Wrap Up: Wilson "To Do" List- Holiday Weekend

We didn't get a whole lot done, as you can tell. I had 2 sick little boys that I needed to take care of. I guess these will be pushed back to next weekend.

Those items in bold have been completed. I do have items on this list that are in progress. Those will be in italics.

1. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat and in pot on the stove
2. Put together diaper bag for Thanksgiving
3. Pick out dressy outfit for Thanksgiving and pictures with Santa
4. Reorganize pantry (possible to put bottles into)
5. Clean more of the basement
6. Install mud room shelves and put chemicals on top shelf
7. Find bins of Sam's stuff downstairs
8. Find gold to sell
9. Organize freezers
10. Santa at Southlands- Saturday
11. Xmas tree and decorations
12. Start working on Sam's letter to Santa
13. Go for a 30 minute-1 hour walk (probably on Friday. It's supposed to be nice.)
14. Take Sam's 8 month pictures- Sunday
15. Watch Bronco's game (I hope that they win)

Birthdays

Sam celebrated his 8 month birthday yesterday and my birthday is today. I can't believe that I'm a 37 year old woman with an 8 month old son. How am I going to keep up the energy when he is a toddler?

I will be publishing new pictures of Sam soon.

Wordless Wednesday- Sam's Smiles Are Amazing, He Even Smiles In His Sleep

Wilson "To Do" List- Holiday Weekend

So far, here is the Wilson Family list for this holiday weekend. I have Friday off, but daycare is closed, so it will just be me and Sam.

Many of these are hold-overs from last weekend. Wish us luck completing (or at least making a big dent) in these items. We are going to need it.

1. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat and in pot on the stove
2. Put together diaper bag for Thanksgiving
3. Pick out dressy outfit for Thanksgiving and pictures with Santa
4. Reorganize pantry (possible to put bottles into)
5. Clean more of the basement
6. Install mud room shelves and put chemicals on top shelf
7. Find bins of Sam's stuff downstairs
8. Find gold to sell
9. Organize freezers
10. Santa at Southlands- Saturday
11. Xmas tree and decorations
12. Start working on Sam's letter to Santa
13. Go for a 30 minute-1 hour walk (probably on Friday. It's supposed to be nice.)
14. Take Sam's 8 month pictures- Sunday
15. Watch Bronco's game (I hope that they win)

Best Websites for Holiday Deals

Here are some deals that I found for Black Friday.

Black Friday Info
Amazon
Black Friday
The Black Friday
Walmart

Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons- Through 12/2

Here are the Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons that are valid this weekend. Have fun shopping.

Carter's Coupon

Osh Kosh Coupon

Final Progress with the To Do List- Sunday Night

Through Sunday night, here is the Wilson Family list for this weekend. Those items in bold have been completed. I do have items on this list that are in progress. Those will be in italics.

1. Check the mail
2. Pack small diaper bag
3. Cook frozen turkey breast for Sam
4. Thaw and cook chicken for Sam
5. Thaw and puree squash & pumpkin for Sam- everthing is thawed. Puree tomorrow.
6. Cook peas for Sam
7. Watch OSU vs. Michigan game
8. Wash pump bra
9. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat (held over from last weekend) and in pot on the stove- Sam was sick on Sunday. Definitely not the best time to take his picture.
10. Take family picture for holiday cards
11. Castle Rock Outlets- Carter's and Fossil
12. Tree light ceremony at the Southlands- Skipped
13. Reorganize pantry (possible to put bottles into)
14. Move living room table
15. Clean Sam's toys upstairs
16. Outline Sam's hands
17. Replace water filter on fridge
18. Install diaper sprayer (held over from last weekend)
19. Watch Bronco’s game- I wish that we didn't.
20. Clean bath toys
21. Install mud room shelves and put chemicals on top shelf
22. Write TY notes- Pam, Grandma, Karen
23. Buy Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Coke and 2 cans of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving
24. Put pennies in an empty water bottle for Sam
25. Find bins of Sam's stuff downstairs
26. Go for a 30 minute-1 hour walk

Progress with the To Do List

Through Saturday, here is the Wilson Family list for this weekend. Those items in bold have been completed. I still have all day today to complete more of these.

