does she sleep through the night?

As a new parent, it's the number one question I am asked, and the question is kinda whack... What does it mean? Is it a marker of success when she can sleep through the night? Does this make them a good baby or a naughty baby? Don't tell Santa but our baby does not always sleep through the night! When she was a few weeks old she would sleep for long stretches, there were some nights when she gave us an 8 hour stint without waking up to nurse. She slept so much because she was growing so much, she gained a pound a week for a while there! I always joked that any pro athlete would kill for her growth hormone.

On many scales she is still a really great sleeper. She will only wake up 2 or 3 times to nurse and then fall right back asleep...  this varies due to teething etc.  But I'll admit, lately it's been a bit of a bear! She is up late until 10:30-11 at night, no matter how many naps or what time she woke up that day... this past weekend with all the activity at the shore, her sleeping "blueprint" was all screwed up and by Sunday I felt like trash.  So I decided to poke around to see what I could see, and all that I could see was.... the other side of the mountain, the other side of the mountain, the other side of the mOOOOuntain (sleep deprivation + children's music = bad joke)

Here is what I found. These articles from Dr. Sears website gave us a lot of new options and tools to help us through these challenging milestone moments.

31 ways to get your baby to go to sleep at night, by Dr. Sears
Night Weaning, by Dr. Sears
Co-sleeping Research and it's benefits, by Dr. Sears

Through my search I also heard about the book The Wonder Weeks and it's website. They discuss how baby's development will often determine their sleep habits, or schedule. The idea is that while working on a new milestone, or development, the baby may be more awake and sleep less as they practice this new skill. Then a day or so later they may crash and sleep and sleep in order to catch up on all the rest they missed. This made me laugh as I thought back to her first few weeks and how there were some days where it seemed like she would NOT sleep! Then poof a few days later we would keep checking on her as she slept and slept for long stretches... Begin aware of this idea brought me a greater sense of ease and compassion. Anyway here's what I found about Baby sleep regression.

8,9,10 month old Baby Sleep Regression
More on Sleep Regression
baby developmental milestones

And for more of a community outlook on the subject, check out the forums on Mothering.com!

Ultimately, Dr. Sears makes a good point- have heart and remember that they are only this age once and it goes by fast, you will have plenty of time when they are older to have a perfect night's sleep. So cherish every moment (even if those moments stink and you are at the end of your rope) and of course ask your community of family, and spouse for help.
Good luck and happy sleeping!

A Love letter to summer

Hey all, how was your weekend? any fun summer activities... soaking up the last few sunny Saturdays while you can? We went to the shore to celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday!!! (pictures to follow) It was great to see everyone and to celebrate a great guy. Here is this week's Love Letter to Summer, enjoy 'em while you can!

Marina di Pietrasanta, Italy

(source)

(source)

vintage paddle

(source)

camping

wildflowers

a gallery of lavender fields

In preparation for a 90th birthday part #2

It's my grandfather's 90th birthday this weekend and most of the gang is all here at the shore to celebrate the "king of the beach"! I mentioned the other week how I was busy making him a photo book as the ultimate card and here are some more pictures from the project, as well as some that we found after the fact!

Above: vintage shore picture- that's my dad as a boy on the far right.

my dad eating watermelon and my aunt with the cropped hair cut to his right.

a spread from my grandfather's photo book via shutterfly

and a spread of their wedding day. so pretty!

That's me with my mom eating soft serve ice cream at Cream Valley in N.J. (the best soft serve ever!)

my parents with my cousins, sister and myself in our pool at our farm circa 1983

popsicle eating out back at the shore circa 1983. my twin brother and I in matching diapers.

the four of us with our two English cousins

my twin brother and I "washing" carriages, or rather each other. How cute is the dress I'm wearing? my grandmother made it for me!

me on one of our horses. my mom is leading us and my sister walks behind. I was 2.5 here and on a horse! craziness.

I'll be sure to share pictures on my blog from our lobster party! stay tuned and have a great weekend!

Links and Such

An impressive idea- animal and insect silhouettes! I love the frames and variety of sizes, this would look great in a hallway, don't you think? Happy Thursday, here are this week's Links and Such! enjoy.

defying gravity on a daily basis
large enameled locket
recipe: creamy avocado chicken salad
upcycled bag
sedan chair
a great lighting shop on etsy
how to braid 8 strands together
I want to go to Maine and go here...
be present necklace
make wall pockets to store books
knitting pattern on sale for TODAY only
DIY song lyric wall art tutorial

Handmade Shout Out: Grays and Blues

ring

the family farm

moccasins 

honeycomb leggings

v-neck

photograph

hat

this week's handmade shout out, comes a little late in the day... it's just been one of those days! I love grays and blues and thought a little theme would be fun. Which one is your favorite? many of these pieces are on my wish list, I love them all... I think I could wear those leggings all fall!

Needlepoint and Embroidery, A Blog banner Makeover

(before)

Did you notice something different...?  My blog banner is new and improved!  It's makeover had been on my to-do list for quite some time (a year maybe more...?) and I finally began working on it back in June!!!  I knew I wanted it to be handmade and so I began to bookmark inspirational images and ideas.  Here is a behind the scenes look into the making of my new banner!

I just love Jillian Tamaki's embroderied book covers and I wanted to capture a similar feeling.

more textile inspiration...

I found this embroidery after I was finished, but I'm tucking it away for future banners... maybe I'll have seasonal ones and this pattern could be for fall or winter!?

AND then for the ultimate Embroidery stitch Guide check out this Website! I found it through pinterest and fell in love with how easy the tutorials are and the lengthy stitch glossary! Of course I still did some free hand embroidery... but for the orange petals I followed one of her tutorials.

blog banner version #1

blog banner version #2

So now the question is- which version do you like best!? The first has my tag line/ description of my blog's focus "to tread lightly while celebrating handmade and design" and the second is wider in order to fit with a more desirable proportion (ie: when you visit my blog you see more than just the header filling your screen) as a result the tagline didn't fit and I almost like the simplicity and quietness of the header without it... It's a nice balance to all the text that follows beneath the banner.

anyway, just a little something I have been working on... let me know in the comments what you think! I love to read your comments.

Weekend goings on... housewarming gift, laying a fence, & homemade pesto

My twin brother and his wife finally had settlement on their house this weekend (after months of septic and well reconstruction) and they are moving in TODAY!!! This is their first house and like busy little bees they got to work the night of settlement last week and haven't stopped to take a breath. We pitched in this weekend to help them along.  Here are some pictures from our adventures. (click on images to view them larger)

Above: the little miss hanging out in the back of their "new" truck.

Their little bungalow/ cottage. Last weekend they removed the 2 story tall rhododendrons that covered the right side of the house and along the back left side of the house. They have big plans for their house including a backyard with chickens and bees! This week they had the wood floors redone and they look amazing! and Hannah is on track with her kitchen redo. The cabinets are sanded, primed and the first coat of paint is on... then follow the walls and bead board. (pictures to follow)

Happy home owners with their load of split rail fence from home depot.

Cameron, Hannah, and Ethan unload the fence.

the men (plus baby) proudly stand next to a section of the finished fence at the edge of the house...

Our little housewarming gift for them. A vintage can of "One of a kind Abigail and Cameron Elbow Grease" stuffed with a vintage berry towel- to reference all the jams I tease Hannah she will make (plus vintage tea towels are the best- sturdy and so absorbent). Bought the vintage goods in this great etsy shop! Then on a trip to Terrain this week (we go there when we are homesick for Maine) we found this book, The Beekeeper's Bible. IT IS AMAZING! It includes the history of beekeeping, recipes, and pretty much everything you need and didn't know you needed to know- about bee keeping. (Cameron and Hannah have been attending local bee keeping meetings in prep for Ethan and Hannah's Bees next spring)

eating lunch on their screened in porch.

dirty baby leg.

outside goofing around with dad

after a long weekend spent helping the new home owners with pruning, laying fence, picking out paint colors, etc... the husbo made some homemade pesto sunday night from our huge crop of basil. Even though we didn't have pine nuts (I KNOW- it's a crime) the pesto was amazing, as all home made pesto is! The baby enjoyed it mix in with green beans and tomatoes and mushrooms and we had ours over whole wheat pasta. Hard to believe that August is almost at the half way mark!  check out my latest Love Letter to Summer- with an end of summer vibe.