Quick Change Trousers!

I have been reading many blogs lately that rave about the "Quick Change Trousers" pattern in Anna Maria Horner's book, Handmade Beginnings. I finally got around to making (my first) pair...(I am sure I will be making many more of these). I love them. They were easy to make. And, they are reversible...so it's pretty much like making two pairs of pants (although if they get wet...it soaks through both pairs of pants and back-ups are needed :).









And here is our snacking lil' model...

God made dirt...

My family was in town visiting last week (yay!), and with them came a new surge of energy to get some stuff done around the house.

My dad installed the child safety latches on the cabinets (something that has been our to-do list for weeks, maybe even months now).


My mom and Ezra planted lots of flowers...






And since Ezra loved digging around in the dirt so much, we decided he needed a sand box. We partitioned part of a flower bed off using curved brick we had, and made this little space for our guy...








Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Decluttering the kitchen...

So, I have fallen a bit behind in posting my pics from the decluttering game. Last week we were to clean out our pantry and refrigerator.

I did clean out our pantry, but sorry no photos...

However here are photos from our fridge.

Before:


After:


I have to say that washing down the shelves and inside the drawers felt quite satisfying. Now if only we can keep things from leaking or spilling for at least 6 months.... :)

One last birthday post...

We had a family birthday party for Ezra on Saturday. We planned for it to start at 3:30pm since Ezra usually wakes up around 3pm from an afternoon nap.

However on this particularly Saturday he decided he wanted to take two morning naps, and then an afternoon nap starting at 2:45pm (he normally sleeps for 1.5-2.5 hours, so I knew this meant he wouldn't be up by 3:30pm).

Around 3:45pm Ryan and I decided that we should probably wake him up. We went into our room (where he was sleeping) and started to gently wake him by opening the blinds...then turning off his sound machine...then rubbing his back. Nothing. So we rubbed his back some more and sang happy birthday. At this point he picked up his head (eyes still closed) and turned over...still sleeping. Oh, waking up a sleeping baby is never fun, yet so cute at the same time. Eventually he woke up. He is normally a happy baby when he wakes up...even when woken up. However not this day. He was sooo tired and just wanted to be cuddled...preferably by mom or dad...for the first almost 45 minutes.

Don't take my picture guys...just hold me!


Playing catch is always a sure bet for making Ezra smile...


Gluten-free strawberry/banana birthday muffin...


They were plate-licking good!


...couldn't get enough...


Happy Birthday sweet boy!

Ezra is 1...no foolin'!

Ezra's actual birthday was wonderful, even though it didn't go exactly as I had pictured. But then again neither did his birth...so perhaps I should learn that parenthood takes many unexpected twists and turns, but it all works out wonderfully in the end.

He started cutting his first tooth, which as you know, is a hard thing to do. I can see the tooth, but it just hasn't popped through the gum yet. Most of the day he just wanted to be held and cuddled...so that is a lot of what we did. We snuggled in the chair. We snuggled on the couch. I wore him in a carrier while I baked cupcakes and gluten-free muffins. I was feeling sad about how miserable he seemed to be feeling on his birthday, and finally it dawned on me that he needed a birthday balloon! So I wore him while we walked to Fry's to pick out his birthday balloon. If you have a 1 year old, or even an almost 1 year old...balloons are magical! Ezra was in awe of his balloon and would not let go of it for a second. He carried it all the way home from the grocery store and would smile when he saw it across the room at home...I'm not kidding when I say that I have never seen him light up about something so much (except for when he sees his dad walk in the room).

In the morning Jessica and Eleanor came over, which was very fun. Jessica and I did a little sewing.

Ezra and Eleanor wanted to help too...


When playing with sharp needles and heavy machinery was not an option...they tried to break free and get into the backyard...



As always, playing with balls was a highlight...Ezra is not to sold on the idea of sharing yet though...


Ezra serenaded us...


And Eleanor checked out the potty for size... (that long thing next to Ezra is the draft blocker we sewed!)...


The both enjoyed climbing...on the same thing at the same time of course...


And here's just a head shot of him, because he is the birthday boy afterall. :)


(most of those photos should be credited to Jessica Howard :)

After Jessica and Eleanor left, Ezra spent most of the day right here...with his hand in his mouth like so...


But then we got the balloon and his face lit up like this (the balloon is on the top of the string, but sadly I didn't get that in the photo)...


The balloon even received a round of applause.


...and some open mouth kisses...

Decluttering entertaiment...

We were recently given a nice basket that I thought would make a perfect newspaper recycling basket (we save our newspaper to build fires with). As I was clearing off the top shelf of the hall closet where we keep our newspapers, I was freaked out by some verryyyy long tentacles that were reaching out towards me. The shelf is above (my) eye level so I couldn't really see what it was, but still I was feeling a little squeamish. Deciding to be very brave, I just reached for it...and jumped when it was much bigger than I had expected....



Oh dear...I have no idea how long that potato had been hiding up there.

Happy 1st Birthday Ezra!!

How is it possible?? Seriously, how? That a whole year has gone by since we first met Ezra?


It is quite amazing to think that they start so small and depend on you for everything, yet in one year's time, they triple in size and desire to do many things themselves.

1 month...


2 months...


3 months...


4 months...



5 months...


6 months...


7 months...


8 months...


9 months...


10 months...


11 months...


1 Year!


Last weekend we had a joint birthday party at the park with Ezra's friend, Corban, who turned 3!

Ryan and Ezra...


Corban the birthday princess!


Who needs cupcakes when there are gluten-free prune muffins to be devoured?


"If only we could get these open...these bubbles look delicious!"


It has been a wonderful first year. So many smiles and laughs. Hours spent just staring at him in awe. Tears of joy. Sleepless nights. Love that makes me want to burst. Lots of snuggles and cuddles...and millions of kisses too.

Happy Birthday! We love you Ezra!