Friday, October 21, 2011

Dancing Remy

Last night, we had a baby shower at my apartment.  And after Remy's bath, he wanted to join the fun.  I started laughing so hard, I almost cried.


When I showed this video to Ben, he was like, "He's barely dancing.  Now that baby dancing to Beyonce, she can dance!"  Apparently Remy doesn't watch enough music videos.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Monday, September 19, 2011

I yam what I yam... and I yam one!

This Saturday was Remy's birthday party, and we had a fun time!  It was my first time putting together an actual party, and it turned out really well.  I think the party was more for Ben and me as parents; a celebration of our first year of successful parenting.  

I decided to do a sailor theme, thanks to my friend Rachele.  I received inspiration here and here.  I also used some free printables from here for the cupcake toppers and Remy's birthday sign, which I failed to take a picture of.  I didn't like the shapes on the cupcake toppers, so I used the blank ones and downloaded a free font that went better with the theme. The colors turned out a lot darker when I printed them out on cardstock, but I thought they were still pretty cute.


I decided that it would be cute to have Remy wear a sailor shirt, but I didn't want to make anything too time consuming.  I normally wouldn't have Remy wear a themed outfit for his birthday party, but with October just around the corner, I decided it could double as his Halloween costume.  I planned everything out in my head using two t-shirts to put together a sailor top.  The only problem was that I couldn't find plain t-shirts in the right size.  I adapted my plan, and used two onesies instead.  And I have to say, it turned out much better than I had imagined.  Maybe I'll put together a tutorial because it was super easy.

 Front

Back

For Remy's smash cake, I decided to make a round cake and put a sailboat on top.  It was super easy, and only required a bamboo skewer and paper.  It was my kind of cake, because it was inexpensive.  



For party favors, I decided to make sailboat cookies.  I love the way decorated cookies and cakes look and I've been wanting to try my hand at it for a while, so it was my chance to splurge on a pastry bag and tip set.  My friend Penny helped me decorate the cookies, and she is my craft mentor because she is so talented.  I decided to package them in some inexpensive bags I bought from Walmart.  I shredded some blue paper I already had in our shredder and put it in the bottom of the bags like confetti.



For food, we just made up some sandwiches using rolls from Costco.  We also bought some lunch-size bags of chips and grapes, and we were set.  My friend Nancy helped me with the food prep.


We ate outside and had a great time with our party guests.  It turns out that outside is the best place to eat a smash cake.


I was even able to get Remy to eat a sandwich before it was cake-eating time.


And then we gave Remy his cake:


My favorite part in the video is when Remy tries to fling the frosting off his hands, but it's stuck.  I'm no sure why the color in the video is so blue.  It seems almost all videos from our camera end up that way, but we were able to take some cute pictures of Remy that turned out better.

 Remy is experiencing the sugar high

Yum yum!

 All done Mom!

UPDATE:  The title of the post comes from Popeye.  Popeye is a sailor man, hence the connection to our sailor-themed birthday party.

Remy's Progress Report

Can you believe Remy has turned one?  It's a little hard for us to take it in because it means our little boy is growing up.  See next post for birthday pictures.

Remy has been doing all sorts of fun things now.  He is walking now, but has not yet decided that it's his primary mode of transportation.  He is, however, getting much more confident  in his walking abilities.  He will even walk short distances by himself around the house.  We love playing outside where Remy can practice walking around and playing with other neighborhood children.  And he recently learned how to go down the slide by himself.

Sorry about the low-grade quality. 

Remy has also been great about eating adult food now.  We share our dinner with him, and for the most part he will eat it just fine.  He's had chocolate now, thanks to his birthday smash cake.  We are working on adding cow's milk to his diet now.

Remy is still a social creature.  He loves attention from everyone and plays coy.  This means that when someone says hi and smiles at him, he smiles back shyly, leaning his head to the side and putting it on Mom.  It's so adorable!  He is increasing his vocabulary and loves saying "oh" or "woh."  He has also learned how to cluck his tongue, which is pretty funny.  He also kind of hums and sings to himself when he's playing with his toys.



Remy has also started teething again.  This means that he is must more irritable lately, and now has little temper tantrums or meltdowns when he doesn't like something.  It's cute for about two seconds but that's it.  His legs go limp and he throws his head and body back, which has led to some bonks and bruises at our house.  He also has learned how to scream, which I wish he would unlearn.  Ah well, the good comes with the bad, right?

We still can't believe how big and strong he's getting!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Remy is Walking!


Remy has been walking for a couple weeks now.  We figured it was about time to upload a video so everyone could see.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

11 months!

I realize I forgot to post Remy's progress at 10 months.  We were out of town and I didn't have my camera cord to upload the pictures, so I completely spaced it.  Then when I thought about it again, I realized he was just closer to 11 months anyway, so we'll just do this one at 11 months.

