A Long Way from the Bus Stop

Christmas

2012-01-10T11:07:00.007-05:00

We had another whirlwind Christmas, which beforehand made me want to pull my hair out, but in the moment, made me so very thankful. We have family all over the country now, so getting everyone in the same place at the right times feels like herding sheep. Which means herding multiple in-laws or almost in-laws. We first drove to Boone and were there for a few days leading up to and immediately after Christmas. Derek was down from Vermont, Scott was back from Utah, so Adelaide and Clara had a blast with the Moretz crew. Some highlights:

It was the year of the book. And of 12 month sized clothes.

And ballerinas, cupcakes, and fairies. And also of the stocking. I tackled sewing our own this year. They aren't perfect, but for the most part, I love the way they turned out. Ben's brain doesn't like the stripes, because it bothers him that the stripes don't follow a contour of a foot. If you know Ben, you know his brain is weird, so his stocking his my favorite because there is already a story that goes with it. The tops are pretty wonky, so I'll have some tweaking for next year, but once I can perfect them, I might just make a personalized stocking business.

Ben and I were really uncertain of how to handle Santa this year (you see, he was the first guy to break my heart, and we don't want our goal of making Christmas a celebration of Christ's birth just talk). After lots of going back and forth, discussion, prayer, and research, (see inspiration) we finally concluded that we were comfortable about having him in a St. Nick kind of way that involved hands-on examples of teaching and practicing generosity (which I hope will be things we can continue to embrace throughout the year). Anyway, Adelaide didn't want to touch Santa with a 10' pole- didn't want to see him for pictures, didn't want him to come to our house with presents, nothing. We needed a picture of Clara with him for her first Christmas, but I think it's hogwash to pay $25 for a picture of a baby with an old man. The Boone Mall, however, had a cheap deal where you could take your kids and your camera. And she was perfectly precious. Adelaide was about 100 ft away pretending she was a cat.

This is A with my Uncle Frank, who was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this year. Actually, he just came out of a pretty involved surgery just yesterday. We'd love any prayers or happy thoughts - he's a pretty swell guy - he is friends with everyone he meets and is kind, funny, and has been like a second father to me and my brothers. He has a long road ahead in his recovery, but we're so thankful he made it through the surgery with good news regarding the cancer.

Moving on.. we came back to Charlotte after Christmas to repack and hit the road again. This time to Texas. The flights were just too expensive, so we left around dinner time and took turns driving through the night to Texas. About 19 hours total. !! The girls were troopers. We had a great time - so much to celebrate with the Wells'!

Congrats to Ben's brother Matt and his new FIANCEE Deirdre. We've loved her from years ago, but now that it is official, I'm super excited :) They are so good together. I feel blessed to be gaining another sister in her.

Another reason to celebrate in TX: Jon and Sarah are expecting their 2nd son in April. Taylor, who is almost 2, was really sick while we were there, so the only drawback to our fun, was not getting hardly any time with him, or with Jon or Sarah. Adelaide and Taylor are finally at the age where they enjoy each other, so keeping them quarantined was torture.

First cousins plus better halves (gap left to photoshop Sarah into the picture) :(

These are all of the 2nd cousins. Well, minus Taylor (Jon & Sarah), and Laurel and Brady (kids of Ben's cousin Justin and wife Eileen). Until Sidney (who is holding Clara), this branch of the family tree was pretty much a XY Tree. Ben, Jon, Matthew. Jeff, Jason, Justin. Jeff has 3 boys and a girl. Jason has 2 boys. Jon has a boy with another on the way. Justin has one of each. Before Adelaide was born, there was a pretty serious expectation that I would have boys. So when these folks get their hands on our 2 girls, it is pretty special. Adelaide had so much fun with the big kids. She also got to take a spin on this:

Putting her foot on the gas seemed to transform her into something even wilder. I'm afraid.

Last, but certainly not least on the Christmas tour, was time with Grammie. We had great weather, so we got to spend some time at a great park near her house, as well as visit Ben's Grandpa. He has had some decline in health this year, but has overcome a lot and looked really good. He was excited to see Adelaide and to meet Clara

As always, I wish I'd taken more pictures, or worn at least enough make-up to like the pictures that we have. I guess the older you get, the more thankful you become. I've been especially thankful this year. Our families have fought sickness, especially in the older members of the family, and I know we can't take any day for granted. Lots of people seemed to hate 2011. I'm not sure why. There is a lot to look forward to in 2012. New babies. New marriages. But in observing just how thankful I am, it also makes me anxious that it can all disappear.

Buckle seatbelts, loved ones. And wear helmets. Eat plenty of vegetables. Exercise. Drink more water, Mom. And stir-fry, Dad. Derek - don't get stung by any funky Costa Rican fish, and Scott - please don't chop your arm off in your timber-frame-cutting-computer. Matt - are you updated on all your African vaccines? Please be careful. Aunt Joyce and Sarah - rest. Jon - don't get too close to the lightning . Deirdre -enjoy and savor your engagement. Uncle Frank - maybe switch to turkey bacon.

Christmas was time with people I am incredibly thankful for. My goal for 2012 is for each of them to know just how blessed I feel to have each of them.

Nutcracker

2011-12-16T10:22:00.006-05:00

I took A to see The Nutcracker last week, and since then, we've had a full steam ballerina obsession on our hands. In fact, Adelaide wants to see the Sugar Plum Fairy rather than Santa. After dinner or while we wait on Ben to get home, this is what we've been up to- taking turns between Adelaide performing in either the Chinese Tea Dance (does that need to be in caps?) or as the SPF. My Clara is not understudying for Clara from the ballet, but for a much more fitting character. Make sure you can hear the music in the background.

Clara Catch-Up

2011-11-28T14:31:00.008-05:00

My baby has turned 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, and will be 7 months next week. And where have I been? Not blogging. Oh dear Clara. You are precious PRECIOUS but I have just not been able to stay on top of blogging about you. We play. A lot. Blogging just simply isn't as fun as playing with you. And since your sister doesn't nap, blogging doesn't happen. But I am so crazy about you, and I will try my best to make this blog post do you justice. Oh how my heart melts for you!

You have changed, Clara. You change daily. We used to think of you as fixture - an quiet observer. Over the past few months there is a fire about you. Gusto. Passion. You grunt like you are trying to take on something mighty. When we hold you it's like you want to be taller and more powerful, and so you contort and clench your body as if you're trying to make it grow. Your sneeze could move mountains, and in fact, if moves you (to fall down) when you are sitting. You have this strength and power and urgency, but at the same time, you can also be so delicate. You hold your hands in a dainty, girly manner. You can sit and watch your sister or Beatrice for a long time. You are content and patient. Your facial expressions are the sweetest in the world. You often smile with your mouth closed, which makes your already puffy cheeks make your face wider than it is long. Your eyes sparkle. Your eyelashes aren't long, but they grow straight up. And the color is so cool. I'm sure they aren't finished changing, but I wish they would stay like they are now forever. A perfect mix of your parents. Poets and writers talk about eyes being like the ocean, and I usually think of the Pacific for those silly descriptions, but yours are like the Atlantic. They are almost navy-green-grey except for a small starburst of brown in the middle.

You still love to eat. You mostly nurse about very 4 hours, and have 3 meals each day. You love sweet potatoes, sweet peas, squash, and pears. You're also starting to feed yourself puffs. You have your bottom left tooth and the right one isn't far behind. You look like you could pass as a 1 year old - your hair and your size are mature for your age. Still in the 97th percentile for all of your measurements. You're wearing 9-12 month clothes. You got a haircut last weekend. Please slow this all down. I'm feeling cheated out of your babyhood.

You are expressive and have babbled for some time now. All three of us are competing for your first word ("Mama", "Dada", and "Ada"), but you aren't in a rush to meet milestones. And we're ok with that. Because you are usually so content, and because you are usually so well waited upon by your sister, you haven't shown much intention of moving towards things. Please make yourself comfortable - I don't need you to crawl anytime soon.

You are in love with your sister. From your carseats, Adelaide makes you laugh. Which makes her laugh. You two can take turns laughing, which escalates into cackles. You also have become a lot more interested in Bea. You reach for her and stroke her fur. Thankfully, you haven't yet pulled her ears the way Adelaide did. You squeak while inhaling when you see her - a sound that seems to be reserved just for her. It makes me cough to hear you making this sound, but it is so pleasant and happy - I love seeing you react to her.

During our bedtime routine, you've started liking books more, but would rather chew on them than soak up any stories. You seem to like books with babies and faces, and textures. You love peek-a-boo. You lean towards people you want to hold you. You've recently developed just a tad of stranger anxiety - not enough to keep me anchored, but enough to make my heart swell as I rescue you. Right before bedtime, you touch my face or mouth and smile for minutes. It is such sweet time.

I cannot imaging our lives without you, Clara-bel. Don't grow anymore please.

What do Adelaide and Kitchen Aid have in common?

2011-11-24T10:42:00.005-05:00

Emily and Adelaide made some pumpkin bread recently. Clara happened to be doing something cute, so Emily ran to get the camera to take a picture of Clara. When she got back to the kitchen she found Adelaide doing this...

Overheard

2011-11-08T20:39:00.005-05:00

Lately, Clara has developed a sense of urgency in her gestures and babbling. This is especially true while she awaits her food or milk; she bucks and squeals and waves her hands with the authority of a dictator. Last Saturday at breakfast, our otherwise peaceful time together was interrupted by one of these fits of self-expression and hunger. The following series of "interpretations" transpired, progressing in order around the table.

Clara [squawking with a purpose, arms outstretched at the sides of the high chair tray, stern facial expressions and wiggling to the point I feared she might tip)

Ben: voice low and demanding "The people shall leave the land!"

Emily: "You must listen and obey your leader!"

Adelaide: arms similarly outstretched, similarly stern faced and with a lowered voice and spot-on timing:

"Welcome to Moe's!!"

Halloween

2011-11-01T21:30:00.005-04:00

Rosetta from Tinkerbell

My rule: whoever pushes the stroller gets to eat the candy. Clara loved the outing more than her big sister!

Clara loves life in general more than her big sister did as a baby.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-16T16:11:00.004-04:00

Saturday, we went to Hodges Farm near Harrisburg to see the pumpkin patch and animals. So much has happened since we went last year!

Sisters

Big sunflower field. A's cuteness is so deceptive. She was being so crabby in these pictures.

Clara napped on our hayride. She is the sweetest, easiest, snuggliest baby. We are blessed.

They also have lots of animals, a maze, fried pickles, a blacksmith demonstration, a bounce house, and stands with all kinds honey, jams, and pickles. They also sell organic/grass fed beef that I'm thinking about taking the plunge and purchasing along with some friends.

I'm savoring the fall with these lovelies! Why does my favorite season have to be so short?

If she had any idea

2011-10-10T14:24:00.006-04:00

how lucky she is.

Photo courtesy of Nicole, mom of the hadsome birthday boy, Tucker.

About 6 posts squished into 1

2011-09-19T15:20:00.008-04:00

Oh how I miss blogging. I really do feel that writing is cathartic to me. But with A not napping, her hour of room time is usually me going up and down the stairs about 25 times trying my best to patiently tell her to CAN IT so that C will stay asleep. It takes me a lot to be witty or clever or cute, so now with less blogging time, I'm just gonna have to be boring and spew it out. So here goes. In such hodge-podge careless order because by the time I hit "publish," who knows what all will have been added since the time I started writing this flippin' thing .

What we've been up to:

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandmary (aka Texas Mimi) we got to visit with them, Jon, Sarah, and Taylor at my new favorite west coast-ish locale. Lake Tahoe is such a great vacation spot, and it was such a welcome excursion. The girls were great on the planes, we stayed at a lovely spot, saw some beautiful scenery, and got to enjoy time with family that we don't see nearly enough.

Clean air, clear water, temps around 75. Breathtaking.

Overlooking Emerald Bay.

Ben and I got to have a bit of a date night, but got away just a few minutes too late for sunset. And a few minutes too early for lucky numbers 5 and 22, ultimately loosing $20 at the roulette table. Stupid Nevada.

We went to Carson City and jumped aboard an old steam engine towards Virginia City, NV, which is the most western town I've ever visited. I LOVE this pic - makes me think of high school days riding redneck with cute boys. Minus the baby in the middle.

Lunchbreak in Virginia City. I'm not sure if folks like these truly think they are real cowboys or are paid by the town to play the part for tourists' sake.

Our last day, we played on the beach. Just like beaches in the south, minus waves, crowds, mosquitos, or jellyfish. Perfect. Notice the boobies on my baby?

This was around 5:30 pm. We were the earlybirds, thanks to west coast time with kids. We're still trying to settle this confusion.

And since I'm so behind on the blog and don't want to create a separate post, we've also been up to:

Cheering on the Heels. And Horns. And cloth diapering.

And preschool. 3 day a week 3 year olds. Be still my soul, my daughter is almost to kindergarten.

A and LA, who are now visibly taller and loosing some baby fat. :(

(from last year).

And from about 2 1/2 years ago. Oh where has the time gone?!

I've also been up to:

Being blessed with a weekend away at Windy Gap, with some of my dearest friends. For anyone who is interested in going next year, it is always the weekend after Labor Day. I seriously wish I could pack up every single friend I have and rent out the place. There was lots of laughing, a bit of crying, baby-talk, pumping, time with God, and curling our hair. What more can a girl ask for, right? Thanks to the husbands for allowing it to happen!

And finally, now that preschool is back in session, I'm making my new-school-year's resolutions. Among them, exercising, meal-planning, and quiet time. I hate the word quiet time, actually, but what I want is real-life time to read my Bible, pray (and really do it, not just say I'll do it when someone gets sick, etc), and get to the bottom of some issues I have. Easy, right? Well, I don't suppose anyone cares that I'm trying to reach any of these goals, but I'm putting them out there on the blog solely for accountability sake. Well, and if anyone wants to push me along or walk with me, here is what I'm going to be following:

Couch to 5K (pending some rehabilitation from the world's hottest PT).

No More Hitting Snooze

As for the meal-planning, it's just really hard to be frugal, healthy, organized AND partly dairy-free. Does anyone out there have any recommendations for ways to plan your weekly menus before 5:00 each night? Wanna do it for me?

I think that's all my rambling for now. :)

Jake Baked the Cake

2011-08-25T21:54:00.002-04:00

Since Adelaide's first book, she has had waves of book favorites - books that she would want to read over and over and over and over and over again. There was Brown Bear Brown Bear. There was "ABC book", "Princess Book", several Thomas books, D.W.'s Guide to Preschool, Green Eggs & Ham... and several others. The latest is Jake Baked the Cake. A 10 cent book that we got at a neighborhood yard sale. It combines two of Adelaide's favorite things in the world: weddings (she is very interested in princes and princesses getting married) and cake. She has essentially memorized the book as she has done with the others. It's been a sweet book to read. It has led to discussions about Mommy and Daddy's wedding, making cakes, pride (the good kind), choosing a good husband ("what prince will I marry?"), the lifelong commitment of marriage, and how happy I will be some day (God willing) to give her away to a good husband. We even have prayed together for Mommy and Daddy to be a good wife and husband and prayed for her and Clara's future husbands. She loves the book, so I thought it would be worth recording her "reading" it...

