A Peaceful Birth - The Arrival of Baby AJ

Amos James "AJ" Baldwin was born on
December 6, 2015 at 1:20am.
8lbs. 12oz. and 21 1/2 inches long!

It has been two years and four months since our last home birth, and I am SO happy to get to share another wonderful experience with you!

~~~~~

God answered our prayers for another quick, complication-free home birth. He orchestrated the timing and all. Labor lasted just under 4 1/2 hours and everything fell into place so well.

Here is how our day and night went:

December 5th - We ran some errands as a family. A trip to a local thrift store for a bouncy seat and to drop off donations that were filling up the back of my van, lunch at Chick-Fil-A (my favorite!) and a stop at Kroger for last minute groceries (even though I had been trying to be as prepared as possible for baby's arrival every day for the past 2 weeks!). We stopped at the park to let our three kids run and play before heading home and after about 40 minutes or so, I felt the need to be home... to be ready for birth. A God-placed instinct I'm sure.

After returning home I had all the kids lay down to nap. I laid down with our 2-year-old but couldn't really sleep. I would have an occasional Braxton Hicks or need to use the restroom. The room got too warm with the afternoon sun coming in the windows, so I opened the window to let cooler air in and the roosters in our backyard wouldn't quit crowing! Goodness! By about 3:30pm I gave up and got up. I cleaned the restrooms (hoping it was one last time before giving birth) and picked up the house in general.

At dinner time I didn't feel very hungry but knew that I needed some protein. I prepared a tasty orange/banana smoothie with almond milk, raw egg whites, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and some flax meal. I even included some honey, because I was sharing with my husband who didn't feel like eating anything heavy either but prefers his smoothies a bit sweeter. In my heart I felt like I may give birth very soon.

I was cleaning up after dinner and felt a significant contraction, it was about 6:45pm. I took note of the time and the one that followed was about 8 minutes later. I kept track of them for about 30 minutes as I walked around the house. They stayed consistent at 8 to 10 minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute each. I was becoming short with my children and realized that it was time for them to go to their grandparents' home (around the corner from us) for a sleepover. Their bag was packed and I had my husband call his parents to come get them as I prepared last minute details before labor really began.

After our three kids were picked up, I contacted our midwife and her intern to let them know what was happening. I didn't ask them to head our way yet, but would keep them posted.

By 8pm things had slowed down so I decided to sit on my birth ball for a while. I had a couple more surges but they were farther apart. I was feeling tired so I laid down to rest a while and see if they would pick up again later.

 

 Resting between surges, staying focused and relaxed.

Around 9 pm I was using the restroom and I felt AJ wiggle way down low, he was very active that evening. He was getting ready to enter this world! The contractions picked back up strongly then. They remained around 5 minutes apart and lasted 1 to 1 1/2 minutes each. We let our midwife team know that they were welcome to come get set up, as things were moving forward!

It's always an exciting, yet a bit scary, time knowing that labor is really present and your baby is arriving soon! It's a fight between faith and fear. Which will win? During this birth, like my others yet even MORE so, I felt God's great presence and peace in my home and heart.

The verses that my husband and I were trusting in and leaning on this delivery were:

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the [woman] who trusts in Him!"

Psalm 34:8

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

James 1:17 

 (How fitting, as his middle name is James :o)

"Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb; Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made and I will bear, even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Isaiah 46:3-4

These were playing over and over in my head as I let my body lead the way to bring forth my son. I would say out loud, "Thank you God for this gift!", "Our gift is coming soon!", "Deliver me, God!". These words, coming from my heart and into my ears, increased my faith, even when I felt weak or tired.

Middle of the night birth, or any birth, is no time to be tired and weak, and God truly strengthened my mind and body and those around me. He is faithful!

~~~~~

From the time the midwives arrived (around 11pm) to the time AJ was born the surges continued to grow in intensity. I felt the urge to push a little here and there and even had three or more good surges on the toilet, as he descended even more! After that work out I was ready to lay down again.

