Speaking of Jack...

The last few days I've been keeping a running list of "Jack's words" since he seems to be picking up a new word daily now. He's always been a really good communicator and we've been really quite blown away by his speaking and its clarity. He repeats most of what we tell me really well.

The best is when we overhear Elyette, of whom clarity is not one of her many strengths :), getting Jack to repeat words. "Jack say 'fow'-'wa' (flower)...good" and he repeats just as she asks. :). His favorite sounds are G, L, K and S and of course, speaks jibber jabber all day long. You can often tell what he means by his "tone of voice" :). Without further ado, here are the words/phrases Jack uses regularly without coaching as of March 22, 2009, in no particular order:

Thank you- I think I'll be able to add "please" the list too in a few days.
Cinderella- This would be one of your first words if you lived with Elyette too.
Oh No Look- hahaha, I love the way he says this... so concerned.
Look

"D"- said in reference to any letter he sees (his sister is trying to teach him the alphabet).
Shoes
Mine- not our favorite
Help- said in a pathetic, weepy little voice that is irresistible :).
No, make that NO!
Don't
Doggy- most of his favored stuffed animals get this name, if fact I hear him called for "doggie" from his bed right now.
Daddy
Mum

Elyette- its really hard to tell he's saying this one, but I think I'm starting to catch on that he says it all time.
Papa- Grampa
Mama- Gramma
Book
Airplane- when he hears a plane he looks up and say "uh oh", its kinda funny. He says "Au pain" a lot of the time too
Umbrella- again, if you lived with Elyette, you'd know this one.
Nuh Night
Bub Bye or Bye
Hi
Uh Oh
Oops or Oopsies
Ouch- said quietly under his breath much of the time (like "outs"). Also pretty funny.
Ow- said much like "ouch", but mostly used when daddy if rough housing with him :).
Amen- with a lot of zeal!
All gone- with hands out, of course.
Car- used interchangably with "truck"
Pooh-
Tigger- Eeyore is sometimes said, but he usually has to be reminded what to call Eeyore.
Water- sometimes says and means Milk.
Yes- not often used
Yeah- used OFTEN, with much enthusiasm.
K- if you end a statement/question in "Ok" he will always respond "K".
Where are you- used mostly when watching for daddy at night.
Yay
Go!
Here ya go
Cool- he thinks he is pretty cool too.
Stinky- while pinching his nose. He started using this one really soon thanks to pooping at least 4 times a day :P.
Nose- he's pretty good at picking it.

whoa :)

Two, Three- always skips "one"

Banana- he loves them

Ball

Duck

Elyette's Quilt

This is an overdue post since Elyette graduated from toddler bed to big girl bed mid January, but I've failed to get a good final picture of it, but this will have to do. I bought the fabric way back in June 2008. I didn't know what pattern scheme I wanted at the time so I didn't know just how much of each to get. You can tell I've NEVER done quilting before so I way over did it. Extra is always welcome though.

I was really freaked out at first because I was finishing the quilt by our energy bulbs (that give that green hue to everything) and thought I HATED IT, but thank goodness I saw it by natural light the next day and it grew on me again... big relief.

Anyway, so here's what I have to say about quilting :). For all those that keep saying, "oh, I can only do straight lines, I can't do clothes..." etc. BULL! I've pieced things before, but nothing this big. Its far from perfect. Quilting, in my opinion, requires much more precision, exactness, and patience than clothing and if you flub it up, its less forgiving. I also cheated and just used buttons in the small squares to dart it down. There was NO way I was going to attempt sewing each piece down or do a free hand pattern or anything like that.

While I enjoyed watching it come together, quilting's just not for me (at this point in my sewing exploration). I think mostly because I'm an instant result kind of gal. Working on anything little by little is hard for me. I want to see the result in a matter of days not weeks/months. So to all those with so much more perseverance and patience for fine crafts than myself, my hat goes off to you!

I will say that quilting did help me pick up several technique's and tricks that have been super valuable in making my ideas actually work out into reality, even if they aren't quilts ;).

He's Well Read.

Like many of us do, Jack likes to read in his bed so we always allow him to have a few books in bed, but this is just ridiculous! :)

The explanation: He simply was reaching for them last night so Elyette helped him out :). With 37 books! How someone can sleep with all those is a mystery to me.

Third Generation Cellist?

If a violin counts as a cello for a 3 year old :)It's in her blood...

New song

It's been quite some time since I put a song up here. That is because it's been quite some time since I've recorded a new song. Well, this week the wife and wads were out of town, so I pretty much parked myself in front of the computer and recorded this song all weekend. It will eventually be completely re-recorded, but I think the recording quality of this is good enough to show. Oh well, at least I was proud of the fact that starting from scratch, I got the song done in four days. I don't expect that to happen again for a while.

There is one spot where the guitars and bass just stop for a couple measures and the drums play on their lonesome. I couldn't for the life of me think of a good riff to put there, so I'll fill it in later if something good ever comes to me.

Now to find someone who can sing. Hmmmm.

