The Fam . . . (and some business)

Lessons learned from taking this picture:

1. Taking a picture of my kids will be cute. Really cute.
2. Taking a picture in the evening will result in bad lighting. Really bad lighting.
3. Taking a picture of myself at this angle after having a baby will be unflattering. Really unflattering.

Now to the business. I hope you all noticed the gorgeous new banner at the top of my blog. My friend Sue surprise gifted it to me and I was thrilled for the change, seeing as how I love to rearrange every so often and a fresh new look is always fun. Thanks so much, Sue! You are one talented gal.

There are two other changes to the blog that I wanted to mention - first, if you look on the sidebar to the right there is a new feature underneath my 'mug shot'. I've applied for a creative commons license which essentially copyrights and protects the content of my blog from being stolen.
You can click on the little grey box for details, but essentially it says that anyone can use content from my blog as long as they attribute it back to me (by linking or mentioning my blog), do not use any of my content or photos for commercial purposes, and do not alter my content in anyway or claim it as their own.
It may seem a little much, but a few of my favorite bloggers have recently had their content hacked - one gal came upon another blog that had been stealing EVERY SINGLE POST WITH PICTURES and claiming it as their own! I don't think there is anyone out there trying to steal my stuff, but as a writer, I just want to be sure my original work is protected.
The other new feature I've added is a watermark to my photographs. Though I know it kind of ruins a great picture, this measure prevents anyone from stealing my pictures to use as their own. (Yeah, I know they aren't THAT good, but still . . .) If you would like to use one of my pictures, please either copy one with a water mark or email me directly and I will give you permission to use the original photo as long as you attribute the picture to me.
Wow, this is one boring, informational post. Back to exciting tomorrow.

Fashion Risk Taker . . .

When I'm having a down or frustrating day, I can often turn to my family for a pick-m-up. So, can you imagine how I felt when this boy showed up to Oliver's blessing dressed like this?

Yeah, I pretty much wanted to sneak him into my church bag and take him home with me. Forever.

I've looked at this picture every day this week. It has somehow made me feel a little better when I see my nephew's bright green pants, big grin and white eyebrows against tan skin. This cheery little boy never ceases to bring a smile to my face. And interestingly enough, his reaction to baby Oliver has surprised me more than any one else's. He is gentle and genuinely interested, sweet and quiet {I know - quiet!} happy and soft whenever around the baby.

Thanks Sammy Green Pants, for making my day!

Three Word Thursday

His. Personal. Stylist.

I would love to have a personal stylist who sensed my style and could pick things out for me that would look great on my figure and bring out my best features. I think I would hire Melancholy Smile - her taste is impeccable - classic, vintage, but with a sense of whimsy. Yeah, my post baby body could use some serious fashion help. Do you think I should approach her?

Well, one member of our family already has a personal stylist. Since the first day he came home, Oliver has awakened each morning to an outfit carefully chosen and laid out on his bed by none other than Miss Hannie B. She seemed to get over the whole 'it's a brother' thing as soon as she realized she could still dress him like a little dolly.

Her personal favorites are these Trumpette socks that look like tennis shoes with laces. We've got a pair in every color of the rainbow, and Hannie has used them a plenty. Some days I wonder if the socks come first and then the outfit follows to match. With the little stylist at work, I've had to put minimal effort into dressing my new boy - and he always looks smashing!

A Sweet Tradition . . .

This darling little get-up worn by Oliver on his blessing day belongs to my brother and his wife and has now been worn by four of the boy babies in our family. It was found in a little boutique in Utah, but the tag inside says "Paris". It has the magical ability to take a modern day baby and transform him into a darling boy child from the 1800's with its simple lines and crisp cotton details.

I'm a real sucker for a peter pan collar - especially on a tiny baby boy.

These pin tucks, though criminal to the ironing challenged, shout 'special occasion' with their tuxedoesque leanings.

And under the collar, thanks to a clever suggestion from Audrey, are the initials of each boy who's worn this outfit for his blessing.

You know how much I adore a tradition . . . maybe some day my children's children will have initials on this blessing day outfit.

Epiphany . . .

Last night the Hubby and I sat in our family room with the four kids gathered 'round us for Family Home Evening. The Hubby was holding little Ollie on his lap in an arm chair, while I had the other three snuggled up {maybe a little too closely} on the couch with me. Ollie was alert and in super-duper cute mode, as witnessed by the fact that each of us was doing our very best baby sing-song voice to capture his attention and get him to smile.