I began to shake and become queezy. I vomited into a bowl and felt better, ready to get this over with! A paper towel with some peppermint essential oil on it refreshed me and I was ready to continue.

Soon my water broke and I continued to enjoy the rests between the surges and push when my body wanted to.

I felt empowered to push when my body lead after my midwife told me I could. I really rely on the encouragement of those around me during labor, especially towards the end. I need to HEAR that I can do it, that the baby is almost here and to push when I feel like it. It really helps me KNOW I can do it!

The pushing started and didn't stop until AJ was fully out. This birth was different, in that I got to watch my son come out! His head emerged first and he just hung out there. I yelled, "Get this baby OUT!". I was encouraged to push some more. Then his torso came out. I reached down and felt his head and told him to come out! My husband was saying, "Push honey! Push!". I yelled back, "I AM PUSHING!!!!". Next came his legs and he was free! Daddy helped catch him and place him on my tummy. It was a victorious moment, filled with relief!

Here are some pictures to help tell the story

 

AJ's arrival into Daddy's arms.

Great joy and relief... our son had arrived!

All smiles just minutes after birth.

Soaking up his sweet gaze.

 Getting clean and cozy with momma. 

Newborn exam time!

So thankful for our midwife Amy and our midwife intern Bethany. 

They are both sweet blessings and such gentle souls.

Cuddling our boy... ready to rest for the night.

Sunday morning, around 9am, AJ's siblings joined us to welcome him into our family. They were all very excited to hold him and check him out!

 

Moriah (age 6) loving on her newest brother. 

She is already asking for a sister next time around  :o)

 All of our sweet boys - Josiah (age 5), Andrew (age 2) and AJ. Quite a trio!

Everyone who needed to be there arrived in plenty of time: my midwife, two interns and my mother-in-law who picked up our other kids. My own mother was here the entire time, praying and helping as she could. What a joyous day!

God orchestrated the entire event, He is so faithful and trustworthy! He

Blessings to you from this thankful momma,

Megan


PS - A big thank you to Amy for the birth pictures! What a treasure! 
 

Our First Week of Homeschool 2015-16

Moriah, Mommy and Josiah ~ First day of school 2015-16 

(And yes, the sun is STILL out in full, hot force at 8:15am in September)

I count myself blessed to be able to be home with my children each day - to love and teach them. It's definitely NOT the easiest thing I've done, nor is it the easy way out. It's hard! But it's in the hard times, when my patience runs thin and my sin of anger and lack of self-control surfaces, that I find my need for my Savior in a GREAT way. Homeschooling my kids is another tools that God uses to show me what is in my heart and how He is willing to cleanse me and change me into the likeness of His Son, Jesus.


Here is a run down of what our first week of home school looked like this year. It may will change and morph, especially as we add a new baby brother to the mix in early December. But for now, this is what works best for us! I always find it encouraging to read what other moms of young children do in a day of homeschooling... I hope that this blesses your heart as well.

Our typical week of school (so far):

Sunday: 

 A day of worship and family time

Monday: 

We work around the home or enjoy an outing together as a family.

We also prepare for our CC Community Day.  This is our second year with Classical Conversations and we LOVE it! CC provides us with a like-minded community, a method and a means to home school a variety of ages at once, and the accountability to keep on track throughout the year. Each Monday we prepare our in-class presentations for Tuesday, gather bags and books we will need the next day, review our memory work learned the previous 7 weeks, and as a tutor, I make sure I am prepared to lead my class. 

My class - set up and ready for a fun morning of learning and growing!

Tuesday:

We head to our local CC campus to enjoy 4 hours of new grammar (Timeline, Geography, History, Latin, English, Math, and Science), an art project, a science experiment, class presentations, memory work review and lunch with friends. 

This year I am tutoring the Abecedarians - kids ages 4 and 5 (which includes my Jo). They are a HOOT and have such sweet hearts. We had a great first day this week. 

