Ginger Cookie Surprise!

What's the surprise? That they taste good!

I am not a practiced baker. I turn on the oven to bake something sweet maybe once every 6 months. I have been on fire the past couple weeks though (nesting?), and I hope to keep it up. Baking ingredients per use are pretty cheap and tasty baked goods from the store are pretty expensive, and I can't seem to leave the store without buying something sweet.

I set out today to make some chewy ginger cookies, as I've been craving those puppies like a mofo. I'd already been to the store, so I sought out a recipe from ye olde blogosphere with ingredients that I had on hand. Once the batter was combined, I tasted it, and it was horrible. Too spicy, not sweet enough, and no depth of flavor. Tinkering with baking is NOT something in my typical practice, but something had to be done. The result? A DELIGHT. Who'd have guessed.

Normally I'd link to the source recipe, but I won't even go there because it was so bad. So here is my adaptation. They come out a little crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the middle.

Ginger Softies
3/4 c. softened unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c. molasses
1/3 c. applesauce
2 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
Additional white sugar, for rolling raw cookies.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add egg, molasses, and applesauce, and beat until well mixed.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, cloves, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients gradually, scraping sides of bowl. Dough will be very sticky. Chill at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Scoop measured tablespoon of dough and shape into ball. Roll ball in granulated sugar. Leaving a lot of space between cookies, place cookies on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, and chill for 10 minutes before moving directly into the oven.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cookies rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Giveaways Giveaways!

I'm entering this giveaway for a Maxi-Cosi Infant Seat today!

http://mommywantsfreebies.com/2011/12/holiday-helpers-giveaway-maxi-cosi-mico-infant-car-seat-from-albeebaby-com-188.html#comment-36959

You're A Mean One, Mrs. Stilljes

Ever since MJ was about six months old, friends, aquaintences, co-workers, and strangers in the grocery store have been telling us that she is the spitting image of Cindy Lou Who. I wish I'd thought of this when Mommyshorts was having her Baby Celebrity Lookalike contest. Not that she could POSSIBLY hold a candle to Stay-Puft.

Yet, despite my spawn's resemblance to one of the most beloved symbols of the innocence of Christmas, Momma's more Grinch than she is a Who.

Ever since I can remember, I didn't believe in Santa. Family legend has it that I informed my preschool class, you know at age 4, that there was no such thing as Santa. I'm not even sure where I got that from; my parents certainly weren't telling me not to believe. I'm pretty sure my sister, a mere year and a half my senior, still believed. Maybe an older cousin or something.

I still loved Christmas though-- not believing in Santa didn't mean that I was some hollowed-eyed, black-clad Satan worshiper from age 4. I loved our family holiday traditions. My mother is Swedish, and we had a seriously altered St. Lucia Day tradition that we celebrate on Christmas morning: my sister served everyone cinnamon rolls in bed. I loved Christmas Eve candle light church services, carols, luminaries. I didn't anticipate the sound of hooves on my roof, but our family traditions marked the holidays as a very special time of year.

There's a lot of discussion in the mom listserv world this time of year about how to talk about Santa with your kids. Here's how it seems to play out: One person expresses doubt about buying into the Santa shabang because they don't like lying to their kids, and 15 people say that you're robbing your child of all that is precious and fleeting if you don't teach them that some dude is going to break into your house and leave you presents.

That shit is uncanny.

I don't know. I can't do it. I can't teach my daughter to believe in something that I just never did for as long as I can remember. I want to find a way of giving her the option to believe if she wants to, without preaching to her that Santa is Fact. That just doesn't feel true to me. I don't want to rob her of some quintessential childhood experience, but at the same time, I don't believe that kids born into families of different faith backgrounds are missing an essential part of childhood. So why do I doubt a decision to skip Santa so? Shouldn't I just own it?

I guess the rub is that we're not religious. So what exactly are we celebrating, and why? I'm definitely not going to skip Christmas entirely, but what does it mean for a family that doesn't celebrate the religious OR secular components of the holiday? This post stopped being fun, didn't it.

So are we the worst parents ever or what?

Put The Lime in the Coconut.

I am going to try to make my own shampoo today! I'm really excited. I've become pretty nervous about the chemicals in beauty products as of late. Even "natural" products have ingredient lists that sound like chemistry experiments. I don't know what any of those words mean, so how can I be an educated consumer when it comes to purchasing them? The recent news about Johnson's Baby Shampoo hammered home the importance of trying to limit my family's exposure to these unknown chemicals.

