Isabel Expands Her World

it's official... WE'VE MOVED!

2009-02-23T15:54:00.004-07:00

finally we have moved to a new address! it took a little time and motivation, but this blog has a new home! that means this address will no longer but the current and updated blog. so to keep up with the adventure of Isa and Sylvi, you need to update our blogroll or your address book or your favorites to the new address: www.gooseandroo.blogspot.com

there are still some finishing touches to be done at the new blog site, like getting the blogroll up and things like that, but for the most part it's ready to go. you will find all of the old posts and comments and photos there (all 600 posts and 1300 comments that is!)

so come on over and join us there!

HUGE shop sale!

2009-02-23T09:35:00.002-07:00

because it's february, the seemingly longest month of the year! atleast it seems that way if you live in a cold climate like we do. so in honor of spring coming sooner rather than later, there is a MID-WINTER SHOP SALE going on right now! Dresses are 25% off (this never happens people!) as well as tees, onesies, blankets, and more. Won't last long so don't miss out!

picture this:

2009-02-22T17:44:00.006-07:00

isa and daddy are cooking Crash Hot potatoes in the kitchen (click on that link! they are so good!). isa is wearing an orange shirt with matching red/orange striped pants. and a pink and purple tutu. and a super hero cape (turned backwards and now used as an apron, of course) with magic fairy wand included. she is very clearly directing this little cooking show and demanding, "we need garwic salt! and spices... da green ones!" only to follow with, "now we gotta spwinkle da cheese daddy! more cheese!"

it's ridiculously cute but since it's taking place while i am occupied with the littlest one, i can't get a photo. so instead you get a wordy little recap. enjoy :-)

steam bath

2009-02-22T15:05:00.001-07:00

sylvi gets comfy for another evening steam bath! who knew a sink would make such a comfy Roo seat.

flashback!

2009-02-20T09:45:00.001-07:00

we're doing a special 12 Week Old flaskback this morning, in honor of Sylvi's twleve week birthday. so here is Isa at nearly the same age. i need to go back and look at isa's baby book, as i am curious of the stats. but it's safe to say that they really don't look much alike! and i think isa had twice the cheeks by this point! though they are both pretty darn cute, if i do say so myself!

Happy Twelve Weeks Sylvi!

2009-02-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

how is it possible that Sylvi is already twelve weeks old? *sniff sniff*

but so it is, the littlest one turns turns twelve weeks today! unfortunately she has a small case of the sniffles but it's not holding her back much. she is still her sweet, smiley self even when sick.

We love you Sylvi, happy twelve weeks!

A is for Artist

2009-02-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

this winter has been all about art in this house. isa loves pretty much anything to do with it and mommy doesn't mind it either. the toddler art classes have been great motivation as well, and a good lesson that almost any object can be used for a toddler art project. so we've stocked isa's little desk (which now has a lock, mind you) with crayons, markers, scissors, glue, glitter, paper and other supplies. we've also strung up some ribbon for her to display her masterpieces-- she loves this part and is quite proud of what she's created.

kicking around

2009-02-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

practicing...

2009-02-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

...for the beach and soaking up a little winter sun.

storytime

2009-02-14T13:05:00.004-07:00

here's a little saturday morning storytime action. the local bookstore has an hour of stories for children every saturday morning. as you can see from the photos, it can be hard for a toddler to actually focus in a place that is filled with fun books and stuffed animals and a wooden train. so who knows how much of the stories they actually get, but it's a good reason to get out of the house if nothing else!

on another note, i think we're becoming known around town as "the people with the camera" as we always seem to be taking pictures at such events. you'd think we were the paparazzi stalking celebrity babies or something! but i suppose that's how it will be for this generation of blogger kids-- it's one big digital baby book. and this big ole camera is practically an appendage.

conversations with isa

2009-02-14T07:07:00.002-07:00

the other day as isa, sylvi, and i were laying in bed...

isa have brown eyes, mama.
sylbi have blue eyes.
cats have big eyes so they can see at night.
owls too. they have big eyes too and see at night.

happy birthday charlotte!

2009-02-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Second Birthday Miss Charlotte!

This morning we had the honor of helping Charlotte celebrate at the Children's Museum, complete with cupcakes and face painting. A fabulous time was had by all. We hope you have a lovely birthday Charlotte!

what about sylvi?

2009-02-12T19:44:00.002-07:00

when you have a very strong willed toddler around, it's pretty easy to lose track of a mellow little baby like sylvi! the blog is no exception, so i thought it was due time for a little Roo update. hard to believe she will be three months old soon! it's all going by entirely too fast.

as i've blogged about before, sylvi has a very sensitive stomach and has been on reflux meds for several months. good news is that the reflux meds work well, not so good news is that at this point sylvi's stomach is no less sensitive than it was on day one. we are hoping that the older she gets, the more she will be able to tolerate and the more i will be able to eat. a bread mishap (it was baked with whey in it) meant over two weeks of gas and sleeplessness and unhappiness around here. although in general, i would never characterize sylvi as 'unhappy' in the slightest. she is actually an incredibly happy and laid back baby. she smiles from the time she opens her eyes in the morning until she finally closes them at bedtime. she didn't get the nickname sweet sylvi for nothing!

you can't see it in these pictures, but i think she might just be a blue eyed baby. her eyes have gotten alot lighter since birth and are now a beautiful dark blue. her hair doesn't seem to be falling out either, which should be fun! as i am sure you can see from recent pictures, she is doing a good job of chunking up... complete with chubby cheeks and legs too.

new dress out-takes

2009-02-12T17:39:00.006-07:00

it's been ages since isa cooperated with a photo shoot, but today i got lucky! there might have been some bribery involved, but i cannot confirm that ;-)

stay tuned for the Chinese New Year dress to make it's debut in the shop soon!

conversations with isa

2009-02-12T15:56:00.005-07:00

isa sings:
cows give us milk, cows give us milk,
hi ho dairio, cows give us milk.

da horse give us juice, da horse give us juice,
hi ho dairio, horse give us juice.

bathing beauties

2009-02-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

"gotta wash 'em up mama!"

