Cleaning House

One of my goals on maternity leave was to clean out the basement. That like many other goals didn't actually happen. Though I did make a good dent in the clutter but the place is still a mess. When I started the process I didn't want to just throw everything away because a lot of it was in good shape but we just didn't use it any more. There are the regular outlets like GoodWill and The Salvation Army but I wanted to see if I could maybe trade a few of these and get something back. Here is a little summary of what I found.

To Donate clothing and housewares:

-Goodwill
-The Salvation Army
-Dress for Success

To donate children's items:

-Newborns in Need - newbornsinneed.org
-Project Night Night - projectnightnight.org

To donate books, CDs, or DVDs:

-Books for Soldiers - booksforsoldiers.org
-Read to Reader - readertoreader.org

To swap items online:

-For clothing and accessories - rehash.com or swapstyle.com
-For children's items - handmedowns.com or thebabychain.com
-For books, CDs, DVDs, and video games - bookins.com, bookmooch.com, chancexchange.com, goozex.com, or swaptree.com
-For everything else - freecycle.org, neighborrow.com, swapthing.com, titletrader.com

I haven't tried all of these but I have use a few and I have gotten rid of a lot of things while helping others or trading to get something that I do want. I also ran into a way to give away gently used shoes. If you go to piperlime.com there is a link in the lower right-hand corner for soles for souls. You send your shoes to them and they distribute them to people worldwide who are in need and they send you a receipt to use for your taxes. I just sent them a big box yesterday.

So get on out there and clean your house out and help someone else out in the process! And reusing is also green!

One, Two, Tres...

Murdoch has learned/is learning to count and say the alphabet. The counting has been going on for awhile. We walk up the stairs and count the stairs so he was counting to 15 pretty well. We count to three for a lot of things - one, two, three, jump, or I am going to count to three and you better stop hitting your sister or you get a timeout - he doesn't really help us when we do that :) Lately instead of saying one, two three, he has started saying one, two, tres. It is cute. It took me a couple of times to realize what he was saying. I guess they count in Spanish at school and he has started to pick some of that up.

I am loving....

That little piece of her head where you can see her heart beating. And it is almost gone...

Nice!

As Murdoch has started to talk more and more you start to realize quickly words that you use often. I never realized how often I use the word 'Nice' until Murdoch started using it all of the time. A couple of months ago we went out to get some new shoes together and he wore them out of the store I guess I said 'Murdoch those are nice shoes!' basically because I didn't want him to take them off. Then he started saying nice shoes to his shoes and everyone elses shoes which was kind of funny. Earlier this week I gave Murdoch a bath and then asked him if he wanted any lotion or cream - often times he enjoys a 'massage' after his bath. So he said yes and I asked him where he wanted the lotion. He told me his left foot and lifted it up in the air so I put lotion on that foot and started to rub it in. After about 5 seconds of that he said 'OOOOOHHHH Nice!' and I started dying laughing. And of course because I laughed at what he said he kept doing it over and over again.

I guess 'Nice' is better for him to pick up from me than compared to a lot of other words!

What doin'?

That is Murdoch's way of asking you what is happening or what is going on. I personally love it. Not sure why but it makes me laugh. Last night we had police cars speed down our street, happens often enough to not make it alarming but not often enough to make it exciting. So three cop cars pull up two houses down, and they get out and start walking up and down the street. Murdoch and I turned out the lights and pulled up the shades so we could see what was happening. Not too much happened - I still don't know why they were there but the whole time Murdoch keep saying 'What doin' Mama?' The kid is leaning over the back of the couch looking outside with his bum up in the air and he is choosing this over Handy Manny! I am not sure if this is the best lesson to teach your children - yes go spy on your neighbors but make sure you turn the lights out so they don't know!

4 Months!

Thayer turned 4 months last week and there are a lot of changes! She can roll over, blow rasberries, she wakes up with a smile (so nice :), and her smile lights up a room. I have been taking lots of pictures and videos - now I just need to download them and post them!

What is it about those Twilight books?

Yes I admit I have read them and I love them! Friday the new movie comes out. I am not going on Friday but maybe in a few weeks when it dies down a little bit. I was totally skeptical of the books and then I couldn't get enough. Well I feel a little better after reading the following article:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/16/older.twilight.fans/index.html
It isn't just me. Actually the more I talk about it the more I run into people around the same age that love the books as well. I was a little embarrassed but now I just don't care. I read those while I was pregnant and I loved them! It is just hard to get into new books now but I am sure I will find something. If you haven't read them go out there and read them!

Bribbing your child

I am sure most parents think that they aren't going to bribe their child and then there is lack of sleep, crying, screaming, whining, etc. and suddenly you are bribing your child with anything to get them to do something small that should be easy but isn't because sometimes a toddler just doesn't make sense. Last night Murdoch wasn't eating while we were having dinner and one of the Prius commercials came on. Murdoch loves commercials, especially the Prius ones and the local furniture company ones with stupid jingles. So last night I got him to eat a sandwich by replaying the Prius commercial over and over again. For each bite he got to watch the commercial again. At the time it was a little annoying but I have to say looking back at it, it is kind of funny that a commercial gets your kid to eat a sandwich. Ah the funny things that you can't predict will happen to you as a parent.

Swimming

One thing I really enjoy is working out. It is the one time of my day that is just for me. No kids asking for milk, food, read me a book, etc. And no one is showing up at my office to ask for something, calling me for something, or sending me an email asking me for something. When I was pregnant I got caught up in a boring workout routine which involved a lot of cardio and a lot of watching TV while I did it and not too much work on my part. I think I just did the same machine day in and day out. My body got used to it and it was easy and mindless for me to do.

