13/30 - 10 years ago and now.

Day 13 - A photo taken over 10 years ago and a  current one, how have you changed since then?

I don't really think I have changed all that much. I am still the same old me, maybe a bit wiser then I was ten years ago and definitely well on my way to the life I want to live. You know all the things you grow up hoping that you will have someday - a nice house, a car, married, and a family. I am happy with how my life is going and still think that any future to come is looking pretty bright :)

So this first picture below is roughly ten years ago and it's the only one that is scanned into my computer so sorry that it is not the greatest. (I have to say I think I am the only person I know that actually sprained her arm getting off a ski lift. Not only was it the first time ever being on one, it was the first time getting off of it that day and the first time we ever went snowboarding. So embarrassing! :( LOL although that was nothing to the contraption they out on my arm as a splint - after of course getting to the bottom and falling at least a half a dozen more times onto my arm. Good times, good times. Seriously though why was I so afraid of falling getting off the ski lift but falling a million times on the way down the hill didn't phase me at all? I don't understand my brain sometimes). Also that is my hubby's photo 'thumb in the way' skillz. LOL The five pictures he took that day all have thumbs or fingers in them.

This picture here is from the last week or so and I hate it. LOL I'm sans normal clothing and sans makeup so yeah. But of course I look at myself and see me still with the baby weight that I gained from my pregnancy and am having a hard time losing. So yeah that is probably why :) This is me with my hair also finally starting to grow out again (Cindy if your reading this don't let me cut my hair that short again! It's finally starting to grow out though and I still have the same problem I did since the beginning of my life which is how to style it so that I don't hate it. The only thing I like about it is the colour! lol.) 

:)

12/30 - Mouse Ink Jewelry

Day 12- A talent/hobby of yours

I love making jewelry, especially chain mail inspired jewelry. I try and do at least one show a year at a local festival back home, and hope that next year I can add a few shows to my roster as well as getting my etsy store up and running again. I am sure anyone that gets a kick out of my blog name might be interested to know that my business name is Mouse Ink. The story behind that name is pretty simple. My nickname in my family is mouse since I am so quiet. When I was younger anything I made I used to do this logo on the back of it and sign it with Mouse Inc. underneath. When I registered my business name I changed the inc to ink since incorporating a business costs mega bucks. Thus Mouse Ink was born.

I haven't been creating anything since Monkey has been born though but now that things have started to fall into place I am hoping to start up again and start to get creative again. I could spend hours on the internet deciding what rings to buy, what colours and what sizes. I mostly work with anodized aluminum, because there are lots of colours and it's a pretty light metal. I also have done some things with heavier metals like steel but I have discovered that I am a weakling so it takes longer for me to get anything done. The last few years though, I have started to use sterling silver and adding a dash of Swarovski beads to the mix. I heart Swarovski beads! That's another thing I can spend hours on the internet doing - picking out beads! ( I mean how can you not love Swarovski beads? They are so shiny! ) Below are some pictures of the things I have created. I have even branched out into making chain mail ornaments and wind danglies with bells.

Jewelry isn't my only hobby though. I like to think of myself as a Jill of all trades (craft wise anyways). I also really like crocheting, painting, scrap booking and probably just about every other craft out there. I really hope that my daughter has some interest in art so we can have mommy daughter art time together.

Sterling Silver Box Chain with Swarovski donut

Sterling Silver with Swarovski heart.

Sterling Silver with Niobium.

Sterling Silver and Niobium.

Aluminum diamond earrings.

4-in-1 Anodized Aluminum bracelet

Anodized Aluminum box chain bracelet.

Triple Byzantine Bracelet.

Butterfly chain mail bracelet.

Stainless Steel Wallet Chain

Diamond key chains.

Flower key chains.

Whirly Bird key chains.

Star Pendant.

Triple byzantine necklace (I wear one similar to this all the time but blue and silver)

My ornaments

Sorry about the bad pictures of my ornaments. I was completing them last year for some Christmas presents and for some reason I only took a few pictures. They were a success though so I have plans to make more!

Monkey's first foods: Peas

Today I gave monkey peas for the first time. A book I got from the library on weaning your baby to solids suggested that when introducing new foods that it is best to do it at some point early in the day so that if she does have a reaction to it you will notice it. I really never thought about it and really it does make sense. I really doubt she will be allergic to anything since there really isn't any allergies on either side of our families but it never hurts to be cautious. We feed her pretty close to 5pm and that only leaves us with an hour before she is in bed so if she did develop any sort of reaction too any new food we really wouldn't notice it. So today I tried the new food at lunch time and gave her her rice cereal at night. Chris said he was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be here to see her take the first bites of peas but I took lots of pictures and sent them to him at work. I have to say that it is a bit awkward when trying to take photos and feed her at the same time. If you leave the bowl unguarded her little hand shots out to try and grab a hold of it. Or she tries to grab the spoon, which is cute but not good at the same time since she like jams it into her mouth and as far as possible. I might have to look for some bigger plastic baby spoons for her to chomp on. It might actually be fun for her to try and feed herself sometime soon. I'm sure she will like at least making a mess.

Today she also for the first time was ready and waiting with her mouth open for each spoonful. I don't know if she was more hungry today or if she just really liked them or what. Having said that I don't force feed her or anything, she lets me know when she is done eating.  It was cute none the less. Here is some cute little pictures of her first bites. I took so many of them I'm sure she was just thinking 'mommy less photo taking more feeding!'

This is her favorite bib ;) haha

After the first bite.

MMMMM!

Chomp!

Also she is getting to be such a big girl that she can hold onto her bottle all by herself!

11/30 - My Favorite Band...

Day 11- Favorite band/artist

This is really a hard one since I love various artists for different reasons. Through most of high school my favorite band was silverchair. At least until their sound went in a totally different direction then from what they started with. I still liked there music it just was no longer a favorite.

Then enter Deftones who I would have to pick as my all time favorite band if I really had to choose (and since I suck at keeping up with any band or with the times mostly I would have to limit that statement to the first three albums). The first two albums where awesome, the third, White Pony, I can only call an experience. It is rare that I ever find a band that I like each and every song. You know how you pick up a new CD and there are some songs that you really love (and probably are the same ones that made you go out and get it) then there are some songs that are okay and then the ones that you really hate. I loved each and every song off of these albums. White pony when I first listened to it just blew my mind. It's still my favorite album to just sit back, throw on the ear phones and let it take me away. There really isn't any other way to describe it. 

I have listened to their fourth and fifth album and there are a few songs right away that I really like as for the rest I really haven't listened to them enough to really say what I think about them. I prefer to listen to music by earphone because I find I pay more attention to everything when I do. If I listened to music from my computer or CD player I am listening but I am too distracted by whatever I am doing at the time to really hear the music. If that makes any sense because I do hear the music just can't take in the whole effect with everything combined I guess (vocals, drums, guitars etc). Deftones are definitely my go to music, especially when I really don't know what I want to listen to. They have songs for pretty much every emotion, some are hard, some are soft and some are both.

What is your favorite band or artist?

Happy 7th Month Birthday!

Happy 7 month old birthday Monkey!

 

Time is flying by way to fast! Next time I blink my little monkey won't be so little anymore!

Weight: tbd
Height: tbd
Hair colour: Still a nice dark brown colour with red highlights when it hits the sun and getting thicker by the day.
Eye colour: Your eyes are still a nice pretty dark brown colour.
Diaper size: You can still fit into size 2 diapers but since we ran out of those and size 3 suggested weight overlap size 2 we started using size 3 (when not cloth diapering). They look so HUGE on you though. Size 2 were definately getting to small for your bum though. We still love our one size fits all cloth diapers with there funky patterns :)

Clothing size: You still are wearing 6 month sized pj's and clothes but depending on the style/brand because some are on the small side. So anything new we get you are size 9-12 months.

Sleep: You still sometimes wake up a few times after being initially put to bed at night but once mommy and daddy go to bed at 11pm we don't hear you until the morning between  6-7! Mommy LOVES this. It's so nice to finally get 6 hours of straight sleep although I do sometimes wake up at 4 expecting you to cry. The sleeping through the night has only started the last few weeks but it is soo nice! You are still a short napper, sometimes if there is time before bedtime I try to give you a third short nap but most often not we don't get a chance and we might move your bedtime routine to start at 5:30 instead of 6.

Feeding: I have started to wean more aggressively then I have been since work time is looming not so far in the distance and I need you to be fully weaned before that happens since anything tight (ie a supportive bra) gives mommy plugged ducts after even an hour. Mommy is SICK TO DEATH of plugged ducts :) So as of your 7 month birthday you are nursed before bed, if you happen to wake in the night (which never happens anymore), in the morning and to sleep during your second nap. All other times you are fed formula. Mommy had a 'victory is mine' moment today at your first naptime when you went to sleep without nursing (although you did go to sleep with a bottle but that is a battle for another time).  I am still taking the donperidone but have gone down to 3 pills a day instead of 6. So I am slowly weaning off of those as I wean off nursing sessions. Seriously though formula feeding isn't any less confusing to me then breast feeding since I still don't know if I am giving you enough! Although I bet you would let me know if I wasn't! :)

Your also eating about 1-2 tablespoons of rice cereal (around lunchtime) and have been eating baby food at supper time. So far you have tried squash, peaches, green beans, bananas, carrots and apples. So far you have liked everything except green beans the first night where you made lots of disgusted faces, but loved them the second night. Hopefully this trend continues!

