The Life and Times of Chelsea Perkins

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-28T12:19:00.004-05:00

We shared Thanksgiving with our Ohio family at my grandparent's house this year. It was Noah's first year to enjoy the feast, and to make it even more special, he got to sit in my Grandpa Bunky's father's highchair which was made in the 1890's!

Right as the meal got underway, I accidentally cut Noah's finger with a butter knife while trying to cut a tomato. It bled a lot, and made for a bit of a stressful situation, but eventually things settled down and I could finish my meal.

Before dinner we all lounged in Tissy and Bunky's beautiful living room, looking at books and playing blocks with my cousin Ross.

Looking at photos with Bunky, Noah's great grandfather!

It's been a rough few days for Noah, what with three teeth coming in, getting cut by his mom, and falling at church yesterday and coming up with a split eyelid and black eye. But we're all doing well. Noah's such a trooper and is as happy and sweet as ever. We have so much to be thankful for, to list our blessings would take too long here so I'll just keep the list in my quiet heart and go to it when I need to.

A Couple More Halloween Pictures!

2011-11-28T12:14:00.002-05:00

I thought I'd share a couple more Halloween pictures here before I post about Thanksgiving. Noah just had the best time walking the sidewalks and leading the pack.

Here is my little octopus wearing an Octopus Cap!

Noah the octopus, Octopus Kids, and a Picture Wall.

2011-11-06T20:08:00.003-05:00

Noah was a little octopus for Halloween this year, and went walking through the neighborhood with a big group of friends. It was one of the cutest things to see him walking the sidewalks like a big kid in his costume. We borrowed it from my wonderful friend Jenny, whose 6 year old son, Augustine, wore it when he was 1. She said that he wasn't walking yet when he wore it, so it was a whole new level of cuteness to see Noah walking around in it.

Also it's a bit funny that I run a company called Octopus Caps and Noah was an octopus for Halloween.

Speaking of Octopus Caps, I started Octopus Kids this week! Noah has the first Octopus baby cap, and I thought it was so perfect that I needed to start selling them on Etsy. I think they will sell really well for the Christmas season.

Noah was also wearing an Octopus Cap in my last post about apple picking.

To get to Octopus Kids' Etsy store, click here.

Lastly, I got Noah's gallery wall hung. We had friends from church over for a Halloween cookie decorating party, and I wanted to have it done for that, so I did it! I'm a big procrastinator, so having people over gave me a good jump start.

Rudy pointed out that the "N" and clock on the bottom look like "NO", something which escaped me completely! I think I'll add an "AH" to the end of it and say I meant to spell "Noah" out. You have to be flexible with these things.

Also I think I'm ready to pack up the Pack and Play, and put a bonifide toddler bed in Noah's room asap! I like the idea of never putting a baby in a crib, but always letting them sleep on a mattress on the floor. Once they start crawling, they are free to explore their space. I'm never out of earshot of Noah while he's sleeping, so I think this is a good thing for us, although it is nice to know that he can't get into any trouble while inside of his cage, I mean crib.

Picture wall in Noah's room.

2011-10-27T14:50:00.001-04:00

I finally got to put up Noah's picture wall earlier this week. I painted the N today and added it and the clock this afternoon. After Noah watched me hammer in the nails, he went and got his own nail and tried to place it gently on the wall. It was so cute and fun to see him learning and trying new things.

I hope he likes his little gallery as much as I do!

Noah and the Apple

2011-10-18T10:40:00.000-04:00

There's a whole lotta cuteness going on.

Lately...

2011-10-15T18:04:00.005-04:00

We've been up to so much lately...

{Picture taken by our friend Nick Fancher}
You can click on the picture to see it larger.
We went apple picking last weekend. It was in the 70's and absolutely gorgeous. Noah couldn't have had a better time. Can you tell?

Gatsby ate a corn cob off of the table when our backs were turned a few weeks ago. He had to have it surgically removed which was the pits all around. All I have to say about it is thank God things cost less in Ohio than they do in California!

I caught a nasty stomach flu this week and was out of commission for a few days. As soon as I was just about done with being sick, it was Rudy's turn. We're both just now on the mend and crossing our fingers that Noah doesn't get it!

Noah turned one on September 23rd! More pictures and a video to come.

My lovely friend (and old next door neighbor), Jess, had a baby boy and named him Charlie! This is us at her baby shower. It was at a wine bistro and was a very fun and much needed mama's night off. I also wore bright fuchsia lipstick which is a big deal for me (dork, I know).

Now that Noah is walking full time, I try to take him and Gatsby for walks around the block pretty often if not every day. It was a bit drizzly two weeks ago, but we went anyway. I think he's just about too cute in his raincoat. Also, how cute is our front yard and street?! I feel so blessed to call this house our HOME!

Lastly, here is a view from our attic master bedroom at 7:30am. It is our very own back yard. Need I say more?

I'm watching two little boys who live down the street rake leaves in their yard. It's adorable. I LOVE fall.

Talkin' little man.

2011-09-02T09:55:00.003-04:00

Here's one more cute video for good measure. I love how much he talks and plays while we are eating together, it makes my days so bright.

Three Very Cute Videos

2011-09-01T13:53:00.003-04:00

We've been very busy over here at the Perkins household, but I wanted to share with you some videos of our hectic, but very beautiful life:

Noah took his first steps! The first few seconds are all you really need to see. These were his actual very first steps, caught on film, to the amazement of Rudy and I. He has since taken a few more, but is still cautious and usually chooses to crawl.

Our homegroup (through our church) had a cookout last Monday, and this is Noah in fine form flirting with our friend Cole.

This one is from our Clintonville neighborhood block party (*can you say "best place to live ever?" because I can*) where Noah rode a tricycle for the first time. Ok, held onto one while I pushed, but still, the little guy is only 11 months old!

Noah is 11 months old.

2011-08-24T10:55:00.004-04:00

Yesterday Noah turned eleven months old. I cannot believe that in one short month he will be one! Where has the time gone? He is just the sweetest and busiest boy imaginable, and I feel so lucky to get to spend my days with him.

Here's what we did yesterday:

We went to the Columbus Museum of Art downtown. Admission is free for the rest of August, plus they are very kid friendly and even have a great playroom set up for small children. Needless to say we'll be going back very soon.

The museum was having an exhibition where they give viewers yards and yards of plastic fabric to take home and make something out of, then the viewer uploads photos of the finished work to flickr. Naturally I took home a roll! The fabric is in the bottom right of the photo above. I thought I would recover our seat cushions with it, and Noah helped me do a test run! I love how proud he looks holding his very own screwdriver.

In the evening I baked a spinach lasagna I had put together the day before. As shown by the pictures, Noah had just about as much fun eating it as possible. I'm pretty sure that more ended up in his lap than his belly.

Happy eleven months little Noah Benjamin. We love you!

Lately.

2011-05-25T13:24:00.003-04:00

I just got home from a wonderful 12 day vacation in California with Noah.

I'm playing catch-up now, and it's a bit overwhelming. I'm so blessed to be able to run a company from home, but at the same time it's a lot of work for someone with an 8 month old and home to keep up and food to make.

