Ways to Make Money While Being at Home.

I'm in no way saying you will substitute an income with these methods. But there are ways to make money or earn items and discounts on items easily while you hold down the home front. All of these options I have personally tried and though I'm certainly not making an income, its nice to have something for little effort that I can accomplish right on my laptop as I feed my kids.

These are just the methods I've tried. There are many ways to earn a little bit while you are at home.

• Pampers Reward Points

If you use Pampers anything, there is usually a code somewhere on the packaging. By entering the code into the website you are given points. Points can be added up over time and there are many things to trade your points in for. I use my Pamper reward points to buy photos from Shutterfly.

If you see something you like and you have the point my suggestion is to grab it while you can. Items and discounts don't stay on the list for long.

• Viggle

Viggle commercials aren't completely clear on what the Viggle app really does. Honestly, when I first saw the Viggle ads I thought it was like Netflix and I would watch and earn points for free shows on their service (which you can earn points to watch shows and movies, read eBooks, and download music) But what I learned which interested me is that you watch your own TV to earn points so there is no service (than you regular cable or satellite service) to subscribe for. Really, its free! I just open the app, hit a button, and let it listen to my TV to determine what I'm watching. I earn points for watching shows. Most shows are available and its very easy to earn points. There are so many things to choose from like discounts at major stores like Best Buy and Footlocker. Also there are gift cards as well which go fast so grab them when you can!

My only issues with Viggle is if you have a lot of back ground noise, which us stay at home parents often have with children running around and toys making noise, then its hard for the app to link up to the show. If you have an old smart phone or a table and a wireless internet connection, you can put the app on that device and leave it next to the speaker. Also it take a while to accumulate the points need to get something worth your while.

• Ebates

I heard about Ebates through their many commercials on TV and I thought it sounded too go to be true, there had to be some kind of catch that would either make it impossible for me to benefit from it or I'd have to pay money somewhere. I was wrong. Ebates not only gives you cash bag on purchases but it also gives you coupon codes for better deals. My only regret with Ebates was not signing up sooner. If I had done my Christmas shopping with Ebates I would of made a lot more money with their cash back rewards than I did.

For my first purchase I went to JCPenney to buy some much needed clothes online. I not only found a coupon code on Ebates for 10% off the purchase over $50 but with my purchase I made $16.32. Plus, just by signing up I got a $10 gift card to Target (Target was my choice but there are about 6 major retailers to pick from.) Best part is there are no strings, nothing hidden, just go to Ebates, find the store you want, the link sends you right to the site, and you shop no different than you would have otherwise. You earn by how much you spend. Its that easy! Then, periotically they will mail you a check. No need to cash it out, they will do it for you. You can earn money for each person who signs up that you send an invitation to. This method is highly recommended!

• InboxDollar

Inbox dollar is a survey sight that you warn small amounts of money for taking surveys. Once you get $30 in your account you can cash it out. Its free to sign up and its safe despite other sites I have come across. The problem with Inbox Dollar is that its very time consuming. It takes a while to accumulate money. Also you can start a survey, get so far and then it will say you aren't the demographic they are looking for. So you just wasted 20 minutes of your time for nothing.

• Swagbucks

Swagbucks is another points website. This one requires you to search on the internet, refer people, watch videos, fill out surveys, among other things to earn points that can be cashed in for items. I just earn for gift cards which they offer Amazon gift cards (yay, cloth diapers!) so you can really buy anything essentially.They even start you off with roughly 80 points just for filling out a profile. The points needed for rewards vary but they ask a lot of point. You can make points will little effort so its not that hard. But you have to be patient. Like Viggle, it takes time to accumulate the points needed to turn it in for something actually worth it.

If you are interested in any of these options just click the link and start earning. I'm experimenting with more options like a mobile app that asks you to scan items in store. We will see how that goes but I may need to update this list later. But these options listed above, I have tried. Some are more successful than others but each are worth a try. My most recommended are Ebates (if you shop online you're a fool if you don't sign up for Ebates!) and Viggle. If you are a Pampers user the reward app makes it very easy to put in those rewards points (check the back of the wipes!). Swagbucks, I'm still trying to see if time and value is worth it for me. I have given up on Inbox Dollar. I earned fast then it was very difficult to earn after the first few days.

Good luck earning money and items at home. Hope you find what works for you.

Adventures in Breastfeeding:Teething

If breastfeeding isn't hard enough, just when you think you have mastered how to breastfeed your baby, your baby starts teething. Just like Morrigan, Freya is teething early. She's almost 4 months old and she is showing sighs of teething.

