The past, well, long time... Sharing the chaos of life with these awesome ladies.
Hey, it's ok...
...to be jump for joy at the mere thought that Brett is coming home tomorrow. And it's not just home for a few days. It's home for a WHILE, which means Christmas, anniversary, and New Year's at home. He really hasn't been home since early November. Ground school and simulator training has taken him to Memphis, Seattle, and St. Louis, and I know he's eager to get back home!
...to be freaked out by Claire's insane fear of beach balls. Yeah. This kid screams in terror, immediately starts crying, and tries to run away when a beach ball is in the same room. Don't know why. All I know is that the beach ball has been banned to the laundry room.
...to hate canine teeth and the fact that they make Claire turn into another person when they decide to come in. I'd rather deal with 12 molars coming in at the same time. Poor little girl. She's sticking with cold, smooshy food for a while.
...to really hate the early weeks of early pregnancy. One day, I'm taking on the world, doing loads of laundry, cooking, running errands, and shoveling the driveway. The next day, I never leave the couch. It's not fair.
...to, again, be really thankful the Brett is coming home for the sole reason that I will NOT have to shovel the driveway. I'd like to discuss this so-called 2 inches that the weatherman said we go the other day. And I would like to show said weatherman the 6 inches that I shoveled from the driveway. Still, I am thankful that I'm not dealing with the snow that many friends have in northern Indiana. It's insane how buried they are. And I'm REALLY thankful that I don't live in the mountains in California. Weather this weekend is supposed to drop 6-15 feet. Oh, yes, you read correctly. I said FEET. Makes you think twice about shoveling 6 inches of snow off your driveway.
...to be ecstatic about the plane ticket that I had to buy in order to get home from visiting Brett in Seattle. Plane tickets may not seem like a big deal to some people, but to me, who has been flying standby for the past 5 years, a guaranteed seat is a novelty.
...to love the people at Nimbus even more. Love them.
...to remember how much fun it is to eat popsicles, thanks to my three-year-old daughter.
...to step back and think, I have a three-year-old daughter. Wow. Life has changed exponentially in the past three years. I love it. We're celebrating with a birthday party tomorrow, complete with Elmo cake and Cookie Monster cupcakes.
...to revel in the joy of watching my kids run around the Jingle Rails exhibit at Eiteljorg. They chased miniature trains for almost an hour. It was a blast.
...to never, ever go to the mall with two kids right before Christmas. Just don't do it people. Really. Take my advice. Stick to Walmart and Target.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Quick Takes
I've had a ton of work lately, so blogging has been last on my priority list. Or maybe it's cleaning that's been last. Or putting away laundry. Either way, the house is a mess, but we've been able to pay bills. And all is right with the world.
Claire got the last of her stitches out from her surgery. Other than a sizeable scar on her head, everything looks pretty darn good. When she's older, she will thank us for doing this while she was young. Though, I think the prospect of up-dos for prom might be out. Sorry kiddo.
Brett is almost finished with his training. He's pretty much been gone since November 10, with about a week at home spattered in between. He's been in Seattle since December 2, and he comes home on Saturday. We are all ecstatic! And he's supposed to have a good chunk of time off over the holidays. Best Christmas present that we could get.
Many thanks to my amazing family, who watched my kiddos while I flew out to Seattle to visit Brett for a long weekend. We had a good time despite the rain rain rain rain. Wow. I think I saw the sun once while I was there. Brett and I had a chance to go eat at one of our client's restaurants. Nimbus was just plain awesome. It was a late night of amazing food, meeting and catching up with friends, and, well, amazing food. Yum. I flew standby on the way out there, which went well. But it seemed like everyone and their brother was trying to get back to Indiana when I left. We ended up getting me a ticket on Southwest to get me home, and that flight was packed. Still, it was a novelty to actually have a seat.
Again, many thanks to my family, especially my inlaws, who came to watch my kiddos before Thanksgiving, as we all suffered through the stomach flu. Oh, it was awful. The worst I've ever had. Claire and I fell victim on the same day. Sophia followed a few days later, thankfully, while Brett was home. And Brett was down on Thanksgiving day. We've had it. We lived. We spread it to our in-laws. Now, hopefully, we are immune. And I am addicted to Gatorade.
