This Moment: Audra and Daddy playing on New Year's Eve

Shortly before going outside to watch the fireworks, Daddy and Audra are having a fun game of "Make Baby Laugh" which is where Joe and I do whatever it takes to make Audra giggle. She loves this game.

Coming to the end of a GREAT year!

I wish I could reflect on this year in its entirety, but Audra is a demanding attention stealer! (lol) SO I will just pick up sort of where I left off with the last blog...

Audra is now 7 months, so close to crawling I'm beginning to think she's just not crawling because she's satisfied with rolling and scooting everywhere! She repeating sounds now and is very playful. Joe and Audra have their own set of different little games they play, it's adorable. Still not eating solids regularly, but she's is doing great and a super healthy girl. Audra was 20 lbs and 26 inches at her last doctor's appointment. She is still in cloth diapers and still exclusively breastfeeding. I'm raising a "crunchy" organic baby (lol).

Joe has had his last check up after his eye surgery, and the doctor says he doesn't need contacts anymore! His eyesight is now 20/15 and he's wearing the sunglasses less and less. Flashes from cameras, sunlight, and bright lights still bother him a bit but he's doing very well after his surgery. As far as work goes, he's been swamped but hopefully that will change here very soon. January 11th is Joe's ankle surgery where they will fix the injury he has there. The orthopedist said that he's going to shorten the ligaments so that they will be tighter, the problem is that the ligaments stretched out when he injured the ankle. Joe will be in a cast for 4 weeks and then probably have physical therapy thereafter. The good news is that he will be totally healed by the time we have to move (lol)! Joe will begin out-processing in March or April, by May 5th we're planning on being packed up and headed out of South Carolina.

Because we will be moving, we're kind of up in the air about Audra's first birthday. We have decided we will be having a party, just probably not at the house because we'll be a boxed up mess here!

As far as things with me go, I am adoring being a mom to Audra. Every day brings it's challenges but twice the rewards and the joy! I'm trying to find more ways to bring our family into a "greener" place. I finished up my first semester at University of Alaska Fairbanks on December 13th, and I love it! I'm looking forward to graduating soon. Unfortunately it will probably be while Joe is deployed but no big deal. Fortunately he's big around for all the big stuff and we're grateful for that!

That's all for now :) From the Orders' Family have a safe and Happy New Year!

November/December

So our darling daughter is officially 6 months now! Her milestones accomplished include sitting up, saying her first word ("mama" and "hello"), and she is beginning to crawl. We attempted some rice cereal and applesauce with her within the past week or so and she has decided she likes breastmilk much better anyhow! So for right now we will continue to exclusively breastfeed except for a few tidbits of this and that randomly. I will be making her baby food, however small the amount, at home for now as well. Turns out purreeing veggies and fruits is way easier and way more cost effective than going to the grocery store and buying whole amounts of food she may never eat! lol

Well the munchkin is hollering for me right now so I'd better run. Love and hugs!

RAGABABE MADNESS!!

RAGABABE is having a quick giveaway! I just have to share we love Audra's AIO and use it daily. The print is adorable and it fits her like a glove. I never worry about leaking with her or about the velcro wearing down. It's a great wash and go diaper, I cannot say enough great things about ragababe!

www.ragababe.com

Audra's First Halloween

Audra had a fantastic time being a pumpkin this Halloween! We carved pumpkins for each of us, Audra's just had her named carved into it. I can't wait until she can really enjoy the holiday when she's older!

Ragababe Giveaway At The Rabbitt Hutch and At Life Plus Baby!!

I have to say, my above all favorite cloth diapers are as follows: Cow Patties Cloth Diapers and RAGABABE! Ragababe diapers are not only cute and absolutely adorable in every way, but they work fabulously for those who have been looking for a cloth diaper and have a heavy wetting baby at night. They have become a very reputable cloth diapering company and I love them to pieces.

This morning I woke up and to my giddy delight, Ragababe is having a giveaway through The Rabbitt Hutch and Life Plus Baby. Both gave terrific reviews on Ragababe's cloth diapers (AIO: all in one) and posted pics of them on their own children.

Being a mom myself, I know that I wouldn't boast and brag about a product unless my daughter was happy comfortable in it, so that gives me great confidence to see these other moms posting about how great Ragababe is!

If you're interested in cloth diapering, check out these mamas blogs and Ragababe to get you started!!

Ragababe: www.ragababe.com

The Rabbitt Hutch: http://www.therabbitthutch.blogspot.com/

Life Plus Baby: http://leiaplusnicholas.blogspot.com/

Happy Cloth Diapering!

4 months old!!

Just thought I'd say hey and give a quick update on little Audra :) She's now a little over 16 lbs and pushing past 24 inches! We're still doing cloth diapers (except for big trips, like when we went down to Savannah for Joe's surgery) and we haven't seen diaper rash since we started them. We bought her a gently used jumperoo from Once Upon A Child and she is adoring being able to be a little independent and being able to stand (her favorite thing is to stand, if she had it her way she'd skip crawling altogether)! She has begun teething and is doing ok so far, it's pretty mild. She just fusses for about an hour at night before bed and if it gets really bad we give her some tylenol, but that's rare. Audra is doing just about everything now; reaching, rolling over, chattering (she's named me "wa wa" instead of mama... obviously that'll come later lol), grabbing, pulling, creeping and recently within the past two days she's started doing this baby push-up thing that I can only guess will be leading to crawling very soon! Sitting up is coming up here too, she doesn't have it down but she's close! lol. This girl is giving me a run for my money and I wouldn't have it any other way <3 We love and miss you all!!