I looked from Ollie's sweet face to the Hubby's and back again, marveling at the little replica we have created. He really does resemble that Hubby of mine! I made a comment to that effect, and suddenly the room was filled with peals of laughter from the children and myself as the Hubby did his best Ollie impression - blank stare with sometimes crossing eyes, tongue alternating between hanging out and curling inside a little mouth shaped like an 'O', neck wavering in a desperate effort to hold up it's large bobbing head, cooing and gurgling with a sometimes almost smile. Making it even funnier was the fact that Ollie, unaware of his silly dad's antics, was doing the exact same thing.

As I laughed that satisfying gut laugh that only comes around every so often and looked around the room at my sweet babies rolling in fits of giggles, my heart was full. Then came the epiphany as I knew in that instant that I was entrenched in an unforgettable moment with my complete family - the one I have waited for, prayed for and shed many a tear over.

The moment was oh-so-fleeting as a brother poked a sister, angry words were exchanged, blame was cast and the Hubby and I had to rearrange the seating in hopes of a peaceful evening together. But . . . at least we were finally ALL together.

Separated At Birth?

This picture probably falls under that wonderful category of "blackmail during the teenage years", but I couldn't resist!

I've just dropped my in-laws off at the airport after an all-too-short visit of five days. We've decided we won't let them come back unless they agree to spend at least a week or longer with us! Much fun was had by all, including Big C who met up with his tooth twin at a secret location right here in our very town. I'll be blogging about that tomorrow. Until then, I must face my reality, which includes laundry and dishes . . . things my mother-in-law has been tending to for me during the visit {yeah, she pretty much ROCKS!}

And don't even get me started on my own mom . . . she took ALL my ironing over to her house so my in-laws wouldn't have to see the pile that was taking over the basement. It all came back to me starched and on hangers. Just another reason I pretty much adore my mom.

So for now, enjoy these teeth until Tuesday!

The Fam . . .

Today at church our baby received a name and a blessing from his father. He was held by the strong hands of men we love and admire. We were grateful to be joined by family who love and support us.

And despite a $20,000 bribe from my dad {if we named him Kenneth}, he is still Oliver Matthew.

It was a really great day.

Forget Comfort, It's All About Cute . . .

Have you ever noticed how babies can sleep with thier heads turned completely sideways? Here's Mr. Ollie, having a little late night snapper on the hard family room floor {where I should add, the Hubby so kindly placed him}. If you didn't see his arms and torso, you might think he was lying on his stomach with the way his head his positioned. Go ahead, you know you want to cover up his arm and torso . . . just do it.

Here is a view from the top {Please disregard the creepy veins all over his scull. He is not an alien, we pale white folk just have to deal with that until we get hair.} Again, I'm thinking here that his head looks like it could get all possessed and just rotate a full 360 degrees. Is it just me? Then he really would be Owlie!

Just in case you're wondering, I tried to lay down and mimic this position and I think I may have strained my neck. Do not try it at home. Unless you're curious.

p.s. When you do try it, let me know if it's comfy for you.

p.p.s. Isn't my baby kinda cute?

Three Word Thursday

Perfect. To. Me.

There is that cliche moment, when you've just given birth to a child, where the doctor gleefully announces "You have a healthy baby {insert sex here}! Ten fingers, ten toes!" Once that declaration of perfection is made, the nine months of worry are over and all seems to be well with the world.

When Ollie was born I felt a sense of panic I hadn't experienced with the others. After two miscarriages, I had pretty much convinced myself that something could and WOULD go wrong up until I heard his lusty cry for the first time. His hearty screaming sent a wave of relief washing over me in grand fashion, never mind that the doctor made no pronouncement about fingers and toes.

The whole fingers and toes thing actually came by way of the Hubby after he helped with Ollie's first bath and it went more or less like this: "Um, I need to tell you something about the baby. Some of his toes are stuck together."

My reply, of course, was simple - "Well, unstick them." Unfortunately, it wasn't simple. You'd never know it from the above photo, but our little Ollie has twin toes. Yep. Twins. As in buddies. BFF's for life. Siamese Twins, really. Two little toes, joined at the hip.

The condition, called Simple Type 1 Syndactyly {sin-dack-ti-lee} is genetic, although we know of no one on either side of our families that has the same condition. It occurs in about the 16th week of pregnancy when the then webbed skin between the fingers and toes dissolves. The skin between Ollie's second and third toes on his right foot chose not to dissolve, though the bones inside are distinct and separate.

