Happy Easter!

Well, I finally found a few extra minutes in the day to do a quick baby bunny photo shoot yesterday!  I couldn't get Ledoux to sit still long enough for some really good shots, nor could I get her to smile- little booger!  I am pretty happy with the pictures I did get though! *Shout out to my husband for being the photographer*  And yes, I couldn't resist two different types of bunny ears- they were both so cute...I am pretty sure the hubs thinks I am cray. The way I see it, it won't be long and I won't be able to dress her up as a little Easter bunny prop, so I will take full advantage of it as long as possible-- thank you very much!

We celebrated Easter yesterday, since my honey works Sundays.  Friday night, I made the most ahhh-mazing breakfast casserole in the crock pot (you put the ingredients in the night before, and wake up the next morning to a crock pot breakfast. ) It was awesome! The even better part?  There is no way you can screw this up...seriously.  Coming from the most un-domestic, non cooking person ever (me), its easy peezy. If you are interested, here is the recipe.

 No-Fail crock pot breakfast:

-A dozen eggs (or eggs whites) mixed with a half cup of skim milk

-Your choice of meat (we like either turkey sausage or ham), but you can use anything

-A container of frozen spinach, thawed (I just thawed it in the microwave)

-Chopped onions and tomatoes (We cheat- we buy the already cut up pico in the produce section)

-frozen peppers (again, thawed in the microwave)

-a frozen bag of hash browns

 

All you do is layer all the ingredients, except the egg/milk mixture, in the crock pot.  (I did: 1/2 package of hash browns on the bottom, spinach, meat (not cooked), pico, peppers, and the rest of the hash browns on the top).  Then, pour the egg/milk mixture on top of it all.  Put it on low, overnight, and its ready to serve the next morning when you wake up (and the house smells amazing!)  You can change it up however you want, add ingredients, take some away, it will still end up awesome!

 

On a totally unrelated, but completely awesome note, I feel it necessary to share with you all a huge discovery. While doing grocery shopping yesterday, I found a new grocery store that is amazing.  Why you ask?  Because it has a bar in it, and you can actually drink beer while you shop.  Are you serious?  Like my friend Christi said, it was #lifechanging.  Don't worry honey,  I will be more than happy to grocery shop from now on...you keep the baby.  Mamas going to Happy Hour, the grocery store.

 



So today,  its just me and the babe...which means our Easter is going to be spent playing, making new baby bows for our Etsy store (here) cleaning the house, and since my beloved Target is closed, I will be shopping the babygap website (40% off today online!) I hope you all have/had a most FAB Easter!

Date night idea: "OUR" bucket list

Love him...

This week's mommy daddy date night isn't going to be anything egg-stravant (get it... egg?  For Easter?) Ok, that was straight cheesy. With Easter on Sunday, I don't have alot of time to do anything complicated... But I was doing some thinking this week about the future...  I don't mean anything crazy philosophical or anything, but what do I hope to do in the future with my hubby?  Before baby came, we went on vacat2ions all the time, bought impulsivee things, and spared no expense when it came to fun!  But now, obvi, we have to plan and save.  Life's priorities change, but that certainly doesn't mean we cannot still do fun things together!  That being said, this weekend, we are spending our date night with a bottle of wine, some music playing, and putting together a "couple's bucket list".  What are some things he really wants to before he is old and can't do them?  What do I want to experience? What do we want to experience together?  To me, the couple that does things together stays together- and this will be a fun way to plan out our next 50 years!  And of course, some of the items will be for the whole family, sweet babe included. Some will be serious, some will be funny, but all will be creating memories!

Here is a glimpse into mine:
-Take a picture every year, at the same time, so that we can look back in 50 years and see how much we have changed!
-Pick out each other's outfits
-Run a 5k together (and train for it together, too!)
-Take dance lessons
-Visit Ireland
-Write each other a love letter of all the reasons we love being with each other, only to be opened if 1.) things get rough or 2.) when we have been married for 40 years.
-Go on a road trip to nowhere, and see where we end up.  Take a week off from work, and just drive.

So there are a few of mine...what are yours?

My little mudge-pudge, look at that belly!

Shout out to the teachers in this world!

Happy Tuesday! 

