Amy D

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Up Mommy Creek

Published: May 17, 2012 12:38:37 AM
Adventures in navigating Mommy-hood without a map...
  • Chocolate Fudge Calciummm...
    May 15, 2012 4:52:00 AM

    Here is one thing I greatly dislike: milk. 
    Anchorman anyone??
    Let me qualify that statement by saying that I like milk products, and I like milk in things, but I would never ever have a glass of milk on it's own. (O.K. maaaaaayyyyybbbbeee with an Oreo cookie, or a huge slice of double chocolate fudge cake or something...mayyyybeeee)

    But ever since I was a little child, my mom would always tell me how important it is to drink milk. It makes your bones and teeth strong, and I MUST drink it. Now that I am a grown woman who knows a thing or two about body chemistry, I know it's because it's an excellent source of calcium, and that a lack of calcium and vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis. As a woman, I am already at a higher risk for it because of my gender...which sucks. Because I really really really dislike drinking milk. Blech. I do eat a lot of cheese though (mmmm...cheese), and I tend to buy the Tropicana orange juice with added calcium and vitamin D, but I just can't shake that small version of my mom inside my head who is chiding me for not drinking milk. 

    Here is one thing I looooooove: Chocolate fudge brownies. 

    I literally started to drool like Pavlov's dogs just typing that out. Chocolate is definitely one way into my heart. 

    So, enter Swiss Natural's Chocolate Fudge Brownie calcium chews.
     A way for me to avoid drinking milk, while appeasing my inner mother-conscience AND my sweet tooth? Score! Each chew has 600mg of calcium, as well as 400 I.U. vitamin D. I was a little skeptical about how well the chews would capture the taste of chocolate fudge brownies. My only experience with chews has been antacids, and they are a chalky experience, that's for sure. I was actually amazed at how great the calcium chews tasted. In fact, they were so tasty that Hubby thought they were candies and I had to stop him from eating more than the recommended amount! I am really bad about remembering to take vitamins, so we have started buying gummies instead of pills in an effort to make it more attractive to take them. We definitely don't forget to take these chews. It feels silly saying this, but they actually are a little sweet treat. The other thing I love about them is that Swiss Natural is 100% Canadian owned (which I never would have guessed. My money would have been on the Swiss!). Oh, and if you are a calorie counter (which I am not), then you will be pleased to know that they are only 15 calories each. Oh! And they are also gluten and gelatin free. Woo hoo! 

    So, this puts me one step closer to my goal of being healthier this year. I am a person who loves food, and cannot stick to a diet. It's nice to have the peace of mind knowing that I am getting the right vitamins and nutrients to maintain my body's health. Now I just have to work on that whole weight thing...ahem. 

    *disclosure: I was sent a sample of chews so that I could write this review. All views, as always, are truly my own! 

    ~Amy
  • Shame on Jane RemindeRings
    May 1, 2012 1:00:00 PM
    Shame on Jane is a cute jewellery line which specializes in RemindeRings. Basically, they are gold or silver coloured bands with a message inscribed in them. The messages range from sassy to practical, and there are some great ones for weddings as well. I absolutely loved the inspirational rings. I think they are such a great idea! It's awesome to have that reminder when you see them on your hand to try and make a step in that direction.


    I love that you can wear just one or stack a few for a funky look. The rings are nice and light, which is great as I totally forget I am even wearing them; they are so comfortable. I rarely wear any rings beyond my wedding bands, but these ones are so versatile they match with every outfit. So cute! 

    And how about that packaging? When I opened the mail I fell in love...it is soooo pretty! 


    Shame on Jane also has personalized monograms, date or zipcode necklaces. I think it would be such a wonderful gift to give a date necklace for someone's wedding, anniversary or the birth date of their child. Hmmm...good idea for Mother's Day! 

    Shame on Jane is running a contest right now for Mother's Day where you can come up with the next message for RemindeRings. If your message is chosen, you get a nice little shopping spree, as well as one of the rings that you helped design! 

    A note for my readers: I think that it is only open to U.S. residents... :( Sorry fellow Canucks!

    Enter the ShameOnJane Mother's Day Contest and Win a $200 Shopping Spree!

    Disclosure: I received a set of the inspirational rings so that I could conduct this review, but all opinions, of course, are my own. I received no further compensation. 
    ~Amy
  • What I Wore: Wedding Edition!
    Apr 30, 2012 6:21:00 PM

    So, I had a different post scheduled for today, but just couldn't resist writing this post when Megan from Absolute Mommy posted a Link-up to celebrate her 7th wedding anniversary. 

    So, here is my trip down memory lane. I had sooooo much fun at our wedding. Honestly, our vision of a fun party with our family and friends, great food and great music ended up exactly how we envisioned it. We had a rather small budget, so I did a lot of things myself, which ended up being really fun, and I tried to give our wedding a personal touch through those little details. 

    All photos are courtesy of the super amazing Kinga of Images By Frost






    Dress: Paloma Blanca
    Veil: unknown...purchased it off Ebay for $10!! 
    Shoes: Nina

    Since we met in Thailand, we had our dinner catered by a local Thai restaurant. Oh man, it was so yummy! And Hubby insisted that we have pie at the reception, so we had 9 different flavours of mini-pies! Mmmm...






    Ahh! I want to do it all over again! So much fun! 





    Happy Anniversary Megan! May your life continue to be filled with love, laughter and adventure! 


    ~Amy
  • 9 Months!
    Apr 29, 2012 8:30:00 PM

    At 9 months Peanut:

    ~ weighs about 20.1 lbs
    ~ is about 30 inches long


    ~Has started crawling in full force, very confidently and very swiftly
    ~Can sit up on his own from a laying down position
    ~Continues to understand more words and signs everyday, but has not, as yet, signed back or spoke any actual words
    ~ Still loves to cluck his tongue, and now sticks it out all.the.time
    ~ Loves food of all kinds. I don't think we have discovered anything he hasn't liked yet. 
    ~Favourite food at the moment is bananas and cereal puffs
    ~Claps his hands, which is super adorable 
    ~Is rather grumbly and growly, carrying on entire monologues with himself
    ~Uses his feet to pick things up...little monkey
    ~Loves to play peek-a-boo and to listen to songs that we sing with him
    ~Favourite books are "That's Not My Penguin" and "That's Not My Baby" (touch-and-feel books) and "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb"


    I can't believe he's 9 months old! Time is going by so fast, and he continues to become such a little man. Love him! xoxo



    ~Amy
  • On Becoming a Mom
    Apr 26, 2012 4:38:00 PM

    Becoming a mother is a strange thing. I still don't truly feel that I "am" a mother. I feel I am in a constant state of becoming. Every day I learn new things; new ways to love, new ways to grow. My son is now 9 months old, and he has been around in the real world just as long as he has been around in my body. 

