Fill In The Blank Friday

It's here!  Yay, It's Friday!

I've always loved Fridays, but since having Gwen, I think I get just a bit MORE excited, because Jason is home and we all get to hang out and do fun things :)

Gwen is still working on those "baby" steps... it's funny, she sort of looks like Frankenstein, or better yet, Bernie from "Weekend At Bernie's" when she walks!  Lol!!  It's too cute! 

I am linking up with Lauren over @ the little things we do for "Fill in the blank Friday."

1. My favorite color is... always changing, actually, I don't think that I have a favorite.  I like color combos, but not so much just a single color.

2.  My travel destination of choice is... ANYWHERE, in the Caribbean!  I do have a soft spot for Puerto Rico (our wedding) and St. Lucia (Honeymoon), but I will take any island!  Toes in the sand with a drink in my hand... :)

 3.  My favorite food is... seafood.  Not so much fish, but shellfish... anytime.

4.  My happy place is... I have a few.  1) Our bed, after a long day I just sink into it, and the stress sort of "melts" away.  2) The beach, bay, or on the boat... the fresh air, salty water, and sun.  How could you NOT be happy there?!?  3)  Where Gwen is.  Corny, maybe, but I don't care.  She's such a happy baby, that it really is contagious, and I don't mind catching it!

5.  My favorite saying is...  Life is what you make it.  I believe that everyone has ups and downs, it's how you take them, learn from them, and move on... I've learned that dwelling on things is usually more painful for you than helpful.  It's ok to let go.

6.  My dirty little secret is...  if I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret anymore!!  ;)

7.  Something friends might say about me is that I... am full of advice. (I am not claiming that it is ALWAYS good)  But, I am always willing to help, give my point of view, or lend an ear. <---- Or I HOPE they would say this, lol.

From our Honeymoon... miss that place!

Happy Friday to you all... enjoy the weekend!

xoxo. 

It's The Simple Things... 3rd Edition

It's that time again, I am linking up with jesslyn amber for the simple things.  I love that this post is on Thursdays, it is a great way to head into the weekend.  Here's what I am loving this week.

I appreciate...

coupons.  there is something about a bargain that I can and will ALWAYS appreciate.

that Gwen is at the age where she hugs me as much as I hug her.  when I pick her up, she slides her arm under mine and holds onto my back.  there is no feeling like it in the world.

weekends as a family.

being married.  not only because I love my husband, and all of the wonderful things that come with marriage, but because I am NOT single.  the thought of "dating" is tiring and now scary to me... I don't miss it.

a good thunderstorm (watching from inside a safe building, lol).

an adorable pair of heels/wedges (they make me feel like a hot Momma). :)

The weekend is in sight, yay!

My new FAVORITE pic of Gwen!

xoxo.

  

Wordless (sort of) Wednesday ~ Woooohooooo!

I recently shared with you that Gwen had taken her first few steps between Jason and I, and since that moment, I have been trying to document it for you all to view.  Well, last night, I finally got the "footage" that I was looking for... Yippee!

For your viewing pleasure, here is Miss Gwen's walking debut...

So Freakin' Exciting!!!

Although, I know that this means that we are going to have to bolt down EVERYTHING, it's such a proud moment, watching your baby take those first steps, so weebly and wobbly, and reaching out for you to catch her fall.  I love the trust that she has in me, and the joy in both of our faces when she reaches her destination, it's indescribable!

Congrats Baby Girl!  You amaze us more and more every single day!  We love you!

 xoxo.

Stats ~ 10 Months!

Gwen, you are 10 months old (OMG!)...

and this is what you are up to...

Height - 30 inches, still, we think... those nurses are SO much better at getting an accurate height.  Haha.

Weight - 21 lbs

Diapers - Still Size 3

Clothes - 9 months.  I have also started dressing you in some of the "summery" 12 months clothing that you have... I don't want ANYTHING to go to waste!

Food - It is safe to say that you are going to be a picky eater like your Momma.  Lol.  You are a good eater, but when you don't like something you let us know (meaning, you SPIT it out! haha.)  We are still trying all new things all the time!

Sleep - You are THE BEST sleeper!  You go to bed at the same time EVERY night, unless we aren't home, and you wake up around the same time every morning too.  And I must say you are happy and smiling each morning!

Naps - Still 2 a day, but with a longer stretch in between them now.  I know, that one of these days, I will only be getting one nap out of you... but I can't think about that yet! :)

Teeth - 6.  It is nice to finally have a small break from all that teething, yet I am sure that we will get another "wave" of it in the next month or so.

~You took your first few steps the other day between Mommy & Daddy, I don't know if it fully counts, but WE were SUPER EXCITED!!! Now, that I know you are SO close, I am excited for you to be walking by your first birthday!~

~You LOVE to swim!!!  We can't get you (and Daddy) out of the water!  It's awesome!  Mommy is STILL looking for some Mommy & Me swim classes, but having not such great luck :(  I'll keep working on it!~

~You still won't say "da-da" and to be honest kiddo, it's killing your Daddy!  I try to work on it with you everyday, so hopefully soon... maybe for his birthday?!?!~

~You did a Huggies shoot this past month! You had a blast with all the kiddies, and it's a great story to put into your baby book!~

~Your hair is finally growing (just a little bit), but it makes Mommy so excited!  I can't wait to do all fun things to your hair!~

I know that I say this all the time, but I can't believe you are growing so fast!  Ten months already, where did they go?!?  I guess the saying is really true...

Time flies when you're having fun!

We love you, our (not-so-little) Peanut!

xoxo.

It's the Simple Things... 2nd Edition

I loved this post last week, it was fun and refreshing, and I think that I am going to keep it around... so I am linking up with jesslyn amber once again to share the little, simple things in life I'm loving.

I appreciate...

fresh seafood.  Shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, crab, lobsters, I could eat them all day every day.

Jersey Corn. Enough said.

long, hot, showers.  My appreciation grew for these AFTER having Gwen... if you're a Momma, I don't need to explain, you know.

early bedtime nights.  call me old, call me boring, call me whatever you want, but I love those nights when we are in bed by 9 and asleep by 10... and I wake up feeling like a new person.

a good night of dancing.  especially with the hubby. {love you, Jason}

baby belly laughs. {I smile just thinking about them}

Hope you are having a great week!

xoxo.

Wee Bit Wednesday

     I am having a little bit of trouble getting Gwen's stats, lol, so I am saving that post for Friday and linking up with leigh ashley for a new post... hope you enjoy :)

{one} what is your dream job?

does billionaire count?!?  lol.  seriously, it would be a photographer... I love the beauty of photography, I mean, it is really an art, and I think I have a good eye.

{two} how many best friends do you have?

i feel like I have a bunch, but it may be hard for you to understand.  See, in High School, we were a tight, very small group of girls, and even if we don't see each other for a while, when we DO get together, it is like we haven't missed a beat. {Jen (we share the same birthday and could possible share the same last name), Sherri (who God gave me at birth thankfully), Elyse (we switched lunchboxes on accident in Kindergarten and life was never the same since then), and Celia (my BPRS, sorry, only WE know what that means, lol)}.

Then, after high school, I gained two more, and I feel the same way about them. {Jen (such significance in such little time) & Megan (who will soon marry my brother)}

Lastly, I feel that you should ALWAYS marry your BEST FRIEND, so let's add in Jason (who knows me as well as I do, haha).

Therefore, I feel like I am blessed with about 7 or so Best Friends... and each one of them is a reason that I am who I am today.

{three} what is the longest road trip you've ever taken?

minus florida with my parents when I was younger... Montreal with Jen and Megan (now, my future sis-in-law).  It was the best trip!!! I have such amazing memories from it, and don't think that it could ever be replicated.

{four} if you had to do one thing every day for the next year, what would it be?

talk to my grandparents.  you know what?  I want to make this a goal.  I know that every day is a bit unrealistic, but I need to do better.  mam-mom and pop, expect a call tomorrow. :)

{five} what's one story your family always tells about you?

when I was super young (I forget the age) I was in the car with my mom and started reciting the alphabet BACKWARDS.  My poor mother was so freaked out and asked what I was doing... I replied "I was bored, and learned it backwards"... I still know it to this day!!!

{six} how did your parents pick your name?

not really sure about the first name, but Barbara, my middle was BOTH of my Grandmother's names... hence my "name changes" post.  Either way, I love my name, and proud of it.

{seven} what's the one thing in life that scares you more than anything?

illnesses and germs.  I told you I am a hypochondriac, lol.

{eight} are you a good cook?

I am getting to "good"... I take risks and like to try new things, so I can only get better.  And if you ask my husband, he'll always say yes :)

{nine} where do you see yourself in twenty years?

empty nesting.  By then, hopefully both (yes, we are only having two, lol) of our kids will be headed to college, and Jason and I will find new adventures to enjoy.

{ten} what's your best childhood memory?

when I was in the first grade, my parents told me that they were picking me (and my brother) up early and we were heading to meet my Aunt to drop off our video camera (it was 1991, and not everyone had a camera, so we were sharing).  Well, as we were headed up the parkway, they asked if we wanted to go check out the planes at the airport (my brother, now a pilot, loved planes).  Of course we said yes, then as we pulled into the airport, with camera rolling, asked if we wanted to go to Disney World?!?!  It was EXACTLY like the commercials you see today, and it was perfect.

The Jury Duty Diaries, Take 2: Part 1

The day has finally arrived.

I'm blogging to you from the local county courthouse, hoping that having something to do will save me from dying a slow, boring death.  Lol.

This is Part 1 because, well right now, I have nothing to write about my experience so far, seeing as how, NOTHING has happened yet.  I WILL say that the commute was easy, I am here early (although I doubt that will help me get out early), and I am loaded with things to occupy myself. {Laptop, iPhone (Words w/ Friends & Hanging w/ Friends, yay!), Trashy Magazines (Life & Style, not Playboy, lol), Coffee, Food, & Water}  Maybe, I should have brought a pillow and caught up on some MAJOR sleep!!

Little munchkin is home with her Wela (thanks Mom!) and recovering from a sun and fun filled weekend.  So until something awesome happens here, I'll share a few pics from our weekend which included Gwen's first trip to the boardwalk :)  It was a great time, full of rides, food I SO should not have eaten, a disappointing Women's Soccer game :(, and what day on the boardwalk wouldn't be complete without a JWoWW and camera crew sighting, lol! 

Serious Super Cuteness!!

Our Friend, Mikey & I :)

Uncle Michael and Gwen :)

Our first ride together...

Gwen looks so serious here!

Well, wish me luck.  Comment me, email me, text me, ANYTHING!  Lol.
Enjoy your Jury Duty-Free Monday!

xoxo.

Double Digits

Holy Crap People!  Gwen is T-E-N months old today!   DOUBLE DIGITS ;) I can't believe it.  Why does 10 sound so much bigger than all the rest of the months? 

Some things I have been thinking about today:

We are in the LAST quarter of her first year.  That means her first year is almost over, that we will then have a TODDLER and no longer a BABY.  {I just teared up writing that}

She has officially been here with us longer than she was in my belly.  Yet, it seemed like the pregnant 10 months took forever, but these 10 have FLOWN by.

The things that we survived with relied on are no longer of ANY use to us. {Swing, bouncy chairs, swaddle blankie, mobile, changing table (except for storage), jumper, pacifiers}  I'm not saying that I want them back, but a part of me misses them.

Her 1st Birthday is almost here... it seemed SOOOOO far away before, and now I feel like it is "crunch" time.  Oh, boy.

We are not at home today, so I will have to save her "Stats" for tomorrow or Monday, but I am excited to see the changes! 

Happy 10 Month Birthday, Gwen!

You are so precious and loved so SO much!

xoxo.

It's The Simple Things...

I get a lot of great ideas from reading other blogs, and it seems that the workaholic momma is full of them!  So, I am following her lead and linking up with jesslyn amber to take a break from all the craziness of the world and share the simple things in life that I appreciate.

Here goes nothin'


I appreciate...

the smell of fresh cut grass. (Reminds me of my childhood)

long hugs from my husband, they make me feel so safe and loved.

every single smile Gwen sends my way.

my Grandparents (whom I wished lived right around the corner, like they did when I was growing up).

salty air, and burying my feet in beach sand.

fresh towels, right out of the drier.

a delicious glass of cabernet or chianti after a long day @ the "office" and the "boss" goes to bed (I can call it that, right?)

Ok.  There you have it.  Hope you liked it!  What a refreshing way to start the day, feeling very positive.  So, link up, or don't (it's a free country), maybe even just make a mental note of the simple things that you appreciate... I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in the chaos of life that we forget the little things.
Thanks for the great idea!

xoxo.

Wordless Wednesday

My favorite picture of Gwen and I.  We have a huge canvas picture of this, in color, hanging over Gwen's crib. 

My little cuddlebug.

Happy Wednesday, Friday's almost here.

xoxo.

Buh Bye!

Nope, I'm not leaving you, you can breathe again, lol.  Just sharing that Gwen has gotten the "Buh Bye Wave."  Yes, she may wave at herself, but still, she got it.  Love this girl!!!

We are so amazed by the little things... kind of makes the world stand still.

What's even funnier is that once she got it, we spent the rest of the night "begging" her to show us again.  As I was uploading this to my computer, I was browsing through old videos again, and could CRY at how little she was... and it has only been 9 1/2 months.  Here's a video from the first week we had her home, I want you to feel as sentimental as I do :)

I love how she is looking around like, "Where am I, and WHO are you people?"  She is such a little person now, with more and more personality every day.  Although I don't miss the lack of sleep, there is a lot I miss about those first days... maybe it's time for another baby!?

KIDDING!  Haha.  I want to cherish Gwen for now, her sibling will be in the works at a later date.

If you're a momma, what is it that you miss about those first few days/weeks?

xoxo.

Worlds Apart

     This day, last year, was my baby shower.  Although only 365 days ago, it seems like a whole lifetime ago!  It was a total surprise, and I was "showered" with more gifts, supplies, and most importantly, love than I could have ever imagined!  It took about 6 cars and one whole week to get all of our things home!  I find it hilarious that there are still things/clothes that we have not used yet, clothes that I thought she would never be big enough to fit into.  It also makes me sad that there are many things/clothes that she can no longer and will never be able to use again.  :(

With my girls, love them!

      Our lives were SO different that day... our biggest responsibility was just our little puppy, Wiley, we could nap/sleep in as often as needed, and we were eagerly awaiting the day when we got to meet the little girl who was doing all that dancing in my belly.  It was a very exciting time, anticipating what lied ahead of us, yet nervous knowing that we could NEVER be fully prepared. 

Ahh, these are the moments...

Our lives were FOREVER changed when we "met" Gwen, and we now live in a world that we could never imagine not living in today.

Thank you again to everyone who was a part of that special day.  We are forever grateful.

Hope you all had a WONDERFUL weekend, don't they seem to go by WAY too quickly?!?!

xoxo.

    

Hollywood, Lol.

That's what my mom, Wela, calls Gwen, HOLLYWOOD.  And today after our audition, some sweet old man called her the same thing in the grocery store!  Maybe it was because she was rocking her shades...

Yes, she kept them on the WHOLE shopping trip!

SO, today was the Parents Magazine, Halloween Issue, audition.  And it went great... we even got spend some time with Gwen's cousin, Emily, and her Uncle Ed!  Emily has signed with the same agency as us, so it will so fun to get to hang out at these things together!!  We also saw another girl that Gwen did the Huggies shoot with, it is always nice to see familiar faces!

Cousins :) :) :)

This audition was MUCH different than the last... we actually got to be with, and help them dress, and take pics.  Gwen was put into 2 costumes.  1) A Blue Bird (so FREAKIN adorable!!!!), I didn't get a picture of that one, but her Uncle Ed has one, so when he uploads, I will share. 2) A Baby Bear (adorable!)

I know, she doesn't seemed thrilled, but she was just checking out the scenery, she was actually VERY happy!

Talking, not yawning, although we were tired afterwards.

Emily and Ed, checking in.  She is toooooo cute!

Not the best shot, but this is Emily in the Blue Bird costume.  I can't stand how adorable she is!

Thank goodness we were early... we were 2nd... as we were leaving, they were only on number 6, but had just checked in number 45!!!!!  I told the girls that were working the audition that I hoped they were headed out to Happy Hour after their long day!  They assured me they were :)

It was a good day, and now we are home relaxing... waiting for the weekend!

xoxo.

Summer Slacker

     I know, I'm awful.  But, most weekends we are packing, travelling, unpacking... and catching up on sleep!  So PLEASE forgive me!  We are back (for the moment), and had a great Fourth of July weekend!  Pools, BBQs, Boating, Fireworks (we watched them out on the boat) and lots of family :)  Gwen didn't mind the fireworks, though she did go to sleep half way through.  I was so surprised that she was even up that late!  

     Tomorrow, Gwen and I are headed back to the city for another "audition" <-- sounds funny saying that, but that's what it is.  I'll take some pics, as always, and hopefully get another few posts in before the weekend.  (I wonder if Blogger has an iPhone app?).  Lol.

Hanging out on the bay

Taking her Ba-Ba while floating with Momma

Hanging with her cousin, Ruby.

Swimming with Daddy, seriously she's such a little water bug!

Happy 4th of July!

How was your holiday weekend?

xoxo.