oh baby, it's a baby!

24 months

2012-01-31T00:24:00.000-06:00

ian turned 2 on january 20th. i can't believe it's been 2 years since that sweet baby boy came into our lives. life has become so exciting in our house. it's giggles one minute and seizing on the floor screaming the next minute... ::sigh::

ian talks my ear off most of the day. mostly one word at a time. cars, ga-ba, color, hockey, snacks (which these days is beginning to sound more like "socks" or "sex"), pwease, hiiiii, ma-ma, stories... those are the most popular ones. he also loves singing songs all day long- from whatever is playing on the ygg pandora station, to a little bit of mumford and sons. my favorites are dancing machine by the jackson 5 and rock star by the fresh beat band. so stinkin' cute.

ian loves his cars still- he got lots of hot wheels for christmas. in fact, he got so much for christmas, we decided to pack a few away for later- maybe potty training rewards. he got a lot of stuff that we ended up packing away and saving for later- looks like potty training will be fun! ian also got a hockey goal for his birthday- so he loves playing hockey and shooting the balls into the net. he's basically into anything & everything. the favorite show right now is yo gabba gabba... we had been watching a nice variety, but now it's only gabba. i have almost 25 episodes on the dvr and i feel like i saw all of them yesterday... oi.

i guessed ian's weight perfectly from last month- he's exactly 25 lbs. that means he's finally moved from being off the bottom of the chart to in the 25th% for weight. he's now 34" tall, which is in the 50-75th%. so he's gained 5 lbs and grown 2" in the last 6 months. wow! 18 month clothes are finally getting a little snug (mostly too short). i packed all the 12 month stuff up finally. he could probably fit fine into some 24 month and 2T clothes, so i'll probably be pulling those out soon.

so i have a "terrible 2" year old. it's a little crazy from time to time. there are crazy tantrums and this weird "NOOOOO" thing that came out of nowhere. he's pretty good most of the time, although it can be a little frustrating. i've definitely learned that sometimes just walking away is the best thing to do- and it's normally when he gets up and, surprise, isn't crying anymore...

food is always an adventure- what he'll eat today he won't even look at tomorrow. "sketchup" is a favorite, and yes, i have been known to dip a blueberry in sketchup to get my child to eat it. i'll also put food on a chip- it serves the same purpose. gotta do what i gotta do... word.

being 2 is huge. it's such a big step. most kids potty train, move out of a crib, out of a high chair, have to give up the binky and also possibly gain a sibling during the crucial 2nd year. i can't imagine how hard it is to go through all of that at once. i'm waiting out the crib thing until ian starts to attempt crib escapes- so for now, we're safe. the sibling thing- it's at least another year away. the high chair move- not needed right now. so my focus is on potty training & giving up the binky. i'm really not sure when i want to start the binky thing- he only uses it for naps and bedtime, so it's not a problem- but learning to sleep without is something he's going to have to do- i'm just not sure he even can comprehend what that means though.

we are working on potty training however. i have been collecting random stickers, and i printed a special yo gabba gabba chart. i just need to come up with a little treat for him- i think we decided on raisinettes. i also told him if he fills up his charts he'll get a little prize too (a christmas gift, perhaps..) lately, ian has been into sitting on the potty- he started this just last saturday night- now i'm not sure if it's a "let's delay bedtime" tactic (seriously, manipulation, already?!) or if he really wants to go- either way, sitting on the potty is sitting on the potty, regardless of when it happens. i'm not going to go into a lot of detail about it because no one wants/needs to know all that, but i'll definitely share some of the funnier stories and when everything's been accomplished.

i'll share more this week about ian's parties and all the fun we had, but now, photos from the 24th month, including the last monthly picture. :(

opening gifts with mommy

tears on christmas morning b\c he had to open other gifts (with uncle bear)

reading with daddy

saying bye to pop & gigi (my grandparents)

working the shipyard.

books and hockey in his new robe

bowl game day.

eating a frozen choco-banana treat

and when the treat is done?

balloons make me happy

car without wheels

grampy's bike helmet

bedtime cheese

cakes?

big smiles

i'm 2!!!

wish list friday: handmade goods

2012-01-27T15:35:00.001-06:00

it's time to explore the world of handmade goods. i am the least crafty person in the entire universe, so it really amazes me that people can make things- pretty things. here are some things in the handmade world that i'm wishing for...

tiny fete pink arrow carryall by tiny fete. this adorable bag combines hot pink with a graphic pattern. adorable bag just to pick up & run out the door with. this is from the etsy shop of one of my favorite bloggers

state map love custom print by anewhistory. adorable custom made print. would be so cute for dave & me.

doily envelope-style clutch purse by krust. love this adorable clutch. so cute for spring!

set of 5 porcelain lace bowls by hideminy. these bowls are so pretty. the detailing is really amazing.

my list is pretty short this week. i'm sure there's so much more out there that i'm missing. any handmade goods you just love?

wish list friday, er wednesday... for you

2012-01-25T22:25:00.001-06:00

dear ian- i can hardly believe you're already 2. time has gone by so fast- too fast if you ask me. this is a big year for you- so many changes are coming this year- i certainly hope we survive.

my wishes for you this year- health & happiness first and foremost. my hopes are that we have a year with very few sicknesses- no sniffles or coughs, no nights with upset tummies. i'm sure i'm dreaming here, but this is a wish list.

i hope that you're happy- i know this year is going to be tough. there's just so much that you just don't understand- i wish i could explain everything to you and make you understand- that this minute's problem will be forgotten in just seconds. i hope that you'll understand that screaming & crying aren't getting you anywhere- you're such a big boy- with words- use them. i'm listening.

i wish that i'll have the patience to deal with the challenges that we're going to face this year- you're definitely a good teacher.

i wish that you'll have lots of adventures this year- from the simple ones at home, to a journey away from home. ball games, picnics, you name it. we're going to have fun this year.

i wish that you'll only continue to get smarter and funnier- you amaze me every day with something you say or do, and you make me laugh a dozen or more times a day.

i wish for more love and hugs than you already share with me. you're my little snuggs bunns.

i wish for lots of family time together. this may be the last year it's just the 3 of us- although i'm not ready to share you yet.

i wish for more time in general. it's just going by so fast.

i love you little eans beans. i wish everything for you.

mommy reads in 2011

2012-01-18T02:50:00.000-06:00

i wanted to read more in 2011- so i took on the page to screen challenge over at reading extensively. the goal was to read books that were turned into movies/tv shows and if you chose, to watch the corresponding movie/show. i thought i could do at least 5- i definitely passed my expectations.

so many people say that once they have a baby, they don't have time to read anymore... baloney. if you like to read- read. you probably have the time. i didn't read 100 books this year, but i read a few... i think i did pretty well.

in 2011 i read...

1. the lovely bones - alice sebold
2. carrie - stephen king
3. BUtterfield 8 - john o'hara
4. the virgin suicides - jeffery eugenides
5. the accidental billionaires - ben mezrich
6. twilight - stephanie meyer
7. eclipse - stephanie meyer
8. new moon - stephanie meyer
9. breaking dawn - stephanie meyer
10. between a rock & a hard place - aron ralston
11. something borrowed - emily giffin
12. the help - kathryn sockett
13. eat, pray, love - elizabeth gilbert
14. push - sapphire
15. dear john - nicholas sparks
16. water for elephants - sara gruen

not book challenge related, but i also read:
17. garden anywhere - alys fowler
18. your first triathlon - joe friel

and started in 2011, but finished in 2012... (19.) shutter island.

so i finished 16 books for the challenge!!! (!!) pdg. want to know what i thought of the books i read in 2011? you can find it all right here. now it's on to 2012....

wish list friday: things to read

2012-01-13T16:41:00.000-06:00

i read a lot of books this year, which makes me very happy. i want to get into more reading and less watching last year (which is probably why our dvr is full) and i did it! i'll post more later on the books i did read in 2011 (which were all books made into movies). this year i'm going to read whatever the heck i want. i've gotten so many books in the last year or so, but i didn't read them last year because they didn't fit into the challenge criteria. here's to reading about anything & everything!

5th avenue, 5 a.m. by sam wasson. i just finished what i was reading and this is on my night stand ready to read. this book is all about the making of breakfast at tiffany's from novel to film and how hepburn's portrayal of holly golightly changed women in film. breakfast at tiffany's is one of my favorite films.

in defense of food by michael pollan. dave got this for me last year and i still haven't read it. i feel like i've made an improvement to how i eat, but i still have a long ways to go.

the hunger games by suzanne collins. i've been waiting to dive into this trilogy... but i only have book 1... noooo!

drowning ruth by christina schwarz. i'm not an oprah fan, but her book club books are usually wonderful reads. i'm very excited about this psychological thriller!

frankly, my dear: gone with the wind revisited by molly haskell. gwtw is my favorite movie of all time and i'm excited to read a little more about the background of the movie and book.

taste & see by john piper. looking forward to starting this devotional.

is everybody hanging out without me (and other concerns) by mindy kaling. i actually don't own this book yet, but i'm definitely planning on reading it. love mindy on the office.

nice girls don't change the world by lynne hybels. i received this book for mother's day at church last year or the year before... just haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

the immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot. henrietta lacks died at the age of 31 in 1951. her cells were taken from her body w\o anyone's persmission and became the multi-billion dollar foundation of modern science, yet her family had no idea and lived in poverty and poor health. it sounds too crazy to be true, yet it is.

organized simplicity: the clutter-free approach to intentional living by tsh oxenreider. i'm dying to be uncluttered, and we're getting there very slowly, but there's always more that can be done.

well, those are just a few of the books that i'm wanting to read soon! have you read any of these books? are you planning on reading any of these books? what's on your book wish list- please share!

dinner by pinterest v. 2

2012-01-12T08:18:00.000-06:00

so, my first edition of dbp seemed to be a hit, so i thought i'd do it again. i'm always cooking- so much that i have a huge problem where i rarely make the same thing twice- even if there's something i make that i really love. i've gotten a little better about pulling out the repeats- in fact, i've already made one of these meals twice, and i'll definitely be making it again... bon appetit!

crock pot buffalo chicken

if you have ever read the haps, you've probably seen mandy's post about making crock pot buffalo chicken. this recipe is EVERYTHING it's been advertised as. ah-maz-ing. we've already made it twice, and each time we've made it, it's made so much food that it lasts us nearly a week!!! it's only 3 ingredients... chicken, a bottle of frank's red hot buffalo wing sauce, and hidden valley ranch dip mix. the recipe calls for butter as well, but we've skipped that step both times and i've been really happy with it. pinned from here...

so easy... 1. add chicken (thawed or frozen) to crock pot and top with the sauce and dip mix. crock on low for about 5-6 hours. 2. with 30 minutes to go, remove chicken and shred. 3. add back to the crock and let it absorb all the yumminess... enjoy! we had our sandwiches on filone bread- and i topped mine w\ crumbled bleu cheese. one sandwich is usually enough- and i usually serve chips or a veggie as the side. when we're all out of bread, we use the leftover meat to make a quesadilla with mozz & bleu cheese (for me). the meat is a little spicy, but even ian enjoyed little bites of the chicken from our sandwiches.

crock pot hawaiian bbq chicken

yet again another delicious recipe that i saw on the haps. and again, so simple. chicken, bottle of bbq sauce (any will do), a can of pineapple chunks and minute rice. i don't normally buy minute rice, and i didn't feel like making regular rice, so we made sandwiches out of ours. again, it's so easy- 1. add the chicken, top with bbq sauce and the drained pineapple and cook on low 5-6 hours. 2. with 30 minutes to go, remove the chicken, shred and add back to the crock to soak up the sauce. since i was too lazy to make rice, we had ours on hawaiian rolls (they have the buns). the sweetness of the rolls was just too much yummy. we made the sandwiches until we were out of bread and then went the quesadilla route again- mozz cheese, bbq sauce mixed w\ a little ranch and the chicken... nom nom. pinned from here!

and apparently i didn't take a photo of the deliciousness that was this sandwich... although i swear i did... you'll just have to follow the links to deliciousness.... so you'll just have to imagine!

dressember week 4: (december 25-31)

2012-01-10T14:51:00.000-06:00

i slacked a little the last couple weeks of dressember because of our traveling, but nevertheless, here's the last week of dressember. lots of fun- but not good for midwest winters! sorry it's up so late too... we have family coming next week for ian's birthday and it's time we finish unpacking....

week 4:

day 16- december 25

sorry, we all slept in one room- messy!

cardigan- forever 21

dress- modcloth

tights- target

shoes- old navy

day 17: december 29

cardigan- forever 21
dress- modcloth
tights- target
flats- old navy

day 18: december 31

yep, i'm in the bathroom... only place to escape in a house w\ 17 other people....
cardigan- target
dress- hale bob vintage via rue la la
tights- target
flats- loft

well, that was fun. 18 days out of 31 isn't bad when you're chasing a toddler around... i'd prefer warmer weather for this though- my legs nearly froze!!

so, here's the wrap up...

