Progressing

Both my studio and Bébé have been progressing lately. Little One started walking last week, at 10 months 1 week. We'd been sort of expecting it, and the house had already been BABY PROOFED in consequence. But still, she is keeping me on my toes. She hit the ground running, and hasn't stopped since! She can spend a good hour just walking from one end of our living area to the other, take a lap around the table, and come back. Just over and over and over. Oh, and she'll talk the whole time "Ga! Ga! Ga! GoooeygooAAAaaaa! Nuuttt! GoooAAAhh", sprinkle a few giggles in there, and that's pretty much Didi. Oh it wasn't always the case. We suffered through colic up until month 7, easily. And we only started experiencing full nights' sleep at around the 9 month mark. I finally followed a hunch I had, and spent one night on the couch, instead of in the same room (She was back to sleeping in her crib at 6 months, I would have continued to co-sleep, but it was for her own safety. Little missy was already crawling, and upon her multiple wake up periods, would attempt to crawl right off the bed. Not right.) I figured out that she could hear me moving and jostling around, and maybe my snoring? stoplaughing! no seriously though, I totally woke my SELF with a loud snort one night STOPLAUGHING!  

Watching this tiny morsel grow so fast is crazy. Humbling. Scary. And gosh darn depressing at times. I just want her to slow down, stop growing so fast. It's a blur. SHE'S a blur! Look!

 

This would be Didi on her morning jaunt around the table.  

 I thank the Heavens that I'm blessed to still have my parents, and that they are getting to see our girls grow. My Mother has come for a few visits since the birth, but gets to see her on an almost daily basis via Skype. It's so awesome, seriously. So awesome that my Mom, up there in Québec, can see her grand daughters, communicate with them, get to know them. Didi has grown so accustomed to her "Nana in the Box", that she doesn't even lean over to see if she's on the backside of the screen anymore. (Cutest thing ever! "Hey! Where's Nana?" My Dad is also in his cabin in Low Qc. No computer, and not much chance to get any better than dialup for quite some time. Our visits are by phone (Now Didi still looks behind the phone to see where Grampy's voice is coming from), but he's also taken the opportunity to come visit a couple of times with his Ladyfriend Doreen (We cross a threshold where the terms 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' just don't suit us. Am I right?) They stopped by last weekend, and we had such a lovely visit. Didi was spoiled rotten. Rotten I tell ya! The only reason her feet touched the ground at all was because she had places to go. And boy, did she ever surprise Grampy and Doreen with her walking. 

Little Didi, 10 months, 1week. Holding on to her Sophie, wearing an18 month onesie, and some 2T leggings. Oh, and 7 teeth, with #8 not far behind. She has Daddy and Big Sister's big blue eyes, and just like Mimi, the spitting image of her Dad. I think she's just gosh darned gorgeous. But then again, I'm a wee bit biased. ;)

It took us a while to finally decide on projects around the house. We had so many renovation plans, but they sorta got kyboshed by our little surprise here ;) But we've finally embarked on phase 1 of our "Start Where You Are; Use What You Have; Do What You Can" Plan. It doesn't look exactly the way I want it to, yet, but I do have an amazing space downstairs that's all mine, and it was time I really started living in it. My biggest issue is storage. With no closet, since we ripped it out, I have to make due with old wooden fruit crates, some wire displays for my jewelry, a too small IKEA shelving unit for my yarn, some parts cabinets for some of my beads and buttons, and most of my bulk beads hidden away in drawers. I felt bad for my beads; they were so well stored, it was almost Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Come to think of it, I haven't played with my beads much since they got stored in that armoire. I aim to have a room where each and every one of my hobbies can cohabitate in a cohesive manner. So last weekend, I went on a bit of a Kijiji bender and hunted for the perfect storage unit. My dream unit of course is the Expedit Shelf from IKEA, in white. I might still get it, but I think I found something I can definitely live with. 

I contacted the seller, arranged a pickup date, and went to work on taking my room apart, again, and started making room for my new piece. Here's the before, with my 60s arborite work table, which had become a glorified catch-all. Too much stuff!

Started making some room. I thought I'd be getting rid of the short shelf, but I don't think so... My yarn stays put, for now.

TAH DAHHH!!!

Here is my regular Insistant, helping me clean up the shelf and planning its use. (Really, she's just putting a hurtin' on that bag of Bits'n Bites)

Ok, I'm seeing progress here. The bead containers are out in the open, all of my crafting books are finally in the room. My displays and busts are right at home on the top shelf, and I even have a section for my threads and sewing machine. I'm pretty sure it's at capacity, but I still have a few things I'd like to stow away in there.

Now, I'm far from done, but Here's what I've managed so far. I've still got to remove one large armoire, and move a few other pieces in its place, and then I think I'll be set for a long while.

I already feel a huge difference. I'm more at ease, and love being surrounded by my beads out in the open. The dark wood of the shelf really warms up my space, and the room feels anchored now.

The last bit of progress: I gave myself a haircut! My hair has gotten so very long, and I love it, but I just needed a change, and it came in the form of a blunt fringe. :) I'm in that post-partum rut where you start feeling a little out of control and are so wrapped up in Mommyhood, that you completely forget yourself. I need to get my head out of that space and start taking care of Mama a bit more. Ok, a LOT more...