Texas Life

Goodbye, sweet boy

2012-01-23T07:00:00.003-06:00

"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... "

~Author Unknown

2012 started off extremely rough for our family. We began this year with a heartwrenching, tearful goodbye to our sweet Charlie Brown.

His cancer spread much quicker than the doctors had anticipated and he deteriorated rapidly within just a few days. We knew he was suffering. And we couldn't bear to see him in pain. His furry brothers knew that his time was limited. They spent his last few days by his side, licking his face, rubbing against his body and keeping him company.

And then it was time for his final car ride.

He devoured his last meal of chicken, dog biscuits and donuts. He laid his head lovingly in my lap as I stroked his beautiful, soft ears and Jason patted his back. His breath was steady and even. He was happy, content, loved. And then he slowly drifted away and was gone.

It's never easy, saying goodbye. And this was no exception. A beautiful soul was lost on January 6th. The likes of which this world will never see again.

I miss him. We all miss him.

Things get especially tough when Aidan talks about him. He doesn't understand. He still includes Charlie in his everyday talks. When we leave the house he says goodbye to Charlie. When we give Flippy a treat he wants to give one to Charlie, too. He thinks Charlie will be coming back. It's hard for him to understand that his constant companion is gone forever.

It's hard to believe that he won't be. We'll never see that big, goofy smile in person again. He'll never roll over with all four paws in the air for a back rub, or skid across the kitchen floor as he runs in from the back yard at full speed. And Connor will never know him, either. That's especially hard.

It physically hurts. My heart is broken. But, I know I am lucky. And so was Charlie. He loved us unconditionally and he knew his love was requited. He left this world truly happy.

And I know I will see him again. And the next time I do, he'll have four paws, a shining white coat and by his side will be another wonderful boy that we lost four years ago.

We love you Charlie Brown.

I'm Living My Life

2012-01-22T21:30:00.002-06:00

It's been awhile my friends. So many things have happened. There is so much to share. I guess I will start by saying that I've been doing great with my resolutions. Which is why I haven't been around the blogosphere.

I'm living my life.

It makes for many things to write about, but I am using that time differently these days....

It's been great to spend more time with my little boys. To have my focus completely on them. It's a relief to not be distracted by my cell phone, kindle or laptop during the day. I think in a way I was beginning to feel stressed out by technology. But not anymore. I've just let it go... and it's a breath of fresh air.

I turned 30 (yikes!) on January 1st. To commemorate this historic moment Jason gave me a kindle fire. I am in love! It's wonderful to browse for books to read and have them instantly available at my fingertips. I've all ready finished four books and have a long list of others to check off before this year is over! I love curling up at night on the couch and getting lost in a book. :)

And, I joined Weight Watchers! I officially started last Saturday and I lost 6 pounds in my first week. Surprisingly, it hasn't been that hard of a lifestyle change for us. Jason is pretty much doing it with me, since he eats whatever I do. I love the recipes I've found on their website and I'm finding it pretty easy to follow their Points Plus program. I've also been taking classes at the gym and made it there four times last week. My goal is to go atleast 4 to 5 days a week.

I feel good. Really good.

My life feels back on track. And I couldn't be happier.

Any good healthy recipe recommendations? Do you have a great book you'd recommend for me?

~Emily

Reflections and Resolutions

2012-01-01T16:00:00.000-06:00

As I look back on all the events that unfolded in 2011, it's almost mind boggling to believe that it was only ONE year. Somehow time has simply flown by, and all the moments we spent together just seem so very plentiful. Which makes me smile.

I feel so very privileged to have the opportunity to spend everyday with my boys. I realize that this is something that I take for granted from time to time. And I shouldn't. They will grow up so quickly. One day I won't be able to hold them in my arms and rock them to sleep. One day they won't want me to read them stories while they sit contentedly in my lap. And with that being said, one of my resolutions this year is to cherish all of the time I have with my little men. To live in the moment. To put aside things that I may deem important at the time. Because, frankly, who cares if the laundry is folded or if the dishwasher needs to be loaded? Those aren't the things that matter. Spending time with my two greatest treasures should be at the top of my list.

Our 2011 was filled with so much joy, but there was also some heartache in there as well. When I try to recap all of our ups and downs, it's almost too much. I all ready feel that I'm forgetting things that happened this year. And I don't want to...

So, without further ado, here is our 2011 in review: (Sorry if it's boring to most, but this is more for my failing memory than anything else!)

January-
Celebrated my 29th birthday (eek!). Found out on the 2nd that I was pregnant with Connor. I called Jason (who was driving back to Texas from Ohio) from my parents garage to let him know the news! Aidan is a walking machine at 11 months old.

February-
Our sweet Aidan turned one and we celebrated with a Backyardigans birthday bash! My sister, Elizabeth, came down to celebrate with us.

March-
Jason's parents came down for a few days to visit. Saw Zac Brown Band at the Houston Rodeo.We announce to the world that Aidan is going to be a big brother!

April-
My sister, Elizabeth, and her husband came down for Easter. Found out she was also newly pregnant and we bonded over being expectant Mamas and anticipating babies only one month apart. Aidan loves Easter egg hunts!

May-
My brother and sister-in-law came down for a visit. Jason and I spent some much needed time away from Aidan in the form of a Jimmy Buffett concert. Aidan goes swimming in the Gulf for the first time.

June-
Went to Ohio for a visit, which included big events including, my sister Natalie's college graduation and a surprise baby shower for Elizabeth. Aidan and Jason started "Daddy and Me" swim lessons.

July-
Rented a condo on the lake with friends for the 4th. Aidan loves boats and went tubing for the first time! We finally get renters in our Ohio house after having it sit vacant for over a year.

August-
Jason and I get engaged on a weekend getaway to Lake Travis. Plans begin for a June 2012 wedding. Charlie started limping.

September-
Connor is born on Labor Day after only 20 minutes of pushing! Aidan starts "school" and loves it. My Mom and then Jason's parents come for a visit and to meet baby Connor.

October-
The boys dress as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger for Halloween. Charlie is diagnosed with cancer and has his leg amputated three days later.

November-
Thanksgiving spent with our Texas family here in Houston. Charlie is hospitalized due to an infection contracted after surgery.

December-
Aidan is a little lamb in his "school's" Christmas play. Jason's Grandpa becomes very ill and is hospitalized for almost the entire month. We plan a last minute trip home to spend some time with him and introduce our families to Connor. We are all sick over Christmas. Connor contracts RSV.

All in all, a wonderful year... so many blessings, with some sadness thrown in for good measure. I am so very much looking forward to 2012. This will be the year that Jason and I get married, that Connor learns to walk, that Aidan's vocabulary will explode and that we will lose our dear, sweet Charlie Brown. That last one is going to be heartbreaking, but there's no other way around it, unfortunately.

And for good measure, I am planning to ring in 2012 with some resolutions. Uncustomary for this girl, but I think it needs to be done. So, here they are...

1. As I mentioned above, to live in the moment when spending time with my family. It seems that I'm always checking out my phone, checking facebook or reading blogs when I should be snuggling on the couch, playing with legos or reading a book. So, I resolve to cherish our time together and to be in the moment.

2. To read more books. Not only for me, but with my children. Aidan LOVES books and I wan to instill that love of literature (be it Brown Bear, Brown Bear or Pride and Prejudice) in Connor, too.

3. To lose weight. Preferably before our wedding in June. I was looking into Weight Watchers last night and I think it may be just the thing to give me that extra push. My weekly yoga class just isn't cutting it, so I am looking into adding a step class and/or Zumba to my workout routine, as well.

4. I also have been contemplating going back to school. Originally I was going to wait until the boys are older, but I've really got the learning bug. I have been thinking about taking one or two online classes starting this fall and I think I just may do it. Since it's the new year and all, I think I will go ahead and go back to school.

Have you made any resolutions this year? How did 2011 treat you?

Oh, and did I mention that I also turned 30 today? Yep, January 1, 2012 marks my entrance into a new decade. It's surreal... but also exciting. I'm really looking forward to see what 30 has in store for me. :)

Happy New Year!

~Emily

Holiday Fun

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Earlier this month we went to a Holiday Festival with some friends....

In addition to Santa, they also had a petting zoo, train rides, horse drawn carriage rides, a petting zoo, rock climbing wall and more!

Needless to say, our little animal lover was in seventh heaven once he entered the petting zoo!

He is mooing at me!

It has been unseasonably warm here in Houston this winter. (It was in the 80s this week!) But, on this day it was pretty chilly. Unfortunately, both of our boys came down with double ear infections a few days after our fun outing. They are on the mend now and we're hoping they are both 100% by Christmas!

~Emily

Merry and Bright

2011-12-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

This year I decided to keep things pretty simple around here when it came to our Christmas decorations. As I mentioned previously, I had given away the majority of our decorations to a friend in need and had decided to DIY a few things myself.

Come on in!

The Tree

Ornaments

The Mantel

Holiday Vignette

Little Tree

Homemade Decorations

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up with these lovely ladies....

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!

~Emily

O, Christmas Tree {2011}

2011-12-11T15:24:00.000-06:00

This year, Daddy had a little elf help him put up the Christmas Tree. We opted to use our fake one that I bought for a great deal on Black Friday a few years ago. I think once the boys are a little older, we'll make a day of it and go out to cut down our own tree. But, for now, this is 7 1/2 foot, pre-lit fir will make do!

First he helped Daddy put the tree together....

Then he helped Mommy decorate it. I didn't use any balls this year, because our little elf LOVES ball. I thought I'd save myself (and my ornaments!) from the hassle of cleaning up broken shards of glass everyday. I also didn't put anything on the bottom 1/3 of the tree or in the back. Let's say, it's pretty bare looking from some angles... but it's still beautiful!

Aidan absolutely loves the Christmas tree and says goodnight to it every night before bedtime. I can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning after Santa has come!! Christmas is so wonderful when you have children of your own to share it with. :)

~Emily

Christmas Card {Shutterfly Style}

2011-12-09T21:23:00.000-06:00

Hi friends,
Just wanted to pop in and let you all know how much I LOVE Shutterfly! Right now they are offering some awesome deals on holiday cards... including 40% off of your order. Ka-ching! So, if you're interested in creating a beautiful card, chock full of pictures of your wonderful family, head on over and check them out! They have a plethora of designs and I'm sure you'll find something to suit your fancy. Oh, and if you post a link on your blog back to them, they'll give you $10 off your next order. How fabulous is that? You can see our card below!

