Midweek Confessions (early)

I plan to do Hollin's monthly update tomorrow, so I wanted to do this tonight.

I haven't done a confession in a few weeks, so it's time!

1. Harper seems to have turned a corner (dare I say) with is behavior and tantrums over the last few days. I'm jinxing myself, I know. He has just been so much better lately and I'm so proud of him.

2. At the same time, he is still obsessed with doing things the same way, every time. I know that children thrive on a schedule, but some of his lashing out is ridiculous. For instance, today when I pushed one of the two buttons he normally pushes to turn on the dryer. His world FELL APART when he couldn't push both. I confess that this worries me. Is this normal?

3. I confess that at the end of the day, I spend a lot of time browsing the internet, looking for deals on clothes for the babies and other things. I facebook, I blog (I don't twitter. So glad I haven't fallen into that trap.) I should be cleaning, but I am so exhausted and in need of "me" time, that I usually don't :(

4. Jimmy and I are sure that another rat has died. My house smells lovely. Wanna come over?

5. My days go so much better when I actually get dressed, put on makeup and do something with my hair. Why is that?

6. I am so ready for Harper's hair to grow back out. I miss it.


7. I confess that I can't find a cute, young-looking ONE piece bathingsuit for less than $150. I need to go to TJ Maxx or maybe Marshall's and look around. I'm in love with this one that I found on Pinterest, but I have no idea where it's from.


8. I confess that someone recently said that Hollin is the "cutest baby they've ever seen in their life" and I positively gushed. Can't help it. I agree!


Happy Tuesday!

Midweek Cofessions

Hi everyone!



I never thought my hubby and I would become the kind of couple that would eat the same meal once a week.. but we have. We have recently implemented "Taco Night." This is his baby, because he does all the prep work and cooking. We get all giddy about it. We are officially old.

I can't believe my sweet girl is 8 weeks old. I don't like saying "two months." :) If I remember correctly, I stopped with the weekly-age-thing when Harper turned 13 weeks.

I got lowlights yesterday but I'm too lazy to take a picture. I really like them though. I'm glad hubby likes them even though he likes my hair to be nearly Playboy bunny blonde. I'll go back to that for the Spring and Summer :)


My little man started Preschool again today after a 2 week Christmas break. I think we were all happy to get back into that routine again.

This isn't a confession, just something really sweet that happened last night. As I was tucking Harper in, I asked him to repeat what I was saying...

Me: "Goodnight mommy"
Harper: "Goodnight mommy"
Me: "Goodnight daddy"
Harper: "Goodnight daddy"
Me: "Goodnight sissy"
Harper: "Goodnight sissy"
Me: "Goodnight Jesus"
Harper: "Goodnight Jee-bus."

He is so precious.


Happy Wednesday!

Randoms

I have all kinds of thoughts running through my crazy head tonight, so I thought a little brian-dump would be fun!

~ We are going to have my sister-in-law babysit Harper on Friday while we are signing papers at closing. We will be taking Hollin and this makes me feel incredibly guilty. Am I crazy?

~ I am so happy to say that little girl is nearly sleeping through the night! Occasionally, she wakes up and wants to nurse. It's happening less and less though.

~ I feel like my hair should be so much longer than it is. I cut it off after Harper was born back in 2009.

Through the changing hair colors, it grew a little and ended up shorter again. I've been growing it from shoulder-length since early 2010 and here we are today.

I feel like each time I tell my stylist that I want a "little trim", I get more than that :) I'm sure it just feels like she is cutting more than she is. I have another appointment a week from today, so it just has me thinking about hair.

~ Am I the only person that does not care for this movie at Christmas?

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't feel like Christmas unless this is playing in the background. However, I just don't like the movie at all. I always say that it's a movie full of nothing but people crying.

~ I wore some yoga pants that my mom got me for Christmas today. The tag said "body slimming", but it pushed all of my baby pooch up into a definite muffin top. Not a good look.

~ I am so incredibly excited about decorating my new house. This may become a Mommy and decorating blog. Fair warning........

:)

Midweek Confessions

If you are visiting from E, Myself and I, welcome! My blog is nothing fancy, but I enjoy documenting everything from daily routines to toddler tantrums, home decorating and taking very non-professional photos of my 2 and 1/2 year old little boy and 7 week old baby girl. Thanks for stopping by!


I confess that I am really, REALLY excited to tell you all about my little "secret." I hope to let the cat out of the bag by tonight or Thursday. I don't want to build it up like it's some earth-shattering announcement, but it's a pretty big deal for us :)

I confess that I don't wear my wedding rings at home, so therefore, I rarely wear them at all! I don't really leave the house very much these days.


