Never Too Early: Planning for #3, Part 2

In the previous post to this, I showed a picture of my start of lists for Baby #3, but I made no mention of it.  This post will be about my start of baby preparation.

I always start with a notebook of some kind.  My dad has a box of composition books, so that is what was easiest for me.  My favorite notebooks have the spiral on top, but these are second best.

This is my Baby #3 Planning Composition Book

It's nothing fancy, and I don't indent to make it fancy.  I picked the simple dot print to remind myself that I need to keep things simplistic with this baby.

With Evelyn, I wanted it all, with the first, you usually do.  When Raven came around, there were still many things I wanted to try that I had learned about after Evelyn.  Now that I am preparing for #3, I know what I like best since I've tried most things.

I know that I love carrying baby in a carrier, I prefer this over strollers.  I love that I finally have a jogging stroller!  I like kids in jeans, they are the cutest thing ever on little kids.  Dresses with pockets are the best for a girl toddler and I will breast feed again.  I always want to use a wipes warmer for at least the first three months of Baby's life, and white crib sheets are the best and easiest.

There are other things I have learned over the years of being Mama, and my lists are what that is all about.

My first list is "What We Have."

I am still adding to this as I remember what we have stored.
When my sister in law had her last kid, she gave me all her cloth diapers and slings.  I have yet to use a sling carrier, but I still use the mei tai and soft backpack style she had already given me, all the time.  One of which she made herself!

My second list is "Want/Need to Get."

Later, this list will be split up and details will be give for each item.  I give myself reasons, so when I look back later, I can determine if the need or want is worth it.  Stepping back and coming again can give a fresh perspective, or at least, a better one.  While I have "want" and "need" together, I mark them with a "W" or "N."

Next list is "Things To Do."

I will not be sharing this list!

I have a few surprises on it for you to see in the future.  

I don't like ruining surprises.

This list also includes things that need to be done with the girls to get them ready for baby.  Raven getting into a big girl bed and Evelyn getting used to the top bunk, are a few things on the list for the big sisters.

What have you done to get ready for baby?  I always love learning how others prepare for baby!  Hope to hear from y'all soon!

*Wait for an upcoming printable version of my baby list!  It will have just the basics and a few extras for happier mamas and babies!

Leap Day

Ignoring all logical reason to have Leap Day, it feels like today is something special.

You have an extra day this year.

Does that seem amazing to anyone else?!

Today should be the day you get up out of bed and smile, for absolutely no reason. 

Today should be the day you say hi to everyone you pass.

Today is the day you ignore the guy that cut you off on the street.

Today is a day that only comes once every four years!

Enjoy today, if only for the sake of effort.  Renew yourself today.  Go for a jog, give your baby an extra squeeze, tell your girlfriend you love her just an extra time.  Do anything and everything today that just inspires love, kindness, and fun!

Enjoy Leap Day Everyone!

Hope y'all make it a good one!

Less Than 10 Minute DIY Ear Bud Holder

This DIY is probably the fastest, and easiest, way to show love to your ear buds.

I've seen these out and around the internet, so I thought it was time that I made one myself.  I found these mints that I really like, 3 hour mints, and I keep them in the cup holder of my car.  It finished, and I thought I should finally do this project I've been promising to my ear buds.  I like this one better than the regular Icebreakers contain because this one has only one opening.

Supplies

• empty, clean mint container that opens half way (I'm making two from the Breathsavers 3 Hour Mints)
• Spare contact paper (hopefully you have some around, if not, scrapbook paper or fabric and decoupage)
• Alcohol and cotton ball (I found alcohol wipes from my first aid kit)
• Scissors 
• Your ear buds

Steps

Eat all the mints!

Take off top label, SET ASIDE.  Clean inside of container.

(Do not remove bottom label, it is not necessary, and my container's bottom label didn't want to come off easily, so I didn't even try.)

Cut the strip of contact paper you need.  One strip did two ear bud holders with front and back labels.

Stick original label to non decorative side of contact paper.

I checked where I wanted the design to be.
This is the first ear bud holder...

and I did the second with a different pattern focus.  

When you've traced four circles...

...cut them.

I also, very softly, labeled mine to not get confused.  If you use a solid color or don't care about your pattern, there is no need for labeling.

Wipe clean the areas that you will adhere the decorative paper.  I used one wipe for both tops, and the second for both bottoms.

I threw my scraps as I waited for the containers to air dry.

Stick the contact paper onto the container.  I started with the top.

Readjust as needed to find center.

(A reminder, the top label is supposed to lap over the lid, just like the original.  If you don't want that, a simple trim will change that.)

Cover the back.
I didn't worry too much about centering this side, but it turned out more centered with the one try than the front did.

 Wrap your ear buds...

...tuck in.

 Tuck them into their new sweet little home.

