I first switched to cloth diapers, I was spending $65+ a month on disposable diapers. My initial investment was $300, and it was money well spent. I was able to recoup that in a little over 4 months. The second (and more important reason) is rooted in my belief in the Bible as the Word of God. No, I'm not saying that the Bible says to use cloth diapers...but I am saying that we should be good stewards with what has been given to us, and part of that for me means reducing my family's footprint...partly by throwing away less waste. (We also {mostly*} use reusable shopping bags, reusable dishrags and napkins in the place of paper towels and paper napkins...but that's another post).
Here is the scripture to back it up:
In Genesis 1:26-28, God instructs Adam and Eve to take care of the Earth:
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)
and to take care of the Garden of Eden:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
The earth remains the Lord's (Psalm 24:1) and humans are only inhabitants. Leviticus 25:23 states:
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.

*The next time you see me at the grocery store and I've forgotten to bring my reusable shopping bags, please don't throw stones at me!

The third reason (yes, I said that there were only two reasons, but I lied...sue me) is that they are so. darn. cute.

exhibit a:

exhibit b:

Ok, so you get the picture(s)...

Q: Isn't cloth diapering gross?
A: The short answer is NO, it's not gross. Alot of misconceptions exist about cloth diapers.
Many people think that the cloth diapers of today are the same as the cloth diapers that their great-grandmothers used. That is simply not the case. Cloth diapering products make it extremely easy and not really messy or very stinky. This is how it has worked for me. I primarily use what is called an All In One diaper. This is what I started out with on James, and is part of the regimen I use with John Brooks now. An all in one diaper is very similar to a disposable diaper in the way it goes on the baby and the ease with which it's used. The all in one diapers that I prefer are called Fuzzi Bunz, and they have snap enclosures to ensure a good fit. So I have my stash of clean diapers lined up, and when it's time to change a diaper, I determine whether JB has gone #1 or #2. If he's only peed, then I take the diaper off and put it into a wetbag (with a zipper) to later be washed. Then I put a new diaper on him. If he has pooped, then I remove the diaper, wipe his booty with toilet paper, spray him with some cleaning spray, and wipe him off with a soft washcloth. The washcloth goes into the wetbag and the diaper/toilet paper goes into the bathroom with me. One of the products that I purchased when I started out was a diaper sprayer ($45ish) that connects to your toilet. IT IS GREAT. I drop the toilet paper and excess poo into the toilet, then spray the diaper off. Then it goes into the wetbag until time to wash. (If you want to make it even easier, you can buy flush-able liners that go into the diaper, so when baby poops, you can easily lift it out to flush...no mess!!) The best part about all of this is that nothing stinks. When I used disposable diapers, our house smelled like a toilet! But since I'm flushing what stinks, my house doesn't!

Q: How do you wash them?
A: At the end of the day (or two...that will all depend on the number of diapers that have been purchased) I drop the diapers (separated) into the wash and soak them for at least 10 minutes in cold water. I usually just run the rinse cycle; sometimes I let them sit longer if they are especially soiled or if it's been a couple of days. Then I run a hot, large load with about 1/3 of the detergent that I would usually use for that size load. After it runs, I do another cold rinse cycle. I dry my inserts and wipes (washcloths) on high heat, but I hang my wetbag (I have 2 so I can cycle these) and waterproof covers to dry.
For info on what detergents to use, go to www.abbyslane.com and click on "cloth 101" at the top.

Q: Is it difficult to go out and about with cloth diapers?
A: No, it's not. At the present time, I use disposable diapers when we go to church (for the nursery) and if I'm going to be gone for long periods of time. I did use cloth diapers with James ALL THE TIME, and will with John Brooks when he gets a little older and doesn't have a 100% liquid diet! Some people never use disposable diapers period; I use them some of the time (for convenience).

