With a face like this, all you want to do is smooch kisses all over those cheeks…
Especially, when kisses make her laugh and laugh and laugh….
And so you kiss and kiss and kiss…
And you know for sure when you’ve kissed this baby too much, when you realize how chapped your lips are.
But it’s so worth it.
We made an announcement last May and have since realized we know such crafty people. Not just crafty people, but those who are so generous with their time and talent. While we most definitely appreciate all the generosity from ALL our friends and family—no matter in what form it was given--I thought I’d share a little taste of the handiwork that you all showered on the Munchkin.
This very beautiful and unique (the pattern has since been dubbed the Autumn Rose) blanket was crocheted by my co-worker Adrian. It’s is sooo heavy. Currently, it' serves as Munchkin Central and this is where we play…evidenced by the ridiculous number of toys in the picture.
Serving as the blankets to cover munchkin while in her Pack n Play and her Bouncy seat we have another crocheted blanket and this custom made froggy quilt from Marc’s co-worker and my mother in law’s co worker respectively.
And in this corner is the most awesome hat in the world…currently not appreciated by my hat-hating child, but loved by EVERYONE else (don’t worry she’ll come around). In case you can’t tell it’s a fish!!! Do you like that I’m holding it’s like it’s really a fish? Andrea…you’re awesome!
My ever handy father made this cradle for all the Knox Grandkids…even those without the last name Knox. This was the Munchkin’s sleep spot from the day she came home until just recently. The multiple bed sheets, such as this one with colorful stars are from the sewing machine of one awesome Memere. They’re much better than the boring ones she could have bought. She even made her own pattern…and all this from a Memere that really doesn’t enjoy sewing.
These two blankets are from the knitting needles of two wonderful ladies. The creator of the fishy hat made this green blanket, and the grandmother of a friend knit the yellow one—and I’ve only met her once!
These cute little bears are also from the hands of the wonderful grandma that made the yellow blanket up above. Because she didn’t know if it was a girl Munchkin or a boy Munchkin…she made one of each. The soft white blanket underneath the bear pair (oh what a poet I am), was gifted to us by a friend’s mother. I didn’t use it for a few months because it was perfect for her baptism and I wanted it to stay clean. But now it’s in the blanket rotation.
I looked all over for a shelf to put in the baby’s room. I had a lamp and radio to put on top and a place for books or toys and what have you. I couldn’t find what I wanted. So I begged and pleaded (actually I just asked nicely) with my dad to make me one…and now I have just what I wanted.
These awesome wall decals were mentioned in an earlier post. But they are from the artistic brain of Brandy.
This beautiful sweater comes from the hands of my crafty great aunt. Munchkin has some growing to do yet before it fits, but she will be warm and oh so cute when it does fit.
This little elf is showing off her colorful and cozy sweater made just for her by her Great Aunt Kathryn. It arrived to our door quite timely. Following the string of 70s and 80s (notice the munchkin’s bare legs) we’ve had some cold weather. And she’s been warm and cozy and oooh so cute. We get comments everywhere we go.
Here the munchkin is making good use of another handmade quilt. This quilt, however, it’s a well loved and passed on quilt that originally was a gift from Great Aunt Kathryn to Munchkin’s mommy to keep her warm and cozy when she was a little girl (for those of you not gifted in simple genealogy—that was my blanket 
)
I think that is a complete accounting of all the handmade goodness that spoiled us. Tell me if I forgot something so I can add it and show off you awesome and much appreciated talent.
Believe it when I say that every single one of these items is loved and appreciated. They will be well cared for and passed for as long as we are able…for Munchkin’s siblings…or Munchkin’s munchkins (but we’re not thinking about that now) some day.
THANK YOU!!!
So normally my posts are filled with joyful screeches and cute pictures of the munchkin, but this post has been stewing in my head for a while…
I have become an apathetic American, and I hate it. But I have found it increasingly difficult to care about the political state of my country. From uneducated political comments on Facebook annoying the hell out of me—from which I refrain from commenting because I just don’t want to get into that—to political campaigns beginning practically the day after an election. It’s too much in your face.
