Hello Weekend!

It was such a nice morning out, so MG and I decided to take a little stroll and get some sunshine and fresh air before it becomes too hot. These temps lately have been stifling, and have kept us indoors, rather than in our favorite rocker on the porch.


The weekend is upon us and I'm gearing up for another weekend full of festivities. Bobby's mom is coming in for a visit this weekend, and MG is looking forward to the spoiling that is sure to take place.

Tomorrow I'm off for a bridal shower celebrating one of my dearest friends, Chickadee. This mommy is looking forward to dressing up, getting out of the house, and enjoying an evening of fun with friends. A good girls night is way past due. This is just a taste of what's to come and I'm getting so excited for her wedding next month! I know it is going to be beautiful and fun, just like her! :)

I thought I'd save the best for last. I have some very exciting news to share. 

{I'm going to be an aunt!}

 My sweet niece/nephew is due a few days shy of Christmas. Needless to say, this year the holidays are going to be extra special for our family: MG's first Christmas and a sweet new bundle to love on! I cannot wait! I'm rooting for the pink team. It would be so much fun to have another little lady around for MG to grow up with.

Here's to a Happy Friday and a Fabulous Weekend!

Getting My Ducks In A Row

As a new mom, I'm still working on finding my balance in life. Back when our house was home to a population of two, it was easy to keep all the facets of my life in order. Funny how adding one more person {a tiny person at that} can throw everything off kilter. I'm struggling to find my balance between being a wife, new mother to our sweet baby, housework, my career, responsibilities as a Sunday school teacher, finding time for friends, and taking much needed time for myself....

Whoa. I'm overwhelmed just typing it out.

Speaking of housework....

The oh-so-not-fun part of returning from any vacation is the unpacking, washing, cleaning, and putting away. I made it through the unpacking, washing, and cleaning phase, but I've lost all motivation so things are not yet put away. Being honest- when it comes to housework these days, I cannot seem to stay afloat. My inner OCD self is shaking her finger at me while cringing at the messiness. It's always been hard for me to relax and enjoy my time at home if things are out of place.  At the end of the day, I have to remind myself that these little moments with my sweet MG will be gone oh so quickly. Knowing that makes leaving the housework undone a bit easier.

I am learning though. I've recently started to gain perspective and weed out the important from the unimportant. If you walk into my house on any given day you'll find at least one load of laundry that needs folding, bottles/dishes that need tending to, and toys and various baby items decorating my living room. Chances are I'd still be in my pj's trying to finish my cup of coffee even though it's now lunchtime.

 But you'll also find the most adorable baby girl and a Mommy and Daddy who couldn't be happier.

A Week of Firsts- Beach Trip

Nothing says summertime quite like a trip to the coast. We had such a wonderful time at the beach with our family. My favorite part was seeing Mary Grace meet some of her family for the first time and celebrating my husband's first 'Daddy's Day'. MG had a blast at the beach and returned home fully spoiled! To our surprise, she loved the pool- the cold ocean water on her feet, not so much. I think her favorite thing was riding around town on the golf cart. We've decided we should invest in one to ride around the lake on since MG loved it so much. Mommy and Daddy were able to have dinner together-just the two of use- twice! We enjoyed having a few moments to spend together as a couple.  We had family pictures taken, so I will post them when we get them back. In the meantime, here are a few pictures {and a video} to tide you over:

{First time on the beach}

 {Feeling the sand on her toes for the first time}

 

 {First feel of the ocean}

 {Having fun in the pool for the first time}

Strolling Along

Sunday evening we had the pleasure of having Miss Addy over for another visit. We decided to take the girls out for a little stroll around the lake. They were doing so great, our brave souls ventured all the way around the lake. I love seeing Addy and MG growing up together- and I love having such a sweet Mommy-friend to share this journey with.

I just noticed that you can only see the very top of MG's head. 

My husband. The great photographer.

{Let's Be Honest} My adventures in Mommyhood are not all rainbows and sunshine. Just minutes after our guests arrived, Miss Mary Grace had a major blowout which ended up getting all over her, me, and the floor. Can we say embarrassing!

The fun wasn't over yet though. Once she was all cleaned up and ready to go, we walked back into the living room where she proceeded to have a major spit-up attack all over me. Mortified!

That's the real side of Mommyhood!

Double Digits- 10 Weeks

As of yesterday, our sweet Mary Grace is 10 weeks old. Where has the time gone I ask you?

{We've officially started putting her in the big girl bed for naps during the day}.

