You're Still A Good Mom

This post is for all the mothers who have ever doubted themselves.







Motherhood.  One of the greatest blessings and also one of the biggest heartaches.





As moms, we constantly struggle with the multiple choices we have to make daily. We tend to over analyze every detail when it comes to our children. It's normal. I don't know any mom who doesn't want the very best for their children.





Last month, our family welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world. Trying to adjust to life with a newborn again has been interesting (to say the least)! Sleep is a thing of the past, and my toddler reminds me of that daily! Coffee is my best friend again! The joys of a newborn also bring about multiple choices that have to be made. Of course, lets make all sorts of decisions when we are doing our best to get two or three hours of sleep. (That sure makes a lot of sense!)





Over the past few weeks, our baby girl has had some struggles with feeding. To make a long story short, because I had a repeat cesarean my milk took longer to come in than normal. Baby C started out doing great, but ultimately lost more weight than is considered in the "safe" zone. Our doctor informed us that formula feeding our daughter was necessary for her to gain back the weight she had lost. As a mother, this broke my heart. I could tell that she was still hungry after I tried to nurse her. I tried to keep a positive attitude during our nursing sessions. I didn't want to have a major meltdown and risk it keeping my milk from coming in. Then, once my milk finally came in, we noticed that C had a horrible reflux issue along with latching issues (so I switched to exclusively pumping). Every feeding was shortly followed by multiple projectile pukings. It got so bad, we were terrified to lay her on her back to sleep because we feared that she would aspirate during the middle of the night. We then switched her back to a sensitive formula and have yet to have any problems with her.







I'm sharing this with you, to make my point. I'm still a good mom and so are you! My story may not be the same as yours, but there is always something that makes us question whether or not we are a good parent.







During the past few weeks, I have mentally struggled with the choice to quit pumping and switch Baby C to formula full time. I say that I struggled, because I felt like my child resented me. She would cry nonstop every time I held her. Nothing I did helped. I felt useless. I questioned why I was this child's mother if everything I did was wrong. I have talked to several other mothers (formula and breastfeeding moms) about their choices with their children and why they chose what they did. I have prayed and asked God for guidance on what to do. Ultimately, I found myself coming back to the same thought. "I'm failing as a mother if I choose to formula feed vs giving her breastmilk."




THIS IS NOT TRUE!



I have basically had to re-program my brain to tell myself this every morning. I'm still a good mom! A fed baby (and sane mother) are what is best!




I want to help bring awareness to the countless amounts of mom shaming that happens daily. It is so easy to shame others for making choices that are different that the ones we make. Social media makes this very easy. Any given week, I can probably find one or two mom friends of mine who post something about how people who use disposable diapers are "lazy", or formula feeding is the "easy way out". However, we are all in different seasons of life. The mom that lives down the street who cloth diapers her first baby is no better than the mom who has 2 small children and used disposables on her baby. Also, the mom who formula feeds her child is just as equal as the mom who breastfed all of her kids until they were 2. Everyone has reasons for making the choices they make. Sometimes we forget that choices are not simple to make. I should also state that I include myself in this. Before I became a mother, I was super quick to pass judgement on mothers who chose formula over breastfeeding, not realizing that sometimes it isn't a choice that is easy to make. You never know what that mother has endured to make the choices she did. The mom you are shaming for using formula may have struggled to produce breastmilk, even with the help of prescription medication. My daughter struggled with breastmilk and it was best for her to switch to formula, but my son had breastmilk until he was a year old. It still breaks my heart that I wasn't able to have the same breastfeeding relationship with her as I had with my son. A family member made a comment a few days ago while having a conversation with my child and I, "We tried to starve you the first few days, but now you're eating so good!" This person had no clue that what they said was so offensive. The choice to personally give up breastfeeding/pumping and switch to formula was not an easy one.






So for all the moms out there, You're still a good mom! Keep your head up and know that you've got this!!





Essentially,

Andrea

Delicious Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes

Trying new foods is something I have always loved to do. When I first saw a version of this recipe, I was super excited to try it out asap! This is a great mix up with two staples in our household. After making this yummy meal several times, I finally tweaked my recipe enough to finally post it. This meal will have everyone drooling over dinner! 

Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes 

Makes 6 servings

Total time to make: 1.5 hours

What you need:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 2 breasts)

3 medium sweet potatoes

1/4 cup EV olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (I used 1 drop of Lime essential oil too)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

2 cups (1/2 of 10oz bag) baby spinach

5 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded (you can also use a sharp or mild cheddar)

salt & pepper, to taste

chopped cilantro, for garnish

7 oz. non-fat plain Greek yogurt, for serving

*Optional* (I do NOT add this just to please everyone in my house)

3 whole chipotle peppers, minced

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350° 
2. Wash your sweet potatoes and poke with a fork all over. Place in oven for 50-60 minutes (depending on size of potatoes) or until tender.
3. Place chicken in an oven safe dish and coat with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt & pepper as desired. Put in oven with potatoes and bake for 25 minutes.
4. Once chicken has cooled, shred with a fork, set aside and keep warm.
5. After sweet potatoes are cooked, cut in half and let cool for 6-8 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, set aside. *If using peppers, add them here*
7. Next, heat a skillet to medium heat and wilt the spinach. Once wilted, mix spinach with shredded chicken. Set aside and keep warm.
8. Turn oven up to 400°. Scoop potato out of the peel (leaving just enough to ensure it stands on its own) and place skins on a baking sheet. Brush the skins with the spicy sauce and bake for 5-10 minutes checking occasionally for crispy skins.
9. Meanwhile, mix the chicken and spinach mixture with the remaining spicy sauce and 1/2 of the sweet potato insides. Mix thoroughly.
10. Remove skins from oven and stuff with potato & chicken mixture. Top with shredded cheese. 
11. Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and Greek yogurt, if desired.

Y'all! This meal is perfect if you're looking to add something new to your chicken meals. To make this more kid friendly, I reserve just a little bit of the shredded chicken and spinach mixture before adding the spicy sauce. Take that and mix with some of the remaining sweet potato mixture. My son loves this meal! Depending on how sweet the potato tastes, I might add just a pinch of honey Greek yogurt to give just a little bit of flavor. We love the Greek Gods brand. This will sweeten the potato without having to add brown sugar. Keep in mind what your own children eat. If you know they won't eat Greek yogurt, then I would just add brown sugar. 

I hope your family enjoys this meal as much as ours! Please let me know if you make it and how it turns out!! :)

Essentially,

Andrea 

Food For Days

Over the past few weeks I have been sharing my new love of food with those who follow me on social media. Several of you have asked for recipes I am using and if I was following a meal plan. I do plan to start sharing my recipes. But I wanted to start with what program I'm using. First let me start by saying that I LOVE FOOD. I have no fear when it comes to food and will always try something new if I am afforded the opportunity! I can sit down with a whole container of freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter and a stack of honeycrisp apples and empty the whole container of peanut butter without feeling an ounce of guilt! Second, I have been trying to eat cleaner. It is (almost) always my goal, but an occasional trip back to East Tennessee makes me weak at the knees, or maybe it's the eyes and belly!


For those who know the East TN area, Pal's Sudden Service is a small fast food chain that has the best frenchie fries in all of fast food! Oh, and their sweet tea or even half and half is like tasting a sip of heaven in a cup. Add some Razzie or Peachy flavor and you've just created perfection! I probably gain 5 pounds every trip I make home just because of this place! Plus the fact that they built one in my hometown does not help the addiction! Okay, getting back on track.

I have been following the 21 Day Fix program by Beachbody. It is a great exercise and eating program that gives you seven 30 minute workouts, one for each day. Then you repeat them each week for 21 days. The eating part of the program is vital-and the hardest in my opinion! It teaches you how to have healthy portions of all food groups based on your needs of gaining or losing weight. In my case, I'm not necessarily wanting to lose weight as much as I am needing to tone my muscles. Regardless of the results you want to achieve, there is a portion control container system that helps you measure out your foods. I will admit that I was quite confused and intimidated by this container system at first! Once you figure out how it works, you can make a meal without them in your head!

Below is what my container system looks like. Red=Protein, Purple=Fruits, Green=Veggies, Yellow=Carbs, Blue=Healthy Fats, and Orange=Seeds & Dressings. 

Most of my recipes follow this meal plan structure, but don't feel like this is something you have to do. I use it to help keep myself in line with what my current fitness goals are.  And right now, my fitness goal is "Fit In This Dress for Military Ball!" My husband's unit is having their Military Ball next month, and I want to rock my dress! If you don't want to follow the structure you can still eat these meals without measuring the portions. These recipes are fairly simple to make. Nothing too complex and time consuming, I promise! Cause ain't nobody got time for that! (Insert cheesy laugh).







