Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Fun with Friends

This past weekend, we decided to take a trip with the kids to visit some of our friends.  It would be only the 2nd time that Conley has been in a car that long---and that was at Christmas.  So needless to say I really didn't know how they were going to do.

I am happy to report that they boys did AMAZING!  They slept great...I had no idea how nap time was going to go...but they both were little champs in the napping department.  We still used a pack'n'play with Nolan even if his feet can touch the end.  He looked pretty silly, but he didn't seem to mind.

In the car, they both were awake most of the time, but they were really happy most of the way.  I couldn't have asked for a better trip with them.

We were so excited to see our friends Beth and Bill...and their little boy Brody.  They recently moved into a new house so we were ready to check out the new digs!  The boys had a blast, and we had a relaxing couple of days.  I usually get stressed out when traveling with the boys, but they were seriously little angels.

We also traveled to see our other friends Nikki, Daniel, and their little boy Max.  It was about another hour drive from where we were staying.

Here are some photos from the weekend!



Now back to reality and the daily grind!

Natalie

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

My Baby at Eight Months

I feel like time is passing me by...my toddler turns 2 and 1/2, and my baby is now eight months.

Your laughter is contagious, and everyone always says your such a happy baby.

And it's true...you really have become a little joy.

You love to be out and about and watching everything around you.


You're still my chubby boy with those cheeks and chunky thighs.  No teeth yet, the first two are still trying to make it through.

You love, love to eat and cry anytime I stop feeding your baby food.  I guess you don't have those rolls for nothing!

Your eight month sticker didn't do too well during this photo shoot...you seemed more interested in eating it than wearing it.  Which is the truth with about anything...you want to chew everything!

Lately, everyone has commented on your big eyes.  And that's crazy because your brother always received those same comments...but I guess your little eyes just now decided to make their grand entrance.

You love baths and splashing in the water.  I haven't given you a bath in the big tub with brother yet...but I'm sure you'll love it...not sure how he will feel about sharing though!


Happy eight months my baby boy!  You have my heart...now and forever.

Natalie

Monday, April 22, 2013

My Boy at 2 1/2...

Wow it is hard to believe my boy is well on his way to being a 3 year old! This age is absolutely amazing, and I kind of want to freeze time.
Nolan on his first train ride with the grandparents. 

The loves of Nolan:
He loves playing in the dirt with Daddy in the yard and will say, "Momma you go back in the house!" As if to say it is just man time.

Trucks, trucks, and more trucks still have his heart. I believe the excavator is probably his favorite. Thank goodness for all the construction around here!

Oh but trains rank up there with trucks, and he loves all of his Thomas the Train engines. I believe Gordon is still his fave out of the group.  He can sing the whole Thomas intro and roll call song by heart.


The funny Nolan sayings:
-Yep I sure am.
-I have a great idea! Grandpa can fix it!
-Lets play toys all day long!
-Sure, why not?
-I go in the big brown car and go to the orange store (The Home Depot).
-I put on my working shoes and go outside and dig in the dirt with Daddy.
-Gives a hug...then says, awww sweet!
-This is just right.

He still is a man of simple tastes and still does not like his food mixed. He loves oranges, apples, strawberries, blueberries, pistachios, almonds, nut crackers, graham crackers, carrots, broccoli, green beans, chicken nuggets, bacon, sausage, and fruit/veggie pouches.


He knows all his letters, colors, and numbers up to 20...but sometimes gets confused from 15-20.  He loves to sing Twinkle, Twinkle, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

He names all trucks when we're on the road from concrete mixers, trash trucks, to dump trucks.  He loves talking about the different shapes of the moon: crescent, half, and full moon.  He loves looking at clouds and when the sun hides behind them he says, "It's cold, where did the sunshine go?"  He also loves pointing out planes, birds, and helicopters in the sky.

He knows all the stores, the car wash, and all the places we stop and names them as we go by.  And if we are headed home, and he doesn't want to go...he'll say, "Let's go this way!" pointing in the opposite direction of our house.  He knows his left from his right, what the different lights of a stop light mean, and that a stop sign is the shape of an octagon.

He has a fascination with flags and can spot them anywhere.  He has great eyes and is always observing objects I would never see...which can lead to him not paying attention and running into things since he's always looking afar.

