Life In Color

Mama guilt made me do it

 

Oh my friends I have been having such a bad case of mama guilt! Feeling like I'm not doing enough with Tuesday just "being" with her and going about our day to day. I feel like she (and other babies we know her age) is going through this crazy development period. Everyday I see that she knows more and tries more things. Today she took her first steps from one thing (baby gate) to another (high chair) with out any prompting. Usually we're baiting her with something. But she did it just to get from one place to another, because it's a very short (three step) distance and she figured it would be faster than getting down and crawling. I almost can't believe she can figure it out. But of course I think she's the smartest... oh wait no I don't. I think she's the most darling perfect little thing, but I have been comparing her to other babies which I shouldn't do, but I think it's just a natural thing. Especially when it's your first baby and you just don't know what comes next. 

You probably realize that I read lots of blogs and have many friends with babies the same age. Well it seemed to me that so many mamas were doing all kinds of "projects" with their babies. I could not figure out how this was possible since Tuesday puts everything into her mouth and her fine motor skills are so fantastic this includes grabbing ants racing across our floor (I swear we're clean) and stuffing them in her mouth! But when I saw Carmen painted with her little Chloe I could stand it no more and decided I must try a project with my Sparkle Pants. You may have seen the photo of the day. It did not go as planned.

 

"Haha, you want me to do what mom?" Note - yes she has paint in her mouth. Carmen I didn't see that you had responded to me; tempura paint = genius. I used a water based supposedly non toxic acrylic. Not my hard core Goldens or anything, but still I was on her like white on rice and I still couldn't keep it out of her mouth (note to others - it did not come off this onsie).

 

The whole thing lasted about five minutes and really she didn't do anything. I had to put her hand on the canvas. I felt like an abject failure! Let me reiterate - she only wanted it in her mouth! (I know Bj, "that's what she said.").

Once I took a step back, and after her first year check up showed she was indeed normal, I realized I have to just roll with the day. If we never get anything done then we never get anything done. That doesn't mean we're not DOING things, like watching the cars go by, clapping, playing with Lee Lee, pushing a shopping cart and bouncing while I pack order. It is easy to say I'm going to let go, then to actually let go...

 

I tried it again with water a few days later. She loved the water, but didn't "get" the painting thing.

 

You know what? That's ok. We'll keep trying. If my baby doesn't like art it won't kill me (I tell myself). Speaking of creating the room is nearly complete. I did pick out knobs (see the dalies), and just can not stand to show you the room if it isn't totally done. They come on Friday, so look for a post on the craft den this weekend(ish).
 
 
 
 

Being One

At one Tuesday is:

-Babbling like crazy and doing this cute talking thing. She has a few "words" besides mama. She calls her Papa "bob bob" and sort of says hi and bye. Also finally learned to squeal and it is cute.

-Non vocal communication is through the roof. She leans her head on her shoulder for sleep/night night and also love. When you ask her if she loves something she cuddles it next to her. She waves for hello/goodbye and when you say, "good job" she starts clapping. Starting to shake her head for no (especially at meal times).

-Eating a lot and will try most anything. This must have spurred on her amazing weight gain - almost a pound in a month bringing her year end weight to 16 pounds 1 ounce and her height to 28 1/4 inches. I was 16 pounds 5 ounces and 28 3/4 inches at a year, I can't believe with a dad as tall as Bj she is smaller than I was. 

-Wearing a size 9 months mostly. I just put away a bunch of 3-6 months stuff, even though she can easily wear it with extenders for height. Mostly because oh my goodness she's been wearing that stuff forever! Her pants are mostly size 12 month, but rolled up (giant cloth diaper booty). Her shoes are still the smallest size which is crazy because I don't think they are really meant for walking, but she doesn't fit into the bigger shoes we have ready for her.

-Still nurses a lot, but will no longer nurse to sleep. I know this is just developmental, but I really can't believe it. One day I knew she was tired so I nursed her and she finished nursing, looked up at me and yawned. This led to...

