Easter Basket Fun

I'm so, so excited for Easter this year. Last year we didn't really do anything- no basket, no egg hunt, and I'm pretty sure my husband had to work. Miss A was ten months old and I decided we'd wait until next year to celebrate.

I mean, really...where does the time go!? The pictures I took for her Easter "session" are some of my favorite baby pictures. That purple dress, headband, Easter bib...she was perfect, in every single way. You bet I'm taking Easter pictures again this year, I don't care if they'll be a blur as she runs around and dives off the couch!

So I'm participating in the Easter basket blog hop and thought it would be fun to share with you what I got Miss A for her basket, or in this case, bucket!

I thought about getting Miss A a white basket. I saw plenty that I loved but in the end I thought getting her a bucket would be much easier for her to carry as she collects eggs and it will be something she can reuse later. Plus, Minnie is on the front; I knew she'd love nothing more.  

I didn't want to go crazy with her bucket. For one thing, it's not all that big, and I wanted everything to fit. Everything fit perfectly, until I found a book that I couldn't pass up. She has a new outfit, a skirt and shirt combo (that has a popsicle on the front, win win), a colorful Slinky, a pink sunhat, a glittery bracelet, a Minnie Mouse straw cup, and her very first chocolate bunny!

I know she's going to love the bracelet as she can't get enough of my own. I'm curious to see what she does with the Slinky. I found it in Target's dollar spot and I loved the pastel color. And don't worry- I'm not going to give her that entire bunny in one sitting. She'll have a couple of pieces every now and then until one of us eats the rest for her. :) I'm also excited about the straw cup as she needs practice using a straw. I'd love to give her some smoothies to drink in the upcoming months! I wasn't planning on getting her clothes, but I saw the popsicle T-shirt and couldn't pass it up. Crazy 8 is a dangerous store for my wallet.

I can't wait to see her face Easter morning!

Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend actually felt like a real weekend. It has been a while, a loooong while, since my husband has had two consecutive days off, let alone an entire weekend. I actually don't look forward to weekends; due to the fact that everyone else gets to have their husbands home and Miss A and I are left to figure out what to do on our own. Shopping on the weekends with her stresses me out with the crowds and busy parking lots, so we usually stick to home and stay pretty low-key when my husband has to work on a Saturday or Sunday.

We spent the early part of Saturday finishing up Miss A's very own swing set! Her grandparents (my parents) bought her this swing set as a very early birthday present and it arrived at our house a few weeks ago. I've been dying, waiting for the hubby to have enough time to put it all together. He had the majority done earlier last week and only needed to attach the swings and anchor the whole thing down. I knew she was going to love it.

After Miss A woke up from her nap we all went on the swings. The three of us, with our adult bums being squished from the tiny seats, but any time either of us got up, she'd say, "Dada swing" and "Mama swing." We happily obeyed. :)

Later that evening we decided to head for dinner. We walked around the outdoor portion of the mall (which was packed with girls in colorful, vibrant prom dresses!) and found a place to eat dinner. That's where all the fun ended- Miss A was NOT having it in the high chair and I had to hold her in my lap, somehow managing to eat a burger and fries with her on top of me. By the end of the night we were exhausted and crashed on the couch to catch up on our DVR.

The next day we invited our friends over to grill and check out the swing set! It was a beautiful day, with highs in the 80s. Perfect day to spend outside on our deck. I marinated some chicken, chopped up some veggies, roasted potato wedges, and served slices of bread with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. 

I absolutely LOVE this new outfit I got for Miss A at Old Navy, along with these clear jelly (!!!) shoes. THAT ARE SCENTED. Oh my God I've never loved a pair of shoes more, and neither has she, because she refuses to take them off!

We had lots of fun letting the girls take turns on the swings and play with the balls and cars we had on the deck. Then, I managed to snap this picture.

For dessert I made a no-bake Oreo pudding pie. It was the perfect addition to a grilled meal. Layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and Oreo crumbs! Very easy to make and very thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. I only wish I remembered to take a better picture before we cut into it!

She's definitely my girl, what a sweet tooth! 

Good Days

Sometimes I still have those days where I can't believe she's mine. I can't believe she's my daughter, I can't believe I have a daughter. I still have those moments where I hold her a little closer, breathe in her skin, kiss her cheeks and nose a thousand times, and look deep into her eyes. This tiny human- she's all mine, we created her. It will forever blow my mind.

