1.31.2017

Grayson: 6 MONTHS OLD!


I can hardly believe it is this sweethearts half birthday! The past 6 months have gone so fast. It's true your second child's first year goes even quicker than your first...it's crazy. Grayson has brought us SO much joy and we couldn't be more thankful that he's a part of our family. I remember writing a blog post before Grayson was born saying I predicted the transition from zero children to 1 would be harder for us than 1-2, and that has absolutely been the case. Maybe it's because of Grayson's laid back demeanor or just how our experience has went, but it's definitely been easier than I expected (but that's not to say there aren't challenging days and times with 2 kids because YES.. absolutely...there are plenty.) It's been so fun watching Grayson's personality develop. Him and Camden's personalities are completely different (as of now!) Grayson is more of an observer while Camden is much more a do-er. Grayson is quiet and content in practically any situation whereas Camden was always wanting to be on the go or playing with something. 

And man, do these boys love each other! Camden cares about him so much and is always telling him he loves him, and is constantly laying right by him. When he gets out of the car for school he says, "bye baby!" without fail every single time. Grayson watches Camden like a hawk and laughs at him often. I tell all my other mommy friends that are having another boy that having brothers is the absolute BEST! (Which is what I'm sure how every other parent feels as well, and they are right too!)


Weight: His apt isn't until next week so I'm not sure but probably around 17 or 18 lbs?

Height: Same as above

Hair: Brown (look how much it has grown lately!)

Eyes: Brown

Clothes: 6 month and some 9 months

Diapers: 2's

Sleeping: 3 naps during the day (longest being from about 1145am-2) then eats at 7pm then goes to bed! Unlike Cam who is a 7am riser on the dot everyday, he will sleep in until 8 or 830 sometimes.

Likes: Sucking his left thumb // the jumperoo // peek a boo // being tickled // sitting up // cuddling // his Wubbanubs // books with music // laughing at his brother // eating! (loves his baba's)

Dislikes: Being sick :(

Eating: 6 oz every 3-3.5 hours, 6-7 oz at bedtime bottle. We also just introduced baby food and he is loving it so far! Sweet potatoes were his first food :)

Milestones: First time flying and trip to Florida (he was an angel and slept both ways!) + first time swimming and kicking his feet in the pool/ocean + Sitting up on his own + First time swinging! + Rolling both ways all over the place now + Has started eating baby food! 


Health: Most of you probably saw on my snapchat or instagram that Grayson had to be taken in an ambulance on Thursday night to Children's Hospital, but if you didn't (and for this monthly update purposes) I thought I would fill everyone in here as well. He was struggling to breathe due to a really high fever and RSV on Thursday night (it was so scary seeing him struggle so much, but we are so thankful we were still awake and noticed him fussing/being uncomfortable on our monitor before we went to bed), so he had to spend 2 nights in the hospital. It was scary how fast he took that turn because prior to that evening, he was eating + acting fine (just had a little cough.) They had him on oxygen until Friday morning, but luckily he got better and didn't need it for the rest of the stay. Because things can get much worse before they get better with RSV, they wanted to keep him an extra night just to monitor him, which was fine by us. We knew he was in the best hands - they took such good care of him (and us) there. For the circumstances, Grayson was so strong and hardly even fussed when at the hospital. He was flirting it up with the nurses + was such a little trooper. He truly is such a sweetheart.

Also, it should be mentioned that at the very same time this happened Camden got his first ear infection (and his eye was all swollen!), so Billy had to take him to the doctors for that and be home with him while I was in the hospital with Grayson. It has not been the easiest week (well, month) to say the least. Grayson was discharged on Saturday morning and has been recovering well ever since, except he is just so congested that he can't seem to get comfortable. I can just tell he still doesn't feel great which makes me so sad! I've had so much mom guilt because I'm pretty sure I gave it to him (I've had a horrendous cough) in the first place and it just eats me up that I can't heal my babies and make them better. It breaks my heart seeing him (both of them) not well. I really pray we are all are on the mend, and will be healthy again soon! Crossing my fingers. Thank you all again for the prayers - we really appreciate it!

favorite pictures this month:

and just for fun: both boys at 6 months old!

