I'm not sure if this video will be interesting for anyone other than my family, but I thought I'd share it anyway! I made it about a month ago when we first got home, and my Mom and Dad loved it. I usually try to put together clips after family vacations like this for posterity's sake and I absolutely love looking back on them. Such a fun way to relive a vacation. And now I guess you get to relive a little bit of it too, if you have an extra eight minutes to spare! ;) Enjoy!
This past weekend Henry attended his first baseball game, so of course we made a video to commemorate such a fun day. This particular video is a little special though, because it's also my Sakura Bloom Styleathon Round 3 submission.
I can't tell you all enough how much babywearing has truly changed my little family's life. Sponsored posts and slings aside, I 110% support Sakura Bloom and what they stand for. I've spoken about it before, but I'd always been a little apprehensive about babywearing in the past- I wasn't sure if it was for me, if I could actually be comfortable carrying around a baby in a piece of fabric, etc. etc. I was so wrong. Once I gave it a try I was completely hooked, and now I can't imagine parenting any other way. I am so thankful that I was invited to be a part of this project, and besides the obvious bonus of meeting new mamas and getting to know them, I got to know a lot more about myself, too. We'll move forward as a babywearing family, and I'll continue to profess my love for these slings to every parent I meet that asks me what this piece of fabric and ring is all about. Thank you Leigh, Sakura Bloom, Marla Cielo, Selima Optique, and Lilla P. for making this journey so fashionable and fun. And thanks again to all of the awesome Moms I met while doing this project- we're all so different and it's been amazing being along for the ride with all of you fabulous women!
And now, here is our movie - Henry's first baseball game:
Spending time outside yesterday renewed my spirits and pulled me out from underneath a little storm cloud that was threatening to get comfortable right above my head. Thank goodness for great friends, our quaint little town, and lots and lots of laughter.
Adie and I (and Henry too) spent the day working on a little project, and we walked and drove and hopped and skipped all over town. It was a great day, and while out and about we decided to capture a bit of it on film. So, here's a little video from our afternoon! The song is "Oh! September" by Mirah. Enjoy.
Remember the other day when I posted about our fun evening with Samsung? Well here's some more of it. It was just so fun to be involved with this project, and ever neater to see it come to life a bit more via this short film. I can't wait to see the finished product!
Henry's been rolling over for a few weeks now, and like the new parents we are, it's the hugest deal! When he first did it, I bet our neighbors thought we had won the lottery with the cheer we let out. It's just so awesome to see him try, try, and try again, then finally accomplish something. And now can go from back to belly, and belly to back. Yay Henry! I initially realized he could do this a few weeks ago when I placed him on his play mat and turned around for a second- the next thing I knew, he was on his belly! In the past month he's become quite the little rolly-poly and is moving around like crazy. So, in the spirit of rolling over, here's a short little video I put together. Thanks to my friend Allie for sending me this song so many months ago! Enjoy.
I just tried five times while Henry was napping to do the regional dialect video blog (I first saw it on my friend Megan's tumblr), but my photobooth kept freezing, and then H. woke up, so instead we made a mini-video blog. The main point was just to say hello, but I am realizing I should do these a little more- I'm sure I'll treasure little baby-sized Henry in these silly videos with me when he's all grown up!
Like the video says, we hope you have a wonderful, wonderful weekend! I'm waiting for Hank to get off work and then we're heading to Kokopelli's for a Mexican food double date with our friends Adie and Addison (Henry too, of course). Have a great night!
After I posted a picture of my hairstyle today on twitter, a tutorial was requested by a handful of people! I'm sure that a milkmaid braid tutorial has been done a hundred times...but I figured, why not? Why wouldn't my readers want to see an almost five-minute long video of me braiding my hair? hahah. But really, the video is kind of long but I didn't have time to make another condensed version or figure out how to speed it up. So what you see is what you get! ;)
But anyway, happy braiding! This is the easiest hairstyle ever, and looks good on just about anyone. A few tips: I think the key to nice, thick looking braids in any style is to loosen them up as demonstrated in the video. Also, at the end, don't be concerned if hair is sticking up or out- tuck and pin is my motto! Don't be afraid to use bobby pins. A messier look is better with this hairstyle, so perfection is not what you are aiming for. You don't have to have a perfect part or symmetrical braids. And one last thing- dirty hair works best! My favorite kind of hair. haha. Enjoy!
