It’s not often your offspring remind you of Smeagol. At least it shouldn’t be. We had a lovely Easter weekend, and yet, this is the picture that came back to me {captured by my friend April}.
I’m proud to be this little river-creature’s mother and couldn’t pass up the chance to hold a contest for the best caption. Leave a comment with a suggested caption for this picture, and enter to win a $30 Amazon Gift Card. And no, you don’t need to mention it, I’m already sending off the picture to AFP.
{click to enlarge photo for better inspiration}

Comments will close on Wed. May 11 2011. Winner announced the following day.
As they say, “It happens so fast!”
I bought this adorable growth chart from “KimsSister” on Etsy, and the quality has far surpassed my expectations. It’s super cute and goes great with Owen’s nursery. You can buy one here.


I have a stack of beautiful new Waverly fabric that I wanted to put to use. Just a few inches from my stack of fabric is my baby gate I’ve told you all about. Then it occurred to me that it wouldn’t be *too* terribly obnoxious to spruce up my baby gate, would it?
Here’s the before:

And here’s the after:



The width of the fabric was the perfect for the height of the gate. I cut 1″ notches along the width of the fabric and ripped strips off, then wove them through the gate with a little knot at the top and bottom. Other ideas I had along the way include spray painting the gate something a little more vibrant using spray paint for plastic, or hanging baby toys on it. I know you’re not supposed to help the gate stand out, but, HELLO?! How can you not see it already?
Fabric used: “Sweet Spot” and “Ring Toss” brand new fabrics from Waverly.
It was clear from the beginning that Owen is a ‘bad boy’. Sleeping all day and partying at night, over consumption of anything and everything and a blatant disregard for rules. It seemed only fitting as his first birthday fast approaches, that we help him blossom into who he is: A Rebel. Bad to the bone. So, we took him to our local tattoo shop and had him branded with his favorite “she thinks she knows what she’s talking about” website. I’m sure there are more to come.

Last week I threw a little Valentine’s Day party for young moms in my area, and we had so much fun. It wasn’t a relaxing tea or a pampering pedicure, it was a rowdy toddler-chasing, cheerio and PBJ snacking unintentional cardio workout. Just the kind of party that would have given me a headache a year ago is the perfect fit now as my little one likes to get his wiggles out with his friends.
by Gracie Girl Notes. This Pennsylvania shop has fun prints and cute shapes for invitations, announcements and thank you cards. I provided the wording, and Bevin came up with the adorable concept of the little elephants with heart cardstock and kraft paper invitations. They really were cute and professional, and even better – I didn’t have to spend ANY time on them! She sent a proof via email before she shipped them out, so I was confident I was getting the perfect invitation. {Plus anybody that packages with Divine Twine is alright in my book}



Several items were donated from companies that got me through the rough transition into new-mommyhood. You know how moms talk – we know who’s pooping, who didn’t nap, and who’s cutting teeth. It used to drive me crazy when I didn’t have kids and the conversation would continue at-length on any of these subjects. But now I get it – we’re all trying to be the best moms we can and it takes experience from our peers and the help of quality products.
We bought at least 6 different brands of bottles for my underweight one-month old. Some bottles came out too fast, others too slow and frustrating. Some had him swallowing too much air, making an achy belly and big spit-ups. With a baby with colic, anything that could lessen the symptoms was a lifesaver. Switching to a more sensitive formula combined with these Tommee Tippee bottles made such a difference. He was less gassy, happy with the flow, and less starving! 9 months later he still loves them, and they are easy to hold in his big paws. By four months, he was holding them on his own.

And with colic comes LOTS of tears. I’m a firm believer in Dr. Karp’s “Happiest Baby on the Block” method that can get any crying baby soothed as long as there is no medical problem. I’m having flashbacks as I type this. It seemed like a century, but with the three months of colic came nights in the laundry room with the dryer on, running water to soothe cries and many many swaddles. These Aden + Anais swaddle blankets were the only ones sufficiently big and stretchy to pull tight enough for him to be sufficiently womb-like. They are definitely on my ‘must-have’ list for new moms {I even took mine to the hospital from day one}. They just made such a huge difference in our baby when he was little. Now that he’s older, they stay around covering a sleeping baby in the stroller, or as a blanket to crawl on.

When people tell me their babies wouldn’t take a pacifier, it almost doesn’t register. I can’t even IMAGINE. I got Owen sleeping 10 hours consistently at 3 months old using his favorite thing in the world: his Nuk pacifier. He is still happily using his pacifier at night, or when he’s embarrassing me with his volume level at a restaurant. He will only spit it out for two things: his bottle or his toothbrush. My only regret is that I didn’t know about these sports ones. Owen came home from the hospital wearing my baseball outfit from my birth, and this baseball binky would have topped it off!

