Pretty picture

Snapped this picture one morning as I drove into work. It's the field across from my office building. I thought it was pretty.

MIA Lately

Between the Olympics and redoing the guest bathroom, I haven't had much of a chance to get on my computer lately. I've had pictures of Declan that needed sorted and edited and put on my blog for a couple weeks now, and I just got around to doing some of it last night.

Of course, it didn't help that my husband gave me a new computer (his old one) with Windows 7 on it, so I had to learn a whole new operating system, and reload a ton of programs. He helped my figure it out though, and supposedly Windows 7 is the best yet. I reserve judgment.

Anyway, here's some new pics of the little guy.

Declan is getting good at pulling up and cruising along the furniture. We even go for walks up and down the hallway holding on to his fingers


Naptime is still difficult. He likes standing up in his crib.


The other day, he discovered a big mirror I have tucked away in our bedroom.




He also found a mirror toy that's almost as good.


And he loves reading books.


And kitty cats. Fortunately, this kitty cat is pretty mellow around him and actually lets him pet her now and then.


Maybe soon he'll start walking with his toy.

A Change of Plans

Remember in my last post when I talked about diving in to renovate my guest bath? I was taking it fairly slowly, but I was doing a little bit every night. I've got the primer up on the walls and ceiling and I've taking out the hardware and the lights. I had been working on putting up plaster patch on the walls to cover up all the texture, and I've only made it around the shower and the back of the toilet. (Wanted to start small and in unobtrusive places)

Last night, I found out m parents are coming to visit next week, not at the end of March. Okay. I told them they were welcome, as long as they don't mind a torn-apart bathroom. Hey, that even means I can get some extra help in redoing it!

I'm Diving In

I was reading something on one of the decorating blogs I've been following. She talked about how you shouldn't wait until you're ready to move out of the house to spruce it up. Don't do all the work for the new owners. Rip out the carpet, paint the walls, put up a new mirror and enjoy the results NOW!

So I did it. I primed a small section of my ugly green bathroom two nights ago and then applied a tester paint over it: Antique Pearl by Behr. Looked pretty on the card and it seemed like it would match the floor tiles.

I'm glad we did a test patch. My and Daniel's first thought was 'hrm, that looks a lot like naked flesh, not pearl'. So it's back to the store for more paint samples to try out.

In the meantime, I took down the shelves, removed the hardware and switch plates, and started painting the walls and the ceiling with Killz primer. I'm not intending to cover the green 100% because I'm going to go back over everything with a skim coat and smooth out the textured walls. I've never liked the texture (I think it's called orange peel), and I figure I can start with a small room and see how difficult it is to smooth out.

I'm also painting the primer on with a brush, not a roller. Yes, I'm doing it all by hand and after the baby goes to bed. I think this might take a while, but that's okay. My goal is to have it done by the time my parents visit at the end of March. That gives me almost 6 weeks; 4 if I take some time off to watch the Olympics.

One project finished. Next?

Finished my $1.50 thrift store quilt I found. I saw a package in the store labeled "unfinished child's quilt" for $1.50, so I picked it up. For that price, why not?

Turns out, it was a pieced top that was 80% finished, and the rest of the material, already cut, was in the bag. Took me all of 1-2 hours to finish piecing and sewing it together. Then I had a muslin that I used for the backing. I picked up some batting from Wal-Mart, and I got enough to use for the quilt and to increase the padding in an upholstered chair that I'm getting ready to redo. A stop at the fabric store, where I paid another $1.50 for some remnant for binding and I was set.

Over the course of a week, I finished quilting and binding the new quilt. It's not perfect, and there are some puckers on the back where it slid a bit, but you know, for less than $10, I have a new quilt that I can let Declan play with however he wants, and I won't get upset if anything happens to it.

Last night, I needed something new to work on. So I painted some primer on a section of my ugly olive-green bathroom in preparation of painting on some tester paint tonight. Then I started cutting out some pieces of fabric to attempt my first slipcover for a chair. Always working on something.

Go Colts!

Declan's cousin, Garrett, gave Declan a Colts shirt a while ago. It's still way too big for him, but we went to a Superbowl party today, so I decided it was a perfect time to wear his Colt's shirt.

He looks good in blue.


I'd always heard about babies doing parallel play, where they will play next to each other but ignore each other. That's exactly what happened tonight, and it was cute.

Jackson was in the bouncer going to town, and Declan saw that there was a toy on the bouncer he wanted to play with. So Declan pulled himself up and spun the ball on the bouncer, while the whole time Jackson was bouncing and bouncing, and they totally ignored each other.

Guess Who's 10 (Months)?

Here's some pictures of Declan turning 10 months old..



And some random pictures...

Now that little guy can pull himself up, nap time is a lot harder to initiate. He keeps standing up in his crib.


And he looks like he's trying to figure out how to get out.


He LOVES his music table.


More deep thoughts...


Daddy tickles!


More music table love.