Family

  • Teensy Little Bird

    ByHeather Bailey

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    When the hospital called on August 17th to schedule a C-section for September 3rd, I got off my computer, and walked and walked and walked. Every day, for days. My best shot at avoiding surgery was to go into labor naturally. (My oldest was born by C-section, so the doctor didn’t want me to go full-term at the risk of uterine rupture.) It was over 110º each of those days, so I would head out at 8pm after the sun went down and make laps around the neighborhood in my fluorescent-orange shirt — the Great Pumpkin.

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    I did it! With four blisters on my left foot and three on my right, our new little bub was born at 1:59pm on Thursday, August 25th. No C-section required — phew. My feet only stopped aching this week.

    I had never gone into labor before on my own, so I stayed in bed that morning longer than some might have, timing my contractions on my iPhone (standard clock app, lap function – awesome). Once I could no longer sleep, I started posting my progress on Twitter; it was a fantastic distraction. We got the kids ready for school and called in my mom to make the rounds, then headed out to the hospital. Of course, we had to make a stop at the store for an SD card for our camera. (I wanted photos!) At that point, my contractions were a minute long and three minutes apart, from start to start.

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    At the hospital, when I walked from triage to the delivery room, my doctor announced that I was at a 7 or 8 and everyone at the nursing station stood and clapped, saying “Wow, you’re still walking!?” I wonder if that’s such a big deal or if they stand and clap for everyone. “You’re dilated to a 1? And you’re still walking!?” “You’re dilated to a 3? And you’re still walking!?” Might be a good protocol.

    I had a big, goofy smile on my face — between contractions. The staff was baffled by me. Sure, it hurt. Of course! I was just ecstatic that I beat the scheduled surgery and that I’d get to meet my new kiddo. Good thing I was in an excited stupor too, because my doctor had to attend to three emergency situations in the course of my labor. She held off on me a little bit so she could help the other mothers get through their ordeals. After she broke my water, everything went very quickly and the baby was born within the hour.

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    And here he is! The inventory is complete. He’s all here, with all his teensy parts. And everything appears to work as it should: cooing, gooing, squeaking, squawking, spitting, squirting, grinning, grunting. He’s so new and tiny that all of these functions still have us mesmerized.

    I’m saving his name for another post — as that’s it’s own story. When it comes to names, I’m a waffler. Why can’t we all go by three for four different names — that would be so much easier! (Well, maybe not.)

    Two days after the baby was born, Isaac and our talented friend, Jared Platt, met up to take pictures. These lovely shots were snapped by Jared. Jared is a professional photographer who travels the U.S. teaching photography workflow and file management to other professionals.

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    Isaac has typed up his thoughts on little bub’s birthday as well — more revealing perhaps than my polite assessment. Here’s his take…


    Read More “Teensy Little Bird”

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    Maybe.

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Charlotte started 1st grade today. Elijah starts high school on Wednesday. With their schedules & activities, my own work obligations, and a newborn to juggle, we will be ping-ponging all over town this year. I’m counting on the crock pot for help. And I’ll be baking grab-n-go goodies on the weekends. Yesterday, I made Sour Cherry Muffins. I thought 2 dozen would get us somewhere — but they are no more — devoured in a day.

    That’s a teenage boy.

    … and a pregnant woman.

    … and a sugar-obsessed child.

    … and a man.

    — and two dogs sweeping up crumbs.

    I was planning to snap a photo & post my recipe, but it looks like I’ll have to bake 4 dozen in order to pull that off. Maybe next week. 

    Everything is “maybe” right now. “Maybe I’ll be there.” “Maybe I can do that for you.” “Maybe I’ll make muffins this Sunday.” I sound so wishy-washy. The fact is, I’m 36 weeks pregnant tomorrow. Elijah was born at 36 weeks on the nose and Charlotte was born at 37.5 weeks. I can’t commit to anything much for a while.

    Any day now! Or, then again, maybe in a few weeks.

