Procrastination

While digging through one of my numerous unorganized piles of random belongings in my house yesterday,  I came across a quilt that I started over a year ago.  All that was left to be done was hand stitching three quarters of the binding.  Now,  I do not consider myself to be a procrastinator.  In fact, with my anxiety level, it would probably be catastrophic to my health to procrastinate.  I never pulled an all-nighter in college and usually had assignments finished a day in advance.

When it comes to quilting, most people would probably say that the quilting or piecing are the most difficult to complete.  I disagree.  I loathe hand stitching the binding.  This was probably the last thing I quilted without machine stitching the binding, and may be the last thing I ever stitch by hand.

To date,  I have finished three quilts.  I found the tutorials for this quilt and my pinwheel sampler on p.s. i quilt.  To this day, I am still impressed that I made a twin size quilt.  I have aspirations of making a queen size in the near future.  It just may get sent to a professional quilter to be quilted.  I'm not sure that my 14 year old $100 sewing machine could handle it.

Twin Size Pinwheel Sampler quilt

  Anyway,  I have been keeping this unfinished quilt in a rarely opened closet.  It was when I was looking for some batting to make some extra burp cloths that I came across it.  Every time I go into that closet, I feel like this thing is staring at me and it makes me very anxious.  But not anxious enough to actually tackle it.  Well, this time was different.  I have been thinking that some couch-based crafting was in order since I'm usually confined to the couch with the little one anyway.  So I took the plunge.  It took me an entire day since I had some cute little interruptions, but it's finished!  Since my hubby keeps the house on negative five degrees, I have been snuggling with this lovely each night since it's completion.  

The quilt's new home on the couch

Cute little distraction

The quilt pattern is synchronized squares from p.s I quilt.  The fabrics were some fat quarters that I picked up from Joann's a super long time ago.  I kept the quilting to a minimum so the quilt would be super fluffy.  I only quilted over the squares--some with circles, others with squares--all done free-hand.  

Father's Day

My Mom was up visiting after she so kindly drove with Elliott and me home from Kentucky, and flew home on Father's Day.  Since we had to head to Syracuse for the airport anyway, I asked Jeff if there was anything special he wanted to do for the day while we were there.  He decided that he wanted to take his son to the zoo for Father's Day. Now, we are completely aware that we gleaned way more joy out of this adventure than Elliott did, but he didn't seem to mind too much.  All in all, we had a pretty fun day.  Elliott slept through must of it.  My Mom claims that even when they are asleep, babies can take in all sorts of new sounds and smells.  If that is the case, Elliott's senses were probably bombarded by all sorts of new things.  Why are penguins always so smelly?

I hope Jeff enjoyed his day!

These are a few of my favorite things...

In the six short weeks of Mommyhood,  I have found that there are a few things that we couldn't live without, and I thought I would share...

1. The Foscam.

Move over old school monitors-- with this camera you can watch your little one from you smart phones or tablet, even in the dark!  It's not marked as a baby monitor and it's cheaper than the video monitors from baby stores.  We got ours online, probably from Amazon. 

2.  Summer Infant SwaddleMe Swaddlers

These things are a must if you are like me and incapable of swadddling with a blanket.  They are less bulky than the Halo Swaddles, perfect for summer babies.  The same brand makes really soft guaze blakets perfect for summer walks and keeing the sun off of your little.

3.  Gerber T-shirts

Speaking of swaddling,  my favorite thing to use under the swaddler is a Gerber T-shirt-- the ones that button down.  It allows for easy access for quick diaper changes without having to mess around with snaps in the middle of the night.

4.  Gerber Pre-fold diapers

The really thick ones.  If you have a spitter on your hands, these make great burp cloths.  They get softer and softer as you wash them (which will be often, buy lots).

