favorite thing friday - taggie blanket

I've made a few quilts in my day, but with so many friends having babies I decided it was time to branch out and learn how to make some baby things!

I have to make a confession and say that this whole thing was started by my sweet friend Abby.  She asked me if I could help her make a blanket for a mutual friend who just had a baby and I jumped at the chance!  I don't have much sewing experience but was confident that between the two of us we could create something fabulous.  We did!

Check out the blanket we put together for baby Taylor!

{this photo won't flip for some reason, grrr....sorry}

It's flannel on one side and minky dot on the other.  Sooo soft and cozy! 

This was a big blanket {about 1 yd x 1 yd} - the next thing I wanted to try was making a small taggie blanket for my visit to this little cutie in Cleveland.

I love it!

Except...every time I make something I see lots of stuff I'd do differently next time.  So, of course, I had to make another one!  This most recent trial is for another girl in my small group who recently welcomed baby Eli.  This lovey is a bit smaller and I added Eli's initial to the back.

The little imperfections bug me to death, but that's why I need more practice.  There are fewer of those each time, so that's the good news!  Once again, there are things that I will do differently next time - fewer tags on this size blanket, for one. 

You all need to keep having babies so I can justify making more blankets! 

If anyone is interested I can do a detailed tutorial on how I made it step-by-step - it really is easy and only took me about 3 hours.

I always love getting personalized gifts and LOVE making things for my friends.  Hopefully they feel the same way.  ha!

In other news, Asher and I watched the {DVR'd} Royal Wedding this morning.  As much as I loved Kate's dress I have to say that I absolutely adored her sister's dress.  That could have been a wedding gown itself!  Can I also say how much I love her name too - Pippa!  Yay!  It just makes me smile. 

As you can see, Asher was very interested in watching the wedding of the century.

Happy weekend all!

put a fork in him

I don't know if you noticed, but Asher got some special utensils in his Easter basket.

He has shown some interest in using a spoon as I feed him so I decided to get a few spoons and forks that would be easier for little hands to hold.

Yesterday I gave Asher a spoon and let him do what he would to his yogurt.

He was very intentional about trying to get the yogurt into his mouth, but had varying degrees of success.

How cute is this creamy goatee?!  Love it!

After a few minutes, Asher decided enough was enough and handed the whole mess over to me.  I probably scooped 3 spoonfuls off of his face.  ha!

Today we decided to tackle the fork.  Ash doesn't really have much experience with forks at all since {until recently} he refused to eat foods that weren't pureed or eaten with fingers.  Because of this I wasn't sure if he'd know what to do, but never fear - some things are just natural.  He was stabbing and scooping like a champ.

More often than not the macaroni wouldn't come off of the fork so Asher would pull it off and move mac, fork, and fingers into his mouth.  Hey - you gotta do what it takes folks.

I grabbed the video camera and taped a bit of the action. 

My favorite is when Asher drops a few pieces and goes after them with the fork.  This boy cracks me up!



He's getting so big! 

a happy accident

After I got Asher dressed this morning I realized that I'd inadvertently put him in an outfit that perfectly coordinated with mine!  Oops!  

I guess it was just a bright blue and gray day in my eyes.  :-)

We had to make the most of it and pull out the self-timer on the 'ole camera.  He's even smiling a little - amazing!

celebrating easter {2011}

Just when you thought the Easter posts were behind us - here we are!

Drew, Asher and I traveled to New Jersey for the weekend to celebrate the holiday with Drew's family.  We had so much fun!

Quick peak of Asher from last Easter - so hard to believe how much he's changed!

On Saturday we all headed over to a lunch with the extended family and just had to show off Asher's Easter duds.  Is he the definition of dapper or what? 

I'm sure some day he'll hate me for dressing him in this outfit, but if not now, when?  ha!

{Of course, the one photo where Asher is smiling with me would be out of focus.  sigh.}

Asher got some really fun Easter treats while we were at the party! 

