Teaser

I took this picture 2 days ago....love it! Have others, but you will have to wait to see them :)

Amelia's Quilt

After my last post - I realized I have not posted on Amelia's quilt.  Which lets just be honest - after my shirt debacle, it is timely. 

I worked so so hard to get Amelia's quilt done before Isabelle was born.  I am happy to say that I did - after a lot of time spent frantically finishing.  It was really really important to me to get it finished.   Maybe since I felt it was my one last thing I could do for Amelia before she had a sister.  We gave the quilt to Amelia as a gift from Isabelle.  To me it was really a family thing: for me, the time spent making it

for daddy, the time watching Amelia so I could make it

from Isabelle, something special to tie her into the family

and Amelia, a gift really from all of us.  She gave Isabelle a little blankie I made, which made her feel special too.

This is my 6th baby quilt.  I make them for my neices and nephews, though the reproduction progress in these 2 families has been quicker than I.  I'm currently three almost five quilts (nope that is not a typo - and no we are not the ones expecting!) behind including Isabelle's, but I finished Amelia's.  Out of all of the quilts - I have to say Amelia's is my favorite.  I did a couple things differently and the lady does the quilting spent a lot of extra time on it.   She did such a fabulous job as always, but this time she really out did herself.  It just makes it that much more special. I am excited for when Amelia can use it - its still a bit big for her at this point.

So moral of this story - I can make quilts - pretty good ones at that.  If you want a quilt - I can probably make one for you; however, I would probably charge a lot! :)

I Sew Straight Lines

I like to think I am a fairly creative person that does fairly well at crafty things.  Sometimes it may seem I am an 80 year old woman (knitting, quilting, pictures) but really I'm not.

As mentioned I quilt, well not completely.  I don't actually do the quilting part, but I piece it together send it off to get quilted and then put the edging on.  So really - I sew straight lines.  Pretty well though.

With Amelia's potty training - she really can't do the snap onsies anymore, plus she doesn't like the bunchy feeling between her legs.  We bought some Iowa Hawkeye onsies a while ago that she still can wear.  I decided since I am the fairly crafty person that I am - I would cut off the bottoms and hem them.  Waa - laa 2 usable shirts.   Pretty easy project.

Which is good - because for her fall clothes - instead of buying 2T clothes - I bought 3T.  Who knew that 24 month clothes and 2T clothes are different?!  So next year she will be set .

Anyway, off I cut the bottoms of the onsies.  I felt brilliant at this moment.  And then it has sort of gone down hill from there.  I started to sew the first shirt....it caught - hole #1 in shirt.  Note to self:  when sewing, it is good to put some thread in.  So I did - telling myself how ridiculous of a mistake that was....come on Miss Crafty - this isn't your first rodeo.  Ok, set up again, it caught...again - hole #2.  This time?  I still had my walking foot on from finishing Amelia's quilt.  For those who don't know what a walking foot is - well nutshell version - you are supposed to use it for really thick fabric.  A shirt?  Really not a thick fabric.  Once again as I switch them out I tell myself how the mistakes I am making should not be made. This is supposed to be a 'build your ego' project.   Ok - so on go the glasses (reading glasses people!  Remember I'm not 80!) - maybe this will help my issues.  They didn't.  As I sew around the shirt....I come to a seam....it gets caught....AGAIN.  Seriously?!  At least this time it doesn't have a hole.  Instead it has a very crooked line that quite frankly for a person who sews straight lines is rather embarrassing.  I'm killing the resale value of this shirt!  Come on - work with me Crafty wanna be!  So as I continue around....I keep migrating toward the edge of the shirt.  UGH!  At this point if I was speaking out loud I would be yelling at myself.  To think I'm still only on the first shirt!   At this point - Ring Ring - I'm saved by the Belle. Literally.  Isabelle woke up - oh so sorry self - have to leave this project unfinished on the sewing machine.  Ugh.  I suppose I will try again today.  Moral of the story....not all lines are straight and easy.....I can sew pieces of a quilt together.....but shirts....not so much.  Though I guess I do have one more shirt to redeem myself.  So we shall see.  But - note to you....if you have a shirt you want hemmed or touched with a sewing machine...I recommend not asking me!

