Change of seasons

It's time to hang our summer hats....

and welcome the new crisp and colorful season! One of the things I love most about living in the Midwest.

 

So come on in...

 

and stay for some apple cider and pumpkin pie.

 

mmmmm I can already smell the beauty of fall.

 

We are ready! Are you?

Outdoor party decor..

When planning Kensie's 2nd birthday party, I was just gonna use the same theme I had last year--strawberries (sorry I don't have a single pic with my own camera to show you). But, at the last minute I changed my mind. Who wants to have the exact same party 2 years in a row anyway?? I knew Kensie wouldn't know the difference, but I would. And I like to switch things up when it comes to holidays. So I scrambled for another plan. And I only had 24 hours to come up with something quick!

I had to make a grocery run beforehand and wouldn't ya know it??...I found a pretty flower-patterned tablecloth, napkins and plates in the party section. I snatched 'em up and brought 'em home! This was my inspiration for an outdoor "garden/ butterfly/ re-used banners and pinwheels from last year's party" party. Ha!

I loved the colors in the tablecloth and knew they would blend with the other decorations I already had. Recognize the flower arrangement {my sista made} from the dining table? Perfect match right?!

I carefully stored these paper banners I made from her party last year. To make--ribbon, scrapbook paper, a box of blue glittered letters from Michael's, a hole punch, and glue....easy as pie! 

Remember these butterflies I usually have on the wall in the playroom?

 

Pinwheels I made with paper and held together with glue and tied with twine for the center.

This is our front door and kitchen window facing the front yard.

Yes, that's a "please knock" sign I taped over the doorbell. And yes, that's outdoor carpet on our front porch. But, we're not here to discuss that now are we? Yet...

If I haven't mentioned her enough...I'll do it again now. Tammi made this amazing keepsake photo album for Kensie. It's custom made with pics of Kensie from birth to 1 year. It was fun to put on display and let guests flip through when they arrived. How much she has changed!

The weather was simply divine! Sunny but nice and cool. Perfect outdoor party conditions. By the time the sun went down, we lit the firepit and huddled around it to stay warm until guests started to leave.

And this little girl had so much cake fun!



Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek into the party!

half-birthday and a tea party

Kensie and Mason are exactly 18 months and 2 days apart. It will be nice as they get older to have their birthdays nice and spread out....not to mention, easy to remember.



6 month pic--don't let the smile fool you...



Mr. teething-waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-wants-to-be-held-all-the-time-for-the-last-week is really wearing momma out. But he's worth it.



And in celebration we whipped up a little tea party this morning...



Mason. Kensie. Dolly



Happy half-birthday little fella!

A kinda-sorta slipcover

We were given this couch as a hand-me-down from someone in Greg's family.

Structurally sound. Comfortable cushions. No major rips. And straight out of "That 70's Show".

We put it in the playroom and has never quite "fit" my decor.

Until now....

Ahhh SO much better.

Took me 2.5 seconds to "slipcover" my couch.

And I love it. However, next time I will fluff it in the dryer before putting it on so there are no wrinkles.

And I'm not ashamed to say it's our (rarely used) King-sized bedsheet either.

Now even I can stand to hang out in there.

Tee Double-you Ohhh

Our sweet Kensie girl turned 2 today.



babies have suddenly become very important...



And what a sweet girl she is. Even though the number "2" brings it's extra energy and challenges sometimes, this little girl has stolen our hearts. And stuffed them full. 



....feed the baby....



So full they might burst.

...shush the baby...

And since her birthday falls over Labor Day weekend, we packed in the parties!

(I'll do another post on decorations I used for one of the parties...stay tuned!)



one of the three cakes we got sick over enjoyed over the weekend



Three out of the last four days, she's had pizza and cake.

Don't judge.



"I'm two!"--we're working on showing just the two fingers...oh well.



Happy Birthday Kensie Michelle! You are loved.

Dearly.

Where does she come up with this stuff???

I promise I had nothing to do with this. She was quietly playing in the playroom (for once!), so I went in to check on her. Thankfully I had my camera in hand and whipped it out just in time.

And I say it again...where do kids think up these crazy things?? Oh man.

Big news and a video {totally unrelated}

I'm NOT (I repeat) NOT pregnant. Heaven's no.....

