Currently {July}

I'm borrowing this from Kate at Anchors, Pearls and Curls because I thought this was really fun and a different post than I normally do!

Currently....

thinking | about how nothing is ever as it appears to be drinking | water reading | nothing! and I miss reading .. no time for that right now loving | my husband and our baby girl wanting | to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! looking | at buying this Tory Burch wallet :) listening | to keyboards clicking remembering | I need to write our August daycare check! trying | to not lose hope about our house situation wishing | time would slow down just a little planning | our first night away from the baby! enjoying | chats with my coworkers day dreaming |  about our first family vacation waiting | on 5 o'clock! liking | photos of my friend's babies on Facebook wondering | if I should stop buying Gracie so many pairs of moccs needing | a little bit more grace this week wearing | a Loft dress and Havianas noticing | I need a mani and pedi, asap starting | to look for temporary housing!! pinning | home renovation ideas smelling | Bath & Body Works Tangerine lotion and lastly... thanking | God for this amazing life I've been given!  

    Anyone else care to share your current thoughts?!

Gracie's Baptism

I posted last week about preparing for Gracie's baptism, and it truly was a special day for us. Since her baptism, we've been making more of a conscious effort, and it is my hope that we can continue attending church on a regular basis, and teaching her the values that come from living a godly life. I know she is only three months old, but she's teaching me too. How to be kinder, less impatient, swear less and love more. I want to be the kind of mom that she wants to be her best friend, her role model and her "person". I am lucky to have this kind of a person in my grandmother, and I hope to pass it on to her.

 

Now on to the actual recap of our day :)  

 

Grace was in a happy mood that day, full of smiles and squeals.

"I'm ready to go mama!"

We left her in a onesie, bib and her moccs until we got to the church. No wayyy was I taking the chance of her spitting up, peeing or worse, pooping (!!) on her beautiful dress!

Dress, JC Penney

She took a nice 20 minute nap on the way there, so she was refreshed and ready to go!

Family photo outside the church

Me and my nugget

With her godmother Jennifer

So alert during the service!

It was very meaningful for us that Deacon Frank baptized her. He married us and we are very close to him and his wife Kathy. He is such a big part of our lives, we talk about him often, and our grateful to him for bringing us closer to our church.

I especially love this picture below. Little Joey (who is 6 years old) took this picture!

She LOVES her daddy

 

Deacon Frank and Kathy hand paint these shells with each child's name and their baptism date. He then used this shell to pour the water over head to baptize her. We then get to keep and save it. I'm looking forward to creating a memory box from this day and including it. 

After the service we had all our friends and family over to our house. It was a beautiful afternoon, and everyone loved on her and she was passed from person to person :) She got to meet many of her great-aunts, cousins and great-grandmother for the first time. She was quite exhausted by the end of the day, as we were we!

 

 

 

And of course, her cake ... isn't it gorgeous??  

It was a beautiful, perfect day and I couldn't have imagined it any better. We are truly blessed!

Weekending!

We had such a fun and busy weekend, and I can't believe it's already Monday! Since our weekend was filled with so much snuggle time with the nugget, most of my photos are of her!

 

I was so excited to pick her up on Friday night and spend the evening just hanging out. She is finding her voice and loves to "talk" and squeal.



Styling in her infinity scarf, telling mama all about her day at daycare!

 

On Saturday, we just hung out at home until the early afternoon. We drove to Leominster for Keith's grandmother's 75th birthday party. It was a beautiful day, and a chance to dress her in a cute outfit and let everyone fawn all over her. Of course, she peed through this outfit within 20 minutes of arriving! Note to self: wait until you arrive at your destination to dress her



How adorable is she in her seahorse one-piece and matching headband?



Hanging with her Pops!

All the partying tuckered her right out



Happy baby with her Grammy!

 

Selfie with her Grammy and Auntie Meghan
 



Sunday, we got up and went to the noon mass. She loved church! All the music, the lights and the colors coming in through the stained glass windows ... she just sat there and took it all in!

Sleepy girl on the way home from church

Sunday afternoon was spent cleaning, picking up the house, grocery shopping and doing meal prep for this week. I'm working on getting a better system going so that my days aren't quite as hectic!

 

Sunday night we went out to dinner. This was our first time attempting to venture out for a dinner that didn't involve rushing. We went to my the restaurant that my sister works at, and got yummy Mexican food! Gracie did amazing, she again just hung out staring at the lights and the noise. She got fussy towards the end when it got to be close to her bedtime.



Deliciousness



Thinking very hard



She already loves our phones



This face <3

We got home and put her to bed and got ready for another hectic week. My sister is watching her Monday and Tuesday so she stayed over last night. We love our Auntie time!

 

She was up five times last night (this seems to be her new "thing"), so starting Monday night, we are ditching the swaddle and putting her in her crib. This mama does NOT function well on hour blocks of sleep, and I'm struggling to get through the day. Now that she has passed 12 pounds, she should be able to eat more and sleep for longer stretches. Wish us luck!