 

 Update:  Well, I made it the rest of the way around the shirt.  For re-enforcement I was going to go around again (really not smart) and I have made 2 more holes and if I go farther I think I may just butcher the whole thing.   Ugh.  The only thing I can figure out is maybe my needle is too big.  BUT, I'm not going to test it out.  I think instead I will be buying an iron on hem for the other shirt.  Needless to say - I think I flunked on this craft!  So it goes I suppose.

Phone Mix

It seems sometimes one of the phones is closer at hand to capture little memories and moments.  I pulled a few off of each of our phones from the last couple months.

 Amelia in one of her little dresses - she felt so pretty!

 Walking through Walmart - Amelia picked up a bat and used it as a cane the rest of the time we were there

 Isabelle pulled herself up from a reclined position - abs of steel!

 Amelia taking her babies on a ride in her bus

 Baby in the back gets to wear Amelia's hat!

 Gotta wash the babies too!

 Amelia playing in her swing set

 Playing hopscotch with baby - Amelia is having her baby hop

 Amelia playing with her little laptop

 Isabelle sitting on Daddy's lap - gnawing on his hand

 "Oh, hello - I was hungry mommy"

 And back at it she went

 Another time in a store - Amelia saw the 'hats' and had to try one on - it was so big

 Going on a walk with the girls.  Amelia insisted on taking her stroller and baby - she actually pushed it the whole way around the block.

 You may or may not be able to tell, but baby was hungry and Amelia decided to feed her on the go.

 Mini baby going potty!  She really must have had to go, because Amelia carried her around for about 2 hours in that makeshift potty.

Mommy with her girls!

Iowa State Fair

We went to the Iowa State Fair again this year!  It was a rather significant trip, since we have Isabelle now - because exactly 1 year ago we found out we were pregnant with Isabelle!  It was kind of fun to realize it was already a year ago and how much has changed since then. 

 

Nana and Papa rented a hotel room and Aunt Amber was the hero by taking the Amelia and Olivia swimming!

 Aunt Amber lifting Amelia up

 What a good Aunt!

 Amelia and Olivia ran all over this patio area having so much fun!

 Coming over to say hello - just for a minute though

 Uncle James, Olivia and Isabelle

 Leaving the hotel to go to the fair

I love this picture!  Hand in Hand!

 

The State Fair!

Aunt Amber helping Amelia and Olivia planting their seeds.

The girls really enjoyed the digging.

Amelia holding her basket - we couldn't get her to wear the apron, so maybe next year.

"Ooooo"

Olivia and her basket

The lines were really long!  So we chased the girls around a lot.

Olivia and Amelia

We finally got smart and skipped ahead in line to miss the part that was causing the long line.

Olivia peeking in to the next section.

Daddy and Amelia

Olivia and Amelia eating their snack!  This is when Amelia realized she loves Cheetos!  Yes, that will do her grandpa's heart good!   I have to say we didn't make it very far this year in the fair. Maybe next year!

Mommy, Aunt Jenna and Aunt Amber with hawkeyes on their foreheads - 2nd year in a row!

Nana and Papa also came and watched Isabelle for us!  What a blessing that was!  It was the first time I have been away from Isabelle for that long!  They drove down to the fair and picked me up so I could feed Isabelle and then whisked her away again so I could go back into the fair.  Thank you so much you guys!

The Singing Songbook

Way back when Mommy and Daddy were kids, a phenomenon occurred called Psalty the singing songbook.  Both of us can still sing certain Psalty songs from when we were kids and the aunties and unkies of the families can remember this blue book too!