But, can you guess the big news from this pic???

It's blue. It's spacious. It holds 7 people. It's got brand new wheels. And yes, even a DVD player....

Yup.

(This is the only pic I have right now. More coming soon...)

We had to drive 2.5 hours one way to go pick it up. But, we wheeled and dealed and paid an awesome price. So so SO worth it.

***

And if you like giggling babies, giggling daddies, and a funny ending...

WATCH. THIS. VIDEO.

Random updates...

Life seems to be a blur lately yet, I find myself not really wanting to blog about any of it. Nothing very inspirational to share. Just life. So here's a quick update for those that are interested:

• Mason's been teething (or at least I think so). There has to be SOME reason he's not been napping well, waking up early in the mornings, fussy, drooling, wanting to chew on anything, pooping like crazy (sorry TMI), and just not himself.
• Our house has not made any progress. Just look at the picture from the last post and it's identical to what's there today. Nothings changed. If anything it's only gotten messier. Piles of tools on the counter, stacked paint cans on the floor, piles of papers that you never know where to put, laundry covering the couch. Just messy. And I don't care.
• I'm DONE nursing! Have been for a while now. But, it sure took a couple of weeks of feeling crappy before I felt normal again. As in...I thought I was pregnant there for a minute I was feeling that bad. (Which I'm NOT just to clarify). And the day I finally did feel good again was the day my cycle started. Awesome.
• Greg's been working like crazy. Nuff said.
• We have several events this weekend. I should be looking forward to them...all fun times with friends, potlucks and parties. But, being a mom of two kids under the age of two it just means shuttling the kids all over the place, figuring out child-care, etc. I will be fine once I get there...it just gives me a headache sometimes.
• We are seriously looking a purchasing a vehicle and it has been very stressful. I've been the work-horse behind it (which I happily volunteered for!). But, just like buying a house it takes time and patience.
• My Mom came out last week and did a front yard make-over for me! She helped me find some plants I love and basically re-did the entire planter area. Love it! Now I just have to keep up with weeding. Pics soon...

We have been loving the weather lately--Indian summers in the Midwest are the BEST!

Baseboards

Check out the centerpiece that is gracing our dining table this morning..... 

Freshly painted baseboards by the Mr. over the weekend.

And they will probably be there all week.

And there's about a magillion more.

Our home has not had baseboards for about 3 years. We ripped the suckers off as soon as we started painting one room at a time until the entire house was baseboardless (yes, that's a word I just made up).

They're nothing fancy. Super cheap. Not even real wood. But they are nice and wide and that's all I wanted. Plus, add to the fact that we are amateurs at EVERYTHING. So we are going for simple lines to make installation a bit easier.

***

And just for fun, I'm LOVING these new shoes I got over the weekend!

In order to relate this to the post...it's also been 3 years since I've had a new pair of running shoes. So in celebration of getting new baseboards I got some new kicks as well.

How's that for wrapping up a post??

Cutest video to date...

This is the video I will show to my kids down the road when they never seem to stop fighting.

(Probably sooner than I think).

"Kensie! Mason! Stop bickering. Come here and sit down and watch this video!"

And then I will say, "Just look how cute you used to be in the good 'ol days..."

I love those two.

***

PS- I'm heading down to the basement RIGHT NOW to do the workout I missed yesterday! Sometimes, just writing it down is all the motivation I need...

Peace!

Basement dreamin'

It's Thursday and my kids are napping.

I'm supposed to be doing my weight lifting routine in the basement on Thursdays.

But, today I'm zapped and don't feel like it.

It might have something to do with staying up WAY TOO LATE the past few nights in a row.

Why you ask? Oh, no reason really.

Other than coveting my time alone with the hubs while the kids sleep--watching movies, dumb TV shows, looking at cars on craigslist....really no good reason. And we are both paying for it. Dragging our feet. Suffering from headaches. Guzzling coffee and Mt. Dew. Yeah. We're smart like that.

So instead of getting fit in the basement I'm dreaming up ideas for that dungeon down there...

Like this basement laundry room:




BHG

  

I especially love the curtains covering the walls and the exposed white painted ceiling with the hanging lights. And that table covering the washer and dryer is awesome! So bright and cheery. Pretty much everything our basement is NOT right now.

