13 Months

13 Months: 09/19/13

We've got a hybrid toddy on our hands.
That's right.
A mix between a toddler and baby.

Little miss toddlekins is at an in-between phase currently.

She is actually crawling.
I nearly cried when I saw it the first time.
Exactly one week after her first birthday.

My sweet little late bloomer.

But she finally got it down.
She crawls from room to room.
And pulls up.
And cruises.
And gets into everything.

She actually gets quite mad when she realizes she can't walk.
But she's just not quite strong enough for walking yet.
Which makes for one frustrated toddy.

She doesn't sit still these days.
Especially when I'm trying to change her diaper or clothes.
It's like a completely different little person.
Whom I couldn't even get to pose for her 13 Month Shoot.

This is the best I could get:

I was horrible at taking pictures this month.

Mostly because Beans is on the move.
All the time.
And I can't keep up.

Plus, we're too busy having fun to think about whipping out the phone!

Here are some of my favorite stand-outs from this month.

• One word: crawling. 

• Someone learned to point. A couple days before your first birthday actually. You point at everything - people, dogs, toys, your bookshelf. In fact, that's the very first thing you do every.single.morning. You wake up, sit up with your curly bed-head, and groggily point at the bookshelf on your wall and say boook. You also point to the pictures in your books. Adorbs. 

• You have become quite the Chatty Cathy this month. The words you say most frequently are dat, dshh, and bop. Most everything is a bop. But you did add hi, dog, and uh-oh to your real word vocabulary repertoire. Your favorite and most frequently used word is book. You beg for books all day long. Makes Mommy's teacher heart burst with happies.

• You are obsessed with tags. On everything. Towels, clothes, burp rags, stuffed animals. I guess they soothe you. You could be in the middle of an all-out meltdown, but the moment you find a tag, you're peachy. Your dad and I laugh because you have all these fun, bright, interactive toys. But you always go straight for the tag. 

• We completely weaned breastfeeding this month. {More info on this later}. We had a few little road bumps along the way, but all is well now. You have completely switched to whole milk and drink from a sippie with a straw. No more bottles!! Big.Girl. 

• I've mentioned this before. But it is so.so.so. weird shopping for you. And by weird I mean fun. *But also a little weird.* Because I now shop in the toddler section. I actually have the hardest time shopping. I never know what size to get you. You're a teeny gal who still wears a lot of 9 month clothing. But I've been buying 12-18 or 18 month stuff for fall and winter. I seriously stand staring at the same outfit for at least 15 minutes battling over the size. Enough room to grow in? Too much room? Oh the pressure. But girlfriend, I wish your fall wardrobe came in my size. 

• You have started "sharing". It all started when you were eating your peas, and you decided to give one to Grams. So cute. Now, you love to "share" everything. I say "share" because you often reach out like you want to share, but then you retract and take it back. Seems like someone needs a lesson in gift-giving. 

• I really think you're going to be musical. When you hear music, you immediately stop what you're doing and start dancing. And when I sing to you, you start humming your own little tune. And you have pretty good rhythm. It's pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen or heard. I wouldn't mind a singing ballerina. ;)

• You have a new game. It's called the Uh-Oh Game. I'll give you one guess how it works. This happens all.day.long. You drop and/or hide something and look at us and say, uh-oh in a sweet little sing-songy voice. I want to be stern and tell you "No. We do not drop things." Instead, I drop things too. To hear you say uh-oh. 

• This month you became the biggest snuggler ever. This came out of nowhere. But it's my most favorite thing of all time. Every night after I give you your milk, you curl up in a tiny ball and lie on my chest while I rock you. Just like when you were a newborn. I...can't. 

• You've been into baby yoga. Or maybe Baby de Solei. Regardless, you've got some serious flexibility. Teach me your moves, Ly. 

• Your favorite things this month are: your thumb, Ellie (your silkie elephant), books, and your zoo magnets. **You take your zoo magnets quite seriously. When we're getting ready in the mornings, we get out your zoo magnets and say, "Lyla, do your job." And you go to town pulling them out, talking to them, sharing them with us and the dogs, and putting them back in their box. Like it's your job. 

Oh my word. 

Such a fun stage.

Beauty for the Busy {and cheap}

A little known fact about me.

I'm frugal.

Like.

A lot frugal.

I was that kid who saved every penny of my allowance. 

Then grew up into an adult who saved every bonus check. 

Every tax refund. 

But let's get one thing straight.

I may be frugal.

But I'm not cheap. 

{Well. Maybe a little cheap.}

I may know how to pinch my pennies. 

But I also know how to splurge. 

I do not hold back on life experiences. 

Things that provide forever-engrained memories.

I simply tend to have a hard time spending $$$ on...stuff.

Especially beauty stuff. 

So many products. 

So many services. 

So costing a small fortune. 

I like to *teasingly* remind Gabe how lucky he is. 

To have a wife who prefers drugstore cosmetics.

And refuses to spend a whole paycheck on my hair.

And who does not have the upkeep of tanning, waxing, and weekly mani/pedi's.

Not that I don't gawk over, appreciate, and occasionally splurge on pretty things. 

I sure do love a statement red lip.

Or a classic leather handbag. 

It's just that my frugality gets in the way.  

And I just really like simple. 

But I still want to look put together. 

Still feel beautiful. 

That being said. 

Beauty often goes to the wayside after becoming a mama. 

Because mamas lead busy lives. 

And if you're like me, you're busy and frugal. 

{A double whammy for bye-bye beauty}.

But just because I'm a mom does not mean I want to let myself go.

Oh no. 

I refuse. 

Luckily, I've found some simple and *reasonable* little treasures that are my recent beauty go-to's. 

All perfect for the 20 minutes I have to beautify myself.

1. The perfect accessory. In my case, I make sure to throw on my L-initial Alex & Ani bracelet. I never leave home without it. The perfect combo of fashion and sentiment. {I particularly love that the creator of these fun charm bangles is from Cranston, RI - my old stomping grounds!}

2. Pouty Pop of Color. Absolutely obsessed with Maybelline Baby Lips. One borrow from my best friend's handbag, and I was sold. A low-key chap-stick-like lip balm that provides a perfect touch of color. And it comes in vibrant, girly tubes - love!

3. Salty Beach Hair.  I envy people with really good hair. Unfortunately, I have been *blessed* with super-fine-yet-somehow-dries-with-a-slight-kink hair. It's like my hair can't figure out if it wants to be straight or wavy. I usually choose wavy. And I really prefer the soft, beach-wave look rather than the hard, crinkle-curl look. This sea-salt texturizing spray provides just that. And an added bonus? You can find it at Target. 

4. Keep-Me-Young Moisturizer.  I'm not sure at what point I started claiming moisturizing as my go-to beauty product. Oh wait. Yes I do. When I got old. And realized I'm going to be *ahem* 30 in 2 weeks. But seriously. I need me some quality face moisturizer. And I have tried just about every product on the market, even the pricey. Nothing tops good ol' classic Cetaphil. Nothing. 

5. Shimmer of Bronzer.  It's taken me 29 years. But I've finally embraced my fair skin. It makes me cringe to think of the days when I worked at a tanning salon and fake-baked. *Ugh* Don't worry though. I got smart and started spray-tanning. Until I finally I got smarter and embraced my God-given skin. But that doesn't mean I don't love me a slight brush of bronzer. I prefer Bare Minerals. Perfectly natural. 

6. Must-have Hair Tie. Back to the hair. Mine can be a bit unruly. So I tend to throw it up. A lot. Might as well be stylish if I'm going to keep it simple. I love the cute stretchy hair ties in all different patterns and colors. So fun. You can see one at all times on my wrist.

**In other news. I think this might be the first post I've done since Lyla's been born without a picture of her. 

It feels sacrilegious. 

Don't worry. 

The pictures are coming.

No Words.

Well, maybe just one word.

Perfect.

Lyla's One Year Photo Session

by Alison Moore

The rocking chair was my mom's when she was little, then mine, and now Lyla Bean's.
*So special*

Walking on Sunshine.

I've got a bit more pep in my step these days.

I feel it in my core.
All warm and cozy-like.
A ray of sunshine simply begging to burst through.

I'm sorry to be so obnoxious.
But.
I just feel so different lately.
I can't hold it in.

I think it's a combination of things.

I'm no longer confined to my baby and her need to feed all.day.long.
{Or better yet, no longer confined to my arch nemesis: the pump.}

Which means I'm not an unpredictable mess of hormones.
{Like an angst-ridden teen who is on the verge of an emotional breakdown.}

And I am no longer *consumed* by my job.
{Or consumed by my desire to be the best at...everything.}

I feel free.
My brain is free.
And I can finally be present.

I can put my thoughts, love, energy, time, and efforts into what I want.

My family.
My friendships.
Me.

All of which were neglected for so long.

And then it all hit me last week.
Just the polarity of my current situation in comparison to last year.

The difference is unreal.
Between me last May.
And me now.

Here's how things are looking around here these days.

1). I have a *real* lunch break. 
You.guys.
This is an absolute life-changer.
To have a small break in my day.
And to do whatever-the-heck-I-want.

Relax. Instagram. Go home. Run errands. Go to Baby Gap on 10% Tuesdays.

I used to have to save all of my errand-running for Saturdays and Sundays. Which made my blood boil because of the errand-catch-up-frenzy every other American participates in on weekends. Now, I have a lunch break where I can run my errands.

And guess what else? Sometimes things get super exciting, and I meet up with my honey-pies for lunch.
(This has actually only happened once. But hoping to do it again soon!)

Quite the change from speed-peeing, responding to parent e-mails, planning, grading, and scarfing down a sandwich all in the span of 15 minutes.

2). I exercise.  
*Walks count in my book.*

This is just embarrassing.
But.
Until last week, I hadn't worked out in one full year.
The last time I actually worked out was the day I went in to labor.

I went from working out every.single.day. of my pregnancy.
To not even once.
Lyla's entire first year of life.

I simply could not muster up the energy.
Let alone the desire.

But now I'm finally able to focus on things that are important to me.
So last week, I decided to get back in the saddle.
And, I turned to ol' faithful Jillian's Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism.

Um.
I made it 11 minutes into the DVD.
And by "made it", I mean that I took at least 5 "water-breaks" in those 11 minutes, and my entire body wouldn't stop shaking.
And I was sore the next day.

Slowly easing in, people.

3). I'm basically a chef.
Let's be honest on this one.
Even though I've switched gears in careers doesn't mean that I have a ton of free time.
In fact, sometimes, I feel even busier.
{It's just that now I'm busy with things I want to be busy with}.

So, there isn't a ton of time for a lot of creativity.
Or planning.
Or shopping.
Or a lot of ingredients I can't pronounce.
Ain't nobody got time for that.

But I have been easing back into cooking meals.
*Even if they're in the crockpot.*
However, we are eating meals again.

Something this family didn't see for an entire year.

4). I no longer fall apart at the seams. 
Hurray.
No more walking on eggshells around me.

The smallest *most ridiculous* things used to make me break down into 1 billion tiny pieces.

Like the time I bought a shirt at Old Navy.
And tried it on when I got home.
Only to find it didn't fit.
Which subsequently meant I had to take it back.
I sobbed uncontrollably on the phone with my mother-in-law.

True story.

I think I just had so much on my plate that even the smallest deviation in my day seemed to slam me against the wall.

Now.
Things seem to roll off my shoulders.

Like the other day.
I was running late to work.
I spilled my water all over my lap.
And then, the contents of my purse spilled out and rolled under my car.
I had about 8 lip glosses to track down.

But, I didn't even flinch.
Just picked up my things.
Got in my car.
And made it to work just a few minutes late.

I had to call Gabe just to tell him about my reaction.

Last year, I probably would have had to be admitted to the hospital.

5). I enjoy the dailies. 
I did not stop and smell the roses last year.
Enjoying daily life is something that just did not happen.

From the moment my alarm went off, I was on edge.
All.the.time.
Constantly on the move.
Always thinking.
Never relaxing.

Definitely no time for small everyday happies.

Now?
Oh my goodness.

I love my morning shower.
Spending time talking with and thanking the Lord.
I love my bed.
I love my drive to pick up Lyla.
Gives me time to wind down.
I love lemon in my water.
I love the weekends.
Something I used to spend preparing for and dreading Monday.
I love home lunch dates with Gabe.
Something we try to do regularly.
I love my weekend coffee talks with Gabe.
This is something I've always loved.
{But now, our coffee talks aren't consumed with how to deal with my unhappiness.}
I love me time.
Recently got myself a pedi with mama - sans baby.
Loved every second.
I love doing absolutely nothing.
That's when I enjoy my family most.

Needless to say.
I'm a bit happier these days.
No longer does everything seem like another task on the to-do list.

Maya Angelou said it best.
If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. 

In my case, I needed a little bit of both.

Labor Day, Indeed.

Ahh.
Long weekends.
Absolutely nothing like them.

Thank you, Labor Day.

An extraordinary weekend for sure.
Celebrating a dear friend's wedding nuptials.
Chunkin's very first wedding, in fact.

She was an absolute peach.
Barely made a peep the entire ceremony.
Except when I was walking down the isle.
We made eye contact, and she started cracking up.

Oopsie.
Of course I thought it was adorable.

She stayed up until midnight two nights in a row.
5 and a half hours past her bedtime.
This is quite a big deal.
Because girlfriend needs her sleep.
And can resemble that of a monster when she doesn't get it.
But she was a trooper.
Huge sigh of relief.

But back to Labor Day.
Chunkin has been taking the day quite literally.

She's been-a-laboring all right.
Because she is officially crawling.
As of 08/26/13, to be exact.

Sweet girl has been working hard.
Crawling.
Kneeling.
Moving all over the place.
Getting into everything.
Trying to climb.
And refusing to fall asleep because she's so excited by her newfound talents.
{All things she couldn't do just a couple of weeks ago.}

These changes all happened so quickly.
One thing after another.
All after her first *and hopefully only* physical therapy appointment.

She still has quite a bit of strength to build up.
Especially in her arms.
She tries her hardest to pull up.
But, her little muscles don't always cooperate.
But we're getting there.

In fact.
I heard a bit of grunting coming from her room one evening.
I walked in.
And couldn't believe it.
There she was.
Standing in her crib.

I've never seen her so proud.
Or myself for that matter.
So much change and improvement in one little week!!!

We've been practicing our little PT exercises every chance we get.
But in the meantime, she loves showing off her flexibility.
Trying to prove she'd make quite the ballerina.

Super-flexibility and low muscle tone aside.
Lyla is crawling.

Finally. 

It all started about a week after her birthday. 

First at Gi-Gi's. 

Then at Day Care. 

Then for Mom and Dad. 

She wanted to perfect her skills before showing them off. ;)

Luckily.

We captured our first time seeing her crawl on video. 

Unfortunately, I only caught the very end.

After she'd been showing off her new moves for a few minutes.

Needless to say, she was tuckered.

Little Miss Coordination. ;)

So, I guess this is what having a mobile baby feels like.
One year later.
And it's finally time to start baby proofing the house.
#proudparents