Saturday, July 14, 2012

18 months, wowza

18 months old.  A lot of firsts going on around here.  In the last month :
-first bonkered head enough to leave a big bump shortly followed by...
-first sucker (pure joyful giggles followed)
-first trip to the beach to play in the sand
-first long stretch of having his big brother gone and missing him a billion and looking for him every morning
-first live concert (this was a huge hit!  Much happy dancing)
-first wagon ride
-first times running through sprinklers on hot days (a favorite, now mommy has to be careful not to let go of him when we walk by any if she doesn't want a drenched bebe)
-first experience with shelling peanuts to eat then and THROW the shells as far as possible, great fun!
-first time going to throw big rocks in the lake (before this there has been rock throwing, and puddle rock throwing and maybe pond rock throwing but this was the first lake rock throwing with a great rock thrower friend who made big splashes that delighted this boy)
-And soooooon we'll add 'first time being a big brother" to this list.  Crazy crazy.



More sewing time

Sewing sewing sewing.  A couple of months ago I sort of had a little time for such things.  
The goal was make a bunch of stuff (more than just aprons), sell whatever sold and the rest could be tucked away for gift giving.  So far most is selling (yaya!) so I'll have to find more time somehow to make a stash of handmade gloriousness for gifting.  I'm quite fond of the Mama/Daughter coordinating aprons.  







Thursday, April 19, 2012

blog? what blog?

I have a blog?  I forget.  Some well meaning family pointed out that they don't see us much and need more here on the blog since I also don't answer my phone and yadda yadda all that jazz.
So here I am.  Perhaps a little inspired because I've been hopping around reading friend's blogs too and hey, if they can do it I can do it.  I just don't want to lately.  That or anything.  Because I'm tired.  I mean pregnant.  I mean tired.  Oh, I mean pregnant.  Oh right, those words are basically the same word.  Right now when I have a wild crazy toddler who I love to hang out with all day and his older brother needing attention sans little brother, yes tired/pregnant.  Yep.  There is your update folks.  ha.  No really.  I suppose I'll try to give a little more than that.






mama wants to be in a photo so she has to take one herself.  I need a photographer to follow me and document my life in photos...so I can be in some!



Recently:
Ivan changes speedy fast as babies do.  He learns more and does more and is more huge each day than the day before.  His newest antics include pushing anything he can near anything else he can to get the best climbing height possible.  Today Spencer and his cousin Mak left cookies and milk on the table.  A moment of back tunredness and there was Ivan standing on the table with his whole hand and a cookie deep in a glass of milk...everything else had been removed from said table by Ivan and placed haphazardly on the floor.
He also has an undying love for cats.  um, excuse me, kittykitties is what they're called now.  The real kitten we rescued last year made a huge impression on him and now books, toys, pictures, actual cats are such a source of excitement!  He has 3 stuffed kitties that are the little loves of his life and a nice tool to distract him and cheer him up.   A few weeks ago I took him and Spencer to the zoo, thinking it would be fun and exciting for him and Spencer always likes the zoo.  Ivan was not impressed.  He was, however, quite impressed by our outing to Petsmart where he saw a wall of caged kitties waiting to be adopted.  Why do parents forget how easily entertained little ones can be?  (a note: the pink stroller was borrowed and troubled Spencer that I'd put his brother in it.  I think Ivan survived fine and didn't even notice the pink stroller)(another note, same trip to zoo was a weekend we got to spend time with my brother, Stanton, Spencer's favorite uncle, and take Ivan on his first train rides)
Kisses for kittykitty are so nice.

HORRAYYYYYY!  3 Kitties!  (one a tiger from our zoo trip)

New book.  A favorite still weeks later.  Again with the kitties.

Pink stroller?  what are you trying to pull mom?  My brother says this is not cool!

Another first train ride, downtown Salt Lake City




Little ones are easily entertained But not the big ones.  Not the 11 year old.  Not easily entertained at all.  Working very hard at a teenage attitude towards everything a little early I think.  Not easily impressed.  Goes out of his way to let me know he is, in fact, unimpressed by much of what goes on in our world.  Until I decided daily bike rides with him are something our world needs.  Now, that is something he thinks is cool enough to smile about.  So we do.  Or did, until my bike got wounded and now I need to get it fixed so rides can resume.  I also long for the day when I let myself order a new, softer, wider bike seat from Amazon or some other place.  My bike seat is easily the most uncomfortable one ever.  Lots of bruised bum feelings after long rides.  And did I mention I'm pregnant?  Now is the time to embrace anything that can add comfort and avoid anything that takes it away.

With Uncle Stanton at the reflecting pool at Temple Square.  

