on the horizon

i have to admit i am absolutely filled with giddiness these days.  petey continues to grow and learn (for better or worse) and it is amazing to see him discover life around him. today he managed to climb up and sit in our tall bar stools, thank heavens they are sturdy. he shimmied his way up there in the time it took me to open an envelope that came in the mail. this is a picture of our little friend ryan - you can see petey in the background attempting to climb up into the chair, his practice attempt-

he watched ryan intently as he maneuvered the puzzle pieces into place, petey doesn't get it at all but he is definitely interested in the concept.  he watched water drip out of a washcloth in awe over and over, dipping it into the water and lifting it to eye-level and watching the water dribble out of it and drop back into the tub. he swam like a little fish at class today - click here for the video. he runs in his wobbly little way, giggling and swinging his arms as he goes, climbing up and down off of our bed with a glimmer in his eye. taking mom's shoes out of the closet and putting them in dad's side of the closet. exploring any drawer he is tall enough to reach to open and stick his little fingers into. he knows what a hairbrush is for - tonight at bedtime i was putting his diaper on and he still had his hooded towel on his head. to distract him i handed him his hairbrush to play with. he looked at it, put his hand up to his head, felt that the towel was there, pulled it off and held the brush to his head. he may not be styling his hair just yet, but he IS definitely learning. his eyes light up when i hand him his toothbrush and he chews away on the bristles with glee.  he curiously watches the rain water run off the porch roof. he ate raisins AND craisins for the first time today, and let me tell you there is very little food he is allowing into his mouth these days, those molars cutting through are definitely tormenting him.

i'm plotting and planning and scouring and searching for baby room decor. its so fun playing with different design ideas, rearranging the furniture....the crib is ordered, now to search for a dresser to restore......which fabric do you like best? (note: these are not the final finalists, just some that i really liked - my search has only just begun!)

hoping to have it just the right amount of baby girlie and juuuust the right amount of totally awesome and classy so perhaps she can grow into the room. whatever fabric i decide upon, i've decided i'm going to (over the course of the next year or so, no deadline here!) make a coordinating quilt so when she graduates into a big-girl bed she'll have a mama made quilt all ready to go. until then, the quilt will live on the guest bed that will occupy a (large) space in her room. that way mama can sleep in there while daddy is deployed and all our wonderful guests who are coming to help me cope with the transition of two babies can sleep soundly (and far away from baby cries) in our room!

am planning a bridal shower/bachelorette combo party for my little sister at the end of february and i am having a blast doing it! there is so much i want to share, so many great discoveries and ideas and plans....but the reporting will have to wait til after the party so it can remain a surprise. fortunately for me, my sister is one of the only people who reads my blog on a regular basis so i don't want to spoil the surprise. i will show you the invitations once she's received hers in the mail - they are DARLING (designed and printed my my favorite blog-gal)! more fun to come on this topic. i have to stop her for fear that all my little projects in the works will be revealed! but i can't wait to divulge all i've been up to on this topic!

and while i'm not giddy about the fact that i am having minor outpatient surgery on my left wrist tendon on february 2nd, i am joyful, joyful, thankful, joyful that reid's parents are coming out to tag team the childcare situation for me over the course the the week following the surgery. i just don't see lifting and diapering and caring for properly my 25 lb son with one hand. can you imagine a poopy diaper change with only one functioning hand? eesh.

and lastly, the giddiness is overwhelming with my plans for tomorrow. my darling friend emily has invited me to spend the day with her tomorrow making and canning orange marmelade from oranges growing in her backyard! this is pretty much a dream come true - and how lucky am i to have been invited to participate in someone else's projecting! mom, i'm bringing my aprons to wear, one to share because i feel it is absolutely inappropriate to attempt a canning project sans aprons! can't wait to tell all tomorrow when its all said and done! and that's that.