Oh Hey Friday

Woohoo! Another week done, and another fun weekend ahead! Linking up with The Farmer's Wife and September Farm

one // our house still isn't sold ... so our agent (who happens to be the mother of a very good friend of ours) bought us a St. Joseph to bury in our front yard. We finally buried it, per the very specific instructions, on Tuesday night. We woke up Wednesday morning to a showing request, and then another one today. I refuse to give up hope and I know and believe that there is a plan, and that our house WILL sell.

It must be buried in the front yard, 12" down, upside down

Say a little prayer!

two // miss gracie had her eight week appointment (three weeks late) yesterday. My little nugget weighs 12 pounds 1 ounce and is 23" long. She's in the average percentile for weight and height, but her head is at 82%! Crazy to me, since I think she has a teeny tiny head. She also got her eight week shots, and I made Keith take the afternoon off and go with me because I was too chicken to do it alone. And she was a TROOPER. Cried for five seconds, and then stopped as soon as I picked her up. She was a little warm when we got home, so I gave her Tylenol and she's down for the count. please sleep until 5am .... 

This is her new "face" she makes ... purses her lips and puffs her cheeks out

three // I'm trying out Jamberry nail wraps for the first time this week ... have y'all heard of these? My friend Kasey was having an online party so I bought two sheets of the decals, and last night finally got around to applying them. Once I got the hang of it, it was so easy to put on. They claim to last a full two weeks AND you can get two manicures and one pedicure out of one sheet. For $17, that's not a bad deal!

I love mint and gold!

four // we are getting so used to eating dinner at 9pm. gracie doesn't go to sleep until around 8:30 and between 6-8 when we get home, it's all about her. washing bottles, prepping bottles, dancing with her, throwing in a load of laundry .. and then before I know it, it's 8:15 and she's fussy and ready for bed and we're starving. but on the plus side, at least we get to sit and eat together??

Our oh-so-healthy dinner last ... it was a long day, and I didn't feel like cooking!

five // I'm loving summer tv. especially this new show on the FYI channel (did you know about this channel? cause I sure didn't) called Married at First Sight. I swear the only reason I started watching is because of Jamie Otis. All my Bachelor fans will remember her, right? Anyway, she goes on this new reality show, and marries a complete stranger. It's like a train wreck and I can't stop watching! Also on my list ... The Bachelorette, Mistresses (which I totally thought I would hate), Motive, The Last Ship ... geez, when do I find time to watch all these shows? :)

I am so looking forward to this weekend! More showings (we hope?) and lots of snuggle and family time :) Have a great one, y'all!

Things I miss about being pregnant

Well, I have to say ... I never imagined this was a post that I would ever write!

 

Don't get me wrong, while I was not someone that enjoyed or liked being pregnant, I was grateful when it was over and Gracie was in my arms.

In the eleven weeks since she was born however, I've noticed some things that were better when I was pregnant.

Eating bread and cookies and pasta -- I had a gluten sensitivity that was diagnosed right after we got married in the fall of 2012. The first month or so of my pregnancy, all I wanted to eat was a steak and cheese sub. I mentioned this to my midwife and she told me it was okay for me to try and have one. Some women find that their allergies go away completely during pregnancy. And for some women, they never come back! So on the way home from that appointment we stopped at D'Angelos and I had one. And I didn't get sick! From that point on, I enjoyed all my favorite foods without worrying about if they had gluten in them! The only thing I really wanted but couldn't have was a beer. I jokingly said to Keith that I hoped my sensitivity would stay away for at least a couple of weeks so I could enjoy a Blue Moon and a Sam Summer. So he bought a six-pack before she was born and we saved it so that I could have at least one. But now, I am starting to notice the all-too-familiar stomach pains that come from eating something with gluten. <Insert sad face here> I know that I need to get back on the "gluten free" wagon, but I think I'm so not ready! It's been such a tease to eat this way again, and now I have to give it up for the second time!

Clear skin -- I have struggled my entire life with bad skin. It started as a teen, and honestly just never got better. I tried every skin care system under the sun, and saw dermatologists and aestheticians. My skin would improve for a short while, but then inevitably always get bad again. And then I got pregnant! And just like that, bam -- clear, radiant, healthy, amazing skin. I barely wore makeup most days! It was wonderful.

Now, my bad skin is starting to creep up again. I'm noticing breakouts and more redness. Looks like I'll be going back to my intense skin care regimen soon!

No period --  Ok, ok so this one is a given .... but I also thought that if you were breast feeding, you didn't get a period. I was looking forward to 9 months + extended time BF'ing .... but I got to eight weeks post-partum. Thanks, AF.

Migraines -- I think that I got my first migraine when I was 8 years old. And then for the duration of my life, I had daily headaches and migraines several times a month. During my first trimester, my migraines went from bad to worse and we made several ER visits. I was no stranger to having to go to the ER for a particularly bad migraine. A shot of Toradol and I would be good as new.
But Toradol is a strict no-no for pregnant women, so the ER doctors struggled to find something that would be as effective.

And then, somewhere around week 16, they completely stopped. I went the entire rest of my pregnancy without even a headache! It was pure bliss. Sure, I couldn't breathe and my back hurt and I had to pee every ten minutes, but living headache/migraine-free was amazing.

My headaches are back now, and I know that means a migraine is just around the corner. Boohoo.

Oh and while I'm at it ... things I also miss:

 

My cute bump, wearing elastic waist pants, Sundae Sundays (yes that was a thing, I love me some ice cream), and being waited on constantly!

 

So I guess pregnancy wasn't ALL that bad :) But don't expect me to be doing it again any time soon!

Our Weekend

Linking up for the first time with:



It was a very long first full week of work for this mama! So my weekend started off with lots and lots of snuggle time with my nugget :) The look on her face in this picture just melts my heart ... I love her big gummy smiles when I talk to her. She smiles and coos and squeals in response. I melt.

Love <3

 

Early Saturday morning we had a showing, so we were up and out of the house by 845am. Of course the potential buyers "loved" our house, but the layout wasn't right for them. I think it's time to bury St Joseph in the front yard!!

 

 

Onesie and pants, Carters // Moccs from Mommy Makes Moccs

 

Saturday morning selfie in the park!

Our favorite thing to do on the weekends is go to the park up the street with Grace and Gunner. We get coffee on our way, and spend at least an hour. It's nice to get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise and spend some quality family time. Grace loves it now that she faces outward in her stroller, she loves to look around and see everything!

Little miss has discovered her hands and loves to gnaw and suck on her fist

Saturday afternoon was spent getting the house and yard ready for Sunday's party! Keith tackled the outside and Gracie and I hung out inside.

After ten weeks, I FINALLY hung her letters over her crib :)

Yet another selfie sitting on the front stairs. We were watching Daddy mow the lawn!

Little toes!! I can't wait until I can paint those piggys

Happy baby!!

She is still a bit small for the exersaucer but we propped her up in it for a few minutes and she LOVED it!

 

Sunday was her baptism! This was a very special day for us. She was baptized by Deacon Frank, the same man who married us almost two years ago!

Full post coming this week!

 

After her baptism, we had everyone over to our house for a celebration. It was a long and fun afternoon, and little miss was exhausted .... our last guests didn't leave until almost 10pm!

 

And then just like that ... it was Monday again! The weekends go by way too quickly for my liking.

 

I hope y'all have a fabulous week!

 

Oh Hey Friday!

New Friday link up with The Farmer's Wife and September Farm ... I am SO freaking excited that it's Friday! Woo hoo!!

One // I love nursing. Gracie loves nursing. She gets so excited and kicks her feet and makes the cutest grunting noises when she knows she is about to eat. I hated nursing in the beginning and almost quit the first week. I had supply issues, she wanted to nurse all the time, but wasn't getting enough to eat and we ended up supplementing. I decided to stick it out for two weeks, and after that I finally got the hang of it. My supply was established by week five and now I want to nurse as long as she wants to.

All that being said, I hate pumping. It's such a process, especially at work! I'm pumping every two hours during the day, which averages out to 4-5 times. But I do it because it means that she gets my milk while she is at daycare and my supply stays up so I can nurse her at nights and on the weekends. I'm averaging about 10-12 ounces a day, which is freaking awesome.

Two // Gracie's baptism is this weekend and I am so excited to celebrate with all our friends and family. (And of course I'm excited to put her in her beautiful christening gown and headband!)

I'll be serving lots of finger foods and desserts since the celebration party doesn't start until 3:30pm. On the menu is calzones, chicken salad sandwiches, spinach & strawberry salad, and ziti and meatballs.

Her cake inspiration ... I love the ruffles!



I always wait until the last minute to think about decorations, but I'd love to do something like this!

Three // I have been dying to try out a sangria recipe that I got from my friend Brittany. It looks so easy and so delish! You can check out her blog and recipe here :) I think it's the perfect celebratory drink to serve on Sunday.

Of course, I have to have a cute drink dispenser to put it in .... I found this bad boy at Marshall's last week for $10!

Four // I'm wondering if our house is ever going to sell. It's been on the market for six weeks, and we've had two open houses and at least a dozen showings. We've been thisclose about four times, but in the end the potential buyers put offers on other houses. It's so much work to keep our house ready to be shown (especially with a baby and a dog!), and then we are so disappointed when nothing comes of it.  I'm at the point where we get a request for a showing and I think "ughhhh" because it's so much work.

Five // I am so embarrassed that I still haven't done anything with Gracie's newborn photos. I was holding off because I thought our house was going to sell and then I would have to take all the photos down. Now, I'm thinking that life is short so I might as well put them up.  I need help and ideas PLEASE!  Photo books? Canvas prints? Help a mama out!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!