tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25187244402787715112024-03-14T07:47:16.090-04:00lo & beholdUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-89331261279427376892014-11-03T15:42:00.000-05:002014-11-03T15:42:51.844-05:00Sam's Birth Story: 6 Months Later<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Forty weeks, four days – it
wouldn’t have been my choice, but as God often shows me, His timing reigns
supreme over mine. And as he also often shows me, his timing is always worth
the wait.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had been expecting an early
baby. For a combination of reasons, really – an early Lucy, at 37 weeks, 5
days; a rather difficult third trimester with lots of pressure, difficulty
breathing and enough toning contractions, in my mind, to prepare five ladies’
bodies for birth; finally, I was large – like, I felt like he ran out of room
three weeks ago, large.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As the weeks passed, I tried to continue
giving myself dates to look forward to – first, it was my birthday. Then it was
my brother’s birthday. Then it was Easter. Finally, it was the day the zoo
opened. I was fully prepared to give birth after a day of waddling around with
my family, and when it didn’t happen, I had a meltdown. I just couldn’t sit
around the house for the rest of the day, knowing that killing myself on my
feet that morning hadn’t jump started things. It was only the day of his due
date, but all reason has a way of getting tossed out the window when you have a
baby filling you out in every direction that you so desperately want to meet.
So Eric and I planned an impromptu date. Keep going. Keeping finding reasons to
be thankful for the life you’re living now and not the life you want to have
right now. Looking back, it’s so easy for me to see the beauty in the waiting.
In the midst of it, I wanted to cry. I did cry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then it happened. Three days
later, I had my first sign that labor was beginning. I should have rested.
Instead, I nested. I cleaned the whole house, top to bottom, to the tune of
sore muscles and toning contractions on top of toning contractions. At night,
after Lucy was asleep, the cramping set in. And I celebrated another sign of
impending birth. I knew. I just knew he was coming. I should have rested.
Instead, I watched TV with Eric until almost midnight. We went to bed, but I
knew there would be no sleep. The instant I laid down, cramping intensified and
the contractions came on. I waited. <o:p></o:p></div>
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About 45 minutes later, I knew
things were going to be heating up, so I woke Eric. He set up the birth pool in
our room and called his parents to come get Lucy, while I called my midwife,
Rhoda. Rhoda asked me to time out my contractions and get back to her. Three to
five minutes apart, about 30 seconds each. “Wait,” she said, “until they are a
minute long, and then call me back.” I got into the water. That sweet, warm
water that just enveloped me and somehow made me feel so much peace and
comfort. We turned on some music. We had easy conversation. I could feel my
body working, but I still couldn’t help noting how strangely relaxing it all is
when you don’t have to leave your house. It felt like we were just hanging out
at home. Except that we were awake at 1:30 am, and there was a giant inflatable
pool in the middle of our bedroom. And then there’s the business of knowing our
lives would change forever, shortly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Slowly, those contractions
lengthened – 40 seconds, then 45; 50, then finally one minute long. After two
of them, around 2 am, I called Rhoda. “It’s time,” I said. And somehow, in
those moments (it happened when I called to tell my mom it was time with Lucy,
too), you realize your voice must command truth, because there were no other
questions, and there was no further discussion. She was on her way. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we waited, contractions
intensified. I tried to have Eric provide some counter pressure in my lower
back, but he was just missing the mark. For a few contractions, I tried to help
him figure it out, but we were both getting frustrated, so I felt like it was
just better to ride them out. Eventually, I found some vocalization helped me
to breathe well and work through each contraction. There was no yelling, no
crying, no moaning in pain – just enough to keep me from holding tension in my
body. It felt soothing, really. Awful, but soothing – as if those two can
somehow meld together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When Rhoda and her birth
assistant, Kat, arrived, they instantly went to work, getting things ready,
while I continued to labor on my own. One of them would periodically come in to
check on the baby’s heart rate and ask how I was, but otherwise, they left me
room to work. A surprising amount of room. I remember thinking at one point
that I knew things would be different at home than they were in the hospital,
but it was amazing how much trust these women put in me and my body to just
determine, on its own, the way this birth would go. I remember this feeling
both liberating and terrifying at the same time, with more emphasis on the
freeing side of things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Around 3:30-3:45, I began to
experience contractions in unrelenting, rolling waves. “I can’t catch a break,”
I told Eric. By 4:00, I wasn’t getting any reprieve, and I was having a hard
time getting myself to come to terms with the fact that it would continue on that
way. At that point, I had Eric call Rhoda into the room – I needed to have some
idea for how much longer the process would be, so for the first time, I had her
check my cervix. I got out of the tub and moved to the bed, where I trembled in
a way that I knew indicated that I was in transition. Sure enough, when Rhoda
checked, I was about 8 centimeters. Even though he was still high in my cervix,
I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. From my labor with Lucy, I knew I was
close. Armed with that knowledge, I was able to find the extra strength I
needed to make it through.<o:p></o:p></div>
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About twenty minutes later, I
felt my water break, and an instant urge to bear down all at the same time.
Eric called Rhoda in and she sat on the step into our room. I told her I was
ready to push, and she simply said, “Okay.” I remember feeling a twinge of
panic, as I realized just how hands off this would be, before I was able to
remind myself that this was why I wanted a home birth, and that my body was
made to be able to bring a child into the world. After a few contractions and
pushing, I could feel his head. Rhoda encouraged me to continue, and to reach
down and catch him, but I felt myself hit a wall. I felt, for some reason, like
I just couldn’t get my body to push the rest of him out. Rhoda came alongside
me and helped me past this point, pulling him right into my arms at 4:33 am. She
later shared with me that his hands had been up by his mouth (right where I had
felt them through my whole pregnancy), which probably created some of that
difficulty.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I pulled him to my chest, I felt
an instant wave of emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s some combination
of relief, undying love, affection, and a little hysteria. There was laughter.
