week in iphone pics, w.20

Twenty weeks of iPhone pictures! I'm not sure why this week didn't turn out so many pictures. It didn't seem that busy. But I got some good ones.




JC and I scoped out a new park and of course the big draw was the wood chips. This kid is obsessed.



Cool view of some streaky clouds at sunset at the park.



This kid kills me. He was doing this for at least ten minutes after breakfast.



Bathtime fun! We both love bathtime, especially when he's in a good mood.



Getting ready for school!



I tried this new hairstyle today. As someone who wears their hair up 99.9% of the time, I'm always on the hunt for easy but cute updos. This definitely fit the bill.



JC's new favorite trick is trying to balance things on top of his head. It's weird to think that one day his head won't be so disproportionate to the rest of his body. At least, I hope it won't be.

I'm so excited because as I type this, my family is moving back! They will be living literally two minutes away from us and I am beyond stoked. I was so sad when I found out I was pregnant only a couple months after they moved to Southern California. Now they are going to be just down the street again and JC can see them anytime! Whoop Whoop!

{Linking up with a good life and life rearranged.}

autumn has arrived

{ bittersweet wreath I pumpkin pie marshmallows I wall decal I angry birds costume }

I am SO ready for Fall! It is my favorite season and I always feel shortchanged living where we do because we always have such a short autumn season. Even though it's officially fall, it is 90 degrees today and the next couple days as well. We'll probably get two good weeks of cool weather before it starts raining everyday. That being said, I am going to try and take full advantage of this season before it slips away. Behold, my fall bucket list:

{1} Visit a pumpkin patch
{2} Take fall-themed family portraits
{3} Decorate for Halloween
{4} Decorate for fall
{5} Visit Apple Hill
{6} Visit the library regularly
{7} Bake a pie
{8} Stand outside in the rain with JC (just for a little bit)
{9} Buy tall brown boots
{10} Make homemade apple cider
{11} Bake cookies for Charles to bring into work
{12} Cook something for Thanksgiving
{13} Dust off the crock pot
{14} Knit matching beanies for Charles and JC
{15} Take Tsunami for more walks
{16} Enjoy some cool days at the park before it starts raining
(17} Do something crafty for Halloween
{18} Do something crafty for Thanksgiving
{19} Make hot apple cider from scratch
{20} Spend a rainy day snuggling with my main dudes

I'm so excited, especially for October. Not only is it the month of one my favorite holidays (ahem, Halloween!) but also my birthday and Charles and mine's anniversary (ELEVEN years dude). AND, I don't think I've mentioned it enough yet, but we are going to VEGAS! Holla! Happy beginning of fall everybody!

buff mama monday w.8, half way to my first goal!

{check out my weight loss goals/rewards here}

I'm halfway to my first goal! I am so excited to be here today because I was really really worried about today's weigh in. I only made it to the gym twice this past week (who thought it was a good idea to close the gym at 8 on the weekends?) so I was nervous. But I made a more conscious effort to monitor what I was eating and I think that's what made the difference.

Again, I am not undertaking any kind of "regimented" diet, just monitoring my calories. We went out for dinner the other night and instead of getting the chicken club, which is what I usually get, I got a tri-tip sandwich. Now, I don't know about you but a chicken club sounds like it would have less calories than tri-tip but when you put bacon and avocado on top on a chicken breast, it tends to up the calorie content. I ended up saving about 300 calories just by getting the tri-tip, which was equally as delicious. JC helped out by knocking over our sweet potato fries that we were sharing so I only ended up eating about 1/4 of them.

Now that we are for sure going to Vegas (YAY!) next month, I have a huge incentive to reach my first goal. I'm trying to be realistic though so I don't get my hopes up too much but it would be awesome to lose five more pounds in the next 17 days. I've really got to make sure I get to the gym at least three times in the next couple weeks (more if I can!) and pay attention to the calories. Eat only until I'm full. Especially when it's something that I know isn't good for me (hello ice cream and brownie for dessert last night.

