A year and a half

Dear Brady,
I can officially say that you are a one and a half. It's crazy to think that last year at this time you were the chunky six month old with one little curl and two big dimples! You've changed so much yet you are still that same little soul that we love to the moon and back!

 

Six months                                                    18 months      

 

You have turned into exactly who I imagine you to be at this age. Curious, loving, sweet, kind and full of life and happiness. You still find a way to make us laugh each day and know when we need it the most. You have turned into such a sweet and caring person and give out kisses and hugs to all that ask. Sometimes, you'll stop what you are doing and run over to plant one on my lips. Sometimes, you don't stop at one. It does nothing short of melt my heart and warm deep down into my soul.  

 

You are an adventurous one, my love. Climbing, jumping, running and chasing the kitty are all things you love to do! You recently learned that climbing is a fun skill but makes mommy so nervous!

Pour and dump. Pour and dump. Two of your favorite activities. You are so smart and figure things out so quickly. You listen to what we everyone says so intently except of course if we are telling you something you don't want to hear! You crack me up on what you do. The other day we were in your room cleaning and I said to myself that this needed to go downstairs. You picked it up, ran to the other room and tossed it down there!

I have to take a double take when I look at you and each day I swear you've grown as I pick you up. Your chubby little legs have grown into shapely calves and it's just another sign that you are not that tiny baby anymore. You are so proud of all that you do and feel like a big boy but I always tell you, you'll always be my baby!

Blocks are still one of your favorite toys. You have gotten quite good at stacking them high! You get this beautiful sense of accomplishment and always give yourself a little clap aftewards.

You still love shoes, going outside, hats, stroller rides, walks, the kitty, milk and of course balls! You still go to sleep around 8 and when you wake up varies. You wear anyway from 18 month, 24 month or 2T clothes and size 6-7 in shoes! Big feet my boy!

Coloring, drawing, or anything that involves crayons, pencils, pens, or paper is quite a fun thing for you!

You love to 'go to sleep' and will cover up and pretend to sleep! It's so cute! You also grab a pair of shoes and wave good-bye to us as you pretend to 'go to work!' You love to chat on the phone and walk around trying to rest it on your shoulder like daddy does! You are so observant and really pick up on everything!

We played with playdough for the first time and you LOVED it! You never even tried to eat it and kept laughing when I would make shapes! Your favorite part of course was opening and closing the container!

    You can say your name-Beeeedeeee and call the sitter, MiMi. Everytime the kitty walks by your face lights up like you just found her for the first time.  You know the sounds of many animals and my favorite will always be the owl (owl, bird, monkey, snake, lion, tiger, dinosaur, kitty, cow.) You love going to Nana and Papa's and watching the horses or chasing their cat, Joey. Some new words are bowl, outside, Mickey (key) and others I know I am forgetting. You will try to say anything and you do have your own little language.

You know all of your body parts except elbow and knees but you are getting close! You run to the bathroom and shout, pee pee!

You are such a boy. Rocks, dirt, sticks and everything messy. When you go outside on walks, you pick up acorns and shove them into your pocket! Mommy opens the dryer and out comes all the collected rocks and acorns!

 

You may be all boy but you are still such a cuddler and love your momma!! You've become so much more interactive in a way. You'll point to what you want, tell me what you want to do by pointing or bringing me there. Sometimes, you'll pat the ground because you want me to sit next to you! Of course, after you wake up from your nap (which you have been taking epic naps, buddy. One long nap of at least 2 hours! So proud of you!) you want to lay on the couch with a pillow and a blanket and drink your milk.  You run to the kitchen and point to the cabient I keep your sippy cups in and then run to the couch and pat it!   

You are such a busy bee and have really gotten into other toys lately like cars, play animals and puzzles. Not too long ago, you got the piece fitted into the puzzle and said, "I did it!" You surprise us like that sometimes buddy! Out of the blue, you'll say something so perfectly clear and it is something new!

I've said it before but you LOVE being outside. We have had a lot of yucky weather and you'll sit by the window and watch. You look for the birds, squirrels and each time a loud car drives by you get all excited! You are noticing everything, even all the thunder!

Easter was a wonderful day for us. You got up and the look on your face made me and daddy smile. You loved spending time with your family and especially your cousins. You are so loved and we know you feel it. I can see it in the way you smile and in the way you move. That alone makes me know I'm doing my job well.

In the past week, I've been lucky enough to hold you while you fell asleep several times. It had been way to long but it truly made me realize how much you have grown and how much you have changed our lives.

The wonder and curiosity in your eyes never cease to make me smile. The big kisses and all of the cuddles touches my heart. The beauty of your laughter and the perfect curl of your sweet lips touches deep down into my soul.

