Name game.

The only bad thing about learning that we are expecting a boy is that we do not have a name picked out....not even one that we can agree on. Any suggestions??

Hyland's Teething Tabs recall!!

Ok, so I've boasted about these tabs before, but they have been deemed potentially unsafe and have been recalled. See here.

We are stopping our use of them immediately, please do the same.

Big Brother, Little Brother

We made a long, one day trip last weekend to Winnipeg to visit Babymoon Ultrasound to get some 3D and 4D pictures of our little one in utero, and to find out the sex. I am super excited to announce that we are having another boy! I thought for sure it was a girl, and my Mommy sense couldn't have been more wrong!

In addition to saving tons of cash since we are able to reuse all of Wee Man's things for this wee one, they will be so close in age (2 years, 4 months) that they will hopefully be into the same things at about the same time. That is great. I can just see them tossing a baseball back and forth, chasing frogs together and heading to the rink with Dad to learn a bit about hockey. Gets me all warm and fuzzy.

And, I am so happy for Wee Man. He is going to be an amazing big brother, I can see it already when he is around other babies...so gentle and interested in their smallness. On that note, I guess we might have to stop calling him 'Wee Man'! Oh, that makes me sad.

From what I can see, baby boy looks much like Wee Man did when he was a newborn.

Oh, and here's the baby grabbing his foot with his hand. Pretty sweet!

iPhone Fun!

I finally got an iPhone. Being a stay-at-home-Momma, I don't really need one, but I love it! I've been playing around with it, looking for a cool protective cover for it (there are so many options) and entertaining myself and Wee Man a bit with it. It definitely made my prenatal doc appointment and glucose test (with a 1 hour wait at the lab) this morning fly by.

I am most adoring the educational apps that Duck Duck Moose makes for toddlers. I've let my Wee Man play one of the games and he is enamored by the interactivity! My favorites so far are Baa, Baa Black Sheep and Itsy Bitsy Spider. I know I'll be able to fall back on those apps when an otherwise unavoidable toddler freak-out is potentially on the horizon. Not that we get many while in public, but they are definitely starting to become a little more common these days at home.

I just need to continue to try my best not to become a "tantruming" adult when he gets seriously out of sorts, like yesterday for example. Felt like I might slowly be losing my marbles by the end of the day yesterday...seriously! I am trying so hard not to yell, which is proving more difficult than I thought when frustrations are at their peak. But, I don't want to raise him in a yelling home, so I need to continue to work on this myself. I do believe that once Ty isn't working out of town all week long (as he has been for over 2 months now) things will get better for both Wee Man and Momma. At least there will be a relief at the end of the day and I know his absence is noticed by Wee Man. I make it sound like it's terrible...it's really not. Just the last week or so has been a bit trying because he has been refusing nap time and just playing in his room instead, and then (since he still needs nap time) is a huge grumpo for the rest of the day, driving his Momma a little batty.

But, he's napping today! Yay! Hence the blog post. Ha.

Frustrated...

I am so sick of sick cats..........

It is no fun having a bunch of geriatric cats when your kids are wee. And that's an understatement!!

Cravings...

Just a few of the pregnancy cravings I've been having.....almost daily!! I guess it could be worse.

Favorite things...

It has been way too long since I did one of these!

With a new babe on the way, I thought I would specialize it with my favorite baby things.

And so, here's the list:

1. Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder - Wee Man loved this when he was teething...I would freeze fresh peach and pear chunks and then jam them into this thing and let him chew away the owies!

2. Aveeno Diaper cream - I've used them all and this one seems to work best on actual rashes and keeping them at bay.

3. Dripstiks Ice cream cone + Popsicle holders - Just pure genious!

4. I Love You Through and Through - a book that I have read to Wee Man since he actually was a wee man. My favorite and his favorite, too.

