Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wordless Wednesday - Things I'm Looking Forward To
Whitewater Falls, near the South/North Carolina border. One of my absolutely favorite places to visit in the fall. These are from late October of last year.
Dummy Parenting 101
A couple of recent entries to Mommy's Vault of Stupid:
* * * * * *
In totally unrelated business, if any of you knows anything about digital scrapbooking, holla. I'm interested in starting it, and I'd like opinions. I've tried Scrap Blog, but I think it might be a little too basic for my needs.
- Take your child to Toys R Us so that you can get ideas for Christmas and birthday (which are within a week of one another for Livers). Show child a pretend guitar that plays music, a toy which child is guaranteed to like and want. Then take toy away from child, put it back on the shelf, and tell her that we're not getting it today but maybe in three months for Christmas. RESULT: Child will throw her first real temper tantrum in a (quiet) store, loud enough to likely be heard throughout the building. She will cry big fat crocodile tears, turn very red in the face, try to climb out of the buggy, and look up to you saying "Hold you, Mama!" I'm brilliant.
- Go to Sam's and give your child a balloon, all the while cringing because (A) popping balloons scare the bejesus out of you, and (B) child is holding balloon with her fingernails. Put child and balloon in the back of the car, making sure balloon is unreachable by child. Get child out of car at restaurant. Get balloon out of car at restaurant because you can no longer stand the possibility of child popping it in cramped quarters without warning. Tell child to say bye-bye to balloon and then let it go. Watch child roll out bottom lip and cry, with outstretched arms, "Balloon!" Hear cries turn to shrieking screams.
* * * * * *
In totally unrelated business, if any of you knows anything about digital scrapbooking, holla. I'm interested in starting it, and I'd like opinions. I've tried Scrap Blog, but I think it might be a little too basic for my needs.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
FFFF - One of My Favorite Places
Since I was a baby I have spent my summer vacations at one beach. I've only once in my life beached anywhere other than here, and this place holds many memories for me. My husband and I even chose to get married here, because he loved the place as well and felt it would be a fitting place to start our wedded lives.
I've since passed this tradition on to Livers, and I hope that she grows up with the same love for this place as I have.
Last week Livers and I spent a few days at my favorite beach with my parents. We'd already gone to the beach with neighbors, but I love the beach very much and would hate to go another year without visiting the one from my childhood. To commemorate this trip I am posting pictures from our visit to one of my favorite places on earth. Happy Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!
Early morning the first full day at the beach.
My budding beach bum contemplating throwing her shoes in the ocean.
She instead chose to drink the water. To each her own.
Washing her salty mouth out with some of her Bompa's Coke.
I love sea gulls, and so does Livers. It's one of the few birds that she can call by name. We enjoyed feeding them pretzels, Chex Mix, and whatever else we had on hand. Here are some of my favorite shots.
This species of gull always looks so pissed. I don't know what he's got to be angry about. He lives at the beach.
Livers had some apples and was trying to feed them to the sea gulls. They were not fans.
The second and last day we were on the beach it was incredibly windy. A front had moved through after our first day on the beach, producing some huge thunderstorms and keeping it overcast and cold the next day. I was afraid to go in the water, because I'm pretty sure there would've been rip currents.
My mom, like me, hates getting her picture taken. She'll probably be mad that I put this one up, but it was too funny to pass up.
The frighteningly rough surf.
Livers pondering the ocean. Either that or looking for a sea gull to harass.
These are sanderlings. They are incredibly small, and not all that shy. They would scoot almost to your toes to pick up food you had thrown down. Livers called them "teenie tiny birds".
One of my dad and my favorite places to visit is one of the local marinas. We always have enjoyed going in the late afternoon to see what the charter fishing boats have brought in from the Gulf Stream. Unfortunately for us, on this day they did not go out (likely because tourist season is over and it wasn't worth it), so we were disappointed. We instead walked on the walkways over the inlet. These are a few shots from the walk.
Livers loved this giant fish. She kept petting it and giving it hugs.
They have a "goat island" in the marsh. Seriously, it has a bunch of goats that live on it (and a few peacocks) and they eat all of the marsh reeds. They're a hoot to watch.
The last place we went was to the pier. I always love a good sign, and this sure got my attention.
