Yes, I know Easter was a week ago!!

I realize I'm posting these a little late, but that's just evidence of how little time I have to myself these days. When I do have a moment of freedom, I tend to fall asleep on the living room floor (as I mentioned in the previous post).

We went everywhere last Sunday. First, we stopped by my mom's for a delicious lunch (I can't remember the last time I've had a baked ham) and egg hunt for BB (my mom loves to do stuff like that and I have great memories from holidays like these).

BB rifling through the candy my mom put out.

Trying to figure out this egg hunt thing.

Instead of eggs, she found the remote and was much more interested in it...

Penny. Blending in.

Finding the stuffed bunny that was hidden in the sofa.

I love this picture. It looks so country. "Country" as in Country Living. Not, say, Britney Spears "we're country."

My mom even dyed eggs! 5 seconds after this picture was taken, BB repeatedly smashed two eggs together. Oops!

After this, we went to see some family friends who consider themselves BB's "step-grandparents." I hadn't seen them since last year, so it was nice to catch up with them. The last stop of our trip was my dad's house, where they were just hanging out. Here are some pictures (the lights were dimmed) of BB and her two aunts (haha) frolicking around on my dad's bed. The three of them had so much fun and had a case of the giggles. It was difficult to get a picture without a fuzzy head or limb, so here are a few that came out semi-decent.

Baby E. She's getting so big!

It took us double the time - two hours - to get home because of all the traffic. I couldn't believe there was so much at such a late hour. We finally got home around 11 o'clock and subsequently passed out. It was a nice Easter this year.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Did I forget to mention Chinese New Year? It's the year of the Golden Pig (it's only "Golden" once every 60 years) and it's the first year I didn't really do anything for "CNY" as some have been calling it. When BB gets a little older and can understand it I'll definitely make a big deal of it, but it seems like Dave and I are perpetually exhausted these days.
I finally compiled a little album of photos for my Popo (Cantonese for maternal grandmother) who lives in Toronto. I'm so awful because I kept saying I was going to send pictures and didn't put in the effort to make time for this. It's a Noci brag book by Kolo with a little card stock tag message attached. Kolo has some great products and I hope Popo likes it (the pictures too!). You know what else I did? I renewed my driver's license! The picture is enough to scare your pants off and it cost a ridiculous $40, but I feel MUCH better now that I got it done.

I came across this website called Branch (via Design*Sponge). I love these bamboo pieces by Bambu. I'm really tempted since the prices are great...but I don't think our cabinet has any more room for bowls and such...(pout).
Lost is on tonight! American Idol, too. I watched the top twelve males last night. Umm...how was that Blake guy's version of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" deemed the best performance of the night? It sucked! Anyway, gotta go. BB pooped. Whoopie...

Are you missing us?

Sorry, but I've been in some sort of blogging slump lately. I started a post days ago but never got around to/avoided finishing it. We've had many significant events happen since my last post:

1. We discovered two new teeth in BB's mouth coming in through the top gums.
2. BB started to feed herself! Seeing this always gets me excited and proud.
3. BB walked 13 steps -- the width of the hallway!
4. I finally sent out (most of) our Thank You cards for the birthday party.

We went out to the city yesterday to visit Wayne, Leslie, and the twins (even though the temperature was BELOW zero). I was kind of bummed that we didn't make it to neither the aquarium nor the science museum, but we still had a good time out (with the emphasis on OUT, as in AWAY from home). Wayne's pomeranian Boo Boo was much friendlier with BB this time, and BB enjoyed being licked to death.

So I'm sure there are many things that need to be done, but I'm feeling so scatterbrained today. I'm going to need to sit down and write out a list. Ughhhh. I'm trying to finish a cashmerino hat for BB since she's outgrown her purple one. This one is a berry color. Hopefully, I'll get it done by the end of the week.

And, since I didn't finish writing about Valentine's Day (the content of my abandoned post), I'll put it in a nutshell. I went out in the blizzard to get some wine and dessert for the dinner I was making (steak and asparagus, which Dave loves), but the liquor store rejected my license because it expired on my birthday! Yes, I know my birthday was back in December and I need to renew it ASAP, but I felt like an underage college student all over again! Luckily, when I called Dave, he had already bought some wine! I swear, we share the same brain. Dinner was nice, dessert was tasty (I got chocolate berry tarts from Whole Foods), and we ended the night by watching Lost in bed. The red tulips I got are pictured above, the dessert below. In a nutshell, a good night!