    Becoming a mother is the most strange and glorious thing that has ever happened to me. 

    It is so strange how much love you can feel for someone you have never met. Someone who doesn't even really exist independently of you at first. No idea if they are a boy or a girl, what they will look like, if they will be healthy, what their personality will be like. It is coupled with the anxiety and the fear of the unknown. It is a strange feeling to be so attached to something so tiny and miraculous, and something which is now so out of your control. 

    Then the moment comes when your baby actually breathes. When he is there in front of you, and you embark on the next leg of your amazing journey. All of a sudden there is this new life that you are responsible for. He is small and precious and so incredibly breakable. He relies on you to survive, to give him love, to teach him how to live and learn and grow. It is an unbelievably huge amount of responsibility to lay upon someone. And yet, it is so utterly wonderful that there is no way I could trade it for the world. 

    It is impossible to remember my world without him. This was something that crept up on me slowly. It was not like there was an instant switch when he was born. While I was pregnant, it was still so abstract to think of this new life that would be with us soon. After he was born it was so overwhelming. Learning all the things you need to learn in order to care for this new being is all-consuming. Or at least it was for me. I loved him like no other, but he was not entrenched within my life. Within my soul? Yes. Within my heart? Yes. But he was just so new, and the memories of my "old" life were so close. I can't say exactly when this changed. A week? A month? 6 months? But one day I just realized that there was no way I could imagine my life without my son. He is a part of me now; a part of my husband. 

    Becoming a mother is a constant struggle. It is hard work. I still have those moments every day when I am amazed that I am actually a Mom. There are nights full of tears, moments of self-doubt, frustrations galore. There are days when I feel like it is impossible, and that things shouldn't be this hard. 

    But there are also moments where I feel like my heart will burst with love and happiness. Moments where I look at him and think that there could not be a more perfect being in existence. There are times when my husband and I laugh so hard our tummies hurt at the crazy things he does. We have moments where we are practically exploding with pride and love. 

    Becoming a mother is bittersweet. Watching him learn and grow and accomplish amazing things. Watching him discover the world around him and discover all the cool things our bodies can do. Cheering for him as he learns how to sit, how to crawl, how to clap, how to wave. And at the same time feeling the regret that he is growing so fast, and that these moments are passing us by and will never be experienced again. Packing away his little sleepers, his bassinet, his tiny shoes; these are moments that bring tears to your eyes. Tears of happiness and pride for the child he is becoming, and also tears of saying goodbye to the child he once was. 

    Becoming a mother is my greatest accomplishment. It is something I long to do again sometime. It is something that I could never imagine not having done. Looking into the eyes of my son, I see what pure love looks like, feel what pure devotion feels like, and know the reason for my existence. 

    Becoming. Evolving. Emerging. Growing. Transforming. 

    As I watch him accomplish these feats, so do I become a mother. 



    ~Amy
  • Nursery Art Giveaway From Printed Inc.!!
    Apr 18, 2012 6:00:00 AM
    It has been an age since I've had a giveaway on the blog. Well, the time has come! And the only thing that I am upset about is that I can't enter to win...I seriously have a huge crush on some of these prints! 

    Tracy from Printed Inc. is being super generous and is giving away 2 prints from her Etsy shop! These would be adorable in a nursery! 




    These are 3 separate prints. Winner gets to choose 1!
                         

    These are 3 separate prints. Winner gets to choose 1!

    This giraffe print makes we want to die of cuteness. And she's got some awesome prints that would be great for weddings or for around the house...you really must check out her shop. 

    Head on over and show her some love! 

    Printed Inc. on Etsy

    2 winners will each receive your choice of one of the above 8x10 prints from Tracy's shop! To enter, head on over to Printed Inc. and let me know which print in her shop is your favourite. Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget. Thanks, and good luck! (I'm trying to withhold my jealousy...ack!)

    a Rafflecopter giveaway


    **Please note, I did not receive anything for this post. I just love Tracy's shop, and she generously donated some prints for the giveaway :) 



    ~Amy
  • April Photo A Day: Week 2
    Apr 16, 2012 11:32:00 PM

    Here is my second week of the challenge. And I totally did not just take all these photos today. Well, not all of them anyway...ahem. 


    Day 8: Inside Your Wallet
    Nothing at all except old Starbucks cards...sigh
    Day 9: Younger You
    Oh the '80s! Love my mom's hair and her Michael Jackson sweatshirt...
     Day 10: Cold
    Our cold-hearted Kitty. Cold as ice...
    Day 11: Where You Ate Breakfast
    Breakfast was a vanilla latte
    Day 12: Stairs

    Day 13: Something You Found
    Many years ago I found this old copy of the Hobbit on my parent's bookshelf. It's from 1966. 
     Day 14: How You Feel Today
    Tired. As usual. 

    ~Amy
  • How Do You Wean a Bottle Refuser?!
    Apr 11, 2012 11:01:00 PM

    Right now we have a battle raging in our house. It's Hubby and I against and 8-month-old. And the baby is winning. 

    Peanut took a bottle for the first couple of weeks after he was born, as at the beginning we had to supplement a couple of times with formula. After that, he was exclusively breast-fed until he started solids a few months ago. So, since about 2 months old, Peanut has adamantly refused the bottle. It makes no difference what is in the bottle. We have tried pumped fresh milk, pumped frozen milk, powdered formula, ready-to-feed formula, water. We have tried cold, room-temperature and warm. We have tried 2 different types of bottles, 2 different types of nipples (slow and fast flow). We have tried 5 different types of sippy cups. Even the miracle-worker Rubbermaid juice box! And nothing. He still screams bloody murder every time we try. We have just picked up a Doidy Cup, and he refused it. We are hoping to try it again when he's happier. 

    This is our arsenal of weapons. So far, they are all duds.
    We have tried someone else giving him the bottle. We have tried it when he is happy and not hungry (he takes it easily, but just chews on it and makes noises with it, and doesn't actually drink anything from it). We have tried waiting him out and hoping he will eventually get hungry enough to take it. This does work, but it's hell on the nerves, and he usually will only drink about 2 ounces. This battle usually lasts a few hours, so there is no possible way we could ever do THAT in public. Someone would call child services...This boy is stubborn. And he definitely knows what he wants. And what he wants is boob! 