She started off the day on the wrong foot, waking up earlier than usual, and was crying and whiny most of the morning. It could be the two teeth I see about ready to come in, who knows. After lunch she took an early nap and slept for a long time, much longer than she usually does. She was up and ready to play after that and we went to meet a friend at the park. By the time we got back home she was in a great mood. I was able to prep dinner peacefully as she roamed from the kitchen to the family room (we have an overpass in the kitchen so I can see her). As I was chopping veggies she reached for my hand so we could dance. It was the cutest and sweetest thing and we twirled around the kitchen together. Each time she pressed a button on her Minnie car and it played a new song, she reached up for my hand.

After dinner it was time for her bath and she asked me to draw "babies" for her in the tub. She has these bath crayons, which are great and wash off easy. She loves to "color" and "draw" during bath time. I drew lots of smiley faces aka babies, dogs, stars, and hearts. She wiped each one off with a towel and asked me to draw them over and over again. Once we were out of the bath it was time to read books. She grabbed her stack of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse books (all six of them) and plopped down next to me to read. It's one of the sweetest times of our day.

The best moment yesterday was right before I laid her down to sleep. As I was singing her bedtime song, "You Are My Sunshine", she snuggled in close to me and hummed along. I melted, hugging her tighter, wishing with all my heart that I could keep her this way forever. I hope I can remember it for the rest of my life.

So yeah, yesterday was a good day. A day to remember for the not-so-good days, when we're tired, cranky, or nothing is going our way. A day I'll keep close to my heart.

Spring Days & Preparing for Easter

It's no secret that I'm loving the weather lately. We're hanging out outside multiple times a day, having lunch, blowing bubbles, and walking up and down our driveway. She LOVES our driveway. It's slightly sloped so I think she thinks of it as a slide she can walk up and down. I used to try and hold her hand as she went down, afraid of her skinning her knees, but now she's mastered it, and I always make sure to put her in pants. ;)

We're also preparing for Easter! Last week I put together our Spring mantle and realized I didn't have a garland to go with it. What is it about a garland that makes a mantle feel complete? I haven't seen any that I love in the store so I decided we'd make our own.

In our guest room, which is also our craft room/my office space, I keep all my old scrapbook supplies. You may remember that picture of her making a huge mess in this room. There are many, many messes here, not only made by Miss A, but by me. Although I'm sad to say I haven't been scrapbooking as much as I would like. Failure on my new years resolution (how are you doing with those?)

I found lots of pastel colored cardstock and some patterned ones too. I printed out an egg template to trace onto the cardstock and cut each one out. Then I let Miss A add her artistic touch to each one. 

Of course she was all about the yarn, wanting to take the whole spool herself and drape it over like a thousand necklaces. She was also really curious about the hole-puncher. 

I love this white rabbit and pink ceramic egg that I found at Big Lots. $7 for two new Spring decor items. That's a pretty good deal!

Of course no holiday around here is complete without candy. I filled an empty square glass with these colorful chocolate eggs and now reach in for one every time I pass it. Bad idea? Maybe. But they sure are pretty.

I've also been wondering what kind of basket to get Miss A. I saw this Minnie bucket on that same shopping trip and couldn't resist. She loves it, can easily carry it, and it's big enough for me to fill it with her Easter gifts and big enough to stuff it full of eggs that she'll collect. Sure, it might not be that white pastel lined basket I had in my head, but it'll do the trick for now. 

How are you enjoying Spring? I hope the weather has started to warm up!

When Warm Temperatures Seize My Brain

-Our families are gone and Miss A and I are getting back into our normal routine. We went to my exercise class this morning and then went scouting for this cute picnic table. No luck with the table but when I'm on the hunt for something I don't stop until I've either found it or exhausted every option.

-I'll do a recap of our visit with my in-laws soon, today I had lots of random thoughts to share!

-I have all these chores to do and GROCERY SHOPPING but all I want to do is sit outside in a hammock and take a nap (we don't have a hammock, someone tie one to a tree for me). My child has become IMPOSSIBLE to take to the story lately if she has to sit still in a cart. The entire time she's asking to get "out" and to "walk." Do you know how long it would take me to grocery shop if I allowed her to do that? Hence why I had chicken nuggets for lunch today..

