Caught you!

Finally caught a pic of that amazing smile! Even though I know I will see a million smiles from him over the years, these first one's are extra special to me. Every time I get a big grin, my heart melts! A little bit of magic in that face!

A little sewing

I managed to work in a little sewing recently! Two new dresses for Big Sister {M}. She couldn't be more pleased. The girl would be happy to have 100 dresses and change hourly if she could. [which I happen to find adorable].

This one was an easy & quick sew. Just a square of fabric, some elastic thread and a few feet of handmade bias tape. I love that this will fit her for probably 2 years as a dress and then maybe another as a shirt when the length gets too short. With a large family, clothes that the kids don't grow out of after a season are a huge help! They get plenty of use & love that way-just the way handmade items should be.

What's new...

Someone is smiling! He is making sure his Mama DOESN'T catch a picture of it either! His new mission in life: Smile often, but whatever I do, DON'T get caught!

Pictures or not, I couldn't be happier to see the sweet smiles that dance across his face. He lights up when he realized I've walked into the room and gives a sweet little coo. These are the moments in life that matter. The moments I want to wrap up in a pretty box and hold close to my heart forever.

-Oh yeah, the crown you ask? Doesn't every little boy smile & giggle when wearing a purple crown? The bigger kids made crowns for everyone to wear over the weekend. My favorite was the bright pink one made for Daddy!-

Yo Gabba Gabba

Little {L} is obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba. He doesn't really watch any tv otherwise, but he loves his Gabba. Not any Gabba that is, ONLY the Jack Black episode. He walks around saying "Jack-yeah!". In the episode Jack Black gets a suit just like DJ Lance and rides off on his mini-bike. Little {L} rides off wearing his Jack helmet-an old Folgers coffee container. It used to house his toy tools until he realized what a great hat it would make one day. Yes, we do have PLENTY of actually hats in our home, but they are no fun and not Jack friendly. It cracks me up watching him play. He even wore his "hat" to the store one day-toddlers are so fun.

Giveaway Time-closed!!

And the winner is Mary Moon-Congrats! Uprinting will be contacting you shortly with instructions to redeem your prize. Thanks!
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Giveaway Time again-Yay! This month you have a chance to win custom stickers from Uprinting! These would be great for handmade artists, used for homemade food labels to gift, book tags for the upcoming school season, stickers of your kids or pets, gift tags-lots of possibility!

Giveaway Prize:
250 Stickers/Labels on 70lb Label Matte
2×3.5", 2×4", 3×3"
Full Color Front and Blank back
Limited to US residents: 18 years old and above

Uprinting:
custom stickers cheap
Printing Services

To enter:

please post a comment [include your email so I can reach the winner]. For fun, add what you'd like to make with the stickers if you would win.

A winner will be chosen on July 16th. Uprinting will email the winner with instruction on claiming their prize at the end of the month

M.I.A

I've been away from the blog for a whole week. No, we didn't take an impromptu vacation, just busy with everyday things and 4 children to make happy. We've spent the week hanging out at Comfest, visiting friends, riding bikes, dancing, enjoying the lovely weather, and lots of baby snuggling-LOTS!

We made it to Comfest this year-even with four little one's in tow. We've gone every year since we moved to Columbus, so it felt right to take the newest baby along for the fun. We mostly hang out during the day now that we have kids. Back in the day it was a weekend of hanging out, drinking beer and enjoying the music & the people watching. The only thing that has changed is the drinking beer part...mama always seems to be pregnant or nursing. Truthfully, I don't miss it one bit.

Flashback Friday

This flashback Friday takes me to my freshman year of college. I was living in the dorm at Columbus College of Art & Design. I was so nervous about having to live with well... people. Girls I didn't know. What if they were mean girls? What if I couldn't sleep at night? What if I hated them, or worse yet, they hated me?

From the moment I met Mary, my roommate, those fears were put to rest! She was fun and had a happy energy about her that i had never seen. Growing up in Cleveland, I have to say optimism is almost a four letter word. I loved living with her and we had the best times together. Sadly about seven-eight years ago we fell out of touch after a silly argument. I always wondered if she had moved back to Texas [her home state], was married, or ever had children.

