crochet crazy.

I've been quite a bit crochet crazy lately.

I now have a huge board on Pinterest filled with future projects and tutorials. I'm sure my regular followers are getting a little sick of seeing so much yarn on their feeds, but I don't really care ha I refer back to that board sooo much everyday while crocheting! I use that & Evernote mostly now to collect all of my project ideas. I never realized before I started crocheting just how awesome Evernote is! Definitely one of my top apps now.

Anyway I'm super happy I'm doing this. I hope I stick with it. A few people have asked to buy some of my stuff, I think they will definitely keep me doing this if anything else slows me down. I could really use the extra money.. Especially once Beverly comes along. I don't know how I'll find the time to crochet with two little ones, but I know there's no way I can afford to put them both in day care so I'm going to have to think of something creative!!

 Finished the octopus yesterday!! :) yaaayyyy

 

Mommy & Betsey were trying to match today. This was the best we could do.. 

Made myself a cute coaster for my desk using this tutorial! I made it a little bigger than the ones on their site.. I looove it! 

What's on the hook tonight- the beginning of another kitty. I'm using a smaller hook this time & wool instead of cotton. I am definitely liking the smaller hook better (size E), but cotton was way easier to work with! The wool does feel good though.. I like how soft it is crocheted all tight. Ha woaaah...... :O

My crochet kit ♥

long update..

Well it's definitely September over here. We're still up in the 100's of course, but we're definitely thinking about fall! I have a lot to look forward to this next few months, and it's all been rushing around my mind lately.

My mom's 47th birthday was a few days ago.. We celebrated by getting food and having Jorge barbeque carne asada for dinner. :) Everyone loved it, except Betsey & I who ate quesadillas ha.. Bob came and surprisingly didn't give us much crap for our vegetarian ways. I think he finally gets that it's not just a two month phase for us.

In a few more days in Jorge's dad's birthday. I'm not sure on the exact date yet or what we'll be doing to celebrate, but I'm sure it'll be fun! 

 

I've been going to tons and tons of dr's appointments lately to make sure this baby is healthy and growing well. Two nst's a week, plus seeing my regular obgyn every two weeks. Yikes! I've even seen a extra doctors in the last couple weeks and all these appointments are starting to make my head spin. I can't wait to start maternity leave at the beginning of the month. I didn't work one SINGLE day last period, and I'm ready to start getting some money coming in again!

I'm still crocheting as much as possible! I'm definitely not getting as much done as I would like. It's not easy with a wild 15 month old running around & climbing all over everything all day! She's really getting crazy, this morning she made her way to sitting on my desk!! Thank God she didn't fall off or pull my computer off the shelf. :/ I'm really appreciating that baby gate now! Only thing I still need to do is install those annoying things that will keep the drawers and cabinets closed. Her favorite thing to do when I put her in her room is pull all the clothes out of her dresser. :/ The insides of her drawers are just piles of clothes that have been tossed back in 20 or more times now. Haha..

  

My little Cisco is on day 3 of his cast and e-collar. He got into a little fight with my mom's dog (Buddy) on her birthday, and we had to put Cisco out on the porch for a while to separate them. Soon we found blood all over some pillows my mom had on her chairs outside, and when I checked Cisco out, he was bleeding quite a bit from his right paw. I left him on the porch for a little while since the bleeding wouldn't stop, then brought him home to stay in the kennel. 3 days later he started limping again on his right leg and was really lethargic. He would follow me around and just lay there, but when I would call him to come to me he'd just look at me. It was sad! I could tell there was something wrong, so after calling a few vets, my mom & I took him in. He got x-rays and we found out he had at least two fractures. :( Luckily he now has a cast, antibiotics and pain meds and is pretty much back to normal, other than his silly hopping around! The saddest part about all of this is that my mom decided that it was best to get rid of Buddy. I felt really bad at first, but it was actually a good idea in the end. Not only does he stay home in the kennel way too long everyday, but he has been in a few fights with Cisco already; we didn't want to risk this happening to one of the babies! It worked out well though, my mom's friend who is a dog trainer ended up taking him home and told her he'd keep him at least two weeks to try to train him himself before taking him to a shelter. We think he really liked him and wanted to keep him. :) 

Today marks 33 weeks and 2 days of this pregnancy. I seriously can't believe I'm going to have another baby soon! I have been thinking about this so much the last few days. In the last week I organized all off Betsey's old clothes and divided them by size, bought a pretty much new Chicco Keyfit 30 car seat and the Ergo infant insert off of Craigslist, & totally reorganized everything in the garage and brought some things up to clean that I'll be using with the baby (swing cover/breast pump).

