When Nathan started crying last night I was secretly excited that I was going to get to sleep with my baby and snuggle his sweet, curly little head all night.
I scooped him out of his bed and he tucked his head into my neck and quieted instantly. I briefly thought that maybe all he needed was a quick cuddle and I should put him back in his bed. But as I tried to put him back, he started crying again. Yay! He wanted to come sleep with momma!
It's been a while since he's slept with us.
Apparently he's changed some of his sleep habits since then.
He refused to lay down. He started to fall asleep sitting up and then woke himself up as he fell backwards. This happened repeatedly until he finally slept through falling over.
He apparently has what I'm calling "restless baby" syndrome. It seemed very much like my restless leg syndrome but allllll over his body. If I tried to move away from his twitchy little body he would cry out and wiggle closer until we were touching again.
I didn't get nearly as much sleep as I would have liked to, but I wouldn't trade the night of cuddling my sweet boy for anything! The absolute best part was when he woke up just after 5:30, sat up and realized he wasn't in his room. He climbed up on me, gave me 3 kisses, and said "Mommmmmmmma!"
And then my heart exploded!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
rainbow strip baby quilt
I'm showing off my latest quilt today. I used Cluck Cluck Sew's "Strip and Flip" tutorial to create this baby size rainbow quilt. Caroline loves it and I've already been tasked with creating one big enough for her bed. I'm so glad that I found this tutorial and that Allison is kind enough to share so many free tutorials on her blog. I've also bought several of the patterns she has for sale and I love them all as well! I would highly recommend them all.
I used everything from chevron, polkadots, flowers and stars to stripes and geometric fabrics. I love the way they all work together.
I love that the strips finish at just an inch and a half. Its a wonderful size to show off just a bit of the pattern, but still focus mostly on the color which works so well for this rainbow quilt. One of my favorite things about the quilt is the use of the white sashing strips. I just love pops of white in a quilt top!
Straight line quilting emphasizes the strips on the front and contrasts nicely with the vertical stripes of the green fabric on the back. I also used the same green stripe fabric for the binding. It was hard deciding on a backing fabric because I wasn't sure I wanted to add any additional fabrics to the quilt. I finally decided on the green because I had enough to do the back in one piece and it gives a nice neutral touch to contrast the "busy" front.
I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts - Finish It Up Friday
Friday Fragments
I bring you the bumble jumble of my brain...
- Confession time: we are a paper-plate family. I know this does not jive with the current, super green, environmental trend. I don't care. My least favorite chore is washing dishes. LEAST! I'm terrible at keeping up with it and it is the norm for there to be dirty dishes in my sink. But the last time we ran out of paper plates I didn't buy any more. And even though I now have more dishes to do than before, I'm oddly keeping up with it better. Crazy! (This could & probably will change at any moment!)
- My 3 year old will do a lot of work for a quarter. I may need to consult my local child labor laws soon! ;)
- I've been avoiding the dentist even though I know that I'll actually feel better if I just go!!
- I have mini-van envy. I want one. I'm a dork & I know it!
- Back to school sales should not start in July when the kids have only been out of school a couple weeks and they don't have to go back until September!!
- I love the region I live in! There is a HUGE military presence. We can be at the beach in 20 minutes and in the mountains in 2 hours. There are major cities with lots to do within 2 hours in any direction. But I can be in the middle of a cornfield, driving down a dirt road in 30 minutes. It's pretty much the best of all worlds.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
reality TV obsession
You guys - I'm obsessed with the show Big Brother.
It is on every summer and I've been watching for probably 11 out of the 15 seasons. My level of obsession each summer depends on the people though and at the beginning of this season I really wasn't sure that I was going to be able to get excited.
But I am!
I've never gone so far as to subscribe to the live internet feeds and watch them all day. But I do admit to DVRing the Big Brother After Dark show and watching it the next day while the kiddos are napping & I eat lunch.
This is one of the only reality shows that I watch - and yes, I'm committed to watching all three nights a week that it comes on!
