Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom

The Great Nursery Tour 2012

2012-02-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

When I began to plan out the nursery tour post, I initially thought of photographs- lots and lots of images to showcase the work that's been put into our baby's room. But then the wheels started turning and I asked myself why I would do anything the easy way. After all, this was a classic opportunity to make things REALLY FREAKING COMPLICATED. So I decided to toss a video tour in for all of you too (despite the fact that working with iMovie is clearly not my strong suit), because you don't get the full effect of the room from the pictures. So here is the long-awaited nursery tour. I hope you all enjoy taking a peek into our home!

As a side note, I do realize that the video ends pretty abruptly but I would like to blame that on the fact that my iPhone keeps running out of memory to record new videos. That may or may not be related to the fact that I seem to be incapable of deleting old videos out of it's memory like Nathaniel's first steps or tummy time when Evie was still a teeny, tiny baby. At any rate, we hope you enjoyed a peek into our house. Stay tuned for more house-related goodness. Next up... the family living space turned master bedroom!

Encouragement Sans Bribery

2012-02-22T11:09:00.003-06:00

Click image to see daily photo.

Not Sure Who Taught Him That But...

2012-02-22T09:41:00.000-06:00

These days are filled with new discoveries and exploration, for both kids. It's so precious to watch them learn about the world around them- whether it means that bugs aren't scary or that we have fingers AND toes! While my days are filled with answering questions about why we can't ride the baby like a horse, I sometimes forget to incorporate lessons into everyday life... but I've realized that the toddler is learning them anyway. He's like a sponge, that one.

This morning, as we sat at the breakfast table, Nathaniel looked outside. He sat in his high chair, admiring the blanket of snow on our deck and promptly announced, "Snow! Melt... water."

I have no idea who taught him that snow melts into water or if he just figured that out for himself as he watched the droplets trickle away in the sunshine, but honestly, that kid doesn't miss a thing.

Kashi and Counting

2012-02-20T07:30:00.000-06:00

These days, the toddler is busy putting more and more words together and like any little person, that includes counting. Counting cars, legos, and even houses on a long car drive (though we mercifully max out at the number twenty). So in honor of toddlerhood in all of it's numerous glory, I wanted to share Nathaniel's love of numbers (and Kashi cereal) with all of you today.

Click here to watch if you're using a mobile device.

Life, According to My iPhone

2012-02-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

Shopping for nursery decor with my helper. Mirror snuggles with the little lady. The view on our way up north- a tunnel through solid rock. Enjoying the benefits of a night away from the littles. Learning how to shop with the world's smallest grocery carts. Relishing the bounty of our shopping trip with an ode to Beyonce the Chicken. Hiking with the babe. Cheesing it up on Valentine's Day in the tub. Can you say avocado? Attempting to learn the fine art of sitting up.

Bits and Pieces of the Nursery

2012-02-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Remember last July when I dangled our nursery in front of your collective faces? That was when we put together all the pieces of the bedding and stood back in awe of my mother's sewing abilities.

But once the littlest member of our family arrived, the progress on her nursery stalled... for five long months.

One evening a few weeks ago, I was sitting in our glider nursing Evelyn and I realized how badly I wanted to create a special space for her, just like we did for her brother. So that night, I announced to my husband that we were beginning the process of finishing her nursery and I immediately employed my man to hang a shelf that had been sitting dormant in her closet for far too long. It's true- I'm not known for my patience, but to his credit, Jonathan was on-board with the project. He broke out the power drill and had that shelf installed in short order.

Now, several weeks later, I am bursting with excitement to share the finished nursery with all of you, but as I'm still waiting for one last piece to arrive in the mail from an online shop, I'm biding my time and giving you all a preview of things to come. So for your viewing pleasure... bits and pieces of our nursery!

Check back soon for the full tour!

Sweet Finds: Pong

2012-02-15T13:41:00.000-06:00

By now, most of you know that I'm a little on edge when it comes to matters of health. I'm the girl who is slathering on the hand sanitizer behind you in church after the obligatory hand-shaking and GOD FORBID that I should ever touch a menu without wet wipes at hand. Yes, there are definitely some issues to be worked out over here but in the meantime, I'm always on the lookout for neat gadgets that can take that paranoia down a few levels, like Pong.

Not just a game for undergraduates anymore, Pong is a company that manufactures cell phone cases that protect you from radiation. So, if you're like me and you're never more than three feet away from your phone at any hour of the day, it's probably a pretty sound investment. Especially when you're also never more than three feet away from your children. After all, as paranoid as I am about my own health, I'm that much more worried about keeping my kids from developing some sort of bizarre illness.

