tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18990569023247158442024-02-21T12:08:11.635-05:00Little Blue SailboatWifehood, motherhood, and everything in between.Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-47741583202252162542018-08-01T08:00:00.000-04:002018-08-01T21:26:01.635-04:00Marco's Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can't believe Marco has been with us for over five months now! It seems like just yesterday we found out that we were expecting our surprise baby! These past five months have been amazingly chaotic, and we can't even remember what life was like before Marco joined our family!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love reading birth stories. Everybody's experience is so unique and beautiful. Even my three experiences with giving birth have been different, and I love having these anecdotes to share with family, friends, and eventually my kids. I hope you enjoy reading about Marco's birthday!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The entire week leading up to my due date (February 16, 2018) was filled with days and nights where I thought baby #3 would come early. I’d have a couple hours’ worth of time-able contractions and then suddenly they’d stop, and for the rest of the day, I wouldn’t feel anything. I was beyond uncomfortable and becoming increasingly impatient. Even though we had an induction scheduled for Monday, February 19, I was hoping that he’d come in his own time, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">before</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the induction. Despite this being my third baby, this could’ve been the first time that I went into labor naturally after being induced the first two times. I really wanted to experience that rush of “this is it!” panic, for some reason. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was extra-prepared the entire month of February for us to go into early labor: I had Max’s school schedule delineated on a calendar, complete with specified “leave by” times for drop-off and pick-up; I had detailed “instructions” for the kids, describing bedtime routines, favorite meals, and doctor information (and a hand-drawn diagram of our baby monitor with instructions on how to use it); I labeled tupperware containers of leftovers in the fridge in case whoever was taking care of the kids wanted to eat/serve them. I had all my bases covered.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Sunday, the day before the induction, we all went outside to play in the fast-melting snow that fell over the weekend. I thought for sure that baby would decide that all that running around was too much for him and he'd want to high-tail it out of there. I even had significant contractions overnight and thought that we'd be heading into the hospital before the induction arrival time, but just like always, the contractions stopped after about an hour.</span></span><br />
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Last day as a family of 4!</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since this baby was extra cozy inside my belly, he had to be kicked out on Monday, February 19, three days after my due date. Victor and I arrived at the hospital at 7 AM and got checked into Labor and Delivery. I changed into my hospital gown and my nurse, Barb, got me settled in the bed and hooked up to the contraction and heart rate monitors. She tried to get an IV into my left wrist, but just like my first two deliveries, it was a no-go (almost passed out again), so she just put the line in the crook of my right arm, my “Old Faithful” vein. By the time I was hooked up to Pitocin, it was close to 9 AM. The nurse practitioner from my OB/GYN practice came to check on me around that time since my OB was seeing patients; I was dilated between 2 and 3 centimeters (I had been 2 cm dilated for the past 2 weeks) and about 60% effaced. Victor and I settled in and started watching some shows on Netflix (I don’t even remember what we watched, to be honest. I do know we watched some of the Winter Olympics on TV).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My contractions started almost immediately once I was on the Pitocin, but they weren’t too terrible. Around 12 PM, though, they started getting pretty intense. At around 12:30 PM, my doctor came and broke my water; at that point, I was “a loose 3 cm” dilated, in my doctor’s words. With that news, I silently predicted we’d be welcoming baby around 5 PM; it was honestly a shot in the dark, but I had a hunch that we'd get to see his precious face by early evening.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I got my epidural around 1:30 PM, and my blood pressure dropped pretty significantly (that’s never happened before), so the anesthesiologist gave me some meds to bring it back up, after which I was fine and feeling no pain. Victor went to get some lunch and I watched some episodes of Parenthood and took a nap. A nurse came in to set up the delivery equipment during that time. My nurse, Barb, gave me a “peanut ball” to put between my legs to help bring the baby down. It was basically a yoga ball shaped like a peanut; I’d never heard of the thing before but Barb swore by it (I was told by the charge nurse that Barb is so experienced and such a trusted nurse in their unit that they often refer to her as their "on-site textbook"). Sure enough, within 2.5 hours, I was feeling some significant pressure, though it was more along my pelvic bone in the front as opposed to in the back, like I was used to. I wasn’t convinced that it was time to push because the pain and pressure was so different from my other two labors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another nurse came in to check on me at around 4 PM while Barb was busy with another patient. She had been watching our monitors at the nurse’s station and noticed that the baby’s heart rate was dropping a bit during my contractions. She decided to check me and found that I was 9 centimeters dilated! (Barb was right, that peanut ball WORKS!!!) They called my doctor over from her office and got everything ready for delivery.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once my doctor was suited up and everything was ready to go, she told me to wait until my next contraction to start pushing. We waited..and waited...and waited...probably for close to 5 minutes before another contraction came...so weird! Once it started, I began to push and baby’s head came out almost immediately. My doctor said, “Oh my, I don’t think I can deliver through that,” which made zero sense to me at the time. She told me to stop pushing, then instructed me to do “half-pushes” for the rest of the delivery. He was completely out at 4:30 PM, before the contraction was over (just like I predicted!).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And this is where things get scary. They put my precious baby on my chest, and his head was completely blue. He wasn’t moving. He wasn't crying. He wasn’t even breathing. Barb tried to stimulate him by rubbing him vigorously with the receiving blankets but nothing happened. She took him over to the warming table and as she lifted him from me, I saw him shoot what looked like snot (but was probably amniotic fluid) out of his nose, so I thought he started breathing...but he didn’t cry. I kept thinking maybe this was normal, that it simply took some babies a little longer to get the hang of life outside the womb. At the warming table, they kept trying to stimulate him to no avail. Another nurse called out “We need a doctor in room 7! We’ve got a floppy baby!” After this announcement, Victor and I locked eyes (we had both been staring at our baby up until this point) and the fear was palpable between us. This was definitely <i>not </i>normal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several people were crowded around my baby at the warming table, so I couldn’t see what was happening. My doctor was tending to me, delivering the placenta and then stitching my tear. Despite the commotion around my baby, the room felt somber and silent. I think I was in shock and frightened to react in case something terrible happened; I didn’t cry or really say anything. I just kept silently praying that everything was ok, and time seemed to crawl at a snail's pace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Victor hesitantly walked over to the warming table to see what was happening. The baby made some weak cries and started breathing on his own, and after an initial Apgar score of 1, he scored a 9 on his 5 minute Apgar test. The room began to burst with activity again once Marco started crying, and they weighed him and measured him. Barb asked me to guess how much he weighed and I guessed maybe 8 and a half pounds (that's what the ultrasound tech predicted if he made it to 40 weeks). They placed him on the scale and announced that he was 8 lbs 15 oz and 21 inches long! I was shocked that he was so big; both Max and Louisa weighed 7.5 lbs and just over 7 lbs, respectively. The doctor who ran in when the nurse called told us our baby looked great despite his scary entrance into the world. One nurse was charting everything on the computer and I heard Barb say, “I bagged him for a minute and a half.” Barb gave him “room oxygen” through a bag valve mask until he started breathing on his own. Until this point, I had no idea that he needed to be resuscitated at all. Once the baby was cleaned up and considered stable, they wrapped him up and gave him back to me. At this point, Victor and I were finally calm enough to tell our family that Marco Emilio had made his debut, so we made the necessary calls to share the great news. Everyone was especially curious if we had created another redhead...which we did!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once everything calmed down, my doctor filled me in on what happened during the delivery. Once Marco’s head was out, she noticed the cord wrapped around his neck once. She told me that as long as the cord wasn’t wrapped too tight, they could typically try to “deliver through” the cord, meaning they move the cord away from the neck to allow the baby to be delivered safely through the loop. As she attempted to move the cord away, she felt two more tight loops beneath it; the cord was wrapped <i>three times</i> around his neck! At that point, she made the statement about not being able to deliver through it, so she quickly clamped the cord and cut it to get him out safely. We thank God every day for my OB's and Barb's swift actions during Marco's delivery, because had it not been for them, we might be telling a different story today.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As they were preparing us to move over to the Mother-Baby unit a few hours after Marco's birth, we were told that since Marco needed to be resuscitated for longer than one minute, he would need to be observed in the NICU for 6 hours, which was protocol for the hospital. They thought that perhaps since he was doing so well--nursing great, breathing fine--and had been with us for almost 3 hours, he might only need to stay in the NICU for 3 hours, but in the end, it turned out they needed to keep him for the entire 6 hours due to hospital policy. There were no immediate concerns that anything was wrong, but just to be safe, they wanted to monitor his oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing. We didn't protest him being taken from us, but I was so distraught inside. I kept reminding myself that it was just protocol, that most likely everything was fine, and that in the off-chance that something <i>was</i> amiss, they'd notice it faster if he was in the NICU. A NICU nurse came and wheeled him out of our delivery room as we got our belongings together to be transferred to the Mother-Baby unit, and it took all I had in me not to cry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we were settled in the postpartum room, my new nurse offered to bring me some food. My biggest craving after giving birth has always been a simple deli sandwich, ham or turkey, on soft bread, with some cheese and little bit of mayo. I avoided deli meats throughout all of my pregnancies (it's one of the foods you're not supposed to eat, even though I know many people still do), so enjoying one of those sandwiches was a long time coming. Despite being from the hospital cafeteria, it was delicious. I hadn't eaten since midnight the night before, so I was starving.</span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time I had finished my meal, I only had about an hour left before I had to go feed Marco in the NICU. I tried to rest, but I just felt incomplete. I had waited so long to meet my surprise blessing, and now I had to wait even longer to fully embrace him and enjoy him. Those couple of hours after he was born weren't enough for me. I ached to have him with me all the time. Even being with him in the NICU wasn't enough; he was attached to all kinds of wires and machines, so holding him to nurse was challenging because his sensors kept coming off and setting off alarms. But he was doing so well. His oxygen levels and heart rate were perfect, and he was happy sleeping there while he was being observed. I came to nurse him twice while he was in the NICU, and each time I lingered long after his feeding was finished so I could snuggle him and marvel at his perfect little face.</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I took this photo after one of his feedings in the NICU</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I kind of feel ridiculous for being so distraught about Marco's super-short stay in the NICU, especially since he was absolutely fine and was only there for observation. I know many people have to leave their babies in the NICU for much longer, and some even have to go home without their babies while they stay in the NICU to grow stronger and healthier. We are so blessed that Marco didn't need any extra intervention; he left us around 8 PM and was returned to us by 3 AM with a clean bill of health. </span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once Marco was back with us in our room, I was finally able to relax...although I didn't get to rest much with a newborn in the room. None of that mattered, though. I was blissfully sleep-deprived and exhausted, and I had my baby right next to me. I slept for a few hours here and there, in between nursing, diapering, and snuggling my big boy. Victor's parents came to visit in the late-morning hours on Tuesday before going to our house to take over watching Max and Louisa so my sister could come meet her new nephew (she was up from Mississippi to help with the kids while Marco was born; she arrived the previous Thursday, February 15--the day before my due date--and was scheduled to leave early in the morning on Wednesday). Children under the age of 12 were not allowed to visit the hospital due to heightened flu concerns, so Max and Louisa had to wait a bit longer to meet their baby brother, so they had to settle for a FaceTime introduction.</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">(my sister took this photo of Max and Louisa as they waited for us to answer their FaceTime call)</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We were told that we would be discharged by noon on Wednesday, so Victor and I set out to enjoy the last few hours alone with our newest baby. Victor had to be in court for work on Wednesday morning, so he went home early to shower and drop off most of our things while I stayed with Marco in the hospital until discharge time. By 11:30 AM, we were headed home with our newest bundle of joy. Max and Louisa were thrilled to meet their baby brother and were immediately taken with him.</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Max chose Marco's "going home" outfit.</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thankfully, Marco has shown no signs of any complications as a result of his tumultuous entrance into the world. We're hoping that continues to be the case as he gets older. Our pediatrician assured us that since he did not need any further intervention beyond what was done in the delivery room, he likely will have no issues moving forward. He hope and pray daily that this rings true in the future. And to this day, I still cringe whenever I catch myself or someone else describing anything with regard to Marco as "floppy," whether it be his flailing arms and legs, his head when he was still developing his neck muscles, or the rolls of skin on his chin. That word takes me right back to the delivery room, desperately searching for signs of life and vitality in our newborn, who very well could have never made it home with us. For this reason, I continue to stress that we are finished having babies...I don't ever want to experience anything like that again, and I'd rather not tempt fate by giving it another go. Victor keeps thinking we should go for 4. I guess only time will tell. Things are pretty close to perfect right now, if I'm being honest.</span><br />
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In case you're new here:</div>
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<a href="https://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/11/maxs-birth-story.html" target="_blank">Max's birth story</a></div>
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<a href="https://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/08/louisas-birth-story.html" target="_blank">Louisa's birth story</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-91130075161431972822018-07-26T15:24:00.002-04:002018-07-26T15:24:35.003-04:00"I am proud of all my friends today." -Chandler Bing<div style="text-align: justify;">
My husband and I went to Chicago this past weekend to attend the wedding of one of my good friends from college. I was so excited to go, but also super anxious since we'd be leaving our kids at home. We've left Max and Louisa for an extended amount of time (once for our anniversary trip last year and once when Marco was born), but I've never left a baby overnight while I was breastfeeding, and I truly contemplated smuggling Marco along for the trip as I put him to bed the night before we left. Deep down, I knew they would all be fine, but I'm a worrier and a control freak, so I really had to psych myself up before we left for the weekend.</div>
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I had a wonderful group of friends in college. I'm so glad I found them freshman year because they were the perfect fit for me. Those four years at Miami were some of the best of my life, and I have this group of extraordinary people to thank for that. I always say that you couldn't pay me enough to go back to high school, but I'd 100% go back to college...as long as all of my favorite people went back with me.<br />