Here are just a few of my favorite recipes that I've incorporated into my routine. I can admit that I am the world's worst at finding a recipe I like and running it into the ground. When we came back to Texas a few months ago, I made it a goal to not repeat meals over and over. Since then, I have forced myself to venture out and find new recipes and experiment to find new ways to cook foods. If you're unsure of where to get started, then try Pinterest. You can always find plenty of new food recipes there and also Google it! My mother, a nurse, has always told me that if I didn't know how to do something or what something is to look it up. It helps you to learn something you didn't know! I will start with a specific food and search for recipes with this food and go from there. Once I get all the recipes written down and ready, I will be sure to post them!

Essentially,

Andrea

Guarding Your Heart

It took a lot of courage to write this post, but it has been on my mind a lot. Hopefully someone out there can benefit from reading this.






While I was back home getting my undergraduate degree, I was working at the local hospital in the Transport department. I've never had an interest in anything related to the medical field. Having a mother as a nurse, I told myself I did NOT want to do that. However, I found myself very curious about the heart and wanting to know about all the various tests, why they were needed, different  medications and all sorts of things! I would ask nurses, techs, and even doctors questions if one was floating around in my mind. What harm was it going to do? I was very intrigued! With this new found interest, I began praying and asking God to show me His will for my life.






Years ago a previous boss had told me, "Andrea, you would make a great Physician's Assistant." Several other people during my time at the hospital made comments like, "Oh you are so caring and compassionate, you would make such a great nurse!" or  "Why aren't you going into nursing? You should really look into it! Not everyone can be a nurse, but you could!". The most common one was, "What year of nursing school are you in?" At the time I thought these people were crazy! I was a Business Management major, not even anything related to the medical field.  But as I opened up my eyes, ears, and eventually my heart, I realized that God was pointing me in this direction and saying, "Hello, this is what I am calling you to do!"

So as I continue to take the next step in following His will, I have started looking into a couple of medical schools, taking the MCAT, admission requirements, and just trying to process the thought of potentially going back to school. Debating on whether or not I want to transition from the Army Spouse side of life to the Army Officer side and potentially become a dual military family. Trusting God with the whole process and letting things happen in His time and not my own is where I struggle the most. 

Then, I couldn't help but smile when our pastor started to reference the heart recently one Sunday morning in church. His message was talking about the things that we should keep guarded. The first and probably most important (in my opinion) is the heart, followed by the ears, eyes and our direction. What he said about guarding our hearts was spot on. He had referenced Proverbs 4:23 as the verse that God tells us to guard our hearts. "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)








We should pay special attention to what and whom we let into our lives and in particularly our hearts. What goes into the body, must come out. That is science. In one way or another, it'll come out! If garbage is all that is going into your body, then that is all that will come out. The people we hang out with begin to "rub off" onto us. Then we will turn around and reciprocate those behaviors and actions onto others we are around. I never realized until I was older, just how true this statement is. Occasionally, my parents used to tell me when I was younger, "You need to lose the attitude, Andrea! You're starting to act like (insert friend's name)." My attitude would change based on the friends I was hanging around. HA! After all this time I just thought my parents were crazy! Now that I have a small toddler that mimics everything I say and do, it has really started to sink in. The music we listen to, the television shows we watch, the food we eat, all of these are inputs that affect how we act and who we are. If you are constantly watching and listening to music and shows that are negative and depressing, then obviously you are not going to have a very positive outlook on life. It doesn't seem like much, but we must carefully choose what we let in.







After the sermon I just had to share with the pastor a recent painting I had finished. It was my first piece and it tied perfectly with his sermon. I had searched multiple verses in the Bible that I wanted to go with this painting, and ultimately had chosen Proverbs 4:23. I showed him the painting and he said, "I think its very clear that God wants you to guard your heart right now." Those words hit me like a ton of bricks!

Here is a photo of my painting. I'm calling it "Shielded Heart".

Over the past few years, I had not been guarding my heart. I had let people into my life (and ultimately my heart) that should not have been there. My heart had been broken and disappointed by many people in my life. I had kept people in my life that were pulling me down as opposed to building me up. I also couldn't let go of some people that, for various reasons, had little to no respect for me and didn't see the value I brought into this world. This led to a broken and callused heart that gave me a poor outlook on life. I have always been that friend that listened to other people's problems but when the roles are reversed it seemed like no one was there to listen when I needed a listening ear. I finally found someone to listen. We could literally sit and talk for hours on end and not think twice about it. Enjoying coffee, which is always a bonus in my book, and talking about everything! Laughing about our children and daily adventures in parenthood. My heart was so happy and full to have connected in a way that it never had before. My mind, on the other hand, kept telling me that I needed to get out of this friendship. I hated to say goodbye because I felt like I had value when I was around my friend. My friend enjoyed me for who I was, without having to pretend to be someone I wasn't. Sadly, it was not a healthy friendship and eventually led to a lot of heart ache. And still does occasionally. I could not see that I had opened my heart to someone who did not deserve it!







