On Sunday, April 24th, I ran my 6th half marathon. I don't have an overly exciting race recap. But I can tell you I hate this course (toooooo many hills.) I didn't train at all for it (I didn't even know I was running it until 2 days before.) But I did it and I felt great afterwards. I really do love this distance - it's by far my favorite distance to run. And I'd run so many more half marathons if only they weren't so dang expensive! (I lucked out on this one - I actually ran under another person's bib # who had signed up for it but couldn't run due to an injury so I ran for free!) The weather was absolutely perfect for running so you can't beat that!! I finished just barely under 2 hours with a time of 1 hr and 59 seconds. And I've gotta say I'm pretty happy with that time - not my best but certainly not my worst!
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This little dude is 17 months old today. And simply said - he's amazing. He fills our lives with so much love and joy it's incredible. I get more and more obsessed with him each day.
So let's see. This kid talks non stop (except around strangers...until he warms up, of course!) A few of his newest words are turtle, blue, naked, and ball (hearing him say turtle is my most favorite thing ever!) He loves, loves, loves animals!! He does great at puzzles. And is still obsessed with books. We've started working on colors and right now everything is blue. He loves to count things as well and knows when he has 1 thing or 2 things in his hands. Recently he's been really into holding our hands and giving us kisses on them. It melts my heart every.single.time. He loves to play ring around the rosie - he cracks up every time!! :) He loves to build forts and put all his stuffed animals in it!! He has fantastic manners and I'd say he says 'thank you' unprompted about 50% of the time, which I think is pretty darn good for a 17 month old! He's a total mama's boy still and I wouldn't change it for the world. We are down to nursing only at night. Some days he eats great - other days he barely eats....typical toddler fashion from what I hear! He'll always eat eggs, olives, applesauce, and watermelon though. He is usually asleep between 7:15pm and 7:30pm and is awake by 6:30 most mornings. I think he'll be transitioning to 1 nap pretty soon. I'm sure I'm forgetting a ton....but this is him in a nutshell. He's pretty darn amazing and being his parents is the best thing in the whole entire world!! Camden - mama and dada love you so, so much!! This Easter was a little different for us. We actually spent most of the day in the Albany airport and on a plane since we left on Easter Sunday for a week of fun in the sun in sunny Florida (more on our trip later this week...I promise!) Since we flew out of Albany on Sunday, we had stayed at Matt's sister's house Saturday night. But luckily the Easter Bunny found us there and Camden LOVED his Easter basket!! It was extra special for me because it was the first time he was legitimately excited about opening something and you could tell he just LOVED everything :) These are the moments that I never want to forget... I CONFESS...
~ I didn't wear any green today. ~ I haven't taken a single picture of Camden this week. Seriously, the kid never sits still and if he even sees a phone or ipad he goes nuts so it's not worth the melt down. ~ I've never given Camden juice and have no plans to any time soon. ~ Matt and I had a really good heart-to-heart the other night. I don't think a lot of people understand how hard life can be for us. And sometimes we both just get down and frustrated with things and just need to have a good ol' fashioned talk. I'm hoping things won't always be like this for us but for now we are just taking things day by day. ~ Dunkin Donuts' ice cream flavored coffees are my jam. We stopped last Saturday and I got a butter pecan iced coffee and Matt got a cookie dough iced coffee and O.M.G. I'm hooked!! ~ I've never had a McDonalds's shamrock shake. Please tell me I'm not the only one. ~ That if a shirt has pockets and/or thumb holes I've gotta have it. I love me a good, comfy shirt with pockets. And throw in thumb holes - my heart goes pitter-patter big time! <3 ~ That that's all I got for you today.... ...Until next week.... Yes, I'm well aware I'm probably the only person who still likes to do monthly updates after their baby turns 1. But I can't help it! I just love looking back and reading them. Plus, they'll be great to have in his baby book. AND he's constantly changing so I have lots and lots to say about him.
