Category Archives: the children

Birthday Girl

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9 Years Ago today, my darling daughter was born. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and that puts her Birthday squarely on Thanksgiving Day on occassion, but always so very near-by.

The birthday girl isn’t feeling so well, with some sort of chest congestion/cough thing going on the past few days. Over all though, she is doing well and definitely getting older, getting less and less “toys” and more “things” to do things with, crafty mostly. She got her first camera today

It’s from The Limited Too, is cute, and features are just right for a beginning-digital girl.

I got disney princess paper plates and napkins for the Birthday Cake time. Of course she appreciated that, but her older brother was all “i’m not going to eat off of THAT” about it. :rolleyes: Boys.

It’s not like he has to go through tons of girly stuff, with just one sister, and two other brothers now. KWIM? I’m not the girly-est Mama around either.

Eventually he caved and had the cake and ice cream.

Now it’s time for a breather, the Thanksgiving/Birthday week long prep and occassions is over. Christmas is coming fast. I hope to get some things done in the house and with education this week. I hope to. Hope is promising, from this side. :smile:

November – Holiday Season begins

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Holiday Season is right around the corner. It’s November now, which means in our household we have Thanksgiving and then our DD’s Birthday, or visa-versa, depending on the year. (She was born in 1998 on the 25th, the day before Thanksgiving.) This year Thanksgiving is three days before her b-day.

It always makes for a more hectic last-half-of-November than ever since 1998.

I’m in the mood for Pumpkin Pie, which it doesn’t have to be Turkey Day, November or December to have, but I haven’t made any “out of season” this year, I haven’t done much cooking overall (with a new baby in the house!) At this point I consider it best to wait until Thanksgiving Day to have Pumpkin Pie, but the urge is so strong to have some NOW so I don’t know what I’ll do in the coming days leading up to TD. Why do I consider it best to wait? So I’m not “Pumkined OUT” by TD, which is possible if I give in to my urge now. FWIW. :blush:

The weather has been cooler lately. Finally Summer has broken in NE Georgia. It’s still getting quite warm, into the 70′s, some days, but getting down in the 60′s at the most at night, all the way down way into the 40′s many nights. This makes things seem more Fall-like, and gets me in the mood for Autumn/Winter thicker clothing, crisp new clothes that just wouldn’t work in the Summer, no way. Boots are my love, for instance, and jackets.

I’m still not fitting into my old things to wear, post-pardum 4-months, so I’m going through my things and trying to figure out what I’m going to do about it. I hate buying “fat skirts” and such, when I know they won’t be needed. I’ve gotten away with wearing my summer skirts just not done up, they stay on and the openings don’t show with my Nursing (BF) Blouses usually covering them up fine. That won’t cut it for the cooler times outside, nor inside the house eventually (as Winter sets in.)

I’ve been Dresses/Skirts only for quite a few years, and did cave to wear pants sometimes when I was pregnant (starting in late ’06) and have a couple of pairs of jeans now for the “transition” but I don’t like them, I am supposing I wouldn’t mind some jeans now if they fit me nicely, but none actually do (since I’m still toting baby fat, which is alright since I am BF the baby, of course. It’d just be nice to have something to wear that looked good and fit nice. :rolleyes: Especially for “winter” wear.)

My DD got a toy sewing machine last Nov. for her BD, but since I was newly preggo then and since and also now have a still “little” baby, I hadn’t showed her how to use it yet … but the other day she was bugging me about it and I told her to just get it out and read the booklet about it. So she did that and started pestering me about this and that in the booklet, and I finally just had her get the machine by me and I showed her some stuff … and thus I now also have the ‘sewing’ bug and want to find a place to put my big machine so that i can use it. Lastly I used it way back in 2000/2001 when I had my 3rd baby, to sew for.

I have had the idea to make nice simple things for DD and myself all along, but I just “haven’t” done that. I really want to and now that I am so blah shaped, it’d be nice to have skirts that worked the way I need them to, you know, custom made by one’s self. I’m going to do that, therefore. I have gotten my DD to want to make T-Shirt Dresses since I told her how easy they are to make, and she wants to get a purple T-shirt for that purpose and is nearly wearing me thin talking about it, so I will have to be sure to find her one ASAP – and get to a fabric store as well.

