In case any of you are curious...

About the other part of my digi life, here is an interview with one of my designers (and my friend) the fantastic Amy Sumrall!

The Daily Scrapper- Amy Sumrall Interview

First Lap Sit!

We just got home from Kat's first Lap Sit at the library... and she LOVED it- and when I say loved- I mean-
Dancing
Bouncing
Hugging
Kissing
Playing
Singing
Giggling
Grinning
Instrument playing
LOVED it :)

She's definitely a fan of other little kids. She was totally interested in a little girl that was about a month younger than her, but she didn't seem to be as expressive as Kat, so Kat got bored with that real fast and then wanted to play with all the big kids. She was standing up (by herself) and bouncing and clapping to the music- it was so cool. We read 2 stories, played the drums, played a tambourine, sang 3 songs, and she chased the other kids around the playroom in the library.

She even got her own little name tag. (which I wore so she wouldn't eat it)

Miss Lori is so very cool, and Kat just thought she was the cats pajamas- and since we were the new kids Kat got to stand up and wave to everyone (and she thought being the center of attention was just great) I think we might add another day of this to our little schedule when we can. The other moms were so nice, and I had such a good time watching Kat go wild :) My little social butterfly!

Now she's totally crashed in my lap, snoring her little head off. :) I think when she wakes up I'll take her to the playground to swing before we start all that yucky laundry and house cleaning that takes away from our fun :)

Today

Outside my window… listening to my neighbors get silly and liquored up (just like every night lol)

I am thinking… that it feels so amazingly good that no one needs anything from me for just a few minutes. Sometimes I wish I had a few more minutes a day like this.

I am thankful for… so many things! My awesome in-laws and all their myriad ways of being incredibly generous and sweet, Tim for helping out so much around the house and being so understanding when I have a bad day, my beautiful wonderful baby girl, and all the possibility in front of me.

From the kitchen… Steaks and Pierogies

I am wearing… My mommy uniform (yoga pants and a t shirt)

I am reading… Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman- super cool and seriously don't know how I missed reading him all these years!

I am hoping… for a full night of sleep, and that Kat's teeth would come in soon and give her some rest!

I am creating… layouts for new kits from my designers- Faith, Amy, and Pretty Scrappy to be specific

I am praying…for some peace and some stability- someday lol

Around the house… balls, blocks, toys and laundry that needs to be done- tomorrow :)

One of my favorite things…the few beautiful minutes of quiet time that happen on Tuesday night when Kat goes to sleep early, and Tim naps before work. I can have a cup of tea, turn on my girly folk music, and just be in my own skin for an hour or so.

A few plans for the rest of the week… Lap sit and Preschool Storytime tomorrow morning- grocery shopping in the evening, Farmers Market and Lunch with Karen on Thursday- going to movies with Tim that night, and hopefully taking some downtime on Friday.

Vote again!!

Vote for Big Pimpin' again! Please! lol
http://www.digiscrapaddicts.com/battle/designer.html

Here is my contribution this week:

I love where we live :)

I really love the little town we live in...

...just a few days ago I was lamenting that Kindermusik was 140 dollars for 6 months- and knowing how much Kat would love it since she's such a music and dance junkie. I also figured it would be a great way to get her socialized and used to other kids (playing and learning to share etc.) I figured no way we could afford that.

So then 2 days ago we were at our library (which is gorgeous and big and has little reading nooks hidden all over the place- so cool) and saw something called Lap Sit for kids 0-3 years old.

I looked it up online, and it's a *free* program run by our library for kids under 3, they do crafts, sing, play instruments, dance, and do other learning activities and all the kiddos get to meet and play... how awesome is that?? So we're signed up for Wednesday mornings, and if Kat likes it I might sign up for one more day a week.

And this awesome library is like 2 blocks from our house... I really love our little town!!

