Friday, July 31, 2015

our house with a 1 year old

Now that the noug is 1 there's been a few moderations to the baby repertoire around the farm. Babies grow so fast that it's a weekly routine to pull toys, gear, clothes and shoes that are no longer needed or used and stash them somewhere. It's become kind of an overwhelming endeavor. I look at her closet and am like holy crap, she wore that once and now it doesn't fit. And with gear or toys, something that was essential to your everyday life like our mamaroo, after a few months is just a massive thing that's taking up valuable real estate. With that in mind, here's what our house looks like now that we have a bona fide toddler. 

Depending on what we're doing we'll close off the doors to the office and bathroom and then we gate off both passages into the kitchen and she can roam the living room, dining area and her room.
There's a pocket door from living room to hallway and sometimes Matt closes that so we can keep her in just the living room and sometimes I'll close it so she can stay close by while I am putting her clothes away. It varies from daily need.
Of course sometimes I'll just close the door to her room but this feels like she can roam a little bit more without feeling like she's stuck in one room.
We very much need to remove the doors to this cabinet but I need to make room in the shed for them. They're glass and she does like to bang on them and open them.
This is a prime example of the overwhelming ness of baby stuff. These items used to be essential and now they're just taking up room. Those blankets we used for everything and we couldn't have enough burp cloths but now... here they sit. 
The bathroom now has the infant bathtub and some bath toys nearby.
We still use the same baby washcloths and bath towels since the beginning.
We took out all the magazines that were here before until she learns not to rip them to pieces and instead there's baskets with more toys under there.
We keep the car seat inside during the summer so we are loading her into a cool seat.
This side of the living room still has all her toys and such.
And the dining area usually looks like this.
She has embraced sippy cups and snack catchers. She truly is a toddler.
The bottom shelf of the rolly cart has all her snacks and baby foods.
 The bottom drawer has all the kid/baby plates.
We got some extra cabinet locks.
Made some room for the bottles and more sippy cups in the shelf.
And we still have her bottle dryer and brushes. We only use two bottles. We just wash them.
She just takes a few bottles a day of formula now that we're supposed to switch her to milk but she's not into milk yet. It's slow going. We're down to about two. One in the morning with vitamins and one at night before bed for routine/comfort. 
Our room is also not free from baby toys. If we need to change and she's hanging here we keep some stuff for her to play with while we're getting ready. She's got a little cart.
This batmobile.
And a basket of toys and this wack a ball game.
And we keep a spare baby shampoo in our bathroom in case we bathe together here which I tried a few times and haven't been super successful at.
So that's what our house looks like with a 1 year old which I'm sure can change at any moment. I feel bad about owning all this stuff for such short periods that they're needed and probably one of the reasons I try to keep everything is in case of another baby. But if we don't or if we do and then are done with this stuff then where does it go? I could try to sell them but I'm more of the give them to someone who needs it person and would have LOVED hand me downs and still love them. Why are people weird about used stuff? Used stuff is the best!

Saturday, July 25, 2015

'round here

I just finished a three week job and looks like I'll be off next week and we have BIG plans for what we're gonna do with that one week off that we didn't do for the month we had off prior to that. Like haircuts. Planting things in the backyard. Organizing the office. Cleaning out the master closet. Organizing the shed. Going to the LACMA, the beach, the pool. Etc. 

The three week job was pretty great. It was fairly simple so I was able to pull normal hours during the prep and wrap days and be home in time to not only bathe her and put her into bed but we actually went out to dinner a few times. Since I was the boss I would also get to the office a little later in the mornings and be able to grab her in the morning, dress her, and make us breakfast. Imagine that! It just confirmed what a good idea it was to move up to be closer to work and therefore home and my husband and child would be close by too. 
No place like home where you can have zero regard for everyone else's needs and park taking up two parking spots. Geez Alice, you have a lot to learn about LA driving and parking.

Friday, July 17, 2015

alice being meh about her birthday party

She smiled approximately 4 times that day. Everyone else had a ball though. Recap coming!

Friday, July 10, 2015

alice is one

Matt and I recounted the days leading up to and Alice's birth last night. The labor, the waiting, seeing her for the first time, holding her for the first time and then we talked about what it was like in the newborn days and the burp cloths everywhere and the breastfeeding pillows and after we recounted it all we were so tired. It was tiring just talking about those early days with our beautiful girl. 
I get birth days now. It's the day that you met a very special person and once a year you celebrate the day that you met that person. Not only that but that person had been really close to you, so close they would hear your heart beat all day and you could feel them moving. And after all that time of wondering and thinking about them you finally meet them and although you spent so many months dreaming about them you still couldn't believe your eyes when you finally saw them.
She was born with open eyes my Alice. She wanted to see the world and take it all in and she didn't want to waste time closing them. She was curious and content as if she knew that in time she would do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. And it's strange to say that about someone I've only known for a year but it's a very important year that first one. In this one year she went from helpless to mobile and as I watch her grow and learn I am amazed by how well I know her. And even so she surprises me every day but not as surprised as I am by how much I would love her and how easy she makes my job as a mother just by being herself. Her happy and calm personality is such a gift, followed closely by just how stinking cute she is.
This year went by so quickly and now my baby is one. We are so lucky she is who she is.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

her 1st birthday party and my 1st baby party

This Saturday is Alice's 1st birthday party and my first kid party. Well kinda... the 1st birthdays are for the parents. Light 'em up we made it amiright?!
The theme as I've planned since before she was born is Flamingo Fiesta and it's pretty much just... flamingo. Flamingo. Flamingo. Flamingo. Did I mention flamingo?

Of course since the party isn't until Saturday I won't write about it and of course I went back to work this week so I'm just hoping I can remain stress-free and with the chill vibe I'm going for her birthday. I swear it's taking everything in my power to keep this party as effortless looking as possible and you all know me and how nuts I can get about parties but I am trying. I promise! I ordered everything way ahead of time and after sending out the invites that almost made me cry, I've simplified everything I can to avoid tears. No crying. No stressing. Just flamingos. Lots of them.

Monday, July 6, 2015

she is almost one

I am an emotional wreck this week as I contemplate what a year it's been to watch a helpless newborn become a toddling force of adorable. I'm trying to put it into words but I just keep crying. Once I get it together a little more I'll put into words, or try to anyway, what it feels like to arrive at such a life marker. To arrive at one.
My baby!