So any who, my sweet little boy turned 16 months old on Saturday, March 12. This kid rocks my world like no other. He is so incredibly awesome...and fun....and goofy...and sweet. Oh, and he's smart, so, so smart!!!! I've lost count of how many words he says. He knows all his animals and knows all the noises they make (which he has for a few months now but has added new animals like a skunk!). He has recently really gotten into counting things and we are just starting to get into letters. He loves, loves, loves looking for cars and dogs (his 'woof' is the cutest sound ever!!!) He's still obsessed with books and definitely has his favorites. AND he really loves his mama and dada. He's the happiest when it's just the 3 of us - hanging out and playing. At night when he's nursing he wants his daddy to be sitting right next to us. Freddie the frog goes everywhere with us (ie see above pic!) and he's most definitely attached to him. Camden loves playing peek-a-boo and always comes around the corner saying 'boo!' He loves to play with my hair - it's definitely a comfort thing for him and I love it. I love the feeling of his little arm wrapped around my neck as he plays with my hair in the back. This little boy has me wrapped right around his little finger and I don't care <3 He loves himself a good little temper tantrum though - especially if he's tired. He likes to be given a choice in things and is pretty independent (gee - I wonder where he gets that from?!?! ha-ha) He likes doing things on his own terms, which most definitely tests our patience at times. He's still pretty small for his age - he probably weighs under 21lbs. He's wearing mostly 12 month stuff but does still wear 9 month clothes. We are down to nursing in the morning and at night only. His favorite foods are applesauce, eggs, black olives, pancakes, waffles, and watermelon. He does love veggies, though, especially corn, sweet potatoes, and peas. He still loves to help out and especially likes to help make coffee, unload the dishwasher, and of course help with the laundry. Pretty much we think he's perfect and are totally loving this age! <3 I Confess.... ~ I just bought both of these for Camden. I mean free shipping, 15% off, and chambray - how could I resist?! ~ I haven't been sleeping well this week. In fact, last night I was up most of the night tossing and turning. At one point (around 2:30am), I went downstairs and sat on the couch and ate thin mint cookies.
~ I very rarely get on Facebook anymore and it's made a huge difference in my life. I'm a lot less likely to compare and get jealous if I just stay away from all that. Sad but true. ~ My anxiety levels are off the charts with our upcoming trip. The drive. The flights. The packing. I just hope once we're there I can relax and enjoy our vacation. ~ Camden is at such a fun age right now. Seriously, he's just the best. I'm really looking forward to this summer and hope to do lots of really fun activities. I want him to enjoy being outside as much as Matt and I do! C'mon warm weather - we're all ready for you!! ~ I'm nervous about this weekend's time change. We've never had a problem in the past so I'm hoping that continues. We decided not to do any adjusting since we've been fine in the past - let's see if that was a smart choice for us this time around. What do you confess? Low key weekends are my favorite. I absolutely love just hanging around the house with my boys - playing, laughing, and just enjoying each other. And this past weekend was just that.
Friday night Matt went to CrossFit to complete 16.2 of the Open so it was just me and my littlest man. We played. We bathed (well he did...) We read books and snuggled. It was glorious. I got quite a bit done after Camden went to bed and before Matt got home, which was nice. Matt came home with goodies - wine, chocolate, guacamole and chips. So, of course, we pigged out and binge watched Scandal...my kind of Friday night <3 Saturday I went for a long run while Camden took his morning nap. Then we headed to music class. During his afternoon nap we got a bunch of prep work done, we filed taxes, we looked at finances, we got other miscellaneous stuff done. It was nice enough out that we even went for a walk after Camden woke up (he LOVES watching all the cars go by "vroom"!) Then Saturday night we got takeout from Wegmans after the little man was in bed (sushi for me and a chicken finger sub for Matt) and then settled in to watch the movie Room. It was definitely a good movie but one that tugged at my heart strings BIG time as a mommy. Like I can't even imagine.... On Sunday, I hit up Pilates class during C's morning nap as usual (but not before I built a fort and played hide 'n' seek with my little guy!) We headed out to go to The Strong Museum of Play right after he woke up only to realize on our way there it didn't open until noon. Soooo we ran a couple errands then headed home for lunch and a nap. As we were driving this conversation happened and I've got to share here because it's something I never want to forget: (from the back seat) Camden: Mama? Me: Yeah, buddy? C: love you. Me: Aw I love you too! You're such a sweet boy!! Camden: Dada? Matt: Yes, bud? C: love you. Matt: Love you too! He is seriously the sweetest little boy ever and he just melts my heart every day!! So anyways, after Camden's afternoon nap we headed straight to the museum. It was Matt's first time going there with Camden and we had so much fun! As soon as we got home I whipped up a batch of pancakes for dinner then Camden was ready for tubby time and bed time - he was beat!! I confess: ~ that sometimes when I'm talking about Camden to others I feel guilty that he's such a good baby. I find myself downplaying how good and smart he is and I don't want to do that. Hey - I'm a proud mama - I want to give him (and us) credit. I think we made some really great decisions and that reflects in him and I shouldn't down play that for any of us. And if you don't like - tough...deal with it ha-ha :-p ~ I signed us up for a summer CSA through a local farm. It's our first time being part of a CSA and Matt and I are both looking forward to trying it out. I really hope we like it! ~ these chips are my jam. I mean seriously - they're amazing and totally satisfy my chip craving when we're trying to eat clean. They are only 3 ingredients - sweet potato, coconut oil, and sea salt. So what are you doing? Go to the grocery store now and get yourself some!!! (Matt found them at Wegmans.) ~ I have so many blog drafts in my drafts folder and just never get around to finishing them up and posting them. I actually have some good ones in there, too, so I have to get around to finishing them!
