happy halloween

laughter

Trace has started to laugh and we finally got it on camera the other night.

There's nothing as sweet as a tiny baby's laughter...

survival kit for parents

There was a week recently that we couldn't believe how hard it was to parent. Trace was so unruly. He refused to nap, took forever to feed, cried screamed cried all day, was impossible to put to sleep at night and regressed to waking up 2 times in the middle of the night. Bryan and I were exhausted and at our whits end when my ubber thoughtful friend showed up on my doorstep with this adorable "Survival Kit." Her creativity made me laugh out loud, the timing was perfect and the sentiment really touched me. I could have cried. Actually, I did cry...

i'd like a sleepsack please

The first night that we brought Trace home from the hospital we knew that when swaddling him, there was only 1 brand we could trust -- HALO -- we used the HALO Sleepsack Swaddle. He loved how cozy and womblike it was, and we loved the decent nights sleep we got because of it!

Many don't know this, but the HALO SleepSack Swaddle is used in 1,000 hospital nurseries and has been deemed "hip healthy" by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. 

About 6 weeks ago we, meaning I, decided that it was time to transition Trace out of the swaddle and into a HALO SleepSack. As expected, we had a few rough nights, but before we knew it Trace was back to sleeping soundly in his crib and loving his new sleepsack. I think the pattern is absolutely adorable and the quality of fabric is the perfect amount of thickness, without causing him to overheat.

Why oh why, can't they make these for adults? I'd love a HALO Sleepsack for myself! I mean, look at how happy he is in it!

facebook // twitter // pinterest

During Oct, @HALOSleepSack is donating $1 to #SIDSAwareness for every new Facebook like. Please go like their page! www.facebook.com/halosleepsack

Do you use HALO? 
If so, what's your favorite product of theirs?

About the HALO® Safer Way to Sleep Initiative:

HALO Innovation’s SleepSack® Swaddle has become the standard for hospital nurseries and parents alike. In fact, 1,000 hospital nurseries use the HALO SleepSack Swaddle instead of blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Initiative. That is 1.5 million births getting first-hand, in-hospital experience with the HALO SleepSack Swaddle and safe sleep practices! Leading health organizations agree that modeling proper baby care in the hospital is the single biggest influence on how parents care for their baby at home. HALO Innovations also offers free Safe Sleep Practices kits to childbirth educators to help further the cause of SIDS prevention.

carrigan farms pumpkin pickin'

None of us had ever been to a real pumpkin patch before. You know, the kind that you 'walk around a field and pick your own pumpkin off the vine' pumpkin patch. Carrigan Farms did not disappoint! 

Who's the sister wife? My girl, Beth!

october 19th -- the day that changed our lives

What a difference a year makes!

1. The day we found out we were expecting

2. In labor, saying goodby to Cali and heading to the hospital (Trace was born the next afternoon)

3. The 1st picture ever taken of Trace... minutes after his birth

4. Trace Jameson, the happiest and healthiest 3.5 month old

One year ago today this happened!

a moment

There are moments in life that you replay in your mind over and over again. Maybe it's the moment you said 'I do.' Maybe it's the moment you first laid eyes on your child. Or the moment you stepped foot in another country. But this moment? This is what I'm currently replaying over and over again in my mind. Encased in my arms, hidden by my hair and getting smooched on a million times. I will forever cherish this particular moment, of which Bryan so beautifully captured. I have never taken a picture that I hold more dear to my heart than this one... and I have never loved two feet more than I do his.

practical essentials - 3 months

I'm just going to keep it real and say that this 2-3 month span was all over the place for Trace. Some nights he slept 11 hours straight, whereas other nights he'd wake up wanting to feed twice. His temperment would go from the most pleasant angel you've ever met to a child that was possessed by the devil in 1.1 seconds. I never tried to figure him out and just laughed along the way, knowing that everyday is different with Trace Jameson. I'm happy to report that this was "just a phase" and that he's back to being the good ol' predictable little sweetie that he was this summer. With that being said, some of our everyday household items became used as non-conventional baby magic this past month...

