Redeemed

I used to hate thrift stores.  I like it when stores have all the matching outfits displayed so neatly so all I have to do is pick my colour and size and I'm done.  I never had the patience for thrift stores before.  But today, thrift stores were redeemed for me.  I stopped by Value Village today with Levi (who slept through the whole experience, what a good little shopper...) and found some amazing deals for the little man, and a sweet pair of shorts for myself too!  Behold, my finds:

Summer onesie... 99 cents

Cute little summer shoes... $3.99

Plaid shorts (every boy needs a pair of these)... $2.99

Quicksilver pants (the fading on the bottom is the sunlight, not the fabric being faded)...$7.99

BabyGap Spring/summer/fall jacket... $7.99

Yep, this little man is happy with his new purchases.  Check.  Moral of the story?  Thrift stores are good, not bad.  End of story. (until one of us comes away with lice...)

picture post...

Have I mentioned that I just LOVE being this guy's mommy?

 Aren't sleeping babies just the best?  Levi is a very light sleeper so I don't have many sleeping pictures of him cause the camera tends to wake him up, but the other day it was about time for him to wake up from his nap anyway so I took my chances and snapped a few pictures. 

  Levi has discovered the mirror on his exersaucer but instead of looking himself (I don't think he's figured that part out yet or else just doesn't care) he looks at you through the mirror.  It's so fun to watch him look in the mirror, then up at the "real" you, then back at the mirror.  It seems like his brain is working overtime trying to figure that one out...

Bedtime Bonus...

Today you get a double shot of Levi.  This video was shot about 30 minutes ago as I was putting Levi to bed.  He is demonstrating his latest version of "talking".  He does it when he's happy, he does it when he's upset...let's just say we have a hard time taking him seriously any time he does this!

Mmm...yummy!

We started feeding Levi rice cereal two days ago.  I don't think very much made it down that first day.  But it was a start and it sure was fun to see the faces he made!  Yesterday I forgot until it was too late in the day to try any (you know, new routine and all that).  Then today we tried some again and he even seemed to enjoy it a bit!  He ate a bit more, though still not a substantial amount, which isn't the point at this stage anyway.  But a few times he actually opened his mouth and leaned in for more (I think that's what he was doing...he got a mouthful of food, whether he was wanting more or not!).  Here begins the wonderful world of solids!

Lovely.

What to wear?

Nathan's grad is coming up and I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with something to wear.  I went through my closet this afternoon to see if any of my current "formal wear" would work.  Here's what I found:

This is the oldest dress that I currently own.  I got it 9 years ago for my sister's and boyfriends' high school grad.  Besides just being quite out of style by now, I'm going to have to veto it for the sheer awkwardness of having worn it to my boyfriend-at-the-time's grad.  Yes, it was my sister's grad too...no, that doesn't make it less awkward...

The next dress I got was for my own grad a year later: 2003.  I think I'm going to have to say no to this one too, not because I don't still look smokin' in it, but because it seems just a tad impractical.  See, the whole dress is studded with little shards of glass pretty sparklies that would rip the skin off my dear son's body if I tried to carry him while wearing it.  And I do imagine that I will be on mommy-duty at least part of the day, despite both grandmas being present at the event!

What do you think about this one?  No?  Ok.  Moving on...

I got this one for my brother's high school grad back in 2005.  It's ok.  It fits well.  It's not horribly out of style.  Unfortunately, the whole not-being-able-to-wear-anything-supportive thing becomes an issue with this one (if you know what I mean).  TMI?  Sorry.  Let's just leave this one at "I don't think it's going to work."

Yeah!  Now we're talking!  I believe the correct term for the colour of this dress is "hottest pink".  This was a fun one to wear while in my best friends' bridal party in '08.  And it might just work for a California grad.  What do you think, people?  Should I bust out the "hottest pink" evening gown for an afternoon grad on campus?  You're right.  I wouldn't want to upstage any of the actual graduates.  Better keep looking...

Now honestly, when I started trying on dresses this afternoon, I left this one for last because I thought it would probably be my best option.  I got it for Nathan's sister's wedding in 2008 but, I kid you not, it was the only dress that I couldn't zip up all the way.  There was a good 6" between where the zipper halves should have met and where the zipper halves actually were.  To be fair, it never did fit perfectly and I had to work pretty hard to get the zipper all the way up even when it was new.  But 6 INCHES?!  Wow...

So what do I do now?  You have all seen first-hand that nothing in my closet will be appropriate for this event.  I guess there is only one thing left to do...go shopping!  That is, unless anyone has anything that they would like to lend me?

5 months.

Our little boy is five months old already!  In some ways it seems like he was just born, yet in other ways it completely makes sense that he's five months old already.  Yup, mostly it just seems right.

Our little man has officially doubled his birth weight this month, weighing in at approximately 16.5 lbs.  He had his first cold this month, too, so that may contribute to the fact that he didn't gain a whole lot this month over last.  But we're not worried.  Those baby rolls are still pudgy as ever!

