Bekka's Blog

Stay warm out there!

2012-01-12T19:57:00.000-05:00

I don't really like Halloween...

2011-10-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

...but this cute little owl just might change my mind. :)

I can't wait for him to wear his costume! I'm almost finished putting it together.

My Pinterest Board -- Halloween

2011-10-13T23:52:00.000-04:00

I've been a little hooked on Pinterest lately. I'm finding all sort of ideas for just about anything I can think of. Lately, I've been finding some really neat ideas for Halloween, so I thought I'd share my Halloween Pinterest board with you. I can't wait to try some of these ideas -- probably not this Halloween, but it won't be long before I make Frankestein pudding and mummy pizza for Liam. :)

Happy pinning! :)

This doesn't make me a bad mom, does it?

2011-10-12T23:40:00.000-04:00

I promise he was just holding it for Mike. :)

I wish they still fit.

2011-09-25T16:00:00.000-04:00

Seriously, can I get these in a 7 1/2? :)

Liam's first portrait...

2011-09-24T16:00:00.001-04:00

...courtesy of my 5-year old cousin, Lauren. :)

Sweet sleepy moments...

2011-09-23T16:00:00.002-04:00

He also has a couple of gallon jugs he likes to chase around the room...

2011-09-22T16:00:00.001-04:00

Someone please tell me why I bother buying toys for him.

I'm getting a new sister-in-law!

2011-09-21T16:00:00.000-04:00

Mike's brother, Matt, proposed to his girlfriend last week! Rachel said yes, and we're so excited to welcome her to the family!

6 Month Pic

2011-09-20T21:49:00.000-04:00

Okay, so as I type this, Liam is actually 7 months old. I took the pic on time...just took forever getting it off the camera. Life is busy. Haha!

I'm amazed at how much he's grown. And how much personality he's showing now! The horse gets a little smaller every month...

6-Month Checkup

2011-08-23T13:34:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I took Liam to his 6-month checkup. He now weighs 16 lb. 13 oz., and is 27 inches long.

At least he got a cool Band-Aid out of the deal. :)

This also involved another round of vaccinations. My brave boy only cried for less than a minute, but later that evening ran a low-grade fever and was generally miserable. He's feeling better today, but I got very little rest, so I decided to stay home with him. Not a tough decision, really.

It's hard to resist this sweet face.

I took the last pic before the nurse came in to give him his shots. I think he knew...

Pickle face!

2011-08-21T00:01:00.003-04:00

Somebody tried pickle for the first time. :)

What we've been up to lately.

2011-08-20T08:44:00.000-04:00

Playing

Getting back into running.

Getting a Master's degree. (Mike, not Liam...yet.)

Visiting grandparents.

Getting together with friends.

Finding bizarre things at Goodwill.

Going on a real-life-honest-to-goodness date. :)

Showing my photos at the Art Walk.

Buying a new (to us) family vehicle.

I'm going to try to post more regularly from now on. Things have just been so busy with Liam, work, and life in general. But I miss sharing all these wonderful things with all of you!

Liam @ five months

2011-07-27T07:54:00.000-04:00

Can you believe five months have already passed? Look how big my little guy is getting!

I love that little smirk. :)

He now rolls over both ways. He mastered those skills over the course of two days. He's getting close to sitting up. He's pretty good at it right now, except for that impulse to throw himself backward. We thought he was teething the other day, but he may have just had a summer cold.

He loves being tickled, eating rice cereal, toys of any kind, mimicking "raspberry" noises from mommy and daddy, showers, holding drinking glasses, going to the Thai restaurant (the owner loves him!), sitting at the dinner table, and staring at the cat (she does not reciprocate those feelings).

Still not a fan of snot-sucking. But really, who is?

He starts going to the sitter next week. He'll be the youngest of six kids. I think for me, it's better that he leaves with Mike. That way I don't feel like I'm directly handing him over to someone else. (But his sitter is fantastic, and he's done well the few days he stayed with her at the end of the school year!)

And here's the collection of monthly pictures for those of you that like timelines. :) His hair is growing back now (check out 3 months for the receding hairline...lol).

Some more scrapbook pages

2011-07-14T22:59:00.000-04:00

I've been on a roll lately! :)

A scrapbooking challenge!

2011-07-13T09:28:00.000-04:00

I made this page for the latest Sketchy Thursdays challenge.

It feels so good to be back! :)

More Fashion Diaries

2011-07-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

It's been a little too long since I last shared my fashion diaries with you. I've given up on keeping up with how many days I've been doing this, and now I just (try to) come up with clever titles for each outfit.

Hooray! Crochet!: One of my finds from the Salvation Army. Actually, Christina came to me with this one. I'm so happy she did, because it's perfect! Cute pearl buttons, lovely pattern -- I'm certain it was handmade. The string was originally threaded through the bottom of the vest, but I like it better cinching the waist.

I Would Fight Someone To Win You Back: Okay, not really. But maybe the thought crossed my mind for a split-second after I spotted this top at the Salvation Army, stepped aside to let someone down the aisle, and watched that person pick this top up and put it in her cart. But instead of getting all violent on her, I patiently stalked the return rack in front of the dressing room. My patience paid off, and now I have this cute vintage top!

Dots and Ruffles and Pockets, Oh My: Love, love, love this dress from Maurices! It fits so well, the material feels so good, and -- BONUS -- it has pockets! As every dress should.

Mamarazzi: I finally got my Mother's Day gift -- the opportunity to have a photo-day at the Arboretum while Mike toted the gear and the boy around.

Symmetry?! Who needs it?: Love this asymmetrical top from TJ Maxx! Asymmetry is kind of a big deal to me...my wedding dress had an asymmetrical waistline.

Okay, Now Tilt Your Head This Way...: I totally look like I just took my own high school yearbook pic! Yay me!

Bead-dazzling: This is the go-to beaded necklace in my collection.

Yes, I DID Take My Sweater Off. What An Astute Observation, Captain Obvious.: This pic got me my first (and so far only) slightly-mean comment on Instagram. Some teen thought she would be clever and point out that all I did was take off my sweater. Mmmmhmmm. That's because that's how I wore this outfit that day. Chilly morning = light sweater, warmer temps = no sweater. It's kind of how that whole "adapting to climate" thing works.

Bada-Bling: Teething bling. A wonderful gift from my friend Kathryn!

Some recent scrapbook pages

2011-07-06T23:05:00.000-04:00

I'm on a roll! Here are six of my recent pages. I have a couple more that are waiting for journaling. Forgive the terrible iPhone photos!

Fun scrapbooking find.

2011-06-30T23:18:00.000-04:00

While browsing the Peddler's Mall yesterday, we came across an old scrapbook. I thoroughly enjoyed this page:

Somebody really liked their cornflakes. :)

Look what I did today!

2011-06-23T22:59:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time. Too long, really. But I'm feeling my creativity make a return. Hooray!

I'll share the full pages soon.

That thing I just can't wrap my mind around.

2011-06-23T14:54:00.000-04:00

Roadside litter.

Yes, perhaps the quickest and laziest method for cleaning your car out.
You'd almost think the person littering was some kind of neat freak, what with the urgency to toss their trash at the earliest opportunity.

You know, except for that whole "destroying the beauty of nature" thing. Throwing away your trash when you get home is so overrated. :P

Odd things I say to my child - vol. 2

2011-06-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Mommy sings about happy things, like boogers and unicorns." (While explaining to him that Rihanna's music is not appropriate for little kids.)
"It's time for 2nd breakfast...just like the Hobbits!"
"Awwww. You look like a Muppet." (Overheard Mike saying this to Liam one night.)
"Not to get all German fairy tale on you, but if you try to stick your hand into Mommy's mouth when she's eating an Oreo, you'll probably lose a finger."
"Let's kill piggies!" (In my defense, I was about to play Angry Birds.)
"It's a burping, burping, burping song. A burping, burping, burping song. Burping, burping, burping, burping song..." (Because singing during unpleasant activities magically makes them fun. I have songs for bathing, drying off, and snot-sucking as well.)

Happy Birthday, Mike!

2011-06-16T23:10:00.000-04:00

From me and Liam. We love you!

2011-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, I went treasure hunting with Christina. We went to three Goodwills and a Salvation Army. After I had made (what I thought was) my final purchase of the day, I browsed a little while she paid for her items. I came across two vintage Coca-Cola crates. For some reason, I felt the need to debate whether or not I should buy them. They were $4.50 each...what exactly was the dilemma? I'm happy that Christina is an excellent enabler.

Here's a peek at my vision for the crates:

Have you come across any great finds lately?

Liam - Week 16

2011-06-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

Tries to hold his bottle like a big boy.
Talks almost non-stop (see this post for proof).
Had his first real play date. Both kiddos crashed before it ever started. :)
Wakes up cooing and talking most mornings.
Became mesmerized by mommy's Optimash Prime Mr. Potato Head, and told him his life story while mommy worked on closing-day stuff.
Saw Nana and Pa on Sunday.
Played catch with Uncle Matt.
Loves reading Hello, Calico and hearing mommy sing The Song of the Cebu (which she purchased for her new ringtone).