~ I made a Shutterfly book of Camden's first year (hooray for coupons for free books!) and recently got it in the mail. It was a labor of love - with lots of pictures and not much else - but I'm so glad I did it. He loves looking through it and pointing himself out and all his people (mama, dada, nana, papa, mimi, pops, cousins, etc, etc.) Not to mention, I love looking through it - those early days seem so long ago (I forget how tiny he was!!!) It's so great to flip through it and remember the moment each picture was taken. Such a great keepsake (especially since I'm terrible at keeping his baby book up to date...oops!) ~ that I still need to print off all of the monthly updates I did on here and put them in his baby book. Since I am so terrible at updating his book, I'm glad I continued doing updates here on the blog so I have at least those to include. I love going back and reading what life was like each month. ~ I regret not weaning Camden earlier. Like seriously, I'm pretty positive he'll never self wean. And at this point, when he sees me, all he wants to do is nurse, especially if he's tired or not feeling well (which I totally get and know it's totally normal.) On one hand I love it. I love that bonding time. I love being able to comfort him like no one else can. But he is almost 16 months old. He's getting big - too big. And it's at the point that if I'm around no one else can comfort him, which can be very frustrating for all of us involved. So I'm not sure what to do. I really wanted to keep nursing him until we got back from vacation/through winter but I don't know if I can hold out that long. We shall see.... ~ it's one of my most favorite times of the year. What might that be?! Umm - hello...Girl Scout cookies. Thin mints are my favorite (and I don't even want to admit how many boxes of cookies I bought this year.) Clearly this isn't going to help me get bathing suit for vacation - ugh! ha-ha What do you confess? When I found out I was pregnant I immediately started reading anything and everything. And, of course, once I announced my pregnancy everyone was quick to put their two cents in. By the end of the pregnancy I was convinced I'd never shower or sleep again. I was convinced my baby would cry non-stop. I was convinced I'd never have a free moment. And yes, at times, some of this was true. But most of the time, it was the total opposite. Now don't hate - I do have to preface this post with the fact that I got a REALLY good baby - like a REALLY good one. And yes, I count my blessings EVERY day for this because I know this isn't the case for everyone. But anyways, here are some mommy myths - debunked!!!
1) "You'll go days without showering." Actually, I showered every day while I was on maternity leave (unless we were having a lazy day at home in which case I didn't shower not because I didn't have the time or energy but because I just didn't want to.) I really don't get this one. I mean it takes what? 5-10 minutes to shower. Take a shower while baby is napping. If the baby is awake put him/her in a bassinet or swing or bouncer while you shower. The only situation where it could be difficult to shower, if you're home alone with a baby, is if your baby is super colicky or something like that. But honestly - you will shower daily once you have a baby (if you so choose that is....) 2) "You'll never get a full night's rest again." Again, my baby slept GREAT which means I did too. The first week I woke him up every 3 hours to eat, then every 4 hours when he was two weeks old. Then when he was about 3 or so weeks old I stopped waking him in the middle of the night and let him dictate (in which case he only woke up once to feed.) I also helped facilitate good sleeping habits (look for a post on that later!) I was getting a lot of sleep (heck the first few weeks I didn't even get up for the day until like 8 or 9!) I got more sleep at night in the beginning than I do now!! (please don't hate on me...I know some people will just shake their heads at this like I'm crazy...but really it's not that bad) 3) "Breastfeeding is painful." Yes - there were times I'd wake up in the morning and the girls were rock hard - full - and achy - and it wasn't pleasant. But again I was lucky enough that nursing was never painful. I remember a little bit of soreness in the beginning but it was never excruciating. I never cried because his latch hurt. I never dreaded a nursing session. I know this is mostly just luck and that a lot of women experience pain in the early nursing days. However, not EVERYONE does....remember that. 4) "You'll fall instantly in love with your baby." Yes, the second they laid him on my chest it was awesome and I loved him. But that deep, love-like-you-can't-even-imagine feeling didn't hit me the second he came out. It took time. It took getting to know each other. It took some bonding time. Now...now, I love my son more than I ever imagine. Now I understand what everyone says. It's a love like no-other. It's an obsession and I wouldn't trade it for the world. BUT it didn't happen the second he was born. To some it might but that wasn't the case for me (and no, that doesn't mean I love my son any less than a mom who felt that love instantly!) 5) "You'll never have free time." OK, yes, free time will become VERY, VERY limited. But it is there - even if you have to search hard for it and make good use out of it (free time might not be 2 or 3 hours like it was pre-baby...it might just be 15 or 30 minutes.) But we all have free time in our day. Think about it - you probably spend 15 minutes at a time scrolling through Facebook or stalking Instagram. Maybe instead of doing that you take that 15 minutes to do something more meaningful that you truly enjoy - like reading a book, or taking a bath, or knitting, or scrap booking, or whatever. It might not be a lot of time but it is free time. I'm sure there are other things that aren't always true when it comes to motherhood that I have forgotten (in fact read Bonnie's post here....) but these are the ones that come to mind right away. And remember - if these all happen to be true for you - it's OK. You aren't failing. You aren't doing anything wrong. It's just a season and it shall pass. Just hang on and take it day by day <3 I confess:
~ that I always said that I'd never be 'that' mom that lets their kid leave the house with boogers in their nose. Yeah - you try getting boogers out of a 15 month old's nose. Let me know how that goes. A battle I did not fight this morning...so if you see my son's nose today - just ignore the boogies...I tried. ~ that I finally made myself an appointment for a haircut at a local swanky salon to use up a gift certificate that I got over 2 years ago. Yes, that's right - I'm a total gift card hoarder. ~ speaking of said hair appointment - I'm petrified. I haven't had a real hair style in like 6 years. I HATE getting my hair cut. And I'm sure it won't look like I want it to. So will I actually get a real hair cut? Or will I wuss out and just get a trim?!?!?! ~ that I love alone time. And NEED alone time. To fit this in, since I usually take Fridays off from the gym, I'll head to Target after the baby goes to bed and I just wander around. I'm not rushed. I'm not worried about anyone else. It's just me and my beloved aisles of Target. It's glorious <3 ~ I require A LOT of sleep. I usually get about 7 hours a night and though that is probably a lot for most moms it's not enough for me. There's a lot I wish I could change about myself but this is definitely high on the list. I envy those people who can get by on little sleep. ~ I've been drinking warm water with lemon in it this week. I don't love it but I know it's so good for your body so I've been doing it anyways. Why can't donuts and pizza be good for the body?!?! What do you confess? On Sunday my parents, sister, and nephew came up which allowed Matt and I to indulge in a couple's float. Say what?! What is THAT?! Let me indulge you....
For Christmas we were gifted a gift certificate for a couple's float at Rochester's Bodymind Float Center. Neither of us had heard about this and we were very intrigued. After looking at the website we were skeptical - a little nervous - but definitely excited to try something new together. When we got there we were shown to our tank room. Before you get into the tank you have to shower and then you get into the tank and float. Yes, you will automatically float. The water is like the Dead Sea - high density thanks to lots and lots and lots of salt. So basically anyone of any size will float. Once you get into the tank the lights turn off and it's pitch black. There is no background noise. There is nothing. You're just there - floating in total darkness and total silence. And let me tell ya - it was freeing. The float was an hour and a half - and neither of us thought we could do it for that long. But we did. In fact, I fell asleep briefly and Matt almost did. And I gotta say - it WAS relaxing - so relaxing. I would have preferred the water to be warmer than it was and I would have liked some soothing music (though I totally get why they don't. There is something about complete and utter silence that is just so relaxing and calming.) But it was definitely interesting and a cool experience. I'd totally do again! So if you are in the Rochester area check them out! Don't we all need a little relaxation in our lives?!?! I've never had great skin. And I feel like I've always struggled with it. When I was in my teens I had some acne. I like to pick and pop so now I'm left with some small scars and indentations. My skin tone is uneven. And my skin is just blah - I don't have that naturally glowing, radiant skin. So lately I've really been trying to focus on my skin and have found some really great items that I thought I'd share with you all for today's Five on Friday. 1) My first item is a bit of a splurge. It's the Rodan & FIelds redefine eye cream. I have some pretty dark circles under my eyes, I've heard amazing things about R&F, & saw some amazing before and after pics. Soooooo I splurged and went for it. So far, I think it's a great eye cream. I wouldn't say I've noticed a huge difference (but I've only been using for a short time) but I have high hopes for this it!! I also bought the eye cloths (which I haven't noticed much of a difference at all but like how it takes off all my eye make up and such.) So they're both winners in my book. 2) Next up is e.l.f studio's high definition powder in translucent. I just bought this last weekend and LOVE it. And at $6 it's right in line with my budget! You don't need a lot of this - use a big brush and brush it all over your face and voila! You're good to go. 3) Next up is actually two products - a brightening toner and vitamin C serum. I use both of these twice a day. I use Burt's Bees Refining Tonic and Claire-ity vitamin C serum. Neither are expensive and they've lasted me for a few months already (I'll need to re-order the toner within the next week or so probably.) 4) This mascara is amazing!!!! I don't have long, luscious lashes. But after applying this mascara, I can fake it. It stays put. It doesn't flake. Basically, it's awesome. 5) And saving the best for last...drum roll please......
NYX Matte Finish Fini Mat spray. Seriously, ladies. Buy yourself this. After you're done applying your makeup you spritz this on your face and it sets your makeup. At the end of the day my makeup is in tact and looks like I actually have makeup on. And for $8 you can't beat it. Stock up girls!! I CONFESS... ~ I'm not one for rompers (or should I say I wasn't.) But I came across this one from Old Navy and it has totally changed my mind about them - cute, simple, and looks totally comfy! And at that price point I'm thinkin' I need to buy it and try it out! ~ I'm pretty organized at home but my office at work...that's a whole different story.
~ That I have eaten like total crap lately and I just can't stop. I blame it on work stress. And my coworkers bringing in things like breakfast pizza...and bagels...and donuts...and chocolate. I.can't.control.myself. I need an intervention. Please send help!! ~ I'm petrified of flying with a 16 month old. Anyone have any tips for us? ~ Speaking of driving, I have serious road rage. I can't stand stupid drivers. If you don't know how to drive properly, please stay off the road. OK - end of rant. ~ That there is ALWAYS something in my Amazon cart. And I pretty much buy everything from Amazon. Who has time to go to the store these days?!?! ~ That when I was little I drank black decaf coffee all the time. And now I can't even stomach coffee unless there's a whole lotta creamer and Truvia involved in. ~ That I am legit obsessed with Scandal. ~ Adele at the Grammy's was amazing. I mean seriously that woman can sing like no other!! She's amazing and I'm not afraid to admit she's my girl crush. ~ I only wash my hair twice a week. But that's all the rage these days, isn't it?! I do condition it every day though - just in case anyone was wonderin' What do you confess? Happy day after Valentine's Day!! I hope you all had an absolutely fantastic Valentine's Day with all your loved ones. It was bitterly cold on Saturday so we spent the morning in our jammies, just hanging out and playing. After Camden's afternoon nap, we headed to Mimi's house. She graciously volunteered to watch Camden so Matt and I could go out for Valentine's Day. We, of course, accepted (I can't remember the last time we went out on a date so we were so excited!) We headed to a local winery to do a wine and chocolate pairing tasting then headed to dinner. It was perfect and we are so thankful to Mimi! Sunday we slept in (yes, 7:30 is sleeping in!) Matt hit up the gym and grocery shopped while Camden napped in the morning. I was able to do a lot of prep and laundry in the morning, as well as a little cleaning. Once Camden went down for his afternoon nap, I scooted out to hit up the gym. Once he was up, we headed out for a big adventure - Camden's 1st haircut!!! I mean, how is this possible?! How is he old enough for his 1st haircut?! It was rough for me, not gonna lie, but he did GREAT!!!! We were so proud of him!! I'm just glad this first one is over - but excuse me while I go cry now...my little baby is not so little anymore (and yes, baby fever is in FULL effect *sigh*)
Happy 15 months to my little man!!!!!!!! In honor of this, this week's edition of 5 on Friday is all about my little dude....
1) This kid is smart. Like super smart. And no, I'm not just saying that because I'm his mama. He amazes me every day with how smart he is and how quickly he learns things. He's a total sponge that soaks everything up and I just love watching him grow. 2) I've never met a kid who loves to help as much as Camden does. You say the word laundry and he goes crazy. Mention needing help and he's all over it. Time to pick up toys - not a problem for this kid. It's the freakin' cutest thing ever and I just can't get enough of it. 3) He's still a total mama's boy. He gives the biggest, sweetest kisses ever. He loves to play with my hair (and his!) He loves to play peek-a-boo. And loves for us to hide and jump out and scare him!! His little laugh and squeals are the best sounds ever. 4) He loves, loves, loves his stuffed animals. Right now he's all about Freddie the froggie and Puppy. And it's just not stuffed animals - he just loves animals in general. I can't wait to go to the zoo with him this summer - he's gonna flip <3 5) He's still tiny (I'll update with his stats from 15 month appointment after we go) He wears either 9 month or 12 month clothes, though has a couple pairs of pants that are 6 months. He has a ton of teeth. Sleeps great (so when he has a rough night it really throws us all for a loop!) He takes 2 naps still. He's gotten better at taking a morning nap at daycare too. He loves peanut butter, toast, watermelon, clementines, and peas. He LOVES using a spoon and fork and actually does EXTREMELY well with both. I'm still nursing but only in the morning and at night. *update (2.15.16) - he weighs 20lbs 2oz (3%), is 2'7" (47%) tall So basically he's perfect and so incredibly loved!!! Jumpin' on the confessional Thursday bandwagon and linking up... I CONFESS... Yesterday I ate 2 bagels. Yes 2. And no, I am not proud of this one bit (and to make matters worse one of them had raisins in it. I HATE raisins. And yet, I ate it anyways....) Clearly, I am your classic stress eater. Don't judge. Now that Camden is walking and he needs real shoes I'll be buying him these and these. I mean totally adorable, right?! My motivation for working out has been non-existent lately. I'm still working out 5-6 times a week but I haven't been giving it my all like I normally do. I've been super lazy in that area so I need to get back at it!!! (I need to remind myself I'll be rocking' shorts and a bathing suit for a week at the end of March so now isn't the time to be slacking in that department!) I've already purchased everything for Camden's Easter basket. And I'm pretty proud of what I got - I think he's gonna be one happy little boy! I can't wait to see him go through it and enjoy it all <3 That even though we've had a really mild winter...I'm so over it. I don't mind the cold. It's the snow. The ice. The brutal wind. The slushy roads. Ugh. I bought this shirt from Old Navy and I got it yesterday and I LOVE IT!!! It's definitely sheer so a tank underneath is a must but it's cute...it's comfy...it's on sale....it actually fits...and it'll look great with skinny jeans OR leggings. I mean - it's the perfect shirt :) That I can't believe that tomorrow I"m going to have a 15 month old - SAY WHAT?!?! What do you confess? Hi to all of the people that read my mama's blog! It's me, Camden - taking over today (sssh don't tell mama!) I know mama keeps you all updated with what's going on and such. I don't really understand why she does it all - I think it's all pretty boring stuff. But want to know what's not boring? Books!! That's right - I love books. I love looking at them by myself but I really LOVE sitting on someone's lap and being read to. I love looking at the pictures and flipping the pages. And sometimes the books are even textured or have flaps and I love to be able to touch everything!!! So I wanted to pop in and share with you all some of my current favorite books. 1. Dear Zoo
2. The I Love You Book 3. Snuggle Puppy 4. Our Little Deer 5. Little Blue Truck's Christmas 6. Daddy and Me 7. Animal Noises I really love all books but these ones are definitely some of my current favorites!! I also really, really, really love books with lots of pictures in them (like this one, this one, and this one.) I love to be quizzed by mama and dada and to look at all the colorful pictures. But really most of the time any book will do :) What are some of your favorite books? All right well I better go before mama catches me ;) Bye Bye! Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up...Yup, it's really me. I know I sound like a broken record - I keep making promises about showing up here more often. And then I don't and make excuses for my absence (though not really excuses - just life!) But in any case, I'm here now so that's all that matters, right?! And, unfortunately, it's Monday. Ugh - why must you suck so bad Monday? Seriously. But Mondays are for weekend recaps - so that's what I've got for you today. By the time Friday rolled around, I was spent. So what's a girl to do on a Friday night after her kid is in bed? Head to Target for a little retail therapy, of course!!! After I got home I enjoyed a little R&R with the hubs and enjoyed some wine and a donut! Matt had a training for work all day Saturday, so it was just me and the babes for the day. Camden took an awesome morning nap so I was not only able to get ready for the day but I also cleaned the downstairs, put a couple pics in some new frames, and planned out our dinners for the week!! After nap, we headed to music class. He did so well this week - he has really gotten comfortable and participates now (he was even in the front of the room with the teacher at one point leaving me to dance and sing all by myself!) Matt ended up getting home earlier than expected so I headed out for a quick run while the little one napped. After my run we all attempted to run a quick errand...but as soon as we got to the store we realized there was a blowout...so we quickly changed diapers and clothes...said to heck with the errand and headed back home!! Once Camden was in bed for the night, I went grocery shopping, we did some food prep for the week, then relaxed on the couch (we're currently binge watching Scandal - soooo good!!!) Saturday night we also got to experience our first middle of the night party. Camden apparently thought it'd be fun to be awake from 9:45 til about midnight. Mad props to the hubs for dealing with him most of the time <3
Sunday we were all a little extra sleepy let me tell ya. But the weather was so nice we actually got outside and went for a walk! Camden is currently obsessed with cars so it was fun to go for a walk so he could see all the cars on the road. He loved it!!! We then met up with my parents for an early dinner and then did a few things (thanks to Amazon prime I purchased all sorts of fun stuff to put in Camden's Easter basket - one less thing to worry about!) before watching the Super Bowl. What did ya'll do this weekend? Someone hand me a dust rag so I can get rid of all the cob webs that have accumulated here. I mean, really, Renee? 19 days since my last post?! And yet it feels like it was just yesterday. My how the days fly by.
But have no fear. I am here. And alive. This time of year sucks. Anyone who works in the Accounting field knows this. Life for us for January through April is insane...like legit INSANE! On top of that, I have a 14 month old. Who knows what he wants. And when he wants it. And if things don't happen on his terms - his world comes crashing down. And then two seconds later he's running over to me, giving me a kiss, and telling me he loves me. Toddlers I tell ya (and I LOVE every second of it!) With all that being said, I miss this space. I miss showing up here regularly and posting. So I have to get better at this, no matter how crazy busy I am. I just need to make the time to do this. So that is my goal! So really this is just a quick life update. Work is crazy. Camden is growing like a weed (we started music class a few weeks ago so that's been fun for all of us!) We're just doing our thing - getting through each day - and doing the best we can. I hope ya'll had a good weekend. And I promise to get better at showing up on here more frequently :) Camden, Today you are 14 months old. It's so hard for mommy and daddy to believe that. Time goes by so fast - it honestly feels like it was just yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. (I know, I know - I've said that before...but it's TRUE!) But you are no longer our newborn. Instead, you are our vivacious, happy, incredibly smart, super sweet little boy.Your baby features are disappearing and you are looking more and more like a little boy now (and an uber cute one at that!) <3 Everywhere we go, people comment on how cute you are (and how little you are - no one believes me when I say you're 1!!) Your language is the biggest milestone these days. You're constantly saying new words, like love you, thank you, excuse me, please, and cheese...to just name a few. You try to mimic everything we say and do (duly noted!) You know what you want and aren't afraid to tell us. You are a big fan of the word no - well, when you say it to us (you don't like it when we say it to you though!) You quite simply are the sweetest little boy there is. You give squeezes and kisses. You'll lay your head on my shoulder and pat my back. You say 'love you.' And the other morning I was