This bird isn't all that spectacular, but for me it is the quintessential beach bird (more so than gulls). It is a Boat-tailed Grackle, and it has a very distinct call that reminds me of the beach. I always think of the beach whenever I hear it.
I managed to take a pretty decent shot of the moon rising on our last night. I liked how it was rising red, and you can actually see some of the craters in the moon.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of our beach trip! If you would like to see any other photos, stop on by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta and check them out!
I've since passed this tradition on to Livers, and I hope that she grows up with the same love for this place as I have.
Last week Livers and I spent a few days at my favorite beach with my parents. We'd already gone to the beach with neighbors, but I love the beach very much and would hate to go another year without visiting the one from my childhood. To commemorate this trip I am posting pictures from our visit to one of my favorite places on earth. Happy Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!
Early morning the first full day at the beach.
My budding beach bum contemplating throwing her shoes in the ocean.
She instead chose to drink the water. To each her own.
Washing her salty mouth out with some of her Bompa's Coke.I love sea gulls, and so does Livers. It's one of the few birds that she can call by name. We enjoyed feeding them pretzels, Chex Mix, and whatever else we had on hand. Here are some of my favorite shots.
This species of gull always looks so pissed. I don't know what he's got to be angry about. He lives at the beach.
Livers had some apples and was trying to feed them to the sea gulls. They were not fans.
The second and last day we were on the beach it was incredibly windy. A front had moved through after our first day on the beach, producing some huge thunderstorms and keeping it overcast and cold the next day. I was afraid to go in the water, because I'm pretty sure there would've been rip currents.
My mom, like me, hates getting her picture taken. She'll probably be mad that I put this one up, but it was too funny to pass up.
The frighteningly rough surf.
Livers pondering the ocean. Either that or looking for a sea gull to harass.
These are sanderlings. They are incredibly small, and not all that shy. They would scoot almost to your toes to pick up food you had thrown down. Livers called them "teenie tiny birds".
One of my dad and my favorite places to visit is one of the local marinas. We always have enjoyed going in the late afternoon to see what the charter fishing boats have brought in from the Gulf Stream. Unfortunately for us, on this day they did not go out (likely because tourist season is over and it wasn't worth it), so we were disappointed. We instead walked on the walkways over the inlet. These are a few shots from the walk.
Livers loved this giant fish. She kept petting it and giving it hugs.
They have a "goat island" in the marsh. Seriously, it has a bunch of goats that live on it (and a few peacocks) and they eat all of the marsh reeds. They're a hoot to watch.
The last place we went was to the pier. I always love a good sign, and this sure got my attention.
This bird isn't all that spectacular, but for me it is the quintessential beach bird (more so than gulls). It is a Boat-tailed Grackle, and it has a very distinct call that reminds me of the beach. I always think of the beach whenever I hear it.
I managed to take a pretty decent shot of the moon rising on our last night. I liked how it was rising red, and you can actually see some of the craters in the moon.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of our beach trip! If you would like to see any other photos, stop on by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta and check them out!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Things Found at the Playground
Today was a GORGEOUS autumn day in C-town. It was sunny with only a few wispy clouds in sight. There was a decent breeze. It was in the low-70s--low enough for this indoor girl to comfortably and happily wear her new, on sale JCPennys, super-soft sweater for most of the day. Since it was so nice (and Livers had been forced to shop much of the day), I took her to the park a couple of blocks from our house.
She had a blast. She spent much of our time picking up acorns and asking me, "How many?" before running off to pick up more. I pushed her in the swing for a good long time. Usually she gets bored and wants to move on to other things, but she was captivated by the guy on the "law mowah" cutting the grass on the baseball field. I finally put her down because I was getting tired of swinging, and I asked if she wanted to look for more acorns. She said she did but made a bee-line for the covered area where you can picnic.
She found a juice cup that some child had left, so I took it away from her and she nosed herself around the benches. Then I heard the chime of "AAA-KEEEEEEY!!", which is what we say when you find something that is trash, gross, or otherwise disgusting. (I didn't make the word up. It's a western Ohio thing.) I figured she'd found a piece of plastic or a bag or maybe some food, so I went to take whatever it was from her to throw it in the trash.
Only it wasn't your garden variety playground trash.
