This and That

We had a very low key weekend. Matthew played in a golf tournament all weekend, so it was just me and my girls for most of both days. My girls, me and my mom went to a big outdoor craft show yesterday, and got covered in mud because it rained all morning. But, I did officially start buying Christmas gifts, so it was worth it. I've never started this early, but it feels good. I participate in a "Christmas Club" program through my credit union where I put $20 a week into an account, and the first week of November I get my Christmas Club check. The credit union won't let you withdraw from the account during the year, which is a good thing really, because believe me, I've tried. All that to say that I usually don't start my shopping until I have that check in hand, but this year I'm getting a jump start.



I worked in Extended Session at church today, which is our program for preschool children after Sunday School and during the worship service. I was in the three year old class all by myself, but I have to say this was the easiest experience I've ever had with working Extended Session. I just had five kids, all were sweethearts, and I actually enjoyed myself. Time got away from me because we were having fun, and we were right in the middle of a craft project when parents started coming to pick up. Usually, I've got them all lined up sitting on the wall waiting on parents about 10 minutes before church lets out!



In between the craft show and church, I have sewed like a crazy woman this weekend. I am trying to get caught up on orders, but I'm beginning to think I'm never going to get *really* caught up, which I guess is a good problem to have. I have to say though, it's amazing what I can get accomplished when my girls nap simultaneously for two and a half hours!




Presley promoted out of the baby room at church and into the toddler room a few Sundays ago. It's been a good change for her, as there's a little more going on in there, and she's done really well and actually seems happier when I drop her off. Today after church, I was emptying her diaper bag, and I found a coloring page she did that they had sent home. I'm not embarrassed to say that I got a lump in my throat...her first Sunday School craft! It is already put up in the baby book or I would take a picture and post it.



I had promised Mattie that she could get her face painted at the craft show yesterday. But, wouldn't you know that there was no face painting booth! Either that or I just never saw it. It caused some tears, so I promised her that I would paint her face when we got home. Being a mama of my word, we got out the craft paints as soon as we got home, and I gave her a perfect Mickey. Not really, I gave her a purple blob outlined in pink that if you squint at it, kinda looks like Mickey. But she loved it! See:





And finally, we have entered the world of Silly Bandz.


I'm way out of the loop on these, and don't even know where to buy them. These were a gift from Mattie's Nana, and she wears them everywhere. The funny thing to me is, she has about twice as many as what's on her wrist in this picture, but she only selected the ones that matched her outfit to wear that day. Ever the fashion diva!

Everyone have a great Monday!

Picture This

Just a few current pics of my two favorite girls.

Mattie started back to dance last week, and this year we've even added a gymnastics class (much to my reluctance). I thought she looked pretty cute in her leotard and skirt, and she was willing to pose, so here's my dancing girl:


Mattie also got bangs cut a few weeks ago. We had two seperate instances this summer of her cutting her own hair because it was hanging in her face, so I went ahead and just gave her the bangs she so obviously needed, and so far we both love them. She's grounded from scissors until further notice, but her bangs turned out pretty cute:


Speaking of hair, this girl's hair has really started coming in over the last month. We went from just having a patch down the middle, to having a head full of curls in no time. I love this picture...such a pretty profile:
Presley also started walking last week. She had been taking one step here, a couple steps there for a little while, but she walked across the room for me on Friday night with sister cheering her on. Mattie was so excited she had to immediately call grandparents and tell them. I hope she's always her sister's biggest cheerleader! Here's PK trying to walk to me:

I love this little expression:

And I love this pic because you can really see her teeth, and how her "vampire teeth" have come in first on top before the middle two. She must have known that vampires are really "in" right now ("Twilight", "Trueblood", etc.). Mattie's came in that way too when she was a baby. The middle two have already broken through the skin, even though they're not very visible yet, so she won't be our vampire baby much longer:

I am busy planning Presley's birthday party, which was the reason for our photo shoot on Saturday. I needed a cute pic for her birthday invites. I can't believe it's time to do this!

