I Haven't Forgotten About You

Oh my dear heavens!!!

Do you ever get the overwhelming urge to be creative? I do! I went to Jo-Anns yesterday just to wonder around while Tony was at the bank and my mind went into hyperactive craft mode. So many projects I wanted to get my hands on and so many ideas swirl around and around. I would look at one thing and think of everything I could do with it, making mental notes of what to go look at next. My brain has problems organizing thoughts while I'm in craft stores, so I inevitably just end up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. I'm sure my picture is up in the back room, warning employees of this lady who just comes in and wonders, looking VERY suspicious. I want to knit, I want to cross stitch and embroider, I want to scrapbook, I want to sew purses, aprons, and clothes. Why this sudden gush of creative urges? This happens to me about 1-2 times a month. Is it the feeling of something missing, unfulfilled? It's just that uneasy feeling. Do I have ADHD? 

I've been thinking a lot about my previous job and how I miss the creative process of planning and implementing lessons for my 4-5 year olds. I don't miss working, I miss the art of constructing. I sat at the computer and looked for curriculum writing jobs for about 5 minutes then decided I just needed to sit down and sew!

But, seriously... Do you get these urges? Why do you think this happens? 

And even when I do sit down to work on this Amelia quilt, I find that I have to convince myself to just FINISH specific parts of the blanket. I MADE myself sit there and finish the inner blocks, "OK, you only have 15 more to do. OK, now you only have 6 more to do. Look, you only have 2 more!".

Someone psychologize me please. I'm feeling very confused.

The mini mini blocks

The mini blocks sewn into groups of 4.  3 piles of 10= 30 blocks

My thread pile. What a waste, poor thread.

I AM really excited that I can now put the borders around these blocks. You can see the design here if you haven't seen it yet. 

My soft squishy bed (back killer) is calling to me. Night night friends.

Heartbreaker!

Photo Friday

First Flight

Amelia and I flew down to see my mom this last weekend. I was extremely nervous for her first flight and how she would react to the pressure changes as well as sitting on my lap for a good 4 hrs (2 flights). 

SHE DID AMAZING!!! 

I had to wake her at 4am the morning we left, and as usual she always wakes up in a happy mood. She remained awake until we took off at 6am. She fell right to sleep as the plane taxied out to the runway, I think it closely resembled being in the car. It was a smaller plane so all the bumps were felt. She simply laid back and closed her eyes, no fuss. About 20-30 minutes later she awoke (happy) and flirted with those sitting around us. On our final descent down into San Francisco she fell BACK to sleep. The flight time was about an hour and a half.

I found out our gate had changed for our next flight back up to Arcata, CA. But thankfully it was right next to the original one, so we didn't have to go far. The flight was delayed due to fog in Arcata, we boarded about an hour late. Again she fell asleep on takeoff, slept for another 20-30 minutes and woke up. At some point I fed her, I can't remember which flight it was :D

Amelia waiting in San Fran... happy as can be

 Unfortunately the day we arrived we had to attend a graveside service for my mom's cousin. The day was a whirlwind. After the service we drove down to Fortuna for a gathering at a chinese place. Later we drove BACK up to Arcata to see my cousin's softball game. Then it was back to their house for pizza and hangout time. Amelia LOVES little kids!!! She was so entertained by my three little cousins, she was awake the whole time we were there, playing and laughing with everyone.

Amelia rocking her baby to sleep

Sunday was amazingly sunny!!! Mom and I wondered around Eureka's shops and got some used and new books. I sunburnt my left ear!!!

Amelia and Grammy by the marina

Tuesday, the day I was scheduled to leave at 6pm, mom and I hit the Eureka Zoo. It used to be a free zoo but now it's 5.00 admission for adults. 

Amelia sitting on a "horse" in the barnyard area of the Zoo

After the zoo we got the chance to hang out with the family before I had to leave.

Amelia and I sitting in the Arcata airport waiting to board

We checked in, went through security and waited for our plane to arrive. If you have ever seen Wings, the TV show, the Arcata airport is somewhat similar. It's just a teeny bit bigger. 

I let her rip up the Skymall magazine. 

The trip home was a little different with Amelia. The plane ride to San Fran wasn't too bad but she was definitely tired and refused to sleep. By the time we were getting ready to land she was almost dozing off, but I had to rouse her in order to get off of the plane. 