It was...
...a used condom wrapper.
On MY playground.
In MY daughter's virgin hands.
I'm thanking my lucky stars that it was just a wrapper. I wouldn't want to have to call the guys with the HASMAT suits to disinfect my poor child's hands.
I squinched up my face and told her, "Yes, that IS an ackey," and moved to PRY the trash out of the hand. She was trying to use her ninja grip on the thing. Needless to say we busted out the antibacterial wipes as soon as we got to the car.
And I'd always wondered what people were doing at the park at 11 at night. Now I know.
Yuck.
She had a blast. She spent much of our time picking up acorns and asking me, "How many?" before running off to pick up more. I pushed her in the swing for a good long time. Usually she gets bored and wants to move on to other things, but she was captivated by the guy on the "law mowah" cutting the grass on the baseball field. I finally put her down because I was getting tired of swinging, and I asked if she wanted to look for more acorns. She said she did but made a bee-line for the covered area where you can picnic.
She found a juice cup that some child had left, so I took it away from her and she nosed herself around the benches. Then I heard the chime of "AAA-KEEEEEEY!!", which is what we say when you find something that is trash, gross, or otherwise disgusting. (I didn't make the word up. It's a western Ohio thing.) I figured she'd found a piece of plastic or a bag or maybe some food, so I went to take whatever it was from her to throw it in the trash.
Only it wasn't your garden variety playground trash.
It was...
...a used condom wrapper.
On MY playground.
In MY daughter's virgin hands.
I'm thanking my lucky stars that it was just a wrapper. I wouldn't want to have to call the guys with the HASMAT suits to disinfect my poor child's hands.
I squinched up my face and told her, "Yes, that IS an ackey," and moved to PRY the trash out of the hand. She was trying to use her ninja grip on the thing. Needless to say we busted out the antibacterial wipes as soon as we got to the car.
And I'd always wondered what people were doing at the park at 11 at night. Now I know.
Yuck.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
I Won an Award!
Unfortunately, it was the "This Weekend in Clumsy (Dumbass)" Award.
Usually this one belongs to Livers. Case and point, a picture of what won it for her two weekends ago:
However, this weekend's belongs squarely and solely to yours truly. While in the bathroom with my husband, who was getting our resident fish her nightly bath, I turned around to leave the room. Without checking to see just how open the door was, I blindly walked full force into the edge of the slightly-closed door. If you look closely at the picture you may be able to see it's imprint, left via bruise, on my forehead. The picture does not do the injury justice. I think it looks better in person. Also left damaged, my big toe, which was rammed under the door and violently scratched. I should've taken it's picture immediately, as it was nice and blue, but I was on the den floor writhing in pain.
Hopefully I'll get non-injury, vacation-related pictures up soon. I had planned to do it today, but I haven't been at my best. I blame it on taking two BCP packs back-to-back in an effort to avoid the unmentionable while at the beach. It backfired as soon as I returned. What can you do? I hope to be in tip-top shape again soon. Now I'm off to watch a movie. Have a great night!
Usually this one belongs to Livers. Case and point, a picture of what won it for her two weekends ago:
However, this weekend's belongs squarely and solely to yours truly. While in the bathroom with my husband, who was getting our resident fish her nightly bath, I turned around to leave the room. Without checking to see just how open the door was, I blindly walked full force into the edge of the slightly-closed door. If you look closely at the picture you may be able to see it's imprint, left via bruise, on my forehead. The picture does not do the injury justice. I think it looks better in person. Also left damaged, my big toe, which was rammed under the door and violently scratched. I should've taken it's picture immediately, as it was nice and blue, but I was on the den floor writhing in pain.
Hopefully I'll get non-injury, vacation-related pictures up soon. I had planned to do it today, but I haven't been at my best. I blame it on taking two BCP packs back-to-back in an effort to avoid the unmentionable while at the beach. It backfired as soon as I returned. What can you do? I hope to be in tip-top shape again soon. Now I'm off to watch a movie. Have a great night!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Girls Are Back in Town
We are FINALLY back home, after what seems like a lifetime away. Livers and I got in around 5 yesterday, and though I was frustrated that the house was not up to my standards of cleanliness, it felt great to be home. I'd only been home for 10 hours since the 11th, and that was long enough to drop off my husband's luggage from Ohio, sleep six hours, and pack up to leave again at 9:45 the next morning.
