Baby Kicks

Along with the start of the school year has come many changes for the Baughman family.

Change #1: The addition of baby number two coming in March!

For sure the most exciting change for our family is the little miracle that is quickly growing inside of me.  This beautiful little girl has just started letting me know that she is  there through her fierce kicks.  It's amazing how quickly the second pregnancy goes by, and I had actually got to the point where I guess I didn't realize that I was far enough along to feel baby kicks.  After putting my hand on my belly to try and calm my active little bean down one night, I felt, what I presume to be, my baby girls foot against my hand.  It caught me so off guard! I had certainly forgot how amazing it is to feel this for the first time.  I remember when I was pregnant with Wes, I would sit for hours with my hands on my stomach waiting for that first time I would feel him kick.  It seemed like it took forever for him to let me know he was there, but this time it came as a very sweet surprise.  This little girl has already given me a run for my money as I was super sick during my first trimester, another thing that has been different with her and Wes.

Sweet baby girl, who we plan to call Emilie (or Emily) Grace (haven't decided on spelling yet) is due to arrive March 26th.  After talking things through with my doctor I have decided to have a scheduled C-Section, which means that we will be meeting this sweet baby about a week and a half before her actual due date.  I'm definitely nervous about dealing with the recovery of a C-Section while having a two year old to chase around.  But I am sure that I don't want to go through the same delivery that I went through the first time, so for me, I think it's the best option.

Change #2: Saying goodbye to Trestlewood Lane

Something that I was not prepared for, but has turned out to be a huge blessing in our lives, was having to say goodbye to our house of three years.  Although we loved this house, we knew that it was not a house that we could live in for the rest of our lives--for many reasons. It miraculously sold and we are now living with my parents until we close on our new house December 2nd.  It has been absolutely amazing to see how everything has happened in his process.  We found our new house immediately after our old house sold, and before the house had even gone on the market we were able to put in an offer.  The house is in an amazing neighborhood and was sold to us by its original owners.  We will be less than five minutes from our best friends, and a little over five minutes from my parents.  The house is in amazing shape and we are so excited to move in!

What hasn't changed is our spunky little 1 and 1/2 year old who keeps me smiling every day!

So excited to see him as a big brother!

Sweet Summertime

The end of summer is finally here, as much as I hate to say that out loud.....

I've decided that rather than talk about how sad I am to leave my sweet little boy I will talk about how crazy and wonderful this summer has been!

Day one of my summer break started by taking on two extra kiddos.  That's right...for the entire summer I was responsible for not one, but three, little ones.  Although many people think that teachers have it easy getting the summer off, one thing to keep in mind is that we don't get paid for two months. So, while the summer off is a great perk, unless you are able to appropriately save for the summer it can be pretty rough.  Normally, we have enough money set aside to get through the summer months but this year was different.  Being swamped with hospital bills left us with nothing short of a couple pennies to rub together each month, and unfortunately I was faced with the reality of finding myself a summer job.  Luckily good friends of ours were looking for someone to watch their two kiddos for the summer months and it worked out great for both of us.  I was able to stay home with Wes, while also making the money Brandon and I needed to survive the summer.  I have learned a lot from this experience...and most importantly I don't see more than two kids in our future.  ;) Just kidding...while three is a lot to take on I know it is very different when they are your own.  I have learned how to multitask like never before, run errands with three kids, how frustrating potty training can be, and most importantly, I have learned more about Legos than I could have ever imagined.

Several weeks into the summer, Brandon, Wes and I were able to take a trip up to PA to visit his family for a full week.  His sister was getting married and it was so nice to be able to spend some extended time with everyone.  The wedding was absolutely beautiful and Wes' debut as a ring bearer, although a failed attempt, was still extremely cute!  I so wish that we could see this wonderful family more often!

                                     
This summer was also the first summer that Brandon and I were not able to make it up to OCNJ for the yearly beach tradition with my side of the family.  It was very sad to miss out on this time but we are looking forward to next year.  What has made this a little easier is the fact that my parents bought a house in North Topsail and we have been able to enjoy the house on many different occasions throughout the summer.  Brandon and I also spent our first weekend away from Wes at the beach for our 5 year anniversary.  Most recently we spent the weekend with our wonderful friends, the Hurets.