"dat horse is dirty! has dirty feet!"

"stir up da water!"

"wash 'em up. need a washcloth mama."

conspiracy theory

2009-02-10T11:58:00.002-07:00

i am pretty sure they are conspiring against me. they must be. surely they are.

anecdotes from toddlerland

2009-02-08T10:49:00.003-07:00

there are some moments that just cannot be fully explained. that only the parents of toddlers (present or past) can understand. last night we had one of those moments. to preface a bit, we were all in the kitchen after a long day of no-napping for isa. it was almost time for bed and we were all just trying to make it through the last half hour of the day without a tantrum. sylvi was in the sling and isa was milling around getting ready for a bath, when she came upon an ultrasound picture on the fridge. phil explained that this was a picture of sylvi when she was in mommy's belly. we explained that isa used to be there too and we had similar pictures of her as well. at this point, i jokingly told phil under my breath that some days i think isa would love nothing more than to crawl back into the womb-- a sentiment i have heard spoken by many toddler mothers in the throws of seperation anxiety, countless fits, or general clinginess. well folks, the rest was history, as isa proceeded to throw one monstrous fit over the fact that she couldn't actually crawl back in my belly.

i kid you not. she was distraught over this fact and cried and screamed and clawed at the pouch sling (holding one bewildered sylvi) for a solid ten minutes. all the while crying, "i wanna cwral back in da woom! i wanna be in mommy's belly!" repeat ad naseum. being that i was wearing her sister in the sling, which could be easily confused in a toddler mind as being 'in my belly' we thought maybe she just wanted to get in the sling herself. so we tried, as daunting as it was, to get isa comfortably in the sling. but no dice, she could not be convinced. there was no substituting. she wanted to be back in the womb and that was that. obviously this could not be arranged so we rode out the tantrum with as many hugs and snuggles as we could and made note to never ever mention such a thing again.

meet Roo...

2009-02-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

how about a little introduction-- good morning blog, this is Roo. Roo, this is blog.

it appears that Sylvi officially has a nickname! we are nickname people around here (no surprise there right?) so it was just a matter of time before the littlest one had one too. Roo came about for a number of reasons, but mostly because she loves to be carried around in the 'kangaroo carry' most of the afternoon. and because she usually ends up with a rooster mohawk hairdo after her bath. and because it sounds really cute when isa says: good mornin' Sylbiwoo!

on a similar note, a friend commented the other day how remarkable it was that 'Goose' had stuck for so long. these are friends we've known since before Isa's birth, and who became even closer friends when our kiddos were born within days of each other. so they were there for the first moments of goosedom and have watched the name evolve over the last few years. here's hoping that 'Roo' will have the same staying power!

playtime

2009-02-05T17:01:00.001-07:00

done!

2009-02-04T11:00:00.003-07:00

the haircut! finally, it's done! after yet another tear-filled tanglefest, the mommy decided that enough was enough. the hair had to be cut. so i got my sharpest scissors, put on a video for the goose, and started cutting. it actually went remarkably well and isa could've cared less. at one point she looked up and said, "hey! you're cutting my hair!" in her bossy little toddler voice and then went right back to watching her video. i cut about 3 inches off before it was done and it looks so much better! and the tangles are much easier to tame. so there you have it-- no more public meltdowns, no more hour long combing sessions, the first haircut went off without a hitch, and it even looks pretty darn cute, if i do say so myself.

sylvi smiles

2009-02-03T13:24:00.001-07:00

Red Canyon winter

2009-02-02T22:14:00.007-07:00

Not quite as pretty or expensive as this one, but here's a photo-stitched image of a Lander, Wyoming landmark (click on it for higher-res full screen image). This is the view of Red Canyon, on the way to South Pass. You get a good idea of how mild the winter has been as evidenced by how much grass, sage, and rock is showing. Usually this landscape is quite blanketed in the white stuff at this point in the winter. One of Isa's first hikes was along the red cliffs towards the right of the picture. Another Isa note, she tinkled outside for the first time ever not long after this shot was taken. I'm sure there will be many more...

we like barking

2009-02-02T21:57:00.002-07:00

Isa and daddy had a busy weekend - including this trip to the Wyoming Stage Stop dog sled race. We saw the usual suspects there, including Morgan and Emmie who are daughters of one of my co-workers. Bennett Hutchison was also there to enjoy the barking. As serious as Isa's face looks, she had a blast! The weather was beautiful, and Isa made her first TV appearance, as Emmie was interviewed on the K2 TV network out of Casper. You don't see Isa (I don't think), but Bennett makes an appearance. Click on Feb 1 10pm news. I don't know how long this link will work, but if you can hang in there (or fast forward) for 9 minutes and 50 seconds, you can watch the piece. This is Isa's most regular annual recreational event so far, as it was her third trip (out of three chances) to see the dog sled races.

CPSIA delayed!

