Tea Time

Ok, so I've never been one much for coffee. I love some caffeine and my drink of choice is usually Pepsi (with or without bourbon ;), but I can't bring myself to drink soft drinks before six a.m. Since my favorite form is the teapot, I decided that I'd like to start drinking hot tea in the mornings. I particularly like the idea of making tea in my own pots. Problem is, I have no idea what I'm doing! I wanted to make loose leaf tea, but don't know where to get it so I got a box of assorted teas. I made some Earl Grey because it was the only one that I'd really heard of. Question is, I grew up on sweet iced tea, so I put some sugar in it and I'm pretty sure I ruined it. (what do you put in hot tea anyways?) I think I need some beginner tea to start on, but I'm not sure where to start. Anyway, if there are any tea drinkers out there, I'd love some input. I'm going on a google hunt, but I'd much prefer input from friends and potters :)

Some Mud Time

So, I finally got to get a little muddy on Sunday afternoon. Lindsay took Genevieve shopping and I attempted to work a little in the studio. I made ten balls of clay and got to work--I managed four cups before I got too hot to be comfortable out there. It was in the mid 90s and I was out there in the hottest part of the day. I had two fans on and it was no good--I think I've been spoiled by air conditioning. While I was already nice and toasty, I made the brilliant decision to go out and trim the hedges to get nice and super sweaty. I could only take about 20 minutes out there too.

Anyways--Sunday evening I went out to trim and found the cups already leather hard--even a little past leather hard. This was seriously only a few hours and the pots were drying ridiculously fast. I went to trimming and found three of the four had super thin bottoms and just gave up. So--I have discovered two things--that I am super rusty and it's freakin hot outside!

Genevieve had her two month checkup today and she is now in the 50th percentile for weight and height--11 lbs 10 oz. and 22-3/4" long! Ok, next time I will try to get some pictures of new pots, but for now--one more of Genevieve.

WOW! How long since I touched Clay?!

Can you get any cuter than this?? Just look a those arms!

Ha!! If you don't know this blog is about pottery, that title is freakin' hilarious!

I'm sad to say that this is really the first chance that I've had to sit down and get back to my blog. Still nothing to report on the pottery front. I did manage to pick up some clay last Saturday, but it's still in the boxes. Maybe this weekend, I'll get a chance to actually get a little muddy!

I feel almost like I'm pushing my luck sitting down and giving a little report. The past week or so, Genevieve has been super colicky (sp??) at bed time. Last night she was up from 8-12:30 and it seemed nothing worked more than a couple of minutes. Needless to say, Lindsay and I were a bit tired today. Lindsay still didn't really get any sleep after I fell asleep because Genevieve kept fussing about every 15 minutes or so. I can sleep through anything, so I didn't get the pleasure of experiencing that.

I have been wondering lately how parents ever have a second child--I mean seriously--we did this to ourselves?! I knew that sleep would be hard to come by, but seriously! I do truly love her, and couldn't image not having her--just don't ask me about another one after hours of trying to get her to lay down and get to sleep. Because Lindsay and I are not rolling in the dough, it will be a while before baby number two comes along--one in childcare at a time, don't cha know?

Anyway--I've also noticed that moms want babies to stay babies forever and dad's can't wait until they grow up some. I keep thinking, just wait--she will be able to hold her head up soon! And, one day, she will be able to actually tell me what is wrong with her--and sit on the can to do her business! But, then she will just be running around getting into everything.

I am really excited about all of this though--don't think I'm not enjoying being a new parent! Holding her on my shoulder and her rocking her head over to give me a kiss (Lindsay and I are convinced that this is on purpose!) is my new favorite thing in the world. Plus--it's funny as hell hearing her burp and fart like a man! Hehe.

Ramblings of a tired new father

Well, our just over one year old computer decided to no longer have a working wireless card, so I'm on my old computer from college. How is this thing still working and our fancy smancy new computer on the fritz? What sucks is that I can't post any pictures (sorry Cameron) because it doesn't have a card reader built in and I don't really feel like looking for the cord to my camera.

Anyways, Genevieve is doing wonderfully!! She is eating extremely well and gaining weight at a rapid pace. Lindsay is the best mother in the world and can't seem to be away from her for more than a few minutes. She also is kind enough to let me sleep through the majority of the night feedings (awesome!). It helps a lot that I lack milk producing boobies, hehe, he said boobies! I told you I was tired.

