A whole year!

It has been a whole year. I can hardly believe it! My little man is a year old already. I have learned so much this past year, it has been full of new experiences and challenges I could have never imagined before becoming a parent. I have done things I always swore I would never do (co-sleeping for example), I have done things others said I would never do (breastfeeding and cloth diapering for example), and I have decided not to do many things I always thought were just how things were supposed to be (bottles and baby food for example).

For the past year my little man has only been breastfed, straight from the breast. He has never had a bottle, he never actually took a pacifier. For about 2 weeks he would sleep with it, then I got tired of not sleeping and we co-slept after that, so no more pacifier, he had boob and slept MUCH better. He ONLY had breastmilk for the first 7 1/2 months of his life, at which point he started reaching out and eating food from my plate. I have never spoon fed him baby food, he has always fed himself. Of course, he can't work a spoon and feed himself things like oatmeal yet, so I help him, but 98% of what he eats he picks up and feeds to himself and has since he first consumed something other than breastmilk. He loves to be worn in a baby carrier (beco for example), he likes to sit and play on the floor all on his own, he likes to help do everything that I do. He eats amazingly well for someone his age. He loves fruit, veggies, meat, and drinks water from a straw (he skipped the sippy cup). His favorite meal would consist of sautéed squash and zucchini, sweet and spicy turnip greens, roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, with roasted chicken, with ice water to drink and of course strawberries and yogurt for dessert. Those are by far his favorite foods. 

Yes, I still cloth diaper him. I hate disposables. Due to where we lived temporarily, along with some unforeseen, crazy events I had to use disposables for 3 months. Now that things are getting back to normal we are back in cloth. I have decided to keep using the disposables for nighttime and when we go places. Mostly because he doesn't like to be changed often when we are out, and that keeps him dryier for longer then the cloth ones that I have right now. Otherwise we are back to cloth. They are simply better, for a variety of reasons. 

Yes, I am still breastfeeding him. I realize he is one and isn't considered a baby anymore. It is still extremely benifical for his phycal and emotional needs. I truly hope to keep going until his third birthday. 

Yes, he is still co-sleeping. Again, this is something that is very benifical (not as much as breastfeeding, but still important) for him. When he is ready he will move to his own bed. Until then he is welcome to sleep where he knows he is safe and feels comfortable. 

I am so blessed to have such a healthy, happy child. There are so many benefits to extended breastfeeding and co-sleeping. I realize it isn't for everyone and that is a choice you have to make. However, for us the benefits greatly outweigh the challenges that come from it. Because of the breastfeeding and co-sleeping combination he sleeps 11 hours every night and has been that way since I brought him to our bed. 

This is what works for us, and I am so glad that it does. This wasn't even remotely close to how I envisioned our first year, it is so so much better!

By the way if this post makes you feel like I'm patting myself on the back, then you would be right. I am very proud of how things have gone over this first year. I am so happy to be able to say my son has never had a bottle or formula. I'm not saying it was easy, it has been far from easy. For the first three months my son never unlatched! I was either breastfeeding or he was screaming, for THREE MONTHS. After that I started getting an hour or so a day where I didn't have to hold and/or nurse him. Then finally by 6 months I was able to do a few things throughout the day without him screaming the whole time. Now at a year I still hold him quite a bit, and I still nurse him several times a day. I nurse him to sleep at night, and usually during nap time. I don't like to go very far away from home (I'm talking more then 15min) when it is just me and him because he doesn't much like being in the car seat. Things change every day though, he gets bigger, things like the car seat bother him less, and he is getting much more interested in playing instead of being held all the time. I am so happy that we have pushed through the tough days, and I am so very thankful the things that have been such a big challenge are starting to get easier as the days go by. I couldn't have even made it through the first couple of days without the good Lord and the amazing amount of support from my husband and mom.

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

General Cleaning and Sanitizing

For general cleaning and sanitizing I like to use a few different things. Sometimes I like to use castile soap as the base with essential oils as the main sanitizing agent, other times I use vinegar as the base along with the essential oils, yet, other times I use hydrogen peroxide as the base. This really varies depending on what I am cleaning and just how much scrubbing I think will be necessary.

Option 1: Castile Soap Based Cleaner

• Dr.Bronners liquid castile soap (you can use whatever brand you like, that is just what I use)
• Water
• 32oz Spray Bottle
• Optional: Essential oils. Things like tea tree, lavender, or lemon not only act as a sanitizing agent, but they smell great! 