There were tears. There was a warmth that radiated through me that I’ve never
been able to replicate. There was instantly nobody else in the room except for
this perfect boy. Those first moments of new motherhood have a way of sweeping
you up and making twenty minutes of staring at a ball of human life feel like
only two.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And here’s where things became
drastically different from my hospital birth. There was no wail from him. There
was peace. In fact, within moments, this little one was snoring on my chest in
the water. And when I was ready, we moved to a warm bath where, with eyes wide,
I floated him in the water, and he nursed for the first time, with such ease.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From there, Sam and I were both
checked out in the comfort of our own bed, and then we retreated to the living
room couch, so I could get to know him better and decide what his name should
be. Up until the week before he was born, Eric and I had settled on the name
Jackson Cody. I knew that Eric was really attached to the middle name James,
but I had initially been hesitant to give him the initials JJ, as I didn’t want
his name to be shortened. After thinking about it for some time, I approached
Eric and told him if he was feeling strongly about it, I would be open to his
middle name being James. And in response, he hit me with a curveball by asking
me what I thought about the name Samuel. As it had never even been on our short
list, I instantly dismissed it. As the days went by, however, I found myself
being more open to the idea of a name change, and I decided to wait to meet
him. After seeing him, there was no denying, in my mind, that he was a Samuel;
Eric agreed. And thus, both literally and figuratively, Samuel James Almdale
came to be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are women all over the
world that dream of a birth experience like mine, and it’s not lost on me. I
feel so blessed to have been able to welcome two strong, healthy children into
the world. Both of my experiences have been very beautiful and powerfully
spiritual. While some have expressed awe over the strength it must take to
birth naturally, with the absence of intervention, I know that none of that
comes from me – my births have been blessed events, with the presence of God
being very clear to me. There is no fear, but rather an incredible amount of
grace and love. I am thankful not only for my children, but for the way they
got here as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnnqvXyyDO4/VFfl_xrURnI/AAAAAAAACQs/GpsY5Z1nm-o/s1600/photo%2B(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnnqvXyyDO4/VFfl_xrURnI/AAAAAAAACQs/GpsY5Z1nm-o/s1600/photo%2B(8).JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-55635400313639695592013-05-07T22:58:00.001-04:002013-05-07T23:02:55.366-04:00DIY envelope upgrade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lucy's invitations are printed, and I am LOVING them. Pictures do not do them justice - they are printed on the prettiest pearlized card stock. I took the file to Staples and they printed 15 4x6s for me (five sheets of paper) for just under $7.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pzy_BEZj31k/UYm7P-82HAI/AAAAAAAABjk/r1C3K5UKi7s/s1600/Fotor0507221554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pzy_BEZj31k/UYm7P-82HAI/AAAAAAAABjk/r1C3K5UKi7s/s640/Fotor0507221554.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DB1z3jjWKu4/UYm81DskqkI/AAAAAAAABkQ/YybesCt6-fQ/s1600/Fotor050722471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DB1z3jjWKu4/UYm81DskqkI/AAAAAAAABkQ/YybesCt6-fQ/s640/Fotor050722471.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I already had some 4x6 envelopes on hand, but they were just white and well, that's boring. It felt wrong to put something so pretty into something so plain, so I decided to jazz them up a bit. Ready for the easiest DIY project ever?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OhSLqAXoBvo/UYm80a3JOkI/AAAAAAAABkI/NRCt_JEv5R0/s1600/Fotor050722222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OhSLqAXoBvo/UYm80a3JOkI/AAAAAAAABkI/NRCt_JEv5R0/s640/Fotor050722222.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I simply went on Google and searched for "vintage lace background," found the one I liked, opened it up in Publisher to the size I wanted it (just slightly more narrow than the envelopes) and printed them off. Then, using a paper cutter, I cut them down to size.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0oL32GdR-U/UYm7SBrjOLI/AAAAAAAABj0/8qvu7hdj9Ko/s1600/Fotor0507222839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0oL32GdR-U/UYm7SBrjOLI/AAAAAAAABj0/8qvu7hdj9Ko/s640/Fotor0507222839.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My next step was to glue my paper and then just slip it in the envelope, pressing it down to make it stick. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S-aM6mZjSxo/UYm7Roy711I/AAAAAAAABjw/b5xVamHjdr4/s1600/Fotor0507223022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S-aM6mZjSxo/UYm7Roy711I/AAAAAAAABjw/b5xVamHjdr4/s640/Fotor0507223022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The only problem? Slapping pretty paper on the inside doesn't help the envelope look pretty upon arrival. So I took my same lace image, opened it up in Publisher, cropped it down to the sizes I needed for return labels and address labels, then typed up the addresses in both. I printed them off, cut them out and glued them on with a glue stick.<br />
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Seriously - easiest upgrade ever. Best part? It was free. Between designing these invites myself and fixing up some envelopes I already had, I managed to spend less than $7 on a great first party impression. Hope our friends and family enjoy opening these up!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J1BZy0zH2mc/UYm7SzM__ZI/AAAAAAAABj8/bxLLlRgP6Ak/s1600/Fotor0507223144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J1BZy0zH2mc/UYm7SzM__ZI/AAAAAAAABj8/bxLLlRgP6Ak/s640/Fotor0507223144.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-80951832112730844722013-04-30T14:33:00.000-04:002013-04-30T14:39:43.329-04:00lucy's first birthday: the invitationsGo big or go home, right? I'm completely immersed in birthday planning right now and I am having so much fun. This kind of thing? It's kinda my jam. I'm starting as early as I can and working on little projects along the way. I want to have everything outside of food done a week out so I can just relax and enjoy my baby's big milestone. I'll share details along the way. First stop: invites. I knew I wanted to have a really girly, lace and pearls themed party, so I perused Pinterest and Etsy and found a few invites that I was inspired by:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHF5DYvjxWE/UYAC8NCN8QI/AAAAAAAABho/RhtPFJM7Omg/s1600/invites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHF5DYvjxWE/UYAC8NCN8QI/AAAAAAAABho/RhtPFJM7Omg/s640/invites.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/110616927/girls-silhouette-birthday-invitation?ref=sr_gallery_11&ga_search_query=silhouette+birthday+invitation&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all">1</a> / <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/113182764/polka-dot-silhouette-birthday-invitation?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=silhouette+birthday+invitation&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all">2</a> / <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/111589672/shabby-chic-invitation-vintage-pearls?ref=sr_gallery_42&ga_search_query=vintage+birthday+invitation&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_original_query=1&ga_search_type=all">3</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I picked and chose elements from each invite, but I mostly loved the structure of the first one. I used Photoshop to put the whole thing together, and this is what I came up with:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4OrsbZEV7OI/UYAFkZ6sNfI/AAAAAAAABiE/zqqZCrLt1Do/s1600/Lucy's+Invite+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4OrsbZEV7OI/UYAFkZ6sNfI/AAAAAAAABiE/zqqZCrLt1Do/s640/Lucy's+Invite+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Personal info removed because hi, internet crazies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I love the result. They are super feminine with just a punch of glitz. I'm contemplating putting actual glitter where the glitter graphics are, but I don't know if everyone wants the mess that may come along with that. I'm still thinking about it.<br />
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The to do list:<br />
<ul>
<li><strike>Make guest list</strike></li>
<li><strike>Make invitations</strike></li>
<li>Send invitations</li>
<li><strike>Buy cups, plates, napkins, utensils</strike></li>
<li><strike><strike>Wrap utensil sets</strike></strike></li>
<li><strike>Create a menu</strike></li>
<li><strike>Find punch dispenser</strike></li>
<li><strike>Find lace table cloth</strike></li>
<li>Make tissue poms for above table</li>
<li>Make tinsel garland for front of table</li>
<li>Find and paint large frame for photo booth</li>
<li>Create chalkboard thought bubble for photo booth</li>
<li>Make bowties for photo booth</li>
<li>Find costume pearls for photo booth</li>
<li>Make and frame suggestions for photo booth</li>
<li>Make party hat for Lucy</li>
<li>Print black and white pictures to hang on twine between trees</li>
<li>Find quilt for Lucy to open gifts on</li>
<li>Find vintage sheets for guests to picnic</li>
<li>Test cupcake recipes (twist my arm!)</li>
<li>Find naturally sweetened recipe for smash cake</li>
<li>Find cupcake stand</li>
<li>Find table (borrow from church or Y?)</li>
<li>Make display tags for food</li>
<li>Make large bubble wand and bubble mixture for kiddos to play with</li>
<li>Repaint cornhole boards (if there's time)</li>
<li>Buy and wrap the nugget's gifts</li>
</ul>
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Day before/of:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Make food, lemonade, cupcakes and smash cake</li>
<li>Make centerpiece (peonies with mint sprigs would be perfect if they've bloomed!)</li>
<li>Decorate</li>
<li>Relax and enjoy! These are friends and family - they are forgiving if things don't go exactly as planned.</li>
</ul>
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Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-43803676053963387262013-04-24T12:11:00.000-04:002013-04-24T23:43:15.696-04:00letters to Lucy: 10 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUeM-YQTJ-4/UWtplNewF5I/AAAAAAAABhA/x4Vf2tUxpuE/s1600/10+months.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUeM-YQTJ-4/UWtplNewF5I/AAAAAAAABhA/x4Vf2tUxpuE/s640/10+months.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dear Goose,<br />
