Weekend Round-Up

Here's the plan for our weekend:

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All-Local Farmer's Market--it's been too long since I've been and now that Jones is trying new foods, I can't wait to find some cool local produce to make into baby food for him!

Abby and Peach

Dog wash fundraiser at Earth Fare.  It's only $7 per dog and all proceeds will go to helping find retired racing Greyhounds new homes.  Abby and Peach will be in attendance; (they just don't know it yet).  The shampoos used to bathe the dogs will be organic (naturally), and all dogs get a goodie bag to take home.  11 am- 3 pm.

Possibly a trip to Buy Buy Baby...I have a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, plus Jones really does need a few things:

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We need a couple new sleep sacks--love the Aden + Anais ones.  Jones is almost too long for the ones we have now.

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I need some additional freezer food storage for the baby food I'm making.

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Now that the babe likes his baths, (hallelujah!), we need some fun bath toys for him to play with...Boon toys are the cutest and they're BpA, PVC and Phthalate-free.

Father's Day lunch on Sunday with my Dad by the pool--homemade hamburgers.  Father's Day dinner with my husband's family.  Jones has a couple cute first Father's Day gifts up his sleeve for James :)

Another cool thing going on this weekend--the SC State Farmer's Market is giving away FREE BLT's to the first 1,000 through the gates on Saturday morning!  You can sign up to get a weekly text from the market letting you know what will be going on each Saturday by texting HARVEST to 313131.

Happy weekend, loves!  What are you up to?

B

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Handmade Baby Stuff

As much as I wish I were a talented sewer and knitter, and that these arts came easily for me, alas that is simply not the case.  But that does not stop me from trying anyway!  With help from more talented friends and family, I have managed to produce a few items for the baby that are quite cute, if I do say so myself.

The hand-knitted baby blanket that I have been working on for a few months, (I am a very slow knitter!), is mere days away from being complete--pictures soon!  And the items below I just finished working on with my mom last weekend.  (My mother is an insanely talented sewer and crafter--she made so many of my and my sister's clothes when we were children.  I am trying my best to learn from her so I can do the same).

Here is the baby bib that we made from some vintage fabric that I thrifted years ago:

And here is the baby gown that I made from one of James' old t-shirts.  Pattern found here.

The gown was a little more difficult than the bib--mom helped a lot.  But, I'm a novice, so for anyone who has some sewing skills, the gown would be a breeze.  The pattern calls for using elastic at the bottom, but my sister (who has 2 babies) suggested a drawstring, as elastic is too easy for the baby to poke his tiny legs out of.  With a drawstring, (we used satin brown ribbon), you can tie his legs up in the gown!

Mom and I have 2 more gowns we're going to make this weekend from James' "I'm a Keeper" t-shirt and his "I Pass on Grass" t-shirt :)

And, just because I love this picture...here are my babies gazing out our front door at the snow a couple weeks ago.  Peach and Abby definitely know that Jones is on the way soon and they are not sure how they feel about it...we're trying to give them lots of love and attention now.  I honestly think they'll be fine and grow to love the baby, but we'll see.  (Only 3 weeks left until my due date!)

I'm planning to go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse this weekend to take advantage of their Restaurant Week special menu and I have another baby shower tomorrow-fun!  What are your weekend plans?

XO, Becca

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My First Babies

Just because this has been a REALLY long and stressful week at work...

here are some pictures of my "first babies":

Abby, Bernice, (pronounced like "furnace" with a B), and Peach curled up together on our bed.  

 

 

My girls

My first baby- Peach.  He is almost 9 years old, but still acts 9 months old most days.  It's so sad to see the gray coming in around his muzzle...

Peach loves to lie his head on my baby belly these days, and I swear Jones kicks more when he does it.  I think they're going to be the best of friends.  Bernice may be another story; she's a very independent cat and does not take kindly to strangers--I don't think she'll do anything to the baby, she'll probably just run away for a few weeks in protest.

Any advice on acclimating fur babies to a new baby in the house?

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend!
XO

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Knitting for Real

I am officially a knitter.  I completed my first hand-knitted item last night:

My first knitted item is complete!  (I look pretty scary in this pic, but it's the best one I have of the scarf...)

Thanks in large part to Lara Winburn of In the Loop for her expertise, patience and teaching. 

