My brother Tim, sister-in-law Hilary, and niece Annie came to visit last weekend for Annie’s first birthday. Naturally we wanted to throw her a party, and it was so much fun. One is a great age, and all the cousins are quite interested in each now. We even got a group shot (remember the last attempt?). There are a few captions in flickr but I’m going to let the photos tell the story here.
Cousins Camilla and Beatrice already want to know when Annie is going to come back to play with them…
Ingredients:
- 2 toddlers
- 1 inquisitive baby
- as many small toys as possible*
Combine in a small living room until chaotic.
*Recipe may require adjustment when the baby learns to crawl.
I keep getting behind on my posting but not on the photos themselves. It would be a real shame to get to week 31 and miss one, don’t ya think? The lighting is better on some days than others, and the sister photos are all over the place because there are plenty of moments when Camilla just won’t lay down/let go of her snack/change out of her jammies/some other un-photogenic thing. And by the time I’ve disciplined, Bea has started wailing and we have to try again later. And need I mention that the baby now flips over the minute I put her on her back…? But I persevere. I am going to get my 52 photos, darnit.
(Week 28 — some of my favorite vintage fabric.)
(Week 29 — my favorite vintage quilt.)
(Week 30.)
(Week 31.)
I haven’t decided if I need to number them somehow in Photoshop. The original project that I’m copying had photoshopped numbers on the onesies, but that’s going to be an awful lot of work at this point and I’m not sure I love the look. Maybe just a tasteful little number in the corner somewhere?
The other problem that I have been considering is the fact that I am running out of fabric. I have gone through all the large pieces in my stash and what decorative quilts/blankets we possess and I definitely do not have 21 selections left. I have been buying fabric for a while now with coupons, but since I plan to make quilts someday I want to get the nice stuff and that’s usually about $10/yard. I’ve found some cheaper, of course, but even at 40% off it’s a significant weekly expense. Plus, I just don’t need 21 more yards of fabric. Maybe 3 or 4 more pieces to round out my colors (some more green? and orange?) but I hate to buy something I have absolutely no need for.
(These are all the fabrics destined for the quilt. Everything else has been the wrong weight/fiber or the colors just won’t work.)
Husband suggested reusing some pieces and that would, of course, be the most economical solution. I’m fighting it, though, because I want to know in my mind that every week is different. But when you see them all together you probably won’t really notice. Plus, it’s not like there’s a big final destination for these photos — I just want to put them up at the girls’ 1st/3rd birthday party and make up a little photo book.
What do you think?
….
Now for some outtakes…to be honest, these end up being my favorites sometimes!
As soon as the official photo shoot is over, Milla wants to start playing on the fabric.
And Beatrice, of course, is pleased as punch to be done with that nasty on-your-back business.
Shhh….don’t tell anyone that Beatrice is sucking on the grimy old cell phone!
Mama took it away.
Mama caved and gave it back.
Mmm, fingers.
This was the I-absolutely-have-to-wear-my-pajamas week.
And this is how the fabric ends up after a few minutes of flapping.
See why I have to work fast?
Her spirit says that quite a lot, evidently.
Well, I think a certain toddler is ready to be done with naps.
*Sob*
It helps a little that naps haven’t been going particularly well lately. First there was a half hour of winding down, general upsetness, and me sitting outside the door trying to hear if the wailing was moving away from the vicinity of the bed. Then there was a short (45-60 min) nap, which was followed by at least an hour of tremendous crabbiness that required a lot of discipline and walking on eggshells. So, nap wasn’t exactly this glorious break for me anyway.
But still. I know four and five year olds who nap, so I’m trying not to feel gypped. Right now we’re compromising with an hour of books and music in her crib, and (as of day three) it’s going pretty well. I don’t get much done besides essential housework, but I remember feeling that way after she dropped the first nap. So I probably just need a few weeks to adjust as well. She needs to get a little better about doing things on her own, and I need to get a little better at doing things with her. And then it will all work out.
Right?
In unrelated news, our church had its annual Blessing of the Water / Cross Dive a week ago and there’s a nice write-up about it here in the local paper. I also put a few pics (starting here) on my flickr page. Camilla was terribly, terribly excited about getting into her swimsuit and being at the beach and then freaked out a little at the last moment. But I carried her in a little ways and a good time was still had by all. Next year, maybe her feet will actually get wet.
I mentioned to husband that I wanted to blog more so that I don’t forget some of the things our kids do and he told me that I should just write shorter, more frequent posts. Oh. Why didn’t I think of that?
So, some things about Camilla (2.5 yrs):
– She invented her first name: Gobbia. She bestowed the name upon a styrofoam fish bath toy. I think it was very creative of her.
– She also likes the names Corduroy, Chloe, and Miss Suzy. We have lots of Corduroys, Chloes, and Miss Suzies around here.
– Her favorite books are The Shoemaker’s Dream, A Bargain for Frances, and The Year I Didn’t Go to School. She will request each of them to be read ad nauseam.
– She is obsessed with dancing and asks me to play the Nutcracker Suite and “Odette’s Song” (the theme from Swan Lake) every day. She prefers to dance in a “tube-tu” (any poofy skirt), a headband/crown of some sort, and the ballet shoes from Grandma. I always get asked to dance too so that we can hold hands.
