A reminder to do two, chain two then do two...

So, my bestie, Je, is awesome. 

Serious.

She taught me a new trick!

It's called crochet. And I love it.

She's the awesome friend who made the super cute hat for Aislynn, and she just finished making a super beautiful blanket as a wedding gift for another friend. For real, this blanket was amazing. I wish I had just stolen it, like I intended to. 

But I'm much too nice of a person.

Anyway,

Je taught me how to crochet. So I made a hat for Cuinn. Which wasn't so good. It was really big. Like, big enough that Aislynn's head could probably fit in it while Cuinn was wearing it.

But, since my husband is so kind and supportive, he has been wearing it all week at his conference. (Next post will be all about his conference. I'm just trying to suppress my sadness with him being gone. Not really, it's just that being a single parent I haven't had much time for blogging.) He's amazing.

So after I finished the hat, I decided to try my hand at a smaller blanket. For Aislynn. Who I am not forcing to love this blanket. Because I made lots of mistakes, and had to take out stitches so many times and redo things, and try to sew squares together that didn't really fit.

Urgh.

My next project will be way better though. Je said. She said she was really proud of me, but I think she might have just been acting nice. Same with her husband Ja. They both said it was really nice. They are really good friends.

Seriously though, I'm super proud of myself. I am so proud that I learned how to crochet AND to sort of read a pattern. I'm proud that I finished it. I'm proud that I didn't just give up when I got really frustrated. And I'm proud that I am still looking for more patterns to try out instead of giving up because my first attempt was not so perfect.

Serious progress right there.

Serious.

Anyway,

I really wish I had taken photo's of the whole progress. Next time I will for sure. But I thought you all might love a view of my completed project.

Please be kind, as I am incredibly proud of it!

Not bad for a first try, eh?

SO, if there are any more "hookers" among us, share with me one of your favorite projects! Or share a pattern with me that you think I should try out. I am loving my new craft!

I have learned so much.

Like how I have to do two, chain two then do two again at the corners. And how I just have to be on clean up duty after I'm finished sewing the squares together. And tucking things in isn't always about bed time!

It's been an awesome time learning how to do this, and my friend Je is an amazing teacher by the way. Super patient, super supportive, super great.

She's a real teacher too by the way.

And if she can teach a class vectors and calculus in 6 weeks, and me how to crochet in an evening or two? She can pretty much teach anything.

Shout out to my bestie Je!!

Now, all of you, GO, do something crafty!

THEN BLOG ABOUT IT!

A post about solo parenting...

Well, I am on day 3 of 6 of solo parenting.

My hubby is away on a business conference in Quebec City and I am here, with Aislynn, really missing him.

I have become very aware of why God intended there to be two parents. It wasn't just because it's so very hard to do everything alone (which it is. So very hard, and exhausting. And I've only been at it for 3 days, more on this later), but it's just so lonely. I mean, I have tons of people I could call and ask them to come spend time with me and they would. At the drop of a hat. I have friends who all I would have to say is, "I could really use an hour all to myself" and they would take Aislynn and let me be human for a bit. I'm not talking about that kind of loneliness. I'm talking about how it's so nice to have someone to share moments with. There have been about a million little things that have happened that I think to myself, "Oh, I can't wait to tell Cuinn about that" or, "Cuinn would think this is so funny/sad/cute/amazing." There are just so many things I want to share with him, and only him. Yeah, it's nice to talk to my friends about it, but it's just so much more special to share it with my partner. I miss our family bed. I don't like sleeping alone (Well, as alone as I can get with Aislynn in the bed). I really don't like making dinner for one. How depressing.

Also, I'm exhausted. Serious. I've had to do every single diaper change. Every single nap time/bed time routine. Every single meal. ALL the playing, all the crying, all the tantrums. I just want to give a special shout out to all the single parents out there who do this by themselves 365 DAYS A YEAR! Way to go you! I'm especially thinking of my sister in law A. She's with my brother now, but she was a single mom for 5 years and I just have so much respect for her and for how hard it is. Now, I'm only doing it for 6 days, so I don't get the FULL effect of it, but I do understand a little more how difficult it is to do it on your own.

On the flip side to all this, there is a really nice feeling of being alone with Aislynn.

Because I don't want you all to think I'm minutes away from leaving Aislynn in her crib and running away because I can't handle it.

