Monday, August 28, 2006

A Penchant for Non-Relaxing Hobbies

Hobbies are supposed to be relaxing - mine usually start out that way but eventually result in copious amounts of four-letter words streaming from my mouth! Knitting, quilting, triathlon training... all send me into fits of swearing!

But. They all start out soooo good.

For instance, check out the beeeeyouuuutiful fabric I just bought for my brother and new sis-in-law's wedding present! I'm making them a lap quilt and wanted it to be funky!

Step 1. Pick out a pattern.

Step 2. Visit quilting store and salivate over numerous fabrics.

Step 3. Repick your pattern when you can't make your fabric "work" with the first!


Lap Quilt Pattern Posted by Picasa

Step 4. Rack up credit card bill - sigh heavily.


Nice Japanese-Inspired Prints Posted by Picasa

Step 5. Get home, wash/dry/iron fabrics and put on bias.

Step 6. CUT CUT CUT!


Cut Up n' Ready to Go! Posted by Picasa

Step 7. Get swearing... I mean SEWING!

Blissful, no?

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Month Four - Drooooooooooooool


Take One! Posted by Picasa

A year ago this past Sunday, Jason and I got married. A year and a week ago, we found out we were pregnant! Not bad after only a month and a half of trying!

Now it's been four whole months since this little girl came out into the world - I can't believe how much has happened since then. She's charmed us in ways I never imagined.


Take Two! Posted by Picasa

On Friday, our little family packed up our Matrix and headed for the Island to spend the weekend with my family at Macktush - a campground that my parents run out on the Port Alberni inlet. Grandma had the stroller and playpen waiting at the campsite, armed with mosquito netting and sunshades! She was pretty excited to get some Grandma-time... we were pretty excited too, to get a little time alone!


Take Three! Posted by Picasa

Normally we are avid cloth-diaperers, but weekends away mean no access to diaper pails and such so we had to go the Pampers route. I hate disposable diapers with a passion - and now more so. I was wearing Carmen in the carrier and my red Holey Soles while waiting in the diaper changeroom lineup on the ferry. I started feeling a warm oozing sensation between my toes. Sure enough, Carmen had blasted through yet another Pamper, this time all down her legs and into my shoes. There was mustard-poo everywhere. A few young teens looked at me in horror as I laughed and laughed, while the other moms chortled to themselves, glad it wasn't them! Yep, that's my daughter!


Kisses! Posted by Picasa

Carmen has had a few tastes of the banana from my morning oatmeal now - she watches everything that goes in my mouth and smacks her lips! It's crazy to think that soon she will be eating real food. She has also started to play with the crazy red Lamaze elephant given to us by a friend - she used to just be terrified of it! Her little hands grab for the rattle parts while she tries to jam the crunchy sounding ears in her mouth.

She has also become quite the drool-asaurus... everything she wears gets soaked so now I make sure she's always got a bib on. I was given a huge stack of these teeny bibs by my grandma and I couldn't figure out what we were going to do with them all. Now I know.


Daddy's Reverse Football - THE BEST Posted by Picasa

Friday, August 11, 2006

Month Three and a Bit - Daddy's Girl

Well I know she's my daughter... but she sure doesn't look anything like me! I think it's fair to say that Carmen takes after her Daddy!


Daddy's Girl Posted by Picasa

Carmen is almost 4 months now - it's hard to believe that so much time has passed already!

Now when we go on walks together, she loves to face outwards and take in as much as she can. As we walk, her eyes dart from Bella chasing around, to the birds pecking at the grass, to the flowers and the trees that I point out to her. We carry on a steady stream of conversation, the two of us, on these walks. Everyday these conversations are punctuated by more and more giggles and sputters and sounds that I realize how quickly she is growing up, and by how much she desperately wants to communicate!

Each morning we wake up to her giggles and "BLARL"s coming from the crib. She waits patiently while Daddy changes her, positively beaming at him with and ear-to-ear smile every time! He brings her in to me for a visit to the milk bar, then goes downstairs to work on homework before school. Carmen and I snuggle up in bed together for a few precious hours of sleep. She is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I remember when I used to nurse her while we were lying down and I would struggle to nuzzle the top of her little head - now it reaches much closer to my chin and her reddish-blonde fuzz tickles my lips!

Time is passing so quickly.

Each morning I put her on the floor for some tummy time (which she still hates) and some time with the "Kick n' Play" gym... man, can she ever kick the crap outta that thing! Jason and I joke that she's going to grow up a slot-machine junkie, just by the way she reacts when the lights and music go off on this toy! She splashes around in the tub now too, infatuated with the spray of the water and the sound it makes. She even loves the sound of the water draining from the tub.

I see little bits of brown in her eyes now and wonder if she will get my eyes or her Daddy's everchanging green-blue-grey eyes. Everything else is pure Camp, from the prehensile toes that she will eventually pick up hammers with, right down to the divot in the centre of her chest. My only hope is that she stays away from rugby - I don't think I could stomach seeing her get bruised, battered or concussed in the name of fun! Maybe I am already too overprotective? I think she will grow up enjoying the element of adventure - I already know she loves the feeling of the wind in her face and what she sees in the world out in front of her.

Wednesday, August 9, 2006

Jason & Kristi's Wedding - August 5th, 2006

Just got back from my little brother's wedding - how amazing! Here are some of the nicer shots from our wee little camera! I'm no Nunuboo, but these will do until we see the photographer's shots!


Carmen - almost 4 months! Posted by Picasa


Cousins! Posted by Picasa


Carmen's Pre-Wedding Advice for Uncle Jason Posted by Picasa


Auntie Karen & Ashley Posted by Picasa


Grandma Wolff! Posted by Picasa


Louise meets Carmen Posted by Picasa


Daddy & Carmen enjoying a beer Posted by Picasa


Great Grandma Wolff hits Carmen's Snooze Button Posted by Picasa


Smooch! Posted by Picasa


Kristi & Jason Wolff Posted by Picasa


Men in Black Posted by Picasa


Fun with the Photographer Posted by Picasa


Wolff Women! Posted by Picasa