The view from the bottom of the foot clearly shows that #2 & #3 are joined part way up.

And when he bends his toes like this and you look at it from the top, it's also easy to see. But when his foot and toes are resting flat, it isn't obvious at all. In fact, the Hubby was the one who had to point it out to the nurses because none of the medical staff even noticed it.

I was pretty distressed when I first learned about and saw his twin toes. The kids, of course, thought it was awesome and now use it as the topic of conversation when introducing people to Ollie for the first time. Remember, my peeps are drawn to the weird and unusual.

Five weeks after "the toes" were unveiled, I am in love with those little twin piggers. They are his trademark to me - his stamp of authenticity and individuality. And I am thankful for them, because they've caused me to rethink what perfection means. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what the world deems to be perfect, that I miss out on perfect opportunities to recognize that there is perfection and beauty in difference and standing out from the crowd. His toes are perfect to me.

Once again, God has given me a little lesson to learn in an unforeseen way. How can I not be grateful?

For The "Ladies" . . .

Have you seen one of these?


If you look past the finger print smudged kitchen chair to the adorable cowboy fabric, you'll see my latest "fauxing" project. I'd tell you it's official name, but I just can't bear to print it here on my blog. Instead I'll just tell you that it's a nursing mother's breast, I mean best, friend.

My SIL Mindy made one for me out of a great fabric with Asian inspired parasol umbrellas all over it {photo to come in a later post} and I adored it so much I had to learn how to make one to give to a few friends of mine at church who also just had babies. Every mother who's nursed a baby knows what a pain it is to cover the baby with a bulky blanket while nursing. The baby gets hot and sweaty, the mom gets hot and sweaty and neither can see the other, which can make things a bit tricky - at least for me.

This little nursing cover-up has plastic boning in a sleeve at the top and it arches nicely away from the mom's body so she can look down at her cute cherub while remaining discreet in public. Two straps adjust around the mom's neck and if the baby tries to pull it off, it actually gets tighter. C'mon people - THIS IS JUST GENIUS!!! Why didn't someone think of it when I had my other three kiddoes?

Much to her sheer horror, I made Hannie B. model my creation while fervently lecturing her about how she would not need one of these herself for at least 20 years. {Hey look, there's a fruit loop on the floor by her foot. Gross, does't anybody sweep at this house?} Any way, I'm including the directions I used to make this here for your use. I found them very easy to follow and my creations turned out so well I had to pat myself on the back after finishing. Granted, it was all straight line sewing, so even a faker like me could do it. Having darling vintage cowboy fabric didn't hurt either. I was able to purchase all of my supplies at Jo Ann's and made two of these for $25.00.

I know a couple of pregnant bloggers out there who could use one of these . . . you know who you are. Email me with fabric choices!

Winged Beauty . . .

A long lost friend from high school who stumbled upon my blog sent this gorgeous picture to me this morning. She snapped it while on a camping trip with her family. I'm obsessing over the amazing wings on this dragonfly, with their transparent skin and intricate veins. I know some people might think this "bug" is ugly, but I think it is a true beauty and an amazing gift from a loving Creator.

Thanks Leslie!

{and now back to cleaning the house like a mad woman along side the Queen . . . my in-laws arrive tonight to meet Ollie for the first time!}

Dear Anonymous (or anyone else reading) . . .

I have been thinking a lot about the comment you left for me last week. It has become the catalyst for this post - a post I have been wanting to write for quite some time.

You said {in reference to the post "Faceplant"}:

"I can't tell you how much that post means to me. You seem to be that "all together person" I can aspire to be, but never come close to emulating. To see you have days like this (which is most of my life) I can smile, and know that fantastic woman have bad days, too. Maybe I'm not so "off".

Although I love blogging for many reasons {getting in touch with my inner-writer, meeting great people, a chance to record personal history} your comment reminded me of how easy it is to read someone's blog and fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to that person.

