Adventures in Mommywood

26 Weeks!

2012-01-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been 8 weeks since I last took a bump picture! Ooops!

How far along? 26 weeks 2 days!
How big is Baby? Babycenter says about 14 inches and 1 2/3 pounds
Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 7lbs since my last update! wow!
Maternity clothes? Bella band and maternity pants
Sleep: I love my sleep & try to take a nap when Jules does.
Best moment this week: Finishing up planning for Julianna's 2nd birthday!!!
Movement: Yes! My little boy is always letting me know he is there & I LOVE it!
Food cravings: Milk, peanut butter, cheese burgers

Food aversions: fish & chicken

Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: I have had some Braxton Hicks
Belly Button in or out? innie but getting shallow
What I am looking forward to: Deciding on a name for this little guy.
Milestones: Almost in the 3rd trimester!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

p.s. I hope to finally take an updated belly pic tonight and I will post it either tomorrow or Friday! It has been so so long since I have updated!!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T20:48:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

xoxo

A Classic Christmas Moment

2011-12-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Julianna was a fan of Santa from a distance....

I probably shouldn't love these pictures as much as I do but i just can't help it! Nothing really quite says Merry Christmas like a crying Santa picture!

Meet Our Baby Boy!

2011-12-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted any pictures of this little nugget yet! Bad mama!

I know you all have just been on the edge of your seat,so here he is...

Isn't he cute? I think so! :)

Happy Friday!

18 weeks!

2011-12-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! I did, I made my first turkey!!

So here I am with my 18 week update at 19 weeks! I feel like I'm starting to pop out now, even though to some it could just seem like I have been eating a bit too much!

Did you notice? I got some bangs! I will post a better picture of my new hair soon!

How far along? 19 weeks
How big is Baby? Babycenter says about 10.5 inches and 10.5 ounces
Total weight gain/loss? I still haven't gained yet but i'm sure that will be changing soon!
Maternity clothes? Bella band!
Sleep: I love my sleep & try to take a nap when Jules does.
Best moment this week: We got to see our baby boy!
Movement: Yes! The kicks are still soft but noticeable.
Food cravings: Milk, eggs & cheese
Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? innie
What I am looking forward to: Deciding on a theme for his room.
Milestones: Almost halfway done!

I noticed that I haven't posted any ultrasound pictures of the little guy! I will be posting some tomorrow!

It's a....

2011-11-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

BOY!!!!!! Julianna is going to have a baby brother!!!

16 Weeks!

2011-11-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting my belly picture and quiz! I know I won't be posting these every week, every two weeks is a more realistic goal for me. :)

There still really isn't much to see, other than I am feeling/looking a bit wider these days!

How far along? 16 weeks & 2 days!
How big is Baby? BabyCenter says about 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces
Total weight gain/loss? -10lbs! No weight gain yet!

Maternity clothes? Just the Bella band
Sleep:Great! I'm still waiting for my energy to come back though...
Best moment this week: Feeling actual little baby kicks!
Movement: Nothing constant yet
Food cravings: peanut butter,apples & cheetos
Gender: we will be having our reveal party this weekend!!

Labor signs? Nope
Belly Button in or out? innie
What I am looking forward to: Telling everyone if Julianna will be getting a little brother or sister!
Milestones: Flying/traveling with a toddler while pregnant, I did it!

Meet the Flintstones...

2011-10-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yabadabadooo!!!!

Happy Halloween from Pebbles!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

I Have a Confession...

2011-10-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Here it is my super exciting news....Julianna is going to be a BIG Sister!!!! I'm due April 25th! It has been SO hard keeping this amazing news a secret! I now can tell you all that this is the real reason for my lack of blogging lately! I have been so sick I haven't even wanted to look at a computer. I am happy to say I have been feeling a little better lately and it is such a relief! We are so thrilled to be welcoming another little one into our family!!

So with my secret finally revealed I hope to get back on track with the blogging. I think I will start the weekly belly picture and quiz next week!

$1 Sale at JJD!!

2011-10-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

Do you love a great sale? I do! Jumping Jax Designs is having their annual $1 Christmas card special and it's an AMAZING deal! Quality work for an excellent price! Becca {owner of JJD} is so talented, she loves what she does and it shows!

You must make a visit to JJD today because this fantastic sale will be over before you know it! Sale ends on October 22nd!!

Hello October & Costume Sneak Peek!

2011-10-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, wow! I guess this is becoming quite a theme with me -blog,break,blog,break! Shame! I really don't mean to go so long between posting but sometimes life just keeps me too busy or too tired to sit down and write anything of significance. I promise that will change shortly...I have an exciting post for Wednesday that you will not want to miss! ;)

Until then, here is a little sneak peek at Julianna's Halloween costume....

Her shoes! Any guesses on what you think she is going to be?

Little Sailor Girl

2011-09-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of posting last week but yet somehow it just never happened! I got sick, had lots of errands to run and the Husband and I actually got to have a date night! It seemed like I blinked and the week was over. I seriously can't believe September is almost over and October is right around the corner!

Do you know what else is hard to believe? My baby is going to be 20 months next week! 2-0 yikes!!

Here are some pictures of Julianna posing in her little sailor outfit from her Lita. She is certainly the cutest little sailor I have ever seen! :)

The New Ride!

2011-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe we are already 9 days into September. The summer just seemed to fly right by! And I can't believe it has been over 2 weeks since I last posted.. oops...I'm going to try and be consistent again!

The Husband and I had been wanting to get a new car, we just weren't sure which one exactly so the last few months we have been test driving and researching our options & a few weeks ago we finally decided on this little beauty....

It's a Chevy Equinox LTZ. I LOVE it!! It gets great gas mileage and is way roomier than my old car { an HHR}.

It has all the nice features like leather seats, navigation and a push button lift gate {one of my favorite things!} And nothing beats that new car smell!!! Ahhh so nice!

Oh, I almost forgot! I'm officially a quarter century old! That's right 25! My birthday was on the 4th and it was celebrated with a BBQ of course! haha that kind of rhymes!

The A says...

2011-08-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

I love teaching Julianna new things & she loves learning new things! We have been working on letter sounds and she has been doing a great job! This video was taken last week when she knew letters A-H since then Jules has learned 4 more! She has a little bit of trouble with the I & L. When I ask her what the I says she points to her eye! haha! And when I ask her what the L says she does this thing with her tongue trying to mimic the sound I make, it's pretty cute! I'm a proud mommy! :)

Julianna says her sounds:A-H

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

A first:Vlog

2011-08-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

After almost 2 years of blogging I finally decided to do my very first vlog! It took me a few tries and this was the best of them...a little distracted by Jules towards middle, oops! Nothing too exciting, just an update! :)

Little Beach Angel

2011-07-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Splashing around with Lito

I love her! :)

Julianna is definitely a true California girl! She LOVES the beach!!

Hi Friends!

2011-07-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a couple weeks since I last posted and that is because we have been enjoying our summer! Every weekend this month is either filled with BBQ's or Birthday parties and our weekdays are filled with the beach, pool & parks! We are loving all of it! The husband and I just got back from a few days in Vegas with friends. It was so nice to relax by the pool by day then get dressed up and dance the night away! Much needed mini vacation!

With all of the busyness it seems as though the months have gotten shorter. Julianna turned 17 months on June 28th, that came way too fast for me! I can't believe she will be 18 months in a few weeks! That means I will have a baby who is one and a half!!! Insane!

