Words of RabbitScratch @jessimicathai-blog - Tumblr Blog

Newborns

I love my son, he's this amazing little person, and I still can't believe that we created this human being! Yes, I said it like that. I think the one thing I wasn't ready for was how much I would fall in love with this guy. You always hear it and think, well of course! It's my kid, instantaneous and crap. It really is like that though. It's this rush of emotion you didn't think you had, just bursting out. The pain, the exhaustion, it's all worth it just to have them look at you, like you are the best person in the whole world. I feel exhausted half the time, and so grateful for my husband that took off work for two weeks. I don't know how single mothers do it, but I praise you for being capable! If I didn't have my husband helping me out, I would be crying in fetal position, in the closet. I feel blessed everyday though, and so happy to have this little guy in my life. As mischivious as he looks at times. O_0

#felixtao #newborns #babies #preparing #parenting #sleep #nosleep #ready #notready #itsok #worthit

4 days old and he's already a trip! I love it!

#felixtao babyboy love newborns babies sweet lol

Newborns

I just released into the world my son, Felix Tao Gresch on February 3, 2015. He's such an amazing little boy, and I'm still in shock that he came out of me. That's just ridiculous. Anyway we're on day 5 of having our little boy in our household, and let me tell you, all those stories you hear... are true. I have insomnia and you'd think that could work out in my favor. Kinda, sleep deprivation is very different from insomnia. KNOW THAT. In all actuality, the sleep deprivation didn't come form him, but the family that kept visiting. Just a helpful tip. When you're in delivery and even after, make sure the people that are in the room with you are there to support you and not just swoon over your new baby. It makes a HUGE difference when this is the situation. I didn't sleep for three days in the hospital because I had people in the room that didn't care that I had not slept the entire time, that didn't acknowledge that I just put my body through unimaginable stress and pain. They just wanted to be the first ones to see the baby and hold them. Situations like this caused my sleep deprivation. So here's a helpful tip I can give new mothers and or pregnant women in the hospital. Only have people in the room if they're helping you and being supportive. EVERYONE wants to see your baby. That's fine, make sure they acknowledge you too. Trust me that's harder to find than you think. Babies are freakishly cute and lovable. :P

My son is the next best thing to happen to me in my life, right after my husband. I officially have two guys in my life I will love unconditionally for all time, and I couldn't be more excited.

#birth #delivery #babies #love #family #born #hospitals #support #lovelife #newborns

When your sick

Because I've been on bed rest, I've had the advantage of not catching this flu/cold that's been going around. Here are some helpful home remedies, that actually help out.

1. Fresh Pineapple!

Not juice... The juice won't do it, you need the fruit. Anyway pineapples have anti inflammatory properties, so you'll instantly feel that phlegm fading. Yes, keep eating, it's not a one time thing. They're home remedies, not magic.

2. Orange Juice

Vitamin C has always been proven to help your immune system. It's also a healthier way to wake yourself up in the morning. I'm a coffee person, not going to lie. But when I'm not feeling well, OJ is the way to go

3. Starve a fever, Feed a cold

This legitimately has truth to it. Fevers feed and you actually need to cool down to get better. Colds feed off your body, thus you feeling like you're at -12. You feed yourself to warm yourself up and kill what's in there.

Feel better during the cold/flu season! It's tough out there, lets try not to share that love :/

#seasons #cold #flu #remedies #homeremedies #getwellsoon #fruit #pineapple #medicine #organic

Clutter

Are you having issues looking at this picture? You should! Dear god! This isn't normal! But it's a good sense on how I live my life. Organized chaos, literally, I can find anything in my messes. Once again though, when you have a little one on the way or just have people coming over, this isn't cool. So how do we organize this clutter?

1. Learn to let things go.

I'm a pack rat I understand the difficulty behind this, but there are items in your home you haven't used in months even years. They need to go! Just close your eyes, and let someone else do it for you. It's hard at first, trust!

2. There needs to be a place for everything.

If your a crafter like me all your supplies needs to be in a specific room, in a specific place. For now that will do rather than run all around the house trying to find things that should all be in one place.

3. Labeling

Once you've completely the 2 part, labeling helps. A lot. Not just for you but for anyone that helps you around the house. You'll always know exactly where something belongs.

4. Packaging

Figure out what needs a box and what goes in storage. An example of this would be my DVDs, we have over 450 DVDs. I kept collectors boxes and stored them away in storage just in case we sell it or something. Everything else was disposed of. I put them in plastic envelopes and in photo boxes. They don't take up two bookcases anymore.

5. Keeping it this way (the hard part)

You just have to put in your mindset that you NEED to put it back when your done. For me It's trying not to collect crap from the street, and what needs to be kept vs. what's unnecessary.

Yes this is a challenge, a friend is usually suggested. You know you have that one friend that cringes every time they walk into your house. That's the person! Trust me they will help you and you'll finally have it organized. I have two friends. (Thank GOD!!!!) and the motivation of my upcoming first born. There really is a nesting phase. I knew that, I didn't know how bad it was. Good luck!

#nesting #pregnancy #pregnancyproblems #organization #cleaning #cleansing #getittogether #smallplaces #crafting

Bed Rest

For every week that goes by the baby the safe and developing. So I don't know all that read this blog. If you're reading this I'm guessing one of the tags did it. I'm 35 weeks pregnant. At about 30 weeks, my baby was being impatient and tried to escape, these are problems during pregnancy. Baby isn't fully developed yet, and if he did come out at 7 months, I would have seen him in ICU. So I've been on bed rest since then, had to take hormone shots. It's not that bad because they could have had me on strict bed rest, which consists of me being in a hospital and not moving AT ALL. That's crazy to know that some women are put in that position. But it's your child's health and I understand that. I hate being on bed rest, I'm an extremely active person. So to be told, it's not going to happen is a slap in the face. One thing that has helped me stay put during this time, is that he's safe. Another week that goes by means a healthier delivery. I don't know if that helps, but it was enough motivation for me.