But, natural and organic beauty products aren't regulated. You can pretty much throw any label you want on a bottle of shampoo to get suckers like me to buy it. You never really know what you're going to get, and these products tend to be UBER expensive.

I tried to go no poo. I got about five weeks into it and then gave up. My hair was just so disgusting. I'm sure if I'd pressed on, it would have been lovely, but I didn't have the patience. I have kept it in my mind that I want to find a truly all natural alternative to shampoo. So I will give this a shot.

I came across a recipe for homemade coconut milk shampoo on Pinterest:

"1 part coconut milk, to 2 parts liquid castille soap (I use Dr. Bronner's) makes an awesome, silky smooth lathering SHAMPOO. Combine it with the vinegar rinse for gorgeous, soft, eco-friendly hair. "

This transitions into my love for coconut oil!

I bought this brand at Whole Foods for $9.99. It's even less expensive on Amazon. I've substituted my facial moisturizer for coconut oil, and my skin looks lovely. A little goes a very long way.

It's also a cloth-safe diaper rash cream! Again, $9.99 for a jar that's three times the size of other cloth-safe commercial diaper rash creams for the same price.

It's great for fattening skinny babies! Use in place of butter for a heart-healthy fat. Yet many people use coconut oil to LOSE weight, because it "boosts your metabolism, gives you energy, makes you feel more full and improves your thyroid function. They say that the type of fatty acid in coconut oil is a healthy one, and that your body quickly burns it for energy." Scientific results are mixed on that one. But it's certainly better than a trans fat!

It's also a TTC-friendly lube, and it cures hemorrhoids. It's like Apple Cider Vinegar: A natural product that has more uses than you can even invent.

I will keep you posted on the shampoo results. Keep your fingers crossed!

Giveaway Train!

I'm only entering giveaways for things I want and need these days. I'm going to keep track of them here! Giveaways I'm entering today:

Simplisse Gia Nursing Pillow

MobiCam Digital DL Video Monitor, ends 12/5. This is my good friend's blog and it rocks my socks off.

Bamboobies Nursing Pads. I'm hoping to find a great re-usable option for this baby instead of going through 2 boxes of disposable pads a week. All those little wrappers killed me.

Sunday doin stuff day!

After an amazing breakfast at our dear friends' house and a failed nap attempt, MJ and her daddy went to the neighbors for the Eagles game. I decided to do something I've been meaning to do for, hmmm, 2.5 years.

To have a baby is to have been given a crazy amount of semi-useless flannel receiving blankets. You know the kind... They come in a multi-pack and are good for about, hmmm, three days.

Before:

They do have a fantastic second life: cloth wipes! Now when I set out to cloth diaper MJ, I never thought I'd bother with cloth wipes. But as part of the Crunchy Cascade, it becomes easier to throw the dirty wipes in the same container as the dirty dipes, instead of having a trash can and a diaper pail at your changing station. Using cloth wipes becomes time- and money-saving.

During my maternity leave, I spent about 16 feverous hours making about 40 cloth wipes, pulling out stitches and trying to make them perfect. While most have held up, the ones that I've had to toss was because of finding them disgusting and forgotten at the bottom of a wet bag after like three weeks.

It's time to re-up the stash. I have four receiving blankets, and a more realistic idea of how pretty these suckers have to be. They clean up poop. No need for glamour. Imperfect sewing is a-ok in my book! No hems necessary. Just take a receiving blanket, cut into 16 even-enough pieces (no need to measure; folding is fine), then sew 2 pieces together. Blammo! Cloth wipes.

Some people like to store them wet. I prefer to store them dry and keep a spray bottle of wipe solution handy. You can buy commercial wipe solution, but what works for me is to take two tablespoons of baby shampoo (I like California Baby since it smells so delightful), and a tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk them together and mix in about4 cups of water. I boil it first; probably unnecessary. Plain water works well too!!

It took me about an hour to make these 8 wipes today. I have three more blankets and we will be totally re-stocked by the time baby boy arrives.

Finished Wipes

Big Girl Bed

Big news in the Stilljes household: Miss Molly, at 2 years, 5 months, finally got the cajones to climb out of her crib. Yesterday, naptime consisted of my husband and I taking the rail off of her crib and converting it into a daybed. She'd scaled out of her crib three times during the space of 1/2 hour, so we figured it was time. Nap, obviously, didn't happen. Last night went well overall... after about an hour of fussing, she did fall asleep.

