Lately... And some news!

Lately, I have been just awful about documenting all the fun things we've been doing my friends! But, oh my have we been busy having fun.  The month of November was full of fun playdates, Thanksgiving, Christmas decorating and more.  We have also had a lot of nasty weather and Mommy has had to get creative with at home activities and we may or may not have broken out all of the Christmas movie already!!  Once I finalize our outdoor Christmas decorations I will share some pictures here.  If you can make it through the photos you can also hear our news :)

 

We broke out Christmas clothes this weekend for a little trip to the playground!

Shopping for a new TV with Daddy!

She loves to walk around wearing this hat saying "hoho!"  We were also dogsitting for my sister while she was in Paris.  Natalie was in heaven with a "woof" around.

The littles holding hands at a Thanksgiving dinner with my Grandfather.  I love when I'm able to capture sweet little moments like this!

Shaving our tummies with toy razors and foaming bath soap... I highly recommend this activity.  It supplied us literally hours of entertainment!!

 

We recently had some built-in book shelves put into our living room and I could not be more thrilled with how they turned out.  The only thing left to do is to mount the doors that cover the TV.  I'm so excited to finally have a proper television cabinet and do you see all of those doors across the bottom... that's toy storage... woohoo!!! Obviously I have not styled the book shelves yet, but give me a few weeks or a year and it will get done I promise :)

Finally, if you follow me on instagram, you might have already seen this picture but, if not, this is going to have to be my drink of choice over the Christmas season because...

This little family of four is adding a new member in June!

As you can imagine, I feel awful right now, but trying to bear in mind at all times that that is a good sign!  We are over the moon excited and yet terrified at the same time.  We've done this all before of course, but something about having three kids sounds really official, am I right?  Ha!

 

I'm trying to decide if I should do weekly pregnancy updates this time.  I never did them before or even really took any bump pictures so it might be fun this time around and I will do my best to document.

 

I'll be back tomorrow to share an AHmazing recipe courtesy of my mother.  It is literally the only pasta recipe you will ever need.  Be prepared for deliciousness!!

 

Heavy

My big brother Tom and me at my wedding in 2006.

I know I promised y'all some fun fall posts, but I need to share something a little heavier today. This post has really been a long time coming.  I've started to write it a hundred times, but just never felt like the time was right.  I've mentioned before in passing that my brother passed away but I've never really talked about it here before.  This really probably needs to be two separate posts (or maybe even more): one about what happened to him and at least one about how I feel about it, but for now, I'm going to focus on the more pressing issue and that is: why it happened.


Two years ago, on Christmas Day, my older brother Tom died.  He was 31 years old.  He was a graduate summa cum laude and phi beta kappa from Trinity University.  He was a many time marathon runner, iron man triathlete, and he had recently qualified for and was scheduled to run the Boston Marathon.  He was, most of all, a beloved uncle, brother, and son.  Then, on Christmas Day, he took his own life. 


The moment I found out that my brother had died was an absolutely defining moment in my life.  I lost a vital part of myself.  To say it devastated me and my entire family is a gross understatement.  I will spare you all the details but the events of his death left some members of my family in treatment for post traumatic stress.




Tom and me at almost the exact same ages as Phillip and Natalie.

Growing up, Tom and I were as close as a brother and sister could be. I  spaced Phillip and Natalie's ages with that closeness in mind.  Huge parts of my life were experienced only by the two of us.  His death would have left a gaping hole in my life under any circumstances, but his sudden shocking end was especially devastating.  But, as I said before, I'm not writing this post to say woe is me or even to really share how his death has affected my life.  I want to talk about depression.

At Disney World - 5 and 7.

I've never been depressed.  Not truly.  Not the way he was.  And I really didn't understand it.  At its height, his depression made me too sad, and uncomfortable, and even angry to be around him.  I carry around a lot of guilt and feelings of "what if??"  But the fact remains that people who are depressed do a pretty good job at hiding their issues and not expressing the true extent of their depression.  I think a lot of that has to do with how society views it.  This TED Talk by Kevin Breel has really helped me understand a lot better what it feels like to be a depressed person and also shed a lot of light on the huge problem that it really is.  He reminds me so much of Tom.  I hope you'll take the time to watch it.