-I wish we had a pool. It's been two days since the sun came out after days and days of rain and I'm already dreaming of pool days. The 80s weather does something to me, I can't think straight and don't want to do anything but be outside. If we had a pool you bet I'd be out there all day with Miss A splashing in the water and wishing we had a pool boy to serve me drinks with little umbrellas.

-Messes. There are messes everywhere. I didn't know toddlers were actually little tornadoes. How is it possible to create a mess that will take me ten minutes to clean up but only takes 2 minutes to make?

-Food. I'm bored of it. Actually, no, scratch that- what I really want is all things grilled and barbecued. It's the weather, I tell ya. Unfortunately I'm a chicken to use the grill by myself (especially with said toddler around) and my husband is working until after 7:45 every night this week. Soon. Soon that grill will be put to good use and we will be having grilled chicken, veggies, ice cream, popsicles...Summer I love you! (I immediately skip over Spring with this weather, I'm sorry Spring, but I don't love you as much as I love Summer).

-This weather also makes me miss Miami. Where I had access to beaches 24/7 and didn't go nearly as often as I should have. How dumb of me. I can't wait to go in a few weeks and see the blue water again and feel the sand beneath my toes.

-I LOVE Parenthood. Are you watching that show? I'm having a major meltdown over a couple's relationship and I love the interaction between Sarah and Hank. This show is my life.

-I'm having a mom's night out and have nothing to wear because I never get to do these things anymore. Heels? They hurt my feet so much now, totally out of practice. At least we'll be sitting down the whole time!

Grandpa & Grandma Visit!

There is something so sweet about a man and a baby  toddler. Am I right? Something about seeing a big, tall man sitting down to play, color, read, hold her hand, and feeding her bites of chocolate coconut cake.

My parents visited for the last five days and Miss A was one happy girl. Every morning she ran to her grandparents to say hello with a big, warm hug. She played "Cookie Monster" with her grandma (not sure what this means, a game they made up together that she LOVED) and traced her hands over and over again with her grandpa. Lots of songs were sung, especially "Row Row Your Boat" and "The Wheels On the Bus".

We went to the park, on the only warm day they were lucky to receive (seriously Spring, what's happening), to the mall, out to eat, and to a children's museum. She had a blast, but I think her favorite thing to do was sit with the two of them, coloring and reading books. 

It's really interesting watching my parents be grandparents. To see how they interact with her, teach her, and play with her. It makes me wish I could remember what my parents were like when I was that little. If only we could keep those memories! Next up, my in laws will be visiting, no doubt ready to spoil her too. She's one lucky little girl. 

It's The Little Things Part 6

My, my, things are finally starting to look up around here. It's amazing how sleep affects your mind and body. Too little sleep and I'm a disaster, dragging my feet and barely holding my head up. It was not pretty in the newborn days, not until we sleep trained around seven months. I don't know how I functioned back then! Yes, Miss A is finally starting to sleep again- knock on wood! Every mom knows the minute you talk about how great your kid sleeps, that's when it all goes to hell. So, let's just say I'm feeling good, we're doing good, and life is as it should be.

Today's "little thing" is kind of a big thing...at least, it is to me. It's a little change in the way Miss A is having her meals. Last week she was refusing to sit in her high chair. Cue drama and tantrum whenever I said, "okay, let's go sit and eat!" I was worried we'd have to start following her around while she ate, just so she would eat, or that I'd have to start looking for a booster seat. Instead, I tried putting her in her chair without her tray.

I set down her breakfast (of scrambled eggs, which she hasn't touched in months) on her own little plate (Mickey and Minnie Mouse of course) and gave her own fork. She was SO happy. The smile on her face! I sat there watching her eat, shoveling food into her mouth like a little expert. When did this happen? Sure I give her a fork every now and then to practice but suddenly she's gotten so good at it. It's fun to watch her and to cheer her on when she manages to get a full bite into her mouth. Our dog is certainly loving this new development as there are plenty of scraps for her to gobble down that end up on the floor. Which also means I'm cleaning the floor twice as much. Awesome.  

Anyway, she's loving it! There have been no more fights to sit down and eat and she's eating almost everything on her plate. Veggies are currently the struggle here, but she's eating tons of fruit and I try to sneak in spinach and other greens when I can. Like in this quesadilla. 