In eighteen months, you have made us parents. You have made us happier than we could have ever been but more than anything you have given us a new way to look at the world and for that we are truly lucky.

We love you, Beeedeee!

More tales of a toddler

In the span of a few hours my child ....

• Practically catapulted out of his crib. Yep. Enough said. 
• Ok, we'll go into the whole crib thing. Went to get him out and had I not been there the kid would have flipped over and probably would have injured something. Luckily, I caught him. We both stood there confused as to what the heck just happened. 
• Pulled an open soda off of our kitchen table and before I could get to him, he shook it with all his might. 
• While mom was cleaning us said mess, the kid grabbed it again and shook it again. Yes, mistake learned. 
• Realized my child is tall enough to not only pull things off of our kitchen table but also the counters.
• Learned to climb onto our kitchen chairs. 

 

 ( Man, (my child has some big feet!) 

• Took the vent cover off and then proceeded to FALL into the open vent. 
• Told me No!  
• Ate me out of house and home.
• Gave me a ton of kisses.
• Chased after the killy and tried give her kisses. 
• Chased after the kitty to pull her tail 
• Realized my baby will be 18 months old in a few days.  
• Realized my baby is not so much anymore.

Whew.

St. Louis has not had a good run with the weather this year. I posted about our friend who basically lost everything after the New Year's Eve tornados hit.Then, Tuesday and again last night St. Louis and surrounding areas were hit again. Some harder than others and some left devastated. Luckily, we are ok as is our home but others are not as lucky. Tuesday was worse for us as I literally felt our house shake.

It's an odd feeling to see the damage on the news and wonder if everyone you know is okay.

Today, I feel blessed and my heart goes out to those who were affected. In December, I saw the devastation. I saw in person what it looked like when a tornado hit and it was not easy to look at. It was then that I felt  a sense of unpreparedness.

Had our friends not gone into the tiny corner/doorway of their basement, they would not be here today. Everything else in their home was GONE. I started to think that me sitting in the middle of our basement wasn't as safe as I once thought.

I share this of hoping that you'll remember this too.

As we sat downstairs in the basement both nights (one night which it was just Brady and I, can you say, freak out when you hear the newsman say that one was spotted RIGHT near you?) I remembered sitting down there with my baby boy last spring. He was still a baby and clueless to what was going on around him. I also remember feeling more nervous and anxious about what could happen--being a mom can do that to you.

I kept wondering what I would do if the tornado hit. I didn't think twice about jumping on top of him to keep him safe and do what I could to protect him.  I kept him as safe as I could in my belly and I would never hesitate to do the same outside. 

You want to be able to protect your child and keep them safe from everything. I sat there last night, looking at my son who is not such a baby anymore. In a few short days, he'll be 18 months old. Both warnings went on well past his bedtime and that meant I was able to rock my baby to sleep for the first time in way too long.

I kept wondering when he got so long and so heavy. He certainly is not a baby anymore. Especially after he almost flipped out of his crib this morning (oh, it's been one of THOSE mornings.) In the midst of it all, there was a little blessing in all the chaos. 

 (picture from my dying cell phone)

I sure am one lucky momma.

Wyatt's Warmth

Did you know that Congenital Heart Defects affects 1 out of 100 babies?

I had no idea until I heard about a sweet boy named Wyatt.

I first heard about this sweet baby through his mommy's friend. Wyatt was born with a congenital heart defect, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome which means that the left side of his heart was undeveloped. There are currently three surgeries that help rewire the heart in order for HLHS patients to live. When Wyatt was six months old he underwent his 2nd surgery to fix his heart. Sadly, Wyatt did not recover.

While he was in the hospital, they felt so much love through donations and prayers and wanted to give the same love back and found a perfect way to honor their little warrior! Along with a few friends, they started Wyatt's Warmth from the Heart. Wyatt's Warmth donates baby legs to babies with CHD in the hospital and NICU along with books and blankets. In doing so, they hope to raise awareness for CHD as it is the most common birth defect.

Why baby legs? Babies in the hospital have lots of machines and wires attached to them making it hard to wear clothes and baby legs are a cute solution!

It is a beautiful way to honor their son and YOU can help!!

•  Educate yourself! Not all states test for CHD by performing a simple pulse oximerty test. Pulse oximetry monitoring uses a light source and sensor to measure oxygen in the blood. Request that the simple test be done one your newborn Advocate that it become part of the newborn screening in your state. If you have ever read about sweet Cora, you know how important a simple test like this is. 
• Write your legislator and ask that the test be required!!!
•  Visit their Facebook page and become a fan of Wyatt's Warmth or to donate. 
• Follow on Twitter.
• Follow 1 in 100 on Facebook and learn more! 

