I'm alive

Well, well, well. Would you look at that, this girl is alive! It's been over 2 months since I've last showed up. I orginally started this long drawn out post to tell you what I've been up to all this time. But frankly, that seemed like an intense thing to tackle. I mean, we have a baby, we work, we live, we're busy. So let's just start with the present and work from there, shall we? So here we go...

 

Oh yeah. Katie's got her spray painting groove back...

 

 

 

 

Awhile ago I picked up this Ikea kids table (the chairs were AWOL) at the Salvation Army for $5. It's a mess, and I've got plans for it. I mean, we're not even crawling yet, but the good news is that Emme can start crafting next week.

 

 

Oh my god you guys, this is our lawn. Nice, huh?

 

 

 

For the record this is the worst of it. But the rest of the back yard (and front for that matter) are just as patchy. When we had the roof redone 2 years ago our lawn took a huge beating & never came back. Clearly we were too busy to notice that year. Then last summer I was too prego to care. But this summer? Well, this summer, my friends, is the year that the lawn comes BACK! I've got really high hopes. We're seeding and watering (rinse & repeat) like it's our job. I mean, getting grass to grow is like my life's mission at this point (I even declared it to our neighbor...she told me to say a lawn prayer for them too, although their's is fairing much better than our's at this point).

 

Speaking of neighbors, nosey Nellie here loves checking them out...

 

 

 

 

Just keeping up with the Jones's, she is.

 

 

Speaking of the bambino, we've started making baby food!

 

 



But before you get too excited, you should know our efforts were in vain because she's not a fan. It's a texture thing, and clearly I need to fine tune my baby food making skills (there's some dramatic gagging going on at times). So back to the store I went & Gerber continues to nourish our baby. There's only so much time in the day, you have to choose your battles wisely, right? This is one I'm not bothering to fight right now. I figure we can give it another go in a few weeks. In the meantime, I get to keep my mother of the year award because I'm not feeding her lumpy zucchini & carrots.

This year was my first official mother's day. We stayed at home & everyone came to us (with food in hand). The husband took care of everything. Really, it was a great day. I think this post over at Natalie's blog pretty much sums up what being a mom is. I could not have said it better myself.

And because I'm a mom I get to share this super cute pic of the wee one. It's old, maybe a month or so? But this is the sweet face I get to see every morning and after every nap. Even if she screamed her head off trying to get some decent shut-eye, she's all pleasantries when she awakes. Does not get better than this folks.

 

 

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this happened 3 years ago today...

 

 

 

 

Still one of my favorite pictures! 6 years together, 3 years married & 1 baby later...time flies when you're having fun!

 

 

 



The post where I talk about random things

Because when you don't blog forever, this is what you get. Me posting about random things that have happened in the last month (get ready for some outdated photos!). So let's get started, shall we?

I love this picture. We were in the height of nap/sleep training at the time and it was NOT going well. There were many days that all she did was scream. (Spoiler alert: we now have a regular napper on our hands and it's glorious). Can you believe this sweet face gave us such grief a month ago?? I think she screamed a total of 23 hours that day. Okay, I'm kidding. But she refused to nap the day this picture was taken. The husband's parents babysat for us that night & we enjoyed a fabulous (and much needed) night out...and several glasses of wine.

I've also come to the realization that the babe has more hats than any one human could possibly wear in their lifetime. And to think that this hat almost got packed into our hospital bag for our trip home! Four months old and it was still big on her...

Funny enough, it's a scene I see often when getting her out of the car...

On the flipside, this adorable hat that I bought for her (while pregnant) doesn't really fit her properly. It's like it does, but it doesn't. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. Especially if your baby has a weird head like her mama.

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. And by a lot, I mean maybe one or two days a week. Which if you know us is a big deal since the husband does ALL of the cooking. But my part-time work schedule, doubled with the fact that Emme goes to bed shortly after the husband gets home, means that dinner just has to be ready & on the table early some nights. And guess what? I'm it! The husband and I have been doing Weight Watchers since January (something I should talk about in another post soon!) and I've found a lot of great WW recipes on Pinterest as well as Emily Bites--a great site that gives you your points for every recipe, which means that I don't have to think about it...I just make it. Incidentally, the blogger is a local girl, who also happens to know some friends of mine...seriously, only in Buffalo. So as they say, when in Buffalo eat Buffalo chicken enchiladas...



