this much [15 mos]

When exactly did it happen?

Because I seem to have missed it.

When did you go from a helpless little baby...

to a toddler with a strong mind of his own?

You may not be talking yet, but you know how to use that sign language.

And you've learned signing 'please' often gets you what you want.

Like getting to walk and 'push' the stroller instead of riding in it. 

But as trying as that independent I-can-do-it mind can be...

I love seeing your personality develop.

We went to the Big One craft fair an flea market, and like any spoiled boy, you made out with some new *old* toys, but your favorite part was running around flirting...

I just love watching Daddy watch you do your magic, 

you are much too cute for your own good!

linking up with styleberry blog in her *this much* project.

Project 52 | Sweet | Week 14

Motherhood is

sweet.

Every once in a while, I have to go somewhere by myself.

But as I pull out of the driveway, and see his sweet face in the window,

all I want to do is run back inside, lock the doors, and stay home with them for the day.

My primary job is to be his mother. And I love it. More than I could have even imagined. 


But I have accepted other responsibilities, and sometimes, I have to be gone. And sometimes, I need a little girl time with some of my good friends to recharge and connect.


But every single time, as I pull out of the driveway, I look up to see this. That sweet face smiling and waving bye as daddy holds him. And the annoying yet lovable dog next to them doesn't hurt either.


And I want to run back inside, forget my responsibilities or need for down time and just snuggle them close.


Because when it comes down to it, I love my job. I love being a mother and wife and providing the best life I can for the two of them. So even if I want to get away, it's never for very long, because I love just being with them. 

styleberry blog |  bump meet baby | capturing memories | capturing my time |cyan baby bliss | fitori |katie clay photography | new mom adventure | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography |surviving endrometriosis | the buckeye homestead | the vandyck family

a bitty cake | my birthday

It's my birthday week!! 

When you become a mother and the military takes you away from all your family, you realize that the likelihood of anyone baking you a cake is small. And I love cake. L.O.V.E. (although I did have two sweet military friend make me surprise cakes this week... so sweet!!)

Plus, I've been wanting to get the bitty in the kitchen and let him stir and things, since his large motor skills are improving and he spends hours stirring in his own little kitchen and then play eating his food. All I hear are little "smack, smack, smacks."

So we baked a birthday cake. Yes, from a box. Really, what do you expect from a one-year-old?? He made a cake, so what if it's not from scratch!!! Haha...

Bitty stood on a chair to help out. (And before you freak out, do you see my hand there?? I never let go of him, he was completely safe. However, I do want to buy one of these now. So handy, but so bulky...)

We made a mess. And mama continued to breathe and let him stir... and if you know me, you know that's B.I.G. One of the things I am always working to improve as a mother is to let go of the little stuff. Messes are good, as long as they are learning.

Adding the water in. He looks so big in this one. Makes me happy and a little sad too. 

He also kept signing "W" for water after this, he wanted to pour more in. 

I think mixing flour and water may be a weekly activity, he LOVES it.

After mama added the eggs...

"Beat for 2 minutes" He took that to heart!

The cake baked during nap time and then we helped mama ice it (sorta). And then when Dada got home, we sprayed it with a little bit of water and let the bitty sprinkle it.

Next time, we will tape over the big holes and poke a few small holes so he can shake it longer and not use so many sprinkles, haha.

Haha, LOVE Dada's face in these... lots of sprinkles!

My boys  (can you figure out what's off in this picture??)

(yes, the cap is on the sprinkles, he had already covered the cake, but wanted to keep on shaking, haha)

The finished product!! We tried to give the bitty some after his dinner, but he took one bite and spit it out. He's not a big sweets fan (YIPEE), but you can't say I never tried!!

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me!! Birthdays have so much more meaning once you become a mother. I now understand the love that my parents must have felt the first time they held me. The exhaustion, joy, pain, and love that they went through over the 18 years I lived with them. So thank you mom and dad, for loving me no matter what, and for bringing me into the world. I love you!




‎"For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you." Psalm 71:5-6


Hugs,


Chelsea

a little bit of fun | sewing and such

So, I've had quite a few deep, introspective posts lately, and I was feeling in the mood for a fun one!

So here's a random, things I love right now post, ps, these are all iphone pics, so they are just so-so, sorry.

Made this dinosaur tail from an old flight suit for the bitty. He loves it. He runs around and roars like a dinosaur. It's awesome.

  

I love sewing. I love the accomplishment of making something adorable and practical. Plus, I have a fabric addiction, and sewing is a perfect cover-up... This is a minky blanket for a brand-new little baby boy...