holding you and you laid your head down randomly on my shoulder and it sounded like you were singing to me (it lasted a good 10-15 seconds!) It melted my heart and it's a moment I'll NEVER forget. You are constantly on the go and you are legit SO MUCH fun to play with. We absolutely love playing with you - whether it be with blocks, or your Duplos, or playing in your sensory bins. But better than that, is your love of books. You love, love, love books and I hope this love of books stays with you for your entire life. You constantly want to read and look at pictures in your books. You grab the books you want, bring them over to us, and promptly scoot your little butt into our laps so we can read with you. I.LOVE.IT. I honestly can't even begin to explain the love your daddy and I have for you. Every day we say to each other how awesome you are. You are the absolute light of our lives. You bring us so much love and joy and happiness. Seriously, we couldn't have asked for a better, sweeter child. You are so incredibly loved - so, so very loved my sweet little boy <3 I hope you always know how loved you are and how amazing you are. You are mine and daddy's greatest joy. - I have no idea how much you weigh. We'll find out next month at your 15 month check up. You have 10 teeth (well actually 12 - the 2 newest have just barely popped through.) You have 3 out of 4 molars. You wear size 3 diapers. For clothes you wear mostly 6-9 or 9 month. You do wear 12 month in onesie undershirts (Gerber brand that tend to run small.) And you actually have a couple pairs of pants that are size 3-6 that fit you (obviously brands that tend to run big!)
- You love to eat - but only what you WANT to eat. You have become quite selective in this area. Right now, you can't get enough peanut butter!! You love it on toast, crackers, pancakes, and waffles!!! You are also still nursing and I see no end in sight. I am, however, down to pumping just once when I'm at work. - You are a total mama's boy still and I legit love it. - You still won't take a morning nap at daycare but go down pretty easily for us on the weekends. I really wish you'd take a morning nap for Miss Tina but there isn't really much we can do about this situation. - You'll be going on your first airplane ride at the end of March (which mama and dada are NERVOUS about!) - You went to the dentist for the first time yesterday (1/11/16) - Last Saturday (1/09/16) you also went to your first basketball game to cheer on Pops (who is probably your most favorite person after mama and dada!!) - This past Saturday you also started music class through the Eastman School of Music. - We introduced a new sensory bin to you - beans!! You like scooping them into another container and then pouring them back into their storage container. You also like when we bury something (like a puzzle piece) and you have to dig through the beans to find it. - You love to help - whether it's helping daddy make coffee, putting laundry in the washer, putting your milk in the fridge, or carrying something for us. It doesn't matter - you just want to help out and feel so confident and proud when you do!! - You are very communicative - you know what you want, when you want it and you let us all know. It's actually pretty amazing to actually be able to communicate with you and understand what you want/don't want. A little mommy update: I can't believe 14 months ago I had a baby. It's still so crazy to me. But in any case, I'm still struggling with postpartum anxiety. I thought I'd get used to being a working mama but I still haven't and don't think I ever will. It's just as hard today as it was my first day back after maternity leave. It absolutely breaks my heart to leave him every day. I struggle so much with everything I'm missing out on when I'm at work. And every day I wish and pray that things were different. But I know they'll never be. I feel like every day is a battle of trying to do it all because there's just SO much to do and very limited time. But on a more positive note, my confidence as a mom has grown tremendously. That's saying a lot for me since I've pretty much never had confidence in anything before. Being a mom is amazing and I love every second of it (even the hard parts!) I just try to take it one day at a time, do the best I can, and try to give myself a break (because no matter how hard I try, I CAN'T do it all and I need to be OK with myself about that.) |
AuthorHey ~ I'm Renée...just your ordinary, 30-something Accountant, new mommy, wife, runner, foodie, & Pinterest addict! Welcome to my newest adventure...stay awhile...look around...and keep comin' back! Archives
January 2018
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