a 'love' shower

Saturday I had the honor of co-hosting a baby shower at my home

for a kind + beautiful mama-to-be.

Her name is Laura Love. 

Love is literally her 'middle name.' 

So we decided to do a 'love theme' 

since the shower was so close to Valentines Day.

It was a very small, intimate gathering 

of seven fun and generous ladies.

The food was pot-luck style,

and each of us 

contributed a couple delicious items.

I put together these 'adult sippy cups' 

to make sipping a little more fun...

The cupcakes were, well, fabulous.

We all chipped in on getting her pack-n-play, then filled it with more gifts for the little one (gender unknown!)

I did a few jars full of baby's breath for centerpieces...

 We decorated some bibs for the little babe...

I made a bunch of poms from tissue paper and kind of got addicted to the process...

It was an amazing spread of sweetness!

My dear friend/co-host Alicia and the guest-of-honor.

We each took a turn posing with the mama-to-be...

Thankfully she doesn't mind people touching the tummy!

Pretty sure she is the most beautiful pregnant lady.  All belly and no waddle!  

A couple of the group...

The day also made me look back on my own baby showers

and the one Laura and I co-hosted for Alicia last year.

So much fun to shower mamas with LOVE.  

Hope you enjoyed our little celebration, Laura!

Can't wait to meet your little 'mystery baby!'

//blessed//

I come in from the cold to a burst of warmth that covers my face.
I hear laughter from my 2-year-old son upstairs,
and giggly squeals from my baby girl,
playing with their dada while I had been out running errands.

Hearing this I suddenly am overcome with emotion.
I drop the bags of groceries that had been burdening my arms
and I feel a sob caught in my throat.
I am blessed and have no idea why.
I have done nothing to deserve this bright warm house
or these beautiful souls entrusted to me.
I have done no great thing.

Yet, here it is and there they are.
I hear the running through the halls,
our old house quaking with young energy.
I can see, without seeing, the expressions:
wide-mouthed grins
dancing, innocent blue eyes crinkled with joy,
or brows furrowed from the concentration and effort
of building block towers or trying to stand.

So many days I am overcome for other reasons...
Stressed from reprimanding.
Out of breath from hurriedly readying two toddlers for the day.
Irritated by my own lack of patience.
Disappointed by a burst of quick temper, from me or the 2-year-old.

But not today,

when the house is warmer than the winter air

and stepping into it is like stepping into sunshine.

Today I will not question my abilities as a mother
or my deservedness of happiness.
Today I will just let this blessed feeling wash over me.

{source}

january no sweets challenge : recap!

One month of no sweets = complete.
Okay, not exactly "no sweets" as I will admit I cheated a few times.  There was that cupcake after the baby shower.  There were the three dark chocolate truffles that one night.  The three mini-Airheads I ate and then instantly regretted.  Probably a couple other times.
I don't feel particularly bad, though.  I still made a lot of positive changes throughout the month.

1. Saved money - didn't buy any ice cream or cookies to have at the house for daily sugar fixes.
2. Transitioned back to drinking my coffee black...tasting the coffee instead of a bunch of sweetener dumped in.  I feel so much more "pure."  Plus, I drink less coffee.  Went from three cups/day down to 1-2.
3. Lost 2-3 pounds.  Since I didn't cut calories officially and was not trying to lose any weight I am pretty pleased with this.
4. Am inspired to continue being aware of sweets and cutting them out for the most part.

I do not intend to give up sweets completely/permanently, but I do plan to continue to make conscious choices to keep them at a minimum.  I am going to continue to exclude them from my weekly groceries...and only consume them on special occasions.  Birthdays, showers, date nights, etc.  I don't think a piece of cake every once in a while should require me - or anyone - to feel guilty.

Buying a package of Oreos randomly and eating most of it in one day is a whole different story.

How did you do this month???

