Little Sister

We are starting to prepare for the arrival of our second little bundle of joy who will be here in June. Odessa will soon be a big sister which I am getting very excited for. Although the thought of an infant and a young toddler makes me feel... well... tired, I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a mom...again.

One of my favorites...

What Did I Do Today

Today I left some dishes dirty,

The bed got made around 3:30.

The diapers soaked a little longer, 

The odor grew a little stronger.

The crumbs I spilled the day before

Are staring at me from the floor

The fingerprints there on the wall

Will likely be there still next fall.

The dirty streaks on those windowpanes

Will still be there next time it rains.

Shame on you, you sit and say,

Just what did you do today?

I held a baby till she slept,

I held a toddler while he wept.

I played a game of hide and seek,

I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.

I pulled a wagon, sang a song,

Taught a child right from wrong.

What did I do this whole day through?

Not much that shows, I guess that's true.

Unless you think that what I've done,

Might be important to someone

With deep green eyes and soft brown hair

If that is true...I've done my share.

Author - Unknown

To my little girl, I love how big you've gotten, how long your hair has grown, how you insist on feeding yourself and how you want to hold your bottle. I love that you like to sit and read to yourself and I love your confidence, your self-assurance and your sense of adventure. But...please...stop growing up so fast. 

Gone So Long

Wow! 6 months. Where did you go?

It's time to jump back on the blogging wagon. Ever since I went back to work last October, I've wanted to spend my spare time with Odessa. It was tough going back to work. Part of me missed being out of the house, however, when I'm at work, I want to be home. I've been trying to figure out how to balance my life, and I think I'm starting to get it. More posts shortly....

Quilt No.001

I thought I would start including some of my projects in my blog because a) I'm hoping it will help me to get some of them finished and b) I've been feeling very inspired lately. After receiving a great sewing machine as a wedding present three years ago, I decided to start quilting. Although I have done it on and off since then, this is my first quilt I have (almost) finished. I decided to try something a little easier so I wouldn't feel discouraged and give up, like I had so many times before. I still have to put on borders and figure out, basically, how to finish a quilt, but I am very happy with how it has turned out so far. Hopefully I will have some pictures of the finished project soon...as long as Odessa keeps sleeping as well as she has been.

it's the small things...

Odessa has been busy, which, in turn, makes me busy. My days, right now, consist of diverting her away from sharp corners, pulling dust bunnies out of her mouth, trying to keep her safe from Finnegan, helping her to stand on her own, and comforting her when she falls. This constant bustle can be draining and tiring. Anyone with a young child, I'm sure would agree. But, watching them discover new things and seeing just how excited they can become over something you may have never noticed is... wonderful. This busy little bee I have been chasing after has, somehow, made me slow down and see things that I wouldn't usually have paid any attention too. The way she can sit outside and just enjoy the grass makes me want to do the same. Last night, while we were out for a walk, every single dog that walked by made her squeal with delight, and every time Finnegan walks by she claps her hands, as if she has never seen him before. Closely studying fallen leaves is one of her favorite things to do and, earlier today, she waved at a flower...

All Done

Yay! Moving is all over and we are finally settled in. As moving day grew closer, Jeremy kept reminding me how stressful it was going to be with Odessa. I knew in the back of my mind it would be, but I said over and over "We'll manage". We did manage, but Jeremy was right, it was incredibly stressful. Trying to keep Odessa on schedule was hard that weekend, and the following week, she couldn't sleep alone. All the work we had put into getting her to sleep in her crib, all night, had gone down the drain. She also got her first cold that week which has lasted...pretty much until now.

We are back on track though, and I think everyone feels like they are "home". Odessa is back to sleeping on her own, all night, and we have everything organized and in place. We have even found some time to do some painting.

Getting to know the front yard the day we moved in.

Odessa loves to stand at the door and watch people and their dogs walk by. She has even started waving at them. Sometimes, Finnegan joins her.

Odessa is furniture walking now, and the front window is the perfect height for her.

I think she likes it here.