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Let me tell you, this past weekend was exactly what my soul needed. I've seen a couple of my friends from college within the past couple of years, but I haven't seen most of the other friends that were at this wedding since graduation in 2007--11 years ago! SO MUCH changes in eleven years. And I didn't think it was possible for this group of people to get any better than they were back then, but they far exceeded my expectations.<br />
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These wonderful people are still just as down-to-earth, fun, kind, hilarious, intelligent, and caring as they were the day they graduated...probably even more so. Back then we were just kids, 21 or 22 years old with no idea what our lives had in store for us. But last Saturday, as we danced the night away, we had somehow morphed into husbands, wives, parents, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, CEOs, entrepreneurs...I was awestruck by how much these friends of mine have accomplished since we crossed that stage eleven years ago. I must've said at least ten times that I couldn't believe how grown up we all are. How are we old enough to have experienced so much?!<br />
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Friends, I'm so proud of you all. I'm honored to be your friend, and I know you're all going to continue to do great things in your lives. Even those extraordinary ladies who have married into the group: despite only knowing you for a few days now, I'm so inspired by you, and those boys (<i>technically </i>they're men, but several of them were pants-less by the end of the reception, so yeah...still boys) are so lucky to have you by their side. You complement them perfectly.<br />
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(photo quality is garbage since we were in a dark bar, but I still love it so)</div>
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And while I'm bragging on people, I can't forget to mention how proud I am of myself and Victor for going on an adventure as "Rachel and Victor" for once instead of "Mom and Dad." It was so rejuvenating to get pampered with my girlfriends, walk around the city without worrying about missing someone's nap or feeding anyone other than ourselves, stay up late and enjoy some adult beverages without fear of being woken in the middle of the night to baby cries or toddlers with bad dreams. After talking to several people who left their kids home for the weekend, it sounded like all the parents were in need of a weekend away to let loose and recharge. I had to leave the reception for about 30 minutes to pump, and I had so much FOMO while I was gone...I didn't want to miss a single minute of fun with everyone! I returned home with such a full heart and happy soul. It was <i>exactly </i>what we needed.<br />
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-32578170175323130732018-07-12T07:17:00.000-04:002018-07-12T07:20:38.321-04:00Life Lately | Returning after a L O N G hiatus<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can't believe it's been over a year since I've published anything on here! Life has changed a lot in the past year, so I'll give a little recap for those of you who don't follow along on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachie1214/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.<br />
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In June 2017, we found out we were expecting baby #3, which was the most wonderful surprise we could ever imagine! In September 2017, we found out baby #3 was a boy, and in February 2018, we welcomed baby Marco to our family! (I plan to share Marco's birth story soon, so stay tuned!)<br />
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Max started preschool last fall and loved learning so much! He also completed a Pre-K language program (speech therapy) through our local school district to help him better develop his articulation skills (pronunciation of sounds/words), and he has made so much progress! He will return to his same preschool for the 4-year-old class this fall.<br />
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Louisa turned 2 in May and is becoming quite the little spitfire! She is so silly and adorable, but she also doesn't take any nonsense from her big brother. She's a delight and we love watching her grow and learn.</div>
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The hubby and I just celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary last month, and later this fall we will celebrate 10 years together! It's amazing how much your life can change in just a few short years; it's true when they say that the days are long, but the years are short!</div>
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Can't wait to get back to sharing more in this space! Leave a comment and let me know what you'd like to see me share on here!</div>
Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-61571385967710917552017-05-09T15:00:00.001-04:002017-05-09T15:09:21.466-04:00Currently | May 2017<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm baaaaaack! It's been nearly a month since I've posted here, and almost two months since my <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2017/03/currently-march-2017.html" target="_blank">last Currently post</a>. So much for making it a monthly occurrence! I've been quite busy lately and making some lifestyle changes, which has led to less face time with my ol' computer and even less time for blogging. I've missed this space, though, and I'm hoping to get back here regularly. What better way to get back into the swing of things than a <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/search/label/currently" target="_blank">Currently</a> post? Here's what I've been up to lately.</div>
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<b>Needing |</b> To get crack-a-lackin' on the kids' birthday party details. The party is on the 20th. Today's the 9th. I've done next to nothing. I think I'm in denial that I'm going to have a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old next week. NEXT WEEK! </div>
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<b>Loving |</b> Working out every day. I never thought I'd ever say that before, but it's become a necessary part of my day. Some days it's been tough to fit it in, but I haven't missed a day since I started my first round of 21 Day Fix on April 3. I'm even squeezing in a second workout each day this week! I was successful yesterday and today; let's see if I can stick to it the rest of the week! I think it helps that I don't mind wearing workout clothes all day, and it's also not the end of the world if I can't get a shower immediately after working out (except after cardio...I <i>earn</i> that shower after cardio!)</div>
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<b>Giggling |</b> At my kiddos. Max is so cute with his imaginative play. He takes a bunch of stuffed animals and lines them up on a blanket, then makes them talk to each other, complete with different voices. Or he'll pile a bunch of stuff on the couch (I don't particularly love this activity), cover it with a blanket, and then sit on top of it, saying he's The Grinch (he's currently obsessed with the old cartoon version and wants to watch it every night). Louisa is cruising everywhere and giving big cheesy grins whenever you catch her eye. She's all over the place, and her new favorite thing is the dishwasher.<br />
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<b>Listening |</b> All the John Mayer. He gets me through my chores. He's an old fave of mine; I went to at least two of his concerts in high school and college. He'll always hold a special place in my heart. Plus, his lyrics and guitar skills are amaze.</div>
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<b>Reading | </b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Guernsey-Literary-Potato-Peel-Society/dp/0385341008">The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society</a></i> by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. A friend lent it to me years ago and I'm finally reading it. It's really good! I'm not a big history buff, but I really enjoy reading books about World War II. This one takes place shortly after the war, and it recounts people's experiences during the German Occupation. I'm loving it.</div>
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<b>Watching | </b>Last weekend, Victor and I watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034228/" target="_blank">Manchester by the Sea</a> on Amazon Prime. It was really good! Quite sad/melancholy, but such a good film. Highly recommend it. We also watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4632316/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Gleason</a> (also on Amazon), a documentary about a former NFL player who is living with ALS. Very inspiring. And last night I watched the series finale episode of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1416765/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Parenthood</a> on Netflix (I've been watching the entire series over the course of the past couple of months...this was my third time. I love it so much!). That final episode, guys. I'm pretty sure I cried through the entire thing. I said it after it aired on NBC and I'll say it again: they wrapped up that show so beautifully...although I wouldn't be opposed to it returning sometime. Also, Zeek Braverman is starting to remind me of my dad, and I'm convinced that if my dad were still with us, he'd be the kind of grandfather Zeek was. Pass the tissues, please!<br />
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<b>Sipping |</b> Two coffees each day. And water. I'm trying to drink at least 100 oz per day. Some days I make it, most days I don't. I'd probably have more luck if I dropped one of those coffees...nah. There's water in coffee, anyway. ;o)</div>
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<b>Cooking |</b> Lots of veggies and lean proteins and zero junk. My 21 Day Fix meal plan is a bit of a change from what I'm used to, but I'm enjoying it.<br />
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<b>Cringing |</b> At the enormous gray hair that fell out of my head the other day. I know I have grays. I didn't know they were that long. Holy moly.</div>
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<b>Dreaming |</b> Of having a house that is organized and clutter-free. Is this possible with two small kids? We have way too much stuff! And toys are STILL everywhere, even after I did a toy purge a few weeks ago! We're in trouble after this birthday party...although I think I'm going to implement a "one in, one out" policy: they have to get rid of one toy for every toy they receive.<br />
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<b>Celebrating |</b> Mother's Day this weekend. Max's 3rd birthday on the 17th. Louisa's 1st birthday on the 19th. And their combined birthday party on the 20th. Lots of cake to be consumed!</div>
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<b>Hoping |</b> Louisa's top teeth come in soon. For Pete's sake, it seems like she's been teething for months. If a new tooth doesn't pop out in the next week, she's going to turn one with only two teeth in her bitty mouth! That's crazy to me! Max had 8 teeth by the time he turned one!<br />
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<b>Wondering |</b> If Max will come around to potty training soon. He was doing really well and then regressed big time. Now he's saying he'll use the potty when he's three. One of my friends told me that her greatest life accomplishment was potty training her son (this above earning two Bachelors' degrees, teaching first grade, getting married, and giving birth to three kids). I might feel the same way once Max is finally out of diapers!<br />
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I hope you're having a wonderful week!<br />
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Rachel Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485106681722886991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-11429471586114259372017-04-13T12:21:00.003-04:002017-04-13T12:23:46.509-04:00Mama Heart | Something's gotta give<div style="text-align: justify;">
Y'all. I know it's not Monday, which is when I usually post for Mama Heart. I also know it's been eons since I've published a new post. Life has been kicking my booty lately, which has inspired today's long-overdue Mama Heart installment.</div>
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If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachie1214/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and watch my rambling, often pointless Instagram stories, then you know that I've recently started <a href="https://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/all-fitness-programs/21-day-fix-simple-fitness-eating.do?code=SEMB_21D_GOOGLE&utm_campaign=Google_Brand_21%20Day%20Fix_Alpha&utm_term=21%20day%20fix&trackingid=srWP9nCTC&gclid=CK-QhvbfodMCFYmPswodJHwBXg#sm.0001mhl2cugrydq8qqv2mkpxvhfho" target="_blank">Beachbody's 21 Day Fix</a> program. I joined a challenge group on Facebook and have been doing daily 30-minute workouts, drinking Shakeology, and ramping up my water intake. It feels really good to take care of my body with daily exercise (something I haven't done regularly since I was preparing for my wedding <i>4 years ago!</i>), but I'm not sticking to the program 100%. There's a clean-eating component with strict portion control, which I'm not yet implementing since I'm still breastfeeding. I don't want my milk supply to drop.</div>
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I'm especially worried about my milk supply since I've stopped nursing Louisa and am exclusively pumping to give her bottles of breastmilk throughout the day (she only nurses right before bed, but I might start giving her a bottle then, too). I've mentioned this a lot on my Instagram stories because I have to pump around 4 times a day, often for at least 30 minutes at a time (sometimes more). I've been doing this for over two weeks now, and to put it bluntly, I <i>hate</i> it. </div>
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Louisa was never a lover of the bottle, which was fine until a couple of months ago, when she became super distracted while nursing and would pop off the breast after just a few minutes unless we were alone in a quiet room where she couldn't hear any other noises. It became very frustrating and nearly impossible to complete a nursing session. And forget about nursing in public/covering up to nurse; I'd be flashing everyone and squirting everywhere within minutes (#sorrynotsorry for the visual--I keep it real here). I began offering her a bottle or two during the day, and once she got used to them, I started giving her bottles for all of her daytime feeds. She slept through the night for the first time in her life that first day of all bottle-feeds (and every night since), which I think is due to her finally getting enough milk throughout the day. She's satiated. And we're both finally well-rested.</div>
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However, pumping several times a day is wreaking havoc on my life at home. I'm tethered to an outlet for 20-30 minutes, 4 times a day, and I have two mobile, active kids at home; I have to be available to intervene whenever things start taking a turn toward "unsafe" with them. My house is a mess. Max isn't napping anymore so I'm getting no break from him during the day, and he's also turning into a doozy of a threenager before my very eyes. Despite working out everyday (which I've been doing early in the morning before everyone wakes up), I'm becoming more irritable and stressed because I can't seem to manage this new pumping lifestyle in addition to all of my other responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom. I have to keep the same schedule of pumping if I want to keep the same output of milk, but I still have over a month to go! Something's gotta give. I can't keep this up for 30+ more days.</div>
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Louisa will turn one on May 19, which is when she can switch to whole milk. I spoke to her pediatrician yesterday, and he said I could do bottles of half breastmilk/half whole milk starting at 11 months, and keep that up until she turns one. In order to maintain my sanity and some semblance of order in my home, I need to drop at least one pumping session a day, which will for sure lower my supply. I know I won't make it to her first birthday with my stash of breastmilk.</div>
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So Louisa will be switching to formula.</div>
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Just typing that leaves me reeling with guilt...</div>
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...which is ridiculous because Max switched to formula at around 11 months. He became a distracted nurser, too (although he was also biting me regularly), but I only pumped twice a day and my supply dried up within two weeks. I <i>had</i> to switch to formula. But I know better this time, which is why I've been pumping four times a day to keep my supply up. I feel like I'm taking the easy way out with Louisa if I intentionally cause my supply to drop.</div>
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I also have 3 good friends who each exclusively pumped for the entire first year of their baby's life. I only need to do it for a little over a month. If they can do a whole year, I can do 6 weeks, right? But for those friends, it was their first baby. They didn't have another kid running around at home while they tried to pump all the time. Two of them worked full-time, so they got to do most of their pumps at work. Sometimes I think that if I were working outside of the home, I'd be able to keep it up. </div>
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I've been battling this guilt for over a week now. I've finally decided, though, that I need to forget about the guilt and do what I think is the best thing for myself and my family, which is gradually introducing formula while simultaneously decreasing my milk supply. </div>
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Sitting around, for me, begets more sitting around. It zaps my energy and my motivation, which leaves my house in shambles, which leaves me resentful and overwhelmed. I refuse to quit working out every day; I'm creating a healthier, stronger me for my family, which is so important. Fed is best, and Louisa will still be fed. Just not from my body anymore.</div>
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My guilt is purely self-generated. I'm not being pressured by any outside sources to continue pumping despite all the evidence that this isn't working for me and my family. It's all me. I don't want to feel like I'm giving up or taking the easy way out. I don't want to feel like I'm the only one benefiting from this change (no more pumping; no more cleaning pump parts; I can wear whatever I want and not have to worry about whether I can easily attach my pump; I can soon return to sleeping on my stomach; I can devote myself fully to the 21 Day Fix meal plans). I know other people have persevered through exclusively pumping, so I feel like I should too, but I'm taking advice from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Please-Amy-Poehler/dp/006226835X" target="_blank">Amy Poehler</a>: "Good for her! Not for me!" Just because someone else is doing it doesn't mean I have to do it. I take that stance in every other area of my life; why should I make an exception now when it's clear that trying to make it work <i>isn't working</i>? Bottom line: this is what's best for me and my family. And even though I am sort of taking the easy way out, I have very valid reasons for doing so, and I have to be okay with that.</div>
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As moms, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do what we think society wants us to do or to do what's most popular. But just because it's the popular choice doesn't mean it's right for <i>you</i>. <i>You're</i> the one living your life. <i>You're</i> the one dealing with your family's schedule and needs. <i>You're</i> the boss of your family and how you get through the day-to-day. Do what you gotta do, Mama, while still maintaining some semblance of sanity. Let's also encourage all the other moms out there who are working their hineys off just trying to make it to bedtime. We've all got our own battles to fight and hurdles to clear; let's not add "defending my choices to the Sanctimommies" to the list. Let's build one another up and kick the mom-guilt to the curb.</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-57116637432695084442017-03-20T21:50:00.002-04:002017-03-20T21:53:47.493-04:00Mama Heart | When Mama Needs a Minute<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had big plans for today's naptime. Lately I've been able to get about an hour of kid-free time in the afternoon when Max and Louisa's naps overlap (Praise the good Lord). Last week, I watched Ellen during that time since I was feeling pretty icky with a cold, but this week, I planned to be more productive. Today I wanted to work out, maybe do some laundry, and get started on filling some of the wall frames I've bought over the past two months. I also needed to tackle the breakfast and lunch dishes that were cluttering up my kitchen.</div>
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But after I got Max down and then Louisa down, I decided that I just needed to <i>take a minute</i>. Most days, I'd feel guilty about taking this selfish downtime, worrying about the piled-up dishes and the stacks of dirty laundry and the other tasks on my never-ending to-do list; normally, I'd feel so guilty that I would force myself to get up and tackle all of those tasks instead of taking a breather, hoping to get some time to relax once I took care of all my chores, only to have someone wake up right as I sat down, which would inevitably frustrate me and put me on edge.</div>
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Today was different, though. I sat down with a blanket, my book (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Lies-Diane-Chamberlain/dp/1250054516" target="_blank"><i>Necessary Lies</i> by Diane Chamberlain</a>), and a glass of ice water and devoured chapter after chapter while the kids and the dog snoozed (the book is so good!). I had zero guilt. I knew all those chores would be waiting for me later. I'd get to them eventually. I needed to recharge, to have some quiet time alone. So I <i>took a minute</i> (or sixty, but who's counting?!)</div>
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I'll tell you what, I'm so glad I took that time today. Max woke up from his nap and was inexplicably angry with me, so thanks to my quiet time, I had more patience to deal with his moodiness and eventually calmed him down. After Max was settled with some toys, I cleaned up those dishes in the kitchen...and I also wiped down the table and counters, put away a bunch of dishes, organized my coupons, and started a load of laundry. My little recharge gave me more energy!</div>
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I know I could find tasks to fill every second of my day. There's always something that needs to be done. But one really important thing I need to be sure I'm doing is taking care of <u>me</u>. My evenings are pretty jam-packed with making, eating, and cleaning up dinner, giving kids baths, putting kids to bed, and spending quality time with Victor. Louisa is on her third week of awful sleep, so my nights are far from restful. Currently, I'm finding it necessary to <i>take a minute</i> pretty much every afternoon, during that glorious naptime overlap. Some days that <i>minute</i> looks like it did today, with me curled up with a great book. Other days it might include a workout, perhaps some crafting, maybe watching a show or taking a nap. Eventually I'll get back to tackling chores--uninterrupted--during naptime, but for right now, mama needs to <i>take a minute</i> regularly, and that <i>minute</i> needs to be a selfish one.</div>
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Don't be afraid to do the same, mamas. Some days, we just <i>need a minute.</i></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-55118032343515891432017-03-15T14:28:00.001-04:002017-03-15T14:28:18.405-04:00Currently | March 2017<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's time for another <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/search/label/currently" target="_blank">Currently</a> post! I can't think of a better way to get back into the blogging swing of things...it's been a while!</div>
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<b>Needing |</b> To clean my floors. Louisa's crawling everywhere and the state of the knees of her pants at the end of the day are indicative of how badly my hardwood needs a bath. Don't judge.</div>
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<b>Loving | </b>That Max is so excited about going to school. Last Friday, he had me pack his lunch in his lunch box so he could practice for school. Then yesterday he loaded a bunch of instruments into his backpack and waited by the front door, saying, "Fool bus, where are vou?" Never mind the fact that it was 5 PM...or that it was a snow day...or that he will be walked or driven to school...or that he won't even start school until September. He's ready NOW!</div>
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<b>Giggling |</b> Over Max's pose after Louisa got her newest set of passport photos taken on Monday (I had them taken back when she was just a couple of months old, but then we never applied for her passport, so we needed to take new ones). I had to have my foot on the stool and have Louisa sit on my leg to get a good photo, so Max thought that was the way everyone got their photo taken there. Too cute.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfRDt8DPgKGi0QThfANhD3ZtXehoqbF1MMQvStNizk8rut1YmW8whDoGfUFt75G9o4e1NS5lidRF_HSF_NfsLQ6q6fdBrgg3MseYLkhbycaGpYAe-Hg9vY3bWI6ZQ8cgSip-63uJ7TQxu/s1600/IMG_4282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfRDt8DPgKGi0QThfANhD3ZtXehoqbF1MMQvStNizk8rut1YmW8whDoGfUFt75G9o4e1NS5lidRF_HSF_NfsLQ6q6fdBrgg3MseYLkhbycaGpYAe-Hg9vY3bWI6ZQ8cgSip-63uJ7TQxu/s640/IMG_4282.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisa was about 2 months old on the left and nearly 10 months old on the right!</td></tr>
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<b>Wanting |</b> New couches! We have leather-ish reclining couches right now, and while I love how easy they are to clean (just a quick wipe down does the trick!), I think they're ugly. One of the recliners on the big couch is broken, so we're looking into getting it fixed, and if that doesn't work, we might replace everything. I'm thinking something like <a href="https://www.wayfair.com/House-of-Hampton-Augustine-Tufted-Sofa-HOHM2309.html" target="_blank">this</a> or <a href="https://www.wayfair.com/Three-Posts-Camden-Right-Hand-Facing-Sectional-THRE1089.html" target="_blank">this</a>. I just have to convince Victor to get non-reclining couches. And that hasn't been going so well.</div>
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<b>Listening |</b> On Sunday while Louisa was napping, Max, Victor, and I hung out in our home office and watched Michael Jackson music videos on YouTube. Max loves "Beat It" and pretty much any other song that has a great dancing beat. He's even starting to sing along to the song!</div>
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<b>Reading |</b> I just finished <a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-Fall-Down-Jennifer-Weiner/dp/1451617798/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489593717&sr=1-1&keywords=all+fall+down+jennifer+weiner" target="_blank"><i>All Fall Down</i> by Jennifer Weiner</a> last night. It was okay; I've enjoyed other books by Jennifer Weiner more. I started reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Lies-Diane-Chamberlain/dp/1250054516/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489593785&sr=1-1&keywords=necessary+lies+diane+chamberlain" target="_blank"><i>Necessary Lies</i> by Diane Chamberlain</a>, and it's already got me intrigued. I always try to update what I'm reading and what I've read on Goodreads, so <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/rachie1214" target="_blank">find me</a> there if you want to follow along!</div>
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<b>Watching |</b> I watched the finale of <i><a href="http://www.nbc.com/this-is-us?CID=Search%7CThis-Is-Us&nbc=1" target="_blank">This Is Us</a></i> last night. There were tears. I'm so glad it's on for at least two more seasons! Victor and I watched Mike Birbiglia's latest comedy special, <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80133550" target="_blank">"Thank God for Jokes" on Netflix</a> last weekend. I thought it was hilarious. I've always loved his stand-up. </div>
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<b>Sipping |</b> All the coffee. Louisa's sleep has been awful lately, so I've been downing the caffeine. I also bought a bottle of watermelon wine for the snowstorm and had instant heartburn after just a few sips. So much for trying to let loose lol</div>
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<b>Cooking | </b>I made spaghetti for dinner last night, which Max refused to eat. He's refused it the last several times I've made it, which is discouraging because the kid used to put down two plates full in one sitting before. I also made <a href="http://www.hillcollectionblog.com/2016/03/shepherds-pie.html" target="_blank">Astleigh Hill's Shepherd's Pie</a> on Sunday (highly recommend) and for St. Patrick's Day, I'm making baked fish and chips from the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Skinnytaste-Fast-Slow-Knockout-Quick-Fix/dp/0553459600/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489593837&sr=1-1&keywords=skinnytaste+fast+and+slow" target="_blank">Skinnytaste Fast and Slow cookbook</a>. A week of good eats!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that enthusiasm. This was taken exactly a year ago yesterday, March 14, 2016.</td></tr>
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<b>Dreaming | </b>Of Louisa only waking once throughout the night. Lately she's been waking up screaming 4-5 times. I'm wondering if she's about to cut another tooth, although I don't see any evidence of one popping through. Hopefully this terrible sleep phase ends soon.</div>
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<b>Celebrating |</b> The kids' birthdays in May, which means it's time to start party planning! I want to do a joint birthday party with a puppy theme because #crowdpleaser, but Max keeps saying he wants a dinosaur party with a dinosaur cake. I keep trying to convince him that a puppy party will be more fun, but he isn't buying it yet.</div>
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<b>Swooning |</b> Over everything Joanna Gaines touches. The kids and I watched a few episodes of <i><a href="http://www.hgtv.com/shows/fixer-upper" target="_blank">Fixer Upper</a></i> yesterday, and I've decided that Jojo just needs to come and work her magic on this house of mine. Seriously, Jo, take all my money and make my house beautiful, please and thank you.</div>
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<b>Going |</b> Nowhere notable in the foreseeable future, and I'm totally okay with that. I need to get this house in order and get my kid potty-trained, so staying close to home is exactly what we need!</div>
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<b>Amazed |</b> At how much Louisa is changing and learning lately. When we went to Arizona on March 1, she was crawling at a snail's pace. While we were on vacation, she learned how to sit herself back on her bottom from crawling, and she started pulling up on low-lying surfaces. Now she's a super-speedy crawler, and if you try to sit her down on the floor, she'll refuse to bend at the hip and instead tries to take steps while you support her. She's also becoming very independent and loves to crawl to find whatever strikes her fancy at the moment. I can't believe she'll be one in just a few short months!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She found Supergirl in a sea of Ninja Turtles and other superhero guys.</td></tr>
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<b>Hoping |</b> This snow melts and the trees start blooming again. After having late-spring-like weather at the end of February and spending a week in Arizona at the beginning of this month, I am SO over winter!</div>
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<b>Wondering |</b> Which of my neighbors received my latest shipment of Chatbooks, because despite what the tracking info says, it most certainly was <i>not</i> delivered to my mailbox on Saturday. We get other people's mail at our house all the time, more here than anywhere else I've lived (which leads me to believe it's an issue with mail sorting at our post office/our mail carrier), and it's super frustrating. Hopefully I can track them down. I've already been in touch with Chatbooks and they're being super helpful, but I think the USPS needs to take the fall for this one. Or maybe whoever received the package by mistake can get it to me soon. Is that having too much faith in humanity? I mean, what random person wants 5 books full of photos of my family?</div>
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Hope you're having a warm, wonderful week!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-85655393131134308342017-02-24T11:36:00.000-05:002017-02-24T11:36:05.105-05:00Oh hey, Friday! | Stuff I need to do<div style="text-align: justify;">
I haven't linked up for an <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/search/label/Oh%20hey%20Friday%21" target="_blank">Oh hey, Friday!</a> post in a while, so I thought I'd get back on the wagon! We have had a lovely week of gorgeous weather here in Maryland--highs in the mid-70s yesterday and today! I walked around a local outdoor shopping center with the kids yesterday in a tank top (and plenty of sunblock). It was amazing!</div>
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And now, time to share some stuff I need to do (meaning I should be doing these things instead of writing this post, but I missed you!)</div>
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<b>1 | Pack.</b> The kids and I head to Arizona next week! I'm so excited, and thanks to the warmer weather here, I've been able to easily get into the frame of mind necessary to pack for desert weather. I had to buy Max some new shorts since he's outgrown all of his from last summer, as well as new bathing suits for the three of us (I've gone full-fledged into mommy-bathing-suit mode with my two new one-piece suits. I'm actually super excited to be fully covered and comfortable, plus they're cute!). I started throwing stuff I wanted to pack into a plastic storage bin this week and storing it up on a shelf, since packing it in a suitcase this early is a surefire way to have it all emptied onto my bedroom floor by my curious toddler multiple times before we leave. Also, I'm a notorious over-packer, so I'm hoping that this way I can reconsider everything as I pack it into the suitcases and maybe weed out some unnecessary items.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is from our trip in 2015. Can't wait for daily walks among the palm trees with my sis!</td></tr>
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<b>2 | Fold and put away Max's laundry.</b> It's only been sitting in the dryer since last night. Not too shabby. Also, half of the stuff can go straight into the Arizona bin!</div>
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<b>3 | Write thank you notes.</b> I've slowly been working on thank you notes for Louisa's baptism (I wrote a post with tips for writing thank you notes a while back. Check it out <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2015/02/notes-of-thanks.html" target="_blank">here</a>!). She received some pretty amazing gifts. I was truly blown away by the beautiful, heartfelt gifts people gave her. Items she will treasure forever.</div>
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<b>4 | Convince Victor to turn our formal dining room into a music room.</b> Seriously. We never eat in there. The space just collects dust. The room is too small for the table we have anyway. We should sell it, then buy a piano, move Max's drums and Victor's guitars in, and have family jam sessions in there on the reg. I'd even go so far as to take piano lessons myself to sweeten the deal. We can always turn it back into a dining room again someday if we want. It's a great idea. I know it is.</div>
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<b>5 | Play outside.</b> As I mentioned earlier, it's going to be in the mid-70s again today. Must go outside with the kiddos! Perhaps we'll picnic in the yard again.</div>
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Hope you all have a great weekend! Any fun plans?</div>
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Linking up with </div>
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<a href="http://www.sept-farm.com/2017/02/oh-hey-friday-unexpected-delivery.html" target="_blank">Karli</a> and <a href="http://www.farmerswifeamy.com/2017/02/oh-hey-friday-party-edition.html" target="_blank">Amy</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-9495012415469074712017-02-20T15:58:00.000-05:002017-02-20T15:58:23.670-05:00Mama Heart | My pancakes are the worst<div style="text-align: justify;">
You guys...how on earth do you make a decent pancake?! No matter how many times I try, I mess them up somehow; they're either too thin, undercooked, rubbery, or burned. I can never seem to get them right!</div>
