My Little Mummy

And this is why I cannot leave Avery unattended while I blog. Just when I think I have moved all things breakable, expensive, choke-able, or whatever, out of her reach, she finds something I did not think of: stored paper products. I should note that she not only opened the small plastic packaging around the toilet paper, but the large plastic bag that encloses all 24 rolls as well! I love this child! The wrap job is courtesy of Uncle Nathan.

Cart Cover

I thought that I had bitten off more than I could chew. I thought that this would be one of those projects that I took a 6 month break on. And then, very suddenly, I was done. If I make one ever again there are some things I would change. I would not use 2 layers of fleece or cut out one huge hole for the legs. I would try to make the two section separately then put them together so that it looks more finished. As is it has lots of unfinished edges that are mostly hidden by the ruffle.

I love the polka dots so much that I'm using the extra to make Avery a Valentine's Day skirt.

Where is My Family?

I was a very hesitant blogger. When I first began this little hobby I would only post about once every 3-6 months. I got better with a post about every month or so. Then I took a long hiatus and then came back with a vengeance for one reason; my family. My sisters and my mother were all blogging regularly and I LOVED to read what they had to say and see what was going on in their lives. My mother is full of wisdom, Jenn has great photos and stories, Elizabeth has great anecdotes for the day, and Angela cracks me up. If you look at my side bar you see that they are listed first for other blogs that I follow and check up on. You will also notice that, now that I am a regular blogger, they have fallen off the face of the earth. Some of them have not posted in MONTHS! Where are they? What are they up to? Where are the photos? The stories? The silly thoughts for the day? Why am I alone here?

Sanity Day

There is a small group of us who try to get together once a week for a sewing day. That is how it started anyway. We wanted a chance to get together to visit and have our kids all play together while we worked on a skill for self improvement. After only one week most of us realized that we didn't want to be limited to just sewing. We could all think of other projects that we wanted to work on. I want to learn how to make hair bows for Avery and paint a canvas or two for my walls that are still empty after 4 1/2 years in this house. So we decided that it really should be called Craft Day. That leaves it much more open. After this week I have a new name for it: Sanity Day.

The fact is that when I am at these little gatherings I get only a fraction done of what I would normally get done during one of Avery's naps when I am all alone. Most of my time is spent chatting, comparing craft stories, meeting new people, and really this is all fine with me. With Avery's changing behavior, and by this I mean her stubbornness and need to do things without me, I find that I am more easily frustrated. This gets even more pronounced if we have to spend day after day with just each other. A chance to gather with a bunch of other kids around her age is a huge break for the both of us.

So this is what our gatherings are for me now: a break from the norm to preserve my sanity. I get a little work done, I get great input on projects, and I get a huge break from keeping Avery out of trouble in my little house. Hooray!

Cute Skirt

I made this skirt. Not only did I make it, but I made the pattern. And, thanks to Angela, Avery just happened to have a shirt that matched it perfectly! I love my new sewing machine.

Next: a grocery-cart seat cover.

Arkham Horror

Oh, this game. The first time I played it, I hated it. The second time I played it, I hated it. The third time I played it, I hated it. Why, you may ask, did I continue to play? I'll tell you; my brother and my husband LOVE it, so I play to be with them. And now all I can think is: we are so ready for another expansion! What?! Did I seriously say that? When did I start liking this game? When did I start thinking we could use another expansion? Look at this game! Does it look like we need more cards, pieces, players, board, or bad guys? This is the most extreme game I have EVER played and even though it can take 3 hours to play, I love it. I've crossed to the dark side! I like to play Arkham Horror! I like to play as "The Researcher" or "The Psychologist" or "The Martial Artist." I have opinions on the weapons and spells and skills. I HATE the King in Yellow and his stupid tokens. I want more helpful guardians. How could I let this happen?

Where is my baby?

Avery is a really good kid

most of the time. She has never really been a whiner or a crybaby, she tends to be really easy going. She is easy at bedtimes and has slept through the night since she was 11 weeks. Don't worry, this post will not be me bragging for much longer. When Avery got her first tooth we never even noticed until it was totally broken through, she was that good about it. If I would take something away that she wasn't supposed to play with, or if I moved her from one spot to another, she would just adapt and find something new to do. Well, times have changed. We finally found something that made Avery stop being the super easy baby that she has been. Well, three things really. They are: walking, 6 teeth (including 4 molars) at once, and RSV.

Now that Avery can walk to and from the places she wants to be, she suddenly has an opinion on everything and is very sure that the only place she wants to be is at my feet, and the only toy she wants is what I have in my hands.

She may have been a trooper when one tooth was poking its way through, but 6 teeth at one time, and 4 of them molars, is just too much to ask of any little baby. So much for sleeping through the night. We have had a number of nights where she not only wakes up 88 times, but she will only go back to sleep if she is in our bed. And she kicks.

And, oh, the RSV. Like getting 6 teeth at once wasn't bad enough, she gets monstrously ill the same week. She is snotty and coughing and so tired but she just can't sleep and so I can't sleep and everyone is getting tired and craky and the throwing up for three days made it even worse and I was just at my wits end until the puking stopped and now it is just a snot-fest.

But the point is that this has all led to one thing: cranky baby. Not just cranky baby, but, hold-me-all-the-time-and-listen-to-my-woes-and-don't-you-dare-do-anything-without-me-or-I-will-have-a-melt-down baby. So... where is my baby?

Project #2

Avery loves pillows. Whenever she plays or sleep in my bed she always cuddles down with whatever pillows she can. Joe and I decided that she should have a pillow of her own. Putting a full size pillow in her crib was silly. It was just too gigantic. So I decided that I could trim down a pillow and make a case for it myself. A couple of hours later (after trying to sew with Avery actually in my lap) I came up with this:

I'm actually quite proud.

It was supposed to be a dress...

...but now it is a blouse! My sister, Jennifer, mentioned the other day that early birthday presents are great. I could not agree more and apparently my dad is of the same mind. I received in the mail this week my early birthday present: A NEW SEWING MACHINE! I am so cheery and excited I just can't even tell you. My mind has been whirling with so many ideas for what I can make, what grand outfits or decor items I will create. But first things first, I needed to finish the dress I started for

Avery nearly a YEAR ago.

It may seem obvious, but I was hoping that it would not be the case, that when the dress was finished it would not fit Avery. I was making it for her to wear as a 6 month old after all. But in the back of my mind I just thought that if I put in the effort of actually finishing it, maybe it would magically fit her. Well, it does, sort of. Okay, so it is supposed to be a dress. Avery is tall and skinny so while the length clearly does not fit as a dress, it makes a super cute blouse! The bodice is not only still big enough, it is too big. It kind of slides off the shoulders a bit. But still, project done! I can move on to all of the many ideas that are bouncing around my brain now that this one is off of my mind. I just couldn't move on until I checked this one off.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

LOOK! LOOK! LOOK what my dad sent me in the mail:

When is Bed-Head Not Funny?

I don't think that bed-head ever gets old. Every time Avery has an awesome 'do in the morning I feel the need to take a picture. It makes me laugh. I figure that it will make others laugh as well. This is her best bed-head EVER and Joe and I felt like we had to show you all. This is what happens when you go to sleep with pig-tails! I love it!

To add to the fun, Avery spent the next half-hour helping me make breakfast. Yummy pancakes were on the menu and Avery can't get enough of helping in the kitchen so I was teaching her how to use a spatula. Now if only she could use a broom or load the dishwasher.

Long Overdue

What is overdue exactly? Maybe proof that she is walking now since that has been the case for about a month. Or just the fact that she IS walking full-time now. It sure felt like it took her a long time. Perhaps it is the fact that she can put her hair in pig-tails, finally. Maybe it is just that I have not posted a video in so long showing what a big girl she has become. I just feel like the whole this is long overdue.

I think that I should mention that Avery walking for real is all due to Jennifer. She sent us one of those monkey backpack things that doubles as a leash for parents with toddlers on-the-go. We were so sad that we didn't need it yet because Avery was refusing to walk in public. She would do it at home if we pressed her, but that was about it. I guess she was too shy. Anyway, one night Joe put it on her just to see if she would wear it when she WAS walking all the time. As soon as she was buckled in she started laughing and she picked up the leash end herself, putting it around her own wrist. She then too herself for a walk, walking laps between her room and the living room for the next 30 minutes. That was it. From that moment on she was a full-time walker. So, thanks Jenn! We should have strapped that thing on sooner.

About Time

After over a year of life Avery has finally decided that she can take baths on her own. They used to freak her out and bring her to uncontrollable, hysterical tears. As you can see, she has gotten over her phobia and embraced the joy that is the night-time bath.

Murdered!

On New Year's Day we went to the coolest party ever. Jared hosted a murder mystery dinner and we got to go. The theme was an Oscar after-party and we all were given roles that we had to dress up for and play a part. I was a selfish and loose actress (but an Oscar winner, thank you very much) while Joe was an up can coming actor with a super pushy wife (like unto J-Lo) and Nathan was the embodiment of K-Fed.
Before the night was over I, or Angel Wood, was murdered. The suspect list was not a short one as it seemed that I had betrayed, blackmailed, or duped every person at the party. Sinister me. In the end it turned out that I was killed by a former boy-band icon hoping to make a come-back. Apparently the schedule for my next movie was conflicting with his reunion tour plans.
While there was good fun, good food, and lots of good acting, Nathan came away with the "Best Actor" award for the night. It was a total blast.