Summer Reading

I just love picking up books from the library. When I was a little I would get so excited to go to the library.  The library was always a special place for me because I was able to pick out as many books as I wanted and I got my very own card!  I remember tucking my library card in my little purse- and it made me feel extremely grown-up.   I really found my love for books and reading at the library and I can't wait till I  can take my daughter to the library and make her first library memory.

This book, Imagine- How Creativity Works really caught my attention because it's a book on the study of creativity.  It goes in depth about how one comes up with those big ideas or how one gets that creative spark.  Such a good read- and always so interesting to see the analyzation of creativity!

What are you reading this summer? :)  

Friday Woohoo!

Did this week just blink by? I know for me- with a 1 month old- life is just speeding by.. I was able to get into the studio for a couple of hours this week and it was soo rewarding.  I really missed painting and did some while I was pregnant but it was really tough because holding myself upright was the real challenge.

What are you up to this weekend? I'm going to attempt to whip out the stroller and visit a couple of art galleries and am getting ready for an upcoming art show.  Am I crazy for taking on a group show- with having a 1 month old baby? :) I knew I was a little crazy before but I can just cut out sleep right?  I tried getting a photo with the baby and the dogs but the dogs just kept licking her little feet.

A Baby's Room- Imagination Grows here

(Personalized Block- Tree by Kerri Lee)

I really wanted to do something a little untraditional for a baby's room and I wanted something that would stimulate baby's brain and also something soothing. I also thought about what kind of room she could grow into.  Since I am born and raised in tree filled- Portland, Oregon- I wanted to tie in a little bit of Oregonian culture.  We picked the theme forrest- because we love of the beautiful trees here and of course the woodland animals!  The color we chose was a soft aqua.

I fell in love with these decals from Land of Nod.  My mom gave me this beautiful quilt and I think it's going to be something she will have forever!

We used a cloth shower curtain for the curtain and love the happy little trees. Mobile made by me :) I hope she likes it - right now she can only see about 12 inches from her face and just started discovering her hands and likes to bat my husband in the nose.

Monday!

Happy Monday! Did you have a nice weekend? My weekend was filled with chatting with old friends and we hosted a little BBQ.  Isn't BBQ the greatest in the summer time? I can sense that fall is approaching and for some reason I always feel the most creative during the fall. I have started making and planning some fall goals and projects, and of course goals involving my brand new baby.  I know having a baby it's a huge adjustment but I just feel so inspired now that she is here :).   I also love scribbling goals and lists- with lots of plotting and planning.  I have been on baby duty but she does lots of chatting about ideas and dreams.   We have been working on her baby book (I will show you a sneak peak soon) .  What did you do this weekend?

Portland Blogger Meet Up

I am so excited about this! and wanted to share it with you- a Portland Blogger Meet up! Woohoo! Jenni over at PDX Blogger is hosting a photography workshop for Portland Boggers.. it's only $5 and it's on August 26th.

I can't wait to go :).

Pugs and Little Baby

We are busy planning a little get together for a to meet and great of baby Nora.  I am so excited to introduce her to everyone but being a new mommy is hard work.  You hear a little cry or maybe a little wail and you wonder what she needs and lately I have been asking her- "Is this a real cry or a fake cry?" .. It always surprises me when it's a fake- and has a tendency to smirk when she knows she got me! I've also been asking her "Eleanor can I have just 15 minutes of sleep." She usually doesn't let me slide on that one :)

The pugs have already tried to sneak her kisses when I am not watching and the pugs start crying when she cries.  2 crying pugs and 1 crying baby.. who knew?

Summer Cravings

One of my favorite things in the summer time are the yummy treats you can have while enjoying the sunshine.  As you know I recently had a baby, and I was quite surprised at the different cravings and surprisingly no pickle cravings.  Here is what I was craving!

Watermelon just screams summer.. don't you think?  I have a small confession to make.  When I was about 7 months pregnant I woke up about 3 am and went down to the fridge and devoured almost an entire watermelon... eeck!!  Then a local gelato shop made watermelon gelato and it was cool and just the right amount of sweet... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Milkshakes.. There is a Krispy Kreme less than 2 miles away from me and during my pregnancy my hubs would be so kind as to stop and get me a milk shake on his way home from work and I would gobble it up in about 2 minutes. Gobble Gobble!