Zoo train ride.

See?  Much happy and excited about these kitties, not so the real animals we saw.

My good eggs in an egg.


Lets see, other news...hmmm?  Things pop into my head like: Spencer is getting ready for a science fair and has titled his project "The Eggshell Destroyer" (The Eggshell Slaughterer was a close second).  I'll try awfully hard to be motivated enough to post pics of the science fair.  No promises.
   Spencer is reading reading reading, which is fantastic.  I think his love of reading is driven by how many points he earns taking AR tests.  That is ok.  Hopefully that drive will be enough to get him hooked on reading just for the sake of reading.
This 11 year old stayed home from school one morning 'so so so sick'.  Later to admit that the night before he and his friend rode their bikes to the store and bought a 12 pack of Mt. Dew and a giant sub sandwich and candy and ate/drank it all in under a half hour before coming home.  Wow, no kidding they didn't feel good the next morning!
We're watching fantastic old 70s and 80s slasher movies and comedies a whole lot thanks to Netflix.  Less of that now that the weather finally isn't so snowy and cold though.
I've been trying to find minutes during the day without Ivan's help to sew and knit some projects for people that they've been waiting on.  I so want to get them done so I can just sew and knit for my kiddos.  But, it is slow going since Ivan is such a good helper.
Lots of ultrasounds at doctor appointments show that the fetus baby is growing and healthy.  Only a few more months and we'll meet him or her.  (My guess is him, but we haven't found out yet).
And wowza, look, I blogged.  Enjoy, it may not happen again for a long while.  I also probably won't get any better at answering my phone anytime soon.  It doesn't mean we don't love you family!  It just means we're busy with all this learning and growing and exploring and such.  And someday the pace will change in our world and we'll be in touch more.  xoxoxo!

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Lately I love...


A few things I love right now:

~I love my baby's love of Elmo and Sesame Street.  When nothing else calms a meltdown, Sesame Street always does!
~I love peanut butter M&M's.  A lot.  This baby must really like them.
~That I finally learned to crochet.  Still more of a knitting fan but I'm glad to finally know how to crochet.
~My Kindle.  Who knew I'd be such a fan?  Still love my 'real' books too.
~Magical Burt's Bees body wash that has a magical scent that makes the nausea go away.
~Having people once in a while who'll hang out with Ivan so I can go back to bed in the morning.  Or go to the bookstore without a toddler, or take a bath without a toddler.
~I love that my 11 year old is responsible enough to get up to his own alarm in the morning and get himself ready for school in time to make the bus.  I love smooth running mornings with no having to 'hurry' anyone along.
~I love how hilarious my 11 year old is and always trying to make people laugh.
~I love how cuddly my wild monkey toddler gets and his big baby kisses.
~I love days when it looks hopeful that snow may melt and spring may come.
~I love that I am starting to feel this new baby move, it makes things magical and real.
~Iced vanilla latte flavored drink mix.
~Lavender scented laundry.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

A big brother

The big news around here?  This little tiny guy is going to be a Big brother this coming summer.    Mama is a bit overwhelmed and in shock!  (and ohso tired and nauseous, but that is another story)
The even older brother is saying he isn't happy there will be more babies.  But he does have fun coming up with crazy funny names he thinks I should use for the babes.
But this little one, he doesn't understand that he'll be dethroned as the baby so soon.  I can't see him being happy about it.  I'm sad he doesn't get to be the baby very long.   And happy that there are more newborn moments coming to our family.  Babies are always a good thing.
This pregnancy isn't the dreamy bliss of carrying a child that my last one was.  Last time I was thrilled that a baby was on the way, so much so that I was able to find gratitude for even the fatigue and nausea that followed me, and so many other little discomforts and even a stint of bedrest.  And it was bliss.  This time I know I love the humans I'm growing just as much, but I'm less overjoyed at the discomfort.  This may come from having a toddler already, so there is not the same opportunity to 'take it slow' or even take a nap or a bath a lot of days.  Or it may be that a little dose of sanity hit me and I just feel that being uncomfortable is no fun, no matter how much I love, no matter how exciting it is that these little people are growing in me and will be here soon.  Not feeling good is, well, not fun.
And then there is the work that it means I'll have to do before summer.  Like teach Ivan to sleep in his own bed. A bed with both a toddler and a newborn or 2 doesn't sound like a safe or peaceful place.   I momentarily considered weaning him from breatmilk but then decided we'll just go with what works.  Maybe they'll 'share' for a while.

