Carson Makes Me Smile

Well, most of the time anyway :) He's at this age where I don't think he got the memo that he's not 2 yet, that mommy and daddy aren't ready for 2 yet, but he seems to think he is. I keep trying to remind myself that for every time that he tells me no and screams at me or turns into a wet noodle on the floor crying, there is also a time or two (or three) that he is laughing with me and playing with me and making me smile :)

Like the other day. Carson likes to have all his ducks in a row.


And we bought him some rain boots finally (do you know how hard it is to find rain boots smaller than a size 6? Its dang near impossible!) Carson is obsessed with them. Its really cute. If he isn't wearing them he will go around the apartment saying "Boot! Boot shoe! Boot on!" until I put them on him. He also really likes to wear his jacket. A couple of days ago we were getting ready to go to the store. It was nice out so Carson was just wearing one of those shorts onsie things, you know looks like a onsie but shorts...anyway, I told him to go get his shoes and he looks at me and says "boot shoes?" like "please mommy, don't make me wear tennis shoes or sandals, I want to wear my boots!" so I said ok Carson, go get your boots, to which he replied "YEA! BOOTS!" and ran off to get them. He toddles back over to me, boots in hand and we put them on, so now I have a toddler in shorts and rain boots on the sunniest day of the year. So he knows that if I tell him to get his shoes that means we must be going somewhere (althogh he also wears his boots around the apartment frequently just because he asks to) so he hops off my lap and says "Outside! Go!" yes Carson, we'll go in just a second, mommy and daddy have to put on their shoes too. "YEA! GO!" and off to the front door he goes. So he opens the front door (thank goodness for the screen door that he can't open yet) and stands there saying "go go go" and then a few seconds later he realizes he doesn't have his coat on (even though its hot and he doesn't need it) so he comes back from the door and says "jacket" but Carson its warm out, you don't need your jacket. "JACKET! JACKET! ON! GO!" Ok Carson, I guess you can wear your jacket, and on his jacket went. So we went to the store with a baby wearing shorts, a jacket, and rain boots :)

Someone point me in the direction of this post when Carson is on my very last nerve because he's having a melt down for no reason and throwing a temper tantrum because well, he's a toddler and they do that sometimes....

Someone showed me this video awhile ago, its fitting I think :)

Spring Fashion Show

Every spring there is a fashion show at school. It is restricted to juniors and seniors in the apparel design program. I signed up to do it last year as a junior, but then dropped out as trying to create an entire apparel line while adjusting to life as a mom was just too overwhelming and taking care of my newborn and keeping my grades up in my actual classes were way higher on my list of priorities. Well this year I've decided that its my senior year and I'm going out with a bang. I have 2 collections that will be in the show. The first is a Jackie O. inspired line of dresses, coincidentally this collection will also be entered into an ITAA competition for a graduate grant (wish me luck!) My second line is well, I don't even know what to call it...how about Stephanie is insane for agreeing to add a second line just weeks before garments are due...we had this assignment in advanced apparel where we were assigned a beetle and had to research it and then use that for our inspiration. Well my outfit turned out totally rad and I really wanted to use it (don't worry it doesn't look like a beetle!) I too my inspiration from the colors of the beetle (red, black, and lime green) the fact that it has stripes, and its warm weather climate to crate some yoga waisted black leggings with carefully place applied red stripes with lime topstitching, a red sweetheart neck halter, again with the lime stitching, and a black and red color block tee with more applied stripes. Pictures to come when everything is actually sewn and finished and pretty, right now its crunch time, trying to get everything sewn and perfect by May 3rd when garments are due....It's going to be a long week with a lot of late nights sewing....

Someone remind me that I'm doing this for a reason, please.

Remember that time a couple of weeks ago when I actually updated my blog after forever and a day, and then I promised to update it more frequently? Well I still promise to try to update it as often as possible, but let me tell you a little bit about my life, then maybe if I don't update it you'll understand and you won't totally be bummed that I not being a very good promise keeper.