Tonight's episode was a pretty big twist and I loved it! I don't remember the beginning of recent seasons getting into the drama this early. But without it, I know it wouldn't be as entertaining!
It is on every summer and I've been watching for probably 11 out of the 15 seasons. My level of obsession each summer depends on the people though and at the beginning of this season I really wasn't sure that I was going to be able to get excited.
But I am!
I've never gone so far as to subscribe to the live internet feeds and watch them all day. But I do admit to DVRing the Big Brother After Dark show and watching it the next day while the kiddos are napping & I eat lunch.
This is one of the only reality shows that I watch - and yes, I'm committed to watching all three nights a week that it comes on!
Tonight's episode was a pretty big twist and I loved it! I don't remember the beginning of recent seasons getting into the drama this early. But without it, I know it wouldn't be as entertaining!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Beep and Pinket on Etsy!!
I posted listings and officially opened an Etsy shop today!
This feels huge and completely insignificant all at the same time.
I'm terrified and thrilled simultaneously.
I'm very excited to get my work out into the world and I'm anxious to see how strangers react to my creations. It will be fantastic to get paid for doing something I love - if anyone buys anything! Between my facebook page and now my Etsy shop I hope to really start reaching people beyond family and friends. I know it will take time, hard work and patience but I'm ready to see where this path leads.
I've got 6 listings up so far. Can't wait to see what sells first... and when!!
This feels huge and completely insignificant all at the same time.
I'm terrified and thrilled simultaneously.
I'm very excited to get my work out into the world and I'm anxious to see how strangers react to my creations. It will be fantastic to get paid for doing something I love - if anyone buys anything! Between my facebook page and now my Etsy shop I hope to really start reaching people beyond family and friends. I know it will take time, hard work and patience but I'm ready to see where this path leads.
I've got 6 listings up so far. Can't wait to see what sells first... and when!!
Just a couple of examples of what is available right now... if you hurry! ;)
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda
It really sucks when you think you are making smart choices that are going to get you ahead in life and they end up coming back to bite you in the ass.
Back in 2006 we were on the brink of getting married. Hubby had a good job. I was in grad school to get a good job. We had big plans.
And one of them was buying a house. No need to rent and throw away all those monthly payments when we could "own" something! Build equity. Make our own decisions. Have an investment.
The budget of a student and a new-to-the-workforce, getting-married-soon couple is not enormous. But we found a house that was perfect for our STARTER home. 2 bed rooms, 1 bath room, tiny kitchen, huge back yard, in a neighborhood that was being revitalized.
We expected to be in this house 3-5 years. TOPS!
.....................
It's now 7 years later.
We've got 2 kids.
The housing market is in the toilet.
.......................
On one hand I'm thankful that we have a home to live in. I even kind of like being in a small house because it keeps us all close. (I'm not looking to move into a mansion - just something with 3 bedrooms and more than 2 drawers in the kitchen.) It's nice that we haven't upgraded to a bigger house because it keeps our bills lower. And "technically" we haven't lost any money as long as we keep the house.
But on the other hand! I'm angry at the economy for "trapping" us in this house. We outgrew this house about 10 minutes after we found out we were expecting our second baby. We didn't buy this house with the expectation that our children would go to school in this district, but we are inching closer to that reality.
At this point we can't sell without taking a $20,000 loss. OUCH! And we can't have 2 houses (even if this one is rented out) since there's no way to get approved for another mortgage with this one already on the record.
I'm a little slow to accept reality - that we can't move. It is hitting me especially hard over the last few days because I've got baby fever. BAD! In my master life plan (HA!) I wanted to be pregnant again already or at least be trying. But since we've already maxed out the space in this house with two kids, there is really no place to put a third. Hubby is adamant that we can't have another baby while we live here. And he's right. (Good thing he doesn't read this - don't tell him I said that!)
