tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78154276844275024312024-03-05T04:48:38.607-06:00Growing Kooky TogetherLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-38517216505448391532014-03-06T12:52:00.002-06:002014-03-06T12:52:43.193-06:00Room Reveal: Sadie's Big Kid Room!I'm so excited to finally share Sadie's new "big girl room" - it was a lot of planning and some heavy lifting, but we got everything moved in and set up within a few hours! <br />
<br />
Switching our house around to give Sadie this great space was 100% worth it - she's closer to everything else (our room, the dining room, kitchen, etc), there great natural light, high ceilings, and plenty of storage. We no longer have to keep a space heater running because the room stays plenty warm. And even though the room is in a high traffic area (just off our front door) she has been sleeping great!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Polka dot feature wall using decals above Sadie's
crib and a hopscotch rug is featured in the center of the
room.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/03/04/room-reveal-miss-hs-big-kid-room/sadiepics-0001/" rel="attachment wp-att-93159"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-93159" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0001.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0001.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We switched Sadie's yellow dresser from a changing
table to a storage spot for diapering items and clothes she has recently grown
out of. We now simply do diaper changes on the rug, and it works out great.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/03/04/room-reveal-miss-hs-big-kid-room/sadiepics-0004/" rel="attachment wp-att-93162"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-93162" height="400" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0004.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0004.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0004.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Polka dot wall “nooks” used to store Sadie's monitors (regular video
monitor and WiFi Dropcam). These nooks already existed in the room and they're really convenient.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0003.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0003.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0003.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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Sadie's toy bin/bookshelf works perfectly for her (growing) library and
collection of toys, and her growth chart is on the wall.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="400" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0005.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0005.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0005.jpg" width="600" /></div>
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Wall for Sadie's coats, slippers, and sweaters featuring adorable owl wall
hooks.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/03/04/room-reveal-miss-hs-big-kid-room/sadiepics-0012/" rel="attachment wp-att-93170"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="400" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0006.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0006.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0006.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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New crib sheet, pillowcase cover, and quilt made by me to brighten up the
space (note: we are not yet using the pillow or quilt for night or naps).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/03/04/room-reveal-miss-hs-big-kid-room/sadiepics-0009/" rel="attachment wp-att-93167"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-93167" height="400" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0009.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0009.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0009.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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A Sadie-accessible closet features all of Sadie's current clothes, pajamas,
and socks all at her level (minus, of course, the dresses).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/03/04/room-reveal-miss-hs-big-kid-room/sadiepics-0007/" rel="attachment wp-att-93165"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-93165" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0007.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0007.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sadie wanted to get in on the photos!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="400" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0011.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0011.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sadiepics-0011.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We
are just in love with Sadie's space! It’s a very functional space for a growing
girl, giving her better access to her clothes and toys and allowing her to hang
up her coat and sweatshirt herself. And because we owned so many of these items
already, we did not have to purchase very much to make this room happen. Below
I’ve detailed the where we sourced everything in the room, broken down by items
we already had and items we purchased for the new room.</div>
<br />
<strong>Items We Owned</strong><a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/ryder-rocking-chair-g530/">Ryder Rocker
from West Elm</a> (now discontinued)<br /><a href="http://www.cb2.com/hopscotch-rug/f5803">Hopscotch Rug from CB2</a><br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/minthome">Yellow Dresser from Mint
Home</a><br /><a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Sauder-Pogo-Bookcase-414436-L528-K~SAU1502.html?refid=GX21919167780-SAU1502&device=c&ptid=58759944780&gclid=CNbT_rqB97wCFa9cMgodg1wArA">Sauder
Pogo Bookcase from Wayfair</a><br /><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-Modena-3-in-1-Fixed-Side-Convertible-Crib-White/15529737">Baby
Mod Modena Crib from Wal-Mart</a><br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MargauxMakes?ref=l2-shop-info-name">Growth Chart
from Margaux Makes<br />Boon Curl Baby Shoe Rack</a> (we are using it for
sweaters)<br />Lamp from Land of Nod (no longer available)<br /><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40070185/">Bekvam Spice Racks
from IKEA</a> (used as book racks)<br />
<br />
<strong>Items We Purchased</strong><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/113484402/64-white-polka-dot-wall-decals-removable?ref=shop_home_active_17">White
removable polka dot fabric decals from Wall Dressed Up</a><br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/169141847/peel-and-stick-yellow-polka-dot-wall?ref=related-0">Yellow
polka dot vinyl decals from Polka Dot Wall Stickers</a><br /><a href="http://www.diapers.com/p/3-sprouts-hanging-wall-organizer-pink-flamingo-661362">3
Sprouts Flamingo Door Organizer from Diapers.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/cotton-canvas-printed-curtain-sketch-t710/?pkey=e%7Csketh%2Bcurtain%7C1%7Cbest%7C0%7Cviewall%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules">Sketch
Curtains from West Elm</a><br /><a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Eclipse-Curtains-Liner-Rod-Pocket-Liner-Panel-10332WH-QEL1060.html?refid=EH&mmid=174394405&csnid=42A03E39-1AFE-4548-8C91-EF632D58CADF&ltr=">Blackout
Liners for Curtains from Wayfair.com<br />Fabric for sheet, pillowcase, and quilt
by Lotta Jansdotter</a><br /><a href="http://www.landofnod.com/i-think-i-canvas-hanging-closet-organizers/f4155">I
Think I Can close organizers from Land of Nod</a><br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/StrictlyVintage">Yellow, Gray, and Blue Owl
Hooks from Strictly Vintage</a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-43548870142098168942014-02-20T13:06:00.002-06:002014-02-20T13:06:35.432-06:00Picnic Birthday Party InspirationLast year around this time, I was planning <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2013/04/sadies-rainbow-first-birthday.html">Sadie's rainbow 1st birthday party</a>! I love how it turned out - bright, fun and relatively easy to pull off. The party matched her bright and sunny personality and I had so much fun making the rainbow birthday cake, something I'd wanted to tackle for a long time!<br />
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Well, time has magically flown by and my little girl is turning the big 2! I initially thought that we would not do much of a party this year, but of course I've got the planning bug and am ready to jump into party planning again.<br />
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Steve and I were brainstorming what we wanted to do when we started talking about pie for some reason (Sadie fell in love with apple pie last fall, and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving!). From pie we jumped to picnics and that's where we've landed: an indoor picnic birthday party! I'm having so much fun starting to pull things together, with some great inspiration.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xshl75oYN9boRxkN0DDt0no0ZXiURqG5aeCBp42FpmR2e-ZqhO-Ju5y4wAfCPyqk1DGIQPFIDkLM0DRlvmR312O9DDop_i7bfBYP6mM4XgEFVY4vtZcEiemFs_lYy6fx_CPUmCe6t-Y/s1600/EtsyPicnicInvite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xshl75oYN9boRxkN0DDt0no0ZXiURqG5aeCBp42FpmR2e-ZqhO-Ju5y4wAfCPyqk1DGIQPFIDkLM0DRlvmR312O9DDop_i7bfBYP6mM4XgEFVY4vtZcEiemFs_lYy6fx_CPUmCe6t-Y/s1600/EtsyPicnicInvite.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Picnic invite via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/158277805/custom-birthday-invitation-picnic-party?ref=favs_view_19">Boo and Lou Design</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ZefZZ-pE-_yPeKIhB5Ml8fPvICHZ-kLBFL3KKBRQqEd8OT2dUG4w2eA3MzbJgIHEU0H8ue8oSrkGufwh6z5tXM8gOF6CVSHGXga8-1yLAFrWzrpC82EuUTPgY1fztnsAXi3NKOBuOM/s1600/AntsonaLog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ZefZZ-pE-_yPeKIhB5Ml8fPvICHZ-kLBFL3KKBRQqEd8OT2dUG4w2eA3MzbJgIHEU0H8ue8oSrkGufwh6z5tXM8gOF6CVSHGXga8-1yLAFrWzrpC82EuUTPgY1fztnsAXi3NKOBuOM/s1600/AntsonaLog.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ants on a log cake via <a href="http://www.thepartiologist.com/2013/07/summer-picnic-party-ants-on-log.html">The Partiologist</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnZsqXTVeITDqmF0vc2Cq1b6crZpWvyPqmG5ZqT5q1kbE2OnNCaUDe2ultTqCHn-5ZJm18m2C5OZcNq40vpD7KXvXf7aFlI4M3aUEr64KhMBD_di4FV3l-Hk6T489diEyyfWA-Mmo4yU/s1600/PieCupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnZsqXTVeITDqmF0vc2Cq1b6crZpWvyPqmG5ZqT5q1kbE2OnNCaUDe2ultTqCHn-5ZJm18m2C5OZcNq40vpD7KXvXf7aFlI4M3aUEr64KhMBD_di4FV3l-Hk6T489diEyyfWA-Mmo4yU/s1600/PieCupcakes.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pie cupcakes via <a href="http://www.oprah.com/food/Cupcakes-Recipe-Birthday-Cupcakes/5">Oprah.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmU6oz705dj0X0YoX13VEEV1w1I94PTh3F1W1VvLcvw42IWNoJSU9QxTmhU7hC_iAFh0XiTLOh6VO5jn31cZGomjHm0UcQnarwchmQZqetqLsq1CB7S1uE0VqCdbAI93PxKfIlkLEKj4/s1600/picnicfood.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmU6oz705dj0X0YoX13VEEV1w1I94PTh3F1W1VvLcvw42IWNoJSU9QxTmhU7hC_iAFh0XiTLOh6VO5jn31cZGomjHm0UcQnarwchmQZqetqLsq1CB7S1uE0VqCdbAI93PxKfIlkLEKj4/s1600/picnicfood.png" height="352" width="400" /></a></div>
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A simple, rustic food table via <a href="http://blog.landofnod.com/honest-to-nod/2012/04/a-peculiar-p-picnic.html">Honest to Nod</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixT6sDosGr-M_9mSDWTzID2aLX7adBtOE3pUmdMVwcL42k0U4DH8Pp3sGPCWhUbLVmz1cwQzYZDjCBCFRgoip5rvfw5H0mLD0MkD8cKHmYRF_OjxShXctj4uV1wjf-67JX1UynDabT3no/s1600/KateSpadePicnicBlanket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixT6sDosGr-M_9mSDWTzID2aLX7adBtOE3pUmdMVwcL42k0U4DH8Pp3sGPCWhUbLVmz1cwQzYZDjCBCFRgoip5rvfw5H0mLD0MkD8cKHmYRF_OjxShXctj4uV1wjf-67JX1UynDabT3no/s1600/KateSpadePicnicBlanket2.jpg" height="376" width="400" /></a></div>
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Easy picnic blanket seating via <a href="http://www.katespade.com/picnic-blanket/PSRU1141,en_US,pd.html">Kate Spade</a> (sadly, amazing blanket no longer available!)</div>
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With a few simple touches - some gingham fabric here, picnic baskets there - this party should be simple to put together but delightfully adorable. Oh, and why an <em>indoor</em> picnic, you ask? As the party will fall in April, there is no telling what Chicago's weather will be like! We could have a gorgeous warm-ish day or snow. So we'll be playing it safe indoors!</div>
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Do you have any fabulous picnic party inspiration to share?<em></em></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-65968267930386304152014-02-19T13:39:00.000-06:002014-02-19T13:39:32.114-06:00Guidecraft Kitchen HelperOne piece of "toddler gear" we really wanted as Sadie has been getting bigger is a kitchen/learning tower. She was always wanting to be "up up up" when she was in the kitchen - she wanted to be up at our level for everything we were cooking.<br />
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I knew we didn't want to rely on a step stool, especially because we have slate floors in the kitchen, which are very uneven. I loved the idea of a learning tower that would completely surround Sadie so that she couldn't (easily) fall. After doing a lot of research, we settled on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guidecraft-Kitchen-Helper-Step-Stool/dp/B00C18NV8C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZA22BH0TZ4BX5X80TX8">Guidecraft Kitchen Helper</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucudE0FZ4vMdOYBFwdrS7AhzkDWFbUeFFCii4J9SQ87guFHQdst_252XjojdF-9WaR48QqyziMWIjFyelD-sL93A4ffvkJika3WfDBlEADWAxYGqio5j8jfLmvdMBFPks3A3bCWKsGW8/s1600/KitchenHelper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucudE0FZ4vMdOYBFwdrS7AhzkDWFbUeFFCii4J9SQ87guFHQdst_252XjojdF-9WaR48QqyziMWIjFyelD-sL93A4ffvkJika3WfDBlEADWAxYGqio5j8jfLmvdMBFPks3A3bCWKsGW8/s1600/KitchenHelper.jpg" height="400" width="256" /></a></div>
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{<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guidecraft-Kitchen-Helper-Step-Stool/dp/B00C18NV8C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZA22BH0TZ4BX5X80TX8">source</a>}</div>
