One of the latest...

I've always loved the idea of marking kids heights regularly as they grow up.  Growing up, I was somewhat preoccupied with my height, always wishing that I was just a couple inches taller. (throughout junior high and high school, I would faithfully record my height behind my closet door in my room and, despite nobody noticing, I DID go through a fairly significant growth spurt where I grew about 1 inch a month for at least 6 months to a year) Maybe that's the reason I've always been fascinated with marking growth, or maybe I'm just a little sentimental like that.  Whatever the case, I realized when I moved away from the room with all my markings behind the closet that whenever I had kids, I would need something more transportable.  I did copy down all of my markings on a sheet of paper and measured how far from the floor it should go, but it's just not the same. : )

So, as Levi's first birthday was approaching, I was keeping my eye out for a growth chart idea.  I fell in love with one on Pinterest (of course) and set to work.  It was fairly easy to make and I finally hung it today.  I'd say it turned out pretty well.  What do you think?

You can find the tutorial I followed HERE.  It was a super-affordable project too!  The 1x6 I used was $3.50.  The black paint I already had.  And the sawtooth picture hanger on the back was $3.50 for a pack of 10.  Total=$7

Uniquely Me Design (my shameless plug)

I've been having fun lately!  Alot of my spare time has been spent crocheting, something I've enjoyed doing for about 20 years now.  (It still sounds crazy to me to be able to say that anything was 20 years ago...!)  I've been adding things to my shop (Uniquely Me Design) every couple days which has been exciting.  Making things is something I love to do so it's been fun to be able to grow my shop a little this fall.  I hope to continue this winter.  Winter is such a great time to curl up on the couch with a good movie and some yarn.  (How "grandma" does that sound?! Ha!)  So anyway, I just thought I'd share some pictures of things I've been making.  If anyone has any ideas of things you'd like to see in my shop, please let me know!  I'm working on a couple more things, but I'm always open to suggestions!  And I'm also very open to custom orders...

Which is your favourite?  You can find these to purchase HERE. 

Party Pictures!

The cake.

The birthday boy with one of his gifts.

Singing "Happy Birthday"!

Enjoying his cake.

Being buried in tissue paper.

Playing with his toys before church Sunday morning.

What a handsome one year old!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to...

mmm...love.

A common sight these days.

Smiling nicely at Grandma.

Where's Levi?!

Sporting a toque I made for Etsy but just so cute I had to include it!

And just for fun, this was Levi one year ago today.  My, how he's grown...

A year ago...

I've been reminiscing like CRAZY these last few days.

"A year ago I was bouncing on an exercise ball for hours on end just trying to get labour going."

"A year ago I was supposed to be induced today but was told to wait for a call again tomorrow."

"A year ago I was sitting in the hospital filling out paperwork and waiting for induction."

"A year ago I was hoping to meet Levi by supper time."

"A year ago I asked for my epidural."

"A year ago I was laying in surgery, watching the clock and hoping Levi would be born before midnight."

"A year ago I was finding out for the first time that we have a boy!"

"A year ago I asked Nathan if I could please just sleep wait until morning to name our new baby boy."

"A year ago we sat down together and named our boy Levi Jonathan, Jonathan being a name we had never even discussed before."

And a year ago today we got to take Levi home from the hospital for the first time.  And within minutes of entering the house, he filled his pants with explosive force and I almost dropped him I was so surprised!  haha.  Oh what a year its been!  Now we have a dancing, laughing, smiling, self-feeding, almost-walking bundle of joy who we know so well and love so much.  A year ago I couldn't imagine how well I would know my son in a year, but now I couldn't imagine not knowing him.  Life is just the way it is supposed to be.  How appropriate that Levi was born 10 days after his due date on Thanksgiving weekend.  Such a sweet reminder of the blessing he is; a reminder to always be thankful...

Levi's Room!

I got the fabric for Levi's room last week and put the finishing touches in today!  It still feels a tad bit bare, though.  I guess a few more toys will gradually make their way in there as he starts to enjoy playing on his own a bit more. : )

This is what it looked like before:

 Because I forgot to take pictures truly before I started, here are some picture of what the skeleton rocking chair looked like...and just for fun, I included a picture of what it looked like before I recovered it the first time, back in January of 2009!

And this is his room after!

I ordered 7 yards of fabric and with that I made:
-  2 book slings (I've only put one up)
-  duvet
-  recovered the rocking chair and foot stool
-  valance for window
-  covered 3 canvases for the wall
-  one white crib sheet

There has been overwhelming interest in the book sling that I made.  Unfortunately it was not my own awesome idea.  I followed the tutorial HERE.

A few of his favourite things...

Happy due date, Levi!  A year ago today I was wishing that today would be the day I would finally get to meet you.  I really, really didn't want to have an October baby and September is quickly running out!  But you waited.  And waited.  And your birthday ended up being the perfect birthday for you!  Can't believe my due date was a year ago already...

