Apple Picking!

Sunday was a beautiful and warm fall day here in Vermont.  So after church and lunch, we packed up in the car and headed to Shelburne Orchards to pick apples.

We went to Shelburne Orchards last year when my parents and sister came.  It is a great orchard, that also has fresh apple cider, cider doughnuts, and homemade apple pie, straight from a wood burning oven!  This year, we just got apples and cider doughnuts.

After we hit up the orchard, we headed back into Shelburne, a small town just south of Burlington.  It looks so cute, and I have always wanted to walk around and explore.  They had some really cute shops, including the cutest toy store ever and a country store (I am a sucker for country stores!  And this one had homemade fudge for sale--which of course we bought!).

I am trying to get better about actually being in pictures with Jack.  I know I will want them later on, even if I don't enjoy taking the pictures now!  So since my hair was already straightened from church, I thought Sunday would be a good day for some pictures.  Here we are next to some honeycrisp trees.

 Bech had so much fun getting Jack to hold the apple.  I don't think Jack had much fun, though.  (And thanks, Sarah, for the cute smocked outfit!  We got it this week!  You'll be getting an actual thank you note, too!)

The view in the orchards.  The leaves are just beginning to change.  And the mountains in the distance are the Adirondacks in New York.

A family picture

Possible Christmas card?  Except Jack is not smiling :(

We had a wonderful day!  We plan on picking apples at least one more day this fall.  And I also want to head out to Danville, VT, for one of the world's largest corn mazes. 

I've got to enjoy all of the fall I can before winter comes!!!

Jack laughing...

If you're friends with me on facebook, you may have already seen this.  

But if not...enjoy!

3 months!

Yesterday Jack turned 3 months!  I cannot believe he is already so old!

I am not sure how much he weighs now.  Last time he was weighed was at 9 weeks (and now he's 13 weeks old).  He weighed 14 lbs 7 oz, so there is no telling how much our little chunk weighs now!  We have a doctors appointment next week, so I am excited to hear his weight.

He eats every 3 hours, except for at night.  And because of daycare, I actually know how much he eats--about 4 1/2 oz each time.  He takes a bottle really well.  At night, he eats at 7, is in bed by 8, has a dream feed about 10:45, and usually doesn't eat again until 7 a.m.!  The past few nights he has woken up fussing a few times during the night, but calms back down really quickly.

He is in size 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers.  

This week, he started laughing, and we LOVE it.  He has been talking and cooing for a couple of weeks now.

 He has even started to roll over!  He usually only can go halfway and then he gets stuck.  He has figured out how to use his hands.  He loves to suck on his fingers and to play with the toys on his play mat.

He still is such a sweet and easy baby.  There are days that go by where I hear him cry maybe once (and usually only cause he woke up from a nap!).  I am so thankful that he is such a good baby--it makes my crazy schedule a little easier.  Of course, I do know this means I am probably due for a colic-y baby next time around! (I was a second child and had colic!)

Likes: Playmat, baths, being tickled, talking

Dislikes:  not much...maybe when he breaks out his swaddle in the middle of the night!

And so you can see how much he has changed:

(I remember when we thought he was a chunk at 1 month...boy, were we wrong!)

We love our little 3 month old!

Cloth Diaper Update...

Okay, here is another post you might want to skip (unless you are interested in CDing)!  

When I was trying to figure out the logistics of cloth diapering and what all we would need, I scoured mom blogs, searching for any posts they had done on cloth diapering!  So on the off chance that someone reading my blog is interested in cloth diapering, I thought I would share what we do and how its working out so far with us.

First of all, the stash:

We have 14 FuzziBunz.  They are All in Ones pocket and one size.  These diapers will fit Jack until he is potty trained.  The perk about these diapers:  there is elastic around the legs and the waist that can be sized.  So basically, you can get them to fit perfectly.  Since they are AIO's with a pocket, there is no fooling around with a prefold and snaps or pins (think old school diapers).  You put the diaper on and snap it closed, just like you would a disposable.  Which means its easy enough for a babysitter or daycare...or, let's be honest, a dad!

We have 10 bumgenius (7 are from the artist series).  Again, these are one size AIO's with a pocket.  These are sized with front snaps.  But I actually like these better than the fuzzibunz.  They are less bulky (which I know will change the bigger Jack gets), and the artist series is so cute!  Again, super easy to use.

We put on the diapers just like normal.  When we change a diaper, we pull out the insert and throw both parts in the wet bag.  This is the wet bag that we keep in Jack's room.  We just hang it on his changing table until its time to wash.  So far smell has not been an issue.  At the daycare, they just throw his diapers in a pail we bring, and then I pull out the inserts at home.  We also use cloth wipes and we just toss those in there as well!  

The wet bag is great, because it gets washed along with the diapers.  See how there's a zipper on the bottom?  You just unzip and dump all of the diapers into the wash, then throw the bag in, too!

 Here's our travel wet bag.  We keep this in the diaper bag.  It can hold about two dirty diapers.  Again, it gets washed with the diapers.

