baby

Six Months

Six months. Half a year. How???? You internally roll your eyes when people tell you how quickly the time goes once you have kids, but seriously. They were right! You can’t even imagine. It blows my mind to think that six months have gone by since the nurse was tossing Chris some scrubs and everyone was frantically unpacking tools in the operating room for the c section. It has been six months since I stared into those beautiful blue eyes of Zoe’s for the first time. Six months since our lives were forever changed.

This month has had some pretty big moments! Zoe is now sitting up completely unassisted, she is not just grabbing but pinching items to hold, she started eating solid foods and we have really settled in to a great schedule.

Nicknames:Little Z, Z, Zoe Bear, Bear, Cheeks, Lovey, Little Miss, Booger Butt, Monkey

Loves: You are still constantly chewing/sucking on your fingers and hand, squealing, smiling, giggling, pulling mommy’s hair, and your new favorite thing is sitting up unassisted!!! You sit for long stretches at a time and rarely tumble over. Your favorite toys are your stacking cups, Beat Bo, Minnie Mouse and your crinkly book.

Hates: You still aren’t a fan of loud noises, they usually make you cry. You are starting to have some stranger anxiety and get upset when someone else holds you that you do not know.

Milestones: You have changed so much over the last month!!! You are sitting up completely unassisted, you have been eating solid foods (your first was sweet potatoes), you are able to feed yourself sometimes with a spoon, you started sipping water from a 360 cup and a weighted straw cup,

Clothing: We just moved you up to size 3 diapers. You still fit in size 2, but at your doctor appointment last week you were 16 pounds and sort of on the higher end of 2’s and lower end of 3’s so we went ahead and moved up. For clothes you have a few 3-6 pieces that you still fit in to, most of your stuff is 6 month or 6-9 months.

Feeding: You are still on a similar schedule from last month. You wake up and go to bed a little earlier than before. You take 5.5 ounces around 530am, 800am, 1130am, 2pm, 530pm and 7pm. You go down for your morning nap around 800-830am and your afternoon nap after your 2pm bottle. You usually go down for bed after your 630-700 pm bottle and sleep through the night. Your 1100-1130 feeding is where we have introduced solid foods so we have been doing a smaller bottle and offering you food and a straw cup with water first.

Looks: Your eyes and hair have stayed the same color this past month. Most people say you look like your daddy with my eyes.

Things I want to remember from this month…

The way you growl as communication. Sometimes it makes me laugh so hard, which makes you giggle too!

How sweet you are when you lean in and “kiss” your stuffed animals.

The way you smile when your daddy or I walks in to a room.

How high you can jump in your bouncer!!! Sometimes you really get going in there.

You have started dancing to music when you are seated. Mostly rocking back and forth. It is the cutest thing ever.

You really like Bruno Mars. Anytime one of his songs comes on, you always have a big smile on your face. I think you favorite is Uptown Funk.

You are really in to reading books. You like to chew on them and you pat the pictures each time I turn a page.

You are super ticklish under your arms, around your neck and sometimes on your belly. You giggle and giggle and giggle when I blow raspberries on your belly.

You love your cousins. Christopher and Cooper spent a few days with us since they have been out of school and you get so excited to see them!!! You love to have Cooper read to you. You tried to tickle his neck when he was reading and it was the sweetest thing! Christopher picked you up and held you for the first time and you loved laughing at him when he said “yeah” to you in your face.

After you take your bottles before your naps or bedtime, sometimes you pucker your lips and stretch out and look away like….ok I am through, time for sleep. So cute!!!

You really want to crawl. When you are on your belly, you scoot your legs and butt a little but don’t really get anywhere. Then you get frustrated and start squealing and sometimes crying and you lay your head on the ground in defeat. I know it is just a matter of time before you are mobile!!!

The monthly pictures are getting harder to take!!! I will share some outtakes at the end.

weekend shenanigans

Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend went by so quickly! Though, don’t they all? While I didn’t get done all that I had planned...grass I am looking at you in all your jungle glory.…it was a good weekend!

After a very long time of researching, Chris decided he wanted to get a new TV for our living room on Saturday. After Zoe’s morning nap we headed over to Best Buy and met his sister over there to look at TVs. The one he thought they had wasn’t there and he ended up going with something else. It is five inches bigger than our other TV and I can certainly tell a difference! The jury is still out on whether Chris likes it or not. He notices so many things that I don’t when watching shows.

