My Random Thoughts & Dirty Laundry

Quinn's 2nd tooth popped through last night. Her bottom left. She has been such a cranky butt at night and waking ever since she learned to stand and see that mommy is beside her (and since her first tooth) so last night she woke up 3 times before I even went to bed. I nursed her and then put her in the crib to sleep- FYI the crib is upstairs in Payton's room and Payton was at Grammy's house- it was the perfect night to give it a try. This morning she woke up at 10:30AM bright eyed and busy tailed and jumping up and down playing....I wonder if she needs her own space. I told Kevin this is only a trial run because I didn't want her out of our room until she was at least a year BUT if she isn't sleeping good- and we're talking about my 12-14 hour sleeper from 3 months-10 months to waking every 2-3 hours...I just don't think she is happy since it is out of character for her to wake. If we were talking about Payton at this age- it WAS in his character and didn't effect him since he woke every 1-3 hours since birth but with her I am not so sure. For the record I am not letting her cry, I just wonder if she is ready for her own space- if she isn't I'll gladly put her back in her pack in play beside me.

One of my goals in 2012 (I don't like calling it a resolution) is to be more self reliant and less reliant on government and store bought products in general. I know I can't stop buying raw materials at the store BUT I can buy things like washing soda, borax, etc that can make me 10 gallons of laundry detergent without going back and back and back to the store and paying more and more and more taxes, wasting time and paying 5-10 times more for a product that is full of carcinogenics and chemicals when I can make homemade and organic.

I started with making laundry soap. I used a recipe I found on Pinterest.

1 gallon of water (boil)
1 cold gallon of water
1 cup of borax
1 cup of washing soda
1 bar of Ivory bar soap (graded with a cheese grader)
I also added some lavender tea tree oil- which was not on the "recipe"


*I found all of these products at my local Kroger*

I boiled one gallon of water, added the bar of soap, the borax and the washing soda. After the soap was dissolved, I added in the 2nd cold gallon of water. I let it sit and that was it. I emptied it back into some liquid detergent containers. I fill up the cup per load. It cost $7 (bar soap was in a 3 pack, borax and washing soda was a big box) to have the stuff on hand, and I can make 6 gallons without buying more soap but even when I run out of bar soap, I can just go back for that. I am no math wiz but it is far far cheaper than Tide, Gain or any of the other "nice" brands. Next time I am going to try with organic lavender soap and make powdered detergent.

Today I learned about making homemade hand soap! I was running low on some that we've had for almost a year- I believe it was slightly less than 1/2 gallon- and I saw them at Kroger today for $6. I bought a bar of organic lavender bar soap ($4) and some liquid glycerin ($2), so I have $6 in materials to make ORGANIC hand soap...and DOUBLE the amount at that...it is going to make a gallon. Here is what I did:

1 bar of soap- graded with a cheese grader
1 gallon of water boiling
2 tbs of liquid glycerin

I boiled the water, added the soap shavings, let it dissolve and added the glycerin. Then it sits for 10 hours (which it is sitting now). If it is clumpy use a hand mixer to smooth it- add water if needed. I have a big gallon set aside ready and waiting for it. You could use a non organic bar of soap and make it even a lot cheaper but even with organic soap you get at least a 50% savings.

I should have taken pictures!

I know you've heard it...probably a zillion times, it is a cover up for ignorance and people not wanting to look into medical facts. Well, there are two of my favorite excuses I'd like to share that make me laugh. 1st excuse is that the mother lets the father choose because he "has that equipment"--sorry ladies, he does NOT have that equipment if he is circumcised, in fact you have your foreskin and Daddy doesn't...therefore you have more natural equipment than he does. Daddy is missing 20,000 nerve endings and has absolutely no clue what it feels like to be intact. This is an excuse. He has no clue what he is missing and sure his sex life is great- but no one can say how it would be if he was intact--I can only speculate.

The other excuse that is so silly is that parents want Daddy and son to look alike. I know, I was "one of those" moms too 7 years ago, I defended my choices to the end and when I ran out of good ammo, I blamed it on 1. I let Kevin choose (talk about throwing Special K under the bus) and 2.It is important for our son to look like his dad ...I see now it is a totally immature way of thinking.