Levi has started sitting on his own in the last couple days.  While I still stay pretty close, he can easily sit for a few minutes before either reaching for a toy or getting tired and toppling over.  My mom always said that I sat at 4 months, so I'm pretty proud of Levi for being able to sit before 5 months too...not that I'm comparing... : )

Toes have been discovered this month.  He loves to grab his feet and getting his toes into his mouth seems to be especially fun.  Unfortunately, cloth diapers make it a little trickier to make the feet reach the mouth, but he takes advantage of his increased flexibility at each and every diaper change, making my job just a little more interesting!

Levi is starting to move around a bit more, though we're not at the "baby-proofing stage" yet.  He is still fairly immobile.  When we leave him on his back, he will more often than not roll onto his tummy within seconds.  Thankfully he is usually happy with his tummy time for at least a few minutes before he starts yelling and grunting for help.  We flip him over like a little turtle and wait for his yells that are sure to come a few minutes later when he needs our help again.  While on his tummy, though, he has figured out how to raise himself with his arms and turn in circles to reach whatever is around him.  I'm enjoying that his mobility is limited to 360 degrees at this point!

Levi has always been a good eater.  When he was a week old, I was fed up with unpredictable days/nights (and him not necessarily knowing the difference) and started feeding him every 2 hours during "daytime" hours, whether he was hungry or not, so that he would know the difference between day and night.  It worked like a charm and he caught on to the new routine by that night.  He then slept 6 hours straight the night after that.  Now, why was I saying this?  Oh yes.  Feeding every two hours.  I expected these feeds to stretch out as his stomach grew and could handle more food at each feeding.  They haven't.  I have been feeding every two hours for the past 5 months.  BUT, in the last few weeks, there have been a few feeds that have been stretched an extra 30-60 minutes with no fussing from Levi.  I suppose it shouldn't matter, but it does feel like a small accomplishment as it gives me even just that little bit of extra "freedom" in my day.  I will be sad when he's finally weaned, though, so I really do try to enjoy every moment of nursing that we get.

Month five is the month Levi first started actually listening to the stories that we read him.  He's started watching Lennox a lot more.  And sometimes he just stands really really stiff and just shakes and screams with the desire to move on his own.  It's like he just wants SO bad to be able to run and jump and play already!  It's so fun to watch.  He's started staying awake in the Moby on our walks outside, so he's been able to see more of the world than he had before...he's also probably experienced more cold than ever before, though never very much.  I hate being cold, so I try to expose him to as little of the frigid temperatures as possible.  He is always very bundled and covered when we go outside!

Last, but not least, sleep.  Sleep is huge for me (I've always needed more sleep than the average person to feel completely rested).  Therefore, it has been the largest adjustment I've had to make in entering motherhood.  I can't really complain about Levi's sleeping habits.  I think he needs less sleep than some babies, but he's had his days and nights straight since week 1 and has only been up in the night for no apparent reason 2-3 times in his life.  That said, naps have always been an issue for him.  At the beginning of his fifth month, he would fight naps as hard as he could.  Eventually I got to the point of considering nursing/rocking him to sleep for every nap because I couldn't handle his crying and screaming anymore.  Remember that post?  After reading everyone's comments, I decided to give sleep training one last try.  And within a day, Levi was going down for naps with minimal fussing.  I don't know what changed or what I started doing differently, but he is a different boy as far as naps are concerned.  Month five has been a celebratory one for me in that I finally have a good napper!  Nights, on the other hand, have been the worst they've ever been this month.  We went from feeding every 3-5 hours during the night, to being up every 1-3 hours.  I'm not sure why, but I sure hope month six brings more sleep to this household!  Oh, and he still gets swaddled to sleep every time.  I tried to wean him of it this month, but nothing good came of it, so I gave up.  I figure when he's done with it, he'll let us know.  If I leave his arms unwrapped, he'll just cry and cry with his arms flailing and waving about wildly.  Those babies need to be strapped down!

Month five has been fun.  Only one more month til the half-birthday!

SPRING! (is not here yet)

Every year, when the temperatures start to rise...oh wait, they haven't started to rise yet.  Let me re-think this.  I'll get back to you...

Every year, when the days start getting longer and and the months start starting with M's and A's, spring fever hits.  It seems like everything in my life should suddenly have a fresh start.  It's almost like my "new years resolutions" come in March/April more than they do in January...

This is the time of year when I feel like cleaning my house inside and out.  Well, ok...I don't feel like cleaning the outside until May or June.  But I do start wanting the inside to "shine" a bit more these days.  Perhaps this is due to the extended daylight hours and the sun kindly pointing out all the dust bunnies that have made themselves at home over the last few months?  Whatever the case, this is the time of year to wash walls, windows, and floors.  It's time to dust every surface in the house and reorganize each and every closet and cupboard.  It's time to give those dust bunnies their eviction notice. (wow, that sounds especially harsh...poor bunnies.  Maybe I'll let them stay another week) And while this all sounds so lovely, let me get sidetracked for a moment and say that everything is different for me when we're renting short term.  *sigh*  I just keep asking myself, "will it pay to put all that energy into a deep clean when we'll be moving on in - hopefully - three or four months?"  Nevertheless, that is not the point of this post.  I am merely saying that cleaning is my natural inclination come spring.  Bring on the cleaning lady! (me)

Once the days start getting longer, I find myself drawn to the great outdoors a whole lot more too.  I basically become a hermit in the winter.  I don't enjoy the cold.  For the most part, I don't enjoy the snow either.  I would gladly just stay cozied up inside from the time of the first snowfall until the spring runoff hits.  But, when the supper dishes are clean and I see that there is still some beautiful daylight left to enjoy, the pull to go outside for an evening walk is strong.  And as the days get longer and warmer, the pull becomes nearly irresistible.  I would live outside all summer if I could...

