Happy Birthday Adalaide!

Adalaide Olivia is officially 1 year old now. How bizarre it is to think of life before her. Her presence has snuggled right into our lives, much like Lorelai did. I have always felt that our children were always apart of us, they just arrive on earth when we are ready. Biologically speaking, this is true, but you know what I mean. :P We have loved our first year with "Addy Baby" and look forward to watch her grow and blossom even more as life carries on. Happy birthday Adalaide!

Here are some facts about Addy at 1 year old.

• She is the messiest eater I have ever encountered...and I have been around a lot of kids.
• She loves her snoopy stuffed animal. It was given to her by her Grandad's parents when she was a newborn. It's pink...and yes, it came that way.
• She loves bath time and water in general.
• She hates the car and her carseat. She is now in a "toddler" carseat, but still rear-facing. It will be a while before she hits the weight mark for turn-around.
• Speaking of weight, she is holding strong in the 3rd percentile in weight at a whopping 16 lbs 6 oz; and measuring tall at 29.5 ins, 70th percentile.
• She is a difficult eater. Not just picky, but is stubborn about eating any significant amount at any time. This makes meal times almost a battle...who am I kidding, it is a battle. I am truly shocked if she eats without crying.
• She talks "mama" "dada" "ba"...and all other speech is some sort of screeching.
• She still wakes up at night to eat...but only will take 4oz at a time. Only once has she taken 6 oz in one sitting.
• She loves bouncing, swinging, climbing...hence her "monkey party" for her birthday.
• Outside is also a favorite place of hers, she cries every time the dog goes in and out, and she can't go too.
• She dislikes shoes and tries to take them off every time she is wearing them.
• She is very attached to her pacifier.
• She points at a lot. Where she wants you to take her, people's facial features, or wall decorations.
• She loves playing with her sister, though her sister gets a little irritated with sharing everything.
• Addy loves to kick things. Toys, people, the dog...it's her way of playing.
• She does not like to snuggle or be rocked most of the time.
• She is loved. Mom, Dad, grandparents, or friendly strangers, her precious semi-concerned looking face draws everyone in with a smile. She is adored by her sister, Lorelai, who protects her from falling of the couch, who hands her back her toys when she drops them, and who makes sure she is ok after getting a bump or a scratch. ♥

There are so many lovely things about my youngest one, the list grows daily.


M.LEWIS

In A Barbie World

There has been a lot of talk lately about Barbie. Barbie is a bad role model for kids, Barbie is objectifying women, Barbie is supporting gender roles, Barbie is promoting eating disorders, Barbie is an evil minion sent to the world to brainwash our children and destroy their self-worth.

I might have elaborated a bit on that last one, but really, that is the impression I get from people lately.

Let's all take a minute and get down to basics.

Barbie is a toy. She It is made of plastic.  She It has fake hair, painted on facial features, odd shaped feet, molded together fingers, is missing quite a few joints...not to mention other human body parts... she it has had thousands of jobs, and even more clothes,  she it has a mansion, a convertible, a stretch limo, a beach house, a swimming pool, a yacht, even an airplane.  She It has plastic friends, family, and pets...nothing about this woman character is realistic. Well, maybe except for the fact that she it too can't find her its shoes when she it needs them.

You see my subtle point?
This toy isn't meant to be a role model, it's meant to be a toy. I never once looked at my Barbie dolls and thought "I need to look like her." Just like I didn't look at my P.J. Sparkles, Strawberry Shortcake, Polly Pocket, My Little Pony, or my Easy Bake Oven with a longing, self-deprecating ineptness.
Just because Barbie had a mini skirt and platforms didn't mean I need to as well. Heck, Strawberry Shortcake had a dress that turned into a dessert...that was way more appealing. Maybe I was taught to be more self-confident, more practical, or maybe I was just born with those qualities; but the issue here is not the doll, it's the parenting.

