Housing Situation May 31, 2009

It’s been a long time since I have posted anything. I realized last week that I haven’t shared our housing story. We got the job here in College Station in the middle of August last year and wanted to be here by Labor Day. Since it was all happening so quickly and we were so far away we just decided to search online and use our few contacts here and find a place to live over the internet. What we didn’t consider was that this is a college town and we were moving at the very beginning of the semester. We kept finding apartments/rental houses in our price range (The few that were – housing is expensive here!) but they were already completely leased. Through some miraculous circumstances we found this apartment, which was the last one available and was actually under our price range. It just had a few downfalls – there were no washer and dryer connections, it was on the second floor, I wold still have to take our dog out every day. We knew that these things would be frustrating with a newborn, but felt that we would deal with it. There have been times that I have wanted to pull my hair out with the laundry. The first 5 months of Cameron’s life he had acid reflux, which left him and I covered in well, you know, all day. We both went through at least 3 shirts a day. This made for a lot of laundry. I have had trouble finding time to do the laundry since I need Michael here to take care of Cameron while I get it done. It is also difficult to carry all of the laundry, it costs a lot each month, and don’t even get me started about the fact that I have a washer and dryer in excellent condition just sitting in storage. The stairs up to our apartment haven’t been that big of a deal, however Cameron now weighs about 20 pounds and they’re getting a little more annoying. Another frustration for me has been my poor dog. It’s hard to make time to take him out with a baby. I know that seems silly but for some reason this ended up being more difficult for me than I expected. I would love to have a back yard where I could just let him out whenever I wanted.

So….about 6 months ago I started bugging Michael about us finding a new place to live. We knew that we weren’t ready to buy a house yet and we didn’t know if just the laundry, being on the second floor, and the dog were reason enough to move to another apartment. We started praying about what we were supposed to do. We just decided to wait and see if God opened any doors. We had to let our leasing office know by April 16th whether we were resigning our lease or not. As we were getting close to April we still had no leads and it looked as though we would just deal with all of our issues for one more year. I was very disappointed about this, but had finally really surrendered it to the Lord and got my attitude in check. On April 15th a friend from church, whose family owns a real-estate company, told me about a duplex they had open. I told her that I thought we were just going to stay where we were but that I would let her know. I talked to Michael that afternoon and just mentioned it and he said, “Well, we can at least go look at it.” We went to see it and it has covered parking right by the door, plenty of space, washer and dryer connections, and a fenced in yard. The rent was only a little more and they said that it was no problem that we had to wait until our lease was up in August to move. It was all too good to be true!! We took a couple of days to really make a wise  and prayerful decision and when we called them back it was still available and within that week we went and signed the lease! So, as of August 15th I will be able to do laundry whenever I want and my poor dog will get to pee more than twice a day. I’m not looking foward to the actual moving process but I am so ready to move. We have lived in apartments ever since we got married so I feel like we’re taking steps in the right direction. Who knows – maybe next year I’ll get my first house! ha!

The main thing that I hve learned through this whole process is the graciousness of the Lord. I have a wonderful “home” now that meets all of my needs. All of these frustrations I have mentioned are just that – frustrations. I dont have to have a washer and dryer or a yard –  they are just things that make life easier. Yet, the Lord cares about the details of our lives. And even when I didn’t think that I was going to get to move He was reminding me that he cared about my details and that He had me in this situation for a reason. I have learned through all of this to be thankful and not compare myself to others. I would hear friends complain about laundry and I would think, “Oh, if only I could do laundry while Cameron was napping!”. That made me think that I probably complain about things in front of people that they think would be wonderful and that I needed to focus on praising the Lord for my blessings and not focus on my frustrations.

*disclaimer* I took cough syrup before I started this post and half-way through it really started to work. I am barely holding my eyes open now but I was determined to finish. If this reads like a bunch of confusing mess I am so sorry. I’m not an idiot, prescription cough syrup is just really strong!

Free Stroller? May 5, 2009

One of my good friends my Louisiville, Allison, is a blogging master. She has daily entries and even a giveaway on Fridays. (Check her out at allieparkersthoughts.blogspot.com) In fact I have found that people that I have known from Memphis for years are following her blog and I have no idea their connection with her. Today she had this link for a contest for a stroller. I never do these things but I figured, “Hey, why not try.” so this is part of my being able to enter the contest, go check out Stroller Patroller and see the details about winning this stroller.

Funny?!?!?! April 24, 2009

I have recently wondered about something some what odd. Do you think God thinks we’re funny? Michael and I have this on-running joke about how I think that I’m funnier than I really am. I’ll say something completely witty and hilarious and he will look at me with a funny expression, caused by him attempting to suppress a laugh, and tell me, “You’re not that funny!” Sometimes he does this really cute thing where he rolls his eyes and grins when I say something corny or funny. I can tell when he does this that it is a look of love and admiration. I wonder if God ever does that to us? He is the one that made us, including our personalities and he knows all of our thoughts. Do you think that sometimes he “grins” and “rolls his eyes” when we think something humorous? Do you think he ever says, “Oh Kim (Or insert your name)! That was a good one! I’m glad I gave you that sense of humor!” I don’t know if He does or not. I hope He does though, then I wouldn’t be the only one amused by my thoughts!