***

And I would LOVE a larger playroom in the basement like this:




HGTV



Fun colors, nice built in shelves to stay organized, and LOTS of room to play.

***

And maybe if I had a workout room that looked like this I would be down there even on those blah days:



Source



Yes, I think I could easily lose track of time while looking at that mural. Simply stunning.

*YAWN*

Man, I gotta go to bed early tonight....

Mr. Mason Man and Miss Kensie Girl {new stages}

This boy has a smile that can light up a room. Seriously. And those big blue eyes--just like his big sister. He melts me from the inside out with that sweet face. He's 5 months today and just gets cuter by the second.

I never thought boy babies could be cuter than girl babies. You know what I mean? Not that girls are cuter than boys...I just always had it in my head that baby girls would ALWAYS beat out baby boys (in the "cute" department anyway). But, now I bite my lip. I tell Greg almost every night before bed, "I really never thought a boy could be cuter than Kensie but, I think Mason just might have passed her up!"

I've said it before but he has SO much more personality than Kensie did at this stage.

Who knows how that will translate once HE turns 2. Speaking of turning 2.....someone is crossing over to her second year of life in a month.

Miss Kensie has had a few more spanks and time-outs this week. Oh my dear Kensie girl. She has run out of teething excuses, up-too-late-last-night excuses, etc. As one friend put it, she's just growing up. Testing to see which buttons are best to push. I see her frustration when she can't communicate, or can't finish whatever task she's trying so desperately to finish. And I see her wanting to make her own choices. Not just the ones I give her. *Sigh*. And I'm trying to stay calm. Make lots of eye-contact. Talk calmly repeating the SAME thing for the ten thousandth time. Many of my friends have kids between ages 2 and 3....and well, I think I'm next. Should be an interesting year to say the least.

I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to potty training, moving to her big-girl bed, and being in the front lines of parenting. Consistency is key but patience is fleeting. So pray for me if you think of it.

Mr. Noodle

I love our town. It reminds me so much of the town I grew up in. Cute little downtown with unique shops and boutiques. Farmer's Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Just minutes from the beach. Small enough to run into people you know. A place where "college-town" meets "family-friendly". A perfect place to raise your kids.

It's definitely what gets me through those tough mid-west winters sometimes.
That's for sure. 

Every Thursday night {during the summer} is Street Performers Night!

It's basically an outdoor talent show featuring a variety of live performances throughout downtown. They close off the street for easy walking and performers litter the sidewalks in every nook and cranny.

Singers

Hip-hop dancers

Juggling acts

Belly-dancers

Magicians

and Kensie's favorite.....

Mr. Noodle

Well, that's what we call him anyway.

Big shoes. Red nose. A hat full of tricks. Silly suspenders and white gloves. The quintessential clown.

He never says a word but, has the ability to capture an audience {especially kids}.

What a fun and rewarding gift he has!

Unfortunately, he wasn't there last night. We walked up and down the street while Kensie repeated, "Noonle...Noonle...Noonle".

Even the "juggling-fire-while-riding-a-unicycle" act didn't impress her.

Let's hope Mr. Noodle is there next week, or I'm gonna have some serious explaining to do.

My motto

My new motto lately {one of many by the way} has been this:

"Mommies think about mommy things and Daddies think about Daddy things"

It's silly, but I say it ALL the time.

It has recently helped avoid many a conflict between Greg and I.

All in all, it keeps me sane.

Here's some {purely hypothetical of course} examples:

• When packing the diaper bag...
• Mommies remember everything for baby--plus some extras.
• Daddies remember everything accept the most important thing (ie: got the formula, but forgot the bottle...got the wipes, but forgot the diapers).

• When eating a snack...
• Mommies eat the same thing as their toddler to avoid a scene--or sneak it in the kitchen when the child is not looking.
• Daddies eat what sounds the best at the moment (like cheetos, or cookies of some kind)--in the living room, with an open can of Mt. Dew on the floor between munching, IN FRONT OF THE CHILD.

• When putting the kids to bed...
• Mommies (1) brush the toddlers teeth (2) get them in pj's (3) turn on the fan [for noise] and (4) shut the door.
• Daddies do 2 out of the 4.