Throughout the summer I was able to spend time with some of the amazing friends that Brandon and I have been so blessed to know here in Raleigh.  It has been such a blessing to have so many friends who also have little ones. I have so enjoyed getting together with these women for a weekly brunch play-date as well as our many pool dates.  I am seriously overwhelmed by the amazing friendships that have developed throughout our five years in Raleigh and I continue to revel in amazement at how we spontaneously ended up here, when really the Lord had it perfectly planned out for us the whole time!

 I feel refreshed from the summer and ready to get back to my kids and family at DDMS.  This year is certainly going to have a fair share of challenges, but I know it's going to be awesome! I'm so excited for Wes too because I know that he is going to be so greatly loved for and taken care of while I am working every day and for that I am SO THANKFUL! He gets to go back to playing with one of his best buddies and I know he is going to have a blast!

Tomorrow is the last day of my summer break, and coincidentally, it is also a very important and special day for Brandon and I! Looking forward to the adventures in the upcoming year!

This Week In Groceries

This week I decided to try a combo of Trader Joe's and Aldi and I am actually very excited about how it went.

Below is my list for groceries this week.  Before I head to the grocery store I always determine which meals I will be preparing for the upcoming week and what food I will need for those meals.  I also have to determine what else we will need for the upcoming week for lunches, snacks etc.  After my list is made I head to the store.  For this particular week I bought all of my groceries at Trader Joe's with the exception of my ground beef, which I bought at Aldi.

My total spent at Trader Joe's (when sticking to this list) was $91.01.  I also bought 2 lbs of Organic grass feed ground beef at Aldi bringing my grocery total to $99.95.  I also needed paper towels and toilet paper, so that brought my total for the week to $112.95.  Don't know if I mentioned this before, but Aldi is also an awesome option for paper products!  I did not need any cleaning supplies this week because I had stocked up the week before.  I also want to mention that Brandon's cousin is currently living with us, so my spending is a little higher than normal because I am cooking for three adults and one kiddo.

                               Here's some pictures of my meal plans to help put it all together!

Perogies, Turkey Kielbasa, Mac and Cheese, and Onion Rings (Don't judge--this meal was for Brandon and his cousin--we don't normally eat like this)

                           Spaghetti and Meatballs                                Stuffed Peppers

                          Salmon, Rice and Broccoli                Pork Chops, Green Beans and Potatoes

                                                    The rest of my groceries for the week

Hope this helps you all in your meal planning adventures!

5 Years Ago Today....

I married my best friend! I don't have time for a long post today, but I just wanted to share with everyone how wonderful it has been to be married to my best friend for five years.  He has not only been a supportive, hard working, caring and loving husband but he is now an amazing father as well. I'm certainly not here to make you believe that every day is a walk in the park, but I have been so blessed to have spent the past nine years of my life with him and the past five years of my life married to him.  We have shared some amazing moments together and I know there are many more to come!

As I think back to the day we were married I wanted to share the song that was performed for our first dance.  The lyrics are still so powerful to this day!

First Dance

Geneva College Days

Wedding Day

 Baby on it's way...

 2/7/2012 The happiest day of our lives!

 Our family today!

Love you babe!

The Quest For An Affordable Non-Toxic Lifestyle

And so the journey continues.....

I will say that although it is frustrating trying to live a non-toxic lifestyle on a budget, I have thoroughly enjoyed having the summer to figure out my grocery schedule for the upcoming year.  When I say grocery schedule, I am referring to not only when I will shop but also where I will shop once the school year starts.  I've got to do the research now and determine a set plan because once the school year starts there is absolutely no time to be going to three different grocery stores in one week--not to mention--who seriously wants to be doing that anyway!

After a recent post about my frustration with food I have decided to try/consider some different options.  Here's what I have tried:  

Option #1: Shop exclusively at Target
This option was most definitely the easy way out (for me--I realize not for everyone).  In my mind I would justify this option based on several thoughts.... I mean, I do have a Target Red debit card, so I am saving 5% on every purchase! Plus I could get everything I need in one stop! Cleaning supplies, paper products, groceries and more.  Although this option seemed good in theory, and it may work for many Moms, it didn't work for Brandon and I, OR our budget.  I generally try to spend about $100 a week for all of my groceries, paper products, and cleaning supplies.  With this option, I was spending approximately $120-140 a week! Nope, not happening. Although it is great that Target offers Organic options, they do not come without a cost.  Paying over $4 for half a gallon of Organic milk is just not going to work for us.  I have determined that I will continue to purchase my non-toxic cleaning supplies from Target as they will often have these products on sale and I will be able to take an additional 5% off with my Target Red. Keep your eyes peeled for the sales!

Option #2: Shop exclusively at Aldi or Trader Joes
I am and have always been a huge fan of Trader Joes.  Their prices are awesome! The quality and service--even better.  However, they do not have everything I need on a weekly basis, which forces me to shop at two grocery stores every week.  I don't love this option.  Aldi is very similar to Trader Joes, but I am not as big of a fan due to the quality of their products.  I am super pumped that they have decided to try a line of Organics, because truly you can not beat their prices!  Aldi, without a doubt, is the cheapest option for grocery shopping but they just don't have all that I need, and they certainly to not offer enough Organic options for me to shop there exclusively.

Option #3: Papa Spuds + Kroger (Or a similar grocery store...)
Papa Spuds is a local company that delivers produce and various other items to your door.  It offers a great variety of Organics and non-Organic (but still pesticide free) produce.  This is the option I am trying out this week.  I have ordered from Papa Spuds and will need to hit up a grocery store for the rest of the items I will need for the week.

So let's talk for a minute about Papa Spuds.  When determining if this was an option that I would like to consider I not only looked into Papa Spuds, but also Backyard Produce, which offers the same service as Papa Spuds.  Both services offer weekly deliveries to your door.  Both services offer several different packages based on how much produce you would like/need for the week.  Both services are based on a "credit" system.

Let's break it down:
 
Papa Spud's three packages = Small box, 15 credits ($18.44/week) - Regular box, 20 credits ($23.69/week) - Family box, 40 credits ($45.09/week)

The way it works is each week you will have the opportunity to create your box based on what produce is available from (majority) local NC farms.  Each item is worth a certain number of credits....here are a few examples: 3/4 lbs of Organic Green Beans are 3 credits, and 2 lbs (4) Organic Sweet Potatoes are also 3 credits.
I decided to go ahead and go for the Family box and here is a picture of what my box included:

Organic Kale, Handmade Perogies, 1lb Organic Ham Lunchmeat, 5 Organic Bananas, 3 Organic Pears, 4 Organic Sweet Potatoes, Organic Mushrooms, Organic Cherry Tomatoes, 1 All Natural Organic (grain fed) Chicken Breast

Papa Spuds offers a large variety of items including handmade pastas, perogies, and meat from local NC farms.  I was hoping that this $45 a week would cover ALL of my produce for the week.  Which would leave me with $55 a week to spend on all other grocery needs.

I also investigated Backyard Produce and decided against this company.  Although they offer essentially the same program, and even had some additional products that Papa Spuds did not offer, their credit system was slightly outrageous.  For example, Organic ground beef was as much as 38 credits for one pound.  I have also asked for recommendations from several Raleigh Mom's who have tried both services and they recommend Papa Spuds over Byproduce.


So then, I guess I am currently "trying out" option #3 as I have exhausted all other options.  Here's the thing though. If I'm being honest, I was not overly impressed with the amount of food I got from Papa Spuds for my $45 dollars.  I suppose I could be more thrifty and go with the "non-pesticide" options rather than the Organic options and see if this allows me to get more bang for my buck.  I am going to give it a try for another week and see if going this route provides me greater satisfaction.


Feeling slightly defeated---open to reader's suggestions, as always!

Naturally Mama

One of the reasons that I initially began my journey with cloth diapering was due to Wes' extremely sensitive skin.  He was continuously getting a horrible rash on his skin along the diaper line any time he wore disposable diapers.  In addition to his sensitive bum, he also continues to have various skin issues that seem to cover every inch of his poor little body....(sigh).  I guess this can be attributed to his Mommy passing down these sensitive skin genes.  According to my Mom, I apparently entered the world with skin like a little lizard's and have had skin issues, myself, since then.

When searching for products that have worked for Wes, I thought I would share my findings with other moms out there. So here ya go!

