My Giants...

All My Boys.

Storytime with Daddy

A cold walk by the river

Letting the animals out!

Wow, Eli is getting HUGE!! The day before yesterday he weighed in at 11lbs, 10oz's!! He is growing so unbelievably fast, not that I should be all that shocked, Isaac was no different. Isaac surprised us all by weighing in under 40lbs at 36lbs, 8oz's. Thought he was heavier than that! He is over 36" tall though, and still has a giant wrecking ball of a head. Eli is starting to attempt smiles, and it is really cute. Its like he hasn't quite got it yet, so he almost looks like he's grimacing. I'm loving it! He doesn't seem too interested in eye contact though, which is worrisome since they always tell you that's an early warning sign of autism. So, of course, I'm constantly trying to get him to look me in the eye. I'm sure its nothing, but its hard not to worry, guess that's just being a mom.
Well, no real new news on the dumb law, but there is some hope that children's items made from fabrics will be exempt from the law since hundreds of different types of fabrics have been tested and not a single one showed a trace of lead. So, that's good. I'm still trying to just get the word out to people about this law and what its going to do in hopes that they will write to our legislators. I sent a letter into one of the local papers and they published it as the letter of the week which was great because that puts it in a big gray box where hopefully everyone will read it! It seems as though I can at least safely continue to operate until August without any changes to the law, so at least maybe I can work through and sell all of my fabrics, anyways. Thats helpful.

Bedtime Adventures...

Giddyup Bojo!

Ok, no one told me this was part of the deal!
I thought we only tortured Bojo around here.
(posted by Eli)

Nights like last night make me wonder how I will ever get through the next two years. Isaac has determined that Daddy can't put him to bed, (basically because whenever Daddy tries, he falls asleep before Isaac, so then Isaac jumps out of bed and comes running back out of his room with delight, pleased with himself for having won.) So, Eli and I have been laying down with Isaac to read him to sleep, but the past two nights, Eli has fallen asleep in Isaac's bed, and then when I move him, he wakes up and refuses to go back to sleep in our bed. (Don't want to leave him in Isaac's bed just yet, he's still a little crushable!) So, last night, just as Eli and I were making our escape from Isaac's bed, Isaac woke up, and then began the adventures. I tried to get Isaac to just go to sleep after I tucked him in and said goodnight, but he wasn't having it so I laid Eli down with Travis and sat with Isaac, but Eli started screaming and I knew Isaac wasn't going to sleep with that noise. So, I tried trading Trav places so I could get Eli back to sleep, and Isaac launched one of his King Kong sized tantrums (haven't had one of those for a LONG time) and he screamed and sobbed for a good half hour. Eli drifted into a light sleep finally, so, I traded Trav places again and tried laying down with Isaac. He wasn't in a hurry to go to sleep after all that of course, and guess what? Eli started screaming again. AAAARRRGGGH! I'm about to melt into tears at this point! So, I drag Isaac out of his bed and toss him into the crib next to our bed, and of course, everyone is asleep within ten minutes. All I can do in moments like these is think of all the attachment parenting stuff I've read and heard, its hard in the first few years but all that extra work makes it easier in the long run when your kids grow older, secure, loved, trusting, and well-adjusted. And I remind myself that most of the time its not this hard, and Thank God it really does get easier pretty quickly!

Need an Entertaining Toy For Your Kids? Here's a Link!

Here is a funny (but not really so funny) link for anyone interested. Expresses my frustrations pretty well. http://www.etsy. com/view_ listing.php? listing_id= 19984444

Well, I'm trying hard to learn how to accomplish all the things that need doing every day while running after these two kids. Every day is generally just more chaos, but things are slowly getting done. :) Diaper orders will undoubtedly take about three times longer than normal!

Hurray! No More Bush!!