1.26.2017

These Are My Confessions


I confess...life has been so busy lately, mainly dealing with and recovering from back to back sicknesses. It's like once we get over one sickness another one comes along the next day. It's especially hard on Grayson, which just breaks my heart because he's so little and we're limited on what we can give him. It's safe to say I'm over winter and ready for spring...like today. 

I confess...Camden is talking in little sentences now! Someone hold me. The other day I asked him what his name is and he said, "my name is Camden!" like he has been saying it his whole life. I was so proud and shocked! He's been saying his name but not with the "my name is" too. His voice is just the sweetest sound in the world!

I confess...that I love this dress and this top from Old Navy (both are on sale!) They'll be perfect for spring...



I confess...that I'm giving LipSense a try. Who has heard of it and who likes it?!

I confess...that I am watching the Bachelor this season (duh) but Nick hasn't impressed me as much as I was thinking he would. He's actually kind of boring me. (but you know what's not boring me? This Is Us. Obviously.)

I confess...that the amount of laundry I have been doing lately for all three of my boys is truly insane. I might go crazy soon. Crazy.

I confess...that I'm taking Camden to see Disney On Ice this weekend! I bought tickets a few months ago and thought it would be fun for just us two to go. I hope he loves it! 


I confess...that we may or may not have had the "third baby" discussion and decided we do hope (one day) that we are able to have a third little one join our family. Definitely not planning anything for this year (no no no-I need a much longer break from being pregnant), but in the next few years hopefully.

I confess...my favorite person to follow on instagram is Cameran Eubanks (she's on Southern Charm and was on Real World back in the day.) If you don't follow her (@camwimberly1), you're missing out! She has the best sense of humor. Oh, and I actually tried these self tanning towelettes that she recommended and LOVE them.

I confess...this necklace or these sunglasses (love) would be a great valentines day gift!

I confess...I'm ready to go on another vacation, even though we literally just got back. Winter does this to me.

I confess...I've been sticking to eating healthy and I can already tell a huge difference in my mood + energy. Now that I'm feeling better (earlier this week I had the worst cold) I hope to get in some workouts this weekend!

PS: On my snapchat last night I shared a boys resale clothing facebook group I'm in that a lot of people were interested in, so I thought I would share it here too. It's called "Boys ONLY Brand Name Resale". I find so many like new (even new with tags) clothing for the boys in this group-it's great! 

Happy (almost) Friday!

1.23.2017

How I Want To Spend 2017



2016 was a crazy year for us. We added a second child to our family...Camden started "school"...Rocky unexpectedly passed away...etc. I honestly feel like being pregnant/having a baby just makes the year fly by in itself! Typically, I don't do resolutions but because I have no doubt that 2017 will be just as busy, there are definitely things that I want to really focus on.

And most of them have to do with myself. I have a lot of personal goals for myself this year because often when raising young kids it's easy to put yourself last - since you're always putting your kids first. Now that Grayson is not an itty bitty newborn (6 months in 4 days!) I feel like we are in a better routine of things where I can really be intentional about growing and changing certain areas. It's time to hold myself accountable! 

+Take better care of my health. 

This is at the top of my list for the year. Must stop trying to pass off Camden's toddler snacks as my lunch and get back into a solid weekly workout routine. I want to commit to lose 10 lbs and eat more of a plant based diet. I'm also planning on cutting back on caffeine. Before the boys, I used to only get Starbucks once a week (my body gets jittery with too much) and I felt SO much better. I'm already on day 9 of this (I've only had coffee once) and I actually feel like I have more energy, so yay! Hoping to keep this up.

+Stay more organized.

From the kids toys to making sure I have appointments written in my planner - it's a must to staying on top of everything. I bought a bunch of new plastic bins after Christmas to organize Camden's toys which was a great start! 

+Spend more quality time with Billy.

Would love to take a vacation without the kids this year once Grayson is a little bit older. Traveling is my favorite thing to do with Billy and it would be so nice to just have a few days to just be husband/wife. Need to work on giving him more compliments + praise in our everyday life, too!

+If it doesn't bring me JOY then cut. it. out.

That simple. 

+Say NO to things and don't feel bad about it.

Let's face it...it's difficult some days getting out of the house with 2 young kids and the last thing I want to do is be "too busy". I want to have more relaxing Saturday's at home with the boys that aren't rushing around to get to certain places.

+Wake up earlier.