5. Grab Apple - by far Wee Man's favorite toy to chew on for a long, long time.

6. Jewel Lullaby CD - this CD has all the classics and you can't go wrong with Jewel. When Wee Man was unhappy in his car seat, I would pop in this CD and Somewhere Over The Rainbow always calmed him. Unfortunately, some A-HOLES broke into my car and stole it a couple months back, but luckily I had downloaded it into my iTunes. Bastards also got away with another favorite CD of mine, Dave Matthews Busted Stuff. I'd like to bust their "stuff", let me tell you!

7. Baby Legs - I think I've already included these guys in one of my other favorites lists, but I do love them so.

8. Hyland's Teething Tabs - not sure if these work or not, but the ritual of them certainly does. Now, Wee Man calls for them right after we brush our teeth at night....."TABS" he will holler. Hahah.

Really.....

Is there anything cuter than an owlet??

Really.

I've been looking for some inspiration for a painting I'm doing for our living room. I want to incorporate my new found love for all things owl and wanted to browse some pics. Well, I think I might explode from the cuteness. I mean really, look at these....

And now look at these owl-y things you can get on Etsy:

From Bedbuggs shop:

From Brooks Boutique for all my nurse friends (Mom + sister included:D)

Diapers needed....

While reading this month's edition of Today's Parent, I stumbled upon a sad but true little blurb that 1 in 3 families struggle to afford diapers for their babies. They forfeit their other bills including food and heat to afford them. And, there are many babies forced to sit in dirty diapers for extended periods of time or wear diapers that Moms have cleaned out to reuse again. It made me cringe with sadness. At first I thought, why not reusable diapers then?? But, with further investigation into it I found that without access to their own laundry machines, they are not able to choose reusable diapers because laundromats don't allow them to be washed in their machines for sanitary reasons.

And so, seeing that our diaper brand, Huggies, has created a mission to donate 22.5 million diapers to babies in need over the next 8 months, Wee Man and I had to help out. Did you know that you can drop off new diapers to your Samaritan House or Food Bank that you don't need or your babe has outgrown?? Immediately we gathered all the diapers that Wee Man outgrew before we used them and headed on down to our local Samaritan House. Please visit Every Little Bottom for more information on how you can help too!

It's time...

I have 3 HUGE canvases prepped with the base color coat that have been sitting beside my easel waiting patiently for months now. They are for our living room and that's why there has been no rush. I am tired of my boring grey walls and I need more color. Well, here goes it...Wee Man is snoozing and I am going to slap some paint on those canvases before they eat away at my soul any longer! I hope to post some pics of them adorned with trees and birdies and lovely little nests tucked away soon.

Happy fall!

Bitter sweet....

Poor Wee Man. I'm not sure if it's another of his 2-year molars breaking ground or something else, but he has been fevering and diarrhea-y for a couple days now. Last night was a "wake-up-every-hour" kind of night and it is 10:36 a.m. and he is still sleeping. Thank goodness.

I feel the guilt creeping in before it even leaves my lips (or fingertips), but it has been kind of nice wasting the morning lazily sipping my coffee and catching up on my favorite blogs while he snoozes away. I think by mid-afternoon, however, I will be a tired mess and probably have a grumpy-puss on my hands on top of it. Of course, Ty is working out of town today and won't be home until after Wee Man is already in bed, but that's life...we'll make 'er.

It is amazing to me that how every time he gets sick I freak out about it, just a little. Immediately I start to focus entirely on dehydration and if he's getting enough food in him and if he's too hot or is he going to be OK. And when it all inevitably passes I think, 'man, it felt like it was never going to end!' I am usually pretty easy-going when it comes to mommy-dom, but dehydration scares the bejesus out of me and every time he is sick sick, he is barfing and has unstoppable diarrhea. However, I am happy to say that we are still barf-free this time around. Knock on wood! That's why I am praying that it is just molar pain and side effects.

...And, they look so sick when they're sick, don't they? Breaks my heart.

Hey baby...

