Teething and first foods

Our littlest one is six months old.  It seems like she's been teething for months and she's starting to show quite a bit of interest in what we're eating too.  I thought I'd share some of our current and past favorites on both the subject of teething and first foods since some of it overlaps.

Most baby toys are good for teething of some sort since they are all made to go in mouths, but here are some of our favorites...

This Raz-berry has been a favorite for the last 2-3 babies.  It is easy to grab and has a few textures depending on what part makes it in their mouths.



These teethers that look like various foods put a big smile on my face and the rest of the family's as well.  Baby likes the texture and that it sometimes looks like the foods we are eating. ;)


These silicone spoons were a gift from my mom.  Our baby likes chewing on them, both because they feel good and because I think she knows they are similar to what everyone else is using at the table.  She's enjoying getting to practice feeding herself and is quite proud of her accomplishment when she gets the bowl of the spoon in her mouth.


We keep all of these fun teething/food related toys right by the dining room table where we can easily grab them during the meal for baby.

Because we've had some food intolerances with the last few babies I wanted to re-examine the way we did first foods.  This article on Mommypotamus was very interesting and helpful.  I'm going to be extra cautious this time as we introduce foods.  For right now the baby just seems interested in what we are eating, and not actually eating it herself.  I think it'll still be a while before she really gets into foods.

I've used these mesh teethers for several of my babies.  They are great for first foods and for teething.  Win! Win!  I've be putting bone broth ice cubes in one of these for my little one.  Bananas, blueberries, and many other fruits or veggies have been very popular in these with past babies.

What about your little ones?  What are their favorite teething toys or first foods?

****I'm an Amazon Associate.  That means that if you shop through my links above I'll get an itty-bit of $$$ from Amazon which I will end up spending at Amazon on my kids. ;) ***

Fall Fix

Last month I got another box from Stitch Fix.  I'm finally getting around to posting about it 'cause you know, life....

Something I noticed with this Fix and REALLY appreciated was that my stylist tried hard to stick to my requests.  I made color requests but also asked that accommodations be made for my post baby figure; in that I'm nursing and (slowly) losing weight.  Every item sent fit within those parameters.  Given their limited (but fairly good) inventory I really appreciated that such an effort was made.  She also sent items that worked together; something else I really appreciated.

We were a bit busy the day my Fix came and didn't manage to take pictures of everything.  I can't quite remember what 2 of the items were.  1 item gave us all a good laugh.  The polka dot pants with the black ribbon down the sides just didn't do it for me.  They reminded me (and my mom, who was here) of my brothers' marching band pants.  I'm sure they'll look great on someone else, but I just couldn't get past the stripe down the side.  The fit was perfect (elastic waist) and I loved the color.

Looks like someone else in this picture was having some pants problems too! ;)

I LOVED the skirt that was sent.  The style, colors and fit were perfect.  I so appreciated that a top was sent that went with it.  While the studs on the top were not something I would normally choose I like the accent and since I don't usually wear jewelry it adds that nice touch.  I like that this outfit will transition nicely into fall.  Worn as is it is perfect for our warmer fall days, but I can easily add boots and a jacket to carry it into our cooler (and sometimes COLD) days.

These are the two items I ended up keeping.

Stitch Fix has been such a fun treat for me to add just a bit of extra fun to my wardrobe.  It can be hard for me to get out and shop for myself at this point in life, let alone thinking outside my "box."  If you're interested in trying this service I'd LOVE it if you followed my links and signed up that way.  When your first Fix ships I get a credit, that's what helps me pay for this fun! :) 

What we're reading- September

I thought I'd share some of the books that are being read around here this month...

I've got several books I'm in the process of reading, here's a couple-

For Bible study I'm reading this one-



In my free time (Ha!) I'm reading the last for the Lord of the Rings series.  I started it the month before baby was born....she's now 6 months old.



My oldest child is reading this one which was assigned by Daddy.  I'm hoping to get to it some time too.



My oldest boys have been reading through the Wingfeather saga, this is the first one.



My little ones have been enjoying good 'ole The Little Red Hen  though Mothergoose Nursery Rymes is brought to me regularly as well.





I'm going through this one for reading lessons with my beginning readers.



What are your favorite books right now?  I'm always looking for GREAT reads for any age.

