8 Months Old

Here is our monthly photo:

He's getting harder and harder to snap a monthly picture because he wants to play with the paper and climb all over the chair. Here are some more pictures from the monthly photo shoot:

This has been a big month for him.

*He can pull himself up on things. This meant we had to lower his crib mattress

*He's almost completely weaned from breastfeeding. 

*His meals rotate between baby food, table food and formula. 

*He sleeps for 12-13 hours at night, which is W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!

*He will walk himself along the edge of furniture

*He started using some hand gestures

His likes this month are the same.

We have discovered one dislike: Loud sudden noises. We will probably be skipping fireworks for a few years. Also, Dan has learned some creative ways to cheer for his sports teams without jumping up and yelling. :)

Now on to some more pictures from this month:

This first one is Roman trying to climb out of his swing -- while it is swinging. And yes, I am the kind of mother that snaps a picture before helping him.

 

 Playing with George nearby (always)

What a Ham!

Photo Op with his Tiger

Blurry, but I loved that their expression and arms were the same

With Daddy at the Park

Some more climbing

Pouting and drinking his milk. He was not happy that I was gone most of the day

Happy Hump Day, Everyone!

Making An Old Chair Look New.....And Then Old Again

Distressed furniture is a funny thing, isn't it? We take the time to make something worn look new, and then we sand and scuff until it looks worn again.  The irony is not lost on me; however, I do still love the look of distressed furniture. This post will show how I made an ugly high chair perfect for our home :)

This was my first project using chalk paint. I've read about it on manymanymany blogs, but I had never personally tried using it. With no sanding required, it sounded like the perfect paint for me. If you choose to buy the professional premixed quarts of paint they can be very pricey. I will never, never, never budget $30 for a QUART of paint. It just won't happen, folks. Thankfully, I have seen many DIY options online, and I decided to try one. 

I'll spare you all my amateur knowledge and just direct you to the pros:

In My Own Style

Cottage Instincts

Picked And Painted

I decided to use the Plaster Of  Paris method and I bought Glidden Satin Interior Paint in Antique White.  You can purchase Glidden at Home Depot. I'm normally a Lowes girl, but I've read in a few different places where people had a problem with Valspar paint. 

I eyeballed the ingredients, mixing approx 1/3 cup Plaster Of Paris with a couple tablespoons of water. You want this mixture to be nice and mixed before you add the paint. Next, I poured some paint (as much as I thought I would need for this one project) into a plastic container and slowly added the Plaster of Paris mixture. Now you just mix and mix and mix some more. You can't really tell a huge difference in the consistency of the paint until it dries (at least I couldn't).

This is the chair before I started:

The lady I bought it from had three boys that had used it, so I knew it could take a beating; however, the color was a little too orange for me. 

 I took the paint out to the garage, and without sanding or priming (Oh, happy day!), I started painting. I painted after Roman went to bed, so I apologize for the dark pictures in the garage. Here is the chair after one coat:

 I was skeptical, but the paint went on smoothly and when it dried it felt chalky.

After two coats:

 

Third and last coat: 

 I chose to distress this piece before I applied the wax. I used a 220grit sandpaper and went crazy :). The chalky finish makes it a breeze to distress.

After the distressing,  I applied Johnson Paste Wax to the chair with an old t-shirt. We already had this wax on hand, so I didn't need to purchase that for this project.

After a few coats of wax, I am letting the chair cure for a few weeks before use.

Here is the finished piece:

 I love it! I will definitely use this technique again. It was SOOOOO easy and quick.

Upfront costs were higher for this project, but I still have a lot of pre-mixed paint and Plaster Of Paris that I can use again in the future.
Breakdown of my cost:
Paint: $11
Plaster: $7
Brush: $8
Wax: 0
T-shirt rags: 0
Sandpaper:0
TOTAL:  $26

Happy hump day, Everyone!

Six Month Checkup And A Teeny Tiny Rant

Today I took Roman in for his 6 month check-up and shots. He weighs 17.8lb and he's 27in long. The Doctor is a little concerned about his weight, since he's only in the 23rd percentile. He will recheck his weight in 3 months and go from there.

This was his first visit with his new Doctor and I must say, I wasn't thrilled with him. He had no sense of humor, and he explains everything (even if you don't ask for an explanation) like you're a child (I'm not, by the way). I know I'm a first time mom, but I'm not hyper sensitive when it comes to Roman's health. I'm not worried about his weight. Roman eats well, and he's a happy, thriving child. He has plenty of energy :) That being said, the Doctor kept repeating every 6 seconds, not to worry or panic. Sir, I'm am clearly not doing either of those things. Please stop :/ 

After his appointment (everything else on him looked great. Yay!) we went to get his shots. This is his last set until he is a year old. He took them like a champ!

Here are a few pictures I took while we waited for the Doctor. Enjoy! :)