Shh...the Time Eating Monster is Sleeping!

I don't know why I thought having an hour or so once a week to "work" would, well, work. I can't take an hour for myself. Not when there is always laundry to be hung, washing up to do and a million other things. Last Sunday morning I took twenty minutes to go upstairs to bed with a cup of hot chocolate to read a few pages of a book but the need to do something else brought me back down.

Thankfully, we're heading to New Orleans and then on to Dayton in less than a week. I've never really needed a vacation but now I know exactly what those words mean.

Warmer weather, good food, family...fantastic. 

And maybe I'll even a chance to blog - who knows? 

 

Going to Work, Using My Hands

The other day I asked Matt if he wouldn't mind if I "went to work" once or twice a week. I wanted at least an hour where I could go into the conservatory, sit at the table and blog without interruption - as if I weren't in the house at all. I'm not actually in the conservatory because right now it's as far as the folded laundry gets so the table is covered with piles of clothes (although Emmett's always gets carried upstairs and put away - his room stays tidiest as well) and I'm really only blogging because Emmett's napping on Matt. Still, it seemed like a good opportunity.

On Monday I started a class called My Space, My Time for mothers with post natal depression. Considering that I struggled with depression before I was pregnant, I wasn't surprised when it smacked me in the face a few months after Emmett was born. On top of it all, I'm horribly homesick - so much so that going to visit any of Matt's family really got me down. Then a little over a week ago my papaw died and it absolutely broke my heart that I couldn't be there. I'm happy with the things we said when I saw him last summer and when we last spoke on the phone but not being able to be there to say goodbye...I still cry at least once a day.

Even after one class I felt better. It's a small group that gets together over an art project and coffee, tea or hot chocolate and cakes to talk..or not talk. It's the art project part that got me interested. I really, really miss being creative. During this class we painted little boxes.

 

I know this photo is terrible - sorry. I wanted to take one earlier when the sun was still out but things don't work that way anymore.

I actually stuck the stickers from my sticker stash on the yellow one when I got home because I ran out of time in class. They're far from perfect but it felt to good to make something. Next week we're making little pigs out of clay - I'm really looking forward to that even though I'll be in the states when they'll be glazing them. We're also going to paint tote bags, a mug, a frame...and make a couple of other things I can't remember. Simple projects but immensely rewarding. It's a great way for me to meet other moms/mums, too. I'd run into one of them at the doctor's office and at the library so we kind of already "knew" each other but this meant we finally got to talk a bit which was nice.

For the first class Matt was at home and could stay with Little E but he'll be at work next Monday so I'll have to bring him and put him in their daycare for the hour and a half. I'm super nervous about that but they have three carers and there are only eight or nine of us in the group and we're one door down so they'll bring him in if he starts fussing. I've never left him with anyone but Matt so this will really be something for me. I'm ready to try, though.

And now for a little gratuitous Emmett. This little man is my world. No matter how bad I feel, I can always find a smile for him.

He amazes me with something new every day. He's using his hands a lot more now and can hold his little head up like a champ. He lights up when either of us walks into the room which is crazy rewarding. My favorite thing he does is sing himself to sleep on my shoulder. I sang him to sleep myself many nights (singing "The Pie Song" from Waitress which we played for him in the womb in hopes that he would recognise it and I think he does) and I really think his little cooing noises are his version and a real comfort. That's when I can tell he's really tired. 

I mentioned it earlier but our latest news in that we're heading to Ohio next month! Actually we're going to New Orleans for a few days first for my brother's wedding and then driving (with a five month old!) fifteen hours to Ohio. I can't wait for Emmett to meet the rest of his American family. I also can't wait to eat at a million places and browse Target and Kohls for hours (I miss Target and Kohls more than any other stores in the US)! And knit group - I can't wait to stop by the Sunday night knit group. A million things I'd like to do - hopefully we'll have time to do at least a few of them!

For now, though, it's quitting time. Glad to be back.

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'd love to get back to blogging but it seems that all free moments are filled with other things - housework, a quick email or even two or three minutes of shutting off my brain and staring into space.

I miss everyone and hope you're all having a beautiful Valentine's Day!

Dear Emmett,

My friend Kim is taking on an awesome project, 52 Weeks, 52 Letters, for 2011. It appealed to me immediately - I love collecting stationary and writing letters and before I'd even finished reading the post I was mentally compiling a list of potential friends and family that I could write to and had even come up with a couple of teachers that really deserve long overdue thank you letters.

After talking to Matt about it, though, reality struck. I can't commit to that. Not this year. But he came up with an alternative that I'm even more excited about. Believe it or not, the hardest part would be getting to the post office considering that 99.99% of my letters would be going overseas and would need to be weighed. Matt's suggestion was to write letters to Emmett and I can't wait to get started! Sure, some weeks might just be a little postcard with something special that he did that week or just to say how much I love him but I look forward to writing real letters as well. He may never feel the need to read them (but I hope that he does) but I know I'd enjoy looking at them over the years.

And if I were to write him a letter now I'd talk about this:

He's taking a nap on the couch and keeps crossing his little feet - so cute!

This post is my attempt to continue to talk about my life since Emmett is my life right now as some of you suggested in my last post (thank you!) while keeping it a little crafty as well (I think letter writing is craftly, anyway).

And I think I'm going to take advantage of this nap and get a little crafty with some crochet!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Blogging is Hard

I really don't want this to become a Mommy Blog. No one really wants to hear about my lack of sleep, how many times I've narrowly missed being peed on or how long it's been since I've bothered with make up (four - which really isn't bad). I do still want to gush and share the occasional photo - especially when I get a good one of the smiles he's been dishing out lately - but I'd like to keep it to a minumum.

That said, there's not much time for anything else which means nothing to post. I've been thinking about blogging a lot recently, though, and what this blog is going to become in the future but I haven't really come to any conclusions. All I know is that I miss it, I miss everyone I interact with here and I can't wait to get back to it in some form. 

Today I did get to crochet a little creature from a book Matt got me for Christmas so hopefully I'll have sometihng to share here in the next few days.

In the meantime, a little gratuitous Emmett....

After all, I am a mommy - and a proud one at that!

A Quick Update

As I'm sure you've guessed, my days and nights revolve around around this little guy. He'll be six weeks old tomorrow and I can't imagine where those six weeks went! We're all doing great. He had a pre-six week check up today where he was measured and weighed and he now weighs a healthy nine pounds, ten ounces. We struggled with his weight a little in those first few weeks and had to supplement breast feeding with a bottle - all seems to be on track now.

I'm ridiculously behind on keeping in touch. Pretty much anything I do now is done one handed on the iTouch which is great for reading blogs but not for commenting or replying to emails. I do want to take a few minutes between here and Christmas to pick up some yarn again. I can't let Emmett have his first Chrsitmas without something handmade! I think some kind of crocheted toy can be made while Matt gives him his nightly bottle.

I can't believe Christmas is just a little over two weeks away! 

Would like to post more but a hungry Emmett who just had his nappy changed is now in need of his mommy....

Thankful Thursday