Bubble Wrap Painting

2011-08-11T16:39:00.006-04:00

I bought a few packs of T-shirts that I was hoping to use for Adelaide's birthday party using this method, but we ran out of time. So I've got lots of t-shirts, paint, and bubble wrap (thanks Uncle D). Bubble wrap painting has taken Pinterest by storm, but I got this idea off of Skip to My Lou. The brain behind this blog is amazing. What a fun mom she must be!

Draw your stencil on the flat side of the bubble wrap. I printed an 'A' off of Word (350 point font), put my paper behind the bubble wrap (bubbles facing down) and used a Sharpie to make my stencil. I cut along the lines. Don't worry about busting your bubbles. :) The deflated bubbles along your borders still show up once painted.

I won't mention how many times and how many neurons I lost trying to make my stencil going in the right direction.

We used a foam paintbrush and craft paint. I just let A go to town painting. I didn't bother with rinsing the brush or anything (in fact, I like the look of the smeared, mixed colors). Not sure how it'll wash yet. I'll let you know.

I placed a shoebox lid up the shirt to protect the paint leaking through to the back side. Carefully place your stencil on the shirt.

Voila!

A and I have been bubble wrap stenciling all kinds of stuff lately and it is such an easy craft that has pretty cool results (if you are a relative or hope-to-be-almost relative, you might just have some bubble wrap art awaiting the mailman).

3 Months

2011-08-08T16:08:00.005-04:00

Clara turned 3 months last week and I'm waaaay behind with keeping up with all of her milestones! She is still such a happy, chill, pudge of cooing, smiling rolls. The quick version: she started sleeping through the night around 7 weeks, and starting a few weeks ago, began sleeping 12 hours without a dream feed. To look at her, you'd expect nothing less, because she's huge. At her 2 month appointment, she was in the 97% for weight and in the 90% for height. She smiles at Adelaide and loves watching her. She now sucks her thumb. She has laughed a few times but not anything consistent. I don't expect her to be on par with any of the physical milestones due to her size and her laid back personality, but she has rolled over a time or two. Most of her seems extremely different from Adelaide at this age, except her chattiness. I had no idea any child could be chattier than Adelaide, but Clara may have her beat (compared to A at 3 months). I'm sure it won't last, as Adelaide doesn't let most of us get a word in edgewise, but Clara is a squawk-box for now. She doesn't seem to mind being passed around in crowds and can roll with it if we go out to restaurants, etc. WE.HAVE.A.LIFE that we never had as parents to newborn Adelaide.

She had been really stinky at taking bottles up until last week at the beach with my mom, who made up a trick that has so far worked. If it continues to work, I'll have to post about it, because I know so many people whose little ones loathed the bottle like both of my girls have. Anyway, good thing it's finally working, because I'm heading back to work this weekend and I also am excited about some girls nights (and weekend to Windy Gap - wahoo) coming up.

Her hair. Oh her hair. I have no idea how to document Clara's head. Pictures don't do it justice. It really is comical. Pretty, yes. But mostly funny. Her hair makes her look so much older, and bigger than she already is. In looking at her profile, her hair honestly takes up a third of her head, and the humidity does some really funny things to it. We can't leave the house without strangers commenting on her hair. Yes, I had heartburn, No, Adelaide didn't have as much, Ha-ha, I know, you're jealous (to the bald men who tend to rub their heads and ask what shampoo I use when they see her)... But the most frequent question, it is "Do you style it?" No, I do not. But I do experiment with the direction it should be combed. If it is parted and combed slightly forward, she is Justin Bieber. If is parted and combed back slightly, she is Kate Goselin. If I come the front straight back, she is THIS. I'm at a loss.

You add so much to our family, Big Girl. Can't wait to see what the next month brings!

Allergy Humor

2011-08-01T10:34:00.004-04:00

Me: Adelaide, we're going to be going to another doctor next week.

A: Why?

Me: We're going back to see an allergist. But a different one than you saw when you were a baby. We're going to see if you can eat eggs now.

A: Oh! And maybe I can eat peanut butter?

Me: Maybe. The doctor is going to do a test to see if you can eat eggs and peanut butter.

A: And maybe he can tell me if I can have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Me: That's right, sweetie. Maybe you can eat peanut butter and jelly this year! But we'll have to wait and see what the doctor says.

{a moment of silence}

A: And maybe the doctor will tell me if I can drink beer?

Ben: Um, no... you'll have to be 21 before you can drink beer.

{another moment of silence}

A: Maybe I can eat eggs when I turn 21.

Me: Yes, honey. Maybe so.

3 Years Old

2011-07-21T23:38:00.004-04:00

In honor of A's belated birthday, I'm going to copycat my friend Lauren who had a smarty-pants idea to commemorate her daughter's birthday. Here are A's top 3s:

Favorite Foods: sprinkles, steak, cupcakes

Favorite Toys: Cinderella, trains, Tinkerbell

Frequently stated phrases: But first I need to..., that's a good idea, I'll do it by myself

Best Friends: Lily Ana, Kit, Beatrice

Favorite TV Shows: Angelina Ballerina, Dora, Curious George

Favorite Movies: Tinker Bell, Jungle Book, Cinderella

Favorite Books: Fancy Nancy, Jake Baked the Cake, Disney Princesses

Favorite Places to go: Target, the playground, the pool

Scary things: bad dreams, smoke detector, bugs

Career aspirations: A dancer on the Wiggles, a veterinarian, an artist

Hopes to marry: Daddy, Tucker, Jonah

Biggest Battles: picking out clothes/getting dressed, eating meals, wanting to wear lip gloss

She is the craziest, funniest, most spirited kid I've ever known, and of course I'm biased, but I think she is a 25 year old in a 3 year old body. She is still a Daddy's girl and has learned quickly how to play Ben and I to get her way. We are constantly commenting on how we must stay on our tip-toes at all times to stay a bit ahead of her. She loves figuring things out, asks tons of questions, is sensitive to animals, loves her baby sister, and is a strange mix of girly-girl and tomboy. She is a leader among kids her age, but seems to know her place among older kids. She has gotten to be more physically capable but thankfully isn't too much of a risk taker. She has a crazy memory (like Ben) and can apply and merge the most remote ideas into things that leave me speechless.

This year, I continue to lift her safety and health, friends, future husband, relationship with Clara up to my Almighty. I also pray specifically for my relationship with her, as the mother/daughter tension that bites the best of us has arrived. I also pray for her self image. That her identity and beauty would be found in Christ and not in the dresses she wears or the lip gloss that I won't let her wear. I tell ya'. Vanity and worth and appearance are issues I was too blind to realize I'd deal with, especially at age 3. I have blamed Disney for most of this, but I now see that regardless of how feminist you are, a girl's deepest longing is to be beautiful in some way or another. I pray for Adelaide's inner beauty to outshine her blond hair and big brown eyes.

Adelaide, we play a game inspired by one of your favorite books, and I love you in all the ways you've recently told me how you love me: More than a brontosaurus loves his neck. More than a T-rex loves his teeth. More than the sun loves the moon. More than a voice loves it's "necho." More than Tinkerbell loves her wings, and more than Eli loves to toot. I love you more than Clara loves her milk and more than Thomas loves his steam. You are my special-special and I want you to stay just how you are (minus the tantrums, wild streaks, and meltdowns) forever. Love, Queen Mommy

The Marvel Invention

2011-07-07T23:22:00.007-04:00

Set in current day suburban Charlotte, "The Marvel Invention" is a film about the pride of a daughter, the spontaneous fun turned impatient control of a stay-at-home-mom (who is also served tirelessly as set designer), and the ways that they welcome the patriarch as he returns from a long day at work outside the home.

Notes on translation:

Marvel = Marble

Adventure/Invention have apparently evolved to be interchangeable to mean anything that is new and fun or exciting.

Clara: 7 weeks

2011-06-24T14:49:00.004-04:00

Well, I am doing all the things I swore wouldn't happen with a second child. I've taken fewer pictures, neglected blogging about milestones and feelings etc, and haven't even purchased a baby book. If you saw my house or witnessed just how long it still takes me to leave our house with both girls in tow (or witness how late I am arriving at our destinations), the blog is pretty low on my priority list. Hopefully that won't translate into Clara being less documented later on: I have lots to catching up to do!

I've not kept it a secret that I worried about how I would love a second child as much as our first, especially since Clara is another daughter. The knock-you-down love didn't happen overnight for either of my children, but I've been proven wrong by moms of two who have gone before me. That love DID happen for Clara, just as it did for Adelaide... I'm not sure when it hit me, but boy did it hit hard. She has my entire heart just as Adelaide has my entire heart. This defies laws of mathematics and logic and I'm not sure about physics since I never took it, but it is if there are two pies in one pie chart. My heart is full of pie!

Clara is now 7 weeks but on every outing, someone comments about how she looks like a 4-6 month old. She is over 12 lbs and in the 95% for head, height, and weight. She eats like a champ; unlike her older sister, breastfeeding has been a breeze. Her hair continues to grow - to the point we may need to consider a trim around her ears. I'm afraid she inherited my unmanageable, crazy, frizzy mess of a head genetic make-up, and so far, she hasn't lost any of it.

She sleeps really well too. She takes about 3 naps lasting around 2 hours each and goes on a 6 hour stretch at night. Hallelujah! From about 6-9:30, she struggles, but thankfully isn't fussy, but just a little wired and wants to be held or in the Ergo. Easy-peasy compared the first half year of Adelaide's life. Despite the fact she isn't fussy, she's shown a lot of signs of dairy intolerance, but has thankfully responded to me omitting any milk products from my diet. Her eczema and cradle cap cleared up almost instantly and has better poop, if one can include a superlative beside the word poop (only a mom can have such pride, huh?)...

She has become really consistent with her smiling and cooing and already seems really social. Last night, Ben was holding her while checking his Blackberry and she started fussing. His instinct was to start bouncing to calm her down and I noticed her looking at him straight in the face. I told him that so he looked at her and she immediately started beaming and cooing. She has recently really started paying attention to Adelaide and seems so in awe of her big sister. My heart is happy (and also nervous!) thinking of what these two will get into together.

She's taken on the names Eskimo Cream Pie, Pudgy Bunny, and Clara Petunia Oink Oink (if you went to Blowing Rock Elementary with me, this might be familiar). Ben calls her Turkey and on some occasions, Turkey Bacon (?). With the body image issues Adelaide has already developed (thanks Disney), I realize these names can't stick, but she is simply a heavy, squishy delicious lump of love that I could eat with a spoon.

I love Clara as an individual. But I also love second-time motherhood. I love knowing how to time feedings and naps. The 5 S's didn't require a refresher course. I remembered how to time driving up to a traffic light, and depending on the color, know to proceed in case of an almost-sleeping baby in the backseat. I know that I don't need a pediatrician's blessing or answer for every issue. I'm not worried that I'm a bad mom if to be doing something against a given expert's theory or recommendation. I appreciate that everything we're supposed to be doing as moms was once discouraged, and that the tides will likely someday turn again, so if we can't or don't follow "the rules" to a T, it isn't the end of the world. I love that second-time mommyhood means I get to witness a sisterhood hopefully turn into a friendship. And that I get to do all the phases that I DID enjoy with Adelaide again. I love not hurrying this time away, because I know the difficult times will pass, but also looking forward to the fun times ahead.

Different but the Same

2011-06-14T14:22:00.004-04:00

IN THE HOSPITAL

Adelaide

Clara

SNOOZING

Adelaide (thanks Amy Free)

Clara

HANGIN' OUT

Adelaide (with Kit)

Clara

Adelaide

Clara

Adelaide

Clara

MEETING GREAT-GRANDMA

Adelaide

Clara

WITH GREAT-GREAT GRANDPA

Adelaide

Clara

Summer Survival Guide

2011-06-02T15:03:00.003-04:00

Call me a whimp. May had not even ended before I was complaining about this heat. Granted, I'm a mountain girl (who also complains about the cold), but I'm becoming a believer in global warming, because I don't ever remember it being this hot when I was a kid. And anyone who lives somewhere hotter and wants to comment on my whimpyness and boast that your state is hotter than mine... Don't even go there. Honestly, 95 and 105 are both hot. Add humidity and take away a breeze - it's all the same to me. Perhaps now that I'm a parent, and want my daughter(s) to experience the fun of being outside, collecting snails, riding bikes, running through the sprinkler, etc, I feel the responsibility to encourage this. But seriously - I'm having a hard time mustering it all up to go out. Not to mention that safe outdoor time (esp with a newborn) is limited to the morning and evening hours.

Lord please forgive me that I am complaining about being hot and stuck inside with a precious baby and mostly-cute almost-three-year-old (the latter who is verging on the terrible 3s and crawling up the wall). Despite my attitude right now, I do keep it all in perspective. I know that I am blessed. But I am hot and a bit on the crazy side trying to channel the unhealthy energy of said almost-three year old who may or may not want to use said precious baby as a punching bag. Amen.

Now. I've collected some helpful hints from other moms who are also experiencing cabin fever, with preschool being out and all. Thanks for the suggestions, Facebook friends! I now know what we're doing next week! I'll try to keep this page updated as a come across other events. Maybe by the end of the summer, Adelaide will know some Spanish, overcome her intense phobia of bugs, have no broken bones, and have spent playtime with some of our south Charlotte friends that we don't get to see nearly enough. Who wants to play?

Library Activities

$1 Movies at Regal

Ray's Splash Planet

Char/Meck Parks and Rec Spraygrounds

Char/Meck Rec Center Programs

Carolina Raptor Center

Monkey Joe's

Dan Nicholas Park (Salisbury)

Carolinas Aviation Museum

NC Transportation Museum (Salisbury)

Birdbrain Ostrich Ranch

Lazy 5 Ranch

Zootastic Animal Park

Village Park (Train & Splashpad) (Kannapolis)

Discovery Place, Discovery Place Kids, Charlotte Nature Museum

Bounce U

Superior Play Systems

Concord Mills Summer Activities

Imaginon

Hollywild (Greenville, SC)

JumpE Place

Big Sister's Story

2011-05-24T22:52:00.000-04:00

ADELAIDE'S BIG SISTER STORY

Overall, Adelaide has been a very good big sister and has been very loving and proud of Clara. That's not to say there haven't been any bumps. Here's the story...