+ + + + + + + + 

Moving on to February's challenge:

No Fried Foods

In talking to friends, this one doesn't seem like a big deal to a lot of you.  Most have told me, "I don't eat a lot of fried foods!"  Okay, good.  If this is true than maybe add something else to the challenge?  Or maybe you might be surprised at how many things you consume that are battered and then made crispy and delicious cooking in hot oil???

I do eat fried foods.

My weaknesses?

I love French Fries.  The greasier and saltier the better.  Dipped in ketchup.  

Oh, and fried chicken.  Yep, I will eat that crispy, horrifically unhealthy skin off with wild abandon.

Fried rice?  Yes, please.

(In fact, most of my favorite chinese take out is most definitely fried.)

Donuts - yep, fried (unless specifically labeled otherwise.)

Yes, for me this month will be a challenge.

+ + + + + +

I'll leave you with a pic of my darling Finola in the deliciously adorable tutu swimsuit I tried on her, gearing up for for swimsuit season...

It's a keeper.  I am melting.

In fact, I think it will be one-pieces for both mama and baby this summer.  I haven't worn a one-piece since I was fifteen, but perhaps it is time to transition?  Mine won't have a tutu attached, though.

Or... maybe this "no fried foods" thing will be helpful enough to keep me in a bikini...???

Good luck to all joining this month's challenge! 
 I wanna hear your fried food indulgences and how you will avoid them...
as well as your 'no sweets success stories!'

{source}

wine wednesday : brownie points for me!

It's been a while since I recommended a wine. 

Not for lack of drinking it, just nothing recently that has inspired me.

I really liked this one, though!

Brownie Points Vineyards 2011 California Red.

If you like a red

with delicious hints of chocolate in it

this one is for you.

Both Hubby and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

(I even bought a second bottle and enjoyed that one the following week.)

I like the cute orange and brown label

and the dessert-like sweetness.

A delicious less-than-$20 pick.

I also appreciated that the label encourages you recognize "fine achievements" such as rescuing a cat or running a half marathon.  Nope, doesn't even need to be a full marathon.  Half is good.
5k would probably work, too.

(I am amused by reading wine labels, if you can't tell.)

Like I need such grand reasons to drink wine.

Heck, I celebrate surviving a day with two toddlers, 

particularly days like today when the pipes froze and we had no water.

Who needs water when you have wine?

Oh yeah - the baby who needs water for her formula.

And me who needs water to clean up all kinds of stickiness throughout the day.

Also, it is nice to be able to flush the toilet.

Thankfully we still had a jug of water in the fridge from the last time the pipes froze.

And I was able to un-freeze the pipes before dinnertime

I'd say that achievement deserves a glass of wine.

 "Have some of your wine, Mama." 

(Said over breakfast.)

"Mama loves wine!"  

shrieked on a regular basis at dinner time when I have my glass.

Yes, my love, I do.

finola - 8 months!

Happy eight months, my joyful girl!

This month I got a taste of what life is like with two toddlers.  Wow - what a juggling act!  Our days together can be pretty exhausting, despite their sweetness.   One super-energetic and boisterous kid running wild in one direction, and one active baby moving and getting into mischief in the other.  You may not crawl like a normal babe (still scooting and dragging your legs along most of the time) but you sure can get where you wanna go fast.  You hate laying on your back even more now, so you are constantly rolling away from me.  Sometimes when I am trying to dress you I feel like I have to wrestle the clothes on you.  

Sometimes you'll play by yourself quite independently with an array of toys in front of you.

Other times it is like I have a homing device on me, and no matter where I am you will scoot until you get to me and I pick you up for snuggles.

You will now go in for the "open-mouthed drooly French" when I ask "Kisses?" 

Holding you upside down sends you into peels of laughter.

You are extremely ticklish.

You are fun.

You are predictable.

You are a mama's girl.

I am loving that.  