Seriously, as much as having a girl scares me (think teenagers, ahhh!), I think I need one. I love ruffles. And bum ruffles are even better. This sweet onesie has a pink polka-dot Huey (helicopter) on the front.

Just when did he grow up on me??? Playing like a big boy. He walked up to the table and had no doubt what to do with those cars on the roads. I think it's ingrained. Trucks, cars, and tractors, we love anything loud and with wheels right now!! (And that includes the vacuum, he LOVES how loud it is and throws a fit when I get done... silly boy)

I am a part of this amazing group, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), and it has been my lifeline here in ND. They are amazing Christian women who gather to fellowship, grow, learn and become better wives, mothers and friends. I have been in charge of the creative activities this past year, however next year I will be stepping up to be a co-coordinator in charge of the group. Jen, our current coordinator, worked with our other group in town and arranged for us to be a part of an international Leadership Summit put on by MOPS. Here are the 8 ladies from our group that attended. It was a wonderful experience and we are very excited about what next year will hold!

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7

So there's a big bucket of random... Happy Sunday!

Project 52 | Sickly | Week 13

Motherhood is

sickly.

because as cute as they are, those sweet little hands are germ magnets.

and you can bet I'm gonna catch whatever he does, 

usually right about the time he finally gets his energy back.

This is what my week looked like... LOTS of water, hot tea and teaspoonfuls of chopped raw garlic!! Daddy got the cold first from work, and passed it onto the bitty, who passed it on to me. They are both doing better, but mommy is still working on recovering.


I now have a daily habit of 1tsp of raw garlic to help boost my immune system and fight off colds and such. I have several friends who SWEAR by garlic (check out here and here for more information), and it certainly seems to have helped kick my cold faster (without any medications!)




I gave in a put up a temporary baby gate to the kitchen, which kept the bitty contained in the playroom so I could lay on the couch and watch him. I also temporarily activated the magnetic locks on the kitchen cabinets (that usually stay unlocked) so he couldn't get into them. And since we don't do TV in this house, a few new library books helped keep him entertained!


Normally, I don't believe in baby proofing or blocking kids off from areas because I think it's better to actually parent them and teach them what to touch and not touch. (Exception of course for the immediately dangerous things- like chemicals.) But that means bring with them constantly and interacting, correcting, and redirecting. Which is quite a bit of work with a 15 mo old and with this cold eeking out all my energy, I decided a few days of passive parenting wouldn't hurt! 

What are your secrets for surviving a cold with a very active toddler??

Tears and Encouragement | Refined in Him

Tonight, as I sat with another woman who has been coping with loss for many years, I was reminded of the power of like-minded friends. If you surround yourself with positive people, people who truly believe and have overcome trials and hard times, you will prevail. But if you surround yourself with pessimism and anger, you will stumble.


"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17


As she and I sat and talked for hours about pregnancies, our babies, our losses, the blessing of our living children; as we cried together, ranted, and laughed; I felt encouraged. I felt lifted up and blessed. Every word and tear was a relief, and as we shared our failings and our struggles, we were able to find words of encouragement and truth for one another.


It's so amazing to me to see the Lord's hand in my life in such a visible way. People are put into your life when you need them, to support, inspire and encourage you. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to talk to so many women in the past few months who, despite their struggles and losses, are able to be positive and loving. They are not defined by their struggles, but rather are refined by them. Shaped into stronger, more loving, passionate, supportive women. 




Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10


As our conversation wound down, it turned to the gratefulness we have for our living children, and for the time we had with our lost babies. We both agreed that ultimately, the biggest lesson in struggles and loss is to be grateful for every day. We wanted to tell every person we knew to be grateful for the unpleasant side effects of pregnancy, to be grateful when you put your child in time-out, to be grateful when your teenager yells I hate you. To be grateful for every moment. Or to as least try.  


Because life has only one guarantee; if you trust in the Lord your God, he will welcome you into Eternal life with Him. Nothing else is for sure. Nothing else is deserved. We are blessed to be His children, and we should live every day grateful for the blessings and trials He give us.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:2-8


So will you let your life DEFINE you? Or will you let it REFINE you into the person the Lord is calling you to be?


I am not defined by my struggles or losses. They will always be a part of who I am, I carry them in my heart. They have and will continue to impact my life, but I am determined to be better for them, to grow, to overcome. And with His help, someday, I will perfect in Him.


Hugs,
C

Project 52 | Research | Week 12

Motherhood is

research

and growing and learning.

and as soon as you think you've finally got them figured out,

they go and grow up on you...

Yes, I've read every one of those completely. (Not to mention the 10 I have sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read!)


