Crossing the Border

Super Kid Capes are making their way into a 4th country. Actually, a 4th continent (I think). There are capes in the U.S., England, Australian, and now Mexico! These two are heading south to Super Liam and Super Emma in Pachuca Mexico.

Check out the map to the right and you can Follow That Cape and see where all the Happily Home Sewn Super Kids are. Fun fun!

I apologize. The tie was too much for me...

and the kid was pretty irresistible too. See. Check out the guns.

















Sorry. If you made it to the end, the tie must have had the same effect on you that it had on me.

Saturday

We are doing this Saturday up right.

Wanna see?









(He's Mater)

That was about three hours worth of fun. And we're still going strong. Don't let this blog post fool you. I'm posting from the couch in my jammies where right beside me Eli is practicing his flying leaps off the couch and Amos is playing with a roll of toilet paper.

Saturday, you complete me.

Spike

This just freaks me out.

I know I mentioned it before. But, I am a hair obsessed with the analytics for my etsy shop, and this blog. I can't help it. Bloggers automatically have a healthy dose of self-obsession. It's a job requirement.

But check out that spike. That spike is Super Bowl Sunday. That spike is 379 visits. That spike is crazy talk.

It does make all the other days look more pitiful than they should. When that spike makes its way out of the date range, that'll be okay with me because then the graph will adjust to the average days and my line won't look so sickly.

Until then, it just freaks me out.

Big Day!

This Mama is super proud. Eli's having quite a day.

For starters, he found a clip board and decided today was the day to write his name himself. Over and over and over again.

I burst.


Skills.

Then to show himself up, he chose and put on his own clothes, including socks and shoes.

And for a finale he requested to do his big floor puzzle that we have attempted and lost interest in about a hundred times before.

Finished it!

I am super proud and excited. We are entering a new phase of fun and exploration and independence. And it is a wonder to behold.

A Word About Girl Clothes

I love having boys. Love the toys. Love the energy. Love the rough. Love the tumble.

Love how boys love their Mama.

If this tummy baby had been a third boy - sweet. Bring it on.



But she's a girl. A teeny baby girl. Oh so sweet.



You know there is one area where girls have it over on boys, hands down:

Girl clothes.

I mean come on.



My dear friend Selena (and yes, winner of the giveaway - I swear there was no funny business there), upon hearing we were having a girl declared, "Break out the tub!" Because she knows. She's been around since the beginning of the girl clothes crazy, which started hmmmm, 'round 13 years ago.

Back in college I worked at Gymboree (the retail store, not the activity place). Actually, I've worked in three Gymborees since college. I started working there when the fella and I were dating. And I bought bag upon bag of baby clothes.

I'm still not sure why Eric didn't flee the scene. Nothing will freak your boyfriend (then fiance, then husband) out more than bringing home clothes for your unconceived children. But thankfully he doesn't scare easy.
The thing is, when you're buying clothes for hypothetical people, girl clothes really jump out at you more than boy clothes do. Seriously...look at the sweetness.

So 8 years later when we became pregnant with Eli and found out he was a boy, I dug through the tub and tallied things up. I had 31 pieces for girl, 5 pieces for boy, and 6 pieces that could go either way.

Girl clothes man. I blame the girl clothes. Oh - and the discount...not too shabby.

A little story on this onesie - it was one of the first things we bought when we were pregnant with Eli, before we knew he was he. Eric has no idea why this is funny. He has no pop-culture references, which I find super adorable.


Just look. How could I resist. I'm not going to totally girlie her up. She'll have a hearty portion of hand-me-downs from her big brothers. But she's got tubs full of girlie cuteness too.

As a side note, Eric does not care for this last outfit. But in my defense, I purchased this little gem before our nation was introduced to that infamous beret-wearing D.C. intern. To him, it screams Lewinsky. But all I see is cuteness.

Crafty Feet

This is a beautiful sight to this Mama for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

1) Paint Stained Feet - I know I'm parenting like I mean to when Dizzy goes to bed with Paint Stained Feet.

