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Babywearing - Why didn't I do this 3 children ago?

Babywearing Fashion Finds is hosting a contest to win some of their incredible babywearing wraps.  I love contests; rarely win, but I love them nonetheless!

I have tried babywearing in the past, and it has always been a crash and burn experience.  Either, the baby hated, I hated it or we both hated it together and it usually ended in several tears shed!

This time, I decided to give it the old college try, one more time!  I received a sling for a baby shower gift, used it successfully once or twice (I define success when Little Bear isn't screaming til her face turns beet red).  As she got bigger, she hated being laid to the side, so I could never figure out how to place her to make her happy.

One day I saw one of our neighbors who had this simple sling, made like a tube in which she had her baby sitting upright.  Ahah, I was onto something - Little Bear loved to be carried, but in an upright manner.  These neat slings are called "slinglings."  While exceptionally made, they are expensive.  Another neighbor said she had found a pattern for them.  I being the qualified sewer, and my MIL being the excellent fabric supplier that she is, made a perfect combination.  One hour later, I too owned a wonderful sling, and lo and behold, Little Bear loved it and the rest is history!

Now, while I don't recommend that lengthy journey for every babywearer, in the end, I have found a way to free up my hands to accomplish many other tasks that were being neglected because of my fussy baby.  She's happier, I'm happier and the house isn't looking like WWIII anymore!

Ship Full of Pirates

I stumbled across this absolutely, contagious blog, Ship Full of Pirates from another blog that I read on a frequent basis; Mama Archer.  She has 5 pirates and 1 princess and they all have names associated to pirate terms. 

Be sure to check them out as well as enter her June giveaway.  It is for a set of Vision Forum's Reclaiming the Culture DVDs. 

My favorite Vision Forum purchases so far have been Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacey McDonald, So Much More by the Botkin Sisters and Return of the Daughters.  Can you tell by my choices that I'm raising a handfull of maidens?  We have not been blessed with any lads thus far but we are still praying.

Ergo Carrier Giveaway

You can enter to win an Ergo Baby Carrier .   I have wanted one of these carriers for awhile now, but I should have bought one 4 kids ago to make it cost effective. 

Made by a small Hawaiian company, the Ergo has won kudos on our boards for its ease of use (you can wear it in front or back) and less strain on the back.  Whie most front carriers put the strain on your shoulders and back, the Ergo comes with a padded hiip belt that takes the strain off your upper back.  Best of all, you can use it from birth (with a newborn insert, $25) up to an amazing 40 pounds.

Happy Mother's Day Giveaway

SchoolinRhome is offering up a great Mother's Day giveaway.  Just leave her a comment and a link back to your site.  In your comment be sure to let her know something about your children and how blessed you are to be a mother.

I have been blessed with 5 beautiful daughters, (another one in heaven) and a step-daughter.  It is amazing to think that when we got married, I only wanted one child.  I listened so strongly to Satan's lies that children were a curse and a hindrance to my selfish desires, that I failed to see my real purpose in life.  I was so intent on listening to everyone else's goals for my life, (ie. solid education and big career), that I lost myself.  It was here that God stepped into my life.  I'm ever so thankful that God turned my heart around and showed me that my focus was to be on my family; my husband as his help meet, and my children as a homemaker, mother and spiritual guide.

Without God doing so, I would never have received the abundant blessings that I receive each and everyday!

My Little Woman is almost grown and will be getting married one day.  She is my right hand, left leg, and the right side of my brain most days.  She has grown into such a mature, lovely, young woman.  It's amazing to look at her journey with Christ.  She loves God, her family and is so well grounded in her faith.  I don't know too many teenage girls today that would give up time with friends to babysit her sisters, take them to the park, babysit other children for free, or give of her time to cook a meal for a family.   

My Juggler is already 10.  Just the other day she was twirling my hair and watching telletubbies!  She is strong willed and high strung just like her mother!  But then in a flash she is so loving and kind to her sisters.  She loves to read and she has an imagination that never ends.

My Rubber is a "Daddy's girl."  She needs her daddy with a passion.  When he is not here, it's like a piece of her is missing.  She's just beginning to write her letters and learn to read.  It is amazing to watch her learn.  She is my "little mother" and helps out immensely with her younger sisters.  She is also my most sensitvie child and repents immediately upon doing something wrong.

My Doodler loves any medium to doodle with and if we catch her in time it is on paper, but sometimes it's in the form of lipstick kisses along a hallway wall.  She is so independent and I often find her playing alone, instead of with her sisters.  She does this little skipping motion whenever she walks and she loves to turn the music on the keyboard and do her "ballet moves" as she calls them, even though she isn't in ballet.

My Little Bear is just learning to crawl and she has figured out how to put everything into her mouth.  She loves to reach up and pull my hair while she nurses.  I can't wait to see how her personality unfolds over the years.

So, you see, I am so full of blessings.  I still pray that the Lord will bless us with more children because:

Psalm 127:3 - 5

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.    As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.    Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Do you need flossers?

The Bird Lady is giving away a great prize for her 100th blog.  My daughters forced me to enter so that they could win the bird notebook.  I'll end up with the dental flossers!

Housewives Desperate for God

Chas, over at My Cup Runneth Over, is giving away a great book, "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God."

I've been reading a lot of great comments about this book.  I added it to my reading list for this year.  Here is an excerpt from the book:

Pull up a chair, dust off the cookie crumbs, and join Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald as they lay aside stereotypes like the “Stepford wife” and dispel such myths as the 1950s “perfect homemaker.” Laughter and tears will flow, and hopefully you will be infused with a renewed vision for victory as a wife and mother. Discover what it means to be a passionate housewife “desperate” for God alone!

Spring-Nest Housecleaning Gift-away

Spring cleaning seems to be upon us.  There isn't much that I don't enjoy about housecleaning - it falls right in line with my love for being a keeper of my home.  Most of my family would agree that I'm overly detailed about cleaning- almost fanatical.  A newborn in the house takes care of that feeling quickly though!  My favorite thing about spring is being able to open the windows and have fresh breezes clean the musty smell of winter out of my home.  It is also time for swapping clothes out of drawers, as my daughter has reminded me several times this week!

Over at The Simple Woman, Peggy is giving away a strawberry waist apron with pretty red ribbon trim along the bottom hemline sewn by her darling daughter, Olivia, a bottle of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day heavenly smelling dish soap in their *newest* fragrance, Basil, a little wooden knobbed scrub brush which is totally cute and of course a FREE one year subscription to "The Simple Woman."

Thank you Peggy for such a wonderful treat to get us in the mood to refresh and rejuvenate our homes!

Blessings,
Michelle

Homeschool Giveaway --Lyrical Earth Science

Mama Archer is giving away a "lyrical singing science text."  These are “singing science texts”. The complete program includes the text, tape or CD, and reproducible workbook. Each chapter in the text begins with a song. Memorization of scientific terms and concepts should be fairly painless as students sing such memorable lyrics.

My girls love to learn by singing songs.  Our most favorite of course is the state capital songs we have all memorized and constantly sing in our heads at night after listening to them.