Pulling Up

Levi's been pulling up for awhile now, but I've just managed to photograph it. I tried getting a video, but he just wouldn't cooperate for that. Here he is on my parent's couch pulling himself up.And, yes those are disposables he's wearing. . . more on that another day. It was just a trial run. No worries. I'm still a devoted cloth diapering momma.

Win This Too!

This one's for you cloth diapering mommas. Nature's Child is putting on a great cloth diapering contest. Go here to win a Bum Genius Starter Kit which includes 18 bumGenius diapers, a diaper sprayer, a dozen cloth wipes, and bottle of odor remover!
Y'all know how much I love Bum Genius, so I am so signing up for this one. Despite the fact that I never win anything, but you just never know. Good luck!

Win This!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Run! Do not walk to Along for the Ride and sign up for a chance to win this ultra fabulous babywearing giveaway. The contest winner gets the Essential Babywearing Stash. How fabulous would that be? So all you babywearing mommas get your entries in before July 31! Good luck!

Mohawk

So Levi has this super mild case of cradle cap that I decided to tackle last night. I might only be able to see it when the sun hits it at just the right angle, but it still bugs me. Following my hairdresser's instructions, I put some baby oil on his head and scrubbed. Which was all fine and dandy until I tried to wash it out. Ha ha. . . that didn't work. This morning he woke up with a head full of grease and looking a little funky. So I decided to make the best of it. . .




Cute, huh? Here's another pick of the two of us chillin' before I had to go supervise some kiddos in the art of mess making.


Oh, by the way, later in the day I was at the quilting store. And, of course, I felt the need to explain to everyone there that yes, my child really is clean. He's just had a run in with the baby oil. This very sweet lady gave me a helpful tip that I'm going to pass on just in case you too find yourself in this very same predicament. Two words: Baby Powder. It works magic! Just rub a little in and voila greasy, oily mess is gone! In the meantime, though, a mohawk is a nice alternative.

Busy, Busy Bees

This week's been pretty wild--nothing terribly interesting just busy! All week I've been teaching an art camp for elementary age students. Which would be easy, breezy except it's a 45 minute drive just to get there, and on top of that I have to build in time for nursing. My very, very sweet mother follows me and Levi everywhere and takes care of him while I work, so I can still nurse him. She's certainly a dedicated Nana!

So, here's a photo of the cuties I've been teaching this week. They've been a really fun and funny group of kiddos.

And here are their lovely paintings from today. They got to mix all of their own colors. They really got into experimenting with all the different and beautiful variations of colors they could get out of red, blue, and yellow.

I really enjoy teaching art lessons. I just don't so much enjoy the driving part. Driving that much really wears me out. It makes it all the more tiring that Levi and I are still recovering from last week's cold. Those things just drag on forever! Luckily Levi doesn't seem to really notice his congestion. He's just as happy as can be.

He's becoming so playful. I'm just amazed at the transition from this itty, bitty, mostly sleeping, generally quiet newborn to this very lively, funny, playful, and very noisy infant. What a wonder to behold!

Mississippi Summer--Sticky but Beautiful

My Summer Top Ten--despite the sticky, split pea soup kind of heat that Mississippi is known for summer's still got its perks. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. My baby's toes--because they are so much cuter sans socks.
2. Fried Green Tomatoes--not the movie--the real veggie variety.
3. Homegrown tomatoes--screaming, fire engine red, and absolutely yummylicious.
4. Getting to wear flip flops and sandals without people asking me if my feet are cold.
5. Air conditioning--because although summer is lovely and has many wonderful perks, Mississippi gets mighty sweltering.
6. My Birthday--which oddly enough seems to come faster every year.
7. The blueberry bushes in the back forty which will soon be full of fabulously delish and exceptionally beautiful, big, fat, juicy blueberries.
8. Homemade Blueberry Pie--believe me the minute those blueberries plump up and turn blue, Levi will get his very first sweltering hot blueberry picking experience, and once I've cooked up a lovely blueberry pie he can watch me eat it. Someday his momma's blueberry pie will be his favorite.
9. Spiderwebs--not the one's that I've been doing battle with on my front porch, but the one's that are out and about gloriously, glistening in the sun and fully visible so you don't run headfirst into them.
10. Green--I love green, and Mississippi is always green. Even in the winter there's still a good bit of green, but when spring and summer hit the green just sings. It's beautiful!

