Transitions in Toddlerville

***Thank y'all so much for all the love on Tuesday after we announced our news of baby on the way. It means so much to feel the love after sharing something we care so much about! 

Roswelle has been killing it in the toddler transition department, lately. She potty trained like a pro the first week of January and last week transitioned to her "big girl bed" without skipping a wink of sleep.  The last significant transition on the list is letting go of the beloved pacifier. She only has it while sleeping, but man does she covet that thing. I've received a lot of tips on how to convince her to let it go, but for now we are just going to take a breather on the transitions. 

One thing I have noticed is that with each positive development, other not-so-positive (but probably essential) developments, rear their heads. Almost simultaneously after moving to her toddler bed, she started saying "

but I don't want tooooooo

" or "

but I want it

!!!" in regards to anything and everything. This is all new and requires a lot of time-outs, unfortunately. There is always a ying to the yang I guess. Ahhh the joys of being THREE!

Anyways, back to the point of this post - Roswelle's new toddler bed! I saw this bed on another blog and immediately knew it was the one. I clicked on the source link and was shocked to be directed to Ikea!? While my mom was in town last week, we made the trek to Ikea - never go alone, y'all.

Since I know baby #2 is a girl, I'll be leaving the pink and lace curtains, as well as the chandeliers. Sources are at the end of the post. Have a great Thursday!

Bed

Pink Pom Quilt & Pillow

Curtains

Chandeliers are antique finds

Cubby Cube

Roswelle's Room - A Toddler Update

I realized the other day that I rarely photograph or post on Roswelle’s room. The last full highlight of it was over 2 ½ years ago (which you can read here) when it was barely used – she wasn’t even sleeping in there yet! She is now a full-time sleeper in there…and it's time for a dedicated post.

Speaking of sleep, Roswelle is still in her crib and we don’t plan to move her out of it until a) she grows out of it b) she starts to climb out of it or c) another baby is ready to sleep in it. That could be tomorrow night or a year away, I have a feeling it will be somewhere in between. Also, I moved the rocking chair into our bedroom to lend more space for age appropriate toys. While she has her favorites, the drawing/sticker board and her books, she still visits her picnic table and baby changing station enough for me leave them be.

A toddler room can be tricky to decorate because their interests change rather quickly. Choosing simple staple items like a bookshelf, baskets, an easel, and a table with chairs seems to work well. I update all of those with current interests, toys, and activities throughout the year while being able to keep the room aesthetically pleasing. Of course I wanted a play kitchen, doll-house, and even a teepee (which is currently folded up in a corner) but there was no room for them and they didn’t offer enough flexibility to be placed in her room. So for now, she will have to wait to go to grandmas house to play with those items – as they both have them waiting for her!

I’ve found that children rooms are the quickest to become cluttered. Memorabilia, old crafts, clothes that are too small, and old, un-used toys all start to crowd corners, drawers, and shelves. It takes a lot out of me to update her room every 6 months, both nostalgia and a slight bit of sadness make it tough to either store, give away, or toss those items. But in the end I feel better after the room has been updated for her level of development and age.

Below are some shots of her room I took the other day. I love when she and I just spend time together in there. The room gets great sunlight and I find it incredibly peaceful. And each visit she finds something that intrigues her all over again. 

{the look of curiosity!}

 

{you know how much I love to style and her space isn't excluded}

{some new and old items make for a great shelfie - that is a picture of my dad and I}

Roswelle turns TWO!

This past Saturday we had a small tea party for miss Roswelle Gray as she turned TWO on March 21st.  The sun was shining bright although it was a chilly day with a high of 41.  It actually snowed on her birthday the following Monday - there is a good chance that will happen every year up here in Boston!

Roswelle and her cousin Maddie have their dad's old play table and chairs which are the perfect size for a toddler tea. I pulled both tables together covered them with drawing paper, sprinkled them with stickers, crayons, and personal sippy cups - the table was set.

Below are a lot of detail shots...I'm already looking forward to reading this post with Roswelle in years to come. We love you SO much RoRo!

{this was sooooo much fun to make...it took a lot of flowers but I'm still enjoying it! ...the fact that my mom is a florist is a treasure}

{party trick:anything that isn't necessary or helpful for the party, i remove from the space.  My bedroom was covered with household items during the party but I didn't have to think about special items being broken or getting in the way}

{The picture above was a quick shot I snapped that will now be a keepsake photo.}

{Sandy (or GiGi) made delicious egg+bacon biscuits and 4 egg frittatas}

{probably discussing what flavor the cake will be}

{still wondering about that cake...}

A tidy set!! we were both equally excited about this gift! :P

Roswelle Gray: Life at 15 months!

