weekend wishlist

i can't believe this week is THANKSGIVING. i've been thinking about how fast time goes. how teddy is growing so quickly and before i know it the sun will be back, and i'll be shaving my legs again (maybe, maybe not- amiright?). it hasn't really snowed up where we live, but my holiday instincts are kicking in already. who wants to throw an epic holiday party with me? i'm serious.

here's what i'm drooling over right now, guys. 

this sweet coat for mimi- because it's classy and sweet, just like her.

(i also love this adult sized one in gray)

this rad bag that i stare at once a week for about 20 minutes

my friend makes these in slc and i want them ALL.

this comfy dress for me (on sale!!)- because stripes.

this cute pom pom beanie- they also have this one in cream.

baby boy romper for teddy to bring out the swiss in him.

this darling toy

(a dear friend actually just gifted me, so i guess it's not on my wishlist anymore-i just had to share because it's awesome.)

these beads to match. :)

a little sparkle for that holiday party we're going to throw (yep- i'm talking about you.)

lipstick- because a red lip paired with a little sparkle? that's just nice.

happy saturday before thanksgiving friends,

four months.

teddy's four month shots are coming and i am dreading it. i wish we could just skip it and go get a milkshake instead. i know i could handle that like a boss.

i feel like i'm realizing that nursing will never get "easy."
what is easy anymore?! nothing is easy. except gaining weight.

teddy is really hungry for attention lately. like full attention. like eye contact at all times attention. i'm like "okay. don't freak out, but i'm going to move my focus to the computer for 3 minutes to send this email," and he gives me these really sad eyes, and i feel like i must be the worst mamma in the world. (and blogging?! i don't write on here unless he's asleep because there is just. no. way.)

then again- who wouldn't want to keep eye contact with this all day long? 

a sweet friend from college sent me a book on sleep scheduling and a bag full of canadian chocolate (which if you haven't had- you're missing out). i'm so lucky to have such considerate people in my life. i hadn't talked to her in years and she sent me a package out of the blue. i wish i could say i've consumed as much of the book as i have the chocolate. hashtag priorities.

teddy rolled over the other day, except i don't think it counts because he was propped up on a pillow. so, he flopped over the other day. i spent 10 minutes trying to get him to do it again.

my incision has been really hurting the past few weeks, and sometimes i get worried that my body will never heal. something hit me last night though- i don't think it's hurting because i exercise ("exercise" is a generous term for what i do...) i think it's hurting because my nerve endings are healing, and i'm starting to get feeling back in my lower abdomen, and since it was cut open a few months ago, yeah- it's going to sting a little every now and then...

do my c section mamas have any advice or experience they'd like to offer?

i'm thinking about selling our accent chairs, but i'm torn. i simultaneously love them and need to let them go. what do you think, guys? are these something you'd buy if you saw them on craigslist? also- craigslist is scary.

today i was daydreaming about baby girl names, and i went through a storage box of baby girl things i've been collecting since before i even met gideon. i'm so glad i have my little boy. but i wouldn't be bummed if i had a little girl too.

my best friend called today.
why is baltimore so far away? sigh.

happy tuesday.
or is it wednesday?
ugh. happy day.

weekend wishlist

"later that night, i held an atlas on my lap, ran my fingers across the whole world, and whispered, 'where does it hurt?'
it answered, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere."

-warsan shire


    i wish for this always.

fall soup.

let me be clear, sweet friends: 

i'm not a chef. in college i mostly ate cold cereal and fruit.

(here's a link to a real foodie's blog)

meal planning baffles me, and grocery shopping irritates me.

i like simple recipes that don't take a long time.

and with all the cooking videos going around social media,

i got inspired and decided to make my own of the easiest, tastiest, crockpot potato soup.

hope you like it, friends. full recipe below.

4 potatoes (chopped makes it easier)

1 carrot (sliced)

2 tbs butter (refrigerated and cubed)

1 onion (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

3 cups of water

1 spoonful of chicken bouillon

(you could just do chicken broth, 

instead of the water and bouillon 

but i didn't have any in the house...)

salt & pepper (to taste)

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

_____________________________________________________

combine potatoes, carrot, butter, garlic, onion water, and bouillon in crock pot
(i like to see a little bit of water/chicken broth peeking up in the bowl)

cook on high for 4-5 hours/ until the potatoes are soft

mash potatoes

salt and peper to taste

add flour and milk

serve in bowl with cheese, green onions and bacon

SO EASY, RIGHT?????

that's all. happy friday.

breast milk heals most things, and other stuff going on.

you guys. breast milk.

teddy scratched himself on the cheek. (enough to draw blood!) and the internet told me to put breast milk on it. the cut healed overnight. a few weeks later he scratched his eye, and i tried the same thing. healed. i use it when he has the rare baby pimple pop up. it works every time. this stuff that my body makes is incredible. so basically, i am incredible.

he grabs his toes. he's even starting to use his abs (can babies have "abs"? should i say tummy??) to sit up. when he does, he gets this self important grin on his face and it makes my heart melt. what a little stud.

he's decided he'd rather not sleep through the night after all. (at least he gave it a try for a few days, right?) his prime time for flirting and cooing is around 3:30 am. this little boy is so sweet, but he's driving me crazy.

gid and i had a date for the first time since the delivery and went to a drive-in less than five minutes from our house because we're crazy parents who can't be too far from our baby. you guys, don't eat junk food if your body isn't used to it. trust me. woof.

if someone would've told me a year ago that last season's diapers would get me excited, i would have groaned and rolled my eyes. whatever. they're cute. and on sale.

(honest co. also just released five new prints for the current winter season. also cute.
we just ordered a bundle. teddy's bum is seasonal for the next 200 diapers at least, y'all...)

most days my incision is numb. (that's normal, right c section mamas?) but every now and then i'll get sharp, intense pains that last a few seconds. isn't it crazy that four months ago, a surgeon cut me open, moved around all my organs, pulled a person out, and sewed me back up? and i'm still alive?! science, man!

i'm not sure i'll ever feel strong enough (or brave enough) to do a real jumping jack again.

teddy and i are getting better with outings. the other day i took him to the mall and target in the same trip. he smiled at sales people and had the most unbelievable blowout in jcrew while i was in the dressing room. i can't decide if his explosion means that he hates shopping and was dying to get home, or if he really wanted to have his diaper changed there because he has expensive taste.

6:30pm feels like midnight. i hate these short days.

i'm thinking of doing a giveaway on my blog. do people still do that? is that a thing still? i feel like social media blew up into a completely new thing while i was in graduate school, and now i don't understand it. i wish i was more of a hipster. maybe i should get gid a man bun for christmas. (omg. i think i will...)

i thought i'd fit into all of my old clothes by now. (wrong again, alyssa.) but i'm stubborn and refusing to buy more clothes, because i feel like that's giving in to the enemy. i don't know who the enemy is, but i'll never surrender.

unless surrendering is wearing leggings a lot. in that case, i surrendered a long time ago.

we took christmas card pictures yesterday on top of a mountain in snow covered trees. (stay tuned!) i know it sounds silly, but taking real family pictures for the first time felt like a big deal.

man, this post was all over the place.
if you made it this far, you're a trooper.



ps- but seriously, are giveaways still a thing?

weekend wishlist

ugh, are you guys as glad as i am that it's friday? shorter days

didn't bother me until i had a kid and don't get outside as much.

i'm wishing for all things cozy this week, friends. here are some of the things on my list.

(worth checking out- especially the sale on sales)

 cute little teepee (all 20% off) for teddy to cozy up in when he's older and we play hide and seek all day.

sweet baby blanket with color combos that make my heart flutter

diaper backpack because a hands free bag sounds smarter and smarter

baby boy sweater- so darling, don't you think?

infinity scarf (extra 35% off online)- so many cute colors. well done, jcrew.

boy boots- can you even stand these, guys?! i'm dying in love.

knit throw (extra 20% off sale)- because i need a blanket big enough for me, gid, and my little sweetheart.

wishing you a warm weekend, friends.

life.

teddy gets restless when gid is getting ready for work in the morning, and then he's weepy for hours after gid leaves (staring at the door and everything). this little boy loves his dad.

if he's really upset, he'll refuse nursing or a bottle, and one of the only things that calms him is sitting by the window, rocking and humming. i think he likes the colors of the leaves. it makes me nervous that they're almost all gone.

something a friend said to me about motherhood has been sticking with me; how it can often appear (and feel) as though you haven't actually done anything for days despite feeling constantly busy and drained.

i feel like all i do is nurse, bottle feed, change diapers, and hopelessly encourage naps.

but teddy doesn't want to nap. he wants to play, or have staring contests. or be held. or eat.

i think i'm okay with that though.
being his mamma is exhausting, but it has incredibly sweet moments.

  that's all.

halloweentime.

i was going to give up on a family halloween costume, because the last few weeks have been rough, and i didn't want to stress myself out with a holiday that is supposed to be fun.

i'm so glad we decided to throw a costume together anyway.

i present to you: princess leia, handsome han solo, and a sleepy little ewok.
(poor teddy was fast asleep throughout all of our pictures, and i didn't have the heart to wake him up.)
enjoy, friends.

happy halloween, my people.

estella-nyc i love you

GUYS. our friends over at estella-nyc sent teddy this sweet little taxi rattle that has been on my wishlist for months! i'm dying!! i thought it was darling on the website, but i love it even more in person.

even better: so does teddy!

i buy cute stuff for him a lot that he's not very impressed with (i should give him a break since he's just a little guy, but sometimes i'm like, "buddy, mama spent eight dollars on this toy, so you will love it." he's working on holding things for more than a split second, and the wheels on this taxi are perfect for his little fingers. soo cute, right?! i'm obsessed.

estella-nyc is an eclectic, high end, designer baby boutique in new york's village, and they partner with a small community of knitters in peru to make their organic cotton rattles, security blankets and kids décor items. so cool, right? not only do they support these talented artists (which already- i'm like count me in and take my money), they are also all about fair trade, fair wage, and creating a high quality, beautiful hand made product at a price point that is reasonable for you and me, while still compensating the artists fairly. which is so cool. did i mention they just got in some new christmas rattles?

you guys! are you in love yet? i'm nuts about them.

one more thing. teddy's crib is featured on their product webpage!

so check 'em out, friends. i know you'll be as crazy about them as i am. xo

taxi rattle
taxi blanket
teddy's outfit
swaddle
boppy cover

this post brought to you by estella. 

pumpkin patch II.

teddy's first pumpkin patch visit from this post was super fun, but it happened before gideon came down to texas to join us. 

obviously we had to make another trip to a patch as a family, right?

sometimes i look at pictures like this, and i'm like, "cute baby." and then i realize he's our baby and we get to keep him forever, and it just makes my day.

i'm still not used to the fact that there's three of us now.

...which is weird because it feels like teddy has been with us forevvvveer.

(i'm lookin' at you, sleepless nights! did i mention teddy 

decided he doesn't want to sleep through the night after all? sigh)

now we have three pumpkins outside our door- a big one, a medium one, and a baby one.

gid's shirt (sale!)
teddy's cute hat
baby wrap

happy monday!