Moving Again!

I am pretty sure I had a post titled "moving again" last year at about the exactly the same time. I also think I was exactly the same amount of pregnant. Funny how our move always happens around the third trimester, and that is no fun for mommy!

Either way, I wanted to let everyone know that we are doing quite well and looking forward to our move. We have fabric swatches picked out, painting estimates coming in, and movers arriving within the next few days. We can't wait to set up everything in our new home (rented, but still) and start settling in for a few years. After so much moving (my entire life, really) I am feeling really blessed to be in the same spot for awhile.

Hubby forwarded me another great kids discount deal-of-the-day site and I thought I would pass it along to my other mommy friends:

http://Kids.woot.com/

I also like:

http://www.zulily.com/

If you sign up for zulily, say I referred you :)

I am sure we will have a good belly shot for you all soon, and oh what a belly it is... I certainly feel ten weeks ahead of where I was last time, which is consistent with a second timer.

Steve is looking through his many law firm offers and trying to decide which firm is the right fit for him. It is a big decision as some firms are more "family-oriented" than others. It is really important for us to be able to spend time together at night. We often don't go out or do anything, especially during the week. We just sit and play with little Dalia (and her growing number of toys).

Speaking of toys, Dalia is quite obsessed with her Thomas and Hank trains. She loves to read books, play with anything that resembles a small person or animal, and use her magnadoodle. Play-Doh and crayons are also high up on her list.

She is still not too aware of what baby in the belly means, and we anticipate mixed feelings in October when her little sibling (we didn't find out if it is a boy or girl!!!!) arrives healthily and happily. We can't wait to have our birth experience again using the same amazing doula. The addition of Hillary Keiser, CNM, from Gentle Birth Care is also very exciting for us. We know that the birth experience we want is a valuable goal and that for us at least, changed the entire experience of caring for a newborn. It will be even better this time around, we are sure.

So that is my update. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for photos of our new place coming together through the rest of summer!

Up Down and Potty Party!

Some people might think potty training a 1 year old is totally nuts, but in many parts of the world, early potty training, or a similar concept, elimination communication, is pretty much standard practice (though ERers don't like the word "train"). And while we aren't die hard ECers who started at birth, we are introducing Dalia to the potty and letting her use it when we think she needs to. She is an active participant in this process, saying "pee" when she successfully went in the little potty today (for the third time this week). This is not rocket science, people. Sure it takes a long time, but, what else do I have to do? It is like learning how to breast feed, learning how to eat, crawl and walk.

TMI?

I guess some may think so, but this is a place where we shares the trials and tribulations of being new-ish parents. So if you aren't interested fast forward! But I have to warn ya, the first photo is a good one, if you can recognize the main event.

Now, of course we took privacy into account. I bet Dalia is going to LOVE this one day:

We are also going to invest in the snap on toilet. Anyone know of an elmo one? Oh and we spared most viewers the actual potty photo, but some chosen

unlucky family members were not spared.

So for those of you who are interested in trying this or just plain confused/shocked/perplexed here are some helpful websites, interesting stuff

Some EC links:

EC community

Nappy Free video

Helpful tidbits

EC clothing/potty pants

In action #1

In action #2

If my mom didn't already think I was an insane hippy-leaning weirdo, she certainly does now :) We will obviously still be using our amazing stash of cloth diapers for some time, but we are still moving toward a diaper free Dalia.

I thought I would also share a couple of cute Dalia playing photos:

Kuddos to Grandma for picking out this sweet riding toy. Dalia loves it!

Dalia is a ball of fun these days and she loves to play. She LOVES to play "up down" at all hours, including dinner time (and at three am).

Check out this video of Dalia playing "up down" with daddy:

Oh and that frame on the wall that still has the original packaging?

Yep, that is major class right there.

Ciao!

Adventures in Eating

Check out these chompers (still only 6 teeth, but she can eat ANYTHING):

Thanks to my lovely husband, Dalia pretty much refuses to use a "baby" cup (sippy) anymore. And while this seems like a good thing, it makes my life harder!

Enjoy some Dalia photos, oh how my child loves to eat:

Dipping the spoon is her new favorite thing:

She claps for herself after she makes it to her mouth.

And, the big girl cup!

Silly

Don't forget to VOTE FOR DALIA, photo #1! I think she is still in first place, but don't forget to vote once daily until Sunday!