 

The best part of Psalty is that all of the songs are classic bible songs as well as his videos. (The videos are pretty funny - they are the original 80's videos just put on DVDs).  They are easy to let Amelia listen and watch because we don't have to worry about the message coming across.  Well, we decided to buy her the Psalty videos and cd's last Christmas.  What was the result you may ask?!

Amelia love, LOVE, LOVES Psalty!!!

 

Amelia originally listened to Psalty in the car and watched the videos on occasion.  This has expanded to listening to Psalty (at her request - we cannot miss because she reminds us) at every naptime and every night until we go to bed.  She asks to listen to Psalty in the car, if she wakes up in the middle of the night, she asks to watch Psalty at home and in the car. 

 

The girl LOVES Psalty. 

 

Amelia loves Psalty so much that she has even started to sing some of Psalty's songs....

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah - Praise Ye the Lord.  (Amelia will sing the first part)

I love you Lord (Amelia says, Laaa Lu, Laaaa Lu for Love you - sooooo cute)

 

We will sometimes sing a couple Psalty songs at night before bed - it goes a little something like this....

Daddy starts singing.....Touch your finger to your nose...

Amelia (excited amazed face).....mom...

Mommy joins in singing.....Then at the waist bend down and touch your toes....

Amelia....Mom...

Still singing.....And when you come up slowly start to sing....

Amelia....MOM....MOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!

Mommy....Yes Amelia....

(In sheer amazement and excitement - like it was the Christmas morning).....pause....Deedle Deedle Deelde (this is Amelia's word for Psalty)....

Mommy....Psalty?!

Amelia (HUGE SMILE).....Yeah!!!

And then we all sing the rest of the song......Say to the Lord I love you, I love you, I love you, say to the Lord, I love you.

 

We are so glad Amelia is able to learn about God in such a fun way!  If Psalty was ever to make an appearance again - I think we would have to go!

 

Where is Isabelle at?

I wanted to do a post to update on where Isabelle is at these days with her development.  Isabelle is around the 12 lb mark, so she is still quite a small little thing for being 5 months old. 

According to Isabelle there truly is something better than sucking on toys or hands -- her big toe!  She really can get a suckin' on it while I change her diaper.  Isabelle continues to do her leg slapdown on the changing table -  its almost like a mouse trap......she sucks on her toe so hard and once you get it unhooked, her legs slapdown with such a force -- you gotta watch out!

Isabelle is doing very well at picking things up and switching them between hands, even when she is on her belly.  She is getting stronger on her belly and can hold her head up for longer and longer periods of time.  She can't go from back to belly yet, but she can grab my finger and pull herself over.

Lately I have been working with Isabelle on sitting up by herself.  She doesn't do very well in the bumbo anymore since she wiggles and arches her back that the bumbo just doesn't really hold her very well anymore.  Her lean back seats are also coming to the end or their lives as well - her abs are so strong, she can sometimes pull herself up from a leaned back position.  Isabelle is quite the wild child when sitting by herself and loves the freedom.  Pillows must be all around her!

Isabelle is also still quite smiley and now she has giggly moods!  I must say - I think these moods may be sleep delirious, because the last couple times they come right before nap time.  But its quite hilarious - she is ticklish or even just start laughing while you talk to her or close your eyes - open them and say boo.  That is quite a funny thing to her.

Isabelle loves Amelia!  She will watch her and smile at her - its as though she is transfixed by Amelia. 

Isabelle's hair is also filling in and lightening up to about the same color as Amelia's.  Her facial features (in my opinion) look like her daddy.  I also see a resemblence to her cousin Alaina, when she was a baby!

 

Isabelle in the Jumperoo!!!

 Isabelle's first time in the jumperoo!  Amelia was showing Isabelle how it works! 

 This is a few days later - Isabelle is getting more used to the jumperoo

 She is still a little short to touch the ground, so we added a little something to help her out.

Isabelle's main activity in the jumperoo, though she is starting to switch it to more jumping now.