my weekend in pictures.

{I am working with eloise on her utensil skills. my friend told me she puts almond (or peanut) butter on a spoon & gives it to her daughter to help her learn about how to use a spoon. I tried it with eloise this weekend & it works so well – genius!}

{this is my new favorite thing eloise does these days: she likes to read a magazine while I change her diaper!}

{eloise is also learning how to share & has started giving people things, like this Xbox game. thanks eloise!}

{eloise reading a pile of books with her friends at a birthday party this weekend.}

{I picked up these long-sleeved Ikea bibs last week & they are fantastic. easy to clean & I don’t have to strip eloise down to a diaper at mealtime!}

{eloise rode her first John Deere tractor this afternoon at a friend’s birthday party. I had to snap a picture & send it to her grandpa! also, doesn’t she look so old? a toddler already. sigh.}

{a sewing project that I have been working on for SO long is hopefully coming to an end this week. a very belated present for eloise that I will be sure to share once it is finished!}

we hit the first birthday party circuit again this weekend which is hilarious & so fun! I just can’t believe eloise & all of her friends are one. we didn’t have much else planned this weekend & were able to get a few things on the never-ending to-do list checked off (yard work for aaron & crafting projects for me). even without a jam-packed weekend, the two days still flew by! how was your weekend?

M

friday I’m in love.

welcome back friday! be sure to pop over to see what kendra, mary beth, amanda, laura, aileen, jessica and ashley are loving! we would love for you to join us. leave a comment and we’ll come check out what you’re loving each week!

{one} kerry washington’s self feature.


{via Self}

in catching up with some celebrity gossip (my complete guilty pleasure!) I came across an article about kerry washington’s feature in Self magazine. having just had a baby herself (her daughter is 15 months) I was curious what would be shared about her child or her life as a mother. and I was pleasantly surprised to her response about being “post-baby”: “I’ve been really focused on not being ‘back’ to anything, but being the best version of myself right now… My body is the site of a miracle now. I don’t want to be pre-miracle.” I think as mamas we are constantly being asked about how we are feeling & whether we are back to pre-baby (& I am totally guilty of this in asking my newly mama friends!). while I was really motivated to have my pre-baby body “back” I will never feel the same as I did before I had eloise, regardless of the way that I look. it is nice to have a reminder of that especially when it feels like all I hear from the media is: get rid of your pregnancy weight as fast as possible!

{two} the commission project.

{via The Commission Project}

I have always loved the idea of having painted portraits of our family. I know, I should have lived in the middle ages I guess, right? but there is something so special about a painting that doesn’t exist in a photograph. I first heard about The Commission Project a few years ago & have been dreaming about it ever since. paul ferney (who is jordan’s – of Oh Happy Day! – husband) paints portraits of pictures. so you send your favorite photo in & he turns it into a painting. swoon! some day…

{three} a travel bug.

{via The Autoimmune Traveler}

this pretty much sums up the way I feel about traveling. take me anywhere! I have definitely been getting the travel bug recently & have been daydreaming about a taking a trip. maybe next year? le sigh.

what are you loving this week?

M

my weekend in pictures.

{eloise helping with the laundry. so helpful!}

{we had such a big thunderstorm on friday!}

{oh these two. they love each other so.}

{eloise got a birthday package from her uncle david, aunt jodi, & cousins!}

{we made the first birthday rounds on saturday afternoon.}

{happy birthday Beatrice!}

{& happy birthday clive! eloise was pretty excited about this ball pit.}

{great aunt susan & uncle duane were in town visiting. eloise was showing susan how much she loved books!}

{writing eloise a belated birthday card for her time capsule. more details to come (hopefully this week!)}

{played some fibbage & drawful on the xbox with susan, duane, ben, & sarah.}

{aaron mounted our tv. it looks amazing!}

{sunday brunch with cale, jess, & jaz at an old favorite: portage bay café. so delish!}

{when eloise sticks her hand in her new snack cup for a couple of Os, she ends up spreading them all over the floor!}

