Finished Projects - a baby girl and her Big Sister...

Baby A surprised us with her early delivery...so I whipped up something quick...good thing since she is so small not too many things fit her but the hat and onesie do...
Love this hat! It fit on her little head! Which probably means that my baby will not fit it the ones I made he/she...

And of course MJ needed a cool big sister shirt! I love how this turned out! And how personal it is...no one else will have this shirt in preschool:-)

40 vs. 34 Weeks

So we have been talking about taking pics of me and Beth together, since we both were showing...but it never worked out! Luckily, we remembered to have Tom snap a few of us this time...I say luckily, because Beth's little girl decided it was time to come out 6+ weeks early! Praise God that she is doing well, despite her shortened time in the womb...I am beginning to get a complex, since now both times I photographed Beth pregnant she has gone into labor about 24 hours later! SCARY!

I think Tom did a great job! We were losing light, and we needed to hurry...the kids were maniacs by this time...

I am truly blessed to have 2 great sister in laws! Unfortunately though one lives FAR away, so I am so glad that Beth and Josh have made their home here only about a mile or so from us...
Our kids are practically siblings...siblings that get to go home to their own houses when it gets to be too much! But they miss each other when either family is out of town for more than a few days! And now if our baby ever makes it's entrance we will have kids even closer in age...I hope they will be as close!

My belly looks SO much bigger than hers! I guess that's the 6 week difference...
Congrats Beth on your 2 beautiful girls...we are praying for little A...

Three...

This year I figured Holden would get the shaft for his birthday...I thought I would be just home with a new babe...then I thought I would be in the hospital...then the day came and I realized nope, I would just still be pregnant...What we didn't plan on is that his cousin, Baby A, would be born early (34 weeks) on the early morn of his birthday...we were all exhausted because we had been up and worried about the delivery...and Grandmere and Grandpere had been at the hospital and then had been with MJ...But I wanted him to have his special day:-)

My guy is 3...I can't believe it!

This year presents were the most fun yet! He was excited about each one and wanted to play with them as soon as he opened them!...

In fact he was taking so long with each one, MJ had to keep bringing him back to reality and the task of opening:-)

This is "Mater" a tow truck that really tows...a specific request from him...

Great Aunt Sandy got him this awesome pilots hat, and a Mater for his Crocs...as well as a book about Greene and Greene architecture that I love and I am sure he will appreciate much more in a couple years! But I am excited about it and have already learned from it:-)

Another request was a "Mater" cake...normally I would have MADE the cake...but you know I thought I would have a newborn by now:-) So we found this Mater and got a yummy ice cream cake...put it on top and Holden was THRILLED!

Again, this was by far the best cake/singing yet!:-) He sang Happy Birthday with us to himself! I love it!

MJ liked the cake too!

OK here is what 3 looks like to us:-)

::36.5" tall::
::just a hair under 30 lbs::
::Actually talked to the Dr. this time, and talked to us the whole time the Dr. and nurse were in there:-)::
::Has all his teeth, thank goodness!::
::Has been FULLY potty trained for 5 months!::
::Ready to start preschool::
::Hmm obviously eats cake, and really everything sweet::
::LOVES to eat at restaurants::
::Actually eats meat! Mostly to get dessert, but is eating more than just a few bites:-)::
::Still loves him some cheese...even asiago, and goat!::
::Eats a ton of vegetables...but don't call them vegetables because he will say no...must be exact, carrots, broccoli, etc...::
::Loves fruit::
::would drink only milk (big boy milk now for 10 months) if you let him!::

::He is great at sharing...and gets VERY upset when others don't::
::Still an amazing sleeper! We are SO blessed::
:: Still naps at least 1.5 hours a day! Thank goodness!::
::Says, "mommy I yove you!" Many times a day...and anytime he thinks he is in trouble:-)::
::He is the great negotiator, always giving another option for amounts of minutes, books, bites, etc...it cracks me up!::
::Tells all kinds of stories::
::Loves to pretend play...he and cousin MJ are currently on a wedding and baby having kick:-) Although he is usually a pilot flying them on their adventures::
::Still into all kinds of autombiles...Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel MaryAnne are a favorite right now::
::knows his colors, can count to 10 well and over that a bit, knows a few letters, and can write and H, M, T, and X...::
::Still loves to read and visit the library::
::Still my happy guy::
::Has become a comedian over the past year::
::Still quite stubborn and can throw quite the tantrum::

:: Loves to help, and this has helped with his eating, as he is more willing to try something he has helped prepare::

:: I love this age ::

This is his 3 year outfit...with "fishies" per his request...and an H not a 3...Sorry about the picture...I don't iron and I was rushed to get this taken...its really cute! And the shorts are to die for!

40 Weeks

Today is my due date...last night we took maternity pictures of Beth and Josh...so I had Tom shoot a couple of quick ones of me...Why is it that even though we know that a "due date" is so arbitrary, we look forward to it and count on it? small things are happening, but nothing noteworthy...I am ready to know who is in there and meet my little one...

Tomorrow, Holden turns 3...I can hardly believe it...He is such a joy and will be such a great big brother...

My mom has been here a week now...and I want to give her a new grand baby:-) But I guess she will have to wait with the rest of us...she has been such a huge help with Holden and household stuff...I would be in trouble with out her...I SO appreciate the time she is willing to give me...the original plan was that she would be here until a week AFTER baby...but if baby doesn't arrive soon, I feel terrible asking so much time of her...she has a life back home...and she misses my dad, I know...

AND because I love him so much I had to include this one I snagged of Tom while he was watching both kiddos while I took pictures:-) He's great!

