At 14 months old, Sophia is happy as ever. She’s getting into everything. She loves to play, clap, laugh, dance, kick her legs vigorously, and wave her arms with enthusiasm. She’s a mover and a shaker and doesn’t like to sit still! She has a little personality that is all her own. She cracks us up! At 14 months old, Sophia has several words she’s saying regularly like, “mama,” “dada,” “ba”(ball), “baba”(bottle) “oh, oh, oh” (her way of saying hi to new people). She understands many words. I'll ask her to give her baby a kiss and she kisses her baby. Or, "Can you bring me a block?," and she brings me a block. "Let's play ball," and she brings me her ball. It amazes me how much she can comprehend at this age. She also communicates by handing me things like the remote (which means she wants to watch Yo Gaba Gaba)! At 14 months old, Sophia enjoys taking the tops off of things and putting them back on. This includes caps to pens, the lid to the yogurt tub, or top of a lotion bottle. It doesn't matter what it is, if it has a top, she wants to take it off and put it back on. If it needs to be screwed off, she hands it to me to unscrew and puts it back on. I don't know if … [Read more...]
Archives for 2013
Drop Cloth Baby Banner
After browsing around on Pinterest and looking at cute little girl's rooms, I was inspired to make a baby banner for my little girl's room. This was a simple project to do, but I have to admit, it was time consuming. I prefer quick projects with immediate results like the clothespin magnets I posted the other day! However, I did have fun making the banner, especially once I saw the results. I decided to use drop cloth to make the baby banner. When I say drop cloth, I'm referring to the material painters use to protect the floor. In a previous post I showed you how to make a drop cloth table runner. I like using this material because it looks a lot like linen and it is sturdy. Drop Cloth Baby Banner Supplies you will Need to Make Banner: enough drop cloth or whatever fabric you choose for front and back of flags (I made 10 flags) scissors pencil ruler or some sort of straight edge (I used a magazine) hemming tape or ribbon sewing machine, needle and thread, or fabric glue stencils or you can make your own paint and brush Steps to Make Drop Cloth Baby Banner 1. Measure out one flag. As you can see above, I used a magazine to measure the sides of one flag to make … [Read more...]
Clothespin Magnets
Clothespin magnets are another very simple do it yourself project. This is the kind of project that would be fun to do with young kids. It doesn't take many supplies and there isn't any skill involved. It's a quick project so they won't need any significant attention span and they can see there results right away. Plus, they can pin up their projects with them. If you don't have a stainless steel refrigerator, maybe you have a fridge in your garage you can put the clothespin magnets on or I like a magnetic board. All you need are clothespins, magnets, hot glue, and whatever you want to decorate them with them. I used buttons and rhinestones. You can paint them or cover them in glitter. They look great however you want to decorate them. There is not much too this. Glue a magnet on one side of the bottom of the pin. On the other side glue whatever you like to give them some spark. These took about five minutes to make. Sometimes it is fun for me to do a quick and easy project like this. I get some sort of gratification out of little DIY projects (even if they are this basic)! I think they look cute. At Christmas time I use clothespins to clip and hang my cards to a chain … [Read more...]
Sweet Baby Shower Idea
A friend of mine is getting ready to have a baby shower. We were discussing baby shower ideas which made me reflect back to my own baby showers. One sweet baby shower idea is to have each guest fill out a list of wishes for your baby. I included a PDF at the bottom of this post with the wish list my mom made for my baby showers. She placed a list for each guest at their place setting with a cute pencil (it was sort of a pain sharpening all the pencils but they looked cute!). Everyone filled out a wish list for baby before we ate. Later my mom put them all in this book she gave me. It makes for a sweet baby shower idea and a gift my baby will have forever. It's also fun to look back and read the sweet messages your friends and family left for your baby at her shower. I love this book my mom put together for me from Sophia's baby shower. It's a pretty vintage looking book with clear pockets on each page. My mom made this emblem for the cover page. Each guest filled one of these wish lists out for Sophia. Each card was placed in the book. I have the book for Sophia to read one day when she's old enough. Wishes For Our Baby wishes for our baby (boy) … [Read more...]
So You’re a New Dad?
As Sophia’s mom is getting ready for work, I can’t help but dread the thought of her departing. Yes, I love Kelly and will miss her while she’s at work, off to her “easy” job. For the real full time work is done at home with Sophia. New dads should actually be awarded some sort of “chip” or “medallion” like the various 12 step groups around. I could totally picture this, “Any new dads here celebrating 30 days of intact sanity? 60 days? 90 days?” New dads look purely astonished as a dad walks up, smile intact, hair done just right, clothes matching and accepts his 1 year medallion for not only staying sane with a “little one” at home but for keeping his child alive and safe for a whole year! “No friggin way,” the new dad yelps! “How can any new dad keep from going crazy or losing it for a whole year?” Moms are a different breed compared to dads. New moms seem to fall into motherhood so naturally. New dads are in a constant state of anxiety and low grade fear when left alone with their baby or toddler while mom heads out for the day to work or god forbid an over night event with the other new moms. However, I must admit we play it off pretty darn good. Yet I find myself … [Read more...]
