Thursday, October 28, 2010

I've Created A Monster...Er...An Elephant


I asked him if he'd like to be a lion for Halloween.  The outfit was all figured out in my head...easy peasy.  Things didn't go as planned.  Levi's immediate response was, "No.  I wanna be an ephant."  Well, alrighty then, an 'ephant' it is.  I'll admit to a bit of cringing over this one.  In the beginning I was unsure of my 'ephant' making abilities, but I think it turned out pretty well...if I do say so myself.

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Most importantly he loooooves it...as in we may be hard pressed to convince him that wearing anything else is a good idea.  He wore it all day...to the library, the park, Target.  I wish I'd remembered to bring my camera.  The 'ephant' playing in the sand is one of those snapshots in my head that I always want to remember.

Oh, and that top photo...that's pretty much how he walked around all day long.  To everyone we passed, he he proudly announced, "I have a tail!"

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

8 Weeks


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This is the first 0-3 month outfit I bought for her.  She's about to bust out of it. I have a feeling that by tomorrow we won't be able to snap it.  I think someone sneaks in at night and sprinkles my babies with miracle grow.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Weekend Loves


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: : Love this little pumpkin pincushion.

: : Looking for Halloween inspiration?  This is a great round up.  And then there's this, this, this, and this.

: : All I can say is "Wow!" to this and this.

: : Awesome marble slide! And the step by step tutorial even makes it look pretty easy.

: : Levi's Birthday is coming up.  If I didn't already have a kinda big project in the works for him (oh, I hope I finish!) then I'd make him one of these.  Maybe for Christmas.

: : These turnip lanterns would be a fun alternative or addition to pumpkin carving.

Happy Weekend!!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Crack and Grow

Nanno brought Levi a little something special...a crack and grow alligator egg.  They put it in water:
"The egg will crack open, and you'll have an alligator when you wake up."
"I'm not going to sleep!", he said.
Thankfully, he couldn't make good on that promise.  First thing upon waking, "I want my alligator egg!"

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I've hesitated to say anything for fear that it might just be a fluke, but I do believe Levi's done a little cracking and growing of his own.  He's been back to his old self since Monday.  I suppose if all we get is a week of him freaking out I should count myself as very, very lucky.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I Love How Bright Her Eyes Get When She Smiles


It took me two bloomin' weeks to catch this smile on camera...

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Her first was at 4 weeks.  It was aimed straight at her daddy.  Yes, that's him wrapped tight around that little pinkie of hers.  ;) 


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Sweet Dreams...Don't Wanna Grow Up


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Sigh.  Sometimes I forget how hard it is to be a tiny little person in a big world...especially one in which so much has changed.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Weekend Loves


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MS State Fair 2010

A little web happiness for your enjoyment...

: :  Have you ever wondered how to make leaf skeletons?  I had a teacher who called them fairy wings...so pretty.

: :  I've run across a couple of cute pumpkin sewing tutes this week.  This one looks like a good scrap buster, and this one uses up tossed aside sweaters.  Oh, I just loooove fall.

: : Here's a sweet hat.  It's perfect for a little girl's fall wardrobe, and with a few changes it would be great for a little boy.

: :  Sketch Swap is a tad addictive.  Have you tried it?

: :  "You Just Broke Your Child" is a good read.  I'd like to carry a few copies around to pass out in the checkout line at Walmart.  Bad parents seem to flock there. 

: :  In one of my many attempts at getting Levi to swallow vegetables, I made these.  Levi liked them.  That is until a friend called partway through lunch, and I told her what I'd made.  Levi promptly quit eating them, and exclaimed in a rather panic stricken voice, "There's veggies hiding in my chicken!!" Obviously he's smarter than I thought he was. 

Hope y'all have a beautiful Sunday.  :-)

Saturday, October 16, 2010

What We've Been Up To...Part II...The State Fair


Thanks for the sweet comments on yesterday's post.  I'm feeling much better about things....possibly because Levi isn't here this weekend.  The break from parenting two combined with missing him have changed my perspective a bit.  Some weeks might be harder than others, but I'm really a very lucky gal.  I'll try to remember that upon his likely dramatic return when I get the honor of listening to more whining and tantrums.  I'd rather have those than the silence of him being gone.  Like a lot of life, I'll take the bad so that I can have the good.  Because when it's good, it's really very good...