Liam - Week 14 & 15

2011-06-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Had his last week at the sitter for the school year.
Went Goodwill shopping with Mommy and Christina
Stayed with Ashley and Forrest while Mommy and Daddy went to a wedding.
Began noticing the TV. So now we don't watch much TV.
Was very good at the slightly-fancy Italian restaurant, but threw a fit in the more laid back Mexican restaurant. My boy knows fine dining. :)
Had a couple of great days with the sitter. He also went to her end-of-year carnival. He wasn't really ready for games, but he did get an awesome bucket with his name on it, and his first trophy!
Loves to grab onto fingers and sit-up.

Fashion Diaries: Week 4

2011-06-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

I'm playing catch-up on my fashion diaries. Remember, if you use Instagram, feel free to join in by tagging your pic with #fashiondiaries.

Day 22: The nail polish and the earrings. Confession: this top looks only looks slightly better on me than it did when I was 16 weeks pregnant. So we're focusing on the positives.

Day 23: Handkerchiefs...that's not bad. Get it? Snot...handkerchief. Hee. You can see my handkerchief-as-an-accessory post over at Little Fashion Diary.

Day 24: Shiny metallic sandals. I splurged at Target.

Day 25: Working. In my lab. Not my most stylish day, but still worth documenting.

Day 25: BONUS. To make up for my lack of style, here's a cute vintage dress that Mike's aunt gave me over the weekend. It only needs to be taken in a little at the top. The pics just don't do it justice.

Day 26: 95 degrees. Hot day? Why not wear a sweater? I got excited when I found this in my closet...I haven't worn it in forever. Not sure why I couldn't pick a cooler day for this. Giving new meaning to fashion victim.

Day 27: Hitting up the Goodwill with Christina. We decided to "sneak" onto the construction site for a new restaurant. Yep, we're bad apples, that's for sure.

Day 28: The sweet yellow ride...not mine. The sweet red pin, however, is.

Fashion Diaries: Week 3

2011-06-11T00:48:00.000-04:00

Another week of fashion diaries! If you use Instagram, feel free to join in by tagging your pic with #fashiondiaries.

Day 15: 80s-lite. It was a cooler day (a rarity at this point), so I decided to break out the sweater. And skinny jeans. And heels. Quite possibly one of my favorite outfits of this project.

Day 16: Comfy casual. Perfect for spending a little time in the porch swing.

Day 17: Ready for church. I'm a little hooked on dresses this summer. So much so that I even wear them after we get out of Sunday morning service!

Day 18: The skirt. I found this J Lo skirt at Goodwill the day before, and it's quickly become a favorite!

Day 19: The skirt...again. Because I believe in multiple wearings in between washing. Saves water and wear!

Day 20: Ladies, it's all about the elephant this season. Since this little guy goes everywhere with my little guy, it's only appropriate he make an appearance.

Day 21: All a-Twitter. Love this necklace I won over at Mandie's blog a few months ago.

Talkative boy

2011-05-30T08:36:00.000-04:00

Liam and I chatted the morning after breakfast. Enjoy!

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-05-27T12:18:00.000-04:00

Vintage finds. It was a great week for all things vintage!

Talking. Liam has been doing quite a bit of this lately, especially in the morning and when Mike gets home.

Doughnut pan. $6 well spent.

Rainbows. Spotted yesterday.

New nail polish. Cafe Au Lait

Chubby cheeks.

Random -- but clever -- theft-deterrents. Found at Street Scene.

New bedding. From Target.

Road trip. To see the parents.

Poo. Liam's sitter and I talk a lot about it. :)

Fashion Diaries: Week 2

2011-05-26T23:47:00.000-04:00

Day 8: Mommy style. Just hanging out around the house with the little guy. (Yoga Pants: Danskin; Tank and flip-flops: Old Navy; Wrap: Moby)

Day 9: Wedding guest. I wore this dress to Janey's wedding. Such a great time! (Dress: Maurices; Bandeau: Bella Band; Shoes: George)

Day 10: Comfy travel style. Liam and I hit the road for a day at my parents' house. (Top: Daisy Fuentes; Jeans: Maurices; Shoes: not sure...I borrowed them from my mom)

Day 11: Fluffy and cute. Fluffy because I didn't follow the washing instructions for this top. It used to have a very distinctive flower pattern. It still works, though. (Top: Elle; Bandeau: Bella Band; Earrings: Maurices)

Day 12: A blast of purple. Off to Lexington for the day to hang out with Christina. (Top and jeans: Maurices; Shoes: Keds; Earrings: Premiere Jewelry; Watch and bracelet: my mom)

Day 13: Vintage flair. I found this scarf at Street Scene while shopping with Christina. (Tank and cardigan: Maurices; Belt and scarf: thrifted)

Day 14: Vintage dress! I found this at Goodwill the day prior. Even though it's to warm to wear right now, I couldn't resist trying it on for a few minutes. (Dress: thrifted; Boots: Mossimo)

Treasure Hunting

2011-05-25T23:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I met Christina for lunch in Lexington. We went to Bella Notte, and it was delicious! Even better, the waiter brought us dessert "on the house". We later found out that a guy across the room thought Christina was an old girlfriend of his (she wasn't) and sent dessert over to our table.

Mistaken identity + Unrequieted love = Free dessert!

We decided to head over to Street Scene after lunch for a little treasure hunting. It was my first time there, and it was amazing! Tons of great vintage finds from the 60s and 70s. I bought a cute vintage scarf, and oohed and aaahed over all the cuteness. :)

Then we went to a nearby Goodwill. After yesterday, I've decided that Christina is the queen of Goodwill. She found a Coach purse (a real one) for $3! I picked up a few cute vintage (or vintage-like) purses, and a belt. (The scarf in the pic is the one from Street Scene.)

Finally, we decided we needed coffee. Plus, Liam needed a bottle (he was so good and patient during the entire trip). So we went to Panera and chatted about photography, teaching, and blogging.

(Photos by Christina)

It was an amazing day, and I was beaming all the way home! I can't wait to do this again next month!

Liam - Week 13

2011-05-22T23:59:00.000-04:00

Cheered on his Uncle Zack at graduation.
Made a beautiful card for Mommy (with a little help from Daddy).
Got a brand new toy from Mommy.
Went through his 3-month growth spurt.
Found a lady at church he really liked, and spent the service trying to get her attention. They had a lovely conversation once he did.
Got lots of new clothes from his Aunt Britt Britt.
Went to the doctor. Poor little guy had a cold.

A beautiful day for a wedding.

2011-05-21T23:46:00.000-04:00

Today Mike and I attended the wedding of one of his former students. (By the way, seeing former students get married can make a teacher feel old...I guess it would be worse if we taught elementary school...)

The bride. Such a fun, wonderful young woman!

Loved the ceiling at the church.

There was a waffle bar at the reception!

A collection of decor from the reception. The Berry Lemonade Jones soda was a stroke of genius.

Mike, with several former students.

Fun shot of my soda.

My soda lid fortune: "The winds of change approach."

Liam's Fashion Diaries

2011-05-20T20:55:00.000-04:00

Liam had to get in on the Fashion Diaries action!

The onesie is courtesy of my friend Leigh. I've been looking for black pants for the past three months....finally found a pair at Buy Buy Baby. All I needed was one more cold day so he could wear this outfit. I think I was the only person wishing for a cold day. (Onesie: Glamajama)

Election Day style. Because you have to look good when you flirt with the ladies at the polling place.

Perhaps the coolest onesie ever! Also, my favorite consignment find so far.

Fashion Diaries

2011-05-19T23:16:00.000-04:00

My friend Christina started a blog that I'm super excited about. It's called Little Fashion Diaries. She posts daily fashion, deals, and inspiration. She convinced me to start using Instagram on my iPhone last week. I noticed she was posting pics for a "fashion diaries" project, so I decided to play along. Here are my fashion diaries for the past seven days.

Day 1 - New top from TJ Maxx! (Top: Lucy & Laurel, TJ Maxx; Shoes: George, Walmart; Jeans and necklace: Maurices)

Day 2 - Rainy Saturday. Oh, and the belt around my top is actually the wrap from an old bathing suit. (Shoes: Keds; Top: Storm, TJ Maxx; Ring and jeggings: Maurices)

Day 3 - Dress + jeans...better than peanut butter + jelly. (Top: Mossimo, Target; Tank: Motherhood Maternity; Jeans, shoes, and earrings: Maurices; Onesie: Carter's)

Day 4 - Whoooo are you wearing? (Hoodie, shirt, earrings, and jeans: Maurices; Ring: Cato's)

Day 5 - It's sooo cold, and the only winter clothing not packed away are my maternity clothes. But an empire waist works for anyone, right? (Top: Liz Lange Maternity, Target; Jeans: Oh Baby by Motherhood Maternity, Kohls; Pearls: Unknown, Walmart; Earrings: Maurices)

Day 6 - Another day in a cute maternity top. (Top: Liz Lange Maternity, Target; Purse: Nine & Co., Kohls)

Day 7 - Warmer weather! I picked up the sweater on the clearance rack at Kohls. The print makes me think of something from the 90s. (Top: Elle, Kohls; Sweater: SO, Kohls; Jeans, earrings, and ring: Maurices; Shoes: Sketchers; Necklace: a gift from Mike from his trip to China)

Footprints

2011-05-18T22:37:00.000-04:00

Just a quick share tonight. A few weeks ago, I had a girls night with a few friends. We went to The Mad Potter to paint pottery. Today I picked up one of my projects. I'm so happy with how this turned out, and I can't wait to hang it in Liam's room!

