Habits & Novelties

Moms Get Lonely. Moms Get a Lot of Things.

2014-08-27T22:26:00.001-07:00

Hello.

So I've had this blog post rattling around in the back of my brain for about two months. Buuut, it's just not easy writing anymore. It's kind of like that for a lot of things right now. Not easy, that is. And so now, it's 10pm. The boys are asleep. I've literally had the little one on the boob for the last hour. Yep. Hour. He sleep-eats. It's a thing. I should maybe be more schedule-oriented, but really? fuck it. He sleep-eats. I hold him. I think it'll be okay. The only one complaining, in fact, is me. Because I can't..what? blog? Haha.

I think I've just set the tone for this post. It's going to be long. And it's going to be rambling. And I think I'm one of about five people who will ever read it. Actually, I'm not going to read it. I'm writing it. Why on earth go back and read??! Okay!

First off....parenthood, man. It's a nightmare and your best dream come true. Once, when I had no kids, a lady on facebook said a thing. She said she was "mourning the loss of personal identity that comes with having children." And when I read it, I made a noise that sounded like "pshhhh." And I then I said to myself, "really? loss of personal identity? That's kind of...a lot." Fast forward three years. Here's me, youtube-ing how to cut my own bangs and then doing it while the toddler dips my toothbrush in the toilet and my 5-month old cries. I did this, and then I tidied up and put goop in my newly shorn head and even applied mascara. And then I cried. Because all that? The cutting, the primping? Was for nobody. I don't go see people. I cut my hairs so that the next time I need to take a leak I can see hairs that have been cut. Not. Even. Joking. I think it was just so that I could look at myself and assure myself that I'm still young-ish and can look cute sometimes. If I try. So yeah--the "loss of personal identity" thing? It's a thing. A real thing. And most of it comes from the inevitable isolation of mommy-hood. I may be more isolated than most; I stay home with our sons, I don't do playdates...like, ever. Okay, maybe once every 6 months or so. But mommy-friends are just...so not there for me right now. And it's not their fault. I literally know 2 mothers in the geographical region in which I live. And their lives are just so much...and my life is just so not in sync. But...it IS kind of my fault, because I'm too cynical/overwhelmed to get out and TRY. It's reality. It's life.

In a few years? Maybe I'll have that thing where where I'm there, with other humans who have tiny humans, scoping out the mommies at preschool like an awkward college guy scoping the single ladies at the bar. (Yes, I read that huffpost article). But right now? I'm lonely. It's a season. I get it. But that doesn't mean it's not still hard.

Then there's the boys. The tiny humans that eat up every single moment of my weird, crazy, isolated, blessed days. They learn like 80 new things a day. Seriously. And I get to be, sometimes, the facilitator of that learning. I get to look in their faces and see my own features or their daddy's and marvel at the cool "spin-off." I am hazel-eyed, dark haired. Dad is blue-eyed, blond. I got two kids with an amazing combination of our genetic make-up. Silas has the hazel eyes, with daddy's blond hair (and curls! whaaat?) And Noah has the gorgeous blue eyes, with my dark hair. Love that! And these are the days of firsts. Mostly for Silas, of course. First experience with crayons! First ride down the big slide! First tinkle in the potty! Everyday is another "first" with him. And just the other day, we got Noah's first tooth! I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be them. I have to manufacture newness for myself by chopping off my hair over the bathroom sink. They just wake up and something is different. Suddenly they know how do....x,y,z and it rocks their world.

So what's up with me right now? After almost 3 months of no updates? Well, it's up and it's down. And I'm not really an individual right now, but I am a mother and that's so huge. It's huger than I can comprehend. It's at once the most blessed thing I can imagine being and the hardest, most depleting thing. And I have no idea when I'll update this silly old blogspot again. Maybe it'll be next week (yes, this has been somehow therapeutic). Maybe I'll be in my mid-thirties, with two kids in the school system! I'd say stay tuned, but who am I kidding? If you're reading, yay! Thank you. If you care to check in again, yay! Thank you again. But really, this is just an outlet for me. I do know I'm not alone in feeling the things that I'm feeling, so hopefully it's an outlet that you, as a parent, can also relate to. But I'm not pretending it's anything more than that at this point in my journey.

Until next time, dears. Until next time.

Les Enfants et Vie

2014-06-11T15:29:00.002-07:00

Hmm....update time.

The boys are doing great, first off. Something that I didn't anticipate when Noah was born, was how enormous having a newborn would make my 18 month-old seem! Well, the newborn stage was 3 months ago already; I have a three-month-old and a 20-month-old. Silas really is my "big kid" now!

It's funny having two kids. And stressful. And amazing. With the second, you take note of all the little (and big) development milestones with a twinge of nostalgia, remembering when the older kid reached them, but there's still some firsts because little-er kid is his own, unique person and does some things differently.

Noah is a [mostly] happy kid. At about 1.5 months, we hit a rough patch where he cried a lot, for long stretches at a time, and there was almost nothing we could do but hold him while we waited for him to get it out of his system. That's passed for the most part, although he still doesn't like to be anywhere but in my arms, nursing or bouncing. He's a very attached kid.

I'm loving that Noah's kept his pretty blue eyes (so far!). I always hoped we'd have the blue/brown, blonde/brunette distributed nicely in our kiddos! I also like how we got the blonde with the brown eyes in Silas and the brunette with the blue eyes in Noah! So cool.

Finally, I'm so happy we're hitting the more expressive stage of infancy with Noah now. He's smiling and cooing and responding to us a lot more, which is so great after the hours of shhhh-ing and patting and ~~hair-pulling~~ we were going through a few weeks ago.