I made a decision while we were pregnant with Jarvis that I was going to try to parent proactively. I wasn't going to wait until a situation arose to reactively parent. I was going to research and be prepared and think through potential issues and goals. I am NOT a perfect parent, and I never will be, but I do like to think that I am doing at least a few things right. 


I had a stranger comment on my 14 month-old's good behavior, and how he listens to my directions. And as I started to attribute it partially to his calm nature, she made a point to say that she noticed I paid careful attention to him and was good about calmly redirecting him. To say I felt blessed by that compliment is an understatement. We as mother's see our children's behavior as a direct result of our choices. And while we should always remember that children are children and will misbehave, even with the best of parenting choices, it is nice to hear that some of your hard work is paying off.


I truly believe that our choices as parents will determine the adults that our children become, and I try to make every little decision with that in mind. 


So as fellow mothers, take the time to compliment your friend on her children, because she's probably been working hard at creating wonderful little adults, and she could always use encouragement. Even the most unruly, headstrong children (that can be hard to parent proactively) have moments of success, so be sure to point those out. She will appreciate it more than you can imagine!


What are your favorite parenting books?


Books pictured above:
Baby Bargains
Life on Planet Mom
Steady Days
Have a New Kid by Friday
The Five Love Languages of Children
The Well Versed Family
Bringing Up Boys
Baby's First Skills
The Wonder Weeks
Momology
Super Baby Food
Babywise
Babywise II
Toddlerwise
Baby Sign Language Basics

styleberry blog |  bump meet baby | capturing memories | capturing my time |cyan baby bliss | fitori |katie clay photography | new mom adventure | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography |surviving endrometriosis | the buckeye homestead | the vandyck family

Project 52 | Colorful | Week 11

Motherhood is

colorful.

because no matter how hard you try,

if there are sweet little feet pitter-pattering in your house,

there will be brightly colored and developmentally beneficial toys.

**at least in one room

Ugh, this picture makes it clear just how desperately I need to get those curtains finished!

styleberry blog |  bump meet baby | capturing memories | capturing my time |cyan baby bliss | fitori |katie clay photography | new mom adventure | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography |surviving endrometriosis | the buckeye homestead | the vandyck family

14.5 mos | An Update

First off, I want to say thank you for the amazing response I got from my post on Monkey's story. I was blown away by the thoughtful responses and the number of people who felt comfortable enough to share their past or current stories.






It has been a while since I did an update on our precious little boy, and boy has he changed!


He has continued signing and does an amazing job of communicating what he wants. The only hiccup is that he uses the sign 'more' as want. If he wants help with something or wants something, he signs more. We are working on signing help and please right now to change that around, ha!


And on the communication note, Jarvis is officially talking! He actually probably has been for a while, but I think we weren't noticing that he was trying, since the words are still not very clear. His first official word is ki-ca (kitty-cat). And in the past few days we have heard tuk (truck), che (diaper change), bu-be (blueberry), gogu (yogurt), a dah (all done), and possibly di-ka di-ka (tickle tickle). The more carefully we listen, the more we hear him trying! It's so exciting to be on the brink of talking!


 Mr Tool-man!

We LOVE our books!! He will grab a book, hand it to me, sit down and pat his lap to show me that he wants to sit in my lap and read. Once I sit down, he quickly backs up into my lap to read! I love that he loves his books! In particular, we love any book that is about trucks or cars and that has flaps to open and close.

We discovered 2 little teeth poking through on the top a few days ago, his 1yr molars. So far, I just see the top two, but I imagine the bottom two will show up in a few weeks! When the top two molars make it all the way through, he will 10 teeth total! Such a big boy!


Some of our good friends brought Jarvis a sled back from Minneapolis, and he LOVES it! He loves being outside and it always bummed when we have to come back in, but it's too cold to stay out too long! 

He is full on toddler now. His one speed is running and he loves climbing! Crazy boy keeps on climbing up on top of his play gym and standing up. Which is a wonderful skill, however he seems to think diving off the side is a good idea! He had his first spill this week, nothing major, but I am hoping he learned his lesson!


As far as eating goes, he is still a little food machine! He eats very well and loves his veggies, but especially he LOVES his fruit! He's up into 18 month clothing now. When we change his diaper, he helps put on his clothes. If he's holding a toy, he trades what hand it is in and pushes his arms through the arms. He also sticks his legs out straight and pushes his legs into his pants. But then again, he only does that if he's not having a giggle fit, because EVERY SINGLE inch of that boy is very very ticklish!! He will dive on the floor, roll over, and smile up at you, trying to get you to tickle and wrestle him! So much fun!


Check out this little foodie's belly, it's huge!