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Is it too much to ask for my pancakes to look like this? (Perhaps I should try <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a15177/pancakes-recipe-ghk0213/" target="_blank">this recipe</a>)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a15177/pancakes-recipe-ghk0213/" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr>
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This morning, I tried a new recipe for homemade pancakes. While the batter was perfection and they were the fluffiest pancakes I've ever made, they still were all slightly burned (if I hadn't burned them, they would've been undercooked). Seriously, what's the trick? Do I need to get a big electric skillet? I just use a ceramic skillet/frying pan on the stove. Today I tried cooking spray on the skillet. In the past, I've used butter. Regardless, I still burn them. Is a big, nonstick skillet--like the one Christina Braverman uses on <i>Parenthood--</i>the way to go? (I tried to find an image of her making pancakes from the show and I can't find a single one...which is weird, because I feel like she's always making pancakes on the show).</div>
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Tell me your secrets! I don't want my kids to forever joke with one another about how mom sucks at making pancakes. There are many other things that I'm fine with being terrible at: soccer, making pork chops, playing with Play Doh, taking the clothes out of the dryer before they get wrinkled beyond recognition. However, I refuse to botch pancakes for the rest of my days. Unacceptable. I won't do it.</div>
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So help a sister out and tell me your tricks. Because I don't want my kids to have to settle for these their entire lives.</div>
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I will say, they were delicious once you got past the burned outer layer. But toddlers don't eat things that are burned. There's gotta be a better way!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-86381732262568652862017-02-17T14:59:00.000-05:002017-02-17T14:59:29.426-05:00Currently | February 2017<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm back with another Currently post! I mentioned <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2017/01/currently-january-2017.html" target="_blank">last month</a> that I wanted to make this a monthly occurrence, and so far, I'm sticking with that goal!</div>
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<b>Needing |</b> A mani/pedi. If you saw my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachie1214/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> story last night, you know that I attempted to paint my nails after the kids went to bed, only to ruin them nearly immediately. I took all the polish off this morning. I think I'll treat myself to a professional one in the next week or so.</div>
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<b>Wanting | </b>To decorate upstairs in our house. We've done a pretty good job decorating the main level and basement of our house, I think since those are the levels that most people see. But upstairs is bland and boring. The only areas that have decorations are Max's room, Louisa's room, and the guest room that my sister stayed in when she lived with us last summer. We have nothing on the walls in the hallway or in our master bedroom. I've been collecting frames and other items to make a few gallery walls, but nothing has come to fruition yet. Hopefully soon!</div>
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<b>Loving |</b> That Louisa seems to have come out of her sleep regression and is back to only waking once to nurse overnight. Of course, now that I'm bragging about it, she'll probably start sleeping crappily again just to spite me lol</div>
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<b>Listening |</b> Most recently, we've been listening to a lot of the Toddler station on Pandora. It's full of Disney songs, which is amazing.</div>
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<b>Reading |</b> I finished <a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Comes-Love-Emily-Giffin/dp/034554692X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487348884&sr=8-1&keywords=first+comes+love" target="_blank"><i>First Comes Love</i> by Emily Giffin</a> last month. It was a pretty good read, so I'd recommend it. I also just finished <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Magnolia-Story-Chip-Gaines/dp/0718079183/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487348923&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magnolia+story" target="_blank"><i>The Magnolia Story</i> by Chip and Joanna Gaines</a>. I just love those two. Their story and relationship is so inspiring. I'm currently reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Sister-Novel-Diane-Chamberlain/dp/1250074355/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487348957&sr=8-1&keywords=the+silent+sister" target="_blank"><i>The Silent Sister</i> by Diane Chamberlain</a>. I've never read one of her books, but my sister loves the author and just lent me a bunch of her books, so I'm getting started on the pile. So far, so good!</div>
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<b>Watching |</b> I went down the rabbit hole of watching <i>Parenthood</i> on Netflix again, and now I can't stop. This is my third time watching the entire series (I think...maybe the 4th). It's just so good. I love the Bravermans. I'm also watching <i>This Is Us</i> on Tuesdays. For some reason, I don't cry often when I watch TIU despite the often heavy plot lines, but I <i>always</i> cry watching <i>Parenthood</i>. </div>
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<b>Sipping |</b> Coffee and water. B O R I N G. Sometimes I'll have Sprite with a splash of grenadine (Shirley Temple, anyone?!) Also, this was my answer last month. I'll say it again: B O R I N G !<br />
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<b>Cooking |</b> Chrissy Teigen's Pot Pie Soup (I shared an article with the recipe on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/littlebluesailboatblog/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel" target="_blank">blog Facebook page</a> yesterday). OMG it's so good. I made it Wednesday night for dinner and I've had it for lunch the past two days. Make it before the weather warms up! It's savory and scrumptious!</div>
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<b>Dreaming |</b> Of spring and summer. The weather here in Maryland has been all kinds of wonky lately. It goes from highs in the 60s to highs of 30s with crazy winds at the drop of a hat. We're getting more spring-like weather this weekend, which we'll enjoy hopefully with a family walk to Starbucks and some backyard adventures. I just want the warm weather to stick around, though. My sinuses don't appreciate the back-and-forth nonsense.</div>
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<b>Celebrating |</b> We're getting close to a whirlwind three months of birthdays for our family. My father-in-law at the end of March; my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and hubby in April; my dad (in heaven), Max, and Louisa in May. We're going to be eating so much cake! Gonna rest up now in preparation lol</div>
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<b>Swooning |</b> Over my Chatbooks! I've heard friends gush about this service, so I had to check it out for myself. I've already done all the work chronicling my life on Instagram, so I love that Chatbooks picks up where I left off and puts all my photos in a book! I'm playing catch-up and going back into my Instagram archives, receiving 5 books per month until I'm up-to-date. I just received my second shipment of 5 books, and I'm in love! The app is super user-friendly, too. If you love to share photos on social media but never do anything with them afterward (like me), check out <a href="http://invite.chatbooks.com/rachelpalmeiro51t" target="_blank">Chatbooks</a>! (I shared my affiliate link, which will get you your first Chatbook FREE!)</div>
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<b>Going |</b> To Arizona in less than two weeks! I have so much laundry and packing to do! And I need to mentally prepare to fly by myself with both kids...just to Indianapolis, where my sister will meet up with us and then fly the rest of the way to Phoenix. I'm so excited. Arizona is one of my most favorite places ever.</div>
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<b>Amazed | </b>At how quickly laundry piles up. I have so much laundry to do. And ironing. I hate ironing.</div>
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<b>Hoping |</b> To take a little nap this afternoon during the kids' naps. A little midday snooze is <i>always </i>a good idea.</div>
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<b>Dreading | </b>Potty training. We've dabbled in the act here and there, but after Arizona I'm kicking it into high gear. Any tips? Best practices? Words of encouragement?</div>
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<b>Wondering |</b> How long the clothes will sit in the dryer before I fold them.<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-74170292665985587142017-02-15T11:18:00.000-05:002017-02-15T11:18:44.581-05:00Baptized | Louisa Maria<div style="text-align: justify;">
On February 4, our little Louisa was welcomed to the Catholic faith through the sacrament of baptism. We chose my cousin, Lauren, as her godmother and our good friend, George, as her godfather. After the ceremony at the church, we hosted a huge party at our house (70+ people; it's the Portuguese way lol) and enjoyed delicious Portuguese food and a wide variety of desserts. It was a lovely celebration for a sweet little bitty. We're so grateful for all who helped us celebrate. She's one lucky little girl to have so many people who love and care about her.</div>
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And now for the photo dump. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madrinha (Portuguese for "godmother") dressing the babe</td></tr>
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Louisa's baptismal dress is never-worn vintage. Victor's maternal grandmother bought that dress when my mother-in-law was pregnant with Victor, as she was convinced he was a girl. My mother-in-law has held onto that dress for 36+ years, hoping she would have a granddaughter who could wear it one day. Louisa was happy to oblige and I was so glad we could honor Victor's late grandmother on this special day.<br />
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These two. The cutest.<br />
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Father John has baptized both of our kids.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Padrinhos</td></tr>
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Louisa's godfather is well-versed in raising girls: here he is with his beautiful family.<br />
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Lauren's parents (on the left) and my Aunt Sue drove all the way out from Ohio to celebrate with us. It was the first time any of them had been out to visit us here in Maryland. It was great to have them stay with us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two kiddos and their godparents</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">My Aunt Sue is both my godmother and my cousin's godmother. It's going to be hard to top Aunt Sue in the godmother department; she's quite possibly the best there is.</span><br />
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So grateful for my mom and sister and their help in tying up all the loose ends the two days before the baptism. I had done a lot of prep ahead of time (including setting up tables and chairs in the basement the weekend before with my in-laws--also so grateful for their help!), but there is always more to do than there is time to do it! My mother-in-law also ordered all the food and set that all up right before the party--I wouldn't be able to throw such a big gathering without her expertise and assistance. She makes it look easy!<br />
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I just did a few DIY decorations and some mason jar flower arrangement centerpieces for the decor. Simple but very pretty. The wooden heart sign has hung in Louisa's room for forever, but I gave it a little facelift the week before the baptism. The fabric for the garland is leftover from the crib rail covers I made, and I already had the paper and glitter letter stickers on hand for the boho flags.<br />
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For favors, we gifted everyone with a framed photo of Louisa in her baptismal gown. We still have lots left over if anyone wants one (I kid...but I'm also serious).<br />
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My Aunt Sue made Louisa's custom onesie, as well as the quilt on the wall in the above photo. She's a very talented seamstress.<br />
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Max and his cousin Jayden might start a band one day. They were so cute playing together.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many desserts</td></tr>
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I made Louisa's party tutu from ribbon, strips of fabric, and tulle. I'm planning to do a tutorial here soon! Her moccasins are from <a href="https://sweetnswag.com/product-category/baby-moccasins/" target="_blank">Sweet N Swag</a>.</div>
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Thanks again to all who helped us celebrate this blessed day!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-9737534334543544632017-02-13T20:38:00.000-05:002017-02-13T21:25:16.745-05:00Mama Heart | To the people who love my kids<div style="text-align: justify;">
I just wanted to send a big fat thank you to all the people in my life who take an active interest in my kids. Nothing warms this mama's heart more than knowing that there are slews of people out there who find joy in my kids. Their lives are more enriched by having you in them, and they look forward to spending time with each of you.<br />
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To my mom and sister: thank you for your frequent trips to Maryland, either by car or plane, to spend even just 24 hours with these kids. Max anticipates your visits and is so sad when you leave. Louisa is learning who you both are and is beginning to understand that you'll be permanent figures in her life. Our FaceTime dates are so important to them, as well. Our visits to your neck of the woods are just as special.</div>
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To my mother- and father-in-law: thank you for playing with these two babies every week and for all of your free babysitting. Max loves going to Vovo's house on Wednesdays, and they both are so lucky to have such involved grandparents who live just around the corner.</div>
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To my brother- and sister-in-law: Max is floored whenever he can see and play with you. If either one of you is absent from a big family dinner, he's asking where you are. Louisa also loves the extra snuggles. Thank you for being the "cool" and "hip" titios. We'll happily return the favor when you start having kids.</div>
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To my aunts, uncles, and cousins back in Ohio: thank you for welcoming my little kids to all of our family events and catering to our crazy schedules. It's quite a departure from the norm as it's been over a decade since we had a baby or toddler in the family. They both love seeing and playing with you all, and I love witnessing you guys interact with little people...you all light up!</div>
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To our friends here and elsewhere: thank you for sharing your families with ours. I'm so glad our kids will be friends and grow up together. Even if they only see you and your kids when we visit Ohio or plan a reunion of sorts, it still warms my heart to see our kids together.<br />
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It's true when they say that it takes a village to raise a child. Your involvement in my kids' lives is such a blessing, both for them and for me as their mom. I'm so grateful for this village of mine!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-32054451225780115052017-01-30T13:43:00.000-05:002017-01-30T13:43:07.103-05:00Mama Heart | I have a preschooler<div style="text-align: justify;">
This morning, at approximately 9:25 AM, I became the mother of an enrolled preschooler for the 2017-2018 school year. Even though we've been preparing for this for the past month, I still can't believe this day is here.</div>
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Victor and I have been researching preschools in the area for the past month. There were lots to choose from, but we only visited/toured four: two were at well-known child care/preschool centers. one was a Montessori school, and one was part of a nearby church. Far and away, our favorite school was the first we visited, which was the church preschool. Our back-up was one of the child care centers.</div>
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I <i>really</i> wanted Max to get into the church school. The classes are small (only 8-14 kids per three-year-old class), they incorporate Christian elements into their lessons, and I just loved the tight-knit, family-like community that was evident when we toured the school. An added bonus is that the school is walking-distance from our house (across the street from the Starbucks we like to walk to), so I could walk to pick him up on nice days.</div>
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I was worried Max wouldn't get a spot because after their church/alumni registration last Thursday, there were only 8 spaces left for the Monday/Wednesday/Friday "threes" program. Registration for the "community" was this morning beginning at 9 AM, and it was a first-come, first-served situation. I wanted to head over to the church by 8:30 AM to get in line, but in classic Rachel fashion, I didn't get out the door until 8:45 (perhaps if I had gotten up at 7--when my alarm went off--instead of 7:15, I could've left on time. Must get better at morning things!). I walked into the gathering room at the church at around 8:50 and I was number 20 in line...T W E N T Y ! My heart sank. I was sure we'd be wait-listed, at best. I buried myself in my book I brought along to pass the time, but I felt a pit in my stomach the whole time I waited. While our back-up school is a great option, my heart was set on this school.</div>
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However, once registration started, I noticed that many of the parents ahead of me were registering for the 4-year-old program or the 2-year-old program, and many of those registering for the 3-year-old program wanted a Tuesday/Thursday slot! In the end, Max got the 7th of the 8 available spaces for the Monday/Wednesday/Friday threes program! I happily handed over my registration paperwork and the enrollment check, thankful to no longer worry whether he would get in or not.</div>