Here's big brother at the park, where we had an little picnic about a month ago. What a charmer, eh? At least he knows a good photo op when he sees one. Lately he's having kind of a rough time--working on those 2-year molars. I finally sprang for one of those baltic amber teething necklaces. It's not arrived yet, but mommies I know swear the things are awesome, so I'm optimistic.

Silas is also working on his vocabulary. We tell people that he speaks his own language because while he's constantly "talking," real, intelligible words aren't part of it--yet. He has said a few things, though. Most recently it's been "hi" and "shoes." Neal says Silas knows lots of words (he does understand things we tell him) but is self-conscious about trying out real words out in front of us. Given this child's personality, I really think it's true. He used to get pretty embarrassed about falling down when he was learning to walk. And now, when he can;t figure out how a toy or other object works, he gets frustrated. But he's learning fast and figuring it all out on his own time and it's so much fun to watch!

So that's the kids...

Dad and Mom are doing well, too. We're looking into buying a house within the next 6 months to a year (did I just write that out loud?) and crossing fingers, toes, other things that it all works out. Rental property management companies suck balls, and our's sucks even more than most. Sleazy, no-good, lying bitches. Ahem. So, buying a house. Hopefully.

Neal is starting his millwright journeyman apprenticeship within the next couple months, and he's excited for a change of scenery in the woodmill. He'll be taking some machining and welding classses one night a week, starting in the fall.

Other than that, it's just your day-to-day stuff. I'm a shitty blogger, because I am too lazy (let's say busy, ha) to keep up an entertaining commentary on world affairs or pop culture or attachment parenting or the literary world, even though I am ruminating on any one of these topics on a daily basis. I guess my "involvement" consists of re-posting articles and miscelany on facebook these days. In the coming years, hopefully I can return to some of the academic and social interests that are parked on my back burners, but for now it's superficial social media and the rare blogspot update!

And hey--I've recently become an Instagrammer! If you just can't get enough of moi, send me a friend request at http://instagram.com/pagela

Until next time!

Noah's Newborn Photoshoot

2014-03-31T19:55:00.003-07:00

There's going to be a lot of "shooting" around here. Now that I have the ideal lens for this kind of photography, the photo-ops are way more frequent!

Noah's Birth Story

2014-03-31T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Guess what? We had our baby!

Noah Archibald Page

was born March 20th, at 6:01 pm!

He weighed 7lbs, 3 ounces and

measured 21 inches long!

The following is our birth story. If you'd prefer not to read details about an unassisted labor and delivery, feel free to skip this post. If you're game, read on!

Our's is a unique journey, bringing little Noah into the world. I got pregnant sooner than planned after our first son, Silas, while still breastfeeding. With Silas, I had very few prenatal visits; with Noah, I monitored my health and progress entirely. We didn't get any tests or scans done at all, so of course we didn't know we had another son until delivery!

The day before Noah was born, I decided to go shopping. I took Silas with me and we did a lot of walking and cart-pushing. I'm sure that helped move things along. I had already been feeling some pressure lower down than usual and suspected baby had dropped.

At about 5 am the next morning, Silas woke up and so I pulled him into bed with us and nursed him a little, as was our habit. Shortly after placing him back in his crib, I began feeling contractions, not very intense, but about 5-8 minutes apart. They didn't subside after two hours, despite a trip to the bathroom, a sip of water, and repositioning in bed. I couldn't go back to sleep after that, because I was getting excited; was today the day??

Throughout the morning the contractions came and went, some close together, some farther apart, some lasting only a few seconds, some longer. I remembered that it had been pointless to time the contractions with Silas, because they were sporadic and didn't follow a regular, progressively more intense pattern, like all the books tell you they're supposed to. It was going about the same this time...at least at first. At some point, I think somewhere around 2 pm, the contractions started feeling pretty unpleasant, and I gave Neal the go-ahead to run a warm bath, as I was planning on birthing in water, as I had done with Silas.

I sat in the bath for awhile, got out for awhile, then got back in. Between baths, Neal checked dilation and determined I was dilated about 7 or 8 centimeters. Almost as soon as I got back in the tub, my water broke and things ramped up a bit. It was around 5 pm and the contractions seemed (as they do at that point in active labor) unmanageably painful. I could feel baby in the birth canal, and had an irresistible urge to push with each contraction. It felt like baby could start crowning any moment and because I couldn't find a way to sit in the tub that felt right for birthing the baby, I decided to get out again and made my way to our bedroom.

Things progressed really rapidly after that. We stripped the bed and laid down a lot of clean towels. I got up on the bed and stayed there, on all-fours. Baby came a few minutes later, after several big pushes.

my boys!

The "fourth stage" of labor went a little differently than expected. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to do some uterine massage and perhaps try to walk around a bit, because I retained the placenta longer than usual. Although I was breastfeeding Noah, he wasn't eating vigorously, and my after-birth contractions tapered off pretty fast. We were a little concerned, but I wasn't bleeding heavily, so we decided to wait. It was actually about 4 hours later that the placenta was birthed, and it took a warm shower and me reaching in and stretching the cervix a bit for it to happen. The placenta was intact (not fragmented) so we cleaned up and just made sure to monitor things closely for the next few hours. Everything checked out fine.

I delivered Noah, unassisted, in only about 4 hours of active labor (do people usually count the "easy" part, pre-labor?) and with no tearing! We're really happy with our birth experience and so grateful for another healthy pregnancy and birth with no complications.

