Winter Wonderland

My mom left yesterday and she told me I'd be lucky if I could just keep up with the laundry and keep my family fed. She is right. When I get into crafting, I seem to abandon other things, like taming the paper piles building up on my desk.
But, I managed to put some things in the shop today and I hope you'll stop by and check them out.

It won't be long before we'll be hearing songs like "Silver Bells" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" in all the stores.

It makes me excited, doesn't it you?

Lunchtime Snapshots

I'm preparing myself to send my mom off this afternoon. I don't think I can do it without her, but I guess I'll make it. I have to. She has to leave sometime. We're looking forward to having Auntie Erin come this weekend!

Vintage Toys, Anyone?

We're cleaning out the toyroom! I am fixing to (translation: going to) put some of these vintage trucks in the shop.

And, I've got crafting fever! I'm hoping to get some stuff listed in the shop in the next few days. Stay tuned!

A Look Inside

Miles is 1.5 weeks old. I've got piles of craft projects all over the place. It's chaos, but there's something so fresh and new still about a new baby. I'm happy, this time around, to wake in the middle of the night and feed him, because I know this time passes quickly. Such a miracle, that one!

My Mom Is Pretty

Notice Lucy's got Ivy's old tennis shoes on in the first picture. There's got to be at least a one inch sole on them. Pretty sweet.

Fireplace: Before and After

Ever since we moved into our home, I'd wanted to paint this ugly brick white. Well, this weekend my wishes came true. My mom painted it and I think it makes the room so much brighter.

Don't you think?

Lightning McQueen and the Two Pumpkins

This weekend was our ward Halloween party. Finn wanted to be a racecar. So, Travis went into the basement one night and a little while later came upstairs with the cardboard shell of a Lightning McQueen car. He painted it red, I painted the wheels black and my mom made the eyes and mouth. Finn won best costume.

Lucy and Miles were little pumpkins. With a little orange glow from slight newborn jaundice, Miles looked the part. Lucy had no idea what was going on. She just stole all the plastic pumpkins on the table and was a happy camper.

And, yes, I sneaked some candy from Finn's stash. What parent doesn't do that?

Nothing Compares

We picked up my Mom at the airport yesterday afternoon and since then, our house has lit up with activity. Bringing presents like a magical Mary Poppins, she has once again captured Finn and Lucy's hearts. It's not easy living 2,000 miles away after you've lived a mile away from each other for three years. I'm excited for the week as we'll have time to visit some shops and maybe head out to farm country again.

(We're even scheming to paint our blah fireplace white....but the landlord doesn't want it painted...we have a dilemma here!)

And of course, there's already been lots of kissing and cuddling Miles.

Blankets

I'm sure most of us have at one point in our lives had a favorite blanket or quilt or snuggly thing. For most of my childhood, it was a pillowcase or sheet and it was called my "buppy." (I think it lasted until I was 12 or so, embarrassingly).

We've got some blanket attachments in our family too:

• Handmade Pink Quilt: My sister Erin made this for me when we were in college and I love it. It has been at each of the births of my kids (to comfort me and remind me of home). It is now in Lucy's bed and she smiles when I tuck her beneath it at night.
• Handmade Vintage Quilt: My sister Whitney recently made this for Miles. I love it because it is funky and bright and vintage. My sister Emily helped hand-quilt it too, so it has an added dimension of love. (Incidentally, if you want a similar vintage quilt, you can get one here.)
• Lucy's Vintage Blankie: When we went to Washington to visit last Christmas, Lucy got to sleep with this blankie at Grandma Schuller's house and ever since it's been "her blankie." I love how soft it is and I can't help but think that Travis at one point was snuggled in it too.
• Finn's Crocheted Blankie: (Or is it knitted? I never know). This has been his Number One Appendage since he was born. His Grandma Scrimsher made this for him. As the nurse at the hospital said, "There's a lotta love in that blankie." She's right. He eats, sleeps, watches TV and even bathed with it once.

I always have to have a blanket covering me when I sleep or watch TV. It's comforting. It's fun to swaddle Miles and see how his demeanor changes from fussy to calm. The power of feeling secure and soft and contained...don't we all need that?

Five Days

This kid is as good as gold.

Making an Entrance

It's always amazing to watch the subtle changes in a baby's face even over the course of their first days of life. It's also interesting to note the reactions of siblings (namely Lucy). At first, she didn't take very well to him. She frowned when she saw him and poked a finger at him. She knew she was not #1 anymore. Now, she's softening up and even calling him "My." It's all just a part of the process of adjusting...

...which we will be doing much of in the upcoming months.

All Washed Off

The little guy has bruises on his lower face. He has lots of reddish blond hair, which I love. He is a good nurser and I love hearing his little newborn cry.

This is when life doesn't get any better.

Miles Fox Schuller

Born at 3:10 EST

Weighing 8 lbs 10 oz

20 1/2 inches long

Sandy blond hair

Came out with his right hand on his face

Mother doing fine

I'm Here

Okay, so I made it to the hospital and thanks to Travis' laptop and a speedy internet connection, I can blog from my labor bed! (No, I'm not going to be blogging all day long...I just wanted to see how fast this picture could upload and to let everyone know that I made it here fine). But, I will say that the IV went in fine (last time I had to get poked 4 times) and the staff here are awesome. I was still at a 2 or 3 when I came in, 70% effaced, and now they've started me on Pitocin. Now, the waiting game....

