30 Before 30 Update: September 2013 Edition

As you might imagine, my days as of late have been chock full of baby stuff... but I did manage to wake up long enough to read a couple of books and overhaul a few recipes in my recipe file.  If you're just joining us and are thinking, "What's 30 Before 30?", check out my original post here.

So, this month my fun book was Jacob's Way by Gilbert Morris.  I've been reading Gilbert Morris books since I was in 8th grade, so this was a re-read for me.  All the same, I enjoyed myself.  Basically, the story is about a Jewish girl and her grandfather who emigrate from Russia to the US shortly after the civil war.  They become peddlers, meet some very interesting characters and search for the truth... is Jesus truly the Messiah the Jews are waiting for? I enjoyed the story and found the details about the Orthodox Jewish traditions interesting.  There's some great dialogue between Jacob (the elderly Jewish man) and Sam (the middle aged civil war vet) throughout the last half of the book that you won't want to miss.  And of course, what would any Gilbert Morris novel be without a love story woven through it.  This one doesn't disappoint and there is a happy ending for everyone.  I figured there would be a happy ending, but getting there is all the fun - there's plenty of twists and turns along the way.  Recommend this one for sure.

My educational/devotional book this month was The New Dare to Discipline by Dr. James Dobson.  I read this book back in college as part of a child development class, but M and I borrowed this book from my parents a while back and have been re-reading it together.  I don't necessarily agree with every single thing in the book, but I do respect Dobson's years of experience (both as a psychologist and a father) and advice.  The man does know what he's talking about... This is not a book you can just fly through.  It requires a lot of thought, and it inspired many discussions as M and I agree together on the discipline measures that will help us accomplish our goal of raising a happy, healthy, responsible, godly, independent, hard-working person.  A daunting task, really, and I'm very overwhelmed at the prospect at times, but Dobson's work was a great place to start the discussion. We'll be implementing some of his techniques as Ry Guy gets older, too. 

There are so many things I'd like to be doing (like quilting, or scrapbook, or continuing with my great Recipe File Makeover), but let's face it... sleep is my primary leisure activity right now.  I hope to get back into those things again soon and will keep you updated on the progress. 

The search is on for some new books to read.  Any suggestions?   What's the latest thing you've read?

DIY: Baby Shower Beverage Carrier Gift

A friend of mine had a baby and I gave her this gift at her shower.  I got the idea on Pinterest (where else!?) and just adapted it to fit.

You start with a beverage carrier - I used a six pack of IBC root beer.  I decided to make the carrier dual purpose - 1 side for baby bath stuff and the other side for mommy spa stuff.

It was a huge hit at the shower... here's how you can make your own version!

Materials:

• 1 beverage carrier (could use any 6-pack soda carrier or Starbucks frap 4-pack)
• 4 + sheets coordinating scrapbook paper (I used 12x12)
• stencil or die cut machine and another sheet of paper, or sticker letters
• ribbon (I used 1 [12-in] piece of ribbon, mainly just to attach the tag, since it was for a baby boy. If it were for a girl, I would have used a lot more ribbon to make it girlie)
• Glue, photo sticker squares, or double sided tape
• pencil
• paper cutter or scissors

What's Inside:

For Mom...

• 3 pairs colorful socks (you could also do slipper socks or exfoliating gloves)
• nail polish
• good smelling foot scrub
• soothing foot lotion
• lip gloss (shimmery!)
• lip balm
• buttermilk bath soak
• pummice stone

For Baby...

• 4 washcloths
• baby comb
• baby bath wash/shampoo
• baby oil
• baby lotion
• 3 pairs cute baby socks
• baby buttermilk bath soak
• diaper ointment

The Ry Guy Report: 3 Months

Smiley little guy!

Weight  15 lbs

Length 24 inches

Milestones

• Bats at and touches toys dangled above his head... his favorite is the blue monkey that came with his vibrating infant seat (thanks, Grandma and Poppa!). 
• Holds his head up without support.
• Follows people with his eyes (and turns his head to watch them). 
• Knows when Mom is (or isn't) nearby.

Likes to play with Daddy.

Dislikes wet diapers and being away from Mom.

The Quotable Ry Guy  [Giggle], hummmm (makes humming noises when he's eating or happy).

