Hellobee

In my previous post about preparing for a sibling, reader Sparkles mentioned how she set up a basket of things for her older daughter to play with while she was nursing.  It never occurred to me that I had a toddler who would need to be occupied during this time, and I really liked this idea.

When I had Drake we lived in a one level condo and I preferred nursing in the bedroom on the bed.  I could stretch my feet out and have the TV running to keep me entertained (Drake would nurse for hours sometimes), as well as have the option of shutting the door to keep the pets out if I didn’t want them coming so close to the baby. In our current home, our bedroom is upstairs and Drake’s playroom is downstairs in the family room.  Since I think I would still prefer the option of laying on the bed to nurse as well as keeping the pets out, I would need to keep Drake in the room with me so I could still supervise him and nurse Chocolate baby.

After reading Sparkles’ suggestions I have started creating my own nursing basket of things kept in our bedroom solely for the purpose of occupying Drake when we are there. I plan on telling him that these toys stay only in mommy and daddy’s room and that they are special for when mommy feeds the baby. Sparkles recommends quiet toys which makes sense, and for the most part I have stuck with that idea. Here are the things I have set aside for now:

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I was inspired by Caroline’s post to create a DIY gift for my husband for Father’s Day. I thought a keychain was the perfect idea because it wouldn’t clutter up our house (as DIYs often do!) and it is sufficiently masculine.  I wanted, however, for the baby to get involved and unfortunately he’s too little to do any detail work!

I had seen air-dry clay thumbprint pendants floating around on Pinterest, but I wanted something sturdier since keys tend to get tossed around, and something that looked a little more finished and professional since my husband would carry it with him all the time. I came up with a polymer clay pendant nestled inside a bezel.  I loved the result, and my husband loved his handmade present (pun intended!). You could use this same DIY to make a necklace, a fob, or a holiday or window ornament.

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Dear Elliot & Finn,

Today is our last day at home together before I return to work.  Tomorrow, I will send you off into the world at 14-weeks old; though I realize 14 weeks is far longer than many mothers have with their babies, it is far earlier than I would wish to have you in the care of others.  In a perfect world, little boys, I would stay with you every day to laugh and play and snuggle and learn and cry, just like we’ve done for the last three months.  I would give almost anything for the gift of being with you, but I hope someday you will realize that mommies and daddies often have to do things they don’t want to do because they know it will be best for their family.

Before I send you out into this great big world, I have a few wishes and wisdoms for you.

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I had pinned the most darling bear mirror when pregnant with my daughter, having aims of creating a subtle woodland-themed nursery for her. No longer available, I set about trying to easily recreate the bear mirror, finally settling on cork as a substitute for wood (I haven’t ventured much beyond straight cuts with my jigsaw!)

I love how it turned out and hope you do too. I provided a template below for the bear shape, but since cork can be easily cut and manipulated, the options for different animal and shape silhouettes is nearly endless.

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We have an L shaped couch, and Chloe had been cruising along the couch for a few weeks. She let go of the couch on the day she turned 7 months and took exactly two steps from one side of the couch to the other (from the couch side to the chaise). I nearly had a heart attack.

She was hooked. She kept doing this for weeks, and would let go of whatever she was cruising along to see how many steps she could take. She was much closer to 9-10 months before she was walking unassisted and closer to 11 months before she was running.

We had one walker, but she didn’t use it as one. She is a daredevil and was happier cruising and seeing what she could let go of and how far she could walk on her own.

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Roses can be intimidating. Thorns? Delicate petals?

Do not be afraid. Here’s a surefire way to make a chic and modern rose arrangement that perfect for a baby shower or any other special event in your life.

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Mr. Pen and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary at the end of May. A few months prior we begged my mother to consider watching J so we could go out overnight. That weekend definitely ranks up there as one of the most special and romantic of my life. It wasn’t romantic in the sense that either of us went all out for the other, because we kept it simple and considered the weekend away as our gift to each other. It was romantic for me personally because the weekend helped me remember that my husband is more than just my child’s father; he was my husband first. I have realized how easy it is to forget that being a parent and being a wife are two completely separate roles. It’s so easy to focus only on J and his needs and desires and forget those of our spouse. That weekend was exactly what our marriage needed to recharge and rejuvenate. We had such a splendid time together that I am hoping we might be able to do this annually if my mother is up to it. As cheesy as it sounds, I fell in love all over again with Mr. Pen.

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