Featured

I am very excited to announce that Monkey Style Boutique is the featured shop on the Noodles and Milk blog today. I think it's a great spotlight of my shop, and you can check it out here:
www.noodlesandmilk.blogspot.com

I'm hosting a fun giveaway there, and also offering a coupon code to be used for 10% off in my shop for the next week. Head over there to find out how to enter the giveaway and to get the coupon code.

I am working fast and furious to get some Christmas designs put together to list in my shop. I have some VERY cute holiday fabrics I'm very excited about, and a new dress pattern I'm itching to try out, so stay tuned for that!

Eleven Months

We're almost there.

Almost to a one year. Almost to toddlerhood. Almost done with being a little baby.

And my mind can barely comprehend it. And my heart can barely stand it.

But, we've got one more month!

And I know they don't necessarily *stop* being a baby the day they turn 1 year old. But, I think most mamas would agree with me, that it's a big threshold to toddlerhood.

I have to say that it is a holy miracle that I've been able to get at least one good shot of her with her sign the past few months. It was pretty easy for months 1-5 when she was immobile, but lately it seems that everytime we go to do this, it's late in the day, or she's fussy for some reason, and just not interested in participating, and only wants to tear the sign up and get away. But, I've managed just about every month to get one smiling picture of her being still, however fleeting the moment may be. Here's to hoping she's got one more in her next month, so we can complete the year!



Something about this picture just melts me. That face. Those big blue eyes. Those kissy lips. I can't believe she's mine.



This looks like a baby mugshot to me:

Lets hope we never have an adult version to compare it to.


Little lamb, what are you doing at eleven months old?

-You are teething in a big, bad way, and this weekend has been particularly tough. I think you are cutting three at once, and it has left you a crying mess. And you are chewing and biting anything that comes near your mouth:

-Still my happy, contented girl that is all smiles most of the time.

-Still sleeping and eating the same.

-You know so many cute tricks! You can: do patty cake, clap when you're excited or happy, wave bye-bye, give sugar, say "night-night" and wave to sister and daddy when it's bed time and I take you to your crib, you can stand up, let go and clap your hands while holding your balance, can almost say "uhh-ohh"...but it's still sounding more like "ahh-ahh", but you know what it means, can say and repeat "no-no" when it's said to you, can wag your finger at me while saying "no-no" after I do the same to you. And the list goes on, but these are some of my favorites.

-You weighed 24lbs 9oz when we went to the doctor this week. Which is a lot. But you carry it well. (Presley would like the world to know that in these pictures, she's wearing a size 3-6 month sunsuit. Yes it's snug, but she thinks it's a perfect indication that her weight is not an accurate depiction of her size). Mattie weighed 24lbs 7oz at 15 months, so you are definitely bigger than sister was at this age.

-You are *thisclose* to walking. I think we are maybe just days away from seeing some independent steps. You are cruising everywhere though, and can get anywhere you want to go.

-You love to hide from me in your room, behind your glider. And you love for me to find you and tickle you. Your most favorite thing is to get away from me while I'm trying to diaper and dress you after a bath, and crawl as fast as you can behind this chair. And it was all fun and good until you tee-teed on the floor while playing this game Sat. night with no diaper on. So now, diaper first, then hide and seek!

-Your other favorite spot lately is in Mattie's room, mainly at her play kitchen. You love to open the cabinets and drag the stuff out, bang pots together, and chew on cooking toys. AMAZINGLY, and I do not consider it a small miracle, Mattie has been all fine with this, and has welcomed you lovingly into her room so far. We'll see how long it lasts or how long it is until she's locking you out!

-You are still your sister's biggest fan. And she is yours. The sister love is so precious to me, and I pray daily that it lasts forever, and only grows and never diminishes. Mattie is still mothering you and hovering over you as you explore our house. She's very strict on what you can and can't touch and play with. Stricter than me, actually.

