11 months of little things

To our little doodle,

This post is late. Seventeen days late to be exact. Yikes! Where is the time going? With the change in the seasons and starting my new job, time is getting away from me. Whenever we are together we just play and play...okay, occasionally I sneak in a few smooches but you don't really like them right now.

You really enjoy:

sliced turkey

watching boats in the river

toy cars and making the "vrrrrooooommm" sound

naps on the couch

going on adventures with Janie

standing

high fives

climbing stairs

singing "la, la, la"

You dislike:

sleeping alone

rainy days when we have to stay indoors

Things to look forward to:

Your first birthday!

picking apples and pumpkins

walking?

warm cider

pancakes with cinnamon

You are the best of the best. Thanks for being so loving. I love you Henson with all of my heart. 

If we all take a minute, it is easy to remember why we are all here. 

Love, Your Mama. 

10 months of little things

To our baby doodle,

As we get closer to your first birthday, I have started building a scrapbook for you. Every hour that I spend with all those photographs is daunting. It seems like you were born yesterday and also a thousand years ago.

You have grown into such a little personality! You are full of loud squeals, big smiles and a pout that makes my stomach ache. As we get ready for a shift in our routine, I can't help but feel a little bit sorry for you. Will you be confused? Will you be sad? Maybe you won't miss your mama and will love every minute you spend with your dad or new nanny.

Henson, just so you know, I have enjoyed every single minute of our time together. I can't believe how lucky I am to have watched you grow these last ten (almost eleven) months. I won't lie, it hasn't been easy and you have tested my abilities in a million ways but I have learned so much about myself. I have learned so much about my patience, ability to cope and the insane amount of love I have in my heart. You went from a blobby newborn into this little person with preferences and characteristics.

You really enjoy:

all kinds of melon

cheerios

the garden hose

climbing in Cookie's bed

standing up

flipping through books

crawling, crawling, crawling

playing outside
clapping

You dislike: 

getting your diaper changed

Things to look forward to:

eating fall foods like soup and squash
the harvest
sleeping through the night?

I can't believe it is the middle of August. Time flies when you are having fun. It also flies when you have a perfect baby that wants to play all the time. We certainly had a great summer. 

If we all take a minute it is easy to remember why we are all here. 

We love you. Love, your Mama.

photo an hour: at home with a baby

A few of my friends have asked me what I did all day as a stay at home mom. Although I would like to say I had loads of time to blog and create jewelry, that is simply not true. Between feeding, changing and trying to keep a very mobile Henson out of trouble, my days are really busy.
Usually, Henson wakes up at 5:00 but we try to keep things quiet until 6.

6am: Coffee and Kitty stares.

7:00 play after breakfast

8:00 Walk along the river. Pat and I chat while Henson naps in his stroller.

9:00 met this guy on our way back to the car

10:15 Pat's car ran out of gas and I had to go save him!

11:30ish lunch

12:00 cutting up beets for dinner

1:00-2:30ish nap time 

3:30 tidying up the nursery for a future blog post

4:30 enjoying the beautiful weather

5:00 Cookie looking for dinner

5:30 books before dinner

6:30 finishing up dinner/ getting ready for a bath

7:00 bath and sleep coaxing (no photo because this time of day can be a struggle)

7:45/ 8ish dinner and a moment of peace

9:00 Pat gets home and we hang out until Henson wakes up somewhere between 10 and 11. I hope this wake up will eventually go away and he will sleep until midnight or later. We'll see. 

Documenting a regular day was interesting. It is crazy that the chaos and energy cannot really be expressed through photographs. I will miss these days but am so grateful I was able to have them. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

family project 31

Our new glass door is too much fun! These boys are hilarious. Hope everyone is having a good week. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Linking up with Jodi's awesome project

August 2014

Happy August everyone! Since it is August first, I thought I would tell you all my exciting news! In roughly three weeks my family will begin a new chapter in our adventure because I am returning to work! Yippeeee!!!

