12 things I did while the market crashed

I saw this idea on Happy Things and decided to write a list of my own.

1. said Happy Birthday to my big boy who turned one
2. ate another chai cupcake. Yummy Yum!
3. reorganized my end table drawer
4. tossed old coupons
5. walked in circles and circles and circles with Henry the Fifth
6. played cars and trucks
7. lay my new-to-me freecycled fabric out on the lawn to sun and chlorophyll out the mustiness
8. uploaded birthday pics to flickr
9. re-learned some ASL with a Baby Einstein video
10. shared some cows milk with Henry the Fifth
11. gave the baby 100 kisses
12. catnapped with the baby big boy

Happy 1st Birthday to Henry the Fifth

Vanilla and chai cupcakes. Buttercream frosting hand made by my SIL.


Grandpa did a great magic show for everyone.

Pin the nose on the lion.


We gave him a new chomp and clack for walking with.


Wearing his new party hat and and bib. I made a matching burp with 'one' spelled out.

Henry's first cupcake was a hit.

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Grosgrain is giving away another adorable dress!! Check out her site for more details.
Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Monkey Romper

Henry modeling the monkey romper I made him with fabric ordered from Japan via Matatabi's Etsy shop. The pattern is Simplicity 4243. Putting in the sleeve was not so simple. I also used snap tape instead of a zipper in the back. I am so so so proud of this outfit. Definitely the best thing I have made so far.
I am glad he is growing, but bummed he will not fit this for long!

With Nanie.

Fox Run Recycles

The other day we had lunch at Fox Run Vinyards with my MIL. I thought their recycling box was a cute idea. Insted of an ugly can, they put out a wooden box with a sign. I hope other restaurants and businesses notice that the Winery of the Year is doing a great thing that is so easy.

Lunch included a veggie wrap with asparagus, carrots, summer squash and pesto. Plus this fantastic mexican chicken and pasta salad.

Apples on a New York Drive

Returning from a visit with my former swimming coach, Hubby and I decided to program the garmin to take us back without highways or tool roads in order to stay on country roads. We had wanted to go apple picking and, as fate would have it, happened upon an orchard.

I am on a dial up connection at the in-laws, so more on this and flickr later.

Operation Undergarment

Operation Undergarment is a giving opportunity organized by a group of moms who adopted children from Kazakhstan. Karaganda Kids is asking for packages of new underpants and undershirts for children ages 2-5. These will be sent to the orphanages in Kazakhstan for the children who have yet to be adopted.
I learned about Operation Underpants via friend Muriel, SIL to good pal Julie.
Click on the link to go to the Karaganda Kids site. Packages of undergarments can be sent to this address:

Operation Undergarment
1894 Techny Court
Northbrook, IL 60062

This is a neat idea to help out kids with something they really need. Muriel has helping organize and publicize this all while being super-preggo and now with a tiny one at home in addition to he beautiful adopted daughter.

Friday Giveaway by Sweet Life in the Valley

Sweet Life in the Valley is giving away a set of trash ties. But hurry, ends tonight!

Kindermusik: Goal # 29 completed

Yesterday Henry and I started Kindermusik Zoom Buggy. I had heard of it thru a neighbor, but the price was high. Then, another neighbor I met in the La Leche group, mentioned she was going to the class at the YMCA. I needed that little kick in the pants. Taking Henry the Fifth to the Y for class is great because, theoretically, I could work out before or afterward.
Henry the Fifth was true to form in his first class. He is a regular social butterfly, ditching me and hanging with the other kids during the free parts of the class. Fortunately, he had fun during the singing and dancing parts too, so being with mommy isn't totally lame... yet.
The cutest part was when the teacher read a book to the class. The toddlers all went and sat in front of her to listen. So, Henry got off of my lap, crawled over, and sat with the other kids big boy style. He watched and listened to the teacher the whole time she read the book. (The book was short. He's a genius, but it's not like he sat thru Moby Dick or something.) We get a book for the class so we can continue the fun at home.
I am just glad Henry 'played nice' on his first big social setting.

Charles and Robin on The Knot

Charles and Robin made a page on The Knot!
They are so cute.

smushy fish cupcakes

Hubby came home from a trip, so I got a special dessert at the Teet.
Poor guys got smushed on the way home. But they left their smiles on the box!