I hate that people use Facebook as a place to discuss politics. Why? Well frankly there are a ton of people you are friends with on Facebook with whom you would NEVER in a million years discuss politics. As the saying goes, politics falls among religion and money as three topics that are not brought up in polite company.
Then there’s the whole, I’ll vote for you and your platform, but once you get into your position, Congress, or fellow legislatures, or town boards, etc. etc. etc.…will veto and turn down all the propositions I have voted you into government for. Then the populace will says you didn’t deliver…as president, or country exec, or whatever. But the ignore the fact that the propositions were made, the laws were introduced and shot down…One person is not to blame. In fact usually it’s a majority to blame. A majority I have no control over…and therefore…I get disgruntled…and become quite uncaring.
I do vote…and start paying attention once MY STATE’s primary happens. My feelings are that you can’t complain unless you’ve tried to do something about it. And what I can try to do is get someone I agree with (mostly) into office—and hope that the majority agrees with them.
I hate debates—rarely does any politician answer the questions…annoying. I won’t watch them. I know when they are happening though because my Facebook wall fills up with play by plays of the debates….again, enough with the Facebook politics.
I hate party politics, but try as we might that’s never going to go away. When you have votes split entirely with Democrats voting only with Democrats and Republicans with Republicans…they aren’t voting their conscience. Recently (perhaps today) there was a vote on Big Oil (we are not going to discuss that, how I feel about it or how you feel about it). I believe only three or four crossed party lines. I want to know who they were. I’ll vote for them—clearly they aren’t playing the party politics. When Clinton was up for impeachment (again….not discussing the yea or nay), again the vote was split down the line with only one or two crossing over. I’m sorry, but that wasn’t a situation where politics should have come into play. That was base on fact and law, and personal interpretation. If that indeed was the case Democrats and Republics would not have been so cleanly divided…
And so. Therein lies the cause of my apathy…If you’ve made it this far—I apologize for the rant…I just needed to put this into words somewhere. Maybe some of you feel the same way. Maybe some of you feel I’m ridiculous.
And now we return to our regularly scheduled broadcast….
Work has been crazy busy. Enough that I don’t want to sit at my computer any longer to do a real blog post…
That said, this is what I did today—and yesterday and Sunday. These cupcakes are not a one sitting project.
I link up the recipes and such later….
Also, since I’m told that all people care about is Autumn…I leave you with the screecher.
So as I was skimming back to older posts, I realized I alluded to the fact that my child looks like her father. Totally and completely—apart from my toes—my child has none of my physical attributes as of yet. Her features are softening and the stark resemblance to daddy has faded (only slightly) but she still looks like her Daddy.
November 2011:
March 2012:
I have been told on more than one occasion: “I’m sorry but she looks NOTHING like you.”
Oh, well…I’ll deal. There’s always the next one.
Then there’s another trait this child gets from her father. This one is inevitable I suppose. She has a need to grab at phones, iPads, Nooks…although she does try to put them in her mouth. I’m pretty sure her father doesn’t do that.
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”Technology. Don’t mind if I do.”
Perhaps she’s going to be a musician. Marc has had the munchkin playing the piano app on his iPad, and so I found one for my Nook.
Think she likes it?
On Sunday night I was feeling rather lazy, and preyed on the Daddy-loves-his-daughter side of Marc and asked him if he’d put the munchkin to bed.
And he did…but not in the bed where she normally spends the night.
I, upon going up to go to bed myself, see that she’s not in the cradle but the crib and walk downstairs a bit sad.
“She’s in her crib…” I say. and Marc turns around with an apologetic look on his face.
“Oh, no. I’m sorry.” He says.
Normally Marc doesn’t put Autumn down for the night, but for a nap. And she naps in her crib. She spends the night in the cradle.
But not anymore.
Now, she sleeps in her crib. I felt silly waking her up and moving her on Sunday, when in my head I know she’s ready. She’s sleeping through the night—and has been for a very long time. And moving her to her room now is probably easier than moving her later. I intended to wait until she was rolling and, thereby, making the cradle unsafe—but sometimes fate, or a forgetful daddy, steps in and makes the decision for you.