My son, the party animal

2011-05-17T12:00:00.001-04:00

Liam went to two birthday parties on Saturday.

Daddy and Liam had a great time at Layla's party.

It was at a gymnastics center, and they had lots of fun playing.

Liam saw his first real balloon. I say real because he's quite fond of one in a book.

I have a feeling for the next several month, all events will end in tears or sleep. The first party ended in the former.

At Kayson's party later that day, we managed to stay dry despite the huge downpour.

This party ended with a sleeping Liam.

We tried to get a pic of Kayson and Liam together, but one of them had just had cake, while the other wasn't aware of anything that was going on. :)

Odd things I say to my child.

2011-05-16T22:26:00.001-04:00

Through the day, I find myself running out of "baby" conversation. I ramble a lot, and sometimes that rambling leads to some rather odd conversations with Liam. (This is the first of what I'm sure will be many, many volumes.)

"...and we have the Pagans to thank for that." (While explaining that Easter baskets and bunnies were not the reason for Easter.)
"We don't wear socks on our hands! Unless we're Daddy and we're running on a really cold day." (While reading Sandra Boynton's Blue Hat, Green Hat.)
"Lola says 'purr'. I know you've only heard her say 'hiss', but she really can say 'purr'. (While reading Frida Bing's Cluck and Moo.)
"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'Get away from me, strange worm-man!'" (Upon seeing Liam's reaction to his Gloworm.)
"I'd rather you take a pacifier than suck on your thumb. Mommy can take away the pacifier later on, but she can't chop off your thumb."
"Please don't expose Mommy!"
"Good job! If you had teeth I'd give you a cookie!"
"Three months old and the ladies are already flashing you." (Oh yes, that happened over the weekend.)*

*ETA - The flasher in question was the birthday girl who just turned one.

New obsession...

2011-05-15T01:34:00.001-04:00

Thank you, Christina, for introducing me to Instagram!

1. Sweet monkey feet., 2. Gloworm, 3. Pad woon sen, 4. My little brother graduates today, 5. "Talking" to daddy., 6. Dinner time, 7. Mommy's helper at the grocery store., 8. Girls' night!, 9. Toy rodent-creature, I find you fascinating., 10. Turns out he was just hungry., 11. Coffee, 12. Being a baby is rough., 13. ., 14. Cheesecake froyo, 15. My guys., 16. Two birthday parties in one day., 17. Mommy and Liam, 18. Silly boy!, 19. A pretty bloom...finally!, 20. I think we should name him Justice Beaver. :), 21. Zack and Amanda., 22. TLR addiction., 23. ., 24. Went for a walk. Had a meltdown., 25. Happy guy.

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-05-14T00:28:00.000-04:00

I know -- technically it's early Saturday. Shhhhh...I won't say anything if you won't. :)

Liam's babysitter. He's going to the sitter once a week through the end of the school year. (He'll be going full time in the fall.) Miss Julie (his sitter) thought it would be a good way to get to know him, and to get him used to a new situation. It was fantastic...so much so that it deserves it's own post.
Mother's Day. My first one was fantastic! I am so blessed to be able to call myself a mom. I'm also incredibly blessed to have an amazing mother!
Instragram. Christina (my friend and former student) got me started on Instragram this week. She said I'd be addicted, and she was so right!
Fashion diaries. A fun little project on Instagram that I started today. I'll share my pics next week.
The outdoors. Somehow, we skipped Spring and went straight into Summer. As much as I am not a fan of heat, I can't complain too much. It's been nice to go outdoors.
Toys. Liam is starting to notice his toys. He has an elephant with crinkly ears that he absolutely loves.
Graduation. My little brother graduated from college this week. I am super proud of him!
Pad Woon Sen. My favorite Thai dish.
Daytrips. We started thinking about one this evening. I'm excited!
Fun cake pans. My mom gave me a cupcake pan that makes little 3-tier cakes. I tried it out this week...so cute! (Also considering a mini donut pan I saw at Michaels.)

Liam @ three months

2011-05-13T20:36:00.000-04:00

Can you believe how much my little guy has grown since last month?

My first Mother's Day card

2011-05-09T00:23:00.000-04:00

My first Mother's Day included Thai food, a handmade card, and two of my favorite guys. I don't think it could have been more perfect.

I wanted to share some pics of Liam making my card (with a little help from his daddy).

Happy Day, indeed!

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-05-06T23:38:00.000-04:00

Royal weddings. Despite my initial cynicism, I woke up early last Friday to watch. They're such an elegant couple.
Michael Scott's last day at The Office. Well, not the fact that Steve Carrell left The Office, but the send-off was perfection.
Dresses. I've bought several dresses over the last couple of weeks. I think it's because dresses seem to hide a lot of the...um...differences...in my post-pregnancy figure.
Seeing an ostrich in someone's yard. Random, right?
Sleeping through the night. I think all but one night was a full night of sleep last week. Bliss.
Blogging tips over at The Creative Mama. This is such a great series with tons of useful tips for bloggers new and old.
Frozen Yogurt. Liam and I went to Orange Leaf for the first time yesterday. Cheesecake with strawberries and waffle cone.

Kids' consignment. I found a lot of clothes yesterday and only spent $12.
Advice columns. Reading Dear Prudence is a must for me each week.
Coffee. I bought a bag of coffee this week. I took a chance on Seattle's Best, which I had never had before. It's pretty good...definitely strong enough for me.

Liam - Week 12

2011-05-06T13:18:00.000-04:00

discovered his Gloworm.
had a slightly painful moment at the follow-up for his circumcision, but was a very brave boy and didn't even cry!
met his sitter for next school year.
was very good for his baby-sitters while Mommy and Daddy had a date night,
ran lots of errands with Mommy.
had his footprints made for a pottery project.
became even more talkative. Don't get him started on the topic of "ga-goo" unless you have time for a long conversation.
likes to sit up (with help, of course).
was successful at sucking his thumb, but hasn't repeated this success since.
was the cutest Batman ever.

Uh-oh.

2011-05-05T00:20:00.000-04:00

We have a thumb-sucker on our hands.

As adorable as I think this is, we've been trying to deter him from making this a habit. Because it isn't as cute once he gets out of this infant stage.

Earlier today, Liam was crying for his bottle. I gave him his pacifier while his bottle warmed up. Meanwhile, I washed a few of his bottles. I looked over at him laying on his blanket, and saw his thumb completely in his mouth (his previous attempts haven't been as accurate). So I did what any mom trying to deter her son from sucking his thumb...I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures. (Not because I'm trying to encourage it. I just want to make sure I have pics of it.)

Our first date night.

2011-05-03T10:41:00.000-04:00

Well, our first date night in almost 3 months.

Last Friday, the community theater was performing Our Town, and Mike's co-worker and close friend, Jody, had the lead role of "Stage Manager". (If you're not familiar with the play, "Stage Manager" is actually a role, not the actual job of managing the stage.) It was the perfect introduction to leaving our child with someone else, since we would only be 10 minutes away from home. (By the way, the play was fantastic! I'm happy there is so much talent in our little town. Mike's friend Jody was fantastic, especially with the New England accent he adopted especially for the play.)

A couple we are friends with offered to come to our house to watch him. We took them out for dinner first. Then Mike installed his carseat in their car, and they were on their way, promising to text us when we got there. When we got to the theater, I realized that my phone didn't have a signal. I will admit to waiting anxiously outside for a text (after having to restart my phone when I still couldn't get a signal). Of course, everything was fine...blame the crappy AT&T signal.

I have to admit, I cried a little when Alisha texted me this picture. I mean, I'm glad he was happy and did great while we were away, but still a bit sad that I wasn't there to see that beautiful face myself.

I may as well get used to this. Yesterday we found a sitter for next school year. We agreed it would be a good idea to have her watch him one day a week for the remainder of this school year. One day a week without my little guy will probably be a good way to transition, but of course I wish it possible to be with him all the time. Just don't get me wrong -- I am delighted we have a sitter, especially one who came highly recommended by several trusted sources. It's an answered prayer, for sure! I just love the routine we currently have -- the one where we get to hang out together all day long. :)

Liam - Week 11

2011-05-02T13:48:00.000-04:00

Wore a onesie that described him perfectly.
Spent a couple of nights in the basement due to some severe storms/tornado watches.
Despite the item above, was an awesome sleeper!
Celebrated his first Easter.
Met up with Grandma, Aunt Britt Britt, and Miss Betty for lunch.
Is becoming increasingly vocal. He enjoys conversations with Daddy (and we think the cat, at one point).
Named his stuffed stegosaurus. (It's name is Ooooo.)
Loves his High Contrast books that Mommy found for him.

