Happy Wedding Day

We interrupt your usual blog reading to congratulate Maria and Ale on their nuptials - taking place today!!

Stole this image from Maria. Don't use it. It's hers. ;)

I can't believe their big day is finally here! Not to mention, I can't believe that I've known Maria (and Ale too I guess!) for close to two years. When I started this here blog in 2010, she was one of my very first readers and we became fast friends over the interwebs. Fast forward to last May, and we met for the first time! Plus, she brought me a present, so I give her extra points for that too. ;)

Image from Anni. 

Personal photo. And my fave of us two. 

So anywho, I just wanted to jump online and say congratulations to the happy couple! I'm so excited that I can come celebrate with you tonight. Husband and I will be driving to Maryland to the wedding and this will actually be the first wedding I've attended just as a guest in over 5 years! I'm ecstatic to actually not be in the wedding. Ha! I get to relax and enjoy all of Maria's hard work. 

Want to spy on some of the festivities? Welp, if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, I might be able to steal a few snapshots. ;)

Happy Memorial Day weekend folks! Hope it's a fun and safe one for all of you! 

Momma Must Haves

I know not all of my readers are mommas but you'll have to bear with me for this next post. I've been thinking of all the things I got for my  baby shower and all the stuff I've accumulated since Noah was born and what I love and hate about them. Before we get started though, I have to give credit to Hellobee because I basically stole this layout from them. Props to my favorite mommy site!

1. Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Soothe and Glow Seahorse - If I were putting these in order from most favorite to least favorite, this would be my number one item all the way. This seahorse plays the quietest melodies and I think Kevin and I would need it now even without Noah. None of us can fall asleep without it!
   
2. Swaddle Me - When Noah was born, we swaddled him in the Halo Sleep Sack which worked great but he grew out of the newborn one we had very quickly. I went to Target to buy another but all they had were the Swaddle Me brand and we've used them ever since! It may seem to some that Noah's getting a little too old to be swaddled (3 months!) but it works for us and he sleeps through the night this way. I'm not going to tempt fate just yet! (PS: If your baby tends to bust out of his swaddle, try this technique from my girl Abby. It works!)
   
3. Baby Einstein Lights and Melodies Mirror - We hung this mirror in our car for Noah and he loves it! Not only does he laugh at himself but it has lighted colors and speaks French and Spanish. You can also set a timer for the music in 10, 20 or 30 minute intervals which I like.  
   
4. Medela Freestyle Pump - Sine I am breastfeeding, I needed a pump for when I went back to work and I really like this model. It's cordless and tiny which is great for me since I don't have easy access to a plug where I pump. It can be a little on the loud side but that's my only complaint! I don't even need a handpump if I have this guy with me, he's easy to transport and use while on the go.
    
5. Boppy pillow - A nursing mother's dream. Well, for me anyway. Noah is a great eater and will (most of the time) lay there quite still while he's nursing and the Boppy frees my hands so I can read, play with my phone or put on my make up. Yes, most mornings I put my makeup on while he eats. It's for sure a time saver as long as I don't spill my foundation on his little head. ;)
   
6. Dr. Browns Bottles - This rec actually comes from my cousin, Nicole, and is for any mom, nursing or formula feeding. She swears by these Dr. Browns bottles for her 10 month old! 
   
7. Wipe Warmer - I absolutely love my wipe warmer and while it's not a necessity, I think Noah appreciates the fact that I don't use freezing cold wipes on his little bottom. Think about it, would you?
    
8. Baby Trend Velocity Stroller - I don't actually own a Baby Trend jogging stroller but I intend to get one ASAP. Again, my cousin Nicole  has this stroller and when she came to visit, I used it a few times and fell in love. The Baby Trend carriers are also lightweight and I can't wait to get a travel system of my own.  
   
9. Graco Dynamo Lite Stroller System - My mother in law has this Graco travel system and I've stolen her stroller because it's super easy to use and ridiculously light weight. Truth time? I actually have a Graco Snugride 35 travel system and I despise it. It's heavy and hard to carry which is why I've confiscated my mother in laws stroller. ;)
   
10. The First Year's tub with sling - If you have a newborn or a baby with a wobbly head like mine, a sling will do you a world of good when it comes to bath time. 
    