-Naps in the crib. Including crazy long (over an hour and we have even had a few two hour naps) ones.

-Papa is her favorite to put her to sleep. He can always do it, problem is he is not always available (working during the day).

-Cruising around everything, barely needs to hold onto anything to pull herself up. Taking tentative steps. This started around the new year, but she still only does a few at a time. 

-No longer wants to poop on the potty. I'm not sure why, but for the last week or so when I go to get her in the morning she has a soiled diaper. This is so annoying and I'm not really sure what to do about it (wake her up in the morning instead of letting her play in her crib for a while?

-Back to sleeping. Our schedule is running late right now. I don't mind it so much because I like sleeping in, but we do need to work on it a bit so that one of the nap times isn't so late. I'm sure I'll continue to nurse her at least once in the middle of the night, but if she wakes more than that she really doesn't need to nurse and I only let her when we are too tired to bounce her like she likes (walk around the room with a bouncy step and pat her back).  

-Still puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. From the tiniest little speck to the spines of her books. I understand why (four teeth and counting), but it is a bit frustrating. I feel like I can't "do" things with her, like projects (a whole post on this coming). I can't leave her alone with books. One moment she is flipping through them the next she is munching on pieces of the board she's managed to get off. 

-So sociable. Really loves being out, going for walks. Seeing people and looking at things. I love the way she looks at something quizzically, then looks at me for an explanation. 

-Has developed so much in the last week I can't even wrap my head around what she will be like at two.

 

Celebrating One

First let me say that after coming out of the fog of sickness and realizing what has happened in Haiti I feel such sadness. It seems impossible to blog about the wonderful celebration of my darling daughter's first birthday without mentioning some way to support families that are grieving so much right now. We have decided to give to Doctor's Without Borders, but there are many other aid organizations accepting donations as well. Please give what you can.

The little party with no real planning kind of turned into a last minute mama push to finish all the little details I suddenly felt were necessary. 

 

Greeting our guests was this little thing I whipped up the night (or early morning actually) before the party. I had wanted to go with a alphabet theme, I don't know why I always come up with themes for things in my mind as I never stick to them anyway.

 

Also extremely last minute ("Hey thanks for coming early Sciarrino, get sewing!") was this felt garland based of the one over on purl bee. I have this up still, and never want to take it down so hopefully I'll get some better pictures of it soon. 

 

I put Sciarrino's man Ethan to work as well. Since this is an awkward shaped gift we decided not to wrap it but have it waiting for Miss Sparkle Pants when she came down. 

 

Nice job Ethan! You may recognize this as a major re-gift. I bought it at an estate sale for my god-daughter a few years ago. It was loved and given back to me. We did buy some new people for it. Tuesday and the other babies loved playing with it and all of the other goodies she got.

 

While we do love everything (so much so I'm going to do another post on the wonderful handmade things she got) it is a bit overwhelming around her after this bash plus Christmas. This weekend we are going to work on a toy plan.

 

Of course I couldn't bare to give Tutu any store bought sugary treats. So in my obsessive state I had Bj make homemade teething biscuits (her favorite) plus yam based frosting (oh and he also made all the appetizers, and Sciarrino made the cookies so really I was more of a coordinator). I used a natural food coloring and some safe sprinkles to decorate them and served it all on a plate with organic whip cream around it.

 

(can you see her sparkly pants?!?! I didn't get a good picture of these crazy silver leggings)

 

Mmm she loves it! She wore her hat most of the day.

 

other side:

 

Just a copy really of the one I made V. When I run out of this making memories paper from six years ago I'll be sad. 

 

While I was at the flower making I made extras and threw them on the table. When it's one AM I start to get all kinds of great ideas. 
 
 

Of course the best part is celebrating with wonderful family and friends. Big thanks to my wonderful step-dad for taking lots of extra pictures! Oh and I made her shirt too, totally last minute so it might only be worn this once (sharpies do not equal fabric markers FYI). I looked at a tutorial that I can't find a the link to (then of course did not follow any of the directions).