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What sold us on it was the ability to fold it when it was not in use. There are many other similar products out there, but most of them cannot be folded. Because we live in a small house with no storage space to spare (no garage, basement storage, etc) we needed something that could be flexible for our home.</div>
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The pros of the Guidecraft Kitchen Helper:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Can be folded</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Comes in white to compliment our décor</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Decently sturdy</div>
</li>
</ul>
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The cons of the Guidecraft Kitchen Helper:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
At around $150 it's not a cheap investment if you don't find yourself using it a lot</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
The little dry erase board and the chalkboard are cheap quality/not necessary</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Sadie likes to stick her feet out of the little shape cutouts on the sides</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
You have to use a wrench to be able to fold it up, so it's not something you would want to do every day - you still need a dedicated place in your kitchen to keep it for daily use</div>
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</ul>
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For us, the pros definitely outweigh the cons and we have no regrets about adding this into our small kitchen. It took Sadie one day to get used to it and after that she always wants to be up in her "tower" whenever we are doing anything in the kitchen! We use it to wash her hands at the kitchen sink, we involve her in doing the measuring and mixing when we bake, and we often set her up with various spoons and bowls so that she can "cook" while we get some actual cooking done in the kitchen! </div>
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Overall, it is amazing how seamlessly we've added the helper into our daily routine and how it is not an extra <em>thing</em> but a truly useful tool for involving Sadie more with what we're doing.</div>
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And, the proof is in the picture - Sadie and I making biscuits together!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWCEgOLmQ3ZgbIgXph_h_0GuXocfZSwpSOu-xWcAd_l8pQD6ml2AJ8XHQTGdSXCeRsU_wUOx0HmCTscFsx_NWjJRzrGfJnIz2PbzQ60L6hl30UVDQbP8yKxLdN0bkjzWQXMZveLbti4w/s1600/SadieTower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWCEgOLmQ3ZgbIgXph_h_0GuXocfZSwpSOu-xWcAd_l8pQD6ml2AJ8XHQTGdSXCeRsU_wUOx0HmCTscFsx_NWjJRzrGfJnIz2PbzQ60L6hl30UVDQbP8yKxLdN0bkjzWQXMZveLbti4w/s1600/SadieTower.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-84462092261402859752014-02-14T12:58:00.000-06:002014-02-14T12:58:29.957-06:00Easy Toddler MealsWe are always working to try new and interesting foods for Sadie, with a focus on what we can easily make, freezes and/or reheats well, and is a combination of tasty and nutritious. Fortunately Sadie is a pretty good eater, but she still shoots us down from time to time!<br />
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<strong>Black Bean Burgers</strong><br />
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We love this <a href="http://weelicious.com/2008/12/03/black-bean-cakes/">black bean burger recipe from Weelicious</a> because it's easy to throw together, the patties can be frozen individually and reheat wonderfully, you can sneak in any veggies you want, and Sadie just loves them! Our only twist is baking them in the over for 10 minutes on each side instead of pan frying them.<br />
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<strong>Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese</strong><br />
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I love cauliflower, and I happen to love macaroni and cheese. Sadie also happens to love macaroni and cheese but so far has not been a big fan of cauliflower. Easy solution? Cauliflower macaroni and cheese! We really like <a href="http://www.yumsugar.com/Michelle-Obama-Cauliflower-Mac-Cheese-Recipe-23243043">Michelle Obama's cauliflower mac and cheese</a> - super simple to throw together. And if you can't buy fresh cauliflower, just steam a bag of frozen cauliflower and puree. So simple, tasty, and good for a few days worth of meals!<br />
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<strong>Pumpkin Waffles</strong><br />
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<strong><br /></strong>We like making a special breakfast on the weekend, and a big hit this winter has been all different kinds of waffles! We recently happened upon this <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/spiced-pumpkin-waffles-67930">pumpkin waffle recipe from Food.com</a> and we love it. Better yet, we make a big batch of waffles and freeze some to eat on days where we don't have time to make a fancy breakfast. Just pop a frozen waffle in the toaster for a few rounds of toasting (depending on your specific toaster) and you're all set with a yummy waffle without all of the work.<br />
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<strong>Pizza</strong><br />
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We like to make up a few homemade pizzas on the weekend and then eat the leftovers at the beginning of the week. The best part with a toddler is that you can load it with veggies, which are completely disguised by melted cheese! Use any pizza dough recipe or pre-bought dough, some red pasta sauce from a jar, and any cheese and veggies you want! Sadie's most recent pizza featured broccoli and black olives and she absolutely adored it.<br />
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<strong>Egg Scrambles</strong><br />
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Our most common go-to meal for Sadie is an egg scramble. We throw in whatever veggies we have on hand (usual steamed peas and broccoli) and Sadie just devours her veggie scramble. It's so easy to make and since we always have eggs on hand, it's a quick and easy way to get her some protein.<br />
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What meals are in regular rotation for your toddler?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-66888489944076934752014-02-04T12:51:00.000-06:002014-02-04T12:51:05.927-06:00Toddler Room Design - Doors, Curtains and FabricProgress on Sadie's "big girl" room is rapidly underway! In fact, we have a move date set for later this month and we've been working to make the room "Sadie ready" bit by bit. Needless to say, I've been doing a lot of online shopping and a whole lot of sewing!<br />
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Our biggest project to date, with the help of a good friend, was to replace the vintage French doors with a standard door. While charming, the old doors were difficult to open and close (they lead out into a sun room) and the thought of all of that glass combined with a wild toddler made me nervous. I love the new door and will sleep easier at night knowing it's safer.<br />
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While the doors were getting fixed, I was frantically looking for curtains. With the tall windows in the room, we needed curtains that were around 96" long. And we needed them to be light blocking/blackout curtains. A hefty - and expensive - quest.<br />
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After endless amounts of obsessive searching, I landed on <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/cotton-canvas-printed-curtain-sketch-t710/?pkey=cwindow-panels-curtains-shades&cm_src=window-panels-curtains-shades||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-">West Elm's "Sketch" curtains</a>. For $19.99 a panel, these curtains were a steal!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dxLBlVon6C2nHzCUjq6m3R48FQNfDzcecZINrtgTV1slMYdqCPMzY4LwXS0TxJoKf5UE2Ar9MfXiOYicPQBIG9rnuYcjE3PjSkei5oSSlymYMzytiXvwQ5Lo8Z0tMzUFzdbrCQHWwvY/s1600/Curtains1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dxLBlVon6C2nHzCUjq6m3R48FQNfDzcecZINrtgTV1slMYdqCPMzY4LwXS0TxJoKf5UE2Ar9MfXiOYicPQBIG9rnuYcjE3PjSkei5oSSlymYMzytiXvwQ5Lo8Z0tMzUFzdbrCQHWwvY/s1600/Curtains1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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{<a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/cotton-canvas-printed-curtain-sketch-t710/?pkey=cwindow-panels-curtains-shades&cm_src=window-panels-curtains-shades||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-">source</a>]</div>
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As you can see from the picture above, these definitely weren't light blocking. My compromise to get curtains that were of a good quality but not boring (as many light blocking curtains can be) I ordered <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Eclipse-Curtains-Liner-Rod-Pocket-Liner-Panel-Pair-10332WH-QEL1060.html?refid=EH&mmid=174394405&csnid=42A03E39-1AFE-4548-8C91-EF632D58CADF&ltr=">Eclipse's light blocking panels</a> to attach to the back of the curtains. At $20 for a pack of 2 panels, these were a great deal. You do have to secure the hooks <em>through</em> the back your curtains (something their instructions aren't very clear about), but the finished product works well to keep the room dark on the sunniest of days (and definite need with a young child in the room). Because the light blocking panels are not as wide as the actual curtain panel, when the sun is shining brightly you do notice where the panel starts and stops so it's not a seamless effect, but this was a great budget saver for us as actual blackout curtains can be quite pricey.<br />
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With the curtains set, it was time to move onto fabric! I have been in love with designer <a href="http://jansdotter.com/shop/">Lotta Jansdotter</a> since I stumbled upon her fabrics when working in Sadie's nursery. On a hunt for new fabrics, I fell in love with three different designs that perfectly coordinate. They still pull in the blue and yellow of Sadie's current nursery but with a fresh new perspective.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJlTLTjxpWzt2yUmQITwxqRAZntmmb2mOGULWNcNxL5ZEocJLWqse_oBKZTI1lqloKcLoNXqPNifXW3B5lNdZjsIznOgox-6nSnKitf7Y54gxZjKFnfZCtVS_m40sLBs8tec-LW_Biw0/s1600/Jansdotter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJlTLTjxpWzt2yUmQITwxqRAZntmmb2mOGULWNcNxL5ZEocJLWqse_oBKZTI1lqloKcLoNXqPNifXW3B5lNdZjsIznOgox-6nSnKitf7Y54gxZjKFnfZCtVS_m40sLBs8tec-LW_Biw0/s1600/Jansdotter.jpg" height="272" width="640" /></a></div>
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{<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/AggieMJewelry?ref=l2-shopheader-name">source</a>}</div>
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<em>from left to right: Ball and Leaves in Schooner; Wide Strip in Sunspray; Basket Weave in Schooner</em></div>
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These fabrics are lovely in person - rich colors and playful designs. I've had so much creating a new sheet, pillow case, and quilt for Sadie. I just can't wait to see everything actually come together in the room! Bedding sets for children are quite easy to make yourself and are much more inexpensive than buying an entire set. I'm definitely planning on sharing all of the tutorials I used.</div>
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Now that the big items are out of the way - door, bedding, curtains - I'm having fun with all of the little details. Currently in the works are a polka dot decal wall, some adorable little wall hooks, coordinating stuffed animals...the list goes on!</div>
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In the meantime, each day we are reminding Sadie that the office will soon be <em>her</em> room, and talking about where her bed will go. She loves spending time in "daddy's office" so we hope she'll love it just as much when it's her big kid room!</div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-80271698900179765472014-01-10T13:27:00.002-06:002014-01-10T13:27:43.576-06:00Toddler Room TransitionIt's about time I start blogging on here more regularly, right? Right. As I'm pretty sure my monthly updates of Sadie are 99.9% so I don't forget anything (because, as you know, it's <em>incredibly</em> important that I remember what her nickname was at 14 months vs. 19 months). <br />
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Anyhow, I want to get back into sharing recipes, house projects, parenting, etc. A little bit of everything as we continue to enjoy our <em>kooky</em> little family.<br />
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Top of mind for me these days is Sadie's room! Yes, <em>room</em> - she's not a baby anymore and therefore does not have a nursery (although it seems like just yesterday <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2012/04/big-reveal-baby-koos-nursery.html">I revealed Sadie's finished nursery</a>).<br />
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It's amazing the amount of hours logged in that sweet little room, and how many changes we have made to it over the course of the past (almost) 2 years: adding in bookshelves, purchasing a toy bin/bookcase, removing all picture frames near the changing table (to keep them away from grabby hands)...so far the space has been able to keep up with our growing girl but soon we'll need to make some changes.<br />
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As Sadie gets bigger, I get more and more anxious about her room being down in the basement, two floors below our own bedroom. What works out <em>really</em> well with this set up is that her current room stays relatively quiet, meaning she's less likely to wake up when we have people over, someone rings the doorbell, we're cooking, etc. Steve can also have client meetings at the house in the evening because she's nicely tucked away in her little room. But as she gets bigger and someday soon will be transitioning out of a crib and into a real bed I don't like the thought of her down in the basement all on her lonesome. I want her closer to me!<br />
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So, soon we'll be making the necessary steps to transition Sadie into what is currently Steve's office on the main floor of the house. <br />
