Gwendolyn's Response to Anything Involving Bed or Nap Time

"Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -- Dylan Thomas



I will introduce you to screams like you have never heard before. I will be like the whistle of a freight train or the scrapes of chalk on a chalk board. I will choke on my own saliva. I will NOT "go gently into that good night!"

I will fight until my mommy lets me get up and watch Baby Einstein.

The Many Faces of Gwendolyn

Party Girl

Gwendolyn has never been one to go to bed easily, but Friday night was extreme. We would put her to bed (a couple of times) and she would just scream, as if out of devastation. It just seemed clear that she wanted to stay up and party with Mommy and Daddy. You can probably tell by the upside-down sippy cup and erratic behavior that she was totally delirious...but she had a great time and we had so much fun watching her. When we finally put her back down at 9pm...she went right to bed without a sound. It was lovely.

To Grandpa Rehrmann...I've Been Practicing!

The Not-So-Fluffy Truth About Cloth-Diapering

Okay, I would like to begin by saying that I am happy with the choice to cloth-diaper, and it is working out for my particular family.

However, I am also a person who has been known to hate it when the decisions or choices I make don't turn out to be completely perfect in every way. But, since I'm on a real growing spree (spiritually, mentally, emotionally), as of late...I've been, more often, interested in sharing the details of those everything-I-do-is-not-perfect moments. Needless to say...my friends already know this ;)!

I was talking to a friend the other day who has weighed the option of cloth-diapering, and for many good and valuable reasons...has decided she must pass on it, for her family. She was disappointed and I though she, and maybe others, might be interested in the following...You’ve heard of the advantages of Cloth-Diapering…but here’s what your friends haven’t told you!

• The laundry is, LITERALLY, never done!


• The inserts may only take 10 minutes to stuff into the pockets, but it is, seriously, the most annoying part of my day.


• Yeah, the big cloth-diaper-butt can be cute…but my 8 month old can’t fit into 12-18 month pants and I’ve had to make many extra trips to the mall (with a crying baby) to return the bottoms I was sure were big enough to fit!


• I’ve recently discovered that what they say about cloth diapers and rash creams not mixing, is actually TRUE. Stripping (not a naked dance) your diapers takes time and it is just one more thing to do in a mommy-day that probably doesn’t need extra things in it.


• There’s always the POOP. Truth be told…this winds up not being that big of a deal…but it is still POOP!


• I thought by diaper bag was full before…these things don’t hold a candle to the flat, skinny profile of a disposable.


• Inevitably, once you begin down that cloth diaper route, you will wind up turning into some crazy woman who not only obsesses about her cloth diapers, but feels the need to always be talking to others about them!!!

So, here’s to Cloth-Diapering…and also to those of us who are NOT doing it!

The BIG FAMILY Dilemma

Now, normally I would say I LOVE my many brothers and sisters and, not only are they an incredible blessing, but they are one of most important aspects of my life. However, there is a problem.

Inevitably, once you think you have a good picture (or even just a picture) of the whole fam, you realize...oh wait! Jacob is missing...or Rosie. And, of course, you can't post the picture because it's just not everyone.

Then, when the rare occasion happens that you actually DO have everyone in the picture...NOT everyone looking at the camera or smiling...just everyone physically in the picture.......this is when someone (Stephanie) decides to give birth to yet another one of us, thus making the picture obsolete...once again!

I have added one such picture, anyway. And, to be fair...our newest addition, Levi Anthony Rehrmann (pictures coming soon!), IS in the picture...he's just really, really small and hidden inside of his mother.

left to right: (top row) brother eddie, me, gwendolyn, sister beka, beka's son jonny, tim's son hunter, brother tim, david's wife laura, david's daughter lila, brother david, david's son jacob, (bottom row) my husband jon(bic), sister rosie, tim's wife stephanie, pete's wife jenná, brother pete