Your children will become what you are, so be what you want them to be~David Bly

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Green Cleaning


I am proud to say that I am starting to convert to some "green" cleaners to clean our home with. Yes Yes, I have also started to use a housecleaner and they do not use green products. We are only having the cleaners once a month. That way the floors, blinds, EVERYTHING gets a super great clean at least that often. I have only had them once, and my house feels amazingly clean! I feel like I can keep up with the weekly vacuuming, bathroom cleaning, dusting, etc. I feel ok that the cleaning girls will use cleaners with chemicals, but since I can smell the cleaners for days after they leave (I was told that a clean house doesn't "smell" clean because you are only smelling the chemicals), I think I should at least be using safe cleaners when I am doing the cleaning myself, for my health and of course for my children's. Thanks to a recent speaker I heard at my MOPS meeting, and the help of my friend Jen, I have found some products to start with. I am not going to overhaul all my cleaners at once, but rather replace the products when I run out with better, safer alternatives. I would like to be able to run to the store to buy my products (rather than get hooked on something that is only available online)but...since it is sorta hard to know where to begin I have decided to go with some Shaklee products to help get me started. Besides, the hassle of trying to find where I can get products and then having to get different ones at different stores might prove to be more frustrating than just going to this website and placing my order from the comfort of my home while sitting in jammies! I purchased a product called Basic-H and the stuff sounds amazing! It is an ALL purpose cleaner. Here is just the START of how you can use Basic-H.
“If it’s safe in water… it’s safe in Basic H”
· Biodegradable
· Non-polluting
· Phosphate-free
· Not a soap
· Non-toxic
· Non-irritating
· Non-flammable
General Cleaning – 1 tsp in 1 quart of warm water for walls, woodwork, ceilings, kitchen appliances, furniture, bathroom, and fixtures. Leaves refrigerators odour-free.

Windows, Mirrors, All Glass – 1-2 drops in 16 oz. spray bottle of water. Glass will smear if more than the recommended amount of Basic-H2® is used.

Dishes – 1–2 teaspoons in 1 gallon of water.

Pots and Pans – 1 tablespoon in 1 gallon of water. Let stand to loosen stuck-on particles.

Floors – 1–2 tablespoons in 1 gallon of cool water. Leaves surfaces shiny.

Kitchen Floors – 1/2 teaspoon in 1 quart of warm water to clean without polishing. To remove wax buildup, use Basic-I® Concentrated Industrial Cleaner.

Microfiber mopping – Use the All-purpose spray ¼ tsp. in 16 oz. Sprits floors and wipe with microfiber mop.

Dusting –All Purpose Spray ¼ tsp in 16 oz. spray bottle
I also ordered the disinfectant wipes and the bottles to mix the Basic H in.
Women who clean their own homes were something like 54% more at risk for developing cancer due to all the harmful chemicals found in our products. There were something like 83,000 new chemicals in the USA last year and only a couple hundred were testing by the FDA...scary if you ask me!

Monday, February 23, 2009

4 Months Old!


Baby Girl,
The time with you continues to go oh so quickly. I can't believe the changes in you over this past month. You are holding your head up so well. When you are laying down you do little baby crunches and almost sit up completely on your own. Who knew that chubby little tummy had some muscles too! We put you in the exersaucer for this first time this past weekend and you think it is super great! You sit up in it very well, and you love to look at all the toys on the tray. You even have started to grab at some of them on your own! You also still have fun sitting in the bumbo chair with some toys around you. You are completely amazed by your hands and feet. You love to watch your feet move in front of you and you are amused by it for a long time. Your hands are always in your mouth these days and you are drooling a lot! Yikes, teething won't be very far away for us!
You are still a super sweet, happy baby, and you smile all the time. You have really started to talk this past week, and you and mommy have lots of wonderful conversations. You also now will stop nursing to smile and talk to me, then you will nurse again, then stop to smile and laugh and then again start nursing. I know I should ignore you when you do this so that you don't play during eating time, but I just can't help myself-it is too cute! You are starting to belly laugh more and we have recently discovered that you are very ticklish! You also love to look in the bathroom mirror and smile and laugh at that beautiful baby face!
Although we aren't on a rigid schedule yet, your routine is fairly predictable. You still nurse about 7 times a day and once through the night. After eating you will stay awake and play for about an hour before needing another nap. Most of your naps still take place in your swing or laying on my chest, and you still nap about 4-5 times a day. I am not sure when we will move you upstairs, probably not until you are sleeping through the night consistently. Maybe soon you can start napping upstairs in your room though.
We just had your 4 month well check appt. on Friday. You weighed 12 lbs. 8 oz. (45th %) and you were only 23 1/4 " (15th%)!!! We thought we might be getting close to trying cereal with you but the AAP now recommends waiting until 6 months to start the cereal. We will wait until 5 months and then see what we think.
I love you my precious baby girl! I can't imagine my life without you. You truly complete us.


Drew at 4 months old
Drew & Camden on Valentine's Day

Sweet baby Camden

Saturday, February 14, 2009