This morning I hugged my two boys and watched President Obama take the oath and cheered. I can't deny losing a lot of faith in our country over the years, not just our government but the people who have allowed so many things to happen without raising any concern. I admit that I'm not out on street corners protesting and am guilty instead of just sitting around complaining too. I want my boys to grow up in a world different from that which is currently surrounding us, and while I don't believe our new President can make everything all better, I genuinely feel that his election has brought new hope and energy to the people of this country, and maybe rooting out some apathy will make many things better. While I wouldn't want to fight the crowds, I do wish I could have stood there on the mall to see all those people's faces in person, to feel all that energy! Wow!
I really liked the line in Obama's speech about not exchanging ideals for fear! How many freedoms are we giving up constantly out of fear. Particularly right now I'm thinking about our new "lead law" taking away my freedoms not only to produce and sell diapers but also to buy products made by other small American businesses. Of course, that is heavy on my mind these days! Especially today as I look at our budget again and wonder how we will continue making ends meet without the added income. But, I'm trying to stay positive, knowing there have been some rays of hope for change on this law in the past week or two, and I have hope the new administration will listen to all the people crying out for a revision.
We are feeling pretty motivated right now to search out an old RV to tear apart for parts for our bus. Travis was fortunate enough to meet a guy on a job who is in the process of converting a school bus, and he went to their place to check it out this weekend. I was sad not to go, but my sisters and brother-in-law were here this weekend, for only a short time, so I stayed to visit while I had the chance. Hope to see the bus another time, to see how they are laying their's out. I sit at this computer every day looking out the back door at the bus, just sitting there waiting, my hope for the future. I know, most of you probably think that is really weird, but many of you know that I don't like sitting still for long, and I'm ready to get back on the road! And, I'm ready to stop feeling so strapped down that we don't have any time or money to play together as a family. That 40 foot yellow giant, to me, is our ticket to freedom!
That was a lot of rambling, sorry about that. I promise to get some new pictures posted of the boys soon! Hope you are all doing well, and thanks for all the comments, btw, I love hearing from y'all. Happy Inauguration Day!

Aaargh! This Law is Making Me Crazy!!!

OK, I know I mentioned this already, but I've got to vent a little bit. This CPSIA law is making me want to pull my hair out. Here I've gotten four orders for diapers already after starting back to work after my "maternity leave", my business has so much potential to really go somewhere this year, and I'm facing the likely possibility of having to shut down because of this law. And what's so aggravating to me is that things like childrens' toothbrushes are exempt from the lead law even though they are made with plastic (where the problem all started) but cloth diapers made with known lead-free materials are not exempt. Also, I know I'm not alone in this frustration, so many work-at-home moms are facing the same problem. I feel like this should be like if the government takes your property they have to reimburse you fair value, well, they should have to reimburse me for all the fabrics I won't be able to make into diapers as well as pay my small business debt off too if this law shuts me down. I hate to think about all the people relying on the income from their crafts having to give it up. Who among us can afford that right now? AAAARRRGH!

My Son, the Pig...

Well, Eli had his first dr app't yesterday, and all went well. Everyone was very impressed with his growth. What can I say, I grow big boys, and they don't waste any time about it! The doctor said Eli is a pig, and he probably overeats, causing all his spitting up through his nose and his gas pains. I'm sure he is right about the pig part, the kid certainly can eat! Pretty sure both boys get the "eat until we can't possibly fit another drop in" style from their daddy. Funny how I'm the one packing the extra pounds! Anyhow, Eli weighed in at a whopping 10lbs, 6 oz (that's a huge gain for three weeks!), and his height was 21 and 5/8 inches, and his head was 15 and 1/4" around. (Isaac weighed 9lbs, 2 oz's, was 21 and 3/4" long, and his head was 15 and 1/2" around at birth!)
Its still feeling like summer out there! Geez!

"S'not" Summer?

