Happy Day!!

October 14, 2012 marked 3 months for our little angel! Day by day, we see him grow, both physically and mentally. We celebrated by going to Sunday in the Park for some live music.

He is finally beginning to fit in clothes that are 0-3 months! Bye bye {tear} newborn clothes. I did a size comparison of the onesies he wore when he came home to now.

Wow! It's like comparing pistachios to walnuts. I'm so happy that my baby is growing big and healthy, but remembering how small he was brings a tear to my eye.  It's bittersweet.

But if a size comparison doesn't paint a clear picture, how's this:
When we brought Koen home, we were STRUGGLING to get him to drink 40ml (1oz) of milk per feeding (every 3 hours). Now, we feed him about 4x that amount (about 130 ml / 4 oz)!!

He has begun to coo and "talk"... when he's in the mood. Mostly he just likes to watch those around him (mommy, daddy, mami...) act completely ridiculous, simply for his entertainment. This makes him laugh. Especially words that begin with L or make the L sound. He likes to see us stick our tongues out, which he often mimics.

Another activity of interest for our little man is flailing his arms. They're out of control actually. Thank goodness for swaddlepods!

He is also learning the basics of supply and demand. He demands food, diaper changes, a trip outside, you name it... And we are happy to supply ;)

Besides all the interaction he has with mommy, daddy and mami, Koen has begun to develop a bit of a social life! He has been to at least 2 parties now, met new people, including 2 other babies close in age. He goes on outings to the park and shopping. This kid is quite the social butterfly!

His weight is a little over 11 pounds! As for his length, well, it's almost impossible to keep those legs still and straight long enough to get a measurement. Let's just say, he is probably going to take after daddy in the height department.

Halloween is just around the corner and is one of mommy's favorite holidays, if you want to call it that. Is Halloween even a holiday? IDK. Nevertheless, we are trying to narrow down costume ideas and places to go. Any suggestions?

{his first pumpkin. Look how he loves it!}

I can't say it enough, GOD I LOVE THIS LITTLE BOY!

xoxo,

mama V!ck

K's nursery: continued

You all know how bad I am about following up on DIY or renovations posts. I never even posted about our finished master bath. Yes, it's finished. No, I didn't blog about it.

But, I'm so proud of what I've done in K's nursery that I am making a point to share it with you. So far you've seen the furniture {here} Well, my design endeavors continue. I've been working on a frame collage since, oh I don't know, June? Don't judge! I was interrupted mid-july with the birth of my son, and I just haven't gotten back on track yet.

A frame collage isn't as easy as it seems on Pinterest, thankyouverymuch! There's probably a certain order in which to do this project, which I didn't do. Logically, the art or photos should be collected first, then the frames to fit. Not vice-versa like I did, because then you're stuck with frames and art that don't fit. Duh, stupid.

Nevertheless, I got my artwork and photos framed (though I'm still collecting a few) so the next step was to choose the right color for the frames. I wanted to add a pop to K's room but had the hardest time deciding which shade of orange or aqua to use. In the end I stuck with the navy and lime color that was already a running theme in his room.

Now for the hardest part...strategically placing the frames on the wall to look like a clustered collection of art, not a hot mess of craft painted frames.

What I did was lay the frames out on the floor and move them around, here and there, until I had them in precisely the right spot. I did this Over and Over and Over and Over. They're STILL not how I'd like them to look, thus the project continues.

But here's a look at what I've got going on, so far...

Here I laid out all the frames in a row, one above the other.

Here, I had already painted some of the frames, and tried a more clustered lay out. Also pictured is the kickass pouf and chevron rug I scored for $80 each. Hollaaaa!

Which layout do you think looks best? Horizontal {ph.1} or clustered {ph.2}... Honest opinions welcomed.

xoxo,

mama V!ck

my latest obsession

How many of you obsessively shop online? Guilty. I mean, it can't get any easier than Click. Pay. Delivery.

And, yes, it does get one in trouble from time to time...especially those sites that have killer deals on designer goods. You know the ones, Rue La La, Ideeli, Joss and Main, Gilt and LuxeYard.  These sites offer discounts, sometimes up to 70% off designer clothing, shoes, furniture, decor- you name it!