Everyone who knows this intactivist knows that God was so gracious he gave us another boy and this time Kevin and I both did tons of homework and both couldn't even believe what we saw, thought and how our hearts and minds were changed forever. Kevin actually decided before me that we'd leave all future sons intact. Then came some guilt, regret and sadness from our former choices...that is a whole different post and when you know better you do better and ignorance is bliss right? So, with Payton society had me worried that they had to look alike and the intactivist community quickly reminded me that their hair color would perhaps be a different color (OMGOODNESS IT IS), and their eye color would not necessarily be the same (OH NO PAYTON NEEDS CONTACTS!), one penis would (hopefully haha) be bigger than the other...oh great, so they come out needing an enlargement AND a circumcision just so they can look alike?! This mindset brought on a new perspective. Do they plan on having a contest? Why can't Daddy just explain that he had surgery on HIS because at the time his parents thought that was best and now new information is out and we know it isn't best. I was still a teensy bit worried because we not only had a Daddy to explain but his older brother wouldn't look like him in that department and really I was more concerned about telling Riley what he was missing than how Payton was "different"

So the story goes like this.

Payton was born, and Riley never asked. We thought we'd explain when/if it ever happened that we didn't know better, he had surgery, we were sorry and we hoped he wouldn't do it to his son..

He never asked...for 3 years!

He only discovered it when Payton became retractable and was so proud he couldn't wait to show everyone (sorry son).

Riley thought something was wrong and asked. I told him just like we'd rehearsed that when he was a baby we thought it was the best decision, he had surgery and when we had Payton all the recommendations and guidelines have changed and the doctor recommended we didn't do it anymore. He said "ok" and bounced off, he was so not interested in the conversation he could hardly hear me out...and I was thinking to myself 'kid, let me finish, I've been waiting THREE long years to get this off my chest' and he wasn't phased. The only question he asked me was does circumcision hurt and I told him of course it did.

Then here is the best part of the story (with Special K's permission). Special K came home from work Tuesday a little late, dinner was fixed and sitting on the table and we were all waiting for him to walk in the door. He comes in and immediately says "I need to pee, I will be right back" Payton jumps up from the table and races off behind him screaming "ME COMING WHICH YOU, DADDY!!!!!!!" he was so excited to see Special K I thought to myself 'he can deal with that.........' so a few minutes later Payton comes dashing back into the kitchen to proudly announce "DADDY HAS A BONE IN HIS GOOBA LIKE MINE!" (FYI Payton named the head/retractable part a bone all on his own heehee) We all crack up, great dinner conversation, right?! I out of curiosity asked him "Does your goober look like daddy's?" he said "yup!" and that was it...

I can assure he does not feel weird, awkward, or like an outcast. I promise our men don't have flashing contest where they compare and contrast. I promise they don't care what each others penis looks like and it does not ruin a second of their day.

I know in school he'll be in good company with the now 50% circumcision rate/50% intact rate.

I know it isn't any harder to keep clean. Actually newborn care on a circumcised penis is harder. You have to make sure to keep clean the open flesh wound from getting feces and urine on it. Intact, you just wash it like a finger, never retracting.

I know that it isn't just a little snip. The head of the penis is fused/stuck together with the foreskin that is going to get cut much like your finger nail is stuck/fused to the bed of your finger. So in order to perform a circumcision they have to stick am object in the prepuce, and break the adhesion all around the head and the foreskin, and then cut. The cutting sounds minor compared to breaking the adhesion.