11. Graco UltraClear Baby Monitor - A lot of momma's have a camera monitor but I haven't had the urge to buy one just yet and in the meantime, I really do like my Graco monitor. There's a feature on our model that vibrates when the baby fusses which is nice when I'm...say...blow drying my hair? Or jamming out to Justin Bieber?  
    
12. Arm's Reach Co Sleeper  - I am probably way overdue putting Noah in his own room at night since he sleeps from 9pm to 6am but having him right next to me is just comforting. We borrowed the Arm's Reach Co Sleeper from my sister and it's great. It's basically a mini pack and play that is the perfect height for sleepy mom's to just reach over in the middle of the night to sooth their little ones. (AKA - pop a pacifier back in their mouth so we can get some shut eye!)
    
13. Diaper Genie  - One item I might not miss if I didn't have it? My Diaper Genie. Would I miss it if you took it away? Absolutely. It's way to easy to be able to reach down and stick that dirty diaper in the genie where it hides them away and never leaks a smell.  

There you have it! Some of my all time favorite baby items. Of course, this isn't counting my all time favorite resource, Twitter. I don't know what I'd do/buy without some of you other mommies! How did our moms do all of this without technology to rely on? ;)

Tell Them You Love Them

This has been a very difficult week for several of my friends and while I hesitate to write this post, I feel like things need to be said. My sister and I both discussed writing about what this last week has brought and I finally figured I should just do it.

There are a lot of crappy things that happen in our lives. We hit traffic on the way to work, making us five minutes late and think it's going to ruin our entire day. We have a fender bender, we forgot to pay a bill, cell phone broke, computer crashed, cables out, or stubbed a toe. As horrible as all of these things seem in that moment, there are worse things that can happen. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer this morning but I think we all need a reminder to look at the bigger picture.

Something happened this week that hit way too close to home for me and it's been weighing heavy on my heart. Two families lost their children in the last few days, one of which was an infant lost to SIDS. A parent shouldn't have to go through something as horrific as that and I beg for your prayers this morning. My sister works with the father of the infant, who was only a mere two weeks older than my own son. While all the details are a bit fuzzy right now, the sweet baby was lost suddenly and I can tell you for a fact, I'm hugging my own extra tight lately.

The second child was a 4 year old born with spina bifida and lost his battle yesterday. I went to school with his dad and while I didn't know him personally, one of my best friends is very close with the family and it's hit her and her husband very hard.

While I didn't know either of these children personally, it doesn't change the fact that we all need to look at the bigger picture in life. Just because you got in an argument over dirty laundry and would really like to never talk to your husband again - there are worse things that could happen. Hug your husband/wife/lover. Kiss your babies.  Be a friend that can be counted on. Step up. Live your life. Tell someone you love them.

With that said, I'm beyond blessed to have a happy, healthy family and am a very lucky girl to have some of the best friends I could have ever ask for. I pray that even in hard times, they know I love them.

Quintuplets? No thanks.

On the weekend of Noah's baptism, my cousins - Kristin and Nicole - were able to come down and visit. Along with them came their two babies, George and Brody. Those two boys along with my son, my brother's son and my sister's daughter made a grand total of five babies in attendance to the festivities Sunday.

Mother's of multiples? I worship thee.

Seriously, this was one crazy afternoon and if it hadn't been for all the other momma's in the room, there's no way one of us could have handled all five at the same time. Two of the babies are mobile and my brother's son is still a newborn. Can you just imagine how it SOUNDED in that house?

See what I mean? Chaos. From left to right, with their ages we have Brody: 10 months, Quorra: 7 months, George: 3 months (who we woke up from a nap. Yikes!) then there's my Noah: almost 3 months and finally, Benjamin: 2 weeks.

Each baby had their own agenda during this ridiculous photoshoot.Poor George was pissed that we woke him up. Baby Ben was just sleeping away and they were both leaned up against Noah, who was just straight chillin. And remember what I said about Brody being mobile? Yeah, the next series of pics describes that perfectly...

