MY BABY CAN SHARE + TBT

Yes, that's right. Our 11 month old knows how to share with the best of them. She gave me her virus!  Generous, no? Guess that's enough bragging about how advanced Adelaide for now. And since I'm off to get cozy on the couch while Adelaide naps, with no intention of getting dressed any time soon (and if you know me, that's all the proof you need to know that I really don't feel well), I thought I'd share some throw back photos. Guess I'm lucky it hit me on a Thursday! 

Pardon the quality of these pics, the oldest ones were taken before the days of digital for me, and I'm sorry, but I'm just not up for scanning, uploading, blah, blah... So a picture of a picture will just have to do. 

Just a rascally little puppy... now he's 10 years old and very distinguished with his gray hair. 

Mr. Hotty-hot. That hair... he just made me swoon. 

Our first day home from the hospital, she was so teeny... Can't believe it's almost been a whole year!

Okay, nighty-night. 

CHEVRON SKIRT - 3 WAYS

Remember the skirt I told you about last week? The one that's had me scratching my head and returning it to the rack in my closet for over a year? Well this is it. And after an hour (AN HOUR!) in my closet, I finally came up with 3 ways to wear it and feel infinitely less baffled by it. But yeah, it took me an hour to get there. That's like taking the long way around or something. But now I have taught that skirt that I am the queen of the kingdom that is my closet, and no article shall get a free pass from this day forward (I think I must be trying to create some 16th century drama here to make up for the lack of Reign in my life). Anyway, I think I even have a couple more ideas for Fall/Winter! Whaaat?!?! It's true.

So, my love for this skirt has been renewed. I mean, it's got pockets. Pockets I tell you. Plus it does a mean twirl. So really, what's not to like?

ADELAIDE - 11 MONTHS

Unfortunately we spent much of yesterday like this:

That pitiful little face... it's so obvious that she was miserable. And while I felt incredibly bad for her, I can't say I didn't enjoy the sweet cuddles. As soon as I felt her put her little head on my shoulder in lieu of wiggling to see or point at something, I knew something was off. We decided to take her to Acute Kids since her doctor noticed some fluid in one ear at her 9 month appt and told us to "keep an eye on it"... okay doc, no problem. Just lend me that little ear microscope thingy and teach me how to use it... Anyway, they said it was possible that she had gotten some sort of virus or was having some major teething issues, or most likely, both. She ran a fever all day and was clearly was not feeling like her usual happy self. 

Luckily, she slept fine last night and woke up this morning without a fever! She's still not back to 100%, but it's still a great improvement over yesterday.

And today she hit 11 months! I had a bear of a time getting her to smile for a pic today since lying on her back made her go into a crying fit. But, I managed to get 1, with a smile no less (thank you Super Puffs can), and 1 good one is all you need, right? But since I know 1 picture of that sweet face isn't enough, I included a few from Saturday as well. As you can see, she's standing on her own! She can take 2-3 steps at a time, but only does it if she's got something or someone to fall into ;)

Today would've been the second time we'd have run into a problem if I were teaching this year. Last week our babysitter had a sick son, and today it's Adelaide. I'm so glad that I don't have to worry about whether or not I can call in sick or find someone to watch Adelaide when things like these happen. Just one more reason why I am feeling like I made the right decision in staying home with her. Plus, if I were at school today, I wouldn't be able to write this post right now, take pictures of my outfit (because I know everyone in cyberspace is desperately wondering what I am wearing today) and strike the universal "Yesssss." pose about the fact that I'm a stay-at-home-mom this year! Hehehe... that face is too goofy to leave out...

And now I must go do something useful and stay-at-home-momish. Like shine up some appliances or bake something.... I think I'm leaning toward shining up appliances, cause I've been jonesin for DQ Blizzard for 3 days now, and I don't want to spoil it with viable dessert options at home. Glad I thought that through!

Happy 1st day of school to those of you who it applies to! For reals... no sarcasm in that, I promise!

     

OH, NOTHING REALLY...

 Dress: Ross, Vest: One of those random stores in the mall that's there one month and gone the next, Shoes: Target (clearance!), Necklace: Old/I don't remember that far back

I decided that my goal was going to be to do 3 posts each week, and that I would take the weekends "off". But right now  Jordan's working, Adelaide's napping and I just kinda feel like writing something. Plus, I kinda liked my outfit today, though I felt a little over-dressed for doing nothing in particular. So I took a picture of it, that's doing something, therefore it's no longer over-dressed. See how that works?