It started with her fingers always being in her mouth. Most babies at her age will start putting things in the mouth anyways.  Then the drool faucet turns on. Freya started having a huge wet spot on her clothes right under her chin. I would change her and in 5 minutes her shirt would be soaked.

She was so obsessed with putting her fingers in her mouth that she would put her fingers in her mouth during nursing. Which by the way, hurts like a biotch.  She would break suction but try to prevent the nipple from leaving her mouth she bites down on the end. Even without teeth biting hurts.

It's a fight to keep those fingers out. I pull her hand away and before long they creep back up out of nowhere. The thing I have leaned is to lay her down and nurse side by side.  While nursing she is laying on one hand and I hold the other. I put my thumb in her little hand and I also stroke the top of her closed hand with my finger. It keeps her free hand busy which keeps them out of her mouth.

I also notice red marks on her fingers. She is biting down hard on her fingers. I remember Morrigan doing the same thing. It stopped after a few times after biting her hand ounce her teeth actually came in. I also remember her fighting the bottle to get her hands in her mouth. So by now I know what's going on.

Then she stared fussing while nursing. She would pull off after just a minute or two of nursing and cry. It's a struggle to nurse her right now.  But I'm learning what makes her want to nurse. 

Freya has been sleeping a lot more. I let her sleep as much as I can. She has been living in her swing for the past 4 days. I have been pumping to keep up my supply. It's okay if she doesn't nurse as often or as long. It's just a problem to work through.

I used Orajel with Morrigan twice when she was teething but with new research,  I no longer feel comfortable using such a product. Luckily, Morrigan teething was easy.  I think Freya is going to suffer through teething.  If it's bothering her this much already, it's going to be a struggle. 

I bought one of those rubber animal teether. It's a Infantino lamb we call "lamby". Freya loves lambs! And she chews on it like it's made of jellybeans. Also I use a very old teething trick my grandfather suggested when I was teething. You take a face cloth and run it under the cold water. For good measure put it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for just a few minutes.  Then bundle up the middle and clip it with a cloths pin. Freya loves chewing on the cold face cloth. I just have to supervise her while she is chewing on it.

It's very similar to my trick when Morrigan when she was getting her molars. I found these things that had like a pacifier bottom but a net was on top. They are net feeders, we used Munchkin brand.

You can fill it with fruit or steamed vegetables.  I would give Morrigan a cold piece of cantaloupe inside as the fruit was very firm. But it's not recommended to give it to a baby as young as Freya.

I just try my best to keep her happy. If she gets upset she will not stay on the boob. If you are struggling with a teething baby, I hope you find something in this blog that helps. Whether it's a trick to try or comfort knowing you are not alone, I hope it makes your time easier.

Adventures in Breastfeeding: Not a wimp!

I am so surprised at how well breastfeeding is going for me. When I talked to other moms about it before having Freya, it was really scaring me. Everyone talked about clogged milk ducts, scabed over nipples, and struggle with a painful latch. I was starting to question what I was getting myself into. Then I read online the rantings of moms in other countries, countries that don't shun breastfeeding.
They don't have theses issues typically. Why? Because it's the norm in their country. Because everyone's mom is breastfeeding, you grow up know how to breastfeed. They all said it shouldn't hurt and they don't understand what Americans complain about. Either we are wimps or we are doing it wrong.
Americans certainly aren't wimps so obviously we are doing it wrong. So when I had Freya and I wanted to breastfeed if it hurt I stopped. I through out the advice that your boobs have to" toughen up" and deal with the pain. I listened to the lactation consultant and pulled her off each time it hurt. If she got upset, I just rocked her and calmed her down before trying again. I asked for help those two days every time she wouldn't latch right after 3 tries. I have just accepted the pain.
Of course there are always issues like lip and lounge tie that will make nursing nearly impossible to feel okay, those babies won't latch comfortably and there is not much you can do. But that aside, I've learned you can't listen to other moms. Listen to a lactation consultant, they are speaking the truth when they say it shouldn't hurt.
I'm having a great time fom the very start nursing. Its so much easier than bottles. Especially during those exhausting hours at night. I just cuddle her next to me and we fall asleep together after she has passed out with a full belly. It's easier to leave the house, no need to pack bottles and formula.
However, there is a down side. You can't really do much without the baby. In the very beginning I felt like a dairy cow. All I did was feed her. I could barely get in a shower. Feedings took an hour, sometimes an hour and a half as she kept falling asleep. That only have me one hour to 30 minutes to do whatever I needed (including sleeping) before she was back to crying for more. But in the grand scheme of things it's a blink of as an eye how long that lasts for. This has calmed down and I'm very much used to feeding on demand. I didn't get a pump for a while so I had to do it all. If you pump your significant other can take a turn or two to give you a break. But even if not, you don't have to worry, you will find the time to sleep,shower,and clean your house (kind of).
Last weigh in at the doctors Freya was 10lbs and 12oz which she gained from 7lbs and 5oz which was her weight when we left the hospital. She gained that in 4 weeks! I'm impressed and its really reinforcing that we are doing something right.
I really do feel like this is the better choice for me. Though it doesn't make me regret formula feeding Morrigan. It just means I've done both and have a great perceptive of the differences and that this is a choice and it is all up to what the Mom is comfortable with.