I know that in the Bible in the New Testament Paul says KJV "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." Galations 5:2 There are many many many other verses about circumcision on the New Testament but this basically means that Jesus died on the cross to free us of our sins and we no longer need to earn our way to heaven because that is literally impossible. It means that all of the old laws in the Old Testament have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins. We aren't Jewish and we don't need to circumcise in the name of faith, we can all enter Heaven as we are. Here is a good link to more about what is in the Bible about circumcision along with some amazing scripture:

What the Bible Really Says About Routine Infant Circumcision

Biblical Circumcision Information

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you be circumcised, Christ will be of no advantage to you. – Galatians 5:2

And even those who advocate circumcision don’t really keep the whole law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples. – Gal 6:13

For there are many who rebel against right teaching; they engage in useless talk and deceive people. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced. By their wrong teaching, they have already turned whole families away from the truth. Such teachers only want your money. – Titus 1:10-11

Watch out for those wicked men – dangerous dogs, I call them – who say you must be circumcised. Beware of the evil doers. Beware of the mutilation. For it isn’t the cutting of our bodies that makes us children of God; it is worshiping him with our spirits. – Phil 3:2-3

And I testify again to every male who receives circumcision, that he is in debt to keep the whole Law. You who do so have been severed from Christ...you have fallen from grace. - Gal 5:3

"As God has called each man, in this manner let him walk. And thus I command in all the churches. Was any man called in the circumcision [Old Covenant]? Let him not try to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in the uncircumcision [New Covenant in Christ]? Let him not be circumcised! Circumcision is nothing. And uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let each man remain in that condition in which he was called. - 1 Cor. 7:17

And some men came and were teaching the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.' But Paul and Barnabas together had great dissension and disputing with these men. . . Then Peter stood up and said to them 'Why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? - Acts 15:1-2, 7, 10

But if I still proclaim circumcision. . . then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.- Gal 5:11

I wish that those who are pushing you to do so would mutilate themselves! - Gal 5:121

But reject profane and old wive's fables, and exercise yourself towards godliness. Tim 4:7
Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." Acts 15:10


I know as a mother I can not hand my child over to have him strapped down to a cold, hard circumstraint and given pain medications alone that could kill him. 117 boys died last year from circumcision and 1/10 had a complication.

Intact or Circumcised: A Significant Difference in the Adult Penis

I know the US has one of the highest AIDS rates...and one of the highest circumcision rates, and even if the claim that you have less risk of STDs were true #1 if you have sex with someone with an STD- you'll get it circumcised or intact. #2 Wear a condom or more preferably wait until you are married. #3 false security!

I know it doesn't look better. I also know that it looks the exact same when it's retractable and erect circumcised or intact. I actually have a friend with an intact husband and she didn't know it until after their first child was born, his mother told her. To her when they had intercourse it looked the same. He thought it was normal to be intact, and she had no clue he was, so it wasn't discussed.

I know it is a cosmetic surgery, with no benefits and real risk. I also know that it isn't your organ on your body and I don't believe it is even "every parents choice"...most choices like vaccinating, breastfeeding/formula, what color they wear, hair, daycare or home care, religion, public/private/homeschool..thoshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife are all parental rights but I think it is a human rights violation to hack off 1/2 of a perfectly healthy little boys skin right after they're born because you want them to look like you.

When my babies are born they are born beautiful, healthy, perfect, with no birth defects and no alterations needed. What a wonderful way to express love to your new little bundle than leaving them whole.

Circumcision videos:
Neonatal circumcision
plastibell circumcision
Gomco Clamp circumcision
Infant Circumcision

I found this today on one of my message boards. It is Skyler's birth story She was born April 1, 2006 and the story was written on April 20, 2007

Skyler was totally unplanned. Our marriage was not where it should have been. When we found out Kevin was devistated and I knew that it was not good timing, but God put it in my heart to desire another baby. He was preparing me to want and accept her.

I for some reason, really enjoyed her pregnancy, unlike Riley's who I wanted to be over and meet him too soon. I loved being pregnant with her, I loved my belly, my body, I worked on my marriage, it was great.

I went in because I was bleeding at about 6 weeks and they did an U/S and told me that the baby was measuring only 4 weeks, and I knew that it wasn't possible because I'd had a BFP for TWO weeks, so they told me that she was prob not developing anymore and I might misscarry. I also was checked and had low progesterone. To my surprise the little bean got stronger and hung on, when all hope was lost. I found out when I was 24 weeks pregnant that I had diabetes, and I thought my life was over, it actually ended up being awesome because I never gained so much weight like I did with Riley, I still got to eat 6 times a day and I was on a diet.