I also roasted a turkey for the first time--by MYSELF--last month...while the husband was out of town no less (the perfect time to tackle a major cooking adventure, right?)! My parents were also out of town (the reason we got this turkey in the first place....long story), so I had to go this one alone using Google, my own instincts & my Anthropologie timer... 



Yeah, I know...the turkey ain't looking so hot in this picture, but it was dark and late when the photo was taken. My sister helped me eat some of it, so she can vouch for the fact that it was legit. I mean, it took two of us to do a bang up job at carving it, but it was still good.

Speaking of food, we've been a little food obsessed lately. It's hard not to be when your tracking your daily points! I have an almost daily Wegmans salad habit. I can't help it, they are so easy and so good. I'm especially into their tofu/harvest salad. I never cared for it until I got pregnant & then craved it everyday. Amazing how your tastes change when you're knocked up!

And while we're on the topic of being obsessed...I almost can't wait for easter to pass. Because it means these things won't be in my face everyday.

Four points for a sleeve of these. And SO worth it. Although, my points could probably stand to be used elsewhere...like, for legit food that isn't 100% sugar.

I went to Lowes the other day for the first time since before Emme was born & I was like a fish out of water. I went in for some screws, washers & nuts (wow, that sounded inappropriate) & I actually had to ask for help finding what I needed. Which, incidentally turned out to be the wrong thing, so the husband sent me back with a specific list the second time. That reminds me...note to self: share pics of this project soon!

And what is probably sad mama moment #9,267, we packed away the swing and bassinet (sniff, sniff) and replaced it with the jumpy seat! Perhaps it was a little premature to bring this out... 

 Ah, the sweet, sweet look of confusion! Not to mention those sweet little feet still don't touch the floor. But she's becoming more and more entertained by this thing everyday. At first she just sat there with a look of bewilderment and wouldn't touch a thing. But we've obviously had her in it enough at this point because she's branching out, touching & discovering things. Plus, her dad and I know each musical note by HEART...in fact, we'll go to the grave singing these songs...

And just because I couldn't not include a more recent photo, here's our little shamrock on St. Patty's day!

Yep, packed that shirt--My First St. Patrick's Day--away the other night. Sad mama moment #9,268! If you follow me on Instagram (@ smigelkm) you've already seen these pics, but our festive get up was too good not to share again.

Whew. I think that concludes my random rant for now. Maybe I'll get on the ball & start posting pics and updates more often. Now won't that make your head spin? 

Excuse the absence

Wow. It's been over a month since my last entry. Where does time go? One can only guess when you're a busy mama to a 4.5 month old. You know, life. Life gets in the way sometimes.

So please excuse the absence. We've been a little preoccupied lately. We lost a dear family member last night & we're taking some time to unwind from the stress of the last couple of weeks. I know a cat is just a cat to some people, but she was more than just that to us.

She was my sweet, 15-year old Tiggy who'd been with me long before the husband or bambino came along. She was a great kitty, but we know we made the best decision for her yesterday. She'd been really sick the last couple of weeks, and was unable to eat. And now she's in kitty heaven probably having the time of her life. Especially if there is a can of tuna and some catnip involved. Sigh...it's never easy losing a pet.

But let's end things on a high note, shall we? Because a post just isn't a post unless I include a gratuitous pic of the wee one...here's miss sassy pants in all of her 4 month glory, hand on hip, just check her out! She's sassy folks! And serious. Real serious. Like, this girl has some poker face.

I miss blogging like I used to (which isn't saying much since I'm not sure how good at it I was pre-baby). Honestly, I do. I have no idea who's still keeping up with me. But people are, and for that I thank you. At some point I'll post again about house projects. I mean, spring will be here soon enough & we all know that means...the start of the spray painting season! Well, at least for us northerners. Bring on the warm weather!

Emme's Nursery

Well, it seems I intended to share these photos much sooner. But battling a cold (sans meds for the safety of baby) while dealing with internet & cable issues at home (code for we have crappy service), and well...time just got the best of me. Yeah, yeah yeah. Let's just get to it, shall we? Afterall, if I don't do this now, we could be sending Emme off to college before we know it...