Okay, here is the only sort of hard part (I actually don't find it that hard)--the washing!  I put the diapers in the wash and run it once without detergent on cold.  Then I add detergent (but a small amount).  We use Rockin' Green.  It's cloth diaper and baby friendly!  Then I run it through again on hot. Then I either hang it all up to dry, or I grab out the diapers and wet bags (they can't be dried) and machine dry the inserts and the wipes.

A couple of notes about the washing:

* Jack is exclusively breastfed, so his poop is all water soluble.  So it can all go through the wash.  In a few months when he starts eating solids, we will need to dump out the poop into the toilet.  We have an attachment that will spray the diapers to get everything off.

* We don't have a washer and dryer, so I have to use the laundromat in the housing area we live in.  That's the only part that isn't easy.  If we had a washer and dryer in our house, cloth diapering would be ridiculously easy.  I mean, honestly, if you have a washer and dryer, you are crazy to not at least try!  It doesn't take much time and is so much cheaper!

* After the first run through in the washer, you can throw some extra clothes in.  I usually throw whatever is in Jack's dirty clothes into the washer at that point.

* If there are any stains left on the diapers, drying them in the sun will take them right out.  Literally, it happens in minutes.  It's amazing.

Here are my diapers hanging up to dry!

Here are the inserts, ready to be stuffed.

Once the diapers are dry, I stuff the inserts in.

And, voila!  Ready to go!

So far, this system is working great for us!  

The only negative: Diaper rash!  Jack keeps getting bad rashes.  I have cloth diaper safe rash cream, but it doesn't clear it up very quickly.  I think part of the rash is due to his sleeping all night.  When he is in the same diaper all night, he has that wetness on his skin for almost 12 hours straight!  The past few nights, we have been putting him in a disposable and lathering him up with Boudreauxs butt paste (which is definitely not cloth diaper safe!).  It seems to be helping.  Anyone else had this problem?  Any tips or advice?

Anyway, that's how we cloth diaper around here.  I am certainly not an expert.  I emailed friends and read lots of blogs!  I also read a ton online about what all of the different kinds and brands of diapers are.  I love my choices.  

And I love Jack in his cute cloth diapers!

Happy Anniversary!

4 years ago today, Bech and I got married!

I loved my wedding (it was perfect--thank you, Mom and Dad!).

But I love my groom even more.  I could not ask for a sweeter husband.  I have loved seeing him be a dad as well!

"Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties

And one day passed away in his sleep.

And his wife, she stayed for a couple of days,

And passed away.

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you 

That I know

That I am the luckiest."

"If it's half as good as the half we've known,

here's Hail! to the rest of the road!"

Bollywood Night!

I am so thankful that God created other cultures!  Bech and I live at (and actually work for) Apartment and Family Housing at UVM.  There are tons of internationals that live at AFH as well, and we LOVE getting to interact and know these students.

This past Saturday night, Bech and another CA (Community Aid--what we are) put on a Bollywood night, with the help of two Indian students.  We had a wonderful time.

This is the poster Bech created for the event.  I was very impressed!

Bhel Puri--a traditional Indian snack we served.

Bech and the students made Masala chai.  I didn't get to drink any (because the caffeine might keep Jack up!), but I heard it was really good!

The movie we watched--"Jab We Met."  So good!  I loved it!  And it's actually on Netflix watch instantly right now.  

A picture from the movie.  I think the main actor is super cute.  Seriously, watch this movie.  It was wonderful!

Like I said before, I really am so thankful to God for creating all of these different cultures for us to enjoy and participate in.  And I am thankful that He has placed us in a community with so many internationals.  What a treat (and an opportunity)!

Random...

Today is the end of a very long and exhausting week.  So here is a list of all of the random things floating around in my head:

1.  It has started to get chilly here.  Which is fun, because it's fall.  Which is not fun, because that means it's almost winter.  And let me just tell y'all, winter is not fun.  It is cold and long.  The snow is fun for like a couple of weeks.  Then, no more fun.

2.  I need to just try to enjoy the fall, though.  Because I LOVE fall.  And New England falls are absolutely gorgeous.

3.  Josh and Mary Elizabeth (Bech's brother and his wife) are coming to spend a long weekend with us at the end of  September.  We will get to do lots of fun fall things then.  I'm thinking dinner on Church Street, apple picking at Shelburne Orchards, maybe a drive down Smugglers Notch to Stowe (and of course, lunch at Frida's!).

4.  Next Thursday is Bech and my 4 year anniversary.  We usually go out to eat to celebrate, but we aren't really sure what we are going to do this year.  We could get a babysitter and go out, but I'm not really too crazy about that idea.  I know I leave Jack at daycare 3 days a week, but I still am not sure about leaving him again.  We could take him out with us, which is totally doable (we've done that a few times), but that will change where we eat (just so it's more baby friendly).  Maybe Tiny Thai?  I always love that.

