What's up 11 Months?! {Jack's Take Tuesday}

Hello Everyone,

I am 11 months old today and loving it!  I woke up this morning and I stood a little taller, and puffed my chest out to make me look more manly, and I even changed my own diaper...haha I almost got you there. I can't do it by myself, but I think my Daddy is trying to train me to be more helpful with the process because he tells me to go get a diaper every night before he changes me.  I am no where near motivated to help.  I am perfectly content to let him and Mommy take care of this chore. 

In the past few weeks I have had two top teeth that have popped through my gums.  I like to drive my parents nuts by grinding them on my bottom teeth.  How is a guy supposed to know what to do with these things, I haven't ever had them before.  I am trying to use them more when I eat and hopefully I will get to have everything that's on the big plates at the table.  I know there is a difference, even though they tell me it's the same.  I have even caught my Daddy trying to trick me by putting my food on his plate before he gives it to me, just so I would feel included.  Nice try, Dad.  Mommy gave me some butternut squash the other day and I think she learned her lesson.  This was the result of letting me feed myself a squishy food.

Two days ago, mind you I was not a full 11 months yet, my Mommy gave me the boot from the nursery.  I got moved across the hall and into my big boy room.  It is still a work in progress, but Mommy insists that she will have my room and the nursery done before my sister arrives.  I'm getting used to it, I'm only in there when it's dark and they are making me take a nap or go to sleep, so I guess I like it.

I still love ALL of my animals.  My parents don't seem to know why I like our cat Bo Bo, but he's little and I love him, that's all we need to know...until I show signs of being allergic to him.  Maddie is so sweet and gentle with me and gunner in playful.  

As much as Maddie may love me, she will always love my Daddy more.  

I am having fun growing up!  Next month I get to have cake!  and a party!  Stay tuned.

Here is my Mommy.  She and Sissy are at 24 weeks. 

Until Next Time,

jack jack

The Trusty Shadow Box {Mommy Monday}

I have been turning rooms inside out and rearranging pretty much everything to try to satisfy my nesting needs.  We have painted and flipped rooms and I am beginning to girly up the nursery...nothing too big, Jack is still in there.  But, boy oh boy, as soon as his sheets arrive, he's moving across the hall so I can get all of my rooms finished months before this little gal arrives.  So I figured I would spend the next few Mondays (if I remember to) showing some projects that I have been working on.  

Today, is the good ol' shadow box.  

Everybody has seen them, most of you have them already on your walls.  I personally LOVE them.  I watch for them to go on 50% off at Hobby Lobby and then I cash in.  Unfortunately this also means I have several shadow boxes in the making laying around.  So maybe this post will encourage you to head on over the the big H.L. and pick up one.

Jack's Cowboy Shadowbox

You will need:

   -Memories

   -Backdrop fabric

   -Batting

   -Hot glue gun

   -Straight pins

   -Windex (or any other Glass cleaner)

The first step is to glue your batting onto the back panel of the frame.  The good news is that this does not have to be perfect!  I had leftover batting from when I reupholstered my farm chair, so I would put a scrap here and a scrap there and it works.  It will be covered up.

Next, flip it over and cut off all of the extra batting that is surrounding the panel.

 When you get it trimmed up, this is what the front looks like.

Now for your fabric.  Very similar to an upholstery job, expect leave the staple gun in the drawer.  I glue one side at a time, folding the corners so they look descent.  

If you want to have a fully covered back, you can measure and glue a piece of fabric that covers the whole space.  I personally did not want to use the fabric or take the time to do this since it will be hanging on the wall.

I, obviously, was not at a very good angle when I took this picture, but you see how nice the front, blank canvas is.

 Now for the whole reason you have decided to do this project, your memories.  I am putting Jack's very first Wrangler onesie, a horseshoe from the farm and an extra birth announcement.

If you are doing a piece of clothing, iron it very well.  You don't want to look sloppy.  Then figure out how you want things to lay, such as sleeves, and pin them in place.  It's not like you have 2 inches of batting to pin on, so insert it at an angel and it will hold great.

Then remove that really annoying sticker that they put in the top corner and use your glass cleaner to make it nice and shiny.  Then you have finished artwork and less clutter in your craft space.  

I know that eventually all of these will end up in one place as my children get older.  Most likely it will be our bedroom or if I get that office one day.  An office that suits my photography, sewing, crafting, etc...ahhhh I might just need an addition to the house.

- The Barefoot Mamma

Being 9 & 10 Months Old {Jack's Take Tuesday}

Hello World,

How is everyone doing?  It's been another long month or so since we have spoken and you will not believe all that I have been doing.  Really, it's amazing!


Let me take you back to July 21.  That was the day I turned 9 months old.

This happened while I was at the beach.  

I was becoming a pro at crawling and pulling up.  I was and am working on tons of different kinds of words, but I just don't think people understand me.  

My very mostest favorite food is bread.  I come by it honestly.

Also during this time I earned my very first true shiner.  I bonked my face on the bed and it hurt.

Here are some shots of my new favorite hobby, playing the guitar with my Daddy.  He's really good, but I think I have the star quality.  

And here is another embarrassing photo of my buns.  I am doing my most favorite things being naked, watching a commercial with music, and standing.

Here I am in all my 10 month glory!

