the key

No one had clued me in on the miracle that is Gerber Biter Biscuits. They allowed for lunch at Cheddar's and an hour long shopping trip at Target with Aunt Jen.

We had biscuit in our hair, on our face, feet, hands, Mommy and Jen. It's so worth being covered in what looks like a wet dog biscuit.

Miracle. They are the key to MY success, as a mommy.

{grainy photo courtesy of my iPhone & of course Jen}

fried steaks & egg hunts

I don't quite know that anything makes me happier than warm weather, this face below, pizza, and cereal. The latter two, being a fault to cravings.

I 'mind-write' blogs while I shower. I'm most creative in there, and that is so weird to me. Atleast, it's not while sitting on the pot. That would be inappropriate. It's probably the boiling hot water I bathe in - must mess with my mind. It's too bad I can't 'save now' as I condition my hair.

I've just now wrapped my mind and thighs around the fact, that I again will be bearing a child. We've run a few names by each other, but I have one that keeps pulling me in - not one for keeping surprises, the thought that JR wants to keep atleast the name a secret is a monumental task for me. I can't even give you a hint, because I love it so much. The name.

Double strollers are out of the question for now. I'm not ready to be that mom. High praises for you, if you are - but I'd rather carry Baby in a basket and stroll Hudson before you see me attempting to load a 400 lb double stroller in the back of my Yukon. I'm short, it's tall - I look ridiculous trying to lift anything into that car. You're already staring me down, wondering if I've heard of 'the pill'...watching me lift a stroller would send you into a tizzy.

Tonight in celebration of the start of Easter weekend, we're having the Taliaferro's over and I will attempt for the very first time, a meal that really gets my heart happy and full of grease - Country Fried Steak and gravy. I get nervous just thinking about the flouring and frying. I have a terrible habit of making meals I've never made before the nights we have friends over.

We have been successfully sleeping thru the night at our house for over a week now. I've been fearful to even type that sentence out, knowing that could quickly change back. It hasn't though, and after a two-night-cry-it-out we are all night sleepers. I even type faster, I'm so well rested. He was never really that bad because we stopped feeding him in his 1 or 2 night wakings a few weeks back, so that then led to him just waking up out of habit. We have broken that now too, and does it feel good. There was a sense of urgency, with thoughts of TWO babies up during the night, I made an executive decision and told JR it was time.

This wknd too, is JR's 10 year high school reunion and I'm dang excited because I've always wished to be an honorary member of their town. It's one of my favorite places on this green earth. I've done some shopping this week, in hopes of finding a few outfits for this wknd to shield my 14 week doughboy 'belly'. We wish you all a happy Jesus filled-egg hunt-food-family-cute dress Easter weekend!

thankful for this day

{my favorite tree, the bradford pear, Shannon Springs Park yesterday afternoon}

"I thank you God for most this amazing day; for leaping greenly spirits of trees

And a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural

Which is infinite which is yes." — e.e. cummings

no words needed, well maybe a few

I get asked often, as many of you do if you're a momma - what the best part is about having a baby, my baby? My answer is this:

These snapshots of my life, my husband and my son, I guard with all my might and all the fight I have in me. Them being mine, and I theirs is the best part about having a family. Ours.

baby sunshine

He is my sunshine, every single day - and this is why:

He got my moves and rhythm.

...and the most infectious baby giggles that are the sweetest sounds of my life.

can't do without

I hope you don't ever do anything I 'tell' you to do. This time though, please make an exception. It will bring us closer, I can guarantee that.

This is a recommendation, but even more so, a plea to you to get off of Facebook - run to the store and indulge in this...because it will make your life happy in all sorts of places. It did mine.

Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette

Per their website: "If you’re into stuff that tastes incredible, you’re in the right place. BRIANNAS is the home of the most delectable, mouth-watering, and insanely delicious salad dressings to ever caress a leaf of lettuce."

...and I can proclaim they speak nothing but truth because I am into stuff that tastes incredible and delectable. Furthermore, I know you would be a fan, such as I am, of insanely declicious things caressing your leaf of lettuce.

That sentence alone sold me. Caressing lettuce leaves. Provocative salad dressing makers.

swing baby, swing.

We spent some time at the park, the day before my baby turned 7 months old. It is so true, when 'they' say how quickly our babies will grow. I am in awe at his ever changing capabilites and the wonder in his eyes as he accomplishes more in his tiny world, at only 7 months of age.

I sometimes though, get sad at just how fast he changes and that before I know it he will be a walking, talking little boy. As I begin to enjoy one stage {build anxiety} as he is now fully mobile, and the fastest crawler I ever did see - he is on to the next thing, and now pulls up and is going from furniture to furniture only preparing me of the walking that is just around the corner.