And we're in love with our brand new baby boy! He is the sweetest, prettiest baby. We're enjoying our "babymoon" for now, knowing the newborn stage is going to go by in the blink of an eye. But we're also looking forward to all the crazy, brotherly shenanigans the two monsters are sure to get into as they grow up together! It's sure going to be an adventure being an all-boy mom, but I think I'm up for the challenge!

Matt Walsh, Savior of Puppies and Unborn Children

2014-03-01T10:44:00.002-08:00

Ooh, look! I'm about to actually write a blog post ABOUT something!!

Several people I know read and subscribe to a blog written by a guy named Matt Walsh. I see his stuff re-posted to my facebook timeline semi-frequently and occasionally I'll click on the link and read his posts. Walsh is witty and humorous and at first I thought I liked him. And the thing is, I do like him. I just realized recently, that underneath the wit and good writing skills, the content is lacking somehow. Specifically, I'm disappointed with the way Walsh, a Christian guy writing about pop culture, parenting, gender roles, and miscellaneous other "hot topics" processes his thoughts.

I'll address just one example today, because it's the one that rankles me most. Below is a link to his piece about why abortion is like puppy-murder. Click and read through it if you want a more thorough run-down of the issues that are being brought up here.

I'll say right up front that the title of this blog post bothered me right away, but I slogged through, even though I'm pro-choice. I gave the thing a chance. But in the end, here's why it's a terrible and juvenile thing to compare abortion to puppy murder:

1. Who is really "murdering" puppies? This first point is incidental. I know very very very few people who murder puppies. Walsh first posted the picture above, a little of adorable yellow lab puppies, proceeded to relay a recent story from the media about a cop who shot a guy's dog 'for no reason,' and then compared that to mothers ending the lives of their unborn children. The cop who shot the dog was not engaging in "puppy murder." He was being rash and probably out of line, but not murdering a puppy. C'mon now.

2. Putting Fido "down." We ROUTINELY spay and neuter dogs so that puppies will not be born. Furthermore, when medical issues arise, we also routinely euthanize dogs. Both of these things, if you're going to carry the comparison to it's logical conclusion, is practically the same as "puppy murder," but Walsh doesn't go there.

3. Abortion isn't a casual, routine procedure. No woman in her right mind finds herself with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy and jumps up and down in glee at the thought of going through with an abortion. No woman is exclaiming "yay, I get to end the life of my unborn child today!" And yet, the way people like Walsh describe these women, that's what you might assume.

Walsh claims it all boils down to a fundamental value of human life. But the truth is, we don't value human life at all. Just look around. Who values the quality of life of the mother who is already not able to make ends meet, is relying on welfare to get food on table, and has no emotional support system available to her? (by the way, the percentage of persons who fit this description, according the United States Census Bureau, has risen in the U.S to almost 14%). Once that kid is born, those who were most outspoken about "the value of human life at conception" turn heel and abandon both mother and child-- and not only that, but the same are often actively working in congress to limit what few resources states can provide to her and her child. But poverty is just one reason a person might consider getting an abortion. Instead of addressing the multitude of reasons women might have to consider ending a pregnancy, Walsh exercises his male privilege to speak for over half of the [less fortunate than himself] population, make gross generalizations, and boldly assert that "any" reason is irrational and illogical.

The bottom line, here, is this:

In all reality, we treat our dogs better than we treat our women and children in this country.

So it's a cute ploy (it's really not, though) but Matt Walsh needs to shove it. I don't care how you fell about the debate. The reasoning behind Walsh's post is silly and smug and doesn't cover the bases at all.

FIN.

*Your regularly scheduled posts about food and books and cleaning poop off of things can now resume.*

Photo Update

2014-02-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I bought Neal a new lens for our Nikon D3100. This one is a 50mm f/1.8d lens, which is great for taking portraits in low light! Last week we took it out for some fun and got a few cute maternity photos, too!

Pregnancy Update

2014-02-05T12:49:00.000-08:00

'ello again. :)

So it's just going to be a quick update on the life and times of the Page family, this time. Nothin' too special.

We're marveling right now about how fast time flies! While I've done my share of whining about this pregnancy and how I'll be pregnant FOREVER (this started around 5 months, fiy), it really has gone by fast in retrospect. I'm due in a little over a month. Well, closer to 2 months I guess. This is (assuming no surprises down the road) our last child, so I know I should just chill out. I should try to enjoy all the cool little things about pregnancy. Like the daily dance party in my womb. Seriously, this kid can kick! And...and...well, darn. I don't know what else. This pregnancy has come with headaches and heartburn and back pain and hip pain and braxton hicks. And those are just....less endearing.

Lately, the nesting stage has begun to set in. I have only one question, which I would like to address to mother nature on this topic: why, oh WHY does the "nesting stage" and the "beached whale stage" seem to coincide?! My mental resolve is there and my inner super-mom is pumping her fist crying "clean all the things!!!" However, my 7.5 month pregnant body is grumbling, "you seriously want me to bend over and pick up all those things?" or "you want me to climb where?" or "you want me to move what?" Ahh, well. I'm doing it. Slowly, but surely, this place will be ready for baby Page #2.

And yes, to the chagrin of many, it's still just #2 right now. We decided to let gender be a surprise. This means we have to come up with acceptable boy AND girl names. That has been a challenge. My husband likes only 3 names in the history of child naming. These are as follows: Laertes (it's Greek), Charlemagne, or Lilly. Oh, yeah. He said he might also settle for Euremikas (it's Greek).

I'm thinking Emmett for a boy. Olive for a girl. We have a few weeks left to battle it out. ;)

Also....for those who have asked: We're not doing a shower for this one, but I do have just a few items listed on a baby registry if anybody is interested in checking that out. These are items we didn't get for Silas, but in hindsight, would have been super nice to have. Here's the link.

