Jon never thought I would finish...

Jon is a professional at finding inexpensive chairs. We picked this one up for half off ($25!) because of a flaw that you can't see in the wood under the cushion. The cushions themselves were in decent shape, but ugly. I had a bunch of upholstery weight yardage from a project that I changed my mind about, so I decided to make some new covers. I tore the old ones apart and used them as patterns, and recycled the zippers and cording to make the piping. I got to try out a new technique, which was making one continuous bias strip out of a square instead of cutting and connecting individual ones, which is tedious and also uses up fabric inefficiently. I figured there had to be a better way--and of course there was.  (link is a pdf file) I know that further discussion of this topic will be boring for most of you, just know that it was a bit magical and I will excitedly talk about bias strips to those who are interested. It all turned out pretty well, especially the zippers. Zippers and I are enemies and these went in perfectly on the first try, a rarity for me. I hosted book club last week, so luckily I had a deadline, as Theo got croup and progress was slow. I was also motivated by Theo constantly trying to eat the polyester batting wrapped around the foam cushions.

Speaking of Theo eating, we (I) have given up on baby food. (Thanks to Grace for the baby led weaning tip.) He ate a whole asparagus spear recently so things are looking up! I have to say watching him trying to eat something is a lot more fun than aimlessly waving a spoon in his face. I am a little sad not to use my baby food book with its amazing looking recipes, but I have to get over myself a little bit and give up my desire to make baby peas with mint.

And what of baby Theo? Here he is on a walk last week, fully unappreciative of nature as he sleeps away in his bear suit.

valentimes

I think there is a reason cliches are cliches. Sometimes people get caught up trying so hard to not follow a cliche that it becomes a cliche in itself. (and slightly annoying, no? But I'm sure I fall into that category sometimes.) But back to my original thought. Valentine's Day. We reveled in the cliches this year, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Flowers (lilies), box of chocolates (TJ's, so good I asked if they were hiding some extras yesterday), perfume (I am bringing my signature scent back! Perfume that doesn't smell like perfume.). I also gave Jon a pillow I made with a Sufjan phrase, because it can't be a holiday, birth, or wedding without some Sufjan involved in the Hall family. (My first attempt at freezer paper stencils--I must admit I wasn't so exacto with the knife as I had hoped. But I tried my best.) Add in some delicious pizza and a warm brownie topped with fancy ice cream and chocolate ganache--I was feeling so wonderful it didn't matter that Theo decided to wake up and not fall back asleep. The worst part of the night was when crazy Michelle got sent home from the Bachelor. But I'll get over it.

After sitting Theo in the chair, it quickly turned to this-

Then this-

And finally this, his attempt to crawl on the nightstand.

Needless to say, he's got some bruises on his face (not from this, don't worry, just other times when he falls on his face and I'm not paying attention). He also has his first mild cold, and I'm sure the neighbors think I am torturing a baby dolphin when in fact am just trying to suck excess mucus from his nose.

It's such a cliche. My baby is attempting to crawl off cliffs and is leaking crusty fluid from his nose, but I love him all the same.  Or even more.

be my heart valentine

Came across this on a walk last week and thought it was brave. She busted out the cursive and everything. I would have never done this, but I did give each pre-printed note on my class valentines an extreme amount of thought, matching the appropriate recipients to "I like your smile, Valentine."

For a second I thought it was fake. Shoshi? Do people name their children that? (apologies to the Shoshies) I might have known  Shoshi in my life, or it might have been a dog, I don't remember.

He crawls! He crawls!

A week ago, February 4th, I looked up from folding laundry and realized that Theo was no longer scooting, but crawling! By now he is all over the place. He used to play happily on his little quilt square while I was in the kitchen doing something, but his little face pops around the corner as  he tries to find me wherever I go. Which is pretty cute. About the same time last week he regularly started pulling himself up to standing position, and now is shuffling along the coffee table. And yesterday his second tooth finally (finally!) broke through. I lowered his crib one level, only to realize I should have lowered it all the way. What is happening? Our Theodore is becoming a little man. I'm a little behind on child proofing...tasks for this weekend.

I had to include this clip of Theo standing, because baby bums are so cute. Crawling baby bums are even better but shows too much baby junk for public view. I try to hold my blog to network television standards.

I need a theo manual

It should be no surprise that people blog a lot about their babies. Their perfect, sleep through the night babies that are somehow cuter than all other babies and are doing what no other baby can do (like blink and make noise). At least that is how I feel sometimes. I'll read a blog about some 5 month old who was offered food for the first time and "they absolutely loved it! They are in heaven! Look at my advanced baby eater!" (Just know I am exaggerating basically all points so far, I'm sure all the blogs I've read are perfectly normal.) Theo is over seven months old and refuses basically all solids.  He sat independently so well and acted like he wanted food, but after trying avocado, sweet potato, bananas, applesauce, and going remedial with brown rice cereal (which he ate briefly for a period of two days and then stopped), he he mistrusts any spoon headed his way. The other day he kind of ate a little so I got excited and tried a few other things, and was rewarded by giving Theo a case of junkitis and Jon a shirt full of straight up vomit. So sad. Believe me, I know that babies eat solids in their own time and I'm totally fine with him not being ready if that is what he needs, but it is tiring to try again and again. Can't he just tell me on that magical day when he is ready for all the delicious food I am prepared to hand make him? He has no idea what he is missing.

At the same time, watching his reactions when we feed him are pretty funny. He has this certain type of whine/coo that only comes when he is attempting to eat--his "I'm not sure about this" sound. He also tends to wink his left eye when tasting something strange. See if you can catch it below. (This was taken at a 6.5 months, trying Grandma's homemade applesauce.)





But, he is scooting and half crawling all over the place now, which is fun and gives me proof that he is learning new skills. At least I can tell my pediatrician that--I don't know how to tell her that he's not eating baby meat now, or anything really.