Heartbeats and Little Feet

Five on Friday - End of January

2014-01-31T11:25:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! I'm looking forward to this weekend so much!

One.

I've found an awesome new site. For those of you who love the show Shark Tank, you may have already seen this. It's called Groove Book and it's amazing! For a $2.99 a month monthly subscription, you can upload up to 100 of the photos on your phone to their app. They in turn, mail you a 4.5" x 6.5" bound photo book with all of the pictures. The pictures are printed on glossy photo paper and perforated for easy removal. Each photo is labeled with the date and location of the photo - within the bounding of the book - not actually on your photos! This is great for those of us who never print our photos! Maybe it will help motivate me to create more albums! I've got tons of pictures, but they live on my computer!

Two.

I'm meeting up and having lunch with one of my best friend's from college! We meeting for lunch on Saturday and I absolutely can't wait! It's going to be amazing to catch up with her. It's been far too long!

Laura (far left) and I, during our college days. Talk about a throw back!

Laura and I at my wedding

Three.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you have already seen this, but I thought it was momentous enough to talk about for Five on Friday! McKenzie's hair is finally long enough to put up! Not only that, she actually had enough patience to let me put it up! It's a small miracle! I just can't get over how adorable she looks!

Four.
I am so excited that it's February tomorrow! Who doesn't love a month that celebrates love!? To start our celebration, I'll be making this wreath over the weekend. Amy from Keepin' Up With The Smiths posted it! Love, love, love it!

Keepin' Up With The Smiths

Five.

I'm ready for warmer weather! The magic of the holidays and the cold weather has warn off. Give me spring days and sunshine! I need it in my life! Oh...and flip flops! As soon as it hits 55, they're out!

Check out Darci over at The Good Life Blog and her friends for some more Five on Friday Fun!

There's Just Something...

2014-01-29T10:09:00.000-05:00

So I'm not sure what it is...but there's just something about the connection between a mother and a daughter.

I know this is true, because I have this connection with my mom. I've seen it develop and evolve. I've seen it become stronger than I could have ever imagined. Simply put, I'm just not sure what I would do without my mom.

I always hoped and prayed that if I ever had a daughter, that we would have the same connection. I just had no idea that it would happen and be so strong early on.

We've been struggling on the sleep front in our house. It's a battle to get her to sleep and some nights, she just doesn't want to stay asleep.

Last week was a particularly rough week. Wednesday night, McKenzie went to sleep perfectly. I rocked her and put her down and all was well. Brian left for night shift, so it was just her and I. At about 1 a.m., the night from hell happened. She woke up and came to her door. She was calling for me. I went in and got her. I rocked her and sat with her and she went back to sleep...for 20 minutes. Then she was up again. I tried all of the tactics I knew. I made sure she had a clean diaper. She wasn't acting like she was in pain or not feeling well, but I checked her temperature anyway. Perfectly normal. She wasn't hungry or thirsty.

She just wanted to be awake.

And awake she was from 1 until 5 a.m. Just her and I. I was not happy. I begged and pleaded for her to sleep. It just wasn't happening. She wanted to talk and ask questions and babble. I ended up breaking my cardinal rule and brought her in to bed with me. She continued to lay there and talk until 5 a.m. I was so frustrated, but I was able to get a few minutes of sleep until my alarm went off at 5:40. Awesome. I just knew Thursday was going to be a great day...

I trudged through work and dealt with situations that tried my absolute patience. The end of the day came and I packed up to go home. I made it! I figured that Kenzie would have been so tired that she would have slept a lot at daycare. I arrived and asked how her day was...to which I received the response, "She fought nap hard, but eventually gave in". What was this child's aversion to sleep!!?!?!?!?!?!

We drove home and had a nice evening together. Brian and I had a discussion about how we needed to get out of the habit of me rocking her to sleep each night, because it wasn't good for her and won't be good for me if we end up getting pregnant again. I agreed, but know McKenzie. Things have to be gradual with her. She doesn't handle change well and abrupt and sudden change rocks her world. You'd think her Dad would understand this, since he is the exact same way, but sometimes the straight forwardness of being a police officer blinds him!

We started the bedtime routine and tried reading to her while she was in bed. She fought that. Then we tried reading to her while she sat in my lap on the floor. We wanted to remove the rocker from the situation because she associates that with being rocked to sleep. Well...she wouldn't even let us read to her on the floor. She kept going to the chair and pointing and saying, "Here. Here. Here", in the most pitiful little voice. She was breaking my heart.

At this point, she's was overly tired and screaming, I was exhausted. Brian and I were quietly fighting. We just weren't sure what the best way to handle the situation was. After many dirty looks to one another, we finally determined that this was not the night to break a routine. Everyone was exhausted and he was leaving for work. I rocked her to sleep. She slept through the night. Thank the Lord!

It was what happened in those moments after I started rocking that caught me off guard. It was in that moment that I felt our connection was stronger than ever.

Overly tired and frustrated, I sobbed as I rocked her to sleep. I wasn't sure how to break her of this, but I knew just putting her in the bed wasn't the answer. I sat rocking and crying...the really ugly, can't catch your breath, sobs kind of cry.

As I was crying, Kenzie reaching up and said, "Mama...Mama" with more concern in her voice that I have ever heard from her. She rubbed my cheek and just kept saying, "Mama sad. Mama sad". She kept leaning in to kiss me. Then it happened - the moment that made me sob even harder - she reached for my hand and held it as tight as she could. She pulled it towards her, kissed it and then drifted off to sleep, all while holding my hand tighter than she ever has before.

My sobs lessened and I looked at my little girl. The tears still streamed, though now for a different reason. It was in that moment that I realized, we get one another. She gets me and I get her. She knows my heart and I know hers. We have a connection that is strong and different. She is my girl.

I know there will come a time when we are warring and not the best of friends. My mom and I went through it. I know it will happen. I also know that most of our fights will come from the fact that we are so similar. She is my heart and soul and I thank God every day for the connection that I have with her.

Sleep's been great since and we've started transitioning...little by little. She's not fighting it nearly as much and we'll get there. We'll take baby steps and we'll get there. I know this. I know my girl.

