Monday, December 7, 2009

Moving

If all goes well, we'll be moving into our new home next weekend. Today we spent a good part of the day at Home Depot just educating ourselves on materials and their costs. It all really adds up, especially if you have good taste. But I cant wait to start picking out tiles and cabinets and colors, its all so creative.

In other news Harlow learned to clap on Saturday and it melted our hearts. Seriously everything she does just kills me, she's my most favorite part of my life.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Missing

Looks like I fell off the face of the planet for a month.  I honestly couldn't find a free moment.   I really used to love blogging on a daily basis.  But lately I just couldn't push myself to open up.  Harlow has been teething, we're buying our first home and life has been chaotic.  The worst part is everyday I felt guilty for not posting, like I was letting Harlow down.  Life has been flying by, everyday she grows and changes.  I feel like everyday I forget to post I'm missing a chance to document her.

It's hard to watch your child grow because it forces you to come to terms with your own mortality.  Ya I know we've all heard it a million times before, life is short, but damn it really really short.  My baby is leaving and soon a toddler will take her place.  I thought I would welcome each change excited for the new but I find myself trying to hold onto everything even her clothes.  I remember when we were leaving the hospital with her and I just started crying because she was already 5 days old, 5 days gone and never coming back.  Ridiculous right?  Maybe it hormones.


So, I have some catch up posting to, Halloween, my birthday and thanksgiving.  I'll do that with pictures, also once we have all the details on the house, I'll post pictures.  Did I mention it has a swimming pool? So exciting!!!


Harlow Raine 8 months old

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Halloween Felt Monsters

How cute are these little guys?

Would that be super goober to make them as pillows and put them on my couch for Halloween?


Ya, probably.











Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Homemade baby food



Today I spent most of the day in the kitchen boiling fruits and veggies and then grinding them up to a lovely puree for little Miss Harlow.  The recipe below turned out awesome!  After baking a giant summer squash in the oven for over an hour and then grinding it up with boiled apples and brown rice Harlow was over the moon.







Squash Baby Food Recipes - 
Rice with Apple and Butternut Squash Purée (4)6 months+

1 squash - acorn, butternut or other winter squash
1 or 2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup applesauce

Cut acorn or butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds
Place halves face down in a pan and cover with an inch of water
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the “shell/skin” puckers and halves feel soft then scoop squash “meat” out of the shell
Place squash "meat" into your choice of appliance for pureeing
Add cooked rice and applesauce and blend
Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency

Check out this recipe and so many others at http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com
this site has tons of useful information if you're new to the solid food stage.

As much as I think those little glass baby food jars are precious it really is a lot of fun making your own baby food.


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I'm a sewing machine



Finally my new best friend came in the mail today.  The beautiful Brothers CS-6000i computerized sewing machine.  Dude it even has an automatic threader!  It's kinda like I'm not even sewing, just hanging out making a dress, what?


There are 60, that's right 60 built in stitches for your enjoyment.  This thing comes with a hard protection case and an oversized table for large projects.  I purchased it on amazon for $169!  I swear this machine makes my Singer feel like a dinosaur (sorry mom:)


So I started making Harlow a couple summer outfits, but by the time I actually finish them I'm pretty sure summer will be over.  It's not like you can really get anything done with a 6 month old baby, but I'll try.


JoAnns Fabric has really stepped it up lately in their selections.  I picked up a Rachel Shelburne retro  fabric here  on sale and one with little birds and trees too. Also I bought two simple McCall's patterns dress and hat and a Laura Ashley 


I'll post photos when I make more progress.


I'm off to the library to return my Self Sufficiency books and check more out about how to build a chicken coop.  Mmm fresh eggs coming soon.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Movies with a baby

Well I'm officially stuck in my hotel room. It's disgusting hot outside right now especially after about 12pm and you know I can't get my life together quick enough to get out of here any earlier in the day then that.

I contemplated going to see The Hangover this afternoon, but with a 3 month old baby, could it be done? It's not like Harlow is one of those babies you can just shove on the breast and she'll go to sleep. Nooooo in fact if you try that and she's not hungry she screams even louder. So I'm not going to be that lady...the one with the crying baby spilling my popcorn all over the person in front of me as I try to make a run for the nearest exit. I'm pretty sure I've even said "I can't believe that lady brought her baby to the movie" granted that was pre-kids, but still I don't want to be a hypocrite, right?

