You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘babies’ category.
Today, I am officially 30 weeks pregnant with our twin boys. Twins are known to come earlier than singletons — which makes me wonder how much more time I have with my little family before our lives change forever. I especially think about the time I have with Dhara. She knows about her brothers, but she doesn’t really know what’s coming! I pray she embraces the change! Anyway, I’m hoping to make it to 37 weeks, at least. Dhara arrived at 40 weeks on the dot!
These past couple weeks I’ve begun to feel more preggo. I feel like a waddler. I’m having more and more back/hip pain if I stand or walk around too much — shopping excursions with Dhara are becoming more difficult. I usually like to save all my errands for one day of the week, but these days more than a couple hours on my feet means pain. I feel pretty sore turning in bed, and getting in and out of bed must look pretty hilarious. And every hour or so (maybe even more) my tummy tightens up like a basketball from a Braxton Hicks contraction — I don’t remember having them as often with Dhara. I’m feeling a whole lot of movement — these guys are definitely trying to get comfortable in there, but it must hard due to the lack of space. I do feel more movement than I feel kicks; although once in a while I’ll feel a strong kick which really takes me by surprise! Even more recently I’ve begun to feel little hiccups which fondly remind me of Dhara, she used to get them all the time.
I still can’t believe there’s two of them in there. I can’t wait to meet them, see what they look like — if they look the same or if they look different, if they look like Greg or look like me, kiss their little feet, snuggle close, give them soothing Indian oil massages, and tote them around in a comfy wrap. So exciting! Let’s hope they turn in the right direction come delivery time! Next week I hope to post some of the baby sewing projects I’ve been working on — some cute stuff, stay tuned!
I’ve been on the search for a new diaper bag. For my 30th birthday a couple weeks ago, my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and could you believe I asked him for “a really nice diaper bag?” : )
For the past two years I’ve been toting around a Vera Bradley diaper bag — I like it alot, but I’m ready for a change. I want something a little more “city,” as I’d like to call it. Something a little more stylish and not diaper-bag-like. I’d prefer a nice leather bag, but of course that’s not practical considering I’d be carrying around bottles, food, and a wet bag of soiled cloth diapers. So the search for the perfect undiaper bag has been pretty hard! Someone seriously needs to get on the ball and make better looking diaper bags, because I must say that most diaper bags out there are so darn unattractive. So I recruited my best friend, Gifty, to help me on the diaper bag search. It took a while, but we narrowed down the options to 3 bags. All of them being backpack type options because I honestly think a backpack would be the most convenient for toting around twins and a 2 year old. I’m really torn between what to choose. What would you choose?
SYM Charlie Diaper Bag - I love that this looks like a travel bag of sorts. It’s got leather handles and even turns into a backpack. I contacted SYM’s Catherine Choi, the designer of this bag, and she said she knows mothers of twins who use this bag and it totally works if you aren’t a person who carries alot. I’m just not sure if it would hold enough for three kids. But I overall love the look, and the fact that it’s a full fledged diaper bag that doesn’t look dorky.
Infusion Rucksack Bag - I LOVE that this is just a normal bag — it’s not a diaper bag. I especially love rucksacks: a backpack in it’s simplest form. This bag is so classy looking for a simple backpack/rucksack, in my opinion. The only thing is that this bag isn’t lined inside, so accidental spills could ruin it. I also contacted Infusion’s Abby Meadow, the designer of this rucksack, and she mentioned that there are moms who use this bag as a diaper bag and love it. Overall, love it’s simplicity.