Weekend Highlights

2014-01-27T08:51:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up with Jasam at The Opulent Owl for a weekend highlights series! Feel free to visit her and join in the link-up as well!

First, I'd like to thank those of you who kept my sister in your prayers. The messages and emails meant so much! She did great during the procedure and everything looks good with the AVM (well...as good as an AVM can look. It'll be even better when it's not there!). The surgeon was able to get all of the pictures that the radiation oncologist will need to determine strength of frequency of treatment. Those will be schedule in the near future and the process will begin. Although I know my sister is not looking forward to any of this, it's a step in the right direction - shrinking and ultimately diminishing the AVM, so it no longer poses a threat to my sister's health. I'll keep you posted.

Friday night, Brian, McKenzie and I decided that it would be a movie night! We ran out to Redbox and rented Despicable Me 2. It was adorable and Kenzie loved it. She kept saying Minion every time she say them and insisted that we put her hat on - just like the little girl, Edith, in the movie. This is how she watched almost all of the movie!

Saturday, we had a relaxing morning, with a pancake breakfast and play time. I was invited to a jewelry party with one of my good friend's, Heather, so this mama was able to sneak away for 2 hour to attend that! It was nice to have some adult conversation and interaction, without being needed every moment! I have not laughed that hard in forever! I'm very lucky to have such great friends and family in my life!

After the party, we stopped by my in-law's for dinner. My mother-in-law is an incredible cook and the company was even better! It was a great evening!

Sunday, we went to church! This has become a highlight for my week. McKenzie goes to the cribbery and has a great time playing with other children and Brian and I have a moment to ourselves...together. To reconnect, to refocus and to get our mind in the right place for the upcoming week. I am thankful that we've started attending again! It was never that easy with a baby. I always felt like I would spend my time in the cry room. Although I could still hear the service, I was distracted by McKenzie nursing on running around, so I often felt like I never got the full message. In my mind, what was the point of going just to say I went, when I wasn't getting anything out of the service or even hearing the message. I'm thankful McKenzie is older now and we are able to attend again.

We spent the afternoon visiting with my Dad, Step-Mom and brother. McKenzie was a ham and enjoyed spending time with them!

Then it was home to do laundry and prepare for the week! It wasn't a super eventful weekend, but one that was a great mix of fun and relaxation!

Ready to start this week, but already looking forward to the fun that's in store for the weekend! I get to see my old college roommate! I can't wait!

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures! I haven't been great about taking them lately! I promise I'll get better! :)

Five on Friday

2014-01-24T10:04:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Another week in the books! I'm not even sure how January is almost over! Time is flying.

One.

Please keep my sister in your prayers. I've written about her and her journey here. She is currently having an angiogram done today to view the size and placement of her AVM. The doctors want to see if there have been significant changes since her stroke. From here, they will determine the amount and frequency of radiation that she will need to undergo. She's as tough as they come, but still anxious about all of it. Please keep her in your thoughts!

Two.
I started reading The Fault In Our Stars Friday evening. By Monday morning, I was done. It was an incredible book and very fitting, because Sunday was the three year anniversary of me losing one of my best friends. You can read about it here. Although the premise of loss was different, I found myself deeply feeling what the characters were gong through. It wasn't a long book, but if you are looking for a great read, I highly recommend this book. I've clearly been bit by the reading bug! I just downloaded a new book for this weekend - The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I'm about 2 chapters in so far and love it!

Three.

I worked on an art project for Valentine's Day with McKenzie using the supplies below. How did it turn out? Check out the blog next week to find out!

Four.

So it's not the clearest picture, but it will do! We got a sneak peek at some of the photos from the wedding that I was recently in. They are beautiful and I can't wait to see more! Here are the girls from the wedding. Instead of flowers, we carried a muff, that had a broach and callalily attached to it. So fitting for a January wedding.

Five.

The weather has been crazy here this week with freezing temps and lots of snow. The sunrise before the storm was absolutely amazing though! Well worth all of the mess!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Check out Darci over at The Good Life Blog and her friends for some more Five on Friday Fun!

The time I met a boy and fell in love...

2014-01-22T09:56:00.002-05:00

That's when our story began. That's when I first met him. That's when I became one of the lucky ones.

Maybe I'm refusing to grow up but it seems like just yesterday. January 22, 2003.

It was a blind date. We both went to different schools. My best friend, Kara, who I went to school with was dating Mark. Mark went to school with Brian and they were friends. Kara had been talking about setting me up with Brian for a few months before we actually met. He had a girlfriend at the time, but Kara would always mention him in conversation and tout how perfect we would be for one another. I never gave it much thought.

Then January rolled around. Brian was newly single. There was testing at our school and if you were a Senior, you were exempt from the testing, so we weren't required to be at school until 11. Kara asked if I wanted to go out to breakfast with her and Mark and that I could meet Brian. I was hesitant, but said yes.

We all met at Kara's and headed to Einstein bagels for breakfast. I vividly remember seeing Brian for the first time and thinking...what in the world!? He had on an olive green bomber jacket -circa middle school. He had his arm in a sling. I wasn't even sure what I was getting myself in to. He was cute but his fashion sense was questionable at best.

Breakfast was uneventful. There was conversation but nothing noteworthy. I actually thought Brian was an ass. I noticed a large scar that spanned the entire length of his forearm. When I asked what had happened, he responded, "shark bite". Oh, so he thought he was funny. I never got the true story until later.

We ended breakfast and drove back to Kara's. We said our goodbyes and headed off to school. I honestly thought it was a flop of a date - he didn't even ask for my number!

Later that evening, my phone rang and it was Brian! I was shocked. He had gotten my number from Kara, which scored him a few more points in my eyes. We ended up talking for a decent amount of time and I enjoyed our conversation. He asked me out on a date the following Saturday, which ended up turning out much better than our breakfast date. He was a really great guy!

Throughout the years, we've had our ups and downs. We've been through a lot. Yet through it all, I've never been more thankful for that morning on January 22nd at the little bagel shop.

