7 Months

Look at the cutest 7 month old that you've ever seen!!!

(and ignore the fact that she's really 8 months now and I'm just now posting these)

Check out those bottom teeth! Clearly she's thrilled about them!

I totally deserve Mom of the Year award for watching her chew on her fingers and then laughing when she bites herself. But seriously. This teething thing is no joke. I'm not one that functions well on little sleep, and I'd gotten pretty used to her sleeping through the night! Now that she's waking up a couple of times each night...Wowza!

So, I used to think people just bragged on their kids all the time, but now I realize, it isn't bragging... It is constant amazement by this new little person that is learning and developing right before your very eyes.

This little genius's 7 month development--waving hello and good bye to everyone in sight, and sometimes even to the fan or the refrigerator or the cat or the wall...and in pictures.

I was also reminded recently that I never posted pictures of her finished nursery.

Your wish is my command!

The little creatures are own the tree and we've added the bookcase and toy box. I think she's all set now!

Fall Break

The girls were out of school Thursday and Friday for a mini fall break, so we loaded up the Tahoe and headed for a weekend in Gatlinburg.

Husband's parents have been doing the Gatlinburg Craftsmen Fair show for (basically) ever, and they always stay at this cabin. There was just enough room for us to crash with them!

The Craftsmen Fair is an 18 day show in the Convention Center downtown and they do this show twice a year. 

The weather was absolutely perfect. There was a little crisp in the air that made me reach for my sweater and pile 3 comforters on the bed! (even though Husband wore shorts most of the time) But it felt like Fall.

Things at the show are going well. We visited with vendors that seem more like family than booth-neighbors.

But then again, after all these years of doing the show, they really are family...

The big sisters snuck out with MeMe early Friday morning. They rode around the town, shopped, were gone most of the day. They returned with lots of goodies and a plethera of stories about MeMe's driving!

That night we went out to eat at the Apple Barn and had apple cider and apple fritters...or apple 'critters' as Diva likes to call them. They also serve the best chicken pot pie in the world!

I took pictures at the booth so that we'll have some pictures to use for the new glass studio website that is in the works. (more on that later)

But I figured that most of you guys just want to see pictures anyways, so I decided to share them with you too.

And we're taking orders for Christmas...so if you see anything you like, let a girl know :)

MC did really well on her first loooong driving trip and sleeping in the pack-n-play.

She's such a social girl...I think her favorite part was waving at everyone that passed! (and in almost every picture we took!)

The leaves were absolutely beautiful, so we did take the time to snap some more recent family photos.

This tree in particular really outdid itself!!

My main goal on this trip was to see a bear...Guess this will have to count this year!

Patty-Cakes

About four months ago I took MC to have her Patty-Cakes made. The girls had had theirs done when they were wee babes, so of course we had to have a matching shadow box made for little sister. (I am the slacker that hasn't gotten them hung, so no pictures of them yet. Soon! I promise.)

Although I made the appointment just to have her little prints bronzed and framed, I ended up leaving as a licensed Patty-Cake consultant!! It takes about 10-12 weeks to get an order back, and I'm excited to show off some of my first impressions!

Baby B snoozed through our appointment so she was very relaxed...which made for these perfect prints!

Baby S decided to grace us with his presence WAY early, so his nurse actually took these prints when he was just a day old. Both of his hands and feet fit on ONE PATTY!!!

He is quite the fighter and I'm happy to announce that he is finally at home and growing like a weed!

I had the honor of meeting this sweet family and creating a shadow box for them. Baby F was born with an extremely rare condition where she had a large duplication of chromosome 16 that latched on to chromosome 19.  Her mom tells about their journey here. I was very excited to get this shadow box completed because I know it means a lot for her parents to get to see her little hand and foot again.  

 

I have enjoyed meeting these babies and making these lasting impressions for their parents and grandparents. Now that I'm home, I've been able to focus more time on patty-caking and am really excited about the projects I'm currently working on.

Feel free to tell your friends with babies! :)

The Big Easy

Week one is in the books. My new boss can be pretty demanding. She even makes me work nights and weekends. The nerve!

Day one was perfect! She played ever so sweetly while I did laundry, vacuumed, and basically cleaned the whole house. Day two...not so much!!! I couldn't leave the room without her screaming...which, she's not much of a crier (unless its meal time) so this was very uncharacteristic. At one point she was trying to play, even had a toy in each hand, and was still crying. The next day I had to take her to get a couple of shots, so I asked if the doctor would give her a general tune up. As it turned out.. MC is in perfect health and is teething! Teeth! Pesky little suckers. However, thanks to Sophie the Giraffe and Children's Tylenol, the rest of the week was much better!

That was also G's 13th birthday week! She woke up on birthday morning to a balloon avalanche and birthday week decorations!

After school we had a celebratory birthday dinner at the local Mexican restaurant. With an owl cookie cake!!!

Look at these sweet friends! Such pretty girls!

Last week Husband had a business trip to New Orleans and I decided to tag along with him. My parents came down to keep MC, and I'm sure she was spoiled beyond imagination!

While he was in class all day, I roamed around the city and checked out the French Quarter, Garden District, Warehouse District...

I also slept late and took naps...just because I could! 

Does it mean that I'm old if I consider 8:00 am sleeping in these days!?

 

We did have a fun get away, even if it was a work trip, and I know Honey and Papa had a blast with this little girl.

It definitely looks like she had a great time with them!

...and just in case if you're wondering what typing a post looks like for me now. Here ya go!

Life is soooo good! :)

The Last Day

Sorry to leave you hanging about my news, but we've had a lot going on lately and the blog had to take a quick back seat. So, here it goes....

After much consideration, Husband and I decided that I would stay at home with our little one!! Whoop, Whoop!!!! And look at this face! I think she's as pumped as I am about this new arrangement.

Friday was my last day of work and my fabulous coworkers had a Melabration!

bhahahahahahaha!

We had a traditional celebratory breakfast, which consisted of the usual breakfast items-bagels, quiche, sausage + egg, etc...as well as cookies and cupcakes for an afternoon snack! So much fun with such wonderful friends!!

Then there's this guy...Mike. He hired me way back in 2007. He calls me Melski, and underneath that business facade he's a closet hippie that hitch-hiked his way across the US in the 70s, and would rather get a homemade present than a store bought gift any day. Oh, and he makes his own beer. If that doesn't make him the best boss ever, I don't know what does!!! No day was ever the same with this guy around!

He gives out his 'rock star' award. They are actual rocks that he writes on and gives out to people that have had comments made about them to him directly. Then a picture of the two of you goes on his 'Wall of Fame.' He surprised me at the breakfast with a sweet speech and awarded me with the one-of-a-kind, multi-colored rock that he brought back from Maine. (remember, I told you he was a hippie)

Leaving was bitter sweet. Those guys were more than just co-workers. We've been together for over 5 years and they're more like family than anything else. Then I just think that I was spending 5 hours a week with this girl and 10 hours a week in my car going to and from work...I know that I'm doing what is best for us, and I'm soooo thankful to be able to stay home with her.

I've never, not worked. Even before I could drive I was babysitting. This is going to be quite the adjustment, but I'm up for the challenge. I know my house isn't going to be as clean as I think it can be and some days Baby Girl is going to be more demanding and cry all day...like Tuesday...and I'll feel like I'm doing everything wrong. But we'll figure it out.

Please keep us in your prayers during this transition and feel free to send me any baby instruction manuals that you may have!