Pineapples and Pickles

product of the week: glow in the dark _____.

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Glow in the dark pacifiers.

I mean, really, why didn't I think of that?

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Trying to find a pacifier in the middle of the night, with a crying child, is quite comical and usually ends up with my snapping the Gherkin's head off because he can't find that blamed paci quick enough.

While at Babies R Us one day I saw these and thought what the heck, I'll give them a try.

Seriously these do not leave his crib. Ever. They are more useful than I ever thought possible.

watching him sleep is my favorite.

What do you have for us this week?

pink + gold

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

... perfect combination for love day. no?

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We aren't really doing much to celebrate Valentines. Some cards and a small gift exchange. The next couple of weekends are jam-packed full of activities so we are resting up and taking it easy. Hope your day is fabulously love-filled.

Happy Valentine's Day!

toys, toys, and more toys.

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Preston received quite a few outside-friendly toys at his birthday party.

As much as I love the baseball stuff he received, I can just see a baseball bat causing quite a bit of chaos inside our home.

So, we made him an outdoor toy box.

He LOVES it. He knows already that his toys are in there.

With the unseasonably warm weather we've had in January and February we've spent quite a bit of time outdoors. Plus it's so easy to play outside now that he prefers to be on two feet instead of all fours.

Back to that toy box:

it's just a large rubbermaid tub with lid that I spray painted with chalkboard paint (only time will tell how well the paint stays on, so far so good, but if I could do it over again I would use a plastic primer before adding the chalkboard paint. Hindsight's always 20/20.)

project 365 {366): wk 6

2012-02-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

i love those eyes. {taken during his very 1st train ride at the zoo)

Sneaking some smocking in whenever I can. Daddy's not a big fan, but mom's got 2 years to dress me in whatever she wants :)

Bookmark my brother made me ages ago (he's 23... I think... now).

Sneaking in some play time outside when mommy gets home from work.

E.T. phone home

Sesame Street Live! I thought he'd be scared. He LOVED it.

Didn't think it was possible, but this boy loves chips more than his momma.

we made valentine's day cards & gave Mr. Gherkin an early v-day gift

product of the week: Colby Red wine

2012-02-09T06:10:00.000-06:00

I know I've already talked about Colby Red wine here, but since we're in the middle of CHD awareness weeks I've decided to make Colby Red the product of the week (thanks, Melissa, for the comment suggesting this... I love your idea).

Here's a recent article about Colby Red, and according to the article Colby Red can be purchased at Safeway, CVS, and some Walmart stores.

images: via, via

Can't wait to see what you've got for us this week!

it's all about the hearts this month.

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Want to see just how awesome modern medicine can be?

Then go here.

I loved reading the comments here, and I'm slowly working my way through each and every person's story. I am now "friends" with another heart mom whose son, Will, had the same defect as Preston thanks to The Faces of CHD pinterest page. She's the only one I've come across and I'm grateful to "know" her.

Though there are a lot of success stories, there are some babies, children, adults who did not live to tell their own story. Reading about those takes my breath away. I'm not sure why some live and some die. I like to believe that God needed them more than we needed them...that they are just that special (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 139:13) I will continue to believe that; however, I do believe also that more needs to be done to help diagnose congenital heart defects earlier.

I truly believe that Preston would not be here today without his cardiologist spending countless hours reviewing his echos trying to figure out exactly what his defect consisted of. Had they not been aware or prepared there would have been no fixing his defect during the "calm before the storm." We were the lucky ones. There are too many others who went undiagnosed... then the storm hit... it proved to be too late for some. Because of that, I'm posting about CHD. I wouldn't wish CHD on anybody, but I do hope and pray for timely detection and diagnosis of those who do have congenital heart defects before it's too late.

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CHD facts from itsmyheart.org:

Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect worldwide

Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths worldwide

About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect in the United States (approx. 40,000/year)

Nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for Congenital Heart Defects

Each year worldwide 100,000 babies (under one year old) will not live to celebrate their first birthday

Each year in the United States approximately 4,000 babies (under one year old) will not live to celebrate their first birthday

The cost for inpatient surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year

Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward Congenital Heart Defect research

The American Heart Association directs only $0.30 of every dollar donated toward research. The remainder goes toward administration, education and fundraising efforts. Of the $0.30 that goes toward research only $0.01 goes toward pediatric cardiology for CHD

Though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified

Although some babies will be diagnosed during gestation or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHD is not detected until adolescence or adulthood

It is a proven fact that the earlier CHD is detected and treated, it is more likely the affected child will survive and have less long term health complications

DIY stationary

2012-02-06T07:30:00.000-06:00

I tried my hand at DIY stationary for Preston's thank you notes for his birthday party.

I ordered a hand carved initial stamp from Sarah at Creatiate ...

Picked up some cards, envelopes, and an ink pad from PaperSource ...

put the 4 together and we had some easy, inexpensive, unique stationary.

Love the way they turned out.

Cost: envelopes, cards, ink pad from Paper Source $24, stamp $9= $33
The thank you cards/stationary I had my eye on and almost ordered was over $70

Looks like we'll be making more of our own stationary.

project 365 {366} : wk 5

2012-02-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

my captions, starting from top left, going across:

looks like he's ready to box

toys everywhere = happy kid

overwhelmed by all the kids at the park

the balls that Santa brought him are his most favorite thing ever

glad my recertification exam is over (let's just hope I passed)

sliding for the very first time

his sleeping buddy (you may remember him from here)

the pediatrician said a bottle a day is ok for another couple of months

my sleepy boys

the test {and a recipe love}

2012-02-03T15:05:00.001-06:00

So I took my recertification exam this morning. I showed up at 7:30 as instructed for my 8:00 exam. The employees responsible for checking the testers in didn't show up until 7:45. Gotta love that!

These were the texts I exchanged with my husband while waiting for my turn to check in.

One would think I was getting ready to meet the President with all the security.

On a more pleasant note, we made these last night. They were yummy. Mr. Gherkin said the smell reminded him of our trip to London and the many pies we ate. I wanna go back. I want another pie... a real one... Borough Market style.

Source: tasteofhome.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

product of the week: chelsea girls lip lacquer

2012-02-02T06:30:00.000-06:00

I can't remember which one of my friends pinned this Nars Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer on pinterest, but I stopped by Sephora after seeing it on pinterest to try it out while Christmas shopping one day.

I tried it on, thought I loved it then, then browsed the mall, purchased some gifts, peeked in every mirror along the way, and decided I did indeed need it. I'd been searching for that perfect nude color... you know the one that isn't too nude or too pink.

I stopped back by Sephora on my way out and waited in a ridiculously long time to buy this. It was worth it though.

I haven't convinced you yet? Well maybe she can ... she loves it too.

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Have a product you love that you'd like to share? If so, link up. Remember it doesn't have to be beauty related. It's a free-for-all.

heart day bunting.

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

Remember the burlap bunting I made for Preston's birthday. Well I left part of it up, cut out some white hearts from cardstock, and fixed them to the burlap in an attempt for some Valentine's Day decor.

While the Gherkin was out of town Saturday, Mr. P and I had craft hour and made some artwork that I hung in the entry way.


i used card board from a toilet paper roll, reshaped it as a heart, dipped the end in red paint, & let P stamp the hearts. he thought he was big stuff and didn't want me putting my hand over his. that's one of the few battles i won though :)

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Linking up with Becky today for the DIY Craft of the Month.

project 365 {366}: wk 4

2012-01-29T07:43:00.000-06:00

Linking up with Between the Lines. Love this link up and project because it helps me stay on top of documenting each day with photos and/or videos of Preston. Plus I can then blog about them so my dad will quit pestering me with the "you don't post enough pictures of Preston." :)

a guest post from a special someone

2012-01-27T10:10:00.000-06:00

My cousin, Lexie, is in the 2nd grade and raising money for the American Heart Association's Hoops for Hearts as part of a school project. She's asking for donations (she's not shy at all. Not one bit. See video below) in honor of Preston and in hopes of helping other children and/or adults with heart disease.

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So here's Lexie (oh, and she's the cute patootie carrying Preston here) ...

Here is Lexie's page for the AHA Hoops for Hearts. I know she'll appreciate any amount of a donation. One dollar can go a long way and it's for a terrific cause. Donations will be accepted until February 8th. Thank you :)

I love that her school is teaching her about community service, about being healthy and active, and about the social skills needed to effectively communicate and raise money for a cause that she feels strongly about.
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Also, I'm over at Libby's Life today joining in on her series of featured bloggers. I wrote the answers to Libby's questions back during the holidays (hence the Frasier Fir and peppermint mocha talk), and I'll be honest it kind of made me crave the holiday season already. Thanks for having me, Libby. You can see the post here.

product of the week: Praise Baby DVD collection

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

I know I've talked about Praise Baby on here before, but I'm officially making it a product of the week. Because it's awesome, that's why!

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A friend (hi, Erin!) introduced us to our first DVD when Preston was just a young baby, and he's been a huge fan ever since.

How huge you ask?

It can stop a temper tantrum by the first chorus.

It takes his mind of those aching gums when teething.

It keeps him entertained in his high chair when eating for a full 30 minutes.

He forgets that he's strapped into a car seat during long drives.

It's the only thing that can get him to sleep when he's not feeling well.

Turn PraiseBaby on, and mommy's got 30 minutes to cook, clean, or fold laundry.

Heck, it even calms and soothes me.

You can check out some video samples here.
We own two dvds, and I have almost every album on my iPhone (available on iTunes). Love them all.

