Happy October, y'all + our fave fall brews

Happy October from Ledoux!

It is officially my favorite month (well, except for December...)  October reminds me of all things fall, apple spiced, orange and brown colored...you get the point.  Actually, the only real reason I love October is because of Pumpkin beer.  I really wish it was sold year round. Its complete BS that any other month of the year, it is non existent.  I also discovered an ahh-mazing cinnamon apple beer and a caramel apple spiced beer that are VERY close seconds to my loved pumpkin...  Here are my top 3 fall beers this season... give em a try! :)

In other news, lets address the elephant in the room... yes, I have completely (on accident) ignored my blog.  Life has been so insane, I find myself never able to find the time to sit down and write.  And I miss it.  So this is my promise to get better.  When I find the time to actually relax, I am usually busy making baby bows and enjoying a glass of wine before heading to bed.  You all know how it is, there is never enough time in the day, the week, the month... blah blah blah.  Bottom line: I am back, bitches.

We have had a crazy month, and I can hardly believe my sweet baby doll will be 14 months old this week.  WHAT?  Where in the hell does the time go?  We spent a fab family day today at the pumpkin patch, and then watching the Broncos game (they won.. Duh! )

 Here's hoping all of you are having a great October, and take time out to enjoy a pumpkin beer.  I'd also like to take a quick second to give a shout out to the creepers, aka Wilbur(t) and Steve, at work that stalk my blog.  XOXO and see you all soon! Cheers!

Our weekend recap in pictures!

Well, we meet again Monday.  Ugh.  This is my last week of working from home, before I start a 'real' job again.  I am very excited, a bit nervous, and somewhat bummed at the idea of actually having to wake up, dress up, and go to work.  Luckily, the only person who will have to deal with the transition is me, as Ledoux has been in childcare for a while now, and has developed quite the 'second' family there.  I think a trip to Express to stock up on some cute work clothes is in order this week.  Twist my arm.


Anyhoo, I hope y'all had a most fab father's day weekend!  We celebrated Lee's first Father's Day on Saturday, because my honey works Sundays.  So Saturday morning, we just lounged around as a family, and gave Lee is father's day gifts.  We got him a date-vitiation which he loved.  He also got a high powered pellet gun, so he can sit on the balcony, and keep the nasty little Arizona critters off of our piece of desert.  We decided the bunny rabbits, birds, and lizards are free from the wrath of Lee, but the snakes and spiders are free game.  Not to mention the wild pigs, coyotes, etc. that often make their way down the wash to our front door.

We spent the afternoon re-decorating our loft area.  We have an entire second level, that has a huge open space and our master bedroom bath, and we have had the hardest time deciding what to do with it.  Although it is far from done, we spend almost all of our time up there thanks to it being the only area of the house with carpet, that is totally baby proof (so Doo can move and groove to her hearts desire!)  I made her a little spot that is all her own, and I think she loves it!  Her favorite part?  Staring at pictures of herself.  Of course.  It is meant to be a fun place for her to lounge, read books, and maybe...someday...curl up and take a nap!? Yeah right.

 That evening, I surprised Lee with a date night to the zoo!  Ok, ok, I know you are thinking that sounds lame!  It was a special, after hours event at the zoo called 'Brews at the Zoo' and it was so fun!  For 3 hours, 15 or so different breweries set up shop in the zoo, and we walked around, sampled beers, and played at the zoo.  There is nothing I love more than the zoo, paired with unlimited amounts of beer...?  Count me in!

Since my hubs had to work Sunday, it was just me and Doodle!  We designed her 1st birthday cards (and old west theme is what we decided on!) and did some grocery shopping.  And yes, she actually loves to wear sunglasses.  She takes on a whole new 'tude when she puts them on, and I love it.  So sassy.  Soooooo sassy. She wore mine through the store, the whole time were there.

I hope everyone had a most fab weekend, and that your Monday flies by!  Only 4.5 days until the weekend, you can do it!!

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!

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!