Stars and Stripes Corn Hole Boards

After several ideas, I settled on stars and stripes for the corn hole set! It really wasn't too hard to make either. Justin painted the white base coat with leftover white exterior paint from another project. For the stars, I made my own stencil with blank stencil plastic by finding a star pattern online, then printing and tracing it. When I traced them on the board, I didn't worry about keeping everything even because that would be super time consuming. I did start in the center of the board though. For the stripes, I just used painter's tape and a four foot level to space the lines, but you could use a yardstick or something like it. I started in the middle again, corner to corner, and then spaced everything else around them. To finish it off, I painted the opposite color around the hole. Ta-da!! Bring on the 4th of July!

Breastfeeding Survival 101

I've made it through six weeks of breastfeeding. They say if you make it that far, you and baby will settle into a rhythm and have a successful breastfeeding relationship. I definitely feel like I, as well as my baby, have learned a lot in the process. I've read several books, talked other moms, and now had the experience myself. I certainly don't think I'm an expert, but I would like to write about what I've learned that has helped me survive these first few weeks.  

1) Read up on breastfeeding BEFORE the baby comes. I thought, "Hey, it's the most natural thing in the world so it can't be that hard!" And yes, it is natural and beautiful, but sometimes there are some issues to work out. So read a couple books.

2) Know what positions to try. Cradle hold is most popular, but it really doesn't work well for me (I have large breasts and that might be why). I like the football hold much better, or laying down. But like I read, the nipple is a circle, so the baby can come to it from any direction, so find a position that helps the baby get the best latch.

3) Get a good latch. When the lactation consultant (LC) came the morning after my baby was born, they told me I had "nipple trauma" already. Babies know how to suckle, but they don't know how to nurse. I really had to help my baby get a deep latch, and that means I had to re-latch him frequently in the first week or so, and sometimes even still.

4) Use a nipple shield. For people who have small nipple buds, inverted nipples, or a barracuda baby, nipple shields can bring great relief and help the baby learn to latch correctly. As a friend told me, "It really takes the edge off" of the pain if the baby has a really hard suckle. I am so glad that the LC recommended this for me right away, or I would have had some serious pain. (I'm not sure if this is connected, but my baby had no problem taking a bottle of breast milk even from two days old, and I think it might be because he was used to the nipple shield. He hasn't refused any type of bottle nipple yet).

5) Get Lansinoh Gel Soothies for relief. What a lifesaver!

6) Your milk production is set in the first weeks. Therefore, you want to nurse or pump as much as possible. I pumped until I was comfortable when my milk first came in, and it helped me to have a good milk supply. Six weeks in, I can still easily pump an extra 10-15 ounces a day, and I've been freezing it for when I got back to work in the fall. I have close to 300 ounces in the freezer now.

7) Everyone has a different milk storage capacity, and it doesn't necessarily correspond with the size of the breast. For example, I can pump about five ounces from each breast. Someone else might only be able to pump two. This means that my baby might only take one breast per feeding, while another child would always take both breasts. Also, one breast may produce more than another, which you can tell when you pump.

8) Fully draining the breast at each feeding will make more milk. It's like supply and demand. If the supply is used up, the body will demand more to be made. That's why it's so important that the baby gets a full feeding each time, because it helps keep the milk supply up. Sometimes, if my baby eats 15 minutes on one breast and only 5 minutes on the other, I will pump the lesser to even it out. Or, I will just start with the lesser at the next feeding. (It depends on if I am trying to store some that day or not. I've started not doing this as much because I have a lot in the freezer already, but it's a great way to keep your milk production up and save some, especially at the beginning if you feel really full if the baby does not eat evenly).

9) Get a full feeding at each feeding. Do whatever you have to do to make sure the baby has a full belly. Tickle their feet, change their diaper, ect. Avoiding a "snack" feeding assures that the baby is getting the hindmilk, the rich fatty milk that comes after the foremilk, which quenches the thirst. Getting a full feeding also means that the baby's metabolism and hunger cycles will begin the regulate. Even if you don't like the idea of scheduling when your baby eats, getting a full feeding will naturally fall into a rhythm of 2-3 hours or so.

10) You can usually increase milk production. To increase milk production, pump after a few feedings a day to give the breast more stimulation. Also, look into what foods do and don't help breastfeeding. For me, oatmeal seems to increase my supply. Severe dieting could hurt it. Do your research on this because I can't possibly go into all those scenarios.

