Slice of Life – 2/12/16

Hello hello! Today I’m letting out a big sigh of relief that we’ve made it through another week and are that much closer to Jamie being home. Sometimes this deployment biz really isn’t so bad, but other times the weight of his absence is a bit heavier. I can honestly say that the last four months have flown by much faster than expected and in a lot of ways have been much easier than expected, but Hadley and I will feel much more whole once Jamie is home.

I didn’t get as much sleep as I should have last night because I was not-so-patiently waiting for this precious, perfect angel to be born. My very, very best friend since we were 10 years old, Amberlee, officially became a mom around 2 a.m. when Carter was born, and I couldn’t hold back the tears when the first pictures of him rolled in from her amazing husband Brandon a few minutes later. I’m already counting down the days (35) until I get to hold him and love on him at their home in Atlanta. Watching your friends become parents is so incredible. I love this stage of life so much.

This week was also so joyful because another beautiful friend also got to meet her son Luca on Tuesday! I am just loving all these baby boys! Kitty is a dear Army friend I met about a year ago here in Kansas, and I’m so excited to be near her to watch Luca grow and be friends with Sadie! 🙂 My girlfriend Kelsey and I went over to her home to meet Luca yesterday, and I just couldn’t stop marveling at all of his tiny, perfect features. I forgot how precious newborns are, and it made me so excited to have mine soon.

We threw Kitty a shower a few weeks ago at my house and loved showering her and celebrating her sweet family.

Last Thursday I took Hadley to a pediatric dental office for her first visit. She’s semi obsessed with brushing her teeth and is well-behaved when she goes with me to my own cleanings, but I still wasn’t sure how she’d handle the appointment. I scheduled the appointment for right after her afternoon nap which was a huge mistake because she was so moody. All the dentist did was count her teeth, check them for general good condition, and put some fluoride on them. She hated it though and didn’t want him near her! He redeemed himself in her eyes though when he gave her a new pink toothbrush and new toothpaste. She carried it around for hours once we got home. Better luck in August?

 

These two. Hadley and Jack. I say this every time, but I can’t get enough of watching these two grow together. They drive each other nuts but would be so lost without the other. They’re both getting little sisters soon, so they’ll get to navigate those sibling waters together as well. 🙂

Meg treated me to a pedicure for my birthday a couple weeks ago and her parents (who were in town visiting) watched the kiddos. Going through pregnancy side by side with a good friend is fabulous because wearing outfits like these – loose gray tops, yoga pants, and neon tennis shoes –  for a “girls night out” is 100% acceptable. In this picture I’m almost 28 weeks and she’s 32 weeks.

Last Saturday we woke up with no plans, but it was a sunny day and we wanted to get out. It was in the 20s though, so we headed to cruise around the mall. I snapped this picture to show Jamie that she’s always reading books. Always. There are at least five in the car at all times. I love this little bookworm!

I’m loving that I can finally squeeze her hair into these sweet pigtails!

Saturday night was so much fun because I got to play makeup artist for these two beauties for their high school dance! Standing next to them definitely makes me feel like an old mom. 😉 How I’m already 11 years older than high school juniors is BEYOND ME.

I noticed that Hadley loved playing with a friend’s piggy bank a few weeks, so I snagged at Target for $13! I filled it up with spare change and surprised her with it after she woke up from her nap on Tuesday. She played with it for well over an hour that first day and has continued to play with it every day since. Money well spent!

I’ve had to bring my Jeep into the dealership twice in the last couple of weeks for recalls and repairs, and thankfully this girl has been fairly tolerant of waiting around for the work to be done.

I love this precious little valentine Hadley made for us at school this week! It’s a keeper.

Freshening up the basement guest bathroom is underway. I had almost a whole gallon of Sherwin Williams “Dorian Gray” in a cashmere finish left over from when I painted my master bedroom last year, so I decided to use it in this room instead of wasting money buying more paint. I took this picture while the second coat was drying, so that’s why it looks a bit shiny. 🙂 The to-do list for this bathroom includes replacing the flooring, painting the vanity, getting a new mirror and light fixture, and adding pretty decor. I know our guest bedroom and bathroom will be used more frequently with the addition of a new baby, so I want to make sure our guests are comfortable in updated spaces.

I’m so excited to show you Sadie’s nursery soon! It’s been such a fun winter project. I need to put up a new light fixture, but otherwise it’s done! I snagged this monogram from Wayfair for $27, and thought that was a great deal. It came unfinished so that I could customize it, so I spray painted it with a champagne gold color I already had sitting around the basement. 🙂

If you’re a Whimsical September fan on Facebook, you may have seen my post about this week! Hadley lived in these shoes all spring and summer last year, so when I saw them price-matched for $25 I scooped up a pair immediately. Mommas of littles, these shoes are wonderful for the pool, splash park, play ground, neighborhood walks, and more. They’re anti-slip, don’t give blisters, and slip on and off with ease (but not with too much ease). I’d highly recommend them if you have a walker!

Nordstrom coat survey update: Thank you all so much for playing along with my survey a couple of weeks ago and giving me your input about your favorite coat. It was so much fun to see your responses!

Coat #6 won by a landslide, so that’s the coat I promptly ordered!

It came in the mail yesterday, and I love it already! The color is a bit darker than pictured online, but the quality is incredible. It’s super warm and comfortable, and I love the chic detachable faux fur hood! It also fits very true to size. The price tag that came on the coat said $280, but I only paid $99! It’s still available in sizes XS, L, and XL

It’s a snug zip over my 30-week belly, which means it’ll be great next year when I don’t have a belly. 🙂 The arms and length fit perfectly.

And that’s our slice of life for mid February. I hope you have a sweet Valentines weekend and enjoy loving on your significant other. A lot of people knock this holiday as silly, but I don’t see anything wrong with an excuse to show a little extra love and admiration. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy feeling special, appreciated, and loved!

PS: Four years ago tomorrow, Jamie arrived home from his first deployment after spending 10 months in Afghanistan. It was truly the happiest day. Very sweet memories!

 

More: Our 2015 Valentines Weekend at the Beach