I don't divide my sewing from my regular blog, so I'll just post here. I finished another maternity top today, Simplicity 4584. I posted a pattern review at www.patternreview.com for anyone particularly interested in the details. With my maternity wardrobe dating back nearly six years now to my pregnancy with Zach, it needed some updated and some weeding out of worn out items. I made a new halter-type top this week adn am pretty pleased with the results. It should be quite comfortable for this summer into fall.
I'm not experienced at all at posting photos but I will try to here: http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=161193981/PictureID=3221041395/a=96357778_96357778/t_=96357778
I really enjoy sewing some items for myself this pregnancy. The ones in Motherhood Maternity and so forth are overpriced and fit poorly anyway. This is one case when sewing for myself really does save money! Plus, it is easier to find a fabric I like on the bolt than find a ready made top with a print I like in my size and price range. ;)
Now I'm trying to decide on a new project - hmmm, either another item for me or one for the boys probably. Time to look through patterns and see what calls out to me.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
I'm back!
After a looonnngg hiatus from blogger.com (using homeschoolblogger.com), I'm back. I like the community setting over there, all homeschoolers; however, after a week of not being able to log in after a server upgrade, contacting support a couple times and still unable to utilize it I give up for the final time. This is after months of having my posts eaten by a slow unresponsive server, so they really did need that upgrade. The sad part of course is that I lost my blog. I don't think I can import or anything so it's just gone. :(
The good news is that I already had this one, and I hear the html, picture posting, etc., is a whole lot easier over here. Maybe I can finally get some good pictures posted!
I'll update with the news about the family a little later.
The good news is that I already had this one, and I hear the html, picture posting, etc., is a whole lot easier over here. Maybe I can finally get some good pictures posted!
I'll update with the news about the family a little later.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
May 2, 2006
I didn't get the chance to post, but Noah "crawled" for the first time Friday, meaning he got himself up on his hands and knees, rocked there a while, inched a knee forward and proceeded to fall flat on his face. But he tried! He is still getting his belly up regularly so it will be no time at all before he is off like a flash crawling.
Yesterday was our monthly NIN (www.newbornsinneed.org) meeting. We are changing positions a bit and I am taking on the work coordinator role, which will be a nice change. I am enjoying sewing and crafting more with less time spent working. I did 2 nursing tops last week, a Burda T-shirt pattern notified for nursing via the Sew News magazine. They came out really nice, nicer than I expected actually, and were easy to do. Right now I am working on an incubator cover after I get some backing fabric to finish the quilting.
And I am such a prolific blogger (joke, haha) that I have taken on a second blog. Actually, it is specifically going to be our homeschool journey. Like this blog, it is honestly mainly for myself and my family, and any person actually interested. Link is: http://homeschoolblogger.com/tmlf/
Yesterday was our monthly NIN (www.newbornsinneed.org) meeting. We are changing positions a bit and I am taking on the work coordinator role, which will be a nice change. I am enjoying sewing and crafting more with less time spent working. I did 2 nursing tops last week, a Burda T-shirt pattern notified for nursing via the Sew News magazine. They came out really nice, nicer than I expected actually, and were easy to do. Right now I am working on an incubator cover after I get some backing fabric to finish the quilting.
And I am such a prolific blogger (joke, haha) that I have taken on a second blog. Actually, it is specifically going to be our homeschool journey. Like this blog, it is honestly mainly for myself and my family, and any person actually interested. Link is: http://homeschoolblogger.com/tmlf/
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
April 25, 2006
It has been a little over a week since I left my VP of operations position and am working in MT/QA. Every now and then I feel a twinge of regret but overall the experience has bee overwhelmingly positive for me. I would not have been ready for this step years or even months ago but now is the time. My home, my family and my children are more important and that position was overwhelming and stressful, leading to stress in our home effecting everyone else.
