Memory Loss

I used to be an organized person. Before Daphne. I’d make lists, menus and plans. If I was going somewhere I’d pack a week in advance, although I’d have already made a list a month prior with everything I needed to pack. But since Daphne came along, my brain is just Slurpee. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve set out to go shopping only to forget to buy half of what I need. Supposedly this pregnancy and postpartum memory loss is normal and gets better after a year. I hope so.

I found these handy little project planner pads at Michael’s to help me organize my crafting/sewing.

Every project now has a sheet indicating what else I need in order to start, as well as all the materials I currently have. This is my Frenchy bag project. My choice of fabric isn’t terribly original, I know, but I hope to embellish it with a vintage brooch or enamel flower pin on the top band (which on my bag will be the stripe). Like maybe this one from Etsy:

So hard to tell online how they would look together… hmmm.  But don’t you think that top band needs something?  Or am I just too flashy?

Bang Baby

I’ve been thinking about cutting Daphne’s hair. She definitely needs a trim in the back, and I’d like to cut some bangs. Chris thinks I should wait and have our hairdresser do it. This is probably a good idea, since I can’t even hang a picture straight with the help of a level, let alone cut a straight line. Really, don’t ever ask me if something is straight.  I can’t tell.  And trying to cut straight bangs on a wiggly 6 mo. old might be beyond my talents. Here’s her hair today. I was trying out some of her new butterfly hair clips.

When you brush her bangs straight down they are almost to her nose. Any suggestions on how to safely cut these myself? Or should I have a professional do it?

Etsy Finds

Etsy seller 247Magnum has some pretty funny Lost t-shirts for sale. I particularly like this one:

And there are a few sellers with BSG merchandise. I’d rather vote for Roslin than Obama or McCain, lol.

Brain Dump

A few random things on my mind lately:

• Why do people list items on Craigslist for $1 or $2? Seriously, that is not worth my time to reply to an email and coordinate delivery/payment for such a small amount of $$.
• We need to move out of here before Daphne starts to pick up a Southern accent. Or really before I pick up more of an accent. Y’all. I used to make fun of Tina Gordon in the Sticks N Stuff commericals. Um yeah, I pick up accents pretty quickly. Before you know it I’ll be talking like Paula Deen. I had to laugh the other day when she had to spell “ball” (like in hard ball stage for making candy) because she pretty much pronounces “ball” and “boil” as “bawwwl.”  “That’s b-a-l-l… bawwwl,  not b-o-i-l… bawwwl.”  Thanks for clearing that up Paula.
• I also used to make fun of people that spent $$ on kids clothes. Now most of Daphne’s closet is Gymboree. In my defense I’ve learned how to shop the Gymbo system and never buy anything unless it’s 50% off. I have also been buying ahead for this summer/fall/winter as things go on clearance. So far Daphne’s growth has been right on track, and hopefully this won’t come back to bite me in the butt.
• So glad Chris March got kicked off Project Runway. Human hair on clothing? I think not. I want Christian to win.
• The Mountain Brook fire department cruises for garage sales on Saturday mornings… in the big fire truck and everything. And they actually buy things. How weird is that? That vehicle can’t be fuel efficient, seems like a waste. When we were out looking for baby stuff before Daphne was born we followed the fire truck to at least 4 other sales.
• Yesterday a public works truck and bull dozer took a big chunk out of my neighbors curb, seven or eight guys with shovels cleared the small area, and the bull dozer left. What was that all about?
• Why are there no decent parks on this side of town? Complete lack of city planning in B’ham. There are some nice parks closer to downtown, but I don’t feel like getting shot at, or watching drug deals.
• I understand vanity sizing for women’s clothing, but why can’t sizing for kid’s clothing be consistent? Daphne wore an outfit the other day with a 12-18 mo Old Navy top, 3-6 mo Gymboree pants and 0-3 mo Gap shoes. Oh, and the 12-18 mo top fit perfectly now, meaning she’ll need an 18-24 mo or 2T for this summer. What? She’s basically average in height and weight, and sizing charts are similar between the brands. I’m not buying any more Old Navy clothes for her. No matter how cheap they are. Crazy8 is even worse.

Ok, brain dump over. Off to watch Lost.

6 Month Update

For those of you that have asked how big Daphne is getting here are the numbers from today’s Dr. appt: 15 lbs 8 oz, 26 in long, 16 3/4 in head measurement. That puts her at 40th percentile for weight, and 60th for height. She’s completely normal and healthy (well, as normal as she can be considering we are her parents). The Dr. was very impressed with her strength and her muscle control, especially while standing. She’s still trying to figure out if she wants to be a “brown-eyed girl.” The blue in her left eye and part of her right is now green, and her left eye is starting to have brown patches as well. So weird. Maybe she’ll have brown eyes after all.