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*I made the sling Sophia is snoozing in.  We love it.  It's a self-lined version of Levi's sling.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Not Part II

So, I had planned to tell you about going to the fair on Monday.  It was fun.  I'll show you some pictures later.  But, that's not what's on my mind tonight.  This week has been mostly rotten.  After pumpkin picking, our attitudes (both Levi's and mine) took a serious nose dive.  Tantrums and whining are at an all time high.  The drama!!!!  Levi is compassionate and loving and sweet and all sorts of wonderful, but he is also extraordinarily high maintenance.  And, since Sophia's 5th week that aspect of Levi is outshining everything else.  Yesterday, I thought maybe we were back to normal, but today proved me wrong.  I'm trying to remember that ALL things must end....so surely this too will pass....surely.....right? 

Ugh.  In the meantime, I'm operating on very little sleep (thank you, colic.) and my ability to be a kind, patient, and compassionate mother is being seriously tested.  Also, I am failing...regularly.  Double ugh.  I suppose it would be unacceptable to hang him up by his toenails and leave him there?  Yeah.  I thought so. 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

What We've Been Up To...Part I

Saturday we headed for the pumpkin patch with Nanno and Baw-Baw.  A hayride was involved...

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Along with animals...

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And, Levi's new favorite vehicle...

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And, there was a little swinging...

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And, some maze tromping...

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Sophia stayed tucked away in her pouch through the whole thing...

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Oh, yes, and we did manage to pick out a few pumpkins while we were there.  Amazingly no pumpkins were injured or demolished by the "I do it myself" little boy.

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I love Autumn...even when the sun is blazing.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Close To My Heart


I wear my babies to keep them safe, content, and close to my heart...

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Slings and wraps fast become their favorite spots.  From this height they can see and interact with the world while staying safely tucked in with Mama. 
I wore Levi so he could explore the world.  I wore him to comfort him when he was sick or in a foul mood.   I wore him just because we loved being close.  I wore him so that his sweet head was always within kissing distance...soft baby hair is like a magnet for my lips.

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I wear Sophia for the same reasons with a newly added benefit...she's safe up here from all that exuberant brotherly love.  Levi's "I wuv her!" is often accompanied by an attempt to grab her, pinch her cute toes, or "kiss her to pieces" because...ahem...that's exactly what his mama does.
Oh, and, the fact that I can knit and still keep an eye on two kiddos....well, now that's just priceless. ;)

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In light of the CPSC's recent attacks on ALL types of baby carriers, Steph from Adventures in Babywearing is encouraging mamas to answer the BCIA's call to action by posting our babywearing photos, stories, etc. Really, what babywearing mama would turn down the opportunity to post cute pics of her cozily wrapped up kiddos?  And, as if that's not enough incentive Steph's also giving away a Sakura Bloom sling.  So, come join us! 

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Weekend Loves


Hello, Autumn.  I've missed you.

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This weekend I'm loving the cooler weather.  This is Mississippi, so we're likely to see the reappearance of the scorching sun a few more times before Autumn truly settles in.  But, this week it's been breezy and pretty.  Leaves are starting to fall.  The weather has been perfect for wandering and exploring. 

Despite all the time spent outdoors, I have still managed to collect a few internet must sees for y'all.  A new baby does tend to keep a mama up late every once in a while, so I've not been short on computer/nursing time.  

: :  If you like taking a peek back in time, then these photos are fun to browse through.  While we're on the topic of photos, this is funny...at least once you read that swallowing the light did not kill the frog.

: :  Homemade fruit roll ups are easy to make, but Fix Me A Snack has just taken them to a whole new (and very cute) level.

: :  Next month Levi will turn 3!!!  His party is going to be tiny, but that doesn't stop me from browsing through party ideas.  I love this vintage toy theme and this birthday wreath.  Levi hasn't yet discovered the joys of outer space, but someday maybe I'll be digging this out of the files and begging my mom to make  it.  If you're looking for more girly inspiration how about this ray of sunshine?  And, depending on what colors you use this pin the candle on game could go for a boy or a girl.