My Adventures in Breastfeeding

To be honest I never thought breastfeeding would be this challenging. I thought sore nipples would be my only problem. No one warns you just how tired you will feel feeding ever second of everyday. Or the fact your ravenous infant will not want a pacifier so you can go pee. And with feedings so frequent there is no feeding a baby before you leave and waiting until you get back to feed again. That is why I have come to understand how the fight for acceptance for breast feeding in public is so important. I was never one who felt uncomfortable about those who breastfed in public but I did assume there was an option.
My Freya can take up to an hour or more if she falls asleep misreading to nurse herself full. Then it's only an hour before she is starving again. That doesn't give you much time to do anything and with older children, how are you suppose to let those kids do anything if you have to sit in a bathroom stall in the mall to feed for an hour. Imagine a toddler having to sit in a bathroom stall waiting for mommy to finish nursing the baby without touching anything. Yeah, couldn't ask that of my eight year old let alone a three year old.
Also no one tells you about how more often a breastfed baby goes then a formula fed baby does. Although I had decided to eventually do cloth diapers long before I knew how many diapers a breastfed baby would go through, I now see why so many breastfeeding mommies use cloth. It gets expensive!
The burping is our biggest issue. Freya is not a good burper. Morrigan I could just sit up and she would burp. Freya is a struggle and if she doesn't burp she won't latch. No latch mean screaming baby that won't keep her hand out if the way so I can try to feed her.
Freya nurses the way Freya wants to be nursed. If at that moment she wants the left one she won't take the right one. Or she might not want to be held while nursing so she fussed until I find the position she wants.
Breastfeeding is especially hard for paranoid people like me. Always having to worry about milk supply. Is she getting enough? is she full? It makes me feel worried constantly.
Cracked nipples must be nursed through. Engorgment must be nursed through. Clogged milk ducts must be nursed through. Infections must be nursed through. Sickness must be nursed through. There is no, not today, no not this breast, no taking cold medicine to get through it. No chugging caffeine to stay awake. Your nutritional needs can't be ignored as just like in pregnancy, you are responsible for the nutrition of your child.
Those are the sacrifices of a mom who breastfed. Wish all those that think breastfed moms are asking too much to feed in public could spend just 24 hours breastfeeding a hungry infant.  I know they would feel differently by the end of the day. I certainly did, I formula fed Morrigan and there is a huge difference in how the adjustment was getting back to life after the hospital. Its so much harder breastfeeding and doing anything else. I don't sleep, there is no time between feedings. There is not a time I don't have a child stuck to my boobs! If there is a moment it's spent changing one of the 14 diapers we go through in a day. I'm lucky if I can use the bathroom or eat something myself. Breastfeeding an infant is never ending and it all rests on my shoulders. Chris certainly can't help. This is a mommy only job luckily... I've got this!

