what a difference a year makes

But HOW is his 1st birthday tomorrow?

randomness for the day

baby Trace, about 7 months old
(this post was written back in February)

I will not tidy up just so that my house will look perfect in a picture (for the blog) or in person.

You get what you see. I am me.

Flawed and imperfect and one hell of a good time!

I love seeing toys everywhere because it means I have been given the gift of a child.

I think the word blessed it overused.

Why can't we ever be lucky or fortunate... Why do we always have to be blessed?

I also see that word used in the wrong context all of the time. It irks me.

My son sleeps on his stomach and has for months.

I prefer candid shots over posed.

This blog portrays no more than 25% of my life.

The remaining 75% is pretty effing awesome and normal.

A lot of that awesomeness and normalness can be found on my instagram account.

I will not put any of our friends kids faces on my blog unless I have permission.

I also will not vent about my family.

But yes, I do have family shit... Everything is not always roses with my extended family.

But my marriage is the bomb, not gonna lie!

I will probably stop blogging numerous photos of Trace once he gets "recognizable."

I miss being pregnant. Woah! Did I just say that?

I also miss traveling and living out of a suitcase and in hotels like we used to.

Working with Bryan was the absolute best and we hope to work together again someday.

Parenthood, thus far, has been easier and more natural than I ever anticipated it would be.

It helps that I have a mild-mannered angel boy.

And a hands on, fully engaged husband.

palm tree's make me happy

While Bryan's brother was out visiting us he celebrated a birthday, so we took him out to lunch at this great spot that's within walking distance to our house and then he and Bryan headed to Uptown for dinner. Celebrating birthdays is always more fun with family! We really loved watching him bond with Trace and having him around for the past 2 weeks. Can't wait for his return!

land of the free because of the brave

We started off Memorial Day weekend just how we'd want to -- with a day on the lake! We boated to Rusty Rudder with  our friends Luis, Brittney and baby Keegan, ate lunch and then jetted over to Cocktail Cove. Boating with a baby sure is different than boating pre-baby, haha! I never even had a chance to take off my cover-up, get any sun or jump in the water... Trace is always my #1 priority and sitting with him in the shade and soaking in every second of his shy, clingy demeanor made my heart swell to the point of explosion. This kid has won my heart a bazillion times over and I would sacrifice anything for him, even my tan :)

On our way home we made a split second decision to hit up our neighborhood pool. Trace was born in late June, so we didn't spend any time at the pool last year, but I know we'll make up for lost time this summer. He loves to be in the water just as much as Bryan and I do!

We ended the day back home by putting Trace to sleep and then the brothers played cornhole while I lounged with Cali on the patio. We invited some neighbors over and I was lucky enough to cuddle their newborn for a solid hour... 

The next day I had lunch at a lakeside restaurant right across the street from my neighborhood, Port City Club, with a fellow boy mama friend. We hung out the rest of the day riding bikes and carting Trace around in his trailer. Isn't my porch/front yard so cute?!

The next morning Bryan wanted Trace to have a heart shaped egg, so a heart shaped egg he got!

We spent Memorial Day strolling around Birkdale Village, followed by some pool-time and BBQing with friends that evening. It was the peeeerfect long weekend!

Most importantly, we can't forget about why we acknowledge Memorial Day and must always remember to stop and honor those who've given their lives for our great country.

do something

Today is the day. Do something. Take the first step. Follow through. 

I did and it's been life changing!

11 months

11 months as of May 26, 2014

Clothes: You wear all 9-12 month and 12 months clothing. All of your boardshorts are size 6-12 month. You're still in size 3 diapers - Pampers Cruisers.

Sleep: About 2 weeks ago you "told" us that you needed to be asleep at 6:30pm, so you now sleep from 6:30pm-6:30am. You get a bath every night at around 6:00pm. We rock you in your dark room and give you your bottle at 6:20pm. You are so tuckered out by the end of the day and are fast asleep, in your crib at 6:30pm. You have started to wake up a little earlier than you have in the past and I think it's because you're going to sleep so early now. You wake sometime between 6:15am and 6:30am and play in your crib until I realize that you're awake -- you don't make a peep, so often times I'm sleeping and don't know when you get up. Your dad or I get you out of your crib by 6:30/6:40am, at the latest. Your nap times are 9:00-11:00am and 1:30-2:30pm. Your LOVE your first nap, go down within seconds and it's always 2 hours long. You've really been fighting your 2nd nap this past month and sometimes even skip this nap. On these days you're super cranky by dinnertime.

Health: You have quite the immune system, little buddy, and your health is impeccable!

Diet: You get 2 bottles/day and 2 sippy cups/day. You're on Similac Sensitive (Sams Club brand). You take 1 6 oz. bottle at 7:00am (we switched you to 1 6 oz. sippy cup on your 11 month birthday) and 1 8 oz. bottle as your last bottle of the day at 6:20pm. You eat breakfast (rice or oatmeal cereal with homemade apple sauce mixed in or eggs, turkey, toast or blueberry pancake with Morningstar sausage) at 8:00am. You eat lunch at noon and dinner at around 5:00pm. Your meals consist of whatever we are eating, leftovers from the night before or whatever I have in the refrigerator. You take a sippy cup filled with 2.5-3 oz. of formula at 11:00am and 3:00pm. We also regularly give you snacks of Puffs, Cheerios and yogurt melts and offer you sippy cups filled with a little water throughout the day.

 Baby Gear Love: Joovy jogging stroller, Fisher Price space saver, Aden + Anais lovie, Itzy Ritzy shopping cart cover, swing sets, books, Cozy Coupe, wagon

Likes: talking, babbling, sucking fingers, playing with Cali, eating, using sippy cup, going on walks, crawling, standing, combing the furniture, interactive books (play music, light up, touch & feel, pop-up), swinging on swing set, swimming, eating outside, infant Tylenol, tiny-small wooden toys (tool kit, blocks, magnifying glass), water/sand buckets, bathtime, rolling your lips

Dislikes: watching someone else eat, Nose Frida, cutting teeth, being tired, not getting your way

Crying: You cry and whine more than ever. What's going on, dude -- Cutting teeth... You know it gets you attention and what you want... Or your just a cranky pants? Tell us, haha!

Milestones: As of today you now have 7 teeth. Yet, your 7th tooth fiiiiiiinally poked through this morning. Your now working with 4 on the top and 3 on the bottom. You babble all day long, love to blow raspberries and can roll/vibrate your lips like a pro. You climb the stairs, open all cabinets, walk around all of our furniture and are generally always getting into something. Your still peg-leg crawling and it's just as cute as it's always been! Your hair is getting so long and wavy... Daddy and I are hoping to grow it out so that you look like a little surfer, but we'll see how hot you get with it on your neck this summer.

Dear Trace,

I often can't believe how much I love being a mom.I tell you at least once a day how proud I am to be your mom. Because I am. I'm so proud to be your mom. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'm just so glad that I waited to become a mommy until I was in my 30s. I feel more settled, more whole and more wise than I did even 5 short years ago. I have traveled the country and the world and all I want to do now is be home with you. Putting the breaks on my adventurous life has been humbling for me, but I would (and will always) do anything to provide you with a secure, routine-filled, loving childhood. You are playful, happy, silly, confident and well behaved. From a simple grain of grass to every nook and cranny of our house, you are full of exploration and discovery. You are climbing stairs, splashing in your pool and putting things in your mouth that you shouldn't. Life is so much fun with you in it and I'm more fulfilled than ever. I love you more than life, my angel boy! Next month you'll be 1 year old -- oh my heart! How did this year go so fast?

Scenes from the past month!