Thursday May 5th was scheduled to be "Muffins with Mom" day at Adelaide's preschool. Emily had talked about it alot and Adelaide was excited. About 4 in the morning on May 5th I was scrambling to pack for the hospital. While I moved as quick and chaotic as a tornado, Emily quietly laid down in Adelaide's bed and cried. Although we were eagerly anticipating meeting Clara, we recognized that May 5th was the first time that one sister would be taking the stage at the other's expense. Emily would miss Muffins with Mom. We called Adelaide from the hospital about 7:15. She didn't have much to say, but then again, she had just been woken up. Later, our friend April updated us on how Adelaide's revised "Muffins with Mimi" went. April described how she had asked Adelaide where Mommy was. Adelaide responded "Mommy and Daddy went to the hospital to get my baby sister." When she spoke, she was beaming from footplate to fender. (Sorry. I occasionally speak in Thomas and Friends lingo these days.)

When Adelaide came to visit us at the hospital, she was sheepishly excited. She wanted to touch Clara. Then she wanted to give her a kiss. Then she wanted to hold her. A good first visit. Next time she visited she heard Clara cry and covered her ears. Adelaide definitely does have an aversion to loud noises, but this was VERY ironic considering Clara's cry is a far cry from Adelaide's infant cry. If Adelaide only knew how piercing her cry was. I feel like there was an awkwardness between Adelaide and us during the hospital stay. Adelaide had a cough, so we were trying to limit her exposure to Clara. In addition to that, you could tell she was uneasy by the fact that Mommy and Daddy and Clara were going to sleep at the hospital together, but she wasn't.

Adelaide was excited for the three of us to come home and meet her there. There was still a lot to get learn about this new baby in the house. It's a good thing she made some binoculars in preschool to check her out a little closer.

Adelaide started out going up to Clara and saying "goo goo goo ga ga" and wanting to hold her. After a day or so, she wasn't really interested in "baby talk" or holding Clara. She wasn't very interested in Clara in general. I won't try to get too much into the head of an almost 3 year old, but one must wonder. Emily's post-partum restrictions wouldn't allow her to pick Adelaide up for a couple of week - yet Emily was holding Clara for hours. Adelaide hates going to bed because she thinks she's missing out on fun that other waking souls could potentially be having. How would it feel when I put her to bed while Clara is still downstairs with Emily? Not to mention that a new born is either sleeping (bo-ring!) or crying (quick! hands over ears!). And wouldn't it seem like favoritism when we scold Adelaide for yelling because the baby is sleeping or when Adelaide is pushing the swing too hard - yet we don't scold Clara for crying so loud???

So that brings us to the low point so far. Mother's Day. Adelaide and I swung by CVS to get a Mother's Day card. I would have gotten one earlier of course, but Clara's birth put a spotlight my procrastination. On the way home Adelaide crossed her arms, put on a scowl, and said, "I don't want to tell Mommy happy Mother's Day and I don't want to give her a card because I'm sad because I'm not special any more!" Ouch. BIG ouch. I still tear up as I write about it. Now I know that every normal sibling shows some difficulty when the new baby comes. I know Adelaide is normal for having those feelings, but I don't think I was prepared for how much that hurt. Thankfully, she hasn't said anything that piercing again. I don't think Emily and I really had prepared mentally for that as part of the sequelae of Clara's arrival. Things seemed different between us and Adelaide. Again, I felt awkward. I used to tell Adelaide that she was my favorite girl in the whole world. One night soon after Clara arrived, Adelaide told me "Daddy, you're my favorite boy". The words came to the tip of my tongue and I didn't feel good about saying them or not saying them. I froze. Emily and I have now had lots of conversation with each other and with other parents about how to handle the older sibling when the younger comes. I think we're now a lot better prepared to show Adelaide that she is still extremely special and that we love her as much as ever - while still maintaining consistent expectations and discipline.

Have the lows of siblings outweighed the highs of siblings? Absolutely not. Adelaide is an extremely resilient kid. The highlight moment was Adelaide spontaneously at the end of dinner declaring, "I want to say a special prayer. Dear God, baby Clara came out of Mommy's tummy all by herself... and that was very nice. Amen." Oh such a sweet girl. She is back to wanting to hold Clara and saying "goo goo goo ga ga". She tries to share toys with her.

She wants to try and give Clara a pacifier and she mimics us when we "shhhh" Clara when she needs settling down. Adelaide refers to Clara as "cute".

I'm sure that by the time Adelaide and Clara are adults there will have been thousands of conflicts between them. I'm already praying that I'll know how to manage those conflicts while conveying to each one of my daughters that they are equally and wonderfully loved by their parents and by God. But for every conflict, I expect there will be thousands more hugs, kisses, shared secrets, and fun shared. Adelaide loves Clara and as soon as Clara can demonstrate love, I know I'll see it towards Adelaide. A few times we have had visitors over and one of them is often holding Clara as we start to say our goodbyes. Whenever Adelaide notices this, she says "No! I don't want you to take my baby sister!" No way in heck Adelaide will let anyone take away her sister Clara.

She loves her too much.

Clara's Birth

2011-05-19T21:36:00.000-04:00

CLARA'S STORY

... by the way... this post isn't 2 weeks late. She was 2 weeks early!

As you may know, Emily has had low platelet problems during this pregnancy as she did with Adelaide. As a result, she was scheduled to be induced on May 11th. Evidently we should have run that plan by Clara first. Emily put in a long, hard day of work this Wednesday 5/4 and stirred Clara up. Around midnight that night Emily started having contractions. Around 3:45 or so, she woke me up... with resistance. Nah, it couldn't be time yet... right? Let's time the contractions. Contractions were about a minutes long, about 2 minutes apart. Oh... Time to call the on-call OB service, call Greta, and yes, time to head to the hospital. Emily had her things packed, but I was scrambling. This was 2 weeks before she was due and a week before she was scheduled for induction. Why should I have been packed? Clothes - check, ipod with Emily's music - check, Texas dirt - check. "Ben! Don't forget the carseat base!" I throw the carseat and base in the car, strip the cover and throw it in the wash. It hadn't been washed since Adelaide used it. Greta arrived around 4:45 and we hit the road. Did we have everything? Oh yes, cameras - check. Thankfully, we wouldn't be making a detour this time to pick one up at Best Buy. Best Buy wouldn't open for a few hours and I think that Emily would have drawn the line this time.

Emily checked in at 4cm, we walked around quite a bit and she progressed to 6cm. She hung around 6cm for a while. The doctor broke the water and added a little pitosin. We waited for lab and anesthesia, and she got an epidural around 8cm - and not a moment too soon. 20 minutes or so later, Emily was pushing. In a slight, but unnoticed panic, I remembered my ziploc bag of dirt, and threw it under the hospital bed. 20 minutes after that, Clara was born at 2:34pm over Texas soil. I had forgotten how blue a baby looks before it takes its first breath, and the few seconds it took for Clara to cry seemed like an eternity. Thankfully, everything about Clara is healthy. She weighed in at an impressive 8 pounds and 6 ounces, and 20.75 inches. Emily had been complaining that Clara would be huge, and at 2 weeks early, 8.6 is pretty big.

We anticipated that Clara would be different from Adelaide since Adelaide is certainly a unique soul. So far, she is very different. Emily looked at infant pictures of Adelaide recently and almost all of them she had her eyes open - even the ones still in the hospital. We hardly know Clara's eye color yet because they're rarely open. Adelaide had a terrible time nursing. Clara can be latched on for 2 hours and still want more. Clara is pretty easy going. She doesn't like getting her diaper changed, but who does? She also has very cute and funny sneezes and yawns. It's not so much the sneeze or yawn itself, but the breath she takes in just before. The inhale seems kind of loud for a baby - more like an adult sneeze. Not quite like my Grampa's loud sneeze, but more like his than one would anticipate. Somehow she seems ladylike. I think maybe it's the way she moves her hands around and snuggles. The constant grunting isn't very ladylike, but I'll let that go. The thing that most people are impressed with the most is her thick black hair. When wrapped up in a white swaddling cloth, she looks like a little eskimo. If I hadn't been present for the birth I would have questioned whether or not she was ours based on her looks. Thankfully she is. Lastly, she is an extremely sweet baby. I know it's hard to give evidence for that in a concrete way, but she is very snuggly. She loves to be held and when she is being held, she often tries to nuzzle up into you. It brings a smile and warms the heart.

Clara, you are a special little girl and loved by many. We are glad you are here!

Our Clara

2011-05-17T12:27:00.003-04:00

Clara Auten Wells was born on May 5th at 2:34 pm, weighing in at 8 lbs, 6 oz and measuring 20 3/4 inches. Ben, who rarely blogs, has a post on her arrival that we'll be sharing, along with more pictures.

We are in love.

DIY wall decor idea/tutorial

2011-05-01T14:27:00.007-04:00

Ben has been out of town this weekend, so I've been crafting! It must be my form of nesting, because there are dishes all over the counter and a few loads of laundry that need to be put away. At this point, sewing and gluing are great though, because I can do them from a chair. Whew. Nobody remind me that babies are easier on the inside than the out, because I don't want to hear it at this point. I feel like a marshmallow in the microwave that is just seconds away from it's threshold. Sorry. Marshmallows (along with a thousand other artificial food groups) have been on the brain lately. Blasted Prednisone.

Anyway, the home stretch is bringing me to want to craft both out of the awareness that I won't be able to for probably a long time, and that I need to personalize some things for Clara. Yep, Number 2 is officially Clara, and true to second-birth-order form, she has very few new or personalized things. Up until just day before yesterday, expectant pictures of Ben & I pre-Adelaide hung over the crib. I knew I needed something different, but couldn't break the bank and didn't have a lot of time. And this is too easy a project to keep it to myself. For famous DIYers, it's probably nothing new, but you know how sometimes you think you've made up an invention and in the very least, it makes you feel good to have a good idea, even if it was around before the cavemen? Like my friend Kate. She was the real inventor of the term "spork." I believe her and think she should be entitled to prize for being so smart.

I think I'm going to change the name of this blog to "you are once AGAIN dumber for reading me." I'm sorry this is a recurring theme around here.

I'll proceed:

Supplies:

image (free or not at the expense of someone else's intellectual property). Deirdre, you'll let me know if I'm going to get sued for doing something illegal here, right?
glue stick and scissors
Cardstock or scrapbook paper for image. Anything you want, really
Cardstock, scrapbook paper, or any other background you want for your frame
Old (or new) picture frames
Optional: sewing machine (or I guess you could do this part by hand), complimentary thread

First, find an image you like - I googled clip art or coloring pages. Make sure this size you choose will fit into your frame, or be smarter than me and know how to reduce the size.

Print your picture on your regular ole' printer. The next part is backwards, because I didn't think it would be share-worthy until I had almost finished it. Once you get your image printed, cut a general shape around it's border and glue (I used a school glue stick) to the back side of some pretty paper. I used scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby. You'll want to see the image of your design so that you can cut closely along the lines.

This is what NOT to do. If you wanted this bird on this pink swirly paper, you would really glue it (bird up) to the white side of the colored paper. Cut (this time carefully along the outside border), and you're basically all done.

But it wasn't enough for me, because of the paper choices I had, and because I have been been on a mission for the past 3+ years to integrate pink and red into most of A's baby life. So I decided to use red thread and sew around the borders of the birds. This was easy-peasy. Just choose your thread color (bobbin thread doesn't matter) and run along the edges. They were so much easier to sew than fabric because paper is smooth like butta, but holds it's shape. Be careful for beaks and claws. Or just ignore them. Sewing would also be a great way to accent non-border lines like feathers or tails. If you did it this way, I'd recommend using a faint pencil mark along your intended structures and stitching from the top, or using the right bobbin thread and stitching your original image after it had been glued on to your fancy paper, so that the bobbin side would show on the top side of the scrapbook paper. Heck, I'm feeling dumber writing this blog now!

I can't for the life of me find the cheap collection of white frames from Ikea that I bought, inspiration: salon style art, so the birds are on hold, as well as a few other ways we want to personalize Clara's room for her, along with a dedication verse. But I did finish this little butterfly. Quick, cheap, easy, recyclable (a great way to re-use all of the frames you have no interest in - just spray paint 'em and use pretty paper as a backing or the actual image of a clip art or coloring page image). And for me, a way to independently desegregate red and pink tensions in a way that I hope will be pretty.

Finisimo!

Late last night I woke up sweatin' in my bed...

2011-04-01T20:57:00.003-04:00

I'm not referring to pregnancy hormones.

I was really sweatin' at the nearly $2500 repair costs that a particular company in the area told me we'd have to pay when they were here for their annual maintenance check-up when nothing was wrong. A few disclaimers: 1. this is a rant post 2. I apologize in advance that if you are around my town, this title might just get stuck in your head if you're like me and are a sucker for jingles. The darn jingle is what got us in this predicament in the first place. 3. if my language seems stealthy and sly, it's because I don't know if my ~~big ole' mouth~~ teeny ole' blog could ever get me put in the slammer for my investigative journalism that is meant to serve the people that I love. I'm bringing you 21 followers and a handful of anonymous readers the TRUTH!

A year or so ago, we needed some repairs done on a particular unit/appliance/mechanism in our house. It was urgent in order to maintain the functioning of our home. So I did what any bad consumer does: I called the Big Guys with the jingle. Not even a good jingle at that, but the one that stays in your head. Folks who use jingles do their research into addictions and brain activity and habits. And it works. They also do their research and are pros at the pyschology behind marketing. I fell for the trap like some kind of sad animal who tends to operate on fear and a good deal when I was told we could save on future repair costs by joining a maintenance plan. For a set amount of money we would receive annual inspections, routine services, and discounts on repairs. To make a short story long, we just got this season's visit and were told that we needed to make $2300 in repairs, for things we had not had any reason to suspect were not working. Excuse me?

Well if anything makes you doubt previous decisions and question current ones, it's the prospect of writing a big check from a skinny checking account, especially when it may not be necessary. So I decided to call the Little Guys without a jingle for a second opinion. I was expecting lower costs just by virtue of the economy and because catchy jingles cost money. But, I was not prepared for the scandal that will now wake me up shivering in my bed, with disbelief that any of the Big Guys can sleep at all. The verdict from the Little Guys: $0 in repairs. The parts that were corroded and damaged and leaky? Squeaky clean and looking good as new.

Moral of this story: who the heck knows. Why? Because how are we to trust anybody? I grew up in a small town where we left our keys in our cars, houses unlocked, and services and repairs and goods were all done by the Little Guys, Little Guys Junior, Little Guys III, and occasionally, Little Guys IV (there were, afterall, people like me who left their hometown or strayed from the family business). Oh how I miss a small town. The other nice thing, if Little Guy could fix our car, Little Guy (my dad, who isn't really little) could castrate their cows and all would be right in the universe.

I guess the moral of this story that I'm deciding to apply is to not be a pitiful stay-at-home-mom who looks like a sad animal who will walk into a trap. I rock the boat in most things in my life, so my home should be no exception. I needed to ask better questions, be an advocate, and see instead of trust. I'm also choosing to support the Little Guys of my Big City. Or at least to shop around. Duh, Emily. So any personal recommendations and referrals are welcome.

Sleep tight.