2009-02-02T20:26:00.004-07:00

maybe you've already heard the good news, as it's all over the internets now, but that crazy CPSIA law has been given a one year 'stay' by the Consumer Product Safety Commission! wooohooooo! this is definite good news for so many people, myself included. you can read more of the specifics here, but this 'time out' will allow for the agency to review the law and make effective and practical changes for companies both big and small. hopefully the end result will mean safer products for our kids, and reasonable mandates that will also keep companies like Mountain Aven Baby in operation. a very sincere thank you to all of you who did your part to help!

lessons of toddlerhood

2009-02-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

what have i learned in parenting a toddler? have two of everything. lest you just make it that much harder on yourself, your friends, your child, and their playmates. if there are two kids obsessed with wands and sparkles and costumes... well then you'd better have atleast two of each of them! this is the story behind alot of the recent crafting around here. isa and charlotte have been bitten by the dress up bug and being that they were born to crafty mothers, this meant there needed to be something handmade for them to dress up and play with. so a little brainstorming and sewing landed us with a whole trunk of capes and tutus and wands and all things sparkly. so this post is a failed attempt at photographing the first dress up party from isa's trunk. the pictures are a blur. and while that may not make for the best photos, it does say alot about the playdate. it was a blur of glitter and satin and more than one tantrum-- which leads me back to my lesson-- you'd better have two of everything.

she rolls!

2009-02-01T13:59:00.003-07:00

guess who rolled over this afternoon, at the ripe old age of nine weeks? that'd be miss sylvi. we were having a little photo shoot, as i needed new pictures of the changing mats, and tada... she rolled over on me! it didn't seem to phase her much, though she did make it clear that she wanted to be back on her stomach post haste (sylvi's not one to hang out on her back for long). so it looks like we might have another active one on our hands here. just like her sister, she's on the move already!

sunny bunny

2009-01-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

i think sylvi may one day live in the tropics. or atleast somewhere with a good, warm beach. unlike her sister, who is quite the snow queen, sylvi seems to love the sun. i might go so far as to say that it's her favorite thing to do everyday-- to sprawl out in the full sun, birthday suit and all. she is more content there than anywhere else and proceeds to kick and coo and smile until she just can't take it anymore, and then she passes out for a good nap. ah, the good life.

toddler art

2009-01-28T18:01:00.002-07:00

we're quite pleased to have a toddler art class to attend here in town! it's taught by our friend stacy, who also happens to be isa's sitter twice a week, and is attended by lots of friends. today was butterfly day, which entailed painting coffee filters with watercolors and then using pipe cleaners to form them. of course there were butterfly books to read and alot of running around flapping imaginary wings too. good times, good times.

dancing queens

2009-01-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

little miss personality

2009-01-27T17:51:00.002-07:00

this has to be one of the best times in babydom-- when you see their little personality come out, when they start to smile, and make noise and generally interact with the world around them. of course it's nearly impossible to catch those fleeting smiles on camera, but i sure tried! here is some video of miss sylvi movin' and shakin' and trying to make herself heard. this will likely be an uneventful video for all but the grandparents, but that's ok, we still love it! enjoy...

tent city

2009-01-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

it's monday and the sitter is out of town, which means no work for mommy. it's also -4F outside. so that means we have to get creative! hence the tent city in isa's room. not only does it keep her entertained for a few minutes, but it also keeps the house (relatively) quiet enough for sylvi to get a much needed morning nap. good stuff all around.

'anything you can do...'

2009-01-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

chinese new year party!

2009-01-24T16:31:00.002-07:00

today was the Chinese New Year celebration at the local children's museum! and since the weather has turned cold and gray, and we have a membership to the museum, it sounded like the perfect saturday morning activity. charlotte came along as well, which meant even more fun for everyone! they made paper dragons, ate lots of play chinese food, practiced their calligraphy, tasted some authentic chinese cuisine (not of the plastic variety!) and had a generally grand time. as you can see from the pictures, isa even had a dress to wear. that was a chinatown purchase from new york last summer and had been sadly neglected in isa's closet until now. being that isa isn't really the pinky pink kind of girl, i didn't know if she'd want to wear it or not... geez, was i ever wrong! now the trick will be to actually get her to take it off before bed!

conversations with isa

2009-01-23T15:27:00.005-07:00

it never ceases to amaze me, the things that come out of toddlers' mouths. here are a few from isa:

"I so happy! So very, very happy!" as overheard while she played in her room during naptime.

And last night during her bath she asked, "Where did Daddy go? Work? I better go get him! I need him mama! I need him!"

flashback and happy eight weeks...

2009-01-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

it's a double flashback this friday! isa at five months, sylvi at three weeks. twice the flaskback, twice the cuteness.

it also happens to be Sylvi's eight week birthday! HAPPY EIGHT WEEKS SYLVI!

New Animalia Organic Dress

2009-01-20T16:50:00.002-07:00

ohhhh, there's a new favorite in the shop! the Animalia Organic Reversible Jumper, new for spring! it's no surprise that we like animals around here, so this one was a no brainer. doesn't hurt that the back is a brown and white print made out of organic bamboo fabric either. there is another super cute dress in the works as well, from some limited edition fabric that i just happened to stumble upon. it's traveling across the world to get here so rest assured it will get a blog debut as soon as it's ready!

haircut? what haircut?