I must say, traveling with a 20 month old can be rough. It can be especially so when you are stuck in an airport for two hours because of a hurricane grounding your plane IN OHIO. Who knew they got hurricanes up there. Overall Livers did great on her trips. She was very rambuctious and active, but that's no different than normal. I know that things could have been MUCH worse. (We've ALL been on planes or in cars with crying children who don't know when to quit.) There were relatively few meltdowns, and she was taken by the sights and sounds of the world around her.
It was very different going to the beach in the middle of September. I'm used to it being hot and humid the entire time, and there were times when it was actually, get this,...cold. Storms blew though Tuesday which left it around 80 and pretty windy the rest of the trip. It was fall-like! I'll probably get around to posting some pictures from the beach later this weekend.
Livers and the Local Color
For now, I've got to start tackling my huge get-back-in-my-routine to-do list, which is includes but is not limited to:
P.S. Only two days till fall! I'm trembling with excitement, even more so since it actually feels like fall here!
Coming soon to a backyard year you!
I must say, traveling with a 20 month old can be rough. It can be especially so when you are stuck in an airport for two hours because of a hurricane grounding your plane IN OHIO. Who knew they got hurricanes up there. Overall Livers did great on her trips. She was very rambuctious and active, but that's no different than normal. I know that things could have been MUCH worse. (We've ALL been on planes or in cars with crying children who don't know when to quit.) There were relatively few meltdowns, and she was taken by the sights and sounds of the world around her.
It was very different going to the beach in the middle of September. I'm used to it being hot and humid the entire time, and there were times when it was actually, get this,...cold. Storms blew though Tuesday which left it around 80 and pretty windy the rest of the trip. It was fall-like! I'll probably get around to posting some pictures from the beach later this weekend.
Livers and the Local Color
For now, I've got to start tackling my huge get-back-in-my-routine to-do list, which is includes but is not limited to:
- Lots of laundry
- Cleaning a scuzzy bathroom
- Dishes
- Unpacking
- Dusting
- Grocery shopping
- Clothes shopping for Livers (she's getting too big for her summertime britches)
- Buying new batting my mom's dog destroyed while my husband dog-sat him
- Sorting out the baby toys from Livers' stash because she's growing up
- General straightening
- Finishing the diaper bag I had started before leaving for vacations
- Getting around to various craft projects I had in mind
- Reading Nights in Rodanthe before going on a girls' night out to see it Friday
P.S. Only two days till fall! I'm trembling with excitement, even more so since it actually feels like fall here!
Coming soon to a backyard year you!
Friday, September 12, 2008
(Don't You) Forget About Me
Just a quick post:
I'll be MIA (intenet connection dependent) until the 19th. I'm currently in the great state of Ohio for my brother-in-law's wedding, and the day after coming back Livers and I will be taking a trip to the beautiful (and thankfully, hurricane-free) Carolina coast.
If I'm able to update (and hopefully I will be) my blog and read/comment on your blogs, then I will. I'll at the very least be reading some of your blogs in my absence. (Thank God for internet phones!)
Until later, have a wonderful week!
P.S. Thanks, Tiaras & Tantrums! I'll be sharing the love when I get a chance!
I'll be MIA (intenet connection dependent) until the 19th. I'm currently in the great state of Ohio for my brother-in-law's wedding, and the day after coming back Livers and I will be taking a trip to the beautiful (and thankfully, hurricane-free) Carolina coast.
If I'm able to update (and hopefully I will be) my blog and read/comment on your blogs, then I will. I'll at the very least be reading some of your blogs in my absence. (Thank God for internet phones!)
Until later, have a wonderful week!
P.S. Thanks, Tiaras & Tantrums! I'll be sharing the love when I get a chance!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
A Sad Day
Why?
You might think me a wee bit of an idiot for being upset over this, but I packed away Livers' (real) high chair today. We're officially into the booster/high chair thing (you know, the combo that attaches to a regular kitchen chair), and I could cry. Packing away her high chair is like saying good bye to my little baby. She's starting to turn into a bona fide, albeit very short, little person. She can talk well (even in primitive sentences). She carries herself like an adult. She's starting to feed herself like an adult (eating like one, eh, not so much). She dances, she sings, she has opinions (God, does she have opinions), she displays and is starting to understand emotions in others. She's growing up.