Sprouts

2011-03-28T15:42:00.002-04:00

Daddy's little helper. Fingers are crossed that participation in growing our vegetables will equal participation in ingesting them.

Picks

2011-03-20T13:29:00.002-04:00

We thought we should let A in on the bracket action this year. Apparently we're doing something right, since she did tend to pick names of teams that included "Texas" or "North Carolina." While my Georgia Bulldog daddy might faint at the thought of his granddaughter giving Florida any kind of favor, I can assure him that she only recognizes the name "Florida" because she knows that is where Cinderella's castle is.

She also seems to favor the underdogs. Apparently she sees/saw potential in Morehead State. And Wofford. And unlike her parents, she foresaw the fall of Pitt early on. I believe she has me beat already.

Old Gray Mare

2011-03-10T15:19:00.008-05:00

My Aunt Joyce gave Adelaide an animal nursery rhyme book a few months ago, and it is still a huge hit. Many of the songs in it are ones that I'd never heard before, but include classics like "Hickory Dickory Dock," and "Old McDonald." Some of the lesser known songs are "Banbury Cross", "Little Robin Redbreast", and "Kookaburra." Adelaide loves them all, and we go through it together a few times a day.

Last week, at the end of one of our sing-a-longs, I looked at A, and lovingly solicited what I'd hoped would be a sweet moment between a mother and a daughter (I'm having to solicit these more frequently these days, you see). "Adelaide, are you my little kookaburra?" I asked. She looked up at me with her head slightly tilted and a serious expression on her face. "Yes, Mommy." And then the cloud of any tenderness of the moment faded as she continued: "And you're my old gray mare."

Please take a moment to pray for my ego.

What makes this an even sadder commentary is that every time I sing this song with her (or in my head because, you know, that's what happens with kids' songs), I reflect on myself. A few weeks ago, when I was cleaning out junk from our attic, I was able to purge the blue ribbons from various athletic events I used to excel in. And perused old college pictures from formals and mixers when I was tan and blonde (and somehow could afford to be blond) and I think the tune somehow forced its way into the corners of my conscious. Even before she reminded me that I "ain't what [I] used to be, I seem to have an ongoing inner monologue of ways that I've aged and evolved.

And then my thoughts turn into a warning to NOT allow my deflated sense of validation take hold on my daughter. Or more importantly, my misplaced sense of validation through the things of this world to take hold on my daughter.

But those thoughts are all too deep for me at this point.

For now, I'm stunned at the comedic timing and theatric genius of my 2 1/2 year old. It's truly ok that Ben and I ain't-doing-what-we-used-to-do in terms of going out or traveling. Nor do we have the time or energy to be as fit or trendy (I see some of you rolling your eyes as if we've EVER been trendy). We have a life that is pretty much limited to our family but the company and entertainment has never been so fulfilling. Even with it's insults.

Baby Name Fun & Nerd Alert

2011-03-01T11:54:00.008-05:00

Naming No2 has proven to be a bigger challenge than naming our first. You see, I LOVE the name Adelaide, but it is a bit complicated for most folks. Our preschool artwork is labeled with every possible spelling under the sun (some not phonetically even possible), and it is most people's assumptions that we intended on nicknaming her before she even entered the world. I've tried to tame my mama bear instinct to not react to such a benign issue, but truth be told, my blood pressure elevates a notch or two when my daughter's name deviates in any way from the way I intended it to be. So for No2, I've set forth with new ambition: simplicity.

Another reason naming No2 has been harder is that we now see that Adelaide is Adelaide. She was meant to be Adelaide. No2 has no associations other than her movements and ultrasounds and who we anticipate she MIGHT be. My top pick was quickly nixed by Husband who for some reason, with only one exception, doesn't like Zs in names (good thing he wasn't too turned off by the Z in my maiden name).

Lastly, I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to syllables. I suppose the linguistics major in me is a bit obsessed with stresses and balance to words. I get why iambic pentameter was so cool. With our last name being one syllable, I tend to lean towards longer names. Which is a shame because I like a lot of names that just wouldn't fit with Wells. Per exemplo: Will Wells? nope. Brooke Wells? Too much water. Any variation of "___ella/ellie" to flowy. Max Wells? Maxwell House? Doesn't work.

I came across this website that provides suggestions for sibling names based on some source I didn't research. My guess would be the social security administration or user feedback. The Social Security Administration actually has a pretty neat baby name tool that makes their website and department a bit less important or scary or grown-up. :) Anyway, below are suggestions for No2 based on her big sister being Adelaide. While our current favorite is NOT listed, I think it's a bit neat how many connections are in the list:

Sibling Names for Adelaide...

Adalyn Annalise Benjamin Bernadette
Calvin Caroline Christian Clayton Daphne
George Graham Greta Jack James Jasper
Liam Lillian Matilda Maura Oliver Olivia
Paige Sophia Stuart William

Bejamin, Caroline (previous contender with Adelaide), Greta (my mom), Jasper (favorite vampire)

And because I got a bit addicted:

Sibling Names for Emily...

Abigail Andrew Anna AshleyBenjamin
Christopher Daniel David Elizabeth Ethan
James Jennifer John Josh Julia Justin
Laura Matthew Megan Michael Natalie
Rachel Rebecca Sarah Thomas

Sibling Names for Benjamin...

Abigail Adam Alexander Andrew Daniel
Elizabeth Emily Hannah Jacob Jessica
Jonathan Joseph Joshua Katherine Luke
Matthew Nathan Nicholas Peter Rachel
Samuel Sarah Thomas William Zachary
(Ben's brothers are Jonathan & Matthew), Sarah is our sister-in-law. Thankfully I'm his wife (and not sister). And most thankfully, not sister-wife.

You are once again, dumber, for reading my blog.

Big Girl Room

2011-02-07T16:00:00.017-05:00

Well, it's the end of an era. And a long one at that. We somehow have managed to keep A contained in her crib for 2 1/2 years. If it weren't for an intruder planning on taking it over in May (her sentiments, I'm sure, not mine), she would probably stay in it until middle school.

So the big girl room project has admittedly been for me, and not her. I'm guilty of giving her what I wish I had. A girly, vintage-inspired, on-a-budget haven for rest. I've already fallen asleep on her bed twice before handing it over to it's rightful tenant. Because we're having another girl and had the blessing of two twin hand-me-downs that my parents stumbled upon at a yard sale, and a make-over dresser from my childhood, we're planning ahead.

All that A's 2 1/2 year old desires included were PINK, but we had a very limited color palate given our walls, which I really wanted to keep neutral, mostly for resale purposes (I really felt like a sell-out in painting her nursery walls pink). Instead, I thought we could compromise with splashes of pink here and there.

Finding bedding (x 2) on a budget was no small feat. While I don't normally believe in any of the hocus-pocus of horoscopes (and usually make fun of people who do), I will say that my fickle Gemini tendencies fit me to a t. I bought, returned, reconsidered, lost sleep over, bought more, returned more bedding from Home Goods that I care to admit, ultimately begging my mom to come be a fresh set of eyes half way through a painting job. But, A and No2 will probably want their own thing in about 4 years, so this was my time to get my way, while trying to satisfy the PINK fancies of a toddler.

A few pics:

arg - sick of editing this mess and trying to figure out picasa and blogger.

Cost round-up:

Paint: more than we should have. I apparently gave the man at Lowe's one of the signature (x 2 because I couldn't make my mind up) in semi-glos which might be more costly than wall finish?, plus primer. We have about 75% of the gallon of "Aloe" green left, a gallon of "Hemingway" white, and 1/2 gallon of primer if anyone wants it. Total: about $75 (using only about $15 worth). I guess we can re-do the bathroom with the rest!

Beds, Dresser, Light fixture: free, charity donations compliments of Moretz Packrat Association

Knobs: $8

Bedding: 2 shams, 2 quilts at TJ Maxx: about $75 for both sets. Everything else is old.

Art: at the request of the artist, we were able to make a donation at our discretion to the charity of our choice.

Daddy/Daughter Date

2011-02-06T14:53:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, Ben took A to her first concert. Thomas and Friends came to Charlotte, so we thought it would be a fun and cute date for the two of them. Isn't that what all daughters want to do with their daddies? Aside from a scary rock that crashed loudly (almost squishing Percy), and sticky fingers after cotton candy, they had a great time.

I've recently been struck with the number of girls who are also Thomas fans. We have a pending playdate set with a few girls we've parallel played with at the train table at AC Moore (what drama will ensue with girls around a train table could be interesting). While I have no issue whatsoever with the boyness of Thomas, I want to send a request to the powers-that-be that they are missing a huge demographic (of the XX variety) by marketing only to boys. Where are the Emily and Rosie and Mavis and Lady shirts?

Pays to be a Packrat

2011-01-31T15:03:00.005-05:00

Ben and I are in the process, once again, of purging our junk. We both tend to be savers, and despite my Moretz genes, I think Ben has me beat in seeing the value of something he MIGHT use again. With another baby on the way, our house seems to be shrinking, so thanks to my friend Priyanka, I am on my way to making $400 in Amazon credit. I can dig it.

She told me about the Amazon Textbook Buyback Program, and so I had Ben to bring in the box of old textbooks from the garage that I'd had in my office when I worked more full time - books I don't know if I'd opened since grad school. I simply typed in the title (or ISBN number which is found above the barcode), hit the submit button, and I heard cash register sounds in my ears. Keep in mind I graduated grad school 9 years ago (holy cow), and undergrad 11 years ago (holy cow-cow), so I was not expecting more than a dollar or two, if any, for the books. By the time I was finished, Ben said I had dollar signs in my eyes, and I was scrounging through our bookcase for any other books that I could get rid of. And Ben's.

Then, you box up your books, choose your preferred delivery method (UPS/USPS...) print the free pre-paid shipping label, and take them to your delivery location. Any books that are not in good enough condition will be sent back to you at no charge, at which point they WILL not re-enter my abode.

Now of course they didn't take all of them as we entered them in. And some were for minimal payback, but due to the space we need (and for Ben, bad memories), some books were worth the $.25 It was a sad realization that we were in the 2nd edition printings of many books, which are now on their 9th edition. I initially wondered what on earth could change in an anatomy book that would warrant republications every 2 years. And then Ben pointed out that one of the "models" had a mullet. Apparently even publishers want to be fashionable.

So, more recent grads - don't keep your old books unless you are positive you'll use them. My rule for Ben is if you haven't worn/read/opened something in 2 years, toss it. That's why God made libraries.

My favorite 5 minutes of the day.

2011-01-27T15:25:00.004-05:00

Before we had A, Ben and I liked going to concerts and music festivals. Since we aren't able to do that as much anymore, we record Austin City Limits weekly (and have years worth of good performances on our DVR list). Recently, A has gotten more into watching these performances as well and has requested watching a "song" while she drinks her milk before nap and bedtime.

Her favorite performances are Avett Brothers, OCMS, and Steve Martin/Steep Canyon Rangers. She's learned the words to many of the songs, and after any musician says "thank you" when the audience applauds, she responds with, "You're welcome!"

Here is one of her current favorites.

Such precious time.

My favorite Christmas present

2011-01-25T10:30:00.004-05:00

This has now become my most prized ornament. One of the highlights of the very special Christmas we enjoyed with a a pair of little hands.

This time next year

2011-01-17T15:14:00.005-05:00

UNC basketball will hopefully be a bit better.

They'll at least have some dad-gum cute fans.

Yoga Ball

2011-01-13T16:12:00.006-05:00

When we were visiting Grammie a few weeks ago, A loved playing on the yoga ball. I suppose some things never change. However, I felt my blood pressure rise a bit with the the the taunting memories of a few years ago, and I swear she knew what she was doing to me, being all cute on the yoga ball. No. 2 will not see the yoga ball. This is my solemn vow.

Stanley

2010-12-26T20:22:00.004-05:00

This was not on my list of things I anticipated my Christmas to include. Today was a big "long way from the bus-stop moment."

My brother, A's Uncle Scott bought her a fish for Christmas. He presented it to her about five minutes after she had unloaded her stocking, which included Thomas' friend, Stanley, a white steam engine. So when everyone asked her what she wanted to name her fish, she didn't hesitate to name it Stanley.

I have to include this side-note for my own record-keeping. Stanley, the engine, was actually a gift from a coworker at Carolinas Rehab named John. John is British and prior to a few Saturdays ago, I only knew him to be a very nice guy who helped me with a lot of my patients, and said, "ssshedule" when he passed out patients' daily therapy times. The last time we worked together, he was extremely helpful and kind - he asked lots of questions about A and what she was into, what she wanted for Christmas, etc. I told him of her Thomas obsession and John told me that his 15 year old son had also been a big Thomas fan as a younger kid (of course I assumed all Brits loved Thomas, so him telling me this somehow made me feel British myself). After our respective lunch breaks, John returned to the hospital after taking a quick trip to Wal-Mart. He gave me Stanley and said, "you put this in your daughter's stocking - my son wants an Ipod-touch, so savor this time with her." Little did he know that this gesture would evolve into something entirely different.

Stanley (the fish) came in a big bowl with orange rocks, but the conditions up my parents' mountain-top house (and in a crowded car) were less than safe to be shlepping a fish around. So my mom came up with the idea to put him (or her?) in an extra coffee pot with hopes that he wouldn't spill out on the bumpy, gravel, hardly scraped, mountain road. Thankfully, we made it down the mountain without any trouble, but towards the end of our journey, I realized that Stanley was a bit flustered.

Then I realized that he was looking at his reflection in the metal band that encircles the coffee pot, something beta fish don't like to see I'm told.

I'm happy to report that Stanley is back in Charlotte and in his bowl. If anyone wants to fish-sit during our next trip to the mountains, A would be appreciative. If anyone has any ideas of how I can get back at Uncle Scott, I would be appreciative.

Our girl

2010-12-22T21:44:00.005-05:00

For anyone who has gone on a play date with A and I, you've probably noticed that our girl isn't the most graceful character. Verbal: yes. Sociable: yes. Sweet, charming, funny, friendly, hilarious, smart (I realize I'm biased): yes. But she does not possess physical strength, coordination, or whatever-ness that it takes to stay on two feet. I realize that she is not even 2 1/2 but compared to her peers, she's down-right clumsy.

A: I love you. When you're reading this someday, you'll have either proven your father and I wrong or agreed that you've got your weaknesses. You may be an acrobat for Cirque de Soleil. Or maybe you'll be a circus clown. Either way, thank you for the laughs and thank our Father in Heaven for surrounding you with angels as you crash, fall, collapse, trip, stumble, collide, bump, jump, or poorly execute your aims. Some of the best parts of loving you are kissing your boo boos and laughing hysterically with your Daddy as we lie in bed at night sharing the day's stories.

