Weekly Happenings

I love looking back on things we've done, so here's a bit of re-cap of the last week or so. 

This is the face of a nearly 3 month old who's already teething. No teeth have popped through, but they are there, under the surface and we can see them!! Poor little girl.

Trying to get a little fresh air on a cold spring day, while Daddy grilled some chicken wings!!

My little pink bundle.

Feeling a bit under the weather last week; she makes me smile.

Spring fashion:: All dressed up for a day date to the mall! This blazer kills me.

 Daddy's girl.

 Last weekend we took her to the mall and did a little shopping. 

 We enjoyed some tasty food from Bone Fish Grill. Kobe beef dumplings.

 Ceviche.

 Sun and warmth finally arrived last Sunday {4.7}

 Visited a park with my friend and her twins.

Tuesday we took baby girl to get an excersaucer and out to dinner.  {4.9}

She was so good, even when it was close to her bed time.  She's so excited to see all that is happening around her!

My new Gap khakis---LOVE them. I bought them 2 sizes bigger than my pre-pregnancy size, but hell, they're not maternity and they have done wonders for my soul...I'll get there eventually.

Brooke's little dress is a size 6 month and is a tad short!! Girlfriend has a long torso.  I warned her daddy that she's going to be that tall girl who we constantly have to monitor how short things are because she'll be lanky!

Cutie

Patootie.

 A mother's love.

 Wednesday brought on the rain. {4.10}  Our backyard is a bit watered down.

But we forged out anyway and went to visit Nana and Papa.

She just looked too darn cute to stay in.

 We had lunch with my step-mom at this yummy soup place!

Organic beef---so good!

We also stopped for a quick {3 minute tan}--this girl was in desperate need of some Vitamin D.

And then we went to Yotality...aka Heaven!

 Brooke really enjoyed it!  Fun and trendy seating, a fireplace, a TV...

 Any kind imaginable with any topping!! Where were one of these when I was in HS??

Yeah...butterfinger with the espresso/salted caramel mix.  this is why my old pants don't fit

Good news: I've been feeling MUCH better and just have little coughing fits from time to time.  I am so so so happy.  I look forward to building a fire and staying warm today, as it continues to rain/freeze rain down....You'll find me snuggling with my loves.  Happy Thursday!

Highs and Lows

Looking down at my paint chipped nails, I can't help but wonder when I'll put a pretty new coat of a pastel color I have sitting in my drawer.  Pretty nails aren't really a necessity now...funny how a year ago my two week acrylic french tips were one of my top priorities.  Now I'm more concerned with how many poops has the baby had per day and when will I shower?  And after said shower, will I have enough time for makeup, or should I just not bother?

I didn't understand the importance of a hot shower for moms prior to being one. I'd read other blog posts about how amazing it was to just shower, maybe with a glass of wine in there too!! Now I get it.  A really luxurious shower consists of no crying baby and enough time to shave your legs and let the hot water run over your head, shoulders, back...you turn the water just a little too hot, to the point where you can barely stand it and you just lean forward a bit; placing your palms of your hands on the shower stall and let the water beat down on you, while stretching out your back and neck muscles which are always a little too tight from all the mommy work you've been doing.

How about a bubble bath?  I have an amazing bottle of bubble bath that appears to be in a wine bottle I received from a girlfriend in 2010: it was a wedding gift.   She told me to take time for myself and enjoy a bath.  The only bath I've had since then was right before I gave birth; my body hurt so much that I ran a warm bath to just soak a few minutes, but a beached whale doesn't fit well into a tub, lemme tell you!  The other bath was a "sitz bath" and well, while it helped my stitches down yonder feel better, it certainly didn't make me feel girlie and rejuvenated.  I used to think I was wasting time or being selfish if I took a bath...

I need to take that damn bubble bath. Why is it so hard?

How do you spend your "me" time as a mommy?  How much time do you allow yourself? Per day? Per hour?

Yoga? Jillian Michaels?  Pedicure?  Target trip sans baby?  Sleep?

I feel like after I take care of everyone and everything else, I don't even know what to do for myself, or even how much time is enough? Too much?

It's crazy how quickly life changes.  How long does it take to feel like you can juggle all the balls in your court?  I look back at three months ago and how clueless I was about what to do with a newborn! I mean, yes, a lot of it comes innately, but man there were moments I was like, what the heck do I do??

I have to look back and be proud. Like every other mother out there, I did it.  I survived childbirth and learned how to successfully breastfeed.  I figured out how to swaddle and soothe and still find a little time for me and time for my husband.  It takes a lot of planning and help from family and friends, but we did it.

The latest challenge was being sick; I haven't been sick in loooooong time, so this really sucks. I'm a total baby when I'm sick, so throw in a husband, two dogs and now a newborn, it is no fun!! On top of it, the Dr tells me that it's viral, it normally takes 10-14 days to get out of your system, and if you're breastfeeding, you're basically giving away all your immunity.  {Which is awesome on one hand, baby girl is as healthy as can be, but I'm still fighting off this hellish bug 3 weeks later.}

Let me just say, waking up for a 4am feeding and getting your baby back to sleep 4 different times, only to awaken her by hacking up your lung, is just awful. I felt so bad! She's such a sweet angel, she'd just stare back up at me, spit her pacifier out and smile as if to say, "OK mommy, let's just get up and play!"

I can't help but wonder, but what happens when there are two kids? Three?  I used to say I wanted 4...

I guess it's like anything and you make it work, you figure it out and just do it.  I know that it's mostly all about attitude as well.  You have to stay positive and look at the bright side of things, and it can be so damn hard when you've got a few things {especially health-wise} bringing you down.

I know that I married the right man; he continues to prove that to me time and time again.  Last night after he got home from working [8:30am-8:30pm] the baby was crying up in her crib after I already put her down, the dog was whining to go outside and the pasta was getting cold on the stove.

He took care of Brooke, brought her down and placed her in the swing oh that magical swing!  and she fell right to sleep.  The dog came back in, muddy paws wiped off and we finally sat down to some Portobella and Cream Sauce Fettuccine with some oven roasted lemon/olive oil asparagus.  He told me about his day, and all of a sudden all was right in the world.  Just the two of us, sitting, talking, listening. No TV. No phones. No computers.  I think the best part of marriage is when your other half really truly understands you and teaches you something.  He makes me want to be a better person and offers ways to make that happen.  He said that it seems like I'm in a bit of a rut, which I agree.  He explained that even he gets into work ruts, it's natural.  Being sick, having this horrible constant ringing in my left ear, falling behind on housework, a somewhat fussy/teething baby, not having energy or feeling well to work out, just constantly feeling awful can do that to a person!  Well, my dear husband the eternal optimist says to me, "You should be excited that you're in a rut.  It means you're on the brink of an amazing time.  Two steps forward, one step back.  So just know that something awesome is going to happen soon.   You're going to be even better than you are today."

I don't know why, but just hearing him say that made me start to feel better.  I know I can be hard on myself, being type A and wanting perfection {or as close as I can get} in everything I do. I've even written about it last year [here] I just feel so much better writing it all out.  My blog isn't a place where I tend to complain or mope, and I certainly try to keep things upbeat and positive, but I'm also a real person.  Someone who sometimes just can't get her sh*t together as much as I try!

So I suppose my thoughts to you readers, is that maybe if you too are in a little rut, just keep pushing on...something wonderful may be on your horizon!  That's what I'll keep telling myself.  Well, that and I'll keep dreaming of a tropical island with sandy beaches and pretty turquoise water.  This too shall pass.

Spring {pin} Fashion

Happy Hump Day!

I am so excited to be playing around with some of the spring fashion trends. I am not excited about this snow still falling though!!  I loved my chevron dress I wore for Easter {here} and the colors couldn't be more springy!

I just bought a Chambray top finally since I was holding out until I gave birth.  I wasn't too sure how long this trend would stay, but I'm so happy that it did! Now some cute ways to wear it::

I need some leather jeggings...

Source: refinedstyle.tumblr.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Love this maxi/coral combo

Source: dlp22.polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Pretty {simple} white accents.

Source: obaz.com via Jenn on Pinterest

I cannot wait for white pants!