It's completely against how I normally operate, but I've been thinking about adding a "dietary suppplement" (fancy words for diet pills) to my diet and exercise plan. I'm the kind of person who avoids taking an ibuprofen at all costs. I'm definitely a "mind over matter" kind of thinker. But, that being said, I'm willing to try giving myself a boost in the weight loss department. Because I am secretly obsessed with the Kardashians (please, stop pointing and laughing at me) I have been checking out the QuickTrim line of products. Anybody tried these out? Or any other diet pill for that matter? Did they help or just make you feel like you were going to simultaneously have a heart attack and poo your pants? I'd love to hear some feedback. Thanks in advance!

{Linking up with The Crafty Nest}

week in iphone pics, w.19

It looks like this is becoming the new norm for my iPhone lineup for the week. Can't say I don't love it because it definitely is quicker to set up. Honestly, I've just been neglecting to take as many pictures as I usually do.

I am so excited for this week to end because it is now officially fall! Today actually felt like it too. It's supposed to rain tomorrow too, which would be really weird. Especially because we are forecast to be back in the nineties again by midweek. I wish Northern California would figure out what season it is in already. Anyway, ON WITH THE IPHONE PICS!





I know chips aren't the healthiest food choice, but JC is so cute when he eats them - I can't get enough of him laying on that couch - We visited our local zoo AKA PetsMart, checkin out the hamsters - I really want this bird - JC's Cozy Coupe! He loves it so much! - If he's not laying down on his couch, he's laying down on the coffee table - JC's new obsession, Fire Roasted Tomato & Olive Oil Triscuits - I love when Tsunami gets a haircut because she looks like Tramp from Lady and the Tramp - Tsunami helping entertain Damian - Desperately trying to catch up on my Google Reader feed, I am like a month behind on ALL of my favorite blogs - Obligatory squeezy pouch picture - And we finally got a new rug for the living room! Clearanced for only $25 at Target! Whoot whoot!

Tomorrow we are getting up bright and early (which around these parts means 9 am) and we are heading out to a craft fair. I'm super excited! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

{Linking up with a good life.}

september sponsor love

I've got so many awesome new sponsors this month from doing sponsor swaps. I've even got a couple more lined up for next month already! Want to get on this sponsor swap train for October? You can get more info here.

BTW, I loved making these little sponsor spots because I got to use some of my new Photoshop skillz. Check out these lovely ladies!


{blog} {facebook} {@sweetshawntae on instagram}






{blog} {facebook} {twitter} {pinterest}



{blog}


{blog}{pinterest}

buff mama monday w.7, staying motivated

{check out my weight loss goals/rewards here}

I decided to write this post about how I stay motivated to lose weight before I weighed myself this morning. Then I got on the scale and realized that the number didn't change. But I realize the topic is still poignant because it is hard to stay motivated when the weight loss is slow. I'm actually really positive about this today because I sneaked on the scale a couple days ago hoping to see a lower number. You can imagine how mad I was when I realized that I had GAINED weight. This, of course, was right after I came home from the gym so you can imagine how irritating that was. But, I know I need to stay focused and stay on track, so I'm still going to share how I try to do that.

1. Find what works for you. This really has to do with working out but it also works with dieting. For me, going to the gym works very well. It gives me a chance to have some real mommy time where I can clear my mind. There is every kind of machine that you can think of so I have a lot of options to try out if I get bored doing one particular thing. We have a treadmill at home but every time I get on it, I'm always worried about making too much noise and waking up JC. Plus, it's in my bedroom so inevitably I end up looking around the room and all I can think about is all the things I need to do in there. I end up feeling like I wasted my time. Luckily, my gym is really close so it only takes me about five minutes to drive there. Charles and I alternate bath nights with JC so I try to go on the nights that Charles puts JC to bed. The gym is really quiet at this time.