P.S. I am very aware that my posing leaves something to be desired (can you say awkward?). But I never claimed to be a model, nor will I ever.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Okay, I'll just forewarn you, I am about to get sentimental about a couch. Remember, this is coming from someone who gets sentimentally attached to cars, clothes, restaurants and yes, furniture. (Also, beware of planning any activities with me between October 1st - December 25th, because it is very possible that I will try to turn it into a tradition.)

So, we decided to bite the bullet and get a sleeper couch last week. It's something we've talked about on numerous occasions since we don't have a guest room (leaving overnight guests to sleep on a leaky air mattress squished into too small a space, or duke it out for the big couch). But, we never actually did it because the thought usually occurred to us after our guests were gone, and we had no plans for visitors in the near future. Plus, that old couch was about the most comfortable couch you'd ever plop down on. Ever. But, with my parents staying the night last Friday while we went to a show, it seemed like a good time. How we came to own this particular couch is a long story that I won't go into, but yesterday it finally arrived. 

Seeing that super sweet new couch sitting in our living room, looking oh so cool ;) I started thinking about our old couch which is now sitting in our breezeway, on its side, cushions haphazardly stacked on top. That couch was part of the living room set that was our first major purchase together, like 9 years ago. I remember very clearly how excited I was to be furniture shopping with Jordan. I felt so grown up and it gave our relationship a sense of permanence to me. We officially owned something together. Since then there have been many naps and nights spent sleeping so comfortably, TV shows watched and meals eaten on that couch. It served our family of 3 well for many years. 

I feel a teeny bit sad to see that old couch go, squished-by-a-35lb-French-Bulldog-cushions and all. But, I looooove this new one so much, that the transition isn't too bad. New couch, new family of 4, new memories...

STRIPED PENCIL SKIRT, 3 WAYS

Skirt: Old Navy; Shirt & Shoes #1: The Home. T, Toms via Zulily; Shirt & Shoes #2: Target, Dirty Laundry via Nordstrom Rack, Shirt & Shoes #3: Forever 21 

This morning I pulled my black and white pencil skirt out and immediately pulled out the white tank that I paired with it the last time I wore it. I find myself doing that pretty often, pairing the same pieces over and over again, even when I've got ideas of other ways I'd like to wear it. Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with having certain things that you always wear together or that every single item in your closet has be mix and match-able, but it sure makes things go a lot further if you've at least got a few things that you like to wear in different ways (and remember to do it). 

I think the best clothes-buying advice I ever got was when I was back-to-school shopping with my mom one year, and she told me to "buy in outfits". Every time I chose something, she would ask what I was going to wear it with. Of course many times I had no plan, so we'd find something to go with it.

I try to remember that advice when I'm shopping, looking for something to go with whatever I find if I don't already have something at home. And buying in outfits doesn't mean that there's only one way that you can ever wear something, it just means that you'll always have at least one way to wear everything. I've got a skirt that I love that's been hanging in my closet for over a year that I've only worn a couple of times because I fell in love with it, bought it, and had no plan for how I would wear it. And it stumps me. So there it hangs. Now that could have been remedied had I found a top to go with it that day. Or if I couldn't find a top to go with it, I probably should have realized that it wouldn't be the best addition to my closet and left it on the rack!

This might seem like an expensive rule of thumb, but I'd rather spend $35 (I shop at Forever 21, so this is a realistic number for me. If you shop at Gap or J. Crew or something, you might not want to listen to me!) for an outfit that I will wear many times, than $20 for a skirt that will do little more than make my closet look pretty. 

Maybe next week I will try to tackle that skirt...

FIRST YEAR ESSENTIALS - PART 2

Here we go with Part 2 of our first year essentials. These are all things that we really got a lot of use out of or really enjoyed at some point over the past few months, though none of them are really essentials at all. But why go messin' with a good title now, right?