I am just loving the feeling of this baby kicking...I forgot how magical it feels. We are 6 months and I can't really believe it. The days are flying by and I know (now that I am a parent) that this time will go 10 times faster once our bundle is in our arms.

Time to focus on the present and enjoy every fleeting moment. Ah.

Needed newness

I just can't help but share these pictures of my new dining room. The pub-height table set that was cool for our DINK (Double Income, No Kids) lifestyle, no longer fit the bill. And the cherry wood did NOT match any of the dark espresso wood in the cabinets and the hardwood flooring at all.

I was super excited to find 8 of these gorgeous white faux leather European-designed chairs that look stunning against my dark purple wall! I love, love, love chrome and I have bits of it sprinkled around the house, so it nicely ties into the decor. The table cloth is on it's way out, as I refinish the tabletop in a shiny white and when it is complete, I will love it. So happy with how it lightens the room and feels airy. It feels like a totally different room and we needed a serious change! Even better, I actually made $30 between the cost of this new set and what I sold our old set for:D Yay!

Here's a before:

....and after:

Fall makes my heart flutter.

I am extra excited for fall even more so this year. I can feel it in the air lately, sense the briskness in the wind and almost smell the leaves turning. I love it. I wish I felt so fondly for all the seasons, but I have a love affair with fall.

October, this year, holds many extra lovely events for me. We have an appointment with Babymoon Ultrasound to see amazing 3D pictures and video of the wee person kicking away inside of my tummy. Ty's work schedule should start to slow down and we can finally put the deserved focus on the wee one we are expecting.

We are totally hitting up the Pumpkin Patch this year, as I think Wee Man is finally at the age that he would have a blast there. Oh, and there are fall suppers and book sales and, of course, Halloween! Can't wait. Bring on the turning leaves!!

A few more completed projects........finally.......

I thought I would just post a schwack of pictures of finished projects that I have recently been working at.

First is a Rollie Pollie that I made for Wee Man. It is massive and he loves it. Buy the pattern at Made.

Finished I Spy Book for Wee Man:

And, the Sock Monkey Quilt I made for his "big boy" bed. Notice the big pillows that crazy-worried-Momma had out for months after he first started sleeping in his bed. :D They are gone now. The quilt hanging on the back is one that Ty's Grandma made for him when he was a wee man. Oh, and notice the must-have "silkies" I rimmed the edges of the quilt with. That is an absolute necessity for a quilt for Wee Man!

And finally, a painting I did as my end of a trade for the fab play food I showed in an earlier post.

Today's Parent

Well, because I am a subscriber to Today's Parent, it was FREE to design this cover on their website...AND this cover will actually be the cover on my December issue when it arrives! So very cool!! You can also order extra copies of the magazine or quality prints of the page too if you choose to. I cannot wait to see it...it'll be so very cool! Wee Man on the cover. Tee hee.

My baby....

I am in disbelief that my "baby" turns 2 in a week from tomorrow. I just finished designing and printing his invites to send out. I can't help but feel a wee bit sad by Wee Man growing up, it seems so fast. He is still my baby....well, until our new baby joins us on January 1, 2011! I bet he won't feel like a baby to me then. He is in a big boy bed now, which was an effortless transition for us all and he is talking so much and doing so much. I hope I'm not the only Momma who feels like letting go a little every day hurts just a bit.

What to do....

I have happily jotted, collected and recorded over 44 typed pages of Wee Man's accomplishments, favorite things, quirks, firsts, weight/height records, random thoughts and relevant quotes. Now, what to do with it all! I am so glad I started from the beginning with this, but how do I stop??!!

I thought about compiling it all at some point into a memory book and design the pages with lovely photos and print it with Blurb.com. But I just don't know when to position the cut-off! When he's 2, when he's 10, when he's 18?? I know....crazy. With another on the way, how will I ever keep up the collection for both? And - lets not even think about the scrap booking. I am so damn behind with that...I have completed up to when Nowell came home from the hospital! Yikes. I don't even want to tackle that one.

Play food!!