<br />
You say you're actually closer to eleven months, and that I completely skipped over a nine-month letter? Let's call it denial that you are becoming a big girl. Maybe if I just pretend the months aren't passing, you'll stay this size for a while longer.<br />
<br />
Of course your little spongy self proves to me that this plan isn't working, so I guess I'll acknowledge your growth. You are just soaking everything up lately, and I feel like every time I turn around, you have learned something new, or you have some fun, new trick.<br />
<br />
I had to look back at where you were at eight months to gauge your progress, and I can't believe what two months has done for you! Your biggest achievement is that you have become a crawling machine, starting off by using one knee, and propelling yourself forward with your foot on the other side. We called it your kickstand, but for the most part, it's now gone, as you have graduated to a big girl crawl on hands and knees.<br />
<br />
We had our first family vacation just before you turned ten months old. In the past, my vacations have consisted mostly of laying poolside with a book. I quickly learned this time that vacationing is a whole different ball game when you have a child. It was all about you, baby. We have several pictures of you in your float in the pool, with everyone around you just smiling and laughing at you playing. You confirmed my suspicion that you are a water baby. You loved the pool, at times splashing and splashing until exhaustion; at others, you just laid back and relaxed while I held you.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, you surprised me in your love of sand. When I put you down at first, you pushed up onto your hands and feet, like you were afraid to let any other part of you touch such an unexpected texture. It didn't take long for you to sit and start digging with your hands, squealing all-the-while. You got to experience some really quality time with Mama and Daddy for a whole week, without interruption, which was awesome for all of us. But you also got to be with Lolly, Pops, your great grandma, and your uncles, who we don't get to see quite as often. Ever since we got back from that vacation, when we talk to Lolly through video, you get a huge smile on your face. You really got to know them on this vacation, and I think they will always cherish that time they had with you.<br />
<br />
Other happenings:<br />
<ul>
<li>You are ornery - I know that you have learned what no means, but when presented with the word, you simply smile and carry on. Your favorite spot in the house is under the TV table, on top of the DVD player, where you have multiple cords to choose from. You are also loving the dogs' bowls, attempting a taste of their food and splashing in their water. Pulling you away from both only gives us about 10 seconds before you're right back at it. You are a woman on a mission, for sure, when you know what you want.</li>
<li>You have become a pro at pulling yourself up. All of a sudden, it seems like nothing is safe anymore, and when Daddy and I are awakened by cries in the night, we typically find you standing there, waiting for us expectantly, when we arrive.</li>
<li>Our nursing relationship was compromised while we were in Florida. We had already started using formula more often to supplement, but I developed Mastitis and you refused to eat from one side at all. My supply really suffered, and I was discouraged. I initially swore that we were done with nursing, but you let me know that you weren't ready yet; truth-be-told, I wasn't ready either. We have continued with just morning and night feedings, and I continue to pump once daily. Nursing, I will miss. Pumping, I will not.</li>
<li>You have become a one nap baby most days. But my goodness, that nap is awesome. Like, three hours awesome.</li>
<li>You love books. You know when you want to read, and we have had some days where you will sit and listen to books as long as I continue to read them to you. I promise to do my best to nurture that love, in paper form. Trust me, I tried ebooks - they're not the same.</li>
<li>You are still so petite. I took you to the doctor a couple weeks ago for an ear infection and you hit the charts at 15th percentile for both height and weight. When people ask how old you are and I respond "10 months," their reaction is almost always the same - "She's so small!" Maybe that's why it's so hard to believe you're so close to one - you still fit into some six month clothes!</li>
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I feel like your daddy and I are broken records sometimes, with our "she's the best baby!"s and "she's just the cutest!" But it's true, you are. Ten months is good. Like, really good.</div>
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I love you!</div>
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Mama</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-20747509600750696662013-03-11T17:14:00.000-04:002013-03-11T17:14:39.330-04:00lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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March has certainly been busy for us - especially given that it's only 1/3 over. <br />
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We've celebrated two birthdays so far - one with a delicious buttermilk chocolate layer cake with chocolate ganache icing that tasted absolutely sinful. I celebrated the love of my life's birthday like it was my own and I'm still paying for it now. I was just proud I made that baby from scratch. Seriously, if you don't want to eat your weigh in cake, for the love of all things holy, do NOT visit the link to the <a href="http://thepaperseed.com/?p=266">recipe</a>.<br />
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There have been meals out, meals in with friends and family, naps few and far between and lots of coffee to make up for it.<br />
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True to midwest fashion, we had five inches of snow and then 60 degree weather separated by just four days. We celebrated the first feeling of spring with a walk around the block, taking in all of the fresh new smells and shaking off all of the winter blues.<br />
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There has been time for Lucy to spend with Mama, Daddy, grandmas and grandpas, her uncles and even great grandmas. There is no shortage of love for this little girl.<br />
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It's hard for me to believe that with all that we've already done this month, March still has so much in store for us. With a vacation to Florida on the horizon and winter fading quickly, this may just be the best month ever.<br />
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Bared baby thighs, sun, pool time and Harry Potter, I am so. ready. for. you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-24313883438817199672013-02-24T22:32:00.001-05:002013-02-24T22:32:41.923-05:00sweet success<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasion.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="here" border="0" height="423" src="http://i.picasion.com/pic65/898c2ec14a8b70f359a8d57621ac7161.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.picasion.com/" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">here</a></td></tr>
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Our little lady started crawling this weekend. It's not perfect by any means - she plants her right foot on the floor as if she is going to stand, and uses it to propel herself forward, dragging her left knee along. I have a feeling her mentality toward the quality of her motor skills somewhat parallels the feeling I've always had about my car - as long as it gets you from point A to point B, what more could you ask for? She is finding herself one step closer to the independence she has been craving since the day she was born, and as a result, we have been treated to a slew of smiles and giggles all weekend.<br />
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It is so fun to watch Lucy continue to learn and see her excitement. Suddenly, every cord, remote, pair of nail clippers and everything else that's not a toy is within this little lady's reach. <br />
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And as an added bonus, all of that motoring around led to Lucy's decision that she is ready to start putting herself to sleep. Seriously, who is this ridiculously easy-going baby and where did she come from? Life is so sweet in this house.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-45605424146037932362013-02-19T09:47:00.000-05:002013-02-19T09:47:38.494-05:00bang cutting 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPBYASH_f-o/USOO-K19HQI/AAAAAAAABfo/l-4etY8uQK8/s1600/bangs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPBYASH_f-o/USOO-K19HQI/AAAAAAAABfo/l-4etY8uQK8/s400/bangs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Don't ask me! Mind ended up crooked. But seriously, don't be afraid to try something new and fun. The beauty of hair is that it grows back.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJPmedJQqjE/USOO-S5CfNI/AAAAAAAABfs/INvxFF5xSDQ/s1600/bangs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJPmedJQqjE/USOO-S5CfNI/AAAAAAAABfs/INvxFF5xSDQ/s400/bangs2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A couple things I did learn:</div>
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Start long...you can't add length but you <i>can</i> keep trimming</div>
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If you find a tutorial online that tells you to twist your hair first, DON'T listen.</div>
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and finally, although it worked out okay, this decision should probably not be made on a whim at 12:30 am.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-2156639824321089892013-02-13T17:01:00.003-05:002013-02-13T17:01:42.190-05:00letters to lucy: 8 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Goose,<br />
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How do I even begin to define your eight-month-old self in words? You cannot be contained by anything, let alone words. I should begin by saying your daddy and I are in big trouble with you. I don't know that I've ever met another baby your age with quite as much personality as you. You are my loud, free-willed, independent, silly girl.<br />
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In a month that was mostly spent being sick, between snotty noses, coughing, difficulty breathing, and an ear infection, nothing could keep you down. You had a couple slower days, but you still smiled your way through them. Above all, you are a happy baby and I am beyond thankful for that. <br />
