The Simple Woman's Daybook- February

Ferndale, WA Sunset

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it is grey, but I'm finding it pretty.

I am thinking... after the work is done, it is a good day to curl up with a book.

I am thankful... that I am a wife and a mother.

In the kitchen... gluten-free bread is baking.

I am wearing... jeans and a sweatshirt.

I am creating... a name banner for Little Mr.'s room. It's about half done at this point.

I am going... to have fun this weekend, Lord willing.

I am wondering... what life will be like a year from now.

I am reading... Little House on Rocky Ridge by Roger Lea MacBride. I've slowly been trying to read through all the books on our bookshelves.

I am hoping... that everyone reading this is having a happy day.

I am looking forward to... a trip to Whistler, BC!

I am hearing... nothing but the regular humming sounds of home. Little Mr. is napping soundly.

Around the house... things are about the same as they always are!

I am pondering... how much our love lacks compared to Christ's love towards us.

One of my favorite things... is currently Pinterest. I'm enjoying having everything organized in one place, and it's like window shopping without the draw to spend money.

Click to Join In

ps: Once a month there will be no Favorite Five Friday, I'll be posting my Daybook some time that week instead.

My Baby Must-Haves: 6-9 Months

(If you are reading this via email or blog reader, click here to see my updated blog. I was ready for a change! I'd appreciate suggestions or feedback if you see anything that isn't loading properly.)

For the 6-9 month range, I'm finding that there are not many new items that are my "must-haves" but there are definitely a few things that I am loving right now so I'm going to go ahead and continue my Baby Must-Haves series. When it becomes obvious that there aren't really any more baby must-haves, maybe at that point I will start something like a "Little Mr.'s Loves" series.

For my Baby Must-Haves for 0-3 Months, click here. For my Baby Must-Haves for 3-6 Months, click here. I am still using a lot of those items.

Wholesome Baby Food is a wonderful resource for feeding solids! Clicking on "solid foods" in the options across the top of the page takes you to age appropriate lists of solids, which I found really helpful.

Sleep Sack- I love using a sleep sack. When we weaned from swaddling, we started with putting a sleep sack on top of the swaddle. Then we moved to one arm out of the swaddle for a week, then two arms out for two weeks and then dropped the swaddle completely. By the time the swaddle blanket was completely dropped, putting the sleep sack on was part of the bedtime routine and I think it really helped to fill the gap that would have been there otherwise. I also love it because it is a wearable blanket and keeps him warm. Any brand works, we have one by Carters and one by Halo.



Baby Mum Mum Rice Rusks- Little Mr. loves these. They are a great tool to carry in the diaper bag. I can give him half of one and it keeps him busy and happy! They are rice, they basically melt in the baby's mouth, and they are gluten free.

Baby Aquaphor- this was a suggestion from my sister in law Grace and I love this stuff. When Little Mr. had teething rashes on his cheeks, this was the only thing that would calm it down. I also use it for dry patches of skin, protecting his chin from drool and on scratches and rashes. A lot goes a long way too.

Take and Toss Lidded Bowls don't leak! At least they haven't leaked for me yet. I always carried Little Mr.'s home made baby food in old baby food jars, but they leaked so I picked up a 7 pack of these as a cheap alternative until I could find something nicer. Well, I'm not looking for other bowls anymore, these are great! I do hand wash them and never microwave them for more than 20 seconds. They are BPA free too!



My last must-have is the sun! If you haven't made use of this amazing and free laundry secret, you must try it! I've been doing this since Little Mr. was a newborn and you wouldn't believe the stains that have disappeared. When an item of clothing comes out of the washing machine stained, I just put the damp item out in direct sunlight for a couple of hours and come back to find the stain gone. Even items that have gone through the dryer can still be treated in the sun, just re-wet the stained area and lay it out in the sun. You'll be amazed!