She still does have enough baby in her for me to hold onto (for now). She's little. She doesn't have much hair (though it's growing fast. As long as she looks bald she'll feel like a baby to me.) She still has a little chunk on her thighs, though they're slowly whittling down to being skinny kid legs. She still has a cute little baby laugh, though every day I hear it evolving into a little girl laugh (which is adorable, actually).
I should try to see the positives in the situation, like having more floor and counter space in my kitchen. But all I can see is my little baby girl slowly becoming a tiny little lady, and it makes me sad...
You might think me a wee bit of an idiot for being upset over this, but I packed away Livers' (real) high chair today. We're officially into the booster/high chair thing (you know, the combo that attaches to a regular kitchen chair), and I could cry. Packing away her high chair is like saying good bye to my little baby. She's starting to turn into a bona fide, albeit very short, little person. She can talk well (even in primitive sentences). She carries herself like an adult. She's starting to feed herself like an adult (eating like one, eh, not so much). She dances, she sings, she has opinions (God, does she have opinions), she displays and is starting to understand emotions in others. She's growing up.
She still does have enough baby in her for me to hold onto (for now). She's little. She doesn't have much hair (though it's growing fast. As long as she looks bald she'll feel like a baby to me.) She still has a little chunk on her thighs, though they're slowly whittling down to being skinny kid legs. She still has a cute little baby laugh, though every day I hear it evolving into a little girl laugh (which is adorable, actually).
I should try to see the positives in the situation, like having more floor and counter space in my kitchen. But all I can see is my little baby girl slowly becoming a tiny little lady, and it makes me sad...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Spreading the Love, a Little .JPEG for Your Blog at a Time
Before going on vacation a bagillion years ago, Tiaras and Tantrums was kind enough to bestow a blog award on me: the Arte Y Pico Award.
Then, a week or so ago, Ms. T & T awarded me with another award, the Blogging Friends Forever Award.
And then (I promise I'm not trying to sound arrogant with all my awards), Maternal Mirth presented me with the honor of her brand new Mirth-y Muffin Award.
I greatly appreciate these awards, and am glowing from the honor. Now I want to share the love that you've shared with me.
Now, I know you're supposed to follow special "rules" when give these awards, but I don't want to do that. Not because I'm such a rebel, but because I don't want to just give an award to give an award. I want to pass on the love because I really enjoy the other person's blog. So here are my award recipients, in alphabetical order. Feel free to follow my "rules" lead or make your own up. It's your call.
Then, a week or so ago, Ms. T & T awarded me with another award, the Blogging Friends Forever Award.
And then (I promise I'm not trying to sound arrogant with all my awards), Maternal Mirth presented me with the honor of her brand new Mirth-y Muffin Award.
I greatly appreciate these awards, and am glowing from the honor. Now I want to share the love that you've shared with me.Now, I know you're supposed to follow special "rules" when give these awards, but I don't want to do that. Not because I'm such a rebel, but because I don't want to just give an award to give an award. I want to pass on the love because I really enjoy the other person's blog. So here are my award recipients, in alphabetical order. Feel free to follow my "rules" lead or make your own up. It's your call.
- AFRo - All of the above. Because she's cool like that.
- Artsy Momma - Arte Y Pico. Your outlook on life and devotion to craftiness are something I really admire.
- Hippie Family Just Hanging Around - All of the above. I could see us being friends IRL if we didn't live half a country away.
- Maternal Mirth - All of the above. Yes, I realize I'm giving you your own award. But your blog IS yummy. I think the same thing I said for Hippie Family goes for you, M & M.
- Ravings of a Mad Housewife - All of the above. The way you put it all out there and intentionally try not to gloss over the negative side of mommyhood makes me happy. It's nice to know that it's not all sunshine and moonbeams for everyone.
- Tiaras and Tantrums - All of the above. If you ever need a friend to go to China with, give me a ring! :)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
What's My Name?
