A Hiking We Will Go!

One of the things that Brian and I have always enjoyed doing as a couple is going hiking. He grew up in a local mountain village, so the outdoors is in his blood. I grew up visiting said mountain on a regular basis with my Papa, so I have a love for it too! We haven't been able to hike for a couple of years because of my sciatica issues, but now that my back has been doing much better I suggested we give it a shot. I truly forgot how much I missed it. :)

This was Baylee's first hike ever. We had a bit of a drive from our home to the hiking point, so once we got there she was absolutely stoked to be outside running around in the wilderness!

We let her be her silly self and pick up leaves and branches. She loved being a little mountain kid just like her daddy was! (Still is, maybe? ;) )

Once we figured she blew off enough steam, and to avoid the longest short hike ever, Brian put her in the carrier on his back. It'd been a while since anyone wore her like that, so I was concerned that she wouldn't take to it, but she loved being up high and seeing everything! She pointed out the trees and the "reefs" (leaves), and even serenaded us with some humming. (Singing gibberish is totally her new thing. lol) At the end of the hike is a small but beautiful waterfall, so we stopped to let Baylee do some exploring and touch the water.

I put a blanket down on a rock and we all enjoyed a snack before we headed back. It was such gorgeous scenery and some much needed family time away from the chaos of life. I really tried to soak in every quiet moment with my two favorite people. 

I wish we could do stuff like this every weekend. My hope is that one day we can live there or somewhere similar and really teach Baylee how to appreciate the beauty and serenity of the great outdoors. I think so many kids miss out on simple happiness being glued to their TVs or video games, and outings like this are good for the family and good for the soul...even when you're only one year old. :)

Until next time! XoXoXo

Friday Favorites: Comfy Jammies!

Happy weekend everyone! Sorry this post is actually "Saturday Favorites" this week; yesterday I took a much-needed trip down to Disney with my girl. We needed a little magic in our lives. :)

This time of year and the freezing temps outside have me all about comfy jammies! Christmas PJs are the best because you can get cozy and still look so festive (and maybe even match your kiddos! Heart eyes!), but I love everyday jams just as much.

As a holiday tradition, we get new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve every year. It's something we all look forward to, and with Christmas just around the corner, I thought it was about time I did my research for this year! Here are my favorite picks for Christmas jams for the whole fam.

If you have the money, and want to go the matching jammie route, then Pajama Gram is the way to go. They're a little pricey, but you can get matching pairs in every size...even for your fur babies! Make sure you look to see if there's a coupon code before you order anything, because there's always at least 15% off out there. When our family is complete one day, we will totally be ordering from here for us and the kids...hello future Christmas card! 

For Dad

These fleece sleep pants are perfect for the Holidays and all winter long. I don't know about you, but I would never be able to get my hubby to rock a full pajama set; so a pair of fleece plaid pants paired with a white or black tee would be more his jam. Pun intended

For Mama

I have a confession. I am utterly obsessed with Victoria's Secret for Pajamas. I know they're a little expensive, but I still have pairs from 5 or more years ago that are still good as new; so cost-per-wear kinda makes up for it...right? ;) These Mayfair Tee-jamas  are my favorite at VS this year, especially in that adorable candy cane heart print! If $55 pajamas are not your style, then Target never disappoints! These "Oh What Fun!" pajamas are absolute perfection, and only $20. And they come in matching sizes for your littles!

For Mini

Kids PJs are the best. Some days we have jammie days, because just like me, my child is happiest in her comfy pajamas. :) For the kiddos, I stay tried and true to my Carter's. They have the best fitting pajamas that can withstand all kinds of toddler craziness. 

For little miss, I am in love with these cotton PJs that come with a tutu! Could there be a more adorable Christmas morning sight?! I also have a thing for footsie pajamas, so these 1-piece fleece ones are a must have. Carter's has the best non-skid bottoms on their footsie pajamas for the walking age, so we love them!

For your little man, these polar bear pajamas make me seriously wish I had a son...and the pants would match Dad's! Also, seeing your little elf in these footsie pajamas opening presents would just be the cutest ever. :)

I can't wait to get this little bed-head queen in her Christmas jammies in a few weeks! Is it Thanksgiving yet???

Until next time! XoXoXo

Happy List!

My poor Baylee has been a total grump-ness monster since she got her 15 month shots on Friday. She got her MMR, and was unlucky enough to get the side effects of a fever and a runny nose. Those two combined are not very fun for anyone, namely a toddler who is way to busy for that nonsense! It's also been chilly, so we have been mostly staying inside playing and cuddling and watching Disney movies this week (I may have snuck in one or two Christmas ones...shhhh, don't tell Brian! ;) ) Taking care of a little sicky-poo kiddo is enough to make any mama stir crazy and bummed, so I decided it was about time for another Happy List!

1. Cool weather! We had a hot weekend, but on Monday it finally cooled off! Right now it's only 43 degrees outside at my house and we have been rocking leggings and comfy socks! Woo hoo!

2. Christmas has hit Target! The dollar section has already been cleaned out by yours truly!

3. Thanksgiving decor is up and I love it so! As much as I can't wait for Christmas to come, I love seeing all the little reminders around my house that this is the season to be thankful.

 

4. Banana Pumkin Muffin perfection! I finally found the perfect recipe for banana pumpkin muffins. It's a super simple recipe, and they turn out delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 bananas, mashed

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Spray muffin tins with baking spray.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

4. In a separate bowl, combine bananas, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.

5. Add wet ingredients to bowl of dry ingredients, gently folding until completely combined.

6. Fill muffin tin about 2/3 full and bake for about 11 minutes. 

This recipe yielded 18 muffins.

5. I picked up these holiday leggings for Baylee at Target yesterday, and I can't wait to find a shirt to match them! They also come in red and white stripes. Such a steal at only $6.00!

6. Holiday shirts are only $5 at Osh Kosh right now as "doorbusters"! They have a ton of cute ones for both boys and girls. (Can you tell I am in total Christmas prep mode???)

7. With the week I've had so far, I need this Honeycrisp Apple Sangria in my life. Stat. I am thinking about making it for Thanksgiving, or maybe just Saturday. ;)

8. This sweet little babe playing nicely and quietly with her Little People castle...I love the little imagination she's developing!

And with that, my friends, I bid you all a goodnight!

Until next time! XoXoXo

This Is Halloween!

 Happy November 1st everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful, safe Halloween! Seeing my sweet girl dressed up as my favorite Disney character, Tinker Bell, was one of my many Mommy highlights for sure!

We started the day off with festive food for breakfast. I attempted to make jack-o-lantern waffles with orange batter and chocolate chips. I give myself an "A" for effort, but they didn't quite turn out like the vision in my head...maybe more chocolate chips next time! I also made sure I had my orange paper straw, of course!

 After breakfast, we had to run some errands to finish up our costumes. (I bought Baylee's, but I made mine and Brian's.) Baylee had just had her 15 month shots the day before, so she wasn't feeling too great. I couldn't even get her to smile to get a good picture of her in her Halloween outfit. Poor kiddo. We rushed and finished our shopping as quick as we could so that we could get home to put her down for a nap to avoid melt-down-city.

 After a nice 2 and a half hour nap, Baylee woke up and we had jack-o-lantern quesadillas for lunch! So cute and easy. Baylee even gave hers a kiss before gobbling him up! :)

 After lunch, I put Baylee's costume on her so I could take a few pictures at our house. She was in love with her tutu and kept dancing and fluffing it! My girly girl for sure!

 We met up with my bro and sis-in-law and my niece for dinner and trick-or-treating. It has been so much fun to get the girls together lately; they both just get cuter and cuter every day!

 Isn't Adalyn the most adorable little giraffe you've ever seen?!

It was a little early to trick-or-treat, so we took some family pics. I was so proud of how my Tiger Lily and Brian's Peter Pan costumes turned out! I hope Baylee lets us do family themed Halloweens for a few more years at least, because it's too much fun! :)

 We went to my grandparents house for some amazing chili and cornbread for dinner. Baylee was still a little crabby (notice the lack of smiles in all her pictures *sigh*) and didn't want to eat anything, so we decided it was time to distract her with some trick-or-treating. She did so great! We pulled the girls in the wagon, and took Baylee out at each door. She wasn't shy at all, and by the end of the night was getting the idea to hold her pumpkin out for a piece of candy. Too bad she's not old enough to eat it! ;) Precious Addy was all Halloweened out and knocked out in the wagon, so we headed back to the house to try some of my Halloween cupcakes.

 What a Halloween to remember! Even though Baylee didn't feel well from her shots, she really trooped out and made it a fun evening. She grows way too fast, but I'll never forget my little tinker fairy holding my hand and toddling around on her second Halloween. :)

 Until next time! XoXoXo

Baylee, Please Go to Sleep

Most of the time, I blog about the happy milestones of motherhood, but sometimes you have a rough week and you just gotta vent about the tough stuff.

As happy and fulfilled as it makes me, parenting is by far the toughest job I have ever had. I'm clocked in 24/7 and my boss only speaks 30ish words of English. ;) I try to be as confident of a mother as I possibly can, but I second guess my parenting choices all the time. One of which, is bottle feeding my 15 month old. 

