Tuesday, May 31, 2011

3 Months Old Today

The months are flying by. You are no longer a newborn. You are now an infant. A very calm, cool, quiet infant. You don't even know how special and loved you are. You are the best thing that has happened in my life, besides meeting your father.



You are getting very tall 23.75 inches/you are skinny/you still love to smile at the ceiling fan/you are also smiling a lot at your mommy and daddy/you have a hard time eating in public/you love kicking your legs a mile a minute/you enjoy daddys daily guitar lesson/we like to call you Storm/you can roll from your belly to your back/youre super cuddly and lovey/youre super observant/you are happy most of the time/you now recognize mommy and daddy/you look so cute in your cloth diapers/you are so good when we go out to eat/you cover your eyes with your hands when you are trying to go to sleep/you also enjoy eating your hands/you still love bathtime/but you hate tummy time/you like taking afternoon nap in mommys bed/you can hold your head up really well/you like to hold on to mommy and daddys arm/you look me in the eye when you are eating/you copy my facial expressions/you love to grab and hold onto my finger/you like to stare up at the trees/you like to sleep in the car/you make mommy and daddy happy/you love to sit in your bounce seat/you like when mommy plays peek a boo with you/you are super sweet.







Friday, May 27, 2011

This moment

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

-inspired by soulemama.com


Like Father , Like Son



Thursday, May 26, 2011

Cloth diaper update.

So we are on week 3 of cloth diapering our little man. I just wanted to share my observations so far. Prepping the prefolds was a bit of work, but once it was done it was done.  I use the prefolds with the thirsties covers during the day, but for nighttime I put him in a seventh generation chlorine free diaper. I want him to sleep comfortably and I try not to change him during the night, unless he is absolutely soaked. By the way I love the 7th generation disposables better than the Earth's Best if you are going to use disposables, but that is just my opinion.


I also really love, love, love the grovia owl print all in one. It is super cute and easy to use. They are also very trim, but they are a little on the expensive side. I couldn't use these exclusively, because I would need way too many and it is out of my budget. The prefolds are definately the most reasonable option. 





 I am very happy about my decision to cloth. It is safer for my babies little bum and he looks super cute with them on. It really isnt that much harder than the disposables. For the pee pee diapers I put them right in the fabric diaper bag and with the poopy ones I use my diaper sprayer to rinse them off and then put them directly into my little washing maching. I wash the diapers every other day or I have waited until the third day and it wasnt a problem. I then dry them on the line. My only problem with air drying them is sometimes the shape gets funky, but then I iron them out and they are ok.

The only complaint I have so far with the prefolds is that they are a little bulky and there are not many clothes made for cloth diapered babies. I did find a pattern for cute pants at made-by-rae.com that are super cute and work well. Sometimes he just wears the diaper with a onesie that is one size bigger.
.
All in all I think it is going pretty well so far. We will see what happens in a few more months when he starts eating food.

Friday, May 20, 2011

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see-inspired by Soulemama


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Growing fast

My little man is growing soooo fast. He is only 10 weeks, but looks wise beyond his years. He is changing more and more every day and is such a joy. He is so amused by the simple things such as ceiling fans and the play of light. He has started to pick up his head and is getting very strong.



(looks like someone needs to dye their hair and it's not the little one)






(He loves to visit the baby ducks in the pond behind our apartment)



(Look I am able to lift my head more and more everyday)

Monday, May 16, 2011

His and Hers Work Space

I used to work in my spare bedroom, but now that room is being occupied by my son. My husband helped me move my sewing work space to the enclosed patio. It is a great little space, but the only problem is it is also my husbands work space. He builds cigar box guitars. Sewing and building guitars dont really mesh well ,but is all the space we have. There are many purposes for the patio guitar building, sewing, bike storage and laundry drying area, but we make it work, because right now we have no choice.  This is the state of our work room.


(My fabric stash. Tried to color coordinate)




(Workin on something for the babe. Will show this again later in the week)


(My collection of thread)


(Vintage sheet collection)


(My vintage dress form. Her name is Betty and my craft book collection)



(Pile of scraps I am working on cutting up)



(Pile of work to do for the shop)



(Cloth diapers drying)



(and finally my husbands side of the room)
The only great thing is that when we do work we are working side by side. It's nice to have that time together doing the things we love to do. We there you have it. This is where we work and create. One of my favorite spaces in the house.

Friday, May 13, 2011

This Moment

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

1st big smiles at mama on Mothers Day.

-inspired by soulemama. If you are inspired to do the same share your moment

(I know I already shared this moment this week, but had to share it again.)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

High Chair Seat Cushions

I know I have a few months to go before the little one will sit and eat in his high chair, but this was a project I just had to get done now.  My husband and I picked this high chair up at our local unfinished furniture store. We  knew we wanted a wood high chair and not an unsightly plastic one. I just love the look of natural materials in my home. My husband stained it and it has been sitting naked in the corner of our dining room. I had picked up this very cute owl print fabric from Joann fabrics. I wasnt sure what I was going to use it for, but then I realized it would make the perfect high chair seat cushion, so I paired it with a contrasting stripe and I think it came out really cute.

1. The first thing I did to make this was to hold a piece of paper bag up to the high chair and to trace the bottom and the top.
2. I cut that out and laid the pattern pieces on my fabric (see below)
3. Then I cut some batting for the inside. I think I did 4 layers for added thickness
4.Sewed it up and turned it right side out and you will see on the bottom the finished product.


Laying out the pattern pieces to cut them out.


