We are relaxing in the hotel after a busy morning of walking and sightseeing the beautiful city of Charleston. It's days like today that make me so thankful for this wonderful stage of baby that I'm experiencing with Solomon. I am also very thankful for his cool-total extrovert, can nap anywhere, personality. It definitely makes things a whole lot easier and more fun. I hope that all of our children are this way, I know we are lucky!

Back to Charleston though.... man, it is beautiful! No matter how many times I visit, I'm always fascinated by the charm and southern beauty of the city. The cobblestone streets, the palm trees mixed with the huge southern oak trees covered in moss, bright colored houses and old brick houses, all of it is so nice. It kind of makes me want a big glass of sweet tea and a fried green tomato. I'm southern, what can I say?? 

Beautiful trees everywhere and the lemons on the front porch below had be swooning!

A nice little rest in the park for some playing and a diaper change, this weather is to die for! I'm so excited for Spring!!! 

This stage is definitely my favorite so far! There are so many things that make me want to burst from happiness everyday. Like, the way he smiles at me almost all the time. Or he constant jibberish, even if it sounds like he is saying Dada all the time, instead of Momma; they are the sweetest little sounds I've ever heard, and I have taken so many videos of him talking and playing so I will never forget what it sounds like. The adorable way that he instantly puts his hands over his mouth when he is laughing or smiling, it really kills me how sweet he is all the time. And I'll take all the big wet kisses he will give, even if he is fighting sleep when he gives most of them. Oh, and how he can sit and play for a good chunk of time now... pretty much everything he is doing is precious. This little season of baby is the best! 

weekly three.

Peter has been gone for part of this week for work in Charleston and he's heading home today, then we all are going back to Charleston next week. I always get excited when he says he has a work trip in that beautiful city! This week has been a crazy one since every other day has been terrible for Solomon. I blame teething, but like always, I never see any red swollen gums?? One day he will prove me right and have some pearly whites poke through, until then I'll just love and cuddle him on the bad days! So, I'm sharing three things that made me happy this week with my moody little man, because he is always sweet, even when he feels bad!

My sweet little bee, love this outfit and that sweet face! The hat also kills me.

A lot of nursing and cuddles....

And sweet naps on the couch, I love his cuddles when he doesn't feel well. It is the only perk!
& obviously wearing my favorite comfy sweater a lot.... ;)

Mom life littles.

Being a stay at home mom is wonderful but it can definitely make you a little crazy sometimes. Over the past few weeks I've noted a few of the things that made me laugh. The crazy things that I've done that makes me shake my head and laugh. The things that make me wonder if I need a second cup of coffee. It definitely makes things interesting around here, not like Solomon doesn't keep it interesting on his own, of course! 

one // When you hurt your back from carrying a heavy car seat and then you hobble around the house for a couple of days and look like a troll 

two // after running errands and meeting a friend for lunch, you return home to your couch, and while feeding your baby you actually wonder if you even put makeup on today.... you did, you just forgot 

three // and the nights that you get in bed and start feeding your almost sleeping baby only to remember you didn't wash your face 

four // walking to the car while holding your five month old and you open the front door to get in and drive away while still holding your baby, then you realize he needs to be in his car seat

that smile, making me crazy happy every single day!

Sadie Grace turns five.

Saturday morning was such a fun morning!! We took Solomon to the Greenville Children's Museum for the first time to celebrate Sadie Grace's fifth birthday. I've always said once we have kids we would get a membership for the museum since it has so many wonderful activities. You could literally spend all day there, it has three floors and so many fun activities to do and things to see. It is also the perfect place for a birthday party! Sadie Grace picked out a painting party and it was fun to watch all the kids light up when they realized there were going to paint! Of course my cousin Joni outdid herself again with an amazing cake, she is so talented!! 

Everyone loved making their mark on Sadie Grace's big piece of birthday art for her playroom wall, even Solomon got to leave a footprint! 

After all the stimulation and commotion, Solomon was more than ready for a nap while we walked around the rest of the museum! I can't wait to bring him back once he is walking so he can enjoy all the fun things to do.  

weekly three.