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Max is so excited to go to school, so to celebrate his new status, I packed his little lunch in his doggy lunchbox today. His school is nut-free, though, so we have until September to get him interested in something other than the PB&J crowd-pleaser.</div>
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I can't believe my baby is going to preschool.</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-43786694515221188792017-01-27T15:50:00.001-05:002017-01-27T15:50:47.598-05:00DIY Winter Wreath<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm getting to that point in my adult life where I hate to see a "naked" front door (I'm assuming every woman gets to that point, right? No, just me?). I used to be a simple Christmas wreath type of gal, but I've become a believer in wreaths adorning my front door year-round. At this point, I'm sticking to seasonal wreaths, and I was missing a winter variety, so I got to work last Sunday and whipped one up! It's super easy, and as long as you've got a hot glue gun and a craft store near by (or some extra craft materials), you can make one this weekend, too!<br />
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**This type of wreath isn't recommended for front doors that are exposed to the elements (meaning not covered by a roof for a stoop or porch). If you don't have a covered front door, you could always hang this inside your house instead!</div>
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
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<li>one foam wreath in a size of your choice (I used 16 inch, which I think was a good size for a standard front door wreath)</li>
<li>fabric (I had some sparkly burlap lying around, so I used that instead)</li>
<li>faux flowers</li>
<li>hot glue gun and glue sticks</li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharjAsc-4NQAYK4D9-VxDkkJ4zJHsM6qBnTBeEdUxGHkV-08Wm9dZX4nD7o0UtqDk_mrgR_FeyB5K6G-H86O8YBlaAtdN8ODRQFEsWtDhLcSMHx4sWf-Kb0GNc40So5-udkBd25qATQpDH/s1600/materials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharjAsc-4NQAYK4D9-VxDkkJ4zJHsM6qBnTBeEdUxGHkV-08Wm9dZX4nD7o0UtqDk_mrgR_FeyB5K6G-H86O8YBlaAtdN8ODRQFEsWtDhLcSMHx4sWf-Kb0GNc40So5-udkBd25qATQpDH/s640/materials.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found these cute bouquets/bunches of flowers, and they were on sale!</td></tr>
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<b>What you'll do:</b></div>
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1. Lay your wreath on top of your fabric and cut the fabric to size. Be sure to leave enough to wrap around the wreath fully and glue on the backside. </div>
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2. Wrap your fabric around the foam and glue in place. I wrapped around the outside first and glued. Continue until you have wrapped around the outside of the entire wreath, and try to glue in the same space on the back of the wreath. I had to use two strips of burlap to cover my wreath, so I had to do some planning to ensure the edges met neatly.</div>
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3. Before you begin gluing the fabric that will come through the inside of the wreath, turn the wreath over and look at it from the front side to get an idea of how it will look. The fabric will inevitably bunch in some places, so make sure you like it before you glue it in place. Then glue the fabric to the back of the wreath.</div>
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4. After your wreath is wrapped completely, gather your flowers and pull them off the stems/bunches. For a more organic look, include some greenery, as well.</div>
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5. Arrange your greenery first, then glue in place. Place the leaves so they will peek out around the sides of the wreath, otherwise you might not see them after you glue on the flowers. I like to keep my flowers on just a third of the wreath, so I kept that in mind as I arranged the leaves.</div>
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6. Now it's time to add your flowers! Use A LOT of glue to ensure they stay put once you attach them (start-to-finish, I went through 3.5 glue sticks). Hold the flower in place for a bit after you apply the glue to be sure it catches and dries a bit.</div>
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7. Hang your wreath and admire your handwork! You can use a wreath hanger, or try out my wreath-hanging hack: install an upside-down Command Hook inside, near the top of your door. Then loop some ribbon or fishing wire around the wreath and over the top of the door. Secure it to your Command Hook inside with a knot. (<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/457608012112166339/" target="_blank">click here</a> for a visual)<br />
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I love how this turned out. I wanted the bright whites and soft pinks and greens, and the burlap adds a perfect rustic touch.<br />
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I hope you have a lovely, possibly crafty weekend!</div>
Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-86530435525230520572017-01-23T11:28:00.000-05:002017-01-23T11:28:32.109-05:00Mama Heart Series | Seasons of Motherhood<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello lovelies! For a couple of weeks now, I've been pondering beginning a series on the blog. I wanted to choose a broad theme that I can touch on each week, hitting a more specific aspect of that theme with each post. Since I'm deep in the throes of motherhood with two littles under age 3, I figured that would be the best topic. </div>
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That brings us to today, the first installment of the Mama Heart series! My plan is to post for "Mama Heart Monday" each week. If you're a blogger and would like to participate, feel free to post on Mondays about anything that is on your Mama Heart. Perhaps it'll turn into a linkup someday.<br />
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My kids are going through a lot of changes right now, and as a mom, adjusting to those changes can be pretty challenging. As a first-time-mom when Max was a baby, I was fascinated every time he reached new milestones, and I very rarely willed time to slow down like so many other moms do. I truly was so excited to see him growing and changing. I celebrated his teeth coming in, I encouraged him to crawl and eat solids, and I wanted so badly for him to walk before his first birthday (although he waited until 15 months to take his first real steps).<br />
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After he turned one, I went from being the mom of an infant to being the mom of a toddler, which came with it's own set of challenges as Max became more independent, opinionated, defiant, and incredibly intelligent. My patience was tested virtually every day by my strong-willed firstborn, and I had to learn how to give him the freedom to try new things and do some exploring on his own, allowing him to learn from his mistakes.<br />
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During Max's first year of toddlerhood, I found out I was pregnant with his little sister, and I began to prepare myself for the task of being a mom of two kids ages 2 and under. I was so excited and so nervous at the same time. How would I adjust to this newest season of motherhood? I had already survived the infant season and was knee-deep in the toddler one, but soon I was going to add another baby to the mix. I hoped and prayed that I would figure it out and not screw up too much in the process.<br />
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Being a mom to a baby and a toddler has been such a fun and demanding season of motherhood for me. To be quite honest, the baby stuff came back to me pretty easily. The more challenging part of this newest season is navigating my toddler, especially in relation to the new baby. I've already done the baby stuff, but the toddler stuff is where I'm tested and where I feel like I'm doing it all wrong some days (case in point: potty training). I have a feeling that I'll be challenged in new ways once Louisa reaches toddlerhood; I know she's developing her own personality and will throw me for many loops as she figures out her own preferences and quirks. It's a never-ending ride!<br />
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Soon I will be the mom of a preschooler, a brand new season of motherhood that I'm excited for (mostly because Max is so excited about it), but one that I'm also struggling with. First of all, HOW did Max suddenly go from squishy little baby to almost 3 years old so quickly?! It really is true when they say that the days are long but the years are short; we have many a <i>loonngg</i> day in our house, but then suddenly months have passed by and I'm wondering where the time went. Victor and I have toured two preschools in the area already, and we will visit a third this week. We're asking questions about curriculum and schedules and enrichment activities, wondering how our very bright son will be challenged academically and how he will interact with his peers. In just a few short months, I will be handing my son (who has only been cared for by his parents, his aunt, or his grandparents) over to complete strangers and entrusting them with his education and care. I will watch him develop an admiration and enthusiasm for his new teachers and friends, and I will witness him foster new interests and skills that I have not personally exposed him to myself. For the first time in three years, I will be away from my son for multiple hours a day, 3 days a week. Thank goodness I have a few more months to come to terms with all of this change that's coming my way.<br />
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And that brings us to Louisa, my sweet little Lou-Lou-bird. She's getting ready to crawl and is about to sprout her first tooth (I think...please let it be soon! My poor girl is miserable!). She's getting too big for her infant car seat so we're switching her to Max's old convertible one; this means I need to switch to a different stroller and prepare differently for leaving the house--no more throwing a blanket over her car seat as I clip her into the umbrella stroller--girlfriend needs a coat! She's becoming a more voracious solids-eater, and she's starting to use a cup (though not exactly successfully). She's started letting us know when she's mad, especially when we take away a wash cloth that she could be sucking on. She loves to nurse and hates a bottle, but I know that at some point in the next four months, our nursing relationship will end. I find I'm having a harder time celebrating Louisa meeting her milestones than I did with Max; I am so sad to see her baby-ness fade away. The fact that she's less than four months away from turning one is <i>crushing</i> me. I'm not sure why I'm feeling more sentimental this time around; perhaps it's because she's a girl, or maybe it's because she could be my last baby, or it might be because I know what comes next and how quickly she's going to turn into this little creature who only vaguely resembles her squishy baby-self. No matter the reason behind it, I just want to keep her little forever.<br />
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I've only just begun to navigate the ever-changing seasons of motherhood. Right now I'm up to my eyeballs in diapers, Cheerios, toys, and tantrums. I'm sleep-deprived due to my baby needing to nurse overnight and my toddler having bad dreams or needing to be tucked back into bed. But I know that in the not too distant future, I'll be elbow-deep in sports schedules, homework, teenage angst, and curfew enforcement. I'll be sleep-deprived because Max and/or Louisa is out driving or on a date or applying for college and I'm up late poring over their baby books. I'll be longing for these long, loud, seemingly endless days with my baby and toddler.<br />
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Late last month, I overheard a couple in the checkout line at the grocery store discussing their kids and how they were going to approach one of them about needing to get a job and how they needed to have a discussion with another about the rules for having friends over to the house when they weren't home ("It's really a safety issue," the mom said). I remember being thankful that I didn't have those worries at this point in my motherhood journey.<br />
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I often find myself wondering how I will know that I'm making the right decisions when it comes to my kids, especially during the teenage years. I can't even begin to fathom my kids having their own cell phones and cars and letting them go out on their own. But the truth is, I don't even know that I'm making the right decisions now; I just know that the decisions I'm making are the ones that I feel are best for my kids. I guess that's all we can do, regardless of which season of motherhood we're in. We trust our gut, we put on a brave face, and we love our kids with everything we've got.<br />
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-1422402507994917792017-01-20T14:28:00.000-05:002017-01-20T14:28:42.057-05:00A Fond Farewell to the Obamas<div style="text-align: justify;">
In these weeks leading up to the Inauguration of Donald Trump (which, admittedly, I have not tuned into at all today), I couldn't help but feel an underlying sadness as we bid adieu to the Obamas. Regardless of what you think of President Obama's policies or party affiliations or whatever, I don't think you can deny that they were a wonderful First Family and one classy representation of the United States of America.</div>
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Since I'm not a very political person, I won't be sharing any political sentiments or opinions in this space. But I will say that I will miss the Obamas as the face of America. They always brought a smile to my face and warmth to my heart. They seemed relatable, sincere, and genuinely kind. I don't know what went on behind closed doors in terms of policy or politics, but the image I saw portrayed to the public was one of sophisticated poise, and I will sincerely miss them.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watercolor print of the First Family by Jennifer Vallez of <a href="http://sophieandlili.bigcartel.com/product/farewell-first-family" target="_blank">Sophie and Lili</a></td></tr>
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I look ahead to the next for years with a guarded heart. Undoubtedly, some change will occur, and I hope with everything that I have that those changes will move us forward as a nation and bring us closer as human beings. My main hope is that we see less hate and more love.</div>
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Have a splendid weekend, loves. Check back Monday for the first installment of a new series!</div>
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If you like the print shared above, the link in the caption will take you to the print's listing in her shop (here's a direct link to her main <a href="http://sophieandlili.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">website</a>). This is not sponsored by any means. I am simply a fan of the artist's work and have personally ordered a custom watercolor portrait from her in the past.</div>
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**I have disabled comments for this post; I do not care to get into a political debate here. Just wanted to share my heart.**</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-13758643557349878562017-01-16T15:32:00.003-05:002017-01-16T15:32:50.630-05:00Currently | January 2017<div style="text-align: justify;">
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! I hope you're enjoying a day off of school or work and are honoring the incredible man to whom we dedicate this day through service or a promise to live with love. There are lots of famous MLK quotes floating around social media today, and my favorite is:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/127904457/i-have-decided-to-stick-with-love-martin?ref=market" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr>
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We had a very productive and rejuvenating weekend here at home. Instead of posting a weekend recap, I thought I'd do a little Currently post. I'm hoping to make these a monthly post for 2017; in the past, I've been terrible about doing these consistently. Case in point: my last one was in July of 2016!</div>
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<b>Pondering |</b> The design for my DIY winter wreath. I have a fall one, a Christmas one, a spring one, and a summer one (or maybe the spring and summer ones are the same...I can't remember) but I don't have a dedicated winter one. Perhaps in a year or so I'll make a wreath for every holiday (Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving), but right now, I'm just working on seasonal ones. I'm thinking some winter white with pops of cranberry and/or navy. </div>
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<b>Needing | </b>To get back to eating healthy again. I would like to lose a few pounds, but I've plateaued. While I'm still able to fit into and wear my jeans, they're getting a bit too snug (I may have <i>over</i>indulged when it came to holiday eating), and I'd like to be comfortable in my clothes again. So I stocked my fridge and pantry with fruits, veggies, and other healthy goodies, and with a little food prep, I think I'll be good to go!</div>
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<b>Wanting |</b> A new rug and some art to complete our living room. We bought a few new throw pillows at Home Goods and TJ Maxx, and now we need to decide which to send down to the basement because I think six pillows might be a little excessive...</div>
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<b>Loving | </b>Victor and I received a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Quotable-Kid-Parents-Unforgettable/dp/0811868842/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484596191&sr=8-1&keywords=my+quotable+kid" target="_blank">"My Quotable Kid" book</a> for Christmas, and it very well might be my most favorite gift I received. We're currently filling it with "Max-speak" quotes (which will soon be coming to an end as he's going to be receiving speech therapy services soon), but I know we'll be able to fill them with some zingers as he gets older, and then once Louisa starts talking, the fun will be tremendous!</div>
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<b>Listening | </b>I've been <i>loving</i> Shawn Mendes' CD <i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/illuminate-deluxe/id1131419391" target="_blank">Illuminate</a></i> lately. I can also be seen dancing to Bruno Mars' <i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/24k-magic/id1161503945" target="_blank">24K Magic</a></i> and John Legend's <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/darkness-and-light/id1170697676" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Darkness and Light</a> in my car on the reg. These talented gentlemen are giving me LIFE these days!</div>
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<b>Reading |</b> I just began reading <u>First Comes Love</u> by Emily Giffin last night. I'm 3 chapters in and am already enjoying it. I finished Lauren Graham's <u>Talking as Fast as I Can</u> last weekend, which I <i>loved</i>. I basically just love her and everything she does (with the exception of <i>Bad Santa</i>, ick). If you're wanting to read it, I recommend watching the Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix before getting started, because she offers lots of spoilers!</div>
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<b>Watching |</b> Now that I'm finished watching the entire series of Gilmore Girls, including the revival (mixed emotions about it all), I have <i>a lot</i> of time on my hands, and I am really diggin' it! When I was trying to get through the series, I used naptime and after the kids' bedtime to binge watch. Now I don't really have much interest in watching TV at all. I actually announced to Victor last night that I think I will only watch <i>This Is Us</i> on Tuesdays and then swear off TV any other time. I'm loving how productive I've been lately.</div>
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<b>Sipping |</b> Coffee (Starbucks Christmas blend), water, and the occasional Shirley Temple--not all at once, though!</div>
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<b>Dreaming |</b> About visiting Phoenix, AZ with my mom, sister, and the kids in March! I can't wait! I'm also kind of dreaming about spring and summer (but a summer where the thermometer reaches a high of 75-80 degrees with minimal humidity). We had a 60-degree day last week and it was glorious.</div>
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<b>Celebrating |</b> Louisa's baptism at the beginning of February! The next couple of weeks will be spent preparing our house to host some out-of-town guests (my aunt, uncle, and cousin {Louisa's godmother}, my mom, and my sister) and the big luncheon for after the baptism.</div>
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<b>Swooning |</b> Over the fabric and tulle tutu I'm going to make for Louisa to wear during her post-baptism luncheon. I can't wait to get started on it! And my talented aunt is going to make her a matching onesie! I plan to do a tutorial on the blog after the baptism!</div>
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<b>Going |</b> To three different preschool tours in the next couple of weeks! I can't believe Max will be in preschool next year. He is so excited and reminds us that we need to buy him a backpack for school on the daily. </div>
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<b>Amazed |</b> At just how smart my big boy Max is. He was evaluated last week to determine if he would qualify for speech services (he did, his vocabulary is extensive but he's having trouble expressing himself properly), and he tested at 40- and 41-months, respectively, for cognition and receptive language--that's nearly 3.5 years old! I always knew he was pretty smart, but I had no frame of reference. All the more reason to get him into preschool next year; the boy needs more stimulation that just his mom and baby sister at home!</div>
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<b>Hoping |</b> To get a walk in after naptime with the kiddos. It's only 45 degrees but we'll bundle up!</div>
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<b>Dreading |</b> Cleaning my baseboards. It's back-breaking work but must be done before we have company!</div>
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<b>Wondering |</b> Who actually makes their babies wear those little caps that come with their outfits? I put this one on Louisa for fun last weekend, but it's way too small for her!</div>
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Have a great week, loves!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-80209388829513911692017-01-13T15:15:00.001-05:002017-01-13T15:25:52.252-05:009 years in heaven<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nine years ago today, my dad lost his battle with cancer. In some ways it feels like just yesterday he took his last breath, and in others it feels like a lifetime ago.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sipped my morning coffee from my mustache mug in my dad's honor.</td></tr>
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So much has changed in my life in the past nine years: I met Victor, we became engaged and then were married, and now we have two beautiful children. I've developed great friendships, I've traveled all over the world, I made changes in my career, I've moved several times, and I've come into my own as a wife, mother, and woman, overall. I am so blessed and incredibly grateful for all I have experienced and accomplished over the past nine years, yet no matter how many years pass by, the void I feel in my heart has not subsided. I would give <i>anything </i>to have my father back, to speak to him on the phone, to visit him in Michigan, to take adventures on boats and snowmobiles with him, to have him be an active part of my kids' lives. I wish so badly that they could know him firsthand and make memories with him. And there's not a doubt in my mind that he would be one proud Papa to Max and Louisa.</div>
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So many things have brought him to the front of my mind this week. On Tuesday's episode of <i>This Is Us</i> (SPOILER ALERT), William told Randall that he didn't want to fight his cancer anymore, that he could feel it coming for him, and he didn't want to put Randall's family through unnecessary pain in watching him deteriorate and fade away. I watched that scene through tears as I remembered a very similar conversation with my own father over Thanksgiving in 2007, less than two months before he passed away, when he told me and my sister that he was refusing further treatment for his cancer (read more about his decision <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/11/memories-of-superman.html" target="_blank">here</a>).</div>
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Every time I share an orange with Max, I'm reminded of all the oranges I shared with my dad as a kid, sometimes as many as three a night as a pre-bedtime snack. He always made sure to get all the icky white orange-peel residue off of the slices he gave me, making him the best orange peeler of all time, in my mind.</div>
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The son of one of my dad's good friends has been taking some snowmobile rides this week, and his photos remind me of my dad, his prized "sleds" and all the winter adventures we enjoyed hanging on for dear life as he whipped us around on the back of his Polaris. His love for the sport was so infectious, it could make even the most cold-weather-loathing person have the time of their lives as they whipped through the white powdery snow.</div>
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On my walk with the kids yesterday, a beautiful cardinal swooped in front of us and landed in a tree near the sidewalk, a sign that a lost loved one is visiting from above. I take comfort in believing he was most definitely my dad, checking in on his daughter and his grandkids.</div>
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I want nothing more than for my kids to know who their Papa Ken was, and I do my best to weave his memory into our daily lives. I included a photo of him in <a href="https://pinholepress.com/mini-book-of-names-and-faces" target="_blank">Max's Little Book of Names and Faces</a>. We have framed photos of him throughout our house. We refer to Max's leather sandals as "Papa shoes" because they resemble the ones my dad wore every summer. I bought Max a snowmobile toy last year and will eventually share stories of his Papa and his love for the winter hobby. The shelf my dad built for me when I was in college hangs in Louisa's room. I've kept his old golf shirts and flannel button-downs with plans to create <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/explore/memory-bears/" target="_blank">memory bears</a> for the kids one day. The <a href="http://www.willowtree.com/Father-and-Daughter/26031,default,pd.html#start=23" target="_blank">Father and Daughter Willow Tree figurine</a> that I gave him for Father's Day one year is displayed proudly on the built-in shelf in our family room.</div>
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In the future, when they're old enough to understand, I will share stories of their Papa's love for golf, hunting, snowmobiling, and classic cars, and how he lived simply and frugally so he could invest in his hobbies. I'll show them all the photos I have of him, and I hope they make note of his signature mustache and how it suited him so well. They'll learn about his resourcefulness when it came to using what he had to create something he needed. I'll tell them about his talents in building and fixing. They'll know that he was a great friend, an attentive father, and a man loved by many. They'll eventually hear about his bravery and perseverance when it came to fighting for his life, and how he worked tirelessly to protect his family from pain and worry.</div>
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His memory is vivid, his legacy lives on in me, and miss him everyday. I cherish all of the physical mementos I have to keep his memory alive. One thing I wish I had, though, were photos from his funeral. My advice to anyone reading this is to take photos at the funerals of people you love (maybe not of the casket, but of the people who came to pay their respects, the decorations and flowers, etc.); it seems strange and perhaps a little insensitive, but trust me, you'll wish you had them down the line. I remember thinking about taking photos back then, but it seemed weird to me. I wondered why I would want to remember such a painful time in my life. But I have beautiful memories of my dad's visitations and funeral, and I wish I had something visual to commemorate the memorable send-off we created for my father. You can never have too many photos.</div>
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Rest in peace, my Superman. I love you. I would give anything to hug you. And I hope I make you proud.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OyEE4zQt3_vETHUOG-WfWtSYsjM6CngGgRn-lFI0ZdJmeOKW_p8wkKp902XBtXeX2IsGc3FN-ng-SLHkKjjgNfFJdA5usM2QE8H-hLLCD3sga7ERHagbjijG5kXgPBffIdYU9GPqdZ5N/s1600/IMG_7548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OyEE4zQt3_vETHUOG-WfWtSYsjM6CngGgRn-lFI0ZdJmeOKW_p8wkKp902XBtXeX2IsGc3FN-ng-SLHkKjjgNfFJdA5usM2QE8H-hLLCD3sga7ERHagbjijG5kXgPBffIdYU9GPqdZ5N/s640/IMG_7548.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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More stories about my dad:</div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/01/missing-my-superman.html" target="_blank">Missing my Superman</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/11/memories-of-superman.html" target="_blank">Memories of a Superman</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-26880008294135823432017-01-11T15:57:00.000-05:002017-01-11T15:57:24.537-05:00Ohio Christmas 2016<div style="text-align: justify;">
My little family headed to Cincinnati, Ohio the week between Christmas and New Year's to celebrate in the heartland with my mom, my sister, and my mom's extended family. I haven't been back to Ohio over the Christmas holiday since 2008; every year since then I've been on vacation with Victor's family (to Portugal in 2009; on cruises 2010-2012) or celebrating at home as a pregnant lady/with Max. My mom's siblings and their families always have a big extended-family Christmas celebration, complete with a fun and thoughtful white elephant gift exchange. Last year's looked like so much fun (the most coveted--and stolen--gift was 3 boxes of delicious sugary cereal, and they played <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/heads-up!/id623592465?mt=8" target="_blank">Ellen's Heads Up game</a>) that I developed some serious FOMO and decided that this year we'd definitely be in attendance.</div>
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Here are some photos and anecdotes from our trip. I lugged my fancy camera out there and then never even used it!!! I had every intention to take it to the family Christmas and then forgot it! So please bear with my iPhone photos!</div>
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I was so excited about their "big bro/little sister" outfits. Unfortunately, this was the best photo I could get of them together.</div>
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Love this beauty! Her moccasins are from <a href="https://sweetnswag.com/product-category/baby-moccasins/" target="_blank">Sweet N Swag</a>. She also has a matching bow headband (not pictured).</div>
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They love spending time with Auntie Holly!</div>
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We headed to <a href="http://www.mysmaleriverfrontpark.org/carousel.htm" target="_blank">Carol Ann's Carousel</a> downtown on Wednesday evening. Max went on his first carousel shortly after he turned 1. He was pretty scared of it then, but I figured he'd come around to it now, at 2.5 years old. I was mistaken, however; he was not a fan of the up-and-down movement of the horse he was on. He only lasted long enough to take this photo before making me get him down.</div>
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We all rode the carousel twice, and then Max and my mom went on it two more times. Max preferred the stationary car over the moving animals.</div>
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I love the <a href="http://www.cincinnati-transit.net/suspension.html" target="_blank">Roebling Suspension Bridge</a>, especially at night. It reminds me of beautiful bridges in London.</div>
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We headed to the Cincinnati Zoo to enjoy the Zoo Lights after the carousel. We didn't last too long as it was windy and started to rain while we were there, but Max sure did love all the colorful lights!</div>
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On Thursday afternoon, we headed to the home of our friends, Becky and Tyler (I went to college with them; go <a href="http://miamioh.edu/" target="_blank">Redhawks!</a>) so Max and their son Ryan could play together and we adults could catch up. The boys are just 3 weeks apart in age and have only seen one another a handful of times, but they get along so well together!</div>
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We left Becky and Tyler's and headed straight to my aunt's house, where my cousin had arranged a private concert of live music, performed by her friends from college, Wes and Aaron of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brothersmithllc/" target="_blank">Brother Smith</a>. We were so excited and thought that Max would be elated to see instruments being played in such an intimate setting, but he surprised us all by being a tad grumpy and not very into the entire experience. Everyone else loved it, though. Those boys were lots of fun and incredibly talented! We enjoyed performances of some of their original songs, as well as some Christmas tunes, James Taylor, and Van Morrison covers, among others!</div>
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I ran home to my mom's to get pajamas for the kids at one point, and I grabbed Max's ukulele that my sister gave him for Christmas, thinking that it would help him come around to the whole thing. It worked a little, especially when Wes gave Max a pick to play with!</div>
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On Friday we did some errand running and lunch eating, and then we headed to my uncle's house for our big family Christmas!</div>
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Here's Louisa at lunch, in a restaurant high chair for the first time.</div>
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Louisa's fancy dress for the party, which was a tad too small for her so she didn't wear it for too long!</div>
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We completed the white elephant gift exchange after dinner and a game of trivia. There were a few steals, but overall it was pretty tame for our family. When we first started the gift exchange years ago, there was a requirement that each gift had to be hand-made, but lately the main rule is that you have to give a gift you would like to receive yourself, a.k.a. no gag-gifts! This year, I gave a coffee-themed gift, complete with a travel mug, a witty coffee mug that said "This coffee is making me awesome!", a bag of Starbucks Christmas blend, and some K-cups. I received a vintage edition of Sorry! with some vintage candy (candy cigarettes, Sugar Babies, Sugar Daddies, etc.). No complaints here!</div>
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After the exchanging of gifts, we took our group photos. Here are the original siblings, minus my Uncle Mike in Florida and my late Uncle Willie.</div>
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Here are the original siblings and their spouses/significant others (and Louisa!)</div>
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The lady-cousins wore Target Christmas pjs to the soiree:<br />
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And this is my favorite photo of my little fam:<br />
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I'm so glad we made the trip out. These memories are what life is all about! Hopefully next time I can remember to preserve these memories on the fancy camera!</div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-83268284722107102952017-01-09T15:37:00.000-05:002017-01-09T15:37:18.138-05:00Christmas 2016<div style="text-align: justify;">
Happy 2017 friends! I hope you all had a joyous holiday season with your loved ones! We had a very memorable Christmas here at our house. It was Louisa's first Christmas, and she truly loved trying to eat all the tissue and wrapping paper she could get her hands on. Max began to understand Santa, and we also began the <strike>dreaded</strike> lovely tradition of The Elf on the Shelf this year. We named him Tito, and he seemed to prefer perching high atop various objects that were far out of Max's reach. Unfortunately, despite Max's knowledge about how "earning" gifts works, he frequently told us "No Santa Claus! Me bad Max!" whenever he didn't like us correcting his behavior. Here's hoping next year goes a little smoother!</div>
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On Christmas Eve, we gathered at my in-laws' house for a nice dinner with Victor's immediate family, our sister-in-law's family, and some close friends. We ate, drank, danced, and enjoyed a white elephant gift exchange. Here are some photos from Christmas Eve.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't "plan" to match. I planned on wearing this dress, and before I got dressed, Victor said he was thinking about wearing that sweater. So we just went with it lol.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSKADcnPuRHR0HdfWGkQe8ZNyhpxKm0f8owhyphenhyphenMCSrhyphenhyphenxzLe_Sz4UgBhtRjDL9Gco6dv96DDNJubb3C3jWD0ptvg0AJBQ3kxAHmoDR7Fi25ndeQCfvXwUOLuEZUCgb293mINB2F7heiek/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSKADcnPuRHR0HdfWGkQe8ZNyhpxKm0f8owhyphenhyphenMCSrhyphenhyphenxzLe_Sz4UgBhtRjDL9Gco6dv96DDNJubb3C3jWD0ptvg0AJBQ3kxAHmoDR7Fi25ndeQCfvXwUOLuEZUCgb293mINB2F7heiek/s640/IMG_2545.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJgyJuGwP3IjBw4IAoRj73q4u2CBtvP023yYEYlb9fDGb56h6jCmxkch4_lsTCayOmI-ZnWSKnbWLBRT3uUBP5iLsFnrhgwV42zwvS7_5JfHAW4YSqD3ncL-Z4RQUQwvV8d_qUSrCNQA/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJgyJuGwP3IjBw4IAoRj73q4u2CBtvP023yYEYlb9fDGb56h6jCmxkch4_lsTCayOmI-ZnWSKnbWLBRT3uUBP5iLsFnrhgwV42zwvS7_5JfHAW4YSqD3ncL-Z4RQUQwvV8d_qUSrCNQA/s640/IMG_2546.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max loves Natalie!</td></tr>
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On Christmas morning, Max woke us up bright and early at 7 AM, so we headed downstairs to open presents. He was so excited to see that Santa came, and we opened the gifts from the Big Guy first.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfOLjpWgESLfMEoqrvpQ-EwEPZWCs5UaGNhTQlqPiYjz64LyVPWtS7_INo9WbHESfLvKAA5WYuClzEfq78j6gKO6Yxg3QZlCvB40c13t8MaosNOLnnNkeAZIb3aBW8BjS5znBwV-x_qg/s1600/IMG_2575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfOLjpWgESLfMEoqrvpQ-EwEPZWCs5UaGNhTQlqPiYjz64LyVPWtS7_INo9WbHESfLvKAA5WYuClzEfq78j6gKO6Yxg3QZlCvB40c13t8MaosNOLnnNkeAZIb3aBW8BjS5znBwV-x_qg/s640/IMG_2575.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the best photo I got of Max with his "boo die-fo" (blue dinosaur). He was very consistent with what he wanted from Santa; he said he wanted a blue dinosaur every time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHk3RWHbe71Ril6LYhf_ntlQnE2_wm0ESbgwvHgcgjiW-DWrawqnINjxTU9aNR_HzE1-kfvGFifLYnacxku_C7xlpCNwPHymlCmJ2KPsAqacqnohBYV52yv_A2hibf0ged_a4qsprfb8/s1600/IMG_2584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHk3RWHbe71Ril6LYhf_ntlQnE2_wm0ESbgwvHgcgjiW-DWrawqnINjxTU9aNR_HzE1-kfvGFifLYnacxku_C7xlpCNwPHymlCmJ2KPsAqacqnohBYV52yv_A2hibf0ged_a4qsprfb8/s640/IMG_2584.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siblings playing together with the Christmas haul</td></tr>
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On Christmas day, we went back over to Victor's parents' house for dinner and opened presents with the immediate family there. My mother-in-law got everyone coordinating shirts, so we had to take several photos in our matching ensembles.</div>
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We had such a lovely holiday! Can't wait to share about our Christmas in Ohio later this week!</div>
Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-23360997855019719572016-12-24T09:26:00.000-05:002016-12-24T09:26:22.999-05:00Merry Christmas Eve!<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hope you are surrounded by loved ones on this day before Christmas, cozy and content, prepared to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the arrival of Santa (and most joyously, the departure of your Elf on the Shelf, haha). We have a weekend full of celebrating planned but I wanted to stop by to wish you a very Merry Christmas!</div>
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This week has been chock-full of busy for our family. We've been preparing for this weekend by baking (approximately 14 dozen cookies), shopping (not for Christmas gifts but for random essentials), and wrapping (we've been done Christmas shopping for weeks but I just started wrapping gifts this week!). The crowds around here have been insane all week. Louisa and I were out running errands on Tuesday and Wednesday, and after fighting for parking spaces and waiting in enormous lines, I swore I wouldn't set foot in another store until December 26.</div>
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I can't believe how quickly this weekend snuck up on me! It seemed like I had all the time in the world, and then suddenly I only had 5 days and an endless list of baking, laundry, wrapping, and assembling to do in addition to the regular momming and wife-ing I do on a daily basis. We also had a Christmas gathering with friends and Victor's office Christmas party this week. I became overwhelmed from time to time, but I powered through by following Max's advice. Whenever he senses that I'm getting worked up about something, he looks at me with his big blue eyes and says, "Fwoh doowwwwnn, Mom" (slow down) as he pumps his little hands as if he were pumping brakes. I can't help but giggle and take a minute to re-prioritize.</div>
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Sometimes as moms, we're so busy trying to make everything magical and memorable that we forget to enjoy the season ourselves. I can totally see myself in the future dreading the holiday season due to all the pressure I put on myself to do all the things. I hope to keep things in perspective and really slow down and enjoy these magical occasions with my kids.</div>
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Last night, as we drove home from Victor's office Christmas party, I took a detour to look at Christmas lights with the kids. Max loved shouting out all the colors he saw and was fascinated by the brightly-lit houses. We then snuggled on the couch to watch <i>Santa Claus is Comin' to Town</i> before he and Louisa went to bed. My kitchen still had sprinklings of flour and powdered sugar everywhere, there was a load of laundry to be folded in the dryer, and the remnants of my gift-wrapping marathon from naptime were still all over the family room (I turn into a "shove it in a bag with some tissue paper" gal in the eleventh hour, lol); however, it felt great to truly "fwoh down" and actually watch a movie with my kids. The chores were still waiting for me after the kids went to bed.<br />
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I hope you are able to "fwoh down" this weekend and truly take it all in with the ones you love most. Delight in the magic of the season and be present. All the to-dos will be waiting for you later. Enjoy the moment now.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisa's first Christmas, 2016</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max's first Christmas, 2014</td></tr>
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Merry Christmas!<br />
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-86943078190579631362016-12-15T11:34:00.000-05:002016-12-15T13:43:40.038-05:00thirty two<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday was my 32nd birthday. A few days before, I had to do some fast math to figure out how old I was going to be; my age is not something I keep track of these days, I suppose. I don't dread turning one year older, but I also have never really been one to make a big deal about my birthday. My main desire is to not have it lumped with Christmas, but other than that, I'm pretty low key.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this photo, especially the blurry-ness</td></tr>
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I had a wonderful day yesterday thanks to some of my favorite people. I was awoken at 6:30 AM by my darling Max, and the entire family (with the exception of Louisa) was downstairs before 8 AM. Victor made special French toast for breakfast and surprised me with a hidden bouquet of roses--he sent me on a mission to find a Christmas candle in our butler's bar, and there they were, waiting for me.</div>
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We picked Victor up from work around 11 to go see Santa at the mall. Max was pretty jazzed to see the big guy; from the moment we entered the mall (or "Santa's house," as Max referred to it), he began calling out for him. We walked right up to Santa and plopped the kids on his lap as there was NO LINE (I highly recommend going mid-week during the day)! Max was a little less thrilled about sitting on his lap once we got to him, but he held it together enough to get a nice, non-crying photo. After Santa, we had lunch together in the food court before heading home for naps.</div>
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My in-laws came over for a Mexican dinner celebration last night, and we also enjoyed a yummy festive cake and opened gifts. Victor cleaned up the kitchen while I put kids to bed (he's the best kitchen cleaner), and then I enjoyed nice warm bath with one of my new bath bombs (Victor and the kids got me bath products for my birthday: lavender-scented soaps and salts, a fabulous bath pillow, and an assortment of bath bombs). I finished the night off watching two episodes of Gilmore Girls on the iPad in bed (almost to season 6!). It was a lovely day, made even more special by all the birthday wishes sent via social media and phone/text. I definitely felt the love yesterday, so thank you for thinking of me!</div>
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I decided this year that I would make some goals for myself. Here's what I want to accomplish/work toward in my 32nd year:</div>
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+ <b>Live a healthier lifestyle.</b> I want to nourish my body with healthy foods and exercise. I want to get more sleep (this one might be out of my control for a few more years, but I can try!). I want to be stress-free. I want to have more self-control when it comes to my guilty pleasures. I think all of these will help me be a better version of myself.</div>
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+ <b>Begin a new master's program.</b> I started one back in 2011 but found myself unhappy with the program and classes (all online...bleh). I took what was supposed to be a short break in 2013 and then never started again. My teaching license is expiring next July since I haven't completed enough continuing education credits, so if I ever want to return to teaching (which I'm still on the fence about), I need to go back to school. I'm thinking of something literacy-related, perhaps a reading specialist program, and I know I <i>for sure</i> want to physically go to classes, even if I only take one class at a time. My plan is to research and begin a program by Fall 2017.</div>
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+ <b>Declutter and organize my house.</b> I feel like every time I open a cabinet or closet, I have an instant urge to purge and reorganize. We have accumulated so much STUFF that we don't even know what we have anymore! I love it when everything has a purpose and a place. I love having things contained in baskets or bins. I love having things neat and tidy. But I feel like my house is always a disaster, even if it's only a disaster behind the scenes. Time for order!</div>
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+ <b>Be more present.</b> I feel like I'm easily frustrated (especially with Max) when I'm constantly focused on my to-do list. I want to give myself the freedom to be more present with him and truly enjoy our time together, having adventures and creatively playing and interacting. I know that my frustrations will continue to grow as Louisa gets older and things get busier, so I need to get a handle on this goal ASAP!</div>
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+ <b>Do more with the photos I take.</b> I am pretty good at saving photos to Dropbox regularly, but then they just sit there. I rarely print photos anymore. My frames hold the same photos year after year. We have so many bare walls in our home. I need to put those photos to good use!</div>
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+ <b>Demand more time for myself.</b> I feel like I'm getting lost in motherhood, and while I love my kids and cherish being home with them, I find myself reaching burn-out levels occasionally. I need to force myself to get away from my mommy/wife role, even if it's just one day a month, and just be Rachel again. We moms put ourselves last pretty much every day; once everyone else is taken care of, we can take care of ourselves, and if there's no more time left that day, our needs get pushed back to the next day...and the next day...and the next day. I'm a classic <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201403/nine-signs-you-re-really-introvert" target="_blank">introvert</a> and require alone time to reset and recharge, and when I don't get that, I can be pretty unpleasant. I think everyone around me will benefit from me having more "me" time, but I need to get out of my own way and ask for/schedule it.</div>
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Hopefully sharing these goals with you all will help hold me accountable and make it more likely that I accomplish them!<br />
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Enjoy a trip to birthdays past:</div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2015/12/31.html" target="_blank">31</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/12/30-flirty-and-thriving.html" target="_blank">30</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-30956996604582317682016-12-13T16:16:00.002-05:002016-12-15T11:35:15.259-05:00Louisa | 6 months<div style="text-align: justify;">
On November 19, my baby girl Louisa turned 6 months old. Halfway to one year old. And now in just 6 short days, she'll be 7 months old.</div>
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H O W ? ? ?</div>
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She is changing by the <i>second </i>lately, learning new skills and reaching new milestones faster than I can keep track. She's the sweetest, happiest baby I've ever met, and I love spending every single day with her. </div>
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Since Louisa's and Max's birthdays are only two days (and two years) apart, I find myself comparing her milestone achievements to Max's when he was her age. She's lagging a bit behind him; however, she has to compete for Mommy's attention (something Max never had to do), so she hasn't been able to hone her skills as intensely as big brother could. She just recently started sitting up unassisted for prolonged periods of time; Max had been doing that for a good month by the time he was this age. Max already had two teeth by this age; she has none. She's also not quite ready to pop up on her knees and explore crawling yet, but Max was working on crawling pretty solidly by this age. I'm not worried in the slightest as I know all babies develop at their own pace. I'm also trying to revel in her baby-ness as long as I can; Victor and I go back and forth daily on our opinion about whether we should have one more baby or stop at two. Since she could be my last, I don't want to wish the time away. Plus, the longer we can keep her contained to one area, the better for my sanity!</div>
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Here are some sweet little tid-bits about my Louisa Maria at 6 months old:</div>
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+ Stats: <b>Weight </b>| 18 lbs, 14 oz | 91st percentile <b>Height </b>| 26.5 inches | 72nd percentile <b>Head circumference</b> | 17 inches | 67th percentile</div>
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+ She has what I like to call "rose gold" hair and blue-gray eyes.<br />
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+ She's quickly growing out of her 6 month clothes and wears a lot of 9-12 month sizes. She's also in size 3 diapers.</div>
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+ She's sleeping fairly well. She goes to bed around 8:30 most nights and will sleep until around 8 AM (give or take) the next morning. She normally wakes once at around 3 AM to nurse. I'm toying with her wake times during the day to see what gives her the best naps. This week, her first two naps were 30 minutes long most days and her 3rd nap (which is supposed to be a "catnap") lasts for 1-2 hours.</div>
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+ I still put her to sleep on her back, but she's turning into more of a side/tummy sleeper.</div>
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+ She loves bathtime, and I'm personally looking forward to her and Max bathing together (two birds, one stone, people). Probably in the next month she'll be sitting up well enough to enjoy a big girl bath!</div>
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+ We started offering her solids at around 5.5 months. She wasn't interested and basically cried/fussed the whole time she was in the high chair to eat. I gave her the week of Thanksgiving off and tried again the past couple of weeks. She still didn't care for them until late last week when a switch seemed to go off. All of a sudden, she loves it all and I can't get the spoon in her mouth fast enough! So far she's tried rice cereal, apples, sweet potatoes, peas, and carrots. I'm doing a mixture of homemade foods and store-bought baby food.</div>
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+ She is not interested in taking a bottle anymore, likely because she's out of practice. She was taking them occasionally over the summer and then we never really needed to offer her one once fall hit. Victor and I went Christmas shopping a couple weekends ago and left the kids with Victor's parents for about 6 hours and Louisa refused to take a bottle the entire time! She wasn't too fussy though and just chowed down on the boob once I returned!</div>
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+ She completed her first Kindermusik session this fall. She enjoyed it, but I don't think it really "spoke" to her as much as it did to Max. She really loved the movement/bouncing activities and would crack up whenever we'd do them.</div>
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+ She's the happiest kid around. Seriously. She only cries or fusses if something is really bothering her or if she's bored.</div>
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+ She regularly rolls from both belly to back and back to belly. She's getting close to rolling all around the room!</div>
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+ She's sitting unassisted for extended periods of time now, but she still tips over if she tries to look at something behind her or up high.</div>
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+ She used to like to sing/babble herself to sleep, but now she just gets down to business and goes to sleep fairly quickly on her own.</div>
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+ She thinks her <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/12/max-two-and-half-years.html" target="_blank">big brother</a> is the coolest guy ever. He doesn't have to do much to get her to smile or laugh.</div>
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+ She's been "teething" for months now with nothing to show for it. She's constantly got her fingers in her mouth to relieve some pressure in her gums, but she's not overly fussy about it.</div>
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+ She's becoming much more interested in playing with toys and will reach out to grab something she wants.</div>
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+ The girl can poop! Several times a day! And about 3 days a week, she poops out of at least one outfit. So much stain treatment going on here (see <a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/09/diy-stain-remover.html" target="_blank">this post</a> for a great DIY stain remover. I swear by it!)</div>
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+ She loves to watch Instastories with me and will frequently smile/laugh at what she sees.</div>
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+ Lately, every time I wipe her face, she sticks her tongue out to lick the washcloth.</div>
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I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, lovelier baby girl! I wish she could stay little forever, but I'm so looking forward to watching her grow up!</div>
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Read more about Louisa here:</div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/10/louisa-maria-four-month-update.html" target="_blank">Four month update</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/08/louisas-birth-story.html" target="_blank">Louisa's birth story</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/06/our-new-family-of-four.html" target="_blank">Welcome Louisa!</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-36303409633384369652016-12-08T14:09:00.000-05:002016-12-15T11:36:13.385-05:00Max | Two and a half years<div style="text-align: justify;">
On November 17, Max officially became two and a half years old. I feel like I've been telling people he's "almost two and a half" for months now, and suddenly here we are. He's now closer to three years old than he is to two. I can't even believe I nearly have a three-nager on my hands!<br />
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These past two and a half years have been such a joy with Max. He made me a mama, and I can't even remember what life was like before him (I <i>do</i> vaguely remember sleeping in more...). Never could I have imagined that he'd turn out to be who he is today, and I'm so excited to see how his personality continues to develop as the years go by. Victor said to me the other day that it's crazy to think that in less than 16 years, we'll be sending him off to college, into the world without us. I know those 16 years are going to fly by because I swear he was just born and then I blinked and now he's almost 3.<br />
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Every day is an adventure with my Maximiliano Phillip, and it's the wildest ride I've ever experienced. He can melt my heart and make me want to rip my hair out in the same minute. And I wouldn't want it any other way.<br />
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Here's what I want to remember about my boy as a big two-and-a-half year old:<br />
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+ Stats: <b>Weight </b>| 35.2 lbs | 93rd percentile <b>Height </b>| 37.75 inches | 84th percentile <b>Head</b> | enormous<br />
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+ He's moving into size 3T in clothes and wears an 8/9 size shoe. His shoes look huge now. When did his feet get huge?<br />
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+ He's the very best big brother to little Louisa. He loves making her happy and is so proud of himself whenever he makes her smile or laugh. He doesn't hesitate to retrieve her toys and frequently gives her hugs and kisses. Occasionally his mischievous side will come out and he'll give her an eye poke or a foot bite (no lie...over Thanksgiving I was holding the baby and he walked up and bit her on her foot!), but more often than not, he's being sweet, loving, and doting on his precious baby sister.<br />
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+ He's so musical. I took him to Kindermusik classes as a baby and it really resonated with him. He's got quite a collection of instruments ranging from bell rattles to a kids' keyboard and drum set. If he's watching a show and the characters start playing instruments, he runs to find his and joins in. He also frequently asks me if his cousins Courtney and Lauren can come over to play instruments with him. Victor and I will continue to encourage his musical curiosity and see where it leads.<br />
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+ He's hilarious. Even when he's not meaning to be funny. And he loves to laugh. I could listen to his giggle for hours.<br />
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+ He's loud. Always. It's only quiet in this house when he's sleeping.<br />
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+ He has a great memory. He remembers obscure places where he hides things and how he burned his finger on dad's grill last summer.<br />
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+ His favorite song is "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. We have the Michael Jackson Experience game for PlayStation and I put it on for him to "learn" the dance. Now he repeats some of the moves and says he's the "blue guy" whenever we dance to it. He's also learning more words and chimes in every time he listens to the song. I'm convinced it's going to be his go-to karaoke song choice when he gets older, and I will have plenty video footage of him singing and dancing to it as a toddler to embarrass him. I hope he always calls it "beat it fong."<br />
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+ He's still a picky eater. There was a time, back between ages 12 months and about 16 months, where he would eat pretty much anything we put in front of him. Then suddenly a switch flipped and he began refusing some of his favorite meals. I don't think I've gotten him to eat salmon in a year, and he used to mow it down! I recently read an article in Parents Magazine's November 2016 issue about methods to double the number of foods your child likes. It's a pretty fascinating concept called "food chaining" and I'm going to attempt it! See the main points from the article <a href="http://www.parents.com/kids/nutrition/picky-eaters/double-the-number-of-foods-your-kid-likes/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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+ He's great at making messes (his method of finding something is throwing everything that's <i>not</i> the thing he's looking for on the floor until he finds it), but he's also great at cleaning up. Sometimes he'll clean up without being asked and other times he needs to be reminded, but he seems to like things being in their place.<br />
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+ He's very strong-willed and stubborn. This is very challenging at times since it's nearly impossible to reason with a toddler, but he's helping me become more patient.<br />
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+ He's recently become very imaginative when he plays. He calls action figures "guys" and he plays with them ALL THE TIME. He has them walk along Louisa's exersaucer and rappel from our counter stools. He has them talk to one another, saying things like, "Hey dude! Let's go to the beach!" (in Max-speak, of course). He calls for them when he can't find them as if they'll call out in response, "Batman, where are you?!" He's all boy and loves superheroes and vehicles. He is also into dressing up and becomes Spiderman or Pirate Jake frequently.<br />
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+ He's fiercely independent but also asks for help when he can't quite manage to do something himself.<br />
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+ He says "Excuse me" after he burps, coughs, or sneezes. He also says "please" and "thank you," but he needs more prompting to use those more regularly.<br />
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+ His motor skills haven't caught up to his language skills yet, so he has some pretty interesting ways of saying different phrases. My favorites are "Me nyah voo" (I love you), "key tee" (Christmas tree), and "baby wee-ah" (baby Louisa). He can produce very elaborate sentences and rarely stops talking, but unless you know his "code," you might not be able to understand him.<br />
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+ He's starting to understand that commercials show you cool things to buy, so now when he sees a neat toy he likes, he says, "Mom, buy dee me." (Mom, buy this for me). Lord help us.<br />
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+ He completed his first "soccer class" through Soccer Shots this fall, and he was a rock star! He did so great taking direction from "Co Key" (Coach Kurt) and was a star student at a majority of his classes. He looked forward to Soccer Saturdays every week.<br />
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+ He knows where the various Starbucks locations are near us and will request a "pink pop" as soon as he realizes that we're going to get mama a coffee. He even walks up to the baristas and <strike>says</strike> shouts, "Me nyee pink pop pee!" (I need a pink pop please!).<br />
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+ He pushes/drags stools/chairs everywhere to reach things on his own, even when he's not supposed to have it. The sound of the dragging drives me bonkers!<br />
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+ He loves to help. He will put away groceries with me. He loves to help bake. We had an electrician come by last week (he was here a lot after we first moved in to get our speakers/security systems running correctly so Max knows him) to fix an internet wire, and when Max saw his tool box, he ran to his play room and got his toy tape measure and screw driver and sat down right next to him. It was hilariously adorable.<br />
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+ He still takes naps as long as he's home in his own bed, but we are considering eliminating them in favor of him falling asleep easily and sleeping through the night. On days he naps, he takes forever to fall asleep at bedtime and wakes at least once overnight. The opposite occurs when he misses his nap. This is a week of experimentation, and next week we might start forgoing naps. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Any tips/words of encouragement from veteran nap-eliminators are appreciated!<br />
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+ He loves playing with friends and family and is always sad when his favorite people leave, declaring that he "nyahs" (loves) the people who are departing. It's so sweet.<br />
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+ He keeps asking about "pee fool" (preschool) and knows that when he's 3, he'll get to go to school and make more friends.<br />
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+ He wants nothing to do with potty training. He prefers peeing in the tub.<br />
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+ He can identify numbers 1-10, most colors, and some letters. He also knows that "Max" starts with "Emmmmmmmmm."<br />
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+ His favorite colors are blue, green, and white.<br />
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+ He loves watching Bubble Guppies, Curious George, Team Umizoomi, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Wallykazam.<br />
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+His favorite toys are his "guys," cars, and his panda bear stuffed animal from Ikea.<br />
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+ His favorite food is bananas. He requests them all day long and will eat two in one sitting. He's also recently had his first smoothie (on his 2.5 year birthday, actually. Not sure why I waited so long to introduce him to them) and he requests them almost daily.<br />
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+ His current favorite books (the ones we read everyday at naptime and bedtime) are The Lion King and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pigeon-Needs-Bath-Mo-Willems/dp/1423190874" target="_blank">The Pigeon Needs a Bath</a>.<br />
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This boy has my heart. I'm so incredibly lucky to be his mama!<br />
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Read more about Max here:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2016/03/room-tour-maxs-big-boy-room.html" target="_blank">Max's Big Boy Room Tour</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2015/11/things-i-want-to-remember-about-my-18.html" target="_blank">Max | 18 months old</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-max-factor.html" target="_blank">The Max Factor</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2015/05/max-turns-one-monster-party.html" target="_blank">Max Turns One | A Monster Party</a></div>
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<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/12/7-months-young.html" target="_blank">Max | 7 months</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://littlebluesailboat.blogspot.com/2014/11/maxs-birth-story.html" target="_blank">Max's birth story</a></div>
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899056902324715844.post-38595416070740700502016-12-06T16:34:00.000-05:002016-12-06T16:34:57.012-05:00Almond-Crusted Tilapia and Roasted Sheet Pan Veggies<div style="text-align: justify;">
We used to eat poultry as our dinner protein a majority of the week until this summer. Now we try follow a more vegetarian/pescatarian diet, and I'm having lots of fun finding fun seafood recipes to try and add to my recipe book. I'm not a huge fan of plain tilapia since I think it's a pretty bland fish, so I'm always on the hunt for recipes that give it a little extra oomph.<br />
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I'm so glad I came across this recipe in my <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipes/17235/everyday-cooking/allrecipes-magazine-recipes/" target="_blank">All Recipes magazine</a>! I love almonds, so this was an added bonus for this recipe. It's fairly simple to throw together with the help of a blender or food processor, and thanks to the almonds, the leftovers are still crispy/crunchy the next day unlike many other "breaded" fish and poultry I've tried.<br />
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I have never made enough of this to serve 8 people, so I've simply reduced the ingredients a bit based on how many people I'm serving.<br />
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Additionally, I'm finding myself making roasted veggies as a side a lot in the fall and winter months, so I thought I'd share my go-to recipe for that, as well. It goes well with pretty much anything and is so easy to do. I am always sure to have potatoes, carrots, and broccoli on hand just in case I get a hankerin' for roasted veggie deliciousness. The leftovers are also scrumptious!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Almond Crusted Tilapia</span></b></div>
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Serves 8</div>
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<i>What you'll need:</i></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>3 tablespoons butter, softened</li>
<li>1/3 cup flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon lemon pepper <i>*I did 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then squeezed fresh lemon juice on the fillets once they were coated</i></li>
<li>1 teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1 1/4 cups finely ground almonds with skins</li>
<li>1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>8 6-oz. tilapia fillets <i>*I used frozen tilapia loins from Costco (thawed before cooking, of course)</i></li>
</ul>
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<i>What you'll do:</i></div>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread butter over bottom of a 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet (add a layer of foil for easier clean up!)</li>
<li>Stir together flour, spices, and salt in a shallow bowl or pie plate.</li>
<li>Whisk eggs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate until combined.</li>
<li>Combine ground almonds and cheese in separate shallow bowl or pie plate.</li>
<li>Dredge each fillet in flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Finally, dredge each fillet in almond mixture, coating both sides, and transfer to prepared baking sheet.</li>
<li>Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.</li>
</ol>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Roasted Sheet Pan Veggies</span></b></div>
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<i>What you'll need:</i></div>
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<ul>
<li>An assortment of your favorite roasting vegetables: carrots, red potatoes, onions, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. (my faves are carrots, potatoes, and broccoli)</li>
<li>Olive oil</li>
<li>sea salt</li>
<li>fresh ground pepper</li>
</ul>
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<i>What you'll do:</i></div>
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<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees.</li>
<li>Line a cookie sheet with foil, then drizzle olive oil on top.</li>
<li>Wash, peel (when necessary), and chop your veggies. Carrots should be in slightly uniform chunks (unless you're using baby carrots), broccoli or cauliflower in florets, potatoes and squash in uniform chunks.</li>
<li>Arrange veggies in single layer on cookie sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Toss slightly to coat.</li>
<li>Roast for 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce the veggies with a fork and they feel soft. <i>*If you're making this to accompany the tilapia above, you can put them in the same oven at 450, just keep an eye on them...they'll probably only need 10-12 minutes.</i></li>
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This is SO good, y'all! Enjoy!<br />
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Rachel Nicole | littlebluesailboat.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395907136864228717noreply@blogger.com1