6.30.2008

June Favorites 2008

My flickr faves for the month of June.




June Favorites 2008, originally uploaded by gonzomama.



July, bring it on.

6.27.2008

photo friday.3

                                                                         Hide & Seek

6.26.2008

looking forward

In an attempt to get over myself, and to veer away from this funky mood I've been careening towards I'm going to share with you a few good things.

Good neighbors who bring you squash (and other veggies) when they have an abundance.


Knowing my boy has a passion that he will be able to share with his papa.


Finding some tools at a great deal that will help me (hopefully)learn to play an instrument I've wanted to play for a long time now. Although to be honest, I will be happy if I can learn to tune it :)


Finding Henry is own Go Box at my favorite flea market right before our summer travels begin. (This will be great in limiting the amount of toys and 'stuff' that can travel with us. If it doesn't fit in the Go Box, it doesn't Go.) Thank you Blue Yonder for the great idea. Now I kind of want one for myself - great knitting carrier.

Knowing that this time next week, we'll be doing what we were doing almost exactly one year ago in the exact same spot.

6.25.2008

teaser

Things are a little crazy around here. Henry is still on the mend and in just a foul mood (which is exhausting both of us). We are trying to get things together to go out of town next week for Matt's youngest brother's wedding. And I have been a mad knitter.
So, just stopped by to pop in and say "hello!" and give you a teaser of what I will be working on over the next few weeks.



In the meantime, a certain blanket is taking a bath! Yipeee!


***Also, a BIG BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT to my little sister! I hope today is better than yesterday.***

6.24.2008

she's crafty (sort of)

I said I had some crafty goodness to share, so here is some of it. I hope to have more later in the week.

I have been loving these shorts/short pants since seeing them here. Since I am really trying to make more attempts at sewing these seemed like an easy enough project to tackle.




First I tried to modify the pattern, because she says they fit most 4 - 10 year olds, and Henry does not fall into that category. And he's skinny. So I used a pair of his shorts that are a favorite of mine and that fit him well to modify the pattern a bit. I think it took me about 30 minutes or so from start to finish and that was mostly my fault. First my machine jammed up and then I read the tutorial wrong and had to rip out a seam (or two, but who's counting?).



They didn't turn out too bad for a first attempt, but I do have some corrections to make. They sit a little low for my taste. I'm not a fan of low-riders, especially on toddlers. So I need to bring the waist up a bit. No problem. But then there's this . . . .



See in that picture above it looks like the boy is clenching his butt cheeks? He's not, it's more like a wedgie (that's my fault, too). I'm not sure what part of the pants this would be technically called, but I'll just say that the crotch area is a bit snug. This is what I need to correct on the next pair. If I can master this we may have a new uniform around here, because these are the cutest little pants around and perfect for this little guy to get muddy, wet, popsicle stained, paint-splattered, etc. Any helpful sizing tips out there for this total novice?

6.23.2008

there's a first for everything

I had some crafty goodness to share today, but I will hold off on that till later. This weekend we endured a new experience.
Henry's first trip to the ER.

He woke up with a mild bug bite on his knee Thursday morning. By that evening he had a fever of almost 103 and his leg was pretty swollen around the bite. We didn't think much of the swollen-ness (i think i just made that word up), because he's had the same reaction to mosquito bites. Well, by the middle of the night his leg was really swollen and it seemed tender to the touch and he couldn't sleep because of the fever and discomfort. Finally around 5 a.m. sleep came.
Friday morning he was a bundle of energy and his happy self. He still had a slight fever. Then, by naptime it had shot back up to over 103. The bite also looked terrible, red and splotchy, with a bit of blue discoloration and it was hot to the touch, but not as swollen as the night before. I come to my senses and call his doctor. The nurse tells me to take him to the ER if the fever and swelling don't come down. Okay. I find it a bit odd that she doesn't recommend bringing him to the doctor, but whatever. I give him some Motrin, then we spend the afternoon nursing his fever, watching The Sandlot, and then we nap.



