I have to admit

Lately there is something that has been keeping me from being the best mom I could be. With much embarrassment i have to admit that this thing, is angry birds. Now I am not the type of person that would usually enjoy playing any type of video game. I have had angry birds on my ipod for over a year and never played more then the first few levels.

It all started last week when my 3 1/2 year old cousin entertained the family with his obsession with angry birds. Every time someone in the group took out their cell phone he would ask in the cutest possible way 'you got angry birds in that phone?'. A quote my husband and I have been repeating all week. His mom let him play a few levels with me on her ipad. Not only did he know how to navigate his way around an ipad with amazing ease, but he was using birds and beating levels I had never seen. I had to beat him.

Source: cutefoodforkids.com via Cynthia on Pinterest

Its funny how sometimes things just fall together to create the perfect situation to develop a new bad habit. I don't believe I would usually think twice about my cousin beating me at angry birds, but this week was different. Jude has been screaming all week. I don't just mean crying, I mean inconsolable outright screaming. Nothing will soothe him. Someone told me these phases are called 'the purple cloud'. After days and days of trying everything I can think of, being awake for hours each night and sleeping in terribly uncomfortable positions as Jude has decided that he will absolutely not sleep in his own bed, I needed an escape. I found it in angry birds.

Source: flickr.com via Becca on Pinterest

Do I feel like a terrible mom when my son lays next to me fussing while I am launching electronic birds and digital pigs in helmets? Absolutely. Did I need some something to help me get through the day without having a major melt down myself? It would appear so. Don't get me wrong, I am not leaving Jude alone for hours on end. I am just taking a little 'me time' when nothing else seems to be helping anyway. Now i really must go. The baby is sleeping and I just achieved 'light feather'.

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Mary on Pinterest

It is right in the middle of summer now and things are hot and the vegetation is looking pretty dry. I had hoped to have planted a summer garden that would be getting ready to provide my family with some fresh veg. but like many plans it never came to be. Since I cant share with you any photos of fresh growing veg. or berries, i will instead share some pictures I took over the last few months (before the heat and sun caused things to shrivel).

Tired

I was trying to figure out a way to post without sounding like I'm complaining, but I couldn't. So I will write how i feel. I have been putting off working on things for the market, writing, cleaning, grocery shopping, packing for our move, and just about everything for a few days now. I have been trying to figure out why it is so hard for me to do...well, anything. I think it all comes down to me being tired. Very very tired. Huge black circles around my eyes tired. I hardly even remember getting up to nurse last night. It does not help that it is HOT and muggy here and our apartment feels like its about 1000 degrees which makes the baby very fussy. He has been keeping himself entertained by his new trick, screaming very loudly and then laughing at himself. Its great. I'm hoping that with a few good naps and maybe a supply of healthier food I will be able to get back on me feet and work on all of the things I need to do.

I only snagged a few photos this holiday weekend, here they are.

Stopped and took a few suset pictures on the way home from the 4th

Tyler and Jude rebelled on the 4th

sunset over Temecula winerys

In the next few weeks I will be packing and moving, working a few shifts, training to be a doula, and needing to do TONS of work for the Hope And Heritage shop. I'm hoping to catch up on some sleep and maybe grow some extra arms this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

road trip!

This last week I drove up to Washington with my parents and Jude to visit my sisters. 20+ hours of driving in the car with a 4 month old was not something I was particularly excited about but my youngest sister had not yet met my son and I really wanted for both of my sisters to be able meet/see him.

The drive went pretty good all things considered. Jude was a litte trooper and did amazing in the car. My sister just bought a house which for some reason I forgot to take any pictures of. The house was beautiful and it was so nice to spend time with family and meet up with a few old friends.

My sisters and I are starting a mustache picture collection, this is picture #3 taken over several years. (Jude had a new diaper problem and we walked around Seattle with him wearing no shirt and his tummy hanging out. Not made for the city)

My sisters in-laws invited us over for dinner and led us around the puget sound on jet ski's

My first time in Seattle, shopping at Pikes Place Market. I'm not sure what my sister thinks is so funny but I had to share

I got to meet up with my friend Clare from college and meet her beautiful daughter Elizabeth.

We had a great time but after a total of 40+ hours in the car and a week away from Tyler we are glad to be home!

4 months!

My baby is 4 months old! I know eventually I will have to stop counting time by his months, but for now they seem like such a big deal to me. The other day i had the privilage of meeting my cousins new baby girl (still not sure what relation the baby is to me. Second cousin? cousin once removed?) and I hadnt realized how much Jude had grown. Holding the little six day old girl and remembering how small and fragile they are at that age made me realize how true it is that time goes by so fast with your children. I can only imagine what it will feel like to be remembering Jude as a newborn in another 20 years or so.

Things I love aboug having a 4 month old:

• I love hearing his little giggle
• I love that he recognizing me when I come in to the room and gives me a big smile
• I love that I am starting to see a bit of personality coming out
• I love how cuddly he is while nursing
• I love watching him try so hard to use his hands to grab things

Things i didnt not expect about have a 4 month old:

• I did not expect that he would be teething so soon
• I did not expect to be losing SO MUCH hair
• I did not expect to be so worried about him all the time
• I did not expect to still (how do I say this in a not gross way) be crying whenever I went to the bathroom

Regardless of what I did or didnt expect, I'm pretty happy with our little family and to be able to celebrate Tylers first fathers day! He is so good with Jude and has taken on the role of being our provider. I am so blessed to have Tyler as my husband and the father of my child. Happy fathers day Ty!

Queen Bee!!

About a month ago my mom and I went shopping at the queen bee market in San Diego. It is a market put on a few times year by local artists and craftsman. We bought a few cute things including a headband from here and a clutch from here. We decided to try and apply for the next market in August and were pretty sure we wouldn't get in since there are tons of local artists and craftsmen in the SD area. But we did!!! August 6th we will be selling our Hope And Heritage items here. We are very excited and a little stressed as this means we really have to step up our crafting and make a ton of product in the next month and half.

Click on the button on the right hand side of the blog if you want to check out other vendors at the queen bee market.

teething and crafting

My baby is teething already! I actually took him to the Dr. because he was SO fussy and I thought it was to early for this little guy to be sprouting teeth and was sure it had to be an ear infection or something of that sort. I had a hunch he was teething since he started producing crazy amounts of drool, it just seemed SO early. I felt pretty dumb after I left the Dr. office and realized he was obviously just fussy because of his teeth. I guess this is what it feels like to be a worrisome mom. A teething baby who is to small to hold things in his mouth is not happy baby.

Over the weekend we took a visit to my moms house and had time to work on a few craft projects. We spent most of the weekend working some flower headbands. Since Jude has been drooling so much and needs something close to his mouth to chew on, we made him this teething bow tie.

Here is Jude's teething Tie

He wore it last night and the terrycloth was perfect for him to chew on and to soak up all his drool

Uncle Sam headband. I added some to our etsy shop.

I love having flower headbands, especially since these days its pretty hard to shower and do my hair. I can just stick on one of these and I'm ready for the day!