Is there any interested in a first year baby wrap up post? Things we used, did, books we read etc? I want to do one for my pregnant friends anyway, but if there is a lot of interest I'd be happy to take questions and compile it all extra nicely :)

Christmas for the grandparents - take one

I'm awaiting more photos from Tuesday's party from other guests. It turns out it's not quite as easy to photograph your own child's first birthday as it is to be hired to do someone else's kid's. 

I do want to do more photography though and Bj and I thought giving our parents photoshoots with Tuesday would be a fun gift. We are also going to get them some prints, which I can't wait to order. Bj's mom and step-dad were the first ones to take us up on the offer and I shot them the day after Tuesday's birthday in a nearby park. I'll let the photos do the talking.

 

 

 

I was so happy to shoot these I went home and edited them right away. They wanted mostly black and white, which worked out since it was so cold we all had to leave our sweaters and jackets on (and Tuesday's sweater has a lot going on - shocker). I'm excited to do the other two sets of grandparents soon.

Tuesday - Her First Year

Thanks for all well wishes. We are on the mend, all the messy sick laundry is done and we ate today, whoo hoo! Tutu was cared for yesterday by my mom who brought her back a few times for me to nurse her (and we gave her frozen milk, I was afraid I would have nothing being so dehydrated). I'll just look at the bright side - that was a quick way to loose four pounds! 

And now the winner of my Box of Amber (which I can not wait to make and will share):

Suzanne that means it's you! I'm going to email you soon to ask you some questions about your craftiness (and possibly any dietary concerns :)! FYI I started it on 2 because Bj was 1 and like he said, he doesn't need the box since he has the real thing!

And a post I can't believe came so quickly - Tutu year one, a pictorial recap:

 

Four days old - the closest thing I got to "newborn shots" as Tuesday usually looked like this:

 

Two weeks old - fighting sleep, this will become a theme.

 

1.25 months - for scale.

 

2 months - pretty much the only way she will sleep (she still does this arms straight down thing when she rests).

 

2.5 months - finally able to take her in the car for a bit.

 

almost 3 months - new skills... these hands do something!

 

3 months - being adorable.

 

3.5 months - fitting into the one baby thing we had in the house during the remodel finally.

 

4 months - loving handknits.

 

4.5 months - swimming!

 

5 months - visiting friends.

 

6 months - bouncing

 

6.25 months - enjoying the porch.

 

7 months - first plane ride, Alaska! and

 

first time swinging, loves it!

 

7.25 months - first solids, takes a long while to catch on to this weird stuff, until now it had been all milky all the time (and it still is)!

 

7.5 months - first time at the fair.

 

8.5 months - handling the little cup like a pro.

 

9 months - at Kathy's pumpkin patch.

 

9.25 months - pissed at the TSA third flight (and 4th, 5th, 6th...) to Vermont to visit Ceara!

 

9.75 months - Halloween.

 

10.25 months - watching the big girls swing with grandma.

 

almost 11 months - flights 7 and 8 to Hawaii and back. First hike (though I did most of the work...)

 

11.5 months - "talking" to mama on Christmas morning

 

1 year old!!! Party - details to come.

How fast it goes indeed.

We think it was bad chicken

I so wanted to have a post up for you today about my birthday girl, but all I can muster is an iPhone update. Bj and I have been sick since three in the morning. I haven't thrown up in years and it's as bad as I remember. At least tutu didn't want the chicken last night, smart girl. All of you who were vomiting through their pregnancies, my hats are off to you! I feel a bit of a Pansy for complaining about an upset stomach. Anyway hopefully a real update tomorrow.

1,000 posts. Let's recap.