I confess that I have recently discovered that my little girl is very calmed by skin-to-skin contact. I feel guilty that I haven't realized this before.

(Haha, this picture is so unflattering, yet so funny!)

I am having a really hard time keeping up with blogging. I keep at it because I know I will look back and be happy that I did.

I confess that for the last 2 days, the state of my house has completely overwhelmed me. I can't seem to get "ahead" anymore. If I get caught up on laundry, the rest of the house looks like a bomb went off in it or vice versa. It's driving me nuts! I have tried getting into a weekly cleaning schedule, but have found that it's really hard to stick with it. There are some days where I just can't get to what is on the list for the day.

The Bare Minerals makeup that I bought was my "summer" shade and now I have to use my tan-in-a-can so that my neck and face will match. I'm too cheap to go buy a lighter color haha!

I confess that I love watching Man vs. Food, but it always makes me hungry. By hungry, I mean starving. This is not good for me because I'm starving all the time anyway due to breastfeeding. Seriously people, I'm eating us out of house and home. I ate leftover spaghetti at 10am today. **Hanging head in shame**


That's all I have running around in my mom brain which has been in full force lately.

Have a great Wednesday!

I don't hate many things, but this is one of them..

With Christmas and New Year's fast approaching, I told myself that I would take it easy on myself and not worry too much about what I was eating in the coming weeks. Since I began breastfeeding, I am hungrier than an adolescent boy. It's really sad. We go to the grocery store for basic things and two days later, our poor pantry is bare. There is no one to blame but me.

The worst part is that ALL I want is junk.


We have not had one big grocery trip (to buy healthier foods) that I can recall since she was born because of all the fantastic meals brought to us by our Sunday School class. We had so many leftovers, we would just pop those in the microwave after a long, tiring day.

I say all of that to say this.

I know I need to start working out after the Holidays, but I would seriously rather get a shot.

Up until a month ago, all the workout gear that I had was the sidewalk in our neighborhood and a few workout DVD's. In the last few weeks we inherited an AB Roller and a Bowflex from my mom and dad. We also brought home an elliptical from one of Jimmy's co-workers who said she wanted to get rid of it.

So now that I have all of this gear, I have no excuse really.

I admire all of those cute moms who drop off their kiddos at Preschool in their workout gear.

(Katherine Heigl does not have kids at our Preschool haha.)

When I see those moms, I think, "How do you have the willpower/find the time to work out?" I absolutely cannot see myself getting up before dawn to work out, but that must be what they do. I would rather work out in the evenings, but my hubby works then.

I have my first post-partum visit on Thursday morning and I'm assuming we'll talk about resuming normal activities then. I definitely don't want to push it. I wore some yoga pants today that fold over at the top and my incision is killing me tonight. I know I'm not ready for full on crunches!

There is too much pressure to start anything on January 1st, but I hope to start doing little things not long after.

Wish me luck :)

My Christmas Wish List 2011

I have turned into such a practical person. Really. If I don't absolutely need it, I usually don't get it. I think all of us moms are like that, aren't we?

Last year, I mostly asked for things for our new house. This year, I'm being a little more selfish :)

I really need some new clothes. I can count on one hand the articles of clothing I bought for myself this year. Granted, I spent most of this year pregnant, but now that I'm not, I'd really like for Santa to keep these things in mind.

I really, REALLY would like to have a pair of these. They are neutral enough to go with black, brown, gray, you name it. They are a bit pricey, but I've learned that you get what you pay for when it comes to shoes. Santa, these are on sale right now!!

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I am in love with these tops from Chico's. They are long enough to wear with leggings and blousy enough to hide my post-Hollin belly for awhile! Santa, I would need a size 0 and I like the Black, Ecru and Coir colors :) These are on sale too! Aren't I so thoughtful?

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I am a big stud earring girl, for lots of reasons. Mostly because they can't be yanked out by grabby little hands. I really like these and they are also from Chico's.

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I could also use some grey pearl stud earrings to match a necklace I have.


I'm loving these long cardigans from Target. Key word. LONG cardigan. :) They look so comfy. I like the color below and gray.

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Speaking of leggings, I could use some more. The one pair I have has tiny holes in them. I don't care where they come from as long as you can't see through them!


I LOVE Target's dollar socks. I bought two pair for the hospital and wear them all the time.

(Not a pic of my socks :)

That's all!

Things I'm loving right now

I am LOVING this show right now! (Like literally right this minute.)



