Haute Mommy

Books in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:16:00 +0000

I'm so awful at keeping up with Good Reads, I marked too many as "To Read" and now I can't keep it organized. I'm compiling a list here that I hope to keep up with. I hope to read 40 books in 2012.

Books Read in 2012

Catching Fire

Currently Reading
Bel Canto
In Praise of Stay At Home Moms
Slow & Steady
Rebel T3 Digital Field Guide
Sink Reflections

Our First Ride

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:04:00 +0000

I've prided our family on making it through eight months without resorting to driving around in the car to get her to sleep. We ended our eight month streak last weekend in a hilarious story that David and I will never forget!

Our friends Gentrie and James were staying with us and getting up at five so that James could run the Houston Marathon. Georgia had a bit of fun with our guests before her bath, and she went to bed with no protests at her usual time, 8 p.m. We were all pretty tired, so David and I were in bed pretty early, too.

At 11 p.m. Georgia woke up and started making noises. She hasn't woken up for more than a second or two in months. We thought she was just rolling over and getting comfortable. But the noises kept getting louder and more persistent. If it had been just the three of us, I would have just let her play in our bed. But our house is old and small, which means that you can hear every noise all over the house. I told David to go in and try to quiet her down and I rolled over and went back to sleep.

At 1 a.m. David came rushing into our room carrying Georgia and said, "We need some help!" in a fairly frantic voice. Of course I expected the worst - did she swallow something small? Chew through an electric cord? Poop on the floor? Wait - this is our baby, not our dog! But still - did she swallow something small or chew through a cord? This had better not be about a diaper...

Somewhat annoyed, but alarmed, I jumped out of bed and asked what happened. He replied with, "We need help getting her to sleep!" Georgia was cooing and babbling extremely loudly, so I said the first thing I could think of to get her out of the house and away from James: "Let's go to the car!"

It was one of the coldest nights this winter, so we strapped her in the carseat, tucked blankets in around her and sneaked quickly (but quietly!) out the back door. We started driving around Loop 610, with Georgia chatting away to herself in the backseat.

We pondered what we should do; we've never been out and about with a baby in the middle of the night. Bars were out of the question and neither of us was hungry enough for IHOP. Since we were wearing pajamas and slippers, we quickly considered Wal-Mart, but decided instead to keep driving.

At about 1:45 I noticed Georgia had finally quieted down, so we headed for home. I checked to make sure she was sleeping and she was. Her little mouth was hanging open and she was breathing evenly. We slowly got her seat out of the car and planned to just put it on our bed. As I was opening the door to the house, her eyes popped open and she got a huge smile on her little face. "Weeeeee!" David took her out of her seat and tried to quiet her down in her room, but I could hear her talking and playing, even with earplugs. He came in and told me he was just going to go drive around some more.

At 5, I heard Gentrie and James leaving, but David wasn't in bed with me. I just assumed he had slept on the floor in Georgia's room. Nope! They both came waltzing in a few minutes later. David slept in the car with her! Apparently she was working on trying to crawl and wouldn't stay content in her bed. And when he put her on the floor with him, she just wanted to be noisy and for him to play with her.

We laughed about it all week...especially the text Gentrie sent to David at 5, letting him know his car lights were on. As for David, it's really the first time he's been up all night with a baby and he swears its one of his best memories yet.

I Don't Want It All

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:59:00 +0000

It's with lots of hesitation that I write this post. I don't want to be judged or thought to be taking a step back for womankind just because I, one person, feel this way. Maybe it's due to our mothers' generation, but little girls are raised to want it all and to be able to achieve everything they want. I definitely was told from a young age that I could be and do anything and everything I wanted (and we will impress this upon Georgia as well). I knew that it would be possible to have a career, even a demanding one if I chose so, while nurturing my marriage and raising a houseful of children, if that's the path I wanted to take.

Somewhere between getting my degree, climbing the corporate ladder and growing a baby inside my belly, I realized that having it all was possible. But I also realized that was definitely not the path I wanted to take. It's a very personal choice, and I don't think one choice is necessarily better than the other. But I know which choice is right for me.

Lately I've been asked more times than I care to count the expected question: "Are you bored/unfulfilled/unstimulated/not using your full potential/needing adult conversation/guilty for not contributing financially/etc etc etc?" Some people I know are genuinely curious and struggling to make the same decision for their own life. But other times, even from friends, the question comes across as very judgmental. When that happens, I often feel flustered before I answer and I hope that doesn't make them think they are right.

But the truth is, no - I don't feel any of those things. I've developed a couple of hobbies (happily, they don't involve the computer or internet) to keep me stimulated and keep my brain squeaking. If I'm ever bored, it's my own fault for allowing myself to feel that way since there are always plenty of things for me to do. Same with adult conversation. I get more of that now than I did as a career girl, and now it's on subjects I actually want to talk about! I've developed new friendships with other mothers I see daily at the park, and strengthened friendships I already had.

Don't get me wrong; it's not all fun and games all day long. There are plenty of days when, at six o'clock, I know without a doubt that being in an office all day would have been the easier job. And in the beginning I did worry that "just being a mom" would leave me wanting for more at the end of the day. But watching Georgia catch on to something new I've taught her or discover something altogether on her own is more than enough to make my heart and brain swell with pride. More so than anything ever has.

I also don't mind being a homemaker. Now that I'm here and not focusing on my career, charity board obligations, and keeping tons of other people happy, our house feels so much more like a home. Rather than a stack of invitations to be mailed and fundraiser decorations to be assembled, I'm surrounded by colorful wooden blocks and little stuffed animals. Even with a pile of laundry beside me on the couch and a kitchen floor in desperate need of mopping, I am happier than ever. These piles of laundry and the sounds, sights and smells of our house are what make it a home. Now I really take pride in having a nutritious (or not so healthy, but amazingly fun) meal on the table for David. As 1950's as it is, I don't mind doing his laundry or ironing his shirts - because he's out working so that I am able to stay home.

As much as I like a challenge, I have absolutely no desire to juggle a family, career and marriage. If that makes me seem less of a go-getter and diminishes me in the eyes of others'...well, I'll just have to stay a lesser person to them. I know in my heart and in my mind that I "just being a mom" fulfills and challenges me in ways that working outside the home never did.

More Signs...

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

More signs I need to get things under control in a really bad way:

I just found a brand spankin' new pair of AG jeans in my closet. $185 and I forgot that I ever bought them. I was just complaining last night that I only have one pair of nice jeans that fit well. These need to get altered, glad I am just going to spend $25 rather than buy a whole new pair of jeans.
I knew I had a black turtleneck sweater somewhere. Or maybe not. But I have photographs of me wearing one three years ago on our ski trip. Yep, just found it on a shelf in my closet. Right under the jeans. Cashmere. I wasted half the winter not wearing it, and it used to be my most favorite sweater!