    When I first had Peanut, I only was planning on breastfeeding until 6 months. I had a lot of trouble in the beginning, and it was painful and all I could do was imagine that magical 6-month mark when I could stop. I am not sure why I had it set in my head, but that was my goal. Well, when 6 months rolled on by, I wasn't ready to wean. To be honest, I'm still not ready to fully wean, but man, I sure would like a break. I am at the point now where I am feeling exhausted and would love to have 1 FULL night of sleep. Or where I can go out for the evening and not worry about how long he has been screaming for, since I know that he will be once he gets hungry. The guilt makes it hard to enjoy my time away. And not only that, but the 8 little razor sharp teeth he is sporting have been wreaking havoc on my sensitive bits from time to time. Which makes things rather painful sometimes. So I want to be able to give him a bottle every now and then. To take a break. To have Hubby take over a feeding. Ideally, I would like to still nurse him a couple of times a day. But I am not sure that he will go easily between the 2 if we ever do get him to take something else. 

    And the strange thing? He loooooves to eat. He will eat just about anything we set in front of him. But try and get him to drink and you might as well pop in some industrial strength ear plugs and settle in for the long haul. 

    So we are stuck. This little dude is so incredibly stubborn (I wonder where he gets that from...hmmm...). I really don't know what to do anymore. I need help!! Are there any baby-gurus out there? Has anyone dealt with this situation before and succeeded? Share your wiseness with me!

    Signed, 

    ~Amy
    (One tired Momma who doesn't know what to do next)
  • April Photo A Day-Week 1
    Apr 10, 2012 5:08:00 PM

    Oh man, I am late in posting this (posting anything, really). I feel like I haven't been online in forever. The Easter weekend was awesome, and I have been busy in the real world, so the blog has been neglected. Please forgive me! 

    Anyway, here is Week 1 of the Photo-A-Day challenge. As expected, it's a mix of real camera and phone camera...I am sure you can tell which ones are which. 

    Day 1: Your Reflection
    Cleaning house day

    Day 2: Colour

    Day 3: Mail

    Day 4: Someone who makes you happy

    Day 5: Tiny
    Hard to focus on a flailing 8-month-old!

    Day 6: Lunch
    Mmm...spinach and bacon dip...drool

    Day 7: Shadow


    ~Amy
  • April Photo-A-Day Challenge
    Apr 2, 2012 10:13:00 PM

    I have decided I want to finally commit to a photo-a-day challenge this month! So I am going to attempt to do the one from Fat Mum Slim. 


    As I am sooooo behind the times and own neither an iPhone nor an iPad (gasp!), I don't have Instagram. So, you can follow along on my Twitter feed (do you follow me on Twitter?? If not, and you want to, click here). Also, I will do a weekly roundup of my photos on Sundays here on the blog. 

    This is mainly a challenge for me to try and use the DSLR more and play around with it, however there will be days when the trusty ol' Blackberry will be used, so it will be a mix. I am hoping that I will be able to actually stick to the challenge, and not give up halfway like I normally do with things I try to commit to...*ahem* yoga twice a week?!?! *ahem*

    Are you also doing the challenge?? Leave your linky so I can follow you! 

    ~Amy
  • Creme Brulee French Toast with Drunken Strawberries
    Mar 30, 2012 5:06:00 PM

    I had seen this recipe floating around a forum I belong to for a long time. It always was accompanied by rave reviews. The thing that appealed to me about it (besides its obvious-sounding deliciousness) was that it was a make-ahead breakfast. So when my Sister-In-Law and her husband came to stay with us for a ski weekend, I thought it would be a great Sunday morning treat. And boy, I was not disappointed! The recipe is super easy to make, and it was delicious! 

    A couple notes: I had to use regular plain old French bread for this, as my grocery store is rather boring and doesn't carry challah or brioche. It worked just fine. I just sliced it up before hand and let the slices sit out a bit so they would get a little hard. I also think next time I would try and let the sugar mixture cool a bit before putting the bread slices in the pan. For some reason I think this would result in more of a brulee sort of result instead of the bread absorbing the sugary deliciousness. I could be wrong there, but I think it's worth a try. And also, I dumped all of the egg mix on, but I will not be so liberal with it next time. I would recommend pouring it on until the bread stops absorbing and discarding the rest. The extra cooked egg detracts from the overall look. Oh, and the strawberries are not really drunken; they are more like Tipsy Strawberries. Don't be scared by when you first mix them. They will make the whole room smell like a bar. I was worried that they were going to be super strong, but they were just right. The sugar really mellows out the alcohol, and the strawberries don't absorb too much. 

    Here it is! Enjoy! Let me know how you like it. 

    Oh...and I apologize for the photo quality...I took it with my phone, as I was too eager to eat this to go and grab my camera. Sorry! 



    Creme Brulee French Toast with Drunken (Tipsy?!) Strawberries
    (from GourmetFood.About.com)

    1 loaf of challah or brioche (or French bread) cut into 1 1/2 inch slices

    1/2 cup unsalted butter
    1 cup of packed brown sugar
    2 Tbsps of corn syrup

    5 lg eggs
    3/4 cup heavy cream
    3/4 cup milk
    1 tsp vanilla
    1/4 tsp salt
    2 tsps Grand Marnier or Cointreau

    For the strawberries:
    1 quart of hulled strawberries sliced lengthwise
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/4 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau

    Butter a 9x13 baking dish. 
    In a small pot, melt the butter with the brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir together until sugar is completely melted. Pour into the prepared baking dish. 
    Place the bread slices on top of the sugar. Squeeze as many pieces as you can in there. Make sure it's nice and cozy! You want to fill up as much space as you can. 
    Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, vanilla, salt and Grand Marnier. Pour over the bread. 
    Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or over night. 

    Combine the strawberries, sugar and Grand Marnier in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 24 hours. 

    In the morning, remove the french toast from the fridge and let stand 20 mins before cooking. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30-40 mins until toast is golden and puffed. 

    Top with strawberries and whipped cream. Die and go to heaven from the deliciousness. 


