9 Months

This milestone birthday has always been hard for me to write about. This is where my little one is now old enough to have spent more time on the outside than inside my womb. It becomes a downhill gallup towards the 1 year mark and not to be considered a "baby".

Recent happenings have been clapping, saying mum mum babblings quite a bit, army drag crawling and first costume. Also, getting into a sitting position from laying down. He's tried to give some attempts of pulling himself up, but nothing major. If we place him standing up and holding on to the couch, he'll stand and then fall like a plank of wood to the side. 2-3 teeth have also cut through in the last 2 days, making his count to 8 toothers!

I'm okay with his development being behind his sister. It just makes him my cuddling little guy for longer. Nolan has been lucky to be exposed to new things sooner than his sister, with being the second child as a trade off. Next week we will have a well baby visit and see just how he's growing.

Now to try and thing of a new theme for the milestone pictures. The weather has become much more cold and I am not looking forward to an inside studio shoot. Hurmph

That's MY Bumkin!

If you can believe it, this was out first time in our marriage that we've carved a pumpkin as a family. Now that we have the kids, I think the holidays will start having a much more meaningful part in our lives :)

Oh Good Grief

Paper Crafting

I finally got around to replacing the mobile that hung in Eliza's room, above her crib. She or I had whacked it at some point and it never recovered or I just never got around to repairing it. But I did want to fill that void with something since I never did one for Nolan. Cue the second child woes!

I used an embroidery hoop and a paper punch in various but similar color pallet decorative card stock.

Each circle was glued to another and then run through the sewing machine to make these chains to hang from the hoop. Washi tape was used to go around the rim while knitting floss was used to hold and balance the ensemble from the ceiling.

Eliza has given this art her personal approval. Now will she just keep her hands off it? So far she and Mr. G have one strike each against them as far as repaired damage goes.

Mìd Week Confessions

1.

We are currently using a little girl from the church as the peer pressure incentive for potty training. Guilt is working for us when we say that this little girl doesn't wear diapers and uses the big girl potty. Eliza surprised us with going during Sunday school when the other children went for a bathroom break.

2.

Feeling a little sloppy with my body and trying to make some better choices. One of them being to resist the urge to not drink anything other than milk or water. Also, nothing like having a body type conversation with your husband late at night to bring warm fuzzies together....not! But it is certainly hard to find the time for myself, let alone trying to find the extra money for a gym membership.

3.

Thinking about taking the kids out for the first time trick or treating....but partly for the candy so mom and dad can raid the stash :) So much for trying to make better choices eh? I could pull off a ballerina for Eliza and I am trying to make a Charlie Brown costume for Nolan. Simple and inexpensive.

4.

I am sorry Hobby Lobby for our most recent visit. That was because of my child who thought anything that was sparkly, colorful or looked cool, HAD to go into the cart and why you'll find many random piles of merchandise placed throughout your store. But maybe carts with two seats, more moms could avoid your employees having to restock the aisles? I do love your store and would love to make more visits with my active children.

Mid Week Confessions

1.

I've been catching up in my guilty pleasure shows lately. One of them being Sister Wives. The guy Kody is something else, but you can't not watch how this family functions. I hate to admit it, but at the end of the season where Robyn gives birth to the baby and asks Meri that she would be willing to be a surrogate. Darn TLC producers....ya'll made me cry! I don't do that very often, and mainly towards the end of my pregnancies.

2.

Totally just now discovering and using the schedule tool here on blogger. No reason to fall off the post wagon now I guess...unless you get tired of my kids ;)

3.

I just now finally was able to get rid of a blog I use to follow. It was a craft blog that posted here and there. Then all of a sudden they were pushing all their fabrics and quilt patterns/finished projects all the 

time, several posts a day! It would crowd out the regular blogs I follow, making me have to sift through all 

the blog spam in the followed reading blogs. I have tried before, but it never would work. I guess I 

was lacking some extra log in to make it truly official.

4.
I struggle every day to dress my children. I am not talking about the fight they put up during diaper changes or running away and under the table to hide. I am talking about the pride I struggle with in making sure I have picked *the* cutest outfit for them that day of what is available. I get nervous when Mr. G dresses them because it may not be something I've already put together. When packing for this long weekend coming up, I can't just throw clothes in the bin of whatever. I care about how my kids dress, but I am not that worried about my own clothes this way. I want people to look at my kids and adore them just as I do. And for this, I hate this aspect about myself. Something I thought might go away when we had a boy. Jeans and a t-shirt...good to go! Nope, it has to be just the right shirt and pants. Sigh...does it get better in a few years?

That's Amore'

It started with Eliza here...

And the FUN continues on!

Norwich University

We took a very quick 24 trip to Northfield Vermont to Mr. G's college homecoming weekend. It had been 10 years since he graduated with his degree, and I have heard NUMEROUS stories of his glory days as a cadet

Starting off the ceremony, we as a family got to walk across the field with the class of 03'

Eliza was all giggles and spurts of running around the campus

"Rook" cadets getting ready to march in parade

Mr. G standing in front of his freshman dorm

I hobbled along the campus with the unknown sciatica for the day, which made me unaware that Mr. G had not packed my purse with phone in it! I think he gets his observational skills from his mom. But staying with a former retired professor for accommodations made it so I knew my belongings were in safe hands in getting mailed back.

We also now know that Eliza can and will get car sick on windy roads...especially in the dark and when we don't have a hazmat kit to clean things up. Diapers are the next best thing to paper towels I guess :) 

Mid Week Confessions

1.

We caught a mouse in our kitchen. Not with traditional traps, but with a crockpot. I kid you not. While soaking overnight with the fat and junk from the mushroom chicken, their lay in the am a glob of fat with a tail. Ewwww! We had a suspicion after finding some droppings that something was afoot, but gross!

2.

After a trip to the ER for what would later be a case of Sciatica, I am feeling torn between getting things done or getting fun things done, or simply laying in bed with Netflix. # days off work and kids are gone in the afternoon at daycare as I recover. Why does sick time always seem to come with guilt?

3.

I made politely had Mr. G go out to Best Buy Monday morning to retrieve another charging cord for my tablet. This was after sending him on an unsuccessful goose chase Sunday to other various electronic stores with no success. Momma needs her vice! 

Zzzzzz

There is just something about your kids when they are sleeping....no crying, mess making...just silence!

Late Confessions

1.

I did it. I am now the owner of new maternity jeans from Motherhood. Trying to suck up my pride about this fact, but my jeans are now comfy once again.

2.

It was Saturday since I last was able to take a shower and before work isn't looking all that likely either :(

3.

Not liking Old Navy and their return policy. Who has to wait for a check to be MAILED in a form of store credit? Oh yeah, this annoyed mother.

4.

I am kinda dreading Christmas this year. Mainly for the fact that the grandparents LOVE to spoil the kids and I already feel a bit overwhelmed with the toys and gear in our small 1000 sq. ft. house. Can we just skip it this year maybe? Not to mention a birthday the next month.