I am soaking up all the peace I can find right now, I know that life will be even more full of love soon but peace, the quiet kind?  It may be just different from how it shows itself now!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Recent sewing projects





By recent I mean within the last 6 months.  The pink and green bag on top was most recent, a just before Christmas gift for a little girl.  So quick and easy to put together, I think start to finish it was maybe almost half an hour.  No pattern, just grabbing bits of fabric from the stash my mom has and putting together what I saw in my head.  Oh so cute!  I planned on doing more for Christmas gifts but decided to go the 'easy' route for most on our list and skip the handmade this year.   This year there was a baby that I wanted to hold instead of spending time sewing.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Happy Birthday Baby Boy


Ivan turned one last week.  We also spent the week in the hospital.  Poor kiddo was pretty sick.  After some tests they found it wasn't RSV (yay) but another virus that acts similar.

Our days staying in the hospital made me notice again the good and not good things a hospital (at least this one) has going for it.
I hate the plasticy pillows.   Sanitary, yes.  And that is nice.  But comfort level zero.  When Ivan was born and  we spent a couple of days in the hospital I wished for my own pillow.  This time too.
Same feelings about the plastic mattresses.
And lets not even talk about how you have to browse through EVERY channel on the TV until you get to the 'off' channel because there is not 'off' button.
And there is no one in the world I would want taking care of my little boy when he's sick than myself.  But it does humor me a little that when you give birth the hospital staff is offering and offering to take your newborn for an hour or two and you basically have to shoo them away so you can have a quiet first day with your baby (another reason homebirth is the way to go)....but when you are exhausted and haven't slept for more than a day because your baby is sick and you are stressed and worried about him on top of that there is no offer at all from staff to even hold him so you can go to the bathroom without a crying baby.  (Just a side note, I finally begged a CNA to hold him while I was in the bathroom, she said she didn't think she was allowed to, went and checked and came back in a full robe and mask and hat and gloves with permission to 'hold him just for a minute')
Also, baby on a monitor, monitor cords not long enough for mama to hold him while she's on the toilet.......NOT a perfect set up.  It was a long stay.  Can you tell?
And our view, was directly into another room.  Very weird.  Little narrow yard outside our window then boom, another window.  Both day and night we could see right into that room and they into ours I'm sure.  A lot of 'blinds closed' time.
Most of the nurses and CNAs fantastically nice and helpful and wise.  A few, not so much.  And those few made the shifts they were there with us a little like hell.   Again, the good ones were GOOD and I so very appreciate them and their willingness and education to take care of my baby so well.   By the time we left Ivan had a favorite, he would get oh so happy when Lori came into the room and wave at her when she left.  I was very thankful for the nurses who acted like they cared and were nice to Ivan.  These are the kind of people I want taking care of him!
I did notice that our local hospital is not at all like being in the hospital on Gray's Anatomy seems.  We didn't overhear any staff drama.  And that too is great.  ha.
Grandpa came to give Ivan a blessing and some of our friends came for that too.  It was such a nice thing for them to come do for us, and I appreciate it.
After days and days of being hooked up to a monitor to measure his heart rate and oxygen levels, of breathing treatments and oxygen, of not much sleep and so on, he started to feel better.  He lost a couple of pounds, which is a lot when you're one.  But he is feeling/breathing better everyday.  We're home now with an oxygen tank and a schedule for breathing treatments and other meds.  So excited for a full recovery and for life to be back to normal!



The oxygen mask was scary to Ivan, so his toy kitty kitty wore it for him.  This helped Ivan get the oxygen he needed in a much less scary way.  Good kitty kitty.

They served us lots of goop they said was food.  Some of it was good, some of it was, um, not so much.
The hospital gowns for babies were awfully cute.  It was worth running out of clean clothes while we were there to be able to borrow some of them.

A day after his first birthday he got one of his first bottles ever.  This boy is a breast kid, we were never able to convince him that a bottle was worth considering.  But full of Pedialite it was a fun game for a day.  It made me laugh that we waited until he was over a year old to try again to introduce a bottle.  (He gave it up in favor of a cup before we came home though).

Feeling better, and a little cooped up from being in our tiny hospital room for days and days, we were finally granted 'leave' to go on a walk in the hall.  Being free from the monitors was as much fun as running for him at this point.
They gave the thumbs up to let Ivan's older siblings come visit the last night if they wanted.  So Grandpa brought Spencer and a pizza and we had a late birthday "party" for baby Ivan.  He wasn't very impressed but his big brother was.  And his mama was ready for a meal that wasn't hospital food so the timing was so perfect!
I realize now that I didn't get any photos of the horrible sticky tabs the nurse we had on the last night put on his cheeks.  To hold the nasal tubes for oxygen in place.  (Which he really really really hated and we didn't use).  But we found out the next day from the doctor that she didn't use ones for a child.  She used adult ones and we were warned not to force them off or they'd remove skin too.  So for days they stayed on his face driving him crazy while I tried to work them off with baby oil or lotion.  One is still on.  But he is breathing better and acting more like himself so we'll deal with the annoying sticky tabs another day or 2.
So thankful to be mama to this little one and so thankful that he's on the mend.  Happy Birthday my little love.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Christmas decorations



Here is what I thought was a great idea for excess scrapbook paper.  Scrapbook paper is something that I have a bit too much of.  So here is what I decided a bunch of it should become.  Fun project for kiddos too.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Really no photos? Who Have I Become?!