I'm typically running around like a chicken with my head cut off in the morning to get myself ready before the boys are up all because I like to get that extra 15-20 minutes of sleep. BUT...waking up just 30 minutes earlier will help me feel more put together and ready to tackle the day, which in turn will make me a better mom.

What are your goals for 2017? Share with me!


1.19.2017

Paw Patrol Birthday Pawty


Planning Camden's Paw Patrol 2nd Birthday Party was even MORE fun for me than planning his first birthday party. Maybe it's because I knew he would go crazy over all the Paw Patrol decorations, or maybe it's just because this is how it'll always be with kids birthday parties. Things just keep getting better and better? I can only hope that's the case!

Everything turned out exactly how I had envisioned in my head (you know-except for the fact that he had to get stitches in his 3 days prior to the party...), which shocked me a bit because I was SURE I would forget or lose something. We had it at my parents house and about 27 family + friends and their little ones joined us in celebrating our sweet little 2 year old! It was so much fun and Camden was so happy (as every birthday boy should be) the entire time...


I bought Cam these adorable Paw Patrol suspenders + bow tie off of Etsy...they were seriously the cutest and he couldn't have looked more handsome, even with that big ole bandaid on his head. He rocked it.


So, I knew I wanted one table that was the main "focus" with balloons and streamers as the backdrop. I bought the bone pet bowls from the Dollar Tree and thought it was an adorable idea to serve the food out of them.


For the food menu, I decided to do a hot bog bar because it was easy, went with the theme of the party (and was perfect for the kids to eat as well) then we planned the side dishes around that. We had pawsta salad, pawtato chips, fetch sticks, fruit kibble, and pawcakes. Too cute, right? I couldn't resist and if I'm being honest I kinda want to do a Paw Patrol party every year. Anyway, my stepmom always makes the birthday cakes for all the grand kids in our family, but she really knocked it out of the park with this amazing bone cake and adorable cupcakes...


All of the decorations tied in together perfectly and I placed pictures of Camden from the past 2 years on some tables...


We had a Paw Patrol table for the kids (of course) with Paw Patrol masks, balloons, and blowers that they could play with. The masks were a total hit and were only a couple dollars off of Amazon. All the balloons I also bought off of Amazon here.

 straight to the face..my kinda style
I'm glad he took some time out to hug and kiss his little brother...so sweet.

Singing happy birthday to him with everyone was probably my favorite part just because of the look on his face - he was so excited. And when he blew out the candle on his very own? Heart. melted. He was so proud of himself that he immediately started cracking up, it was so cute! (video below)


Opening gifts was interesting, though, since his attention span right now at this age is about 2 minutes long. He kept wanting to get up and take breaks, so I ended up doing a lot of the unwrapping, but hey he is loving all his new toys now. Favorites being a big talking Buzz Lightyear (he holds it up and says "and beyond!" ha), all his new Paw Patrol vehicles, cars, a tricycle, new Nike's, etc. (thank you all!)


It was such a special day. I really can't believe I have a 2 year old! I'm kinda scared...but mostly happy. Make that very happy. Very happy that I get to be this boy's mama and that he is our son. Happy birthday, Camden! We love you and hope you had the best day ever!

1.18.2017

You Don't Want To Miss This


Going forward in 2017, I want to add in a different series of posts that feature links + products (maybe even a recent favorite recipe or 2) I'm currently loving, but in a short and simple way. I still plan to do my currently/life lately series, but because I ramble a lot on those (sometimes it's the best way to catch up with all of you!) they can get kind of lengthy.

Blogs have changed so much the past few years and I know some of you prefer posts that are short and simple, so if you are one of these people (or just don't care about the nonsense I type all the time) then these posts will be for you!

Let's get into it...

+Recently I've been using this anti-aging cleanser. Totally not sponsored at all and I don't look like Cindy Crawford just yet, but I really love it so far. It's refreshing and  gentle and smells good. It is a little bit pricier, but you only need a little bit so I know it'll last awhile. All the good reviews sold me on it.

+An easy low carb dinner option

+New favorite earrings are these crystal crawlers. This pair is a close second. I'm starting to really love this style. 

 

+Stop Being a Butthole Wife...basically one of my favorite posts I've read lately. Seriously. Read it.