Livers has learned my name. I don't know if she necessarily understands that Mommy = Lindsay, but she definitely knows that someone by that name resides in this house. How do I know this? Because she will randomly yell out, at the top of her lungs, "LINDSAY!!" In fact, right now, between singing the first two lines of Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" ("you're breakin' my heart") and babbling incomprehensibly, she is calling it out. I guess she's picked it up from her daddy.
As long as she still calls me "Mama," we'll be cool.
As long as she still calls me "Mama," we'll be cool.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Weekend Craftiness
Few things make me happier than getting the chance to be crafty and make something with my own hands. It relieves stress, helps me to focus and take my mind off of things, and gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment that what was created was done by ME. Even better is when the fruits of my labor are for someone that I love.
This weekend I began a project that I had wanted to work on for awhile: I made Livers a homemade stuffed animal.
When I was pregnant with Livers I struggled for awhile over the whole "nursery theme." I always knew what color scheme I wanted to use: blue, red, and lime green. I wanted something bold and atypical, even if it was for a girl. At first I wanted to go with something "oceany," and I always wanted to try and make my own artwork, but when I realized that I was too tired and had pregnant-brain, I scrapped the idea of doing something original. That's when I came upon the world's cutest children's book: Rainbow Rob. It's about a penguin, named Rob, who doesn't like that he's boring black and white. He looks up at a rainbow one day and is inspired to chose a different color for himself. After much research, he realizes that there's nothing wrong with how he looks, and he accepts himself for who he is.
Touching, right?
I wasn't so much sold on the concept as the fact that it was bright, had rainbows and penguins, and was cute as a button. So I themed my nursery after the book, drawing my bold colors from it and even making homemade canvas paintings from characters in the book. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and Livers loves it and the book.
I had wanted for awhile to make a stuffed animal Rainbow Rob for Livers. I had done a little work in the past with felt, and I knew that it was pretty easy to work with. (Not to mention very cheap to buy.) So this weekend I finally sat down and cut out my patterns and began working on the stuffed animal. I must say, there is something very cathartic about sewing. To some people it is mind-numbing, but to me it is relaxing. One thing that was really nice was that I actually could get some of the sewing done with Livers around. She would climb on my lap a bit, but mostly she was just curious about what I was doing. She even could tell me who I was making, which must mean something!
Finally, this afternoon, I sewed my last stitch into Rob's felt. There are a few mistakes, such as his head being a little too pointy and him being a little less rotund that I would have liked, but I'm overall pleased with how it turned out, especially considering this is my first attempt at making felt stuffed animals. Rob's almost too cute to give to Livers, particularly since I'm worried he'll be destroyed.
So, without further adieu, I give you my "masterpiece" ;)
I really enjoy doing things like this, and am really getting into sewing. I have more projects in my head than I (and our bank account) know what to do with. I think that if my handiwork gets decent enough I might try my hand at selling things on Etsy. If any of you know anything about how that works, let me know!
This weekend I began a project that I had wanted to work on for awhile: I made Livers a homemade stuffed animal.
When I was pregnant with Livers I struggled for awhile over the whole "nursery theme." I always knew what color scheme I wanted to use: blue, red, and lime green. I wanted something bold and atypical, even if it was for a girl. At first I wanted to go with something "oceany," and I always wanted to try and make my own artwork, but when I realized that I was too tired and had pregnant-brain, I scrapped the idea of doing something original. That's when I came upon the world's cutest children's book: Rainbow Rob. It's about a penguin, named Rob, who doesn't like that he's boring black and white. He looks up at a rainbow one day and is inspired to chose a different color for himself. After much research, he realizes that there's nothing wrong with how he looks, and he accepts himself for who he is.
Touching, right?
I wasn't so much sold on the concept as the fact that it was bright, had rainbows and penguins, and was cute as a button. So I themed my nursery after the book, drawing my bold colors from it and even making homemade canvas paintings from characters in the book. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and Livers loves it and the book.
Paintings I made in Livers' nursery
I had wanted for awhile to make a stuffed animal Rainbow Rob for Livers. I had done a little work in the past with felt, and I knew that it was pretty easy to work with. (Not to mention very cheap to buy.) So this weekend I finally sat down and cut out my patterns and began working on the stuffed animal. I must say, there is something very cathartic about sewing. To some people it is mind-numbing, but to me it is relaxing. One thing that was really nice was that I actually could get some of the sewing done with Livers around. She would climb on my lap a bit, but mostly she was just curious about what I was doing. She even could tell me who I was making, which must mean something!