I'm mad at myself right now!

2012 Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

I can't believe we're already two weeks in to 2012. Wow, time really goes by so fast now that I'm not spending all day counting the hours until the weekend. I still look forward to the weekends because that's when I get to spend time with David and hang out as a family, but the weekdays I spend with Georgia are so fun and special.

When I think back to what I was doing this time last year, and the year before, it seems so far in the past! David and I had our first date for New Year's Eve 2003. We were so young and crazy then that it amazes me to see us with a baby. And a house! And two dogs!

Anyway, enough nostalgia. I'm really big on goals, and I'm a very action-oriented person. When I don't have something tangible to be working toward, I find myself just kind of flailing about not getting much done. Of course, the most important thing for me is to be a good mother and that's my motivation every single day.

So to keep myself motivated and accountable, I decided to share my personal goals, even though some are more of a to do list for next year. I always do 10, I have no idea why. Just sounds like a good doable number.

1. Exercise three times a week. Hopefully increase this to 5-7 by the end of the year.
2. Go to church three times per month. Start going to the Bible study for young mothers / mothers of young children.
3. Get the house organized and keep up with housework. No more frantic deep cleaning when my mom or mother in law is coming to visit!
4. Get rid of all our unwanted/unused stuff. If it's not being used, it gets sent to trash, donate, or ebay.
5. Start using coupons again when I grocery shop or go to CVS. Keep up with our budget, too!
6. Get rid of my old work and maternity clothes. (If anyone is looking for size 0-2, XS/S let me know! Otherwise they are going to ebay.)
7. Blog three times a week!
8. Hang Georgia's portraits. Have regular family photos made.
9. Finish photography course and consider enrolling in a class at Rice.
10. Spend time with friends and stay in better touch. Go to Bunco every month!!

What are your goals for this year? I'm already behind on a couple of mine!

I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:27:00 +0000

Y'all. I'm so incredibly sorry for just going MIA for ooooh a good six weeks. But I have to admit, it has been glorious to be pretty much totally unplugged! I've just been on my personal Facebook and email, but only to keep in touch with family and friends. It's just been nice! But now that 2012 is large and in charge, I'm ready to get back into the swing of blogging again. But with little Miss Georgia inchworm-creeping all over the place and letting her adorable, talkative, happy little personality really shine, I can't make any promises!

I finally feel like I've gotten into the swing of things with this Mommy gig. The great days way outnumber the trying ones; in fact, I can't remember the last time I was stressed or felt like crying. The house is most always presentable enough for unexpected company, laundry doesn't overflow, and I cook dinner most weeknights. Georgia and I have fun outings and playdates, and the weather here is still good (in the 70's today - in January!) so that we walk to the park and swing every morning and afternoon.

We've had some fun adventures, and as a friend and blog follower reminded me earlier this week, I owe you guys some pictures. We went to Boston, my family's Christmas cabins, candlelight Christmas Eve church service. Georgia is incredibly active. She turned seven months old in December and knows how to wave, give kisses and she's said two words (hi, and ma!, although she doesn't say either one regularly)...gosh, so much to update on! I can't believe she will be one in less than five months, it really has flown by. My friend Lynn told me that, as a stay at home mom, the days will be long but the years will be short. If I'd only known how true that would turn out to be!

Any "me time" that I have during the day has been spent on something I think you guys are really going to love. I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag until all of the details are ironed out, but it's something that I've been tossing around for over a year, and something I've always wanted to do. I got the ball rolling about this time last year, so I'm so glad to finally see it coming together. I'm just crossing my fingers that the next few weeks work out like they should, then I'll let y'all know!

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season, and may 2012 be full of health, prosperity and happiness for you and your families!

My Family Christmas Ornament Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:34:00 +0000

One of the things I remember most about Christmas as a child is our yearly ornament tradition. It started the year I was born. I was three months old when my first Christmas rolled around, and my mom started the tradition by buying me a gold ornament with my name and the year on it.

Every year, one of the things I looked forward to most was going to the store to pick out an ornament and taking it to the jewelry department to get my name and the year engraved on it. The ornaments weren't expensive, I think they were probably less than $10. But the excitement of getting to choose my own ornament and then have it personalized was what mattered.

I hope to start our own ornament tradition with Georgia. I ordered an adorable hand-painted wooden ornament for her first Christmas from The Dahl House. I will love taking it out each year and looking at a photo of her on her very first Christmas. The ornament matches our tree's decorations perfectly, and the exterior of the frame is covered in the same plaid ribbon.

I also have to say that The Dahl House's customer service is some of the best I've encountered, ever. They didn't have the exact ornament I wanted on the website, so I emailed to get one totally customized. They also sent me a tweet when it was finished and on its way! Definitely check them out for cute personalized ornaments and frames (great baby shower gift ideas!).

Use the code HOLIDAY20 for 20% off your order. Like them on Facebook for additional deals, if they reach 350 fans this month, you'll get 25% off. For Cyber Monday they are also offering buy 3 ornaments get one free, plus free shipping.

Does your family have an ornament tradition? Does anyone know where I can buy the thin gold ornaments? We used to get them at Wal-Mart, so I need to stop by to see if they are still sold.

Black Friday Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:16:00 +0000

I'm usually not one to go berserk over Black Friday deals. In fact, I usually just stick to hitting the mall around 3 in the afternoon. Not early enough to get the super deals, but late enough to avoid most of the headache and crazy shoppers.

However, this year I had my eye on a Canon Rebel camera deal that was available only at Wal-Mart. Their electronics section opened to the crazies at midnight. Ashley Beth and I, being total novices at fighting the crowds, showed up sometime around 11. Wow. I haven't been to a Wal-Mart in years and I could have done without this experience. It was a zoo and we couldn't really even find the electronics department because of all the crowds. (As a side note, who brings babies and children to shop at midnight? There were so many kids being dragged about last night!)

Right as I started thinking that I just wanted to forget the whole deal and go home to order the camera for about $100 more on Amazon, my mom called. She was in Wal-Mart. There were six cameras up for grabs. And she was first in line. She got one for me! I had to laugh at the fact that I'm a full-grown adult and my mom is still waiting in line to get Christmas gifts for me, much like the year I got my much-wished-for Cabbage Patch doll.