+I have these sneakers in gray but just got the black because I wear them so much. They are definitely one of my favorite Nike shoes.

+I have a fun (fashion related) giveaway coming up next week as a thanks for always following along/sticking with me, so stay tuned!

PS: I know this is me just adding my voice in to a post I said I wouldn't but holy cow - ya'll wouldn't believe the past few days we have had. A flat tire...Camden having to get stitches after a hard fall at school (we just got them out yesterday actually)...and then a stomach virus going around our house. Triple yikes. I do plan to have Camden's 2nd birthday party details up tomorrow, though, so there's something positive! Happy hump day!

1.16.2017

Naples 2016


Another glorious, fun, refreshing, not-ever-wanting-to-leave trip to Naples in the books. We wanted to take one last trip before Camden turn 2 so that we could take advantage of him still being free to fly with, so it was like a birthday/family trip combined. It was also really special because we had Grayson + my brother-in-law and sister-in-law with us! The boys were so happy to have them there to play with, and I can't tell you how nice it was to have the extra hands + help for our first trip with 2 kiddos.

 

This was Grayson's first time flying, going swimming, and to the beach! This boy continues to impress me SO MUCH with his go-with-the-flow 'tude and laid back demeanor. He slept for the majority of the flights (to and from) so no issues there, and adjusted just fine to his new sleeping conditions/nap schedule while on vacation. I've asked myself how we got so lucky about 1 million times...he's just a dream. 

 
(matching swimsuits for the boys are from Carters!)

He loved swimming and was super inquisitive about the water - always making funny faces, but enjoyed it. And when we were at the beach, Billy dug a hole in the sand and put a towel in it so he just sat there content as can be for the majority of the time. It's so cute how much he loves watching Camden play and how much he laughs at him.

 And as expected, from the second we arrived Camden was having a blast (I think he prefers warm weather like his mama!) He's been to the beach 3 or 4 times now, but he was much more into it this time I noticed. He stayed entertained there for longer period of time and loved throwing shells into the ocean! When we were swimming at the pool there were even a few times he jumped off the side of the pool into the water on his own (we were in there to catch him of course), which made me realize just how big he is getting!


And just a few (see also: many) more pictures...

I know I've gone over it before but since I get asked a lot - when we go to Naples we stay at my parents place. Since it has a kitchen and multiple bedrooms it's much easier than staying in a hotel room when traveling with kids. For this trip we mainly did breakfast and lunches at our place (or we would pick up some coffee/something quick for breakfast) then ventured out for dinner almost every night. The key (for us) when going out to dinner is just to make sure we go at an early enough time before the kids gets sleepy/overly hungry and we always order their food first so that they are fed by the time we get our food. It just works so much better this way and avoids meltdowns! 


Camden also surprised me again with flying. Since we flew during his nap time (a great decision on my end), he napped the entire way home on my lap. We were so impressed, but I think most kids generally do better than we think they will do! 

We are already talking about planning a trip back (and trying to get Katie and Kevin to join us again..duh) because well, you can never really have enough palm trees and sunshine in your life. 

I did want to share some things I learned with traveling with 2 kids that are just little tid-bits I picked up along the way...
+if you can swing it, get the nonstop flights (so, so worth it)
+put the toddler in the window seat (I've heard the opposite-that the aisle seat is best-but for us that is NOT true. By putting Camden by the window he's not tempted to want to get up/walk around because he's "blocked" in, so to say. He also loves looking out the window, which helps distract)
+use the resources the airport already has for you - like curbside check-in, the carts you can rent for luggage, etc.) 
+wear the baby (you can walk right through security wearing them)
+as for schedules, we still stick to normal nap times/bed times when on vacations for the most part (Cam's bedtime was a little later if we went out to dinner or something), but some days Grayson did skip a nap but I didn't stress about it. He did just fine and slept a little longer at the next nap. 
+Buy diapers/wipes at the store when you get there so you can save space when packing

Overall, you obviously need A LOT of stuff when traveling with 2 kids, but it's definitely do-able and actually gave me a boost of confidence to want to do it again. Oh, and since we had so many people we decided to rent a mini van (my first time driving one) and it was the best decision. So much room for activities! ;)

I know that I'm missing some things I wanted to mention, so I'll probably come back and update this post when I remember them. Mom brain is going STRONG lately.