Here's my sick baby who is suddenly all smiles because mommy turned PraiseBaby on.

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What is your product of the week? Link up and tell us.

the faces of CHD: Pinterest awareness challenge.

2012-01-25T21:00:00.000-06:00

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week is just around the corner. February 7th through the 14th to be exact. Some fellow heart mommies started a pinterest page to help raise awareness for CHD. Great idea, and y'all know I love pinterest.

Thanks Ruth, Stefanie, and Becca for starting the Faces of CHD: Pinterest Awareness Challenge and for getting the word out.

Most of you probably know about Preston and followed before or right after he was born and his open heart surgery, but for the new Pineapples and Pickles' followers (welcome!) feel free to click on tab above to read about Preston's story (and that reminds me it needs to be updated to include our November 2011 cardiology appointment which I will do right now).

still my favorite picture and memory... getting to touch him before they wheeled him to TCH.

This hung on his crib post op. It's the surgeon's diagram of the repair. I still have it. It's in his baby book.

project 366 {late but joining in}

2012-01-25T18:58:00.001-06:00

Eating my words of "he kicked RSV's butt" as I left the pediatrician's office yesterday with a prescription for antibiotics instead of P getting his 12 month shots. Should've knocked on wood.

He is completely asymptomatic and has been overly happy and satisfied as you can see above.

Excited to be linking up with Laura for Project 366 this year.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

what's on my mind: everything. ha!

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

How 'bout a random mix of feelings? Ready for this?

Studying for my boards made me want to go back to school. Sort of. Maybe a little bit. Because eight years just isn't enough. It won't happen... just a thought.

I can not even fathom how my fellow PA (physician assistant) friends conquered PA school with kids. Studying for one test was hard enough with one kid, and some of you guys did it for 2.5 years and too many tests to count with one or more kiddos. How?

Hubby is taking a class this semester. I'm kind of jealous, but I look forward to Wednesday night dates with just me and my little guy.

I recently saw this, and I love it. So very true.

I also read this, and I get it. I totally get what she's saying.

Preston's one now (just in case you missed it. ha!) I've transitioned him to whole milk. No biggie! Now I need to get him off that bottle, or so they say. I haven't yet. Letting go of that bottle is so hard for me. I guess in my mind no more bottle = no more baby. Tear. I guess this week, though, I'll adorn my big girl panties, take away his bottle, grab my bottle (of vino), and just deal.

On Saturday evening my sister got married. She was stunning. Preston was the ring bearer. The ring bearer who wouldn't walk down the aisle. I was her matron of honor. In addition to watching my sister say her vows and be happier than I've ever seen her, I enjoyed being pampered the morning of. My make-up was airbrushed on. I will definitely do this again. I got my hair did ... you know the good ol' east Texas style way... big and teased. You gals from east Texas know what I'm talking about, right?

the big hair, the beautiful bride, the ring bearer & adorable flower girl.

I mentioned above that I joined my sister and the other bridesmaids and had my make-up airbrushed on that morning. I will definitely do that again if I ever get the chance. At first I was skeptical, but let me tell you my make-up still looked flawless at the end of the night.

I will, however, never get a spray tan again. Ugh, gross! For starters, the orange bronzer did not match my olive skin tone at all. I was orange. I had streaks. It smelled bad. I couldn't shower for 8 hours afterwards and did I mention that it smelled bad! Oh, and the chick that did my spray tan left me standing there, naked, in a cold room, for 15 minutes while she (and I quote) "ran home to check on her son." True story. No tip for her. Zip, zero, nada.

Guess that's just about enough rambling on my part, but don't forget the product of the week link up on Thursday. I had so much fun reading the links from last week ~~so did my wallet~~. Adios.

sharing the love.

2012-01-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

I received an e-mail from Minted last week to take a look at their classroom friendly Valentine's Day cards, blog about them, and order some. Well, duh! Especially when they have such cute, cute options.

Here are my favorites.

love the yellow & white striped option for the back on this one.

these are my absolute favorite.

Friends and neighbors, please act surprised (like you've never seen either of these before) should Preston hand one out to you or your kiddos for Valentine's Day. mmmmk, thanks :)

*Minted sent me free cards in return for this post. All opinions are my own, though.*

product of the week: goat milk soap

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

I've been saving this one for a while since I took a few weeks off in preparation for our link up (hence the Christmas tree in the background)

It's Canus Goat Milk Soap.

Available at Whole Foods.

Smells amazing ... very fresh and clean.

Very affordable.

Comes in a wide assortment of scents.

Now go get some.

You can thank me later.

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Have a product you love and would like to share? If so, link up

product of the week link up, tomorrow.

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

Getting those posts ready for tomorrow?

Here's the button you can include in your posts.

there's no place like home.

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite picture from a year ago today.

It says Team Preston goes home. 1-17-11.

You can see my Type A (ugghhh) personality all over that board with my crazy to-do list, but what I love about this picture is that I was lucky enough to bring my baby home from the hospital. I seriously wondered if that day would happen. I can never ever begin to explain the way I felt that day. There are no words for the joy. At the same time, though, my heart ached and still aches for mommies that didn't or can't bring their babies home from the hospital.

My "let's remember/recap from a year ago" posts are done after this, but thanks for letting me share those memories with you.

I remembering committing to the Lord in prayer while I was pregnant that I would forever share and tell of Preston's testimony should his will allow for Preston to be ok. Well, I got to bring my baby home so I'm holding up my end of the deal. Thanks for letting me share and keep that commitment.

the party.

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Loved the simplicity of this invitation from Tiny Prints .

DIY burlap baseball door hanger.

I've been eyeing these in boutiques all over town, but they ain't cheap. So I bought some cheap burlap at Hobby Lobby (love their 50% off coupons), cut two round pieces of burlap, painted it with Elmer's glue (because it makes it stiff), stuffed it with white tissue paper (for a slightly rounded look like an actual baseball), sewed the two pieces of burlap together at the edges with white thread, painted the red stitching, and hung it on the front door with a blue ribbon. Easy peasy! And it cost less than 6 bucks to make.

Of course I already showed y'all the baseball cake ~~that was so good even the dog had to taste~~... we also had cupcakes that matched the cake. Carrie from Carrie Made The Cake made both. Her cookies and cream filling, which was what the cake was filled with, is heavenly. The cupcakes were white with buttercream. They were good, but nothing comes close to her cookies and cream. If you're in the Houston area I highly recommend Carrie.

DIY bunting banner I made.

Thanks to my brother for gathering up all of his old baseballs from his younger days. I threw them in vases and in some faux grass I had around the house for decor.

I am in love with Preston's baseball shirt. Crazy that it was the first weekend in January and he was in shorts, huh? The weather was perfect. Mid-70s, low humidity, sunshine, nice breeze. I was in flip flops.

thank you Kristy for letting us borrow your prop :)

Starting in November I was on a mission to find the cheapest 36" balloons I could find because I'm kind of in love with them. I think they're super fun. Anyhow, Darlybird had a 25% off at the time with a low shipping cost so I ordered a red and a blue. We also used the red for Preston's birthday pictures which can be seen here. I took them to a party warehouse to be blown up the day of. Did you know that they can clip balloons instead of knotting them so that you can reuse them? I had no idea. Anyhow, we popped the clip off the next day and I can reuse them whenever I want. Brillant!

I use blue card stock, red and blue twine, and stickers from Hobby Lobby (again with 50% off) to make bunting that said Rookie of the Year for his high chair. Less than five bucks... took less than 20 minutes and most of that was heating up the hot glue gun.

I completely forgot to take pictures of the "concession stand" and the food. I now realize I miss a few other things, too. I must have become a bit discombobulated after the dog ate the cake. Kristy came and took pictures, too. Maybe she got some of the food and whatnot that I missed.

invites: Tiny Prints

cake and cupcakes: Carrie Made The Cake

36" balloons: Darlybird

banners, buntings, and door hanger: DIY and free printables from here.

Preston's birthday shirt: SheSheMade (the quality is terrific).

tall birthday candles (LOVE these) : here

don't forget.

2012-01-12T11:50:00.001-06:00

The Product of the Week link up starts next Thursday, the 19th.

I can't wait to see what y'all have to share.

So get those posts ready.

it's a dog eat dog world.

2012-01-10T07:10:00.000-06:00

I promise to post pictures and details of Preston's Rookie of the Year party very soon. While I'm getting the pictures together and the post prepared I want to give y'all a sneak peak and share a pretty funny story.

I've been planning Preston's cake for months. MONTHS! Actually, truth be told, I tasted this cake a couple of years ago at a baby shower (Hi Lyndsay!), and I've known since then I would serve this cake at my child's first birthday. It's cookies and cream filling and it's soooo good. Seriously.

So here it is.

Pretty, huh?

I was so in love with it.

And here it is about 30 minutes prior to everyone arriving.

photo credit: Kristy of Owens' Originals Photography

Yep, the dog got into the cake.

I screamed. Mr. Gherkin made it from the back yard into the kitchen in two, very quick strides. My friend (love you Christin!) poured me a glass of champagne, and then we laughed and laughed and laughed.

My friend cut off the part of the cake contaminated with doggy slobber and grabbed a spatula, but there was no covering it up.

you can see the red icing in his beard if you look closely.

Just in case you're wondering ... Carter (or Yar-ter as Preston says) is still alive and we even let him in bed with us last night. Next time, though, we may not be so forgiving.

Makes for a good memory, though, and the cake (minus 1/8) was still delicious.

