Wednesday, January 29, 2014

8 years went too fast.





It's Lydia's 8th birthday today. She has a little birthday party planned this weekend, but today we are celebrating just as a family. A low key celebration with a store bought cake. But add a fabulous topper, milk glass stand and a few fresh flowers and it's gorgeous. 
She's going to love it.

I've never had such a hard time with a birthday. My little girl just isn't little anymore.



Birthday breakfast just us girls. 

I love love love my special girl.

Happy Birthday sweetheart.

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Winner!

The winner of the Valentine Hoop is The Pyper Fam. Email me and I'll get you your little prize :)

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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Elise's Nursery Reveal

Elise's room is done! Yay!!! I love it!
Want to see? Good, cause there are a whole lot of photos.


Here's the view as you walk in. Blue walls for a little girl room is my favorite. It's just so calming and unexpected. I painted Lydia's room blue when she was a baby too.
I would say the theme of the room is "vibrant handmade". 



I've been wanting a Pottery Barn rocker for years. It's fantastic.

Lydia loaned her new "Mrs. Hug" to the nursery. It was a handmade Christmas gift from my SIL, Sara. 


Shane took advantage of the space behind the door and made some pretty little bookshelves, just like he made for Lydia's room.


Don't you just want to grab a book and stay awhile?

I really wanted some soft gauzy white curtains. But you know what? 
Black out curtains are worth the slight style sacrifice.


Of course I have a vintage lamp from Etsy shop Penelope Plum.

Still looking for just the right lamp shade. This one works for now.



I used a couple of my shadow boxes to frame some of Lydia's hand-knit baby booties. 


Organized, happy shelves. 
The yellow basket is filled with handmade fabric blocks from my friend Kristi

I think I need a few less board books. The shelf is starting to bend.




Blocks made by my SIL Sara. 


Bibs made by my sister Emily, and burp clothes made by cousin Lindsey. 

Love is in the Air print from Minted. 


My friend Lisa embroidered the most adorable oneies for Elise. 
Once she outgrew them, I put them on display.


Washington (mommy) and Arkansas (daddy) teethers from Little Sapling Toys.



Calf leather baby booties from my cowboy grandma.








Elise LOVES her mobile. Almost as much as I do.

My mom loaned me these little vintage handmade yarn animals she found.
I put them on embroidery thread and attached them to an embroidery hoop. 




ADORABLE.


Before anyone freaks out that I broke the blogging rule that says "thou shalt not do a nursery reveal without showing Sophie the Giraffe" - you can catch a glimpse of her here. 


And now to my favorite wall that took the last 8 months of my life to finish.


Who knew embroidery was so fun? And so addictive.
Click on the photo to see the pieces closer.


Still looking for just the right hamper for this corner.





Another onesie from Lisa turned to wall art.







This beast took FOREVER to finish. I wish I had done brighter thread. But, live and learn. 
Maybe embellish it a bit? 
See? my projects are never really done. :)

Darling yarn "E" from my sister Molly.



Pretty room for a pretty little girl. I have another pretty room for my other pretty girl that you can see here. They kind of match each other :)

Now dear Elise. Mommy spent a lot of time working on your new bedroom.
You have to start SLEEPING in this crib. 

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Monday, January 20, 2014

Late night musings from a 5 month old

"Oh I feel good. I'm so cozy. Mommy gave me a bath tonight and we played all my favorite games. Like Peek a boo, and make bubbles and move my arms and legs as fast as I can and splash mommy's face! I love my bath! Now I'm in my bed. Daddy told me that it used to be his and mommy's bed, but he's just being silly. This is my bed that mommy sleeps in too. There is another bed in here called the bassinet, but I hate that bed and I SCREAM!!!!!!!! if they put me in it. Daddy sleeps in his bed which during the daytime we call the couch. But Daddy is on a bye bye trip and I haven't seen him in a while. Mommy says she is losing her mind. She's being silly. I'm in my warm jammies and now mommy is feeding me with her boobie and I'm feeling sleepy and I hope that tomorrow we play my favorite......


