Pettiskirts

The back story:
   
    A long time ago, when our girls were just babies, a friend of mine mentioned how beautiful pettiskirts were, and how she would love to have one for her baby girl, but she couldn't justify getting one for her based on how expensive they were versus how quickly she would outgrow it. I had never even heard of them before, but was intrigued, and so looked into them. They were lovely, and so, as with many things that I deem to be too expensive, I was determined to find a way to make one for cheaper. I was lucky enough to find a great tutorial for how to make one on Pinterest, and I quickly dreamt up a beautiful photoshoot in the park with Laura running and dancing around in a beautiful, fluffly, blue pettiskirt that accented her gorgeous big blue eyes.

     And then I forgot about it for a little while.

     Then, I recently had an amazing opportunity come up through a friend's business page on Facebook, for a deal on a "Tutus in the Park" photoshoot. For $20!! I almost turned it down because Laura hates having her photo taken so much (I might take too many photos of her), but I just couldn't bring myself to pass up such a sweet deal. My friend assured me that the photographer would not be posing her, but photograph her having her own fun. I went and looked at his page for photos in his portfolio, and they were really lovely! My dream of her gorgeous pettiskirt photoshoot was revived. I was going to just buy a pettiskirt off my friend due to the relatively short time frame we were working with, but she didn't have any in blue. (I was stubborn enough to stick with blue because of my original vision for the shoot, but also because my sister is getting married next summer, and is leaning towards a blue colour scheme, so Laura could theoretically wear it again.) I ended up being able to order non-fraying chiffon, which arrived promptly, and after several hours of cutting and ruffling over 120 yards of fabric, my aching back and I finally had a finished product. (I really need a better sewing set up.)

     Next, I had to prep Laura for her photoshoot. I wanted her to want to do it. I told her that I was making her a pretty skirt, and she would look so beautiful in it (don't worry, I tell her she looks beautiful in her pajamas, too), and that we could go and dance around the park in it. It seemed to do the trick. ;) And one day while I was working on it, she came down and we had a little conversation something like this:

     "Laura, Mommy's making you a skirt!"

     "What you making?"

     "Your skirt, wanna see?" *shows long piece of ruffled fabric that in no way resembles a skirt yet*

     "Ohhh, its beautiful!"

     Melt my heart (I haven't heard her use that word before or since then). I was so glad she liked it already. When I finally finished it, I showed it to her and she wanted to put it on and dance in it right away. Score.

    So without further ado, here are a few of my favourite photos we received from out shoot today:

 

     And a couple of sweet little Rachel for a good measure. <3

  

     Now I guess I better get to making the pettiskirt for my friend's little girl!

Parenting: Not for the Weak

     This post is two-fold. One happy-tough story, and one not-so-happy-tough story.

Part One
 
     Last night I cried before falling asleep. Why, you ask? Because when I had just gone to check on Laura, I found her asleep in her big girl bed.

     Confused? So was Josh. And, if we're being honest, me too, a little.

     Laura didn't have a real nap yesterday, so she was quite tired by bedtime. She said she wanted to sleep in her big girl bed (as a stalling tactic, no doubt), but, we obliged. We kissed her goodnight and tucked her in. As soon as we shut her door, she hopped right out of bed and banged on the door. Par for the course. This is what has always happened in the past when we've tried to convince her to sleep in her big girl bed. I suggest to Josh we try to ignore it, and it stopped. Great.
     Later, I was up in Rachel's room (next to Laura's) and thought I heard the sound of pages turning. I peeked in at Laura, and she was sitting and reading her books on the floor. I went in and asked her when she is all finished with her books to please sleep in her bed and not on the floor (like she always has in the past). She said no. I left. And then when I checked on her before I went to bed, there she was, angelically sleeping in her big girl bed.
    This is where the crying comes in: this is the last of her baby 'things'. I know, I've said before that I get upset every time she meets a new major milestone, but this is the last one! (Well, the last baby one, at least). She doesn't nurse anymore (hasn't since before Rachel was born), she uses the potty now - I wash her underwear instead of diapers, she runs and hops and jumps and climbs and falls, just like a big kid. The last thing she was holding onto from her babyhood was sleeping in the crib. And now we might be done with that, too. And so forms a big knot in my stomach. Not completely sure why, as I am happy she is growing up (two isn't always the most fun age to deal with), but even the cuddles are coming fewer and further between now. I guess I feel like I'm one step closer to losing my little baby, and it is out of my control. Good thing I still have sweet little Rache coming up behind her.