 I have posted here before that I recently became a Thirty-one consultant and I did it purely out of fun and for the discount but when I found a way I could help, I felt like this was my what was meant to happen. It might sound silly but I feel like things happen for a reason. After Blake's brother passed, one of the things we were asked was if he was an organ donor.

He was and his heart and valves will be able to help someone else and that provides a good level of comfort for those that loved him.  Maybe it will help someone with CHD. 

I'm happy to announce another way you can help! For every purchase you make here, you are making a donation to Wyatt's Warmth. I'm so excited about this, I can't barely stand it! 

For everyone that does make a purchase, you will also be entered to win free products!

Just so you know, do not click send to host so that your purchase can be sent directly to you! Also, for every $31 you spend, you can get our All-in-One Organizer for half off which was featured on my favorite Organizing blog!!
Spread the word and help keep babies warm!  

Just a disclaimer, I sadly feel like I need to mention. I'm not making any money off of this and all of what I would have will be donated to Wyatt's Warmth to purchase baby legs.

The greatest compliment

As a mom of a little boy, I hope for him to be an empathetic, caring, and nurturing human being.

 I want him to be confident in who he is and in each choice he makes.

I want him to feel loved and feel comfortable telling others he loves them too.

I want him to be the one who sticks up for the kid that is being pushed around and bullied.

I want him to be a father who takes an active role in his child's life. To not be afraid of the dirty diapers and the late night feedings.  To love them and not judge them for their choices and instill them with the values we taught him.

I've seen a lot of awful comments and backlash surrounding J Crew's new ad lately and it's sad that my child has to live in a world that make such a big deal out of something so innocent.

What I see in this ad is a sweet moment between a mother and her son. I see laughter and I see love.

Who nourishes those little boys to grow into men?
Who kisses their boo boos and teaches them confidence and give them courage to get back up?
Who tucks them in at night and later tries not to cry when he and his bride walk hand-in-hand down the aisle?
Who loves him unconditionally from the moment she sees watches that second line appear so faintly?
Who loves him to the moon and back?

It is us as moms who nourish our son's bodies, nurture their hearts and make them feel safe. They see us feed and cuddle siblings, put make-up on and even hear us say words we shouldn't. We live in a way we want our children to model and they do.

They want to do the same things we do- to be like us.

It is how they learn and how they play.

It is how each tiny being views our big world.

Brady is only 17 months old but knows that lotions gets rubbed on your body, a toothbrush is for your teeth, a ball is for throwing and that razor is what daddy uses on his face. I watch him pretend to do the same things.

If one day, he asks me to paint his nails, I will gladly open the bottle, attempt to paint those tiny wiggly toes and smile as it is the greatest compliment in the eyes of a mom.

I have done my job and I have done it well.

Day in a life of a toddler

In the span of 24 hours....

• Brady practically capitulated out of Target's shopping cart. Yes. My child figured out how to get his legs out and stand up in the shopping cart. Needless to say, he rode in the back for the rest of that trip which didn't go so well either. 
• He learned how to take off his own pants. I can only imagine that to be a fabulous thing in the future but right now all I can think of is a naked baby running through Target after falling out of the  shopping cart as I turned to grab another gallon of milk (I swear I feel like all i do is buy milk!)
• I found his jammie bottoms shoved inside the diaper pail. Wonder how the heck they got in there. 
• Found a sock and 7 clean diapers shoved in the diaper pail. 
• Opened the dryer and out fell a bunch of acorns (he loves putting things in his pockets!) 
• I heard a boom. I ran into the playroom to find Brady had carried the cantaloupe from the kitchen floor (we had just got back from the farmers market) and was now throwing it like a ball. In fact, he pointed to it at the store, yelling ball, so I should have saw this coming.  I'm just glad he wasn't strong enough to pick up the watermelon 
•  I put back all 100 sandwich baggies back into their box. Twice. 
• Found my child with a pen. Proof is in the pictures.
• Realized my child is now tall enough to reach all the doorknobs. That can't be good! 
• Heard my husband tell me that my son handed him two pieces of poop. 
• Realized my child can take things in and out of the diaper pail. Diapers included. Oh, that is how those jammies got there!

 

I also watched my child fall asleep in his highchair for the first time. 

Heard Brady shout, "I did it!" after he got the puzzle piece in the right spot!

Heard Brady say, "dat tickles' 

Felt tiny little kisses on my lips. One after another, after another, after another..... kisses that are so purposeful and full of intent. Kisses that never get old. Kisses that he wanted to give to me.  

Felt a tiny hand in mine as we walked outside. I looked at my son and my heart melted into a thousand tiny pieces as we walked hand in hand down the street. 

There is something about that little act that leaves you feeling complete and at peace

It leaves you feeling that every little thing is gonna be alright!