I have consciously chosen {as do many, if not most bloggers} to represent the very best of my life on my blog - the happy moments, the pretty crafts, the funny anecdotes, and yes, the occasional catastrophe involving small children. But I need you to know, Anonymous, that what I share on my blog is a mere 5 to maybe 10 percent of my actual life. My blog is a completely EDITED version of my life! {so friends of mine, if you are reading this and think you know what is going on in my life, think again!}

What I don't share, in all fairness to you Anonymous, is what makes me just another average house mom trying to survive what is an often difficult, occasionally heartbreaking and sometimes very mundane life. I don't share the sadness I feel about my child with medical issues, or the frustration I sometimes have with my family, or the fact that I raise my voice at my kids . . . A LOT or that I leave dirty dishes in the sink for days at a time because I just can't face doing them.

What I'm trying to say is, I hope you will not get sucked into the comparison trap, which I have personally found usually ends up with me feeling like a failure. Instead, I hope you will not let my blog - or any other blogs for that matter - make you feel like the writer is fantastic and you are "off". You are not "off" - you are human. And so am I.

Thanks again for your honest comment. It really made me think about what I write on my blog and how it might appear to others. I want my readers to come away feeling great about themselves and what they're doing in their lives by getting a peek into mine. I'm going to try to do better at that.

Love,

The Dragonfly

ps. For a great read on comparing ourselves to others, check out this post from Stephmodo.

This Gets Me Every Time . . .

Seeing my Hubby with a baby sleeping peacefully on his chest . . . man, to me, that's just SEXY!

Presentation Is Everything . . .

My three word Thursday is all about presentation! Did you know that even cheap lunch time cookies can look fantastic if they're put on the right kind of plate? This was the dessert for my niece, nephew and kids last week and boy did they think it was super fancy! I was excited too, because I've had these little green plates for far too long and always wondered what to do with them. Try mixing it up a little by putting the paper/plastic away and giving the kids a chance to eat like the grown ups!

We're off to the dentist today . . . hope the kids remembered to brush after eating this delicious snack!

Random Musings From A Dragonfly . . .

{a.k.a. Photo Dump from the last three weeks of my life}

Have you ever told your child to reach for the stars?

And then watched him do it right in front of your eyes?

Hey cutie! That is an awesome shirt you've got on there, and I'm totally digging the coordinated pacifier.

Hey cutie! It is absolutely hilarious when you do that with your eyes!{and I hope your momma doesn't kill me for posting this picture, but it is a total classic}

Doesn't my dad look handsome with a color coordinated baby on his arm?

Why, oh why did Target have stock this stroller AFTER I bought mine? Please forgive me Owlie!

I hope some day my Big C finds a girlfriend like this to marry. She's stylish, a great cook, super talented AND she has red hair!

Have you ever noticed how freaky an eye looks when it's not pictured with the rest of the face? Hmmm . . . something to think about.

Faceplant . . .

Ever have days like this? Where no matter what you do, or how hard you try, you just seem to end up face down, nose to the floor, trying unsuccessfully to get back up? It happens to Ollie every day when I give him his requisite "tummy time". And it happened to me yesterday - repeatedly and it went something like this:

12:00 midnight - Start feeling pain on the right side of chest, spend rest of night alternating between nursing and pumping to prevent mastitis, continuing every three hours despite delirium

8:00 AM - Wake to feed starving older children, then feed starving infant child, then immediately collapse in bed from exhaustion

9:45 AM - Wake to sound of phone ringing and voice of friend saying she's bringing dinner over, begin to worry because house is eerily silent which means older children are up to no good, feed starving infant child

11:00 AM - Write stupid blog post about drooling dog

11:15 AM - Greet friend with delicious dinner at door while still in pajamas, previous days make up smeared under eyes and breast milk stains on shirt

12:00 Noon - Get dressed, feed starving older children lunch, then feed starving infant child, but neglect to feed self anything other than crust of brownies and a string cheese

12:45 PM - Go to Target with hair not done and no make up on for three items: cantaloupe melon, honeydew melon, nursing pads.

1:00 PM - Change infant child's diaper on FLOOR of Target bathroom because there's no changing station

1:05 PM - Rescue screaming infant from stroller and allow six year-old to push stroller {which he can't even see over} while nine year old pushes cart {because melons are too heavy to carry} and watch said children run into people, merchandise and each other

1:10 PM - Have complete meltdown in checkout lane while checker waits {for five endless minutes} for manager to take alarm off new Wii game, infant child screams bloody murder while nine year old pleads "Do something mommy, he's crying" and six year old attempts to open huge bag of fruit snacks spilling no less than 54 of them on floor {which he then proceeds to pick up one by one, shoving some in his mouth and others in his pockets} deflect stares of at least twenty other Target patrons, begin sweating PROFUSELY