He loves school, and his teachers love him.  I'm pretty sure he's going to be a teacher's pet just like both his parents were...he bats those little eyes, and he's got them wrapped around his little finger.

He also has an attraction to brunettes...and anytime he sees a pretty brunette teenager or younger gal he'll walk up and say, "Hi, I'm Nolan!"  He's working on his game early, and apparently he likes the older women.

He's a boy with a sweet disposition and will give you hugs and say, "Mommy/Daddy sad, I'll make you feel better."  He also kisses our boo-boos.

He's a good big brother and will hug on Conley and check on him when he's crying.  Every now and then when he wants attention he'll say, "Conley go sleep in his swing."

He still loves watching Mickey Mouse and will ask for specific episodes.  He knows what tool needs to be used in every scene.  That kid does not forget!

A lover of books, he'll make you read the same one over and over.  Recently obsessed with his Little People flap books and pointing out everything.  We have the Noah's Ark, the transportation one, and the farm one.


It's hard to put my love for this age into one post...because I love so much about it.  I love watching him grow and learn.  He's such a little man now...and it's amazing to watch.  Most photos I have of him are on my phone because life with him moves fast.

To my bright-eyed boy, I love you with my whole heart.

Natalie

Thursday, April 18, 2013

A Little Laughter Goes a Long Way

This guy has a smile and laugh that could light up a room...so when I caught his laugh on video, I just had to share!


Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

In Moments Like These...

In moments like these....

You want to hug your children a little tighter.

You want to protect them from all the ugliness in the world.

You want to shield them from horrific events and let them continue to play in their little imagination worlds where the sky is the limit.

You wonder what the world has come to and if there is more evil than good.

Then you look at your child's face or the support the country has during this tragedy, and you realize in moments like these...

The good people do still outnumber the bad.

The heart and compassion the American people have is bigger than the anger and hatred that caused these events.

People will pray and help others in their time of need.

I send my prayers to the city of Boston, the runners, and families affected by these events.


Natalie

Monday, April 15, 2013

A Thirty-One Review & Giveaway

Many of you are moms like me and are always looking for a product that can make your life a little less hectic.

As a second time mom, I decided I didn't want to go the route of a traditional diaper bag. So instead I bought a large purse tote. It works well enough but is pretty plain and not very colorful.

Now that it is spring, I wanted some colorful, fun, and functional.

Introducing the Inside-Out Bag by Thirty-One:



I am so excited about my Inside-Out Bag!  I was able to select my pattern, and I went with the Party Punch and Turquoise Cross Pop.  It is so bright and cheery...and just makes me smile when I go to grab it.  It has plenty of room, and I'm able to use it as my purse and for a diaper bag.  It has two inside pockets and two outside pockets.  Honestly, after I put all my purse and kid "stuff" I still have plenty of room for extra items.  It fits nicely on the shoulder and does not slide which is very important to me when I am toting two children.  I cannot stand having a bag that slides of my shoulder!  And the pattern that I selected is not the only fun one, just take a look at the others listed above.  When you get tired of one side, just reverse it for a new look!



I am currently working with the fabulous Nia who is an independent consultant for Thirty-One.  She wanted me to share with you the customer special for the month of April.  When you spend $35 you can purchase the exclusive Junior Rec Duffle for $10 or the Pro Duffle for $25.  These duffle bags are only available for the month of April.


She would like to offer my lovely readers a bonus of 10% off any order placed by April 30th.  You can shop online at her website here and select "My Parties" and then "From Corporate to Domestic."  Please check out the Thirty-One catalog to take a look around!

Note:  The 10% discount will be taken off once the orders are closed out, not at the time the order is placed.  All items will arrive in time for Mother's Day!

Now for the fun part, it's your turn to win your very own Thirty-One Inside-Out Bag!

Please fill out the Rafflecopter below and good luck.

Disclaimer: I did receive a Thirty-One Inside-Out Bag to review, but all opinions are my own.

Giveaway will end on Monday, April 22nd 12AM EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Little Party Planning

I can't really type this without being in denial...but in August little baby boy will turn one.  I can't really wrap my mind around it because sometimes I feel like I just left the hospital with him.

