Visiting with Family

Jake's mom and grandma were able to come for a visit last weekend. It was their first time meeting Ryan! They came over to our place for dinner, along with Zac [Jake's brother] and Katie [Zac's fiancée]. We had hamburgers on the grill, jo-jo potatoes, spinach salad and for dessert, peach and strawberry cobbler with ice cream. 

After dinner, we went to the hotel where they were staying for a swim. Grandma, Ryan and I sat at a table near the pool and the others enjoyed the hot tub. We met grandma and karla at a restaurant for breakfast the next morning, and then they left. It was a short visit, but it was good to see them!!

 [grandma, karla, zac and katie]

[four generations: great grandma joan, jake, ryan and grandma karla]

[grandma karla and ryan]

[so content]

[happy baby!]

Sewing Project: Baby Sleeper

As one of my "I'm bored, pregnant and without a car" projects a few months ago, I found an idea from the blog, "This Mama Makes Stuff" to make a baby sleeper out of an old long sleeved t-shirt. You can follow her instructions there, but here are the pictures of my favorite one that I made! 

[my modification: gathering the sleeves so they lay neater]

[my modification: making fold over sleeves]

Unfortunately... the combination of making the sleeper not long enough, and having a super long baby has equaled out to Ryan not wearing this, even once. But it's cute, right?! :]

Doctors have their place...

...but sometimes you just gotta take all their "advice" and what they want you to do, and chuck it out the window. I had a hard time following my gut, my "mama instinct," even though I felt that all the 'interventions' were unnecessary... but finally, I kindly but firmly put my foot down, said "enough is enough," and decided to stop pumping, using a bottle, using formula, etc. I started to do what I had wanted to do all along: exclusively breastfeed Ryan. And guess what? He's gaining weight. He is 9lbs on the nose at 6 weeks old. I need to learn to trust my instinct as a mother more.

Other than for obvious reasons [benefits, health, etc], I really like that Ryan is breastfed... that means I get a lot of extra cuddle time that no one else can get with him. It's hard enough for me to 'share' him with other people sometimes... but at least I know that I'll get him back every two to three hours ;]

[photos courtesy of my sister Erin]

It's amazing...

...how from something so cute, cuddly and little... 

...can something so gross come from...

...mustard, anyone? :]

I know a "just you wait 'till he starts eating solid foods" comment will be coming... haha!

Sewing Project: Baby Blanket

This is a baby blanket I made before Ryan was born, but was unable to show you because... well... it is quite gender specific. :] I had some leftover fabric, so I made a few burp rags... good thing, too, as they are the only ones we have!!

Materials used:

*3 flannel receiving blankets [from the thrift store]
*one of Jake's old sweaters [one of my favorites that he used to wear, but didn't fit him anymore]
*1 pillow case [from the thrift store]

 [folded in half]

 [see how I included the little eagle emblem from Jake's sweater? *grin*]

[burp cloths]