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I realize that right now, life is roses with you. Sure, having a baby can be tough sometimes, but really we just get to enjoy you. In church a few weeks ago, I saw tougher times ahead with you. You were holding yourself up on an activity table, across from a little boy. He kept reaching for the same toy as you, and you didn't hold back your feelings on the subject. You kept grabbing his hand and grunting in increasingly higher pitched tones. Someday, your daddy and I are going to have to teach you to share and show kindness to others. We will be responsible for somehow helping you to understand that that doesn't mean other children will always share with you, and that you are to show grace in those situations. I am so thankful for the right now, for this time before your age of accountability, when I get to laugh at the fact that you are a little pushy and you have pure adoration for me because I don't have to tell you "no".<br />
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As a mom, it's impossible not to compare you to other children in some aspects. I find myself surprised on a regular basis by: a) how small you are compared to other babies your age, and b) by how high maintenance you are. One day at work a few weeks ago, I held a baby that was seven months. He was 24 pounds and had thighs like tree trunks. I'm pretty sure I about threw you through the ceiling that night when I went to pick up all 15 pounds of you. <br />
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I noticed that same little boy, along with several other babies that come to the Y, was very content to just sit and play independently, and to watch what was going on around him. Not you - you require constant stimulation and attention. This part of you is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it makes it hard to take you certain places. I have had to distance myself from Campus Life, because I know that I can't just take you along to Club and expect you to entertain yourself while I spend time with high schoolers. On the other hand, it is so fun to see how you light up when anyone looks at you and says "hello." You thrive on being around others and your interaction with them. You love games like "airplane" and being thrown into the air. You giggle when mama nibbles on your neck and belly laugh when daddy carries you out in front of him, chasing the puppies around the house. While I do compare you to other babies, in the end, I pretty much just think you're more awesome than they are. I might be slightly biased, but still.<br />
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Other things you're up to:<br />
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<ul>
<li>"Dada" is on repeat all the time. No "mama" yet, although you are starting to put together more sounds and some of them get pretty comical.</li>
<li>Waving! This one was so exciting; I've only gotten you to do it once on command, but I managed to capture it on video. Score one for mom!</li>
<li>You are starting to get so much better with your hand-eye coordination. You are feeding yourself puffs and successfully gnawed on an apple slice for the first time recently. I was impressed as I watched you pass it back and forth between hands to get the grip you needed to chew on it.</li>
<li>Speaking to your "too-big-for-her-britches" mentality, you are so beyond baby food. While you love cereal, you show disgust over anything with a pureed texture. You did love that apple slice, though, as well as baked acorn squash right off the rind.</li>
<li>Holding yourself up on objects. You can't pull yourself up yet, but when I help to stand you up against an object, you look so proud of yourself. You especially love holding yourself up against the mirror so you can see that cute baby friend of yours.</li>
<li>Rocking on your hands and <strike>knees</strike> one knee. You are still a little hesitant about this, keeping one foot out in front of you so you can sit back down if you need to. You'll get there. You just take your time, baby.</li>
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I see you learning so much, so fast. I am stuck somewhere between excitement over what is to come and anxiety over you getting older and one step closer to not needing me. I think I'm coming to realize that this is just part of being called "Mom".</div>
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I love you so very, very much, my Lucy. I am still consistently surprised the way the heart can stretch and grow and never runs out of room. I pray that as you grow, you will find the same capacity in your own heart.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Mama</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-18612446761148162982012-11-07T23:16:00.002-05:002012-11-07T23:17:55.560-05:00letters to lucy: 5 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Goose,<br />
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I know I start off every month this way and that I'm super predictable, but how are we here?! Five months is an amount of time that is really beginning to sound substantial. <br />
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Above all else in month five, I want to forever remember that this is the month that you really came to life. You are learning so much so quickly and it is so much fun to watch. You are the woman of a thousand emotions and you wear them all on your <strike>sleeve</strike> face. Your expressions crack me up, especially your look of surprise and your pouty face.<br />
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Mama has worked on documenting your life more closely in the past month. And not just big moments, but the little things I know I will always cherish writing down. I've heard of other moms creating files to write memories on note cards, and I think I may have to start one of my own. It is already fun to look back on notes like, "Mama and Lucy laid in bed together. I watched you play with your hands - very peaceful."<br />
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Things I'm loving most about you this month:<br />
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<li>Your big chunky baby cheeks. I nom on them all the time because, well, they're just so nomable.</li>
<li>Your version of a hearty smile is opening your mouth as wide as you can. I love when you display your one little tooth for all to see. </li>
<li>Your love for blankies is precious to witness; tonight I went to put you to bed and you were fussing until I handed you a little fleece blankie with silk trim. You held it up to your face and stroked the fleece, and you were out within a minute.</li>
<li>You have discovered your feet and hold onto your right foot any chance you can get. You remind me of a little roly poly. This new discovery has also led you to figure out splashing in the tub - we love bath time!</li>
<li>You are playing a lot more independently. We got you a Jumperoo and you have figured out all of the toys. I was especially proud to watch you figure out the spinning toys. You are such a smart little girl - a short one, as your feet don't even come close to touching the floor, but bright nonetheless.</li>
<li>In reaching for things now, you've also started reaching out for our faces and holding them between your two little hands. It feels so wonderful to have you responding and taking such an interest in us.</li>
<li>You love Daddy, but you are still Mama's girl. You sleep best and smile most when you are with me. I know later in life there will be times that we don't get along as you try to assert your independence, but I hope underneath it all that there will always be these strong feelings of love and connection between us. </li>
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It's so easy to love you that your daddy and I have realized we haven't been as focused on going out of our way to love each other. So we are making it a point to reconnect and do special things for each other. We recognize that one of the best ways that we can love you is to love each other. I pray that our marriage will be an example to you someday and that it will reflect the amazing amount of love, respect and hard work that we are putting into it. I also hope that you will see the silliness and humor that the two of us share - it's important to find someone that will make you laugh daily to keep life from getting too serious. Your daddy's really great for that.<br />
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Thank you for all of the joy, laughter and love that you have brought into our lives in these short five months. You are a special girl, Lucy - beautiful and smart and wonderful.<br />
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I love you,<br />
MamaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-78941605551068127662012-10-31T22:47:00.002-04:002012-10-31T22:47:45.592-04:00(almost) wordless wednesday: first halloweenI almost didn't get a costume for Lucy. I couldn't justify the price in my mind for such a short period of time that she would be wearing it. And then today I was near Old Navy and decided to swing in and see if they had any on sale. There was one costume left on the clearance rack and it was in Lucy's size. It felt a little like fate. And thus, our little Lucy became the cutest little cupcake I've ever seen. With a cherry on top.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-40708017181968677542012-10-30T18:00:00.000-04:002012-10-30T19:04:31.693-04:00lucy's pinterest-inspired nurseryBack in September of last year, when Eric and I were <strike>frantically searching for a new house so we could move out of my in-laws' basement</strike> house shopping, we felt blessed to finally come across the house that we are in now. With rooms like this, who wouldn't be sold?<br />
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Oh, to be a young girl and so in love with pink and a teen heart throb again. Subbing a Zac Hanson or Andrew Keegan poster for the Biebs, this was my dream room that my mom never let me have. Now I can say with absolute certainty that I respect my mom for denying me. Hindsight is always 20/20, right?</div>
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When we found out I was pregnant in the midst of closing on our house, I immediately began dreaming of this room as the nursery...only the pink had to go. Before I even found out whether we would be having a boy or girl, I found a lovely subtle shade of blue that didn't scream boy or girl to me, and I got to work painting. And then I got stuck.</div>
