Lily's 10 months!

Lily helped her Daddy rake the leaves!

She's had a little cold lately so for her 10 months pictures I thought it would be best to take them when she was wearing her new nightgown and bunny slippers (especially since she wore them so much while being sick!)

I held her while she took her naps so that she could breathe better.

She loves to look at her books and her favorite is her "Frog in the Kitchen Sink" book (I do all the voices ;)

The only way I could get her to stay still enough for the pictures was by putting her on our little foot stool. She loves to climb onto the stool and even though she kept falling (though now she's got it figured out) she kept getting back on it again.

She also just cut her fourth toothe! (If you look closely you can see one top toothe in the picture above.)

keeping the home (and mind)

A friend told me about a home management binder that she started using (to buy an e-book on how to build your own binder go here http://myblessedhome.blogspot.com/2006/04/home-management-binder-housewifes-best.html#article) I only have one baby and can't seem to keep the house clean and everything running smoothly. I thought perhaps it was because of the baby but when I think about it everything was the same before she was born... it just wasn't as big of a deal. Now... what with her "helping" me do everything by pulling whatever is around her and dumping it on the floor I seem to be having a hard time cleaning and keeping the house nice. Anyway, I've just started my binder so we'll see how it goes, but so far I'm excited about it all. Though I changed a few things to fit me better... she has you make a master list of times to do everything... and... well... I really can't do that. BUT I did write down the important times of things like meals and Lily's nap times and I put what I'd like to do inbetween them (without times) so that those parts could be more flexible depending on how the day works out.

I'm also reading a book called
The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer
I'm really enjoying it and excited to start the reading projects. I'm going to incorporate the study of liturature with my binder. :)

Lots of Advice

So... people are always telling me that I need to develop my creativity into a business. I'll want to learn to play the harp and a few months later I find myself playing it at a gift shop durring Christmas time (a professional musician just like that) ... Someone says that I can draw really well... then I find myself commisioned to make five gigantic pictures for a book... years go by other hobbies are added and advice is given and now I scrapbook and I've been told that I should do them for people as a business.

I would like to say that I tend to be a people pleaser and take all this advice and end up doing something that isn't really suited to me (in that I'm rather shy with new people and enjoy the hobbie because of the creativity which can get messed up when someone else is telling you exactly how they want something made.)

But I got to thinking about what I really want to do...

I love to play the harp but I've noticed that I tend to not play after a holiday season because I hate performing so much (actually I'd really like to be in an orcestra or some other big group type thing.. when I think of that dream I start to tear up because I don't think it is possible for some reason... odd how so many people would probably rather be in my shoes with the whole free-lance musician thing.) I haven't played my harp in a long time because it seems like when ever I start to practice someone hears me and wants to hire me for something and then I can't say no and (usually could really use the money) and.. and... I really hate performing. Youssef loves to hear me play and has encouraged me to perform and so forth... but even he has come to realize that it's just not my thing. (Maybe because I freak out so much before and after that he doesn't like being around me?)

.... I enjoyed being a seamstress at the bridal shop, altering wedding dresses and things... but even though I still do some of that (and enjoy the sewing and creativity it takes to make something fit unique individuals) I wouldn't want to just advertise and have to deal with any jerk (or majorly freaky bride) that comes to me for an alteration.

What I really really want to do (since I can't afford to buy a pedal harp and play in an orcestra *sigh*) I want to design knitting patterns for magazines! The people that do that get paid pretty good and it would be so fun! I'm going to buy a computer program to help with the design diagrams and things. It will be great because I won't really have to talk to anyone... just mail submissions to the magazine companies... maybe I'll make enough to print a book or something! And even if no magazine will buy my designs I'll still be able to design things for myself (and Lily and Youssef, too!) I can never find exactly what I'm wanting to make (and it's annoying to alter knitting patterns because they take so long to knit... dress patterns aren't as big of a deal because sewing is so much faster)

... anyway... like any of you really care to hear all this... I just tend to talk a lot when I'm excited and this way no one has to listen. ;)

Even more pictures!

Lily is Nine months (last week on the 4th) walks all over the place (wears a size 4 shoe and will probably be in a 5 by christmas for any Grandmothers out there. ;) She's just starting to get a toothe on the lewer/front/right.
She LOVES sparkly things oohing and cooing and smiling when she sees anything with bling. (It's proof, she is DEFINATELY her mother's daughter. ;)
She also really likes to look at her hard books and has sit by me on the couch just looking through her books for up to 20 minutes!
She really likes baby dolls and even has put her stuffed animals and baby doll in the swing that she used to use and will push them!
It's hard to tell if she's saying much yet... sometimes I would swear that she said "Ahdun" for all done and "ILuhvU" for I love you, but then she won't say it again and I'm not sure if my ears are just tripping out or what.

You say Pajawma and I say PajAma...

Your Linguistic Profile:

40% General American English

30% Yankee

20% Dixie

5% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Well... he was born in Alabama...

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

15% Upper Midwestern

5% Midwestern

5% Yankee

0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Ummm... I guess I'm more normal? 70% general...