1. Check the mail
2. Pack small diaper bag
3. Cook frozen turkey breast for Sam
4. Thaw and cook chicken for Sam- in fridge to thaw
5. Thaw and puree squash & pumpkin for Sam- in fridge to thaw
6. Cook peas for Sam
7. Watch OSU vs. Michigan game
8. Wash pump bra
9. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat (held over from last weekend) and in pot on the stove
10. Take family picture for holiday cards
11. Castle Rock Outlets- Carter's and Fossil
12. Tree light ceremony at the Southlands- Skipped
13. Reorganize pantry (possible to put bottles into)
14. Move living room table
15. Clean Sam's toys upstairs
16. Outline Sam's hands
17. Replace water filter on fridge
18. Install diaper sprayer (held over from last weekend)
19. Watch Bronco’s game
20. Clean bath toys
21. Install mud room shelves and put chemicals on top shelf
22. Write TY notes- Pam, Grandma, Karen
23. Buy Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Coke and 2 cans of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving
24. Put pennies in an empty water bottle for Sam
25. Find bins of Sam's stuff downstairs
26. Go for a 30 minute-1 hour walk

All is Right with the World

This is because Ohio State kicked the crap out of Michigan. Yea!!!

21-10

I am going to put a special page in Sam's scrapbook for the Buckeye win.

Wilson "To Do" List

So far, here is the Wilson Family list for this weekend. Wish us luck completing these items. We are going to need it.

1. Check the mail
2. Pack small diaper bag
3. Cook frozen turkey breast for Sam
4. Thaw and cook chicken for Sam
5. Thaw and puree squash & pumpkin for Sam
6. Cook peas for Sam
7. Watch OSU vs. Michigan game
8. Wash pump bra
9. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat (held over from last weekend) and in pot on the stove
10. Take family picture for holiday cards
11. Castle Rock Outlets- Carter's and Fossil
12. Tree light ceremony at the Southlands
13. Reorganize pantry (possible to put bottles into)
14. Move living room table
15. Clean Sam's toys upstairs
16. Outline Sam's hands
17. Replace water filter on fridge
18. Install diaper sprayer (held over from last weekend)
19. Watch Bronco’s game
20. Clean bath toys
21. Install mud room shelves and put chemicals on top shelf
22. Write TY notes- Pam, Grandma, Karen
23. Buy Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Coke and 2 cans of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving
24. Put pennies in an empty water bottle for Sam
25. Find bins of Sam's stuff downstairs
26. Go for a 30 minute-1 hour walk

What I am Thankful For

One of my "friends" from thenest.com is planning to post every day until Thanksgiving with ONE thing they are Thankful for. I stole the idea and listed it on my fb page, but I think that I should post it here.

Does anyone else want to join me?

Nov 1- I am thankful for my health
Nov 2- I am thankful for the the health of my family
Nov 3- I am thankful for my beautiful son.
Nov 4- I am thankful for my understanding husband.
Nov 5- I am thankful for air conditioning. It's supposed to be 76 degrees here today.
Nov 6- I am thankful for my job. I may not like it at times, but it is better than being without one right now.
Nov 7- I am thankful that my vehicle is running perfectly (knock on wood).
Nov 8- I am thankful that we are able to keep our heads above water regarding our finances.
Nov 9- I am thankful for have a great place to take Sam every weekday for daycare.
Nov 10- I am thankful that I have really great friends. (I was going to write that I was thankful that the Steelers won, but I didn't think it was appropriate for this list.)
Nov 11- I am thankful that I have the best husband ever!!
Nov 12- I am thankful that my supply is up.
Nov 13- I am thankful that Brian will be home tomorrow to spend time with Sam that he has missed this week.
Nov 14- I am thankful that I was able to go to and graduate college.
Nov 15- I am thankful that I have an SUV with 4 wheel drive.
Nov 16- I am thankful that I don't have negative people in my life.
Nov 17- I am thankful that we have made our house a home for our family.
Nov 18- I am thankful that Sam is making the milestones that he is supposed to and developing properly.
Nov 19- I am thankful for the mild weather in Colorado. It doesn't snow as much as people think.
Nov 20- I am thankful that I am able to provide nice things for my son.
Nov 21-
Nov 22-
Nov 23-
Nov 24-
Nov 25-
Nov 26 (Thanksgiving)-

Holiday Questions & Answers

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

*World Peace, of course!!
*Laptop- Something small and cheap. I'm not looking for the top-of-the-line.
*Six more SmartiPants cloth diapers (white)- They are amazing and will last Sam through potty training.
*Childproofing items- Sam is about 2 hours away from starting to crawl.
*Steam cleaning mop- I just don't like our Swiffer mop. The chemicals stick to the tile.