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Thankfully, Pinterest saved the day, and a whole collection of pins that I saved up along the way found their way into my plans. Over the course of about three months, Lucy's nursery developed, and I'm proud to say that it is my favorite room in our house.</div>
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It was <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178846821347/">this pin</a> that set my navy and coral theme into motion, and the rest really just fell into place after that. I found <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178846952243/">these curtains</a> and replicated them with white and coral fabric. I began scouring our local antique mall for a soda crate after seeing <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178846951388/">this pin</a>, and I also created my own "we love you because..." print, which contains a blank space to change the message with a dry erase marker. It currently says, "we love you because you're ours." I based the gallery wall on the flowers that I saw in <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178846676607/">this pin</a>, which I then hunted down. And finally, my favorite project of all, I made Lucy's name sign based on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178846776067/">this pin</a>.</div>
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This room had so much love in it before Lucy even came along. I used to spend my nights in there just rocking and reading and listening to lullabies while I rubbed my belly and talked to our daughter. Here is a run down of all of my "love" projects (made by me):</div>
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<ul>
<li>"Lucy" name sign</li>
<li>Tissue poms</li>
<li>Curtains</li>
<li>"relax" pillow</li>
<li>All frames found at Salvation Army and painted</li>
<li>Mirror painted</li>
<li>Cross stitches on gallery wall</li>
<li>Knit blanket on back of chair</li>
</ul>
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And the love continued with the handmade gifts she was given -</div>
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<li>Aunt Maggie made her crane mobile, which is by far her favorite part of the nursery</li>
<li>Her great grandma (my mom's mom) made her quilt and dust ruffle</li>
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Some of my favorite details:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kOZ11s-3MfU/UJA9uEcNyGI/AAAAAAAABXo/cYP-vYiPxek/s1600/nursery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kOZ11s-3MfU/UJA9uEcNyGI/AAAAAAAABXo/cYP-vYiPxek/s640/nursery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And a run down of where everything is from:</div>
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Paint: Olympic - Free Spirit</div>
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Crib: <a href="http://www.target.com/p/graco-lauren-classic-convertible-crib-espresso-by-la-jobi/-/A-11218259#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=graco lauren">Graco Lauren from Target</a></div>
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Chair: <a href="http://www.target.com/p/crown-reclining-swivel-glider-navy-white-linen-by-little-castle/-/A-12352877">Little Castle from Target</a></div>
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Dresser/changing table, mirror & lamp: second hand from a great store in Fort Wayne, Indiana called <i>Finders Keepers</i></div>
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Fabrics in quilt: <a href="http://dearstelladesign.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=63">Dear Stella - Lanikai</a></div>
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Wall shelf & brackets: Lowe's</div>
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Wall flowers: <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16144991">Umbra, purchased at BB&B</a></div>
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Deer cross stitch pattern: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62641346/deer-cross-stitch-printable-pattern?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=deer+cross+stitch&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto3&ga_search_type=handmade">Etsy</a></div>
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German Shepherd cross stitch pattern: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/65614986/german-shepherd-silhouette-cross-stitch?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=german+shepherd+cross+stitch&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">Etsy</a></div>
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Ich liebe dich cross stitch ("I love you" in German): Etsy (<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66679343/ich-liebe-dich-i-love-you-text-cross?ref=sr_gallery_16&ga_search_query=ich+liebe+dich&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">ich liebe dich</a> & <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/52339479/whale-cross-stitch-kit?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_query=whale+cross+stitch&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all">whale</a>)</div>
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Bicycle cross stitch: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/111576081/bicycle-modern-cross-stitch?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=bicycle+cross+stitch&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all">Etsy</a></div>
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"What I love most about my home" print: <a href="http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2011/05/filler-print.html">Eighteen25 blog</a> (free!)</div>
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Mother/daughter print: <a href="http://diaperstylememoirs.blogspot.com/2011/05/mothers-day-art-free-download.html">Diaper Style Memoirs blog</a> (free!)</div>
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Shepherd/flock patchwork/embroidery: Purchased in Bolivia for Lucy by her Aunt Maggie</div>
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Changing pad cover: Target (no longer for sale, but here is <a href="http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=cocalo+dahlia&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories">the rest of the line</a>)</div>
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Owl lantern: gifted</div>
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White lantern: local antique mall</div>
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Globe: local antique mall</div>
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Stuffed elephant: gifted - Jellycat (no longer for sale, but here is <a href="http://jellycat.com/usa/products/jellycat/bonbon/">the rest of the collection</a>)</div>
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When you spend as many sleepless nights as we have in one place, it really needs to be peaceful, and I am proud to say I feel like I accomplished that with this nursery. In fact, I'll just go ahead and fool myself into thinking that this nursery being so peaceful is the reason that Lucy started sleeping through the night, like a champ, at seven weeks. Yeah, that must be it.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-59856126549585477462012-10-25T15:56:00.001-04:002012-10-25T15:56:42.527-04:00DIY hanging magazine holderEric found a deal for a subscription to ESPN magazine - $2 for 12 issues. Well, about 17 issues later, he's still getting them; talk about the gift that keeps on giving. And then there's me, who won't part with a single Madewell or J.Crew catalogue unless pried from my cold, dead hands (have you seen how pretty they are?). All of this is basically to say we have <i>a lot</i> of magazines just laying around. So when I was walking around <strike>our town hangout</strike> Walmart and saw a magazine holder, I thought, "I could do something with that."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6HL4bQLCVc/UImQzY8RG5I/AAAAAAAABWQ/ju7UQp5-a5Y/s1600/IMGP6804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6HL4bQLCVc/UImQzY8RG5I/AAAAAAAABWQ/ju7UQp5-a5Y/s1600/IMGP6804.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>Materials:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Mesh wire magazine holder (in stationary section - $5)</li>
<li>Yarn (had on hand)</li>
<li>Yarn needle (had on hand)</li>
<li>Spray paint (had on hand - used Krylon Brushed Metallic in Nickel)</li>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-nePBvSlPg/UImQ0IDflYI/AAAAAAAABWg/X-AtbtKh1yI/s1600/magazine+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-nePBvSlPg/UImQ0IDflYI/AAAAAAAABWg/X-AtbtKh1yI/s1600/magazine+holder.jpg" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li>Start off by spray painting the holder. Allow at least a few hours to dry (I let it dry overnight).</li>
<li>Cut off a long strand of yarn, string through yarn needle, and tie a knot in the end of your strand, leaving a long enough tail to tie to your end tail. </li>
<li>Begin weaving your pattern. I went diagonally up 6 spaces, then back down to create a chevron pattern. It is worth noting here that, as you can see through the mesh, you will need to maintain neat lines by following behind the lines you've woven on the front side.</li>
<li>When you get to the end of your line, go up one space and follow the same pattern back to the beginning.</li>
<li>Tie your ends together and trim close to the knot to create a clean finish.</li>
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Confession time: we are bathroom readers. In our last house, our master bathroom had a bookshelf hanging over it, and even though I thought it was a silly feature to have, I've been surprised by how much I miss it. As a result, I knew I wanted to hang the holder in the bathroom so we would have easy access to all of our best reading material. So I had Eric pass the fussy baby off to me, and within the time I fed her, he managed to find a stud and nail this baby (not THE baby) onto the wall through one of the openings in the mesh. And voila!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-92127360017551871782012-10-24T23:04:00.002-04:002012-10-24T23:04:37.508-04:00(almost) wordless wednesday: morning smiles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was in middle school, I can remember waking up to take a shower and then falling back asleep on the floor of the bathroom after deciding I was just going to "rest my eyes" for a few more minutes. I've always been that way in the morning - fighting just to roll out of bed and struggling to keep my eyes open through the better part of the AM. I think the good Lord gave me a morning baby to show me the beauty of starting the day. Don't get me wrong - it's still tough, especially with early morning feedings. But seriously, who could be bitter about having to wake up when greeted by this?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-58994168430543172472012-10-23T17:12:00.000-04:002012-10-23T17:12:41.643-04:00free printableCan I just start off by saying these past couple weeks have been kicking my behind? I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted by just the daily grind. Throw in a busy (but awesome!) Saturday, which is normally my day to catch up, and a two-day headache, and I'm already ready to throw in the towel on Tuesday. <br />