When I'm outside for my evening walks these days (ok, I've only taken one after-supper walk since the feeling hit), I am reminded of another part of spring for me.  Spring is when I feel like I should get in shape again after a winter of cookie-eating and couch-sitting.  I, then, make all these plans in my mind to eat healthier and do at least a bit of intentional working out each day.  Some of those things happen...some happen no more than once...but others remain merely a nice thought.  The beautiful thing about thoughts, though, is that they were fun while they lasted!  Ha!  This year, I would love to do a bit of stomach-toning and overall endurance training.  Muscle-building is on that list as well, but the beauty of having a young child is that this is automatically built into your routine.  And, the weight is automatically increased for you!  I'm up to a 16lb weight that I lift and swing and carry multiple times a day.  Whoo-hoo!  Bring on the biceps!  Stomach and endurance?  Here's hoping...

Another thing that seems to come alive once spring nears, is my mind.  I have snippets of real thought throughout the winter months, but much of it is a bit fuzzy and it feels like it takes so much energy to actually process anything. (Could this be my lack of exercise and fresh air?  Hmm...)  Anyway, in spring it seems that my brain starts to process all sorts of things again.  Connections are made faster.  My memory improves (ever so slightly!).  It almost feels like my sensors and thoughts become 3D again in spring.  Colour comes back to my life.  I no longer feel like I am functioning in various shades of grey.  Today is an orange day?  Then it is a bright, neon orange day!  Today is blue?  Well, at least it is a strong, peacock blue that I'm experiencing!  I love my mind, and I love when my mind is feeling alive.

The thaw of spring is truly wonderful.  I've often wondered if I would miss it if my seasons were less clearly defined for me as they are here on the Canadian prairies.  (FYI: after living in Cali, I now know that I don't actually miss it very much)  But there is something nice about emerging after a season of rest and inactivity.  It feels like it's time to start freshening everything up again.  It's time to scrub the winter off of everything and rush forward to embrace spring with a clean house, healthy body, and strong mind.

Spring is almost here!  Yahoo!

Here's what I need:

I have come to the conclusion that I need someone to dress me.  Sure, I can get up in the morning and, by noon, find myself in some sort of clothing.  But the fact of the matter is, I'm not inspired!  I love to look good and, in high school, I would spend hours going through my closet and figuring out new combinations and outfits.  No longer.

Now, the same few pieces of clothing are worn week after week, day in and day out, and my morning "get dressed" routine goes something like this:

1.  Will I be seeing anyone today? 
-  If no, do I feel like wearing sweat pants all day or am I feeling ambitious enough to put on a pair of jeans?  I'd say I wear jeans about 5 days a week and sweatpants about 2 days a week.  Not a bad ratio for a stay-at-home mom, right?  (In high school, I'm pretty sure I didn't even own a pair of sweatpants...aside from the ones I wore in gym class...and wouldn't have been caught dead wearing them all day)
-  If yes, I step it up a notch.  Jeans are a given - it's all I own besides my sweat pants - and I might pull out a sweater instead of a t-shirt.

2.  Is it a cold day or a warm day? 
Seeing as I rarely leave the house, I dress for how hot or cold the house feels in the morning.  If I wake up feeling warm, I'll put on a t-shirt.  If I wake up a bit chilled, I'll put on a bunny-hug right from the start. 

3.  What don't I mind getting spit-up on? 
This is almost guaranteed to happen and, in fact, spit-up is probably the most preferred on the list of "things that could end up on my clothes today." 

4.  What will be comfortable for nursing? 
No button up shirts (not if I'm staying home all day...all that extra work for what?), something that will prevent "cold tummy" during feeds, not too many layers to dig through (but enough to stay warm).

5.  What will be comfortable for Levi to snuggle against?  No wool, and I generally like to avoid metal zippers...

After all this, I am left with the following:

-  jeans
-  sweatpants
-  t-shirts
-  bunny hugs (hooded sweatshirts with the pocket on the front)

I can live with this for the time being.  Really, I can.  When life revolves around taking care of another little someone, simplicity of wardrobe translates to simplicity of life.  But here's my fear, and why I need someone to dress me:

I.WILL.GET.STUCK.IN.THIS.RUT.  

I know myself that well!  (Impressive, isn't it?)  I will get used to putting on the same five outfits and will forget how to dress myself.  

Now, I love my life.  I love that I consider what I wear with mommyhood in mind.  This is my dream come true.  But seriously, one day I'll need to - want to - look put together again.  Help!

In case you didn't catch this, MARSHA, what I'm trying to say is that I need you to live next door...