My next venture is a baby blanket for Jones--it's going to be simple; color-blocked oatmeal and green.  Let's cross our fingers that I can get it finished in 3 months!

Oatmeal and green yarn for Jones' blanket.

And, I have officially crossed another thing off my 31 Things to Accomplish in my 31st Year list! (Learn to knit).

I am in an amazing mood today, (despite the fact that I haven't had a good night's sleep in a week--I guess this is normal for someone 7 months pregnant?!), because today is my Friday.  I am heading to Litchfield Beach for the weekend with my family tomorrow, and I am excited for a few days of good food, sleep (hopefully), reading, knitting, and breathing salty air!

What are your plans for the weekend?

And just because...here is the most recent "bump" picture and a picture, (albeit blurry), of my sweet hubs and sweet Abby:

I look tired and pale..and big!

Abby looks embarrassed, doesn't she?

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IKEA Finds and the Nursery

Being that I really hate the gender/sex stereotypes of "pink is for girls" and "blue is for boys," James and I decided to go ahead and decorate the baby's room before we find out what we are having. 

With some help from my IKEA purchases from 2 weekends ago, we spent this past Sunday painting, putting things together, hanging, decorating, and generally sweating-- all in the name of a cute, gender-neutral nursery.  Here are some pictures of the  (almost) finished product:

*The wall paint is a very pale blue--it matches the bedding that we got from Target on-line.
*The rocker is from IKEA.
*The green/white dresser is from Roundabouts Consignment store in Columbia, SC.  (Originally Pottery Barn).  All drawers were originally white and James spray-painted 3 of them green.
*Crib is from Babies R Us.
*Tree and birds wall decal from Target.  
*White bookshelf was ours already-originally blue, but sanded down and re-painted by my very handy husband.  
*Striped rug is from IKEA.
*Shelf on the wall is from IKEA.
*Beautiful and soft animal-print fleece blanket hanging on the end of the crib was made by my very talented mother.

*I used printed papers from a local Columbia stationery store, Jot, to paper the back of the bookshelf--hard to see from this shot, but really pretty--and so cheap to do!
*The alligator blocks and the 2 boxes with animals on them are also from IKEA.
*Vintage Fisher-Price airplane is from Etsy.  Love it--looking to purchase some vintage F-P little people to go in the plane now.

Sweet Abby and Fat Albert (cat) helping us paint the bedroom :)

There are some things left to hang on the walls and a couple more small purchases to be made--like a CD player for the nursery, so the baby can listen to the cool CD's I recently bought for him or her: Lullabye Renditions of Bob Marley, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones:

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We are so ready to find out the baby's sex--ultrasound in 2 weeks!

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It's Be Kind to Animals Week

May 2-8 is American Humane's Be Kind to Animals Week.

Here's just a few things we all can do to be kind to animals:

Speak out for animals

Get informed about policies and legislation that can impact the animals in your community and throughout the country. Also, register to receive Action Alerts from American Humane -- you’ll be able to speak out for animals with just the click of a mouse. You know I'm a fan of being knowledgeable about policy--just do it.

Report animal abuse

Animal cruelty and abuse is not only tragic for animals, but also an indicator that other forms of abuse such as domestic violence could be happening. If you see something that looks suspicious -- a dog chained in your neighbor’s yard that looks underfed, a child putting a cat in a box and kicking it around the yard -- don’t hesitate. Let someone know. I have called City Animal Control several times and they are usually very willing to help investigate; advocate for a dog or cat that cannot speak for itself.

Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue

Every year, an estimated 3.7 million animals must be euthanized at our nation’s shelters because they could not be adopted into loving homes. Help animals find a second chance at happiness by adopting your next pet from your local shelter or rescue group. American Humane has tips to find the animal companion that’s right for you and develop a bond that will last a lifetime.

My shelter babies- Abby, Peach, Fat Albert & cat Bernice (not pictured)

I LOVE my shelter babies--all adopted from our local shelter, The Animal Mission, and they are the greatest!

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And, go buy the new Stamps to the Rescue postage stamps--available in your local post office or on-line. With these 10 stamp designs, the U.S. Postal Service hopes to raise awareness of the need to adopt shelter pets; all pets photographed had been homeless at one time. I just bought some stamps at the Greene Street PO--they are precious!

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