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

I received a crocheted afghan from my mom for my high school graduation that is really beautiful.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

I will be making a scrapbook for Sam for every year of his childhood. It will be his birthday present on his birthday.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

I remember getting a 10-speed bike that I HAD to have.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

Sam isn't even old enough to understand Christmas and presents, so I guess any toys that light up and make noises would be just fine with him. Books are always a good present as are clothes (12-18 months).

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Homemade mashed potatoes. I can't get enough.

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

I will be cooking Christmas dinner.

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

It's a Wonderful Life.

9. Favorite holiday song?

Oh, Come All Ye Faithful is my favorite carol.

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Just everything! Being with my family, celebrating, and PRESENTS!



Please let me know your answers to the above questions.

Barnes & Noble Coupon

25% Off Coupon in stores only. Expires 11/22.

Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons- This weekend

Here are the Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons that are valid this weekend. Have fun shopping.

Carter's Coupon

Osh Kosh Coupon

Tuesday Night

I wish that I could have written about this yesterday, but it was Wordless Wednesday.

I am so excited. On Tuesday night, I finally got to see Sam roll from his tummy to his back. He has been going the other way for quite some time.

I told his daycare not to let me know if he does anything new since I want to think that Brian and I are the first ones to see him do something. They have kept their word. I sometimes ask if he is close to doing something new so that we can witness it. Of course, he may have already done it, but they tell me he is close so that the illusion can be continued.

He has been working on straightening himself up when he falls over. He is able to use my leg as leverage if he falls onto it, but sitting up by himself hasn't been accomplished. Or has it? I will have him work on it this week and weekend.

Wordless Wednesday- One of the Best Pictures That I Have Ever Taken

Childproofing

With Sam starting to rock (and on his way to crawling any day now), Brian and I need to start doing some serious childproofing.

Things we already have completed for childproofing
Smoke detectors
Carbon monoxide detectors
Spout cover
Set our hot water heater to 120° Fahrenheit or lower
Cover electrical outlets upstairs


Some of the things that we will need to start purchasing
CPR and First Aid Training (we should have gotten it when I was pregnant, but we definitely need to do it now)
Cover electrical outlets downstairs
Latches on lower drawers
Angle braces or anchors to secure furniture to a wall
More baby gates
Pad corners
Wrap blind cords
Cover power strips
Plastic cover for DVD & VCR
Move plants
Lock fireplace
Lock closets, linen closet and pantry
Non-skid stickers for bathtub
Put up shelves in garage to get things off of the floor
Window well covers for backyard
Cover bookshelves so that Sam's can't rip up books
Take glass tables downstairs
Cover banisters with netting or Plexiglas (too wide apart)
Gate off computer desk area


Undetermined about what to do with the following items
Fireplace - pad, gate off???
Floor lamps


From what I have researched (Good Housekeeping, etc.), here are some of the products that are the best on the market.
Tot Lok/Safety 1st Magnetic Cabinet Locks ($17.98 for four). Run a magnetic key over the surface of the cabinet to unlock it. These locks can be "turned off" for busy times.
Safety 1st Cabinet and Drawer Latches model 116 ($1.99 for four). Plastic latch prevents kids from opening drawers. Parents press a tab to open, and when the drawer is closed the device re-latches automatically.
Gerber Safety Toilet Lid Lock ($4.29). It's easy to install -- the device sticks onto the top of the toilet seat -- and you just swing a lever to open it. Lid automatically locks again when you shut it.
Evenflo Home Decor Swing Gate ($99). You have to be handy to install this heavy-duty wooden gate, but it's worth the effort: It locks automatically each time you close it.
KidCo Safeway Gate model G20 ($59.99). A tough, wall-mounted gate, made of coated steel. Downside: It needs to be re-latched after you walk through.