Homemade Baby Food April 16, 2009

I mentioned in my last post that I am making Cameron’s baby food at home. So, I thought that I would go into a little more detail in this post. I didn’t start making his food because I am completely against processed baby food or because I think that it is bad, I started it because it’s CHEAP!!!! I had read a few things about the benefits of homemade food so I just decided to give it a try. I found several websites that were really helpful.

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/

Since I am just starting out I haven’t tried any of the combination recipes because Cameron is still just getting one food at a time every week or so. I haven’t invested in a food processor yet because I wanted to see if I liked making the food first. I’m sure I’ll be buying one in a few weeks. I found a mini food processor at Target for only $20.00 so I’ll probably get that one. I started out making the foods that were easiest. I made a batch of sweet potatoes, green beans, avacados, and bananas. For the sweet potatoes all I did was bake them and then used my hand mixer (which is now clean!) to get them into a smoother consistency. The green beans I boiled on the stove for about 10-12 minutes and then I pureed them in the blender. For the avacados and bananas I just mashed them and used the hand mixer until they were smooth. With all of them I then filled up an ice tray with the baby food and froze it into cubes. I then put the frozen cubes in a labeled freezer bag.

When I feed him (so far he has just had sweet potatoes) I thaw out a cube (Sometimes I defrost it in the microwave) and then I stir in some diluted apple juice to make it thinner. I use the apple juice instead of water, breast milk, or formula because the doctor suggested that the juice would help keep him from getting constipated.

I am starting green beans with him tomorrow. I’m hoping he likes them as much as the sweet potatoes.

Cleaning Confessions April 9, 2009

I consider myself a pretty clean person. My house is by no means perfect (you should see the clutter in the living room right now – and Ihave company that will be here in an hour - EEK) but it is usually clean and presentable. I am much better at keeping a clean house now that I’m home all day and it is something I have started taking pride in. I like to try and make sure my kitchen is clean all of the time. So, yesterday I was in the kitchen making Cameron’s baby food (I’ll write more on that in a later post). I was using the hand mixer when I got really grossed out! I looked down and the mixer was DISGUSTING!!!! It had all sorts of splatter on the underside. I then realized that I never think to clean the actual mixer I just use it, put the beaters in the dishwasher and put the mixer back in the cabinet. So I wanted to get everyone’s opinion. Are you a habitual mixer cleaner or, like me, did that slip by you. If I’m the only one that’s okay, it’s never going to happen again!

Healthy Changes April 6, 2009

Any of you that know me well or have known me for a long time know that I have a HUGE struggle in my life…my weight. I have struggled with blogging about this. I guess I felt like writing about it would make it too real and I was still trying hide it. But let’s face it, it’s no secret it’s pretty obvious! Since I was about 7 years old I have struggled. I was an overweight kid and then my freshman year in high school I lost quite a bit of weight. I stayed pretty average until my junior year in high school where I started gaining a lot back. My freshman year in college I got fed up and took diet pills and basically stopped eating whenever possible to lose a remarkable 60 pounds in only 6 months – not the best diet plan. From that point on I yo-yo’d back and forth 15 pounds here and there until I got married 3 years later. After I got married it all went down hill. This is where I have had my most significant weight gain. I lost about 35 pounds in order to get pregnant and thought that this was my turning point and that after I had Cameron I would keep losing weight. The month after I had Cameron was great and I dropped down to about 6 pounds less than I was when I got pregnant. Well, here I am 5 months after he was born and I am 10 pounds heavier then I was when I got pregnant. WHAT IS UP WITH THIS!?!?!?!? Why do I struggle with this? So I was getting frustrated and depressed about all of this and I took it to the Lord! I’m SO EXCITED to share with you what he has taugt me…

I realized that in all of my years of struggle I have never once taken this matter to Him. I have always lost weight in my own power. I have never consulted Him on how he wanted me to eat or exercise I just ate what tasted good or I didn’t exercise because I didn’t feel like it. The Lord convicted me that my ultimate purpose in life is to glorify Him in ALL areas of my life. I know that it doesn’t glorify the Lord for me to gossip, watch inappropriate shows, or have a bad attitude so I seek His help and surrender those things to Him. Yet for some reason I have never fully made the connection that I have to also glorify Him with the way I take care of my physical self. This is the same as those other areas of my life. I don’t handle the gossip or attitude problems on my own, HE HAS to help me, I am INCAPABLE of doing it on my own – As I am incapable of living a healthy lifestyle on my own, I HAVE to depend on HIM! Another thing the Lord showed me is that I am also responsible for my family. It is my job to cook for my family, so it is my responsibility to make sure that it is healthy. I NEVER want Cameron to struggle with weight the way that I have. I know that the only way he will learn is if he sees it modeled from an early age.

