Helmet Head: One Month Later

Here's a quick update on Little Mister's head situation.

His cranial vault (the difference between the rounded and the flat spots) was initially at 14 mm, which is a moderate difference. The powers that be predicted it would take between 3 and 5 months to correct it, so at his one week check-up, the helmet specialist was amazed to find that his cranial vault had already decreased from 14 to 11 mm.

We had our first 3 week checkup yesterday afternoon. (We're supposed to go in at 3 week intervals from now on.) The helmet specialist took the measurements three times to make sure that he wasn't being overly optimistic, and it turned out he wasn't. Little Mister's cranial vault decreased even more--from 11 to between 5 and 6 mm. We were blown away!

The specialist said that if he continues to progress as quickly as he has been, after his next 3 week checkup, he might get to turn in his helmet early!

Bottom line--Little Mister is responding exceedingly well to the molding helmet, and we are simply praying that he continues to respond as well over these next few weeks. With the crazy heat we've been having, getting rid of the helmet early would be a blessing in more ways than one! Plus, I've really started to miss "seeing" him without the helmet. That one hour each evening really shows me what I'm missing--he looks so much older, so much more mature without it. I feel like I'm missing him "growing up"--just a little bit--which is hard on this mama's heart.

A Shameless Plug

My sister-in-law, Rebecca, is amazing. She and her husband moved to Nashville a couple years ago so she could pursue her music career, and she's been doing just that. Her 5 song EP, "Just Getting Used to You" is out on iTunes, and if you haven't already downloaded it, go download it. Now.

Seriously, it's worth the $5. She is a creative and talented songwriter, and her voice is very unique. Her website describes her style as soulful acoustic pop, and that about sums it up.

If you like her stuff, please take a few minutes to write a review on iTunes. You might not know this, but recording studios check out that kind of feedback when considering signing an artist. Help her out, folks!

DIY Lamp Facelift

When Mr. M & I got married three years ago, Mr. M had already inherited an old lamp from his mother--a nice-sized table lamp, which had the misfortune of being brassy, tacky, and outdated, reveling in its pleated lampshade glory.

Despite its ugly duckling appearance, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. The base, under its brassy surface, had a charming shape, and to buy a comparable lamp to adorn my end table, I'd have to spend $$$.

Since I am a firm believer in decorating on the cheap, I decided to take my old brassy lamp and give it a facelift.

(Exhibit A: Original Lamp)

So, the DIY project total breaks down as follows:

Old brassy lamp: Free ($0.00)

Metallic spray paint (in oil-rubbed bronze): ~$6.00

New lampshade from Home Goods: $15.00

For a total of $21.00, I ended up with a fantastic new/old lamp to read by. :)

(Exhibit B: My New Beauty)

Sorry I don't have any step-by-step photos, but basically I took it out to my parents' house, Dad and I (mainly Dad) spray-painted it, it dried, and I plunked on the new shade. The whole project, drying time aside, took maybe 10 minutes.

Before we painted it, I just lightly sanded the surface, then thoroughly wiped it down to rid it of dust and dirt so the paint would adhere cleanly. We also used painter's tape to cover up the socket and the first few inches of cord, to keep the paint only on the brass.

Super easy; super cute.

Settling In

A week and a half after "moving day," I'm feeling settled. Furniture is arranged, pictures are hung on the wall, and the few lovelies* that I'm willing to risk sitting out around Little Mister are nestled on end tables and book shelves.

It's starting to feel like home.

And...I've discovered Pinterest. Addicting, glorious Pinterest. Oh Pinterest, I salute you, you sucker of time, you consumer of spare moments, you collector of wonderful, practical, and sometimes edible ideas. There are so many creative projects I want to attempt, so many delicious recipes I want to try out...and so few hours in the day when I have a sleeping child and enough energy to do anything other than collapse into a chair with a book.

Speaking of books, I'm in the middle of an awesome one--The Shadow of the Wind. A review will be forthcoming once I make my way through it. For now, though, I'll leave you with the opening paragraph, to whet your interest, while I take a break from settling into our new home and settle down in my rocking chair with my deliciously captivating book.

I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time. It was the early summer of 1945, and we walked through the streets of a Barcelona trapped beneath ashen skies as dawn poured over Rambla de Santa Monica in a wreath of liquid copper.

*Mrs. M Dictionary--Lovely: (n) a sit-around, i.e, a figurine, floral arrangement, or book end; plural: lovelies.

Stupid Hot.

Today is just a day in a string of days that is inconceivably, grossly, stay-inside-and-do-nothingly hot. Or as others have so eloquently put it, stupid hot.

My brain is sweating. The AC is blasting. Little Mister is in nothing but his helmet and a diaper.

It's on days like today that I can't wait for fall.