5.  On the Baby Jack note, we had some rough sleeping days this past week.  Thursday and Friday night he slept from 8 or 8:30 until 7 a.m. (well we gave him the dream feed at 11, but he sleeps through that).  But then he was back to waking up at least once at night (this time it was more like 5:15).  I tried to figure out if I had done anything different, and I realized that I had--caffeine!  Each of those days, I had at least a cup of coffee.  So I am back off of the caffeine (which I don't normally drink, but I have been so tired lately!).  And last night, Jack didn't wake up once.

I am so thankful that he is sleeping well, and I don't want to do anything that upsets his stomach or anything like that.  But I really miss caffeine.  Last year, I didn't drink very much while I was pregnant, and now this year I won't be either!

6.  Alright, that's about it.  I better get back to my Greek translation! 

Have a wonderful Friday!

During Hurricane Irene last week, we had a few neighbors over to play Seafarers of Catan (just the Settlers board with ships and pirates added).  Bech had the brilliant idea to take a picture of the board each time one of us added a piece to create a stop motion animation movie (same idea as claymation).  

This video was thus created...

Seafarers from Bech Evans on Vimeo.

Babywise Update and New Pictures!

This is one of those post that I don't think most people will find that interesting.  But I do want to document it for both myself and anyone who is doing Babywise.

Our schedule hasn't changed too much since I last posted about it.  The main difference is that we have stopped the cluster feed at night.  So now Jack eats at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m.  We then put him to bed around 8 or a little after that.  He gets his "dreamfeed" at 10:45 or 11:00.

He then usually wakes up once at night to eat.  After we got back from Mississippi, he was consistently waking up around 4 or 4:30.  Then last Thursday and Friday night he slept all through the night!  Can I just tell you, it was glorious!  Seriously, amazing!  But the past few days he has woken up at 5:15.  

I am totally torn.  I have been feeding him, but just less (cause I want him to still eat well at 7 a.m.).  And he isn't starving at 5 a.m. or anything.  But now I know that he can go the whole night and be fine.

Anyone reading this do Babywise and have this issue?  He is only 10 weeks, so I don't necessarily want to make him cry it out for a day or two to break him of the habit.  I think I may just keep feeding him a little at 5:30 (so he'll go back to bed), and see if he'll drop this middle of the night feed on his own!

And, as you can see below, this boy is not hurting for food!

He's figured out his hands, and I love to see him grasp them together!

Look at those arm rolls!

And those tummy roles!  He is one chunky baby!!!

There's a feeling in the air...

It's finally here...football season!  Now to be honest, I don't get too into football.  I suppose I do, when compared with people up here.  Mostly I just love the grove and the whole experience.

But both Bech and I graduated from Ole Miss, and my whole family (well except for Katy who is all about her Auburn tigers) loves Ole Miss.  So Jack really has no choice in who he will cheer for!

Dressed up, ready for opening Saturday of football season!

Hotty Toddy, Y'all!  

Back to school...!

School has started back up again, which means Jack had his first day of daycare!

It actually was not horrible.  I cried that morning when we dropped him off, I missed him throughout the day, and I was so eager to pick him up at 5.  But the day went pretty smoothly.

Jack did really well at daycare.  He stuck to his schedule and napped fairly well.  He seemed a little overwhelmed and overstimulated when we picked him up.  I am not surprised by that--there is just a lot more going on there than when it's just the two of us at home!

(Don't read the next paragraph if breastfeeding weirds you out!)

I was worried about pumping--where I would pump, when I would pump, if it would go smoothly.  And everything went really well.  There is a professor who is on sabbatical who's office I am able to use twice a day (and right about when Jack eats which is great!), and a nursing room in the student center I am able to use while I am working at the library.  And UVM has specific laws that protect me as a nursing mother.  Of course, that was only the first day, so we'll just have to wait and see how it all goes.  I really want to be able to nurse Jack for at least 6 months and ideally a whole year.  So I am going to be trying really hard to make sure this all works!  At least I am home with him Tuesday and Thursday.  I can't imagine doing this 5 days a week!

Okay, breastfeeding paragraph is over!  This semester is going to be hard but good.  I am taking 9 hours.  One class is thesis research, which will be enjoyable.  I am also taking Latin composition and Greek tragedy.  Right now in Greek, we are translating Euripides' Cyclops.  Latin composition is mostly learning the rules of Latin (in a much deeper level than what you learn in basic Latin) as well as writing in Latin.  I have two professors that I have yet to have before.  While I miss my professors from the last two semesters, it is always fun to experience different teaching styles.

I can tell I am going to be super busy.  Already I have been working on homework for half of the day.  But I did manage to take a break to visit the Champlain Valley fair!

Alright, that's all I have for today...I'll close with some recent pictures of my very cute, very fat baby!

Love that smile!  You can see how red his hair is in this picture.

So serious!

He has almost outgrown this outfit and I am so sad.  Maybe I'll have to name a future son with the same initials just so I can use it again!

Baby feet!

His sweet hands.