weekend of Babs

This weekend was so what I needed. It had friends and family and a little bit of fun that made me feel more like myself.

Saturday I headed up to my parents place for a hair appointment. It was great to see them for a second time in one week, and Gwen was over the moon about it. I also loved this part:

A little bit of purple... something to make me feel fun, but hidden underneath so work won't notice! Ha!

Auntie Babs came over to my parent's place after my appointment, then came home with Gwen and I. Gwen was They were more then a little excited to see her each other!

I love that two of the people I love most in this world, love each other. It makes me so happy.

We stayed up until late talking and catching up, which was so nice.

Sunday we slept in a bit. When we got up it was time for a bit of yoga together, to get Babs' blood flowing before she had to get on a plane. Gwen even demonstrated to Auntie Babs how to get into an assisted handstand (I will have to get a picture of that awesomeness!). Then Gwen and I drove her over to the airport before coming back home to enjoy one last lazy day before work/daycare.

Not that this week will be too trying... work today, Gwen and I are off tomorrow, we're all off Wednesday, then work Thursday and Friday. Next week, our first full week, is going to be a little rough!! But for today, I'm still riding high on a wonderful weekend!!

xoxo

Christmas recap

No time to write a full post right now, but wanted to share some Christmas pictures...

Yoga in front of the tree... this is Gwen's new favorite way to "do" yoga!

Treats from some friend's in France!

Sleepy puppy.

Our Christmas card wall! There are even more that still need to go up!

Christmas Eve we Sky.pe'd with Nana and PopPop in Arizona. Their gift to Gwen was a doll house, and we got them on the computer before I brought it up to her.

It was a HUGE hit. She has been playing with it tons.

Christmas morning, Gwen was so excited to see the full stockings and open her presents under the tree. She was spoiled by friend's and family alike.

Hero dress up clothes were courtesy of Uncle Andy and Aunt Megan... who were nice enough to get Daddy a mask too!

Her new "soft kittie."

Gwen's present to Trav was a new place to put his keys (which is is always setting down in different places and forgetting!). Legos are good for everything!

Hagrid on top... "keeper of keys."

After opening gifts at our place, and eating our traditional breakfast of cinnamon buns, we headed out to my parent's.

The neighbors surprised us with a "Santa Stop Here" sign.  :-)

Santa had filled stockings for us there. Gwen was very excited for the new Elmo doll.

Christmas selfies.

Overall it was a really great Christmas. Gwen was a little crazy (too much build up, too much sugar, too much excitement!), but we had fun.

She was back to her normal sweet self yesterday, which was a HUGE relief. We played with all of her new toys and had a great time together.

As for me, I'm back at work today, and very busy! Things should calm back down after the holiday's. More then!!

Wordless Wednesday {A Very Merry Christmas!}

2 days

Last minute stocking stuffer buying happened yesterday, and now I'm really and truly done. I can't wait for bedtime tomorrow night. I can't wait for Gwen's face Wednesday morning. Oh Christmas, I love this time.

To give myself the chance to really enjoy the holidays I'll be taking some time off from posting this week and next. I'm sure I'll pop in on Thursday or Friday to share some pictures, but I won't be posting regularly until the New Year. Enjoy your holidays!!

another one down

This week flew by. Probably because it was busy, which always keeps things moving.
It involved big time cold.

(Being cute while cold selfie... except I need to 

not bite my cheek and glare at the camera. Oops.)

It involved dinner with Uncle Apoc. Which we all greatly enjoyed.

It involved another work from home day turned, work from home with kid in tow day... this time thanks to a random day of fever with no other symptoms and back to normal in 24 hours.

Thankfully, thanks to Daddy meeting us and doing a kid swap, it also involved me FINALLY getting back to my yoga studio #1. Man did that feel good. 

And today? Today was my office Christmas party. Gwen got to feed baby Eddan some grapes, so she was happy.

Now I have to try to get more work done with an overly full stomach, and a glass of moonshine in my veins. I'd rather a nap.  ;-)  But off I go.

Happy Weekend!

CM: I thought it would be forever...