I'm day dreaming of the walk on the beach I took the first day I was in Carlsbad. Just my son and I searching for colors in the rocks and sea creatures in the tides.

The beach.

2011-05-12T11:13:00.000-04:00

Thank God for the Pacific ocean and sand beneath my feet.

Newspaper poetry

2011-04-28T11:00:00.003-04:00

I love this newspaper poem by Austin Kleon, found here. I probably wouldn't want the print, but love the idea of his poetry.

I also love that it's about his wife.

Stuffed logs.

2011-04-27T12:51:00.003-04:00

Now that we've decided to stay in our townhouse*, I'm really wanting to get it to where I like it. This also means making it a baby-friendly place for Noah to grow for the next couple of years. Our decorative fireplace has candles in it now. Noah is crawling like a monster. These two things don't go together. I think these stuffed birch logs would be very cute in the fireplace. Baby-safe, and easy on the eyes. Win-win.

Except they're out of stock, so there's that.

*My husband is working on his PhD, and just passed a big test which allows him to go on with the program. Which means we'll be staying in Columbus for at least 3 more years. I'm really not happy with our neighbor situation right now.While I like the people we share walls with, there are 5 yapping dogs there at any given time, and they smoke in their bedroom and basement which leaks into our place. Not to mention that they stay up till past 3am most nights. They are completely not compatible with our lifestyle.
After weeks of killing myself to find a nice single family house for us to live in for the rest of Rudy's time, I finally gave up. We just can't afford it. I know this may sound weird, but I got the sense that God was telling me, just be still. Stop worrying!
A week ago we found out that our neighbors move out June 1st! While it would still be nice to not share walls on both sides, this is what we can afford. It's the right price in the right location, and the right size. Patience isn't my strong suit. I'm tired of only being able to afford apartments. But it's not forever. It may feel like we're poor, poor, poor, but we can afford a really nice place. We can afford great food. We've got each other, a healthy baby, and love to spare. So I'm deciding to quit complaining and making our house a place I love to be. I'll keep you updated for the ride.

Cute fabric.

2011-04-27T12:49:00.003-04:00

This fabric is so stinking cute. I think it would be fun to do a water color painting of this little circle too. I want to paint more!

My little Easter man.

2011-04-25T16:33:00.004-04:00

My friend Michelle passed on this adorable jumper to Noah a few weeks ago. It is perfect for a little Easter outfit, but as the weather wasn't cooperating, I knew Noah couldn't wear it out yesterday. So I took pictures of him in it instead. It is much harder to get him to sit still for pictures now a days. He either wants to crawl, put something in his mouth, or crawl until he gets to something he can put in his mouth.

{Noah just got his first two teeth on the bottom, and loves to feel them with his lips}

{Have I mentioned that I can't get enough of his blue eyes?}

{Chewing on papa's finger}

Oh man. He's getting way too big, way too fast.

More projects...

2011-04-23T19:45:00.004-04:00

It all started with this picture, Christien Meindertma's giant hand knitted poufs. I had to have one. Didn't have over a grand to lay down on buying one, so naturally I looked up how to make my own. Because everyone knows how much time I have, (this is going to be a recurring theme here now, waahwaah). Anyhow, Pickles has a free pattern for many many things knit and crocheted. I've added a couple more projects for when I become a master knitter:

The Plain Vest for Ashley's baby, Finley.

...and the Sunny Cardigan for me!

Wednesday, April 20th

2011-04-20T22:15:00.002-04:00

Happy birthday to my beautiful mom. You have taught me so much and are such a source of joy in my life.

On that note, isn't it amazing how you realize HOW MUCH you are loved when you become a parent yourself? I mean it is astronomical!

Talking on the phone with my mum today, I asked about what foods she started us off on. I've been letting Noah gnaw on cold carrots lately to ease some teething pain and expose him to new tastes. She said that we all loved steamed broccoli, so I tried it out tonight and took a video. I'll get that up as soon as I have a chance.

And by when I have a chance, I means possibly never. At least that's how it feels right now.

Noah and Rudy

2011-04-13T15:25:00.003-04:00

I LOVE these guys.
Is it just me, or is Noah all of a sudden a little man?!

Noah and the skate park.

2011-04-11T16:00:00.004-04:00

This post could also be called, "Columbus skips spring and dives right into summer". It was hot and humid yesterday, so we packed up the family and went to the skate park. Here's the story in photos:

We...

...basked in the sun.

...hung out with Gatsby.

...watched dad skateboard.

...went for a walk around the park.

...sat around with no pants on (Okay, only Noah did this one).

...and after a little snack...

...fell asleep on the way home.

Blue Rock Station

2011-03-21T14:44:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my friend / old next door neighbor, Jessica, and I went to Blue Rock Station, a closed system Earthship made out of recycled materials. Jess invited me to go a few weeks ago for a class on raised bed gardening. I have never grown anything in my life, so the "class" was very enlightening, and I went home with plenty of heirloom seeds to start out with.

The process of growing food has always seemed very daunting to me. I decided that instead of getting overwhelmed by it, I would just become a master at one thing every year. This year it will be tomatoes, I've heard they are easy to grow.

Here are some pictures of our little outing. Noah had a good time checking out everything on the farm and was admired by all. Although I didn't get any shots of the inside of the house, I can assure you it was very cozy and beautiful. Although this way of life may seem extreme to some, it actually felt very easy and enlivening.

{Noah in front of the plastic bottle green house which grows plants all through the freezing Ohio winter}

{Mr. Llama, I guess that llama poo is the best fertilizer around}

{Thomas and his hens roaming the grounds}

{Noah meeting a hen, who put up with him grabbing her face and trying to eat it / cool art}

{A couple of kitties were always on patrol}

{Rosie the dog and the rest of the ladies doing some gardening}

Spring? Is that you?

2011-03-18T20:10:00.002-04:00

Last weekend it was nice out so we went to the skate park. Noah is working on his building blocks of crawling, and can push himself up quite well now.

We also reached a milestone last week! Noah now sits up in his very own highchair. This has proved to be useful for Rudy and I when it comes to eating meals. We can pull him close to the table and he's content to watch us and play with a toy or two.

Half and half prints.

2011-03-14T11:03:00.005-04:00

I was invited by a friend of mine to submit a poster design for Pinch Flat Columbus, an art show celebrating biking in our city. I submitted my entry last week and got the go ahead to get it printed for the event this morning!

I'm going to have it printed by Half and Half, a screen printing company. After looking at their website, I headed over to their etsy shop, where Rudy and I decided to buy the print below for our kitchen. I mean $15, come on! I also really like the poster above but don't have a place for it in our house right now.

I'll share my poster with you once it goes up at the show in May. Since I'll only be selling 30 prints at Pinch Flat and having 100 printed, I'll be selling them on Octopus Cap's etsy page once the show is over.

I can't wait to show you!

Belly Laughs

2011-03-12T10:13:00.000-05:00

A sunny day ... finally.