No I'll just sit in my hotel room and watch bad TV and waste my life on the computer.
So here I am, Harlow's asleep on my chest.




Yep I typed this whole thing with one hand. Oh yeah I'm that good.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Cloth Diapers

I'm doing it, saving the earth little by little. The fuzzi bunz and the bum genius 3.0 are working wonders. The g diapers now so much. I kinda gave up because the velcro just kept coming undone, I can't imagine how they would hold up when Harlow really started moving around. One great thing about the g diapers is they are really trim. I find that Harlow never fits in her pants when she's wearing the other diapers, but they are cute and its blazing hot in New Orleans so right now the no pants thing is working nicely.

I'm moving back to LA in two weeks after a brief visit to Seattle. Honestly I'm not looking forward to going to home. Yeah I miss my dogs and my vegetable garden, but the weather has been shit and I'm really enjoying hotel life...maid service anyone?? But I guess if I ever want to lose this baby weight I better get home, because the food her is ridiculous, I cant stop with the fried stuff.

Michele and Annabelle are here visiting, it's been great, like old times working on set doing wardrobe except now we've got babies running around, and well we're not getting paid either.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Cafe du monde



I cant stop eating them. Make it stop.

Monday, June 1, 2009

urgent care

I took Harlow to urgent care this morning, she was going on day 3 of diarrhea and I was nervous she might get dehydrated. Thank god she wasn't. The doctor thinks she may have caught a virus that's going around. I was under the impression that breastfed babies rarely got sick, but he explained that because I was in a new city I didn't develop any antibodies to pass on to her, or something like that.

I bought some pedialyte, now I've just got to figure out how to get her to drink it.

It's amazing how kind people are here in New Orleans. In California, strangers don't usually strike up conversation in elevators. It's nice to be around "real" people. I'm not looking forward to going home in June.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Harlow Raine photos




Daddy casting Harlow's tiny foot






Bad mom ALERT!!





Umm who took their 6 week old baby to see Kings of Leon at Jazz Fest this year?? Opps.
Being here with the baby I feel judged on a daily basis. A woman the other day said "wow you're brave bringing a tiny baby to New Orleans." Last week we walked down Bourbon street on a Saturday while everyone was partying it up...stroller on Borubon Street, bad mom alert :(

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

NOLA








How I love New Orleans!!! I'm living here with little Harlow and Jason till the end of June and this really is one of my favorite cities now. The food is incredible, the history and scenery are very entertaining.

Saturday we toured the aquarium, the Gulf fish were awesome, big sharks and humongous sea turtles. I could stand there and watch them swim by for hours. We pet the stingrays they were so sweet and easily frightened. I still cant believe Steve Irwin was killed by one.

We spent Sunday at the zoo in the pouring rain. We were both wearing flip flops and I was in a long tank dress, needless to say we were drenched and very muddy. But it was an adventure and the zoo was very charming, almost like a giant garden with exotic animals.

Harlow is 10 weeks as of yesterday, I still can believe how fast she's growing. I need to update this blog with some older pictures from her birth.

My little love bug is smiling away now.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

gratitude


So I'd like to start a gratitude journal today.

Five things I'm grateful for:

1) my beautiful cozy home
2) jason
3)disability
4) modern medicine
5) friends

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Harlow Raine


my life partner



I love my husband, I'm so thankful for his friendship and all that we've built these past few years together.

30 weeks

Almost there...
I've spent the last two days writing thank you cards from my first shower up in northern california. Who knew it would be so much work just to write a little card

30 weeks


Almost there...
I've spent the last two days writing thank you cards from my first shower up in northern california. Who knew it would be so much work just to write a little card? Perhaps I'm over thinking each one, needless to say it's taking me forever.

Harlow's room is almost done, the bedding should arrive Friday. I can't wait to see it all put together.

My doctor's appointment is next Tuesday, I'm hoping to find out exactly which birth plan the doctor recommends. Most likely a c-section due to my back injury, but you never know he could still say yes to a natural birth.

My belly keeps growing, stretching, and pulling. I'm wondering how its possible it can stretch anymore then it already has and there's still two months to go.