Here is the fabric. It is so cute.



The fabric and batting cut out ready to go.


The finished product. I really like how it turned out considering I have never made seat cushions before.


It is reversible too. Sorry didnt photograph the stripe fabric.

Monday, May 9, 2011

My first Mother's Day....

Woke up yesterday morning to pancake breakfast by my wonderful hubby. He then presented me with a "handmade"( it was store brought, but looked handmade) Mother's Day card. He said it reminded him of me, which I thought was a nice gesture and thought. He then gave me a gift from the baby his inked hand and foot print, which we never got around to doing when he was first born. I loved it though and it was a nice surprise.


      (love how the foot print came out perfect, but he looks like he has an extra finger with the handprint)
 
                                                          
  
We then took a drive to our local nature preserve for a little walk around the boardwalk. Where we saw some alligators, ducks, birds and cute little bunnies


                            


Then we spent a little time with some friends of ours and after that we headed off to dinner. Little D did great at dinner. He slept in the stroller pretty much the whole time and woke up right at the end for a  few cute pictures .






He was mesmorized by a ceiling fan. This was the best moment of the day for me, seeing his big, beautiful smiles. They can melt a mommies heart.








Friday, May 6, 2011

This moment

                                                             This moment

                            (this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.-inspired by Soulemama


                

 


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

2 months old today

It's hard to believe that time goes by so quickly. Just 2 months ago you were safetly tucked away in the security of my womb and now you are here. I think you are finally starting to adjust to your life here on Earth and to being part of our family. I think you like it here ; most of the time.  Today I am celebrating your 2 month Birthday along with my 31st Birthday. How special is it that we get to spend a milstone together. This is my first Birthday as a mother. I will cherish these moments forever. You are such a special boy in our lives and you fit perfectly with us. We love you so much.

                                                        

You have discovered your hands/you are still having a hard time with daytime naps/your eyes are still gray, but your hair has lightened up/you get happy after you go to the bathroom/you smile now/you love to kick your legs around a mile a minute/you sneeze a lot/you're a fast eater/you have chubby hands and feet/you're growing fast/you love to listen to the book 'The Day You Were Born"/you like to ride in the elevator/you like to stare/you have a big cloth diaper butt/you like sharing the bed with your mommy in the morning/you like walking to the library with mommy/you like to listen to daddy play the guitar/you love when mommy and daddy sing and dance with you/you get mad when you are on your tummy too long/you are a great nighttime sleeper/you love hearing your grandparents voices on skype/you usually only cry when you are hungry/daddy still can't believe that your "his son"/you make mommy worry a lot already/daddy is so patient and gentle with you/you love eskimo kisses/you like when mommy blows in your face/you love to sleep in your stroller, bouncy seat and in the moby wrap/you like watching your daddy build guitars/we feel like you have always been here/you have a cute little chin/you like to work out with mommy/you are starting to coo/you still like to be swaddled/you like hats(for now)/you get frustrated when eating/you are strong/you like to scoot yourself around on playmat/you are like a wise old man/you have veins that pop out on the side of your head/you have a double chin/you still grunt in your sleep/you love kisses.








You are changing more and more every day. I love you my little bear.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Books I am reading now

I love books. I admit it. I am completely obsessed with reading. I think it goes back to my childhood. When I was young, my mother would tote us all to the library at least 1 time a week . I would chose about 20 books to bring home, usually about crafts and animals to read that week. My mothers only rule was that we could only take out what we could carry home. Of course, I would try to take all 20 books out because I thought I could carry them all; well that wasn't always the case. I think I maybe made it out of there with 10 at the most.  I think it is so important to teach children to have a love of books from a young age and teach them how to respect them right from the beginning. That's a post for another day. Today I would like to share with you the books I have on my night stand right now. I usually reading 5 books at a time, which may be confusing for some, but that's just how I am. 
  

The first book I would like to mention is one that I am highly reccomending for any parent, of any child, of any age. It is called "Simplicity Parenting" and is by Kim John Payne. I picked this book up about a year and a half ago for the first time, before I was even expecting a child. Being a nanny and preschool teacher I am constantly reading any new literature about childcare that I can get my hands on. This title really caught my eye, since I had just started to get interested in Waldorf education and was trying to find anything that even mentioned Waldorf.  I have read this book about 3 times and I have just started reading it again, because now I can relate to it on a different level having my own child.  I actually just went to a lecture he was giving and if he is coming to your town I would go to see him. You can visit his website for upcoming tour dates.http://www.simplicityparenting.com/.


The next book is called "10 Habits of Happy Mothers" by Meg Meekeer. I haven't gotten too far into this one, but it seems really interesting.  I am looking forward to having the chance to really sit down and read it so I can truly absorb what she is saying.

The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers Publisher: Ballantine Books

The next one is "Body after Baby" by Jackie Keller. I am trying to lose my baby weight and came upon this book. I like the way she lays out 30 days of menus and activities. There are a lot of really good recipes in this book, ones that I would actually make and eat.

Body After Baby by Jackie Keller

and the last one that I am going to mention today is "Creative Play For your Toddler" by Christopher Clouder and Janni Nicol. This book has many great children's toy projects, which are based around Waldorf philospohy. I am trying to find simple things that I can make for the little one. This book has a lot of great ideas.

Creative Play for Your Toddler: Steiner Waldorf Expertise and Toy Projects for 2 - 4s

                      Well there you have it. My bedside reads. I am sure I will share some more with you in the near future. I hope that you will pick up one of these great books soon.