My sister in-law is so sweet and always takes pictures of Jules and these are the most recent ones from a quick little photo sesh taken about 2 weeks ago.

We are off to the beach today! Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

My New Do...Again!

2011-06-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I finally decided to go for it and cut my hair "short". Last summer I cut about 7 inches off and this time it was a little more than 4. You can't really tell from this picture but it is an A line cut, something I have been wanting to try for a while & I was pretty nervous beforehand but just decided to go for it anyway and I am so happy I did! I also lightened it up a bit for summer! I think I will keep it this way for a few months and then start trying to grow it out again when Fall comes around. I guess that's the beauty of hair, you can change it as often {or not} as you'd like!

Sorry for the awkward picture. I took it using the photo booth on the computer and was trying to decide where to look!

Oh, I also started using Pinterest. Soooo addicting! Come see my Pins and let's Pin together! :)

Happy Friday!

We're Back!

2011-06-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi there!! We had an amazing vacation. We were able to spend quality time with family and do a lot of touristy things! We were busy every single day & completely exhausted when it was all over. Jules did great on the plane {both ways, thankgoodness!} of course watching Yo Gabba Gabba & eating entirely too many puffs was extremely helpful during the 5 hours of air travel!

Picture time!!! I am going to break up the picture posts, so I don't ~~bore~~ overwhelm you. :)

First up the the shore, yes, THE Jersey Shore {Seaside Heights, aka. where Pauly D. & Snooki hang out when MTV is following them around}. Julianna had the best time running around and playing in the water. Even with the water being freezing cold she would have a fit when we took her out. We practically had the place to ourselves which made it a lot more enjoyable for us!

Hanging out on the boardwalk.

Julianna fist pumping & strutting her stuff in her onesie from the Shore Store. Gym.Tan.Nap. baby!! hahaha

Loving every second of exploring

Not loving leaving the water

Packing,Packing & More Packing

2011-05-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

That is what I should be doing because we are leaving for NJ tomorrow but I just keep finding other things to do instead! I know I will be regretting it later! I have this weird thing where I mentally pack before I physically pack. I know everything that I am planning on taking, now it is just a matter of actually putting everything into the suitcases. Here's to hoping it is a fast & easy job for me! I'm also hoping to get some sleep tonight because we have to be out the door by 3:45 AM...ugh.

I doubt I will post this week {surprised?} but if I happen to, I guess it will be a nice little treat!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!!

Every Little Girl Needs a Cute Headband! Or Two!

2011-05-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of the rules I live by! :) So in honor of that, I am having a $6.00 special on all of these headbands!

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

All of these headbands are ready to ship & shipping is only $2.50 for your entire order!

{Please email me at jujubeechic@gmail.com to place your order. Just let me know the number of the headband or headbands you would like and I will send you a PayPal invoice.}

Happy Shopping! :)

Guess Who's Back....

2011-05-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Real Housewives of New Jersey: Jacqueline, Teresa, Caroline and two new housewives {who also happen to be related to Teresa} Kathy and Melissa! I am probably way more excited over their return than I should be but I just can't help it, these ladies are my favorite out of all the other housewives! They are one of my guilty pleasures and my DVR is already set to record the entire season...just to ensure that I don't miss any juicy moments of course! Tonight's premiere is going to be 90 minutes and is supposed to be extra drama filled. I'm hoping it won't disappoint!!

Is anyone else excited like me or am I the only crazycakes out there?

TaaaDaaa!!!

2011-05-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

Did you notice? The blog has a fabulous new look! It's bright,clean and so perfect!! My friend Becca over at Jumping Jax Designs is so talented, does AMAZING work and makes sure you are 1000% happy with every last detail! Becca did my last blog design, Julianna's Birthday invitation and my Etsy shop banner. I can't see myself ever going to anyone else for any of my future design needs. Seriously, Becca is the best!! I highly recommend heading over to JJD and checking out her incredible work!

Thanks Becca! :)

Not The Most Flattering...

2011-05-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't the most flattering picture of my baby girl but it is pretty funny! One day during lunch last week, Jules discovered that she had a hole in her nose AND that she could stick her finger in it & was completely fascinated! She thought it was the best thing ever until she discovered she had another hole in her nose that she could stick her finger in also! I didn't capture the two finger nose picking discovery because I was too busy laughing and of course she got a kick out of making mommy laugh and kept at it. Julianna is such a little ham!! Don't worry, she didn't find anything up there and I made sure her hands were squeeky clean after this little photo op. :)

Also? My baby is 15 months old 15! Wow! She has a doctor appointment tomorrow so I will try to get her update in sometime this week. Plans for today? Disneyland!!!

Yummy Treats!

2011-04-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Easter!

Little Bunny Foo Foo

2011-04-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an exciting day for Julianna....she got to meet the Easter bunny!! She was such a little ham and just kept smiling, giggling & waving the whole time, it was so adorable! Success!!! I pretty confident Jules was going to do well with this meeting because whenever we went to the mall, I made sure to make a pit stop by the big bunny so she could have a look and when we would get close she would get really excited and start blowing kisses! Super adorable! Of course you never know what is going to happen until you get up close and personal {I'm still trying to get a good picture of her and Mickey together!} so when it was time for her turn and as we were getting closer I was preparing for a possible freak out but nope! Julianna didn't even think twice about it! Such an improvement from the screaming baby pose last year!

Then

Now

click on the picture to make it larger

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T15:00:00.001-07:00

You Decide:Sweet or Sneaky?

2011-04-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...

Guess what? JuJu Bee Chic made 3 sales already! Yay!! :)

My Super Exciting News!!!

2011-03-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!! So I mentioned the other day that I had some exciting news, well here it is ....

I opened my very own Etsy shop!!!! What am I selling? Hair accessories, surprise! I know I'm a little late to the party and that their are TONS of amazing shops but I am optimistic and hope to make at least a few sales! :) Julianna is my inspiration so I of course named my shop after one of the nicknames we have for her! As of right now I only have about 10 items listed, I will be adding some more within the next few days. If you have any questions or would like to place a custom order, please feel free to message me on Etsy. I would love to hear from you!

Guess What? I am having a Grand Opening sale for all of YOU!! Just enter the code MOMMYWOOD at checkout and you will receive 15% off your entire order!!! Code will expire Friday, April 8th! I will be waiting for you! :)

JuJu Bee Chic <--- click here!!

14 Months & A Fearless Girl!

2011-03-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

WOWZA!! I have a 14 month old ~~baby~~ toddler! I have a feeling this next year is going to fly by even faster than last year{I didn't think that was even possible!}. It has been a few months since I have done her monthly updates. I think i stopped at 10 or 11 months? Horrible, I know and I still have to put up her 11 & 12 month pictures! Let's recap the last few months, shall we?

New with Jules:

Weight/length- 20 lbs and 28 inches
Diapers-was still in size 3 until a couple weeks ago but when she started leaking through them at night we moved her up to size 4.
Clothes- still holding steady between 9-12 months! Sometimes things are still too big at 12 months and it seems like she swims in it!!