-No one could have ever, ever prepared me for what you would do to my heart, sweet girl. Forever changed is your mama.

I was struck by how much Presley has changed just over the last three months. I love these comparisons:

Catch Up

Just a few things I have apparently forgotten to post, so I'm mish-mashing them all up into one big heap.

Presley recently had her first messy spaghetti supper. She liked it!

It reminded me of Mattie's first spaghetti lunch at about the same age. I have this series of pictures hanging in my kitchen:

I posted recently that Matthew had his first football game as head coach coming up. That was last Thursday night, and unfortunately they didn't come up with a win. The score was 7-6, and I've been married to a football coach long enough to know that it doesn't matter how close the score was, it's still a loss, and you certainly shouldn't point out or play up the closeness of the score to him. And saying things like "there's always next week", or "they may not have won, but they were the better team"...yeah, don't say that. It's a delicate thing being the wife of a football coach, and knowing what to say and what encouragement to offer, without being annoying or irritatingly upbeat.

I took lots of pictures, but I don't have the kind of lens needed for good sports photography (Santa, can you hear me?), so they're not the greatest. Here's what I got:

That's Matthew in the middle, stomping down the field:

Here's Coach Nash's biggest fan. At this game we sat on the front row, and she would not stop trying to get his attention and she couldn't understand why her daddy would not acknowledge her:

She's single handedly trying to bring back the side ponytail.

I liked this one...apparently #70 wasn't moving fast enough for him?:

Coach Nash watching the action:

And finally, we recently had Presley's baby dedication at church. I did not get good pictures of the actual dedication, but I did get these before church...it was sweltering hot that day, even at 9:30am, and my lens kept fogging over, so these are not the greatest.

Daddy and PK...Matthew wore pink in honor of his girl:

Mama and PK:

And this is her little outfit all laid out:

I'm thinking of doing shadowboxes of both my girls dedication outfits. Mattie wore a much fancier Feltman Bros. smocked dress for hers, but this was special for Presley because I made it. I loved both!

Big Mama

I have no interesting blog topics and no recent pictures to post. So, instead I'm posting a picture of myself from one year ago this week, and thanking God that I am not in this condition this summer when it's been the hottest one in years. Just looking at this picture makes me ache and sweat.

Go ahead and stare. And let me point out that although it looks like I must surely have put the camera down and went straight to the hospital and delivered that day, because WOW, I look full term. I was not...I was only 34 weeks here...five weeks away from delivery. I was gawked at all the time, and the really brazen strangers would make comments to me on a regular basis on how huge I was. I was asked constantly if I was carrying twins, if I was due any day, if I was expecting to make it to my due date. I finally learned to let those things roll of my back and not hurt my feelings. I carried *mostly* all out front with both my pregnancies, but especially with Presley, and she was a pretty hefty baby on top of that (8lbs, 5oz). I wish I had a really amazing "after" picture of me with ridiculously toned abs, but such a photo does not exist (sigh).

Strangely enough though, as hard and hot as it was being pregnant throughout the entire summer, I loved (for the most part) being pregnant the second time around. I experienced pretty much every pregnancy discomfort there is, and I will not list them all here so as to keep some of my dignity, but I went through it all. Still, I think with a second (and third, and fourth, etc) pregnancy comes a lot of perspective that you don't have with a first. You know that all the aches, all the pains, all the nausea, all the lost sleep, all the money spent on antacids...it's all gonna be worth it in the end. You know first hand, because you've experienced it once already, that what you're getting in the end (a little piece of heaven that will call you "mama") is worth the price you're paying, and that kind of takes the edge off of some of the discomfort. It's hard to really know that the first time around having never experienced it...people can tell you all day long, "it'll all be worth it", but that just irritated me during my first pregnancy. I'm not saying I didn't complain, I certainly did my fair share of that, but I didn't wallow in my misery and feel sorry for myself like I did the first time around. Perspective.