I am still working on getting a semi-schedule going but in the past week and a half my laundry is now done routinely, vacuuming done and I am doing some maintenance things I let slide like cleaning the stairway walls, etc. I even cleaned the garage some. I feel a great sense of satisfaction over these things but have a long way to go to get the house the way I want it. I know though day by day I will get there with some remodeling done along the way, both of the house and me! I have rejoined the Flylady list but it doesn't suit me as much. The biggest thing I get from it is reminder of routine and not big rush and stop pacing that is tiring.
Zach is doing better and better on his DEL workbooks and I am getting better and better at doing our reading and work daily. He is thriving on the routines and behaving much better. On days I work more I really notice it in his behavior. He is doing more coloring and staying inside the lines. He wants to do worksheets. He continually asks what words are he sees in the world and his vocabulary of words he is able to read is growing steadily. He still loves loves loves to be read to and sits very quietly with a long attention span for that.
Noah is sitting for quite a while independently now, 5-10 minutes I believe. He cannot get himself into a sitting position alone. He rolls place to place as Zach did. Just in the last week I have seen him a couple times brace his feet against an object and get his belly up a bit, preparing to crawl soon likely. He is doing the loud voice screaming that Zach did at this stage. It drives me crazy the noise but I know it is a stage he has to go through. He is still overall a happy guy though is showing more hyperactivity at times, especially when tired, and more fussiness. He loves to be held still, especially if it involves him pulling my hair while held. He likes the sling most of the time. He has a good attention span and curiousity for his toys, and of course loves any lint or dirt he finds on the carpet much better than the expensive toys - and everything ends up in his mouth.
I am still working on getting a semi-schedule going but in the past week and a half my laundry is now done routinely, vacuuming done and I am doing some maintenance things I let slide like cleaning the stairway walls, etc. I even cleaned the garage some. I feel a great sense of satisfaction over these things but have a long way to go to get the house the way I want it. I know though day by day I will get there with some remodeling done along the way, both of the house and me! I have rejoined the Flylady list but it doesn't suit me as much. The biggest thing I get from it is reminder of routine and not big rush and stop pacing that is tiring.
Zach is doing better and better on his DEL workbooks and I am getting better and better at doing our reading and work daily. He is thriving on the routines and behaving much better. On days I work more I really notice it in his behavior. He is doing more coloring and staying inside the lines. He wants to do worksheets. He continually asks what words are he sees in the world and his vocabulary of words he is able to read is growing steadily. He still loves loves loves to be read to and sits very quietly with a long attention span for that.
Noah is sitting for quite a while independently now, 5-10 minutes I believe. He cannot get himself into a sitting position alone. He rolls place to place as Zach did. Just in the last week I have seen him a couple times brace his feet against an object and get his belly up a bit, preparing to crawl soon likely. He is doing the loud voice screaming that Zach did at this stage. It drives me crazy the noise but I know it is a stage he has to go through. He is still overall a happy guy though is showing more hyperactivity at times, especially when tired, and more fussiness. He loves to be held still, especially if it involves him pulling my hair while held. He likes the sling most of the time. He has a good attention span and curiousity for his toys, and of course loves any lint or dirt he finds on the carpet much better than the expensive toys - and everything ends up in his mouth.
Myah's Funeral
I originally wrote this into my planner but wanted to preserve it in my blog:
Today was Myah's funeral. David spoke and it was beautiful. I would not have had the composure to speak but he talked about his baby girl and how much he loved her. Her "accident" was on Feb 8 and she died on 3/17. She lived 30 days in hospice. Most were wearing pink in celebration of Myah's color. We went gravesid and that casket was so tiny. The priest reminded us all we do not know how long we have - every day is precious. I am so sorry I never met her prior to her time in hospice, but she touched my live nonetheless. Due to her I have made so many changes in my life and am so much more aware of every day with my own children and my family. Life will not wait for excessive work and business of day to day life. I now create time every day to be with them. Even if they outlive me, they will not be with me every day as children forever.
