Amberism

Everyday::These boots were made for walking...

Little red suade booties I made for Claire this week. This is a little pattern from the Stich n' Bitch Page-a-day calander that my Mother-in-law sent me "just because". Gotta love gifties like that in the mail, eh?

The boots knit up with no seams, although the pattern was a little bit complicated considering how simple they look in the end. I actually had the wool that they called for (this never happens, I always either choose different wool or simply don't have it) so that was exciting.

And yeah, that ribbon is so going to be replaced.

Apparently, they are also edible...

Everyday::That which is Good. And Holy.

I am not a real coffee nut, I only have one cup a day and have no idea what a good cup of coffee is really suppose to taste like. I drink instant coffee every morning and I like it, and can't imagine starting my day without it.

And yes, even pregnant I have a cup a day. The only time I didn't was when Callum was breastfeeding because Callum was a traitor and refused to sleep even if I had a cup of decaf. That was a long 8 months.

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I'm standing in line in Micheals today (for 20 minutes!) and the lady in front of me turns around, because Callum burped and strikes up a converstaion.

Lady in Store: What a beautiful little boy.
Me, to Callum: She means you!
Lady: He really is exceptionally gorgeous. Look at those eyes!'
Me, to Callum: Gorgeous! Are you gorgeous?!
Lady: Is he yours?

gee. thanks.

Everyday::Playing

I can't seem to get it together to post on the weekend. This past weekend was exceptionally busy with birthing classes, helping friends move, and I ripped up the carpet in the spare room. We're getting there...

Its been like summer in my part of the world the last several days, so we're spending more and more time out on the deck.

and for some reason today, Callum is Mr. Super Whiney. Nothing is good enough for him right now. He's cutting his second molar and man, when these babies finally make there way up I'll be very, very happy.

Everyday::For Claire Part II

Michelle just sent me five (count 'em - FIVE) boxes full of clothes for Claire. Madness, my friends, madness. In addition to all those yummy used clothes, she also sent a pile of new clothes, too. I could never do laundry again and my kids will always have something to wear :).

This is suppose to be a picture of all the new duds, but it was chaos. Callum was throwing the clothes around, Steve's back and forth, the dog is at my feet trying to get on the action... ack!

Claire also is the lucky recipient of this little dude from Auntie Michelle, too. LOVE HIM.

And my husband took apart our Entertainment unit. The logic on this is completely lost on me, I asked him to turn the desk 90 degrees to make room for some bookshelves and now my TV, cds, and dvds are piled up against the wall in the living room (along with all the books I cleared out of the spare room). I guess we're getting a new entertainment unit? The desk is still in the same position. He was feeling like he accomplished something and I said "the energy would have been better spent ripping out the carpet in the spare room for the laminate" and was told that "you do your thing, and I'll do mine".

me no understand but I'm so buying a new TV Unit now.

Everyday::For Claire

Some time ago I mentioned that I was knitting up a sweater from an old knitting book that was once my Mom's. Voila, the finished project!

The pattern is from Patons Baby Book No 166 (and cost my Mom $0.75 at the time!) and is knit with Bernat Baby Coordinates that I swiped from my Mom's stash about, oh, 10 years ago. Its not a wool that I'd recommend, but I'm using my stash, or in this case, stolen wool, like a good little knitter).

Everyday::For Uncle Rick

Callum running across the kitchen to give me a hug, in the shirt Uncle Ricky bought him in Manchester.

Everyday::Sleeping

It seems that at every turn today people are talking about the best method to convince your kids to sleep through the night. The minute someone suggests that something is the best method I cringe. There is no best method, so stop judging all the other mothers out there already.

It got me thinking about how we convinced Callum to sleep through the night. Basically I think we bribed him with a new car when he turned 16 or something. Honestly, we employed every 'method' out there at some point in the process and the kid just started to sleep through the night about the time the experts say that kids will start sleeping through the night. It was miraculous really. Unless he's teething, and then he'll wake up and end up in our bed, something that isn't ideal but considering I don't ever seem to dish out any medication to the kid he finds comfort draped over my chest instead. This is the problem - I'd have to actually, you know, walk down the stairs and get the medicine. Its a long way. Then I'd have to walk back UP. The agony.

Personally I think that there is no best method, there is only what works for you and your family. I'm a firm believer in doing what's "best for family" and not what is "best for baby". Maybe I'm a hardass (but I doubt that considering when Callum was little I never let the little dude cry) but the thing is with the "best for baby" approach they always forget to mention that it might drive you to the point where you throw the baby out the car window. Just sayin'. Could happen. There's a reason why the number one rule of parenting is "Don't Kill the Baby". In order to remain sane you have to do what works for everyone, not just the baby.

I'm wondering how we're going to handle Claire when she arrives. With Callum I had the luxury of napping at will but I just don't see that happening this time round.

I wonder if we can afford two new cars in about 16 years.

Everyday::Blurry Callum cradling a sippy cup

Everyday::The Beach

There was server update over the weekend, which means that I lost the last two posts. ah, par for the course with a server move. I can't remember what I said now, though. Some griping about not having the spare room emptied yet and we went to the beach.