I think the worst part of the third trimester is trying to sleep. I already had insomnia, and it's like three times worse now. That's crazy right? They really do shift at different times when you do, and then when you're finally relaxed they shift into your bladder, only to make you need to pee. They say that you should try to relax now while you can. I really think your body prepares you for the lack of sleep now, to give you a basic idea of what you won't be doing. It just makes sense, you know. You already have the pregnant insomnia, it's hard to move around, you have this extra weight you bring around you everywhere. It makes sense!

#pregnant #pregnancyproblem #issues #patience #preparing #almostthere

Homemade Thank you cards... Cardstock, photo album paper, washi tape, buttons, and a stamp. Simple, sweet, and fun. Sometimes showing thanks through your craft can be something simple and caring. :D

#shescrafty #diy #homemade #simple #thankyoucards #rabbitscratch

Advice

So there's advice you get from others around you. Some are legitimate and something to think about, others are completely out of date and something you shouldn't even second guess. I've been getting a lot of those recently, advice that is just something I don't second guess. And yes, I know I'm venting where everyone can read it. Whatever. When you advice and no one hears you say "stop," or "nothing sounds right about that" you start questioning if they're talking to help you, or just to hear themselves. I don't understand that about people, and I definitely don't understand when people think they're smarter than my doctor, and the hospital combine. That one alone has a big question mark. I'm really just venting right now. But what I have learned is that for some reason (and this is very true) you're always pregnant with other people. Well of course unless your a teen mom or in your 40s, then that's another situation. They are the BEST help you can find. They get it, they don't shove information down your throat for no reason, they give you updates that are REALLY REALLY helpful. So if you have a girlfriend that is pregnant, be pregnant together! It's so incredibly helpful, that's for damn sure!

Everything really does need to be taken in with a grain of salt, and you really needs to learn how tune it out, because leaving quickly is NOT going to happen. I've tried. It's hard :/

#pregnancyproblems #family #modern #info #pregnancy #tmi

Homemade Items

Homemade items are so worth it, if you don't have to make 100. :( I'm a crafty person and I love making things from nothing, when I have to make 50 of them? That's a long couple of days ahead of me. I enjoy the expressions on people's faces when they receive it. I love that I put my heart in it. Occasionally though, it's absolutely not worth it. That's why when you see what I have on my site as limited, you know my whole heart was put in it and I loved every bit of the process. But there is only two of them in stock or three total. I'd rather take custom orders, I feel like there's more attention to those items, and I tend to focus on what the the customer wants. But you know I do enjoy making things, The ideas behind it, every day that goes by new ideas occur. Or ideas grow from the original and I think that's amazing. Crafting is an art and can also be a sport (especially when you make it in bulk) So when you decide to make something or even sell something, trust me I'm not mad that there was only one. If anything it shows me all your products were made from the heart and that makes it that much better, <3

#diy #projects #homemade #rabbitscratch #crafts #shescrafty

Babies and Bunnies

Animals and children are always somewhat a difficult thing to put together. For some families they must give away their pet, with others they'll keep their pet with the complications involved in doing so; i.e. kids eating poop, pets knocking them over, kids harassing pets, etc. This list could take a minute. One thing I've learned so far is that if the home is bunny proof, it's really close to being baby proof. Our pets can be like our children, and when you've figured out the crazy things your pets can do, you just add a few more to baby. My bunnies have eaten chocolate, aluminum foil, liquor, coffee, plastic... I've officially ruled everything after these. I've been worried something is going to happen to them, watch them closely, made sure they have no abnormalities. Eventually I've come to the conclusion that they are invincible. Because seriously that's ridiculous. Putting things in higher places is now common knowledge, which also goes for a child. They're just much craftier. I don't think I'll ever be ready for the crap my kid will pull, considering the fact my bunnies still amaze me, but I know we'll be ok in one household. Kids put things in their mouths, bunnies get into things and chew up iphone chords. Take a deep breath and know if you feel confident that you pet proof the house, you're just two more steps to baby proofing the house. :D

#bunnies #bunbun #rabbits #rabbitscratch #sillyrabbit #parents #preparing #babies #babyiscoming #never ready

All aboard the bunny train! Woot woot! #lol #sillyrabbit #bunbun #bunnies #rabbits

#bunbun #bunnies #rabbits #sillyrabbit #lol

"Sara Lee" Pound Cake

So I made this recipe today and it was right on the dot. So delicious, I have to thank Copykat Recipes for helping me make this replica of my absolute favorite pound cake.

1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 c sugar

3 eggs

1 c cake flour

2 T dry powdered milk

1 T corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions:

1.Allow butter to reach room temperature. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs one at a time until blended in well.

3. Add dry ingredients. Little at a time, mix well.

4. Add remainder ingredients (vanilla and corn syrup)

5. Pour into greased pan, or parchment paper lined pan.

6. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, check by sticking a toothpick in, should come out clean and let it cool down for about 15-20 min.

This recipe is so delicious, I had to pass it along. There were some slight improvisation, but if you want the original, you'll find it on Copykat Recipes.

Enjoy!