Liam -- Week 10

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

He weighed 11 lbs. 3 oz. at his two-month check-up.
He got his first shots, and subsequently ran his first fever.
He tagged along for a girls' night out (dining out, painting pottery, and Baskin Robbins).
He survived a shopping trip with Mommy and Ashley.
He got to see Nana and Pa, along with several other relatives.
He found his thumb. Now it's just a matter of getting those pesky other four digits under control.
He visited Daddy's school.

Such a serious baby.

2011-04-26T13:00:00.001-04:00

Many people comment on Liam's almost constant "serious" expression. I have to admit that he is a fairly serious little guy. Except for the half-hour or so after feeding.

I was thrilled that Liam went on a "smile-frenzy" while we were having lunch with my mom! My sister handed me her camera, and I went to snapping.

My little guy has such a great smile. He just melts my heart. :)

Happy Friday Monday -- 10 Things

2011-04-25T23:23:00.000-04:00

Jeggings. I never thought I'd wear them, but the salesperson at Maurice's convinced me to give them a shot. They're fantastic!
Vintage twin-lens reflex cameras. In two weeks, my collection has grown from one camera to six. (Thank you, Ebay.) Big, big Art Walk plans for these guys.
Walks in the park. The weather and the boy finally cooperated on the same day, so we went for a two-mile walk on Thursday.
Sandra Boynton. Her books are so cute and quirky. We love reading them to Liam. But Not the Hippopotamus is one of our favorites.
High-Contrast Books. Another recent book discovery. Black and white images that are easier for babies to see. Liam seems interested in the pictures, so I guess it's working.
Oatmeal with cranberries and glazed walnuts. It's like a liquefied cookie. In a good way.
Angry Birds. I tried to avoid getting into the Angry Birds fad, but alas, I could not resist. It's just as addicting as I thought it would be. Yay!
Liam's Easter Basket. Technically, it's a bucket. A really cute bucket. I had so much fun shopping for said bucket's contents.

Sunshine on Thursday? Oh please, oh please, oh please let it be true!
This amazing video by the Dave Crowder Band. Yes, a Lite Brite made me cry.

Happy Easter, Liam!

2011-04-24T23:13:00.000-04:00

Liam got to celebrate his first Easter today! It was such a great day, despite the fact that his adorable outfit I originally had in mind was comically large. So we settled on a cute overalls outfit that I picked up for $3 at a consignment shop. The ivy hat (just like Daddy's) was a nice touch.

I'm so afraid of the true meaning of Easter getting lost in all the other stuff -- the bunnies, eggs, baskets, and outfits. During his bath, I made sure to tell him that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that while Easter baskets and eggs are fun, they aren't what Easter is all about.

Church was great! Liam was a sweet, sleeping baby through the entire service. (This doesn't always happen.) We had to step out of Sunday School class when he started crying. Bummer, because I'm pretty sure I missed a great discussion. Ashley invited us to Easter dinner at her parents' house. We had a great time, and it meant a lot to us that they would welcome us into their their home.

We came home, and finally gave Liam his Easter basket. (I'm pretty sure this will be the only year I can delay the basket.) We also took a few photos of him with his basket and/or awesome hat.

I hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Easter! Christ is risen!

Liam - Week 9

2011-04-21T09:21:00.001-04:00

He turned 2 months old!
We went to school with mommy.
He brought on a chorus of "oohs" and "awwws" from the girls' softball team.
He went on his first road trip (two hours to Papaw and Grandma's house).
He met lots of mommy's family members (Sue, Charles, Brian, Katie, Jessie, and Lauren).
Aunt Britt Britt bought him lots of new clothes.
He slept for six straight hours at night.
He tried really hard to suck his thumb. (As our Sunday School teacher put it, "The thumb is an elusive creature...who can tame it?")

Liam - Week 8

2011-04-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

We made another trip to Applebee's, this time with Dan, Stacy, and their kiddos. Again, very successful!
Liam laughed...once in the middle of a crying fit.
He went to the scrapbook store.
He moved up to a size 1 diaper.
He let mommy listen to Patrick's sermon on Sunday morning...the two Sundays prior to that he started crying as soon as the message began.
He got lots of time with Daddy, thanks to Daddy's Spring Break.

Liam photoshoot

2011-04-17T18:46:00.000-04:00

I took a few pics (okay, a lot of pics) of Liam the other day, and just wanted to share a few of my favorites.

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-04-15T15:08:00.000-04:00

Getting through a long night with Liam. (His 2-month vaccination appointment was Thursday.)
Cute little polo rompers.
A new blog banner...check it out! Thank you for voting.
The round of applause I received when I visited my 1st period class this week.
My cousin getting through his kidney surgery.
Bizarre, unexpected things...like looking out the door to see a stray cat licking the porch railing.
Twin lens reflex cameras.
My guys. :)

5 consecutive hours of sleep.
Raspberry muffins and coffee on a rainy day.

My new photography experiment.

2011-04-14T21:28:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to vote for my new blog banner. You have until noon on Friday to cast your vote.

I mentioned in my Summer Goals post that I wanted to experiment with some TTV photography. I already have one twin-lens reflex camera (a Kodak Duaflex II) that I found in an antique store in Lexington over the summer. Ideally, I like to happen upon these cameras...it's more fun that way. But because the Art Walk is in June, the chances of me finding a variety of twin-lens reflex camera on my own is pretty slim.

Last night I bid on a few cameras, and won each auctions! I will soon be the proud owner of an Anscoflex, an Argoflex seventy-five, and a Kodak Brownie Starflex. The Anscoflex is already in the mail. I'm still looking at a couple of other cameras. I have this vision for my Art Walk display, and it involves several TLR cameras.

Ideally, I'd like to add a Tower Phantom, an Ansco Panda, a Golden Shield, and a Spartus Full-Vue to my collection. My wishlist. But since I now have four cameras for TTV, I can be patient and wait for the right price.

I'm hoping to have some great photos to share with you in the near future!

Blog Banner -- you choose

2011-04-13T06:32:00.002-04:00

It occurred to me the other day that my blog banner is still stuck in winter. I am so through with winter (at least for now...I'll be ready for it again come fall). After playing around on Picnic over the last couple of days, I've narrowed it down to six options. I'm going to leave the choosing part up to you, because I really like them all. Just respond to the survey at the bottom of the page

Banner #1

Banner #2

Banner #3

Banner #4

Banner #5

Banner #6

Thumb-sucker...sort of.

2011-04-12T14:43:00.000-04:00

My little guy has been working so hard to suck his thumb. The coordination isn't there yet, but I don't think it will be long before he gets it.

Summer goals

2011-04-11T16:53:00.000-04:00

Check out Danielle's post from earlier today. Even though we're just getting out of the cold temps around here, she inspired me to make a list of my own summer goals.

Have a picnic lunch. When we got married, Mom gave us this great picnic basket that I've never really used. It's time to pack some sandwiches (and a bottle or two) and put it to good use.
Go for a hike. I didn't do much outdoors last summer, what with it being ridiculously hot and me being pregnant. I intend to make up for that this summer.
Have lots of firepit nights. Mike is going to redo the firepit next weekend (a little expansion, plastic ground cover, and new gravel are in order). It's one of my favorite parts of summer.
Take lots of pictures. Now is not the time to slack on photography. In fact, I spent last night and this morning downloading actions to use on my photos. I have some really great ones of Liam from yesterday that I'll post shortly.
Scrapbook. I'm so out of practice. Time to get back into one of my favorite hobbies.
Read. So far The Hunger Games series, The Walking Dead vol. 14, Radical Together, and The History of Love are at the top of my list.
Buy a new bedspread. We're waiting on our tax refund for this one. I really like some of the styles I've seen at Target lately.
Zumba and running. I can't wait for this one! The weather or our schedules haven't cooperated yet, but this week I'm planning on going to my first Zumba class. And when the weather clears up (and Mike gets home early enough to watch Liam), I'm going to get back into running. I miss it. In the meantime, we can take walks at the park together.
Take some day trips. The zoo, the aquarium, a state park or two. I know he's not really old enough to enjoy these things, but we like them too.
Go to a Reds game. I really enjoyed my first Reds game last summer, and I'm ready to do it all over again.
Enter my photos in the Art Walk. Last year, I had the best time entering my Hipstamatic prints. This year I would like to include some TTV photography as well. Which means I need to get started on both.
Ring in 31 in style. Because I forgot to do that when I turned 30 last year. Oops! I think I'll have a 30+1 party, so as not to confuse it with a certain brand of purse parties.

Liam @ two months

2011-04-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

Liam is two months old today! It's so hard to believe...it doesn't seem like he's been in our lives for that long. After his attempt to keep life interesting yesterday, we took advantage of his clean and happy state, and took his two-month old picture a day early. I'm amazed at how much our little guy has filled out in just one month.

Here's his one-month picture, so you can see the difference for yourself:

I have a new appreciation for Saturday mornings.