I love you Brian! Happy 11 years and here's to many more!

Look at the date! We were on a cruise on McKenzie's birthday!
Little did we know that 5 years later, we would welcome her into our lives!

Five on Friday

2014-01-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! We made it! It's time for the weekly edition of 5 on Friday! Link-up and join in the fun!

One.

This weekend, I am so excited that we have absolutely nothing major planned! Prior to October, we have had an event every weekend! Add in the craziness of the holiday season and this Mama is tired! We can do what we want to do and have no real obligations! Thank goodness!

Two.

Last weekend, Brian and I were both in a wedding in New Jersey. I can't wait for some of the pictures to be finalized, because I can't wait to show you. It was one of the nicest weddings that I've ever been to...and probably will ever go to! To give you some idea, Torrey Smith (wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens) had his wedding there over the summer. I can't even begin to describe it. The pictures will tell all! Stay tuned!

Three.

I received the Whitney English Day Designer for Christmas and I am loving it! So does someone else apparently!

I'm such a planner though and feeling like we need a way to organize the items for our home! I'm really loving the Emily Ley Simplified Life Binder.

I can see Brian rolling his eye's now...like how many binders do we really need! It's an illness, I'll admit it! Yet, if something ever happened to me, he would be able to pick up right where I left off...and I'm sure he'd be thankful for that! It's a purchase that's happening in the very near future!

Four.

McKenzie started a new class - gymnastics! We've done the MyGym routine before, but wanted to try something different. Tuesday night was her second session and was much better than the first. She completely didn't want to cooperate the first time! Circle time - no way! Following directions? It was as if we were speaking a different language!

This week it was like she was a different child! She engaged, tried new things and followed directions perfectly! What a toddler!

This class is a little chaotic, but fun. They're learning basic skills - such as tumblesaults, balance and going under and over obstacles. It goes until the end of March so I can't wait to see how much more she learns! Plus, we're taking it with friends - twins, which makes it that much better!

Five.

I am not a huge reader - other than blogs obviously - but I am feeling that need to read! I just want to unwind every night with a little reading. This ultimately means it will take me months to read a book, because I fall asleep after a few short minutes! I've heard great things about The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and have just downloaded it to start tonight! Have any of you read this yet?

What are some other great read's?

Check out Darci over at The Good Life Blog and her friends for some more Five on Friday Fun!

A Little Perspective

2014-01-15T13:47:00.002-05:00

I recently attended a retreat for a group that I'm a part of at work. It's a peer responder group that helps staff members remain resilient after stressful patient related events. Most of the time, it's from complicated care or unexpected outcomes. It's purpose is to treat the second victim in ways that minimize burnout and drop out. It's a truly great program!

What I thought was going to be a retreat to hone in on my peer responder skills, turned into a renewing and revitalizing retreat for me personally.

I've been feeling anxious and stressed. As most Mom's do, I often feel pulled in a million directions. As much as I try to remind myself that I am only one person and that the dishes/cleaning/straightening can wait, I also know that sometimes things need to get done and I'm not always able to play. It's a balance and one that continually strive to find.

McKenzie has been extra needy recently. There are weeks where she does great - actively playing on her own for small amounts of time and then, BAM! She needs me next to her for everything. And I mean like right next to her! Sitting near her isn't enough. You must be on the floor and she has to be in your lap. I often call her my kangaroo and tell her to get in my pouch, because I believe if she could, she would!

I know these moments are fleeting and that one day I will long for her to want to spend time with me. I know that she won't want me to be that close forever.

As I was thinking about all of that one my drive in, the retreat opened with this slide...

I could feel myself starting to fill up. It completely puts things into perspective. Whether we're going through a difficult time in life, or just the every-day struggles of motherhood and balance, these will be the most cherished times of my life.

I'm pretty sure this says it all. It's all about perspective. If I can remind myself of this daily, then I can learn to see the beauty of all of the these little moments...messy house and all!

Wake Up Call

2014-01-13T10:40:00.002-05:00

Sorry for my absence from this space, but the first few weeks of the new year have been eventful to say the least!

It all started with a health scare. I had a wonderful day with family on New Year's Day. Nothing out of the ordinary. I felt fine. Early in the evening, I developed horrible heartburn. I have never had heartburn prior to pregnancy and have never had it since I delivered McKenzie. I chalked it up to eating something that didn't agree with me. I took some Tums before I went to bed.

Brian was working night shfit, so it was just McKenzie and I. I tossed and turned all night and didn't sleep well at all. McKenzie cried out for me around 2 a.m. I got up to rock her. As I was sitting in the glider with her, my heart started racing and I broke out in to a cold sweat. Not sure what was causing it or what was going on, I put McKenzie back in bed (still not asleep and now screaming because she wanted me). I grabbed a glass of water, but that didn't help. I felt as though I was going to pass out and my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I messaged Brian.

While I was talking to him, I put on my heart monitor that I use when I work out. Sitting completely still, my heart was beating in the high 160's. Super scary. That's what is typically is when I'm running and working out.

He said that he was coming home and would be there as fast as he could. I hung up and Googled my symptoms. Many of them are the signs that women show when they are having heart problems. I went to the bathroom and found the baby aspirin. In my clouded mind, I swallowed the aspirin instead of chewing them. Duh...not as effective as quickly if it was heart trouble.

I felt worse. I was shaking and cold and felt as though I was going to pass out. I called Brian back and told him that I was going to call 911. The ambulance arrived a few minutes before he got home. He took over with Kenz, because up until this point, she was in my arms. She was as scared as I was and wasn't sure what was going on. I felt bad for scaring her.

The ambulance took me to the local hospital. I never had chest pain - just racing heart and a heaviness in my chest - not any real pain though. Either way, it was all super scary.

Brian ended up bringing Kenz to the hospital with him...poor girl at 3 a.m. That's the downside of having family, but living so far away. They would have taken an hour or so to get here. She was an angel though and curled up in his lap and pointed to things in the room. She is such a trooper.

