baby

Ten Months

Nicknames:Little Z, Z, Zoe Bear, Bear, Lovey, Booger Butt, Monkey, Zo-Zo

Loves: Moving. You are constantly crawling around and pulling up on everything you can get your grip on. Your favorite toys are still your Vtech Walker, your yellow chair and  your activity table. You also like your tea pot and still play with your shape sorter and stacking cups.

Hates: Waiting for food, getting your jammies on and being woken up in the evenings when we get home from daycare. You usually fall asleep in the car within 5 minutes of me picking you up and you do not like to be disturbed when it is time to get out of the car!

Milestones: You are really crawling now!!! When you first started, it was more of an army crawl. Now you get on all fours and you can go really fast! There have been a few times when you have let go of your toy or a piece of furniture without realizing it and stood by yourself unassisted for a moment. You have great control over standing up and sitting down now. You have done great with picking up pieces of food and putting them in your mouth.

Clothing: Most of your clothes are 9 months or 12 months right now. You still fit into all your 6 month onesies and rompers, but the pants have to be 12 months or they are far too short. You have long legs like mommy. You are still in a size 3 diapers for the day, and a 4 for your overnights.

Feeding/Sleeping: You are still on the same schedule as far was what time you eat and have your bottles. You usually go to bed around 7pm every night. Naps are hit or miss with you. Most of the time you are too busy having fun to be bothered to take a nap. You still eat every puree I give you. We have introduced stage 3 foods that are chunkier and have bits in them and you are doing well with those! Since your 9 month check up, you have been eating three meals a day and two snacks. You can now pick up and chew your puffs and yogurt melts.

Looks: Your eyes are still a strikingly beautiful light blue. Everyone who you come in contact with comments on how beautiful  your eyes are. Your hair is a dark blonde/light brown and has been that way for several months. It is longer in the back and touches the bottom of your neck!

Things I want to remember from this month…

You still growl and we play this game where you growl at me and I growl back. You laugh and laugh and we keep growling at each other and it is so fun!!!

You love to play ball with us. You throw it at us and we roll it back to you. Sometimes you even roll it for yourself to go get.

You shared ice cream with me for the first time when we were in Oneonta. (You have had frozen yogurt before.) You also had a few pieces of bread and fries that aunt Tracy shared with you.

You have a “boyfriend” at daycare. Every morning when you two see each other,  you both get so excited and frantically wave. Usually he is in the middle of eating breakfast and he quits once he sees you. It’s really sweet. It also reminds mommy to keep you locked up until you are 30. All of  your teachers call him  your boyfriend and often times when I look at the live feed of your classroom, you two are playing together somewhere.

Speaking of live feed, one time when I checked in on you…you were taking toys and tilting your head back and balancing them on your face. When they fell, you would grab something else and try again. It made me laugh and laugh.

You like to stick your tongue out at yourself when you look in the mirror. A few times you have tried to lick the mirror. You seriously crack me up.

You love your daddy snuggle time every night. Usually when I make you your nighttime bottle, your daddy snuggles you on the couch and you always look so content.

Sofia the First is the only TV show that holds  your attention. Besides football. You love football!

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Can we talk about  how difficult it is getting to take these monthly pictures???? This is how most of them look….

weekend shenanigans

Weekend Shenanigans

Monday sure did come along quickly, didn’t she? I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Our was good. Friday evening I made Korean Beef and stir fry veggies for dinner and we got caught up on a few of our shows.

Saturday morning I got a little cleaning done before Zoe woke up. We hung around the house for a little while, and then headed over to the outlets to get Zoe some shoes. I had seen some cute things at Old Navy so we went there. We got her four pairs of shoes, a sweater and a pair of leggings…everything was 50% off! I love a good sale! The jellies were on clearance for $1.47 and I got a bigger size hoping she can wear them next spring/summer. I used to love jellies when I was little.

I also scooped up this dress while I was there!!! Thanks for the rec Lindsay, I already wore it yesterday and it is sooooo comfy! It is on sale right now for $15. I ordered the burgundy color one while I was at the store too since it wasn’t there in my size. LOVE!