{napping with her legs on on the rails. pretty typical.}

{checking out the new crib rail covers that I made. post to come soon!}

{so we may or may not have traded in our jetta sportwagen for an early lease return this afternoon. a new golf sportwagen is sitting in our driveway. we always end up getting new cars without meaning to!}

{eloise was pretty excited at the end of her dinner. & messy. she went straight into the bath!}

{white collar. on Netflix. we are addicted. in the middle of season five!}

we had a really fun weekend that was unexpectedly full of family & friends. lots of catching up which is always fun! it is hard to believe it is the middle of august, especially since we have had such cooler weather these past few days (isn’t this supposed to be the hot part of summer?!) but time is flying by! we didn’t get a lot done off of the old to-do list, but did get to a few big things which feels great. how was your weekend?

M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

friday I’m in love.

welcome back friday! be sure to pop over to see what kendra, mary beth, amanda, laura, aileen, jessica and ashley are loving! we would love for you to join us. leave a comment and we’ll come check out what you’re loving each week!

{one} clear scans!


{via Charlotte’s Story}

this week was a big week for our niece charlotte as she went in for post-chemo & post-op scans. on tuesday we found out that the scans were clean! no signs of cancer! we are beyond thankful & grateful for the news, & very proud of charlotte as she braved so much over the past months. we love you charlotte reece!

{two} hard-sole moccasins by Freshly Picked.


{via Freshly Picked Instagram}

pretty much everyone knows how much I LOVE Freshly Picked. I picked up a pair of gold moccasins for Baby Lower when I was half-way thru my pregnancy, & never looked back! eloise is on her third pair of gold moccs & I am still sold. I know she will wear them until her feet are too big! the next big launch (next week) is hard-sold moccasins. I am pretty excited since we will eventually need actual shoes for eloise at some point (I put on her moccs when we go out, but at home, she is always barefoot!).

{three} eloise is clapping.

shortly after her first birthday (on wednesday) eloise started clapping. it is the cutest thing! she had done it before, but it was this sort of accidental, my hands happened to be at the same place at the same time sort of thing. we are now onto deliberate clapping. it is pretty fun since eloise is thrilled anytime someone else claps. she doesn’t quite do it on-demand (yet!) but is pretty happy about it. she’s illusive though & I have yet to get it on camera!

what are you loving this week?

M

eloise {week 52}

{romper: Gymboree // lettuce rattle from this farmer’s market set // quilt: gift from neighbor}

{week 52} & the final monthly photo. phew! no big update for the week since I just posted eloise’s month twelve/one year update here.

also, I have been asked about whether I will be continuing with weekly updates, & the answer is no. it has been such a challenge to get eloise to stay still these past few weeks months as it is! I will be continuing with monthly updates, however, & will be sure to share big updates. thanks for following along in this first year!

happy 52 weeks eloise!

M

this post contains affiliate links.

eloise {month twelve // one year}

{sorry this post is so late today. I was having crazy computer issues…}

{lion: jellycat via nordstrom // onesie: Lil’ Giggles Etsy Shop // skirt: DIY from this tutorial with fabric from JoAnn // moccasins: Freshly Picked}

{month twelve // one year} happy one year eloise!

eloise is still in PT for her torticollis (see the original PT post here) but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. we saw a new PT two months ago after we were referred back to PT by eloise’s pediatrician, but really didn’t jive with that particular PT (our original one had retired right after we were originally discharged). so, we found another PT & she has been great; eloise has been to see her twice & things are progressing well. we are in the final 10% & eloise’s tilt is hardly noticeable (& only if you are really looking for it). we just all really want to make sure that she is treated fully & there are no repercussions later on (vision & full muscle range are the biggest concerns). after a lot of back & forth, & the meeting of minds, we have decided to go forward with a cervical collar. it is a small wedge (basically) that will be fitted for eloise & will be placed at her neck on her left side; the point is to make it uncomfortable for eloise to tilt her head to the left & she will self-correct to the right. hopefully it will be short-lived & will be effective! (there is a chance it won’t do anything…) stay tuned for updates!

recently when I pick up eloise, she has started giving me little pats on the back. almost like she is saying “good job mama!” it is the sweetest thing! she also gives me lots of hugs throughout the day!