11) Have a flexible routine. There are many different philosophies when it comes to getting baby into a routine. I like Babywise because it encourages full feedings and naturally helps the baby fall into a schedule that you guide. For example, I try to establish the first feeding of the day at 6:30 AM. The rest of the days falls into a 3 hour schedule. However, if baby seems hungry early, I will feed him a half hour early or so. Likewise, if he's napping and I need to finish dinner, I will let him sleep a half hour and feed him when I'm done. So there is a general routine but at the same time it can flex with my day. If I have an appointment, I might move the feeding up a half hour so that I don't have to worry about feeding while I'm out or taking a bottle. The bottom line is that for me, having a routine helps me feel sane!! I remember the first week, when it is important to ignore routine and get make sure the baby gets a full feeding, that I felt like I was going crazy and not getting any rest. Now my baby has settled into a routine and I feel like a person again. I'm not yelling at my husband or emotionally unstable because of exhaustion.

12) Set a goal. I want to breastfeed for six months, or until the baby begins to take solid food. Maybe you want to go a year, or three months, or less, or more. But having a goal will help you see the end of the days where all you feel like you do is breast feed the baby. (Or maybe that's just me).

13) Everyone has a unique breastfeeding rhythm with their baby. What works for me might not work for you, and that's ok! We know that breastfeeding is the best food possible for baby, so as long as the baby is making good growth, we don't have to compare ourselves. Each mother and baby pair is unique and should do what works best for them. 

Taco Casserole

A few nights ago we had tacos, with Spanish rice to go along with them. But I always make too much rice... so needed to use it up. I came up with: Taco Casserole! I just used the leftover rice, and cooked up some thin-sliced pork for the meat. Depending on how much you have left will depend on the size of the pan you use. My pan was 7x7 or so. I made it in the morning and then put it in the oven when I started to feed my baby, so I could have it cooking at the same time. I bet this would be an easy casserole to freeze too. Perhaps the best thing is that you really don't have to worry about the proportions of the ingredients!

Taco Casserole
1-2 cans refried beans
2+ cups of leftover Spanish rice
1/2 + pound taco meat- pork, chicken, beef, etc
1 + cup salsa
cheddar cheese

Layer ingredients with refried beans on the bottom of your casserole dish, then rice, meat, salsa, and cheese on top. Bake in oven at 350 about 30 minutes or until warm in center.

Vintage Valley Cabin Review

For our anniversary, we spent the weekend in Hocking Hills and rented the Vintage Valley cabin from Lazy Lane Cabins.  We really loved the location, which was outside of Logan about 5-10 minutes on a gravel road. It was far enough to feel secluded, but not to far to go into town for dinner if you didn't want to cook. The property was several acres, with a large yard space, fire pit, and a mowed path for walking out back. We didn't even have time to explore the property fully because we went into Hocking Hills State to hike at Cantwell Cliffs.

The cabin was nice too, and I loved the historic feel of the place. The front porch has a swing for relaxing in the evenings. The galley kitchen was simple but adequate, and I appreciated that they had appliances like a blender and crock pot, as well as all of the dishes and cookware that was needed for simple meal prep. The bathroom was right off the kitchen, and small but it did the job. The living area downstairs was tastefully decorated and had a window AC unit. The only complaint we had was that there weren't directions for working the DVD play and we couldn't get our movie to play.

Up the very steep stairs were two bedrooms, one with a queen bed and one with two single beds. (Note that the room with a queen had a cute curtain doorway, but if you want privacy that might be a problem). I liked the decor upstairs too. I was country but not too overdone. There was a window AC unit in the queen room, but not the other.

The only complaint I had came at 2:30 in the afternoon, when my five week old was taking a nap, and I was trying to take one too. A phone call came to the cabin phone asking why we had an unregistered vehicle in the driveway. The problem was, there was NOT a car besides ours in the driveway, which we told them. They said a worker had reported that another car was there, but the phone was breaking up so perhaps they had the wrong cabin. The issue here was that I felt like I paid for the cabin and its seclusion, and I felt like my privacy and peace was invaded with that phone call. I can understand the no-visitor policy, but to call when they didn't have the facts straight was very irritating, especially since as a new mom I am pretty sleep deprived. Also, do they really drive around and check to see if there are extra cars in the driveway? That's weird. What if hubby and I were getting intimate on the porch? I mean, seriously I think they are a little overboard on that. Now over the course of the phone call we did say that our grandparents, who live nearby, were coming to watch the baby for a couple hours while we went to dinner (but they weren't there yet, so NO car in the driveway). The office lady said that she had to have that approved. Seriously? I'm sure that people could abuse the policy and have wild moonshine parties (stated with sarcasm) but how often really? It's a RENTAL. As the owner I would think you would realized that there is a certain amount of control you have to give up. Besides that issue, we enjoyed our stay. The location was great, though how private now I wonder...

