Dear Lila,

Dear Lila,
Where have the last 12 weeks gone? In some ways, I feel like it was just yesterday that we were eagerly awaiting your arrival, and in other ways I can't remember our lives without you in it. You made us a family!
You have grown so much in the last twelve weeks! You are playful and smiley, especially in the mornings. You love looking at your mobile, and you get so excited when we turn it on. You still love bouncing on the ball or on our knee, but you are not so reliant on it anymore. You have other ways to soothe yourself now. You are getting frustrated with being inward facing in the Baby Bjorn...you love for us to hold you facing out all the time, because you just love looking around! You have good neck control, but still a bit wobbly, especially when you are upset. You hate tummy time, so no rolling over or even close calls for you yet! You started daycare last week, and despite Mommy's worries, you are doing great! You eat well for your teachers, and take way better naps than you ever did at home, even in your crib. When I come pick you up, sometimes you are sleeping, but I love it when you are kicking around and playing with a new toy! Daycare makes you very tired, so you have been sleeping great. You go down without any trouble at 8pm. You usually wake up just once for a quick snack about 3:30, but on the night you turned 12 weeks old, you slept through the night for the first time! (If only Mommy had slept through the night!). Your doggy Sage loves you so much, and gives you kisses every day, and always checks to make sure you are in your bed at night when we go into the bedroom to go to bed, and always checks to make sure you are in your carseat when we carry you inside when we get home. You are a good eater, and eat every 3 hours, probably around 4 ounces each time. At your last doctor's appointment, you were in the 25% for weight and 50% for length - tall and skinny like your mommy and daddy! You have traveled to Ohio three times, Washington DC, and Cape Cod in your 12 weeks of life so far, and you are such a great traveler! You sleep well wherever we are - the stimulation of being somewhere new usually tires you out! You do ok in the car on the highway, and you are getting better at traveling through town. You don't love being in your carseat, and even if you fall asleep in the car, you always wake up when we stop. You got your first cold at daycare already, but seem to be tolerating it well. You had a fever just once, when you got your 2 month immunizations. You love being outside, looking in the sky, at trees, feeling the breeze. It always calms you. You have been to two outdoor concerts. You have lots of other baby friends - Addie and Jakob are the closest in age, and of course you love your cousin Margaret, who is finally starting to notice you! Lila, you have made our lives more complete, and we love you more every day!

New Fave Photos

Lila's First Day of School

We feel so lucky that Lila got into the daycare where I work. It will be so easy to drop her off and pick her up, plus Joe and I can both go visit during the day! I start work tomorrow (eek!) so we did a couple of practice runs this week, getting her there by 7:45am, and leaving her for a couple of hours. I was also excited to learn that the babies of a couple of coworkers of mine who were pregnant at the same time are in the same class as Lila! Her first friends! Am so proud of my little girl who napped, successfully had a bottle, and was playing and smiling when I picked her up. Just those few hours must have worn her out, because she took an awesome nap when we get home. She also was asleep for the night at 7:15pm (earliest ever) and woke only twice at midnight and 4am. Not bad! Here's hoping a full day of daycare leads to a full night of sleep! Tomorrow is the real test, as not only do I have to make through a day without Lila, but a day of work!

Home Made Cloth Diapers = Success

Last winter, particularly during a family ski weekend trip (when I was pregnant, so not skiing), I went a little crazy making cloth diapers. I think I made close to 30 total in different sizes. I used a free pattern found online ("Rita's Rump") and made several of my own alterations (including the sizing, so that she could wear them right away, and until older). I used flannel for the diaper, with either a layer of the middle strip a good, thick prefold diaper, or a double layer of terry as a sewn in liner between the layers of flannel. I also used elastic in the legs and across the top of the back to hopefully prevent leaks. I did make them pocket diapers to add extra lining, but I have never used the pocket yet.
I am please to say, that after almost 6 weeks of cloth diaper making, these diapers are a success! No leaks, no blowouts to date! And Lila is capable of some blowouts let me tell you, though havent had any in cloth (only if wearing a disposable). These diapers are very absorbent, and I am really pleased with their performance! I have found a new baby gift for friends wanting to use cloth, because once I got a system down, they are so easy to make! I also made liners (two layers of flannel with a double layer of terry inside) and cloth wipes (double layer of flannel) which have worked great as well. I use the cloth wipes when Lila poops and it is a great way to clean up a majority of the mess with a nice soft wipe, without having to use a zillion wipes. I highly suggest it! Baby washcloths also work (if you are like me and got millions as shower gifts!). The rest of my cloth diaper supply has been rounded out by hand me downs from babies Margaret, Sage and Lily (not Sage the dog, Sage a friend's daughter!), with a couple of upgrades in the velcro areas. I am grateful looking back that I didn't have to spend a lot on the initial purchase of cloth diapers, as Lila's daycare will not use them, so we have to pay for disposables after all. But it will be cloth at home all the way! Here are some pics of my home made diapers and supplies, and my refurbished velcro. I'd be happy to send more instructions to anyone wanting to try to make their own diapers!

DIAPERS






WIPES



LINERS



New Velcro, sewn over old velcro!

Perspective

It is Joe's first trip away from home since Lila has been born - he is gone for one week. Rather than brave it alone, I decided to come to Ohio for the week to be with my family. So it also meant my first road trip with Lila alone, and for the week ahead, my first overnights alone with her among other things. It was hard to say goodbye to Joe for the week. Since the beginning of our relationship, there have been more weeks than I can count that we have had to be apart due to the nature of Joe's work. In recent years these trips have been far fewer, and they have also been made easier by my busy schedule and the company of Sage, our boxer. But this trip was different, as I was saying goodbye not only to my husband, but also the father of my baby. So the goodbye was hard, and we have begun the week, the two of us.
It is amazing how quickly my perspective has changed as a mother. When we were driving here, a kid driving way too fast on a motorcycle in chuck taylors, jeans and no helmet flew past me. For the first time, I didn't think - how foolish that kid is to be so risky. Instead, I felt anger, and thought - how dare he put me and my daughter in danger with his behavior! I also feel irrational anger at construction and 5:00 traffic when I get stopped - don't they know I have a baby in the car who hates stopping!!!?!?!! They should make an exception and let me go by! (I also felt this way when I was pregnant and had to pee!)
Again, on this relatively short road trip, I felt the shifting of priorities, now that I have Lila with me. Stopping to pee is not an option, particularly if she is sleeping. Neither is stopping to eat. Being tired is not an option. These sacrifices I make so easily these days.
We are only a little over 24 hours into our week without Daddy, and already I am missing him, and the relief he provides me. There will be many sacrifices this week - sleep, going out with family or friends as I am used to doing when visiting Ohio, the comforts of our own home and beds. But I expect these sacrifices to be easier every time I hold Lila and watch her smile.
My heart is heavy right now for several friends I know who are struggling with very sick children, in and out of the hospital, in the NICU, with unknown diagnoses. When I think of these families, I feel ashamed for being frustrated when Lila wakes me in the middle of the night, wanting to eat yet again. I hope to move forward, feeling blessed.



Margaret looks in on cousin Lila playing in her crib.



Lila sleeps after a busy morning on the playmat

Adjustment

I return to full time work August 25th. That day is looming before me. I can't believe this time has gone so fast! There is a part of me (a really big part) that is so sad. I feel like we survived the first 6 weeks, and now I am just starting to get to know my little girl. We can play and smile and coo, and I know when she is tired or hungry and how to soothe her, and what she likes and doesn't like. We can get out of the house and see friends and cook dinner, and be asleep in bed by 8:15! These are all major, major accomplishments. I don't want this summer to end, because it keeps getting better each week! But another part of me knows that my return to work is inevitable. It is the price we pay to be able to pay our mortgage, keep Joe in school, and afford the few small luxuries we enjoy. So I figure we might as well get into the routine. It won't be all bad. It will be nice to have adult conversation on a daily basis. It will be nice to get back into a routine that includes going to the gym (so I don't get winded taking Sage on a walk!). It will be nice to have Lila at an excellent daycare onsite at my workplace so I can nurse her at lunch time, and know she is close by. And I know it will be nice to really cherish my time with her once I am not with her all day every day. Joe and I have been on two date nights since she has been born. I went to the doctor twice and on errands once without Lila. Probably a total of 10 hours that I have not been with Lila since she has been born. To call this an adjustment will be an understatement. But it is also a necessity, and I am trying to stay positive about it. I enjoy my work, I enjoy my co-workers, and I enjoy earning a paycheck. So back to work I go. The next two weeks will be very special. I had this long list of things I wanted to get done before I go back to work (one of which is actually send out thank you notes to all the generous friends and family we have...see my homemade notes below which I made before Lila was born, but never got written). However, that list is looking less important. What is important now is snuggling in bed in the mornings until well past 8:00. Meeting friends for walks and lunches. Looking at new toys and exploring new views of the world together. There is time for lists later...

Dinner! At last!

I cooked dinner! Real dinner, from scratch, not frozen, not take out. Lila cooperated by sleeping in her swing while I prepared some meatballs! This is a mostly made up/whatever I have on hand recipe that I usually double and make a meatloaf at the same time...but I didn't have enough ground beef. This semester, Joe will be very busy, and evening cooking will be my job if we want to eat dinner. So it will take preparation and planning. I have already started a meal plan for the first two weeks of school, and my hope is to shop and cook on the weekends so that weekday evenings consist of warming and maybe adding some sides. We'll see how disciplined I am on the weekends to make this happen. I'll keep you posted =)

Veggies on hand: today - carrots, onions, green pepper, diced in the food processor and cooked with olive oil



Ground beef, egg, bread crumbs



Combine!



Add parm and spices on hand: I used sage and parsley from our overgrown, untended garden



I bake the meatballs on a broiler pan to reduce grease.




I forgot to take pics of the final product (meatball subs) because we ate them so fast! Leftovers later this week of spaghetti and meatballs. Yummy!

Dreaming to Craft

I am sitting here, surrounded by my sewing machine, a basket full of fabrics, pins, thread, scissors, and my favorite craft books. I am dying to get going on a couple of projects, first of which is the practical: refurbishing some hand-me-down cloth diapers gratefully received from my friend Amy by putting on new velcro. But I have lots of fun things planned for once I complete that...already planning fun Christmas, new baby, birthday presents. But...Lila JUST fell asleep. After fighting it all day. And starting the sewing machine stirs her. So I am hanging out. Devouring my favorite crafty mama blogs. Here are some of my favorites:
www.crafthope.com
www.peculiarmomma.blogspot.com
www.petalplum.blogspot.com
www.pinkchalkfabrics.com
www.foothillhomecompanion.blogspot.com
www.oneredrobin.com


Enjoy. When Lila wakes, and I finally get some projects done, I will share!

Spontaneous Trip to DC!

Joe presented at the National APA (American Psychological Association) conference in Washington DC on Friday. At the last minute (like at noon on Thursday), I decided to join him with Lila. We left a few hours later and headed to Joe's brother's house in Maryland to spend the night and to introduce Lila to her cousins Dillon and Jacob. Lila was absolutely amazing on the 4 hour car ride, stopping only once to nurse. She also slept great that night, as she tends to do after a long car ride. The next day, we headed into DC, at about the time of Lila's typical morning nap, and arrived at the convention center. I was really impressed with APA because while Lila and I were loitering, we discovered a nursing room. It was so nice to have a private, quiet place to nurse. Most of the women who came in and out while we were nursing were pumping, and I am sure they appreciated a private, clean room, and not having to pump in a bathroom or something. It was a far cry from when I fed Lila later that day, sitting on the floor at the Air and Space Museum (which was absolutely crawling with people) by the exit doors to the IMAX movie, praying it didn't let out in the next 20 minutes! Later that day, when Joe was done with his conference for the day, we headed to the National Mall. It was interesting to be there with a baby, because I love DC, and couldn't wait to duck into a few museums, wander around the mall, people watch...and yet once we got there with Lila, she became our priority, and it was easy to make decisions that I wouldn't have made if I were by myself or just with Joe. She seemed to love being out of the Bjorn, looking up at the ceiling at the lights and planes in the Air and Space Museum. Any time we tried anything different (going into an exhibit hall, putting her in the Bjorn so she was upright) she began crying. But she would just smile at the ceiling. So Joe and I just wandered around the open floor, bypassing exhibits we might have otherwise liked to see. Later, we wandered through the sculpture garden, and discovered a free jazz concert starting soon. However, it was extremely hot, and at this point, Lila was very tired and getting fussier. We knew that the longer we pushed it walking around, the worse it would be later. So it became easy to simply leave and head for the car, rather than sprawl out on the lawn and order some wine! Despite the day in DC not being quite as eventful as we had planned, it was perfect just to spend time together with Lila, and talk about what we would do when we came back with her in the future. The car ride home was pretty rough, particularly because we left DC around 5pm, and Lila was overly tired. We are getting good at checking to make sure Lila has her needs met, then gritting our teeth and driving with a screaming baby until she tires herself out. We stopped in Hagerstown on our way home, after almost nonstop crying since we left, and walked around an outlet mall and grabbed some dinner. Lila loves being outside. As soon as we got her out of her carseat and into the fresh breeze, she began smiling. Every time we tried to go into a store, she began to fuss again. We were proud parents! An outdoors girl!! She finally crashed, and slept most of the way home, and barely woke up when we were home during the transition to bed. While it became a modified day as Lila's needs became apparent, it was another great trip with our little one, and we are so glad we have gotten so many opportunities this summer, particularly since I am mentally preparing for returning to work, and the busiest year yet for Joe. We are trying to enjoy our time while we have it!

Mommy and Lila in DC!



Daddy and Lila at Air and Space (Lila's still staring at the ceiling)



Probably the 5 minutes she slept for the first 2 hours of driving home from DC. A nice quiet moment!

Summer at the Cape!

We feel so lucky that Lila has been flexible enough to allow us to travel with her this summer. We probably would have done some traveling regardless, but it has been so much fun to travel with such an easy baby. Obviously, it hasn't been flawless - we have had some screaming car rides most notably. But for the most part, Lila has been happy looking around at her new surroundings, riding in the Baby Bjorn, and sleeping perfectly in her travel pack 'n play.

We took a vacation to Cape Cod with our family a couple of weeks ago. We drove through the night with Beth, AJ, Margaret and both dogs. We weren't sure how it would go, but the babies (and dogs) did great!



We had to be a bit creative about stops and diaper changes, as well as places to nurse. But the babies were troopers! Joe opted for changing Lila on the ground outside of McDonalds rather than inside on the changing table!



Our first full day on the Cape, we took a morning ferry to Nantucket to visit with one of my oldest friends, Erin, her fiance and her mom! It was fun. Lila enjoyed her first boatride, the ferry lulled her right to sleep (until the foghorn woke her up!). She was a champ riding around in the Baby Bjorn all day, and played with us cheerfully on the ferry home. It was our first real attempt at being "out" the entire day with her, and it went very well! Even if mommy and daddy were exhausted!





The most challenging thing about being at the Cape with Lila was attempting to keep her out of the sun. We spend a lot of time looking for shade, or draping her with her sunhat, blanket and sunglasses! Luckily, she didn't mind too much!



We were lucky enough to spend some time with our relatives at "the big house" where we used to visit every year as kids. We met some distant cousins, and visited with with Lila's Great Great Aunt Mary! It was very special, and fun to revisit a childhood memory.





One of the most fun days was loading up the car (and I mean loading!! so much stuff!) and taking the babies and the dogs to Marconi Beach to the Cape Cod National Seashore. It was so much fun to have the dogs on the beach with us, and the babies did great. We went to this beach every summer as kids, and it was a beautiful day. Margaret seemed to notice Lila for the first time this afternoon, and they were very cute together!




On our last full day at the Cape, we realized that we had neglected to ever dip Lila's toes in the Atlantic during our whole trip so far! We couldn't leave without doing so, so we went down to Craigville Beach where we were staying, and dipped them in! It was a cool morning, and Lila didn't love the water, but she did love the breeze. We bundled her up after she got a little wetter than we planned, and she enjoyed the ocean breeze with a nice nap on our walk back to the house.





We can't wait to go back next year!

Pillows for Presents!

I LOVE making pillows. They are so easy to make, and make great presents! It took me awhile to come up with the right method, as I don't tend to follow a pattern. I typically use an envelope closure, or ties. I like to buy fat quarters at JoAnns or online, as they are the perfect size for a pillow, without having to invest in a larger piece of fabric. They are also great to make if you have a large stash of scraps, like I am beginning to acquire. Here are some I have made lately...I am off to the store today to get some more supplies for MORE pillows!

The little sprout has grown!

First week...



Eighth week...

Lila laughs, smiles, sneezes and yawns. It's a busy minute! 8 weeks 2 days.

Home Spun Perfection

So I started preparing this blog when I was pregnant, because I was inspired by all the crafting, creating and sewing I was doing while "nesting". Of course, my best of intentions did not pan out, and I did not get this up and running (though I have lots of photos of my projects). And here I am, 8 weeks in to the most incredible journey of my life, and also I realized, 8 weeks into my best home spun creation to date: Lila Prairie! I hope to document our new lives together, new projects I hope to have time for, and maybe throw in some of those pics from projects I have completed in the past. But for now, feast your eyes on my little beauty, taken at 1 day, 1 month, 6wks and 7wks in order below.