It just occurred to that I haven't purchased Ledoux an Easter dress for this weekend... gosh what kind of a mommy am I?! For as much as I shop and "decorate" my little babe, you'd think I would have been on this months ago.  FAIL!  I also still haven't done her official Easter pictures...even though I bought the cutest Easter bunny props.  I guess my $1 target bunny ears headband will have to do (unless I find sometime to do Easter pictures this week...)

It just seems like there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Between working, school, baby, cooking, cleaning, gyming it up, and everything in between... it is exhausting.  I know, I know, y'all have the same competing priorities going on!  But how do you mamas manage to do it all?  Goodness!  One thing is for sure, we make time for what is most important to us... and that to me is my sweet little baby. 

As I was reflecting on that fact that my baby didn't have an Easter dress, I decided that was a surefire sign that I needed to go shopping. And while shopping for the perfect little Easter dress, I realized I had no idea what I was going to do for Doodle's teachers at childcare.  Every holiday, I make them something special (let's face it, these are the people responsible for my baby when I am working...it is important to let them know I appreciate them and their hard work!)  Teachers, regardless of what age your babe is, have the hardest and most important job in the world: they are shaping the minds of our children.  They have an impact on our babies everyday!  I could go on and on about this, but bottom line: let them know you appreciate them!  Soooo... here is what I am putting in Ledoux's teacher's Easter Basket this year:

I got everything (except for the flowers) at target.  You might be wondering why I chose to get them socks?  Ledoux's childcare room requires that you take your shoes off- socks only (because the babies are all over the floor!) and they need super cute socks! :)  Each basket is total around $10, and Ledoux has 3 teachers.  Its a small price to pay to show appreciation to the person who is helping me raise my sweet baby.

Baby Sign Language

Ledoux is signing "mommy you need a glass of wine!"

I used to think (before I had a baby!) that people who talked about teaching babies sign language were loco.  I mean seriously, its a baby.  What do you expect it to do?  Start signing at you in a way to communicate? 

Well, yes.

Until this point, the only way for her to really "talk" to me was through her cries. I studied Dunstan baby language when Ledoux first arrived (and downloaded the app) so that I could learn what her cries mean (if you haven't read/heard of Dunstan Baby Language, you MUST GO HERE NOW: Dunstan Baby Language) Doo and I are in a groove, and I know what her cries mean and what she needs... now I am ready for the next step: sign language.

It is official...I have jumped on the baby sign language band wagon.  I am that mom that repeats the same words and phrases over, and over, and over... and attached signs with those words/phrases.  My hubby sometimes looks at me like I might have finally lost it, but after just a few short weeks, I can tell Ledoux is already starting to pick up on it.  I mean, she isn't sitting there signing at me, telling me about her day or anything...but its clicking in her little baby brain.  "I can communicate with my mommy."  When I say something, and show her that I am doing the same sign every time I say it, she is putting the two together.  I read that they probably won't start signing back until after 8 months old, but they are processing it now.

So, here it is.  I am not sitting with my baby for hours a day teaching her the entire English language.  I have picked out a few words/phrases, attached a 'sign' to them, and every time I say that word/phrase, I am signing too.  These are the signs we do right now... and if it goes well, I just might start adding a few more!

Soooo what do you think?  I think even at the chance of Doo being able to communicate with me is worth it!  Don't forget to let the hubs, the grandparents, and the teachers who interact with your babe everyday know you are doing this... consistency is key! :)

 

Happy Friday!!!!

Addicted to her.

Woooosh!  Well, I am happy to report we all made it through another week.  I don't know about you, but it has been sooooo busy for us.  Between traveling for work, hubby's long hours, and baby who is **this close** to crawling, I have been ridiculously busy!  Somehow, hubs and I both made it to the gym 4 times this week (HELL YES!), I made dinner almost every night, and I still found time for a much needed shopping trip.  All in all, good...yet busy, week.  I am ready for the weekend... (somehow, the 'Beer Money' song by Kip Moore just started blaring in my head!)

Hi from the back of the Harley!

So there are three things in life my hubby and I love... Riding our Harley, Cooking out on the grill at night, and a drink in our hand. Lucky for us, we plan on doing all three of these, starting with the drink part. I have decided to start trying some other drinks- mostly because I live in Tucson and it is getting H-O-T out here, and its time to start finding some good, refreshing drinks to relieve us from the heat.  (My wine just isn't doing the drink... is it possible to have wine burnout?  GASP!)