I was 33 weeks and it was a Friday, March 31st and Kevin's mom had been over all day playing with Riley and I had BAD leg cramp, in the middle of the day, I know those are common when sleeping. The cramp never went away, all day and we went to eat that night and it still never went away. On the way home Kevin was pressuring me to get it looked at. I called the OB and she told me to hurry to the ER that it could be a blood clot. We went to an urgent care that was thankfully closed, then we went to the ER who immediatley sent us to triage. In triage they hooked me up to a fetal monitor, and she was doing great, but I was having contractions that I could not feel. They took me to do an u/s of my leg, and it was fine. They told Kevin to go get the car since we parked at the ER and the nurse came in to tell me I could go, took one last look at the monitor and asked me if she could check me since I was ctxing, I told her yes, she FREAKED out when she felt me and I was 6cm dialated and 80% effaced, my OB ran in, and lots of other nurses came in. They gave me 1 shot for her lungs and told me that 12 hours later they'd give me another, normally they wait 24 hours but they didn't think she would wait. They gave me trabutiline (sp?) and mag, and I was totally fine at first, and my labor kept progressing so the OB asked me if I was okay with her upping the does, she did that 2x's and by the 2nd time I couldn't hardly open my eyes. I made it through the night so the medicine for her lungs worked, but by the next morning they couldn't wait and I felt horrible with the large doses of drugs. The OB asked me if I was ready and I said I would only be ready if they were willing to take me off of the medications so that I could be clear minded for my birth. I was not scared at all, I knew she was comming and there was nothing I could do, so I chose to be excited. I got into the OR and I was a little nervous about my spinal, and I expressed my concerns and told them about how I felt with Riley and they assured me that the spinal was different from the epi, and that it could do the same thing but not necessairaly. The spinal was a million times better, I breathed great, I was totally there and in the moment, I talked...it was the best I'd felt in 2 days.

Finally she came, and she did make a little crying noise, I was so relieved when I heard her. The nurse brought her to me and Kevin, I kissed her and rubbed her for a few minutes and then they started working on her.

She had some problems from being early but nothing big. She was in the NICU for 14 days.

Last belly pictures and all drugged up















first time nursing



This was in our transitional room at the hospital before we could take her home, it looked like a hotel room.



On our way home from the hospital

Sorry for the weird coloring on the pics, I can only work so many miracles on my kitchen lights.

3-4 boneless chicken breast
1 bag of frozen corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of Rotel
1 large chopped onion
29 ounces of tomato sauce (not pizza or spaghetti and FYI the recipe called for two 29 ounce cans of tomato sauce)
3 cups of water
1 1/2 packet of taco seasoning

turn on low in crock pot for 6 hours

shred chicken, place back in

serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream!

I'd say this serves 10-12

Isn't this precious? Only when you're 10 months old is a chunky, roley, dimple baby bum is this adorable.

No, it isn't your birthday, it isn't a special occasion or a milestone. I don't have an adorable picture, a cute story or something to tell that will melt your heart. I want to know what is up with your obsession with playing in the potty?! What gives? Every day you are scrubbing the seat with the tooth brushes, overflowing the toilets, sticking toys in the potty, throwing entire rolls of toilet paper down and flushing multiple times, plunging the potty yourself and when you're not engaging in potty activities you tackle the sink and squirt all the tooth paste in the sink, put toilet paper in the sink, play in the water...WHY!? I thought we had a talk about this YESTERDAY and you said 'me nev-a gonna do dat again'...I had your word, man! I am so glad your father is a plumber, this is probably your saving grace! I survived your brother Riley's toddlerhood just fine with no gray hairs...I am not so sure I am going to be so lucky with you, you little stink butt, Dennis the Menace. My first natural instinct was to beat you (yup, I don't even believe in that) so in stead I sent your butt straight to bed...whew, that was hard not to flip out! I am happy to report I held it together and didn't do anything I'd regret though. I hope you don't mind when I spoil the crap out of your kids and laugh when they're as naughty as you are, I can't wait to be a grandparent and see your payback :)

Love you naughty stink butt!