1. Infantino Cart and Highchair Cover: There are about a million variations of this product, many of which would probably serve their purpose just as well as this one. What I specifically love about this one is that it has several places that allow you to hook toys and even a cup so that they won't get tossed out and lost or hit the floor. It also has an attached pouch that allows you to fold it up for storage. It's still not tiny by any means, but it's still quite handy. And most importantly, it's cute :)

2. Turtlemeter Bathtub Thermometer: So this is one that I have absolutely loved, while Jordan would be fine with gauging the water temperature with his hand. See, I shower in lukewarm water, while Jordan prefers to be scalded, at least I think it's scalding. Of course, that is coming from the one who won't step foot in a hot tub (those things are ridiculously hot if you ask me). So this has eliminated what I am sure would have been a nightly argument. We started with one of those rubber ducks that was supposed to say "hot" or change colors or something, but it never looked any different no matter what the water temperature was. This one actually gives you the temperature reading and it is color coded to tell you when the water is too hot, just right or too cold. I love, love, love it!

3. Step2 Swing: Adelaide never gets tired of this thing, plus it's turquoise. Enough said.

4. Cloud b Soother: This was a very early purchase, back in the days of colic. We got tired of running our phone batteries down playing the sound machine apps when we were out, so we bought Jimmy Giraffe (our affectionate name for him) in the hopes that it would be the magic cure, always on hand to stop any crying or aid sleep when we were out and about. While it wasn't quite the cure-all we had hoped it would be (the story of most colic solutions for us), it was still nice to have around. It went in the car seat with Adelaide every single time we left the house and went to the babysitter's house daily for about 4 months. It helped more than most things we bought out of colic-induced desperation.

5. Bobux Slipper: LOVE THESE! Adelaide has the cutest pudgy feet. Perfect to admire and tickle, but difficult to get into a shoe. These are fantastic! Easy for me to get on her, but not too easy for her to get off. Plus they are really soft and easy for her to maneuver in, and obviously they are completely adorable!

6. Ema Jane Headbands: Adelaide's noggin has always measured in the higher percentiles, so maybe that is why I had such a hard time finding headbands to fit her sweet little head without leaving marks. I tried several other types of headbands before I found these, and all of them would leave red marks on her head after only a few minutes. Obviously, babies don't need to wear headbands, so Adelaide went without (poor mistreated baby!) for about the first 6 months. Then I found these on Pinterest. She now has a set of the bows and a set of the flowers. These have never left any kind of mark on her head, they are super soft and again, completely adorable if you ask me! Plus, they're cheap!

7. Manhattan Toy Travel Mobile: This was another purchase from the dreaded colicky days. Adelaide hated being put down on her changing table. She cried immediatly and wouldn't stop until she was up again. So we got this in the hopes that it would, again, be the magic cure. This one actually lived up to our expectiaons though. She loved this thing. Now, I use the word "loved" in Adelaide terms, meaning she would look at it without crying or screaming... I mean, it didn't make her smile or laugh or anything crazy like that. I'm telling you, she was COLICKY! No joke. No exaggeration. It was hell. But it's all good now :) Anyway, this little mobile was awesome, becuase we could just hook it to the shelf above her changing table, or we could take it with us to hook on her carseat, and it totally distracted her. WIN!

So, that's all I've got. Of course there have been tons of other things that we've loved or are still loving, but these are some of the favorites. Hope it's useful to someone else!

Oh, and if you clicked on any of the links, you probably noticed that we got almost everything from amazon.com. And if you know me, that will not come as a surprise. #1 Amazon has pretty much everything, #2 Their prices are usually the same or cheaper than everywhere else, #3 When you have a colicky baby, the thought of stepping foot in an actual store is enough to cause a panic attack, so online shopping it is!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission (we're not talkin' a new wardrobe here, more like snack money :). Regardless, I only recommend products  I use personally and believe others may enjoy as well. Thank you for supporting the companies that support me and my family!

FIRST YEAR ESSENTIALS - PART 1

As hard as it is for me to believe, we are quickly approaching the end of Adelaide's first year. So, I thought I would share a few things that we've really loved over the past several months. 

As I started thinking through my list, I quickly realized there are quite a few things that I really love/loved, so I decided to divide it into 2 parts. The first one will be "necessities". Of course, none of it is probably necessary, but it's more of the baby gear that a lot of people would probably consider getting. The second list will be more of the fun, though unnecessary things that we/I really loved.

