One Year Old

Today, I am officially a Mama to a one year old, a toddler!!!  How did that happen?!  Seriously, didn't I just give birth to him?!  It has been such an amazing year watching him explore and grow.  It so bittersweet, I miss him being so small but its so fun to see him learning everyday.  So bear with me as I brag about my boy some more.

At Connor's last check up (@ the end of November) he:

Weighed: 23lb (50th percentile)
Height: 31in (90th percentile)
Long and lean like his Daddy.

At 1 years old Connor can:

Walk unassisted (for the most part)
Crawl on hands and knees
Sign 'please', 'all done', 'more', 'play', and P U (we made that one up, lol) (he only uses 'more' and 'all done' appropriately)
Finger feed himself
Point out 'nose' on Mama or Dada and 'ears' on himself, Mama, and Dada
Gives kisses and Hugs
Wave Bye-Bye

Connor's personality is really showing now that he's a bit older.  As a baby he was pretty laid back except around feeding time :)  He is super sweet boy who loves to give kisses and hugs all the time.  He's still pretty laid back but boy oh boy is he not patient and he's got a 0 to 60 temper, too (both soooo much like me).  Luckily he doesn't hold grudges, he gets upset, lets it out and moves on. 
Motherhood has taught me a lot about myself and changed me in many many good ways.  I see myself reflected in him so much which is sometimes painful (the hot temper for example).  It is an amazing, difficult, and very messy job but its definitely the best thing I've ever had the priveledge of doing. 

Looking back at all those pictures of his first days almost makes me ready for baby number 2....almost :)

Things that Make Me Smile

I've seen other blogs do something similar to this and thought it would be fun to try.  So here are somethings that I've found recently that I love.  Enjoy

• I love this bag so much! 
• I've been really into keeping a journal recently and these are beautiful!
• This blog is great comedic relief.  'A Floridian's Fall Trip' is my favorite most recent post, hilarious!
• I think this sign is pretty funny, too.
• I know this seems a bit out there for some but I've really been intersted in starting this as a new hobby.  Not that I really need anymore hobbies ;)
• I know this is a teen book but I'm almost done reading it and so far I like it.
• This book as been sitting on my bookshelf for awhile, I'm planning on reading it next.  I LOVE Neil Gaiman!
• Last but not least, I love this guys toothy smile!

Its Been Awhile

I haven't blogged since June, I'm such a bad blogger!!  I just haven't been in the mood nor really had a ton of time.  It has been a very busy summer indeed.  There's been lots of cooking, crafting, and thrifting (I LOVE garage sales!).

Connor has mastered the crawl and loves to be chased!  He's pretty well mastered pulling up to stand and is now starting to cruise.  Its really exciting to see his world open up even more even though I don't get near enough done like I used to.  We've enjoyed lots of walks to the riverfront this summer.  Its not the beach thats for sure, but it is peaceful to watch nonetheless.

I've been kinda in a funk the past couple of months that I've been trying to get out of.  Think I've been feeling isolated out here in my small town.  I know I need to let things go a bit more at the house to get out there and meet more families and just enjoy the day with my favorite little guy.  Its just really hard for me to do that, I feel guilty when I don't feel like I've worked 'hard enough'.  I think its just adjusting to a new career of Domestic Engineering.  I'm also still adjusting to mommyhood and the stress that comes with it.  I've been trying to direct all the stressful and funky energy into creating, whether it be cooking or crafting. 

This summer has been full of making and creating.  I've been cooking tons, making most of our food from scratch to save money.  I've been crafting like crazy, too.  My list of items made include:  a sweater for Connor (so so proud of it!), cart cover, cloth diapers, rattle for Connor, and cards!  So I decided that I would open an etsy shop to sell some of my creations.  Maybe earn a little "Mad Money" for those times when a little retail therapy is needed.  I do love thrifting!!

When you get a chance, check out my store!  I'll be adding more things soon!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/erinmaria

Here are some new pics of my soon-to-be 10 month old!!  A lil over 2 months till the big birthday, can't believe it!!

Wilma Jane

Caution: Lengthy Post!

About 1 1/2 weeks ago, I got a phone call from my Mom to let me know that my Grandma's blood pressure had dropped drastically. My Grandma had been sick for a long time and had moved to a nursing home last November after being in the hospital for several weeks. I just had that feeling that this was the end and unfortunately it was.