If you want to play along click on over to Mama's Nest. I found out about this meme at this lovely blog.

Sneezes and Sniffles

I've had a cold for a few days now, and yesterday, I was thinking how great that Levi seems to have missed it. Boy oh boy was I wrong!! I had to run an errand yesterday afternoon, and the chunkeroo was just as happy as could be the whole time. Well, about ten minutes before we got to the house, he started pitching a fit. So, of course, we pulled over to try nursing him. The poor kid, was so full of gunk he couldn't breath and nurse at the same time, so he just cried some more. I held him for a couple of minutes to try to soothe him. No luck, so we hit the road again with eardrums bursting the whole way home. He's never cried so hard and loud. Tears were just streaming down his little cheeks. I thought I was going to burst into tears myself. It's so hard to see your little baby crying like that.
Luckily, getting home seemed to soothe him, and finally, a few good sneezes later he was able to nurse. He's been pretty miserable since, but no fever. Thank goodness! I just have to say better this week than next. I teach children's art camps in the mornings during the summer, and it just so happened that this week I was off. Good timing, huh? So Monday morning the chunkeroo and I will hopefully be all better and heading off to work together. Wish us luck!!

Wakey, Wakey, Eggs 'n' Bakey

For some reason being peed on and spit up on inspired me to pull out the camera yesterday and document our lovely morning. It really was lovely. Levi is so sweet and funny in the morning. Apparently we slept a little later than usual because his generally up-to-the-task BumGenuises sprung a leak all over mommy. Oh, but it's so worth being peed on just to get to hug him and squeeze him!

Here he is with a fresh diaper:

He's become absolutely fascinated by the snaps on his diaper. It reminds me of when he found my bellybutton. His expression gets so intense you'd think he was solving a physics problem. Let's just hope he doesn't discover the velcro anytime soon:

And here we are. Yes, I am in my jammies with no makeup on. And, no, I never thought I'd post a pic on the internet of myself in my jammies with no makeup on. Motherhood certainly makes a girl less self-conscious!

Bobcat

Annie finished building her bobcat today! She emailed a picture. It's in an attack stance. Eventually there will be a lovely little chipmunk scurrying up a stump in front of the bobcat. Pretty fabulous! When she gets some more pics I'll post them. I have to say, I've got a pretty cool sis, but don't tell her I said that. ;)

Playing Around

When it comes to Levi's toys I generally follow certain rules. One of those being no plastic. This toy definitely breaks that rule, but Levi loves it. And I have to say, for his age I love it too. I wanted to buy him a cloth stacking toy but never found one. And the wooden ones seem dangerous for his age (he tends to bop himself on the head with everything that goes in his hands).
Oh, and his new thing is to say "Bla, bla, bla, bla" over and over and over. So, imagine these pics with sound. I have to say "Bla, bla" is definitely more entertaining than the tongue clicking phase he just went through. I love my baby, and of course everything he does is the most adorable thing ever. But, tongue clicking did border on being Levi's first annoying habit.
Just look at those cute little toes poking out of the blue ring!

New Camera--Yipee!!!

After six months of contemplating buying a new camera, I've finally broken down and bought one. Of course I know nothing about cameras, so I totally trusted the salesman on this one. Probably a bad plan, but so far I'm liking it. It didn't break the bank either which is a big plus in my book. I've been playing around with the special features, and I'm loving the color feature. I don't know what it's called, but it focuses on a color. My sister and Levi were the guinea pigs for this one. Aren't they cuties?

