Quick Post

I know I haven't posted in a while, I've been super busy planning our little Peanut's first birthday party (it's Saturday and then she turns ONE on SUNDAY!) Can you believe it? I'll make sure to post about the party next week, but for now here are some pics I just took of the lovely lady just now.  They are just too cute not to share.  I love her so much!!

Visit with My Brother and Family

My brother and his family came to visit this weekend to meet Penelope for the first time. We had a great time and little Penelope was the center of attention....which is her favorite!

With her Uncle Ricky and Cousin Chrissy

SuperBABY!

With her Uncle Ricky and Cousins Chrissy and Ricky

Checkin' our her Uncle's face

With her Aunt Sue

Ricky and Sue

We had a very nice time with the family.  Our dog Mia is moping around the house now because of all the love and treats everyone gave her while they were here too.  haha.

Also...here's another picture I took of her today.  Doesn't really fit into the story but I think she looks super cute...so here it is.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend!

Things that I've been dreaming of

There are so many things that I see online that I want for our little Peanut when she gets older.  I figured I'd take a second and put some on here so I wouldn't forget about them.

1. Isn't this the most adorable bedroom ever?  I'd love to have a toddler bed like this for her. It is darling!

via: http://taliaaudenart.blogspot.com/

2. I will learn how to make these wings for her!

via: http://llevoelinvierno.blogspot.com/

3. I kind of want to buy this print for her room now.  Great message!

find here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ParadaCreations

4. I am OBSESSED with these boots! This store is killing me! They're all sold out now but I'm tempted to order them as soon as they come back in stock in a size she'll grow into just so I can get them.  Cutest boots EVER!

find here: http://joyfolie.com/_catalog_6055/Boots

5. When she's old enough for a pet hamster - this is the most awesome cage to get for it!

unfortunately only found in Italy: http://tinyurl.com/3w3pbxc

6. And finally, I am definitely going to do this when it's time for Penelope to start loosing her teeth.  How cool to have a little fairy door on the wall where she magically comes out when it's time to leave our little sweetheart some money for her lost tooth.

found here: http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/inspiration/a-tooth-fairy-door-this-blessed-nest-144985

So that's what I'm thinking about these days.  Yeah, she has a long way to go before these things become useful - but she's totally worth daydreaming about.  I mean look at this face!

nawww! so cute!

New Penelope Pics and Spring Cleaning

I know what you all come here to see...pictures of our adorable Penelope! Here are some that are pretty new...

look at those chubby cheeks!!

hanging with her buddy Zeus

baby toes!!!

snoozing

I have the spring cleaning bug.  I have been slowly trying to clean around the house and tackle some of the things I've been putting off for a long time. The biggest thing I've been dreading is my closet.  There was so much crap in there I didn't wear, and the floor was covered in stuff that I kept shoving in there.  After we got married, I had my dress cleaned and boxed up and I was determined to get that box into my closet!  So today, I finally gave in and got to work!

before - notice the floor, the sweaters falling off the shelves, everything wedged in there!

3 bags of clothes for goodwill, 2 bags of trash, and a box packed with maternity clothes and here is the finished product!

yay! I can see the floor!!

I even color coordinated the clothes! Yes...total dork but I was so happy it was clean! Also, all the way to the left...tucked in the back...is that massive box with my wedding dress! YAY!

Little Penelope slept through the whole thing which was just amazing. I think I will reward her with a little time out in the fresh air! Have a great day!

Mothers Day 2011

I had a fantastic first mothers day weekend with Sean and Penelope! Saturday was absolutely beautiful so we decided to do some yard work.  At first we were just going to weed, but it was so nice out that we decided to just get it all done and plant flowers and mulch as well.  We put the beach umbrella up in the front yard and parked Penelope under it in her little chair..and off to work we went.  She was actually pretty content the entire time.  There were a few times where I had to stop to play with her or feed her...but I think she was just enjoying the nice fresh air as much as we were.  I planted some marigolds and some small white border flowers (I forget what they're called). I think it turned out really nice.  Oh and we're very happy that the japanese maple is doing so well.  We really thought it was a gonner 2 winters ago when half of the branches broke from the weight of all those snow storms!

Sunday was even better! Although I was super sore from all the yard work, it actually felt pretty good! Sean made me a fantastic mothers day breakfast complete with eggs, home fries, and scrapple (YES scrapple!) I was in heaven!  He and Penelope both gave me cards (so cute!) and Sean gave me this adorable ceramic wall hanging.  He found it on etsy with no prompting from me as to what I wanted! I absolutely love birds (as anyone who's been in my house would know) and so he got this little plaque that says mama's little bird.  Isn't it the cutest?

After breakfast, I went and got my haircut.  I was in desperate need of a haircut.  It was more than halfway down my back but did not look good.  And unfortunatly I am losing my hair at an alarming rate.  Apparently that's pretty common for women who have had a baby, and I am one of the lucky ladies that is experiencing it. Now my hair is right around shoulder length and it looks and feels so much better! It has a bit more body to it now so that it doesn't look so thin.

We ended the day with some delicious mexican food and watching TV.  Pefectly relaxing and wonderful. I just love my husband and daughter to pieces! I feel like a very lucky lady!

I hope all the other moms out there had a fantastic mothers day as well! Hugs!

They like me....they really like me!

My new buddy Natalie over at I was told there would be pajamas, nominated me for this here "I heart this blog" award, and I am truely honored.  I love reading her blog and all about her pregnancy and life.  We have a lot in common - it's kinda creepy!  As for me, I am a crap blogger who is not very good at keeping up with regular postings (even when I promise to!).  I mean I still haven't posted about all of the crafty things I did for my wedding and that was 7 months ago! At this point I don't know if anyone even cares anymore that I made paper poofs, or cupcake sticks.  Ah well, that's another story for another day (here I go again, making empty promises).