Part One:

*Note: I have included links to where we purchased each product. I am sure most of these things are available at multiple retailers. We made most of our purchases based on best price and where we had gift cards :)

1. Ergo Baby Performance Collection Baby Carrier and Infant Insert: I loved it. Adelaide loved it. Jordan loved it. There were several weeks where our nightly routine was to put Adelaide in this and go for a walk around the neighborhood. It was our go-to. If she wouldn't sleep? Put her in the Ergo. If she wouldn't stop crying? Put her in the Ergo. It was our answer to pretty much everything. Adelaide would go in there and conk out before I could say "Call mom!" I will say that in the Texas heat, this thing gets hot and it's the Performance Collection. It makes me wonder how hot the standard Ergo might get for mom and baby. Something to consider.

2. Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller: This was our big ticket item. We were ecstatic when Jordan's Aunt Pam got it for us! We don't have anything to compare it to, but I can say that it's super easy to use and it seems to have an incredibly smooth ride. We love how low the canopy can go , but it does seem   (like everything in Texas summer I guess) to get hot. Not a lot of air flow. But that may be the same with all strollers.

3. Nosefrida: Yes it is disgusting. Yes I did say (before Adelaide was born) that I would never use this. But when your 3 month old is sick, you'd do anything to make it better, or at least keep it from getting worse. And I'm telling you, this works better than any plain-jane bulb aspirator you'll find. And it's really not that gross when it's your own kid. After a couple of times, you won't even think twice. Promise.

4. The First Years Bottle Warmer: We didn't get a bottle warmer initially, because we didn't want to get Adelaide used to warm milk, because then what would we do if we were out and we didn't have  warm bottle... didn't want to spoil her... you know, first time parent worries. But once we started mixed formula in bulk (with the Dr. Browns Formula Pitcher, can't believe I forgot to include that!) and keeping bottles in the fridge this was great. I've only used one other warmer, but I like this one better. It gives a specific amount of water to put in the warmer based on how full the bottle is. It clicks off on its own when the bottle is ready, so you can pop it in and just come back whenever you're ready. We've loved it.

5. Baby's Only Organic Formula: If you choose to go the formula route for whatever reason, this is where we landed and we've loved it. We went through several different formulas before ending up on this one and I am so glad to have found it. Based on my research (I am by no means an expert), this was the only truly non-GMO formula. Others say they are non-GMO, but it is my understanding that the DHA in those may be derived from GMO sources. So, whether that is true or not is up to you to find out, but that's how and why we ended up on it though. It is slightly more expensive than name brands, but in my opinion, it's worth it. We found it at our local Sprouts and Whole Foods, but it's cheaper if you buy it by the case online.

6. Zoli Cup: This is the straw cup that Adelaide learned to drink from at 10 months. It's got a weight at the bottom of the straw so it stays in the liquid and the lid doesn't come off when she drops throws it on the ground. 

7. Munchkin Bottle Drying Rack: We've got two of these, one for clean and one for dry. It's the system we've used since day 1 (an idea I saw on a blog somewhere, unfortunately I don't remember where). It's worked out great for us, those racks will hold tons of stuff and don't take up any more space than the cuter, but in my opinion less functional, drying grass/flowers you'll see.

8. Summer Infant Video Monitor: I think this is a slightly newer version of the one we have. Ours had a battery that was recalled, which was replaced for free. We never had any problems with it though. Initially, we didn't plan to get a video monitor, but I can't tell you enough times with enough enthusiasm how incredibly glad I am that it's what we ended up with. Being able to peek in to see what exactly is causing a noise you hear, without having to give yourself up is priceless! I also love to just be able to take a peek every so often, just for the reassurance. And I'm fairly certain this will come in handy still for the next couple of years during nap and at night. The peace of mind this things offers is worth the price if you ask me.

9. aden + anais Sleeping Bag: This is what we've been using for naps since we got Adelaide out of the swaddle. Usually she just sleeps in footy PJ's at night, but I like to put her in this during the day when her legs and feet are exposed. This is nice a light, but still offers a little warmth to those exposed areas.

10. Halo SleepSack Swaddle Blanket: We had a couple of these, one fleece and one cotton. We used it every night until we got Adelaide out of the swaddle at 5 months. Once she was done with the swaddle, I cut the swaddling tabs? off of the fleece one and continued using it as a SleepSack until it got too warm for fleece.