• When doing "man-required" projects around the house...
• Mommies don't do "man-required" projects but, if they DID (and some of you mommies may) tools would be color coded and hanging in alphebetical order with labeled bins for scraps high up on shelves AWAY from kids. Am I right?
• Daddies leave every possible tool and scrap piece out in plain sight until whenever they get around to working on it next--usually on the floor. Perfect kid magnets.

• When coming into the house...
• Mommies take their shoes off and line them up against the wall.
• Daddies drop their shoes (and socks!) wherever they feel like it--usually in high traffic areas.

• When sitting down for dinner...
• Mommies only put the food out that will be consumed.
• Daddies leave ALL food and preparations out 'cuz they "might" eat some more later. And it ends up staying out until bedtime rolls around.

So, while we still have "discussions" about these everyday things....I am TRYING my hardest to plaster my motto across my brain and let go a bit. It's not worth fighting over petty things. And honestly, there are a LOT of things Greg thinks about that hardly ever cross my mind.

Like:

• How to financially plan for our future and our kids' futures. Remember, yours truly is Spender McSpendsalot.
• In what order to do house projects. I often just want the end result, and don't care how we get there.
• Coming up with more efficient driving routes when we take family trips (his super-power).
• Being adventurous and willing to let the kids try new things. I have a comfort zone so big that it needs it's own zip code. Really. Truly.
• Taking the kids outside with him while he works around the house. I would just do it during naps, but he takes the time to work along side them. Precious to watch.

Who knows what next week's motto will be but for now, I'm thankful for both of our roles. We need each other.

Toothpaste {a friendly competition}

Every couple months we go through another tube of toothpaste.

(Usually Crest, 'cuz I'm high-maintenance when it comes to my teeth and I'm a spender. Greg would brush with baking soda if he had to, 'cuz all he thinks about is how much that tube of Crest is costing us....aren't we such a good balance for each other?)

Anyway, every time we near the end of yet another tube something ignites in Greg and I. Well, it ignites in Mr. Penny-pincher first ('cuz he wants to get every last dime outta that thing) and I follow along ('cuz I'm oober competitive).

A battle of the wills.

Who will be the one to finally throw it away and start a new one?

Oh, it's onnnnn.

Who usually wins?

mmm not me.
(guys have stronger thumbs okay?)

Am I bitter about it?

usually.

Do I cheat?

sometimes.

Who's keeping track?

both of us.

Is it childish?

probably.

***

Competitive much??

Just a little.

Another year {flashbacks on marriage}

We are celebrating 6 years of marriage today! Whoa.

I remember that first year of married life so so SO well.

Every. little. detail.....

Well, the wedding was a blur to be honest--thank goodness for pictures! But the moment we left for our honeymoon to the Riviera Maya, we soaked up every teeny tiny moment together.



He's all mine ladies....



We giggled every time we referred to the other as "husband" or "wife". And we couldn't wait to tell people we had just gotten hitched. With each week that passed we neared another month and it felt like FOREVER to get to 6 months. "Wow! We've been married for 6 months! Doesn't our wedding seem like SOOO long ago!" Oh my past little self...how much faster it would get. 

Our tiny one-bedroom apartment was barely furnished, but we loved it. We couldn't wait to invite our other newly-married friends over for cards, movies and double dates.



Cathi & Justin. Aaron & Allison
These are some of our long-time "newlywed" friends from college (they're not as crazy as they look...ok maybe just a 'lil crazy). We all got married within just a couple months of each other and now all 3 couples have 2 kids each (just months apart as well). They also stood up in our wedding. LOVE these guys. And this is by far my favorite pic of them.

 Ok, back to us...

I would spend all day thinking of how I wanted to set the table and what new recipe I would try for when my hunky man came home from work. We would go for long bike rides with no destination in mind....take as long as we I wanted wondering the malls....spend Sunday afternoons hid away in our bedroom....

Ahhhh that first year. There's just nothing like it. I truly remember thinking to myself, "this is everything I thought it would be!".

***

And although those days are gone (in some ways).....although we are busy with work, blessed with children (who add to the busyness)...although we find little time for dates and disagree on occasion....although we fight over the blankets and sleep on opposite sides of the bed sometimes....