Ashley Bet and I headed off to Target to pick up a couple of things for her family, then we did a quick (well, as quick as can be expected when you are fighting a throng) dash through the mall.

Everything in Express was 40% off and I had an additional $ off coupon. So I got a pair of black leggings and three tops for $60. I think the leggings and chambray tunic will be comfy and super cute with my riding boots.

I also found an excellent deal at Bath & Body Works. I got two large Slatkin candles and a small one, plus four hand soaps for $21. I am absolutely loving the candle I have burning now, it is the Spice scent. It's cinnamon with a hint of orange, which is a fresh addition to the usual cinnamon that I love for Christmastime. I'm also really looking forward to the Winter Cabin flavor scent. It's very woodsy but with a warm vanilla touch. I had to buy it after smelling it because it actually reminded me of the smell of a ski condo we rented in Big Sky.

I came home and ordered a few things, mostly little toys for Georgia, from Kohls. Ebates was offering 10% cash back on top of the great sale Kohls was having. Of course I didn't log on until almost 3 p.m. so most of the toys that I really wanted were sold out.

How about you, did you find any great deals this year?

Unplugged

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:18:00 +0000

I took a much needed break from the internet, email included, and it was glorious! I woke up this morning detoxed and refreshed, and ready to tackle my Thanksgiving turkey.

Now as I sit here plotting my Midnight Shopping Madness Plan of Attack, I look around my messy house at all of the leftover pie and realize how thankful I am for everything in my life. My wonderful family, great friends, and that I am fortunate enough to have a fridge full of leftovers and people in my life I love enough to brave the Black Friday Sales with and for.

Easy, Healthy Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:09:00 +0000

I do not bake. Until Georgia was born, the only baked goods I ever really made came from a box with Betty Crocker's name on it. I had the incorrect impression that making cookies or a cake took hours. A few months ago I had some bananas that were about to get thrown away and a craving for banana bread, so I started googling recipes and trying them out. Once I purchased all of the basic baking ingredients, I discovered that it really takes no time at all. Earlier this week, I mixed up a recipe for banana bread while I was on the phone, so it really doesn't take any time at all.

I love this banana bread recipe. Some recipes that I tried turned out way too sweet, more like a dessert. I love having banana or pumpkin bread for breakfast, so I prefer something that's flavorful but not too sweet. This recipe works for me.

Some of the flavor and sweetness comes from the yogurt that is used in the bread. I've used everything from vanilla Auctivia, banana Yoplait and plain unsweetened YoBaby Organic. My favorite results came from the Auctivia, but I really use whatever is on hand. The next time I make it with a flavored yogurt, I'm going to cut back on the sugar a bit.

Banana Bread
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
2-4 ripe bananas, mashed
4-8 oz low-fat or fat-free yogurt

Preheat oven to 350.
Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda.
In a second bowl, beat sugar, eggs and butter until fluffy. Slowly mix in bananas and yogurt with spatula. Add flour mixture, stirring with spatula. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread's texture light.

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes until it passes the toothpick test. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool bread completely. Here's the hardest part - wrap in plastic wrap and allow flavors to develop overnight. Trust me, the last time I cut a piece off as soon as it was cool and the results didn't taste half as good as the following day!

Recipe is my own. Photo from SimplyRecipes.com

Thanksgiving Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:41:00 +0000

Source: google.com via Chasity on Pinterest

When I was growing up, Thanksgiving at my Grandmother's was always a huge deal. The entire family got together - my mother has seven siblings, and all of my aunts, uncles and cousins were always there for Thanksgiving. My Grandmother woke up before dawn to start cooking the turkeys, and all of the pies and sides were from scratch. Two rooms full of food and desserts on a table near the porch - it was definitely a sight I'll cherish in my memory forever.

In the past, if David and I weren't able to make it home for Thanksgiving, we were fine with having our turkey at a restaurant. But now that we have a little one, we really want to start a tradition of a home-cooked turkey dinner with all of the fixings. Even though Georgia is too little to remember her first Thanksgiving, I'm not. And I want to make it special. I want to know that while she was growing up, I worked hard to kick off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving my Grandmother would be proud of.

David and I chatted about our favorite dishes and came up with the menu below. It is a bit ambitious for just the three of us, especially when only two of us will be eating, but we couldn't fathom the thought of Thanksgiving without any of these.

Roasted turkey with gravy - which I just bought at the grocery about an hour ago. I'm super paranoid of going to the store next week and seeing a big sign that they are sold out of turkey! I may try a sweet & spicy rub that I found in Southern Living.
Gruyere scalloped potatoes - I started making these for Thanksgiving before we were married and they're now a favorite. A little time consuming, but worth it. I'm going to buy a mandoline to cut back on some of the potato-slicing time.
Sweet potato casserole - David is requesting it to be made with no marshmallows (what?) but I think I will sneak them in by layering them in the middle of the casserole. He will never know if he doesn't see them on top of it.
Green bean casserole - this is the one item that we could probably nix from the menu, but it's so easy. And doesn't practically everyone have this on their holiday table?
Creamed corn - David said he hates creamed corn so could I please just buy a can of regular corn or cook corn on the cob? I'm going to buy cobs of corn then cream it myself with a little garlic. So decadent!
Dressing - this is where I'm not sure what route I'll go. One with sausage and/or rice? Chestnuts? What are your favorite recipes?
Pecan pie - David's favorite.
Pumpkin pie - my favorite, but I may make a pumpkin mousse or other dessert since we're already having one pie.
Pomegranate cranberry sauce - the leftovers will be divine on toast!
Broccoli rice casserole - a childhood favorite of mine, even though I don't care for it anymore. I'll be using my mom's recipe.
Yeast rolls - for these, I'll probably use the frozen variety rather than make my own.

Am I leaving anything out? What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes and memories?

And what are your favorite recipes for all of that leftover turkey? I used to love smearing mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, and cranberry on a roll, and stuffing it with cold turkey for a very tall sandwich.

Breastfeeding Essentials & My Breastfeeding Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:28:00 +0000

I am by no means an expert, but I have been successfully breastfeeding Georgia for almost six months. She is exclusively breastfed, but I have no problems with formula. She's actually had it a handful of times and she didn't grow a second head or anything like that. Just letting y'all know so it's clear this isn't some breast vs. bottle my way is better debate!

But in case you are pregnant or a new mother who is curious about breastfeeding, here are a list of my breastfeeding must-haves. I've provided the Amazon links so you can see info about the product. They do typically have the best prices, but you can buy or register for these things pretty much anywhere.