    All of my cuteness efforts are going into accessories at this point. Flashy, distracting bags & purses. Headbands, earrings, necklaces — all at the same time. Colorful shoes. (Ignore the billowing pudge of my swollen left foot escaping the confines of my unsensible shoe. Strangely, it’s just my left leg that swells.)

    My belly precedes me. Not only does my colorful new thermos make me feel better about the gallons of water I have to drink in order to keep up with this baby AND the 113-degree weather — it is yet another loud-and-lovely accessory to wave in front of my stomach when I’m out and about — a colorful diversion for the well-intending stares that follow a pregnant woman everywhere.

    So that’s the pregnancy update — and the business news — all mushed together. Check out my new travel mugs! Just in from my licensing partner, Inviting Company. Five designs. Stainless steel. Awesome.


  • Patriotic Pear Peculiar

    ByHeather Bailey

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    A rambling hello and a Happy 4th of July to you.

    I love me a holiday. I don't always take the day off, but knowing that I could is a relief on its own.

    PatrioticCowboyT2 Today, my day is a mix. So far, I've flitted between shopping with Charlotte for sillybands, managing a play date with cousins, washing the laundry, photographing a pattern cover, sketching aprons and prepping to-do lists for the week. In another hour we head to Granny's house for a swim party and food, then out for fireworks.

    A simple celebration works for me — especially in this heat, with this belly. These days I get winded just walking up the stairs. I tell myself it's a heat/pregnancy/blood-volume thing. It couldn't possibly be my fitness level. I plan to sit. And sip. And sit. It is HOT out there.

    * * * * *

    If you haven't heard, there's a patriotic pack of Trash Ties™ posted in our shop till Labor Day — with a FREEBIE offer good till July 15th (see latest newsletter). And long Trash Ties are BACK! And on super sale. Just sayin.

  • Spilling the Bean

    ByHeather Bailey

    BigSisterShirtW A lot of my family lives nearby. So, when the time came to let everyone in on our baby news, I let my kids concoct a plan for spilling the beans. Charlotte and Elijah discussed their ideas for several days before deciding their scheme.

    This was the plan:

    Elijah was to make Charlotte a “Big Sister” shirt to wear at the Mother’s Day party, after the swimming was done. Very curious. Charlotte was to draw up a mysterious note for Granny announcing our news. The note would distract Granny from noticing the “Big Sister” shirt at first.

    Then, when Granny looked up after reading her note, any confusion would be quickly dispelled when she saw Charlotte’s shirt. Charlotte, a big sister?

    In the end, the reveal went down perfectly as planned. Though I think the giggling may have given away as much as the tee shirt and the creatively-spelled letter did. While Granny was reading, my older brother Matt said, “Hey Charlotte, what’s up with your shirt?” It wasn’t long before the whole crew caught on. Mystery solved. Like a good episode of Scooby Doo.

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    Here is Charlotte’s note. On the envelope is a picture of Red Riding Hood on her way to Granny’s house with an idea to share. Awesome. The note inside translates to, “This is how many people are in my family — 5. No really. I love you Granny, so much.”

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    Elijah made the purple “Big Sister” shirt by himself. (I had made a similar shirt for him to wear when he met Charlotte in the hospital for the first time. I’ll try to track down the photos. He was very proud of that shirt.)

    It’s a miracle my leather couch is still intact. My mom stopped by the afternoon Elijah was prepping the letters, so he ran upstairs to finish his work without her glimpsing it. Later, I discovered him kneeling in front of the couch, running sharp scissors along the smooth leather cushions to cut out each letter. “Whoa, hey, what’s going on up here!?” To his credit, he was properly penitent. I think he said something like, “You’re right. What was I thinking?” Or did he argue first? I can’t remember.

    It was fun to watch these kids hatch out a plan together. I figure they are old enough to remember a lot of this experience — why not get them involved. A 14-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a newborn. It’s going to be an interesting dynamic.