There are also quite a few other child proofing items that will need to be done, but they won't have to be completed until Sam starts walking.
Move knife block
Refrigerator lock
Stove lock
Dishwasher lock
and probably about 1,000 other things that I can't think of right now.

If you have any other product suggestions or giveaways where I can win the items instead of paying for them, I'm all ears.

What I Was Able To Accomplish This Weekend

Unfortunately, the answer to that is not much.

Here was my "To Do" list this weekend.
1. Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat
2. Give Sam air time (he has some diaper rash)
3. Put BBQ sauce on chicken thighs and bake
4. Bake banana bread
5. Clean Sam's toys
6. Return DPL movies
7. Watch the Buckeye game
8. Put together Sam's food for daycare next week
9. Watch Bronco's game
10. Install diaper sprayer
11. Meeting with our financial planner
12. Laundry

Here was what I actually accomplished this weekend.
2. Give Sam air time (he has some diaper rash)
5. Clean Sam's toys
7. Watch the Buckeye game
8. Put together Sam's food for daycare next week
9. Watch Bronco's game
12. Laundry

That's a 50% completion rate. Definitely not very good. The 6 unfinished items will be forwarded to next weekend's list.

Another Milestone Coming Quickly

Sam is starting to get up on his hands and knees and rock. His legs fall back down and he pushes up again with his hands. Doing this over and over causes him to move backwards, but he is on the cusp on putting it all together and crawling.

His rocking is so cute. Check it out.

Chicken, Sausage & Kidney Bean Chili Recipe

I forgot to post this after I made it for friends that came over for a football game on 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately, it was gone before I had a chance to try it, but it was a big hit with those that did.

Chicken and Sausage Chili
Ingredients:
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•2 boneless chicken breast halves, diced
•12 to 16 ounces chicken sausage, such as chicken apple sausage or chicken other smoked chicken or turkey sausage
•1 cup chopped onion
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•2 cans (about 16 ounces each) Red Kidney Beans
•1 1/2 cups tomatillo salsa
•1 cup chicken broth
•1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice, fire-roasted, chili-style, or plain
•1 cup frozen corn kernels
•2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers, or mild chile peppers
•1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•Dash cayenne pepper, optional

Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, diced chicken, and sliced sausage; sauté until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Put the drained beans in a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker; add the skillet mixture and all remaining ingredients except cilantro. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Serves 6.

Project Single Mom: Day 4 (Last Day)

I decided to skip a shower last night and my hair didn't look too bad when I woke up. I'll take one tonight.

I wasn't able to wake up before Sam this morning so he saw me without my makeup on (oh no!!). He got to watch me put on my makeup while he was on his tummy kicking his legs.

We had a very comfortable morning. Eating, playing, napping-- we had fun. Of course, dropping Sam off at daycare wasn't a problem. He is such a good boy.

I received a call from Brian today letting me know that he would be home tomorrow morning instead of in the afternoon. We have missed daddy so much. It will be so great to see him.

I have set up our "To Do" list this weekend.
Take pictures of Sam in crocheted hat
Give Sam air time (he has some diaper rash)
Put BBQ sauce on chicken thighs and bake
Bake banana bread
Clean Sam's toys
Return DPL movies
Watch the Buckeye game
Put together Sam's food for daycare next week
Watch Bronco's game
Install diaper sprayer
Meeting with our financial planner
Laundry

The evening was uneventful until it was bedtime. Sam has had diaper rash since I started giving him peaches, so (in hopes of calming the acid in his diet that could have contributed to the rash) I gave him sweet potatoes. I usually feed him 4 ice cube size pieces of food. Tonight he ate 5 cubes.

Since he ate a lot I was expecting him to spit some of it up before bedtime, but he didn't. I completed his routine and put him into his Halo fleece SleepSack, turned on his soother and went into the loft. He usually fusses a little bit, but tonight it was more than normal so I decided to peek in on him. Sam was on his stomach with a palm size blob of orange spit up on his sheet. When I took him out of his crib to change the sheet I noticed that he had a bunch on his face. I guess that I didn't get to him before he had put his head down. I laid him on the floor, cleaned off his face and changed the sheet. I then gave him a kiss, turned the soother on and went back into the loft.

