Impressionist

I've always wanted to do one of those wine & painting things. THere's one in my town, about 2 miles from my house. We've lived here for 3 years & I've never gotten around to it. Thankfully, my sister B is awesome and kickstarts things. She invited me to do one where we would attempt to recreate a Monet-ish waterlilly thing. This is what I started with. Blank canvas with some circles. Intimidating.

This is what it was supposed to look like at the end:

We were given aprons, two brushes & 4 colors of paint: red, blue, yellow & white. We mixed our own colors, so there's built-in instant individuallity even if all of our brushstrokes were the same. It was neat to learn a little more about color theory as we mixed up stuff.
Here's my finished product. Not too shabby.

 And seriously, it was a blast! There was Pandora-style radio station playing, and it was a bit like karaoke Russian roulette. Only with no bullets, because I knew all the songs. So that was fun. I didn't bring a bottle of wine (only because I didn't have one handy that I felt like opening) so I was super classy and had Jack & coke. Woot. It was nice to chat & catch up with B, and then, because of the SUPERB location of Let's Art Party, we walked next door and had delicious Austrian food at Jorg's, where I got this teeny tiny beer. Adorable & delicious.

Moy peeze!

We've come to the point in my momming & blogging where I talk about all the cute things my kid says.

I'm still sort of amazed by that. My BAYBEEEEEE says words. That mostly anyone can understand. There also a fair amount of "that means" translations going on. But seeing how fast she picks up words is the best.

So, her "or" sounds like "oy" which means Eleanoy, moy, dooy are said.

Elbow sounds like eyebrow
Hippo sounds like hair bow
She calls us Mama & Daddy, but will run into the room & shout, "Mom! Dad!"
Garrison is Guyson, which sounds like medicine which also sounds a lot like "this one."
She finally got a hard c/k sound, so milk & sock are pretty cute. Also Puca. She's been saying the dog's name for a long time, but before the k sound it was Pupa. (Cup is still pup though)
She's really in to Winnie the Pooh & asks to watch it daily. "Show? Pooh?" This week she's started pointing out Tigger & Piglet. But she can't say Rs, so it's Tigguh & Pigig. Nothing for Eeyore yet.
Purple is just puhpuh for now.

Toddler speak. Endless amusement. Also here's the pantsless wonder with tiara & magic wand refusing to stay still for a picture.

What I can control

I've been thinking about resolutions & goals & what-not. I'm a few weeks late to that party, but I'm going to ride the coattails of my 2 week late baby.

There's stuff that I want out of 2014. I want a whole calendar year where no one I love dies. Eleanor has been to more funerals in her tiny life than I'd been to in my whole life before she was born. I'd rather Garrison take after me in that respect, not her. But other than resolving not to commit murder, I can't control that.

I'd really like to see the people closest to me have true joy & peace in their lives. Other than resolving to be less stressful to them, I can't control that.

I'd like my dad's cancer to stop growing. Forever. But I can't control that.

Here's what I can control & what I do want to do.

I want to have more dinners with my friends. I want to invite my friends to dinner for no reason other than I thought of them. I love when folks call and say, "Hey! It's a day that ends in y, wanna have tacos?" So I'm going to do that too. Come to Dallas. We'll have tacos.

Today I stepped on a scale while holding Garrison. The number I saw was still smaller than what I'd been seeing at this time last year. Right now I'm in the grips of The Nursing Hunger, but I would like to have some more protein/veggie snacks & less cake. Well. No. I never want less cake, but I'd like to continue to fit into my smaller sized clothes.

Oh, speaking of clothes, now that I'm (most likely) done being pregnant, I want to purge my closet. Adjusting my expectations to being a mom & wife as primary job duties comes with a shift in wardrobe. I have plenty of yoga pants. I don't want to look schlubby all the time. I want to be comfy but still feel like my clothes make the most of the shape I am.

Speaking of closets, I'd love to purge towels too. Move the ratty ones to the "dog's bath" cabinet & replace the decades old ones with absorbent & colorful ones. Ditto for sheets.

I want to get each of our cars outfitted with a proper emergency kit.

I didn't quite make my goal of 500 miles for 2012. I made it to 489. Not bad, but 500 this year.

I want to wear my stuff. Jewelry & makeup. I think this means I'll have to get up earlier, which I'm not excited about. For now, I'm going to choose sleep over accessories, but as Garrison sleeps longer at a stretch, that might change.

That's what I can work on. That's what I can control.

And now gratuitous pictures of my kids.

1 month

Time flies, eh?

The Vitals:
12lb 4oz
22.5" long
The time of the newborn sleeper is done, my friends. He is comortably in 0-3 month stuff. He still feels tiny compared to his sister, who is 26 to 28 pounds, depending on how many nuggets she's eaten. But today, I held a baby 2 weeks OLDER (and 2 pounds lighter) than Garrison. Kinda shocking.

Highlights:
Christmas! Which he slept through. Both times. And I currently have ZERO pictures of because...I didn't take any. J did. My mom did. I was too busy opening presents apparently.
New Years Day at the zoo! Which he mostly slept through. And I also have no pictures of. I sense a theme...

First bath. 

Skills:
Spitting up on everything except burp cloths
Charming little old ladies at church and the grocery store
Eating, pooping, sleeping in reasonable chunks (if not always at reasonable times)
Holding his head up
Seeing more than a foot in front of his face

Works in Progress:
Staying awake for more than half an hour
Hand control--the flailing, it is strong with this one.

He likes:
Peeing in the open air like a fountain of a wee cherub
People
Car rides

He dislikes:
The cold

I like:
Falling asleep with him next to me. He's very warm & snuggly
A whole new set of adorable tiny clothes
Watching Eleanor get interested in him. She says his name, though it sounds more like Guy-son & is trying to say something like "brother"

I dislike:
Changing my clothes 2-3 times a day because of various bodily fluids not my own.

All in all, things are going really well. Nursing is so much easier since we got his tongue tie clipped before we left the hospital. He eats quickly, just like his sister did, so I'm getting some sleep. I'm still looking forward to the days when I don't have to choose between sleep & showering. I know it will be soon. These days go much too quickly. He's already so much different than when he was born.

Here's his alligator picture. I did take that one.

Day 2

1 month

 

Coordinating PJs from Aunt B










Christmas in Weatherford. Bonus lazy bones dog