no drugs and the halloween baby.

so here we are, just over a week later and one baby added to our little family.  late in the evening of october 30th, just after a morning appointment with my OB, where she said i was only about 2cms dilated and mcbaby nowhere to be seen, i went into fast and crazy labor at home.  the husband and i quickly put our well rehearsed plan into action - the mini went to grandma and grandpa's, the bags went into the car - but quickly we realized that that was going to be the extent of the control we were going to have over the whole situation.  we didn't even pull the car out of the parking lot before the husband realized that if he drove us to our downtown hospital, we weren't going to make it.  plus, i am sure driving with an almost hysterical wife in the passenger seat was not going to be very pleasant at all.  so he called 911, and i went back into the house where i most likely screamed bloody murder.  once the EMS guys got here, things seemed to move fast and slow at the same time - i got some well placed punches in and called some people some very bad names - and once we got to the closest hospital (thankfully only 3 minutes away via ambulance) mcbaby was here within seconds.  no drugs.  yeah.  NICE.

let me tell you, natural childbirth is INSANE compared to the dreamy epidural i had with the mini.  however, the recovery time was so much quicker, and within 24 hours, we were all home, warm and toasty in our beds.  the mini has had some adjusting to do now that the attention of mom and dad has to be shared, and the fact that mcbaby cannot play tea party at ALL, but we are settling in.  kind of.  mcbaby is a very pensive, zen sort of baby so far, watching and tolerating the affections of the bigger people around her.  except when she's hungry or poopy.  there are going to be lots of adjusting and growing pains - plus we are eating ourselves out of house and home LOL - but i think we're getting a little pattern to our days.  and now we cannot imagine our home without this little one.

Read more...

the ultimate in handmade...

i have to admit, part of why i haven't been as great at keeping up with the blog lately is because... yup, i'm pregnant!  obviously my productivity went down as i went through 1st trimester morning sickness (well, it was more like all day sickness) and just came to terms with the next steps in our lives!  we seem to have passed all of the tests okay (at the lovely age of 38, this pregnancy is termed a "geriatric pregnancy" so you can understand why i'm a little nervous) so, at just over 19 weeks, i am putting the news out there into the blogosphere.  meet mcbaby!!! (as L and i have named him/her - it looks like it's a her, but the tech wasn't sure so we're still trying to be gender neutral)

i am a little nervous, i'm not the spring chicken i used to be, and of course finances always come into play, but i am trying to enjoy the honeymoon period of this pregnancy while still juggling everything else - the day job, the jewelry making, and the running of the household.  we are all very excited about the next chapter in our lives - especially the mini, who already seems to love this new little one.  well, until he/she starts stealing toys and whacking people on the head. 

now if i could just budget a little better, i'd be good. 

Read more...

welcome little byron!

early, early this morning - like 12:45am or something like that - i get a txt message from becks that she finally had her baby!!!! (funny how we all do our birth announcements this way now) this little guy has been a long time coming - and is very very much wanted. welcome to the world, little byron wesley! mommy and daddy have been waiting for you forever!!!!

Read more...

beautiful spring day + park + my kid = meltdown.

we can't resist going out on this beautiful spring day, so the mini and i head out to the park behind my house.  we swing, we slide, we run around in the baseball field, we dig in the sand.  then, after an hour and a half or so, i get packed up and tell her we have to go home.  "no, mom." she said, quite firmly.  but, since i'm the boss, i toss her over my shoulder and head towards home.  cue meltdown.  kicking, crying, yelling... all the way out of the park.  all the way home.  all during her bath.  and then for 45 minutes until she finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.  bad mommy!  bad springtime!   i sense the terrible two's heading our way...