5. Waterproof pads for the crib and changing table

I'm not sure if these are the exact ones we have, but they are awesome!  We lay these down in the crib and on the changing table to catch spit and other bodily excretions, which prevents us from having to wash sheets every time we turn around.  They come in square size and large rectangles.  At six weeks old, we have already outgrown the squares (you need them to cover both ends if you know what I mean).  Go for the rectangles.

6. Summer Infant SwaddleMe Muslin Blankets



These light-weight, super soft blankets are perfect for summer babies.  Elliott likes to be swaddled or cuddled in his.  They are also great to take on summer walks to cover up baby or to drape over the stroller to protect from the sun.

I'm sure this list will be changing as time progresses, but I just thought I'd share our must-haves for now.  Perhaps this can help an expectant Mom with registering, because for us, that was a super overwhelming process!

One Month!

Whew! One month down (actually six weeks at this point-- better late than never)!  So much has happened this month.  In some ways it feels like it went so fast, but in other ways it seems like it was light years ago that I was in labor.

The month got off to a bit of a rocky start,  Elliott lost too much weight,  there were feeding issues, and all he wanted to do was sleep.  By the end of the month things have improved and he is having hours of awake playtime.  He "goos" and "gaas" and even started to smile.  He sometimes follows my voice with his eyes, loves looking at lights, and loves listening to his musical mobile (which Jeff and I are convinced plays the "Mr.Clean" song).  He got to go on his first roadtrip this month-- an eleven hour drive to Kentucky for Aunt Andi and Uncle Adam's wedding.  He didn't mind the trip, sleeping most of the way, and only waking to eat.

While in Kentucky, he seemed to grow over night.  In the beginning of the trip we placed him in a laundry basket, dubbed his "baskinette," to play, and by the end he no longer fit.  In fact, at his one month appointment he weighed 9 pounds 14 ounces,  up from 7 pounds 11 ounces from just a couple weeks before.  He also met all sorts of new family memebers, including both grandpas, great-grandpa "Poppalapogus," and his Uncle Joe.  He even met his new friend Lilly.  

Meeting Grandpa

Meeting Lilly and Anthony

Loving his swing

The biggest change at the end of this month for me, is how much more comfortable I feel as a parent.  I am learning his different cries,  I understand his feeding cues, I can bathe him without causing tears, and most of all I feel entirely more comfortable taking him out of the house.  I no longer feel like I need to run through the grocery store like I have a ticking time bomb in the cart.  I hope Elliott has the same first sentence that I did, "get ba ba, go bye bye!" because there's so much fun to be had in his future!

Getting a bath at Emmie's house

Catch-Up!

Dear Readers....rather, Dear Mom and Becky,

Sorry I have been so delinquent on updating this blog.  As it turns out having a newborn takes up lots of time!  Speaking of time, I will have a small amount more of it since I quit my job due to irreconcilable differences (long story there).  Now my adventures of a SAHM begin!

Since my last update, all sorts of fun has ensued.  We had a visit from my Mom and sisters, followed by a visit from Jeff's Mom and sister.  Elliott has ventured to Clayton, NY for a couple of fun sight-seeing days; has gone for a walk with our friends, Casie and Tess; and has made a couple of very quick trips with a nervous Mommy to the grocery store.  Here are some photos from his first couple of weeks:

 Meeting Grandma "Emmie"

Meeting Aunt Andi

Meeting Aunt Alicia

Getting Dressed

First time in the swing....and Daddy dressed me (hence the black, red, and orange combo)

Getting some fresh air

Going out for our first adventure (about  6 days old)

Out in Clayton

Doing some shopping and sightseeing in Clayton

Family photo in Clayton

Whatcha looking at?!

Thanks to Andi for being a photographer!  I really need to learn to take photos that aren't on my cell phone. Sorry Becky and Carrie...apparently if you want pictures with the baby, you have to provide them yourself.  I am a photographer failure!  We have an upcoming trip to KY for my sister's wedding.  I will hopefully remember to take real pictures!  

Love, 

Erika