So here is my plan of action… I have done some research on healthy lifestyles. I am not putting my family on a diet we are starting a lifestyle change. I have been reading about making wise choices and how to prepare healthy balanced meals. I am not buying any junk for this house, it’s just asking for trouble. I am going to start taking Cameron for walks at the park. I am also starting an exercise boot camp this week – at 5:45 am EEK!!! My main thing is that I don’t want to lose my focus. I am NOT doing this to lose weight (Although eventually that will be a much needed and exciting result). I am doing this in order to be obedient and glorify the Lord in ALL aspects of my life. I desire to be healthy and available for WHATEVER he calls me to do.

Things I like! March 28, 2009

I forgot to add…

Diaper Champ

When I was pregnant a friend of mine recommended that I get the Diaper Champ over the Diaper Genie. The main reason is because you can use any trash bag in the Diaper Champ. With the Diaper Genie you have to use the special bags. I have really liked the Diaper Champ. It does a great job at containing diaper odor. I was worried about how my my 80 pound lab would act with having a pale of dirty diapers to entice him. So far we have made it 5 months and it is as if Baxter is unaware of the “treats” (eww) available to him!

I love when people review things on their blogs. I enjoy seeing what other people like and I usually get some really good ideas based off of their recommendations. Because I have SO MANY friends having babies I have decided to make a list of the baby items that I have loved over the past 5 months.

Lansinoh Diaper Rash Cream

This stuff is the best. Cameron only had a few bad diaper rashes but the ones that he did have were slightly bad. I used Desitin and Butt Paste but they were both messy, took several days to help, and they didn’t prevent rashes. I got a sample of the Lansinoh cream in a package of breast pads and gave it a try. It rubbed on clear and the lanolin seemed to soothe his rash. One day after using it, his rash was gone. Since then (Which was about 2 months ago) I started putting a little on him after he gets out of the bath and he has not had a single rash.

Medela Breast Pump

This was probably one of the priciest items that I got. I was worried when I got it that I wouldn’t use it enough to justify the cost – I WAS WRONG!!! I love it! I didn’t realize how much I would need to pump in order to return to my normal lifestyle (I don’t know how working moms do it – they are amazing!). The pump I have is the kind that its in a backpack. I loved that when we went to Orlando. I was able to use the backpack as my purse and I guarantee you only other moms knew that I was carrying a breast pump on my back.

“Bunny”

My sister found this stuffed animal at General Dollar and gave it to Cameron in his stocking. I would have never thought he would love it so much. He has it with him every nap time and any time we leave the house. He chews on bunny’s feet and loves to “eat bunny’s face”. Bunny is a life saver!!!

Swing

Whoever invented baby swings is WONDERFUL!!! Cameron naps in his swing everyday (I know I know, not the most “Baby Wise” friendly sleep habit, but it works for us and I’m fine with that!! ) The swing has allowed him to be independent while still being in the living room with us. It’s not the most visually appealing object in our living room but I could care less – it keeps my baby happy!

I’ll stop here for now. There are many other items that help us get through our day but I’ll save those for another post!

March = Busy, Busy Busy!!!! March 24, 2009

It’s been a long time since my last update. This month has been really busy. So I’m going to do my best to fill you in on all of the fun!

Orlando

On March 1st Michael and I went to Orlando to go to the Youth Pastor’s Summit. Michael’s parents came down to visit and while we were in Orlando they stayed with Cameron. It was very hard leaving him but it was good to have some time just the two of us. It was good for Cameron to have some time with his grandparents since he doesn’t get to see them often. We were only gone from Sunday to Wednesday, but by the time Wednesday got here I was dying to be with my baby again. It’s funny how much your life changes when you have a baby. Before Cameron I would have wanted to stay in Orlando as long as possible, but now Michael and I were both dying to get home.

Quilting

While Michael’s parents were here, his mom taught me how to quilt. She had given us a quilt that she made for Christmas and since then I have been wanting to try it. I don’t have a sewing machine so I am doing it all by hand. It is SO FUN!!! I”ve never enjoyed sewing before, but this is different. So far I have just been getting fabric that looks like a quilt top and quilting that. However I’ve done some research and I think I can make my own quilt top. It’s going to take awhile doing it by hand but I think it will be fun. Hopefully I’ll get a sewing machine everntually though – that will make things much easier.