Dyson Animal aka Vacuum

Magic. I. Tell. You! On the nights that Trace was overly exhausted, yet refused to go to sleep... we'd turn this bad boy on in his room, he'd immediately stop crying and would be fast asleep within a few minutes. His room has never been so clean ;)

Balance Ball

These are meant for doing crunches and working on your core/posture/balance, but honestly... if you have a baby, go run out and get yourself one! Trace is a boy who's always loved to be bounced. I don't remember the last day that my arms weren't on. fire. from bouncing him. If I stop, he cries. If I sit, he cries. We have to stand and bounce him. Demanding little tyke, no? Anyhow, this was getting to be so tiring, so Bryan had the genius idea to bring our balance ball into the mix. Duh, why didn't we think of this sooner? We sit on the ball, bounce up and down -- We are happy and our arms don't burn... Trace is having the time of his life and is as cool as a cucumber. This has been a s.a.v.i.o.r!

Moving on to baby items:

Baby Bjorn

I know that the ergo is a very popular baby carrier and I get why, but honestly, I bought this exact Baby Bjorn for $15 in a gas station parking lot off of some dude from craigslist. He wasn't just any dude though, he was a clean cut father of 2 boys and Bryan went with me to make the exchange. Best $15 spent! I don't see any reason to why this product has to be brand new, as I ran it through the washing machine like 5 times before deeming it useable from a stranger. Bryan and I both wear this all of the time, both at home doing everyday things (watering grass, emptying dishwasher, doing laundry, putting away clothes) and while running errands (shopping, grocery shopping, Bryan wears it to Home Depot :). Facing in toward us or out toward the world, Trace is very comfortable in it. 

 Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes // Lamaze Freddie the Firefly // Bright Starts Lots of Links

These toys have been Trace's favorites to play with lately. I clip the rings to them both, so that I can hang his toys on his carseat when taking walks and on his bouncer. When I don't hang the toys, I just put them on his lap and he eats the rings, fabric and listens to the music. He's literally obesessed with these toys, and they've kept us from having several public meltdowns this past month!

HALO Sleepsack

We started to transition Trace out of the swaddle and into a sleepsack when he was 11 weeks old. I have this sleepsack in yellow and grey and absolutely love it. The texture, thickness of material, ease of the zipper and room for Trace to kick is all on point. I'll be devoting an entire blog to this particular sleepsack within the next month, I love it that much!

Kate Spade Stevie diaper bag

Considering how I rarely leave my house with a purse these days, it was important to me to have a diaper bag that I love. The Stevie is roomy enough for everything you need for baby and for yourself. It has several different sized pockets and compartments -- it comes with a matching washable changing pad -- looks chic, classic and doesn't scream baby. I love this bag and am glad I paid a fraction of the price by purchasing it brand new on ebay.

Bumbo with Tray

When Trace was 12 weeks old, his physical therapist told me that he was ready to start using his Bumbo. His head is still wobbley in it, but boy does he just love when I position himself in front of a mirror. The little dude will stare at himself for as long as I'll let him. Vain much? Anyhow, this was another craigslist find! $30 from a mother of 2. I scrubbed it down as if there was tar all over it and then hosed it off... good as new and not worth paying full price for, imho.

Pop-Up Peekaboo: Farm // Pop-Up Peekaboo: Colors

These are the only books that keep Trace's attention. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm constantly yelling "peekaboo" as I turn every page :)

Baby Bee products

We love the Burts Bees Baby Bee collection. The scent is practically non-existent, which I like. Trace has had no issues with any of their products, the shampoo/body wash doesn't hurt his eyes and if he licks his hand it doesn't seem like he can taste anything. When I told my pediatrician we were using this product she said "great" and told me to stay away from J&J (I didn't ask why, but note that Aveno is a part of J&J). The lotion is so nice that I sometimes use it myself!

gets me every time

the soda shop

This little diner, which opened it's doors in 1951, resides in a quaint college town about 5 minutes from our house. It's a total throwback to a time in history when life was simple, the world was a safe place and family was everything. Trace will get to experience the childhood thrill of eating out of cardboard Cadillac cars, sipping on shirley temples and picking out candy at the cashier on our way out the door -- The Soda Shop is a little gem!

weekend in the mountains

We were lucky enough to enjoy the unseasonably warm weekend in Asheville, watching one of my dear friends marry her love of 7 years. The backdrop was nothing short of perfection and the bride was beyond stunning. A pinterest-worthy wedding, it was!

The next morning we checked out of our hotel, headed to Hendersonville and took a walk along Main St. before heading home...

Sad to see the weekend go so quickly, but wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way.

Congratulations to Ashton and Eric, who are en route to St. Lucia at this very moment!

Pics from this morning, at the airport... clearly she monogrammed the crap outta both of them ;)

I almost forgot to mention, Trace slept 12 hours straight last night... Wedding's exhaust him!