You don't win friends with salad!

I was thinking yesterday that I need to eat more vegetables and fruits. More salads. And then this popped into my head.

Any quick and easy tips to get more veggies into me? I'm having a hard time eating a balanced diet when I'm alone with Alex all day (including dinners lately).

Stitchery Success! Oven Mitts!

So I had a great time yesterday at my sewing class. The oven mitts seemed so simple but there were a lot of steps involved, lots of pieces. It was supposed to be two different materials but I kept it to one pattern since it was busy enough. I thought I was clever, getting crab fabric for oven mitts. Ok, I think it's funny.

Like I said there were many pieces to cut, each mitt was lined and I kept forgetting, duh I need two mitts.

I've used a pattern many times before but my brain was working in slow motion.

Finally after 2 hours of cutting (whew!) we finally get to the sewing part. The girl teaching the class was very sweet and helpful, but seemed a little green in the teaching department. She wasn't giving us the next step to the class (of 3) but explaining it to one person. I would find out what do next, by overhearing it. Stop what you're doing, explain it to the class, then continue helping people individually.

Oh and I am not queen of teaching, she who is without fault. At one point when I was sewing the lining parts together, I stopped and noticed, oh no. One part is facing the wrong way. SIGH! It was nearing 4 pm and I was nowhere near being finished. I was rushing, and didn't know how Bubba was doing. Nice teacher girl was very sweet and ripped out the stitches for me while I worked on another piece. Then I got a text from Cathy saying that Alex was asleep. Wait! What?? Asleep? I tried to text her back when she called. She said he's asleep in the playpen. How? I asked. Man, she really is the baby whisperer, he's NEVER slept in the pack and play. Alrighty, I guess I still have time to work on the mitts. I was starting to think I'd have to go back another day.

I had never worked with quilt batting before, and I was surprised how easy it was. I guess it also helps that it was very nice organic cotton batting and not the usual polyester stuff you see in the stores.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the quilting on the mitts. We needed to do it to keep the batting in place. Any way we wanted. So much fun, just to be able to play with a sewing machine like that, freehand.

The construction was the easiest part. Poof! Suddenly I made an oven mitt. Then a second one. How cool is that?

Cathy called and asked how the progress was going, almost finished I told her. I didn't hear any screaming in the background. Hmmm. She said Alex was on the balcony hanging out with his cousins, eating cheese. Then I hear him say "chhhhhsssss". Yes, that's right, cheese Cathy said. Wow. Happy baby lasted 5 hours without me.

So I have these oven mitts that make me giggle when ever I look at them, and the thought that maybe I can take a bit more time for myself. Happy mom, happy baby right?

Starting to stitch the batting to the fabric.

Batting, and yummy latte. Did I mention the latte?

So many pieces. Lots of steps for a little pair of mitts.

Quilted fun. Wheeee!

Assembling the pieces together.

You know you're having a good time when you've run out of thread.

Stuffing the lining inside. (I could use a little hand moisturizer).

Almost Done! Just have to stitch the bottom border together.

Et voila! Oven mitts! Pinch pinch!

Hands up in the air!

I can't wait for the reversible bag class in August!

A little bit of freedom, with a side of guilt, coming right up!

Ok, I have a confession. I haven't left my son with a babysitter for more than two hours. Heck, I haven't left him with my husband for more than 4 hours. Yes, he is almost a year old. At first, he was too little. Then he was a bit bigger but wouldn't take a bottle, only my breast (much to the dismay of my husband's family, but that's another story). Then there was no one banging down the door, offering to help me and babysit him. And then the seperation anxiety kicked in. Big time.

 I would go to playgroup with Alex every week, same group, same house. I would try to leave the room to go pee and a meltdown would ensue. Every. Time. It's not like I'm a helicopter mom, I'm always trying to get him to let go of my pant leg. I would try little baby steps away from him and it was torture. For both of us. Especially before he mastered crawling and couldn't follow me. Alex is a little better about it now. I can leave the room and he'll play on his own. Most of the time. Eventually he'll crawl into the room where I am, and heaven forbid I should leave the room he worked so hard to get to (like when I'm bringing food to the table from the kitchen).

So tomorrow, Alex is going to Auntie Cathy's house for 4 hours while I take a sewing class. I know how to sew, but my sewing machine is buried in the closet, and the fear of needles around is too great. This hip sewing shop just opened up and their classes sound like fun. I'm abandoning my son (ok, that's a little dramatic) to go and make oven mitts. I've never made anything with batting so it will be something new for me.

I used to love sewing. I made my prom outfit (pants and a bustier, oh so 1992) and made a few for friends. I made a quilt for my sister and her wedding dress. As a teenager I seriously considered going into fashion design (to the point where I almost applied to university to study it). It's been a long time since I've sewn anything. I'm excited to be doing something just for me.