...We celebrate 6 years gone by...we celebrate the depth of our conversations and late night talks...we celebrate our triumph over tough times and being there for each other when we need it most....we celebrate commitment and choosing to love even when we don't feel like it.....we celebrate marriage because not many do anymore.

Happy 6 years my love! I pray the next 6 will be even sweeter.

Pardon me...

...while I switch things up a bit.

I'm in the process of changing the style of this here blog. I'm an amateur mind you, so don't get too excited. Just a few font changes here and there, a few color and background tweaks and hopefully a more updated header pic (since we have a new member to the family who is almost 5 months old already!). Although I simply LOVE the feet pic {taken by the talented Tammi Dryden btw} and it's nearly impossible to re-create something that special a second time. Or maybe I'll do a collage of some kind...I dunno. But, mostly I wanted a W I D E R layout so my posts look less like a never-ending novel and make it easier on the eyes to read. Even though I know you read every post all the way to the end, right? Psshhhh. Yeah right. More like speed scanning--that's what I do most of the time (secret's out!). That's why I use lots of lists and bold letters--so you have an excuse to scan and get the gist (or is it 'jist'....they both look wrong but I really wanted to use the word. Oh well).

Gotta run!

Nursing {personal pro's and con's}

Today's topic? Nursing.

Controversial? ummm YES.

Like SO many child-rearing topics, nursing is one of those things mothers spend a lot of time discussing. Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding or both, it's a hot topic. Here's a few sub-topics to get you all fired up about...

• Nursing in public--it's legal but is it appropriate? And to what extent?
• How often should you nurse?--is it simply a matter of supply and demand or should you stick to scheduled feedings?
• How do you increase milk supply if your baby isn't getting enough? (Don't get me started on how much I've read up on this one and how many crazy ideas are out there...) 
• Should you nurse your baby to sleep? Or keep them awake after a feeding?
• If your baby cries after the bottle is empty does it mean he/she is still hungry? Or does your baby not know he/she is full and is crying out of frustration more than hunger?
• If nursing is easy for you: to what age should you nurse your baby?
• If nursing is a hard for you: how long do you struggle with it and when is it ok to "throw in the towel"?
• When and how do you start to wean your baby? (Which I'm currently starting to do with Mason for many reasons. Keep reading to find out...)

**As far as all that (above) is concerned....do what is best for you, your family, and your way of life. When it comes to nursing, there are no black and white answers. Every baby is different and every mom is different. You should not feel forced into a corner by one person's experience. Learn what you can from others and apply it if needed.
That's my opinion.** 

So, here's my perspective in a list ('cuz I like lists...and 'cuz I like looking back a year from now to remember where I was at...and mostly 'cuz I'm not good at writing in paragraphs and have terrible grammar).

PRO'S--short and sweet:

1. It's FREE. Formula is expensive. Period.
2. It's better for baby (from a nutritional stand-point)
3. Prevents baby from getting sick (due to the antibodies you give through your milk)
4. It's great bonding for mama and baby
5. It teaches patience and persistence (can also be a con)--which I always need to practice.

CON'S--this is where it gets more personal and "wordy":

1. It's hard to nurse baby #2 when baby #1 doesn't understand the importance of feedings and wants you to play with her instead of nurse her baby brother. Multiply this scenario by 6 feedings a day and it starts to get old. Fast.
2. I DON'T LIKE NURSING IN PUBLIC. I wish I did. I don't mind when other people do but I'm not graceful at it. My babies are loud and messy eaters and therefore draw attention, not to mention the clumsy "shield" I have to use and cannot go an.y.where without it. And depending on the circumstance....what do you do if baby #1 starts acting up in public while you are nursing baby #2?? You have to bring a babysitter along if you go anywhere. Overall, me no likey. 
3. I'm one of about 7% of ladies who start their menstral cycle immediately following the 6 week after-birth. Yes, with both babies. Yes, even though I am nursing. I get my period once a month. Horray. After Kensie was born I was shocked but just went on with nursing like I thought I was supposed to. She ended up losing weight between 5 and 6 months old and I eventually switched to formula and was done nursing. I honestly have met NO ONE in real life who shares this experience. It wasn't until I came across this blog that I stopped thinking I was a complete freak-of-nature. In short, having my period affects the taste and supply of my milk--causing a fussier, night-waking baby during that dreaded week once a month. This time around (after Mason) I knew what I was getting into so I pumped A TON in the beginning and had a freezer stocked full of "emergency milk". I also started taking "the pill" this time around which eliminated my actual period but I still seem to have a drop in supply once a month. Booo!
4. I can't keep up with his growth spurts as a result of point #3. He is such a good sleeper if he gets enough to eat. So an extra bottle at night has really helped with the night-wakings. But, I currently have less than a week's worth of "emergency milk" left!