2011-04-09T12:20:00.000-04:00

This morning, I woke up around 7:30 to feed Liam. He was almost finished with his bottle, when he grunted. A poop grunt. Certainly not uncommon for my child to do this during a feeding. But this time I felt something...um...warm in my lap. I looked down and questioned for a moment if he was even wearing a diaper. So I called for Mike, who gave him a bath while I treated and washed my robe. So funny watching him spray Liam's lower half down with the removable shower head. He just sat in his bath seat so patiently.

Because he was clean and happy, we took his 2-month photo a day early. I'll share it with you tomorrow. (But if we're facebook friends, you get a sneak peek today!)

Then we had something I like to call "Pancake Saturday". Pancake Saturday makes you forget about the poopy morning you just had.

Then Liam said "BU!", which we decided was Liam-speak for "book". Mike read him I Am A Bunny, and he smiled at the page with butterflies.

I thought Saturday morning were great before Liam was born because it was a day to sleep in. Now I don't sleep in, but they're so much better!

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-04-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

Here are 10 more things that made me happy this week:

Cute salt and pepper shakers. My mom has started collecting them for me...I don't know why she started doing this, but I'm glad she did.
Cooing.
Similac coupons. And pre-mixed formula.
Having Mike home this week. And not only because he took on several 2 AM feedings. It's so much fun watching him interact with Liam...makes me excited for the end of the school year.
Finally visiting my LSS after about a year...and stocking up on some cute scrap goodies (because, you know, I needed more...).
Nichole and Grayson. :)
Wind-up toys.
Jiffy muffin mix. The oatmeal muffin mix makes some seriously amazing cookies. The raspberry muffin mix makes some very yummy muffins.
Visiting Grandma and Papaw...I mean Mom and Dad...I mean...I don't know what to call them anymore! Haha.
Excellent test results for my dad!

A few baby pics...of me!

2011-04-07T22:55:00.000-04:00

Today Liam and I took our first road trip to Grandma and Papaw's house. Aside from a series of minor meltdowns for the last 40 minutes of the trip home, it went really well. (By the way, some mommy advice -- have a static station programmed on your radio. The white noise works wonders!)

While we were visiting, mom pulled out an album of my baby photos. I took a few pics of the ones I thought looked most like Liam. (Because if you remember, I kind of promised these a few months ago.)

But first, a refresher. This is Liam. :)

And this was me as a baby.

He stares off into the distance like this a lot.

I had big cheeks, just like his. (Also, I had a dolly named Lolly. How cool is that?!)


I think this one looks most like him...minus my Lisa Rinna lips.

We have the same eye wrinkles. And hair line.

How we settled on Liam's name

2011-04-05T09:00:00.001-04:00

I don't think I've ever told you the story of how we decided on naming our baby Liam.

We knew the middle name would be Michael (after some dude I met). We had a short list of boy names that included Liam, Gavin, Rowan, and Donovan.

Rowan (ROH-an) is spelled the same as a county in Kentucky, but the county is pronounced ROW-an. And we knew that would be an issue because even we had to hesitate to think before saying it. I suppose we could have spelled it Rohan, but that had too much of a Hobbit-vibe for our liking.
Gavin was a good name...our only argument against it was that kids might call him "Gaggin'". Weak argument, I know.
Donovan was one of my favorites, but there was a good possibility of it being shortened to "Don" or "Donny". Unacceptable.

Which left us with Liam. Here's what clinched it for us:

Michael Lawrence
Rebekka Ann
Liam Michael

See the pattern? :)

Fun things from the internet

2011-04-04T09:00:00.004-04:00

I haven't had much time to play around online lately, but I wanted to share a few things I've come across in the last couple of months.

I want to make some of these adorable plush dinosaurs for Liam.
Here's a clever tutorial for making a shadow box from a candy box.
Baby monster amigurumi!
This gorgeous quilt from Kim's blog.
A neat idea for storing punches.
And while we're at it, a twine dispenser.
Chocolate cups = genius.
Cute Instax photo display idea.
Little edible teepees!
Brownie bunnies in a jar. I would love to make these as gifts.

Liam - Week 7

2011-04-03T09:00:00.002-04:00

Liam got to see Noel (mommy's midwife) again at her 6-week appointment.
Liam loves the plain, tan bear mobile that came with his Pack 'N' Play, which is hilarious because Mommy and Daddy spent a lot of time trying to find a mobile that had bright colors, interesting objects, and classical music. Also, Liam "yells" at the mobile when it stops.
He's much more "talkative" this week.
His personality is starting to take shape. He's definitely a morning person!
He slept six hours one night (11:00 pm - 5:00 am), after a very long Sunday.
He went out to eat for the first time. He was so good at Applebee's...hopefully Daddy will be willing to take us out again soon.
He loves riding in Mommy's Moby Wrap. Another amazing baby innovation.
He let Mommy go clothes shopping...such a patient little boy, as Mommy had not shopped for skinny clothes in a very long time!

Liam - Week 6

2011-04-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

Liam was the cutest little bunny in Target!
He started a new formula -- Similac Alimentum seems to be much more agreeable to his little digestive system.
He was circumcised. (We really wanted to do this in the hospital, but the pediatrician on call wouldn't give the go-ahead. His regular pediatrician gave the go-ahead at his first appointment only a couple days later. Ugh. Really wish we could have gotten that out of the way while there were nurses there to help out.) But my little guy was very brave. The first 12 hours were the most difficult, but he was such a trooper throughout.
Papaw, Grandma, Aunt Britt Britt, Uncle Zack, and Amanda (Zack's girlfriend) came for a visit.
Mike took the day off (a rarity for my husband) to help me out after a long night with little sleep (my fault -- not Liam's...I kind of forgot that spring break had ended at my school, and had to get lesson plans together).
Liam went to Target and Whole Foods with Mommy and Miss Jenny. He was really great up until it was time to check out...then hunger and a dirty diaper overcame him.
Liam's friend Kayson came to visit. I had to laugh when I turned around to see him with Liam's pacifier in his mouth and my iPhone in his hand. Oh, the things I have to look forward to... :)

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-04-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

This pic of Liam. I'm amazed at how much he's starting to look like a little boy now!
A shopping trip to Maurices. And a son that lets me try on lots and lots of clothes with relatively little fussing.
Cartoon Network's annual April Fools Day airing of The Room. So fantastically bad.
Cookies. Homemade. With dairy-free, soy-free butter and chocolate chips.
Feeling productive. Laundry washed, folded, and put away. Clean dishes and bottles. Woohoo!
Hearing a parent tell you that you're making a difference in her child's life.
Mike's spring break!
Roast beef from the deli counter.
The Boppy. Quite possibly one of the greatest inventions ever, right behind the baby swing.
Finally updating my iPhone apps.

Peek-a-boo!

2011-03-30T12:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday -- 10 Things

2011-03-25T23:30:00.000-04:00

My friend, Michelle B., recently started making a list of 10 things to be happy about each Friday. Being the list-maker that I am, I decided to join in. Here are the things that made me happy this week.

1. Spending lots of time with Liam (the grandparents even got a little time with him).

2. Visits from friends -- Jenny, Sarah, AND Ashley!

3. This book, which is prompting some excellent discussions.

4. Dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips! And the pancakes I put them in.

5. A baby who has a much easier time pooping. Even if the poops smell 10x worse. It's so much better knowing that he's comfortable. Thank you, Similac Alimentum!

6. Playing Scramble on Facebook with my mom.

7. Last night's proposal on The Office. I didn't think they could top Jim and Pam...I was so wrong!

8. Socks that look like shoes.

9. Putting together Liam's Easter basket.

10. Impulse purchases from the Target dollar section. Those bunny ears were the best $1 I've spent in quite some time.

Liam - Week 5

2011-03-23T23:53:00.000-04:00

We finally took Liam's one-month photo.
He spent his first night in his crib.
He went to the doctor twice.
He started formula.
He started another formula.
He wore his first 0-3 month onesie.
He watched lots of shows on Hulu with Mommy and Daddy one lazy Saturday morning.
He went to church and Sunday School for the first time in a month.

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

2011-03-17T23:59:00.000-04:00

...from Mike and Liam!

Aren't the matching hats just too much?! It's almost unbearable how cute my guys are.

Liam @ one month

2011-03-16T22:15:00.001-04:00

Liam - Week 4

2011-03-14T19:02:00.000-04:00

My baby boy is a month old!
He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz at his pediatrician appointment.
He is quickly filling out clothes that swallowed him up a few weeks ago.
He knows how to rock the fauxhawk.
He's making more cooing sounds.
He's the only person I know who likes the sound of my singing.
He got a visit from his Uncle Matt, Matt's friend Rachel, and cousins Joanna, Robert, and Will.
We watched lots of Poker After Dark. Mommy got to explain to him that Gabe Kaplan isn't just a poker player, but that he was Mr. Kotter back in the day.

Lullabies of the non-traditional variety

2011-03-09T21:55:00.000-05:00

As it turns out, there is now one person in the world who tolerates -- even enjoys -- my singing. Since discovering this, we've been doing lots of singing over the last couple of days. We sing some of the stand-by kids classics. But I threw in a few other songs to our playlist...