I have purchased and traded to get my hands on some fabulous play food for my Wee Man. Now he can fill up his wee shopping cart! First a lovely gal from my hometown made me these crocheted foodstuffs, including a peelable orange and a pizza he can "top" himself. So very cool. I'll definitely let you know if/when she decides to sell them:D

Then, I just had to purchase this cutsie ham + swiss sandwich from the Etsy shop It's The Small Things. Lovely. So much detail and extremely well made! Seriously, check out the detail in the tomatoes! I will certainly be shopping there again - Wee Man's birthday is coming up! Oh, and she is currently having a "Christmas In July" sale until July 31, so check it out!

Oh, boy....

My poor, sick Wee Man. This week has been pretty trying. Wee Man has been vomiting since Wednesday on and off and fevered on and off. I just finished cleaning up mess #800 it feels like and I pray he sleeps through the night....if I prayed.

Ty has been away and I truly and completely give a bow to all single Mommas out there: honestly, you women are a-mazing!!

"Super-Grain" Salba

Have you heard of this new super-grain called Salba? I heard about it on The Mom Show this morning and immediately jumped on the good ol' internet to find out more. I am always looking for ways to inject goodness into Wee Man's meals. And what better way than in a ground-up, non-visual way! I thought Quinoa was great...but check this out:

Info right from the website:

Salba^® is the richest whole food source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fibre found in nature. Every serving (12 grams or approximately 2 flat tablespoons) of Salba^® provides over 2,400 mg of Omega 3s, over 4,500 mg of dietary fibre, with less than 0.5 net carbohydrates per serving. Gram for gram, Salba^® provides six times more calcium than whole milk, three times more iron than spinach, and fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli. Salba^® is all-natural, has no trans-fats, is gluten free, has almost no carbohydrates, and is certified Non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism).

Here is the website where you can find all the info + where to buy it in Canada. I am off to the health food store this afternoon to snag some. While I'm there, I'm picking up some ground hemp seed for an easy dosing of protein when I feel Wee Man needs it.

Slow goin'....

Let me tell you, you sure don't want to be in too much of hurry with a toddler in tow! Wow. This morning we took advantage of this nice weather (the rain is to hit this afternoon and last 4 miserable days) and went for a lovely walk down a tree-covered path.

Well, Wee Man is definitely at the age where he does not want to be tied into the stroller, and so, he "pushes" the stroller. Which mostly means pushing for one second...stopping...grabbing his sippy...putting his sippy down on the ground...pushing some more...stopping again...collecting tiny tree branches that have fallen...chasing birds...and generally going in the opposite direction we are headed. I couldn't help but think, 'man, if anyone is watching us, they must be having a good laugh'.

It was almost to the point of ridiculous how long it took to meander up the path and back. But then, we certainly didn't have any deadlines to meet and we weren't really going anywhere in particular. And really, that was the point of the walk in the first place - to enjoy the time together and learn and explore and laugh. So, all in all, mission accomplished! Forget that in the process I spilled over 1/2 of my Timmies tea all over the stroller, myself and the ground in an effort to rein in Wee Man, even just a little bit.

When Wee Man reached this stage of 'I wanna be free!' I thought, 'ok, when we are out walking or in a store, he must hold my hand or hang onto the stroller at all times! But now that just seems unfair and a wee bit excessive. And so, I am having trouble finding a happy balance where he doesn't get confused and will stay when I truly need him to. Any suggestions??

I am about to get my buns in gear painting today during today's well-adored nap time. I finished this custom painting yesterday for a lovely wee gal and have another 2 in the works for today for the rest of the same family. Yay for painting:D

Clipping along....

Sometimes I feel like I have a million projects on the go and, well, I sort of do. Right now I am working on a Sock Monkey quilt for my Wee Man and it is coming along nicely. I want to present him with it when it is time to move into the "big boy bed".

Here is a pic of the project in the works:

I just also have lots of projects started, like the ongoing Quiet Book. I am trying very hard to get my fish tank up and running again, because Wee Man so loves watching fishies swim about.