    ~Amy
  • 8 Months!!
    Mar 28, 2012 3:57:00 AM

    At 8 months Peanut:

    ~ weighs about 19.6 lbs
    ~ is about 30 inches long

    ~Is starting to understand a lot of words now. He definitely knows "bounce" and "kitty"
    ~Has discovered he can barrel-roll across the floor to reach his destination (which is usually the most dangerous thing in the room).
    ~ Understands the signs for "milk" and sometimes "more" but hasn't signed them yet. 
    ~ Loves to cluck his tongue
    ~ His favourite foods are the ones he can feed himself
    ~Shakes his head ''no", and is starting to wave
    ~Still not crawling, but that's A-OK with me. 
    ~Has a pretty mean pincer grip, and loves to use it to pick up (and eat) Cheerios. 
    ~Has just started to figure out how to clap in the last few days. So adorable. 
    ~Still puts himself to sleep, and still sleeps with his bum in the air. Cutey pie. 

    So, a cute little baby development story. Hubby and I frequently call Kitty over by clicking our tongues. Peanut often clucks his tongue and has a lot of fun doing it. But recently, every time he sees Kitty or we call her name, he starts to cluck his tongue. It is sooooooo cute. At first we just thought it was a coincidence, but we have tested it, and he does it even when we say the word "kitty". Yup, it's true. He's pretty much a genius. At least we think so...

    Mr. Serious

    xoxoxoxo

    ~Amy
  • Changing a Baby is Like Wrestling an Alligator...
    Mar 23, 2012 1:42:00 AM

    I can't be the only one that thinks this, can I?? I mean, it's insane! 

    I think back to when we first had Peanut, and we were learning how to change diapers, and it was a little intimidating, but all in all we only had to remember 2 things: 

    1. Keep the fire hose pointed down. 
    2. Pull out those little ruffles if you don't want to change clothes every time you change diapers. 

    And getting him dressed? Easy-peasy! He pretty much just lay there, letting you do whatever you wanted to him. Sure, he might of squawked or (more likely) puked. But he was pretty much putty in our hands, doing whatever we wanted. Wearing whatever ridiculous little outfit we wanted to dress him in. Wearing puppy hats and not able to do anything about it. 

    My brother holding the adorabley hatted Peanut
    Now, however, just trying to change a diaper is like a test of skill. It's like the Hunger Games, except instead of staying alive, you are fighting with all your might to put a diaper and an outfit on your child and  keep it on for more than 30 seconds. 

    Just trying to get him to lay down in a relatively still position is a battle. Then it's amazing if you can manage to get the dirty diaper off without hands grabbing poop, or baby rolling over and then rolling back into the dirty diaper, thus spreading the poop all over his sort-of-clean bum and the no-longer-clean blanket/change table/floor (the last one is a very unlucky circumstance...changing him without some sort of poop-barrier between him and the floor is a rookie mistake). Once that task is over, I have to somehow manage to keep the now-naked baby from barrel rolling across the room to try and grab the only dangerous item in the vicinity and/or the unfortunate Kitty. 

    Ok, baby is wrangled back into the safe zone. Now we have to try and put the new diaper on. This is a difficult task, as he constantly tries to roll one way or the other, twisting his body into poses my yoga teacher would be proud of. Great for yoga class; bad for trying to fasten a diaper. And when I do manage to successfully fasten those tabs, he is on a mission to unvelcro them faster than I can blink. 

    Putting on the clothing is also a challenge. It's like trying to shove a slippery octopus into a sleeper. As soon as you get one limb in, the other gets free and you have to start all over again. And whoever decided to have millions of little snaps that require the talent of making sure they all line up while trying to get them snapped in a timely fashion surely never heard of an amazing little invention called the zipper. Seriously. 

    And no hats. Hats last about 3 seconds now. He has figured out how to very efficiently pull his hats off the second they land on his head. Our only weapon left in our arsenal (for now) is the hood. He pulls hats off by pulling them forward, so the hood still baffles him (again...for now). 

    So yes. Sometimes I do raise my hands over my head and cheer in victory after successfully changing Peanut. Because really, I have just outsmarted an 8 month old, and what feels better than that??

    ~Amy
  • Our Little Guy is Growing Up!
    Mar 20, 2012 8:16:00 PM
    This last week has been a big one for Peanut. He seems to be hitting new milestones left, right and center. And it's been so much fun to watch! He's turning into this little person now, and it's the coolest thing to see him develop. 

    In the last week, he has figured out he can get to where he wants by rolling. It's pretty hilarious to watch (for now) since it takes him quite a lot of time and effort to get to the (usually dangerous) thing he wants. I am not looking forward to when he gets faster and more efficient at this. He's still not really that close to crawling, but that's mostly because he doesn't get how to get up on hands and knees yet. He can either lift his front end or his back end, but as of yet he can't lift both together. 

    He has also started waving. This, for me, is a huge milestone. I'm not exactly sure why...Hubby said it's because it's like he's actually communicating with us now. In addition to the waving, he also shakes his head "no". It's pretty adorable, but I can already see the stubbornness ready to bloom on this one! Right now if we say "no" in any sort of context, he starts shaking his head. He also does it if we say "yes" directly to him. Pretty funny guy. So between long overtures of "bah bah bahing" and tongue clucking, there is a lot of head shaking going on. 


    He doesn't really get the whole crawling thing yet...
    Because he's hit these milestones of associating actions with words (I don't think he's really associated them with meanings yet), I have started being more consistent in my use of signs with him. He seems like the kind of child who really likes to get his point across, and I think that using signs will eliminate some frustrations for him while he's learning to speak. So far I haven't had any success with him really signing. He can do the sign for "milk", but he doesn't associate it with milk yet. Sometimes I like to pretend he is, but then when I try and feed him he looks at me like I am nuts. Which leads me to believe his thought process is not "Hey Mommy, I want some milk!". It's probably more like "Hey! I can do this awesome thing with my hand!". 

    All of these milestones lead to a more independent baby. He can sit and play on his own for long stretches at a time, and is very interested in his toys. This has been a welcome change from the previous stage where he knew he wanted to do something, but had to rely on me to do it. That just lead to a lot of boredom and frustration on both our parts, as I never knew exactly what he wanted. And I have to admit, it's pretty exhausting trying to entertain a 6 month old for the whole day. Now that he can do the things he wants to do and get engrossed in the toys and activities he's interested in, things are much more enjoyable and I (theoretically) have more time to focus on other things. 