Too Many Toys?
Do you ever wonder if your child has too many toys? Do you wonder if they are bored with their selection of toys or not stimulated by them? I came across a great book titled Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. The subtitle of this book reads; Using the extraordinary power of less to raise calmer, happier, and more secure kids. This is comforting advice regarding my child having too many toys. This is a great book and highlights four tips regarding children and toys. 1. The number of toys your child has should be dramatically reduced. The author writes,"As you decrease clutter, you increase a child's attention and capacity for deep play." She explains that too many toys can be overwhelming for your child. This makes sense. I feel most calm when I have less excess stuff; when my closet is cleaned out and organized, and my drawers are de cluttered. This is when I feel like I can focus best. 2. Organize the room so your child can only see a few toys at a time. It is best to put most of their toys away so they can concentrate on a few at time. Too many toys is too much of a distraction. 3. Reduce the number of books they have in their room. Dr. Payne writes, "Kids need the … [Read more...]
Shadow Boxes & Baby Clothes
I love the way shadow boxes look, especially with baby clothes in them. Shadow boxes and baby clothes are a great way to add art with meaning to your baby's room. Shadow boxes can also display your baby's keepsakes beautifully. Last time I was at my mom's I took a picture of this shadow box she has on the wall above the baby's crib. It gave me some inspiration to make my own. I haven't gotten around to making one yet but I found a few more shadow boxes I like and thought I'd share them with you to maybe inspire you to make one. Shadow boxes look really great with any sort of keepsakes or memorabilia in them {not just baby clothes}. This shadow box with a baby sweater is from my mom's house. She put some pink and white checked fabric in the back and pinned a cute little Polo sweater in it. A shadow box from Pottery Barn Kids. I love the silver plate, spoon, baby shoes, and picture. It's so simple. This another shadow box from Pottery Barn Kids. This is cute for a little boy's room. I love the hand print. This is from Restoration Hardware Baby. The simple pink dress in the white framed shadow box looks so pretty in this little girl's room. Another shadow box from … [Read more...]
Motherhood Has Changed Me For the Better
As I was sorting through photographs of Sophia this morning, I thought about how motherhood has changed me. I thought about how my life has changed for the better since Sophia's arrival. I thought about how the center of my universe has shifted to her, giving me so much to celebrate. I thought about her being this little person that somehow I never get tired of being around. Most days are really fun with her. Sure, there are times when she is fussy and whiny. There are times when I feel really exhausted from the juggling act but I still love being around her. It’s a different sort of love than anything I’ve ever experienced. She’s a delight and when I’m away from her for even a couple of hours, I really start to miss her. Since I've entered the world of motherhood, my priorities have shifted and Sophia has helped me realize what really matters in life. I’ve noticed my values have sharpened knowing I’m setting the example for another person and her tiny pair of eyes constantly fixed on me keeps everything in perspective. Motherhood has changed me for the better because I find that things that once seemed important are now less important and Sophia has helped me discover an inner … [Read more...]
Tights into Leggings
Ever thought about turning tights into leggings? I have a bunch of tights that Sophia has grown out of and the weather is warming up. There is no need for tights this time of year but I do like the look of leggings under a dress. This is another super easy project: turn your tights into leggings. First, you will cut off the feet as close as you can to the heel. Next, pin under the cut edge of the tights. You can stretch the tights and use a sewing machine to sew the cut ends under or hand sew. Now you have turned tights into leggings. They look a little more finished when they are hemmed as opposed to just cut off. This is super easy to do. After you sew, the bottom might look a little stretched out. I used my iron to bring it back down. New pair of leggings! I showed you how to make these rose petal flowers last week. Here are a couple more I made. These look so cute on and are great for photographs. They would probably be best for little girls a couple years older that won't pull them off. If you would rather not make these, you can purchase them in the store. I made this flower out of the same material I used for the drop cloth table runner. You can also … [Read more...]
Infant Illness With Rash…What is Roseola?
Have you experienced your infant being ill and having a rash at the same time? Last week Kelly and I took Sophia to the park and after a little while we noticed she just wasn’t her excitable self…you know, the arms flapping, the wiggly legs, the high pitched hoots that all start when she sees the park. Kelly brought it up while we were there. I had to admit that something was amiss. The following day I had Sophia duty. Upon awakening from her noontime nap, she always lets us know she’s awake with a cry that says, “Hey I’m up! I’m down here in my room. Are you coming?” So I looked at the “ole video monitor” and there she was standing up in her crib looking towards her door. As I picked Sophia up, I immediately felt heat radiating off her flushed cheeks! “Hmmm, what has Sohia gotten herself into now?", I silently thought. A 101.8 fever! Tylenol was fast at hand and after a bit her temp mellowed to 99.6 or so. For the next 2 long days…fever, fever, fever and no others symptoms. She didn't have a cough, nor was she tugging at her ear. Her voice was fine, appetite remained good, and activity was as normal as could be…with a fever that is. “Could this be?", yep. … [Read more...]