30 Before 30 Update: August 2013 Edition

Looking for something to read?  Here's my latest reads and recommendations.  Once we get settled into our new place, I'll be able to get back into checking some more things off my 30 Before 30 list.

Anyhoo!

The Widow of Larkspur Inn by Lawana Blackwell.  This was a re-read for me, but I enjoyed it just as much the 2nd time around as I did when I originally read it in college.  I love historical fiction!  Blackwell crafts a great story about betrayal, love, loss and even a little intrigue.  The story sucked me in and I felt like I grew along with the characters.  Highly recommend this one!

The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears. I learned so much by reading this book.  I'm big on doing my research...I've found that some physicians tend to give you the "party line" and expect you to just accept what they say without doing your research.  I believe that the doctor-patient relationship should be 2-way; you're working together to find the best solution for the your (or your family's) health and well being.  And I DON'T think that the best solution for my family's health and well being always comes from a prescription bottle or CDC mandate.  Mainstream medicine has its place, but so does alternative medicine, homeopathic medicine, herbal remedies and chiropractic care. 

What I like about this book is that Dr. Sears has his opinion about the CDC recommendations (ahem, more like "regulations" according to some pediatricians, as I'm finding out) for children's vaccinations and feels it's important for parents to be well informed about the vaccines. In the first part of the book, he details each vaccine - the disease, the ingredients in the vaccine, possible side effects, how it's manufactured, and how it's administered.  He also includes how rare and how serious each disease is.  The end of the book contains research studies and articles about vaccine reactions and controversies.  Dr. Sears includes his alternate vaccine schedule at the very end of the book.  Again, VALUABLE information for parents.  I had no idea how many controversial ingredients were in most of the vaccines - monkey brains? Aborted fetal tissue? Formaldehyde? Mercury? Aluminum?  Yep, all this stuff and more. M and I are trying to make the best decision we can on vaccines for Ry Guy and this book has been a huge help. Definitely recommend this book to parents.

Spread The Love

Hey everyone!  It's been a crazy month of transition for us as we packed up and moved cross country. By the way, 4 days in a car with an infant is not the world's best remedy for stress or nerve issues... needless to say, all 3 of us were relieved to reach our destination.

And the transition continues as we move (again) in the near future from my parent's house to our townhouse - lease starts September 1. Fingers crossed that our landlady will give us permission to paint some of the rooms, to make it a little more "ours".

In the mean time, I wanted to let you all know about some big news in the lives of a few friends...

Daphne and I were friends in high school - she, her sister and I had some fun times together.  Along the way, we lost touch, although we've kept an eye on each other via facebook, pinterest, etc.  I was so proud and excited to see her story featured in Skin Deep Exposures magazine (starting on page 30).  As a cancer survivor, amputee, and competitive runner, Daphne has an incredible attitude and testimony.  Check out her story here!

Not too long after we moved, I happened across a brand new blog from my former co-workers.  They've begun the process of adopting a child and have started the blog to document their journey and raise funds.  As  you may know, a private adoption is an expensive, albeit rewarding, venture.  Shawn is a talented artist and designer and they've come up with these cute t-shirts to raise money for their adoption fund.  I bought a green one!  I'd encourage you to spread the word about the adoption and fundraisers so Shawn and Amanda can bring a little one home soon.  And of course, keep them in prayer as they look forward to expanding their family.   If you're interested in purchasing a t-shirt, you can do so here.  They're $15 each.

I feel a little disjointed right now since I haven't really had a way to upload photos... and I'm way behind on posts, but I hope to publish a whole slew of catch up posts as soon as we're in our new place and the computer is set up.  Bear with me!

Until we "meet" again, much love to you, readers. And thank you for your love and support during this transitional time.  Ciao!

Banana Blueberry Crumb Loaf

Once upon a time, Mr. Banana met Miss Blueberry.  They decided they would be far better together than apart, so they decided to get married and live happily ever after. And so they did.

How's that for a love story?

The Ry Guy Report: 2 Months

Weight 11.5 lbs

Length 23.5 inches

Milestones Smiles (July 27!) and coos. Blows bubbles. Recognizes mom and dad.

Likes  To "fly" (being held on his tummy over your forearm while you walk around.  And don't even think about sitting down - nay, nay!).

Dislikes  Sleeping. Still.

The Quotable Ry Guy  "Gurgle, coo..."

tummy time is so tiring!