My EKG's and labs all came back normal. They gave me IV fluids and when the bag was finished running, my heart rate had returned to normal. They discharged me and told me to follow-up with my doctor.

I was scared out of my mind. I'm am finally starting to feel good again. I researched it more over the past few days and some say that this can happen to women prior to getting their period. I fell right in that time frame, so I'm hoping that's causing all of this. If not, I'm at a loss. I've never had any issues before.

I write all of this to say that I'm going to start taking better care of myself. I need to work out more. I need to eat better. I need to take care of myself and I need to make the time to do it. Whether my lifestyle had anything to do with this incidient or not, the extra weight and unhealthy ways can't be good for my heart.

I joined Diet Bet and have until February 4th to lose 4% of my body weight. I paid $25 to join a competition with 525 other people who also bet $25. The pot is at $13,125. Whomever loses 4% of their inital weight wins and they split the pot. At the very least I'll get my $25 back and maybe a little more. I thought it would be a fun way to lose weight and as well as keep my honest and on track.

We shall see. All I know is that it's time to start taking care of me!

Five on Friday - Influenster Edition!

2014-01-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm joining Darci over at The Good Life Blog for our first edition of 5 on Friday for 2014! I'm resolutioned out, so I'm going to highlight the five items I received in my Jolly Vox Box from Influenseter.

I joined Influenster about a year ago. I signed up, messed around with it and then forgot about it. Something made me log on a few months ago and I'm so happy I did.

For those of you who don't know, Influenster is an an online community where you can learn about new products and review products that you love and use every day! The more active you are on the site, the more influential they deem you to be. The more socially connected you are, the better! By being active on their site and compelling "challenges", you qualify for boxes of new products that are sent to you for free to review! It's a win-win!

I received my first Vox Box before the holidays! I was literally running to the mailbox each day to see if it had arrived. I know...I need a life! It's the little things though.

I have to say, I was not disappointed!

I received the following items to review:

One.

Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer

I have to say, I was disappointed in the color. I instantly knew that the gold/nude tone was not going to work for this fair skinned blonde. I tried it anyway and I have to say, although not a fan of the color, I love the product. It's the perfect combination of lip stick color and lip gloss shine, without feeling heavy and bulky. I love some of the other colors they offer, so it's a future must have!

Two.

NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eye Shadow

THe HD Color Trio is perfect! I love the coverage and the colors. It's perfect to wear to work, but then create a smokier eye for the evening. The eye shadow lasted the entire day and didn't crease. I was so excited to receive this, because the colors are enough to look like you're wearing make-up, yet neutral enough to wear to work.

Three.

Duckling Mini Roll in Pink Zebra

This was such a fun item - The Duckling Mini-Roll in Pink Zebra. It's perfect for accenting arts and crafts. The options are endless with this product. Hang pictures with it, create a key colder, or wrap the tops of your keys to make them stand out. If you are having a themed party, you could even wrap water bottles to add a special touch to your party! This is just one of the many prints that Duckling makes. I completely plan on checking them all out and purchasing more!

Four.

Puff's Tissues To Go with Lotion

I've actually used the Puff's Plus Lotion tissues in the To-Go pack before, but I have to say, receiving them from Influenster was a great reminder of how perfect they are! With a messy toddler and cold season in full-force, I carry these with me in my purse and in my car. You never know when a mess will occur!

Five.

Skinny Cow Candy - Chocolate Peanut Butter

Skinny Cow has nailed it with this one! I've been a fan of the ice cream sandwiches, but the recently started delving into the candy world. For 130 calories a pack (which includes three chocolate squares), these are the perfect "cheat day" item. You can satisfy our craving with this milk chocolate and peanut butter candy, while not breaking the calorie bank!

I'm off to have a relaxing weekend with no real plans other than to relax and catch up with friends!

Have an incredible weekend!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

New Year...New Goals

2014-01-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

It’s my favorite time of year! The time that I always find myself making resolutions and setting goals that I fail to keep! More often than not, it’s because I set an unattainable and unrealistic goal! Who wouldn't want to lose 60 pounds and look like a Victoria’s Secret model!? Am I right? The one thing I've realized though is that these unattainable goals lead to failure. I start off strong each year, but my mid-February, I've lost sight of the goal. This year, I’m going to follow tried and true advice. My goal is going to be attainable and realistic. Ready for it?

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I’m going to eat healthy and work-out at least 3 times a week. That’s attainable right? With God’s grace, 2014 will be a year of growth for our family, so although I'd love to be losing weight, it may not be about that. It quite possibly could about be about being healthy and active while gaining weight…if you get my drift!

Here’s my plan of attack: Choose healthier options while cooking at home or eating out. Instead of the second helping, use portion control. Instead of French fries and carbs, choose a veggie, salad or grilled chicken. By making small, but conscious decisions, it’s my hope that it becomes a new way of life. If the reward to that is losing weight, then it’s an added reward. Regardless, I will feel better and be healthier and that’s all I could hope and wish for in 2014!

Here’s to an incredible 2014 and to keeping our resolutions!

Happy New Year!

2014-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Happy New Year from Heartbeats and Little Feet! I'll be enjoying the day with my family and hope you are as well!

I'll be back tomorrow to share in some of my goals for the New Year! See you then!

New Year's Eve Reflection

2013-12-31T21:42:00.001-05:00

It's 8:51 on New Year's Eve and I'm sitting here with two of the three dogs curled up next to me. McKenzie is asleep (and went down without a fight!) and Brian is at work with Kilo. They should be home by 10, so my night will end perfectly - with my love by my side.

I sit here as the last few hours of 2013 wind down. While most are preparing to head out to dinner parties and a night of drinking, I sit here alone. I'm alone, yet my heart is happy. 2013 has blessed us immensely.

Today highlights exactly just how blessed we are...

- I woke up this morning. I was healthy and alive. I had no aches and pains. I wasn't plagued with disease.

- I woke up early to get ready for work. I have a job. I can provide for my family. I am thankful.

- I drove to work. I have a reliable form of transportation me to places safely.

- I was able to leave work early to come home to be with McKenzie. I have an employer who understands that importance of family and allows me to be flexible.

- I came home to relieve Brian. He headed to work and I got to be with McKenzie. A double blessing. Brian is employed and provides for our family and I have a healthy daughter who squealed with excitement when she heard the garage door and realized that I was home.

- We spent the afternoon running errands to plan for the perfect evening together. Although we're not going out, we know how to make our own fun. We are able to afford to do fun things.

- I spent the evening creating a fun evening for McKenzie and I. A night that included dinner at her new Ikea table and chairs in the living room. Chinese carry-out for dinner. Sparkling grape juice. New Year's hats and noise makers. Simple cups that we decorated together to toast the evening and a New Year together.

- I've got a healthy toddler who ate two helpings of chicken fried rice and spent the entire dinner raising her glass and saying cheers! Be still my heart!

- We've got a warm house to do all of this in.

- We've got friends and family that we've talked to and exchanged texts with. We are loved.

- I've got a toddler who went to bed without a fit. A toddler who chose a prayer book to read before bed tonight. This literally made me tear up. Although not a conscious choice, it was a perfect book to read tonight. To give thanks for what a great year it's been.

- I've got a moment to myself. Although sometimes few and far between, they are cherished. It makes me a better person and a better mom.

- I've got a husband who will be home to me in an hour. He is the love of my life, soul mate and partner in crime. I'm blessed beyond words to be sharing this life with him.

- We've got the evening to spend together. With unhealthy snacks (that will all change tomorrow!) and champagne to toast at midnight.

- We've got tomorrow off to spend together with family. What a perfect way to start the new year!

2013...you've been amazing! Thank you for all of your blessings.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Low Key New Years Celebration

2013-12-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new Heartbeats and Little Feet! If you've followed me over from Wordpress, thank you! If you're a new follower, welcome! Stay for awhile and enjoy!

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Today is one of those days that is filled with excitement. Not because we are preparing to go out and celebrate with a late night out on the town. Not because we are hosting guests at our house or attending a lavish party. Today is a great day because it's the last day of the year. A day to reflect on the past, to wrap up loose ends and to set goals for the new year. Tomorrow is a day of fresh starts and new beginnings and I find something so refreshing in it!

As I wrap up the loose ends of projects at work and organization of our newly acquired Christmas gifts, I look forward to what 2014 has in store for us.

Brian typically works on New Years so that leaves a little one tucked into bed and a tired mama who struggles to make it to midnight. As McKenzie gets older, I hope to incorporate fun traditions for our family - even if it just happens to be the two of us.

For those of you heading out this evening, enjoy! I'll be snuggled up at home with a fun little 19 month old and waiting for my first kiss of the New Year when my love gets home!

With that said...

2013 - thanks for being a great year! It was filled with an abundance of love, laughter, incredible experiences, lessons learned and new beginnings.

2014 - please be as kind as 2013. Continue to bless our family. Keep us all safe, healthy and happy. I'm looking forward to what you have in store!

Happy New Year's Eve!

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2013-12-30T06:14:00.003-05:00

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What a Difference

2013-12-30T00:00:00.001-05:00

I'm back! I enjoyed the past week with my family and spending some much-needed time away from work! It was amazing and I am sad to be returning to work today! The week went so quickly! We were busy with family visits starting on Christmas Eve until Saturday night! It was craziness, but such great moments. We loved all of the time we spent with our family and were spoiled beyond words! We are so lucky!

One of the highlights from our time off was a get together that we had with our friends. All of the husband's are fellow police officers and all of the wives were pregnant together - completely unplanned. We all became good friends during this time and now the babies are friends as well!

We've made it a tradition to get all of our babies together each Christmas. We decided it would be cute to put the kids in their PJ's and to snap photos each year. Last year, the babes were so young - from left to right - Brooklyn - 6 months, JoJo - 9 months, Kenzie - 7 months.

Look at how big they've gotten! It's amazing the difference a year makes! Last year, JoJo had mastered sitting up, McKenzie was just starting to on a regular basis and Brooklyn was just at the very beginning of sitting up - someone propped her up and let her go just in time for us to snap the picture!

This year, they were moving targets and impossible to get all looking in the same direction or sitting still at the same time! I love these pictures and look forward to this tradition for years to come!

Here's hoping you all had a lovely Christmas!

Merry Christmas...from our Family to Yours

2013-12-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! I hope that your days are filled with love, memories and everything that this season represents! I'll be missing from this space for the next week or so, but will be back with New Year's posts and lots of re-caps of our Christmas fun! In the meantime, enjoy this time and I'll see you soon!

Tinsel - Our Elf

2013-12-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

I debated long and hard as to whether or not we wanted to start the Elf on the Shelf tradition with McKenzie this year. To me, she seemed too young to grasp the concept of a magical elf reporting back to Santa each night.

Then Halloween came. We don't have many Halloween decorations, but I thought it was important to be festive and put some out. I made a mental note to buy more decorations for next year.

Since we didn't have that many decorations, they are stored in a bin with the other various holiday decorations - Valentine's Day and Easter. As we were decorating, McKenzie found the bin - along with the ceramic white bunny. That bunny became her best friend. She brought us each to the spare bedroom to show us the bunny and would say, "Shh..bunny sleeping." It was hilarious!

Being the slackers that we are, the bin never made its way back to the attic. It remained in our spare bedroom until the end of October. Each morning, McKenzie would run from her bedroom to see the bunny. She loved it! The bunny became our best friend, as well. It became the ultimate distraction technique. Need to sneak out of the house in the morning to leave for work? Kenzie and Dad would go on a hunt to find the bunny. She would bring her Cheerios to bait the bunny and feed it breakfast. So cute! Temper tantrum that just wouldn't end? "Shh....the bunny's sleeping" would stop her in her tracks every time.

That's when Brian and I decided that the elf was well worth it this year! Even if she doesn't understand the full magic of the elf, she loves searching for him each day and will circle back to wave to him and offer him snacks throughout the day. We've been very aware of where we place the elf, as to not tempt her too much, but she has been surprisingly good about not touching him!