– She uses a lot of sentences right now. We work on some things purposefully (pronouns are hard!) but she picks up so many things from conversation and listening to books.
Some things about Beatrice (6 months):
– She wants to scooch quite badly but can really only manage to push herself backward. She can swivel 360 degrees, though, and is very good at rolling in both directions.
– She is the smiliest kid and people just love her because she smiles when she notices you looking at her. Although constantly referred to as a boy (even in pink), she is beloved by other shoppers and clerks when we go out.
– She’s still nice and plump with lots of fantastic rolls in places I can’t show you.
– She is just getting the hang of swallowing food, so I think we’re going to move soon from little tastes to real meals.
– I don’t have to worry that she’ll be the little sister who gets nothing but hand-me-downs because she got some of the cutest clothes for Christmas. I wish I could wear her clothes sometimes.
Some things about me:
– I am already lagging a little on some of my resolutions (um, diet? what diet? and was I supposed to be reading instead of cleaning the closet?) but succeeding in a few others I didn’t mention (like wearing makeup more often and trying to get our household budget under control).
– Ridiculously warm weather combined with our upcoming house blessing has given me the urge to start some spring cleaning. Er, midwinter cleaning. I also have to figure out where to put all the kids’ new toys…the photo below shows some of their new stash. See the problem?
– Gosh darn it but I just love my girls so much. And my husband. I am so blessed.
Among other things, it has brought:
…a new baking set from Aunty Marian and Uncle Jacob.
…new legos for Daddy.
…some playdough cookies.
…some cookie cutters.
…squinchy-nosed smiles.
…a first attempt at petits fours
….(which will require some practice).
…and a first attempt at vasilopita (I used this recipe — a little dry, but it made excellent vasilopitoast the next morning).
Now I am off to finish Downton Abbey, which has proved almost sinfully addictive. That is why it is best for me to watch shows with a limited number of episodes which are available streaming.
Every year I struggle with the issue of New Year’s resolutions. Some years I don’t even bother because I know I’m going to fail to keep them. Other years I have a brief enthusiasm for one idea or another that fizzles before the end of the month. In truth, I know very few people who make a New Year’s resolution that affects their life in a lasting manner. The problem is that I am married to one of those few. Five years ago, my husband resolved to lose weight. And then he did. And continues to do so. The man weighs something like 120 pounds less than he did when we were first married. (In this, as in so many other ways, he continues to impress me). So, this year I’ve decided to give resolutions another go. But I’m going to approach the issue a little differently, based on what I’ve learned about myself in the past. I have found that a change that you plan to make at a certain date in the future has far less chance of success than one you begin right away: the diet that you plan to begin next week is always less successful than not eating a cookie this afternoon. I have also found that changes cannot be an all-or-nothing affair: if you do eat the cookie, you cannot use that as an excuse to have the brownie and the lemon square too. Really caring about something means that you are willing to pursue it imperfectly and to try again each time you fail.
Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about what it is that I really care about and which I would like to do differently. The list was initially quite long and I quickly deduced that I needed to take a this-for-that approach. A mother with a toddler, a baby, and a household to take care of cannot simply start adding more to her life. So, things like “take more photos” and “make more art” were set aside for now in favor of things I deemed more important. Also, some things that I do now need to be dropped to make room for others. In the end, I came up with the list below. I am making it public in hopes that some of you will ask me from time to time how I am doing and that I might remember to comment about my success or failure.
(1) To lose weight. Yup, the classic. Specifically, I would like to get down to 135 lbs and a definite size 8 by my 32nd birthday on April 29. Before you get up in arms about breastfeeding women trying to diet, let me say that just trying to eat healthier usually tips me in the right direction. If I drink a green smoothie in the morning, eat salad sometime during the day, snacks on fruit or veggies, save the sweets for special occasions, and just apply self control in general, I usually very slowly drop some weight. I am currently about five pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight, even after having eaten like a pig for about four months after Beatrice was born. Unfortunately, I got in the habit of eating way too many carbs and quick meals and have been trying to get back on track, so this is a continuation of something I have already begun. I have something like 8 pounds to go, so I think I can do it. And then I can spend birthday money on some new clothes. :)
(2) To exercise most days. I started walking again a few days after Beatrice was born and progressed to jogging when she was about 3 months old. I felt great, but it proved unsustainable. There is just no good time of day to run by myself, and there is no zen to huffing behind a double jogger with a chatty toddler and a fat baby who wants to grab her sister’s stuff. (Let’s just say that they don’t call it a “double sprinter” for a reason.) Plus, I have weird scalp/hair issues and if I have to wash my hair every day then I need to cut it short. And I kinda like having long hair again. So, jogging is out. I scaled it back to a daily walk of 1 to 2.5 miles but got lazy when the weather cooled off and getting the girls ready took practically as long as the actual exercise. But husband and I have been taking little afternoon walks and I can get back in the habit of doing some sit ups and stretches before I shower in the morning.