Be Mine

Happy Valentine's Day! We've been hit with a lot of snow today, but luckily Dave and I decided to celebrate over the weekend instead of today. I couldn't imagine going out in this weather! I got in touch with my inner-Martha yesterday and pumped out some Valentine goodies for Dave. Lately, I've been in bed by midnight (and if you know me, that's EARLY), but I stayed up until 3 am working on this and that. I'm pretty proud of these handmade cards and tags and plan to make these on several occasions and holidays.

I made this card with pink card stock and semi-translucent black paper and sandwiched a photo from BB's birthday in the middle. The pictures, again, aren't as good as they should be since there is no sign of the sun today. Boo!
This is a little gift "from" BB to her daddy. It's a bookmark, again used with card stock and the black paper. B&W photo of Dave and BB in the middle. I included little quotes found online. So simple and easy.Tags for Dave's gifts...of which I only have gotten half... The round tags are for some wine glasses I picked up, and the square is for a bottle of wine I have not purchased yet. And with the weather, it looks like that tag won't be adorning a bottle at all. Foiled.
I received some lovely red tulips and essential oils for Valentine's Day from Dave. I love the essential oils (he got me lavender and grapefruit/lemongrass) and all their uses. I read in the little pamphlet that came with them that lavender oils can be applied to wounds for fast healing and can be put in BB's bath to calm her down. The grapefruit/lemongrass is meant to awaken the senses. Pictures to come when we get some sun. I can't stand these dim pictures!!!

So BB and I are hanging out today. Should probably do some laundry. Definitely want to bake before Dave comes home -- maybe scones or banana bread...

How am I going to get that wine?!

The Calm After the Storm

What a week. I saved all my Christmas shopping for the last week before Christmas, and I can honestly say that it had its ups and downs. I always say it's a benefit to wait for the last minute in the sense that one might work better under pressure (true in my case), but I definitely shopped for five whole days (or at least it seemed that way) and it was so tiring. Now that everything is over we've been trying to clean up as much as possible. I think a trip to Ikea is in order. We need new storage systems to organize all the loot BB got!
I was really happy with our tree. It was our first tree as adults and as a family and I think it looked beautiful. Execpt for the Baby's 1st Christmas ornament, I made all the decorations by hand. I displayed all our Christmas cards on the wall behind by attaching them to rope made of yarn and I'm only sorry I didn't think of it sooner. It makes me sad to think we have to take this all down in a week.
I made all the tags on the presents by hand since I had some leftover cardstock from the paper globes I made. The ones in the pictures aren't the best ones. I went all out on some and they made all the difference.
My Uncle Edison had a Christmas party at his home last Tuesday, so Dave, BB and I trekked down to Western Mass to see everyone and exchange gifts. The adults did a Yankee Swap and I copped myself a $100 gift certificate to Ochoa's. Maybe I should get a manicure this weekend before my birthday. Since we couldn't afford to buy gifts for ever single one of my cousins, I baked almost 100 chocolate chip cookies and attached, yes, you guessed, little paper globes to each package. They're all such sweet kids. They were very appreciative.
While Dave's sister Wanda (pictured below) and I shopped til we dropped, we stopped to take BB to see Santa Claus. We were second in line, thank goodness. As I gave BB to St. Nick, she gave me a look that said, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! WHO IS THIS MAN?! DON'T LEAVE ME!!!" She looked from me to the whole line of people who were waiting in line and watching. She didn't cry, but she looks so stiff in the official picture (the one below was taken with my camera). They used a cowbell to try to get her attention. I thought it was hilarious and I love the picture.
I have so many pictures from Christmas Day and a lot to speak of, but I'll just cut it down and maybe I'll get into some details if I get around to posting in the remainder of this week. We opened presents in the morning with Dave's mom and sisters, traveled to my mom's after, and finally made a stop at my dad's for dinner.

Eric Carle animal flash cards since, according to Dave, BB needs to train for Mensa status.She liked this a lot (I chose it, of course). It's so cute. Amongst other things, it shouts, "Hug me!"

My brother being silly with the stockings...

The customary framed photo of BB for my mom. Can't go wrong with something like that.

Dave unwrapping Fort Knox. Why are kids toys always plastered and wired to the packaging?