Happy Holidays!

~Emily

View the entire collection of cards they have to offer!

Little Firefighters

2011-12-06T07:00:00.003-06:00

Recently we were lucky enough to treat the kids in our play group to a fun day at a local fire station.

They got to go inside the trucks...

Try on the firemen's boots...

And explore to their heart's content...

I feel so lucky to be able to take my little guys on such fun trips!

~Emily

Baby Connor {13 Weeks or 3 Months}

2011-12-05T22:30:00.000-06:00

It's hard to imagine that Connor is all ready three months old. He seems to tiny, yet so big at the same time.

He has been trying out his Bumbo chair. He usually lasts about five minutes max before he wants out.

He definitely still prefers his bouncer or swing over the Bumbo for now.

His personality is really starting to shine. Connor is an extremely smiley, happy, giggly baby. He doesn't cry very often and is still sleeping a solid 10 hours at night. Sometimes I feel like he plays second fiddle to Aidan, since my active toddler definitely demands more attention from Mommy than my sweet baby does.

He also absolutely adores Daddy and Aidan.

And Mommy's not so bad, either! We both love our one-on-one time that we have when Aidan is napping or after he has gone to bed in the evening. He really likes to be sung and spoken to. It makes my heart sing to see how his little face lights up when he gets Mommy's undivided attention. :)

He is starting to like tummy time more these days. And he gets excited when he sees the "baby" in the mirror when he's in his play gym! He actually rolled over from back to front for the firsts time when he was in his gym last week. I was amazed and so proud of him! It wasn't a fluke either, as he is still doing it. But, he gets made once he is on his belly and can't get back to his back. All in good time, little man! :)

I'm glad he has born in September. It's exciting that we get to celebrate Christmas with two kids this year!

Oh how I love my little man!

~Emily

Connor's Fairy

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-06:00

** The video below is now available for everybody to view!**

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy or girl." ~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Happy weekend, friends! :)

~Emily

Aidan and Daddy Day

2011-12-01T07:00:00.003-06:00

Last week Jason took a day off from work and treated Aidan to a day out. Just the two of them.

They took advantage of our membership and made a day of it at the zoo.

Aidan got to ride the zoo train for the FIRST time! I take him there often, but we always forget to ride the train when we arrive and we're always too tired at the end of the day to endure the 20 minute ride around the park.

So, Aidan got to experience it with Daddy. And he was in awe. The "choo choo" was so much fun! (He looks very stern in these pictures, but he actually had a blast! Whenever he tries something new he has to take it all in before he reacts.)

Once they were inside the zoo, they checked out some of the animals. The monkeys were Aidan's favorite, although he really liked these flamingos, too.

Daddy said that Aidan also enjoyed sitting on all of the benches.

The duck lake was pretty cool, too!

Aidan is a lucky boy to have a Daddy that spends one on one time with him. Especially now that he has a little brother who he has to share with his parents. :)

~Emily

Today I am Thankful

2011-11-24T09:04:00.000-06:00

Source: blog.self-improvement-saga.com via Emily on Pinterest

For...

* a supportive, loving, ever-faithful Jason
* my sweet, giggly, cooing, healthy baby boy
* an inquisitive, outgoing and goofy toddler
* Caramel Salted Mochas- delish!
* Black Friday shopping
* my wonderful family and friends up in Ohio
* our wonderful group of friends we consider our "Texas family", whom we will be spending this holiday with
* that, for now, Charlie Brown is happy and doing well
* the opportunity to live in a country where, as a woman, I am respected and my rights are equivalent to that of any man
*Freedom

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

~Emily

A DIY Christmas

2011-11-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

Ever since having Connor I have completely abandoned my creative outlets. I've just felt uninspired and, frankly, too exhausted in the evenings to really start or finish any projects.

But, the upcoming holiday season has changed my tune a bit. I've been listening to Christmas music, sipping on pumpkin spice lattes (even though I'm wearing shorts and it's 80 degrees outside), and browsing the plethora of catalogs making their way into my mailbox everyday.

I'm so excited to decorate for Christmas this year!

At the end of last season I gave away the majority of my decorations to a former member of my Mom's group who didn't have the money to purchase any for her home. Which leaves me with

So this year I'm starting fresh! And I really want to do something fun, colorful, creative and homemade for my boys.

I'm thinking paper, fabric and lots of fun DIY projects!.

Here's some inspiration I've found from two of my favorite kid-friendly catalogs:

Pottery Barn Kids

The Land of Nod

My Silhouette will be getting a lot of use in the upcoming weeks.

Are you starting to think about Christmas? Will any new decorations make their way into your house this year?

~Emily

Charlie Brown {A Tripawd Update}

2011-11-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

It's been overwhelming in our little house these past few weeks. If you remember, our boxer, Charlie, was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer a few weeks ago. Since then, he has had a leg amputated, enjoyed a few good days at home and was then re-hospitalized for a severe infection for five days. We finally have our boy home (hopefully for good!) and he seems to be slowly getting back to his old self.

Night before leg amputation

His best friend, Flippy, had a hard time while Charlie was gone. Flippy's life revolves around his big brother and he missed him greatly when he was in the hospital.

When Charlie initially came home, we had him wear a t-shirt to cover up his large incision site. He has a 12-inch incision in his side that is held together with staples. The shirt is a light barrier between his incision and anything that it may come into contact with.

It was very hard to see him without his leg for the first time. It has now been two weeks since his surgery and it's still hard. I am always waiting to see his other leg and it's simply not there.

Dogs are amazing creatures. Charlie was walking immediately after his surgery. Imagine our surprise when we went to pick him up.... we couldn't believe how happy he was and how well he could all ready balance himself on three legs.

When we got home he was ready to run around the yard!

Unfortunately, after he had been home for about five days, Charlie started feeling pretty badly. His incision was leaking quite a bit, he wouldn't eat or drink and was extremely lethargic. A late night call to the hospital confirmed that we should be worried. The on-call doctor met Jason and Charlie that evening and it was decided that he should be admitted.

Our poor boy developed a pretty nasty infection. His skin around parts of his incision site had become necrotic and had to be removed. When they went to open him up to check out the infection, infected fluid came pouring out of him. After putting him in IV fluids and antibiotics, he started to perk up a bit.

They ended up keeping him for five days and sent him home with a tube inserted underneath his skin that runs into a small port which we have to drain three times a day. He will wear this for two weeks, and if all goes well it will be removed the day before Thanksgiving. Our boy has also lost about 15 pounds since he became sick, so our goal is to get him back into shape.

Once he is infection-free we will start chemo treatments. Charlie Brown is a trooper and we are so glad that he is feeling better.

We love our sweet boy. :)

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. It means so much to us that Charlie has a support system and people rooting him on. He sends tail wags and wet, sloppy kisses out to you all!

~Emily

Connor {Smiles}

2011-11-13T22:31:00.000-06:00

Even my worst weeks can be momentarily forgotten....

A gummy smile from my sweet boy lifts my heart instantly.

No matter how low I may feel sometimes, being a mother fills my heart and soul with gladness.

Here is to a sunnier tomorrow...

~Emily

I am weary

2011-11-08T21:27:00.004-06:00

I feel exhausted. It's only Tuesday night and I wish the week were over.

I am weary.

Today is one of those days where I wish I could just curl up in bed, fall asleep and let the day pass without my knowing it. And I certainly wouldn't be any worse for the wear as a result.

Things have been tough lately. From wedding planning, which is becoming a bit overwhelming, to our ongoing problems with Charlie, both physically (on him) and financially (on us).

Then, of course, there is the everyday dealings of being a mother to two little guys...

I feel like I'm being pulled every which way and I just need a break.

Then today?

Well, let's just say today did me in.

I've been having problems with my phone lately... and after over two and a half hours on the phone with tech support nothing was really solved. I was told they would have to send me a new phone since my problem wasn't one they could fix. But, the woman wanted to do a factory reset on my phone first, as a last result. I was a bit hesitant, as I have a lot of stuff on my phone... contacts, calendar, photos, videos, etc. She assured me everything would be saved on my SD card.

Well guess what? It's gone. All gone.

My photos of my kids. Videos of Aidan walking for the first time. Video of Connor's first night in the hospital. Pictures of Connor's first smile. All gone.

I cried and cried after I was unable to retrieve those images. They're irreplaceable.

And now I have no more words friends.

Tonight I have a heavy heart. I am weary.

Hopefully tomorrow will bring a smile to my face.

A Morning at the Park

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

We went for a walk around the lake...

We enjoyed the view...

(Well, some of us slept instead!)

We watched the ducks cross our path...

Then we decided to feed them!

A certain toddler had to stay in the stroller while he fed this feathered friends. But, he didn't seem to mind!

And neither did the ducks.

We played at the playground.

We had snack and milk breaks...

While some of us slept some more.

It was a great day... Just me and my boys. :)

~Emily

Are you ready for some football?

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Our family loves to hang out on Sundays and watch football.

Today both of "our teams" are playing each other... the Texans vs. the Browns.

Jason is lucky enough to be going to the game. But I'm sure that Aidan and I will be glued to our seats at home!

Man do I love a good football game. I'm so glad that my boys seem to like it, too!

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends. :)

~Emily

Connor Meets Nana and Papa

2011-11-04T07:00:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago we had a lovely visit from Jason's parents.

Connor was very excited to meet Nana and Papa! He spent a lot of time being held by Nana (she is a baby hog, afterall!) He seemed quite content with her. :)

Charlie Brown also got some love from Nana while she was here. She loves all of her grandchildren equally!

Aidan was very excited to see his Papa. He really loves Jason's dad, and I have to say that he his hands down Aidan's favorite grandparent. To Aidan's delight, they played Ring around the Rosie (with Nana, too!).

Then Aidan showed Papa his sock. :)

Nana and Papa also gave Connor a bath while they were here.

The weather was beautiful outside, so we all spent a lot of time in the backyard.

And Papa did manage to sneak away from Aidan for a little bit so that he could hold Connor, too. When Nana would let him, that is. :)

Our boys are so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents! We can't wait to see them again in February when they come down for Aidan's second birthday. :)

~Emily

I think....