Because my kids are all under age 10, we head home after our lunch/fellowship time at CC. It's rest time for all (including this very pregnant momma) and our afternoon is pretty laid back. 

Later in the day we may read books together, draw pictures, play outside and do some house chores, but our school day is complete after our full morning at CC.

Sweet friends drawing pictures and writing letters to each other after our CC community day. 

Mo and Jo's new school binders for the year, along with new markers for them to enjoy


Wednesday - Friday:

This Wednesday was our first "at home" day of school for the year.

My 6-year-old-going-on-12-year-old LOVES to draw, so she asked for a blank space on her binder cover to draw a picture in. And my son, who is in sea creature mode helped pick out his binder clip art online with me. Of course I had to strategically place the squid above the hungry shark's mouth. :o)

These binders have dividers in them that are marked: 
CC Memory Work, Geography, Handwriting and Math. 

These are the four areas we plan to focus on this year at home. We will also continue reading aloud (Mommy to the kids and Mo and Jo to Mommy), adding drawings and information to our Nature Journals, enjoying art projects together and various other subjects of interest that arise. But if we can make noted progress in these four areas, we will have succeeded!


Our Morning Routine:

Having three (going on four) children ages six and under, it helps to break our morning into 30 minute increments. This allows us to complete assignments and chunks of schooling, yet keep the pace moving so no one gets bored. The times mentioned below are flexible, but so far they are pretty accurate as to our normal routine around here.

8:00am - Wake up! Get dressed, brush hair and make bed.

8:30 - Breakfast together, devotions and prayer at the table.
Morning chores: clear and wipe off table (Jo), sweep floor (Mo), and put clean dishes away (both kids). Also, feed animals if needed (sometimes Daddy does this).

I believe I came across this kids devotional book at a local discount store. So far we LOVE it! It gives us a Bible verse to think on and discuss each day, a word of encouragement and application, a prayer and an "Our Amazing World" fact. It takes us 5 minutes or so to read through and prepares our hearts for prayer. 

9:00 - Circle Time: Sing a song or two, stretch, read poetry, work on scripture verse memorization, and review our phonics and ABC's.

We all enjoy a laid back approach to Circle Time  :o)

Momma and her boys enjoying poetry together

*photo courtesy of Moriah*

9:30 - Table Time: Handwriting (Wed), Math (Thurs), Geography (Fri).

(We will touch on math through games, etc on days besides Thursdays, but that day of the week is set aside to sit at the table and work out math problems on paper.)

Table time is used to practice sitting still for 30 minutes, holding our pencils correctly, working hard and finishing assignments that are given. 

Our goal in school is NOT only to learn information, but to learn HOW to learn, practice obeying, doing our best, growing in grace, finding truth and beauty around us, and honoring God in what we do. 

Mo having fun with Dominoes!

Concentrating and doing her best

Sounding out words and finding beginning sounds

Jo works on various fun worksheets, as well as more focused assignments. 

Just sitting in a chair for 30 minutes and focusing on school work is an accomplishment for him!

I expect that these skills will become easier (and be able to go longer) as the year progresses.

 After checking Moriah's math work, I gave her a review assignment. 

This day she needed to practice writing the numbers 2,6 and 7. 

She did so with a happy heart and received one "Baldwin Buck"! 

These pretend dollar bills will be placed in each child's "bank" and can be spent at the end of each week. The school store will contain a few toys and school supplies, as well as tasty treats.

We are all excited for the incentive to: Do one's best and work with a happy heart and good attitude

Drew and Grammy playing together

Usually I get to keep my toddler, who just turned two, busy with toys, books and drawing on a white board. This day my mother came for a visit and kept him busy for me. What a blessing!

10:00 - Snack Time!

Drew enjoying a blueberry-bananna smoothie!