As I focus my life on what God's will is, I want to do so with a guarded heart. Picking carefully whom I let into my life. Both men and women. As a military spouse, this is extremely hard. We move so often that sometimes its so nice to finally make friends with a neighbor or hang out with someone from the same state as you. But this is not always what's best. Keeping a guarded heart is vital in maintaining a healthy Christian life. I must also guard my eyes and ears to better guard my heart.





Ladies, I want to tell you from experience, do not give your hearts to just anyone. This goes for female friends and also to the men in your lives. If they are not a positive influence in your life and pushing you to be the best version of yourself, then maybe you need to evaluate why they are in your life. Remember, what goes in must come out. The friends you choose can and will play a vital role in your life. Choose wisely!! As for the men in our lives, there are some very high standards that you should want to look for. Am I saying that they need to be perfect? No! No one is perfect! However, a man should ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS show you the respect you deserve as a human being and as a lady. This is a basic necessity! If this quality is not there, do not think twice about getting out or getting help. There isn't a single reason for you to be in a relationship where you do not feel respected, loved, or safe. Do not let those infamous three little words make you forget everything else about someone and think that everything will be okay. Often times, people say those words and do not even know their meaning! They will use those words to keep you around and satisfy their needs, whatever they may be. I saw a quote floating around social media recently that said, "Do not marry a man unless you would be proud to have a son exactly like him." That is a hard pill to swallow. Especially since I have a son. My husband (or any man in my life, like my father, father-in-law, and even brothers) need to be examples of how to treat a woman. These visual examples will one day reflect how he loves his future wife. Likewise, I must show CJ what kind of Godly qualities to look for in a wife one day. That is a very large responsibility as a spouse and as a parent!




I say all of this to reiterate my point, guard you heart! Choose wisely the people we let into our lives. Choose friends who will better you as a person. Choose friends who will be uplifting and positive even during the tough times. Do not give people the chance to tear you down. Do not be afraid to get out of a friendship. It is never too late! These choices will directly impact other choices we make and have long lasting effects.









Essentially,

Andrea

Diaper Duty

Many of my friends know I cloth diapered my son. Cloth diapering is slowly becoming more mainstream, but some people are completely clueless about what cloth diapers are! I promise you, if you are clueless about them, you are not alone! Just a few years ago, I was one of the clueless women who knew nothing about cloth diapers except for those old school safety pins that I didn't even want to think about putting close to my body-let alone my baby's! I constantly receive phone calls, texts, and messages on social media asking for advice and input on the crunchy cloth diaper debate. I have compiled a list of the top questions I most frequently receive and want to share those with you in light of helping to make cloth diapering more mainstream.

1. What brands should I buy? 

This is a tough one! And in my honest opinion, there is no right or wrong answer. There are several factors that can play into your choices, such as:  budget, choosing to cloth full or part time, how heavy your child urinates, and how you feel about laundry. 

I was slightly obsessed with the pattern choices, so that sometimes played a decision on my brands. For the most part though, I didn't want to have just one brand. CJ was a very heavy wetter so I had to make sure that he had extra absorption at night or we would be changing the sheets constantly! We were blessed to have a brick and mortar store here in town to help me with some of the questions I frequently answer for friends. This was also helpful in picking brands. I was able to see how durable they were and compare the absorption of multiple materials. 

Before I list what brands I have in my stash I must mention that I specifically chose to have a variety so that my husband could see what brands he liked as well. We were both changing diapers, so we both had to like them. For example, we used pre-folds in our stash in the beginning. Once we used them a little while we realized that pre-folds were not really our cup of tea (or coffee in my case!) So we sold our pre-folds and got a few more OS diapers.

Okay, lets get to that list!! Brands I have in my stash and why:

BumGenius AIO- Perfect for dads! Once the diaper is used one time, its time to put on a new one. Simple enough concept for new parents. Material is absorbent enough for daytime use, but I wouldn't use for an overnight diaper. 

Thirsties Pockets-The inserts are super absorbent! CJ outgrew the infant cover quickly but I continued to use the inserts for additional layers in other diapers.

Best Bottoms Hybrids- LOVE these for traveling! Inserts snap in and out very easily and the Hemp inserts are very absorbent! Hook & Loop doesn't get worn easily! 

