Random Ramblings & GIVEAWAY!

Hey, y'all! Good afternoon! 

Before the one year photo shoot with Studio D, we went to get balloons for a prop. Lilly Scott was kind of trapped.

Mac got his first bite last night. It wasn't Paisley. I know it happens, but it doesn't make it any easier on either set of parents :o(

 We had our one year check up today- They're doing great! This time last year we were taking them in for weight checks, crazy!

Two week olds at Dr. Steph's

Today- healthy and growing! 

Mac weighs 22#8 and is 29.5" long. 

Paisley weighs 19#2 and is 29" long.

{Click here for yesterday's post on their first year}

Now for the GIVEAWAY... I would love to know who reads and follows us so I wanted to do this for you! 

I am so excited to partner with my friend, April, at Cuddle Bug Gifts. 

We want to give you an appliqué shirt/onesie for your little one!

We will use rafflecopter to give us a winner.

How to enter:

- comment with your name and email address {and anything else you want to share with us} at the bottom of this post

- 'like' April's page on Facebook 

- share this post! 

Once the giveaway has ended {Thursday, September 6}, the winner will be announced. The lucky winner can choose an appliqué from one of these precious designs: 

And last but certainly not least, can I tell you how much I love seeing these magnets on my fridge? Even though M and P are a year old now, I still can't believe I have kids!

Happy trails!! What are you doing for Labor Day weekend??

-ashley

Toddlers... What?!?

I get weekly emails about baby development. I got them each week of pregnancy, infancy and now they say 'toddler.' Huh? Who has toddlers?? :-/ Obviously, I am still bittersweet to saying 'bye' to our baby phase, but I love what fun we are having with Mac and Paisley at this age.

They ate spaghetti for lunch, and I can't believe how much they love it! If you know me, it's a big deal to allow such messes. Ha! I bought smock-like bibs that tie in the back. M and P have started pulling off the bibs (urk!) but not with these... and these bibs have sleeves! Yes!

 They have had such fun playing with their birthday toys!! Paisley is all giggles, and Mac is his goofy self, ha!

I'm working on thank you's! (Mental note, figure out how many notecards I need to order...)

When the toys aren't enough, we open a drawer :o)

 My longtime friend, Katie, reminded me I've yet to post a nursery picture! This was kind of intentional because, well, it's not 'complete' believe it or not. {I may as well start planning their toddler rooms at this rate, ha!} Adrianne sewed our bedding, and I love that we have a sentimental bond to the fabrics that surround them while they sleep. P's crib is usually centered under her name, but I slid it out to get the loveys she threw out- that's her new hobby. Newest addition to the cribs- covers for the top rail as they have teeth marks from our little beavers. 

This week! I'll post all birthday pictures! We will also have a giveaway from one of our favorite finds- Cuddle Bug Gifts! 

{To be eligible for the giveaway, please 'follow' my blog, comment on the post, and 'like' CBG's Facebook page.} 

Tomorrow we have Mac and Paisley's ONE YEAR portraits with our lovely friends at Studio D Photography! I love seeing what these gals can do!

Thursday we go to the pediatrician for the ONE YEAR appointment. 

Big deal here, friends. I promise I'll try to get over this milestone. :o) Eventually...

-as always,

ashley

Studio D Spring Photos

I am so in love with the pictures we got of Mac and Paisley in April. Our friends at Studio D are great at capturing Mac and Paisley's personalities on camera. We love the great talent in Jessica and Leslie! They love on our kiddos, and Mac and Paisley trust them. Look at these sweet pictures!

We started out at a park and then went to the studio. Jess and Leslie have such cool props! I am in love with this chair!

Paisley and Mac's outfits in the top pictures made outside are by Becca at Laughing Bee. Paisley's bows are by Fairy Flowers and Bows. Kim does great custom head bands for Paisley. 

We are blessed by such talented friends! 

-ashley

All In a Weekend's Work

Yesterday and today were project driven. Jordan's parents gave us one of their old bedroom suits when we first got married, and it has been in our guest bedroom ever since. I was ready for a change, and I was willing to buy new furniture. I started looking around and realized I didn't want to spend the mulah on guest bedroom furniture. So I turned to a huge inspiration: HGTV! I have seen people paint furniture, and it looks really good... I lacked confidence.

My mom is a DIY person, and she encouraged me to make the furniture exactly what I wanted. So she and my dad visited this weekend, and we took on the project! Now it's finished, and I love love love it!!! And I'm so proud of our hard work at a fraction of the cost!

We sanded the finish off the chest, dresser and night stand.

Then we painted, sanded, painted, sanded, and painted a third coat. After the third coat of paint dried, we sanded the edges and dry brushed on a glaze.

We painted the dresser white and the chest a robin's egg blue. The original drawer pulls were spray painted a satin white. We didn't have all of the original knobs so I bought {my new favorite}glass knobs :o)

Between the layers of paint drying, my dad and Jordan worked in our flower beds, and my mom, Lilly and I played with Mac and Paisley.

 Last night Jordan and I went to Dan and Shannon's wedding! We actually didn't make it to the wedding because we were putting Mac and Paisley to bed, but we had a blast at the reception! 

 Here I am with two of my dearest friends, Jill and Ellie.

They had a photo booth with tons of props at the reception. It. was. hilarious! Between Jordan, me, Jack, Jill and Mike (Ellie had left to take Levi and Izzy home), we have almost a photo album of hysterical pictures! What. a. blast!!

This morning we started on the furniture again. I was so ready to have it complete, and we were sore from all day in the sun yesterday. We waddled our way around and got started on our project. The dresser was ready except for the drawer handles and pulls. I went to Home Depot early this morning to get new pulls and the blue paint. 

We painted the chest, distressed the drawers and the chest, and finished up. 

Here's our finished pieces!!!!!

Thank you, Mama and Dad {Nana and Paw Paw} for spending the weekend with us and literally working your butts off! On top of it all, Jordan and I got a date night! Thank you, thank you!! 

This afternoon Paisley crawled to a toy, pulled up, and played! My big girl is getting so big! She was chuckling at herself :o) She was practicing sitting and standing, and of course I got her picture while she was starting to sit.

 That's our weekend wrap up! I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well!

Favorite Toys at 7-9 months

I've wanted to do a post on Mac and Paisley's favorite toys, and the MOMs link up from Monday was just that. Click here to enter the link up.

These are in no particular order, they love (and fight over!) them all! The links are to the toys on Amazon... because Amazon is my go to for shopping online. And, well, that's just about my only form of shopping these days. :o)

Sassy First Sounds Book Set and Cube. We use the plastic books every night during bath. The block is soft with a rattle inside.

 LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table. This table has removable legs so babies can enjoy it at younger ages than when they begin to pull up. The rattle makes the table sing the "ABCs", and Mac loves this feature. It becomes a puppet and puppeteer relationship when he gets going on this rattle. He makes it sing, I dance. We do this several times a day.

Rhino Toys Oball Rattle is great for little curious hands and fingers. Babies can grasp this ball without effort, and it provides lots of entertainment.

 Bright Starts Lots of Links are a must! Mac and Paisley chew and shake these links all the time. We probably have 50 total! They're great to attach to a stroller. I connect Mac and Paisley's sippy cups to these links when we're on a run.

 Our Lamaze Chime Garden is very popular around here. Each time a flower is tapped it lights up with a sound. Two of the three settings play music when the flower is tapped.

Our kids love music so most of our toys play tunes. I posted our registry must haves and newborn favorites here, here, and here. Hope this helps!! 

I am on the search for a second high chair. I prefer something slim and chic with a flare of fun. I love the Jenny Lind high chairs, but apparently they aren't made anymore. I prefer not a big, bulky and plastic high chair. The seat saver chairs won't work because we are already limited on seating... Any suggestions?? 

Mr. and Miss Personality

How sweet are babies in the morning?? I love how they love to snuggle and be close when they first wake up- it's one of my favorite times. Yesterday I took a couple of pictures of M and P in the morning to share with you just how sweet they are... as if you didn't already know. ;o) Paisley was catching some last minute z's and I was searching for pearly whites in Mac's gums. He was like, What are you doing, mom??!

Here we are at playtime before our morning nap. I love watching them play together. It is so sweet. They were born with a best friend. :o) 

Paisley kept switching the button to Spanish... Sadly it took me a minute to figure out why the toy was speaking Spanish. Silly girl, silly mama.

 I put a dress on Paisley yesterday, and she became so giddy it was hilarious. It's like she knew that she was wearing a dress and would twirl all day if she could. She fluffed the fabric and laughed over and over again. And of course Mac, well, he's so easy going, he could care less what I put on him... much like his dad. :o) And I guess that would make Paisley much like her mama :o)

P: Hey, big brother.  M: I'm watching something.

 P: Oh, there's mommy's camera... cheese!! M: feet! I remembered my feet!

 Me: Mac and Paisley! Hey, guys!

 Me: Let's switch spots so P is leaning on brother.

 P: I love my big brother. M: let go of my arm, please.

 P: I still love my big brother. M: Is this over yet?

P: Hey, mama. M: Surprise!!

 Paisley gives kisses to her brother... and he's such a boy- he isn't phased.

 We want to say thank you to our friend Becca at laughing bee designs for making Mac's onesie and Paisley's dress :o) 

Paisley's headband is from one of my favorite Etsy shops- Fairy Flowers & Bows. This shop is also making Paisley's Easter headband. I can't wait to see it!! Check out the store, and use the discount code "SAVE10" to get 10% off your order! Tell her I sent ya~

It's THURSDAY!!! Woo hoo!!

-ashley 

** I just checked on some bread I made to see if it was done... It should be done... If only I had actually put it in the oven.  :o/