Everyday::Finger Painting

Last night Steve and I went to our first "Birthing From Within" birth class. I did the free classes offered by the health unit when I was pregnant with Callum and came away from it unimpressed. I was going to forgo birthing classes altogether this time, but found this class in my community and signed us up. I figured it couldn't hinder the process at any rate.

It is seriously out of our comfort zone, but you practice relaxation and pain management techniques in the class and it should be motivating to practice them at home, too. Steve was a total trooper because it is most certainly not something he would have done in any other situation. There is a lot of "sharing", and art. And chakra balancing. I don't need the man to pledge his undying love to me because no man would attend this class if he didn't love his wife :).

Everyday::Bath Buddies

I was greeted by a line of little friends when I went into the spare bathroom! hee!

Everyday::Strollin'

Everyday::Reading

Every morning, right after breakfast, Callum goes straight to the basket of books in the living room. He can sit and sort through his books, flip through his chosen favorites, or bring them to me to read for a considerable length of time. I never knew that toddlers could be so focused on something, I always thought that their attention span was about 2 minutes.

I know the book thing is pretty typical toddler behaviour, but it still brings me endless amount of joy to see him pick out a book, sit in his little toddler chair, and flip through it so intently.

At least the basket of books makes up for the occassional tv babysitting!

Everyday::Low Quality Parenting (LQP)

To steal a phrase from Michelle, this is what you'd call LQP (low quality parenting). Somedays, you do what ya gotta do.

Everyday::Big Shoes and Little Shoes

Everyday::Nesting or Hell? You decide.

I'm very blessed to have had so many clothes given to me for Callum that I could have easily not bought a single new item (Hi Michelle! Love you!). In the midst of cleaning out the spare bedroom I realized that I had to sort through the old clothes, figure out what was gender-neutral, and then pass them along because I needed the under-the-bed storage for other things. The dressor we're using for Claire is full of material and the material is going to be stored under the bed but in order to store it I had to clean out under the bed. You follow?

This isn't even the half of it. Its so mad that the dog's eyes are glowing from the insanity.

It might not look like I've accomplished anything from this particulary bad picture, but I've made some serious headway clearing out the bedroom. All of my craft stuff, that occupied an entire closet of drawers and shelves, has been relocated to three shelves in a linen closet. Everything is neatly tucked away in the appropriate bin/basket. That was some serious reducing.

Well, ok, three shelves and a crop n' style tote Grandma bought me. And the under-the-bed storage for material. And the bin of wool in the master bedroom closet.

I reduced it considerably though. Honest.

As I'm sure you figured out, I didn't have the camera out today so you get a picture of my living room in a state of chaos.

Everyday::Papa's Home!!

Steve had to leave on a last minute business trip the night of my birthday (happy birthday to me, eh? Three days of being a single parent) and got back tonight. Callum is very pleased! And I am incredibly tired.

Everyday::Claire Elizabeth aka "The Sequel"

I apologize for the low quality of this picture, I should have taken it in the daylight but it was a busy day of mother goose and playdates. We're heading into Week 33 - just over 7 weeks to go! Eek!

Everyday::Happy Birthday to Me!

Everyday::Playing on the Deck

Where we got to eat ice, and crunch snow under our boats! Although we're not quite adventurous enough to venture off the deck in the snow.

Everyday::Roberts Memorial Park

Steve was looking up interesting parks to visit, and we went and had a look at Roberts Memorial Park south of Nanaimo. You can't beat the beauty out here, that's for sure!

Speaking of nature's beauty, The Story of Stuff has been making the rounds, but in case you haven't seen it yet, check it out. Makes for interesting conversation whether you believe it all or not, and it certainly makes you think about you're own consumption and the possible consequences. I'm not entirely sure that all that she says is 100% truth, which as per usual with these sorts of tools designed to change a person's mindset, it disappoints me. Personally I feel that the environmentalists (and I consider myself an environmentalist) need to focus on presenting whole truths and not versions of truths that appear like they were slanted to get a message across. The minute something seems slanted, and it is asking people to do something that will be inconvenient for them, they're going to take the easy way out. Its human nature.

That said, I suppose if politicians slant the truth and use scare tactics, why not the environmentalists.

Everyday:Learning to Swim

Saturday morning we all head out to the pool for swimming lessons. This was the first week that Callum actually got "excited". He's a serious boy ;).

And a happy, happy, happy birthday to Michelle! Hope you had a fabulous day!

My Everyday

This month I'm going to post a picture of my everyday, everyday. Just ordinary stuff. I'll try not to make it all about Callum but I can't make any guarantees because toddlers are just so much fun to photograph. I'm hoping to get used to my new camera, and just remember this time since its all going to be changing very dramatically in mere weeks.

Speaking of the little man, like most parents I just hope that when he moves into manhood that he finds something to do that makes him happy and fullfilled. I also hope to instill in him a love of nature and the outdoors, but mostly I just hope for happiness. And then somedays I just think, man, this kid is such an engineer.