For months, Ben and I have said that A is our own little Mary Katherine. So last night, as we were brushing our teeth, this came on on the SNL Christmas Special. I had to share:

Please keep A in your prayers. For her constant safety and protection ~~and for her self-esteem as I'm choosing my own amusement over anxiety pills with regards to what Heaven forbid could happen to her.~~

Christmas Fun / Procrastination

2010-12-16T15:46:00.009-05:00

A has declared today a sick day. Mommy points for FINALLY correctly identifying an ear infection and taking her to the pediatrician for a warranted co-pay. Sick days = laziness for all in the house. And I have fallen behind in posting the fun Christmas festivities around these parts. Plus, I'm in need of some therapeutic blogging.

So instead of tackling this stuff:

{while I wait on these imagines to upload, who can find the dog treats? my royal icing attempts for the Christmas cookie extravaganza that has taken all week? what about honey from breakfast (who knows what day)? find an "as seen on TV item"?? locate our compost container or compost contents that didn't make my shot? guess the missing appliance because Husband uses his time more legitimately then me at a real job that he's slaving away at, and doesn't have time to install our new one therefore the college version continues to take up my already limited countertop? and boy, one of these days, i'm sure i'm going to drop mykitchen-aid mixer and break my foot off... ok. uploading complete, end of keeping it real}

I'd rather be reflecting on this stuff:

A flock of little lambies who sang their hearts out at our church Christmas pageant .

An angel who calmed her last minute jitters by recalling "tender and mild"

A silly daughter and hunky husband (who hopefully won't leave me for walking home to the above pictures)... at Christmas in Huntersville festival.

A daughter who only asks for a candy-cane for Christmas.

Volunteering at Charlotte Motor Speedway at the Cookies for Kids' Cancer booth with some of my besties.

Hopping to my mounds of messes now! Merry Merries friends!!

WWJD

2010-12-10T13:13:00.005-05:00

Apparently, He'd go to school.

I can't help but want to start a series on the places I'm finding our Little People Nativity. Did you know that Dollar Tree dinosaurs also lived in Bethlehem? And that the stable was an overflow train station for Thomas?

I'm sure my friend Lauren & her daughter Kit could contribute to the conversation as well.

The Puffin McMuffin

2010-12-03T20:38:00.005-05:00

I love this girl. Also referred to as Shortcake, Lil' Partner, Miss Piggy, Pickle, Cowgirl, "A", & on special occasions, Princess Petunia Saskatchewan.

People say that with No. 2's arrival, God will increase my love, and allow me to love another child just as much. If this is the case, I think my heart may very well explode.

T-Shirt Applique (cheater refashion)

2010-11-28T22:29:00.012-05:00

Well, this isn't really a refashion. It's more of a repair and upgrade. I found this Motherhood Maternity t-shirt with a small hole in the chest but it was otherwise a clean, looked hardly worn, and in my size (for now) etc. I brought it home and had a few ideas up my sleeve for ways to cover the hole and improve the overall look. Maternity clothes afterall are usually duds. This was definitely a dud in it's former life. Boring color, but I like the puckered seam along the sides of maternity t-shirts which are like an attempt to elongate what can't be elongated.

For the red0, I dug and found an old paisley halter from a few years ago. Paisley and halter are somehow an oxymoron in my brain, and I think that's why I loved it in it's ~~my?~~ glory way back when. Anyway, it was knit, so I knew it wouldn't require a lot of finishing if I incorporated it into a new look.

Basically, all I did was make an applique with the paisley and iron/stitch it strategically on the dud of a shirt. For anyone who wants to learn how to make cute and easy projects that don't require a lot of sewing skill, this is your kind of project. A lot of my friends have asked me about this lately, so I'll give a little information for anyone who doesn't know how. There are also some much clearer tutorials out there (feel free to leave a comment if you know of any off the top of your head!), but I want to include where I tend to get stuck each time, so that you'll save yourselves the time and headaches that I often run into.

I used to use Wonder Under a lot for appliques, but the last time I bought it, it had very little adhesive so on my last few applique projects, I have used this other stuff called Steam a Seam 2. It comes in sheets instead of yardage and is heavy duty and so much easier to prepare than Wonder Under. I think it's more expensive, but with coupons (Hobby Lobby is where mine came from and they have coupons each week online), it costs peanuts for the milage you'll get.

There are basically two ironing steps with appliques. Your fabric to your webbing, and then your webbed fabric to your garment. In the middle is cutting your shape (if it isn't cut before your first ironing step, but I don't advise this or you might cause yourself a mess by a hot iron touching adhesive without fabric on top AND it is much harder to cut fabric cleanly without paper stuck to it). The final step is stitching around the borders to make it really official.

So this means that first, iron your fabric onto the fusible adhesive. Read directions on whatever brand you use. Even though it might sound wasteful, I think it's always best to iron a square or rectangle, or the entire sheet of webbing and THEN cut what you need. Because most of us aren't freehand cutters, you can trace designs from the internet, books, whatever if you want to create an applique onto fabric that isn't your actual design - for example, if you wanted to make a "L" with polka dot fabric, you could use a pencil and trace the "L" using the font and size on the back of the fusible paper). Keep in mind you might be tracing backwards depending on what kind of paper you have. I've had some blond moments where I may have well traced "Ambulance" because it came out backwards. :) FOCUS WELLS!

In my case tonight, I didn't to trace anything, I just fused a big chunk of the paisley fabric onto the webbing and then cut out pieces as close to the boarder of the paisley as possible. I decided on my placement (to cover the small hole), peeled off the backing, and ironed again.

The final step is stitching around the design. After all this work, this is sometimes where I end up doing something really dumb like sewing the neck shut. FOCUS AGAIN WELLS! I'm still learning, but even with my fancy machine, I have a really hard time making pretty borders around curves, so if your sewing machine's feed-dog lowers, go ahead and lower it to help you drive around the curves a little more smoothly. I'm a bit partial to a straight (even though mine is typically crooked) stitch just inside the applique, allowing the true border to curl up or fray. With a fancier bulkier stitch over the edge of the applique onto your garment, it has to be perfect, but with the ragged look, you can by type B like me! The beauty of a knit fabric is that it won't fray, but for other fabrics, it may fray, but the fray distance (I'm making up so many terms right now but I hope you'll get the drift) is so tiny since your stitch is so close to the edge of the fabric anyway. If you're sewing a heavier fabric onto something lighter, or if you're using a tight/short zig-zag stitch around the perimeter of your applique, I'd also recommend using some kind of interfacing on the back side of the garment as to avoid any puckering. I didn't need that for this (and I rarely use it anyway).

Have I lost everyone with this nonsense? Have I lost my own mind yet? Do you wonder if you've lost your mind for reading this post?

Well, that's it. All there is. An appliqued paisey-from-old-halter on a maternity-holey (not Holy)-shirt.

Doppelganger

2010-11-21T20:49:00.004-05:00

I thought the original inspiration and the subsequent musical were hilarious when my brother introduced me to the now famous Antoine Dodson. But when I saw a spitting image of our dear Beatrice in costume, I nearly wet my pants. Ben says he's going to hold on to this picture when I'm about 39 weeks pregnant and surely looking at it will throw me into labor.

Lu-lu

2010-11-19T14:47:00.006-05:00

I was one of the two room moms in charge of A's preschool's Harvest Party a few weeks ago. I never knew that the craft I executed would turn into one of the most successful ways to help our picky eater get a little closer at cleaning her plate. Mission accomplished.

I picked up a bag of 10 mini-pumpkins at Walmart for $2.50 and used googly-eyes and felt that I had in my craft stash. For the boys, I cut out mustaches and for the girls, hot pink lips. At the party, the kids glued on the felt pieces and eyes (which have since been dissected in our house and reattached using tape). If your 2 year old is the type that still puts things in his/her mouth, use super-glue (or wait a year or two). In our case, this craft has encouraged A to put her food in her mouth, so I don't feel guilty for encouraging a choking hazard.

Meet Lu-lu:

And her male counterpart:

Since we brought her home, she has been sitting on our kitchen table. A is really into naming things now: her male name is "Howie" and her female name is "Wendis" (don't worry - we won't be using her recommendations for our new baby). To avoid confusion of all these duplicated names, I named the pumpkin Lu-lu. After naming her, A started asking Lu-lu to talk. Since Ben is a good Daddy and will do anything for his daughter, he started using a voice for Lu-lu (that slightly resembles Lady Elaine Fairchild from Mr. Rogers, but creepier). Lu-lu tells A that she must eat a bite/2/3/5 more of something before getting her fruit or milk, or dessert. And A kindly obliges. To the point of finishing the items that she normally refuses if she can continue conversing with Lu-lu.

I majored in psychology in undergrad. I have my Masters in a field where I now specialize in feeding and swallowing disorders and therapy, and have been working for 8 years in a related field. But I've clearly not been very successful with my own child, until now. Apparently the key for A's poor weight gain and pickiness in her eating is boiling down to a gourd named Lu-lu. Fantastic. What kind of long term nutritional or body-image issues we're creating here, I don't know. I guess we'll have to use a different voice with a different piece of produce if she develops some kind of eating disorder as a result of Lu-lu. Just kidding there.

Ah - the things we do for our children!

Bunco Upcycled Sweater

2010-11-12T14:10:00.006-05:00

Last night was my monthly Bunco group. We're a fun bunch.

Despite this picture from last month (that was to honor our friend April and her twins), they are all ridiculously pretty and very stylish. If they weren't such down-to-earth, Jesus-loving, funny, loving, caring, genuine people, I wouldn't want to be near them. With a growing belly and chillier temperatures, I have very little to choose from in my closet.

And was born the Bunco Sweater.

I found this at the bottom of my ~~things that take up too much space in my house and should be sent off to Goodwill~~ refashion box.

It took longer to iron than to "upcycle."

I had an awkward amount of lace left from my previous post, and figured this would be perfect. All I did was pin it on the top of the sweater and use a zig-zag stitch to sew it on.

It's very feminine which I like, but needed to be paired with something more edgy. I'm not showing you that part because really, "skinny jeans" is just a name that some skinny-never-had-kids person came up with.

I'm in LOVE with Grosgrain's Embellish Knit Month (or anything she does for that matter) and hope I can find some time to use some of her amazing ideas for old sweaters.

Happy Weekend Friends!

Score

2010-11-08T15:12:00.005-05:00

I was going to write a clever, inspirational introduction to this post about how my vow to not buy new (for 4 months) is teaching me about contentment, my false security in materialism, and the lessons I've learned about where I tend to place my identity and values.

But my recent trip to San Francisco just made me realize that I could get off the hook more if we had nicer, posher thrift stores here in NC. Therefore, the lesson apparently isn't complete. Otherwise I wouldn't be showing off these badboys:

$10 at Tiburon Thrift Store

I can't help it. They were a highlight to a tiring vacation day (morning sickness, hungry but nauseous, with a toddler who probably wouldn't nap because the freaking Blue Angels are practicing, trying to hang with a 30 year old brother who thinks I'm a wimp because I need to sit down or stuff my face with another snack every 5 minutes, can't drink all the good beer that I somehow crave when I'm pregnant, and all these California girls are skinny and rich and beautiful). Clearly, I have a long way to go about truly knowing and living with the security of my Maker.

But still. God, thank you for providing these boots to me.

10 minute Shirt to Cardigan Refashion

2010-11-02T10:37:00.009-04:00

This past weekend was the first weekend in months that we've been together at home as a family so I was finally able to carve out a few minutes of ME time. Over the past few months, my creative outlet and "vow" have been taking the back burner to something much stronger than will power:

I'm verging on the 2nd trimester and hopefully returning to the land of the living. This pregnancy has already felt so much different than with A, and has resulted in an incredible appetite that will surely be additional motivation for some refashioning in the next several months. When I signed my vow, I was not pregnant, but I'm going to stay true for the duration of the contract and make some maternity wear. YAY for gaining weight!!

I have so many shirts that, even before baby, were riding up to my belly button. What made this ok a few years ago? Why did any of us buy things that showed so much skin? Or was it that pants were higher?? Anyway, they are pretty shirts that are otherwise in good condition, and I can't bring myself to take them to Goodwill (I don't want to see anyone else's belly button you know). So I took matters into my own hands and turned this little ditty into a cardigan. Pronto.

There are a million ways to embellish shirts like this. I had lace on hand, but I admit I'm not crazy about it on this shirt. I think lace would have looked much better on a solid shirt instead. I'm working on another one for later with the same concept. Still, the method is easy-peasy and in no-time-flat.

Start with a shirt:

Cut up the middle (I was able to connect the dots on my shirt). I would have probably used tailor's chalk had I not had the dots as my reference points).

First, I pinned the lace on each side of the cut, but I decided later that this was unnecessary and took them out as I sewed. I cut the top edge of the lace (that laid beside the v-neck) in a diagonal, and left the bottom edge a bit longer, wrapped it around the bottom of the cardigan, and then restitched. I did not pre-finish the edges of my cut - but I did use a zig-zag stitch when I sewed the lace down RIGHT AT THE EDGE- I think this reinforced the edges from fraying. Then, I tacked down the outside border of the lace every inch or so, so that it wouldn't be standing straight up but would still have some volume. I also added a hook and eye clasp at the bottom of the V to cover the my tatankas.

Finished product:

Not fantastic, but functional. And I love some lace right now, so be forewarned, I might use it again. Would definitely be a better thing to do on something that was too big (vs too short or tight). Live and learn!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-19T19:58:00.006-04:00

Last Sunday, we headed over the Hodges Farm to visit the pumpkin patch. It's very close to our house and admission is free with options to participate in various activities at a small cost. We took A on a hayride which she loved, but the highlight for some strange reason was her instant connection to a goat that she stared at for almost 20 minutes. Anyway... we'd hoped to make it to Patterson's Farm but the hours at Hodges allow for a quick trip AFTER a long afternoon nap. At which point the late afternoon light made for some fun colorful pictures.

This sight had to make my Grandpa smile.

~~Men~~ Toddlers Who Stare at Goats

My cup runneth over for this one

Show off.

Sharon, Amy, or some other brilliant soul... Can you please teach me how to make the sun rays make even whiney children look like angels?

The Keeper. Disclaimer: this little pipsqueak (the pumpkin, not my child) was $6 with free admission. Admission is also free at Aldi where I picked up 2 $2.47 monsters)

Cali

2010-10-17T15:10:00.003-04:00

My mom, A, and I just returned from San Francisco where my brother Derek lives. We'd been planning the trip for a while, and barely scratched the surface of fun things to do (although most of these things would have been better sans toddler). Derek is always good to his friends and family. We had a blast...

First outing. The apartment we rented (vrbo.com) was a few blocks from the Presidio, Marina district, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

D & A.

Derek's house is a block from Golden Gate Park, where we saw this - the conservatory of flowers. I think it was in the movie The Wedding Planner? Derek was surely sick of my chic-flick references for San Fran landmarks.

Day 3: We happened to be there during Fleet Week, and got to see the Blue Angels perform. Earplugs were a bit helpful, but these badboys are still really loud. It was a really cool show that made me a bit nauseous to watch, but also very patriotic. I will say, the American pride was a bit squelched by what you might be able to see about to go under the Golden Gate Bridge. Freighter after freighter of Chinese imports (and no one heading out)...