{Yummy! That fist must taste good!}

 {Love those sweet baby feet}

 {Playtime with Lucy Lion and other friends while Mommy packs}

 {Check out those eyelashes}

Tomorrow we are off to Destin, which means I will be on 'blog vacation' and may not get a chance to post until I return. Although, a guest post may be in the works. You just never know!

See you in a week!

Travel Essentials

The Necessities

• diapers and wipes (way more than I think I could possibly need)--however, the hubs suggested just taking a few and then once we arrive swinging by Target and buying enough for the week. This would definitely save precious cargo room.
• bottles/formula/gas drops/pacifiers/Boudreauxs's booty paste
• bibs/burp cloths
• onesies (for sleep time)
• daytime outfits (1-2 per day; hello spit up happens!)-- The rental house has a washer/dryer, so I thought about packing less outfits and then just washing them as needed. Then again, I'd have to do laundry on my vacation.... hmmm.
• swimsuits/sun hats/and the cutest pair of baby shades
• Little Swimmers diapers (almost forgot these)
• blankets (Aden+Anais blankies are the perfect combination of lightweight yet can be folded for added thickness- my faves!)
• bath products (shampoo/all over body wash/lotion)
• pack n play/extra sheets/disposable multi-use pads
• bouncy seat (maybe)
• playmat/toys
• accessories: hairbows, socks, shoes, etc
• sunscreen (will try Water Babies brand)
• stroller/car seat
• diaper bag with all our go-to items
• Sleep Sheep (cannot leave home without him!)

The Extras

• camera/video camera/chargers
• baby float for the pool
• Easy-Up tent for beach
• Infantino baby carrier (not sure if I'll use it or not, but I'd rather have it than not, just in case)

Whoa! I'm exhausted just typing this, let alone actually packing/organizing it. All of that for such a little person. If I start today I might be finished in time to leave early Saturday morning.In between packing, I'm also trying to clean up the house before we leave. Plus, we still need to wash/clean out our vehicles.

Okay Mommies out there, if there is anything I need to add to the packing list, please let me know. This is my first time packing for an extended trip with baby in tow so I can use all the suggestions you can give.

Hello Monday

Our washing machine finally kicked the bucket last night. This meant I had the not-so-fun pleasure of starting my week of by looking for a new set. Joy.

On the flip side, I'm super excited about doing laundry now since I get to use these beauties! Which is a good thing, since I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry thanks to the Spit-Up Queen, better known as Mary Grace.

Happy Monday!

I hope yours started off better than mine!

{On a side note: We're looking for someone in need of a good dryer we could donate ours too. If you know of someone, let me know!}

Hodgepodge

 

I thought I'd post about something other than pregnancy and baby {which I haven't done in forever}. So here are a few ramblings.....

 

{Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married} That would be the theme song for this weekend.  My baby brother is getting married tomorrow. How did this happen? He should still be eight years old, playing in the dirt, and driving me crazy, not heading to the chapel to say 'I do'. We're kicking off the festivities tonight with the rehearsal dinner. Brother nominated me to be wedding coordinator, so this lady will be busy, busy, busy. 

Last night while trying to transfer play date pictures from my camera to the computer, I somehow managed to format my memory card and successfully delete ALL 392 pictures {yes, they were all of Mary Grace- starting from birth}. Thank heavens I had already downloaded the previous pictures yesterday morning while blogging, so all is not lost. Due to this, I decided to try out Shutterfly- mainly to backup my photos online. I now know what all the hype is about! Why hasn't this new Mommy joined the club sooner?

Okay, so I said I'd post about things other than bay-bay, but I can't help myself. One week from tomorrow we will be leaving for a week long beach vaca to Destin. I made a rough list of things to pack for our little beach bambino and let's just say I'd better start packing now if I plan to leave on time. This is our first big trip with baby in tow and I'm sure I'll end up packing to much of some things and not enough of others. If any of you fellow Mommies out there have any advice, this girl is all ears.

 The new season of Dance Moms is officially underway and my inner self is doing pirouettes in my pink tutu. The hubby gives me a hard time about watching the mindless drama that is Dance Moms. What can I say, it's my guilty pleasure.

After 4 years of blogging you're well aware that I am a book worm. I  adore books and stand by my idea that nothing beats a good read. I've amassed quite a large library over the years and have run out of room to store my treasures. My hubby {who is an e-bay addict and would sell everything we own if I didn't keep a check on him} suggested selling some of my books online. I created a seller account on Amazon yesterday, listed a few books, and within a few hours had already sold one. So far so good! 

Here's to a fabulous weekend full of all sorts of fun!

Happy Friday! 