2011-03-12T09:57:00.003-05:00

This week has been so cold, gray and rainy. That plus not getting very regular sleep really put me in a funk for the past few days. One of the practices I am trying to focus on for Lent is embracing winter while looking forward to spring. Death and rebirth is what this is about right? Living in Columbus has really made me see how the world comes alive again in the spring. What a beautiful illustration God has given us to live and feel.

Though I didn't do a great job of recognizing it this week, I must say that it is nice at times to stay inside with my perfect snuggly baby. Some of the sweetest times have been just laying on the couch reading while he sleeps on my chest.

I mentioned that I gave up facebook for Lent. But I also gave up reading my daily blogs. I spend just as much time, if not more, scrolling through them as facebook. I'm happy to say that this commitment hasn't been very hard for me, and I find myself doing much more useful things in my spare time. This week I've read the bible, crocheted a baby cap and started a new book, The Reason for God.

Happy sunny Saturday to all of you.

So much to do and say.

2011-03-06T17:29:00.003-05:00

{Photo from here}

I feel like there are so many things I'd like to write about here... life with baby, breastfeeding, coping with baby's sleep issues, trying to embrace winter while looking forward to spring, crafts, art... not to mention get our birth story written down. But there always seem to be precisely a million things pulling me in all directions when Noah is finally asleep.

One of those things is mindlessly scrolling through my facebook feed. It seems so dumb, but it takes so much of my time. I could honestly care less about most of it, but it's like a compulsion at this point. So I think I'll let go of it for lent, then cut back pretty heavily afterward. More on lent to come when I have a chance, (probably after it's over!).

Now I'm off to clean the kitchen a bit in the last feeble minutes of Noah's latest nap.

The Big 25.

2011-03-06T17:10:00.006-05:00

{Noah having fun with wrapping paper}

The Friday before last, I turned 25. I know, a quarter of a century! I decided to throw myself a little get together at our place and invited all of the wonderful friends we've made since moving to Columbus. I must say it is pretty amazing to me that we just showed up here a year and a half ago, and already we've got enough people we love to fill a house. The Lord is good. That's all I can say about that.

I made a bunch of carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, covered our work tables with kraft paper and put out some crayons. The kids at the party loved it...

I bought myself a birthday shirt and found the red pencil skirt while thrifting. It fits like a glove.

{Evey, Auggie and Noah looking cute}

{Olive, Aaron and Noah}

My little Noah bird.

2011-02-17T17:43:00.002-05:00

Gratuitous pictures of our little almost 5 month old. He's such a little charmer and smiles at all the girls he meets.

After a bad night, there's always a good breakfast.

2011-02-17T17:32:00.004-05:00

{Granola that I made from Jenny's recipe}

So I've mentioned that Noah doesn't sleep well. Last night was no exception. I've found though, that if I can at least take a shower and have a hearty breakfast that I do a bit better through the day.

Today was a rough one though. It was one of those days where dropping something left me cursing under my breath, and Noah's cries while I changed his diaper brought me to tears. I made a special trip out to an art store to get a print my mom bought me for Christmas framed, only to find out that they don't do framing. And the sight of our cluttered dining/work room made my stomach turn.

So when Noah finally went down for a nap at three, I crashed right along with him. Rudy got home around 4:30, right as Noah was stirring. Knowing that I'd had a bad day so far, he offered to take Noah and Gatsby on a walk and suggested that I do something nice for myself. So I'm drinking tea and blogging. I feel so much better. There is nothing like a thoughtful husband. Nothing at all.

Adventures in baking.

2011-02-17T17:22:00.003-05:00

The other day I was perusing my friend Jenny's food blog, and came across a recipe that I decided to try: Iced Pumpkin Cookies. When it came time to scoop the batter, I used my new (old) ice cream scooper that I got from an antiques market while in California. It scooped out the perfect scone sized dollops, so iced scones is what I'm calling them! I had a bunch of leftover coconut from some granola that I made, (more on that later), so I sprinkled some on top of the icing for flavor and looks.

They are so good! Rudy took some to his Number Theory study group and came back with rave reviews. I've been loving baking lately. Maybe I'll start up a side business with all the spare time I've got. Ha!

Wool diaper covers.

2011-02-17T17:18:00.002-05:00

I would love to get one of these little wool diaper covers for Noah. Can't you just see the little guy crawling around in only this in the spring? *Le Sigh*

Found here.

Snowy day treats.

2011-02-09T17:33:00.003-05:00

Just made this my desktop background. Great reminders. Found here

I just heard this song on Black*Eiffel and I love it. It goes well with this snow, and makes the cold seem a bit more romantic and less oppressive.

Baby sweaters

2011-02-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

{Wikstenmade}

{wee textile}

These baby sweaters kill me. Learning to knit in five, four, three, two...

Le Dans La

2011-02-05T21:31:00.002-05:00

Looking at these photos from Le Dans La makes me realize that, though it doesn't seem possible, Noah is just going to keep getting cuter.

It also makes me get over the fact that we don't have a big rug for him to play on over our wood floors. He doesn't need it.

And that I love mustard yellow.

Ice Storm 2011.

2011-02-02T12:27:00.002-05:00

Two nights ago our world turned into a giant ice skating rink. The side walks and roads all have almost an inch of ice covering them. Bushes, trees and sign posts are all frozen over in a display like I've never seen before.

I borrowed these photos from my friend Becky's blog, found here. I took a couple of the ice, but she captured it so beautifully.

Last night we foolishly drove out of town to some friend's house for dinner. We slid around a bit on the ice, but made it safely. We thought we might have to stay the night there because of the ice, but because Gatsby was stuck at home alone, we decided to travel back, very very slowly. Luckily by the time we left all of the roads had been salted heavily and we made it home more easily than we had even hoped.

We didn't know, however, if we would have power when we got home. Just before we left our friend's, their power had gone out. All of the ice on the lines do not make for a good thing. When we got home, our lights were still on and our house was nice and warm. It stayed on for the rest of the night and is still working. I'm thanking God for that, and sending out the message to all our friends in Columbus that we've got a warm place for them to come should they need it.

In other news, Noah slept the best he's ever slept last night. He was down from 11:30pm-5:15am then again from 5:30am-9:50am. Holy cow, I feel like a new woman and am jetting around the house being more productive than I have been in weeks.

Cute photo dump.

2011-01-31T11:06:00.001-05:00

Our little man is four months old now, and we're just so in love.

Oh to have a laundry room...

2011-01-30T21:19:00.002-05:00

I'm swooning over this photo from the The Container Store.

Between normal daily life with baby and cloth diapering, we're doing a whole lot of laundry around here. It would be so nice to have a pretty room to do it in instead of a very dingy and dark basement.

I am counting my blessings that we even have a laundry machine and dryer though. We didn't have our own until last year. So that's nice. Baby steps I guess.

Start of my 25th birthday wishlist.

2011-01-27T20:53:00.003-05:00

I'm starting a list of things I want for my birthday in a month. This is not a plea for gifts, it's just a catalog of some lovely things I happen to long for. And serves as a list for Rudy in case he needs any ideas (hint, hint).