He started fussing a a bunch so I went in to check on him. He had spit up again and had more on his face. I cleaned his face, changed his sheet and decided (since the only clean crib sheet that we had in the house was now on his mattress) that I was going to nurse him until he fell asleep. We did that, and as of this post, he has not woken up or spit up.

Just in case, I put the 2 dirty crib sheets into the washer and I will make sure that I put them in the dryer before I go to bed.

For a Friday the 13th, it's been a pretty good day.

Take the Best Holiday Photo of Your Family

I found this great article about taking good holiday photos of your family. I'm definitely going to use the tips when I take pictures of Sam this weekend.
Check it out.

Project Single Mom: Day 3

I forgot to mention that right before I went to be on Wednesday night I peeked in on Sam. Instead of laying lengthwise on the left side of the crib, he was sleeping width-wise on the right side of the crib. I wasn't sure if I should move him back, but I didn't want him to stretch in the middle of the night and bump his head so I moved him. He raised his head while I was moving him and put it right back down when I laid him down. He didn't make a single noise and was completely asleep when his head hit the mattress again. So cute.

Day 3: Thursday
I woke up, again, before Sam began to stir so I was able to put on my makeup and fix my hair. Sam started waking up about 15 minutes after I was done.

This maybe TMI, but I'm going to go ahead with it.
He was very hungry so he ate for quite some time. Little boys need their nutrition. About 20 minutes later he spit up probably around half of what he had eaten all over my tank top and arm. 20 minutes after that he was hungry again so I fed him. 10 minutes after that, another bout of spitting up. This time I had a burp cloth ready and he only got a little on my arm.

Kinda gross.

Dropping of Sam at daycare went wonderfully. He is such an easy going kid.

Upon picking Sam up from daycare I found out that he pooped three times and took a 4 hour nap. This is the most times that he pooped at daycare since he started there. That might have been another TMI, but these are the things that I have to keep track of as a mom.

The evening went just as well. We played, we ate and Sam is bout 2 weeks away from crawling. Tonight, in his crib, Sam pushed himself up on his hands and knees and was rocking back and forth. I wanted to get it on tape, but I didn't want to turn on the light. I'll get it on tape soon.

He is growing up WAY too fast for me. I need him to stay exactly how he is for at least another 2 months. I need to relish every minute that I have with him every day.

Cloth Diaper Trial Program

I wish that I found this package when I was first investigating cloth diapers.

Changing Diapers, Changing Minds Program

The best introduction to cloth diapers on the web since 2005! Just updated! Try a great variety of popular, trusted, NEW cloth diapers for only $10! Order by 3:00 PM EST, M-F, and they will ship your trial program the same day!

Step 1: Pay a deposit of $150.09.
Step 2: Try all the diapers. Wash them, use them, fall in love with cloth diapering!
Step 3: Mail the diapers back to us after using them for 21 days. (Yes, the 21 days starts when you receive the package, not with your order date!)
Step 4: Receive a refund of $140.09, regardless of whether the diapers are stained or not. This is not a store credit, but an actual refund!
And... receive Free Shipping on your next order (to orders within the US).

Want to keep some of the diapers? No problem! They will just deduct their price from the refund! And, if you decide to keep ALL of them, you'll get 10% off the package!

Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons- This weekend

I wish that I was able to use these coupons, but times are tight right now. I hope that others can save a bunch of money with them.

Carter's Coupon

Osh Kosh coupon

Limited Christmas This Year

After my father mentioned in 1990 that we were were going to have a limited Christmas, it has been a running joke in our family since "The Limited" was a very popular place to shop for us then. A "Limited" Christmas was just fine with us.

I am trying to determine what gifts to buy/make for everyone on my list. I'm trying to find things that would have our son featured since he is the first grandchild on both sides of the family.