So with love, we welcomed Tinsel into our lives. He joined our family the day after we set-up our tree - November 24th. Brian was hesitant at first to start this so early, but then he realized that I may be more excited for the Elf than McKenzie.

There were in-depth conversations over whether or not we should have a boy elf or a girl elf. Brian laughed hysterically at me when I told him that we had to get a boy elf. In my mind, elves are boys and (I know...this next comment is going to sound so bad....) boy elves take behaving much more serious than girl elves. Girl elves tend to give second chances and reminders. Boy elves are going to present the straight facts to Santa! See why he was laughing?! It's just how my mind works!

Once we decided on a boy elf, then came lengthy debates over his name. We liked Jingle and Chip (short for chocolate chip), but ultimately wanted something that we thought McKenzie would say. We chose Tinsel. The name also pays direct homage to the grandmother's - one who dislikes Tinsel and never allowed it growing up (my mom!) and the other who is the sole reason that Tinsel companies are still in business (Brian's Mom).

Needless to say, we love the name and love even more when McKenzie yells - Tin-Sell each morning as she runs to search for him.

We've had some fun with this! Below are some of Tinsel's favorite hiding spots! As an aside: It's our first year, so we're excited. Don't hate because we planned out a calendar full of ideas a month in advance. There were still nights we forgot to move Tinsel, but all in all, it's been fun!

5 on Friday | December - Week 3 - McKenzie's Favorite Things Edition

2013-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up with Darci and friends from the good life blog for another version of 5 on Friday! This week's theme is McKenzie'z Favorite Things! These aren't necessarily things that she's wishing for from Santa, but items that we have and love and think you should too!

ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE

One.
Fisher Price Little People Christmas Story! This was actually an early Christmas present to McKenzie this year from her grandmother. We wanted her to be able to play with the set and really enjoy it. It was also a great time to incorporate the Christmas story in to her play-time. She loves the set and little animals and even says Jesus...well, more like Cheeze-us, but we know what she means! If we ask her to find Jesus, she runs and gets the little baby in the manger! So sweet!

Two.
Mr. Christmas Red Lighted Goodnight Lights Ornament! Kenzie received this little ornament as an early Christmas present, as well. I had never seen something like this before, but thought that it was a novel idea. The ornament is Santa holding a candle. It has wires running down the back of the ornament that you run through your tree. These wires are attached to a box that you plug-in to the electrical outlet. One you hang the ornament and run the green wires down through the tree (just as you would your light wires), you plug your lights into the box and the box into the electrical outlet. That's when the magic happens. The candle has a small pin-sized hole in the front of it. If you want to turn the lights the Christmas tree lights on, you blow on Santa's candle. If you want to turn them off, you blow the candle out. It's adorable and McKenzie loves it. She can't walk by the tree without pretending to blow out the candle. She doesn't have the height or enough power, but it's fun all the same! Plus, Brian and I love it, because it means that we don't have to maneuver around/under the tree to get the lights plugged in. It's adorable! Check it out!

Three.
Highlights! For those of you who grew up in the 80's, you probably already remember this magazine. I know I loved it! There were stories, crafts and hidden picture puzzles. My mom mentioned that there was a new version out for toddlers - Highlights Hello. I was so excited! We signed McKenzie up and she now she receives her own mail and magazine each month. The books are amazing. Toddler sized and printed on durable paper that can't be torn and can be cleaned!

Amazing! Printed with non-toxic ink, the magazine's durability was even tested by being placed in a washing machine! As good as new!

McKenzie loves the short stories, the songs and the hidden picture puzzles. There are even tips throughout the book for parents on how to incorporate the themes, stories and songs into learning each day. Plus, it's one of those books that's small enough to throw in to the diaper bag or purse and will keep her occupied forever! Love!

Four.
Rileyroos! These have been our go-to shoes since McKenzie started wearing shoes. Sadly, her big feet no longer fit in them, so we've had to move on.

These shoes are developmentally friendly, with flexible soles and curled toes to provide leverage as your little one learns to crawl. They are lightweight and perfect for providing the protection and traction that little ones need...all while imitating barefoot walking. Plus, Rileyroos is a local company from Baltimore - a win-win! Kenzie literally had shoes to match each of her outfits. I know...it's an obsession!

If you're looking for adorable shoes, that both you and your baby/toddler will love, check out Rileyroos!

Five.
Crochet Creations by Bibi! Need a small gift that's affordable, yet personalized for babies, toddler's, tween's or even adults? Then check out my mother-in-law's page! She's working on getting her Etsy page up, but for now, Facebook is it! She has created some adorable hats and will work to create a personalized piece just for you! Don't see what you want? Send her a picture with your request and she'll create it for you! What talent! Hats range from $7 to $18 (plus shipping) and are completed within a few days! Check out her page and let her know that you heard about her from Heartbeats and Little Feet. There may just be a surprise in it for you!

Side note: Bibi is what Kenzie calls her grandmother. Both my mother-in-law and father-in-law refused to pick their Grandparent names, so we chose for them. It was a very scientific choosing. Brian typed Grandmother and Grandfather in to Google translate. And there you have it...Bibi and Babu - Grandmother and Grandfather in Swahili. I bet they wish they had thought that decision through! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Our Christmas Card | Photo Affections

2013-12-19T00:00:00.001-05:00

This year, I found a killer deal on Living Social for Christmas cards. I had never heard of or used Photo Affections before, but I thought...why not!? I was not disappointed!

Their site was user-friendly and I loved their layouts. There were so many to choose from, I had a hard time deciding. In the end, I created 8 different options. I printed samples of each and took them home to Brian for him to narrow them down! It was a tough decision, but here's the one we chose!

I love how they turned out. The order shipped promptly and I received the cards about a week after I created them. I did order these in October though, so maybe I beat some of the rush!? I know...so Type A!

What blew me away about this company was their customer service. About 2 weeks ago, I received a complete duplicate order of our Christmas cards again! I panicked thinking that I must have accidentally hit the "Re-Order" button when I was on their site. I logged in to my bank account to check, but no charge. Hmmmmm. Strange. I ended up calling their customer service department. As soon as I explained to them that I received a duplicate order but was not charged for it, they explained. They informed me that another customer called and said that they had issues with the paper of their cards (apparently, it appeared as if something had spilled on them), so Photo Affections pulled all orders that were created from the lot of matte paper that the other's customer's cards had come from and re-created the order. They didn't want any other customer's having the same issue and having any delay in receiving corrected Christmas cards if there were issues.

I thought that was super of this company - even when our cards were completely perfect! So, for $20, I ended up with 140 beautiful matte Christmas cards! What a deal!

I most certainly will be using them in the future for all of our printing needs!

P.S. I love receiving Christmas cards! It's the highlight of my day this time of year! It's like having little surprises in your mail each day! Love it!

Fall Photo Shoot

2013-12-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

Now that the Christmas cards have been mailed, I can finally reveal the pictures from our fall photo session! I love, love, love the pictures. McKenzie was incredibly uncooperative that day, but Beth our photographer happened to snap some adorable pictures! If you are in the Maryland/Delaware/Pennsylvania area, I highly recommend Beth from Beth Sabia Photography! She is great with kids and incredibly talented!

Here are some of our favs!

I love capturing a new family portrait at the same time each year! Look at the difference a year makes! This will be a tradition in our household each year so that we always have an updated family photo to look back on! Love it!

2012 Fall Family Photo

2013 Fall Family Photo

Dear Life... Letters from a Tired Mama

2013-12-17T07:32:00.001-05:00

Today, I am choosing to write letters of "concern" to the areas of my life in which I am struggling. Think of it as the angry holiday shopper, who is being rude to the store employee's, demanding something or other at customer service and who is voicing their concern...loud and clear! Yep...that's me! That's where I am!

Dear Daylight Savings,
Give me my baby back! I can't solely blame it on you, but I will. Ever since you appeared, McKenzie fails to sleep past 5:45 a.m. We've been uber productive recently, but that's because we're up, fed, and dressed all before 7. Give me back my baby that used to sleep until 8:30/9.

Dear Sleep Regression,
I want my baby back as well! You know...the one who used to sleep soundly throughout the night. This tired Mom needs a break. I need the baby that would sleep 12 plus hours. Not the one who now finds it fun to wake up any time between 1 and 3 each night to check in on me. The toddler that likes to be rocked, but refuses to fall back to sleep until 4:30, when my alarm goes off at 5. At that point, if I'm lucky, I can get dressed in peace. Most mornings, I have a sidekick. Drying and styling your hair with one hand (because someone needs to be held) is a fine art. I'm begging, let my toddler sleep!

Dear Molars,
I believe you are breaking through. I also believe that you are working hand-in-hand with Daylight Savings and Sleep Regression. It's not nice to gang up on people. I don't have solid proof of your arrival, (because checking could mean possibly having one less finger - due to a crazy toddler chomping down) yet I believe that you are here. You, my friend, are a part of her moodiness and sleepless nights. Just show up already so we can be done with this whole teething thing. It seems as though you are also friends with Karma...because we basically survived all other teething sessions without incident yet somehow you want to really drive the point home with this one.

Dear Tantrum Throwing 19-Month Old,
Mommy loves you so much, but I've had enough. I'm so thankful that you are a healthy and independent little person. I love that you have found your voice, but the constant screams of "Stop!" and the screaming every time you don't get your way has to stop. You've made your point. You're mad. I get it. I still doesn't change the fact that you have to get in to the car seat to get home. Now let's move on, so we can end our day - at home and preferably happy!

Dear Husband,
Thank you for sharing the duties with me and getting up with McKenzie in the middle of the night. You're probably doing this more for your own safety, because you'd truly have a crazy person to live with if not...but nonetheless, I'm thankful.

And in the true spirit of the holiday season...

Dear God,
Thank you for giving me McKenzie. I'll take the sleep deprived nights, the tantrums and the fits, because that means that I am blessed. Please give me the strength and patience, and maybe even a few more hours (or minutes) of sleep each night. Amen.

Merry Mail Holiday Exchange

2013-12-16T00:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! This week is my last full week of work before having some time off and I absolutely can't wait! Here's hoping the week goes quickly!

Today, I'm linking up again with Kenzie over at Chasing Happy for a Christmas Ornament Exchange! Kenzie graciously organized, grouped and distributed contact information for all those participating. I was paired with Jess from Objessions and Kendra-lee Roger from Rogers Family Assemble. Without further ado - here are the ornaments that I received:
Jess from Objessions sent me this sparkly Santa belt ornament. It turned out perfectly even though she was injured! She cut her finger while making pies, but still managed to create this amazing ornament - even with a bandaged finger!

Love from Objessions!

Kendra-lee from Rogers Family Assemble sent me this adorable felt Christmas tree! I wish I was crafty when it came to sewing, but since I went to a private school, home-economics classes were not a requirement - therefore I never learned how to properly sew! It's never too late, right? Kendra even managed to do this with a 5 month old baby to take care of as well! Love!

Perfect tree from Kendra-lee

Although not assigned to my group, I realized that Jasam from The Opulent Owl was also participating in the swap. We decided to exchange with one another as well! Here's the adorable gingerbread house that she sent me! I slightly ruined the surprise when I saw a sneak peak on Instagram and liked it...oops! So much better in person, now that it's completely finished and on our tree! I love it!

Love this little house!

Thank you all so much for participating in the Merry Mail Ornament swap! I love these ornaments and they will be added to our family tree for many years to come!
Wondering what I sent them?
I wanted to do something different than the traditional ornament, so I re-purposed a spoon and created a snowman!

I'll check back in with a tutorial on how I made them!

5 on Friday | December Edition - Week 2 - Gift Edition

2013-12-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Only one more Friday until Christmas! I can't even believe how quickly this holiday season has gone! This week I wanted to highlight a few gifts that I love this year! Here's hoping they inspire you for some last-minute shopping!

One.
Color Me Monthly!