So my big life plan is on hold all because we thought we were being responsible and buying a house. If we had just rented all those years ago as newlyweds we could have avoided the big housing market crash and we wouldn't be tied to a house that is too small to grow our family.
Being a grown up is hard!
~~~~I know that MY plan is meaningless and I should be more concerned with what God's plan is for us. Apparently he is trying to teach me that lesson and as stated before, I'm just being a really slow learner. Baby fever is just so dang hard to resist!! Focusing on listening to God and being thankful for what we DO have.~~~~~
Back in 2006 we were on the brink of getting married. Hubby had a good job. I was in grad school to get a good job. We had big plans.
And one of them was buying a house. No need to rent and throw away all those monthly payments when we could "own" something! Build equity. Make our own decisions. Have an investment.
The budget of a student and a new-to-the-workforce, getting-married-soon couple is not enormous. But we found a house that was perfect for our STARTER home. 2 bed rooms, 1 bath room, tiny kitchen, huge back yard, in a neighborhood that was being revitalized.
We expected to be in this house 3-5 years. TOPS!
.....................
It's now 7 years later.
We've got 2 kids.
The housing market is in the toilet.
.......................
On one hand I'm thankful that we have a home to live in. I even kind of like being in a small house because it keeps us all close. (I'm not looking to move into a mansion - just something with 3 bedrooms and more than 2 drawers in the kitchen.) It's nice that we haven't upgraded to a bigger house because it keeps our bills lower. And "technically" we haven't lost any money as long as we keep the house.
But on the other hand! I'm angry at the economy for "trapping" us in this house. We outgrew this house about 10 minutes after we found out we were expecting our second baby. We didn't buy this house with the expectation that our children would go to school in this district, but we are inching closer to that reality.
At this point we can't sell without taking a $20,000 loss. OUCH! And we can't have 2 houses (even if this one is rented out) since there's no way to get approved for another mortgage with this one already on the record.
I'm a little slow to accept reality - that we can't move. It is hitting me especially hard over the last few days because I've got baby fever. BAD! In my master life plan (HA!) I wanted to be pregnant again already or at least be trying. But since we've already maxed out the space in this house with two kids, there is really no place to put a third. Hubby is adamant that we can't have another baby while we live here. And he's right. (Good thing he doesn't read this - don't tell him I said that!)
So my big life plan is on hold all because we thought we were being responsible and buying a house. If we had just rented all those years ago as newlyweds we could have avoided the big housing market crash and we wouldn't be tied to a house that is too small to grow our family.
Being a grown up is hard!
~~~~I know that MY plan is meaningless and I should be more concerned with what God's plan is for us. Apparently he is trying to teach me that lesson and as stated before, I'm just being a really slow learner. Baby fever is just so dang hard to resist!! Focusing on listening to God and being thankful for what we DO have.~~~~~
Monday, July 8, 2013
Chronicles of Caroline
We were an hour and a half into nap time and I had been listening to Caroline quietly talking, singing, reading and playing the entire time. She's 3, so not taking an actual nap, but just resting instead wasn't a huge deal. She got quiet though and I thought that she may have finally given up and fallen asleep.
All of the sudden, in a panicked voice, I hear "I'M DONE SLEEPING MOM!"
Going in her room I see...
All of the sudden, in a panicked voice, I hear "I'M DONE SLEEPING MOM!"
Going in her room I see...
She had been trying to get her piggy bank and it was seconds from falling, so I saved that first and then told her not to move while I got the camera!
Things to note:
- She has never attempted to climb out of her crib before - hence the reason we haven't moved her out yet, but apparently we're about to get a big girl bed.
- I'm even thinking of a whole room re-organization so this doesn't happen again.
- She went to bed in just underwear and now has on only a shirt.
- I found 7 plastic Easter eggs in her bed that weren't there before.
- She took off her headband and put it away (behind the door - out of frame on the left) and picked out 5 bows instead.
- Her lamp and baskets are not usually arranged up there like that - her own decorative work!
This girl keeps me on my toes and I love her for it!
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