I really want Alex to do well tomorrow. Even if he doesn't I know my sister will be able to handle whatever happens. I'm so worried he's going to lose it. I'm conflicted about leaving him. I feel selfish for wanting time away from him, I feel guilty that I created this baby who won't go with anyone else. This is supposed to be something fun for me. I'm a little excited, and a little anxious. Ahhhh!

This is why I love my sister....

My sister has been following the birthday party drama. When ever I get stressed out about something she's great at diffusing it. She sent me this, suggesting this is what I should have put on the invitation to Alex's birthday. How awesome is she?

Graduation day today!

My nephew is graduating from grade 6 today (he's officially taller than me know too, sigh), and my husband graduates from university today. I've already told myself NO CRYING ALLOWED. Hmmph, let's see if I heed my own advice.

On the mend

Miss Molly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick

So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick
The doctor came with his bag and his hat

And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat

He looked at the dolly and he shook his head

And he said "Miss Molly put her straight to bed"

He wrote on some paper for a pill, pill, pill

"I'll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill."

I woke up Friday morning to a very hot baby. He was feverish and pretty crabby. I gave him something for his fever and hoped for the best. His crabbiness went away but I just couldn't get him to sleep. He had been up a couple of hours straight the night before (a regular occurrence for him so I didn't think anything of it) so I really needed him to nap. So I could nap too. By 4pm there was still no napping, he was miserable and I was exhausted. I took him out in the stroller because that always does the trick (I gave up on my nap), He napped for about an hour. He was in slightly better spirits.

Then the no sleeping continued. He finally fell asleep around midnight after numerous attempts and tricks to get him to sleep. He slept for 45 minutes the woke up again. It took me another 30 minutes to get him back to sleep. This sleeping in 45 minute intervals lasted all night. All. Night. Sleeping only 45 minutes at a time does some crazy stuff to your brain. I think I was thisclose to seeing magic pixies dancing around my head as they chanted "no sleep!". Saturday was only slightly better with a 2 hour nap the entire day. He fell asleep at 11 and woke up, yep, you guessed it at 11:45.

 We took him to the Children's hospital, but he was only seen by the triage nurse (nice lady, but needs to pop a mint her mouth after her cigarette break). She said it might be an ear infection. I asked her how long the wait would be. She was honest and said it would be long and we'd be better off going home. So we left and even at 3am still didn't fall asleep on the way home. Rick drove up and down on a small expressway near our house. Alex fell asleep almost right away. Ahhh!

I went to the clinic near my house on Sunday and he was seen by a doctor right away since we were the only ones there. No ear infection but his throat is infected.

Last night was a decent night sleep wise. It's funny, all I need is a ok night of sleep to bounce back. Yes still tired, but no taunting pixies. Alex is much less clingy today and even went down the baby slide on his own at the park. Nothing like a little park therapy to make everything better.

Happy father's day!

When Alex hears him unlock the front door he SQUEALS

and crawls at full speed to see his dad.

It's love alright.

Things are starting to look up...

So the birthday party is booked at a breakfast restaurant (I love breakfast!), so no parking lot party for us! I had called another restaurant in the chain and they said they don't take weekend reservations, that the info on their website was incorrect about being about to reserve a room for parties, and then suggested they could accomodate us at 2 pm (when they close at 3 pm, and hello, breakfast place). I sent a letter of complain to the head office about the snarky manager. No the customer isn't always right, but rudeness is never ok.

I found a dress for Rick's graduation ceremony and for a wedding anniversary party we're going to. It was really very easy to find the dress thanks to my friend Melanie (hi Mel! I see you lurking!).  Alex napped and I picked out 4 dresses and loved a couple of them. That never happens since I'm a busty treasure troll.

Did I mention Rick is graduating? My heart is swelling with pride for him. This is huge!

Alex has been eating better too. More variety, more of it.

Alex picked this nectarine right out of the fridge as he was "helping" with supper.

Such a big boy!

A little bit of magic

This is my view outside our tiny balcony. If you look waaay up you see a small patch of sky.

My husband likes to sit out on the balcony. I hate it. It's a terrible reminder of our lack of a backyard. Especially for Alex's sake. I feel guilty that he was 10 months old before he sat in the grass.

I went outside to try the bubble wand I got for Alex and took this photo:

Getting his Yayas out...

This boy loves the park. It doesn't matter how crabby or tired he is. He can't get enough of it. A friend once told me that moms of boys socialize more, because they spend more time out of the house, trying to burn off some of that excess energy. I'm starting to believe it. I've met girls that are active too, but in general it's the boys getting into everything while the girls sit and play quietly. Um, yeah, there's nothing quiet about this person. He's intense, he's exhausting, even when he kisses it's more like he's devouring my face.