Happy 6 Months Daphne!!

Our little peanut has been with us for 6 months now.

Just after the birth. Note that Chris is still in his dress shirt, he never changed after leaving work.

Freshly hatched, and you can tell she’s got my chin.

Leaving the hospital… Does Chris look tired or what? You’d think he was the one that gave birth.

Our little hairy peanut

I kinda miss her spiky punk rocker newborn hairstyle, but that’s about it. I’m glad the newborn days are behind us.

Ready for Spring

I’m ready for spring. Luckily when you live in the Deep South this comes pretty early. Because there are so many evergreens here, the transformation from winter to spring isn’t always dramatic. But I look forward to the grass turning green, the spring flowers and heck, even the kudzu. I know it’s the “vine that ate the South” but I love the way kudzu looks like a big green blanket covering everything in its path.

This weekend I need to start gardening. I have liriope to cut down and split before they start growing. And the crazy boxwood next to our front door has another 5 ft shoot sticking out of the right side. I swear, that bush is possessed. None of our other 6 boxwoods do this. Anyway, I may put it off. It will be 70 on Sunday and I’m dying to have a picnic.

Sleep Deprived

Chris was operating on very little sleep today. He was up last night making sure the severe weather and tornadoes didn’t carry our little house to Oz. And our little dog too. Actually it can take our little dog. Allie has been a bad girl lately.

My husband really doesn’t function without sleep. It’s especially fun to hear him talk. Gems like “I’m disturbed!!!” (which is not what he meant to say, but was darn funny, and true) and tonight’s “throw a wrench in the monkey” come out during conversation. Reminds me of that scene in Tommy Boy where Chris Farley is supposed to say “You can get a good look at a T-Bone by sticking your head up a bull’s ass, or you could just take the butcher’s word for it” (or something like that) and ended up saying something about sticking your head up the butcher’s ass. He he.

Leaving On a Jet Plane

Flying with an infant. Just the thought makes me cringe. Or really the thought of flying with MY infant makes me want to cringe. Yet, here I am, booking a flight for the three of us to Chicago in June. At least my dad is paying for the tickets.

Over a year ago we got an invitation from my Aunt Jackie to the annual Hill family picnic in Chicago. My brother & I both have kids my extended family has never met, and my aunt was getting a little anxious to get everyone together. Due to my pregnancy we weren’t able to attend in 2007, so it was decided we’d all make the effort to get to Chicago in 2008. Family picnics were a big deal for my grandfather’s generation. If I remember correctly my grandfather was 1 of 9 kids, and my dad is 1 of 5, so they are pretty large gatherings. And everyone else still lives in Chicago, my dad, brother and I are the only oddballs. Or should I say, black sheep? I haven’t been to Chicago in about 10 years. I don’t think my brother & I have both been in Chicago at the same time since 1992. No, that’s not true. It was 1996, when my grandfather died.

I’m really not thrilled about this trip. I’m doing this as a favor to my dad and aunt, plus my dad has said it’s the last time we’ll try to come up together as a family. I’m sure Chicago is a great place to visit. I wouldn’t know personally. When we lived in Chicago I was too young to remember much about it. We visited every year or so throughout my childhood, but that normally meant family dinners, sitting in my grandfather’s kitchen, picnics… we never saw the city. Unless it was to go downtown to DePaul or to a Cubs game. This visit won’t be any different.

I guess the part I’m really dreading is the plane trip. I’m not afraid of flying, not at all. In fact, from the ages of 8 to 18 (or was it 10-18?) I was on a plane at least every 2 to 3 weeks to visit my dad in Dallas. When my brother and I first started flying there would be maybe 30 people (mainly business travelers) on the flight from Tulsa-Dallas. Now it doesn’t matter if you fly at 2 AM on a Tuesday, your flight is packed. I hate crowds. And I’m concerned about Daphne fussing the entire way. I don’t want to be “that parent” that disrupts everyone’s flight. Or pooping all over and not being able to have a place to change her. I can’t imagine planes have added changing stations in their bathrooms. I just need to think positively. My dread/anxiety is going to jinx our trip.

If anyone has any good suggestions about traveling with a fussy infant (who hopefully will be less fussy in June), let me know!!

Indie Craft Experience

I might want to go to Atlanta for this:  Indie Craft Experience, June 7, 2008, Centennial Olympic Park.  And here’s a video about ICE.