This morning Noah "babbled" for the first time --- mamamama, gagagaga, etc. He still has no teeth. He sits briefly alone and still loves to be held close and cries when down. He is calmer than Zach was, and smaller I think.
Today was Myah's funeral. David spoke and it was beautiful. I would not have had the composure to speak but he talked about his baby girl and how much he loved her. Her "accident" was on Feb 8 and she died on 3/17. She lived 30 days in hospice. Most were wearing pink in celebration of Myah's color. We went gravesid and that casket was so tiny. The priest reminded us all we do not know how long we have - every day is precious. I am so sorry I never met her prior to her time in hospice, but she touched my live nonetheless. Due to her I have made so many changes in my life and am so much more aware of every day with my own children and my family. Life will not wait for excessive work and business of day to day life. I now create time every day to be with them. Even if they outlive me, they will not be with me every day as children forever.
This morning Noah "babbled" for the first time --- mamamama, gagagaga, etc. He still has no teeth. He sits briefly alone and still loves to be held close and cries when down. He is calmer than Zach was, and smaller I think.
Monday, June 20, 2005
6/20/05 - Monday after Father's Day
We had another good Father's Day. On Saturday, Rich played in his summer league tournament. His team had won all their games all season and went on to win the tournament. They played in Mira Mesa. Zach and I attended the first game and then came home at noon. Rich went back and the games lasted until 5 p.m. or so.
On Sunday we started with breakfast. Zach helped me make waffles, enjoying cracking the egg into the bowl and helping to measure. He loves to stand on his chair and help cook. We then went off for a few chores and movies in the afternoon. Rich and Ira went off to see the new Star Wars film. Zach, Marie and I went to see Madagascar. I was not overly impressed with the movie but it was Zach's 2nd movie ever (the first being Polar Express) and he was of course in awe and loved being in the theater. He behaved extremely well and chowed down loads and loads of popcorn. He and I both made it through the movie without needing a potty break, in itself a miracle! Marie treated us to snacks and I had a large cherry icee, a current craving this pregnancy since early in the first trimester. :-)
Today has been quiet and I haven't been pushing myself. It is my cleaning day and I did some but far far less than usual. I have relaxed, run some errands and read while Zach napped. I finished up John Holt's How Children Learn. To be honest, I was not overly impressed, perhaps because I had unrealistic expectations due to all the hype. It was interesting in parts but repetitive and just not all that interesting to me, surprising as I usually love most homeschooling books and this one has quite a loyal following. I did enjoy his insights but I have read better books. I found his resistance to formal research outdated and narrow minded in terms of his dislike of laboratory testing to study brain research and so forth. While I agree on observation as a very valid method of learning, and probably better in the case of what he wanted to study, to declare laboratory methods as being without value I do not feel is correct. They also have much to teach us, but perhaps not the same things, at least at the same time or in the same manner. That gave me a negative start to the book but I finished nonetheless and am glad I did. There was still much to enjoy.
I think I am going to start on The Well-Trained Mind next by Jesie Wish and Susan Wise Bauer, something Holt would not agree with, to get a differing perspective. This also has a large and loyal following so I'm eager to read it and see for myself if I agree or not, or which parts would be applicable to Zach.
Today is Monday so tonight is story time at the library. Zach is very eager to go as the story teller on Monday nights is really wonderful with instruments and interaction. I like going too because Rich and I go together but Rich takes the larger responsibility for monitoring Zach, leaving me free to roam in the library, a privilege I rarely have and take advantage of! I also use this time to get the week's theme books for our themed schedule of Zach's learning. This week is birds so I hope to get a lot of science/nonfiction books applicable to his level. He likes to see real pictures. Last week's books on different transportation and machines were well received.
Marie has offered to take Zach Wednesday of this week for a special outing and I also look forward to that as I am tired easily as I near the end of pregnancy (week 32). I welcome the relief and he welcomes the chance to be with her and spend some fun time with her. I'm glad she lives nearby for that.