I would probably try another cabin before I went back, though I did like a lot of things about it.

Ohio Serpent Mound Visit

My parents took me to the Serpent Mound in Peebles, Ohio when I was a kid. I remember thinking how cool it was, and since Justin had not been there before, we decided to detour on our way home from Hocking Hills to visit. It's about two hours from the Hocking Hills area and about an hour from Dayton.

The Serpent Mound is a huge (over 1,300 feet long) mound made by Native Americans in the shape of a snake. No one really knows why they did this, but several theories are out there. It could have something to do with the summer solstice or lunar phases, or their religion, or art, but it is not a burial mound. I will let you do your own research on the purpose, so see the links at the end of this post. But do go visit; it is a fascinating place. To get a good view, be sure to climb the three-story tower- it will be worth it!

The restrooms were clean and the visitor center had a gift shop and small (one-room) museum on the history. We paid $7 for our car at the visitor center on an honor system. I really like that there is a paved path all the way around the serpent mound so that the area is handicap-accessible. I think the state parks and preserves are really trying to do a better job about this in the areas that they can. Several picnic areas and a shelter were also available.

                    Tail of serpent                                   Body to head of serpent

 

View from the tower looking down

Justin heading towards the tail

Other links:
http://www.arcofappalachia.org/visit/serpent-mound-earthworks.html 
http://www.greatserpentmound.com/
http://www.ancientohiotrail.org/?q=serpentmound_temp
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/serp/hd_serp.htm

Cantwell Cliffs Hike: Red Trail

For our five-year anniversary we got away for the weekend to the beautiful Hocking Hills region. Since I grew up in Southern Ohio, I had already been to Ash Cave, Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, and Conkle's Hollow. My highest recommendations go to Ash Cave and the Rock House, though Cedar Falls is nice when the waterfall is flowing. I'm just not very impressed with Old Man's Cave or Conkle's Hollow, though of course they are filled with vibrant foliage and neat rock formations. The only major area I hadn't visited was Cantwell Cliffs, which I want to write about today.

We got out the baby carrier and our hiking shoes, and took the red trail around the rim of Cantwell Cliffs. If you are planning to hike, head down the trail from the parking lot and turn right at the first opportunity past the shelter. (If you go left, you will go right down into Fat Woman's Squeeze, and it's better to save the best for last). Continuing on, you will get a good view of the cliff from the top as you come to a small foot bridge. This is probably the best view of the cliffs that you will see. (Compared to the view from the top of Ash Cave, not as impressive). It would be good to come after a rain so there is more flow in the waterfall, because there was barely a trickle when we went today. Then it's another half mile or so and you will start to head down some steps; follow the red marks on the trees to head back towards Fat Woman's Squeeze.

Cliff view from top:                                     Cliff view from bottom:

Now you are in the valley and will notice the red in the rock and cool erosion mostly to your left. I know it has a technical name but I'm not science-y enough for that. Pretty soon you will come to the view from the bottom of the cliff that I mentioned earlier. You can climb up under it pretty close and there are a few side trails, but since I had our five-week old in the carrier, we avoided anything too slippery. In fact, if you are taking small children, keep a very close eye on them! Another quarter mile from this cliff view you will see another cliff, and then head up Fat Woman's Squeeze (a two foot wide crack in the rock) to the place you started. All in all, less than two  miles, though the climbing and stairs will make you winded.

We didn't hike the yellow trail, so I can't comment on that part. It was a pretty hike, but I still like Ash Cave for a similar but more impressive hike. For truly unique rock formations though, go to the Rock House. For more water and shorter hike, go to Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, or Old Man's Cave. Cedar

Don't forget to pack the bug spray. Lots and lots of bugs!!

Garden Update

My garden is doing well! I was able to get most of the vegetables planted before I had Ansel, which was a big help. Dad put in the tomatoes for me over the last two weeks. He came over tonight and helped to weed too. Boy, it needed to be weeded! I don't remember the weeds being this bad last year!! Earlier this week I weeded the inside of the peas and around a few zinnia plants, but dad did around the green beans for me today. I still need to get between the rows. It's just so hard to get out there with Ansel and his needs right now! Still, I am pleased.