Levi and His Nana

Levi adores his grandparents. It's so cute to see how excited he gets every time they enter a room. He just goes to town bouncing and squealing. Grandpa is far from camera shy, so pictures of him and the munchkin are easy to come by. However, pics of Nana are a little rarer, so these candid moments are especially precious.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

1. My new Mei Tais. I got them from etsy. The seller is having a buy one get one half off deal. Even full price they're mega cheap. The quality is great. They're beautiful, and they're ultra comfy. Here are a couple of pics of me and the chunkeroo sporting the black mei tai. I also have a lime green one. I'll post pics of it later. Oh, the best part is they're reversible, so you really get two for one. I don't know how I've managed thus far without this fabulous creation.

2. Luna Moths. They just make me happy. My sister rescued this one from a spider's web. I think it might be the same one I blogged about earlier. It showed up around the same time at least.

3. My new geraniums. They remind me of peppermints. I love them!

4. Homegrown tomatoes. Because they actually taste like tomatoes, and aren't too likely to have salmonella.

5. The new Quilt Arts store near my house. Well not so near my house, but close enough for me to frequent. Their website's pretty nice, too. They have a great selection of fabric.

6. My babies numerous fat rolls. They're just so pinchable.

7. The monster dolls I made for Levi. I love how excited he gets when he plays with them. Granted his idea of play is more like a brutal attack, but it's cute to watch.

8. Levi's exuberance. Despite the bruises and scratches it often leaves on his loving momma, it is terribly infectious.

9. Blogging. Because it's like scrapbooking and journaling all in one with zero mess to clean up after.

10. Thrift and Consignment stores. Because baby clothes are expensive, and my baby typically grows out of his clothes every two to three weeks. My mom swears that we didn't grow that fast.

Grandpa's Cloth Diaper Tutorial

So, Grandpa changed his first cloth diaper! Do you notice a step missing? Psst. . .He forgot to wipe Levi's hind end. We'll let him off the hook this once. It has been quite a number of years since his own babies were in diapers.

For Levi's Nona and Nono in Argentina

I'm so glad y'all were able to find the blog. I hope these pictures brighten your days. I know how much you love and miss seeing Levi grow up.

Levi has become very interested in the camera, so if he realizes it's around he tries to climb over people to get to it. It's the same with remote controls, telephones, and glasses of water. He's a funny little munchkin.

Here he is trying to grab the camera:

And of course trying to eat the camera:

And just look at that chunky thigh. Couldn't you just eat him up? I prayed and prayed for a tubby baby, and that is exactly what I got--all 22 pounds of him!

My dad was going out to do some work around the farm today when Levi sidetracked him. Here Levi is getting to be a big boy and wearing PawPaw's cap:

Lots of love from both of us. We hope to see you soon!

A Lovely Surprise

I love seeing Luna Moths, so I just thought I'd share the joy of seeing such a beautiful creature.:

The Menagerie

Here on what we lovingly refer to as the family compound (two houses and a barn situated on a beautiful 40 acre plot) we have collected quite a number of animals. Or, should I say, they have collected us. For your viewing pleasure here is the latest addition to our family's menagerie:




Aren't they just too cute! Apparently there was a hole in my parent's guest bathroom. A mouse got in and had some babies. Then the poor momma drowned in the toilet, and these itty bitty little things were found by my sister, Annie. Now most people would freak, but my sister being the animal collector that she is got out a glass and caught them. She was supposed to let them go out by the barn, but she just couldn't do it. She swears she tried, but they just wouldn't go.


While I was pregnant she was rehabbing a baby humming bird that had an accident with a mirrored window. Here it is in my parent's guest bathroom learning how to drink from a feeder.

At the same time she took in a little kitten with spinal injuries. She's a regular St. Francis. This is Felix, the cat.

On top of this we currently have lots of other dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and whatever else wanders up. I guess I can't blame my sister for all of the animals on the farm. Here are the baby chickens that I raised. I might be responsible for other animals, but I'm not saying.



By far though the freezer probably contains the weirdest animal collection. To ease concern, this freezer does not contain food used for human consumption. Annie is a collector of all animals, dead or alive. She picks up roadkill, dissects them, cleans their bones, and rebuilds the skeletons (Quite beautifully, I might add). To my dismay, she gives the skeletons to her college's biology department before I have the chance to draw them. She's currently working on a bobcat skeleton. Here's a pic of the bobcat in progress.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Levi and his Aunt Annie are going to have lots of fun together!

Making a Momma Cry

So today I finally had to face the mound of baby clothes that no longer fit Levi. I've been putting this off for months because the first time I had to put away his tiny clothes, I cried. He's grown so fast. As a newborn all the newborn clothes swallowed him whole. Now at 6 1/2 months he's already beginning to fill out the 18 and even 24 month clothes. Where did my teeny tiny baby go?
By the way, getting rid of things is not my specialty. If there's a pack rats anonymous I should join it. I live in a very tiny house, so this tendency to keep things doesn't serve me well. I spend more time battling stuff than I would like to admit. I go to get rid of something and think of 50 reasons not to.
On occasion I have to resort to calling my very sweet, organized momma to come help me do battle. This might turn into one of those occasions.
Here's the original pile:

I did manage to divide it into two piles keep (to the right) and give away (the measly pile to the left):

The keep pile is now a work in progress. I've divided it into two more groups. The "You'll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands" group:

And the "I'm having pangs in my heart thinking about getting rid of it, but I might consider it" group:

This is where I get stumped. I simply don't have room to keep everything. I am not yet willing to become one of those packrats with stuff piled so high their house turns into a maze. A pretty, stylish home is definitely something I'd like to maintain, and the maze look just doesn't quite fit with that. I'm thinking my mom might be getting a "Help me, Help me, Please, Help me!" phone call sometime in the near future.

Cute Pics of Grandpa and the Little Man

Grandpa, here are some cute pics for you to ooh and aah over:

He Said "Momma"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never have I heard a word so sweet. Last night as I was trying to get Levi to sleep. He said, "Momma", bounced up, and grabbed me. Can you tell I'm grinning from ear to ear as a write this? I've never been so thrilled! There are no pictures to go along with this one, just one happy Momma!
Being a mom is such a joy filled experience. Yes, motherhood has it's trying moments--sometimes more than moments, but everyday without fail there is at least one moment that I could just bask in forever. When else do you get that kind of beauty? When else do you get to watch such a miracle unfold before your eyes--not just watch it but participate in it? There's not enough time in the day to give proper thanks to God for everyday I get to spend as a mother.

My Babywearing Stash

So Stephanie at adventuresinbabywearing.com wanted to see people's sling stashes. Here's mine--well most of it. You'll notice I went a little bananas making slings, but a girl's gotta have one for every outfit!

From top left green eyelet homemade ring sling, blue eyelet homemade ring sling, black homemade wrap carrier, blue homemade wrap carrier, black Moby Wrap.

From bottom left black and silver homemade ring sling, Apricot homemade ring sling, brown homemade ring sling, and the Peanut Shell (which was retired by the time Levi was a couple of months old--he hated it). Missing is the Chicco carrier which is similar to the Baby Bjorn. Levi loved it, my back not so much. It's since been retired and apparently lost. Oh, and that's Stella, Levi's favorite kitty cat.

So here's Levi in the blue ring sling:

And here we are sporting the oh, so comfy Moby Wrap

Awake:

And asleep:

I have two lovely mei tais on the way. They should get here sometime in the next few days. I'm soooo excited. I'll post pics once they get here. So, that will bring my stash to 12. Is that excessive?
If I could only have one (I haven't tried the mei tais yet, so I might change my mind) I'd say the moby wrap. It's super comfy, although a little warm for the summer months, and very versatile. Once you get the hang of wrapping it up, it's a cinch.
If you have a baby and you haven't tried wearing the little munchkin, I highly recommend it. Not only does it create a much happier baby, it creates a much happier momma too. It's like having an extra pair of arms, and it quickly calms a baby whose decided to have a fussfest. It's also way easier on your back than carrying the kiddo in your arms.