Craftaholic

Being a stay at home momma has it's advantages and disadvantages.  For one, it killed my social interactions and our income took a nosedive.  Minor details, right? But all thanks to my hubs hard work and a new group for Bridger Valley Mommies, it's all smooth sailing from here. One other main advantage? I can craft to my hearts content.  

Here's an example or two..or nineteen.

                 number made: 5                                 number made: 2

  

 number made: 3

bird helped on this one

 number made: 4

   number made: 12 sets                          number made: 6

necklace charm all handmade except the feather

And I'm getting just a tad excited for Valentines Day

Happy crafting fellow mommies.

or dads.

or single folk.

or folks with no kids.

whomever, actually. 

Trade

We traded; the bird and I did.  

See, since I was 15, I've needed my wisdom teeth pulled. And ten years later I finally mustered up the guts to do it.  So I scheduled the surgery and penciled in a week for recover at my Mommas house.  Everything went great;  I don't remember a dang thing and Lilly bounced down the halls with her Nana as they waited.  I expected a week on the couch eating my fair share of pudding and ice cream. Instead, we went out for chicken wings and french fries the next day.  Easy-peasy.  

Not so easy-peasy? Bird on drugs. Since we didn't get the no boob milk for you memo until after the surgery, we tried our luck with formula and a bottle.  That kid impresses me everyday with her ability to catch whatever I throw at her. She took to it like it was no big deal. It made our midnight snacks a little difficult, but we survived. 

What did we trade? Teeth.  I lost four and Bird gained one.  Sure enough, Saturday morning, an extra guest made an appearance. Bird's first tooth, on the bottom right to be exact.  It's a pretty big deal around here. 

So, four days after the surgery I can finally justify my "week of recovery".  Between my regimen of Lortab, Ibuprofen, and amoxicillin, a horrible case of nausea hit.  No joke, even facebooking would make me nauseated.  Woe is me. So while I kept to myself on the couch, here is a recap of the bird happenings. 

1. Woke up next to Nana. It was going to be a good day from the start.

2. Shared some bananas with Papa.

3. Cruised around in my automobile.  

4. Cruised around in Nana's automobile, with no particular place to go.

 5. Spent the evening hanging out in my Jonny Jump-up.

 6.  Ended the night curled up with Papa, Jack-Jack, Allie, and Toby. Can you guess who's who?

Month Four

All of your clothes say 0-3 months.  In fact, everything so far has been “0-3 months”. Every milestone, pair of socks, and carseat settings can fit into 0-3. And now all of the sudden, you’re four months old.  What do I do with a four month old? 

A sudden and accidental swing at a toy has now become intentional grabs at your Papa’s nose or big reaches for my cup of coffee. You are so good with your hands.  I love watching you grow and learn. First it was your entire fist in your mouth and now you can pinpoint your pointer finger right into your mouth. You’re so sassy. Everything is done with intent now; every smile, cry, laugh, stare and grab.  

Christmas was spectacular with you, especially the wrapping paper. You scored a toy or two, pretty cute outfits, books, and boxes of diapers. All of which you could care less about because you had paper. But dad and I surly appreciated it all. Next year will be yours Bird.   You gave dad and me a pretty cool gift as well. You rolled over, the day after christmas. You always keep us guessing. Nana was there to see it. And when we cheered and yelled for you, you cried.  I guess were a little more excited than you were.  

You didn’t do as well with New Year’s.  You kinda pooped out on us around 9:00. It’s okay, we kissed you anyway.  

You have a Jenny Jump-up.  We haven’t used it until now because your head didn’t reach the top and your feet couldn’t touch the ground. But now...now you are the jump-up extraordinaire. We discovered your love for jumping when just sitting with us was no longer acceptable.  Everything was about standing up and moving those little legs of yours, and move they do. You are so strong.  You go absolutely crazy in that thing.  Jumping all over, swinging, and laughing the whole time...until you hit your head. Then it’s no fun and time for mom to come get you. You’re a champ when you hit your head...trust me, I’ve whacked it on enough things by now for you to be used to it. Sorry about that Bird. 

You are the biggest love. Nothing makes me happier than the smile we both get when we see each other.  Rather it’s after nap time, date night with daddy, or entering a room, your bald headed toothless smile gets me every time.  

So now, your clothes are either too tight or too big.  You play instead of sleep.  And the introduction to bananas is going well...very well. What a month, my big girl, so long baby bird, and hello silly Lilly. 

Sidelines and Shout Outs

2013 crept in before I could even say happy new year.  Actually, I feel that way with the entire year of 2012.  It was the most eventful uneventful year yet.  It was full a lot of first. A lot of pregnancy, an adventure or two, and a little baby.  2012 had a lot to be thankful for. Our entire family (both sides) graduated into parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles and anything of that sort.  I spent the summer on the sidelines while I watched everyone else ride rollercoasters, horses, and bikes. September was my glory month though. And instantly September turned into January and then all of the sudden my predictable newborn turned into a rumbling and bumbling baby. 

