Hunter 11 Months

Well Bubs, this is it.  We are a month away from you turning a year old.  Color me in denial.  I should probably start working on your first birthday party, but... eh.  I've got all of next month, right?

 This past month your Uncle Andy visited from Los Angeles.  The last time you saw him, you were only two and a half months old, so you had grown quite a bit.  This time you were still a little weary around him, but I think a lot of that had to do with the fact each time we saw him, you were only an hour or so away from your bed time (aka Fussface McGee time).

of course we took the obligatory picture of all the cousins

Sky, Oboe, Bubs, Doodles and Boo

Dude, you are continuing to get into everything.  The morning you climbed halfway up the stairs, Daddy and I realized we needed to do some better baby proofing.

So we went out and snagged a baby octagon play yard from Craigslist and stretched it across the length of the living room.

You were not thrilled.

Since you have been cordoned off from everything else, you have discovered a love for sitting at the front door.  If you aren't opening and closing the door or staring out at the cars driving by, you are sitting with a toy, smashing it on the tiles.

                               
You also really enjoy spinning on the tiles



Of course if I dare leave the house for a split second to grab the mail, I get locked out...

You eat a combination of solids, a few purees, breast milk and formula.  Your schedule seems to be 5:30am wake up and you average two naps in the morning, the first one being around 7 am for about 35 mintues and the second one around 10 for an hour or so.  No afternoon nap usually makes for a 5:30pm bedtime.

You said your first word this month!  ..kinda.  We were over MomMom and PopPop's and you noticed the three cats on the ground.  You pointed and said 'kiki!'  to which I assume is 'kitty'.  Close enough for me!  I've already filled out your entrance forms for Yale, Harvard and Princeton.

There is a personality that is starting to show, and it is a goofy one.  Always making faces and generally being silly

   

This month you have taken an interest in book, and your favorite book is Daddy and Me.  Some of your other favorite things are peaches, grilled cheese sandwiches,  bath time (or splashing in any water-- including Winston's water dish), your Lighting McQueen race car, and of course, playing with Daddy

What I really want to talk about though, is how one day the craziest thing happened:  I looked over at you, and I realized my little baby was gone.  In his place was this... little boy, complete with mischievous smile and  graham crackers plastered on his face.  Buddy, I don't know when it happened, but somehow in the past 11 months you grew up.  

                             

We love you so much little dude.  

xoxo

  Mommy and Daddy

Redemption

You guys remember my big old Pinterest fail for bathroom art?

                       

I couldn't take it anymore.  It looked sloppy, unfinished and just... bland.  And anyone who knows me, knows that I am not bland.  I need some shazam, even in the bathroom.

Ok.. that sounded kind of gross.  You know what I mean though.
Right?
Good.

One afternoon, during one of Hunter's epic naps, I found myself with nothing to do.  Idle hands are JEGs' headache the devil's tools, so I started hunting around the house for something to replace the Pinterest Fail of Twenty Twelve.

I ended up with two IKEA frames, a burlap swag bag leftover from Always Crafty, and some shells that, I kid you not, were floating around in my car.  And this is what I came up with:

So much better.  They are simple, but still have a little bit of color and fun texture- although that crease in the bottom picture is irritating the crap out of me.  Can you iron burlap?  I'm about to find out...

For what it's worth, the top picture (taken with my point-and-shoot) is probably the best representation of what the actual color of the walls are: a sand color with grey undertones.  I don't know why my fancy-dancy Nikon picks up these pink hues.  Meh.  Technology.

Always & Forever,
  ME

Fall Fashion

With Labor Day behind us  I have started thinking about my fall wardrobe. I didn't really get to indulge in last years trends because I wasn't going to even bother buying clothes after having the baby, so this year I am going all out.  Since I will be done nursing the monster soon, I should be ready to get back into some normal clothes again (thankgod).

1. On the top of my list is a chambray/denim dress.  I found this one at Old Navy and I love it.  It has a nice classic shape and I like that the waist is clearly defined (cause lord knows I need help finding it post baby).   I think it would be perfect for work with some ballet flats, or as the weather gets cooler, a pair of tall boots and a scarf.  Yespleasethankyou



2. Ever since I saw Kate Middleton in a red blazer and polka dots at the Olympics, I have been obsessed with finding the right red blazer.  Seriously, my pinterest board is chocked full of them.  New York & Co had some great options, but now that I am ready to pull the trigger, they are no where to be found.  I've got a couple more stores on my list, so I'll let you know if I find what I am looking for.  Or give me a shot out if you see an absolute must-have.