10:30 - CC Memory Work Review

11:15 - Play a game together, do a craft (like make play-do or cookies), free play, head outside,  or watch an educational show. May run errands with momma as needed.

12:00/12:30 - Lunch and free time

1:30/2:00 pm - Rest time in rooms with books.
More often than not, Jo naps and Mo stays up - but she stays in her room quietly drawing, reading or playing. Most days, I rest with my toddler. I need this time to re-charge for the evening ahead. After a short rest I enjoy reading, going online to check social media, etc.

4:00 - Up and at 'em! Everyone up from quiet time to play, read, and help with PM chores.
PM Chores include: catching up on dirty dishes from the day, folding/putting away laundry, picking up toys, checking mail, etc.

5:00 - Outside to play, help prep dinner.

6:30 - Dinner as a family and more outside play (if weather allows). Help Daddy with collecting eggs and feeding/watering animals.

8:30 - Baths, brush teeth, read books, to bed by 9pm!


Lord willing, most Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays will look like this!

***

I would also love to give you a peek at what our "home school room" consists of.

It is a multi-purpose room: our kitchen, dinning room, craft room, school room and fellowship hall all rolled in to one!

With limited space, one must get creative. The truth is, it has taken me over a year to find a solution to fit our home school needs. But this is what works for now, and I'm so thankful!

Because we meet in the kitchen for table work and it is the central hub for each day, it made sense to have all of our home school supplies IN the kitchen! After moving our deep freezer in front of one window, I found some wall space I could utilize for school.

The only "large" purchase that I made to help simplify our supply organization was this 9-cubby shelf. It was at Big Lots for $39! And it has really helped keep us all sane. We can find what we need and it also limits what we think we need. If it doesn't fit on the shelf, we don't have room for it. So I ask myself, "Do we really need this right now?"

Our ABC's, world map and this week's timline cards are hung above our shelf.

The top shelf houses:  Regular pencils and sharpener, my laptop that we use for worship music throughout the day, motivating music during chore time, educational YouTube videos on various subjects, printing off handouts, you name it! It's used all. day. long. And lastly, our geography maps, world atlas and Baldwin Bucks money jars.

The first row of cubbies: our scratch/project paper, drawing/coloring tools and Momma's school books.

The second row: More supplies, Moriah's pink box and binder, and Dry Erase markers along with a basket of glue, scissors and erasers.

The third row: More school text books/activity books, a small crate of math manipulative, and finally Josiah's green box and binder. 

A closer look

Making the most of what you have and being grateful for each blessing sure helps one's attitude when it comes to wanting a beautiful school room. One day we may have the space to have a separate room for school, but for now we are cozy together - learning and growing in the space that God has provided us.

May you have a blessed day and enjoy each gift (including the little people) that God has given to you!

Many blessings,

Simmered Chinese Chicken

Here is one of my favorite childhood dishes that I'm glad to share with you! It's a very simple main dish to prepare and goes with a variety of sides!

Even now, as the chicken simmers on my stove, memories of running around the house with my little sister while Mom made dinner surface in my mind. It's crazy how the smell of certain foods can recall memories so quickly!

This dish takes only a few ingredients and a few minutes to throw together yet it warms the body and soul.

 A few, simple ingredients make this dinner a WINNER!

Simmered Chinese Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole fryer
1 Tbl oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbl ketchup
1/4 cup apple juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced

For sauce:
2 Tbl cornstarch
1 Tbl water
2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
- Heat oil in large pan with a lid.
- Brown chicken on all sides in oil.
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, ketchup, apple juice, garlic and green onion.
- Pour mixture over chicken.

- Cover and simmer approx. 45 minutes. (I like to flip the chicken over half-way through cooking, so that both sides get to simmer in the juices.)
- Remove chicken to platter when done cooking (reads 165 degrees on meat thermometer)

 

- Mix cornstarch and water in a small cup and add to sauce in pan.
- Cook, stirring constantly until thick (about 10 minutes).
- Serve chicken with sauce on rice,sprinkle sesame seeds on top if desired. Enjoy!