That was mostly just a pregnancy update, but that is kind of what's preoccupying our lives at the moment, so I'll leave you with that for now. Hope it was enlightening. In the next week or two, I might post some thoughts on some things I've been reading. (Here's a sneak!)

Another Year, Another List

2014-01-01T17:21:00.006-08:00

So....hello, 2014!

Last year I did a post about all the things I'd hoped to accomplish or improve upon from 2012 and whatdayaknow, I actually succeeded on a few of them. This year, I'm reviewing my 2013 resolutions.

One of them was to read more. I resolved to read 52 books last year. Did I do it? Ha, NOPE. How many books did I read last year? Uhhhh....shoot. Well, I started a couple. That is...holy crap...that's terrible.

ANYWAY!

I also resolved to write more and get published more. And thank Jeebus I did that! I added a few more lit journals to my list of places my work has appeared AND landed a fun gig guest editing an upcoming issue of Dead Flowers: A Poetry Rag. Stay tuned for that.

I resolved to craft more and start an Etsy shop. Victory again! I really outdid myself I think. I learned to knit, crochet, and work with wood. And I improved my sewing skills! And I started that shop and while it wasn't amazingly lucrative, it DID earn me $600 bucks over the last 12 months! Heck, that's roughly $50 a month!

Lose weight was also on the list. Hahaha....well...I did lose the baby weight. Just in time to get preggers again, so there's that. Oh well.

source

So how about 2014?
Here's the list:

Keep throwing myself into the writing. Keep writing and submitting and enter at least a couple writing contests.
Read more. This year's the year. Gotta do it. Not gonna throw out a number. I just resolve read more good stuff.
Learn everything I can about good photography. I have a schmancy camera and a couple schmancy lenses and a kid (soon TWO kids!) to shoot! I might try to save my pennies and get a few pieces of good equipment (a tripod is on that list) while I'm at it.
Be more musical. It's a shame I never touch the pretty piano I bought myself before there were kids. Or the gorgeous epiphone guitar Neal bought me when we were first married. I can read music/understand a little tablature and know some chords. It's time I played, so I resolve to at least make a little time for it, even if it's not a ton. I think this will pay off with Silas, who LOVES music. If I can instill an interest in learning from this early age, it'll be totally worth it.
Be healthier in general and in realistic ways. Not going to do anything too crazy or become the paleo queen or anything. Just try to incorporate healthier things into my life, including exercise.

Geez, that's enough! I hope I succeed! I sort of hate resolutions, because of the inevitable not-doing-of-them that happens. But maybe that's just the stuff like "floss every single time" or "lose 50lbs." I figure if I make "loose" resolutions to just be better about doing this thing or that, I can be proud of myself at the end of the year! Hey--I'm pretty happy with what I did in 2013, so...there's hope!

Happy Holidays!

2013-12-26T13:42:00.002-08:00

I hope that all of you had a very merry Christmas. I hope it was filled with all the things that matter most to you. Our was merry and bright and we are a very contented family.

Hi again!

2013-12-11T00:12:00.000-08:00

Just a quick little check-in, here, as I see it's been awhile. My poor little blog, it just doesn't get the attention it needs. Alexa is sad, page-rank is sad, page-views are sad. Oh well...too much on my plate to be the wicked-cool lifestyle blogger that I see others being. And that's okay.

My life...

I'm doing some other wicked-cool things, so I feel okay. First off, I'm baking a little bun in the oven, which DOES feel like work, yo. This one has a dance party in my womb every single day. Silas wasn't as cantankerous, lemme tell ya. It feels like baby Page no. 2 has a few more limbs than is normal. Also, I have twins on the brain. No worries, though--just my neuroticism. No, we haven't gotten a scan, so technically we don't know, but logic says I'd be wayyy bigger if I were carrying two little troublemakers. Also, none of the other indicators are there. Just a niggling little thing in my head. Had it with Silas too, just in case any of you are wont to say it's my intuition kicking in. Haha. Naw, I just am sort of obsessed with the idea, ya know?

I'm writing again, and getting published! One of my poems is forthcoming in TINGE magazine, Temple University's online lit journal out of their awesome MFA program! Stoked about that! Stay tuned. The issue comes out on Dec. 15th and I'll throw the link up under the "publications" tab then.

Addendum! I was just contacted by an admin guy from Bohemian Pupil Press. Looks like I am going to have the honor of guest editing vol.2.9 of Dead Flowers: A Poetry Rag in April! This means I actually get to select the poetry to be featured in this issue--about 12 poems--and write an essay about why I made the selections I made! Say what?!

I'm working. Just a seasonal gig that I think I mentioned in my last post. It's okay. I'm almost full time, inputting data in the mail order department at the fruit and gift basket company Harry & David. Brought home my first paycheck the other day, which, after more than a year out of the workforce, felt pretty nice. I only have a week or two left at most, so it'll be short lived, but it helps. Especially now, around the holidays.

Here's some other random miscellaneous things, in picture form. In no particular order...

a weekend breakfast :)

portrait of my son, by my talented photographer sis!

a scarf I knit that took FOREVER....

my first successful batch of sea-salted caramels! To die for.

These things again. Seriously, pretty much the only thing I sell in my shop!

I'm not sure when my next post will be. Maybe after the new year? I do try to have some tricks up my sleeve as far as planning things in honor of new beginnings, so...stay tuned!