 

He loves music and dancing along with anything we put on. He now tries to 'spin' which means slowly turning around with his arms out to his sides. I think he must have seen one of his big friends doing it! One of his favorite songs is the 'itsy bitsy spider' with the hand motions, and he tries to do them along with us, putting his little first fingers with his thumbs.


And the final note- we have planned a trip back to Austin to see our family in April, please send me an email if you want to know the dates or want to get on the schedule! We have lots of people to see and can not wait for some warmer weather!


I think that's about it for now!




Hugs, C

DIY | A Manly Play Kitchen

I believe toys shouldn't have gender roles. There's absolutely nothing wrong with boys playing with dolls or girls playing with legos. Did your husband change diapers, give bottles and  rock babies to sleep?? I know mine did! And can girls be architects when they grow up?? I know one of my good high school friends is an amazing one.


Imaginative play is one of the most stimulating types of play for children, and is essential for proper development. So some of the best toys you can get your toddler are ones that aren't limited to a specific use and allow them to create their own worlds.


This type of play is still a bit beyond Jarvis (some posts on types of developmental play in toddlers coming up soon!) but I like to be proactive. I've come across all sorts of DIY play kitchens on ohdeedoh, and wanted to make one of our own! We found an old entertainment center on a yardsale page and got right to work! 


Although this was primarily my project, hubby helped out quite a bit with some of the woodworking! Thanks, hubby!

AFTER:
Sink, stove, fridge/freezer on the left and oven to the right, pantry around on the left side.

BEFORE:

missing the doors and shelves (sorry, bad iphone picture)                  

 painting the magnetic layers on the doors and then the chalkboard paint
(the smaller door was on the entertainment center to begin with, the longer door we cut from plywood to fit)

(sorry, bad iphone picture)

Added a hardy board backing to the whole thing, wood glued the shelves in, the 'countertop' is covered and ready for painting

(Do you like how we turned our front mud-room into a paint booth??? It's too cold to paint in the garage!)

Blue finished, painted the countertop and backsplash, then covered in a poly layer for protection. (sorry, bad iphone picture!)

And onto the details.... It cost us about $150, which ended up being more because I decided to outfit it with some cute acessories. The basic entertainment center, paint, trim, and necessary accessories ran about $80, then the cute orange accents and other add ons cost a bit more! But it is still well under the $300- $500 you would pay for most wooden kitchens of this size! One of our good friends made a trip to Ikea in Minneapolis (8 hours away!) and took my list of supplies with them, THANKS VanDycks!!

The burners are silicone coasters from Ikea and the knobs are pulls from Ikea as well. The orange spoon rest is from a local kitchen store. The pots and pans sets and all the metal tools are from a Target Christmas sale set. We added wooden trim along the painted counter to simulate a backsplash.

Towel rack and hooks from Ikea.

Freezer and refigerator are all stocked! Both the doors are magnetic chalkboards. The hinges are reused from the original center and the pull handles are from Ikea.

The oven door was original to the center, although we added a new hinge at the bottom. Hubby cut a hole in the center and we added a piece of plexiglass. The handle and baking set are from Ikea, the towel from a local kitchen store. We have plans to add an 'oven rack' but are having trouble finding a metal rack thin enough... I will update once we figure that out!

The towel rack along the front is Ikea and the towels and measuring cups are from a local kitchen store. I have not be able to find a basket to fit this bottom shelf, so I have plans to make a fabric one myself, I'll update when I get it done!

The faucet is a garage hook from Ikea and the knobs are from there too. The sink is a little metal bowl that removes so he can play with water for real. The utensil holder we already had and the orange utensils are from a local kitchen store.

The side shelves we turned into a pantry. It's somewhat bare right now, but thanks to a great-grandma, there are some wooden pantry boxes headed this way. I also have two small wire baskets in the mail for pantry storage. The broom is from Hobby Lobby.

So that's about it!! We are super proud of it and hope that Jarvis enjoys it for many years to come.

****UPDATE****

Forgot to add this adorable picture of the bit helping daddy work!

itty bitty crafts | labels

I have been in the process of revamping my business. Reworking product and price lists. Finding ways to streamline and be efficient. I'm trying to bring it back to what I enjoy and be reasonable about what I have time for. Since being Jarvis' mommy is my first priority!

Part of this business make-over are these adorable little labels that I can now add to all my products!

I have quite a few of these... 300 to be exact, haha.... time to get sewing!!

And this one cracked me up.... someone thought these looked like the PERFECT toy!

More business info coming soon, restructuring is almost completely done!

For now, check out my facebook page.

This is the stuff | Inspired

Heard this song again on the radio the other day, definitely spoke to me again, so I decided to share it.




I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world


This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use