Michael’s Trip to Mexico

Michael went on a mission trip to Mexico from the 14th – 20th.  My mom flew down to spend some time with Cameron and I so we wouldn’t be by ourselves all week. We had a GREAT time. It’s been a LONG time since my mom and I have had time just the two of us. We did a lot of shopping, and we completely reorganized my apartment. We have always worked well together on home projects and since we moved to Texas when I was 8 months pregnant and then had a newborn my apartment was just thrown together. We worked hard all week and now it’s like a whole new place. My mom had some good quality time with Cameron. She left both Cameron and I feeling completely SPOILED!

Michael had a wonderful time on his trip. He came back excited and telling me all about the wonderful opportunities that our students had to serve. I wish that I could have gone as well. Maybe I’ll get to go in a few years when Cameron is older.

Cameron

Cameron has changed so much in the past month. I am sad to say that I was obviously a little premature in stating that his sleep routine was now a habit. Ever since we came home from Orlando he has been waking up at least once in the middle of the night. I think part of this is because he is officially teething. He is drooling like crazy and I can see the little white spots under his gums. I also tried introducing rice cereal. I know it’s a little early for solids, however because of his acid reflux the doctor said that solids may stop the excessive spitting up. However, it seemed that every time I gave him the cereal he wouldn’t “go to the bathroom” for about 2 days. ( I realize babies don’t go to the bathroom, however it’s better than writing poop) He didn’t act like his stomach was hurting but it still concerned me. I have struggled with knowing what to do on this matter. Do I give him the rice ceral and help him sleep better and stop spitting up, even though it might be hurting his stomach? Or do I stop giving it to him and he doesn’t sleep as well and continues to spit up? So my final decision was to put it off at least 2 more weeks and observe him more closely and see if he” goes to the bathroom” more often. If it turns out that his bathroom schedule is the same while off of the rice cereal you better bet I am starting that stuff again IMMEDIATELTY!!!!!

Cameron is also rolling all over the place. I can’t keep him on his mat on the floor anymore. I’m going to have to upgrade to a bigger blanket. He is laughing ALL of the time. He is such a happy baby. My favorite thing is that he has started really playing with toys. It’s so fun to watch him playwith his rattles and teethers – he is growing SO FAST!!!! 

I think that is about everything that has been going on. I can’t believe that in less than a week my baby will be 5 months. It’s going by so fast. Hopefully I’ll update a little sooner next time!

Habit?!?! February 26, 2009

So when does something officially become a habit? I’ve always heard that if you do something for two weeks straight then it is now a habit that you have mastered. If that is the case my sweet baby boy has officially made a habit of sleeping through the night! YAY!!! For the past two weeks Cameron has slept at least 8-9 hours straight. I have to admit that I think Baby Wise had a lot to do with this. (See previous post on Baby Wise) It’s funny, because I had just started to get frustrated with it and felt that it wasn’t working. So many people had told me that their baby was sleeping through the night by 8 weeks, and here we were at 15 weeks and he was only going about 5 hours. Then it was like he just decided one night, “I think I want to sleep more!” Needless to say, I am loving the new sleep schedule. It’s amazing what a full night’s sleep will do for you!

We have some other big things going on in the Shaeffer household…Cameron rolled over for the first time yesterday. It was so fun to watch the progression of him learning how to do this. He started by going to his side and then turning his head, however the rest of his body just wouldn’t follow. Then by yesterday afternoon he got it! I am so proud!

The other big thing is that Michael’s parents are coming in town today. On Sunday Michael and I are going to Orlando for the “Youth Pastor’s Summit”. Michael’s parents are going to stay here with Cameron. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. I am excited to get away for some alone time with my husband and I am so glad that Cameron will have time with his Mamaw and Papaw, but it is killing me to leave him. The longest I have been away from him is about 4 hours, now it will be about 4 days. I’m just praying that the Lord will give me a peace while I am gone.

I’ll leave this post with my new favorite picture. What a sweet boy!!!

He is Growing So Fast! February 9, 2009

I can’t believe how fast 3 months has gone by. I know that 3 months is actually a short amount of time, however it is amazing to me how quickly the changes come in the life of a newborn. I have learned that each month brings what I would consider several months worth of changes. At this time last month Cameron was getting his sleep routine down and he couldn’t really hold his head up with any control. Now he is holding his head up (enough to sit in his Bumbo), sleeping pretty much through the night, and his sweet personality is developing. In the past week or so Cameron has started to smile and laugh a lot. It is so much fun. All we have to do is make faces at him and smile and he gives us the biggest grin. He has also started to “talk” back to us. Many mornings I wake up and I can hear him talking to himself in his bed. I have no idea how long he has been awake, but he is perfectly content talking to himself. Just this week he has discovered his feet. Now he loves to lay on his play mat and hold his feet. I expect that he will be rolling over very soon – he sure is trying. I am having fun watching all of these changes and I love each new part of this newborn stage. However, part of me wishes that it would slow down some, it’s going by way too fast!