In the spray bottle I put about 2-3 tablespoons of castile soap, 20 drops essential oil, and fill with water. Shake to mix then spray to use.

Option 2: Vinegar Based Cleaner

• White vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar if you like) 
• Water
• 32oz Spray Bottle
• Optional: Essential oils. Things like tea tree, lavender, or lemon not only act as a sanitizing agent, but they smell great! 

Fill the spray about 1/4 full of vinegar, finish with water, add around 20 drops of essential oil. Shake to mix, then spray to use.

Option 3: Hydrogen Peroxide Based Cleaner

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Dark colored bottle (I just use the peroxide bottle and squirt it out the tiny hole in the top)
• Water
• Optional: Essential oils. Things like tea tree, lavender, or lemon not only act as a sanitizing agent, but they smell great! 

In your container use about half and half of water and peroxide. Be sure to keep the peroxide in a dark container, if it is exposed to light it takes out the oxygen (which takes away the sanitizing properties and you basically have water).

Side notes:

• Supposedly microfiber cloths "wipe away all the germs" so you can just use them with water to sanitize. I have never been comfortable with that method, so I use microfiber cloths with any of the above cleaners and I feel very confident that it is sanitary at that point.     
• Castile soap isn't actually a "disinfectant" so to make that method "sanitize" I use a few drops of the essential oils.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

Laundry Soap and Fabric Softener

I have been making my own laundry soap for about 5 years now. Mostly because I'm allergic to pretty much every single kind at the store. Out of desperation I started making my own. Over the years it has saved quite a bit of money, my clothes are clean, my skin doesn't itch so I keep making it. Recently, I have been striving to be "chemical-free" in my home, which caused me to change my detergent recipe. This new recipe is great! It is a liquid, which I recently learned is much better for your washer, and it is very easy to make. This is one of those things I can throw together even while holding my son if necessary. I make a gallon at a time. Feel free to make a big 5 gallon bucket of it if you want, the only reason I don't do this is because I use my bucket for other things and never remember to buy a new one with a lid, and I really don't want to mess with where to keep it and getting it out. For me, one gallon at a time works great. One gallon does about 48 loads, and cost aprox: $2.21 (about .05 cents per load). If buying in bulk it cost about $40 to get all the ingredients (you can get it as cheap as $15 but it makes less detergent), however, I use every single one of the ingredients for other purposes so I buy in bulk, it makes more sense that way. If you spend only $15 on the ingredients it will make several batches (about 3-4 gallons) and you will know if you want to invest in the bulk versions next time.

 Here is what I use:

Laundry Soap

• Dr. Bronners liquid castle soap in lavender (you can use any brand, or scent) 
• Borax
• Washing soda
• Warm water
• Gallon container (I use an empty vinegar bottle)

I put 1/4 cup each of borax and washing soda into the bottle, add very warm water and shake until dissolved. Then I add 1/2 cup of the liquid castle soap. I usually shake before using, and I use around 1/3 cup per load in my HE washer.

Feel free to add a few drops of essential oils. Sometimes I add extra lavender, or if I use the unscented castle soap I will add peppermint, lemon, or just whatever smells good.


Mixing Tip:

• Once you put the powder into the container then put a little water into the container, shake, and then fill about 1/3 full of water before you add the castle soap.

Fabric Softener:

I fill my fabric softener container on my washer with pure white vingear. My clothes are soft, static-free, and they do NOT smell like vinegar. Also, I keep several wool dryer balls in the dryer to help dry the clothes faster (saves money on electric), and really helps the static if you forgot the vinegar.

Just a side note: 

Fabric softener sheets are very hard on your dryer. The waxy junk on them builds up in the vent area and is basically impossible to remove, which eventually can be a fire hazard (and makes you use more energy to dry clothes, therefor, costing more money).

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

Product review.

 The Concrobium House and Deck Wash works great. We used it on the back of our house and deck. It made a huge difference. This product was very easy to use. 

The KoolerGel

This product works as advertised. I would like to have more of it in a bag, otherwise it earned 5 stars. I used it while camping and it keep the contents of my cooler nice and cold, it make my ice last longer and worked after the ice was gone.


Easy2Hook 
This works great if fishing for pan fish. It really isn't great for much else because of how you have to tie the line.