I took lots of pictures while I was down there of things I'd like to sell. I can't believe how much I have down there that I could get rid of. I really want to have a garage sale, but being in an apartment makes it kind of hard. I think I'll be posting a lot to craigslist in the next week and hopefully get some sales. I really have my heart set on getting the Baby Jogger City Select double stroller, but it's $659 and I just can't get anyone to agree with me that I need it. So maybe after raising some money I'll feel better about my purchase. :)

I know I can't spend too much though, with how fast these past months have gone, I'm sure Christmas will be here any day!! I'm planning to crochet most, if not all gifts this year. Hopefully that will not only make shopping easier, but I'll save $$ and use up some of this ridiculous yarn stash!

 

Betsey admiring her new tattoo at a pizza place the other day. :) 

The first time we played with these blocks, she absolutely HAD to knock down every tower I made. It was kind of funny to build one then try to hold her back from destroying it. The second time we built towers though, she loved it and did an amazing job helping me stack even the little blocks on top of each other at the top of the tower! I was really impressed! My mom was there and we kept cheering her on, she loved it.

My silly girl yelling, not saying, "Bye! bye! bye!" to every car they drove by and every person that walked in and out of Starbucks today. I was cracking up at first, it was seriously the cutest thing ever. After like 45 minutes of it though, I was pretty used to it and was just enjoying all the nice comments from other people about how cute my kid is. And maybe I got a little irritated at the ones that blew her off... Can't help being a protective mother sometimes!

 Betsey's grandparents day cards for my parents. She's such an artist.

Yes, I do want to get this as a tattoo one day. I want it in prettier, thinner writing and in a small space that is easy to hide. My only hope is that I do ever get it, I don't have any more kids later on!! haha..

Hanging out with (climbing all over) mommy. :)

 

Yikes. That was 3 hours of fun, not.

  

My octopus a few days ago..

As you can see not much has been done in the last few days. I have decided to put some pipe cleaners in the legs though, to make them movable! I've been collecting tons and tons of pictures of things I want to make, patterns and tutorials. I found a picture of someone crocheting a pipe cleaner into the sides of bunny ears and I thought, hey! that's a good freakin idea. & here we are now, haha.

Here is a picture of the original octopuses ..octopi, from the pattern. I wish I could find the blog I got it from but I can't find it! I had saved everything onto one note on Evernote, so I didn't keep the page. Now I know for next time.

♥

Preparing for baby.. again!

Hello Pinterest friends!

This list has been updated in a new post.
Please click here!!
I can't believe this, but it's been almost 4 years since this original post was created!
We're currently pregnant with our third child. As we've grown and matured as parents, our perspective on parenting has changed drastically, making this post officially outdated. :)

^ ^   read above   ^ ^

Here we go! I created a post a little while ago about what I thought was really important to buy when preparing for a new baby/what you could skip. But what do you need to buy during your second pregnancy? Especially when the first still still a baby! We now know, as experienced parents, that we didn't really need half the stuff we got for our first, but what about the essentials? Should we reuse everything or buy some new things here and there? And of course there are going to be new items on our list that weren't necessary when there was only one child in the picture.. 

Here's a look at my list, hope it helps you make yours! 

♥ Glad I hadn't sold these yet! ♥

Betsey's clothes. Yep, I still have it all! Thank God we're having another girl because I can't even imagine trading all of her pink stuff for boy colors! The fact that I still have everything from newborn to now (14 months) and beyond just takes a huge weight off my shoulders. Everything is already clean and ready to be put on the new baby!

Blankets & burp cloths. So so happy I didn't get rid of any of these yet! Not really sure what I was holding onto them for.. Maybe just because they were pretty haha, but I'm just glad I can reuse them. As long as they're in good condition, which they are, I shouldn't need to buy any of these for Beverly!

   

Swing, bouncer & bassinet. Normally I'd say you don't need a ton of gear for the new baby, but I our first few months wouldn't have been the same without all of these! If I couldn't get Betsey to sleep, one of these usually would. Many nights we just left her swinging (strapped in of course) because she would wake back up as soon as it stopped. The baby swing really is a great invention! I also loved being able to throw the bouncy seat in my trunk or move it easily around the house. I remember picking it up with her in it (again, strapped in) and bringing it to whichever room I was in. If I was making dinner, I could watch her sleep in it next to me or if I needed to shower it was great at keeping her asleep! As for the bassinet- we didn't have the crib in our room so it was nice to set her in there right on my side of the bed when we laid down. Then if she actually stayed in there all night, I didn't have to move far to nurse!