Well, I hope that I've at the very least given you some insight into why I use cloth. If you would ever like to come and see for yourself, I would love to show you the ropes!

pics of the babe

Here are some new pics of the baby. I can't believe how big he is; it seems like last week that I was anticipating his arrival. And he'll be four months old next week and I'm already mourning the "newborn" phase.
I read a good friend's blog tonight. Her son just turned 13, and as she reflected on the speed with which he arrived at this age, I couldn't help but cry. Before I was a mother, I never understood...and now I just sit by and watch the whirlwind of growing up happen before my very eyes. I want so badly to just push pause for a second, so I can feel like I'm enjoying and savoring it...so that I feel like not missing anything...so that I can stamp it all on my heart so that I never, ever forget. I think that's why I love my camera so much. It keeps what I can't--a perfect picture of right now.
I took a few minutes the other day to set up a "photo studio" in my bedroom. He is such a beauty. I hope you enjoy.






oh, and I can't neglect to give credit to another photographer, who is my greatest assistant! here he is reviewing his latest shot. *wink wink*

You make all things new

2009:
a new job.
a new (to me) car.
a new baby.
made some new friends.
grew apart from some old ones.
reconnected with some really old ones.
four twilight books, two beth moore bible studies, and a dozen road trips.
4,000 pictures (maybe more).
less money, but more time...what a great trade-off.

I'm very excited for 2010. I hope for a few things:
living with even less, so that we can give more.
patience and kindness. sometimes I think I don't have any of either.
when I don't have possessions to give, that I remember to give time.

the following prayer has been taped to my mirror for almost 10 years...but it is still my prayer as I begin 2010.

Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Your will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to You to be Yours forever. Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit. Use me as You will, send me where You will, work out Your whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.

Our Family of Three

I wrote a blog entry when James was almost a year old. It's interesting to go back and read it, and see how my life has changed even since I wrote it. When I was 37 weeks pregnant with James, I had no idea how different my life would be. I had all of the anticipation of a new baby and a new chapter in life, but I had no idea how I would become completely and utterly in love with this child...that I would lay down my life for him. What a priveledge that I've been given to even glimpse a small portion of the love our Heavenly Father has for us. And now to sit here, 37 weeks pregnant again, and wonder how that love can be multiplied to another? Do I have enough love to give to a second child? About eight months ago, I went to get James out of bed in the morning, and for a short moment felt I had betrayed him by becoming pregnant again. In a moment, his life as he knows it will be turned upside down. He will no longer be the baby. He is destined to a life of sharing and competing. Why couldn't I have left our perfect family perfect? In thirteen days I will have another little boy. And it is much different this time because I know what to expect. But I also have no idea what to expect. But I hope that every moment is better than I think and brings me as much joy and life as before.
Here is that blog entry:

Sunday, February 24, 2008
My grandmother from PA (having a baby changes everything)
I'm really fortunate that I've been able to visit with my grandmother over the past few weeks. She lives in PA, so I haven't spent a great deal of time with her in the recent years; I'm really glad to have been with her this month.

Its really neat to see her interact with my son. I'm sure its as thought provoking for her as it is for me, but in different ways that I won't understand until I'm older. She's been telling me stories about my dad when he was James' age: about how he used to ride his trike up and down the street, about how my grandfather was in the war, so she moved home to take care of her grandmother. There I sat, watching my son and my grandmother, as I listened to her tell me stories of her son and her grandmother. Did she ever sit, watching them, and consider that one day she would be the grandmother? Can I now even fathom James' daughter sitting with me and her son one day? I'm not even really sure how to think of something like that. I'm sure she would have said that it was millions of years away...but here it is now for her.

I watched a Johnson's commercial when I was pregnant and cried. It was the black and white one with the chubby baby taking a bath in the kitchen sink. The tag line at the end of the commerical said "Having a baby changes everything." I cried cause the baby was so cute, and I was hormonal. But I really had no clue what it meant. I knew that a baby would change everything: I wouldn't get as much sleep. I wouldn't just go to the movies anymore. I wouldn't have as much time for myself anymore. And all that was ok. But I was clueless. And I thought I was so smart. No, having a baby changes the way I see my parents. Having a baby changes the way I drive. Having a baby changes the way I look at work, play, the way I think about what music to listen to or what movies to watch. It makes me rethink the junk I eat and the exercise I put off. It makes me want to join MADD and find a cure for childhood cancer. It makes me love my husband a hundred million times more and has even more than before affirmed my belief in Almighty God. It makes me more thoughtful about everything, including my Grandmother from PA.

I haven't seen the Johnson's commercial since. I'm sure if I did, though, I would cry. Not because the baby's so cute (although he would still be). Not because I'm hormonal (well, we won't talk about that). But really because I understand the depth and meaning of the five simple words I thought I understood before. That's the irony of the statement, I guess.