GOING....

GOING....

AANNDDD GONE.

Poor babies. Not only was Brody trying to escape, sweet Quorra was trying to give everybody kisses!! 

But this final picture just cracks me up. Even though it's super blurry, it describes the event in it's entirety.

Quorra giving sloppy kisses on one side and baby Ben sleeping on the other -- Noah has had enough. The kid just can't catch a break.

So yeah. Mother's of multiples? Bless you. Quintuplets won't be in my future.

A VERY Belated Weekend Recap!

I know this is way overdue but wanted to update you crazy kiddos on what's been happening around these parts, specifically, last weekends fun activities!

Last Sunday was a ridiculously hectic day for my family and for my friends. My sister and I had a joint baptism at church for our babies. Noah was dressed in the white baptism outfit my brothers wore and Quorra had on the white gown both my sister and I wore for our baptisms that my grandmother hand made.

The ceremony was short and sweet. I'm so glad we had Noah baptized... even if the pastor did forget my name. I mean... I've only been a member and have attended church there for 12 years. Whatevs.

Okay, so this isn't the most flattering pic of me. And Mr. Noah. But it's the only one of both sets of grandparents, so we'll take it. :)

And of course we had to get a picture of my sister, her husband and their parents. 

After church, my sister and I zipped across town as fast as we could so we could to attend our friend Angela's bridal shower! Her Maid of Honor Michelle organized a beautiful shower and I'm so happy for the bride-to-be. She deserves all the spoiling we could give her!

 The maid of honor (left) with the bride (right).

One of the many fun activities! We also played a trivia game and a word game. 

Which I won. That's right.

Cute wine-stopper favors!

GIFTS!

Even baby Quorra left the bride a sweet note!

 

Another favor: decorate your own wine glasses. Love this!

And where there are wine glasses, there is wine. 

In this case, a nice bottle of "Bitch Bubbly"

And lastly, a group shot of our group of friends. 

I'm loving that so many happy moments are happening with my friends! Babies, birthdays, and weddings are all cause for celebrations and the year is just brimming with exciting things. I can only hope this trend continues because there are a few of my loves that are in need of prayers. Not only my in-real-life friends but for some of my blogger/twitter pals and their families as well. While half of my friends are announcing pregnancies, engagements, new jobs and exciting moves to new places, the other half are going through some tough times.

 I won't get into it but like I said, I wish nothing but good things on all of you! Whether your families are sick and need prayers or you're looking for guidance, just know that I'm thinking of you and sending you nothing but love. :)

Hmm. Okay, now that I've reread that - it sounds very vague but I just felt like I needed to put some good vibes out into the universe - let's hope it listens!

Dear Noah

Dear Noah,

11 weeks ago today, you made me a mom. I never knew how strong I was until I met you. The day you came into the world was a hard, draining, beautiful and emotional day. Your dad and I had no idea how much our lives would change after you were born but things just keep getting better and better. You've brought us closer together and you've made us a family. We're in this together, no matter what.

No matter how loud I yell or how mad you are at me, we still love each other. You may only be 2 months old today but when you're 16 and sneak out of the house or get your first F in school, I still love you.

Even when you scratch your dad's car or smoke behind the garage, I promise I won't tell. It'll be our little secret.

When you're scared or in trouble or in love? I'm here for you. Even though I might not want to hear about the girl who has a crush on you, I want you to tell me. That's something I'm going to have to get used to because no one can resist your eyes or your smile, even now.

In the few weeks that you've been on this earth, you've shown me that there is such a thing as unconditional love.  You've made me realize how much I should appreciate my own mom, and I know she'll probably read this so we should thank her too. Without your gramma, there's no way I would be who I am today.

She always told me that we weren't allowed to grow up but now that I have you, I know what she meant. There are days that I just want to freeze time so that I can protect you forever. Like this morning, when you fell asleep on my chest, I wanted to stay in that moment forever, just listening to you snore and breathing you in. But just as fast as I wish you would stay 2 months old forever, I can't wait to see you grow up.

So I'll cherish these little moments we have because I know someday soon, I won't be able to hold you anymore. Someday, you won't want to hold my hand anymore and I know someday, you'll probably want me to drop you off a block away from your school, just so you won't be seen with me. But you know what? That's all okay. Whether you want me to or not, I'm still going to scream "I LOVE YOU!" across the school yard, because I do. I love you with all my heart and with every fiber in my body.

Noah, thank you for making me a mother. It's both rewarding and challenging and it's the best job I've ever had.

As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be. 

I love you,
Your Mom.

Relay For Life!

Last Friday, my girlfriends and I participated in the Relay For Life at our local fairgrounds. We spent months fundraising for the American Cancer Society event and I'm so excited to say that we exceeded our original goal and raised $1950 total!

It was an awesome night and a great time with my friends and family. If you've never attended a Relay for Life event, you need to. There are so many people there raising awareness and funds for this great cause, it's hard not to enjoy yourself and get caught up in the amazingness of the whole thing!

To add to our fundraising, we decided to have a bake sale while we were at Relay and it was a huge success!

We had cupcakes....

sold out of cake pops and brownies...

and had a TON of cookies for sale. At $1 a piece, we made over $200 just that night! A great accomplishment for my team and I'm so glad we got to add to our fundraising total. 

While we were working hard, we had to make sure we enjoyed ourselves but with our group, that's never hard. 

It was a gorgeous day, a little hot but even the babies were getting into it!

How gorgeous is my sister's daughter? Heartbreaker!

My cousin, Nicole, with her son Brody. He's 10 months old and a ham for the camera!

I was so glad my cousins were able to come to town last weekend for Noah and Quorra's baptisms (more on that later) and came to Relay with us!

Told ya! Love that face.

And don't you worry, Noah got in on the action too, even though he slept for most of the night. (Good boy!)

My girlfriends and I have called ourselves "the Real Housewives" for quite sometime so it was only fitting that it was our team name for Relay for Life. 

Not only did we have fun but it was also touching to see how many people have been touched by cancer. No matter who you are, you either have, or know someone with cancer. As the evening turned dark, the campground fell silent as each person lighted a luminary in honor of or in memory of someone affected by cancer. 

There were thousands and thousands of people there that night but you could hear a pin drop during the lighting of the luminaries.It was a fantastic experience and I would absolutely attend in the future. Cancer doesn't sleep and neither did we! :)

Have you ever attended Relay for Life? What did you think? 

{Thank you to all of you who donated!! Including my fellow bloggers Maria, JeeYoung, Layla and Erika! If I forgot you, I'm sorry, thank you thank you thank you!}

Beach Bliss: The Night Comes to a Close

Once we prepped, said our vows, heard the toasts, and we had our first dance, we decided to end the night on a high note with the tossing of my bouquet and the garter.The DJ called all the single ladies to the dance floor and they got ready for some action.

I took my position on the stage and I tossed!

After a few of the ladies wrestled with my nieces, we all had a good laugh and in the end, my friend Michelle ended up with the bouquet. 


Then it was Kevin's turn to toss the garter but before that happened, he had to take it off of yours truly!

 Of course, after a few glasses of wine, I had to ham it up for the crowd!

  

Once Kevin successfully removed the garter, he contemplated his tossing technique...

...and he let 'er rip!

Before we knew it, the evening was coming to a close and we were hugging our family and friends goodbye. Our wedding day was spectacular and everything I imagined it would be. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. 

I certainly didn't expect my wedding recaps to last so long but I can't leave you without sharing some of my favorite snapshots. For starters, a few silly pictures that I'm glad were caught on camera.

This next one is one of my favorite shots of the entire day. My dress got caught on one of the groomsman's boutineer and his face was PRICELESS.

After we had our fun, it was time for my husband and I to sneak off and take a few pictures, just the two of us. 

Our wedding was nothing short of magical and our marriage is just the same. It gets better and better with every day and now we have a beautiful son as a result of our love.

This is the good life. :)