Life with four children is so busy. I never expected to skip out on my blog for 6 months; never expected to spend so much time getting ready to go to the next thing, the next activity, school... It takes so long just to get ready.

This picture of my bay-bah was taken months ago. I haven't downloaded any images from my phone for months, because my computer died (read: I spilled cereal all over the keyboard) and I haven't bothered trying to figure out my husband's computer as far as images etc. 

But I emailed a couple to myself and so I can add them to this post, irrelevant as they may be.

Hey, us. We look happy. Hooray!

So, like I do at the end of every year (I love myself some resolutions), I have been thinking of what things I can improve on. And, the list is looking pretty much the same as it does every year. With a heavy *ha, you'll see why that's funny in a second* emphasis on losing the baby weight. (see? funny.)

Today I found myself walking through Target, tossing candy into my cart, thinking,  "man, I gotta work out more, and eat really well. Starting like, NOW". And then I looked in my cart. Oy - what is WRONG with me??

Any resolutions out there? Whatcha gonna get better at this year? Being in the Young Women's program at church (clarification, I am an ADVISOR, not actually a young woman..y'all knew that, right?)  :) I have noticed that the "Personal Progress" program really emphasises constant improvement and constant working toward goals. I have been dismayed to conclude that I'm pretty sure my personal growth, especially spiritual, has been stagnant for some years.

Gettin' on that!

One of the pictures Julie took during our baby photo shoot. Love it!

day one

somewhere in the middle

4 weeks

we love her

I love her

Oh Yeah....

babies all smell the same. Perfect. I wonder if that's what heaven smells like?

at the end of the day I also smell - like sour milk.

baby girls can have a blowout out the back AND the front of the diaper.

at the same time.

having a newborn snuggle up to your shoulder and konk out is pretty much the best. thing. ever.

it's incredibly hard to put one down when they are sleeping. so much more fun to sit and stare at them than to accomplish anything around the house.

losing a pound a day is fun - even if you know it will stop long before you'd like it to.

and then there's that extra skin that you just cross your fingers will stick back to your muscle wall....whenever you manage to retrieve that muscle wall from wherever it is it went.

they DO smile. to heck with anything the professionals say.

Those 9 months, and those hours of labor?

Yeah. Worth it.

Our Little River Jane

She was born on Monday, at 11:17.

8 lbs. 3 0z.

20 1/4 inches long

About 6 hours of labor, my first epidural (oh HEAVEN that was AMAZING!).

Every time I see my doctor, I like him more and more. He was fantastic, the nurses were great, the anesthesiologist was a superstar.

No complications, unless you count the umbilical cord snapping so the doc had to deliver my placenta by reaching in and digging it out... (again, good thing I had that epidural, oh my goodness)

After a couple of nights with no sleep, she is sleeping great, eating great, and we are all adjusting pretty well.

Happy, happy.

Baby Shower!

My baby shower was on Saturday - and this is the invitation that was sent out to everyone. The invitation, I must add, that I did not see.

So when I showed up,

and my hostess slash dear friend Hannah was dressed like this,

I was a little shocked! She immediately presented me with a bonnet and gloves to wear (thank HEAVEN I was wearing a cute long skirt!) and led me to the back yard where there were tables set up with tea sets and small sandwiches and all good things.

Everyone came in some state of dressed up - shawls and gloves and dresses; it was so great!

And, everyone who came had a fantastic time. There was much talk about making Jane Austen Tea Parties a permanent fixture in our lives.

Hannah had several plain onesies available, and lots of pretty fabric, and everyone cut out a pattern and used fabric glue to make baby River a lovely onesie!

She also had this one: with Mr. Darcy's proposal on it!!

I was also presented with a new copy of Pride and Prejudice, which everyone had written a note in for the baby. Her first copy!

I will be reading this to her in the hospital, oh yes.

I told my mom all about it and she summed up the day perfectly, "Aww. You have the best friends." I do. I really, really do.

And, another blanket. This one has a nice soft flannel on the back and the sides of the front, and a gorgeous orange-and-black Michael Miller cotton print on the front.

I edged the cotton panel with black lace, because I could. One more stash-only project!

Of course, to celebrate, I bought a couple of yards of Minky on sale yesterday.

It's fuzzy, but there you go. 34 weeks. We'll see how long we can get her to stay in there. She's already trying to get me to go to the hospital. I resist. Have an appointment tomorrow, we'll see what he says. Hopefully it won't be "bed rest for you, darling". (Yes, he says darling. In his Irish accent. It's awesome)

Update - "all's well dahling, business as usual". The contractions aren't doing anything so far besides make me uncomfortable.

The insanity contintues!

I made another outfit today, using a bunch of free patterns from the internet.

Here are the links: Shoes, Diaper Cover, Dress, Bonnet

If it's too small for the 4th of July, it will certainly work for Memorial Day!

Baby Blanket!

A few years ago, I found this end table cover - crocheted or tatted or however it was made - at a yard sale. It came with a table runner/piano cover that I've been using as a scarf. I thought that eventually I'd use it as part of a bohemian style skirt or something BUT - this is much much better!

First, I wove some pretty ribbon through the lace - it's blue because blue is what I had on hand (I didn't have to purchase anything for this blanket! I had everything at home already)

My friend Betsey (who just had her baby a few days ago! Yay Betsey!) gave me this vintage calico print. I love it. Craig hates it. I win.

I made a super simple baby blanket by layering batting, then the calico right side up, another layer of calico right side down, and then sewing around the edges and leaving a hole for turning inside out. Then I sewed the hole shut and sewed again about half an inch inside the border all the way around.

Last, I layered the lacey cover on one side of the blanket and used my walking foot to quilt it onto the blanket. It was a very quick project, and I love the victorian vintage look!!

Yay!

BEFORE:

a men's shirt, given to me by our neighbor. She asked if I thought I could do anything with the fabric. Well, it's a pretty hideous color but I had some old lace on hand, handmade by a friend's grandmother, and I thought they might go well together.

Enter Simplicity 8761, from 1970, which I found in my mother in law's garage several months ago.

AFTER:

All about the baby. (Just don't tell him I still call him that - he gets mad)

This pic was taken by Craig's Aunt Pam, who visited us at the start of the year. She got a tour of DreamWorks while the big boys were in school.

Trying out the goggles. He made that face on purpose.

The arrival of "wolf friend". Wolf friend came into our lives after I got desperate for him to go to sleep one night and decided to tell him a wonderful story about himself. And his little wolf. And the train that they rode together to have great adventures.

I had to buy the wolf the next day.

Pondering the greater meaning of life.

Self portrait.

Naturally this is MY favorite...
So happy when he got big enough to hang out with Hannah's cat and have her not run away. Bliss.

Unfortunately, shortly after this photo was taken, sweet Chiquita left us (she was an old kitty) and now Van has a new kitty to woo. I'm sure she'll get used to him....

Sleeping on the Job.

(that's MY bed, by the way. How they all 3 managed to be in it that early in the morning, and me out of it, I do not recall. It was a few months ago)

I realize that blog hiatuses (what IS the plural of hiatus?) are lame. But this baby growing business is taxing and I'm not feeling much of anything interesting lately. We are all good, things are going well, I'll try to post pics of the kids for grandparents frequently. :)

See you soon.