Our washing machine overflowed. Oh yes. Joy of joys. It was the night that Sophia woke up with her stomach flu. The entire foyer and front hallway carpet was soaked. So in between holding Sophia's sick bucket, I was sopping up water from the carpet while Brett was Shop-Vacking the foyer. Again, thankful that Brett was home and that he could easily fix the washing machine tubing that had just wiggled loose. We'll have to clean the carpet since it has a nice water line in it now. But, we didn't have to replace the carpet, so we're good there.
It's cold. Freaky cold. But I'm thankful that we don't have the 3 feet of snow that friends have in northern Indiana. We could be dealing with that too.
I think I have Rudolph and The Polar Express memorized. They've been playing constantly on our DVD player since Thanksgiving.
I've decided I'm going to stay away from the mall for Christmas shopping. I went with the girls one morning and was floored at how busy it was. Sophia did get to wave at Santa, which she thought was awesome. She's not quite ready to go meet the big guy, which I'm ok with. We left the mall after lunch with a pee-covered Claire (who had leaked everywhere) and a bleeding Sophia, whose dry lips split, cracked, and bled all over her. Sigh. I've done most of my shopping online, or I've been making things. By making things, I mean that I have the supplies to make things and haven't started yet.
I've become that person that hates driving in snow. Like, if there's an inch on the ground, I make excuses for not going anywhere. I guess I have the flexibility to do that now. Again, I'm thankful that I'm not in northern Indiana, buried in 3 feet of the white stuff.
I am super excited for Sophia's birthday party on Sunday. Her birthday was actually last week, but since Brett and I were both in Seattle, we postponed until this weekend. I have this uber-cute Elmo cake that I'm going to make. Plus, I found a recipe for more uber-cute Cookie Monster cupcakes. I think a balloon might be in order. I can't believe Sophia is three! How our lives have changed in the last three years.
And how they are still changing. We found out baby #3 will be coming in late June. Three kids in 3.5 years. Wow. Slow deep breathes. It will be fine, though overwhelming at times for the first few years. Still, we are excited and REALLY hope that this one will be a boy. So now we are mentally preparing for things like the girls sharing a room, having to buy a bigger car, potty-training Sophia so I won't have THREE in diapers, prepping for another c-section surgery, and just physically going through another pregnancy. Again, slow deep breathes. My amazing friend Jenny, who lives a mirror life to my own (2 kiddos the same age and a stay-home graphic designer to boot), is also expecting #3 and is due the exact same time. It's good to know that I will be able to share my experience with her. So far, this pregnancy hasn't been as killer as Sophia's, but it hasn't been as easy at Claire's. So, I'm dealing with nausea, but at least I'm not getting sick or have food/smell aversions. I've broken out the maternity pants because they are just plain comfy. That's all there. If I could, I would sleep 10 hours a night, but my brain clicks on so early in the morning that I just have to get up. And I'm hungry, like, all the time. If I'm not hungry, I'm nauseous. There is no in between. I love to eat things that I'm not supposed to: Doritos, Ramen noodles, fried eggs. Ugh. I hope this kid doesn't come out with 6 fingers or something. We do make good, big, healthy babies though, so I think we're good there.
Claire got the last of her stitches out from her surgery. Other than a sizeable scar on her head, everything looks pretty darn good. When she's older, she will thank us for doing this while she was young. Though, I think the prospect of up-dos for prom might be out. Sorry kiddo.
Brett is almost finished with his training. He's pretty much been gone since November 10, with about a week at home spattered in between. He's been in Seattle since December 2, and he comes home on Saturday. We are all ecstatic! And he's supposed to have a good chunk of time off over the holidays. Best Christmas present that we could get.