The folks at Pong kindly sent out their iPhone case and I have to admit, I was really impressed with it. It's easy to snap on to the phone and it's done a stellar job protecting my favorite Apple product from toddler hands that are all too eager to snatch up that electronic device the moment that I avert my gaze.

Lest you aren't convinced yet (and let's be honest, I was skeptical at first too), this isn't just some ploy to grab up your hard-earned dollars in a down economy. This sucker has been designed to protect users from radiation and is the only product of it's type that has been proven to work in labs certified by the FCC. And if that isn't enough for you, it's also an excellent teaching tool for your kids. Thanks to Pong, Nathaniel now knows the color gween.

So whether you're bathing in Purell every five minutes or encouraging your kids to get out and eat some dirt, Pong is there to ensure that we can all raise our kids in a safer environment. And in our house, that's certainly good enough for me.

The fine print: I was not paid to write about my newfound adoration for Pong's iPhone cases. Because they wanted to share the love with all of you, I received a complimentary case so I could try it out and spill the beans about this sweet new find. For more information about new deals and products, feel free to "like" Pong on Facebook.

My Valentine: Romantic Getaway and Super Dad

2012-02-14T13:35:00.000-06:00

Since it's Valentine's Day, it seems only appropriate that today is the day that I finally share the details of the romantic getaway that Jonathan planned to celebrate our three-year anniversary. Though we both agreed that it felt more like a ten-year (hello house, two pregnancies, and two children later), the time away was so special and very needed.

The first night of our trip brought out the true romantic in my husband; Italian food and the same resort that we stayed at on our wedding night. And though we really had to struggle to make it possible, we actually spent one night SANS KIDS. Be amazed, folks.

The next morning after we rocked the waffle bar and picked up Evelyn to join us for the remainder of our vacation, Jonathan surprised me with the keys to a sweet little cottage on the shore that was ours for the next few days. That meant that I got to wake up to views like this every single morning, which I wouldn't have traded for the world.

We spent a lot of time outdoors and braved the weather to hike to the top of a bluff on the Superior Hiking Trail. Hiking with a baby wasn't the easiest move, but admittedly she and I both stayed pretty toasty.

The view was definitely worth the work, even if it was awfully windy at the very top.

Naturally, the wind was enough to awaken the sleeping princess from her beauty sleep so we took the opportunity to snag a quick picture.

Unfortunately, that was the point where the littlest one decided that she was done hiking and being held in the carrier and WE NEED TO EAT THIS VERY MOMENT. So in a tribute the days of the pioneers, I nursed my baby in the Northwoods. She stayed nice and warm in her down snowsuit; I on the other hand, was trying not to freeze with the winter breeze on my bare stomach. Brr.

Once lunchtime was over, I passed the little lady off to her Daddy and gratefully bundled myself back up. It was a hike to remember.

The next day, we headed into Grand Marais to do a little exploring. We wandered in and out of some tiny shops and enjoyed the local cuisine.

It's true, Sven and Ole's is some of the best, non-greasy pizza I've eaten. And you just can't go wrong with pizza.

While we were in Grand Marais, I was instantly drawn to the snow sculptures and ALL OF MY DREAMS HAVE COME TRUE- A GIANT CUPCAKE! Jonathan was understandably horrified to take my picture as I was about to eat my way through heaven.

But that really represents the best part of getting away- the time to relax, to goof off, and to remember why we were attracted to each other in the first place. To have that time together, away from the tantrums of someone who feels entitled to anything and everything in sight, was such a gift. So with our time away at an end, we headed back down to Duluth, just in time to attend the Father-Daughter Valentine Ball.

Jonathan and Evelyn both got spiffed-up for their big night out (which they graciously allowed me to tag along as the photographer, since I was also asked to attend by my Dad) and I convinced them to pose for a few pictures. And yes, Jonathan even got a tiny little corsage for his date.

The dance was wonderful and more quality time was spent together. Though the food was great and the company of friends and family was equally as wonderful, I will always remember that night with this image.

When it all comes down to it, with a guy that cares this much, I couldn't ask for a better Valentine. Love you, babe!

First Attempts

2012-02-10T11:09:00.000-06:00

Click image to see daily photo.

Holding it Together

2012-02-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

Continuing the saga that has become our roller coaster lives lately, Jonathan left our house shortly after 5am yesterday to fly partway across the country to visit with family and attend his grandmother's funeral. While we are all glad that she is no longer suffering, she will be deeply missed and I wanted nothing more than to be able to support my husband at the funeral. But remember this? Yes, Queen of the Snot Rockets, herself. In as much as her cold is more or less gone, something about her ears is still off so we didn't dare risk taking her on a plane, knowing that it could potentially do more harm than good at this point.

