scrapbooking

I have always loved scrapbooking. I found it relaxing, inspiring to sit and cut and plan and glue. When I was pregnant I dreamed of making a beautiful keepsake for my baby. I was going to make each of my children a beautiful book each year. It would start with their birthday and go thru the entire year highlighting of coures holidays, special moments or jsut wonderful photos. I was going to stay caught up with it so I was not overwhelmed with beign behind. Well, things did not go as planned.

Things got so busy and while I went out and bought (oh the money you can spend on scrapbooking!) I never had a chance to sit and get started. Even if I had been able to sit down and start, I would have to pull everything out and pack it away, or maybe find a place to leave it all out. Then there was sorting thru all of Logan's digital photos, choosing which ones I would scrap, uploading them, printing them, picking them up. Its just felt like too big a feat. So I kept putting it off, and all the while had major mama guilt about it.

And then I found Kelle Hampton. Seriously, if you don't read her blog you should. She is amazing, and her daughters are beautiful. She just seems to do it all, the kind of mama I always thought I would be, the one I'm working to become. She bakes, crafts, photographs and loves on those girls fiercly. And she makes them photobooks. Amazing beautiful inspiring books.

And so I have gone digital. It just makes sense, I can leave it and come back to it. Sure the actual hardcover 12x12 amazing book will be a pretty penny, but surely not more then the cost of all that goes into a scrapbook. I was gifted photoshop elements 8.0 by my wonderful sisters and took soem of Kelle's advice on embellishment sites (OMG you guys you can get them FREE)

And so here is the start of Logan's first year book! (Now my plan is to play catch up with this as I stay caught up on year 2!)

What sleep does for us...

For sometime now sleep has been an issue. In the beginning we co-slept and it worked wonderfully we all slept great. I loved my boy snuggling in close, we nursed most of the night, and we slept! Then at 7 weeks we started a slow transition to the crib, and that too went great. We did drowsy but awake and from 3-4 months he was STTN in his crib and we all slept.
Then the 4 month wakeful hit, and we went back to co-sleeping. At first just in the night, but we had to nurse/rock to sleep. And then we went to Florida and everything went out the window! Of course on vacation our schedule and routine were totally off, and so we went to full time cosleeping. This too was fine for a while. L would nurse to sleep in our bed then I coudl get up and get soem stuff done, I went to bed when he woek around 11 to nurse. And then he started waking more and more. At the worst it got to him waking 8+ times a night and only being able to sleep if he was nursing. I was forced to go to bed with him at 8pm or keep him up let, making him overtired and miserable. I was at a loss. I felt like cosleeping was what he needed, since he slept somewhat that way.

But he was exhausted, overtired and cranky and to be honest so was I. A few weekends ago it was at its worst and I just couldn't do it anymore. I read a few books and decided to do CIO. I never ever thought I would be I was desperate.

I loosely followed Ferber but followed my gut as well. I did the 5, 10 and 15 minute soothing except that if he was really worked up sooner I went in early and if at the specified time to go in he was whiney and not crying I waited longer. The first night it took 14 minutes at bedtime and one very painful hour at 11:30 pm when in the past I would bring him in my bed. I did it for naps as well. I think the longest at naps was 12 minutes, by the third night there was maybe 1 minute of moany whining if at all. Same with naps. Its like I have a different baby. He is sleeping 10-12 hrs straight at night, sometimes I hear him wake and fuss a little but I have only had to go in 2 nights in the last week and a half. He is napping for 1-2 hrs both in the morning and afternoon. I rock him and give him a bottle and then lay him in his crib. If he falls asleep in the car I have even been able to transfer him into the crib and he goes back to sleep. I am so glad I did this, despite the really tough first few nights.

And now I have a well rested happy boy. And he has a well rested, calm and patient mama. I know this is not for everyone, and please don't judge us, I assure you he never cried for more then 10-15 minutes without me going in to soothe him. He never got so upset he was sick, I always went in far before then.

Party Planning....

On top of the rest of the craziness of life I am super party planning mode. L's first birthday is 42 days away! ((tear)) I can't believe how quickly he has grown. We are doing a pirate party! The colours are red and blue. I am making the invitations and a lot of the decor. I have been really busy getting all of my ideas and order. And finally I have an inspiration board put together,

tell me what you think...any ideas to add?

We have a HUGE guest list, at about 90 people (yup seriously). Since we really feel strongly about having the party at our house we plan on doing an open house to best accomodate everyone. Can I ask everyone to please pray for nice weather? We will be setting up some tents and really count on using the outside!

I have ordered that awesoem cake in the center and plan on doign cupcakes for the guests who come before cake time. I am makign collages and organizing L's photos to have around the house. I had really hoped to have his photo book ready but it just doesn't seem possible at this point.

We are getting a bouncy castle for the kiddies, a slushie machine, cotton candy machine and will have lots of munchie type foods.

I also plan on having a craft table for the kiddies to decorate their own pirate swords. I have ordered L a special outfit and will be making his birthday banner myself. I am a little overwhelmed and really excited!