Softbums

I love softbums. They are one of my favorite cloth diapers. In fact, they were the first cloth I ever put on Claire's bum. They are what sold me on cloth in the first place. Back then it was just the Echo, which is fabulous. Now they've come out with the Omni, which looks even better. I want to get one. I really really want to get one. I've been trying to wait until they come out with more colors to choose from, but I'm getting impatient. So, I'm going to try to win one. www.29diapers.com is having a giveaway & the prize is an Omni. Fingers crossed!!

Rounding out the Year

I know, I know - I'm not keeping up with the blog. There are reasons, I'll try to do better. I don't even know where to begin. . . .

The end of the year brought 3 weddings. All different, but all had their highlights. It was great to go back to the San Diego Temple where Dan & I got married for Erin & Justin's wedding and see so many people that haven't seen in so long. Robyn & Kyle's wedding on the beach - absolutely beautiful. The kids were adorable in their wings & tutu's & Isabelle asking Kyle to dance - priceless. Kelsie & Branden's wedding - we want to go back there sometime (without the kids!). What a great location & Maddy's mad dash to the dance floor . . . I was mortified & couldn't stop laughing all at the same time!

November had ups and downs. Claire had her 9 month appointment that went very very wrong. Her routine toe prick showed her hemoglobin level was low and a full blood draw was ordered. Holding your baby while 2 nurses try to find a vein - awful. Claire was a doll through it all and didn't even cry. I think it was a little more traumatic for me than for her. Test came back saying she was anemic & iron drops were started. She hated them. She acted like she was being poisoned and I think they hurt her tummy. The good news is that after 2wks on them her hemoglobin level was back up & she gained 2lbs! 2lbs in 2wks! Hopefully she'll be off the drops completely at a year.

Thanksgiving at the Wilder's was wonderful as usual with friends & family. Kids and adults alike had a fabulous time. With the help of my mom & Sandi I made 2 pairs of wool longies for Claire. I'm so proud of myself. I can't wait to have time to make more - which comes to my next story, the sewing machine.

We have a wonderful friend in the ward, Steve Demke. When he heard that I was wanting a sewing machine he gave me their old one. It was an amazing machine that could turn more tricks than I could ever hope to master. The only problem was it didn't have a foot pedal or power cord. I searched high & low for the part only to find that it was no longer being made. I went to Sewing Machines Plus because their website said that they had a compatible piece only to find that it wouldn't work. Apparently Santa owns Sewing Machines Plus because the owner came out and offered to trade me for a working machine. It isn't as fancy, but it's just what I need. I am so grateful both for Brother Demke and Sewing Machines Plus for my little Christmas miracle.

Onto Christmas. It was at the Hall household this year and as always a great time to spend with family. The kids were showered with so many gifts from wonderful friends and family - I think they could have filled a second playroom (which reminds me I need to reorganize the playroom!). They have been playing with everything nonstop - or at least they always have a new toy with them as they sleep with some of them. They especially can't wait for the rain to go away and the cement to dry so they can play with their outdoor toys.

As for me, I'm excited to have everything I need to sew a bunch of fitteds, soakers and longies for Claire and a few soakers for Maddy. I also got the rest of Hunger Games books (got the first on my birthday) & read all 3 within a week. AMAZING. I want to read them again. I'm a bookworm, I know. I really need to get a few more series to add to the mix as I'm plowing through them so fast. Dan as always downplayed his gifts to me & they were wonderful. I designed a cutting board midway through the year to be made eventually. I have no idea how he found the time or kept it from me, but he made it. It's beautiful. I was also shocked with a Massage Envy membership. One massage a month, all year long. It's more than I could have dreamed of.

So, January is here. Maddy seems to have gotten back on the potty training wagon so here's hoping. Isabelle can't wait to go back to school as she has been off for almost 3wks (and the last week of school she only went for 2 days because she was sick). Claire cut her first tooth on January 1st followed by her second on January 4th. We're watching her closely as she is currently dealing with RSV. Poor kid can't catch a break. We're still going strong with the cloth. It's going very well, though we've found that she is allergic to some materials (like I said - kid can't catch a break). We even got some Daddy/babysitter friendly diapers! Now if we can get her to take a bottle of reheated milk I could go get those massages . . .