On Sunday we started with breakfast. Zach helped me make waffles, enjoying cracking the egg into the bowl and helping to measure. He loves to stand on his chair and help cook. We then went off for a few chores and movies in the afternoon. Rich and Ira went off to see the new Star Wars film. Zach, Marie and I went to see Madagascar. I was not overly impressed with the movie but it was Zach's 2nd movie ever (the first being Polar Express) and he was of course in awe and loved being in the theater. He behaved extremely well and chowed down loads and loads of popcorn. He and I both made it through the movie without needing a potty break, in itself a miracle! Marie treated us to snacks and I had a large cherry icee, a current craving this pregnancy since early in the first trimester. :-)
Today has been quiet and I haven't been pushing myself. It is my cleaning day and I did some but far far less than usual. I have relaxed, run some errands and read while Zach napped. I finished up John Holt's How Children Learn. To be honest, I was not overly impressed, perhaps because I had unrealistic expectations due to all the hype. It was interesting in parts but repetitive and just not all that interesting to me, surprising as I usually love most homeschooling books and this one has quite a loyal following. I did enjoy his insights but I have read better books. I found his resistance to formal research outdated and narrow minded in terms of his dislike of laboratory testing to study brain research and so forth. While I agree on observation as a very valid method of learning, and probably better in the case of what he wanted to study, to declare laboratory methods as being without value I do not feel is correct. They also have much to teach us, but perhaps not the same things, at least at the same time or in the same manner. That gave me a negative start to the book but I finished nonetheless and am glad I did. There was still much to enjoy.
I think I am going to start on The Well-Trained Mind next by Jesie Wish and Susan Wise Bauer, something Holt would not agree with, to get a differing perspective. This also has a large and loyal following so I'm eager to read it and see for myself if I agree or not, or which parts would be applicable to Zach.
Today is Monday so tonight is story time at the library. Zach is very eager to go as the story teller on Monday nights is really wonderful with instruments and interaction. I like going too because Rich and I go together but Rich takes the larger responsibility for monitoring Zach, leaving me free to roam in the library, a privilege I rarely have and take advantage of! I also use this time to get the week's theme books for our themed schedule of Zach's learning. This week is birds so I hope to get a lot of science/nonfiction books applicable to his level. He likes to see real pictures. Last week's books on different transportation and machines were well received.
Marie has offered to take Zach Wednesday of this week for a special outing and I also look forward to that as I am tired easily as I near the end of pregnancy (week 32). I welcome the relief and he welcomes the chance to be with her and spend some fun time with her. I'm glad she lives nearby for that.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
6/8/2005
A few days again. Each day I think about things I want to record in my blog but lose track of time and then am so anxious to get to bed each night that I put it off another day.
Okay, pregnancy update: Had a really bad day Monday, exhausted, felt like crud, BH contractions, exhaustion, struggled to breathe. Yesterday, much better. Today I feel good again. I focus on hydration and eat many light meals and have switched over to Ovaltine or breakfast replacement drinks for breakfast, to get my fluids plus some vitamins without solid food as it makes me breathless in the morning. Doing better and feel better. Sciatica/groin pain is still a big problem. At 30 weeks today and scale is up 15 pounds from original weight (up 20 pounds from lowest weight during pregnancy). I have another appointment tomorrow with a sono to check fetal growth. I'm anxious to see Noah again on the sono and am anxious to hear what position he is in. Given how much more comfortable I am than with Zach I'm guessing he is head down and doing well. Still little to zero swelling or water retention so that is great for me. Sleep is more and more of a problem, both waking to use the potty and just getting comfortable in my hips. That will be with me until the end I know.
Rich is on travel again, left last night and gone until Friday. I miss him. Zach behaved well today but it usually hits hard on the second day Rich is gone so we will see. I hope for the best. At least it is within the US so he can call often and talk to Zach. That makes a big difference.