Many thanks to my amazing family, who watched my kiddos while I flew out to Seattle to visit Brett for a long weekend. We had a good time despite the rain rain rain rain. Wow. I think I saw the sun once while I was there. Brett and I had a chance to go eat at one of our client's restaurants. Nimbus was just plain awesome. It was a late night of amazing food, meeting and catching up with friends, and, well, amazing food. Yum. I flew standby on the way out there, which went well. But it seemed like everyone and their brother was trying to get back to Indiana when I left. We ended up getting me a ticket on Southwest to get me home, and that flight was packed. Still, it was a novelty to actually have a seat.
Again, many thanks to my family, especially my inlaws, who came to watch my kiddos before Thanksgiving, as we all suffered through the stomach flu. Oh, it was awful. The worst I've ever had. Claire and I fell victim on the same day. Sophia followed a few days later, thankfully, while Brett was home. And Brett was down on Thanksgiving day. We've had it. We lived. We spread it to our in-laws. Now, hopefully, we are immune. And I am addicted to Gatorade.
Our washing machine overflowed. Oh yes. Joy of joys. It was the night that Sophia woke up with her stomach flu. The entire foyer and front hallway carpet was soaked. So in between holding Sophia's sick bucket, I was sopping up water from the carpet while Brett was Shop-Vacking the foyer. Again, thankful that Brett was home and that he could easily fix the washing machine tubing that had just wiggled loose. We'll have to clean the carpet since it has a nice water line in it now. But, we didn't have to replace the carpet, so we're good there.
It's cold. Freaky cold. But I'm thankful that we don't have the 3 feet of snow that friends have in northern Indiana. We could be dealing with that too.
I think I have Rudolph and The Polar Express memorized. They've been playing constantly on our DVD player since Thanksgiving.
I've decided I'm going to stay away from the mall for Christmas shopping. I went with the girls one morning and was floored at how busy it was. Sophia did get to wave at Santa, which she thought was awesome. She's not quite ready to go meet the big guy, which I'm ok with. We left the mall after lunch with a pee-covered Claire (who had leaked everywhere) and a bleeding Sophia, whose dry lips split, cracked, and bled all over her. Sigh. I've done most of my shopping online, or I've been making things. By making things, I mean that I have the supplies to make things and haven't started yet.
I've become that person that hates driving in snow. Like, if there's an inch on the ground, I make excuses for not going anywhere. I guess I have the flexibility to do that now. Again, I'm thankful that I'm not in northern Indiana, buried in 3 feet of the white stuff.
I am super excited for Sophia's birthday party on Sunday. Her birthday was actually last week, but since Brett and I were both in Seattle, we postponed until this weekend. I have this uber-cute Elmo cake that I'm going to make. Plus, I found a recipe for more uber-cute Cookie Monster cupcakes. I think a balloon might be in order. I can't believe Sophia is three! How our lives have changed in the last three years.
And how they are still changing. We found out baby #3 will be coming in late June. Three kids in 3.5 years. Wow. Slow deep breathes. It will be fine, though overwhelming at times for the first few years. Still, we are excited and REALLY hope that this one will be a boy. So now we are mentally preparing for things like the girls sharing a room, having to buy a bigger car, potty-training Sophia so I won't have THREE in diapers, prepping for another c-section surgery, and just physically going through another pregnancy. Again, slow deep breathes. My amazing friend Jenny, who lives a mirror life to my own (2 kiddos the same age and a stay-home graphic designer to boot), is also expecting #3 and is due the exact same time. It's good to know that I will be able to share my experience with her. So far, this pregnancy hasn't been as killer as Sophia's, but it hasn't been as easy at Claire's. So, I'm dealing with nausea, but at least I'm not getting sick or have food/smell aversions. I've broken out the maternity pants because they are just plain comfy. That's all there. If I could, I would sleep 10 hours a night, but my brain clicks on so early in the morning that I just have to get up. And I'm hungry, like, all the time. If I'm not hungry, I'm nauseous. There is no in between. I love to eat things that I'm not supposed to: Doritos, Ramen noodles, fried eggs. Ugh. I hope this kid doesn't come out with 6 fingers or something. We do make good, big, healthy babies though, so I think we're good there.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Busy-ness
We've been busy. So busy, in fact, that I really haven't had time to post anything. And by anything, I mean pictures and videos off of my phone because I haven't been reaching for my camera much.