Our connecting flight back to Portland was in the international terminal. As soon as I got off of the plane in San Fran I strapped Amelia into the Ergo, put on my back pack and grabbed my rolling suitcase. I felt like a "do it all mom". I'm sure people were thinking, "oh that poor lady! she's all alone". But it felt amazing to be able to do this on my own. Yes, it would have been a lot easier if someone had been with me. 

Amelia's cheesy face {love}

I waited until almost everyone was on the plane because this was a significantly larger one than the others we had been on. I didn't want to sit on the plane with a tired baby while EVERYONE was loading. Well, I for sure should have gotten on first. By the time I was loading they had run out of over head bin space for roller bags so we had to wait outside the plane for someone to come and gate check our baggage. I found my seat and had to have people help me get my Ergo off because it was all tangled up with my backpack. The lady sitting next to me offered to hold Amelia while I got situated in my seat. I wasn't hesitant at all, you take all the help you can get when alone. I stuffed my backpack between my legs and wall (window seat), tucked the Ergo under my arm and took Amelia. She proceeded to SCA-REAM during the whole taxi and take off. While we were making our way into the air I managed to dig her bottle and formula out of the backpack and mix it for her. She ate and passed out for the rest of the flight. I was BEYOND hot in that seat!!! I was sweaty, she was sweaty and I couldn't reach my air nozzle. Nor did I want to TRY to reach it in fear that my armpit would smother my seat neighbor.

We landed about 15 minutes early and I decided that I would sit there and let everyone de-board so I could have room and time to put the Ergo back on, as well as gather my backpack and the formula pack that fell under the seat. I stood and laid Amelia on the seat as she continued to sleep. I somehow managed to put everything on, loaded her up and out I went!!!

We were sure happy to see daddy. After we got home I gave Amelia a bath because by that time she was up and playing with dad on our bed. It was bed, bottle and bedtime which ended up around 12am. She slept until almost 8am, had another bottle and slept till 10. Amazingly she went down for her nap at noon and slept for 2 1/2 hrs then stayed awake until bedtime at 6:30 (are you lost yet?). WOW.

That trip with all the plane rides was far more enjoyable than a 10 hr car ride.
I would do it again.

Photo Friday

Her first taste of graham crackers. Messy girl!

ALL DONE!!!

7 month old photo shoot...

Mini photo shoot for her 7 month birthday :D

Happy 7 months my sweetest little girl!!!

Don't Hate Me

Well, after my sixth month post about "Here's to another 6 months of breast feeding", I have stopped. The pumping was just getting to be too much. We would have friends over and I'd have to confine myself to the bedroom for 20-ish minutes, or we would be out and about and we'd either have to come home because of engorged boobies or a hungry baby.

I finally found a formula she likes so the transition has been super easy. She already knows how and likes to drink from a bottle.

I'm so paranoid everyone will come down on me with their expert breast feeding advice. I don't need to hear it, I've heard it all!!! 

Notice me passin' out while she's screaming? Poor little girl

I'm mostly feeling super guilty about it, and hopeful it will go better with the next baby.

Oh, my heart just melts when I see her newborn pics

I KNOW it's the best for her and I hope to try breast feeding her at least 1-2 times a day still (mostly during the night)...but we'll see.

Softball

Softball is the highlight of our summer sundays. It's all in the family. Tony's parents are both on the team and his brother just joined this season. Last year I spent the whole season pregnant. All of the regular spectators got to see me grow and grow and grow. I was so excited to return this season with Amelia! A couple of the girls were very excited to see her as they congratulated me and commented on how cute she is.

Enjoying the sun

Tony's mom, Maria

Tony's dad on first 

Tony's Brother, Ben

Looking forward to many more games!!!

WaCkY WeDnEsDaY

Way to block the shot dad

These grahams are so deliciouuuusssssss

Get Your Gardening On!!!

"Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace."
-May Sarton

Isn't it true that a little time spent in a garden lends itself to a moment of peace? The sun (though late in it's arrival) shone today and that feeling of needing to garden came upon me. 

We strolled the garden center at Lowes under the cold overcast skies complaining of the lack of sunshine. We were promised a foggy morning followed by a sun filled day. We carefully picked out the vegetables we wanted to grow this year. I searched for the perfect tomato, spinach, and lettuce. Peppers were nowhere to be seen so we decided on seeds. Although it may be a little late to start seeds, we'll see what happens!!!


After we got home with our new additions, Amelia was fed then put down for a nap. Momma started on the garden! When you think "garden" you more than likely think of an area in one's yard near the house for growing flowers, vegetables or fruits. 


