Perfect Moment

I just had a perfect moment.

Neve had been sleeping on Beth while we were watching a movie. Beth asked if I wanted some cuddle time. So we very carefully and slowly exchanged little Nevie. I got a few moments of sleeping beauty on my chest and then some time with her slowly waking up with a huge grin just for me.

I was fully immersed in that moment.

Which is more rare than I'd like. It was perfect. It was joy. Realizing that I had some small part in creating this beautiful, smiling baby girl. But it was also sad. I tried to stay present as long as I could, but the moment was fleeting and I could not hold on forever. My mind started drifting to how incredibly fast Neve is growing and changing and how soon it won't be the same. I know there will still be other perfect moments, but they just don't seem to last long enough.

Sometimes I feel like I take too many pictures of Neve. So some days (like today) I try to put down my camera and take a break. I did not take a single picture of Neve today. Sometimes I get so caught up trying to catch the moment that I'm not actually as present as I should be. But I guess the pictures may be one small way for me to hold on to some part of those prefect moments.

And I also have to think about friends and family and Grandpas and Grandmothers and Aunts and Uncles and Mommy when she's at work. For those who get even less of those perfect moments with Neve. And for me... for when Neve is too big to sleep on my chest. So, here's a couple of pictures for us...

Have a great night!

Pocahontas

I'm thankful for...

...my little sweet potato!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Little Sweet Potato

Nevie will get her 2nd taste of food tomorrow at Thanksgiving. We're planning on letting Neve try some sweet potatoes. I thought it would be her first taste of food, but I forgot about this video from about a month ago when we were at Black Bear Bakery...

It's hard to tell whether Neve is even enjoying the watermelon, but I am excited to see how she'll respond to sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are one of Beth and my favorite foods. I'm sure she'll learn to like them whether she wants to or not. Kind of like me and vegan food.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Speedy Gonzales

I can't believe how fast things are happening with Neve. Just about a week or so ago I was a little surprised that Neve wasn't using her hands that much. She wouldn't even touch the bottle when I fed her. So last week I started trying to put her hands on the bottle at every feeding. Well, when I fed her today she could almost hold the bottle the entire feeding by herself. Granted, she has a weird one closed fist, one open hand grip... but it seems to work for her...

She's also just been more interactive overall. She watches me constantly as I go around the room. And she's finally starting to pay some attention to Ollie. Which is especially overdue considering how much attention Ollie pays to her.

It's been a lot of fun watching her discover the small things.

When she's not grabbing at something with her newfound hands, her fingers are sure to be found in her mouth...

I can't wait to see what surprises this week brings!

Have a great night!

Stinky Stinky Stinky

Here's a video I took of Neve yesterday. "Stinky" has been her new favorite word. Well, that and pizza.

Have a great night!

Elvis

I was just going through some pictures from yesterday and this is the photo I should have used for Elvis Neve!

She's even got the attitude and everything!

Impersonations

Here are a couple of Neve's best impersonations from today. Can you guess who they are before scrolling down?

Impersonation #1

HINT #1: It's the crazy hair...

HINT #2: "You can't handle the truth!"

Impersonation #2

HINT #1: Check out that collar...

HINT #2: "You aint nothin' but a hound dog!"

Have a great night!

Jailbird

Neve had her jailbird outfit on today...

..hopefully I have plenty of time before she wants to break free of me!

Neve and I went to a little grocery store down the street from us to pick up some food for dinner. Neve was getting a little tired while we were shopping; it was defnitely time for a nap. But when we left the store, a clerk held open the door for us and told Neve how cute she was and right on cue, Neve gave her the biggest smile (which she actually does quite a bit in public when people talk to her...she's a little ham). Not 5 seconds later, though, we got in the car and Neve gave ME the biggest yell. Not a cry, but a very distinct yell. I have to admit I was a little jealous at the smile the clerk had just received.

So, we hurried home for a nap and to make a 'sausage' bake and some blackberry cobbler...

My wife is a vegan, which can be challenging sometimes when we go out to certain restaurants. But it's crazy how you can turn most "normal" recipes into vegan recipes. Fake meat is available for almost any kind of meat. Soy, almond, rice and coconut milks can all be substitutes for dairy milk. And Smart Balance Light is awesome, I can't believe it's vegan (or not butter!). This is coming from the mouth of a newbie, but I think I'm getting the hang of vegan cooking just a little.

Doesn't mean I won't enjoy a nice steak every once in awhile when I go out...


Have a great night!

Walking Contradiction

Today, I...