Saturday afternoon, Chris’s friend came over to watch the Electric Daisy Carnival with Chris. The guys grilled out steaks and they were delicious!

They had also picked up some sushi from Publix that I joked around saying it was sketchy, but it was actually pretty damn good!

Sunday we got our meal planning and grocery shopping done, finished watching House of Cards, and celebrated Chris’s first father’s day. I made baked ziti for dinner.

The rest of the weekend looked like this….

In the bottom right picture, Zoe had decided she was too cool for a nap and then kept laying her head down during playtime because she couldn’t hang. We’ve all been there, right???

And just like that, it is back to reality. I through together a three bean and cucumber greek salad last night for my lunches this week. If it is good, I will share the recipe! It was a pretty easy dump and mix one, and we could all use some of that in our lives. I hope you have a great week! Linking up with Biana.

favorites, friday favorites

Friday Favorites

I looked down at the date yesterday as I was writing this post and realized that June is already half way over. How that is even possible is beyond me. I feel like time is flying by so much faster than it used to. It is insane. Anyways, we don’t really have anything specifically on the books for this weekend. We will be celebrating Chris’s first Father’s Day! So that is exciting.

Favorite Moments: Laura and I met up for lunch on Tuesday. We decided on Shiki because we both had a hankering for some sushi!!! We split the spicy tuna rolls, and I got coconut soup and massaman chicken. SO GOOD! Plus, we parked in a parking deck a few blocks away and walked so I ended up hitting my step goal very easily that day. Hurray!

I unexpectedly got to spend some time with one of my nephews this week too! He didn’t want to go on his field trip at camp so he hung out with Zoe and I one day. We got to play another game of Life and Zoe playing on the floor with him and listening to him read her books. She kept reaching out and patting his belly and trying to tickle his neck. It was the cutest thing ever.

I ordered some Baby Bjorn bibs from Target for Zoe. Trust me, when they start eating foods…just get these!!! They make life so much easier and really cut down on the laundry. That link takes you to the specific colored ones (green and pink) I got that were on sale for way less than anywhere else. I couldn’t resist this watermelon sunsuit when I placed my order. It was only $7.99. How cute is she going to look in this????

Zoe is in to selfies now haha. She loves seeing herself in the pictures so we make all kinds of goofy no make-up faced ones. I love to hear her giggles.

Favorite Recipe: I love making fried rice at home. This quinoa version looks like a healthier way to do it!

Quinoa Veggie Fried Rice with Egg and Scallions

via

Favorite Lust: I picked up a black and white striped sleeveless swing dress from the Loft outlet last weekend. I didn’t really care for the other prints that they had there but realized that the regular loft has some solid colored ones right now. I really want to scoop those up! I really like the pomegranate color, and they are 40% off!

How cute is this cold shoulder one???

Or this Lou and Gray casual one???

The Loft gets me every time!

Favorite Funnies:

I wonder how many people see me in "suggested friends" and are like "fuck that asshole"...

Hate when that happens.

Adulting

Funny, Memes, Pictures: hang-the-clothes-up

Funny, Memes, Pictures: running-late

Funny, Memes, Pictures: thank-you-notes

Funny, Memes, Pictures: z-funny-182

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

book review, books

Books

It’s book day! I read some really good books this month from some of my favorite authors, so I just want to jump right in and share them with you!!! I think this is probably one of the best book months I have ever had as far as quality goes. Linking up with our wonderful hosts Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books.

Saving Grace by Jane Green

Saving Grace

I love a good Jane Green book, she is the queen of beach reads! Saving Grace did not disappoint! I sort of guessed from the beginning what was going to happen, but that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed this read! You really get some good character development and it does bring to light some mental health awareness. I found myself flying through it to see if my suspicions were right or not. Is Grace crazy or not?

Bottom Line: Read it! Great for the beach or a good pallet cleanser. Jane Green fans will appreciate.

Rating: 4/5

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Oh TJR, how I love thee. Let me count the ways!!! This book was soooo different from TJR’s other books, but I loved it just the same. As always, there is fantastic character development, and I loved having a story within a story. The lives of the characters were messy and imperfect and it makes you love them even more. It was fun learning all about Evelyn Hugo’s life and get a glimpse inside the real Hollywood living.