Ok, so I am looking through my recent photos and, nothing.  NOTHING.  really?  gee.  My point and shoot camera is a bit on the downhill side of a slippery slope of death (yes, with the computer) and my other camera is just not as easy peasy to take pictures with while my arms are full of Baby.  sigh.  New goal: put said baby down long enough to take a few photos now and then.   Except said baby does not like being put down, or I should say rarely likes to be put down. And this mama really just likes holding him.  He's been here almost a year and I'm still amazed that he is here, and still don't really want to put him down.  So photos will wait, (as will the laundry??)
My dad is going to not be working for a while.  Maybe he'll move with me and be my nanny/and/or camera man.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

and so..



So the photo has little to do with what I'm posting.  I just quite like my baby.  And my dad.  They're pretty cool guys.

and so, there are some not happy things in my world, such as:
~colds.  yucky yucky stuffy noses coughing tired sore yucky colds....for me, for my kiddos, for people around us
~my computer is on its death bed.  I'll send out notices so everyone can attend the funeral.  I'll put a flyer at the post office.  This is sad indeed as it has really slowed down Christmas gift making progress.  I may give Valentine gifts instead
~my baby forgot he likes to go to bed around 8.  Now it is closer to midnight.  But he's so funny and chatty and cuddly that this may not be a bad thing

and so on and so on

The HAPPY, lets look at that:
~Happy to come home to find a brand new cozy pair of jammies for Ivan from Auntie Leda
~Happy that gifts and cards that need mailed for Christmas are on their way to their new homes (note, only people we really really love got cards, I'm not in a card mood this Christmas.  Again, look for a card from me at Valentines day instead)
~Happy for big changes.  Happy for Happy.  Happy for adventures (I could go on here)
~Oh so happy to be seeing home videos from 2001-2005 again, instead of packed in a box they are getting ready to make a digital debut
~Happy that I have a heater pointed at me at this very moment
~Happy for fuzzy socks
~Happy that it is bedtime
Goodnight!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

I so love this little camera

Really really love it.  I've been reading reviews on it for a long time, since it was in its first models.  I am lucky enough to have the Digital Harinezumi 2 +++ living in my camera bag now!  Yes- Triple Plus!  That means it does even MORE cool stuff!!!!  It won't replace my SLR, or my video camera or anything, just add to the fun.
Maybe it is because I'm kind of a nostalgia junkie that I love it.  It can give your photos such a vintage feel.  I love that it is unpredictable like old 35mm and 110 cameras.  I like that you can get unexpected treasures from it.  I love that is is tiny enough to fit in my hand, that it looks like a kid's toy and that it makes choppy fuzzy silent video in the coolest color combos ever.  Yes, I know my photo/video editing software can take my photos and videos and give them these effects too.  But it is a little like traveling back in time (way back to, oh, the 70s?) to get these results straight from the camera!
 The artsy possibilities are endless.
Here are just a couple of favorites, these are all from July.  (So yes, did I mention I'm posting behind?  It is the cool thing to do, don't you know)  In 6 months I'll show you what I'm doing today.












I love the grainy old look these have.  I also love the crisp perfect look my other cameras give me.  But oh, how I love the old feel and cool artsy effects this camera gives me.

Monday, December 05, 2011

More fall knitting



These little owls are the unfinished versions.  It seems as soon as they have eyes and beaks they get claimed by someone and taken to be loved and played with.
My goal is to get some finished And photographed before they get passed on as gifts.
The guy in the top photo actually didn't ever get eyes or a beak and my baby still loves him and carries him around just the same.

Stylish feeties



Yes, it is December, and yes I'm just now posting these spiffy Halloween booties.  They were my first pair of booties knitted, so mistakes were many (its how you learn, right? :)  But Ivan's feet were still pretty warm and festive in them.  
A great thing about these particular booties is that they are made from yarn passed on from a friend, no out of pocket expense to put them together.  My favorite kind of project!
 I fell in love with how quick this pattern works up, and now Ivan and many of his little baby friends have pairs in various colors and sizes.