She also had her first real sandwich yesterday for lunch (still in pjs, it was a rainy day). Usually I make her quesadilla melts, like you saw in the picture above, but we were out of tortillas and I thought I'd give it a go and see how she'd do with a whole sandwich. I pressed it in our panini press so she wouldn't have this huge chunk of bread to bite down on and cut it into four pieces. She did pretty well, despite pulling out the slivers of spinach I tried to sneak in and chunks of ham falling out occasionally. She also likes eating with her plate on a placemat like a real big girl. I mean, my mind is blown. When did my baby get SO big? It really is amazing how quickly things change. I'm loving it though, she is becoming so independent!

Currently Loving

1. This TV show, Reign. Have you heard of it? It's on the CW, Thursday nights, at 9:00pm. It's SO good. Seriously, I'm obsessed. I feel like I'm sixteen again, stuck in a love triangle. I can't get enough! I love the time period, it's done so well with the costumes and the setting (not historically accurate, but whatever) and the actors. I like to let the episodes build up on my DVR so I can binge watch them on a night the hubby is working, while eating squares of dark chocolate. Perfect night!

2. Spring Dresses. It's so easy to get dressed when it's warm out. I'm dying to buy some new dresses and break out some cute sandals and wear lots of bangles. #Summergirl

Via

Via

Via

3. Fresh fruit. I'm eating strawberries and blueberries like they're going out of style and so is my mini me. We bought a carton of both at Costco over the weekend and they're both pretty much empty. Just from the two of us! Yesterday Miss A literally sat on the floor in the kitchen eating blueberries out of the carton, screaming if you tried to get her to eat them in her high chair. So I let her eat them on the floor. It's funny because I craved blueberries pretty much the entire time I was pregnant with her and she's obsessed!

4. Planning family trips. We have lots of family time planned from now until June and I'm so excited. We could definitely use some family time, three months is a long time to go without seeing our parents. I'm making a trip down to Florida myself with Miss A in April and then we're going again in June. I see lots of beach days in my future and I can't WAIT! 

5. Zulily has been killing it lately. Vera Bradley and Jessica Simpson were recently featured and I was this.close to buying all her scarfs and bags. There have also been lots of cute, summery dresses, shoes, and swim suit cover ups. I can't look at what they have for toddlers right now either because I want to buy it ALL, especially the frilly Easter dresses! 

6. Totally guilty of this. ALL of this. 

7. Want to know something I'm NOT loving? Cooking! I'm in a serious rut and lately everything I've made has turned out like crap. I'm starting to think it's the sleep deprivation. I'm burning food, overcooking chicken, pasta, rice...I even tried making pancakes today and had to throw out the entire batter because I measured the ingredients wrong. Ughhh, nothing is tasting good over here and I'm ready to throw in the towel and order take out every night. Can someone else come over and cook me dinner for a change? 

What are you loving? Hating? Please share!

The Day You Wore A Pink Dress

There are so many moments that make being a Mom worth it. Despite being bone tired, crawling into bed every night by 9:00pm, and occasionally dragging my feet, there is nothing else in the world that I would rather do than be her mother.

Sometimes I'm hit with the reality of being a parent. This little girl is mine, my daughter, my responsibility, my everything. I'm the one that gets up with her at night, that makes her breakfast, lunch, dinner (and a million snacks in between), puts bandaids on her boo-boos, watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the hundredth time, and teaches her her letters, numbers, and colors. Every day is a day that she is older, smarter, happier. 

We went to the park, the three of us (!) over the weekend for a birthday party. The weather is gloriously transitioning to Spring and you'd better believe we're going to be spending lots of time outdoors. Miss A LOVES to be pushed in a swing. She says "weeeee" as soon as she sees a swing and "weeeee" while we push her. The rest of the play equipment? Forget about it. The swing is where it's at.

She munched on her own huge piece of fried chicken, ate a whole cupcake, and half of mine. She said "Wow!" when her Dada pointed out the tall trees and "oh cool" to the Thomas the Train party decorations. Just like that, she became a little girl. 

I cried yesterday, thinking about how close she is to turning two and how beautiful she looked in her pink dress. Yes, I'm tired and exhausted from this strange sleep regression we've been having, making me more emotional than usual. But seriously, when did it happen? When did she become this little person who can wrap her arms around my neck and slap my cheeks and laugh like it's the funniest thing in the world? Those are the moments that make it all worth while.

But still, I'd like to sleep, baby girl.