23 months

2012-01-04T23:22:00.000-06:00

i can't believe this is the 2nd to last update that i'll be doing for ian. every day i can't believe that we're getting close to ian's 2nd birthday. it seriously just seems like yesterday that he was put into my arms for the first time, yet sometimes it seems like it was so long ago that i hardly remember what he was like as a baby.

ian is so chatty- he talks to me all day long. mostly he's talking about "cars" or "stories." it's so funny the things he says. telling strangers that they're silly, or looking at you and saying "you're stinky." he keeps us entertained. he also loves to sing songs all day long- he can sing a little bit of everything- from frosty the snowman (which he sang during the christmas eve service communion prayer...oops) to can you feel the love tonight.

ian's favorite toys are his cars, and he loves reading his books. those are the 2 big things that he's into right now. he loves matchbox cars/hot wheels- he's got a nice little collection going. his cousins are really into cars, and his uncle mike has been teaching him what each car is.

ian is finally fitting into most of his 18 month clothes- i can definitely tell he's getting taller & putting on some pounds. i'm guessing he's probably close to 25 lbs- but we'll find out at his 2 year appointment later this month.

ian's favorite things to eat right now are blueberries, applesauce, peas, breads, hot dogs and waffles. he has a healthy appetite most days, although there are occasions where he just refuses to eat, and i guess that's normal for kids his age.

we're definitely in the terrible twos stage. there is a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth- most days we've both got to just take a chill pill. i have gotten much better at just letting it pass by ignoring it, or just asking ian to use words with me to express what he's so mad about- which most of the time seems like nothing. this has got to be a hard stage for kids- not a baby anymore, and just getting into big kid stuff- it seems a lot is going on from potty training to a new bed, and for a lot of kids his age- new siblings. ian has a while before he'll have to deal with that though.

we're not potty training. ian is uninterested and frankly just doesn't have time- he's too busy to actually stop and use the potty. i'm not in a hurry, but it sure would be nice. ian's also still in his crib- i figure why rush things if he's still content in there, and he is- he hasn't tried to escape yet, so i'm fine with him sticking in the crib a while longer.

i can't believe the next update will be ian's 2nd birthday- i can't wait to share about his birthday and all the fun we had at christmas. here are some pictures from month 23!!

there are a lot of pictures coming, and a big eff you to blogger for making me upload them three times. i hate you. seriously.

wearing daddy's head warmer

shirtless "cheeeeese" face

eating crayons for thanksgiving

attempting to get christmas card photos

peanut butter jelly time!

finding the perfect tree

new hiding spot

waiting to see santa

even newer hiding spot

more apprehension over santa

23 months!!!!

mommy reads: water for elephants

2012-01-04T02:33:00.000-06:00

water for elephants

i'm so glad i was able to end 2011 on a good note as far as reading goes. there have definitely been some ups & downs this year, but this was definitely a high.

jacob jankowski is a 23 year old vet student at cornell only days away from taking his finals and joining his father's practice. however, his parents are tragically killed in a car accident and jacob learns that his father mortgaged their home (this is right after the stock market crash) to send jacob to school and he is left with nothing. jacob is so overcome with grief, that he walks out on his exams and just starts walking- when a train comes by, he jumps it, not knowing how much his life is about to change. jacob has jumped a train belonging to the benzini brothers circus. he gets a permanent job by telling the ringmaster & animal trainer that he is a veterinarian. trouble begins to brew though when jacob falls in love with marlena- the star of the show and wife of animal trainer august. the story is told in flashbacks by jacob at the age of ninety, or ninety-three.

sara gruen is a wonderful writer and the story kept me entertained from start to finish. i also saw the movie and really enjoyed it. it doesn't hurt that it stars rob pattinson- but i thought it was a good interpretation of the book. a major character was morphed into another character, which took away from some of the story, but in the end was probably the best thing for the movie. i'd recommend both. charming story

book 4/5, movie 4/5.

dressember week 3: (december 18-24)

2011-12-28T13:57:00.000-06:00

week 3..

day 12- december 18

dress: forever 21

cardigan: loft

tights & belt- target

flats- old navy

day 13- december 20

blazer and flats: loft

dress: rodarte for target

belt, tights and tee: target

day 14- december 22

dress: tucker for target

belt and tights: target

oxfords: swapped

day 15- december 24

dress & shoes: old navy

tights: target

one week to go...

mommy reads: dear john

2011-12-28T13:22:00.000-06:00

dear john

i think i've reached my limit of nicholas sparks books. first i read the notebook- the 2 main characters die together at the end (sad, but happy b\c they loved each other so much), then i read a walk to remember- sad because the girl dies at the end when she's only 18. then i read dear john. surprisingly, no one died at the end, but i wanted to kill myself for reading another nicholas sparks book.... read on... unless you're going to read this at some point (which i've already advised you not to)... in which you shouldn't because... spoiler alert.

john tyree bad boy turned soldier meets savannah curtis while on r&r. she's a college student building houses for habitat with a bunch of other college students, including her friend tim, who happens to be in love with her. they immediately fall in love- but john's only home for 2 weeks. savannah also meets john's reclusive, distant father, who she diagnoses with asperger's, much to john's dismay. john happens to pay more attention to his father after this though and realizes savannah is probably right. john's father is a big time coin collector, and he used to collect with his dad until they got into a huge fight about it. after the 2 weeks john goes back to germany and they write letters to each other. everything's going to work out though because john's time in the army is almost up- but did i mention they met in the summer of 2001? oops. well, john decides to reenlist after 9-11 adding another 2 years on- but him & savannah continue to write letters. he comes home to visit again, and you can tell there is distance between him. john gets sent to war (i swear i thought he would die, but he doesn't) and while he's gone he gets a real "dear john" letter- savannah is breaking up with him b\c she's in love with someone else. john reenlists again, but is soon called home b\c his father is sick. his father dies eventually and john comes home to settle his estate. while at home he decides to pay savannah a visit, it's there he learns that she has married tim and they are the caretakers of tim's brother alan b\c tim's parent died in a car accident. tim is no where to be found though... but wait... the next day savannah takes john to see tim- he has lymphoma and really needs expensive experimental treatment that insurance won't cover. it's obvious that savannah is still in love with john, and we know john still loves savannah, but john leaves, sells his father's entire coin collection (except for one) and anonymously donates all of the money to tim. in the end, we find out that tim took well to treatment and is going to live.

seriously?! all i could think about when she dumped him (in the middle of a war, no less) was that she was such a rotten b. then, she halfway tries to seduce him, and then he sells his father's entire coin collection and donates it just so her husband will live. the husband that she fell in love with while they were still together...

the movie was a completely different story... literally. it should have been entitled "dear john (very) loosely based on the book dear john." i mean, some of the details were the same, but so much of it was different- if you don't like the details of a book- then don't make a movie "based" on it.

disappointments, both of them.

book 2/5, movie 1/5.

q&a- christmas style

2011-12-24T07:04:00.002-06:00

a little christmas q&a from my friend maegan at chesterrific

i'll be back sometime in the next week or so to share lots of fun stuff!

hope everyone has a very merry christmas remembering the true meaning of this day!

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? ho cho or wassail in our house!
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? both.
Colored or white lights on the tree and house? colored.
Do you hang mistletoe? No.
When do you put up your decorations? after thanksgiving. we still don't have our tree up!
What is your favorite holiday dish? honey baked turkey (store bought) my grandfather's stuffing (homemade).
Favorite holiday memory as a child? going around on christmas eve to see lights in different neighborhoods. you don't see a lot of lights like that anymore. :(
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? 8-9 ish (i was way old)
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? nope- but dave & i always do. mostly b\c we get so excited about our gifts that we can't wait
How do you decorate your Christmas tree? lights, tinsel, my ornaments from childhood and other favorites.
Snow! Love it or dread it? used to love it. now i dread it.
Can you ice skate? i used to be able to. it's been a long time.
Do you remember your favorite gift? a doll, but i can't remember what it was called. it was a mystery doll and you didn't know if it was a boy or girl until you dissolved its diaper in water (that sounds so weird)
What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Family.
What is your favorite holiday dessert? peppermint bark, pumpkin pie
What is your favorite holiday tradition? christmas eve candlelight service followed by mexican food!
What tops your tree? An angel.
Which do you prefer, giving or receiving gifts? Both.
Candy canes ... yuck or yum? meh.
Favorite Christmas show? how the grinch stole christmas. my favorite movie- it's a wonderful life.
Saddest Christmas song? i'll be home for christmas
What is your favorite Christmas song? o holy night

dressember week 2 (dec 11-17)

2011-12-21T11:34:00.000-06:00

here is week 2 of dressember!!

day 6: december 11

top- liz lange maternity (still wear it all the time)
dress: missoni for target
tights & boots- target

day 7: december 12

sweater- forever 21
dress: charlotte russe
tights: target
flats: old navy

day 8: december 13

top & tights: target
skirt & flats: loft

day 9: december 15

cardigan: loft
dress: fishbowl at nordstrom rack
tights: target
flats: old navy

day 10: december 16

cardigan and tights: target
dress: modcloth
flats: old navy

day 11: december 17

dress: modcloth
tights & boots: target

week 3 & 4 still to come.... but for now, we're off to atlanta!!

steppin' out saturday - breakfast with santa!!

2011-12-20T02:09:00.000-06:00

while we were at dave's company party friday, we took ian to spend the night with grammy & grampy. his cousins annie & ellie were there too, so it was a big party. the next morning, his other cousins christian, jason & gavin joined them for breakfast with santa at grammy & grampy's church. there was sausage & pancakes and then santa arrived. ian still refused to socialize with santa- he wouldn't even let me put him down... his cousin annie however walked right up to santa and climbed into his lap without a second thought. silly kids.

this is as close to santa as ian was getting. notice my nephew jason, (who won't even look at santa) in his mother's arms next to us

seriously, stop taking me to see that bearded guy!

i refuse to pose for any photos, mother!

stories!

on ian: top- carters, overalls- vintage (they were mine), shoes- reebok

on me: dress- modcloth, tights & boots- target.

photo challenge: red

2011-12-18T03:22:00.000-06:00

i don't usually do these kinds of things b\c 1. i don't take very good pictures and 2. ian refuses to be photographed. however, today was different. behold!

look at that little stinker. not only is he marching around being a totes cutes patoots, but those overalls that he's wearing... used to be MINE (oh, the 80's). unfortunately, the leather on the suspenders decided to give out by the end of the day, and they'll be unwearable again unless they're repaired, but they are about 30 years old! i wish i had a picture of me wearing them for comparison, but i'll have to see if i can dig that up while at home. regardless, this outfit was perfect for our breakfast with santa (he's still scared)...

ps. when i went to preview this post the "you might also like" was showcasing "week 16: baby avocado" next to a picture of guacamole....

dressember: week 1 (dec. 1-10)

2011-12-18T00:10:00.000-06:00

as promised, here is week 1 of dressember- the 1st 10 days. i don't have 10 days of dresses because i don't get dressed every day, you know since ~~i'm a mom~~ that's how i roll...

day 1: december 1

decided to start out easy here..

dress: old navy

leggings: old navy

flats: old navy

day 2: december 3

look how tall i am...

dress: old navy

tights: target

heels: target

day 3: december 6

top: modcloth

dress: loft

tights: target

shoes: loft

day 4: december 8

top: victoria's secret

dress: target

tights: target

shoes: swapped

day 5: december 10

cardigan: loft

dress: charlotte russe

belt: bitten sjp

tights: target

boots: target

wish list friday: foods to make & bake

2011-12-16T15:27:00.000-06:00

i love love love to cook. there are a lot of things that i am mediocre at, but cooking is not one of them. and while i have the occasional kitchen mishap, more times than not i am making something that makes me say, "dang, that is good." i'll stop tooting my own baking/making horn and show you what's on my wish list of things that need to very quickly make their way to mah belly, or another reason pinterest should be called "fat-terest."

(all images credited to the links below)

looking at this collage is causing me to gain weight

1. homemade samoas - girl scout cookies are sold once a year so i don't eat a box week... but now you're telling me i can make them myself? uh oh.
2. buffalo chicken tacos - you had me at buffalo
3. cilantro lime chickpea salad - i love salads like this. it looks so fresh and yummy!!
4. 7-layer greek dip - welcome to the party in my mouth!
5. christmas cake - a gorgeous, but simple cake from my friend maegan!!
6. crockpot breakfast casserole - sounds like a great christmas morning meal
7. malibu pina colada cupcakes with lime cream cheese frosting - love lime & coconut!
8. creamy avocado salsa verde - combine 2 of my favorites + i love dips!
9. gluten-free shirley temple cupcakes - these are just so pretty + they're gf!
10. red velvet brownies with white chocolate buttercream - uh, yum. love red velvet- although i used to despise it!

is your tummy growling yet... mine is... : \ yummmm!

getting into the christmas spirit

2011-12-14T01:13:00.000-06:00

we've been hustling and bustling at the mchousehold with all of the christmas to dos! we finished shopping in early december and now our gifts just await wrapping paper so they can go under our tree that just went up on sunday! in the meantime we are ready for dave's office party and breakfast with santa this weekend! i will have pictures of our decorated house (and our new house in general very soon), but first: christmas cards & a visit with santa!!

last year it took us about 100 shots to get this family gem:

look at that sweet boy.

the years before that were pretty easy...

2007. 2008. 2009.

taking christmas card photos with an almost 2 year old who can't sit still even for a millisecond... impossible. this year there weren't nearly as many takes b\c there was nothing to take a picture of... but we got a really cute candid photo of dave & myself... too bad we couldn't photoshop baby in...

aren't we sweet?

almost every photo we took that ended up having ian in it captured him either screaming, trying to get away, or moving so much that he's just a little blur...

but we did come up with these 2 gems...

so, i sent these pictures to my friend mel for her opinion on what i should choose... and she turned it into this magic...

i really need to learn photoshop....

on the santa front- things were also different this year with an almost 2 year old... walk with me down memory lane?

we weren't sure how ian would react to santa- we knew with him there would probably be no in between- it would be either love or hate. saturday night we had dinner at chick fil a and the santa cow made an appearance- ian was in love- he was waving at him, giving high fives, mooing... so we thought the santa thing might go okay...

giant cow costume santa = cool. real guy as santa = not so cool

not so much... poor ian. dave & i were in hysterics... the things we do to our kids. oh well, better luck next year. of course, he does nothing now but walk around the house saying "ho ho ho."

do you do christmas cards?

do you take your little one to see santa? was their reaction as you expected?

linking up here:

and..

harper's happenings santa photo link-up

wish list friday: modcloth duds

2011-12-09T15:19:00.003-06:00

all images linked below

1. look on the bright cider tunic - i have a weakness for bright red, holiday themed sweaters, and this one does it without being ugly sweater party material. looks warm too, and i need it- it's 26 today!

2. lieutenant lovely cardigan - love the colors and button detail. would be cute alone or over anything.

3. new hire and higher dress - this dress looks slimming and classy. can't go wrong with that.

4. what's the peter plan top - adorable top. i know i'd feel just like madeline!

5. strawberry waffles dress - adorable dress that could be styled so many ways

6. freedom of the dress - lovely dress- and it has sleeves!

7. streetcar tour dress - a classy dress that comes in a variety of colors that's appropriate year-round! yes!

8. london collar-ing dress - love this sweet dress. the color is a winner

9. loving care dress - another sweet dress. i think it could be hit or miss on me though!

