monday gratitude

Today I am grateful for...

1. my little girl
2. sundays with my family
3. hot decaf coffee
4. cool summer mornings and warm afternoons
5. the beginnings of fall full of fresh starts
6. our new condo to get ready
7. knitting
8. my friends
9. health
10. books
11. hair elastics...they make my life easier;)
12. pinterest for ideas
13. more sleep
14. money to pay the bills
15. aqua blue
16. baby laughs
17. photos to remember moments

hello

I realize I've missed an entire month of updating my blog. I used to be so good about writing almost daily and loved showing art projects, decorating my apartment, life, etc. Life itself has been so busy I just haven't.

And that's ok with me for now.

Though I would like a little more time for me I have to say. Life has gotten into more of a routine and I think it's more possible now for me to do that. I have been able to knit a bit more when she's napping. She doesn't need to fall asleep on me anymore. She's been able to fall asleep in her crib at 7ish which gives me some time before I crash. Though I have found that on nights before work...most of my night is spent getting things ready for the next day! Not liking that too much.

 I hope to post some current projects soon. We are going to be closing on a condo next friday. I'm so excited and so nervous! I have all sorts of ideas on how to decorate on a budget. Baby girl will finally have a room I can decorate. My dad is going to build her a bookshelf and I'm hoping to get some help sewing her some curtains I found on Pinterest.

Speaking of.

Pinterest is addicting!

So hopefully if you stay tuned I'll have some fun stuff to post soon! But here are some photos of the month of June...

Ellie - 4 months - thinking carefully

first family portrait with Mt.Katahdin in background

pretty dress for father's day - grampy picked out this dress

pretty girl

hello donald

overdue gratitude

Today I am grateful for...

• baby laughter!
• my thoughtful husband planning a perfect 1st Mother's Day.
• the fact that I'm employed and can afford the basics and some extras.
• condo/house shopping. I never thought we'd get to.
• my parents.
• my "little" sister.
• potato salad
• daisies
• bad tv...housewives of wherever, etc.
• long weekends in the summer.
• warm days.
• rainy days inside.
• my laptop.
• chocolate chip cookies.

Happy Monday!

a walk in spring

Took a walk a few weeks ago with my dad, brother, and baby Ellie. My leave is up next week from my art therapy job. I don't want to go back:( So I'm trying to soak up every minute I can!

hello there

spring green and robins egg blue



my dream house in the distance

my favorite place

life

Miss Ellie wearing the sweater I knit for her

I haven't written in so long. Being a Momma is hard work! I enjoy it but it is hard to find a minute for yourself. I wouldn't trade it though. I have one more week before I go back to my second job. I've been back teaching at the college 1 1/2 days a week for a few weeks. The semester wraps up next week and then I'm back to my art therapy job. I'm dreading it. It's only 3 days/week but I don't want to:(

We have been looking into the idea of buying a condo. We rent right now and will have to move to a 2 bedroom by this fall. But the rents in our area are ridiculous. There are a few condos in our apartment complex in forclosure and the mortgage would be cheaper than rent on a 2BR. We are also looking at some other options. Our goal is to own a house with a yard...but that's a way off. The county we live in, that I grew up, was at the top of the list (among the whole country) in terms of housing costs several years ago. It's sad. Not being able to afford a home in the town your father, grandfather and great grandfather grew up in. But the idea of being able to afford something that would be ours is exciting and it will help us reach our ultimate goal.

One a side note, the little Miss has a rash on one side of her face that I can't get her to stop rubbing! A few weeks ago at her 2 month appt the Dr. felt it was dry, sensitive skin and suggested petroleum or unscented moisturizer. I've been doing that but yesterday it got dry and then she started rubbing it and making it worse. Now it's on her cheek instead of just the side of her face. Poor baby...

Well...off to play with the baby!

Happy Thursday!

tired.

Tired. So Tired. Last night was challenging. She has been taking hours to fall asleep at night. Usually 7:30 - 9 or 10. During that time, when I think she's asleep and put her in her crib, she wakes up crying. Last night she went in her crib at 10 but hadn't eaten since 7 or 8pm. So she woke up to eat at 1am and then wouldn't. go. back. to sleep. Until 3am. Ughh. I love this little girl but boy am I tired!

I bought a Moby Wrap and started using it today. She is napping now. Hoping this helps with her fussiness from what seems to be overtiredness. She was never fussy until the past two weeks or so. She just seems to be having more difficulty napping. I absolutely love the times when she is awake, alert, smiling, cooing. I love it. But those times seem short in comparison to the fighting sleep. I'm reading all sorts of different things. It seems people say that 6-8 weeks or so is a challenging time. Is this true?

forfeiting being a creature of habit

Placket-Neck Sweater

This was the last project I finished knitting before Elizabeth was born. Since then I have probably knit 5 rows on an afghan I started for her last June. It is hard to fit in time to knit in between feedings, chores, playing and naps while she naps. I miss it. Not having time to read, knit or scrapbook have been amoung the hardest adjustments. Feeling as though your time is not your own. I feel selfish saying that but it is true. I love this mom stuff but it is really hard.

I have been reading about schedules and routines for babies. Not sure I buy into them. I belive in following my babies lead and using that to establish a loose routine. Sometimes I worry that I am just winging it all the time! I worry a lot about setting up habits that I will have to break later. Though at this age (6 weeks) I know that you still really can't spoil a baby. At this point, I guess we do have somewhat of a routine. She tends to fall asleep around 9 - 9:30. If I don't feed her before then she is up at midnight. Otherwise she usually wakes for a feeding around 2-3am and then is usually up for good at 6am. Though that fluctuates somewhat. Like last night. She slept from 7:30 - 10 and hadn't eaten since 5ish. But she had been so overtired and fussy I wanted her to sleep. I woke her at 10 for a feeding and changed her. She fell back asleep pretty easily until 2:30am. She ate and then had a little trouble getting back to sleep. I had to get up a few times to reswaddle her and give her the pacifier. Then she woke up at 4:30 for a "snack." She doesn't usually do this and I don't want to encourage it. She was kind of awake at 6 but didn't eat until 7am this morning.

Her typical routine has been somewhat unpredictable this week as I think she's been having a growth spurt. But I worry about not having a routine when I start back to work. This morning I was just thinking about that and feeling anxious. How do I get ready for work in the morning and her while still managing to leave the house earlier to get her where she needs to be?? I know people do it...but how? I am a creature of habit and that has been one of the other hardest adjustments I have made since taking on the job of "mom."

Well...I'm off to enjoy Miss. Ellie!

Happy Friday!