***I'm an Amazon associate.  If you shop through my links above I'll make and itty-bit of $$$ which will promptly be spent on more books, toys etc on Amazon. ;)***

Preparing for school planning

As I pull up my August calendar on my phone I see that nearly every day has plans.  Normally this would make me very nervous.  Our family does not do well being that busy.  We need "home" days.  Instead this sight makes me smile.  I smile because (for the most part) those days are set apart.  They are set apart for talking with the kids and planning out our school year.  They are set apart for easing back into school.

In the mean time I'm reading this great book a friend of mine suggested.  Teaching from Rest; A Homeschoolers Guide to Unshakable Peace by Sarah Mackenzie.  Just reading the Forward and Preface gave me peace and encouragement.  I'm replenishing my soul through His word, praying over our coming year, and working on casting my cares upon Him.  Homeschooling our children can be a heavy burden if we don't cast those cares on the Lord.  I'd encourage you, mama, to take this time to look to Him and find rest so that you may joyfully care for and teach your  His children that He has placed in your care.


"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

"...casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7



***I'm an Amazon Associate.  I'd be posting about this book anyways though.  If you click on my link and shop through it I'll make a itty-bitty-bit of $$ which I'll end up spending on my kids.***  

Taking care of mom- Stitch Fix has sent me my favorites!

This past week we had some special plans, all made by my husband.  For my birthday.  As I was figuring out what I wanted to wear for these dates I realized that each outfit I was picking had at least one element from Stitch Fix, if not the whole outfit.  Wow!  I knew I was liking it, but not until then did I realize how very happy I was with their picks.  I thought I'd share.

This blue and white stripe top was perfect for our dinner date.  The cut of the top hides my mama belly, the style and color where ones I'd asked for, and it is easy to care for.  I love that it works for me now, but it's cut is a flexible one.

I think this is my favorite top right now.  It came in a fix right before I had my baby.  I can't remember if it was a maternity top or not.  I had asked for tops that would be great for the transition time after baby; that's exactly what this is!  I love the fit, it drapes nicely and is easy to nurse in.  I love how easy it is to just throw on with jeans or dress up a bit with a skirt.  I feel pretty in it, but it does not show spots easily and is easy to care for.  It's a perfect "mom" top. :) 

This grey top and printed skirt are from two different "fixes."  I love that they know what I've kept from past fixes and are able to make pairing suggestions based on that.  I'd have eventually figured these out on my own, but it sure is nice for my mama brain to have that right out of the box!  Both pieces are very forgiving.  They work well with my ever changing mama body. :)  I loved wearing them for a casual afternoon out with my husband (and the baby).

This top obviously does not fit well right now, I can just barely wiggle into it.  It is from a pre-pregnancy fix.  It is still one of my favorites and I'm looking forward to it fitting again....sometime.  I'm sharing for a couple of reasons 1) my stitch fix stylist checks my pinterest page and blog to see what styles I like 2)to be real...it can be frustrating to have your weight fluctuate regularly, not fit into your favorite clothes or not feel as good about your body as you once did.  Remember that you've given the gift of life to your little one(s).  Often our extra weight is needed to support our little one while we are nursing.  Just look at those chubby cheeks, and dimpled arms (on the baby!) she is growing strong and healthy.  If I was slimmer my baby would not be chunking up so nicely.  I know because I have lost weight too quickly in the past and my baby has then struggled with weight gain.  If we're eating well, exercising and resting in the Lord it's a bit easier to accept where we are at physically....even when that baby is not such a baby anymore. ;)  Being real and sharing our struggles in an encouraging way can be a big blessing to others, I know I've been encouraged greatly by others in this way.

***I'm sharing this because it has been a blessing and encouragement to me to use this service.  It is not a "budget" service, but one that is a treat my husband has encouraged me to use.  The opinions are my own.  I'm not compensated by Stitch Fix.  However, if you sign up through my links AND receive a fix I do get credit toward my next fix.  That credit has been such a blessing to me.  A big "THANK YOU!" to those of you who have signed up through me.

Preventing those diaper blow outs...

***Even if you have NO interest in cloth diapering you'll want to know about this little trick***

One of the biggest surprises when I had my first babies was all of the diaper blow outs.  Sometimes huge messes.  All over everything.  Often when we were out and about.  It was nasty and often outfits ended up ruined.

I love cloth diapering, but sometimes life takes over and we need to use disposables.  Years ago when we switched to cloth diapers I was surprised to find that we were no longer experiencing those diaper blowouts that were so frustrating.  

