Rock the Vote

It turns out that YOU can vote for your favorite designs in the Fabulous Baby Announcement Design Challenge! Go here to place your vote: http://www.minted.com/vote. Voting ends Feb 3. Of course, I won't tell you WHO to vote for, but if you like my designs, I could use all the help I can get :).

8 months

Again, how did this happen? When I say Henry will be 8 months old tomorrow, that sounds so old to me.  But then I look at him, and he still seems so tiny.  He's done a lot of growing in the last month and is definitely more aware of what's happening around him.  We are on a pretty good 2 nap schedule, most days. He could use a third nap sometimes but just can't settle down to take it most of the time.  He's in bed and asleep no later than 6:30pm and sleeps until 6:30 or 7pm, so I thin he's getting what he needs..  He is still a pretty easy going baby and is quick to smile.  He LOVES to be on his belly, at least I think he does since the minute you set him down on his back, he flips over lick-ity split.  Diaper changing is a real challenge. He gets pretty honry if you try to keep him from flipping over. Of course, once he's there, he just kicks out both legs over and over like he's a mermaid.  I get the feeling he would really like to crawl.  He just started sitting up alone in the last 2 weeks, after some work on my part.  It's nice to be able to put some toys down and let him play if I need to attend to the other kiddo.

His eczema is SOOO much better. He still has flare ups, but it's nothing like it was. He still is constantly trying to inch his legs and arms, so I just keep him in long sleeve footie pjs most of the time.  The minute you take his jammies off, he reaches for those legs and starts to scratch.  He is spitting up a little less, although it's still quite a bit,especially since he's wiggling around so much.  

He is reaching for anything and everything and is pretty sure it will taste good if he can just get it in his mouth.  He loves his jumper and going for walks.  He can scoot himself around in a circle while on his belly to reach for toys, and LOVES watching Aubrey.  She has been very sweet with him lately (unless he tries to take a toy from her).  If I leave the room and he starts fussing, she tells him "It's OK Henry, I'm right here, I'm right here." So sweet it almost makes me forget she only slept 4 hours last night (not kidding). Almost, but not quite. (sigh)

Henry still has a bit of a comb-over, but his hair is growing back in on the sides and back, so we're making progress.  I'm still not ready to cut it.  His eyes are still blue and I'm thinking they may stay that way.  He is working his way through baby food and pretty much loves any fruit. I think apples are his favorite.  Still not digging the meats, and seems to spit up more with them, so I'm going slow.  He loves most veggies too, so hopefully he will be a good eater later on like his sister.  

Well, thanks for bearing with me as I share the ever so exciting details of the last few weeks. If I don't write it here, I'm certain to forget when I finally get around to doing his baby book. Gues I should get one of those. 

He really is such a joy!

The Baum Designs and the Fabulous Baby Announcement Design Challenge...

OK.  So some of you know I have been playing around with designing announcements, cards, invitations, and even a logo.  I was calling myself "Jilly Bean Designs," but when I finally sat down to start a website and maybe even get a business license, I found the name was a little too common.  I wanted a way to include part of my name, but couldn't come up with something unique.  I enlisted the help of some friends (thanks Lisa, you were the lucky winner), and viola... The Baum Designs (pronounced The Bomb, of course, for those of you who still have trouble with the German speak). Ok., so it's a little corny.  Not sure I really feel like I live up to the imagine the name might conjure.  But I can be hip, cool, with it.  I just might be those things will some bags under my eyes and spit-up on my shirt. 

Anyway, I have really enjoyed designing for my friends, but I thought it might be time to push the envelope.  I ran across a great design site called Minted that hosts contests for freelance designers. Winners end up with their designs for sale on their site, a cash prize, and a portion of any sales. So, I decided to enter a few designs in the Fabulous Baby Announcement Design Challenge .  Now, since my week was a bit nuts in the kid department, I ended up throwing these together.  I'm not thrilled about them because they place a lot of restrictions (which is not part of my design philosophy, thank you very much).  Only one-sided (doing two sides has kind of been my thing), you have to use their photos and only one photo per design. Bah humbug.  Anyway, all excuses to say that the other designs I just browsed were amazing and I fear mine are a bit too simple!  But it's a start.  So... if you want to check them out, head on over to:
http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=3111

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=3114

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=3126

You can critique my designs there until voting begins (not sure when it starts, but my submission deadline is midnight tonight... nothing like waiting until the last minute).