Boppy. Even though I doubt I'll be leaving Beverly on the floor in this like I did with Betsey (I don't think I'll be able to trust Betsey around her for a little while since she's still so young), I'm sure I will still use it while nursing. Who knows maybe we'll actually get more use out of the crib in their room and I can put her in it in there? Or put the pack n play in the living room so that I can keep an eye on her while we're all out here.. Decisions!

Dressers. The other one isn't in the picture, but I have a white one with two big drawers and an open bottom inside the closet. This is what I was using for Betsey for most of the last year, until a friend gave me this one! I am super excited about it, especially because of the pink and purple. Betsey's clothes on one side, Beverly on the other. Easy! The dresser in the closet is packed with clothes that are too big for both of them, waiting to go into the other dresser when ready. and I even have two plastic drawer things in the closet stacked with 3 drawers each with blankets/clothes babyproofing items, etc.

Nursing items. Since I'm still nursing Betsey at almost 15 months, it shouldn't be that hard to believe that I have a ton of nursing bras in multiple sizes. I'm soooo glad I won't have to go back to Motherhood and do the whole try on 37 bras in the fitting room & find only one that fits thing again. Also, these nuk gel warm/cool packs are simply amazing when your boobs are really engorged and sore! I used to leave them in the freezer and stick them in my bra all the time! They warmed up pretty quickly but they definitely made my boobs feel better, or at least numbed them so I couldn't feel the pain anymore. Haha..

Diaper bag! I have a slight addiction to bags/purses. When I thought about having to carry all my stuff, and Betsey's, AND Beverly's, I saw my purse exploding in my mind and decided I needed an upgrade. Not because I don't have plenty of giant tote and messenger bags in the closet I could use, but it gave me an excuse to find another new bag! Sometimes spoiling yourself is fun. :) Every mommy needs something to spoil herself with. Instead of manicures, I get new diaper bags!! ;) I got this one at H&M. I think it's supposed to be a small duffle bag.. haha but whatever, it doesn't look so huge when I carry it because the top corners hang down and when the bag is full I'm sure I'll be glad I got such a large bag!

Other items I'll be pulling out of the garage soon:

-Tub

-Baby monitor

-Playmat

♥ New new new! ♥

  Pacifiers. I'm sure they'll eventually end up sharing some of the clean ones out of the cupboard, but we have lost so many over the past year that I definitely need to stock up on little ones! Plus I just think it's nice to stick a brand new pacifier in her mouth, not one her sister has been sucking on for months... :0

Winter clothes. Betsey was born in June, while Beverly is due in November.. Little bit of a weather difference there! I already have pretty much everything we need clothes-wise, but I've still been buying little things here and there to make sure my newborn stays warm this winter!

Bows! I'll be taking a day or two here soon to make some new bows for my new baby. Also I need to stock up on bigger ones for Betsey. I'm sure I won't have the time once the baby gets here! Now that I am better at making these, I can make smaller ones for Beverly and matching ones for my girls!!! Oh yes, I said it! Matching. <3   One excited mommy right here!

Ergo infant insert. I'm a little obsessed with my Ergo. I have been a few months now without it (thank you sciatic pain during pregnancy!) and I'm sooo excited to start babywearing again in two months! The Ergo is definitely my favorite way to wear Betsey, but I can't wear Beverly without this extra piece since she'll be so tiny! I should be able to find one on Craigslist, since it doesn't look like parents really need to use them for for than a few months.

  

 

Reusable nursing pads. I went through boxes and boxes of nursing pads after I had Betsey. I don't want to waste all that money this time when I can just buy a few of these. Besides, I don't think my boobs will be leaking quite as much with two babies emptying them all of the time!

Pacifier clips. If you have ever seen my daughter, it's not likely you didn't see one of these hanging off her top! In my opinion, these are a necessity for every pacifier loving child. Even though Betsey has recently (at 14 months) figured out how to get it off, she still lets it dangle from the pacifier sticking out of her mouth! & yes, she even uses them while sleeping, (helps me find them in the middle of the night!) but I have always been sure to make sure it's clipped tight to a lower part of her shirt while she's asleep. :) Anyway, we need new ones because these things get NASTY after a while. Betsey can use the same 5 for about 4-6 months before they start looking pretty thrashed- stained from food, rusty clips, just not very pretty!

 

Sophie Giraffe. This teether is without a doubt an essential for all babies. It's just the best. Betsey loved hers so much it's pretty much missing all it's spots, so we definitely need a new Sophie!

Don't forget- if you're going to buy one, get it from the store!! Don't do what I did and try to get a good deal on amazon for this toy. The Sophie on there is a fake! It sounds ridiculous, but it's true. The rubber is totally different, the squeaker broke on the fake as soon as I washed it, and it just looks cheap compared to the real Sophie. Not cool!