2011-11-02T07:00:00.005-05:00

That I've said Yes....

It's from the 2011 Pronovias Collection. They're a wedding gown designer based in Barcelona and they make absolutely gorgeous, whimsical dresses... as you can see from the pictures above.

Never in my wildest dreams did I picture myself wearing a dress like one of these. But, once I slipped into my gown-to-be... I just knew!

Am I totally committed?

I think so!

~Emily

P.S. My gown is NOT pictured here. I can't spoil the surprise! :)

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, too

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

So far this has been a pretty busy Fall season for us. It's so fun this year because Aidan is old enough to enjoy dressing up in a costume and loves pumpkins, while Connor just goes with the flow- which is wonderful!

I was lucky enough to buy some super cute costumes about 6 months ago at a consignment sale. I crossed my fingers and hoped they would fit the kids when Halloween finally rolled around.

Let me introduce you to....

Winnie the Pooh

and Tigger, too!

Last week the kids put on their costumes and we headed to the Houston Zoo for their annual Zoo Boo event. They have kid-friendly decorations, trick-or-treat stations, a pumpkin patch and lots of great places for cute photo ops. We decided to head on down for a day of fun with our Moms group.

As soon as we entered the pumpkin patch, Aidan zeroed in on his pumpkin of choice.

Then he sat down and decorated it himself.

We posed Connor for a little pumpkin photo shoot, which he was NOT too happy about!

Aidan had a great time with all of his little friends.

But, he had the most fun with his best friend, J. They were inseparable for the entire day.

They walked around holding hands and actually wanted to pose for pictures together... which is unheard of for toddlers!

It was a wonderful day! I'm so glad to be able to get out of the house now that Connor has his shots. It's so fun to take my little guys on day trips into the city.

We still have more Halloween fun ahead of us, too! This weekend we are going to a Halloween party and on Monday we are spending the day at a local farm and I'll take Aidan out trick-or-treating as well.

I am one lucky Mama. :)

~Emily

Welcome

2011-10-26T07:00:00.015-05:00

At only 5 weeks old, Connor is all ready a big cousin! Two weeks ago today my sister, Elizabeth, and her husband Aaron welcomed their first child, Brady Garrett, into the world.

He is a beautiful baby.... (and looks very similar to his cousin!)

Every baby is a miracle, and baby Brady is no exception. I am so incredibly happy that my sister is finally a mother. There is no joy like the joy you receive from your children.... the first coo, smile, finger grasp and giggle are enough to melt anyone's heart... but especially a mother's.

Congratulations to you all. We love you! :)

~Emily

A rough road ahead

2011-10-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Isn't it funny how quickly life happens? The days just fly by, rolling one into the other and in the blink of an eye weeks have passed. It's amazing.

These past few weeks happened so quickly that I haven't even had time to write about them.... but tonight I'm making a point to share with you all what has been happening in our little corner of the world.

This post is dedicated to the saddest part of the last few weeks.

Our sweet, beautiful, loving boxer boy, Charlie Brown, has been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.

It all began in August. We detected a slight limp in his gait, seeming to fall on his right front leg. A trip to the vet confirmed a sprained toe and pain medication was prescribed.

A month later, the limp was back, but much worse. Another trip to the vet. This time radiographs were taken, although nothing abnormal appeared. It was determined that his shoulder area was extremely tender and painful to the touch, so a diagnosis of tendonitis was made. He received a cortisone shot, instructions to rest as much as possible and a two-week regimen of pain pills to begin two weeks after the appointment.

His limp never went away. We noticed that even though he was on medication, he still seemed to be in quite a bit of pain. Back to the vet we went last week. More radiographs were taken. Only this time they were different. Now a tumor is on his scapula. A 1" by 2" tumor appeared in 6 weeks. It is eating away at his bone. The vet suspects bone cancer.

A referral to an Oncologist is made and we are able to get in within a few days time. The Oncologist suspects one of two types of cancer. They took an ultrasound of his shoulder and a biopsy of the tumor.

Over the weekend we asked for prayers, well wishes, and special thoughts for our sweet boy. We discussed all of the options. We spent extra time rubbing his head, receiving his handshakes, slipping his extra treats and showering him with love.

Today I received the dreaded phone call. I held my breath, willing for the doctor to tell me that it wasn't terminal. That he would be fine. That he would recover. That we would have years left with our baby. It didn't happen.

Life is cruel, fickle and not always fair. And for some reason, it seems to be most unfair when it comes to our pets. You may remember that we had another boxer whom we also lost to cancer. We only had one year before our sweet Diego succumbed to lymphoma. It really makes you wonder why these things happen...

So here we are with big decisions ahead. Charlie needs to have his leg amputated. If not, it will shatter. The tumor has all ready eaten away a significant part of his bone and it's only a matter of time before he cannot support his own weight and his bone is crushed in the process. We are meeting with a surgeon on Friday to discuss the procedure.

After that, he will need chemotherapy. Even with the chemo and the amputation, Charlie has only been given a 5% chance of beating the cancer. The oncologist has given him 12 months to live.

We are heartbroken.

I was holding Connor as I spoke to the doctor. Aidan was running around playing with a ball, oblivious to the dreadful news I was receiving. Once I hung up the phone, I sat on the floor, leaned up against our refrigerator and just cried, holding Connor close. Charlie, being the wonderful dog that he is, immediately came over, sat in my lap and began licking my face. He sensed my sadness and wanted to make me feel better. That only made my tears fall faster and harder.

This is the most difficult part about being a pet owner. We will always outlive them. We are the ones who will cradle their dying heads in our laps, our tears dampening their soft fur, whispering sweet memories and words of comfort into their ears. And they will be happy in that moment. Even though they are dying.

Happy because they are with their owners. With the people they love unconditionally. It's the only way they know how to love.

So now, we have to be strong for Charlie Brown. He has a rough road ahead of him.

Learning how to live on three legs will be hard, but we know he'll do well. His best friend, our little dog Flippy, will be his biggest support and cheerleader. He'll give Charlie that extra nudge and encouragement he needs to get off his feet.

I am sad that he will lose his leg. Sad to never receive a welcome, loving "paw" or a "high five" from him again. Sad that he will never be able to let out a big, long, lean stretch after a good nap in the sun. Sad that he won't be able to go on long walks or to hop in the car with such ease. We'll never see that excited kidney bean wiggle when we walk in the door- something that would be too hard to attempt on three legs....

Please say a prayer, if you are the praying type, for our sweet boy. Or just keep him in your thoughts.

Losing a pet is the equivalent of losing a child in our eyes. It's especially hard when your child is only five years old. But, we're not giving up. We will be strong for Charlie.

If you have a pet, especially a dog, give them an extra hug and kiss tonight. And remember that they will always love you, even in your darkest hours. In fact, they may be the only true comfort you have at those times. Just love them. Love them and cherish them. We never know what tomorrow may bring.

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." ~Author Unknown

We love you Mr. Brown.

~Emily

Sleepover!

2011-10-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last week we had Aidan's best friend, J, spent the night. Aidan absolutely loves her and his face lights up whenever she is around! They always greet each other with a hug and a kiss. :)

Unfortunately, they've been having a few "issues" while playing together lately. She is four months older than him and they are both in the "idontwanttosharewithyouandwhateveryouhaveiwantNOW" stage... It's been a little rough. Aidan is also starting to push, while J is pulling hair and pinching.

You probably now think that I am officially insane for dealing with two squabbling toddlers and a newborn. I was actually starting to question my sanity as well when I agreed to take her for the evening.

Luckily, they got along beautifully. We literally had no issues whatsoever. They played great together and had a wonderful time!

We watched nursery rhymes, danced the hokey pokey and played ring around the rosey.

Then they had a delicious dinner of macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and yogurt. They both insisted on sitting in "big chairs" to eat. It was better for me to oblige than deal with the crankiness that would've ensued.

Soon after that Jason came home and he played with them for a bit while I tended to Connor. Then, it was time for Baby Einstein and bed.

We all had a great time together. The next morning, J came with us while I dropped Aidan off at playschool. She wanted to stay and play with him! I convinced her that it was time to go see her Mommy, so she gave Aidan a kiss and off we went.

I can't wait until they are older and we can have more sleepovers! I know that they both really enjoyed themselves. Whoever said that children at this age are incapable of forming friendships has obviously never met these two kids!

~Emily

P.S. Sorry for the terrible pictures. It's impossible to get decent photos of two squirmy toddlers!

Connor {Five Weeks Old}

2011-10-11T10:15:00.010-05:00

Well, believe it or not, our little dude is all ready FIVE weeks old! He is starting to lose that newborn look and is turning into a chubby baby. Thankfully, he still has that new baby smell! Don't you wish they could just bottle that up?

He is starting to have more and more periods of alert awakeness and loves to watch Aidan. He is truly fascinated by his goofy, big brother.

Aidan also really likes to spend time with Connor. He loves to help whenever he can and is always giving his little brother kisses.

This past week, we've also been blessed by the presence of Connor's smile. It's heartmelting and officially adorable.

Right now he seems to equally love Mommy and Daddy. He enjoys staring, lying and cooing with both of us. And he even took his first bottle with Daddy last night!

It's amazing how he will immediately calm down when I pick him up. It's as if he is instantly calm and secure in my arms.

I absolutely love all of his facial expressions! He is going to be one silly kid!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers with Connor's reflux. His doctor prescribed him two medications which he is taking seven times a day. So far, they seem to be helping a great deal! He is not screaming in pain anymore and is sleeping better. Now he's able to just be one of the boys and not have to worry about feeling awful. :)

Tomorrow Connor gets to meet is Nana and Papa (Jason's parents) who are flying in from Ohio for a few days. I know he will love them as much as Aidan does! We just need to be sure that Nana doesn't get her "baby hog" on like she did with Aidan.... Ha ha! :)

Happy Tuesday!

~Emily

Reflux {and my poor boys}

2011-10-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

Being a parent is hard.

Nothing is easy about caring for two little ones. It's frightening knowing that you are in complete control of their lives. You and you alone.

And sometimes it's exhausting, frustrating, demanding, challenging and overwhelming. Other times it's wonderful.

Most weeks it's a combination of both.

This week is not a wonderful one.

Connor has all the signs of Aidan's severe reflux. I spoke too soon and was perhaps overly hopeful that he wouldn't have reflux- and if he did, I thought it would be mild.

