Soft Christmas Ornament Tutorial.

This is a repost from last year (and the photos were from the year before!), but I think it's worth sharing again. I originally made these soft ornaments in 2011, and they are still holding up well on (and off) our Christmas tree with two little boys now!
***************************************************************

Need a bunch of soft Christmas ornaments for the bottom portion of your Christmas tree? Last year, I discovered that our tree was sorely lacking in the "toddler-friendly" department, so I went on a mission to find some. And, the only ones that I found were much more expensive than any ornaments ought to be (let alone the non-breakable sort!). So, I made my own. Here's a tutorial for some super easy, kid-friendly, and cute Christmas tree ornaments!

Supplies:
felt
thread (in colors to match the felt)
ribbon
scissors
marker
circular object to trace (2" to 3" across)

1) Trace circles onto the felt. You will need approximately 7 circles for each ornament.

2) Cut out the circles.

3) Give scraps of felt to toddler for entertainment purposes.

(Hey vintage Nate!)

4) Fold a felt circle in half.

5) Fold the (already folded) circle in half again, and stitch in place. Place several stitches (one on top of the other) to hold felt in place. Repeat steps 4 and 5 without cutting the thread until you have all six felt circles attached.

6) Stitch the first and last (folded) circles together to form a ball.

7) Place a few more stitches along a length of thread (tied in a circle) to form the hanger. Knot the thread, and trim excess pieces off.

8) Enjoy your new ornaments!

(Nate enjoyed taking "his" ornaments off and on the tree approximately 100 times/day last year!)

Why I'm glad for digital photography...

Been wondering why all of my recent shots of Levi are either during mealtimes (ah, the confinement of a highchair!) or just a blurry image of his backside toddling away? Yeah, getting a decent photo of a nonstop almost-15-month-old is not as easy as it seems! A few days ago, I decided that as his momma, it really is my job to document this completely adorable stage of his life a little better than this:

So, I popped him into the glider, and started snapping pictures! I mean, how hard can it be? It'll only take a few shots to get an perfectly-centered, non-blurry, totally awesome one of that adorably ornery grin...right?


Okay then. So maybe he needs a role model? I added his big brother to the glider, and continued with my photo shoot.... "CHEESE!"


And, suddenly? Ah, SWEET VICTORY!!

(Totally worth it!)

1 year old.

Levi is a year old today! Just like that, my baby boy is one. There is a part of me that feels sad because this past year has gone by in such a flash, but then another bigger part of me feels like this is right. This is exactly where I've wanted to be all along! Of course I've adored my both of my babies, but I do so enjoy this older stage! My baby isn't such a baby anymore; he's getting to be more of a toddler every day--and I'm loving every second of it! He's curious and quick and silly, and he's the most perfect little boy in the world (along with his big brother, of course!). For a short 6 days, I have a one-year-old and a two-year-old! Good thing it's only for a week; I'm not sure I can handle kids that close in age any longer! ;)

Levi is a fantastically fun little guy who is always on the move! He is busy all the time, exploring and nibbing all over the place. He wants to know about everything, and he isn't shy about finding out! He checks out everything within reach (drawers, cabinets, boxes, bags, etc), and loves to crawl away as fast as he can when he's caught! He laughs all the time, and has even started purposefully trying to make us laugh. He scrunches up his nose with a huge smile when he's being funny--too cute!

Levi's favorite person in the world is his big brother, Nathaniel. He absolutely adores him, and always wants to play with whatever Nate is playing (Nate occasionally feels like sharing with his baby brother, haha!) It melts my heart to see them interact, and I am so very, very glad that we've been blessed with both of them. They love to make each other laugh, and smiles on their faces are enough to bring joy into our hearts--even when we can't quite understand the never-ending humor of a cup repeatedly flung to the floor or sniffing stinky toes!

Levi crawls and climbs, and he's beginning to walk too! He walks easily while holding onto things (furniture, push toys, holding hands), and can take up to three steps on his own. His balance is good, and I think he's going to take off on his own just as soon as he realizes that he can walk without nose-diving into Mommy or Daddy in sheer excitement!