I'm excited about a lot lately, and I think this is partially from the change in seasons- even though it's still February some of our days have been quite spring-like. When winter turns warm, and when summer turns to fall, I feel happiest. I feel inspired. And I feel optimistic about all that is to come. Summer and winter are great too, but there's just something about fall and spring that feels so right. So today, here's what I'm excited about:
-the random warm days scattered amidst the colder ones. Sunny afternoons and longer days. -the first smiles from baby Henry in the early morning. They melt my heart. -the "almost laugh" he's working on. All of those little sounds and squeals. -our summer trip to the East Coast, I can't stop daydreaming about the fun we'll have. -date nights on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. Yes, that Jersey Shore. My beloved Jersey Shore! -spring time clothing- skirts and shorts and sun dresses - oranges and grays and mint greens. Lots of stripes and florals. -getting our house put together, spending time decorating and making it a home. -the upcoming blogger meetup, and getting to meet so many of my favorite friends. -on the same note, getting to meet so many new people I don't yet know. -trying out new recipes with Hank- we're choosing one per week from a new cookbook so we can build up our arsenal of go-to dishes. -thinking about Henry's future, looking forward to so much. -my new lipstick on the way from MAC "Shy Girl." I tried it the other day with my sister, and it's the perfect everyday color. -my sister's wedding, in exactly one month. I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle. -today's plans: spending the afternoon downtown, Henry's 3 month photos, and maybe a hike too. -the kale we are having for dinner tonight. Have you ever had kale? Sauteed, steamed, etc. So good. And so good for you! -the fact that Cadbury eggs (the hard-shell ones in the purple bag) will be here soon if they're not already here. They're my one candy weakness.
And I'm kiiiind of excited about this cuteness from Friday, too:
I'm getting a little more tired by the day, and as I make my way through this 2nd trimester I'm thinking that my energy level is going to begin tapering off a bit. As of now I can go go go day all and not need a nap or anything, which is convenient with all the traveling we've been doing. But I can definitely feel that energy starting to fade a bit. Also- if you didn't notice, I've TOTALLY popped! My straight on belly shots are pretty true to size, and when I posted that last full body photo a couple of days ago, the difference in real life is just as pronounced! It seems like my belly grew overnight. I'd been gaining just a couple of pounds every month but this month I gained 6, which the doctor said is normal. It seemed like a lot but apparently this is a big growth period. I'm trying not to worry about the scale at all and just go with how I feel, but it IS hard to see numbers I've never seen before. The feeling of "oh my gosh" passes within a minute or two but regardless of how much I understand the reason for gaining weight, how wonderful it is to be pregnant, etc...it it still hard to see those numbers for that brief moment. I know it's all for a good cause though, so Henry can grow and be healthy, so it's easy for me to snap back out of any weird thoughts and sad emotions. Typically I just feel weird right around the time of my weigh-in, and then I feel wonderful and back to being super accepting about my changing body.
I also wanted to say THANK YOU! (so, so, so, so, so much. SO MUCH.) to every single one of you for all of your amazing comments and emails regarding my registry questions. I was so blown away by the responses and I read thoroughly through every single comment and I'm still working through the emails (if you haven't gotten a response yet I'm getting there!). I just cannot believe the sheer kindness that comes from every one of you and your eagerness to reach out to me and my family. Some of you wrote novels too and whether your comment/email was long or short, I loved, loved reading them. I gained so much knowledge, and it's been super fun starting our registry. Autumn took me to Buy Buy Baby yesterday to walk around the store with that registry gun, and show me everything she used for her two babies. In the end I decided to actually register with Babies 'R Us because their online selection is far superior to BBB's and most of my far away family and friends (and everyone in Prescott) will be using the online option. I learned a lot though from our trip though, and I think my BRU registry is shaping up nicely with all of yours, Autumn's, and my friend Emily's suggestions.
A couple things we are set on:
1) Cloth diapers! We will be using bumGenius diapers and we couldn't be happier about our choice! (click here to visit their website!) My Mom cloth-diapered both my sister and me and she is very excited we decided to go this way. The diapers are so easy to use, and I'm excited to share our cloth-diapering journey with all of you.
2) Nursery colors! We're going with a gray and white palette, with pops of yellow.
Other than that we're still figuring things out! :)
Here is a short little video from my doctor's appointment today. I absolutely love this sound and could listen to it all day long.
As far as food, I'm still not having too many cravings, outside of my normal taste for fruit! I definitely think I have had more of a sweet tooth though and there have been days where lemon pie has sounded so delicious.
This week our darling Henry is the size of a spaghetti squash! I should also mention that I am shifting over to babycenter.com's fruit/veggie comparisons because thebump.com moves to only monthly updates at this point! So via that website I only have 4 fruits to go...with the last being a watermelon. !!!!!
Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.