I seem to have reached a dilemma about my work in clay. We are now super busy at work which is great, but it means that I am very tired when I get home. I'm also tired from the aforementioned lack of sleep. It's also getting flippin hot outside and my studio lacks air conditioning. All of these things make me not want to go out and get to work. Not to mention that I like to spend some time in the evenings with Genevieve and Lindsay. Excuses seem to abound. I'm sure I'll get the itch before too long, but I already haven't touched clay in almost a month.

I've also temporarily closed my Etsy shop because I packaged all of my work for a show back a couple of weeks ago and have yet to unpack anything. Actually, I was so tired when I got home, I just unloaded the car straight into the studio. (Another reason I haven't gotten out there lately) I'm thinking of taking a bunch of the work up to Southern Pottery and letting someone else sell it for me. I had planned on making a bunch of work and doing a few more shows this season, but I don't see that happening right now. It also doesn't help that the only show I've done this year was a bust. Right about half of last year when I was totally unprepared. I think that part of the problem was that it was the day before Easter. It looked like there was maybe half the attendance of last year. I did get lots of compliments on my new work which was encouraging, but compliments don't pay the bills.

I did meet a local potter there that has a wood kiln out on Edisto, and I told her that if she needed help with the firing and filling of it I would be glad to assist. Don't know if I'll hear anything back, but it would be cool.

Maybe I should start setting goals for what I want to accomplish--I'm going to clean up/out my studio some time this weekend. That's enough. I'll be doing good to do that. And who knows, maybe it will inspire me to get out there and make some work.

Alright, that's enough nonsense for tonight. I promise to get some new pictures of Genevieve up at some point this weekend, and one day my blog will have ceramic work on it again--wouldn't that be a novel idea.

Baby Pictures

Right after giving birth--Epidurals are wonderful!! Just ask Lindsay!

She just loves to sleep with her mouth open.


The whole family--minus our first born, Layla (our wonderful dog)

Thanks for all of the well-wishes everyone!! I still don't have time yet to give a full report--Genevieve is still in the hospital until at least Tuesday, but she is eating well and doing wonderfully. They just have to keep her under observation for a week without any 'episodes.' (read breathing problems) I did want to put up a few pictures. More to come soon!

Baby Genevieve is here!

Baby Genevieve decided to come quite early, but she is absolutely beautiful! She was delivered at 5:27 a.m. on Sunday morning and weighed 5 lbs. 10 oz. She was 19 in. long and just perfect! Since she was so early--almost 6 weeks--she has to stay in the hospital for about another week, but I know it will fly by! She is eating well and seems really happy, but she had one episode of apnea the first night, and a couple of episodes of low oxygenation, so they have to keep her hooked up to some monitors to check her breathing and other vitals. She is now off of IV fluids and she should be eating at normal term baby levels by day five. Lindsay and I are holding and feeding her, and the hospital gave us a courtesy room so that we can be there as much as we like. I'll post a more detailed account of the exciting delivery and some pictures and videos as soon as I get time. I'm supposed to have a show this Saturday, but I haven't started preparing for it yet, so I may have to miss it. We'll see.

Another post soon to come!!

Hiatus

Well, I've been slack--sort of. I haven't worked in clay in almost three weeks, I haven't commented on blogs (sorry about that--I miss commenting :( ). I got a terrible flu a few weeks back and after I got to feeling better the weather got nice so I started working in the yard in the evenings. I also started riding my bike again--found out that being in terrible shape and lots of pollen in the air are a bad combination for riding. My next door neighbor started doing triathlons last summer and I want to help him train, but so far I've just been slowing him down. My goal is to be able to keep up a good pace for about 13-15 miles without slowing down...too much :). I got about 7 or so tonight, so hopefully it won't be long. I should run with him as well, but I just don't like running--maybe once I get in better shape I'll give it a go.

Lindsay and I have also been getting the nursery ready for Genevieve--we still have the window tint and curtains to hang and then we'll be done--I think. Oh yeah, did I tell y'all the official name--Genevieve Olivia Stark. Lindsay has another shower this weekend that my sisters are putting on for her, so hopefully we'll get some more of the things that we need. Just 7 weeks left!! Flippin awesome!