THE WEEKLY

THE WEEKLY

January 30, 2016

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It's a quiet Friday around here. I'm packing us up to take a quick weekend trip to Charlotte! I kind of wish we could extend it and really explore the city but as it is, we're in need of a mattress so we're off to Ikea. I'm not going to lie, the idea of shopping all day in a busy store with our two littles scares me a little. Positive vibes & prayers, please! But, I'm itching to eye some new fun stuff for the house and frozen yogurt, of course.

Nico is teething. I mean, they are RIGHT there and still, nothing. Poor guy is also fighting off a case of the crummies. I feel for my guy this week!

Lia is grounded this week. I hate that. I hate that I had to ground my six-year old. But I also hate the turn her attitude is taking lately. I tell myself that these should be the easy years and then I tell myself certain situations occur and things happen and sometimes, just sometimes kids struggle too.

On a brighter note, I just finished this book. I was completely hooked and I found myself reading the last chapters in a hurry, itching to find out what happened!

I plan on gabbing about it (and a lot of other things too) at book club tonight with some friends while my sweet guy picks up our boy a new carseat tonight. It's the end of an era. Or, the first year of babyhood! We're switching Nico to a rear-facing convertible seat in hopes that he'll protest his carseat a little less often.

The rest of this week was good. My sweet girl brought me flowers. There was a lunch date with my sweet guy. A solo trip to HomeGoods (!!) and I stocked up on some books at the library.

Here's to the last weekend of January!

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AROUND THE WEB

AROUND THE WEB

January 28, 2016

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I'm single-parenting it up tonight while our guy is at school. And, I've got a pile of reading to do for school which I'm going to promptly overlook so I can finish this book.

So for your reading pleasure....

Some good things around the web!

I think I'm going to make these for book club tomorrow night. Everyone likes mac and cheese, right?

GAP does it again.

I never finished her first book and now Marie Kondo has another (illustrated!) book. Fingers crossed my library stocks it!

Pinning a little inspiration for Nico's walls.

Barbie has a new look! What do you think?

One of my favorite books as a kid has been turned into a graphic novel!

On decorating with kids in the house. Lia was an easy, chill babe and worrying over furniture wasn't really something I spent too much time on. With Nico though? I'm constantly looking at everything with fresh eyes just wondering how long it takes him to realize he can knock it over/pull it down/climb on top of it. It usually doesn't take long and I feel like I am constantly "baby-proofing" things.

How to be a more mindful parent. A good, quick read I needed.

And, another good one on parenting. 

Here's to Thursday night, xo.

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CURRENTLY

CURRENTLY

January 26, 2016

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reading Paper Towns.

adding a few valentine touches around the house.

enjoying slobbery (and snotty) kisses from my littlest little.

laughing at the funny moments of being a mom to a six year old.

planning a guest room update.

getting into the groove of school and the schedule that goes along with it again.

excited for a weekend trip to Ikea!

working on an "organize all the photos" project.

trying to teach Nico how to walk!

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A FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT

A FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT

January 25, 2016

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I contacted a local mama friend of mine back in December and asked her to take some photos for us. It's our first official set as a family of four! We squeezed them in one afternoon after school and before dinner. The kids were a little restless and cranky but she got some amazing shots of us.

Now, I just need to actually print them to hang!

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FOUR | FIFTY-TWO

FOUR | FIFTY-TWO

January 24, 2016

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2016.

Lia: Her new smile! While at a dentist appointment, two baby teeth that were apparently hanging by threads were pulled out for her safety. She looks even more adorable with her new grin.

Nico: Mac and cheese and puffs with mama and daddy at lunch!

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THE WEEKLY

THE WEEKLY

January 23, 2016

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It's Saturday afternoon and it's gray and cold outside. We saw a snow flurry or two earlier this morning which felt more like my dreams of actual snow being crushed more than excitement over the flurries themselves. 

Now the babe is napping, the girl is building Legos with her dad and I'm trying to get back on the blogging train. I'm also hoping to sneak away for a mama only shopping trip later! 

This week was a good one. Nico has been taking a few steps here and there. Though I think we're still a little ways from him full-on walking. Lia lost two teeth! She had a dental appointment for some work and she was under anesthesia. Apparently her bottom two teeth were hanging by threads so the dentist removed them for safety. She was loopy when she woke up and didn't believe me but she came around to the idea and was pretty excited the tooth fairy left her $2. I have no idea what teeth are going for these days! Just another thing they should put in that non-existing parenting manual.