Here are my ideas so far.
1. Picture Calendar (Vistaprint.com usually has a sale)
2. Photo Magnets (Vistaprint.com)
3. Photo Book (Vistaprint.com)
4. New Year's Food Basket (I know that this wouldn't have anything related to photos of Sam, but it is cheap)
5. ?????

I need more ideas. I need your help.

Project Single Mom: Day 2

I didn't sleep very well on Tuesday night, especially when the monitor made a bunch of noises in the middle of the night (that had nothing to do with Sam), but I have survived on less sleep than this.

Wednesday morning went really well. I woke up before Sam and had time to put on my makeup and fix my hair. Sam started waking up about 5 minutes after I was done. His diaper was dry, but I thought that he would like a fresh one to start off the morning.

Sam fed very well and we had some time to play before I had to get him to daycare. The only bad thing about the morning is the shirt that I had picked out the night before had some oil stains that I didn't know about until I was almost to work. I tried to stay in my office as much as possible so that people didn't think I was as messy as I really am.

All day yesterday I was most worried about giving Sam a bath. Brian and I bathe him together on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. He soaps up Sam and I rinse him off one set of body parts at a time (face, chest, arms, back, legs, junk, bottom and then his hair). After we pull Sam out of the tub and put him in a towel on the changing table, Brian massages Sam with lotion while I dry his hair and brush it.

We have The First Year's Infant To Toddler Tub (below) so I know that he won't be sliding all over the place, but Sam likes to kick and I'm not sure how much water is going to be in the tub once I'm done with his bath and how much is going to be on me and on the floor and counter.


At 6:20, after he woke up, Sam ate his peaches and rice cereal voraciously.

7:15pm-- Sam and I survived bath time. I decided to do it a little differently than Brian and I do it together. I soaped and rinsed his face, then soaped up everything above the waist (minus his hair) then rinsed him off. Then I washed his legs, junk and bottom then rinsed him off. I then washed and rinsed his hair. I massaged him with lotion and brushed his hair. Everything went very well.

I fed Sam and then I put him to bed. He fell asleep pretty easily. I waited about 45 minutes before I took a shower.

I'll write about how I slept in my next post.

Wordless Wednesday- Future Goal- Run Another Half Marathon in 2010

Project Single Mom: End of Day 1

It is the end of Day 1 for the Project "Single Mom."

I'm sitting here in front of my computer and Sam is asleep (on his tummy) in his crib. He was fussing for about 20 minutes, but he is definitely asleep. I'm going to wait another 30 minutes to make sure that he is fully asleep then I'm going to take a quick shower. Even thought I know that he won't be in any danger or going to wake up, I'm going to bring the monitor into the bathroom. It would just make me feel better.

Sam and I had a ton of fun tonight. He was bouncing around in the exersaucer and having a bunch of sitting up time and tummy time on the mat. Unfortunately, I really didn't eat that much for dinner, but that has been the norm for me since becoming a mother. There is just too much stuff to do. Right now, I'm only 4 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.

Brian is usually the one that reads Sam a story, feeds him a bottle (since I have nursed him a few times) while I take a shower and we put him to bed together.

It was nice to be the only one that was responsible for all of his nutrition and well being this evening. Having the experience of being a "Single Parent" even for a day has let me know that I am stronger than I have previously believed.

I really hope that Sam sleeps well tonight. I hope that I do too.

Project Single Mom: Day 1

I guess that I wasn't completely a "single mom" this morning. I was able to put on my makeup and get dressed while Brian was holding him. Brian left for his hunting trip at 8am which was after I left the house to take Sam to daycare.

Let me catch everyone up on the quest that I wanted to complete before he left.

The following items were supposed to be done to complete my quest prior to Brian leaving. Those items were:
2. Sam's daycare clothes
3. Sam's night time clothes
5. My clothes

Numbers 2 and 3 are DONE. All the clothes are clean to complete #5. Thank goodness that #5 can be completed after Sam is put to bed for the night.

With Sam at daycare right now there isn't anything more to report. I will post again tonight or in the morning with an update on how I survived the evening.

Single Mom Week (continued)

According to my last post, there were several things that I was going to try to accomplish this weekend to get ready fro my husband to go out of town tomorrow.