Remy has been growing growing growing, and not around the middle either.  He is getting longer, but is the same string bean baby.  He loves to eat, but you wouldn't be able to tell because he is such an active little guy. His top front teeth have come in, and we love his toothy grin.  He wants to be moving all the time and is no longer content to sit on your lap or even stay in one place..  In fact, his newest trick is grabbing your hands when he's sitting on your lap, sliding down to the floor, and taking off because he fully expects you to take him walking wherever he wants to go.

I can't call him my Rolly-Polly baby anymore because he has learned to crawl!  At first, he would crawl very timidly and then resort back to rolling to get around, but crawling is now his preferred method of transportation.  He learned how to push himself up to a sitting position to pull himself up on furniture and bookshelves.  This of course means that the first 15 minutes of nap time are spent cleaning up after the little guy.  One of his favorite games is to pull everything out of the diaper bag or my purse, going through each item one by one.  And of course, once it's all on the ground it is no longer interesting and Remy moves on to something else.  Remy also "walks" around the room, supporting himself with the couch or anything else he can get his hands on. He can actually move around pretty good, and he's such a tough guy; with all the spills and tumbles he takes, we don't hear much crying from him.

Remy is definitely getting more social.  He loves people and the attention that he receives from people, but often plays coy when someone says hi to him by smiling and hiding his face.  He loves to mimic us, and has learned how to blow out his mouth (which sometimes makes him look like he's doing the Zoolander pose), sniff through his nose, stick out his tongue, blow out his mouth, and put his hands in the air when you do.  His favorite word is "da-da"  and he says "mmmmmmmm"  a lot, but we don't hear a lot of "ma-ma" around the house.  He loves going outside, but he has to be carefully monitored because he likes putting anything and everything in his mouth.  His pacifier is no longer the deterrent it was before, and he doesn't like you fishing anything out of his mouth that he may have put there.

When he gets excited he starts laughing and flaps his little hands and arms like he's a little bird.  We just love him and think it is so fun to watch him grow up.  We're having fun planning his birthday next month.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Faux-Quilted Placemat Tutorial

My mom came to visit me a couple weeks ago and she brought this cool project with her.  She is crafty and creative, as you can see here.


For six placemats, you will need:
  • a jelly roll of fabric or strips of fabric 2 1/2 inches
  • 1 to 1 1/4 yard quilt batting
  • 1 to 1/4 yard. coordinating fabric for back of placemants
  • bias tape or about 1/2 yard extra fabric to make your own bias tape.

First, prewash your fabric and batting, following the care instructions.  If you don't do this, your place mats will shrink after you finish making them and they won't be the size you want.  Then, after the fabric is washed and dried, iron it with spray starch.

On a side note, if you haven't tried spray starch, do yourself a favor and go buy some.  It's not expensive and it makes a huge difference when you're ironing.  It works particularly well when you are sewing cotton fabric because it allows you to iron more carefully, and the fabric stays ironed.  And my mom always says good sewing comes from good ironing.

Then, you'll need to decide what size you want your placemats to be.  I wanted mine to be the usual rectangle, so I measured mine at 19 inches by 14 inches.  You can even use an old placemat as a pattern.  Then, cut out six pieces of the fabric and the quilt batting to that size.  Depending on the design on the fabric and the way you want the placemats to look, there are two ways to fit six placemats on the fabric:



I used the second one, because I liked the way the design on the fabric looked horizontally rather than vertically.  It does take up a bit more fabric than the other way, but how you make yours is up to you.

Fabric and Batting cut to size

Next, you will take the jelly roll strips, and cut them to the corresponding length, which in this case was 14 inches.  I decided on a random placement of the jellyroll strips of fabric.  Starting with one strip, I made sure that the following strip had at least one color in common, and then continued through the stack.  But, you can decide the order any way you want.

Jelly roll strips cut into 14 inch length strips

To put everything together, you will place the fabric backing right side down, and place the quilt batting on top.  



Next, you place your first strip of fabric on the left side of the placemat, right side up.  


Then, place the next strip, directly on top of that strip, wrong side up. 


Pin the strips down, and then sew them into place on the right side of the strips using 1/4 inch seam allowance.  

This picture is taken with later strips, but instructions are the same.

Make sure than you are sewing through ALL the layers of fabric.  If you have a walking foot, I would recommend that you use it because it makes sewing through the bulky fabric much, much easier. 


Then, fold over the second strip, and iron it down so that both strips are right side up.  


Repeat again with following strips until you reach the edge of the placemat.  Iron last remaining strip and trim any hanging fabric.

Repeat for the remaining place mats.  I ended up making six, although depending on the amount of fabric you begin with, you could do more.

Now for the bias tape and binding.  I made my own double fold wide bias tape.  And having the experience of making it just once without the bias tape maker, let me tell you, it is so worth it to buy it!   You can use this bias tape tutorial to learn how to make your own.  And remember that spray starch is your best friend!

Then, to sew on the bias tape, you can use this tutorial.  Pay attention to the corners though, because it can get a little bit tricky.

