potty training

We are hanging around the house, talking potty talk, giving stickers (hopefully more) and picking out new underwear every few hours. Mamu took Miss Pea to the store to pick out some beautiful Barbie Princess panties and here we are! One day down, three to go. Let’s hope she gets the hang of it. I don’t have any books or guides, just a few tips and tricks I’ve heard here and there and we’ll see what happens…wish us luck!

inspiration

Although I have not felt especially inspired to write lately, I still would like to get my pictures posted and keep the memories going. Paisley has got the personality of 16 year old for part of the day and the patience of a two year old for the rest of the day. She’s probably also at about the gosh dern cutest stage ever with her funny little comments, expressions, and general curiosity for life. Sometimes grown up life gets not-so-fun, and that’s when I find myself lacking a bit of creativity and luster. I haven’t even really been instagramming. Shocker, I know.

Enjoy your sunny & warm (here) or frigid & powerless (most everyone else) weekend.

inside our house

Come on in. Yes, Christmas was packed up a few weeks ago. It’s now the month of many birthdays and also the month of cleaning and reorganization. But my favorite times are tickle attacks my room, when the light pours in in the afternoon. Little girls who want shoes on and off, on and off, repeat, repeat. Oh, and don’t forget about warm winter dinners.

the moon is far away

On Monday, I picked up my girl from school and she said "the moon is BIG" and "the moon is far away!". That girl has been listening. She has been enjoying story time, her classroom, and her teachers. I love it when she comes home from school and has soaked it in like a big, empty sponge. I love her face after she makes the proclamation, so proud, so embarrassed.

A few other gems this week include her standing up in the middle of watching the movie Tangled and proclaiming "I AM THE LOST PRINCESS!" of course, in her toddler accent.

Andrew and I TRYING to have a conversation: "GUYS! DISTEN!" (listen).

We also had her parent teacher conference this week and found out she knows the schedule by heart, makes a fuss if it is not followed, and sets the napkins out for snack time (without being asked) and calls everyone over to eat. She also tells her friends (and the teachers :-/) where and when to sit down, be quiet, and eat. Oh lawdy!

She speaks up when I turn the "wrong" way out of daycare (we normally turn a certain way, sometimes I take a different way home), when I forget her Claritin, her jacket, or her glasses.
This little girl has be reigned in from trying to be in charge!

Additionally, I have NO idea where she gets this schedule-driven, type-A personality!

No idea.

Not one.

Nope.

2013, here we come!

 

Like I said, I was pretty sad when this weekend started and there was no more family dinners and no more warm fires and full houses.  We celebrated the new year by eating junk, playing games, and enjoying each other’s last few days together.

I guess I don’t REALLY make resolutions, but more like thoughts in my head about things I’d like to do this coming year. For me, it’s more like in the next 6 months, because that is about as far as my little brain can handle. And the other thing is, I don’t like to to share them. I hate it when people are like “today starts my diet!” or announcing all the things that they are giving up at the new year and walking into the next few months of misery because they can’t have soda anymore. Some of mine are family related, money related, health related, just personal and I feel good about them. You won’t know if I’ve reached them because you won’t know I set them. :)

I do, however think it’s a great time to look inward and also to reflect on accomplishments, and ask yourself if you like where your life is headed. Do you like where your life is headed? I like mine. I LOVE mine. I also love that there are some big parts to my story that I don’t know yet. And that is so scary and exciting at the same time.

 

the last of Christmas and spending the weekend with my girl

The long weekend has been devoted to getting all the Christmas stuff out of the house, decluttering, cleaning, and spending at home time with my girl. Andy has finally gotten to have some garage time with his new table saw, new drill, and some music and I think he is enjoying himself a little too much out there. I’m glad he is getting some practice in the garage with shelves, because my shoes are going to need a place to live pretty soon here :)

My baby has taken some really long naps this weekend, which have completely stopped his drilling and sawing cold for multiple hours a day. Such a good hunny to let the baby sleep just when the project is getting interesting! And an even better hunny because right now (during the playoff game), he is grocery shopping. Wow, he loves me.

Anyhoo, I’m trying to get these Christmas pictures up before they get lost in everything else…I took engagement pics of my brother and his wife this weekend and I’m SO excited about them. I will share them…I have taken photos for a few people over the past few months, but decided not to share them here, since it’s not relative to my family. But these…ohhh I can’t wait! Now they have gone home and I am seriously missing family time, good food, and a full house :-(

Sorry for some of the CRAPtastic photos…I clearly hate shooting in low light.

 

instagram-the latest

BLAST! It appears the blasted camera on my freaking iPhone has finally called it quits today. It won’t focus on anything farther away than about 6 inches and it is making a weird clicking sound constantly. Ugh, just short of my upgrade and I live NO WHERE NEAR a genius bar. My camera, my little buddy, my friend. Let’s hope you are on a brief hiatus and just need a break?

I figured I better share the insta-moments that happened over the holidays because the world is about to be sick of looking at people’s Christmas trees. Seriously.

Yearly tradition of the Holiday Home Tour. The perfect event for nosy people!

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Attending Christmas parties two and three on this night. We have a little photo bomber again!

I thought I was so ahead of my wrapping. This was mid-December. Until it got closer and things just KEPT COMING.

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My little Sunday shopper. Quieted by a cart ride, chocolate milk, and her baboo.

Stay at home sick girl with mommy.

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We did quiet crafts inside during her double ear infection.

Still my baby. Always.

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Ready for Santa to come to her school! (She screamed and would not get near him. There was no Santa picture sent home from school)

Early morning “get out of the house as quickly as possible” walks (for when my girl is being a stinker!).

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Daddy taught her how to use her pockets. So cute!

On this last resort kind of day, I let her do whatever. I am an anxious toddler craft buddy. This day, I let her dump all the glitter, paint her hands, whatever. Big step for me, people.

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Gifts for teachers! Essie polish, matching socks, nail file. Inspiration found here and here.

Christmas coffee for a cold morning at work.

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Cider at home on Christmas Eve Eve.

The prettiest Birchbox of the year! And it came with this amazing gloss!

Christmas party number four.

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This little girl is such a lover, I swear! I want to just eat her up!

Reunited with this world-traveling (to put it nicely) little brother.

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Watching Brave with Mamu. And her little belly sticking out.

Desert moon rises. It looked so much bigger in person.

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Sleep help.

At Buca di Beppo with the fam. Pea LOVES her some Paul and Jaxx.

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No nap girl with amazing behavior at the restaurant = motherhood win.

And this. This is the last photo I (tried) to take with my iPhone. Yeah, Christmas tree bokeh is pretty and all, but not when you are actually trying to take a real, in focus picture and your phone won’t do it. Waaah!