Crave Photography | Lens Giveaway

2013-11-14T20:42:00.003-08:00

Earlier this year, the hubs and I decided to take the plunge and buy ourselves a new camera. We decided on the Nikon D3100, a great, entry-level, yet professional quality DSLR. We couldn't be happier with our decision. The many photo shoots with Silas alone has made this purchase so worth it. We're slowly becoming familiar with the more technical (and artistic) elements of good photography, which means we're aware of just how important the lens is and we've had our eye on one the one below (for Nikon) for some time now. This is the Nikon 85mm 1.8g lens. It's a beauty!

AND?....

One of the photography blogs I follow is giving away one of these lovelies. (Your choice of 1.8g lense from Nikon or Canon!) Want a chance to win? Head on over to Crave Photography to register your entries. Hurry! The giveaway ends November 22nd!

What's Going On.

2013-11-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

Once again, it's been awhile since I've posted. Let's see if I can catch ya'll up to speed...

For starters, I'm now smack dab in the middle of my second trimester, that point at which the remainder of the time left until the due date seems interminable. Also that point at which, if I choose, I can succumb to the relentless curiosity about gender and get an ultrasound. That's right, it's week 20. I won't succumb if I can help it; we've tentatively decided to let it be a surprise, but I won't lie...part of me really wants to know NOW! And this mama wants a girl!! I can't help it--I just see PINK! If it turns out that we've got a little brother for Silas, I will love that kiddo as much as I would a daughter, but while it's a big question, I'm crossing my fingers. And toes...

source

...And buying girl clothes. Oh yes, people, it's bad. I could say it's intuition, but really? This is the woman who thought she was having a girl the first time. Nope. Hey, I buy a few cute things for girlies, and the worst case scenario is that I have super darling baby gifts for others at some point, right?

Other random pregnancy things: I'm huge. Or I feel huge. Rotund, really. But it's all belly. I've gained literally half the amount of weight I had gained with Silas at this point, but the belly is definitely growing at a faster rate. And all I want to eat is sweets. I thought I had a sweet tooth with Silas, but this blows it out of the water. I had to make a trip to the mart the other night because I couldn't stop thinking about caramels. In my defense, I'd been thinking about them for about 3 days.

What else??

Well, the holidays have me excited. We decided to get a tree this year. We rent, and our living room is dinky and crowded with our stuff, but this has been the excuse for four years now and I'm just not willing to let another Christmas go by without a tree! So we'll shuffle things around and make it work. Plus, Silas needs these memories.
I'm going to be taking on a seasonal job for the month of December, at Harry & David's. I'll be in the call center, doing data entry and that kind of thing. Sitting on my butt, which is a good thing, because I'm already getting some really uncomfortable aches and pains in my back and pelvis with this lil bun. It'll be extra holiday dough, we figured. Or it'll go into savings. Ha. Savings...what a concept!
The Fredericksburg Literary Review has released a print-on-demand print version of their first issue and it's available through CreateSpace. Of course I ordered mine as soon I was able. I can't wait to see my poem in print--it's beyond exciting! See how you can order your own copy by clicking on the link. The book is $8 plus a small shipping fee.

And I guess that's about it. Just living and loving and writing about it along the way. :)

Projects!

2013-10-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's just that time of year or that I've been a stay-at-home mom for a year now and have "grown into" the role or what...but projects and goals and plans are keeping me alive right now. That came out strange. I'm not just surviving-- I'm really thriving on doing things. I'm having fun and focusing on me and my husband and my kids and my teeny tiny little business and my homemade holiday gifts guide and re-organizing my house and baking and...

Sweaters! I'm a little obsessed with miniature sweaters right now. This will pass...as soon as babies stop looking so darn cute in them! ;)

Worked on this sweater for Silas for about four months! It got forgotten in a basket for

three of those months, hence the delayed gratification. But gratified I am! So pleased with

the way this turned out!

*Justine, if you're reading this, I hope it's arrived in your mail already!*

I couldn't resist posting this latest project--a gift for my sweet 3 month old niece, Esther!

This cute little hooded cardigan gave me an opportunity to learn some

new techniques and was just super fun to boot! The buttons

are hand painted, too!

It's not just sweater knitting! Last week was our annual jelly making day! Grapes were

picked straight off our wild concord grape vine out back and on my toast the next morning!

Etsy has been good to me recently. These are a few of the orders

I shipped out over the past month.

On the agenda is deep cleaning my bedroom and craft room, finally succeeding at making salted caramels (so far, no cigar...but I'm feeling lucky and more equipped this year!), and gaining more ground on my chapbook. And, of course, knitting up another lightweigh, miniature sweater for the bun in the oven, due in early spring!

Happy Birthday, Silas!

2013-10-13T09:17:00.002-07:00

Wow...it's been a whole year. That just seems so impossible, and yet there he was yesterday, with the two front teeth he cut recently, grinning, and eating birthday cake. My Silas Finnegan Page is ONE YEAR OLD!

Happy birthday, sweet boy!

This mama had been planning the birthday party for months. Well, not planning, exactly. More like day-dreaming. The event was scheduled for yesterday (his real birthday is today)--but when push came to shove, money was tight and the timing was hard for some of the would-be guests. We kept the date, and made it more of an informal get-together. I had combed Pinterest for baby boy birthday themes and menu plans, looked into party favors and decor...but, in the end, it was a hurried run to the Dollar Tree and Winco.

Ya know what, though? It was perfect.

His uncle was there and one of his little friends, named Olivia. We had birthday cake, cookies, appetizers, balloons, a birthday banner, and a few presents. No, it wouldn't rank with some of the pinstrosities you might find online, but it was fun and the kiddo had cake. To him, I think that was epic enough. :)

Those cookies, by the way? Also epic. They tasted like those sugar cookies from Lighthouse brand-- SUPER soft and pillowy! I've decided it's going to have to be my go-to recipe for all those occasions requiring colorful versions of glucose! The icing artwork job wasn't half bad, if I do say so myself! ;) Point is--they were gone in no time!