Trust me, you will not be disappointed by this simple dish. It's a little sweet, a little salty and Oh. So. Good! We enjoy Simmered Chinese Chicken served with Jasmine rice and sauteed veggies. Leftovers make a wonderful meal the next day. Okay, I'm ready for dinner!

God bless you as you bless your family and those around you,

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I love to bake cookies, enjoy a couple of them and then ship the rest off to others! But when someone from my husband's department requested plain ol' chocolate chip cookies, I panicked! In all my baking years I had never discovered a chocolate chip recipe that I really liked. (and I'm not interested in gifting cookies that aren't totally scrumptious ;o)

This started me on the search for a GREAT chocolate chip recipe and after a bit of looking I found it! I'd like to share that recipe with you. Ready? Here goes....

First off, a few things you should know before baking these delicious cookies:

• The secret is in the instant vanilla pudding (not "cook and serve", sugar-free or any other variety)
• Making these cookies larger than your usual recipe calls for will allow them to become soft and pillowy in the middle, and a tad chewy around the outside (and overflowing with chocolate chips!)
• Also, it's super important to refrigerate the cookie dough (2-3 hours) so that the cookies bake well without spreading out too thin. (I whip up the batch of dough in the morning and bake them in the afternoon.)
• Be sure to spray your cookie sheets with oil so the cookies don't stick when you remove them. 
• Baking the cookies for only 11 minutes works perfectly! Allowing them to cool for another 10 minutes ON the cookie sheet will help them finish baking on the hot sheet and transfer better later. (don't bake them over 12 minutes).
•  Each batch makes about 16 - 18 cookies, depending on how large you make them.

 Now that you know what you are getting yourself into, here's the recipe! Really, once you make these cookies, you won't ever want to go back to an ordinary chocolate chip recipe again!

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
As shared by Averie
 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
one 3.5-ounce packet instant vanilla pudding mix 

1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
one-12 ounce bag (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix together the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
2. To that, add the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
3. Add the chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
4. Using a 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 16 equal-sized dough balls and flatten each mound a bit.
5. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. (I have even formed the balls after refrigerating  the lump of dough)
6. Preheat oven to 350 F, Spray each sheet with cooking spray. Place dough balls on sheets at least 2 inches apart (I bake 9 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 11 minutes. Remove from oven before they begin to brown. Don't over-bake.
7. Enjoy one or two and share some with a friend! 

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

for they shall be satisfied."

Matthew 5:6

Have a very blessed day,

 

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Homemade Laundry Detergent - that WORKS!

For years I have wanted to make my own laundry detergent but never bit the bullet... until now! What got my attention with this detergent "recipe" was the simplicity of it and that it made a concentrated detergent. And after seeing that a ranching momma friend used it one her family of four boys' clothes, I figured it would get our occasional dirt out too!

I had saved up about six empty laundry detergent bottles over the past year, so that when I finally made liquid detergent I would have something to store it all in. Now those can be recycled! All you need to store this Whipped Laundry Detergent in is two quart sized mason jars! Easy peasy!

Thanks to Budget101.com for this AWESOME homemade detergent called "Mom's Super Laundry Sauce". The original recipe has great pictures and information for you to follow, there is even a "no cook" version of this recipe available. Even so, I would like to add a bit more info from my own experiences in making and using this Whipped Laundry Detergent.

From My Experience:

•  For our family of five, I do about 4-6 loads of laundry every week. One batch of this detergent makes two, full quarts and that lasted me exactly two months. At times, I used a bit more than just a tablespoon per load, especially if it was a fuller load. The clothes always came out clean and fresh, without a "soapy" scent at all!

• Even though this recipe calls for dry ingredients, they cook and are incorporated together and when used in my washing machine, this detergent doesn't leave any white residue on our clothes (like powdered laundry detergent tends to do). This is especially important when it comes to my husband's navy blue uniforms. 