Well it just so happens that there is a similar site to these, geared toward mamas and babies! May I introduce my newest online shopping obsession:  Zulily. It's awesome! And super easy to use. All you have to do it create an account, and an email will be sent to you with daily deals. Boom! Let the shopping madness begin...

So far, I've purchased waaay tooo many cloth diapers, a cute fire fighter outfit for Koen, more cloth diapers,  maternity bras, etc. And that's just me. Grandma, a.k.a. "mami" is also addicted to Zulily.

Here are some deals I found just this morning!

As you already know that I have waaay tooo many cloth diapers, but I had to share with you these cuties. Snaps and velcro make fastening these babies a breeze. And if you're not really into cloth diapers but want cute bottoms, check out the diaper covers. Imagine how cute your bebe's bum would look crawling around in a pair of these!

{cloth diapers by Growing Up Green; diaper covers by Zebi}

I also couldn't help drooling over these bibs and birth cloths, pun INTENDED, that come in separates or matching sets.

{all four items by Zebi}

And of course I came across a deal for the most adorable baby shoes. No, my shoe fetish is not reserved only to shoes my size, but for little footsies as well. Especially for that price. Just look!

 {little boy footwear by Baby Deer}

{little girl footwear, also by Baby Deer....for my future daughter}

Who says your little prince can't be stylish in a pair of leather loafers or froggy rain boots?  Or your little princess in super comfy faux leopard slippers or ballerina flats?...

There is one {minor} downfall to these super sale sites. Almost all items are NON-RETURNABLE. So if there's something you don't like, you're pretty much stuck with it. Oh, and sales usually only last about 48 hours, so please shop wisely. 

And, by all means, don't impulse buy! Or you'll end up with waaay tooo many cloth diapers.

Have fun shopping. The holidays are closer than you know. P.S. I wear a size 8 shoe...

xoxo,

mama V!ck

baby life

Baby life. What is there to say except that it's easy....for him. 

 I remind my little bundle of joy, when he cries out during a diaper change, that life will never again be as easy for him as it is now. Unless my baby becomes a ga-zillion-aire, no one will ever wipe his butt, feed him and let him sleep all day like he does now. lol. Well, maybe.

Actually, Koen's day-to-day routine isn't much different than his step-brother, Buddha {our Australian Shepherd}. Eat. Poop. Sleep. Repeat.

But, he has had more 'wake time' lately. Usually after his feedings, we exercise by doing bicycle kicks {this helps relieve gas} and we have tummy time to help him strengthen those neck muscles. Haha, poor baby had gotten pretty good at holding his head up during his first month, but then hit a growth spurt and now has to retrain his neck to steady that melon. I actually gave him a neck massage today after tummy time. he loved it.

What else? Oh, he's ticklish...like daddy.

His face changes. Every. Day.

And he likes to giggle. it's the most adorable thing to me. 
I thought puppies were cute. Puppies have nothing on this kid.

I've heard that if a baby smiles or laughs during his sleep, it means angels are talking to him. 
I've also heard it could be gas... but I think I like the angel theory best.

Parenthood has proven to be better than expected. Truth be told, I had no idea what to expect. I can tell you that I never thought I could function on so little sleep. Or that I could love a person I've known for only a short time so unconditionally. And I could never have imagined how excited daddy and I would get over poop. 

Yes, people, poop. Greenish-brown, sometimes runny, sometimes sticky, always explosive. Poop.

See,  breastmilk is almost 100% digestible so there's virtually no waste, therefore breastfed babies, apparently, don't need to poop but like once a week...  BUT, when you see your little one red faced and straining throughout the day, you tend to disagree with everyone who says it's "normal" not to poop. This is why I say daddy and I get excited over poop. We even sing a song about it- "Whoop whoop poop poop". Seriously.

There have been some difficult moments, as expected. For instance, breast feeding is not going as well as before. We started off strong. I was actually impressed at how easily he caught on, but now, nothing. It's like he changed his mind about 'ninny'. It seems like every time I put him to breast, he falls asleep before finishing. Then I have to pump and bottle feed him the rest. I've tried stripping him down to his diaper to wake him a little. Nah, didn't work. I tried changing positions. This just seemed to irritate him.

I'm hopeful though... We WILL get the hang of it, because mommy is so over that damn breast pump.

Ahhh, parenthood. Love.

xoxo,
mama V!ck

Guess who's 2 months today?!

It's September 14 already! I can't believe my little Koen is 2 month old today! Everyone warned me that these days and the precious moments that fill them would go fast...and they are!

Since birth, Koen has grown to 8 lbs 15 oz  and 20 3/4 inches! And he's consuming 3 times the amount of milk as he was when we first brought him home.

He's starting to be able to focus on objects now and particularly likes to look at Mr. Owl that hangs from his mobile.  Koen also likes listening to Beach House during the day with daddy and The Innocence Mission lullabies with mommy during nap time.

Bath time is something we're still getting used to. Mommy sometimes forgets to cover his eyes before rinsing. Or cover my eyes when he shoots a stream of pee into the air . And he's so slippery when he's wet--I worry he's going to shoot out of my hands like a wet bar of soap. But I think he's getting used to it. It's funny to hear his shriek when coming in contact with the water then stopping abruptly when he realizes "Oh yeah, I like this warm wet stuff.."

 {first bath}

As he continues to grow and learn, I'm sure I'll have many more funny, exciting and joyful moments to share with you.

Happy 2 months little boy. Mommy loves you.

xoxo,
mama V!ck

and they just keep coming...

This time last year, I planned a beach trip with my besties, which ended up being cancelled due to weather...remember? Tropical Storm Lee! Well this year hasn't been much better. Although I have no beach trip planned, the possibility of planning anything 'beachy' for Labor Day weekend has been hindered by yet another storm, T.S./Hurricane Isaac.

Good ol' Isaac...Didn't mount up to much in terms of hurricane strength, as it only reached a Cat 1, but traveling as slow as it did, caused severe damage to the boot! And on the anniversary of Katrina, no less.

Plaquemines Parish suffered catastrophic flooding in the early hours of the storm. People and animals alike were stranded as waters began to rise out of the gulf and over the levees.

Below, 2 women attempt to rescue livestock from muddy waters 

{image: Sean Gardner, Reuters}

{images: Getty}

Even piggies were stranded in flood waters- off I-55

{image: Clarion Ledger}

I just hope all of you made it to high ground, without suffering too much damage. And that you all had a good Labor Day weekend, despite Mother Nature and her antics.

K's nursery : the furniture

When it came to fixing up a nursery for our little man, I was stuck- stuck on ruffles and chandeliers and anything coral...Obvi- because I'm a girl and that's what I would want in my room.

Designing with a little boy in mind was a bit more challenging. Luckily, thanks to Pinterest, I was able to find ample inspiration for creating a masculine room for a baby boy that was A) not all baby blue and pale yellow, B) not race cars and camo, C) not too 'baby', so that the room will still work as he gets older.

Everything in K's room has been upcycled from found pieces or my own baby furniture :)  Not only did this save me money but I was able to customize everything to fit my design scheme for his nursery.

Thanks to pepere, who is credited with refinishing and painting all these pieces while I was preggo, all the furniture turned out even better than I had envisioned!

Although I'm not entirely finished with the nursery, here's a peek at the furniture. 

{the Chifferobe}

This chifferobe was given to me by a friend who had it in her garage for years with hopes of (eventually) fixing it up. It was in pretty bad condition- old varnish needed to be sanded off, side panels needed to be replaced from water damage, a mirror needed to be added to the top left door, and feet needed to be put on to raise it off of the floor. Oh yeah, and it needed paint and new hardware.

{the Crib}

 This was my baby crib!...29 years ago ;) 

Yeah, I know. The FDA or USDA, or whomever makes the rules, says using second hand baby equipment or anything older than 5 years can be a hazard. Well if you can't fit a soda can through the spindles then it's all good, right? 

*disclaimer: I'm a risk taker and don't always follow the rules. Please don't do as I do.

{the Changing Table}

This little number was found on the side of the street {thanks Aunt Mimi}. It was lime green and missing a leg. But, being that pepere is a whiz on the wood lathe, he whipped out another identical leg to replace the missing one. The top was framed in to fit a changing pad. And a small milk crate was cut in half and fixed to either side for extra storage. Paint and hardware finished it up.

We still have a little work to do in order to complete K's room. But I don't think he minds.... he'll sleep just about anywhere :)

I'll be sure to follow up when K's nursery is complete. Stay tuned....


xoxo,
Mama V!ck