My newest Connected Mom piece.

~~~ 

I thought I would fight you on sleep forever. When the nights are long, and you have to be shushed and bounced and rocked and nursed, it feels like forever. But here we are at almost 4, and bedtime is a breeze. After we read a book, I tuck you in and turn out the lights. I rub your back for just a minute, then we give kisses, I tell you how much I love you and I leave. Simple as that.

I thought I would nurse you forever. When you are touched out and tired and sore, it feels like forever. But at 39 months you led me, and did it yourself. The end was as peaceful and sweet as I had hoped, and you still remember fondly how you drank milkies.

I thought you would be in diapers forever. When you are changing your 2 poop diaper of the day, and being told NO that you don't want to sit on the potty, it feels like forever. But when the time was right, you did that practically on your own too. Happily sitting on the toilet to pee, and fine with waiting if we weren't next to a bathroom.


Despite how it feels when you are tired and worn, I know that nothing is really forever. Except for my love for you, child. That will never change.

say what you will...

SOOC: Beautiful sunrise.

It's more then a little crazy to me that mid-way through December and we've already gotten more snow then we had all of last winter. Still, its pretty beautiful out there.

early Christmas celebrations

For the second weekend in a row, I had to change plans because of snow. This time it was my parents getting almost 9" of it, plus ice, which kept Gwen and I from heading up there for my hair appointment. Oh well... its been rescheduled. Instead we had a very lazy Saturday.

Speaking of hair, Gwen has been letting me braid hers most nights now. We were having so much trouble brushing her hair in the mornings (its so baby fine, it tangles heinously) and it was turning into a fight. So I've been practicing my french braiding skills (oh man am I bad at it right now), and we've been having much easier mornings.

Love how it shows the natural variations in her hair color.

Unexpected bonus... beachy waves.  ;-)

Sunday we had a bit more activity planned. We headed to Ro and Pat's to bake cookies and exchange Christmas gifts. It was fun. The girls got some outdoor playtime...

Gwen had some unexpected fun with markers (oh boy)...

And Mama got to bring home some freshly baked cookies!

Sugar cookies, gingerbread men and women, peanut butter blossoms, and chocolate covered cherry cookies. Yumm.

Trav and I ended the night by watching World War Z. Pretty good!

Now its another full, busy week ahead... thought thankfully the last full week before Christmas. And then the year is done! It continues to blow my mind how fast this year went. I'm excited for all that is next.

making a list, checking it twice

So I did get to yoga class on Tuesday night, as it turns out. Not my normals one, but my second yoga place (the one I checked out when my groupon at the first place was running out before I determined I couldn't leave my first place, which I then also fell in love with). It was a good class. Hard. I felt every single day of the two weeks during which I couldn't make classes. But good too. I had a nice reminder at the end that how we see ourselves is always so much harsher then how others see us, and visa versa. My yoga teacher gave me a great compliment on my yoga, talking about my great flexibility (yup), and my strength (wait, really?!). I know I'm not a weakling, but sometimes I have trouble seeing myself as strong. Similarly, she talked about her "thick shoulders," when I have always admired her shoulders which look like they could be sculpted. We all judge ourselves harshly.

I haven't been sleeping well lately. I'm not sure why. I'll fall asleep well, and sleep heavily, but the second Gwen wakes me, even if I don't have to get up and go in to her, I'll be awake for anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour and a half before I can fall back asleep. It's been tiring. Though, that said, last night Gwen slept well, didn't wake, so I slept well also. Still, I'm so looking forward to Christmas and New Years and the days off that come with them.

Speaking of which, less then two weeks until Christmas! I can't even believe it. Most of our decorations are out, two of four (as of last night) all stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, and Gwen has been happily counting down on the advent calendar. But the tree is not decorated yet finally decorated!, so the presents are just piled in my room I need to move the presents downstairs. I was starting to worry we would never get that tree ready, but wallah, it is done.

Where are you in your holiday prep? What's new in your lives?

Wordless Wednesday {flying}

From Trav's phone - on the high flying swings at Sesame Place.

snow day - sort of

Woke up this morning to the snow coming down, and a closed preschool. So Gwen and I went back to sleep, and now I'm attempting to work from home with a 3.5 year old at my heels. She's actually playing nicely and independently with PlayDoh right now, but she'll get some movie time when I have a work call later.

After missing for two long, long weeks, I was looking forward to returning to yoga tonight. Looks like that might not be happening, but we'll see what else I can get done.

Wish me luck.

getting into the Christmas spirit. {picture heavy}

Mother Nature dumped multiple inches of snow on us yesterday, something that thrilled Gwen to no end, but made Trav and I sigh. I love a bit of snow during the Christmas season, but we were heading out yesterday to a "lunch with Santa" and man, some people REALLY can't drive when there is any snow on the roads. And 3-4" with no plows or salt trucks is more then just a little. Plus, as the snow just kept coming, my evening movie plans got postponed, which made me sad.

It did however give me the opportunity to first take Gwen out to play in the snow (while Trav shoveled our cars, good man).

{Sorry for the crappy cell phone shots:}

She clearly had no fun.

She would occasionally throw herself face first in the snow to eat mouthfuls of it.

It was pretty lovely out. Snow piled high everywhere and everyone's lights twinkling.

We might not have a decorated tree yet, but we do have a pretty front porch!

Afterwards we came inside where Trav and Gwen ate more snow together.

Then Gwen and I snuggled to warm her back up after eating all that snow.

I also made us some homemade hot cocoa, just like my Mama used to make me!

Gwen also got to see Santa twice this weekend. Once at Home Depot where she went with Trav to do their kids project on Saturday.

Then at a special lunch with Santa (at a local restarant) we'd had planned for weeks for Sunday.

She was very excited to tell him everything she wants.

They also had face painting.

Which, for the first time, she sat by herself for!

So I'd say this was pretty much a red letter weekend for Gwen!!

We are well in the Christmas spirit now. 2.5 weeks to go!

CM: ask a Connected Mom Writer

A little call for questions, from Connected Mom. If you have any questions about what AP means, please leave a comment on the original post!

Calling all Connected Mom readers, this one is for you:

We're looking for your questions. Is there an aspect of Attachment Parenting that have a question about? Are you having a parenting issue you could use some feedback on? Or do you have a question about one of our writers specific experiences?

Leave a comment here with your questions, and we'll feature them in an upcoming Connected Mom post, with collaborative answers from our Connected Mom writers. If you wish to remain anonymous, feel free to send your questions to connectedmom.meegs@gmail.com. 

Wordless Wednesday {yarn bomb}

First yarn bomb I've seen in person!