it is absolutely amazing what a difference a few weeks can make (well, the time and a bit of "tweaking" when it comes to training and discipline with elizabeth). i used to DREAD nights when mike had to work late or have a meeting, Bible study, etc....the prospect of getting the girls bathed and in bed by myself was just overwhelming. while i do still really enjoy having my hubby home with me...being alone in the evening with the girls is a much happier and less stressful experience these days. mike has been working a lot of overtime...and most likely will be for the next week or so because of big project deadlines. but i am happy to report that i am not breaking out in a cold sweat about this! in fact, today i managed to get both girls fed, bathed, and in bed without any tears or incidents...nope, just kisses and hugs, giggles and songs. praise the Lord! even better...the house isn't a complete disaster either...right now i can hear the hum of the dishwasher running and the dryer tumbling...the counters are wiped, the toys put away...and here i am...with a chance to relax!
i definitely had some "dark" moments in the first months of kate's life...overwhelmed and consumed with the thought that i would never "get it together" again. i've had a couple realizations since then...1) i never HAD it together...really! 2) the only way to have it together at all is to get over myself and surrender to God...to just let Him lead me through it all moment by moment...trusting that He is not bringing anything i cannot handle...and that regardless of how overwhelming a moment might seem, it is for good...that i might be conformed to the image of Christ. 3)this (whatever it might be) will pass...too soon i will be looking back and missing each phase, so i better love it and savor it while i can! sure it is a bit frustrating when elizabeth decides to "help" bathe kate and dumps a whole cup of water on the living room floor instead of in the tub, but really...is it that much of a crisis. someday i will be wishing she could be more interested in "loving" her sister! anyway...i am so thankful that God is opening my eyes and reminding me that in Him there is light!
okay...one last thing that i have to share. for all you mom's out there who are sick of paying for baby wipes...a solution! i know, some of you might already do this....and some might have tried and given it up...but a friend taught me how to make homemade baby wipes that actually work well. (i've seen some homemade wipes that just don't cut it...but these do!).
homemade baby wipe "recipe"
bounty paper towels (yes...buy bounty...the generic brands rip too easily)
2 cups water
2 tbsp. baby wash
2 tbsp. baby lotion
1 airtight canister type container
Cut the paper towel roll in half (so you end up with two shorter rolls)....use a serrated knife...and you do have to really "work at it" to get through the cardboard center. Place the one half of the paper towels in the canister. Then combine water, baby lotion, and baby wash in a small saucepan (actually measure the soap and lotion....2 tbsp. is more than you think). Bring mixture to a boil just enough to make sure lotion dissolves (don't let it go long enough that liquid starts evaporating!). Next pour the mixture over the paper towels, seal the container and flip it upside down a couple times to coat the paper towels with the liquid. Once it is saturated, the cardboard center should easily slide out, and voila, you have homemade (great smelling!) baby wipes!
**I am using a Michael Graves airtight canister (sold at Target)...they have a butterfly clip thingy for the seal...easy to open and close with one hand, but still a very airtight fit. It is the 2.9 L size. They are a little pricier than some canisters but works well and still will be a savings in the long run compared to buying wipes!
**Target also has Bounty paper towels on sale this week....12 rolls for $12. That makes 24 rolls of wipes...or, almost 2,600 wipes!
**Target also has the large boxes of Pampers (Cruisers and Baby Dry) on clearance near me...you might want to check it out. Quite a deal! I bought ALL their size 3's! You should have seen the looks people were giving me as I wheeled my cart through Target...but hey, who can pass up clearanced diapers!
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precious last words
5 months ago
4 comments:
I'm so glad to hear things are coming along a bit easier for you and the girls' bed time routine! I understand the frustrations of a second child - my second was definately the hardest one for me. The whole first year she wouldn't let anyone but me hold her and that was just the tip of the iceberg! As your girls get older it really will get easier and easier. Just keep working on the discipline thing it gets easier as the girls come to know what to expect from you ;)
The wipes sound like a great idea! Thankfully, I no longer need wipes but WOW! clearance diapers what a steal! Good for you and your cart load of Pampers! :)
Way to get a deal, you go girl!
Someone had given me a baby wipe recipe a long time ago since we were never able to use baby wipes on the peanut due to her sensitive skin. I never went through the trouble though, we always used baby washcloths and just threw them in the washing machine. If they were poopy we'd wash them out first, of course. It was cheap though, we sure saved on nearly two years of wipes! Now we use the sensitive baby wipes though, you can buy them in bulk, which we do.
I'm glad to hear that things are going better with the girls. I can't imagine no tears at bedtime. The peanut is such a night person like me it kills her to go to sleep. It's kicking and screaming every single night. Which, is the ultimate reason we've not switched her to a big girl bed yet. Now that's going to be something!
Anyway, enjoy your time with the girls. It sounds delightful!
So glad to hear you are setteling in. I cannot imagine the joy and frusterations two little girls can bring! Thank you for being so honest with us Amanda - it helps many of us!!!
P.S. - I posted the soup recipe for you, if you get a chance to try it, let me know what you think!
we took the binky from libbs cold turkey as well. she's doing alright. lots of tears, but it's getting better. that baby wipe recipe sounds GREAT! we need to save as much $$ as we can right now so i will definitely try it out. thanks for sharing!
i'm glad to hear things are getting better day by day as well. sometimes i wonder myself so it's good to hear it from someone else! :)
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