I just picked up this munchkin snack catcher at target because I have seen a few other mama friends with it. I wasn’t sure at first because I don’t do a lot of snacks with eloise (though she often gets hungry after her second nap since she eats lunch so early!) but I was sold immediately. eloise is still getting the hang of reaching in the cup, grabbing a few pieces, & pulling her hand out without spilling all of the snacks everywhere, but she is learning quickly. the biggest issue is that she likes to crawl & walk around with it (holding onto the handle) & the cup is upside-down… even so, best $5 I have spent in a long time! plus, sadie loves it too!

eloise is still a great eater & tries everything that we offer, even if she ends up spitting it out. it is so great to see your kid eating what you cook! she has started this new thing in the past month or so though where she waits until there is a little bit of everything on her tray before she eats anything. like she wants to know all of her options before she commits to her first bite. it is pretty funny. plus, if she sees any type of food on her plate that isn’t on her tray (since I don’t give her the entire plate), she will let you know that she wants to try that one thing she doesn’t have (usually by raising her voice & waving her hand in the air). her current favorite foods: cheese, avocados, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, mango, broccoli, tortilla. though the only food she refuses to eat is tomato. she will always try it, but then spits it out as soon as it hits her tongue. she will try it multiple times before she throws it from her tray.

books are still a big favorite around here. eloise LOVES books! we have books all over the house & she adores “reading” to herself. she will sit down with a book & turn the pages, sometimes babbling to herself or pointing or touching some of the pictures, before she gets to the end of the book. at the end, she sometimes gets sad (& will let you know!) & will turn the book over to the front & start again. she also has a particular book that plays music (it is one of two toys we have that requires batteries!) & she likes to open it & leave it open to play while she does other things. I have watched her & she often sings or hums (in her own way) when she hears the music. adorable! she also likes to dance when she hears music (she stands up & bounces up & down).

eloise adores her pacifier but has only ever gotten it when it is sleeping time (with the exception of travel – car or airplane). however, eloise, if she had her way, would suck on a pacifier all day long. if she has access to my diaper bag, she knows exactly what pocket her pacifier is in & will find it every time. if we are playing in her room after naptime, she will go over to her crib & try to get her pacifier. she will reach thru the crib rails & grab one within arm reach, or pull on her blanket or lovie thru the railings if the pacifier is on one of those things. if she sees a pacifier & can’t get to it, she usually raises her voice! she is pretty easy to distract though at this point & I can give her a book or a toy & she will forget. I can also take a pacifier away from her if it isn’t time to sleep & she doesn’t fuss or get upset.

while eloise has sported a mohawk for a lot of her little life, her hair is getting long enough that it doesn’t stand on its own (unless it is wet). I have noticed that her hair is starting to part on the right side. it is interesting because aaron & I both have left side parts! she looks so old (& sort of like a boy) when her hair is parted, but if I don’t push it a bit to the side, her bangs are in her eyes.

we celebrated eloise’s first birthday this weekend with a party at the house this past saturday (as seen here). we had the best time & were so thankful for all of our family & friends who came out to join in the celebration! I promise I will do a full recap in the coming weeks (I hope by next week!) once I get all of the photos & edit them. I had SO much fun planning & made all of the decorations. I am excited to share the fun!

{weight} 23 lbs (I will update if this is vastly different than her weight at her one year check-up tomorrow!)

{hair} dark reddish brown.

{teeth} four bottom teeth & four top teeth. (& two more on the top are about to cut!)

{eyes} dark brown. (but look dark grey sometimes!)

{clothes}  6 to 12 month, 9 month (in pants) 12 month, & some 12 to 18 month (18 is super long!).

{diapers} full-time cloth {bum genius freetime, pocket, & elemental} & honest company size 4 diapers at night with a bum genius diaper cover.

{feeding} during the day, 4 hour cycles. eloise started drinking only 2 to 4 oz at bedtime, so we split that milk feeding in half; she gets 2 oz in a cup at dinnertime & the other half at bedtime in a bottle.

{likes} books, anything she isn’t supposed to have, toys that squeak or rattle, singing & music, Sadie, standing, FaceTime, bathtime, pulling up to standing (on everything).

{dislikes} getting her face wiped off (after eating), seeing something she cannot have/chew on.

{nicknames} Bug{s}, Love Bug, Baby Bug, E, Wheezy, Kiddo, Love, Bugaboo, Ellie or Elle.

happy, happy, happy birthday to our little eloise! you are the most amazing adventure we have ever been on. there is nothing we would rather be doing than being your parents & we are so proud of the (tiny) human you have become over this past year. we are thankful for the sheer joy that you have brought into our lives & for making us happy every single day. your giggles are infectious & you have such a great sense of humor. you are light-hearted, kind, determined, & curious about the world around you. thank you for making us your mama & papa!

happy twelve months {one year} eloise!

M

this post contains affiliate links.

my weekend in pictures.

{love these two. plus, eloise has the BEST hair after naptime!}

{the birthday party aftermath. party pictures to come!}

{aaron taking down the rest of the laurel hedges in our backyard. I owe you guys a huge update on the (back) yard, but I think at this point I am going to wait a few more weeks & do a huge reveal!}

{snuck in a pure barre class this afternoon & it felt great to be back after an accidental 3 week hiatus. but ouch, tuesday is gonna hurt!}

{sushi date with aaron while grammie watched eloise!}

{mmmm, peanut m&ms. good thing I took a barre class earlier in the day…}

{we saw the new mission: impossible rogue nation, per aaron’s request, & it was really good!}

we had a really fun weekend with grammie in town & then, of course, celebrating eloise’s big day! I can’t even believe that she is going to be one year old tomorrow – it is so bittersweet. we are continuing the birthday celebrations into this next week which will be fun. & I am going to keep up the party decorations for a while but promise to share as soon as I have all of the pictures from our photographer (i.e. my brother in law)! I apologize for the lack of photos, but I really am trying to be present with eloise since time is just flying! I love documenting life with a camera, but feel like I am trying to find a new balance.

how was your weekend?

M

friday I’m in love.

welcome back friday! be sure to pop over to see what kendra, mary beth, amanda, laura, aileen, jessica and ashley are loving! we would love for you to join us. leave a comment and we’ll come check out what you’re loving each week!

{one} summer jammies.

{French Ring Pajamas via Serena & Lily}

I am a jammies girl. I don’t love loungewear generally (like you won’t see me sporting workout clothes unless I am working out!) but I do love pajamas. boxers & a tee won’t cut it around here, so I am always on the hunt for a classic set. my mom always gets me a pair of jammies at christmas time (don’t you love that tradition?) but then they are always for cold weather. with the heatwave we have had in seattle this summer, I have been longing for a nice set for warm weather. enter these beautiful serena & lily ones. just last week they were having a huge sale & I snagged these for over 50% off! they just arrived in the mail & luxurious. it is worth it to splurge on sleepwear. & sheets.

{two} PEPS date night challenge.


{selfie from our anniversary date night}

PEPS is the most amazing group we have been a part of since becoming parents & I could wax eloquence about the program all day. if you are in the seattle area & are going to be a new parent, sign up! any-hoo, this october PEPS will be running a social media campaign in support of self-care in the form of a date night similar to the very popular ice bucket challenge, but instead of having to dump a bucket of ice water on your head, you go on a date with our spouse. sounds awesome, right? I was asked to help with some of the copy for the campaign, & we are featured on the PEPS site – go see here! & be sure to check back in in october so you can be a part of the Date Night Challenge?

{three} gap friends & family sale.

the gap friends & family sale officially kicks off today with 40% off your entire purchase (no exclusions!). gap has been so hit & miss for me recently, but I think the quality is really good for its baby clothes. I am always sure to stop in when there is a big sale to peruse for eloise. plus, with no exclusions, I always check the gap fit section since it is excluded from regular sales. I may have to swing by & see this moto jacket, these girlfriend jeans, & these overalls for me; this bomber jacket, this cotton cashmere sweater, & these shorts for aaron; & this vest, this bodysuit, & this cape for eloise.

what are you loving this week?

M

this post contains affiliate links.

project baby {newborn essentials}


as promised, here are my essentials for a newborn. obviously this isn’t everything I needed or used for eloise when she was a teeny babe, but if my memory serves me right, these are the things that helped us tremendously! aaron & I were both pretty adamant about not filling the house with baby gear (& stuff) & we did a pretty good job (& still do).

also, see my pregnancy essentials & post-partum essentials.

{one} swaddle blankets. even if your baby doesn’t like to be swaddled, swaddle blankets still come in handy & have lots of uses: spit-up rag, nursing cover (tie two ends together & slip over your head!), blanket, car seat cover, sun shade, & the list goes on. eloise LOVED to be swaddled (we called her our baby burrito) for those first months. we loved the aden & anais ones, especially the larger size.

{two} Rock N’ Play. we had the standard rock n’play (just had a vibrating function) & it was hands-down the most used piece of baby gear we used. it is lightweight, keeps baby propped up, & cradles baby just a bit. we kept it by our bedside to use as a bassinet (for the first five weeks), used it all over the house as a place to have eloise sleep or hang out (particularly useful when you want to shower & no one else is home), & used it as a travel bassinet when we took a road trip to boise at christmastime. I know the new versions of the rock n’ play include lots of fun features, including self-rocking (!). I don’t know whether we will make the upgrade for any future baby, but we will most definitely be using one of these.

{three} Boppy pillows (nursing & lounger). the Boppy nursing pillow was & has continued to be a lifesaver. I have used the Boppy pillow for nearly every single nursing  session with eloise. even aaron uses it when he gives eloise a bottle. it is also great for newborns when the neck isn’t quite strong enough to make tummy time more than just a face plant (see eloise here). the Boppy newborn lounger was also awesome those first months to give eloise a place to hang out. we used it on our couch a lot & once I started pumping during the day that is where she hung out (before she could roll). we didn’t have a swing (ever) or a bouncy seat (until a few months in) so if we weren’t holding her, she was hanging out in the lounger.

{four} toys for tummy time. it was other mamas who first suggested that I add toys to our baby registry (thanks amanda & kendra!). it never dawned on me that baby might need toys so early, but we definitely used them starting those first few weeks. we had a few early favorites: Oball rattle, loopy rattle, & monkey. I would also suggest some type of mirror. during tummy time, we would hold a toy out in front of her face a few inches, & then move it from left to right & up & down once she started tracking.

{five} mama friends & a community. I didn’t know how isolating being a new mama would be, but it really is. regardless of how you are recovering (from natural birth or c-section) you will likely be home a lot those first weeks (or months). venturing out of the house is important, but it is so much work to get out of the house with a newborn. I feel incredibly fortunate that we have a local organization PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) which I have talked about before. the entire point of the program is to help build your community (your village!) by placing you in a group of other mamas (or parents) who live in your neighborhood & have a child the same age as yours (within a few weeks or months). for 12 weeks I was able to meet with these other new mamas & get out of the house for a few hours on monday morning. if you are expecting a baby, be sure to ask around to see if there are new parent groups (facebook is a good resource) that you could join. on a bit of a related note, setting up a meal train (or having a friend or family member set one up) can be helpful. it is so nice to have food prepared for you & maybe even someone to hold your new babe while you eat (or shower or sleep). & if you aren’t feeling up for visitors, food can still be dropped off at the front door.