Today, it's naptime redux. In the past 42 minutes, we've removed her from the closet with one of those folding doors. I've removed all her toys, hoping that she'll turn her attention to her bed. I sit next door, listening to her talk and keeping an ear out for mischief.

How long did it take your kids to adjust to their toddler beds?

Sleeping Tiger

60% of the time, my daughter is a sweet, adorable, agreeable child. And then, there's the other 40%, always always triggered by her sleep schedule getting knocked off. It's like our life together is like a soothing, satisfying record of Bach cello concertos. Then kid skips a nap, and life turns into Marilyn Manson... irritating, full of conflict, robbed of joy.

That's a little harsh. There are breaks of sunshine in the clouds (man am I metaphorical in this post). It's just hard for me to appreciate them when running on just a few hours of fitful sleep. My fuse is short, and MJ is on a mission to test every boundary in front of her when she's on these sleep hating binges.

I'm not even sure what happened this week. Her naps got pushed way back, from 12:30 until 2. After a day or two of this, she then started fighting her bedtime. Finally, the death nail: the dreaded 3 am wake up. And I mean UP.

It's on these days (like today) when parenting with patience is so very difficult for me. I would never raise my hand to my little baby, but I'm sure as hell tempted when she's making a run for the throne. All my parenting and discipline ideals go out the window on these days, and it's all about survival.

I sound kind of hyperbolic here, but I can't express how my child's personality completely changes during these sleep disruptions. It takes me a good 5-7 days to get her back to a normal sleep pattern after this happens, but I know it will end. Eventually. I'll have a newborn in the mix in February to make things really interesting.

WAIT WHAT!? DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME STARTS TONIGHT?!?

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WHY GOD WHY?!

This is the face of a child on Day 2 of a sleep strike. It looks like we're gonna have a long haul until her eyes are no longer purple.

Date Night!

We did it!! Husband and I went out to dinner last night.

Oh my oh my do I hate the concept of "date nights." I remember going to a baby shower when I was sooo far away from even thinking about parenthood, and a bunch of super-dee-dooper lame moms (who I probably would think are refreshingly awesome if I were to meet them now) were discussing the frequency and scheduling rigidity of date nights.

It sounded so stifling... every third Thursday, they would go out for a dinner or a movie. If I were to ever have children... ah, you know the drill. Needless to say, in retrospect, I'm ridiculously jealous of those women who made keeping a relationship as a couple who relates to the outside world a priority.

It just felt so. damn. good. to have a reason to do my hair up all nice and put on full makeup. It was so refreshing to sit across a table from my husband and concentrate only on each other. I don't think I've been that relaxed in months.

I'm not sure anyone reads this, but anyhow, do you have date nights? Do you schedule them?

Day After Halloween

This was the first Halloween we really participated in as a family. First year, MJ was such a peanut and none of our friends had kids yet. Last year, we were in Wisconsin and didn't know where to go. So this year, we went all out and MJ's mind was blown!

We weren't expecting to have such a great time either. It was so much fun to watch our big girl boldly demand trick or treat from neighbors. Good stuff.

Today we're recovering. This pregnancy is taking a physical and emotional toll in me and i'm finding that I have less energy for out-of-the-house activities than I predicted I would. I've also had a pretty wicked case of the blues, but what can you do.

Thankfully, Pinterest keeps inspiring me to do more crafty things with the little monster.

See, toilet paper roll necklace!

Crafty Mania

We've been cooped up with a cold this week and went kind of crazy with crafting this week. I'd never once looked at Pinterest until yesterday, and have since spent hours and hours finding crafting ideas.

A significantly fewer number of hours were devoted to making things:

I am so lazy.

I blogged for like two weeks and was so into it, and that's apparently all I could sustain. However, I just discovered a Blogger ap, so I'm currently watching my daughter eat yogurt and blogging at the same time. It's a revolution!

--pause for cleaning yogurt spill--

AWESOME Bottom Bumpers Giveaway!

I've been wanting to try Bottom Bumpers diapers for a while. I've heard nothing but great things for lovers of DreamEze and GroVia like myself! Giveaway is for THREE!

http://beautifullybellafaith.blogspot.com/2011/09/diaper-buddys-bottombumpers-one-size.html

Grab some free Kawaii Dipes!