1:15 PM - Rush out of Target and into safe haven of mini-van where blasting air conditioning at full force drys armpits . . . temporarily

1:30 PM - In an attempt to do an act of service for another new mom, drive to JoAnns to get three items: fabric, thread, D-rings

1:45 PM - Wait 15 minutes just to have 2 yards of fabric cut

1:50 PM - Wait another 15 minutes while six year old does his "business" in the bathroom, infant child again begins to scream bloody murder

2:05 PM - Wait another 15 minutes in check out line with screaming infant and worried nine year old, because apparently JoAnns had a hiring freeze and only two people work in the store, resume sweating

2:20 PM - Rely on mini-van air conditioning once again, to not only dry armpits, but also cool off infant child whose face is now beet red from screaming for a half hour straight

2:25 PM - Swear to the children that you will NEVER, EVER leave the house again for as long as you live

2:40 PM - Arrive home, send grown children to the basement with new Wii game, crash on couch and cry while feeding starving infant child who finally stops screaming bloody murder.

Luckily, this day ended with a delicious meal made by my SIL and lots of laughter with my family. If there's one thing I know, it's that food and family can take the pain away!

Dog Days Of Summer . . .

I saw this beauty on Saturday when we took the family to watch my older brother in a bike race. He came up to about my waist! Doesn't the fur between his eyes and ears look incredibly soft? And don't you want to help him out with his slight drooling problem?

We are not dog people {allergies for two of us} but my kids thought this guy was really wonderful along with being totally gross. That, my friends is the perfect combination for capturing the attention of our children - especially the gross part.

It is 100 plus degrees today and we're going to do everything in our power to stay inside the air conditioned comfort of our home. That includes still being in our pajamas at 11:04 and eating brownies as breakfast dessert. Come on by for a spell!

The Fam . . .

We had our first "normal" day yesterday, actually venturing out of the house as an entire family to go watch my older brother compete in a bike race. {Owlie's there, asleep in the stroller} We even stopped for a burger at a restaurant on the way home
-- our first time out as a family of six . . . AND I SURVIVED! Of course, there was much distress on the part of the children as the baby cried almost the whole way home, but we're getting there. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Three Word Thursday

Sleep. Is. Essential.

So apparently the lack of sleep is getting to me. I've always been an 8 hour-a-night kinda girl. Now I'm more of a maybe 4 hour-a-night kinda wreck. I thought today was Thursday, not Friday, which explains why I didn't get around to my three words yesterday {which I thought was Wednesday.}

In between waking up every two hours, changing lots of diapers, feeding a baby and then feeding and tending to my grown children and trying to fold one measly load of laundry a day, I have neglected to look at my calendar for a dose of reality. We are already well into August and I am definitely in the thick of the "Post Baby Fog" {not to be confused with the Post Baby Blues}.

I cannot promise punctuality or clarity of any sort for probably the next four months. In fact, I may be in for a little bit of a bloggy break so as not to have a break down. We'll see. This much I do know: I love my dear friend sleep. And I really hope he comes to visit me soon.

Birth of a Nickname . . .

The Saturday before Oliver was born we took the kids to this:

Our town's new state of the art, technologically advanced, brimming-with-brand-new-books library did not disappoint. Hannie B and RedDog got to meet the original Big Red Dog.

We gawked at shelves and shelves full of shiny new books- including a whopping 25 copies of Chica Chica Boom Boom!

And there seemed to be a running theme throughout the library . . . of owls. Each child got a free t-shirt with a beautiful owl emblazoned on the back.

I love this great owl perched on a huge mural of a tree outside the Children's Story Telling Room.

RedDog with his complimentary tiny stuffed owl puppet. {Have I mentioned how gaga my kids are for "tiny" things? Seriously - that look on his face = nirvana.}

On the way home, RedDog declared "I love this little owl. I'm going to name him Owliver." Immediately we knew that it wouldn't take long for our new little Ollie to eventually become Owlie.

Judging by his sleeping habits this week, I think we'll be calling him Night Owlie.

Do you have a great public library? And if so, are you regular patrons?

Kiddie Candids . . .

Taking pictures of little ones is so much fun! Especially when the subject is a sweet niece with eyes the size of saucers and the color of the sky, rosy little apple cheeks and golden-spun hair begging to be touched. I snapped these photos of the baby Bee at our family reunion a few weeks ago. They have put a smile on my face ever since.