Dress: Old Navy {use a discount code and it's under $10!}// Necklace: Similar or Similar So I have this "postpartum bucket list" that I made when I was very pregnant last summer and was lamenting all the things I couldn't or probably shouldn't do during my third trimester of pregnancy. This list includes a few things that I haven't accomplished yet, such as stand up paddle boarding and riding the roller coaster at Mission Beach {but I'm headed to San Diego in September, so watch out!}, and a number of things I have accomplished, such as devouring a turkey wrap from Jason's Deli, drinking a glass of Pinot Grigio, and going to a trampoline venue, where I basically looked like this... Last week I checked yet another item off my list, which was really more of a life goal, but somehow became a post-baby-having event. And it was this... going Gwen-Stefani-in-your-face platinum blonde. I've been building up to it for the past year now, adding more and more highlights in lighter shades, but I went in last week and basically said "Okay, enough of this gradual stuff. Let's do this thang!" and proceed to have my head doused in peroxide and toner for the next six hours of my life. Why my hair always takes twice as long as anyone else in the salon I will never know. Thankfully, I expected it and ate a cheeseburger on the way there... The first few days were a bit alarming and every time I looked in the mirror I felt like straw was growing out of my head {which is probably what my hair is turning into after all that processing}. I started considering adding lowlights back in almost right away, but now that I've had a few days to experience life as Gwen Stefani, the platinum is starting to grow on me. I think I'll rock it for a while... Dress: Old Navy {use a discount code and it's under $10!}// Necklace: Similar or Similar |Linking up with The Pleated Poppy| ... Read more
Nine Months
Growing // 23 pounds, 7 ounces. I thought she was slowing down... but it turns out she's not really. She's also 30.5 inches and her head has outgrown every hat she owns, including the 12-24 month sun hat I just bought her a month ago. She's off the charts in every category and most people think she's about 15 months and a late walker when they first meet her. #toddlerbaby Eating + sleeping // This past month has been life changing! Zianne is down to four milk feedings a day, takes two consistent naps for 1-2 hours each, and goes to bed between 8-8:30. This is the first time since she was born that I can say we are on a fairly consistent schedule instead of just a cycle or routine. Zianne nurses at roughly 8, 12, 4, and 8 each day and it's glorious! It was getting so hard to cram her fifth feeding and her catnap into the early evening hours, so I'm happy we are past that stage. Z also eats solids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and can chew and swallow so much better now. She loves sweet potato fries, puffs, applesauce, yogurt, and any meat we've given her {she's clearly a carnivore like her parents}. Wearing // I am now learning what other parents feel like when a child's clothes start to get worn out and shabby and you debate if you should buy a few new ones before they move onto the next size. Z has been holding steady in mostly 18 month clothes for quite awhile now and her onesies have seen better days. In all her other sizes I only needed one of those coordinating six packs of onesies because she flew through every size so quickly, but her 18 month onesies are looking rough. We lost one to a prune-induced blowout, another one is starting to break around the snaps, and all the others are gathering stains and looking old. I might bust out some of her 24 month onesies this week to see if we can start transitioning out of her raggedy ones without buying any more 18 month clothes. Doing // Zianne is still not a crawler and shows no real interest in learning. Now that she's hit 9 months, we are trying to train her a bit by putting her down on her hands and knees, moving toys just out of her reach, and even teaching her to rock her weight back and forth. However, she's not really into it, and would much rather sit and play or roll around. In all other areas though, she is developing rapidly. I can tell her brain is processing so much more and she's making so many connections. She'll watch our hands, mouths, and our actions so intently and start to imitate us. She now claps, high fives, points, says "so big" by reaching her hands over her head, and I think she's starting to sign "all done." She has also learned to turn the pages of her books as I read to her. Loving // People, dogs, animal sounds, swimming, drinking out of a straw, watching other babies and toddlers in Instagram videos {so keep 'em coming moms!} Loathing // Same old things.... hot car seats and getting her face wiped. Z is also fine with us leaving her with other caretakers {gym childcare, church nursery, etc.} but now when we come back to pick her up, she starts crying as soon as she sees us as if her past hour was horrible, even if she was playing happily before she made eye contact with us. It's like reverse separation anxiety. Daddy's girl // Zianne and Dad have been spending more and more time together. He's taken her to almost all her swim lessons for the past month, as I've been busy with baby showers and school work. Micah has also started putting her up on his shoulders when they walk around together, which she obviously loves! Mishaps and milestones // This whole month has felt like one beautiful milestone with the whole dropping-a-feeding-and-the-third-nap! I welcome a more consistent schedule! See Zianne's other monthly updates here: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 ... Read more
Fourth of July Flag Cake
I make this little gem of a cake almost every Independence Day and it's always a hit! I know these flag cakes are all over the Internet, but let me tell you why this one is better. Instead of doing an actual white cake, the bottom of this one is a delicious sugar cookie/shortbread concoction. And the frosting is not too sweet and not too cream cheese-y. You will LOVE it! What you need {for the cake}: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 5 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda What you do: 1. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. 2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 3. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. 4. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture and then slowly add the dry ingredients. 5. Press into a greased 13 x 18 inch pan and bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 6. Cool and frost {see directions below}. What you need {for the frosting}: 1/2 cup butter at room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar 4 oz. cream cheese 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla A drop of milk for consistency {if needed} *You can add a full bar (8oz.) of cream cheese if you like a more cheesy taste. I do not, so I only use half a package. What you do: 1. Beat butter and cream cheese until well blended 2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. 3. Add a tiny bit of milk or a little more powdered sugar if needed for consistency. 4. Spread frosting over cake {once the it has cooled!} 5. Add blueberries, strawberries, or any other red or blue fruit to create a flag design. ENJOY! ... Read more
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