I'm actually enjoying our alone time, because I get to be selfish.

I get to have ALL the cuddles and kisses. I get to have special tubby time and then snuggle time by ourselves. We're playing, just the two of us.

Cuinn is SUCH a huge help, he really is, but having just the two of us makes it a little more relaxed. Not that Cuinn is uptight or rigid or anything, but it's different. And we're managing, just the two of us. 

We really miss daddy.

But we're also really enjoying our girl time.

I've got to go now though, Aislynn is up from her nap, and is hungry for snack.

Life of a mummy, it's a busy life.

A Tuesday Ten Link Up Party

Well, hello there!

It's Tuesday! Which means it's link up party time!

Every Tuesday this cool chick makes a list of ten things and then everyone else makes a list of ten things and we read everyone elses lists. Basically, it's awesome.

Unfortunately, it's been a long day. I'm pretty much exhausted. So this weeks list is going to be a quicky. See? even when I'm tired I'm still good for a quicky. Post. Quicky blog post.

shifty eyes

Anyway, Cuinn and I have a thing for Zombies. We like to read books about them, play games about them, look at them on the internet, watch movies about them, make contingency plans for when the inevitable Zombie Apocolypse happens, remind each other that even if the other was a Zombie we would still love each other. Yeah, we're a little weird.

So,

here is my list for this week! Enjoy!

Ten Awesome Zombie Pins on my Pinterest!

Source: piccsy.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Heck Yes I would.

Source: reddit.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Delish!

Source: etsy.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Love it.

Source: badassdigest.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Totally wish I could do this shoot.

Source: gospic.net via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: google.de via Sarah on Pinterest

Words can not express how much I want this for my house.

Source: todaysbigthing.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Oh no!!

Source: mamannonmerci.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Uh oh, do you have a babie? Or a miniture zombie in your house?

Source: ladiesgadgets.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Yum!

Source: ubercomments.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I have a few friends in mind when I see this.

Source: explosm.net via Sarah on Pinterest

What a gentlezombie!


Anyway, go check out the other lists! Make your own list and linky linky!
Have a great day!

A post to brag..

Last night, when I went to bed, I only had 9 followers. I reported to Cuinn, as I often do, "Hey, Cuinn! I have 9 followers now! That's up from the 7 I had two days ago! Woot!"

He looked at me and rolled his eyes.

I can't really complain though, because I tell him every single day how many followers I have, and how many comments I got, and who visited my page. I tell him this every time I look at my blog actually. Which is a lot. Because I'm so obsessed with that now. I really shouldn't have added that little counter thing. It just feeds my addiction.

ANYWAY

I came online today, as soon as baby Aislynn was down for a nap and checked my daily's. 

That's what Cuinn and I call the stuff we check out online every day. For me that is Facebook, Pinterest, My blog, Email, and a bunch of other blogs. Yes, I check them daily, so that means you all should post daily! Be as obsessed as me!

And when I opened up my Blogger: Dashboard bookmark what did I see?

13 FOLLOWERS! BOO YEAH! DOUBLE DIGITS!!!

13 people love my blog enough to follow it! And maybe read it!

YAY!

So, I just wanted to post about how I reached double digits in followers and to tell all of you that I love you! Every single one of my 13 followers!

Now, if I was superstitious, I would get a little weirded out and beg one more person to follow me. And quick.

But I'm not superstitious. I'm just regular-stitious.

See what I did there?

Anyway.

Thank you all for following me! I hope you all know that I follow you right back and read all your blogs! 

Have a great day everyone!

A Tuesday Ten Link Up Party

Today is Tuesday.

And you know what that means?

It's a link up party!

Called Tuesday Ten! With Miss Mommy!

This is my very first time doing a link up thingy. So I really hope I do it right.

My Tuesday Ten today is.....

Ten Favorite Aislynn and Mummy Things:

1. Beastfeeding. I love breastfeeding. It's the one and only thing that can truly just be a mummy and Aislynn thing. It's such an amazing and special time for me. I love being able to provide for my baby in this special and oh so important way.

2. Meeting her for the very first time. What an awesome moment. I know it's going to sound corny, but I never knew I could love a person this much.