Image result for jersey knit swing dress old navy

We were in and out of the store pretty quickly, and then headed to grab some lunch at Logan’s. I got the fried cheese bacon burger. It was so good! I was proud of myself for resisting the delicious smelling rolls they sat down at our table.

After lunch, we stopped by Chris’s parents house for a few hours to watch some football and hang out with them. One of our nephews was over there too, and Zoe was so happy to see him! When we left there, we stopped by the BBQ Stop to grab some food to take home. Best BBQ EVER!!!!! Chris said, “Well I hate this for you. Now after shopping on Sundays….you are going to have to go a lot further out of your way to bring us lunch.” LOL True. But so worth it.

If you live in the Birmingham area, it is worth the drive up to Clay to get you some of this!!! YUM!!!!

Sunday, Zoe and I headed to the grocery store early to knock out our grocery shopping. Zoe has no problem getting comfy at Target. She makes friends with everyone we come in contact with, waving at them from this position.

The rest of the day we spent catching up on shows and trying to get Zoe to nap. She finally fell asleep on me for about two hours that afternoon. Poor kiddo has a cold or something.

Chris left our house super early this morning because he heard there was a shipment of the SNES Classic at Walmart. He was able to score one!!! Guess what we will be doing all week! Linking up with Biana. Have a fabulous week!

weekend shenanigans

Friday Favorites

Do you ever feel like you just cant catch up on life? I am behind in just about everything!!! If you get an email from me today from comments you posted two weeks ago, know that I am finally accomplishing something. It is mid October and I have hardly scraped the surface of Christmas shopping, planning Zoe’s party, figuring out the holiday family situation, etc. I really need to get on all this. It’s mid-October but you would never guess it with temperatures near 90 every day still. Woof. But it is Friday and I need to stop being negative Nancy. I am not sure what we are doing this weekend, nothing on the books that I am aware of. Obviously we will be watching some football! And getting in lots of Zoe snuggles of course. What do you have planned?

Favorite Moments: The highlight of my week was lunch with Laura yesterday at Jack Brown’s! We discovered that we hadn’t been there in far too long and quickly decided on it for lunch. I ordered my favorite, the Danny Laruso, and I tried Ghost Train’s Kaleidoscope Kettle Sour. Ghost Train is a Birmingham Brewery that I have yet to visit, they opened while I was pregnant. Trim Tab is my favorite local brewery and it’s hard to top.

Favorite Recipe: We have taco bowls just about every other week for the last…seven years. Sometimes more often. I think that this chicken enchilada bowl would be a great switch up!! It is a Keto recipe for all you low carb-aholics out there!

This Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl is a low carb twist on a Mexican favorite!

Favorite Lust: So I am reaching out to you, blog land, in hopes of a great recommendation on some new cookware. Some of our pots and pans have seen better days. They are a decent brand, but non-stick and the non-stick is starting to flake off. Never a good sign. I am thinking of maybe trying something else to replace them? I need recommendations from all  your kitchen savvy ladies out there. What are your favorites?? I was looking at something like this,  or maybe something copper, but I really don’t know what would be best? I don’t mind spending a little more if it is something that is going to last a lot longer or just really works best.

Also, has anyone tried the new Too Faced Peach Perfect Comfort Matte foundation? I am just about out of both bottles that I have been working on and I was thinking about replacing one of them with it. Thoughts?

Image result for peach perfect matte foundation

Favorite Funnies:

:) every time, but it's all Good!! Happy mama

Haha!  My husband would probably agree with this one!!

I know I'll miss it one day, but that is not this day.

50 Memes for Stressed-Out Parents And THEN what happened? This story is longer than War and Peace! Some of these emotions are just in one hour. This is the BEST! Oh my, I can’t wait to just sit in silence outside. Has anyone seen the cat? She was here yesterday… Oh yeah, that’s right. Fluff …

There's no in-between when it comes to looking ready vs looking homeless for me!

Or under the bed....or on the floor...or in the parking lot...#momlife #parenting #thingsisaynow

Couldn't put it more perfectly myself.

Linking up with Amanda. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!!

book review, books

Books

I managed to read a lot of books this month!!! A few of them were rather short, so I suppose that helped. Let just jump right on in! Linking up with Steph and Jana.

Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams

Pies and Prejudice (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery, #1)

A small town girl returns home after her husband cheats on her. You get a little love, an old rivalry, a pie shop and a small town murder with big drama.

So, looking at the title and cover of this book I was expecting a little cheese. And it had it’s cheesy moments, but honestly? I really just loved the story. This is a cozy mystery, which I find myself a huge sucker for. Look at the Stephanie Plum series and the Java Jive series that I read. This one had a real southern feel to it being based in a small Georgia town. I think that parts of the  book were overwritten as far as the imagery goes…but overall it was cute. There is also a little magic, which I actually liked.

Bottom Line: If you love cozy mysteries or southern stories, grab it! It is a series and I feel like I might be in it for the long haul.

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

The Roanoke Girls

When Lane discovers her family’s secrets, she runs far away. She returns several years later when her cousin goes missing, forcing her to face those secrets again. 

What a messed up family!!! I sort of had an idea from the beginning what the secrets were and who was behind Allegra going missing. That didn’t take away from the story though. These are some damaged, imperfect characters and sometimes, I just want that in a book. you know? You get some depth that way and an interesting story.

Bottom Line: If you like dysfunctional families and difficult situations, then this would be right up your alley. It could be a trigger for others, so make sure you read the full synopsis before diving in. I would recommend the book.

**I received a copy of The Roanoke Girls from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Expats by Chris Pavone

The Expats

Kate has a secret, her husband is offered a job in Luxembourg and she decides this would be the great fresh start that she needs. Or is it? Another American Couple arrives and her secret is now threatened.

I picked this up after Laura raved about it last month. I did this one via audiobook and I will say, it was a little hard to follow that way with all the time jumping. Could have been a non-issue in book format. You find out bits of Kate’s secret early on, and more and more of it comes together as the book goes on. I was a little shocked at some of the twists and how much lying and deception there is throughout the entire book. It makes you question everything in your own life and what you think you know about people.

Bottom Line: This book kept me interested the entire time and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it if you are looking for something good to read.

You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

I didn’t know who Felicia Day was before I listened to this book. It sounded interesting and I was looking for something carefree to “read.” (I did this on audiobook, the only way I can really read nonfiction and not get bored.) It was sort of like Felicia was there with me just telling me stories throughout her life.  She is hilarious and a little nerdy, which kind of reminds me of, well, me. And she lived in Alabama for awhile which is pretty cool.

Bottom Line: I got a little bored a few times and sort of tuned out, but overall it was a pleasant read.

69 Million Things I Hate About You by Kira Archer

69 Million Things I Hate About You

Girls has insufferable boss. Girl wins 69 million dollars in the lottery. Girl decides to not quit and see what it takes for her boss to fire her.

This book was so cute and I am so glad that I requested it!!! I think we have all had that boss that we wish we could just pay back a little karma to, no? I literally laughed out loud at some of the things that Kiersten does to Cole throughout the book. This is a romance book, but it isn’t overly racy. You get a nice, slow build and this author is known for her playfulness and happily ever after.

Bottom Line: If you have ever had an insufferable boss, or you just want a laugh. This is for you! So cute! When I was half way through it, I texted Kristen and told her to go request it immediately.

**I received a copy of 69 Million Things I Hate About You from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure

Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness

I knew when I looked at the title of this book, there would be a lot of Christian references in it. To be honest, I am just looking for a way to get motivated to work out and get back on the healthy train again and I never really thought about looking at it from a spirituality point of view. I went back and forth from liking this book and feeling like she was getting a little preachy. I think some of the things that she said that I already know, really hit home  hearing her say it. Like, setting goals and sticking to them. She said, if you lost one pound a week, next year at this time you would be 50 pounds lighter. I just sat there and thought…wow…..she’s right.

I appreciated the stories from her childhood, Full House, and her struggles. But don’t read this book thinking it is more of a memoir, because it isn’t. Also, the recipes in this book are ridiculous. I think we all know how to make tacos, no?

