Opening Shop: Etsy

I little over a year ago, I opened my etsy store High Cotton Handmade, and then I found out I was pregnant with Wade and thought it wasn't a good time to start up a new business.  I've been doing lots of sewing lately and have been dreaming of getting my shop up and running again.

I don't think I would have taken the leap so soon, but I put a few pictures on Instagram of some boys' belts I've been giving as birthday gifts, and one of my followers wanted to buy one for her nephew's 2nd birthday. And just like that, a custom listing was put on etsy, purchased from someone in TX and mailed to a little boy in FL.  And that was my first official High Cotton Handmade sale.  I will be forever grateful for my first client.

First sale on my etsy shop to an Instagram friend who used to work for Kate Spade

packaged and ready to ship

In order to get the order listed and mailed in time for the recipient's birthday, I scrambled to figure things out like shipping cost, packaging, and branding.  I'm still figuring out a few things like my shipping and return policy and I need to create a banner for my home page, but I hope to officially open the shop by Monday.

My plan is to only list a few monogrammed boys' belts (and a few bad boys' belts left over from the craft fair last year) at the start and then I hope to branch out from there: more giraffes, girly belts with tortoise shell buckles, pillows, and fabric bows.

My main items at start include monogrammed toddler/children's belts ranging is xs - large (12 mos - 10 years).  The seller can choose fabric (three collections: Nautical, Gingham/Check, and soon Seersucker).  Belts are $17 with $3 shipping.

Nautical Collection 

Sailboats & Seersucker option, block monogram

Whales, Swirl monogram

Checks & Gingham Collection

I can't wait to add some seersucker options to the mix too!

All of the above options are custom made and take 1 - 2 weeks for production.  However I have a few boys' belts that I plan to list this afternoon or tomorrow that are ready to ship. 

These belts feature a classic military-style buckle in nickle finish. 

Cheers! 

Wade is 8 Months Old

Wade will be 9 months old in a week and a half, so here I am trying to squeeze his 8 month post in before it's too late!

One thing about Wade: Wade hugs back.

I've never known a baby to be so cuddly.  Wade is such a lover - grabbing your face and hair to pull himself closer to you.  He loves to press his face into your neck - and he doesn't discriminate - he shares his love with whomever is holding him. Wade has been scootching backwards all throughout our house.  I put him down to practice crawling a couple of times a day, and before long, he's backed himself up against a wall somewhere.  I'll find him as happy as a clam, hanging out underneath a chair, under the dining table, or under the ottoman.

I think I will remember 8 months as the Month of the Mouth.  I'm not sure if it's because he has 4 teeth coming in on top at the same time (so he's more aware of his mouth now), but just recently Wade's been very curious about other people's mouths.  If I am nursing him or rocking him to sleep, he has to put his fingers in my mouth.  It's sort of like a prerequisite.  He'll just hang onto my teeth until he falls asleep - I am fully aware of how weird this sounds, but it's become so normal around here.

Winthrop played PC a few weeks ago, and we squeezed Wade into this onesie all in the name of school spirit!

Children's Museum

Wade and Bo standing in front of Wade's Maple, 8 mos. 

This is just for my memory - an audio of Wade's voice.  I had just finished nursing him and here he is having a big conversation with me.  Love this sweet little voice!

Wade is 7 Months Old

My oh my!  How time flies!

Just about as soon as I get this post up, Wade will be 8 months old already.  How does time speed up as soon as you have a baby?!

Here is an overload of photos of Wade this month.  I'm well aware that this is entirely too many photos of one person to publish in one post, but I can't help myself.

Wade and Daddy at Wade's Maple, 7 months

Your first real meal: oatmeal and breast milk

Wade, here are a few highlights of you at 7 months old:

• You are such a lover.  One of your favorite things to do is kiss.  You give out kisses freely and without discrimination.  Kisses for everyone.  And you don't even mind what body part you get to kiss.  Nose, check! Eyeball, check! Kiss, kiss, kiss! Sometimes you even sneak in a little nibble. 
• You've been eating some solid foods now for about a month, and you seem to prefer your Daddy's tastes.  No sweet stuff for you.  You'd rather have spinach, brown rice, and potatoes. The nastier and messier it looks on your bib, the better.
• You enjoyed your first Christmas.  
• A few months ago, you preferred the exersaucer as your favorite toy to exercise with; now, you love the jumperoo the best.  You will hang out in that thing - sometimes 15 minutes at a time -  just giving it your all, bouncing higher than I'm sure it's intended to go, smiling the whole time.  
• You are very grabby at this age.  You want to touch everything and squeeze it in your hands.  The other day, I was holding you on my hip and walked by the kitchen counter where a pot and a few platters were drying.  In half a second, you managed to hook your finger through the end of the pot handle, and as I walked by, you pulled it with you - almost bringing a pot and a few breakables clattering to the floor.  It would have been quite a calamity. You also love to grab my cheek, nose, and chin as I nurse you.  It hurts sometimes when you take a fistful of my skin in your hand, but in a weird mama-sort of way, I kind of like that you want to hold a piece of me close to you.  Love is painful sometimes. 
• You have become quite efficient at creeping.  You want so badly to crawl and are trying desperately to figure it out. I let you practice several times a day by putting you down on a quilt with a few toys and watch you rock and roll yourself all around until you get where you intend to go.  The other day, Bo found you completely under the ottoman, just hanging out on your belly.  All we could see were your feet sticking out.  How you managed to work your way under there, we'll never know, but you were quite content until you realized you couldn't get out.  