When we found out I was pregnant, I was a full time student and working part time at a crap job. In March 2013 I quit my job because it was proving detrimental to my pregnancy and I needed to focus on graduating. I graduated in May 2013 and haven't "worked" since. I don't like that last sentence because I may not have been working for a pay check or a diploma but I was working on building a human AND getting our lives ready for baby. Believe it or not, I patched ceilings and repaired furniture while pregnant. I organized ALL of our art supplies (it took an entire month), landscaped, built a closet and purged a ton of junk from the garage. So yeah, I didn't "work" but man oh man, did I work!

Now, I am rejoining the work force and I couldn't be more thrilled. You have to remember when I graduated I was pretty pregnant and no one would hire me. I acquired all these shiny new skills in college that I had to put on the back burner while I became a stay at home mom. Well, I am so glad I waited because not only did I get to spend some seriously special time with Henson but this new job is exactly the type of work I have been looking for! It is in a school, working with kids and focusing on cognitive development. There is a ladder to climb, a young and enthusiastic staff, health care, and it is in my field! I am so proud to have this opportunity.

Of course, I am also terrified. I am terrified to leave my son. I am terrified that I will be even more exhausted. I am terrified that I will never see my husband.

I am so lucky to have had the last ten months to stay home with Henson. I realize many working parents do not get to stay home for so long and I am very, very grateful to have had the time. In my heart, I know things are going to be okay but I also know it is not going to be easy. Figuring out a new routine is going to be confusing for Henson and I just hope it works out. Wish me luck and thanks for all the support you have shown me and my family. Keep in touch because I am sure things are about to get very, very interesting. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

family project 29/30

Pat is away again. I didn't make the time wasn't able to photograph my boys last week and am not sure when I will be able to this week! Yikes! I still took some photographs though so I thought I would share. I have been solo parenting for a week now and it has been tough. I don't know how single parents do it. I mean, Pat works a ton but he is still able to play with Henson every morning so I can have a moment to myself.

We have been staying busy though. We met up with my sister, nephew and mom for an overnight AND we visited a museum with Pat's parents. We have been going on quite a few adventures and this mama is worn out!

Hens is crawling all over the place and pulling himself up to stand. It is a little bit stressful because he is into everything. Pat should be home tomorrow and I am not sure if he will recognize this baby! He has changed so much in a week!! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying these final days in July. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

family project 28

The days have been so rainy but today is (finally) beautiful and I am over the moon with some amazingly good news. Stay tuned because I plan to share soon. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Linking up with Jodi

family project 27

Beach day for the win! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Linking up with Jodi's project

9 months of little things

To our little doodle,

We are having quite the summer. You are crawling, teething, eating solids, waving, shaking your head "no" and exploring every corner of the house. You can clap your hands and stand in your crib. Your excitement for the whole world is keeping you up at night and I must say, that no one is sleeping around here.

The days are filled with sunshine and you love being a part of every chore that your dad and I do. We went to a quilt show and you were so incredibly good! All these ladies we pinching your little legs and you didn't seem to mind. You love balls, your toy piano, and getting into the dog's water. Poor Cookie, we keep moving her water dish because no matter how many times we tell you that it is "yucky", you want to play in it. Last week we went to the playground for the first time and you loved the swing!

You are starting to recognize common words. When we read books about fish, you make the fish noise. It is so awesome! Yesterday, you realized you could grab your feet and clap them together! It seems like everyday you learn something new and it is so delightful to watch.

You really love:

honeydew melon

crawling

picking clover

books

the rattle of ice in a cup

balls

You dislike:

carrots

Things to look forward to:

a visit from Grandma Mindy

the sandbox

blackberry season

the baby water park

spending more time with your cousin and aunt

You rarely cry, except at night and I really believe it is separation anxiety. You are such a good baby and I can't believe how easy going you are. I'm sorry sleeping isn't working out but hopefully in time that will change. If we all just take a minute it is easy to remember why we are all here. 

Mama and Dada love you.

family project 25/26

Wow! An unexpected hiatus set my photo project back a week. If you follow me on Insta you probably noticed a photo of Henson in a tow truck. Being stranded on the side of a busy highway, in 90 degree heat, with a baby was absolutely terrifying! Although, to my surprise I actually remained very cool and collected through the ordeal. Money was spent, things were (sort of) fixed and five days later we are home safe and sound....if not slightly homebound. Oh well, it is too hot to go anywhere anyway. Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Linking up with Jodi's Project

4th of July

Happy Independence Day Everyone!! Hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

heart of saturday night

Freshly  picked strawberries make the best pie. Happy Summer Everyone! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

our first family vacation

Last week Pat, Henson and I packed up the car and headed to Martha's Vineyard. My brother-in-law's family owns a wonderful place on the beach and visiting is always such a treat.