Boy was I wrong.

He hasn't slept since Sunday night. It's Thursday. I'm exhausted and I feel so helpless. My poor little guy is in extreme pain. Tomorrow we are headed to the Pediatrician, where medication will be prescribed and my prayers of some relief for Connor will hopefully be answered.

I pray that we can get this under control and he will not have GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) like Aidan did. What a nightmare it was for him. He literally lost weight as he got older and was in the low percentile range his entire first year... usually around 5%.

He would scream and arch his back in pain after every feeding and would literally vomit up everything that he had just consumed. Even an hour or so after he ate he would spit up curdled milk and stomach acid.

Reflux is fairly common in babies, but Aidan had GERD, which is a severe form. When he was around 8 months old, his reflux had seemed to go away. Usually when kids start eating solid foods their reflux will diminish. Cautiously we started weaning him from his meds.

Then he started having seizures.

We were terrified and had no idea why this was happening. His doctor referred us to a Pediatric Neurologist.

Aidan had to have an EEG, but the results came back normal. I remember having to hold him down for over an hour as they carefully marked his head with a red marker. They had to measure out the spots for the electrodes exactly so that his readings would be accurate.

After that he had to have an MRI- while under anesthesia. It was terrifying to think that they had to put him under and that I wasn't allowed to be there for the process. Having to stay out in the waiting room and not knowing what they were doing to my baby was torture. I was allowed back in the room after he had been scanned and he was screaming. He woke up in a strange place with strange adults and no sign of Mommy. I can't imagine how he felt. But again, like with the EEG, everything came back normal.

We were stunned. What on Earth was causing our sweet baby to have seizures? We videotaped him having an episode and brought it in for his doctor to see. He immediately knew what was happening to Aidan.

He has a condition called Sandifer's Syndrome, a rare disorder. It affects less than 1% of children who has reflux. Basically it is just his body's reaction to reflux... it stared causing him to twitch and have facial ticks which looked like he was having a seizure.

Who knew that reflux could cause such a thing?

And now, here we are again... going through the ringer with Connor. Atleast this time we are much better prepared and knowledgable about his condition. We're prepared to deal with it, atleast from a textbook standpoint.

Did you know that many times babies with GERD are thought to have colic and not a form of reflux? It's because they cry continuously because they are in so much pain. Just imagine that. They'll have a reflux attack after eating and while burping, crying and even straining to pass gas. So, basically all of the time.

It's extremely hard on families of children with this problem. The stress, helplessness, anger and fatigue can be overwhelming.

So, please pray tonight for baby Connor and our family. Pray that we have strength to help him through this time in his life and that we are able to get it under control.

Here is a very short video from a wonderful website called Reflux.org that helps families dealing with children who have reflux...

Sorry to have been absent for so long friends. I have missed you, but my cup runneth over at the moment.. and not in a good way!

~Emily

Aidan's New Room

2011-09-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

One of the things I really tried to finish before baby Connor arrived was Aidan's big boy room. I wanted him to get adjusted to his new sleeping quarters before he became overwhelmed by the arrival of his baby brother.

We started off trying to convert him to his new "big boy bed", but he was not too thrilled about that idea. He knows it's his new bed and he loves to play on it, but sleeping in his bed at naptime or bedtime has not gone very well so far.

So, we decided that it'd be best if we just moved h is crib into the room so he could get used to sleeping in a new place. I was worried that it would seem pretty cramped, but all of the furniture fits wonderfully. And he still has lots of room to play!

His room came together nicely. Aidan painted this canvas himself at one of the craft playdates we had with our Mom's group.

I made these cute pictures with vinyl decals I found on clearance at Michaels. I used my Silhouette for the wording and the background images that I put the animals on. I also found the frames at Michaels- only $5 apiece on sale! Woot!

These adorable pictures were made last Fall using Aidan's footprint (for the caterpillar) and handprint (for the lion). The company, called Piggies and Paws, does a fabulous job! In fact, over the weekend we had them use Aidan's handprint to make an elephant for his new room. I can't wait to see the final result!

You may remember his alphabet banner from the tutorial I gave here. I love the pop of color it gives to the room and the fact that it helps tie everything together.

Aidan really loves his big boy room. Hopefully we'll be able to get him switched over to his new bed soon.

~Emily

Connor {Three Weeks}

2011-09-27T08:00:00.003-05:00

Our little guy turned three weeks old yesterday! He is all ready starting to fill out in the face and looks different than he did when he was a little, pink newborn at the hospital.

Connor is really starting to show a personality. When he is awake he wants to be held. He'll screech to let you know that he is ready for your attention.

We attempted "tummy time" for the first time this week. Aidan wanted to sit with Connor underneath his play gym and "help" Connor on his tummy. Our little guy did NOT like being on his stomach at all!

Aidan is still loving his role as big brother and is showing signs of being protective of Connor when other kids are around.

Connor is still sleeping really well through the night and usually gives me one 5-hour interval. Now, if only I were smart enough to actually be asleep during that time!

Daddy calls Connor "chow down clown" because he eats ALL of the time! He is definitely growing more and more each day. I'm excited to see what he weighs at his two month appointment!

Things are becoming easier as I learn to balance time between both of my boys. Although some days prove to be more challenging than others.

I'm so blessed to have such wonderful boys in my life. :)

~Emily

Engaged {A Photo Shoot}

2011-09-26T08:00:00.005-05:00

I love Pampers and Huggies. Why? Well, they fit my kiddos nicely, don't leak and offer sensitive varieties for their tender tushies... but, above all else, I love them because I rack up points every time I purchase their products! Woot! (Seriously, if you use either one of these brands, I highly recommend signing up for their rewards programs. It's worth it. They have everything from gift cards and magazine subscriptions to toys and Shutterfly offers.)

I have saved up quite a few points, waiting to spend them on something I really wanted and/or needed. I have cashed in on my Pampers twice, both times to make Shutterfly photo books for Aidan.

For free!

A few weeks ago I was checking out what I could buy with my recent accumulation of points and noticed I could use them towards announcements from Shutterfly. I thought photo announcements would be great to send out as our Save the Date cards for our upcoming nuptials this June. (Eek! So much to do, so little time!) Plus, they were free with my points. Even better!

Unfortunately, Jason and I don't have too many pictures of just the two of us.Once you have a kid, you find that most of your pictures are of either you or your spouse with your child. Since I don't think it'd be a great idea to teach Aidan how to use our expensive camera, we don't have very many pictures of Jason and I together.

Also, I've been pregnant for the past 9 months and really didn't want to be preggo in our Save the Date pictures.

Luckily, we have a fabulous friend who offered to take some pictures for us over the weekend. He is also the one who took Aidan's picture for our Christmas card last year.

Remember this?

Seriously, how cute is my child??

Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures that he took!

We've never had any professional photos taken before, but I think these look wonderful!

What do you think?

Happy Monday, friends. :)

~Emily

Catching up

2011-09-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

What a week it's been....

From learning how to juggle the needs, wants and tantrums of two kiddos, as well as running back and forth between doctors appointments, getting Aidan to and from school and trying to keep a handle on everything at the house, it's been challenging.

I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do.

On everything.

From wedding planning (which has ground to a complete halt), to my Mom's group duties (monthly newsletter needs to be written, November events planned and pending members need to be met), cleaning up the house (what's a broom?), grocery shopping (milk, eggs, sugar, bread, meat, etc.), making appointments that have been put off for far too long (dentist, vet, opthamologist) and DIY/sewing projects (still haven't finished Aidan's nap mat for school...). Not to mention I need to start getting ready for the holidays and all that they entail (parties, shopping, decorating, gifts, etc.) Whew!

Tonight after I tuck Aidan into bed I'll be heading off for a little bit on my own. For the first time since Connor was born. Huzzah!

My destination? Barnes and Noble.

I desperately need an Organizer so I can begin to keep track of all of the things that need to get done in my life. If I keep it all in my head or in my Droid, I still won't be able to really see what takes priority and how busy I will be during any given week.

I envision many different colored pens, each for its own category, a beautiful, clean fresh calendar (divided into weeks AND months) and possibly a pumpkin spice latte. Mmm... Sounds wonderful!

I'm determined to become more organized. I used to be. To the point where I had all of our dinners planned out a month ahead of time. Also, I made a daily list of tasks that needed to be completed and had two different planners, one at home and one I kept in my purse at all times. Now? Notsomuch.

I need this to happen. So that I can be a better wife, mother, friend and homemaker. Or else I'll just end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

No thanks.

And now I ask you, dear readers, how do you stay organized? Any tips for this new Mama of two munchkins? Any advice will be well appreciated!

Happy weekend and first day of Fall, friends! :)

~Emily

Help!

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm stuck in a basket....

And I can't get out!

Baby Connor {is two weeks old!}

2011-09-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

These past few weeks have flown by! I can't believe that my little guy is all ready two weeks old.

Connor is so mellow. The only time he cries is when he's hungry. And when this kid is hungry, he lets you KNOW it!

I've taken to calling him Squeaker because he makes the sweetest little squeaking noises. It's precious.

When he is awake, he is extremely alert and responds to our voices with a turn of his head and a sweet coo.

He loves to feel the sunshine and likes basking in front of the window.

He has all ready had a few visitors from out of town in his short little life. My Mom was here last week and over the weekend we were lucky enough to spend a few days with Jason's Aunt and Uncle who were visiting from Michigan.

Next month we're excited for Jason's parents to come down and meet their second grandson. :)

Connor is a champion eater, sleeper and pooper.

At his two week check-up today he had gained 13.5 ounces in 11 days. This is a HUGE change from his big brother who barely ate the first 3 weeks of his life and consistently gained a very small amount of weight his first 6 months of life due to severe acid reflux.

Connor is also all ready sleeping 5 hours straight at night! I am a spoiled Momma.

Except for the fact that this little guy has major blowouts and goes through a pack of 30 diapers in approximately 2 1/2 days!

Our little guy is also the King of funny faces...

We really love our newest little man. He and big brother Aidan are getting along great, which is such a blessing. It's also amazing to see how much he looks like our big boy. I can't get over how similar their features are!

I'm excited for him to have his first set of shots so that we can get out of the house and start having some fun! We've visited a few friends, so at least Connor and I have gotten out a little bit.