Wade, we love you dearly.  You have absolutely stolen our hearts, and your brother's too, who has recently been saying "love Wade" at night when we say prayers.  You are sweet and cuddly and perfect in every way, and I thank God every day for you.  You, Wade, are special, and loved beyond measure. 

Stitches

Bo and I were in the hospital shortly after I delivered Wade when one of Bo's co-workers sent a congratulatory text message on having 2 boys in the family now.  He mentioned something about "welcome to the world of broken bones and ER visits." Well, we got a taste of our first Urgent Care visit last week when McCord went flying through the air and bumped his head.  I wasn't exactly sure how it happened at first.  I was in our room folding laundry, Wade was in the exersaucer in the boys' room, and Mc was running back and forth between the two rooms at faster than fast speed, which is how 2 1/2 year old boys travel. He tripped and hit his head on a chair, and came up with a huge hole in his head.  He cried for a few seconds, and never cried again - even when the doctor put 2 shots in his forehead to anesthetize the area and stitch him up.  I was amazed at how brave and calm this otherwise bundle of energy was.

We go to get the stitches removed tomorrow, and I hope that will be our last visit to Urgent Care for a long time.

Before stitches

After stitches

Christmas Eve-Eve after it's had a few days to heal

The other day, Wade was napping and McCord and I were enjoying some rare one-on-one time playing together outside.  He decided he wanted to make a fort out of his slide, so we gathered up a quilt and some books.  He crawled in his fort and said, "Mama come in!"  I am so glad that I had my phone on me because I was able to capture a picture of this moment that makes my heart overflow with joy every time I see it.  He wants me to be a part of his world!  I love McCord's world - it's so imaginative and magical - yes, of course I will come in!  And so I found myself rolling around on the grass trying to fit my 32 year old self into a space made for toddlers because I couldn't stand the thought of not being a part of McCord's world.  I know all too well, that the day is coming when it is no longer cool for Mama to make a fool of herself trying to squeeze into McCord's forts, but for now, he wants me!  And that makes me happy.  

"Mama, come in!" 

We had to replace our hot water heater, and we couldn't get our hands on the box fast enough.  

It made the perfect rocket ship. 

This was the day McCord introduced us to his imaginary friend Taygee.  She flew to the moon with us, and since then, she's been taking naps with McCord.  At night, Mc asks me to blow her a kiss before I close the door.  In the morning, I have to give her a piggy back ride down the stairs.  One morning I noticed that Mc had wet through his diaper and I said, "McCord, you wet the bed last night."  He responded, "No...Taygee."  

Even the inside of the rocket ship got custom detailed.  

Discovery Place Kids

McCord's also been calling me Mom lately.  I'm not sure I'm ready for that.  

A Merry Little Christmas

What a special Christmas it was this year for us with one baby enjoying his very first Christmas, and his older brother experiencing the magic of the season as if it was the first time.  Oh, how we have loved telling McCord all about Santa and watching his little mind learn about all of these special traditions: learning about baby Jesus, seeing where "Elfie" our EOTS was each morning after an exhausting trip back from the North Pole, and I will never forget walking around the block in mid-November and telling McCord all about Santa.  I was pulling Mc and Wade in the wagon and Bo was walking Rocky, and we were telling McCord all about the big guy in the red suit, "...and he and his elves work all year long building toys for good boys and girls.  Then on Christmas eve, he loads up all of the toys in his sleigh and he and his reindeer fly through the sky, land on rooftops and deliver the toys."  Mc hung on every single word - it was just the most amazing thing his almost 2 1/2 year old mind had every imagined and he couldn't wait to experience it.

One night we met a bunch of friends at Krispy Kreme and drove around looking at Christmas lights.  All of the kids were bathed early and arrived at KK in their Christmas pjs - it was adorable!  Thanks Kasie for organizing!                                                                          

We love the Bosdells!

They treat our kids with as much love as their own!

Mc sawed down the kids' Christmas tree - he was more excited about the saw than the tree itself. 

Christmasville 2012 - one of our favorite activities this year was participating in the arts and crafts event at the library

This Santa was amazing!  He played the harp and sang Christmas carols while the children played the bells.  As you can see, Mc was entranced - I was too!

I've been doing a lot of sewing lately.  

A little outfit for Mc because he's very into "toy soldiers" right now.  We'll work on calling them "nutcrackers" next year.  

a coordinating jon jon for Wade

Some gingerbread love for Mc. 

Santa tshirts for the boys

A monogrammed bathrobe for my M-I-L with the grandkids names embroidered on the belt

a scarf for my mom with the grandkids initials

Finished a silhouette pillow of my S-I-L's third child to match the ones I made of her older kids a few years ago. 

The boys and I have been making some wintertime treats for the backyard birds and for Christmas gifts.  Used this recipe. 

Christmas morning sitting at the top of the stairs - a picture taking tradition in our household

Checking out his leaf blower

Santa also managed to fit this "Tiny Tractor," as Mc calls it, in his sleigh

This little guy smiles pretty much all the time - even when Mama stuffs his pudgy little body in a hand me down outfit (that doesn't fit) that Brother wore at Christmas time just so she can get a picture of Wade in the same Christmas pose as Mc at 6 months!  Thank you Wade for being so agreeable! 

First Christmas for this little guy.