Quentin’s 1st Birthday

Quentin is one today.
He was born a year ago, at 10:27 am.
Boy, does time fly. I feel like just yesterday he was born.

Quentin's had a fab day. Morning music class, visiting a friend with a new baby, lunch with his 2 best buddies, and an afternoon nap. Not sure what this evening holds, but it'll be a quiet dinner with just us.

Over the weekend we had a party for him with all of his friends. We had a lot of fun.

I can't believe my baby is one. My last baby. It's so upsetting, really, while it's amazing to watch him grow at the same time. No more first birthdays in our house. While I am glad that the whole party planning is over for now (besides Sean's small birthday party next month with a few of his friends), it's just all bittersweet.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY QUENTIN! We love you!! xoxo

A Year Ago

Quentin enjoying birthday cake last night.

A year ago right now, my water broke on the exam table at the hospital. I was leaking amniotic fluid, they checked me, they were going to send me home, but then, a minute after the doctor left the room, my water broke all over the table. We told Quentin he had to stay in until after the Anne Hanson workshop (Saturday, November 27th, 2010) and had to hang in until after Jamie's poker tournament (Sunday, November 28th, 2010), and then, on Monday, November 29th, my water broke. At least he listened! I wasn't due for another month, but Quentin decided he didn't want to share a birthday month with anyone in his house (Sean & Jamie share December birthdays, and Mackenzie & I share June), and made an appearance the last day of November.

Tomorrow, Quentin turns 1. My baby turns 1. I'm so not ready.

Off to go hyperventilate....

Patience

Quentin's got no patience these days. The days of the playpen, exercauser & jumperoo are over. (Though, I can still get about 15 minutes out of the playpen).

And entertainment can be fulfilled with plastic disposable cups.

And who needs toys when there are empty boxes?

Monday Morning Link Love

- Love this fort building kit tutorial. What a neat gift idea!
- Freeze green onions in water bottles - shake out the right amount and return to the freezer! This is great! You always have to buy so many green onions and recipes usually never call for more than 3 stalks.
- I love this earbud pouch! Probably really easy to make too.
- Love this charge boosting kit.
- Cucumber ribbon salad.
- Cute coiled coasters.
- Cute knit sock pillows.
- I'd love to have a vintage sharpener on my desk!
- Cute tea wallet tutorial.
- Why not use a wine rack as a towel rack.
- Family magnets - what a cute fun idea.
- I love this hoodie!
- I know how to crochet, but I thought maybe anyone who wants to learn, would like this link.
- Napkin folding fun.
- I need to pick up some fun colored iphone/ipod/ipad chargers - inexpensive too - under 3$!
- I love these pj pants.
- 25+ handmade ideas for boys.
- Adorable!
- DIY Yarn & Twig dandelions.
- White cheddar chicken pasta recipe.
- This is a genius (mom) product.
- This cake is stunning. WOW!
- This is some crazy nail work.
- What a fun image!
- I think I totally need this book - on raising boys.
- Love these playdoh kits.
- How to make a heart shaped egg.
- Love this shoe organization idea.
- Love this reading nook! I want one in my home.
- Lollypop tree game. FUN!

Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf

Pattern: Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf (My Ravelry Link)

For: Myself
Yarn: Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM) in P139, P139 & P612

Needle: US 7 - 4.5 mm
Size: 5" x 62" (without fringe) or 74" (with fringe)
Timeline: September 23th, 2011 - November 24th, 2011
Modifications & Notes: Loved working on this - though it went a little slow. Each row went very slowly, as there were 450 stitches per row. I have been wearing it out since it was finished, and I love it. It was absolutely worth the long never-ending rows!

School Pictures

School pictures 2011.

My boys are just too cute.

But this shot of the two of them together, melts my heart.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Mystery Quilt Progress

So finally, here are some pictures of my mystery quilt blocks.

Week 1 part 1.

Week 1 part 2.

Week 2.

Week 3.