Oh, and I'm happy to say that I all ready fit into my regular clothes again. Not bad for having a baby two weeks ago!

Goodnight, friends. :)

~Emily

Goodbye May

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

For the past few days, my Mom has been in town visiting and helping me out with my little men. Yesterday she left.

And I had myself a good little cry.

Not because today I am officially taking care of two little ones on my own, but because I miss her.

So much that it hurts.

Since moving to Texas three years ago my Mom has only come down twice to visit us. We go up to Ohio 2 to 3 times a year. So, that means I really only see her a few times a year.

And it's hard.

I love seeing her interact with my children. The way she rocks Connor and sings him to sleep. How she can captivate Aidan while reading him a book. And the joy in Aidan's face when she gets down on the floor to play with his zoo, cars or boat with him.

All of the grandkids call her "Gram". Aidan can't say it yet, so instead it comes out as "May". Whenever she would walk away from him, to the bathroom, her room or just to check on Connor he would run after her repeating her name over and over again.

He was napping when she left yesterday and it broke my heart when he woke up and walked around the house calling out and looking for her.

I gave him a picture of her and pointed at her and then kissed her face. I know he misses her, too.

It's times like these that I really miss living close to family.

The next time Connor sees his Gram he will be almost four months old. So much will have changed in that time. Babies grow so quickly and it saddens me that our family doesn't get to watch our children grow up.

But, then I think about all of our wonderful friends down here and the opportunities our kids have here in Texas that they wouldn't have in Ohio and I know that we made the right decision in moving South.

I still miss my family though. I always will.

So, if you are lucky enough to have your parents close by, please let your children see them as often as they can. A grandparents love is so different from that of a parents and one that all children deserve to be enveloped in.

We love you, May. :)

Growing Up

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week while I was in the hospital digesting the fact that I was the mother of two little boys, my sweet Aidan headed off for his first day of "Playschool". You may remember that this was an event that I wanted to be present for. I was praying that baby number two would be able to hold out so that I could be there for Aidan's big day.

Unfortunately, Connor had different plans. Aidan stayed with friends for a few days while we were at the hospital and my wonderful friend Jamie took him to school for the first time. Luckily, Jason was able to meet them there so that Aidan had one of his parents present.

He has attended four times so far and is doing wonderfully. He always cries when Jason drops him off, but stops as soon as he leaves. His first week he cried a little bit throughout the day, but was fine his second week. His teacher, Miss Norma, is very proud of him!

She told us that he is the only child in his class (there are 8 kids, 2 teachers) who always says "please" and "thank you". I have to tell ya that my head swelled a little bit when I heard this! It's so nice to know that he is polite to everybody, even when we are not around.

Now that Connor is home, it makes Aidan seem so much older. And not so babyish anymore. I know he is still young and there are many things that he still needs to learn how to control, such as his reactions when he is upset, frustrated or tired. But, my baby boy is turning into a big boy.

It's fun to watch how he is actually starting to play with his toys and understand how to manipulate things. His vocabulary keeps on expanding and his ability to recognize/associate objects and people is amazing!

My baby boy is growing up before my very eyes! I miss the tiny baby he once was, but I'm so excited for the individual he is becoming. :)

~Emily

Big Brother

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

When this little guy came home and found that there was a baby in residence, I don't think he was too thrilled. We tried to coax Aidan into touching the baby or even kissing him. But, Aidan was firm. In his eyes, the baby did not exist.

He continued to ignore Connor until he had been home for two days. Suddenly, he became interested in his little brother.

When Aidan wakes up in the morning or from his nap, the first thing he says is "baby."

He calls Connor "Cah-co" and loves to help out with all things baby related.

He likes to hand me Connor's diaper, push him in his swing and give him lots of kisses. He also points out things that belong to Connor like his car seat, bouncer and bassinet.

We leave our bedroom door open while Connor is napping and Aidan likes to go in and touch his feet and wave at him while he's in his bassinet.

A few days ago, Aidan came and sat by me on the couch, held out his arms and asked to hold Connor. My heart melted. He really does love his little brother.

I know there will be plenty of moments to come where Aidan is less than thrilled that he has to share Mommy and Daddy with a sibling. But, right now, I'm so happy that he is so welcoming of his little brother and wants to be involved in his life.

I'm so proud of my big boy!

~Emily

Connor {One Week}

2011-09-12T08:00:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that our littlest man is all ready one week old today! We were happy to come home from the hospital and start our new life together as a family of four.

I am so glad that Jason has been able to take time off of work to help out with our boys until my Mom comes down to visit on Wednesday. It is TIRING trying to juggle time between a newborn and a toddler.

We've been taking naps whenever we can...

But, don't let the pictures fool you! Connor has his days and nights backwards, so we've been having quite a battle with him to switch his schedule around. I'm exhausted!

He looks so much like Aidan! Jason and I really can't believe it. Connor has beautiful eyes and is very expressive for a newborn. He rarely cries or fusses, only when he's hungry. He is still breastfeeding well, but usually only from one at a time... which has been pretty hard for my body to adjust to. (Read between the lines... being engorged HURTS!)

Last night Connor received his first bath at home. He wasn't the biggest fan. I'm sure once his umbilical stump falls off and he's able to be a bit warmer at bathtime, he'll enjoy it more!

As for me, I'm feeling much better than I did after giving birth to Aidan. I'm able to do everything that I usually do around the house and have minimal pain. It's been great, because I really don't know what kind of shape we'd be in if I was feeling as poorly as I did after my first pregnancy.

(one week after having Connor)

It's hard to believe that we have two children now. But, at the same time, it seems completely natural. I know things will get easier once Connor is on a normal schedule and I can get some sleep in the evenings.

I sure do love my littlest man!

~Emily

101 Things To Do {With Toddler Aidan}

2011-09-09T23:09:00.001-05:00

Color
Blow Bubbles
Play Hide-and-Seek
Peek-a-Boo
Play Chase
Do Finger-plays
Sing a song
Collect rocks in a basket
Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
Go for a Walk
Make a Car out of a Box
Read a book
Go to the park
Finger-paint
Play with Play-Dough
Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
Play the shell and pea game
Dance to music
Download games for toddlers from the Internet
Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)
Put on a puppet show
Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
Make a Horseshoe game
Make a Shape Puzzle
Play paper basketball
Run through a Sprinkler
Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)
Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
Play with a kazoo
Wash windows together
Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
Brush each other's teeth
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
Make a playhouse out of a large box
Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a Smelling Hunt
Frost Cookies
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
Have a splash party together in the bathtub
Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
Make and try on paper hats
Give a piggy-back ride
Play "Horsey"
Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
Play tug-of-war with a blanket
Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
Make a camera and go on a Safari
Play games with frozen juice lids
Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your child talk too
String large beads onto or along a shoelace
Squirt each other with squirt bottles
Glue shapes onto paper
Make sock puppets
Make paper puppets
Fill an old purse with toys
Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
Act out a story from a book
Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!
Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
Do the Hokey Pokey
Make a super-hero costume out of household items
Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals
Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)
Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
Learn numbers from a deck of cards
Play the matching game with a deck of cards
Make a domino chain
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
Make a nature collage
Mirror each other
Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
TAKE A NAP!

I found this list on Pinterest and thought it was a great list of things to do with my little man, especially now that he has to share his time with me with his little brother. It will be great to have special things just for us to do while Connor is napping or spending time with Daddy.

We're all doing well here. I hope to write a real post soon and update you all on the happenings in our house. Life with two little guys under two is fun, but certainly tiring!

Have a great weekend,

~Emily

{Love}

2011-09-06T22:25:00.000-05:00

Our newest addition has arrived! Connor Patrick was welcomed into the world at 6:43am on Monday, September 5th, weighing 8 lbs 3.5 ounces and measuring 21 1/4 inches. He just had to come on Labor Day!

While both of my pregnancies were practically identical, the labors were completely different. Connor's birth was everything I wished Aidan's had been. (I now realize that I never shared Aidan's birth story with you all. That's something I'll have to do sometime in the near future.)

He is breastfeeding like a champ and looks so much like his older brother! Connor is a sweet, sweet boy and Jason and I were immediately taken with our second little man.

Mama and baby are doing great! Tomorrow morning we go home and in the evening we'll be picking up Aidan from our friends who have been watching him this week. I'm excited to have my entire family together.

Connor is a night owl and I can't help but hold him after his nighttime feedings. I know I should get some sleep, but I love staring into his beautiful eyes and stroking his chubby little cheeks.

Big brother Aidan came to visit yesterday. When asked if he wanted to touch or kiss Connor, his response was "No!".... He did eventually touch and kiss his baby brother, but didn't seem too interested in him. Hopefully his adjustment period goes well and he learns to love his baby brother.

I'm bursting with love for all of my boys tonight. I never thought I could be happier than I all ready am. I feel so incredibly lucky to have such a loving father for my children. And I am so grateful to have two healthy, beautiful little men. :)

Good night, all!

~Emily

39 weeks

2011-09-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant. And I'm ready.

Maybe it's the ferocious heat.

Or the fact that I have to pee (trickle) 10 times every hour.

Perhaps the extremely uncomfortable pelvic pressure.

Or it could be the debilitating lack of sleep combined with severe back pain.

Anyway, I'm ready.

Baby can come whenever he/she wants.

I've loved every moment of this pregnancy so far... but, I think it's time.

I'm ready to meet our new addition. :)

{38 weeks}

My 39 week check-up is tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Come on, baby!

~Emily

Right now...

2011-08-31T10:40:00.001-05:00

* I am exhausted. This pregnant lady woke up at 2 am and never managed to fall back asleep. It's going to be a LOOONG day, people.

* Aidan and I are taking it easy. We took a shower, ate breakfast and are hanging out in the playroom. We were supposed to meet some friends for a walk and playtime at the Mall, but I had to cancel. There was no way that was going to be happening with me functioning on 3 hours of sleep.

* My little man is sitting in his rocking chair reading a book. :)

* The dogs are at my feet. I love our pups, but sometimes wish they'd give me a bit more space. Especially our 60 pound Boxer who thinks he is the size of a chihuahua and whose daily attempts at laying in my (very small) lap are getting a bit annoying.

* I am mucous plug free. Woohoo! Although, I lost mine 3 weeks before Aidan made an appearance, so who knows what that really means?!