I credit Mary to being the person who taught me "how" to mother! She took care of me when I was sick, brought me breakfast from the cafeteria knowing I never, ever woke up in time to eat otherwise, and listened whenever I needed to talk. She was a great person and taught me lots about compassion & friendship. I actually called her "Mama Mary".

The picture on the right was taken after we were living in the dorm for a few months. It's been on my fridge all these years. I am 18 years old there-crazy young! I thought I knew it all, boy was I naive!

I had just recently given up thinking I would ever run into Mary, or find her online. After looking for so long, I figured it wasn't ever going to happen. Last Wednesday I am sitting in the local Whole Foods for kids club night. I get all my kids situated, and look up to see... Mary sitting directly in front of me! Craziest thing! She married the man she was dating when we lived together [I introduced them] and has two gorgeous little daughters with the blondest hair I have ever seen.

Moral of the story: never say never.

Times they are a changing!

It's strange to image my independent two year old, currently racing through the house, climbing the walls and jumping on the cats, was this sweet, chubby footed toddler only last summer! [Although to be honest he was never very mellow]. It just seems like this one has grown so fast! Just yesterday HE was the baby of the house, and now he goes potty alone, dresses himself and needs his mama much less!

The past year had some up & downs for Little {L} and his mother! I got pregnant with Baby Unicorn last September and once October-ish hit, my sweet faced little mama's boy became a little, sweet faced monster! Lots of yelling, breaking things, napless l-o-n-g days and a sickly mama trying not to throw up on herself for a few months [quickly followed by a giant mama too tired & big to move].

I was worried about my little devil feeling replaced when Baby Unicorn arrived. I imaged even more tantrums, fights and rebellion. I was actually dreading the backlash that I was sure to arrive-at the worst moment possible, of course. The hospital visit passed without incident, a few days home-still good. My husband went back to work [oh, no here it comes!], and still nothing. It's been a little over a month since Little Julian joined the family and I feel like it's safe to say that we've made it through...in better condition than before.

In all honestly, Lucian has actually gotten closer to that sweet faced little doll I remember & really missed! I think he was missing his fun, patient mama, who had been replaced by the ever expanding, impatient, tired one that lived here the past 9 months. I had not realized how much I had changed, just focused on his behavior growing worse. The past weeks have been so wonderful! That said, he is still a two year old, with the "typical" two year old tantrums and such! So if you see me in Target with a screaming toddler, don't think..."Hmmm, I knew she was a liar!" haha!

How you know...

This is how a baby tells you, enough with the camera already lady!! Haha.

One month

Baby {J} turned one month old, over the weekend. I cannot believe that a month has passed already. On one hand, I feel like he's been a part of the family forever and it's hard to imagine when he wasn't here. On the other hand, it seems like a month could not possibly have passed this fast. His little legs are getting chubbier by the day, he starting to get very interested in looking at things, and he's never one to pass up a meal. If his eyes are open, he'll be happy to eat!

He's such a sweet little soul. Sometimes just looking at him overwhelms me with happiness and I start to laugh, cause I am just so happy he's here. He receives a million+ kisses a day from his happy mama, dad,brothers & sister. I am looking forward to getting to know his personality better as the months and then years pass. It's so exciting & rewarding watching them grow!

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice has arrived-yay! We are so ready for summer here.

Summer means bike riding, vegetable picking, water fights, flowers blooming, sunshine and best of all free time! Time to for the kids to do what they like best...whatever it may be that day.

Happy Solstice!

Family Portrait

Just your average family photo--if your the Adams Family! Haha! The funniest thing is this is the only photo we have of our entire family together since we've added Baby {J}.

Gotta love summer, grandma's and face paint together!

Baby Unicorn

If you remember my post from a few months back, the kids started calling Baby {J}, Baby Unicorn while I was pregnant[check back a few posts for the story]. Well he's now arrived and his biggest brother is STILL calling him "Baby Unicorn". I embroidered this onesie while I was pregnant to match with their knickname. I was thinking they baby would only wear it, if it turned out to be a girl, which didn't happen. The othger day while packing up some of the girl things I had made, I stopped holding this. While unicorns are extremly girlie, I had chosen blue & brown thread.... so, I decided that just ONE set of photo's had to be taken in honor of his nickname!

