Granola. Crunchy. Tree hugger. Natural Parenting. I've always been environmentally conscience, but since becoming a family and having Harrison, I feel like I'm even more-so. Some of it stems from needing to save money since I'm now a stay-at-home mom (SAHM), but it's also because I really do want to reduce my carbon footprint. (Insert Sandra Bullock's line in Miss Congeniality: I really do want world peace)! Some of the decisions we've made so far include cloth diapering and using an amber teething necklace on Harrison to help reduce inflammation with teething, using Hylands teething tablets more often than over-the-counter when things get bad, and, when when we do use OTC medications, we give him the dye-free kind. Also, using environmentally friendly laundry soap (and I will soon be making my own when I run out of Ecos), using distilled white vinegar for almost any cleaning, using bac-out for other cleaning items, and line-drying our clothes in addition to Harrison's diapers. That being said, I'm not a crazy crunchy Mommy, either. I know I have limits and I understand why and that others do, too. For instance, I'm a huge advocate for cloth diapering. It's so easy, saves a ton of money, and is better for the environment by keeping all those nasty disposables out of the landfills. However, when we went to visit my sister in-law in Albuquerque, on our trip to Chicago, and when Harrison gets a bout of diarrhea, he's in disposables. Don't get me wrong here, because it's not that often. I still have the bag of 30 size 4 diapers that I bought for him about three months ago and I think I used one diaper from it. I also have some stashed in my car for "just in case" moments, although I've considered putting some "not as often worn" cloth in there instead.
Anyway, the line drying of clothes really stemmed from the drying of Harrison's diapers. You can dry diapers in a dryer but the best way to care for them is to lay them out in the sun to dry. Occasionally, the inserts of diapers will get stained based on foods eaten and the best, easiest way to get the stain out is to lay it flat in the sun all day. It's better than bleach! In Arizona, we certainly don't have a shortage of sun. So when I became a SAHM, I figured I might as well save money on our electric bill by hanging our laundry on the line, too. I bought a retractable clothes line for $19.99 at Ace Hardware and run it between the posts of our back patio. It's mostly shaded, so putting our clothes on the line also won't bleach them out. I have a separate drying rack I use for cloth diaper inserts which need a little attention. I also bought a plastic rope, for lack of a better term, at Dollar Tree. They have it marketed as a clothes line and, honestly, it works just fine. I tend to need some extra space when I have a bigger load and I run that line about 2 1/2 feet below the retractable one. Perfection!
All of this soap boxing (no pun intended) leads me to my newest absolute disgust. Why are we, as a nation, importing apples or apple concentrate from other countries? To read about that rant, see my next post...
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Let's try this again
I'm going to give this blog thing another go. Since Harrsion is already 14 months old, it's probably easier for me to just start from now and get you all caught up.
First and foremost, I am blessed everyday to be able to spend my life with the most amazing man I've ever known, Brian. He is the Daddy I never had. His face lights up every morning when Harrison first stirs and it stays that way all day long. He also has given me the one thing I always wanted: to be a stay-at-home Mom. My last day at USAA was March 1st and I have no regrets. Money is tight, but we make it work. We've cut back on just about every expense imaginable. When I look now at how much money we've cut from our budget, I think if we had made these changes sooner we may be in an even better financial situation. But, you live, you learn.
I've never seen a happier little boy than Harrison. He is the epitome of awesome. It's even gotten better since I became a SAHM with all-day smiles, laughter, and "talking" in his own language. He is one very busy little boy and he constantly keeps Mommy and Daddy on our toes. That being said, he also plays by himself very well and loves to figure things out. But, boy oh boy, he can have a temper! From what I've figured out so far, it seems to stem from frustration. We've been working hard at making sure he has choices in things and also knowing when there is no choice, like he needs to hold hands in parking lots. Oh, did I tell you he's walking? March 28, 2013, Harrison walked on his own in Walmart (of all places). He's been going ever since! He still walks with his hands up in from of him ready to break the next fall, but he's experimenting with putting his hands down to his side.
I just can't believe how different life is now that we're a family of three. I thought I knew what it would be like, but I had no idea. Watching your child discover something brand new is amazing, but when he does something that reminds you of YOU, that's another level all together. When you teach him and work with him every day on, "Where's your toes," and one day, he finally points to his toes, there's just nothing else more joyful. When Harrison gets hurt (which he really doesn't that often), and he gets that look on his face followed by the silent scream, all I want to do is just take the pain away.
I am a better person because of my son. I still forget sometimes and get stuck in my ways, but I love being a kid all over again. I wouldn't change it for the world.
First and foremost, I am blessed everyday to be able to spend my life with the most amazing man I've ever known, Brian. He is the Daddy I never had. His face lights up every morning when Harrison first stirs and it stays that way all day long. He also has given me the one thing I always wanted: to be a stay-at-home Mom. My last day at USAA was March 1st and I have no regrets. Money is tight, but we make it work. We've cut back on just about every expense imaginable. When I look now at how much money we've cut from our budget, I think if we had made these changes sooner we may be in an even better financial situation. But, you live, you learn.
I've never seen a happier little boy than Harrison. He is the epitome of awesome. It's even gotten better since I became a SAHM with all-day smiles, laughter, and "talking" in his own language. He is one very busy little boy and he constantly keeps Mommy and Daddy on our toes. That being said, he also plays by himself very well and loves to figure things out. But, boy oh boy, he can have a temper! From what I've figured out so far, it seems to stem from frustration. We've been working hard at making sure he has choices in things and also knowing when there is no choice, like he needs to hold hands in parking lots. Oh, did I tell you he's walking? March 28, 2013, Harrison walked on his own in Walmart (of all places). He's been going ever since! He still walks with his hands up in from of him ready to break the next fall, but he's experimenting with putting his hands down to his side.
I just can't believe how different life is now that we're a family of three. I thought I knew what it would be like, but I had no idea. Watching your child discover something brand new is amazing, but when he does something that reminds you of YOU, that's another level all together. When you teach him and work with him every day on, "Where's your toes," and one day, he finally points to his toes, there's just nothing else more joyful. When Harrison gets hurt (which he really doesn't that often), and he gets that look on his face followed by the silent scream, all I want to do is just take the pain away.
I am a better person because of my son. I still forget sometimes and get stuck in my ways, but I love being a kid all over again. I wouldn't change it for the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)