This pretty mug can be found here from BlueQ.

Related note: One of my goals for the year is to use less/no disposable cups. Thanks to my lovely sister, I have a klean kanteen for my water and tea. I would like to keep that one coffee and milk free, so a designated coffee mug would be great!

Because I'm a mom now.

2011-01-27T20:30:00.003-05:00

Let's talk about diaper bags, shall we? I never thought I wanted or needed one. For the last four months, my large purse has been taken over by all things baby. It's getting increasingly hard to find my wallet in "the abyss" as Rudy calls it. So I cracked. I bought one. But I had to do my thorough research first...

Or just find the cutest sack that would pass as a diaper bag and call it a day, which is what really happened.

I bought this one:

It is cute, zips closed, has lots of space and wipes clean with a damp cloth. Bonus, it's made from recycled plastic so I'm saving the earth also. Yay me.
I got it online at House8810.
It was also the cheapest ($15) of the options. Yay me again!

I could have gone for something sensible with loads of pockets like the Skip*Hop above, but not only is it the most expensive ($58), it's just not so fun.

I did think about getting one of Skip*Hop's Zoo Packs to use as a diaper bag. The idea was that Noah could use it as his little back pack once he got older, but I decided against it. While they are cute, I just don't know if I wanted something that cutesy.

Do you have, or are you planning on having a diaper bag for your babies? Did you go for conventional or fun?

Thoughts on parenting.

2011-01-20T15:36:00.002-05:00

I want to start out this post by saying that I didn't sleep very much last night. Noah will be four months old in three days (!) and is still waking very regularly throughout the night. On good nights it's maybe twice. On nights like last night, however, it's five. Each time requiring swinging and bouncing that conjure up images from bad 80's workout videos.

Before Noah was born I read the book The Happiest Baby on the Block. The advice in the book has proved to be very helpful, especially the swaddling and white noise. Unfortunately though, my little man has gotten used to being rocked to sleep, only while the person doing the rocking is standing...and it's getting tiring. My body hurts and so does Rudy's. It's time for a change.

As with everything in parenting so far, (and with our home-birth), I've found that it's all about taking in as much information as you can and then picking and choosing what works for you and your baby. I can't subscribe whole heartedly one person's method of parenting as much as I couldn't choose just one "Birthing Style". I'm sure that even if I do get down my own method of parenting with Noah, it will be completely out the window with our next child. So when I mention the names of books or parenting styles, which may have some up in arms, just know that I'm not endorsing one way or another but rather trying to find the right fit for us in this moment.

When Noah was tiny and new, attachment parenting was very right for us. I picked him up when he cried and nursed on demand. He has thrived in this environment. He is in the 90th percentile with weight gain and has remained very healthy. The problem is that I really don't know how often I should be feeding him, and furthermore how much time spent entertaining himself is appropriate. I surely don't think that he needs to eat every two hours throughout the night, but feed him I do! Foolish mommy, I say to myself, foolish! But when it's three in the morning and you share walls with two neighbors, (who probably hate us by now), you'll do anything to keep that baby quiet and sleeping.

..Insert need for schedule here..

When Noah was born, my aunt gave me the book My First 300 Babies. This short text is all about putting your baby on a strict schedule from the start, including wake times spent alone even if baby is crying. Now this goes against all of my gut feelings, but Ms. Hendrick does have a point in saying that this is the only aerobic exercise that a baby will have, and thus will improve sleeping habits. I don't think, however, that I could endure hearing Noah's cries for 30 min, let alone an hour and a half. I do think that with or without "alone time", implementing a daily schedule would really help our whole situation, and now that Noah is older and better at entertaining himself happily it makes complete sense. See? Best of both worlds. Or that's what we hope for.

In conclusion, today I tried letting Noah cry in his crib for five minutes before his usual nap time. And man was he wailing. After those gut wrenching minutes, I picked him up and quietly walked around the room, minus the bouncing etc. He continued to cry for a couple more minutes, even though I was cuddling him close. I really can't feel badly when I'm nurturing my baby and he continues to cry. I used to go into a frantic state to get him to be quiet, but I don't think this does either of us any good. After just a few moments of screaming in my arms, he quieted down, and just before he drifted off to sleep I put him down again in his crib. Do you know what happened? He went to sleep. On his own. And has been asleep for two hours.

Thank. You. Lord.

I'm so tired...and hair inspiration.

2011-01-17T22:15:00.005-05:00

{Hair, lipstick and nail color. I love it all}

Noah just fell asleep. It's 10 pm EST. I'm exhausted, but I also feel like I need to do a little something for me before I crash. So I'm stopping by here and saying hi. A drowsy, end of the day yawning hi.

Anyhow, I know that this picture is from an ad for an iPhone cover, but I love the model's hair. I've been thinking about going blonde again. I was always a toe head growing up, and now that I've grown out my natural color, (first time since I was 16), and it's right in between...not dark, not light...I'm longing for either one. And since I haven't gone light in over 6 years, I think I may go that route.

I know this is a lot of rambling about my hair color. But I'm tired, and a new mom who finally feels like she has enough time to think about these trivial things. Plus they're fun to think about. After washing diapers and taking care of business all day, a little vanity is a nice escape.

Also! My New Year's resolutions are:
Nail Polish
Lipstick
& Giving great birthday presents.

Because why not. 2011, I'm ready for you.

Two cute things.

2011-01-15T10:19:00.001-05:00

A bear I made for our friend's baby, Max.

Noah and his Uncle Cody.

Babies Galore!

2011-01-14T11:45:00.003-05:00

{Ashley & Finley, Noah & I, Margi & Jessi, Jenny & Corbin}

I have three best friends. The four of us have been friends since elementary school. Three of the four of us got married within days of each other back in 2007. Then last year we found out that Jenny was pregnant. We were all so excited to be aunties to Jen and Jordan's sweet baby. Little did we know what God had in the works! A few weeks later Ashley called me to tell me that she and Dan had a bun in the oven also! After hearing this news, I called Jessi, we squealed and that was that.

Well, not really. Just weeks after that phone call, Rudy and I found out we would be welcoming a new person into our family too! I couldn't believe that all three of us were pregnant at the same time.

Now, Jenny's boy Corbin, is 5 months old, Ashley's girl, Finley, is 4 months and Noah is 3 months. While we were in California, Jessi's mom Margi invited all of us, our babies and our husbands over for dinner. Here are a couple of pictures from the night. I love the top one with Jessi, Margi's baby, sitting on her lap.

{Jessi with Finley in the bangin hat she bought her}

I miss you girls like crazy. There is nothing like the friendship of someone who has known you for most of your life.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-14T11:39:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures of our California Christmas. Rudy, Noah and I ended up being the stripes triplets...as always.

The boys at my dad's house.

My step-mom's parents, Sue and Bob, with Noah.

My mom, Grandma Cici, with a beautiful piece she did for Noah's room. I can tell he likes it!

I miss my sister, Maya, so much!