2009-01-20T15:29:00.002-07:00

i guess it was just not meant to be. isa absolutely refused to go through with her haircut today. no amount of talking-up beforehand, yummy suckers, begging, or pleading could get her to sit in that seat! that's right, she threw one heckavu fit, so we packed up and went home sans cute new hairdo. i wasn't too disappointed with the whole ordeal, as toddlers will be toddlers, until it occured to me that not getting a haircut meant that the tanglefest would continue. oy.

sisters

2009-01-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

isa is lavishing in her new role as the big sister these days. she wants sylvi to do everything she does, including going to the babysitter. she always wants to hold sylvi and give her a pacifier. she is quite proud to share her blocks or her books and sometimes even her parents' attention. sylvi doesn't quite share this enthusiam yet and mostly looks at her with a worried look, but we are guessing she'll get on the little sister bandwagon soon!

the monday rundown

2009-01-19T13:49:00.001-07:00

so, it's monday. the weekend was nice, a little chaotic but also relaxing.

sylvi is starting to smile (though she wouldn't for this little photo shoot).

isa only had one 'accident' with the potty business this weekend.

she gets her first hair cut tomorrow.

there you have it, the monday rundown.

Happy Birthday Papa Bubba!

2009-01-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Isa and her Bub at three days old.

Isa and her Bub testing out the Thanksgiving Turkey of 2008.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA BUBBA, WE LOVE YOU!
love, isa and sylvi

take a good look!

2009-01-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

take a good look at those beautiful blonde curls... because they won't be that way for much longer. *sigh* the time has come to finally cut isa's hair. i know, i know. but anyone who has tried to comb that mop recently can tell you that it's beyond high maintenance. isa is actually pretty patient for a two year old with a head full of tangles (er, dreadlocks?) but even so, it's a fulltime job to deal with her hair being so long. and truth be told, these pictures don't tell the whole story... as her hair is hardly ever so well-kept! after a midday bath and about 45 minutes of detangling, i finally broke down and made the hair appointment. *sniff sniff* but don't worry, it's just getting a well needed trim, that will hopefully aid in the daily taming! that is, if i don't get cold feet in the meantime!

an apple a day...

2009-01-16T12:21:00.003-07:00

sylvi had her well baby visit this morning (a week late, at seven weeks, but who's counting?) and all went well. it was a well-timed visit, as she still has this stinking cold. so it was nice to get suggestions on other things we can do to help her breathe easy, literally. it was also a followup on the reflux meds and dietary changes. we are really pleased with how well they've worked... she is back to her old, mellow self and not showing any signs of pain like she used to. the spitting up has also been held to a minimum, as long as she remains upright after eating. and now that i've been dairy-free for nearly a month, the gas is almost completely gone as well! what a relief! i have even been able to reintroduce other often problematic foods with no problems-- onions, broccoli, soy and a few others.

so, she passed with flying colors! all is well. she weighs 8lbs 14oz and is 21inches long. for those who like numbers, that's about the 20th percentile for weight and the 50th for length.

dialogue

2009-01-16T09:49:00.004-07:00

isa: sylbi, dats one funny lookin' paci!

sylvi: *stunned silence*

workskis?

2009-01-14T20:17:00.003-07:00

i've had alot of people ask about the fate of Mountain Aven Baby, post-sylvi and in the midst of this new law absurdity. so i thought i'd do a little post to get folks up to speed. truthfully, it's pretty mysterious as to how much work i will be doing in the near future. small business enterprising has been fun and a welcome boost to the bank account, but being a 'sweatshop of one' might be hard to pull off after having another kiddo. as alot of you have heard, there is a real shortage of quality childcare around here, as well as quality preschools (which falls into the childcare catergory when it comes to me working). so even if i definately did want to keep the shop running at full speed, finding the time to do it may be the real challenge. honestly, i have really enjoyed it so far and while it's certainly not my life's calling, running the business has been a nice bridge between stay-at-home mothering and the outside world. i love etsy and have enjoyed interacting with customers in that type of venue. the money is good enough and it's a great creative outlet. so, assuming i can manage this two kid thing, continue to feel good about my childcare options in the meantime, and don't get shut down by a good law gone bad, then Mountain Aven Baby will hopefully live on! stay tuned!

and we have a winner.

2009-01-14T19:23:00.005-07:00

a winner in the pacifier contest, that is. just like her sister did at this age, sylvi has an immense need to be suckling away day and night. she's been this way since day one. problem is, she only wants to be sucking on a pinky finger (assuming she's not nursing, but that goes without saying). anyone's pinky would do really, but it usually ended up being mine. not that i would normally be bothered by this, except that it meant that i rarely had one hand free. even if she was snuggled away in the sling or the mei tei or in bed, she still needed that pinky. and being that it's germ season and sometimes i need two hands, we needed to find a solution pronto.

we tried lots of pacifiers, only to be shot down time and time again. each time we thought she had fallen for one, she would start spitting them at us and demanding the pinky. until the soothie. oh the soothie. as i was browsing the isles of the store today it occured to me if i could find a pacifier that remotely resembled a pinky finger (in shape) then she might take it. and take it she did! success! this is the picture of contenment here, as she lay on the sheepy rug, soothie in mouth, for what seemed like a very long time. it was enough contentment to get isa and i through dinner and the witching hour. for the sake of my poor pinky, let's hope this sticks. unfortunately, in her discriminating taste, she chose the most hideous and obtrusive pacifier on the market. and one that i have drive 30 miles to actually find in a store, but if this little piece of silicon goodness will salvage my pinky... i'll take it!

potty party

2009-01-14T19:03:00.005-07:00

ok, it's really not so party like, but it sounded like a good title. the picture is amusing too. but in general, there is very little potty partying going on around here. there have been a few successes, but the persistant sickies, the return to the sitter two mornings a week, and general life craziness has meant that potty training has been distracted at best. and isa can't quite seem to decide whether she's up for it or not anyway. some days she throws fits for big girl panties, other days it's diapers or death (or so you'd think by the size of the tantrum). oh well. i seriously doubt she'll still be in diapers by the time she's a teenager right? so i suppose we'll get around to it eventually ;-)

yep, still here.