* This preggo really needs some chocolate and caffeine and a back rug and a nap. Can anybody help me with this one?

* I'm trying to decide what to accomplish today. I have a few projects that I'd really like to finish up before baby, I just need the motivation to actually complete them. I may end up putting them on the backburner for tomorrow. I guess we'll just have to see how the day goes.

What are your plans for the day?

~Emily

Aidan {18+ months}

2011-08-29T14:19:00.000-05:00

My little man is growing up right before my very eyes. Everyday brings a new experience, adventure, reaction and slew of words.

At the beginning of the month he turned 18 months old. In fact, he'll be 19 months old next week. On the baby's due date, actually.

It's fairly hard for me to digest that my little guy is closer to 2 than he is to 1 these days. But, I'm so incredibly proud of the individual he is becoming.

Here are some things I love about Aidan:

* He always wants to take his shirt off when he eats. My guy is not a fan of bibs, so he'd rather eat sans shirt than wearing something around his neck. I'll take it off depending on what he's eating at the time. Spaghetti? Yes! Fruit? No.

* His huge heart for animals. Aidan has never met an animal that he didn't love, even though some do NOT love him. He was scratched by a cat at the vet a few weeks ago and was extremely upset. It wasn't that he got hurt, but the surprise that this animal did not immediately love him in return was too much for him to bear.

* The way he says "thank you" whenever he hands something to anybody (including the dogs). He does it because WE say thank you to HIM when he gives us something. So now he thinks that is what HE should say when he presents anybody with an item. It's adorable.

* Aidan loves to help. From feeding the dogs every morning to unloading the dishwasher to folding laundry to getting the mail. He always wants to give me a hand with whatever it is that I'm doing. And the best part is that he actually IS helpful!

* We get the mail everyday. Sometimes it's the only time we leave the house since it's so hot out. Aidan loves these trips and can't wait to walk the 3 houses down to retrieve the mail with Mommy. The house in front of the mailbox has large pine trees in the front yard and Aidan makes it his mission to bring a pinecone home with him everyday. I have saved almost all of them.

* Aidan's comprehension is remarkable. He understands much more than I give him credit for at times. If you give him simple instructions, he is almost always able to follow through. From turning on the switch for the fan to bringing me the dog dish to putting away toys- he understands it all!

* He loves his Daddy. Everyday before Jason leaves for work he gives Aidan a high-five. Then after he walks out the door he walks over to our front window where Aidan is waiting. They then wave goodbye to each other and give "the rock" through the window. Melts my heart I tell ya!

* I love our nightly cuddle sessions. It is Aidan and Mommy time, nobody else will do. He leans up against me in the couch, holds my hand, drinks his milk and watches Baby Einstein. I live for those moments.

* He has a very large vocabulary. Jason and I are regularly impressed by things Aidan says and what he can point out to us. Sometimes I think he gets frustrated because we are unsure of a new word he is saying. With time I know that he'll be able to enunciate better so that we know exactly what he is saying!

I am so proud of my little man. I know that there are so many other amazing things that he does, but it's just too hard to list them all. They seem to grow so quickly these days that it's almost too hard to keep up with it all. Everyday is a new beginning, a new adventure and a new chapter in his little life.

I love my sweet boy!
~Emily

Today {Relax}

2011-08-28T13:13:00.000-05:00

Today we're relaxing.

Recovering from our very busy day yesterday which consisted of swimming lessons, lots of play time, a Momma who wasn't feeling very great for the better part of the day, an evening party, followed by an after party, a DQ ice cream cake run at 11:30pm and ending with us getting home close to 2 am. Yikes!

Jason was a dear and let me sleep in (Sunday is usually his weekend day to catch a few extra Zzz's) while he wrangled Aidan this morning.

The little man spent the morning playing with his new favorite toy (the he received almost 7 months ago for his birthday!), his Little People Zoo. He absolutely loves the animals and enjoys placing them in the different parts of the Zoo, putting them in the laundry basket and taking them for "rides" around the house.

It's 1 pm and we're still in our pj's. At some point we have to change since there are some errands that have to be run.

Jason and I are talking about baby's impending arrival. When is baby going to come?! I need to know! The anticipation is killing me. :)

I am trying to enjoy every moment that I can with our little family of three before we welcome our newest child. Aidan is getting showered with hugs, kisses and attention- probably a little more than usual.

We still have a few small things to get done around the house, but nothing that is imperative right this very moment. We're just taking it easy. Enjoying each other's company. Like the calm before the storm that is a newborn.

Enjoy your Sunday friends!

~Emily

Ready for Fall

2011-08-24T09:00:00.005-05:00

Last week I showcased a few wedding ideas I have on Pinterest.

Today I thought I'd focus on my favorite season, Fall! Even though it's supposed to be 105 degrees today, I'm still dreaming of sweatshirts, jeans and the leaves changing color. Unfortunately Fall doesn't start here in Houston until late October, but a girl can dream, right?

Here's what I'm loving for this upcoming season:

{Food}

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

Slow Bake Mac & Cheese

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

Pumpkin Pie Dip

{Crafts/DIY}

Fall Handprint Tree

Scrapbook Paper Pumpkins

Yarn Wreaths

Acorns and Fall Flowers

{Sights}

Roasting Marshmallows

Leaves Changing Color

Beachside Bonfire

Pumpkin Patches

{Fashion}

Bird Necklace

So Cute for a Day at the Farm

Zoe Floral Scarf

Fun Fall Outfit

Are you ready for Fall, too?!

~Emily

P.S. You can follow me on Pinterest here.

Tuesday Babbles

2011-08-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

* I'm still only dilated 1 centimeter. We went to the doctor last Friday and there hasn't been any progression. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I don't want the baby to come right now. In fact if the baby could come on its actual due date, I'd be quite pleased. Aidan was prompt and arrived just when I requested that he would- after the Super Bowl. After I watched my man Peyton Manning lose to the Saints (well played Drew Brees, well played), I went into labor no less than 2 hours later. My little man was a Mama's boy from the start!

* Today is the 34th day in a row of 100+ degree temperatures here in Houston. (Come on, admit it, you're jealous!) To say that this weather is becoming unbearable and overwhelming would be an understatement. When you walk out of your house and your lungs feel like they're on fire from simply taking a breath of air, you know it's TOO HOT! This heat, plus being in the very late stages of pregnancy, is really taking its toll on my body. I'm getting exhausted very quickly these days. :(

* Yesterday I took Aidan to the Aquarium with some friends. He had a great time! The little man loves fish (or as he calls them, "pish"), so he was excited to see all of the really big ones in their tanks. It was the first day of school for the big kids, which gave us the whole place to ourselves. The kids could run around and we didn't have to wait in line for anything. We rode on the carousel and ferris wheel, took a train ride through the Shark Encounter exhibit, got to meet a sloth named Patches and even saw a white tiger! It was a good day. We both took nice naps when we got home.

* We have no food in our house. Seriously. The past two nights we've eaten out or had takeout. Last night it was Vietnamese and the night before we dined at Panera. And this morning Aidan and I had mini quiches and pineapple for breakfast, leftovers from a party I threw this weekend. This is very unlike us... I've just been too tired to make a trip to the store. One of Jason's former coworkers is in town on business this week and he is most likely coming over for dinner tonight. Looks like I'll be headed out to the grocery today whether I like it or not!

* Speaking of parties I threw this weekend, I'm now a consultant for Discovery Toys. It happened by accident, but I think it'll turn out to be a good thing. Right now it's just something else added to my all ready overflowing plate. More on that later.

* I finally packed my bags for the hospital, as well as Aidan's overnight bag for while we're away. I figured it was about time. I'm surprised at how little I'm taking with me. Last time Jason had to make TWO trips from the car to my room to bring in all of the junk that we brought with us. Three quarters of it we never even used. I guess you learn, huh?

* Aidan starts playschool in two weeks. (That's what we're calling his Mother's Day Out program). I've bought his backpack, folder and lunchbox all ready. We go in for a teacher meet and greet next week and parent orientation is scheduled for the first day of school. Hopefully the baby will come AFTER all of this, because I do NOT want to miss out on these moments with Aidan.

Enjoy your Tuesdays, everyone! :)

~Emily

Pretty pillows

2011-08-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been on a roll with my sewing... well, if you can call it "on a roll", since I've only been sewing for two weeks. But, I've all ready made four pillows!

Yay!

Here are my latest creations:

Aren't they pretty? I've started making kitchen/ breakfast room curtains (out of the same fabric as the small green pillow- I want to tie the rooms together with the living room), and they are going well. I'm getting a little fancy and risky by lining them with muslin, so that they don't fade from all of the sunlight they'll receive.

It's so exciting to be able to create something that turns out so well and looks like I actually bought it! And the best part? It probably took me a total of 30 minutes to make BOTH of my newest pillows. Hurrah!

Stay tuned for my next project..... :)

~Emily

My 101 in 1001 {One Year Later}

2011-08-18T08:00:00.004-05:00

I'm just realizing that I'm all ready one year into my 101 in 1001 challenge- boy has time been flying!

Let's take a look and see how well I've done so far....

Items Completed:
16- I had a lot of fun completing these 16.... they included some awesome times, such as:

Renting a cabin for a weekend on the Lake

Taking Aidan to swim lessons

Redecorating our office- now Aidan's playroom

Attending a Houston Texans football game

Completing 5 DIY projects

Going away with Jason for a weekend

Items In Progress:
15- I'm looking forward to finishing these tasks, which include:

Seeing 10 new movies in the theater- only one more to go!

Visiting a Texas Gulf beach twice a year

Visiting Ohio twice a year

Finish decorating the nursery

Items Not Able to Achieve:
8- Unfortunately I can't do it all and some things were just not attainable this time around.

What's Left?
77 items that I need to start AND finish
15 items that I need to finish

It's awesome to see how much that has happened in this past year. It's been a busy, exciting, fun and productive one, that's for sure! There's still a whole lot to complete in two years, though. But, I'm up to the challenge!

Oh, and did you notice the little lilypie ticker at the top of my page today? Yep, I'm 37 weeks. As in full term! Baby could be here any day now.... :)

~Emily

Wedding Inspiration

2011-08-17T07:45:00.000-05:00

Since getting engaged on Friday, I've been thinking a lot about our upcoming wedding (which will take place in Ohio sometime next summer). I've taken to scouring Pinterest in the evenings for inspiration.

