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Showing posts with label Hazel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hazel. Show all posts
25 August 2011
Okay, so this girl is throwing me for a loop. Again.
All week she's been trying to take off her diaper whenever it's dirty (and unfortunately, one "successful" attempt in her crib last week ended with poo all over the crib, her hands, her face... but I digress).
Yesterday she came to me in a dry diaper, trying to pull it off and saying "potty! potty!" (honestly, I don't even really remember teaching her that word. Maybe Oliver did?)
This morning she started following me around with a pack of wipes and pointing to her diaper saying "poopy". I didn't even take her seriously because, again, I've never had this "talk" with her. Evidently someone has though because I checked, on the outside chance that she may be dirty, and sure enough, she needed to be changed.
So.
The child took 15 months to walk, but is maybe showing signs that she's ready to potty train at 17 months? Seriously - walking for only two months and now this?
I potty trained Oliver when we turned two. It took about two months for him to be accident-free, but still, that's 7 months from now.
When did y'all potty train your kids? Should I give it a whirl? Am I over-thinking these "signs" and just setting myself up for frustration?
I know there are a ton of smart Mamas out there - y'all have given me lots of good advice in the past. So, what do you think? Heed her cues or write them off as a fluke?
20 August 2011
Goodnight, Hazel.
Goodnight squinty eyes and sassy bottom lip.
Goodnight, dimpled knuckles and upside-down dewey.
Goodnight blankie, goodnight hair,
goodnight Hazels everywhere.
15 August 2011
I take a lot of pictures. A lot.
I store them in tidy little folders in my iPhoto and generally edit my favorites in Lightroom or Photoshop. (By the way, I make most of my collages - like this one and this one - in Photoshop, for those of you that have asked.)
Every month I create a folder and title it "at home in [month]". My "At Home in July" folder is where all of my snaps of the kids get filed. Things we do that aren't necessarily big events or outings or things I plan to edit and share on my blog. Usually they are imperfect photographs - the kind that are a little blurry or underexposed or where one person's arm is waving so fast it looks like it's missing all together.
They're my "at home" photos. They're perfectly imperfect. They never get printed or shared and they're generally just for us to keep for us.
Except that last night, Ryan and I were scrolling thorugh the "At Home in July" folder and were just so tickled by our babes and the quirky things they do. I thought it might be fun to share a few of these 'perfectly imperfect' photos here, just for fun.
So, here they are!
Oliver loves to snack on apples, but isn't the best at finishing them or disposing of them properly. One morning, just before Hazel's nap time I found her laying on the rug, enjoying an apple that Oliver had, no doubt, discarded right there in the middle of the living room floor. She was so tired but she wanted to munch on it. She popped he head up for this photo, but it was mostly laid flat on the rug. Love this memory.
These are just a few shots from an afternoon of Oliver testing out the settings on the hose nozzle. He never meant to spray us, but he just kept losing track of where the hose was aimed when he pulled the trigger and by the end of it we were all dripping wet. (The camera didn't stay outside too long for this one since I was afraid it would get sprayed too!) I remember taking the kids inside for a warm bath and popsicles afterward.
This was a morning that everyone woke up too early. They were tired (as were we!) and didn't know what to do with themselves. We let Oliver and Hazel cuddle on the sofa and watch a cartoon in an attempt to let them wake up slowly before breakfast. It worked - eventually cuddling turned into wrestling and what could have been a grumpy morning transitioned sweetly into a happy breakfast.
{Right} Just a morning in the playroom. I love him standing and her sitting. He looks so much bigger than her and she just looks like such a little gal.
{Left} Another morning in the playroom. I remember seeing this photo when I uploaded it to my computer and thinking how old he looked in it.
Craisins at the art table. I never let them eat upstairs on the carpet but this was an exception and exceptions always make for giddy kids. They loved enjoying their upstairs snack!
{Right} One of the few days in July that we spent time outside that did not involve a pool. Hazel loves being outside more than the three of us combined and would spend her days in her little red swing on the swing set if it were up to her.