10. three square teals dress - knit retro-looking dress. very cute
11. double your output top - stripes and lace. i think so
12. presidio pose dress - cute, but way out of my price range
13. snow news is good news dress - perfect sweater dress for illinois weather
14. radiant ruby dress - i'm in love with everything about this gorgeous red dress
15. evergreen and gorgeous dress - love the color of this pretty maxi dress
16. brunch date top - i really love this top, can't figure out why it was only available for about a month!

like anything you see?

hair diaries: no heat curls (photos)

2011-12-07T15:55:00.000-06:00

one of my dear readers requested that i do another post about my hair. i apologize for not sharing any fancy 'dos lately- my hair has gotten really long- and when it gets too long and hasn't been cut in oh, say, 8 months (which is torture for a pre-baby religious every 6-8 weeker) it starts to get a little cray-cray. when it gets too long, i need to start doing as my grandma used to and sleep on a silk pillowcase... but i don't have one, so i wake up with crazy matted hair every morning... therefore, it's lots of ponytails for me. gosh, this sounds like an argument for more hair tutorials instead of less...

so, the big blog thing this summer in hair that kept catching my eye was the "no heat curl." i have to admit, i never actually viewed any of the tutorials, or did anything more than look at the pictures of girls with their curls. of course i kept thinking "no heat curl... isn't that what i do with my hair every day simply by letting it air dry?" of course, i then realized that not everyone ~~is cursed with~~ has curly/wavy hair. some people have to work for it... so i went to the first place that i saw the nhc- the paper mama (view her photos & tutorial by following the link) and realized that this was probably the easiest thing in the world. it's a style you make simply by sleeping (and i love to sleep). ready to see how it's done?

step 1

start with hair that is mostly dry. you can see how long my hair is getting + how it curls on its own.

step 2

channel your inner mischa barton circa 2008 and wrap a headband on the outside of your hair (i use goody's no slip headbands).

step 3

starting from the front and working your way around take strands of hair and loop them around the headband until you're all the way around your head (see video tutorial on the paper mama's blog for help).

step 4.

go to sleep!! zzzzz (bonus points with me if you can name the film whence this mask was originally seen)

step 5.

good morning- time to take the hair down! (very carefully)

here at is at 1st glance- very curly. now i'm going to shake it out a bit...

yikes... it got a little pageant-y....

then i had this one crazy piece that refused to curl that i ended up having to pin curl for a few hours

but overall... i'm impressed. this is something you can tweak to fit your needs- pull thinner strands for more curls and thicker strands for less (i'm trying that next time).

these last 2 pictures were taken around 5:30- so for me it lasted ALL DAY! if your hair isn't naturally curly like mine, i would suggest that you spray it pretty generously with hair spray and let that dry (i saw that in another no heat curls video). as far as how you normally style it before you do the curls- i guess that would be up to you. i stopped using hair products on my hair back last year when i stopped washing my hair for a while- however, i did use a pea sized drop of dave's gel and lightly ran it over the top, since it was a little fuzzy from being slept on. i'll definitely be trying this again and experimenting with the types of curls i can get and ways i can style it.

have you tried the no heat curls before? do you think this is a look that will work for you? let me know!

mommy reads: push

2011-12-06T17:02:00.000-06:00

push

i wanted to read the novel push by sapphire after hearing about the movie adaptation "precious" that came out in 2009. i read the book once back in 2009, but just recently got around to seeing the movie- so i wanted to re-read the book to refresh me before viewing the film.

precious jones is 16 years old, and pregnant with her 2nd child- by her own father. she's illiterate, abused by her mother, and has just been kicked out of school for being pregnant. her principal sets her up in an alternative school where her teacher sees precious not just as another casualty of harlem and the system, but as a person with an opportunity to become somebody.

this book is a hard read. it's written from the point of view of precious and i guess you could call that a ghetto dialect. you must remember that although she has gone to school, that she is for the most part, uneducated. if you can read through the dialect, then the book is a pretty "easy" read... the novel is short (less than 200 pages). you begin through precious's thoughts and dialogue with people around her, and by the end you are reading through her writing. what makes this a tough read is the actual words and nature of the story. precious explains her sexual, verbal and physical abuse in very graphic detail- it's hard to stomach, and hard to believe that people actually go through things like that in life. that people are hurt by those they trust the most. hurt by those who were put on this earth to be their protectors. precious goes to show that despite your past, you can pick yourself back up and work to have a successful life, despite whatever plans the "system" may have for you. so as painful as the book is to read, you're definitely cheering for precious to pick herself up and get her life together- and what's in store for precious will definitely have you cheering!

the movie is equally painful to watch in that you actually see the abuse with your eyes, but it can't touch the book in getting into the innermost thoughts of precious. it also doesn't give you as deep of a look into precious's journey to literacy and her journaling with her teacher, blue rain.

overall, i enjoyed both. great read, despite the heavy subject matter. award-winning film.

book 4/5. movie 4/5

mommy reads: eat pray love

2011-12-05T01:07:00.000-06:00

eat pray love

as with any very popular novel there is a line drawn- people who love the book- and people who hate the book. with me and epl- i would say i'm somewhere in the middle. this is my 2nd time reading elizabeth gilbert's memoir chronicling her year long travels in italy, india & indonesia following her divorce. the book begins with gilbert filing for divorce. she never mentions the reasons behind her divorce (and they're no one's business but her own), but from the way she describes it, it definitely doesn't paint her in a good light. she basically walks out of her marriage and into the arms of another man (that she meets after filing for divorce)- so basically she leaves her marriage without even trying to fix it, and rebounds into an even more tumultuous relationship. basically, she's a walking disaster. after her & her boyfriend split again, and she meets a medicine man while traveling for work in bali (who tells her she'll return one day)- she decides to take a year away from everything to travel- to italy to experience pleasure, to india to experience spiritual life and to indonesia to balance the two.

gilbert is a wonderful writer- she's funny, self-depreciating, and she makes you feel like you're there with her experiencing everything. her book is split into 3 books- italy, india, and indonesia, and each of those books is split into 36 stories. in italy i'm dreaming of eating the pizza she eats and describes with such detail that you're drooling on the pages, in india, i'm feeling the frustration at reciting the gurugita, and in bali i'm falling in love. gilbert really is a fabulous story teller, but sometimes you just sit there thinking "i don't feel sorry for you- you got yourself into this mess." other times you're thinking that gilbert must have the best luck in the entire world- and all the money to be able to travel (even though she was supposed to have lost it all). the book is definitely worth the read for the story gilbert tells, but don't expect a life-changer.

the movie stars julia roberts as gilbert, james franco as david (her new boyfriend), richard jenkins as richard from texas, and javier bardem as felipe (her boyfriend/future husband). felipe is actually in his 50's when he and gilbert meet (a father of grown children), yet bardem is younger than roberts... the movie hit on some of the highlights of the book, but could never come close to telling all the stories. it fell way short of the book, but not of my expectations b\c i honestly didn't expect much from it.

book 3.5/5. movie 2/5

wish list friday: shooooes

2011-12-02T00:35:00.001-06:00

shoes, shoes and more shoes. i am a lady after all. i don't wear heels much anymore- i'm a flats girl. i call that embracing my height. here are the cute heels & flats on my wish list.

1. spotlight heels- modcloth. adorable cut-out oxford heels
2. naughty monkey combat heels- piper lime. i could use some new black pumps- they're always classic.
3. all tide up flat- modcloth. these canvas rope-trimmed flats are so cute. summer, where are you?!
4. room to bloom flats- modcloth. another easy way to wear mustard this fall/winter
5. kiltie conscience flat- modcloth. adorable loafers. i could use more shoes like these.
6. how do you dewey heel- modcloth. oxfords in a fun color.
7. can't hardly slate wedge- modcloth. adorable perforated wedges- and they're vegan.
8. the to-toes heels- modcloth. these are seriously too cute.
9. seychelles- ampersand. love these.
10. naughty monkey untamed heels- piper lime. cute heels.

do you prefer heels or flats?

sos- thanksgiving edition

2011-12-01T12:36:00.000-06:00

i decided to dress it up this year for thanksgiving since i feel like i have a closet full of dresses that i never get to wear. i don't think i've worn this dress since easter, and i was excited to put it back on and give it a little kick- with some colorful tights of course. my father in law decided to wear zubaz pants and a tunic that we brought him back from our honeymoon (quite a sight to see, really), so as he said, it was up to us to bring color into thanksgivng. gee, i'm flattered. yellow is not my color by any stretch of the imagination, but put it on my legs, and it's not so bad. this was before i gained at least 2 delicious pounds...

my hair: needs to be cut

dress: tucker for target

tights: target

heels- old navy

ian has been pretty sneaky lately when it's come to picture taking. of course, he learned to say "cheese" last week, so now he's all about it... here he is caught in the act of eating a crayon...

shirt: chaps

speaking of pretty dresses i never wear- i'm participating in dressember hosted by blythe hill. for someone who doesn't get dressed every day, this might be easy. or at least a reason to get dressed. so i'll try this every day, except at work, where it's pants and tops only. boo. but it looks like that's not even going to be an issue... i'll do these posts weekly too, to spare you the daily torture. ;)

wish list friday, er, monday: winter boots/shoes

2011-11-28T01:46:00.000-06:00

i skipped last week b\c we were at the movies late... and i took this past friday off for thanksgiving... this is off to a poor start, but no worries, i'm back

what girl doesn't love shoes? a crazy girl that is. i'm always looking for new shoes- unfortunately you don't really get to wear pretty shoes in the midwest. i spent most of last winter wearing my sweater boots- which are comfy and warm, but not necessarily the cutest. most heels are basically out- so i need cute, flat shoes that are warm. oh, and they most likely can't be suede or anything like that b\c the snow will ruin them. it's a shame. a real shame.

here are the boots on my love list. i'll be back later this week with heels & flats!! ;) maybe...

images are credited to link back

it's best to go l-r from t-b!

1. undercover studs boot- modcloth. cute, flat and under $50. yes, yes, yes.

2. jersy boots- blowfish. the partially hidden zipper is a cool look.

3. sueded desert wedges- old navy. my old navy shoes have lasted for years.

4. write now bootie- modcloth. out of mama's range, but cute.

5. riley tall slouch boot- payless. extended calf. sometimes i think i need this.

6. xhilaration kainda boot- target. i bet i can't navigate ice & a toddler in these...

7. coconuts dylan boot- piper lime. flat boots, yes. ended up getting boots similar to this at target for $10!!

8. merona kasia boot- target. most wanted: tall, flat, black boots, but sorry target- $50?! ha.
9. xhilaration sadella heeled booties- target. cute, except that i am scared of heels b\c of all the ice & snow!
10. naughty monkey misfit- piper lime. not a wedge, not a heel. manageable!
11. elzinga boots- aldo. my fave on the list- love the hidden wedge!
12. b.o.c by born martina boot- dsw. these look like they have a super safe sole + look super comfortable!
13. naughty monkey detective boots- endless.com. again with the not-heel, not wedge thing.
14. clooney by coconuts- piper lime. these look identical to another pair listed... but with a wedge
15. faux leather riding boots- old navy. i've been happy with all my inexpensive old navy shoes- they always hold up well.

i ended up going with a pair of flat motorcycle boots from target that didn't even make my most loved list, yet were only $10- and that always makes my list!

22 months

2011-11-23T08:45:00.001-06:00

it's so hard to believe that ian will be 2 in just 2 short months. every month is a cause for celebration, and he just becomes more of a joy every day (tantrums and all).

there haven't been a lot of changes from last month other than adding new words to his vocabulary every day. he's always saying something that you didn't know he could say (pepperoni, coffee) and picking up new words that he hears you say. his big phrase this past month has been "you're silly." he loves to say it to you and then just bust into laughter.

with more words, comes more memorization. he's really into singing songs. it isn't shocking to be riding in the car and hear him singing along to mumford & sons or even rhianna. i guess you only need to hear something once or twice before you really know it.

he's really playing with all his toys now. riding on his ride along toys, playing with blocks, and his new favorite- cars. he loves carrying his cars everywhere he goes.

we moved, and he has taken to our house quite well. the first week or so was a little trying, but he's all settled in now. he actually has room to run around and play and can just run up & down the halls and do as he pleases- now if we could unpack those last few boxes and keep him out of those! since we're in a room that's on the same level as everything in the house, we've started room time. it's an hour of the day where i put ian in his room with music, a small snack and a drink and a few toys and he plays on his own. it's perfect for me to get work done, and it helps him to play on his own. it was a struggle at first- in the beginning we couldn't even get through 10 minutes b\c he wailed the whole time, but now he really enjoys himself and i get a few things done without worrying about him being right underneath me so we can spend the rest of the day together.

i'm still looking into a 1 day a week program- i may have found something- but it's not close to here and would be out of my way for going to my office. there is actually a church very close to our house that offers a program, but ian misses the cut off date for being 3 by 5 days. :(

he's definitely grown this month- we had to pack the 6-12 month pj's away, and we've even had to pack away a couple pairs of the 12 month pants. i did go through his clothes from last winter though and i pulled his 12 month stuff all back out- we'll see what he can still wear as time goes on!

mommy reads: breaking dawn

2011-11-21T07:47:00.002-06:00

since it's taking me for-ev-er to re-read epl, i thought i'd go ahead & do my review of breaking dawn since the movie just came out on friday.

i feel like it took me forever to read this book. i enjoyed it, but it was really long, really, really long. here's the rundown: bella finally marries edward, they have sex, bella gets pregnant w\ a half-vampire. vampire babies can't exist, the volturi comes to kill the vampire baby, there's a huge fight. the end. i enjoyed the book- long but solid. good way to end it- you can't go on and do these forever.

dave & i saw breaking dawn part 1 at the midnight showing friday morning. i know there are so many people who hate the books, movies, etc. i look at it like this: there are books and movies you take seriously, and the rest are just for fun. this is my just for fun. i can read the book and feel like i'm on a little break for a couple hours a day. i can watch the movie, enjoy it whilst laughing at the bad acting & silly dialogue. do i enjoy the movies? yes. are they oscar-worthy? never.

i really liked the movie. dave hated it- that's to be expected. it set things up perfectly for part 2 without leaving a cliffhanger that leaves you dying for the next year. edward is a total hottie & bella's wedding dress is gorgeous. this movie was basically a set-up for the final movie- and that's where the real stuff will happen.

did you see breaking dawn?

book 3/5. movie 3/5.

epic photo contest, yo!