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It's a little late, but I would still like to recap my weekend in a formal post. The short of it is I went with a friend to Cincy to meet John and Sherry Petersik from Young House Love, and then we went to Ikea. Well,<br />
Ikea really got my wheels turning (fancy that!), and now Eric and I are ready to start kicking it in gear to move things along in our house. Up until now, it felt like we were ahead of the game - "Oh, we've been here for less than a year." Now, having surpassed that one year mark in our house, we're suddenly looking around at all of the rooms that are still far from being finished and the thinking has shifted to, "Dude, get on that."<br />
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We are considering a trip back to Ikea this weekend, but in the meantime, I've started working on some little projects for a gallery wall in our bedroom. After looking back at all of the things I've pinned on Pinterest, I was inspired by this print:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BDo5598qnnA/UIcED56047I/AAAAAAAABVg/cxE88yWjYd0/s1600/il_570xN.235057904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BDo5598qnnA/UIcED56047I/AAAAAAAABVg/cxE88yWjYd0/s1600/il_570xN.235057904.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/71222951/bicycle-art-print-8x10-i-want-to-have">Original Source</a></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1839755082"></span><span id="goog_1839755083"></span><br />
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Thanks to some very generous people, I was able to find the very same font for free, which can be used for personal and commercial use (<a href="http://www.formfett.net/tusj-one-handwritten-font/">source</a>), as well a free piece of clip art (<a href="http://www.vintagefangirl.com/old-steampunk-hot-air-balloon-drawing#">source</a>). With all this generosity, I figured I would share a free version of the print I came up with:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyppOhkZNKI/UIcG8roBrAI/AAAAAAAABVo/S-OthaHxN-s/s1600/come+away+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyppOhkZNKI/UIcG8roBrAI/AAAAAAAABVo/S-OthaHxN-s/s1600/come+away+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Print is intended to be 8x10, but could be printed in other sizes. If you share, please link back to this blog.</td></tr>
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Click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89116081@N06/8117144818/sizes/l/in/photostream/">here</a> for full resolution. <br />
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One project down, about 23497 to go. No biggie.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-34096125534513739102012-10-15T22:36:00.000-04:002012-10-15T22:36:56.304-04:00everyday blessingsI feel pretty good about the way I've been documenting the big parts of Lucy's life so far - firsts, big events, personality. But when I think about my favorite moments as a Mama, they look more like this:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_HvqRU9nvw/UHzEdp1PqhI/AAAAAAAABVU/bSncoVd6xB8/s1600/IMGP6762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_HvqRU9nvw/UHzEdp1PqhI/AAAAAAAABVU/bSncoVd6xB8/s1600/IMGP6762.jpg" /></a><br />
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Hanging out in bed, trading coos with Lucy, watching her discover the way her fingers interlace and tangle together - these are the times I never want to forget. What a special little girl I have, and what a special bond we already share.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-21469908901920294152012-10-14T22:39:00.002-04:002012-10-14T22:39:30.544-04:00no rest for the wearyGoing without a shower and never getting dressed or putting on makeup is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday if you're lounging, vegging on the couch and watching movies. It's not so wonderful if you spend the entire day painting and doing projects around the house, only to collapse into bed at the end of the weekend feeling more tired than you did on Friday. <br />
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We still have so much to do around this house of ours, but for now, I'm going to try to ignore it all and burrow under my covers and fall asleep to old episodes of Parenthood on Netflix while I pray for a lazy weekend in the not-so-distant future.<br />
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And because I tried to even avoid looking at <i>myself</i> in the mirror yesterday, there's obviously no way I was going to document the hot mess that I was with pictures. So once again, the Almdale ladies steppin' out to church (before Mama and Daddy passed the nugget off and went on a much needed date):<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rsem86Nq-Xk/UHt1JsQWQ6I/AAAAAAAABVM/8to4Iz6hVkY/s1600/SOS+10.14.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="514" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rsem86Nq-Xk/UHt1JsQWQ6I/AAAAAAAABVM/8to4Iz6hVkY/s640/SOS+10.14.12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on baby || onesie & shoes: Old Navy | pants: The Children's Place (thrifted) | headband: made by Mama<br />
on Mama || shirt: H&M | sweater: Marshall's | favorite jeans ever: Michael Kors (thrifted) | shoes: Target<br />
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<a href="http://www.harpershappenings.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2hi86lj.jpg" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-37265685697472392232012-10-11T22:02:00.001-04:002012-10-11T22:04:07.790-04:00etsy roundup: chartreuseOne of those age-old getting-to-know-you questions I've always hated is "what's your favorite color?" While this is supposed to be a simple question, I've always had a tough time answering it. Having one favorite color all the time is so boring; why would I want that when I can constantly have a new favorite color based on my mood and trends?<br />
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Right now, I have a slight obsession with chartreuse. I'm in the midst of painting our living room and kitchen this happy shade of green-gold and every time I see it, it makes me smile. Except when I see it from Lucy's nursery at 3 am - no sight makes me happy at that time but the back of my eyelids. But I digress...<br />
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1. Desperately wish this <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/84845321/moka-express-silkscreen-print-chartreuse?ref=sr_gallery_30&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=11&ga_search_type=all">Coffee Press Print</a> was cheaper || 2. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/85060354/chartreuse-luster-czech-glass-teardrop?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=6&ga_search_type=all">Tear Drop Beads</a> (picturing making a necklace with these paired with a chambray shirt & neutral sweater) || 3. How amazing is this <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/87895020/chartreuse-ceramic-lamp-with-birch-shade?ref=sr_gallery_32&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">Ceramic Lamp w/ Birch Shade</a>?? || 4. This modern <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/97620386/modern-open-hanging-planter-chartreuse?ref=sr_gallery_29&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">Hanging Planter</a> would be so fun with some succulents. || 5. Loving this <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/102132350/chartreuse-watercolor-pillow-cover?ref=sr_gallery_11&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">Watercolor Pillow Cover</a> for living room couch || 6. Dainty <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/82532806/chartreuse-glass-dangle-earrings?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=6&ga_search_type=all">Drop Earrings</a> || 7. Deliciously cozy looking <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/57098895/super-snuggly-chunky-knit-cowl?ref=sr_gallery_17&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=all">Knit Cowl</a> || 8. Really fun <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/80567983/chartreuse-pure-mineral-makeup-eye-liner?ref=sr_gallery_42&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=4&ga_search_type=all">Eye Shadow/Eye Liner</a> || 9. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/70048284/chrysanthemum-petals-silk-lined?ref=sr_gallery_27&ga_search_query=chartreuse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=8&ga_search_type=all">Beautiful Clutch</a> for date nights<br />
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What color is inspiring you right now?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-70659559981185558072012-10-10T22:32:00.001-04:002012-10-10T22:32:43.963-04:00(almost) wordless wednesday: 1 down...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMx-S3CwnKs/UHYuYczdp-I/AAAAAAAABU8/p2cVu4Vq9DU/s1600/IMGP6726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMx-S3CwnKs/UHYuYczdp-I/AAAAAAAABU8/p2cVu4Vq9DU/s1600/IMGP6726.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.caringcarrot.com/vegetarian-lentil-soup/">Vegetarian Lentil Soup</a></td></tr>
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...20 days to go. I'm trading in animal products, sugar, caffeine, processed foods and refined grains for whole foods and clean eating. This will be the second time I've done the Daniel Fast, and while I know the first few days will be rough and I will be tired, I am looking forward to the way I know I will feel at the end of these three weeks. Stay tuned...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-14251505535243421812012-10-08T22:46:00.000-04:002012-10-08T22:46:25.978-04:00letters to lucy: 4 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My dear, sweet Lucy,<br />
<br />
I know I say this every month, but I cannot believe another month has come and gone. You are a third of a year old and I feel like, at the rate you're going, I should start planning your first birthday now before it really creeps up on me. I held a 2 1/2 month old baby today, and the feeling of holding a baby without neck control already feels strange to me. On the other hand, I still find myself surprised when I see how much larger other babies your age are; you are a petite little thing, still very solidly in 0-3 month clothes with room to grow.<br />
