Family Photo

Thank you for your words on Lyra's three year anniversary. I had lovely flowers sent, donations made in her honor, and balloons released. We felt loved, and supported. Lyra was remembered.

And I've remembered so many other babies too...this season is not easy as we miss them in photos.

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I have not gotten Christmas cards out to everyone. I didn't create a photo one this year, and I didn't have the option to do as many this year either. But this is our family this December. It's a good snapshot of how things are right now. Simon just got a haircut, his first. And he looks like a little boy, which he is, of course. And we watch as he grows and learns, rebels, & loves and is amazed by trucks, sirens, & wheels.

I love how the authors of "H.ow Do D.inosaurs Say M.erry C.hristmas" wish their readers a beautiful holiday season, and I'll leave you with it:

Wishing you an "abundance of love, joy, memory, and gratitude."

The Kitchen

As I was making biscuits tonight, Simon wanted to do his own preparations. He pulled the apron down for me to put on him, and gathered up a pot and measuring cups. And yes, that's a bottle of my lotion he's pretending to measure out...he hasn't figured how to open it yet (knock on wood).

I have some sort of egalitarian speech percolating in my head in defense of the fact that he's pretending to cook and bake. But ultimately, the speech is jumbled and unfinished, and L & I don't need a defense for our son, or how we are raising him. Some days, L models cooking and cleaning, just as I sometimes model mowing and putting oil in the car. It's all just life, and he's finding little ways to mimic and fit in to it and I love it.

More teeth

I mentioned awhile ago that we were dealing with teeth coming in. Apparently I don't know anything about teeth and how they come in. At that time, we were actually dealing with two lower incisors and 4 molars. (I had to look up a diagram, because these things are causing such disruption in this house.) At the moment, we are still dealing with those four molars, and two more lower canines. Now of course, it's not constant pain all week long. But yesterday and today have been a beast, and I am so grateful for the early bedtime he has so I can get some breathing room. I'm hoping tomorrow is a bit of a break...that my motto of "this too shall pass" will come true.

I feel ashamed that I feel so disheveled when he has his rough days, because I'm supposed to be the calm one who helps him through it all. And I only have one. The families who have more than one living child, and have all different stages of "helping them through it all" - my hat goes off to you. I know you learn and adjust, but it's still amazing.

Of course there are days like in the picture above. These days outnumber the bad ones. He's really an enjoyable little boy who gives kisses and hugs and makes every day funny in some way.

I'm lucky, and I know it. So, while I complain or lament a hardship in parenting, I know that I've got it good.

Now, wish him quick tooth growth so he can get back to enjoying life. Wishing you all a beautiful moment sometime this week. <3

My town

Clouds fuel my creativity, with blazing sunsets, or the quiet of the stars and moon poking through at night. Wide open skies deliver a variety of guises - blue, crisp days; stormy, gray afternoons; always windy, except for a few select days. I'm finding beauty here.

Garland

Angie mentioned over on her blog about some of the ways she decorated for christmas. It got me thinking about how we've decorated our house this year. I made a pom pom garland this year (I followed this tutorial). I love it. I think I could make a pom pom garland for any activity throughout the year...bright spring like ones or dinosaur colored ones for Simon's birthday. I guess these colors aren't necessarily Christmasy, but it's my Christmas garland nonetheless.

The pictures in the frames (from bottom left up and around to bottom right): Tiger at the zoo when I was pregnant with Lyra, a sweet card from an IRL BLM, a recent painting of mine for Lyra's anniversary coming up, a holiday ATC from another BLM, and Simon's first water color - he got a hold of my tin and got his fingers all painted...I figured instead of cleaning him up, he might as well use it up on some paper :) I love the option to change out pictures and look forward to putting up more of Simon's artwork.

I also have a holiday card garland that is in the living room for this season, and my stars that I have yet to find the right spot for since our move. I like having a little something in our house to string up along a bare wall.

Updates

This past Sunday, Simon and I traveled with my family to my old college town. The choir was performing the Me.ssiah and it would also give us a chance to update Lyra's grave.

I never know whether I'm supposed to smile in these pictures. "Look how great I look in front of my daughter's grave!" I inevitably smile because it's just what I do when there is a camera. But it feels funny.

Simon was wowed by the Christmas decorations, and it was freezing. But it was nice to go back and see her spot. I miss her.

You'll find us with our Day of the Dead from a delightful swap, and a little monster outfit today.

Wishing you all some fun for Halloween (31st) and full of remembrance and celebration of those gone too soon for the Day of the Dead (1st & 2nd).

Projects: Earring Holder

I did an earring holder project a while ago, but it didn't last. After moving, I needed a new place to hang my plethora of earrings. Now, I LOVE earrings, but Simon is Mr. Grabby right now, and so I've been abstaining from wearing them for the sake of my poor little ears.

So after a few insightful pins I saw on p.interest, I made my own. I used an old frame, some fishing wire, and nails. I wasn't patient enough to go pick up some wood staples, so I just mangled some nails (I know there is cringing going on somewhere as I mention that) to fasten the fishing wire. Thin jewelry wire could probably be used too. The frame could also be painted a fun accent color for some pop. If you try it out, you'll have to holler back and let me know what you ended up using. We haven't painted our room yet, so it's just leaning against the wall on my dresser for now, but it will eventually hang and look pretty nice I think.