I post a lot of pictures of Roswelle, but I have haven't done a "Roswelle Gray" post in a few months. Here are some of her favorites and some recent updates:

Favorites: Strawberries, feeding treats to Izzie (Paul's parent's dog), doing laps around the cottage, watching the "T" (train) go by over breakfast, actually wearing her sunglasses, wanting any toy her cousin Maddie is holding, showing us where her nose is (and dadda's), and climbing up slides and stairs.

The OCEAN...gets it's own blurb.  I've never seen her happier than while at the beach.  We set her down on the sand and she darts for the water. No fear! She falls and slips and trips and laughs and giggles and squeals for more. 

She is a great sleeper - I'm still managing to get her down for two naps a day!! She loves to be rocked and coddled to sleep - and I'm fine with that. 

She eats well but doesn't love meat - and she sticks out her tongue to investigate every time I give her something new.  

She's not saying too many words beyond "Momma" and "Dadda" quite yet, but we think she's close.  

She surprisingly gives me no trouble when I fix her hair - I just have to manage while chasing her around.  

She is constantly moving, but occasionally gives us little kisses when we ask, but there's usually "no time for that Mom!!"  

Most of the clothes she is wearing this summer were mine from the 80's! I love their classic look and simple colors and designs.  

This age is the BEST.  Maybe it's because I'm in the window of not breast feeding and not being pregnant and I get unlimited amounts of coffee, but days are GOOD.  She just toddles around while I get things done around the house and she isn't talking back...yet.  I'm loving every minute of this phase while it lasts. 

Below are some pictures I took over the last few days :)  Belated Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Spring Beginnings

For my southern family it was a Spring Break, but for Paul, Roswelle and me it was a Spring Beginning. Wasn't sure how to blog about our vacation on the picturesque beaches on Destin FL after the hardest winter of my life, no really, I feel like I say it every winter but this one really was the hardest. Paul was the first to spot a patch of snow when we got back yesterday...can't.even.  At least it's in the 60s now in Boston!

anywhoooo....it would be too long and too annoying (even as the one that went on the trip) to go on and on about everything we did and how absolutely perfect it was.  So I'm just going to post pictures from the week.  I hope you enjoy!

andddd she's up!

She is standing!!  The sun was out in spurts today but that didn't stop the fun.  I took 200 pictures today (practicing) and I caught this sweet little sequence of Roswelle and Paul.  She started standing on her own yesterday.  We are all really excited for the steps.  However, I am enjoying the last few days of her being somewhat immobile...I'm told it's a whole different ballgame when they walk!

...next up, handstands!!

...or headstands. ;) #coachpaul

beach day snapshot

Paul, Roswelle, and I arrived in Destin, FL late last night.  It is just going to be the three of us in our family condo until Saturday when we will move into a rented house for a week that will hold us, Mom, my brother Carson, his friend Jeff, my grandparents, my aunt Wendy and hopefully my brothers Trey and Evan at some point (busy with work and school).  

These are unedited pictures from today - which I think is a total no-no in the photography world - but I don't have the patience to edit them while on vacation.  I have been messing around with all the settings and also loving my the new lens.  I spent 20 minutes following Roswelle around on the beach (which she absolutely loves - she can't get enough of the sand) and I got some pretty shots of her after all.  

btw - I can't believe how amazing it feels to have warm skin from the sun/air.  love.the.South.

I think she is going to start walking while we are here - I'll keep y'all updated!

BPL // Children's Library

Yesterday, my friend Tara and her son Jett joined Roswelle and I to the Boston Public Library to visit the newly renovated Children's Library.  It is beautiful!!!  It is spacious, bright, and interactive.  There a few sections designed specifically for different age groups.  There are organized group classes, computers, and as many books as one could dream up.  And there are family friendly bathrooms with extra low toilets - very important stuff! I am thrilled that this is an option for Roswelle as she grows and learns in the city.

as my friend said, it's a must for Boston mamma's (no joke! :) ....4/1)

{the infamous hungry caterpillar}

{loves books and books and more books}

{the best we could get this time, but we'll be back to try again!}

roswelle + smash cake // by Mikhail Glabets

I am blessed in having a close friend who is a RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHER (mikahailglabets.com).  We met Mikhail and his wife Erin in our church community group when Paul and I were engaged over 3 years ago. I invited them to Roswelle's party as close friends and actually asked Erin if she would take pictures for me during "cake-time" because I didn't want to put that on Mikhail.  BUT I'm so thankful he insisted that he take the pictures as a friend.  Weddings are what he is known for but he can clearly make magic happen through a lens in any situation (including an ikea highchair and a grain/dairy/refined sugar free smash-cake).   