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The upside of this transition is:<br />
<ul>
<li>The room is closer to our bedroom</li>
<li>The room is larger, with higher ceilings, nice windows, hardwood floors and a big closet</li>
<li>The room is big enough that someday in the future it could accommodate two kids (not any time soon!)</li>
<li>The room isn't in the basement</li>
<li>I'm super excited about decorating a new room (!!)</li>
</ul>
The downside of this transition is:<br />
<ul>
<li>The room is directly off of the front door, meaning she will hear every doorbell, dog bark, mail delivery, etc</li>
<li>Steve will have to move his office downstairs to her old room, which is less space <em>and</em> means he can no longer have evening client meetings at the house</li>
<li>We'll have to move our piano out of that room and back into our living/dining area</li>
<li>We can no longer use that room to store incredibly random things - our winter coats, things for the dog, odds and ends</li>
<li>We have to spend a decent amount of money to replace a door in her new room before we can move her into it</li>
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So, these changes aren't exactly a perfect world scenario, but we live in a small house with a great location in a wonderful city, so I assume we'll always have compromises. Right? Right.<br />
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With that out of the way, on to planning a new room. The fun stuff. Sadie's room currently looks something like this:<br />
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And because we already have invested in this great dresser, we'll still be using this mustard yellow in the room.<br />
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And as much as I like the look of our <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/ryder-rocking-chair-g530/">West Elm Rocker</a>, I don't really think it would fit well in the new space. Plus, we never really rocked in it so if we have another baby I don't feel the need to really have a rocker. I'm also incredibly sick of the fabric and that shade of blue (probably because I've been looking at it far too much over the past two years), so I'd love to refresh things a bit in the new space. Starting with some simple, gray curtains:<br />
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{<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Grommet-Thermal-Insulated-Blackout/dp/B00EEDPR0W/ref=sr_1_2?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1389380702&sr=1-2">source</a>}</div>
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We also got this awesome chair earlier this year upholstered in a great faux bois (re: wood grain) fabric. It's currently in our living/dining room but would potentially be displaced by the piano. I think it would integrate perfectly into Sadie's new room (don't mind the army of stuffed animals), pairing nicely with the yellow.</div>
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Initially we'd have Sadie in her crib, and then transition the crib into a toddler bed of sorts. Once she outgrew that setup, we'd need to get her a real bed. I was interesting in some sort of loft bed but I think it would be years and years before I'd be truly comfortable with her sleeping way up high. I love the classic look of this Jenny Lind-style bed.</div>
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{<a href="http://www.landofnod.com/twin-white-jenny-lind-bed/s490962">source</a>}</div>
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Finally, since we'll be making the switch from carpet to hardwood for Sadie, we need a rug! Fortunately we already own this hopscotch rug from CB2, and it's held up incredibly well over the years. It just needs a good steam clean and it will be all set for her.</div>
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{<a href="http://www.cb2.com/hopscotch-rug/f5803">source</a>}</div>
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I think the furniture would really pop in a fun way, and everything else could be kept really neutral but still fun.</div>
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So, those are the plans. Now it's just going to be a step-by-step process of getting everything transitions over the next month or two: house repairs, moving of furniture, buying/selling furniture and other items, etc. Oh, and getting Sadie really, really, <em>really </em>excited about her new room!</div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-60132101488190251662013-12-23T13:58:00.001-06:002013-12-23T13:58:39.558-06:00Sadie at 19 & 20 MonthsAgain, I hope to start blogging on here more regularly. Time simply escapes me! Plus I have a new endeavor I'm trying to focus on - a new Etsy shop! Check out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewKooky">Sew Kooky</a>. I'm hoping to get a lot of new, fun items sewn over the holidays to be listed soon.<br />
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In the meantime, Sadie continues to get bigger and bigger and oh so much fun! While her tantrums are definitely becoming more frequent, the time where she's happy and running around far outweighs the tantrums. She's so silly and loves singing and dancing. Plus, she still eats everything we give her (loves her veggies!) and sleeps 7pm-7am like always. <br />
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<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say, Say, Mooky, Bug, Buggy<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> So happy and curious and polite (most of the time!). You always say "scuse me" when trying to walk past us (even if you're going somewhere I don't want you to go!), and you sign and dance like crazy.<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without: </strong>Screaming and throwing tantrums. Please stop! It's so much more fun for all of us (you included!) without the screaming fits.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> The Swiffer. You love walking around with that thing "cleaning" the floors. We love it because you are cleaning the floors and engaged in an activity for longer than 3 minutes at a time.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> It depends on your mood - one day's favorite toy is not necessarily the next day's favorite. You like "making soup" with a plastic spoon and bowl. You love your wooden cell phone. And you really enjoy coloring at your art easel.<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Watching you splash around and play in the bath. You like washing my hands and arms, practicing "blowing bubbles" like you do in swim class, and playing with all of your bath toys.<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> You definitely like to "help" us. When I'm making dinner, I have you go on errands to find me something I "need" - i.e. a blue spoon. It keeps you occupied and helps me get food prepped.<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Everything you hear you repeat! We're never sure what is going to come out of your mouth, but it's so much fun hearing how you interpret certain words or phrases. But the <em>best</em> right now is "I love you" and "I miss you."<br />
<strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Still everything we give you. You're great about eating your veggies before fruit at meal times. You're a little nervous about trying new foods at times, but we can usually win you over if we are eating it first; you always want to try what we have!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-26543285047104073912013-10-29T13:04:00.000-05:002013-10-29T13:04:09.693-05:00Sadie at 17 & 18 MonthsI promise myself that I will start blogging on here more regularly beyond Sadie's monthly updates...but in the meantime at least I'm getting monthly updates posted here (somewhat consistently) which is much better than the job I'm doing (or rather, not doing) of keeping Sadie's baby book updated!<br />
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Sadie continues to be, as always, so much fun! She's singing the ABC's through the letter P and counted to three. Every day is a word explosion with her as she is always picking up new words. We're lucky she hasn't picked up any, umm, bad words, although I'm sure that's right around the corner. She has also gotten so fast! She's litterally running around the house doing laps, which also means she is pretty quick to fall asleep for her nap each afternoon (which is lucky for us, as she wears us out!). <br />
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We love our silly little bundle of energy so much, with her snuggles, hugs, and healthy big appetite! And that big appetite is definitely doing her good, as Sadie jumped up from the 25th to the 70th percentile for her weight!<br />
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<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say, Say<br />
<strong>Temperament:</strong> Happy and upbeat, per usual. You love "calling" your friends and your phone, and are convinced that grandma and grandpa live in the iPad. You miss your nanny desperately when you're not with her and you love giving us all big hugs.<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> Dropping your sippy cup, especially from your high chair. It often hits our feet (ouch!) or the dog's head (ouch!). You often do it just to test us to see what we'll say or do, and we always promptly ask you to say sorry.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Right now you have a bunch of plastic spoons and forks that I gave you to play with. You love putting them in containers and into the back of your toy truck. When I'm cooking I'll often ask you to find me a "red spoon" or a "blue fork" and you set out on your quest, usually bringing back exactly what I've asked for. It's a fun distraction!<br /><strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Lovey. We started giving you a "lovey" at night around your first birthday. At the time you could have cared less if it was there. But over the past couple of months, you have become obsessed with Lovey. You love cuddling him and carrying him around and he's definitely your buddy at night!<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Time with you and watching you play and playing games with you. You get so excited when you see and learn new things, and you love watching us in the kitchen while we're cooking. It's so much fun having you right by my side!<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> You are starting to walk down the stairs while holding our hands and using the wall for support. You are obsessed with this "big girl" activity! It's slow-going but fun to see you so proud of yourself when we make it to the bottom of the stairs.<br />
<strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> You are talking non-stop! You've started saying full sentences ("Say Say goes night night too") and three-syllable words like "applesauce." The night you first said a sentence, I think my jaw dropped.<br /><strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Anything and everything. You have started to like salmon. You love veggie quesadillas (our "dillas" as you call them), French toast, pancakes, you recently had bacon for the first time (yum!), lots of fruit and veggies, and egg scrambles are an absolute favorite. I'm still so grateful you're such a good eater!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-17694160256524606152013-09-10T12:43:00.000-05:002013-09-10T12:43:02.604-05:00Sadie at 16 MonthsI’m offically starting to understand why people love the toddler stage so
much! It’s so much fun watching their little brains growing as they learn new
words and actions. Sadie has been enjoying experimenting with walking sideways
and backwards, “dancing,” and her walking is getting so fast she is practically
running! She is also learning to sing her ABC’s – she’s up to “A-B-C-D” right
now. She also can identify her colors – pink, blue, yellow, green, white, black,
purple, and red. Her favorite color is blue, so she regularly requests a blue
diaper! It’s so cute (but sad when all of the blue diapers are dirty and we have
to settle for yellow or green). While she still wears us out quite a bit, we
have a lot of fun with her while in the process of becoming exhausted!<br />
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This was one of our most fun photoshoots to date. Sadie actually sat still
for multiple photos in front of the chair, and enjoyed posing for the camera and
saying “cheese!”<br />
<br /><strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say, Sade, Say, Mooky<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> Happy and goofy. You love music and singing songs and are almost always singing in your stroller when we go for walks. People always smile at you! And you're always smiling at the people we pass and saying "hi." You definitely are firm, though, about what you like or don't like and are quick to say "no no" when given options, whether it be a shirt or a book.<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> If you don't get your way, you express your anger/frustration through throwing a toy, food, sippy cup...whatever you have in hand. It's so sad and I always feel bad when you're that upset.<br /><strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> You have a little bee push toy that you love to push around the house, especially when daddy is swiffering the floors!<br />
<strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> You have a Mickey Mouse toy that grandma and grandpa bought you. We're not sure who taught you that his name was "Mickey" (it wasn't us!), but wheneve ryou see him you say his name and go "Oh Mickey" and give him a hug. He's your buddy.<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> You're fun to be around. You give lots of hugs and kisses. You know how to give Charlie "gentle pets" and sing "night night Charlie" to him when he's sleeping on the rug. It's just a lot of fun to sit back and watch you engage with the world around you!<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Walking everywhere! Up and down the street. You squirm out of our arms and say "walky" so that you can go a run ahead of us. You are loving this new freedom!<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Anything and everything. Sometimes it amazes me the words that come out of your mouth. And again, all of the singing. <br />
<strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Still a lot of fruits and veggies. We will be so sad when the farmer's market ends! Some new foods have been pasta with homemade pesto, a homemade (basic) pad thai, salmon cakes...all kinds of good stuff! But the continued favorite right now is definitely a scrambled egg with veggies.<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-34194898314711744162013-08-06T12:48:00.002-05:002013-08-06T12:48:43.152-05:00Sadie at 15 MonthsI promise one day (hopefully soon!) I will get back to blogging more than monthly updates! But in the meantime...<br />
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Sadie is all over the place these days and is so much fun to be around! She has
a silly little personality that shows more and more each day, although she has
also started developing some of the dreaded “toddler tantrums” – arching her
back in frustration when she doesn’t get her way (or when she finishes her
milk!). On the flip side, she loves say “hi” to everyone she sees on the street
and “sings” silly little songs.<br />
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<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say, Sade, Say, Boo, Mooky, Bubba Boo<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> So silly and happy! You still love singing songs and learning new words. You are super chatty and will just entertain yourself playing with your toys or following us around the house while we do housework. You're almost always happy and upbeat (unless you're not getting your way!).<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> You hitting me in the face! You have recently learned the word "ouch" and know that when you hit me or pull my hair I will say "ouch." You love the reaction so I have to ignore the fact that you're hitting me. Please stop doing this, it's no fun!<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Books. You love sitting and reading books with us and now you are very opinionated about which books you read, especially before bed. Sometimes I have to hold up 5 different books before I find the one that you want.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Stacking bowls - you loving pushing them togehter to make a ball, putting them on your head to make a "hat," and stacking them. They provide hours of entertainment!<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> How much easier your schedule has gotten. You now take one long nap in the middle of the day, so we actually have time to go out and do fun stuff in the morning and afternoon. It is amazing!<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> I think it's a tie between walking and talking. You love running around everywhere and have started walking sideways and backwards. You also love dancing and it's the cutest thing ever. But you also love talking and picking up new words every day!<br />
<strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Before your 15 month doctor's appointment I figured out that you had about 40 words you regularly say and a few two-word phrases. That's a lot! You say "big girl," "let's go," "I know," "go baby," "here go," along with a lot of other words in our daily life. It's so much fun listening to you talk!<br />
<strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Everything still. Fruits and veggies of course! You love eggs and now when we get the frying pan out you run around the kitchen saying "eggy!" It's so cute. We joke that you eat better than us with your organic diet full of fruits and veggies from the farmer's market!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-17816331700166058672013-06-28T13:04:00.001-05:002013-06-28T13:04:35.597-05:00Sadie at 13 & 14 Months<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
We officially have a walker on our hands! At about 12.5 months Sadie took her first independent steps and she's been "go go go" ever since! Which means we've been "go go go" right along with her. It has been especially exciting to see her become more sure of herself. At first she was very hesitant to walk in public (on the sidewalk, at the park) - she always wanted to hold our hands. After about a month of walking she has gotten more and more confident in herself and now refuses to hold our hands when we're outside! </div>
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She's such a big girl with an infectious smile and loves saying "hi" to everyone she sees outside (although her timing is often off and she'll say "hi" after they've passed us by).</div>
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<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say, Sade, Say, Boo<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> Still very happy and smiley, but very determined to have things go <em>your</em> way. If we pick you up without asking you "up" first, you are not a happy camper! You're listening to us and watching us very closely, especially when you go near something you're not supposed to (and say "no no" to yourself as you do it!).</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> The occasional epic meltdowns where you arch your back and try and wriggle out my arms. It's not fun for either one of us!</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Definitely your stroller. It's great that we can get out again with the nicer weather. You just kick back and relax in your stroller! And I love that we can give you snacks and a sippy cup while we go for walks.<br /><strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Your play pots and pans - you could play with those for hours. In truth, you are happy to play with the silliest things long periods of time - one day you played with your winter hat for an hour!<br /><strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Sharing food with you! It's so great to be able to share a smoothie or pancakes or really anything with you. You're eager to try new foods and usually want what I have.<br /><strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Walking. Everywhere. And you're fast!! You love running away from us so that we have to chase you. You're also getting really good at climbing the stairs, which is exciting and scary (for me). Oh, and of course: lights! You love pointing out the lights in a room and switching them on and off.<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> All kinds of words. You repeat after us all day long. You are also getting really good at sign language, and say the words while you sing: please, more, water (waa waa), milk, all done. It is so cute and so much fun that you really communicate with us about what you want!<br /><strong>Foods You Like:</strong> You love absolutely everything, especially green veggies. You could eat broccoli all day long! You love fruits, fruit smoothies, beef stew, Indian lentil stew...pretty much anything we put in front of you is devoured in seconds!</div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-56457835268796757562013-06-28T12:46:00.001-05:002013-06-28T12:46:36.989-05:00Sadie at 12 MonthsThis is a little bit belated (ok, a lot!), but I wanted to make sure I wrapped up Sadie's first year updates, even if it's just for her and me in the future!<br />
<br />
The year has flown by so fast my head is still spinning. I sometimes wonder
what it would be like to be “pre-baby me” but I don’t even know her anymore.
Because the “momma me” finally feels like the <em>real</em> me. And it took
awhile to get to this place. The first few months of being a mom I felt
absolutely silly as a pushed the stroller around my neighborhood. Now being out
strolling with Sadie is second nature to me. I’ve finally come to terms with
the fact that sleeping until 7am on Saturday mornings is sleeping in. And it’s
<em>blissful</em>.<br />
<br />
And I know that having a toddler isn’t exactly easy fun and games all the
time, but I’m really looking forward to this time as Sadie's momma. We’re less
tied to nap schedules, she can have snacks in her stroller as we’re out and
about, and we’re finally having some fun! I’m sure I’m in for some challenges
with my strong-willed, goofy little girl, but I can’t wait to see what’s in
store for us.<br />
<br />
I’m excited to share our last installment of week-by-week photos. It’s been
so much fun capturing Sadie each week in all of her fun outfits and silly
expressions. And, starting with 13 months we’ll be taking monthly photos with an
entirely new backdrop!<br />
<br />
<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say (given to her by her nanny), Sade, Boo-ba, Sadie-Boo<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> Happy, happy, happy!<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> Your appetite is sloooowly getting better, but we'd definitely love to see you eating more!<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Your little wagon walker - you can walk pretty fast with it now!<br /><strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Your stacking rings. Still. They provide so much entertainment!<br /><strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Tickling you and hearing you giggle!<br /><strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Cruising around the furniture! You also love going to your music class.<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> The usuals: momma, daddda, go, ba-ba<br /><strong>Foods You Like:</strong> You're definitely getting more interested in finger foods, but you're still not quite sure.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/05/15/miss-h-12-month-update/sadie49weeks/" rel="attachment wp-att-57008"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57008" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie49Weeks.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie49Weeks.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie49Weeks.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><span id="more-57007"></span><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/05/15/miss-h-12-month-update/sadie50weeks/" rel="attachment wp-att-57009"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57009" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie50Weeks.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie50Weeks.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie50Weeks.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/05/15/miss-h-12-month-update/sadie51weeks/" rel="attachment wp-att-57066"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57066" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie51Weeks.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie51Weeks.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie51Weeks.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/05/15/miss-h-12-month-update/sadie52weeks/" rel="attachment wp-att-57067"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57067" height="600" l="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie52Weeks.jpg" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie52Weeks.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sadie52Weeks.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-19019348245700499692013-04-26T12:40:00.000-05:002013-04-26T12:40:39.073-05:00Sadie's Rainbow First Birthday!I'm so excited to share that Sadie is a one year old! I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by, and I never stop thinking about how immensely lucky we are to have a happy, healthy, silly little daughter. Even if she overtired or sick with a cold, our little miss Sadie is so happy - I wish I could have her sunny outlook on life!<br />
<br />
Ok, onward to Sadie's first birthday party! We chose a rainbow theme because Sadie is such a bright, sunny little girl so it only made sense to feature bright colors. And since <em>I</em> always love to know all
kinds of details (where, what, how), I'm going to be incredibly thorough.<br />
<br />
<strong>Party Timeline</strong><br />
The party was scheduled from 11am-1pm. If
I could go back and change it, I would shift it to a little bit later to fit
better with nap schedules - Sadie barely napped that morning, and the other
kids at the party didn't either! Here's a rough timeline of how things worked
out that day:<br />
<br />
11am: Everything for the party was set and guests started
arriving<br />
11am-11:15am: I got Miss H up from her short nap, gave her a bottle,
changed her outfit, and brought her up to a room full of people (she loved
it!)<br />
11:15am-11:45am: guests mingled, kids played<br />
11:45am: We dressed Miss
H in her Korean hanbok (traditional dress) and did the doljabi ceremony<br />
12pm:
We gave Miss H her smash cake and then cut the big cake for the
guests<br />
12:20pm: We helped Miss H open up her birthday gifts<br />
1:15pm: The
last guest left and it was time to clean up!<br />
<strong><br />Food</strong><br />
Since the party was over the lunch hour, I wanted to make sure we had somewhat
substantial food. But I also wanted to make sure everything we made wasn't
temperature specific (i.e. didn't need to be served hot) and that everything was
easy for us to prepare ourselves. To top it all off, we had one guest who is
gluten free and one who is vegan <em>and</em> gluten free. We served:<br />
<ul>
<li><a data-mce-href="http://cincinletseat.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/tea-party-recipes/" href="http://cincinletseat.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/tea-party-recipes/">Egg
salad finger sandwiches</a></li>
<li><a data-mce-href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2010/07/confessions-of-picky-eater.html" href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2010/07/confessions-of-picky-eater.html">Cucumber
finger sandwiches</a></li>
<li><a data-mce-href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2011/08/olive-tapenade-goodness.html" href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2011/08/olive-tapenade-goodness.html">Black
olive tapenade crostinis</a></li>
<li><a data-mce-href="http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad/" href="http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad/">Mediterranean
quinoa salad</a></li>
<li>Chips and guacamole (which many of the babies enjoyed too!)</li>
<li>Skewers of fresh fruit (rainbow colors, of course!)</li>
<li>Cake pops</li>
<li>Cake</li>
<li>Izze sparkling drinks</li>
<li>Bottled water</li>
<li>Applesauce pouches for the LOs</li>
</ul>