Wordless Wednesdays 8.25.11

Projects: Where We've Lived

This project is years in the making. We first experienced art hops...art crawls...final fridays...sound familiar? The art galleries or other organizations in the city open their business up after hours once a month, for art displays and wine and snacks and you go from place to place...that kind of thing. We loved it. We had good friends we'd go with, and it was grand. I worked at a grad school, and kinda helped with some public relations stuff and asked if we could host an art hop for just one month...thinking it would bring people on campus and raise awareness about classes and such. Plus I knew there were a lot of great artists in the grad school community and why not share that with each other and the world? It was approved, and I started planning and organizing, with help from many good friends. And long story short, it was a great event.

My husband has great faith in my artistic skills, but he often is my muse. He'll come up with these amazing ideas, and he tells me as if I can just automatically produce them in all the glory he sees them in his head! This was one of his ideas...a snapshot of the cities we've lived as adults.  I was inspired by E. Mc.Knight K.auffer, and his L.ondon U.nderground posters from the 20's. I created these on my computer, choosing images that were sentimental for us, and had them printed for this art show...and they even sold!

I never had another set printed up for whatever reason. We moved back to Kansas, and experienced our two years from hell, and I didn't even consider making one for our new city. And then we moved again in March this year, and L kept getting on me about not having made the new one*. And that we should have them all printed and put up in our living room. So I finally dug in and did it...got them printed...framed...and now they are hanging in our living room.

We'll see if we add some more in the future, or not :)

*And for the sake of semi-anonymity here, I've removed the city names, and left the state names, though some may be well known enough that they can be figured out. I don't know if that's silly or not. But I did it.

Projects: Watercolors

The next project I've worked on was for a variety of things...two for friends, one for myself, and two for the Auction for Mikayla's Grace and Forever in Our Hearts Remembrance Day that is being held through the 25th. I did these all after Simon is put to bed. I'm finding the evening hours are the best time to work on artsy projects...

Wordless Wednesday 8.17.11

Living Room Redo

This is now our updated living room. We bought couches for the first time, and have comfortable places for people to sit now! L picked the purple color for the accent wall, after mulling over the possibilities of orange, red, and green. It goes nicely with our muted purple chair, and the "granite" color of the couches.

We wanted an area that would be a good location to read, play games, watch movies, or just hang out. I feel that we've succeeded :)

Friday Rainbow Baby Blog: July 29

Simon is six months old in two days. Um, when did that happen? I've propped my eyes open so I don't miss anything, and it still goes too fast. 

Of course after stating last week that he wasn't rolling from back to front, he promptly did it the next day. He's a rolling machine now. Which I assume is what is throwing the glitch into his falling-to-sleep abilities. We won't get into that. But once he's fully conked out, he still sleeps through til 6am.

We'll start some solids soon. He hasn't showed a lot of interest in our food, besides the generic "I must slobber on everything" bit. He's been playing with a spoon and sippy cup at meal times, so he feels included and gets used to having them. I have some brown rice cereal and sweet potatoes for when we dive in...haven't decided which to start him on yet.

I'll end with pictures from this week: Simon playing in an empty plastic tub; a close up; pic with momma; and his little tiger butt...look at those rolls on his legs!!

Constellation

I've gotten her constellation on a necklace, and of course every few months I get an itch to do something else as a reminder of her. So after seeing this, I decided to do my own. I've not done embroidery before, so it's not the most impressive showing of skill, but I still like how it turned out.

Wordless Wednesdays: 7.27.11

Thankful Tuesday 7.26.11

Three things I'm thankful for today are:

1. I've gone a week without drinking any pop! I love a good pepsi or dr. pepper, but I'm looking to cut out useless foods/drinks. I'm now no longer craving it, so I hope I've passed the hard part :)

2. Swimming. I love it. I've been swimming laps twice a week and it just feels so good.

3. L made us a tablecloth. I know, not real exciting right? But we've never had a tablecloth before, let alone made one! We've had the material for, literally, 4 years. I hope to maybe recover the seat cushions, but I'm not sure what material yet.

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Is there anything that has recently been a bright spot in a dark time for you?

Wordless Wednesdays

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And on a not so wordless note:
Did you know that the "Right Where I Am" project had 160 participants? I read that in the wee hours this morning and my jaw dropped (I've obviously fallen behind in my reading of them all). And then I read from Angie's post that Josh at JACKatRANDOM created something that pulled the whole project into one unifying piece. It's amazing. I feel all mushy gushy and I don't really know what else to say, but thank you to Angie, and to Josh, and to all of you who participated and shared your perspective in where you are at.

7.18.11

I'll share some of the artsy things I've done recently:

Pen/Watercolor wedding shower gift

As requested, photos of the flip flops I refashioned.

L's father's day present. I repainted the frames and then hung items that were important for that day. I like that we can exchange out any of the pictures or notes, for things Simon will do in the future, or for remembering Lyra or really anything. The top left frame has Simon's footprints in a "heart" shape. The bottom right is one of Lyra's sonogram pics (bad glare in this pic).

I have a few other things I've done, but they are gifts, and the recipients have not yet received them. So those I'll show later on.

Random: The Park

Attended our first funeral since Lyra died this past weekend. A son, aged 51, was laid to rest and remembered by his family. Simon kept me distracted. I too easily make connections and feel things too deeply since Lyra...a lingering element of the selfish mode and self care that I was...or still am in sometimes. I had to continually remind myself that it wasn't about me.

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I still notice someone missing in all the pictures of the cousins or family. I suppose I always will.

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On a lighter note, Simon wore himself out watching all his cousins and wishing he could be running around with them.