Download Here: http://www.bozrecords.com/mp3s/riffs/megaBoz6.mp3

Before and After

So I've had our room "made over" since September (it was my bday present to myself), but I finally got around to taking "after" pics (sadly the before pics look better, it was a cloudy day today). I feel rather deceitful on this one, this is not what our room looks like on a typical day. Picture more toys, books, thread, fabric, iron and such strewn about and there you go. . .

Before- BLAH

Spent less than $300 on ceiling and table lamps, hardware, fabric for curtains, bedding, organizational shelves and drawers for closet and my sewing junk and got:

After- Ta da!

I wouldn't call it completely done. I'd still like a little more color here and there maybe. Any suggestions?

POW!

What's even better than building a really tall block tower? 

Knocking it down!

There's a Reason We Call Him Fathead...

Jack Gregory Millar- Head Circumference:

9/17/07 - 2 weeks old: 37 cm ( 50%)
11/12/07 - 2 months old: 40.5cm (50%)
1/23/08 - 4 months old: 43.2 (63%)
3/25/08 - 6 months old: 45.1cm (77%)
7/08/08 - 10 months old: 48cm (96%)
10/06/08 - 13 months old: 48cm (85%)
2/12/09 - 17 months old: 50.2cm (96%)

and all the while the rest of him has stayed steadily between the 20th to 35th percentile.

Elyette: (telling mom for the 50th time) Mom, I want to wrap Chase's present.
Mom: (while doing dishes, repeats) I know. Daddy's getting the wrapping paper.
Elyette: But, he's not... Daddy's just picking his nose.

Sounds about right :).

Mysteriously Sexy or Nerdy?

I'm leaning toward nerdy. After over 5 years of the same glasses (a few Rx old and being held together by craft wire), I finally got new glasses. Why the delay? They ain't cheap.

This is the first time we've had any sort of vision coverage, but we've discovered we pretty much still don't have any. Our kaiser plan covers the exam, but not contact or frames and lens. So its basically a $50 benefit. Yep, thats it (I know cause I've been paying out of pocket the last 5 years). What the heck am I paying thousands of $$ for? To have my kids weighted and measured and someone to tell me my eyes haven't changed? Wonderful. I know I know, its there if we need it, but seriously? Anyway...I'm almost done whining..., thanks to Costco, I got some decent frames for $60 (thats a good deal if you're wondering), but the cost of lenses are the kicker. My Rx is bad enough that I have to get the more expensive type of lens (no-glare, scratch resistant, blah blah blah) cause the cheap lenses are too thick and heavy! Hahahahaha, yep, definetely NERDY!

Family Portrait

We decided to get together this week for a family portrait.

One of These Things Just Doesn't Belong Here...

What's in a Name?

Alrighty, so after months of Boz and others encouraging me to sew for profit a little more I'm slowly easing myself into the idea. I'm slow because... well, you don't want to hear my perfectionest self whining so lets just cut to the chase. I plan to maybe finally open up shop with Etsy.com and I need some help. 

My little sister Marissa, like myself, has a passion for sewing and creating so we'd love to collaborate together on this. She's much better than myself so I'm getting the better end of the deal. So we need some name ideas. My creativity here is limited, so PLEASE HELP.

We liked MissyMae's, but um, well don't google that. By itself it belongs to rather scantly clad female(s) we'd rather not be associated with. MissyMae Design is clean (MissyMae Style is not). Thus, we like MissyMae "something", any ideas? Or should we just bag that idea altogether, thanks to our naked friend. Any other ideas? 

 

Or should I kick you out altogether, Missy, and go solo till you aren't in school, planning a wedding, blah blah blah, whatever. We can merge later when you don't have a life.

 Maeleigh? Maeganmillar (so original)? Think tags people. Really! Please make suggestions...

Although if you suggest "Made with Love" or something else that might suggest I'm 80 years old, I might have to kindly pass :). 

THANKS!  

Marissa made this dress for Elyette for Christmas. Some of her past creation can be seen here.

Now for some strings

I added violin and cello tracks to the version of Come Come Ye Saints I recorded a few months ago to see if I could get a decent sounding arrangement with a violin/cello/piano trio thing.

I think it turned out ok, although I think I'll take a different approach next time. Not sure if this makes sense, but I don't think the violin and cello have enough room to breath in this one. Oh well, I guess next time I'll work on that. For a first attempt at this kind of song, it's good enough for me.

Come Come Ye Saints

Going Pro!

Well, sort of. I just finished my first sewing project for profit! Elyette's sunbeam teacher, Katie Merrick, ask me if I'd make these baby sleep sacks for her to give to a friend that is having twin boys. I've seen "sleep sacks" but I really like this version. Its terry cloth on the outside and linned with flannel (cozy), so its not roasting hot and perfect for this area all year or fall/spring elsewhere.  And it has a separating zipper that is in upside down to make for easy diaper changing. I'm totally making some more of these (for myself and I can think a few babies coming soon that might like one). Anyone wants one :)? Anyway, THANKS SO MUCH to Katie for giving me the oppurtunity. I really had fun.