Life With A New Baby
Welcome Baby!
It all started to happen fast. My doctor came in about an hour after they got me settled in and before I knew it they started prepping me. I tried to not let my anxiety levels get to me. I tried to just be me, to talk to the staff, to smile, to get thru the procedure. I took the spinal block like a pro.
Then it became apparent it didn't fully take with me. I could move my legs and I could feel. I could feel the c section, I could feel my legs, my feet, my womb being cut open. I screamed and cried and they put me to sleep. I had some crazy dreams and woke up worried about my daughter. Before I was able to speak or understand, literally as soon as my eyes opened I was asking if she was okay. I had no idea what anyone was saying or where I was, but I kept asking. Finally they wheeled me around and I saw my husband with Harper, I had double vision and was not really coherent, but I managed to sit up and give him the ok sign. He gave it back and held her up so I could see her.
When I was able to speak and understand responses I continued to ask anyone and everyone that came my way about Harper, they all assured me she was doing great. She was healthy, she was gorgeous. They couldn't believe that I was able to move, speak and ask about getting out of bed literally moments after having a c section.
My husband brought Harper into the room as soon as he could. I got to hold her and see just how pretty she was.
I miss my house, my pets, my husband and most of all my son. It has been hard to be away from him!
Harper is a great baby. She sleeps well, eats well, snuggles like a pro and is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait to get her home to join our family.
Thank you to everyone that sent emails of well wishing, prayers and hope. It means so much to me!
Making Sandwiches with Harper {Kids Craft}
I asked her if she wanted to make paper sandwiches while I made lunch, it sounded appealing to her! I had a collection of paper sandwich fixings ready for an occasion like this. I found a yellow glue stick to imitate mustard. Harper was all set to make sandwiches!
To prepare for this activity I had previously cut the following shapes from construction paper
bread shapes white paper
red circles for tomatoes
squiggly green leaves for lettuce
yellow squares for cheese
brown circles for meat
You will need a glue stick. Red or Yellow is fun with this paper food craft, like ketchup and mustard!
She began by adding mustard to the bread and adding tomatoes.
A Clean Home: Problem Area Assessment
When I made an assessment of what the most annoying problem areas in our home were I came up with big and small issues to correct.
I tackled the drawer mess if you recall. That was easy enough. The mess that is my children's clothing and toys is another issue altogether.
These photos are mortifying. I am still in shock that the mess had got so far out of hand in a matter of days.
I have had 2 declutter sprees in the last month. Yesterday we took a box large (enough to hold an elliptical), a trash bag and a brown shopping bag full of clothes, towels, blankets and etc to Goodwill. We dropped off Beloved Kota the Dinosaur to the elementary school, where he will be in a play. My son loved this toy, but it took up a ton of precious space.
Break a leg Kota in your acting debut this spring.. |
With Kota and a huge pile of old stuff out of the way, I felt like I could finally get a good feel for what the true problem areas were.... The whole house is a problem area. No way around it.
Toys have taken over the living room again.
And the dining area too.
Another problem area in my house is my laundry room. Not only is the room just ugly, it is always full of stuff. Recycling to drop off, at least 20 pairs of shoes reside in this room, my husband has his plants in the laundry room. There are extra household supplies like toilet paper, laundry detergent, soap and shampoo. The gear for the dogs is in this area... it gets messy really quickly. The worst part is, the laundry room is actually an enclosed porch, therefor you must enter the laundry room which is in a constant state of disarray to enter my home.
My kitchen always needs attention. The breakfast nook is the catch all for everything in the free world. The area under the breakfast counter has been catching a great deal of junk too. There are always dishes ready to spill out of cabinets, the pantry is always messy.
Oh my, this clean home challenge is getting bigger and bigger. What a mess my home is! I hope you will come back tomorrow to find out where I begin and what the result is.
Best Boba Recipes
My 9 year old, Harper, has developed an obsession with boba. She bats her big blue eyes at me and says "Mommy, let's go out for a tea..." almost everyday. It is so funny that I have this little bestie who thinks I am rich. To keep her happy and getting her boba fix at least once a week, we have been making some fun recipes at home. If you are wanting to save some cash and still have a treat, like us, you are going to love this list of the best boba recipes to make at home.
Before we get into this, can you believe Harper is 9 and a half already? It seems like just a few months ago that so many of my friends were chipping in to write posts for my blog so I could bask in the wonder of our new baby Harper. Now here she is, a full blown tween with a boba tea habit.