He only took pictures for 10 minutes or so but he captured such a sweet story.

Roswelle Gray's First Birthday Party

It happened!  Roswelle Gray turned ONE and we had a wonderful party surrounded by loved ones who helped us be a family of three this past year.  It was a year of kisses, snuggles, giggles, sleepless nights, slept-through-the-night nights, tears, sickness, friendships, strength, prayers, praises...

just a whole range of emotions and milestones and happenings I didn't know existed.  

It snowed on Saturday (her actual birthday!) which was fitting considering this past winter. But we didn't let a few snowflakes damper the indoor garden party!  The planning was actually simple; selected the invitations, spent an hour ordering on etsy, and a few nights in front of the TV with a glue gun! I pulled on my family's strengths as well - my mom arranged the flowers, Sandy made the beautiful food spreads, Jenny made the tea sandwiches and helped me craft, and my grandparents ran my errands like picking up the cake and balloons!  It took the help of my family and the company of my friends to successfully pull off a wonderful party which was a great reflection of the past year.  

Below are some details with a few captions:

{a Roswelle Gray mantel}

{all of these items were gifts or framed mementoes (invitation & calendar)}

{party garland from etsy}

{a birthday crown from lovecrushbowtique}

{a year in the making - my favorite decoration!}

{delicious spreads made by Sandy}

{no space was left untouched of "Roswelle" decorations!}

{the cookies, cupcakes and small cake were from my favorite neighborhood bakery, Sweet Life Bakery & Cafe}

{we made her "smash" cake but ordered a backup just in case}

{a grain, dairy, and refined sugar free "smash" cake - I will share the recipe - it was so yummy}

{the most important part - family & friends!}

{loved having the house full}

{dads}

{party foul! )}

{ cousins <3 }

{a little blurry but so happy we got a picture of most of Roswelle's friends!}

{thanks again for the thoughts and prayers and help this past year!! Excited for more exciting things ahead!}

***Where are the cake-eating pictures you ask?? They are coming tomorrow in a separate post!  My photog-friend, mikhail, took the pictures <3***

Roswelle Gray: Life at 10 months!

Roswelle Gray turned 10 months last week!  I haven't written an update on her in a while.  She is a busy baby!  She has 2 bottom teeth, is wearing 12 month clothes, and is super 'expressive' ;)

Food: She still nurses 4 times a day, I have to admit I am SO excited to be near the finish line at 1 year!!! She eats two fried eggs in the morning.  She snacks on bananas, pears, avocado, celery w/ peanut butter, and organic steel-cut oats (from Trader Joes) with applesauce and cinnamon.  She loves to chew on dried apples form TJs - they are unsweetened and the perfect size for her little hands to hold on to - great for when we are out running errands! Her favorite green is broccoli.  

She will eat anything orange: steamed carrots/butternut squash/sweet potatoes. She isn't a huge fan of meat yet. I also make her "cookies" which is 1 cup of almond flour, 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 1 banana, & 1 egg.  Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.  Paul actually loves them too! 

Sleep: She is a great napper - typically naps from 8:30-10am and then 12:30-2pm.  Sometimes I will get a 30 minute nap out of her around 4pm if I'm really lucky. She is sleeping from 6:30-6:30am.  The past week she has been waking up at 4:30 or 5:30 but she will go right back down if we go in and hold her for a few minutes (I personally refuse to get up before 6am so I'll do anything to get her back down that early). 

Favorites: She LOVES to be read to.  Her favorite books are the touch and feel (pat the bunny).  The only time she will sit still with us is when she is drinking a bottle or we are reading to her.  She loves to be held...so much that she will follow me around the kitchen and living room pulling at my legs nonstop.  Once she is up on my hip she is quiet as a mouse (probably hoping I don't notice she is there). I'm assuming this is a phase (fingers crossed!).  She will wave and will try imitate sounds we make with our mouth.  Andddd finally I hate to admit this but she loves Blues Clues. eek! One day when she was sick I turned it on and we watched it together snuggled up on the couch.  Now I tend to turn it on during her mid-morning snack when she is in her highchair.  She gets excited when she sees Blue the doggie and bounces to the songs.  I was planning to wait a little longer to let her watch TV but I've decided a 30 minutes every other day or so can't be toooo bad?! Oh and we love dancing around to the Disney channel on Pandora - it plays all the classics - check it out!! 