And this is the background color that is throughout a lot of the patches. I can't wait to see how this quilt will all come together, I'm very excited. I've been spending HOURS cutting with my rotary cutter (love that tool!) on my cutting mat with my rotary cutting ruler. One fat quarter, I had to replace because somehow I screwed up and ended up with smaller blocks than what I was supposed to have. (Learned my lesson there! And I'm learning a lot about precision & patience).



I'm currently working on week 4 & week 5's clues. Week 5 ends the last of the mystery clues, and next class (next week) our teacher is going to show us the options of how it can all go together. I still have a few more hours of work to do for week 4 & week 5's clue (which we got together last class). I am hoping to have some time before the next class to finish all the sewing & cross-cutting.

I am also hoping that I have enough time to finish this quilt before the last class. I won't be able to take the class again next session as it falls during Quentin's nap time, and there are no cribs in the daycare at the place I'm taking the classes at (as they offer babysitting services, which I am currently using this session, since the class is in the morning). But since Quentin only naps once a day now, in the afternoons, I cannot continue the class and am really hoping that I have time to finish it in this session. The class said it was open to all levels of quilters, but honestly, it was more for people whom have quilted before. I've sewn before, so I was able to catch on, but I'm taking the class with a friend who had never sewn by machine before, and it's been a bit harder on her this class.

I am already thinking about what my next quilt will be!

Cranberry

I got some gorgeous yarn in the mail this past week. It is my November 2011 installment of Tanis Fiber Art's Fiber Club in Blue Label Fingering yarn in Cranberry. Now, that's my color. It's stunning! This totally deserves to be a stunning shawl.

Thrifting Fun

I've been thrifting lately, and I've been finding some good deals too.

First, on Craigslist, I found a mom selling these silicone ice cube trays. I've been looking for silicone ones, as they can be put in the oven. I've been wanting to melt down our crayon bits (that I have been saving for years) into new crayons. These Sesame Street trays used to sell at our local dollar store for a buck each. I scored these, plus 4 regular trays, which I will give to a friend who is freezing baby food for her child, for 1$ for all 9 trays.

Then, I found both this awesome puzzle piece tray & skull head tray at a local thrift shop. I am super excited to make puzzle piece crayons! (Or even puzzle piece chocolate!) These were .99¢ each. The puzzle piece is apparently from Ikea.

I am still on the lookout for other funky silicone trays. I think it would be fun to make a bunch of assorted shaped crayons with our broken crayon bits.

At the same thrift store, I found some super hero figures (and some other random toys) for my boys for a ridiculously cheap price. The new batmans and spidermans were a huge hit. A run through the dishwasher to clean & sterilize them, and we were good to go.

I also found, one "I ♥ # 1 son" frame. I had gotten 2 of them after Mack was born, and when I went back to see if the local dollar store (where I found these frames from), had another one after Quentin was born, they did not. I found one, in mint condition, still in it's original packaging, at the thrift store, and was more excited than you can imagine. I paid .99¢ for it, which it would have cost 1$ at the dollar store. I didn't care I was paying full price for this at the thrift store, because I've been hunting one down... forever! This score made my day. (And no, the picture frame on the lower shelf of this image, with the 2 boys in black & white, that's not my kids. It's a frame that I need to put in pictures of my kids!) I was debating whether to take the pics of Mack & Sean out, and just keep 1 frame and put a picture of all 3 boys together, until I found a frame the other day. Now they each can have their own frame. I do need to update the pictures of Sean & Mack, those are a tad outdated.

Lastly, for ridiculously inexpensive, I score a Sophie. I can't recall how much exactly she cost, as she was in a bag with other toys (action figures). Sophie retails 25$ (or so) plus taxes. Right now I have her for sale on Craigslist, as I've sterilized her and she's in excellent condition. Quentin has a Sophie, and I even have a back up Sophie (new in box) in case we lose our Sophie. (Sophie came out when Mack was starting to teeth - around 7 months old. I bought him a Sophie at full price. Then he lost Sophie. He loved that thing. When he started to chew on his friends Sophie, I decided that I should indeed replace the lost Sophie. So I did. And that's Quentin's Sophie now. (I didn't know of Sophie when Sean was teething). Anyhow, while I was pregnant with Quentin, there was a deal on Sophie, so I bought it, and figured that if I don't ever need it as a back up for a lost Sophie, then I can use it as a gift, as it's new in box. I am sure that this Sophie above will be sold before I know it. I don't think that the thrift shop even realized how valuable Sophie is. It was just mixed in with a bunch of action figures, for very inexpensive... And that was my score!