My sister made a trip to Colorado to visit a girlfriend last month and we got to keep Bea for one of the afternoons. I love that these two are best friends. And more than that - they act like an old married couple. I could sit and listen to them chatter and pick and plan for hours. They know each other's hot buttons and they know how to get along beautifully. And Bea sure knows how to spot an opportunity for a tender photo and embrace it.
Making spinach lasagna rolls for dinner one night. He loves to cook with me.
This is the tent under our dining room table that I referenced here. We spend all day under that thing and had so much fun - despite the head bonking and raisin spilling. :)
Okay, so it turns out we did lots of things at home in July. (Also, I'm realizing that Hazel spends a lot of time in just her diaper!) And now we're halfway through August and I'm already thinking I may repeat this type of post at the end of the month. What do you think?
Have a lovely Monday, friends! I'm headed off to buy some paint. Walls, beware! I'm coming for you!
06 August 2011
Steppin' out with my baby
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
It's for sure, not for maybe
That I'm all dressed up tonight
Steppin' out with my honey
Can't be bad to feel so good
Never felt quite so sunny
And I keep on knockin' wood
There'll be smooth sailin'
'cause I'm trimmin' my sails
With a bright shine on my shoes and on my nails
Steppin' out with my baby
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
Ask me when will the day be
The big day may be tonight!
{from Stepping Out With My Baby by Irving Berlin}
29 July 2011
Monkey
see,
monkey
do!
When we got Oliver that blue camera for Christmas he ran around the house having us and our family pose for pictures. At one point we were walking down the stairs, he turned around and snapped a picture of me. Then he "showed" me the pic and said, "I'll send it to your faceblog!"
Have a lovely weekend, friends!
Curious?
Hazel's camera (a birthday gift from Claire!) is from Little Sapling Toys on Etsy. (You can't see, but it has her name on the front).
Oliver's camera was purchased from Twig Creative on Etsy.
27 July 2011
As I was on my run tonight I was thinking about what a lovely and full day I had. When I got home I decided to write it down, just for my own sake. If you happen to find it interesting, then please enjoy!
27 Jul 2011
8:30 - Wake up to Ryan getting ready to leave for work. The kids seem to be sleeping late, so we're glad to get some time to hang out before he has to leave.
9:00 - Ryan leaves.
9:20 - Oliver is up. He is exceptionally cuddly, so we just hang out in bed together for about 20 minutes and catch a bit of Sesame Street.
9:40 - I leave Oliver to get breakfast started. Waffles, yogurt (full fat!), blueberries & milk.
9:50 - I call Oliver to the table and head upstairs to wake Hazel up. I find her laying quietly, just waking up slowly. She's so happy to see me and give me a big hug, then chatters her way down the stairs.
9:53 - Over breakfast I have a quick pep talk with Oliver about the day. We talk about good patterns (obedience - he thinks of this in terms of circles and stars) and bad patterns (disobedience - squares and x's). Not sure if the logic is super solid on this, but it has been working for him for days. He tells me he's planning on an all circles and stars day. I agree that's a good plan.
9:55 - Hazel is upset that Oliver gets butter and syrup on his waffles and lets the whole house know it.
9:56 - Oliver gives Hazel a square.
9:57 - Oliver sneaks her a few bites of his waffles.
10:00 - Breakfast is over. I clean up while Oliver and Hazel head up to the playroom where they play happily and I do some picking up in the downstairs.
10:15 - I head upstairs with something I ordered online last week. Oliver is geeked and I spend the next forty-five minutes installing it, it failing, and installing it better. Oliver and Hazel play with it and while they play I shoot some images for a post I'm planning to contribute for The Land of Nod's new blog, Honest to Nod next month. (Have I mentioned that yet? HUGE honor! EEE!) Stay tuned. :)
11:00 - Hazel communicates in no uncertain terms that she would like to rest. I lay her down and she's out in minutes. Oliver continues to play and I sit down to check my email and read this lovely daily devotional.
12:00 - Ryan is home for lunch! I greet him, then hop into the kitchen to make this quick Salsa Chicken recipe.