If you know someone with depression, please let them know that you understand and you're there for them.  If you know someone who is or who you think may be suicidal, force them to get help.  I have several posts with tons of searches on Google and pins on Pinterest and I have no doubt that this will never be among them, but it was too important not to write.

Finally, if you are here and still reading, my family and I will be participating in a walk to raise awareness and understanding for and to prevent suicide.  If you'd like to donate, it would mean the world to me, and if you are interested in participating there are Out of the Darkness walks all across the country.   

  
 

Lately and Running Essentials

Howdy and happy fall y'all! See? I'm back and it didn't take months :)

I just wanted to share a little of what we've been up to lately.  I'm also working on some "Finally Fall Favorites" posts for both food and fashion so look out for those in the next week!

Things are really great.  Basically, I just really feel like I'm starting to hit my stride as a mommy of two.  Yeah.  It took me more than a year.  But hey I'm just being honest!  Phillip is a little spit fire these days.  He argues and bargains constantly, but he is also so much fun!  One of the things I looked forward to the most about being a mom was reading my kids the books that I loved as a child and I was so excited when Phillip and I headed to the library this week and picked up Charlotte's Web.  When I was a kid, my mom would read us books like that, maybe a chapter or two a day each afternoon and I loved it.  I was a little worried that it might be too soon but so far it's been great.  He actually has a great attention span for it and seems to be enjoying the story.

Little Natalie is as busy as ever and (I can't believe I'm actually typing this) STILL not sleeping through the night.  She was for a while when she was much younger but she hasn't been for about the last 5 months.  I think I am going to have to let her cry it out, which breaks my heart, but I really need to get some sleep!

Phillip is in school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings so the other days we usually try to head out of the house and do something fun.  The last couple of weeks we have gone to the Children's Museum.  They both LOVE it and are finally at ages where they can kind of do the same things.  Both of them are obsessed with all things ball related so we do a lot of that.  We usually pack a lunch and eat there so that when we get home right at nap time, everyone is fed and ready to rest!

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I have been running a lot lately and it feels so great!  I am by no means a serious runner but I do consider myself a runner since I get out there and move by butt at a quickish pace for at least three miles a few times a week.  Right now I'm training to do the Rock n' Roll half marathon in November just like I did last year.  I'm not too worried about finishing in a certain time, but I do think I will run it a bit faster this year since I'm not just a few months post partum. 

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite running accessories for any of you fellow runners or those hoping to start running!   P.S. I'm not making money off of any these, just sharing because I love them!

Here's a little awkward post-run selfie that, incidentally, shows you how messy my closet is!  It shows you some of these running faves though!  And check out that awesome shorts tan...

 

 

Moving Comfort Juno Running Bra

This puppy is amazing.  If you have C cup or larger breasts you MUST get it.  It is not cheap, but it will hold your breasts in place like nothing else.  It's even comfortable for me when I'm super big in the early days of nursing.  I love the adjustable straps and hook closure in the back.  It comes in cute colors I think, but I just have black and white. 

 

 

Nike LunarGlide Running Shoes in Grey/Pink (as with most running shoes, I size up .5)

I don't have really sensitive feet, but I like these and the cuteness doesn't hurt!

 

 

 

Lululemon Run: Speed Short (these run very small - I'm a 4)

I used to be a total Nike Tempo devotee, but I really like these better.  The Tempos tend to be a bit long on me and I feel like the shortness of these elongates my squaty short legs.  Bonus: the waist band is very soft and doesn't pinch your muffin top!

 

 

 

Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch

Like I said above, I'm not a super serious runner, but this watch is great.  Hubs surprised me with it and I couldn't be more thrilled to have it. I've never wanted to invest in a GPS watch before, but this one is relatively inexpensive and is very light weight.  I love being able to just set out on a run now without worrying about making a route before I go.  Plus, looking at all my past runs is really motivating for me. 