I'd love to hear what you think.  

Hmmm. Crying child. Must go.  Will it ever end????

The sleep fairy...

So, after some reading and encouragement from my mom to be creative, we have been working VERY hard at helping Aubrey fall asleep and stay asleep. Not only have I been keeping my cool during the day, which I know has made a HUGE difference, but I came up with the idea of a sleep fairy. I told her that she has to be very quiet when we leave the room because the sleep fairy only comes when your eyes are closed. She sprinkles dust to help keep you asleep and give you good dreams. And, if you stay asleep all night, she might leave something for you.

On Friday night, it worked great in getting her to go to sleep, but she was still up from midnight-1am. However, she was pretty calm and didn't try to bolt out of her room like the previous few nights. I stayed very calm and tried not to worry about what time it was, etc. The next morning she asked what the fairy had left, and I told her nothing. I told her I was very proud of how she went to sleep and that I knew she could make it all night. Last night she did great again at bedtime and made it all night!!! Of course, the "sleep fairy" hadn't prepared the expected gift, so I was scrambling at 7 am to come up with something. Leftover cupcake pop stick, check. Curly ribbon, check. Fairy wand, check. When I walked in her room, the first thing she said was "I made it all night mommy!"  Let's hope tonight goes well too. Of course, as I was typing this, she woke up coughing and needed a little reassuring, but she was back down within 5 mins. Not sure I can fault her for not feeling great :).

Nap time is starting to fade, which can make things better or worse. I can't make her fall asleep, I guess. She didn't take one today, but she was down at 7pm, and without a fight! Ahhhh.

I tried...

As you can tell from the last few posts, I haven't been taking any new photos, and at this point, I don't even have the time to pick out old ones to work with.  It's 9:15pm.  We've been battling bedtime with Aubrey since 7:45pm.  It's getting worse every night, and frankly, I'm tired.  And on top of not wanting to go to sleep, she's waking up at night and taking over an hour to get back to sleep.  We have had the same bedtime routine for years, she has just always fought it in some way.  She is smart now.  And I am out of patience.  She knows how to push my buttons.  Come 8pm, I'm done (especially since Henry has decided he wants to start his day at 6am... yet another problem I have to solve).  

So you see, there isn't much point in posting a photo of the day if I'm not actually doing what I set out to do.  So for now, I'm done.  I have learned a lot, and I'll keep doing it when time and desire permits.  

A photo a day... day 16

Cheating again.  I did this storyboard a while ago and had it mounted for the grandparents for Christmas. I just love these photos of the kids.

A photo a day... day 15

Another couple from the archives...

Cherry Blossoms, Ebina-shi, Japan

Kite Festival, Japan

A photo a day... day 14

Dogfighting 101 with Daddy.

"So there I was..."

A photo a day... day 13

Ok, so I new the day would come, and here it is.  No photo.  I'm calling on the extra credit I did on day two.  I'm sure I could have pulled something together tonight since I have time to write this.  But, I just don't want to.  My 3 year old is making me act like a 3 year old.  "No!  I don't want to."  AGGGGHHH.  Kicking, screaming.  I've had enough.  Goodnight. :)

A photo a day... day 12

So, it wasn't a very picture friendly atmosphere around here today, so I pulled one out of the archives.  

Oui, Oui, Paris!  Ahhh.  I took this from the top of Notre Dame when I was in France with some girlfriends in 2007.  This was my first big trip away from Aubrey, and it was a good one! I sure hope I can take another fabulous trip when Henry is weaned. Who's with me?