We have officially made it through week #1 of spring term! In case you were wondering, I'm taking twenty credits. Am I crazy? Most likely. Is this going to be tough? I'm betting yes. But am I doing this for a reason? Absolutely. Before Bryan and I moved down here, I had taken some classes at both PSU and PCC, when we came here exactly none of my credits transferred as anything other than electives, of which I actually need none in my program (talk about a waste of time and money) I was able to petition a few of them and get 2 classes to count for something (that is 2 classes-6 credits-out of 12 classes and 45 credits...can't tell you how glad I am that I went to PSU and PCC...not!) so anyway between basically nothing transferring and you know, that whole throwing up ten times a day for nine months followed by having a baby during midterms (did you know that I took 2 of my midterms at the hospital, because I did!) well to be able to graduate at the end of fall term 2010, which is already later that the end spring 2010 that I had originally planned on when moving down here, well in order for me to do that, it means 20 credits this term. I'm taking 5 classes. International Business, History of Contemporary Fashion, Textile Product Quality Assurance, Advanced Apparel, and Intro to Entrepreneurship (which will be my saving grace as is is my only lower division course) Its only been one week and I'm already exhausted. I spend most of my day at school then of course I feel like I'm missing out on spending time with my baby so I've vowed to avoid homework as much as humanly possible during his waking hours so I can focus all my energy and attention on his sweet little self. I spend 24 hours a week in classes, if we add in time it takes to get to and from school plus the few times where I have breaks between classes but that I am still away from Carson, I am away from him 32 hours a week. I realize thats still 1 day short of a full time job, but they say you're supposed to spend 2-3 hours out of class for every hour in class...so that puts me at 48-72 hours outside of class spent on homework...pfft, like that'll happen...there are only 168 hours in a week and if they want me to spend 48 hours (at a minimum) on homework, plus 24 hours in class...that doesn't leave a whole lot of time for things like playing with my kid, hanging ot with my husband, and you know all those luxurious extras like sleeping and showering, and maybe eating occasionally. Oh, and in case you didn't know I'm also participating in the spring fashion show, I have committed to do four dresses, they are due May 3rd, you know on top of the stuff that is due for my actual classes....

So if you don't see an update, know that I am studying, sewing, studying some more, taking my kid to park, hopefully sleeping every couple of days or so, or possibly passed out in my 4th cup of coffee for the day while attempting to read the 8 billionth chapter of whatever book for whatever class (I'm just hoping I don't fall asleep and the serger and slice my fingers off)

But please, if you do see me on here and I'm once again complaining about how tought this term is going to be and how tired I am and how much I wish I could spend every hour of every day with my sweet little Carson...remind that I'm thisclose, that I can't give up, and that I will be done this year! Do you know how soon that is? this year. Remind me that.

Smartypants

It was pointed out to me that my update on Carson may have been a little lacking :p So now is the part where I get to gush about my little boy as only a Mama can. He is SO smart! At last count Carson knew on over 60 words and he learns knew ones every day. He is definitely a talker (gee, wonder who he got that from?) He will babble on and on as long as you let him (and usually even longer!) Some of his favorite words are doggy, woof woof (which he says in reference to most any animal "kitty! woof woof!" "fishy! woof woof!" you get the drift), cracker, cheese, Ashley (our neighbor), baby, boobies (that on is particularly fun out in public...not), shoe (he's obsessed with taking his shoes on and off) and of course, every toddler's favorite word...NO! Carson loves to get into everything all the time, particularly anything I would rather he didn't get into...seriously, some days I'm not even sure why I buy toys for this child, I don't think he played with a single one of his toys today other than books, he loves to read. So basically, my little boy is fantastically amazing, he's super smart, definitely the cutest toddler I've ever seen, and oh he is a lovey little thing, he give hugs and kisses (closed mouthed even-most of the time anyway-so mama doesn't get covered in slober) and when he blows kisses he does it by kissing his hand then touching that hand to your mouth, its so cute!

976 blog posts is 1

Ok, ok...I know, I a terrible blogger! Carson is 16 months old now, my last post was SEVEN months ago! So here's a little bit of a recap...and I promise to try to post just a little more frequently, but I can't make any guarantees...

So in the last 7 months....Bryan turned 25, I threw him a surprise party, it was fun! Carson had his first birthday, I threw another party, it was even more fun! There was Thanksgiving, Brandon and Kellin and Aiden came to visit again, Carson and Aiden had a great time together! Then there was Christmas, New Years, I turned 22...and then there was school...and more school...and even more school!

Peanut Butter Playdough
Just like lots of toddlers, my little boy who used to eat nearly anything decided that it would be more fun to just be picky and not eat hardly anything. The hardest thing to get him to eat is protein, he has eaten meat exactly once in the last month, PB&J is hit and miss, as is cheese...so we were seriously lacking in the protein department. So what did we do? We made playdough! Not something I'll do on a regular basis unless I can find or come up with a less sugary recipe, but it was a super fun way to play together and get some peanut butter in Carson's tummy!


Playdough? OKAY!


I didn't just put it in my mouth Mommy!


Oh, I'm allowed to eat this playdough? YUM!


Ooooh, cookie cutter playdough!

Want to make some peanut butter playdough for your kids? It is super easy!
3 parts flour
1 part sugar
2 parts peanut butter
enough water to make it "playdough" consistency
mix it all together in a big bowl and HAVE FUN!