Now that January is almost over, Paul and I are looking forward to our first weekend away!  For Valentine's Day this year we are heading back to the B&B we were headed to when my water broke almost a year ago!  My mom is coming up and will have Roswelle all by herself for 2 days and 2 nights.  We are all equally excited :)  I'm also starting to pin/plan for Roswelle's first birthday.  I'm going to be baking this grain, dairy, and refined sugar FREE smash cake: http://urbanposer.blogspot.com/2012/02/graindairy-free-b-day-smash-cake.html. 

OK, I gotta get out the door to get to Trader Joe's!  We are literally out of milk and eggs and road salt and with the blizzard headed or way I have to get busy.  I'm so excited to take Roswelle out in her snow suite!  Check us out on Instagram for pictures! (@saralaurenl)

OHHHH and she has her first swim class this afternoon!! :) :) :)

{this is RARE moment - her mouth is never closed!!! so silly}

{about to crawl off the chair}

{pat the bunny!}

{sweet profile}

{chatting with Lady}

Roswelle Gray: Baby Led Weaning

Yesterday I pointed out "Roswelle's Food" in our fridge, except you didn't see baby food jars or purees.  Nope, at 6 months we introduced solids to Roswelle and did just that, solids.  On the recommendation of my peditrician, I read the book Baby Led Weaning and decided it was the approach we would take.  BLW would give me the comfort I desired of knowing exactly what I was giving Roswelle, (no GMOs, all organic, limited sugar, no external processing) and wouldn't leave me locked up in the kitchen pureeing on my Sundays (which I was fully prepared to do).  It also gives her another chance to learn and develop.  She is using all of her senses when she eats; sight, smell, touch, taste.  I'm trying to expose her to as many fruits and veggies as possible before she turns one.  I haven't decided when I will introduce chicken or red meat, maybe 9months, maybe a year?  Just whatever Paul and I feel comfortable with.  

Like anything, there are risks involved.  Yes she could choke, but I guarantee you she can choke on a spoonful of food too.  I make sure the pieces are either really big (for her to chew on) or really small and mushy.  I'm right there with her.  Her saliva is the first step in the digestion process and she uses a lot of it as she learns to move food around in her mouth and eventually get it down.  Definitely check with your pediatrician and pay attention to what your baby prefers (some prefer to only be spoon fed).  Check out the book HERE if you are interested and feel free to reach out to me!

A typical day for Roswelle: 

Wake 6:30am - Nurse

1st Breakfast 7am - Eggs!

Playtime/Nap

Wake 10:30am - Nurse

2nd Breakfast 11am - Bananas, Organic Steel-cut Oats, sugar free apple sauce.

Playtime/Nap

Wake 1:30pm  - Nurse   

Snack 2pm - Baked Apples, Sweet potato, Avocado, etc

Playtime/Nap(sometimes)

Wake 3:30 - Nurse

Playtime

Dinner 4:30 - Baked Spaghetti Squash, Sauteed Butternut Squash, Steamed Broccoli!

Playtime

Nurse/Bottle of breastmilk: 5:45pm

Bath 6pm

Book 6:15pm

BED! 6:30pm

{OBSESSED with sweet potatoes}

{she thoroughly enjoyed thanksgiving}

{Maddie is learning to eat too!}

{she is a messy girl, but messy babies just means they had a great day!}

{playtime with Maddie on Thanksgiving}

{listening to GiGi}

3 items that make BLW so much easier:

Ikea Highchair - cheap and easy.

TommyTippy Bibs - they catch soooo much!

Splat Mat - will save your floors.

it's 10:27 and I can hear her playing in her crib...right on cue. see ya!

Thankful

There are many, many reasons I want to be home in GA this Thanksgiving, but we instead decided to wait to spend a full week there for Christmas. As time moves forward it is getting harder and harder for everyone to be under the same roof for the Holidays (and I know I'm the one who moved to BOSTON). But I will be with my family.  My new little family that Paul, Roswelle, and I make. :)  And we will be with Paul's family who love me like I'm their own, and I them.