California 2010

2011-01-09T22:22:00.003-05:00

As I said earlier, Rudy, Noah and I were in California for three weeks over Christmas break. The day we left Columbus, it was 12 degrees out. The first weekend we spent in San Diego it was in the 80's. The warm weather really reset my spirits. I told Rudy that we will have to go back home for Christmas every year now, (we didn't go back last year).

It was amazing being around so much family again. It makes my heart hurt to have Noah so far away from his grandparents and aunts and uncles. On the other hand, it's nice to know that he has so much love here in Columbus too. I just miss my parents and sisters and brothers so much. Not to mention my good friends also.

The third day we were there, Noah and I went to the beach with two of my best friends who also have babies. The picture above is of my little guy's first time on the sand. It was a perfect day filled with picnic lunches, warm weather and conversations that you only have with people you've known (almost) your whole life.

I thought that after three weeks we'd really be ready to get back home to Ohio. I was really torn on our last day though. It was hard to think of jumping back into what our life has become, as great as it is. The day we got back into Columbus, I had a bit of a breakdown. For three weeks I was never alone and without help; Rudy didn't have to slave over homework and there was always a grandparent's arms to pass the baby to if I wanted to take a shower. I wish that vacations could last forever!

Even though I didn't want to come back, this first week home has actually gone very well. I'm so grateful for all of the friends we have in Columbus. We have such an amazing group of friends and family here that I know I'm never really alone or without help. I thank God for that. I know that He has us here for a reason, and that when it comes down to it, even if there weren't friends and family around, I'm never all by myself in this.

Disco balls like it's 2011.

2011-01-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

{First seen here}

I just have to say that I'm in love with the disco balls in the corner of the room.

And the color on the walls.

Tree Project.

2011-01-09T21:44:00.003-05:00

I just came across this simple little project on The Violet Hours. I can't wait to have fun making little worlds with Noah, so I'm bookmarking it for the future. Not only is it a great kid's activity, it would also make a wonderful centerpiece for a table. Done, and done.

See more here.

Noah's first laughs.

2010-12-20T10:09:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was sitting in Rudy's parents living room with Noah and Cody, (Rudy's brother). I was describing the smell of Noah's farts, (please excuse this), to Cody and used the words 'egg milk'. Noah thought that it was hilarious! As any parent would do, I said it about a hundred times and had Cody grab the camera.

The rest of the family heard his laughing and came to join in. I'm so glad that a)Rudy and his family were there to see, and b)we had the camera ready. It feels like Noah does new and exciting things just for me, and I can't capture them on film. The telling of them just doesn't compare.

Enjoy.

Scale tights.

2010-12-19T21:54:00.002-05:00

I always wanted to be a mermaid.
These tights can help.

Lovely textures.

2010-12-19T10:29:00.002-05:00

I just came across this home of Roman Alonso, creative director of Commune. I saw it first over at moodboard.
I love all of the layered textures, bright art and patterned rugs. It reminds me of my grandparent's house, but with a bit more drama.

In other news, we're on vacation in California! More on that later.

What perfect weather.

2010-12-01T09:38:00.002-05:00

Image source

I haven't gotten much sleep the past couple of days. Noah was on a great schedule last week, sleeping three to four hour chunks at night. But all of that has been forgotten and I'm waking up every hour and a half. Instead of grumbling I'm trying to be positive. It's too sad to think of what it would be like without my babykins, so if he comes with sleeplessness, then so be it.

Anywho, I was woken up this morning by baby and sat up bleary eyed to nurse him. Rudy heard me cooing to Noah and came upstairs and opened the blinds. It was snowing! How exciting for the first snow to be on the first day of December.

We're getting out of here for three weeks and going back home to San Diego for most of this month. I'm glad we'll get this little taste of real winter, and then get to go vacation in the warmth I'm so used to.

Happy December indeed.

Thanksgiving.

2010-11-28T09:03:00.003-05:00

My mom's side of the family came out to Ohio for Thanksgiving this year. It was so nice to have them here and spend a bit of time with them. I wish they could have been here longer!

Noah Benjamin!

2010-10-20T16:34:00.002-04:00

In my last post (from a month ago!) I mistakenly said that the first day of Autumn is September 21st. If I may correct myself, it is September 23rd, which coincidentally is my son's birthday!

Noah Benjamin was born at home on September 23rd at 10:58pm. He was 7 pounds 4 ounces, 20.5 inches long, and perfect in every way.

Having a home-birth was even more amazing than I thought it would be. I couldn't imagine having been in a hospital for such an intense and personal event. I'll be posting our story here when I can. It seems like everything takes ten times longer when you have a baby around!

Autumn is here, baby is not.

2010-09-20T21:38:00.006-04:00

{all photos from we heart it.}
Tomorrow is the first day of fall. It is also the 9th day past our due date with baby Perkins. As hard as it has been to wait, I feel pretty good about the fact that he will be a fall baby. There are so many lovely things about fall. I'm beginning to think that it is my favorite season.

Apple cider. Breathtaking colors. Scarves and boots.

My mom is visiting (!) and we've been doing lots of fun and useful things together around Columbus while waiting for the little man. I keep thinking, "Oh, I really needed to get done with that before the baby could come. Now that we've done it, he can come!" But alas, he hasn't heard me. I guess I should get used to being on his time schedule.

Drawing Katie.

2010-09-12T17:54:00.001-04:00

This week at drawing group, our model was Katie. Here are a couple of my three minute sketches.

September 12th, we've made it.

2010-09-12T16:51:00.004-04:00

{Click on a picture to enlarge}
Well it's our due date! It looks like today is going to come and go without a birth, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a wonderful day. In fact, this whole weekend has been awesome! I went to drawing group again on Friday morning, and we had some friends over for a BBQ that night. After eating, we walked over to the local high school football game. On Saturday, Jess, Evey and I checked out a new "play cafe" called Firefly. 3 year old Evey had fun dressing up and running around. Jess and I had a nice time chatting and sipping (decaf) coffee.

Today after church, a big breakfast, and a nap, we took Gatsby on a walk at Whetstone Park. It was the perfect late summer / early autumn afternoon.

We're all waiting for you, Baby Perkins! Come anytime.

Drawing Bob.

2010-09-06T21:17:00.002-04:00

Click on an image to enlarge.
{45 Minutes}

I finally went to the Friday figure drawing group last week for the first time in a while. It starts at 7 am, and it has been hard for me to drag myself there. I'm always so glad when I do though. With our little guy almost here, I'm not sure how many more Fridays I'll be able to attend so I figure I should go as many more times as possible!

This week Bob was our (clothed) model. I had a lot of fun drawing his face. It had so many interesting shadows. Here are my results.

{10 Minutes}

{10 Minutes}
With this last one, I went a bit cartoon-ish with his features. I really like how the hatch marks in his hair came out.

I need to draw more. I love it.

Our little family...

2010-09-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

We are only one week away from the due date!

Lately.

2010-09-01T14:06:00.003-04:00

{Photo found here}
I miss the beach today.

It's 91 degrees out, and the local pool is closed now that school is back in. I was hoping it would still be open and devoid of school kids, but not so.