At church on Sunday, we were reminded to take life more slowly and to avoid the rush that comes with our fast-paced world. Being a mother, his, has taught me that very same thing. If we were to focus on our to-do lists, errands, laundry, etc...we miss the simple joys of playing at the park with our babies instead of nap time, reading to them, or just holding them a few more minutes.

I remember the day Hudson was born, and when JR handed him to me, I thought this was the most I could ever love. How wrong I was that day, because today 7 months later my love for our son has grown into something I find very hard to describe, much less put in to words.

Life before loving and knowing him, seems vague now, and one I don't go back to much because I've waited my whole life to be his Mommy...

...we've joined Gymboree classes and have music and art to look forward to this week. He's making baby 'friends', and we're finally getting out of the house since Spring is on the horizon.

Hudson Bear, how much I love my days with you. You make me a happy I never knew existed. you are my sunshine ♥

E for Effort

* Before I start this post, I must first thank you/laugh with you/hug you for the sweet/hilarious/and shocked comments y'all gifted me with on our announcement post. I threw y'all for one heckuva loop, now :) So many of you comforted me with stories of being Irish twins, yourselves and have told of the closeness you share with your siblings. That ladies, gives me great happiness and comfort, and one only this small and wild world of blogging can give. I owe y'all a cupcake tea party in return for the encouragement and joy you've given us in your kind words - if only we could ever all gather ♥ I'd wear my finest hat, just for you {because a pretty hat is key for a successful cupcake tea party}.

- and now to my original post.

As I've mentioned the last 11 weeks I have looked and felt the part of an Oklahoma bag lady, and I now miss my highlighted 'blonde' hair, Botox'd forehead, and makeup'd mug.

Now before, you get to judging my vain-sounding self - give me one minute to tell you what living in sweats and smelling Gerber food all day does to a pregnant soul for 11 weeks. It's vile. I feel sorry even for my husband who gets the pleasure of seeing the rotation of my ever growing wardrobe of jammies, and my ratty hair in a ponytail. I think even Hudson has noticed.

I'm on the horizon of approaching the end of the first trimester. I can see the light and it is so brightly shining on my face. That, and I can feel Spring nearing. Both are neat. If you've been with child non-stop like I have, you know the feeling when your body slowly feels normal again, food isn't your worst enemy and suddenly you open your makeup drawer, and your makeup bag is dusty and lonely because you've neglected her for so long. You finally want her again, want to reconnect.

For the sake, of all.

The Botox will obviously have to wait many, many moons but you better DANG believe I'm gonna highlight my strands here in a quick minute.

I'm not the competitive type, and that may pain some of you to know. I live with the man who might well be the most competitive man-creature to have ever walked this green earth. Thus, quite the opposite of him, my motto has always been, 'E for Effort", because I always feel like if I try I win!!! He feels quite the opposite. Haha, that makes you competitive folk chuckle with sarcastic glee, doesn't it? Never pick me for your team, unless it's for sideline encouragement. I got sidetracked.

My effort is now devoted to showering, makeup'ing, hair do'ing, and attempting a look-good weighing a good 35 pounds plus. Yessssssssss.

To begin my efforts, which I will document, since you care {??} - I purchased this below, because the first step to feeling good is smelling good.

Give me your fragrance picks, what makes you smell pretty? give me suggestions aside from Lolita, please :)

from three to FOUR ♥

The time has come. The time to finally tell you why I've been absent from blogging, showers, making dinner, makeup, etc...

I've lived in sweats the past few weeks, and my beauty regimen consists of brushing my teeth and a shower if the day goes just right. It's doubtful that my hair get brushed, just my teeth.

I feel way worse this go-round, than I did the first one. It's probably because I did it only 7 months ago.

We've sat Hudson down and explained that he is getting a baby. A baby brother or sister.

...and..............We're having a BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that baby is swiftly growing and gaining speed inside the comforts of my womb as I type. Come September 28th-ish we will be a family of four, and after the initial {shock/suspense} our hearts are full knowing we are expanding {my waistline} and will have a baby-filled house.

I always wished to have all of my children by the age of 30. The rate we're at, we could have a bevy of tots by then. I kid. I hope :)

It is much more challenging to be with-child when your other with-child is a crawling, pulling-up, active 7 MONTH OLD who is currently spending his every waking minute perfecting his balance to WALK. Gone are the days, of laying around eating Ruffles and dip.

My energy levels are in the negatives, and my morning sickness lingers at night. Somehow I survive, and I owe that to some anti-nausea, the smiles I get in the morning from my Bear, and my husband whom I could not do without.

At only 10 wks in, I've already said goodbye to my skinny jeans. Goodbye, I love you. I hope this isn't our last encounter. You complete me.

All sickness and tiredness aside, we wake with very thankful hearts that we are blessed to have children easily, the luxury to share them and this time in our lives with our families, and a happy, healthy, baby-filled home ♥

So, I'm back. This time with Daddy, Mommy, Hudson Bear, and Sweet Tiny Two.

....and I come to you again, for advice.

I don't know how new momma's survive without blog world. It gives me such relief and happiness when I can read about you sharing with me the same joys, wonders, and tribulations that come with parenthood.

So, I come to you now. This time about food. Baby food.

We are almost 7 months here, and were given the okay to start giving Hudson 3 feedings a day with bottles in between. I'm curious, and am asking you what your experience has been/is with your sweet babe at this age with meals, etc...

Hudson could really care less about eating, and has since the day he was born. He does love his bottles and eats very well off a spoon but has a 45 second attention span when sat in his highchair to be fed. I commited the ultimate Mommy sin, and have been feeding him in front of Yo Gabba Gabba or Sesame Street. I know, I know.

I will do WHATEVER it takes to nourish my Bear. I sometimes even dance for him as I shovel squash in his tiny mouth in the >1 minute he gives me. He breaks out a huge smile when I dance, which gives me the opportunity to throw some food in that precious smile.

Our day is still consisting of his same number of bottles, with sporadic 'meals' throughout the day. I usually get a maximum of 2 a day, if I'm lucky. I'm just having a hard time trying to gauge exactly how and when solids become more predominant over bottles. How was your transition from strictly bottles to a bottle/solids combo? Hudson may be right on track, but since this is quite obviously my first go-round I come to you, the experts :)

Thank you in advance for any and ALL help you can send my way!

generations

I robbed this photo from our cousin Ash, but I just had to share a most precious capture of Hudson with his Great-Grandpa {PaPa}. The love is clearly mutual...

We're not all blessed to share moments with our great-grandparents, so any chance we get for Hudson to live some baby days with his PaPa, are very special to his Daddy and I.

gifting a half-year old

I use just about any excuse to bedazzle my babe with new toys. I'm fully convinced he loves toys more than any other tiny in this whole green world.

Thus, when the day came for his 6 months of life---the perfect gift I was in search for.

I found this GIANT fleece ball, on Etsy, here. I knew right away, when I came across the 'farm' theme, this was THE gift for our Hudson Bear.

There are several theme options to choose from, and can of course be personalized.

Bear loves his giant fleecey, and it doubles as an awesome floor pillow for Momma.

{Pay no mind, to his mis-matched outfit nor the enormous life-size bear in the background. We play all day, and there is no toy that doesn't end up, front and center of our living room.}

strawberry delight

...that's what we call it around here. I'm a lover of fruits.

Our store had the fattest, juiciest, red strawberries so I bought THREE cartons. You may not love fat strawberries as much as I do, and if that happens to be the case for you---a solution, I give you.

First, cut up your berries and put them on a pretty plate so that you can first marvel at the delicious fruit.

Secondly, serve yourself two large scoops of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream {I buy GV, b/c I'm cheap like that, and it's very delicious}.

-Now mix the two, and voila!!! Strawberry Delight. If you've ever had Sweet Cream and Strawberries at Marble Slab, this is a delightful homemade substitute.

winter'n

OK got some snow. Just enough snow to help introduce Bear to the puffy white snow that falls here.

Walrus CRAWLER and did I just hear "MAMA"????

I'm not much of a video poster, but in the last three days, our baby has sprouted into a walrus and has officially started babbling. My sweet tiny, is 'talking' and a magic word was said...

I turned my back and he was halfway across the room, CRAWLING! The video I have is not of his first time, but without further wait---here is Hudson the Walrus doing his walrus crawl!

I'm not sure if he quite realizes that he's saying the most precious word I have ever heard said to me, but we repeat it to him often------and as of this morning, at any point of frustration of tiredness, he babbles and says something VERY close to MAMA!

I couldn't believe my Momma eyes, BAH! 5 months has been quite the month for us :) Lots of changes in our baby BEAR.

a shower a day

We're there. Hudson and I.

I'm at a shower a day, finally. You take for granted--your pre-baby self, that you can shower at your own pace, shave your legs {both of them}, and even double condition your hair.

Even sing.

Because that's what I do. I now sing though, to Hudson Bear, if he has neglected a nap and so desires to hear his Momma sing shower songs. Most of my shower songs are Christmas songs, too. I'm sure he's over that. I am.

We've been busy with our house, and setting up our new life back in Oklahoma. It hasn't been that hard, to be very honest. My brother lives an hour away, our niece and nephew---an hour away, The Farm--an hour away. OU--5 minutes away. You get it.

Life just feels good right now. The kind of good that makes your skin tingle.

Hudson has now 'learned' or rather, heard the word, 'no'. It is said quite frequently now, our Bear has swiftly morphed into an active {and by active I mean in the realm of maniacal}. He is VERY close to crawling, and yesterday did a frog-leap. A true toadfrog leap.

Pulled his arms forward and his two little legs jumped. Daddy and I laughed til we hurt.

His mobile, is no longer, as you can see above. I heard a clicking sound via monitor, and this is what I saw. One of the funnier moments I've walked into, in parenthood. He looked very perplexed at the fail of his mobile.

Maybe next week, if you're good, I'll tell you about my Craigslist addiction and I'll showcase my purchases.

I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat. I can tell.

...and I may even talk to you about how I've managed to sqeeze into my skinny jeans and the number of lunges I have to do around my house to zip them up---not my skinny skinny's. Just the skinny ones.

STROLLER RECALL

Mommies of Graco Strollers:

{My dad sent me this article today, and although we are Chicco owners---I know many of you are Graco momma's and I wanted to send this your way in case you had not yet read/heard.}

About 1.5 million Graco strollers sold at Wal-Mart, Target and other major retailers are being recalled after some children's fingertips were amputated by hinges on the products.
The recall by Graco Children's Products Inc. includes certain model numbers of its Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems. The Exton, Pa., company received seven reports of children placing their fingers in a stroller's canopy hinge as the canopy was being opened or closed. Five children had their fingertips severed and two children received cuts on their fingertips.

The strollers were made in China by Graco and sold at AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijer, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 to December 2009.

In announcing the recall Wednesday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said the strollers pose an amputation and laceration hazard to children when opening or closing the canopy. The government advised consumers to stop using the strollers and contact Graco to receive a free repair kit.

The recall involves strollers made between October 2004 and February 2008. The model numbers and manufacture dates are on the lower inside portion of the rear frame, just above the rear wheels.

This is the second major recall in recent months of strollers that led to fingertip amputations and injuries. Last November, about a million Maclaren strollers were recalled after there were 12 reports of children's fingertips being amputated by a hinge mechanism.
The safety commission is now examining all strollers with the designs that have caused the fingertip amputations, said spokesman Scott Wolfson.

"CPSC is taking a larger look at the entire product line to determine what steps need to be taken to keep children safe in and around strollers," he said.
For more information about the recalled strollers, consumers can call 800-345-4109 or visit http://www.cpsc.gov.

please help me!

We are in full out teething chaos. I say chaos, because my angel baby turned into a full-time crab and both he and I have had the most exhausting week in his whole precious 5 months.

We are hands-free, NEVER. He wants to be held at all times, and even then isn't fully satisfied. He has a red tush, swollen gums, and there's nothing this Momma can do to make it all better. Teething is welcome to leave our house, so my sweet tiny can feel all baby better. I'm about to kick teething in the {bad word}.

A shower a day is sparce, and I type now in my pj's--from last night. Ick.

I come to you. Trusting you know way more than me.

Do you have any teething remedies, suggestions, {Happy Hour}, advice?

I just ordered Sophie the Giraffe, after reading blogs, ofcourse---but any other help would be so very appreciated.

Thank you,
one very tired Momma

different

This is the second time JR and I have been to Uruguay together---the last time though was quite different.

I was his bride-to-be, with nuptials only 5 months away.

Our time at the beach was spent plugged up to my Ipod, mind-dancing all of my awesome moves to the coolest Britney song {don't judge me b/c I'm a Brit fan}. She may be one poo of a mom, but that girl has the best studio-processed voice I ever did hear...and it makes me WANNA DANCE. You probably like me more, that I told you that. Maybe less, a lot less.

I no longer spend my vacation thinking about what a being a wife is like, how my wedding dress will fit, and how ever I am going to learn how to make casseroles. I've always associated 'wife' with 'casserole'. How 1950's of me.

This trip I think about how many bottles I need to prepare before the beach, if we packed enough toys for Hudson, and if my bathing suit smells like milk.

Much has changed in two years. We skipped out last year because I was with-child, and now my with-child is here..and he is ever so beautiful and perfect.

We are in a different chapter in life, and it's more fun. Way more fun.

I initially began this post to tell you about Punta, because it's a lovely place and I wish I could bring you here to have a cup of tea with me by the sea. Rhyming makes it sound so fun.

Bear loves it, and I think you would too.

The vegatation inland more closely resembles a forest, but upon turning around there is ocean.

Dinner is usually around 9 pm, but the true vacationers don't go out to eat until 11 or so. The bars/clubs/nightlife goes until 6am...with breakfast at noon.

Argentines and Brazilians galore. With some cruise ships as visitors now too. Hello, Americans!

Dinner isn't just a purpose to eat. We have asados here. Argentine BBQ. A 6-hr dinner, and I love it.

There is la feria at night, where you can buy local goodies like sheepskin slippers and local art.

My dad has been vacationing here since he was 10.

I hope Punta del Este will be as special to our babies as it is to me.

It's a world away from home, but it is a true joy to share this place with our family and these two boys that have my whole heart.