The Vineyard always brings back memories of my adolescent summers. Those crazy times were spent running around the island, eating taffy, and living in my bathing suit.

I was excited to kick back and reconnect with old stomping ground. Plus, all of my siblings were there, as well as my mom and nephew. It was terrific to see everyone and catch up. Henson and his cousin Wilder are really funny together.

We also took Henson to see the ocean for the first time. He wasn't afraid of the booming waves (it rained while we were visiting) and I was so proud of his curiosity. That day, we made a promise that he would see the ocean every summer, indefinitely.

I SO wanted to call this trip a vacation, but I learned rather quickly that a vacation with a baby is really not a vacation at all. I wanted to forget our troubles and just let loose, but instead Henson and I both got very sick (as did my brother), and it rained. 

Turns out that even though we were in a beautiful place with all my favorite people it was still hard. There was coughing, stomach aches, and stuffy noses. We made the best of it, but honestly it wasn't the easiest trip.

It was our first experience traveling as a family and although it was difficult, we learned a lot. Here are a few things that I learned from traveling with our 8 month old.
           
1. Allow lots and lots of extra time, like more time than you would ever think necessary. If you have a plane, train or ferry to catch, make sure you leave ridiculously early because chances are you will have to stop one, two, or five times.

2. Stock up on snacks and towels because you never know.

3. Don't spend lots of money before you travel on things like new clothes, a pedicure, books, getting your hair done etc. You should forget about that cute dress that would be perfect for a walk in the village or a new suit for relaxing on the beach. If you get to accomplish anything that you plan, it will be short and sweet. Just grab what is comfy and forget the rest.

4. Your child's sleep schedule will not change... actually because they are in a new place your child may wake up more. Don't stay up past 2am. You will regret it.

5. If you travel with people that don't have children don't resent them. They are on a different path and you can't get upset if they drink wine and play games well into the wee hours of the morning. Embrace your life and don't be bitter.

I will admit, I was a little naive when we decided to take this trip but I am still glad we did. Plus I really can't regret a trip that included so much of the family and everyone getting along! Maybe I didn't get to put my feet up but the fact that nobody fought is a little vacation miracle.

On our last day, Henson got up crazy early so we grabbed a heavy blanket and went to the beach to watch the sun rise. It was spectacular.

Just like the trips I took as a preteen, Martha's Vineyard was clumsy, bittersweet, and a huge learning experience. I am really grateful for the memories we made and I can't wait to go back.

I will now end this post with some rather awkward (and hilarious) portraits I took of my brother. Enjoy. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

baby book love: One Gorilla

Books and reading have always been extremely important to Pat and I. We had a book swap at our wedding, have spent entire vacations browsing book shops and consistently have a budget for books. When Henson came along we vowed to read to him everyday. In my opinion, reading is one of the best things you can do for a child and we love the special time together.

Back in the day, I worked for a children's bookstore so I actually possess a bit of knowledge on the subject. With this knowledge and a new baby that loves books, I thought I would start a new series of blog posts reviewing children's books. I know he is just a baby but we go to the library every week and Henson defiantly has his preferences. There are some books that are just amazing and I would love to share them with you.

Recently, Henson has been all about monkeys. We sing about monkeys and we read about monkeys. You can imagine my excitement when I found Anthony Browne's book One Gorilla. 

This book is beautiful! With simple counting and captivating illustrations it is perfect for a small child.

Henson may be little but we don't limit his reading to board books. He loves large books with big pictures and it gives us the opportunity to teach him to be gentle with the pages.

I will try and share our favorite board books as well but big or small if Henson likes a book we run with it. What children's books do you love? I am always looking for suggestions. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

family project 24

Happy Tuesday everyone! After a few weeks of traveling it is really nice to be home. Henson and Pat were not together for father's day so they are making up for lost time with extra snuggles. Yesterday they took the cutest nap I have ever seen. Hope everyone had a good weekend. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 Project