Read more...

metal meltdown

today was supposed to be a relaxing day with the mini at home. but it wasn't. she was in a brutal mood, as was i. she was clingy and whiny and just all around not herself. she threw up and it got all over herself and over me. it took an hour and a half to put her to sleep. the husband, unfortunately, was in a bad mood after misplacing his credit card and was exhausted from work as well and was sent to bed. the ancient humidifier attached to our furnace overflowed and i ended up scooping slimy water onto the floor. i didn't get my package of sterling wire in the mail like i was hoping to. the husband ate the last fresh bagel from our shopping excursion today and didn't share. i felt fat.

so what did i do once i had a second to myself? i found some amazing 14K gold filled wire that i have had in my stash forever. and i pounded on it instead of doing something self-destructive like eat a whole bag of skittles. yay me. and yay earrings!!!! (i also am making them in sterling, brass, copper and maybe some rose gold.)

and no, i'm not angry anymore. not much. :P

Read more...

walk on, baby!

this morning, the mini wasn't walking. for some time, she has been standing by herself once in a while, and had taken maybe 2 hesitant steps at a time over the past couple of weeks. the husband was a little concerned (okay, maybe a lot concerned, but he gets overly concerned about a lot of stuff.) because all of the other kids in our family were walking by the time they were one. (he should know by now that our kid goes to the beat of her own little, mini sized drum.) but then tonight, things just clicked for her and she was walking, walking, walking! add in some laughter and a bruised nose and she was well on her way - WITHOUT the playskool walker thingy, WITHOUT holding hands! thank goodness our new house has carpet in the basement - i think that the cushy fibres gave her a little more courage to keep on going. oh my little baby, she's growing up. and to think that the husband was worried because she wasn't walking yet... yup, we're officially screwed.

(of course i had to write her an email to tell her how proud mommy and daddy were of her! yes, the baby penpal project is still alive and well... it makes me wonder what she'll think when she reads all the emails i have sent to her over the past year!)

Read more...

life is crazy. and so am i.

needless to say, the last two weeks and three days have been absolutely insane. we staged our house and put it up for sale. we went back to work. the mini went to grandma and grandpa's. and we are still in one piece!

first, i've been transitioning back to work. and it's been relatively seamless on the office side of things. but i miss the mini terribly. she seems to have settled in quite nicely with my parents, but today i think it really clicked with her that i leave her there for a period of time. my mom said that she kept looking out the window, and got excited everytime their front door opened. work is busy, but i am so anxious to pick her up (or get home if the husband picks her up) at the end of the day. sigh.

second, after 30+ showings in 5 days, our house SOLD! so now, all of our stuff is out of storage and back in the house ready for the move. it was good to know that someone wanted our little crooked city house - i so hope they love it as much as we do!

we've had a few meltdowns adjusting to this schedule, but i think we're getting there. seriously, kudos to all you working moms out there - i salute you! and all you stay-at-home-moms - oh, how i envy you!!!!!

Read more...

only 12 hours left...

today is the last day of my maternity leave. i can't believe it's been a year. and to top it all off, our house is in the process of being put on the market, so we now sit in a drop dead gorgeously staged house - that is almost impossible for us to live in. the poor mini doesn't even know what to make of it all - not only am i a tearful mess, but our house doesn't even feel like our house anymore! ah, change. gotta love it.

keep me in your thoughts tomorrow as i head off to work... this week is only half days for me, but it already feels like an eternity. working moms, i salute you!

Read more...

learning to share

two days ago, the mini was eating a mum-mum cracker and instead of gobbling the whole thing all at once, she made an effort to bring it to my mouth and try to jam it in. like she wanted to share! i was thrilled, thinking that this shows her ability to think outside of her little baby world and think that maybe mommy wanted to share her cracker too! yeah, i know that children really can't grasp the concept of "sharing" per se until they are 3 or so, but i couldn't help but be happy thinking that she "gets" that we are sharing with her. the husband says that it is probably closer to mimicking or imitating - which is great in and of itself.

i'm just happy to sit and share a cookie with her any day. mimicking or not.

Read more...

bye bye, little pink snowsuit...

the mini received this fabulous fluffy pink bear snowsuit from her aunt lori at her baby shower. i thought that she could wear it as a hallowe'en costume this year, but it was too big. she has worn it every time we've been out this winter though and i just love it - especially the ears on the hood and the little paws as feet.

but now it has to be retired. sob. on tuesday i tried to put it on her, and it was so tight that her arms and legs stuck straight out. so now it's washed and folded and put away with all the other clothes she's outgrown. as nice as it is to watch her grow, some days i wish i could freeze time.