<br />
Your fourth month of life was a big one, with lots of new milestones. My favorite new milestone is your giggle. You really make us work for it, but you especially love when I touch your feet to your cheeks and when I hop toward you while Daddy holds you facing out. The first time you laughed, we were getting ready to walk in a parade with you at the Bluffton Street Fair. I was bouncing you up and down, and Daddy and I both heard what can only be described as a chortle. With both of us working full time, I feel incredibly blessed that both of us were there to witness it together.<br />
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You definitely have a mind of your own; you are a chatterbox (always making your opinion known) and the baby of a thousand faces. It's funny how I feel like I can get a grasp of what you're trying to tell me when you babble (nonstop), based on the face that accompanies your "words". You've got the eyebrow and the skeptical side glance mastered, you have the ability to turn on the biggest pouty lip I've ever seen, but you're also more than willing to give out huge one-toothed grins.<br />
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Daddy and Mama love to wake you up together in the morning. The AM is definitely your time of day, and the biggest smile comes when you hear, "Good morning, sweetheart!" We still bathe you together most nights, too. I realize how special this time is, with just the three of us. Never again will we have a baby to which we can devote <i>all</i> of our love and attention. <br />
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I cling to what I know is ultimately the short amount of time we have left in our nursing relationship. I am starting to have a tough time keeping up with the amount you eat throughout the day; you just started waking up in the middle of the night to eat more, and I know we are soclose to starting you on cereal. Just promise me no matter how much you enjoy solid food, you will still enjoy nursing in the morning and evening. This time with you is my favorite. When I look back on this time of your life, I know it is the quiet times in the glider in your nursery that will make me the most nostalgic. Let's just enjoy it while it lasts, shall we?<br />
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Of course, the majority of the moments with you have been wonderful, but they haven't <i>all</i> been pleasant. We dealt with our fair share of screaming moments in the car in the past month, for one. You really <i>hate</i> the car when Mama rides along. It's like you just cannot understand why you can hear me, smell me, and see me, but I won't hold you. We were hoping to take you to Neebish Island for Thanksgiving but aren't so sure it's worth it when a seven hour drive is considered. We also fought (and survived) your first cold and are glad to have you healthy again.<br />
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All-in-all, your fourth month has been awesome to us. To cap it off, the day you turned four months, you suddenly decided you wanted to roll over several times, and the day after you suddenly decided laying back in a car seat is for sissies and started trying to pull yourself to sitting. It's amazing how quickly you are starting to learn. I can only imagine how much I am going to have to document in your fifth month, and I can't wait to see what's in store next!<br />
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All the love in the world,<br />
MamaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-65671474089954511422012-10-08T00:29:00.001-04:002012-10-08T00:29:39.015-04:00weekend review: work, work, napLucy celebrated being four months on Saturday by being, honestly, pretty grumpy. Either she wasn't feeling very well or she was just trying to give me a piece of her mind regarding my absence on Friday. I had a huge annual event at work called Girls' Night Out that kept me away from the house from 8am-10:30pm, which only left me about 15 minutes to see her in the morning before I left. It was tough to be away, but an adorable picture text from our wonderful sitter and photo booth opportunities with our staff got me through.<br />
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While Lucy was grumbly, Eric and I decided enough was enough when it came to our kitchen being in shambles from a backsplash project that should have been completed a month ago; so we finally did something about it and passed the babe back and forth while we took turns finishing up the grouting on our new subway tile.<br />
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Now clearly, there is a lot more to be done in our kitchen because, hello, carpet. It is starting to become satisfying looking at the before and <strike>after</strike> progress shots, though. We've painted the walls and cabinets, updated the hardware and redone the backsplash. We still hope to replace the carpet with hardwood floors, replace that terrible, awful stain glass, replace the outlets and light switches with white ones, figure out a new lighting solution and turn our mismatched desk/counters on the other half of the kitchen with a pantry and bar. Baby steps...<br />
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And speaking of baby, how cute did she look when we stepped out to church? I finally finished up a sweater I made for her, which was my first attempt at knitting anything other than a square/rectangle. It's a little small on her and I can see imperfections, but I'm pretty stinkin' proud.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on baby || onesie: Carter's | sweater: by Mommy (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-sophisticate">pattern</a>) | pants: not sure | shoes: originally her Aunt Maggie's | hair clip: by Mommy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on Mommy || shirt: Old Navy | sweater: Kohl's | pants: H&M | boots: can't remember (<a href="http://www.windsorstore.com/Footwear/All-Footwear/Tan-Knee-High-Riding-Boots/p/151033">similar</a>)</td></tr>
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And thankfully, all of the grumpies of Saturday were forgotten and Lucy gave me an opportunity to take a much needed nap before spending the rest of Sunday smiling and talking our ears off up until the minute she crashed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.harpershappenings.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2hi86lj.jpg" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-48560397058821515502012-10-04T09:00:00.000-04:002012-10-04T09:00:13.173-04:00cloth diapers: the dirty deets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Why cloth?</b><br />
I never imagined myself using cloth diapers, because in my mind, that involved folding, stuffing, pinning and being a lot more hands on with poop than I ever wanted to be. Frankly, it sounded like too much work. Then I read <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/05/dog-days-cloth-dipes/">this post</a> over on Young House Love. One size? All-in-one? Snaps? No blowouts or diaper rash? Cheap? Let's be honest here - Eric and I are Frugal (that's right, with a capital F), so the idea of buying diapers once and only having an up-front cost was the most enticing part of the whole deal. <br />
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Really, across the board, cloth seemed like not that much work at all and like something we could definitely do, especially if it meant saving a lot of money in the long run. We had several things that we considered when deciding on cloth, and then when picking out our diapers. My biggest concern was that I knew I would be going back to work, so we would have to have a diaper that was easy enough to get any babysitter on board. For the same reason, I knew we needed something low maintenence for ourselves; with 40 hours devoted to work throughout the week, and then additional time devoted to making dinner and keeping up our home (which I already fail at most days), I didn't want to give up any more time with my family to stuff diapers.<br />
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<b>The diapers</b><br />
I researched and researched, and then I researched some more. The best diaper I was able to come up with for our lifestyle was the same one that Sherry and John from YHL have: the bumGenius all-in-ones. They are a one-size fit and grow with baby, so we knew we would only have to buy one set of diapers; they are very low-maintenance and they received great reviews. Sign us up! I registered for diapers and wet bags (super important part of using cloth!) on <a href="http://www.diaperjunction.com/">Diaper Junction</a> and hoped and prayed that we would receive some as gifts.<br />
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We currently have 11 diapers, which were all gifted to us by wonderful friends, families and coworkers. Ten of these are the bumGenius Elemental all-in-ones and one is the bumGenius Freetime all-in-one. We have found that 11 simply is not enough, which we had anticipated. This week, I ordered six additional Freetime diapers, since Diaper Junction is currently hosting a special on them (buy 5, get 1 free).<br />
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Both diapers are essentially the same, but I prefer the Freetime for three main reasons:<br />
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<ol>
<li>They dry faster</li>
<li>They are cheaper</li>
<li>If we ever have a boy, they have sewn-in flaps that can be folded up to create more absorbency at the front of the diaper.</li>
</ol>
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<b>The challenges</b><br />
I'll be honest - cloth can be a dirty business. Where disposables can be wrapped up and tossed away without any soiling of hands, I spend time rinsing our cloth diapers out in a sink and wringing them as I go. For anyone that has ever been a fan of <a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/">Homestar Runner</a>, Eric has referred to me as the <a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/vcr_poop.html">Poopsmith</a>. Before having a child, this thought would have most likely made me gag. Now...meh...it's poop - nothing a little hand washing can't handle.<br />
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Around week two of using our cloth diapers, our dryer pooped out on us (see what I did there?) and five weeks later, we just got a new one. We had to mix in some disposables during this time - line drying takes way too long, and there was just no way to keep up. Needless to say, I'm so thankful to have a new one.<br />
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Staining - not a big deal, but about once a week, I hang the diapers on the line to be sun bleached.<br />