Sustainablebabyish- These were our go-to night time diapers when we realized CJ was a heavy wetter. I wouldn't go with anything else! Pair these with a Flip or Sweet Pea or Best Bottom cover and you're good! As long as the legs have a double gusset (to prevent leakage!) you'll be safe!

GroVia Hybrids- Another great brand for traveling! Super cute prints too! (Always a plus!!)

Simplex- These diapers are very absorbent and also have an opening at both ends for easy access if needing to add additional absorbency to the diaper! 

Tots Bots-These are the cutest little diapers ever! They only come in Hook & Loop, but I love that the OS diapers come with a flannel insert used for easy removal when baby has a bowel movement. 

Kawaii 

I also have a few WAHM brands that were made for special occasions. Such as CJ's Sock Monkey diapers and ACU print diaper. These can be a hit or miss, but its worth a shot. Support a fellow crunchy mamma and buy her diapers! I happen to find a picture of CJ in his ACU diaper and his Sock Monkey diaper. You can see now why I had to buy them!!

I have also heard great things about Rumparooz, SoftBums, and Fuzzibunz. I just cannot attest to them myself. 

Okay, lets move on. 

2. Do I really need the diaper sprayer or Spray Pal?

Ha! Well, if you enjoy handling bowels on a daily basis, then no. But rinsing diapers out in the tub gets kind of old. Plus, having that nifty Spray Pal to attach the diaper to and then just rinsing and squeezing it out without having to get messy is always a plus in my book. 

All joking aside, we went the first month without them and did just fine. However, it does get quite messy sometimes and I wish we would have invested in them sooner rather than later! You can check them out here!

3. Can I just use my Tide detergent on my diapers?

NO, NO, NO and NO! There are people who do, but they end up having to strip their diapers because of the additives in Tide (and other popular brands). The additives can build up in the diapers and prevent them from absorbing properly. Therefore stripping (removal of the buildup) is required. You may be thinking, "Oh its just buildup!" But let me just warn you! "That buildup" mixed with urine can cause MAJOR irritation on your babies bottom! ZERO FUN, SIR!! Therefore, I ONLY recommend using detergents approved to be safe for cloth diaper usage. I chose to buy several sample packets of Country Save, Rockin' Green, and BumGenius and give them all a try. I eventually went with Country Save because it had no extra stuff added and my husband noticed it got everything really clean! He particularly saw a difference in our towels. He said they were more absorbent and soft! We switched from Purex and exclusively use Country Save now! It has been the greatest choice!! One large container of CS can last us 5-7 months and costs $20. And that is counting all the washing I do with J's ACU's and PT uniforms too! So for a non-military family it could potentially be stretched out even longer! Can you say goodbye grocery store detergent!! 

Any of these brands will be safe for your diapers and I wouldn't use anything else! Better to be safe than sorry! I wouldn't want to ruin my investment! I can't mention detergent without adding that dryer sheets are a NO GO as well! These can cause build up too! I add essential oils to my dryer sheets to create great smelling laundry. Some combos I use are Lavender & Lemon, Citrus Bliss (smells like a dreamcicle!), Wild Orange & Spearmint (probably my favorite!!). Its a great way to have good smelling clothes and reduce the amount of chemicals in your home. (I'll do another post on this shortly!)

4. Did you water bill skyrocket when you started washing diapers?

Honestly, I could not answer that question.We lived on a military instillation where the price of our water was included into our housing allowance. I only washed diapers every other day due to the size of my diaper stash and also to ensure that I had a full laundry load. Even still if you think about it, that is only 3-4 loads more a week. If the water bill is going to skyrocket any, it would be during the prepping of your diapers. For those who don't know, prepping is when you wash your diapers a set amount of times over and over to get the material to reach its maximum absorbency after they are purchased. You do not have to do this if you purchase used (or pre loved) diapers. This is an added bonus for buying used diapers.

5. What is a decent price to spend on a cloth diaper?

On average, you will spend anywhere from $18-$30 on one diaper. The absorbency, brand, and if you buy them new or used will go into the price of your diapers. Just remember that the biggest cost savings with cloth diapers is when you use them with multiple children. You better believe that if I ever have Baby #2, that the stash of cloth diapers will be back! And guess what! They're already prepped and ready to go! If I'm ever blessed with a baby girl, then she is going to rock some awesome dinosaur and monkey diapers! That being said, I chose colors that were somewhat gender neutral, but I do have a few boyish colors. 