By the way, the cake was made by Carrie at CarrieMadeTheCake. If you live in the Houston area I highly recommend her and her cookies and cream cake. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

documentation of Preston's birthday week.

2012-01-09T06:30:00.000-06:00

We put his balls, all 200 of them, in his pack-n-play and he played his heart out in there. He even attempted to nap in there at one point.

He hung onto his birthday balloon for as long as he could.

We took extra long wagon rides and enjoyed the beeea-u-ti-ful weather.

See this red hammer... it's what he reaches for and hangs on to anytime he's sick or teething (he cut a new took last week... fun, fun)

I sported my Team Preston shirt all week long.

Lots and lots of snuggling took place, of course.

Then we partied on Saturday. Details to follow.

photo credit: Kristy of Owens' Originals Photography

Thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes and for all your kind comments on my what's on my mind post.

what's on my mind: 1 year post open heart surgery.

2012-01-06T08:06:00.000-06:00

I can't stop thinking about this past year, the miracle I witnessed, the many ways I've changed, and the way the Lord used our situation to strengthen me.

One year ago today they took our baby from us, wheeled him into the OR, stopped his broken heart, and fixed it. Today, one year later, I woke up with my baby next to me, spent some extra time snuggling with him in bed, then listened to him say "mama," "dada," and "Yar-ter (for our dog, Carter)," as he cruised around the kitchen.

I remember sitting in an office looking out over the Texas Medical Center when the cardiologist told me there had been a mistake about Preston's diagnosis and that the new and correct diagnosis had a much more grim picture that the first. I remember hearing her say "We've never seen this condition before." I remember her confirming my worst fear when she answered "No, we've never fixed this condition before." I freaked. I hyperventilated. Try being five months pregnant and sticking your head in between your legs to keep from fainting. Not fun, but that's what I did.

In the midst of all that hype, I had an unusual and unexpected peace though. The thought (from the holy spirit, the Lord, my brain, defense mechanisms kicking in, who knows) occurred to me that possibly, just possibly, that this could be a door opening to cure Preston's heart defect. I remember telling Mr. Gherkin as we drove away that I felt like the new development could be a way for God to cure Preston's heart condition. I think maybe I told my aunt, but I don't think I ever shared that with anyone else.

Source: etsy.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

It's all so surreal now. The doctors at TCH fixed his heart. He was their first as they'd never seen or fixed this defect before. They know how to diagnose and treat other kids that present with the same condition now at Texas Children's. Hallelujah!

The cardiologist used the word "cure" when we saw her in November. She thinks Preston just may be cured. I pray that proves to be the case as he gets older. So that gut feeling I had that one day I mentioned above may actually be coming true. She even mentioned him playing sports one day. I spit my coffee out. "Play what," I asked. I am quite alright just being his caddy. Not sure I can stand the thought of my baby being tackled or line drives being hit his way. Oh the joys of being a boy mom.

All that being said, I can now say ...

I believe in miracles.
I believe in living by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
I believe that believing allows us to see the glory of God (John 11:40).
I believe in modern medicine.
I also believe in postpartum depression now (although my doctor didn't call it that I will say that postpartum hormones do C-R-A-Z-Y things to a woman's body. Trust me, and don't judge).
I also believe that everything happens for a reason.
I believe that God is the Great Physician.
I believe even that much more in Heaven (something about almost sending your baby there that makes it much more real).
I believe (although I'm not perfect at it) in cherishing every.single.day because we don't know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14).

I have such a grateful heart this morning, and of course I'm still in complete admiration for the doctors and nurses at Texas Children's for taking such wonderful care of Preston (and me) one year ago. Grateful for friends and family who were there for us when our strength failed us. Of course, I'm utterly in love with the little blessing running around my house this morning calling me mama.

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via daphne on Pinterest

happy birthday, Preston.

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-06:00

from our first touch to our most recent hug... it's been perfect!

I really can't find the words to write.

I wrote a letter to my sweet Preston as I plan to do every year on his birthday.

I will give him those letters for him to read one day ... when he's ready.

This is about all I can choke out right now...

This has been such a sweet, sweet year.

Thank you, Jesus, for a happy and healthy Preston!

photo credit: Owens Original Photography (yep, Kristy ... shocker, I know)
big red balloon: Darlybird

Happy 1st Birthday, Preston Randal!

I'm so proud to be your mommy.

Know that each day's like a gift from God.

last post of the year {and thanks}.

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

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happy new year, friends!

Thanks for reading and supporting and praying for us in 2011. This little blog has turned into such a blessing. A blessing that I wasn't expecting, but truly, truly appreciate. Thanks again for reading and for the sweet little comments. I hope you'll continue reading in Twenty-Twelve.

Be safe this weekend and cheers!

product of the week: holiday edition

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

I love The Family Christmas Book. Following the template provided, you can jot down all of your special Christmas memories and celebrations year after year. There are even places for a family photo each year and the yearly Christmas card.

Here's a picture of our 2011 Christmas page.

For those who don't have one but want one... I found some here, here, and here. For you locals, I know that Bering's also sells them.

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Also, don't forget that the first product of the week link up is starting on January 19th! There probably won't be any more product of the week posts until then, but don't forget to get your posts ready. I can't wait to read them.

Santa came, the highlights, 2011.

2011-12-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

It was such a sweet, sweet holiday. Mr. Gherkin and I read chapter 2 of Luke together (from my new Bible, I must add) on Christmas morning, and I can say that celebrating the birth of Christ takes on a whole new meaning when you have a child (or at least it did for me ). It meant so much more this year. I found myself thinking about Mary often and how she must have felt all those years ago.

Plus, Christmas lived through the eyes of a child is pretty exciting.

Preston got a battery-operated backhoe from his grandpa. I was thinking that he didn't know what to do it with. I was wrong! We were all chasing after him at one point.

His great grandparents gave him a pretty cool piano ~~that his mommy can't stop playing with~~.


Santa came and brought: a ball pit with 200 balls (ask me how I know), a Tickle Monster kit, Elf on the Shelf to visit Preston when he gets older, and some nice new kicks.

This walker toy pictured above was one of Preston's favorite gifts. (thanks, Aunt Lauren).
My most favorite thing Santa left, though, was this Willow Tree keepsake for Preston called Heart of Gold. LOVE.

It took him hours to calm down from all the excitement. Hours, I tell ya. I think it was 10:30 before he finally conked out for the night and that was in bed with me. His crib just wasn't in his game plan for Christmas.

from our family to yours...

2011-12-24T00:30:00.000-06:00

Source: atlantahomesmag.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Wishing you all a holiday full of much joy!

Merry Christmas.

Luke 2:1-20

these shoes are made for walking ...

2011-12-22T17:30:00.000-06:00

... because that's just what he's doing.

Preston's been taking a few steps at a time ~~with a few tumbles and one black eye~~ the past couple of weeks, but on Tuesday, December 20th, he took off for good.

I think he was ready to start walking, but I bought him some Wee Squeak sneakers (you can hear them in the video) and I actually think that encouraged him to start taking more steps (because what baby's not absolutely in love with making noise.)

He's so much fun (best age yet).

merry and bright.

2011-12-22T10:25:00.000-06:00

Love this sweet and simple little note that Daphne pinned this morning on pinterest.
May the rest of your holiday days be merry and bright (and mall-free because those parking lots are crazy right about now).

Cheers!

Source: paperlesspost.com via daphne on Pinterest

Guess what?

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to announce that starting Thursday, January 19th, I will be teaming up with Aly from Analyze This for a weekly product of the week link-up. This is my first time to host a link-up. I'm super excited, but a tad bit nervous if you want to know the truth about it. You guys won't leave us hanging, right? Riiight??

Get those products you love or can't live without ready. We want to hear about them. It could be your favorite beauty product, your most essential baby product, your kiddos' favorite toy, your significant other's most coveted items, your favorite apps, or a frugal, but good, find.

I personally love hearing about other bloggers' recommended products, and I've enjoyed sharing mine over the past year. You can read through them here if you missed them the first time around.

hohoho.

2011-12-17T16:05:00.001-06:00

And because this blog is to document our life... good and bad, happy or sad, smiling or mad... I knew I must post this picture in case I ever try to forget it.

Yes, I'm that mom who has yet to be able to let their child cry it out, but Santa's lap is certainly an exception.

Sorry for the blurry iPhone pic.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2011 Christmas card.

2011-12-14T21:59:00.001-06:00

From our ~~mailbox~~ computer to yours ...

I love Christmas cards. Love designing one each year (heck, this year I almost ordered two different designs). Love receiving them. And love looking at yours.

Thanks Faith for hosting this fun link-up. You can see more Christmas cards at Faith's blog for her Christmas Card Carousel 2011 link-up.

happy 11 months, Preston

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

(I'm late, I know)

Well, we all know what comes after 11, huh?

How in the world am I about to have a to have a 12 month old ... a one year old?

Seems like just yesterday we were mailing out Team Preston shirts, I was sitting in yet another doctor's office waiting to hear if he could stay put just one more week, and we were all flooding the gates of Heaven with prayers that this little boy would be ok.

And ok, he is ...

Next up ... the big 1 year.

The party invites have been mailed, the theme is set (hint, hint: he's a handsome 'rookie of the year' dontcha think?), the cake ordered, and the decor made and bought. So physically I'm prepared, but mentally, well, not so much ...

fa.la.la.la.la.

2011-12-13T07:45:00.000-06:00

Don't mind the stomach bug that landed me in bed for two days and forget that mommy freak out that happened on Sunday morning before church because my baby boy still doesn't have a pair of saddle shoes (trying to figure out a sizing issue) ... because this is the best time of the year.

Having a little one to celebrate with this year has been, well, pretty unbelievable.

We've hung our stockings by the chimney (with care, of course). Preston knew which stocking was his immediately. Baby genius, I swear. (I only kid)

My little lumberjack picked out and took home his very first Christmas tree.

Toddler-friendly tree = success. Sneak peek in the picture below (if your eyes will let you get past the cuteness tippy-toeing onto the coffee table).

Preston (with mommy's help) painted his first piece of art. Watch out, van Gogh!

I bailed on my office Christmas party on Saturday night because my stomach couldn't fathom the thought of squeezing into cocktail attire and participating in cocktails (did I mention I had been vomiting for over 24 hours?). Because we already had a sitter and because we were celebrating 5 years of wedded bliss, we threw on some comfy clothes (aka jeggings) and headed to the movies. I know I'm late to the game, but I finally got to see Breaking Dawn. When I mentioned going to the movies, Mr. Gherkin immediately looked up showtimes for Breaking Dawn. LOVE!

Y'all don't tell anyone that we contemplated putting our feet up and sleeping through the movies, alright? We didn't, but it was very tempting.

p.s. Thanks for all those anniversary wishes. You guys are pretty awesome :)

on being a Mrs. for five years.

2011-12-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

five years...

numerous trips abroad

a few travels in the US of A

more laughs than I could ever imagine

a few moments of heartache

a trial or two here and there

two dogs

three moves and two homes (1. and 2.)

along came a baby

and then there were three,

and he's still the one.

Happy 5 years, Mr. Gherkin!

mr. gherkin's dear Santa list

2011-12-06T08:30:00.000-06:00

**Disclaimer: these are solely from the mouth of the Gherkin himself, but you know I had to add my own commentary shown in italics.**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Topping his list again this year since he didn't get them last year...

1. an airplane, specifically a Cirrus SR 22 GTS. (Got that?)

2. to hang with NeNe for a day

via, via

Hmm... maybe this year, honey. Maybe this year.

3. an iPad (ok, now we're talking)
4. Stereo speakers for surround sound system. Preferably Bose. (and you guys thought I had expensive taste? ha.)

via

5. new golf clubs.
6. a new grill (umm, does that mean you're going to take the reins on cooking from now on? Because if that's the case I will be sure you get you a grill, yo).
7. a winning lottery ticket.
8. an ocean kayak
9. a new fleece since my office is a walk-in freezer. (he has a North Face vest he wears every single day, y'all. so maybe it's time to change it up some)

his pick via wife's pick

10. a new road bike.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Totally realistic and largely affordable list, huh?

Any 'must haves' that I need to hunt down for the Gherkin?

toddler friendly Christmas trees.

2011-12-01T08:30:00.000-06:00

Since Preston is on the verge of walking any day now, loves to put everything in his mouth, and because I just don't feel like say no, no, no, no a thousand times (like he even knows what no means yet) we've opted for a smaller and more toddler friendly tree this year.

I found some great inspiration via pinterest.

Source: google.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: 120inspired.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: liveitathome.blogspot.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

We'll see how it works out. Stay tuned.

mr. p's holiday wish list.

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

1. these tiny TOMS

2. tickle monster kit (ordered). Preston participated in a book exchange and has received some great classics for his library so far, but this one was too cute to pass up. I also like the Boogie Monster kit, but I think he will enjoy that one more in a couple of years. See pricing info below...

I did my research on this and Amazon has by far the best price here.

3. a new and personalized sippy cup

via

4. who doesn't love a ball pit?

via

5. a personalized wooden puzzle stool (ordered already since it takes 6-7 weeks)

via
Preston loved playing with his friend's (hi, Allie!) a while back so Santa put an order in for one soon afterwards.

6. this Melissa and Doug crawl tunnel since Preston thinks it's hilarious to crawl in between our feet and in between the chair legs.

image via, available here

I'm super pumped up about Preston's first Christmas.

I'm also super duper excited about his first birthday just two weeks later.

Two major events in two weeks... good for the economy... bad for my wallet...

BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT!

On that note, are there any toddler must-haves out there that I need to consider?

a little bit about mr. P.

2011-11-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Can you believe I didn't take one picture of my family on Thanksgiving day? Mommy fail, I know.

I did get my hands on our family portraits taken by none other than Kristy of Owens Originals Photography. Of course it would be Kristy... No one else has ever photographed Mr. P (see here, here, here, here, here, or here.)

We broke out P's stash of Christmas pajamas (love!) and lit our first fire of the season.

While home for Turkey day we took ~~a cranky and sleepy~~ Preston to see Rudolph, the red-nosed pumping unit, which has been a hometown tradition for 45 years and sends a ton of childhood memories flooding back. Preston LOVED it! He started squealing in the car as we pulled up. The squeals continued off and on, but he mainly walked around mesmerized with big eyes and mouth wide open. Then he proceeded to stay up until 10 o'clock that night. Fun, fun! I guess he was just too excited to sleep.

sorry for the awful iPhone pic, but you get the idea. right?

Stay tuned for P's wish list... it's coming up tomorrow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

product of the week: holiday edition

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

via

I LOVE this stuff. I have a goal to collect every color. I'm off to a slow start, but I have the red and the blueberry if anyone feels so inclined to surprise me with another color.

A spool lasts forever, and I use it year round for just about everything and every gift.

it's holiday card time.

2011-11-25T21:36:00.000-06:00

One of the things I look forward to the most each holiday season is designing holiday cards.

I'm using Tiny Prints this year. I love what they have to offer. Here are just a few of my favorites (note: are pictures are clickable and will take you straight to the Tiny Prints page). Of course, I'm not showing you my most favorite because that'll show up in some of your mailboxes real soon.

I love the print and the back of this card, especially in the gunmetal color.

The round option is cute, cute, cute.

Love the calligraphy style on this one.

And I love the colors on this non-photo card.

Signing off now. I've got some holiday cards to design. Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving.

**I received 50 holiday cards from Tiny Prints as compensation for this post, though, all opinions in this post are my own.

thankfulness

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

free printable here

In preparing this post, I read through the posts I wrote last year during the week of Thanksgiving. What a year! I'm most thankful for my Lord and the ways He taught me to trust and be thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

I'm forever grateful and thankful for my blessings this year, especially this one.

Happy Thanksgiving.

my holiday {or anniversary} wish list.

2011-11-22T07:45:00.000-06:00

this journaling Bible

via

these toms.

a roll of these disposable (however, the salesperson vows they can be washed and reused) cotton napkins. (or I'll take the linen)

via

a new cosmetics case. (this is more of a need, you would die if you could see the condition my current one is in)

via

a date night here with the hubs.

this book.

available here

a pineapple hand towel. why not?

Stay tuned. Mr. Gherkin tells me he will be submitting his wish list next week. This should be interesting since last year he gave me two options: 1) an airplane or 2) to hang out with NeNe from RHOA for a day. Totally realistic, right?

what's on my mind: old school tv

2011-11-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Completely random post here, but remember those old-school tv shows? You know the ones that remind you of your childhood? The ones that send a ton of memories flooding back when you all of the sudden hear one of the theme songs one day?

These shows and theme songs make me all nostalgic of the simple times in life. A time in my life when I didn't have bills to pay. A time when all I had to worry about was whether or not my math homework was done. A time in my life when I could eat all the carbohydrates I wanted (carb addict, here) without worrying about the lbs or diabetes. They also make me miss home and my family like crazy (that's another post all together... I've been a little homesick lately).

Let's reminisce for a minute.

I thought Winnie was the bomb back in the day.
And who didn't have the biggest crush on Kirk Cameron?
Hello, TGIF!
This last one, the theme song from Cheers, is probably my favorite. I never really watched the show because you see it came on at 10:30 p.m. right after the late night news (and that was certainly past my bedtime), but I can remember hearing the song seep through my bedroom walls every single night. It certainly reminds me of my younger days and of home.

product of the week: holiday edition

2011-11-14T07:20:00.000-06:00

Thankfully (for my stress level), my Christmas shopping is over half way complete, and I'm gearing up to start wrapping those gifts.

I love this red striped fabric tape.

via

I found a roll a Paper Source a few weeks ago, and it certainly got me in the Christmas wrapping spirit.

Speaking of Paper Source, I could spend hours in that store. Anyone else?

a favor for a cute couple {and the Humane Society}

2011-11-12T16:17:00.001-06:00

Ok, readers, I have a favor to ask of you...

This cute engaged couple, Annie Blaylock and Tyler McQueen, are from right here in Houston, and they are 1 of 11 couples who are finalists in the national contest on Facebook called Entwined 2012, the Ultimate Wedding Giveaway. They could win the wedding of their dreams... and it's all based on the number of votes. Voting is open through Tuesday, November 15th, at midnight. Only one vote per person. Please help this darling hometown couple with your vote!

The best part is that they've pledged $3000 to the Houston Humane Society if they win.

Go here to vote. It only takes a couple of clicks. That's it.

grateful heart: cardiology update.

2011-11-10T15:30:00.000-06:00

via

I was reminded of this today.

You see we paid a visit to Preston's cardiologist this morning (I adore her!) and she gave Preston two thumbs up.

His heart function still looks great! His valves (the mitral and aortic) still look sloppy, but they work and work well. That's what counts at this point.

His heart still looks very large on the chest xray, but she's optimistic that he will "grow into his heart." She was on the verge of stopping his one medication he takes for his heart function, but she erred on the side of caution, given the size of his heart, and decided to keep him on it and increase the dose.

We've been released from clinic for a year, and a big hallelujah to that since we were there for six hours today.

God is good, and we can never praise Him enough for His blessings.

what's on my mind: he said what?

2011-11-09T06:54:00.000-06:00

'tis true and borrowed from pinterest.

I've been taken back by some of the comments I've received since having Preston. They're not all that terrible, and I ~~hope~~ know these people mean no ill will but I'm just a little shocked at how blatant folks have been during this postpartum period.

These are some of the remarks I received since having Preston:

"You look different."

"You don't have a baby face anymore."(nope, wrinkles instead)

"You look more mature."

"Can't quite explain it, but you look different"
"You look tired." (I get that one more than I care to admit)

What the heck do these type of comments mean? Sometimes I just laugh and smile and completely brush off these comments. Some days though I wake up on the wrong side of the bed (shocker!) and these comments rub me the wrong way.

And my favorite post-partum comment is...

"You've got more curves."

Well, thank you, captain obvious. Thanks for pointing out the extra 10 pounds.

The most recent comment though, and the one that really made me laugh, came from one of my dear patients. A patient who reminds me of my dad and whom I am pretty fond of. As I was walking out of the exam room, wishing him a happy holiday season, he stops me and says...

You little much better with a little meat on your bones.

No, seriously, he really said that. First up, let me assure you that I had meat on my bones before Preston. Secondly, I actually kind of love his comment. Maybe I was just in a chipper mood that day, but it made me laugh.all.day.long. Even my nurses joined in on the laughter.

So I get it, I probably do look different. Yes, I have bags under my eyes. Yep, I'm still 10 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, and sure it's very likely I have some wrinkles and frown lines now after the pregnancy that I went through (all totally worth it might I add). I get it, and I'm dealing.

Do you ever get these kind of random remarks from almost complete strangers? Remarks that could certainly be meant as a compliment, but remarks that happen to be interpreted by a tired, new mommy ~~who's worried about how obvious it is that she trying to fit into her old, one size too small jeans~~. How do you respond? Got anything witty for me to use as a comeback?

i'm a pansie lover.

2011-11-08T07:30:00.000-06:00

Pansies are my absolute favorite fall/winter flowers.

via

Mr. Gherkin and I have started a little tradition of planting pansies together every fall. We've done it every year since we've been home owners so this would make it our fifth year of pansy-planting. We always pick a weekend, and we always do it together. It's something I look forward to each year.

via

This weekend we spontaneously decided it would be our pansy-planting weekend and we did just that on Sunday afternoon. I'm usually partial to the yellow pansies, but I switched it up this year and we planted a mixture of purple and white pansies.

Turns out that we planted pansies the very same weekend last year. How do I remember you ask? Well, because exactly one year ago this past weekend our main baby shower took place and we threw those pansies in just before our out of town guests arrived in town.

product of the week: a bath time essential.

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

While Preston has more recently started freaking out when water runs down his face, I tried and tried to come up with something creative to keep the water out of his face when washing his hair. Well, my creativity failed me. Nothing I could come up with worked and I was left with a screaming baby. So I decided to risk it and buy yet another bath visor (the first one I bought was a complete waste of mula).

On Friday morning, P and I headed over to my favorite baby store, Right Start, and picked up the Splash Guard Lil' Rinser for seven bucks (a couple dollars off thanks to a discount card). Ohmygoodness, this thing made hair washing a breeze. It took a couple of rinses for Preston to realize that the water, albeit on his head, was not coming down in his face and he quickly resumed playing with his rubber duck.

images via Right Start

double digits.

2011-11-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

Happy 10 months, Preston!

Time got away from me today and I forgot the usual picture with his 10 month onesie, but here's one of my favorite pics of my 10 month old today.

Happy Weekend!

agua.

2011-11-03T11:15:00.000-05:00

Know what's so special about the word agua?

Come on, you have to know.

Ok, I'll give you a little hint... It involves this little cutie patootie.

Yep, it's officially his first word, and it sounds so cute coming from those little lips!

I'll be honest, I was a little saddened that it wasn't mama (which he babbles all the time but has yet to use it intentionally... same with dada).

So agua it is... just two days before he turns 10 months. So does this mean I have a bilingual baby?

p.s. I'm going to have a bilingual baby (thanks to my nanny) and I'm not bilingual. That should be fun. :)
p.p.s. Thanks for letting me be a proud mommy today.

1st halloween: obligatory costume post {and friends}.

2011-10-31T21:37:00.000-05:00

The crew (minus Charlie) from night no. 1 of trick or treating (it's dang near impossible to get all 5 kiddos in the same shot).

How cute is that Mickey Mouse? And yes, I let Preston lick a sucker for 2.5 seconds. He loved it, but then again why wouldn't he. Suppose that could be the reason he didn't go to sleep until 9 p.m? Ha!

boo.

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

via

Wishing you all a happy halloween! My pint size scarecrow (that's real talk... Mr. P has turned scarecrow on me this weekend) has kept me plenty busy this ~~32nd birthday~~ halloween weekend.

product of the week: burt's bees tinted lip balm

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad I discovered this just in time for winter and those chapped lips. We're faithful Burt's fans in this house, especially the Mister. This is none other than their famous lip balm with a "hint" (and I do mean a hint) of color. Best thing about this stuff? With the subtle color it doesn't show up on P's cheeks after all those mommy-sugars.

via

My favorite shade is Red Dahlia followed closely by Hibiscus.

*No compensation was received for the writing of this post. Just a product I love and wanted to talk about. Adios amigos.

you are my i love you.

2011-10-26T08:05:00.000-05:00

I recently heard about this book, and after I took a sneak peek (thanks to Amazon's Look Inside feature) I realized that it was a quote I recently saw and immediately loved on pinterest.

available here

I'm thinking this book needs to be wrapped and under the tree for P's first Christmas and for his growing library.

Below is the quote I saw on pinterest. Isn't it perfect?
(note: this is just a portion of the book as it is quite a bit longer)

Source: None via Kim on Pinterest

a boy and his faces.

2011-10-24T07:35:00.000-05:00

Preston's getting more animated the older he gets, and I especially adore all the different faces he's been making.

This is my personal favorite (snotty nose and all).

Then one morning P decided to lick the glass on our storm door.

I died.

Thankfully our housekeeper had just steam cleaned the glass.

I can't imagine how it'll be when words start joining these facial expressions.

what's on my mind: mama drama.

2011-10-21T07:06:00.000-05:00

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2 NIV

I find myself asking God over and over again for more patience. I felt like my prayer request was going unanswered as I was still easily finding frustration instead of peace and humility when things didn't go the way I had planned.

Then one day last week I read the daily devotional from Proverbs 31 Ministries (thanks, Sam for turning me on to this ministry), and it served as my wake-up call. I will say I wasn't immediately humbled. In fact, I actually kind of turned my nose up at the message at first (you can read it here). Then that evening as I was getting in the shower, again easily frustrated about something so silly that I can't even remember now, it was almost as if I could hear Him say to me "You're not listening to me... NO MORE MAMA DRAMA! I will provide, but it is your choice to take it."

Dang. So it's my choice, huh? That was exactly what I needed to hear. A burden was lifted.

Now when I find situations spiraling out of my control, I mumble to myself those 3 little words... no mama drama. (Mr. Gherkin has since come up with the no wife drama phrase but for some reason it hasn't been as successful) I don't know how or why, but saying those three little words makes all the difference in the world. I probably look and sound like a complete moron walking around mumbling those silly words to myself, but it can't be any worse than how foolish I look and sound during one of my temper tantrums. I still have my moments (umm, just two nights ago), but it's working. So now...

When my baby splatters my shoes, my pants, and my white chair covers with vomit...

no mama drama.

When I accidentally add too much water to my pot roast and dinner is ruined...

no mama drama.

When I'm missing Modern Family because my kid has decided to stay up past his bedtime...

no mama drama.

When my child wakes up because my dogs start barking at the very same neighbor who walks our street every.single.day...

no mama drama.

When I wake to my child's shrill (which means he thinks it's playtime) and it's 3 a.m...

no mama drama.

When my child refuses to sit in his high chair or has all of the sudden decided he's not a fan of the carseat...

no mama drama.

When I, once again, try on my favorite pair of pre-pregnancy pants and they still don't button...
no mama drama.

Probably should just go ahead and burn those jeans, huh? And, for future reference, I've also realized that currently the whole no mama drama thing only works if I'm the one who reminds myself. Those three little words had the opposite effect when Mr. Gherkin tried to use them on me :)

Thanks for letting me put myself out there today.

Love you guys!

Source: google.com via Shandra on Pinterest

are you smarter than a baby?

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Most of the time, no, but I've got P's number on the whole water drinking dilemma.

He just isn't a fan of sipping water which is what I give him to practice his sippy cup abilities. I'm afraid that once he's a year and it's time to let him have all the water he wants he won't want any at all.

So I took a couple fresh strawberries, chopped them into small pieces, dropped them into an ice cube tray (of course it would be a pineapple tray), added water, and let them freeze overnight.

Voila.

If he's not interested in his water I'll just drop one into a sippy cup full of water and we're golden. Not only did this entice him to drink a substantial amount of water last week, he even managed to hold and drink from his sippy cup on his own. Attaboy!

Preston's top tooth just popped through, and we also found these useful in his fresh food feeders which helped numb his gums quickly.

It's also been a nice way to introduce strawberries a little at a time to make sure P doesn't have any reaction to them. So far so good.

i heart pumpkin patches.