My drink for this weekend?  Raspberry Beer Cocktails.  So. Excited. Beyond. Words. I actually made this at my baby shower (and no I didn't drink it) and it was a hit.  It makes more than one serving though, so be warned. Aaand its so good, you won't care there is extra, because you will drink it anyway. 

 

PS: You don't have a redneck wine glass??? Whaaaaa?  You can get them here

So drink up my friends, and have a most FAB weekend!

XOXO time!

Wow, marriage is no joke...Especially after a baby comes along.  I thought people were full of it when they told me how quickly, and how much, things will change once baby arrives..  I used to tell them they were crazy, nutty, so wrong...and then Ledoux came. And everything they said was true.  Your patience is close to gone, your tired, you seem to start to find those little annoyances before the baby to be HUGE annoyances...anyone else feel this way?  Ok, I am glad it isn't just me.  That being said, my honey is my best friend, and I have quickly realized that I have to really WORK on marriage to make it not only successful, but just as wonderful as it was before.  With Ledoux in our lives, we have to be alot more intentional about what, and when, we spend time together. 

Enter: Mommy Daddy date nights. No, these don't require money and a baby sitter... rather I have started doing Mommy Daddy date night, at home,after Ledoux goes to bed.  

 

Here is a glimpse into this weekend's "date"

A note left the morning of...

 

1.) DIY Pizza.  I will already have the topping purchased (We love Chicken, Turkey Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado, with light ranch drizzled on the top!) but you can do whatever you like... heck even just a plain pepperoni would work. Making pizza together is fun, although I am pretty sure we end of eating the toppings before they even get on the pizza.  Whatevs.  I keep it all a secret until the date starts (aka baby is in bed!)

2.) After dinner, it is all about 'getting to know you'  Ok, you are probably thinking "Um you are married, why are you doing this?"  Think about it, how often do we actually sit down with our significant other and really talk?  I have a list of fab questions we are going to ask each other (over a bottle of wine, of course!) Here is my list of questions (Pretty excited to hear his answers!)

So there you have it, my date night for this weekend...anyone else doing anything fun?  I am always looking for fun new ideas!

#obsessed

If there is anything I l-o-v-e, it is reading about what other mamas can't live without (and what they can!)  I was doing monthly 'favorites' and quickly realized that by the time I posted that, Ledoux was over all of the things on it.  I don't think I am alone in having a crazy babe whose routine changes weekly (if not daily...)  That being said, my favorite things change as rapidly as her attention span.  So, I think weekly faves would be more appropriate.  So here you have it, the things I just LOVE (this week) for both baby and for ME! (Gosh, how often do we take a minute to think of things we love for ourselves?!) 

1.)  Infantino Activity Triangle.  Ledoux is obsessed with this!  She has one at home, and one at childcare.  She spends a good 30 minutes playing with it, and in mommy time, 30 minutes equals like..FOREVER.  Anything that occupies Ledoux longer than ten minutes is a winner!  The great thing about this is if your babe isn't sitting up yet, they can play with it while laying on their back or doing tummy time.  And it is great for when they are sitting!  You can get it on amazon.com here

2.) Baby Mum Mums.  I just discovered these and LOVE them!  Ledoux is starting to learn to eat (which freaking terrifies me every time she takes a bite of food!) but these I don't get nervous about. It is a rice biscuit-like thing that babies can chew on-- the great part is it dissolves so fast in their mouths that mamas don't need to worry about choking!  Ledoux likes the banana flavored ones.  I got mine at target, but you can buy them in larger quantities here too!

3.) Cupcake Wine.  Really any wine is a winner in my book, I don't think I have met a glass of wine I didn't like. (No, seriously.  I will even drink some Boones Farm if I have it!)  That being said, when I feel like splurging on a fine bottle of vino (and by splurge I mean spending $9.99!) I go straight for the cupcake wines.  My faves?  Red Velvet and Angel food (translation: Cabernet and a Riesling like white wine.)  If you haven't tried these, scoop one up and give it a go.  I doubt you will be disappointed.

