Smiling in his sleep

I'm sitting in the recliner, scrapping pages of this weekend's family reunion (great, amazing fun and photos!!!), with Spencer on my lap. I was nursing him, but now he's sleeping, dreaming of something wonderful I imagine. His face keeps blossoming into the sweetest, albeit fleeting, smiles. I couldn't capture the smiles, complete with the cutest dimple ever. But here's a photo of my sleeping angel...

Birthday bash & blog train (now expired)!

With new baby, family visiting, a family reunion and our baby's , I didn't have a lot of design time recently. But I did create paper pack for the blog train, and love how the soft colors blend together...

TheThe blog train is now over. The different portions are all being packaged together as bonus kits, now available at FaithSisters.

Life in shades of grey

I took Sabrina to Children's hospital today for a current diagnosis. I knew she had nystagmus (which is involuntary eye movement, where the eyes dance but move together not in random ways), is super sensitive to light (basically blind in the sunlight), and had very poor vision. But I needed specifics to get help from the state Assoc. of the Blind. We saw the head of Opthalmology at Children's Hospital. We still have another test we have to go back for to confirm his diagnosis, but he firmly believes she has Achromatopsia. If that's the case, it means her cones don't work at all and she sees the world in shades of grey. Now I know that things could be a lot worse. She could be completely blind, instead of just legally blind (20/200 up close and 20/400 in her far vision). Or she could be dying or something. But it makes me cry to think that she'll never see a color. I love color. I love sewing, design and photography. All the way home I was noticing the wild flowers, the shades of green in the forests and the beautiful blue sky. She'll never see any of that. I've been thinking of simple things like trying to wear matching clothes, or plug in the cords from the DVD player to the TV. On top of that she'll never drive. I'm sad for her!

She did really well through it all, better than I kind of expected. Spencer screamed through most of it, though. Sabrina and I talked a lot about going to the Dr. and how he was going to be very nice and she needed to cooperate, etc. She was shy, but ok, with the nurses. They asked questions and did an initial eye test. It's the dumbest test, for non-readers. It's totally stylized, like stencils, with some things I'd be very surprised for most children to know. The telephone is a style of phone I haven't actually seen in probably 15-20 years or more. Everything is disjointed, literally the fingers on the hand aren't even attached. It's probably a universal chart, because they've used it in every eye clinic we've been to. But it's idiotic. (here: http://www.pediatric-ophthalmology.com/images/sub/eyegraphics/childrensEyeChart.gif ). Some, like the phone, she had no idea what it was. The house and hand she got. The man on a horse she kept saying was a dog, even when it was a really large picture. Whenever it was one she didn't know, or couldn't see, she'd say, "I can't member." She said it in an embarassed voice and I felt so bad for her!

When Dr. Weiss came in, she got very withdrawn, and then super upset when he shined a bright light in her eyes to look at her retinas. I put Spencer down (and let him scream) so I could hold her and let her feel more comfortable. She calmed down a little. Then the nurse came back in and put drops in her eyes to dilate them... which totally freaked her out. Then we went to a waiting room and sat for about 1/2 an hour to give the drops time to work. She calmed down and we talked about how nice the Dr. had really been, and that he only wanted to help her. I got her to promise to smile at him! When we went back to see him, she was shy, but totally cooperative, and then loosened up and really smiled at him.

One thing she is happy about is that he said she shouldn't wear her glasses anymore ($400 down the drain... but now I don't feel so bad about that big scratch on one of the lenses). He said that the blurriness caused by her farsightedness and astigmatism, is actually less than the blurriness from her nystagmus. And somehow, by the effort of trying to see through the farsightedness and astigmatism, the eyes kind of dampen the nystagmus. I'm planning on doing my own test with her though, to see if she really sees better with them or without them.

So now I need to contact the Assoc. for the Blind, since we do know her acuity... whether the colorblindness turns out to be acurate or not. I've wondered for awhile if she was colorblind. She doesn't know any colors, and is very hit and miss on matching colors. What I think actually happens is that she matches the value, so if there are 2 yellows, they're obviously not the same as a darker red. However, if you show her one blue and ask her to find something that's a different value or hue of blue, she's lost. Even today in the Dr.'s office, I had her in a little skirt with big splotches of bright colors. She had on a green top that matched the green in her skirt. I asked her to find the same color as her shirt on her skirt and she kept pointing to patches of yellow.