Well, considering we live in a teeny tiny apartment, my garden has to be a container garden!  It's a little bit of a bummer that I can't walk out my front or back door in a house and be in my yard. Where I can wonder around admiring my flower beds, vegetable garden and the sun. But we accept what comes and I have accepted my patio container garden. After all, this is the second year I will be attempting it. 

Spinach, Butter crunch lettuce and a grape tomato plant

When we lived in these exact same apartments about 4 years ago we had a north facing unit. NO SUN! I think maybe I attempted a tomato plant, yeah.. no, I was silly to think it would work. Isn't it Kindergarten where you learn that a plant needs sun to grow? Direct sun? Considering our deck was growing moss, vegetable plants weren't a possibility. Maybe I should have become a moss gardener, I could sell it to florist and crafters!!! But I digress.


Our new apartment (2 years new) is south facing, so needless to say we have considerably more direct sunlight on our porch.


I hauled out my two bags of soil left over from last year, the flower pots, a water pitcher, and some old miracle grow. I took my time mixing up some old soil left in the pots and took frequent breaks to sip on my water and just be. I was leaning on our porch rail staring down at my various gardening items and Tony walked out and asked, "are you OK?" I looked up at him and replied, "oh, yeah I'm fine"
"you just...relaxin'?"
"yep"
I did that quite a few more times, just taking little moments to wonder off into lala land, I didn't want to make this a chore. I would say it takes a lot to just be while gardening on a 2x6 foot patio. Surrounded by a dozen cars, a trailer park, and an endless number of people/kids walking nearby, it's not the most serene of places. But because the sun was shining I was able to get lost while making a new home for our little plantlings. 


Welcome aboard little ones ...

Mini blocks FINISHED!!!

Today was a good day! I wrote out a list of 6 things to do today and was able to cross three of them off! Amelia chose to take three short naps instead of the regular two today. After she woke up from her second nap, I put her down to play and was determined to finish cutting my mini blocks for her quilt, since nothing else was being done due to her short naps.

Amelia digging in her toy basket while I cut fabric

My finished mini blocks

Now it's onto assembling the big blocks for the quilt. I will have to lay it all out and choose my favorite combinations of colors and patterns. I will of course have to find a big enough space to lay it all out. The possibilities include, the coffee table, our bed, the kitchen table with leaf inserts and the kitchen floor. There is no other space big enough around this teeny tiny apartment to fully extend a quilt.

I doubt this weekend will lend huge opportunity to start these blocks as it's supposed to be sunny AND warm!!! We also have a softball game to attend on Sunday.

Photo Friday

Baby Boom

One of my all time favorite movies is Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. It's about a career woman who "inherits" her cousins daughter.

!!!SPOILER ALERT AHEAD... WATCH THE MOVIE FIRST IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT!!!

Netflix just recently added this to their instant watch lineup and I am in HEAVEN!!!

However, I now view this movie in a totally different light. Yes, it still has that fantastic 80's movie charm   but now that I have a little girl of my own I can totally relate to this moving film.

Before Amelia, I watched this film through the eyes of a young girl who dreamt of someday having a family and living in the country! This movie had it all. 

It was funny that this woman who had absolutely no experience with babies all of a sudden is thrown into this world of motherhood. It is still funny, but there is a scene that absolutely tears my heart out now that I have Amelia. The scene where she goes to the adoption office to put Elizabeth into the pool of adoption. A few scenes later she gets a call that some prospective parents are wanting to meet her. She shows up at the office and meets these new parents. They are emotion free and the woman calls her husband "sir". Diane reluctantly hands Elizabeth over and walks out. Elizabeth proceeds to scream her little lungs out.

I realized as I watched this scene that I felt so sick. I couldn't imagine handing a baby over to a family that  they didn't know. You know what this baby needs, how they fall asleep, what their likes and dislikes are among other things.

I understand that some people have to make this decision and I commend them on their bravery and willingness to give their child a better future (hopefully). It just kills my soul a little to watch this scene. But the good news is, is that Diane turns right back around, grabs Elizabeth and storms out of the adoption office!!!

Other scenes I can totally relate to now are the ones where she's walking around the house picking up toys after the baby is asleep, comforting a sick baby, and being totally exhausted trying to juggle everything the baby needs.

This is fantastic feel good movie! If you haven't seen it and you ended up reading this post anyway (shame on you), you should truly make it your goal to see it.

I'm watching it as I type this. :D

Let me know what you think of the movie!

*I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE PICTURES*