Okkatots Diaper Bag – This is NOT my ideal bag, but I included it in my top 3 because it’s so darn roomy. This backpack honestly seems like the most ideal bag to carry 3 kids worth of items, and in a completely organized manner. Look at all those compartments! If I choose this bag, it would be functionality over fashion for sure! In the end, I’m not opposed to choosing a bag for its functionality because it would probably pose as the easiest/most convenient solution, but then again, a girl’s gotta have a nice bag, right? ; )
I had my fourth ultrasound this week at 26 weeks / 4 days. It’s always a relief to see that the babies are growing healthy and strong. They move around alot these days too — to the point where I can see my tummy jump in various spots. I don’t remember Dhara having as much movement in utero. The perintologist, a chatterbox for sure, said I most probably would not go past 38 weeks, but could go as early as 36 weeks! Ahhh, that feels so soon! The following ultrasound photos are from 23 weeks gestation. Here are the most recent stats:
baby A: 23 weeks – 1.9 pounds / 26 weeks – 2.4 pounds, 149 beats/min
baby B: 23 weeks – 1.9 pounds / 26 weeks – 2.7 pounds, 145 beats/min
Back in mid August 2011, when we first found out we were pregnant with our second (at that point in our minds it was a singleton), we decided we’d like to look into birthing at a local birthing center. So we drove an hour to the closest birthing center — a cute, old, white house — and took the tour. While it seemed like a nice option, we felt that birthing at home would be a similar option, if not a better option. I didn’t feel inclined to birth on their queen sized beds for some reason — it was a very clean facility, but just imagine sheets from the 70′s. Although their birthing tub seemed more up my alley for a water birth — dim lights and a calm atmosphere. But we still concluded that the birth center was not for us. We really like the idea of a home birth, but not in my parents house! …Maybe one of these days we’ll have my home water birth if God grants me my dream of a cozy old farmhouse or victorian cottage that Greg could fix up.
Now that we’re having two bambinos, the both of us seem to be the most comfortable birthing in a hospital. There just seems to be too many risk factors involved. One being that Baby A be in the head down position to have a normal birth and avoid a c-section. The other reason being that Dhara had a high case of jaundice, and there is a chance that these babies could too; although we are praying that they don’t, because it’s really hard on our hearts and their little bodies.
Overall, everything is going great, and there are no complications, thank the good Lord! We are getting our room ready for two little ones to join us, although I’m still not sure what we’re going to do with Dhara since she still sleeps in our bed. We finally found a double stroller we love, and started a little pile of boy clothes — although, I must say, boy shopping is no fun. No, not at all!
…to this past summer 2011. I came across photos of Dhara and her little cousins peach picking, so I had to post them! Makes me excited for warmer weather and fresh fruit from the farm for homemade cobblers, buckles and tea cakes.
lucas and his mama
kayla and her mama
yummy yummy peaches perfect for peach cobbler
Well folks, it was a super emotional, thrilling and happy day today when Greg, myself and the Dhara-girl found out we are having not one, but TWO babies next spring! More to come after we get over the first day of excitement! Eeee!!!
Meet the Martin’s. Lina and I actually went to high school together. We lost contact after graduation — that is until the Facebook generation and blogging came around. It was so neat to reconnect and find out we both were married, her with a son, and me with a little one on the way.
Lina, a super crunchy hip mama, is an inspiration and testimony to God’s goodness. She recently had a home birth — a total inspiration! I need pointers lady! Brian and Lina have two beautiful boys, Johnny, and most recently, Joseph! They really are the cutest little people. Lina, thanks for allowing me to photograph your sweet little family and Baby Joseph’s baptism.
Yesterday I visited a longtime friend, Diana. I’ve known her since high school, so that would make us friends for about 13 years and counting. I remember the first time I met her. I guess you could compare her to the energetic Ellie, from the Pixar movie, “Up”. I, on the other hand, was more timid and composed. So the story goes a little like this: Diana walks up to me the first week of school, as I’m putting my books in my locker, and she says to me, “So you’re the one that everyone is mistaking for me!”
Yep. And we’ve been friends ever since. : )
Diana had a baby girl back in April, and so with my small family in tow, we went to visit Diana’s little baby, Shreya. It was so weird sitting next to my friend as we both held a baby in our lap. And not just any baby, but our own babies. In honor of little Baby Shreya, I sewed her a Black Apple cloth doll. [I was actually working on the same styled doll for Dhara's half-birthday present, when I thought I would also whip one up for pretty little Shreya.]
