It’s high time I dust off my little space on the internet to give you a little life update. I feel like every time I try and type a little update and photo dump, I’m reminded how for years I would hit publish on a blog post EVER SINGLE DAY. It’s amazing how much I felt I got accomplished before I had kids. Everything’s a season, right?!
Now let’s play catch up. At the end of April, right before Lucy turned one, I left my job of six years and started working for a brokerage firm based here in Des Moines. With the start of a new job that required me to return to the office, the ability to get vaccinated, meant it was also time to get Lucy to daycare.
Her first day of school aligned with my first day in the office. It was a rough week emotionally, feeling like I had a delayed return from maternity leave all over again. Lucy never took a bottle and I rarely pumped. It took a few weeks for us to find our groove with one less nap for her, not feeding her on demand or cramming all my work during her nap time. Commuting, figuring out the groove with new co-workers, etc. Almost three months in and I still feel like I’m the new kid on the block, but while change can be hard, it can also be good.
We finally took some time in June to vacation (or a trip…as it wasn’t super relaxing) as a family of four for the first time. We drove down to Kansas City to check out the Zoo, Legoland, and Science City at Union Station. If you asked Jack, he wouldn’t be able to tell you which one he liked more, the hotel pool to ourselves (reserved time slots are the BEST) or Legoland.
We’ve battled summer illnesses left and right as we’ve introduced Lucy to daycare germs. Croup, ear infections, HFM, RSV, the works. Safe to say I miss the bubble that kept her and Jack safe and healthy through 2020. Thankfully, work has been fairly flexible with the inevitable phone calls I’ve gotten, and while Lucy is now mobile*, she’s still an easy baby at home. *Update: I started writing this post last week and this week, it was Lucy’s turn to battle RSV and of all things her first broken bone. She has a small buckle fracture near her ankle. We can’t pinpoint how or when it happened unfortunately (and with a side of mom guilt). She got a cast yesterday and by the end of the day, literally crawled right out of it. We are back to the doctor this afternoon to have her put in a full leg cast for four weeks. I could write, and probably will, a full blog post on parenting sick kiddos. It’s not for the faint of heart and it’s the very unglamorous side of parenting that often feels isolating and lonely, or more WTF am I doing that my kids keep getting sick.
I’ve still managed to keep up with my Etsy shop, Finley James. Orders and production have slowed down over the summer months, I’m trying to figure out what fall and winter season will look like and what to offer. Slowing down from making orders for others, I finally decided it was time to create something for myself. Usually you can find me testing out stuffed animal sewing patterns for my kids, but I finally made a few tops and a dress out of simple rectangles as I figure out how to make clothes. I made Lucy some bloomers for the Fourth of July along with some matching baby bows! If that’s not all, I made a few blankets for my kids since we have to bring a new one to school every day, Lucy is *obsessed* with her pink lovie, and Jack picked out his own fabric for an awesome Star Wars blanket.
I have a laundry list of patterns I want to create for a me-made wardrobe (the sewing community I’ve found on instagram is insane and so glad my late night nursing sessions led me back into sewing and creating, it’s been amazing). So far I’ve made a linen dress (tutorial by Rooney Clothing), a few wide-brim hats for myself (Serpentine Hat by Elbe Textiles), and a few self-drafted linen ruffle tank tops. I have multiple patterns and fabric just waiting to be sewn (the Unfolding Jacket, Ogden Cami Dress hack, and the Marcel Dress). Add it all to my growing list of things I want to do when I’ll find some spare time. One day I’ll get to make it all, but it’s been fun to dream and scheme while I’m up late feeding Lucy (I haven’t cut those off…she’s my last baby, so I savor the milk drunk passed out baby on my chest, the moments are fleeting).
Jack is now 3.5 and such a blast (minus the epic tantrums he can throw our way, he can test his parent’s patience like nonother). He is obsessed with LEGO, still loves to adventure outside, is a fish when it comes to getting in the pool, and we started tumbling classes – he loves showing off his somersaults and flips at home, class is a different story (we will work on scheduling activities maybe not right over dinner time…hangry toddlers at a class where he doesn’t know anyone…not a good combo). We are slowing figuring out his bedtime routine, since I last wrote about it, it was something that we eventually just caved but we are working hard (baby steps) to get him in his room and for him to stay in there all night. Tip for other families – keep your kids in a crib (safely) until they are at least like 10. Hahah but seriously.
This summer has felt a little exhausting between a new job, new routines, an on-the-go vacation with kids, sick kids, plans left and right. After we spent an entire year at home, I’m savoring some quiet weekends with no place to be. With the Covid variant going around, I’m a little anxious with what our fall and winter will look like, but hoping everyone steps up to do their part so we can safely move forward.
You can always follow along on Instagram on my blog page or my shop page for day to day updates!
