Eco Friendly & Fun

I have a ton of family, and by a ton, I really do mean a ton. As fore mentioned, I like meaningful gifts. I also like to get everyone gifts, but that isn't always in the budget, so I have to get creative. For months now I have been wanting to make my family members wool dryer balls. Unfortunately life tends to get in the way of my grandiose crafty plans. This year, I am on my game. I am done with most of my immediate family (minus my children, they would just find their presents), leaving me time to make these balls. Now, if you don't know about wool dryer balls, you should. They are awesome. Just pop 2-4 of those suckers in your dryer and you have amazingly fluffy clothes, with less drying time and no yucky chemicals from dryer sheets. Yay!

Here is a semi tutorial.

First take 100% wool yarn that is not of a superwash base and wind into a ball.


Next, take wool fiber and needle felt into the balls of yarn. (I got a bag of fun colored scraps off etsy for cheap)


Place each ball into some old ripped pantyhose or tights. Wash with laundry and dry a couple times until desired felt is reached.


Some of my finished products:

Heirloom.

I try to find as many meaningful gifts for people as possible every year. I am not really into just buying a bunch of crap that will be obsolete in a couple months. This year, for my dad, I found a vintage hard hat. For those of you who don't know my dad (Tim), he is a superintendant at a construction company and has worked in construction his entire life. I figure, with all the vintage levels in his office, the hard hat will be a nice edition. In order to make this gift more memorable I am incorporating photography. Last night I took a photo shoot of Maverick wearing the hard had. I intend to have a 8x10 canvas made for him to inclose in the gift as well. Cool, right!? What a cool way to display a piece of history and present life! Throughout time, I thought it would be fun to re-photograph Maverick in the same hard hat. Here are the photo results:





Now to decide on which one. :)

I love holding you in my arms.

Dear Maverick,

You are the sweetest little boy I have ever held in my arms. I will forever miss these days when your body perfectly rests on me, when you have no inclination to move, yet are more comfortable on me than anything or anyone in this entire world. I love you son.

Love,
Mom




I wrote this months ago... I don't know why I never published it until now.

The home birth of John Maverick.

After dinner, the evening of July 28th it started. After doing "the deed" with my dear husband, it took only 30 minutes for my contractions to start. I would not let myself be convinced that it was "real". I continued on with my evening activities, playing outdoors with the kids, some light weeding throughout my overgrown flower beds, and the normal bedtime routine (Bath, Books, Kisses). After getting the girls to bed John and I sat down to play a game of Monopoly to keep my mind off the persistant contractions. By the end of the game they were coming every 4 minutes for 2 minutes long, I knew it was real.

11:30 p.m. my midwife and doula arrive to start setting things up. I was in the tub when they arrived and stayed there until I began getting pruney. I then relied on my ball for comfort and alternated rest periods with walking up and down the stairs. By 4:45 a.m. I was extremely exhausted, asking my midwife to check me and see what kind of progress I had made. I could see it in her face, I wasn't far. Only 4 cm. dialated and 0 station. I felt devastated. My doula and midwife advised me to lay down on my side and try to nap between contractions, so I followed their advise.

It felt like a freight train was charging through my body. I was abruptly awaken by furious contractions 30 minutes after I had lain down. I got up from my bed and made my way to the toilet to pee. Back to back with 10-20 second breaks the contractions raged through my body. Instincts took over at this point. I went back to my ball and squeezed it with all of my might, trying to "breathe" through the contractions to the best of my ability. My midwife decided to check me again, she needed to know why I was in so much pain. "We need to hurry Sally" she said to my doula. I knew he was coming. I had dialated to a 7 and was now at a +3 station. "I think you would be more comfortable in the tub, Jenn, lets try to move in between contractions." I dug deep and mustered up all the strength I could to let go of that ball and make way toward the tub.

2 steps. That is as far as I could make it before I dropped to my hands and knees, barely inside the bathroom doors. I could feel him. HE WAS COMING. I grabbed on to my husbands torso and tried to focus my breathing and low bellows. I kept thinking "You are squeezing him to hard, you are hurting him" but my hands would not ease up, my husband was just going to have to endure. "You are doing so great, he is almost here" my husband chanted to me. I reached down and felt his head emerging. John Maverick born at 6:17 a.m. July 29th 7lbs. 6oz.