3. I'm jumping on the JCrew Bubble necklace bandwagon, specifically in kelly green.  I love me a good statement piece, and there is no way to deny this necklace can make an outfit.  However, with the price tag of $150 a pop, I think I will looking for the cheaper version on ebay.
                                                 
4.  Is it just me, or are stripped t's everywhere this season?  I bought this super comfy version from Gap (on sale!) and I love it.  It's great with jeans for a casual weekend look, but I've also paired it with a grey blazer and slacks for work.  Perhaps I'll add the bubble necklace for extra zing!

5.  About 3 years ago I got a pair of leopard print ballet flats from Walmart (of all places) and I have worn the ever lovin' crap out of them-- it's really time to just put them in the trash.  But I'm the kind of person who will not get rid of a favorite item until I have a replacement.  I haven't been able to find another pair of similar flats that I liked.  When I ordered the chambray dress above, I stumbled upon these shoes and they were perfect!  So similar to my original pair with the simple bow and all!  I didn't even think twice about adding them to my bag.

6.  I wear a white tank top nearly every day.  Since I am so *ahem* well endowed, I usually need some sort of coverage for my cleavage.  My current one was starting to show it's age, so I picked up this replacement from Kohl's.  It's by Daisy Fuentes, and it has a slimming panel on the bottom half that I am in love with.  For all intents and purposes, I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but things still aren't were they used to be.  I love this tank because it pulls everything in.  It just makes everything... tiiiighter.

7. I'm waving my white flag of defeat and admitting that I do kindofshortof like colored jeans.  Oh god.  I know.  When I first saw them, I had flashbacks to 7th grade and colored jeans with flannel shirts.  As the summer went by, I began to see the updated version of this look through color blocking, and now I'm in.  I've heard good things about the Mossimo version at Target, and I'm just debating between the Honeycomb or the Burgundy.  Decision, decisions.

8.  I'm ready for a new handbag-- but then again, when I am not ready for a new handbag?  I still have my mustard yellow bag from years ago, but it's beginning to loose it's shape and I'm getting frustrated.  I have to dump the entire contents to find ANYTHING, which is super frustrating when my phone is ringing and I just want it to shut up.  I love the Legacy American Icons large tote from Coach, but for $798 I'm probably not going to be sporting it any time soon.  Perhaps this more affordable bag instead?


Have you started plotting your fall wardrobe?  What are you dying to get your hands on for the upcoming season?

Always&Forever,
  ME

Hunter: 10 Months

I decided to add some out takes from this months shoot to help you understand why I chose the above shot. Most of them looked like this:

 ..or like this

..and this is when I finally decided to call it a day.

Dear Bubs,
I am not going to lie, it's been a rough month.  I blame it on pushing through two more teeth on the top (for a total of six teeth) and hitting the nine-month growth spurt.  But mostly because you became mobile this month.

While we were on vacation, you exploded with milestones.  By the end of the week, you were crawling across the floor



and with crawling came cruising (standing  and walking while holding on to something)                          

                                 
...which lead to you getting into everything, and us realizing how un-baby proofed our house was.

   

                        

...oh, was I not supposed to be playing with the remote?

                                
Dude, you were all over the place; grabbing for the television, climbing the stairs, pulling at the curtains and putting anything and everything in your mouth.  No longer could I plop you on the floor with some toys and go flip the laundry or even pee.  No, now I had to watch you like a hawk, because lord only know what you would get into.

                                 
This month you also mastered the 'pincher grip' and have started to feed yourself finger food.  Along with your pureed baby food, you also nosh on avocados, bananas, crackers, and baby crack aka puffs.  You still aren't great with spoon feeding yourself.  If I had you the spoon, the food usually ends up anywhere but your mouth.



                 
Now that you are crawling, playing has become so much more fun.  You love to throw a toy and chase after it.  Trucks are so much fun to watch you push around and make 'car noises'.

               


As you can see in the video above, you have also started hugging.  And it's the best feeling in the world.

Love you so much little man

Always & Forever,
  Mommy
                     

OBX '12

After a three year hiatus, the friends gathered once again for a week in Outer Banks, NC.

We stayed in Avon again, and  picked Woodwinds in the same subdivision as last time, Kinnekeet Shores.

