Happy Spring!

Hard to believe that in a few months I'll have been here for a year. At a bbq yesterday, I met a woman who moved here from NYC two years ago - she said she still tells people she moved here recently. While there are still days when I am unhappy about being here, weekends filled with sunshine, warmth, friends and good people do help. That a little Noo who likes to roll around in the dirt. I take him to the play ground and he likes to lie on his stomach like he's swimming and brush away all the wood chips and then scratch his fingers through the dirt. I caved in - there is no use. We have a big backyard, so we might as well take advantage of that and let him be. Guess it's time for daily baths.

The backyard makes me very, very happy. I'm sad that my late FIL is not here to share this time with us, but I'm convinced that he's there when the Noo is crawling around, trying with all his might not to pick/crush the flowers. Yesterday we had people over to do some yard work as part of the cooperative we have started. Next week are planting the seedlings we started in basement - tomatoes, kale, etc. The rhubarb my FIL planted is already ginormous - guess I'll have to learn to make rhubarb pie!

The flowers are sight to behold and most of them haven't even come up yet!

Taking a sewing class was a great idea. Although I'm just starting out, it's been a great way to relieve stress and be crafty - much better then watching crap tv (especially now that we have said goodbye to our cable). It's definitely not as easy as it looks, but not entirely scary either. My next project is going to be a convertible dress that involves one seam! I'm skeptical - we'll see. I think I'll try to spin out a few more of these little bags so the insides start looking a little more polished.

Hard to believe . . . .

The Noo is turning 1 in a few weeks! I really can't believe it. He is already his own person with his jokes, persistence, refusal to have us show him how to do things. In the beginning I had a hard time visualizing him as anything but a little, helpless warm . . . loaf. Of course we are throwing him a birthday party of which he will remember NOTHING, but we really just want to have an excuse to have our friends over to enjoy and celebrate spring (the rate at which things are bursting through a frenzy of spring showers is unbelievable and so, what's the word, hopeful). Of course I made the party invites - postcards I made on my trusty Gocco press.



The text turned out really well - very even application of ink - the stars not so much - very faded especially on the ends. But I actually like that, I guess - it lends a vintage appeal. The color of the paper is actually more of a light mustard/curry yellow - my latest color obsession. On the invites we stressed that people should not bring gifts - that's very important. Just bring libations so we can get rip roaring drunk (I know, very appropriate for a 1st birthday party, um guys . . . . where's the baby?) I also plan to have a pinata for the kids and adults who are kids at heart to attack - it will be filled with organic fruit lollipops, apples and clementines (this place is starting to have an effect on me), oh and what the hell, some gluten, nut, dairy-free something or another. On the menu - Asian fusion - thinking potstickers and cold sesame noodles and some kind of cucumber salad.

In other news, wrapping up my sewing class tonight. I sort of know how to sew now. Well, at least I know how to make a wristlet - which means I also know how to make a pencil case and make-up bag, sort of. Will post photos of the fruit of my labor later.

Looming over everything - the day to day, the fun, the creative, the yuck is of course the D. What a sad monster it's become. But I still chip away at it. A little a day (ok, more like every few days). My grad school compadres are leaving me behind in the dust. This must shock me to do something. Really.

Missing in action

My mind, body and spirit have been MIA the past few weeks ever since I had the audacity to stay up past midnight and have TWO drinks on my birthday. Later that weekend the entire house was hit with the plague. On Mon. and Tues., my cold was so bad the husband had to leave for work late and stay late when he came home for lunch so that I could sleep away the incredibly persistent sinus headaches that hit me like a semi. Add on top of that a sick toddler (he's toddling around - not a baby anymore!!) who wanted to nurse around the clock like he was a newborn. Well at least I didn't have clogged ducts.
On top of that, the MIL was out-town for a whole two weeks visiting the newest addition to the clan (I am absolutely in love with my new niece!) In the beginning I seriously thought I was going to lose my mind (out of sheer panic at spending 24/7 with the boy), but it turned out to be not so bad, except for the week and a half I was out of commission. We went to playgroup one day - a most interesting experience; aside from the fact that all the children were white except for the Noo. It was also fascinating to see the range of development for infants around his age. There was another 10 month old trying with all his might to crawl and a 12 month old who wasn't crawling . . . . the nice thing was that no one seemed particularly concerned (at least not outwardly so, although I have to say I was a teensy bit only inwardly). Of course the other day one of E's colleagues made him feel bad (and then he felt bad about feeling bad) when she asked the Noo to give her five and then he stared at her blankly and she said "All babies know how to give you five" (eyeroll).
There was one toy that scared the bejezus out of the boy - a plastic toy with different shaped holes that made a weird wheezing sound when you inserted a block with the corresponding shape - it made him launch into a full-on cry! Pobre! He's not even really a baby anymore and that makes me incredibly happy and sad at the same time.