My mother and stepmother arrived shortly after. My children woke up at 8:00, for the first time. (I am amazed they didn't wake through my middle of the night screams) Overnight they became big sisters, it was magical, they were completely in awe of their new brother. I couldn't have asked for a better birth. It was absolutely perfect.

Embracing the belly.

As the clock counts down the final days that I will bear a child in my womb I am embracing every second. I am enjoying my hulking belly and will eternally miss the feeling that comes with carrying a child. Although I am anxious and eager to meet my son, a sadness will surely follow, knowing that he is in fact the last child I will deliver.... Assuming Mr.Butler does indeed take the necessary measures to prevent future conceptions.
Yesterday the girls and I painted my belly. Mia thought this was exceptionally awesome, stating "You have the coolest belly EVER mommy."

Getting ready for baby.

All of the sudden I feel an urgency to "get ready" for Maverick. We are here, strap on your seat belt, we have begun the process of labor. I use "labor" loosely, as I am not rushing into the hospital to push (not that I am anyway). Yesterday sprung a bout of braxton hicks on me. I felt a sinking deep within my gut. "You are not ready to come out" my mind channeled to Mav. Later in the night, Maverick worked his head deep into my pelvis and my belly was noticeably lower when I awoke.

The nesting urge is overtaking my mind. I want to frantically clean, cook meals, tediously press and put together the tiny outfits than hang in his closet. I want everything perfect for my sons grand entrance. I insist he come home to a clean meticulously organized house. This craze happens to me every time. For days I have deliberated hiring a professional photographer or doing my own newborn pictures. I decided I was the best candidate, then obsessively twisted away 2 skeins of yarn into this.



Fortunately, nesting gives me super powers and I can knit at hypersonic speeds.



I have so many things to get done in the next 4 weeks!

Packing for 5

I think about going on vacation growing up and can't seem to recall this much work going into the process. I suppose I am a little neurotic about the steps that "need to be taken." I am the type of person that has to clean my entire house before I leave town. All of the laundry needs to be done. Dishes washed and put away. The car needs to be clean. The car seats usually don't need to be clean, but for some reason they do this time. Last but not least every person must be packed with bags loaded the night before we have to leave. I know what you are thinking..... crazy pregnant woman.... No.... this is an every trip kind of thing. Now there is some reasoning to my madness.... As all of us adult persons know (maybe just us wives), vacation is no picnic in the park, it is a lot of work. I in NO way want to come home to a filthy house, with old smelly dishes, piles of laundry and dust, and have to deal with that after being completely exhausted from said trip. I would simply stress out at the thought of coming home the entire time I am gone. This time I plan to have all my ducks in a row. I am T minus 2 days from going out of town and the main floor is clean, basement clean, and girls rooms clean. Only laundry, dishes, cleaning car and packing remain. That's it.

The progression.

Day to day I am struggling to keep myself sane. I tell myself "It doesn't matter if the baby has a bed set up", "It won't matter that his clothes aren't micro organized by color, shape, & size", "All the baby needs is you." Somehow I just can't make myself believe it. My mother in law told her pool guy today that it looks like I am having twins.... gee, thanks! Mental note to self- NEVER tell a pregnant woman she looks like she is having twins, unless, she is in fact having twins. :MAJOR OVERREACTION ALERT: Her comment sent me into a whirlwind of mental disfunction. All I could think was "Man, he IS going to come early, and I WON'T be ready." Luckily I have a wonderful husband who *most often* knows what and when to say what he does to calm me down. Sigh.

I took some progress pictures of the bathroom and bedroom today so you all can see what is happening and maybe send some positive vibes for a speedy progression. Thanks in advance.

Time is flying.

Life has been in the way of my blogging recently. School wrapped up and construction has begun our master bathroom/bedroom. For the past 3 weeks John and I have been sleeping on a mattress in our living room. Lets just say it has been hectic. Here is a picture of our before bathroom and bedroom, don't mind the random trash scattered about. =)

The contractor has estimated to be done by the beginning of July.... well, he BETTER be done by then! All of our furniture is currently in the babys room and I haven't been able to clean or sort through anything, I am completely unprepared! Not to mention I plan on giving birth in that bathroom, I hope to God it is done. Speaking of the baby, I am getting LARGER by the day. I swear he will be my largest child yet and I am terrified he will come early. I have said this with every child but I am terrified that he ACTUALLY will.... only because I am not ready. Here is a recent belly shot:

On the mom front, I have been busy knitting little outfits for Maverick and creating art scrapbooks for the girls. The best way I have managed to do this is by photographing the work. After each art piece is photographed I am creating various ways to recycle them. The latest was using 4 seperate paintings as wrapping paper for a cousins present. I have also cut them up and stored them to make cards for the grandparents.