Note, too, the "smash cake" that Silas is chowing down on in this last picture... funny story with that. You see, my child isn't like most children. He doesn't particularly like getting messy. Oh, he likes using his hands, but until mommy poked the cake a little bit to show him that there was more than just frosting? He was using thumb and index finger to gingerly "pick up" bits of chocolate yumminess. He did that for a good five minutes. Once the yellow cake appeared (thanks to mum) there was a little more grabbing, but for the most part, the photo is staged. Hey-- birthday ritual, here, folks. Gimme a break!

You're our sweet, silly, fun-loving baby boy, Silas. We're looking forward to many more birthday parties in the future!

Writerly Thoughts

2013-10-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

Some recent writerly success has motivated me to start looking at my poetry chapbook manuscript again. (If you'd like to see some of the places my work has been featured, please check out the "publications" tab )

It's such slow work, I gotta say. I'm not one of those "force yourself to write" kinds of people. I just can't put out when inspiration isn't there. So, my manuscript sits in a dusty word doc, and I find myself submitting the same poems over and over. It's definitely time for some new material, but once again...waiting for the block to crumble away.

source

I've been re-thinking the print-on-demand thing again. The self-published book thing. I don't know. On one hand, I think it's a good idea. I'm not a MFA student. I like to write poetry, but I'm probably not going to go back to school for it. I have a child (soon to be children! Eep!) and I operate an [admittedly] slow online business. I submit sporadically at best. Not that putting in the time, effort, money, and creativity to format the thing, work with the software, and get it out there isn't hard work by itself, but plodding through all the bureaucracy and formalities and contractual stuff to look for an agent and a publisher, being as un-known as I am, seems more daunting.

On the other hand...what if I could? Do all the latter stuff I just said? It would definitely be better for me as a writer. More people would read my stuff at least.

There's also the possibility that I'm completely de-ranged and should really write a MILLION more things and submit for A LONG TIME before I think such pretentious thoughts about publishing my stuff. I don't know.

Anyway, I guess this post is just a meandering dialogue with myself about writing and you all just got to be along for the crazy. If you're still here, yay! Thanks for caring!

If you're a writer and have ever thought of getting your stuff out there or have had some success doing so, I'd love to hear from you! Talk to me about your experiences!

Reversible Peter Pan Collar Tutorial

2013-09-22T10:21:00.002-07:00

Hey all,

Time for a tutorial! I give you the Reversible Peter Pan Collar Tutorial!

This tutorial post has been in the works for too long. I started this reversible Peter Pan collar project and took all the pics so long ago, with the intention of posting, but I lacked a scanner to provide ya'll with the actual pattern for download. Unfortunately, my scanner is still out of commission. But hopefully, the pictures are detailed enough you can take a gander and work it out.

Let's get started!

You will need:

A fat quarter of two coordinating fabrics
Some lightweight fusible interfacing. I like to use Heat n Bond Iron on.
Coordinating thread
Two 8 inch lengths of coordinating 1/4" wide ribbon
Sewing machine
Pins
Iron and ironing board.

1. First, we'll cut out our pattern. You can do this any number of ways--measure around an existing collar you have in your closet or just measure around your neck and then draw a pattern with curves and width to your liking. It took me several attempts to get what I wanted here. The most important thing about cutting out your pattern, is that it has to lay right, when curved over your neck and shoulders--that's why the pattern looks a little like a horseshoe. Also, make sure your pattern is absolutely symmetrical! I wish, wish, WISH I could give you a pattern to scan and print for yourself, but I have confidence in your crafty abilities! Good luck!

You're going to want to cut out TWO collar pieces in two coordinating colors. Or, if you don't want a reversible collar, two of the same choice of fabric. You're also going to cut a collar piece out of some lightweight fusible interfacing. I like to use Heat n Bond iron-on. Cut your collar pieces and interfacing about half an inch larger than you actually want it all around, for seam allowance.

I like to cook with wine....apparently, I also like to sew with wine! ;)

Interfacing on the wrong side of my lighter colored fabric.

Iron on your interfacing, bumpy side down, onto the WRONG side of one of your fabrics. (As you can see in the pictures above, I drew a line all around where my seam allowance would be. This is optional, but helpful. If you do this, you're going to want to make sure that your lines are as even and close to the symmetry of the collar as possible).

After you'r done ironing on the interfacing to one of the pieces, place that piece and the other piece of fabric RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER. The interfacing will be on the outside. Pin it carefully all around.

You're almost ready to start sewing. But first, we'll need to cut lengths of ribbon for the ties to close your collar.

Place each ribbon carefully INSIDE the collar, with just a small little tail peaking out, maybe half an inch. Pin it to secure. Do this on each side.

IMPORTANT: Start sewing very slowly and carefully all around the collar, following your seam allowance-- BUT DON'T FORGET to leave a gap somewhere near the outside middle, of about 3 or 4 inches. If you forget this step (which I have!) you will not be able to turn the thing inside out!

Turn that puppy inside out.

Using a long, pointy object (I'm using a knitting needle, here) go inside your collar and poke out all the curves and corners, and iron them down smooth.

Now, carefully fold in the area that you left un-sewn and pin it. You're going to topstitch all around the collar edges, so this will close up.

Once you're finished topstitching, give your collar another quick iron-down and--you're done! Enjoy your new collar!!

If you're interested in purchasing a collar, rather than making one, this particular collar, as well as a couple others, are available in my Etsy shop!

If you do make a collar, I'd LOVE to see your results! Post a link in the comments and share your flair (or ask a question or three!)

An Announcement!

2013-09-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back from our little mini vacation. It was an awesome three days of catching up with family and folks we haven't seen in a very long time, but it was busy and it went by in a flash. We're all kind of tired and road weary today, after the long drive back. Note: driving 9 hours one way with an 11 month old is only for the stout of heart!

Silas was able to meet four little cousins, five aunts, two sets of grandparents, two great-grandmas, and one great-grandfather. He also had his [almost] one year birthday photo shoot, inherited lots of toys, ate a lot mashed potatoes and blueberries, cut a tooth, got to see dogs, chickens, cows, and goats (even got to pet some of those), and graduated to a big-boy car seat! It was a big week for us, but probably an epic week for him.

His mom and dad also had a fun time breaking some big news....

Yes, that's right. We're preparing for Baby Page 2.0. Telling family was fun, but telling everybody else can be sort of awkward, especially if it has to be mostly via social media, so I found a solution. A picture's worth a thousand words, they say, so here is our pregnancy announcement! I'm in love with it!

And yes, the tykes are going to be close in age. 18 months apart, to be exact, probably just avoiding too close. We're happy with it, though. They'll be partners in crime!

We're leaning toward keeping the gender a surprise this time 'round, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming in pink. Follow along with the day-dreams, on my Pinterest board, if you like!

Autumn is Here!

2013-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

You guys, I'm sooo excited. Fall is here! It's my all-time most favoritest season and so many exciting things are happening this fall. A list...

It's Fall....so that's happening!
It's mini vacation time. Can't wait to go see family!
My son will turn ONE YEAR OLD and birthday party plans are a go!
Knitting resumes!
All things warm, soft, cozy, yummy, and earth-toned are ushered in!

Speaking of warm, soft, cozies and things made from fiber...THESE are now in the Etsy Shop and more are coming!

Cabled Knit Headbands

Mocha Fair-isle Cloche Hat

So go ahead and check out the store and keep checking back, too, because it's stocking up season! Happy Autumn!!!

Look What I've Become!

2013-09-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

The other night, after I put my babe down for bed--Well, actually BOTH my babes, since Daddy was fast asleep too, having had a rough day at work-- I realized it was just me and a very quiet house.

I haven't really watched much on TV the last couple of months. I go in phases, really. Sometimes I'm a television/movie junkie and other times it just doesn't appeal to me. But it had been a long time, and there were a few movies in the queue that I'd been wanting to see, so I logged on to our Netflix account and landed on the movie "The Hours," the one with Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep, based loosely on the life and writings of Virginia Woolf.

It was terrible. Brilliant acting, great story-line, interesting thematic presentation...but terrible. Because (spoiler alert!) a mother abandons her children in that movie and one of the children, a sad, wide-eyed little boy, grows up to be a sad, wide-eyed, sick man. And it was just too much. Before I became a mother, I might have really enjoyed the movie. I might have shed a few tears because it's a sad flick...but I probably wouldn't have sat there, like I was, hopelessly bawling into a skein of yarn.

Look what I've become.

All I can say is, motherhood isn't for the sissies. I'm just hoping that by the time Silas is ready for Kindergarten, I'll be LESS of a sissy.

September Giveaway!

2013-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! It's giveaway time again! The weather is changing--the air is crisper and the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn! Also, my wardrobe is in transition; long sleeves, cardigans, boots...all things warm and soft! Fall is definitely my favorite season, so I'm celebrating!

This month, the Habits & Novelties shop is giving away one of its lovely, handcrafted wood pendants!

This is the Geometric Triangle Pendant. Handcrafted from gorgeous spalted Maple wood, this pendant has a raw top edge to give it a unique, natural look and is attached to an elegant, gunmetal chain. If you love, natural-looking jewelry pieces with bold shapes and lines, this is a polished and stylish way to accessorize your wardrobe. The Geo Triangle Pendant is valued at $40, and we're offering you a chance to win it this month! The giveaway begins TODAY and ends 9/15, so get your entries in and tell a friend or two!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Projects Complete!

2013-08-27T14:46:00.001-07:00

Isn't it nice when a project that has been in the works for a long time finally comes together? Well I've a little story about a project that narrowly escaped destruction and was completed by your's truly earlier this week.

This little pretty almost never was.

Wicker Lace Cowl / Capelet

I started her almost 4 months ago, all gung ho for the challenge. Knitting a lace pattern is tedious work and requires a lot of concentration and large blocks of uninterrupted time. And because I am somehow delusional enough to believe I am capable of simultaneously following intricate lace charts and caring for a teething/crawling/pooping/nursing 6-9 month old child, I went for it. Fast forward 4 months. I discover a nearly completed piece stashed in a box waiting for its moment to shine. Only, I don't want to give it that moment. Frankly, the tangle of yarn and circular needles looked like a thing gone completely wrong--and I had emotionally broken up with the project, rebounding with a flirtatious cable knit hat that promised an easier time! But I examined the jumble and decided to be reasonable. It required just another few hours' love and attention, so...I sighed and went to work, not hoping for much. But as I bound off the last few stitches, the thing transformed in my hands. Amazing! See what a little commitment will do for a relationship? (That floozy hat is now on my back burner, btw).

Do you like? Handcrafted things are always cooler when they come with a story, so there you have it. If you're a knitting buff, you can visit my Ravelry profile and check out the stats (needle guage, yarn, my notes on the project, etc.) You can check out other knit things I've done there, too. The Wicker Lace Cowl/Capelet is also for sale in my Etsy shop!