The trip was good until we learned the news of my Grandpa's passing early Sunday morning. In his honor, we visited the National Cemetary at the Presidio.

Next time we go back, I want it to include: Ben, Napa, sushi, shopping for clothes (I'm sticking to my stinkin' contract), and maybe the prospect of D being on the east coast, making it technically not a visit to see him.

another reason to buy cheap

2010-10-15T09:24:00.004-04:00

perhaps her application is a bit improved since here

In Memory

2010-10-13T12:47:00.002-04:00

Cecil W. Moretz

11/10/25-10/10/10

O they tell me that He smiles on His children there,

And His smile drives their sorrows all away;

And they tell me that no tears ever come again

In that lovely land of unclouded day.

Preschool

2010-09-13T14:08:00.003-04:00

Last week, A began preschool. She'll be going two mornings a week at a church-based preschool that is only a few minutes from our house (I.HAVE.NO.EXCUSE.TO.BE.LATE)

Ready with new backpack (thanks Grammie).

Leading up to her first day, we often asked her what she was most excited about.

Her response: "riding the school bus." Sorry kid.

Thankfully, A & her bestie since birth, LA are in the same class. LA's mom was a sorority sister of mine and these girls are in for what I believe will be a sisterly love/hate relationship.

Opposites attract.

Wardrobe Refashion Take 1

2010-09-08T21:36:00.009-04:00

Scratch the curtain idea - for now. It's still too dang hot to do anything with wool.

I got this big daddy shirt at Goodwill and had a hankering for turning into a skirt a'la this inspiration. You see, I'm going with 13 of my favorite girls to Windy Gap Women's Weekend on Friday to laugh, worship, sing, eat, relax, blob, zip-line, ride horses, and reminisce on all the years I went in my yester-year. Ellie Holcombe is returning this year to lead worship and perform, and my possee and I (yes, possee can be used to describe 14 mostly-stay-at-home-suburban white girls) loved her skirt/boot style almost as much as her music last year. But first the before:

It was too easy for someone out there not to have come up with a much better tutorial than the very backwards way that I put it together (ghe.tto). All I did was cut off the top (measuring the height from the bottom that I wanted the length to be), and cut an A-line the width of 1/2 of my waist measurement (more would be ideal so that you could pucker the fabric with an elastic casing).

Cut the sides open to create your A-line. Cut the bottom straight across. Hem the top (add elastic in a casing if you so choose), make your side seams, and hem the bottom. Somewhere in the mix, stitch up the button panel on each side of the buttons.

Viola. I made the mistake of getting a bit ambitious and creating a waiste band with the leftover sleeves, and it now fits a little wonky since the sleeves and stripes weren't cut along the bias, but no biggie. I'll probably just cover it up with a shirt so my ghetto sewing skills are once again hidden! Mwa-ha-ha!!!

Makes me wanna play the gee-tar.

Being the novice (and wimp) that I am, I will admit that I have never sewn a zipper. Mix this with type B sewer, this skirt had to go OVER my head like a dress. When I told this to my friend Whitney today, she said that I wasn't right. I'm not. BUT, in the process of putting my skirt on like a dress, I made a discovery.

~~That the circumference of my chest and my waist is essentially the same~~ . That the skirt can also be a shirt. An accidental (and somewhat depressing) discovery.

Off to do sit-ups.

A Thousand Words

2010-09-07T11:47:00.007-04:00

This was captured on the way to the beach last week. In reference to A's potty training, I'm going to call it "Almost There." A prefers "Finally some Peace & Quiet."

Pledge & I've gone mad

2010-09-01T22:31:00.005-04:00

Today, I am signing my life away. Well, that's a little strong. I'm signing away my choice/right/luxury of buying any new clothes. For the next 4 months. Don't think for a second that I didn't make some last purchases over the weekend. I can only buy previously owned items, inherit them (from friends who probably rightfully think there is no way their old shirt can be made wearable in public) or make them from scratch. When I'll find the time for this, I have no idea, but I figured I can start small ~~and probably ghetto-rig some things like I usually do when I sew and no one else will know~~.

The pledge is this:

I, Emily Wells, pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings. Signed: EW

Now here are my reasons for taking this oath. First, I have really grown to love sewing and would like to improve my skills, be creative and practical. Second (I know that isn't really second), it is an incentive to save money. Third, the small percentage of Boone hippy in me likes the fact that this small gesture is good for the environment (allowing me the clearer conscious for driving an SUV?), and lastly, and possibly most importantly, I tend to shop/spend money/covet my neighbor's possessions when I'm feeling blue. I know God wants more for me than that. And that He wants to BE more for me than silly 'ole clothes.

I'm really scared to do this pledge. Scared to let down the curtain (that for friends who really know me isn't a curtain, since I've never been ashamed to wear Target or Wal-mart, dress my child in consigned clothes, go yard saling, etc) of appearance, risk, new-and-shinyness, coolness of materialism, etc. But a part of it is also freeing. I am not what I wear. I am not the labels I wear. My riches aren't to be stored up on Earth. This is transparency, friends. If you don't like that, please don't even visit my blog anymore, because I will worry about the judgements you're making and I'm clearly not bold or confident enough to handle that. I was speaking with some friends about the very issue of putting things on my blog (as I was apprehensive to post this pledge here for fear of it being too much information). My friends reminded me that I'm not pushing the blog down anyone's throat. People come to IT. I also truly want to share this new-found hobby of sewing with others. For their benefit - not mine. If I can do this, I know that more spatially programmed, detail-oriented, stylish people can do it.

Ok. Now that I've psyched myself up that I can do this, I don't care (too much) what people (who aren't cool) think of me, and told you that if you aren't interested or will think ugly thoughts about me to bug off, I'm ready to be nice again.

My first project: something from a curtain. Maria made lots of clothes from curtains. Which is leading me to the all too obvious and irritating but irresistible temptation of using my entirely overused, "start at the very beginning" motto to kick off the next 4 months. Which is leading me to want to post a picture of my SOM tour. Wow. It is way too late for me to be writing. But since you've gotten your "can't think/say something nice then don't come here speech," I will still post a picture.

Salzburg, Austria 2007. Isn't Ben a trooper?

The gazebo from SOM, which was closed to the public, according to our tour guide, due to "too many 75 year olds thinking they were going on 17"

"Good-niiiiiight. Good-niiiiiight. Good-NIIIIIIIIIGHT."

This Summer...

2010-08-25T19:38:00.007-04:00

...will forever be remembered for our first little garden. It has taken over our life, kitchen, and tummies, and I'm sad that the summer crops are coming to an end. From the day we bought our house, we've had essentially wasted space on the top of a hill covered in junipers. Ben worked hard to clear out a bunch of tiny trees and big weeds at the top of the hill so that we could use it for something Thomas would call Really Useful

These sweet little gems were the hit (and surprise) of the season. Back in the spring when I sent Husband to the store to buy seeds and seedlings, he returned with yellow instead of red cherry tomatoes. Details. I'm really glad he did. They were amazing and I'll plant them again next year. Delicious with basil.

It's not pot. It's okra. And between my parents & us, we have it growing out our ears. I've always loved fried okra, but it's a lot of work, and I must be a stinky Southerner that mine doesn't taste like it does at K & Dubs. Thankfully, my friend April told me about grilling it, and now I don't know if I'll ever fry it again.

Simply coat in EVOO, place on grill pan, and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Goodness. We planted this from the seed and were surprised at how well it grew. Apparently dummy-proof. Just be sure to pick it before it gets too long, else it will get too tough to eat. Oh yeah. I want to pickle it too. This recipe was recommended to me, but I've yet to try it.

These big boys definitely took over my kitchen a few months ago (along with Edward & Jacob). I realize you shouldn't wait until they're the size of baseball bats to pick them, but I knew they'd be good this way for sneaking them in everything to help A eat more veggies. These egg-free recipes for zucchini fries and zucchini bread were some of our faves, and were good ways to use the ones that got too big.

I think one of the reasons we had such good luck with our garden, especially considering neither of our thumbs are green, was compost. Before getting started, we went to Wallace Farms, and got a enough to use as topsoil. I've cussed their stench (and somewhat their disrespect of the Cross atop the big pile of manure) many 'a times driving past Highland Creek & Skybrook, but now see that they aren't so bad. I think they even mean well with the cross. Anyway, since then, Ben built this little compost bin for us using some old pallets I found beside a dumpster. It's amazing to realize how much stuff we had been throwing away in the garbage. Hopefully we'll be able to use it for our fall vegetables if Bea doesn't keep eating it.

Below is the best part about our garden. It's almost sinful. With the trek up the hill, my fear of bees, A's horror of any bug, and the brutal heat, this was a blessing. Ben rigged a water sprinkler to the side of our fence so that all I had to do was turn on the water on the outside faucet, read some Twilight, watch some E! and turn it off.

Husband's love language is anything that lets me be a bit lazy.

This weekend, we'll hopefully be planting for our next round.

A Thousand Words

2010-08-24T08:47:00.006-04:00

I think I'll call this piece Regression. A is thinking more along the lines of Stuff It

Pinky

2010-08-20T16:24:00.006-04:00

Oh Pinky. Where do I begin? Pinky needs a post on this blog, because I fear that Pinky's days are diminishing. Her fibers are disappearing. I better document her frail life while I'm still able.

photo by amy free photography

Pinky is A's lovey. She was a shower gift from a co-worker of Ben's when he worked at a previous job. I'm going to stoop so low to say that Pinky was the best thing that came of that job, but Ben is much too nice to say that. A never really took to a paci, but she took to a pigtail. Pinky's pigtail. When we first allowed A to cry herself to sleep (yes, we did that, but that controversy is not the topic of this post), she began sucking the life out of her beloved Pinky.

As A has gotten older, she seems to have become more dependent on Pinky. Perhaps this is because she can grasp and verbalize and oppose, and therefore Pinky needs to go in the car, the shopping cart, go potty to get an "M". Friends' toddlers have a hard time giving up their pacis, and I hear about paci fairies, paci mailbox projects, etc. What about a lovey?

I'm not that mean of a mom to be in a rush to get rid of Pinky (in part because I fear her days are numbered anyway), but I really don't know what we'd do if we lost her. I've looked everywhere for Pinky. She is made by Prestige baby, but the only one I've come across is on ebay and is $25 + shipping and used. For real? On-the-other-hand, A will have to part with P at some point. She can't go to college with her. Can she?

Or on dates?

This was Pinky around March. If you compare to the top picture, you'll notice the nasty discoloration of her head (despite being washed 1-2 times a week), and the frayed pigtail. When she started loosing her strands, I know the responsible Mom thing to do would have been to cut off her pigtails and hat, but I just couldn't. Since then, an eye has rubbed off, she has lost one pigtail, which shame-on-us, is unaccounted for. The other is about to be down to the "scalp". The hat is unraveling.

She is on her last nub. She appears to be heading to Hospice. Something about her reminds me of one of these poor things.

Lord, hear our prayers.

Must-haves

2010-08-15T16:42:00.008-04:00

Any mom knows the routine of getting your child's bags packed before leaving home. Diapers/wipes - check. Change of undies/bottoms (if potty trained/ing) - check. Sippy cup & snack - check. Epipen - check. Fuss at Husband if it's a weekend and he didn't get it together before you came downstairs to leave - CHECK.

Our must-haves also include A's sunglasses. She HATES the bright sun and will ask for her sunglasses the minute the garage door opens. I was looking back at pics and noticed that a good pair of shades to A are like some girls' shoe obsessions. But thankfully cheaper. :)

Poor pitiful child.

Looks like she's gonna need her own.

The first pair

Just weird.

Just precious.

"chugga chugga"

Jersey Shore?

where did you put those, A? I can't find them and would really like them back.

Dresses for Haiti

2010-08-12T13:20:00.010-04:00

Last week, a few girls from our church got together to make dresses for Haitian orphans. It was very fun in a very old fashioned kind of way. My rock star friend Audrey has been fighting breast cancer for almost a year now. Prior to her illness, she was a spunky, energetic, design-savvy, party planning gal, so it was especially awesome to see that big part of her reemerge after a long 10 months of chemo, surgery and related illnesses and side effects. She headed up the project, so I was so excited to be there with her. Thank you God for helping Audrey kick cancer's a$$ (sorry - "butt" just isn't strong enough of a word to go with cancer).

(here she is kicking an elastic casing's butt)

Supposedly, Hancock Fabrics paired up with Double Harvest Ministry, and we have been told the dresses will end up at an orphanage in Croix-des-Bouquets which is just outside Port-au-Prince. When I asked about the program last week to one of the ladies at the exit 23 Hancock , they said that they would still send the dresses to Haiti, but that corporate Hancock did not approve the project. I hope they make it to the orphanage!

Meet Megan. I would link you to her crazy money saving blog, but my computer is currently warning me about something "malicious", so better not.

And our favorite babysitter Elisha (right), and her cousin Sarah. I suspect that they, being just like me at their age, dragged their feet to go to a church "women's" gathering. Now, I think they are hooked on sewing. I think we'll see Elisha in a few years on Project Runway.

Here they are with Elisha's mom Pat (who I think is thinking, "I told you so, girls. I told you it'd be fun!")

And the finished projects:

Most of the dresses were variations of a simple pillowcase dress. If you are interested, see a few tutorials here, here, and here.

Really Geeky to Kind of Chic-y

2010-08-08T14:16:00.005-04:00

A few months ago, I found this dress at Goodwill and knew it had potential. I'm not sure what keeps Ben at my side (not only for my appearance during moments like this, but for putting up with the messes I make as a result of "I bet I could make that")...

Go ahead, laugh, gossip, judge...

Did I loose any friends or respect or coolness for just posting that? Be glad you didn't see the "model" pictures.

When I put the "new" dress on, I think Ben was only slightly more attracted by the pricetag than the appearance. ;) I've been following a few refashion blogs and been really inspired to revamp old clothes as both an outlet for creativity and a way to save money. And it makes me feel a bit good to know that I'm helping Mother Earth too. At a family reunion a few weeks ago, my very cool cousin Eliza and I were talking about the possibility of not buying new clothes for a certain period of time. She reminded me that this would mean no shoes, accessories, etc, so I've been thinking of making a goal for myself and seeing where it takes me. The part that scares me is probably what I need - a dose of assurance resting in God's provisions and sufficiency. I'll keep it posted on the blog, even if I give in and can't do it.

So just in case I decide to take a n0-new vow, I better go out and enjoy tax free weekend. ;)

Kids Eat Free

2010-08-05T08:18:00.008-04:00

It seems like every time Ben and I are in a bind and need a last minute go-out-to-get-something-quick dinner, we can't ever remember what night kids eat free at what restaurant. So I wanted to permanently have a reference for when we're out the door. These are more University area places, but I know these aren't all of them. If you know of others, can you please leave me a comment so that I can add it to the list?