Once you are done, admire your work, and don't hesitate to give yourself some hard-earned compliments.  My placemats look great!  


You'll notice that each of my placemats is different due to the random nature of the jellyroll, but they all compliment each other very well.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Ninja Baby

After our trip to California, Ben and I came home with a pacifier shortage.  We had considerably less binkies than we had when we left, so I sent Ben to the store to get some more.  Instead of coming home with Remy's preferred brand, he bought some generic ones which Remy didn't take to all that well.  As I was rolling my eyes thinking, "Never send a man...", I noted the largish shape of the pacifiers and was inspired by my childhood memories.  I give you....

(Click here for Theme Music)


Scorpion


and Subzero

Ready? FIGHT!

And for those that don't have a clue what I'm talking about, learn some more pop culture of the 90s and go play Mortal Kombat, or rent the movie. 

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

9 months!

Remy has reached the nine month mark, and he is just as happy as ever.  We went in yesterday to the pediatrician for his check up, and he has yet another fan.  (I started calling Relief Society the Remy Fan Club because all the ladies love to ooh and aah over our little man). Remy is 28 inches long, 17 lbs, and has head circumference of 17.9 inches.  He's actually in the 5th percentile for his weight (yes, that's right: 5%), but the doctor says she's not worried.  She thinks he's got his dad's genes and a high metabolism because he eats a lot and has several bowel movements a day.

Remy has been such a happy baby, and doesn't have any kind of stranger anxiety.  He loves any attention from he can get, and is constantly smiling at strangers.  The only thing that he doesn't like is being surprised by someone or something new.  If someone or something unfamiliar startles him, he'll get upset.  But, other than that, he is quite the social butterfly.

Remy has acquired many new skills.  Although he can't crawl yet, he is constantly moving around the house by rolling around, and scooting backwards.  He can hold on to the couch or something else and stand upright for a little while before falling over.  And when that eventually happens, Remy is a tough cookie.  He keeps on playing, and typically never cries.  Remy has learned how to self feed, and will pick up and eat his snacks by himself.  He also loves to use his fingers to pick at small things like the strings on the bathroom rug.  He has become extremely talented an putting his pacifier in his mouth.  And it appears that his top front teeth will pop out soon.


These videos were taken about a month ago after we got back from California and Remy started learning how to feed himself.



Remy has also gotten much more talkative and has said, "Ma-ma," "Da-da," "Ba-ba," and "Ga-ga."  Although he doesn't know what they mean yet, he loves to say them and make noises.  We are excited to see what new developments await Remy next month.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Zoo

Fairytale Town was really fun.  It's a park themed with Nursery Rhymes and Fairytales.  Although we weren't able to a whole lot with our eight month old baby, as it staged for older children, we still had a lot of fun.  I think Remy just liked being outside.  Believe it or not, adults are not allowed in Fairytale Town unless accompanied by a child.


The entrance.  Adults have to bend forward to enter, but children can go right through


The old lady and her shoe slide.


Ben went down with Remy


And then I went down with Remy.


I like this Hippo water fountain.


Remy loves sitting on Ben's shoulders.  His favorite thing to do up there is hit his dad on the head.  


They had a small petting area, complete with Eeyore the donkey...


and Daisy, the cow.


This is Owl's House, from Winnie the Pooh.


The Crooked Man, Path, and House.




Then, there were the Three Little Pigs, with their houses.


The Three Billy Goats


And Jack and the Beanstalk.


Cinderella's Carriage.


Peter Rabbit and siblings.


Flopsey and Mopsey


Peter and Cottontail


Remy and I had fun sitting on the Turtle


King Arthur's Court and the Knights of the Round Table

After we got done with Fairytale Town, we headed over to the Zoo.  They are just across the street from one another so they were a perfect activity for our afternoon.   Although the Sacramento Zoo seemed smaller than the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake, but we came at the perfect time because all the animals were out feeding.


I thought this picture was hilarious because it looks like the ostrich is hiding its head.


The ostrich finally looked up.


The giraffes.


The snow leopard


The giant anteater.  I learned that it will not eat an entire colony.  It stops feeding when the alert goes out with the soldier ants, and then comes back later for more.


The sleeping male lion.


While we were standing there, a female lion came running up to the fence.  It about made me pee my pants. 


Remy and I chilling in the shade under a mister.  It looks like I'm posing, but Ben took the picture while I was fixing my headband.


The tiger.


Kangeroos.


Remy in the Phil and Ted Stroller.
Just want to say, the more I use it, the more I love it.


The first time we put Remy's head in one of these, he decided he wanted to eat it.


So we put the pacifier in his mouth.


The spider's kind of creepy, but I love his smile.

   
The flamingos.  Their pink color comes directly from the amount of shrimp they eat.  
As you can see, the Sacramento Zoo feeds their flamingos really well.

We stopped by the gift shop on the way out, and bought a souvenir magnet to commemorate our trip.