I think this show far surpasses American Idol and has for awhile now. I'm pretty sure that I've just "outgrown" American Idol. I haven't really loved any of the contestants that have won the last few years and it's just so boring in comparison to SYTYCD. It doesn't hurt to watch all the ripped up guy dancers on stage either :) (That comment was directly for my husband because he ALWAYS talks about the girls booty shorts on So You Think You Can Dance.)

I am loving my only Old Navy maxi dress. I am wearing it out, but for pregnancy, it is so comfortable.



I've had this nail polish for awhile. I usually only wear dark colors during fall and winter, but I've been wearing it lately because I really love it.. It's Lava Red by Rimmel. Sorry for the huge internet photo!


I don't want to seem like a complainer, but my cold turned into some sort of sinus infection that I'm pretty sure caused all of my dental pain. I started taking Tylenol 3 and I was unaware that it has codiene in it. All of the sudden last night, I started itching When I went to put on my PJ's, I was covered in a rash. The rash was gone this morning, but my face was as scaly and dry as it could be. Not sure if they are related, but this cream has been a life saver today. Pop it in the fridge and it is sooo soothing.


This purple shampoo has been another lifesaver for my hair. It really helps to keep my hair bright and not brassy. It doesn't produce a lot of lather, so I tend to use this first, leave it on for a few minutes and then use my Dove Damage Therapy so that I feel like my hair is getting clean. If you are a blonde, go out and get some stat!


Happy Thursday!

Things I'm loving right now

~ I'm loving that my sweet baby boy is happy and healthy.


~ I'm loving that my sweet husband is working around the house on projects that he's not had time to do. He works hard at his job and hard at home. Harper and I are very lucky to call him ours :)


~ I've been in love with this body wash for weeks. It smells amazing!


~ I tried this for the first time before the wedding and really love it. I put it on Thursday and I still have lots of color. The application is a bit tricky, but the payoff is worth it.



~ I'm still loving my Yankee Candle Tarts. I've realized that I like more "homey" scents as opposed to floral/summery scents. I've been using this for 2 days.

I also bought Home Sweet Home, Cinnamon Stick and Buttercream Vanilla. Can't wait to use those!

~ I'm loving this fabric for my baby girl's nursery, but it's on back order until August. I may have to let it go, but I really wish I didn't have to. These would make beautiful curtains and then I could just go from there!

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That's all I can think of for now. TV time awaits....

Let's talk hair!

I decided I'd come back to the ol' blog tonight and end on a happier note.


I finally got a hair appointment scheduled for Friday and I couldn't be more excited!

I usually get just one color, applied directly to my roots, but this time I will be getting color and highlights simply because my roots have grown out so much. I think it will help blend the "line of demarcation" a little bit better and just brighten my color up a bit. Let's not forget that Easter is just around the corner and we will be taking lots of pictures!

I have a confession though.

I. Love. Sidebangs.

It's a bit of a problem because I know that eventually, they will go out of style. I worry that I will become that lady that wears her hair the same way for 15 years because she is trying to hang onto her youth.

I love my hair stylist and she does a good job....BUT.... I always walk away unhappy with my haircut. When she does the blow out in the salon, it looks great. When I come home and flat iron it, it looks like I have a short hair cut on top of a long haircut. Do ya'll know what I'm talking about??

I think I know exactly what to tell her when I go in on Friday and hopefully she will listen.

Here are a few of my all time FAVORITE haircuts and colors.

I have been obsessed with this from the moment I saw her on the red carpet. The bangs are a little too short for me, but the color? Out of this world.


I love this one because I am a huge fan of having thick sideswept bangs. I always end up pulling more hair over than my stylist does. I've been known to snip them myself :)


Love this one too!


I've always loved Jessica Simpson's hair. So thick and buttery blonde.


I have really high hopes for Friday! I think I will be bringing these pics along to help speak for me.

:)

Harper-isms at 24 months

This will be my last "Harper-isms" post! He's a big boy now, so there isn't much to document month by month. *Tear.*

We just went for his 2 year checkup yesterday and he is in the 75th percentile for his height (down from 95th) and in the 50th for his weight. He is almost 29 pounds and is 35 and 1/4 inches tall. The Dr. said that his weight and height are finally catching up with eachother! For awhile there, we had a VERY tall, skinny baby. Like I always say, he is destined to be tall. Jimmy is 6'5.

She said that developmentally, he is doing beautifully. I'm always concerned about his verbal development, but according to the questionnaire I filled out, he is right on target. He doesn't use many 2 and 3 words phrases yet, but that will come. Just in the last few days, he has started trying to repeat everything we say. So far we have,

"I do it."

"I can't." (This one is so hilarious to me.)

"Buh-fwy." (Butterfly)

"I poon-ed." (Yep, I pooted. Guess who encouraged that one?)