Speaking of free kids' food, we met our friends Lauren and Kit the other day at Ikea, where kids eat free through August 15th. What a great playdate! Those Swedes continue to amaze me...

Sunday:

Bear Rock Cafe

Firehouse Subs

Zapata's Mexican Cantina (Univerity City)

Steak 'N Shake

Monday:

Bigger Bite (University City)

IHOP

Kabuto Japanese Steak House (University)

Little Dooey (Concord)

Tuesday:

Bigger Bite

IHOP

Kabuto Japanese Steak House

McAlister's Deli

Texas Roadhouse

Moe's (99 cents?)

Denny's

Wednesday:

Bear Rock Cafe

Bigger Bite

Firehouse Subs

IHOP

Loco Lime

Thursday:

Bigger Bite

EarthFare

The Loop (99 cents)

IHOP

Hooters (OK, I'm not including this because I have any interest whatsoever, but I think it is sadly funny that they offer patrons' kids free food to get business). Seriously?

Friday:

Bear Rock Cafe

Bigger Bite

Saturday:

Bear Rock Cafe

Denny's

Steak 'N Shake

Lists courtesy of universitycitymagazine.com & mykidseatfree.com Details usually include one free (or in some cases up to 2) kid's meal with purchase of adult entree. Usually not combined with other deals or coupons. Check other details out before blaming me. :)

Anyone have others they'd like to share?

Hotties

2010-07-31T14:13:00.003-04:00

At the wedding we attended last month, there were many highlights. A wonderful couple, fun friends, amazing food, great venue, lively entertainment, and essentially a date night with Husband. The bonus feature was something some of you may have seen many times, but since we don't seem to go to weddings much anymore (be it because we're old or just not cool enough), I was unaware of the new trend. Photobooths. This is a reason in itself to renew our vows.

Don't be jealous of our sexiness

Feels good to be a gangsta

Because we couldn't get enough, we needed a costume change

This is the face Ben has when he thinks someone has broken into our house and he goes downstairs to check it out (with baseball bat) and finds Adelaide's toys going off.

Somebody please get married and invite us to your wedding and rent one of these. It will be our present to you.

Dos

2010-07-27T15:09:00.004-04:00

A turned two last week. The date is passed, she had her official 2 year old check up and is very much into 2 year clothes, but my twisted logic is telling me that if I don't blog about this milestone, she'll stay 1 a bit longer. Twisted. I do want to document everything about her, because my early onset dementia will take over. Consider this blog a big fat sticky note. Now where was I?

For her party, we met a few of her closest buddies for an evening at Village Park in Kannapolis. It was no further of a drive anywhere else we have to go to see most of our friends, church, work, etc, and well worth the ~~fight with Ben in the car about the GPS~~ drive. It is the coolest park around! It has a splashpad that is very toddler friendly. An actual place outside for cooling off in this 100+ heat! There is also a train that loops around the park, but he was down for repair, which A surprisingly didn't even notice since she was having so much fun. I think we'll go back weekly this summer! You should too (even you Ballantyne peeps, hint hint)...

I want to continue the (1 year) tradition of writing a prayer for each birthday, but right now, I want to remember/savor the quirks about my crazy girl. How she HATES bugs, LOVES sprinkles, is obsessed with Thomas and all things trains, could read all day long, doesn't look where she's going and thus is constantly falling down, describes everything with "very very ___" hates the ocean, loves the pool, wants fireworks to go off every night, remembers everything, climbs up on strangers' laps at play areas, counts to 14, 14, 14, 16!, says that her daddy is handsome, prays for Uncle Frank's heart, enjoys painting, makes up her own songs and stories, tosses her head back, closes her eyes and outstretches her arms on the swing, and wants an M&M after sprinkling 2 drops into the potty.

We love you, A.

Austin

2010-06-24T15:38:00.014-04:00

I'm bound by my NC pride to preface this post by stating that any positive comments about Texas are only the product of a marital commitment. If my husband (a 7th generation Texan) can love me enough to leave his beloved state, I suppose I can have a good attitude here, right? And even though my child was technically born over Texas soil, she is primarily a Carolina girl, like her mama. I am able to swallow my pride enough to compliment Texas food, sunsets, BBQ, parks, beauty, people, dances, music, bars, and weddings, but as primary blog administrator, I will defer posting pictures of a certain university as to not confuse my daughter of my own allegiance to my alma mater. So there.

We spent the last week in Austin celebrating the wonderful, kind, funny, devoted, generous, grateful friends. Congrats to Mr. & Mrs Jon Lees!

And got to visit with Ben's high school friends (and their other halves). I married into a fun bunch of folks, folks.

Ok. I'll swallow my pride some more and say that I do love Austin. It was hot, but so is Charlotte. Hot is hot is hot, right? I think I'd go so far to say I might live in Austin and become a professional Texas two-stepper, wear vintage cowboy boots everyday, overcome my fear of bats, get a tattoo that covers my entire arm, eat BBQ or Tex Mex or Scholtsky's and burn it off along the river rowing/biking/running daily.

Austin apparently campaigns to stay weird. It's weird alright. In a really fun, artsy, eclectic, accepting, lovable way. Anyone who thinks it is at risk for becoming un-weird, just look at this picture and relax. Rest assured you're still weird.

We had wonderful visits with Ben's family. Thank you Grammie for letting us sleep in 3 mornings in a row! And for showing us wonderful hospitality.

A doing her part to Keep Austin Weird.

As I mentioned, Ben is a 7th generation Texan. His family's name is all over the capital building.

So you can imagine the pride in her Grandpa's heart when A made an announcement that she wanted to poop in the lawn of this sacred building.

If any state leader ever reads this blog, they'll surely remove the plaques with the Wells' name.

This was my favorite part about Austin:

Taylor Austin Wells.

He is beyond sweet, beyond happy, and beyond slobbery. I miss the wet kisses already. I loved every second with him and the rest of the family. Matthew's girlfriend Deirdre lives in Austin, so I was really really happy to spend time with her. We went to The Oasis one night for dinner. I think it was a secret ploy put on by my in-laws to convince us to move to Texas.

We also got to go to Zilker Park (twice), which was probably the highlight of the trip for A. Her train obsession may be here to stay, which I now hear she may have inherited from her father.

A little Ben with his Grandmother Wells, who I wish I could have known.

It was a wonderful trip with wonderful people. Thanks to our Texas friends and family for loving us so much. We had a blast. Oh what the heck. When are we going back?

The Obsession Continues

2010-06-16T21:43:00.005-04:00

As I've said before, A is very much a chatterbox. She is now at the age where we can have meaningful (well, maybe that's the wrong word) conversations. The following took place and was on rewind for essentially our entire drive home from Birkdale.

Me: Adelaide, did you know that you're Mommy's best friend?

A: Percy {bla bla unintelligible} Thomas' best friend.

Me: You're right - Percy and Thomas are friends. Who is your friend?

A: I like Mavis.

Me: Well Mommy's best friends are Daddy and A.

A: What color is Mavis?

Me: I think she is yellow and black. Who is Mommy's best friend, A? You or Daddy?

A: Daddy is Thomas' best friend. Daddy likes Thomas. He's blue.

Me: Well who is Mommy's best friend?

A: Emily. She's green.

Thomas

2010-06-14T14:49:00.009-04:00

A has recently developed an obsession with Thomas. All I did was check out a Thomas book from the library, and now we have a major train crush in our house. And it just happened to be that Thomas was at Tweetsie last week. Biggest celebrity frenzy at Tweetsie in my family since my mom went to see this guy.

"THO...

MAAAAA....
SSSSSS"

Millions of Peaches

2010-06-11T20:23:00.003-04:00

It's a toss up. What I like best during the summertime. Fresh grown tomatoes or peaches. Both are things that grocery stores (and even some road side stands) can't do justice. Ever. Lucky for me, my dad (aka Warren Moretz, Warn Mortz, Daddy, G'Daddy, War-hog) has a peach tree that is busting at the seams. They are puny little things but packed with sweetness. So today, I like peaches better than tomatoes. I'm gonna try my hand at making homemade fruit leather, with plenty to spare for cobbler. Any other suggestions?

5 Years

2010-06-03T19:30:00.008-04:00

On this day, five years ago, I became Mrs. Benjamin Wells. First of all, I can't believe it was only five years ago. If we didn't have an almost two year old, I would say that it feels like we've only been married for a year and a half. Over these past five years, I've had a mirror in my face and gotten a better glimpse into my true character and need for a Savior. Not because Ben has pointed out my flaws, but because I've learned that is what marriage HAS to be about. Iron sharpening iron for the sake of becoming more like Christ.

I have learned that selfishness breeds selfishness, defensiveness breeds defensiveness, and giving breeds giving. I've learned that trying to iron out logic and emotion at 11:30 pm can be a disaster. I've learned that Ben is a better person than me. I've learned that if I want my back tickled before bedtime, I should turn on ESPN or a DVR'd episode of The Office as he's on his way to bed. I now know that burnt orange is pretty! I now know how to keep score at a baseball game, and when I do, I have a lot more fun. He's taught me to think before speaking (sometimes) and give more benefits of the doubt. I now know that date nights are a must for any married couple (especially those with kids)! I know that there is order to his sticky notes on the bathroom counter and that it's okay if his grandmother's recipes don't taste the same if I make them (and follow them to a T). I'm continuing to learn what his and my skills and weaknesses in our home are, and what we do best (and worst) as parents. I've also learned that things can change in the blink of an eye.

I think Ben has learned that I hate loose wrinkly sheets and not to respond with "that's fine" when I suggest something (because I'd rather him say "sounds good") and that I know things I say don't always make sense but it's usually how I feel that that needs fixing. He's learning not to question me when I tell him something that somebody else told me. He knows to stop talking, take A, bring me a snack or turn on the air if I have a overstimulation fit in the car or at the end of a long day and that I can't be held accountable for any words I may utter during such times. He knows I may return things 14 times before making a decision and to not ask me if I know where the receipt is. Hallelujah!

I can't imagine what the next five years will bring! New lessons, pictures, hopefully family members, stories, kindergarten. While I'm thinking about 2015, maybe 485 will be completed and we'll have gotten a refund check from United Healthcare? Hopefully the next five will include no more weight gain (right) , kitchen appliances, emergency hospitalizations, or cavities.

Some highlights...

Got hitched

Honeymooned in Costa Rica (drove through that river in the dark and saw what I know had to have been an angel)

Got a dog.

Took an amazing trip to Europe.

Family of 3.

I love you, Husband.

Wild

2010-05-25T14:32:00.005-04:00

I'm officially not renewing my NC Zoo membership. That place is just too big for a toddler who no longer wants to ride in the stroller and who like to lay down in the road and eat rocks. Sarah and I took the kids yesterday and here are a few highlights. Notice none of them included animals. All 3 were more intrigued by the statues of animals, the rocks, and this cool little Kids Zone to notice than the actual habitats.

Jonah & Adelaide. I wonder if Ben could construct a wall like this in our backyard? A great way to occupy time!

Mr. Clay. He's even cuter in person.

After the kids soaked their shirts while playing in the water, it was time to go.

This "series" had to be shared. Murdocks, you are raising a gentleman. Sweet Jonah told me that he was going to protect Adelaide and I from the bears all day.

(Just imagine that my daughter was NOT topless while flirting with an older guy).

goo-goo eyes

Are you OK?

2010-05-18T14:27:00.002-04:00

Playing CPR in our house started as a response to Adelaide's overdramatic performances. The girl will shed tears and let everyone know if she has a boo-boo, and during some hours of the day, you'd think that she'd been attacked by a shark. She has cried (and told everyone) when she bumped her head on her pillow, has boo-boos on her belly button, fuzz in her mouth, and is "sick." I'm struggling a bit with how to handle this drama. As one who has been labeled "oversensitive" and "needy" by certain people in my life, I'm hesitant to tell her to snap out of it. Her feelings seem real to her the same way my feelings seem/ed real to me. But COME.ON. Anyway, the 911/CPR game has been a way to help her cheer up after these boo-boo fits. This video is her reenacting CPR to Ben.

Dr. Wells, DVM

2010-05-11T15:27:00.004-04:00

Dear G-Daddy,

Please don't wait 25 more years to sell your practice. Because I want you to play with me. But maybe if you ever sell your practice, you can write a clause in the contract saying that I can come and take it over when I grow up? And if I do go to vet school, that means I can't go to Carolina or Texas, but please don't make me go to State even if it would be cheaper for Mommy & Daddy. Can I go to Georgia like you? Will you pay for me to go out of state? Thanks.

Love,

~~Miss~~ Dr. A

P-dubs

2010-05-10T17:07:00.002-04:00

Check out my friend Nicole's blog to see what I got into last weekend!

Mommy's Helper

2010-05-08T21:17:00.004-04:00

I Used to Be Cool

2010-05-06T10:35:00.006-04:00

photo courtesy of iusedtobecool.com

Has anyone else seen these bumper stickers? I saw one this week on a minivan on 485. It read my mind. My babysitters will confirm that this tends to be a frequent area of dialogue when picking them up or driving them home. They clearly need convincing since the conversation tends to come up again and again.

Check out this hilarious website if you are a minivan mom, who by my standards, is still very cool.

Upcycled T-shirt Tutorial

2010-05-03T16:00:00.012-04:00

Yikes. A tutorial?! What the heck am I doing?! Tutorials are what experts do, and I'm certainly no expert. But I have a handful of sweet friends and family who have encouraged me that I have a teeny-weeny bit of talent and I should pass on some of my tricks. I also have a husband who has kindly (but not so willingly) allowed me to save all the junk that I used to wear AND lends out his man room as a perfect sewing studio. Ouch. He's quite a guy and I owe him many ping pong games and rounds of Nascar Thunder to make it up to him. He is, however, thankful for the money I am trying to save by trying to refashion my old clothes.

Anyway, I'm by no means a good sewer. I have learned the very little I know the hard way - my sewing machine manuals, blogs, and by mistake. Lots of mistakes. Most of you are probably much better than me, if anything just on the grounds that I hate paying attention to details, measuring, pressing, and pinning. Call me a type B sewer. I don't have time (or the attention span) to do it the right way. So if I can do this, I'm sure that you can too.

This little shirt is my attempt to use some too-short shirts AND hide the less flattering parts of a post-baby body.

Exhibit A. I started with a too-short tanky camisole from years ago. I put it on and marked with tailor's chalk where I wanted the empire waste to go. My mark was at the top of my ribcage. Clinton & Stacy say that the smallest part of a woman's body is right here, so sign me up for empire waste anything.

Exhibit B. I found this XXL t-shirt in the 75% rack at Target for about $2. All the good stuff seems to be XS or XXL but there is so much fabric on these XXLs, so grab 'em if you see 'em. Plus, the bigger your shirt, the flowier the bottom.

Like I said, I'm a type B sewer, so I didn't measure very closely. I just eyeballed about how long I wanted the shirt to be, measuring from the top of my ribcage. I marked that level on the big T shirt and cut. Save the top. By the way, if you don't have a rotary cutter and mat and still sewing, God bless you. Go get one, you will save sooooo much time. You can use your Hancock coupon if/when they regularly priced.