4.) Mineral Veil by Bare Escentuals.  I cannot live without this.  I think it is meant to be a finishing powder to dust over your face after you have put your face on for the day, but I use it because it makes me look more awake (and I swear it fills in some of my little wrinkles!)  Its $19 bucks or so, but lasts FOR-EVER.  A little bit goes a looooooong way.  I always buy mine at Sephora.

So there ya have it mamas!  This is what I love!  I really enjoy hearing what makes other mamas and babies happy--- so please share with me what your must haves are!

Baby Brain Power!

Ok...so am I alone in thinking I am not doing enough to help my baby learn?  I mean, the kid has a million toys (I swear I pick up something new for her in the toy aisles at target every week), but is there more to little babies then the flashy toys? What should I be doing to help her learn, grow, develop...  I started thinking about this, and realized I needed (or wanted, I suppose) to be more intentional in my interactions with my little babe.  Every word I say, every toy I give her...she is pulling and learning from EVERYTHING.  If  that isn't scary, I don't know what is (enter the new cuss jar we are trying to use in our house!)


All jokes aside, I am sure alot of you have heard of cognitive development.  But what in the HELL does that even mean?  At the simplest point, it is baby brain power.  We all want our babies to be little smarty pants, so take a moment to think of the traits 'smart' people have...ability to focus, to plan, to remember.  I want my baby to be able to do those things! (Crap...I want to do those things!)  By the time your baby reaches eight months old, rapid connections to their brain’s frontal lobes (where these functions will be housed) are starting to form.  Ok, so now you probably think I am going to tell you to start reading psych books to your kids... NO.  Some of the most simple of activities can enhance your babies brain power.  Every week, I am going to start posting some awesome things us Mommy's (and daddy's!) can do to start encouraging and growing our own generation of smarties! 

Activity for this week is SIMPLE: Let your baby lead.  Don't teach. Allow (and encourage) your sweet little baby to do what they want (provided it is safe) even if that means going ape shit with a potted plant for a photo shoot (see my St. Patricks day post if you are confused!) If they see a roll of toilet paper and want to reach for it, let them. What is the worst that is going to happen?  They completely unroll the entire roll...and you have a awesome photo for the baby book!  Put different toys in front of them, and let them decide which they want to play with. Let go of any pressure you feel to teach them something and instead help them explore what they are interested in...you are planting seeds for ideas, passion, and follow through that will be crucial in later life.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

 
Happy St. Patricks Day! Any holiday that actually encourages everyone to have drink and dance around in green and gold sparkles is a holiday that I like!  This year, I didn't get to take part in the shenanigans that are St. Patricks Day...and now that I think about it, I didn't get to last year either.  Humph. 

 That being said I sure think holidays are so much more fun with little babies around! (Never thought I would EVER say that!)  I know, I know...Ledoux is only 7 months old and has no idea today is a holiday, but that doesn't stop me from having fun with it!  I started the morning off by putting green food coloring in the toilets and milk jug in the fridge (the Leprechaun visited our house over night and peed in our toilet and drank out of our milk jug, duh!) Ok...maybe I am a little holiday crazy...it was just Ledoux and I since Lee had to work, and she isn't even potty trained to see the green water...whatever.  Of course, I also had to do a photoshoot for the baby book- complete with a shamrock plant...which she quickly ruined.  Note to self: don't give babies potted plants.  What a mess! (And don't worry... she didn't eat the shamrocks!) 

Looking forward to having a green beer tonight when the husband gets off work (and the baby goes to bed!) Heck, its St. Patricks Day, maybe I will have one before... :)  Hope your St. Patty's was lots of fun- I am excited to see all the pictures of everyone else's crazy weekend slowly start rolling in via instagram!

 

7 Months!

OMG... my baby is 7 months.  How is it possible that it has been 7 months?  And even more...I can't believe I have made it 7 months and I am still alive! I do have to say, everyday that goes by it gets better.  I remember thinking in the first few weeks (heck, even months!) that this wasn't fun at all!  The long hours, lack of sleep, crying...but now Ledoux is a sassy little ball of energy!  Who knew so much personality could be in such a little body?

                                                      Here we go with our updates!

Sleeping?  She sleeps like a rock- although her 'hours' are changing a bit.  She now goes down about 730 pm, and wakes up at 6 am.  ON.  THE.  DOT.  Obvi I am glad she sleeps all night, but come on baby!  Can't you sleep in once in a while?  Ya right.