2009-01-13T09:23:00.002-07:00

isa, sylvi, and i all have colds. so we're laying low. and phil is traveling some this week. look for better blogging when we're well m'kay.

the floor!

2009-01-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

is DONE. more on that later, but for now... some pictures of the nearly finished kitchen :-)

slices of saturday

2009-01-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

ah, saturdays. gotta love 'em. here are a few snapshots from our day. it was a mellow one that included alot of hanging out and not much else. we got out for a walk, played for a while, watched some netflix, cooked some dinner, and that was about it. isa is nursing a cold and phil and i are just getting over a stomach virus, so being low key was definately in order. while the sickies are no fun, it sure is nice have an excuse to take it easy. happy saturday!

sylvi in action

2009-01-08T19:35:00.002-07:00

does falling asleep count as 'in action'? i don't know, but there you have it, sylvi's video debut.

on another note, phil is traveling, isa is teething, sylvi has a tummyache. yep, that pretty much sums it up. good thing we had this video on hand, as blogging might be slim in the coming days.

big girl style

2009-01-06T13:34:00.003-07:00

guess who used the potty for real today? that'd be isa. must have been the mismatched babylegs that did the trick. or the new sea animal underwear. either way, she was one proud little girl. she ran around for the rest of the morning saying, "i DID it! i DID it!" and then proceeded to ask for more m&m's (her reward for going). ah, potty training.

yum.

2009-01-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

look who found their thumb. i think we definately have a thumb sucker on our hands here, which is a relief since she apparently has a very strong sucking reflex and isn't so keen on a pacifier. sylvi is just getting the hang of the whole thing and will hopefully be able to find her thumb on her own very soon. now she only goes to town on it if it magically lands in her mouth or if it's directed that way by yours truly. the pictures don't show it, but it's rather amusing to watch, as usually her hand is positioned in a way that looks like her hand is attacking her face. can you picture it? i swear it's funny! the whole house can attest to that. as for the face she is making in the top photo? that's the sylvi skeptical look, furrowed brow and all. very serious business indeed.

busy, busy, busy.

2009-01-04T11:47:00.001-07:00

phil tiled the kitchen this weekend! yay! all is done but the grout at this point, so there will be finished pictures soon. in addition, it's been a blur of organizing and cleaning and cleaning and organizing around here. gotta take advantage of having the extra set of hands around here while we can! back to regular blogging soon!

Scarves for sale!

2009-01-02T16:42:00.003-07:00

as it turns out, these scarves are rather addictive! i had alot of local requests after Art in the Afternoon for more of them (they sold out fast that morning) so i made another batch over the holidays. and now that the locals have had their pick, i figured i might as well put the word out there in blogland just in case anyone else in interested. here is what i have left for sale.

for those of you who haven't seen or felt them, well, i will do my best to describe just how soft they are. each scarf is backed in ivory colored minky fabric (remember the blanket? right!). they really are soft beyond words-- you'll just have to trust me on this one! they measure approximately 6 inches wide by 72 inches long.

so, have a look at the album if you're interested. there are only a few left and who knows how long they'll stick around. i'll do my best to update the album as they sell. if you'd like to purchase one, send me an email at mountainavenbaby@gmail.com.

bits and pieces: part two

2009-01-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

bits and pieces: part one

2009-01-01T14:47:00.001-07:00

movin' and groovin'

2008-12-31T20:01:00.002-07:00

stay tuned for a new web address for this here blog. since it's no longer *just* the isa show, we thought it only appropriate to rename the blog to reflect both kiddos. but don't fret, all the old posts and pictures and videos will still be there, just under a new name. new year, new baby, new blog... wow. stay tuned.

sledding!

2008-12-31T12:41:00.003-07:00

here is a slideshow from the weekend's sledding adventure. as cold as it's been this december, it's been a rather slim month for snow. so when it started falling christmas night, we were all excited to get out and play!

gerd baby, gerd.

2008-12-30T18:22:00.002-07:00

sylvi has GERD. this would explain the spitting up, gagging, arching, crying, not sleeping, and so on. we just got back from the pediatrician with prescription Zantac, which we are hoping will work.

STOREWIDE SALE!

2008-12-28T09:30:00.005-07:00

Time to clear out some merchandise... Mountain Aven Baby STOREWIDE SALE! Won't last long, don't miss out!

Forced out of Business? Thanks CPSIA.

2008-12-28T08:59:00.006-07:00

We interrupt this regularly scheduled baby blog for some sad news regarding the state of Mountain Aven Baby and tens of thousand of other small businesses. Chances are, most of you have not heard of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that is to take affect February 10. Well, time to read up and pick up a phone (or pen!). This piece of legislation is intended to protect children in the United States from the harmful affects of cheaply made toys and clothing. Remember the lead scare of 2007? Right. Well, unfortunately the law is very poorly written (intentionally or unintentionally, depending on your viewpoint) and will make it illegal for businesses like mine to operate. This law states that any product intended for children under twelve be thoroughly tested for harmful by-products like lead and phthalates. This includes handmade clothing. Not surprisingly, this legislation was sponsored by some of the largest toy retailers-- Wal Mart and Target, who only stand to gain. The largest toy makers are likely the only ones who can bear the cost of such testing without raising their prices significantly. Go figure.