I couldn't get the videos to upload to the blog. I guess they are too big, file-wise. Instead, I uploaded them to my web server. If you want to see them, click on the links below:
Claire reading
Sophia dancing
Itsy Bitsy Spider Duet
Curtain Call
Sophia, wearing one of my mother-in-law's scrub tops because I had to wash her clothes.
Claire, in teething lunch meltdown.
Sophia could decide on what to be for Halloween. We experimented with a superhero.
We finally settled on ballerinas.
The girls don't mind going to the doctor for flu shots, as long as they get to lay under the exam table.
Sophia put a nametag on her top lip and declared, "I have a mustache like Pappaw!"
The before and after of naptime today.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Hey, it's OK...October 15, 2010
The past two weeks: BIG client jobs, small client jobs, Brett's "new job," soup, stitches, storytimes, crepes, babies, and reunions with friends. Sharing the chaos of life with these awesome ladies.
Hey, it's ok...
...to picnic a lot - in the front yard, at the park, at the apple orchard, in the living room. It adds interest to the day.
...to be amazed at how broad a 15-month-old's vocabulary can be. This kid is trying to say a lot, and she understands just about everything I say. The best part...Claire says "thank you" to just about everything - changing her diaper, getting her out of the high chair, picking her up, putting her shoes on. It is so gratifying, but it can get on your nerves after a while. And if you ask her a question...any question...she answers "yeah." It's too cute.
...to be THIS CLOSE to being finished with a big freelance job that will not only pay my third quarter taxes (which are terribly overdue), but also be able to pay off my computer. Woo hoo! And more business is pouring in. I guess people are using up the rest of their yearly budgets on marketing.
...to finally have a set date for when Brett starts his training classes. Be prepared, people. November 10. I'll be going crazy shortly after that.
...to understand why Claire started to go a little batty when we went to get her stitches out and the doctor, a nurse, and three med students in lab coats walked in the room. I would be uneasy too.
...to play "where's Sophia" a lot lately. She's taken to sitting in small containers, ie old diaper boxes, laundry baskets, and plastic storage bins. It must be a phase.
...to be ready for soup weather. I think mothers are always thankful for soup weather because it is so flippin' easy to make a meal by pouring everything in to one pot. Dump everything in a dutch oven, add water, turn on the heat. Easy peasy.
...to, once again, be thankful for Facebook. As addicting as social networking websites can be, they are definitely a vehicle for reuniting old friends. I finally got to see an old high school friend this week, who I haven't seen SINCE MY WEDDING. It was too long. And now I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture. Bummer.
...to end the week with the living room looking like this. If this is shocking, you should see my bedroom with all the sewing stuff all over the floor. But my bed is made! Small victories are celebrated around here.
Hey, it's ok...
...to picnic a lot - in the front yard, at the park, at the apple orchard, in the living room. It adds interest to the day.
...to be amazed at how broad a 15-month-old's vocabulary can be. This kid is trying to say a lot, and she understands just about everything I say. The best part...Claire says "thank you" to just about everything - changing her diaper, getting her out of the high chair, picking her up, putting her shoes on. It is so gratifying, but it can get on your nerves after a while. And if you ask her a question...any question...she answers "yeah." It's too cute.
...to be THIS CLOSE to being finished with a big freelance job that will not only pay my third quarter taxes (which are terribly overdue), but also be able to pay off my computer. Woo hoo! And more business is pouring in. I guess people are using up the rest of their yearly budgets on marketing.
...to finally have a set date for when Brett starts his training classes. Be prepared, people. November 10. I'll be going crazy shortly after that.
...to understand why Claire started to go a little batty when we went to get her stitches out and the doctor, a nurse, and three med students in lab coats walked in the room. I would be uneasy too.
...to play "where's Sophia" a lot lately. She's taken to sitting in small containers, ie old diaper boxes, laundry baskets, and plastic storage bins. It must be a phase.
...to be ready for soup weather. I think mothers are always thankful for soup weather because it is so flippin' easy to make a meal by pouring everything in to one pot. Dump everything in a dutch oven, add water, turn on the heat. Easy peasy.
...to, once again, be thankful for Facebook. As addicting as social networking websites can be, they are definitely a vehicle for reuniting old friends. I finally got to see an old high school friend this week, who I haven't seen SINCE MY WEDDING. It was too long. And now I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture. Bummer.
...to end the week with the living room looking like this. If this is shocking, you should see my bedroom with all the sewing stuff all over the floor. But my bed is made! Small victories are celebrated around here.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Latest creations
I've been busy!
I haven't done a post about sewing in a while, so here's what I've been up to.
I hit an amazing Groupon a while back - $25 for $50 of Gap merchandise. So Sophia and I went shopping a few weeks ago. I hit the sale rack and got some nice, all-purpose fall shirts. We went to check out, and I was $4 short of my $50 total. Argh. So I went over to the kids section and found a cute top for Sophia. It was so cute that I decided to develop a pattern from it. This pattern is still in development, but all the pieces are there. I really love the straps, which are cotton yarn that I braided and then attached to the neckline. Love, love, love it.
I haven't done a post about sewing in a while, so here's what I've been up to.
I hit an amazing Groupon a while back - $25 for $50 of Gap merchandise. So Sophia and I went shopping a few weeks ago. I hit the sale rack and got some nice, all-purpose fall shirts. We went to check out, and I was $4 short of my $50 total. Argh. So I went over to the kids section and found a cute top for Sophia. It was so cute that I decided to develop a pattern from it. This pattern is still in development, but all the pieces are there. I really love the straps, which are cotton yarn that I braided and then attached to the neckline. Love, love, love it.
This is a cute top that I found in Emma Hardy's book, "Making Children's Clothes." If you are in to making kid's clothes and want to experiment with patterns, I would highly recommend this book. This is her Sleeveless Top, and I used a lovely Anna Maria Horner print for the main fabric. And, yes, I made my own binding.
This is another pattern from Emma Hardy's book. She calls this pattern the Petal Top. I'm not sure about it. I think it looks a bit like a clown shirt, but it does look good in the nightgowns below. It's the same pattern, minus the elastic in the sleeves, and it's a bit longer. Sophia loves the nightgowns and can't decide which to wear to bed. It's flattering.
This is a little sleep sack that I made from a pattern from Anna Maria Horner's new book, entitled "Handmade Beginings." The original design called for a patchwork panel for the front. I swapped that out for a brown knit fabric that I appliqued. Can't beat a big flower on a sleep sack for a certain family's first baby girl. Can't wait to gift this one away.
Ah...the knobs. I bought the knob in the lower left at Anthropologie about, oh, a year and a half ago. My intention was to use it on a bedside table for Sophia's room, which I still plan to do. Since then, we found a larger dresser that needed three more knobs. I couldn't find these knobs online, so I made ones to match. The top three knobs are just wood that I painted and then varnish. Fancy! And for very little $$$!
I installed my darning foot on my sewing machine today. It's the first time I've ever used it. I've always kind of been afraid of free motion quilting, but after working on it a bit, I could really get in to it. I'm going to have to practice some more, but all in all, I think my first attempt worked out well. All I have to do is bind this quilt, and I'm done!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Helping hands in the kitchen
Everyday in our house, especially when I have a lot of computer work to do, we have a mini kid breakdown at about 10:30 am. I don't even need to look at the clock. I just know that when Claire is following me around, saying "UP!", and then she collapses in tears, IT MUST BE 10:30.
So today, I closed my laptop and took out the mixer. I found this amazing recipe for chocolate chip cookies that use applesauce and oatmeal, and the girls love them. I love them. I've eaten too many of them already, and, darn it, I made a double batch. Sophia was so happy that we were baking that she performed a bit of interpretive dance with my measuring cups. Claire wanted to touch everything in the mixer and is a pro at licking the bowl. Sophia asked is she could lick every spoon, spatula and whisk, and despite the apparently loud mixer, she was sold when I let her lick the beater.