I've also gotten some questions about my normal workout routine while pregnant, so I thought I would address that here. I basically do the same workout I did before, just a lot less intense and lighter weights less frequently. Here's an example of a typical week when I am at home and able to work out everyday:
Monday: 40 minutes elliptical, weights: arms (bi/tri/shoulders) Tuesday: 60 minutes yoga or pilates Wednesday: 20 minute walk on treadmill, 20 minute upright bike, weights: legs (squats, lunges, etc.) Thursday: 60 minute walk outside, weights: chest and back Friday: 40 minutes elliptical Saturday: 20 minutes stair stepper, 20 minutes walk on treadmill Sunday: active rest- do something relaxing and fun like go on a leisurely walk or hike
So basically I work each muscle group once a week, with pilates/yoga adding to that too. I also substitute swimming 20-25 laps on any day I feel like doing that instead. I don't focus on exercising to lose weight obviously but more so just to get my body moving. I put on great music and use the time to decompress, and enjoy myself! Each workout to me is a treat and it's an added bonus that I'm doing something good for Henry.
I should add that this plan would be a LOT for a pregnant woman who isn't used to working out everyday. Pregnancy is not the time to hop into a completely different and/or more intense workout regime! My doctor approved me exercising like this, but did warn me to keep my heart rate under 140 and advised me against lifting heavy weights or doing any exercises on my back. I'm careful to follow all of his guidelines and so far have found that in order to keep my HR under 140 I have to take it pretty easy. I figure that if I continue to eat healthy and stay active I will continue to feel pretty good!
Hank and I spent the 3rd of July doing the majority of our celebrating, so the 4th was more of a low key day. We slept in a bit, then headed over to breakfast at the Sweet Potato Cafe with his family who is visiting from Michigan. It was a lot of fun, and my breakfast burrito was delicious. Afterward we came home and napped the day away, and after I woke up, I spent the afternoon downtown with Amber, talking for hours and enjoying the most delicious shaved ice, ever! It was a perfect day, and capping it off with fireworks on a top of a hill with Hank only made it all the more ideal.
I hope all of you had a splendid 4th of July and enjoyed your weekend, whether you spent it with family or friends! Amber and I were talking about how next year, Henry will be joining us, and how insane that is! Life changes so quickly and I can't wait to see all that is in store.
walking from our house
Also- now, prepare yourself for EXTREME cheesiness (seriously)...but I made this video for my Mom (she loves these little things), and I thought I might as well share it here. The music is of COURSE Bruce Springsteen- I mean, what says America like The Boss, right?! I didn't go the ultra-cliche route and do "Born in the USA," although lord knows I wanted to! Anyway, enjoy! It's super short but you'll get a feel for what the parade was like, and what our afternoon experience was all about. :)
Day three of my unexpected four-day weekend and I'm still keeping with the theme of relaxation. The roads are still icy and there are feet of snow everywhere, so it's kind of deterred me from attempting to head out and do some errands until today, so I was so happy to get out and get some things done, but now I'm glad to be home since it was a little scary driving around out there. I was supposed to go see Leap Year with my sister-in-law this evening but I'm too worried about the icy drive to the theaters, so we rescheduled. I'm a bit disappointed because that movie looks so adorable. Have any of you seen it?
We moved into our current home this fall, and I've been very slow in the decorating process. We are on the road to buying our first home, so we've always rented, and I've had this weird mentality of not really putting in a lot of effort to make it "our" home, since it really is just a temporary place. I never would hang our art, not really get too into putting shelves up, etc...and then I realized that this is why I was never happy in any of the places we lived as far as the house itself. So this place we've slowly been putting up art and making it cozy- I'm a lot happier. I still dream of the day when we buy our first place and I can go crazy painting, wallpapering (I love wallpaper), and purchasing new furniture. Our current house is small and rather than buy new stuff, we elected to just keep what we have until we buy since that day isn't terribly far off. With that said, we do need some more seating in our living room, and I know whatever chairs I buy I can use again, so I am on the hunt for a pair of cute and comfortable chairs. I am an avid design blog reader, and so many sites make me wish I had a house I could totally do our way. I really really cannot wait for that time to come. Are any of you like me though, in the sense that when you're renting sometimes you don't really want to get super into decorating? About half of my friends rent, and some of them make their places so cute- it's inspiring! Even though we are making it more "us," I'm still weird about doing too much. Slowly getting over it though. :)
So, Hank is at work (on a Saturday- boo!) and Madeline and I are just hanging out. When I finished with this post I'm going to do some vacuuming and window washing, how fun. Hank should be off at 5pm, and then we will be at the gym for awhile since he will be driving!
Here are some photos from today- the shirt I have on is what was in the box from Sarah at Live on Sunset, in a post from yesterday! I am absolutely in love with it. Seriously, how cute is this top?! Thanks again so very much. They're doing a giveaway on twitter when they hit 1,000 followers, so click here to follow so I can enter the contest too. haha. ;)
You are the winner of the nail polish giveaway! :)
Here's a video about it that I just took- PLEASE excuse my gross hair/everything. I just got home from a really, really hard 60 minute spin class and I'm super sweaty w/no makeup but I really wanted to a take a little video of me picking the winner! So, you get to view me in all my glory, bang-pushing out of the way, sniffly nose self! haha.
So again, congrats to Chelsea! All of you should add her adorable blog too-