So I'm being the supportive spouse... from a distance.

This was definitely not what we had planned, but for better or worse, this is how we're trying to keep things together for the next few days. And with Daddy out of the house, there is a lot that needs holding together, especially when one parent is responsible for a little person whose singular response for EVERY SINGLE THING right now is NOPE.

So we had to get creative and, with a little help from one of my Facebook friends, we came up with one of the easiest and most convenient art projects I could possibly imagine. It starts with this.

It took a surprising amount of convincing to lure the little man into even touching this paint concoction.

But then we decided that it wasn't poisonous.

So it quickly became fun.

And the best part about this kind of project? The cleanup. Anyone for painting tomorrow?

Beware

2012-02-08T07:30:00.000-06:00

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Land of the [Omitted] Home of the Brave

2012-02-07T14:05:00.000-06:00

I don't have time to write this post today. I have a mountain of laundry, errands to run, and a massive list of posts that I've agreed to write, but I'm laying all of it aside right now because I can't just stay quiet about this any longer. It's time to write, to get it out, and to speak up in a place where so many are silent.

This morning, I awoke, grabbed my phone, and clicked through to the various blogs that I follow. One blogger that I read regularly is another stay-at-home-mom. She gave up her career to care for her children and seems like a genuinely wonderful person. So you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when I read her blog this morning and was informed that anyone who doesn't support gay rights and gay marriage is prejudiced and hateful.

Careful to keep my retorts to myself, I left the following comment on her blog:

I appreciate the point that you’re trying to make [name omitted for privacy], but I wanted to offer the other side of the coin as well. Personally, I don’t believe that gay marriage is right and yet I have friends and relatives that are homosexual. Just because I believe what the Bible says concerning homosexuality doesn’t make me hateful or prejudiced, especially because I believe the entirety of that book (what many churches around our nation have forgotten). Just because we don’t agree with the choices of others doesn’t give us an excuse not to love them and see their worth as people too.

So frequently, churches and anti-gay activists under the “Christian” label get so caught up in condemning the act itself that they end up also condemning the people who are just trying to find love. But there are those of us out there who don’t support homosexuality, but we still love and value those people.

For me, I will be teaching my children Biblical values- which will include the fact that God does not condone the act of homosexuality. To many people, this automatically makes me a hateful and prejudiced person. But hand-in-hand with that Biblical lesson will be the importance of unconditionally loving one’s neighbor which, in my opinion, is a far more valuable lesson than whom one should or should not marry.

I knew that my comment wouldn't be received with raving applause, but I hoped that it would, at the very least, be thought-provoking and would provide a much-needed balance to the post. Instead, I met with pitchforks and torches.

Prejudiced. Hateful. Bigot. Discriminatory. Multiple comments from multiple people, telling me how wrong I am and what a terrible thing it is for me to teach my children these Biblical principles, and for what? Being uncompromising in my beliefs; refusing to bow to others to make them comfortable.

Jonathan and I believe every word of the Bible, including the parts that make us unpopular in modern society and, up til now, I've stayed quiet about this particular topic here on the blog because I don't believe that this is the right place for a heated debate on whether or not our state should vote to change the gay marriage laws in November. I'm happy to discuss what we believe and why we believe it if anyone is interested, but not in a public forum where people feel that throwing stones is acceptable if you don't agree with the beliefs of others.

Our great country was founded on the principles of religious freedom. Today, I learned that we no longer have that luxury, at least where the Internet is concerned. While I don't like being labeled as a bigot or a hater, I can deal with it. The thing that disturbs me far more is the fact that my children will grow up in our home, being taught our ideals and beliefs- and they too will be labeled. They will be ridiculed and laughed at, scorned by friends, and told that they are too stupid to think for themselves all because their religion is different from others.

And it breaks my heart.

Apparently religious freedom was too much to hope for in America. Perhaps one day we will find it again, when we learn to love everyone and respect each other, no matter what our beliefs.

Toddlerhood Summarized

2012-02-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

Jonathan: Nathaniel, it's bed time. Please put away your toys.

Nathaniel: [Tantrum voice] NO. No! No! No! Aaaahhhhhhhh!

Jonathan: Nathaniel, you need to obey. Please put your toys in the bin.

Nathaniel: Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

Jonathan: Nathaniel-

Nathaniel: HUG! HUG! HUG!

Jonathan: Do you want a hug? Come here. You can have a hug.