• The smell of the ingredients cooking on the stove, especially the Fels Naptha bar, is very overwhelming to me and at times gives me a headache. Proper ventilation while making this recipe (even an open window and fan on during the winter) is important!

Ingredients:

1 bar Fels Naptha (grated)
1cup 20 Mule Team Borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT BAKING SODA!)
4 cups of hot water

Quick Note: Follow the directions carefully, adding the ingredients at the wrong time will result in a grainy textured detergent that will not dissolve well in the washer.

Directions:

Step 1: Put 4 cups of water in a large heavy saucepan over high heat. While that is heating, mix the borax and washing soda together in a bowl, mixing well, set aside.

Step 2: Grate the Fels Naptha- I have found that using a cheese grater and a little elbow grease gets the job done quickly and efficiently. Another way is to grate it is to cut it into several smaller chunks and then run it through a food processor.

Step 3: Add the freshly grated soap to the boiling water in the saucepan, stirring constantly (I use a whisk and stir it around slowly, so as not to make many bubbles). Reduce the heat to medium, It will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes for the Fels Naptha to complete dissolve. If it takes longer, your heat wasn't up high enough. DO NOT let this boil over, or you'll have a big mess!

It should be a rolling, simmering boil where you must stir constantly but it does not foam heavily. The photo below shows how much "foam" you should see.

Step 4: Once the Fels Naptha has completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and add in the Borax and the Washing Soda, stirring constantly until the powders are completely dissolved. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Do not under-stir or your soap texture will be very grainy rather than smooth. (You can fee the "graininess" on the bottom of the pan - once you can't feel it, it's incorporated fully!)

Step 5: Pour the liquid equally into (2) 1 quart Mason jars. (my jars were both a little over half full with the mixture)

Step 6: Add just enough water to bring the contents up to the “shoulders” or Rounded part of the jar, leaving approximately 1 ½ inches of head space.

Step 7: Put the lid on the jars and turn them UPSIDE DOWN and let them sit a few hours (about 4 hours - any longer will make the mixture more grainy). The reason for this is that the soap is going to separate into layers while it's resting and instead of scraping the bottom of the jar with a spoon, when you are ready to mix it, just taking the lid off and pouring it into a bowl will make it easier to incorporate!

Step 8: Using a hand mixer (or see original website post for directions on how to use your blender to mix it), whip the ingredients one jar at a time until fluffy and well blended. Transfer the ingredients back into the jar, cover and store until needed.

Chunky and watery before mixing

Smooth and creamy after mixing!

Ready to ladle back into the quart jar.

The jar on the left is how the detergent looks after sitting upside down for four hours, before mixing it in a bowl. The jar on the right is the finished product!

Whipped and ready to use!

Step 9: To use, add 1 tablespoon to a load of laundry in any type of machine. Add the detergent directly on the dirty clothes. The detergent is smooth and creamy and looks a lot like Mayonnaise. Be sure to label the jar to prevent anyone trying to taste it!

 So easy and quick to use!

To use: fill the machine with dirty clothes, start the water (any temperature you prefer), use a spoon to measure a tablespoon of whipped detergent, hold it under the running water to let it fall into the wash, close the lid and let the machine do all the work!

And if you aren't sold on giving this a try yet, check out this cost breakdown from Budget101:

Fels Naptha:  .99 bar
Borax:  76 oz box = 9.5 cups     $3.29 box = .34 c per cup
Washing Soda:  55 oz box = 6.875 cups     $2.97 box = .43 per cup

Total Expense for 128 loads of Laundry = $1.76

I hope that you are encouraged to try this laundry detergent recipe and reap the benefits of clean clothes AND saving money!


Have a blessed day,

PS. Wondering what to do with that left over Borax? Use a teaspoon or two and make some FLUBBER! One of our favorite rainy-day activities!

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