...ate a greasy, cheesy, meaty pizza sub sandwich at Penn Station for lunch... then made Vegan 'Chicken' and Dumplings for dinner.

...wore a shirt with a skull on it... and dressed Neve in a cute, pink onesie.

...installed an exterior door at a rental property... and played peek-a-boo.

...fixed a leak in a sink... and dealt with a leaky diaper.

...sang Mary Had a Little Lamb, Humpty Dumpty and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly... then rocked out to Sir Mix-a-lot on the radio.

...enjoyed a few pages of a good book on the toilet... and wiped poop off of my daughter's butt (OK, maybe these are actually similar)

...took a detour from the hardware store to buy a binky (that I had forgotten at home).

Have a great night!

Milk, Milk Everywhere

...on the couch
...on my clothes
...on the bed
...on the floor
...in Neve's neck folds
...on Ollie's breath

Ah! A couple of months ago, I used to change shirts whenever Neve would spit up on me. Straight to the closet. I went through a lot of shirts that way. Now, I'll go the whole day with the breast milk smell on me. I'll even leave the house and go out in public. Oh, the milk smell is even on my jacket. I have no shame anymore. I guess that's what fatherhood will do to you. 

When will Neve start eating solid food??? 

My Mom and Aunts say I used to projectile vomit when I was a baby. Clear across the room. Neve has only done that two or three times. Plenty of spit up, though. Maybe it's payback!

But look at her...

Yep, that first picture up there has some drool if you look close. A little payback of my own, I guess.

How can I complain?

Have a great night!

Good Luck Charm

The Rams' Good Luck Charm today...

Not only did the Rams win, but it looks like I'm going to win in both of my Fantasy Football leagues. Way to go Nevie!

Have a great night!

(I've added a video bar to the right side of the blog under the blog archive. Check out some of Neve's videos if you're bored.)

Double Overtime

Daddy, Nevie and Mommy are all putting in some more overtime this weekend. Ollie is the only one who seems unfazed...

While Beth is finishing up a big project at work, Neve and I have been hanging out. She's been great! We met some family at Pasta House for lunch. A large number of the women on my side of the family were out for their annual shopping day. I think they begin at around 7 in the morning and go until the last one of them drops. Neve got a little glimpse of what she can "look forward to."

The last couple of days were not quite as pleasant as today. I have to say that Neve was, um... a handful. I think either she's getting a tooth in or has had some stomach issues. I think it may have been the stomach because the Poop Machine had slowed down... that is, until this morning! So, I guess Poopy = Happy in Neve's world.

Speaking of poop, one of the things that's been bugging me lately is Ollie's obsession with breast milk and poop. He's destroyed a few bottles and has managed to sneak behind my back and lick a couple of Neve's dirty diapers! Beth laughs about it, but I'm not as amused. I guess it's the bulldog in him that will eat just about anything.

But instead of leaving you with that image, I'll leave you with a few more pleasant ones...

 Maybe I should change the name of this blog to Neve's Photo Album.

Have a great weekend!

Eye-Fi

I just received a really cool gadget today. I got an Eye-Fi wireless memory card. When it's in my camera, pictures that I take are automatically uploaded to my computer wirelessly (and even online if I choose). This is basically AWESOME for Beth and I because all throughout the day Beth is sending me texts... "Please send me a picture?"... "Got a picture for Mommy?"... And, frankly, the pictures that my phone takes are crap. For example, can you guess which of the following pictures was taken by my phone and which by my camera? Click on them if you need to get a better view...

You got it, the one with the onions is the loser! Which, by the way, I took by the onions because I figured if Neve was going to cry all day, she may as well have an excuse. In her defense, she is sleeping in this picture and NOT crying. The first picture I've entitled "Amelia Neve-is-my-Heart." Get it?

So, here are some of the other pictures that Beth was able to view during the day today without me having to do any work to get them online other than taking the picture...

I haven't worked out all of the bugs yet, but I'm really pumped about this memory card. I think it's going to be a great tool for Beth to keep tabs on Neve and I, which I'm sure we're going to need plenty of times in the future.

Side Note: I did make Beth a vegetarian BLT tonight, but it wasn't exciting enough to take a picture of. I know it sounds crazy, but the veggie bacon does not taste that bad. Really. (not at all like the veggie cheese which doesn't exactly mesh with my taste buds)

Have a great Friday night! Don't party too hard and end up like Neve after I feed her too much milk...

