She's Here!

Abby Cat arrived yesterday, Friday January 30, 2009 at 9:12am weighing in at 6 pounds 12 ounces and 19 inches long!  She has red hair just like her brother and one healthy appetite!  For more pictures visit our family webpage at www.thehastingsfamily.net

And We Have A Winner....

Brenda of The Cheese Stands Alone is winner of the 100th blog post give away!  

Our MLK Day and My 100th Post Giveaway!!!

AJ and I started our holiday morning together by enjoying a bowl of Lucky Charms and continued our festivities by blowing bubbles, playing with play-doh, and painting.  As we were painting our masterpieces across the table from each other he looked up and joyfully shouted, "A heart!  Nice, mom!"  Wow, my two and a half year old just independently recognized one of his shapes AND gave me a compliment!  

Following our painting session, we got dressed and ready to meet daddy for lunch.  At the ripe age of two and a half, this kid is stubborn...a quality I'm sure he inherited from his dad.  Just before we turn to walk out of his room he pipes up and says, "Thomas, I want to wear Thomas!"...as in his bright RED Thomas house robe.  Okay...not going to fight this battle...maybe I can talk him out of wearing it inside Panera before we get there...  Miraculously, AJ peels off his bright red Thomas robe as he climbs out of his car seat.  I was totally prepared to let him eat lunch in public adorned in his robe...not so sure daddy would have been as accepting.  Ha!  We had a delightful lunch followed by yummy ice cream...which no pregnant woman or toddler could resist.  

In other news, I am excited to announce my first giveaway!  Technically this would be my 100th post since I started blogging!  Wow, 100th post!  And to celebrate such an occasion I thought it would be fun to give away something I so love making...one of my totes!  The fabric I will use to make the tote is pictured above...the fun, funky pink and green combo.   

Technical Stuff:

1. If I do not know you personally, please leave your email address in your comments, so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win.  
2. Random.org will be used to select a totally unbiased winner.  
   
3. This giveaway will run until Tuesday, January 27th at 9:oo AM MST.

So here's the skinny on how to enter the fun:

To participate as an eager candidate in the giveaway you may submit multiple entries by doing the following (Remember to leave a comment each time to act as your official entry)...

1. Become one of my loyal followers...if you are already a follower, just leave a comment that says something to the effect of...I already adore you and am a follower...
   
2. Grab my button and put it on your sidebar linked to this blog post
3. Blog about my giveaway and put the link to your post in your comment
4. Tell me your favorite capricious post and why in a comment
5. Introduce me to a fun new blog via a comment
6. Introduce me to a fun new etsy shop that features anything funky, vintage, country cottage, or shabby chic

Have fun and I can't wait to hear from you!!!

Baby Business, Booties, Bows, Blocks, & Clothes

I am still alive...and still pregnant...which would account for my recent blog neglect, overall consumption by fatigue, and emotional instability.  

As I get bigger by the day, I have also become virtually worthless and fall victim to the whim of my raging erratic emotions.  Abby just sucks the energy right out of me and sends me from 0 to 90 in seconds over a simple gesture or a short phrase.  I want my baby here and myself back.  

As I impatiently await Abby's arrival, we have been taking care of final baby business preparations from washing her clothes (I love the faint smell of Dreft baby detergent...it is one of the most refreshing smells in the world) to completing baby paperwork like my leave of absence request for work(yay-time at home just to be mommy!), hospital pre-admittance forms (mah-boring but essential) and social security/birth certificate request (so official-seeing Abigail Catherine on the top of the form with Birth Certificate in bold letters across the top...it brought tears to my eyes).  I want to hold my baby.  Even two weeks feels like an eternity.

New to Abby's nursery (my obsession) are these bows I made last weekend...not so sure I'm a bow maker, these delightful shabby chic blocks that you can custom order from Allikaye's Momma,  these adorable tiny booties, and all of these fun baby girl clothes!  My amazing friends that I work with showered me with all of these fun baby girl gifts, and as if that wasn't enough the most beautiful, best tasting lemon cake (someone knows the way to my heart) I've ever eaten in my life and a gift card!  I am truly spoiled and blessed!