3. Rocking my baby to sleep. Bedtime routine has kind of become my domain. And I'm not gonna lie, I kinda love it. Actually, I really love it. I love sitting in our rocking chair, cradling my baby, and rocking her to sleep. It's another one of my favorite parts of the day. Our special cuddle time.

4. Our noses. Yeah, I love that we have the same nose. She may be an almost exact replica of her daddy, but I can be proud that she has my nose. 

5. BLW. I'll admit it. BLW was mostly my idea. I came to Cuinn with my oodles of research and said, "I think I want to try this." He said, "Mommy knows best. And since you'll be the one at home with her, I think it's fair that you get to decide." I love him. And I love exploring food with Aislynn. I really love watching her enjoy a big piece of watermelon and getting it EVERYWHERE! It's so much fun eating with her and watching her learn what foods she loves and what foods she doesn't.

6. Our walks! I love strapping her into the stroller and pounding the pavement. Whether it's to Timmies for a treat, to Early Years for our Mommy Class or just a stroll around town. I love that walking with Aislynn. I love watching her get excited about trees. I love watching her eyes light up when a dog passes us and sniffs her. I love hearing her giggle when a bird sings. I love seeing the world through her eyes.

7. Baby Wearing. Having her that close to me, her hearing my heart beat, my feeling her breath against my chest. It's almost as good as breast feeding. I love holding her. I love how much she loves it. I'm going to be sad when she is too big for me to carry her.

8. Swimming! Aislynn loves to swim, I love to swim, we love to swim together! She is so much fun in the pool! Splashing and kicking and drinking. Yup. Drinking the pool. Totally gross? Yeah. Totally cute? Oh yeah.We love our swim days!

9. Family showers. Obviously I don't have a picture of that. That would be creepy. But I love hanging out in the shower as a family. Aislynn LOVES the shower, and it's so neat to hear her singing her songs, drinking the shower (yeah, she really likes to drink water), getting all soapy, and even helping daddy get his hair soapy. This is a family thing, but since it involves me and Aislynn, it totally counts.

10. Spending all day, every day with her. Yeah, sometimes I get tired and cranky, and so does she, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I really love hanging out with her all day long. She really is the best boss I've ever had.

Well, there ya have it! My first Tuesday Ten! I actually enjoyed making this list and I think this will be happening again and again. Anyway, hop on over to the owner of this linking up thingy and check out other people's lists of ten! See You Next Tuesday!!!!

A shameless plug for an awesome blogger.

Oh my goodness.

I have found a new blogger best friend.

But, she doesn't know she's my new blogger best friend yet.

I'm sure once she reads my blog though, and see's that I'm telling all of you to go to her blog, maybe she'll want to be my blogger best friend too.

I found her through another blog I read 

(because I'm blog obsessed now.)

and now I am hooked.

In fact, I'm going to admit something a little stalkery.

I read her whole blog.

IN ONE SITTING!

Don't worry, baby unit was napping, so I wasn't ignoring her or anything.

Anyway,

go read her blog! She is full of energy and her blog is called Living In Yellow. And she is totally the color yellow! Like, bright yellow! Seriously, if I could describe her I would just say

Yeah, she's like...yellow.

So yeah, tell her I told you about her, then maybe she`ll be all like, "yeah, cool, that girl stalks me, she's alright."

That's all.

A final fling with Summer 2011...

I don't know about you, but it really bugs me when people don't update their blogs in a timely manner. Seriously people. Nothing annoys me more than going to one of my favorite blogs and seeing that the last time they posted was JULY 3!!! C'mon! Where is the heart? Where is the dedication? Where is the love?

Where is my life?

Just kidding.

Anyway, I figured that if I get really, super excited about a new blog post by one of my fav bloggers, than maybe you will too.

All of my 5 followers.

Maybe one day I'll hit the double digits.

Maybe one day.

ANYWAY!

Seriously, I wonder how many times the word "anyway" would come up on this blog if I did a count. Maybe, like, a hundred? Probably. I say it a lot. Anyway. Ha ha.

It's labour day weekend, and we are smack dab in the middle of it on a late Saturday night. It's been chock full of awesome things. Such as the phrase chock full. Doesn't that just bring you back to the good ol' days? 

Cuinn actually has a weekend off and it actually happens to be a weekend that regular people have off too so it's actually been pretty awesome.

Actually.