Teaching your daughter child that a plastic object is a reflection of you, your goals, and your perspective is ridiculous. We as parents are projecting this judgement onto them. I have heard more about eating disorders and body image issues in the past few years than ever before. Some say by addressing these issues we are helping young girls people, but I can't help but feel that by placing a spotlight on them, we are obviously drawing their attention to it far more than we need to. Are the statistics better now that we've beaten Barbie off her imaginary skinny throne? Nope. In fact they are rising. Along with depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, and obesity. Are those issues rooted in the evilness of plastic dolls too? How can one toy be responsible for so much? Maybe she's it's not...maybe we are placing the blame on the doll because we can. Sure, we'll sound a little silly, giving a toy more power than people, but when things go wrong, we don't have take responsibility for it. We can blame today's problems on a toy that has been around for over 50 years.

And why are we limiting this judgement to girls? If our children's toys need to be examined for their influence on a child's behavior, shouldn't we be heckling G.I.Joe for carrying a gun? His caviler attitude with a firearm is the reason there are so many shootings in America. Or how about their remote-controlled race cars? High speed car chases and crashes were inspired by these reckless, mechanical play-things.

Why is it that we always victimize our daughters? Making them seem weak, easily-influenced, and completely dependent on the society's current standard. I think we should be promoting independence, free-thinking, creative, and strong-willed young girls who will grow up to look at a Barbie doll the way she looks at play-doh. They are both objects you play with to further imagination and to cure boredom. I have no problem buying my daughter a Barbie doll, just like I have no problem buying her a firetruck, or a stuffed zoo animal.
I'm not telling you you should buy toys for your child that makes you feel uncomfortable, but I am saying that a collection of people lacking in self-esteem should not dictate what we can give our kids on Christmas or their birthdays...or when they finally poop in the "big girl potty."

You are concerned that your daughter will dislike herself because she doesn't look like her doll? How about you tell her every day how smart, inventive, beautiful, and awesome she is, and let Barbie be the thing she destroys over the years with magic markers and scissors. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.


M.LEWIS

Patio Blueprint

These pictures are similar to the look I want to achieve for our deck. These are inspiration/reference only. Price and availability matter, and will effect the overall outcome. No worries here, I have been down this "decorate for less" road many tomes before. 

We have a open, wood deck (that needs refinishing) with a firepit, a rug, an outdoor loveseat, and an outdoor chair. The above picture bares a general resemblance of the look I want. 

I want an umbrella for some shade, but something simple, with a bold color. I want it to stand out, but not in a bad way.

I saw this, I don't know if I'll go this way, but an umbrella stand side table look is nice and functional...we'll see.

Nice, bold outdoor pillows, that coordinate with the umbrella. I may make some. Any pattern I like, is too expensive, but the cheaper pillows have "eh" patterns. Why spend $$$ on a piece of fabric filled with fluff?

I think lights hanging from the umbrella might be a cute, fun way to light up the porch...plus it's easy and inexpensive.

I ordered a storage bench, and I can't wait for it to get here. Yay pretty, functional storage! It's big enough to fit our small grill and some outdoor balls/toys.

If I can find a solar lantern that doesn't have any glass, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, I would like to place one on a side table with some small potted plants. We have strong storms here, things get blown around. Something that won't shatter is a must.

I would also like a bigger potted arrangement like this one. Eclectic, colorful, and little maintenance.  

This is a lemon tree in a pot. I like this idea a lot. I want something larger on the other side of the deck for balance, I want it colorful, and lemons drive away mosquitoes! Lemons can be used in a lot of foods and drinks, and don't rot fast, or attract bunnies for snacking.

I am still thinking about a hanging baskets, or wall-mount baskets, a shallow metal shelf? I think I need to wait and see how much sun reaches the deck after we set up the umbrella. I also don't want things I need to water a ton. Drought season is becoming year-round unfortunately. I'm pretty excited about the final look...I just hope I stay in my budget, and pull it together without too much effort. I know, ha ha, right?

M.LEWIS

The Outdoor Project

I have been done with household updates for quite awhile. In fact, this spring marks a whole year since I started to update the kitchen. I thought I was a little crazy for undertaking that project with a newborn, but I am so glad I did. My newborn was pretty chill at the time, and now she is a fussy attention-hungry almost one year old. I would have never been able to prime, paint, etc. with my Addy baby screaming at me and getting into everything!
Since the kitchen, I have done a few smaller projects. The starburst mirror; which went into our slightly updated master bedroom. Then there was the paint stripe that conveniently covered the previous owners' terrible spot job. Lastly, I did some bargain shopping, and fancied up my foyer. All these things have been minor, in my opinion.