2011-11-16T07:41:00.000-06:00

once again ian has been entered by his loving mother into the modern bird photo contest. you can vote for our little guy here. the winner gets their photo transformed as only modern bird can do it. i'm not liking our odds so far, but i'm keeping the faith!

besides, how can you not giggle when you see this!?

dinner by pinterest

2011-11-14T08:32:00.001-06:00

so everyone else here loves pinterest, right? right. now that we have that cleared up. i love pinterest. i'm not full-on obsessed... yet, but there's a lot of love going on there. pinterest is good for people like me who just aren't creative, even in the slightest. i told my husband this weekend that the least southern thing about me was the fact that i couldn't diy to save my life. i see a craft, or some cute project that is touted as "super easy" and i'll find a way to eff it up. however, i can cook, and that tends to be something that has a 99% success rate in the mchousehold, and since pinterest is obviously plotting to make me a contestant on a future season of the biggest loser, i might as well start sharing the ~~calories~~ goods with the rest of you!

avocado grilled cheese (and i don't like grilled cheese sandwiches)! pinned from here.

these were so simple. bread, avocado, mozzarella & pepperoni. i added sun dried tomatoes for an extra kick. so yummy. can't wait to have these again!

mexican chicken lime soup. remember my 99% success rate? this soup is the 1%. . . i single-handedly ruined this soup by making it so spicy that my husband could hardly eat it (so that means, i couldn't even come close). i make a lot of rachael ray meals (i do basically own every cookbook she has) & she uses chipotles in adobo sauce a lot. i got sick of buying cans, using 1-2 peppers & having to throw the rest out. so i started spooning the leftovers into ice cube trays, freezing them & taking a cube out each time i needed one. it turns out i managed to pack 6 chipotles into 2 cubes. the recipe called for 2 peppers + sauce. i carelessly used both cubes. i am still burning. i ended up having to scrap the broth & just eat the chicken, veggies, chips & avocado (which was yummy, btw). hot hot hot. this can be easily fixed for next time! pinned from here.

have you made anything (food or otherwise) that you've seen on pinterest?

wish list friday: winter coats

2011-11-11T08:18:00.000-06:00

i'm starting something new here called wish list friday in hopes that i will reinvigorate my blogging and blog reading. and because i want a lot of things, and we're broke so i get no things. it's like a collection of dreams.

first up, in honor of it SNOWING today. ~~grrrrrr~~ brrrrr.... winter coats!

all images credited to links below

1. candy cane cutie coat in frost by jack/bbdakota- modcloth (could replace my old white coat)

2. duffle coat- delias (i love toggles)

3. philanthropy chair charmer jacket by tulle- modcloth (cute short jacket)

4. the icing on the coat in red velvet by knitted dove- modcloth (mmm, red velvet)

5. calvin klein double breasted stand-up collar coat - lord & taylor (could use a new black coat)

6. the perfect piccadilly coat by tulle- modcloth (cute retro plaid)

7. ojai coat- jack by bbdakota (unique + love my current jack coat)

8. polka dot margie coat by tulle- fred flare (sweet. plus the dots are stitched, not printed)

9. regimentary my dear coat by tulle- modcloth (love the zipper!)

10. double cloth metro coat- jcrew (love the cobalt blue)

11. very vermont jacket by jack/bbdakota- modcloth (looks warm!)

12. candy apple chic coat- modcloth (belted & ruffled)

i doubt i'll be getting a new coat this year, but these are just so pretty to look at!

my biggest wish- a safe & happy veterans day. thankful for all those who served & who continue to serve- esp my family & friends. praying for a safe return to the states this holiday season for my cousin carla's husband, austin.

halloween '11

2011-11-09T08:30:00.002-06:00

i'm back! we're all moved. (almost) all settled in. 10 days later i am finally not having to "borrow" internet from unsuspecting neighbors anymore (thank you). we spent our 1st night in our home as a family the sunday before halloween and we were ready to celebrate the big day with treats & costume. we had only 6 trick or treaters, so we left to take ian around our little circle & then took him to the park district's halloween celebration. i figured that this would probably be the last year i would get to choose ian's halloween costume, and while i thought that this one would be absolutely hysterical, we decided to go with something ian loves. i love dressing up for halloween because ~~it's a perfect time to bust out your inner skank~~ i like creating a unique costume that might make you laugh and normally costs less than $15. that's how i roll. this year was no different. we bought the little guy his costume, and then made dave & myself part of his crew. photos abound!

introducing dj lance rock (who hates being photographed)

dj lance does pause for a photo with mom & dad.

dad & mom's homemade muno & foofa costumes. mom couldn't find her pink pants though! boo. inspiration from pinterest

yo family family!

do you still dress up?

more on halloween later, but first, this...

2011-11-01T13:49:00.000-05:00

"I enjoy Halloween so much that I wrote this last year: "Being a parent of young kids sucks. Don't let anyone tell you differently. About six months ago, I wanted to start a Twitter account of quotes my wife screamed in the heat of those my-kids-are-driving-me-crazy-moments such as these: 'If you don't stop crying, I am going to stick you in the microwave!!!!' and 'Fine, climb up the stairs again; I hope you fall down, I really do!' She wouldn't let me because she thought child services would arrest us. The truth is, every parent snaps from time to time. We can't help it. Our kids' job is to suck all forms of life from us, frighten us, embarrass us in public and prevent us from sleeping until they turn four. We pretend it's not so bad when, really, it's mostly horrible and even somewhat indefensible. But — and this is a big but — they parcel out just enough, 'Wow, I'm so glad I had kids' moments to make it all worth it. And that's what Halloween is: an entire 'Wow, I'm so glad I had kids' day. At least until they eat too much chocolate and wake us up at 5 a.m. the next morning because they're Exorcist vomiting."

- bill simmons*

*quote and article linked from here.

2011-10-29T01:50:00.001-05:00

we're moving!

pumpkin farm!!!!

2011-10-26T08:21:00.000-05:00

we took ian to the pumpkin farm last year and had an absolute blast! so we decided that this is one cool family tradition we want to keep going! goebbert's is a really awesome place. you can pick your own pumpkin (they have so many varieties- this year we got a cool grey pumpkin along with our normal soon-to-be-jack-o-lantern-pumpkin), see cool animals (including giraffes that eat right out of your hand), buy fudge and other delicious treats and see pig races! this is definitely a must if you're living in the chicagoland area. we like to "beat the crowd" and go on a weekday. ian wasn't so sure about the animals this year- we finally did get some smiles out of him once we saw the goats and monkeys, but he loved the slide (leaving it induced a tantrum) and had a great time running around. let's take a walk down memory lane...

(bffs, these two)

what a little peanut! man, we took a lot of pictures last year... not so much this year. we got to the farm with only 90 minutes to spare until closing (dave had to work!)... but we still had a blast!

fun in the giant rocking chair!

tantrum slide

pumpkin fun!

ian's new bff- melmo

little bat boy

little family!

and now a little something fun....

he's grown a little bit

what are your fall/halloween traditions?

21 months

2011-10-24T08:24:00.002-05:00

it's so hard to believe that in 3 months ian will be 2! he turned 21 months yesterday! i'm kinda going to be glad when i can stop counting months. when do you stop counting months?! dave always gets it wrong now...

this has probably been my absolute favorite month as a mother SO FAR. the changes and developments that ian has made this month- fascinating.

ian is probably learning 5-10 new words a day. it's almost scary! if you say a word to him, 9 times out of 10, he's going to repeat it back to you. "go get your shoes, ian"... "shooos, shooos." there's not much of anything that gets by him. he's still not talking in "sentences", but he's starting to string words together- "bless you" (anytime you sneeze, cough, sniffle, he sneezes, etc), "how are you", "thank you", "you're welcome", "i love you"...

singing has become really big. i have been singing to ian since he was born. i always sing before naps and bedtime, and we have started singing during the day too. my lineup usually consists of twinkle, twinkle little star, the abcs, jesus loves me, you are my sunshine, great day, and paparazzi (yes). dave follows that up with go cubs go & bear down, chicago bears. recently though ian took to the goodbye song (the video is a must). he sings it about 10-20 times a day even doing the high notes (again, the video). lately, he has taken to changing the lyrics to fit whatever situation he's in (all done, shoes on, thank you). it's pdc. he actually now can sing most of the songs we sing in full. i'm impressed.

another thing the singing has helped with is the alphabet- about 2-3 weeks ago ian amazed us when he sang the alphabet from a to z. of course, this is probably more a song memorization thing rather than my son is a baby genius... of course, right before he wowed us with the alphabet, he knocked our socks off one night by counting to 10. are you kidding me kid?!?!

ian has finally started playing with some of his toys- which brings me a lot of relief since i felt like i had to be the entertainer for almost 8 hours a lot of the time. he's also really taken a liking to art- he loves crayons, markers & paint.

i would love to get him in some kind of school or kids program. i want to try & work one day out of the house after we move, so i can hopefully leave my job @ target. a friend of mine in georgia takes her daughter to a church school for toddlers that's 3 hours a day and they do all kinds of fun stuff and she interacts with other kids. plus, it's super cheap. so far, i can't find anything like that here in illinois. he's either too young, or it's $900 park district preschool (please). if anyone knows of anything like this, please let me know. i know he'd love it. if not, i'm moving home... :)

other than that everything is pretty much the same. ian sleeps until 9-10, is down to 1 nap a day, and goes between eating like a little piggy & eating like a little bird. he's still in 12 mo pants and can wear 18 mo pants with a cloth diaper or belt. he wears 9-18 month tops and 6-12 or 12-18 month pjs. he's still our little skinny guy! his new teeth are all in, so he's up to 16 total.

we're not potty training. he just isn't ready. he's actually gone on it twice by accident, but refuses to sit any other time. he thinks the potty is a shoe. i. am. so. ready. we'll keep at it. i was potty trained by 22 months and my brother by 24. fingers crossed!

still no results from the blood work our allergist required us to get. the test was 2 months ago, the results were in by the time we got back from atlanta, but they haven't bothered to call us with them. i have decided not to bother to pay my bill. it's sad that we have to pay bills like this in the first place, but thanks for the awesome insurance, ge.

i will leave you with cute pictures of ian b\c that always helps me forget for a little while that my husband's company has screwed us into near financial ruin with their insurance "plan." enjoy this little cutie! i do! oh, and i went overboard...

sweetest face.

these 2 = trouble

no photos please!

someone doesn't belong here!

weeeee!

ian, ian motorcycle

again... trouble.

what happens if you leave the freezer open. the pizz-burglar strikes

i like hats. i didn't say i liked good hats.

go sparty!

i will not pose for photos in our matching team gear!

playing haa-key and riding my giraffe!

you want me to hold this?

nope, not holding it, and it's not sitting in the chair with me!

nyah, nyah, i win this month!

moving... it's so emotional

2011-10-20T08:33:00.001-05:00

so, i've been very absent lately... duh. as i've mentioned before- we're moving. in 10 short days we will be moving for the 3rd time in the almost 3 years that we have lived here. now we're not moving far.... just a mere 15 miles, but it almost seems like a world away...

here's the map. feel free not to stalk me...

dave will be closer to work, which is good for him... however, i will be farther away from both of my jobs. i've been debating whether or not to put in a transfer to go to a store closer to me, but i already don't like my job enough as it is... i'd hate starting over somewhere else, although there are 2 other stores within 4 miles of my home.

work aside... that has nothing to do with the emotions of moving. we've been up here for almost 3 years, and there are still emotions from leaving atlanta to come here. leaving the house we bought together, the house we came home to after our wedding. the house that we made our home. we were only there 18 months before we made the move to come up here. we spent some time living with dave's parents before we moved into this house 2 years ago.

when we moved in here i was almost 3 months from giving birth to ian. it was the house we chose to live in as a new family. this is where we painted his room, put together his crib, washed his itty bitty clothes. it's where we chose his name, it's the room i would sneak into at night, long before he was born, and the room we still sneak into at night to ~~check & see if he's still breathing~~ to see how adorable he is when he sleeps. this is the "home" that we brought him home to, where we saw his first smile, watched him crawl, where he took his first steps. it's where we drank through a blizzard, and where my dad burned 40 lbs of ribs. laughed until we cried, and cried until we laughed. who knew there could be so many memories in one little place in such a short time.

so again, we move. and although we would have liked to have stayed- we asked to stay. our rent is increasing, and the value is not. we will move into another place, and it will be home for a while, but my question is this- when will our son, our family have a real place to call home. one that isn't renewed by contract, one that we can fully make our own. i have wiped the tears from my eyes walking into his room realizing that it won't be his room much longer... and that we still have to repaint! but i realize this- maybe home for us isn't a physical place- at least not right now. i guarantee it will come one day- where we own our own place again, the place that ian can say is "the house i grew up in." just not right now. for us... home is wherever i’m with you.

so i remind myself that we haven't found our home, not just yet. and these temporary places will have to do. they may be where the memories happened, but i'm taking the memories with me.

i'll miss a few things about this place: proximity to work. proximity to everything (we're kinda moving to "the middle of nowhere"- not really, but compared to where we are now, yes). giant closet in our room & in ian's room. ian having his own bathroom in his room. my garden. no steps to get into the house. attic space. my lazy susan cabinet. my shower curtain (again... really?!). stairs... maybe. finally being w\in 5 miles of chick fil a.

what i won't miss: lack of carpets. having to vacuum/mop the white tile multiple times a day. 20 y/o heating system. 20 y/o washing machine. all the mirrors. vertical blinds. garage door that doesn't open when the temp gets below 15. my microwave. my assy neighbors. motorcycles racing down wise rd. the skunks (oh, please don't tell me it smells like skunk in c-ville every night too). white tile. no carpet (it was worth saying again).

so ready to make some new memories in our new place. and can't wait to share it with you!!

outfit transition- sunset glory dress

2011-10-13T15:56:00.000-05:00

ever since i participated in the ~~30 for 30~~, er, 30 for 29 challenge, i've been looking for more creative ways to dress from my closet. i have pulled 10 bags of clothes out of my closet to donate or attempt to sell in the last year (which is really sad, right? but what's more sad- that i'm getting rid of 10 bags of clothes, or that i had 10 bags worth of clothes)... clothes that will never again fit the body of one who had a baby, and clothes that fit the body of someone who just had a baby. i am left with the in between. i am resolving for the next month (or however long it takes) to wear the things in my closet that i haven't worn in a while. try them out and see if they are worth keeping. yesterday, i wore a cute purple plaid tunic & leggings. i bought the tunic & wore it while i was pregnant. the tunic is super cute, but one of the buttons kept gaping out- guess what melissa? it doesn't fit, so you don't need it. of course, if it was gaping open now, how did it look when i was pregnant... yikes!

i also want to put together more creative ways to make clothes last for more than one season. so here is my first attempt at taking a look from spring/summer into autumn/winter!

starring: modcloth's sunset glory dress

spring/summer:

dress: modcloth

jacket: loft

bag: vera bradley

shoes: seychelles

and.....

autumn/winter:

dress: modcloth

cardigan: target

tights: target

booties: forever 21

i was able to cozy up my outfit just a bit by adding a 3/4-length cardigan and toasty tights in a gorgeous navy shade! on my feet are the most painful shoes i've ever worn in my life- adorable booties from forever 21. it was my first time wearing them... i really hope that's why they're so painful.

so this was fun... can't wait to try it again soon once it gets cold.. again.

mommy reads: the help

2011-10-12T15:50:00.000-05:00

the help

sometimes after you have a baby you're a little late to the game of what is cool and what's not. that was me and the help. i had not even heard of the book until the movie came out, and i really didn't know much about the movie either. dave & i were lucky enough to go on a movie date for our anniversary! we weren't really impressed with anything that was playing, but we saw the help and dave said that was one that he thought he wouldn't mind seeing. best choice ever. so i saw the movie before i read the book- and i was in love with the movie. my heart was just broken- i can't count how many times i cried, nor can i count how many times i laughed.

the help takes place in segregated jackson, mississippi in 1962. elizabeth, hilly & skeeter are the best of friends. skeeter is home, fresh from ole miss with big plans for a career in journalism; while elizabeth & hilly left school early to marry & have babies. they are now leading the "ideal" life of a southern woman. aibileen & minny are maids for elizabeth & hilly's mother, respectively. after hilly comes up with the home help sanitation initiative, skeeter begins to grow uncomfortable with the way her friends treat their help. she wonders how these women feel about working for white women while someone else raises their own children. skeeter has the idea to write a book from the viewpoint of the help. of course, this needs to be done in secret because of the times. the book is split into stories from these 3 women, and each is told from their point of view.

all i can say is that you need to see the book, and the movie. i know it's a fictionalized version of what was going on during the civil rights movement, but i'm sure there are elements of truth within it. there are moments of sadness, and moments of joy. just read it.

the movie is just as good. there are little bits that are different, that were changed to make the movie flow better, but overall, it stays true to the book, and for that, i loved it.

book 5/5. movie 5/5.

oops...