Favorite toy: Crinkle bug is still your favorite toy, but you also enjoy playing with your plastic keys and your dollys (one with the nice soft skirt and the other one with the rattle in her head). You also enjoy playing with a rattle bear on the change table and you LOVE your jolly jumper! You have gotten really good at jumping the past few days and really get some good air now! You have also started to jumping forwards and backwards and side to side in your Jolly Jumper and jumping so high that the spring is no longer stretched out. We have also had to hook it up about 3 or 4 rings from where we originally had to when you first started playing in it. 

Nicknames:Monkey is still your main nickname but mommy calls you monkster more often now.

Funniest moments: When mommy and daddy where trying to get you to sleep after I nursed you. Daddy put you into your crib and you were pretty much asleep. Mommy went to get up from the rocking chair but it kept making this loud cracking noise. Daddy turned his head really slowly to look at me (ala Stewie from family guy) which made mommy burst out laughing. I got my giggles under control only for Daddy to burst out laughing. Our laughter woke you up mostly which made us laugh even harder since we had just finally gotten you almost asleep before we all started laughing. We finally stopped laughing and you did finally go to sleep. Got to love uncontrollable laughter though! (We had a good giggle about it remember it when discussing funniest moments.)

Favorite moments: Hearing you giggle after neck munches or feet tickles. SO CUTE!

Milestones:
- You have been eating more solids now.
- You roll over more frequently now (ie all the time) and since friday (the 14th) have been rolling back onto your back from your stomach. I really think crawling is going to be really soon. You also stretch your head as high and as far back as you can when on your stomach and pushing up with your arms. Then you do this cute little scream and shake your head when you go no where.
- You now can move around somewhat on the floor but it's mostly from rolling over back and forth and being able to turn yourself when you are on your stomach. I never know where I will find you.
- You still only have your two bottom teeth but I think more are going to show themselves very soon since you have been drooling a bit, chomping on stuff and running your tongue and sucking your lips over your gums.
-  You can keep your head level with your body when pulled into a sitting position with your arms.
- You say lots of jibber jabber words and like to tell long stories.
- You can bear some weight on your legs when held upright but I think most of the time when you are in that position you think your in your jolly jumper because you keep trying to jump.
- You also work a bit more to get a toy that is out of reach, you always seem to want the one that you can't quite get no matter how many are within your reach.
- You can pass an object from one hand to another.
- You turn in direction of voices especially mommys.
- You sit up really well in your high chair, bumbo chair and your exersaucer and no longer slump forwards or sideways.
- You can sit up somewhat by yourself but we still need to be right there with you incase you start to fall over but it's a start.
- you also sleep through the night! There is only ever a few wakings before mommy and daddy go to bed and you are easily lulled back to sleep during them. I love getting a block of 6 hours in a row again!
 

10/30 - Music for all emotions

Day 10: Music you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

I honestly listen to a wide range of music. There really isn't to many genre's that I don't like and even in those that I don't there normally are exceptions (at least for a song/band/artist or two). So when it comes to music that I listen to when I am happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad it's really a wide range for each. Also at any given time it can change a lot, it just depends what I feel like at the time. So I will answer this question with music that I would listen at this time in my life if I was experiencing any of these emotions. I also need to add that I am pretty slow at finding new music to listen to (not in the sense of purchasing albums or songs but that I pretty much stick to what I have and what I used to listen to years ago). Most of the time I don't even listen to any of their newest albums besides what I had from before. I know I know I am horrible! But honestly there is WAY to much music out there and sometimes it's hard and exhausting to try and find something that I really love. So having said that...

When I am:

Happy/hyped: Techno/dance music - I especially love DJ Tiesto, Tegan and Sara, AC/DC, Bjork, Black Eyed Peas (Monkey Business), Three Days Grace,

Sad: Coldplay, deftones (white pony), Evanescence, Kelly Clarkston (first two albums), Our Lady Peace

Bored: Green Day, Sum 41, nirvana,

Mad: Incubus (S.C.I.E.N.C.E), System of a Down, Korn, Sum 41, Coal Chamber, Deftones (adrenaline, Around the fur), static-x (the heavier the better :)

ugh I could go on. It is quite a mix I have to say. Of course when I'm mad the heavier the better and when I'm sad mellow is the way to go :)

My newest find is all thanks to Jenny at Dapperhouse who made a post about Imogen Heap who I simply love now and was shocked to find that I actually knew one of her songs just didn't know it was by her! I might like a lot of different types of music but I am really drawn to bands/singers fronted by females. Probably because I am one :) Who are some of your favorite singers/bands?

Monkey's first foods: Apples

Yesterday we fed Monkey some apples for the first time. Here are some photos to show how it went. 

The first bite.

Hmmm do I like them?

YEP! :)

 She gobbled them up just like a good girl that she is :)