There was more than enough food for our (roughly) 15 guests and everything
was budget friendly!<br />
<br />
<strong>Details</strong><br />
The details of the day are what I'm most proud
of! I spent a lot of time gathering items, making various pieces of decor, and
just trying to create a rainbow theme that was fun and bright. And I'm proud to say that I did all of my planning, crafting and baking when Sadie was sleeping - I never prioritized anything over her.<br />
<br />
I've been blogging Sadie's week-by-week photos we've taken, so of course I
wanted to share these photos at the party! These are 5x5 prints that we hung on
twine and attached with mini clothespins. We hung these low enough on the wall
(the top row is about 6 feet high) so that our guests would easily be able to
look at all of them. It was fun hearing people comment on what their favorite
photos were and how much Sadie has changed!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0001/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0001/" rel="attachment wp-att-54216"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54216" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0001.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0001.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
I made cake pops the Monday before the party. These are great treats that can
keep for a week, so they're easy to make in advance! I'd found this little
planter with a chalkboard on the front from an Etsy seller (their shop is
currently unavailable) and I thought it would be so much fun to have "cake pop
flowers" in it!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0002/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0002/" rel="attachment wp-att-54217"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54217" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0002.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0002.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
The "Happy Birthday" banner on the wall was by the talented <a data-mce-href="http://www.chelseyemery.com/" href="http://www.chelseyemery.com/">Chelsey Emery</a>, who also did the
party invitations. It was a perfect addition to the room and I love that we can
easily save it and use it year after year! We hung it with the same twine we
used for the weekly photos.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0003/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0003/" rel="attachment wp-att-54218"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54218" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0003.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0003.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
As mentioned above, we prepared all of our food ourselves for the day. I
decorated the table with scalloped paper circles punched out of cardstock in all
colors of the rainbow!<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0006.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0006.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
I ordered spoons and forks from <a data-mce-href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SucreShop?ref=shop_sugg" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SucreShop?ref=shop_sugg">Sucre Shop</a>,
napkins with rainbow dots from Target, and plates in rainbow stripes and solids
from Oriental Trading.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0008.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0008.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
As mentioned above, we served Izze drinks (in all of the flavors they have
for great color variety!), and bottles of water (which I may or may not have
wrapped in washi tape purchased from <a data-mce-href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/InTheClear?ref=pr_shop_more" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/InTheClear?ref=pr_shop_more">In The
Clear</a>), and applesauce pouches for the kiddos.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0009.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0009.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
Favors were copies of the book <a data-mce-href="http://amzn.to/11D5CPX" href="http://amzn.to/11D5CPX" target="_blank"><em>Planting a Rainbow</em></a> and
little individual pots and seeds (found in Target's dollar aisle!) for growing
their own flower. Since we only had 3 children as guests at the party, I could
afford to gift books.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0010.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0010.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
I fell in love with the look of paper rosettes! I used <a data-mce-href="http://www.ablissfulnest.com/2012/05/diy-tutorial-paper-fan-rosette-go-529.html" href="http://www.ablissfulnest.com/2012/05/diy-tutorial-paper-fan-rosette-go-529.html">this
tutorial</a> for them (there are many tutorials for rosettes if you look; it's a
pretty simple concept), found cardstock in solids and patterns, and afixed them
to the wall with removable mounting tape. I was worried about them not staying
on the wall, but I hung them 2 days before the party and only one had fallen off
the wall a day after the party, so we did really well! It was an inexpensive
piece of decor that added a lot of fun to the room.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0007.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0007.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
I found these fabulous rainbow colored bottles/vases on Etsy (also from the
shop where I got the cake pop box, shop currently unavailable). They were
incredibly affordable and so much fun! I plan on keeping them up year round in
our dining room. The day before the party I bought white spider chrysanthemums
for each vase.<br />
<br />
<strong><a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0030/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0030/" rel="attachment wp-att-54318"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54318" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0030.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0030.jpg" width="600" /></a></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Korean Doljabi Ceremony</strong><br />
After all of our guests had
arrived, Steve's mother and grandmother helped me dress Sadie in her
traditional hanbok that they had gifted her. It was a bit large on her but we
were able to tuck the sleeves under. She did amazingly well in the dress!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0011/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0011/" rel="attachment wp-att-54226"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54226" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0011.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0011.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
For the doljabi, you set items out in front of the baby and the item they
choose indicates something about his or her future. The items we opted to use
were: a pencil (scholarly), a tennis ball (athletic), a paintbrush (artistic),
money (good fortune), and string (long life). She hadn't seen any of these items
before so we knew she wouldn't be playing favorites!<br />
<br />
I predicted she would choose the paintbrush and Steve thought the tennis
ball. I was right! After some pondering, she touched the paintbrush, then took
her hand back. And then she went for the paintbrush again. It looks like we have
a budding artist on our hands!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0012/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0012/" rel="attachment wp-att-54227"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54227" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0012.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0012.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong>Cake!</strong><br />
The cakes were a labor of love, as I made both of
them. I like the idea of making her birthday cake every year as something
special that I do. I made banners for the cakes using washi tape, baker's twine,
and paper straws. The big cake said "Sadie!" and the small cake said "One."
(They're hard to read because I used metallic pens and it was really sunny). I'm
going to do a follow up post and share the recipes I used and the decorating
tutorials that I referenced.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0004.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0004.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0005.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0005.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
We put Sadie in her high chair (in her "Rainbows Make Me Smile" t-shirt,
naturally) and the smash cake right in front of her. She eventually decided she
would touch the cake...<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0013/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0013/" rel="attachment wp-att-54228"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54228" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0013.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0013.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
...and even sample some of the buttercream...before she picked the whole
thing up and tossed it on the floor! I had been borderline worried about her
shoveling a lot of cake her mouth and then choking on it (morbid, I know), so
part of me was relieved that she wasn't that into it. She was definitely fun to
watch!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0014/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0014/" rel="attachment wp-att-54229"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54229" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0014.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0014.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
After Sadie had her cake, it was time to cut the guest cake! I always enjoy
the "big reveal" when a cake is fun on the inside.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0015/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0015/" rel="attachment wp-att-54230"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54230" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0015.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0015.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
I was incredibly pleased with how vibrant my rainbow colored layers turned
out, and how neatly they were stacked!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0018/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0018/" rel="attachment wp-att-54231"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54231" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0018.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0018.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
I had been planning this cake in my head since January, so it was incredibly
rewarding seeing it come to life, and it was even more rewarding sampling the
delicious cake!<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0019/" href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/04/24/baby-hs-rainbow-1st-birthday/sadieparty-0019/" rel="attachment wp-att-54232"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54232" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0019.jpg" height="400" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sadieparty-0019.jpg" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />
We almost forgot a family picture! So here we are at the very end of the
day!<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PartyHopscotches.jpg" height="450" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PartyHopscotches.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<br />
And that, in a nutshell, was Sadie's rainbow first birthday party! It was
such a wonderful day and it was worth all of the prep and hard work! Keep your
eyes out for a more detailed post on the cakes, including the recipes and tutorials I used for inspirationg, baking, and decorating.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday to our little "Say Say!" Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-33269836378431083352013-04-16T12:40:00.000-05:002013-04-16T12:40:26.708-05:00Sadie at 11 MonthsOur little girl is growing up! I wanted to get this 11 month post down before her big "12 month omg she's a year old" post, as she turns 1 in just a few days. Parenting over this past year has been absolutely amazing and so much fun. I can't believe how much she has grown and how awesome her personality is. We've been so blessed!<br />
<br /><strong>Nicknames:</strong> Say-Say (given to her by her nanny), Sade, Boo-ba<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> Happy as always but definitely starting to show us when you don't want something (like, you know, batting a full spoon out of our hands when you're done!)<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> See above! We've had a whole lot of food landing on the kitchen floor (and us!) lately.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Your balerina doll. I love how you give her hugs and kisses and roll around on the floor with her.<br />
<strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Your stacking rings. You could be entertained for hours with those rings - clapping them together, crawling with them all over the house, giving them to us. You even tried to give them to grandma and grandpa over Skype!<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> You play with us so much more - you've played peek-a-boo for quite some time, but now you get great enjoyment out of "hiding" behind your eyes.<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Pulling up on all of the furniture! You love standing.<br />
<strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Still a lot of "dadda." We've been working on "go" and "Google." You still mostly use "momma" when you are upset!<br /><strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Lately there has been a lot of food on the floor as we transition from purees to more finger foods. But one thing you will never ever turn down is toast! <br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-88476398979639838322013-03-13T12:57:00.001-05:002013-03-13T12:57:11.957-05:00Sadie at 9 & 10 MonthsAnd here we are again, I'm terribly behind on updates! And I cannot believe how big Sadie had grown. She's on the move so much - the day before she turned 9 months she started crawling forward! It was so much fun to see her figure it out (I, miraculously, was home for the first crawl!). She started out slow but now she's speeding all over the house! Which, of course, means we have started babyproofing. It's amazing how quickly she became obsessed with outlets!<br />