I did get some Hanna Andersson dresses and tights and leggings and socks and clogs, this week, for DD. Every thing like that has “Blossoming Pink” in it. Also got another skirt and blouse that are not “pink” at all. So a custom made T-Shirt dress that has a purple top will have to have NO PINK in the skirt at all, IMO. In any case, the HA stuff is really nice, a good base for getting more things to mix and match with, every day wear. The blouse I got is has a peter pan collar and buttons up the front. It’s white Pima interlock cotton, long sleeves, very fine yet not “too fine” and will go well under the winter jumpers she has (I bought them a couple of years ago, big on purpose to have later, and later is now!)

We got the boys a few new things from Osh Kosh this past week, as well. Jeans and shirts. The baby too, as well as Carters for the baby. All three of the boys have shirts from Osh Kosh that match each other. A is 7 years old and I have determined (since last year) that he actually looks great in Orange, so he has an orange plaid flannel shirt, R is 11 years old, he and Baby Q both are blonde haired with blue eyes and have fair blue-toned skin and look awesome in blue, so they have the same dark blue plaid flannel shirt as each other, in respective sizes, R has 12 and Baby Q has 6m :) All three have neat Osh Kosh jeans too, so I hope to get a nice Brothers photo with them wearing all that stuff, very soon.

I haven’t uploaded any baby pictures to the web still, as I haven’t yet gotten those announcements sent out :veryshocked: I’m appalled at myself for this. I have finally determined that I like one photo I have from September, right after Baby Q turned 3 months old, which I like enough to duplicate, so I’ll use that one, or maybe take something in the next couple of days that will be good enough, and more recent … and have wallet or some other small-ish size photos printed out at a shop, to include with the announcements. I really, really, really intend to get this done THIS COMING WEEK!!! I hope I can do so.

So with all that pressure, needing to get some sort of warmer clothing figured out for me, get the right clothing ready for the children, and get the announcements mailed, and plan Thanksgiving and V’s 9th Birthday, plus wishing to really start sewing parts of us girl’s wardrobe, and bake for the holidays and get things ready for Christmas, which hopefully will be a Christmas Card that will get mailed this year (for the first time in many) … pressure … it’s heavy, tight, pressing down.

On a good note though, I have a more comfortable bed now: we got a topper for the mattress at Costco this week. It’s a micro filled top with something like 3 inches of memory foam beneath that. It was a pain to open and unfold … the foam was vacuum sealed into a tiny (for it) package. Literally the hardest work I’ve done all week, or in many, many, months. That is on the mattress and I have a waterproof/allergy cover over that (it goes around the whole mattress, zips up to keep all ickies out of the bed) then a thin mattress cover and the sheets. The next thing I want then is a memory foam pillow (with an allergy cover sealing it) as the memory foam is a dream to be on, no pressure points. Lovely to sit up in bed and feed the baby now, just need to get the pillow situation fixed to complete the comfort. Sleeping is nice too, no need to shift around finding a comfy way to be, I mean, just choose what direction to lay in, and if it’s the way you want to be, it’s comfy now.

A second good note: I now have a chair in the “dining room/living area” next to the kitchen. The couch was moved downstairs and I was without a nice place to be with the baby (not liking the “basement” as it is currently) and wanting to be on the main level with the baby mostly anyhow.

So I now have an Ektorp chair and a Bromma foot stool, with white covers. From IKEA, for those not familiar with those product names. Our couch is an Ektorp Corner sofa 2+2. (corner seat with 2 seats on each side, a couch with 5 seat cushions that can hold up to 6 people if you don’t mind sitting right by someone, not bad for visiting, just annoying for basic TV watching, reading, with children, everyone wanting lounging space.)

What is so great about that IKEA Ektorp line? The styling is classically beautiful, in my mind’s eye, and the outside of the couches and chairs are slipcovers entirely, so it’s easy to get a clean couch when needed or wanted. Unzip all the cushions and take the cover off of the frame, into the washer, then drier, then back onto the frame and cushions. It’s work, but worth it. The chair is even easier since it’s just a chair, compared to the corner 2+2 couch. Not only that though, the next best thing is: extra slip covers. The white is cheap, $29 to get an extra set. Other colors start at $79 and go up. The couch, we can get a color we like for $199,a complete new set of slipcovers, making the couch so versatile, brand new-like when wanted. We only have one set of slipcovers for the couch and also the chair right now, but will be getting extra’s sometime sooner than later, I hope. I also want to get an Ektorp Loveseat, which has a really cheap white slipcover set, just $11 … FWIW