Yesterday was my last day of working at the coffee shop. It hasn't sunk in yet and today just feels like a special vacation.

I got some caps sent out for Octopus Caps. We've been getting lots of international orders this summer. I want to get shipped along with the caps sometimes, especially when they are going to Paris or Sao Paulo or Australia.

I was reading Sweet Fine Day's blog, and came across this quote from her six year old daughter:
“Sometimes when I get excited I don’t show it. I just wiggle my toes instead.” – Mia

I can't wait to record all the funny, inspiring and sweet things that my little man is going to say.

Lazy afternoon.

2010-08-29T17:02:00.003-04:00

I think that this picture is worth sharing. Rudy took it last Friday afternoon, after coming into the living room and saying "WHOA! Look at that belly!"...he just had to grab the camera.

I was eating sweet potato fries (the best!) and chatting online with Sierra (also the best!).

With only two weeks till our due date, I've got to get all the "me time" in that I can! Can I also say that I'm looking forward to dressing a non-pregnant body again? Finding cute things to fit over this tummy is getting hard!

Baby Shower!

2010-08-29T16:50:00.005-04:00

I have been a very bad blogger lately! But I have so much to share! The baby's nursery is coming along, and I've been doing some crafts here and there, so hopefully I'll get some more pictures and inspiration up this week.

Anyhow, here are some pictures from my wonderful baby shower that my amazing friends threw for me.

{Shannon, Rachel and Karen}

{Jessica, me and Jaymie}

We made origami cranes for a mobile in the baby's room, ate dumplings and visited. It was a perfect afternoon.

{Aunt Susie and Grandma Tissy making cranes}

{Rachel and Becky}

{Susie, Tissy and I}

I can't thank everyone enough for all of the love and support that you've shown me. This has definitely been one of the best years of my life, and that is because of all of you.

Baby Beans Rudy.

2010-08-11T17:20:00.002-04:00

With a bit more than a month to go, I've been thinking about what our baby is going to look like. This picture of Rudy as a little guy, feeding himself refried beans, is a bit of a preview. Look at all of that hair!

I've been having a lot of acid reflux lately, and Rudy's mom told me about an old wives tale that says that this means your baby will have a lot of hair when they are born. I don't doubt that this is true!

Teal and Mustard.

2010-08-10T21:02:00.004-04:00

Yes, please!

I love this bedroom of Ben Brougham, seen on The House That Lars Built. (She got it from elsewhere, but you can go to her site if you want all the details).

Oh boy do I love teal and yellow with gold details. How wonderful is that mustard metal bed frame?

Furniture makeover inspiration.

2010-07-29T17:53:00.003-04:00

I just came across this desk makeover on Design*Sponge. I was planning on doing a bit of thrift shopping for a dresser for the baby's room tomorrow, and this before and after has me even more excited to find something I can really fix up.

Whatever I find, I want to use a punchy color, as the walls in our house are all white. Cross your fingers that I'll find something wonderful I can work with for a great price!

The sideboard.

2010-07-27T20:03:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple snap shots of the sideboard in our dining room. The cubies have been perfect for storing my art supplies and some of Rudy's math papers. Hooray for getting organized!

The painting on the left is by the ever-wonderful Kelly Tunstall, and the print on the right is by our incredibly talented friend Jeremy Slagle, (you should definitely check out his site).

...and a silly picture of me for my Grandma Dee :)

Belly! 33 weeks prego!

2010-07-27T19:58:00.003-04:00

Well I've finally gotten to taking a couple of belly pictures. I really think we need to start taking weekly picture because this little guy is growing fast!

Sorry about the bad quality photos, but you get the idea I'm sure.

Also, I cut all of my hair off again. It's so nice and cool on these hot Ohio summer days. I wonder if one day I will actually grow out my hair again. I don't think I care all that much either way.

Buying a bed.

2010-07-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

{A pretty bed from livingetc.}

I will begin by saying that Rudy and I are both over 6 feet tall. Rudy is 6'5'' and I'm 6'1''. We have been sharing a full sized bed since we got married three years ago. I like to tell people that this was the biggest adjustment for me when it came to being married and living with someone. One wouldn't think that sharing a bed would be that hard for a newly married young twenty-something! But it was!

Now that our baby is almost here (September!!) and we are planning on co-sleeping, I've been thinking a lot about biting the bullet and buying a bigger bed. Combine that with finding some money in a forgotten savings account (about enough to buy a quality mattress), and I'm ready to hit the showrooms!

A couple of nights ago I did an online search of how to shop for a mattress. Buying a new bed is such a big investment that I didn't want to go into a store only to be duped by a smooth sales pitch. I can now say that I am very well equipped with know-how on how to find the perfect bed at a great price. It's all about the "Thanks, but I'm just looking" and the "Wow, that price is pretty high" lines. I've never fancied myself to be much of a haggler (or one at all!), but I also feel that the sales people in the stores are taught to use enticing tactics and greasy sales techniques to sell me a bed at a higher price than it is worth; i.e. not being able to price compare because the exact same mattress is sold at different stores under different names.

Anywho, I got to the end of my research about what to look for, (coil count, coil gauge, firmness etc.), and then got lost lost lost in the world of organic mattresses. And why conventional mattresses are harmful for specifically pregnant women and their babies. Because the flame retardant chemical on all normal beds, PBDE, is absorbed into the body and passed on to the baby through blood as well as breast milk. Great. What expectant mother wants to read this at 11:30pm after a long day?

The next logical step was to research organic mattresses, made out of non-chemical soaked foam and naturally flame retardant wool, right? Wrong. Because organic mattresses cost 4 to 5 times more than what we are able to afford. This sent me into a spiral of angst over how I want to be able to do something right for not only our family, but also our environment (PBDE is also found in the blubber of Orca whales and seals because of dumping), but the cost is completely prohibitive. It just seems like you shouldn't have to be rich in order to make a change in how things work. Maybe just by writing this and raising awareness I am making a difference?

I finally came to the conclusion, after more research, that while we absolutely can't buy an organic mattress we can find a happy middle and buy a conventional one and put an organic wool cover on it which will keep the chemicals from reaching our bodies. Yes, we will be putting money into the hands of those making beds by less honorable means, but we can also contribute in a small way to making a change by buying a cover from an environmentally responsible company.

All this to say, YEAH!! WE'RE GETTING A BIGGER BED!

India Print.

2010-07-01T20:53:00.002-04:00

Another one for the baby's wall. Oh boy this one is good. Elephants, pups, teacups and cameras. Yes please!!

Get it here. Except if you buy the last one, and not for me, I will be sad.

Blabla dolls (and impulse purchasing).

2010-06-29T21:14:00.004-04:00

Hello Blog-o-sphere. I've had a long day, but a good day. Work this morning and an appointment with our Midwife, Kathy, this evening. Everything with mama and baby P are looking great. I can't believe how fast all of this is going. It feels like our little man will be here in no time.

I just happened upon Blabla Kids' website, and am in love with their knit dolls. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I have wanted a sock monkey sort of doll for my little one to be. I found this perfect guy in Blabla's selection of their classic dolls, and I couldn't be more in love! So I decided, after much going back and forth, to go ahead and get him.

Is it considered an impulse buy if you have known you wanted one for six months? I'm going to go ahead and say no :)

I'll do it soon.

2010-06-25T17:35:00.002-04:00

First of all, I love this photo by Pia Ulin.

Secondly, yes, Rudy and I have moved into our new home. But no, I'm not ready to put up any pictures. In a new place, I tend to have grand intentions but no means to actually make them real. I've been saving my tips from the coffee shop for the last few months, trying to come up with some sort of a decorating budget. I've got a bit saved up, and as long as I'm (very) savvy, I think I can make some things happen with this new place.

I'll try to document the process as I go so you can follow along. I just wish the closest Ikea wasn't in Cincinnati!

Bedroom in a closet!

2010-06-25T17:32:00.002-04:00

This kid's bedroom is in a closet! And it's awesome! I love the colorful styling and simple, ever-so-cute toys.

See more of the details here.

Olive Manna Travel Mug

2010-06-22T22:40:00.001-04:00

Want it

Our third year together.

2010-06-22T21:05:00.005-04:00

{The only photo taken of our little family on our 3rd}

Last Thursday, June 17th, was Rudy and my third anniversary, (and our second anniversary of having Gatsby). We had such a great day together.

While taking Gatsby on a walk we heard music and lots of people so we went to investigate and found a public pool within walking distance from our house! After we got home from the walk, we went down for a swim. It was about 90 degrees out, so a dip was just what I needed.

That night we went to go see The Life Aquatic at the Wexner Art Center's Drive-In movie's first showing for the summer.

The showing was free, and the night couldn't have been more perfect. There was free caramel corn (my favorite!) and fireflies dancing over people's heads.

We even got to bring Gatsby! He mostly slept on his little bed and was admired by all. The guy behind us even took a picture of him because he thought he was so cute.

I had forgotten how much I really love this movie. Cate Blanchett's baby belly is pretty cute too.

{A shot of a previous showing from the Wexner's site}

Ooo those shelves.

2010-06-09T22:36:00.003-04:00

I am really loving this room with its grays and its beautiful thick wooden shelves.

I would probably throw a pop of intense color in there, but that's just me.
Seen here at Desire to Inspire.

All of our stuff...

2010-06-09T16:22:00.002-04:00

...in one room.

This is what all of our belongings look like when they are consolidated into the dining room of our old house. I may have mentioned before that Rudy and I had to be out of our old place on the first, but can't get into our new place until the thirteenth. Our landlords (and their son who moved in) let us keep all this in the dining room for a couple of weeks. Rudy, Gatsby, and I are staying with my Grandparents right now, which seems like a mini-vacation while we wait for our new home.

While it has been sad to move on from our first place here in Columbus, I am also excited to start fresh in a new, more updated, home. We should be moving in this Sunday!

Bunk Beds

2010-06-09T16:07:00.003-04:00

I'm in love with this older kid's room from Domino (I found it over at Little Green Notebook). The only thing that really makes it a "kid's room" are the bunk beds. The colors and styling are something I would love in my grown-up's room! Give me that rug!

New-(ish) Drawings.

2010-05-27T17:58:00.005-04:00

Here are some sort of new drawings and watercolors I've done in the past few months. I haven't been working on my art nearly as much as I'd like to, but inspiration has been scarce.

{Click on any of the images for a large view}

Sorry that the scan quality isn't all that great.
Also, please don't use these images without contacting me, (I'd love to hear from you!)

Freewheeling.

2010-05-22T10:09:00.003-04:00

Here's another print I would love to include in the nursery's art wall.
You can find it here.

Mister Elephant.

2010-05-20T19:16:00.003-04:00

I really want this print from Geninne for the nursery. I love her birds, but think this little elephant will be perfect for my little man.

Poor Little Bunny.

2010-05-20T18:57:00.003-04:00

Rudy came home today with the beginnings of the nasty cold I had last week. He's asleep now. We watched this video together before he dozed off, and I thought it was too funny not to share! Good thing he's not whiny and all that, but I did go get him some soup.

You are everything.

2010-05-16T13:21:00.004-04:00

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Be my everything.

-Sang this worship song today and it gets me every time.

Pretty posters for our new place.

2010-05-15T17:09:00.003-04:00

I mentioned below that we are moving on June 1st. This means getting to decorate a whole new place! I'm thinking two over-sized, mustard yellow vintage posters from here above the sofa.

Moving!

2010-05-15T16:45:00.004-04:00

I mentioned before that Rudy and I were looking for another place, as the one we are in will be a bit too tight for our budget once the baby comes and I stop working. Our landlords let us know that we could not sneak our way out of our lease, (which is up in August), meaning we would have to move just a month before the little guy comes and that we couldn't save some extra dough in the mean time. This was a disappointment for me, even though I know that's what a lease is. A contract. Not to be broken. But I mean, I've heard that kids cost all kinds of money, and who wants to move with a belly out-to-there!

Anyhow, the landlords dropped by one Saturday, May 1st actually, to say that it would be better for them if we could be out by June 1st, because their son needs a place to stay and would help them fix the house up. My first reaction was relief. My second worry. We now had one month to find a place and move in.

To craigslist we went, and decided to check out a one bedroom apartment, (too small, but why not look?), that was down by the bike path. The landlord emailed me right back and said we could stop by the next day, a Sunday! Even though that one was too tiny for us, he mentioned that he had a two bedroom coming available and we could run by that unit right then! And it was perfect!

We were the fifth people to look at it, but the first to put in an application. They ran it, and we're in!! We signed the lease today, in McDonalds of all places. The Lord is so faithful. I never imagined we'd be given back our deposit AND find a place so close to our current house in such amazing shape. Why do I even bother worrying for one second? I know we are being taken care of.

Mister Alligator.

2010-05-13T17:31:00.003-04:00

Dear Mister Alligator, would you like to come live in my little boy's room?

Mothers.

2010-05-09T17:49:00.003-04:00

So I thought since it was Mother's Day, I would announce to all of you readers that Rudy and I are having a BOY!!

Here are some pictures of the little guy from our first ultrasound. It was so amazing to see him, and watch him move around. I can't wait to meet him in person!

Also, happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom, soon-to-be Grandma Cici.

Picture wall.

2010-05-02T19:26:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking lately about the baby's room. One thing I definitely want to include is a wall of pictures in white frames. This picture (found here), is from a cafe in New York, and is exactly what I had in mind.

I would like to do a mixture of my art as well as prints that I love from etsy. This way it would be affordable, and then as the little one grows up I can change out the prints with their artwork!

Living with kids.

2010-04-28T17:14:00.002-04:00

...should be colorful, full of pillows and include a nice big rug.

Or at least that's how I see it.

Living Etc.

Funky bathrooms...in a good way.

2010-04-28T17:08:00.002-04:00

Aren't these colorful bathrooms fun? I hate our bathroom at the place we're living right now, to put it bluntly. It's cheap and plastic and white. I would love to create something with so much more flavor.

I'll take any of the following...

