Focus, Stacy - Focus!

This will be a short post as the girls are waking up as I type. I have decided that while there are dozens of hobbies that I want to try, things I want to get good at, that there are only so many hours in the week and chances for me to actually attempt a hobby. So, I have decided to focus on my favorite two: sewing and photography.

Sewing: I LOVE this. Taking a flat piece of fabric and designing and crafting something beautiful out of it is thrilling to me! As I become a more proficient seamstress, I can not only make many clothes for the girls, but I can make things for myself as well. I'm dying to try a cute fitted jacket. I can continue to decorate our home, and make practical things beautiful. And I can make money through sewing, when people hire me to do home decor items or diapers. Plus, I just recieved as a gift the most amazing sewing/embroidery machine and I have yet to learn the embroidery part. I'm almost afraid to touch the new Kenmore, lest I'll break it.

Photography: my cousin Jayme introduced me to PSE (photoshop elements) and "actions" basically, things you download and then use to make your photos look professionally done. (Doesn't that sound like I know what I'm talking about? Right!) There is a forum she is a part of that I may join, just to learn from what other people are doing and attempt it myself. I decided that dedicating a few hours each week to making sure I have not only recent, but edited and completed, photos of the girls and our family will help me keep track of these wonderful moments that I want to remember. I would rather have 1 photo per week that I love than dozens of snapshots that I will just end up deleting anyway (bad lighting, out of focus, weird faces, etc etc).

So, here begins hobby week #1! My goal: join clickn' moms, and make two dresses for the girls (and post pics of them to this blog). Here we go! And yes, I better go, the girls are "calling" me.

Toddler Talk

The girls are finally starting to talk! On one hand, I'm really excited. I will gladly exchange words for frustrated screams, cries, grunts and pointing. However, I also realize that once they start talking, they won't stop and so I am glad they are starting at a gradual pace.

Aubrey's vocabulary repitoire: mem (Amen), naanaa (nigh-night), bou (ball), dees (this, blanket, yes, we're not quite sure), bebebebe (baby), bobree (Aubrey), mamamama (mama)

Claire's exuberant expressions: baao! (plane, bird, balloon, anything that flies), ba (ball), buuube (bubble), Aaadeee (Aubrey), daadeee (daddy), beebee (baby), wow-wow-wow (wow, wow, wow), maaameee (mommy), muh (more), bu (bye)

And they communicate so well in other ways, too. Tonight when we were tucking them in, we said, "say goodnight, girls!". Simultaneously, Aubrey said naanaa and Claire waved (her way of saying nigh-night). So cute! Toddler talk, or the attempts and practicing thereof, have left an indellible mark on me as well. As I finished my sewing for the evening, I literally stopped myself from saying, "Nigh-night, sewing machines!"