But you have to find what works for you. If having a treadmill and weights at your house will motivate you to work out, do it. You don't need to spend a ton of money to exercise. Try just going on a daily stroll with your tot in the stroller. I know a lot of moms feel like they don't have time to go to the gym; if you bring the gym to you, you can't really use that excuse. Exercise DVD's are great options too, especially if you can't stand the monotany of the treadmill. I'm really thinking about getting a little set of free weights for my house so I can do some arm workouts throughout the day so I can focus on my lower body when I go to the gym.

2. Set small goals and reward yourself for reaching them. I have an overall weight loss goal of thirty pounds. But a bigger number like that can seem daunting and make you feel like it is unattainable. I'm trying to think of my weight loss in ten pound increments to make it seem more manageable. I also have rewards that I REALLY want set up for every ten pound increment that I make it to. I so badly want all of the rewards that I have set for myself that I think about that while I think "Am I really hungry? Or just bored?"

3. Have a time frame in mind. My upcoming wedding is my major motivation for my weight loss. While it is still eight months away, I know I will need to start looking for a dress a lot sooner than that. I also have my birthday coming up in almost exactly one month. Kind of randomly, we might be going to Las Vegas! I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to lose at least ten pounds by then so that has been a big motivating influence for me lately.

I hope I helped someone get a little more motivated to stick with their goals and not give up! Now go do some push ups.

{Linking up with The Crafty Nest}

Burpie Bundles Store Credit Giveaway!

If you have a baby or toddler, you understand the importance of bibs and burp cloths. Especially if you're the one who takes care of the laundry as well. When JC was a little thing, we used cloth bibs non-stop. If it was to absorb drool or spit up, he was wearing one. When he started eating solid food, I realized that a cloth bib was not going to cut it. I now had at least three bibs a day that had to be removed of stains and washed. And to top it off, they didn't do that great of a job at protecting his clothes from spaghetti sauce. That's when I discovered the joy of the plastic covered, wipeable bib.

I had a couple that we received as shower gifts that have lasted a good long while but the velcro wasn't very strong so it wore out. I found myself looking around etsy and stumbled upon Burpie Bundles.

Let me tell you, it was difficult to limit myself to a couple bibs. Not only do they offer wipeable "toddler" bibs but they also offer cotton "drooler" bibs, burp cloths, diaper clutches, tote bags, binkie clips, nursing covers, wipeable place mats, and washable snack bags. Honestly, I could go on. And everything is handmade using the cutest fabric. I chose to get JC two toddler bibs; one in Play Day and one in Ready, Set Go. I keep one at home and one in his diaper bag. 

I've got a pretty messy little eater and these bibs really help keep the amount of OxyClean that I buy to as much of a mininum as is possible with a fifteen month old. I also noticed that the velcro on these bibs is much stronger than the other bibs I had for JC. He used to just rip off his old bibs in one swoop but these guys put up more of a fight.

So now that you want to go pick your kidlet some adorable bibs, Burpie Bundles was nice enough to offer my readers a 10% off discount if you visit and "like" their facebook page. The code is KNITPURL10 and is good through October 31, 2011.

And, as if that wasn't good enough, I'm giving my readers the chance to win a $15 store credit to Burpie Bundles! I wanted to thank you guys for joining me on this blogging journey over the past few months. There are multiple ways to enter:

Mandatory Entry:

1. Visit Burpie Bundles and leave a comment here saying what you would buy with the store credit if you won.

Extra Entries:

2. Follow knit purl baby using Google Friend Connect and leave a comment on this post saying that you did so (Current followers count!)

3. Follow @knitpurlbaby on twitter and leave a comment on this post saying that you did so (Current followers count!)

4. "Like" Burpie Bundles on facebook and leave a comment on this post saying that you did so. Tell them knit purl baby sent you! (Current followers count!)

5. "Like" knit purl baby on facebook and leave a comment on this post saying that you did so. (Current followers count!)

6. Tweet, blog or update your facebook status mentioning this giveaway. Please leave a link.

Please leave your e-mail address with each comment so I may contact you if you win! Giveaway will end 12:00 a.m. PST on Monday, October 3rd. Good luck everyone!

week in iphone pics, w.18

Didn't do the greatest at taking pictures again this week but there's some good ones. Another Goodwill trip, fine motor skills development, and JC is in all but one picture. Sounds good to me!




JC and Damian playing together - Charles and JC getting their coloring on at BJ's - I don't know why I didn't buy this at Goodwill - baby you can drive my car - JC practiced eating with a fork, he did great! - Digging around in his toy box is half the fun of having a toy box - chillin on the couch - $5 spent at Goodwill = hours of entertainment for the kidlet - I wish they sold squeezy pounches at Costco; if they start, please tell me! - JC LOVES this little couch he got for his birthday - speaking of birthday presents, he finally fits in his Jersey Shore sleeveless hoodie vest. I need to get a picture of him shirtless wearing this. And a giant gold chain.

{Linking up with a good life.}

on disciplining a fifteen month old {and we have a winner!}

Is it possible? That is what I have been trying to figure out for the last few weeks. I have a couple different places I look when I have questions about baby or toddler behavior. Other blogs, the bump, and Toddler 411. Unfortunately, I feel that a lot of what I read is common sense principles that we've always followed and there are a lot of recommendations for encouraging good behavior but not a lot of "solutions" for discouraging bad behavior.

What I see a lot of is "make sure your kid gets enough sleep", "don't run errands during nap times", "make sure your kid is not hungry", etc. Um, duh. I mean we all have made the mistake of pushing our limits and having a toddler on the verge of tantrum mania at Costco. But 95% of the time, nap times are sacred in our house. Ever since JC was a teeny tiny baby, I have always fought for his naps. I really do attribute his "happy-go-lucky" attitude to the fact that he's well rested. And not just "oh he'll fall asleep in the car" naps; like in his room, in his crib, quiet house naps. JC also has a pretty strict schedule when it comes to his meal times. He, himself, is pretty flexible with it though. But I always carry a couple snacks, just in case we are out and it's not quite lunch time. If anything, sometimes a couple Goldfish will help distract him if he's bored or getting fussy. But, these recommendations are meant to help deter temper tantrums and meltdowns. These are not really our issues.



There are a few less than desirable behaviors that JC likes to exhibit that I would like to nix. Our biggest issue as of late has been hitting. It's not really bad but he will hit the cat or dog and pull on their skin or tails. He will even try to hit me or Charles sometimes. I feel stupid but I realized that we were actually encouraging this behavior because Charles will let JC "play hit" him and he will overreact to the hits by making big motions and JC thinks it is SO funny. I realized this after I noticed that he would have a big smile on his face when he's hitting the cat and he will laugh. He thinks it's a game.

So one thing I read in my Toddler 411 book is that they feel that timeouts would be totally appropriate for a toddler his age; in fact, a nine month old will understand and respond to timeouts.

Are you joking? A nine month old? I LOVE my Baby 411 book but Toddler 411 has been a little disappointing. This is one thing that I really do not see working. I think timeouts are good resource but I'm not sure JC is old enough to "get it". On top of that, I don't know where I would put him for his timeout. I don't want him to associate any negative thoughts with his crib or pack-n-play because he sleeps there! If you mess up my kid's sleep, I will fight you. I think if I just put him in his room to punish him, he would just be like "cool, I'll just play with my toys". And none of our other rooms are baby proofed enough that I would let him chill in there unsupervised, even for a minute (which is the time rec given by Toddler 411 for his age). And what if we are out somewhere and we need to put him in a timeout? Where would I put him that I wouldn't be scared of what he'd get into while I had a closed door between us. He's just too little.

So, the only thing that I have found that "works" is just to remove him from the situation. He wants to be around the cat and dog. He really does love them. He just doesn't understand that they don't want to be smacked around by him. So when he starts pulling or hitting, I'll give him one or two more chances to "be nice". I'll show him how to "pet nice" and if he continues to hit or pull I'll pick him up and move him somewhere else. Sometimes he'll whine a little bit, sometimes he'll just move onto something else. But I have noticed an improvement. It does suck because I have to get all up in his grill every time he has an interaction with one of the animals but I hope it will save him a claw to the face or a berating by another parent when he smacks a kid at the library.



What do you think? How do you discipline your young toddler? What has worked for you?

Also, we have a winner for the MyMemories Digital Scrapbook Software Giveaway, Stacy T! I will be contacting you via e-mail so you can get your scrapbook on! Thanks to everyone who participated, keep an eye out in the next couple days for a new giveaway!

buff mama tuesday w.6, it's working!

{check out my weight loss goals & rewards here}

Posting this a day late, err. But the stats are from yesterday so it's all good.

It's amazing how good I feel after working out regularly for the last couple of weeks. I'm SO close to getting past my five pound fluctuation. Once I get past that point, I will be really pumped. But I really do have so much more energy, I'm sleeping better and I'm just in an overall better mood.

I didn't do that great with the eating this week though. I may or may not have participated in a fifty chicken mcnugget eating foodfest. Amongst three people. It was not pretty. There also might have been two large orders of fries involved. I have really been trying to cut out fast food (not on purpose, but because I don't want to JC to eat it so I can't have it around him) so eating those nuggets was no bueno for the digestive system. Is that TMI? Well, it's the truth. I still skipped meals but it really is because I get so busy sometimes in the morning I just don't have time. Plus when I'm running around, I don't feel hungry. It's not until I put JC down for his nap and I sit down is when I first realize that it is now 1 o'clock and I'll I've had is coffee. I really need to make a more conscious effort to eat breakfast.

It's been cool having my brother here because he's gone to the gym with me a few times now and we play around on all the machines without being self-conscious. So I feel way more comfortable around all the muscle-bound, weight-belt-wearing dudes. Yeah I'm using the five-pound dumb bells and the ab machine is only set to 30 pounds but I'm doing it!

I know that working on my diet is key this week. If I can get a good diet and a good exercise regime working together, I can get maximum weight loss. Hopefully more than a pound a week.

{Linking up with The Crafty Nest}

week in iphone pics, w.17

I sucked at taking pictures this week. My bro is in town and when my family is in town, I get a little neglectful with my blog. So I'm doing it a little different and made my lazy grid with the pictures that I did take. I got to use some of my new found Photoshop skillz today! I wasn't joking when I said I didn't know diddly squat about Photoshop. I seriously only knew how to crop an image, add text, adjust levels and resize an image. I had no clue how to make a collage. I always use Picasa but it doesn't turn out perfect. Now I can use Photoshop and make my shtuff look all fancy! Yay for school!





JC grubbin on some pizza - giving Uncle David a big ol' welcome hug - cruisin' Goodwill, I didn't find anything but Uncle David spent like $12, which is like $200 in Goodwill terms - we found this AWESOME picture at Goodwill, I love how angry the littlest kid is - JC practicing his hand stand abilities - bathtime - I went to a comic store for the first time with my bro - we had some fun at a local music store, JC carried around those drumsticks the whole time - slappin' da bass! - an awesome food truck made a special visit to the 'burbs so we got to partake in some delicious mini burgers - JC doesn't care, he will show you his belly any and everywhere - Charles and JC worked on their construction skills



Don't forget the MyMemories Digital Scrapbook Software Giveaway ends on Tuesday night! Very low entries still!
{Linking up with a good life and life rearranged.}

jc at fifteen months

{check out past updates here}

I can't believe that it's already time for another monthly update! And I'm a few days late. There are so many changes that JC has been going through this past month, I'll just jump right in.

He is getting better and better at walking everyday. His toes are starting to point forward instead of out and he's getting some speed. Now, that doesn't mean to say that he doesn't fall. He falls all. the. time. But he's a really good sport about it most of the time and just gets back up and keeps going. I don't know where he gets all the energy. With walking and walking better, has come a few more challenges. He's not always content to just sit in the shopping cart when we are shopping anymore. Luckily, he's only done this when Charles is with me so one of us can watch him as he walks all over Staples or Babies R Us. He is also pointing out our weaknesses in the babyproofing department. He definitely keeps me on my toes.




JC's communication skills are growing by leaps and bounds. He has a few new words ("moon", "that", "there", "boom" referring to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, "bear") but the amount that he understands is ridiculous. I am always surprised by how much he comprehends. I ask him to bring me something (shoe, toy, his cup) and he will find it and bring it to me. I tell him it's time to brush his teeth or take a bath and he heads on over to the bathroom. He can point out six body parts on himself when you ask him where they are. He still uses pointing as a main part of his communication but he has replaced grunts with "that" and "there". He does like to yell, which isn't always awesome. I don't think he yells because he gets impatient but more because he likes to yell.

One sad realization that I've come to in the past few days is that we are officially retiring his second nap. I have gone through all seven stages of grief in the loss of this nap but I am finally out on the other side and it's not so bad. We'll definitely play it by ear on some days to see if he will need a second nap but for the most part, I think we are down to one. JC used to take his first nap at about 11:00 after he had been awake for about two hours. This was always his longest nap and he'd sleep until 1 or even 2 sometimes. Then he would take an afternoon nap at about 5 until 6:30 or 7. He has gradually been fighting both of his naps, which is crazy because he has always been SUCH a good sleeper. And if he did take a nap, it would be much shorter. I was in denial about it, hoping and praying that he was just fussy that day or it was too loud in the house. But, this started happening more and more consistently. So I've decided to keep him up a little bit longer in the morning and put him down at about 1:00 or 1:30. Then he sleeps for a couple hours (he slept yesterday for three) and he is pretty good and rested for the remainder of the day. I can still manage to get most of the things I need to get done during naptime without much difficulty. It's also nice to have him awake longer in the mornings so we can run errands or do fun things (zoo trips, park visits, go to the library) during that time too. We used to have to wait until about 4 to start doing anything and then we'd have to be back by 5:30 to get him down for his next nap. Didn't get much done. So this will be a lot better.




We got one more tooth (his right lateral incisor, so I don't forget to mark this in his baby book) this month, bringing our total to five. I'm still going to say that teething has not been a big issue for us so far. I mean, sure he's grumpy or cranky sometimes but it's really hard to pinpoint it and say "oh yeah, it's because he's teething". But we also haven't had to deal with molars yet and I'm scared of those. They just seem and sound so much more painful. We go in for his fifteen month doctor's appointment tomorrow so I will have all of his official stats then but I'd say he's about 20 pounds, not too much weight gain since his last appointment. What I'm really curious about is his height, because he does seem significantly taller.

Some of JC's favorite things include hugs (he LOVES to hug his stuffed animals or even his little plastic figurines. If it has a face, it's getting a hug.), Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?, dancing, pulling the cat's tail, making fart sounds with his mouth, banana bread, pulling EVERYTHING out of his toy box, his little toddler sized couch, playing in the sand and wood chips at the park, running around naked and bath time.

We've had some issues with separation anxiety and discipline this month but I hope to write more in depth posts about that soon.

All in all, toddlerhood has been treating us pretty well so far! Sure there are challenges but there is so much fun stuff too! I love that JC is getting more independent and exploring everything. I am so excited for him to learn more words and understand what we are saying so we can communicate with each other even better. As he's getting older, I'm coming to the realization that I am more of a "toddler person" than a "baby person". Don't get me wrong, I loved JC just as much when he was a newborn and an infant but I am having more fun raising a toddler. I love taking my little best friend with me everywhere.

buff mama monday w.5, getting it done

{check out previous weeks here}

So this week, I'm not going to whine or complain about how hard it is for me to work out or whatever else. Because this week, I managed to go to the gym FOUR times! Including a new class this morning.

Now, I am a little disappointed because I did only lose one pound this week. But they say healthy weight loss is about two pounds a week and I really haven't modified my diet much, just added physical activity. And they also say that muscle weighs more than fat, right? I'll take that. At least I didn't gain any weight.

Charles and I alternate nights for who does JC's bedtime routine. On Charles's nights, I say goodnight to JC before I leave because he's already asleep by the time I come back and I head out to the gym. It has really been working out well for me. The only downside is that I discovered that my gym closes at eight on Saturday and Sunday. So that kind of through me off but it gave me the perfect excuse to get up early today and try out a new class. It was a cardio/step/sculpt combination class that was a lot of work but it felt good. The instructor was pulling some complicated step moves but I tried my best to keep up.

The next step for me is to really try and work on my diet. I don't think I want to go on any kind of regimented diet but I'm just going to try and keep track of my calorie intake throughout the day. I also have a bad habit of skipping meals just to binge out at lunch or dinner and probably end up eating more calories than if I had just eaten breakfast or a snack. So my goal for this week is to not skip any meals, eat when I'm hungry but don't overeat. And drink a lot of water. I know it sounds like common sense but I will really have to work at this.

Also I'm thinking about getting a new scale. Ours was the cheapest one at Target when I bought it five years ago. Got any recommendations?

{Linking up with The Crafty Nest}

week in iphone pics, w.16

Yay my favorite post of the week! Mostly because I get to look back at what we did all week because honestly, I forget. This post was written after living through this week so I felt a little busier than usual. I forgot to take pictures most of the time. But I managed to get some good ones still.




I had to run a bajillion errands (including shipping off one of my first etsy sales!) on Monday so I dragged JC during our usual hang around the house time but he was in a good mood. It was made better by being able to take his nintendo controller along for the ride. If you have a wiggly baby during diaper changes, you know distractions are essential. I always keep a bunch of toys to give JC while I change his diaper. Today he entertained himself by playing peek-a-boo with a tupperware container.




Tuesday is one of our double baby days. Damian's hair is so epic on instagram, I love it. He has the cutest little curly poof. He was practicing cruising around using JC's favorite train. Later that evening, JC and I visited the park. I took a lot of pictures of our visit but this one is my favorite. After JC's bath I rushed to the gym and managed to show the treadmill who's boss. I've gone three times this week!! Going while Charles gives JC a bath and puts him down has worked out the best so far.




Charles got a new keyboard for his computer so we let JC play with the old $5 one. He loves it. Tries to carry it around everywhere. Just gotta be careful because the buttons can pop off. JC enjoyed reading "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" while I changed his diaper. JC obviously had some work to do because he had his keyboard and his laptop going at the same time. Multitasking. We went to my second favorite place that has red shopping carts, Trader Joe's. Obviously our barber shop visit a couple weeks back didn't take care of his Bieber-esque bang. I found the most delicious way to eat fiber ever. Literally looks and tastes just like a brownie. And JC loves "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" so much that he enjoyed reading it with Charles for the 17th time that day.




Thursday night we went way too late to BJ's for dinner. Luckily, JC was in a good mood and didn't make any scenes. He kept checking out the birthday girl in the booth next to us. I think he felt a special bond with her because it was his 15 month birthday that day too.




After I got home from school, Charles, JC and I played in the backyard a little bit. JC got a sandbox for his birthday three months ago and we just barely set it up. He got to play in it for the first time and of course some sand inevitably got in his mouth. We hit up Babies R Us for a new diaper pail (btw, the Munchkin Arm & Hammer diaper pail sucks) and JC noticed the moon. He LOVES the moon; always points at it and says "MOO! MOO! MOO!" And when we got home, I got tired of the Bieber bang and decided to take a whack at trimming it myself. It looks like I'm pushing JC down but I promise I don't beat up my kid. I think I did a pretty good job actually.

Don't forget to enter to win the MyMemories Digital Scrapbook Software giveaway I have going on right now! And if you want to follow me on instagram, my username is melissajenkins. I don't think there's a way to link that. Have a good weekend!

{Linking up with a good life and life rearranged}

not enough hours in the day

{via}

Ok, I'm going to Twilight nerd out for a minute. If you can't handle it, go on to the next paragraph. So, you know how Edward doesn't need to sleep? Don't even need to mention that he will live forever but can you imagine how much time that would give you? You could do whatever you wanted to do. That was the coolest thing I had ever heard when I heard it.

Alright, Twilight nerding out over. You can all come back now. But for reals, I think about that a lot. Especially lately. "Technically" I'm "working" less than I was when had a "real" job. But I feel like I have 10x more work to do all. the. time. I felt like I had to give myself permission just to write this post. I think the main difference is that I actually care about what I'm doing everyday. I feel like it actually matters. Maybe not for anyone else, but for me. I'm raising a human being over here people. Big stuff. From the minute I wake up until the minute I go to bed, I am constantly doing something. Even just reading blogs or responding to comments has become a task that needs to be completed. I don't feel like I can just relax and check my e-mail/facebook/twitter because it just reminds of me of all the stuff I need and want to do.

I really didn't realize how much work running a household could take. Since I am home all day, I have taken on all of the household responsibilities except the outside chores. And I take pride in my work. I am kind of becoming OCD with the cleaning. I have to tell myself that it is ok to leave the house with toys in the living room while we run to the grocery store. "No one will be here while you are gone. It's ok if the house doesn't look perfect." I trip out over dirty dishes in the sink. Loads of laundry call out to me constantly. Every dust bunny in the corner stresses me out. Trying to figure out what I'm going to feed everyone else takes precedence over what I'm going to feed myself. By the time I finish feeding everyone, I don't even want to eat. I just want to sit down.

On top of that, Charles and I have both taken on a lot in the last few weeks. Charles started a new position that has him working ten hour days. Yes, it's only four days a week but by the time he gets home from work, he's exhausted. On his days off, he's exhausted. He's also trying to work on his photography and videography business but he barely has time to do anything with it. I am watching our friend's eight month old son two days a week so pretty much nothing gets done on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-4. I finally opened my etsy store. (Oh yeah, I did that. I haven't even had a chance to formally announce it but here's the link to it if you're interested. I plan to "officially" announce it, when I have time...) I feel like I never have time to work on new products or go hunting for new merchandise. I am going to school. It's only one class but it takes up a good chunk of the day on Friday. Oh, and I'm really trying to make time for exercise. I've managed to go twice this week at night after JC has gone to bed. Plus, don't really need to list this buuuuuut I am the primary caretaker of a 15 (oh dang, he's fifteen months old today! Another post I need to do.) month old toddler.

And on top of all that, I have my little blog here. I always find myself toiling with different ideas for posts but I never get around to writing them. I get on the computer, try to catch up on some of my favorite blogs, check twitter and before you know it, it's 1 AM. I don't mean to neglect you blog. It's because of you that I am doing everything else in my life right now! Because of blogging, I have found new passions and interests that I want to devote my time to. Because, while I am sorta complaining (ok, I'm complaining) about all the things I have to do, I'm really complaining about the lack of time available. Because I love all of the things that I do everyday. Ok, maybe not the laundry but I enjoy taking care of my family. I've always wanted to own my own business. I think I might have a real interest in web and graphic design. It's nice to get out and exercise. I really do feel better afterward.

So, in conclusion, blog, I love you. I promise I will try to post more than just Wordless Wednesday and Week in iPhone pictures. But it still would be pretty freaking sweet to not need sleep. Although, I do love me some sleep. Speaking of which, I'm getting in the shower and hittin the hay. I gots school tomorrow.

Thank you for listening to me complain.