Read more...

sterling silver sampling!

amidst all of the crib/sleep training drama, i've been working with some amazing sterling silver wire. half round, square, beaded, twisted, patterned, different gauges... such loveliness! in the stack to the left, i've incorporated several different types and the combination of textures is quite amazing. i've also been working with awesome domed floral patterned wire, which has made some lovely, baroque/medieval inspired bands! who knew that silver could be so versatile!!!

so... how goes the sleep training, you ask? meh, not so good. the mini has had NO problem returning to the crib, and i've somewhat overcome my "missing-baby-insomnia", but i realize that eventually halfway (or so) through the night, we end up together in my bed. oh well. i seem to have found a balance where we both get enough rest. when i'm better rested, i'm less moody and emotional about leaving her, plus i'm able to function well in the daytime. even the sleep training gurus say that nothing is worth it unless mommy is well rested... so i'm just going to go with it for now. survival, right????

i have learned a few things in the last couple of days:

1. thank God for the white noise machine

2. an early bedtime is best - darn you, cortisol!

3. i sometimes think i hear the mini crying when she's not

4. the battery in the baby monitor wears out very quickly.

5. an hour of alone time with the husband is quite restorative

6. the better she naps, the better she sleeps.

sleep. who knew it was so complicated???

Read more...

wordless thursday!

(i meant to post this yesterday for wordless wednesday in honour of the chinese new year and the mini's heritage but i forgot. do you think she's going to be a vegetarian? lol!)

Read more...

unbelievably anxious.

i know i am not the first mother who tears up at the thought of leaving her little one to go back to work. and i count myself very lucky to have a job to go back to, especially in this economy, don't get me wrong. but as i head into the home stretch of my maternity leave (april 27th is D-Day, sob) i find myself sinking a little into sadness.

yesterday, we had an incredibly difficult day. we were all ready to head up to my sister's for our nephew's birthday party and then we hit some speedbumps. first, the mini's afternoon nap went wayyyyyyy too long. because of her bout with roseola, i was reluctant to wake her up - she needs her sleep to continue to recover! and that made us an hour behind schedule. then, as we were getting ready, the husband spilled coke all over his shirt and the chair - putting him into a crabby mood. then, after i had loaded the mini into her carseat, she puked into the seat, all over her bundle me blanket, and her coat. then, as i went to get her new clothes, the door of her closet fell off. yes, FELL OFF.

needless to say, i had to call my sister to cancel. i just couldn't take it. there were too many things going on, and too much vomit everywhere. i just couldn't THINK about going out at that point. i know that i probably should have pushed through and just cleaned everyone up and headed out, but all i wanted to do was sit on the floor and cry. because then it just made me think about having to go back to work and having days like this and not having the luxury to just stay home.

yes, i'm whiny. and as i write this, i'm teary. i honestly did think that i would be the type of mom who would be dying to go back to work... but, to everyone's surprise, i am NOT. while the mini is going to be in wonderful hands while i'm working - hello, grandma! - i know i am going to be a mess.

if anyone has any tips or advice, please please please share!!!!!

Read more...

roseola... no, it's not the name of a hot chick...

this week has been kinda hard. the mini had been running a fever on and off for the past few days, but finally yesterday, she wasn't warm to the touch. however, when i took her outside in her car seat, there was a smattering of dusty rose over her forehead. i thought that maybe it was heat rash - my mom INSISTS that the mini is cold all the time - so i dressed her very warmly - but as the day went on, the rash progressed down her face, onto her neck, and all over her torso. back and front. kind of like she was wearing a little diaper shirt of rosy polka dots.

i called the doctor, telehealth and my sisters - and between everyone and my mom, we determined that she has roseola! when i told the husband, he said - "roseola? is that a hot chick's name?" yeah. so not funny - at the moment anyways - since i was FREAKING out. but, it's a totally common, mild childhood disease that almost all of us have before we reach the age of 4. but it explained the fever, the extreme clingy-ness, and the restless sleeping. i tried to get a photo of the dusty pink rash, since the mini's skin is like porcelain and this is so abnormal, but it's so subtle that i can't get a good shot.

ah, it's hard to be a baby, isn't it?