BB with Uncle Matt.

So as you've probably noticed, I'm kind of tired of writing...not that I really wrote much. I'll write more later. Until then, I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! I'm gonna go RELAX.

Call Me Martha

I made a batch of the yarn snowflakes I saw on Martha Stewart's website. The idea was listed in the kids section of the site and I don't quite see how this project is kid-friendly...unless you're willing to have your entire house covered in Elmer's by the end of the project. It was definitely a sticky job and I don't think I'll be making anymore. Eight is enough. I even managed to get a glob of glue in my hair. They look cute, though, don't they?

Our tree is definitely baby-friendly. Save the lights, there is no glass on it at all. BB hasn't really tried to grab the tree at all, which I am very thankful for. What's also great is that it's not a prickly tree. The ends of the needles are all rounded. I wonder what kind of tree it is.
I've been trying to make a bunch of pom poms to attach to gifts for my family's party on Tuesday. I'm just going to bake some great chocolate chip cookies for the younger kids, package them, and attach a pom pom and/or paper globe (yes, more paper globes) to each. Us adults (I'm an adult now) are doing a yankee swap (which I thought would suck until my stepmom informed me of some of the AWESOME gifts that are in the running). Even though there's the swap, I'm hoping I can make some time to make some ornaments for my stepmom and favorite aunts. I know they'll appreciate that sort of thing. The globes are a cinch, but I have many more pom poms to make...

We got some new Netflix movies in the mail. I just finished watching The Devil Wears Prada, and, like the book, I wasn't too impressed. I don't think I even finished the book. So predictable and overrated. The fashion was fun to see in the movie and Meryl Streep was great (of course), but the differences between the book and the movie bothered me. How could they change the boyfriend's job from inner-city, do-good elementary teacher to a line chef? And what is the point of that? I am in love with Adrian Grenier, but come on. We also got the second Pirates of the Caribbean, but maybe I'll wait for Dave to get home from work in case he wants to watch it too.

I officially weaned BB off one bottle. We're down to three 7 oz bottles a day and we're up on solids. She's doing very well. I have it too easy with her. One of her new things is standing on one foot (while holding something, of course). She's pretty silly.

It's time for Bottle #2, so I'm going to run. Later!

Paper Globe Insanity

I'm pretty much finished decorating the tree. I think I'll make another pom pom or two and a few yarn snowflakes, but I think the tree is adequately dressed. I had thought of buying some shiny glass ornaments, but I'm kinda feeling the paper look. As you can see, I got a little carried away with the paper globes. They're just so easy to make.
Seeing as it's our first Christmas as a family and therefore our first tree, we didn't have a star to put on top. I didn't feel like buying one so I made a giant yellow/goldenrod globe for a topper.
I don't have too much to post about. I sent out most of our holiday cards yesterday and have a few addresses that Dave needs to get for me in order to send out the rest. I'm hoping we'll be going out later today to try to get some serious Christmas shopping done. Poor BB still doesn't have anything!

We took a tour at a daycare center today -- the same one Jasmine attends. I'm not sure what I would do with myself if we did send BB (part time), but I definitely need some other kind of outlet. The place was decent and the staff was nice, but I wish it were cleaner...but I'm guessing it's as clean as humanly possible seeing as there are tons of kids running around...sharing boogers...

Creative Juices

I made a trip to the local craft store yesterday and bought some supplies so I could make some handmade ornaments for our tree. I got some ideas from Sally's blog (thank you for sharing) and made some Martha Stewart paper globes and pom poms.

Before

After!

I still have to make more, but it's a start. It's very rewarding to make things by hand -- especially things that you know you're going to save over the years. I think I'm also going to make some yarn snowflakes, too. I am obsessed with the pom poms. I need to get some red and yellow-gold yarn for more color variety. If you want to learn how to make pom poms too, here's a link to a tutorial.

I need to call Apple support to see if my warranty will cover the gap that has emerged between my screen and the border that goes around it. BB is the culprit, and now it's difficult to keep the laptop closed. I should really do it today since I'm sure the warranty is due to expire any day now. I am jealous of my brother's new toy (the black one). It's soooo prettyyyyyy. Maybe I need a new computer, too (wink)...

I'll leave with a funny (and washed out -- but still cute!) picture of BB. Georgie and I got a little carried away with the colored adhesive dots...