When he wakes up the fever is still the same and so is the leg. We wait a short time for Matt to come home from work and then we discuss this apparently inevitable and dreaded trip to the ER. We decide that yes, we should go, and no, we are not overreacting. At this point the bug bite coupled with the fever has us worried and as we are discussing this Henry is not really putting much weight on his right foot (the leg with the bite - but this is only for a brief time). Oh! also at this point he is getting a rash on his chest. Now there's no question.

Of course we are not looking forward to spending our evening in the ER waiting room with a little one and to our pleasant surprise our hospital has a separate ER for pediatrics. There was no one in the waiting room! Including the time it took to fill out paperwork and wait for the nurse to see us we waited about 10 minutes or so. Woohoo! Henry's downfall came when the front desk nurse put an i.d. bracelet on his wrist. For some reason this set him off. It upset him so much, the poor guy. Luckily the nurse who was taking his vitals removed it and put one on my wrist instead. This helped tremendously.



So, the doctor comes in and does his doctorly thing. (he was very nice and informative and we didn't feel rushed out of the hospital). Then he informs us that Henry has cellulitis! I truly had no idea it could be anything like this. Why did I wait to take him to the doctor? Boy, did I feel like a bad mama.

I am not one to hesitate calling the doctor if I have a concern. I don't mind appearing to be that overly worried mother. If I am not sure about any symptoms or what steps I should take to alleviate those symptoms, I will call and ask. My main concern is that I am doing everything in my power to make sure my boy is feeling as good as he can be. In this circumstance I feel like I let him (and myself) down though. It was just such a strange thing. All his symptoms gradually showed themselves and he was acting like his normal happy self most of the time. And on top of this, it all occurred because of a bug bite. I never would have thought.

Anyway, everything is looking fine now. The bite looks much better and his temperature is finally back down to normal. We are just waiting, watching and medicating (and cuddling, lots and lots of cuddling).

6.20.2008

photo friday.2

Waiting for Papa to come home.

6.17.2008

One down, one to go



I did it! I finished a sock (which at the moment, technically makes it a stocking).
I am learning that while I love sock yarn and I love hand knit socks, I am not a sock knitter. I wish I were though and maybe it will happen someday, but this isn't the day. This was such an easy pattern/recipe to use and if it weren't for the straight stockinette I don't know if I could have made it. It went much quicker than I expected and was less painful than I had anticipated.
The thing I love about knitting socks is the heel. I think it's because its still new to me and I am amazed at how it works. The thing I don't much like about sock knitting is now I have to do it again. Fortunately, I have Diane (at Mackville Road) knitting along with me providing the motivation I definitely need. Even though I worry about second sock syndrome, I know I will finish because I am excited about having a pair of socks that I made.

6.15.2008

Dada, Papa, My Matt



To my best friend and the best Papa, we love you and thank you. I couldn't ask for a better partner on this journey.
Happy Father's Day!

6.12.2008

photo friday.1


just want to try something new. something to push me a bit more. something to help me grow.

i think on fridays i will just share with you my favorite picture i took during the week. i'm hoping to expand my capabilities and this could be a motivator. i definitely encourage any and all feedback.

I am ever expanding.
This time is a bit more uncomfortable than I seem to remember with Henry. Not really bad. Just seems to be putting more
of a strain on my body.
Henry met a fairly new (6-8 weeks old) baby today and was so sweet and gentle with him. It was fussing a bit and Henry had such a look of concern on his face while he gently stroked the baby's leg. I think he's ready for his new role.

6.11.2008



This is the temporary new home of one of my favorite cd's by Old Crow Medicine Show (see below). Also, it is home to one of Henry's favorite movies, Popeye. The little stinker. Is it bad that I chuckled a bit when he stuck them in here (he did have the cutest grin)? Is it worse that I laughed when immediately after he slid the discs in, he stood up and tripped over the toy, my reply to him being "karma, son".

