Ribbons and Tags

Does anyone else's baby LOVE ribbons and tags?? My boys play with them all the time, so I looked on Amazon.com to find a blanket with ribbons all over it. Twenty-eight dollars??? Thanks, but, I think I'll make my own:) I made this one for less than $10. Here's how:

You need:
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Pins
Ribbon 
Minky fabric
Flannel fabric

1. Cut the minky and flannel fabrics into 14x14 inch pieces. 

2. Pin ribbons onto the colorful side of the flannel fabric, with the loops pointing toward the center of the blanket.

3. Place the minky fabric on top of the flannel with the smooth surface facing the colorful surface of the flannel.

4. Sew the two pieces together along the perimeter, leaving a 4 inch gap.

5. Turn the blanket right-side-out. 

6. Stitch up the 4 inch gap.

7. Done! 

Family Photos

Here are some of our family photos taken in February. We loved working with the photographer, Sarah Williams. She is really AMAZING. For those of you in the Richmond area, check out her site: sarahwilliamsphotography1.shootproof.com.  Also, she can be contacted at swil.bellababy@gmail.com.

Saving the Trees...

...Or at least our money! We made the switch about a month ago to cloth diapers, and I must say, I am glad that we did.

When the boys moved into size 3 diapers, we were spending about $80 a month! A friend, who also uses cloth diapers, told me how easy it can really be, and so we gave it a try. Here are things that we really like about the BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Style (http://www.bumgenius.com/products.php) diapers we bought:

• Although an investment upfront, they will pay for themselves in four months. And we can use them on children we have down the road too!

It took about thirty minutes of trying...and I still couldn't get both to smile at the same time!

• They are easy to clean! No soaking, no extra detergents. We bought a $30 diaper sprayer that connects to our commode and it rinses the soiled diapers off very well. We do one diaper load about every two days, which include two extra rinse cycles. The BumGenius detergent costs about $15 every two months. Although the inserts can be put in the dryer, we choose not to. 

• They don't have to be changed any more frequently than disposables. The old-fashioned cloth diapers had to be changed frequently to keep the cloth against the baby's skin dry. These, however, are made with a material that wicks the moisture away from the baby's skin.

• One size fits all! They can be expanded to grow as baby does.



Drool? Yes. 

• Less diaper rashes! Again, the moisture is wicked away from the baby's skin.

• It really is not much different than having disposable diapers, other than rinsing the soiled diapers, and doing about 3 extra loads of laundry a week.  I am really impressed! And again, happy to be saving the money!

• Oh! And since we made the switch, we have had only ONE blowout, as opposed to at least one every two days. They hold everything in REALLY well!

Eating each other's feet is happening a lot these days. And it's usually Josiah eating Elliot's.

Six Months

It's hard to believe that the boys were born six months ago. So much has changed in that time...and I'll admit for the better! The boys are growing into little men so quickly!

Both boys have their two bottom teeth in. We had no idea that Josiah was teething until we found the teeth in his mouth! Elliot was a bit more fussy. 

They are eating pureed foods now! We have introduced rice cereal and all the yellow veggies, and now we are working on the green veggies. With solid foods in their diet, the boys now eat four times a day, three of those times include solids. It's amazing how six months ago I was feeding them eight times a day! They are also sleeping from 8pm to 8am! 

Neither of them need to be swaddled anymore when they sleep. 

They love to jump in their jumpy seat and they have figured out how to scoot backwards on the floor.

Elliot and Josiah

Time to EAT!

Elliot and Josiah

Elliot: "Bitty Baby" as my sister, Ruth, calls him. He is still smaller than Josiah. Ever since he was born, he has always seemed quite aware of his surroundings. He is always observing things and appears to be very pensive at times. He cries a little bit more than Josiah, but is more patient. When he gets tired he sings really high pitched:) 

He is attached to his bunny. When he started teething, we gave him the bunny to chew on in bed. Now he gets mad if you take it away while he is sleeping, and always falls asleep with the bunny's arm in his mouth. Although Samuel and I have been very cautious to not start habits with the boys that we won't want to undo later, this one is just too cute to get rid of!

Josiah: He is definitely more outgoing than Elliot. He loves attention! He sucks his thumb to fall asleep at night. He babbles a lot and is always laughing at himself.

She's Got a Way About Her...

Dear Mom,

   Two days ago we celebrated your birthday. 

   If someone were to ask me who my role model is, I would say that it is you. You are the most patient, loving woman I know. You love tenderly, and yet you are a woman of strength. 

   Having gone through a pregnancy and now caring for two little boys, I am more grateful for you today than I have ever been in my life. I have a small understanding now of how unselfish your love for me and all eight of my brothers and sisters is. 

   Thank you for giving me such wise advice over the years and praying for me in the times that I didn't ask for it and made poor decisions. Thank you for showing me what being a good wife and a good mother looks like. Thank you for all the times you cooked me dinner, washed my laundry, and told me that you love me. And thank you for doing all this and more without receiving much gratitude or praise. 

You are an amazing woman, mother, wife, and follower of Christ. 

"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Proverbs 31:29

Remembering

This time, three years ago, Samuel and I were leaving Honduras...

Hospital Loma de Luz

I had been in Honduras working as a nurse in the missionary hospital called Loma de Luz for nine months, when Samuel (who I had yet to meet) moved down to help work on the hospital's farm. 

Me and Samuel on the beach near the hospital

In February, 2011, we both moved back to the US to make preparations for our wedding that took place April 16, 2011.

 Our love for third world culture and missions quickly brought us together as a couple. And although we are living in the US for now, we long and hope for the day that we will be called back overseas. 

Snacking while working at a clinic at a school in the mountains. The hike
there was pretty intense. 

Typical scenery near the hospital

Learning to wash dishes Honduran style

Playing with kids on a Sunday morning on an island just off the coast, Cayos Cuchinos

Our friend at the market we would frequent in town

I cared for this little boy in the hospital for several weeks while he recovered from
and infection. We were celebrating his first birthday in this picture. 

More to come on our time in Honduras because it has played such a huge role in our lives. 

Five Month Old Twins

Well here we are! FIVE MONTHS! The boys are growing and are becoming quite the entertainers in our household.

They continue to sleep pretty well, but wake up at times because they kick their blankets off and are cold. They each sleep in their own cribs.

They are both still in denial that the other baby exists. On a few occasions I peeped in on them talking to each other in their room, but once they saw me, they immediately forgot about the other baby.

Feeding them has become A LOT easier. They nurse for about 5-10 minutes every 2 1/2 to 4 hours. We also started giving them a little rice cereal here and there.

We are considering using cloth diapers...dun.dun.dun...

They put everything in their mouths! They laugh and talk a lot now. They love their jumpy seats. They roll back to tummy, but not tummy to back yet. We still swaddle them when they sleep.

We are still working on getting them some hair on their heads. 

Josiah (L) and Elliot (R)

Josiah (L) and Elliot (R)

Josiah