Good Day
When your morning starts off with a batch of these
And a pot of this
You know it’s gonna be a good day.
Flashback Friday: bringing a baby home edition. Kian was glued to his sister since the week we brought her home. He’s always been amazed by this little person…
It’s a cold and rainy day in Atlanta… Perfect for making a nice cozy fort. When I was a kid, I remember thinking how much I loved when my mom would make forts for us… The kids literally light up when they walk into a room that I’ve set up a tent. Our chairs are almost always out of place around here, but I’m sure they wouldn’t want it any other way.
My Girl
Some nights just for fun, I like to lay out clothes for Kayden to wear the next day.
I think about her constantly.
She has made our family whole.
She blesses us each day with her smile and laugh and sweet, gentle spirit.
I day dream about the future fun we’ll have: shopping together, lunch dates, pedicures, and so much more.
We’re the only two girls in this house, and we like to stick together.
One day, she won’t let me dress her or pick out her clothes anymore. When that day comes, I’ll look back and remember all the sweet nights like tonight… Nights I spent picking out a perfect outfit, for no good reason at all.
Q&A
I receive questions in my ask box and for some reason just never find the time to write back and answer every single one. I blame it on the toddlers! But most of the questions are the same, so I thought I’d answer the ones I get most often:) (p.s I’m flattered that I get questions at all!)
Q. What does your husband do for a living?
A. I don’t know why I get this one the most? I don’t talk too much about Frankie on here (sorry boo) but he definitely deserves more shout outs. He’s a builder and does home and commercial renovations.
Q. How far apart are your kids?
A. 21 months apart. What does 21 months apart look like?
Q. How do you find time for crafts?
A. I sleep very late… I wish I slept at a normal hour, but I stay up crafting, or watching t.v with Frankie. I’m always thinking of fun things to make or do, but there’s just not enough hours in the day. Sigh…
Q. How long have you been married? You look young…
A. Well thanks! We married June 2005, so this year will be 6 years! I’m 27… Not that young!
Q. How long do you plan on breastfeeding Kayden, and do you have tips?
A. This one, I will reply personally all of the time. I went from bottle feeding my first to becoming a La Leche League member and huge breastfeeding advocate with my second. I have learned so much from my first horrible experience and wanted it more than anything. It honestly has made me feel so powerful to know I birthed and then fed my baby myself. She is now 17 months and we have no plans on stopping (although we have been night weaning) until at least 2. I wish I could have nursed Kian, but you live and learn, and I love to share my experiences with anyone who needs advice!
Q. How do you get your kids to eat so well? (so many veggies and fruits especially)
A. Well this one seems fairly simple to me. I do the shopping. That’s it. I choose what comes into our fridge and pantry. When there are no sugary snacks or chips/soda/”junk” cereal” they make do with what they have. Kian is 3 and has never been to McDonald’s. He isn’t the one driving the car…
I will be doing a post on ways to get your kids to eat more veggies though in disguise:)
So there you have it! Most of the questions I get. Thanks for being curious about our little life:)
Stella McCartney stole my dream life and I want it back. I mean it this time. I’m truly angry. Not only is she riding my horses around in fabulous vintage frocks but she had the nerve to take afternoon tea with a hawk. A hawk!?! Not to mention the tow-headed child searching inside muddy wellies for stowaway toads. This is an outrage. Was it not enough to have a Beatle for a father? Now, if only she had a tee-pee it just might send me over the edge…wait…what?…bloody hell!
Domestic Goddess
I’ve cleaned this house for the past three days, organized every single cabinet, and the laundry room is empty… Thanks to the ugly weather and being stuck at home. The kids play SO well together and entertain themselves while I’ll clean for 30 minutes, then I take a break a play with them. Every hour I’ll stop and read them a couple of books, give them a snack, then continue while they play happily. We have a good system going:)
I figured since I’m on a roll with this domestic goddess thing, I’ll cook my famous lasagna tonight. Ok, ok it’s not my famous lasagna, it’s Pioneer Woman’s. IT. IS. AMAZING.
Seriously if you haven’t tried it, please do. The only thing I do differently is leave out the sausage.