Source: refinedstyle.tumblr.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Romantic with pink frilly.

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Denim on denim.
Is that like racks on racks on racks?
No?
OK.

Source: refinedstyle.tumblr.com via Jenn on Pinterest

I still love my denim jacket....I'd love to try:

Copped jean jacket with white pants and brown accents.

Source: polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

White dress....presh!

Source: obaz.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Pastel pants.  Where does one {big booty hoe} find these awesome pants??

Source: partywithgatsby.polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Lovely layers.

Source: cynthia335.polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Yellow crush.

Source: lmm2nd.polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

And of course, like most well dressed ladies, I have coral on my mind.

Source: coombsie24.polyvore.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Love these!

Source: lifes-a-journal.com via Jenn on Pinterest

So while I'm still workin on my fitness, you can stop with the snow mother nature. I'm ready for the weather to break!!

Foam Rolling

While I'm still trying to kick this sickness, here's my new favorite "workout" tool:

The foam roller.

If you're any sort of athlete, I highly suggest you get one!  I'm not a runner, but I hear it helps with injuries!! I'm just working on my 'prego probs'.  It's painful and hard so far, but I think the more I do, it will help.

I ordered mine off Amazon per my chiropractor's request.  You can find here HERE

It's amazing. I love feeling the tension release and it does massage out knots...but again, it is kind of hard on my problematic areas.  

For all my baby mamas, seriously get one of these bad boys after pregnancy!!

Here are two I'm using:

Any other You Tube videos you suggest?

Happy Rolling :)

Our Easter {Brooke's first}

This was only the second Easter my husband and I celebrated together!!
2008-my mom's house: we made pancakes.
2009-Toronto
2010-Toronto
2011-flew home from our amazing Caribbean cruise, and spent most of the day in an airplane from Puerto Rico.
2012-flew home from Charleston, SC

So this year, having our own little peanut, we figured our families would appreciate it us making the rounds with her.  {Because you know, once you have a baby, it's not about you any more, it's all about the little one}

I picked out miss Brooke's Easter dress awhile back and worried it wouldn't fit {3-6 months} but it did fit and perfectly!!

 She's so cute, as I tried to change her she kept flipping her dress up.  I just loved the simple details; the ruffles, the flowers, there was even a little bow on the back.   I had to put a little cardigan on her since it was in the 50's, but I was thankful that it was that warm!

I found my dress on Kiki La Rue--and it was a perfect compliment to Brooke's!! I wanted something with the same color, but not too matchy matchy.  I've been dying to dress alike!! I put my husband in a blue Banana Republic shirt; I love him in baby blue.  Makes his eyes pop!!

Our first family holiday photo!

Our first stop was about an hour away at my dad and step-mom's house.  They had brunch already to go when we arrived.  It was so nice to see them and my sister and her husband.

Blissful Table

Easter Decor

 Pretty Eggs

Candied Bacon

Champagne Sorbet Punch

Each of us had a few Easter goodies on our plates.

We enjoyed a sausage and egg breakfast casserole, danishes, fruit salad...and I was starving I forgot pictures. Sorry!

We also had tea time.

Brooke getting her Easter basket from Nana and Papa

Uncle Eric and Auntie Bri

My husband and I still goofy as ever.

It was such a nice time.  Then we were off to my in-laws....

I slacked on the pictures because they were taking some!!

{bad blogger}

Mama in law gave us a delicious lemon meringue pie, Brooke got some new Easter toys and an adorable outfit.  We stayed for a little bit, then it was off for the final round at Joey's grams' house.

Baby Brooke was beat!

There were a ton of people there and it was nice to catch up awhile, eat some yummy foods and show off our precious little bundle.  {People think she's 5 or 6 months old already!}

We had the happiest Easter yet.  I'm so blessed and thankful for everything in my life.  Despite this nasty cold I have working its way out of my system, it was so wonderful to see some of our family yesterday.

When we got home I put Brooke in her little "first Easter" onesie my step-mom picked up for her and did a mini photoshoot.

 Her new Easter gifts!

 Haha--I picked these ears up at the dollar section of Target.

 Of course, tummy time.

I hope your Easter Sunday was just as wonderful as ours.