Playing around with my Camera

(My sister, Bethany, was my subject.)

Wordless Wednesday

Sheer Joy!
(My cousin, Carolynn, and my sister, Bethany, enjoying the beach.)

Emotions...who needs them?!

I've been dealing with allot of different emotions lately. Sometimes I can't even explain why. Sometimes I just feel sad and unsettled. For reasons unknown to me. I know part of this is due to hormones. I worry about finances instead of praising God that we have an income to cover our bills and provide our food. I fret about my weight and focus on the 10-13 more pounds (10 to pre-pregnancy- 13 till goal weight) I have to lose instead of focusing on the 42 I've lost. I get tense, uptight and stressed over the destruction and disobedience of the boys instead of rejoicing in the gift and beauty of them. I've been sad about my boring, brown hair (I miss my blond hair...so,so,SO bad!) instead of thanking God that I have hair. I've felt restricted in what I can and can not eat instead of being grateful that I have good food to eat (I've cut out wheat/gluten, pop and cut back on my sugar intake). I'm just a roller coaster of emotions and I'm getting plain tired of it. I want to be back to normal. This postpartum stuff just plain stinks.

I'll have you know though that I've been taking Fenugreek (mainly started to help with nursing) and I read up on it some more last night. It's supposed to help with hormones and I did have a great day yesterday. Today has been o.k. Noah's been pushing my buttons (big surprise!) but overall I feel fine. Unfortunately, Tim is working again tomorrow (but yay for overtime!) so we really won't have much of a weekend. =( I'm a little disappointed but yet I'm thankful. Tim goes to school next week and his pay check will be really light the week after that. The extra overtime is really needed. So I'm thankful the Lord has provided again. =)

Also- do you think I should cut my hair? I keep getting comments that I look like my mother and it bothers me a little bit (I'll admit it!). I want to look like me. I need a change. Since coloring my hair would take too much upkeep I've thought of cutting and styling it different. Sadly though, Tim loves my hair long. He has tried to convince me that he understands why I want a change and he doesn't care. I don't buy it. He would love it if I was blond again and kept my long hair but the cost is just too much. Why did my hair have to go and change color anyway?! What would you do? I'd love to get some ideas...leave a comment!

The dress.

Someone had asked to see a picture of the top/front part of the dress (which is still available!) I had pictured on the previous post. (Click the picture to enlarge) She also asked if I did custom orders. So, in answer to her question- yes, I do. In fact, I would LOVE to! I can do adult clothing too but it gets a little more time consuming and can I say, stressful? Mainly because I'd have to worry about it fitting properly. For example, I made myself an adorable dress for Grant's dedication. It was too big. I went by the pattern's measurements but it still ended up a little too big (mostly in the chest and shoulders). I wore it anyway and received multiple compliments but I just wasn't comfortable in it. I can always take it in but just haven't gotten around to it. I really need a dress form! Would make life a little bit easier. Well, my sewing life that it. ;-) Anyway, here's a couple more pictures of the dress. =)



Front and top part of the dress.



This is the back view of the dress. The bodice is lined, the straps are adjustable,their is a two-button closure (even though I think one is adequate and that might be what I do next) and all the seams are serged.

So...it's been awhile.

Sorry it's been so long since I posted last but frankly, life has just happened. I've also had a serious lack of motivation to do much of anything. It's been pretty gloomy in our neck of the woods the last few weeks. I've been sleeping allot. I think I've been dealing with a touch of postpartum blues. Last week was especially hard for me. I was very sad and melancholy about Grant growing and changing so quickly. I think seeing how tiny and new my niece is made me realize it even more. He's already 11 weeks old! He smiles and coos, rolls over, sits in his bumbo seat, weighs 14 1/2 pounds, is down to 6-8 feedings ( he's still solely breastfeeding), and sleeps 9-10 hours straight through at night. It's gone way too fast! He may be our last too which makes it even harder to see him grow up so fast. Sigh. My baby isn't a newborn anymore. =(

I've also been trying to potty-train Noah. Ugh!!! It's not going so well! He refuses to go on the toilet. He'll sit there but do nothing. The minute I take him off he'll go. I bought him some cloth training pants and I'm going to try those. I haven't been wanting to deal with the 'messes' but I think I'm going to have to in order for him to get it. This child wears his mother out! I love him to death but man,oh, man, he's a handful! I think he is the equivalent of 2 two and a half year olds. Yesterday he found a jar of blue-dyed sugar crystals and ate the whole thing! He was full of energy the whole day!! He didn't take his nap and he didn't fall asleep until 10:00 that night! It was an interesting day.Let's just say food coloring, sugar and Noah do NOT mix well! Anyway, if anyone has any helpful tips on potty-training let me know!
I've also been sewing allot. I have three bag orders to get done within the next couple of days and I've done a few things for my Etsy shop. Yesterday I made this dress. It's a size 18-24 months and it's pretty cute. Almost makes me want a girl! ;-) Let me know if you ever need anything- I take custom orders!

Well, that pretty much sums it up. Nothing too exciting. Wish I had some cooler post ideas but I'm just not creative like that.

Wordless (almost) Wednesday

My sister and brother-in-law made me an aunt again! Their second child/first daughter was born last night. She was 3 weeks early and weighed in at 6lbs. 1 oz. and 19 1/2 in. (only 1/2 in. shorter than Grant!). She's healthy and nursed well for her mother last night. Praise God for such a beautiful addition to our family! She has stolen all of our hearts already! I love being an aunt!

The new big brother, Luke.

And the beautiful new mother (my little sister), Courtnie.