11. Crane Cool Mist Humidifier: Adelaide went through several bouts of sickness; colds, ear infections, croup... Every time the doctor's office would tell us to use a cool mist humidifier when she was sleeping. We actually used it every single night from about December until around April or May. It's really quiet and puts out a lot of mist. So much that one night, when we wanted to be extra sure that she was getting the moist air, we scooted it a little too close to the crib and the corner of her sheet was soaked in the morning from all the mist! Lesson learned!

Wow, that got really long. Who knew I had so much knowledge to share? Ha! But, I have to share one more thing today, the source of almost all of my knowledge when it came to making choices about what to buy. Baby Bargains. I spent hours scouring this book, highlighting and tabbing. It was pretty over-the-top, I realize that now. But It gives a breakdown of almost every option (about 4x as many options as I even knew existed in most cases) in every category. I don't know how anyone could ever narrow down the fifty-million options without it! I would highly recommend it to any clueless first-time parent such as myself.

Bet that got reeeeally boring to most, but oh well. Maybe it will be useful to someone!

Part Two coming soon. Maybe it won't be as long?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission (we're not talkin' a new wardrobe here, more like snack money :). Regardless, I only recommend products  I use personally and believe others may enjoy as well. Thank you for supporting the companies that support me and my family!

LIFE LATELY, ACCORDING TO MY iPHONE

Shopping, baking, dancing, dress up, riding, crawling over Bubba... pretty much sums up our week. Actually, way too much baking has been going on over here. Three different things last week alone. I’ve got a problem. Baking is not the best hobby for someone with a sweet tooth the size of Texas.

The most exciting piece of news? Jordan got a Ural! Now we’ve just got to find a helmet to fit Adelaide’s noggin…

NARCISSISTIC OR LEARNING TO BE MYSELF?

 Hat/Top/Skirt: Forever 21 (think I like Forever 21?), Shoes: Dirty Laundry via Nordstrom Rack

Can we talk about these shoes for a second? They remind me of the house shoes my Mamaw used to wear. Great look for house shoes, but good look for real shoes? I kinda think they're ugly and I kinda love them for it! I can't take credit for them totally though, I saw them first on the daybook (my very most favorite blog and inspiration) and on rockstar diaries. Pretty much everything Sydney (from the daybook) wears is something I want to try to recreate immediately after seeing it on her. Yep, I'm just a big ol' copycat. 

Now on to what I came to say...

I've said before that I enjoy fashion, and I love when I put together an outfit that just makes me feel good. However, there have been many, many times when I have done just that: put together a sweet outfit that I am certain no one else would've thought of, felt really good about it, and I'm really confident and happy as a result. I think I'm stylin', I think I'm hip and cool, I think I am all that. (Is my 90's adolescence showing?) 

Then, I go somewhere, Target, Kroger, out to dinner with Jordan... and suddenly, all of those good feelings vanish and I feel incredibly self-conscious. Whyyyyyy did I wear this? No one else would've put this outfit together! Yeah, it's no longer a good thing. I feel over-dressed and uncomfortable. 

Well, this is one of those outfits. In the protection and privacy of my closet and the cover of our breezeway, I love it! Looking at the pictures... dare I say it.... I actually like the way I look. (Does saying that make me narcissistic? That's what I'm afraid of.) Posting these pictures here is like going to Target, only I'm not sure if it's even worse, because people I actually know might see them, or if it's better, because it's pictures, not real life.

But why should I let the fear of what someone else might be thinking about me (or pictures of me) ruin the way I feel about myself? I think it's high time that I accept myself for who I am and feel good about it. Who's with me?

DON'T MIND ME, I'M JUST PRETENDING IT'S FALL AGAIN

Shirt: Target (old), Dress: Forever 21, Boots: Target (old)

Okay, I've lived in Texas my whole life, so I know as well as the next person that Texas weather can be unpredictable. But what is it with these cool spells? I mean, Texas summer is supposed to be miserable at best. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not complaining! With a forecasted high of 78 degrees today, I'm happy as a clam. The damp air is making my already unruly hair even more difficult... but that's small price to pay if you ask me.

I'm neck deep in party plans for Adelaide's first birthday! I realize I still have almost 2 months to go and a baby who won't remember one second of it, but hey, any reason to do anything with pumpkins in August is welcome! Hope these cool spells are a sign of what's to come, cause a pumpkin party in 95 degrees might feel a little off. Not that it would stop me or anything.