Our Thanksgiving

Oh this week.  The older I get, the more I look forward to the holidays.  Is there a contest for holiday cheer because I think I'm in the running for most improved. I’ll place it under my title of most croissants ever eaten in the history of Thanksgiving.

Andy’s family camps each year for Thanksgiving, so we planned on visiting the campsite Wednesday and spending Thursday at my parents’ house.  Wednesday morning the car was packed and ready for all the happenings.  Andy came out of the house to a car already filled with snacks and meals for Marin, extra bundling layers, and a cooler with ice and drinks.  “Wow, babe, I’m impressed.” Insert proud smile and small giggle for the chaos that will be next Thanksgiving. I’m dizzy thinking about the snacks alone. 

We couldn’t have gotten a more beautiful day or more happy babe for the journey. She took her nap in the car and rolled with the punches like a champ. We stopped for barbecue for lunch and had lots of running around the campsite for the remainder of the day.  It’s a different way to spend Thanksgiving, but it is so wonderful. No TVs, no distractions.  Everyone sits around and chats or throws a football.  So fun.

We made it home late and tucked an already jammied and sleepy girl in bed.  Andy and I made big plans for White Christmas watching and canoodling, but we crashed early (old people alert). Maybe tonight…

Thursday we made our way to my parents’ house where all the Christmas decorations were up and the kitchen was filled with amazing smells. Marin walked in, arms in the air “Wow! Wow! Wow!” eyes all lit up over the Christmas trees and lights.  Maybe she is part of the reason I am loving the holidays so much. Is there anything better than watching it all through a wee one’s eyes? We rounded off the night with time spent around the table, everyone taking turns walking Marin around and playing with her.  Isn’t family the best, especially on days like these? I hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving too (oh and that you also enjoyed no less than three croissants.)

 

TOYS

It kind of makes me laugh that our plan before babies was minimal toys, minimal STUFF.  We’ll just tuck that away with the long list of other things we uttered before we became parents.  While we don’t have a TON of toys, we’ve actually come to really enjoy watching Marin find interest in these little gadgets that were designed to entertain and help her grow.  So, I thought I’d share a few of the toys/books that Marin has taken an extra special liking toward. And maybe spark a few ideas for those in need of Christmas ideas for tots. 

• Pop-up tent:  Ever since Andy taught Marin how to build a fort, she has been enamored with “gorts.” So, when we found this pop-up fort at Ikea for 10.00, we couldn’t wait to show her.  It it the only toy her jaw has dropped over.  We play in it every day.  Oh, and the 15.00 tunnel (bottom right) is one of her favorite parts. 

• Go Dog Go and Pout Pout Fish: (Top middle and Bottom middle)  I think I’ve memorized both by this point.  Marin just doesn’t tire of these two.  Also, the English teacher in me does summersaults over the word choices in Pout Pout Fish.  “Aghast!” for goodness sake? Yes!

• Bath Letters: Yes, they actually stick.  Marin asks for them in her bath EVERY night.  She has fondly named them “nins.” I’m not sure how they acquired the name, but I do know that ever since we got them, she has been pointing out nins all over town.  Bath phonics for the win.

• Teach My Toddler Learning Kit: I found this one on Amazon and crossed my fingers that it would be well-made and engaging.  It is AMAZING!  Marin loves it and will sit for hours with me looking at all the flash cards, books, foam cut-outs, and posters. 

• B. Bristle Blocks and B. Water Drawing Board:  You can find the B. toys at Target or Amazon.  Both of these were gifts, and I’ve been blown away by how much Marin returns to play with them day after day.  Also, if you are looking for an artsy little activity, this is such a wonderful alternative on the days when you can’t monitor chalk/paint/crayons/etc.  It fosters the art time, but not the wall kind. ;) Brilliant!

• (And last but not least) A giant ball from Wal-mart: Never underestimate the power of simplicity with these little ones.  Sometimes we have to hide the thing if you know what I mean. ;) 

Happy Christmas shopping everyone! Oh, and I would love to know which toys/gadgets your little ones love! 

HAPPY GOLDEN BIRTHDAY, BUMP.

Happy Monday, friends!  Hope it was a good weekend for you and yours.  

In our news, this here bump is 17 weeks on the 17^{th .}  Should we celebrate with some favorite cravings? I think so.  Any reason is a good reason for fruity pebbles, or sour patch kids, or…salt and vinegar chips.  This is about to get embarrassing. 

What else is noteworthy on this bump’s golden birthday? 

• Maternity clothes: yes, sometimes.  Also, just getting dressed in general…to display the bump or to just look chubby? Decisions, decisions.
• Cravings: Salty anything, sour patch watermelons, grilled cheese sandwiches, orange juice, bagels w/ cream cheese for ever and ever. Amen.
• Pregnancy brain: What brain?
• Body cha-cha-cha changes: the belly (der), acne and rosacea (I’m so lucky), inny belly button, leg hair has ceased to exist (silver lining, friends, silver lining)
• Feelings: There's just so many to choose from (thanks, hormones) but mostly feeling in love (times three) every day.    

ONE SMALL KICK FOR DAD

Somewhere between eating an entire can of olives and topping off a bowl of fruity pebbles, I felt a tiny poke.  “Hey, Andy, come here for a second.” I wondered if he would feel it this time.  We waited, Marin busy wrangling her tortellini.  THEN…to the sound of tortellini slurping, our second babe gave Daddy a kick. “I felt it!”  And just like that a regular Sunday went and sprouted a unicorn horn.  

Hey, little one, on this 16^th day of November 2014, dad felt our secret.  Just you wait.  He’s so good.

A BABY

Oh hey, blog. Long time no see. There’s nothing like some good news to make amends for a long absence-no? So here is our belly growing, hearts exploding, feeling little kicks news.

We are 16 weeks into our second baby journey. In so many ways it has felt familiar to the bod, lots of flu-like days and that weird emotional fog thing I got during the first trimester with Marin, oh and lest we forget the reign of the adult acne-sexyyyyy. All this and I still want to shout, "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WILD MIRACLE!"  The heartbreaking love I already feel is familiar too.  I just put my first baby down for her nap and am feeling one flip inside my belly.  Wow.  

How can something feel so familiar but also completely, groundbreakingly new? Well, it does somehow. I mean, we planned for it, but I am still shocked. Oh man, God let us make a human, a little soul that will be here in April, just in time for big sister's birthday. We are thrilled and humbled all over again.