Bottom Line: I would be hesitant to recommend this book to just anybody. I think if you are Christian and wanting to lose weight, you would appreciate it more than someone who isn’t as spiritual. For me, I didn’t take much from the book and I honestly skipped over some parts.

Yes, My Accent is Real by Kunal Nayyar

Yes, My Accent Is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You

Big Bang Theory is one of my absolute favorite shows, so I knew I wanted to listen to this on audiobook. Kunnal himself narrates and he is just as hilarious as you want him to be. He shared stories from his childhood, college years, dating, a little bit about Big Bang and ended with how he met his wife and their wedding.

Bottom Line: If you are a fan of Big Bang Theory and want to learn more about Kunal’s life, this is a fun read. Highly recommend the audiobook version.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)

Lara Jean keeps the love letters that she has written to all of her crushes in a box her mother gave her. Somehow the letters get sent, and her personal life is forever changed.

This was such a cute YA read. While it was light and fluffy, I felt like the characters are a little more complex than your typical YA book. I won’t give anything away if you haven’t read it, but there was a character that I was rooting for the whole time and was happy at the end of the book. There are two more books in this series, and I hope to read those soon!

Bottom Line: Read it if you are looking for a cute YA or need a break from darker subject matter.

Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

Seriously... I'm Kidding

I think Ellen is hilarious and I enjoyed listening to her read this on audiobook. I really liked what she said about being proud of how old you are and that you made it another year. And also about just being yourself. I felt like I wanted a little more from this book? It was kind of short and some of the chapters were very sparse.

Bottom Line:  If you are an Ellen fan, go ahead! This is a really short audiobook, just over three hours. I borrowed it from my library…probably wouldn’t pay for it.

Always by Sarah Jio

Always

Kailey is engaged to the perfect man, but runs into her now homeless first love. Now she must chose who her heart really belongs to.

Bottom Line: I am going to be very honest and say that I did not finish this book. The writing was really choppy for me, and I don’t like being spoon fed while I am reading. I feel like the premise was good, but the writing fell short. I didn’t really feel anything from the characters and life is too short to finish a book you are not enjoying.

**I received a copy of Always from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Currently Reading

Sting by Sandra Brown

Sting

weekend shenanigans

Weekend Shenanigans – The One With Another Hurricane

Oh, hey there holiday Monday that doesn’t really count since most of us have to work today. Rude. I am just shaking myself off over here after all the rain that Nate dropped on us all weekend. Gross. Is it just me, or does it seem like we had a crap ton more hurricanes/tropical storms hit us this year? Either way, I am just thankful that it we didn’t have any damage this weekend. Some of our trees were looking a little iffy yesterday!

I stopped by Trader Joes on my lunch break Friday to pick up some essentials that we ran out of, and wanted to try a few of their fall goodies. They are about 45 minutes away from our house, so we don’t get to shop there near as much as we would like to. Not pictured was all the blocks of cheese, chicken chili lime burgers and a few more bottles of wine. What are your must haves from there? I always grab the burgers, gorgonzola gnocchi, corn puffs and cheeses when I go.

Friday night, I got some cleaning done around the house and did a little light reading. We used up the leftover meat from our taco bowls earlier in the week to make some nachos. Delicious!

I was out the door bright and early on Saturday to get my hair cut and colored. I decided to try out the whole balayage look, and have a little trim. My hair was longer in the front with my last cut, and I wanted to reverse that. I love the way my color turned out!!!! I have been all over dark for the last two years, and I am glad to see some blonde return.

Zoe and I hit up the grocery store that afternoon, and the rest of the day was spent hanging around the house and watching all the football games. We didn’t kill Texas A & M the way I wanted to, but a win is a win.

I was supposed to meet up with my mom, godmother and sister on Sunday for an early lunch. The wind and rain started picking up something fierce when it was time to head out, and we were right in the wall and eye of the main storm…so I stayed home and decided I would try to see my godmother later in the afternoon once things calmed down. I ended up meeting up with them at the outlets for awhile, so glad to see her while she was in town!

That evening, we caught up on Scandal and The Good Place and tried out the fall pasta and sauce from Trader Joes. It was delicious!!!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Linking up with Biana.