Watch out Martha Stewart

It's time to add another notch to my sewing belt... I have succeeded at the 'pillowcase dress'! Heidi linked me to this blog and she inspired me (i'd also like to point out Heidi was the lucky winner of her last giveaway)... as well as a hand full of women on etsy.

Forget patterns, pins and zippers... I have found my calling. Now, I promise not to get carried away with this like I did these, but I have started a sign-up sheet for special orders. (which I vow to not start till I finish Connor's 1st bday invites...her party's aug.3rd and were super excited!)

They are so much fun and I am now able to whip one out in under an hour!!! I'll post pictures tomorrow after I try it on Connor. I'm super excited to go to the fabric store this weekend... just don't tell my mom.

A formal Introduction

I would like to announce the arrival of

Derek Ethan Rivas!

My good friend Marisa had her baby last night at 6:25 pm. He weighed in at 8lbs. 5ozs and Derek and our new mommy are doing well. She has a cute little Yankee fan (sorry Andres and Billy) on her hands, and we look forward to many play dates to come. Connor can't wait to meet her new little buddy!

Bragging Rights

Meet Ruby McGuire... aka spider-baby, aka Connor's new best friend. Ok, so maybe they haven't actually met but I know, if they did, they would totally hit it off. Not only are both their mom's famous jewelry designers (clippies count as jewelry, right? and I may be famous one day) but they share clothes also!!!

Now I know I probably lost you already at the part where I became famous for my clippies. But if not there, then I did when I told you Ruby and Connor share clothes. But that one is true. Cristal and Nuria, my babysitters at work (aka my mom's embroidery ladies) have an aunt that works for the McGuires and brings brand new, never been worn clothes that Ruby won't/doesn't wear home for Connor. Now isn't that the ultimate supplier for hand me downs? I have always been a huge fan of sharing the wealth on baby clothes, but this is the best. She just got a ginormous, get this, PRADA bag (must have been one HUGE, expensive might I add, purse) full of clothes, socks, shoes, an extremely cute bathrobe and hat. OMG! Thanks Cristal and Nuria (and your aunt) and thanks Ruby's mom for being so picky!

A Penny for your thoughts

So this is the reason Connor kept us up till after 3 am monday morning... she swallowed our friend Abe. It all began in the laundry room and ended in the Loma Linda Ped's ER!


Sunday, around 4:45 i caught Connor putting a penny in her mouth and tried the finger sweep. After the 2nd attempt, she swallowed it and turned bright red. It was the most terrifying moment in my life. She choked, caughed, gagged and starting breathing again. I rushed her to the ER and the X-rays show Mr Lincoln waving high halfway down her feeding tube. After Riverside's GI specialist refused the procedure due to Connor being so little, an ambulance took us to the Loma Linda pediatric ER where the team took her on. Grandma Hootie was there every step of the way for 'moral support' and dad was trying his best to stay calm.
The procedure required Connor to sleep with the help of anastetia and it was the most amazing thing to see her little body completely relax. We left the room as the doctors used a breathing tube to protect her airway and a catheter down her feeding tube past the penny. They inflated a balloon and pulled the penny out. The procedure lasted less than 10 minutes and she was all better. Besides a sore throat and scratchy voice, she has recovered well.

Bandaphobia

Ok, so I did a google search to find a name of one of my phobias and quickly found I am not the only one. I have this fear of Bandaids... they gross me out. Just thinking about them and actually writing the word makes me crazy. Andres has been putting 'B's on his fingers for a while to heal some golf injuries and I find them everywhere... argh. I have begun putting them on Connor's legs and find I can handle applying them and leaving them on, but it's the 'after use' part I can't stand. The wrapper, the bandaid, and even the sticky stuff it leaves behind make me insane. I believe I have a lot of bandaid applying in my future as Connor grows older, but I can guarantee one thing... I may be forced to face my fear but I know I will never like it.

What are the chances?