We are week 1 of Amy's Themed Schedule for Sonlight, doing farms. Zach is enjoying the stories and enjoying the extra attention. Having a schedule helps me make sure I am reading to him as much as I want to so I like that. Zach doesn't like switching from book to book so I may adjust the schedule to accommodate that. I think it is more of the spirited child having trouble making transitions. He wants to stick with the book he has and that is okay. We also chose farm books from the library to read. He loved the story by James Herroit last night we read (the title of which I forget and am too lazy to wander upstairs to get it). It was longest but it held his attention. I love James Herroit myself so will watch for an anthology for kids used.
In my own reading, I'm reading "Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery: A Journey of Original Seeking" by David H. Albert. It is very, very good. I am about 1/3 of the way through it. It is obviously written by a well educated and interesting person who loves his children. It is more the unschooling line of though but I enjoy it nonetheless and am getting a lot out of it. The discussion about math and letting the children explore was fabulous. I can hear the author's enthusiam about life and learning and that is a joy to read, a joy and enthusiasm he obviously passed on to his children as well from his description of them. That is what I want for Zach.
I'm also reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. This one is also interesting and one I have wanted to read for a while. I'm about 50 pages into it and will probably read it more than once (not right after each other though). It is due at the library next week so I have to hurry up on this one. It will be worth another read though as I miss some due to interruptions and inability to focus 100% during reading. It definitely requires thought and pondering, more so than Zach allows me a lot of the time.
Okay, pregnancy update: Had a really bad day Monday, exhausted, felt like crud, BH contractions, exhaustion, struggled to breathe. Yesterday, much better. Today I feel good again. I focus on hydration and eat many light meals and have switched over to Ovaltine or breakfast replacement drinks for breakfast, to get my fluids plus some vitamins without solid food as it makes me breathless in the morning. Doing better and feel better. Sciatica/groin pain is still a big problem. At 30 weeks today and scale is up 15 pounds from original weight (up 20 pounds from lowest weight during pregnancy). I have another appointment tomorrow with a sono to check fetal growth. I'm anxious to see Noah again on the sono and am anxious to hear what position he is in. Given how much more comfortable I am than with Zach I'm guessing he is head down and doing well. Still little to zero swelling or water retention so that is great for me. Sleep is more and more of a problem, both waking to use the potty and just getting comfortable in my hips. That will be with me until the end I know.
Rich is on travel again, left last night and gone until Friday. I miss him. Zach behaved well today but it usually hits hard on the second day Rich is gone so we will see. I hope for the best. At least it is within the US so he can call often and talk to Zach. That makes a big difference.
We are week 1 of Amy's Themed Schedule for Sonlight, doing farms. Zach is enjoying the stories and enjoying the extra attention. Having a schedule helps me make sure I am reading to him as much as I want to so I like that. Zach doesn't like switching from book to book so I may adjust the schedule to accommodate that. I think it is more of the spirited child having trouble making transitions. He wants to stick with the book he has and that is okay. We also chose farm books from the library to read. He loved the story by James Herroit last night we read (the title of which I forget and am too lazy to wander upstairs to get it). It was longest but it held his attention. I love James Herroit myself so will watch for an anthology for kids used.
In my own reading, I'm reading "Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery: A Journey of Original Seeking" by David H. Albert. It is very, very good. I am about 1/3 of the way through it. It is obviously written by a well educated and interesting person who loves his children. It is more the unschooling line of though but I enjoy it nonetheless and am getting a lot out of it. The discussion about math and letting the children explore was fabulous. I can hear the author's enthusiam about life and learning and that is a joy to read, a joy and enthusiasm he obviously passed on to his children as well from his description of them. That is what I want for Zach.
I'm also reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. This one is also interesting and one I have wanted to read for a while. I'm about 50 pages into it and will probably read it more than once (not right after each other though). It is due at the library next week so I have to hurry up on this one. It will be worth another read though as I miss some due to interruptions and inability to focus 100% during reading. It definitely requires thought and pondering, more so than Zach allows me a lot of the time.
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