Can't get enough of those fabulous faces Eli makes in his sleep! Also, I love how he looks like Isaac when he's asleep but totally different when he's awake. :)

The Snot Brothers

Well, our home has been invaded by a molten-snot causing bug that has got us all! Poor Elias getting sick so soon! And oh the joy of two uncontrollably snotty noses! How I am enjoying wiping one, and snot-sucking the other with a bulb, its like a party around here. Thank goodness adult men know how to blow their own noses! And, woohoo, Isaac finally kind of learned how to blow his today!

Eli has his first doctor's appt tomorrow, and I'm glad because of his getting sick. Will be nice to have him checked up on. He had a rough night two nights ago, we almost took him in to the ER around 4:00 am, but then we discovered that we can call our pediatrician's office anytime and someone answers and has a triage nurse call you back! Wow, wish someone would have told us that two years ago! But hey, I guess you never know it all as a parent, right?

It was a gorgious day today, felt like summer, but its "s'not" and I can't get excited about the sun, because I haven't even skied yet this winter. And that, my friends, is a terrible tragedy! So, while I don't wish anymore flooding on anyone, please sunshine, just go away and let it snow, snow, snow!!

Kid Chaos...

Can you believe my mom actually dressed me like this? (posted by Eli)

So, all you moms out there who did this more than twice, I admire you're courage! I can't really imagine how I will ever get any diapers made with these two boys keeping me busy! Isaac's got a few new tricks up his sleeve these days, including hitting and kicking Eli (super fabulous) and sneaking into our bed every single night around 2:00 am. Last night I got him back to sleep in his own bed twice, and he still came sneaking in! He's figured out that if he doesn't make any sound when he wakes up in his room he can sneak into ours without me getting up to intercept him. Thankfully, we have the crib in our room and I've gotten him to just crawl into there for the rest of the night. Squeezing four into our bed was tight! :) Thankfully, he is still doing excellent with the potty, no more accidents since the first day Eli came home.
Well, its still raining off and on here, yuck! I'm hoping for lots more snow so we can have a long spring ski season. Isaac needs to get on his skis more! (Yep, those are skis he's wearing a few pics back, its never too soon to start!) I'm so ready to get back on mine! Of course, we are too poor for tickets to any of the mountains right now, so it will all be cross country skiing or hiking, but that's okay with me! I just can't wait to do anything in the mountains! Of course, I have to actually get brave enough to leave the house with these two first! Haven't attempted that on my own yet. It just seems like too much! Don't know how you moms with 3+ kids ever go anywhere!
Just a quick note for all you parents out there, a new law has passed and takes effect in February that has to do with the safety of child products. Unfortunately, this law will result in the closing of most second-hand children's shops because it is retroactive, so these shops will either have to test every piece of inventory they have in their shops for lead and other substances, or throw the products away! So, most shops are just planning to close up in February. I don't know about y'all, but I can't afford to buy everything new for my kids, I need these shops! (This includes thrift stores too, btw) And, I don't want to see all that good stuff headed for the landfill! Also, this law might shut me down, as well as all the other work-at-home-moms out there who make diapers and other childrens' products. So, if you feel so inclined, please email your congressmen/senators to change the way this law is written! I can email a link for a form letter if you want. Thanks!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope that yours is a full of fun as I know ours will be. How could it not be with these two cuties? How many adventures can we squeeze into the next 362 days? I'm hoping for lots!

Eli would like to point out that he is rapidly approaching the grand old age of one month! He is finally starting to noticeably grow and put on weight, so maybe clothes will finally start fitting him! :)

Isaac would like to remind everyone that he is now officially a "terrible two-year-old" so he gets to cause lots of trouble. We had a great time celebrating his birthday, its handy when kids are young and you get to pick their friends! Isaac got a camera for his birthday, so I'm sure I'll have a few fabulous pics taken by him to post soon. That's pretty fun!

Its been raining off and on here, so all the pretty snow has been washed away and turned into mud. Hopefully we get a new pounding soon! Of course, I'm glad we aren't flooding, and I feel for those who are! (Hope you're still staying dry, Em!)

Well, that's it for now. Have fun!