6. Can you dry cloth diapers in the dryer?

It depends on the diaper. If you are using inserts that you must stuff into a cover, DO NOT DRY THE COVER! This will melt the PUL material and ruin your cover!! If you can, air dry them. If you are needing the cover due to running out of diapers, try putting it on Extra Low (if your dryer has this setting) or Low for just a few minutes then promptly remove. Any inserts and AIO (all-in-one) diapers may go into the dryer on LOW heat. I repeat.... LOW! Because AIO diapers have the cover on them you don't want to get the PUL too hot! 

Being in Texas, I was lucky enough to air dry my diapers almost year round. I will occasionally stick any hemp/cotton and hemp/bamboo diapers back into the dryer to soften up the material. This reduces the "crunchy" feeling of the diaper. 

7. I heard you cannot use diaper rash creams on cloth diapers. Is this true?

Yes. The use of diaper rash creams is to create a "barrier" between your baby's bottom and the diaper. This helps diaper rash clear up in most cases. Sadly, the barrier causes a barrier on the cloth diaper and will prevent your cloth diapers from absorbing. This causes your diapers to become leaky and not function properly, which means you must strip your diapers. And who has time for that?? Not this Momma! 

There are several name brand diaper rash creams that are safe for using with cloth diapers. Thirsties, GroVia, CJ's and Motherlove just to name a few. Being the crunchy, oily momma I am, I chose to make my own by mixing Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil, Melaleuca Essential Oil, and Lavender Essential Oil and storing it in a small glass jar. It was nifty and convenient since I already had all these supplies on hand. Plus it worked wonders!! I can count on one hand how many times CJ got a rash down there. Each time he had a rash he was cutting teeth, so I'm sure there is a correlation. Want more information about the essential oils I choose then check here! 

8. Did you use disposable wipes?

Yes and no. We had several packs of disposable wipes so we decided to use all of those up first. Then once I realized how easy it would be to whip out my not-so-fancy sewing machine, I decided to make my own! I just used a few of CJ's old receiving blankets (which thankfully were already brown!) and traced out a pattern from a washcloth. From there it was just learning to sew the edges neatly. They were not perfect by any means, but honestly, they were for cleaning up poop explosions! Who cares if they aren't perfect? I kept the cloth wipes folded into a Huggies reusable wipes container since I already had that handy. The next part of using my own wipes meant I needed to find a good wipe solution to either soak the wipes in or keep in a spray bottle. I found a great recipe for a wipe solution and kept it in a spray bottle. This recipe uses the same oils mentioned above, so less I had to buy again! Another score for this Momma!! I kept the sprayer bottle beside my wipes container and was ready for diaper duty. Here is the ingredients used for the wipe solution. 

Hopefully this has helped broaden your knowledge of cloth diapering or maybe even helped finalize that choice of whether or not to cloth diaper you little one! Either way, you will know what is best for your baby. If you have any questions about cloth diapers or any of the cloth diaper accessories, feel free to leave me a comment! I would be more than happy to answer your questions! Let me know what your favorite brands are or even your favorite patterns!! 

Essentially,

Andrea 

Judge Judy

So CJ and I took a trip to Target the other day. I like to take these trips with him to stroll through the aisles while he enjoys his bag of popcorn and slurping on a smoothie(such a good mix, right?) and I get my Starbucks! What better way for both of us to get what we want?




We proceeded toward the back of the store because I'm one of those women that carelessly strolls through literally every aisle of the store 100 times. We are almost through the whole store now, and by this point, I'm asking CJ to count to 10, name his facial features, and other things to keep him entertained. As we make our way down the diaper/wipes aisle, CJ begins to sing the infamous "Let It Go" and "Do You Want To Build a Snowman" from Frozen. After his five minute solo was over, an employee came around the corner chuckling and began to stare to my son. She said "That's odd, I expected that to be a little girl singing." After realizing the look of the disgust on my face, she began the distracting phrase, "He is so cute. How old is he?" Thinking this would calm me down and make me forget about what had just happened. Then the question she had been dying to ask finally came out of her mouth, "Does it bother you that he likes that movie since Frozen is a little girl movie?"




For a moment, I was thrown off by her question. I smiled and told her, "No, it's his favorite movie right now." And we kept going. But the more I got to thinking about her comment, the more the gears were turning in my mind.




Why is it such a big deal that my son is obsessed with Frozen? Am I worried that he will be less of a man if he watches it? NO! His love of sticks, dogs, cars, and all things dirty or sandy give me reassurance in knowing he is ALL BOY! Honestly his obsession with Frozen stems down to the fact that he loves "Snowman" aka Olaf, and the music. That's all he really cares about. I will admit, I let him watch Frozen right after J left for deployment and never imagined he would love it as much as he does.