So what's the future of small businesses like mine? That's not entirely clear, though it doesn't look good. But it's not too late to have a say! PLEASE CLICK HERE or on the "Save Handmade" link to the left for more information about the law itself and what you can do to stop it!

sylvi says:

2008-12-27T15:59:00.001-07:00

this is the life. they practically fight over who gets to snuggle me!

ATT

2008-12-27T11:28:00.001-07:00

all terrain triking.

Happy One Month Sylvi!

2008-12-26T18:48:00.001-07:00

HAPPY ONE MONTH SYLVI!

It's hard to belive it's actually been a month. Too fast, too fast. But it's true... a month ago today, sylvi was born! She has changed so much already and seems to continue to change even more by the day. She hardly looks like the same baby in some of those photos.

So how's it going, everyone is wondering? Well, pretty good actually. We are definately in the trial and error stage of "what can mommy eat" and what will Sylvi's belly tolerate. Her sleep seemed to take a nosedive about a week ago, so the good ole Elimination Diet was revisited (we went through the same thing with Isa). And while Christmas is no time to cut out so many foods (ok, almost everything), it had to be done. It seems like Sylvi is quite glad about it too! Last night she slept like a dream... going from being awake and uncomfortable nearly ALL night, to sleeping like a log and only waking waking up once. Miracle of miracles. We also decided to try her sleeping in the carseat, so as to be reclined and not lying flat. I think this was a big factor as well, being that she seems to have reflux too. While I am sure that this post will jinx us, I have to say that we are very relieved to be on the way to figuring out her sensitive stomach... this insanely bland starvation diet may just pay off afterall!

So there you have it, Syvli at four weeks old. Happy One Month Miss Syvli, we love you.

the christmas wrap-up

2008-12-26T10:47:00.005-07:00

phew. christmas was a whirlwind around these parts! but a very fun whirlwind. isa treated all of us by sleeping in until 9am. then we started opening gifts, and opening, and opening... and we still have one more round to do today! need less to say, isa came away with quite the stash this year.

after all the morning's excitement, nanny treated everyone to a fabulous dinner. this year was really special for lots of reasons, but especially because we had three grandparents and several good friends to spend it with! the schneiders arrived mid-afternoon and got in some good baby time before it was time to eat. after the food was put away there was still alot of good time to be had. sylvi was content to hang out, isa was thrilled with having three grandparents to dote on her, and mommy and daddy enjoyed talking and laughing with friends... a beautiful christmas all around.

for bub and queen

2008-12-24T19:22:00.002-07:00

'twas the night before christmas, and all through the house... isa was showing off her best holiday dance moves with elmo! as promised, here is the goose and her Christmas gift from papa bubba and queen. as you can see, she's pretty entertained so far! although the jury is still out on what might be her favorite feature, she thoroughly enjoys knocking him over (or body slamming him, actually) only to hear him ask to be picked up again! she sends a very big thank you and a special holiday hug and kiss to you both!

p.s. sorry it's a little dark, but you get the point :0)

the view from here

2008-12-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

this is the view i get for a large chunk of the day... sylvi in my lap, in the recliner. it's usually before, after, or during nursing. being that she likes to eat so much, we spend alot of time here. so it seemed only appropriate to get a shot from this vantage point.

speaking of sylvi, it's hard to believe she will be a month old in a few days! as cliche as it is, time really does fly. she is starting to look less like a squishy newborn and more like an infant. her little cheeks and thighs are starting to get chunky and she is stretching out her arms and legs and looking around like never before. and she keeps smiling too, which is always nice. when her stomach isn't hurting, she is just about as content as can be. to be fair though, even with the most wicked of gas, she is still a really happy baby, all things considered.

gingerbread live

2008-12-22T20:48:00.002-07:00

Here it is in action. Luckily she made it through half of the construction before she realized it was all edible. Next year Nanny has promised to get Isa's help with a life-size Santa cake.

little julia...

2008-12-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

... just keeps baking! the kitchen craftiness continues. today: sugar cookies.

the gingerbread house

2008-12-21T16:05:00.002-07:00

no doubt, the gingerbread house was a HUGE hit this afternoon. hours of entertainment. followed by hours of sugar high! luckily isa didn't really discover the candy aspect until the near end, though she still managed her fair share of decoration eating before it was all said and done. there is hopefully a very cute video to come. stay tuned!

the weekend rundown

2008-12-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

sylvi at three weeks.

isa at three weeks.

here's the quick and dirty:

nanny is potting training isa... woohoo!

sylvi is apparently not the napper we thought she may be... boohoo!

there is alot of "who does she look like?" game going on around here. this leads us to the flashback, two days late... while sylvi and isa don't look as similar as they did at birth, you gotta admit, they look pretty darn similar in these two photos. am i wrong?

yeah, yeah...