I know, she's still a baby, but when every parenting book and article out there says that bottle weaning at 12 months is best, (due to risk of teeth rot and it being harder to wean at older ages) it's really hard not to take that as "you're doing something wrong". My kid likes, no, loves her bottle. She has taken to drinking water or juice out of cups just fine, but when it comes to milk it's bottle or nothing. I have tried, on multiple occasions, to give her milk in a cup (even tried warming it up!) and she takes a few sips, looks at me like I'm crazy, and throws it down. Meh. So, just skip the milk and give her dairy elsewhere? That would be great...if it weren't for that sweet face asking "Baba, Mama?" before nap time and bed time. She knows exactly when it's coming and looks forward to it. How can I deny her?

I figure she won't have a bottle when she's in Kindergarten, but I'd really like to have her off  of it sooner than that. ;) The struggle is real. Do I cut back one bottle at a time and ease her off? Do I just throw them all away and say "sorry 'bout it!"? Or do I wait until she's closer to 2 and either A. Weans herself. or B. Can understand better that the bottles have to go "bye bye." (Along with her beloved paci at that point...Dear Lord.) Also, even if I cut back one at a time, the middle of the night one is going to be our real challenge. Which brings me to Mama Struggle Numero Dos...my kid still wakes up at night.

It's 5:45 and I hear "waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" on my end of the monitor. Still half asleep, I look at the monitor's screen and see my sweet little girl standing in her crib. "Baylee, please go back to sleep." :( Nope...she wants milk and won't go back to sleep until she gets it. Sigh. 

I have been trying to night wean this child since she was 9 months old. Forget about it. It has gotten better, but she rarely sleeps completely through the night. She used to wake up twice a night without fail, now she wakes up once and usually not until after 5:30am (unless woken by something else earlier in the night.) I have tried so hard to find other ways to soothe her back to sleep or allowing her to self soothe, but the only thing that works for Baylee is to kick back 4 ounces of milk. Then, she drifts right back to sleep all by herself without a struggle. Us tired moms give in to stuff like that when the ulterior is a frustrated baby screaming for two hours because all she wants is her damn bottle. Truthfully, I don't mind getting up for her, but what I worry about is it continuing in to her toddlerhood and becoming a really hard to fix habit. Double meh.

Mom Struggle #3 is the tantrums. Holy Mother of God the tantrums! Why doesn't anyone warn you that as soon as your happy baby turns a year old something wicked clicks in them, and suddenly they get the idea that if they throw themselves on the ground screaming they just might get their way?! What is this nonsense?! Luckily, I have the sense enough to find an element of humor in my daughter's ridiculous behavior, so it's rare that I lose it, but every once in a while enough becomes enough. One more whine and I feel like I might send her to the moon! When days like this happen, I know the key is distraction, distraction, distraction...and if that doesn't work...nap time for both of us!

So, fellow parents, this is where you come it! Comment below if you have any advice about bottle weaning, night waking, or tantrums! Also, what are your biggest struggles when it comes to parenting a toddler? 

Despite all the though stuff, after I put Baylee to bed at night, it's always the fun and laughs we had that comes straight to mind. She really is a good girl, and I really am so blessed that God entrusted me to raise this amazing little creature. Besties for life.

Until next time! XoXoXo

Fun At the Pumpkin Patch!

Yesterday, we took Baylee to the pumpkin patch for her first time. To say she had a blast is a complete understatement! This kid was covered in dirt from head to toe when we were done, and had a huge grin to match! :)

 The place we went to had so many pumpkins that it was almost overwhelming. Baylee was beyond excited, and as soon as I put her down, she took off in to the field of orange "balls"! ;) 

We let her run around and touch everything. True toddler heaven. She was shrieking with delight and beating on all the pumpkins like drums. It was absolutely hysterical.

Someone had formed some pumpkins into an Instagram-worthy heart, so you know I couldn't resist sticking my kid in the middle. :)

We played some more, and Daddy showed her how to stack two pumpkins. She was very impressed. 

After a couple of mommy-and-me shots, it was time to get down to business. Brian was very particular about his pumpkin picking, so I told him to pick one for me too. Baylee knew exactly which one she wanted...and it was just her size!

We also couldn't leave without letting Baylee see the cows (animals are always her highlight of any trip), and taking our pictures in the face-cut-out board! Silliness is next to Godliness right?

We found a smaller kids pumpkin patch next to the cows that had a bunch of tiny pumpkins, so before we called it a day we let Baylee run around a bit more and pick up all the little pumpkins. It also made for a perfect family photo op.

Baylee saw our pumpkins when she woke up this morning and was excited all over again! We have been working on saying "pumpkin" all day...so far, we have "bump". I'll take it! :)

Until next time! XoXoXo