2011-10-12T08:04:00.002-05:00

i did it again...

i've been a bad blogger... again... i've probably lost what little tiny readership i already had going for me... but i've been sooooo busy... reading. in fact, we've all been reading day and night...

some of us have been reading in our sleep...

me: a to z

2011-10-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

i need a little blog filler b\c i've been so busy lately... sorry!

Age ..... 30
Bedsize ..... Queen.
Chore you most dislike ..... putting clothes away. i will live out of a laundry basket
Dogs ..... yes, 2. does anyone want a dog?
Essential start to my day ..... i check my email while i "wake up"
Favorite color ..... red
Gold or Silver ..... both
Height ..... 5' 1"
Instrument I've played ..... trumpet. years ago. years.
Job Title ..... mom, wife. i also work as a personal assistant, and a cashier.
Kids .... ian, of course!
Live in ..... schaumburg, il for another 3 weeks.

Mother's name ..... cathy
Nicknames ..... mel.

Overnight hospital stays .... ian's birth. a few other times too.
Pet Peeves ..... bad drivers.
Quote from a movie ..... after all, tomorrow is another day
Right or left handed ..... right.
Siblings ..... younger brother.
Time you wake up ..... whenever my little alarm clock gets up
Underwear ..... do I wear it? Yes.
Vegetables I hate ..... squash & turnips are my top 2.
What makes you late ..... anything. ok, mostly myself..
X-rays ..... yeah, i've had a few
Yummy food I make .....everything. esp. chilli
Zoo animal favorite ..... pigs! are pigs at the zoo?

mommy reads: something borrowed

2011-10-03T08:13:00.006-05:00

i decided to read something borrowed again because i had just forced my way through between a rock & a hard place, and i needed an easy read. that and the fact that we had the movie saved on our dvr from a bunch of expiring free ppv movies. it wasn't really a movie i wanted to see, but we were out of options and time was running out. i read this book and its sequel, something blue many years ago. spoiler: i liked something blue WAY more than i liked something borrowed... here's the review...

rachel & darcy have been best friends since childhood. shy, "plain" rachel busted her butt through law school and now hates her job as an attorney for a large firm in nyc. boisterous and gorgeous darcy has skated by through life on her looks, has a fabulous job & a gorgeous fiancee. on the eve of rachel's 30th bday, darcy throws her a surprise party, where rachel ends up sleeping with darcy's fiancee. she thinks it's just a fling, but neither of them can forget... but the question rachel has for dex is will he or won't he call off his engagement to darcy to be with rachel....

i have a few problems. the book is a good book, but the entire premise of it is a girl who basically steals her best friend's fiancee, and then spends the rest of the novel trying to justify it by remembering all the bad things darcy has ever done to her in their lives and only seeing the negative personality traits of her supposed best friend. sure, darcy is shallow, egotistical and self-centered, but does that mean that she deserves to be cheated on by the 2 people she trusts the most? and yes, the ending does have a twist, which the "heroine" uses to further justify her case... but still. no. everyone in this novel needs a good, loud wake up call. i mean, you find yourself cheering for rachel & dex- they're in love, they had a missed connection years ago when they attended law school together (it was rachel who introduced him to darcy in the first place), but just because you knew him first doesn't make a difference- it doesn't give you the right. in the end, no one wins. including me for reading it again. so although the story has no moral value, but you can't help but kind of like it. i'm torn. but seriously, if you take time to read this book- read the sequel- it's definitely better. hint: darcy's the heroine.

the movie wasn't much better. kate hudson plays darcy, which i can totally see- BUT i have a problem when actors don't even physically resemble the characters they're playing. darcy was supposed to be a tanned brunette- and kate hudson is not that. i also think kate hudson was pregnant when this was filmed- b\c she totally has pregnant face. there were also characters missing, and total story changes. john krasinski was a welcome addition to the movie although his character was a minor part of the novel (look for him more in the 2nd book (and film, apparently)). also, i can't ever decide if i think ginnifer goodwin is cute, or annoys me to no end. same with kate hudson. skip it.

book: 2.5\5. movie 1\5.

sad times. all our books have been packed for our move and i can't find them. nooooooooooooo!

itasca's oktoberfast 2011 5k

2011-09-30T08:18:00.001-05:00

me, this weekend. if i were homer simpson..

as i'm sure you know, dave & i became triathletes this summer. we've been training since february and did a race in july and another in august. at the end of august we went to see my family in georgia. we have been back for 3 weeks now and things at the gym haven't been going well. we haven't been in the pool since we were at my grandparent's house, and we have only been to the gym together maybe twice in those 3 weeks. luckily, dave rides his bike 2 nights a week from home, and i have been taking ian and going to the gym during the day. we really hoped to squeeze in one more triathlon before the season ended, but the weather in illinois has not been above 70 since we've been home... and this is the last weekend of triathlon season... so.... guess we'll start again next year!

so.... i think it was me who had the brilliant idea... let's do a 5k!!! it'll be SO fun! i have ran 2 5ks in my entire life- 1. sophomore year cheerleading camp. 2. schaumburg triathlon. both of these had similar results. i'm not a runner. i don't love it. i don't get a "runner's high." i don't like it. but what will i be doing at 9 am saturday morning you ask? running a 5k. why? why? maybe it was the promise of free beer & brats after the race (wait, i don't even like beer!) maybe it was the free goodies (those are always nice). whatever it is, i'm crazy... and i'll be running a 5k saturday morning. not sure if dave & i are running together or not. it is fun to have someone to run with, but i definitely would just be holding him back... we'll see. so please send luck, prayers, and well wishes this way. i certainly need them!!!

results on monday? yes!

mommy reads: between a rock and a hard place bka: 127 hours

2011-09-27T08:06:00.001-05:00

amazon

i am not an outdoorsy person. sure, i love sports, staying active, and being outside. however, i do not really seem to care for outdoor activities. i've never skied or snowboarded. i don't go rock climbing (unless it's a wall), i don't hike or camp. it's just not something that i enjoy. lots of people love all these things- they thrive off of that kind of stuff. this book is for you. now, i'm not saying that i didn't love this book because i'm not the outdoor type- but it definitely pushed me toward enjoying it less.

most people have seen 127 hours by now- if you haven't, then you probably at least know the outcome- if you don't, well, it was national news once, so don't consider this a spoiler. in the movie, aron ralston is canyoneering when he jars a rock loose, which tumbles down with him, pinning his arm to the wall and trapping him. by a miracle of God, he manages to survive for 6 days with no sleep & hardly any food or water in a remote part of utah, before making the gut wrenching decision to cut his arm off, or die. i loved this movie. the movie is so realistic & really gets you. highly recommended.

the book on the other hand.... i'm not one to say this... but the book is a case of aron ralston finally getting what was coming to him. the book alternated between ralston's time stuck in the canyon & the experiences he had before the accident, and what led him to where he was. he was an idiot. although ralston was very good at and very experienced in what he did- he was egotistical - and it nearly cost him his life. i just kept reading through chapter after chapter shaking my head saying "what an idiot!" seriously, this guy is lucky to be alive, and unfortunately learned his lesson the hard way. the book definitely takes away the sympathy you have after watching the movie. it took me 2 attempts and over a month to read this book- a struggle. i'll be going for any easy read next to cleanse my mind...

book: 1.5/5 stars. movie 4/5 stars

20 months

2011-09-26T08:55:00.002-05:00

ian turned 20 months on tuesday! scary! in just 4 short months he will be 2- 2!!!! so crazy.

this past month was huge for ian as far as development. he went from saying just a few words and phrases to saying probably close to 50 words- maybe more! he's also stringing short sentences together (up please, bye-bye; see you, i love you mama). he's also really started to sing a lot. he can now sing parts of twinkle, twinkle, abc's, jesus loves me, go cubs go, and a few songs from the shows he likes (yo gabba, fresh beats). my favorite is when we watch ygg & he says "i like to dance!!" he's also started climbing up & down on things (yikes). luckily, it's just the couch & bed so far! he now wants to sit on the couch next to you & watch tv or read. it's really cute.

ian's also (even more) obsessed with books now. he has always gravitated to books more than his toys. whenever i go to get him up in the morning, i don't get a good morning.... no, he immediately starts pointing to his bookshelf & signing "more." so, i have to get him up, let him pick his book out, and then i can get him changed. he likes to carry the book downstairs and read while i'm making his breakfast. this repeats all day long. he normally always has a book within his reach. for a while, he was obsessed with this one. He's actually let a few others in now though. He even knows the words to many of them. On the way to my mom & dad's house he started reading his book and shouting "how bout them dawgs." it was pretty cute.

ian's gotten pickier as far as food goes. most of it for no reason. he used to be all about blueberries & bananas, but right now it's grapes & applesauce. he's still iffy with most vegetables, but will eat any veggie in a baby food pouch. he also really likes the smoothies i make- which are full of veggies. joke's on you, baby. we usually make dinner at least 3 nights a week- and if it's something that i feel like ian can have, we'll share it with him... BUT... he never eats it. of course, he's just a stinker- all you have to do is serve him leftovers for lunch the next day and he gobbles them up.

ian's i-teeth are coming in. all 4 at once. which is super cool. the top 2 have broken through the surface and he has cute little fangs. the bottom ones are taking a little longer.

he's still alternating naps. although lately it's been just one. that's mostly because he doesn't wake up until 9 am most days (that's my boy).

i can't believe how big he's getting. he just seems so big. when i hold him, it seems like his limbs go on forever. he's not a baby anymore. :(

ian & jack getting reacquainted

just lounging

the shirt says it all!

i didn't get so lucky this month- he kept tossing the paper back at me... i had to ply him with the binks. at least he's not crying! :)

labor day weekend in atlanta

2011-09-19T16:19:00.000-05:00

we decided to go to atlanta to see family & friends for ldw since we had free time off of work, and it had been 4+ months since our last trip. we were miraculously packed & ready to go when dave got home, so we hit the road. our road trip was crazy as usual- ian did not do very well. luckily, we made a stop halfway down in murfreesboro, tn to see dave's cousin who had just moved down there to start school at middle tennessee state university.

we ended up getting to my mom & dad's house pretty late, and finally we were able to get everyone settled into bed. since thursday (our anniversary) was spent in misery on a road trip, we were looking forward to a date night on friday. we planned a movie & dinner, but the movie ended up having to be pushed back. we went back & forth over where to eat dinner, but ended up picking an old favorite with six feet under. I had delicious calamari tacos! we decided to follow up dinner with dessert- and for that we went somewhere new. we ended up heading to flip burger and having the milkshakes! dave had a nutella & burnt marshmallow milkshake, and i went with the krispy kreme. YUM!

saturday i had lunch with a dear friend. we spent 4 hours telling stories, catching up and giggling over yummy mexican food. it was the only friend i saw the entire trip. i had a blast with her, and it was tons of fun, but at the same time it was really sad. i've always had this fear that i would eventually become irrelevant to my friends at home and people would forget about me because we've been away for so long. that evening we watched the georgia game. not good.

sunday we traveled to see my grandparents, aunt, uncle & cousin. ian had a really good time running around- and swimming in the pool! he loves the pool! dave & i may have had more fun in the pool- it was like being a kid again going down the slide and doing crazy diving board jumps!

we came back monday evening and dave & i took our movie night. we went to see the help. loved it. i'm pretty excited to read the book now. if i can finish what i'm reading now....

tuesday we took our little guy to the aquarium. he did pretty well. he didn't seem to impressed with many of the animals, but he did love the penguins! when we got up in the tube, it was so cute to suddenly hear him say "hi birdy!!" so cute.

and with that, our whirlwind trip was over. it was back to chicago- a trip that went much smoother than our trip down, tg. can't wait to plan our next trip- probably around the holiday! woo!

be prepared for photo overload...

telephone!

wild man!

this photo is so funny b\c ian was pumped about this giant blow up bulldog, until he got within 10 feet of it.

enjoying the aquarium

creepy eyes in the penguin tube!

ian and dave with bernie & billie

ooh. more fish!

exhausted!

sweet shark hats!

varsity!

reading with granddaddy

and grandma

family!

guest post: sign language tips for the mobile baby

2011-09-14T12:23:00.000-05:00

as you all know, ian is an active little booger these days, so i'm totally grateful to Baby Sign Language for sharing their tips on how to communicate with a baby that won't stay still for more than two and a half seconds!! i know these are some really awesome signs- some that i wouldn't have thought of, but will be most helpful!

enjoy!