There are so many other words that he says and I truly can't remember them all. It seems to be a new one everyday.

Although we are still dealing with tantrums, I think he is at his most loving age. He freely snuggles and gives hugs and kisses. He acknowledges Jimmy and I as Mama and Dada finally and when it's time to go wake Jimmy up for the day, I will say "Go wake up dada!" He runs to the bedroom screaming dada, climbs onto the bed and lays his face on Jimmy's face. He is very gentle and sweet.

At night, when I put him to bed, I whisper "Night night" and he whispers it back several times. I could just eat him up!!!

He still sleeps like a champ! At least 12 hours a night and a 3 hour nap during the day. I hope and PRAY that the next one will be like that. I had a lot of people tell me that I was too uptight about his sleeping schedule when he was a baby, but I have to give myself a little credit. I think that his schedule is the number one reason why he is such a good sleeper. I know how much sleep he needs so that we can both function properly and I'm really proud of that!

I never thought I'd say this, but Harper tried peanut butter for the first time last night! On a whim, I brought out some apple chunks, scooped some PB out and demonstrated how to dip it. He copied me and LOVED it! Finally, some protein in this kids diet! He also eats PB with preztels.

Harper still gets diaper rash pretty easily. I was supposed to go to a playdate today and canceled due to Harper sleeping late and throwing off his nap schedule. I was a good thing I did, because he ended up having 4 diarrhea diapers and terrible diaper rash. Poor little guy. I'm not sure if it was something he ate or if by some chance it has anything to do with the follow-up Hepatitis shot he had yesterday. Either way, he's been uncomfortable :(

I am still amazed at how much he seems to learn everyday. I've been feeling a little better recently, so he hasn't been watching as much TV. We've been spending a lot of time outside playing. He is so observant of every little noise he hears whether it's a plane, a bird, a car or a dog barking. He always looks at me for an explanation.

This week has been so sentimental all because of his second birthday! We still have one more party to look forward to and I promise to get better pictures this time.

I still can't believe my baby is 2!

Sprucing Up

It probably has a lot to do with the weather, but I've been in a cleaning and beautifying mood lately.

I woke up this morning and made a pot of coffee. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but today, I was in the mood for some. After Harper was dressed for the day, we migrated outside where I enjoyed my first cup of coffee in our new house al fresco! I took the time to do a little blog checking while Harper played.

This may become a habit for us both! I really enjoyed being outside early.


(yes that is a Christmas mug. I like it's small size.)

Harper went back and forth through the broken screen. We can thank Miss Maya for his new passageway to the backyard :)



Before long, my laptop became a table for breakfast.



When we came inside, the sunshine was spilling onto the hardwood floor and I realized that Maya must be shedding much more than usual. This picture does no justice to just how GROSS my floors were!



I swept and swept, then finally mopped it to cleanliness. I'm sure by tomorrow it will look like I didn't do anything. Hahah!

Later on, I took Harper AC Moore, Home Goods and then to have his hair cut. His behavior today was pretty bad, I have to admit. I know he's almost two, so I try to be understanding. When I tried to put him in the kiddie seat at the salon, he LOST it. To make a bad situation worse, his stylist had an awful attitude. I should have known we needed to wait until daddy was off work so that we could all go together. For whatever reason, he behaves better for his daddy and it drives me crazy, but it's just the way it is.

He left with a pretty awful haircut. I think his shirt says it all.



Dear Lord I hope it looks better after I wash it.

I did pick up a few things during my outing. I have been looking for something to go on my small table in my living room and I've shopped my house a hundred times. I finally broke down and bought a few things for it.

I got the bud vase, 1 stem of a yellow flower arrangement, a beautiful pale green Easter bowl, some tealights and a candle for my master bath for around 12 dollars. I walked over to Home Goods and bought a CUTE green polka dot frame for about 8 dollars.

Here it is, all together! (And the Easter bowl will probably stay out year-round because I love it so much.)




I cut off two tiny branches from my one stem to fill the bud vase. I put what was left in the arrangement on my mantle for some color :)


Speaking of "sprucing up", I received this in the mail today.


There's nothing like a Victoria's Secret catalog to make you want to spruce up your physique! Or... just make you feel really bad about yourself. I browsed through and stared longingly at the beautiful bikinis that I would have been able to wear just 3 short years ago. Unfortunately stretch marks and loose skin aren't considered sexy, so I will probably be covering up with a tankini. Groan.....

I do plan on starting my Spring walking again. Last year, I would walk while Harper and Jimmy napped in the mornings. I hope to start that very soon!

I hope everyone had a great Saturday!