Picture Project Weeks 37-40

Our Sweet baby girl is acting so very grown up lately! Sometimes I look at her and I see a little toddler, and it breaks my Mama heart. Sleep or no sleep, I'm in love with her. I treasure each time she cuddles up to nurse, and falls asleep on my chest to nap... Someday she won't want me to hold her and until then... I'll take what I can get! She's getting around so easily now! Grandma and Grandpa bought her a cart that she pushes all over the house. She'll stand without holding on to anything and squeals with pride when she does! She plays peek a boo by ducking under the table an popping back up and laughs so hard when she sees us! We've finally moved to chunky baby food... She likes the vegetables, but will try the meat now too. Her favorite food is definitely applesauce... She loves Trader Joe's fruit crushers! We made the switch from puffs to Trader Joe's O's... She seems to love those too! Happy baby cheese puffs, mozzarella cheese, and cut up fruit are some of her other favorites. She drinks some watered down juice each day from a bottle since she seems uninterested in her sippy cups. I've mentioned before that sleep is still an issue... She just wants to nurse and cuddle with Mama all night long. Unfortunately, that makes for a grumpy Mama in the morning... So we're working on helping her to sleep longer. She now looks for me when I'm in another room and says Mama in a sad voice when she's upset. Only a hug from me will do in those moments.
Dada is for playing with and tackling on the floor... They laugh and play for hours when he gets off work. She points to us and says our names too! It's so adorable. She seems curious to know what each item and person's name is! She's such a happy baby... Always laughing and babbling, playing and exploring! We feel so blessed.

Here's the most recent pictures...

Where we're at and some Exciting News!

Poor little ol' blog has been so ignored recently... I know that it seems like such an excuse, but seriously y'all... Sleep deprivation is NO JOKE. Our precious girl has been re-doing her sleep schedule for 9 months and this Mama is TIRED. Ever since she started sleeping all night in her crib (around 7mo,) I put her down and then Bri and I try to have a little bit of time to ourselves, then I nurse her once more before I go to bed at about midnight. She WAS sleeping until 7ish... (For a few blessed weeks) Then the past month has been such a roller coaster. Sometimes it's 3:30, sometimes 5:30 and sometimes I get a whole 6hrs sleep before she's up again. She also fusses between each of the feedings. I know I'm not the only Mama struggling with this, but whew... I'm sure praying my next kiddo LOVES to sleep! Brian and I joke that since our toddler probably won't sleep... might as well have a newborn up as well!

I've taken her to the Dr twice in 2 weeks to make sure that she's okay (since she's been fussy and had congestion along with the sleeplessness.) She's aparently fine... and also NOT teething, since we've yet to see a tooth on our 9 1/2 mo baby girl. Unfourtunately the sleeplessness HAS taken a toll on Mama... I've got a virus that I can't seem to kick and the only thing the Dr told me to do was "Get a lot of rest".... I almost laughed in her face.

Sweet Baby would sleep all day if she was in Mama's arms.

Other than trying to get better, I've been organizing, and getting stuff cleaned out of the apartment, because...

This little family of three is MOVING! In less than 3 years, we've moved from Missouri to an apartment in California, then to a new condo in California, then back home to an apartment in Missouri before Lovebug arrived and now... We're getting a HOUSE! A whole house, all ours to DIY our pretty little hearts out and do WHATEVER we want with it! I am seriously giddy over this... like jump up and down like a kid happy!

We've still got 4 weeks until we close, but we seem to be cruising though all the house-buying steps (loan docs are signed, inspection done, title co paid, etc) and I'm just falling in love with this sweet little home a bit more every day! Since I knew that this was a temporary apartment (definitely did not expect to still be here 9mo later) A lot of our stuff is still in plastic tubs or in storage at our parents' houses. I'll keep y'all updated with what's happening in the process, and I'll have a house tour once we close, but until then...

This sweet little house will soon be our Home!

Insta-Friday!

Happy Friday y'all! I don't know about you... but this Mama is so glad it's Friday! Although weekends seem to be crazy busy around here lately, it's still exciting. We'll be looking at houses tomorrow! Yay! After a disappointing out-bidding last weekend, we're ready to find OUR house! Little Lovebug has been either teething, or displaying a wide arrange of random symptoms this week. Spent an hour and a half at the doctor, only for them to tell me that they're not sure what's going on with her. Awesome. So here's a peek into our lives...

 

AMC Cinema Suites... yes please. Girls night at the Movies done in style!

Yummy dinner while served while watching the movie in a comfy recliner...

why would we do it any other way?

Baby's first Ponytail... Adorbs.

This is what she thinks of meat... I died laughing. Vegetarian baby?

Stitching... LOVE it. Anyone have an amazing pattern resource?

Poor teething baby needs lots of cuddles from Daddy... he doesn't mind.

My little Starbucks baby. She seriously loves going to coffee with me...

 perfect little sidekick.

Date night mid-week with the Hubby!

Downtown Kansas City + Hunger Games = Perfect.

Another rough day for Lovebug... teething tablets, tylenol, ibuprophen?

She just wants Mama... and I'm happy to hold her!

Have a great weekend y'all!

Sweet little Hoop Art...

I am so stinkin' excited that I found a quick and easy, and RELAXING way to get my craft on after little Lovebug goes to bed! I've been following Allison from Little Lovelies for a while now, and was so inspired by her "Pinned it, did it" posts. I had also pinned  an ADORABLE hoop art embroidery project a while ago HERE, and thought it seemed pretty simple. I so badly wanted a project that I could actually complete between chasing down my fast crawling baby, nursing her, and keeping up with the rest of the million things I try to get done in 24hrs. Well... done.