A great breast pump - I used the Medela Pump In Style Advanced and I love it. It gets the job done, I can do a full pump (8-12 oz.) in less than fifteen minutes, including setup and washing the parts.
Some people hold off on buying a pump until they are sure breastfeeding is going to work for them. If I had done that, breastfeeding most likely wouldn't have worked for me. When Georgia was a week old, my milk still hadn't came in. The lactation nurse suggested a warm compress and massage, and pumping for two to five minutes every hour. That method worked, I was able to start feeding Georgia milk in less than 24 hours.

The microwave steam bags are a definite must! I bought the Medela brand because they were cheapest. I pump twice a day (during her morning nap and at bedtime while David gives her a bottle). I either steam clean my pump parts or put them in the dishwasher once a day, between pumping & cleaning I just store them in the fridge, but I always clean them once a day. It just takes a minute and a half in these bags, and you can also use them to clean bottles, nipples, and all that stuff so they are awesome to have when you travel.

I was going to put a photo of myself using a hands free pumping bra, but I thought that was a little too much! Just kidding, but isn't that photo hilarious? They even have a polka dot one on Amazon! When I first saw these bras I swore there was no way I would ever use one. Then I got incredibly sick of having my hands tied up while I pumped. Now I can eat, email, use the TV remote, and do lots of things while I sit and pump. My friends even joked that I could strap my pump on to my bike and ride down the street while pumping. But I can't do that, because I don't have a rechargeable batter for my pump.

Disposable nursing pads are a definite must. You really need them in the beginning, even if you are not planning on breastfeeding. I like the Lansinoh brand because I find them to be more absorbent. I have also tried both the Johnson's and Nuks brands, but I had some embarrassing problems with both of them. The Lansinohs do look quite lumpy while the other brands are thinner, smaller, and don't poke out of my bras.

I will say, though, that maybe I just have weird boobs. My friends all said that by six months I wouldn't need nursing pads, but I still do, sometimes in a really bad way if you know what I mean. Maybe if your boobs aren't such overachievers you can use the contoured pads. I'll just have to stroll around with my lumpy old boobs for now.

I did buy some Lily Padz reusable gel nursing pads and I didn't get much use from them. I love the concept but, again, my overachievers caused problems. They were nice for swimming though.

You will need some breast milk storage bags. I always just buy whatever is cheapest, and I've ended up using Lansinoh and Johnson's. I didn't have problems with either of them. An online friend did buy a cheapie brand and had problems with them leaking, but I can't remember which brand it was. Helpful of me, I know!

A supportive husband! Sorry ladies, he's not available on Amazon. I think it goes without saying that my chest region is kind of off limits for anyone besides Georgia. I want to wean Georgia when she's a year old, and he is so patient and on board with my plan. He also understands that, especially in the beginning, making milk for a baby is a lot of work! And I need lots of calories to keep it up, so he doesn't tease me when I pig out. He attended a breastfeeding class with me (all of the husbands were there, so don't let your husband try to weasel out of it!) and that was a big help.

You might also want to pick up a book, like The New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding if they don't give it to you at your breastfeeding class. I also found the relevant chapter in Baby 411 to be the most helpful of all. Actually, Baby 411 is so great you should pick it up anyway, even if you aren't breastfeeding.

I worked really hard right after Georgia was born to ensure she latched on perfectly, I really did not allow her to do an improper latch. If she did, I just gently moved her away and then put her back on until the latch was correct. I didn't have any problems with sore nipples or anything like that. In fact, I really didn't need the tube of lanolin that I bought. The travel-size sample provided by the hospital was enough. Since it's a little pricey, you might want to wait to see if you need it first. If you do, you can always send your husband out to buy a tube for you.

This post might be a little TMI for non-moms or non breastfeeders, but I decided to post it because when I was pregnant and curious I had a really hard time finding resources that I related to. La Leche League was a little too gung ho for me. On the other hand, I knew I wanted to give breastfeeding a fair shot, and other blogs I found could be quite dismissive of it, since it can be difficult at times. If you have any questions I might be able to help wiht, please leave a comment or feel free to email me. If you comment, please leave your email address so I can respond to you directly.

Georgia, Month Five

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:21:00 +0000

I took a ton of photos with Georgia and Bear on her five month birthday (three weeks ago). I first wanted to use photos of Bear to show her growth, but now I'm finding it more fun to document her interaction with him. She was hilarious and I honestly took around 50 photos in just a few minutes!

Here are some of the things she's been up to during her fifth month:

she started rolling both front to back and back to front when she was four months, but during her fifth month, she started rolling everywhere - I can't leave the room or she rolls under the bed or coffee table!
laughing out loud at everything
blowing raspberries all the time
her favorite toy = her toes; she's always sucking on them or playing with them
taking her first trip out of state, and her first plane ride
making kissy lips and kissing noises

I Pick Pretty...Even When I Feel Ugly

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:55:00 +0000

I'm guest posting at I Pick Pretty today, so hop on over and say hello!

Apologies for being so MIA on my own blog. I came down with a stomach bug Tuesday afternoon, which ultimately landed me a few hours in the emergency room and various doctor visits. I have a condition that requires check-ins with a specialist when I have anything crazy going on with my stomach. Honestly, I feel like I have this doctor on retainer. Not a pleasant feeling.

I'm recovering well, but not really able to access email, twitter or anything else technology-related. I'll spend the weekend recuperating then be back next week. Have a good one!

(This was supposed to post Friday morning. Darn you Blogger auto-post. Or maybe in my medicated haze I simply forgot to hit Publish. At any rate, hop on over to I Pick Pretty.)

It's Been One of Those Days

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:18:00 +0000

I don't know what it was about Monday, but it was rough. It's the first time Georgia made me cry.

Oh sure, I cry pretty much every day because she does something cute, or learns something new, or grows out of another outfit. But yesterday was the first day I cried out of sheer frustration and confusion and doubt about this mommyhood thing.

It's been a crazy week. Last week we spent 12 hours in a car, stopped for the night and attended a funeral for a total of 12 hours, then drove back to Houston. We spent the night in north Houston at my aunt and uncle's house, but Georgia went to bed late. Mimi and Grandpa were here for a weekend visit when we returned - and thank God for that, after spending 24 out of 36 hours in a car, I really needed a break.

The following two nights I had obligations and wasn't home from 5 p.m. until after Georgia's bedtime. She had so much fun playing with Mimi, Grandpa, Daddy and the puppies that I didn't hold her or get too much of her attention until Monday, when it was just the two of us again. And there was a time change somewhere in the midst of all that.