Now that I'm looking at my list it's no wonder that after ALL that I have indeed decided to start weaning my dear Mason. It is time. And I will be doing it much slower this round. I went cold turkey with Kensie and I was miserable for 3 straight days. So, this time I am substituting one nursing session with a bottle usually around his 3pm feeding. Then we'll move to 2 and so on. I'm looking to be done by the time he is 6 months old.

And that's my take on nursing! If you actually made it to the bottom I'm impressed...not always a fun topic but I like to keep things interesting!

I could watch this girl all day. Oh wait, I do.

Just being herself. Weird. Silly. Creative. Full of energy...



Kids just make me laugh sometimes.

Musical Cribs

We are on our third crib for miss Kensie.

Yes, third.

Here's the FIRST crib:

Ahhh, the nursery in the beginning stage. Blank walls. New crib (minus the mattress at this point in the pic). No curtains yet. Fresh new rug on our newly refinished wood floors. Anxiously waiting to meet our first baby girl. 

And then she came and filled this crib full of sweetness....



{I can't believe how little she is here!}

I love this crib.

We found it on craigslist (if I had a dime for every time I said that...) and it has everything we wanted in a high-quality crib but (again) for a THIRD of the price. SCORE. Big time. As in, "we-got-a-4-piece-Pottery-Barn-nursery-furniture-set" kind of score. Yeah.

I love this crib.

An.y.way....

9 months past by...

and I was pregnant again.

Excited. Thrilled.

But, we needed a second crib. So, we moved the (above) crib into the "new nursery" (which now belongs to Mason) and my thoughtful friend Jessica offered to loan us the SECOND crib...

A perfect fit and exactly my taste.

That makes one crib for Kensie and one crib for Mason.

Problem solved!

Then....

Jessica was pregnant again.

Her third girl.

{Jess is one of those cute Moms you could totally picture with 3 adorable girls. Go check out her blog here to see what I mean. Adorable right? I told you.}

Anyway, she is due in September--right around Kensie's second birthday.

You do the math.

I wasn't ready to force Kensie out of the crib to a big girl bed yet, so we had to think of something quick!

We figured it was worth investing in a second crib so, back to craigslist we went and found her THIRD crib...



A convertible crib that will go from crib to toddler bed to full size headboard.

And in case you were wondering....cribs DON'T FIT THROUGH DOORWAYS. That means disassemble, reassemble, disassemble, reassemble....etc. We are now professional crib-setter-uppers to say the least.

But, I think we are DONE with the musical crib game. Whew!

For a while anyway....

:)

Puzzles!

I feel like I am on a video marathon here by sharing one in every post lately {my apologies to those of you hoping for something other than "life with kids" kind of posts--it's such a BIG part of my life}. But, there's something about watching toddlers grow and learn that just beckons me to pull out the camera, ya know?

Kensie spends a lot of time doing puzzles. After she hops down from breakfast at the counter, she wanders over to her kid table and becomes enthralled in some kind of puzzle. Sometimes she will do them by herself. But, usually she wants me to sit with her and cheer her on to finish one.

I see her determination to finish and her satisfaction once it's done.

Such simple accomplishments make me swell with pride.

Pockets and Shews

This girl loves two things right now....

Pockets.

Pockets on shorts.

Pockets on dresses.

Pockets on other people's shorts and shirts.

Pockets, pockets, pockets.

And her hands must be in them at ALL times.

It's all fun and games until the day she runs with her hands in her pockets and trips and falls and...well, you know what would happen next...

Ouch.

She also loves "shews" as she calls them.

Her shoes.

Daddy's shoes.

Mommy's shoes.

Mason's shoes.

Everyone must wear their shoes at ALL times.

She frequently brings me various pairs of shoes and informs me who they belong to.

And like any good mom would, I play along.

For now.