The plan was for there to be an outdoors egg hunt for the many kiddos, but it was a rainy, yucky day so everything got moved inside.  Asher loved searching for the eggs and throwing them in his bag.  Unfortunately, he got a little enthusiastic and transitioned from collecting eggs to simply cleaning up and started putting toys off the floor into his bag.  Love my little neatnik.  :-)

On Sunday we got up early and headed to church to celebrate the amazing Resurrection!  I love Easter - every year the awe of what happened all those years ago hits me afresh.  Jesus not only died for my sins {my sins!} but rose from the dead 3 days later.  Rose. from. the. grave.  That's crazy and amazing.

YAY!

After church we headed home and Asher opened his Easter basket.   

Well...he received an Easter basket.  Grandma and Grandpa have a bunch of toys that are new to Asher, so he was really distracted by those and didn't care two hoots for the basket of fun stuff that his mama lovingly put together.

Now that we're home he's been enjoying his goodies much more.  :-)

 After lunch Asher got to visit his Great-grandparents and uncle Bob.  Ash has been very stranger shy recently, so getting photos of him with new people is tough - hi Drew!  hi Emily!  We're in all the photos!

Yesterday we drove home and today I get to start the piles of laundry.  How does 3 days away create so much laundry??

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter as well!

in the spirit of full disclosure

This blog is a place where I store my day-to-day memories.  There are so many little things I would have completely forgotten about if they hadn't been recorded here.  That's why I love blogging!   

While I most love to write about the fun times, the hilarious stuff that Asher says and does, and the sentimental memories - I have to stay honest - every day isn't a picnic and every photo isn't one for a greeting card.

But you know what - this is my life and I want to remember all of it!

Today you're privy to a dose of what life has been like around here recently.  For the entire month of April {it feels like} I've been on the run.  It's all been for good reasons - welcoming visitors, traveling, baking lots of desserts for friends, etc - but still, it's been busy.

Because of that, a few things have fallen by the wayside, including keeping my house clean.  If you know me, you know that having an organized, clean home is usually a top priority.  So, instead of having the toys picked up at the end of the day, my living room has looked more like this 24/7.

Yikes.

Asher has also been having a bout of serious whining recently.  Hard to believe, I know!

He's been really {really} clingy - like literally holding on to my pants/shirt/arm/leg....

and has been making this face a ton.

Lord have mercy.

I know his clingy-ness won't last long, so when he grabs on and demands attention I try to give it to him.  Sweet boy just needs his mama a little extra right now!  {and it is nice to be wanted :-)}

We're visiting our family for Easter weekend, but after that we're homebound for awhile!  Hopefully that will help us all re-center and get back to normal.

Please tell me that you all have messy houses and whiny toddlers too.  Please!  ha!  :-)

two years ago

Two years ago I left work with a feeling.

A feeling that my life was about to change.

A feeling that I'd have a bunch of exciting phone calls to make!

A feeling like Drew was going to get the biggest news of his life too.

It was a good feeling.

Especially once I saw this

and realized it was all true.

April 20, 2009

April 2010 - 4 months old

April 2011 - 16 months old

How in the world has it been 2 years already?  I really have a hard time remembering what life was like before Asher came along.  These have been the most exciting, hardest, terrific, and exhausting 2 years of my life.  I am oh-so-grateful for every minute!

sugar and spice

Last weekend I traveled to Cleveland to visit some friends and finally meet a very special little lady.

Perhaps you remember last summer when Asher first learned that his wife-to-be was on her way?

Our great friends, Carl and Karen, welcomed their daughter in January and I've been trying to get to Ohio to meet her ever since.  Other things kept getting in the way, but last weekend it all came together and I was able to get away.

So worth it!  Look at this beautiful, fun girl!

Asher and Drew stayed home so I was able to snuggle with her without someone getting jealous and trying to squeeze in between her body and mine {that Drew is so possessive! ha!}

I was even there for her first time in the Jumparoo - fun!  She seemed really excited to have a viewpoint that didn't involve looking at the ceiling.  Bless her heart!

How adorable are the tiny feet propped up on books - love it!

The only bad part about my visit?  I now have the fever {oh no!}.

How could you not after spending a few days gazing into these eyes?  It takes a harder person than me. 

Thanks for letting me visit friends - you are doing an amazing job of raising Asher's future wife.  ha!