When I got to the "haven't you always wanted a monkey" line, he smiled.

This is also Mommy's ringtone for Daddy.

I just sing the chorus...because that's all I know.

30 photos

2011-03-05T23:37:00.000-05:00

I saw this list over on Danielle's blog, and decided I had to give this a try. This list took some time to complete, but I had a lot of fun looking back at my photos on flickr and facebook. If you do this, I'd love to see your list.

01 / someone you spend a lot of time with:

02 / a picture of you:

03 / a random picture of you and your sig. other:

04 / a picture of something that makes you happy:

05 / an old picture of you:

06 / a picture of your sibling(s):

07 / a picture you never posted on your blog before:

08 / a picture of a person you miss:

09 / a picture of people who know you now and then:

10 / a picture of your favorite place:

11 / a person you can tell everything to:

12 / a picture of your everyday life:

13 / a picture from a place you love:

14 / a picture that reminds you of great times:

15 / a class photo:

16 / a picture from the best day of your life:

17 / a picture that always makes you laugh:

18 / a picture of your spare time:

19 / a photo from a great night:

20 / a picture of the people who are closest to you:

21 / a picture of someone you always have a good time with:

22 / a picture of your parents when they were your age:

23 / a picture from last summer:

24 / a photo of your closest friend of the opposite sex (not sig. other):

25 / a picture of you on a favorite vacation:

26 / a picture of an accomplishment:

27 / a picture of your closest friends:

28 / a random picture from photobooth:

29 / a photo that makes you smile:

30 / someone you will never let go of:

Liam -- Week 3

2011-03-04T03:44:00.000-05:00

He had an unexpected pediatrician appointment, and quite possibly has a dairy sensitivity.
On the plus side, he's up to 7 lbs. 2 oz.
He received a cute hippo from Finland in the mail. (Thank you Inka!)
He loves his mobile.
He started sleeping in his Pack 'n' Play. Mommy is slowly getting up the nerve to let him sleep in his crib.
He does not like to be burped...so much so that mommy is pretty sure he growled at her when she tried to burp him recently.
He almost always wakes up to eat during Poker After Dark.
He's much more alert through the day, and has started "talking" to us a little.
He has the most adorable grin.

8 of 52

2011-03-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

I just love this little guy so much! :)

Liam -- Week 2

2011-02-25T11:03:00.000-05:00

At his pediatrician appointment on Monday, he had gained 6 ounces!
He's getting the hang of nursing. It seems to get a little easier everyday.
Dino jammies. Sigh. Love.
He went to church for the first time on Sunday. We kept him in his car seat to avoid a game of "pass the baby".
Grandma went home. Mommy cried. Liam didn't.
He's starting to stare at his Rainforest Waterfal Soother.
He and Daddy like to make monkey faces at each other.
He took two trips to Lexington this week for various appointments, and was so well-behaved!
He and Mommy went solo for the first time on Saturday while Daddy had his grad school exit interview.

7 of 52

2011-02-23T22:29:00.000-05:00

I stayed behind the camera this week. But this is by far my favorite photo. Liam has gorgeous eyes.

Guest post from Melonie

2011-02-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to share this post from Melonie! I always love the ideas for kids that she shares on her blog, and am so happy that she came up with a couple of new ones for this post! Thank you so much for the awesome ideas, Melonie!

-------------------------------------------------------

Hi Bekka's Blog fans!!! I am super excited and honored to be here guesting for Bekka this week. I am sure that little Liam has been doing a great job of keeping his Mama busy....but all too quickly Bekka will be looking for things to keep Liam busy and that is where the projects that I want to share with you today come in:)

As I was scouring the aisles of the store the other day thinking about what I would write for this very post......a pot holder hit me in the face...no literally it hit me in the face and I considered it to be crafty fate. :)

Hey I don't mess with the hands of the craft Gods.

Long story short I picked that pot holder up and gathered a few of his friends and headed home to create something out of him.

Here is what I came up with:

There are endless possibilities for homemade and personalized toys out there but what I like about using pot holders is most of the hard work is already done for you making the projects I am showing you here today very easy to create in just an afternoon. You know in between naps, and snacks, and laundry, and the rest of that endless list of to-dos. If your child is older you can even create these together and personalize them to keep him or her busy in the car...or more importantly at your favorite restaurant because lets face it after a long day in the house tackling that aforementioned list...who doesn't love a night out?

Materials needed:
pot holders

felt and or fabric scraps
ribbon in assorted textures
and basic sewing skills.

I started the busy book off by cutting out a couple of critters from felt. As I said above try to personalize the book to YOUR child. Make your busy book work for you. If he or she likes a certain animal, make the book revolve around that animal...if he or she likes to color you can add a crayon holder like the one shown below:

If little Liam should end up liking cars or trains it would be really neat to make a couple of pages with a felt road and a pocket to hold the cars or trains in. ABC's and 123's you name it you can craft it.
Here are the remaining pages of the book that I made:

picture pages to put some of those super cute photos of Liam and his Mommy and Daddy in...or simply a place to showcase his artwork. :)

a pocket page to hold a favorite rattle or other small toys and a peek-a-boo page...everybody loves peek-a-boo right?

Finally here is a simple puppet made from another pot holder. This pot holder was the culprit that smacked me in the face and started it all so he had to look a little mischievous.

To make this guy you simply gather a bunch of fun ribbon (assorted textures add another dimension of play for baby), cut along the top seam of the pot holder and place your looped pieces of ribbon in like this:

sew the seam back up and turn right side out.

Add an eye and a tooth and ta-da a new found forever friend:)

Thanks for listening today and hopefully this post will get you thinking outside of the box for creating toys for your little one. Have a great day everyone!!

Liam -- Week 1

2011-02-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

Liam's first week began Thursday, February 10th at 8:25 pm.
He started the week with sucking and spit-up issues. He has improved so much this week, and is nursing like a pro!
He got a pony. Not a real one. But it is Liam-sized.
His first pediatrician appointment went well.
He looks cute in jammies.
He does this great "zombie" impression where he sticks both arms straight out, and his little hands go limp. I'm trying my best to get a picture of it.
He got to hang out with Grandma a lot this week. (Who, by the way, was a lifesaver on the nursing, laundry, cleaning, and keeping-mommy-sane front!)
Yesterday, I told him that if he wasn't finished with his diaper, then he needed to pass gas to let me know. He smiled (yes, I know it's a reflex at this age), then passed gas. No joke. You can ask my mom.
My dad called him a hippie due to his abundance of hair. (It's already growing over his ears!)
He loves it when you talk to him, and hates it when you bathe him.

Oops!

2011-02-18T06:01:00.000-05:00

I had plans of giving you an update of Liam's first week.

I also had plans of sleeping.

Guess which won out?

So for now, enjoy a cute picture of my child. Once nursing is more routine, I'll hopefully be back to my regular bloggy self.

NEW MOMMY ADVICE FOR BEKKA.... (Guest post by Michelle B)

2011-02-16T23:04:00.000-05:00

A big thanks to Michelle B. for putting together this wonderful post full of advice from my Fave Things girls! I really treasure all of your advice! Thanks to all you amazing ladies!

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Bekka - I wanted to give you some helpful New Mommy Advice for my blog guest post... so I called on some our TAAFOMFT DT members to help me out.... Because I know the more advice you get the better you're equipped you are for anything that could come up.... so these are from our hearts to yours....

• Even though you think that no one can take care of your baby better than you, it's important for dad to form a bond with the new baby too. Give him some time alone with the baby for feedings, diaper changes and playtime. Chances are his way of doing things will be different from yours, but that doesn't make his way wrong... just different. Relish in receiving the help that you need. And, go take a nap!
Hugs, Jenneke

• First of all follow you instincts, you're his mom you know him best!!! Don't forget to take good care of yourself and your relation, But most of all ENJOY, LOVE, CHERISH, CUDDLE, HUG, KISS, SING and caress him!! I don't have any particular advise for you, I always and still am following my heart, try to do best that I can and love them the most I can I am not afraid to make any mistakes I am only human and don't need to be perfect (that took me some time to realize) and it's the only way to learn!!!!

So sweet Bekka congrats on your sweet baby, I know you are a great mom!!!
Hugs Hanneke

• Here's my advice.... lay a blanket or something (a towel or a small pillow will do also) underneath the mattress ( head side) to help ease gastric discomfort that may interfere with the baby's sleeping. It helped Levi to sleep better after drinking.
And of course enjoy all of this baby time!!!
Big hugs, Jeanet

• I remembered a trick that I used with Kian when he was super grumpy: I switched on the hairdryer or the vacuum cleaner and that noise helped him to quit being nervous and he almost immediately fell asleep and I'm pretty sure that works with almost every baby! Maybe a lot of you used this trick but they say that those loud noises are similar to the noises the baby used to listen when was still in the belly.... I don't know this but I can say that as long as I had the hairdryer on he slept like an angel :-))
Hugs, Jana

• "Always TAKE a NAP when they do! You may want to clean the house, do the dishes, or get the laundry done... but TRUST me... the best thing for you is to take a nap when they do! LOL! The laundry and cleaning can wait... your sleep can not! LOL!" :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

:):):):):):):) HUGS - - Julie

• And lastly from me.... All these ladies have given such great advice... all of which I've used... and am a better mommy for it... now for me.... I think my all time BEST ADVICE is to start teaching Liam "BABY SIGN LANGUAGE" at 9 months... simple words like... all done... more... hungry... bottle... eat... wet diaper... poop... please... thank you... you will be amazed at how quickly he will pick it up.... his vocabulary along with yours will grow.... and one day you'll be looking at him telling you he's hungry in sign language... and it will blow you away!!! I have to say.... it was one of the most wonderful gifts I had when Rainee was a baby... to be able to communicate with her even before she could talk... it was a blessing!!!