Read more...

i heart handspun wool!

i think i'm in trouble. even though my triplestitch shop isn't bursting at the seams with sales, i am so addicted to making those darn cowls. with handspun wool. the chunkier, the better. there are so many talented spinners out there, that i am sort of inspired to get myself a spindle and some wool roving and try my hand at it. (yes, i know that there is an accident waiting to happen somewhere in there. so shush.)

isn't it a spindle that sleeping beauty sticks her finger with and falls into that long sleep? hmmmm. probably not a great idea at this point, since the mini is now officially crawling and cruising around EVERYWHERE. she is definitely keeping me on my toes! several skeins of handspun have ended up nearly hopelessly tangled by her little baby hands. i know that she is dying to take her first steps - sometimes she tries to let go of my hands, thinking that she can do it herself, but of course, she can't. the poor thing has very bruised shins, but she is so determined to move on her own that she just keeps going.

she also has four - yes, count 'em! - teeth, which means eating is now an adventure in itself! the projective vomiting (well, it wasn't really projectile, but it certainly made a mess and made me crazy) has slowed down considerably and she seems really eager to try new foods. no more baby food for this one!!!! i can't believe that she is over 9 months now... sob! my baby's growing up!!!!

Read more...

thoughts on the mommy track

i always thought that i'd be one of those mothers who would be chomping at the bit to return to their job outside the home. i even told my boss that i'd probably be back early. well, i've surprised everyone - most of all, myself - at how i love being at home with the mini. even though being a stay at home mom is one of the hardest "jobs" i've ever had - and believe me, i've had LOTS - it definitely is the most rewarding. they should PAY moms to stay home and raise their babies!

the husband and i have been through a lot to get to where we are now - about 20 different apartments, career changes, a move cross-country and back, several vehicles, medical conditions, a separation, buying a house, and more credit card debt than i would have liked. however, it is all worth it when i look around at our crooked little house, full of things collected on our journey (and tons of baby stuff!) and the sweet little face of my mini!!!

my boss emailed me yesterday and asked when i'm thinking about returning to work. it made me really sad to give her a date - it's not that i haven't been thinking about it (and sometimes really missing my job!), but i really wished that i could have told her that i wouldn't be coming back at all.

Read more...

transitional objects, the ladybug puke cloth, and 2sleepyheads

Dr. D. Winnicott developed the developmental theory of transitional objects, especially in relation to children finding comfort once they realize that they are separate beings from their mothers. in the sleep training "research" that i've been doing in an attempt to help the mini develop good sleep habits (that's another post altogether), the transitional object plays a huge role. especially at bedtime.

while the mini was in utero, i always wondered what her transitional object would be. for me, i had a white knit blanket with satiny edges that i lugged around forever and eventually, it disintegrated. i loved that blanket. when the mini was littler, she became pretty attached to a lamaze octopus, and although the octopus is awesome, it is heavy for her to lug around right now and it's legs make sounds when you squeeze them. not so good for sleeping. (i can imagine a cacophony of sounds emanating from her room at 2 am. not pretty.) but if that's what it was going to be, we'd make it work.

if you guys remember, the mini had/has been a puker. when she was an infant, she'd spit up or forcibly vomit almost every time i fed her. and she fed a LOT. so, i got my friend 2sleepyheads to whip up some extra large burp cloths with some leftover cloth that she had on hand. she made me three out of the softest light blue flannel with a ladybug and polka dot pattern on it and they quickly became indispensible. to me anyways.

well, in the last month or so, the husband and i realized that the mini has become quite attached to her puke cloths - probably because now, no outfit of mine or hers is complete without it! we did an experiment over the last 3 days - whenever we put her down for a nap or to sleep, we fold up the cloth and put it slightly out of reach next to her - along with other blankets and soft toys. whenever she wakes up, it appears that the first thing she does is look for the cloth, wiggle her way towards it, and pulls it down so that she can rub it on her face and play with it. totally cute - and transitional object issue solved!

just wait till her wedding when we tell everyone that her favorite blanket was a burp cloth i got for her to VOMIT on!

but until then, i'll enjoy sleepy's exquisite mad sewing skills! she seriously makes the sweetest bags - and has an awesome "bag of the month" club. she also makes this texas rag quilt that just might be mine one day. she also has these innovative cooling breast pads/eye masks which are decadent!!! her second etsy shop, CleanAsAWhistle, embraces natural laundry and cleaning methods, all of which i am dying to try!

thanks, sleepy, for everything! the mini and i love you!