So now…when she fusses in the middle of the night…I have to do the drunken not fully awake stumble into her room. The first night that happened once, the second not at all…but the third…last night I was up a bagazillion times…or maybe 6. I will be honest, had that happened on the first night, she’d be back in the cradle still.
Wish me good luck…I do enjoy my sleep. I know, I know, I get a good amount of sleep for a mother of a four month old. But I’m spoiled…
I hope that after the munchkin goes to sleep tonight, that the next time I see her, this is the happy face I see at 8:30 am…and no sooner.
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And following the theme of sleep…a couple cute pictures for the road. I present the sleeping munchkin and monkey butt:
So back in the early days, people came to visit. We went visiting. And my daughter? Well, she rolled with the punches. It was not uncommon for her to be sleeping…anywhere and everywhere.
For instance…
(look how much she has changed from the beginning)
In arms, table, on the boppy….this child was like her father and could fall asleep anywhere. I’d have to have people put her down when it was time to eat or she wouldn’t wake up. Now…now she must be in a bed—pack n play, my bed, her crib…away from distractions and wrapped tightly (trying to break that need because this warm weather she sweats like crazy when she’s swaddled), with her music playing and her pacifier in her mouth.
When she’s put down in a bed, the minute you start to wrap her she knows it’s time to sleep and is pretty easy to get to sleep. However if you’re out and about and want her to sleep in her car seat, or in your arms….Forget about it. This makes church a blast let me tell you…lol.
The car also isn’t a guarantee. Put her in her seat? She may fall asleep…
…or she may not. But she definitely isn’t one of those kids whose fussy spell can be broken by a car ride. She’ll also often fall asleep on a walk…but usually not until the end of a thirty minute walk. The other day we decided to try the stroller since she could fully recline, and wouldn’t you know she became a chatterbox…no going to sleep there.
But when she does fall asleep in the stroller…boy, isn’t she cute.
Also, my super nurser…the one who was a good feeder from the beginning…yeah that one has decided she only wants to be fed from a bottle during the day. Morning and nights are fine to nurse, but God forbid during the day. Makes it a bit more difficult that’s for sure. I’m bound and determined to make it at least through the 6 month mark with my child getting at least some of the “good stuff.” So even if she gets it in a bottle, she’s at least still getting it.
Yeah so…. who jinxed me…
(It’s so crazy how drastic they change month to month, week to week, day to day. I’m interested in seeing what else will change.)
Our planet is a mess…It is absolutely 100% not winter-like at all. Heck I think we skipped Spring…Is it wrong of me to enjoy the results of a messed up Earth? (Except for the mosquito bites on the bottom of my foot and the ant invasion beginning early that is)
The temperature has been in the 60-70+ range for days. On Saturday my child was barefoot for the first time in her life (well post-natal anyway—I’m pretty sure she didn’t wear socks in the womb. If that happened I’d love to see the expression on the doctor’s face). And she was in a romper. And it’s March. AND IT’S STILL WINTER!!!!
This weather has also caused a post I had started yesterday to be bumped for this one and all the summer/winter photos of the munchkin.
Sunday, the same thing. I even managed to drag the hubs for a walk.
And today…Autumn and I decided to investigate our neighborhood park. I’m kinda loving the idea that we have a park that we can walk to. So that’s where we went. Munchkin had her first go on a swing. I think she liked it. Granted swinging meant my hand on the swing barely moving it. But since she’s never even been in a baby swing, this is all new.
My big girl is also riding in the stroller without the whole travel system in place (aka no car seat attached). With so much to look at she didn’t fall asleep until the end of the walk.
The other nice thing about bare feet—the world can see the only physical trait my child has as of yet acquired from me…our pinky toes.
My attempts at a Mommy and Munchkin picture…Since no one else takes my picture, I best perfect the self-portrait shot…or take out my Gorilla Pod…
I hope you are all enjoying this “wintery” week as much as we are!