1. Eczema Care: The best/cheapest store bought bath soap/body lotion for Eczema prone skin, that I have found, is the BabyGanics Bye Bye Dry.  The majority of BabyGanics new products score a 1-2 (low hazard) rating on the EWG's Skin Deep site, which ranks products based on the amount of hazardous chemicals and level of safety.

2. Diaper Rash Care: Best diaper rash/everything cream, that I have found, is Aquaphor.  I have used this cream for just about everything skin related for Wes.  I have seen the best results when using it for his really bad eczema spurts, but have also used if for bad diaper rash as well.  I have also used it for dry skin and chapped lips on myself :)  This skin product also scores a level 1 (low hazard) rating on the EWG's Skin Deep website.

3. Sun Care: Although I wish I could provide one sunscreen product that has worked best for us, I am still searching.  The sunscreen we have used for the past two summers is Badger.  I have loved the comfort level that this product has provided.  Knowing how harmful sunscreen is, this product has a near perfect ranking on EWG and I felt that it was the best sunscreen I could safely use for Wes (especially in his young age).  What I don't like about it, however, is that it goes on like paste and doesn't rub in well.  It makes my already white child look like a ghost. It's slightly ridiculous.  He has also gotten a little pink on his cheeks and nose twice while using this sunscreen...not sure if that was a user error, or the sunscreen itself.  Either way, it has been an okay choice, but I'm still looking for the best.  Any suggestions are welcomed.

4. A company that I highly recommend and am supporting through an upcoming Facebook party is called Verefina.  These products are all ranked on the lowest end of the hazardous scale meaning that they are extremely safe for your skin and your baby's skin.  My MOH in my wedding is throwing a Facebook party to show off the awesome products that this company has to offer.  Facebook parties are SUPER easy because you can just check in when you feel like it, see what we are talking about, check out the catalog online and see if you are interested in any of the products.  The party will start this Sunday and will last through Wednesday, so I would highly encourage you to check it out!

Here is the link below:

Verefina

If you are interested in shopping just click on the "shop" tab and make sure you associate with the "Naturally Mama" party!

Join the party!

*Please note, these are simply products I have used on my baby and have worked well for him. Every baby is different and these products may not yield the same results on your baby.   Just trying to offer some friendly Mommy advice on products that have worked for us!

The Crap We Eat

So here's my rant about food. At this point I know I may lose many of you to a very over-exaggerated eye roll--but I'm used to that.  I get the same reaction from my husband every time I bring up the word "food."  Here's the thing, having a kid has greatly opened my eyes to the crap that we eat.  There is so much added to our food today that is seriously harmful for us! The current generation of food is so different than it was even when I was kid.  I'm not going to get into it all but it is disgusting and extremely frustrating.  There are two things that frustrate me the most though and they are listed below:

1.) It is extremely frustrating that although I am decently educated about food and do not want to expose my family to the majority of the ingredients found in food--I can not afford to buy the food that is best for my family.  We have a very strict food budget and buying the food that I would like to buy is simply not possible.  I  try to buy what I feel are the most important things--essentially the things we consume the most.  Meat, milk, and fruits/veggies are the things I splurge on, but it's amazing how expensive quality food is.

2.) Secondly, it is ridiculous that the FDA is allowing some companies to add ingredients to food and then not list those ingredients on the label! I mean seriously, that is insane!  For example, there has been a recent discussion of adding aspartame to milk and not showing this addition to the label.  How can that be allowed?

The addition of ingredients to products that are completely not necessary is what has spurred my recent hysteria--specifically due to the prenatal vitamins that I have been taking for over two years.  While doing some research on atrificial dyes (which are also added to nearly everything we buy) I stumbledd upon an article which listed the top three worst prenatal vitamins in the US.  As I'm sure you are guessing, the top two on the list are the exact vitamins I had been taking---just great! The main reason for these being the worst is the addition of red dye to the vitamins.  Here's a link to the article if you are interested....but the top two vitamins are the Nature Made Pre-Natal and the Women's One a Day Prenatal and DHA.

3 Worst Prenatal Vitamins

My partner in crime, and I,  have been researching the best prenatals as a result of these findings and I wanted to share one with you all.  I have been taking this vitamin for a month now and LOVE it! I have felt great! No nausea--even if taken on an empty stomach and I have had a huge increase in my energy level.