18 pounds 1.1 ounces

I have been all psyched because Henry the Fifth has been gaining weight. I even put away all of his 6-9 clothes and pulled out his 12month outfits. They are huge on him. his 9 month and 9-12s fit the best. I was so tired of the 6-9s even though we could still squeeze him into them. They got a lot of use since he didn't grow for so long. Now, he gets to wear baggy clothes until he grows a little more.
We had a follow up at the pediatrician yesterday and I had all sorts of questions about when to stop supplementing and how big is too big. Well, that was all moot. Even though he is gaining weight like a champ, he is still in the 3rd percentile for height and weight. He is gaining 12 grams per day, which is better than the average of 8-10 grams that most kids his age gain. But all that is doing is keeping him on the 3rd percentile curve. He isn't regaining what he missed in those few months. The doctor is thrilled with his weight gain. She said we shouldn't expect him to catch up much (or at all) until he is a lot older.

I am just worried about him being scrawny and geting bullied when he is older. He seems to be a social butterfly right now., so hopefully that trait will help him out.

Vermillion Rules Giveaway

Vermillion Rules Monday Giveaway your choice of magnets from Daisy Mae Designs!



My favorite is the Monkeys of course.

Grosgrain Sleepytime Nightgown Giveaway

Another Grosgrain giveaway! This is so sweet!

The Great Naked Escape

OR: Henry the Fifth has a diaper rash.

Yup. His first diaper rash ever. We were wondering why he was so cranky at night. When we saw the rash develop, it all made sense.
Teething = more poops = raw bum = angry baby.
I consulted the EXALTED baby guide and found that gratuitous nudity is the cure for diaper rash.

Good thing we have a Bissel... because Mr. Pantsless made the most of
the opportunity. A wizzin' he went... on the carpet... on the
bathmat... in the kitchen... in his crib... on daddy's side of the
bed...on the guest bed because our sheets were in the wash.



To diaper or not to diaper?

The first night of the rash, Hubby and I debated about whether to dry
him thoroughly and diaper for the night. Henry the Fifth made it very
clear that diapering was not an option. So hubby had a fantstic idea.
In addition to the multilayered pee-pad crib I made, we would dress him
in a sleeper with the crotch open. Awesome. Assless Chaps it was.

Genius, pure genius. Baby stayed warm and rash looked a tad better in the AM.

As fate would have it, the following morning wasn't normal. I had a cleaning
service (thanks mom) coming at 9 and needed to straighten up. I went to
the baby's room to grab a diaper and instead started putting toys away.
Upstairs, Henry is a Free Range Baby, with access to a few rooms. You
already know what happened, right?


When I stepped out of his room and looked into ours I had a flashback to the dog, when he was old and grey. Poop. Everywhere. Shmears of poo from the door of our room to the foot of the bed. And at the end of the trail was Henry the Fifth, in his naked glory, laying there in his secretary pose, covered in poo from the waist down, chewing on a bath toy.

AAAUUUUGH!

run, pick up baby, rinse and bathe baby, DIAPER baby. Run downstairs. Bucket, Resolve and a scrub brush. Wipe up chunks with towels (real towels, goin' green, right?) Scrub multi-poo spots. Straighten up rest of house. Aaaaah, the housekeeper is here. And whe was really sweet too.

Hubby got home late, very tired. He ran the Bissel only to discover afterward that he had put the wrong product in the machine. Luckily that product was the wrong density and didn't go through the machine. Carpet survived, Bissel survived.

Later that evening, Mr. Pantsless escaped from Baby Jail and made his mark in the off limits part of the house....

Vermillion Rules Friday Giveaway

Vermillion's Friday Giveaway is a free card design by less ordinary designs on Etsy.

This is my favorite. How cute!

The Chai Story

This is a story about an unsafe dog toy. If you have it get rid of it.

Warning, the story might make you cry.

The Chai Story

via Rare Bird Finds and Apartment Therapy

Sassy Apron Giveaway by Vermillion Rules

Vermillion Rules is sponsoring a giveaway of a cute hand made apron from Etsy shop Sassy Apron.



Click on the photo above to link to the giveaway!

Ditch the Disposables Challenge

I am doing the:

Check on the: cloth napkins, reusable grocery bags (so many hubby had to give me a reality check to stop buying more), reusable water bottles

(except hurricane kit), using microfiber dust rags (me trying, hubby not yet, but would if I ask),
using Foogo thermo and BPA free reusable baby dishes.

Plan:

1. finish making cloth coffee jackets
(it's a step in the right direction)

2. really need to suck it up and
invest in cloth diapers (brand?),

3. interesting idea she has on cloth swiffers - I
will try it with the microfiber clothes we have

4. finish making hankies for baby from old flannel sheet.


Right now I am uncomfortable with cloth wipes for my own butt (and that whole pee
on your veggie garden thing Crunchy Domestic Goddess did. maybe someday. maybe...not.)

Addendum (Crash Course) - baby Henry has his first diaper rash. So I am using washcloths and water to clean his rear. Poor guy is not very happy!