Well, you've got to win them first.

http://adventures-in-fluff.blogspot.com/2011/09/giveaway-4-kawaii-baby-snazzy-minky.html

Ends 9/30

Last day to enter the bebeMellons Giveaway!

Hurry hurry!

http://clothdiapergeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bebemellons-cloth-diaper-review.html

The Crunchy Cascade

It's a phenomenon familiar to a lot of cloth diapering moms: you start to take notice of all the things you can do to reduce your waste, and all the cleaning products you purchase. You start to feel like a hypocrite for taking all this care to wash your baby's diapers in scentless, dye-free, brightener-free, and enzyme-free laundry soap, then you think, well actually, what's the purpose of those extra ingredients if my diaper soap gets freaking poop and pee out of the wash? Then you start to notice how much you throw out... paper towels, even toilet paper.

I was never a super-duper hippie or anything before I had my little girl. Sure I used a reusable water bottle before it was the thing to do and carried my own bags to the grocery store 80% of the time, but that was the extent of it. But in the past two years, things have seriously changed. It hasn't happened overnight, but when I look at how my product consumption has changed, it sort of blows my mind.

I'll post about some of the changes I've made in the future. Now, here's what I feel like I can't/won't ever give up. I wonder if my mind will change.

Deodorant/Antiperspirant: No matter how many times that I read that a swipe of apple cider vinegar in the armpits will take away all odors, I love my Dove. It took me years to find a deodorant that worked with my body chemistry, and I'm in no hurry to give it up.

Nighttime Disposables: This is actually a recent "backslide," for lack of a better term, but I wish I did it from the beginning. My daughter has pretty sensitive skin. Microfiber is no good for her. So my nighttime diapering routine was a prefold, two bamboo doublers, and a cover. She was like Ralphie from The Christmas Story in her diaper. She would still wake up red from sitting in urine for 11 hours. When we were at my in-laws in May, I realized she slept so much better in a disposable. Cloth 9, Disposables 1.

Toilet Paper: I have toyed with the idea of using cloth wipes for #1, and even did it for a time. My husband was totally disgusted with it (which is sort of hypocritical, because as a dude, he doesn't wipe for #1, but whatevs). In the end, I don't want my husband to be grossed out by his wife. And I don't really have enough cloth wipes for the both of us.

Long, Hot Showers: Yeah, I don't need to explain that one. I know, the next wars will be fought for water, but until that happens, momma needs her break.

'Disposable' Clothes Made Overseas: My budget does not really exceed Target, Old Navy, and H+M for clothes, and I've lost my love of thrifting. Perhaps one day, I'll get it back. I have a feeling that will coincide with the age where my children will be able to stay at home by themselves.

17 Sirens OsoCozy Giveaway!

17 Sirens is having an Oso Cozy Cloth Diaper and Cloth Wipes giveaway! (Ends 9/26)

http://17sirens.com/2011/09/review-and-giveaway-oso-cozy-cloth-diaper-and-cloth-wipes/#comment-10466

New GroVia Giveaway!

I'm always on the hunt for these fabulous dipes. Check it out!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.net/2011/09/grovia-hybrid-trial-pack-review-giveaway/

Best Bottoms Giveaway!!

http://www.newlycrunchymamaof3.com/3/post/2011/08/best-bottoms-cloth-diapering-system-review-and-giveaway-917.html

Bebe Mellons Diaper Giveaway!

Go check out the handmade goodness!

http://clothdiapergeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bebemellons-cloth-diaper-review.html

Blogoversary Charlie Banana Giveaway!

Goodbye Disposables, Hello Cloth is giving away their namesake (perhaps) Charlie Banana diaper!

http://www.goodbyedisposablehellocloth.com/2011/09/one-year-blogoversary-and-giveaway.html

Wow, tis the season for Green Line Diapers giveaways!

Here's another for your entering pleasure!

http://www.goodbyedisposablehellocloth.com/2011/09/green-line-diaper-review-and-giveaway.html

Green Line Dipes Giveaway

I am totally crushing on these dipes. It's worth entering even though it's not Rafflecopter!

http://thriftyniftymommy.blogspot.com/2011/09/green-line-diapers-giveaway.html?showComment=1316032959667#c8413512267481882009

Win GroVia!

Fingers Crossed! This is the best dipe on the market, IMHO!

http://wishingpenny.blogspot.com/2011/09/grovia-cloth-diapers-hybrid-trial-pack.html

SmartiPants Giveaway (Low Entries)!