Here are some of my ideas so far:

Ceremony/Reception site~ Lodge at Geneva on the Lake

{via}

Wedding Gowns

{via}

Bridesmaid Dresses

{via}

Hair

{via}

Bouquets

{via}

Centerpieces

{via}

Something Blue

{via}

DIY Invitations

{via}

Unique Guestbook Idea

{via}

What do you think? I'm getting pretty excited about all of this... I just hope I can get some big things done before baby comes! :)

~Emily

P.S. You can follow me on Pinterest here.

Babymoon {Part Deux}

2011-08-16T09:00:00.006-05:00

While our fire was lighting up the dark evening sky (and while I was sweating to death because it was 95 degrees at 9 pm) Jason and I reminisced about all of our wonderful times together.

Afterall, we have experienced quite a bit in our almost 6 1/2 years as a couple. We haven't taken the most conventional of roads: adopting animals, buying a house, moving 1400 miles away, buying another house, having two babies.... all before marriage. But, we love our life together and wouldn't change a second of any of it.

Then to my surprise, my best friend and soulmate asked me if I would be his wife.

It was simple, romantic and perfect.

I said yes.

Even though we've been together longer than many couples actually stay married, it was an extremely exciting and emotional moment for the both of us. He was visibly shaking and I'm pretty sure you could see my smile from the space station.

Afterward we went back to the resort, took a few pictures and settled in for a wonderful night's sleep. (Which ended up being not so wonderful since Jason received a call from a wrong number at 3 am that woke both of us up and kept both of us from getting back to sleep. Ugh!)

In the morning we had a delicious breakfast at the Resort's restaurant and discussed future plans. Then, I headed down to the Spa for my massage and Jason hit up the pool. After checking in, changing into a luxurious robe and settling down with a magazine in the peaceful women's lounge I received some bad news. My masseuse had car trouble and they wanted to reschedule my appointment. The time they had available didn't work out with our plans, so I had to cancel. Needless to say, I was disappointed. My back was really looking forward to that prenatal massage!

So, I changed into my swimsuit and headed down to the pool. Jason was very upset about the situation, but there really wasn't anything that could be done. After swimming for a bit, we decided to check out and head to Austin to look around the city.

We found a Botanical Garden that would be a beautiful location to get married at. In fact, there was a wedding there that day! I'm not sure how the bride and groom didn't melt in their formal attire- it was over 100 degrees out! Their Oriental Gardens were our favorite and we had a great time walking around looking at all of the lovely fountains, ponds and plants.

(36 weeks and 2 days)

After an hour or so, we were both officially exhausted from walking around in the heat. We decided to grab a quick bite for lunch and head back home to pick up our little guy (who had the time of his life staying with our friends! We're surprised he even wanted to come back home with us!).

I'm so glad that Jason and I were able to have a such an incredible night away. Which turned into a night that neither one of us will ever forget.

Now I've got a wedding (in Ohio, phew!) to plan! Wish me luck. :)

~Emily

Babymoon {Part One}

2011-08-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

Aaaaahhhhh......

It was great.

It was wonderful!

Our mini babymoon was exactly what Jason and I needed. Time to ourselves. Time without our little guy. Time to remember what it's like to enjoy each other. To breathe. To relax. To enjoy the moment. To just be.

Our wonderful friends, Tonya and Jason, had offered to watch Aidan for a night or two this month if Jason and I had wanted to get away. Of course we jumped at the opportunity! I really didn't care where we went, I was just excited to spend a night without Aidan.

Don't get me wrong, I love my little man, but Jason and I haven't been away from him since he's been born. That's 18 months, people! We were well overdue for a little alone time.

Jason planned everything, and he did a fabulous job. :)

After dropping of Aidan (with our friends) and the dogs (at the dog ranch- spoiled pooches!) we headed off on our journey.

We eventually ended up here:

Lakeway Resort and Spa on beautiful Lake Travis up in Hill Country (NW of Austin, for those of you that know Texas at all).

After checking into our room, we sat on our balcony for awhile and just enjoyed the serene view of the lake. (It was sad to note how low the water level was. The drought here in Texas is getting fairly desperate and the lake is only at 65% capacity right now. Houston is actually going to start pumping in water from a local lake so that we don't run out of water.)

Then we checked out the great pool area, which included a 3 level infinity pool with float up bar just for adults, as well as a large hot tub, and two other pool areas that were kiddo friendly. Before changing into our swimsuits I booked myself a prenatal massage at the spa for the next morning.

We spent a few hours poolside, watching boaters on the lake, reading magazines, swimming and enjoying each others company. We both commented on how strange it was not to have Aidan with us. It's amazing that we were together for FIVE years before Aidan, but now it seems that we can't possibly imagine our lives without him.

We were getting a bit hungry, so we headed back to the room to get ready for the evening. Jason found a great restaurant online that overlooked the lake, so we headed there for dinner. Both of us were blown away by the spectacular water views and ambiance the restaurant had to offer, as well as the great meal that we had.

I ordered fettuccine with shrimp and lobster in lobster sauce with fresh ricotta on top. To. Die. For.
Jason ordered trout topped with crab meat, golden raisins and pine nuts. Delish!

We decided to hang out at the restaurants outdoor seating area after we were finished eating to watch the sunset.

Jason ordered a few drinks,

we claimed ourselves a couch,

a waiter came by to light our little fire pit

and we snuggled up to enjoy the view and each other's company. :)

To be continued....

~Emily

Relaxation Station

2011-08-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

Jason and I are off on a very short babymoon today. I don't know where we're going, and frankly, I don't care! (He made all of the arrangements, I'm just riding shotgun on the way.)

It'll be our first night away from Aidan in 18 months. And I'm so excited!

The little guy will be staying with friends for the evening and I doubt he'll even notice our absence, since he'll be having such a good time!

Enjoy your weekends, friends.... I know I will! :)

~Emily

When you're the best of friends...

2011-08-11T09:00:00.019-05:00

When you're the best of friends
Having so much fun together
You're not even aware, you're such a funny pair
You're the best of friends

Life's a happy game
You could clown around forever
Neither one of you sees, your natural boundaries
Life's one happy game

If only the world wouldn't get in the way
If only people would just let you play
They say you're both being fools
You're breaking all the rules
They can't understand, the magic of your wonderland

When you're the best of friends
Sharing all that you discover
When that moment has past, will that friendship last?
Who can say? There's a way!

Oh I hope... I hope it never ends

'Cause you're the best of friends

Song "Best of Friends" from the Disney movie The Fox and the Hound, lyrics by Stan Fidel

~Emily

I made the decision

2011-08-10T09:00:00.004-05:00

In an earlier post, I briefly mentioned that I had decided to send Aidan to a Mother's Day Out program twice a week. A few months ago this was a PYHO post that I had written, on whether or not to actually send him.

It's been a very hard decision for me. Some days I'm excited, others I'm not.

I know there are plenty of women out there who would kill for the chance to get their kiddo out of the house for a few hours a week, so they'd have time to do whatever they wanted, or needed, to get done.

Heck, there are times right now when I would kill for that chance! It's not a lie when I say that I look forward to nap time everyday. We all need a chance to reboot and regain control of our sanity when we're home all day with children.

But, still, it's hard. I'm sending away my baby.

I know he'll be fine. And I know I'll need the break once Baby Number Two makes an appearance in less than a month!

This is what's right for all of us. It'll be best for Aidan, myself and the baby.

But, I worry. Worry that Aidan will have a hard time adjusting, worried that he won't like the program, worried that he will feel abandoned.

Most of all I'm worried that he WILL like it.

Does that make sense?

Shouldn't I be the one he wants to spend all of his time with? Shouldn't I be the one to lay him down for a nap? To comfort him when he gets a boo boo? To feed him his lunch? To receive all of his hugs and kisses? To teach him what he needs to learn at this young age?

Instead part of my mothering duties will be put on the shoulders of another. Somebody who isn't me. Somebody I don't even know! And being the control freak I am, it doesn't make me feel too great.

These toddler years are so short. I don't want to miss out on all of those special (and frustrating) moments with my little man.

And I know that when I drop him off on his first day and watch him standing there with his little backpack on his shoulders, gripping tightly to his lunchbox, I'll definitely shed a tear or two. I just have to hope that he'll enjoy himself and that I'll relish this one-on-one time with our new child.

I know I just need to get over it. It's for the best, right?

~Emily

P.S. Linking up with Shell today.

Over the envy

2011-08-09T09:00:00.006-05:00

For the longest time I'd read other blogs in envy. How did these women always manage to find such great buys at Goodwill, yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets? I always felt like a failure as I walked away empty-handed time after time after time.

Well friends, I finally feel like my fortune has changed! Lately it seems, that almost every time I walk into Goodwill, I walk out with a great buy or two!

I have to be honest, it's such a rush! And it makes me giddy with excitement, too. :)

Here's what I've found lately.....

Antique birdhouse, $3.99

Gorgeous wood mirror, $8.99

(somebody screwed some ugly hooks onto the bottom of it, that I easily removed)

Vintage-looking lantern, $2.99

And my big splurge/steal/buy this week....?

This!

I found this baby at Goodwill for $30. It matches our nursery furniture perfectly and there's not a scratch or blemish on her! She came with other cushions, but I switched them out for these, which we all ready had on hand. I'm so excited to rock our new baby in this great glider! :)

Have you made any great finds lately?

~Emily

P.S. I'm linking up with Linda at Coastal Charm today.

Sew Good

2011-08-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend I conquered my newest fear.

My sewing machine... *cue horror music*

Jason bought me one a few months back and it's been sitting in the box in our bedroom since it arrived via UPS. Sounds oddly familiar to what happened with my Silhouette, too, huh?

I don't know what it is. I guess new technology freaks me out a bit and I need a nudge in order to get going.

On Saturday I got together with two friends (both experienced sewers) to make nap mats for our kiddos, since they will all be attending the same Mother's Day Out program this Fall. (You probably remember that post from here. More on my decision later this week.)

This project was extremely daunting and not one that I would have ever thought to do on my own. I was honestly skeptical about even trying it with the help of my friends. But, boy am I glad that I went! They taught me so much about my machine and helped me get over my fear of sewing.