<br /><strong>Nicknames:</strong> Boo-ba-loo, Baby, <br />
<strong>Temperament:</strong> Happy! So very, very happy. If you're extra tired from skipping a nap you will definitely show your fussy side, but otherwise you are so happy and excited about the world around you.<br />
<strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> Skipping your second nap! You're a little too young to be only taking 1 nap a day, but you are definitely giving it a try lately. You will usually take the afternoon nap for your daddy, but almost never for your nanny and only occasionally for me. Sadie, you need those naps!<br />
<strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Your play phone. When I say "ring ring" you go and pick up the phone. It's such a fun game!<br />
<strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> Still your jump-a-roo. You could spend hours bouncing around in that thing!<br />
<strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Your vocabulary is expanding even more and you are quick to learn new words/motions (giving a "high five," clapping on cue, waving at "hi" and "bye).<br />
<strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Crawling. You love moving around on your own and chasing the dog - you want to steal all of his toys!<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Lots of "dadda." I'm pretty sure it is now your favorite word and you say it nonstop! Your daddy loves it!<br />
<strong>Foods You Like:</strong> You are still a fantastic easter! I don't think there is anything we have given you that you haven't loved. Veggies, fruit, toast, oatmeal, lentils, yogurt, tofu, you will eat anything!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-30820568321147870862013-02-20T13:31:00.001-06:002013-02-20T13:31:32.636-06:00Letterpress Sugar CookiesI've been making a lot of plans for Sadie's first birthday party! Party planning for an almost-one-year-old is incredibly fun as you know they will be happy with whatever you choose. So I've been enjoying dreaming up a lot of little details that I will probably enjoy and care about far more than anyone else.<br />
<br />
I picked up this letter pressed cookie cutter set a little while ago (you can buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-LetterPressed-Type-Style-Cookie/dp/B005LGUWXS">here</a>). It was supposed to be for a holiday party gift exchange, but when I ended up not attending at the last minute I ended up keeping the set for myself. I imagined all of the fun I would have stamping away creating little letter cookies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLULdcOT2Lv56D8Q83mTcdL4kji-NfQuKN9hb_TX-Tmc84ItgtZ4KfW_Xt6_eUqYGQri9DRa_qmsWZdj6WwPX-IaXuHDqoNBjjjMHJJkvSbyGNhN94ovRX6E_baNqFE0ubgiMJjWDdQ0/s1600/Letterpress1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLULdcOT2Lv56D8Q83mTcdL4kji-NfQuKN9hb_TX-Tmc84ItgtZ4KfW_Xt6_eUqYGQri9DRa_qmsWZdj6WwPX-IaXuHDqoNBjjjMHJJkvSbyGNhN94ovRX6E_baNqFE0ubgiMJjWDdQ0/s640/Letterpress1.jpg" width="635" /></a><br />
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{<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-LetterPressed-Type-Style-Cookie/dp/B005LGUWXS">source</a>}</div>
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The set comes with each letter of the alphabet, plus "!" and "&". Each character is a rectangle or a square, which you use to cut out the shape. You then flip the cutter over and press the letter onto the dough, imprinting the character. After baking, you can fill the indented letter with icing or leave as-is. Simple, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04mwjTSOmcRzZA9p-GobAbv6iqTTiQP72pyS86-PPAxmVL06HDmHfjfvqyPCenYQrxWtBiF3MWHlQVydPSVRf7SkV3Tm58nernS8-Myqc3l8EO188ECb_P8LiYsEuK8t-Ffs7W8__E78/s1600/Letterpress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04mwjTSOmcRzZA9p-GobAbv6iqTTiQP72pyS86-PPAxmVL06HDmHfjfvqyPCenYQrxWtBiF3MWHlQVydPSVRf7SkV3Tm58nernS8-Myqc3l8EO188ECb_P8LiYsEuK8t-Ffs7W8__E78/s640/Letterpress2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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{<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-LetterPressed-Type-Style-Cookie/dp/B005LGUWXS">source</a>}</div>
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I made up a basic batch of sugar cookie dough - any recipe will do. My first batch was a total flop. If you don't press the letter hard enough into the dough, the impression will disappear as the cookie bakes. If you press <em>too</em> hard, you'll completely deform the dough and/or cause the dough to rip. My suggestion is to make a few as a test batch and bake them before wasting an entire tray of cookies (like I did). <br />
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And although the instructions provide absolutely no detail, I have a hunch that if you pressed the letter onto the dough first and <em>then</em> cut out the rectangle/square shape around the indentation, you would be able to avoid deforming everything. That's my experiment for next time.<br />
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Anyway, I managed to get one batch with really good impressions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshEhVcJgZ7_UyqdK93G1GJtFk5Sxh26T5VZCJ1_AysOBlXgAuahZDH4AzRSDXC7bIpCjF0C4xiDN5zQw8HeVkShJPGi_CZAuMrAIWjE4Iugt-uEtqhYm6p6tBQO2Hn-_W5oQY4iLiaxw/s1600/2Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshEhVcJgZ7_UyqdK93G1GJtFk5Sxh26T5VZCJ1_AysOBlXgAuahZDH4AzRSDXC7bIpCjF0C4xiDN5zQw8HeVkShJPGi_CZAuMrAIWjE4Iugt-uEtqhYm6p6tBQO2Hn-_W5oQY4iLiaxw/s640/2Cookies.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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After pulling them from the oven, you can see that while they puffed up some, most of the impressions were still fairly deep (with the exception of the letter "s." You know, the one letter I absolutely want to do, as "s" is for "Sadie."). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADd28wvjqI2k09b0kswuAfA8SUogrdpRlfUU8cFakjaJKLjTSrixCBjfTSrgdzi1prxQq3Q-68ssyRgZfkv3lXFwc1A7fVrRuVETQ89799diSNfy60bjbNN3yG2-cLPWlB6jvNBV1eC4/s1600/3Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADd28wvjqI2k09b0kswuAfA8SUogrdpRlfUU8cFakjaJKLjTSrixCBjfTSrgdzi1prxQq3Q-68ssyRgZfkv3lXFwc1A7fVrRuVETQ89799diSNfy60bjbNN3yG2-cLPWlB6jvNBV1eC4/s400/3Cookies.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I then made up a batch of icing. While it is suggested you use royal icing, I don't care for the taste of royal icing. I ended up making something that consisted of powdered sugar, almond extract, light corn syrup and milk. It tasted delicious and the corn syrup ensured the icing was both glossy and firmed up pretty well (not as hard as royal icing, but definitely set up well enough to stack and transport the cookies without ruining them).<br />
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Making sure the icing was fairly running, I tinted it different colors and put the icing into <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-6-Ounce-Melting-Decorating-Squeeze/dp/B0000VMBF6/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1361388319&sr=1-1&keywords=candy+making+bottles">decorating squeeze bottles</a>. From there, I simply filled the impressions with icing. All of the cookies that had really good impressions were very easy to fill.<br />
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Voila!<br />
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They are far from perfect, which is why I tested these out 2 months before Sadie's birthday rather than 2 days before. I think by the time I do them for the party I'll have my technique completely perfect and will make some beautiful S - A - D - I and E's!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-46558055369960841972013-02-06T12:47:00.000-06:002013-02-06T12:47:02.844-06:00Bib DIY: Fashion + Function!I'm continuing my quest to get sewing projects both completed and blogged! It seems like I finish one thing and I'm right onto the next (with three more projects being planned in my head).<br />
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I had a lot of fun sharing our <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2012/12/diy-christmas-stockings.html">Christmas stockings</a> and the super fun <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2013/01/sewing-project-retro-dolls.html">retro dolls</a> I made. But I'm almost more excited to share the bibs I've been making, which are essential for anyone with a drooling, teething baby on their hands! (Sadie is 9 months old with 6 teeth and possibly another on the way, so the drooling never ends in our house.)<br />
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I've loved this <a href="http://www.ourlittlebeehive.com/2012/04/mr-drooly-pants-waterproof-bib-tutorial.html">waterproof bib tutorial from Our Little Beehive</a>. The pattern is great and the instructions are very clear and concise (because who likes cutting out their pattern pieces and then realizing they have no clue how to sew everything together?). <br />
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Now, what makes these bibs extra special is the fact that they have three layers: cotton fabric on top, absorbent flannel in the middle and a waterproof fabric on the back. This works <em>so</em> well for us because the absorbent bibs would always leak right through onto Sadie's shirt and the waterproof bibs tends to just be one layer of waterproof material, so drool/water/milk ends up running all over. Fail. This combination of materials means Sadie can drool all she wants but her shirt stays dry.<br />
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The materials are simple and inexpensive. I had fun using bright, colorful cotton fabric for the top layer - I had plenty of options in my stash of fabric so I didn't have to buy a thing. For the middle layer I used a cheap white flannel. The back layer is a waterproof PUL fabric (I got mine from <a href="http://www.fabric.com/apparel-fashion-fabric-baby-children-39-s-apparel-fabrics-diaper-central-pul-fabric.aspx">Fabrics.com</a>), which is fairly inexpensive. <br />
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It can be time consuming to cut the pieces out as you need to cut 3 pieces for each bib, but once that's done they can be sewn together in minutes (perfect for naptime sewing project). <br />
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The size is great for the under 12 month crowd - if the bib is too small it won't cover her shirt and if it's too big she tries to eat it. This bib is just right. And, obviously she's super excited to now have fashionable, functional bibs! Priorities.<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-53224371318087718712013-01-17T12:49:00.000-06:002013-01-17T12:49:13.572-06:00Family Photo Shoot - 8 monthsOver Christmas we were a little bit north of San Francisco with my family. Before leaving the west coast, we were lucky enough to do a family photo shoot with the amazingly talented <a href="http://kuperberg.com/">Anna Kuperberg</a>! <br />
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Sadie was right at 8 months for these pictures and it was just the perfect age: she made silly faces, was very interactive, and had just recently started clapping. We had so much fun during the session and were absolutely in love with the results!<br />
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Below are a few (ok, a lot!) of my favorites, although it was really hard to narrow them down. And, of course, all photos are credited to the wonderful <a href="http://kuperberg.com/">Anna Kuperberg</a>.<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-40356764872487596162013-01-15T12:15:00.000-06:002013-01-15T12:15:31.682-06:00Sadie at 7 & 8 Months<br />
I am so behind the times! Being a working mom definitely puts blogging on the back burner, and it's hard to get these month posts up. So, here we are at the 7 and 8 month updates. Wow! Sadie is growing like a weed, getting taller and taller and less "babyish" looking. She's crawling backward and sideways (no forward movement yet), eating lots of food, clapping, giggling, sitting in a high chair when we go out to eat, pulling herself up in her crib. I could go on and on! I feel like we've finally started to hit on more of the "joys of parenting" and getting to enjoy Sadie more, whereas when she was smaller we were most focused on eating, sleeping and diapers. <br />
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<strong>Nicknames:</strong> Sadie Boo, Boo-ba-loo, Sadie Girl, Sadie Baby, Stinker, Little Bun (what her nanny calls her)<br /><strong>Temperament:</strong> Still so happy, but also very "talkative" and you easily convey if you are happy with us or not!<br /><strong>Things I Could Do Without:</strong> More consistency with naps, although you are getting much, much better about taking longer (60-90 minute) naps! Those are blessings.<br /><strong>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</strong> Your big play area in the basement - we put out a couple of quilts and you can sit there and play. Your play mat went away because you are too big and don't need it anymore!<br /><strong>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</strong> We bought you a shape sorter and you're obsessed with the lid!<br /><strong>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:</strong> Watching you learn what words mean. You understand: momma, dadda, puppy, clap, dance, milk (along with the sign for milk).<br /><strong>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now:</strong> FOOD! Anything and everything we give you. You also will not let us feed you finger foods - if I try and put any food near your mouth, you immediately close it so that I put the food down for you to crab and feed yourself. So independent!<br /><strong>Sounds/Words:</strong> Lots of babbling - mamma, baba, etc. Still no clear "dadda" although we hope that will happen soon!<br /><strong>Foods You Like:</strong> Some new foods have been: yellow lentils and rice, quinoa, beets, blueberries, puffs, oat cereal, yogurt. Again, you love EVERYTHING!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLgvvCFm7QveBsvgcoin1bSi8b71EknCFJ39ML_ky6wTi71Zr65cev5QL5kryWtqlWllxOE2CGH0L_ultKppxCdF5eR_CWnMv0nqRJVGdMyOBI8kzZzpkrf3AQ9u39OsEzA9r22zp4vg/s1600/Sadie31Weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLgvvCFm7QveBsvgcoin1bSi8b71EknCFJ39ML_ky6wTi71Zr65cev5QL5kryWtqlWllxOE2CGH0L_ultKppxCdF5eR_CWnMv0nqRJVGdMyOBI8kzZzpkrf3AQ9u39OsEzA9r22zp4vg/s1600/Sadie31Weeks.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7mdtUH8bIHl0_T6NTSWeBd_O5_sxhsS0pkUVR8VbQffjt_ywWCXDFXhlodWJCOvDQyrTQDne9fIwJrZfkae-0O8-4-yczCNVpSYZ4OrIx69c1okeGWStEq219E6STLbQ3iGwYRdl61c/s1600/Sadie33Weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7mdtUH8bIHl0_T6NTSWeBd_O5_sxhsS0pkUVR8VbQffjt_ywWCXDFXhlodWJCOvDQyrTQDne9fIwJrZfkae-0O8-4-yczCNVpSYZ4OrIx69c1okeGWStEq219E6STLbQ3iGwYRdl61c/s1600/Sadie33Weeks.jpg" /></a></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-7441147075232882022013-01-09T13:13:00.000-06:002013-01-09T13:13:19.360-06:00Sewing Project: Retro Dolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm excited to start adding more updates of sewing projects that I had <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2012/11/fall-and-christmas-craft-projects.html">previously shared</a>! I had completed our <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2012/12/diy-christmas-stockings.html">Christmas stockings</a>, which were so cute hanging in our dining room.</div>
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One of my "super secret" projects I was working on for Sadie was kept a secret because if it went well I was going to make it as gifts for some friends who also have little girls. </div>
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Well, my first try was acceptable (resembled what it was supposed to, wasn't terribly messed up), so I decided that I could green light the project and make more!</div>
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I'd found a pattern on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/retromama">Etsy from Retro Mama</a> - a super cute doll pattern that was retro and fun with quirkly little details. I knew it would be a challenging project but I decided it was worth a try. Her pattern was very well done, the instructions were easy to follow, and she even sells a bundle of felt in the different hair colors. (So, really, if I hadn't decided to make more, I would have been left with a lot of black, brown and gold felt.)</div>
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I had some struggles along the way: when it comes to assembling the doll, it's hard shoving all of the limbs into the body in order to stitch them in place. By the time you get to the legs, there is no room for them to go and it's difficult getting it stitched well. I had to re-do a few of them, and some are less than perfect. Sometimes the arms didn't line up well, either. Ah well. Each doll is unique!</div>
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It was really fun decided on the different fabrics to pair together. Sadie's was super colorful with the turquoise mary janes, argyle tights and polka dotted dress.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKe3gPoxbI6DsvUKAoPMGuyLJZV2zciKXPUYrmgtfNJZXfj05v_ud5oMmRgneQBxbc2CgRFGmmCbKjJcaj2-88dWqvFp1TwdheV1wsW7NV7nkf_V1R_kNyIHDpfVQgNkXRvqNkpa_W5A/s1600/sadie++002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKe3gPoxbI6DsvUKAoPMGuyLJZV2zciKXPUYrmgtfNJZXfj05v_ud5oMmRgneQBxbc2CgRFGmmCbKjJcaj2-88dWqvFp1TwdheV1wsW7NV7nkf_V1R_kNyIHDpfVQgNkXRvqNkpa_W5A/s1600/sadie++002.jpg" /></a></div>
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And, obviosuly, Sadie loves her (I hope!).<br />
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It was also fun picking out colors and patterns that I thought fit the personalities of the little girls I gifted these to (ok, they're all infants, so really the personalities of there mamas!). <br />
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For awhile these dolls were all lined up on our piano, looking a bit like a 1960s doo-wop group!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15Z4ApbOE6KgpZEg219XXPsoexSBOzriexkRyUG9GFeJ9Xiu2jQbLYXj-m5FOG1GWWYzYmqCFiHCagPvv3gAIu1ywVw2ock7M8DBvZJeZFVvEfXdsOXYcmGiOTTr1tQqJyjuSI1tABBg/s1600/sadie++001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15Z4ApbOE6KgpZEg219XXPsoexSBOzriexkRyUG9GFeJ9Xiu2jQbLYXj-m5FOG1GWWYzYmqCFiHCagPvv3gAIu1ywVw2ock7M8DBvZJeZFVvEfXdsOXYcmGiOTTr1tQqJyjuSI1tABBg/s1600/sadie++001.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />I am incredibly proud of this project <em>and</em> that I got 4 of these dolls made in a little over a month!</div>
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<em>Note: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/retromama">Retro Mama</a> holds the copyright for the pattern, which I purchased from her! You can check out <a href="http://retro-mama.blogspot.com/">her blog</a> for more fantastic projects.</em></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-51574446344063589402012-12-19T12:46:00.002-06:002012-12-19T12:46:57.487-06:00Fun Review: BirchboxI'd heard a bit about <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/">Birchbox</a> earlier in the year, but since I was on the "baby train" I didn't look into it (I should also note that everytime I've attempted to write "Birchbox" I have, instead, written "Birthbox"). Since it had nothing to do with diapers, pacifiers or cribs, it wasn't really on my radar.<br />
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Now that I'm trying to get back on the "me train" a little bit, I decided to look into it. After going to the site I checked out what it was all about: "Birchbox is the best way to discover new grooming, beauty and lifestyle products. Sample top products from high-end brands, get expert advice, buy new favorites and earn points with every purchase."<br />
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I was intrigued. And delighted to see that a subscription was only $10 a month. While a little bit of an extravagence (I mean, it's definitely a <em>want</em> over a <em>need</em>), I decided it was at least worth giving it a shot. If it what I received in the first box didn't feel worth $10, I could easily cancel.<br />
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After being excited about signing up, I was midly disappointed that there was a waitlist! But after a few weeks I received an email that the wait was over!<br />
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My first box arrived a few weeks later. Soy Joy bar? Delicious. Full sized masacara? Awesome. Perfume sample, dry shampoo sample, and small nail polish? Extra nice! I enjoyed each one of the products. And with that, I kept my subscription and anxiously awaited for the next month.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeRR-BlgvDsDGQusSF6XSxIanf2GLnBlF9atPQzr9p1CvV3JOPWrHWPGfV_R7B8l-hjuKsJoHGDqttqBizvkw83Id88zN0FoK8vXZQ75B9knjcaoFSSlH8S5csuerIqng1Kz6JnlGEBI/s1600/Birchbox1+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeRR-BlgvDsDGQusSF6XSxIanf2GLnBlF9atPQzr9p1CvV3JOPWrHWPGfV_R7B8l-hjuKsJoHGDqttqBizvkw83Id88zN0FoK8vXZQ75B9knjcaoFSSlH8S5csuerIqng1Kz6JnlGEBI/s400/Birchbox1+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<a href="https://www.birchbox.com/shop/birchbox-1/november-2013/nov2012box12">source</a>}</td></tr>
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I just received my second box. Adorable nail file? Perfect for filing Sadie's little nails! Perfume sample, cute little mini blush, an almost-full-sized lip balm, and a good-sized clarifying shampoo? Amazing! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDclma5GLamlyRNjX1wz8OYmvHMN_0DgGTSXrFvjOOGxhgKXMkSolR7XOnmblwvPApJ9NxXB2zNa03l5vcam76c5KMbipCJLMfaTZwy1ooxCg7bs1oB3oT1KHsZB3OZO6-axdtuAngqqg/s1600/Birchbox2+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDclma5GLamlyRNjX1wz8OYmvHMN_0DgGTSXrFvjOOGxhgKXMkSolR7XOnmblwvPApJ9NxXB2zNa03l5vcam76c5KMbipCJLMfaTZwy1ooxCg7bs1oB3oT1KHsZB3OZO6-axdtuAngqqg/s400/Birchbox2+(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<a href="https://www.birchbox.com/shop/birchbox-1/december-2012/december12box18">source</a>}</td></tr>
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The packaging is so fantastic, too, that I've been able to re-use the boxes for other gifts. And while mostly samples (with the occasional full-sized item thrown in), almost everything is very usable. Sometimes when you get beauty samples the arrive in flimsy little single-use packages that aren't very practical. What Birchbox sends are good quality, usable items. The shampoo is a perfect travel size, the lip balm is barely smaller than the full-sized product, the perfume samples are nice little samples with a spray top. The only downside so far has been the dry shampoo. It's a delicious smelling lavendar, but since it's just a little paper packet you cannot close it. Therefore, my entire medicine cabinet smells like lavendar. Not that I'm complaining, but it is a tad bit messy.<br />
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Overall, the value is totally there at $10 a month. I'm a busy working mom and I can never justify spending money on myself for beauty products. I subscribe to fast/easiest/cheapest most of the time. So I love the opportunity to try something new and have something a little special sent to me each month. <br />
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Intrigued and want to sign up? Just follow <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/?raf=1331w">my referral link</a>!<br />
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<em>Note: this review simply expresses my personal experience with Birchbox, which I pay for each month. </em><br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-85129190949149902022012-12-10T12:48:00.001-06:002012-12-10T12:48:38.394-06:00DIY Christmas StockingsI've been chugging right along with my current <a href="http://growingkookytogether.blogspot.com/2012/11/fall-and-christmas-craft-projects.html">crafting/sewing projects I'd wanted to do</a>! So much to do, so little time!<br /><br />With the Christmas holiday around the corner, I wanted to make sure we had family stockings! While Sadie won't know/remember whether or not she had a stocking for her first Christmas, <em>I</em> would know. But I didn't really want to spend the money on stockings, especially since fabric is so much cheaper than buying pre-made stockings.<br />
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I found a super <a href="http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/xmasstocking.htm">easy and free pattern on About.com</a>. Their version made not be the prettiest and the instructions aren't the clearest, but free is always great!<br />
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I spent $7.50 on fabric (<a href="https://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=ff3d2a2a-85a9-47b7-92f6-97d1bb6da912">1/2 yard of green chevron</a> and <a href="https://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=b596df6b-aded-49c0-b45c-1952208e83c9">1/2 yard of pink chevron</a>) along with some solid colors I already had in my fabric stash and some felt I had on hand for the names. With these supplies I was able to make four stockings. <br />
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And...voila! (please excuse the poor quality iPhone picture!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadLryp8oH7e6OWRzJ6FZWAe43CFHu0oKJFwOoNKl3-3isxzNZXq0nfwTQPWyrE4mD0fzFnfyqP-w8GnJTR8NCkJ9gM_kgzEA9Z7lrbbpPfi6_E3afiwDBK2I4Z2TUnvQnFvnF8zcyJ4U/s1600/Stockings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadLryp8oH7e6OWRzJ6FZWAe43CFHu0oKJFwOoNKl3-3isxzNZXq0nfwTQPWyrE4mD0fzFnfyqP-w8GnJTR8NCkJ9gM_kgzEA9Z7lrbbpPfi6_E3afiwDBK2I4Z2TUnvQnFvnF8zcyJ4U/s400/Stockings.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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They aren't perfect but they were made with love! And they're bright, cheery, and fun. And, as I said, only cost me $7.50! I've seen similar stockings selling on Etsy for $25+ per stocking. I also have a fourth stocking for our pup Charlie, but with the longest name in the bunch I haven't been able to sew his name onto his stocking. That will probably be a project for January when I have more time on my hands.<br />
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So, one project done, a million to go over the next couple of weeks!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-25372999775734337792012-11-02T08:00:00.000-05:002012-11-02T09:04:36.955-05:00Fall and Christmas Craft Projects!Toward the end of my pregnancy, I packed away my sewing machine and supplies. I made sure I wrapped up any projects a couple of weeks before Sadie was due, partly because I was getting too big and uncomfortable to sit and sew and partly because I didn't want to go into labor early and have sewing stuff and unfinished projects sitting around.<br />
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Now that I'm starting to feel more like my old self again (slightly more energy, fitting into old clothes, thinking of more things beyond laundry and breastfeeding), my mind has been going a mile a minute with projects I want to do! I thought I'd share a roundup of what I plan to work on over the coming weeks; here's hoping I actually get some of these projects done!<br />
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<b>Waterproof Bibs</b><br />
I have a lot of colorful, fun cotton fabric that I've been wanting a project for. I also have a baby drooling a lot while she eats solids and making a mess. The cloth bibs soak right through and the drool just runs off the wipeable bibs. So I love this<a href="http://www.ourlittlebeehive.com/2012/04/mr-drooly-pants-waterproof-bib-tutorial.html"> waterproof bib tutorial from Our Little Beehive</a>. I've bought everything else I need to make these (flannel and PUL fabric) and I'm so excited!<br />
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One of my favorite soon-to-be-a-bib fabric is <span class="ys_itemInfo">Ann Kelle's "Argyle Bright."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4Ylph3uLDP7AJSMsBbnxGQeQRr7BeDjMojc16bbqSYzeJOCTECU9JUoFRRrUOFB-K59Ns6a925lKk_63YEh65nQZs0laQ859NVEHmjED2_gs3juxKbW4_HY_UMdWJDcHxIPrrE527rM/s1600/annkerearbr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4Ylph3uLDP7AJSMsBbnxGQeQRr7BeDjMojc16bbqSYzeJOCTECU9JUoFRRrUOFB-K59Ns6a925lKk_63YEh65nQZs0laQ859NVEHmjED2_gs3juxKbW4_HY_UMdWJDcHxIPrrE527rM/s1600/annkerearbr.jpg" /></a></div>
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{<a href="http://www.fabricworm.com/annkerearbr.html">source</a>}</div>
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<b>Christmas Stockings</b><br />
Now that Sadie's first Christmas is coming up I'm excited for us all to have matching Christmas stockings to use each year. I found this <a href="http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/xmasstocking.htm">simple pattern and tutorial from About.com</a> and made my first stocking with some fabric I had on hand. It was super simple! This one isn't perfect (the first time I make something it rarely ever goes quite as planned), so this one will be for the dog and the other three will be for me, Sadie and Steve!<br />
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<b>Top Secret Project!</b><br />
I have a super special project in the works for Miss Sadie. If all goes as planned I will be trying to make similar ones for friends who've recently had little girls. Excited to share at a later date (you know, if I don't totally mess up the project!).<br />
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<b>Ornament</b><br />
I want Sadie to have a "first Christmas" ornament for the tree. I thought about buying something through Etsy that's personalized, but part of me doesn't want to spend the money and the other part of me thinks it would be so fun to make something. I found this <a href="http://homemadegrits.blogspot.com/2009/12/handmade-christmas-homemade-ornaments.html">tutorial through Homemade Grits</a> and it's perfect. I've made a "salt dough" like this before and it's really easy. Plus I love the thought of preserving Sadie's itty bitty hand print (and maybe I'll make two - one hand print and one foot print!). It'll be something we're sort of doing together and could be an easy tradition to do a different ornament together each year. <br />
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<b>Flannel Sheet</b><br />
It's cold out! So, of course, Sadie needs a flannel sheet for her crib. Especially because her room is in the basement. I made all of the sheets we currently use through the <a href="http://bundlesoflove.org/CribSheetsPattern">Bundles of Love tutorial</a>.So, I bought some flannel fabric (after looking at every single flannel I could find to find just the perfect fabric!) and I'm excited to make Sadie's crib a little cozier. It will soon be stylin' with big polka dots!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBV1DpQ_Ql7pCldkkgIW9iJymWIoU3T6rWysQbmza98TPXUWQxaGIDAUI-Sm1d8k9LHdqHFyBBf1cf_pLuSCcGI5USLJDp4SypnQIrpHGb32CaMhOW3scTf2udV5_WIkUu7jPZjUudyg/s1600/DotFlannel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBV1DpQ_Ql7pCldkkgIW9iJymWIoU3T6rWysQbmza98TPXUWQxaGIDAUI-Sm1d8k9LHdqHFyBBf1cf_pLuSCcGI5USLJDp4SypnQIrpHGb32CaMhOW3scTf2udV5_WIkUu7jPZjUudyg/s1600/DotFlannel.jpg" /></a></div>
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{<a href="https://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=5eb23c89-4f73-4ab6-a535-34da4df6876c">source</a>}</div>
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I'm excited to get a lot of these projects underway, but it is terribly hard to find the energy at the end of the day. And, of course, Sadie tends to not nap well on the weekends when she's with me. Her short and sweet 30 minute naps don't give me a lot of time to work on project! </div>
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What projects are you hoping to get done over the next couple of months? And, how do you find the time?!</div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-22203403391696783972012-11-01T13:12:00.001-05:002012-11-01T13:12:54.659-05:00Sadie at 6 MonthsAhh, I have a 6 month old! And she is silly, loves to “dance” in her
high chair, giggle, and eat all kinds of food. We’ve been having so much
fun in the Koo household lately! Sadie has definitely been
making me feel loved lately: she gets so excited to see me and is just
so sweet and fun to be around. She is getting bigger and bigger (90th
percentile for height and 50th for weight!) and is obsessed with her
feet – loves putting them in her mouth.<br />
<br />
<b>Nicknames:</b> Sadie Baby, Bear, Sadie Bear, Stinker, Silly Sadie<br />
<b>Temperament: </b>Happy, happy, happy! You regularly smile at people when we are out and people always comment on how happy you are.<br />
<b>Things I Could Do Without: </b>The recent night wakings. Nights have been tough and I go to bed holding my breath, wondering how many times you will be up. You're finally just getting back to your regular sleep-through-the-night routine!<br />
<b>Item/Toy We Love The Most:</b> Your high chair. You love sitting in it and it's great to be able to put you in it while we do things in the kitchen!<br />
<b>Item/Toy You Love The Most:</b> The swings at the park. We just started taking you and you can't get enough. You giggle and giggle and giggle as soon as we start pushing you.<br />
<b>Things I’m Loving Most Right Now</b>: Interacting with you more. I feel like you pay more attention to me, look at me more closely, and really engage with me. It is the best!<br />
<b>Things You’re Loving Most Right Now: </b>It's probably a tie between grabbing your feet and eating! You are such a good eater!<br />
<b>Sounds/Words: </b>You having been saying "mama"! It's so fun to hear you say it even though you don't really know what you're saying yet. The downside is that you often say "mama" when you are upset...over and over again it's "mama...mama...mammmmaaaa." So sweet but breaks my heart!<br />
<b>Foods You Like:</b> So far you've had banana, avocado, sweet potato, butternut squash, prunes, peas, carrots and applesauce.Prunes and banana are probably your favorite!<br />
<br />
Sadie has lots of adorable dresses courtesy of my sister. She’s still growing into them!<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/sadie22week-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-34535"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34535" height="647" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie22Week.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie22Week.jpg" style="cursor: default;" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />I was so sad when her size 6 month jeggings became capris! We finally
had to upgrade to the 12 month size. I have one long baby! <br /><br /><span id="more-34534"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/sadie23week/" rel="attachment wp-att-34536"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34536" height="662" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie23Week.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie23Week.jpg" style="cursor: default;" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />Comfy outfit!<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/sadie24week/" rel="attachment wp-att-34537"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34537" height="670" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie24Week.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie24Week.jpg" style="cursor: default;" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />This shirt (dress??) was from one of our <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/www.wittlebee.com/">Wittlebee</a>
boxes. We’re not regular subscribers – I just don’t think I’ve gotten
the combinations right to get things I really love. This piece, however,
is one of my favorites I’ve gotten!<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/sadie25week/" rel="attachment wp-att-34538"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34538" height="646" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie25Week.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie25Week.jpg" style="cursor: default;" width="600" /></a><br />
<br />Casual pants! We love super casual, relaxed Sundays.<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/01/baby-h-6-month-update/sadie26week/" rel="attachment wp-att-34539"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34539" height="639" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie26Week.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sadie26Week.jpg" style="cursor: default;" width="600" /></a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7815427684427502431.post-86099257982338369612012-10-26T08:41:00.001-05:002012-10-26T08:43:11.539-05:00Easy Pumpkin Dinner & Dessert!It’s finally FALL! I absolutely love the chill in the air, the rustle
of leaves, tall boots and warm sweaters. It’s also great to get to
snuggle up at home and enjoy some fantastic fall flavors. Although, in
the spirit of things I do have a secret to share.<br />
<br />
I’ve never been a fan of pumpkin. Gasp! Pumpkin pie? Nope. A certain
pumpkin spice latte from a very popular coffee shop? Not for me. I even
grew up near the town where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton,_Illinois">85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is produced</a>.
They have a pumpkin festival complete with many of your pumpkin
favorites, like pumpkin pancakes. Yep, you guessed it – I always hated
it.<br />
<br />
So when Steve and I came across a recipe for pumpkin macaroni and
cheese, I agreed to give it a try because I knew how much Steve would
love it. And… it’s <i>amazing</i>! Sweet and savory. Warm and
comforting. This is the perfect fall comfort food. And to top it off,
it’s super simple to make and tastes just as good as leftover as it does
fresh out of the oven. Great for busy parents who, like us, cook on
Sunday so that we’ll have easy dinners for the week.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/10/17/easy-pumpkin-dinner-dessert/pumpkinmac/" rel="attachment wp-att-33161"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33161" height="450" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PumpkinMac.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PumpkinMac.jpg" width="600" /></a><span id="more-33160"></span><br />
<b><br />
Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese </b><br />
{<a href="http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/842673/baked-pumpkin-mac-n-cheese">source</a>}<br />
(Note: my adjustments are in bold)<br />
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Ingredient</b><b>s:</b></span><br />
8 ounces of uncooked noodles <b>(I used whole wheat rotini)</b><br />
1 cup of canned pumpkin<br />
1 cup of light cream <b>(I mixed heavy cream and skim milk)</b><br />
4 tablespoons of Neufchatel cream cheese<br />
1 cup shredded part-skim sharp cheddar cheese<br />
1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese<br />
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (divided) (<b>I used cinnamon and nutmeg)</b><br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper <b>(I didn’t have any handy so I omitted)</b><br />
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
1/3 cup of panko (Japanese bread crumbs) <b>(I used whole wheat bread crumbs)</b><br />
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
Cooking spray<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Instructions:</span></b><br />
Cook pasta until al dente, about eight minutes in boiling water.
Rinse and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 2 quart
casserole dish. Meanwhile, heat cream and pumpkin in a sauce pan on
medium heat, until thickened. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in
cheese until completely melted. The sauce will be quite thick.<br />
<br />
Add in 1/2 pumpkin pie spice, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper. Add
pasta and stir it into the pumpkin-cheese sauce and mix until
thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into the greased dish. Sprinkle panko,
parmesan cheese and rest of the pumpkin pie spice to completely cover
the top of the macaroni. Add in more cayenne if you want a spicy crust.<br />
<br />
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until bread crumbs have browned.<br />
<br />
Now, because pasta typically comes in 13 ounce boxes and you will
have leftover pumpkin and cream cheese, you can modify the recipe to
make a larger quantity of mac and cheese. <i>Or</i> you can take the extra pumpkin and cream cheese and make pumpkin bars! Are you with me?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/10/17/easy-pumpkin-dinner-dessert/pumpkinbars-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-33172"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33172" height="443" longdesc="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PumpkinBars2.jpg" src="http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PumpkinBars2.jpg" width="596" /></a><br />
<b><br />Swirled Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars </b><br />
{<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/swirled-pumpkin-cream-cheese-bars-10000001182817/">source</a>}<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></b><br />
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled<br />
1 3/4 cups sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 cup canned pumpkin<br />
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature <b>(if you made the mac and cheese, you’ll have a little less than 8 oz which is fine)</b><br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br />Instructions:</span></b><br />
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1
1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, and 1/3 cup water
until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another
bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg; stir
or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Spread batter evenly in a
buttered and floured 10- by 15-inch baking pan.<br />
<br />
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese,
remaining egg, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Drop cream
cheese mixture in 24 evenly spaced 1-tablespoon portions over batter.
Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.<br />
<br />
Bake in a 350° oven until center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese
mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool
completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.<br />
<br />
Note: You can chill them airtight for up to 3 days.<br />
<br />
<b></b>Both of these recipes have made a pumpkin believer out of me! Enjoy!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779301862432140898noreply@blogger.com0