Back on track - thanks Natalie for nominating me.  Here are the details of what the next steps are:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Share 7 things about yourself (Thank goodness this doesn't say 7 "interesting" things)
3. Award some recently discovered bloggers that are deserving
4. Contact those bloggers and let them know about the award

Let’s see, 7 things about me….oh there are so many random things I could pick.  Here we go…

1.      I have short pinkies.  I think I have written about this a while ago but I’ll say it again.  Yes, I have short pinkies.  The weird thing is I didn’t even notice I had short pinkies until I was in my 20s.  Nobody in our family has short pinkies but me.  (My mom may have, but she passed away before I noticed and so far I haven’t been able to find any close up hand shots). Here is a pic of my hands in case you don’t believe me (and yes I am aware they look like sausages – I’m pregnant and retaining water, awesome!)….now if you look at your own hands chances are your pinky comes to the knuckle line of your ring finger, right?  Yeah…I’m a freak!

2.      I have a cat named Jesus.  Well, it’s pronounced in the lovely language of espanol (heeey-seus) but yeah, it’s Jesus.  See, what’sa happened was.  My BFF Biscuit found this fantastic kitty back in 1998 behind a liquor store in our college town.  I had just come back from break for the new semester and went over to her apartment to catch up…and there he was.  So adorable, and with a little dreadlock behind one ear.  He was scrappy but SO SWEET! Needless to say, Jen was in love.  Biscuit said I could have him but ONLY if I kept his name.  That’s when she laid it on me….his name is Jesus.  I tried to protest, but she said it was the only way I could have him.  That Biscuit is a tricky lass and I knew she would stick to her guns….so, here it is years later and I have my lovable Jesus.

3.      There is nothing that scares me more than eye injuries! Specifically – the thought of getting a paper cut in the eye has haunted me for as long as I can remember.  I have vivid memories of sitting in class in fear when kids would haphazardly pass papers back without even looking where they were flailing them! I am actually glad that I wear glasses because they provide some sort of protection from something hurting my eyes! In a moment of desperation I actually tried to get contacts so that I wouldn’t have to wear my glasses at my wedding.  I really REALLY tried! I got fitted, and sat in that damn optometrist’s office for an hour trying to get one in.  No dice.  My eyeballs hurt so bad from poking at them that I had a migraine by the time I got home.  I didn’t give up and gave it another go 2 days later..same result.  So eff it, I gave up and had blurry vision on the big day.  Thankfully I’m not so blind that I couldn’t see what was going on.  It kind of gave it a romantic haze.  Anyway, glasses for life and stay the eff away from my eyeballs with that paper damnit!

4.      I grew up in New Jersey.  I know those of you who have never been to the Garden State may think…..ew gross, there is nothing good about that trash and toll state.  To you I say – SHUT IT! I grew up in NJ – but more the south central part.  It was all farms and fields and fresh produce.  I dare you to find a better tasting tomato or sweet corn than those that come from NJ! I grew up climbing the hay bales trying to catch the barn cats at my friend Patty’s cow farm, and going to parties in corn fields, and getting frisky on the bank of an irrigation ditch (not lying!)  I think that New Jersey is a great state, and I’m proud to be a Jersey girl!

5.      I hate drinking! Now before you think I’m getting all judgmental about drinking alcohol…that’s not exactly what I mean.  I mean that I, personally, do not like to drink anything.  Biscuit calls me the human camel and doesn’t understand how I can normally survive on such little liquid intake.  It has been especially difficult being pregnant and trying desperately to get in the amount of water I’m supposed to each day.  Sean has to keep on me at home to make sure I’m drinking water. It’s basically like torture to me.  If left to my own devices, I could probably go on as little as 1-2 glasses of liquid in a day.  I also don’t like drinking alcohol – but I think that may have a lot to do with the fact that it’s a liquid and I just have such trouble getting it down.

6.      Another intake related one – I have a horrible sweet tooth.  If I was allowed and there were no health or weight related consequences (and I wouldn’t go into a sugar coma) I could live on cake, ice cream, cookies and chocolate. Unfortunately if I actually tried to do that I would be about 1,000 pounds and probably die of diabetic shock.  Lame! Bring on the steamed veggies…hmph

7.      This last one is going to be a bit sappy, but whatever – my blog = my rules.  Sean has definitely made me a better person.  Before we moved in together I would wait until I had about 10 loads of laundry to do and it would be all over my bedroom floor.  I was awful!  He does his laundry every Sunday.  Because of him…now I do too! I don’t want to be the slobby one with clothes all over the floor! Before I get all – horray me, I am doing such a good job being clean….that’s not entirely true.  He is still way more tidy than me and usually beats me to emptying out the dishwasher and stuff like that – BUT I have been a slacker preggo lately who doesn’t have the energy to get off the couch.  I am going to try my best once I have this baby and get my energy back to be a better partner and continue to follow his example of being proactive with things like laundry and dishes and whatnot.  I hope he knows how much I appreciate him!

So handsome and silly!

As for who to nominate....that's a tough one. There are only a few that I haven't been reading for a LONG time, but here are 2 newer discoveries that are pretty fantastic!

http://yellowsquarelove.com/ - I have been reading this blog for a few months now and I love reading about her pregnancy and what she's been going through and feeling.  Our due dates are only a few apart and we're both expecting little girls so I'm super excited for her and love reading every post!

http://trentiscute.blogspot.com/ - while I have known this woman for many years, I recently started following her blog and love to read about her little boy Trent and all the adorable things he does!