I'm big and I'm bad.

I eat lots of food.  I talk.  I clap.  I'm working on taking some steps.  I give the best kisses you have ever seen.

This was taken right after my very first haircut.  My mommy cried after she did it because she said I looked like a big boy and not her little baby.  I have been telling her I am a big boy for months now.  I'm not sure why a hair cut made her sad.

Guess what wonderful thing I found this morning...the wipe box!  You can pull out an unlimited amount of wet wipes!  It was fun until my Mommy found me.

Oh and this is an update of my Mommy and my sister.  This picture is her 20 week marker.  I can't wait for my Sissy to get here.  When Mommy says "Where's Sissy"  I pay her tummy.

Good Intentions {Mommy Monday}

Hello My Dear Ones,

I have taken a hiatus from blogging, mainly because so much has happened that I do not know where to pick back up.  This post has been on my mind for a few weeks now, and I think it is time that I come clean...

While I was pregnant with Jack, I had decided I was going to be a natural, organic, hippie mother...whatever you want to call it, I wanted to parent my baby in a certain way.  I researched and was excited to get started.  However, when life called, I altered my plan of action.  It started with going from a drug-free, natural birth to being taken into surgery for a C-section.

Some women do total natural parenting and I am really so impressed.  I may try again with this baby, but when you find good deals and coupons on items that may not be so good for the earth, but are for your wallet, it is hard to commit.  All of these items are good.  I am not giving a poor rating to anything, just confessing that I didn't abide by all the things I have talked about doing.

Diapering

Ok, this is one subject I was dead-set on doing.  Cloth diapers are so wonderful in my mind.  I love knowing I am doing a favor to the earth and in the long run saving money.  I chose to go with the gDiaper because it had disposable/biodegradable/flushable inserts for when you are on the go.  I use these mainly when I run out of my disposable diapers.  I have heard from other moms that these are not the ones to use for cloth diapering.  I was luck enough to have someone else share their stash with me, so I didn't have to invest, but I am considering the all-in-ones for this next baby.  It's hard because it's a good $200 on the front end.

I get an amazing deal through Amazon mom on these Huggies little sungglers.  They are delivered to my house twice a month.  I take them off Jack and throw them away, never to be seen again.  As much as I love the idea of cloth diapers, I love the ease of the disposable diaper.

Bottles

I have a full set, well used to be full set, of these Evenflo glass bottles.  I loved them because you could boil and wash in the dishwasher without worrying about warping.  What I found out was that those silicone sleeves they sell are very important because several of mine have shattered on the floor.  And that the plastic BPA free ones can also be washed in the dishwasher...and I might have boiled them once.  One more thing to keep in mind is how heavy they are.  It is harder for your child to hold them by themselves.  

I still use my glass ones (what's left of them) at home, but my favorite is the Playtex Drop-in liners.  These are easy to fill with formula and shake up because there is a little extra room and in training your child to hold their own bottle, you can squeeze the air out so the suction allows them to drink without having to tip a big bottle upwards.

Breastfeeding and Formula

I loved nursing.  I LOVED it!  It is so good for your baby and such a sweet time to connect...just the two of you.  I was a nursing mamma on the go.  I learned to do it inconspicuously while in public.  I was fortunate to have a baby that could nurse and be a part of things.  Not every baby sits still or allows mom to stay covered.  Every ones situation is so unique and special in their own way.  

I had planned to breastfeed Jack until he was a year old.  At that time, babies switch to cows milk for their diet.  Well, when he was 6 months old, we found out we were expecting our little Baby Bean.  There are several different schools of thought on this subject, but we chose to ween and focus my body on this next baby.  So I reluctantly made the switch to formula for Jack.  He did so well.  He was a skinny baby...genetics...but it was good for him to get a little meat on his bones thanks to the formula.

 Baby Wash

Chemicals, Chemicals, Chemicals.  They are everywhere.  I read something that scared me to death about what I was going to using to clean my baby!  I was determined to get something natural to do the trick.  I used this Burt's Bees wash.  It really didn't smell that bad, but it didn't smell baby sweet.  And guess what, I was washed in the regular ol' baby wash that was available and I have survived.  

So, we made the switch to my most favorite fabricated baby smell in the entire world!  Baby Magic!  Johnson and Johnson smells so good, but it was a little floral for my masculine baby boy. :)  I love how he smells when he gets out of the bath tub.

Here are a few things I want to recommend to you...no comparison, just good stuff.

Amber Teething Necklace

This is something I was very skeptical of when it arrived.  It is not something Mommy wears, but instead, something baby wears.  I was scared of choking and swallowing beads.  But I can testify, I only allow Jack to wear it while we are watching him.  Each bead is individually tied off and are small enough, that if they were swallowed, it would not block an airway.  

This has been a wonderful tool in the process of growing teeth.  I didn't want to use Baby Orajel

Baby Food on the Go

If you are a regular reader, you know I make a lot of Jack's baby food.  I also made a lot of mistakes in traveling with his baby food.  I have loved being his own little chef, but to take it with us to restaurants or on vacations has been a terrible experience.  These Plum organic baby pouches are one of my most favorite helpers.  I always have one in the diaper bag.  They are good combinations of organic vegetables and are in a pouch that takes up less space than a jar.