You might remember Nicole Hoxie Photography doing my newborn’s pictures. They turned out better than I could have imagined, and I’m so lucky to have such great pictures. It’s so fleeting, they only stay that tiny for such a short time! Nicole is so crazy talented, you’ll notice that if you visit her home. Quilts, clothes for her kids, decor – all handmade! This is a diaper clutch that she designed and created – a perfect fit for a few diapers and wipes, and other essentials. Just in case you don’t feel like lugging your entire diaper bag, or you can leave it with the sitter while you’re away. She has created so many beautiful diaper clutches and you can buy them here.
Also pictured is a Baby Carrier Cover by Kukuku. No longer in stores, but a lifesaver for a chilly baby while he’s in your front carrier {works great with Baby Bjorn, Ergo, and other similar baby carriers}. My baby never liked to sleep, but I’ve managed to lure him to sleep with the fuzzy fleece lining of this cover and a little back rub.

In light of the rough first months, a one-of-a-kind frame like this one found it’s way to my doorstop {You can see my post about it here}. This frame was created by Face to Face Framing using reclaimed barn wood. They have an impressive Etsy shop with really amazing woodwork and home decor. Brigitte sent me one of these frames with a photo of my little one and it has got to be one of my most prized possessions. You can’t bottle that new baby smell or hang on to that feeling when your baby cozies up to your neck for the first time, but my frame with my baby’s little toes is as close as it gets. {Also pictured is my ‘Love Print‘}

Also from Face to Face Framing is this fun burlap pillow. I’m so jealous that they create these fun pillows – I would LOVE to do this {read: I would love to procrastinate on my daily house-wifing and work-from-homing duties to get involved in yet another project}. So cute!

And lastly, who knew it would be so hard to get back on the wagon? I went without a hairbrush and mascara for probably a good month after baby. So much feeding, diaper changing and soothing, all I ever wanted to do in my spare time was SLEEP. But the pieces had to be put back together, and if I was going to wear a pony tail, I was at least going to throw on a pair of earrings! :) These cute hoops are from a local brand, Twisted Silver. I’m seeing their cool jewelry more and more and my friends and family grow their Twisted Silver collection!

The baby food was provided by three great companies that I LOVE. How did anyone raise children without this stuff? He may have his sleeping faults, but Owen is an exceptional eater. I always have a few of these food pouches in my diaper bag in case our errands run long or he’s just a hungry dude. His legs start squirming at the very sight of these, and he loves that he can suck it out of the top all by himself! Plum Organics, Revolution Foods {who has the CUTEST website} and Ella’s Kitchen all have a version of these baby food pouches and they are a lifesaver. It’s organic {don’t roll your eyes}, it’s sneaky {crammed with veggies, but you’d never know it!} and fun for the baby’s to eat {Look ma, no spoon!}.

Raffle tickets made using Just Something I Made‘s Vintage Frame graphics {Fun to use for quick projects like this}, and napkin flowers from Design Editor’s Tutorial here.

Brought a rug {Pottery Barn – circa 2009} and some toys for little crawlers.

Penants made from a less-than-favorable book and some scrapbook paper {Sorry for the backlighting here, you can see great penants from the Crafting Chicks here}

Food for kids and mommies {Weight Watchers Chicken Salad recipe here – I added slivered almonds and Fuji apples}

A little something extra for the mommies {when they’re hands aren’t full}

Owen all dressed up for the event {hang on little buttons!}







In the time it takes me to take a 2 minute shower, my little 9 month monster can accomplish this:

Which is why my office went from this:

To this:


Oh, the glamor of motherhood!
So, a question to you work-at-home moms… what’s your routine? I am lucky enough to stay home with baby, but part of being able to do that means that I do have to work a little bit. I sprint to the computer during both naps, but sometimes those are short and there’s more to do. Please leave your tips for getting work done, aside from giving him a brother.
Owen is the luckiest little boy. My mom made him the most adorable cover for his “big boy car seat”. I found a pattern on Etsy for a Britax Marathon Car Seat, and my mom used it, adapted it, and ROCKED IT! {Previous cover was “crocodile” – Doh! No before picture.}


{Blurg. Blurry picture – not my best day!}



My first ever Facebook Marketplace purchase – a total success. I bought this adorable little rocking chair for poor little Owen who has no toys anywhere and hardly gets a lick of attention {Opposite day}.

Since Owen thinks he’s a big boy who can hold his own bottle and thinks he can do a better job at spooning in the rice cereal, I thought I’d make it a big boy chair. He loves to watch {snooze through} hocky games with his dad, so this is his very own “shark tank” rocking chair.


{free rally shirt from last season}

{iron-on vinyl, thanks to my bro for discovering}

Okay, we may be a little topsy-turvey still, but in a coupla months, he’ll have it down pat.
My four month old found a corner of the house that he hadn’t “peed on” yet. I think this pretty much covers it now, my house has been fully mommy-fied.



In LOVE with this gift from Face to Face Framing! Brigitte so generously sent this frame with a picture of my little bugger from Nicole Hoxie Photography.
I almost boobed a little when I got it because I already forget how tiny those little feet were. These little feet can hardly stay still now…

I wasn’t going to continue the series, but I couldn’t help thinking back to all of the advice I’ve received from comments on the blog, and how dead-on they were. I thought I’d share my thoughts…

Okay, woah. This is getting out of control. I could write a book’s worth of my observations. But all in all, I’m tired but I love it, I couldn’t do it without my hubby, my family and close friends, and I’ll listen to advice from anyone and everyone willing to give it. I have a new-found respect for moms. Phew!
Owen, 2 months, going on 18.