Finally, this afternoon, I sewed my last stitch into Rob's felt. There are a few mistakes, such as his head being a little too pointy and him being a little less rotund that I would have liked, but I'm overall pleased with how it turned out, especially considering this is my first attempt at making felt stuffed animals. Rob's almost too cute to give to Livers, particularly since I'm worried he'll be destroyed.
So, without further adieu, I give you my "masterpiece" ;)
I really enjoy doing things like this, and am really getting into sewing. I have more projects in my head than I (and our bank account) know what to do with. I think that if my handiwork gets decent enough I might try my hand at selling things on Etsy. If any of you know anything about how that works, let me know!
Monday, September 1, 2008
My Labor Day Story...and What a Labor It Was!
We take a break from our regularly scheduled blogging to participate in a meme at Rocks in My Dryer. (Link below; blogger's acting moronic.)
My last preggo pictures. Taken before my (next to last) preggo meal at Golden Corral.
* * * * *
Here is my Labor Day story, circa January 2, 2007, for my little Livers:
How long was I in labor?
I was in labor for around 13-14 hours, give or take.
How did I know I was in labor?
When the nurse put the Pitocin drip into my IV for my induction and told me I'd start feeling contractions in around 20 minutes. She didn't lie. They started out nice enough, and I said to myself, "This is easy, I can handle this."
Before I started to understand what "labor" really meant. Note to self: Wear make-up and do a better hair job next time you have a kid. You may feel like crap, but at least you look pretty.
Where did you deliver?
At a hospital forty-five minutes from home. Good thing I was induced. I can't imagine having to have driven that while in labor. My husband would've died.
Drugs?
Oh yes. I have a pretty low threshold for pain. My contractions went from, "This is easy, I can handle this," to "Get me the f*****g epidural!" in about an hour. (I didn't say this out loud. I did in my head.) I was barely three centimeters dilated at this point. Before the epidural the doctor tried to break my water. I thought he was trying to kill me, or at the very least assault me. It was absolutely HORRIBLE.
I was fine for awhile after I was given my epidural, but then they had to periodically roll me from one side to the other to "drain the meds", because I would be numb on one side but could feel the contractions on the other. At one point my blood pressure must have dropped pretty low from the epidural, because I got incredibly nauseous, and they had to do a quick bolus bag to stabilize me. My mom later told me that she had never seen me so white and pale. Also not fun, by the time I actually reached 10 centimeters and was starting to push I had horrible back labor, which medicine would not have helped (believe me, I asked numerous times for something to take that away), AND my epidural had worn off (though my legs were still numb). I could've killed someone.
Me resting, when the epidural ACTUALLY was working.
C-Section?
Yes. I had never planned to have one, but it became obvious that I was going to need one. Why? Little Livers had chosen to make her grand entrance sunny-side up. In the last moments of my epidural's life the doctor tried to flip her face down. Let me tell you, that was an uncomfortable situation, even with pain killers. Nothing like a doctor shoving his entire hand into your uterus, grabbing your baby, and trying to turn her while you try to sit still. Even worse, I think he was still wearing his bomber jacket. Every time he came to check me (and to break my water) he just rolled up his sleeves. Dude, just take it off, because it's weird.
Anyway, he wasn't able to turn her so I had to try and push her out. The nurse got a bed sheet and knotted it, and she told me to grab on and pull while pushing. It was very obnoxious, because I was in a lot of pain and very tired, and she was acting like a complete bulldog.
Livers' never used warming table.
I tried really hard to push Livers out. I had the numerous busted blood vessels in my face to prove it. After around 45-minutes to an hour the doctor came in to check my progress, and he said that my cervix had swollen and was making it difficult for the already difficult baby to get through. He said it would likely be three more hours of this, and there was no guarantee that I would be able to push her out, so my mom stepped up to the plate and requested the C-Section on my behalf. I'll love her forever for this. I still had to wait in agony for thirty minutes to get the OR ready, and I was elated (between contractions) to get this over with. They told my husband to wait outside the OR until they got me ready and someone would fetch him, but they never got to. They gave me two spinals, but neither of them took, so they ended up putting me under general anesthesia. They never told me it was coming; just put a claustrophobic mask on my face and told me to take some oxygen. Next thing I remember I'm in recovery and groggily asking my husband questions about our new little girl.
