Welcome to Atlanta

 

I recently traveled to Atlanta to visit my friend and take a short vacation. It was exactly what I needed, even though I may have possibly missed my flight and cried at the ticket counter because of the effort I had made to get there and then failed. I don’t do well with flying to say the least. Seeing Nycole walk up the sidewalk at the airport with a Starbucks coffee and some eye drops for my awful-stay-up-all-night-plus-the-crying eyes was oh so wonderful. She gave me a weekend fit for a queen and we made memories we won’t forget.

Basically we ate for five days straight, which is my idea of a perfect week! ;) I had real southern grits for the first time, beignets, and apple pie and hazelnut lattes by candlelight in the city. It was truly an experience I keep wanting to repeat! I got a tour of downtown and even got to take some photos which of course is my favorite. Especially when my subject is so cooperative! :) Nycole is a nanny, so our daily activities were right up my alley, plus I got to get a glimpse into daily life for her. Not to mention her (well not really hers) super sweet kids who were angels the entire time.

Amazing places we ate: Roswell Provisions Bakery | Café Intermezzo | Roux on Canton | King of Pops | The Flying Biscuit | Noodle | Chick-fil-a (a first for me!)

And I just have to mention the SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. It’s not a joke. I experienced it right when I got off the plane. People were very polite and well mannered and almost every restaurant we went to, they came up and thanked us for our business and gave us AMAZING service. I loved it. People giving friendly hellos and just all around kindness and respect.

Of course my Mr. Mom of a husband treated my baby girl like a princess and gave me as many updates as I wanted throughout the day. I love him and that I never have to worry about anything. This guy keeps the house clean, rears the princess, and does not stray from the schedule. I’m so lucky!

Oh-and have you ever seen a more beautiful and precious baby girl? (Beside my own, of course!) Miss Emily had my heart and gave my baby fix while I was there.

After years of my bestie living in the ATL and saying I was going to visit, it was so nice to just bite the bullet and do it, even if it was a quick trip.

snapshots in May

Colors.

We have been working on colors with Pea since a few weeks ago, we discovered she was only able to successfully identify brown. Ways to make this fun are Twister, sorting mom’s nail polish collection, and getting to pick out which color cup/bowl she uses.

Mother book.

Are you my Mother? by P.D. Eastman (buy it now if you don’t have it!). She calls it “The Mother Book” and we have to read it EVERY night (unless I hide it). She knows every page and can recite the story almost word by word correctly.

Water.

Oh, sweet summer. My little water baby has always loved this time of year. We literally have to rip her away from the pool screaming if she’s either shivering or has gotten enough sun. I’m so excited that she will be able to start doing water play almost everyday.  

 

Potty training update: she wears underwear at home and on the weekends, but cannot start officially at school until she poops in the potty (which she refuses to do to the point of hysteria). So we are stuck in an in-between stage that she will get out of eventually. :)

It’s May??

Busy, busy. It’s been so good being busy for the past few weeks. After much preparation, Andrew finally completed his first half marathon. The run was for the Semper Fi Fund and we were proud to support it. There has also been a low-key Mother’s day in there, and a shopping trip for mama. I do have a few little gems from Paisley lately:

(We’ve been teaching her that red means stop and green means go) Dad, it’s a triangle. A triangle means go away!

I just can’t help myself.

(Sees a chihuahua) HEY LOOK AT THE KITTY!!!

Hey Mom, I’m soapin’ wet!

I’m a firefighter and I’m looking for the treasure mac.

And a million, billion more hilarious comments all day long. I’m not kidding. She is trying to figure out how things go together and I’m absolutely loving it. I realize that she will start saying things correctly soon and that makes me so sad! Oh, and don’t forget to read the majority of those comments with an English accent because that’s what she’s got lately.

 

bubbly

How’s your weekend? Ours went by too fast.

We finally picked out paint swatches for Pea’s room. I can’t wait to get it painted and decorated. One year after moving in is long enough! I need to make my first trip to Home Goods and go crazy there, first. Maybe I’ll do some before and afters of her room. Sometimes I want to share a lot here and sometimes I feel like I am giving up too much. It’s always fun to look back at things, though.

I’ll try not to wait two more weeks to blog…

living outside and two-year old talk

We have been loving and hating spring. Spring means killer allergies for all of us, but hopefully we are on the back end of that whole sneeze-fest. Pea wants to spend all her time outside anyway, and she has been going from plants to water, to dirt and back to water again, which equals a lot of muddy shoes to clean up. That’s okay, we wouldn’t want to be stuck inside with her two year old little personality anyway. See that look up there? She’s probably telling me off for something I didn’t do. See that other look up there? Yeah, she has stolen MY phone and is doing god knows what on it.

A few recent convos for you:

(Climbing up in her high chair for breakfast)

Dad, it’s been a LOOOONG day.

Mommy, I listen TO YOUR WORDS. (with a sassy tone, of course.)

Me: Paisley, why did you throw that? Go pick it up.

Her: Tocause I’m a lady, THAT’S WHY!

(Walking to the bathroom for a bath)

Daddy!!! I TOGOT MY TOWEL!

I love you so much daddy, you’re a big boy!

She also got her hair pulled for the first time at school and apparently she was totally traumatized. The kid would NOT let go and she just screamed and screamed. Her teacher said it took awhile for her to recover. They confidentially reported it to me after school, but she quickly blurted out the name of the kid and gave me a play-by-play. Oh geez, this age is so hilarious.

 

cooking and easter 2013

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Easter this year involved a lot of coffee. Almost every photo I have, someone is holding their cup of coffee. I absolutely love the fact that people are able to decipher their cups from another person’s by what country or state they have chosen out of my extensive Starbucks mug collection. So yes, there were eggs, there were happy kids, and there was coffee. We were lucky to get a few pictures. I love that my girl has finally mastered the “cheesy grin” as we call it in our family. She even squints her little eyes. ;)

And speaking of cooking- I don’t do it. Well, I try not to do it. Anytime I can get out of it, I do. Which is why our Easter breakfast was perfect. Andrew baked some muffins and cinnamon rolls and I had some fruit to throw together (thanks Ma!) and we call it a day. Lately, Paisley has been “cooking” on the back porch, this will keep her busy for at LEAST and hour. It’s an amazing idea that I got here.

And one last thing. Can I please just take this moment to shed a tear after looking at photos of LAST Easter and realizing how much she has grown?!

It’s going to take me some time to get over that one.