This week has been a long week, but not in a bad way. My days have been full of fun things and long naps with my sweet boy and my nights have been fun as well! We are ready to welcome this beautiful weekend with the sunny spring-like weather. Hope you all have a sunny and happy weekend!!

My pretty new May Designs planner that I got this week makes me so happy. I realized pretty quick that my large planner is not momma friendly since it won't fit in a diaper bag. This new one is perfect for on the go and still beautiful!

Cupcakes that can also be breakfast thanks to Jocie making these glazed doughnut cupcakes!
My cupcakes were super yummy and I'm going to do a revamp with the recipe as a cake instead of cupcakes and share it soon! 

And some more happy mail this week with these adorable Potato Feet shoes! So excited to have some bigger shoes for Solomon to wear since he has grown out of his smaller ones. 

Taking Stock 009

I haven't had one of these posts in a while and I love them, so I thought it was time! 

Making // cupcakes for the annual Cupcake Exchange tonight and I'll share the recipe soon because they turned out so yummy!
Cooking // a lot of soup, typical winter meals
Drinking // so much water 
Reading // Ephesians, I love it when our church does a long study in one book 

Wanting // this spring weather to stick around 
Looking // for lots of happy mail this week
Wasting // naptime when I should be cleaning instead of relaxing 
Wishing // I had time to organize this entire house because naptimes don't even begin to touch it.... if only I could hire someone to do it
Enjoying // the busy days and nights lately
Liking // that Solomon's cold seems to finally be finished 
Wondering // how I tweaked my back yesterday, I'm thinking I picked up the carseat wrong
Loving // the awesome cuddles I've been getting from Solomon this week 
Hoping // we get to travel with Peter to charleston soon 
Marveling // at Lady Gaga recently, that woman is so talented 
Needing // a day date getaway with Peter, need to plan something soon
Smelling // coffee, Mmmmmm, coffee
Wearing // my super soft new pajama pants 
Following // no schedule or routine at all, it's crazy how it works so much better for our family 
Noticing // how awesome my water is in my new Yeti Cup (thanks Mom!)
Knowing // that March is going to be one heck of a month, so incredibly busy
Thinking // about how much I want a burger every single day, thanks to breastfeeding 
Bookmarking // recipes on Pinterest so I can try to meal plan more efficiently 
Opening // my new planner that I got this week
Giggling // at the adorable way Solomon raises his eyebrows between smiles
Feeling // full of happiness 

valentines and sushi and froyo.

Our little family on such a sweet day!

I couldn't think of two men I could love more, so thankful for them!! 

When Peter asked me what I wanted to do for Valentine's Day I instantly thought, SUSHI! It was a perfect option since Valentine's fell on Sunday and our favorite sushi place has all you can eat from a menu. Not a sketchy all you can eat buffet, but a full menu with so many delicious options. Perfect timing for sure! My mom came over to stay with Solomon so we could have some hubby & wife time. The sushi was amazing as always and then that sweet husband of mine asked if I wanted to go by TCBY.... duh, of course I did! 

A perfect little Sunday date with my baby daddy!

Hope your weekend was sweet as well!!!! 

Solomon // five months.

I can't believe our little Valentine is five months old today!! It seems that things only continue to go by faster which is exciting but heart breaking at the same time. We are loving every minute with Solomon and we also feel so thankful for how many people love him with us. He is such a lucky boy!!

1/16/15

Today was such a good day! Your daddy is home and we had a normal Saturday but it was wonderful. Waffles for breakfast (while you napped the entire time!!!), I did some cleaning while daddy worked in the yard, toasted sandwiches for lunch, Saturday night church service with your first visit to the nursery (and you did so good), then home for dinner and football! All the little things that make weekends great, but now they are even better with you. We are so thankful for your easy going personality and how happy you always are. It makes our days and nights so much sweeter!! 

Speaking of sweet, you gave me your first open mouth wet kiss. The first of many I hope. I guess you kind of understand my love of kisses now since I kiss you ALL THE TIME, I'm just happy you want to give them back! 

1/27/16

Your love of kisses has only grown since last time I wrote and it makes my momma heart so happy! Not always, but pretty regularly, when I ask for a kiss you put your hands on my cheek and then press your lips to mine. It's the sweetest!!!! 

Right now I am rocking you to sleep in your room for a nap and you're wearing your little bee pjs and I never want to forget little moments like these. You are in that sweet spot right before sleep when you take little breaks between your sips and your hand is gently resting on my chest, not searching for my hand or your ear anymore. This is my favorite time. The moments when you are curled up so warm next to me. Your long legs hanging off the side of the arm rest and your feet randomly rolling little circles. You are at peace and safe here with me. I pray that you know just how much I love being your momma. You make me more selfless and loving. You make me think of the words I say and the things I do. I want you to know that you make me a better person, just by being my son. Your my little love and I'm so happy you are mine. 

2/4/16
You have been fighting your first bad cold while in Chicago with daddy but you are finally better and acting more like yourself. I'm so happy, I felt so bad for you when you would look at me with those tired eyes, it was like you were asking me what was wrong. Right now I'm watching you sleep on the big hotel bed. You actually put yourself to sleep for the first time. I'm hoping this is a fun new thing you will want to do for your afternoon nap, but we'll see.

I have to say that I love your little personality that is shining through lately. You are the sweetest and happiest little thing, but you also have a strong will that is coming out, and it makes me laugh. You really are the perfect combination of me and your dad in every way... your skin color, your facial expressions and your personality. We love it!

2/6/16

Sometimes I get completely overwhelmed with this life that I get to live with you and your daddy. I'm sitting on the couch while you sleep in my arms and your hand resting on my chest after your lunch. I smell the lentil soup cooking in the stove and your dad is out in the yard working in our future spring garden. These are little moments of our wonderful life. Our house is not spotless, we haven't unpacked from Chicago and there is a ton of laundry to be done, but I am so in love with our life as a family. I can't describe how happy it makes me to be a wife and a momma, it just makes my heart want to burst most days. Today is one of those days & I'm so, so thankful!!!! You make our family so happy and complete, sweet boy!

2/8/16

I cried tonight while rocking you to sleep because it has been a few weeks since the last time we have used the rocking chair at night. Since we have been cosleeping from night to morning, we haven't used the rocking chair, and I honestly hadn't missed it much. It is so wonderful to curl up in the bed with you and nurse you to sleep but tonight you weren't interested in going to sleep so I had to get up and go to your room. This used to be a common thing but you have started to love your sleep in the past month and our routine has been great. Tonight was different. Tonight you needed to rock. You needed to put your head on my chest and let me kiss your forehead softly and shush you while patting your little bottom before you would give into sleep. I cried because I forget how quickly things are changing sometimes and tonight reminded me of those long nights of rocking and feeling you breathe against my chest. Feeling your weight getting heavier as you fall asleep. I never want to forget these moments and I wish you would stop growing so fast. You are changing and growing so much everyday and I can barely take it all in and I'm so afraid I will wake up and it will be your first birthday, or your first day of school or even your wedding day. But right now you are in my lap and your are my little man. Please slow down, please don't grow up so fast! 

2/11/16
The spelling has started... it is so funny how quickly this has happened since I didn't realize you would know what words mean so quickly. We have to spell out milk and bath now. Your dad will ask does he need some M-I-L-K if you are being fussy... and then he will say is it B-A-T-H time? Both of these things make you extremely happy and we don't want to throw those words around when you are full or clean because they can result in a melt down if you hear them and you don't really need them. So funny!

You also love to have a melt down in your bouncing toy because of the alligator piece that is on it. Thankfully, it is removable, and I took it off after you would become so mad and cry so hard because of it. Your dad and I would laugh at you because you looked like a mad little man at work typing away on your keyboard when you played with it. The alligator would come apart and it had strings on the pieces to  keep it together but you didn't like it at all. I think you might have a bit of an engineer brain like your daddy since you would become so frustrated when it wasn't together correctly. Once again, my temper is showing through. Sorry about that!