Baby Sign Language tips for your mobile baby

Aaaand, he’s off... somehow our kids leap from rolling over to crawling to cruising to running the halls of our home, and we feel like we barely had a chance to childproof. For parents who have graduated from the stationary stage, there are a few signs you’ll want to add to your baby’s vocabulary. And for parent who are not yet hovering under their little ones like a safety net, these are signs your should go ahead and start working on now.

Hurt

For a while you will hover over your little tike trying to catch the next tumble, but inevitably there will be falls. Teaching the sign for hurt allows you to offer warnings of situations and risks that can cause injury. It also let’s your toddler tell you of hurts if the situation occurs.

Run & Walk

Because once he masters walking, he will quickly escalate to running and you’ll need to be able to tell him when it is more appropriate to walk. Likewise, there may be times when you’ll encourage running... though, you’ll probably find yourself exerting more energy and time telling your little mobile machine to slow down.

Shoes

This can be taught while teaching all the parts of the wardrobe, but for your increasingly independent toddler shoes is one article that he may have been able to skip for outings prior to tottering on two as opposed to all fours.

On & Off

Shoes are also something that tend to go on and come off throughout the day. With these signs, you can more specifically instruct to “put your shoes on,” or “it is OK to take your shoes off, now.”

Up & Down

Handy little signs, particularly if your kiddo is a climber!

Good & Thank You

Once your child has slowed to a walk from a run, or brought you a pair of shoes for help tying, be sure to let them know that the behavior is good and that you are thankful for their cooperation.

Your baby is growing increasingly independent and sign language for babies can help strike a balance between encouragement, caution and reining in your runner and climber. Now... on your mark, get ready... GO!

Free learning resources for baby sign language inclusive of baby sign language flashcards are available to everyone at babysignlanguage.com

images courtesy of baby sign language dot com!

19 months

2011-09-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

Ian turned 19 months old 3 weeks ago... I am a little behind. Is this thing on? Is anyone still even reading? sorry for my very delayed absence. we took a short trip to atlanta over labor day and it has pretty much taken my life as i know it and thrown it into a whirlwind. i'm 2 weeks behind on workouts, i haven't tracked my calories since the day i left, i half blogged one post last week- plus ian & i have a cold. it's disastrous. so, i'm back, and i'm sorry. and i missed you.

anyway. ian turned 19 months on august 20th! so much has happened since then that i almost thought about combining this past month with the current month, but i'm just going to try and remember what happened last month, and you'll have to come back after next tuesday for the good stuff (this month has been HUGE).

ian is a wild man. this child moves non-stop. it's exhausting. i spend my entire day chasing him and saying "no, don't touch that. i said no, i said no, what did i just say" on repeat. if i didn't already know he could hear, i'd swear he needs his ears checked.

we had some rough days. lots of crying for no reason and just plain stressin' mommy out. i'm sure the teeth are coming- i just wish they'd come faster!!!

we're still going back & forth between 2 naps a day & 1. i guess it's tough being that exhausting. it works though. i usually can time it by what we have going on that day or when he wakes up to determine if he's going to take 1 or 2. he's still doing pretty well with the bear & binky only at nap/bed time too. although sometimes we will bring both with us if we know we're going to be out later than usual or driving somewhere (like to atlanta).

we finally caved & turned the car seat around. i was really planning on waiting until he was 2 because of his size- but he is over 22 lbs now, plus we had friends in town who were going to be riding places with us, and it was a better fit to have the seat turned around so everyone could sit comfortably. i know he likes it better, except now he can see us and he wants everything we have!!

water hockey?

life's not fair!!

oh, hi!

crazy poof hair

shower time!

oh, i'm not supposed to be in here?

no, you're not supposed to be in here

new friends!

a miracle. got this photo on the 1st shot!!!!

the face he's making is classic. dave was singing some ridiculous song...

happy anniversary

2011-09-08T16:16:00.000-05:00

image

it keeps getting better.

sorry i'm a week late... you know, we were out of town.

i love you.

smashion

2011-09-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

i'm the featured seller on smashion this week- please, go buy my stuff so i can get rid of it. i want it out of my house. i beg you. beg.

ps. we're in atlanta right now. lots of family stuff going on. that's the reason for the absence!

and then we ran another triathlon

2011-08-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

after we ran our 1st race dave & i both made the comment that we now felt like we had nothing to look forward to. all that training & then it was over, just like that. so we decided to do another race. we had a hard time picking out a second race. we wanted to stick to the sprint distance b\c try as i may, i just am not that athletic, and despite all this training, i wasn't really getting any better it seemed... of course, a lot of the sprint distances had really long swims- and the swim is probably my weakest event- except, unlike biking or running- if i stop swimming, i will die. so we decided to do a mini sprint. we had a lot going on- a lot. the week of the race i was meeting up with new blog friends and then we had friends coming into town for the weekend. a lot of crazy. thank goodness we only did the mini distance.

swim- the swim for this mini was 250 yard- which is what we had been swimming when training for the 1st race (oops). this for me is a pretty perfect distance. they had the swimmers split into 2 pools- 1-260 in pool 1, and 261-500 in pool 2. dave was 141- so he was over halfway back in the 1st pool, and i was 296, so i was near the front of the 2nd pool. i was in the pool 10 minutes after the beginning of the race! this swim was much smoother to me than the last- they were spacing people about 20 seconds apart- and there was a boy around 12 in front of me and he was pretty fast, so i never had to worry about him being right in front of me. i was able to actually swim and do my strokes w\o feeling sloshed around all over the pool. i finished in 6:52- 34th out of 40 in my age group.

bike- this race was not chip timed, so our transitions were lumped in with our event times. i got to my bike quickly, threw my jersey, socks, shoes, headband and helmet on, and was out in a good time- i wish i knew how fast though. the bike course was decent- 10k. it was on frontage roads, and you rode out to a point, and turned around through a parking lot and went back. i definitely didn't like that- it was 2 way bike traffic almost the entire time, which made it hard to pass if you needed to. also, people, for the love of all that is holy- when you pass someone on your bike- you say ON YOUR LEFT!!! how do people not understand/know that. there were some decent sized hills in the course (to me anyway) and we i had not had the chance to be on our actual bikes in a couple weeks (dave owns a bike, which he rides on a trainer at our house, i ride my mnl's bike), and i had just been riding stationary bike. oh, i needed help on those hills! also, i'm not very coordinated w\ getting my nutrition & water bottle out (lost my bottle on mile 13 of the last race). this time i did the energy chews before the race, and decided to do gu on the bike. i am not good at opening things w\ my teeth, but finally got the gu open. oh gross! next time i'll stick with coffee flavor... i thought i was gonna puke gu all over myself. so i needed water... i managed to get my bottle out only to not be able to get any water to drink -(??!?!). i told dave this after the race and he pointed out to me that the bottle i was carrying this time had a straw in it- and i was turning it up to drink... womp, womp... i also overshot my exit and went to the farthest set of bike racks and ended up having to walk my bike twice as far to get back to my station. boo. i finished in 30:34- 24th in my age group.

run- 2 mile run. i hate running. i am lazy and running is dumb... once again, i got off the bike and felt like i couldn't run. my muscles in my calves felt so sore even after stretching after the bike. this transition probably took a little longer b\c 1. i had to walk my dumb bike back and 2. i need water!!! i got passed by so many people. i basically was walking as fast as i could! on my way out, i walked by this tiny old man who was in the schaumburg race w\ us, and he was on his way back- when i was on my way back, he was out running the 2 miles again! and then when dave got in, we saw him coming back & going out AGAIN! the run was also done where you ran to a certain point, turned and came back. i finally felt okay when i got to the turn around and was able to run 90% back. i have really got to work on running. a lot. on my way back i finally passed dave- he was coming back from his bike! run time 33:45:5. aw-ful. 38th in my age group. boo.

i was able to get back in, get a little something to drink and grab the camera to catch dave crossing the finish line! my overall time 1:11:11:5. 36th out of 40 in my age group. 405 in the race overall. again, i end up being disappointed. again.

dave

after the race, they gave out tons of free samples (muscle milk = yum), did post-race stretching and had a raffle! i ended up winning & picked out a $50 certificate to dick's sporting goods where i was able to get myself new running shoes! i love the shoes i have now, but i got them when i was pregnant and i have logged a lot of miles in them between work & training! overall the woodridge mini sprint was a success!!

race photos: there were several photographers on hand and over 2500 race photos. dave made 2 in the swim portion, and i made 3 in the bike.

dave is mad that his only race pics are him getting out of the pool and show his chest...

i think i look silly...

believe it or not, that's dave getting ready to cross the finish line. darn camera!

almost!

and he's finished!!

post race stretching- awesome!

so worth it.

and more!

dave grabbing the buffalo by the horns. it's a metaphor...

we did it!!

dealavue winner!

2011-08-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Julie! I'll be in touch with you on how to get your prize!! Enjoy!

make new friends

2011-08-25T14:45:00.000-05:00

i am still on such a super high from making 2 online friends my irl friends!! after weeks of planning, a playdate was finally in the works with julie & brayden AND maegan & chester! julie already lives in illinois, but she's about 100 miles south of us, and maegan lives in los angeles, but her hubby was going to be in chicago on business! we decided that we'd all meet up @ the dupage children's museum. it was a little crazy & overwhelming there with all the big kids running around, but the boys (and moms) all had a great time!

the next night maegan & i were able to get together for a mno! we had such a blast! please move here!!

the one where my son looks like crazy celebrities

2011-08-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

there are no words...

images

review & giveaway! dinner revolution!

2011-08-23T08:57:00.001-05:00

if you know anything about me, you know i love to cook. i live for it. it's my greatest source of relaxation & frustration! i also tend not to cook a lot of the same things over & over- i always want to try something new. i do have favorites, but i love being adventurous- always trying something new! i was so thrilled when i got the opportunity to review & share with you a fabulous new cookbook- dinner revolution.

cooking has become less of a joy & more of a frustration since having ian. it's hard to cook when you're chasing a baby. whether it's stopping him from breaking dishes or going through all our cabinets, or having him pull at my leg screaming for me to feed him what i'm attempting to cook- when i can't even get it in the pan! i tend to go for the complicated when i need to go for the simple.

chef jeff's dinner revolution is full of family friendly recipes (over 200!), with 10 ingredients (or less) and they take 30 minutes or less to prepare (really)! i wanted to prepare a couple recipes before i shared this with you- and i can't wait to prepare more.... oh, and the simplicity of these dishes means less dishes (to wash). boy is dave happy about that!

in our house, monday & thursday are pizza/corndogs/easy food night. i have to work, and don't have time to cook. i was actually able to make a dinner revolution meal- sit down & eat with my family- and get out the door to work- so much better than the same old frozen pizza. added bonus- ian ate these meals with us! we're in the picky toddler stage now- so anything i can get him to eat is points in my book!!

what i made: palak paneer & apricot chicken! palak paneer: i've dabbled in indian cooking once or twice before, but i've never made palak paneer. i've had it as a frozen meal though, so i wasn't expecting much. well, it was really good- and this was one that really shocked me when ian ate it- dave enjoyed it as well. plus, it made so much that we had leftovers. apricot chicken: sweet chili sauce is a favorite in our house, so i was immediately drawn to this recipe- plus, i seriously couldn't believe that i would be finished making chicken in 20 minutes. add in a simple side- and i had dinner ready when dave was walking in the door from work!

(palak paneer with whole wheat naan)

next up in our kitchen: buffalo chicken & bleu cheese meatloaf, and from there, i can't decide, there are so many delicious options, and if you know me, i'm going to try them all!!

so i know you want a copy of this too! well, ~~one of you~~ all of you are winners!!! chef jeff has been gracious enough to allow me to share this cookbook with all of my readers!! all you have to do is click here for your free copy of dinner revolution! there's something for everyone in your family in this book and i know you will all find recipes that you love! i hope that you guys will enjoy it as much as i have! now get in the kitchen!

baby gourmet winner!

2011-08-23T00:09:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Shannon! I'll be in touch with you on how to get your prize!! Enjoy!

mommy reads: the twilight saga- eclipse

2011-08-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

i just finished eclipse heading into this weekend which puts me at 3 books in 3 weeks... and not just any 3 books, 3 somewhat long books. i'm out of control... sorta like a newborn vampire- which is funny becaus eclipse starts off with seattle being hit by a string of murders- murders that the cullen clan believe are the results of newborns. as far as the main characters go- eclipse picks up right where new moon left off. edward has asked bella to marry him, but she's still torn between him (who she knows she really loves) and jacob. i have to say, i wasn't really big on the love triangle aspect. in fact, i'm pretty sure if i told my husband i loved him most and would pick him, but was still in love with someone else... i think he'd tell me to hit the road. ijs. so, i wasn't a big fan of that, but i did enjoy the further development of the story leading us closer to bella becoming a vampire- which included her high school graduation, and the ultimatum that she gives edward that finally brings them to an agreement over marrying/changing. i ended up watching the movie before i started the book though, and i really enjoyed the movie as well. is there a team jasper? because, sign me up for that ish. so overall, i loved both, but they just left me waiting on pins & needles for breaking dawn! woot!

movie/book 3.5/5!

i'm featured!!

2011-08-19T01:26:00.000-05:00

go check out my feature with my newest irl friend here! i'm practically famous! more on how we are now irl friends later!!

giveaway: $25 dealavue credit! - giveaway ended!

2011-08-17T08:01:00.003-05:00

this giveaway has ended!!

with the way money is for most people these days, everyone is looking for a deal. money is tight, but people want to still go out and have fun. deal sites have popped up all over the place... and sure, you're thinking... wait... another deal site?! but wait... dealavue is different! unlike the other sites whose deals last for a limited time, dealavue has over 600 active deals lasting for months at a time- all at 50-90% off retail!! dealavue is a chicago-based company- so their deals cater specifically to those in the chicagoland area! don't live in chicago? dealavue also has many online-based deals! have kids? dealavue has many family-friendly deals for those of you who are looking to save on family outings... i have to admit... we like to be a little selfish and use our deals for date nights!

here are a few of dealavue's family deals:

Go Bananas

http://www.dealavue.com/deals/Go-Bananas.html?mode=add&prodtabs=0&page=1

The People’s Choice Family Fun Center

http://www.dealavue.com/deals/ThePeople-sChoiceFamilyFunCenter2.html?mode=add&prodtabs=0&page=1

Game Pazzo

http://www.dealavue.com/deals/GamePazzo1.html?mode=add&prodtabs=0&page=2

eSkape

http://www.dealavue.com/deals/eSkape2.html?prodtabs=0

i know exactly what my 1st deal is going to be.... my favorite "bad" place... dairy queen! mmm!

want in on the action? dealavue is offering a $25 credit to one lucky commenter!

just leave a comment telling me the best deal you've ever gotten or a place where you'd love to see a deal!