Those were:
1. Sam's food
2. Sam's daycare clothes
3. Sam's night time clothes
4. My dinners
5. My clothes
6. Cloth Diapers

Unfortunately I was only able to complete #s 1, 4, and 6. I did do laundry to complete #s 2, 3 and 5, but I wasn't able to put everything together during the weekend.

This is my quest tonight.

Brian will be leaving just after I leave tomorrow morning, so I MUST have everything done.

If Sam is able to hang out in the exersaucer, I'm going to fold a TON of his clothes and mine to put together for the week.

This is my mission and I must not fail.

Getting Ready to be a Single Mom Next Week

As some of you may already know, Brian is going hunting next week, so I will be in charge of Sam all by myself. I have a lot to do this weekend to get ready. I want to make sure that I have the least amount of craziness during the days that he is gone so I am going to put together a lot of things this weekend.

1. Sam's food- Everyday this means 3 meals, 2 for daycare and one for dinner at home.

2. Sam's daycare clothes- I'm making sure that he will have clean clothes set out for every day. I don't want to be running around the night before putting outfits together. Of course, it also means that I will need extra outfits in case he decides to spit up on them before we leave the house.

3. Sam's night time clothes- same as above but these are what he will sleep in.

4. My dinners- We have quite a few individual meals frozen and ingredients for more. I just need to organize them for next week. No running to the grocery store for ingredients and things that I have forgotten right before I pick Sam up from daycare.

5. My clothes- This is the same idea as with Sam's clothes.

6. Cloth Diapers- To have as many CD's cleaned and put together so that they can be used after we get home from daycare. Depending on how fast Sam goes through them, I hope to only have to do 2 loads of CD's when Brian is gone.

Doing the above means that laundry will need to be done and some rearranging of the upstairs freezer and fridge to accommodate Sam's frozen homemade baby food this weekend.

Brian is working overtime tomorrow morning, so if Sam is in his exersaucer for part of the morning, that will allow me to start the laundry and put together the diapers. Once Brian gets home, it's on to making a crock pot meal and arranging the freezers while Brian feeds Sam lunch.

I will post on Monday how the weekend went and let you know if I was able to accomplish everything. I will, hopefully, take pictures of the outfits, diapers and food once it is complete.

Wish me luck!

Two Posts in One Day- Wow, Work is Boring Today

I thought that since there is only a few months left in 2009, I should update my 101 Things in 1,001 days project. I have completed 8 items and in the process of completing 14. I have 692 days left to complete all the rest.

Check out my progress
http://my101things.wordpress.com/

Nervous

I'm probably stressing too much about this, but Brian is leaving for 5 days. I've never been alone with Sam for more than a few hours and I'm very nervous.

What is worrying me (in no particular order):
* What if he doesn't sleep very well during the night?
* What if he starts teething?
* What if something happens to him while I'm in the shower and he is sleeping in his crib?
* Will I be able to sleep at all without Brian at home?
* What if I can't produce enough and he is still hungry when he needs to go to bed? Having me give formula might confuse him.
* Will I be able to give him a bath all by myself?
* Will I be able to accomplish any chores (cleaning the kitchen, putting bottles together, laundry, etc)?
* Will I have time to eat in the evening? We usually switch off to eat so that one of us is with Sam. (I had so much to do last night that I didn't have a chance to eat.)

I'm a wreck and I still have almost a week before he leaves. Wish me luck.

Wordless Wednesday-- 1 Year Ago This Week- 21 Weeks Pregnant

Even More Photos and a video

I'm not one to drone on about what is going on with Sam in the blog, so I will just show a bunch of photos that have been taken recently.

Sam in more outfits

Corn Maze

Steelers Rock


Sam Eating Butternut Squash

Catch Up

I know that it has been a while since I have posted pictures, but I want to get everyone up to date.

Sam turned 7 months old on Thursday. For more pictures, click here.



Halloween was this past weekend and since Sam is the first grandchild on both sides he received a couple of outfits from relatives. Take a look.

Here is the costume that Nana made for him. We love it a lot.


In this same album you will see Brian and I dressed up for our first major outing without Sam. Even though Sam's grandparents were watching him, I was a wreck until we got home.