Polka dot fun

When Andrew was born into our one-bedroom apartment, I really regretted not having a nursery to decorate. In April we finally moved into a two-bedroom place and I got my chance. After a great deal of consideration, we decided not to paint our rental unit. In searching for alternatives, I came across an intriguing concept: starching fabric to walls. I decided to starch blue and yellow polka dots (to match the mod monkey theme we used for his birthday) all over his room. It was easy and fun, and I think the result is cute and cheerful.

Still missing from the room: a frame for the futon mattress currently lying on the floor, wall art (which will include monkeys over the crib), a clock, and a teal shag rug to replace the ugly and much-abused alphabet mat.

Please share any tips or ideas you might have on how to make his room beautiful!



Other projects:

Fabric covered frames for the bedroom.



Picture frame arrangement for the hallway. I filled in the empty frames with leftover fabric from the above project. It was going to be temporary, until I print some newer frame-worthy photos, but I kind of like it.



Future projects: I need something to put over the couch and something to decorate the long, empty wall in our bedroom. There is furniture on every wall but this one. I'm not sure how to hang things on it without having them looking completely random and unanchored.

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Defying gravity

I got a bouquet of helium-filled balloons for Andrew's birthday party four weeks ago. (Has it really been four weeks? I should really get started on those thank-you cards.) I paid extra for something called Hi-Float, which promised to make the balloons float for a week! Well, they all made it three weeks, which is amazing, and several made it to this weekend, but now the remaining few are running out of hot air, so to speak. When each one started to droop on its ribbon, I cut it loose and let it float free, so it could drift through the apartment, carried along by whatever faint airflow it got caught up in. It would suddenly appear next to my head or wander off down the hall for no apparent reason. Then, slowly, it would start to hover lower to the ground, until, finally, it could float no more, although when tossed it would glide downward in slow motion, still bending the rules of gravity just a little. Right now, only one is still up, floating against the ceiling in the corner, while two are standing on their knots on the ground, not quite ready to lie flat.

I feel like there's a metaphor in here somewhere.

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Baby, you'll be a toddler soon

Big news: Andrew is taking steps! I haven't yet managed to capture said steps on video, but you can bet I'll be trying again as soon as my camera battery is recharged. It's funny how excited Keith and I get watching him. We're such proud parents!

Oh — if you're wondering about cake attempt #2, well, it was also a failure. Apparently cake is scary. I put it on the tray in front of him (no candle this time) and he just stared at it. I gave him icing on my finger, but he still looked wary. I took his hand and stuck it in the cake, and he started sobbing. I don't get it! Oh well, maybe next year?

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Andrew's First Year video

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"Happy Birthday"

"Happy birthday to you..."

"Happy birthday to you..."

"Happy birthday, dear Andrew..."

"Happy birthday to you!"

Yes, he touched the flame. I'm a bad mommy.

I hesitated a moment before setting the cake in front of him, but I figured I could keep his hands away for the duration of "Happy Birthday." It's a short song, right? I pulled his hand away twice before he got past me and burnt his poor little finger. Actually, his finger was fine. I think he was just shocked. But it ruined the moment and the whole cake experience.

I'm going to recreate the smash cake and try it again on his actual birthday. I NEED to get some good cake-smashing photos!

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Birthday party

We celebrated Andrew's birthday at our apartment with a few friends and relatives on Saturday. It was an awkward affair. Andrew was having a rare miserable day (teething and constipated, poor thing) and clung to me and cried a lot. Our guests — about a dozen people drawn from different aspects of our lives — mostly did not mingle but sat quietly looking bored. I don't really blame them; I know the onus is on me as hostess to keep everyone entertained, although I wish certain individuals had made a little more effort (and I sincerely thank our two outgoing friends who did their best to break some ice). The only trick up my sleeve, besides Andrew, who was little help that day, was the five-minute year-in-review slideshow I made (which I will post here later this week). All I can say is that we will not be having another party like that if I can help it.

Even the pictures are a disappointment. Andrew is not smiling in a single shot. The props are the highlights. I'm so glad I went with a cute theme: it's called "mod monkey." Instead of buying a banner I made the little wall display on the right out of cardstock. It went above the couch. The two monkey heads will probably find a home in Andrew's room after his birthday.



Andrew adored the balloons. He kept pointing at them and wanting to touch them. At one point he batted them all around — most fun he had all day. Several days later, he's still obsessed with them.



But best of all, I am SUPER proud of the cake I made. I had no previous decorating experience and learned several new tricks to accomplish this beauty. It's a three-layer banana cake (monkeys...bananas...get it?) with chocolate-banana filling, buttercream frosting, and fondant decorations. I also made a little matching smash cake.



This is the smiliest pic we got of the birthday boy. I love his monkey shirt!

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Hitting my stride

My parental leave is up this week. In a parallel universe, I'm getting ready to return to work and bursting into tears every time I think about being away from my baby all day. In this universe, I'm delighted to be carrying on as a stay-at-home mom. I have a regular freelance gig that'll bring in enough money to make ends meet, and my former employer just asked if I'd like to do freelance work for them as well! I may find myself working some late nights — I have no illusions about being productive while Andrew's awake — but it'll be so worth it.

Andrew is an absolute joy these days. Ever since we moved last month and he got his own bedroom, he's been sleeping 11-12 hours every night and usually napping well too. At last! Hallelujah! He's very vocal; I love his hilarious babbling and the dramatic hand gestures that often accompany it. When he stands on his own he looks so triumphant and proud of himself. He's going to be walking soon! My baby... almost a toddler. *sniff*

We have a nice little routine going. We enjoy our weekly community centre classes (this session it's swimming and music), we go for walks and trips to the park, and sometimes I manage to get stuff done while he naps. For the first time in my short motherhood, I'm feeling pretty good about things. For the most part I feel like I know what I'm doing, and like maybe, just maybe, I'm even doing a good job. It's easy when (dare I say it?) I have such a good baby. I know I could find myself singing a different tune in a couple of weeks, but for now I'm going to enjoy this feeling. It only took me a year to get here.

Life is good.

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