2010-04-28T17:00:00.002-04:00

Rudy and I will be moving come August when our lease is up to save some money for when the baby comes. Any of these would be just fine.

My wish list for a place? Lots of light. An open feeling (our house right now is so narrow and tall). A shower head that I don't have to bend down to use...is that so much to ask?

I've been doing waaaaay to much browsing in Living Etc's Galleries.
I can't be held responsible for the hours you will lose on that site if you click over.

Babies Movie.

2010-04-28T15:50:00.006-04:00

Holy cow, I want to see this movie.

And it's not just because I'm growing one myself. Ok, maybe a little bit because of that.

Oh! PS. we have our first ultrasound tomorrow night and will hopefully get to find out the gender of the little one moving around in my belly! Anyone want to weigh in on whether it will be a boy or girl?

California.

2010-04-24T12:15:00.006-04:00

{Ashley and I in Vista}

As I said before, I went home to California last week. Here are some snapshots of my trip.

{Me, at 18 weeks, Jenny at 27 weeks and Ashley at 25}

I have had three best friends since elementary school. Three of us four are pregnant right now! I promise we did not plan it to be this way, but it is a lot of fun getting to do this together.

{Jenny with the quilt I made her, and showing off her fantastic bump}

{With Rudy's mom, Gini, brother Cody, and his girlfriend Whitney in front of Cody's 66 Rambler}

{My dad's side of the family, the Porters! Soon to be grandparents, great-grandparents, aunt and uncle}

{A shot of the coastline in Carlsbad I took on my last morning home}

If you look below you will see how much fun I had with my mom's side of the family.

It was really hard to leave on my last morning. I miss my family and close friends so much. As hard as it was to leave San Diego again, it is really nice to be home in Columbus. I feel so blessed by the community we are a part of here.

Family Fun Time.

2010-04-24T11:31:00.002-04:00

"There's a puppy on my puppy" Written by Larry Groupé, Le Woof Productions.

Last week I went home to California for a short four day stay. It was so nice to see my family and friends, and was hard to leave them when it was over.

This little ditty was written by my step-dad, composer Larry Groupé. I think it will be a hit for years to come with our baby. Counting by 3's and 2's and "IN ESPANOL!" (even if 13 isn't actually diez y tres, but trece...oh well).

More pictures from my trip to come.

Oh! Hi baby!

2010-04-08T15:01:00.004-04:00

Dear Readers,

I've got some exciting news! Many of you already know this, but some of you don't... Rudy and I are expecting a baby! We found out in early January, and couldn't be more excited. I started a pregnancy journal, but haven't done a very good job of keeping up with it. Only three entries and two drawings have been made in all of these 17 weeks. We get to find out if it's a boy or a girl in just three weeks! I thought I would share one of my notes to our baby and a new drawing doodle.

You have been making me very sleepy baby. When I'm home from work, all I want to do is sit on the couch. Needless to say, nothing's been getting done around the house except for what Rudy has the time to do. He's been so busy with school.

We are at 11 weeks now! Just one more to go and we're through the hardest part for you! I decided weeks ago to stop worrying about if you would make it. I know that God has it all worked out. Since the beginning of time it has been! We have our appointment with Kathy, our midwife, on Thursday night. It has been rescheduled three times because of all the snow! Hopefully we'll be able to see her, and hear your little heart beating. I don't think there will be a more beautiful sound in the world.

Love your mama 2/16/2010

*Belly pictures and more to come*

Such beauty.

2010-04-08T14:36:00.004-04:00

Shona Heath's set designs make me want to cry they are so beautiful. What a job to have.

The top photo reminds me of this print by Castle.

Also, listening to this song makes me want to draw and draw and never stop. I need to buy the album asap.

Finishing touches.

2010-03-13T12:55:00.002-05:00

I bought myself some tulips last week to celebrate the rising temperatures. Tulips alway remind me of spring. When I was 18, I went to Paris with my grandma and cousin in March. We bought tulips from a little market to decorate our apartment. They alway bring such beautiful memories.

I also finally put up these little treasures above our stove. The Chinese calender is from a place right down the street from Rudy and I, and it came with our takeout one night. The round tin plate has a drawing of California on it with little illustrations for each city or landmark. I got it at a huge antiques sale in Worthington this summer. I love the poppies on it, they always remind me of home. Lastly, the little tin rooster came in a Christmas package from my mom, and was meant to be an ornament, but I love it too much to only have it out for one month of the year.

Snow!

2010-03-13T12:38:00.002-05:00

{Our backyard}

I thought I should post some pictures of the snow from a couple of weeks ago. Amazingly, all of it is almost gone, and the temperatures have soared to the mid 60's! Rudy and I were marvelling this morning that it went from the low 30's to the 50's and now to almost 70 in a matter of days. All I can say is that I hope this weather pattern continues, and that we really are approaching spring.

{View of our neighbor's car from upstairs}

{Gatsby with the pups at Whetstone park on my birthday}

In regard to the above picture, remember this little adventure from when I let Gatsby off the leash for the first time? I swore he'd never go off leash again. However, after months of walking the same path, I've started giving him bouts of running free with the other dogs. And he finally gets it!! Even when he goes off and chases something, he always eventually realizes he's alone and that he better catch up fast. Sometimes it takes him ten minutes, but I've learned to calm down and know that he'll be racing around the corner in no time.

My favorite harpist.

2010-03-07T19:42:00.002-05:00

Dear Joanna Newsom,

I have not listened to you in far too long. Will you forgive me? I think that you are pretty great. Maybe Rudy and I can come and see you when you play at Ohio State at the end of this month.

Dear readers,

I'm sorry that all of my posts lately have just been pictures I have found around the internet. I have so many of my own pictures and stories to share, but time has been slipping through my fingers and sometimes sharing a dinner with new friends is more important than uploading hundreds of photos. I promise some original content is coming soon.

Yours truly,
Chelsea

Photo from here.

I'm growing my hair out...

2010-03-07T19:32:00.002-05:00

...and you can't stop me!

Camp Comfort

I've been wanting to grow my hair out, and have decided that I'm in the s l o w process now because my hair is alway growing, right? These pictures only make me wish that it would happen much faster. My hair is still incredibly short, which is a bit disheartening, but I've done it before!

I will be, for the first time in a long time, not dying my hair as I grow it out. I love the look below with the sunkissed ends, so maybe once I reach a certain point I'll cave in and go for some dye.

Turned Out

Turned Out

Here's to growth!

Kittens.

2010-03-05T17:51:00.003-05:00

I couldn't keep these beautiful photos from Korean Vogue to myself.

Fact about me: I hate cats but think that kittens are quite possibly the cutest little things ever, (topping even puppies, that's right I said it).

-Photo found here.

Poem and a Picture Friday.

2010-03-05T17:43:00.004-05:00

Light can stare at bed hair and fall for love.

-Refrigerator poetry from my apartment years ago.
-Photo from mypolaroidblog.

Yes.

2010-02-21T20:36:00.003-05:00

Twig Hutchinson, come to my house any day.

First seen via Lobster and Swan.