Eating? All the time.  She takes down 'tall boys' (that's our word for 8 oz bottles...her daddy made that up in reference to his favorite beverage...beer)  Great.  My baby will start talking and tell all the other kids she drinks tall boys.  LOL.

Health?  She's great!  That's all there is on this one!  She is super long- she is taller (by a landslide!) than all the other babies at school.  Lee says she is going to be a volleyball player, and with her new favorite activity of slapping us, I can see her as a spiker. (Seriously, she slaps the shit out of her daddy's face...I think she likes the noise it makes.)

Likes?  Pulling hair, smacking her toys against hard surfaces, us throwing things...wow.  that doesn't sound good.  But it makes her crack up.  She loves to take her toys, and hit them as hard as she can on something.  And she loves when I throw things on the floor or at the wall.  Whatever makes baby happy.  Happy baby=happy life.  She also loves going to school!  She kicks her legs and gets so excited...when I go pick her up in the afternoons, she is usually busy playing with the other babies and laughing.  She also loves bath time, eating new baby foods, and bouncing up and down.

Dislikes? She still hates her carseat and screams bloody murder when she has to get strapped in.  She has developed a sense of stranger danger- when someone she doesn't know tries to talk to her, she gets a HUGE pout lip and screams.  She also doesn't like being a busy places with lots of people.. I think it just puts her on baby overload.

Milestones: We have 2 teeth!  Wahooooo!  I am mostly excited because this means she isn't a bitchy baby anymore!  Both of her front teeth came in, one day apart.  Poor thing, no wonder she wasn't sleeping and was unhappy!  There is nothing cuter than a baby with little teeth, but those things HURT!  Ledoux was gnawing on my finger at dinner last week, and she chomped down and left a mark in my skin!  Eek!  Neither of us saw that coming. Note to self: Don't let baby chew on me anymore.

How are mommy and daddy?  We are so good!  Busy as always...Lee works 12 hour shifts 4-5 days a week, which is hard on him because he doesn't get to see Ledoux as much as he would like.  But when he is off, they spend the whole day together.  Mommy is busy working too, from home!  It is pretty awesome, but Doodle still goes to school everyday still (so that I can actually get something done!) She actually loves school, so that makes it easier.  Other than that, we are pretty excited to go to New Mexico in a couple of weeks for a George Strait concert!  It will be our first night without Ledoux, so I am excited/nervous! 

 

Ledoux's First Easter

Here it is, the contents of Ledoux's very first Easter basket...although somehow I doubt this will be all of it.  I am just obsessed with the idea of putting fabulous things in it from the 'Easter bunny'... I know, I know, she is only (almost) 7 months and won't have a clue what is going on.  I don't care- I am so excited! 

We are also doing an Easter photoshoot in our house, complete with this adorable bunny hat I found on etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/CutestlittleThing)

And here is her first Easter basket (so far!)

1.) Swim suit and cap from Baby Gap!  Is there is one thing about Tucson, you gotta find ways to escape the sun (so we are told!) and bonus! Our NEW HOUSE has a gorgeous pool for us to play in.  This of course means Ledoux needs cute suits to choose from. (More info on the new home coming soooooon, once we officially close!)

2.) Peek a boo Peter Rabbit board book: You can get it on amazon, but I found it at Pottery Barn Kids.  Board Books are a must these days, mostly because everything goes in Doodle's mouth.

3.) The actual basket!  I found it, and got her name on it, from Pottery Barn Kids.  I am obsessed with them.

4.) Piggy Paint: I bought mine on Amazon.com.  This baby-friendly nailpolish is non toxic and I can FINALLY paint my sweet baby's piggys! (And I will match of course.)

5.) Sassy Soft Swimmers: I bought these on amazon.  I really like Sassy products in general, and we are in desperate need of new bath time toys.  These are perfect!

6.) Soft plush bunny: from pottery barn kids, of course.  Super soft, great size, and cute.  Win!

Of course, I will be back soon to do Ledoux's 7 month update (she is 7 months Sunday!!!) and tell you more about our new house!  Here is a cute picture from our 6 month photos (for some reason it is uploading blurry!):

xoxo