Personality:

We are getting to see a little more spunk from you.  This month you started babbling a LOT more.  You make noises like, "Hey Ya!" and "DADADADADA!"  You like to give high fives and sometimes if you don't feel like snuggling to my chest right before bedtime you will try to distract me by laughing and whacking me repeatedly in the face.  You are constantly trying to grab things away from your brother or just plain grab at him.  Now that you can climb and pull up on things you are not content being on the floor.  You MUST stand.  Getting you dressed is literally impossible.  That would require sitting still - which you do not want to do.  At all.

Likes:

high fives, crawling to and climbing up on mama, puffs, trying to eat paper...and books.

Dislikes:

Getting dressed.  Being in the car too long.  Laying down.  

colbie's tail can provide endless entertainment

Mama feels:

Quite happy being 100% done breastfeeding. Just after you turned seven months I started only feeding you at night, if even then, and just after Christmas, while in Minnesota, I stopped altogether.  After about  7 or 8 days I developed blocked milk ducts, which is absolutely no fun.  One cool thing -- I let you nurse one last time to relieve my intense pain.  That was our last official feeding, and while brief it definitely ended us on a positive note.  You kept looking at me in surprise  - then smiling.  And that is how I will always remember our breastfeeding experience together.

After that no more pain!

Now that I'm done the hormones are back in balance and my breasts, not gonna lie, feel normal again.  Haven't felt normal since I got pregnant over a year and a half ago so this is NICE.  

Sibling relations:

Let's just say you are starting to do things that might annoy your brother a bit.  Like crawling over to where he is and grabbing toys he is playing with.  Like playing with any of his toys, really.  Like crawling over when he is getting his diaper changed and grabbing his hair or accidentally scratching his face.  But I am pretty sure he still loves you to pieces.  He like to give you big hugs, especially now that you sort of stand.  If you are crying he will give up special toys to try to make you feel better.  

Eating:

• 100% formula now - and it must be HOT or you toss your bottle across the room
• looooooves rice cereal and oatmeal and fruit.  will spit out veggies most times.
• has nearly mastered the pincer grasp and will gobble up puffs like a champ
• 8oz for breakfast, 6oz for lunch, and 6oz for dinner...coupled with 1-2 servings of baby-friendly food at each meal.

                                   Sleeping:

Still taking two long naps (1 1/2 - 2 hrs) per day and sleeping from 6:30ish-6ish.  Well, with about one waking/feeding per night.  Slept through the night twice more this month - making a total of thrice.  We are ready to start letting her cry it out during the night.  Nine months we will do that part of the training.  

Health/Measurements:

Wears mostly 12 month clothing.  Weighs 20 pounds.  Actually enjoyed a few weeks recently with no cold/congestion.  Took you to a specialist about your turned out feet, but have to go back for x-rays.

Memories:

• Your first Christmas!!!!  That was the big one.
• Travelling to Minnesota to meet all your cousins and spend time with Gramma and Grampa.

Milestones/Development:

• can move from crawl to sitting position on own
• started pulling up on things to a standing position (but not yet cruising)
• climbs over and on lower objects -- mama in particular.
• using the pincer grasp to eat baby puffs

cannot decide on plank or down-dog.

the leg rolls.  my favorite rolls. 

mama's facial expressions?

a guttural yell in the jumperoo

during several days of mama/daughter time - was so nice!

ah your square baby butt just kills me.  seriously.

lovin' your time with pop-pop

hangin' out on gramma's window seat

amidst the chaos of all the older cousins you remained pretty calm and happy the whole time we were in mn

meeting your cousin selah - future cousin besties?

only three months apart!

(Here is Cormac's eight month post for comparison -- lot of the same stuff -- except he had more hair (or maybe just darker hair?) and fewer teeth.)

Another months of fun with you, Sister!  Only four months until you turn one?  WHAT???  I kind of want to cry just thinking about it.  The baby stage is fading fast.  Your mama is trying to savor it, and survive it, as best I can.

Love you so!

Mama + Dada