Pictures of Livers taken while I was in recovery.
Who delivered?
The doctor did. He would periodically pop in throughout the day to check my progress. (See bomber-jacket reference.) The nurses did the vast majority of the work (aside from the C-section). I had around four or five throughout the ordeal. Amusingly the same nurse who had checked me in that morning was the one making me push that evening. I had been there long enough to catch her on her next shift. I didn't like her the second time. Most nurses at the hospital were awesome and very kind and helpful. One's name was Channa, which drove me crazy, because I was so hungry and her name was part of an Indian food dish that I thought was yummy.
Want more stories of guts and glory? Drop on over to Rocks in My Dryer and play along!
My last preggo pictures. Taken before my (next to last) preggo meal at Golden Corral.
* * * * *
Here is my Labor Day story, circa January 2, 2007, for my little Livers:
How long was I in labor?
I was in labor for around 13-14 hours, give or take.
How did I know I was in labor?
When the nurse put the Pitocin drip into my IV for my induction and told me I'd start feeling contractions in around 20 minutes. She didn't lie. They started out nice enough, and I said to myself, "This is easy, I can handle this."
Before I started to understand what "labor" really meant. Note to self: Wear make-up and do a better hair job next time you have a kid. You may feel like crap, but at least you look pretty.
Where did you deliver?
At a hospital forty-five minutes from home. Good thing I was induced. I can't imagine having to have driven that while in labor. My husband would've died.
Drugs?
Oh yes. I have a pretty low threshold for pain. My contractions went from, "This is easy, I can handle this," to "Get me the f*****g epidural!" in about an hour. (I didn't say this out loud. I did in my head.) I was barely three centimeters dilated at this point. Before the epidural the doctor tried to break my water. I thought he was trying to kill me, or at the very least assault me. It was absolutely HORRIBLE.
I was fine for awhile after I was given my epidural, but then they had to periodically roll me from one side to the other to "drain the meds", because I would be numb on one side but could feel the contractions on the other. At one point my blood pressure must have dropped pretty low from the epidural, because I got incredibly nauseous, and they had to do a quick bolus bag to stabilize me. My mom later told me that she had never seen me so white and pale. Also not fun, by the time I actually reached 10 centimeters and was starting to push I had horrible back labor, which medicine would not have helped (believe me, I asked numerous times for something to take that away), AND my epidural had worn off (though my legs were still numb). I could've killed someone.
Me resting, when the epidural ACTUALLY was working.
C-Section?
Yes. I had never planned to have one, but it became obvious that I was going to need one. Why? Little Livers had chosen to make her grand entrance sunny-side up. In the last moments of my epidural's life the doctor tried to flip her face down. Let me tell you, that was an uncomfortable situation, even with pain killers. Nothing like a doctor shoving his entire hand into your uterus, grabbing your baby, and trying to turn her while you try to sit still. Even worse, I think he was still wearing his bomber jacket. Every time he came to check me (and to break my water) he just rolled up his sleeves. Dude, just take it off, because it's weird.
Anyway, he wasn't able to turn her so I had to try and push her out. The nurse got a bed sheet and knotted it, and she told me to grab on and pull while pushing. It was very obnoxious, because I was in a lot of pain and very tired, and she was acting like a complete bulldog.
Livers' never used warming table.
Pictures of Livers taken while I was in recovery.
Who delivered?
The doctor did. He would periodically pop in throughout the day to check my progress. (See bomber-jacket reference.) The nurses did the vast majority of the work (aside from the C-section). I had around four or five throughout the ordeal. Amusingly the same nurse who had checked me in that morning was the one making me push that evening. I had been there long enough to catch her on her next shift. I didn't like her the second time. Most nurses at the hospital were awesome and very kind and helpful. One's name was Channa, which drove me crazy, because I was so hungry and her name was part of an Indian food dish that I thought was yummy.
Want more stories of guts and glory? Drop on over to Rocks in My Dryer and play along!
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