Master Bedroom Update

I finally got around to changing the artwork above our bed. It used to be an outdoor painting. Maybe an eagle or some trees or a lighthouse. I can't recall and I have no idea where I stashed it after I pulled it off the wall. Either way, it has a new home. I don't like the idea of haging a portrait above the bed at all. I can't explain it but to have a photo of us on our wedding day or of our family staring down on me in bed while I sleep (or do other things) just weirds me out. I'm abnormal. I've learned to deal with it.

So, I came up with several ideas of things I would like up there and it ended like this:

The best part (and also the reason it took me so long) is that I made three of those elements all by myself! The middle piece is actually the second reading from our wedding :) A perfect reminder of what we wanted from each other and for each other right from the beginning. I used printable Inkjet Iron-on transfers and a simple painters canvas. If you stand at a certain angle you can tell it is ironed on and I don't really like that but I am happy with it. For now. I will probably redo the whole thing somehow, someday.

The only thing I didn't make was that picture of a rose. I got that for 60% off at JoAnn's and the only reason I bought it was because I thought I could turn it into something else! I could only come up with three ideas of things and I really wanted a fourth and I put it up there to save me from losing my mind...

Now you see them, now you don't...

This morning I pulled the ultimate "bad mommy"...I turned on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in hopes it would distract Caroline and hold her attention for a while so I could get something done. It didn't work. While she loves Mickey, she would much rather be involved in an adventure and getting into mischief :)

I usually hang all of her clean laundry on hangers while in the living room with her and then go back and forth to her room to put it away or get more hangers or something. My hypothesis today was maybe it would save me some energy and time if I just did it all right in her room where everything belongs and where the hangers were.

Hypothesis failed.

She followed me in there and while I reorganized her closet and drawers and pulled all of her 12 month stragglers out of the closet she found other things to do. I was keeping an eye on her and trying to find specific things to keep her occupied so she wouldn't pull apart her drawers or the shelves in the closet or her basket of shoes or to try for the millionth time to climb on the gliding ottoman. That last one makes mommy's heart skip a few beats every single time.

About 15 minutes into this "quick" task she started to scream and pitch a fit. She was over by the diaper champ and was trying to turn the handle. Ok, she has figured out what it does. For anyone who may not know a diaper champ is where we keep the yucky diapers. It has a spot where to toss the diaper and then you pull the handle forward and then back again and the diaper drops into the pail with little fuss or muss. The handle had become stuck on C and she did not like it. I went over to investigate and unstick the faulty handle.

Thank Goodness I opened it...

While I was hanging things in her closet she had taken socks out of her drawer (it's right next to the diaper champ so that was a plus for her) and put them in the diaper hole of the champ and then turned the handle to make them disappear!! Just like Magic, mommy!! That cookie monster slipper that she found was the handle jamming culprit. He had gotten stuck as the pail was too full of socks, tights and dirty diapers. Yes, I am re-washing a bunch of stuff this morning :(

At least I got a good laugh out of it. As I began pulling out footwear I found that it might not have been the first thing she tried....

If you can see him, that is her reindeer weeble. Weebles may wobble but this one definitely did fall down the diaper chute :) And, yes that is her hand...she thought she would help me get everything out.

At least she is learning new things, right?

Not your mother's bra

Earlier this week I put on a bra for the first time in about a year and a half.

Yes, that's right for the FIRST time. It was a REAL bra. Not a maternity bra or nursing bra or the sports/sleep bra I wore to bed for months.

Nope, it was a CUTE bra. It was black with this really artsy white flowers all over it. It has a little scallop edging to it. It doesn't have clips or hooks or anything to open up the front. It didn't cost me an arm and a leg either.

If you haven't put two and two together yet, the real point to this post is that after one year and two days Caroline has given up the 'momma juice'. She is a very happy, healthy, WEANED one year old.

I made it through ONE WHOLE YEAR. After the rough start we had when she first came home from the hospital I can't believe we made it. I can't believe I made it. I am so proud of myself and that doesn't happen often.

It all ended on a beautiful note. Two weeks before her birthday I started taking Caroline down to two feedings a day with about 13 hours between them. Then the following week I went down to one feeding at 5 or 6 in the morning; whenever she woke up. It was tough...tougher than tough. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to take it down to nothing. She was so fussy and cranky and angry through most of the process. But, at about 4 am two days after her birthday it all came to a wonderful end. It was about 13 hours after her party had ended when she woke up very upset in the middle of the night. We tried everything to get her to stop crying and just relax and go to sleep. Finally, with nothing else to try and both of us dead on our feet we did the unthinkable (to us) and brought her in our bed to lay with us. I ended up cuddling her close to me and she nursed and feel asleep. (we put her back in her crib after that) I didn't realize it until later but I had fed her for the last time since I said come Monday there would be no more feedings.

She was a champ. She never cried for it. She never got cranky for it. She was unbelievable.
So happy with her sippy cup of water or milk. What a big girl.

I do miss it but I know it would only be for my benefit at this point. She eats anything and everything we give her now. I love that we got that time together. I am so so thankful that it worked out for us. I can't imagine doing things different.

But, I do enjoy eating spicy food and having a glass of wine again too :) I am not one to toot my own horn but in this case I might....

Go me- you did it when you thought you would have to give up. You made it when you thought you wouldn't.

GO ME.

Life as a one year old...too funny not to share!

On C's first day of being one she decided to celebrate her 365th day the same way she did on her first day....

In her birthday suit! I sometimes let her roam about in just her diaper before I put clothes on her and I had done so that morning. While I went to take cupcakes out of the oven and put the next batch in she did this. I came into the living room to a funny surprise and quickly remedied the situation...she's my funny girl :)