I have a list of personal goals I'd like to achieve before the end of the summer, but I also have a list of "me time" goals that I'd like to accomplish before the end of the summer.
I am hoping that if I put an end date to it then maybe I'll actually do it.
But if it's anything like how my exercise and diets go....
well, let's just say I don't have the best track record.
I've never {a whole 7.5 months} been one of those moms who needs to work in order to feel independent, good about themselves or any other personal reasons {other than money}, that people go back to work for. A majority of those feelings, I am sure, have to do with the fact that I have always been a nanny or worked with kids. In a way, this is all I know. It's all I've ever wanted and I am truly doing my dream job every day. {Thank you, Lord and Mr. B!} In saying that, I do think it is still important to have hobbies. To have something outside of being mommy and wife that make you feel good. For me that is DIY stuff and I'd really like to get back into it! I also enjoy taking/editing pictures and I do make time that, but I'd also like to start some other projects.
So my list that I'd like to accomplish before the summer ends:
::Learn how to use my camera::
I have a few tutorials pinned and bookmarked.
I know my camera can do so much more than what I do with it, so I'd really like to figure that out and learn how to take good pictures in manual mode.
:: Refinish the island::
We put our old little kitchen island in Adalyn's room and I planned on refinishing it to match. I'd like to start and finish that.
::Cover the living room pillows to add more color::
::Finish the kitchen curtains::
::Re-do/organize sewing room::
I was so excited to have a sewing room in our new place and I have yet to really use it. It kills me! I've only done the kitchen curtains in there and I didn't even finish that project! Everything was just put in there when we moved and I'd like to organize/make it fun and use it!!
::I'd really love to get Adalyn's monthly books completed started or at the very least her birth!::
:: Make at least 5 new meals and 5 new projects that I've pinned!::
I am not sure where this is from, but I saw it on Pinterest one day.
On Sunday when I went to pick up Adalyn from the nursery I had a moment.
The kind that you can so vividly picture in your mind.
The kind you don't want to forget.
The kind that changes your view on things.
Because Adalyn is Little Miss Restless, she is now an official member of Noah's Ark Nursery at church.
I am still trying to focus on the sermon instead of wondering how or what she is doing in there, but Adalyn is totally enjoying herself and loves watching all the other babies.
Because of the surplus of babies in the nursery they've asked for some volunteers just to be "Baby Holders".
This made me happy because currently the nursery is for 6 months-2 years- developmentally they are so different and I thought this would be a great way to make sure both age groups are being provided for.
When I picked her up the first time she was happily playing in the exersaucer and when I got her the second time she was content with a "baby holder".
So after the sermon on Sunday I rush head over to the nursery to get my sweet girl.
I look around the room and see a bunch of little ones playing, I see the empty exersaucers, some babies being rocked and then...
I see Adalyn.
And I pretty much do a quadruple check.
My little baby who was supposed to be being rocked or playing in baby toy, was standing up by the toy box. Just hanging out and looking at the toys. No big deal.
Ummm what?!?!
Is that seriously mybaby?!?
There was no one around her.
The volunteers were busy cleaning up and saying goodbye to the other kids.
{Which is totally fine, I don't expect them to be able to watch her every minute!}
But how did she get there??
There she was.
My big girl.
I so wish I got a picture of her.
I know it is an image in my mind that I will always remember.
Holding onto the side of the toy box with her chubby little hands, with her sweet little pink plaid OshK'Gosh dress, thick legs supporting her up in her pink leggings, her cute flower headband and her name tag on her back.
Standing alone in her own proud little world.
My "mama worry" was too high for me to capture it with my phone {and I am still so bummed that I didn't get it}. I was too worried she was going to fall back and hit her head since she is still new to standing while holding onto a toy by herself.
So I go over and say hi and she was so excited to see me and I still couldn't help but wonder how she got there??
Did someone put her up there? We recently started doing that, but why would they just leave her after doing that?
Did she pull herself up? She's never done that before, can she really do that already??
There was a BBQ after church and I asked a family friend who was working in the nursery if someone had put her there and she said she didn't know, but she knows that she didn't.
So it remained a mystery.
Until..... the next day we were at my parents' house and I could see her trying to pull herself up with the ottoman.
I could see that if she had a grip she would be able to.
So I moved her to a little ottoman with a tray-something for her to hold onto.
And she did it.
Mystery solved.
Our not-so-little baby is reaching new milestones every day.
I get a little sad that I missed her first time doing it, and that she did it on her own with no one watching and she was probably so proud of herself and I so wish I could've been there.
But it's bound to happen that I will miss milestones throughout her life.
And every time she does it now she is still so proud.
And so am I.
This was a moment where I realized I can't be in denial anymore that she is still a baby.
My baby is growing.
And she's growing fast.
She's reached lots of big milestones this month, personally I think it's too many for one month, but that's just my opinion.....
It was a very bittersweet moment.
I've been saying over and over that it goes so fast, but it was in this moment that it really hit me. She is going to be 7 months tomorrow!! How is that possible?!
I am thankful for moments like this to truly remind me how fleeting each stage is.
A wonderful reminder to not take any of it for granted.
Since we are renting our place, we can only do so much as far as paint/style.
I found the kitchen the most difficult to decorate as far as finding the right accent color for the yellow walls and the teal blinds.
After testing out a kazillion different curtains I finally found some drapes at Target and cut and sewed them to make curtains for the kitchen.
I ended up doing them really quickly before the in-laws came into town for Easter and I never got to completely finish them the way I would like.
It's one of those things that's "good enough" and you never end up going back to completely finish them...oh you know like every other room in my house.
We have an eat-in kitchen, but I am going to save that side for the 'dining room tour' and so I have time to finish it.
This is the view from the hallway- coming from the living room and front entrance.
That door on the right goes down to the garage and storage/sewing room.
And this is why the glass is always dirty....
And this is my excuse for not cleaning it as often as I should...
I plan on making a new grocery bag holder with some of the extra fabric, when exactly this plan will be executed only the Lord knows.
We have a few built in shelves in the kitchen and eating area that were a little tricky for my to find the right decor for, but I found some things from around the house and made it work.
I took off the middle shelf to make more room for some bigger things on the bottom shelf.
I made the burlap with the "S" at our old place for our living room- I spray painted the S and frame with new colors and it's good as new!
When I was pregnant I bought one of the deals on eversave.com for a photo canvas and the picture of her at the beach is is one of the pictures I purchased and I love. love. love it.
View from the dining area
Two of my favorite ladies getting married this year!!
And that's our kitchen!
Equipped with a garbage disposal and dishwasher, can I get a hallelujah?!? :)
I am always taking pictures of Adalyn with my phone or my camera.
I want to capture and savor as much of this season as I can while also enjoying and embracing the present.
I have thousands of pictures of her quickly fleeting baby stage.
I am way behind on baby books and will probably need one book for every month.
{funny how times are so different than when I was younger with a few pictures here and there. Or it could just be me...my mom does make fun of me for the amount of pictures I have.}
But these pictures are extra special.
They're her 6 month pictures.
Half year mark.
Filled with cuteness and big girl-ness.
I am pretty sure this is the last non-rainy day we have had since, which is why I knew I had to get them done that day.
She wasn't easily impressed or very smiley, but surprisingly I ended up getting quite a few goodies.
I am hoping to get some family shots too if the weather clears up this weekend!
I'm a little late to joining the home tour at Kelly's Korner, but thought it would be a good chance to show our new place.
In the beginning of March we moved to a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath townhome.
We are loving the extra space, the homier feel and the quietness that this new place has!
Roxie insisted on being in the pictures, of course.
This is the view from the front door, although most people come through the garage and up the stairs.
We love having the bay window that let's in lots of light!
Covering the pillows with some brighter colors is on my bucket to-do list.
Thankfully, Adalyn's new room is big enough to have most of her toys up there that way I don't have to make our living room look too much like a nursery.
My little corner
and my favorite pictures.
{Covering that chair is also on my do-at-some-point-preferable-before-Adalyn's-first-birthday list}
View from the kitchen/hallway.
Because we only plan on living here for a year or two and the room seemed so bright and open I didn't want to take over the whole room with decor so I tried to keep it simple.
Between Adalyn's room, going out and early bedtimes we actually don't spend too much time in the living room.
But we do enjoy the space that we have in there, especially compared to our old place!