"I'm awake! It's very dark. It's night night time. I know I need to go back to sleep. Mommy's not here. That's ok, she'll be here later. But somethings wrong! What is it? Is there something squishy in my tushy? No. Is that Collin guy coming who yells 'HELLO BABY!' right in my face? No. I'm warm and cozy still. What is it? Wait! I hear something. Something sounds like....water. There is a little light from the door next to my bed. What is going.... Oh no. Mommy's in the bath! MOMMY'S IN THE BATH WITHOUT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She must have forgotten that baths are MINE! I take baths! I like to splash!!!! She must be confused. I will make some of my AAAAAA sounds to make her remember that baths are mine and that she forgot me. "AAAAAA!"

"Mommy didn't come! I must tell mommy I am here alone in my bed and NOT in the BATH!!!!

SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MORE SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh good. Here's mommy. She must be so happy to see me and remember that she forgot me. She looks funny in her white towel and her skin is all shiny. Happy smiles for mommy!

THE BINKY!?!?!?! HOW DARE SHE TRY TO GIVE ME THE BINKY AND NOT PICK ME UP!!!!!!!!!  I will now SCREAMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!


Oh. That's better. She's holding me away from her body. Silly mommy. She must be playing a game. Like last night when I decided I was not tired and she came in with shinny dark stuff on her finger nails and tried to get me back to sleep without picking me up. Ha ha! Mommy can be so funny! She kept blowing on her fingers and telling me to go to sleep. But I SCREAMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I woke up the next morning there was dark stuff all over her hands and boobie! Silly Mommy!

I see the bath!!!! We are going to take a bath! There are nice candles that I want to touch! Yay! Now get me undressed and......

THE BOUNCY SEAT?!?!?!?! HOW DARE SHE PUT ME IN THE BOUNCY SEAT!!!!!!!! AND NOW SHE IS IN THE BATH WITHOUT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where'd mommy go?

Silly Mommy. She put her head under the water. She must be playing peek a boo and then will put me in the bath with her.

There's mommy! What's she doing. Reading a book? A book with no pictures. She must have forgotten there are books with pictures and that she is supposed to put me in the bath. I will wiggle and grunt and show her how horrible this bouncy seat is.

Mommy's looking at me. She's isn't smiling. She is reaches up and sits me on a towel on the side of the bath. She must not remember that I am supposed to get into the water and.....

BOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!  I SEE BOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!! I MUST BE SO HUNGRY! THERE ARE BOOBIES AND THAT MEANS I MUST EAT RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT! MOMMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Mommy makes that silly mommy sound when takes a deep breath and blows it all out at the same time. That's her sound that means I win!

Mommy gets out of my bathtub and puts on her pink robe that makes her look like a bunny.

Oh I feel good. I'm wrapped in a soft blanket and Mommy and I are in the rocky chair. Mommy put her boobie in my mouth, but I remembered that I just ate at bedtime! I'm not hungry! Silly mommy.

What's that?!? Someone is opening the door.

DADDY!!!!!!! DADDY'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BIG SMILE FOR DADDY!

Daddy looks confused. He asks me why I'm still awake. Silly Daddy.

Mommy gives me to Daddy. She says "Your turn".

HI DADDY! You must have missed me soooooo much!!!!!!!!! Look you are wearing my favorite shirt. I will drool all over it so that you know how much I missed you! We will have so much fun!!!!!!

Friday, January 17, 2014

Instafriday #53 - LOTS O KIDS - And a little giveaway

2:30 PM. Man, I am wasted. I went to the gym today and I just need to sit for a bit. I sent Collin upstairs to "rest" with a bag of sugar snap peas. I think because of the word sugar, he is tricked into loving them. I can hear him playing that he's a dragon eating trees. Elise is napping. So that gives me 30 minutes to sit.

Though I should clean. Shane was out of town this week. Which mean the house looks like a horder's home after a burglary. Why clean when there is no one to notice? Oh wait. So it doesn't end up looking like this by Friday afternoon.

No. No cleaning. I'll just blog. I need glasses for any screen time, but I'm too tired to look for mine, so I'm wearing my prescription sunglasses. I'm so cool. 


Ok. I am a little cool. I mean who else could get all these cousins to look soooooo cute and happy all at the same time? 

How? Same answer as always. Promises of candy. After this I took the four cousins with teeth to the gas station and they each picked out a full size candy bar. 

These are all the cousins on Shane's side of the family. But Shane's brother Neal and wife Brittney are adding to the brood this Spring. :)

I can't believe how 2 year old Jonah looks as old as 4 1/2 year old Collin.

I love how Lydia kind of looks like a chick from the "Get in Shape Girl" toy set from the 80's.



We had a lovely snow while the cousins were here. How could I send Lydia to school on a day like this? 

Getting 4 kids into snow clothes all at the same time is pretty much the hardest thing ever. 

I love how Lydia looks like the chick from The Ring. 


Lydia and Lucca's creation...."Miss Polka Dot Mittens!"

I don't see any actual mittens on this snowman, but I'm guessing they look artistic license. 




Ah. Asleep on the floor. Classic cousin move. 


Some big news, I have Elise's nursery all done! This was the very last piece.

Now she just has to start sleeping there. 


She's started trying a couple solid foods and thinks they are yummy. 

She's also has perfected the art of drooling directly into my cleavage.


Lydia is about to turn 8, which in the Mormon church is when you can be baptized. She is very excited and really dedicated to reading her scriptures to prepare. When she doesn't know a word, she writes it down and we discuss. She is the sweetest. 


It's inversion season in Boise. Personally, I think it's kind of pretty. 


Look! I'm so on top of things, I've already decorated for Valentines Day. 
If by decorate you mean put one little thing up. That's about all that's happening this year. 

Shane brought me home flowers to cheer me after my breakdown earlier this week. He also took a half day and sent me to take a very long nap. It was utter bliss. 

Marry a good man girls. It makes all the difference. 


GIVEAWAY......


Speaking of love, I made a couple simple embroidery hoops for Valentines day. 
Just for fun, I'll send this one to a reader. Just because you guys make me feel like I'm not a total loser. 

Leave a comment and you'll be entered. 

Enjoy your weekend. :)

Follow me on instagram @natssentiments 

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Superwoman. Part 2.

Last week I had two very thoughtful friends separately offer some assistance to my extremely busy week of watching 5 kids under 8. I was incredible touched by their help. But one thing took me back. One prefaced her offer with "I know you're superwomen, but..." the other said, "I know that you are the girl who can do it all, but...."

I have no idea where that falsehood started. But let me set the universe straight.

I am a complete disaster.

I don't think I have ever had such little control over my life than right now.


Having a baby who still wakes up every few hours is misery.  I keep wanting to sleep train, but I want to do it when Shane is home to help me for a few nights. So, um, never. HOPEFULLY next week. But every time he says for sure he'll be home, he's called away. I'm so tired I feel like I could pass out at any  moment.


Having a baby who likes to keep her naps to a maximum of 30 minutes is just plain tragic. She's exhausted. And want to know what you can get done in 30 minutes? Pay attention to the 4 year old who just wants some time with mommy. Which of course makes me feel unbelievable guility if I choose to shower instead. Elise hates her swing. Hates her bouncy seat. Will sit in the bumbo for a maybe 7 minutes at a time. I carry that 14 pound baby ALL DAY LONG.


My pre-pregnancy clothes are still too tight. I had Elise 5 months ago. I went to buy myself a new sweater so I didn't have to wear yoga pants and a hoodie everyday of my life. 

I wore that sweater for EIGHT days straight. There were some showers in-between. But I put that lovely soft gray sweater back on the minute I was dry. I'm planning to wear it today. If I get dressed.


My gym membership and gym day care costs me $30 a visit. Since I maybe go twice a month.

My new best friend is the lady at the gas station who gives me my diet coke.

My huge church calling is not getting the attention it needs.

My awesome husband is not getting the attention he deserves.

My son wore nail polish to preschool for a week before I noticed.

My blog is so totally sad and ignored.

My house is a total pit. 

My meals are pitiful.

I look like I've aged 5 years. NO amount of concealer helps these dark circles. 


Romance? Um, we have Valentines reservations. So that's something.

So.  There you are. I am a mess. I don't know why I just can't get it together, but I'm so overwhelmed with everything I seem to have to do during the day.

BUT. There are some things that I do accomplish:

My children are alive. They have clean clothes. They eat fruit and veggies most day.

Pretty sure I deserve a medal for those things alone. It is a herculean effort.

Bonus things:

I clean the kitchen before I go to bed most days.

I shower regularly. I've had to call in a babysitter a few times to make that happen.

I'm a instagram champ. While I nurse the baby, I look through my photos and post them. Instagraming makes me happy because I can pick out the sweet moments in my day and capture them.  And there are many sweet moments. Moments I would otherwise forget in this haze of exhaustion.

I remember birthdays.

I've learned a couple new embroidery stitches and have done a few hoops when I crash with Shane for our "Friday night stare at the TV and try not to move for 2 hours" date night.

I have not reverted to yelling at my kids. The few times I slip, I hold them close and apologize right away.

I try to only use kind words with my husband. I show him gratitude for the help he can give, not make him feel guilty for the things he can't do.

That's a sad list. But it's something.

I try to tell myself this time will pass. That it will get easier. I know it will. This is the third time I've done this. But I still feel like such a failure that I don't handle it better. That I constantly yearn for a life coach, nanny, personal trainer, cook, house cleaner and my mommy.

This is really hard. Superwoman, I am not.

__________

My last Superwoman post was back in 2009. Back when Collin was a baby. :)


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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Instagram #52 - Christmas and....Happy New Year!




Wow! 2014! So glad. 2013 kind of sucked for me.

Except, of course, that I got this darling baby. But getting her here, sucked.

She tried her darnest to make it to midnight. Unfortunately. 

And she woke up all night last night. And up before the sun this morning.

The new year is starting blurry eyed. But I guess that is the same for most of us.


We had a little New Years dinner at Tucanos with my brother Zac and girlfriend Rachelle. 
Collin couldn't believe the size of Zac's phone. 



We got cable for the month as a treat. I love crappy hallmark Christmas movies. We discovered that the kids love watching Cupcake Wars. So we have been doing our own. Last week the kids decorated cupcakes and the parents were the judges. This week they were the judges of my cakes. Right now they're testing my "Christmas Sundae cake". Buttermilk white cake, with jam filling, buttercream frosting with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top. Next up my "Oh Holy Night" cake with white cake and cream cheese frosting. Lydia is very detailed with her notes. Collin pretty much just says "yum". ( I served them milk so I could count this as dinner.) 



Laid down to nurse the baby and fell asleep. Woke up to find this note. 
Oh Lydia. :)


Christmas Eve was wonderful fun with our appetizer meal.


Read the Christmas story. 


And caught a glimpse of Santa's handy work. Those are some big bears. 


Elise got a hedgehog from Grandma. They have the same hair cut. 



Lot's of Christmas morning fun.



Threw a Christmas night party. 
The house was clean at one point. But there were 12 kids in attendance. Plus 5 babies. 
There's only so much chaos you can avoid. 


So much food. I'm going to be dreaming of this night next week during our detox. But tonight is still a holiday. So we're having rice pudding with ice cream. 



Lydia at the "big" kids table. (Kids came in PJs)



REALLY big bears. 


Hope everyone has a great New Years Day! 

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