(3) To read more books and less computer screens. I used to be a big reader when I was younger, but sometime in the past few years I fell off the horse. I can say in all honesty that I rarely read pages anymore and that most of my reading is on a screen. I really want to change that. Since my free time is (very) limited, I decided that I want to read more than I want to draw or sew or batch edit great photos of my kids. And, I specifically want to read old/classic books. Husband and I started The Brothers Karamazov at the beginning of break, so I want to finish that and then start on some other great gift books (really, the topic of reading deserves its own post). I also started a new commonplace book, which I am excited to fill up. To make book reading possible, I know that I need to cut back on my computer time. I never sit down and think “now I’m going to spend 5 minutes on facebook, 10 minutes blog-hopping, and then 10 minutes looking at expensive sweaters,” it just seems to happen. So, I am pondering ways to curtail my online time (only in the evening? set a timer?) so that I hopefully get in the habit of reaching for a book instead of the laptop if I get a quiet minute to sit down. Any suggestions to this end are greatly appreciated!
(4) To shop in person rather than online. I wish this was out of some sort of “shop local” conviction, but it’s really a continuation of no. 3. I have a Goodwill budget but J.Crew aspirations, and I find that I can spend a lot of time cruising the internet for items that I never actually purchase. Plus, I’m really picky about fit and almost never take a chance on something non-returnable. So, I think I just need to quit. Whether it’s clothes or shoes or fabric, I need to see it in person to make a purchase. We have pretty good sources for a lot of things in Pensacola and I mostly shop at the thrift store anyway, so online shopping is rarely necessary for something other than books or the occasional obscure baby item. Bye bye, Boden and Piperlime and Lands End Canvas. Now to find a way to stop looking at potential craft/sewing projects that never happen either!
Are you making resolutions this year? If so, what are they?
It was great.
I have a few photos, which I am posting late from my (……drumroll, please……) new laptop! Thanks, mom & dad!
Here’s how our day went down.
Naturally, Camilla woke up at the crack of dawn.
She was just so terribly excited about the whole stocking thing (which turned out very nicely).
Then we got ready for church and tried to take our usual photo in front of the tree, but it turned out that the backlighting was too strong. So we improvised.
(As you can tell, this year will be remembered as a very squirmy Christmas. You can see past photos here, here, and here.)
We tried again at church and got a few photos with our priest and some of our godparents.
After naptime came the long-awaited Feast!
And then we got to skype and open a few gifts with my family.
I don’t have tons of present-opening pics because, after thinking things over, we decided to spread this year’s gifts out over the 12 Days of Christmas. (I don’t think we have a full 12 days’ worth, but that’s the general idea.) When Camilla gets a lot of presents, we’ve noticed that all she wants to know is what’s in the next box and she doesn’t stop to appreciate what she has just received. Plus, she gets overstimulated in general and melts down very easily. One solution is, of course, to just not give her very many presents, but since we have such generous and loving grandparents who work really hard to choose things she’ll like, we’d built up quite a stash under the bed. Camilla got to open one gift on Christmas Eve, her stocking on Christmas morning, one small gift after church, and one in the evening. And you know what? It was a great day! She was happy, took a nice afternoon nap, and played with everything she received for a good long time. Beatrice got to open the same number of gifts and has enjoyed her new toys just as much. Josh and I are spacing ours out as well, and it has been really nice. Christmas just keeps on going! I did make sure we opened the smallest packages right away so we could go shopping on Monday. J.Crew outlet, I love you. :)
So, we are continuing to enjoy Christmas today. It is strange to walk into stores and find everything holiday-related squeezed into the back corner with a 50% off sign while we’re still celebrating. Of course, we’re not eating roast with mashed potatoes every night. But the joy of the feast is in our hearts, the tree is still proudly displayed in the living room, and we are enjoying a little more vacation with Daddy. Although we’ve missed our families very much, both husband and I agreed that this has been one of our favorite Christmases ever.
I hope yours was as well.
Now that it is almost over, I have a moment to sit down and tell you why I haven’t been blogging. There’s just no time when you are busy with:
…learning to dress yourself.
…(in a variety of ways.)
…admiring the tree with sister.
…dressing (and dancing) like a little ballerina.
…making Christmas ornaments.
…making wrapping paper.
…making felted sweater stockings.
…making other stuff that can’t be shown yet.
xxx
…making delicious lemon curd and candied lemon peels.
…taking your first bite of food (you trembled with excitement and grabbed the spoon out of mama’s hand before she even got close!).
…finding new uses for the Bumbo.
…keeping up with that weekly photo project.
(week 24)
(week 25)
(week 26)
(week 27)
…taking some other photos because you’re just so darn cute.
…not managing to take photos of our other fun Advent activities, which included going to see the Nutcracker with Daddy, making pillow forts, baking and frosting gingerbread cookies with friends, singing Christmas carols (over and over and over), playing with The Big Girls, putting coins in the Salvation Army bucket, eating a few little candy treats, driving around and looking at Christmas lights, making spicy popcorn, drinking hot apple cider, and all sorts of other things that delight the hearts of two-year-olds and babies and parents alike.
And tonight and tomorrow: going to church and celebrating the glorious birth of Jesus.
Christ is born!
Glorify Him!
