Sweet Baby Jean Hair Accessories- I so need a girl.

A few weeks ago, I needed a little girl baby shower present for a co-worker. I knew I wanted something fun and super girly- since those are things I never get to purchase 'round these parts.

 

Enter Sweet Baby Jean Hair Accessories.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Jean, the wonderfully talented Mama behind Sweet Baby Jean, is an immensely creative and crafty lady. She was inspired to start making hair accessories once her sweet little nugget, Adina, came into the world and she hasn't stopped since. She has even branched out to making tutus, adult headbands, toddler bows and ear warmers.

 

I looked all over Etsy, and I couldn't find a better price on headbands that were as cute and detailed as Sweet Baby Jean. I saw alot that I liked, but I didn't see exactly what I wanted so I took a chance and reached out to her for a custom order. I told her that I knew I wanted something pink and extremely girlie, but that was all (hey, I'm a boy Mama, I may never get to buy pink and frilly!). She came up with the design and when she described it to me, it was perfect. I knew I couldn't wait to get it.  Stephanie was so easy to work with, and when I told her I needed it in a rush she didn't miss a beat. I placed my order on Monday and it was in my mailbox on Thursday- at no extra charge for a rush order!

 

When it arrived, I was SO impressed with the quality of the piece. I paid $10.00- and she could have EASILY charged $20. Each flower was hand sewn, and in the softest fabric ever. The liner on the back was soft felt and kept all of the stitches and rough edges hidden. She even put the time in to place a gem in the center of each flower, adding that little bit of sparkle.

 

 

I was so tempted to make Grayson wear this. I was that in love. Luckily, my kid wont hold still long enough for me to even have attempted getting this on his head. Stephanie was kind enough to share a photo of her little Adina (gah, how cute is she?!?) modeling the headband so I could see how it will look on the new bean-to be. My co-worker loved it, and even asked for Stephanie's card so she could order more

 

 

 If you're looking for some Christmas gifts you really want to check her out.  Ive been all over Etsy (just ask my credit card) and Stephanie is one of the absolute best sellers I have come across! I already intend to order some custom ear warmers for some big girls on my shopping list, and possibly for myself as well!

 

Check out her Facebook page HERE and her Etsy Site HERE!!

 



A Boy Momma

A few months ago I had a conversation with my 12 year old sweet baby cousin when they came to visit. He told me that he was really glad I had a boy, because that's what he wished I would have.   

 

 

When I first found out I was pregnant I wished wished wished for a baby girl. I had her name picked out (still do, and if the next kiddo is a boy I may stick him with it on principle), her room was planned (it was white, pink and shabby chic to the core), and I was already buying dresses online. Then I had my ultrasound and the lady gleefully announced "We have out door pluming!"

 

What the heck was I going to do with a boy? 

 

I was going to understand how to play trucks, blocks, and ball. I was going to be outnumbered when it comes to watching Sports Center on TV. I was going to learn how to aim that little weenie down into the diaper, and to change him at lightning speeds when it is cold out. I was going to see the fun in playing in a bucket of nails, hammering a piece of wood, and digging in the dirt.  I was going to see the fun in buying boy clothes and dressing him like a little man from his hat down to his sneakers.

 

I really hope that someday I get to be a girl Momma...but right now I'm totally okay with the trucks, balls and trains.  Im a Boy Momma, and I'm proud of it.

 

 

 I remember when this chucklehead was the same size as Grayson- how is it possible that hes this big already?!

Halloween 2012

My little dragon trick or treated like a champ. Well, let me rephrase that. He didn't like it, until he realized people were putting candy in his bucket. Then....

He was a Trick or Treating Machine.

 

Let's back up. Grandma and Grandpa were in town, and because of Hurricane Sandy they pushed back our town's Trick or Treat until Saturday. So we saved the Pumpkin carving and candy grabbing activities for them to share in. Its nice to be able to do things like that when they live so far away- feel free to move closer!!

 

Yeah, Pap- Im not so sure of that stuff.

Taking a peek...will he do it? 

Touching the guts!

Checking out Daddy's handiwork. 

 

 

Shoving him in a pumpkin, just like last year. This year both the Bean and the Pumpkin are bigger...but he didnt fit so well this year.

