Projects

With being at home and still feeling the need to use my hands I've been working on some random sewing projects that I've wanted to get to. I've made a few diaper liners, one diaper (I have more but haven't gotten to them yet), and I made my first attempt at a quilt. I've never done much sewing and I dislike using patterns. There is a reason for them though. I made a t-shirt quilt for Bear out Tom and I's old airplane t-shirts. I completely eye-balled the cuts and stitching so there are some funky lines and it isn't even close to square. Still... not bad for a first attempt.

Shoot I'm just happy to have figured out how to thread my sewing machine. It has been a fun project. Being t-shirts it went pretty quickly too once everything was cut out. Of course things like using measurements, having a layout table, and having a real sewing room all would have helped. One of my goals though with this was to do it with spending very little money. I did end up buying a set of pinking shears and the batting and I still need to get some sort of ribbon to edge the quilt. But all together I will have spent only about $50 bucks for the whole thing and about $20 of that was the pinking shears which I won't have to spend again.

Here's the quilt minus the edging since I haven't gotten that yet. Otherwise it is done. I would say it ended up being almost a twin size.

Cabin fever ramblings

I'm realizing how much reading I've been doing. I finished up my latest book this morning. I've been on a spy book kick. Dorothy Gilman has been my author of choice lately with her Mrs. Pollifax series. They are fun and easy reads. I think there are still around 4 books to the series. I just haven't gotten them yet. I'll have to sit down and see how cheap I can find them used. Always a good challenge.

Soon I'll be back at work part time. I'm not particularly looking forward to being away from my family again. Although I wouldn't mind a bit of time to myself I have been enjoying being a stay at home mom. I'm not very good at it, but I'm enjoying it. I would have liked to have my time off in the summer so I could work in the garden but at least I didn't feel too bad about it when I wasn't moving around very well.

Someday we'll figure out how to live on much less money so I don't have to work full time. We both have dreams of a chunk of property. Tom would love to teach full time too. Besides that we would both like to travel the world and show our kids there is more than our little town. All of it is someday...

Now I think I'm going to see about a nap. Both kids are down. What I'm doing still up I'm not sure. Either that or I need to call and make a doctor appointment for Amelia's 2 month checkup.

photos

Bear watching trains:

Amelia smilin' in the sunshine:

Dad, Amelia, and Buddy:

Just got a kick out of seeing this the other day:

Bear "helping" Aunt Tracy knit:

Developments

Let's see... We have some beautiful spring weather that is making it tougher with a little one. It is still too cold to be really comfortable for the little one to be out, but it is too nice to stay in. Good old catch 22.

We actually measured Bear the other day. As opposed to the estimating we had done. He is officially 38 inches tall.

Amelia is now a solid 10 pounds or more. She is quickly growing out of the newborn clothes. She left the newborn diapers behind about 2 weeks ago. Crazy how fast they grow. Before we know it she'll be where Bear is now. Amazing. At least with Amelia we shouldn't spend quite so much money on diapers. We are converting to mostly cloth with her. We are finding that cloth is maybe even easier than disposables. Sure you have to wash them, but right now that is no big deal what-so-ever. Newborns just don't have the really nasty diapers of a 2 year old. As she grows and transitions to solid food we may transition to disposable diapers.

I like the ability to be flexible with stuff like this. Some people get so caught up in the debate over things like which kind of diaper to use or which type of carrier to use. I like having all the options for sure, but I don't like sticking with only one thing because someone says I should.

Amelia is already different from Bear in the fact that she is a snuggler. I can tell she is going to be a bugger to get in a stroller. She is more of a sling or front pack kind of kid. Bear was always so independent that he preferred the stroller and wanted to walk almost as soon as he had the ability. Same way with sleeping arrangements. Bear never slept well unless he was in his crib. Amelia seldom sleeps by herself. She wants to be snuggled up all the time. Amazing how different two kids can be.

So back to basic developments: Amelia has graced us with a few real smiles already. She saves some of them for her brother. He gets a kick out of this. Mostly though she still just eats and sleeps with some crying thrown in just to keep us on our toes. We are all looking forward to Amelia becoming less of a baby.

Some pictures from the last week or so.

A few of our small family's adventures. We are starting to get things figured out as far as how to handle things with two kids. Everything is starting to fall into place. Slowly but surely.

Mild venting, even though it is probably all my fault.

Brrrr... Our January/February freeze has hit. It has warmed up to -3 degrees F this morning. My poor heaters are getting a work out. It has finally managed to make it about 65F in the house this morning, but all the heaters are ablazing to get there.

I like this weather, but it does make for some cabin fever. Especially for Bear. Being 2 he doesn't really understand the concept of frigid weather. Miss Amelia of course can't take being out there either so Mom is stuck with them both going bonkers indoors. It would be a lot better if I were better at being a house-wife etc. I've never been a good homemaker though. I'm learning ever so slowly. Of course once I start getting a routine that I can manage it will be time for me to go back to work.

I'm going to take a moment and vent about a little boy... He got up about an hour earlier than normal this morning, which that in of itself is not a big deal. But... because he was up early he is tired early, plus he has cabin fever, plus I've been letting him watch too much t.v. (which makes him turn into a pill), and when we went to watch a movie the stereo won't power up so he was cranky about that. So Bear got put down early for a nap. Then to put the icing on the cake while we were reading a story Bear decided to whack his sister with another book and then throw himself across her face. Argh!! To say the least he was in trouble. She was fine, but story time was ended and the books got taken away. Bear cried lots, Amelia cried enough to say she did, and I just have to chock it up to being tired and having cabin fever. Hopefully he wakes up in a more cooporative mood.

I've been planning to go to the big city and get Bear a haircut, but with this morning's antics I don't know if we'll make it.

Ooops. Miss Amelia is ready for some attention.