I have oregano, parsley, and chives in planters, along with some carrots.

The green beans are looking awesome (except for the weeds!)

The zucchini really came up well. I should probably thin it out some more though.

I have a short fence around my peas for them to grow up on. They were doing really well, then I think deer or some other animal got in and bit all the tops off! GRRRR!! Dad suggested putting fabric sprayed with Deer Off on the fence, and it seems to be working. Man, that stuff stinks!! The peas will hopefully shoot up again soon.

I have two pepper plants in the middle to use for making salsa also. 
Along the fence, I planted cucumbers, gourds, and sunflowers. They are slow to start, but hopefully will pick up soon and make use of the fence.

 I won't even post a pic of the tomato plant because you can't really see them yet, and they need weeded like everything else. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon I can really work on that! I also tried to plant broccoli, and never saw anything come up, until dad pointed them out to me tonight. They must have sprung up over the last two days since I checked.

I am feeling pretty good about everything though, and think that canning and processing all of this is going to keep me busy later this summer!

Postpartum Week 4

This week marks the 4th week of Ansel's life. Crazy. It's been both fast and slow, tiring and exciting, and filled with tears and laughter. The weeks might go fast, but the days that I can't figure out what is wrong go slow. I am tired from not sleeping more than 3 hours at a time, but excited about my precious little child growing and being part of my family. I've shed tears of frustration, and enjoyed laughter from those uncontrollable baby happenings like pee shooting across the room and poop exploding out the sides of the diaper. Oh, life with a new baby.

I've always been very independent, and liked to set my own schedule and go where I please, when I please. So, adjustment is interesting. I have to feed Ansel every three hours, so it ties me down, for lack of a better way to describe it. Not that I mind, but it definitely makes me rethink everything. If I feed/burp/change him from 9 am-10am, I have just two hours to leave the house with him and get back in time for the next feeding. (I'm not at the point yet where I feel comfortable breastfeeding out) Two hours is not that long! If my drive time is 10-15 minutes each way, that really only leaves me with an hour and a half to accomplish things. Whew! Not much time! That's been something to get used to. Today I went in to school so some of the teachers and students could meet Ansel, and I was 15 minutes late getting back to feed him, and let me tell you, he let me know.

Last week I felt like Ansel was getting better at feeding, and we could be done with the feeding routine in 30-40 minutes. He's started feeding longer this week though, and it's closer to 50 minutes every time. That means I am breastfeeding for 7 hours a day. Geez!

Breastfeeding. I've blogged before about how I like the Babywise philosophy for several reasons, so now I'm just working my way through the practical side of it. In trying to establish a schedule, they recommend 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours between feedings. I think most babies do this anyways. Ansel eats about every three hours through the morning and afternoon: 6 am, 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm. Then he naps from 1 1/2 to 2 hours between feedings, after he has some wake-time with mommy. Then in the evening, sometimes he eats in 2 1/2 hour increments. I found that if it is just 2 hours, he doesn't seem to eat well. So the evening feedings are something like: 5:30 or 6 pm, 8 or 8:30 pm, and 10:30 or 11 pm. I put him in the crib to sleep after the 8 ish feeding. After the 11 feeding, he usually will sleep until 2 or 3 am. (Thank goodness! Three hours of sleep for me!) Then the day begins again.

As the weeks go on, I hope that the early AM feeding starts to drop. It would be really great if in a couple of weeks, he can sleep 11-6. That would just be amazing. But I think we still have some time to go on that one.... Last night though, he slept 11:30-5:45.

Other behaviors I have noticed: He is usually pretty alert after his morning feedings for a short time, and then goes back to nap easily. Usually this is the same in the afternoon. In the evening, however, he is more fussy, and sometimes doesn't even seem to sleep between when he eats. We try holding him, putting him in the bouncer or swing, and sometimes this helps, and sometimes it doesn't. Evening just must be his fussy time. This is difficult though, because it is still hard for me to know when he cries if he is really hungry, or just fussy or gassy, etc. And I can't hold him all the time! As much as I love him, I have the rest of the house and myself to take care of. He is precious, and I love our snuggle times, but I have to be able to get other things done. Maybe this sounds harsh. I know that he is still so little, and I do try to hold him and snuggle as much as I can. It's just I can't hold him all the time. But it is hard when he cries, because of course I don't want him to cry, but I know I have done everything I can to help it: just fed, clean diaper, burped, swaddled, etc. Emotionally this part is very difficult for me, because I don't like hearing him cry.