12:30 - The family sits down for lunch, sans a sleeping Hazel.
1:00 - Ryan has decided to work from home this afternoon. He and Oliver get cozy on the sofa and he tries to teach Oliver how to play Monopoly on the iPad. I put finishing touches on the Oliver's Picks post and publish it.
1:15 - Oliver has lost interest in Monopoly.
1:30 - I take a moment to pull myself together for the day (yes, up until this point I am totally in my jammies. don't judge - you have to be comfy to use power tools!)
1:55 - I decide to take advantage of having Daddy at home to monitor the kiddos, so I head out to the salon for a quick eyebrow wax.
2:45 - I have the green light to stay out (and conveniently packed my swimsuit, towel and a book just in case!), so I stop at our neighborhood pool where I read Bossypants
(on loan from Keight) and snack on Sprees for an hour or so. (Lemme tell ya, all politics and whatever aside, Tina Fey is FUH-NEE!) Trying to save the rest of the book for vacation next week, but it's disappearing before my very eager eyes.
(on loan from Keight) and snack on Sprees for an hour or so. (Lemme tell ya, all politics and whatever aside, Tina Fey is FUH-NEE!) Trying to save the rest of the book for vacation next week, but it's disappearing before my very eager eyes. 4:00 - I return home. Hazel had woken up at 3:00 (a four-hour nap!) and just finished a very late lunch. She is sitting halfway up the stairs exclaiming, "maMA! maMA!" when I come in the door. Oliver sees the towel on my shoulder and is very put out that I would even consider going to the pool without him. He feels betrayed. Shoot - definitely should have ditched the towel.
4:05 - Something smells foul. Hazel needs a new diaper, yo.
4:10 - I grab some tube yogurts (organic!) out of the fridge and sit down on the rug in the living room to help the kids with their snack. Ryan is working in his chair near us. I like it when he works at home. :)
4:20 - Quick wipe down of paws and faces and the kids and I head upstairs to play with our new apparatus some more.
4:50 - It's almost time to leave to go to dinner at church but Hazel is communicating that we will regret taking her anywhere without a quick nap. I lay her down. She shakes my hand and goes right to sleep. She might have even signed 'thank you'. Okay, maybe not.
5:30 - We start the van to get the A/C blowing, make sure Oliver's wearing underwear under his shorts (he wasn't - glad we checked!), wake up a surprisingly refreshed Hazel and load the kids up.
5:45 - Quick stop at the Chick-fil-a drive thru. Don't ask what I got. And definitely don't ask if it included a cookies and cream milkshake. Just don't.
6:00 - We join our friends and their kids at the church for a "brown bag" dinner in which about 90% of their brown bags have names of major fast food chains emblazoned on them. Ah well, it's the fellowship that counts!
6:30 - We wrap up our meals and head to the sanctuary for a screening of Babe, complete with microwave popcorn and a 1-year-old who has no interest in sitting still.
7:30 - We give up, say goodbye to our friends and to Babe, load the kids in the van and head to the library to return a stack of summer fun and give Bea a ride back to her house since she was Oliver's date.
7:45 - Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Ry takes the kids upstairs for jammies and bed and I make a quick change into running clothes in an attempt to beat both the heat and the sunset.
7:52 - I hit the pavement and run a surprisingly pleasant 6.54 miles. Kind of a nice way to wrap up the day.
8:58 - After a cool-down walk I'm home - hot and thirsty. Also, pretty stinky.
9:10 - Shower, work on some things for the Finding My Feet St. Jude team, shop online for rafts for the ocean (no luck - anyone have any good suggestions?), chat with Ryan, then think to myself what a lovely and full day I had.
10:20 - Spend 40 minutes trying to recount my day on here - just for a fun memory of a full day as a Mommy.
11:00 - Publish
(ps - Oliver made it through the day with all circles and stars! Well, there probably should have been a few squares in there, but who doesn't find themselves in need of a little grace now and then?)
Hope your day was circles and stars too! :)
19 July 2011
...is growing up!
She's walking running all over the house, holding her own against her big brother and his big ideas.