    Oh! I have to tell you Elijah’s response when we first told him about the baby. This is classic — especially considering his age and his commensurate understanding of the subject. I asked him how he felt about the news and he replied, “I’m surprised… I’m excited… And I’m a bit alarmed.”


  • Pinch Me

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I have big news.  And that news is growing bigger every day — requiring a wardrobe overhaul every 3 weeks it seems.

    I’m having a baby!

    A little boy.  And he’s coming in August, so I don’t have much more time for this news to soak in.  Perhaps announcing him to the world will help dispel my disbelief.  Like one big pinch.

    I only just told my kids a couple of weeks ago and my family found out on Mother’s Day.  I’ve known for quite a while, but was amused by the idea of everyone else enjoying a rather short wait from May till August.  At least, that’s the simplified version of things — the version that skips over waiting to see that the pregnancy was going to stick well into the second trimester.

    I’ve never had an easy time getting pregnant and I haven’t always had the best of luck in having a pregnancy keep past 14 weeks or so, hence the crazy-big age gaps between my children. (There are 8 years between Elijah and Charlotte, and nearly 7 years between Charlotte and this baby.)

    But this guy was a complete surprise — ergo my disbelief.  In fact, the week I got pregnant was the same week I got rid of all of my baby gear — all but the girl clothes — and only because I ran out of time.  So long stroller, so long swing, so long car seats, so long toys, clothes — everything.  Ah, Murphy’s Law.  Not that there are a whole lot of Elijah’s baby clothes that I’m wishing I had back — 15 years was a long time ago.

    So guess who gets to go shopping!  And soak every step of this up like a thirsty sponge.


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    O Football Tree, O Football Tree

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I have THE best lemon tree.  It produces footballs.  Juicy, tasty footballs.  And when it is hung with a full crop of fruit, fragrant blooms pop all over it again for the next crop of lemons.

    My parents stayed with us all last month.  The lemon tree might have been the main draw — seriously.  My mother grew up in Arizona, eating fresh lemons with salt as a warm-weather snack.  Salt — not sugar.  My mom can't get enough of them.  Can't say enough about them either.  "This is the craziest lemon tree!"  "I want a lemon tree like yours."  Lemons, lemons, lemons.  I can't even pucker up to try this treat.

    I'm content to drown my food in lemon juice – salad, vegetables, fish, spaghetti, sandwiches.  My siblings are the same way.  Lemon on everything.  I think it's genetic.  If it weren't for my dad's genes mixed in there as well, we'd all be eating salt-lemons like my mom.  And there's lemonade too, of course. 

    Thank goodness for modern toothpaste.

    I might have to learn how to propagate this crazy tree and adopt out its offspring as family gifts.  I should name the mama tree first — and put together a lemony recipe collection.  Any favorites?  Elijah had big success with a lemon-glazed pound cake a couple of weeks ago.

  • E’s Cake

    ByHeather Bailey

    Elijah is suspended from school for two days.  He punched the bully.  Elijah is an intellectual, not really physical at all.  But, after two years of constant harrassment of the most foul sort, he had had it.  Funny thing is, as soon as their scuffle was over, it was Elijah who went to the office and reported it, even though he threw the first punch. He has been rather humble about the whole thing — he just wants this bully to leave him alone.  The office staff is well aware of this other kid’s behavior.  He received a longer suspension.

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    We’ll see what comes of it.  Hopefully the other kid will think twice next time.  Turns out quiet, read-a-book-at-lunch Elijah has a threshhold.

    Regardless of the circumstances, we’re not cool with punching.  (Elijah adds, “Neither am I!”)  We’re not letting him have a vacation.  He must work, contribute, stay busy.  He has helped his grandparents plant trees and pull weeds, he has washed the dogs, done the dishes, cleaned the bathrooms, — and to top it off, he made a cheesecake.  How about that?  Granny helped him out.

    He is just delighted with himself over the result.  I spent the first hour this morning hearing all about cheesecakes and how they are made, how he swirled chocolate into the top layer, how he piped a spongecake border around the edge of the cake, but it didn’t work, and so forth.

    Tough waters to navigate as a parent.  Condemn the punch, condone the confession.  Condemn the wrong reaction, condone the good kid.  Punish, comfort, direct & love.


  • The Plan, the Plan!

    ByHeather Bailey

    Tonight is “Preview Night” at one of the high schools we are considering for Elijah. We’re taking the big tour. We did the same thing with another high school last Wednesday night. It was crazy. They had everything from business and marketing classes to horse-care and computer-repair classes. You can raise your own goat or chicken at this school, yet it’s totally state of the art — straight out of the movies. Where was this place when I was a teenager?  Right here, I guess — not in San Ramon, CA.

    Anyhow, there I was going through the typical process of accepting that I have a child this old and that he really is going to high school next year, when the principal gets up to speak. His ENTIRE presentation was about planning for college and how our kids need to carefully plot out their high school ‘careers’ in order to best pursue their futures. Whoa, Mister, one wrinkle at a time!

    HB_HappyStackerSpeaking of wrinkles. I have been so good this week. I’ve gotten a ton of big things done, yet my to-do list is longer than it was on Monday. What’s up with that!?

    To combat this annoyance, I’m now keeping a list of weekly accomplishments. As I wrap up a task, I move it from the devilish to-do list to the angelic all-done list. It’s fantastic. Try it out sometime.

    One big project I’m excited to get going on is our Trunk Show Program — a travelling circus of sewing-pattern samples for fabric shops to display. I’m busy drawing up fabric choices and construction notes for elephants, turtles, handbags, Happy Stackers, you name it. If you have a quilt shop and are interested in receiving info about this program once it’s ready, email Nica and we’ll put you on our list!

    Now to plan out some class Valentines with Charlotte. The whole troop has just trumpeted through the front door, feeling particularly chatty today.  If you can’t shush ’em, join ’em!


  • Legendary

    ByHeather Bailey

    Pinata

    What a party!  We must have had forty people there — mostly little kids, including a ninja, a pirate, a wizard, a knight, and several princesses.

    Pinata_Kill_Shot Isaac's pinata was a hit.  He spent two hours the night before making a "legendary" dragon out of a common dinosaur.  With an impromptu blindfold made out of tinfoil, we had to keep the turns quick as it was a warm, sunny day.  (January!?)

    Isaac let each kid decide if he was to fight a fierce dragon or a friendly one. Choose fierce and the dragon roars and moans as he swings around.  Choose friendly and he says things like, "Why are you hitting me?  I thought we were friends.  Ouch.  That wasn't very nice."  This kept all of the kids in giggles, and happy to wait in that long ol' batting line.

    Dragon Tag was a soup of at least twenty kids running in an arena, pulling tails.  It's a miracle we didn't have any major crashes.  We handed out 24 tails to the "dragons" and all remaining kids became the "knights."  The knights chased the dragons, and as each dragon's tail was pulled, he joined the knights on their hunt.  The last dragon standing was the winner.  It was hilarious.  I believe we wore them all out. 

    We definitely wore ourselves out.  Happy 6th Birthday, Charlotte!

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    Birthday Prep – Funfetti & Dragon Tag

    ByHeather Bailey

    FunfettiCakeMixT Today I'm wrapping up a Valentine's Day newsletter and a few lingering  projects, then I'm moving on to Charlotte's birthday cupcakes!  She's going for funfetti cake mix with vanilla pudding (Easy Gourmet Cupcakes recipe).  She wants the frosting to be "black and spooky," but tells me that a bat on top of each might do the trick.  I'll figure something out.  I can't go too goth.  The girl is only 6.

    Oh, and Dragon Tag.  I have some quick "tails" to put together.  I say this with quotes, as I may only have time to tear strips of fabric.  We'll see.  Busy day!