2008-12-20T17:00:00.002-07:00

we're quite aware that we missed flashback friday and that there are probably some people wishing for more photos. well... patience, patience. we've been a tired bunch lately. with a teething toddler (who took her first nap in about a week today! yippee!) and a new baby with a stomachache who seems to be most in pain in the middle of the night... well, we just haven't had the energy for updates. but stay tuned, there WILL be more to come. hopefully soon.

sylvi says:

2008-12-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

whoa.

sweet sylvi

2008-12-16T17:40:00.001-07:00

... and her Sprout Pouch. as you can see, someone's little cheeks are starting to fill out! she passed her two week well-baby visit with flying colors and she's made it back to her birth weight, plus an ounce. she now weighs 7lbs even and is starting to fit into her 0-3mo clothes. in general she is still a mellow little creature, though she seems to be following in her sister's footsteps with a sensitive stomach. looks like i might be on the road to the ole elimination diet once again. bummer. good thing she's so dang cute though eh?

decking the halls...

2008-12-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

good thing there's alot of decorating to be done! with it being so cold out, we have been hard pressed to find things to keep the toddler busy, busy, busy. after making playdough, going to art class, a short and cold trip to the park, baking cookies, reading books, and watching christmas videos... we moved on to tree decorating. this afternoon we made some decorations to fill in between the ornaments and lights-- isa was quite proud of her construction paper garland! of course with a two year old's attention span, the project was short lived, but that just means we'll do more tomorrow and eventually we'll have a loooooong strand for the tree!

ruh roh!

2008-12-15T14:04:00.002-07:00

it appears that isa may have officially entered her big sister "rough patch," as she landed herself in time out THREE times at the sitter's house this morning. apparently she was being a little instigator and hitting her friends as well. this is definately a first. when she got home, i asked her if she had been in time out and she said, "yeah!" and then when i asked her why, she told me that she was "in twouble!" ruh roh.

first bath

2008-12-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

sylvi got her first soak in the tub this evening, at two weeks old. and she LOVED it. there wasn't even the slightest hesitation or flinch, just instant relaxation. looks like we have another little fish on our hands.

flashback!

2008-12-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

okay, okay the top picture is a flashback to this morning, but whatever! still a flashback! the bottom picture of isa and daddy does indeed go way back though... all the way to december of 2006, when isa was just a few months old.

the girls

2008-12-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

we're still getting used to phrases like "the girls" or "our kids" and what not... you know, now that there are TWO of them! isa is continuing to warm up to her roll as big sister and has become quite the helper. she's usually pretty good at predicting what sylvi might needs too, which makes her even more useful! whether it be pacifier or wipes or diaper, isa can be called upon to help when need be.

funny face

2008-12-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

we are constantly amused with sylvi's faces. as we've mentioned before, she smiles ALOT in her sleep-- but she also likes to entertain us while awake as well!

grandparents = cookies

2008-12-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

if new sister = presents, then grandparents = cookies. here are some fun shots of isa and nanny baking up some of daddy's favorite cookies. yum.

blog reader discount!

2008-12-08T10:34:00.003-07:00

in an effort to say thanks to the fabulous blog readers out there. Mountain Aven Baby will be giving a blog reader discount on any item in the shop from today until December 15th -- 15% off your order! all you need to do is enter the words "blog reader" in the comments section of your order at checkout (your discount will be refunded to you via paypal). happy holidays and many thanks!

p.s. if you're a local buyer (hooray for locals!) let me know and i'll refund your shipping as well, and you can either pick up or have your item delivered to you.

it's the economy, stupid.

2008-12-07T18:49:00.002-07:00

yeah, how many times have you heard that over the last year right? well, apparently it rings true in several ways. not just in politics, but also small town art shows. *sigh* Art in the Afternoon was today and i am disappointed to admit that it really did not live up to expectations this year. every vendor i spoke with agreed that people just aren't spending the money like they have in years passed. and for artists and those who sell handmade goods, this is a big hit, as we can only lower prices so far to appeal to lack of consumer confidence.

for the record, it wasn't *that* bad really, just alot lower turnout (attendance wise) and my sales that were about the same as last year-- no growth. yet i had about four times as much merchandise! oy. luckily everything that was left over are things that sell well on etsy. so i'm not at a loss. but i would be lying if i said i wasn't really bummed that i didn't have alot more in sales. one thing is for sure-- i am SO glad i had all the scarves! they sold out fast and left me wishing i would've made twice as many! oh well, live and learn... and hope that online sales will save you! ha!

ah, saturday!

2008-12-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

it's been a nice saturday morning around these parts! we had two seperate sets of visitors this morning, which meant alot of sitting around chatting, catching up, holding babies, and entertaining toddlers. luckily all of our friends are great about interacting with isa too, and not just oogling over the new baby. this is appreciated all around. speaking of which, you might be wondering what's that bright colored thing on isa's head? that's a tutu of course, compliments of isa's friend charlotte. not only is it her "dancing skirt" but it's also her favorite hat! thanks charlotte :-)

double flashback!