I started putting the cloth diaper covers over disposables when we needed to use them.  They contained messes!  The stronger elastic at the backs and legs were enough to catch any overflow.  Any mess was contained to that cover.  I've been using this trick for almost 9 years now and realized maybe I should pass it on.

I think any good cover with elastic at the back and legs would work well.  I use the Flip diaper covers because they are made by one of my favorite cloth diaper companies.  They are good quality and I've used them through several children.  I purchase them at cottonbabies.com  They are about $15 and well worth the cost considering all of the trouble and clothing they save.   

*I'm not being compensated for this review/suggestion.  I'm just a mom sharing what I've found to work well. ;) 

Why we planned a home birth

*There are so many options when it comes to birthing.  There is no one right choice for everyone, just the best option for each mom and baby.  I'm sharing how we came to this choice this time.  It's not up for debate here. ;)

First a little humor....

It's an overall funny about his large family, he starts the home birth part at about 1:30

We've been heading in the direction of home birthing for a while now, but this will be our first.  Our last baby (#8) was born in a detached Birth Center staffed by Midwives.  While many will choose this option feeling it is "safer" than a home birth; the reality is that these facilities are rarely equipped with anything that would not already be at a home birth.  Sometimes they are located closer to a hospital making emergency transport faster, that's about it though.  The nearest birth center to us is over an hour away ruling it out as a reasonable option anyways.

Some reasons we were leaning towards home birth.....
1)Unnecessary interventions that had nothing to do with my labor/birth process or medical history.  Just hospital policy.
2)Uncertain environment.  So much depends on the nurse you get or the on call doctors.
3)Doctors not listening to my medical/pregnancy history and "freaking out" when the situation then comes up.  Jumping to suggestions of interventions and c-sections despite my assurances that the situation would right itself; because it always had in the past and did again shortly after it came up.  Specifically...my babies turn.  They spin all the way through the last month of pregnancy and even overdue.  Every single one has gone back to vertex for birth on their own, but none of my doctors listen to that.  My midwives do and have a much more relaxed attitude about this knowing there is nothing we can do until "birthday."
4)Our family dynamics.  Hospitals do not lend themselves well to a bunch of kids being around before, during or after a birth.   The birth center was so much better, but still not what we (or our children) were wanting.
5)My own pregnancy/labor/delivery and medical history makes me an excellent candidate for a home birth.  *If this was not the case it would have overruled all of the other reasons to home birth and we would go to a hospital.
6)This one really didn't come into play, but is a perk....given the time of year; planning to be home just feels good.  Snow storms, influenza outbreaks and such are not a concern knowing I'll be staying home.

This time the choice (in some ways) was made for us.  Once we looked at our options realistically in terms of what we needed and what our insurance would cover it was clear what our choice would be.  My husband is in the military.  We're thankful for the medical coverage we have, but in this instance it would not work for us.  For oh so many reasons the Army Hospital* in our area was not an option for us (distance, reputation, and policies are some of the reasons).  Civilian doctors and hospitals were not really an option unless we found ourselves in an emergency situation during labor; in that case they would be covered and would be able to provide much better (in our opinion) and faster care than the military facility.  *Last time we were stationed in this area we also did not see this hospital as a good option.  At that time we had other options that we were able to use, and ended up with a civilian doctor at a civilian hospital.

This left Home Birth which we'd been leaning towards anyways.  We paid out of pocket for it since it is not covered by our insurance.  Only my lab work was covered for this pregnancy.  While having to pay for it on our own is an added strain it greatly relieves other strains and concerns.  I know we're not alone in making this choice and many others go through much more financial hardship in order to make this happen.

My oldest daughter delivering her baby sister with the help of our midwife.

I love that my midwife takes her time at my appointments; each one has been about an hour long.  She is much more detailed in her questions about my pregnancy and over-all health.  She does more testing too.  Nothing big, but she is certainly much more aware of my over-all health than most of my doctors ever have been.  With the longer appointments we're able to get to know each other better.  I trust her more than I've trusted most of my doctors, and I'll feel much more comfortable with her at the birth.  This is much more of a partnership.  We're in this together to get the best outcome for both me and the baby.  An added bonus?  Her husband is retired military in a similar career field as my husband.  We share some similar experiences in that aspect as well.  She understands our life in a way that many midwives could not.  Finding the right midwife can make a huge difference. :)