Cute photo dump.

Our little man is four months old now, and we're just so in love.

Oh to have a laundry room...

I'm swooning over this photo from the The Container Store.

Between normal daily life with baby and cloth diapering, we're doing a whole lot of laundry around here. It would be so nice to have a pretty room to do it in instead of a very dingy and dark basement.

I am counting my blessings that we even have a laundry machine and dryer though. We didn't have our own until last year. So that's nice. Baby steps I guess.

Start of my 25th birthday wishlist.

I'm starting a list of things I want for my birthday in a month. This is not a plea for gifts, it's just a catalog of some lovely things I happen to long for. And serves as a list for Rudy in case he needs any ideas (hint, hint).

This pretty mug can be found here from BlueQ.

Related note: One of my goals for the year is to use less/no disposable cups. Thanks to my lovely sister, I have a klean kanteen for my water and tea. I would like to keep that one coffee and milk free, so a designated coffee mug would be great!

Because I'm a mom now.

Let's talk about diaper bags, shall we? I never thought I wanted or needed one. For the last four months, my large purse has been taken over by all things baby. It's getting increasingly hard to find my wallet in "the abyss" as Rudy calls it. So I cracked. I bought one. But I had to do my thorough research first...

Or just find the cutest sack that would pass as a diaper bag and call it a day, which is what really happened.

I bought this one:

It is cute, zips closed, has lots of space and wipes clean with a damp cloth. Bonus, it's made from recycled plastic so I'm saving the earth also. Yay me.
I got it online at House8810.
It was also the cheapest ($15) of the options. Yay me again!

I could have gone for something sensible with loads of pockets like the Skip*Hop above, but not only is it the most expensive ($58), it's just not so fun.

I did think about getting one of Skip*Hop's Zoo Packs to use as a diaper bag. The idea was that Noah could use it as his little back pack once he got older, but I decided against it. While they are cute, I just don't know if I wanted something that cutesy.

Do you have, or are you planning on having a diaper bag for your babies? Did you go for conventional or fun?

Thoughts on parenting.

I want to start out this post by saying that I didn't sleep very much last night. Noah will be four months old in three days (!) and is still waking very regularly throughout the night. On good nights it's maybe twice. On nights like last night, however, it's five. Each time requiring swinging and bouncing that conjure up images from bad 80's workout videos.

Before Noah was born I read the book The Happiest Baby on the Block. The advice in the book has proved to be very helpful, especially the swaddling and white noise. Unfortunately though, my little man has gotten used to being rocked to sleep, only while the person doing the rocking is standing...and it's getting tiring. My body hurts and so does Rudy's. It's time for a change.

As with everything in parenting so far, (and with our home-birth), I've found that it's all about taking in as much information as you can and then picking and choosing what works for you and your baby. I can't subscribe whole heartedly one person's method of parenting as much as I couldn't choose just one "Birthing Style". I'm sure that even if I do get down my own method of parenting with Noah, it will be completely out the window with our next child. So when I mention the names of books or parenting styles, which may have some up in arms, just know that I'm not endorsing one way or another but rather trying to find the right fit for us in this moment.

When Noah was tiny and new, attachment parenting was very right for us. I picked him up when he cried and nursed on demand. He has thrived in this environment. He is in the 90th percentile with weight gain and has remained very healthy. The problem is that I really don't know how often I should be feeding him, and furthermore how much time spent entertaining himself is appropriate. I surely don't think that he needs to eat every two hours throughout the night, but feed him I do! Foolish mommy, I say to myself, foolish! But when it's three in the morning and you share walls with two neighbors, (who probably hate us by now), you'll do anything to keep that baby quiet and sleeping.

..Insert need for schedule here..

When Noah was born, my aunt gave me the book My First 300 Babies. This short text is all about putting your baby on a strict schedule from the start, including wake times spent alone even if baby is crying. Now this goes against all of my gut feelings, but Ms. Hendrick does have a point in saying that this is the only aerobic exercise that a baby will have, and thus will improve sleeping habits. I don't think, however, that I could endure hearing Noah's cries for 30 min, let alone an hour and a half. I do think that with or without "alone time", implementing a daily schedule would really help our whole situation, and now that Noah is older and better at entertaining himself happily it makes complete sense. See? Best of both worlds. Or that's what we hope for.

In conclusion, today I tried letting Noah cry in his crib for five minutes before his usual nap time. And man was he wailing. After those gut wrenching minutes, I picked him up and quietly walked around the room, minus the bouncing etc. He continued to cry for a couple more minutes, even though I was cuddling him close. I really can't feel badly when I'm nurturing my baby and he continues to cry. I used to go into a frantic state to get him to be quiet, but I don't think this does either of us any good. After just a few moments of screaming in my arms, he quieted down, and just before he drifted off to sleep I put him down again in his crib. Do you know what happened? He went to sleep. On his own. And has been asleep for two hours.

Thank. You. Lord.

I'm so tired...and hair inspiration.

{Hair, lipstick and nail color. I love it all}

Noah just fell asleep. It's 10 pm EST. I'm exhausted, but I also feel like I need to do a little something for me before I crash. So I'm stopping by here and saying hi. A drowsy, end of the day yawning hi.

Anyhow, I know that this picture is from an ad for an iPhone cover, but I love the model's hair. I've been thinking about going blonde again. I was always a toe head growing up, and now that I've grown out my natural color, (first time since I was 16), and it's right in between...not dark, not light...I'm longing for either one. And since I haven't gone light in over 6 years, I think I may go that route.

I know this is a lot of rambling about my hair color. But I'm tired, and a new mom who finally feels like she has enough time to think about these trivial things. Plus they're fun to think about. After washing diapers and taking care of business all day, a little vanity is a nice escape.

Also! My New Year's resolutions are:
Nail Polish
Lipstick
& Giving great birthday presents.

Because why not. 2011, I'm ready for you.

Two cute things.

A bear I made for our friend's baby, Max.

Noah and his Uncle Cody.

Babies Galore!

{Ashley & Finley, Noah & I, Margi & Jessi, Jenny & Corbin}

I have three best friends. The four of us have been friends since elementary school. Three of the four of us got married within days of each other back in 2007. Then last year we found out that Jenny was pregnant. We were all so excited to be aunties to Jen and Jordan's sweet baby. Little did we know what God had in the works! A few weeks later Ashley called me to tell me that she and Dan had a bun in the oven also! After hearing this news, I called Jessi, we squealed and that was that.

Well, not really. Just weeks after that phone call, Rudy and I found out we would be welcoming a new person into our family too! I couldn't believe that all three of us were pregnant at the same time.

Now, Jenny's boy Corbin, is 5 months old, Ashley's girl, Finley, is 4 months and Noah is 3 months. While we were in California, Jessi's mom Margi invited all of us, our babies and our husbands over for dinner. Here are a couple of pictures from the night. I love the top one with Jessi, Margi's baby, sitting on her lap.

{Jessi with Finley in the bangin hat she bought her}

I miss you girls like crazy. There is nothing like the friendship of someone who has known you for most of your life.

Christmas 2010

Here are some pictures of our California Christmas. Rudy, Noah and I ended up being the stripes triplets...as always.

The boys at my dad's house.

My step-mom's parents, Sue and Bob, with Noah.

My mom, Grandma Cici, with a beautiful piece she did for Noah's room. I can tell he likes it!

I miss my sister, Maya, so much!

California 2010

As I said earlier, Rudy, Noah and I were in California for three weeks over Christmas break. The day we left Columbus, it was 12 degrees out. The first weekend we spent in San Diego it was in the 80's. The warm weather really reset my spirits. I told Rudy that we will have to go back home for Christmas every year now, (we didn't go back last year).

It was amazing being around so much family again. It makes my heart hurt to have Noah so far away from his grandparents and aunts and uncles. On the other hand, it's nice to know that he has so much love here in Columbus too. I just miss my parents and sisters and brothers so much. Not to mention my good friends also.

The third day we were there, Noah and I went to the beach with two of my best friends who also have babies. The picture above is of my little guy's first time on the sand. It was a perfect day filled with picnic lunches, warm weather and conversations that you only have with people you've known (almost) your whole life.

I thought that after three weeks we'd really be ready to get back home to Ohio. I was really torn on our last day though. It was hard to think of jumping back into what our life has become, as great as it is. The day we got back into Columbus, I had a bit of a breakdown. For three weeks I was never alone and without help; Rudy didn't have to slave over homework and there was always a grandparent's arms to pass the baby to if I wanted to take a shower. I wish that vacations could last forever!

Even though I didn't want to come back, this first week home has actually gone very well. I'm so grateful for all of the friends we have in Columbus. We have such an amazing group of friends and family here that I know I'm never really alone or without help. I thank God for that. I know that He has us here for a reason, and that when it comes down to it, even if there weren't friends and family around, I'm never all by myself in this.

Disco balls like it's 2011.

{First seen here}

I just have to say that I'm in love with the disco balls in the corner of the room.

And the color on the walls.

Tree Project.

I just came across this simple little project on The Violet Hours. I can't wait to have fun making little worlds with Noah, so I'm bookmarking it for the future. Not only is it a great kid's activity, it would also make a wonderful centerpiece for a table. Done, and done.

See more here.