Any knitters out there? What are you going steady with at the moment? ;)

Habits & Novelties Jewelry Sale!

2013-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody,

I just wanted to pop in and announce that there's a great sale going on now in the shop! Right now, through the end of this month, you can get 15% off your purchase of any jewelry item when you enter the coupon code at checkout! "SUMMER15" is the code!

Some items are limited edition, so hurry and see if anything tickles your fancy!

A Little of This, a Little of That

2013-08-19T16:39:00.001-07:00

Lately I've been terribly inspired to create...just haven't had the energy or a lump of time large enough to sit down and do.

It doesn't help that the internet has somehow contrived to show me every sewing/crafting/diy site of interest in the last three days. Especially this site! This gal is oh so fashionable and makes almost all of her stuff herself. Jealous!

Then there was this other site, which featured THIS POST with a DIY tutorial for recovering your infant's carseat. You know--when the fabric/design is tacky and you want something else, but don't wanna buy a whole new carseat? Yeah, that. And surprisingly, carseat cover replacements are a VERY untapped market. Lots of carseat canopies, but no covers. I suppose it's because every carseat is so different, any replacement has to be uber customized. Anywhoo, this tutorial is pretty much brilliant, because it shows you how to totally deconstruct your existed carseat cover and remake it to your own tastes! This has been added to my ever growing pile of future projects.

source

Le olde Etsy Shop needs some love, too. I keep trying to whip things up while my teething son is asleep. It's slow going. The good news, however, is that some very beautiful new leather in the studio and I have very exciting plans for it. Stay tuned for that.

Best Baby & Toddler Toys on a Budget

2013-08-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

One of the funnest parts of having small children, I think, is the occasional splurge on toys. These days there are just SO many options and so much ingenuity! But while that is true, I'm also kind of a minimalist when it comes to things my child plays with. I look for things that are teaching and hands-on as well as entertaining.

Below are some of my favorite toys and brand names. They foster creativty and learning, while taking it easy on the pocketbook.

Lamaze

Lamaze toys are great for little hands! Lots of things to grab and pull and hug on! But what I also really like about Lamaze, is that many of their selections encourage development and learning. We purchased the cute inchworm below for Silas, before he was quite old enough to play with it, but now at 10 months old, it's one of his faves! Each segment of the worm has a fun texture or makes a fun sound. The bottom measures increments-- 24 inches/60 cm, like a ruler. Very unique toy and my son loves it!

Remo Kids' Percussion

As parents who were taught to play various instruments as we grew up, the hubs and I feel its important to encourage music in our household. When Silas is older, we hope to incorporate lessons. For now, though, we get a kick out of his fascination with banging and strumming things--yes, strumming! The kid found one of his Daddy's guitars one day and starting plucking and strumming the strings. We couldn't keep him away, until we bought him a miniature version. Then he found our djembe drum and we started searching for something kid appropriate in the percussion department. We found Remo and are very impressed with the selection of kid's tom and bongo drums! These drums are intended for children 3 years old and up, but we decided that we'd go ahead and purchase the one below and supervise his play! One of the best purchases ever!

PlayWorks

This company is on my watch list. When our son is a little older, I would like to purchase something in their toddler's department--lots of fun, bright toys that teach kids to find patterns and build a whole from parts! I especially love the two items pictured below! The one on the right is called a "sun sorter" and the other is their "rainbow sound blocks."

How about you? What are your favorite toy brands? What do you look for in a child's toy? What is your favorite age to buy for? I'd love to hear your feedback!

Thyme Maternity®| Fashion-forward Nursing Apparel!

2013-08-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I posted about Thyme Maternity's nursing apparel and accessories! I hope a few of you were able to get in on that sweet sale they were having!

Well today I'm revisiting Thyme Maternity, and showing off a couple lovelies I received from them.

This GORGEOUS Pointelle Maternity Cardigan in grey is one of the items I recieved from Thyme Maternity. It's deliciously lightweight and soft; delicate, but appropriate for casual wear. You can see that it's beautifully designed-- long and flowy, but also fitted. I especially love the contoured lace pattern along the sides and the soft ribbing along the front! This cardigan is great for nursing moms like myself, but also totally appropriate for ladies sporting a baby bump! A great selection of Thyme Maternity's apparel is available at Toys R Us. Purchase this cardigan online in this lovely heathered grey color or black for $34.98 (retail valued at $49.00).

The second item I received from Thyme Maternity was one of their signature nursing bras. I selected the All-over Lace Nursing Bra in white. It looks really great ON, but I decided to refrain from modeling it for you! This bra is beautiful! It too is more delicate than I expected it would be. The bra features comfortable soft cups (no padding or ribbing) but supportive underwire to give shape and structure. The all-over lace is feminine and pretty--something you don't always find in a nursing bra! When I first started testing this product out, I was a little concerned for the lace, as I have a 10 month old son who likes to grab and pull on things while nursing. However, this bra has stood up to the test. My son's little fingers haven't damaged or snagged the lace at all. The opening and closing clasps at the top are easy to put in and out of place quickly, and the cup lowers just enough to allow for discreet and effective nursing. This item is available at Toys R Us as well, for $39.00 and is also available in black. I think I may just splurge and purchase it in black as well! Pretty, isn't it? :)

There is a great selection of apparel and bras, as well as other nursing gear for the ladies at Thyme Maternity, so be sure to check out the rest of the finds there!

Disclaimer: I received the items pictured above from Thyme Maternity® in exchange for honest review. The opinions stated above are my own.