First off, I'd like to say photographer I am not. Emme's room is so small, I found myself lurking outside her door, perched on the dresser, and practically hanging outside a window trying to get decent shots of her space. But here goes...

Sigh. I love this room. It's the one space in the house that's "finished". Well, for the time being anyway. There's always some sort of tweaking that's taking place around these parts! This room is small and I had big (and many!) decor ideas to the point where my head was about to explode. But I stuck to a girly, vintage-y theme and just kind of went from there.

So for anyone who's curious, here's a source list...

Crib: Sparrow Crib by Oeuf purchased here
Bedding: made by my mom, fabric is Heather Bailey's Mockingbird (from the Garden District line)
Embroidery Hoops: Hobby Lobby (fabric is random scraps purchased at a local quilt shop)
Pom Poms: handmade using this tutorial found on Pinterest
Light fixtures: Home Depot
Rugs, Pillow & Lamp: Target
Rocker: Craigslist find
Side table: DIY project that I talked about here
Curtain panels: Target
Acrylic book shelves: Clear Displays
Dresser: the husband's
Letter "E": Hobby Lobby
Mirror & frames: thrifted, Target & West Elm
Tray: Target (used to be orange, I spray painted it white)
Metal basket: yard sale find

I'm currently having a love/hate relationship with the crib bumpers (sorry mom!). I'm starting to see why these things are on the verge of being banned everywhere. They're cute, but I find that Emme spends most of her time jammed up against them (hello, mommy heart attack!). And by the time morning rolls around, they are a crumpled mess. And for whatever reason, I have to remove the entire mattress when I want to change the sheet! For reals. So for now the bumpers are staying, but when it comes time to lowering the crib, I think we'll be getting rid of them.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the curtain panels that were also made by my mom. Each panel is a 72x120 tablecloth from Target. I got this brilliant idea that curtains were something we should DIY, but in the end I think this project cost me more than actual panels and they gave my mom nothing but grief (I wasn't actually sitting behind the sewing machine...but apparently polyester table cloths are a major pain in the ass to work with). Ah well, lesson learned. But a fun project to talk about, no?

I'm a little hesitant to talk about Emme's sleep patterns (in fear of jinxing anything we have going on), but since we're on the topic of her sleeping in her crib I must say the transition from bassinet to crib went really well. She goes down at night without a fight & wakes up only once a night to eat. The time varies...1:30, 4:00...she keeps mama guessing. And then she's up and ready to start her day by 7:00. We had a 3 night streak where she slept through the night (we could.not.believe.it!), but that jig is up. So we sort of have this night time thing down. For now. But naps during the day? That's an entirely different & painful story. She refuses to take a nap (tantrums, crying, full on resistance), so we're very much working on that one right now. I can tell you it's not going well. So I've been doing a little reading (and drinking) these days...

And because I can't go a post and not include the obligiatory baby picture, I'll share this photo from last weekend when we spent the entire day hunkering down, enjoying the warmth of the indoors while it was snowing outside. Baby leg warmers! I can barely stand it. I just wish her cute toes weren't cut off in this photo. I die!

Thought I would share...

...this pic of Emme that our brother-in-law took while at the hospital...

Ugh, could you just die?? Or maybe that's just the proud mom in me talking. It's amazing just how much she's changed in 3 short months. Her hair has lightened & the mohawk (that the nurses gave her) is no longer. Sigh. Anyway, I'm waaaaay behind on getting out birth announcements (hello, it's almost February!) since I'd been waiting on pics from our photographer. But after unearthing this photo from my inbox this morning, I think we have a winner folks. Just try to act like you've never seen this picture if you get a birth announcement from us...

And just so you can see how much she's changed since this picture was taken, here's a shot of us today before I left for work....

Ugh, again. I can't stand it! If anyone's in Emme's corner, it's her mom. She's totally fascinated by my phone too. Can you tell? I can get her to smile, but as soon as that phone comes out to take a picture, she gets serious & focused. Anyhoo, I'm currently working on a post about her nursery so I'll be back again this week to share!