: :  To accommodate both Levi and Sophia...oh, yeah, and us...our bed is made up of side by side queen and twin mattresses.  I'm on the hunt for ideas to make this look a little less sloppy and a little more intentional.  Since manufacturers don't exactly whip out headboards for such a strange set up, we're going to have to get creative.  So far, this is the best roundup of diy headboards I've seen.

: :  Two must reads...this (found here) and this (found here).  They are short, so I promise you have time.

: :  This is the coolest diy dollhouse.  You better believe I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a nightstand...preferably with curved drawers...loooove it!

: :  Not that I'm getting much knitting or crocheting done these days....but, I want to make one of these and one of these for me, and one of these for my sister, and this for Sophia, and this for Levi (he's crazy about snails). Too much to add to the list?  Nah.

: :  Just to make sure that I will never ever run out of things to do, here a few sewing projects that I'm smitten with...

              Strawberry pillows...for Sophia's bed
              An owl costume...maybe a few Halloweens from now.
              A softie flip doll...shouldn't every little munchkin have one?
              And, a firewood tote...first we should probably call the chimney sweep to fix our chimney.
             
So, what's grabbed your attention this week? 

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Tea For A Crowd

The scene on Levi's bed yesterday...

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His rabbits and fork lift came out of their houses to visit over tea.  That speck on the yellow "table"?  It's the tea.  And, the stick?  Why that's the tea stick, of course.

Friday, October 1, 2010

The Birth of Sophia Mae


I am not a writer, and I feel wholly inadequate telling this story.  In fact, it's been written and rewritten many times already.  I can't seem to find the words to describe how peaceful and beautiful Sophia's birth was.  During this pregnancy, I read lots of birth stories and watched birth videos.  All of those mothers seemed so courageous and brave.   The thought, "What if I'm not?," kept ringing in my head.  Here's the thing,  I am not.  I am not any more courageous or brave than the average gal.  I don't hold any special skills or abilities that make me "good" at giving birth naturally.  I am just a normal woman....probably a little less courageous than most...definitely less pain tolerant.  I've been known to cry over stubbing my toe.  Seriously.  I do not like pain, and before going into this birth I was afraid.  But, all of those fears washed away as labor set in and the work of getting a baby into this world was before me.  The pain of birth is unlike any other pain.  It has a magic and a mystery to it....a plan and a purpose.  Surrendering to that plan and purpose was the key for me.
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Around 4 am on September 1st I started having sporadic but intense contractions.  We assumed they were just "practice" contractions and would end soon.  Since they were too painful to sleep through, I got out of bed.  I started a blog post about our week (which had been great and so very full of nesting).  I was going to tell y'all about the appointment with our midwife and time spent at the park the day before.  I had pretty pictures to share of my oh so full belly....

Levi took this one, and I am in love with it.
Levi's Belly Shot

There were going to be stories of our little adventures...

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But, that post was set aside and forgotten when the contractions became more regular and intense.  They were 5 to 7 minutes apart for about an hour.  Every time one hit I felt the need to hold onto a table and squat, so that's what I did.  I was still convinced I wasn't really in labor, but I figured it was a good time to practice.  Advice that our doula, Jenny, gave me kept running through my head.  A few weeks before Sophia's birthday, Jenny came for a visit.  That evening she told me something that stuck with me.  She said that she was never capable of surrendering to pain, so she always found it easier to surrender to God and his plan.  I had been given similar advice before, but there was something about the way she said it that made it click for me.  So, I practiced surrendering with each contraction.  Little did I know that this wasn't practice but the real thing.  6:30 am came around, and ouchie, ouchie.  Those contractions started rolling in at 4 minutes apart and 60 seconds long.  I woke Stephan at 7, and thirty minutes later we called our midwife, Norma.  I still thought it would end soon.  Norma didn't.  On her way to our house, she called Jenny.  After this point, time became a bit of a blur.
Norma arrived, and started setting things up. She told me that she wanted to check how far along I was but there was no rush.  She would check me when I felt ready.  I wandered around the house finding birth supplies and calling my mom and sister.  During contractions I would lean over or squat.  Jenny arrived and immediately started doing hip presses to alleviate some of the pain...oh so wonderful.  It wasn't too long before I felt okay being checked for dilation.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the results, but curiosity got the better of me, when Norma looked pleasantly surprised and said that I was really coming along.  I was 4 cm and 85 % effaced.  I was beginning to get excited yet still a little wary.  I was afraid the contractions would end, and then I'd be sending everyone home.  Can you say, "denial"?
Instead of ending, the contractions began to really pick up.  Walking around and chatting were no longer so comfortable, and I finally began to really believe we were going to meet our baby.  The birth tub became very appealing.  Water felt good....really, really good.  To everyone's surprise, I hit transition shortly after getting into the pool. 