In other Lia news, she received a few awards at school this week! Principal's Honor Roll and the Raider Award. Her school mascot/logo/whatever they call it is a Raider and the award is gifted every quarter to one or two kids per class and it recognizes their ability to be respectful and dependable and accountable along with some other things. But to see my girl walk up on stage, unexpected because the Raider Award is a surprise for the kids, and not melt down in front of the crowd makes me so incredibly proud of her. Kindergarten has helped her come a very long way in the social department.

Though I can't say it's tampered down any sassiness and attitude she dishes out to us. Ha, right?!

Other fun mentionables:

I started reading my old American Girl Molly books to Lia at night.
Bowling. Terribly, in my case.

Nico is thisclose to getting his first tooth.

Pizza night and The Lego Movie with my crew.

Lunch at a new restaurant with my guy.

And, twinkly lights and yellow flowers. 

Here's to the rest of the weekend. Stay warm and happy!

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THE WEEKLY

THE WEEKLY

January 17, 2016

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We started our week off checking in with the kids' pediatrician for N's one-year checkup. He's happy and healthy and very busy. We're working on transitioning him off milk and so far it's making him eat so much food! He had lunch with us at Chick-Fil-A and can I say that it felt a little weird to eat with one hand while making sure he had a steady supply of apples and chicken salad to feed himself with. This growing up thing gets me every time.

Things with Lia are a little rough still. She's struggling with sleeping through the night and we're working on staying calm and patient while trying to focus on making family time a chosen priority. On a fun note, she picked out her first "big" Lego set and we spent hours at the dining table building a cupcake cafe!

I'm settling into a new semester of school. I decided to drop one class that was going to involve more work than I originally thought and replaced with another class later this semester. Last year was so hard and though I am proud I made it through, I need a tiny break in the school department. Two classes is good for the first few months of this year.

The rest of the week was full of cleaning out the pantry and filling it back up. We have gotten really behind on food shopping and making regular meals. We're getting back on track. The pantry is full, the house is clean-ish (I have two tiny hurricanes that go by Nico & Lia...) and laundry is being tackled. And we used this long weekend to to snuggle on the sofa, pull out all the toys, and watch a few movies together.

And I am really excited that the weekend is still happening tomorrow! Happy Week, my friends.

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THREE | FIFTY-TWO

THREE | FIFTY-TWO

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2016.

Lia: The imagination on this one! Rarely can I capture a photo without her realizing it nor can I get one without her making a dance pose or acting like an animal.

Nico: He's looking like a real boy. The baby quality about him is leaving too fast. This week, we're working on transitioning him to milk and a cup. I am excited for what's to come but it's bittersweet, for sure.

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TWELVE MONTHS

TWELVE MONTHS

January 13, 2016

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Guys, we did it. This year has been a whirlwind. We loved just as hard as we struggled. And now that we're all sort of sleeping a little more and bottles are almost something of the past, we're all kind of coming out of the first-year haze.

Twelve months....

Weighs 20 lbs 9 oz and wears 6-12 and 12 month clothing.
Takes a few bottles a day but we're mixing cow's milk with his usual formula.
Eats table food along with baby food and snacks.
Loves spaghetti, carrots and scrambled eggs. Hates organic yogurt so far.
Is a wild child.
Climbs onto the kitchen chair to reach the food set on the kitchen table.
Climbs onto the coffee table.
Basically climbs onto anything he can.
He's also good at climbing out of things. Strollers, shopping carts, the bathtub...
High-fives!
Still only says mama.
Is getting a tooth!
Plays hard all day.
Still naps. Usually twice a day.
Learning to wave goodbye.
Charms the heck out of everyone he meets.
Still has the best smile.
He's a complete mama's boy.
Not walking but he gets arounds quick.
He's growing so fast and I can just see how much he loves growing up.

My sweet boy...

This is probably the last of these monthly posts. Nico just does not like sitting still for pictures and I think capturing these past 12 (twelve, seriously!...) months this way was perfect. Each month when I'm writing the new post, I glance back at the old ones and I'm smitten with this little guy all over again. His smile! The way his hair grew! How he transformed from the tiniest babe to the dashing boy he is today!

I'll pop in every now and then with stats and fun little things he's doing and learning and saying but it'll be more casual.

For now, here's to our boy. Our dear sweet boy who has stolen all of our hearts. We love you!

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