2011-10-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

I'm weird, but being able to take P to the pumpkin patch was one of the things I looked forward to the most this year. I can remember feeling a lump swell in my throat when we came across pumpkin patches this time last year wondering if we'd ever have a reason to visit a pumpkin patch.

We've been blessed, though, and can never praise Him enough for our reason (and a pretty cute one at that) to visit our church's pumpkin patch this past weekend.

Where's ~~Waldo~~ Preston?

Mommy, I've had enough.

I didn't get not even one smile from him thanks to that top tooth that is peeking through. Maybe next year.

And here are our picks - one for each person in the family. Preston spent Sunday afternoon rolling his pumpkin across the living room and chasing it ... just about the cutest thing ever.

bringing back the 80s.

2011-10-14T07:45:00.000-05:00

Remember when we used puff paint to decorate everything? Hello, 1980s!
My aunts had quite the collection of puff paint back in the day, and I loved playing with it.

Never thought I would ever break out the puff paint ever again, but that's exactly what I headed to Hobby Lobby to buy this week. I'm thinking they call it "puffy" paint now??

Now that Preston's pulling up and walking around the furniture, "grippers" on his socks and footies are a must. Problem is that many of his footie pajamas aren't non-skid, but crisis averted...with puff paint.

I took his Zutano booties (found on clearance earlier in the year) and the said bottle of puff paint ~~that resulted in me spending way more money than I intended to at Hobby Lobby~~ and ta-da.

In the mornings I just slip these on over Preston's footie pjs and we're golden until it's time to get dressed. I may need to add some more dots of puff paint, but so far we've had no slips.

Thanks to pinterest, I'm already planning my next puff paint project... stay tuned.

product of the week: Kenra blow-dry spray

2011-10-12T07:35:00.000-05:00

My sister gave me a bottle of this stufflast week while I was home, and I am here to tell you that it made this girl, who's known for going to bed with wet hair because she hates drying her hair, have a change of heart about her blow dryer.

First of all, this stuff smells super-duper good, but here's the game changer for me... it takes me just a few minutes to dry my hair (and style it with a brush while drying) after using this spray. Can't really tell you how long it took me before because I rarely dried my hair fully, but when I did I was a hot mess. I mean who wants to take a shower and then break a sweat blow-drying your hair right afterwards?

Only teeny tiny negative thing I can say about the product is that it does make my hair appear a tad bit more oily quicker. Not a huge deal to me because I usually have to wash my hair daily, but it may not be a good choice if you're one who likes to go a day or two between washes.

**No compensation was received for writing this post. The opinions are all my own. It was just a gift that I love and wanted to share.

table manners {or the lack of}

2011-10-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

Preston is officially on table food, and let me tell you I've never seen this boy so happy. {cue the I told you so from my Dad}

We'd given him only a few bites of our food here and there, but after he shunned his baby food last Wednesday evening and, with convulsing hands, kept reaching onto my plate, I sought clearance to start table food from our pediatrician on Friday. I believe his exact words were, "Let him get after it."

So this weekend, while his mommy and daddy enjoyed Italian food and vino, Preston enjoyed a breadstick, marinara, cheese, and shredded chicken. We topped it off with a six ounce bottle on the way home, and (do I dare say it?) he slept from 8 p.m. to 7:15 a.m. Holy full belly, batman! (or just still knocked out from the flu shot he received earlier that morning... only time will tell)

Enjoying his pancake on Sunday morning.

I'll be honest I get a little nervous now that I'm responsible for preparing and providing food for someone other than myself or my hubby. I came across this cute printable from Lovely Little Snippets to hang on the inside of the pantry and to carry with me when grocery shopping at least until I get the hang of this.

click to enlarge and download.

What about you? What foods did you start your little one(s) out on and does your little one have any favorite foods that I should be sure to try with Preston?

put a brick on his head already.

2011-10-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

Preston's nine months old today. How in the world has this happened so quickly? Before a baby 18 years seemed like a lifetime. Now I feel like 18 years is going to show up tomorrow and slap me in the face (gulps wine).

still not sure where those long legs came from?

a boy and his dog.

Please ignore the lopsided 9 month sticker. Have I mentioned that Preston doesn't sit still? Oh, and he hates his changing table now too. I've become pretty good at putting his diaper on as he's crawling away from me. Super fun times (gulps wine again).

what's on my mind: neat freak

2011-10-04T07:32:00.000-05:00

I loved reading all the comments on my previous what's on my mind post. Thank you! And to think that my nerves almost got the best of me and I almost didn't post...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's what's on my mind this week:

The type A personality in me loves a clean house. There's just something about having things organized and knowing where everything is when I need it that is so satisfying to this crazed perfectionist.

That being said I was a bit worried about if and how I would come to terms about having a well organized and tidy house taken over by toys and baby products.

BUT...

Oddly enough I'm actually loving it. There's just something about seeing Preston throwing his books on his shelf that makes me want to scream... in a good way! I love to see him learning and developing his autonomy in this world. Prepare yourself for sappiness... it makes me such a proud and joyful mommy to see toys, my child's toys, scattered throughout my house.

Now if I could just remember that it's ok if the laundry piles up every once a while and realize that, yes, life will go on if I forget to do the dishes after dinner.

I pray that I will remain this light hearted and that I will continue to find such joy in seeing that a lived in house means we are truly living. I may just print the quote pictured below and frame it so I'm reminded of this day after day.

Source: gluestickgirl.typepad.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

a little note from Mr. P

2011-10-01T12:51:00.001-05:00

Happy October, y'all!

I would like to remind everyone (especially my dada) that today marks the beginning of my mommy's birthday month.

Oh, and don't mind the bruise on my forehead. I took a little tumble this morning. I'm trying to get down the concept of walking before mommy's birthday. I have 31 days. Think I can do this?

Much love,
Preston

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

product of the week: elf on the shelf

2011-09-29T07:48:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of kicking off Christmas shopping, which I have officially started as of yesterday, this week's product of the week is the the Elf on the Shelf.

I've been looking forward to starting this tradition.
Glad I've got a really cute reason to order one this year.

what's on my mind: where is the love?

2011-09-27T07:28:00.000-05:00

I've actually decided to start writing more on my blog. I did fairly regularly while I was pregnant with Preston, but as my time became limited I slowly but surely have stopped documenting my feelings on here.

Not only do I want to write about and document this time in my life with my sweet family, I find that writing and actually typing the words on the screen help me capture that true emotion I feel right then and there. So I'm starting a series entitled what's on my mind.

----------------------------------------------------------------

That being said, here goes. Here's what's on my mind currently:

I'm struggling. I'm struggling with how to balance being a career woman, mommy, and wife at the same time. Here's the problem. Being a career woman is easy simply because it's not really an option right now. Bills have to be paid and my son and I need health coverage so a working mom I am. Being a mommy, well it isn't easy, but it's new and fun and exciting. Being a wife, well, it seems that has been put on the back burner. Not intentionally, but it's not as new, and sometimes ~~especially when trash cans aren't rolled out for pick up~~ it's not near as fun. Don't get me wrong I adore my husband, but in the process of trying to figure out how to juggle all three roles now it seems that I'm always dropping the ball on my marriage.

I don't like it. It's important to me to have a solid and secure marriage. In fact, next to my relationship with my Lord, I think my relationship with my spouse should be the next most important thing in my life followed then by my relationship with my kids. I want my kids to grow up in a home seeing that their mommy and daddy really love each other not because they just hear us saying that to each other but because they can see that love through our actions.

I knew that maintaining what I feel like is a well-established relationship with my hubby would be a challenge after a baby. Others have warned me about this, but I thought I had it all figured out. I envisioned routine date nights and heck I even thought we would be planning our first trip sans baby by now (what was I thinking, right?) Turns out, though, it just isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

Source: rockettstgeorge.co.uk via octobermoon on Pinterest

Turns out routine date nights cost money since our family members who volunteer to watch Preston live a minimum of a couple hours away. And about that trip... turns out that I can't imagine leaving Preston overnight yet. The mere thought of being in a different city than P gives me anxiety.

Preston is the best thing that's ever happened to us as husband and wife and I love him so, but I realize that Mr. Gherkin and I must make time for ourselves as a couple.

So, umm, I get it... a beach trip might now be very realistic right now, but I've got some other ideas in mind. I've got some date nights in the works (like dinner for my birthday next month and a couple of board game nights planned which we can do after the baby goes to sleep so we don't have to pay a sitter).

What about you? Do you and your spouse have any special rituals you guys follow to keep the spark alive, the lines of communication open, and to help ensure that your marriage remains a top priority?

My Memories suite promo code

2011-09-23T16:21:00.000-05:00

When I posted the winner of the My Memories software earlier I forgot to mention that My Memories has offered a promo code for my readers.

The promo code is good for $10 off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store which equals a $20 value!

Feel free to read my post about My Memories here if you missed the giveaway.

Now all you have to do is head on over the MyMemories Suite (link is clickable and website also listed below*) and enter the following promo code:

STMMMS69065

It's as simple as that. Enjoy!

*http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

winner, winner: my memories suite giveaway

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Lisa, you won the copy of the My Memories Suite software. I will e-mail you soon with the details. Congrats and hugs to you and Field.

p.s. Let us see those Christmas cards when/if you make them.

preston-isms: @ 8 months

2011-09-23T07:25:00.000-05:00

The guy is a mess. He never sits still. Ever. His sleeping habits are getting... awe, never mind about that. (We don't talk about things that are going well around here for fear of jinxing our good streak.)

Here's what's been happening around here.

First up, I lost (as in misplaced) Preston last week. Mom of the year right here, folks. Seriously, he was content on his playmat surrounded by a butt-load of toys to entertain him, I turned my back for one minute, and when I turned back around he was gone without a peep.

I could suddenly feel my heart beating in my throat. How could I lose my baby in my own house? After what seemed like eternity (when in all actuality it was merely a few seconds) I found him in the laundry room completely fascinated by the dryer.

This happened not once but twice.

Preston thinks his new radio flyer wagon (it was supposed to be a Christmas present... I have no will power) is the coolest thing ever, and I think the fact that his daddy takes him around the block every evening in his little red wagon is just about the sweetest thing ever.

Happy weekend, people!

product of the week: southern pecan

2011-09-21T07:21:00.000-05:00

My favorite coffee comes from a local restaurant called Buffalo Grille and is, hands down, their southern pecan flavor. We rarely venture out for breakfast anymore on the weekends (we prefer to snuggle with this little face instead) so when I discovered that Green Mountain made a southern pecan flavor I waited patiently until it was time to reorder k-cups and snatched them up.

{via}

My house smells so yummy in the morning. Did I mention that I get coffee delivered to me in bed every morning 'cause I do and it's awesomeness. My husband rocks ~~and spoils me~~.

looking back.

2011-09-19T07:10:00.000-05:00

After seeing Maria Fe's flashback posts over at Hello Jack, I sat down during lunch one day and went back through my old blog archives. This picture was taken a year ago this week. I was 24 weeks pregnant. It is probably one of my most favorite pregnancy shots. I miss being pregnant. **sigh**

(Hope Mr. Gherkin skims over that last part.)

Also in reading back at my old posts, I was a total basket case (rightfully so I think), but man I'm glad you guys put up with me :) I'm so thankful that all turned out so well with Preston and for my little family. We're beyond blessed.

Jeremiah 17:7

Also, if you have a minute please send up some prayers with Miss Quinn's name on them this week. She's having a heart cath today and her open heart surgery is scheduled for next week.

a giveaway: My Memories

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

My Memories has offered one lucky reader the opportunity to win a copy of My Memories Suite software for free (a $40 value).

My Memories is an award winning digital scrapbook software that is extremely easy and fun to use. It's also rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews. The software allows anyone to create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software programs.

My Memories also gave me a copy of their software to play around with, and I love it. I haven't had much time to play around with it (so is the life of living with a child who doesn't sit still...ever), but here are a few things I've done with the software so far.

First, I spruced up my twitter page with a new background provided by My Memories Suite. You can check it out here.

Then I tried my hand at making a photo page which took me all of 3 minutes since it was so easy especially with the drag and drop feature.

After seeing this idea online (thanks again, Pinterest) I found a background page from My Memories Suite called burlap, printed it on cardstock, framed it in an extra frame we had laying around the house, and made a little DIY dry erase board for our mudroom.

Here's the low-down on how to enter:

Visit the My Memories website, look around, then come back and tell me what you would do if you won the software. What would you create? Be sure to include your e-mail in the comment so I can contact you if you win.

That's it and that's all. A winner will be announced a week from today, on Friday, September 23rd along with a special promo code for the rest of you guys.

up all night.

2011-09-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

The Gherkin and I have been looking forward to the new show Up All Night with Christina Applegate and Will Arnett. These two are new parents, with a new baby, who, much like us, are trying to figure out this thing called parenting.

I swear they took some of their lines directly from inside the walls of our house, and yes, we're still up all night in this house.

So serious talk now... why won't my baby sleep? What am I doing wrong? Do you have a secret? If so, spill it now!

winner, winner: Every Falling Tear album

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here are the winners (chosen via Random.org) of Matt Hammitt's new album, Every Falling Tear, that I blogged about here.

Congratulations! I will e-mail you three with details in a bit.

Thanks to all who entered. The album is available now, and remember a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Whole Hearts Foundation for congenital heart defects.

product of the week: clairebella iphone cover

2011-09-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

I've drooled over the Clarebella iPhone covers ever since seeing them while browsing, Layla Grayce (which just happens to be one of my favorite online retailers and their blog has been a favorite on my blog roll for quite some time now) one day.

I initially used a Kate Spade cover for my phone, but it was a complete waste of money to be brutally honest. It always came apart, and I know this may sound weird but it seemed slippery and I was constantly dropping my phone. So I broke down and order a personalized Clairebella cover (it was a end-of-maternity-leave treat for myself actually) from Layla Grayce. It's yet to come apart, it's easier to grasp, and it's purdy.

Stay tuned for another fun product of the week next week. Toodles.

love this.

2011-09-11T07:36:00.000-05:00

Praying for lives lost, those who lost, our country, and our kids this Sunday morning on 9.11.11.

baby proofing.

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

We spent a good part of our labor day weekend completing our attempts to baby proof the house.

After crawling (so I would be at baby level) around the house on Friday morning (don't laugh... I saw it on Bethenny: Happily Ever After so it must be legit, right?) I made a to do list of all that needed to be Preston-proofed.

I made sure all electric outlets were covered. I moved all the small (go-straight-to-my-mouth type) items far out of Preston's reach, and tied up all the strings on the blinds.

After waking up to this (see below) last Wednesday at about 3 a.m., we mounted his monitor to the ceiling.

One thing I realized about half-way through is that baby proofing is not aesthetically pleasing. I loathe fireplace padding, but what else can I do. It's up. I hate it. Anyone else have any better ideas? Share them if you have them, puh-lease.

I moved all cleaning products out from under the sink and hung them with a tension rod in our laundry room storage closet. (Thanks pinterest for that idea). So there's no need to child-proof the cabinets now ~~with those annoying little cabinet locks~~ since all the chemicals are put away and the cabinets are full of only tupperware, pots, and pans.

We order these (for less than 5 bucks --- thanks Amazon) and secured all heavy pieces of furniture and our two large floor mirrors to the wall. It took no time at all to secure the furniture.

Last but definitely not least I secured the treadmill (you know that thing you are supposed to turn on every once and a while... that thing that helps your pants not fit so tightly) by wedging a dowel rod between the belt and the floor. So if P ever hits the release apparatus causing the belt part to fall the dowel rod will prevent it from falling on him. It actually works well, and just to be on the safe side and because the belt part weighs a ton we're going to add one more dowel rod.

Phew. I'm glad that part's done. I was stressing about it. Did I miss anything? Anything else needs to be Preston-proofed?

every falling tear: a giveaway.

2011-09-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

You guys know my love for heart babies runs deep, right? I read about any and all heart babies whenever I can, and I have loved following Bowen's Heart. Bowen was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome just a few months before Preston was born. His daddy, Matt Hammitt, happens to be the lead singer for Sanctus Real, a Christian group.

At a time in my life when I felt so alone, constantly feeling beat down and at times hopeless, I found someone else who was going through a similar situation. Someone else who was also barely hanging and yet unknowingly provided encouragement and inspiration to others through their blog and their music.

Matt wrote a number of songs since finding out about his son's diagnosis and during Bowen's open heart surgeries, and those songs are to be released on September 13th in an album called Every Falling Tear. A portion of the proceeds from the album sales will go directly to a foundation the Hammitt's created called Whole Hearts Foundation, a movement towards hope for families and children suffering from congenital heart defects.

I cried (and I mean the all out lip-quivering, ugly cry) when I watched the video of Matt below for the first time. "All of Me" is one of the singles on his new album, and I know this story and these feelings all too well.

"All of Me" from Ryan Lynch on Vimeo.

Matt's label sent me a CD (I'm listening to it right now... love it), and they've offered to giveaway three more CDs to my readers. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment by Wednesday, September 14th and be sure to include your e-mail address if your blog account is not linked to your e-mail.

product of the week: affordable & great-smelling

2011-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love (and I mean love) the Bella by Illume diffusers that are available for the low, low price of fifteen bucks at Target. My favorites are the Vanilla Amber and Capri Olive & Lemonwood scents.

via

I stuck one of the vanilla amber diffusers in our closet and within a couple of days Mr. Gherkin was inquiring about what made our closet smell ~~better than dirty sneakers~~ so good. Score.

No compensation was received for the writing of this post, and this post reflects my own personal opinions.

easy canvas prints

2011-09-05T08:14:00.000-05:00

The folks from Easy Canvas Prints printed my favorite August photo for me, and I love it. Ordering was made easy with their super friendly and easy-to-navigate website.

They have a number of different options (different sizes and different wraps).

I chose the 8x10 size because I knew I wanted to hang/sit it somewhere cozy, and I chose the colored side wrap (in a warm brown) to create a pseudoframe since the image wrap didn't work for this close-up shot (image wraps do crop the photograph a bit).

Now I just need to decide where to place it:

on a shelf in our family room...

... or above my vanity so I can see that sweet little face every morning

while I'm getting ready.

Thoughts?

Thanks Easy Canvas Prints for the printing and shipping of the canvas.

mr. preston @ eight months

2011-09-04T20:41:00.001-05:00

I'm amazed how much Preston has changed and how independent he's become in just the past two weeks. He's crawling, pulls to standing, feeds himself puffs, rides in a big boy car seat (and ohmygoodness, why didn't we do this sooner... he loves it), and is getting the hang of the sippy cup.

Finally gave in during our photo shoot this evening and stuck the sticker on the back of the onesie. Guess it's appropriate since that's the side of him we see more of these days.

This is by far the best age yet.

excuse my absence.

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've been a tad bit preoccupied lately, and blogging has been last on my list. What's kept me so busy you ask?

Well, besides this little guy (and baby proofing my house now that I have a crawler)...

Mr. P in his Keith Haring pjs. I think the heart design is cute and appropriate, don't you?

I'm officially on The Hunger Games train. Better late than never, huh? I don't remember who all recommended The Hunger Games when I asked for new book recommendations, but it was quite a few of you. Too bad none of you warned me about how addicting the books are! Seriously, I go to bed dreaming about Katniss and Peeta, y'all. I need a life.

It's almost time for football, and I've readied my fantasy football team. I had to up the ammi this year. My friend, Aimee, won last year after picking her team based on who was the cutest, who had the best dreads, who didn't fight dogs or use drugs. I'm not nearly as creative and had to do some homework (aka consult my all-knowing, sports-loving father on who to pick). It's a couples league, guys against girls, so there's been quite a bit of trash talking around here this week (especially since Gherkin stole one of the guys I wanted). It's crazy how competitive the Gherk and I get over this fantasy football stuff. Let the fun begin...

I'm trying to start studying for my recertification exam. It's so hard to do (there's a ton of other things I would rather be doing), but I got to get with it. Know what I mean?

Finally, we're headed back to the hospital tonight to visit with my PawPaw one last time before he gets discharged home and is two hours away. Continued prayers, especially for peace and comfort, are coveted.

I should be back up and running over the next few weeks (especially since I have some fun product reviews and giveaways coming in that I can't wait to share).

Until then, hip hip hooray for Labor Day and long weekends. Toodles.

{all images above are my own or from google }

favorite august photo

2011-08-27T10:49:00.002-05:00

I'm linking up with The Paper Mama's weekly photo challenge: favorite photo from August. Here's mine...

I've been trying to spruce up my photography skills and have been playing around with my camera shooting in manual mode only. I will admit though that this photo was entirely an accident. I have no idea how I got it and I'm sure I'll never be able to recreate it (Kristy, help!), but I luurve it.

I love those eyelashes and the texture (thanks to the sea salt...we were at the beach) in his hair.

Linky below will take you to more adorable photos.

product of the week: for diaper rash

2011-08-25T05:30:00.000-05:00

Preston had a tad bit of diaper rash a couple of weeks ago. I'd heard that rosebud salve could treat diaper rash, and after trying a couple of those thick white pasty creams and still seeing some raw, red cheeks I decided to give the rosebud salve a try. It worked like a charm, and things were soon smooth as a baby's bottom (no pun intended) once again.

It smells good, it's affordable, and it comes in a small container that doesn't take up much room on the changing table or in the diaper bag. Oh, and a little bit goes a long way.

what I know now.

2011-08-24T05:20:00.000-05:00

one-- The ABC song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune.
Go ahead...
Finished singing yet? I'm right, huh? If not the same, then very similar. And to think I've known both songs for 30 years and just realized.

two-- I couldn't survive, or actually my baby wouldn't survive, without mommy networks. Thank God for my mommy friends especially all you twitter mommies who will reply within seconds when I need formula recommendations or when it's 9 pm and my baby is vomiting. And my "mom hour" girls... Sunday's mom hour rocked. I love you gals.

three-- Not all diapers are created equal. Last week Preston woke up screaming with a wet sleep sack and wet pjs... Huggies. Tuesday, 3 am, Preston is wet and screaming again... Huggies. Thought I would give them a try, but Huggies at night are a no go. (for us at least)

four-- I don't know how I make it through some days. I know you other moms can relate, right? Don't leave me hanging here. Being a mommy ain't easy and then add being a wife, chores, paying bills ~~(and the children's hospital calling you every other week to remind you of your balance due even though you just made your monthly payment last week)~~, quiet time/devotional time, blogging, mom hour (ha!)... and I still want to do more (like volunteer and give back to my community and my church). One day my head will stop spinning, right? Speaking of that, have you read the book, I Don't Know How She Does It?

It's a cute book, and I'm looking forward to the movie. It'll be a "mom hour" outing, ok?

five-- Despite spending a ton of money on some of the most fascinating toys on the market, my baby will still choose my cell phone or his grandpa's hat to play with time and time again. I don't get it.

ready or not.

2011-08-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

After a month of scooting backwards and a couple of weeks of rocking back and forth on all four, Mr. P started crawling on August 16th at seven and a half months old.
We also had to lower the crib mattress after getting an "OMG" text message from my nanny saying she was scared to leave Preston alone in his crib because he learned how to pull up.

product of the week: surprise, surprise.

2011-08-17T21:14:00.004-05:00

Appropriately so my product of the week is my new Erin Condren Life Planner. If you're on twitter you know that this little baby has been everyone's product of the week for a couple of weeks now thanks to the Plum District special. ha!

Well, mine just arrived and I'm linking up with Meredith at merry & bright with photos of My Life Planner.

{family name blurred for privacy reason}

Remembering what Emily said about these being life changing, I ordered a set to use with my planner.

Off to bed now with my daily devotionals and to get started planning my life, ha! :-)

the diaper bag series

2011-08-17T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm over at Hello Jack today participating in The Diaper Bag Series.

Check it out here. Don't forget to check out the adoable little Jack also. I'm dying over this outfit.

follow-ups (my pawpaw and blurb book).

2011-08-16T07:25:00.021-05:00

First and most importantly, many of you are asking about my sweet PawPaw (thanks and read here if you missed the earlier post). Over the weekend our worst fears were confirmed... he has a tumor in his pancreas. He is still in liver failure, kidney failure, and he is experiencing muscle breakdown. Currently the doctors are saying he's too weak and sick for chemo and/or surgery, but thankfully he was transferred to the Texas Medical Center in Houston last night which means that I get to go give him a ginormous hug tonight.

Secondly, here's some of the inside pages (that some of you asked to see) of Preston's book that I posted about here. Don't forget the promo code expires on August 31st if you're in the market for a photobook.

The pictures are not blurry in real life... I guess I just didn't adjust my camera appropriately when taking pictures of the pages.

pinnable me: falling forward

2011-08-12T08:09:00.002-05:00

Pinterest is killing me lately with the pictures of all things fall related and the seriously delicious recipes that keep popping up. For me fall can't get here soon enough (you know it's my favorite season, right?) and I'm never going to be able to shake the last 10 pounds of baby weight I'm still carrying with all those dang recipes being posted.

S'mores, pumpkin desserts, dark nail polish, BOOTS, football... here are some of my favorite fall-related pins.

Source: letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: southernvogue.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: moodboard.typepad.com via Tiffanie on Pinterest

Source: girlaroundtown-leigh.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Haddy on Pinterest

I'm linking up with Stefanie today at Paw prints and Pastry bags. Thanks for all the prayers and kind thoughts on my PawPaw. Dialysis was started last night, and we're still waiting on answers to figure out exactly what is going on.
Happy Friday!

See this man?

2011-08-11T06:19:00.007-05:00

He's my grandpa and he's in the hospital with a number of serious issues going on.

My grandparents are super duper special to me, to my whole family... they're the cheese to our macaroni. Get it?

So if you have a few seconds to send some prayers up with his name on them I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

blurb photobook (& discount code)

2011-08-10T20:47:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to post about the memory book I made for Preston. The book holds the story and pictures of his birth, open heart surgery, and the first few weeks of his life. I used Blurb again (remember my Italy book here), and once again I was not disappointed.

Here's the outside of the book. I was hoping to get pictures of the inside, but once I wrangled it away from Mr. P the lighting was not good. Oh well.

Blurb is offering 20% off books through August 31st with promo code BLURB20. I unfortunately do not need one right now, but come January I will start making one to conclude P's first year of life. Go get yours today.

water soothes me.

2011-08-09T07:28:00.009-05:00

Our beach trip was short but much needed.

I was feeling a little burned out. A little down in the dumps. A little anxious about saying good bye to the breast pump (yes, I'm stopping this week). Nothing that a short beach trip couldn't fix though.

As for Preston, he LOVED being at the beach. He took a nap on the beach (under a tent of course) everyday and enjoyed the pool a bit more than at Lost Pines. Perhaps it was because he had two cousins there that kept him well entertained.

And since we're on the topic of the ocean, Preston would like to send a shout out to Uncle Michael and family and say thanks for this pretty awesome gift that arrived on his doorstep a couple weeks ago. Thanks guys! I love that it's named Preston, and Gherkin loves that it reminds him of summers he spent learning to sail off the Washington coast.

The pictures don't do it justice. It's about a foot tall and the woodwork and details are perfect.

{baby} product of the week: papillon baby bath ring seat

2011-08-08T07:38:00.006-05:00

Back in May I spent almost two hours researching bath seats for Mr. P from my iPhone during our Memorial weekend car ride. After reading the reviews on Amazon I ordered this.

It's a soft ring that you tie around the baby's waist that allows them to sit up in the big tub, have a little freedom of their own, free both of mommy's hands, and keep them from going under if they lean forward or fall back. It is recommended that the baby be fully able to sit up on their own.

My only complaint is that it does need an extra "petal" to give it 100% more stability in my opinion, but I really love that there's no stinkin' bar that goes between the legs. I could just see P slipping in one of those hard seats with a bar hitting in between his legs. I don't know for sure but I'm thinking that could be a tad bit painful.

All that being said I must make a disclaimer: I never leave Preston alone while bathing and I do not think that's the intention of this bath ring. He loves it because he gets to move around more without me hanging onto him constantly, and I love it because I can use both hands to wash or just stand back and watch him splash around in his tub.

No compensation was received for the writing of this post, and this post contains my own personal opinions.