There are also times when you aren't happy and you are crying a little bit, more like whining, and I will try and play with you. This is so funny because you do this silly double personality thing where you laugh and smile but also cry and scream. You are a mess, that's for sure, but you make our life so full and not boring at all!!

stats // 17.09 on Thursday at the Breast Feeding Support Group meeting & 

eating // still snacking on milk throughout the day and not every day is the same. Some days I feel he hardly eats at all, then other days he is attached to me most of the day. Either way is fine, he is happy and only cries when he is hungry for the most part. I'm starting to realize when he is fussy or screaming, and we aren't sure why, he will nurse and then be happy again. Hello Momma, I'm hungry!!! First time mom problems... ha!
sleeping // co-sleeping is still going great most nights. He just sleeps so much better by me in the bed which allows Peter and I to sleep better as well. I'm really in love with co-sleeping and I don't see it ending anytime soon. Once we introduce solids next month I'm hoping he will sleep a little bit longer at night and we can try the crib then. But, for now we love all the cuddles in bed. For a long time I tried to make the crib work because that's what the books and other moms say to do but that doesn't mean it is right for us. On the nights that we try the crib he ends up fighting sleep and seems so unhappy/afraid, and there is no need for that if co-sleeping isn't a real problem. I'm glad it is working for us.

wearing // still in size three diapers at night or if we are going to be out of the house for most of the day, otherwise he is in cloth. Clothing is still 3-6 month also but there are several things that have been put away since he is too long for them already. I'm thinking the 6-9 month will be happening before the end of this month.

favorite things // growling almost non-stop... everyone says "he is so verbal!" We always reply back with YES HE IS! haha, we love it. He loves laying on his belly and playing with musical toys. He seems to be giving kisses very often now, pretty much to anyone which kind of made me sad, but I'm so happy he is a loving baby and isn't over attached to just me. He loves going places and really enjoys the church nursery which also makes me very thankful! They call him angel baby in his room, and they even asked what number child he was and were shocked when we said first, they thought he had to be a 3rd or 4th because of his temperament.

PAST UPDATES
1st Month // 2nd Month
3rd Month // 4th Month

weekly three.

It's Valentines Day weekend!!! We don't go crazy with Valentines, but it is pretty crazy to think about our big announcement a year ago. Now our little guy is here with us and covered in kisses every single day. I'm excited to have a fun weekend with family and love on my two guys, especially have a sushi date with that awesome husband of mine. Sushi is our love food after all... our first date ever, our first date after baby and so many dates just because we love sushi a lot. Hope you all have a weekend full of kisses and lots of love!

The best part about co-sleeping, the sweet good morning kisses. He has started waking me up with his little hands on my face in the most gentle and sweet way. I could eat him up!!

Coming back to the Midwife office/birthing center once a month for the Greenville Breast Feeding Support Group is my favorite! I get all the warm fuzzies every time I come back to this sweet place and see all the wonderful midwives again.

A belated birthday dinner with my dad's side of the family last night, yum!! Excited for my Birthday dinner tonight with my mom, also!

day trip to Charlotte.

My sweet friend, Jocie, asked me if baby S and I wanted to tag along with her for a trip to Charlotte and of course I said yes. She needed to drop off some of her pretty things for the Vintage Charlotte Valentines weekend special pop up shop at the 7th Street Public Market and I was excited to check it out since I've never been. I honestly haven't spent much time in downtown Charlotte and I have no idea why, it really is such a cute city. Especially the Public Market.

When we arrived I had to feed Solomon and change his diaper in the car while Jocie went to drop off her stuff. She said she'd scope out the place and see if we could get something to eat. I was so excited to get a text from her that said "There are crepes!"!!! They were so yummy and the delicious pour over coffee from Not Just Coffee was the perfect addition. The natural lighting in this place is so pretty, such a fun place to hang out and buy some local goodies.

There were so many cute things along with the beautiful Jocie Pots creations! I loved looking around the booth and checking out the Vday gifts but all the beautiful cards had be swooning. 

#paperproductsaddict, sorry I'm not sorry!

come on, ma... too much girl talk and valentines day pink stuff! ;)

Seriously though, if you are in Charlotte and need some last minute gifts, stop by the market and pick up something cute. The xoxo ring dish by Jocie is a new favorite of mine!!!