So I stress about what life will be like for her. How she'll get around when she's a mom with 3 or 4 kids and can't drive. How she'll always have to cope with being basically blind in the sunshine, and never really enjoy a beautiful summer day. I'm crying for my sweet, sweet girlie who will never see colors. But then I remembered how much I love old movies, even if they're black and white... sometimes more when they are. And I'm happy that she loves to play outside at dusk and loves that time with her brothers and sisters, when she's so much more free. I know that she doesn't see anything differently today than she did a few days ago, I just understand it in a different way. And I feel humbled once again that I was prompted before she was even born, to homeschool my family. And I know she's a smartie and we'll make it work.

Welcome sweet one!

Sweet Spencer is here. It's amazing how even though he is my largest baby, he seems so very tiny now. He's precious and wonderful. And in the words of my sweet husband, "It's unfair to the rest of the world that we have such beautiful children!" LOL! He's really amazing though, I could just sit and stare at him for ages. It's a good thing Fred is home this week, giving me lots of "stargazing" time.

This is a short post, but here are the objects of my affection:



The kids all came to the hospital and were arguing over who got to hold him. Finally Fred said, "He's ours, he'll come home with Mom and we get to keep him forever!" Here's Sage and little Spencer (looking a little elfish, with his ears poking out from his hospital cap)...

Trey and Spencer...

Adam and Spencer...

Sydney and Spencer...

Sabrina and Spencer...

And a darling shot I took yesterday of Sabrina and Spencer loving their little brother...

One benefit of a late baby...

I'm ready to have little Spencer on the outside, in my arms. Everyone keeps telling me how pleasant and happy I am, even though he's overdue. I think it helps that I knew he would be. Or I thought he would be, at least. With my other kiddos coming late, I figured I just cook them long, and have always counted on that. But, I'm ready. And luckily, I'm about done. Unless something goes crazy and happens tonight filling up the maternity ward tomorrow (or I happen to go into labor in the next 12 hours or so), I'm going in tomorrow morning to be induced. With any luck, they'll only need to break my water. Keep your fingers crossed for me, I'd like to avoid the pitocin if possible.

But back to the point of this post. There are benefits to being late. You get more time to finish projects! I have a baby book about 1/3 of the way scrapped, using Janet Phillips' Nine Months and Counting templates. I'd link you up, but she's not selling anymore that I can tell. I got a new kit all finished and in the shops, Pinch Hitter... full of fun and interesting elements and papers for scrapping those Little League photos, or the vintage photos you have kicking around from when you were a kid, playing America's favorite pastime. And just a few minutes ago I finished a cover for over Spencer's carseat. It's a modified version of this KwikSew pattern.

I had actually made one a couple of weeks ago, the first I'd ever done with a woven fabric on the outside. Usually I make them with fleece out and flannel in. But since I'm having a May baby, that just seemed WAY too hot. It turned out really fun and funky, out of a fine cord that had a distinctly Joseph's coat-of-many-colors feel. And I never took a picture because, um, well, I just never got around to it... figuring I had plenty of time. But then there was a baby shower for a gal at church and when I didn't get hers finished in time (long story, but it involved ripping off a toenail... OUCH!), I gave her mine. So today, finally, I finished up that one for Spencer. It's much more tame, in a chambray and flannel. But still cute and great for summer. I considered not making one, since it would be summer for most of the time he's tiny, but having had them for 3 of my other 5 kids, I decided it was a necessity. It's so much easier to keep the rain off, and let's face it, even though it's late May, this is the Pacific Northwet, I mean west. They stay on, when it's a little windy or a baby starts kicking, unlike the most well-placed blanket, and... ***drumroll, please*** they keep random strangers from touching your precious child! Woohoo

Ok, so I've rambled on enough. Here are some photos of my new kit and the carseat cover. Enjoy!

Pinch Hitter, available at both DigitalFreebies and FaithSisters. 30% off at DF until Monday.
Full kit...

Papers...

Alpha...


Carseat cover closed...


and open...

Totally Fun Blog Train... it's for the birds!

***The links have expired, and the massive mega kit is now available at Faith Sisters for free with purchase.***

This is the first time I've been part of a blog train, so hopefully I'm doing this right! All the Faith Sisters designers put together this amazing collab kit, For the Birds. Hop around to each blog listed below, to pick up the various parts.

