A Haven in the City

I grew up in the sticks, and I was very happy there. Now I live in the city, a fact that I haven’t yet come to complete terms with.

It seems the longer I live on this busy street with the grocery store a mere 500 feet away, the harder my spirit is retaliating and yearning for country life, animals and simplicity around me. I have this romantic idea of becoming an urban homesteader, with a garden that shames the best produce departments and chickens that lay sunny yolked eggs for only my family. My thumbs itch, they want to be green SO badly.

Last year’s attempt at a garden wound up dying of dehydration and failure to plant. I hung my head in shame. But did I learn? Nope. I’m back at it again this year.

However this year I’m making more progress than last. The big difference is that I’m spending at least an hour outside with Natalie each day and she adores nature. She is enthralled by plants and flowers and bugs and dirt. So my plants are in containers and are getting a nice daily watering.

Here’s what we have going on so far:

Strawberries – I’m very excited about these. They are my second plants, as the first two got too dried out and didn’t recover from transplanting. But these second ones are already berrying up! 

Blueberries – The bush is in a large container for the moment. Once the yard is more settled, I’ll find a place to properly plant it to let it flourish. But it’s already flowering!

Spinach and Cauliflower – The cauliflower was an accident, I meant to grab broccoli, but the canisters were all mixed up at the store.

Sweet Mint and Dill -

Tomatoes -

Pepper and Cabbage – The cabbage was an accident, I meant to grab lettuce, but again, I blame the messy shelf labeling over my inability to  double check what I’d pulled.

Red Lettuce -

And what I’m most excited about, the Sunflower House! I’ve planted 2 varieties, one will grow about 4 feet in height, the others 12 feet!!! So *green thumbs crossed* we get some mammoth flowers. The robins will love the feast the heads will provide. However, I realized after the fact that this would become a mowing nightmare for Sean, so I’m kicking around some ideas on how to remedy this. My leading thought is to make the inner circle a sand pit for the kids to dig in. Any other suggestions?

Natalie and the other day care kids adore being outside, and it’s my favorite time of the day as well. So I want to really make our yard a magical and enjoyable place for both  kids and adults. I have many other ideas swimming about in my brain, and I’ll do my best to keep up with updates on how things are changing!

Fifteen Months

You keep us going these days, Natalie. Fifteen months old and you grow by the minute.

The biggest news is, you are walking now! A week or two ago you really became a walker, as opposed to a crawler who occasionally walks. You always look pleased as punch when you’re toddling about, elbows bent and hands raised, ready to wave at passersby or catch yourself when you stumble.

You are a ham and cheese sandwich these days. You’ve learned which things are silly and funny, and you’ll do them just to get a laugh out of us. Whether it’s pinching and holding the spoon between your teeth, or dropping things and uttering the cutest little “Uh Oh!”, you know what gets us to smile.

As with all toddlers who are independently mobile, you get into EVERYTHING! As I type this, you are pulling bowls out of the cabinet in the kitchen. We’re trying to teach you what is ok to touch and what are “don’t touch” items. We’ve got a pretty long road ahead of us on that one.

You are smart as a whip. You have figured out the home button on our iPhones, and you’ve nearly uploaded photos (that you’ve taken) onto flickr! You’ve also mastered the signs to “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”, and you ask for them frequently.

Writing is your favorite thing to do. We’ll give you a pen or pencil and a piece of paper and you will scribble away. You’ve spent an entire church service writing on papers. Occasionally you’ll pause, hold out the page and study it with furrowed brow, as if to see what it’s missing.

You are becoming much more communicative. We’ve been trying to allow you to make your own choices on some things, because you do have your opinions! From what to wear that day, to whether you watch Curious George, Busytown, or Babar during special TV time, to what you eat for snack, you’re not shy to tell us what you do and don’t want.

We’ve also started introducing manners. First are “Please” and “Thank You”. You are very good at signing or saying them when prompted, but what has impressed me is how often you say them unprompted. You may turn into a little lady yet!

That being said, we’ve also entered Tantrum Territory. Like I mentioned before, you know what you want, and you don’t like hearing the word “no”.

We’re starting to see your imagination at work when you play. You like to tuck in your dollies, feed your fish stick to your chipmunk stuffy, and you LOVE to pretend to talk on the phone. Funny thing is, when we actually call someone, you clam up!

Little things give me glimpses of the little girl you’re turning into. I’ll catch you flipping through a book while sprawled on your tummy on the floor. You’ll ask to put on a vest after several attempts to put in on by yourself. You’ll pick up a bag and carry it about as if it were a purse.

One of my favorite things about you so far is your love for the cats. You love to toddle after them, pet them, and give them hugs and kisses. And I very rarely have to correct you on grabbing their fur.

Your love for hugs and kisses aren’t reserved to the kitties. Lately you’ve been snuggling up as I sing you to sleep, and I wish I could stay there all night, just like that. You’re no longer a baby, something I thought I’d mourn, but I’m enjoying watching you blossom.

Office Overhaul: Phase One

 

I give you fair warning folks, it’s about to get ugly up in here. This is keeping it real. There is a room in our house that I had the highest hopes for, but I currently HATE. Loathe. Despise. It’s also the room that’s supposed to house what I love to do most (outside of playing and caring for the Princess).

Prepare yourselves, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is our office/craft room.

We have tried a million times to wrangle this mess, and it gets the best of us every time. So here’s hoping the million and oneth time is the charm.

Sean and I were insane and went to IKEA yesterday, aka President’s Day on a school vacation week. We spent about $170 and came home with a 4×2 Expedit bookcase, a Billy bookcase, a Vika desktop and a couple legs, and a handful of other non-office related items.

I cleared out the room last night and gave the wood floors a good clean, so it was ready for construction.

Enter my sister, who came into town for the day and was swiftly enlisted into the crafty chicks club.

Cue the cheesy “look what we did” photos that I texted to Sean.

 

This is almost the final configuration (if you can see it under that mess…oh dear). The bookcases provide oodles of storage, and the tops will act as a cutting/pinning/pressing table.

The wooden bookcase with the swords on top will be moved out and the desktop will go there. That’s where my sewing machine will live. My poor Mac is feeling claustrophobic.

 

A view of Sean’s corner and the Billy, which will house all of our books.

 

 

Sitting at my Mac, there’s plenty of space to work around the cutting table.

This little space in front of the closet I imagine will house a little table and play space for Natalie while we’re working.

 

More progress will happen when Sean gets home this evening, so hopefully we’ll be in awesome shape soon!

Advent Calendar Day 1: Meet Santa

It’s our first Christmas season as a family, and while Natalie isn’t quite old enough to participate or remember some of the typical holiday traditions like baking cookies, looking at lights, or decorating the Christmas tree, I’m using this year as practice and training for the years she will remember and cherish. The added bonus of seeing her eyes light up is amazing as well.

I’m trying to do one holiday activity per day, and vary the bigger and smaller things. Some days, like today, will be larger things, like Meeting Santa. Others may just include watching a movie or reading a story. They will include a mix of religious and secular activities, since I want Natalie to understand and appreciate the true reason for the season. I’ll do my best to update with some of the bigger experiences and activities, and share our triumphs and stumbles.

One big way to kick off the Christmas season is with a visit to Santa! Our local library (where Natalie and I go for Tuesday morning story time) brought him in to visit today and Natalie was dressed in her very finest. She even left in the bow that I put in her hair. Now, Natalie is a very happy and social baby, but you never can tell how they’ll react to a stranger in a big red suit and hat with a fluffy white beard.

 

I think she made the nice list!

Eleven Months

Oh my sweet sweet girl. I’m planning your one year birthday party…how did that happen? You are getting more and more beautiful as the days pass, and Daddy and I can’t believe how quickly you’re changing before our very eyes. We’ve been looking back at all the pictures we’ve taken in the past year and watch your chubby round face and limbs lengthen and develop. You’re less and less a baby and more and more a toddler.

No walking yet, but you have been standing on your own for half a minute at a time. Well, we have to wrestle our hands away from yours, you haven’t been to keen to try it on your own. But when you do stand, you are surprisingly steady on those little feet (which have a very hard time fitting in shoes with how high your arches are)!

You’re still obsessed with technology, and nothing beats the cheese face you make when you get a hold of Mommy or Daddy’s cell phone. Then you tilt your head up at us with that same cheese face to say ‘Thank You’.

You’ve started signing! First it was “Cat”…now everything you see is a cat. You’ve also signed ‘pet/gentle’, ‘more’ and ‘all done’. You’re pointing at everything, wanting to know and see everything.

 You love music, you love to dance along, and you’ll even sing. At story time you are always so enthralled during the songs. You also love the doll that they bring around to high five. You also loved Samantha when Daddy handed her to you during your invitation shoot. While you’re not quite old enough for Samantha, I think it is about time you got your own dolly. Good thing your birthday and Christmas are coming up!

I’m trying to start the weaning process, but you’ve been fighting it tooth and nail. Mommy is the trump card these days, and you want nothing to do with toys or other people when I’m around. You’ll even put your arms out to person after person until you’re passed back to me. Sneaky little monkey. But it does make things tough when I’m trying to get things done and you stand at the gate and cry for me. But you love your Daddy so much as well. When he comes home, you wave and say “Hi Da!” It makes him smile so big!!!

You’re just waking up from your nap, so I’ll close this. I can’t believe the next update I write will be when you turn a year old! I love you!!!

Ten Months

Oh my beautiful girl. I don’t know how, but we’re already at ten months together as a family. And each day is interesting.

You’ve sprouted eight teeth, and we have a feeling your one-year molars may make an early appearance. But it makes meal time fun! You’re already eating table food (in a sauceless, saltless form) and you are most definitely a carnivore. You love chicken and pork, and you enjoy broccoli, sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots. Thanks to you, I’m making healthier meals.

 

While you tend to jump from toy to toy with little interest, you are fascinated by books. You’ll sit in my lap and make me read Are You My Mother? or Is Your Mama a Llama? or your alphabet book over and over and over.

 

You are into EVERYTHING! While you don’t make many attempts at walking (you will take steps with us holding your hands), you are constantly pulling yourself up, opening cabinets and doors, pulling clothes out of drawers, and dashing about on all fours. Typically you want to get at or into the stuff you shouldn’t have. We’ve been going to play groups, and I’ve got the downstairs set up for my daycare licensing visit, and you love being able to go nuts in those spaces.

 

You are definitely pushing your boundaries. You’ll pitch little fits if we take the remote or phone out of your hands, and the biting is back. But unlike last time when you’d fuss when I’d sit you down and tell you “No Biting”, you now give me a sly smile, shake your head and dive right back in. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with you. We’ve also entered a clingy phase. You want nothing to do with playing unless you’re in mama’s lap, and while you’re still very social, you’ll lunge from person to person until you’re back in my arms. Tricky little bugger. This photo session was particularly difficult since you’d fuss and crawl into my lap every time I tried sitting you down.

 

You’ve been fighting a cold for the past month or so, ever since the season’s changed. Runny nose, congestion, cough, it hasn’t been pretty. We’ve been doing our best to run the humidifier and air purifier at nights to try and help. But, knock on wood, no ear infections or medications needed yet.

You are getting such a personality, I love it. Words I’d currently use to describe you are: spunky, mischievous, dramatic, inquisitive and loveable. You love animals, and strangely enough, you are drawn to chickens! You’ve been to a petting zoo a couple of times, and the chickens and turkeys always get you the most excited.

You’ve got my nose crinkle, and when you smile, your whole face absolutely lights up. Particularly when Daddy or I walk into a room. We’ve had to have family watch you a lot lately since Daddy had to step into a role in my play, and I feel so guilty. But it heals my heart a little when I see you beam at me as soon as I walk in the door.

  

New things we’ve learned: kisses, clapping, ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’ (properly), how to pet the kitties gently, dancing (you do the cutest little bob up and down), and peek a boo.

 

You love to point to things so that we tell you what they are, or take you over to them.

Apparently technology is for the young. You are drawn to our cell phones, and constantly hang up when we’re talking to Daddy on speakerphone. Grandpa showed us an iPhone app that you absolutely adore. Chippy the Chipmunk will react or sing or even toot depending on where you press. He was the first one you made ‘kisses’ at.

It’s hard to believe you’re getting so big by the day. I see less and less baby in you and more toddler. Slow down sweetie! We’ll be celebrating an entire year pretty soon.

 

Leaving on a Jetplane

Another first is coming up for Natalie. On Saturday, she will be taking her first plane ride.

This is my beautiful friend, Diana.

We met during our sophomore year of college and before the year was out I was engaged to Sean and she agreed to be one of my bridesmaids. I guess that’s what happens when you bond over Gilmore Girls and Ben and Jerry’s every Tuesday night. I don’t remember how exactly it started, but we call each other double mint twins.

We must have been prophetic, because Ms. D and her husband are expecting twins! Twin boys to be more specific. So Natalie and I fly out bright and early Saturday to go to her baby shower. It’s strange to think that my own shower was almost a year ago. I’m staring at the little person sitting on the floor next to me, babbling merrily into a yellow triangular block and it makes me so excited for Diana that she’ll have double the pleasure and double the fun very very soon.

But in order to get to my double mint twin’s home in Maryland, Natalie and I must make it through a plane ride. I’m probably way over thinking and over planning, but the way I see it, I’d rather not need what I’ve planned than be caught off guard. Luckily, the flight will only be about an hour and a half.

We will be travelling Jet Blue, an airline I have zero experience with, but have heard good things about, especially when it comes to family travel. The price was right, and their website was very parent friendly. They have a page devoted to travel with kids.

As a lap infant, Natalie is allowed a diaper bag, a car seat, and a stroller. However, since I am travelling alone with her, I will be applying a “less is more” approach. I’ve also purchased the Even More Space option which gives us a seat right in the front with more leg space (read, Natalie can stand to get out some fidgets), and allows for early boarding (earlier than the typical family boarding) so I’m settled with her rather than jostling with the rest of those on board.

My Game Plan:

• Pack Natalie and my clothes along with the twins’ gifts into a carry-on roller bag
• Pack diapers, snacks, and toys into Natalie’s diaper bag
• Check Natalie’s car seat (courtesy for a lap infant) and pack and play (my free checked bag allowance)
• Use the Moby wrap to wear Natalie – I don’t know if they’ll make me unwrap through security, but I’ll find out I guess (anyone have experience with this at Logan?)
• Nurse or sippy cup through take off and landing

I’ll follow up after our trip with what worked, what didn’t, and what I’ll do differently next time. In the meantime, have you flown with an infant before? Do you have any tips or tricks?

#15 Water Bug | Summer Bucket List 2012

Natalie’s first time swimming wasn’t on my initial bucket list since I haven’t owned a bathing suit since my honeymoon 5 years ago. But with the oppressive heat we’ve had lately, an opportunity arose to swim in a friend’s pool, and my sentimental voice piped up saying “Awww, Natalie’s first time swiiiiiimmmminng!”

So we made a Target stop to get Sean and me some new bathing suits and off we went.

Now, Natalie’s fairly fearless but I didn’t know how she’d react to less than bath temp water.

Turns out I had nothing to worry about.

Watch for her in the 2032 Olympics.

Once she’s built up some stamina

#4 Take Natalie to a Lighthouse | The Gardell Summer Bucket List 2012

While in Maine last month, my mom and I took advantage of a sunny afternoon and took Natalie and Grandma to Marshall Point Lighthouse for a picnic.

This was Natalie’s reaction to the lighthouse.

She thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing sea breeze and the chance to dip her toes into a tide pool.

And if you’re thinking, “I’ve seen this ramp and light somewhere before,” it’s because it was featured in Forest Gump.

Seven Months

You are growing by leaps and bounds these days.

You’ve become so interactive, and I love your personality. You’re such a happy girl, though the sweetness is currently replaced by a chew-crazy monster. EVERYTHING goes in your mouth, including mama…we’re trying to teach you that people aren’t for chewing. Nobody likes a biter.

You’ve been having a great time at Grammy’s day care, playing with all your friends. When I drop you off you’re ready to have fun, but you always greet me with the biggest smile at the end of the day. Thank you for making me feel so special.

Your new favorite thing to do is pull yourself up to standing. Sitting isn’t enough for you anymore. We’ll be playing on the floor, and you’ll reach for my hands (which, of course, I’ll give you) and up you go!

But pulling yourself up means you’ve had your share of tumbles too, something I’m learning just comes with the territory.

You are into everything you can get your hands on. You aren’t crawling yet, but you’ll get up on all fours and reach as far as possible with your tiny fingers.

I love to listen to you babble. You’ll test out your whole range, from sweet little “singing” to all out shrieks.

And you’re always so proud of yourself.

Eating is progressing as well. We’ve started giving you puffs that will dissolve in your mouth and you love them! At first you’d get pieces stuck in that awkward spot where you couldn’t swallow it, but it wouldn’t come back forward, but now you are chewing like a pro.

You are such a blessing my darling girl, and your dad and I are so happy to be your parents. It’s hard to think that a year ago you were a bloated belly and still “the peanut”. Our lives have changed so much.