First Playdate

This afternoon Addy came over for a playdate with Mary Grace. It was so cute seeing Addy get so excited! She kept looking at Mary Grace, jumping up and down, smiling, and trying to touch her! I have a feeling these two are going to be great friends!

Sweet Mary Grace- 2 Months Old

Dear Mary Grace,
Mommy can't believe you're 2 months old today... gone are the days of you fitting into all those precious, tiny newborn clothes, as you have officially moved into 0-3 month attire. You're growing like a weed and as of your 2 month checkup today, you are 10.7  pounds (50% percentile), 22 inches (50% percentile), and your head measures 38.5 cm. You had your 2 month shots, and it broke Mommy's heart to see tears running down your little cheeks {first time that has happened}...I cried because I can't stand the thought of you being in pain. Woe is me. Next time Daddy is taking you.

 I can't lie, I am enjoying this time a teeny bit more than the first month. You're so much more interactive with us these days and my heart melts with every smile, laugh, and giggle. You know our voices and as soon as I enter the room and start to talk to you, you look for me instantly...talk about happiness, I don't think it gets much better than that. You have also discovered your hands and insist on having them in your mouth all the time...they must really taste yummy!

You love bathtime  {at first you loathed bathtime} and I get excited for your bath each night because I know you'll start smiling and splashing around in the water. Our little routine is still the same: bathtime between 7:15-7:30, then your nightly bottle/bedtime story, and then your down by 8:30 at the latest.

We are officially done with the breastfeeding and have moved on to formula full-time, which has made things around our home much better. As long as we arm ourselves with Tummy Drops and make sure you're well burped, your indigestion and gas has gotten a lot better-thank heavens! You also eat about 4oz every 3-4 hours, and then we give you a 6oz bottle at night right before bed so you can sleep longer and then you eat another 6 oz when you wake up between 2-3 a.m.

Sleep training for you is going fairly well these days, I am happy to report. You've had some 6 and 7 hour nights of uninterrupted sleep lately, and daddy and I are grateful for those nights. We are officially going to start working on getting you to sleep in your nursery during the day. I'm not yet ready for you to sleep in your big girl bed at night, though. I love having you sleep next to me in your bassinet, though I know we need to introduce you to your own space during the day to gain some independence and get you used to sleeping in your own room soon. You fall asleep best when you listen to the beach waves or the whale noises on my iPhone {Mommy is ordering you a Sleep Sheep so I can get my phone back}.

You  love tummy time and can spend all morning playing on your mat, "talking" to your friends and inching your way around the fun. You're starting to get the itch to roll and you get 1/2 way over and then get tired so you grunt like a pig and stop...I'm assuming by the next monthly update, you'll be rolling over big girl! You absolutely LOVE your swing and can spend long periods of time just looking around and listening to the 'hoot owls' sounds from your swing.

My one saving grace is your love of the outdoors-if you're being fussy or are fighting nap time, all I have to do is walk outside onto the porch and you instantly become a happy baby again. We spend lots of afternoons watching the turtles swim around the lake, listening to the birds chirp, and watching Louie man nap.

You are starting to coo and make little noises in response to someone talking to you or playing with you. It's so sweet to hear those precious little sounds!

Going on outings has gotten a lot better with you as well...you used to scream when we'd put you in the carseat, yet now you realize that means we're venturing out of the house and you sit so calmly in anticipation of what is to come.

Mommy had to go back to work for a couple of weeks and you spent your time with Nanny J. You LOVE Nanny J {so does Mommy and Daddy}. We couldn't ask for a sweeter person to look after you while we're at work. I know Nanny J is going to miss not having you everyday this Summer- but Mommy is looking forward to spending all her time with you!

 

This month has been so much fun! Everyday we see a little more of your personality, and it is such a joy discovering who you are! We love you so much and look forward to what next month has in store!

 

Dedication

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.
 1 Samuel 1: 27-28

Mary Grace had her dedication at church on Sunday, June 3rd. We are so thankful to the Lord for blessing us with this child. It is our most sincere prayer that the Lord with guide us to become the parents HE has intended for us to be. We want Mary Grace to see our love for Jesus and our sacrificial hearts for HIS ministry in the hopes that she, too, will become a lover of God and all things HE desires.

Brother Franklin did a wonderful job and we really enjoyed his message.

{Mary Grace wore her smocked dress I made and her special baby bonnet. Now they will be retired to a frame until her children arrive}

 

Excerpt from the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 1...

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”

23“Do what seems best to you,” Elkanah her husband told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,^e an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, 26and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And she worshiped the Lord there.