Heading forward

Thank you all for your sweet comments here, emails and on facebook. I am lucky to have married into such a wonderful family but it is sad it won't ever be the same. Watching someone so close to death and in my husband's case seeing someone take their last breaths changes you. It's hard to get that vision out of your head and you do not leave that tiny room the same. It still doesn't seem so real. With Matt, I saw him at least once a week so the loss felt immediate. We didn't always see his brother often enough but as Easter is near, it will be felt.

We are slowly trying to get back to the normalcy of life and with a curious, busy toddler you can get swept away in that and it helps. I'm saddened by the thought that my son will not know so many people that we loved. I'm sad that he lost one of his few uncles he had and won't get to know him. He is so little that he won't have memories and that just plain sucks.

I know a lot of you are wondering what happened. Maybe one day I'll get into it and to be honest, I'm tired of telling the story. I will tell you that some of his organs were donated and we all got pins/bracelets. It is good to know that out of this, many people will have their lives changed for good.

Things have been pretty chaotic around here. The weather has turned and that has left Brady and I both feeling like crap. With all this going on, my child is still a busy toddler and he is what keeps us going! Man, does he keep us going.

Loss

When life gets too crazy, it seems like there is always something that forces you stop in your tracks and take a moment to catch your breath. Those forces of nature might be blessings or they might make you want to hold onto your loved ones and never let go.

Sadly, this is one of the latter. 

On Wednesday night, my husband's brother passed away. He was only 44 and left  behind his wife and two children (nine year old son and 19 year old daughter.) We went into the day knowing there was a big chance he would not make it but when it actually happens, it's still really hard to believe. I sit here now wondering how it came to be.

March used to be a favorite month of mine and has slowly slipped into a month of bad memories in the span of a year. I think we all were slowly started to feel comfortable again and stopped wondering what was coming next. In the best of times, I think there is a good reason for it, a bigger meaning and days like today, I think it's a crock of crap.

 It sucks that we are constantly blinded by grief and sadness and even though I've tried to remain optimistic I wonder why we are constantly being tested. Why we cannot catch a freaking break.

The first funeral I had ever been to was Matt's and that was probably the single worst experience of my life and this feels eerily similar in so many ways. Some people are lucky to never face something like this but in a short span of time, here we are again.

I know the days ahead of us won't be easy but I can say this-we will get through it. The past 13 months has been a true test of faith, love and human strength to say the least. People always ask us how we got through. We are strong but we do fall down. We fall hard. I see people complain about mundane pieces of life and wonder what they really have to complain about and I get mad. I get angry and I find myself complaining too.  I see people lie and hurt others and cheat their way through life. I too get caught up in everyday life and forget to appreciate what I've been given. I have to stop and remind myself to stop and take a breath.

 I have always thought of my son as a ray of light through our darkest times but in times like this, I feel he was put here to help us through it. We didn't plan for him to come into our lives when he did and I now know there was a bigger reason. We needed him.

When you have a child and you are dealing with grief, it can be hard but it is can only be the truest blessing. Meals might be a little late and less than healthy but watching the true innocence and laughter of your child is what gets you through. It shows hope of peace and comfort. Kisses and hugs are magical and healing. You find comfort in his laughter and see yourself smiling again.

Tonight, while Brady laid his head on my chest, my husband who is beyond loving, caring and genuine, thought of his parents. No matter who we are and what we've been through or have done in our life, we started out small and innocent. We too have set our heads on our mommy's chest to find comfort and that it's ironic that a simple act can bear so much weight to us as well.

Please pray for his family. For his parents who cuddled him as a child and kissed his boo-boos and for his children that he rocked to sleep and were the lights of his life.

Two for the show

I haven't posted videos in a while so it's your lucky day, you get two :) Sorry in advance for the annoying mommy voice. It comes with the territory. 

This is the game we played for a good half hour. He grabbed grandma's shoes, waved bye-bye and 'went to work.' He really waved hard, like it was his job.  

Laughter is the best medicine. It makes any bad day a distant memory!

Mommy party with Nutella!

Apparently, I am one of few that had never tried Nutella.

I can  tell you I have a new obsession.

I eat it on toast.

I ate it on waffles.

I ate it on bananas.

I even ate it on strawberries. That one had to be my favorite. Hands down.

Actually, I just ate one...covered in Nutella

Ok, I lied. I just ate it off a spoon

A baby spoon.

 

Where have I been and WHY haven't I tried this before????? 

So, then I got selected to host a Nutella's Mommy Party and I was so excited!  I found out that I was NOT the only one who had not tried Nutella! We all got to try Nutella and were introduced to some fabulous new recipes! I even got to hand out gift bags!