Tomorrow is an intentional day of gratitude.  For some of us a day to reset our perspective, remember those we have lost, and reflect on what really matters. I'm thankful for health which is commonly a forgotten gift, happiness which is a choice I am lucky to make, and for these pictures that capture very happy moments from the past month.

Today, I'll be in the kitchen preparing for tomorrow.  My favorite movie of all time, Gone with the Wind, will be on in the background (on AMC all day today!).  It will be a good day!

{missing Trey who was busy flying all over the South-East :)}

Roswelle Gray is 7months...today!

This is my 250th post! 

I can't think of a better thing to write about today than Roswelle being 7 months old! 

Today is a good day!

(that's 3 sentences with 3 exclamation points right there)

Motivational Monday: JPPilates Stroller Bootcamp

The words Stroller and Bootcamp (one word in my world) probably aren't two words you would typically put together, but Jennifer Phelan of JPPilates did!  Roswelle and I have been going to her mommy+baby classes since Roswelle was 4months old (I wish I had started earlier!). Once a week, I have been making the quick drive to Charlestown and participating in her #strollerbootcamp.  If you are lucky enough to be a new mom (or nanny!) in the Boston area, I really encourage you to join us.  

 Jenn will tell you that she is figuring it out as she watches her own baby grow.  She has a 9month old adorable son, Grayson (#babyboomer - check out his hashtag on instagram!), and she has been coming up with ways to workout with him since he was born.  As a personal trainer and pilates enthusiast she wanted to get back in shape but had to balance being a new mom as well.  I'd say she figured it out and found the balance!

  Some more about her classes: Her tagline phrases "up an inch, up an inch"..."down an inch, down an inch", and the famous "c-curve" will have you sweating and your legs literally trembling but will get you the results.  The game changer for me, your baby comes with you!! Your baby can cry..poop..nurse during the class and it doesn't matter.  There is no pressure to keep you baby quiet or asleep - the more active the baby the more interesting the class can get for you.  ;) You are surrounded by a new community of moms which we all know is key to being a happy, healthy mom yourself.

More classes are going to be announced soon - you can find out more info on her website (http://www.jenniferphelan.com/) or follow her on instagram @ jppliates1 

{jppilates1 pushing #babyboomer}

Below are some personal photos from our last class this past Friday.  With the New England weather quickly turning cold, it was the last outdoor class at Bunker Hill Monument.

{kudos to the mom with TWINS in the group}

{Roswelle learned what to expect in the workout classes and now enjoys seeing me jump around}

{parking our babies in the strollers behind us, we used a hand rail as our "bar"}

{Jenn will even hold your fussy baby for you while you finish your push-ups. thank, I think. ;) }

{Roswelle learning how to do a plank...or just trying to eat grass}

{I'm not in a c-curve position here (whoops) but Roswelle loves to be up in the air!}

{practicing her shavasana...."namaste" ;) }

{phew that was tough and fun!}

{Roswelle learning to share and play with babies her age!}

{some of the group - sans sleeping babies in their strollers - we never wake a sleeping baby!}

If you are in the Boston area, let me know if you want to join me.  Community is such a powerful thing for moms and I have learned how important it is for Roswelle's and my health.  Thanks, Jenn!

**Blog note, there was no "Favorite Things" post on Friday, last week just got the best of me and I couldn't get it all together.  I gave myself some grace and let it go.  You'll have one this week, or at least that is the plan!**

Roswelle Gray: Her 6th month of Life!

{my favorite recent photo of us}

Life has been busy lately and I can't believe it has been so long since I have done a 'Life with Roswelle Gray' update.  Before the passing of my uncle, I was actually in GA with my family for 10 days.  Paul went on a guys trip and was in NYC for work so it was a great week for Roswelle and me to head South.  

Roswelle will be 7 months on Monday, 10/21!!!!!  I can't believe I have a 7 month old!  Some highlights in Roswelle Gray's life: she is an AMAZING napper/sleeper - we just lay her down for her naps during the day (no rocking, shhh'ing, etc) and she sleeps 6:30pm-6:30am.  She is eating solid foods - her favorite foods are broccoli, oranges, and eggs.  She is still exclusively breast-feeding, we are doing the Baby Lead Weaning approach to introducing food, I'll plan to do a separate post on it - it has been a great experience for us. She can navigate all over the living room rug but no official crawling yet.  She LOVES attention...she will sit in her activity seat completely still until we look over at her and then she will start to bounce and smile and talk!  