(mandatory)

you can also gain extra entries by doing one or all of the following:

1. "like" dealavue on facebook and let them know i (oh baby it's a baby) sent you!

2. post about this giveaway on your blog- leave link in your comment

3. post about this giveaway on facebook - leave link in your comment

4. tweet about this giveaway- using @mcmellll & @dealavue - leave your twitter handle

5. my followers always get an extra entry!

Dealavue is also offering a promo code for ALL readers good for $5 off your 1st deal purchased! Enter the code "BABY" at checkout!!

giveaway ends thursday, august 25 @ 11:59 pm. winner will be announced friday!

*disclaimer: i was not compensated monetarily for this review or giveaway. i was gifted an account credit and dealavue is giving a credit to the winner of this giveaway. this however, is not payment for my opinion which cannot be bought! boo ya!

mommy reads: new moon

2011-08-16T15:38:00.001-05:00

well, i am so relieved to know that i'm not the only 30 year old woman who is addicted to twilight in the movie & book form and drools over robert pattinson. i mean, i could have a cardboard cutout of him in my guest bedroom, but i don't.... sadly. ;)

i finished the 2nd book in the twilight saga- new moon in record time compared to the 1st. i am averaging a book per week- and that is a record for me at this stage in my life. i finished the 1st book, and immediately wanted to see the movie, and then i watched the 1st movie and wanted to see the next 2. so i had a twilathon and then i started new moon. i already knew new moon would be probably be my least favorite book b\c the movie is pretty depressing, ~~because~~ and robert pattinson isn't in the majority of it. he's replaced in hotness by taylor lautner, but i'm definitely not team jacob, plus taylor lautner is still a teenager. it just isn't the same. so, i knew i had this to look forward to in the book....

new moon starts with bella swan crying doom & gloom over her 18th (omg, she's so old) birthday. now she's officially 1 year older than her vampire boyfriend, edward cullen. when she attends a party thrown for her by the cullens, she gets a paper cut while opening a gift and is almost attacked by edward's brother jasper, who is the newest to the vegetarian vampire lifestyle. because of this, and his desire to protect her at all costs- edward lies to bella, telling her he doesn't love her anymore and that he has to leave with his family, and bella is just dumb enough to believe him. bella becomes a walking ad for prozac, until she finally decides to become an adrenaline junkie with the help of her friend and soon to be werewolf, who happens to be in love with her, jacob black. i'll leave it at that.

i did enjoy the book, i just didn't enjoy it as much as the 1st. it was a little slow-moving with poor bella being in her depressed state, and i was just thinking in my head the entire time- oh, just reunite with your true love edward already! the book was a very dark time for bella- if you've had your heart broken, you may relate to how bella felt when edward left- especially if you think of it from the perspective of an 18 year old. by the end, i was just ready to see bella (and edward) happy again and reunited.

regarding the movie. you ask, how can you make a 2nd twilight movie with very little robert pattinson? well, taylor lautner finally sheds the horrible wig, shreds out some abs and loses most of his clothes when he joins the gang of jorts-wearing, shirtless werewolves. his character helps carry the movie during the absence of rp. overall, i enjoyed it, b\c i'm a twilight freak now. le sigh.

book & movie: 3/5

have you entered my baby gourmet giveaway yet? hop to it!

review & giveaway! baby gourmet organic baby food - giveaway ended!

2011-08-15T13:19:00.004-05:00

this giveaway has ended! did you win?!?

i was so lucky to receive a sample of baby gourmet organic baby food... or should i say ian was. my boy loves his food- and there is nothing worse for me than to be stuck out somewhere without food for my little guy. i love all the squeezable baby food options that are out there- it's so much easier (and MUCH tastier) than conventional jarred baby food. just pop a couple packs in your purse or diaper bag & you've got a meal for your baby or toddler on the go. if i'm out somewhere with ian, there's a chance i have at least one baby food item with me! i also love these pouches b\c they're perfect for self-feeding. ian usually downs his in record time, coming up for air long enough to ask that you push the leftovers to the top so he can then get them out himself!! these are perfect for everywhere- sporting events, church, babysitter, day care, shopping trips- no need to worry about tubs & jars of food... and no need to worry about silverware!

i was really excited to try baby gourmet. another reason that we love the squeeze pouches of baby food is that they are perfect for getting picky babies/toddlers to eat fruits & veggies that they might not regularly eat. as i said before- ian is a really good eater, but we've run into some issues lately where he refuses to eat things that he normally does, or he refuses to eat the non-pureed version of many veggies. baby gourmet combines those veggies with delicious fruits and makes it so yummy, your baby won't even know they're eating veggies! from juicy pear & garden greens to roasted squash & fruit medley- your baby is getting a fruit & a veggie in one delicious dish.

i made ian's baby food myself, i liked the fact that what i was feeding him was fresh- made by me. baby gourmet isn't made by me, but it's 100%, no thickeners or fillers, no added sugar or salt and bpa free packaging. i can also vouch for how yummy these are- i figure if i'm making him eat it, i can at least try it myself- and these are good. the old fashioned apple crisp has been my favorite... so far! i'm really looking forward to giving ian the vanilla, banana, berry risotto, so i can try that one as well- sounds so yummy!

so, i couldn't just try all this yummy baby food without sharing! i have a sample for you too! your sample will be the roasted squash & fruit medley. delicious banana, apple & pear with vanilla & roasted squash! plus it contains 70% of baby's daily vitamin c requirement! we have had some allergy problems with squash in the past- so i thought who better to share with than my readers!! the roasted squash & fruit medley is a level 2 (yummy combos) food. this is best suited for 7-8 mo+ as most children by this age have gotten to try a variety of foods & textures. this sounds like a truly yummy combo to introduce that i'm sure your little one will love!

i know somebody that loves it!!

wanna win it?!

just leave a comment telling me what your little one's favorite food is- or if they aren't to that stage yet, let me know what you're looking forward to introducing to them!

so easy!

want to increase your odds of winning?

1. like baby gourmet on facebook or follow them on twitter @babygourmet

2. follow me on twitter for pointless tweets @mcmellll or tweet about this giveaway... including my handle & baby gourmet's handle.

3. i'd love if you were a regular reader- so follow my blog!

so, you could have 4 entries total

don't forget to leave a separate comment for your additional entries to count! giveaway ends sunday 8/21 @ 11:59 pm. winner announced on monday 8/22!

*disclaimer: i was not compensated monetarily for this review or giveaway. the products were sent to me in exchange for a review, in which i chose to giveaway part of what i received. the opinions stated here are mine and mine only and cannot be bought!

steppin' out last saturday

2011-08-15T01:07:00.000-05:00

last week i took photos for my very first sos, but... they didn't make it to my blog. not to fear- i didn't forget this week. however, after we went out and ran errands (and got berated in the kohl's parking lot in a case of mistaken car-dentity), i came home, worked out, and slipped back into my pj's for the remainder of the day... no steppin' out. so let's pretend that i went out last night...

mama: top & skirt- loft. sandals: old navy.

baby: top & shorts- osh kosh, belt- ralph lauren chaps, sandals- old navy

i haven't worn this outfit in a while. it hasn't... fit. look at me now... also, ian has little to no interest in steppin' out on saturday, or holding an adult's hand while walking outside of the house...

mommy reads: ::sigh:: twilight

2011-08-11T16:02:00.001-05:00

yes, believe it or not, this is still melissa. no one is holding my blog hostage in order to write an entry about twilight. sadly, i read it myself. if you know me very well, you know that i am not really into the science fiction/fantasy type stuff. i am very anti- vampire/witch/wizard/zombie/your choice of scary entity here. i have not read any henry porter books, nor do i want to. i did not watch buffy. i don't particularly care for lord of the rings. nor do i see the appeal. i have felt the same way about twilight from the get go. laughing at it, and anyone else who liked it. things were going so well in my twilightless life....

rewind back: sunday, july 31, 2011. dave & i had gone out the night before with friends for our birthdays. ian stayed w\ dave's dad, so we stayed the night there too. it was late when we got back, and didn't want to sneak into bed w\ ian sleeping in the pnp, so we decided to sleep in the basement. dave had hockey practice the next morning, and the basement bedroom stays pitch black all day, so i was really shocked when dave called and it was after 10 and ian was still asleep. we were going to meet dave's dad for breakfast, so i wanted ian to sleep as long as he could so he wouldn't be immediately hungry & cranky upon waking up. i was bored and my phone doesn't have service on the nightstand. there were a few books sitting there. one happened to be twilight. i picked it up and looked at it for a while, and thought, "i'll read this until dave gets here and then i'll hide it way and never touch it again." so i read a chapter or 2 and dave was back. i put the book down quickly, he comes in and this conversation ensues:

d: what have you been doing
m: nothing
d: what's that look for
m: i've been reading twilight, and i like it, who am i?!

so, i read the book. and i liked it. and then i watched the 1st movie. and before you know it, it's thursday (today) and i've seen all 3 movies and have read 2 of the books. seriously. who am i?! we've had this conversation every day this week. have you ever had something that you really really loved, but you wanted to keep it a secret b\c you were embarrassed about it. for me, that was nsync about 12 years ago.... now it's twilight. gah. you probably want a review at least...

"i'm the world's best predator, aren't i? everything about me invites you in- my voice, my face, even my smell. as if i need any of that! as if you could outrun me. as if you could fight me off."

what can i really say about twilight? the books aren't going to be winning a pulitzer for writing, obviously. they are intended for young adults, and it's a story about young adults. a romance story with suspense thrown in. for me, i loved it, even if it hurts me to type that. the story goes: bella swan moves to forks, washington to live with her dad. the first day of school she notices the most beautiful boy she's ever seen, but he seems totally put off by her. she's intrigued. they forge a reluctant (on his part) friendship and fall in love with each other. one catch- he's a vampire, and she's "just his brand of heroin." it sounds really silly typing it out, and it is, but i can't help it- the book was really enjoyable. i enjoyed the book more in that it was detailed more than the movie, but i enjoyed the movie for its visual aspects. i think you know what i mean (team edward). this coming from someone who really doesn't find rob pattinson incredibly attractive.

seriously, if i even say anything else, i'm going to need someone to slap me to make sure i'm still myself. and that is a 30 year old with a kid. not a 17 year old who is obsessed with vampires. whatever.

4/5 stars. only because i can't see edward when i'm reading the book. same for the movie- only b\c it left out details and i kept having to stop & explain things to dave. that's right.

*by the way, i get that twilight was cool like 5 years ago, so i'm way behind on that bandwagon...

giveaway time!

2011-08-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

i have at least 3 giveaways lined up for next week! i promise i'll be back blogging and reading blogs consistently by that time!!

2011-08-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

today is a depress-fest. so feel free to come back another day.

i feel like i'm at a really weird place in my life right now. maybe it's the 2nd year of motherhood. maybe it's turning 30. maybe it's both. i'm just at this weird conflicting time where everything i want is the opposite of what i want. makes no sense, right?

first- time is going by so quickly. i mean, it's already august for crying out loud. i'm trying to avoid the #1 thought that's looming in my head- that another winter is around the corner. i'm already thinking of winter. i walked out of ian's room after putting him down for a nap this morning and i was crying, no, bawling. all i could think about was him growing up and getting bigger and wondering if i would even remember little moments like rocking him to sleep when he was bigger. i keep having these weird "flashback" moments. where i think of my life in a flashback like they show in the movies. last night we were watching a movie and i had one of those moments. nothing like dumb vampire movies to make you think of your own mortality. damn vampires.

i just feel really out of place everywhere. i feel out of place with my friends from home- i've been gone over 2 years now. i'm not a daily, weekly, or even monthly part of their lives anymore. it's been 4 months since i've seen many of my friends- some- even longer than that. it's no different here. i feel really out of place here too. we don't see many of our friends here either b\c we can't get out as much as we'd like. we can't always stay out late, or find someone to watch ian. hell, we can't even afford a babysitter. we have fun hanging out w\ our friends, but sometimes in order to do that, we have to bring ian. and it's never fun feeling like everyone is wondering why the heck you brought your baby with you. i had a small group of friends up here, but i just don't feel very welcome there anymore. i just feel really alone up here. i feel like ian is pretty much my best friend these days. we spend all of our days together- and most of that time, he just wants to play on his own without me- so even then i feel alone. and there are those times i just want to get away from him, to have a break, to have some time to myself- but i feel myself rushing back because i missed him so much.

we are continuing to have struggles with our finances. every month it's some surprise bill. we got a parking ticket when we were downtown last week, and this week we got a bill from our dentist because our insurance didn't cover everything they were supposed to. dave has applied for a countless number of jobs both within his company and outside of it, and nothing has panned out. i'm just ready for a break. they say when it rains it pours, and we have just been poured on in some way the last 30 months. i'm ready for a break.

it's really not all bad, but sometimes it just outweighs the good, and my heart just feels super heavy this morning- and just a lot lately. i'm going home for a visit in 3 weeks. maybe that's all i need. ugh. it's the vampires, i tell ya.

i resolve... august

2011-08-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

not to make stupid resolutions this year that i will have forgotten about by... yesterday.

instead. my "resolution" is to make a short list of attainable goals each month- and to share them with you. sometimes later in the month than expected...

my july goals:

~~finish big item on list + at least 1 more~~ boom! ran a triathlon (#12), 30th bday bash (#7)
~~2 date nights (1 in, 1 out)~~
~~keep going to bed early~~ it's really amazing how well-rested i feel...
~~finish the book i've been reading for 2 months~~. done- finally
~~pick a new race!~~ done. need to sign up.
~~mail scarf to swap buddy.~~ finally
write back to pen pal (yes, i have a pen pal, no, they're not in prison). haven't done this yet. boo

goals for august:

2 date nights (in/out)
finish the book i'm reading + another book
lose 3 lbs to get me down to highest pre-baby weight
write back to pen pal
meet a new friend!
have an awesome time planned for our friends that are coming to visit
finish 30 day shred
sign up for above race

18 months

2011-08-02T16:43:00.001-05:00

ian turned 18 months old on july 20th! we're halfway to being 2! zomg!