To have all this furniture it will be separated in the house we live in now, but I hope to have a house with a very large family room someday …

For now though, I’m more comfy in the main living area again. A place to rest, feed the baby day or night other than in bed, watch TV, read, or even nap … a nice chair that is Mama’s and no one else may sit in it unless I say they may, which is no one. :smile:

Baby Announcements and Birthday Prep

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I didn’t “force” myself to make the Baby Announcement the day I wrote about it, but I was inspired suddenly the next day and spent a chunk of time and got it done … sans an address list — so they aren’t sent out and no where near ready for that since I have nothing in the way of an address file anymore. I last would have used one in 2005 when I made Christmas cards, but didn’t send them, and where that information is, is a mystery in this house (it’s so very, very, horribly disorganized for so many reasons.)

I’m making a list of who needs an announcement now, and I hope I can find the address to send each one to. :blush:

I don’t have an actual photograph to send out, I did use a photo as the front of the card, but printed out with a black-only laser jet printer. The picture then is more “copy machine” looking, an old-time look that’s kind of quaint in it’s own way. I had intended to get a decent photo chosen and just get it mass duplicated at a shop to send with the announcements, but that’s something I haven’t spent enough time with, looking at the digitals that I have taken and finding one I like enough to work with like that. I still have time to do so, since I don’t have an address list ready. :wink: We’ll see therefore.

My dear baby didn’t look so swell the first month. His face was really broken out in different rashes off and on and that makes photos look horrid. I was also watching A Baby Story on TLC often in the first month after Baby Q was born, and was very sensitive to how nice those TV babies face skin was, while my own dear baby was so cute but had icky skin … :(

So that is why I struggle finding a good photo, though I do have nice photos here and there, but just not one I’d send out as a “one and only” introduction, from the first month really, and then the ones since then where his skin looks great are just great little shots of this and that, but still not one of “here he is” to appreciate his beautiful blue eyes as in an introduction to him via photograph in the announcement envelope.

I might just get something situated here this week to get a more formal-like portrait of cuteness since I can prop him up on his tummy and he’ll hold his head up now, and he smiles and laughs too. Not a newborn any longer, but who says an announcement has to be sent with a newborn photo? If that’s a rule, it’s not one I am going to necessarily follow … flexibility is my sort of thing anyhow. :)

Dear hubby isn’t around today thru Wednesday enough for me to get a photo to a shop for duplication, so this is something I have some time to create before having to get it out for printing. That also gives me time to find the addresses I need — less self-pressure — whew!

I have a birthday to get ready for this week as well though. My almost 7-year-old has requested Fettucini Alfredo for his B-Day Dinner. I make it myself occasionally, and he’s also had it in restaurants a couple of times. I’ll make it and grill some chicken breasts and have a salad. I haven’t made fresh pasta in a while, but I’ll break out my grain mill for the first time since Baby Q was born to grind Kamut to make “Nourishing Traditions” style pancakes (fresh ground whole grain (like the Kamut I use) and yogurt mixed together and soaked overnight, or 12-to-24 hours, this makes the most delicious pancake — silky, fine texture, healthily filling feeling, not bloatey full or fat full feeling. It makes the grain digestable easily, and that is better for you, more nutritious therefore, and it’s actually more pleasing to the palette than any white batter pancake.)

I’m going to make a chocolate layer cake with chocolate icing inside and vanilla outside, and those cake decorations that come on a sheet of paper from the grocery store. I used to put too much on myself and do a Wilton decorated cake, but I never was super pleased with the results and got too overinvolved and spent too much time and effort on the job, and was frazzled in body and mind from it, so a few years ago I stopped that maddness and just make a nice homemade cake instead since. It’s loved more, I think, as well. Those store decorations are edible and add the “zing” the children love, and that stuff is awful (the stuff in candy is anything but whole food) but in such small bits it’s OK for a few birthdays a year (soon to be 4!)

It figures that I finally get the announcements created and put a bigger job on me for the week of the birthday than just the birthday. But that’s the way it is, I’ll feel better after it’s all done, if it can all get done this week. :)

Things about September

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It’s September now, my oh my, time sure as flied.