My First Dress, A New Bag, & 500 Minutes of Thomas!

I did it!  I finished my first pillowcase dress!  And this little gem was A LOT more work than I ever imagined!  Really...I should say we did it!  It never would have been possible without the amazing and constant teaching and patience from Denver Brunette, an amazingly talented seamstress and friend!  She taught me how to sew a french seam...put in a liner...sew armholes...basically how to make the entire dress to the highest quality.  

While we were crafting it up, I fell head over hills in love with this adorable Bird's Eye Shopping Tote she made!  I just had to take it home!  I couldn't resist the fun brown and white polk dots contrasted with the classy birds and combined in such a stylish manner as this drawstring bag!  Then I peeked inside to be greeted by whimsical lime green polka dots!  It was destined to be carried home over my shoulder...a bag after my own heart...Andy had to understand.  Check out her etsy shop to buy one of her fun funky vintage stylish bags or aprons or baby blankets.  I just want to buy them all!

Speaking of buying things...Andy and AJ ran to Costco this morning for paper towels and diapers...but somehow came home with paper towels, diapers, and 500 minutes of Thomas the Train...really daddy?  500 minutes?       

2008 in 450 words

1.  Single best thing that happened this year: Growing as a family

2.  Unexpected Joy: Watching AJ's independence grow exponentially

3.  Unexpected obstacle: AJ's independence grow exponentially

4.  Three words to describe 2008: Blessed, Busy, Fertile

5.  How Andy would describe our 08: high-maintenance, hormonal, rewarding

6.  How Andy would describe his 08: intense, fulfilling, exhausting

7.  Best books of the year: Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer 

8.  Most valuable relationships: Jess, Andy, AJ, Kate, all family, my teammates, my students

9.  Biggest personal change: more emphasis on being mommy, not career woman

10.  Emotional Growth: 

• AJ has taught me to be more humble as the sporadically tantrums flailing wildly on the floor in public places or screams, "I POOP!" in the grocery line
  
• AJ has taught me to appreciate the little things in life as he squeals with joy at watching the trash truck load our weekly trash or leaps to the doors screaming with happiness as daddy gets home...my students have taught me to remain passionate about small moments that create our strongest memories like sounds of laughter and smell of cupcakes at a birthday party
• AJ has taught me to love more unconditionally as he always offers his hand to hold or comes running enthusiastically arms open for a hug and lips puckered up for a kiss-kiss
• AJ and Abby have taught be to never take our health for granted

11.  Spiritual Growth:  Expressing more gratitude

12.  Growth  in relationships: being a better listener

13.  Most enjoyable moments at home:

• Walking down the stairs with AJ's soft hand wrapped tightly around my finger
• Eating breakfast with AJ in our pj's eagerly awaiting the day's adventures
• Laughing with Andy as we watch AJ develop and express his opinion and passions about his perceptions of the world
• That split second that AJ squeezes his little arms a little tighter around me right before he lets go from his hug
• AJ's kiss on the lips, followed by an Eskimo kiss as he excitedly says, "noses!" and then turns his head to get his kiss on the check before running off
• Reading stories snuggled up in AJ's toddler bed with five blankets and eight stuffed animals as he rests his head on my shoulder
• Getting my last peek at AJ asleep like an angel right before going to bed...everything in the world aligns for perfect night's sleep

14.  Best use of time in 08:  playing with little dude as a family

15.  Biggest realization this year:  It doesn't matter how much you think you have prepared...kids are just unpredictable.

16.  To sum up 2008: Another year of amazing and abundant blessings 

More Fabric and Banana Pops

I am in love with  Amy Butler fabric!  Check out this magnificent fabric I bought for some thank you totes...you know, when a card just isn't enough.  Doesn't it just brighten your spirit!  

We also discovered a new treat this week at the grocery store.  Daddy and AJ gave the banana pops rave reviews after I finally bribed them upstairs from playing trains.  The little kit is only $1.39 in the produce section, and they are super easy to make.  You just have to account for letting the bananas freeze for an hour before you tempt your family with such a treat.