Look What My Man Can Do... Part 2

I haven't bragged about my husband for a while, so I figured this earned him some blog time. Look what he built!!! We desperately needed a better way to store toys - the three overflowing baskets in the middle of the living room weren't cutting it any more. So he built this awesome toy chest out of REAL wood - it's nice and solid and sure to stand up to years and years in the boys' room.

We couldn't decide whether to stain it or paint it, so Brett came up with the idea of staining the top piece of wood and painting the rest. I LOVE the way it looks! He definitely gave Pottery Barn a run for their money on this one. The best part is that he built it entirely out of wood that has been lying around in the barn. The only thing he bought was the paint.

The Second Time Around

This time I really DO know how fast the tiny baby phase goes by.
This time I'm less focused on how little sleep I'm getting and more focused on enjoying those quiet night time hours of snuggling.
This time I know that in the blink of an eye these tiny little fingers will be big and have dirt under the nails (no matter how often I wash them!).
The second time around is different because you are already a mom. You are used to not coming first any more, used to thinking of a shower as a luxury, used to spending your days playing trains and singing Raffi songs...
And while I know that having two kids will be a challenge, I'm really enjoying myself the second time around.

Cheap Thrills

It took us a while to perfect this shot last night, but practice makes perfect. Super Moses!!!

Photo Shoot

Today I got the chance to take pictures of more coaster sets. I've really started to enjoy the photography aspect of running an online shop - it requires a different type of creativity than sewing, and I've enjoyed the process of learning to take better shots.

All the fabrics used in these coasters remind me of a different project from which they were left over. Funny how a tiny bit of cotton can hold so many memories.

All the patchwork coasters can be found here - and there are a few more sets yet to be listed.

Coasters in the Shop!

Ah, it feels good to finally get these listed in the shop. I made these coasters a few months ago when I decided I needed to do something about my overflowing scrap stash. It was so fun that I ended up making 12 sets! Each one is like a tiny little quilt. Keep your eyes peeled over the next few days as I get them all up for sale.

That tiny floral print is one of my favorite fabrics of all time... Can't you just picture one of these under a steaming cup of tea? Yum. :)

The Proud "Big Brudder"

Oh boy, Moses is so excited to be a big brother! These guys are going to be pretty good buddies, we can already tell.

As for me, I'm starting to get the itch to make something... not sure what it will be or if I'll be able to find the time between nursing and... nursing. But I've definitely missed the thrill of turning a flat piece of fabric into something useful and beautiful.

Welcome Home

Baby Titus - you are an amazing, beautiful miracle. We love you!!!

Imaginating

I know. Imaginating is not a real word. My brother Michael invented it when he was a little boy and could often be found sitting in a sunny corner completely oblivious to what was going on around him, lost in his own mind.

Lately, Moses and I have been doing a lot of imaginating together. It's one of the few activities I can fully engage in while laying on the couch. The latest trend is "making pretend blackberry cobbler." I have literally spent hours over the last few days making pretend cobbler. As it turns out, making pretend cobbler can be a very difficult and dangerous task, as seen in the following excerpt from one of today's cobbler-making experiences:

Mom: "Ok, go pick some blackberries for the cobbler"
Moses: "Oh - I don't see any blackberry bushes!"
Mom: (pointing to the corner of the room) "They're over there."
Moses: (While walking to the corner) "Oh - I can't reach them! They're too high!"
Mom: "Stand on this stool to reach them." (hands Moses a pretend stool.)
Moses: "Oh - it broke!"
Mom: "Here - I made you a new stool"
Moses: "No, you don't have a hammer!"
Mom: "OK, then you'd better jump up high to reach them."
Moses: "Oh - OK. (Jumping) Now we need eggs!"
Mom: "Here are some eggs."
Moses: "No mom. That's not eggs! That's sugar!"
Mom: "OK - you get the eggs."
Moses: "We don't have any"
Mom: "Well, go get some from the chickens."
Moses: "OK. AH!!! (diving to the ground)- A polar bear got me!"
Mom: "I'll save you!" (pretends to pick up Moses)
Moses: "You can't reach me!"
Mom: "Well then run away from him!"
Moses: "He ate off my legs!"
Mom: "then you'd better crawl"
Moses: "He ate off my arms too!"
Mom: "OK - I'll scare him away!"
Moses: "He can't hear you!"

And so on and so on. Who knew imaginating could be such hard work!

This Time Last Year...

... I had an almost-two-year-old, was still changing diapers, and was wondering where to go out to dinner for my birthday. Today, I haven't changed a diaper for almost a year, haven't fit into THAT outfit for a long time, and am getting ready to have my second son. Pretty crazy how much can happen in a year! What were you doing this time last year?

In Which I Realize that One of the Up Sides of Bed Rest is that Strangers Can't Talk to Me

Many apologies for having no picture to go with this post. In 9 days (and believe me, I'm counting every hour at this point) I will be off bed rest, have my new baby in my arms, and be well on my way back to creating decent blog posts.

In the meantime, however, I thought I'd entertain you with some of my favorite quotes from this pregnancy. While my pregnancy with Moses was full of people telling me how "cute" I looked, this one has been full of people murmuring to each other and pointing as I walked by, slowing down in their cars as they passed me for a better look, and saying all SORTS of ridiculous things to me about my "condition." Before bed rest (aha - I have stumbled upon a wonderful reason to be locked up in the house!) I had to reassure every stranger I passed that no, I was not about to give birth, no I was not pregnant with twins, and yes, I was sure. It got old. Here are a few of the best ones:

1.) "Wow, you look really uncomfortable." Well, sheesh, if we all went around telling people in line at the fabric store what they looked like (punctuated by a genuine "wow," no less), we would all hate each other.

2.) "How do you sleep at night?" Isn't this something you say to axe murderers? Seriously.

3.) And now for my all-time favorite quote. I still can't believe this one. Brace yourself:
"Are you pretending to be pregnant?" Yep. That's what she asked me. I know because the only response I could muster up was "Did you just say 'are you pretending to be pregnant?'?" She confirmed that she had, in fact, asked me that question and continued to look at me quizzically. When I realized that my non-verbal response of complete shock wasn't answer enough to her question I managed to get out a "No." I mean, who in their right mind would go to the craft store dressed as a pregnant person? And if a person was for some reason to do that, why would they dress as an "uncomfortable looking" pregnant person who looks as if it is hard to sleep at night? Very strange.

I guess the lessons to be learned here are never to talk to a pregnant woman about how she looks, and don't try to guess how far along she it. You will be wrong and she will feel weird. Unless the comment comes from her 2 year old son, in which case it is just funny, no matter how mean it is:

4.) "Mommy, how your shoulder got so big?" *sigh*

And, though it is somewhat unrelated to the previous quotes, I will conclude with this gem I received at the doctor's office, from an actual doctor:

5.) "Take this while you're dry heaving." This was said as a bottle of some weird medicine was shoved into my hands. The woman has obviously never dry heaved. I'm still trying to envision how one could possibly take anything WHILE dry heaving, and how that substance could possibly do them any good. I never opened the bottle.

So thanks to all those strangers I have a reason to be glad for bed rest - I mean, if they thought I looked weird a month ago, what in the world would they be saying to me now?!?!