October 7-14

Justine has a purse that I like, so a while ago I decided to try to make one for myself.  While I was visiting her several months ago, I borrowed her purse and took measurements.  When I returned home, I made one for myself.  It turned out really well, so Bryan encouraged me to make a few more so that I could try to sell them at the farmer's market.  The farmer's market came and went this summer without my participation, but I did make several purses in preparation for next year's farmer's market.  This last Saturday, I went to a craft sale type thing (which turned out to be more of a independent consultant type thing) at a relative's house and sold my first (and only) bag!  Most of the people there (by which I mean all of them except Murry, Keshia, and me) were independent consultants for various sell-from-your-home businesses, so I was actually surprised to sell anything.  I have renewed hope, though, for sales in a market more geared towards what I make.

Bryan says we're doing this parenting thing all backward.  I didn't ever buy baby food for Olivia, figuring she could just eat what we're eating.  We were mostly unworried about allergies or blended foods and just fed her bits and pieces of whatever we had for dinner.  This system actually works remarkably well, although it does backfire a bit when you have an opinionated one-year-old who knows where the Froot Loops are kept.  (I've since moved the Froot Loops to a different, more secret location, because I'm opposed to Olivia eating them for EVERY meal, even if they ARE packed with vitamins and nutrients under all that sugar.)  At some point, I became the owner of 13 of those new squeezie pouches -- essentially baby food in a capri sun juice pack.  We would allow Olivia to eat one every now ad again, especially if we were short on fruits and vegetables.  We had to ration them, though, because we only had 13.  I thought about buying more, but they cost more than I'm willing to pay.  If I'm going to buy baby food, the jars hold more and cost less.  We picked up a few more pouches when they were on sale, but by and large our supply of pouches was slowly but surely dwindling.  It was when we got down to one pouch that Olivia went on strike.  She decided that she would eat predominantly saltines and froot loops, and nothing else.  In a quest to get more (and varied) fruits and vegetables into her, I broke down and bought about thirty jars of baby food.  None of the gross ones, though, gross being defined as the whole meal pureed into one jar.  I couldn't handle buying "complete turkey meal with gravy," especially as the label had a picture of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a vegetable.  Anyway.  Olivia now has the stage 1-3 baby foods (basics, two flavor blends, and more exciting blends), classified as the ones for babies up through the "crawling" stage.  She had steak before she ever tasted pureed peas.

Olivia has been battling a cold on an off for about a month now.  I assume it's mostly related to the fact that she's getting her molars.  I'm still not exactly sure why teething (especially molars) often causes colds and/or fevers.  I heard it theorized that it's because teething babies have their hands in their mouth exponentially more.  And that teething toddlers cutting molars have their hands touching EVERYTHING else when ever they're not crammed in their mouths.  It makes sense to me.  Bryan and I have been steadfastly resisting catching Olivia's bug(s).  Until this week.  Wednesday night I started to feel sick and by Thursday I'd definitely caught whatever it is.  Mostly a runny nose and general congestion, although I get a periodic sore throat from drainage, too, since I'm better than Olivia at keeping my snot from just dripping freely from my nose all day.  It remains to be seen how long Bryan will last before he, too, succumbs.

Thursday night, Olivia developed a loud, barking cough.  I took her to the pediatrician on Friday, and she was diagnosed with croup and a mild ear infection.  We canceled our original plans to visit Michigan this weekend (which is a bummer, because everyone, including Justine, Joseph, and William, was going to be there) and stayed home to recuperate.

I had a video this week, but something is wrong with the video card on our computer and it won't upload.  When we get that fixed, I'll upload the ever so exciting video of Olivia resolutely carrying her toys one at a time from her toy box to the laundry basket across the room.

The correct number of weddings was 6.  I was in Justine's and Amanda's, Bryan was in Phil's and Derek's, and we also went to Amber's and Matt's.  I loved Jillian's guess, though.  Jillian, you must think we do nothing but go to weddings!  :)

Check in later this week (probably Wednesday) for a special Bonus Post involving up to 15 points to be earned per person!

Finally got that video to upload!
On a Mission