How do you like the fishies? ;)
Transition

Things were moving along very quickly, but it all felt natural and peaceful.  I was being allowed to follow my body's lead.  There was no hospital frenzy, no strangers wandering in, no monitors and iv's to restrict me, and most importantly no nurses telling me that I wasn't really in labor.  I was focused and relaxed.  The times when I felt my focus slipping, Jenny and Norma would immediately pick up on it.  They knew exactly what to do to get me back to where I needed to be.
When transition ended there was a relaxing lull.  Norma checked to make sure I was fully dilated and effaced.  I was.  But, this is where things slowed down...way down.  Notice there has been no mention of my water breaking.  That's because it hadn't broken yet.
After the lull, contractions began again.  They were hard and long.  I felt a lot of rectal pressure.  Classic pushing contractions, right?  Wrong.  Despite the rectal pressure, I wasn't feeling that undeniable urge to push.  Norma suggested that I try pushing anyway with the hopes that my water would break.  After a few ineffective pushes, we opted for another strategy....waiting.  I got out of the tub and labored in lots of different positions....waiting and waiting and waiting.  When I grew tired of standing, sitting, and squatting, I would lie down on the bed to labor on my left side.
Eventually, Norma considered breaking my water (something she almost never does), but then she changed her mind.  She believed my contractions were strong enough, and they would do it for us.  We just had to wait.  Despite all of the pain, a peace came over me when this was decided.  I knew it was the right thing to do.  God would take care of everything in his own time.
As the contractions grew more and more intense, I stayed on the bed.  Norma was at my feet, and Jenny and Stephan were on either side of me.  I could hear their prayers, and kept saying my own....with every contraction surrendering to God's plan for this birth.  And, finally at the very moment that I thought I couldn't go on any longer, I suddenly realized that I was pushing.  That undeniable urge had struck.  Norma and Jenny simultaneously said, "Now that's a pushing contraction!"  It wasn't long before my water broke.  The relief I felt at that moment is indescribable. 
Contractions really started to pick up at this point, and pushing was well under way.  Within 30 minutes Sophia's head crowned.  I reached down and felt her for the first time.  Norma instructed me to stop pushing and to just breath my baby out.  I stared intently into Jenny's eyes.  I gripped someone's hand.  As soon as I started to follow Jenny's breathing, Sophia's entire head was out.  Norma was telling me to slow down, but I wasn't pushing.  Out flew the rest of Sophia.  At 2:55 in the afternoon this girl was ready to see the world, and she was not about to be breathed out.  The feelings that rushed over me as I saw her for the first time were truly incredible.  Talk about an all natural high.  And, then finding out that the baby I'd been carrying around for nine months really was a girl.  Sweetness.  Pink thoughts started twirling about in my head as she was placed on my stomach.

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After the cord quit pulsing, Stephan got the cutting honors.

Daddy Cutting the Cord

And, then I was able to really hold her in my arms.  Sophia latched on like a pro as we waited to deliver her placenta.

First Time Breastfeeding

I'll spare you from the photos my sister took of the placenta.  But, for curious moms to be, delivering the placenta is nothing like delivering the baby.  Promise.

After lots of sweet nursing and cuddling time, we were ushered into a warm herbal "tea" bath. Sophia looked like she had landed in heaven.  I was certain that I had.

Tea Bath

And, that is the story of how an incredible new life took her place in the world.  But, the real story is just beginning to unfold...even as I type.