{six} baby carrier. baby wearing has been a thing for some time, & aaron & I were both on board with it. I had heard mixed reviews about the Moby wrap so I opted for the K’Tan wrap instead. I used the K’Tan a lot in those early months when eloise was sleeping all day & would nap on me in order to get things done around the house, or just to walk around. the only thing about the K’Tan is that it is sized, so we just got one that fit me (I had an XS). we also got an Ergo carrier because every parent we knew had one & loved it (we had a Nordstrom edition I snagged at last year’s Anniversary Sale). the Ergo 360 was just coming out when I was registering & since it had no reviews, I opted for the well-loved original. we starting using it with eloise when she was just a few weeks old (with the baby insert) & have loved it ever since. it is sturdy & completely hands-free, & aaron & I can both use it (with some adjustments on the straps). I used the Ergo everywhere – the grocery store, walking around Greenlake, vacuuming the floors, window shopping. next time around we will probably try the Ergo 360 (since it allows for front-facing) & the Solly baby wrap (since I have heard good things about it). regardless of what type of carrier you use, definitely try one (or two)!

& lastly, I would recommend a good baby phone app (see here where I talked about the Baby Connect app) & a journal of some kind (or a blog) since those early days & milestones happen so quickly & you just don’t have headspace to remember every little thing!

mamas – what were your essentials for those first few weeks & months?

M

this post contains affiliate links.

eloise {week 51}

{tee: Carter’s // shorts: Target // rubber duck (from dentist)}

{week 51} ah, how is it possible that eloise is going to be one next week? it’s been the longest & shortest year of my life!

eloise is so chatty these days, except when a stranger comes up & says “hello” & then expects her to say something. nope, not gonna happen. but most of the rest of the time she is happily babbling to herself or chatting with me or aaron. I thought for sure the other day she was saying her first word “ball” because I was saying “ball, ball, ball” when eloise had a ball in her hand & she would say “ba, ba, ba.” turns out her second favorite sound is “ba” & that is what she calls everything! & for those who are curious, her favorite sound is “ma.” she particularly loves to say it when she is sad – “ma ma ma ma ma” in the saddest little voice ever. eloise does say more sounds than just these two though & is really starting to mimic intonation & can repeat the sound “ba” the same number of times you say another sound. soon enough she will be chattering up a storm!

walking is still a work in progress & she is so close. she can stand for a few seconds unassisted, but immediately squats to the ground when she’s run out of something to hold onto but wants to continue moving. she is usually pretty graceful about dropping down from standing (much more controlled) & isn’t just falling on her bottom like she was in past weeks (that is the good thing about big cloth diapers, right?). her crawling is almost exclusively up on all fours now & boy is she fast. like lightning fast! keeps me on my toes all day.

as I would expect with most kids this age, eloise is much less interested in her toys & much more interested in everything else. specifically she loves the remote controls, cell phones, DVDs, a box of wine (it has a lid that she can open and close) & the kitchen cabinets. I used to be able to set her down during playtime in her little corner of the living room & she would play by herself (or with me) for 20 or 30 minutes. it was a magical time that I had to prep food, check email, etc., but is quickly diminishing. she will still entertain herself for quite a long time, but it usually involves taking the DVDs off of the shelves, pulling everything out of the kitchen cabinet (I have designated one for her that has her stuff in it – bottles, bibs, spoons), & sadie’s dishes (the waterbowl & dog kibbles are the BEST!). as much as it can be a headache to keep her from destroying everything in the house (or at least flinging it all over the place), it has made shopping for her birthday easy & will make toy rotation (& minimization) more of a thing in our household.

eloise’s newest bottom teeth have pretty much made a complete appearance, rounding her total tooth count in at eight. yep, eight! based on her friends, she has the most. she is also really starting to use them when she eats. I have noticed that she uses them to rip food or nibble, though it is amazing what she can gnaw on with her gums!

eloise is growing, though not quite as quickly as she was in early months. she is still comfortably in size 12 months clothes & even 6 to 12 months. in anything new I have been getting her 18 months, though the length is a bit too long. I also just sized her up in her Freshly Picked gold moccasins (from a size 2 to a size 3). the new ones are so shiny! it will be fun with these particular moccs though because she will be walking in them & her feet will leave an imprint in the leather sole. such a good keepsake! I am hoping she can make it in this size until FP’s Black Friday sale… what are the chances?

happy 51 weeks eloise!

M