Nathaniel: NO.

Jonathan: You don't want a hug? Okay.

Nathaniel: No.

Nathaniel: ...

Nathaniel: HUG! HUG! HUG!

Panic and Paradise

2012-02-06T07:30:00.000-06:00

It's been a week since I've been around here and, in all honesty, it was incredibly relaxing and just what we needed in our house after the way things have gone down lately. On that note, to all of you who have been so supportive in thinking of us, praying for us, and sending little notes of encouragement- thank you. Truly, it's been so wonderful for us.

Some of you have already heard, but much of it started out as we were facing this:

A snotty, miserable baby and another round of sickness, which put our grand total of continuous sick time in this house into well over a month. That was when the bad news began rolling in like a freight train.

First, we learned that my grandmother had been hospitalized with a stroke. It was shocking and completely unexpected. We didn't know if she would pull through, so I spent the next few days away from my sick baby and camped out at the hospital with family. As my grandmother slowly began to stabilize and make progress toward a recovery, those days away from my littlest one came at an unexpected price and my milk supply (just beginning to recover from a bout with Benadryl) tanked again.

So even as I began drowning myself in water and considered hooking myself up permanently to a breast pump, we got more news. Jonathan's grandmother's health was also failing. So we packed up our kids, doing our best to contain the germs, and went to see her one final time.

Because he's a wonderful husband, Jonathan had planned an anniversary trip for us months ago- and it coincided perfectly with all of the trauma and stress that had suddenly landed on our families. With everything that happened within a week's timeframe, neither of us expected that those plans would even be in the realm of plausibility, but our families pulled together- everyone laying out their schedules and what they had to contribute to the situations- and they made it possible for us to take a little time to focus on our marriage and celebrate the three years we've been man and wife.

We really do have the best family.

So with their blessing (and the promise that they would call if there was any emergency or sudden change), we were able to spend a couple days away in our version of paradise.

I will be back later this week to share more about the trip, but for now just wanted to let you all know that we're still hanging in there and that we so appreciate your understanding as we go through this challenging time.

Still Here

2012-01-31T06:30:00.000-06:00

Those of you who have liked the Facebook page associated with this site have probably heard by now, but for everyone else- things have gone from crazy to downright madness in these parts. We have multiple family members in the hospital now, some who are expected to recover and some who aren't. And while we struggle to understand what all of this will mean for our family in the coming months, Jonathan and I are trying to follow-through with plans that were set in place months ago for a little time away from life to focus on our marriage.

We'll be back next week with (hopefully) good news about everyone we love, scads of pictures, and a few sweet new finds to share with all of you! Cheers!

Can't Say No

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Click image to see daily photo.

Imperfectionist

2012-01-24T10:39:00.001-06:00

I seriously considered deleting this post because I hate the very idea that I might disappoint people whom I deeply care about. But this blog has never been about creating the image of a perfect mother and her idyllic husband and children. Unfortunately, I think that's the idea that can be portrayed from time to time since all of you are only privy to a very small glimpse of our lives. So here's to honesty today, brutal and uncensored.

I began the new year with the goal of being healthy. I wanted to ditch some bad habits and embrace my inner tree hugger, especially where exercise and food are concerned. Unfortunately, it isn't that easy because I do not have a good relationship with food. In fact, that is one relationship that's quite bad.

College, a prime breeding ground for heartbreak and late-night pizza deliveries, gave me a freedom I had never previously experienced with food. I would go an entire day without eating and then binge at night, justifying an entire day's worth of calories in the evening because I was hungry and my boyfriend of the time (who would not later become my husband) was somewhat less than a stellar influence.

I wish I could say that this eating pattern was a rare occurrence, but it became part of my routine. Then, slowly, it evolved into something more. I broke up with the aforementioned boyfriend. I didn't get along with my roommates very well because we had virtually nothing in common, including our ideas about doing dishes. And then I got lonely and with that loneliness came food. Ridiculous, excessive amounts of food. The kind of food that you don't want people to watch you eat, so I would squirrel away in my dorm with my laptop for company, and snarf down the equivalent of a heart attack on a plate in less than ten minutes.

Somehow, over the years, that habit persisted. Eating by myself while the kids were napping or once everyone was asleep. Indulging in an amount of food that was both dangerously unhealthy and costly to our family. No one knew. It was my little secret... except for the jokes I would make here and there about my undying passion for everything Wendy's.

For whatever reason, I was surfing the Internet recently and came across information about binge eating disorder. Seeing my actions described on the computer screen, slapped with a label, was enough to stop me dead in my tracks. I had begun 2012 with the goal of becoming healthy, but I had buried this little secret under a smile and a quasi-healthy diet while in public for the last seven years.