I truly love making, creating, updating, and designing in my home. If I go too long without doing a project, even a minor one, I become antsy, fidgety.

Therefore, I have a couple things I am planning.

The first is a redesign project for the study/school room. This one is taking awhile. Funds were needed for home repairs and the right furniture was hard to find, but things seem to be falling back into place with this adventure; and hopefully I can give an update on this project soon.
The other project on my mind, is the backyard. I am not much of a "lounge around outside" person, mainly because it's only pleasant for about 3 months out of the year here, and partly because there are bugs and allergies that attack me the minute I step outside. My girls (and husband), however, love outside. So, I am trying to put my own feelings aside, and make it a more pleasant place to play and relax.

Right now, spring is creeping in, but things are still quite...well, dead. Chris has already been cursing the weeds, so I have been trying to rip up a lot of those so he doesn't have a meltdown. Ideally, we need to sand our deck, stain it, and seal it. Should I do that this spring? I think I should. I want to, but I don't know if my family wants me to be tied up in that...we'll see.
We have some patio furniture that is in good shape, a nice firepit, and we recently bought an outdoor rug. Plants will help a ton, but it's hard to find inexpensive, drought-resistant, heat-tolerant, thriving plants that I like. I want something tall and umbrella-like to plant around the deck for shade and privacy, but I don't know if that would look too crowded, and therefore, make the rest of the yard look sparse. We have a long, but shallow yard, so we don't have too much space to work with. I think I am leaning more towards shrubs and green plants and less towards flowers. I like flowers, but they seem fickle and die fast on me. Plus, they tend to attract bees and wasps which is not preferred in a relaxing, kid-friendly play area.
We have a small, collapsible grill that resides halfway under a bench outside my bedroom window. It's in a great location to collect all the rainfall off the roof, and ping loudly off the the aluminum cover. This would annoy me more if it rained here more often. Though, either way, this guy needs a better residence. I found a nice deck storage bin that should fit it with room to spare. I ordered it, and am crossing my fingers the measurements check out. If not, it will still be great for some tools and outdoor toys and double as a sitting bench if we toss some outdoor pillows on it...though we'll need a plan b for the grill.
I was also thinking of a wall mount flower planter, though I think the poor plants would shrivel up and die into week one of summer down here. *shrugs* I am still thinking about that one.

How much will all of this cost? Will it last more than one season? Will it look like the picture I want in my head? Will I still refuse to sit outside past June? All valid questions I am still pondering over. I do know we need to spruce it up, no matter the usage...it needs some love. This will be my semi-big project this spring. Even with it's uncertainty, I am looking forward to another upgrade. :) Updates to follow (hopefully with pictures)!


M.LEWIS

Home Repair Updates and a Couple Highlights of Life

The craziness continues over here at our house. Nothing we can't handle, but still...

The garage door saga seems to have concluded. We were out of a fully-functioning door for almost a month. Every time Chris seemed to get it working, it would fail in a new, confusing way. It took several new parts, and far too much time and patience, but it has been functioning normally for days with no issues. Hopefully, this is the end of the story.

The other house issue we have been dealing with, is the possibility of getting a new roof. A section of the roof has been lifting for years, but no leaks; now we have some missing shingles due to the high winds recently. We got a couple roofers out here, and the second guy recommended we get an insurance adjuster out here to look at it. While the adjuster agreed we have some damage, it wasn't severe enough to warrant a replacement. She also said that one more hail/wind storm this spring, and she might have a different answer. So, our second roofer patched the roof for a steal, and now we sit and wait.

We also have a new bunny friend that is determined to live in our backyard. I keep shooing it away, but it keeps returning. This concerns me for one reason: Phoebe. This bunny seems to be injured. If it's not injured then it has some defect with it's leg. It doesn't move very efficiently, and it doesn't react very quickly, and our little dachshund could catch it if she tried. Now, I know it's nature, blah, blah, blah...but come on, I don't want my dog to kill the poor thing. I had a bunny growing up and it was killed by my grandparents' dog. I have always been over-protective our the wild bunnies because of this. That, and, who wants to clean up a dead bunny? Yuck. Plus, Lorelai would be devastated; my animal-loving girl. So this bunny must sense my compassion, and keeps returning to nap under the deck and sun-bathe in the grass. Thus, Phoebe is being trained to accept the poor thing, and not to attack. This takes a lot from Phoebe. I just hope the bunny and the dog continue to cohabitate peacefully.