 

Day 2

Day 2, and I'm back to work. Maternity leave is officially over. Of course, I use the term "leave" quite loosely, as I'm transistioning back to work on a part time basis for now. I'm starting out at two days, working up to three, and then four....you get the picture. I can't believe how fast all of this came up. Two & a half months went by in the blink of an eye, yet some days it seems like she was born two & a half years ago.

So here are some things I've observed now that I'm officially back to work. The stresses you left behind when you walked out that door are the same ones you'll return to (that nagging stress knot in my left shoulder is back y'all!). It's good to have an office with 4 walls and a door for the purpose of privacy & pumping. You'll wake up in the morning and have nothing (I repeat, nothing) to wear because not only are your work clothes not fitting the way they used to, you suddenly realize that your old wardrobe isn't pumping friendly either (and don't even think about putting those maternity clothes back on...they are no longer acceptable). You'll get nothing done those first few days because you'll spend all of your time talking and catching up with everyone after all that time away. And if you're not talking and catching up, well then it's taking you all day to sort through e-mails, and random piles of paper that made their way to your desk in your abscence.

A lot of people asked how my first day went. If I'm being honest, it went well. There were zero tears or anxiety. In fact, I sort of liked the "break". I'm pretty sure the words 'going back to work' and 'break' are a huge oxymoron, but it's the truth. Does that make me a bad mom to admit that I'm okay going back to work? I told the husband that going back allows me to focus & decompress...something I don't do very well while at home with a baby. Because honestly, my days at home are consumed with taking care of the baby, playing with baby, doing endless loads of laundry, picking up and cleaning, taking care of the animals, paying bills, and just trying to find the time to brush my teeth. For reals...I lose focus quite easily now that I'm a mom. Of course I should also mention that my mom is holding down the fort while I'm gone. And my short 15 minute commute allows me to come home when & if I need to (like today when Emme pitched a fit when taking a bottle...the same baby who we started on one bottle a day at 3 weeks and had zero problems up until it was time for me to go back to work). If I was shipping Emme off to daycare--a thought that breaks my heart--this would be an entirely different story. So in short, things are good.

I'll be back in a few days with pics of Emme's finished nursery! We're getting close to transitioning her into her own room...in order to regain our sanity. Okay, I kid, I kid! But mostly because it's time for Miss Emme girl to be in her own room. I'm sure this transition will totally shake up what little routine we've got going on...but at least we can look at pretty nursery pictures and pretend life is good!

Is this thing on?

So here we are. 2013. And it's been almost 3 months since my last entry. I'm beginning to wonder if I even know how to do this blogging "thing" anymore. To say I'm a rusty is a bit of an understatement! Clearly things are very much on with this blog, people are still reading and wondering & asking just where the hell I've been.

Well, I suppose my excuse is a pretty good one...we welcomed this lovely lady into our lives 9.5 weeks ago...

Miss Emmeline Clare arrived 9 weeks and 4 days ago! If you're doing the math, that makes Emme a Halloween baby. Her mom's least favorite holiday. She arrived via c-section at 10:57 p.m. weighing 8 lbs. 4 oz...bound and determined she'd make her mom learn to love Halloween for the rest of her life. I suppose there's no time like the present to put my thinking cap on & come up with some creative costumes and party ideas. Thank goodness for Pinterest, huh?

So let's see, we've been a little busy being parents these last couple of months, and adjusting to this new life of our's. It's challenging, exhausting and awesome all at the same time. Which explains this really long absence from the 'ol blog. I'm at a current loss for words and creativity when it comes to putting together a blog post after almost three months, so I'll let the pictures do the talking (beware...picture overload ahead!)...  

Our first picture as a family of three (just the beginning of my exhaustion...I can't even believe I'm sharing this pic??)...

Going home from the hospital (in our really cute outfit that was worn all of 30 minutes before getting into our jammies and getting ZERO sleep that first night)...

Jazz hands (one of our favorite poses)...

We visited with Santa (the fake one, it's safer that way)...

We love bathtime, but the owl towel...not so much (does it make me a bad mom that I absolutely LOVE this photo?!)...

We got our Christmas tree (and slept through the whole adventure)....

And we were super pumped to turn 7 weeks old!