Since D(elivery)-day, our life has gone from late party nights to early morning feedings, from one suitcase to two, due to the bird and all her accessories. It’s gone from adult conversations to baby babble, from two love birds to a full.  

So to recap the unlimited love and appreciation from our friends and family, here’s a couple of shout-outs.

Grandma, for her ability to tap into and embrace my creativity and supply whatever I may need.

Momma, for answering her phone every time I call…which averages about three times a day.

Cal, for covering my ambulance shifts when I don’t consult my calendar…ever.

Sholly, for holding the bird so I can vacuum. 

Grandpa, for humoring my craft ideas and doing it ALL for me.

Mooder, for her dryer and excitement to see us when we show up at the backdoor with loads of laundry.

Dad and Jake, for accepting the constant “girl talk” of pregnancy, babies, and all that entails.

Poppa, for learning how to make baby sounds to go along with his growls.

Hillary and Andrea, for a life time of friendship and differences and combining all of our lifestyles into one big smorgasbord.

Sadie, for reassuring me runny noses don’t require ER trips and even though we’re moms doesn’t mean we can’t party like it’s high school.

And Brent, for letting me cuddle on your lap, filling my day with “I love you” texts, and making the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

2012 didn’t have any what if’s or how come’s.  I learned long ago to outgrow my pettiness and embrace the quote “it is what it is”.  

Month Three

According to the charts, you aren’t an infant anymore.  You’re a baby.  And that’s how you’ll stay the rest of your life. These medical charts measure your weight and height, and reached milestones. And just as I suspected, you’re perfect in every way; not too big, not too small, and a legitimate genius.  

      Every new mom is told how beautiful/smart/cute their new baby is, but you better get used to it Bird, because you’ll be hearing it for the rest of your life.  Month three has been a whirlwind of changes.  You smile not because it’s a mimicked emotion anymore, but because you want to smile. Add your laugh on top of that, and you completely melt your momma’s heart every time. You know and love your family better than anyone else, but your best friend is definitely the lady at Benedicts; you just can’t resist her big pink sweater.

      I’ve never put you on a schedule; I waited for you do that all on your own.  Wake up at 7:30am, nap a 9:00 for an hour(ish), up for the afternoon until 3:00, sleep, maybe (maybe) another catnap around 5:00, and then out for the night at 9:00. This goes like clockwork and round and round it goes.  You know your hands all too well, and it’s a rarity they aren’t in your mouth. But now you’ve discovered grabbing your shirt and shoving that in there as well.  And when the shirt wasn’t enough, you found your toes…and you also discovered that they too fit in your mouth. Tummy time is unnecessary, for you’ve been holding your head up since day one.  But now you can full support your body weight and then some. You sleep on your side just like daddy, and you cross your legs right over left just like me. You only wake up twice at night (two and five am). You sleep with us every night, right in the middle. Daddy sleeps so close to the edge and I’m up constantly checking on you. I want you with me always; the bassinet across the room is just too far.  Everyone says I’m in for trouble…and I’m sure they’re right, which is why we’re working on napping in the crib. You love the freedom. I still check on you constantly.

      It’s been three months, yet I feel like I’ve never lived without you.  I can’t get enough of you, but more so, neither can your dad.  Christmas time is more magical than ever. We share with you the music, the smells, tastes, and love of the season. You have no sense of the celebrations, but you love the lights on the tree.  You’ve mainly worn red and green this entire month because I feel like you need to be festive. Always.  You’re still so young, but it’s the dreams of Christmases to come that excite your dad and me more than anything.

      Tragedy struck this month in a small town, much like ours, in Connecticut. I want you to know that I’ve never hugged you tighter, loved you harder, or stared at you longer than ever before.  You have the world in your hands and every open road at your feet.  We live in a world of doubt, but put your trust in God and you’ll always be sure of your intentions. I promise to do everything in my power to lead you down the path the Lord has intended for you.  I love you my Bird. 

·      

                  It’s more than just hair or eye colors that make up your genetics…your love for sports was passed down on both sides.  You will sit and watch football and basketball forever. You love the fast motions and the commentator’s voice.

        It was a cold December morning, and we decided to stay in bed all day. I love taking naps with you, and you sleep so much better when you’re being cuddled.
   

               For the first month, mornings were a hard time for you.  You would get mad if  we stayed in bed too long. That’s when we discovered your amusement in windows. Now, our mornings are my favorite time. It’s constant smiles, giggles, and squirming all morning.

 

It Is Upon Us

Oh the weather outside is frightful

but the fire is so delightful

and since we've no place to go

  

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow