{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}

{Pretty.}

Isn't that Iris lovely?  I do love Iris, please forgive the camera strap and lens cover in the photo, it was taken with a very grabby baby strapped to my chest.  I also love this picture of the painted turtle since I am so proud that I was able to get such a close shot and it was even in focus!  These were both taken on our little nature walk on Mother's Day which makes me...

{Happy.}

This girl loves water, and playing with her new friends!

{Funny.}

The boy seems to be following in his sister's "rough housing with Daddy" footsteps.  Which brings me to...

{Real.}

First, did you see that little guy STANDING there with little support from Daddy?  He is only 7 1/2 months old and he is determined, DETERMINED, to walk right this minute.  He crawls over to things and pulls himself up when he can.  It is too soon I tell you.

 

Can you spot the baby in this picture?

And he is quite mobile, and independent. 

Now go see Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {P. F. H. R.}

A lovely place for waiting.

Today I am Grateful for

My beautiful, wonderful children.
My husband, my friend, my confidant.
Good food and good company shared abundantly.
Shelter from the storms.
He who IS RISEN so that we may not die.
Light of the world, Light in the dark.
If I can see nothing else in life, nothing but doubt and darkness, I need only turn my face toward Him... and nothing else matters.

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}

{Pretty, Happy}

My lovely children, who make me {Happy}And that gorgeous hair!

{Funny}

this face cracks me up.



"Thomas would you like some tea?"



"I am still not sure what to think of her."



She likes her milk straight up (and "wary cold")

{Real}
I am not sure where people fall on the whole pacifier and breastfeeding issue but I know it bugs me. "What?" you may be asking yourself after seeing this photo. The simple truth is; sure I could learn to let him self soothe and do with out the paci, but I just don't have a high tolerance for crying babies. "But Amanda!" you say "Just nurse him!" Ahh yes, just nurse him. Well I certainly would be happy to do so if I wasn't the fount of never-ending milk OVER-supply. Seriously, the kid sometimes spits up WHILE he is nursing (and then gets really mad because he wants to keep nursing but is too gosh darn full!) It's that bad. So what do I do when I have a sleepy/fussy/bored baby who wants to nurse but is too full and couldn't even hold one more drop of milk? Bring on the soothie folks. It kinda makes me sad that I have to do this and at night after I nurse and change him 8 out of 10 times he needs the pacifier to go to sleep. Oh and I only feed him on one side for at least 6 to 8 hours before switching. Yeah. I sometimes think I could give a Jersey cow a run for her money. It's one of those problems they never address in all the baby books or even breastfeeding books. So if anyone ever has this problem, I would be happy to help in whatever meager way I can. In the meantime anyone need a wet nurse? (just kidding about that.) Head over to Like Mother Like Daughter for more {PHFR}

Yarn Along

I am knitting several things at the moment. Pictured above is one of the mittens I have completed with the second on the needles. I am also knitting my first lacy shawl as kind of a test to see if I can do it. Because it is a test for me I am using up some not so nice stash yarn that is a light fingering weight. The yarn is mostly nylon but it is a bit rough once knit up and not very elastic. No pic because it doesn't look very interesting yet since I am just on the set up rows. I have knit very little lace and it is something I would like to improve this year. And the third non-hibernating project on my needles right now is this doll for my little girl (below) which I hope to have done by her birthday but it is knit on US 2.5 or 3 needles with Knit Picks palette yarn so it is slow going. For reading: again blogs but I started Organized Simplicity today on the Ipad although I didn't get far. We will see if I have the attention span to finish it. :) Go see Ginny for more Yarn Along fun (check out her new button down at the bottom of the post!)

7 Very Quick Takes

1.
Don't mix bleach and vinegar. Just don't. Go here to find out why and don't ask me any more about it.

2.
I may or may not have done this today in very small amounts with very unpleasant and dangerous results.

3.
I love Tazo Decaffinated Chai Tea with honey and milk in it. Pure Bliss.

4.
Is there some kind of virus going around that only affects males? Usually my daughter is the first one to get sick in our house but this time only my husband and son seem to be ill and Belle is fit as a fiddle. Odd.

5.
I think the only reason I have not been sick (at least not enough to need to alter my daily routines much) in the last 4 months when everyone else around me has been, is because I started taking Cod Liver Oil almost every day. Fermented Cod Liver Oil to be specific. It doesn't taste great but it is bearable and if it keeps me from getting sick I don't care how bad it tastes.

6.
I spend entirely too much time on Facebook.

7.
I am looking forward to using the new missal my husband got me for Christmas at the Latin Mass this Sunday for the first time! Yay! Does that make me some kind of Catholic geek?

Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!

Yarn Along

A little late to the party today but you know what they say... Anyway, I have a few finished projects and one on the needles but all I managed to take a picture of this week was one of the finished Aviatrix hats I knitted for my daughter. As you can see in the second picture, it is a little small and I think I should have knit the 4+ size instead of the 2-4 years size (she is almost 3 but she is big for her age, the same size as her 4 y0 cousin in fact). Or maybe I should have just added one more short row section, hmm... I will have to try again. I will probably use the same yarn since this only took one skein and I have 4 left. It is 100% baby alpaca I picked up at a crazy craft sale in Minneapolis a couple years ago. It is so buttery soft and not at all itchy. I wish I would have bought more. I have been reading mostly blogs but also "The Temperament God Gave You", which my husband also read (well some of it). It is a short and good read that has shed some light on why my husband and I interact in some ways repeatedly with no good outcomes from these interactions. I think it will help us change the way we relate to each other or at least understand each other better.

And, just because I love this picture I am adding a cute fat Christmas baby picture to this post.

Go join Ginny for more Yarn Along fun!