What I love about her recipes is how she shows step by step pictures. It’s virtually goof proof!
Here’s the wonderful recipe: World’s Best Lasagna.
Play Room Inspiration
Our playroom is in desperate need of a makeover. It’s a big ol’ space with not alot of storage, so it’s almost always cluttered. I’ve decided to repaint the whole thing and add some shelves for toys and books.
This is the room I plan on recreating.
I love this one too, but maybe if I had a couple girls.
I definitely want to put a swing in there. I adore this one from Haba, but it’s super pricey ($270) so we settled on some from Ikea.
We bought all three of these for way less, and I can’t wait to install them
I want to paint this mural on one of the walls. I have had it saved forever on my computer and can’t remember the source… (sorry)
And for the final touch, I would love to get an old couch and let the kids draw on it. I love this:
Playroom re-do starts in a month or so when the weather warms up a bit… Can’t wait!
Real packages (empty) in their play fridge makes for hours of fun pretend play.
If I Only Knew…
When I was expecting my first baby over 3 years ago, I remember the excitement I felt when registering for my shower. There were so many neat baby products I felt like I could not live without. HA. HA.
If I only knew… That I wouldn’t need half the things I registered for. I wouln’t need the baby sleep/feeding timer alarm thing, or the 50 bibs… I wish someone told me what I’m telling my expecting friend who asked me what she should register for… Diapers, diapers, and more diapers. Oh, and wipes.
Other things that I recommend:
1. A co sleeper if you want to co sleep but don’t want baby in your bed. This was a life saver with baby #2.
2. A nursing cover. I could not have lived without mine.
3. Nursing pads. Trust me, you’ll need these. I like the reusable kind. Also related: a good nipple cream (they’ll most likely be irritated) and cabbage. Yep, cabbage. It feels amazing on engored swollen breasts.
4. A baby carrier. I like to call myself a baby wearing queen. I absolutely can not even begin to describe how wonderful baby wearing has made the past 3 years of my life. I wore Kian constantly, up until he was around 2. I loved it, he loved it, it makes life easier. I own about 10 different ones, but my favorites are:
~Baby Hawk or other mei tai.
~Ergo with infant insert. The most comfortable carrier in my opinion.
~Maya Wrap, or other ring sling. I recommend a padded one for comfort. This is hands down the most versatile for me. It fits in my bag, easy to put on, and you can nurse discreetly.
~I don’t recommend a Baby Bjorn. They hurt. I do recommend a wrap like a Moby for the infant stage. Extremely comfortable and creates a womb like environment for baby. It’s a little tricky to put on, but with some practice, you’ll be able to do it quite quickly.
A website I love that has great sales on carriers: Attached to Baby.
5. Aden & Anais swaddle blankets. The most comfortable, lightweight swaddle blankets I’ve seen. They are adorable and you can use them as regular blankets later on.
So that’s it: Sher’s top recommendations for expecting moms:)
These are all my opinion of course and from my experience things I absolutely could not live without.
What are some things you couldn’t have done without?
After Kayden’s last feeding, this is happening… Snowed in, might as well have fun :)
Stuck.
We’re stuck at home. Well, actually we’re stuck at my mother in law’s house which is even better, because I don’t have to cook or clean. It’s been like a mini vacation. The news in Atlanta warned of a snow storm and to stock up in food, because it could be a few days of being stuck, so we decided to pack up and stay here so we could at least be together. She’s making her amazing lasagna for dinner, so basically I’m in heaven.
So what do you do when you’re stuck?
You:
Paint your nails. Something I haven’t been able to do for about a month.
Shower AND fix your hair, because your kids are busy playing in the snow.
Put makeup on just for fun. Just because you’re snowed in, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look good:)
Drink lots of hot chocolate.
Take a nap.
Blog.
Put your daughter’s hair in pigtails. Then braid it. Then paint her toe nails.
Snuggle up on the couch and watch movies. With hot chocolate of course.
I mean, if that isn’t a crazy productive day, I don’t know what is…
It’s snowed in Georgia… In a matter of minutes we had inches of snow everywhere. Most people are stuck at home today, schools canceled, and the kids are loving it all!