I read the other day about how many kids do not get a good breakfast each day and now that I am a mom, I understand how important it is. Nutella is a quick and easy way to encourage kids to eat whole grains, like whole wheat toast, English muffins, toaster waffles and bagels. My kid is NOT a fan of bread and actually will eat it if it has Nutella on it (who wouldn't?)

I have to say, I was never (gasp) a big chocolate person until AFTER I had Brady and I am hooked!

If you want a coupon to get hooked yourself or get your next Nutella fix, you can go here for a coupon!
Thanks Nutella!

17 months

Dear Brady,

Wow. Seventeen months? You can't certainly be almost 18 months old, can you?

You are certainly turning into a curious toddler these days. This is the look I get. Innocent and pure angelic. Oh, honey, you just really are so curious. Bubble bath and toilet paper in the bathroom floor, tasting kitty hair (decided that was yuck) and testing your limits!

 

We got to play outside many times and I keep saying, you would live out there if I would let you. It breaks my heart when we go 'bye-bye' and you cry because you thought we were going outside to play!  

 Some of your favorite things to do are playing with blocks. You stack them up and up and clap! You are so proud of your accomplishment, so very proud. You are getting good at stacking them too! I counted 8 or 9+!

 

You are still a big fan of books and bring the same ones to us. You back up, sit down in our laps and listen intently. Your favorites are Baby Einstein ABC, Count to Ten, Who Says Moo!, and a few others that all involve animals!!! 

You love to look at the window. Each time you hear the neighbors dog bark you say, 'oh no!"  You think it's funny to say, "ow' or 'yuck' You have this ongoing obsession with closing doors (with you behind them) and playing with anything with a lid (body wash, lotions, your bootie creams!) I have to keep them out of reach or you will play with them and rub them all over the place! 

 

You have had your fair share of boo-boo's this month but it's only because you are so active! You also know how to wind down as you love to sit on the couch with your milk and watch your 'show.' The biggest thing you have done lately is ask to go to bed. Mommy can hardly believe it but it is also the cutest and sweetest thing to watch. After you drink your milk, you run to your room and wait for me to put you into bed. I cover you up, say, "Good night, I love you and I can't wait to see you when you wake up!" You go right to sleep and it's amazing. I'm so proud of you! You are such a big boy! 

  

 

This month also brought your first fever! It only lasted a few hours and you acted like it didn't even bother you! Seeing you not feeling well makes mommy sad so I was glad you got better fast! 

 

We had a family trip to the zoo and you had so much fun! I can't wait to bring you back on a warmer day! 

 

You crack me up. You are such a ham. You can be so goofy and in the next turn be so sweet. You still love that cat and try to pet her, hug her and even pick her up. 

 

You have started picking up signs I taught you months ago. I haven't shown them to you in a few months and all of a sudden you signed, "milk please!" I about fell on the ground! You also sign more. It's pretty darn cute.  

 You have really started getting into pretend play. You melted my heart while you walked around our living room, 'talking' on your cell phone saying, 'Hi!" Then, the other day, I watched as you pushed your Little People school busing going, "Vroom!" It was the most amazing thing to watch you as you sat there and drove your bus but I soon realized that you are growing up into a little man. 

 Every time I see you smile, it makes the corners of my lips turn up. I can't help but smile and feel so full of life when  I am around you. I can't believe how big you are getting and all the new things you do each day.  Watching you learn is the most amazing thing and I know how proud you are but know I am even prouder of you. I look at you and I know I am so lucky to be your mom! 

Hello? Is this thing on?

Hi! I'm Amy! Not sure if you remember me since my posting has been pretty scarce lately because man has life been crazy!

It seems like when it rains it pours. Brady had that snotty cold last month and then he came down with his first fever this weekend which of course was the ONLY weekend that was entirely jam packed. Of course he decides to get sick this weekend!

We had a family wedding on Sunday that was literally put together in a few weeks (thanks to my free spirited cousin) and my aunt had asked me to pictures for them. I agreed to help out not knowing what I was getting myself into! I have no clue how you wedding photographers do it. I was exhausted. This was definitely a one time thing for me!

 I also have no clue how anyone who has children and works full-time manages to have a life. My house is a disaster, I'm wearing the last clean pair of decent clothes and I had to run to the store last night so that my child will have something other than peanut butter crackers and Annie's graham bunnies to eat.

Speaking of my child, man does he know how to throw a good tantrum. I think he's trying to perfect his skill at throwing himself down.

I do have to share this again! My niece watched him last Saturday while I hosted my first Thirty-One party (which was so much fun) and Blake had a bowling thing to do (have I mentioned I'm a bowling widow?) and she hasn't watched him since he was about 10 months old. She could not believe this kid. He did his little sign for milk and she handed it to him, ran into his room and stood by his bed with his arms up. She covered him up and he went right to sleep! He does this for me too and gosh dang it, we paid our dues and we earned this!!!!!! I'm so proud of him.