Baby Q is 2+ months old and getting cuter and cuter, of course. He’s getting longer and fatter — smiles a lot, and laughs. He’s very active — very strong. He holds his head up, just isn’t a pro at it yet, but his daily strength conditioning exercises are working out well for that and his legs and arms. :) He’s able to push himself here and there while on his back, nearly able to turn over at times, it won’t be too far down the road for that.

We had been traveling a lot, and finally are home for a time. Baseball (MiLB) was our August pastime which took much of our IRL time. We saw games in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. 3 different leagues — The International League, Florida State League, and The South Atlantic League.  We mostly combined that traveling with hubbies work travel needs.

The MLB season is getting nearer to the end, while the MiLB (minor league teams) regular season is now over and in playoffs — we have thought of trying to see a playoff game in Augusta, but don’t know if we will. We do watch our favorite MLB teams on TV and PC and are happy to see our favorites each (Him – Det. ; Her – NYY) doing well as can be, still “in it” but not “on top” — yet. NYY is the leading AL-Wild Card of late, though :) The last two games have been fun to see, with Seattle falling apart in the 7th. They are the team to keep down on both sides of the AL-Wild Card game … NYY is on top of them and Det. is right below them. NYY took 2 of 3 this week. Det. took CSW last night in extra innings, which hubby is happy about. They have one more game in the series today — NYY is off today. Det. starts a series with Seattle on Friday. So I am rooting for Det. in that case, but don’t want them getting too rowdy less they try to really take over the AL-Wild Card. Things are possible for Det. to take the AL-Central Division — and for NYY to take the AL-Eastern Division — but it’s not a sure thing, and since NYY is on top of the AL-Wild Card it’s just important to me that they stay on top of that while trying to rise up to the top of the AL-Eastern Division. Of course, hubby wishes for Det. to do that in the AL-Central Division. :shocked:  :wink:

Little niceties: Boston lost last night, while NYY and Det. both won. And Joba Chamberlain got his first W in the majors with that NYY win (with the Yanks taking the lead in the bottom of 7th while Joba was the pitcher of record, having pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 7th relief session.)  :) A-rod got two homeruns in the 7th as well. Yup, they batted around and he led off with a single homerun and then had a 2-RBI homerun near the end of the inning. Fun stuff to watch the MVP of the AL *the Should Be MVP* that is.

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7 years ago today I was about 3 days “overdue” with baby #3 — and had another week to go, though I didn’t know it then. So that means my “baby” — who had that status his whole life, until just recently –  will be 7 years old in a week. He was my 1st homebirth baby, something that was so wonderful. He was a great baby, easy, and turned into a tornado, being very extroverted, while my first two are introverts (which doesn’t mean they aren’t “tornatic” themselves, just not “most of the time” like their little brother is.)

I never imagined back then, 7 years ago, that I’d have a newborn in the house 7 years later. Not that I didn’t think I’d have no more children, I have always thought I’d have more than 3, but letting it happen in God’s timing, it just didn’t happen until much later than earlier.

The years in-between were somewhat hard, with getting pregnant finally after 4 years, then losing that baby very soon after finding out. After that it was harder, not knowing what would happen, and feeling the loss deeply, so the joy of finding myself expecting not long after I turned 40 was so lovely. :)

So, I have a little baby to take care of while I have a child’s birthday party to plan … it’s been a llloooooooonnnnngggg time since that was the case. I also STILL have to create the baby’s birth announcement :blush:

I didn’t get that annoucement made in the first month, and knew it’d be hard, so I didn’t do it, but also knew I’d be traveling to FL just after the first month of the baby being born, for a wedding, and figured I’d get the annoucement made after that. BUT … we have ended up doing more and more traveling since then, the work/baseball travel … and I’ve not been home long enough to do anything with it, though I could have gotten it some or mostly done if I’d wanted to I bet, but I haven’t wanted to, not having a clue what picture I want to use and how to use the cards I got for the announcements (blank to print/stamp/scrap onto.) I had ideas, but since getting the supplies I needed haven’t liked what I got to make what I thought of … having changed the ideas around and just phooey-ing the whole thing hoping to get “inspired” by something all of the sudden, and waiting and waiting … so today it’s bugging me more than ever, and waiting must end and I HAVE to force spontaneous creativity today. –eewwww.

Summer ends this month. I’ve got to get that announcement done this month. My previous baby turns 7 this month. I’ve got to get stuff done for that really soon. And there is just so much more about this month and the time is flying. :shocked: