Thursday, February 25, 2016

A little bit of sunshine: Featuring Little Puddletown

Spring is in the air. I feel it coming our way.
Winter has it's perks and all, but an enclosed house of testosterone filled boys, a dog and a cat, make Mama slowly lose little pieces of her soul... You ever notice how a lack of vitamin D has you leaning a little towards to dark side? It's a real thing! It can be a SATURDAY morning...your pillow is perfectly glowing in the white rays of the early sun... a lone bird softly chirping outside your bedroom window...

It doesn't matter. You are lacking vitamin D.

You shoot up like a bat out of hell... grab that pillow... and CHUCK it at your window yelling "Screw you bird, you sound like shit!"

Spring cant come soon enough.

And since we are lucky here in California, we are taking advantage of every beautiful, sunny, late winter day.

I'm loving this. The boys are loving this...

:: ...the birds are safer ::


 
 
 
 
 
These late winter days are perfect for my newfound Etsy love! Did you see that little beanie Johnny was wearing? Here is a close up.
 
 
 
I have a couple of these sweet Little Puddletown finds. They are too cute. A mama named Sara makes these in Portland, Oregon. Her Etsy store is filled with handmade beanies and pants for your adorable little ones. You MUST check them out.
 
PLUS, she has generously given 20% off to all of my readers through the end of March. All you have to do is use the promo code ALLDAYSON
 
:: ENJOY!! ::
 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LittlePuddletown


Monday, February 22, 2016

Ode to Valentines Day


I am not super big on Valentines Day. I don't have anything against celebrating it, I just don't agree with waiting all year to show love on a single day. And then, any lack of effort that day gets you a one way ticket to the dog house.

No thanks. I'll pass on that. Skip the day and beat the crowds and escalated prices. Celebrate it a different day, or ALL OF THE DAYS!

...I just don't want to celebrate it on February 14th... because I'm a rebel.

:: ...and its my buddy Thomas' birthday. Holla! ::

Last night we were able to get out of the house for our first date night since Johnny was born. All three kids were in good hands and we ran out the door before Grandma Kim could change her mind. It was beautiful. We cleaned up nice and spent the evening not being "Mom" and "Dad." Instead we were husband and wife, reminiscing on our special moments, sneaking kisses and throwing back some much needed beers.

A little restless, I spent the night creepily staring at the back of Kirk's sleeping head.

I kept thinking how lucky we are. Everyone goes through life jumping from polaroid to polaroid of moments, experiences and encounters. We mark that time in our life, let go, and then jump to the next. Each leading us in a new direction.

Kirk and I found each other at exactly the right moment. What started out as a friendship quickly turned into so much more. Instead of jumping to the next polaroid we realized what we had and just held on to each other. We stayed in that moment. We still stay in that moment. And all of the sudden all of the polaroids before us just fade away. The ups and downs of the past don't matter anymore because they got us right here.

So, we celebrate all the time. Because we are SO damn lucky.

I stopped creepily staring at the back of Kirk's head and closed my eyes cuddled next to my other half. #TeamColeman


(Wedding photos by Weddings By Sunnyside)

 
 



 

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Seven years flew right on by

Jace turned seven this week.

Every year seems to go by faster than the last. After his birthday I asked him if he felt any older. With a surprised look he said, "No! Isn't that weird?"
Yeah. Yeah, it is. I feel it. It feels like yesterday I was rocking him to sleep. Now, every time I turn around he is carrying around one of his brothers. He is reading. He has even started asking me to teach him to change diapers so he can help out. He's not normal. He's amazing.

I had him when I was twenty-one. He turned my name into "Mommy". Actually, he turned me into a lot of things...
  • My voice changed... Baby talk startled babbling from my mouth towards his tiny face... which eventually morphed to the more commonly used "Mom Voice"...
  • Camera flashes became abundant as I turned into a paparazzi.
  • Hell, he even taught me to appreciate the gift of coffee.
Nothing is the same.

He stole the hearts of his other mommy and myself, and now both of his stepparents and a boat load of siblings and extended family.

Life is good. He assures that, with his made up songs, crazy facial expressions and new found dance moves. How can any day be bad?

Happy birthday, my beautiful boy. You make every day a little brighter.

:: Now, for the slideshow ::
 


 



:: and now he is seven ::
 



Saturday, February 13, 2016

Flashbacks

It's been about three weeks since Johnny's delivery. Life is beautiful, full of shits and giggles. Shits from the baby... exhausted (semi-psychotic) giggles from Kirk and me.

I was once told that mothers have this natural born gift to forget the hard times of birth. They forget the pain of labor and the exhaustion of the sleepless nights. They forget that for the first few months they are a slave to hourly feedings, burpings, rockings, walkings and diaper changings of the new little bundle. They forget that simple things like showering and taking trips to the bathroom by yourself take strategic planning. They forget that... most of the time... they cry for no reason other than to strengthen their future rock star voices.

It's true. We do that. It's all coming back to me now. Greasy haired flashbacks of seven years ago go racing through my mind.

Then the little bundle FINALLY falls asleep on your chest and about twenty seconds later you realize it is because the built up gas he has been crying about has escaped his tiny body... and left its mark through his clothes and all over your shirt... for the second time that day. And its worth it. It's all worth it.

My favorite things:
How his little lips and his natural scowl look just like his daddy's baby pictures.
How Harper obsessively tells me he loves him and insists on brushing his hair.
How when he cries, Jace walks straight over to him and soothes him until he goes to sleep. No questions asked.
How his little legs kick with excitement in the water of his bath.

:: (swoon).... and instantly it's all worth it again ::
 


 
In honor of our sanity, Kirk has used his spare time in the last few weeks to build us a garage getaway; equipped with a bar, lounge and music stage. All was made from donated or recycled materials, by the way. I'm extremely impressed... and slightly turned on.
 
:: (...as my sister in law gags) Love you Ash! ::

 

 

 
Harper brought home this Woody doll. This doll had Kirk and me giggling the entire day.
 
:: Yes, we are 12...and three quarters ::
 
"Daddy, I want to show Grandma my Woody!"
"My Woody is dancing!"
Well played, Pixar... Well played.
 

 
Anyway, the boys have been rocking that stage, a few friends have already graced the stage... and I... am looking forward to sitting at that bar.
 


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Johnny Ray is finally here.

I haven't blogged in a few weeks. That's not because I haven't had anything to say, but because communicating with society in the last few weeks of pregnancy is kind of like angry drunk texting. Just don't do it... You are NOT in your right mind.

:: Kirk was explaining to me his view of the final week. "Well, I knew you were in the room by yourself so I wanted to come visit... but when I walked in to see you sitting on the bed in clothes that didn't fit your belly anymore... watching Chelsea Handler with a scowl on your face... next to a breast pump and an empty carton of ice cream... I slowly backed away to the garage." ::

Some days were better than others...


Finally the day came. We had a scheduled c-section that went beautifully. I was able to be conscious through the entire delivery while my husband talked the nerves away. And there he was! The loud cries of the 8 lb 11 oz little bundle that had been regularly round house kicking my bladder for the last few month had arrived!





The next few days in the hospital were lovely. Full of bandage changings for me and diaper changings... for both me and the baby. Oh, the beauty of birth.

And then we were home, where both the brothers got to swoon over our new little addition. The house got a little bit more crazy and a whole lot more blessed.

 


The days end the same way they did while Johnny was in my belly. Listening to daddy play and sing him to sleep.


Life is good.