Mr. {D} and Little Miss {M} chose the name Julian for the baby. When the baby arrived, my husband and I had not settled on a name-girl or boy. We thought it would be pretty cool & special to tell him that his oldest siblings chose his name, so we selected their latest choice. Mr. {D} is now telling me that he is having a hard time calling him by his name because when he looks at him, all he thinks is "Baby Unicorn". I found it so sweet, that they needed these pic's together to mark the occasion.

New Beginnings

It's great to think of all the new things we'll do with the baby. I love watching the relationships between the four children grow. They change and evolve each and everyday. The baby is flowing into those relationships seamlessly. Miss {M} loves to watch him sleep and tell him stories. Mr. {D} can't stop kissing him-ever! Little {L} wants nothing more than to spend hours holding him and helping change diapers. Yes, he actually wants to change diapers with me!

I look forward to watching these relationships grow through the years. Babies becoming siblings and friends.

The little things

It's the little things, the simple things, in life that really matter!

Sibling Love

The kids were so excited to meet their new little brother. Mr. {D} still insists on calling him "Baby Unicorn". For Julian's sake, I hope it doesn't last too long, as it would have made a better nickname for a little girl, lol. I know he'll be a happy little boy with all the other kids in the house to play with and teach him-both good & bad things.

It seems like only yesterday I was becoming a mother, holding Mr. {D} for the very first time. It amazes me to watch him holding baby #4!! How quickly the time passes. I want to savor every moment with this babe. I learned after my first, not to look forward so much to the "when's", but to pay attention to the "nows"! No saying, "I can't wait until...." I want to enjoy every stage as it's happening. Right now I'm loving having a newborn in the house again, all the strange squeaks & cries, tons of feeding a day, and the little changes that happen so fast. Already the baby is filling out, getting chubby and changing little by little.

Baby is Here!

It's a boy!

Julian Caius joined the family 2 weeks ago. He's a BIG, healthy boy. He weighed 9lbs 8oz at birth!! Everyone is thrilled with their new baby brother, he seemed to mix right into the family from the start.

It was a speedy labor-fast & furious. I was happy to make it through all natural, with no drugs. This was my hope from the beginning, so it was rewarding to see it accomplished.

We are enjoying getting to know our sweet, brand new son!

One Year

It's easy to "forget" how much everything in our lives changes. It's often only when I look back at pictures that I am struck with the realization of how quickly! This month, we will add our fourth baby to the family. Last year at this time, we were a family of 5, one year later we are on the brink of 6!

Looking back at these pictures from last May, just reminds me how much the kids have grown while it didn't "seem" like they changed so much! Little brains grew & learned so much, tiny fingers lost their baby fat, a new streak of independence hit the older kids, we went through potty training, losing a pet, being pregnant for the 4th time in 6 years!

The newest little one should be here any day now! I am so anxious & excited to meet him/her. Everyday I wake up and think, maybe today is the day?? Everyday the kids wake up and say, "Will the baby be born today?" Mr. {D} is trying to talk me into a last minute, water tub, home birth, so he can be present and I don't have to be away from them while I'm in the hospital. He's so sweet and such a thoughtful kid for someone his age!!

Happy Friday!

I'm looking forward to a low key & relaxing weekend [that is unless baby wants to make it's arrival. ] I have no plans to sew, clean or organize anything. Movies, pizza night tonight and maybe even a bath, sounds like heaven!

I made this shirt for Little Miss {M} the other night. I was suddenly taken with the need to make new shirts for all the kids. {M} was the only one wanting to model one for me [always the model!] Embellishing plain, solid colored, store bought shirts [even better on sale-this one was $2] is a great way to make something original and unique for your child, but quick & easy too!

Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the fabulous mama's out there!

Sweet & Sunny

More booties for baby! I love these, in this wonderful Heather Ross fabric print. I've been saving [hoarding] this little frog fabric for quite some time. I only had a fat quarter and wanted to make sure it got used for just the perfect project!

Actually, I love anything that has to do with frogs. We have quite a collection through the house... and even one tree frog tattoo on my back. These will be perfect if we end up having a girl, or a boy! I think they are sweet, dainty and sunny-they make me smile each time I look at them. Little {L} has been quite taken by them also. He says baby shoes, but still tries them on every day. After he tells me they are still too small, he requests a pair just for him. Hmmm...I'm thinking I"ll have to add some slippers for the kids onto the "future projects" list.