While Claire napped, Sophia and I spent a good part of the day in the front yard. I worked on my computer while sitting at our revamped bistro set. Sophia blew bubbles, read books, and spent a lot of time looking at everything through a magnifying glass. By the time Claire woke up, Sophia was back inside, taking a pretend "bath" with a teddy bear. They were both sitting in a laundry basket.
This evening consisted of a trip to the library in pjs to watch their family films. Tonight's subject was dogs, and I thought Claire was going to pop. I know she can say the word "puppy" really well, and now so does the entire library staff. We drove home, and Sophia said, and I quote, "Mommy, my have lots and lots and lots of fun at the library with the lots and lots and lots of books!" Music to my ears.
So today, I closed my laptop and took out the mixer. I found this amazing recipe for chocolate chip cookies that use applesauce and oatmeal, and the girls love them. I love them. I've eaten too many of them already, and, darn it, I made a double batch. Sophia was so happy that we were baking that she performed a bit of interpretive dance with my measuring cups. Claire wanted to touch everything in the mixer and is a pro at licking the bowl. Sophia asked is she could lick every spoon, spatula and whisk, and despite the apparently loud mixer, she was sold when I let her lick the beater.
While Claire napped, Sophia and I spent a good part of the day in the front yard. I worked on my computer while sitting at our revamped bistro set. Sophia blew bubbles, read books, and spent a lot of time looking at everything through a magnifying glass. By the time Claire woke up, Sophia was back inside, taking a pretend "bath" with a teddy bear. They were both sitting in a laundry basket.
This evening consisted of a trip to the library in pjs to watch their family films. Tonight's subject was dogs, and I thought Claire was going to pop. I know she can say the word "puppy" really well, and now so does the entire library staff. We drove home, and Sophia said, and I quote, "Mommy, my have lots and lots and lots of fun at the library with the lots and lots and lots of books!" Music to my ears.
HEALTHY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
1/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or crushed dark chocolate bar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together applesauce, butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture in to first mixture and mix well. Then stir in oats, followed by the chocolate. Place rounded teaspoons-full 2 inches apart on a baking mat on a cookie sheet or directly on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Store in airtight container. Makes 18 cookies.
1/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or crushed dark chocolate bar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together applesauce, butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture in to first mixture and mix well. Then stir in oats, followed by the chocolate. Place rounded teaspoons-full 2 inches apart on a baking mat on a cookie sheet or directly on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Store in airtight container. Makes 18 cookies.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Hey, it's OK...September 27, 2010
The past month: quilt show and shop hopping, Little Gridiron, new gigs with big clients, surgery and Frankenstein stitches, a new gig for Brett, a new rendition of "Where is Thumbkin," new client/old friend meetings, and a freezing art fair. Sharing the love with these awesome ladies.
Hey, it's ok...
...to score an awesome repeat gig with a huge client but not have any motivation to do it because I'd really rather be behind my sewing machine.
...to yell on the sidelines of a Little Gridiron game. Yes, they are 3rd and 4th graders, but helmets and pads require screaming aunts on the sidelines.
...to be 100% composed and confident going in to Claire's surgery this past week, and then feel like the most awful parent in the world when they brought her back to us with this terrible head wrap and totally wacked out from the anesthesia. I've never had that moment with her when I couldn't comfort her. She just screamed for a good 15 minutes, and I could do nothing. Nothing. Mean, mean mommy. She was pretty much back to normal when we snapped her in her carseat upon leaving the hospital, so I didn't feel like a rotten parent then.
...to seriously think of dressing Claire as Frankenstein for Halloween specifically because of her head stitches.
...to be really proud that Brett was awarded a position on his company's new (and bigger) airplane, but really be dreading all the time that he will be away for training. Bye, honey. See you in a month.
...to not allow Sophia to sing "Where is Thumbkin" in public because her "th" sound comes out as an "f" sound, and she drops the middle "m" sound totally. Think about it. You'll figure it out. To top it off, "where" comes out as "we're" and she doesn't bother saying the "is" in between the two words.
...to be extremely thankful that Facebook allows me to keep in touch with old friends, who email me years after we last talked and ask me to do some work for them. Bethany, you are awesome. I would much rather be working on your project than this other big gig that I have going right now. It's nice that we can totally pick up where we left off though.
...to want to have unlimited funding to give to all of the artists at the Carmel International Art Festival from this past weekend. I was floored with all of the talent. People should know that they are surrounded by an immense wealth of local talent. I feel bad that they all had to sit in such cold weather though. Burrr...it probably didn't help their sales.
Hey, it's ok...
...to score an awesome repeat gig with a huge client but not have any motivation to do it because I'd really rather be behind my sewing machine.
...to yell on the sidelines of a Little Gridiron game. Yes, they are 3rd and 4th graders, but helmets and pads require screaming aunts on the sidelines.
...to be 100% composed and confident going in to Claire's surgery this past week, and then feel like the most awful parent in the world when they brought her back to us with this terrible head wrap and totally wacked out from the anesthesia. I've never had that moment with her when I couldn't comfort her. She just screamed for a good 15 minutes, and I could do nothing. Nothing. Mean, mean mommy. She was pretty much back to normal when we snapped her in her carseat upon leaving the hospital, so I didn't feel like a rotten parent then.
...to seriously think of dressing Claire as Frankenstein for Halloween specifically because of her head stitches.
...to be really proud that Brett was awarded a position on his company's new (and bigger) airplane, but really be dreading all the time that he will be away for training. Bye, honey. See you in a month.
...to not allow Sophia to sing "Where is Thumbkin" in public because her "th" sound comes out as an "f" sound, and she drops the middle "m" sound totally. Think about it. You'll figure it out. To top it off, "where" comes out as "we're" and she doesn't bother saying the "is" in between the two words.
...to be extremely thankful that Facebook allows me to keep in touch with old friends, who email me years after we last talked and ask me to do some work for them. Bethany, you are awesome. I would much rather be working on your project than this other big gig that I have going right now. It's nice that we can totally pick up where we left off though.
...to want to have unlimited funding to give to all of the artists at the Carmel International Art Festival from this past weekend. I was floored with all of the talent. People should know that they are surrounded by an immense wealth of local talent. I feel bad that they all had to sit in such cold weather though. Burrr...it probably didn't help their sales.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Claire is on the mend
I will forever be amazed with the resiliency of children. Other than the Frankstein-esque stitch scar across her head, you wouldn't know anything was wrong with Claire. When she's tired, her emotions are a little more extreme, but other than that, she's her normal self. She's been sleeping through the night like normal, eating the same as she was, and even talking more than before. (She can say Thank You as clear as day now.)
I'm a little more nervous letting her wander around the house like she did before. I feel like padding everything that is at head-level to her, ie. the kitchen table, the desks, doorways...you catch my drift. Sophia has been really gentle with her after we explained that Claire's going to have an "ouch" on her head for a long time. There haven't been any huge shoving matches over toys, and Sophia's been making sure that Claire doesn't climb on anything that she could fall off of and hit her head.
Claire's starting to finger her stitches a bit. I have a feeling that they are healing up and are starting to itch. She woke up this morning, and one of her stitches had come out, leaving her bed sheet a little stained from drainage. We called the doctor on call, and he said to just watch it and make sure the incision doesn't open up. So far so good. Every time we see Claire touch her head, we say no, and her little hand snaps down to her lap. She knows she's not supposed to touch it, but I don't think she realizes it, especially since she's the thumb-sucking/hair-twirling type.
All's well so far. We go back on October 11 for the first round of stitch removal. Hope everything keeps going this well until then.
