Wowzers

I sure have been gone quite a while, eh? Sorry guys. We've been crazy busy around here with two out of town trips this month that have just thrown me for a loop.

But, we are back at home after a being out of state for a little while and I'm starting to get back on top of things, one of which is this here blog o' mine.

So, hope to have some new posts soon and will be paying some much overdue visits to blogs I've been unable to stop by outside of my feed reader this month.

Something More?

Folks, I haven't had a decent night of sleep in almost two years. I slept pretty poorly when I was pregnant the first time. I slept even worse after the miscarriage. Then came L's pregnancy three months later and more bad sleep. Oh, and then came L and well, when I stop and think about it, I think April 2006 was the last time I slept well. Yes, April 2006. Ugh.

So sometimes I'm a little forgetful. No big deal, right? Maybe not according to a little quiz, Forgetfulness or Something More, that is in a magazine we picked up from the grocery store this weekend. I have many of the warning signs:

Forgetting recently learned information on a regular basis. Check. I'm constantly asking hubby, when are we doing such and such? What was I supposed to send so and so? Do you remember _______ (fill in the blank with just about anything).

Losing track of what you're doing in mid-activity, such as while cooking a meal. Um, check this one too. I frequently leave the spout for our filtered water running long after the glass has been filled - and while I am cooking a meal, no less!

Forgetting simple words or substituting unusual ones for them. Check. In fact, just today, I told hubby about the thing, you know, the thing in the thing on the rack in the dining room? What? You don't know what I'm talking about? Geez.

Misplacing things in unusual places, such as putting your wallet in the refrigerator. Well, I never have put my wallet in the fridge, but I have a terrible habit of picking up items, walking around with them, and then leaving them in strange places all over the house.

Becoming very passive and not wanting to do anything. Uh oh, I've got this one too. Especially after nights when we're up all night with L.

So, this isn't looking so good. I apparently do not have just plain run of the mill problems with forgetfulness, I have *gasp* something more! Funny that the something more is because I have quite a bit less of something. Sleep. Glorious, elusive, wonderful sleep. I think this means that from now on, I should probably get a nice long nap everyday. I mean, this sounds really serious doesn't it? Now if I could only convince hubby...

Family Road Trip!

Hubby and I are what some would call cheap. Okay, probably what many would call cheap. Which is probably a very fitting title. What can I say? We don't like to be parted from our money, and now that we're on one income, there's not a whole lot of it to go around, anyway. So when we take vacations, which isn't very often, we usually go the thrifty route and stay in a modest hotel or tent camp (can't beat 20 bucks a night!), go to free or very cheap attractions, and do as much meal preparing as we can to avoid paying for expensive take out food. We also usually stay pretty close to home so there isn't a lot of travel expenses involved other than gas.

So it's kind of strange to be thinking that in just a few weeks we'll be packing our bags to head five hours away to the big city of Atlanta where we will stay in a swanky, upscale and expensive hotel, drive a nice rental car, and eat take out food. And all that sounds really nice, doesn't it? It sure does to me. But the best part, dear readers? The best part is it will all be practically free! Yes, you read that right, free! Three nights at the posh hotel? Paid for. Four days of roomy rental car? Paid for. Food allowance? Paid for. Even restaurant tips, parking at the hotel, and gas are paid for!! And none of it by us!

Hubby is being sent for business reasons and L and I get to tag along. We're going to stay an extra day and have some family time - our first road trip as a family! What's even cooler is that it just so happens that my best friend and her boyfriend are going to be in Atlanta that very same weekend! So we'll get to hang out with them, too. I am so excited - an awesome weekend away in a nice hotel with my hubby and daughter complete with time with good friends - all paid for! Who could ask for more?

Tips For Cleaning With A Baby

Here are some practical tips to make it easier to clean with a small baby around. These have all worked for me, but remember to do what works best for you.

First, check your expectations. Remember that it's more important to spend time enjoying and bonding with your child than it is to have a clean house. During this time in your life you probably will not get as much as done as you used to, and that's okay. Your family should be higher on the priority list than your house.

Get a baby carrier! This is my biggest tip for new moms. Almost any kind of cleaning job can be done with your baby snuggled up close to you. Any kind of baby carrier will do, but I've had the best luck when cleaning with wraps and mei tais. When L was itty bitty I mostly used the wraps and now that she is a bit bigger I mostly use the mei tais. Both wraps and mei tais allow your shoulders and arms to have full range of movement which can be very helpful when trying to clean, do dishes and hang laundry on the line. I do use my ring sling quite a bit when I'm just tidying up and don't need quite as much freedom of movement. Need help picking a baby carrier? Check out The Baby Wearer website or drop me a comment or an email - I'd love to help you out. Don't have money to purchase a baby carrier? Check out this site which shows you how to make your own for cheap, even if you don't sew!

Use natural, non-toxic cleaning products. If you're going to be cleaning with your baby snuggled up close you certainly don't want to be using things that could be unhealthy for her. Many cleaning solutions can be made from simple things you probably already own, like vinegar and baking soda, which means you're not only using a non-toxic cleaner, but you're saving money, too! In addition to homemade cleaning solutions, I also use Shaklee's Basic H, which is economical and works well, too. For some more ideas for homemade, non-toxic, frugal cleaning solutions, check out this site and this site.

Use your family to your advantage. As I posted about previously, my grandmother comes over once a week for a few hours to spend time with L. This works so well for everyone involved. L gets quality time with my grandmother, my grandmother gets quality time with L and I get some baby free time to get things done around the house (or sleep if it's been a rough night!). If you've got family or close friends that live near you, one of them might love to be a "mommy's helper" for you. Seriously, my grandmother was so thrilled when I asked her if she'd like to do this. No family around? Consider hiring a babysitter for two hours a week. No money for a sitter? Maybe a young girl from your neighborhood or church would like to get some experience with babysitting. She can help you with your little one and in exchange you could be a reference for her in the future. And since you'd be home the whole time you can easily keep your eye on them.

Nap times are excellent times to get things done. That is assuming, of course, that your baby naps for any significant length of time. Mine isn't so good about that, so nap times as a means to get chores done is often a bust around here. But, if your baby isn't such a crappy napper, then by all means clean while she's sleeping! Unless you're tired, in which case you should sleep while she's sleeping.

And my last tip is for when your baby is old enough to sit and play on her own for a few minutes. Set her up close to where you will be working, give her a few toys or books, and go about your cleaning. You probably won't have a ton of time before your baby gets tired of playing on her own, but it can give you enough time to get something quick done.

Okay more experienced moms, what tips do you have for me?