a special photo

We took family photos over the weekend and we got a few winners. As you know, I'm not into the whole family photo posing situation but I really wanted to get some of the three of us now that we have a way more interesting member of our family. To up the ante on emotion, we took the photos of us at the park where we got married. I cried. Just a little bit.

This has been a great but a financially draining year since I was home with Alice for four months and wasn't earning any money. We're using the photos as presents for some of the family (popsicle stick ornaments galore!) and we're bowing out of any gift exchanges and only getting presents for the kids. I don't feel bad about our financial situation; it was worth it making sacrifices to be home for so long with my nougat.

Every year around this time I have a mental list of things I'd like but this year I can truly say I don't want or need anything, I just want Alice to get things. This is that feeling known as LOVE right? Gross.

alice's wonderland

Welcome to Wonderland!

Here's the room as I consider it to be "done" with the following caveats- 

1) I got lazy trying to find the "perfect rug" so I gave up and got the $20 at Ikea one. I do not regret the decision. 

2) I want to perfect the hanging lanterns over the cabinet to look like the ones in the Alice in Wonderland teacup ride at Disneyland but I'm gonna take my time with that.

3) The curtains are not my favorite but I'm not changing them for the third time. They are good enough, especially since I janky sauced a blackout liner which keeps the room fairly dark.

4) The battery on my camera died so I didn't finish photographing the closet. You get the gist.

5) Alice is so dang cute.

This was one of my better ideas. I keep things for me to read and things to read to her.

I made this be a little whiteboard action and I think I'll mix it up with Wonderland quotes.

Her little Alice shoes and her painting the roses red headband.

We have five versions of the book. I want more.

I love thinking of the different things she'll be hanging here as she grows up.

Thank you for visiting!

back in the habit

It was the perfect back to work job since it was three days and all of them easy wrap days with chill people at the company that I usually work at where everyone feels like family. I had to deal with the whole pumping situation and Matt had to bottle feed Alice. And while she protested it day 1, she miraculously gave in day 2 and day 3. The relief was deep. We hope it continues next week. 

Yes, promptly upon deciding that officially I am "back to work" I got another job. It goes from next week until about the 20th of December at which point I'm guessing I'll be done for the year and spend every waking moment I have with this baby of mine that seems to be changing daily. Overall I enjoyed being back to work more than I thought I would. I missed my baby like crazy but it felt like I was being responsible and doing something good for my family by making sure we can continue living in the house we live in. I am really surprised that I liked being back at work. I've always liked my job but the fact that my identity wasn't wrapped up in it I was able to enjoy it for the sake of what it is: a job. My real life is him & her.

She looks like such a big kid already. You can't even sit up yet Alice! Stop pretending you're a kid.

I've never been more tired at the end of the day than now. My friend Emily said it's like having two full time jobs. You come home tired from work and then you have to squeeze as many seconds as possible at night and in the morning with your little love. And I am tired. While previously I would stay up 'til 1am unable to sleep now when Alice goes down at 9/10pm (she seems to have moved up her bedtime and WOOHOO for that) I'm up for a little bit and then I'm down and out.

This next job will be a proper prep/shoot/wrap situation so we're going to see what it's like when a majority of my hours are spent away from my child. The sucky thing about my job is that the hours fluctuate so much and since we depend so much on routines and schedules with the baby, it's just gonna be difficult to balance the feedings and bedtime. I get depressed thinking about those days where I'll be in the office until 9pm working when I would so much rather be home. Still, I'll have weekends and a big break at the end of the year so I'm focusing on that to keep hope alive.

Have a super good weekend gang. We are having a few dinners with special people celebrating special things like birthdays, babies, new houses, and engagements!