Thumb Handicap

Since rubbing the skin off the side of my thumb I've discovered the many uses for that particular spot on the finger.  They include typing on the iPhone, using the direction keys for Bomberman and unclipping Catie from her high chair.

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

Design Novice

I've never claimed to be any sort of design expert, in fact I'm sure a trained designer would think my home is boring and safe with no design risks taken.  I keep seeing this trend pop up though and it's one I just can't understand.  It doesn't make sense to me, I don't like the look of it and it seems so pointless.

I don't understand decorating with empty frames.  Let me show you some examples.

I apologize if you love the look and have it all over your house, it's not my style and I don't get it.

Also, I've lived in our house for 10 months now and the only picture I've hung used existing nails that were ugly and heavy duty.  That's right, one picture in 10 months.  I can barely hang pictures I like, never mind empty frames.

As an ironic side note, I am currently working on a project with an empty frame that I hope to post later today.

Kijiji Finds

The other day I installed the Kijiji app on my iPhone and decided to take a look at what was available for baby toys, I lucked out and found two awesome purchases.

The first is this cute inflatable boat for a baby.  We'd been looking for one of those foam baby floats they have at swimming pools and this is the closest we've seen.  We want it for when we go to the lake this summer but we couldn't find one.  This is pretty darn close and definitely more compact.  I think all the little babies will enjoy this baby.  As an added bonus it was only $5.

The other is one I'm even more excited about.
Given my re-covering history I had started to realize that it was likely that I'm going to want one of those foam chairs for Catie.  You know the kind, covered in Elmo or princess or something similar but so cute when your little one sits in it.  I knew I'd want to re-cover one eventually so when I saw this Winnie the Pooh one for FREE I immediately contacted the seller.  It sits in all it's orange shaggy glory waiting for some yummy new fabric to replace it.

Mother's Day

This was my first real Mother's Day and the day did not disappoint. At church the men all sang to us and it was lovely, my favorite part being how still Catie sat during it. I also came home with a lovely flower.

While we're here in Lethbridge being poor students we've scaled back a lot of celebrations. Birthday gifts are minimal and for smaller holidays like Valentine's Day and our Anniversary we don't do anything. I was sure to tell Brad that Mother's Day is not a skippable holiday though and he did such a wonderful job.

He bought my the best present (there were multiple but one stands above the rest). He bought me these beautiful, pink, pearl head pins.

I'm thrilled with them and had a hard time paying attention to anything else. He included some really cute ribbon (I was very impressed that he picked it out himself) and a new knife for the kitchen. There was also some chocolate.

He's the best husband I could have hoped for and I'm grateful for him every day. Somehow I was blessed with the most beautiful, delightfully well tempered girl who is a joy to mother and I have a nearly perfect husband to go with it. I can't believe how blessed I've been with our little family and I look forward to Father's Day so I can make Brad feel just as special.

Fingers!

This post goes along with yesterday's.

As I was carefully unpicking the princess chair so I could use the pieces as patterns I came across this warning tag and I was surprised at just how alarming it is!

Amputated Fingers!  Perhaps these chairs are more dangerous than I thought.
L

Thrifty

I'm not typically the type of person that finds really good sales.  I think we all know that one person that manages to find the best deals but that sure isn't me.  I never want to take the time to hunt for the good stuff but somehow this weekend was an exception.

We went shopping and among out great finds was a .47 cent shirt for me, a $4.95 sweater for Brad and multiple items for Catie, the most expensive being $7.99.

One of the finds for Catie did include some jeans that I later discovered had a broken button closure.  Since I'm pretty sure I can do anything crafty these days I pulled out a hammer and some extra pieces that had come with some other jeans and I know have some cheap, fixed jeans.
(Pardon the poor picture)

It feels great to be the sales finder for once.
L

Just a Flash

I had a moment today, but not even a full moment, it was only a second.

I was driving home thinking about Michelle about to have her baby and that lead me back to thinking about when I had Catie and how Mom was there and Brad was there and while thinking about the experience I had a tiny flash of a moment where I thought, "I want to do that again."