1809 miles and 30 weeks pregnant

That's right. I'm not lying. I rode 1809 miles in the car in less than one week, all while 30 weeks pregnant. We first drove to Knoxville to pick up my parents, then headed to Philadelphia, PA for my cousin's wedding. Then we drove over to Alexandria, VA, where we toured DC for a couple of days. We headed south stopping overnight in Staunton, VA, then back to Knoxville, and home to Birmingham.

Here is my picture diary from the trip:

We had a great time. I'm glad to be home to rest, but I'm definitely glad we took the trip. Seeing my dad experience the Vietnam Wall was an incredible thing (he was front line artillery in Vietnam for 13 months and had friends on that wall). Letting James and my Mawmaw hang out with each another was another great memory. And after many family spats, 25+ hours in the car, three hotels in three cities (and packing and unpacking car at each), and being pushed around in a wheelchair at two museums, I can say that I am thankful that I was able to experience it, even at 30 weeks pregnant. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Beach Bums (or, actually, living like Kings)

I love the beach. I love everything about it. I love the smell. I love the sand (call me crazy). I love the water and the sun. I love it during the day and late into the night. We grew up going to Pawley's Island for three weeks every summer in what was known as an "Arrogantly Shabby" vacation- no air conditioning, no tv, no pool. We showered under the house in an outdoor wooden shower and went to sleep with the breeze coming through the windows. Most people would call that roughing it, but I miss those days. We would stay on the beach all day long. We would come in, eat dinner, shower, and go back out. We would read dozens of books and play cards. But mostly, we learned to enjoy each other and the beach.
Our vacations now are much different. Last week, we enjoyed the high class living at the Beach Club in Gulf Shores on the 16th floor of a high rise condo. We froze in the air conditioning, we had beach chairs and umbrellas set up for us before we even had breakfast, and we watched movies at night. But I still enjoyed myself. Vacation is vacation, right?
The best part of the week was watching James experience the new, fun beach things. And watching my mom, dad, husband, and sister witness it was fun too!!!
So here is a short recap of our Beach Adventure:
cool breeze, hot sun, perfect weather, yummy coffee, independant toddler, outdoor breakfast, warm sand, good books, beach walks, late night swims, mid-day naps, fresh seafood, family game-night, ben and jerry's ice cream, crab hunts... can I go back right now??!?

The cheesy preg shot.

James, Lizzie, and Nana

James and Grandpa: just chillin'

Big Swimmer

James loved to jump down the sand hill...check out the concentration on his face!

so handsome

Family of 4!

Birthday Boy!

For James' second birthday, I had big plans for the two of us. We were going to eat lunch at Chic-Fil-A, followed by a trip to Target so he could pick out a toy. I even considered trying a movie (kiddo-type, you know). So we got dressed, got in the car, and the car wouldn't start! And looking back, I guess now we got to do what James wanted to do on his birthday, not what mommy wanted to do! Lesson learned...

swimming in the pool...the water was FREEZING!

eating lunch outside

taking a nap...this was mommy's favorite part!

yogurt and granola for a snack! yummy

dinnertime

and an elmo cupcake, of course!

and last but not least: big boys don't use paci's!

So maybe not the day I had planned, but the perfect birthday nonetheless. At least through the eyes of a toddler and his mommy.

Beach, Lulu's, and Airplanes

We had the opportunity to spend the last weekend in February at the beach at Gulf Shores. The weather was beautiful (72 degrees) and James could hardly stand the excitement. He wanted Daddy to build sandcastles (so he could destroy them); he drove his little yellow truck around and buried his Little People and threw sand everywhere. He was WILD!

We went to Lulu's for dinner, and our server was this beautiful girl named Anna. And James was in LOVE. He was acting so shy and coy; he was pulling on his sweatshirt and looking down at his feet! But when she would walk away, he would call "Anna! Anna!" It was sweet. Finally he really started flirting-giggling and talking...the whole bit. She finally brought him a little cup with whipped cream and a cherry from the bar. He loved it.

On Saturday, we drove to Pensacola and spent some time at the National Naval Aviation Museum. James loves airplanes, and was amazed the moment we stepped out of the car. We started looking around, and noticed that some of the airplanes' cockpits were open. Daddy asked a tourguide if we could sit in them. "Well, we figure if the Germans and Japanese couldn't hurt them, you can't either!" he said. So James had a great time sitting in the planes, and pretending to fly them. I hope we can make it back this summer, and take Grandpa with us.