Part Two

     Confession: this morning I did not do my best parenting.
 
     We had our breakfast and did our usual morning routine stuff, and then Rachel started getting fussy. I gathered it was naptime for her, so I went up to the nursery to nurse her a little so she would go down. Laura followed us, and I tried to explain to her that we needed to play quietly right now so Rachel could go to sleep, and that I would be able to play with her after. I suppose this concept is lost on a two-year-old as her next move was to go and play in Rachel's closet, which involves repeatedly opening and closing her loud closet door to go in and out.
    After telling Laura that it was too loud, and her continuing to not see the logic, I put Rachel down in the crib for a minute, and took Laura to her room. I asked her to please play quietly in there for a few minutes, so I could get Rachel to sleep. I guess she thought she was being punished, as she immediately started scream crying when I shut the door. This is the opposite of what is supposed to be happening. Why is this such a hard concept? I will play with you in a minute, after I get Rachel to sleep! My blood pressure is rising, as Rachel is crying because she just needs to go to sleep, and Laura is screaming because she thinks she is in trouble (when she really isn't - I just need her out of the way for minute!). Sigh. I pick Rachel back up and try to continue nursing her, but the screaming from the next room is getting louder and louder and now she is banging loudly on the door. I get angry and go in and put Laura in her crib and tell her to stop yelling, and that she can come out in a minute. Obviously this does not help anything, except that she can't reach to bang on the door. So she compensates with more blood curdling crying.
     And then I really lose my temper. There is something about my children's screaming that just sets me off and I just. can't. handle. it. I get this animalistic impulse to make the screaming stop, and sometimes it sends me past the point of being rational. I storm in and take her out of the crib, and bring her downstairs (what she had been screaming to do), clamping my hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the racket for poor Rachel. I'm not really sure why I thought this would help. But then again, I'm only human. And I can't take it anymore. Mommy needs a time out. I leave Laura downstairs and go lock myself in my room for a few minutes to calm down. Laura continues screaming hysterically the whole time.
     After a couple minutes I open the bedroom door, and ask her once again to please stop screaming. She comes in and climbs up on my bed, and I explain to her, now calmly, why I was so mad. She stops crying and we have a big snuggle. I make sure she understands what just happened, and apologized for getting so angry. We go back downstairs and she continues cuddling on my lap for a little while. Rachel is now (somehow) asleep, so we go outside to play and everyone is happy again.
   In hindsight, staying up until midnight or later the last couple nights probably hasn't helped anyone. Even if I don't necessarily feel tired, I'm definately more volatile. I just don't feel like I have enough time in the day to get everything done that needs to get done, and end up staying up too late working on it.

Parenting: Not for the Weak!

Rachel: 3 Months

   
     Rachel Bee is 3 months today!
     She is still growing like a weed, seems like she gets noticeably bigger every day, though she is not in danger of outgrowing the 3-6 month size clothes, yet. She is so much fun to hang out with now, so smiley and pleasant and much more interactive. She loves having 'conversations' with us - we take turns cooing at each other. :) She also laughed for the first time a couple weeks ago - during a very serious conversation I was having with her Grandma. What a kid. She also laughed the next morning in the car at her monkey mirror on the way to Santa's Village. Cutest thing ever.
     We need to take her infant insert out of her carseat, as I'm quite sure she is over 11 pounds by now, (which also means she has more than doubled her birth weight), and move the straps up a notch. We need to get her out of her newborn diapers that I am still cramming her into, too... just need to find time to finish replacing the elastics in our set of the next size up diapers (this was a 'before baby' project that I didn't get done due to her being early).
     She now really enjoys playing with her toys on the activity mat, and observing everything around her, including her sister. She also notices when we leave the room, and shows it by getting upset that she isn't part of the action anymore. :) She has a funny little obsession with trying to cram her clothes in her mouth, too, and on the odd occasion I've caught her sucking her thumb.
     She is sleeping in her own room in the crib now, most nights. She often falls asleep around 9:30 or so, and then I sort of rouse her when we are going to bed to change her diaper and dream feed her, around 10:30 - 11. A few nights she has slept 6 hours in a row and didn't wake me until 4:30 or so. Usually its still earlier than that and I bring her back to bed with us after that because she has been waking more frequently in the early morning hours. I would like to start trying to get her to stay in her crib the whole night soon.