My doll is somewhat different than the typical Black Apple doll because she has a simple cloth face with no features. For her dress, I used a block printed fabric I picked up in India last year at my favorite fabric store in Madras. The shop is located in an outdoor market bustling with business everywhere you look. I could literally spend an entire day at that fabric store looking at all the beautiful cottons and ethnic prints. I also love the little lace collar I added to the neckline. So sweet and feminine. I think I’d like to call her Amelie.
I think Baby Shreya is enjoying her Amelie Doll, don’t you think?
Mama’s doll.
Diana and I had a great time watching our babies and marveling at how life has changed so much since these little ones arrived. In the last 13 years, Diana completed med school while I went into the world of information technology, and then onto campus ministry. We’ve both had our ups and downs, but eventually got married to great guys, settled down and are both in a good place now — mommyhood. So looking forward to what God has in store for us in the years to come.
Susan and Diana. 1999.
Oh boy, her naps are getting shorter these day. It’s more about her laying on her back, holding her toes and swinging them back and forth as she babbles her baby talk. While this is cuteness personified, I do love the time I get when she’s napping. It’s my time to get my quiet time done, cross things off my to-do list, brainstorm projects, actually do these projects, talk to people on the phone, clean, grab a bite to eat, and read all my favorite blogs.
Guess it’s time to learn to do these things whilst she’s awake.
A pretty little moses basket, from Hoohobbers. A gift from my sister.
Before the birth of my baby, I thought and wrote a little about the world of children + their toys. But now that I have a 5.5 month old, I am thinking about this topic more and more often. I think about it whenever I hand her a toy to play or chew on. I think about it whenever she receives a gift from someone — I debate in my mind whether to keep the gift or not.
I’m currently reading a book called, The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule. I can’t help but love what she says in an interview I posted in a previous update: “I think my one piece of advice for that would be to choose carefully the toys you bring into your home. For lots of reasons, ‘less’ is more. It’s better for children’s imaginations, better for creating a peaceful family environment, and it’s much easier on the space in a house. I also think ‘beauty’ is an important factor to consider when bringing a toy into your home. Shouldn’t children’s toys and surroundings be beautiful, too? I think so.”
I just love this idea of a peaceful and beautiful, yet real and comfortable home — one that fosters an appreciation for beauty in a completely natural way. I truly feel that the run-of-the-mill plastic attention grabber toys, plethora of stuffed animals, beanie babies and barbies, television, and video games take beauty away from the home and what it symbolizes. It also takes away the beauty of being a simple, curious kid.
One of my favorite things to do on weekdays is take my daughter outside to our garden and let her touch each plant as I go on to tell her the name of each one, “dill…cilantro…rosemary…squash…cucumbers…lettuce…broccoli.” We usually walk back in the house with the smell of dill or rosemary on our fingertips. I also let her feel the fabric I’m using during a sewing project, and explain to her what mama is going to make this time. I can’t wait until I can teach her the sweet simple things in life. (Like baking cupcakes.)
As for toys, I hope to weed out the consumer bad and keep the good — educational, natural fibers, simple. (Like our neighbors who gave her a cloth toy veterinarian’s medical bag filled with cloth medical equipment. Love it!) Below are some of the toys my baby plays with these days. She loves to chew on her cloth animals and doll. I actually purchased these cloth toys five years ago when I was in college. I guess you could call me a “think for the future kinda gal” — purchasing cloth toys, a small library of children’s books and simple cotton clothing for my future kids. I wasn’t even married at the time. ; )
The following are a couple wooden rattles I picked up a couple months ago from a darling Etsy shop located in Columbus, Ohio, called, Little Alouette. Love these, and so does my baby girl. Maybe she’ll love them so much that they’ll inspire her to be a woodworker when she grows up. : )
As a parent or a lover of children’s goods (like I was), what are some toys/books/goods you recommend?
The cousins celebrated two birthdays last month. Littles, Lilia + Elisabet, turned over another chapter of their lives as they respectively turned 3 and 1 years old. A group of us headed to New Jersey for a fun weekend. Some photos to highlight the weekend.
