Important Daddy Love

February 5, 2013 by Summer

Over the weekend I captured some great shots of Ellie and her Daddy. It’s so neat to watch their relationship grow. When he wakes up in the morning and comes down stairs (yes, we’re up a heckuva lot earlier than Daddy every day), he says good morning and she gives him a huge grin and waves her arms all over in excitement. She loves when he reads to her and likes sitting with him while he watches football. He sings sweet songs to her and she smiles and laughs at him and I just know how very important this all is to this growing, developing, little girl. An incredibly important relationship is blossoming before my eyes. A relationship that will determine what types of men my daughter will decide to date, a relationship that will determine who she will eventually marry. I’m thinking that the way these two are with each other already, leads me to believe she’ll be just fine. She’s got one heckuva Daddy who is falling more and more in love with his baby girl every day.

(At the end of their little play session the dogs got jealous and made their way in for some daddy love too. I had to add the photo in because it was just too darn cute).

A Sensory Play Mat

January 30, 2013 by Summer

In my preschool/ childcare days, I worked with infants for about three years out of the ten plus I was in early education. I learned a lot about the needs of babies. Sensory exploration is a very large part of being a baby and I wanted to make a special soft, sensory place for the babies in my care to explore and crawl and lay on. I put together a rather shoddy play mat that at the time I thought was a work of genius. It has however, lasted through three years of babies in my care and then moved with me to a toddler room and a preschool room where it stayed for almost five years as a reading corner mat. When I left my job to stay home with my baby, that mat was one of the few things I took with me. I wanted to give my baby girl a chance to lay and crawl and enjoy my efforts and sure enough she is doing just that. For this sentimental gal, I get pretty happy seeing my own baby playing on a mat that I made and that already has so many memories for me.

I had collected bits and pieces of different types of fabric- sheepskin, flannel, micro-fleece, cotton, velvet , chenille and even vinyl. I sewed them all together to create the top. I took a large piece of thick fleece, sewed front sides together and turned the whole thing inside out and voila! I had myself a sensory mat. Ellie seems to really be enjoying the different textures. She prefers scratching at the vinyl the best. I love how well its held up. I can throw it in the wash on hot and it comes out just as soft and cuddly as ever. I’m tempted to make another. Some of the fabric is worn and loved on this one and I think I could make a much nicer one now. But this little mat will always have a place in my heart and now even more so with new memories of my own baby girl enjoying the sensory exploration, this very important work that babies do.

Oh The Things You Can Do!

January 17, 2013 by Summer

Oh my! It’s been so much fun lately watching this baby girl do things! She is learning so much in such a small amount of time. I watch her roll over from her back to her belly and then push herself up ever so slightly on her arms and even scooting around sometimes. She’s growing so fast and it’s so exciting to watch as she learns and masters these new skills, each one preparing her for the next development. She’s truly growing right before my eyes and I’m so lucky and thankful I can be right here for it all.

*quilt made by cousin Marci.

Fluff While Traveling

December 29, 2012 by Summer

This was the first time we took the cloth diapers while traveling. I was a little reluctant but since we were going to be gone for two weeks, I didn’t want her in disposable for that long and a little part of me wanted to see how hard it actually would be. It turned out to be pretty darn easy. Luckily, we had the in-laws washer and dryer. I ended up bringing more diapers than I needed but I only had to wash every few days which was nice. We did occasionally use disposables at night and while on the plane but I feel better about taking the plunge and bringing them. I brought a wide assortment. I had about twelve pocket diapers, two Grovia covers with about seven inserts. I brought my cloth wipes (in that little stripy bag) and two wet bags. Next trip I may dare myself to go complete fluff- even on the plane.