Anabella Rose

The craziest part of the whole thing had to be the calmness the nurse and doctor had.  "Our" nurse (my sister's nurse) was named Theresa, and she was super efficient.  She came in with a very take charge attitude, and explained everything with detail, and made sure we knew what to expect.  She even sent me and my mom to bed to get a couple hours of sleep when she knew the Pitocin was doing it's thing.  We did that, and when we came back (sleeping in a chair sucks!) my sister had already gotten an epidural!  I was relieved as hell, my mom was disappointed.  I still can't understand that one, but I guess she thinks the pain is part of it.  My sister went through some pain, but not that pain of being dialated to 10!  Thank goodness.  :)

After many hours, Theresa showed me, my mom and Matt (Daddy Matty) how to help Anita breathe, push, hold her legs, etc.  We watched the monitor to see when she was having a contraction and coached her through it.  I saw Anabella's head and it was seconds later that my sister became a mom.  It was amazing... her little body (she was TINY) just appeared out of nowhere (seemed like it!) and she was quiet.  She was very very pale, and after the doctor cleaned out her mouth, she squeaked!  The whole room seemed to be filled with an electricity, and my mother and I cried.  When I realized that my sister was virtually alone (all of us rushed over to the baby) I raced back to be by her side.  I still feel protective of her... and tried to take her mind off of what was still happening to her.  She was visibly relieved, though, and I wasn't worried anymore.  Her tears of joy just put me over the moon; talk about natural high.  My niece is healthy, and after the first night of crying for hours, Daddy Matty went out and bought her her first binky; she's pretty much all about sucking now!  :)  She is sleeping next to her mom, and isn't really into her crib.  I, myself, sleep better knowing she's NOT in her crib, that she HAS her binky... two things I've always been so against.  I can't explain it, but I don't think I can bare knowing she's suffering in any way.  We sat and held her for a long time yesterday, and I am in LOVE.  I understand why mankind keeps doing this crazy thing, why women tear up their bodies and bear all the discomforts of carrying another person in their body.  It is a miracle, and to say that and really know it means a lot.  I'm so happy for her, and for her family... I have so much confidence in them as a unit, and can't wait to get to know Anabella Rose.

What a crazy experience!!!

Original Idea

So, here's the original card I made for the card exchange I spoke of in the last post.  I am having the TOUGHEST time coming up with an idea for the damn things, I may just have to go back to this idea... it just doesn't seem DONE to me.  I guess the boring lettering is getting to me, but that can be fixed with a little trip to Michael's.  Or... I could take some acrylic paint and sort of jazz the letters up with that.  I was also thinking about seriously taking these things to the next level with some more of the 3D embellishments that I've been into making... maybe using felt, flowers, and shit like that.  Hmm.

I'm excited that it's Spring, that Easter is coming and that the sun makes the evenings longer; it sort of makes coming home nicer in that I have longer to enjoy the day once I'm home, not just making dinner, showering and jumping into bed.  I actually get to hang out and do stuff, like tonight I hope to get the energy to go and see Rango.  I've been wanting to see that for awhile now. :)  OH!  My co-worker and good friend Stephanie got us tickets to see Usher on June 1st, so I'm looking forward to that.  It's a show at the Staples Center, so anything there is always exciting.  The last show I saw there was awesome, went with Pat & Jay and during one song rose petals fell from the ceiling; it was some sort of ballad... how funny!! 

Any day now, my new niece will be here, so I'm looking forward to seeing her, and also to my sister getting to sleep on her belly, she's mentioned that a hundred times!

That's all for now.  I wish the sun were out... today especially.

Chicky Time!

Hello all - it's been a minute, but I'm back.  I have been neck deep in a card exchange project that requires me to make twelve identical Easter cards that need to be ready for shipment to Alaska by April 1, my sister's birthday, incidentally.  I have NO ideas lately, and have been struggling with card design/layout, but the other day Sam and I brainstormed and he helped me come up with these chicks (honestly, it was all his idea, the headband part):

At first, I just made the chick coming out of an egg, with the broken shell on top of his head, lookin' all cute.  But, when the card was done it just didn't feel done, and I wasn't satisfied.  Especially when it's for a card exchange, I have to be 100% happy with the damn thing.  So, I scrapped that idea and made these guys with bunny ear headbands and then placed them in eggs:

Now they are done, but I have to figure out some good lettering for the greeting part, and maybe get some more pastel paper to jazz it up.  I have TONS of pastel from the baby shower, so maybe I should just make due.  I wanted to post a pic of the first card attempt, but I didn't photograph it.  Oh well, it's really not that great anyway.  Tonight I shall continue my efforts in this project, and see what happens.  I have high hopes on this one.  :)

More tomorrow...

SPRING FWD, folks

I made this card last night while watching all the desperate women on the Bachelor.  Wow... I mean, I understand being in a crazy place in life, but why broadcast it on telly for the world to witness?  Besides being terribly entertaining, it was also fun to see what good 'ol USA thinks a hunky catch of a man should be.  The guy is a robot, I mean he just came off as a bad actor who had nothing good to say.  Sure, he's hot, but hot fades eventually and all you're left with is a hick with a helicoptor.  Not having cable means sometimes watching whatever is on while I'm making cards, and more often than not I'm watching the Korean channel, which has some quality soap operas!  They deal with issues such as: daughters who won't marry, and even divorce!!  There's this one show I watch that's about a bunch of teenagers in some boarding school that cracks me up; they try to buy beer and the hijinx that ensue never disappoint!  I loves me some non-english drama.  The show that I'm waiting for patiently (sort of) is Boardwalk Empire.  This means I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get cable finally.  I won't get all those channels, but I will have to get Showtime, and maybe HBO for True Blood.  Having seen what a down to earth, nice, philanthropic man that Vampire Bill really is makes me want to watch him more.  And, Eric isn't bad to look at, either.  Other shows that I love are: Modern Family (that accented lady is barely tolerable), The Middle (the Mid-West IS hilarious!) and The Amazing Race.  Now THERE'S a show!  I love seeing the new couples, father and son teams that nearly wring each others necks while trying to do whatever silly task the producers set up each week; I feel that I'd do all that stuff for a million, so I can't wag my finger.  Oh, and I LOVE Wipeout.  It seems very half-witted to admit, but I do.  It's always fun to see people get pushed off a platform only to land head first onto a huge red bouncy ball... I tell you, the simple pleasures in life!  Also, that announcer guy, Henson is my FAVORITE.  He's hilarious! 

Well, now that I've described this spring's lineup, I guess I can sign off.  Spring is coming, and I feel that even though many think it's a time of change, new life, etc., I just think it's nice to have good weather back.  I do like spring rolls...

Here I come, world!

This is how I feel inside: like a rollerblading pizza.

Elijah - The Rays 2011

Elijah - The Rays 2011

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