Back to Work

*sniff* I'm feeling very nervous about tomorrow.

(Excited to see the kids and teachers)-but mostly sad and nervous.

Excuses, excuses.

One of the reasons I'm so far behind is that my office is still a mess. But I have a plan...

This was the very beginning.

And so far, my progress. Sheesh.
One of these days it'll all get done... right?

Katie update

Katie's 2 month stats:
11 lbs 12 oz, 23" long

and laughing!

Spring 2011?

Sheesh, it's like I have a new baby and a sick husband and just got back from a big trip or something. I'm way behind.

So my Winter List was pretty unambitious (or realistic) and I did well.

1. Enjoy Christmas.

2. Have a baby.

3. Get sub plans done.

4. Move MJL office. It's not quite organized yet, but we're close. It was hard to get anything done during those weeks when he couldn't sit down.

5. Move Craft Room. Moved, yes, but it is a giant horrible mess.

6. Move Anna. Done and lovely, though I would like to make her a bulletin board. Impossible because my crafts are all in a pile. See above.

7. Set up Tummy's Room. Done! and before Katie's arrival even.

8. Make some things. Made Anna's quilt and pillow and an angel ornament.

9. Enjoy being home with baby. Yes. Much cuddling has been done.

10. Spend good time with Anna. I hope so, but this is hard. I definitely have not figured out the two kiddo thing yet.

For Spring, I think I'd better continue to aim low (or realistically).

1. Organize Craft Room (I never know what to call it-office? studio? sanctuary?)

2. Make Katie Christening Gown.

3. Make Anna Birthday Dress.

4. Start Swimming again.

5. Finish organizing MJL's office.

6. Plant a garden.

7. One small landscaping project.

8. Keep up with photos.

9. Do something Kansas Explorer-y with the girls.

10. Enjoy the three weddings, showers, prom, wedding shopping, two graduations, three birthdays and Easter. Remember that these times are special, and hectic just means there are lots of people to love.

Don't cry, Mama...

Just take a picture.

Katie's cord fell off before she was even two weeks old.

I feel like the growing up is harder on me this time around. It seems to go so much faster, time feels more slippery and precious than I remember with Anna.

We spend a lot of time cuddling, which is a good thing.

Snow Day!

We finally got some good wet snow,

and a snow day complete with reading good books,

and taking good naps.

Ash Wednesday

Tonight was Katie's first Ash Wednesday Mass. Even the man distributing ashes couldn't help but smile when he told her to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel".

Ash Wednesday is my favorite Mass--here's one of the great songs we sing.

My Lent this year: (Because if I say it, I won't be tempted later to pretend like these were not my goals)

No Craft Blogs.

Pray with Anna before school.

Pray on my own.

Fast from secular music. (Since a food fast is out-nursing baby = hungry mama) I think I'll miss my Spanish music the most.

Oscar Night

Sunday night we watched the Oscars. For the record, I thought James Franco was hilarious and Anne Hathaway was pretty and wore lots of dresses. What else do people want?

Matthew has a big post with lots of pictures about our weekend over at The Plowman's Folly.

Photo Shoot: Sisters

I was most pleased with the shots of the sisters.

This one makes me laugh.

I love this little smile.

I like Anna in this one.
And I like something about this one, even though it's dark. Thanks for lending us the camera, Poppa Marion! We had a great time.

Photo Shoot: Katie

I had a much harder time getting good pictures of Katie, which is silly, because she doesn't move!

But we have millions of pictures of Katie anyway- so I'm not too worried.

She is awfully sweet.

Photo Shoot: Anna

We didn't make it in time for Valentine's Day, but we did get our annual February photo shoot done. I kind of like the series of funny faces she made. I have angry, sad, sleepy, and I don't know what emotion this is, but it's a face we see sometimes.

It's still hard to catch a genuine smile, so I was happy to snag this one.

Reading is the big news this year, so we took some with books. Also because once she had a book, she was happy to sit still for me.
All in all, I was pretty pleased.

Katie goes to the doctor

Katie had her first Dr. visit today.

Dr. Koko liked her duckie outfit. And he said she was perfect. Of course. :)

She weighs 9 lbs (my guess exactly!) up 9.7 oz. from her birth weight. And the vomiting--nothing to worry about. She probably just eats too quickly. (Phew!)

A new lullaby

I heard this on Sinfonia the other day and loved it. I don't vouch for the video, just listen.



Arvo Part: Spiegel im Spiegel

Uh-oh

Katie's not a bit interested in the binky.

But she will happily find this thumb.

Which we cannot take away when she's three.

Valentines Day

One of the teachers at school sent us dinner for Valentines Day. Having dinner all done gave me time to make it a little bit fancy. That made me happy.

We used the pink dishes. Anna loved that.
We had special pink Valentines Tea (Sprite and grenadine).
And heart shaped cheesecakes for dessert.
Anna made Katie a valentine.
One of Anna's gifts was her very own fancy pink hankie. She was just as excited about it as I had hoped.
I also made her a couple of barrettes. I love this project. It's so quick and easy. Just cut shapes from felt, slip in a barrette, and hot glue together.
I made these in about 10 minutes, including gathering and putting away supplies from the craft pit.
And Katie got a new hat, made from a left over sweater sleeve.

It was a great day.

25 years in the making

When I was 7, my Mom gave me her sewing box from when she was a girl. She taught me how to do cross-stitch and I made some tea-towels for her and for my Grandma Anna. When I finished the tea towels, she said I could start my first sampler.

Somewhere along the way, I got distracted.

Last year I found it in my sewing box and decided to finish.

The day before Katie came, I did.

I think I'm going to hang it in her room.

Go 'Cats!!!

January 14, 2006. I remember dancing Anna around the kitchen as we listened on the radio.

February 14, 2011. Katie and I were dancing around my bedroom as we listened on the radio.

Go 'Cats! (Thanks to Melanie, Sarah, and Susan for the KSU gear!)

The name game

Sarah posted about the names she and Daniel chose for their kiddos and the meanings and reasons. It was fun to read, so I'm copy-catting.

I'm sure we looked up the name meanings at some point, but I can't really remember what they were. For me, it was just important to choose names that were in the family. I didn't really consider anything else.

Anna Marie

It was pretty easy once we figured out that both Matthew and I had Grandmothers named Anna Marie. Here's my Grandma Anna. Isn't she lovely? I'm working on getting nice pictures of both Annas to hang in her room.

Rita Katherine (Katie)

Katie is named after my Mom

and my Great Grandma Katie, Grandma Anna's mother.

I really really love both of their names, and that I can tell them about the women who came before them and the things they cared about and did.

Katie lesson #3

Lesson #3: How to have a happy Thursday

Katie and Anna know how to have a good day.

Do a little exercise. (What feats of strength-little 4 days old!)

Ask for what you want. (Feed me!)

Play outside with Daddy.

Bake cookies with Mama. (This idea worked brilliantly!) (Use as much red sugar as you want!)And when you're tired...Go to sleep.
Have a great weekend!
(Want more? The Plowman's Folly)