I was thinking about his sleeping and how much it really shows how much his reflux affected him. His sleep patterns have improved one million and ten percent. Even though they still get off when he is not feeling his best, which is normal and understandable, it really goes to show that he wasn't feeling good for all that time and that breaks my heart. I'm glad that chapter is over because I know other babies are still struggling.

 I have some big decisions to make and I cannot for the life of me what to decide what to do. It's one of those should do vs need to do vs what is best for everyone else kinda things. I'll elaborate more later but I don't have the energy right now!

It was almost 80 here the other day and today I woke up to sleet and snow with accumulation in the forecast for tomorrow!

My baby boy will be 17 months old tomorrow. That means next month he is going to be A YEAR AND A HALF????

I.DO.NOT.ACCEPT.THIS.

I.WILL.NOT.ACCEPT.THIS.

I gotta run and grab a kleenex.

Another winner!

It was a super busy weekend so I have to apologize for being a day late over here but I have the winner for the copy of the "Pretty Neat' book!

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Congrats, Sherry!

10 on a Friday

1.  Things have been pretty much crazy lately. I took Brady to the doctor last week because he has this awful diaper rash again and had been pulling at his ear. Well, his ear was fine (just a little fluid in there) but he had eczema covered with that damn yeast diaper rash. We got two prescription cremes and I hope we are finally on our way to getting rid of this for good. It seems like he's had it for the past 8 months nonstop! 
2. With a busy weekend ahead of us and the busy week we have had (and me and hubs both working late a few days this week) we decided to take today off and we'll be enjoying this beautiful weather at the ZOO! I'm pretty excited as we don't get to do family things like this often!
3. I've got some big decisions to make pretty soon and between everything else going on in life, I kinda feel in dire need of a vacation. Like from reality. I'd like to hide in a bungalow with my little family and sip drinks with with strategically placed umbrellas. Who's in?
4.  Toddler tantrums are no fun
5. Cleaning up food that toddlers think is funny to throw is no fun.
6. If you don't hear from me next week, I won the lottery and am sitting on a beach sipping Mai Tai's or some other drink with pretty garnishes. 
7. Brady points to the potty and says, "poop.'' The kid has picked up on that but cannot seem to understand me when I tell him that the kitty's tale is NOT for pulling or that we do not throw our food on the floor. 
8. On the same note, potty training is equivalent to my own personal nightmare. I most certainly do not look forward to that. 
9.  My house is slowly becoming organized! It's a slow process and my basement looks like a garage sale threw up down there but that is a project we'll get to one day. You know you are a mom when you give up your dining room to turn it into a playroom. In the playrooms defense, the poor dining room was never used and is now home to Brady's favorite things. I'm hoping to have it finished somewhat before he's 10 but I'll post pic's when we get there. 
10. I can't end with an odd number so I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Brady picked the winners of the Purex and CSN giveaways. Let me tell you, he wanted to have way more fun with it then I would let him. Boring mom!

So, as you can see, trying to get a toddler to do something when you actually want him to, not an easy feat! The winner of the Purex Crystals is....Trisha! Congrats Trisha!!! 

He cracks me up but as you can see, he picked a winner! The winner of the CSN giveaway is.....

Natalie over at The Sweets Life! Congrats!
p.s. Check out her blog. She makes some yummy things over there!

Birthday Giveaway #2: My favorite smell

If I had to pick one smell to live with the rest of my life, I'd pick the smell of fresh laundry. I'm pretty much that person at the store that smells each of the fabric softeners. I want my clothes to smell good, really good after they come out of the dryer! With a busy toddler running around, his clothes end up looking like he rolled around in his food and his milk addiction leaves him and his clothes smelling like old milk. I know, gross. It's better than spit-up, for sure!

Then came along, Purex Complete Crystals and I fell head over heels in love in the most normal way possible. After I started using them, I got so many people telling me that I smelled good. Sadly, I had to switch fabric softeners to get that compliment!


I love them for two reasons. You  throw them in and your done. Yep, just dump them in with the detergent and your clothes come out smelling fantastic. The other thing? Well, they do not contain oil like other softeners (I had no idea!) which can do some funky things to your clothes and leave an oily residue, yuck! Ok, so I lied. There are more things that I love. They are 92% natural, leave your clothes smelling good for a long time and dissolves in the laundry preventing any stains! Did I mention how good they smell??

It comes in 3 yummy scents: Fresh Spring Waters TM, Lavender Blossom TM, and Tropical Splash. TM

Who wants to try it? Tell me what scent you want to try, what your favorite thing about laundry is (or least favorite) or why you want to try Purex Crystals and you'll be entered to win your very own bottle!