So there you have it folks. My life in a mini-nutshell these last few months. Now that I've got my wits about me & this parenting thing is getting a bit easier...Stella's gonna get her groove back when it comes to this blog! I'm not a resolution person, but if checking into this blog is the one goal I have, then you'll be hearing a lot more from me in 2013. I'm getting ready to enjoy my last week of maternity leave before heading back to work next week. After that expect a lot more photos & Emme stories, a post on her finished nursery (of which a few people have asked for details and source info, which I'll be sure to include!), an update on the (finally) finished hallway, photos from our maternity shoot last September (?!), and maybe her birth story. Which...is anyone interested in that stuff? I'm typically interested in other people's experiences, but maybe that's just me. I'm going to put my thinking cap on and decide if that's something I want (or should) share. We'll see what folks say...

And with that, I'm off to take care of a baby now. You know, because I'm a MOM...whoa. Things just got a whole lot more exciting up in here...

And then things started coming together...sort of.

I wish I could be one of those people who blogs on the daily. But the reality is that with a baby on the way (in 2 weeks!), a full time job, keeping up the house, thank you's to write (from my showers a MONTH ago) and the need to sleep...it just doesn't happen. Plus, I really don't have much exciting stuff to discuss everyday. I know, this is news to some of you who already know me. I come from a long line of talkers...the kind of talkers who are talented enough to talk and listen to the conversation next to them (and interject into said conversation when & if necessary, which is typically the case)!

But I digress. There's progress being made in the nursery. That's what you all came here for, no? At last you checked, things were looking a little um, well....not put together. At all.

 

 

 

 

 

But now we're ready to change some smelly diapers, amongst a lovely gallery wall! 

 

 

Everything is a thrifted find with the exception of the two large frames (from Target), the letter E (from Hobby Lobby) and the small silver frame (from West Elm). The large mirror was an $8 Salvation Army score that I sprayed pink. The federal style mirror was previously gold, but I felt the wall needed more white elements to it...so white it became. I'm not in love with it, but it's staying for now. I figure I can always spray it gold when & if I change my mind (for $25, I'm not losing sleep over the state of this thing). The vintage ballerina was a Goodwill find that I'd originally purchased for the frame....but something told me to hang on to this gem, that one day we just might have a girl. Boy, I'm glad I predicted that one! I should start playing the lottery more. The smaller circular frames were $1 each at the Goodwill. I've had these for-ev-er...again, I was hanging onto them in the hopes that we'd have a girl. I changed out the random picture inside & replaced them with some fabric scraps. Easy peasy. Come to think of it, the details of this wall would have been a hell of a lot easier to explain with some close-up shots. Oh well, this is what you get when I grab the Iphone (in haste) 30 seconds before leaving for work.

 

I'm also totally happy with my decision not to paint the dresser. I was quite set on painting it white, but then my guilt complex took over & now I'm content with this decision (as is the husband). I decided to keep the existing hardware (and returned the Anthropologie ones last week). I'm still trying to decide if they are going to get some gold Rub 'N Buff. But for now, I think they'll stay as is (the black Target frame, however, will be getting a coat of that stuff this weekend).

 

And in a moment of haste (and some significant time spent on Pinterest) I decided to change out the frames over the crib. I liked them, but didn't love them....something just always seemed off.

 

 

 

 

 

So for a few dollars worth of embroidery hoops and some fabric scraps, we've got ourselves a new focal point over the crib.

 

 



 

 

I realized, after hanging them, that they're a little low. I might have to rethink the state of this wall when baby Keefe gets old enough to stand in her crib! But for now it stays, I'm loving it. One of the hoops was broken (something I didn't discover until I got home), so I'd still like to add another one to make the wall complete. But overall, I'm SO much happier with this wall than I was with the frames. So sad, bye bye frames. We'll find another purpose for you soon.

 

 

And the acrylic bookshelves are up! They're currently holding about 1/2 of the books we got for baby, but I'm thinking we can interchange them when we feel the need. I really stuffed those babies in there (trying to get bang for the buck!). I'm not sure how legit these shelves are...but so far nothing has come tumbling down...I'm hoping that's not the case anytime soon.



 

 

 

 

 

We'll be hanging window treatments this weekend, as well as my DIY mobile pom poms for over the crib. With any luck we'll have the light fixtures changed out this weekend too. And then baby can come home...but not a minute sooner (can you imagine having that much say in the matter?).