Wow, 1,000 posts. I've been blogging for a while and I guess I had a lot to say, you know mainly about myself :) So in case you haven't been reading from the beginning here is what has happened so far (also known as my blog's greatest hits):

I lived in Corvallis, was dating Bj (and had been for a 3.5 years already) and starting up The Ribbon Jar. Lots of my friends got married. Bj got a real job in the city and I moved home with my mom and Bill. I bought a house. I got a god-daughter. I got engaged. I was made up to look like a Mexican soap opera star.

 

 I got married to my sweet love.

 

 20 days later his dad died and we moved Grandpa up to live near us.

 

 I found Bj the best shirt ever (which he has worn to pieces so if you see another let me know). We drove the Alaskan Highway. 

 

I stayed in a tree house. I started doing a few "professional" photoshoots. We went to Hawaii again (mmm sun). I finished an epic project. 

 

I got pregnant (I told you later, but I found out this day after six months of trying). 

 

Then grandpa fell and he didn't get better. He passed away, it was so sad that it is still lingering. I did lots of baby projects and when Tuesday came happiness was everywhere, and sleep nowhere. I nursed Tuesday a lot and used that time to knit alot. Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday.... We went to the coast, I canned like a mad woman, we went to Alaska.  

 

Tuesday and I set out on solo adventures, first to Vermont. And then Hawaii for a dear friend's wedding.

Along the way I ditched Elmer, made lots of chowder, bought lots of old stuff, dabbled in beading, knitting,

 

 spinning, dying and scrapbooking. I got a new camera, then another, then went to a photography course. I did a ton of work on my cottage. 

 

Then decided to do more. I made friends that I'll love forever. And I focused on the positive. And you know what? Life is awesome. It really is.

 

  Along they way you lovely people have left me over 5,700 comments and I have met some awesome people through them. Actually looking back on my blog I pretty much haven't changed anything. I still talk mostly about myself, people I know, places I go and my crafty endeavors. I don't have sponsors (or even really know what sponsors do, do they pay you or just give you stuff to give away?), I don't have a book deal or an etsy site. I just have my little blog and I love it and I'm so glad you do too!

So I thought it would be fun to do a little give away. When I told Bj my idea to give away a BOX OF AMBER. He mentioned that it should be a pallet. Hmm, well I do have a lot of craft stuff. But a box it is. I am going to put in all the little types of crafty things I LOVE. Like fiber, and paper and yarn and yumminess. So please leave me a comment and I'll enter you to win it. Then when you do (because someone has to) I'll contact you and find out what kind of crafty you are and tailor it to you!!! So leave a comment before I mean BY Monday January 11th please if you want to be in on the fun!

Organizing

I'm working on organizing my new space. 

 

I'm having a slow time of it since someone is not sleeping as of late:

 

Also her "help" is not always so helpful.

 

I made a scale drawing of the cabinets and all the things that are going in them before they came (of course). But I got more shelves than I thought and I still need some more containers so that's slowing me down. But the real problem?

 

In my bid to be mother of the year I bought the most shiny, fragile and sharp knobs in existence. Two have broken already, one when no one was in the room (what?!?!). They are mercury glass, but still I think if you make knobs out of something that they should be able to handle the pressure of a drawer being pulled open. Le sigh. 

I won't get finished pictures of the space up until after the weekend, as I have the first birthday party to get together. But when I do would you like sources? I'd be happy to list them, but won't bother if there is no interest. Next post is my 1,000!!!! Crazy! A look back plus a fun giveaway so stay tuned.
 
 
 
 

Coming Along

I loooooove it.

 

(No idea what the bubbles are from in the picture). Trim, doors with glass, side panels, and knobs tomorrow. I still need to make the curtains, hang a bunch of things and ORGANIZE MY CRAP. Whoo hoo!
 

And later?

A quick post with terrible pictures to show you the before. 

 

and

 

Hopefully by this afternoon it will be much much different. Lots of love to my brother who got an electrician here last night to help move plugs, thank you so much Brent!!!

While the professional works downstairs we'll be up here:

 

We'll see if the room gets better or worse as we hang out here all day. :)