Ummmm....It's Been Too Long!

Wow, over two months since I've last posted.  What can I say? Babies take up a lot of time and time just zooms by when you're a zombie!! Or what I like to say "Mombie"! Nathanael is now 5 1/2 months and we are in the thick of sleep training both for nighttime and naptimes.  I've had to try a number of different methods and try to steer away from rocking him to sleep as it's no longer effective. This lil' guy has had a number of issues that have interfered with him learning to self-soothe: mainly me, construction that had been going on for 3 months beside us, colic, GERD and well just being a baby.  So I've been attempting the pick up/put down method and going in every 3-5 minutes until he falls asleep on his and today for his morning nap...wait for it...I only went in once!! NO BATTLE TO SLEEP FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. SSH.....maybe I shouldn't have shouted that and jinxed myself.  Well, it's one small feat for a mamma who is at her tethered end.  I want to be able to craft again!! Speaking of crafts, I am almost finished the granny stripe, only 4 more stripes then the border! I finished the PS santa and put in some stitches in Sarah Chapple but that's about it.  Nothing else has been going on.  I feel bad that I have neglected this space and all of my stitchy friends.  Did you know it was my 5th blogoversary on September12th?? I missed that too! If I had more than a 1/2 hour stretch at a time to do things I would have planned something as I want to get rid of lots of charts and things.  Well maybe in the new year when he's a bit older.  

Would you like to see some stitching and baby photos? Well here's a few! Be prepared for an onslaught of photos!

First the stitching and crocheting:

Sarah Chapple's border meets which is always exciting for us stitchers!!
 

Sarah Chapple: the border meets!!!

Added a few stitches into Sarah Emery

 
 An autumn stitch which is sort of Halloweeny but since I like crows and don't celebrate Halloween, I consider this more of an autumn stitch

 Helped my mom start Autumn Fraktur by PPS

 Kinda jealous that I'm not stitching this...but perhaps I will be as she hasn't really stitched it since!

A finish...finally! I love this PS Santa!

Now onto crocheting.  I finished Nathanael's Granny bunting which looks great above his crib.  He enjoys looking at it too!

More Granny stripes have been put in since this photo was taken so no need for an updated one.

Now onto some Autumn and baby photos.  We had a deliciously warm October so lots of walks around my neighbourhood.  However, November has been cold and rainy so not as many walks as we'd like.

Shades of Red

A gorgeous churchin my neighbourhood with a brilliant sunset sun shining through the trees

Baby photos....

Ground control to major Tom...hehehe

Having a laugh with Great Nana

Well that's all my dears.  I hope you enjoyed the update.  If you want to follow me on Instagram my username is @annithadoll.  Much easier for me to post onto Instagram than find some time to do a blog post, although I do miss it! 

Hugs to you all and from Titus too!!

August End and September

Hello everyone!

It's been too long since my last blog post.  Many times I meant to do a write up but as many of you know, having a baby is a full time, round the clock job.  So many thing fall to the wayside.  I try to do at least one activity a day, whether it be a walk, a visit with a friend or an adventure.  Some days we stay in and just nurse to get my supply up.  Breastfeeding is a joy but also a lot of work! My little guy had a couple of weeks of not feeding very well so in order to increase my supply, I had to pump 6 times a day! That takes a lot out of a person.  But now we are on track and he's gaining weight nicely.  He's more of a lean and tall kind of baby, like his father.  He's already fitting into 6 month sleepers! I sometimes wish I could slow down time a bit though.  He's growing too fast! It's been a joy to observe his little personality come out.  He's already quite musical and likes to hum to me playing the piano.  I've also noticed he's very sensitive.  The other day I played some baroque music, a bit on the sad side, and his mouth turned down and tears started to flow! Oh my boy how he feels the music! When he hears other children crying, he cries too!  Crazy how emotion affects children! Anywho, I hope I don't bore too many people with endless baby photos.  I do have a few crafty photos to show though.  I am trying to finish my granny stripe blanket.  Only 13 more rows to do then I can start the border.  I also bought a pile of Prairie schooler charts as I know they are retiring this year and one can never have too many charts.  Right?!!! With an abrupt, horribly blustery, wind damaging end of summer this week, I pulled out my fall ornaments to say goodbye to a beautiful summer.

I am halfway done on my Prairie Schooler Santa.   I find the evenings are the best when he goes down for his first sleep which is usually anywhere between 2-3 hours.

Prairie Schooler Charts!! YAY!
 

Granny stripe progress!

Added 4 more rows since the photo above

I also received some amazing baby gifts as of late.  The lovely Noni from Fireflies and Cats in the Garden sent the most adorable Australian themed gifts.  She cross stitched the most adorable Koala with Eucalyptus flower as a hat for Nathanael.  Once we get a decent bookcase to shelve his growing collection of books, I'm going to put the frame above the bookcase.  I adore the koala slippers she sent too!!

I met up with Melissa from Words and Blooms and she made Nathanael three adorable pairs of cotton pants! He looks very handsome in all three of his pants.  Melissa has become quite the seamstress and she serged the pants impeccably!

Such sweet fabrics.

Okay, now onto a barrage of baby photos.  

Grandpa and Nathanael chatting

Titus and Nathanael

Great Nana and Nathanael exchanging smiles

Mamma, Nathanael and Nana selfie

Those eyes!!

3 month photo

Today's smile

And one of my favourites that a friend of mine edited with some thought bubbles.....

Last but not least, little Titus sleeping in Nathanael's bassinet.  Nathanael has graduated to his crib and for now the bassinet is Titus' new bed.

I hope you all enjoyed this baby filled post! I do feel a bit disconnected from all my bloggy friends.  I will try to be a bit more connected in the future.  I do read people's posts at night but I have difficulty writing comments from my phone.

Take care and thanks for visiting!

Anne

Two Months Already!

My little guy is two months today! Boy does time fly when all you get is 2-3 chunks of sleep! We are settling into more of a routine and this week I've noticed he's now sleeping his first sleep as long as 3 1/2 - 4 hours! But I don't get that much still.  I'm waiting eagerly for the day that I can sleep at least 5 hours in one stretch! It's so hard on me and my body.  I feel like an old lady.  My knees creak when I bend down and I have a hard time getting up from a sitting on the floor position.  My feet ache all the time as does my head.  But I'm rewarded with the most darling smiles, coos and "ahgoos" from Nathanael.  I've managed to stitch and crochet a bit when he goes down for a nap once I've done the never ending mountain of dishes and laundry.  I've restarted a Prairie schooler Santa for my husband as the last one I cut the fabric too narrow and there was no point in ripping it out.  Take a look!

I heard that the makers of Prairie Schooler designs--the names escape me right now--are retiring so the other day, I ordered a bunch of charts....charts I won't stitch for quite some time but nice to have on file.  I ordered some of the folk tale ones so I can stitch them for Nathanael. 

During his naps, I managed to stitch some more of the border on Sarah Chapple, frame the BBD "Her Sampler" and crochet a bit.  It's nice to craft a bit...maintains my sanity!

I almost forgot to mention that I was a winner of some of Terri's fabrics - Dixie Samplar- and little fall freebie that I think I'll try to start sometime next week.  Her fabrics are so lovely! Thanks again Terri!

That's it for anything stitching related.  As a new mama, I can't help but take a gazillion photos of my little man.  Here are a few of my favourites.

Starting him early on Russian authors..hehee

He figured out how to get his thumb into his mouth...oh boy!

 That's all for now.  I hear him fussing and I need to get some makeup on my raccoon circles in order to be presentable for the farmer's market!  I thank you all for staying with me and sending your lovely comments even though I haven't responded to them all I still have hopes to send everyone a little email eventually! 

Hugs to you all!!

Anne