Love you bunches... congratulations to you both.... and Liam you're one lucky lucky lucky little guy!!!! {{bunches of hugs hugs hugs}} MichelleB

Guest post from Jeannie

2011-02-15T21:00:00.002-05:00

I'm still taking a break from blogging...at least for a few more days. (Remember, it's never too late to guest post for a sleep-deprived mommy!)

Today's post is from Jeannie, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the last SIS event a couple of years ago. I really enjoy reading about her experiences as a graphic design student. And looking at pictures of her adorable kitty, Moo. This post is a fun little peek into her world! Thank you so much for sharing this, Jeannie!

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Hi Bekka's readers! I am so excited to be guest blogging for Bekka while she's snuggling that super cute babe.

So I am a graphic design major at the University of Tennessee. But it's hard to actually know what that means. I mean, I had no idea what it was going to mean until last semester. It's a ton of fun, but two tons of hard work and all-nighters. Last semester I took one design class and a design productions class. The design productions class was essentially a class on the basics of the Adobe Creative Suite (including Bridge, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign). At the end of the semester we had portfolio review. Our three teachers from our design class, our teacher from our productions class, and another design professor that we didn't have interviewed us and looked through our work from the semester as well as two-three other pieces of work of our choice. It was an intense process. I redid every project, or at least added to what I had for those projects. By the grace of God, I got through portfolio review, which meant that I could continue as a graphic design major. If you didn't get through (which was about 70% of the class) you had to either try to get through again next year (and retake the class), change majors, or transfer schools. I was so thankful.

So this semesters classes are just as hard, but I'm better prepared. I'm taking a design class focused on typography and a design for interactive media class (mainly meaning designing for the internet). I am also taking History of Photography and a printmaking class, Intaglio.

Here is our board after our "free association" brainstorm. We talked about the topic of "rogue" and then gave words and phrases of things that rogue made us think of.

My homework for design is about half physical art and half computer-aided design, programming, and research.

Intaglio is a printmaking class. I am having a lot of fun in it, but there are a TON of little details to remember.

These are the Intaglio inks. They are all high-quality oil based inks, rather than the water based inks you can find at art supplies stores. Once using these, you will NEVER want to go back.

(Photo by Tara Sripunvoraskul)

Here I am printing a dry-point on lexan print. All that means is that I used an etching needle (but an xacto knife works) to etch a picture into a small sheet of lexan (which is kind of like a shatter-proof plexiglass). The parts that are etched actually hold ink by attaching to little burrs that you made in the lexan. After you etch the plate, you use a small square of chipboard to apply a reduced ink over the entire plate. Then you carefully wipe the plate with a material that is similar to a starchy cheese cloth. You finish up the wipe with a piece of newsprint or a sheet from the telephone book. The less you wipe the plate, the more "plate tone" you have (background color). You print this kind on a damp sheet of paper. It's a pretty straight forward process.

We've moved on to more complicated processes that use acid to "bite" the plate.

(Photo by Shannon Herron)

These are the processes that I have been relying on my classmates, teacher, and teaching assistant to answer my questions. Somehow I got a little behind. We have demos during class where our professor shows us how to do the technique or process. They are usually pretty long and detail intensive. The last printmaking class I took I never needed to take notes on the demos because I was able to do the process right afterwards. This time, since I'm behind, I have been doing the processes about a week after the demos. So from now on I will be taking notes on the tutorials so I won't have to rely on my classmates so often to help me out!

Being an art student is amazing, but it's no walk in the park. I have a hard week ahead of me, so wish me luck!

Also, be sure to keep up with my art school endeavors, random ramblings, and projects over at my blog: Jeannie Talks. Be sure to comment! I love meeting new readers!

More to love this Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

Based on the recent slew of guest posts, you've probably guessed by now that a certain someone decided to make an early appearance.

Meet Liam Michael Bess. Otherwise known as the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. He was born Thursday, February 10 at 8:25 pm, weighing in at 6 lbs. 9 oz., and measuring 20 inches long. He has his daddy's hair with his mommy's hair color, his daddy's feet with his mommy's toenails, and his daddy's ears with his mommy's earlobes. I'm totally amazed by our little miracle.

I can't even begin to describe how much I love him.

Have you ever... (Julie edition)

2011-02-13T21:00:00.001-05:00

Here she is...my favorite smiley girl! Thank you, Julie, for your take on a previous post of mine! I love learning more about my blog pals!

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Hi everyone! Julie here filling in for Mama Bekka!! I saw this list on Bekka's blog awhile ago...and I thought it would be FUN for me to have a try at it! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Have you ever...

Bold these if you’ve ever…

1. Started your own blog (scary thing is... I monitor 13 of them!!)
2. Slept under the stars (I was a girl scout... of course I did! lol!)
3. Played in a band (Ok...so I was a roadie for U2.. does that count?? LOL!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World (as a child and as an adult!)
8. Climbed a mountain (I live in Phoenix, Arizona..I think its in the rule book that I have too...the whole city is surrounded by them!)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Does the one in Las Vegas count at the Venetian?? LOL!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater
54. Been in a movie
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Started a business
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Got flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets or plasma   (I have tried... but sadly, I always get turned down) :(
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp   Auchwitz
66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a favorite childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten Caviar
71.Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job (pink-slipped due to budget cuts...it counts)
75. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (Live in Arizona... again.. I think its in the rule book! LOL!)
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car (which is funny since I have NEVER driven a car in my life! LOL!)
82. Walked in Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the newspaper
84. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Saved someone’s life
89. Sat on a jury
90. Met someone famous (Remember...U2 Roadie here... and I am also related to Frank Sinatra, Harpo Mark, and George Reeves {google him...then you will know who he is! LOL}... though I never met Frank, Harpo or George... )
91. Joined a book club
92. Got a tattoo (I actually have four!)
93. Had a baby ( I have had 3!)
94. Seen the Alamo in person
95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96. Been involved in a law suit
97. Owned a cell phone
98. Been stung by a bee

What about you? Link your list up below if you decide to try this.

What Makes My Heart Sing (guest post by Kim Whitten)

2011-02-12T21:00:00.003-05:00

Can I just say that I love that Kim did a list post? We all know how I love a good list. :) She is such a great inspiration...and probably the biggest reason why I've taken at least one photo a week this year. :) Thank you, Kim!

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So excited to guest post on my favorite list-maker blogger, Bekka! I hope by now she is snuggling with Mr. Liam and enjoying the bliss of motherhood...and catching some sleep in between all that bliss! hehe ;)

In an effort to be true to the fun lists that Bekka is so good at forming, and because this month is the month of hearts and love, and because for some reason the song “Wild Thing” is randomly in my head, I thought it would be fun to make visual list of what makes my heart sing.

The Grace of God that I am so blessed to have.

The first signs of Spring...green grass, yellow jonquils, tree frogs in the evenings and longer days.

The fact that my dog, Angus is always with me wherever in the house I am.

Wearing my silver glitter Tom’s!

Somebody buying something that I have hand made to give as a gift or keep for themselves!

Taking pictures for no reason whatsoever.

Watching my favorite 80’s movies, or listening to my favorite 80’s music. :)

Buying something on clearance out of season and rediscovering it when that season finally rolls around.

Eating a fresh avocado.

Bright colors!

What makes your heart sing?

I challenge you to blog, photograph, scrapbook, journal or capture in whatever form that blows your skirt up, those things that make your heart sing!

Thanks to sweet Bekka for letting me share my list on her little piece of cyberspace. :)

Polyvore -- Liam Edition (guest post by Inka)

2011-02-11T21:00:00.002-05:00

I think Inka may be one of my oldest blog friends, and I'm delighted that she wanted to share a little something on my blog! Thank you, Inka! This was such a sweet post!

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Hi! I'm Inka, all the way from Finland guest blogging today.
We've "met" here in blogland with Bekka and I'm always curious to read her news and hear what's happening in her life. And I'm so happy to guest blog on her blog. It's an honour. :)
I got a Polyvore inspiration and made a collage for Liam. Welcome to the world little man!

Breakfast Croissant Casserole -- Guest post by Kim

2011-02-10T21:00:00.001-05:00

I found Kim through the blogging world very recently. I was so excited when she offered to guest post for me! Her blog is a fantastic source of inspiration, and I highly recommend it to you! Also, I am so using this recipe next time I have to make breakfast for Sunday School class. Thanks, Kim!