Carseat. Although Betsey's infant carseat is still in the garage, and probably still useable, it is so worn and tattered I really don't think it would be a good idea to continue it's use! It's gone through a few babies and definitely served it's purpose! Now this is the Chicco Keyfit 30. Isn't it pretty? I think so.. I am pretty sure this is the same, or at least the same brand as the car seat my grandparents got from friends while we were visiting in December. I liked it so much I wanted to take it home! It was so much lighter and more versatile than the one we had. The more I look at the picture, the more I remember this is the one we had, I'm so excited! 

Amber teething necklace. (How does it work?) I got one for Betsey around 6 months, shortly after her first two teeth came in and she was up at night whining in pain. She wore it nonstop for about 6 months before another tooth finally broke and within two months she had 6 brand new teeth that seemed to come pain free, I believe, partially thanks to the teething necklace! She had a pretty bad fever during the teething, but no crying/whining/major drooling. I was pretty excited! This set in the picture is a mom & baby set on Etsy. Since Betsey is still using hers, Beverly will be needing her own and why not get one for myself to match my girls? :)

Woven toy chest. I'm sure if you already have at least one kid, you have some kind of toy chest! I have an awesome one in Betsey's room that I got from Ross. It looks like wicker, but it's some other kind of woven something, haha. Anyway it's awesome, but the reason it's on this list is because although I am obviously keeping it, I may be getting a second one soon. This way I can better separate the toys for Betsey and toys for Beverly since they will be 17 months apart and it'll just make my life easier when looking for toys in their room!

A double stroller. I told myself I wasn't going to need/get one during the first few months of this pregnancy, but after doing my research I think I have found the perfect one for us. This is called the Baby Jogger City Select. What made me fall in love with it (definitely isn't the $700 price tag!) is the fact that it looks so awesome as a single AND a double stroller. All of the double strollers that I've seen that can be also used as a single, always look like they're missing a big section. Not only did this really sway me because I am planning on babywearing a lot, but I also love, love, love that you can turn the seats (that was the part of the Contours Options Tandem Stroller that I really liked). But with that stroller there was that chunk missing when one seat is removed, and I don't want to have to have them both on all of the time- bulky!!

 

Ahh! A bunkbed. I know this is thinking a little ahead, but I just need to remind myself how fast this last 14 months went by then it doesn't seem so far away.. But I guess it's not such a bad thing! I wouldn't mind this pretty thing taking over my daughters' room one day. :)

♥ Things I won't be wasting my time/money on this time.. ♥

Nursing cover. I admit, I liked mine and used it a lot! But it got pretty worn out and the plastic from the top started poking out so I threw it out after about 8 months. Since then I've just been using a thin cotton blanket (I usually have at least one in the car) or a jacket to cover up in public. If you can get one from a friend, go for it! I won't be wasting the $10 this time though.

Wipe warmer. Honestly, I thought it was cool at first because it did work and Betsey definitely preferred being wiped in the middle of the night with a warm wipe than a cold one. However- I am not a huge fan of it. One reason is that it tends to dry out the wipes if they're in there too long. I try not to use many wipes, so it took a while before I'd get to the bottom. Once we reached the bottom I was not happy to find 6-10 totally dried out wiped that were brown from sitting there on the heater. Dangerous! :/

Bottle drying rack. I already have a dish drying rack next to my sink that I use for my hand washing dishes, and of course the dishwasher. I really don't need something else taking up space on my counter! Any bottles Betsey ever used/uses usually fit just fine on the rack I use for my other dishes. If they don't, I just lay out a towel and leave them to dry the old fashioned way.

Bottle warmer. I can't be the only mom that heats their baby's bottle/food jar in the microwave can I? I tried the whole boil water and let that heat the cup thing. It took forever!! Who has the patience for that when your baby is screaming for a drink? Just for a few seconds in the microwave, shake it up and always test it before giving it to the baby. Not that bad in my opinion... Well at least it's not the worst thing you can do.

Baby laundry detergent. Can I just say major waste of money? This stuff is so expensive and I think it's all because of the smell. Buy some dryer sheets if you really want your baby's clothes to have a smell. I actually prefer that they don't. I use Seventh Generation laundry detergent and it works amazingly for all of our clothes.

Vaccines. This is one of those last but certainly not least things. I won't be wasting our time or gambling with Beverly's precious young life (just as I have stopped doing so with Betsey's) by allowing her to have any vaccinations. Feel free to check out why I don't vaccinate.

Other items I will not be renewing after they're gone:

-Baby powder. I think I have used it maybe 5 times when Betsey was reaally stinky and I couldn't give her a bath right away. 5 times in 14 months = not a necessity.