Walker!!!! She really got the hang of walking right after her birthday. I mean really, it was like overnight. She went from me holding her hands to help her stay steady to- Psshhh puleeze mom, don't hold my hand I got this!! Such a feisty one!
Toothless up until the last couple days! She has 4 teeth that are just about halfway out and I just noticed 2 more this morning getting ready to join the party. I just wish they would hurry up and stop torturing her already!!
Hellooo tantrums! Yes, my little angel now likes to throw a fit when things are not done to her liking. I try not to laugh while she is having a "moment" but I just can't help it sometimes!
Poop Problems-Jules had em... I know, I know it seems like this is all moms talk about sometimes; Are they pooping enough? Are they pooping too much? What about consistency? Yeah, definitely great dinner table coversation! Let's just say it was NOT fun for any of us but especially not for my sweet girl. It was kind of like being on a Poop-coaster, one extreme to the next. All has been well the last couple weeks and I pray it stays that way!
Discovered her ~~mischievous~~ explorer side.
Big talker with us but gets a bit shy when she is around others. She is learning animal sounds, her most favorite is of course-Woof woof! When the dogs bark so does she!
Hugs & Kisses- this is one of my favorites, she will now just come up and give hugs and kisses freely. I LOVE it!

I'm sure I am forgetting something but Julianna is doing sooo much these days it can be hard to keep up! Oh, I just remembered one more thing, she can also follow directions pretty well except when I am telling her not to do something!!

& now some pictures....

I can't believe she knows how to do this!! No fear!!!

Also, I have some exciting news...I will be telling you all about that very soon! :)

A Festive Treat!

2011-03-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I decided I would try my hand at making cake balls! I wanted to add some cute shamrock sprinkles but I didn't have any & didn't feel like making a special trip to the store so I had to improvise with what I had. The Hubby took some with him to work and they were a hit!

If you are looking for some inspiration head on over to Bakerella. She is amazing!!! It looks like I have another hobby to add to my list!

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

What do you think?

2011-03-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

I happened to stumble upon this clever invention during my weekly Target trip and I was intrigued. I have seen/heard of other brands having similar products and I wanted to try them but they always seemed too expensive, but when I saw these

I was super excited because they are only $9.99! So I of course had to buy a few different designs to try!

Here is my result

My verdict: Easy to apply, affordable & unique designs. This will probably be my 'new' thing. Definitely worth the $$. Go ahead and give it a try! :)

Has anyone else tried these? Do you like them?

Diapers=Hilarious?!?!

2011-03-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

Julianna thinks so!! She is such a silly girl! I never knew diapers could cause this much excitement and laughter!

Happy Tuesday! :)

Getting Crafty: Headband Holder

2011-03-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Hello bloggy world!! I realize I have been kind of missing the last couple of weeks. I guess I haven't really been in the "mood" to blog much & Jules and I were also visiting my parents for the last week so we were busy catching up with family and friends!

Since becoming a mom I have felt the need to become more creative and put my crafty side to use! Julianna has lots of hair accessories like a lot, a lot, so displaying and keeping all of them can get a bit tricky. I have clippie and bow holders but I couldn't figure out what do with her headbands. Their previous home was in a basket which was alright but not exactly the best for keeping them organized and neat. As I was perusing one of the most addictive sites I know {Etsy} I found my inspiration! A headband holder!! So with some Googling and a brief tutorial later I attempted my own amateur creation......

Tada!! A headband holder!

So easy: Fabric, tulle, ribbon and an empty formula can.

Not bad for only about 15 minutes of work! I have a few more to make so I can showcase the rest of her headbands in all their glory! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Julianna says....

2011-02-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

Hope your day is filled with lots & lots of LOVE!!

xoxoxoxo

Bitty Bows Boutique Review & Free Gift w/ Purchase!

2011-02-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

As many of you know I'm a lover...a lover of baby hair accessories! So when Kelly, owner and creator of Bitty Bows Boutique asked me to review her product I of course said, Yes!

I received this adorable "Allie" Felt Flower Headband to review and let me tell you, I absolutely love it!

Here are a few of the things I love the most about this headband: The elastic has the perfect stretch for Julianna; it's not so tight that it was squishing her head and it's not so loose that it was slipping off her head every 3 seconds, the flower has an intricate and durable design that has already withstood Julianna's grip on several occasions & it comes in a variety of colors {Julianna is wearing “Shocking Pink”}.

Bitty Bows Boutique sells a huge variety of baby bows, baby clippies, baby headbands, and flower clips all handmade for our little beauties! A special feature found at Bitty Bows Boutique is the “No-Slip Clip”, these are made especially for those little ladies who may be lacking in the hair department and this ensures that even near baldies can wear beautiful clippies & bows. Give Bitty Bows Boutique a try and order your little lady something special. I know you will love them just as much as Julianna and I do!

And now a special promotion for my faithful readers!!! Bitty Bows Boutique is offering ONE FREE "Allie" Felt Flower Headband with any purchase of $35 or more!! Enter this coupon code at checkout- AllieHeadbandReview. This promotion is good through February 28th!

Want to keep up with Bitty Bows Boutique special promotions? Just “Like” their Facebook page.

Jules:The Shark Whisperer

2011-02-09T15:06:00.000-08:00

Last week {before everyone became a pukey mess} Julianna had her first trip to the aquarium! I love sea life, so I have been wanting to take her for awhile and I am so glad we were finally able to go! She had such a great time walking{yes, she is a walker now!} around and exploring. Whenever we would move on to a new exhibit Jules would get super excited and just had to press her face right up to the glass to get a good look! Her favorite part of the day? I would definitely say it was the shark and stingray touch tank. I could not get her away from there! I thought she was going to be a little nervous...nope! She was so focused and loved every minute!! I love watching her explore new things, it's like I'm exploring for the first time too.

Uncle & Jules

Sharks developing in their eggs. I thought this was really neat!

My favorite: Seahorses

Giant Lobster!

The sea lions were playing together. So cute!

AHHH! Sharks!!

Those little things sticking up from the sand are garden eels

Guess what? I will be doing my very first product review tomorrow! It is for one of my very favorite things...baby hair accessories!! You will also get a special offer, so make sure you visit us tomorrow!! :)

Pukey & Poopy Weekend

2011-02-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday= Pukey hubby

Friday night=Pukey baby & 1 round of explosive poop :( {3 back to back clothes & sheet changes and laundry at 2am} Sleep= hardly

Saturday= no puke or explosions! yay! Just copious amounts of boogies and crankiness .

Sunday= no puke!! Hit hard with 2 rounds of explosions {from baby not hubby...just in case you weren't sure.} which= outfit & sheet changes & more laundry at 2:30am.

Monday= Mommy feels pukey and exhausted. :(

Sorry for all this talk about puke and poop. Tis the life of a mommy I guess!

This was Julianna only a few hours before her rough weekend. She was having so much fun at the park!

Ladybugs & Polka dots: Julianna's 1st Birthday! Part 2

2011-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Are you ready? Lots of pictures ahead!!!

Napkin rings & favor tags by: A Little Lollipop Tree

Guests each had their own takeout boxes to fill with candy from the candy bar on their way out. Babies got puffs!

Water bottle labels by: Chickabug

Stickers on cups by: A Little Lollipop Tree

Candy bar!! We had lots of candy and of course it was all pink and green; gumballs, candy buttons, good & plenty, cotton candy, rock candy, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, jolly ranchers, sour straws, marshmallows, dumdums,chocolate ladybug lollipops, ladybug cookies, cupcakes, chocolate covered Oreos {decorated as ladybugs}, chocolate dipped pretzels and personalized M&M's

Chocolate lollipops!