xoxo

Mommy

I have not blogged it feels like in forever. Today is a special day- even if I did wake up with a raging breast infection. When I went to bed last night my whole body was hurting and I just thought I might be over-tired which is rare for me. All night long my shoulders hurt and I couldn't get comfy, so I woke up this morning still feeling bad, I thought this cold I had a few days ago (that I thought was on the mend) must be kicking my butt, so I took 4 Advil- which I hardly take meds ever. It kicked right in and when Quinn woke up to nurse at 10AM I quickly saw the evidence of a breast infection, I get these shooting bright red lines all the way up to my neck and they're everywhere, and it hurts more to nurse but surprisingly I don't have a fever that I know of unless the Advil is masking it. So, I am not going to take an antibiotic for it unless one develops. I feel 100 times better since taking Advil.

Okay now that the personal update is out of the way I can get back to my sweet baby girl.

Dear Quinn,

Today you are 10 months old. You continue to amaze me every day, I love watching you grow and explore around you. Today I was watching you sit in the floor opening and closing your fat little dimpled fingers just because you figured out how to make them do what you want them to do and it made me so happy just to see you being you. You are crawling like a rock star now and when we're coming after you to save you from doing something naughty you kick it up and crawl even faster to get away from us. Yesterday I noticed my bedroom door was open which I leave closed because that is where our cat box is- so I noticed you in the hall trying to crawl in there, I got up to get you and you took off and zoomed in there. When you eat things out of the carpet and we pull them out you have a real attitude about it and let everyone know you're mad. When your brother (Payton) takes toys from you, you show off you attitude now too. You love pulling up to standing positions. You can wave, clap, shake your head 'no-no', we say "how big is Quinnie?" and you raise your chubby little arms and we say in a high pitched voice "sooooo big!!!" and you love it! You imitate sounds, growls and laughs. You can say a few words on command (dada, and bye-bye, and hey). You are learning how to eat really well now and don't seem picky. Last night you had black eyed peas, the night before it was corn. You still generally only eat 1 meal a day and really we just give you the veggie or fruit that we serve. I have only made pureed home made baby food once for you since we decided to do baby-led-weaning which is where the baby almost skips purees. You have had some oatmeal and love it with a little cinnamon in it. You still nurse about every 1-3 hours. In 10 more days we will celebrate your first Christmas, I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I have bought you 4 Blueberry diapers, a playtable to pull up on with lights and sounds and a glow worm so far. I am headed to Target tomorrow night to get you some of the realistic looking toys- the keys, remote control, and cell phone. You aren't huge into toys so we thought things that look like you're being naughty will be more in line with your likes. You have been waking to night nurse once a night and I don't mind at all. I actually love taking the opportunity to love, snuggle and kiss on your precious sleeping little body in the dark and quiet room. You love your siblings so much but Payton is starting to get on your nerves by acting very wild and rambunctious in your face and he never stops touching your face, trying to drag you by your feet or holding you. Skyler is like a 2nd mommy and as of now you two seem to have the strongest bond. Skyler is 5 years older than you and it is amazing to see you two together. She is so sweet, patient, kind, loving, protecting..she will run fetch me things for you without batting an eye, I can trust her so much with you. I can't wait to see you girls grow and change and see you as adult best friends like my sister(s) and I are- which are both older than me (Janet 5 years and Jennifer 7 years). So far your mommy is still your favorite over anyone, which I love because I know that one day soon it won't be me. Daddy and Skyler are a tie for second and everyone else you seem to like equally, you appear to really recognize and know certain people and not others (like the church nursery you cry) I have been trying to make home videos of you because of how fast you are changing, I hope that when you're older you can read this and watch those and see how precious and valuable you are and how much you are loved. I love you to the core of my inner most being miss Quinn Mackenzie, just seeing you smile brightens my day.

Here is a current picture of you taken Dec 3rd I believe when I had my Christmas mini sessions at our house

9 months and 16 days old on December 1st, 2011 my sweet little Quinn no longer has a toothless grin. I screamed last night when I found it- yup screamed! She just cracked up like she was proud of herself. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. When the tooth comes through enough to be visible I'll snap a pic :)