Georgia is always an angel in the morning. We laugh and play and giggle for a couple of hours. It was perfect! The rest of the day was pretty great too, although I noticed she wanted to be held so much more than usual. She hated her Bumbo, Boppy, bouncy seat and activity mat. She wouldn't hang out in her bed and watch her animals (mobile) which she usually loves to do. So I put her in the Ergo and tried to get some stuff done around the house. There were piles of laundry from our trip and my busy weekend, and as every mom or wife knows, there's always something that can be cleaned or picked up.

So our day was pretty great until about 3p.m. Even though she refused to nap all morning, I did finally get her down...but only for 30 minutes. It doesn't take a genius to know that an infant needs to nap more than 30 minutes in a day. She was just fussy from 3 on. By 5, I was exhausted. I hadn't been able to do anything except hold her and try to entertain her, and I was failing miserably on the entertainment part. We went through books, books, books, and all sorts of toys. Sitting outside and petting the puppies was no consolation for my tired, grumpy baby. Not even two walks to the park helped matters.

We usually start bath time between 6:30 and 7, but when David called to say he'd be working later than that, I decided to do it early to see if she'd calm down any. Wow, it seems that trying to give her a bath was my big mistake. As soon as we went into the bathroom she started howling and fussing, and making little fists and waving them at me. I'm not kidding!

Usually if she's crying, we get her in the bath and start to play and it all turns out fine. This time it only got worse! I didn't even get to wet her washcloth and try to bath her, she was crying so hard. She had tears streaming down her face and the next thing I knew, so did I. So I got her out and wrapped her in a towel and we sat on the side of the tub crying, just the two of us.

I'm not sure what her problem was, but I do know what mine was. When I worked at a nine to five job, I always knew that I was doing a good job. I knew because my boss was happy with my work and so were other people. If I slacked off, it just hurt myself since I always had to play catch up later.

Now, in my new role as a stay at home mom, I try my hardest at everything all day long. From the time Georgia wakes up at 6 a.m. until my pillow hits the head (and sometimes during the night, when she wakes up). There's no slacking off, she is my job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. She's a happy, peaceful baby and we generally just float along having a good day. Even the so-so days when she's not feeling well or going through a growth spurt are OK.

But days like Monday leave me second-guessing everything, including my parenting skills. It's really difficult to know that you're doing the right thing when the only person who can validate you at the end of the day is looking right at you, with her little red face scrunched up and her mouth wide open screaming at the top of her lungs, even though you are pretty certain you've done everything "right" that you possibly can.

Add to that the disappointment with myself for never getting the load of laundry I started out of the washer into the dryer and folded, and the fact that there are toys strewn from the nursery to the living room. I also didn't get a shower although, thankfully, I made it out of my PJs. I only accomplished this by singing to Georgia and pretending my getting dressed was a game. There was a hot, homemade dinner for David when he got home, but only because I was starving and didn't want to have to find my credit card for a pizza delivery.

We're having a much better day today, but it's only 1 p.m. as I draft this post, so we still have quite a ways to go until bedtime. Hopefully both of us make it through bathtime with no tears.

Wondering why the dates in this post don't match up? I drafted it Tuesday afternoon but didn't hit post until just now.

Our Most Favorite Things + A Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:03:00 +0000

So, the Swag Bags for our Favorite Things Party. Oh, the Swag Bags! We worked so hard at coming up with things that our friends would love but had possibly never tried before. I'm pretty certain we succeeded, everyone was really excited about the things they got to take home, and I've gotten a ton of emails and texts today telling me I need to try this thing or another...or send them any extras!

Here's what was in the Swag Bags

An Erin Condren notepad to take notes on the things to buy later! They sent one for each guest in all different designs. I had fun looking through them and choosing what I'm going to order next. As always, great packaging and these guys are a dream to work with.

Two Le Pens - I've posted about them before, they are my absolute favorite. The ink is nice, neither too thick nor too thin. It never bleeds through, not even on newspaper; my father in law used mine to do the crossword puzzle last Sunday. I buy mine locally at a stationery shop, but my previous post has a link to an online source.

Cookwell & Company Watermelon Vinaigrette. Three Texas friends started this company, still based in Austin, that sells great sauces and dressings. Rumor is that they have grills and smokers at the headquarters and they are used daily. It sounds like my kind of place to work, daily BBQ anyone? And I love their salsa and marinade. Even though they're made in Texas, you can buy them in most states.

A free brow planing and lesson, blow-out and products from Christi Harris. We won't even talk about how bad my brows look right now; I've been neglecting them since my waxist (? shapist? eyebrow stylist?) currently charges more than my hair stylist. If one has to go, I'll keep my hair looking good. Anyway, I said all of that to say how happy I am to get a lesson so that maybe I can do it on my own now. Not to mention, the Christi Harris people always set up shop in cute and/or swank boutiques around town and they are in most Texas Nordstroms, too.

Diamond Dazzle Stik to keep all of our Real Housewives sized rings sparkly. It's like Tide To Go for ladies who lunch, ha! This is one of those things Jessica is always talking about and I keep meaning to buy every time I use hers. I've already just about used all of mine! Not really, but it feels like I'm constantly polishing now.

Out The Door topcoat is awesome. I paint my own toes all of the time, this gets them dry pretty quickly so I can at least put on flip flops and go on about my day...even though I actually would rather sit with my feet propped on the coffee table waiting for them to dry.

Caspari hankies and they are leopard print! Love, love, love. I actually keep these in my purse (leopard print, too), and I'm so glad my friends now have a matching set.

Everyone got a Yes to Carrots lip balm and some samples like a face towelette, eye mask and face scrub. I also just saw on their website that they make baby products, I'm definitely going to try to find them for Georgia. Someone texted this morning (no idea who because my phone ate all of the numbers) but apparently this eye mask is already working wonders! I'm using mine as I type this.

Emi-Jay hair ties, ponytail holders, whatever you prefer to call them. If they are good enough for Jennifer Aniston's hair, they will certainly work for mine! When I used to work out on my lunch breaks, these would keep my hair back without it falling all over my face and neck and, best of all, no creases. So I didn't have to worry about re-fixing my hair for work.

Holiday themed letterpress coasters from Sicily Eason - because we all could use an excuse to host another girls night before Christmas. Right? I'm planning on using these at my "Emergency Gift Wrap Party" next month.

All-natural Plantlife that I haven't used yet but Whitney loves. Smells great! As soon as I get out of my PJs and shower, this is what I will use. This company is all natural and the aromatherapy line is amazing. Everything is natural from this product line, no nasty sythetic additives and it leaves your skin feeling wonderful. This line is also gluten free which is an added bonus! We love this line and know you will too!

Michael's Cookie Jar gave everyone a little gingerbread man and a very pretty snowflake cookie. If you are in Houston, they will box up in a pretty holiday box and deliver. They are the best cookies in town hands down, go pick up a cookie and tell them we sent you but beware you might be back for more...good thing Jess snapped this pic because I gobbled mine up before I even thought about getting my camera out.

In addition to the Swag Bags, we had some really awesome items to give away to some of our guests. We just did a drawing at the end of the party. I'm really jealous that I couldn't win these, they are all just awesome. How many times can I say awesome in one post?

Erin Condren - yet again. Awesome. They gave a $50 gift card and I know someone who is going to be very happy with her new planner!

In addition to the coasters, Sicily Eason gave away some adorable letterpress stationery and a cute screen printed Christmas tote. If you are in the market for Christmas cards she has an amazing selection and she does custom letter press!

My friend Melissa won the Marye Kelley Decoupage frame, and it's just perfect for her. She decorates for pretty much every holiday, even Valentine's Day, so I was super excited when she won this. Marye Kelley is a classic line that will be sure to adorn your family cherished photos!

Tiffany is excited about a new monogrammed Marley Lilly pashmina. She gets to choose her own and customize it, she just modeled one of Jessica's for the photo. We love Marley Lilly's hats for poolside drinks too. I hem-hawed around this summer and didn't really get any pool time, but I can't wait until my next ZaZa staycation so I can sit there in my Texas-sized hat (covering up my Texas-sized hair, of course!) and order drinks.

Shi Shu Baby was the premier gift at the Golden Globes, so we were pretty darn excited to give a posh baby blanket as a gift at our party! Perfect since the lucky gal winning it has a little baby. Jessica's little Jack has one. Looks like Santa might be dropping one down our chimney now! They are so incredibly soft.

One lucky gal gets a blow out from Blow Dry Bar in Houston. Jess stopped in and got her hair done for our party and it looked great. They only do blowouts, which is nice. There's no pressure to change your style or buy products. And your usual stylist will never know you "cheated" on her! You can have parties there, too. I think it's like the new mani-pedi party before weddings...they do blowouts & updos and you just can't beat $35. You can book appointments right on their website, too, which I love.

We gave away some bubble bath and other Primal Elements products. Cute packaging - "Bubbles" was written with tiny little pearl beads! They also have some things with little ducks and rhinestones that make adorable baby shower gifts, or that would be super cute to put in a care package for new mommies to pack in hospital bags. I love giving body products that aren't the usual brand or packaging. You can buy at HEB and I'm certain I've seen them in Rice Epicurean too. If you're outside of Texas, check their website for locations.

Margaret won this turquoise necklace from Pomp & Circumstance. She went to school with the designer! Marie has an adorable little shop where she makes all of the designs herself, and you can custom order too. She has really unique things at a great price point. And if you are in Houston she will let you and your friends host parties in her store. Swing by and check it out, and if you're not in Houston, check out her website - there are some great Christmas gift ideas. I've added a couple to my letter to Santa already.

My friend Sara G. won personal training sessions from Mike Stewart Fitness. Mike is Jessica's trainer and she's lost 80 pounds in the last year! She was gorgeous before, but now she really looks fab. I'm so proud of her because I know it was hard work.

Ok, now that you've allowed me to babble for an entire page about these awesome companies....here's where the fun comes in for you. We have a Swag Bag left over that I'm going to give away on Haute Mommy Blog!

Here are the ways you can enter, feel free to do as few or as many as you'd like:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect, leave a comment with your email so I can contact you
Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email, leave a comment with your email
Post about this giveaway on your blog, leave a comment with the link
Follow me on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter handle
Like Haute Mommy Blog on Facebook and leave a comment here
Visit any of the company websites linked on this post & leave a comment telling me something you didn't already know about the company + your email. You can visit each company's website only once, but you can visit all of them for many entries.

We will randomly choose a winner next Monday. Good luck!
Oh! I can't mail the salad dressing (too heavy) or cookies (gone gone) so I am going to throw in a few beauty products that I got in a Swag Bag at Fashion's Night Out. They are brand new, never been opened.

And just for giggles, here's a shot of my mom butt and velcro rollers trying to get all of the food set up before our guests arrived.

Disclaimer: All of the Swag Bag and giveaway items were donated by the companies for our party. They were all amazing to work with so we decided to share the love and give away our extra products.

Favorite Things Party

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Jessica, Whitney and I hosted a Favorite Things Party last weekend. Jessica and I had been chatting about how fun it would be for what seems like forever, and after a month of planning (and some hair pulling...Jess and I are both a bit too much stressed-out-Type-A personalities!) it was finally party time!

We sent out Paperless Post invitations asking each guest to bring five of the same item, with a cost of around $5-$6. Once everyone arrived and got settled in with a drink and some munchies, we went around the room, giving each girl a chance to tell us about her favorite thing and draw five names to give the gifts to.

We had a huge variety of items from beauty products, cooking products and household items. I saw about fifteen things that I need to have now, and I got great ideas for stocking stuffers. It's was also a fantastic way to get different groups of girls together - because we all left with some new friends we met at the party.

I took some Kat Von D lip gloss that I was able to get for $5 at Sephora with my Friends & Family discount. Some of my favorite things that I came home with were an Orange Vanilla Trapp votive candle (which I already loved, I just finished the full size one in our bedroom!), some bright red OPI nail polish, a new $6 wine find, and some Mrs. Meyer's cleaning spray. I almost took the Mrs. Meyers as my favorite thing, so Ashley Beth and I must have the same taste in cleaning products!

Jessica made a banner using scrapbook paper and glittered letters, and we also had some tissue paper poms to match our party. She stayed up late a few weeks ago making the banner and sent the photo to me on Facebook, I was super excited and just knew right then the party was a fab idea!

We put together fabulous swag bags for each girl to grab as she signed in. They included some of our favorite things that we don't want our friends living without, but there were too many to bring as our own favorite things. Stop by tomorrow to hear about what was in the bags!

Jessica is the queen of cute, simple ideas that really tie into the theme of a party. Check out these water bottle labels she made!

We served a variety of light bites, sweets and a fruity champagne punch. I love having a ton of snack foods at parties...I know deep down that I'm not eating a meal, so I feel a bit less guilty about loading up on all of the calories.

We had provolone pesto paninis, cream cheese roll-ups, artichoke dip, and a few things that I had never tried before.

These feta slaw crostinis were simple and amazing! If Nelvi will part with the recipe, I'm going to start making them for all my parties.

We found recipes for salty chocolate chip cookies on Pinterest and golden graham bites were from a dear friend (Lawren) who passed her awesome and easy recipe to us!

I made Pecorino Fig bites.

Everyone loved Whitney's Neiman Marcus Squares!

Now, on to the party pics. I know my friends have been hitting refresh all morning waiting on them, ha!

If you live in the south, no party is complete without fresh floral. Jessica had Central Market arrange this and they did such an amazing job! So festive!

Stop by tomorrow to see some of our Most Favorite Things. And since we couldn't invite everyone we know, we are giving away some of them on my blog!

(If you wrote a blog post about the party or your fave things, email me and I'll put the link here if you want.)

A Casserole Will Do

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:01:00 +0000

I am from a very small town where everybody knows everybody. They know your mama, your mama's mama, your daddy's mama and all of the history that goes along with your entire family from way back when. The good, the bad and the ugly.

I haven't really been back home for more than a quick weekend or Christmas visit in twelve years, but nobody ever forgets a name or a face. When Georgia and I went to visit my parents for a couple of weeks in early October, we attended my high school's homecoming parade and football game as well as a fall street carnival. I ran into people I hadn't thought about in years, some that I didn't remember at all until they came up to say hello. But as soon as we started chit-chatting, I recalled everything about them, their mamas, and the rest of their families.

In my hometown, even if your families have been feuding for generations, when someone dies you stop by with a casserole. That's just how things work. Because you know they will inevitably do the same for you.

In my twenties, for three years in a row, my family had a funeral the week of Thanksgiving. Although we cooked our own turkeys and ham, we had no less than three of each brought to us. With all of the traditional Southern fixings. And homemade pies! Oh, the pies!

I'm very lucky to have found a similar group of girlfriends here in Houston. When I was on bedrest with all day morning sickness, they brought soup and ginger ale. When we brought Georgia home, we had all kinds of food for the first two weeks, then one or two dinners a night for the first three months. One of my girlfriends' mothers just passed away and we already have an email chain set up about who is bringing what, so they don't have two Poppy Seed Chickens when they arrive home from the service.

Maybe it's my upbringing, but when someone is going through a rough patch, forget the wine. My first inclination is to ask them what kind of food I can bring over. Food heals a broken heart without a headache the next day.

Here are some of my favorite foods to give and receive in times of need.

Poppy Seed Chicken
Cold cuts from a local deli (Great since you're usually up all hours of the night anyway when there's a death in the family. Or a baby.)
Fried Chicken (Also tastes great cold.)
A huge jug of sweet tea
Cornbread salad
Deviled eggs
Baked ham
Hash brown casserole
Creamy chicken & noodle casserole

Unfortunately, I am once again in my hometown to attend a family funeral. I am looking forward to the comfort food, smiles and kind prayers that will no doubt surround my family in such a sad time.

If you're ever in doubt about what to do for a friend in need, whether the circumstances are happy or sad, stop by with a casserole and a smile. It will do the trick.

11.02.02

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:11:00 +0000

November 2, 2002. A date that will be forever etched into my memory. The only dates that will ever be more important to me are the birth dates of our children.

It's hard to believe how far we've come in nine years.

I'm so grateful that God crossed our paths. If I never had another day with you, I'd still wake up feeling blessed for the 3,285 we've had together. They've been the best days ever.

1: Porch Song > Sleeping Man > Pigeons, Sometimes, Louisiana Truck Stop, Big Wooly Mammoth > Weight Of The World, Trouble, One Arm Steve

2: Give > Barstools and Dreamers > Diner > God Was In The Water > Drums > Heaven > Tall Boy, Climb To Safety

E: Action Man, Old Joe, Mr. Soul

Mom Butt and the State of My Post-Baby Body

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:22:00 +0000

I think I have mom butt. You know, the phenomenon I ridiculed my mother about throughout my teens and twenties? That thing that is supposed to happen to you when you're old and letting yourself go (neither of which apply to me, obviously!)? The elongating of the previously perky, firm rump until your back just blends into your upper thighs?

Yeah.

Here's my butt before and after. I haven't looked closely at myself in the past few months, but seeing the photo from yesterday evening was a rude awakening.

My butt is flatter than before. It's smaller, but I definitely prefer some junk in my trunk. I mean, it's really flat. I guess the jeans I've been wearing are good at camouflaging it. Or not - judging from the photo above. Only five months into this gig and I already have mom butt! Just fabulous.

My abs, butt and thighs are just generally less muscular than before. This is surely attributable to my lack of exercise in the past year. The last time I really worked out was September 17, 2010. I wasn't allowed to exercise during my pregnancy. I took three 3-mile walks and two 6-mile walks during my pregnancy and spent a total of 30 minutes on the treadmill. Since having Georgia I've done about some 20-minute sessions from the Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis DVDs I ordered, but I haven't done them consistently. Clearly, that was money well spent.

Here are some things to note:

I am 10 pounds lighter than my usual eating sensibly and working out weight.
I am 5 pounds lighter than the weight I was when I got pregnant, which was my working out with a trainer a few times a week and working out on my own the other days.
The scale hasn't been this low since Freshman year of college.
I do not watch what I eat in any way, shape or form, but I need to start. I polished off a bag of Hersey's fun sizes that were supposed to be for trick-or-treaters. In two days. I'm working on another as I type this, since we didn't have many trick-or-treaters. I honestly think my weight loss is because of breast feeding because I certainly haven't done anything to help it out.
My waist is the same size as pre-pregnancy, but my abs aren't toned, they are mushy.
I gained 25 pounds during pregnancy, but I lost 10 early on, so I guess I really gained 35 pounds.
When I left the hospital after having Georgia, I was five pounds heavier than when I checked in. So did I really gain 40?

My new year's resolutions will surely revolve around getting back in shape. I have been watching the scale too much (just watching it, not really doing anything to help it along), without really paying attention to what the results look like. While I am happy with my weight, I would really like to tone up and look like I did before. Since that may not be possible without hiring my old trainer to sit with me 24/7 and keep me away from the Hershey's, at the very least I'd like a butt that's a little less mom-ish. Or a lot less mom-ish.

I want my old butt. The one that garnered compliments from men and women alike. I should have enjoyed it while I had it! I'm really mourning its loss while I drown my sorrows in Hershey's.

Previously I could whip myself into shape within a week or two just by cutting out sugar, fat and carbs and working out like a madwoman. That's just not feasible now. I'm breastfeeding so I have to eat carbs and fat, and I have to eat a lot of calories, even though I admit I could stand to lay off the candy. I also just don't have time to hit the gym for an hour every day. I'm fortunate to get in a 30 minute workout but some days I am just too tired or too busy. I also don't have a jogging stroller yet.