Now post-baby and knowing that there aren't any more I have decided to re-dedicate myself to working out and really getting in shape. So today I went swimming for the first time in about 15 years. I swam for about 15 years or so before that. I swam about 36 laps and I was tired and it feels like I am going to be sore but it is a good feeling.

I have set a goal for myself - a sprint triathlon in the Spring. I don't really know how to ride a bike very well, I hate running, and I have never done an open water swim. So it is definitely going to be a challenge but having a goal I think will go a long way in getting me back at the gym on a regular basis and really working hard when I go. I will post little updates as I reach more and more goals throughout the process.

The new things they can do!

• Murdoch is now using every other foot to walk up the stairs instead of just the left or just the right
• Thayer loves staring in the mirror and 'chatting' and giggling while do that - Murdoch never really did that so it is so cute!
• The word 'Why' has made a strong appearance in Murdoch's vocabulary
• Murdoch gives you a play by play of everything going on around him and basically anything that pops into his head - it is pretty funny at times.

Nothing else going on here. Just getting used to being back at work and trying to get a routine down and then also trying to have a little downtime and me time.

Welcome Cooper!

One of my best friends had a baby boy on Friday - Cooper! Love the name. I went to visit them at the hospital yesterday and he is so cute and they look great - just a little tired as all new parents are. They started a blog to track the progress of the little guy.

I finally downloaded some pictures!

So these are at least a month old but they are still good.

Here is our Labor Day weekend in Maine.

Here are the pictures from Murdoch's birthday party.

Differences already

I know that my two kids will be/are different but I have to share a difference between the two that is just due to the fact that one is a boy and one is a girl. I went to Target the other day to get some new clothes and I bought Murdoch some new pants and I got some pants for Thayer. I was just searching for 3T and 9M. When I got home I started to take the tags and stickers off to get them ready for the wash and I noticed the funniest thing. Murdoch's pants had a label of 3T, Pants. Thayer's pants said 9M, Boot Cut Pants. Boot cut pants at 9M are you kidding me!? I was not expecting something like that so young. I am clearly not ready for a daughter! :)

First Day Back

Yesterday was my first day back at work. It was like I was starting a new job the night before. But once I arrived it was like I never left. Everyone stopped by to say hello, I visited with people, some projects had moved forward and some where in the same place as they were when I left. I hate getting up that early because it makes for a long day but the day went by quickly and I honestly really enjoyed myself. I got to talk to some adults, I went to the gym, and I felt completely overwhelmed and like there weren't enough hours in the day to get my work done so things are back to normal :) I picked Thayer up and they said that she was smiling and talking to herself in the mirror. I was a little sad to miss that but she was so happy and smiley when I picked her up that it didn't matter. I miss seeing Murdoch in the AM but I had a really nice evening with him. I have started to get caught up in what I am missing and what has already passed me by and I need to remember to enjoy what is going on right now because it will be gone before I know it. Happy Halloween!

Things to remember...

1. She now smiles
2. She loves to have Andy rub his head on her stomach
3. She lifts her legs up and falls to the side - the first step to rolling over!
4. The little lower lip comes out and then her whole face crumbles - I absolutely love it!
5. Huge eyes
6. She likes to look side to side
7. She likes to sleep with one arm in your armpit

Recipe - Tuna Salad

I made this last night for the first time and I love it! It is not your traditional tuna salad. It is still fast and I think way better. Great for a quick dinner on a week night.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tuna-salad-recipe/index.html

Emily's Visit

My sister headed out for a visit this past weekend and we had a great time. She spent a lot of time with Thayer relaxing and time with Murdoch running around. Just in case you don't think the second child gets a lot of pictures here is a link to way too many pictures of Thayer.

In one week...

I will be back to work. Or I should say I will be back at my office job because being at home with kids isn't exactly a vacation. Thayer is 13 weeks tomorrow so she will be about 14 weeks and just over 3 months. I went back to work when Murdoch was 10 weeks old and I couldn't wait to go back. That leave was much harder for me and I don't know exactly why. He was a good baby, he slept pretty well, I had an easy recovery, etc. I could wait to get back to work and talk to adults again. Now here I am 13 weeks away from work with one more to go and I don't have that same drive. I am not really sure why. One part of me really wants to go back and then there is the other part that doesn't. I have really enjoyed my leave this time though I am not sure why it is so different. Is Thayer easier, did I know what to expect so that made it easier, is it because I know the amount of crazy that is about to happen, is it that I am a little scared to go back to work after being out for some long, is it because I know this is my last maternity leave, is it because I thought I would get so much more done when I was on leave? I really don't know the answer - maybe it is a little bit of all of those and more. Either way next Thursday morning and day is going to be much different than this one. I am going to try and enjoy the last week at home instead of thinking about next week and how crazy things are going to be which would ruin my last week. If I had a week vacation normally I would be thrilled. But right now a week feels like just a blink of an eye and I will be back to the exhaustion and crazy that goes along with work. Here is to the longest week of my life!

Websites I want to remember

I saw these two websites in a magazine article and I want to make sure I remember them. These have coupons for green products and coupon codes good for discount or free shopping.

www.ecobunga.com

www.sustainlane.com

Recipe - Lasagna Rolls

I have started to look at some old recipes now that the weather is getting colder. I don't like the fact that the weather person said don't expect 60's any time soon. I am just not ready for that. But ready or not the cold is coming so I am looking for some comforting recipes. Here is one I really enjoy.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lasagna-rolls-recipe/index.html

One question I have for you guys, which is better - organic frozen spinach from China or non-organic local frozen spinach? I know the organic is better but what about all of the pollution put into the air getting it here? Is local always better even if it isn't organic compared to organic from half way across the world?