Vegan Pizza

I can't believe how little that I get done some days. Today was one of those days. Once, shortly before Neve was born, I was at a Mall eating in the food court. While I was eating, a guy grabbed the table next to me. He had 3 little girls with him, with ages probably about 6 months old, a year and a half old and maybe 4 or 5 years old. Walking up to the table, he had one girl in a baby bjorn carrier (I know it was Baby Bjorn because I ended up asking him about it), one girl was holding his hand and the third was walking by herself next to him. I sat there and watched the whole time while he coordinated ordering the food, eating the food and cleaning up the food, all with his 3 little girls. I was impressed at the time, but now that guy is now my hero.

My Dad even came over for about an hour today (I'm very lucky he's retired and has some time on his hands). I was able to get a little speed cleaning done, which I think I've become pretty good at. Now regular, normal cleaning I still suck at. I was also able to finally plant some flower buds that my Mom brought over last weekend. I was supposed to get those in on Sunday. Sorry, Mom. I hope they survive.

 Here are some cute moments of the day...

Yes, there are only two of them. Neve was a handful today. That's all I'll say about that.

When Beth got home, I did get a chance to make her a Vegan pizza though...

If you'd have told me, I don't know maybe 3 or 4 years ago, that I'd be a stay at home dad and be cooking vegan dinners, I'd have doubled over in laughter.

But I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Have a great night!

Photo Album

Here's a picture album of our last couple of days...

Yesterday, Grandpa helping with an apartment that just became vacant...

Neve soothing her gums on a frozen dinosaur towel. I think it's a dinosaur, maybe it's a turtle...

Neve not quite sure how she feels about tummy time...

Neve definitely sure how she feels about waking up. Happy!

Ollie and Neve must have a secret...

Neve getting excited to go shopping (just like her Momma, uh oh)...

We had to decide on a dish that we will make for a family Thanksgiving get-together, which made Beth a little hungry. So, Neve and I made Vegan Green Bean Casserole for Mom tonight...

  Ok, Neve cheered me on from the bleacher seats at least...

The awesome new toy (Lamaze Soft Chime Garden Musical Toy) that came from amazon today (I will be posting a video of this toy soon, it makes really cool sounds!)...

No, it's NOT a dog toy!

Just finished bath time...

I think those are real tears in Neve's eyes in this next one. The end of bath time is not quite as fun as the beginning...

 

Please don't cry that my blog is over... Have a great night!

Inkjet Printing on Fabric

I've tried many different ways to print on fabric to make homemade tshirts and other gifts. But most of the premade iron on transfers and fabric sheets that I've used seem to turn out with an unnatural rough texture. I have been able to make some fun tshirts with those products, but I think I found a way to print on fabric using freezer paper that ends up with a better result. The great thing about this technique is that you can use just about any cotton fabric that you want (as long as the thickness will fit in your printer). You can use an old tshirt you have at home or fabric bought from your local fabric store.

Here's how I made the printed fabric square for Neve's "I Love Grandpa" onesie.

First, find an old tshirt or other fabric that you want to print on and grab some freezer paper from the grocery store or amazon.

Ultimately, what you're going to do is attach the freezer paper to the fabric and then cut it to fit in your inkjet printer (assuming you don't have a large format printer, that's going to be letter size - 8.5" x 11").

First, cut the fabric about an inch bigger than the size that your printer takes. For my project, I cut a rectangle of fabric out of an old tshirt that was about 9.5" x 12". Next, cut a piece of freezer paper that is just slightly smaller than that. Now, take the side of the fabric that you want the printed image on and lay that side down on an ironing board or other surface to iron on. Take the freezer paper, plastic coated side down, and lay it on the fabric. The plastic coated side of the freezer paper will be against the opposite side of the fabric that you want to print on. Iron the two pieces together. It may take a couple of minutes to get them to stick.

Next, take some scissors and cut the fabric/freezer paper to exactly 8.5" x 11". An easy way to do this is to grab a sheet of printer paper and trace around it on the fabric.

Now print! I've tried both the normal paper printer setting and the matte photo paper setting. I recommend the matte photo paper setting, as the ink seems to soak in just a little better and show more detail.

You have just printed directly on the fabric! Let the fabric dry, cut your design out and peel off the freezer paper backing. You now have a piece of fabric to make all kinds of fun gifts with.

(NOTE: If you want to create a colorfast piece of fabric that you can feel safe washing, you need to use a product like "Bubble Jet Set 2000" - It's a solution that you soak your fabric in before you follow the above steps.)

For Neve's "I Love Grandpa" onesie, I cut out the other pieces of fabric that I wanted to use and laid out my design.

Finally, call in the wonderful, talented wife to sew everything together :)

Ok, eventually I'll learn how to use that sewing machine, I promise. One step at a time for this stay at home dad!