I forgot to take a pic here. Before pinning the cut edges of each shirt together, I ran a running stitch through the top (cut) edge of the the Ex B (XXL shirt) and ruffled it by pulling the thread on each side and pushing the fabric inward to the point that the width of the ruffled shirt measured the same as Ex A (tank). If you do this, it always helps to increase the length of your straight stitch (on your sewing machine) and increase the tension. I crank mine up to their highest level when trying to ruffle anything. Anyway, I cut the tank at the point I had previously marked, and pinned the two cut edges of each shirt together. Save the bottom of the tank for later.

Sew the two shirts together, along the pinned (cut) edges. BONUS: you don't have to worry about the edges or finishing (my kind of project) because you get to cover it up later. I used a zig-zag stitch here.

Almost done! Next, take the scraps (bottom of tank shirt, top of XXL shirt) and cut into strips, sewing a zig-zag stitch to connect short pieces. The middle piece is a sleeve of an old yellow long sleeve shirt that I don't wear anymore. Each piece is about 2 inches wide and about 35 inches long.

Pin all three strips together and adhere to something (or someone) and braid away. After braiding, I sewed another zig-zag stich to connect them before removing the pins. I tried to make them neat, but didn't get too stressed if the sizes didn't match up. Aside from the beauty of the Anthropologie inspiration is the sloppiness in their designs. Gives me the happies.

Place the braid roughly along your stitch that connected the two shirts. To adhere the braid to the shirt, I roughly tacked a few stitches ( by machine) in the base of the braid about every inch and a half, so they aren't visible after you readjust the strips of the braid. You could also hand-stitch these too.

Viola! Here it is with the tail of the strips unbraided along the side. Next time I try this, I think that a wider tank strap would be a lot better. This knit is so stretched out that I should have made it shorter on top knowing that the weight from the bottom would pull it down. Live and learn, right? I also think it would look really cool to have more muted and similar colors. This is a bit Beinvenido 'a Miami for me. But, thankfully I don't have that many choices taking up space in the ~~sewing room~~ man cave.

And here I just wadded the braid up and knotted it a bit. Not sure which look I like better. If you had an old knit dress or lots of knit fabric, it would be great to refashion as a maxi dress too!

I've got a big box of junk just waiting to be refashioned - I have lots of ideas in my head, and hope I can find the time to make it happen and post it here. Seriously, if you ever saw or heard me while I sewed, you'd know that you could do it too. ;)

Please leave me a comment if you found this helpful or have any helpful hints for me!

A really long way...

2010-04-30T19:56:00.010-04:00

As our blog title is meant to imply, Ben and I frequently stop dead in our tracks, look around and then at each other and think/say something like, "is this real?" or "is this our life?" or "who are we?"

I got a glimpse of that earlier. I must carry camera more often in order to capture the daily moments that bring so much joy to me, make me scratch my head, and wonder who on earth was that skinnyish blondish girl and hot Texan on a mountain bike at a bus stop in Chapel Hill?

Girlies

2010-04-30T14:22:00.017-04:00

Adelaide & her best bud Lily Ana.

Team Kate

2010-04-27T15:08:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, we visited our friends Jacqui & Matt and their gorgeous daughter Kate, who looks (and acts) like a little cherub. This time a year ago, Jacqui was preparing to go on bedrest and never knew what they would experience while Kate learned to breathe and eat on her own after arriving prematurely. Fast forward to today and we met a beautiful, thriving, giggly little girl. In Kate's honor, we walked in the March of Dimes March for Babies along the DC mall. Way to go Kate, thank you God!

Queen of the King

2010-04-24T22:23:00.003-04:00

This was us last night in a hotel en route to DC. Why is it that a 21 month old somehow can take up an entire king size bed?

Recent Pics.

2010-04-19T15:18:00.005-04:00

Goodness. Where has the time gone? Whenever I open up Iphoto and look at pics to upload to the blog, it flashes the first pic within the last 12 months. This is the first one that opened up today. Dated April 20th of last year. Sniff sniff.

Anyway... we've been up to a lot of being outside. A loves helping in our attempts at a vegetable garden and ~~picking, drowning, eating~~ tending to her own potted plants. Her hair was getting too crazy, and the little booger was on the verge of cavities at the rate I was having to bribe her with sweets to keep her pigtails in. So snip snip we went.

Over the weekend, I enjoyed a spa weekend with a few college friends. Ben & A enjoyed the furthest thing from being with 6 lazy ladies. Lazy 5 Ranch. We'd gone there before and taken a hayride through the hundreds of animals that walk right up to your car window (or wagon) to be fed by hand. Germaphobes need not apply.

Ramses!

Thoughts. A: I love these two. How they love each other and have so much fun together. B: I'm really amused in what I find Ben has dressed her in when I am gone. C: This is how conditioned these animals are to people. If he would have just kept his mouth closed for the pic. Ick.

Our lady might be following the footsteps of her G-Daddy.

Lots of love to our families!

Hunter & Gatherer

2010-03-30T13:47:00.014-04:00

I'm quite convinced that searching for Easter Eggs is an innate skill. Like a bird flying or a frog jumping. Give a child a basket and they will search. Hunt. Gather. No instruction or teaching is necessary. Just open the door and watch them go. Unfortunately our church Easter Egg Hunt happened during the storms that drenched most of North Carolina the other night. But that didn't stop this little hunter.

Maybe slow & sneaky will do the trick.

Girl on a mission.

I already looked there, Daddy. Lets move on to greener pastures.

Assessing the loot.

You better not be eating my pink & orange Starbursts, Mommy.

Fast-forward 2 days. Candy removed from all eggs and ~~eaten by Mommy~~ screened for choking hazard, egg & peanut content ~~used to bribe Bunny into wearing pigtails .~~However, the innate quest for hunting and gathering remains.

Whatever kind of predator put (lipstick, battery, keys, sippy cup straw) and dogfood in her basket? It's not like any toddler in this house doesn't spend most of her time dipping her toys in Bea's bowl or munching on Purina. Not here! Did the Bunny outplay her master? Was this payback for the pigtails or pink & orange Starbursts? Is she simply saving up for a rainy day? Maybe I'm all too arrogant to assume that Husband would not be in on the payback? I'm having second thoughts.

Or is there a master plan of attack we humans aren't capable of comprehending?

Therapy

2010-03-16T14:03:00.004-04:00

Apparently when Wife, MS, CCC-SLP is away, spending her weekend at three hospitals, receiving consults on some of the area's most neurologically impaired patients, arguing with physicians, writing notes, obtaining orders, getting all kinds of nast on her scrubs, Husband is also doing therapy.

Not physical therapy. Or speech therapy. It is more like behavioral therapy.

You'll have to remember the reason that therapy was indicated in the first place. The cause for intervention.

And days later, when Wife is clicking through the pictures on the digital camera and finds evidence of the therapy session, she doesn't know if she should ever go back to work again. And she breaks into laughter and immediately puts it on the blog.

Too Cool for Smuckers

2010-02-26T08:22:00.012-05:00

Last weekend, my great-grandpa, Mr. J.D Phillips turned 100. Willard Scott must have been too jealous to post his pic on the Smucker's Jar. Who needs the Today Show when little ole' me has a blog?

5 Generations

This was my Pa with my Grandma in who knows what year. If you click on the picture to enlarge, you can see the prices of the items on the menu. Can you imagine how big I'd be if cheeseburgers were 10 cents?

I'm not sure how old he was in this picture, or who the other folks are. Aunt Joyce or Dad, can you enlighten us? In my memory of Pa, I have a few things that I know I'll never forget (but I should write them down because I will want Adelaide to remember these things too):

He attributes his long life to 3 things: oatmeal, cold showers, and hot peppers

He says that he didn't have a name until he was 12. He came from a large family and said that his mama was always yelling names and he truly didn't know if his name was Tom or Johnny or Bob, or whatever. So he was in town one day and a salesman came up to him and said, "What's your name, Son?" and Pa said, "Well I don't know." The salesman told him about the wealth and power and success of John D. Rockafeller. That same day, Pa decided he wanted to be "J.D." Years later, when he enlisted for the draft, he wrote "James Dean Phillips" on his form, but when the official documentation was printed and mailed back to him, it read, "James Dear Phillips." He didn't protest it, because he figured that J.D was all that mattered.

I also remember his pride in telling the story about his motorcycle. How he crashed and didn't

break or loose a drop of his "Mountain Dew." And how he somehow ended up in New York City one day and was told he was going to be a "bus boy." After a few days cleaning up "rich folks'" tables, he wondered just where this bus was.

Everyone in Boone probably knows the story of his involvement with the Watauga Co GOP. And how the Democrats would steal his signs as he lived on a pretty busy road outside of town. After he'd had enough of this, he decided to outsmart those thieves. He rigged his shotgun with some twine, pointed it out the window of his basement (facing the sky), and led the twine down the driveway, and around his Jesse Helms signs. "Those damn hippies never took another sign."

He still lives at home with his beautiful wife Brona (he's had a few and outlived them all). He says the only way anyone will get him to leave his house, is if Barney Hampton takes him.

Being with our family last week was a lot of fun. I saw cousins I hadn't seen in years, and Adelaide got to dance with her 4th cousins, twice removed, by marriage etc. The party was very much a celebration of Pa, but also a reminder of the ways I want to know and record and remember older family members. It reminded me that the reason I started blogging was to keep stories and memories from shriveling up. I don't scrapbook, I only journal when something big is going down in my heart, I don't even put pictures in albums. So please accept this disclaimer that I recognize that this blog is mostly about things that serve no interest or purpose to anyone but me. And hopefully to my family.

It is my intent that I can record stories from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents. PW is so true when she talks about writing things down so her kids can read them to her when she looses her mind. Since mine is going early, that means I need to record these things even more. Here is a great way to do that. I had wanted to do it last year but put it off. Be forewarned, family.

I have to end with this picture of my Grandma. It made Ben and I both smile, and I want her to smile if she ever finds out that there is a picture of her on the information super-highway. :)

Texas Trip & Travel Tips

2010-02-23T15:45:00.014-05:00

Earlier this month, we took a trip to Dallas to meet our new nephew, Taylor Austin Wells (or as A would say, "Tater"). Ben's brother Jon and his wife Sarah told us we'd be aunt and uncle back during our trip to Boston, and when they told us the due date, we rooted for it. Sarah is exactly a year and a half younger than me, so we I have a little easier time remembering her birthday since it is my half birthday. Taylor was born on his due date, which happens to be Adelaide's half birthday. They are exactly 18 months apart. While we were there, we visited family, high school and college friends, and enjoyed some rest as grandparents entertained A. And of course we stuffed our faces with good BBQ. The grandparents had their cameras out more than we did so y'all's pics are probably better than these. Thanks for a wonderful time!

Ben's mom dusted off this old rocking horse that Ben's Grampa built for Ben & Jon when they were little. Adelaide loved it. We were able to visit Great Grampa for a few hours the day we arrived. He's had several eye surgeries and it is pretty evident that he has "boo boo eyes." Adelaide called him "Eyes" when she wanted his attention.

Jon introducing Adelaide to Taylor. He is the softest, warmest, squishiest, yummiest bundle. And no, Ben Wells, I'm not referring to Jon.

Grandpa & Grandmary took us to their old neighborhood with an awesome park and duck pond. It was a cold day, but Adelaide loved feeding the ducks. Does anyone in the CLT area know of any duck ponds that don't have any geese? Those Canada geese are mean sons-of-guns!

More duck pics with Daddy.

Matthew's lovely girlfriend Deirdre lives and works in Austin. How great is she that even though Matthew lives and works in Africa, she drove up to see us? With cookies?! Egg free cookies that are out of this world delicious?! And Carolina gear for Adelaide in the midst of a burnt orange family?! Seriously D. You rock.

The trip began and ended on good notes. We hadn't flown with A since last Christmas, so I was very worried about what would happen. I have brilliant friends who passed on the following tips for travel with little monsters. You veteran parent/travelers can stop reading here.

1. Snacks (even better to bring along things that are usually off limits).

2. Portable DVD player. We borrowed one from a friend. I had figured we'd just take our laptop, then I was reminded that A likes to pry buttons from the keyboard.

3. Earplugs. This was a hit. I grabbed a multipack of earplugs at Target before we left and offered them to nearby passengers as we boarded. Everyone LOVED that we were prepared. It was an instant ice breaker and elicited lots of laughter. AND, while no one actually accepted them, there was a guy who requested them further back in the plane next to another monster. While ours was sleeping.

4. Timing. With meals, sleep, and happy times. And during times of low delay or cancellation rates.

5. Benadryl. But be sure to test prior to your trip since 5% of kids have a hyperactive reaction. I swear more like 50% of people I discuss this with have kids with the opposite reaction. Just so you know. And discuss with your child's doctor... bla bla bla.

Wish I had more pics to post. I guess I was too busy loving on little Taylor. Love to the Texas peeps!

Say What??

2010-02-22T15:38:00.004-05:00

Oh how times change between Olympic years! During the Summer Games in China, I was bouncing on a ball trying to settle down a newborn Adelaide. Now she is cheering. I truly have no idea the extent of what goes through her brain. Or how she knows the context of what she is saying. Maybe she was thinking about this?

Daddy's Girl

2010-02-22T14:50:00.008-05:00

Ben had two Valentines this year. I like to think that I was his favorite, but I'm not so sure...

My dear husband went to Claire's and bought Adelaide a pink heart necklace and bracelet and gave it to her before church on Valentine's Day. She is smitten with her new jewelry and with her Daddy. My cup runneth over for these two.

New Hard Drive = Catch up time!

2010-02-22T14:25:00.007-05:00

Camera busting at the seams of pics of our first few months of 2010! Ben just installed a new hard drive to our Mac (that I still don't like). I'll try to get caught up quickly, as well as write down the funny things that our Pickle is coming up with. Adelaide is 19 months old and a sponge! She is a very talkative child, who likes to refer to herself in the 3rd person. She is a parrot who is retaining more information than is safe for being around adult conversations. ;) Ben and I are constantly entertained by her imagination: she likes to "make soup," drive, pretend night-night by snoring, color (naming her pictures whatever she interprets her scibbles as - the latest masterpieces are "Moon," "Vegetables," and "Duck." She loves talking to her family on the phone, and often requests to skype an uncle or grandparent. She sings, is very social, loves books, and likes to pee pee on the potty (or carpet). At her well visit last month, she was small for her weight, average for her height, and above average for her head circumference. She is beginning to show us glimpses of the terrible twos, by hitting, screaming, and rebelling. Any advice in handling such behavior is welcome! She occasionally shows glimpses into teenhood, by already showing an attraction to boys and big kids. My heart is beginning to break. I'll try to post pics of our Texas trip, our snow days, and trip to Boone soon!