If you want to earn another entry, tell me something you learned from the video!

Can't wait? You can click here to get a coupon to try it yourself!  Watch the video from Dana, Purex's research scientist and mom to learn more!

Enter by Midnight on March 13th and I'll pick a winner on the 14th!


Disclosure: I am a Purex Insider, which means that I received complimentary products for review in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have provided!

Birthday Giveaway #1: CSN!

My first giveaway of the week!

Some lucky lady (or gentleman?) is going to win a $45 gift code to CSN! I've talked about them before and I've had nothing but good things to say. My last order (and wait till you see what we got!) was ordered and shipped the same week! They literally have everything from rugs, wooden swing sets and a vanity for your sink!  I'd love to get Brady one of those fabulous wooden swing sets when he gets older!

With springtime in the air, these swing sets are making me scratching to get some outside toys for my little man! The best part is that many of their items offer free shipping! You cannot beat that!

Now, who wants to win?

I do, I do. Oh, wait....

Post a comment on what you would order from one of their 200 stores and you're entered!

Giveaway ends a week from today on March 14th, so enter today!

A numbered post

1. Can I just tell you how much my kid rocks? We never had it easy with the whole sleep thing and I think I can say that we deserve this just as much as any other parents who were 'lucky' enough to enjoy lots of sleepless nights. My child is beginning to love his sleep. There have been countless times where he has 'requested' to go to bed.

His request entails signing milk, with his milk in one hand. I ask him, "Do you want to go night night?' He replies with a sad, 'Uh, huh!" I lay him down in bed and he goes to sleep. That is it, my friends. I can say that all the sleepless nights, all the worrying about my baby never sleeping has paid off.

I never thought in a million years, I would be saying this. Ever. So, pigs do fly, ladies. They do fly.

2. Speaking of sleeping, my birthday was yesterday and I got the best gift. He slept in until 8. Yep. Again, never thought I'd say this especially since we've had a lot of super early mornings and I swore I saw pigs flying around my house. He did get up briefly at 5 am but he went back to sleep. Awesomeness.

3. Speaking of birthday's, I decided to use this week as a 'giveaway' week. I have several lined up and I hope to have one from myself by the end of the week too! I"m excited about all of them because I have tried them all and love each of them! I hope to have one up by the end of today! Insert happy dance :)

4. A year ago, I had the most awful birthday. It was only as week after we lost a dear friend and having a birthday near that date is something that I will remember every year. While I never really care to celebrate much for my birthday, well, it was nothing short of perfect. Woke up late and spent the day with my family of three. Brady greeted me in bed with a big smile on his face and gave me about 100 hugs. We spent the rest of the day with family and I went to bed feeling very blessed. It's funny how life changes and makes you appreciate the smallest gifts in life. I am blessed for that reason alone.

5. I also have some wonderful news to share. My friend who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast Cancer this summer, while she didn't have an easy go, is proud to say she is officially cancer free. After a hard round of chemo and a double mastectomy, she beat it!  Her road was not easy but any means and she had a hard time with it all, which is why I kept a lot out of here but it's definitely a reminder that we need to take time for ourselves and do self-exams. It might just save your life.

Wow, that was a post full of good things and that alone makes me happy!

There's that damn G word again!

Guilt.

It creeps up when you least expect it. I've talked about it before and no matter who are you and what you do on a daily basis, mommy guilt can get you.

I've talked about how it's hard for me to balance my life with motherhood: work, sleep, socialization, Brady, the house, my husband. I feel like I am constantly juggling. I have been at the working mom thing for over a year now and it's gotten easier now that we are sleeping at night but there is that constant twinge in the back of my mind. It gets especially loud and apparent this time of year. The weather is beautiful and work gets insane. I should be out a the park playing with my son. I should be taking him on play dates and teaching him all the good things in life. Instead, I am working on a budget and calming a mom who feels lost. Most of the time, the parts about my job make me a better mom. I see the struggles parents go through and no matter our child's abilities, we all struggle the same. It is the good days in my job that I find peace with it and I think working with other parents helps.

Then, all hell breaks loose. The past two weeks have been nothing short of hell for me, just some work stress and too many days that I had to work late. Those days are hard. I get home, see the things that I usually do with him are already done. I get a few kisses in before bed and I see him for a few moments the next morning before starting my day all over.

As I am always honest here, I think most moms who work, can tell you this is the part we struggle with most. At the end of the day, we are tired and we still need our own time to wind down and get ready for the craziness the next day has in store but we only have so much time with our babies and at the end of it all, they come first. There are days when I come home and want nothing more to just veg out on the couch but my kid needs to eat and get bathed. That is where the guilt comes in. It's very much routine and sometimes i feel like our time is not 'quality.' Our time is precious and when I"m not fully in it, it makes my heart hurt.

I'm not sure where this post is going except to tell other mom's that sometimes we do have to come first. It's incredibly hard to do but at the same time, we have to be our best to give them the best. It's something I know most moms struggle with and I find a hard time making peace with it. (I'm reading a book right now  and have another lined up and I"ll share more about them later but they talk a lot about this.)

A friend of mine made a point the other day that stuck with me. 'My mom worked full time when I was growing up and we had a good relationship and I was understanding of it. I keep reminding myself of that.'

She's right. My mom worked most of my life and I'm ok. I just have to remind myself of that when that damn G word strikes again. I need a cheat sheet to get me through motherhood. I think this might be another mantra I add to my list.

He won't rememember how my working impacted his life, he will remember how I impacted his life and that is so much more important.

Sweet 16

Only 3 days late ;)

Dear Brady,
Oh, my man! Can you believe it's been 4 months since your birthday? Me either! Your personality keeps coming out, lil man. You are your own soul and rock to your own beat!

Well, your love of balls keeps on growing! We took you to the Bowling Alley for the first time to watch Daddy bowl and you were in HEAVEN! You ran around screaming, "ball, ball!" It made our night to watch your face light up! It was a tiny moment that we loved and will treasure dearly. 

 Another thing you love? Hats. You own a ton already and truly love to wear them around the house, shopping or on walks. I can't help but smile as I see your sweet curls poking out but it also reminds me that you are getting bigger every day.

 

You got your First Valentine from your momma of course! :)

  

I think one of the highlights of this month was a break in the Winter Blues. We have had some beautiful spring weather and we soaked up every minute. One day, it was absolutely gorgeous out but the park was still covered in snow/ice but that didn't stop you!  You loved running around pointing at the trees and seeing all the doggies!

 This is what true happiness is all about and this picture captures it all, little man. The way your face lights up as we run around outside truly makes my heart grow. I think you would live outside if I let you and each time we have to come inside, your little heart looks like it is breaking!

 You are so sweet. Blowing kisses, leaning in for a kiss on the cheek and giving love to your stuffed animals. Your new word is 'Baby' and everything is baby. I ask you what your name is and you say, 'baby.' We watch videos on facebook of baby friends and you point to them and say, 'baby!'

You call Grandma, 'ma ma'. The cat is pretty much your best friend but she doesn't know it yet. You chase her around yelling, 'Kitty' You can point to your eyes, nose, teeth, tongue, ears, belly, and feet.  You love to turn the tv on and off in our bedroom (you've been doing this for a while and we have to make sure you don't sneak away to watch lots of tv!)

You do the cutest sign for milk and say, 'dink' The biggest thing you have done is ask to go to bed. You had your first big cold, full of a yucky nose and sad cough. Mommy asked you if you wanted to go night night and you nodded your head and said, 'uh huh!' That is huge, buddy! Mommy is so proud! You are also getting better at matching shapes!

Another big thing? Playing independently for very, very long periods of time. Your favorite toys are your eggs, Laugh and Learn House, balls, Little People Farm and bus and blocks. You are getting so good at stacking them and crack up when they fall! Books are still high on the list and you favorite ones have animals in them, mostly the little einstein's animal book. I point to the animals and you either say their names or call them baby. Your newest animal sound is an owl. It's probably cute as can be!

 You are such a ham, little man. You make everyone around you smile and chuckle. Whether it's the way you say, "oh no!" with the puzzled look on your face, complete with a leg slap, or how you love to throw 'trash' away even if it's not meant to be such.

Speaking of, I had to dig your Daddy's keys out of the trash can today.  I find all kinds of toys and silly things in odd places. You sure know how to surprise me and keep me on my toes!

 You got your first haircut and let me tell you, it was hard to see you look so grown up! Mommy would look at you and I couldn't believe how my baby grew up so fast. I can happily say, the curls came back! I know it will always grow back but it's hard to know that your baby is not so much anymore.  

You are getting close to being able to pull up your own pants and try hard! You know what things are used for and it blows my mind how quick you pick up on things. You are such a big helper and want to help me do everything! You most love Mommy's phone and I think you want it for your own!

  You love to sit in this chair your cousin got you for your birthday. Daddy calls it your Man chair and you would love to sit in it all day and watch cartoon if we would let you. You get sucked it and it's those moments that you remind me of your daddy! :) 

Baby, I love you! I can't believe the person you are becoming and each day you surprise me with something new. I think that is one of the things I look forward to most, seeing what you'll do next!

As always, I love you to pieces.