Sunday was a good day of family, food and killer bugs. We started off with Mel's graduation (pictures to follow) from Cal State San Bernardino...she is the 3rd Nicks to make CSUSB her alma mater. We then headed to Hootieville for lots of food, more family and good times. Connor went for another big swim and loved it again. She is so cute because she loves to splash and play in the water fall, and unlike most kids, really doesn't mind getting her face wet. However, we ended the night in the ER with a questionable spider bite. Andres and I knew we were in for a long night if we didn't have a professional take a look. So we did and about 3 hours later, we still had no answer.

Today, after 3 professional opinions and a bottle of Benadryl, Connor still has a couple spots. Our most satisfying answer was that Connor experienced a series of bug bites on her legs that have possibly triggered a staph infection. The good news is they don't seem to bother her and they are healing without antibiotics. I feel horrible and am so glad she doesn't seem to be in any pain. We have kept them covered with cute insect shaped bandaids and tights so she'll stop pealing them off.

A Tribute to Donna

I made my first sale.... I made my first sale. Ok, so maybe I should have posted my 'whoa is me' statement sooner... cause it worked:). Actually, Andres really said that to me when I was working on a set of about 50 of them a couple weeks ago. It's not that I make them because I know they will sell quickly, I make them because it's fun.

So thank you, Donna, for being my first REAL customer.

Quote of the Month

'So are you making these just to collect them?'

Does 150 constitute a 'collection'?

...one day I'll make a sale.

Lisa Care

So Connor just completed day 2 of being at the Blough house. She did much better I am told... actually took 2 naps and ate some lunch. Day 1 was ok, however she didn't want to nap or eat her lunch. Lisa said she clung to her pretty much the whole day and was a bit fussy. So yesterday I tried to write down and actually keep track of times, for anything and everything. I passed that on to Lisa and it worked better. We are actually gonna get this girl on a schedule, like it or not! I now realize, by me knowing what times she eat (milk or food) and naps, Lisa is able to do the same at those times, resulting in longer naps (hopefully) and actual lunch times. I realize and learn more and more each day and may get this parenting thing by the time she's.... 18?

I, on the other hand, did great! As much as I missed her and rushed out of work to get her, it was nice being productive again.

Thanks again Lisa, for taking on this task.

Almost There

Ok, we're half way through the day and I'm surviving... Connor started her 2 day a week daycare today and it's going well. God Bless Lisa for taking on the task! I'll keep you posted!

0 FOR 2

What's up with the Lakers? Game 2, lost by 3! For anyone who watched, they had them at the end and then pulled a foul. Guess we'll have to wait till game 3 to see what they can do...

They're still Hangin Tough

I saw the craziest thing on TV today, NKOTB is making a come back!

I will admit Joe is lookin like my fav still but Jonathon is SO not in second place anymore. Danny gets my vote for most improved while Jordan looks the SAME. I just hope they make PJ's and sleeping bags again, for us mom's who still want to be their 'Cover Girl'!

A Weekly Rental

So I am on rental car #3!!! No, not because I broke those too, because I've been renting them one week at a time. I've checked out hotwire.com and love it! I am able to rent a car for about $13 a day, which is less than half the price anywhere else. However, the downfall is I have to commit to buying before they tell me where to go. So week one was from Avis, week two was Budget and this week was Hertz.

Avis was great and upgraded me to a Chevy Impala with XM, Budget upgraded me to a Buick Lacrosse, but Hertz... not so great. My dear friend Steve was in no mood to listen to my pitty party, nor upgrade me to a full size for free. He did inform me I was lucky they didn't have any Geo Ghettro's or similar, that at least he was able to put me in a Chevy Cobalt... such a sweet guy! I let him know that next time i hoped to not use their services, that the other rental agencies were much kinder. Good news is I only have this car till next Monday, bad news is I still have to spin the hotwire wheel one more time and cross my fingers for my last week to be Hertz free. That guy needs a hug.