2) Home Sewn Sheets - I love knowing that my babies dream their dreams while wrapped in the home sewn warmth of generations of seamstresses. Some were sewn by Grandmas and Great Grandmas. Some by me. What could be better?

3) Sleeping Babies - Always good.

Sewing Skirts

I bet that wasn't what you were expecting.

Since we moved in to our new little house, I've been ticking of tasks from my "To Do House" list. Yesterday I checked off the last item on the list (until I add another). Until then, when you walked into our bathroom you caught a nice glimpse of the toilet brush and the oh-so-classy walgreens plunger. It's a tiny bathroom, with only a small pedestal sink to stash things under.

So...

I made it a skirt.

The first of many to be sewn in the coming months, I'm sure.

My Three Sons or Two Men and a Little Lady???

A Little Lady!

With much certainty, 99.9% in fact, our ultra sound guy (and Eric who studied up on ultrasound reading before our appointment) confirmed last night that there is a squirmy little girl baby in my belly. Check her out:
That's the profile of her head and belly (with umbilical cord floating above it) and part of her little leg. We were both 100% thrilled that we decided to go early. And now we have lots of photos and a video to fawn over. We decided against the 3D at the last minute because the guy said it would be much cuter later on and that he could usually tell sex at 15 weeks with the 2D no problem. And he knew immediately, as did Eric. She was not shy in the least. That's my girl.

And now for the Blog Giveaway Winner!

Legal Disclaimer: The winner is of no familial relation. She's just special enough to have earned the title of Auntie even before we had kids. Congrats Selena!

Camera Shy

Dear Baby in My Uterus,

This is your brother Amos. Today when we're peeking in to see you, don't be like him.

All my love,
Your Mama

Inquiring Minds...

Virtuosity be damned. We want to know.

And a few weeks ago when Eli's classmate's Mom mentioned that she paid $100 bucks to find out the gender at 14 weeks...well the seed was planted.

And here we are at 15 weeks and itching to find out who's in there. Dayton or Sandrine? Pheobe or Pheobo? (No, those aren't name spoilers, that's a quote from Friends when Ross and Rachel had a misunderstanding (them? No!) about finding out their baby's gender).

So we have secured an appointment for a Gender Revealing Date (who hasn't had one of those?). Tomorrow evening we will venture to your friendly neighborhood 3D/4D ultrasound joint and take a peek.

Here's where you come in! What better reason to do a contest! And, you get to pick your prize. You can choose from these two gems:
The Sassy Sunshine Bag with Tab Closures (see more photos of it here).
Or an original one-of-a-kind Frilly Girlie Apron (see more aprons here).

Sorry I don't have a more masculine prize option - but if you win and you're not the apron wearing, purse carrying type...we'll talk.

Entering is easy peasy! Just leave a comment with your gender guess and throw in some name suggestions if you don't mind. If this is another boy, we got nothin'.

You can only guess one gender, and the winner will be chosen from folks who guessed right or spread the word on this giveaway in the following ways:

Tell your friends! The more guesses the merrier! You can get one extra entry for posting this on Facebook (tell me you've done so in a separate comment), or sharing this giveaway on your blog (tell me you've done so in a separate comment). So even if you guess wrong, you still have a chance if you spread the word!

Results* and a Winner will be announced Saturday morning! Good luck!

*Provided he or she cooperates.

Embracing Spring

For some Thursday fun, let's embrace the camera, shall we.


(Dig the new button, Mrs. Anderson!)


Amos and I had a little forced photo shoot in hopes of some good ETC shots, but we'll spare you those. Instead let's live vicariously through Springtimes past with these little gems from a picnic with our buddies Andrew and Katie last year.

Whoa. I miss them something fierce. And look at Tiny Boogie.



What a lovely Spring day spent leisurely picnicking with two of the loveliest people you could ever hope to meet. I think they should come for a visit so we can re-create the scene once those gorgeous purple blossoms return. They were magnificent.