It sure didn't last long and it was not difficult to remind myself that it's a really awful thing to go through but I felt like it was real progress and a real step in the direction of one day having another baby.
L

Looking for the Positive

I'm really trying to make the most of this haircut I hate so here's a list of the bright side

1. The return of accessories.  With such long hair earrings always seemed unnecessary since you really couldn't see them anyway.  It's been fun to dig into my stash and remember what's in there.
2. The return of lipgloss.  There was a point in my life when I had a problem with lipgloss, I owned a ridiculous amount of them and was never without at least one (usually 5).  I live in a seriously windy city so wearing lipgloss with long hair was just gross, I was forever peeling goopy hair off my lips.  Now that my hair doesn't reach my lips I'm free to pull them all out again.  There is one draw back to the gloss though, it means less kisses for Catie, I'll have to find a happy medium.
3. I can lean over and play with Catie without her getting handfuls of my hair tangled.  She can still reach but can just barely grab enough that it's cute, not painful.
4. No longer do we find long strands of my hair everywhere.  Give me a couple vacuums and all traces should be gone.

At least I can look on the bright side right?
L

Before and After

 

I've been growing this hair for a very long time, almost two years now.  Growing it not because I love long hair but because I didn't want to pay for a hair cut.  I've have my Mom trim the ends here and there but that was it.  I often longed for an actual style but was content to keep it going for a while longer. 

There have been many times that I've raved about my Mom here and today is no exception, she facilitated a brand new hair cut from a fancy salon.  I was thrilled and new exactly what I wanted.  Allow me to describe to you, as described to my hair cutter, I think his name was Jon.

I said I wanted to cut off about 5 inches, (I indicated with my finger a spot that was just below my shoulders

I told him I wanted the ends to be really textured and choppy.  He said he recommended that we taper the back so it wasn't a blunt cut and I agreed saying that was fine as long as the back wasn't crazy short.  I also told him I wanted some really long layers around my face.  

You probably have a picture in your mind that is nothing like what I came out with.  I'm not sure how he got from my description to where he ended.

In his defence I do think it's a really beautiful cut it's just not anything that I was looking for and I don't think it suits me.  I guess the growing out starts now.  It is possible that given some time and my own styling it'll grow on me but for now I'm unsatisfied.

I realize it's a dark picture but it's the best you get.

And a back view

Tears and Beauty

Catty pointed me to this post about a woman who finds out, when her baby is born, that she has Down's Syndrome and how hard it is but how joyful and blessed she is. It's such a beautiful story that made me cry and it's worth reading the whole thing.  I wanted to share this story with others because I was so moved.  Here are some snippets:

I knew the minute I saw her that she had Down Syndrome and nobody else did. I held her and cried. Cried and panned the room to meet eyes with anyone that would tell me she didn't have it. I held her and looked at her like she wasn't my baby and tried to take it in. And all I can remember of these moments is her face. I will never forget my daughter in my arms, opening her eyes over and over...she locked eyes with mine and stared...bore holes into my soul.

Love me. Love me. I'm not what you expected, but oh, please love me.

...

That was the most defining moment of my life. That was the beginning of my story.

I don't remember a lot here. My friends have filled me in, but I feel like I was in a black hole. I know I held her. I know I kissed her. I know I begged every power in the world that this wasn't happening...that she was normal, but I knew in my soul exactly what this was.

...

My pediatrician snuggled Nella up in a blanket and handed her to me...and she knelt down next to my bed so that she could look up at me...not down. She smiled so warmly and held my hand so tight. And she never took her eyes off mine. We had been through a lot together with Lainey's jaundice and I have spent many tearful conversations with her over the course of these two and a half years. She is an amazing pediatrician. But at this moment, she became more than that. She was our friend as she beautifully shared the news.

I need to tell you something.

...and I cried hard... "I know what you're going to say."

She smiled again and squeezed my hand a little tighter.

The first thing I'm going to tell you is that your daughter is beautiful and perfect.

...and I cried harder.

...but there are some features that lead me to believe she may have Down Syndrome.

Finally, someone said it.

I felt hot tears stream down and fall on my baby's face. My beautiful, perfect daughter. I was scared to look up at Brett, so I didn't. I just kissed her.

And then, Dr. Foley added...

...but, Kelle....she is beautiful. and perfect.

...

I can't explain that evening. And I suppose it's horrible to say you spent the first night your daughter was born in that state of agony, but I know it was necessary for me to move on to where I am today. And, knowing where I am today and how much I love this soul, how much I know she was meant for me and I am meant for her, knowing the crazy way our souls have intertwined and grown into each other, I can say all this now. It's hard, but it's real, and we all have feelings. We live them, we breathe them, we go through them and soon they dissolve into new feelings.

The End?

I noticed today for the first time just how thin my hair is, seems the effects of all the hair loss have finally caught up with me.
On the bright side I think I've started to see a decline in the amount, hopefully this is nearing an end.
L

So Many Miles

This year I participated in the yearly CD exchange and I thought I'd share my playlist with all of you.  I happen to have a couple extras so if you're interested I'm happy to provide you with your very own copy.
The songs aren't quite the story of my year but are more of a collection of favorites.