In celebration of this little anniversary, here are a few of Levi's favourite things these days (in no particular order):
-  Lennox
-  pulling up our shirts and pinching our tummy skin
-  being chased by us
-  chasing Lennox with us
-  going for walks
-  grabbing my arm and trying to bite my elbow during diaper changes
-  snuggles with mommy (he's becoming a snuggler!)
-  Cheerios, raisins, Gerber Graduates Puffs, corn, chicken, slurpies, ice cream, anything off our plate (hence slurpies and ice cream making the list)
-  pushing chairs, stools, tables around the house while walking behind them
-  electrical cords...specifically chewing on them, though trying to plug them back in is also alot of fun
-  taking everything out of a box/cupboard/etc
-  putting blocks into and out of a box
-  parks, especially the slides
-  eating paper
-  touching things he's normally not allowed to have
-  climbing stairs
-  playing in the bathroom (why do all little kids LOVE the bathroom?  Ick.)

And while I'm in the list-making mood, here are a few of my favourite things about being a mommy:
-  snuggles
-  words starting to form and Levi being able to communicate with us ("MUM!" whenever he wants something, for example)
-  toys and books all over the house
-  little shoes lined up by the door
-  nap time
-  schedule wide open so we can go to the park when we want and stay home and read books when we want
-  picking daddy up from the office for lunch with Levi and Lennox
-  going down the slide with a squealing boy on my lap
-  little arms reaching up for me
-  always having someone to make a toque for

This really is the best job in the world for me.  I'm so thankful that God answered my prayers with our little Levi.  There are certainly hard parts about being a mom and times when I'm just SO tired that I don't want to do anything at all.  But seeing that little smile and having that little body completely relax in my arms...I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Happy almost-birthday, Levi! 

Blog more?

Man, I really think I need to blog more!  It's been almost two weeks since I've written anything!

Guess what?!  Yesterday afternoon, while my boy blissfully slept the afternoon away (a whole 1.5 hours of it, which was an unusually long nap for him), I scoured the world wide web for fabric to decorate his room with.  And boy, did I find the perfect stuff!

It's kinda...uncolourful, but I think it'll go perfectly with his very green walls!  And, I think it'll grow up with him pretty well too.  I mean, eventually he's gonna not want giraffes and elephants, but by then I think it'll be time to re-do it anyway!  I'm so excited to get this package in the mail and then to do some sewing and finally, to show you all what I've done!  Hopefully I'll be posting before and after pictures of Levi's room in the next month or so!  Stay tuned!

I should add that I ordered the fabric from fabric.com.  The shipping prices were exorbitantly high, but I found a coupon code online for 15% off and I knew I wouldn't be able to find this fabric at a shop for less. : )

11 months.

I love my little eleven month old boy!  Eleven months ago I was just as round as ever and thinking that our little babe could be making their arrival any day!  And then we waited...and waited...and waited... And then he was born on the perfect day for him to be born. : )

Levi has not been a food lover this month.  He'd rather feed himself more than anything, but he doesn't get much into himself that way, especially since he has discovered that he can throw his food off of his high chair tray.  Ugh.  He looks us right in the eyes, puts his little hand over the edge and slowly opens it so his food falls.  Other times he just throws it too, but it's the times when we tell him not to and he looks right at us and does it again...those are the times when I realize that we'll have many fun times to come with this boy!

Levi loves to play.  This month, his favourite things to do have been playing in (emptying) my cupboards, stacking things to make towers, putting little toys into bigger toys (eg. small ball into larger cup or small link into toilet bowl), and pushing chairs around.  He loves to walk along anything that will keep him up and is getting a bit more adventurous in letting go, though for the most part he's still rather be holding onto something.  I imagine walking will be happening fairly soon.  The only question is before or after the 12 month mark??

Levi is no heavy-weight.  He's been stalled in the 17-19lb range for the past, hmm...6 months?  He is certainly getting taller each month, though!  And really, as long as he's healthy (which he is), I don't mind carrying around a little gaffer!  Saves my arms/back!

Levi laughs fairly easily, but has also discovered yelling.  When he doesn't get what he wants or has something taken away from him or a door closed in his face, he'll let you know!  He is like a light-switch, that boy.  One minute he's happy, then he's mad and yelling, then he's happy again, all within 30 seconds.  I tell ya...who'd he get that trait from??

Everything still goes in his mouth.  Toys, grass, ROCKS...you put it in front of him and it's in his mouth in 3 seconds flat.  He'll often latch onto a particular toy while he's playing and will carry it around in his mouth while he plays with other toys.  I'm thinking this must have as much to do with teething as anything.  Speaking of teeth, he has 8 now, two more in the past month.  He's kindly decided to reserve his biting for times when he's hungry, much to my relief.  Before, my shoulders would be all red from his little teeth biting me.  Ouch!  Now I know that if he bites, he needs to be fed asap.  What a great discovery.

He is still napping twice a day, 10am and 2pm but I'm wondering how much longer that will last!  He had his first kayak ride this month.  He also had his first haircut this month. And, he learned to wave!  (That may or may not have anything to do with his daddy having a full time job as of this month and him leaving the house every morning and afternoon.  Lots of opportunities to practice!)

Love you little boy!  In one more month we'll celebrate your first birthday...and what a celebration it will be!