Switching gears, winter came to a sudden halt this week. We went from 39° to 75° in a matter of days. This motivated me to put up the few winter decorations I had out, and begin to clean out and organize things around the house. This is needed, seeing as space is rare these days. To my surprise, we have filled up this house a lot faster than I thought. We plan to hold out a few more years, but talks of a bigger house have already begun.

Switching again, Adalaide turns one in less than a month! What? Yep. My monkey baby, though still petite, is getting so big! She can stand up from sitting all by herself, she can standing for long periods of time, she can walk very well if she has something to hold on to (even if it's just one of my fingers), and she even took first step the other day. Sure, she hit the ground pretty fast, but it's only a matter of time before she is running away from me...just like her big sister.

A couple more things:

Potty training still stinks.
I wish the Olympics would end.
And, teething is exhausting...for everyone.
;)


M.LEWIS

They Are Weak, But He Is Strong

I was watching the local news last night, and a story aired that made my stomach turn.

A Plano toddler was murdered by her father's (soon-to-be ex) girlfriend. The girlfriend called 911 after killing the 2 y/o and said she and the girl were attacked during a home invasion. The police naturally noticed the gaps in the woman's story and arrested her soon there after. It was soon discovered that the woman suffocated the little girl, whom was found with duct tape over her mouth. The police described the child at the scene as "still warm but with blue lips."
Later, it would be uncovered that this ex-girlfriend took the child with her on an errand about a hour before her murder. They went to the dollar store where the woman was seen on security footage buying zipties, duct tape, plastic bags, and cleaning supplies; the things she would use to kill the child and try to cover up her murder.

She took the girl with her shopping to buy the things she would use to kill her. This haunts me. It obviously upsets me the poor girl was killed no matter what the circumstances, but this brought to light a new level of evil for me. How I wish the store clerk could have had the foresight on what would happen in just mere minutes of their departure. How I wish they would have scooped up that child and save her from what I know must have been a absolutely terrifying, tortuous death.

This 2 y/o was an innocent victim, like most children are in these horrendous situations. This ex-girlfriend was acting with revenge against her ex-boyfriend, the girl's father. How self-involved, how cold-hearted, how diluted these adults must be to take a small child, whom depends on you for their everything and turn on them. These small, helpless children that deserve so much more love than they received in their tragically short lives.

I see a lot of posts on facebook where people are fighting for animal rights, and yes, they deserve to be treated more humanly, but there are children out there that deserve this more. For every person I see become a lawyer for animal rights, I would love to see ten more that become social workers, child advocates, foster parents, or simply someone that speaks out on crimes against children. Who donates money, time, or resources to help stop these senseless acts that are hauntingly irreversible.

I had a rough afternoon with Lorelai yesterday. She was pushing the limits (and my buttons) left and right. I was getting downright mad at her. While I didn't hurt her in any way, I did raise my voice and tried strict punishments to try to curve her attitude. I felt so frustrated that she was being so defiant. Hours later, I heard this story and every drop of frustration melted away.
Thank you, Lord for showing me even during the toughest times, how much I love my children. How much I would fight for them, and how much compassion and love I have for children whom I do not even know. I know I am doing the right thing in my life; I am at home, raising my children. I faultier on my skills and I lack on patience at times, but I am trying...and I will always keep trying. They are happily my world, my heart, my soul. The song I sang to them as babies always makes me teary-eyed. "Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so; little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong."

God bless Grace Lillian Ford, the little girl who is now an angel in heaven.


M.LEWIS

Congratulations Anyway...

This goes out to an old friend of mine who has chosen to go her separate way without me.

I suppose I will never know exactly why we couldn't be friends, but that doesn't mean I can't send well wishes for you out into the universe and hope somehow they reach you. 

I have learned you are having a baby, a baby girl. This is such awesome news. So I send to you, old friend, my congratulations and hope you have a happy, healthy pregnancy and a happy, healthy baby girl.
If you ever change your mind and would like to share a friendship again, you know where to find me. Until then, congratulations again, and best wishes.

M.LEWIS