Hopefully my next post will include pictures of a sweet baby boy.

Why I'm Happy

1. The Office is on tonight.
2. I have two beautiful kids.
3. We're having potato soup for dinner (my absolute favorite thing to eat!)
4. I got to eat lunch with Travis today.
5. I'm going to be induced at 6 AM tomorrow morning.
6. I have a feeling I'm going to be very happy tomorrow too!

Say good-bye to the belly (awh) and the veiny, pregnant-lady hands.

I Want My Mommy!

Why can't everyone be as helpful, cheery, polite and gracious as my Mom?

I went out running errands today and felt like cussing out every person who scolded, chided, reprimanded or advised me about my kids. They do it ALL THE TIME here in Cleveland. I'm sick of it.

I couldn't even finish getting them out of the car at Home Depot when an older man said, "You know, you really should keep your son from running off like that. There's cars that could hurt him." Finn was feet away from me and sometimes has a tendency to get ahead of me. But, please, mister, come on! I ignored him and didn't give him the satisfaction of a response.

It's as if people here have never had kids. It's amazing that this place continues to propogate, because most people here have no respect for kids or people with kids. Maybe that's why this is the armpit of the nation!

Then the returns clerk at Home Depot kept bugging me about Lucy getting hurt when Lucy was sitting on a cart. I was thinking, "Do you want me to sign the return slip or hold my daughter who is perfectly fine?" Since when do teenage girls know more about kids' safety than the kids' own mom?

All I can say is I'm tuckered out. Chasing F + L around all morning in stores and getting hassled by the "locals" is enough for this gal to call it a day.

I just can't wait for my mom to get here. At least she'll have some sympathy for me!

Finality

[My camera took a blurry picture of me, and then the kids came busting into the kitchen for their lunch, so I didn't have time to get a clear picture, but here's my belly today. I'm sure those gym people are like, "When is this lady going to deliver?" Well, I'm asking the same question, people!]

I'm feeling the tug of the final days of this pregnancy. It's pulling me into the finality phase, where every time I leave a room, it must be clean (just in case), and everyday I must cross off the things on my to-do list because you never know when it's your time to go...to the hospital, in this case.

For example, right after getting out of the van and unloading the groceries, I had to vacuum out the cookie crumbs in the back seat that, moments earlier, were still in-tact cookies held in kid's hands, waiting to be eaten.

Along with this, the absentee ballots have been sent in, the Fun Friday craft night has been completely delegated out to the respective participants (I will be hopefully caressing a baby while that's taking place this Friday), the baby's clothes have been put away in the last bits of drawer space we could find, the serious crafting mess of last week has been cleaned up, and even my recipe book has been organized and cleaned out. We're in the final countdown, ladies and gents. Let's hope it's a smooth landing!

I also wanted to show you what I finished last night....for a special gal, going all the way to Beijing, China!

And, what's with the funky numbers, you ask?

Centimeters!

Chinese measure height in centimeters, I learned.

75% of a Day...

...is spent either eating or playing. I thought I'd post these for the Grandmas.

The Weekend in Pictures

What a weekend: waterproofing the new playset, visiting the pumpkin/apple farm, trying not to think about the impending arrival of little baby. (It's kind of hard when the Doctor said Friday I could deliver any day now...). I guess you never know what to expect around here anyways.

Wowsers

With one week to go in this journey called pregnancy, I got a little scared last night feeling like I was going into labor. I had contractions for several hours. I kept thinking, "This can't be...I have too much to do." So I went to bed at 9 PM and tried to sleep the contractions off.

I woke up this morning, feeling like a scatterbrain. So much to do, so little time (who ever knows how much time one has before she goes into labor?)

• Huge stacks of papers and lists of things to do
  

• Fix the two-week-old pedicure and cut those long toenails
  
• 
  • Tend this little toehead in sparkly shoes (does a package of fruit snacks constitute at least part of a breakfast?)
    
  
  • Fold this basket of laundry that's been sitting here for three days (oh, and start the dirty pile building up in the basement)
  

Waterproof the playset in the backyard (this one requires mostly Travis' attention)

• And the sewing! I would do this all day if I could. I have so many ideas, so little child-free time to devote to this.

Ever have days like this?

A Letter to my Mom

Dear Mom,

Yesterday I tried to cut Finn and Lucy's hair (it's only my second time cutting Finn's hair). It turned out okay, but it needs a grandmother's touch.

Do you think when you come in a few weeks that you can trim out the uneven patches?

Lucy's needs a little help too. I'm not sure whether buzzing the mullet off the back and leaving the top alone was such a good idea.

And, could you tell me what you think about the frame on this picture? I think it needs to be painted, but I'm not sure what color. (I know you had this framed for me and I LOVE it, I just think the frame doesn't jive with this room very well).
And, remember how you so skillfully pruned my yard last year? Could you work your magic again?
And, could you tell me whether I should paint this door or not? I think it needs to be white like all the other doors in the house.

(Maybe we could paint it together?)

See this desperate face? I know we're going to have alot of fun together.

I just CAN'T WAIT for you to get here. There's so much to do and say and show you, and so little time!

I love you,

Sarah

P.S. Finn and Lucy and Travis are excited for you to come too!