Bulema Redux
So remember I told you Carson was picky? Well before the no protein stage was the no veggies stage. It wasn't quite as bad as the no protein stage, he would still eat some things some times, but there was a good week or two where the ONLY way I could get the kid to eat a vegetable was to feed him morningstar veggie bites. If you don't know what those are, they basically look like chicken nuggets but instead of chicken, there is spinach and cheese inside. The only problem? There is only one place in Corvallis that sells them and after I bought both packages they carried, they didn't get any more in for weeks (and still haven't, I'm starting to think they don't make them anymore) So I decided to try to make my own. I bought a big container of spinach, I cooked a few cups of it down in a pan with just a touch of olive oil, then I mixed it with some feta and parmesean and rolled it into chicken nugget sized pieces and dipped it in egg wash and then in bread crumbs and into the oven on a cookie sheet until they were crispy. They were SO good! So why did I name them bulema redux? There are these yummy spinach and cheese filled pastry things that my grandmother makes, she taught my brother and I how to make them a couple of summers ago, they are freaking delicious, but they take all day to make, not to mention a little counter space (something for which we are seriously lacking) but these came out tasting pretty similar~not as good, but similar.



mmmm, Dinner!


Grad School
I applied for Graduate school. To get my masters degree in apparel design with an emphasis on functional apparel. I should find out any day now...so keep your fingers crossed for me, 'kay?


Sleep, Ear Infections, Weight Gain and Finally getting some teeth!
Anyone know where I can get some? Carson is sixteen months old. A 'good' night for us is him only waking up 3-4 times, an average night is 5-6 times, and a not so great night (like last night) is every single hour....its exhausting. I get up with the baby all night, then Bryan takes him in the morning so I can get some sleep. We're both exhausted...that word doesn't even cover it. I go to school and people there talk about how they're so tired because they've been living on 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night for 3 or 4 nights, it makes me want to scream because I would all but actually kill someone for 5 consecutive hours of sleep in one night, let alone 3 or 4 nights in a row! There are plenty of nights where I'd kill just to have had more than 2 total hours of sleep by the time 5:30 or 6am rolls around and Bryan gets up with him. Oh to be lamenting over only getting 5 hours of sleep! Carson is also nearing the end of his antibiotics for his 3rd ear infection in the last 2 months...oy, poor kid got my genes on that unfortunately :( On the bright side, he has finally hit a real growth spurt! He has gained 4 lbs in the last month, grown 1.5 inches and gone up a shoe size! Take that failure to thrive! Oh and teeth, Carson finally got his second tooth on Friday. Most toddlers his age are working on their molars, but not my kid, he was rocking the toothless grin until 15 months, and even now has the same amount of teeth (or less) than the itty bitty babies in his room at daycare.

Ok, that's enough catching up for now, I need some sleep.

When its your baby, you get to be a hypocrite

There are so many things that people without babies say, things I probably said before having a baby, and things people do, but when you're a parent, everything changes. We have been searching for a daycare or nanny for Carson for some time now, and thankfully I have fallen in love with one and that is where Carson will be going in the fall, but while we were searching, there were so many things that I just thought weren't good enough for my baby and I realized that I, well I am hypocrite.

When I was younger I used to babysit, actually I was still babysitting 2 years ago at 19 years old. During my search for the perfect person to care for my son, I talked to a lot of people. in particular and 19 year old. She just seemed so young to me, and so completely incapable of caring for my child in the way I see fit. I realize that this woman is only 2 years younger than I am, months younger than I was when I became pregnant even, and yet she just seems so very very young. It was then that I realized that I am a big huge hypocrite. I started babysitting at 13, people trusted me with their children at thirteen! Yea, I'm not even about to leave my child with another child. Yep, I'm a big huge giant ball of hypocrisy.

I used the think that anyone who nursed a baby past roughly 14-16 months was crazy. I am now very much considering nursing my own baby until 2 years or until he self weans. I also thought that cloth diapering was insane, and here is sit 5 1/2 months into cloth diapering my baby and I am addicted.

There are so many other things that I thought were prefectly ok before I was a parent and now I cringe at the thought. So tell me, other moms, what were you so adamantly against (or for) before having children that you have since changed your mind on?

My baby is 9 months old! How did that happen?

We had Carson's 9 month check up yesterday. He is 28.5" tall and 16lbs 1oz. He has fallen back off of the chart for weight, and that is a huge bummer. His doctor said that he thinks there is about a 75% chance that Carson just has a fast metabolism (he is Bryan's child afterall) and a 25% chance that there is a chrinic illness or other problem contributing to his lack of weight gain. He has been deemed failure to thrive based on his weight. Let the testing begin....

After his appointment we went to the hospital lab so he could get blood drawn and about a million blood screen/panels done. It was traumatic for us both for him to get his blood drawn, the poor thing has a bruise from it today, not that it slows him down any. His pediatricians office called this afternoon to let us know that one of the liver panels came back below the normal range, so he will be getting more testing done to figure out what that is about. We go in Monday morning for a VGUC, which is where they catheterize him and inject dye into his kindneys and to test for urine refluxing back into his kidneys from the urinary tract. Then we go back in to the pediatrician Thursday to go over all his test results and figure out where we go from there.

On the bright side, he is doing beautifully as far as development goes. He has hit all the milestones he should have so far and then some. He is finally sleeping a little better, he only wakes up 3-ish times a night now instead of every hour. He loves to explore and get into everything and he has the cutest laugh in the whole wide world!