Definitely keeps me on my toes.

I am in serious trouble when he discovers how fast he can run.

Facebook is like high school all over again...

I have a facebook friend (old friend from elementary school) who gets at least 10 comments on anything she posts. Her kid was going to his first soccer game and this got a score of likes and several "That's so cool!!!!!!!". Seriously? Normally I just ignore it, whatever. Now I'm actually asking my real friends if anyone want to join me in a sewing class one night, and I'm getting crickets. I thought a few people might be interested....

The kicker is that I won this class in a contest the sewing shop was holding (this is a hip, young mama sewing space, no blue hairs). I won a class for me and a friend. Woo hoo! My husband suggested I ask without mentioning the free part to see who is really interested in the class. Apparently no one is. Whoosh I'm back in high school, fidgeting with my gym uniform as everyone else in the class gets picked before me for volleyball teams. Our yoga moms playgroup has about 8 of us in it. A lot of people get together outside of the group. I rarely get invited to these offshoot get togethers. I've always has a tough time making friends, I don't get it.

I wonder if I should mention the free part. Then maybe I'd get some friends who want to do something with me.

Oh yeah, I was COOL in high school. This is my tap/jazz dance group.

Sock Monkey Part Deux: Damn that monkey, it's done!

Oh my god that was exhausting. This was supposed to be relaxing, fun for me. Ummm not so much. I think most of my frustration came from the kit I was using, I didn't start from scratch. I bought it at the toy store, Not a good product. Seriously, screw you Action Products, maker of The Classic Sock Monkey kit. First the age on it is ridiculous. Ages 6 and up. Ok, this skilled stitch maven could barely keep it together at 34 and 3/4. I ran out of thread making the body and contacted the company for more thread. No reply. Not good customer service, especially for kids stuff where pieces ALWAYS go missing. The thread was about 3 bunches too short. Gah! The stuffing was yucky and bunchy, the vest the monkey is wearing is sooooo going to get torn by young Mr. in about 5 minutes. Sigh. It was a learning experience and I can't wait to start another one with my own designs.

This is Stanley.

I think his expression is arrogant indifference.

SuckyMcSuckerson

Even Sweetie is all "Who is this guy? Who does he think he is?"

Clearly my crafting skills are a little rusty....

I've been working on this sock monkey FOREVER and thought I could finish it last night. Alex went to sleep early (hooray!) so I worked on it while I watched the Stanley cup finals. Umm yeah, apparently there should have been more focus and less hockey. First came the crooked ear "ah it adds charm" I told myself...and then the arm fail. Yeah, not charming just creepy. Aww it's not so bad you say? My thesis was on sewing in art therapy, I made my prom dress and a couple for friends, and I made my sister's wedding dress for goodness sake. Tonight, undo the disaster and try again.

The other eye is on the way after some major reconstruction surgery.

That ear is so wrong. That and the freakish arm coming out his back.

At least the monkey has a nice butt.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to?

Oh who knew a first birthday party could be so stressful! Some family and a naked baby eating cake right? Sigh, if it were only that easy. My mother-in-law insists on holding birthdays parties for everyone in the family, which up until recently was mostly adults (Alex's youngest cousin on that side is 20 years old), sitting around, some gifts, mosrly gift cards, cake and Coke (no tea or coffee, only soda). This to me is not a party. Twelve times a year, this would occur for everyone's birthday.

Now the problem is, my MIL expects me to do the same for Alex. I want something a little more special for him. Problem #2 is lack of space; my tiny apartment can't hold more than 4 adults. I want to have a party in the park near our house. My MIL seems to think it's "too risky to have something outside", yet she suggested having the party "up at the country". The country being a trailer park where she spends her summers, next to a busy road, where the locals include drunken old guys and plump, leather skinned ladies padding around in gold bikinis and swampy water you can't swim in.  Uh, yeah, no thanks.

I'm thinking a small something on the day of, and then she can have whatever hoopla she wants at her house. It bites that I can't have the party I want for him....I know I know, he won't remember it anyway.

Alex loves the cats,

 maybe I can make him a nice Kitty Litter Cake

Or nothing says first birthday like a Chuck Norris cake

Or a Zombie Kiwi Robot Cake?

A good day

I've had way too many rotten days lately. Lots of marital muck, sick baby (just a cold, but still hellish), the depression was back big time. I didn't post anything, because I couldn't put it all down. It upset me too much to see it in print. I went out with a friend last week and we had a great day. I knew her from work, but we never really chatted before (she worked at the other store across the street). We had a great breakfast, went for a stroll and hung out in the shade with the babies. I need more of that please.

Alex with his little friend Elliott, 4 months old.

Happy baby, happy mom.