We've been hanging out with our new best friends forever Je and Ja and their bee you tea full daughter M.

Just in case you didn't read it one of the other million times I've said it in this blog, M has the exact same birthday as Aislynn, just a year before.

We have been getting pretty tight with our new bff's and learning lots about them.

Like how they are super perfect for each other.

For reals.

This is a couple that you just KNOW are meant to be for each other.

So awesome.

ANYWAY.

Last night they hosted their first annual Labour Day Weekend Corn Roast Extravaganza. 

I just named it that. They actually just called it a BBQ with some friends.

Their name for it sucks.

Cuinn and I were sitting around the campfire with all these other Grown Ups with all their kids running around and it was kinda cool. 

We're totally part of that grown up group now.

Still weird.

Anyway, the BBQ was awesome. Lots of good people, lots of good food, lots of good times. We didn't take our camera so we didn't take pictures, but just believe me when I say, it was a good time.

Then today Cuinn, Aislynn and I joined Je, Ja and M at Ja's parents trailer for another BBQ and campfire. We also went for a swim. It was SO refreshing on a very hot and humid weekend.

Can I just break for a second and complain for the ridiculous humidity? I hate it! This summer has not been too bad for humidity, I mean, it still sucked, I still felt like I couldn't breath, but it hasn't been as bad as last summer. Although, I was preggo last summer, so that definitely didn't help matters, but seriously, it's September! I am so looking forward to sweaters and jeans season! This is the time of year that I rock my fall outfits! My super cute hoodies. My cute boots. My awesome vests. Seriously. My body was MADE for warm clothing. NOT for tiny little shorts and tank tops. I know how to look cute in fall and winter. I do not know how to look cute when I am a giant ball of sweat.

It was a really fantastic day out at the trailer. (I wish I had a trailer so I could just spend all summer "out at the trailer" Maybe some day) I really enjoyed getting to know Ja's parents. They do foster parenting and I just think that is amazing. It takes a special type of person to foster. To just give those children love right when they need it. To give this kids a little bit of stability in a time when everything is just all up in the air. And then to help them through the next transition, no matter what that is. 

Foster parents are really the un-sung hero's of CAS. 

After tonight, I just feel like God might be calling me to something. I'm not entirely sure what that is yet, I don't think it's fostering because we just don't have the resources for that right now, but I just felt like God was trying to tell me something tonight. I'll keep ya posted on what it is when I finally figure it out. Hey, I'm human, I don't get things so quick.

Or maybe I'm just being a Jonah and going in the wrong direction. I dunno. We'll see.

Anyway. 

See? There's that word again. I need another transition word. Or maybe I just need some lessons in how to be a better blogger.

be a better blogger.

Say that ten times fast.

The evening was cut a little short because some storm clouds came over the trailer site in about 2 minutes. There was some scary lightening action happening and the boys thought it might be a good idea to pack up before the rain came so we weren't running around with a couple of kids in the middle of a storm.

Smart boys.

Because as soon as we got in the cars and onto the highway it started pouring.

And I mean pouring.

As is, pouring so hard we couldn't even see the white line on the road. It was terrifying. Je was driving our car and she said after about 5 minutes of driving, "I'm just going to pull over at the next exit because there's a Timmies there and we can wait it out."

I responded with,

"I fully support that decision."

We pulled into the Timmies parking lot and the boys were right behind us and we just waited it out. It was so scary. I was so impressed with Je not losing her cool though. If it had been me I would have been freaking out, but Je just pulled over in a seemingly calm and casual manner. I didn't even know until we got out of it how freaked she was. Then she told me how terrified she was too and I felt a little better about being such a wimp.

But we're true besties now. We've been through a life and death experience.

For reals.

I really wish I had taken a picture of the storm. It truly was amazing. I love me a good storm. I just wish we weren't driving in it.

So, our last summer fling has been pretty awesome thus far. We still have a couple days, and a few more plans, but so far, pretty amazing. 

Je and I also have some plans for the next 6 weeks, which I'll tell you all about in my next blog. I'm too tired to go on anymore.

I also have a few pictures from tonight, but they'll have to go up later, as I'm too lazy to post them right this minute. It IS midnight after all.

Plus, you've probably all stopped reading by this point.

I do tend to babble.

Hope all my lovely reader friends are enjoying their last fling with Summer 2011!!!