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Hi, everyone! My name is Kim and I'm really excited to be here at Bekka's blog. I always look forward to reading her posts, and it has been really exciting to watch her get ready for Baby Liam. I know we all wish her lots of blessings and happiness with the new addition to her family!

I have a blog called It's a Crafty Life where I share all of the crafty things that I create or am inspired by. I'm definitely pretty new at it, but I'm really enjoying that I get to share some of my ideas and make new friends. I blog about all kinds of things, like scrapbooking, craft projects, organizing, photography, recipes, and printables that I use to decorate around my house. Stop by and say hi!

I wanted to share a delicious and easy recipe with you while I'm here. This is my go to recipe for Sunday brunch. It has a croissant crust and I think that adds a sweet flavor to it, plus it is so quick to prepare. Let me know what you think!

Breakfast Croissant Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tube of crescent rolls

8 ounces of sausage

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 t salt

1 t oregano

1 t onion powder

baking spray (such as Pam)

1. Chop and sautee the sausage. While it is cooking, spread the crescent dough onto the bottom of a sprayed baking dish.

2. When the sausage is done, spread it over the croissant dough. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top.

3. Beat the remaining ingredients together and pour the mixture over the cheese.

4. Bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes. {I would really check it at 25 minutes. I let it go for 30 minutes this time, and I think the eggs were a little too well done. I haven't had this problem when making it before, so I think I just let it go too long! :-)}

Trust me, this casserole is going to be a big hit with your family! Thanks for letting me be a guest on your blog, Bekka. I hope you are enjoying this time with Liam!

YOU take GREAT photos... (guest post by Jen Kinkade)

2011-02-09T21:00:00.001-05:00

Today we have a guest post from the lovely Jen Kinkade. I've known of Jen for quite some time, thanks to scrapbooking. Turns out, she's a pretty amazing photographer as well. I encourage you to check out her blog. (PS - Her 52-week project is awesome!)

Have you ever heard or thought,

“Wow! Your camera takes great pictures!!! What kind of camera do you use?”

While a good camera helps, your skills will take you further than the equipment.

Case in point...would you ever say to your hairdresser...

“Wow! Your scissors give great haircuts!”

or would you say to your friend...

“Your oven makes delicious cookies!”

Now that I have gotten my point across... ;)

I am even guilty of thinking such things like, “I need a new or better __________to take great pictures.” Let’s look @ how our mind and our eyes can be a big factor in improving our skills. Below are some tips to get you started on improving your photography skills with whatever piece of equipment you might have! :)

Know your camera! Chances are whether you shoot film or digital, point and shoot or SLR your camera came with a manual on how to use it. One of the BEST things to do is READ the manual and know the settings on your camera.
Tell the Story Is it purely a way to keep a record of a moment? are you trying to capture the emotion of a moment? is it possibly a shot to give to someone? is it part of a larger series of shots or will it be the only shot to commemorate the moment?, etc. Photography is a way to freeze a moment in time and remember the person, the activity, the event, the emotion FOREVER!!!
What is in the background and foreground? One of most common places for distractions in photography is the background of your shots. Run your eyes over the space behind your subject to see what else is in the image (do the same for the foreground). Look for toys, furniture, plants, etc Omit those things that might give distraction or add an extra appendage to your subject!
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!! The #1 thing you can do is practice. Trial and error goes a long way, and with that comes experience. I guarantee the more you practice you get, the more “light bulb moments” you will have and you will see your pictures improving!

And this is what you do next time you hear....

all material was taken and adapted from http://digital-photography-school.com with the exception of the cartoon strips that can be found at www.whattheduck.net

**visit http://digital-photography-school.com for more basic photography tips.

*While this post is to encourage you to take better pictures in a very basic way, it is in NO way diminishing the hard work, education and time that custom photographers put into their career. Please take the time to find a custom photographer in your area.

Trust your instincts.

2011-02-08T23:30:00.000-05:00

Turns out, I'm not a basket case. More on that later.

Pregnancy observations for the week.

2011-02-07T23:20:00.000-05:00

Today for lunch, I packed some leftover sausage balls (from last night's Super Bowl party) and a bagel with strawberry cream cheese. One of my coworkers saw it and said she had never seen a pregnancy craving that strange. Because she thought the sausage balls were chicken livers.
I've been a basket case since getting over the stomach virus. I'm over-analyzing every little thing that isn't normal...even though I know all those things normally occur to anyone getting over something like that. And I still over-analyze these symptoms after they go away.
Liam has been told that if he wants to meet his grandma right after he's born, he has to stay in for at least one more week. My poor mom has the flu.
My students keep asking when I'm going to go on maternity leave.
Amazon Mom is such a great deal!
Yesterday I split part of my fingernail trying to put together Liam's swing. Because, really, it isn't enough that I have to go through labor.
For reasons unknown to me, I want a Toaster Strudel. I don't think I've had one since high school.

Making Valentine's Day Cards

2011-02-06T15:50:00.000-05:00

This morning our Sunday School class made Valentine's Day cards for the children in the BMT unit at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati. The scrapbooker in me might be a bit biased, but I think this might have been the best service activity we've ever done!

Here's a peek at our creations. It was fun to see people who didn't have a lot of confidence in their skills make some truly amazing cards!

5 of 52

2011-02-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

This week has been all about checking things off the "before Liam gets here" list.

~~Make a call to make certain my short-term disability wasn't the victim of some poor financial management~~ (it wasn't -- whew!).
~~Clean Liam's room and organize his closet.~~
~~Take the aluminum foil off of the crib, and replacing it with actual bedding.~~ (I promise we aren't trying to protect Liam from the aliens. Cats apparently hate aluminum foil, so it was a good way to let Lola know that the crib is not for her.)
~~Schedule a prenatal consult with the pediatrician~~.
~~Preregister at the hospital~~.
Put together the swing/bouncer...which I would already have done if I could carry it into the house.
Buy a ~~pump~~, mirror, and ~~mobile~~.
Install the carseat.
Finish packing. I'm very close to having this one. In fact, I could probably get by on what I've already packed. It just seems like there's always something else that needs to go in the suitcase or diaper bag.
Clean the house.
Get the guest room ready for my Mom.
Hang curtains.

I missed a day of blogging...

2011-02-04T17:45:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I did this. But I have a good excuse.

No, I didn't have the baby.

I had a stomach virus.

It started last night, and the worst was over by 3am. I'm still feeling really wiped out, and my main goal has been re-hydrating. I'm just happy the worst of it was relatively short-lived, only about 6 hours or so. I'm always super-cautious about bouncing back from a stomach virus. So far, I've managed to eat numerous popsicles, some saltines, and applesauce. I threw caution to the wind a few minutes ago and ate a NutriGrain bar. I know I'm on the mend when I start thinking about what I'll eat tomorrow...and right now I'm thinking about a nice, greasy breakfast at a local diner. Liam will be happy. I've gotten lots of "hey Mom, it's time to eat" kicks and punches today. Poor little guy. I'll make it up to him tomorrow.

Mike as been really awesome...he made a trip to Walmart very late last night for ginger ale and popsicles. He's the best! :)

Meet Hagar Blaze

2011-02-02T22:48:00.000-05:00

She was our stand-in child tonight during b-feeding class. (Sorry, I'm afraid if I type out the entire word, I'll get creepy, icky comments from creepy, icky Googlers. Sad, huh?) She was able to get out for a little while tonight from her usual home in Mike's classroom desk. Yes, my husband keeps a doll in his desk. Apparently for laughs. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of his classroom...

So what's with the name? Hagar Blaze was our stand-in baby name before we knew that Liam was a boy...or that his name would be Liam. The kind of name that was sure to bring a puzzled look to anyone's face who dared ask us what the baby's name would be. The process for coming up with such a name was quite complicated and scientific: Mike flipped through the baby book and blindly pointed at Hagar, I did the same to come up with Blaze. Thankfully, no one took us seriously and monogrammed the name on a onesie.

Just a reminder

2011-02-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

If you offered to write a guest post for me, you still have a couple of weeks. (Hopefully!) You can email it to me at bekkabess [at] gmail [dot] com. Thank you to all those who volunteered! And a big thank you to those of you who have already emailed your posts to me! You guys are really going to enjoy what they have in store!

And if you're thinking to yourself, "I should have volunteered. Now I'm bummed because I totally missed out..." Don't worry. I'd still love for you to guest post! :) Just let me know you're interested in the comments.

Today I...

2011-01-31T22:18:00.000-05:00

...went to work! That's a rare occurrence these days. I had so much fun, I think I'll try going back tomorrow. (On a related note, I hope the iciness going on outside goes away by the time we have to leave for work.)
...sat a lot - probably more than I should have. I was just tired and uncomfortable.
...cleaned Liam's room (pictures to follow eventually).
...bit my tongue a lot. Like, almost every time I sneezed. Ouch!
...organized baby clothes.
...bought a few things for the hospital bag.
...splurged on something shiny and cute.