Our week looks kinda like this now:
Mondays and Tuesdays- Daddy days (Tim is off work, so he spends lots of extra time with monkey and we run errands and such)
Wednesdays- Lap Sit and Preschool Storytime at the Library
Thursdays- Farmers Market and Lunch with our friend Karen
Fridays- Playground day (which is about 3 blocks from our house- love our town LOL)
Saturdays- Girls day out (usually) Kat and I go out and either garage sale with our friends, shop, go see Grandma and Grandpa, or some other out of the house activity)
Sunday- Hang out at the house (this is the day I am supposed to clean, but you should really call it: Build Pillow Forts, Watch Sesame Street, and Cuddle Day)

This is totally interchangeable depending on weather and mood, and we typically hit the playground more often than once a week since Kat is a swing junkie- it's whenever the mood strikes, the weather works, and we can make it down there.

I love that I can walk to at least 2 good playgrounds, there is an awesome playgroup nearby, and we're within walking distance to a fantastic library...

.... aaand this is what happens...

... when you tell Kat 'no'.... pitiful isn't it? Notice there are no tears- she fake cries now for sympathy, and it's really hard not to laugh. Poor little Kat... not able to chew electrical cords because Mommy said no... awww

This is what happens mach 2...

This is what happens when you spend all morning at the playground on your very first playdate with about 15 other kids- some much bigger than you.

We went to our first playdate this morning at the playground at the elementary school- and there were so many kids! All ages, and Kat made a friend... it's a boy... and she kissed him- right on the forehead.

She also kept trying to unbuckle him from his stroller which he thought was hilarious. His name is Max, and he's 2 months older than Kat. My daughter is kissing older boys already... *sigh*

Even though she really couldn't get down and play (it was all tiny gravel and she's refusing to walk LOL) she loved watching all the other kids, dancing on the benches, and meeting all the little ones.

The tiniest Miss Lewis is growing up!

This is what happens...

When you let your 8 month old do her own hair!

Okay- she didn't do it- I did it... but give me a break! It was my first try, and she was NOT happy to have me goofing with her hair- she was wriggling the whole time, and actually bit me.

So this is a pretty darn good do for such an uncooperative kiddo LOL

Pictures!

Wow, okay so a picture journal of our last week or so... be sure to check the last blog too for a video of Kat that I posted like 20 minutes ago, couldn't finish the blog though as I had a sleepy cranky baby- but be sure not to miss Kat riding her new toy all over the yard :)



One of our many Chamomile harvests (with a few pieces of lavender for fun)- the Chamomile is getting GINORMOUS this year, and the minute I harvest a bazillion new buds pop up. They are taking over the garden, but it smells awesome out there! I found a cigarette butt in there from one of our lovely neighbors (grumble) but otherwise it's doing nicely. It's hard to keep the outside nice when you've got people disrespecting your space, it just makes me that much more eager to not be sharing a house! But that won't be changing anytime soon, so I need to smile and get over it! :) <<< See I'm smiling.

Kat yumming down on some Kashi Blueberry Waffles. It's her current favorite breakfast!


She seems to know when she's doing something bad, this was just after she chased poor Luna (who she's giving a nervous condition) over the baby gate into safetly land. I always get this look when she knows she's bad- little goofball!

See all the toys out? Kat's current favorite game is watching me put all her toys away on the shelves you see behind her, then getting everything back out. It looks like our shelves threw up toys all over the living room- but it keeps her happy- so we put her toys away a LOT just so she can get them all back out!

This was a picture snapped from my friend Karen's cell phone. We had a girls day out and went garage saleing and got Kat lots of new fun toys. Kat loves her 'Aunt' Karen and we had so much fun! This picture was snapped having lunch at our favorite coney and relaxing before going out deal hunting again!

She's getting so big I can hardly believe it! I just can't believe I managed to make such a gorgeous kid!!


Going down the big slide with a little help from Daddy!

Swinging on the tire swing :) She was smiling the whole time, but as soon as the delay on the camera went off she stopped everytime I took the picture- so she looks so unhappy LOL

Swinging!! Kat's favorite!
One of my absolute favorite pictures, and I can't even say why. I just think her profile looks so beautiful here!

Happy goofy baby face!!