Then I will think that we are getting into a rhythm: last week he was eating 10 minutes on each breast. The last few days though, it took him 20 minutes to finish sometimes. Then he would only take 5 minutes on the other side! Ugh! Yesterday he seemed disinterested at a few feedings, and though I tried and tried to keep him going, he didn't eat very good. Then he was hungry early, and fussy, and the schedule is whacked again. Obviously I had to adapt a little in there. The bottom line is that I want what is best for him: full feedings to get the hindmilk, and then the time between feedings is better too. I keep telling myself that, and keep working towards full feedings. It's hard though, and I hope that we hit our breastfeeding stride soon. I keep telling myself that it is worth it, and it is so much better for Ansel. If I can just keep it up, I think we will get the hang of it. Practice makes perfect, right?

Ansel is a very grunt-y baby. He grunts as he goes to sleep, during his "active sleep" times, and during nursing times. It is kinda funny, and I guess it is just his was of processing things. He is starting to be more alert during wake times. He is tracking better with his eyes, looking towards the  mobile on the swing and toward the person talking to him. He is doing great during tummy time (though he doesn't like it) by holding his head up off the floor and turning it to the right side. He really favors the left side and almost always leans or turns his head to that side.

Another thing that I am dealing with is burping. I haven't been able to find a pattern with his burping, and maybe there just isn't one. Sometimes he will spit up a larger amount (once or twice a day), and other times it will be just a belch or small dribble out of his mouth. Since I haven't been able to find that "magic number" of time that he needs to burp, or position (over the shoulder, over the arm, over the lap), I feel like I am washing a lot of sheets, clothes, and changing table pads. But I've decided to just accept it. I try to burp him for five minutes or so, and just deal with it if he has a big burp 30 minutes later....

Emotionally, I feel like I am doing pretty good. Adjusting to life with baby is trying at times, but Justin, Ansel, and I are working through it together. I think what is bugging me still is the birth and how I feel about having kids again. Birth was really tough, and I don't think I'm being a sissy about it. I am month out, and sometimes I think I could have more kids, and other times I say no-way-in-H-E-double-hockey-sticks I am ever doing that again. But then I feel bad for thinking that. I mean, there are so many people out there who can't have kids, who have tried and tried and tried, and I stand back and choose not to do it again. It seems like I'm wasting my fertility or something. So then I feel guilty for being so frustrated over the birth. I think part of it is that I prepared so much for the birth, I really felt confident, and it was like I got all the worst case scenarios: back labor, 24 hours long, at night, 2 1/2 hours of pushing. Like all the classes, practice, relaxation, reading, ect was just a waste of time when labor and birth sucked anyways. So then I tell myself that it was always going to be tough, but I made it through. It still hasn't changed my mind about wanting to go through it again though.

I think I am rambling now and that last paragraph was a little too stream-of-consciousness for me. But working through my feelings post-labor and birth is like that. We always did want to foster to adopt, and right now that seems like a really good option. People who know me know I'm not a baby person, so maybe fostering starting at the toddler age would be a good fit for me. Yet I still feel guilty like that's somehow taking the easy way out. But I know there are so many kids in the foster system that need love too. See how conflicted I am? Ugh. One day it will all sort out. I am just going to concentrate on being the best mom for Ansel that I can right now. It's not like I have to plan the rest of my life right now.

I'm just so Type-A. I want to plan, to control. Sigh. I need to just trust God and let him lead through this stage first.

Enough of my frustrations for now!  

Crunch Bar Cookies

It's the fourth week since baby was born, and I'm starting to find time to cook a little! It's nice to feel like life is adjusting to somewhat of a new schedule. More on that later... let's talk about food!

My favorite cookie recipe from my mom has pudding in it to make it super moist. I happened to pick up a bag of Crunch bars on sale, and decided I would use them instead of chocolate chips this time. What a good decision! They had an awesome little crunch factor that really upped the texture of the cookie. I thought I would share the recipe since I downed about a dozen all by myself. (Oops, did I just admit that?) Next time, I am going to do the same thing, except for add chunks of caramel too.
Crunch Bar Cookies

1) Beat until smooth and creamy:
1 c. butter
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package chocolate pudding mix (4 serving size)
1 tsp. vanilla

2) Beat in:
2 eggs

3) Gradually add:
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda

4) Mix in:
1 1/2-2 cups Crunch bars, chopped into small squares

Batter will be stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly before devouring! Don't burn your tongue!

*You can also use vanilla pudding to make classic chocolate chip cookies, and have fun experimenting with white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.