Busy Busy!

     The last couple of weeks have been keeping us busy (and leaving little time/ energy for blogging)!  

     We've had lots of playdates for Laura (and Mommy), which are fun, but often require a lot of refereeing now that Laura has incorporated the word ' MINE!!!!' into her regular vocabulary. (I mean, she used the word before, but not in any frequent manner.) There are also still a number of friends I've been meaning to get together with before the end of the nice weather.

     We had our annual family reunion at my aunt's house this year, and, as usual, had a lovely time catching up with all the cousins and everyone. Many of them hadn't met Rachel yet, either, so it was nice to be able to show her off. :) My Grandma turned 82 this year, and just loves babies, so she spent a good portion of the afternoon with Baby Rachel napping in her arms, even though she forgot whose baby she was holding a few times. :)

      Josh's parents have rented a cottage for two weeks, so we've spent the last two weekends with them there, lakeside. Not too shabby. (However, I was shocked at how much time and effort went in to packing/ planning for a weekend away with two little ones!) We also crammed in a trip to Santa's Village with them, which was a bit of a bust. I remember it being more awesome when I was a kid. haha. I think it still would have been fun if Laura hadn't been so grumpy due to tiredness. She is (maybe?) trying to drop her naps again, and had three days in a row of no nap prior (one of which was at the over-stimulating family reunion), so she wasn't in the greatest mood for Santa. It also seemed a little expensive for what was there... Anyway.

     The preschool I am hoping for Laura to go to got back to me finally (they are on summer holidays) and answered some of my questions. I'm hoping to set up a tour in a couple weeks, as I'm 95% sure this is the one we will choose for her to go to. :) Exciting.

     This past weekend was a little more relaxed, as Josh's aunt's family was up visiting at the cottage, as well (which meant we had many babysitters around and allowed Mom and Dad a little break here and there!) Rachel was a little fussy this weekend, as I'm pretty sure she was in the midst of a growth spurt (and possibly overstimulated), and Laura was, again, not sleeping that well, and so wasn't on her best behaviour. She also pointed out to me that she is finally getting her last molars in. Poor kid. As I said to Josh's mom today - she is very two right now. :| We still had a good time, though. (I may or may not have been a little antisocial watching the Olympics like an addict every chance I got this weekend.) ;)

     And now we are home, and I have mountains of laundry to do and things to put away. But we're back on our own turf and will get back to routine, so it's all good.

In a Perfect World...

     Although our life is pretty perfect... its not perfectly perfect...

     In a perfect world, our Great Dane wouldn't wake us up at 6am (when I don't actually need to wake up until 8:30 or so) to a lake of diarrhea on the carpet and all over one of my crafts I had laid out on the floor.
     In a perfect world, after spending half an hour with the carpet cleaner, I wouldn't shower and then immediately be projectile puked on by our baby.
     In a perfect world, our toddler wouldn't resist sleeping and let herself get over tired (and subsequently very volatile), or scream and throw things when she doesn't know how to express herself. All. Day.
     In a perfect world, our baby wouldn't be inexplicably fussy all day, too, and would take age-appropriate naps (aka a lot of them).
     In a perfect world, it wouldn't be over 25 degrees in our house ALL SUMMER LONG, and push us all past our limits.
     In a perfect world, the above wouldn't bother me enough to lose my temper at every subsequent little thing all day, and end up putting the toddler in many, many time outs.
     In a perfect world, I would remember to put a diaper back on the toddler before putting her in her enclosed crib for a time out.
     In a perfect world, I wouldn't count down the hours until the hubby gets home from work so I can tag him in and escape the craziness that was our day today.
     In a perfect world, I would make us a healthy dinner and not order pizza because I just couldn't care enough to cook.

     Thankfully, most days are my "perfect world". Just not today.