I keep wanting to go back to the thrift store to see what other finds there are. It's so thrilling!

Monday Morning Link Love

- 31 days to a better grocery budget.
- Stunning vintage dress.
- How to make homemade bath fizzies.
- I love this wall of books!
- Love this image, especially the bicycle.
- Love this tutorial for suede feather earrings.
- Love these little man cuffs and big guy belts.
- Love this free crochet owl hat pattern.
- I love this mobile photo frame. What a cute idea! Too bad I don't have a nursery to decorate anymore.
- Love this Infantino Twist & Fold activity mat - where were these products even a year ago? I would have loved something like this that folded for Quentin.
- Love this DIY infinity scarf!
- Totally need to put one of these in my laundry room - genius!
- Love these drawer pulls as picture hangers!
- Love these crochet slippers! Just in time to keep toes warm in winter.
- This made me laugh - miss the 80's but love today's technology.
- This is stinkin' adorable.
- Make your own button necklace.
- This is just adorable!
- This made me laugh.
- These cucumber feta boats look beyond delicious!
- I'd love to make a glass tile pendant with my kids that looks like this.
- LOVE this dress.
- Love this cute crochet hat!
- Anyone else with me on this?
- Clean showerhead ickyness with white vinegar in a bag secured with a rubberband...
- Love these mailboxes.
- Adore this rug!

Vestee

A long time ago, I knit Vestee.

I started it in mid-summer & finished it just a few short weeks before Quentin was born. It was for a class I was taking the summer before last.

The sweater was deemed to be 12 month size.

It's about correct. Quentin is now just over 20 lbs, wearing 12 month clothing.

And it fit him well. He's soooo cute in it.

He wore it out to our music class on Wednesday, and got compliments galore. Too bad he's not old enough to say "My mommy made it!"

My Family

"My Family".
Sean drew this in school. I love it.
I can't wait to bring this piece home.
It's getting framed.

Bedroom Reorganization

We finally got rid of the changing table in the boys room. In its place, I moved the bookcase that was already there. I also re-organized all the book in the boys room (apparently they have A LOT of books!) We read the boys a story every night before bed. They also a big readers and like looking through books at other times during the day. (I'm glad that they love books!) So, in honor of Mack being potty trained, and getting rid of the changing table, I got the boys a second bookcase & we totally re-organized their entire room. I can't believe how clean their room is now. I love it. Let's see how long their room can stay organized for.

Bottling Up Laughter

I love his laugh. I wish there was a way to bottle it up. He makes me smile. His laughter is absolutely contagious. I love this age. I wish he could stay this age forever.

Party Number 1

Sunday we had the first celebration for Quentin's birthday. We celebrated with family. We celebrated early, because my grandmother goes to Florida for the winter. Normally she'd be gone already, but agreed to stay a few more days if Quentin's birthday party was early. So that she could be there, we made it 2 (and a bit) weeks early. (Quentin sported the same vest Sean did for his 1st birthday! Mack's birthday is in June, and it was way too hot for him to wear the same thing to his birthday, and Mackenzie was still in 9 month clothing at his 1st birthday, where this vest is 12-18 month size). It was a bit big, but worked nonetheless.

Quentin had a great time!

As did his brothers & cousin.

I changed Quentin before cake. Especially since my step-mother-in-law made him his very own cake (for him to dig into).

(I love this picture!) (And unfortunately we didn't get a single picture of the 5 of us that came out. We'll have to try again at party #2, with friends, which is coming up later this month).

Quentin actually tried to grab the flame! He was so fascinated by it!

And then got to dig into his very own chocolate cake.

Oh, he had a field day!

I think we have another chocoholic on our hands.

Quentin got spoiled by his family.
He is truly blessed (as are all my boys).

The look on his face when opening gifts, was truly priceless.