Speaking of birthdays we celebrated Sophie's 3rd birthday at the end of May with her cousin Owen. I can't believe she is getting so big! Time needs to slow down.

Tuned Out.

When I was young, I distinctly remember my parents turning the sound up in the back of the car. All I could see was the flapping of their lips, laughter, and the occasional scowl. What were they talking about? I became hopelessly lost in the music, drifting away to a place far away as I gazed out upon open land and billboard signs.

Tonight, I recaptured that moment in time. I simply couldn't take another "MOM!" or "I need...." It suddenly occurred to me, fade the music to the front to drown out all the crying, talking, needy little voices blaring from the two rows behind me. Thank you Kid Rock, tonight you gave me a tiny moment of bliss, a break from my life, a piece of sanity.

Down goes the camera lens.

You know that sickness you felt as a kid when you broke something that was not getting replaced. I haven't missed it. My big fat pregnant self caught the strap of my camera and ripped it right off the kitchen table tonight. BASH!!!! The sound of my lens shattering into a million little pieces. I am devastated. Fortunately for me I am an adult now who has the ability to replace items I mistakingly break, however, the thought of dropping another $500 on a lens is enough to trigger my up-chuck reflux. LAME SAUCE ladies and gentlemen. Let's pay some homage to the last pictures that lens ever saw.

Week 24. Mia turns the BIG 4!

Hooray for Friday! After a brutal break up with our childcare provider last Wednesday, the kids have been home with me all week. Well, mostly all week, they were with grandparents for the duration of my working hours. It has been so much fun hanging out with Sophia and Bella! Sophia gave me a big hug yesterday and said "I like staying home with you." It is little things like so that melt my heart.

Mia turned the big 4 this week. I would say this is her "birthday week", she seems to continuously get presents. Tomorrow is her big birthday party at Faulkner Ranch. Her classmates are totally stoked about it. Mia's "pony party" was the topic for discussion when I ate lunch with her class on Wednesday. I managed to get all the party bags made last night which include handcuffs, sheriff badges, bubbles, and a special treat just to piss off the parents.... FUN DIP. Ah, I used to LOVE that stuff but, I in NO WAY want my 4 year old walking around with a package of it. Ah well, it is her birthday week after all. I am most excited for the cupcakes. Milton, Mia's Godfather, is a professional pastry chef. Together with John he will be creating the most delicious cupcakes for the little dudes. This is going to be one rockin party, I can't wait to post pics!

Last but not least, My weekly belly shot. 24 Weeks..... TIME IS FLYING.

Week 23. A week with the girls.

My Weekly Belly Shot.

Bella has started making this crazy face every time she sees a camera. This is her "say cheese" face. I adore it. Soon she will not want to smile for the camera at all, it will take me 50 shots to get a good one. She is developing a little attitude, I am not sure where she gets it from, but I am confident that I will be battling it for the next 18 years.... or more.

This week is the last day of Miss Mia's 2 week spring break vacation. We have been super busy getting our nails done, meeting friends for lunch, and having play dates. She seems to be quite the little socialite.

Sophia is beginning to feel left out due to the extensive social life Mia has developed. She is old enough to know Mia is going to do something fun, she just isn't old enough to go. I am excited for her to start school, she is going to love it. This week she has been particularly bossy. Constantly instructing me on what I need to be doing or telling me "I can do it myself, mom". Little Miss Independent.

22 Weeks & Counting.

Ahhhh, here we are again, let the madness begin. Over the next few weeks I am sure to be on my hands and knees scrubbing away at crevices that have no business being cleaned, dusting spaces you would never have known existed, and frantically arranging/rearranging (repeat) my entire house. Today I am 22 weeks pregnant with our first son. Lord help us all. I feel great, "glowing" that pregnant glow.... whatever that means. I am not puking my brains out every 5 minutes, I can eat, & I actually LOOK pregnant vs. extremely bloated. Unfortunately, I know all too well this is short lived, I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts.