21 weeks

This was from a couple weeks ago, 21 weeks!

On taking pictures of your child: or being borderline obsessed

I've always loved taking pictures. I never got into photography the way I've always wanted to, but that hasn't stopped me from taking a million pictures, all of the time. It's easier now a days to snap a quick photo (or, in my case, 5 or 6 of the same.exact.pose) because hey, you can always go back and delete the ones you don't like! Well now that I have a darling little boy, I take a LOT of pictures. I think every new parent will agree, there is nothing better than your baby smiling, or laughing, or eating, or just sitting there. So we snap pictures. Of everything. The problem that I have is when I go to look at these pictures to print them out, I can't bear to delete any of them! Even the ones that didn't turn out so great.

So M is now almost 17 months old and I have a cd burned for every month of pictures. I have filled up two photo albums. I have made one scrapbook and one baby book for him. Don't even get me started on the videos I've taken. It's almost overwhelming to go back and sort through everything, to make sure everything is backed up and printed out and dated on the back. It's a bit of an obsession.

So much so that often times I forget to really be in the moment. I don't fully trust my memory to remember all of these firsts and milestones, so I'm constantly trying to snap pictures of it all. Desperate to have these tangible memories. I know one day I will be happy I took a million pictures. I know that one day when my baby is all grown up, he will enjoy looking back on these photos, his chubby little naked baby butt in the tub, or his parents when they were young and wrinkle-less. But it's a hard line to draw... to remember to really be present in the here and now, and step away from the obsession of trying to get that perfect picture.

I was reminded of this last week at the pumpkin patch, desperate to get a photo of M and I in front of the same huge pumpkin that we did last year. But I guess I must have forgotten that last year he was four months old, and unable to squirm out of my arms....because before I knew it, I was that crazy mom trying to wrangle her toddler in her arms and yelling "just take the pic! hurry!". And in that moment it finally hit me....it's just a picture. Why am I stressing so much over a damn picture? I should be enjoying this time and letting my crazy child run free through the pumpkins instead of forcing him to sit still long enough to snap a picture (which he is unable to do 99% of the time).

 Please ignore my baby belly poking out of the bottom of my shirt, I'm still trying to squeeze into my regular clothes, ooof.

Weber's Farm

One thing I am so grateful for is that we have plenty of farms and pumpkin patches where I live and we have been soaking it all up. It's so fun this year because M can actually get into everything, and it will only get better as he gets older (and more expensive to boot). Give me crisp, bright sunny days and apple cider slushies everyday for the rest of my life and I will be a happy lady.

Pumpkin Everything: I love this time of year!

So lately I've been obsessed with all things pumpkin. This love affair of mine rolls around this time every year. Here are some pumpkin treats for you!

1. Pumpkin Smoothies 2. Favorite Starbucks drink of all time 3. Delicious pumpkin french toast recipe 4.Sexy Hair Pumpkin Shampoo&Conditioner 5. Yankee Candle Spiced Pumpkin 6. Philosophy Pumpkin Pie Shower Gel

baby J's room: the beginning

I feel like I am majorly slacking in getting together the baby's room. I think we had M's room ready when I was around 4 months! It's hard because we are trying to move and so I don't want to get everything together and then just have to re-do it all in the new house, but time is tick tick ticking away and so we have decided to just go ahead with the nursery here. We are switching our bedroom to the front room and making the baby's room our old bedroom, which is already painted orange. I wanted to do gray walls for the little guy but am deciding to stick with the orange walls and do accents in gray and turquoise. Here are some photos I found for inspiration, and as soon as I get some progress in there I will share photos!

Fall Fun

This weekend was full of fall festivities, even if the weather was 80 degrees. We went to our favorite petting zoo that had a pumpkin patch, hay rides, train rides, and pony rides! M and his little girlfriend Olivia had a blast running around. We also made our way to another farm to check out the gigantic pumpkin they grow every year. Oh, and I also ate an ENTIRE pumpkin roll. oops.

I am now in my 22nd week of pregnancy and feeling pretty good. I have a legit belly and I'm pretty sure I'm having no problems gaining weight (when I was pregnant with M I put on 43 lbs! eek!) It's just too easy to indulge in chocolate and junk food and pretty much everything I shouldn't be eating. I'm getting more and more excited to meet this little guy!

M meets the Atlantic

We took our first family vacation last month, and while I felt guilty that it had taken us so long to show M the ocean the moment he put his chubby little baby feet in the sand and ran full speed towards the ocean I forgot all about my guilt. This boy was in love. He ran from the waves giggling hysterically and my heart has never felt so full. This time next year we get to show another little guy the Atlantic for the first time!

My Etsy Shop!

Handmade wreaths perfect for one of a kind gift ideas or to make your home cute :) I am offering 10% off for all my readers! Just let me know you are abeautifuldecay reader at time of checkout so I can adjust price!

B is for....

 

We are expecting another little boy in February!