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Photo Credit: Sara Lehman and various artists. |
Jasmine Milk Tea Boba by Greedy Girl Gourmet
Lychee Milk Tea Boba by My Vegan Minimalism
Hokkaido Milk Tea by Aubrey’s Kitchen
Vegan Boba Cake by Rainbow Nourishments
Homemade Black Boba Pearls by Delightful Plate
Fruity Bubble Tea by Kids Activities Blog
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The Devil Wears Salad. |
Watermelon Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar Boba by The Devil Wears Salad
Strawberry Milk Tea by Moon and Spoon and Yum
Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars by The Oregon Dietitian
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Photo Credit: White Kitchen Red Wine. |
Strawberry Milk Tea by White Kitchen Red Wine
Taro Bubble Tea by The Oregon Dietitian
Chocolate Milk Bubble Tea by The Littlest Crumb
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Photo Credit: Entirely Elizabeth. |
Earl Grey Milk Tea by Entirely Elizabeth
Iced Boba Coffee by Recipes from a Pantry
Vegan Bubble Tea by Plant Based on a Budget
With so many tasty bubble tea recipes, the hardest part of getting your boba fix will be deciding which of these recipes to make first. Happy sipping!
You can find some of my favorite drink recipes here
Sour Apple Margaritas
Hillbilly Cider
Bomb Pop Cocktails
Blueberry Lime Vodka Sorbet
Paper Plate Crowns
Saturday #182
On Saturday #182 (#3) my family slept in a little later than normal. What a treat it was for me to wake up at a few minutes til 8!
We took the morning at a slow pace. I wasn't frantic to get a lot of things accomplished. I watched cartoons with my son and I cuddled my daughter. Since Harper was born I have really slowed down and started taking the time to enjoy life more. I notice how much my son has grown, how fast time passes and how insignificant so many things really are. There will always be laundry to fold, dishes to wash and things to pick up. My kids won't always be small... that makes it easier to go with the flow of things.
My parents finally came to see Harper. She was a sweetheart as always. She is beautiful, cuddly and totally addictive. She stole their hearts as expected. They accompanied us to the West side shopping plaza for Trick or Treat with Roo who was fun. The first stop he made was priceless. As the lady put a handful of candy into his pail he broke out in a huge smile and told her "Candy? Happy!" We both had a good laugh over that.
We then stopped for lunch and went back to our house to visit with the family. Roo was great, he was fun, he was lively, he was singing, dancing, completely showing off. I loved to see him come out of his shell and not act shy around the grandparents.
When they left we decided to take our recycling to drop off, and it wouldn't be a weekend without a dash into WalMart. I had to stock up on newborn size diapers and wipes for the week. I had been prepared for a big baby, I have size 1, 2, 3 and 4 diapers in reserve for Harper, but wouldn't you know newborn is a size I opted not to get and we are going thru a ton of those!
So I grabbed the diapering needs and headed home for a relaxing evening with my husband. He convinced me to watch a Kenny Rodgers movie with him. I fell asleep within 30 minutes but that was okay, when I woke up I saw Adam was asleep on the couch too. Quality time together in dreamland.
The day was great. It covered the basics; sleep, candy, family, shopping, happy kids. I hope you had a chance to enjoy quality time with your loved ones over the weekend. It amazes me how fast these Saturdays pass by.
Sunflower Stamped Pumpkin Patch Art
This adorable pumpkin patch art is great for kids of all ages! Made with simple supplies like paint, paper and a sunflower head, this is a great way to create art using nature!
Supplies:
Orange paint
Green paint
A sunflower head
White paper
A paper plate
Pour orange paint and a small amount of green paint onto a paper plate.
Encourage your child to press the sunflower onto the paper.
Allow the paint to dry, then
I hope you get a chance to try this project with your family, it is the perfect project for a fall afternoon!
Find more fall ideas here.
Story Time and a Jam Sandwich Craft
Minnie: Bow Be Mine with Harper
Earlier today my 5 year old walked up to me and struck a thoughtful pose. With a finger to her lip, and a sparkle in her eye, she said how can we make a headband with ears and a bow?
I received a copy of this dvd to inspire this post.
I knew what she was getting at, in her Minnie Mouse print dress, with her Minnie Mouse printed high top sneakers, she was on the track of needing some ears to complete her punk princess look.
While I had no ideas for giving her ears, I did have a way to give her a Bowtique fix. I popped in the newest dvd in our collection; MINNIE: BOW BE MINE and let her indulge in some tv time with her favorite characters.
Minnie: Bow Be Mine has 2 fun music videos in addition to 11 episodes. Each episode is action packed with fun for little ones and their moms. Yeah, I admit it, I got wrapped up in a few episodes with Harper. Grandpa vs Grandpa was our collective favorite. If you pay attention you may recognize a familiar voice; Jay Leno is the voice of Billy Beagle. How fun is that?
Find this adventurous dvd in stores now; it is perfect for a rainy spring day or anytime your little one is craving the famous ears.
While we are talking about Minnie and the gang, who is your favorite character? My son loves Pete and all of his antics. Harper is all about Minnie and Daisy. Pluto is my favorite.
Why not make a craft together while you watch Minnie: Bow Be Mine? These easy Mickey Ornaments can double as a necklace if you make the string longer.
A Weekend In Wayne County
The Barn Restaurant is perhaps one of the most aptly named businesses in the region. It is literally an old barn converted into a charming eating establishment. Interestingly, one of the barns shorter sides sports a glass facade, which provides dining visitors with a wonderful view of a farm pond and a hilly country backdrop.