I love you through and through

Yesterday was my beautiful baby girl's 2nd birthday! And although this is a day late, I'd love to share with you...
Our favorite book.

I Love You Through and Through
By: Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

I love you through and through.

I love your top side.

I love your bottom side.

I love your inside

and outside.

I love your happy side,

your sad side,

your silly side,

your mad side.

I love your fingers

and toes

your ears

and nose.

I love your hair and eyes,

your giggles 

and cries.

I love you running

and walking,

silent

and talking.

Gwenyth Cynthia, I love you through and through...

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow too!

Happy Birthday, my sweet, beautiful, precious little girl!
You are our world.

xoxo.

Show & Tell: Baby Talk

1. Tell us your favorite baby names.  Aside from your own babies if you have some :)

I obviously love Gwen, but if we were to have another girl, it would be a tough decision.  I love all of the "most popular" names {Madison, Addison, Olivia, etc} but I wouldn't use them.  I am not in love with another girls' name, yet... but here a few that I like.

Sophie

Hayden

Anna

Natalie

I like them, but none of them make me go "Ooooh I HAVE to name my child that!"

Boys.  Another story.  I am in love with quite a few.

Gavin. But I'm on the fence bc can I really name my kids Gwen & Gavin... why not Sonny & Cher while I am at it. lol. AND, it is SO popular now as well.

Lincoln. I am currently IN LOVE with this name. I may be sold in the boy dept.

Dalton. This was the Hubs' pick if Gwen were a boy, and I was totally not into it.  But, it has REALLY grown on me. EXCEPT, Hubs would want to call him DJ... ain't happening. ever.

Hudson. But, Hubs isn't on board.

2. Show me your "dream" nursery.  

Source: topofdesigns.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Kaelie on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Allison on Pinterest

3. How many children would you have?  How far apart?
Two. Not too far apart. Hopefully, less than four or five years apart.

4. Tell us what you think the importance of parenting is.
Oh, everything. What isn't important about giving your child the best tools and love that will mold the rest of their life?  

5. Show us your favorite newborn photo {can be your children or random}

Gwen

Randoms
{future child}

Source: tinypic.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: indulgy.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: google.co.uk via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: bdghostriderz.com via Pamela Alice on Pinterest

Source: thephotographerslife.com via Sarai on Pinterest

and so many more!

xoxo.

Saturday's Top Five Laughs

I'm linking up with my girl, Melissa, for some laughs today.

1.  Gwen has 2 rocking horses that she loves to ride around the house, but apparently nothing is as good as a real live animal.  My poor guy, Wiley, usually gets ridden a few times a week like her very own pony.  He's such a good sport about it... I think he likes the attention. 

2. Lately, whenever we leave the house, Gwen says goodbye to everything that we aren't bringing with us.  Bye, Wiley.  Bye, toys.  Bye, door.  Bye, house.  See you soon.  It's beyond cute!

3. My girl loves to be in just her skivvies, so most afternoons, when I am not looking she disrobes to just her diaper.  I usually let her hang out that way, I mean we are just in our living room, right?!?  Well, one afternoon, after she had already taken it all off, I had to run to the store for a missing dinner ingredient.  I dressed her once again, and off we went.  Well, 4 minutes into the store, clothes started coming off.  And when I tried to put them back on??  A lovely toddler tantrum.  What did I do?  I let her strip.  lol.  She was in the cart and we were pretty much headed out the door, but, not without a few stares and giggles from strangers. Hey, what are you going to do? Right?

4. Gwen's dancing is probably my favorite thing to watch in the whole wide world.  She is so cute and she really shakes the booty! My girl has rhythm! {I know I posted this yesterday, but I had to share again!}

5. Yesterday, we took Gwen to her first concert!  We saw her favorites, The Fresh Beat Band and it was adorable!  Gwen was in total awe and kept yelling to the band members Hi, Kiki! Hi, Beat Band!  And when I took her to the bathroom during intermission for a quick diaper change, she had a MELT DOWN!!  No, Mommy, no BYE Kiki.  No bye Beat Band.  Mommy, MORE Beat Band. Mommy, nooooooooooooooo.  Needless to say, I did the fastest diaper change of my life, and quickly brought my girl back to her seat.  Guess she had a great time :) 

Hope you have a great Saturday!

xoxo.

Full Circle

I really thought that, even though I am a Mom, and in my late 20's, that I still was on top of my game when it came to music, movies, celebs, etc... until last night.

The VMAs.

Yes, I still watch them.  And force Jason to watch along with me.  

As we were watching the "Pre-Show" {ugh, yes I watch that too, don't judge me} I started to realize that the Hubs and I may not be as hip as I thought. lol.

"Who is that?"

I cannot tell you how many times he asked me this question... and the first few times, I totally knew the answer... then he asked again.

"Who is that?"

"Beats me."

Then, Green Day was being interviewed and he said "Wait, where's Flea?!?"  Lmao.  "Umm... wrong band, honey." And what's worse is that I thought about how I started listening to them in 1994 - I was in the 4th grade.  {Oh, shit.  I am getting old!}  These guys are now the older artists at the VMAs.  WTF?!?

So, we continued to watch, the fashion {or lack thereof}, the talent {or lack thereof}, and finally it was show time.  The performances began and at that moment, I realized that the VMAs and I have come full circle... because now, I was the Mom, and my daughter, well...

She was mesmerized! 

I'm the mom now, yes the coolest mom, but she's gonna be the teen some day.  And I will be the one asking her, "Who's that, sweetie?"  She will most likely roll her eyes {like I do so perfectly} and sigh, "Oh, Mom, that's _______, duh!"

Lol.

Life has definitely changed.

Happy Friday!  Today, we are taking Gwen to her first concert! The Fresh Beat Band!  She adores them, and I hope she has the BEST time today.  Deets later for you.

xoxo.

See Ya, Summer!

Don't get me wrong.  It's been a great summer {and a tough one too}.  But, both Hubs and I are ELATED that it is September.  We spent 3, yes, THREE weekends this entire summer, at home {actually since the middle of May}.  This was the first Labor Day Weekend EVER that we are not at the beach/on the boat/down in our hometown {the Jersey Shore}.  Ever.  AND?!?!  We couldn't be happier.  Seriously.  We've had enough.

Bring on fall.

Bring on football {yippee!}.

So long, packing.

See ya next year, living out of suitcases.

We've had our fill.  And now?  Back to regularly scheduled life.

Things I can't wait for...

Pumpkin ANYTHING. {picking, coffee, pie, you name it, I love it!}

Football.  Wings.  Beer. {Go Big Blue!}

Sweaters and boots.

Gwen's birthday!

To be rid of this damn humidity.

I know, I know, in a few months I'll be begging for the warm weather to come back, but right now I am content with my DD Iced Pumpkin Latte. :)

Here are some pics of Gwen, one year ago.  Seems like forever ago, and she looks like such the little baby in them.  Man, she is growing up TOO quick.  {Yup, I've got baby fever}

xoxo.

Birthday Invite Pics

On my Mom's birthday {Aug 6th}, Gwen and I drove down to take her out to lunch, but not before having an impromptu photo shoot for Gwen's birthday party invitation.

I put her in her birthday dress.  Blew up 30 mini balloons.  Filled my Mom's tub with them.  And started snapping away.

I think my mom thought I was crazy... especially when I asked her to get into the tub as well and entertain Gwen. lol.  {Thanks, Mom!}

I was nervous that they weren't going to turn out like I had hoped, and I was right.

They turned out even better!

I love them.

And I love them even more because I took them.

Can't wait for her birthday!

xoxo.