1. Wedding Dress – Matt Nathanson
   "In sickness and in health, To be with you, just to be with you"
2. Can’t Help Falling in Love – Ingrid Michaelson 
   "Some Things are Meant to Be"
3. Hurricane – The Hush Sound 
   "You're the finest thing that I've done"
4. Broken’ – Lifehouse 
   "In Your Name I find Meaning"
5. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
6. Useless – Imogen Heap 
   "To begin again"
7. We’re So Far Away – Mae 
   "Remembering, everything, about my world and when you came"
8. Please Don’t Go – Barcelona 
   "When you crashed in the clouds, you found me"
9. Down – Jason Walker 
   "I shot for the sky"
10. Miracle Mile – Pompeii 
    "When you crashed in the clouds, you found me"
11. Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Buble 
    "Baby Your Love Is Gonna Change Me"
12. Existentialism on Prom Night – Straylight Run 
    "Sing like you think no one's listening"
13. Untouched – The Veronicas 
    "You can take time to live the way you gotta live your life"
14. Goodnight Trouble – Sarah Slean 
    "My trouble took flight"
15. Lost – Anouk 
    "This music’s irresistible"
16. So Many Miles – Sarah Slean 
    "These feet have walked so many miles"
17. Home – Vanessa Carlton 
    "With You I am home"

The iPhone

Since going on maternity leave I've been feeling increasingly unorganized.  I have no sort of planner to make sure I don't miss appointments but I also had no desire to pull out and use a paper calendar.

I've also for the last 6 ish years been using the same old cell phone, it was very brick like and out of date with a really terrible battery.  Brad and I decided to make the leap to smart phones and after his obsessive searching and review watching, iPhones were purchased.  This is a big deal that I was really nervous about.  I'm determined to use my iPhone for all sorts of things to justify the purchase, I've already used the the handy level application and look forward to all sorts of customization.

I now have a fancy phone and digital planner in one yet somehow since the purchase I've managed to show up a week early for one event and miss a second completely... somehow my making things easier and more organized has caused confusion.
L

Dry Clean Only

You know how the tag on ties say dry clean only?  Apparently they mean it.
Brad walked into the living room this morning holding this very sad tie that was accidentally run through the wash... good thing it wasn't a favorite.  We had a good chuckle over it.
L

THE Shirt

Is it just me or does anyone else have that one shirt that they just can't keep clean.  I can never wear it more than once because I ALWAYS spill on it.  Today was no exception and my chilli stained shirt will have to go in the laundy tomorrow.

L

Another South Beach Motivation Photo

New Look

Changing the look of my blog isn't something I do very often but with combining the two blogs it seemed like it was time for a fresh look.
L

Importing

If you follow wiebebaby then this won't be a surprise to you but I've decided it's time to combine the two blogs. Initially I wanted to keep them separate but in doing so this site has become completely ignored so posting will resume here shortly but you can expect 95% of them to be about Catie, sorry but that's how 95% of my time is spent these days.

I'm transferring over all of the Baby Blog posts so if you use your reader you can expect an influx of old posts, bear with me.
L

Sundays are Hard

I know Catie isn't very old yet but it's frustrating how one day can throw off the whole routine. We're really careful about making sure that Catie eats, plays until she's tired and then sleeps and we repeat the sequence every three hours.

Sundays pose a problem. She gets held for 3 hours straight and then yesterday we went straight to Magrath where she continued to be held. She doesn't sleep soundly and doesn't get the right awake time, she also snack eats at random times. The end result is that when we're home and ready for bed she's sure she needs to be held or fed to sleep which we're strongly against. And then when we give in and rock her to sleep she sleeps for 10 minutes, wakes up and realizes she's alone and doesn't like it.

It makes for an awful, frustrating evening.
Sundays are hard.
L

Discovering

It seems that every day brings something new for Catie. Today she seems to have figured out that there's a tongue in her mouth and she's trying to figure out what it's good for. Yesterday her fist found her mouth and when she's hungry she sucks on it, it's really cute.

She also made the greatest cooing noises at me the other day, I love being there for all of her discoveries.

What a journey this motherhood thing is...
L

Wrong Side of the Bed

So I have this baby, and she's beautiful and lovely and sleeps like a dream.

Until the jerks downstairs start sawing, hammering, pounding, stomping down the stairs and talking loudly.

I'm not impressed.
L