 

 

 

BOB Revolution Duallie Stroller in Navy

I have a treadmill too, so that should probably be on this list as well.  If it wasn't for the treadmill and this stroller, I would never be able to workout.  But seriously y'all this stroller is so wonderful!  It is big and heavy, but surprisingly easy to maneuver and great to run with.  I can push it one handed most of the time.  The kids are very comfy in it and it has great oversized sunshades. 

 



Ok, that's all I have for today!  I'd love to hear any running essentials y'all have.  I'm always looking for new ideas :)

Anyone still there??

I am really really sorry, and I thought that I owe you all an explanation and an update! Spoiler alert: I'm not superwoman. I enjoy blogging immensely but something in my life had to give. I get it; so many of you amazing mamas out there are doing a lot more than me, but for my family, for my sanity, I knew something had to give. I love to blog, but I also enjoy running. I also need to play with my children, clean my home, and cook nourishing food for my family. In this season of my life, I just can't do it all and do it well and some of the things on that list are just too important to do halfway.

So, I do plan to return to blogging on an occasional basis. I can promise there won't be daily updates, and maybe not even weekly, but I do love having the blog as an outlet as well as a place to chronicle our lives. There you have it! Anyone who wants more regular updates should check out instagram, where I do manage to post pictures almost daily.

So what are we up to? Well, a whole lot of moving. Phillip is a three year old boy so enough said about that. Natalie is walking and girlfriend does NOT SIT STOP EVER. I should have remembered what this was like, but I conveniently blocked it out :) It is such a fun age, but boy does it take diligence and energy! Phillip broke his arm in June and had to have surgery and wear a cast for a month. It was awful, but he is back to 100% and to be honest I’m not sure he even remembers! He started back to mother's day out again last week and we love his new teachers. They are so sweet and Phillip is having a blast. Also, I am ridiculously excited to be his room mom this year!!! We did a lot of fun (but exhausting!) travelling this summer and I'm training for another half marathon in November. On a sad note, my sweet puppy Miss Pitty Pat lost her battle with kidney disease this summer. I miss her so much, but I was lucky enough to have her for almost sixteen years.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a picture overload post from the kid’s birthday parties. Love you all and thanks if you are still reading!! I'll finish out with a couple of pictures from our recent family photo session.

Motherhood Monday: Natalie is Seven Months Old!



Natalie... you are seven months old (a few days ago, but Mommy is a bad blogger)!!!

You weigh 15 lbs and 4 oz, not sure about length!

You are officially in 9 month clothes and wear a size 3 diaper.

You breastfeed about 7 times per day and have solids once or twice a day. Your favorite foods are broccoli, chicken, and rice cereal.

 

 

 

 

You sleep about 12 hours a night and take 2 naps. You have been sleeping straight through or waking just once for a little while now so here's hoping that continues!

 

 

 

You are a happy little girl as long as you are being held. Although, you can sit well and even army crawl, you mostly just want to hang out on Mommy's hip!

 

 

 

You've added "mamama," "dadada," and "gagaga" to your vocabulary :)

As I said before you sit really well now and you're on the verge of crawling. You seldom practice though because you STILL hate being on the floor.

 

 

 

You are starting to be such a little grabber. I have to be very careful because if I'm not paying attention you will seriously snatch anything right out of my hand. You are beyond OBSESSED with my keys.

 

 

 

You and I have gotten to spend a little more one on one time together now that big brother is in school and it has been a lot of fun. We are definitely starting to see your little personality come out. You are a high maintenance princess for sure, but you are also quick to kiss and have the sweetest giggles.

 

 

 

Love, love, love you baby girl!!

 

Motherhood Monday: Much Too Fast

My little peanut has been hitting some big milestones lately, y'all, and it's been a lot for this Mommy to handle.  He is potty trained (obviously this is a VERY big one!), he sleeps in a toddler bed, and today he left to go on a trip without me!  I've left him once before when he was 20 months old to go to London with my mom and one of my sisters.  That also happened to be when I weaned him just because the timing worked out so well.  You can imagine all of the emotions involved.  I nursed him to sleep for his nap one last time before I left.  I usually only nursed him at bedtime, but I just had to squeeze in one last time.  Talk about tear fest!   For the record, he didn't bat an eye and never asked to nurse again.