It was time to be done.

So I did what I had to do, I gathered my courage, kissed those french fries goodbye, and shared it with my husband. As he is the very picture of health, fitness, and sexy abs, I spared him the gory details of exactly how much food passed my lips when he wasn't looking, but I took the step of being open and honest. And what I gained was someone to be my support, someone who won't condemn, but will help me break the habits that have become so ingrained over the years. And someone who will hold me away from the cheeseburgers, kicking and screaming, if that's what it takes.

Looking back, if I could do things differently, I would. These habits are deeply-rooted and will take time to break. Unlike so many other people, I can't point the finger at my upbringing or some traumatic event in my past and whine about how it made me eat because my parents did everything right in teaching me about eating and being healthy; I made this bad choice all by myself. It wasn't the first and it won't be the last. Now, at the age of 25, I can see what I have ahead of me. I have a loving husband and two beautiful children. I want to be around for them, to see my kids go off to school and to embarrass them on prom night. I want to grow old with Jonathan and tease him about his gray hair. And I know that repeatedly abusing my body is not the way to do this.

So I'm beginning 2012 with the resolution to be healthy, to break this habit and to retrain myself to see food as fuel for my body instead of using it as an emotional crutch.

And as for those french fries, I won't be giving them up completely. But next time I head through the drive-thru, for the first time in seven years, I will be practicing self control because I want to be healthy and do the right thing for my body. Because when it's all said and done, all the food in the world isn't worth passing up the opportunity to tease my husband about getting old.

Bullhorn not Necessary

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

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Snapshots

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-06:00

We are living in the land of a toddler, which means that things are really good around here. Except for the days where diving into a vat of boiling Diet Pepsi would be a welcome reprieve from the tantrums and screaming. Thankfully, the little man is learning that we rule with an iron fist (especially when it comes to the refusal to negotiate the terms of nap time), so the days of smiles and happy faces are pretty common.

Our lovely little lady has excelled at beginning to eat real foods. This time around, we're making baby food ourselves (more on that to come) and Evelyn was kind enough to give some positive feedback for our first attempt at mashed avocado and banana.

Nathaniel adores his little chair and it goes everywhere with him on the main floor. He hauls that thing up and carries it with him to sit by his toolbench, in front of the TV, or (my personal favorite) for some extra height to be Mama's helper while I'm making dinner.

We don't have an independent sitter just yet, so our options for playtime are a little limited. Thankfully, we can always rely on the trusty high chair for some good ol' playtime, especially when it doesn't put us at risk of accidentally being trampled on the floor by a toddler with his chair.

Sick Day

2012-01-20T11:04:00.003-06:00

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Oranges

2012-01-20T07:30:00.000-06:00

Now that the little lady is getting older, we realized that it was time to start introducing a few solid foods. Up on the menu are awesome things like carrots and avocado, but since we have fruit with nearly every dinner, one night we decided to experiment and hand over the goods to our littlest one (while supervising carefully, of course).

Before we knew it, she had dehydrated an orange slice and was grabbing for more. Looks like it's time to start making some baby food!

Lately

2012-01-19T14:13:00.000-06:00

Lately, I feel like we've been running around non-stop. We went from Christmas into the New Year into celebrating a birthday into being sick and then celebrating another birthday. And then we just got home at midnight last night after spending the day up north with my sister, so we're existing today in a state of zombie-like grogginess.

First of all, thank you for all of your prayers and kind thoughts for my sister. Her surgery went smoothly, though it wasn't exactly the results that we were hoping to see. (If you want more details, head on over to her blog and check it out.)

Secondly, several of you have been contacting me on Facebook and Twitter to ask about the Oreck giveaway. The winner has been chosen and, thanks to Evelyn, you can see it below.

Congratulations Adrienne and thanks to all of you who participated! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm either going to take a nap or bust out my vacuum. Right now, it's a toss-up between the two.

For Her

2012-01-17T20:24:00.003-06:00

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Tooth Tools

2012-01-17T11:30:00.000-06:00

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Life, According to My iPhone

2012-01-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

Peeking through the playset at the park. Tummy time with the ever-essential seahorse toy. Checking in on the baby, toddler style. Rocking new leg warmers from Willow Wardrobe. Enjoying those baby blues. A birthday treat (25 now, y'all!). A Christmas present. Pretty much the best onesie ever, compliments of my sweet sister. Giggling his way into pajamas that actually fit! An outdoor adventure in January, made all the more fun with baby snuggles.