I am trying to not be anxious...but I am ready...

The P Family...

As I said originally MJ was not into the family pics...she was having NONE of it...but a little running and swinging with the parents on the bridge and we got a small window of cooperation:-)
She is so cute I love getting shots of her...it's just catch as catch can right now with both of the kiddos...






This look is SO her:-)



A fun family shot!

Beth Maternity 34 Weeks

Tonight we went to a local park and took maternity pics of Beth...We tried to do Family pics, but MJ was not quite cooperative...we got a few...but I will save those for another post:-) This is my first time shooting at this park...I LOVED it! the trees and the random colored walls, not to mention green space, and the awesome older houses that line the other side of the street...definitely going to come back here:-)



Since Beth and I are usually working together to shoot other people...(she usually comes along as an assistant:-)) it was hard to remain serious while doing this shoot...well its kind of hard for us to ever be serious...and Josh was Definitely NOT helping the serious factor:-) But it was fun!



LOVE this shot...



Fun Stuff! It's so easy to shoot these two, because they naturally have fun together:-) Nothing is forced...I love it! It has been so fun living so close throughout our marriages:-) Fun to watch the relationships grow and mature...but still remain fun!



the bridge is fantastic!



Beth you are of course gorgeous...and such a beautiful pregnant woman...
Thanks for being such an awesome sister!

39 Weeks...1 more?

Taken with my phone...right after a yummy dinner!

So 39 weeks...lets hope it is my last:-) I feel pretty good...I just feel ready to meet whoever is in there! and I feel HUGE!

Went to the Dr. Monday...she said I had progressed from 1 cm to 2...and from 0% effaced to 60% effaced...so things are happening...with Holden nothing happened till my water broke...and then I was only 2 cm...so hopefully this means I won't be repeating the 20 hour labor:-) we will see though...

I'll let you know when baby arrives...

Baby Clothes

Along with making nursery stuff I really can't control the clothes making:-) It is SO much fun...and it means you can make what ever you can imagine:-) SO I decided to make coming home outfits...one boy and one girl...with Holden we purchased a boy and a girl outfit...and I remember trying to find a NON-PINK outfit was nearly impossible! And to top it off neither fit him and he came home in a white onesie:-)
Again the patterns are Amy Butler...out of Little Stitches...for the boy I made the kimono PJ shorts and then appliqued a dyed onesie...I also made the knit cap from an old T-shirt:-)

The girl's outfit I made with the same pattern but I made the top as well...it looked large so I dyed and appliqued a onesie to go with it in case it was needed...the hat was leftover knit from Holden's big brother shirt:-)
I love using up scraps and re purposing old clothes!
Again this fabric is orange and makes me happy:-)

So these are the final days to guess which outfit will be worn home:-)

These pants are made from old t-shirts too! And I made the pattern using a favorite pair of Baby Style pants and just tracing the shape...SUPER easy! The best part...IF you cut it out right the pant hem is already done for you!

The Nursery...

Well some details:-) I was too lazy to change lenses/set up a tripod and I hate using a flash...so the portrait lens stayed on the camera...and well you get details:-)

When we had Holden, I considered making my own bedding/nursery decor, but then I was talked out of it due to timing etc...I was still working at the time, and I don't think I had my sewing machine set up full time...So I settled on the requisite green adn brown, and I found some more "modern" bedding to use...

With this baby I knew I wanted to incorporate orange, so I knew I would probably have to make my own stuff...I didn't want to just toss out the old so I was trying to figure ways to re purpose stuff...I originally was thinking orange and brown...but I looked and looked and nothing appealed to me...and then I saw the above fabric:-) It made me happy so I went with it!

As I said I wanted to re purpose or reuse anything I could...so above hamper was Holden's BUT it was minty green...gotta love that fabric dye:-)

For the bedding I recovered the existing bumper, and used the base of the crib skirt, just added a new "skirt" part, and I bought a pack of white sheets at Target and again me and the fabric dye became friends:-) The pillow was from Holden's as well just recovered with extra fabric...I also dyed a couple of the plain colored sheets I had with Holden and donated the print ones:-)

Any pattern ideas or "jumping off" points came from Amy Butlers "Little Stitches" I think Amy Butler is an awesome designer!

This was my first attempt, or I should say my first successful attempt at machine quilting...I LOVE my walking foot I can't believe it took me SO long to use it! So fun!

I LOVE how it turned out it is SO cheery and happy:-) And I think it works for a boy or a girl:-)

Baby Gifts

Tom's cousin Carrie makes amazing things! I had asked her if she would make me a soft structured carrier for the new babe...I used the sling so much with Holden, but I am thinking I might like a little something more buckled in for running after Holden while carrying the new babe...I sent her the fabric, and she made this AWESOME carrier! I love how it turned out...I took Holden in a ride on my back and it would have been a much easier solution for this wearing session! Although it's a tad hard now to get buckled under my 9 month low belly:-)
I can't wait to carry the baby in it! I am sure I will still use my sling as well...but it's nice to have options...

Carrie also offered, to make Beth and I crocheted blankets...so I went and got the yarn that most closely matched the nursery...it's really the colors just a different tonal match, think more fall like instead of spring like, well when I show you pics of the nursery (coming soon!)...But again it is beautiful and warm and BIG! I think it will be ideal for laying baby on when we are out, and will continue to work as baby grows!

So thank you Carrie! Thank you for sharing your talent and showering me and baby with love! Thanks also Aunt Sandy and Carrie for the lunch and desserts, especially the homemade ice cream! Holden and I ate those for a couple days:-) Oh and Tom enjoyed the pie!

We have a great family:-)