Guess who's toy is getting dissected this evening?


6.10.2008

Finished . . . almost

Alright, so technically they're not done. Oh, but I am soooo close! I had major issues with the buttonholes. I mean they did prevent me from even touching these things for about a month. I had to find a tutorial online on how to sew a buttonhole (which I found to be very helpful) and watch it a few times. Then after I started sewing on my pants I went to check my stitch width on a fabric scrap and somehow discovered exactly how to use the buttonhole maker on my machine (for which I have no manual). So, then I had to practice that a hundred times or so. I came up with two very uneven and different sized holes for my drawstring. oh well. Then the edge stitching. Actually more frustrating than the buttonholes, believe it or not. The bobbin ran out of thread (I checked and thought there was plenty, oops). The bottom stitches became loose. The thread broke. I had to restart countless times. Not really that many, I just didn't want to count lest I become discouraged. Now I have ended up with a not so attractive edge stitch, but one I think will hold up for now.



Now on to the finishing touches. The hems. I am swimming in these pants (at least at the feet). I used vintage bed sheets that I thrifted for the fabric and thought I could cheat by using the already hemmed top of the sheet for the hemmed bottom of my pants. Save time, less sewing, right? Nope. They are way too long. So, that's all that's left. I just need to hem my pants. I just couldn't even think about hemming after the nightmare of edge stitching the drawstring casing. It will have to be done another night. At least I know they are wearable at this point and they are oh, so comfy! These will not be the last pair I make of these and overall I am pretty pleased with myself. I have never made anything wearable. Ever. I'm learning and that's what counts right now.

6.09.2008

Play ball!

Okay, first let me say that I really thought I would have a finished project to share, but I don't. It turned out not to be a good weekend for finishing anything. Matt wasn't feeling well Saturday night and spent the night in bed after dinner and turns out the sewing machine is in our room, so no sewing for me (but Matt is fine now). So, onto the rest of the weekend.

We celebrated Father's Day a bit early and also in conjunction with our 6th wedding anniversary (June 8). We've been eager to take the boy to his first ball game and thought it might not be so crowded as it would be next Sunday, so off we went. Cooler packed with frozen fruit, frozen water, a bit of juice, plus another bag to carry everything else - diapers, wipes, peanuts, towels, camera, books and other activities in case the boy needs to be distracted, and most importantly, frog (the sleepy time snuggly). We tried to arrive prepared and we fared well. We even made it to the ninth inning with everyone's dignity intact, although we did leave then because the game was tied and it had been a long game. We had no intention of keeping a tired boy there for extra innings (which was a good thing because before we were even out of the staduim the opposing team scored three runs).



First, let me start by saying it was HOT! As in a record breaking 95 degrees (avg. temp for now is 84)! Luckily, I have moments of mediocre intelligence and planned ahead and purchased seats I knew (fingers crossed) would be in the shade. Still, it was non-stop, clothes drenching sweating the entire game. But, that didn't matter.

There is something about going to a ball game and experiencing all the action in person. It begins with walking up to the stadium in droves and handing that ticket over knowing that there is a possibility of seeing some spectacular (maybe even record breaking) athletics happen right in front of you. Then, there is the walk to your seat. The sights, the slow moving people in front of you, the vendors calling out, and the smells. Oh! the smells! That mix of super sweet goodies mingled with hot dogs, beer and fresh air just screams 'summertime sporting event'. I love it! Then before the game even begins, the best tradition in baseball. Our national anthem. There is something about our national anthem that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it, especially in such a big arena, surrounded by so many people. I know I may be a wee bit emotional (hormonal) lately, but I got a little teary-eyed sharing that moment with my husband and my son for the first time. *sigh* I do have to admit I got emotional quite a bit throughout the day. I mean, how many times can I get sentimental about the boy eating a hot dog (and like such a big boy)?




As much as I love baseball, I could hardly watch the game. I couldn't take my eyes off of Henry. He was taking in everything and he couldn't stop saying "baseball" and "hot dog". He clapped and cheered and even did the tomahawk chop. He really got into the spirit of the game (and handled being confined to 3 seats amidst a sea people). It made his mama proud.



6.06.2008

Not much to say


a few of my current favorites, originally uploaded by gonzomama.



so I will share some of my recent flickr faves.
I hope to have a certain project finished and ready to share on Monday. Finally.
Have a great weekend.

6.05.2008

Ol' Girl


Our beautiful ol' girl has been walking with a limp on and off for a little while. We took her to the vet and it turns out she has osteochondrosis in her right shoulder. She hasn't been getting the exercise she needs (because of the limp) and has put on extra weight (because of lack of exercise), which in turn is putting more stress on the shoulder. She is now on a prescription diet, pain/anti-inflammatory medicine, and can no longer go for walks (thank goodness we have a big yard). The vet recommended we take her swimming to get her exercise. We fortunately live close to the lake, but there isn't much dog access, so we do have to take a short hike to get her to the water. She did great on the walk to the lake and had a great time swimming, but the walk back was a bit hard on her. I think next time we may try pulling her in Henry's wagon. If you knew Mason though you'd know how little we think that will work.




She's always been a bit of a curmudgeon and she thinks she's a person. She has her own chair and if a someone is sitting in it you get "the look" and a lot of heavy sighing. She doesn't like loud noises. Yelling, gunfire, fireworks, you name it - it freaks her out, my sensitive gal. And if you are upset or crying, she is the first to be at your side. She's a good listener, too. I swore she wouldn't get pushed aside with Henry's arrival, but I have to admit for a time she did. That's not an easy thing to admit to. (Who do you think I took a gazillion pictures of before the boy arrived?) It's great now that he is older because he loves on her as much as we do, so it's almost like making up that lost time.



It's so difficult to think about her getting older and the struggles she may have physically. She'll be 12 this year and she's been a tough cookie. When she was about 10 weeks old she ate my pincushion and got a pin stuck in the lining of her stomach and had to have surgery. We still have that pin framed on our mantle. Most expensive little pin around. A few weeks after that we discovered she had Parvo. That is not something to be taken lightly. She weighed 16 pounds when we took her to the vet where she stayed for over a week and was 8 pounds when we got her back. She was lucky to have lived (especially because her vet wasn't that great we discovered on that trip). Also, we later learned that all the puppies in her litter died from the disease except one of her sisters.

Mason's a fighter and I love her for it, I don't know how we could have gotten on without her these past 11 years.
So, this is to you Ol' girl, keep on truckin'.

6.04.2008

the new enemy



Well, not really enemy, but the newest thing to conquer.
Over the weekend we learned that Henry has mastered doorknobs. We knew it was coming, we saw the signs, but still it seemed so sudden. We put him to bed Sunday night and within seconds of us coming downstairs we turned around and there was the boy. So I succumbed to buying these stupid covers. They are unsightly but they are serving their purpose. I wish I had a better solution. We have eye hooks on the sliding doors and screens, but the boy has a temper so I'm afraid if we used those inside there would be some smooshed fingers. Also the fear of him going into the garage on his own is scary. You practically need a hard hat to get down there anyway.

Besides, I can only take so many trips up the stairs every night to keep putting him in bed. (don't worry, his door is opened before we hit the sack every night). Oh! And we also had to put the baby gate up in the hall before bed because Monday morning Henry was found sweeping the kitchen floor when we woke up!

I give it two months tops. He'll have these suckers figured out.

6.03.2008

(bills) . . .




One of many things I should be doing instead of being on the computer.


Seriously.

6.02.2008

Just for fun


flickr meme, originally uploaded by gonzomama.

This meme is flying around so I thought I would join. It was a pretty fun way to see some new pics on flickr, although many of the photos had nothing to do with the answers I typed in. Besides, any pictures of Lyle that I can add to my blog is a plus - even if I am a little peeved with him at the moment :)