Thursday, January 13, 2011

No 'DOH' Please

Charles likes the snow if he's looking at it from the door or window or in the arms of either Chris or myself. However, he does not want to sit in it, stand in it, walk in it, or touch it in general. This was expressed to me by Charles very clearly yesterday when we got bundled up and headed to the back yard for his first 'real' time in the snow.


Up until then he had been very excited when seeing snow outside. He was curious at first as to what it was and quickly learned that it was 'doh'. From that point on he would excitedly point to as we walked outside or looked at it from the comfort of our apartment and repeat over and over "doh! doh! doh!" "yes", I would say, " that's sssnow" He would reply "DOH!" 

I thought our first time playing in it would echo that same excitement. 

I was wrong. 








He lifted up his feet when I tried to put him on the ground and when he did plant his feet he planted them. As in he wouldn't take a step. Crying the whole time. He was fine if I held him but otherwise didn't want anything to do with it. When I sat him on the bench in our back yard he was kind of ok. I tried to show him it was fun, rubbing some on his snow pants and putting some in his gloved hand. He stopped crying but still was just not really diggin it.









 Maybe if we go out with his friend Hailey and he sees that she likes likes the snow Charles will give it another chance. Not that he has to like the snow. I don't like it much either. But isn't this the time in a person's life when snow can be fun and magical and adventurous? Kids love the snow! And for a parent, this is the time when we can forget about how much snow causes us to cringe because it makes driving, finding parking, walking and winter life in general that much more difficult. It's dirty and annoying and slushy and slippery. We forget how pretty and sparkly and romantic and whimsical snow can be. This is what I want my Charles to discover. I am excited to have fun in the snow with him. To make snow men, snow angels and igloos and look at the intricate flakes and tell him how God made all of them special and unique. Until then, I will continue to slowly introduce him to this cold fluffy stuff we call doh. ahem.. sssnow.   :)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

I Want To...

**********************************UPDATED***************************************


...make one of these:



image & project found here







image & project found here







image & project found here

Thursday, January 6, 2011

From 28 to 29 (part II)

29 things
  1. Open etsy shop and sell onesies (&maybe other things too)
  2. Take NIC exam (and pass!)
  3. Lose 20 lbs
  4. make my own greeting card sets
  5. Take a class/attend a workshop for fun
  6. Go on a girls trip
  7. Save money for DSLR camera
  8. Learn how to use my sewing machine
  9. Paint something (other than the walls)
  10. Go to Washington DC
  11. Explore NYC more (an ongoing adventure)
  12. Plant garden in backyard
  13. Make ‘123’ and ‘ABC’ books for Charles
  14. Get better at couponing
  15. Do more crafts
  16. Pray with a purpose, ie: set aside time, keep a list or index cards of things/people to pray for
  17. Memorize more scripture (outside of bible study requirements)
  18. Save money for Norway/Europe trip
  19. Read at least three books off ‘the list’
  20. Continue to write down milestones/memories of Charles
  21. Print photos and put in albums
  22. Make curtains for front room
  23. Host a themed party
  24. Take advantage of free, local events ie: street festivals, story time at bookstores.. 
  25. Begin to meet with interpreting mentor
  26. Attend more deaf community events
  27. Bring Charles to the beach
  28. Contribute to the ministry at our church in a new way
  29. Learn to make an authentic Indian dish

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

From 28 to 29 (part I)

This is way over due but I have finally gotten my list of 29 Things finished. First, here is my list from last year of 28 Things:

1. Go to Washington DC. (we decided to go to Philadelphia instead)
2. Run in Prospect Park.  Loved it :)
3. Buy DSLR camera. (like many things on this list that involved money, this didn't happen. We were on a very tight budget this year after having a baby and me only working very part time. Priorities sure change when you become a parent!) 
4. Buy sewing machine and learn how to use it. (I can't officially cross this off because it didn't happen before I turned 28 BUT my parents gave me a sewing machine for Christmas this year! yippy! Now I just need to learn how to use it)
5. Use sewing machine
6. Open Etsy Shop and sell my onesies and maybe other things too. ( I have started this process but realized I needed some onesies in stock, ready to sell, before I could officially open it. I am now making onesies for this purpose.)
7. Explore New York City more  (this has been fun! but definitely an ongoing ambition)
8. Go home to MN for State Fair. (sad about this one)
9. Take NIC exam (and pass!) (I signed up for this months ago and am still waiting for my test date)
10. Lose 30 lbs. (Some of this was pregnancy weight, some was extra that I wanted to lose. I lost about 20 of the 30.)
11. Make my own baby food.
12. Paint something other than the walls
13. Get back into the habit of writing cards/letters to my family and friends. At least once a week. (wrote more, but not once a week.)
14. See another Broadway show
15. Stive to live a more minimalist lifestyle. YES! gave/threw things away. organized. didn't buy a lot of things we didn't need. We will definitely continue to follow this.
16. Plan ahead and cook more meals together
17. Make my own greeting card sets using photographs I have taken
18. Be diligent at keeping Charles' baby book filled in and up to date
19. Watch original Star Wars films. (not sure why this was important to me last year..)
20. Start a book club. (if you keep up with my book list on the sidebar you will understand why this never happened)
21. Buy and use tart pan. (my mom gave me a tart pan but I haven't used it yet)
22. Go to Top of the Rock
23. Wear my hair curly more often
24. Use crock pot
25. Take class/attend workshop for fun
26. Start bible study with Chris. (we joined a new one that started at our church instead)
27. Get pedicure (why did I never do this before??)
28. Go on a girl's trip (was close to checking this one off but ended up not being able to go with the baby. oh well)




New list coming soon

Sunday, January 2, 2011

After Christmas Sale

Confession:
I am not pregnant... but yesterday I bought a maternity shirt. You see, we were out shopping and checking out all the after Christmas deals and there was a really cute shirt amidst the clearance racks at Target. When I pulled it off to take a closer look I saw that it was a maternity shirt and my first thought was 'dang, I guess I can't get this.' Then I thought, wait- why not? It just has rouching on the sides so I could wear it now.. it doesn't really look maternity. Besides, I hope to be pregnant again someday so it's not like I couldn't wear it then too, right? Also my tummy is still 'fluffy'(ha) after being pregnant with Charles anyway so maybe it would be flattering.. people say rouching is flattering.
So I bought it.
It was a really good deal for a really cute shirt and I am not ashamed.