I also have lots on the horizon. It seems that every time I take a glance through my favorite blogs (mostly artsy fartsy blogs) I get bombarded with a heap of inspiration and fabulous ideas. Then, I feel I need to do it all - NOW! Then I feel overwhelmed....then tired.

I stumbled upon this lovely gal's blog and promptly ordered her Rollie Pollie pattern. So now I am on the search for some really hip fabric to don Wee Man's Rollie Pollie that I plan to make next. The home made bean bags will have to wait, which is fine because he is a tad too young for throwing bean bags yet anyhow:D

Oh yeah, and I have a child's table + 3 cutsie little chairs that need painting and decorating (with the sweetest little monkeys you ever did see!) Oh yes, I have the plan, now the action!!

I also found a nifty idea for my big ol' sack of a purse that is doubling as a cool diaper bag. I can never find anything and I am always digging around in the bottom for my gum/lip balm/pen/Iggle Piggle.....(ok that last one isn't really mine). So, I am going to sew an organizer to fit into the bottom of my bag. See here.

So, I best be going, as my iron is now hot and I need to press out my seams to keep on rollin' with this quilt I am super excited about.

Cheers!

Design Aglow + Epiphanie

Have you seen all the beautiful new products & contest for pro photographers on Design Aglow?

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Epiphanie camera bags. I heart the turquoise/green one:D

Welcome home....

I love seeing and hearing the geese back. We are lucky enough to have a big ol' duck pond type thing across the street and I watched the thousands of them gather there in the fall and now they are back. Welcome back guys!! Makes me smile lots today.

Become a fan....

of Artiafora on Facebook and receive coupon codes + giveaways!!

Lovely Launch

Crazy thing. My baby mobiles launched yesterday on Trendy Babies and the blog, Handmade in Manitoba, featured them today! Yay!

I don't yet sell my mobiles through my Etsy shop, but plan to in the near future. There are 4 other Artiafora items that the lovely gals at Trendy Babies have decided to take on and they will be featured over the next few weeks.

I'm pretty excited about this new little adventure and super-excited to see what will come of it!

Try, try, try.

That is the theme around these parts lately. The light is at the end of the tunnel...I know it...I can see it!

We are trying all kinds of experiments....yes, I suppose that is what you could call it. Wee Man is trying on rain boots for the 1st time and declining it; I am trying to get Artiafora into the spotlight a bit more; we are trying to spend more time outside now that spring is on the horizon; and maybe most importantly, we are trying to conceive babe #2. It sounds so impersonal....'baby # 2'.

First, a small note on the biz. A few select Artiafora products will be available through a website called Trendy Babies. The launch of my baby mobiles (which currently are not available in my Etsy store) will occur this Sunday with other products to follow, a few of which are also not available in my Etsy store.

Now back to the real excitement! I don't know why people are always so hushy about it when they are trying to conceive. It really isn't a big secret to me, but of course, that is because nothing has ever gone wrong for us yet, I guess. I am tracking my basal body temperature and LH surges and it is exciting and anxiety-inducing. I like the sense of control it gives me, even if that control seems fleeting and sometimes downright false. I found an amazing eBay seller that sells the LH test strips and the HCG test strips (for testing pregnancy). Amazingly affordable and super-fast shipping and they are in Canada! And so, I must offer a link to their shop. And - yes, the strips do work. A friend of mine has already been successful with them and turned me in the sellers direction. I find this "trying" time very invigorating, the waiting is excruciating sometimes, but it is so darn exciting:D

Oh, and I will certainly try to post a bit sooner next time....this break was a little ridiculous!

I Spy......

As promised, here are some pictures of the I Spy bag I made for my Wee Man. He is a little young to use it quite yet, but I reason that it will come in as a life-saver on some car trips sometime in the future.

It was fun to make until it came to sewing the bag closed while full of tiny beads and trinkets:D