It's a relationship...

This coming week is a big one, Conner and I celebrate 4 years, mothers day, and Van turning 14 months old (Next Monday). Oh and I planned a little going away party for myself with my closest friends that I have made here. It is Saturday night! So I am looking forward to having them all together in one place with me for a night, so I can give them a little gift and celebrate having them in my life.

I do miss my most lovely friend so much, she is in South Carolina and I have not seen her in too long. I just stumbled upon this photo of us together before any kiddos were in the picture. Now I have a one year old, and she is growing a little one in her tummy. I am so excited!!!

I feel GOD working in me everyday, I have a relationship with him that I constantly maintain. I tell him things that I would never say aloud, he listens.... This relationship is not a certain religion in my mind. I speak to him even in my unconscious states. Sometimes when I am asleep I wake in prayer. I have found peace lately amidst the chaos. I have found that I am the only one who makes my days, and the better I am for myself the better I am for those I love. Yes I am working on myself, I am not going to lie. It is an ongoing process, but having a child look up to me makes me want to be a better person.

Clean baby.....

Van can hold his breath under water now, he is a little fish? He is just now grasping how to come up for air when his swim teacher pushes him towards the wall.

I love it when Van is clean, I met a girl at Van's swimming lesson the other day and she was using her non disposable diapers and she told me all about how to make my own baby wipes. I looked it up when I got home and altered the recipe a bit, and it works great. No harsh chemicals and Van's skin is soft with no irritations! I am using earthfirst 100% recycled paper towels from costco! These paper towels are not bleached using chlorine so no harsh chemicals on baby's bum or face.

Making your own baby wipes will not only save money, but you will know for sure that no harsh or drying chemicals are touching your baby's bottom. I found this article on about.com

Here's How:

1. Cut the roll of paper towels in half with a knife and remove the inner cardboard core.
2. Mix liquid ingredients in container.
3. Place the paper towels in the container with the cut side facing downward.
4. Secure lid tightly and allow to sit until all liquid is absorbed into the paper towels.
5. Turn the container upside-down and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
6. Open container and 'start' the roll by pulling a towel from the inside of the roll.
7. Wipes are now ready to use.

Tips:

1. These also make a great gift for new parents. You can decorate or personalize the container and, of course, be sure to include a copy of the recipe.
2. Save the other half of the roll for use next time you make wipes.
3. Make sure the container is closed tightly after each use to prevent drying out.
4. When your baby is older and his skin is less sensitive, you can add about a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol to the mix.

What You Need:

* Round plastic container (Rubbermaid #6 or #9 works well)
* Thick, strong roll of white paper towels
* Sharp knife to cut paper towel roll in half
* 2 cups water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature
* 2 Tablespoons of castille soap - I like Dr bronners baby mild soap
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
* 3 to 4 drops of tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract (you can find this at any health food store)
* 5 drops of lavender oil for scent and relaxation

Downward Dog

I am seeing a lot of this,
and this lately. It's a new take on talk to the hand. It happens mainly when I am saying no or be careful. It's Van's way of protesting. He does know how to make me smile!

wall graphics

I am getting excited about redesigning Van's nursery in a new house. Yes we are officially moving and it will be a new adventure. It is a Little too much for me to wrap my head around at the moment for fear that it will fall off of my body, but I am gathering strength from those around me at the moment in order to prepare for this life changing event. We are moving to Florida. But my blog will remain on the information super highway for years to come! Anywho I have been thinking I will be using some of these fabulous wall decals to make his room more exciting. Check out ellynelly's creations on Etsy.

Nothing like having a fake dog on your wall to look at... I took my dog to the vet today and they called me with some concerns..... They said number one he is severely overweight, has really bad plaque (is that why his breath smells like a trash can?), and he has a couple little cysts on his side. Zeke is a special dog, and I mean that in the nicest way. But lately I have been disappointed in him, he takes books off of our book case and rips them to shreds while we are gone and lately he has been chewing up my shoes..

I walk him 2 times a day, and he still has it out for me? If Van didn't love that dog so much I might just send him off to Jenny Craig or something... But he is truly van's best buddy. He lays on him, hugs him, and sits on him pretty much any free moment that he has. So we will keep him for now.. Once a rescue dog always a rescue dog!

BPA free-dom!!!

So I was wandering around the internet looking for some more info and this is what I found on a great blog about family health and parenting.

BPA Free Bottle Products

• Adiri Natural Nursers
• Avent “Via” disposable bottles
• BornFree - All bottles and cups BPA free *see note
• EvenFlo Glass bottles
• Playtex Opaque Soft Bottle, Playtex Drop in liners
• Gerber: Gerber Clearview, Fashion Tints (also called “Plastic Pastels”), Gerber GentleFlow
• Medela: All bottles
• Sassy MAM bottles (UltiVent), Baby Food Nurser Kit
• Green to Grow Bottles **see note
• Sassy Baby Food Nurser Kit
• ThinkBaby Bottles
• Momo Glass Bottles
• Nuby: Standard Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, Standard Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, 3-Stage Wide Neck Easy Grip Feeding System with Non-Drip Nipple.
• Nuture Pure Glass bottles
• Babisil Silbottles
• Weego Glass Bottles
• Siliskin Glass Bottles
• Dr Brown’s: Glass Bottles (all vent system pieces BPA Free), Dr. Browns Polypropylene bottles (due in store’s April 15th)