Cupcake toppers & wrappers by: A Little Lollipop Tree

Birthday banner, photo banner & highchair banner by: Bella Baby Toppings

{BBT made the banner and I added the pictures}

Julianna's throne!

Birthday hat by: Glitz & Glam Bowtique

Birthday bib by: Sticky Noodles

Mmmm cake! Jules was so cute and dainty when she was eating her cake. I helped her out a little by sticking her hand in it and as you can see, she had a big smile after that!

Daddy & Mommy with the birthday girl! We both dressed to match the theme. :)

After cake Jules had an outfit change and then it was time for presents! So blessed by all of our family friends! Thank you!!!!

Julianna's party was hit and I am extremely happy with the way it all turned out! A HUGE THANK YOU to my parents, brother, sister in-law and aunt for their helping hands!!

Ladybugs &Polka dots:Julianna's 1st Birthday!

2011-02-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

We celebrated on Sunday, and I must say, Julianna is so blessed to have such great family and friends! Even with the rain trying to spoil our fun! Can you believe it? We had been having such beautiful weather here in SoCal the last few weeks and on party day of ALL days, it has to rain a couple of times throughout the day! Luckily the sun managed to peek through and we were still able to have a fun party!

I have TONS of pictures to share so I will be posting some today and the rest tomorrow!

This is the front of house. The ladybugs in the grass are from Michaels. They are wooden masks that I just painted pink and green. Best part? They were only a dollar!

The ribbon wreath made by me!

Door sign by: Bella Baby Toppings

Waiting patiently for her guests to arrive!

Tutu by: Kirra's Boutique . I added the ladybug to the back of the onesie.

Shoes: Twinkle Toes Boutique

Our backyard had about 200 yards of tulle!

Centerpieces: Me!

I painted all of these little ladybugs too!

Stay tuned for the rest of the pictures tomorrow!! :)

It's Hard To Believe a Year Has Passed

2011-01-28T03:45:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I met my beautiful baby girl!

I never dreamed life would fly by so quickly. I can't believe this was us only 365 days ago.

I am so incredibly blessed to have her in my life. I treasure every moment I get to spend with her. I didn't think it was possible to love her more than the day I met her but I do. The love I feel for Julianna is so strong, so pure, so breathtaking and it amazes me everyday. It is truly an honor to be Julianna's mommy!

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet girl!!

Ladybugs & Polka Dots are Taking Over...

2011-01-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

my life & my house! Julianna's birthday is only days away{Friday!} ::tearslotsoftears:: and her big birthday party extravaganza is on Sunday!! ::eeekk:: Can you say crunch time? My to-do list seems a mile long and every time I cross something off the list another thing is added! Luckily my mom and SIL came over this past Saturday to help out and I definitely put them to work! I am so thankful to have them!

I know I haven't posted too many details about the party other than the fact that the theme is pink and green ladybugs & polka dots. I guess I have been too busy ~~obsessing~~ planning & creating (I use that term loosely) to actually sit down and write about it. I also didn't want to give too many party details away because some who will be attending the party also read my blog and I wanted to try and keep things under wraps until the big day! I am kind of weirdo like that. Forgive me?

So some may remember a post from November about me trying to be crafty and make some of the decor myself, like the centerpieces. I have changed the topiaries a bit and love the way they have turned out! I also decided to make a ribbon wreath for the front door. I have seen these being sold on Etsy for upwards of $35.00! I made mine for about $15.00! I'm sure I could have made it even cheaper but the ribbon I used was kind of pricey. I am making/made a few other things and I am praying it all turns out well!

This is now how the centerpieces will look. I am very happy with the way they turned out!

This is my interpretation of a ribbon wreath. I chose to make it a little differently than some of the ones I had originally seen. It may not be perfect but I don't think it's too bad for my first attempt!

This little number will be apart of the decor. I have a lot of them! & let's just say I never dreamed that one day I would have about 200 yards of tulle in my house!

The invitation. I LOVE how it turned out! My friend Becca at Jumping Jax Designs made them for me and they are perfect! If you ever need invitations, cards or even a blog makeover, Becca is your girl!

Only 6 days of party prep. left!!

The Rat Tail Went Buh-Bye!

2011-01-20T17:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true, Julianna had a ~~rat~~ pony tail. She has pretty much had it since she was born. I always thought it was kinda cute but her daddy on the other hand? He hated it! He was always bugging me to let him cut it off and I of course refused! I wanted to hold off getting her haircut for as long as possible. Why? I really don't have a good excuse, just that I didn't want her little baby hair to get chopped from her little baby head. Notice the emphasis on the word baby. As you can probably tell I am having some issues seeing as how Julianna will be turning 1 next week! ::tear:: Anyway, so yes, Julianna had her first haircut on Tuesday and she did fantastic! Jules is sporting some adorable side bangs and is now sans her mini mullet!

Some pictures...

I'm not choking her, I swear!

Yay!! All done!

Admiring her new do!

What happened to Julianna's hair that was snipped? Well, I saved it of course! It is now safe and sound in an envelope in her memory box!

11 Months 3 weeks & 1 Day!

2011-01-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

WOW! I can't believe Julianna will be ~~1 year old~~ 12 months next week! It all has gone way too fast! This past month her personality has grown tremendously! She is such a silly girl, I love it!

New with Jules:

Weight-19-20lbs
Size 3 diapers
Clothes-depends on the brand so anywhere from 6-12, usually 9 is where it's at.
Steps- she will take about 8 steps before falling. I am almost positive she is doing it on purpose because she knows if she crawls it is way faster to get where she wants to go.
I am pretty sure I can add dog to her vocab list, even if I am the only one who knows what she is saying! haha!
Can follow some commands-My favorite is when you ask for a kiss, she will lean in and give a nice wet open mouthed one right on your cheek or nose. She also does a funny one but I will have to show a picture, to get the full effect!
Guess how many chompers are in her pretty little mouth? 0, ZILCH, NADA!! I thought for sure she would have some by now!
Uses the ottoman as her personal obstacle course.
Discovered pointing- Her favorite thing to point out? Dogs! She LOVES them

Picture time is quite the event now. Getting a good one can be hard!

This is the funny face Julianna makes when you ask her to show her teeth and by teeth I mean gums! I think it is hilarious! It gets me every time!!

Wordless {withafewwords} Wednesday

2011-01-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

Julianna's day doesn't start until she has her cup of coffee...

Sorry, Jules! Mommy drank it... all!!

10 Months! Better late than never...right?

2011-01-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

I realize I am waayyy super late posting Julianna's 10 month update, horrible, I know! Let's see, what was she up to at last month?

New with Jules:

Weight-estimating around 19 lbs
Size 3 diapers
Clothes-mostly 6 months and a few 9 month outfits sprinkled in.
took 4 STEPS! (this happened the night before she was "officially" 10 months)
teeth=0
cruising like a pro
clapping is the new cool thing
loves trying to get a taste of what others are eating
peek-a-boo is a fun diversion at bed time
posing for monthly pictures? psshhh, yeah right suckkaa!

So, that is pretty much all I remember, it is kind of a blur. I did my best! & taking a decent picture was definitely not easy! Probably the antlers we put on her didn't help our cause much either but hey, at least we got a picture of her smiling...horrible lighting but smiling nonetheless!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, this is the same onesie from her 6 month picture!

I am going to try and do her 11 month post this week aaaannndd I may even do a party planning update! You know, since it is consuming my brain pretty much 24/7!!

18 days until Julianna's birthday! 18!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

We hope you spend Christmas surrounded by the ones you love. May you enjoy and savor every magical moment.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Luke 2:8-14

Santa+Julianna+No Tears= WIN

2010-12-15T04:15:00.000-08:00

Last week we took Julianna to meet Santa and to my surprise it went better than expected! I was positive she would be absolutely freaked out by jolly old St. Nick because 1.) She isn't too fond of men she doesn't know. 2.) Facial hair=scary!. As we were waiting in line I was getting anxious and preparing myself for the screaming that I was sure would ensue once we sat her on his lap and before I knew it the big moment had arrived, it was time for Jules to meet Santa....

(click on the picture to get a better look )

She wasn't thrilled and she wasn't terrified and best of all there were NO tears!! I think Julianna was more confused than anything. She kept looking at him then looking at me and then back at him completely puzzled and probably wondering "Who the heck is this guy?!". I deem her first meeting with Santa a WIN! I hope next year goes just as well!

Did you take your little one to meet Santa? How did they do?

Jules Needs YOUR Vote!

2010-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

Remember Julianna's adorable ladybug costume? Well, the maker Kirra's Boutique is holding a photo contest with all of the little girls showing off their gorgeous tutus! So here is where YOU come in! Do you have a Facebook? If the answer is yes, then you can vote! :)

First you have to "Like" Kirra's Boutique and then you are able to vote for Julianna's photo by "Liking" it! The photo with the most likes wins and gets a custom tutu!

Julianna sends a big THANK YOU for voting and so do I!

Please VOTE!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

Something I Thought I'd Never Say.....

2010-11-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

"Please stop chewing on that bone, Julianna!"

Haha! At least it was a squeaky bone and not a rawhide one...ahhh, the little things!! :)

Happy Monday!

Viva Las Vegas!!

2010-11-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

The Hubby and I are on our way to Vegas! Just the two of us! No Julianna! AHHH! I am excited to get away for a couple of days and have "us" time & at the same time nervous because this will be the first time we will be leaving Julianna for longer than our usual dinner and a movie. I know she will be OK. I know she will have tons of fun and be extra spoiled by her Lita & Lito(my parents)but my goodness, I am going to miss my Jules!!!

Hopefully I will have some fun pictures to share when we get back!!

Getting Crafty:Party Edition

2010-11-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

The obsession has taken over...I am "officially" in full party planning mode & probably "officially" driving my husband insane with all of my ~~crazycake~~ bright ideas! I even bought a little notebook to write them down in so they are not forgotten. One of my perfectly sane party must-haves: Ribbon Topiaries! I saw some when I was perusing Etsy and fell in love with the idea as having them as centerpieces but when I saw the price...$38.00 (for 1!!!) I immediately KNEW the hubby would have a heart attack if I even *thought* about actually buying them.Off to the land of Google I went to find out how to make them myself!

When I learned how easy it was to make a topiary I got really excited because I'm not really the most savvy DIY person around!

So after a tutorial & one trip to Michaels later, this is the result.......

I know it isn't perfect(or finished) but it's a start!! I am still considering changing a few things around,like using a square pot and painting it white with pink and green polka dots instead. What do you think? Leave it the way it is or change it?

Oh, I don't think I ever mentioned what the theme of Julianna's party will be- Bright pink/green, ladybugs & polka dots. Not too original, I know but what can I say? I heart it!!! :)

9 Months!

2010-11-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

Wow! Julianna is 9 months old and I am in shock... as usual. Shocked that another month has flown by, shocked that she will be in double digit months in 2 short weeks and shocked that her 1st birthday is only 78 days away!!!!!

This is what's new with Jules:

18.2lbs and 27.5 inches long
size 3 diapers
wearing 6 month clothes with a few random 3/6 thrown in.
cruising like a champ
can stand on her own.
loves waving
can high five-daddy taught her that...SO adorable
still TOOTHLESS!
deathly afraid of the vacuum & blow dyer...she starts screaming the moment they are on :(
loves "reading" her books
pretty much loves any food she is given. Definitely not picky!

I am happy to report that Julianna and I are feeling much better! We were both happy that daddy took such great care of us on his days off!

Sick Mommy +Sick Baby=No Fun

2010-11-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

Julianna and I are both sick! Booo! The only thing I hate more than being sick is Jules being sick...her first cold. :( This would be part of the reason for my lack of blogging this week. So sorry.... I am hoping to get to her 9 month update this weekend. 9 months?!?! Oy vey!!

P.S. The nasal aspirator a.k.a. the dreaded boogie sucker, did NOT make a friend in Julianna this week. Poor baby!

Hope everyone has a great healthy weekend!!

BOO!

2010-10-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Julianna wants to wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween!!

Happy trick or treating!!

The Pooches didn't want to miss out on the fun of Halloween either!

My 3 favorite little pumpkins!!

Patch o' Pumpkin

2010-10-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Cool Tricks!

2010-10-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

My baby is growing up! Julianna can stand up without any help!! So it may only be for 35-45 seconds (a long time in babyland) at a time but STANDING nonetheless! Now that she can stand on her own , I guess that means the taking steps part isn't too far away and I hear when that comes I am in a whole lot of trouble!!

First Step:Admitting You Have a Problem

2010-10-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Ashley and I am a shoeaholic. My shoes of choice? Baby shoes. I can't get enough of them. My love for tiny shoes is a bit ridiculous but I just can't help myself! They call my name and when I start to picture Julianna's adorable little chubby feet in them, you can consider it ~~mine~~ hers.& Etsy? I can't even tell you my obsession with Etsy. That place is handmade baby shoe heaven! I am waiting for a pair of leopard print booties as we speak....delaying/not helping my recovery, i know!

My top 2 addictions for baby: (so far)

Bows

What about you? What's your addiction?

Am I the Only One

2010-10-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Who is having trouble uploading photos?

The majority of pictures have been uploading like this:

Why??? It is soooo frustrating!

P.S. These are the shoes that Julianna will be wearing for Halloween!! Does anyone want to guess what she will be? :)

A First: Disneyland!!!!

2010-10-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Julianna had her first Disneyland experience! We have been waiting to take her because it has been sooo hot & who wants to go to Disneyland when it's a 100 degrees? Not me! So we picked a day when it was a little cooler, dressed in our Disney attire and headed off for some fun! I know Jules doesn't understand the concept of Disneyland at this age but I had fun watching her experience something new. I know she will get more & more excited with every visit and the older she gets.

I was a little worried she would get scared or nervous going on the rides but to my surprise and relief she did great!

The rides she has been on so far:

Dumbo
Snow White
Pinoccio
Pirates of the Caribbean
Haunted Mansion
Buzz Lightyear
Nemo Submarine Voyage
It's a Small World
King Arthur Carrousel
Mickey's Ferris Wheel
Jungle Cruise

If Julianna could talk, I think she would say Dumbo, Nemo and the Jungle Cruise were her favorite!

Since her first trip two weeks ago Jules has been to Disneyland and California Adventure two more times... Sooo glad we renewed our season passes!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

8 Months!!

2010-10-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Julianna is 8 months old!! Wow, this time thing is seriously out of control! I can't believe it is October already! Jules is definitely keeping me on my toes. This little girl is a ridiculously fast crawler and a is a little Houdini on top of that! She HATES being confined, so keeping her occupied in her exersaucer or jumper is not an easy task. If someone isn't right there watching her, she WILL climb out! The only places I can put her in without her escaping ( for now) is her crib or pack n play, and I'm sure it is only a matter of time before she figures out how to climb out of those as well! Eeek!

This is what's new with Jules:

in size 2/3 diapers
still wears 6 month clothing
she is loving learning how to feed herself
waves & will say "buh-buh" if she is in the mood.
just started to learn how to make the kissing face and noise, when I say kisses. Sooo cute!
NO teeth yet!!
loves to "dance"
she gets SUPER excited when I sing the Wonder Pets theme song.

Here are her 8 month pictures. Jules went from really happy to really mad to slightly mad to happy to really happy again. Full circle of emotions in a matter of 12 minutes!!

My Husband

2010-09-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

My husband is a man of character who understands commitment. He goes above and beyond to make his family comfortable, safe and secure.He is a man who is patient, loving,caring and wise. His support is unwavering. He is the only man I gave my whole heart to.

My husband, my partner, my best friend. I adore him. I am grateful for him. I cherish him. I love him. I am proud to be his.

Happy Anniversary my Love!

We took these pictures yesterday in honor of our 2 years of being husband and wife. It was fun to get all dressed up, even if it was ridiculously hot! Thanks for taking great pictures sis!!!

Home Sweet Home

2010-09-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

We are home and so exhausted! On our flight yesterday Jules slept a grand total of 40 minutes...40! ::sigh:: I was hopping for longer but luckily she was in a great mood for the rest of the 5 hours & 13 minutes we were in the air.

Our week in NJ was so much fun!I loved seeing all of the family. I hate living so far away from them but when we do see each other, it makes me appreciate my time with them so much more. Julianna, of course was super spoiled by everyone and LOVED all of the attention!!

Well, time to get back to laundry and unpacking. Booo! I hate unpacking!

I hope everyone had a great week!!! :)

The Baby Bjorn Saved My Life!!

2010-09-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my title might be a little bit dramatic but seriously, I don't know what I would have done without it!! Having my hands free was a necessity so I could put her carrier in the gate check bag, without putting Jules on the gross airport floor or asking some random stranger to hold my baby while I got situated! Being able to have my hands free on the plane was also pretty great, of course she wasn't in it for the entire time, only when necessary. I would HIGHLY recommend bringing some sort of wearing device, especially if you are traveling sans help! And to think I almost considered not bringing the Bjorn...what was I thinking?

Julianna did better than I expected.Sure, she had her fussy moments on the plane but thankfully nothing too crazy! She had a little bit of a hard time falling asleep because she loves her own space when she sleeps(especially now that she is older) she is not a big fan of snuggling as of late. :( So her nap only lasted about an hour. I was hoping for longer but I guess some nap is better than no nap!!

I am sooo thankful that everything went pretty well this time around, now lets hope the same for our flight back home next week!!

Oh... and no poop on the plane!!! Yippee!!!!!

I may or may not post while we are here... we shall see how it goes! I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!!!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2010-09-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Julianna and I will be up, up and away making our way to New Jersey!

We are going to be surprising Julianna's GG(my grandma)! I can't wait to spend 8 days with her and the rest of my family! I am so excited!!

I have to admit that I am a teeny bit nervous for the flight. I am not nervous about flying. I am nervous about flying with my busy 7.5 month old on a 6 hour flight by myself! This will be the second time that Jules has flown to NJ. The first time was in March and she was a sleepy little 8 week old. My parents flew with us, which helped me feel at ease but this time will be different. I am hoping and praying that she will be happy and content sitting on my lap/holding her the entire time. Jules HATES being confined and trapped, she LOVES to be on the go and LOVES her own space...so...yeah, airplanes aren't exactly conducive to her personality at the moment. I know she isn't the first 7.5 month old to fly nor will she be the last but I am still anxious! I just don't want to be "that" mom who has a cranky, loud baby who annoys the other passengers. I am really,really hoping she will at least nap half of the flight. Aahhh, that would be glorious! Cross your fingers!!

I have a confession...

There is one more thing that I am slightly worried about and by slightly I mean, cringing at the thought of it....POOP! Not just any poop but the EXPLOSION kind. Jules has been on roll with these lately and I am hoping to avoid a poop situation on the plane at any cost!! Please pray her bowels will be kind!!!

Also, if anyone has any tips for me to make our flight easier, I would LOVE to hear them!

I am going to bring some puffs,mum-mums and a few new toys and books. I hope it will be enough to keep her occupied!

Baby + Dog Stairs=Fun Times

2010-09-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

These pictures prove the point that it doesn't matter how many toys a baby/child have; they will always find other things that are waayyy more interesting/ fun and not to mention, these things are almost always cheaper than the toys that have all of the flashing lights and sounds! I can't believe how much Jules LOVES these stairs! She has become quite the little professional stair climber!!

On This Day in History...

2010-09-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

...in 1986, on a Thursday in a New Jersey hospital, I was making my grand entrance into this world!

Here I am in all my shining newborn glory

This is the amazing woman who gave birth to me, my Mommy! Thanks for pushing me out mom.
I hope I didn't hurt you too bad! Love you!!

I just wish this picture showed off my mom's totally awesome 80's hair!!

Last year on my birthday I was rubbing my belly and daydreaming about my baby girl & this year I am blessed to be celebrating it with her by my side!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T13:26:00.001-07:00

7 Months!

2010-08-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Julianna turned 7 months old on Saturday! My sweet little baby is turning into quite the explorer. She is so busy and curious. I love seeing her face light up when she discovers how to do something new! Jules also seems to be a tough little cookie. She has taken a few rough tumbles that I for sure thought would induce tears but no tears for her! She just gets right up and keeps on going!! Wow! I am a mom of a 7 month old!! Crazy!

This is what's new with Jules:

weight- 16 lbs 9oz
length-25 1/2 inches
still in size 2 diapers
wears 3-6 month clothes
loves feeding herself puffs and mum-mums
loves eating vegetables, not too sure about fruits yet
has mastered climbing up the doggie stairs
can say- Hi & Mama
still toothless!

She needed a distraction during her 7 month pictures and for some reason she kept sticking her tongue out!! Silly girl!

P.S. Thanks for the questions! I plan on doing the vlog sometime later this week! :)

Happy Blogiversary to Me! & Vlog Anyone?

2010-08-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today marks one year in the bloggy world! I can't believe I have actually stuck with blogging for a year. I didn't think I would make it to my one year blogiversary but I did!! Yay! So in order to do something a little bit different( for me at least) I am considering maybe doing a vlog. I am nervous!I have never done one before but think it could fun! Maybe I can do a Q&A kind of a thing. I don't know if any of you- my lovely readers, have any questions for me.....? If you do, I would love to answer them! I am not expecting to get a bizillion questions or anything but at least some would be nice!! :)

Questions anyone?? You can leave them in a comment or you can email them to me- mrsmommywood@gmail.com

Six Month Photos:Swimsuit Edition

2010-08-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

This post will be short and sweet because I am enjoying a lazy summer day in the backyard, cooling off in our cozy inflatable pool with my two favorite people! :)

These are the rest of the pictures from Julianna's six month photo shoot. I love little baby swimsuits and the little baby rolls to go with them!!

Happy Tuesday!

Tutu, Pearls & A Baby Booty

2010-08-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

As you probably know I love taking/getting pictures taken of Julianna and since my lovely sister in-law doesn't mind taking pictures of Jules, we are lucky enough to get her pictures done quite often. So we had a photo shoot recently for Jules' half a year birthday! I dressed her up in her tutu and pearls and we were ready to go! We also couldn't resist getting a few nakey baby pictures!! Enjoy!!

P.S. That tutu is the same one she wore for birth announcement pictures and it still fits!

I do have some more pictures to share and will probably get them posted by Monday.
Have a great weekend! :)

Pool Time!

2010-08-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I signed Julianna up for swim lessons, I couldn't wait for them to start! I loved being in the water when I was a kid and even joined a swim team when I was in 2nd grade. Swimming was "my thing" and I still love it to this day. I want Jules to get use to being in the water and learn how to enjoy it, rather than being afraid of it. So when I found out they took babies as young as 6 months, I knew I wanted her to start as soon as her 6 month birthday rolled around & I was even more excited that they let both parents participate!

We have already gone to 2 classes and Jules has done great both times! She gets super excited when she gets in the pool and she starts kicking her feet and splashing around. It is pretty adorable! She does have one little problem though...anytime her face gets too close to the water she tries to drink it! At least I know I'm not alone, a lot of the other parents have the same problem! Silly babies!

Here are some pictures from our time at the pool!!

Who Sits Like This?

2010-08-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Big girls, that's who! So why is my little baby sitting like this? Oh yeah, she just keeps growing up faster and faster everyday. Waaaaa! Make it stop! I'm not even going to talk about the fact that she is pulling herself up on things at any chance she gets so she can stand up & then proceeding to let go! NOT going to talk about it!!

Julianna,
PLEASE stop growing at lightning speed. Thank you!!
Love,
Mommy

Baby Toys? Who Needs Them?

2010-08-09T02:15:00.000-07:00

Not Julianna! Now that she is an expert crawler, Jules would much rather explore/attempt to play with things that are not baby approved such as: toys that belong to The Pooches! Even when I move them to another room, one toy will always make it's way back into Julianna's reach. How does this happen? Well, Romeo! He loves his green ball and is completely obsessed with it and wants someone to throw it at any chance he can get. So whenever little Miss. Julianna is free roaming the room, Romeo thinks it is the perfect time to play, he always makes sure to bring Jules the ball so she can throw it. Of course she doesn't know how to throw yet, so this makes for a not so fun play time for Romeo but makes for a cute thing for me to watch!

Should I or Shouldn't I?

Oooo Caught!!

But Mom, Romeo said I could play with it!!

Operation: Sleep in Crib= Work in Progress

2010-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday we began transitioning Julianna to her crib for bedtime. She has been taking her naps in her crib for a few months now, but still slept in the bassinet, in our room at night. I had always planned on moving her from the bassinet to the crib when she was about 3 or 4 months but when the 4 month mark rolled around, I had no desire to move her. Julianna seemed comfortable where she was sleeping , I was comfortable where she was sleeping and we were all sleeping peacefully through the night. I really liked having her close enough to hear every breath and any little move she made. (is that weird?) I knew she wouldn't be sleeping in the bassinet forever so I wasn't too worried about when we would make the switch. People would ask me "Have you moved Julianna to her crib yet?" I would answer "No, not yet" and of course the next question was "When are you going to move her?!?!" My answer- "Soon!" Even though I wasn't sure exactly how "soon" it would be. I figured she would let us know when she was ready.

A few days before she started getting up on her knees in the crib, she had started poking her little head up and peeking over the bassinet and that is when I knew it was time make the big switch-a-roo! It was weird the first night laying in bed and not having her right beside me. I must admit, I was a little sad and teary.

For the most part Jules has been doing pretty well with the move. Some nights she will wake up more than others. I'm not sure if she is waking up just because she is in her crib now or if it is because she is teething. Maybe a combination of both? I am also getting use to her half-waking up at 6am. When that happens, I will change her, we go back to my bed and snooze an extra hour or two and then we are ready to start our day!

The transition from the bassinet to the crib hasn't been perfect but it hasn't been as horrible as I thought it would be, which is always a good thing, now I just have to get around to actually packing the bassinet away. :(

182.621099 Days Old

2010-07-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Wow! My baby girl is a half a year old. I can't believe it! These past 6 months have been the best of my life and they have flown right by! I love Julianna so much and I when I think about just how much I love her, it brings tears to my eyes. I feel so incredibly blessed to be her mom.

This past month Julianna has discovered so much, so fast!! She is turning into quite the explorer.

This is what's new with Jules:

size 2 diapers
still can wear 3 month clothes, but not for much longer!
crawling! she is fast!
sits up on her own
can pull herself up on things
the swing has been officially retired. :(
has tried green beans, peas, avocado and squash & loved all of them!
learning the signs for-milk, eat & Thank you
loves to talk baby babble
always on the go. she doesn't like to be in one place for too long.

I can't believe just 6 short months ago she looked like this:

& now she looks like this:

Now that Jules is 6 months, the 1st Birthday party planning has officially begun!!

Sleep is Overrated

2010-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

No, not for me but apparently for Julianna it is! On Monday morning my Jules figured out how to sit up on her knees and look over the crib. This was the first time I had ever seen her do anything like this, so you can imagine my surprise when I went in to check on her and found her like this:

I was excited and all "Yay my baby is learning new things!" but then this new thing she had just learned was waayy more fun than taking a nap and so we had a modified morning nap-which resulted in both of us getting a morning snooze on my bed while Daddy changed the sheets & lowered the crib mattress a notch.

So , lets cut to afternoon nap, shall we? Well, I so naively thought by lowering the mattress a notch our exploringduringnaptime would be solved and I was confident Julianna would go to sleep no problem, just as she had been doing the day before. It had been a few minutes since I heard her, so I figured she had fallen asleep and was thinking YAY problem solved!Until... when I went in to check on her and was in complete SHOCK when I found her like this:

OhEmGee!! Are you serious?? I can't believe she is standing in her crib!! She just learned how to get on her knees this morning!
How is she doing this? She is not even 6 months old yet!!

Those were all the crazy thoughts running around in my head when I saw her just standing there. I think we were both in shock that she actually managed such a victory. Of course, since standing up in your crib is waaayy more fun than actually sleeping in it, not much sleeping has been taking place in it!

Do you want to know something? Even though she has been such a rambunctious little monkey in her crib, when she sleeps in the bassinet in our room, she falls right to sleep! We plan on transitioning her to the crib full time starting this weekend and I just hope it will be a smoother transition than these past two days.

Any helpful tips that might help make this transition easier for both of us?

p.s. the pictures are from my phone, that's why they are not the greatest!

Mind-Bottling!

2010-07-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

I know some may care, some may not and some probably haven't even noticed but I apologize for my lack of blogging as of late. We have had more than enough internet issues and it has been frustrating me beyond belief! I am hoping that when AT&T comes over tomorrow/today, all of my issues will be resolved...I am definitely not holding my breath, their service has been quite, well, sucky to say the least. Maybe they will surprise me? We shall see how it goes!

Hopefully I can share some of Julianna's new & exciting happenings very soon! Jules has changed so much in just a week it is mind- bottling!
(If you know what movie the term "mind-bottling" comes from, you get a gold star!! :) )

Good night/ Morning!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Park

2010-07-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Julianna had her first play day at the park yesterday! The park is only a five minute walk from our house so we have gone there multiple times but this was the first time we went to the play area. It has been VERY hot here the last few days, so we didn't stay too long but I think it was just enough time for Jules to enjoy all of the fun and exciting things around her. She loved the swings and the slide! I can't believe how much of a big girl she looks sitting in the swing all by herself! ::tear:: My baby girl is growing so fast!!

Exhausted after a day of fun

The New Locks

2010-07-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

There you have it, this is my new look! Having my hair this short doesn't feel as weird as I thought it would. I figured I would need some time to adjust but I feel comfortable with it, so I think that helps! I especially LOVE my color! At first I was thinking I would go lighter but changed my mind when I was waiting at the salon. You can't really tell from the picture but underneath there are a few peek-a-boo blond highlights that will sneak out if I wear my hair different ways, love that also!
Overall I really like my new do. I don't think I would be comfortable cutting my hair any shorter than this though! I was nervous if the hubby was going to like my new locks and I am happy to report that he does!! ;)

Tomorrow is the Day...

2010-07-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

I get a new look! My appointment is tomorrow afternoon and I am pretty nervous! I may not get it cut as short as I was originally planning on but I do plan on changing up my color a bit! I am not sure to exactly what, so I guess it will be a surprise to even me! I might even post a picture or two of my new look later this week. So be on the look out. Wish me luck!!

Thou Shalt NOT Steal

2010-07-10T05:10:00.000-07:00

To the person who is stealing MY baby's pictures please STOP. I do not appreciate seeing her face on your "Roleplaying" site. It is sick to use my child in your fantasy world or any other child for that matter. I have NEVER given anyone permission to use her picture. So STOP STEALING!!

All fellow Mommies: I HIGHLY encourage you to start watermarking your photographs. I can't explain the rush that I felt when I saw my precious baby's pictures on a some stranger's site, using them for a "game". My stomach was and still is turning, I wish I could have crawled thru the interwebz and removed them myself at that very moment. I know this is the risk one takes when they write for the whole world to see- Anyone, anywhere can have a glimpse into your life and try to take what doesn't belong to them. I hope nobody else will experience what I am feeling at this moment but sadly, I know I am not the first, nor will I be the last.

This is the website I found my pictures on- Polyvore. It is suppose to be mainly about fashion and for those who like to try and create what they call "sets"- a group of pictures to create various looks, but I guess some do not use it in that way and choose to STEAL pictures of babies from blogs and role play with them. Yuck.

Do I Need This?

2010-07-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Now that Jules has been started on the road of solids, I find myself wanting to make the next foods she will be eating instead of buying them already made.I never thought I would want to make my own baby food but here I am, excited to get started! While doing some research I came across this gadget: the Beaba Babycook

I know it's not exactly cheap and I wonder if the Beaba is actually worth the $$$. So, my question is- If you make your own baby food, do you own one of these? Is it worth the investment? Any tips that will help me become Top baby food Chef?

Entering the Land of Solids

2010-07-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

Julianna had her first taste of oatmeal! I wasn't expecting her to enjoy her first taste of solids so much but I was pleasantly surprised that she did! She kept grabbing my hand to bring the spoon closer to her mouth and even tried to grab the bowl from me a few times. If Jules was this excited about oatmeal, I can only imagine how excited she will be with the other new flavors that will be coming her way! And Now that we are entering the land of solids,I hear we will be entering the land of "real" poop next. True or False?

First bite!

Independence Day!!

2010-07-04T22:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th of July-Church, lunch, lounging and we even got to watch fireworks in our front yard courtesy of the neighbors! I hope everyone had a great day!!

Jules with her Lita

Having fun with Uncle

Change is in the Air

2010-07-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

You know those people who don't think twice about chopping off their hair and getting a new and improved style? Well, I am not really one of them. I get a little bit anxious and cause myself unnecessary stress when I think about going in for a major style change, I attribute this to being traumatized by a horrible haircut that I got when I was in the 5th grade.

Basically the story goes like this...My mom made my brother and I appointments to get our haircut after school one day. No big deal, just a trim right? WRONG! Apparently my mom and the hairstylist thought I would look cuter with a new "hip" style. They both assured me I was going to look soooo cute and my hair would like healthier, blah,blah,blah.

Even though I didn't want to cut my hair I agreed. I think it was because both my mom and the stylist seemed so excited about it and of course me being 10,I believed they probably knew what they were talking about. Well lets just say when she turned me around to look at myself in the mirror, everyone in the whole salon knew how I felt and I mean EVERYONE!

When I saw myself in the mirror I was shocked! I started crying, not just a few tears...I was bawling! You would think by my reaction the stylist should have known how I felt about that super cute cut she promised me. I guess she was still unsure because she asked me how liked it and I proceeded to tell her how ugly and horrible it was and how much I hated it. I hated it so much that I locked myself in the bathroom at the salon. I was very dramatic I know, but I was so upset and embarrassed by the way I looked. I think I was in their for a good 20 minutes before I finally came out. My hair eventually got sort of "fixed" and I ended up with chin length hair. Not exactly the look I was going for to start off my middle school career. Eventually my hair did grow back and all was right with my world again!

All of that to say... I plan on cutting my hair and getting a new look!I have been saying this for a few months now but I think I am finally ready. Don't get me wrong, there is still a part of me who is a little nervous,but I am kind of excited at the same time. I like that with long hair you can be pretty versatile and I worry that with shorter hair I will be "stuck" doing the same style all of the time but I also like that my wash and blow dry time will be cut in half! So I finally did it, I made an appointment! ::Eeekk::

This is how my hair looks now:

I would like something like these styles. I might try and keep it a little longer though, just to prevent myself from having a panic attack!

Oh! I was also given 2 awards! Thank you Mama Hen! She is so sweet and her Little Chick is
adorable!! Go check her out!

21 weeks & 5 days

2010-06-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

That is how old Julianna is... 5 months! Only 1 month shy of her half birthday...CRAZY!! My little Jules is growing up fast. I love that every month she learns so many new things and her little personality just keeps getting bigger!
This is what's new with Jules:

weight-14 lbs
length-24.5 inches
size 1 diapers
still in 0-3 month clothes and even a few of her newborn outfits still fit her
loves her exersaucer
loves to "pet" The Pooches and by "pet" I mean grab them by their hair/ears
no crawling yet but she can spin herself in circles!
found her voice and is not afraid to use it!

Here are few new pictures. Do you recognize the headband? It is one that I made for her!

Getting Crafty...Well,Trying To!

2010-06-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

Look what I made!! These last few days I have had the urge to try and get a little crafty and creative. It didn't take long for me to decide that the first thing I would try and make would be headbands & bows. I am ADDICTED to baby bows as some of you may already know, remember this? So this just seemed like the next logical step -feed my cravings by making them! Now, I know these may not be perfect seeing as how they are the first generation and all, but with some more practice I know they will start to look better! Who knows? This may even turn into something more...I hope! :)

What do you think? Suggestions or feedback would be great!

Thanks!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

Twins?!?!

2010-06-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not twins, but I think you can tell she is my daughter! When I saw this picture of me at my parent's house yesterday it put a smile on my face. I think it is pretty cool how both Jules and I have red sunglasses on, because when I bought them for her I totally forgot about this picture of me, in fact I forgot I was even wearing sunglasses in the picture, and red ones at that! So I guess you could say that great minds think alike, because both my mom and I thought that our little girls looked good with some cool red shades!