And since Nolan's birthday is right after his, I decided might as well get started on these shindigs.

Since it will be so hot in August I thought that a Splash Pad Party would be perfect.  I called the city and booked the last pavilion.  Man I had no idea how fast these get booked!  There is also an awesome playground next to the splash pad so the kiddos will have their choices of fun. (Sidenote--I would have had the party at our house, but now that my mom group keeps adding babies the group is getting really large.  It will be so much easier having it somewhere with unlimited space, plus I don't have to keep my house sparkling while planning a party or think of activities to entertain the kids!)

I also think I've nailed down a theme---a Whale Party!  Since Conley's room is an ocean type theme, and we'll be at a splash pad I thought it would be the perfect combo for our little guy.

I am pretty sure I'm going to order the banner from the same place I bought Nolan's last year:


Here are a few other ideas I've been pinning:



Now believe me I will not be all fancy like these...especially since we'll be at a playground.  I'm thinking of having a big plastic bin or maybe a metal one with ice and all the drinks...and maybe some colorful icey pops!

Hopefully it will be a "Whale of a Time!" :)

Natalie

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

These Are My Confessions

I watch The Voice and don't think it's the same without Cee-Lo or Christina.  As much as I wasn't a fan of Christina's outfits and what shape her boobs would be in...I do miss her her snarky comments.  And who wouldn't miss Cee-Lo's words of wisdom?

I am not feeling Justin Timberlake's new album.  All this hype about the album dropping...and then what?  Ugh I like the previous one much better!

I wish I could just hose off Nolan in the backyard after he's been playing.  That kid loves some dirt!

I may have to turn my A/C on today...yesterday it was 77 degrees in the house, and today's outside temperature is going to be in the 80's!

Last night when Nolan was at Little Gym with Daddy, I just drove around with Conley while drinking a Coffee Frappucino with the windows down.  It was like heaven!

I hope this spring like weather stays and doesn't go straight to summer.  I always feel like spring is only here for a few weeks.

I am scared of the day I can't fit Conley in his carrier (which will be soon), and I have to take both boys to the store.  It should be real interesting!  

And just for fun...here's Conley and I chillin' while big bro was sleeping yesterday!


What are you confessing on this Tuesday?

Friday, April 5, 2013

Let's Have a Blog Party!

It's hard to believe this is my third time to join The Ultimate Blog Party.  I remember the first time I joined I had just started blogging and really didn't know what to expect.  It has introduced me to so many great people, and many of my best bloggy friendships were formed out of this link up.

Ultimate Blog Party 2013

So if you're new here WELCOME!  I'm so happy you stopped by and hope you stay around.

I'm a SAHM mom to two boys, an almost 2 1/2 year old Nolan and an 8 month old Conley.  These kiddos keep me on my toes!

I write about my boys, cloth diapering, my lack of domestic diva skills---even though I am trying to become a better cook, learn to sew, and grow my own garden.

I recently started writing about toddler learning activities and of course I also write about my random rants.

Mostly, you will find a former corporate gal muddling through motherhood one baby step at a time.

Hope to see you around and please introduce yourself!

You can also find us on Bloglovin!

Natalie

Monday, April 1, 2013

Easter Eggstravaganza!

Is it me or does Easter start to feel like a mini-Christmas? Of course I understand the real meaning Easter and make sure the boys do too....but with the baskets from the Easter Bunny and both grandparents...well it starts to get a little out of hand.  These boys definitely aren't missing out!


The tee ball set, safety scissors, and Spencer the train are from the Easter Bunny to Nolan.  The train track set and Mickey Mouse are from my parents.  The Easter Bunny did not forget Conley, and he received the roll inch worm and the Bright Starts activity ball.  My parents gave him the little pop up animal toy.

I decided to split up the gifts, so that Nolan could actually focus on one item at a time without getting overwhelmed.  On Friday, he opened the train tracks and Mickey.  Of course he fell in love with both!


On Thursday, we had a Easter Egg Hunt with the mom's group.  It was so fun to see all the kiddos out there, and Nolan really racked up!


And the week before, Nolan had his Easter Egg Hunt at school.  Here's the goodies I packed for the little ones!


I have a few more photos that I'll post tomorrow.

How was your Easter?


Natalie
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