• BPA Free Sippy Cups

• Avent Magic Cups
• Playtex: Coolster Tumbler, Insulator, Einstein Training Cup, Sipster, Create My Own, Quick Straw, Insulator Sport, Sip and Discover, First Sipster
• Gerber: Sip & Smile Spill-proof Cup, Easy Grip Insulated Soft Straw Cup, Insulated Cool Cup, Fun Grips Color Change Spill-proof Cup, Grins & Giggles Spill-proof Cup (source)
• BornFree sippy/drinking cups
• Kleen Kanteen
• Thermos Foogo Sippy Cups, and drinking bottle with straw
• SIGG Toddler Water Bottles
• Kid Basix The Safe Sippy
• Boon Sippy
• GrowPure Multi-Stage Feeder and Sippy Cup
• iPlay Aqua Bottle
• ThinkBaby Training Cup
• Sassy Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup
• Munchkin: Cupsicle, Cupsicle Straw Cup, Big Kid Sippy Cup, Mighty Grip Flip Straw Cup, Mighty Grip Trainer Cup, licensed character Sports Bottles, Re-usable Straw Cups, Re-usable Spill-proof Cups
• Nuby: No-Spill Sports Sipper, Insulated Soft Silicone Spout Cup, Soft Spout Easy Grip Cup, Gripper Cup with Soft Silicone Spout, 2-Handle Cup, Tinted Mega Sipper
• The First Years: Take & Toss, Spill-proof Cup, Insulated Cup, Licensed character sippy cups, Insulated Spill-proof Cup, 2 Handled Cups

BPA Free Food Storage

• Avent Snack Cup / Formula Dispenser
• So Easy Fresh Baby Food Kit
• Baby Cubes
• Laptop Lunch System

Just Livin...

Van went to Conner's office the other day for a visit, and he learned that headphones are awesome especially when mom is talking...... hmmm

Van's excited he just found out advent is coming out with a BPA free bottle in summer 08! We are smart about our plastic bottles and sippy cups now!
I just added some new cards to the vanerwin.com collection they can be for girls or boys. If you would like to place an order please feel free to email me.
$12 per 8 or $23 for 16.... Great for birthday gifts, cause all kids need to learn how to write thank you's. They are printed on 100% recycled 100lb pape (thick paper). enjoy.

Earth Day 2008

In honor of earth day tomorrow, I purchased all new bulbs for my kitchen to replace with the old ones that don't save any energy whatsoever. The eco-bulbs last up to seven years. So I am virtually saving 70% in energy costs with these new bulbs. The prices are usually discounted by the electric companies as well. If you replace your old bulbs with these new ones you will save money on electricity bills, use less energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and help stop global warming.
Van and I went to the beach yesterday and picked up trash along the shore. It was disappointing to see how much trash was in the sand. Go out and do something for your mother this week, she is so good to you!

A new way of thinking...

So I was getting the mail at the mailbox yesterday and as I was walking back to the car, I was stopped by a man who uttered these words "how often do you work out"? I looked around and then I checked behind me to see who the heck he was talking to....
Then I realized he was TALKING TO ME?
I repeated his question out loud to him, with some snickering, behind my glasses.
I said "I work out about three times a week I think!" I smiled and quickly got back into the car.

Was that a pick up line, or just a guy being nice? I am so jaded that I think everyone is being weird when strangers talk to me. I immediately look for an escape route. I created this way of thinking for myself, I really don't think it is my surroundings but I like to blame it on where I live.

I am reading a good book Eat, Pray, Love that is slowly teaching me to control my way of thinking in order to find stillness and peace in my every days.
I am slowing down enough to hear my inner voice and peeling back the layers to find stillness is waiting.

Just say no to BPA

My head is spinning from all of the emails from friends who have heard about all of the research being released about plastic baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, tableware, utensils, feeding aids, pumping supplies, etc that contain BPA. I just found out I have been using the wrong type of bottles all along too and they leak BPA into my sweet child's body. We go out and buy the best car seats, the fancy strollers, and the 400 thread count organic sheets, but we use pacis and baby bottles that leak BPA? I think not! I just purchased a few of the bottles that are BPA free from thinkbaby.
The company produces PES (polyether sulfone) plastic bottles and sippy cups. And stainless steel and plastic drink bottles for adults as thinksport.
First of all what the hell is BPA anyways right?Bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach this chemical into liquids.

I know this sounds a bit obsessive but I am trowing away all of my freakin Dr. Browns bottles tomorrow because they are scratched and worn. Goodbye old bottles hello new bottles with out the BPA. Goodbye wallet.

I am tired and weary but I have so much more information to share with you.
I will leave you with this list of companies that produce BPA free baby items & and a few images that makes me smile.


BPA-Free Brands:
Adiri | Baby Bjorn | Baby Cie | Babylife (Wee-go) | BFree | Born Free | Brita | Combi | DCI | Ezee Reach | Emily Green | Green to Grow | iPlay | Kidbasix | KidCo | Klean Kanteen | Medela | Mother's Milkmate | Mud Pie Baby | Not Neutral | Nurture Pure | Obentec | ORE Originals | Prince Lionheart | Rivadossi Sandro (Trebimbi) | SIGG | Silikids | Skip*Hop | Steadyco | Thermos | thinkbaby

Healthy Stuff

My good friend Cassie sent me a link to this great website and i wanted to share it with you all. I have always had a fear that plastic cups and bottles leak out harmful chemicals into the food and drinks we consume.
So here are some great products that are save and free of any toxins that might just be getting into your food and drinks. they have some really cute ones for the kiddies too.

As you know chemicals released by plastics can cause cancer (It is not the water that affects you but the chemical released from the bottle)

Check the bottom of the bottle there should be a triangle sign and there will be a number on it. If the number is higher than or equal to 5 --> then this bottle is safe to use. Numbers under 5 will release the chemical. For most bottled water, the number is 1. Remember to check and stop reusing those bottles.

article via: plastic myth busters