But for this woman, all she saw was a boy singing "girlie" songs. And since when did we start gender labeling Disney movies? I would rather him watch Frozen a hundred, thousand times than some of the shows that are on television. I won't name any just for the fear of starting an all out war over what is and is not acceptable for children to watch.

That being said, I am seeing something in CJ that I hope never goes away. His love of music. He loves to play the guitar, or "song" as he refers to it and any other instrument that makes noise. An instrument can be anything to him:  sticks, a paper towel roll, a plastic tub, or even pots and pans. But the part that I enjoy the most is his singing. Yeah sometimes it sounds just as bad as any other toddler solo, but the passion behind it is what I love. You can see it all over his face (and even in his hands as they are waving around). Maybe he will be a choir director??



Why should I crush that just because Frozen is a "girl" movie? And for the record, he has many songs in his repertoire. "Let It Go", "Do You Want To Build a Snowman", "Pickup, Pickup, Everybody Pickup", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "Deep and Wide", "Zacchaeus" and many self composed pieces. The love he has for music now could be a seed that grows into a gift of music that is one day used for God's glory. I'm not about to rain on his parade just because someone thinks that Frozen is a movie intended for only girls. Yeah its not normal, but if he's happy then I'm happy. I'd much rather his love of music grow as opposed to his love of drawing! (See photo below.)

The 8 Realities of Deployment

This year we began the journey of our first deployment. J was fortunate enough to skip out on his unit's last deployment for the birth of CJ, so we knew it was just a matter of time before we would be experiencing this. Did it help any? No. Nothing can prepare you for the moment you say goodbye to your spouse and you both part ways. That being said, I wanted to compile a list of 8 things I have realized during this deployment.

#1. I am human.

This seems simple-yet many people seem to have this perception that I can do everything and do it perfectly! Guess what-I CANT! I am one person, just trying to handle the day-to-day issues of parenthood all while keeping my sanity. Thankfully, I have an awesome relationship with a God whom I lean on daily for guidance! He has helped me to realize that this deployment is out of my hands. For those of you who know me, I enjoy knowing the details and having a game plan. I am not ashamed to admit that I am very independent and used to doing things on my own (and doing them my way). Deployment has thrown all of this off key and it has helped me to rely on God more and me less. What a great blessing!!

#2. Going home doesn't always help.

I admit it, I went back home. I wanted help with our almost 2 year old son while finishing my degree. Was this the best idea? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't! I had this magical perception that since we no longer live at home that our families would be thrilled to have us back and be more than willing to help me out with my son. Guess what? They have their daily lives that they are used to living without us. Let me say this before I go any further-I have had help during this deployment and am very grateful for the help! But from the outside looking in, sometimes it is like pulling teeth just to get help. Sometimes the stress of bouncing between 3 different houses in 2 different cities is more hassle than its worth just to save our BAH! (housing allowance for those that are not military). Did I mention packing up an entire house just to move back home? Oh, and in less than a year unpacking it all again!

#3. You will cave in to your child's whining.

I used to see myself as a strict parent. The reigns have somewhat loosened since being back home due to the fact of grandparents spoiling CJ. Not that there is anything wrong with that, don't get me wrong! However, my sanity can only take so much! I admit that I have purchased a toy or given candy while strolling through Target when he really didn't need it, but to shut him up. I take no shame in sacrificing his immediate satisfaction for my occasional sanity! I catch myself doing this more often that I had initially intended. I keep telling myself that I am channeling my husband in an attempt to be the "fun" parent. See picture below.

#4. People will constantly ask about your spouse.

Hearing the phrase, "Have you heard from J today?" gets old. Sometimes just the thought of talking to J makes me want to scream! And people don't understand that. Yes, they are family and it is hard for them too. Just remember that it is slightly harder on the spouse because not only are they trying to keep it together for themselves, they have to try and keep the pieces together for the children too. And guess what? I fail at it every day in some shape or fashion. (Please refer back to #1!)



#5. Something is going to go wrong!

Just accept this as a part of deployment. Better yet, anytime your spouse is gone for training of any sort! Prime example- the first time J was away, our landlord decided to break into our basement and run an extension cord outside the house and use our electricity illegally. This led to threats of lawsuits and calling the cops. All of this happened while I was at the beach with my sister-in-law! Another time, I was involved in a car accident. This time, I have managed to lock myself out of my Jeep-that has the technology to prevent this exact incident from even happening-in my parents' driveway! Thankfully, CJ wasn't in the car when this happened or I would have been busting out the windows! Oh, and last week I was involved in a hit-and-run.  If you go into a deployment with the mindset that there will be some type of "incident", it will not be such a shock when it does happen. I have told my husband that he needs to just stay home, because every time he leaves, the crazies come out!!