I love this dipe. They have managed to survive in my stash since Day 1, where lesser dipes have let me down!

http://www.thenursemommy.com/2011/08/win-smartipants-cloth-diaper.html

Mother-Ease Giveaway on Peace, Love, and Poop!

Happy to support my awesome friend Shannon's blog! Don't mind a chance to win some dipes either.... :)

http://www.peacelovepoop.com/?p=996#more-996

Best Bottoms Giveaway!!

Newly Crunchy Mama of Three is sponsoring a giveaway of this awesome dipe. Open until the 17th!

http://www.newlycrunchymamaof3.com/3/post/2011/08/best-bottoms-cloth-diapering-system-review-and-giveaway-917.html

Bebe Mellons Diaper Giveaway!

Let's not forget about the Bebe Mellons giveaway! These puppies are adorable!

http://clothdiapergeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bebemellons-cloth-diaper-review.html

GroVia Giveaway Ending Tomorrow!

http://www.clothdiaperblog.com/category/feed-your-stash-fridays-2/

One more day to enter at the Cloth Diaper Blog for a GroVia Shell and Soaker!

AMP Diapers Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love to win? I know I would!

http://www.newlycrunchymamaof3.com/3/post/2011/08/amp-diapers-one-size-duo-diaper-review-and-giveaway-915.html

I Heart The Second Trimester

Tomorrow, I'll be 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby. I had a pretty tumultuous pregnancy with my daughter, and in March, I had a loss at almost 15 weeks. This pregnancy feels so different than either of those pregnancies... I just have this gut feeling that this pregnancy will be my normal pregnancy.

Me at 13 weeks!

Me at 16 weeks:


There was some stress in the beginning... a spotting scare, a tech seeing a possible uterine abnormality... but every time I go to the doctor, I leave feeling more secure and confident that my body is healthy and WILL carry this baby to term successfully. Our genetic screens have come through fabulously (very different than the multiple scares with Molly). The first trimester is full of fear, and the third full of discomfort, but right now, I can really truly enjoy the miracle happening in my belly.

Now, I'm so looking forward to my ultrasound in three weeks. My husband and my daughter will come, and I keep picturing the joy of shouting, "You're going to have a little brother (or sister)!" It's going to be one of those moments you remember for a lifetime. Things right now just feel really, really awesome, which is a stark contrast to the way I felt just a few months before: sick, broken, a failure. Life is great, and I'm so blessed to have the chance to make it.

Thirsties Duo Wrap + Hemp Diaper Giveaway!

http://ecomomicalme.com/2011/09/09/thirsties-diaper-review-giveaway/

Best Bottoms Giveaway!!

http://www.newlycrunchymamaof3.com/3/post/2011/08/best-bottoms-cloth-diapering-system-review-and-giveaway-917.html

Bebe Mellons Giveaway!

These Bebe Mellons dipes are so cute. Made by a mama who sells her wares on etsy!

Win here!

http://clothdiapergeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bebemellons-cloth-diaper-review.html

Another Rockin Green Giveaway!

Love it! Check out Letters from Momma!

http://giannaclare.blogspot.com/2011/09/rockin-green-detergent-review-giveaway.html

Awesome Rockin Green Detergent Giveaway

Not a sample... a whole bag!

Check it out:
http://www.homeecathome.com/2/post/2011/09/rockin-green-laundry-detergent-review-and-giveaway.html

RearZ French Velour Fitted Cloth Diaper

Interesting! Would love to try this dipe out! Check out Baby Giveaways Galore's blog:

http://www.babygiveawaysgalore.com/2011/09/giveaway-rearz-french-velour-fitted.html

Grasshopper Diaper Giveaway!

17Sirens is giving away a Grasshopper Cloth Diaper. Looks like a great choice! Check it out! Ends 9/15/11.

http://17sirens.com/2011/09/giveaway-grasshopper-cloth-diaper-ends-915/#comment-10301

LUSH Gift Set Giveaway!

I LOOVE Lush products, and Quietly Contrary is giving them away! Check it out!

http://quietlycontrary.blogspot.com/2011/09/lush-giveaway.html

Thirsties Duo Diaper Giveaway!

I am so excited to re-launch my blogging adventures by sharing a fantastic giveaway from In The Know Mom! She's giving away a Thirsties Duo Diaper. I've always loved Thirsties covers, and I'm crossing my fingers to try one of their other products.

Check it out!
http://intheknowmom.net/?p=13838&cpage=8#comment-46727