They both accomplished much more of their mats than I did that day, but I was so proud of what I did complete! Yes, I had a lot of trouble and yes my stitching is less than stellar.

But I made something!

With a sewing machine!

And it doesn't totally suck!

Yay me!

It even gave me the courage to make some pillows on my own. I went out to JoAnn's and purchased fabric (50% off with a coupon) and two pillow forms (on sale 50% off) and made two pillows.

And guess what? They look great!

What do you think?

My friends are coming over today so we can finish our mats. Okay, who am I kidding? They'll finish and I'll get a little more done. I think mine may take awhile since it's a harder project than pillows.

I've all ready picked out fabric to sew a few more pillows and I'm eyeing something pretty to make curtains for our kitchen/breakfast room area.

I'm so grateful to have friends that gave me the push I need. I've realized that I love to sew and I really enjoy the sense of accomplishment I feel after completing a task.

Have you conquered any fears lately?

~Emily

Good Idea/ Bad Idea

2011-08-02T14:17:00.000-05:00

Good idea: Taking Aidan to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie.

Bad idea: Giving Aidan my drink cup, with only ice in it, to play with at the movie. He took the lid off, dumped the ice all over the floor, then sat down to play with it.

Good idea: Going boating up at the lake for the day.

Bad idea: Going boating up at the lake when you are 34 weeks pregnant, with a heat index of 110!

Good idea: Painting the backs of the bookshelves in the living room, for a nice "pop" of color.

Bad idea: Not realizing that the backs are not real wood, or even particle board and spending over 3 hours painting them, only to have ALL of the paint peel off as soon as it is dry.

Good idea: Having white slipcovered furniture in my living room. (easy to clean!)

Bad idea: Letting my boys eat chocolate chex mix on my furniture right after I had changed the slipcovers!

Good idea: Having my kiddos close together.

Bad idea: Having my kiddos close together! (Two under two anyone??)

Have you had any good ideas lately that didn't quite work out?!

~Emily

Yikes! {Otherwise known as, it's all ready August and I have LOTS to do!}

2011-08-01T08:00:00.009-05:00

Something dawned on me today.

I'm going to have another baby.

SOON!

Perhaps I should start preparing for my newest arrival, right?

According to my weekly babycenter.com update, I should have my bags packed, birth plan written, childcare lined up, frozen meals stocked in the freezer, pet sitters at the ready, and just sit back and wait for those contractions to start.

Okay.... so.... let's take a look at that...

Bags packed? Nope. Although I did buy the baby's going home outfit this weekend. Yay me!

Birth plan written? Ha ha! My three-page plan that I spent months researching for Aidan's birth was never even taken out of my bag while I was in labor. So much for that!

Childcare lined up? Yep. But, she's in Canada until mid-August. Let's hope this baby doesn't make an early appearance, or else Aidan may be accompanying us to Labor and Delivery. Nothing like a troublemaking toddler to make your birthing experience memorable.

Frozen meals stocked in the fridge? Do frozen Weight Watchers single dinners and a few pints of Blue Bell ice cream count? Didn't think so...

Pet sitters? Huh?

Needless to say I've got to get to gettin' around here. We've just been SOO busy lately. And I keep telling myself that I have all this time. Unfortunately time passes rather quickly, and I'm running out of it.

Fast.

I still have a lot of things I need to order, from a new crib mattress to a replacement motor for my breast pump.

This week I'm really going to, hopefully, get all of my ducks in a row. I have a list of things to order and preparations to make... I've just been kind of avoiding it.

Am I in denial? I'll get back to you on that one...

So, you have my word, Girl Scouts honor and all of that jazz, that this week I will prepare for baby's impending arrival!

I promise.

After I eat some ice cream, take Aidan to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie and spray paint a few things....

~Emily

For the love of the laundry {basket}

2011-07-27T08:30:00.001-05:00

Check out more photos at Five Minutes for Mom.

~Emily

I heart thrifty finds {and spray paint}

2011-07-26T08:29:00.000-05:00

I've had some great finds in the past few weeks that I'd love to share with you!

First up, these items were all on sale at Hobby Lobby. This sweet little bird basket was on clearance for $2.99, marked down from $19.99. The gold N was 50% off for $4.00 and the large bird was on clearance for $1.99!

They've all found homes here in our little casa, with the N receiving a nice coat of Krylon Peekaboo Blue spray paint. I think it fits in nicely on our summer mantel, don't you?

This plant stand was on clearance at Home Goods for $4.99, marked down from $19.99. I thought I could use it as a small nightstand for my side of the bed.

I added this tray that I picked up at Goodwill for $.50 cents on top. It holds a few books, flowers, my glasses and the baby monitor. A perfect fit! I think I want to paint it, but I'm not sure what color yet. For now the items on top of it cover up the design anyway.

I also bought this tray for $.50 at Goodwill. It's on Jason's night stand and holds some pictures. I want to paint this guy, too... but again I'm undecided! Any suggestions?

And a few more good finds...

Vase, $.25.

I brightened it up a little!

Before

A set of 4 coasters for $1.00...

After

I'm going to put some type of vinyl design on them, but am still deciding.

Oh, and in case you're wondering... here are my spray paint weapons of choice! All by Krylon, the colors are: Peekaboo Blue, Pistachio, Meringue and Catalina Mist.

Linking up with Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm.

~Emily

Right now...

2011-07-25T15:43:00.001-05:00

* I'm sitting in bed, listening to my little man babble himself to sleep. He is "reading" books out loud, possibly to his stuffed animals. For the past few weeks now he ALWAYS has to have books in his crib for naptime and bedtime. It's adorable!

* I have an episode of Friends playing on the TV. It's the one where Ross marries Emily, but says Rachel's name by mistake. What is wrong with that man? He's such a whiny baby... I have no idea how he was married three times! And, if I were Emily, there is NO WAY I could ever forgive him for doing that. On my wedding day. In front of everybody I love. Never.

* I've been craving junk food lately. I'm munching on Combos and drinking a Coke as I write. Probably not the greatest of things to be consuming while pregnant... but, oh well! At my last OB appt, which was Friday, I had only gained 14 pounds... so I think I'll be okay.

* Speaking of my OB appointment, I received some not so great news from my Nurse Practitioner. It seems that my doctor, who is the only doctor in her practice, suddenly retired. Yep, my OB is gone. No letter to her patients. Nothing. She's just gone. I have no idea why. All I know is that two younger doctors are helping take care of her patients until things are sorted out. I'm 33 weeks pregnant and I don't even know who is going to deliver my baby. Talk about scary. There is a new hospital that was built not far from our house and we contemplated switching doctors so that we could deliver there. It's much closer to our house than my current hospital/doctor's office. I decided to stick with my doctor and the longer drive because I had such a great experience with her when I delivered Aidan. And now this. I know that I can switch practices, but I really like all of the staff at this practice, especially the Nurse Practitioner. I will be meeting the two new doctors at my upcoming appointments. Hopefully things work out in the end.

* Have I mentioned yet that Aidan is very interested in the potty? As in, he's pooped twice in the big potty all ready. He told me he had to go and wanted to sit on the potty. So he did. This was about three weeks ago. I went out the next day and bought him his own little potty. He loves to sit on it when I am in the bathroom, but hasn't used it since. I'm not pushing it. Afterall, he's only 17 months. But, I have to say that I am pretty shocked that he is showing interest at such a young age!

* Here is what my belly looks like...

Well, Aidan has finally fallen asleep, so I'm off to do the same.

Happy Monday, ladies!

~Emily

Toddler love

2011-07-22T07:24:00.000-05:00

Oh how I love my goofy little boy. He's growing up right before my eyes!Where does the time go?

Have a great weekend!

~Emily

Cardstock Alphabet Pennant Banners

2011-07-21T08:30:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to make something to display the alphabet in Aidan's new room, but had a hard time figuring out exactly what I wanted to do. I tossed ideas around such as making canvas art, subway art, or using pictures of animals. Ultimately I decided on an easy pennant banner to display the letters for my little guy's learning pleasure.

First, I whipped out my Silhouette. I drew some triangles using the polygon tool and measured them out to the size I was looking for.

Next, I chose a font (Cuckoo, in case you're wondering) and designed/sized my letters. Originally I wanted to have both capital and lowercase letters on the pennants, but quickly realized they would look too busy and cluttered with both sizes. So, I opted just to use the capitals.

If you are using a Silhouette, be sure to right click on each letter and "ungroup", so that the measurements are just for the letter and not the space surrounding it. This ensures that your letters are all the same height.

Next, I glued the letters to the pennants. Since Aidan's room is a jungle theme, I wanted to make sure that his banner was colorful. I used 13 different colors of cardstock and this was the rainbow result!

This next step could've been easily avoided if I had been thinking about it at the time. Be sure to draw in lines to string the ribbon through on the triangle shapes you've created on your Silhouette. That way they will be cut out with the triangles on the machine. I didn't do that and had to measure each and every triangle, then use an exacto knife to cut out the slits for the ribbon. A bit tedious! Next time, I'll know better!

Here is the final result hanging on the wall. I divided the letters into four different strands and hung them on either side of his window. I love how colorful they are!

What do you think?

You could easily make this without a crafty cutter machine. Just create a stencil for the triangles and letters. Or you could even use stickers for the letters!

Cost breakdown~

Cardstock: All ready had

Glue: All ready had

Ribbon: $1.99 for two rolls at Hobby Lobby

Total cost: $1.99

Score!

I've also been working on some more Silhouette wall art for his room. Here's a little sneak peek....

Linking up with the Frugal Girls Chic & Crafty Party and Serenity Now. :)

~Emily

My crazy boy

2011-07-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Check out other great Wordless Wednesday pictures at Five Minutes for Mom.

~Emily

Note to self...

2011-07-19T09:06:00.001-05:00

Emily,

It is NOT a good idea to drink a can of coke at 9pm. Why is that? Because you will find yourself up until 3 am tossing and turning as a result.

This is no fun for you (having to pull yourself out of bed 6 times in one night to pee is NO fun), Jason (who gets no sleep) or Aidan (who has to deal with your grumpiness in the morning).

Please, use what's left of your brain that hasn't been stricken with pregnancy/mama syndrome and make some smart decisions from now on when it comes to your nightly drink.

Caffeine is a BAD idea after 5 o'clock. Just sayin'.

Love,

Your sleep-deprived self