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Our other greatest challenge is educating others on how to use the cloth; throughout the week, we hand her off to her sitter, my mother-in-law and the church nursery volunteers. The biggest challenge is the nursery, because we drop her off before first service (when we go to Sunday school) and pick her up after second service. Between those times, the volunteers switch out. I can instruct the first group how to use her cloth diapers, but I can't guarantee the message gets passed on. I'm pretty sure this is how we lost one of our cloth diapers (we used to have 12); my best guess is that one got thrown away. I'm still stressed about losing one of our flock, and now I've become compulsive about counting how many diapers we have after we go anywhere.<br />
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<b>The verdit</b><br />
So worth it. We have a happy little baby with a rather cute, large tush from all that fabric. She has only wet out of her diaper twice (once it was not put on correctly, once after going 12 hours through the night), has never blown out and has not had any diaper rash. Also, hiiii, with our plan to hold off on number 2 (no pun intended) until Lucy is out of diapers, we should be able to pass these gender neutral colors off to her little brother or sister and neverrr have to pay for diapers again. Isn't that incentive enough?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-70085613069207211602012-10-03T13:53:00.000-04:002012-10-03T13:53:01.119-04:00(mostly) wordless wednesday: new tricks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This little girl of mine is such a busybody. She loves to constantly be stimulated and, like her mama during pregnancy, hates limitations. She thinks she's too big to be a baby and wants to see everything this world has to offer her. So now that she has a really nice amount of neck control, we are trying new things. The verdict on swinging? Love. Now she says, "What's next, Ma?"<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-37122347846568282122012-09-10T22:52:00.002-04:002012-09-29T02:53:31.892-04:00football and futbol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our weekend was filled with long car rides, the first cool night of Friday night football, a beautiful day of soccer and time with the best family a girl could ask for. Lucy sported her Darby gear and was so proud of her Uncles, Jake and Luke. And Lolly was so proud to show Lucy off to all of her friends and co-workers.<br />
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Outside of the whole screaming-baby-for-half-the-ride thing, this trip home can be chalked up as a successful one. In 100% related news, I'm now in the market for an affordable portable DVD player. And no, I feel no guilt over the idea of keeping my child preoccupied with screen time during long trips if it keeps us all a little more sane.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-27648203831847176912012-09-07T01:04:00.000-04:002012-09-07T00:43:24.587-04:00letters to lucy: three months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My sweet little Punkin',</div>
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I think it's time we have a serious discussion - you are three months old now and you just need to slam on the brakes, little lady. There were times in the first month of your life that felt like it was three months long, but ever since? Time, she's a-flyin'. Every day with you lately is my favorite for so many reasons it's hard to put into words.<br />
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You are a sweet, snuggly little thing. When Mama holds you, you nuzzle into my chest and will hang out there as long as I am willing to hold you. You have no desire to be put down, especially by me; it's a trait that is both incredibly sweet, but also sometimes incredibly inconvenient. Your mama has always been a do-er, floating between ten projects at a time. With your polite insistence on being held constantly, you are teaching me to slow down in life and soak everything in. We spend our evenings together snuggling. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on quality time with you because all you ever want to do with me is sleep, but it is such a great feeling when I realize that it's only with Mama that you can truly be content enough to relax and let your eyes close.<br />
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Speaking of eyes closed, you are a little sleepyhead. One night over Labor Day weekend, you slept from 8:30 until 11:00 the following morning, waking only twice during the morning just long enough to eat. You can sleep through the entire evening, wake to bathe and eat, then immediately fall back asleep, not waking again until morning. I know this is likely just because you are growing like a weed lately, but feel free to keep it up because Mama likes sleep, too.<br />
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You got a new sitter this month and we all think she is wonderful. We have been so blessed to have Miss Nicky - she loves on you so much throughout the day; she gives Mama and Daddy daily reports letting us know everything you've done, including tummy time, stories and Bible reading, listening to music and spending time outside. She sends me daily picture texts, which makes it a little easier to be away from you while I'm working. It's still hard, and I won't pretend I don't spend my days daydreaming of staying home with you, but this is what our family needs right now, and it's nice to know that you are in wonderful hands, at least.<br />
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Some of my favorite things in the past month: Each morning, the first time I catch your eyes, I say "good morning, sweetheart," to which you respond with a beaming smile. You love to talk, and occasionally you surprise yourself with how loud you can be. You are starting to take so much in; when you are focused on something, you can go minutes without blinking, as if you are afraid to miss even a split second of what is going on. You have discovered your hands and now they never. leave. your. mouth. You are a different person for Mama and Daddy - while snuggles are for Mama, play time is for Daddy. The two of you spend your time together with you facing out while you chase after the doggies, and Daddy helps you practice your standing. He insists he'll have you walking any day now.<br />
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Let's be honest, there's really nothing about you that your daddy and I don't absolutely adore. You are the most beautiful baby we have ever seen, and it is so exciting to see the sweet personality you are developing. I can't wait to see what your fourth month of life has in store!<br />
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Love,<br />
Mama<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2518724440278771511.post-2968910097923481842012-08-07T23:24:00.000-04:002012-08-07T23:24:31.621-04:00Two Months with Lucy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nmrXbEuPVTA/UCHbMDARFYI/AAAAAAAABQk/k1TUcgDr118/s1600/Lucy+2+months.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nmrXbEuPVTA/UCHbMDARFYI/AAAAAAAABQk/k1TUcgDr118/s640/Lucy+2+months.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My dear, sweet, little Lucy,<br />
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You are two months old now, and you are showing your age. Seemingly overnight this week, you have outgrown your newborn clothes and are magically filling out your 0-3 month outfits that were just swimming on you last week. Your mama is in complete denial; I think I'll let those too-small clothes hang in your closet for a while, just in case you decide to shrink back up a bit. <br />
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Gone is the colicky baby we had for the first six weeks of your life, and in her place is this awesome little person. You are a happy, relaxed little girl full of smiles and coos. You have big, deep dimples, making your smile all the more sweet. I think my favorite thing you do is your little half - maybe even only quarter - sneeze; not enough to provide any release, but just enough to make the cutest sound I've ever heard. <br />
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Your eyes are always wide these days, and I can just see you taking in the world, so full of curiosity. You especially love the mirror and the crane mobile your Aunt Maggie made for you. You also have a lot of fun playing on your activity mat, and it's so fun to see the wheels in your head turn. You're such a smart little girl; you've figured out that if you swing your right arm, you can make the tiger swing and jingle, which leads to more smiles and coos.<br />
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I went back to work this week, so you're officially a daycare kid. Part of me feels guilty for not being able to give you all of me; on the otherhand, you have a wonderful babysitter. Then there's also the fact that I grew up in daycare, and I never once felt slighted over the fact that my mom didn't stay home with me. In fact, I loved daycare, and I can still remember the relationships that I developed with the other children and the staff that took care of me. The one deal I've made with Miss Alyssa is that if you decide to demonstrate any firsts during your time with her, she will video for me so Mama doesn't have to miss anything. Our time together at night is special. You respond to my voice when I see you at the end of the day, and you've become extra snuggly in the evenings.<br />
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You started sleeping through the night this week, and while I thank you for the extra sleep, I'm missing our nighttime feedings. There's nothing quite like the feel of your little hand against my chest in the quiet darkness of night, when time seems to stop and there is more tenderness than I could have ever imagined experiencing at all, let alone at 3 am. Let's make a deal, shall we? You're allowed to wake up once in the middle of the night - in fact, I encourage it. Your mama isn't ready to let go of that special time yet.<br />
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The bottom line is this, Punkin...my heart has grown this month. Where the first month came with many tears, frustration and guilt over frustration, the second month of your life has brought smiles, laughs and a validation of our decision to be parents. This really is the best job in the world, and I feel so blessed to have you in my life. <br />
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Love (the unconditional kind),<br />
MamaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com4