Love momma!
Swinging!!!!!!!
Love Daddy
Playing on the horsey
Sitting on the bench like a big girl

Playing toss the baby with Grampy!
Watching Sesame Street with her Abby Cadabby Doll
Riding her little car!

Kat riding on her new toy

The polls are open! Go vote!!

The DigiScrapAddicts Battle of the Creative Teams Round 1 Voting is Open!!!

I need ya'll to go to this link and vote for my team (Big Pimpin's) You don't need to register or anything, just go to the link, and vote- it'll take 10 seconds and I'll love ya forever :)

http://www.digiscrapaddicts.com/battle/designer.html

Kat Walked!

Kat just walked :) Seriously!!!

She took 3 steps, realized I wasn't holding her hands- then panicked and sat down and won't do it again- but she totally did it!! She was going after the dog and let go of my hand.

Wow- crawling at 5 months, walking at 8... she's amazing!

Vote for me!!

I scrapbook, yeah- you know it. And a team that I'm on is in a competition over at:
http://digiscrapaddicts.com/

Sooo, my dearest friends and family- scrappers and non scrappers alike- I need you to go register at DSA, and I'll let you know when voting starts so you can vote for my team!! You love me, so you know you want to do it!

It's a pretty big deal in our world, kinda like American Idol- just less cheesy- and getting picked to a team like mine is a huge honor!

The Battle Begins tomorrow!!!!

Yours truly is on Amy Sumrall's Big Pimpin' Team!

For those of you who don't know quite how this works- here is the rundown-
Each Wednesday the DSA folks will issue a challenge- Team Members (there are 5 of us) have until Sunday of that week to upload a LO using only stuff from their designer.

Then- people vote on their favorites! It's a cumulative thing, so the team with the most votes at the end of the competition wins!

We're up against some fierce competition and some crazy talented scrappers, but we have an edge...

What is it you say???

We're awesome...

Oh yeah, you heard me!

Plus we're using stuff from the Fantastic and Oh So Original Amy Sumrall...

Even though we rock, we'll still need folks to come out to DSA and comment on our LO's and most importantly ----->>> Vote for us!!

I will post a blog letting ya'll know when it's time to come vote for us (after all, who else would you vote for?)

Also come on down to DSA and enjoy the festivities, and I even have a present for you to rock on your siggy line (or your blog, or anywhere for that matter!)


made by me :)

So if you aren't registered over at DSA, do so... rock the fan blinkie, and enjoy the fun!

Oh, and vote for us...

Amy's Big Pimpin'

Just in case I hadn't added that enough!!!!

A Poem from my friend Sandi...

This about sums it up- except this isn't my fifth child (thank goodness!):

Song for a Fifth Child

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Logo :)

Guess knowing my way around graphic design is coming in handy now!

Not about Kat

ZOMGWTFBBQ?

Yeah, here's a blog that isn't about WeeKat... just giving an update on something rather important to me.

Tim and I have been toying with the idea of me re-opening my soap business, and by toying with I mean that he's been pushing and begging, and I've been pondering and stalling.

So instead of re-opening, I'm re-inventing. Before I catered to a specialized group of folks, mostly pagan and pagan lite folks who came to all the festivals I hit up back home. I made a modest profit and generated a decent fan base (some of whom I hear are still asking for my stuff years later from vendors who know me, but I digress)

Unfortunately upon moving to Michigan, I realized there's a huge lack of the kind of festivals that I would normally use to peddle my wares- add to that my dream of a workshop falling through (the building we were going to use apparently has ginormous holes in the ceiling and may be falling down)- and then WeeKat happened and I had no time, nor the inclination to be messing with Lye and smelly chemicals with a baby around.

So move to present day- I've definitely been missing and moving towards soap making again. Today I went to the Farmer's Market with my friend Karen and her boys- a very cool hippie farmers market, with an art gallery upstairs and lots of people picnicking outside- tres cool... and I'm totally imagining my booth there and KNOWING how well my stuff would do... and made my decision and thought up a name all in the same minute...

Paper Moon Soaperie

It just clicked baby--- and I should be in bed right now, but my mind just keeps thinking up new fragrance blends with fun names... I'll be working with the general public this time. My stuff will definitely have my personality flavoring it (as I've explained to folks before, soap IS my art- and it tends to reflect me) so it'll be a little irreverent and sassy, but fun and definitely muggle friendly. I am toying with doing a line of ritual cleansing soaps and peddling them specifically to local pagan shops, but they wouldn't be in my main line of stuff generally.

Tentatively (and I do mean tentatively considering that I have a toddler, and other life changes that could put my whole scheme on hiatus again) we're thinking about getting the business up and on Etsy by the holiday season- and likely signing up for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at the Farmers Market next Summer. I think I could carve out enough days with Kat out of the house to make enough soap to have a small stash ready by the Holidays and then more by next summer. There is some equipment I need to replace (stuff that I couldn't bring, or that got damaged in my bazillion moves) so that'll take time and a little money... but I think I'll be back to making soap within a month or two.

So that's my update... for those of you who are former soap groupies, I will be keeping some select older scents and renaming them, so if you have any requests- now is the time to let me know!

Playing Outside

Sometimes I still can't believe how beautiful this little girl is! I'm so in love :) so I'm a little biased, but she takes my breath away everytime she giggles or grins at me :)

Darn Toy Makers....

Sesame Street makes a show that is attractive to kids under 3... right?

So why don't toy makers make any Sesame Street dolls appropriate for kids under 3? Kat is seriously dancing to Abby Cadabby behind me right now- and when we were out today getting her a toy for being a generally awesome kid, I found an Abby Cadabby doll, but it was only okay for kids 3 and older. Darn!!!! So seriously, if any of you run across an Abby Cadabby doll that is Under 3 friendly, please let me know!! Kat loved the doll, and was seriously upset when I had to put it away and get her another toy. By the way, this is Abby Cadabby:

I thought it was so funny when Kat was dancing everytime Abby sang, and realized I didn't know who the heck she was! I guess some new Muppets moved in since the last time I visited Sesame Street. So here's some information on Kat's newest favorite Muppet:

Abby Cadabby is a 3-year-old fairy-in-training and is a new character for Season 37 of the children's television show Sesame Street. She is performed by Leslie Carrara and was designed by Ed Christie and built by Rollie Krewson. She is the first new female muppet on Sesame Street in 13 years and is a playmate of Elmo, Zoe, Baby Bear and the gang. Being the new girl on the block, she is meant to bring a further opportunity to share lessons on the differences of people from different backgrounds.

Fun Facts About Abby Cadabby
Description : Fairy-in-training
Birthday : October 21
Fur Color : Pink
Likes : Practicing her magic, rhyming, learning to count, drawing letters with a crayon
Dislikes : she accidentally turns things into pumpkins with her training wand
Favorite Phrase : “That’s so magic!”
Favorite Song : Itsy Bitsy Spider
Favorite Item : Her pet frog Prince

So there you go, that's Abby Cadabby :) If you see a toddler friendly version of the doll or puppet please send me an e mail!!!!

8 Months Old!!!

Kat is officially 8 months old today... this is a picture of her this morning, still in her jammies watching Sesame Street. She started off sitting on the floor with her breakfast juice watching it, then decided she wanted to be IN Sesame Street. Of all the kids shows she's been exposed to, she seems to like Sesame Street the best. I can't say I'm disappointed, especially after seeing some of the kids shows out there now LOL She doesn't watch a whole episode through (simply because she has never really been sat in front of a TV to be entertained) but she sits and watches it for about 10 minutes, then wanders away to play with her toys and sorta keeps an eye on the TV, occasionally laughing at Grover or Elmo as she goes about her baby business.

So 8 Months old! wow! Where is Kat at 8 Months Old?

Favorite Food? Anything resembling table food! Small pieces of green beans, watermelon, steamed carrot- you name it. If it looks like what you're eating, she loves it!

Favorite Book? Horton Hears a Who (still a junkie for Dr Seuss books, but she loves when you read ANYTHING to her)

Favorite Activity? Horseplaying with Mom and Dad- she loves wrestling and tickles, anything physical.

Favorite Toy? It's a toss up between her Leapfrog Activity Table (active play) and her lovely bald doll baby that Aunt Dove made her (for quiet play)

Pet Peeves:
Mommy doing anything where she can't see me
Mommy and Daddy eating anything they won't share
Diaper Changes
The noise of someone shaking out a garbage bag (she cries everytime, it scares her, we still have no clue why)
The dog and cat running away from her

Soooo... June was rough with her, but I have to say honestly that the last week or so has been GREAT! Does she still tantrum? Sometimes... but not nearly as often, or nearly as long. It almost seems like once the calendar turned to July she was a different kid. So weird!

She's still breastfed, looks like we'll make at least the year mark with that. We plan to wean around 1 year, but honestly she's so stubborn we may run over that mark a tad, I'm going to play it by ear and see how it shakes out.

She is sleeping on her own in her crib and in her own room at night, though she hasn't slept through the night consistantly since she was about 5 months old. Every great once in awhile she will, but she usually wakes up at least twice a night an then once the sun is up she wants me to come in and curl up in the chair with her and nap for another hour or so. I admit I miss having her sleep with me a lot, so that makes me happy too. She's sweet to wake up to!

Her normal day at 8 months looks about like this:
6am Wake up- curl up with Mommy in the chair and nap
7:30am Up for the Day
8am Breakfast with Mommy (typically Cheerios, a Stage 2 Fruit cup or small pieces of fruit, and a cup of Apple Juice)
8:30am-10am Watch Sesame Street, play with her toys on the floor, sometimes cranky but usually pretty tickled to play independently.
10am Nurse and Morning Nap
11:30am (ish) Wake up, and do some activity with Mommy (go to the playground, swim in her pool, horseplay on the floor, read a book etc.)
1pm- Lunch with Mommy (Usually a small container of fruit, and a large container of Veggies, Cheerios, and Apple Juice)
2pm- Nurse and Afternoon Nap
3:30pm- Awake and playing (either with Mommy or independently)
5pm- Wake up Daddy
6pm- Dinner with Mommy and Daddy (either a repeat of lunch, or small bits of whatever we are having if appropriate- last night she had cut up green beans and pieces of cut up seedless watermelon)
7pm- Play with Daddy and/or Mommy
9:00pm Bedtime Routine starts
9:45ish- Usually asleep

So Happy 8 Months Kat!
We are going out today to try to find dark curtains or shades for her room, and probably a toy for her since she's such a great kiddo!

Swimming Pools and Movie Stars

We finally blew up the baby pool that Grandma got Kat. She loved it!!! She played in the water for about an hour, and now she's taking a nap... she's had a busy day!

ZOMG another blog about Kat LOL

Today's pictures are courtesy of Grandpa :) I tried taking pictures yesterday during our 4 of July party, but none of them turned out :o/

Things are getting better here! Fewer tantrums by far, and she's sleeping in her crib without a fight. She does wake up more often at night, but she has no problem going back to sleep in the crib after a visit from Momma. It's definitely getting easier! Phew! Well on certain levels anyway...

Not as many tantrums or upset, which is the BEST, but she's getting waaay more active! She's such a physical and curious kid that she's attempting to climb everything she can find. As of me typing this she's on the shelf under my desk pulling out my file box. She wants to play 'slide' (sliding down my legs like a playground slide) and 'Pineapple Upside Down Baby' (me dangling her by her legs and swinging her gently and letting her down on the floor)... so she's pretty constantly asking to get up (she sits at my feet and puts both arms up in the air and grunts at me) so that I can be a playground :) I'll take more physically demanding any day of the week!

She's constantly in motion unless she's sleeping, either climbing, exploring, or dancing. I need to get video of the dancing soon, she nods her head and shakes the tiny diaper butt- it's hilarious! Unfortunately as soon as she sees a camera she stops what she's doing and comes to get the camera, so Tim and I will have to distract her!

That's all for now- we're taking a walk to the playground to swing...