Read more...

i heart my blog... and the teething!

the wonderful muddyboots has taken pity on my poor lil blog and given us a redesign! i think that it makes things a little easier to navigate - and who doesn't love a new look? so thank you, muddyboots - we LOVE you! any feedback would also be great as i tweak things as i go - so let me know what you think!

speaking of new, the mini has a new tooth! i was despairing over the past couple of weeks over her new non-sleeping schedule but then we realized that it looked like her two bottom teeth were coming in. i went to the pharmacy and got some barfy tasting orajel - and she slept like the mini i remembered! last night, i noticed that one tiny little tooth had broken the skin... sigh! my baby's growing up. hopefully soon she'll be a little less fussy as she gets used to the sensation of teething... i have some new designs in my head that need to come out!

(it also looks like she's going to be the next crocodile hunter. tres cool!)

Read more...

tales from the nursery - part two!

when i was expecting the mini, i didn't think that i was the type of girl who'd spend hours and hours fussing over the baby's nursery. when the mini arrived - 10 days early - we had a barely serviceable space in our second bedroom. we didn't even have the crib set up! but after the proverbial dust settled, i realized that i really, really wanted the mini to have a bright, sunshiny space to call her own. over the next few months, my sister and i worked on making this small but sweet space into a little mini-haven!


this fabulous mahogany letter "s" is from smilemoon's woodworking studio. suspended from the curtain rod on a green striped grosgrain ribbon, it's a lovely addition to the room.

a skinny IKEA table lamp with matching shade brings the perfect amount of light on cloudy days.

a sock monkey from my etsy shop sits alongside my snow globe collection, a teddy bear adorned with an oversized gerber daisy clip and mini tutu from thegirlyplace and a lamb from doggiepiggie.

my sister is a genius - not only at designing nurseries, but also at making those fabulous pompoms that are suspended above the crib! i didn't think that they would even come close to entertaining the mini as the store bought mobile we had, but she loves looking at them! aren't they gorgeous????

pink ROXY rainboots, a pink hippo and a "yoshi" lookalike reign supreme on the shelf.

my sister and i worked hard making sure that the stripes were relatively straight. imagine our dismay when we realized that the WALLS are crooked!

i had posted about the wall hanging i had made from jennski's inspiring alphabet flash cards... here it is in action! i added striped grosgrain ribbon around the edge of the canvas and reinforced the spray adhesive with silvery metallic brads. the handmade hot pink throw pillow covers really pop against the pinstriped duvet on the daybed.

as sad as it is to be finished decorating, it was really fun - and i can't believe that i enjoyed it as much as i did! i love the colours that we used, and the addition of handmade goodness really makes it unique. i hope the mini enjoys it as much as i do!

p.s. i've entered the nursery into ohdeedoh's 2009 colour contest. if we make the blog, please show us some love and vote for us - even though we can't win any prizes because we're in canada!

Read more...

October's Giveaway!

yup, i'm late with my giveaway! i can't believe that the time has gone so quickly! if you can believe it, the mini is now 6 months old - unbelievable. she is such a little person now, with such a personality! she's starting to sit up on her own, and babbles all the time. she lights up when she sees us, which is such a joy.

anyway, i'm getting sentimental. back to the giveaway! i've had requests for a repeat of last month's prize, so here you go!

up for grabs is one of my "knotted up" rings in sterling silver made to fit you (or someone special!) i'm making it even easier to enter this giveaway. all you have to do is become a "follower" of my blog (if you are already, that's fantastic ) and leave me a message here saying that you are following!)
- for an extra entry, you can go to my shop and tell me what you like the best.
make sure you leave details (a link to your blog, an email address, etc.) so i can find you! go enter! now! i'll be picking a winner on november 5th!

happy october, everyone!!!!!! xxoxooxox

Read more...