If you or someone in your life loves nail polish, than this one is for you! Color Me Monthly is a box subscription for nail polish. For $7 a month, a new color is delivered directly to your door step! The colors are incredible and the nail polish is non-toxic and carcinogen free! Plus, the polish itself holds up just as long...if not longer...then brand name polishes! I absolutely love this and the surprise that each month brings when the box arrives!

Each month, a simple box will arrive. Color Me Monthly believes in no-fuss packaging to keep their cost low. Once you open your box, you'll receive you nail polish and a Haiku to accompany your new perfect color! What's not to love! You can sign up for monthly subscriptions or give 6 or 12 month gifts. It's a perfect gift for those teenagers and women alike!

Two.
Alex and Ani

Love, love love Alex and Ani. I know that these have been around for some time now, but I absolutely love their bangle bracelets. Each bangle comes with a charm. You choose what represents you! Currently, my bracelets consist of May's birthstone, the letter 'M' for Mom and/or Megan, the path of life charm, and the key to my heart charm. Each has a special meaning to me and each reminds me throughout the day of who I am and why I do what I do.

Most of my charms are the Russian Silver finish, but I plan on adding some color in the near future! I love these because they are a great reminder and piece of jewelry for me to wear each day without being over the top. It goes great with my work clothes, as well as casual weekend wear - plus McKenzie loves playing with them! Great distraction technique! Plus, I get so many compliments on them!

Three.
Sloane Ranger

Looking for the perfect crossbody bag, tote or weekender, then look no further. Sloane Ranger has it all. With a variety of patterns to choose from, these preppy bags are perfect for those with the need for style, yet functionality. Printed on durable canvas, these adorable totes are as functional as they are stylish and fun!

Four.
May Books

For those of you who love carrying a notebook with you (because inevitably you'll always need to write something down!), then May books by May Designs are for you! Completely customizable, these 5 x 8 canvas coated paper covered planner are amazing!

You can choose to design your book online in real-time. You pick out your color, then choose your monogram, font and color! Amazing! You easily could spend hours on this site designing multiple books.

After you are done designing, you choose the kind of pages that are right for you. There are 15 options that include planners, lined pages, blank pages, exercise journal, wedding and bump diaries and more!

Check them out today and have fun creating! I've created one for McKenzie. I was going to keep a written journal of each month's milestone's, but then have been doing so on the blog. It's new use will be to jot down all of the hilarious things that she says as she starts to talk more and more! I can't wait to fill the book as a journal to look back on as she grows!

Five.
Personalized Otterbox Cases

As Mom's, we know that our phones no longer are our own. Despite our best efforts, little hands grab our phones. The same little hands also drop and throw our phones. I've learned how important it is to have a tough case that can withstand all of the drops. I love Otterbox's but hate that they were so generic. Well...problem solved! Lipstick Shades offers customizable Otterbox cases! You choose the color, the background, the monogram and more! Amazing! If you're looking for a tough case with a feminine look, than this is the case for you!

Happy shopping and happy weekend!

Holly Jolly PJ Party

2013-12-10T01:00:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up with Darci, Ashley, Jenny, Julie and Natasha for their Holly Jolly PJ Party Link-up!

I can't even begin to tell you how many pairs of Christmas pajamas this little girl has. Fair warning...picture overload. I just couldn't choose. There's something so innocent about a little girl in cute pajamas in front of a Christmas tree! Some of these are my favs of the season so far!

Love how big her little belly looks in this one...although it's really just the PJ's

It was even fun to decorate the dog! he's such a good sport!

We didn't get through all of the pajamas that she has, because I started taking pictures later than I wanted, but you get the idea! Amazingly adorable!

Happy Holidays and thanks for joining me for another amazing pajama party!

Fabulous Holiday Fun!

2013-12-09T05:56:00.001-05:00

What a weekend! Busy yet so much fun!

Kenzie is in love with Christmas lights. She ohhh's and ahhh's as we pass houses with lights. She points out her window and giggles. As more and more people are putting their lights up,there's even more to look at. Friday night after dinner, we decided to drive to the Herr's Factory to look at the light display that they put up. It was a great night, filled with Christmas music on the radio, and pretty lights to see. Kenzie loved it! It was raining, so we didn't get a chance to get out and walk around, but still so worth it. Here are some pictures that we captured!

Saturday, we spent the morning doing laundry and cleaning up the house. We were hoping to get the outside decorated, but ran out of time! We're hoping to get it done some time this week so that McKenzie has time to enjoy them before the holidays are over. As an aside, I have never been a fan of lawn decorations at Christmas and I refuse to get a blow-up one, but a simple light up snow man or reindeer may be in our future. Kenzie would love it, since she's obsessed with Frosty!

A-Ra, Jessica's Aunt, spoiled her by buying her every Christmas movie possible. We've watched a few of them, but Frosty is her favorite! She marches around the house they way Frosty and his crew marches around town. Her stomping is hilarious...she only marches with one foot. It's adorable!

Saturday evening, we went to dinner to celebrate my Mom's birthday. It was a great evening had by all and we are lucky to have her in our life. After dinner, we stopped at a local creamery that makes homemade ice cream. Kenzie's patience was starting to wear thin, so I downloaded the JibJab Elf Dance App. I quickly snapped pictures of everyone and created an elf dance sketch. She loved it! It kept her laughing for the rest of the evening! Oh technology! I highly recommend this distraction technique!

On Sunday, we took McKenzie to have breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus. From a distance, Kenzie thought Santa was the coolest. She would point to him, smile and wave. Up close, she didn't care for him too much! She didn't scream, but was really unsure. Look at her clenched little fists. I think Mrs. Claus was our saving grace! Very cute little breakfast put on by our local volunteer fire house.

It started snowing around 11 yesterday and didn't stop until the evening. Then we had bouts of freezing rain and sleet overnight.

We spent the day making cookies with my Mother-in-law, Mom and sister. It was such a nice way to spend a cold, winter day. There is more baking in store, but we had to call it quits so that we could get home before the roads got too bad.

Kenzie is currently spending the day at home with Brian and loving life! I can't even stand how cute these pictures are!

Hope everyone had a great week!