    The only problem is now that he's semi-mobile, my attention needs to be on him all.the.time or I'm going to end up trying to explain to Hubby how the tantalizing and interesting Xbox landed on the floor all smashed and broken-like. (And while part of me would be sorta happy at the loss of Call of Duty in our house, in the end, I suppose it wouldn't be a good thing). 

    ~Amy
  • Essential Baby Items: Mommy Jewellery!
    Mar 16, 2012 5:35:00 AM

    The one thing you learn pretty fast as a mom is that once your baby reaches that grabby stage, nothing is safe! The first thing that gets pulled is your hair. The next is your necklaces. Peanut is obsessed with necklaces. He loves paying attention to really small things right now, and so it makes the chains very attractive. And of course once he grabs it, he yanks it as hard as possible. And then he shoves it in his mouth. So, I learned pretty quickly that if a piece of jewellery is precious to me, that I shouldn't wear it. Because it's only a matter of time before it gets broken. Not only that, but while Peanut is nursing he grabs and flails and scratches me. He loves to play with my hair, but that always ends in me being held hostage by an infant, begging and pleading with him to please let my hair go. Of course, this is the most hilarious thing in the world to him, so he pulls harder, and giggles. There is nothing like being overpowered by a 19 lb baby to make you feel like a strong woman...sigh. Anyway, when I saw that there are necklaces out there for moms, I was instantly interested. I ordered myself a Mommy Necklace and waited for it to arrive. 


    The Mommy Necklace in action

    I like the Mommy Necklace because it's pretty stylish. It's not really my style to wear big beaded jewellery, but it at least looks like I am wearing something for me, and not for my baby. It's got a breakaway clasp, which is awesome, because it's pretty much guaranteed that Peanut is going to yank that thing so hard it will break. So the clasp prevents that from happening. It definitely does it's job of keeping him occupied while he's nursing, and he does get very enthralled with it when we are just hanging out as well. The only drawback is that it's inevitable that Peanut is going to shove it in his mouth the second he gets the opportunity, and the necklace is not really safe for that. 

    Which brings me to the next necklace I have: Teethease. This is my necklace of choice now. I have the pendant, which is a simpler style than the Mommy Necklace. It's basically a medical-grade silicone pendant on a ribbon with a breakaway clasp. Which means that it's totally safe for Peanut to mow away on to his heart's content. And man, he goes to town! At first I was a little surprised to find that the pendant was strung on a ribbon; I thought that it would be something a little "nicer" (for lack of a better term). But after wearing it the first time, I am happy that it's ribbon. Peanut loooooves pulling the ribbon through his teeth, and twisting it with his fingers and trying to tangle and untangle it while he's sitting...basically it's the best toy ever. I should have known that this would be the case...you can spend money on all these expensive toys, but he will prefer to play with the empty Gatorade bottle instead. The pendant is awesome, because it's pretty much indestructible (which if you have children you know is a valuable feature). He can chew and chew and chew and it looks brand new. It's basically like having a teething ring always on hand (on neck?!), without looking like you do. 
     

    Stylishly modelling the Teethease. No one can see my PJ pants...mwahaha

    There are other mommy jewellery brands out there, I am sure, but these are the 2 I have used personally. They are pretty ingenious...they are the type of thing you wish you would have thought of yourself. Which is another reason why I like these products too: they are made by moms, and in the case of Teethease, a Canadian mom! 

    I definitely think that having some Mommy jewellery is an essential item in my Mommy repertoire. Not only for keeping Peanut occupied, but also for those times when I feel like changing out of my PJs and going to Starbucks. I can put on a necklace and feel pretty put-together. Which fools people into thinking that I actually know what I'm doing, and that I am not frazzled and that I don't spend my days in pyjamas pinning things on Pinterest and writing blog posts...score! 


    Peanut going to town

    ~Amy

    Disclosure: while I was given a sample Teethease product for a feature on a TV spot I did, I was not compensated in any way by Teethease or Mommy Necklaces for this review post. All opinions are my own. 
  • My Cloth Diaper Routine
    Mar 7, 2012 7:22:00 PM





    We decided to use cloth diapers purely for the cost-saving aspect. There are a few calculators that you can use out there in web-land that will tell you when you will break even using cloth. I used this one. Basically, we broke even in about 3.5 months. I bought my stash mostly used, or from deal websites, so I haven't paid full price for cloth diapers yet, which knocked down the initial investment cost for us. 

    I use mostly GroVia hybrid diapers (seen in the pics here), which means there is a snap-in cloth insert and a cute little cover.  Because the cover and the insert are separate, I only have to change the cover if it gets dirty. So for most wet diapers, I only have to change the insert and can re-use the cover. This cuts down on the amount of covers (the expensive part!) I need to have on hand. So right now I have about 10 covers and 20 inserts. I also have a couple of Applecheeks diapers that I really like too, but they are sized, and Peanut has grown out of them. Boo! 

    First, a word about wetbags. A wetbag is a bag with a waterproof liner in it. That keeps everything wet (and stinky) on the inside, and it won't leak or soak through the bag. They seem to be pretty expensive items (in my opinion), so after saying to myself "I could make that for cheaper!", I actually did. It was a very easy thing to sew, and I could make it suit my situation. I found a tutorial online and then tweaked it a bit. Basically, my bag is large enough to fit my stash when dirty. It has a zipper so that I can keep it in the nursery and it doesn't smell. I just made a strap so I could tie it to the change table so it's easy for diaper changes. It cost about $5 in material. Which is considerably cheaper than the bags I was looking at purchasing. 

    So, what does using cloth look like?  When Peanut wakes up in the morning, I change him into cloth. We use disposables overnight because he is a heavy wetter, and the cloth would leak. 
    [Although we seem to be having some issues lately with the disposables leaking as well, as he's started to sleep on his tummy (with his bum in the air!), so he leaks out the front of the diaper almost every night. :( Anyone have any suggestions for stopping this? ]
    When it's time for a change, I check and see if the cover is clean. If so, I just snap out the insert and stick it into the wetbag. If it's dirty, I push the velcro tabs into the laundry slots so they don't form into a giant diaper ball in the washing machine, unsnap the insert and then stick the whole thing into the wetbag. Now that Peanut is eating solid foods as well as breastfeeding, I add a flushable liner into the diaper (it looks like a dryer sheet) so that I can just dump that (and any icky poops) into the toilet before I put it into the wetbag. On the second day, I unzip the wetbag, dump it and all the diapers in the washer, and start my cleaning routine. 


    How adorable is that bum?!


    I have a high efficiency frontload washer and dryer set, so I use a routine I found specifically for my brand of washer online. So far it has been working, so I haven't switched it yet. I start with a rinse and spin cycle, with an extra rinse (no detergent). Then, I do a heavy-duty wash cycle with an extra rinse and use detergent. Then I usually do another rinse and spin cycle (no detergent). If the weather is nice, I hang them to dry in the sun. However, during these cold winter months I use the dryer. 

    I use Rockin' Green detergent. I find this one works best because we have really hard water, and their Hard Rock formula is designed for it. It's important to use detergent that is safe for cloth diaper use, as if you use regular detergent you can get a build-up on the diapers, which will make them less absorbent and they will start to repel liquid. Not good. This is why it's important to rinse them really well, and to not use any fabric softeners on them. Every once in a while you should apparently "strip" the diapers. I haven't had any issues with repelling and buildup yet, so I've only followed the directions on the Rockin' Green and soaked them a couple of times. So far it's been working, but I think I should probably look into this stripping thing a bit more...so that's my homework. 

    And there it is folks...my routine. Any questions, comments or concerns? What does your routine look like? 

    ~Amy
  • Guest Post: Lindsay from Two Men and a Mommy Shares a Giveaway!
    Mar 5, 2012 2:00:00 PM
    I'd like to introduce you to Lindsay from Two Men and a Mommy! Lindsay is taking over the ol' blogeroo today to let you guys know about an awesome giveaway she's having. Congrats on your new home Lindsay! And thanks for the awesome giveaway. Can't wait to enter...woohoo! So, without further ado...



    First a big thanks to Amy for letting me take up some space on her blog : ) I love her for that! My name is Lindsay and I blog over at Two Men and a Mommy. My blog is about everything from my traveling husband, my five year old son, and I also do a ton of blog design tutorials. But I am doing this post to let you guys know about the awesome giveaway I am doing March 5th - March 16th. My hubby and I just moved into our new house and I am throwing it a little (or big) party! It is called the Room-A-Day Giveaway. I am giving away something for each room in the house. I have teamed up with some awesome shops from ETSY and we are giving away everything from a full blog design (craft room) to a wreath for your front door (entry way). So check out the shops below and please make sure to come visit my blog to enter!

     

    Slippin' Southern (Guest Bedroom) Giving a $40 gift card to his store - March 16th



  • 7 Months!
    Feb 29, 2012 9:22:00 PM




    At 7 months Peanut:

    ~ weighs about 18.5 lbs
    ~ is about 29 inches long


    ~Can now put himself to sleep! Woo hoo! 
    ~Usually rolls onto his tummy in the middle of the night, and ends up sleeping with his cute little bum in the air. 
    ~ His favourite thing is brushing his teeth. And he has a lot of 'em! 4 on the top and 3 on the bottom!
    ~ Favourite word is  still "bababa" but when upset it's "mamama"
    ~ Favourite food is oat cereal and avocados. Not really a fan of carrots or asparagus. 
    ~Puts absolutely everything he can get his hands on in his mouth
    ~Is obsessed with remote controls/cell phones/other pieces of unsafe and/or expensive technology. 
    ~Spends a lot of time on his tummy and can turn around in a circle to grab what he wants. Not yet getting up on his knees though, so no crawling. And he can't move forward or back at all. 

    Bath Time! 
    AH! He's getting so big! 
    xoxoxoxo

    ~Amy
  • This and That
    Feb 24, 2012 8:35:00 PM


    I am sitting here trying to write a blog post, and I am coming up blank. I have a few different ideas floating around, but every time I try to put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?!) I can't seem to get them how I want them. The skeleton is there, but I can't seem to flesh them out well. 

    So, instead of stressing about it, I decided to just sort of let my fingers fly and whatever comes out, so be it. 

    First, I got new glasses. See?




    I like 'em. And the best thing was they were only $30. Can you believe it? Clearly Contacts comes up with another win. By the by, this is not sponsored...I just have always had great success ordering from there. Anyway, I like the updated look. Since I wear glasses all the time, it gets boring wearing the same ones for years at a time. Plus, it's hard to find ones you like. So it was a huge score that these ones I ordered from the internet without trying on are now my favourites. Woo hoo! 

    Second, I have been reading more lately. I blame this mostly on the insomnia. Which is good and bad. Good, because I get to read some pretty awesome books. Bad, because I am not sleeping, even though Hubby, Peanut and Kitty are zzzzzzzing away each night. So yeah, there's that. Anyway, I have finished a few books, and am looking for some more. I have a bunch of giftcards to spend. Any good suggestions?

    And on a sort of related note, I am cautiously excited about the recent development with Peanut's sleep. Previously, he needed to be nursed to sleep by me, or rocked to sleep while Hubby sang to him (a medley comprised of Bob Marley's "3 Little Birds", Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"). Have I mentioned how much I love my husband? Swoon...anyway, this has led to a bunch of battles trying to get Peanut to actually sleep. So, lately I have been putting him down awake and happy, and he has been putting himself to sleep! I can't even tell you how excited that makes me. Of course, now that I have blogged about it, it will cease immediately. If there is one thing that I can say for sure about babies, it is that they always keep you guessing. 

    Ok...there it is, my stream of consciousness post. 

    ~Amy
  • It Wouldn't Be a Mom Blog Without a Story About Poop...
    Feb 21, 2012 7:33:00 AM


    OK, so I have had a traumatic experience, and who better to share it with than all of you lovely readers?! I am sure you are going to love this story. Although, I do have to warn you...there is a lot of poop coming at ya. Well, actually, it came at me, but you know what I mean...so proceed with caution. The "ick" factor might be  is pretty high.

    Before I begin my tale, I just have to put it out there that I didn't know how awesome we had it in the poopy-diaper department when we were exclusively breastfeeding. Well, since we have started solids, things have become a whole lot smellier, messier and all around grosser. Hubby has had a particularly hard adjustment to the new poop situation. It's really gross, there is no denying it. 

    So, we had just given Peanut an afternoon bath. Hubby was about to jump in the shower, so we set up the Jolly Jumper and Peanut was bouncing away happily, laughing and cooing to himself. I was reading on the bed beside him, when all of a sudden I heard some loud poop-related noises. I could tell from the sound that no good was going to come from this situation, but I have learned my lesson of going in too early, and it never ends well for me in those instances. So, I decided to bide my time, waiting for the inevitable conclusion of the poop symphony. It didn't take long before I heard even more disturbing noises, so I looked up and then I knew my world was about to get pretty darn awful for the next little bit. 

    Because there was poop streaming down Peanuts legs (he was not wearing pants...only a onesie). Not only that, but his hand was covered, and he was still bouncing, which meant it was getting sprayed (dropped? dripped? plopped?) onto the carpet with every giggly bounce. I sat in horror staring at the veritable destruction of poop. Then it occurred to me that Peanut's hands are most usually in his mouth at most times during the day, and at the moment his one hand was covered in grossness, and it was only a matter of seconds before that hand made it's way to that cute little mouth...so I jumped out of the bed and pinned his hand to his thigh, covering my hand in the smelly awfulness as well. I yelled for help from Hubby, and we took him together into the tub. Hubby stripped the Jolly Jumper harness and his onesie off, and we held him up and hosed him off with the shower head. I feel the need to add here that this wave of poop was particularly offensive stench-wise. Hubby was having a hard time keeping his lunch down. Although he worked quickly and efficiently, as I had seen him eyeing up my poo-hand, and knew he was terrified of suffering a similar fate. 

    For Peanut's part, he was pleased as punch. Suddenly we were giving him ANOTHER bath (two in one day!! Huzzah!), and bathtime is sure a lot of fun. 

    I had voiced my opinion on Facebook that "pooplosion" was not a strong enough word to describe the magnitude of this event. A friend of mine says she calls them "poonamis". I could not think of a better word to describe it, because it certainly wreaked havoc and destruction upon everything in it's path. 

    So, after tossing pretty much everything in the washer on the 2 hour "sanitize" cycle, cleaning the carpet, and having a family shower with disinfecting soap, we were ready to mentally block the event from our minds. 

    Sometimes babies are gross. This was one of those times. 


    Excuse the blurry phone pic...although I am sure you are happy I spared you photographic evidence of the poonami. You're welcome.
    :)



    ~Amy
  • Common Myths about Cloth Diapers
    Feb 16, 2012 12:10:00 AM

    OK, so in the reader survey, someone mentioned that they would like me to talk about cloth diapering (if you take a look at my banner, you will see Peanut is wearing a cloth diaper in that pic). I've always wanted to write about it actually, but I am not an expert, and just sort of figure it out as I go. But then I realized that I write a lot about pregnancy, and parenting, and life in general, and I am definitely no expert on those things. In fact, the only thing I am an expert at is figuring things out as I go. So, why the heck am I not writing about my cloth diapering experience?! So, now I am. 

    I only cloth diaper part-time. During the day, he wears cloth. At night and during laundry day, it's disposables. So I have a really good grasp of both worlds. For some reason, this seems to be one of those topics in mommy-land that really polarizes people. To be honest, I'm not sure why. I can sort of understand why people get so worked up some issues, but this one never really makes sense to me. Why do you care if I use cloth diapers and you don't? So strange...And I really don't judge people that use disposables. Because I use them too. So that would just be hypocritical of me to be all Judgy Judgerson and high-horsey about it...

    So anyway, if you aren't familiar with someone that uses cloth diapers today, you might not have a good idea about them. So, here is a list of the most common things I hear when I tell people I use cloth. 

    1. Ew! It's so gross! You have to touch poop/put poop in your washing machine/store poopy diapers in a bag, etc. 

    OK, I admit this was one that I thought too. I figured it wouldn't be that bad, but after the first time using a cloth diaper, I thought "why did I choose this?!?!" and was instantly regretting the amount of money I spent on building up a stash. But in actuality, it is not any grosser than using disposables. Disposables don't magically make poop disappear. It's still there. And if you are touching poop with cloth diapers, then you are touching it with disposables too. The only time I touch poop is when Peanut decides he isn't quite finished and poops all over my hand while changing him. Although I also touch poop when he has a blowout from his disposable diapers too...they always leak through his sleepers. Ick. 

    The washing machine thing is interesting. Because it makes me wonder what people do if someone vomits all over their clothes, or there is an inevitable pooplosion that no child is immune from. Do you not just toss the dirty clothes in the washing machine? So how is it any different from washing dirty diapers? Plus, I use soap to wash them, so they get clean. Which means the washer gets clean too. And any solid poops get dumped in the toilet. It's not like you just throw the whole shebang in the washer, lumps and all. (By the way, most people don't do this, but you are also supposed to dump poops into the toilet when you are using disposable diapers too, as fecal matter is human waste and can present a biohazard in our landfills...the more you know.)

    2. But cloth diapers are so expensive/your hydro bill's increase will negate any savings

    Yes, cloth diapers are expensive. For the cost of 1 diaper you can probably get a small pack of disposables. However, once you make the initial investment, you don't pay anything more except for laundry costs. That means you may spend a couple hundred dollars up front to build up a stash, but then you don't have to buy any more. Which means in the long run, you are most likely saving money. We definitely are. The amount of times we need to change Peanut's diapers in a day, we go through at least a pack of disposables a week if we only use them and no cloth. That's roughly $80/month for diapers. I bought our stash for about $200 (most of mine were used or from discounts and sales). So we broke even a long time ago. And to be honest, I don't notice a massive spike in our utility bills. The amount of money you are actually billed for usage is the smallest part of the whole bill. The huge costs are all fees and the like, which don't change with how much water you use. 

    3. It's so much worse for the environment. Think of all those harsh chemicals you have to use. Not to mention the amount of water wasted since you don't do a full load.

    OK, this one is a bit frustrating to me, and people who say this usually don't have an idea of what modern cloth diapering looks like. There is no way that I use any harsh chemicals. In fact, harsh chemicals are bad for both the diapers, and for my baby's bum. Most cloth diapering-safe detergents are all-natural. At the very least, they are more gentle than your common washing detergents. Because if you have any buildup from the detergent on the diapers, they don't absorb well anymore. And I don't use bleach. How do I get stains out then? I dry the diapers in the sun. Really, it works like a charm. It's the coolest thing! Try it next time you have a stain. I was super skeptical, but it works every time. In regards to not doing a full load, I have a High Efficiency washing machine, so it only uses the amount of water it needs to based on weight. Sure, I have to do a couple extra rinses, but I don't think that that is ruining the environment. On the other hand, the amount of trash we have when we use disposables is crazy...we were taking out full bags every couple of days. And that was just diaper trash. Yikes! I also wonder if you factor in the amount of resources it takes to make disposable diapers which one comes out more "green". But, my intention here is not to debate which one is better, just to dispel any myths, so moving on! 

    4. As if I need more laundry/that's way too much work

    This is the one that you probably won't believe until you actually try it. It is no big deal for me to throw in an extra load of laundry. I have to wash the baby clothes every couple of days anyway, so what's the extra work in tossing a bag in the washer? I mostly use a hybrid system, so I have to snap the liners into the covers once they're clean, but really, this only takes a few minutes. And I don't have to, I just like to have them all ready when I want to use them. The couple of diapers I do have to stuff don't take any longer than folding a shirt. 

    This is the type of diaper we use (an all-in-2 or hybrid diaper). We use mostly GroVia brand. 

    5. But all those pins and rubber pants and folding the nappies is just so complicated! 

    Yes, it was. But cloth diapers have come a long way since our parents and grandparents used them. Now, there are no pins. There are no rubber pants. And you don't have to fold diapers if you don't want to. In fact, you can buy cloth diapers where all you have to do is unsnap or unvelcro the waist, and put it on your baby. Exactly like disposables. In fact, I think it's a bit easier, because you don't have to worry about those little ruffles on the legs. 


    So, there we go. Hopefully you have a bit of a better understanding of cloth. It's not for everyone, and I'm not trying to change your mind, but I wanted to dispel the myths that I hear a lot of. And now you have a better grasp of what I am talking about when I talk about cloth diapers in the future. Still have questions? Leave 'em here and I will do my best to answer them. 

    Next time I will talk about my "system" and how we actually use our cloth diapers. 
    ~Amy
  • Things That Make Me Happy Today...
    Feb 9, 2012 10:44:00 PM
    The awesome little note and doodle the gal at Starbucks did for me today. 

    Getting a cute hand-made puppet for Peanut from his Grandma in the mail. 

    Reading. I've been reading a lot lately. This is actually my second book this week. Thank goodness for the e-reader; I don't have to leave the house to get my next read! 


    Knowing that these 4 ingredients are going to combine into the best, most ooey-gooey mac n cheese on the planet tonight. You might think it's too simple, and not "true" mac n cheese. But honestly, it's changed my life. (Plus, I fool myself into thinking that because it contains cottage cheese it must, therefore, be healthy). 
    Naps!!! 



    ~Amy


  • My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software: Giveaway!
    Feb 2, 2012 3:00:00 PM

    I have a confession: I don't scrapbook. I love the look of them, but I have no idea how to do it. Nor do I feel that I have the patience required to scrapbook. But, the idea of digital scrapbooking does appeal to me. Why? Because it's so easy! So when the folks over at My Memories got in touch with me about their digital scrapbooking suite, I was interested. 

    The My Memories suite is super easy to use, even for a scrapbooking newbie like myself. There are tons of options included with the software, and you can also purchase extra packs to further customize your scrapbooks. Actually, what I like the most about it is how simple it is to make collages. As we all know, the imminent demise of Picnik has left a void for me for easy-to-use collage creation. Well now I have my answer! There are a ton of included photo layouts, and it's way easier than creating them from scratch in Photoshop. If I only ever use it for this feature alone, I am happy. 







    These are a couple of pages I created using the suite. I also did the graphic for my Bloggy Birthday post I did yesterday. 

    If you'd like to try it, use the code STMMMS70689 to get $10 off! 
    ~Amy
  • Happy Bloggy Birthday to Me!
    Feb 1, 2012 9:54:00 PM

    Can you believe it? It's been exactly a year since Up Mommy Creek came into being. It's pretty exciting for me! When I started this little blog, I had no idea what would happen to it. In this past year I have learned a ton, met so many wonderful people, and gained so much from this little piece of me on the internet. It's been an awesome journey, and I want to thank you all for coming along with me! Your support, your comments and your emails all mean so much. Moving forward into this next year, I hope to keep growing and learning, and as I do, the blog will hopefully grow and flourish with me. Here's to more adventures to come! 



    A little update: Life has been a little bit crazy lately, but in a great way. This week has been full of new experiences. On Monday we had a film crew at the house, and we put in 8 hours of shooting, all for a 2 minute little feature for a corporate video I was lucky enough to be a part of. Unfortunately, it won't be publicly available, but the experience was insane! I felt like a celebrity for the day! I definitely have a new respect for actors. It's actually tough work! 

    I am also filming a spot for local TV tomorrow. That one will be public, and hopefully I will be able to post it here, for those who are interested in seeing it. Pretty crazy! I've never been filmed before ever, and now it's twice in 1 week! 

    So anyway, the poor little bloggy has been slightly neglected this past week. Hopefully she will get the attention she deserves once this celebrity lifestyle is over with! 

    ~Amy
  • 6 Months!!!!!!
    Jan 27, 2012 10:21:00 PM

    At 6 months Peanut:


    ~ weighs about 18 lbs
    ~ is about 28 inches long

    ~Is obsessed with rolling onto his tummy, but can't remember how to roll back
    ~Still hates falling asleep. But once he's actually asleep, it's usually for a long time. He's pretty grumpy right after he wakes up (like his momma)
    ~ Can sit up on his own (until something interesting comes along)
    ~ Favourite word is "bababababababab"
    ~ Has his 2 bottom teeth and is just cutting one on the top! 
    ~ Is a little unsure about eating "real food". He loved rice cereal, but now is pretty indifferent to it. Hates applesauce. Thinks avocado is alright. Mostly, he just likes to eat so he can blow raspberries with the food. Messy boy...
    ~ Still squeals like a madman. Mostly when extremely happy, or when extremely upset. 
    ~Has discovered he has ears, which means he spends a lot of time flapping them with his hand
    ~Puts absolutely everything he can get his hands on in his mouth
    ~Reaches for the person he wants to hold him (and makes my heart melt each time he does)


    I seriously cannot believe that it's his half-birthday already. These past 6 months have sure been a huge learning curve, but every time I see his adorable little smile, or spend a minute cuddling, or watch him try something new, my heart bursts with love. I can't even imagine what our life was like before him. Can't wait to see what amazing thing he is onto next! 


    xoxoxoxo
    P.S. excuse the excessive picture post...we just got a new lens, and Hubby and I were trying it out, along with my new skills I learned from my photo course I took. Plus, the model is inspiring. 
    ~Amy
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