*photo overload warning*

instead of writing out paragraphs of what we have been up to, I decided to show you through photos and captions!  

We got her all dressed up for church in Georgia! My mom jokes "the bigger the bow the closer to God" ;)

{Mia, Momma, and Baby!}

When I hang around my 16yr old brother with my baby on my hip, I'm acutely aware of how officially uncool I am. That's ok with me ;) guess I'll be what the young kiddos call 'basic'

Roswelle loves animals now!!!! She giggles when they lick her toes.  I think a trip to the zoo is in our future.

{some of my favorite moments at home are out on the back-porch swing}

{after 10 days they finally reunited}

{...}

{big, happy girl!}

{we meet Paul for lunch at least once a week - this day was his 36th bday!!}

{rare snuggles - she is usually on the move or asleep in her crib}

{discovering food!!!!}

{we were headed to a wedding - leaving the babies at home - my first full night away from her!!!}

{trying to act anything like parents on our big night out - kissy-face/peace-sign and all}

{little bit of a rough start on our Thursday morning}

{locked us out of the house with nothing but my sunglasses in hand. Used a diner gift card from across the street to get back in}

{still made it to meet dad for lunch - not how you should baby-feed :P}

{cheered on Auburn vs Miss. State - tough loss}

{Hung out with cousin Maddie!!!}

{went shopping like a big girl}

{took a long nap in Boston Garden during an unseasonably warm day yesterday}

phew, that's it.  I have just a few minutes before she wakes up from her morning nap.  be back soon!

Because it's Monday...

...thought I would share some of my favorite pictures and videos that make me smile...even when it's a Monday.

A lot of these pictures are from snapchat, which is an app I LOVE. One of my girlfriends from GA (mer-mer) and I communicate through pictures all day long. I share my first cup of coffee of the day with her, how I styled my hair (or sometimes lack of style aka bedhead all day), or something silly Roswelle did that afternoon and she shares her growing baby bump, her messy living room from her 2yr old Gable, and even pictures from her pillow at night telling me goodnight! 

Have a great day, y'all!

Still not so sure...

My brother Carson jokingly asked if the stroller straps are organic...unfortunately they aren't.  :O

{I love this picture}

Life Lately: 2014 Summer Wrap-up

Welp!...summer is officially over.  It was the busiest and best one yet, we made it to Truro 11 out of the 13 weekends we had available this summer.  This past weekend, Labor Day Weekend, was the best weekend of the summer in terms of beach weather - ending things on a high note. 

From Left to Right: Sandy, Ross, Paul, Roswelle, me, Jenny, Maddie, Rob.  We used a self-time to take the picture and I actually like that we are off center just a smidge.  

This past weekend we made it out to an early breakfast at my favorite spot in Provincetown.

{something was very intriguing apparently}

The girls are great early in the morning.  Paul and I will be making it to a lot more brunch spots than dinner spots this Fall, which is a-ok with me. 

By the end of the summer Roswelle was very used to the beach routine.

In between holding their babies up in the air, Rob and Paul played endless amounts of volleyball this Summer.

{Roswelle loves to sit up and LOVES tags!}

{Roswelle and Gigi (Sandy)}

{bath time}

{I think every baby should be bathed in the sink at least once}

{Madelyn Grace agrees with me}

Roswelle is 5 months!  She sleeps through the night 90% of the time.  Her bedtime is 6:30pm on the dot.  Every night we have the same routine: walk 5-5:45pm, Bottle 5:45, Bath 6pm, Books 6:15 and eyes shut no later than 6:45pm.  She is becoming more interactive each week and it just keeps getting better and better.  She loves to read, roll-over, scoot!!!, and she is practicing sitting up on her own (almost there!).  She is still exclusively breast feeding and we are planning to introduce solids right at 6 months - I am reading up on Baby-Led Weaning (a method of introducing food) and planning to take that approach when the time is right. 

{she looked like a doll to me the other morning at breakfast - hello eyelashes!}

{baby curls}

It was a great summer!  (thanks for posing Maddie!)

Personal update: tbt (on a Wednesday) to my cheerleading days.  I'm running the Newport Half Marathon on October 12th.  I'm up to 7 milessss.  I guess you could say I was giving myself a little pep/cheer/dance here (after completing the run).  Paul kept making fun of me for saying I needed to get amped up for my run but it is true!! It is hard to get myself out the door knowing I'll be running for over an hour instead of taking care of my baby/family.  I have to continue to work on taking care of myself and I know the healthier I am, the happier(and healthier) Roswelle will be.  