Here's what I used:

I used 100% wool felt that I bought on Etsy HERE
Leftover fabric from the NURSERY
Felt buttons that I had from Hobby Lobby
El Cheapo linen towels (for embroidering) from Hobby Lobby
2 colors of embroidery thread
scissors
oh... and a hot glue gun (forgot that for the picture)

I used a drop of hot glue to attach the felt to my fabric so it wouldn't move while I stitched it... LOVE that tip from Allison! Using the blanket stitch was super simple and very relaxing. I loved stitching while watching TV with the Hubby. I used the backstitch for the words... also very easy for a beginner! To make the yo-yo's I used THIS tutorial... so quick and super cute for all kinds of projects. The felt rosettes were made by rolling strips of wavy-cut felt scraps. I also used the hot-glue gun to attach those. Just two evenings later, I had a pretty cute little piece of art for my baby girl's NURSERY.

and here it is on the wall...

I love the feeling of acomplishing something. Especially when it's so sweet. Do y'all have any quick and easy crafting projects?

Picture Project Weeks 33-36 & an Update!

I'm a bit behind on Lovebug's update (She's 38wks old) ... but that's because  baby girl keeps Mama BUSY! If she's not climbing on things, or pulling everything down from the table, then she's in the kitchen or under the table, or trying to open a drawer! She's such a little baby toddler... always wanting to see what I'm doing or what I'm eating. I absolutely LOVE this age, even if she's keeping me on my toes! Her little personality is becoming so evident! She claps when Elmo comes on the TV, or when she's proud of herself for doing something new... it's adorable! She FINALLY moved up to size 2 diapers and can wear all of her 3-6 mo clothing! She's wearing the summer stuff people bought her last year, now that it's warm outside, and her Auntie & Grandma bought her bunches of adorable summer clothes in size 6-9mo! After quite a little hiccup during Daylight Savings, her sleep seems to be getting into a regular pattern again. She went from sleeping 9pm-8am  and nursing once, to crying at 9 when we put her to bed, waking to nurse twice and only sleeping until 6 or 7. Boo. We're hoping it's just a phase. She's still loving her baby oatmeal, and will eat any of the organic fruit and veggie pouches. She also loves her yogurt bites and puffs at snack time and her favorite snacks are Trader Joe's fruit crushers.  Unfourtunately, we tried to give her some of the stage 2 meats, and chunkier rice ... it's a no go. She made the most hilarious faces and even took it out of her mouth and wiped it on the bumbo. She likes fruit cut up into bite sized pieces, but chunky baby food is not her thing. She still babbles constantly... especially when she's got a snack. Her "words" right now are Mama, Dada, Buh Bye, and Nana (Hannah.) She brought me her brush last night and I put her hair up in her first ponytail! So precious... I melted. I can't believe that in a few months we'll be planning her 1st Birthday party! This Mama better get crafting!

Nutella Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies... need I say more?

First of all, there is no way I can take credit for these little beauties... that goes to Miss Julie Carson over at Joyshope. She is pretty darn amazing... a house full of beautiful kiddos, crafty cuteness, and a whole bunch of inspiration. Not to mention this delicious recipe...

The minute I saw that there was Peanut Butter AND Nutella in the same recipe, I pinned it, and then went out to get the ingredients to make up a batch. (and bring them to Sunday night bible group of course!) Because really, if the whole batch was laying around my house... yikes.

Here's what y'all need...

Nutella Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies       

                                                                                                                                              Julie Carson

1 stick butter (at room temperature)

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp  vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Nutella for stuffing
White sugar for rolling

Start by beating together the butter and peanut butter in your mixer. Then add in the sugars and beat until fluffy. Now add the egg, vanilla & milk, and give it a good stir.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a seperate bowl, and then slowly add them to the mixer. Now stick that dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When the 30 minutes are up (if you've got any dough left from sneaking nibbles out of the fridge) Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350.

Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough and roll them in a bowl of sugar. Then space them out on a parchment paper (or baking mat) lined cookie sheet. use your thumb to make a nice little pit and then fill it with Nutella... lots and lots of Nutella. Then stick another sugar-rolled ball of dough on top and press 'em down. Lick your fingers and repeat.

The amount of cookie dough consumed during this process may affect the number of cookies you end up with in the end... just saying. Also: 1 jar of Nutella + Spoon = Bliss. Not that I've ever done that. 

This recipe makes 18 large cookies... so feel free to double the recipe as needed. Grab some friends and a big glass of milk... and then another cookie.

Insta-Friday!

It's Friday again... why does it ALWAYS sneak up on me? I feel like each week I say I'm going to do xy and z, and then another week flies by and only x got done, and then I forgot to blog about it... oh well. It has been BEAUTIFUL here in Missouri! Summer weather in March... I'll take it! Lovebug and I are keeping busy getting out in the sunshine, shopping, and getting the HOUSE HUNT underway! I'm feeling so very blessed, and am excited for all that Spring is bringing with it! Here's a little peek into our week...

Shopping with my best friend Case... stocking up on craft/sewing supplies and getting some much needed time together. Baby girl didn't mind that we brought her along too... check out those shades!

Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Homemade Cinnamon rolls... YUM.

I heart cheat days on the diet... and P.S. I've lost 5lbs in the last 3 weeks!

Pleated Poppy goodies that came in the mail... Happy Day!

Even better? Lindsey remailing them to me after they shipped to our old Cali address... LOVE the amazing customer service in buying handmade! Check out here beautiful shop HERE.

Purple Sparkly Pedicure with my Sister, after a full day of shopping with my Mom... perfect.

Teeny Tiny baby sandals... my heart just melted into a puddle on the floor.

Sweet Lovebug is finally wearing her summer clothes from last year... she's so. very. small.

Have a great weekend y'all!