 

After Pumpkins were carved and bellies were full- it was time to go get some candy!

 

Practicing our Dragon Growl.

Nice, Daddy. 

Pappy and Grammy dressed as hippies to take him trick or treating- and he was terrified.

Our first real haul- complete with a super nice treat bag from our favorite neighbors!



Two Years

Two years ago today I put on a big white dress. He put on a black suit.

I met him outside of the church where I grew up. Where my parents were married, and my grandparents.

 

 

 

There in front of the people who mean the world to us, I said I do to the boy who I met seven years before who stole my heart and my breath all at the same time. To the man I would create a family and a life with.  To the absolute love of my life who makes me laugh until I cry and love until I burst. To the person who knows me better than anyone else and loves me anyway. To the one who has seen me un-showered, covered in baby vomit and snot and still tells me I'm the most beautiful thing hes ever seen. To the one person on the planet who drives me crazier than anyone ever could, and I love to the ends of the world anyway.

 

The life we have created together is incredible. From getting our first two fur babies who are my snuggle buddies when you're out working late into the night to give us the kid of life you think we deserve, to our big house full of memories. The house where you proposed (FINALLY!), where we came home as husband and wife, then brought our precious little boy home to and have filled with countless memories and projects.

 

Speaking of that little boy- thank you for him. We found out he was coming only three months into our journey as husband and wife and we celebrated one year with our newborn in our arms. He has made my love for you deepen and grow, and as I watch you with him I fall in love all over again. Thank you for being the best Daddy I've ever seen, the love you show for our son is only one

 

 I still cant believe you picked me, and over the past nine years of being with you that feeling still hasn't left me. I still get flutterbies when you walk in the door, and weak in the knees when you kiss me. We've had our ups, and our downs. But no matter what we've faced, we have faced it together. Together we are an amazing team, and we can make it through anything.  I cant wait to spend the next 100 years by your side.

 

 

 

...I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together.

 

I love you hubs, with all my heart. Happy Anniversay, Love of My Life, you'll always be my favorite.

 



Show and Tell Monday- How I Met Your Father

Linking up with Becky over at From Mrs. to Mama today to tell the story of how I met the father of my baby boy and my fur babies. Love the fact that this falls the day before our anniversary- thanks Becky!

 



1. Tell us about how and when you met your love and what attracted you most to him.

 

Patrick and I met nine years ago this fall on our first day as freshmen at Duquesne University.  While driving into the parking garage this crazy person with an absurdly large backpack stepped off the curb into traffic and I nearly hit him. I yelled out the window and brushed it off as a moron who didn't know how to think and moved on. Then once we were all checked in and crammed into the commuter lounge waiting for the festivities to start I realized that I was in a room of thousands of people and didn't know a soul. I have never felt so alone, and I seriously thought I was going to vomit.  I looked around and saw a boy with huge blue eyes leaning against the wall, and he looked exactly like I felt. 

 

So with all my nerve, I walked up and said hello. I figured we could at least talk our way through orientation, so we were not so alone.  When I said hello his eyes lit up and I noticed they were the most gorgeous shade of blue I'd ever seen.  We started talking and found out we had all kinds of crazy things in common. Then they started to group us together, and low and behold we were in the same orientation group so we would be spending the week together.

 

Now I have to confess, at this point I didn't find Patrick "attractive and the one" -I had a boyfriend and wasn't looking for love. I noticed he was gorgeous, and had an awesome sense of humor and smile; but I wasn't really attracted to him.  I loved him as a best friend, I just didn't love him like 'that'. 

 

Now, if you ask him, he'll tell you he always knew he would marry me. But he knew I had a boyfriend, so I was just the girl who told him to go on dates and answered his phone calls at 2 am when said girls were driving him crazy.  Fast forward a year, and my high school sweetheart and I were over. I was in Tennessee visiting my family, and he happened to live nearby.  I called him and said "Guess where I am?" and it took him 2 seconds to tell me he was trekking the hour to see me...and he was bringing his girlfriend with him.  He told her she had to meet his best friend, and that was me.