Sonic Slush.  I love their happy hour on drinks and you can make countless flavors.  Perfect to enjoy in the summer while riding in your car with the windows rolled down. :)

Guacamole.  Since I wasn't allowed to have margaritas I thought guacamole was the next best thing and guacamole is so easy to make.  

What are you craving this summer?  All photos courtesy pinterest! 

My Baby's Story

Ok here goes! This is a little personal and close to my heart but I wanted to share with you and the world my baby's story.  I was completely afraid of having a baby, not the baby part but the hospital part. I know it's totally normal to be afraid of labor but for some reason I wasn't afraid as I thought I would be when I was pregnant. I know I had to have an attitude that was to just go with the flow or I would drive myself crazy worrying about all the details.  So I put my brain into a carefree place, and focused on taking care of myself and of course nesting.  It's sort of crazy the urge to nest while pregnant.  My house and car have never been so clean. :)

I started having contractions after midnight on 7.11.12  and I wasn't sure it was time.  I was about a week until I was officially due and the contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart.  Typically contractions ramp up- and they get more and more painful over time- a gradual process, but not for me.. Baby was ready to hurry up and join the world!  I woke up the hubs and had him start timing the contractions and he started googling information about contractions.   I sat on the floor and stood up and my water broke or at least I thought it broke.

I ended up calling my doctor and she let me know if I was in pain then I should go to the hospital and if it's not real labor then they will send me home.  The hubs and I both thought we would end up being sent home from the hospital.  We took our over night bag and headed to the hospital.  We checked in and were put into a room where they check to see if I am actually in labor.  We hear someone else being wheeled in behind us and a woman going into labor- and about 30- seconds later she had the baby right in the hall way.  My sister warned me that I would be hearing a lot of women going into labor when I got into the hospital and not to get freaked out by it.. but I never thought I would hear or see anything like that!

The nurse let me know we would be staying and my water actually had broke. She checked to see how far along I was- I was 8 centimeters which means at 10 the baby is set to come out. I got a little emotional at this point because I didn't think it would all happen so fast.  I was ready to welcome my little daughter out into the world but my labor wasn't anything like birthing class told me it was going to be.  The nurse and the doctor told me that if I want an epidural then I would need to do it now.  I said "Juice me up!" The epidural wasn't as bad as I thought- and they got my contractions under control. I waited to finish being dilated- and then it was time for baby.

Labor is not fun- there is no glamour about it.  It's called labor for reason.  A lot of women say just focus on your new born baby and the pain won't seem so bad.  Oh but the pain is that bad- and they cut the epidural when it was time to push.

I found my inner zen- and about 8:15 pm- we welcomed Eleanor Lula Sears (Nora for short) into the world.  I let her know she was worth every bit of it.  I felt very proud that made it to the other side.  I cuddled with her while the doctor and nurses did all the repair work (another thing they don't tell you much about- awful)  When my daughter was laying on my chest- that's the point I didn't feel any of the pain.  She lifted up her little head and looked right at me.  One of the most intense experiences I have ever felt in my whole life.  The moment she looks right at you... it's hard to describe and am getting a little choked up thinking about the special moment.. but it was amazing and intense.

Well Hello

After a brief hiatus I am back! I have to say pregnancy took a lot more out of me then I realized at the time.  Pregnancy is actually a really tough thing! Before I was pregnant and maybe I was a little nieve but I kept thinking "Pregnancy can't be that bad, millions of people are born and pregnant around the world everyday."  I watched the pregnancy reality tv shows and it didn't look that bad.. but pregnancy is really hard probably one of the hardest thing next to labor that I ever had to go through.  It's hard because you have to give yourself to the process and realize there are a million normal symptoms that apply to you that you never in life ever had.. like nausea, acne, heart burn, acid reflux, no energy, and the list goes on.  It's also an emotional journey in learning to trust your mommy instincts and thinking a ton about wanting to be the best mommy I can be.  I know there are a lot of ladies who had it a million times more rough then me- but for me the process was hard.  Thinking back it was hard but I know I grew a lot as a person.  I also have a new admiration towards all moms and learned it's a tough job in just getting ready for a baby.

I have done a lot of thinking about this blog and how my blog fits into my new life.  Art and being creative is so extremely important to me but now I have someone that I want to and need to inspire... my little daughter.  So now my little family includes a hubs, 2 pugs and a baby :).