#6. The time does NOT fly by.

It never fails. Deployment gets brought up in conversation, and the very next question is "How long has he been gone?" After I respond people begin the lie of how quickly the time must be flying by. No. No. NO! Time is not flying by! Every single day seems to be slowly drawing on. Am I keeping myself as busy as possible to help pass the time. Yes! I'm in my last semester of my undergrad, working a part time job, and keeping my son alive. I think I've maxed out my schedule enough to keep myself more than busy. Does that make the time go by any faster. Not really. Please don't feed me irritating misconceptions about time just to make me feel better.

#7. My husband is jealous.

Believe it or not, but my husband is jealous of me. He is jealous that I get to spend so much time with CJ and he doesn't. Even if I am ready to just stuff him full of candy and let him watch Frozen all day while I just lay on the couch like a zombie. Yes, you read correctly, he is obsessed with "Snowman"-aka Frozen. My husband has been gone almost every major milestone CJ has had. CJ had changed so much since J left. He is super thankful for modern technology and having the ability to FaceTime often to see how he is growing and becoming a smart little man. I take for granted the time I have with my son. I was never thrilled with the thought of being a SAHM to begin with, but also couldn't justify forking over an arm and the name of my unborn child for childcare. CJ was 22 months old before we had been apart more than just overnight. This deployment I ventured to Salt Lake City without him and felt lost. God has shown me (through the deployment) that I am very lucky to be able to stay home with Carson. There are so many working moms that would kill for the chance to do what I do. I picked up the part time job during the deployment to give myself a little space from him. He needs to be around his grandparents and all of his uncles and aunt. Even with the part time job, it has helped show me a little bit of what my husband feels like when CJ screams "Mommy!!" as I''m walking through the door.

My little "Snowman"!

#8 Diets.

WHO CARES! When J first left, I was determined that I would be super skinny by the time he returned. Then, after people watching at Disney this past summer, it occurred to me. I was comparing my body to other women's bodies who may or may not have been through the same things my body had. I am not saying that having a child should be an excuse to be lazy. But I am saying that I do not have to be skinny for my husband to love me and no one else's opinion of my body matters! If I have a little bit of a "baby belly", it is okay! I want to set a good example of what a woman should be for CJ. Starving myself or trying to make my waist look small to impress someone only shows my son that his future wife needs to be like that too. I don't want that for him. I want him to fall in love with a woman for more than her looks. I enjoy knowing that I can eat a bowl of ice cream or indulge on a few bad eating habits and not have to worry about fitting into a size 0. I have managed to lose 5 lbs since J has been gone, and I'm not trying to cut calories or starve myself. I try to watch what I eat, but being in school and working doesn't always make it easy to dine in every night.






These 8 things are just a few of the many realities that one might encounter during a deployment. I'm sure I missed some, but since we are still going through the deployment, maybe this will lead to a part 2 post! Take this time your spouse is gone to find yourself-read a new book series, go to the gym, train for a marathon, or go back to school. Your options are up to you! Have any you want to add? Feel free to comment and let me know!

Boys to Men

Since this is my first post, I thought I would start out by talking about the men in my life. I find that nowadays they are all I talk about. I have the most awesome husband and son IN.THE.WORLD. 

My husband and I have been together for over 7 years and married for 5 of those. We met while I was a Senior in high school and it has been a whirlwind ever since. We have moved probably 10 times, adopted 2 cats and a dog, welcomed our first child, and are continuing to grow and follow God's plan for our family. J has always supported me in any and everything I have possibly wanted out of life. He is the most selfless person I know. J knows me probably better than I know myself! (No joke!!) He is currently halfway around the globe supporting our great nation.

The day I met J.

This April at J's unit's Military Ball.

Then there is my toddler son, CJ. CJ is a perfectly blended combination of his awesome parents. (I may be bragging just a little bit there!) I honestly cannot imagine the life before I had CJ. He has brought so much love and joy to our lives! It is never a dull moment in our home! He has his mother's persuasiveness and temper and his father's good looks and charm. We enjoy watching Paw Patrol and Frozen together, playing outside, and being silly 24/7/365. What more could you ask for?!? 

Our son CJ.

The two together are the most amazing blessing God could bless me with! Are you married and/or a parent? Let me know!! We should always encourage one another as parents and couples! 


Essentially,

Andrea