 

I was excited to meet her, like I always was when he had a new girl..because I really didn't like him like that. He was the goofy brother I never had, and nothing more.  When they pulled into the parking lot and he greeted me with his typical "Hey, Loser!" and took the hand of his new girlfriend that I instantly knew- I wanted this girl dead. It was shocking to me, and I tried to ignore it. But when he came back to Pittsburgh in the fall (single, they broke up before he got back to school) and we spent more time together I knew, this was the man of my dreams.

 

Oh and the crazy guy who I almost hit because he stepped off the curb- that was Patrick. It was fate, I tell ya.

 

(yep, that was the longest answer ever.)

 

2. Show us the very first, or one of the first, pictures you ever took together.

 

Wow, we were such babies!

 

3. Tell us some of the favorite memories you two had together.

 

Wow- so so many.

 

Our first official date was hilarious. He met me at work, and opened my car door (in a year of knowing each other, he would let the door hit me in the head- so this was seriously weird). He took me to dinner and a movie, and the only thing playing was Princess Diaries Two, so he sat through the whole move and stared at me the entire time holding my hand and just soaking it all in. I don't remember much of the movie, but I remember staring at him the whole time.

 

I took him to a Steelers Game for his birthday, and he made me ride the bus there. I got so sick I spend the whole first quarter with my head between my knees trying not to throw up.

 

Our first kiss was one of my favorite memories of my life. We were laying on my bed doing Physics homework (okay, so he was doing my physics homework and I was painting my nails) and he looked like something was bugging him. I asked him what was wrong like 100 times and he wouldn't tell me he kept telling me that I didn't want to know. Until time 101 when I asked he said, I just want to kiss you.  So I leaned over and kissed him, because I wanted that too.  Annnd I'm pretty sure we were locked at the lips for months after that.

 

I remember our first Christmas when he went home for a whole month and we spent HOURS on the phone each night just talking and telling each other how much we missed each other. He never went back home without me after that trip.

I remember the first time he held me in his arms and told me he loved me, and I was never so certian of anything someone was saying in my life. I remember taking him to my favorite place on Earth, the Outer Banks and turning my ski bum boyfriend into a beach bum for life.

 

There are so many good memories and I love them all.

 

4. Tell us your favorite qualities about this man, what makes him "the one".

 

Hes strong, both physically and mentally. Hes sensitive. Hes creative. Hes giving, loyal, kind, generous, thoughtful, honest, a hard worker, a truly amazing father. Hes calm when I'm crazy and crazy when I'm calm. Hes a problem solver and a dreamer and the best friend I could ask for.

 

5. Tell us what your date nights usually look like.

 

Well B.G. (before Grayson) we would do all kinds of things. Steelers games, Pirate Games, hiking, biking, getting all dressed up and heading out to a wonderful restaurant, concerts, the movies. We loved to try new things and do them together.

 

Now A.G. we usually sneak off to dinner, then come home once the little bean is in bed. We snuggle up on the couch and watch movies or tv shows and talk through the whole thing.

 

Really anything that we can just spend time together we're pretty happy.

 



Wordless Wednesday- The Piano Man

Love this manchild. Even when his 'music' could make your ears bleed. 

Zoo Boo- Trick or Treating at the Zoo!

Before I had a kiddo I did not know things of this awesome-ness existed. Sunday the weather was insanely perfect, and we (along with what seemed was every other family in the Greater Pittsburgh Area with children under 10) headed off to the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium all decked out in our Halloween finest.

 

 

I may be biased- but that is the cutest damn dragon Ive ever seen. The costume was a gift from my grandpap and his wife, and he was so thrilled when I said that we would wear it on him for Halloween this year.

 

We met our friend Marley- who made a really cute monkey.

 

I die.

 



The last time we were at the Zoo Grayson wasn't really into the animals, this time he was all about them.

 



Fishies in the Elephant pond.



 

Watching the monkeys (excuse my double chin-eek!).

 

All in all it was a really fun day, and we came home with tons of treats. When we tried to take off the Halloween costume we had an absolute meltdown, so Id say it was a success.  We definitely have a little boy who is developing a love for the Halloween holiday- its a good thing we'll wear that costume three more times!