Sooooo long Summer.  I'm welcoming Fall with open arms (in a cute sweater/scarf/boot combo).  ;)

Updates All Around

I put this Ikea bookshelf together in literally 10 minutes flat.  It was so easy! and no tools needed! Either this is just an ikea phenomenon or Ikea has stepped it up when it comes to assembly.

The R & G will be painted soon...and I might hang them over her crib instead of scrunching them up on this shelf.  

{I've already made some changes to the wall gallery..}

I bought this heart mirror at Hobby Lobby - knowing I would paint it gold first chance I got.  

I used my fav secret weapon - Gilding Wax

I also bought the above framed art for $8.  I liked the frame and the verse but it was a little plain for me.

{I spruced it up with a black and white stripe folder I had}

ps. I'm lovinggggg black and white stripes right now...trying to find a good place for it besides this.

{tada - although I broke the glass pane in the process :/ }

outtakes:

Roswelle Gray Updates:

{she sleeps on her stomach or side most of the time now}

ps. paul put her jammies on backwards - I feel like every dad needs to make that mistake once, like a milestone, ha!

{she holds her bottle all on her own - finishes it all by herself (with supervision)}

{Paul's favorite thing these days is to get her when she wakes up - she is all smiles}

She's my little peanut!! I take her all over the city with me.  My grandmother, Mammie, says she was born with jets on. :)

s

These pictures are from Tuesday - we went into the city for an early breakfast with girlfriends and then headed up to NH to the closest Hobby Lobby with Jenny and Maddie!  

The three of us are headed to the cape this weekend (again!).  It will be another fun, low-key weekend.  Life is going well.  Even those I am a SAHM (stay at home mom) I'm still working for the weekends when Paul is around.  I have never looked forward to him getting home as much as I do now!  

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Roswelle Gray: Life at 4 months

I'm writing this as Roswelle is finishing up her 12th hour of straight sleep.  Well, minus the 20 minutes she was awake this morning at 3:40am (and a couple other times when I just reswaddled her and she fell right back asleep). I finally had the courage and strength to sleep train her and to be honest it wasn't all that bad.  She didn't cry more than 20 minutes over the last 3 nights, average was 7 minutes of tears a few different times.  It wasn't blood curdling cries either...it was more "I don't think I like this" crying.  My biggest piece of advice is to wait until you and your baby are READY.  Her signs were that she would wake up in the middle of the night but would only be awake for 20 minutes, she wouldn't eat much when she was awake, and she would crank her neck while we were holding her almost like she wanted to be put down.  I listened and laid her down while she was still awake and she would lay there relaxing before she literally just nodded off to sleep - happened last night at 7pm.  She was ready to sleep through the night, she just needed a little encouragement. 

I may be tootin' my on horn a little early, we'll see what happens over the next few nights, but I'm going to enjoy this moment for now :)

My mom saved so many of my baby clothes and they now make up a majority of Roswelle's wardrobe.   I love how classic and simple the outfits are, they just don't make 'em like they used to!  She is in my little eyelit top and my pink ruffled bloomers.  My mom just recently brought up another batch of clothes; Roswelle will be wearing 'vintage' pieces until she is 2!

Speaking of my mom, she came to visit for a week!  

We had the best time...all of us!  Paul and I enjoyed some free time at new coffee shops, working out together, and going to dinner.  While my mom enjoyed quality 1x1 time with her grand-daughter.  WinWin for all of us. 

New favorite date spot, reading spot, anything spot - cafe nero.  AHmazing coffee shop right in the middle of the city.  It's a European chain and this is the first location in the States.  If you visit Boston you must go!  

I overindulged on cappucino's one night...had 3 and it was totally worth it.

Other randoms...

We have a mover/scooter!  She can get around pretty well by raising her legs and throwing them down.  I only loosely swaddle her in a blanket that I know she can get out of because of this.

My mom's birthday cake form the PB boulangerie in Wellfleet.  

Roswelle graduated from the bassinet in the stroller to the toddler seat.  She loves to look around and doesn't want to miss a thing!

Ok...I'm off to feed R breakfast and then heading to BYOB pilates.  Next post will be on the wall gallery I've been working on during Roswelle's naps!  I'm really excited to show you guys!

xo