C'mon February 21st!

 

As I excitedly explained here, we are planning on having a little gender reveal party for Baby Jumping and I am happy to report that the details of said event have been confirmed, family members have been invited and the bakery has been notified!!!

 

 OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG.

We are ordering the cupcakes from The Flour Shoppe, whom I've ordered from many times, including for our wedding. Their cupcakes are not only DELICIOUS but GORGEOUS too.
I mean c'mon, just look at these sample gender reveal cupcakes...

 

 

 I am dying with anticipation!!!

I sure hope this baby cooperates at our ultrasound on the 19th!

 

C'mon February 21st!

 

xo, Vicky

Hi!

A little someone wants to say hi.
FINALLY.
 

Meet, as Quinn has so elegantly named,

“Baby Jumping”!

Due to arrive smack dab in the middle of summer.

We absolutely cannot wait.

 

Quinn as you can see above, is absolutely smitten.

“Baby Jumping” is the center of many of our conversations with Quinn lately. He/she gets daily belly rubs from Big Sister as well as kisses and ‘raspberries’. We recently had another ultrasound and got a second picture of ‘Jumping’. Needless to say, Big Sister claimed it as her own and has it in her favorite frame in her room.

 

Annnddd that my friends is the sound of my heart blowing up.
 How I will handle the cuteness overload that will inevitably occur when “Baby Jumping” is born and united with Big Sister is beyond me…

 

After a year and half of trying-for-number-two-misery, we have finally been blessed with a healthy, strong and seemingly happy little fetus.

 

 

Now officially in the second trimester at 14 weeks, I'm starting to feel like a normal human being again.

Still exhausted, but no longer running to the toilet...

 

Yeah, it's been real this time.

Around 8 weeks the nausea.

And not just I feel nauseous, but legit running to the throne nauseous.

 

Meat = barf

Simon's daily nosebleeds from the extreme cold/dryness = barf

Bathroom smells = barf

Clementine oranges ?! = barf

 

Fun times...

But totally worth it.

 

 So keep up the good work Baby Jumping!

You have an super-awesome Big Sis who already adores you, an amazingly fun Daddy and a Mommy who would happily endure another six months of crazy morning/all day sickness just for you. Oh, and how could I forget your two fur-siblings, who look forward to having another sticky, food covered child to kiss and love on.

 

We are completely over the moon.

xo, Vicky

Thanksgiving 2013

 

Happy Thanksgiving mes amis!

 

I hope all those who celebrated this gluttonous holiday over the weekend ate, drank and laughed way too much.

 

We had an amazing weekend over here.

 

Friday night was spent catching up with some friends from far away and cuddling their little fella.

 

 Saturday was spent at Nana's house enjoying the beautiful fall day and eating way too much turkey.

 

 

 Sunday morning was spent at Saunders Haunted Farm.

SO.MUCH.FUN.

The afternoon was spent at my parent's house and also involved eating way too much turkey.

 

Ahhh.

So much to be thankful for.

  

xo, Vicky

Here's to Us

Dear Simon, 

Three years ago today we promised to love and support each other through the good times and the bad. It was a beautiful day; one we'll never forget. 

Wow, three years. 

It seems like yesterday but also seems like a lifetime ago. We've been through a lot in three years. Two houses, two dogs, one adorable kiddo, new jobs, vacations, road trips and unfortunately some sad moments. 

After all we've gone through in the past few weeks, I feel like I've never loved you more. You were with me through it all. You came every morning to visit me in hospital. You came to all the tests and scans. You held my hand. You told me everything was going to be ok. You tried to make me smile and laugh when I was so down I thought I'd never smile again. 

I would never have gotten through all of it without you. 

You make me laugh everyday. You tell me I'm beautiful all the time. You are the best Daddy in the whole world. You love making Quinn and I happy and as an added bonus, you always make sure the wine rack is well stocked. Seriously, what more could I ask for? 

I am so lucky to share my life with you. 

Love you more than I could ever say, 

Vicky

Camping!

Camping.

Oh how I love thee.

The smell of campfire, the melty, oozy deliciousness of smores, the coziness of sleeping next to a warm little baby, the taste of bacon made on the bbq.

Ahhhhh, I love me some camping.
 Apparently, so does my little lady.

Sun and fun-filled days make one little lady very sleepy:
 

 

And one happy lady when she wakes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, want to have the best smores of your life?

Make them with these cookies.

 

You don’t have to worry about the chocolate shifting around, you don’t have to eat graham wafers, which let’s be honest are the worst part of the smore, plus you get double chocolate! Win, win, win.

Xo, Vicky

Mother's Day

 

I hope all you Mommies out there had a wonderful Mother's Day this past weekend.

 

Although the weather over here wasn't ideal, we had a great day together.

 

I was treated to my favorite doughnut in bed by this special little lady

 

 

I ate a delicious breakfast made by my awesome hubs

 

AND I got to spend time with my mom, my grandmother and my mother-in-law.

 

 

 

As an added bonus, I've been promised a full day at the spa, redeemable whenever I want. YAY!

 

Man, I love these two...

 

 

xo, Vicky

 

Easter Festivities

I love Easter; always have.

 It was my second favorite holiday to Christmas as a child.

 

A few weekends ago, my friends and I had an Easter brunch.

Mimosas, decadent breakfast foods, adorable babies, beautiful friends and a sunny sky.

 What could be better?

 

YUM!

 

 

 

Silly Easter decorations

 

Baby BFFs

 

Reading time!

 

This past weekend was a busy one indeed!

 

On Good Friday, Quinn and I went to my Aunt and Uncle's house.

Aunt Bunny and Wing Rider's parties are always a great time.

 

On Saturday, my sister and I took off to Watertown, N.Y. for a day of Target shopping.

Man, I love that store.

 

On Sunday, Simon and I hosted Easter dinner.

Since we were fifteen people, we decided on a more casual format and laid out the food buffet-style. And I may have over done it with two hams but I love me some ham and pea soup. Quinn had a great time hunting down all her Easter eggs and scarfed down the gummy bunnies hidden inside.

 

Monday was our rest day. Oh and my give ten vials of blood day.

 You know you're in for a treat when the nurse ask you if you are good at having bloodtests.

Fun times.

 

Meanwhile, Quinn was busy being adorable and troublesome.

 

I did not stage this, I swear.

She put on her own hat and purses but apparently forgot about pants.

What a lady!

 

This child gives me multiple heart attacks a day.

Anyone know where I can find a pint-sized bubble to keep her in?

Just a kiddo in a bucket.

How Quinn tells me naptime is over.

 

xo, Vicky 

Jolly Old Saint Nick

I vividly remember the day I asked my parents if Santa Claus was real. I remember how devastated I was when they confirmed what all the kids at school were telling me. They told me not to tell my little sister because she was younger and deserved another year to believe. It just about killed me.

 

Quinn is only a year old but I know the day will come when she asks if Santa Claus is real or not. I happened to stumble upon this letter written from a mother to her daughter and it left me in tears. Instead of simply saying that Santa isn't real, this mother managed to keep the magic of Santa alive while also telling the truth.

 

"Dear Lucy,

Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?”

I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say.

The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.

I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)

I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won’t make you Santa, though.

Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.

Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.

With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.

I love you and I always will.

Mama"

via

 

 Now I feel prepared for that fateful day and know that I have a plan for letting her down gently.

xo, Vicky

Holiday Traditions

Being a parent is a hard job. Way harder than I ever imagined and I suspect it gets harder as the years go on. But being a parent has some pretty awesome perks too. Perks that far outweigh the tough moments. 

 

One of the biggest perks is getting to make traditions with your family. Quinn is only a year old but I want to start family traditions now so that no matter how far back she thinks, she will always remember how we celebrated special events as a family.

 

Christmas is probably the biggest holiday of the whole year. 

Since we are not a religious family, I want Quinn to associate Christmas not simply with presents and yummy food, but as a time to both celebrate and appreciate family, friends and the good fortune we have. I want her to learn that giving presents is better than receiving. I want her to learn to be thankful for the little things in life and not big, expensive presents.

 

I remember some Christmas mornings as a child, I would rip through the many presents I was given and then have the nerve to whine "is that it?" How bratty!

I definitely don't want that on Christmas morning.

 

So what is a mother in search of holiday traditions to do?

 

Enter Pinterest.

 

Here is a roundup of some amazing Christmas traditions I plan to start up for my kiddo(s):

1) 24 books of Christmas

 

via

 

Wrap 24 Christmas books and let the kid(s) unwrap one each night.

A better alternative to the traditional advent calendar?



 

2) Elf on a Shelf

 via

  

This is such a neat idea! Ok so how it works is you purchase the Elf on a Shelf kit here. When you get your elf, you read the book to your kids and then register your elf here.

 

Here is the story from the Elf on the Shelf website:

 

"Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf® – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa know who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages.

The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers. Waiting for their families to bring them home, these patient elves hibernate until their family reads The Elf on the Shelf®, gives their elf a very special name, and registers their adoption online. Once named, each scout elf will receive its Christmas magic and become a part of the family’s Christmas each and every year.

Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed; these scout elves take their job seriously.

Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa and visit with elf friends where they will tell stories about their beloved families, play with the reindeer, and of course, sneak some of Mrs. Claus’ cookies!

Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot! While some like to hide in the freezer (probably because it reminds them of the North Pole) and others prefer to sit on the fireplace mantle or hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families.

On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy."

 

Ummm AMAZING.

There are tons of ideas for fun places to put your Elf on the Shelf. Here's one blog I found with 101 ideas - http://blossombunkhouse.com/2011/11/08/101-elf-on-the-shelf-ideas-2/ . If you search Elf on a Shelf in Pinterest you'll get tons of other ideas. Can't wait to start this tradition!

3) The Mini-Van Express

via

This idea is a play on the movie The Polar Express, which, by the way, is a great Christmas movie.

 

The explanation on this 'pin' was :

 "Start your bedtime routine as usual, make popcorn and hot chocolate drinks and place them in the car, don’t forget to have Christmas music playing too! When the kids climb into bed, they will find the ticket hidden. The kids are instructed to grab their slippers and head for the car. Upon entrance to The Mini Van Express, we hole punch the ticket, and we travel around the city looking at all the beautiful lights."

 

How awesome is that? Obviously Quinn is a little young for this one now, but I can picture her in a few years being so excited to find that ticket.



4) The Christmas Eve Surprise Box

via

When I was a kid, my parents used to let us open one present on Christmas Eve. We would be so excited to open it up but were sometimes disappointed when it turned out to be pajamas. When I saw this pin, I knew this was a tradition for my family. The Christmas Eve Surprise Box contains new Christmas pajamas, hot chocolate, special mugs, a special treat, a Christmas movie and a Christmas book all to enjoy on Christmas Eve.

LOVE IT.

 

 

Well, I could go on all day but I think that's enough traditions for me to commit to for now.

 

I seriously can't wait to start these traditions with my little family.

 I hope these inspire you to start your own fun traditions :)

 

Happy Tuesday,

xo Vicky