  

it took everything in my power not to rip down that light in the stairwell and take it with me.

the room we stayed in

We arrived a few hours before check-in, so we took the time to visit the light house and get our beach parking permit.   We had scored this Evenflo thoughts appear like butterflies Trailtech baby carrier on Craigslist for $15 and it proved to be perfect for trekking around the grounds

It was Un.  GODLY hot and humid, so JEGs and I didn't get to the beach as often as we would have liked.  We did get out there the second day, which made for the triumphant return of Ocean Beer

Hunter was great at the beach.  He played in the sand and splashed in a small pool that our friend Bonnie and Andy brought for their 18-month-old daughter, Cora.

Ladies, please.  There is enough Bubbers to go around for everyone.

   

I was worried about how to handle his napping schedule while we were on the beach, but that was not an issue.  Little dude conked out in my Jeep's trunk for a solid hour.

Most of our evening and afternoons were spent out on the third floor balcony.

..but with this view, can you really blame us?

One particular night we decided that our friends Matt and Evan needed haircuts.  And by 'haircuts'  I mean mohawks.  And I'm not quite sure how it came to be, but it was decided that I was to be the barber.

So we prepped ourselves.  Because what goes better together then alcohol and a pair of clippers?

Evan before..


I wasn't sure how to go about this, so Evan's sister, Jess, decided that the only logical way to proceed was to tape out the mohawk with masking tape.



...so I went to work.



 ..and in the end it didn't come out half bad

Then it was time for the ...'mane' event.  Ba dum cheeeeee.  C'mon, that was good.

Anyway, Matt's before...

..and after:

One afternoon we took the traditional ferry ride over to Ocracroke Island

Cora watches the waves

Evan, Jess, Matt, Mandy

While we were there, we stop to have lunch at the Jolly Roger.  The food there is super good, and you can sit out on the dock for a casual meal

The tree was our special guest

Lisa and Dr. Steph glance over the menu

JEGs wins the award for 'Most Creepy  Photo Bomb'

Those without children went kayaking, and our plan was to walk around the shops and wait until they were finished.  However, it was hotter then BALLS, so we jumped back in the car and headed back to the house where the promise of air conditioning awaited us.  Oh sweet sweet central air.  How do I love thee?  A LOT.

While we were on vacation, our friend, Dr. Stephanie, turned 30.  Mandy, Jess and I raided the Dollar Store for all the birthday gear we could grab.

We also hit up the Food Lion for an ice cream cake.

the birthday girl

these balloons lasted for DAYS, even with a 9-month and 18-month old chasing after them

In preparation for the Fourth of July, we had all packed the tackiest American Flag garb we could possibly find.  First, the gratuitous 'adorable kids' picture

'Mericah!

Hunter and Matt matched.  I died.

Mandy and Dr. Steph in their patriotic bathing suits

like a true diva, Cora had a wardrobe change

JEGs and I went more of the cheesy route with matching shirts for the family

The night of the Fourth, everyone went to the beach for fireworks and a bonfire, but Bonnie and I stayed behind on monitor duty, with a little help from Cupcake Winery.  We were able to scope out the fireworks from the third floor balcony

Instagram: @LizzieInProgres

The house we stayed in had a pool, which turned out to be vital for survival.  Although Hunter did really well on the beach, I did not.  I don't know what my problem was, but every single day I was on that beach, I felt like I was about to stroke out in the heat.    So we spent a lot of time in the pool, but the Bubs didn't seem to mind too much.  I soaked him in SPF 93287492783, put on his hat and plopped him in a raft that I picked up at a yard sale for F.R.E.E.

(there is a harness underneath the raft for his legs to go through, but he really enjoyed kicking back with his feet up)

The adults really enjoyed the pool as well

                                                      

Every person/couple takes a night to cook a meal for the group and then the last night we get all sassed up and go out for dinner.  Hunter even wore a tie

I couldn't get my act together enough to take pictures of dinner, but it is a restaurant right on the sound side that serves really good seafood.  For the life of me I can't remember the name.  But it has a lovely view

Dinner was a little hectic because it was right before Hunter's bedtime, aka Freak-the-Hell-Out time for him.  JEGs ate his dinner, then I ate mine, we packed the monster up in the car and headed back to Falconhead.

  It was a big week of learning about traveling with a baby- something I think I will cover in another post.  But it was a great week of no plans, relaxing, and spending time with my family.  Decisions were not made too far in advance and we all enjoyed each other's company.

Always & Forever,
  ME