She mothers everything that even comes close to resembling a baby - even if it's a real child that is actually older than her.
And last night, she got to do a very big girl thing.
Every Monday Grandma and Grandpa take one of the grandchildren to Chick-fil-a for a special dinner date. And last night was Hazel's first time to go. And boy did she soak it up!
{all dressed up an waiting for her ride}
Yes, she is one happy growing girl. Busy as a hundred bees and cute than a million buttons.
That's our girl!
Happy Tuesday, friends!
17 July 2011
I hadn't sewn since we got back from Michigan. I was busy with other things and my sewing room sat alone and sad and uninhabited for over a week and a half and something needed to be done!
But, I did't know what to make. I needed inspiration.
And since I had just posted family photos of Hazel in that cute sun dress from babyGap, I thought it might be fun to tackle making that dress myself.
After all, why mess with a good thing?
(photo credit: Claire Wise Photography)
So, I grabbed some fabric from Anna Maria Horner's new line that had arrived from Sew Fresh Fabrics while I was gone. (It's hard to go wrong with Anna!)
I cut the body pieces from ManiMina's Everyday Dress pattern, finished the arm holes (instead of attaching the pattern's sleeves) and threaded a little circle of coordinating homemade bias tape for the strap into the neckline. I also added a line of the strap fabric to the bottom to give it interest.
And just like that - Hazel had a new summer dress!
I even had time leftover to join Oliver for a 2-hour nap in my bed! Not bad at all.
I accidentally cut things a little short (and tried to salvage as much length as I could by just doing a serged rolled hem instead of turning it under twice). I tried the dress with wide-leg jeans at first (maybe should have tried skinny jeans?) but I like short dresses on little girls and it's just so hot outside, so I eventually decided to go for it with a pair of bloomers and it was super cute!
What have y'all been making lately?
09 July 2011
As the clouds darkened over fair Franklin,
and the children grew anxious at sound of the ominous thunder,
there was one girl who was not afraid!
One blissfully ignorant girl who doesn't know rain as anything but cool and new and magical.
And so it came. And it came hard.
And the more it rained, the more she flapped and danced
and ventured off of the porch and into the wonderful downpour of delight.
Because for her, a thunderstorm was nothing to fear. It was an opportunity - a chance to learn and dance and flit around.
She had nothing to fear - Mama was right nearby.
And as the rains subsided and the thunder quieted,
the children went inside, wet and safe and happy.
Today I saw the world through the eyes of my child.
And I remembered what it's like to be a child of God.
My girl danced in the rain and reminded me, in the face of a storm, to let go with abandon and feel the rain on my face.
After all, my Father is right near by.
30 June 2011
Because, if you're going to pull style notes from someone, why not the late style editor of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar?
We are in Michigan enjoying a relaxing, non-humid, Northern-summer visit with Ryan's parents this week. Oliver is a swimming maniac, diving for toys, backstroking in the deep end and staying in the pool for nearly six hours straight, only to break for potty and dinner. Isn't vacation lovely?
What are y'all up to this week?
19 June 2011
Oliver and Hazel,
You are two of my favorite people in the world.
I just want to be around you!
You make me laugh. Your joy is contagious.
Your abandon is so freeing.
You have the most kissable foreheads I have ever known.
And when you play, you play hard.
And you play big!
And Oliver, you can so easily get lost in life as a 4-year-old. Playing sword-guitar in your boxers makes you feel like a real rockstar.
And Hazel, you really do know how to dance like nobody's watching. Just flapping your arms to the music - so fast they're just a blur of happiness.
My children, you melt me.
With your funny toothy grins,
your unparalleled passion for balloons,
and your roly poly thighs.
I am reminded by you both to drink deeply from life every day. I am setting aside my distractions, soaking you in, and making these days count with my babies - teaching you about the love of Jesus and turning a toy sword, a balloon and a little music into a precious memory.
Thank you, Jesus for these sweet babies.
I am just so grateful.
(and in case you may ask, the music playing in the background is "Convinced" from the Seeds of Courage album by Seeds Family Worship.)
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