Levi says several words, and will mimic lots of sounds. So far, he says Mama, Dada, kitty (key), Grover (Goga), hi (haaah), and cup. When he wants something, he points to it. Often, he accompanies his pointing with loud grunts and sighs to get more attention. Funny! He can wave and give kisses too.

Some of Levi's favorite toys right now include the xylophone that Daddy bought in Honduras, the police car with real lights and sirens, any push toy that allows him to walk (or run!), the toy cooking utensils for the play kitchen (He carries them around constantly!), and, of course, his stuffed monkey. (Sidenote: The above photo was supposed to be of the boys playing the xylophone, but, hey, a watermelon works too!)

Levi's favorite foods are watermelon, macaroni & cheese, crackers, and sweet potatoes. He eats almost everything that we eat, and there are not many things that he doesn't like. He has been drinking whole milk and almond milk from a sippy cup with his meals for a few weeks now because he's reduced his nursing sessions drastically. He still nurses at naptime and bedtime, as well as during the night. Typically, his "during the night" feeding only consists of one feeding around 6 am, but recently, it has been every couple of hours throughout the night because he's teething.

Speaking of teeth, Levi has eight (and a half?) teeth. He is in the process of getting all four molars right now, which has contributed to many night-wakings recently. We have had good results in treating his discomfort with an amber teething necklace and Hyland's teething tablets. Occasionally, I do give him ibuprofen when he seems to be in too much pain to sleep soundly.

Levi typically sleeps about 12 hours at night. He takes one afternoon nap during the day, which is usually two to three hours long. He still sleeps in the pack 'n play in our bedroom since he still wakes up during the night. He usually sleeps on his belly, but moves all over the pack 'n play!

Levi, I am so proud of you! You are an amazing little boy, and I know that your determination and fervor for life will take you far. You are sweet and loving, and I am blessed abundantly to call you mine. I love you, Sweet Baby Yiyi! Happy Birthday!!

(Notice those kitchen utensils constantly in hand.....little future chef?!)

Forgotten: a lesson for momma.

Wenesday nights are unusually quiet around here. Eric and Nate go to AWANA Club at our church, and Levi usually takes an evening nap. I am left with my thoughts and a toy-strewn living room. This particular evening, I was straightening up, when I noticed Nate's sippy cup of water sitting on the end table. He'd forgotten it, and I felt an immediate pang in my gut. Why? Because I'm his mother, and I want to make sure that everything is perfect for him. I don't want him to ever forget his water because I want to be absolutely, positively certain that he's never thirsty! Yeah, there's a drinking fountain about 8 feet from the door of his classroom. Sure, he can drink out of a little dixie cup like the other kids during snacktime. And, sure, I know that he's having juicy mandarin oranges for snack. And, let's face it, even if he is thirsty, an hour and a half isn't going to dehydrate him. And, hey, no water to drink lessens the likelyhood of a potty accident!
But still, no matter how many logical things I tell myself, I hate that he forgot his drink! I know that I'm a little crazy and a lot overprotective of my boys, but they're my kids! This momma love is something fierce and wild--far beyond my comprehension before I felt it. Without a doubt, I would do anything for my children. Anything. And, sometimes that anything isn't fun--it involves time-outs and no treats and even the occasional swat on the tush. But, it also involves snuggling sweet babies, and getting an "I wuv you, Momma" at bedtime, and baking birthday cakes, and wrapping the perfect car on Christmas Eve in eager anticipation of his face when he opens it. And, whether I like it or not, motherhood involves letting these little ones grow up. And, as they grow and become independent, they will learn lessons on their own. Maybe a few of those lessons will sting a bit. Maybe they'll even forget their drinks! And, even though I can't take away every bit of pain from their lives, I can be here for them. Always. I'll be here to hug them and kiss away the boo-boos. I'll be here to listen and to talk and to comfort, and to offer a drink of water--just in case they're thirsty when they get home!