there haven't been a lot of big changes with ian. he's still walking- getting better at it. lots of falling still b\c he thinks that things on the floor are part of the floor and just walks over them like they don't exist... lots of bumps and bruises this month- and running!

we finally made ian an appointment to see an allergist near the end of this month. we will finally find out what exactly he's allergic to. i'm guessing that will bring bigger changes to the things he eats, but we'll wait & see.

no new teeth this month... thank goodness. i know those i-teeth have got to be coming soon though. yikes!

as i said last month, we stopped nursing shortly after ian turned 17 months old. i miss it, but in the same vein i'm glad it's over with!!

we're still working on signs with ian. i wish i knew of a really good way to teach him signing... he's so busy that i feel like i have a hard time getting him to sit and focus on me. we're still working tirelessly on mommy, daddy, thank you, i love you, up & down. i'm really hoping some of these start to stick b\c we're getting to the point where if he can't communicate something to you, he just starts crying. :(

bed & nap routines are changing slightly. over the last couple months ian has gotten really attached to his "lovey" (affectionately known as mr. bear) and you probably already know that he is definitely attached to his binky. we are wanting to break (or get a hold on) the binky issue before it gets out of control, so ian can now only have his bear & binky at nap times and bed time. i get him up and change him and then we go back over to the bed and now he throws his bear & binky in without asking. this doesn't mean they're gone for good though... if we are playing upstairs, a lot of times he will saunter into our room from his w\ binky in mouth & bear in arms... he will reach into his bed & pull his blanket until he gets them where he can reach and pulls them out... he's doing well though. he's been fussier lately, and i can't tell if it's b\c he's w\o his binks or not. a lot of times i think the binky is more of a crutch for mommy & daddy though. we've definitely had to bust out a hidden binky a few times since...

we are also in the process of moving from 2 naps to one (sad times)... yesterday was a one nap day, however, today is a 2 nap day. it really depends on how tired he is. this crazy kid has also started sleeping in from anywhere between 8-10. of course, we have been keeping him up a little later- it's summer! i hate putting him to bed when there's still 2 hours of daylight!

ian is also adding lots of new words- shake, yucky, gross, thank you, ai yi yi, & whoa to name a few. he's also really gotten into singing- he loves the fresh beat band... and he goes around most of the day singing their ending song, so picture ian walking around the house "na na na na na na" all day (and picture me working on those sweet dance moves).

we also took ian to his 18 mo appt. 20 lbs, 4 oz (>5%), 32" (25-50%), head circ (50%). looks great!

and now, the reason you're all here... the pictures!

fourth of july fun!

picnic with mommy

oh, i'm not supposed to be messing with that? my bad.

(l-r): test shot. pretty much downhill from there. best of the bunch, but only with my bear & hat!

(l-r): half laughing/half crying. definitely crying.

cRaZy hair!

weight ain't nothing but a number

2011-08-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

mcfatty monday has come to an end. and it's only appropriate that it ended on the same day i planned to write this post. i've said it 100x... i've been working out for 6 months tirelessly, i've been tracking my calories for 2+ months religiously... and all for 8 lbs. blah blah blah. i've been so worried about the number on a scale, that sometimes i think it stands in the way of being able to see my true losses. for me it's hard not to concentrate on those numbers b\c i remember the time (not terribly long ago) when i stepped on the scale and there were only 2 digits. those days are in the past- and i've got to let go.

last week i got some really awesome comments here (this link keeps getting jacked up) and then i read this post (especially note the last 2 photos- she weighs 10 lbs MORE than she was at her lowest, yet looks better than ever). so leah, sarah, heather & jess... thank you. i don't know you, but thank you.

it's not about that digital number. it's about how you feel. how you feel in your clothes, how you feel in the gym. how you feel day to day. it's about the number of inches you've lost, the amount of muscle you've gained.

feeling good and looking good are my new focus, no matter what my scale says, no matter how "overweight" my wii says.

enjoy the journey. updates will follow, but i just won't focus on it weekly. i've got this.

almost!

2011-07-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

top: loft

skirt: loft

shoes: urban outfitters

polish: mint candy apple by essie

i don't know why i didn't think of this pairing sooner because it's so obvious. i love this silk skirt. i probably mentioned in the last post that i got this skirt on final sale last summer for $4.88 or $9.88 or something absolutely wonderfully ridiculous like that. while most of loft's final sale rack is full of things i don't care for or clothes sized 00P that i probably could've worn many moons ago- i do get a pretty sweet deal every once in a while. one more day to go in this 30 for 30 journey. i'm pretty excited. so are the rest of the clothes in my closet. you know who else is excited?

this guy.

guest post: keeping your kids active!

2011-07-28T12:35:00.007-05:00

i am excited today to be featuring a guest post by kathleen thomas from primose schools. today's post is about keeping the kids (of all ages) active- something that can be difficult when you just want to stay inside away from the heat! kathleen provides some insightful tips on ways to keep kids (and yourself) active. thank you kathleen!

Keeping the Kids Active
By: Kathleen Thomas

Summertime is upon us and the sultry days stretch into balmy nights. Released from school the children either complain of boredom or spend hours hunched in front of television or computer screens. The long days of summer don’t have to be lazy. Try some of these ideas to keep your kids active in the summer.

Get Moving
The easiest way to promote a healthy lifestyle for your children is to lead by example. Break out the bikes and set off on a family ride. Trek down to the park and kick a ball around. Team up with other families for a friendly softball tournament. Shoot hoops. Spin a jump rope and take your turn ducking in. Organize an informal neighborhood field day with relay races, an obstacle course and a water balloon toss. Award the winners with small prizes or ribbons. Or try planting a summer garden. Children love watching things grow. Keep busy digging and weeding, and then eat the healthy results.

Consider Camping
If it is within your budget, sending the kids off to camp for a week or two or three (or more) is a long-standing summer tradition. Overnight camping is an experience children treasure a lifetime. Most stay-away camps are Internet-free and limit the use of video games. Many cities also offer day camping at municipal parks, complete with tons of fun daily activities and weekly field trips. If you have a budding Beckham on your hands, a sports-intensive camp may be just the ticket.

Get Wet
Kids and water go together like peanut butter and jelly. Take an excursion to the seaside or lake. For older children, a free or low-cost public pool is an inexpensive way to spend an active afternoon – or several afternoons a week. For younger children, it might be time to take that first swimming class. And for preschool children, nothing beats a wading pool or a sprinkler shimmering in the summer heat. Or break out some old pots and pans and make mud pies. Don’t be afraid to get dirty – the muddier, the merrier.

Take Advantage of Cooler Mornings and Evenings
While preteens or teenagers probably won’t thrill to the morning whistle, young children will find it an adventure – if you make it one. Invest in a few inexpensive supplies such as floppy hats, cheap binoculars or magnifying glasses and metal canteens or water bottles with straps. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Set off on an early morning hike around the neighborhood, or even just around the block. Small things often delight small explorers. Keep a scrapbook and collect a flower, a feather or a leaf on your travels. Older children can often be lured out-of-doors after night has fallen. Take a twilight after-dinner walk with your ‘tween and discover how different your neighborhood looks by night. Talk and bond while getting some exercise.

Kids are more likely to exercise when it’s disguised as fun. With a little creativity, it’s easy to keep kids active in the summer.

oops

2011-07-28T08:06:00.000-05:00

necklace: loft

tshirt: loft

shorts: loft

sandals: urban outfitters

remember how this is called a 30 for 30. well, i discovered this weekend that i was having a 29 for 30. hence the aforementioned oops. i immediately added these shoes b\c my feet have cried over the fact that they haven't been on my feet for over a month. i got these shoes 5 years ago in my only uo purchase ever, and i can't imagine life w\o them. sadly, they are falling apart. i had them fixed once, but i think soon they will either need to be totally resoled or tossed. so welcome to the party white sandals! better late than never!

double duty

2011-07-27T08:50:00.001-05:00

scarf- shop in curacao

dress- old navy maternity

belt- target

shoes- toms

i wore this outfit on friday & saturday and for some reason thought it would be best to take the picture on friday. friday after riding my bike and not washing my hair, grocery shopping and making dinner @ 10 pm. instead of saturday w\ washed hair, make up and a delightful day of lounging around. i look slightly crazed here, and i was. in fact, the best photo in this series was one of me giving my husband the bird, but that is not very nice or classy. although i know some of you are fans of my "tiny middle finger." if you ask nicely, i will send you that picture, and it will be just like college all over again. yes, i'm talking to you peg sutter.* also, i totally ripped this look off.... i bet you thought i was going to say that i'm totally ripped... that too.

*names have been changed to protect the "innocent"

mommy reads: the accidental billionaires

2011-07-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

if you haven't heard of the book the accidental billionaires, i'm sure you've heard of the movie the social network. haven't heard of that? then i'm sure you've heard of facebook. the accidental billionaires the founding of facebook a tale of money|sex|genius|and betrayal is a narrative novel by ben mezrich that tells the tale of the founding of the social network that we love/hate called facebook. starting out as just a hack in a harvard dorm room to the billion dollar company it is today; the accidental billionaires shares all the dirty details behind the founding and growing of facebook. mark zuckerberg & eduardo saverin start thefacebook from mark's harvard dorm in 2004 using mark's computer skills and eduardo's money. from there the site explodes- mark drops out of harvard and moves to palo alto, ca to run the business while eduardo stays in school. the friends grow apart, mark pushes eduardo out of facebook. if you've seen the movie, reading the book is definitely not necessary. you won't really learn anything new. i actually found the movie to be far more interesting than the book, and jesse eisenberg is definitely a far more likeable mark zuckerberg. if you haven't seen the movie, i'd definitely recommend it. it's a very interesting look at the founding of facebook. it's definitely not what most people probably think it is. it took me 2 months to read this book b\c it started very slow, and the writing style was just weird to me. this is probably one of my least favorite books that i've read... at least in a while.

1/5 stars. rent the movie instead.

self-portrait

2011-07-26T00:50:00.000-05:00

top: loft

shorts: old navy

shoes: toms

this is how you take a self portrait. which is easy if you live in a house of mirrors like dave & i do. in our bedroom alone there are 8 mirrors. it's not what you think. 7 of them actually were in the room when we moved in. it's just weird. there are mirrors everywhere in this house. so it helps to have a closet made of 4 giant mirrored doors. that's really all you need for the perfect self portrait. today's outfit was wrinkly, the bed is only halfway made and i had to take my own picture. i'm starting to run out of ideas for what to wear. 4 ensembles to go! i actually have 2 outfits to go, and i plan on finishing on saturday! woo hoo!

that's overweight!

2011-07-25T15:13:00.000-05:00

that's what the wii says to me every morning when i step on our wii fit. since i started seriously trying to lose weight 2 months ago, i have lost to date only 8 lbs. that's ridiculous. 2 lbs a month. i can't quite figure out what i am doing wrong.

i have been tracking my calories daily since mid may. and yes, there are days when i go over- and there have been a few days where i have been way over. but the majority of my days i am under my calories, or only over by about 10. we have been working out 5-6 days a week since february and now that our triathlon has come & gone, we have cut down a little on the intensity of our workouts, but we are still going and staying faithful to it. we're even planning our next race.

so i have been weighing myself everyday on our wii fit since early june. i didn't have a set weigh in time, but in the last few weeks have set my time to be 1st thing in the morning. i wake up, i get ian up and put him in his seat for breakfast, and i weigh in either while his food is cooking or while he's eating. and it goes a little something like this...

m- gained 1.2 lbs
t- lost 0.3 lbs
w- gained 0.5 lbs
th- lost 2.5 lbs
f- gained 1.5 lbs.

this is my week on the wii fit. back & forth, up & down. it's so frustrating. and it still wants me to lose 21 more lbs!! 21 lbs. i'm doing all the things that i thought would be helping me lose weight, and i'm getting no results. i skipped weigh ins on friday & sunday and today when i weighed in i had 0.0 lbs. that's better than a gain i guess. i think the wii fit & i are going to take a break. it's not me, it's you. i'm going to keep counting my calories, keep working hard in the gym (pushing myself a little farther)... and see what i can come up with. i am going to lose this weight, dammit. and i'm not going to starve myself to do it!

blurry

2011-07-21T17:16:00.000-05:00

cropped jacket: forever 21

dress: modcloth

sandals: havaianas

wow, it doesn't get much sadder that this was the best of all the photos dave took. our camera stinks! i dropped my camera when i was pregnant about a month before ian was born. we bought a cheap camera on a whim- it's a decent camera except that it takes a million tries to get a picture that's not blurry. dave was holding ian when taking these pictures, which could explain why it's so blurry and why my head is chopped off... wanna buy me a new camera?

5 days to go... i'm running out of fresh ideas... yikes

i have a problem

2011-07-19T22:50:00.000-05:00

earrings: forever 21

jacket: loft

top: loft

pants: loft

shoes: havaianas

seriously, i get that i have a major problem w\ this 30x30. everything i own is from the freaking loft. this used to not be a problem. but there are several major contributing factors: 1. they have a petites section. 2. they always have a sale going on, or i always have a coupon. 3. they are convenient to my home. 4. their clothes consistently fit me. there are plenty of other places that i like or would like to shop at but... target- not a great size selection for/don't like a lot of what they have/can't find what i want. forever 21- closed the one closest to our house, the next one is at woodfield, and i hate going there. h&m- same- also @ woodfield. so i will accept any & all ideas to get me out of my "rut." i seriously am thinking about just shopping @ goodwill b\c i can probably afford it + more variety... but i'll accept any ideas (or donations)...

today i did this with my hair and it was super easy & pretty... only problem, it was hard to keep pins in w\ nothing to really pin it to, but i will try this again. you get to see how this hair style looked after 6 hours and 2 pina coladas... mmm. by the time we snapped the photo, it was looking a little mullet-esque

last minute

2011-07-19T22:33:00.000-05:00

jumper: old navy

sweater: loft

shoes: seychelles

baby: adorable

this outfit wasn't supposed to be this outfit. meaning, i was wearing something else when i got something all over myself and had to change. not cool. i only say not cool b\c i had to scramble for 15 minutes trying to work another outfit together. this works though b\c i get to wear this jumper again and it is totes comfortable.

hair: today i tried this. please don't be shocked when you see that my hair looks nothing like that. i feel like my hair is just as long as hers, but i couldn't pull off the loose french braid- mine are always tight.. plus, by the time we took this photo, i had been running errands for 2+ hours... at least. and i swear, i'm getting clear hair bands one day... it just looks weird w\o them