Have you ever been able to get into shape just by adjusting diet and working out 30-40 minutes a day? How long did it take? What methods did you use? Does anyone want to come babysit while I do the bootcamp that got Megan's post-baby body back? Maybe I need an accountability partner who I can call before I eat more candy...

If I don't get some semblance of my old butt back, before you know it, I'll be sporting a VPL (that's visible panty line) with a wedgie on one side. Speaking of that...my Hanky Pankys just aren't cutting it for crawling all over the floor with a baby these days. Does anyone have a suggestion for comfy, practical undies that aren't super unsexy? Do those even exist? Gah, I never thought I'd be asking things like this!

Trick or Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:17:00 +0000

From our silly family to yours!

Our neighborhood had a little shindig at the park. We took Georgia up for a few minutes to see her friends Leila and Abigail (somehow I didn't get a picture with Avery).

We trick or treated a couple of houses, then came home to hand out candy ourselves after Georgia went to bed.

Tiny Little Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:02:00 +0000

Georgia has long outgrown her newborn sized clothes, and I spent an evening last week boxing up the 0-3 month sizes. I had lots of free time when I was pregnant, and I distinctly remember picking out each outfit...when and where I bought it, and oh how I imagined my tiny little girl wearing each and every one of them. Georgia played on her activity mat as I gently folded each little outfit and told her about it, and told her about how pretty she looked in it.

So now I have a big box of little clothes and I have no idea what to do with them. Everyone tells me to save them "just in case" because clothing a baby is expensive (especially since 90% of Georgia's clothes are boutique or designer brands); I'm not sure that we will have more children. And if I did, wouldn't I want to lovingly choose new clothes for the new baby?

I will eventually get it together and sell some of the items that are less special to me, and I plan on framing the dress she wore home from the hospital. But what about the things that I just can't bear to part with? What did y'all do with them? Do you think I'll eventually be able to part with them once she's older and I'm (hopefully) less emotional? Will Georgia want to have some of the timeless smocked dresses for her little girl some day? Is it even possible to save clothes for 20+ years? My mom has a couple of my toddler sized dresses that I hope Georgia can wear. I have seen things like these DIY keepsake quilts given as baby shower gifts but do I want to spend $70 just to cut up clothes and frame them?

I would love to hear your ideas on parting with or saving the baby clothes!

Pumpkin Patch Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:13:00 +0000

We took Georgia and Piper to the pumpkin patch at our church. The girls did great, this photo shoot went much better than our last time with a pumpkin! I just knew Georgia would see all the pumpkins and crawl away screaming, but she was a sport and posed for all of the photos and even tolerated some time in hair & makeup for an outfit change.

Aren't they adorable?

They've clearly had enough! Pretty incredible they made it this far - Georgia had been up for four hours with no morning nap. I fully expected to finish up the photo shoot later, but the sweet babies were true troopers.

Halloween Playdate - A Toddler Halloween Party

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 04:11:00 +0000

Georgia hosted her first party, which really means I invited some friends with kids who I never get to catch up with anymore!

Her first outfit was awesome. An appliqued pumpkin shirt with her name, and I tutu I made. Unfortunately, she had a diaper accident right when the party started and I didn't get any photos of her in it. You better bet I'm putting the tutu on again Monday for some photos!

You know I had a pumpkin-themed backup in the closet, though. The dress she's wearing above is by Shrimp & Grits, socks are Trumpettes. I'm wearing the ubiquitous Old Navy top that Nina so graciously picked up for me, AG jeggings and the black over the knee boots from Target that were so popular last year, since I didn't wear them last year (nothing like looking like a pregnant prostitute!).

The best thing I did was buy mini pumpkins and washable markers. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep the kids occupied while the mommas and I chatted, so I thought they may like to color pumpkins. They didn't really spend too much time on the pumpkins, but some of the toddlers were at the right age for naming the colors of the markers and doing little tasks like picking them all up.

I just made some quick paper crafts for decorations and used a free printable banner (from Clickable Party) that I glued on purple craft paper. I made the banner fringe with tissue paper. I definitely didn't do anything too fancy.

I made the pumpkins by folding six sheets of craft paper accordion style, folding them in half and gluing together. Then I glued on face cutouts. I made a giant cat in the same manner (26 sheets of paper...I was up folding all night!), but at the last minute I wasn't able to hang it because it was too heavy. I needed rods to keep it straight and I didn't have any.

The bats were pretty fun, they're just cut from craft paper, too.

I definitely didn't get fancy, but it was cute. I'm not really sure any of the tiny guests noticed the festive touches, though!

Food was easy - the party was from 2 until 4, so I just did little snacks. Plus, the oldest guest just turned three, so I had to keep it toddler friendly. Most of them were under 18 months.

Bottled water, popcorn, spinach dip and chips (right from the Knoor soup mix package), pig in the blanket mummies, and candy corn cookies (recipe coming this week).

The water bottle and popcorn baggie labels matched the banner and were also from Clickable Party. I got the plates and napkins from Hobby Lobby.

I ordered the invitations from VistaPrint. I paid $20 for 10 of them, but you can get them a lot cheaper. I wanted Georgia's name and the return address printed on the matching envelope. I think they would have been $7 without all of that.

It was fun, and an incredibly budget-friendly party. It's definitely easier to entertain little kids than adults! Their drinks are in sippy cups and their moms only let them have small bites of food, so there's really not much cleanup involved. When we host adult parties it takes an hour or two to clean up half empty plates and glasses from all over the house!

Here's the budget breakdown:
Invitations - $20
Banner and labels - free!
Craft Paper - 2 packs for $8
Tissue Paper - $1
String (to hang decorations) - $2
Washable Markers - $4
Little Pumpkins - $7
Water - $3 for a case
Chips - $1
Dip - $4 (estimated)
Popcorn - $1 (I bought the kernels and popped it myself, easy-peasy!)
Mummies - $5
Candy Corn Cookies - I had all of the ingredients....maybe $2?
Napkins - $1
Plates - $3
Drinks for Mummies (cranberry & pineapple juice mixed until it's orange + rum) - $7

TOTAL = $69
It could be done quite a bit cheaper if you had coupons or bought the craft paper, markers, plates and napkins on sale (Hobby Lobby always has a 40% off, I just didn't print extras). You could also save on the invites by skipping the extra printing or using evites.

Erin Condren Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Chas) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Winner is entry #21.....Becca!

Email coming your way, congrats!!