seth & alicia in portland

Friday, January 3, 2014

Portland Children's Museum

Sofia and I met a Mama/Baby friend at the Children's Museum this morning. It was our first time going and we are in LOVE! I am thinking this will be her next museum membership! It was great fun today, but as she gets older, it will be even more fun!!

You can't tell, but there is a sensor that starts a small trickle of water for the little ones to play with.

You also don't see the rest of this photo... Sofia did climb right up there, and then she continued up the "stream" through the water. Good thing it was a small bit of water!

I love all the mirrors! Sofia enjoyed them too!

She was really checking those statues out. Looking at the photos I realized how much she enjoyed them. (It's Diego (I think) from Dora the Explorer.)

We have a slider. She can't (for the most part) go down slides herself!!

A Doll a Week Challenge

I don't think I've mentioned anything about my recent creative project. I started an Etsy shop to sell dolls I make about 2 months ago. I have sold a few and have a few in the shop already made. (If you are interested, check out my shop: Ruth Mae Handmade.)

As I am learning and creating more, I decided to give myself the challenge of making one different doll a week (meaning using a different pattern that I have never used before). The photos below show the 4th doll I have made since I started this project. I am kind of excited about her!

The thing I really love about this doll is that she is made from an old pair of linen pants. I am also way excited to get to try my hand at free-motion quilting using my one line face drawings on this doll.

This is the first time I've done hair. It's definitely going to take a little practice before I get the hair attached decently. For this one, I think it looks okay, but it will probably take some quick wear once Sofia plays with her a bit more!

I am thinking of making this one again but doubling the size of the pattern for next week's doll...

Meeting the new doll. We have formal introductions with each new doll.

Most dolls get kisses. This sweet doll definitely got a few tonight.

The dress can totally be changed (once I make another one!)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

New Year's Eve

Happy New Year!!

Cheers to a wonderful 2013 and to more wonderful in 2014!

We rung the new year in with a family dinner party. What better way to celebrate the ending of a year and the beginning of a new one than with some of our favorite people! I am excited for years of NYE parties with our Portland fams.

Sofia got to wear her party dress and party leg warmers. The dress was Zia's picked out by P. P was quite excited to see S wearing it! In this picture, P is asking Sofia for a hug.

Which she happily gave him. (can't believe she understands! My baby is growing up!!)

The hug turned into a full-on cousin cuddle session! Sofia never cuddles up like this! She's definitely a fan of her older cuz!

We got Z in for some cuddles too.

And it continued!

Even through a little disturbance from Z.

Of course, Sofia took a break to make sure P had a belly button. She checked about 17 times.

After the cuddle session, the girls started the party. We've got the lead singer in Uncle Bric's socks singing Jingle Bells and Ashes, Ashes. We've got the dancer/crowd entertainer/guitar player/clapper/button pusher to her right.

Of course no party can get started without some help from Uncle Seth!

Sofia loves loves loves their table and chairs. I think we are going to go this weekend and get her some of her own!

Maybe a new tradition: Candles to ring in the new year? Same as last year, we celebrated the new year on NYC time.

This year, we had brownies, candles, champagne for the adults, and the slowest version of Auld Lang Syne I have ever heard (followed by some techno violinist).

Our night ended with some extra rides on Zia's cow. Lucky girl, Super Aunt Jac took her on LOTS of circles - way more than her mama and dadda do downstairs on her new ride!

And the two girls together!

It is so fun to see Sofia at her Aunt and Uncle's house. She is becoming such a little person. Seeing her be so independent from me and playing with all her family members is such great fun for me! I have loved every moment of this last year with our little family of 3 and our extended family. I cannot wait for another FABULOUS year!