We Have A New Little One

Freya Mae was born at 8:06 pm on Dec 8th weighting in at 7 lbs 9oz (1oz shy as her sister and just as tall) at 20 1/2 inches long. Big sister Morrigan, Daddy, and Nana joined Mommy in welcoming her into the world.
Man, was I proud. Morrigan, at just 8 years old was an awesome labor coach. She helped the midwife get a ball (or a peanut in my case) during my labor. She waiting patiently the whole time and then watched her sister be born. Morrigan got to hold Freya right after mommy did. It was a proud moment, watching my daughter hold her baby sister and look at her so lovingly. The midwife that delivered Freya came back the next day and told me how amazed she was that my eight year old watched. That her niece is the same age screams at the very sight of blood. She said she was greatly impressed with Morrigan.
Labor was exactly like Morrigan quick but painful. With Morrigan my epidural didn't take. I have scoliosis so it has to go in much higher than usual making it take longer to have any affect. With Morrigan it didn't kick in until I was already in my room and had guests. This time I decided not to even put myself through it, I was going without the epidural. Again I had back labor.  Both times I felt the sensation like my spine was coming down the birth canal. This is because both times my water didn't break. Both my girls made it down the birth canal in a full intact sack. With Morrigan I was laying on my side and my top leg lifts up and there was a noise like a rubber band snapping. Then my leg came back down hard. I knew my water broke. What I hadn't realized, though the intense pressure and need to push was there was Morrigan head was crowning. The nurse came to change the padding and then came the mad dash to get the midwife, get gloves on and start delivering Morrigan.
This time I hit the ring of fire and told the nurse it was burning and she's telling me to breath through it. I start freaking out telling her, the baby is coming now. I had no control, my body we pushing her out whether I bare down or not. I turned on my back and there was no slowing it down. She was right there and my water hadn't broken yet. This time, because I was on my back the pressure of my leg want going to pop the sack. But there was no time. I was in pain and my body was naturally pushing her out without me trying. I felt as if I hit my ultimate threshold. I wasn't able to look like I did with Morrigan. The pain was far more than with Morrigan as Freya was still in the sack when she was born. As soon as I felt the midwife burst the sack there was instant relief and getting past Freya's head was as easy as I remembered. I was able to get a glimpse of Freya just after the midwife broke the sack but my body was still busy pushing Freya out. Once I was holding my daughter (in both cases) the pain of labor is completely forgotten. I looked at Freya, looked her over and saw Morrigan at her first moments of life. Its incredible how not only was delivery nearly the same, both my girls look exactly the same as newborns. I even had this weird feeling when Morrigan sat next to me and I pur my arm around her while I held Freya with the other. For a moment it felt like I was between two different moments in time.
Freya is certainly her own person and she may not grow to look like her sister. Only time will tell. But right now, I can't help but to be amazed at how beautifully similar both my daughter look.
I am just so incredibly happy to have Freya finally here after going nearly 42 weeks pregnant. I was waiting patiently (okay, maybe not that patiently) for the day I would get to see my little girl's face not on an ultrasound screen. I couldn't wait to have her in my arms and now I don't ever want to let go. She is already a week old and I already can't imagine life without her.

Wool dryer balls

With the decision to cloth diapers I had to come up with some money saving techniques since our apartments washers and dryers are expensive. As it is the dryer doesn't dry very well. I needed something that will not only reduce the moisture so we aren't drying the same load over and over again. But also, with the cloth diapers you can't use dryer sheets and fabric softer.

With this in mind, I  researched what other moms were using. I found the instructions to make wool dryer balls. Hubby was skeptical but after forgetting to put the dryer balls in the dryer with a recent load of laundry, he noticed how useful these dryer balls are.

It's over simple to make these dryer balls.
First buy some 100% wool yarn. Make sure this is not machine washable or
Superwash.

Next you start the ball by wrapping the yard around you finger a few times. Pull the yarn off your finger but hold it tightly.Then start wrapping in the other direction. Continue wrapping the yarn around and around as you turn the ball to create a tennis ball or softball size ball of yarn.

Once you have the ball of yarn the size you want take a crochet hook and insert it through the center of the ball. Hook the loose ends of the yard in the hook and pull it through the center of the ball to secure it.

Once you have made 4-6 balls of the yarn, put them into a panty hose tying a bit of cotton/acrylic yarn between each ball. Don't use the wool yarn as it will felt around the panty hose.

Next you take the caterpillar of balls of yarn and put it through a wash with towels. Wash in a hot wash cycle with a cold water rinse cycle. Dry your yarn caterpillar with your laundry using the hottest dryer setting. This should felt the wool together.

Take the balls out of the panty hose. If you can run your fingernail over the ball and the yarn does not separate then it's felted together. If not, then place the balls back into the panty hose and tie them off again as you did before and put them through the wash again. Can take up to 6 times depending on the yarn.

You can add essential oils to the balls but I didn't.

That's that, easy as pie.

Throw 4-6 of the wool dryer balls into each load in the dryer. It will refresh your towels without effecting the ascendancy of the towels like commercial products do. So don't just assume this is just for cloth diapers. This will help anyone.

Happy Birthday Chris!

Happy Birthday to my husband, Chris! He is such a wonderful husband, he has been working extra hard this year so we can have more. He has been so good at helping me. My pregnancy hasn't been hard but my husband has been doing so much cleaning, laundry, and cooking to lighten my obligations at home. I truly appreciate all he has done especially this year. He has been an amazing husband and I love him dearly.