4 Shades of Blue: http://4shadesofbluedesigns.blogspot.com/
Adriana Hollenbeck: http://adriscreations.blogspot.com/
AEDesigns: www.aedigitaldesigns.com
Albums to Remember: http://albumstoremember.blogspot.com
AnaFlor: http://anaflordesign.blogspot.com
Audra's Little Scraps: http://audraslittlescraps.blogspot.com
Camie Designs: http://camiedesigns.blogspot.com
Chelly Scraps: http://chelsant.blogspot.com/
Designs: http://www.scrapnfun.de/
Cre8tvlyYrs by Gina: http://www.cre8tvlyyrs.blogspot.com/
Designs: http://diellesdarlings.blogspot.com/
Digiscrapalicious: http://digiscrapalicious.blogspot.com/
Designs By : http://scrappingwithangel.blogspot.com
Digital Compilations by Cinda: http://blog.digitalcompilations.com/
Digital Designs by Lisa: http:/digitaldesignsbylisa.blogspot.com/
Dragonfly Beach Designs: http://alumnaanimi.blogspot.com/
Lindqvist Designs: http://everything-eva.blogspot.com/
Eyelets Scraps Designs: http://eyeletsscrapsdesigns.blogspot.com/
Glayce Cavalcante: http://glaycecavalcante.blogspot.com
Designs: http://juliemariedesigns.com/blog
JZDesigns: http://jbzwick.blogspot.com
Kreative : http://thekreativekarma.blogspot.com
Lifesong Kreations: http://lifesongkreations.com
Makes It: http://www.merchimakesit.blogspot.com
Cardall: http://meredithcardall.blogspot.com
Batton: http://www.blog.mellowbutterfly.com/
Monique Drost: http://moniquedrost.blogspot.com/
Robin: http://robin-giftsyoucanfeelgoodabout.blogspot.com/
Morgan Designs: http://sarahmorgandesigns.blogspot.com/
Scrap Quest: http://www.scrapquest.com/
ScrapWarrior: http://www.scrapwarrior.com/blog/
Simply : http://www.simplysusangodfrey.blogspot.com
Sweet Tomato Designs: http://sweettomatodesigns.blogspot.com/
TMA Designs: http://themathematiciansassistant.com
Willro&co: http://willrownco.blogspot.com/

LAST STOP! http://www.faithsisters.com

Oh, and make sure to check out all the fun stuff happening at FaithSisters for NSD!

Adorable (if I say so my self) and saved me a bundle!

I had Sydney and Sabrina a little over 3 years ago, so have 2 carseats that are still perfectly good. But they were pretty girly. I just couldn't justify spending $80 on another one for this baby. So I bought some cute fabric, grabbed a seamripper to take apart one of the old covers for a pattern, and... let it sit. HA! I'm such a procrastinator. It's been sitting there, waiting and waiting for me for a couple of weeks.

I'm just 37 weeks along today, and all of my other children have come quite late. But Tuesday, I started having very regular, and uncomfortable contractions. 3-5 minutes apart and very crampy feeling. I had had a pretty full day, out and about with our homeschool co-op, playday at the park and then grocery shopping. But I came home and put my legs up pretty much all evening. Then about 10:30, I realized how uncomfortable I was (normal braxton-hicks for me are just a tight squeeze, not crampy), and that it was happening very regularly. I'd also had my insides rumbling and not feeling well... as had my DH, so we think it might be something we ate. So that could have contributed to it all. I went to bed and made sure to lay on my left side. Slowly they relaxed and I finally fell asleep. But the contractions weren't the thing most keeping me awake, it was the thought of everything I still have to do. I've had it in my head that I'd be having this baby sometime the end of May, so I'm not totally prepared. I have clothes and diapers and all the basic necessities... but no bassinet/crib set up. I needed to recover that darn carseat, maybe buy a new stroller, get a swing, clean out the part of our bedroom we've been using as storage, to make room for the co-sleeper, then actually find the bassinet portion of it, figure out who's keeping the other kids while we go to the hospital, etc. AUGH!!!

So still no baby, thank goodness. But I finally got my act together and got the cover made. And I LOVE IT!!! I'm so happy with how it turned out. I forgot to take a picture of it before I ripped the first cover apart, so I'll show you a picture of my cute Sabrina on her 1st Independence Day...

And here's the new carseat, all ready for the new baby boy soon (but hopefully not TOO soon) to join our family...