Sibling Update

I haven't really given a concentrated update specifically on the siblings.  Yes, that can be said with an ominous voice.   You see the last time I really focused on how they were doing was shortly after Mae became mobile.    Ace had been doing very well with that.   So how is he now???  How is Mae?

Overall the two of them are doing very well to not only to coexist together but also to play nice.  Ace is an extremely loving brother and for the most part patient.    He loves to take pictures with her and asks to pose for them.

Ace loves to tell us (the parents) "Look at your daughter!" when Mae is doing something silly. It's amusing. He loves to hold her hand, pick her up, show her how to do things and tell her things.   

Mae loves these things as well - to a point.   Mae is a typical little sister more and more each day.  She wants to do everything Ace is doing, she doesn't understand "that's his" just yet, and seems willing to explore every location her brother is.  She loves him a lot and wants to be just like him in many ways.

They have their moments of tug of war over a toy, a seat, or a piece of something - they scream refuse to relent without intervention - so you know - normal.   :)  These moment are still more the exception than the rule and that makes us pleased.  

We want them to continue to love and respect one another as their personalities and roles in the family alter and change.   They are adorable individually and together and I think if they work together could cause all sorts of trouble, in the fun kid-sort of way!

They certainly are off and about on their adventures.  Sometimes together, sometimes on their own.  But really, by choice or objection they can almost always be found togheter.  :)



A Crafternoon with The Ravenna Girls

Last Saturday Brianne and Danielle of The Ravenna Girls invited a few local bloggers to an afternoon filled with inspiration, crafting, and lots of shutter clicking in capturing the festivities!   They put together an excellent space outside on a lovely sunny Saturday in Seattle!   You can see more of their layout and how to set up your own Crafternoon over at Joy of All Crafts.

It was a delightful afternoon of crafting, wine, sun, and good company! It was nice getting to know some talented and crafty new people, Melanie and Jenny.   Bri and Danielle had a lot of options for us to craft with: paint, glitter, dye... you name it - we probably could have crafted it! 

We first started with dyeing some wooden beads that later we would string to make various necklaces.   There was a whole construction project that occurred in order to have a bit more hands free approach to the dyeing. 

The end result for me was something I'll actually wear! Success!

I brought supplies to create fabric flowers - by twisting fabric and using fabric glue to secure it as you go.   My ultimate plan is to make a springtime wreath for the front door, but for our crafternoon project I brought alligator clips to make them into hair clips.   D also planned to make hers into a pin, broach style.    Lots of possibilities with fabric flowers!

Next up was leather crafting that Jenny brought.  Jenny demonstrated for us how to work with the leather and the tools and we were unleashed unsupervised. 

I have to say the banging hammers and making impressions on leather I am very good at.   However, first cutting the actual leather, I just did not have enough umf to do it...  so my geometric shape really was just a sad little scrappy thing - that's ok I can work with that.  I'll admit I had a bit of crafty envy with the shape of D's.

The use of Martha Stewart Transfer Adhesive and foil with it... I'm less than stellar at. The knowing when to just let a craft - die. Serious fail.   See the foil wasn't work for me, even a few tries and tries again and so I figured why not another step, pile on the awesomeness!  Here was an example that Jenny brought for us all to be inspired by and then to the right is my tragedy stellar effort!

 

After that fun but tragically unsuccessful craft for me,  Bri brought out supplies to make their infamous neon nautical rope bracelets.  Love them!  Thanks for the tutorial and the help when my brain still wasn't processing it well!! :)

Finally what better way to end a crafternoon than with a delightful cupcake.   All the other civilized ladies thus far have posted pictures of their whole cupcakes.  See Melanie's here.  Me?  ...a picture came second! ;-)

Thank you, B and D for the invite, the creative space, and excellent company!   Can't wait to do it again!

Dandelion Days Are Here!

1/750ss, f/3.5, ISO: 100, focused on the dandelion.

I love spring and as much as those dandelions vex my pretty yard - they certainly are a lot of fun to play with!   Ace is also very excited to help entertain his mommy who was excited to capture this shot - the blowing of the dandelion seeds.  Off they go to take over more of my yard!

Fifteen Months Old

15 months old!  Such a big girl and in such a tiny frame!  Yes at 15 months and 2 days old Mae weighs 17lbs 6oz (0.38%) she is 28.5" tall and her little noggin is 44cm (14%) for a bit of comparison her mommy was also 28.5" and weighed 16lbs 8oz.    Her mommy reached a great height of 5' so Mae appears to be trending in the same way. 

New firsts for this latest month include:  welcoming dada home from a deployment, a few more words clearly spoken: peease (please), and the most amusing MEEE! which she says with great passion whenever she wants something, thinks its hers, or occasionally when she wants up.  Yes, she's saying "me" :)  It's adorable, but I understand the dangerous potential for it to lose it's cuteness really quickly. hehe.

Illness wise Mae was quite under the weather off and on again this month.   She had two colds that were pretty icky and diagnosed with bronciolitis again. Very sad for her.   For the most part she doesn't let the colds slow her down.  She seems to be catching everything her big brother brings home from preschool - as a result I've deemed it the "preschool plague"

In spite of illness though Mae has really blossomed into a social butterfly and loves to toddle all over the place with (or without) her brother.   If we go to a playdate she rarely is clinging to my side, she's mostly off and about and keeping up with the bigger kids.   It's great to see her gain confidence and independence.  

Mae as far as eating and sleeping go is about the same as last month.  Not so great.   She isn't sleeping through the night, she isn't eating three square meals a day.  This may be a result of breastfeeding on both accounts, so when she gets to feeling better we might start do some nighttime weaning - as I recall with Ace it's not fun and so that is certainly a big part of my delay.  :)   Mae also has QUITE the flare for dramatics and she can wail like no other if she's trying to convey displeasure, so whenever we do wean I'm certain the dramatics won't be lost. 

Giggles are also plentiful though around here.  She's getting more ticklish.  She laughs at her brother's silliness, she giggles as she chases him.  It's so stinkin' cute!   She's still so tiny and cuddly.  For the most part she is wearing 9 month clothes and a few 12 months and in some cases a few shirts that are 6months.   She finally has outgrown in her feet the 6 month sleepers.  Yes, JUST outgrew them. 

It's been a great month and a lot of fun.  Mae loves shoes, hugging dolls, and climbing onto anything she can scale.   She "blows" her nose by making a similar noise with her mouth and still absolutely loves to brush her teeth. Piglet and her blanket are still often clutched in her arm, but quickly ditched as to not slow her down.  She's such a joy and every day is a different adventure. 

Our Easter

Ten on Ten - April

April already? The sun is shining, the blossoms are blooming. It's a beautiful day in the Northwest.  To add to that happiness it's the tenth day of the month so enjoy Ten Twelve on Ten with a bit of a glimpse at our Easter fun!

 She does this when she's nursing too...

Editing my Easter photos of the kids...

Crawling off the bed after an early morning nap.



Yay Dollar Bin weaponry!

Need a lufa? Festive bathroom decor and a nice option for guest. ;)

Why yes this is the Green Monster Smoothie!

Who needs a nap when you can giggle with your siblings?

Slaying dragons and making memories.

Check out more 10 on 10  you won't be sorry!  :)   Happy Spring, everyone!  Happy 15 Months Old, Baby Girl!

Happy Easter

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead,

he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." 

Romans 6:8-11

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:14

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

1 Peter 1:3