I'm a little more nervous letting her wander around the house like she did before. I feel like padding everything that is at head-level to her, ie. the kitchen table, the desks, doorways...you catch my drift. Sophia has been really gentle with her after we explained that Claire's going to have an "ouch" on her head for a long time. There haven't been any huge shoving matches over toys, and Sophia's been making sure that Claire doesn't climb on anything that she could fall off of and hit her head.
Claire's starting to finger her stitches a bit. I have a feeling that they are healing up and are starting to itch. She woke up this morning, and one of her stitches had come out, leaving her bed sheet a little stained from drainage. We called the doctor on call, and he said to just watch it and make sure the incision doesn't open up. So far so good. Every time we see Claire touch her head, we say no, and her little hand snaps down to her lap. She knows she's not supposed to touch it, but I don't think she realizes it, especially since she's the thumb-sucking/hair-twirling type.
All's well so far. We go back on October 11 for the first round of stitch removal. Hope everything keeps going this well until then.
Quilt show in Greenwood
First, a picture of Claire covered in tomato sauce. Who couldn't smile at this?
Last weekend, my mom, my Aunt, and I went to the Quilt Connection quilt show in Greenwood. It was a cute little show, and there were some nice quilts there. Most were traditional designs, and there were some that were a little more on the modern side. We had a good time looking at all the antique and new quilts. I took some pictures of the ones I liked the best.
After the show we were able to look at some of the vendor booths, and we hit one vendor that was selling ALL of her extra material. I think we hit the mother load. Four yards of red polka dot fabric for $2. REALLY? We all spent around $6 and walked out with bags full of fabric. Mom got a huge bag full of 2- and 2.5-inch, precut squares for $1. I liked my little find of this cute red fabric that still had the original receipt stapled to it from Zayres. Yowsa. This fabric is older than ME! It was originally $1/yard, and I got it for a quarter. Nice.
Last weekend, my mom, my Aunt, and I went to the Quilt Connection quilt show in Greenwood. It was a cute little show, and there were some nice quilts there. Most were traditional designs, and there were some that were a little more on the modern side. We had a good time looking at all the antique and new quilts. I took some pictures of the ones I liked the best.
After the show we were able to look at some of the vendor booths, and we hit one vendor that was selling ALL of her extra material. I think we hit the mother load. Four yards of red polka dot fabric for $2. REALLY? We all spent around $6 and walked out with bags full of fabric. Mom got a huge bag full of 2- and 2.5-inch, precut squares for $1. I liked my little find of this cute red fabric that still had the original receipt stapled to it from Zayres. Yowsa. This fabric is older than ME! It was originally $1/yard, and I got it for a quarter. Nice.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Our little patient
Claire is a trooper. We took her in to the Riley Outpatient Center to get this curious little patch removed from her scalp. She's had it since she was born. There's some big scientific name for it, but I can never remember how to pronounce it. Anyway, the dermatologist said that we should probably have it removed because studies show that it could be cancer-causing if left alone. So rather than wait until she's older, we decided to take care of it now, when she didn't really realize what was happening and definitely wouldn't remember it.
Claire did really well. The only part that she didn't like was when they forced her to wake up after the surgery. She just wanted to sleep! She let us all know how she felt about that. They wanted her to be able to drink something before she left, but we were denied every time we tried to give her some juice. They discharged us and, once we got to the car, Claire sucked down an entire cup's worth of juice. Apparently it was safer to drink in the car.
Thankfully, Claire is passed out now. It's been a really long day for her. And she's sleeping with her new little bumble bee that Grandma Musick and Sophia picked out for her while she was in surgery. So sweet. Thanks to all for the prayers!
Claire did really well. The only part that she didn't like was when they forced her to wake up after the surgery. She just wanted to sleep! She let us all know how she felt about that. They wanted her to be able to drink something before she left, but we were denied every time we tried to give her some juice. They discharged us and, once we got to the car, Claire sucked down an entire cup's worth of juice. Apparently it was safer to drink in the car.
Thankfully, Claire is passed out now. It's been a really long day for her. And she's sleeping with her new little bumble bee that Grandma Musick and Sophia picked out for her while she was in surgery. So sweet. Thanks to all for the prayers!
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