All closed up and you can't tell which one has the ear buds.

They stayed tucked away in a hard case while not in use!

You now have an awesome little house for your ear buds that is tough and unique because it was made by YOU!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Please share and tell me about accessories

you've made for your ear buds and/or phones,
or how this tutorial turned out for you.

I want to hear from y'all, always!

*Update!  I recently used this on a 15 hour road trip and also on a flight across the country.  I loved having these.  They held up nicely and I didn't ever worry if my ear puds were getting crushed in my bag while traveling.

It's Never Too Early: Planning for #3

This post may appear that I am nesting, but I am not.  Though I am not pregnant now, we do plan on trying this year.  This is me, getting ready before I need to.

(The start of many lists to come)

When we first had Evelyn, we thought that it would be so great to have the changing table built right into the crib.  Plus, this changing table laid the baby straight out in front of me, instead of causing me to twist awkwardly to change the baby...every day...at least 10 times a day.

Below, is the model we picked and my parents bought for us.  Delta, model Dakota.  This was back in 2010, this specific one is no longer made, but similar styles are still out there.

We were in a two bedroom apartment when we first had this crib; we occupied one room, Evelyn had the other for all her things.  It fit snuggly next to a white cabinet on one wall.  It took up more than half a wall.  With one child that was not a problem.

When we had Raven, we were in a three bedroom house with slightly larger bedrooms than the apartment.  While Evelyn had her own room, with a queen sized mattress, we put the crib into our room.  I wanted to have Raven sleeping in her own crib, so we had it in our room.  We still had enough room for us.  With two children, it was still not a problem.

Now that Tom is in full swing of school, we know that we will only be in apartments, or small houses, and we will also be growing.  Evelyn will be six and Raven will be two this summer, and they will only need more space as they get older. 

Another problem I had with this crib, is the height.  The changing table is high for me, I'm 5'2", and my husband, at 6'2", whenever he would change the baby, his belt buckle hit that bar you see at the feet, causing it to wear and chip.  The crib part was difficult for me when it was on the lowest setting, so much so, that I kept a step stool at the crib.  It was a pain.

In our grand plan, trying for a baby would be happening this year.  So I've been looking at things on Pinterest, of course, and mentally reviewing what we have, what I wanted to get, but hadn't, and what we will need if our next will be a boy, not a girl.  I dreaded, even thinking, how we would handle our mammoth crib.  It still sits, put together, at my mother in laws house, which was the house we had been renting previous to now.

I was asking about bunk beds at a furniture store and the man asked what kind I wanted.  I told him that one with stairs would be ideal, but we needed one with just a plain latter to conserve space.  I told him how I regretted the larger crib now because of not having the options of separation.  At that moment, I had a great awakening, and I realized, we could sell our current crib and buy a smaller one!  Why I had not thought of it before, I wasn't sure yet.

Later that day, I went on Craigslist, and was actually searching for old plastic ride on toys, like the Cozy Coupe or Radio Flyer, to redo.  I checked toys and found none, then checked baby, and I found this...

Okay, I didn't actually see this, but in my mind it looked this way.

I saw an ad for a white Jenny Lind crib by DaVinci.

 It was being sold for $50.  That's right, only $50!  I immediately text the seller and tried to get her to hold it since she was in the city over.  Only 45 minutes, but with schedules, it would be complicated to get to her quickly.  She said she wouldn't hold.  I convinced Tom to go with me the next day.  He thought it wasn't a deal we should pass up, and agreed.  I text the woman back, letting her know that I would be coming for the crib the next day.  She told me about the mattress for an extra $25 and that she would throw in the mesh bumper.  She told me she also had a chair.

Also for $50.  A glider is something I desperately searched for when we were preparing for Raven, but I was unable to find a price low enough for our budget.  I told her that I wasn't sure.  She said we could change our minds later, she didn't mind, she was just trying to get rid of all the baby stuff.  When we arrived at her house, the next day, she and her husband told us that we could take it all for $100 flat; crib, mattress, and glider.  They let us talk, and we eventually gave it all to them.  The glider was loving used, a small tear and dirty at the seat, but still cozy and smooth.  Raven loved it so much.  She loves bright colors and things that stand out, and if this chair does anything, it stands out.

Tom told me that this would be added onto my Valentine's gift.  I love practical gifts, so I was perfectly content to say that it was.  After all, it is pink!

Now, since we don't know if we will have a girl or boy next, in the future, I may have to recover the chair or use a slipcover on it.  If it's a girl and we have it in our room, Tom still may have me do that.  It is bright and he gets migraines.

To me, it is never too early to plan, and I think my mass of notepads, notebooks, and lists show that clearly.  I do this so I don't miss any details and kick myself later.  Self-preservation, in a good way.

I hope to get back here soon and tell you more of what is happening in my life!