He loves to be my helper, especially with cleaning :)

Today, though, he left ME!

Brian took him with on a short overnight trip to visit his Grandmother (Phillip's great-grandmother).  I know he will do great and he adores his Daddy, but I started crying after they left this morning.

He REALLY loves to be Daddy's helper. Working here on his new room!

I've also just recently begun the search for a Mother's Day Out program for him to start this September.  I know I'm a bit behind the times as almost everyone seems to start preschool well before 3, but I just love having him home with me.  I feel like he has the rest of his life to be in school and go somewhere structured all day long, and I have such a relatively short period to be the number one influence in his life.  I visited a school today that I feel really good about though, and I think he will love it.  Fingers crossed he gets in!

Just hanging out with his best bud.

Of course he still has his fair share of foot-stomping two year old moments, but I'm in awe of what a sweet and smart boy he is becoming.  And he really is a boy now... not my baby anymore!  

Motherhood Monday: Natalie is Six Months Old!

Happy Monday everyone! I had such a wonderful and relaxing weekend thanks to my husband and mother in law. I was able to sleep in until 8:30 am both days!!! The sad thing is, I still don't feel that well rested. I guess it just takes longer than two days to catch up on the sleep deficit I have.

Natalie actually turned six months old on Friday, but I wasn't able to take her picture until Sunday, so hopefully she didn't age too much, hehe.

Natalie - you are 6 months old!! 

You weigh almost 15 lbs and we head to the pediatrician in two days so I will have to update with proper height/weight later this week.

You wear mostly size 3-6 months clothes but they are getting a bit short so we have moved up into some 6-9 months. You are still in a size 2 diaper.

You are still breastfeeding about 6-7 times a day, but we recently started rice cereal.  We are taking it slow and you get about a tablespoon once a day.

You sleep about 11 hours at night and take 2 naps.  Sleeping through the night is officially a thing of the past!  You usually wake up twice.

Aside from a setback a couple of weeks ago, you are generally a happy girl.  You love to smile and stick out your tongue when you're happy.  You've also started "talking" a lot.  "Blah, blah, blah" is your favorite thing to say and you and Phillip have a lot of conversations that consist of just that :)

You roll over both ways and can push all the way up onto your hands and knees.  You will army crawl when you REALLY want something.  You can sit on your own now, but only for 5-10 seconds, so we have to be really careful with that.  

 

I just cannot believe how quickly the last six months have past and that before long you'll be crawling around and into everything.  I just can't wait to see how you grow and change and how you and Phillip become friends.  He just adores you and you LOVE to watch everything he does.

I love you more each day and I'm so lucky to be your Mommy.  Six more months until you are one... better start birthday party planning!!!

Thursday Thoughts: Home Projects and Deliberate Motherhood

The birthday is over and it was a wonderful day. It was pretty much your average day, with the exception of dinner out, but I have a pretty great life so no complaints! Funny enough though, Natalie seemed to sense when my birthday was over. No more special treatment Mommy! At exactly one in the morning she woke up ready to play and wouldn't go back to sleep for an hour and a half. Needless to say, we are both a little sleepy and cranky today.

I have some really high hopes for house projects this year. Brian has some ambitious home improvement in the works and I would like to do some things as well. Inspired by one of mu favorite blogs, Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers, I'm going to try to keep it reasonable and doable and pick one project a month to complete. I've only planned through June, but the current plan is as follows:

January: clean out and organize all bedroom closets- I'm already started on mine!
February: complete the kiddo room switch
March: fix up the yard, plant new flowers in beds
April: clean out and reorganize kitchen and dining room hutch
May: frame and hang new family pictures
June: deep clean house


I still haven't finished the amazing book I was telling y'all about, but I can already say it is a must read if you're a mom. It's incredibly inspirational and full of practical advice for pushing yourself to become a better mother and finding more peace as a mother.

I WILL finish reading it this weekend and share more thoughts. For now, I must get to bed because I am exhausted. Can't wait to share my latest fashion finds tomorrow though! I leave you all with two cute/hilarious pictures of our day: