A Merry Merry Christmas!

Christmas has come and gone...with the exception of one more Christmas celebration to go through on my side of the family.  I always thought Christmas as a kid was the absolute best, but I was wrong.  Christmas as a parent is about a million times better.  We've had two Christmas' prior to celebrate as parents, but this was the first year that Liam really understood what was going on and was visibly excited about it.  The morning started out with him waking up and asking, "is Santa coming," and the night ended by him saying, "Mommy, I love Christmas."  Cue heart melting.  We did the Elf on the Shelf, the Santa Clause visits, and the Christmas light looking, but also tried to reinforce the real reason for the season with bible stories and reminding him who it is we were celebrating.  We went to a Christmas eve service and to Liam's delight, they had a live nativity scene, camel and all!  I just want to point out that I told Greg there would be a real live camel, to which he said: "No, it's probably two people dressed up in a camel suit."  Owned. 

As sad as it was to pack away the Christmas decorations, it is nice to get the house back in order.  I think at age 29, I can say I officially feel like an adult.  Greg and I bought ourselves a bedroom set and are extremely pumped about it (along with the garage storage we got for Christmas).  We have lived together (including before we were married) for almost ten years and our bedroom has always consisted of a bed frame.  Just a bed frame.  Nothing to add here.  No big deal that Eva and Liam's rooms are fully decked out while we have pretty much been sleeping on a 20 year old hand-me-down mattress on a questionably sturdy frame, while our socks and undergarments are shoved into make-shift containers.  Parenthood.  But, in about 6 short weeks, our furniture will be here and we will have officially made it as adults.  I decided owning bedroom furniture is a qualifying component to adulthood.

With Christmas almost behind us, I have already moved onto the next three holidays.  Before you think I'm crazy, I have two weeks off for winter break and then it's back to work, where my attention will be once again divided and things will slip through the cracks, so my solution is to take care of Liam's birthday, Valentine's Day, and Easter preparation all within the next week.  We already bought Liam's birthday gift (keeping it a secret for now, but he is going to FLIP!), so from here it's pretty much ordering Liam's classroom valentines, scheduling a date for Greg and I, and ordering Easter baskets.

If you're wondering if I'm prepping for New Year's, be curious no longer.  I'll be in bed by 9pm, so my prep is pajamas and, if I'm feeling really feisty, downing a glass of wine.

Eva's Gift to Us

Look at the face.  Instead of us getting a gift for Eva for her five month birthday, she decided to bestow upon us a gift of her own, the flu.

I got a call from daycare Friday around noon that Eva just didn't seem like herself, so I picked up the kids and headed home for the weekend.  She was not running a temperature, but slept almost all day.  The next morning she woke up happy, hungry, and ready to play, so I did not think much of it.  Flash forward to five o'clock that night, the nausea and hot flashes struck me like a ton of bricks, all while we were at a retirement party.  Without going into details, it was not pretty and my little adventure turned into an emergency room event by the time ten o'clock came.  I actually attributed it to food poisoning, until Liam and Greg got struck with the same thing, luckily not as severe, the next morning. 

I'll just tell you now that having a family of four experience the stomach flu in a span of forty-eight hours falls just slightly below sky diving without a parachute on list of things I love to do.   Needless to say, we had some sacrifices during this ordeal, including some pillows and Eva's play-mat.

However, keeping things in perspective, we're lucky it was just the flu, as I know people experience much worse and ongoing struggles in their lives.  And thank goodness we live just minutes from the hospital...

Shop Small Saturday

Can you spot the hidden potty?  Toilet training: It's a work in progress.

I completely skipped Black Friday and am going straight to Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday.  I almost have my Christmas shopping done and have done almost all of it online.  With a new baby and a preschooler who is starting to become a little more rambunctious when we're out and about, I decided not to tackle the crowds and just stick to shopping in my pajamas with a cup of  hot chocolate in my hands.

I love my Gap, Banana Republic, and Sephora, but there is something about shopping at smaller shops that is special, not to mention, presents from smaller shops always seem more meaningful to me.  Keep reading, and find out about some of my favorite small shops!

For anyone who is a "planner girl," my favorite spots to buy planner stickers are MilaPrintShop and FrankHeartsYou.  Side bar:  I discovered "pimping your planner" about a month ago and thought it was the lamest hobby I've ever seen.  Flash forward a month later and I'm knee deep into this.  It's good for someone like me, who can not sustain attention or skill on a long term project.  It's like scrap booking with training wheels.

I've also been eyeballing a couple goodies from TinyHouseBigFarm.  Who doesn't want soap that smells and looks like pumpkin cheesecake or a snowman bath bomb? 

We got our Christmas stockings (seen in the picture) from GoodWishesQuilts and are loving them.  They also have some really cute advent calendars if you're in the market.

This year, I got Liam and Eva a nativity scene from Peg and Plum and am absolutely loving it.  Liam is obsessed with setting it up just right.  Peg dolls make such great stocking stuffers as well!

Eva is subscribed to Little Poppy Co., where she gets three new bows every month.  The bows are extremely cute and what's even better is the bows they send go with the season.  They are the only bows she does not cry when I put them on or try to rip off.  Score.

EllandEmm has some awesome jewelry.  I have two bracelets from them, one with Liam's birthstone and one with Eva's.  I wear them almost every day.

Candelles makes candles that are pretty much tied for first place with my bath and body works candles.  I got the Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti candle in the fall and am tempted to buy some more holiday ones.

I don't even know what to say about Childhoods Clothing.  Babies in sweat pants and hoodie sweatshirts?  You can't really get much cuter than that.  Not to mention Liam lives in his "cozies" all fall and winter long.  And they came out with an adult line and I'm wearing my beach hoodie.  Right.  Now.

Turkey Day

I love me some holiday.  Thanksgiving is the day I consider to "kick off" the holiday season for me and my local radio station just started playing Christmas music 24/7, so I am roaring and ready to go!

While Friday is reserved for Christmas decorating, I am trying to spend the first part of the week focused on Thanksgiving.

I'm home this week from work to take my "fall break" and am soaking in every single cuddle, kiss, and runny nose.  I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to take the time to cook with my kids, prepare decent meals, and actually have some quality time with my family, without the hassle and worry (or rush) of work. 

Without rushing (too much) into Christmas, we are starting to prep for Thanksgiving.

Mama has taken a little time for herself and is prepping her skin with Eminence Yam and Pumpkin Enzyme Peel and Eminence Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque.  Anytime I have "me" time I usually do one of two things, which are journaling/planning or skin care routines (paired with a bath of course).  So, while the kids are napping, I'm getting some skincare in and love that I can coordinate my skincare treatment with the holidays with these "festive" products (and oh-ma-ga, the smell...).

This year, we are jumping around a lot on Thanksgiving day.  We're starting out the day visiting my mom at the care center (she unfortunately broke her wrist and knee cap, so is in the care center to be able to receive daily physical therapy), then onto my Grandma Helen's, and last onto Greg's grandparents.  We may try to sneak in a visit to my other Grandma as well.  Since we are hopping around a lot, I am still debating what type of food to bring.  Knowing it will need to hold up without a freezer and not need to stay heated, I am leaning towards cookies and thought these sugar cookies looked super cute.  Given my patience with decorating, I may be leaning more towards a traditional pumpkin-chocolate chip cookie...or store bought fudge.

The rest of the week has been play dates in the playroom with Liam and sneaking tummy time in between naps with Eva.  Our family does not have a lot of Thanksgiving traditions, other than eating, so I am bursting to start our Christmas traditions with the kids. So, bring on Christmas...but first, Thanksgiving.




A Baptism and a Shit Show

We had Eva's baptism last Sunday.  It was a wonderful day and a shit show all rolled into one.

Greg and I tried to strategically plan when to feed and change Eva so she would be content when it was time for her to go up and get baptized in front of the congregation.  The minute we stepped up for her baptism, the shit show happened.  Literally, she started shitting right there.  And not quietly or dainty like.   I'm talking loud grunting paired with face scrunching.  And. It. Reeked.  Like, awful.  As in the pastor would not even hold her.

Then, onto the actual baptism, when she had the baptismal water poured over her head, she screamed bloody murder.  When the pastor marked the sign of the cross across her forehead, another high pitched screech filled the room.  The scene was nothing short of having her head spin around or having her jump out of my arms and start crawling on the ceiling (cue nightmares).

Did I mention Liam was laying on the steps during all of this?  This was after he was break dancing during the music portion of the service.

From the outside looking in, we looked like a hot mess.  It was not a day we had it all together.  But, truth be told, it made it all the more memorable and I love my little hot mess family.  I wouldn't change anything about my kids or my husband for the world.  Nothing makes me happier than being around those three, shit shows and all.

Eva is Four Months Old

I hope you enjoyed the creative title.  Straight and to the point, right?

How on earth is Eva four months old?  HOW?  Little lady is smiley, had her first giggle (although I cannot get her to giggle again for the life of me), loves watching her big brother, and is a tummy time master.  We love her wide grin, chubby cheeks, and wispy hair.  We've introduced rice cereal, but so far she will have none of it.  Liam never took to cereal and went straight to the pureed fruits and veggies, which appears to be the path Eva is on.  

She brings our family so much joy and I love having a child that I can call my daughter.  I think no matter the makeup of a family, you love the family you have, but I always envisioned my family with a son and a daughter and am so thankful that I have two children to love and care for.  Our lives feel so full and blessed, and although we do not intend to have anymore kids, you never know what the future holds.  For now, we are enjoying ourselves as a family of four.

On a side note, I think I finally am in the groove of my new position as an autism consultant at work.  I have a lot to learn, but am loving the team I'm on and the new responsibilities.  As always, the desire to be home with the kids is always lurking in the back of my mind, but I have a lot of blessing to count.  I'm happy I am in a profession that I love that allows me to help and serve others.  I'm also thankful that my job follows the school calendar, which allows me to be a "stay-at-home" mom during the summers and holidays.  

As far as an update on my attempt to simplify our life, I've been failing miserably.  While I've been good about not buying new clothes and makeup (and even got rid of a ton of makeup), I seem to have just replaced my makeup obsession with a new obsession: Erin Condren planners and pimping my planner.  Look it up.  It's a thing.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand We're Back to Work

Going back to work is no joke.  I love having my own thing going on, outside the home, but it's tough being on a schedule and missing out on my kids during the day.  Getting out the door by 7am with a two year old and an infant is an Olympic sport, or at least it should be.  So, for our first post maternity leave post, here are some quick updates:

1.  Eva is three months old.  When did that happen?

2.  I am tired.  All.  The.  Time.  But, we've managed to muster up the energy to do some fun fall activities, like hitting up the last family night at the orchard, going to pumpkinfest, and scavenging for pine cones and acorns, which are now scattered around the whole house.

3.  I followed the life changing magic of tidying up and went through my clothes.  I got rid of four huge garbage bags of clothes and my closet is looking a little bare.  I'm not going to lie, I had a mini heart attaching getting rid of those clothes, but in the end I feel more at peace looking at less clutter. Getting ready definitely takes a lot shorter since I'll wear everything in my closet now.  So far, so good.

4.  Liam is obsessed with Halloween and I love it.  Holidays really are better with kids.

5.  I'm in the process of redoing the playroom, Chalkboard wall is complete and IKEA furniture is in. Now I just need to assemble.

6.  I decided it's about time to reclaim my body after baby.  I bit the bullet and ended up going with beachbody on demand because I'm too lazy to insert a DVD and I don't have the motivation, or realistically the time, to go to the gym.  I am also learning to accept the fact that working out in college does not look the same as working out as an employed mother of two.  Someday I'll introduce you to my workout partner, Liam.  He'll be the two year old who is literally running circles around me while I'm working out and sporadically injecting himself under foot.