Here they are:
New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins

And check out the awesome ingredient list:

I have also been taking an additional calcium supplement (2 Tums daily) because I am calcium deficient and there is not a lot of calcium in these vitamins.   I will also need to look into a good DHA supplement. But these things rock, and I would highly recommend them!

If anyone has any suggestions on how to eat healthy on a budget PLEASE offer your advice, I would love to hear from you!

Here We Go Again

Grad school is complete: CHECK! Summer is one week away: CHECK, CHECK! Blog is back up and running: CHECK, CHECK, and CHECK!  So, here we go again.  I have been wanting to write for such a long time now but have not had a free second.  There have been so many things that I have thought, "this would be an awesome blog post" but never had the time to write about it.  I have kept a list and am going to try and write as often as I can this summer.  Brandon and I also have a lot of exciting events, plans and announcements coming up this summer that I can't wait to share.... but before any of that happens I have to make it through one more week of school!

This year has been my favorite year of teaching so far.  I have had the privilege of working with the same group of students for three years when they first came to middle school as little 6th graders, and am now going to watch them graduate on Friday.  I have developed such close relationships with these students and have been able to see them grow immensely throughout these three years.  I have essentially come to be their "mom at school," as I often tell them, and I can't imagine coming to school in the fall and not seeing them! The absolute best thing about being a special ed teacher is being able to work individually with students and having the ability to develop such deep relationships.  I am really excited for this last week of school because we have a bunch fun activities planned and I am looking forward to spending this more relaxed time with them.  I am also super excited about taking my kiddos on a field trip to their high school for an early tour! I'm excited to see how they act when we are there! It's been an awesome three years but I know Friday is going to be hard.  They are going to do great in high school, but I'm going to miss them.

A Pain In The Ear

This post may be more of a venting session than anything else, but so be it.  In early October Wes got his first little cold: runny nose, low grade fever etc.  No major issues, but I did take him to the doctor because he was rubbing his ears.  At this point the doctor said no issues...he had a little fluid in his right ear, but nothing that was concerning.  At the beginning of December (about a month later) we took Wes in for his 9 month check-up.  He was perfectly healthy but the doctor noticed a little fluid in both ears.  He said he needed to make note of this because even though it was not infected, he was concerned about the persistent fluid due to the effect it could have on Wes' hearing.  He also told me to be aware that Wes could easily develop an ear infection due to the presence of the fluid in his ears.  Well, of course, two days later Wes spiked a fever.  Took him to the doctor immediately and he had a pretty bad infection in his right ear.  Did a round of antibiotics and went back for a re-check 10 days later.  At this point the doctor was not convinced that the infection was completely cleared up, so she put us on one more round of antibiotics (still for the same infection).  We went back for our final re-check at the end of December and he still had fluid in his right ear (not the left). So we were referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor.  Although Brandon and I were not happy at all about the idea of tubes, especially based on the fact that he has only had ONE infection, we complied with the doctor's wishes and went to the ENT.  The doctor essentially told us that Wes had a little bit of fluid in his right ear, but that his left was perfectly clear. As you can see, this was a re-occurring story.  He still wants us to come back in a month to discuss tubes if the fluid is not cleared up.  Although the doctor is recommending tubes, he also told us that since Wes is able to hear perfectly out of his left ear his speech and language development will not be altered at all due to the presence of fluid in his right ear.  So WHY the heck would we get tubes? I definitely feel like the presence of fluid in one ear is FAR less of a risk than putting Wes under general anesthesia. Am I crazy? I don't know if the Lord is just testing me, but we have had so many stupid issues with pediatrician recommendations for Wes. It is SO frustrating!

What sparked this post, however, is the result of a super rough night last night.  Wes was up for a couple hours tossing and turning and....rubbing his right ear. My motherly instinct is sure it's another infection and we have an appointment for 11:30 today. I'm just dreading this appointment, but I don't want Wes to be in pain.  I HATE putting him on anti-biotics but I don't know what to do.  The infections don't seem to bother him too much, he seriously is such a trooper of a baby.....but I'm at a loss.

So. stinking. frustrated.