2008-12-05T16:38:00.001-07:00

isa enjoying an outing at the park last winter.

sylvi cracking a smile on day one of her little life-- happy one week sylvi!

isa says:

2008-12-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

bouncy chairs are not just for babies, ya know. they're also good for kicking back with your favorite snack and a catalogue.

the blanket

2008-12-04T11:44:00.003-07:00

i've gotten countless comments on the beautiful blanket that miss sylvi is often pictured with. every nurse on the obstetrics floor came to love it and in the words one our favorite nurse Judy, "well, you can't NOT touch it!" and it's true. so i thought i'd give the now famous blanket it's own blog post. i purchased it on etsy a while before sylvi was born and i am happy to pass along a little shout out to the seller Bella Mia Baby. not only is the blanket itself fabulous, and already sylvi's favorite, but i highly recommend the seller as well. it was worth every penny!

since we love it so much already, and i just happen to have some minky swirl fabric left over from the scarf project, i have decided to make another one! so what print to use? while i am normally not one for animal prints, i come back to the brown zebra or the cow print every time. the giraffe seems to be working well for us, so why not carry on that theme right? oh the possibilities. stay tuned for more photos of the fabulous baby and her fabulous blanket(s) in the posts to come!

sister = presents

2008-12-03T17:59:00.003-07:00

this is how isa has come to see her sister's arrival... presents all around! we've tried to make sure that isa doesn't feel left out in the all of this gifting, but at the same time we don't want her to think that every day means more gifts! we'll see how that works out in a few weeks. here is a funny video of isa opening one of these gifts from her grandparents. as you can see, she's pretty excited about her big girl sockmonkey sheets! enjoy!

and one more

2008-12-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

...picture of sleepy sylvi. good thing she's so cute when she's snoozing, because she sleeps alot! it's been that kind of day around here. it's finally cold and snowy out so we've been taking advantage of many good excuses to stay warm and snuggly inside. isa was thrilled to be back with her friends at the sitter's house this morning and the rest of us enjoyed the quiet. so there you go. that's what we're up to these days... sleeping and snuggling and enjoying. stay tuned for a very sweet isa video later tonight!

big sister in action

2008-12-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, we do still have another child. She has been warming up to her new sister slowly, at her own speed, and it seems to be working better than I expected. She has had a lot of attention this past week, primarily from her Bubba who came from Georgia to help with the transition. Many thanks!

Here are some shots from a Saturday trip to the Buffalo Park (our name), which is at the mouth of Sinks Canyon. It seems that she has become such a big girl in the last two weeks. She can very clearly count to ten, she knows so many animals and the sounds they make, and she can ask for just about anything she wants or needs. Now with Sylvi in comparison, she seems so heavy and her hands and feet are so big. I'm so proud of her for being up to the task of big sister...

Phil

your daily dose...

2008-12-02T14:03:00.002-07:00

... of baby pictures. you know, for those blog addicts who check several times a day ;-)

the transition to home has gone relatively smoothly. many thanks again to papa bubba for making sure that isa is never lacking in attention (or cookies!). speaking of isa, rest assured that she is getting lots of love from everyone as well. there will be a fun goosey post later to prove just that. she has even taken an interest in her new baby sister in the last day or so as well! granted, she still doesn't like to hear any crying, but she has asked several times to, "hold it! pet it!" and has even showered sylvi with a kiss or two.

as for the rest of us, we are doing just fine. sylvi is generally a laid back baby so far, so aside from getting use to the newborn/sleep deprivation stage again, it's been pretty painless. as you can see from the pictures, sylvia is pretty alert when she is awake. and she has more smiles and funny faces than any newborn i've ever seen. as for sleep, she seems to have her days and nights confused a little but last night was better than the night before. and well folks, that's progress! and progress is good!

back at home!

2008-11-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we're all back together at home now. Sylvi has had her eyes closed so far (after leaving the hospital), so she hasn't really taken in her new surroundings yet, but she'll have plenty of time to do that later. For now we're all trying to get some rest. As soon as nap time is over, we'll get our first taste of having a two year old and a two day old living under our roof.

day 2 for Sylvi

2008-11-29T15:27:00.005-07:00

Sylvi and Blair are doing great today. Sylvi is napping and is picking up on nursing pretty well for being a day and a half old. If the recovery continues to go well, baby and mom may be coming home as early as tomorrow. Stay tuned, and thanks for all your well-wishes and comments.

welcome Sylvia Harper!

2008-11-28T16:07:00.002-07:00

Well, here she is! A couple quick shots for everybody to check out. She weighs 6 pounds, 15.7 ounces and is 19 inches long. She has a good amount of dark-brown hair on her head, and it is looking kinda curly so far. Baby has been very healthy her first couple hours in the world, and momma is recovering well. She has already been breaking in her beautiful blue-green eyes. We are going to call her Sylvi, which has a Finnish connection to her great-grandmother, Kirsti. Daddy is taking Isa up to meet her new sister shortly, many thanks to Grandpa Bubba for hanging out with her today. Stay tuned for more cute pics and updates from the now four-sized Schneider family!

Phil

little turkey

2008-11-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

thankful thursday flashback

2008-11-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

given that tomorrow will be rather hectic, we thought it fitting to do a special Thanksgiving edition of flashback Thursday. here is the Goose, at about this time last year-- getting the coffee fixins' ready for mommy. how thoughtful!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

bets, anyone?

2008-11-26T16:50:00.001-07:00

i thought it might be fun to guess this baby's size. anybody up for it? maybe they'll be a little giveaway to whomever gets the closest!

here's my vote:
6lbs 14oz
19.5 inches

anyone? leave your guess in the comments section!

hot date!

2008-11-26T14:24:00.003-07:00

looks like we have ourselves a hot date with the new baby on friday morning at 7:30am! let's hope the little booger is a morning person, and the anesthesiologist, and OB, and pediatrician too for that matter. stay tuned friday afternoon for the little one to make his/her debut on the ole blog!

counting down?

2008-11-25T11:19:00.004-07:00

yep. we had another visit with the doctor yesterday. at this point we are in wait and see mode, particularly after thursday (which marks 37 weeks). after that? who knows, but assuming nothing major happens in the meantime, this baby will be born in the few days following thanksgiving. hows that for more vagueness?