The last time I saw her was in April and we basically said our goodbyes then because I think we both new that would be the last time we'd see each other. I live about 6 hours from her so I didn't get to see her often, especially with a new baby. I was already packing our bags when my Mom called to tell me she had passed. The next morning Connor and I (Daddy stayed home due to his new position at work) left on our long trip up to be with family. (He was so good the whole time and pretty good on the way home, too.)

I still can't believe she's gone, she has always been there! I use to visit her every Sunday (or there abouts) from childhood up until I moved south. She taught me to knit and would help when I'd get stuck on a pattern. I remember riding the bus with her to the mall and spending all day watching Shirley Temple movies with her. Since moving here, we wrote to each other quite a bit until the last year or so. At the end of each letter she would always write "May God hold you in the palm of his hand until next we meet." That has been stuck in my head ever since I saw her last. There are so many more things that I could write about her but nothing would do her justice other than the eulogy my brother wrote and read at her funeral. So I'd like to share some of it with you. (She would have been 94 in August.)

Her life began in 1916, just after the Victorian era-and here locally at the conclusion of the Gas Boom and that life continued all the way through the first decade of the twenty-first century. She was alive during two world wars, a great depression, the rise of the automobile, Kennedy's assassination, the moon landing, economic cycles, and countless other technological achievements. Grandma spent all 93 years here in Muncie, yet had traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and Canada.

Grandma's love of travel was matched by her love of learning and reading-a love that stayed with her up until the very end of her life. She was a 1933 graduate of Muncie Central and received her teaching degree from Ball State in 1937 at a time when very few even went to college, let alone women. But her love of knowledge was informal as well. I don't remember a time I visited that she did not have a stack of books somewhere in her immediate vicinity. She remembered everything and had a firm understanding of life, history, and the world.

This love of learning and reading extended to her vocation as a teacher-I say vocation because she identified with teaching as a calling and not as a career. During her 60 years of teaching, she inspired and educated over 1000 students, the full influence of which we will never truly know.

While she was proud of these achievements, however, she was most proud of her family. She was the daughter of Gail Burton, a Spanish-American war veteran and Dillie Burton a homemaker. She was the sister of Don Burton, a radio pioneer. She married Luther Farr, who had fought in the Pacific theater during World War II and had two children with him, Kathy and Pat. She had four grandchildren-James, Emily, Erin, and myself along with three great-grandchildren-Jamie, Kaitlyn, and Connor. Each of us were touched by Grandma both in word and deed and I know that if I become half the person she was, I'll have succeeded by true measure based on the qualities of the curiosity, love, and forgiveness-characteristics that have been largely lost in out modern way of life, but measures that Grandma lived by on a daily basis.

We will never forget Grandma or her influence on our lives, nor the last time we saw her as she prepared for one last journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.




Love and miss you sooooo much, Grandma! "May God hold you in the palm of his hand until next we meet."

Gardening, Sewing, and Baby Smiles

We've been pretty busy here at the Schmitt Haus. We started our first garden *fingers crossed* and I've been working on a few sewing projects. We finished putting our garden out last weekend which I know you aren't suppose to do until after this weekend but we live further south and its warmer here. We are growing tomatoes, sweet peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, string beans, and snow peas. I may start from seed next year , I thought it would be too much this year with being new to mommy hood and all. I hope it does well but if we have any troubles I can always consult my gardening expert who also happens to be my sister! She's quite handy.

I was able to get my sewing machine out and sew up a bag and make some strap protectors for my new carrier I got for Mother's Day :) I'm currently reading up on how to sew clothing. I'm a bit intimidated though...it looks really hard. I'm still pretty new to sewing but hopefully I can figure it out. Practice makes perfect, right? ;)

I've also been able to take lots of pictures of Connor smiling!! I guess the thrill and the interest of the camera is gone and he's not so distracted by it anymore.

Can't believe that he's going to be 5 Months on Friday!! These 5 months have gone by so fast :(

Fresh Cut Grass :)

Here's my boy enjoying hanging outside with Mama. Wasn't too sure about the grass, he kept looking back to see my reaction.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every purpose under the heavens: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain 6 A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away 7 A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak 8 A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

So I'm not a religious person but I love this passage from the bible and yes my favorite song of all time is "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds :) I play this song or read this passage when things seem so unknown or final. For me, this passage is a reminder that there is a rhythm and a pattern to life even amongst chaos. Changes are what make life beautiful...even when life gets ugly there is always a more beautiful counterpoint.