Bottom Line: Read it!!! And every other TJR book.

Rating: 5/5

**I received a copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe in Another Life

This was the only one I had left of the older books I hadn’t read of TJR and I couldn’t wait to dive in! You guys, this book!!! I couldn’t put it down. I loved how bounced back and forth between two outcomes, if Hannah went home with Gabby or if she stayed at the bar with Ethan.  I thought for sure when it started that I wanted the book to end with one outcome but then I decided a few chapters in that I was really enjoying both story lines. The thought that we could be living in multiple universes where we lead slightly different lives is crazy to think about and I think that is what I loved so much about this book.

Bottom Line: Read it!!! This book was SO good!!

Rating:5/5

Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova

Inside the O'Briens

After I read Still Alice, I knew I had to read Lisa Genova’s other books. But I also knew that I was going to need some time in between because Still Alice crushed my heart in ways I don’t want to talk about again!v This time we take a look inside Huntington’s Disease. You really get to learn a lot about the O’Brien family and their little corner of Boston. This book really makes you think about what you would do if you were one of Joe O’Brien’s kids. If you know you have a 50% chance of having Huntingtons, would you want to know for sure? I went back and forth on if I would or not and I am still not 100% decided.

Bottom Line: Read it! You really get good character development and you learn more about the disease and an understanding on not just how it effects the person who has it, but their entire family.

Rating:4/5

Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino

Wish You Were Here

I am obsessed with Renee Carlino’s books. Before We Were Strangers and Swear on this Life were both so good, I couldn’t wait to dive in to this one!!! Right from the start this book had me hooked! I read half of it in one day which is rare for me these days with a baby! I kept trying to guess what was up with Adam but sort of knew in the back of my mind what was going on. I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone. Let me just say that parts of this book just broke me in a such a good way. I had a little cry, I had many smiles and all the feels and emotions.

Bottom Line: Renee Carlino has quickly become a must read author for me and I highly suggest this book! I can promise this will be on my favorites list for the year. Shout out to Kristen for letting me know it was on Netgalley.

Rating: 5/5

**I received a copy of Wish You Were Here from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything

I flew right through this book. Everything I guessed early on in the book ended up happening, so the book was a little predictable for me….but that didn’t take anything away from the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!!! Could you imagine living a life where you aren’t even allowed to go outside? To experience the world or come in contact with people other than your mom and nurse on a daily basis. I cant wait to see the movie that is being made for this book!

Bottom line: Read it!!! It is a quick, enjoyable YA.

Rating: 4/5

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Hello, Sunshine

I sort of guessed what was going to happen in this book too, so again, a little predictable but oh so good! I loved that this book sheds some light on the fact that we all try to be someone we aren’t on social media. We share our curated life, and Sunny let that curation take over her whole life. Sifting through photos and coming up with perfect phrases and making everything look just so. We all kind of do that, don’t we?

 

Bottom Line: Read it! This would be the perfect, quick beach read!

Rating: 4/5

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

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between

I love Lauren Graham. Lorelei Gilmore is one of my top favorite characters ever! I really enjoyed this on audiobook since she read it. I found her talk on dieting hilarious. She makes an excellent point by saying that Opera is still working on it. So there isn’t much hope for the rest of us right? And we should all just relax! Plus she referenced First Wives Club so that scored major points for me. I really enjoyed hearing her talk about Gilmore Girls and some of the other shows she was on. She is just as witty as you want her to be!

Bottom Line:If you are a fan of Gilmore Girls or Lauren Graham in general, then this is a must read!

Rating:4/5

Currently Reading

Love, Alabama by Susan Sands

Love, Alabama (Alabama, #2)

Have you read any of these? What is on your must read list?

weekend shenanigans

Weekend Shenanigans

Summer weather is in full swing down south. It was quite toasty this weekend while I was trying to cut the grass! Or you know, just breathe. How was your weekend? Ours started off with Zoe’s 6 month appointment on Friday. Everything is looking good, but unfortunately for Zoe….it was time for some more blood work and shots. Poor kid. She just wanted cuddles and lots of love the rest of the day. I didn’t hate it.

Chris had to work Friday night into Saturday morning, so after Zoe went to bed I finished reading Everything, Everything and Hello, Sunshine. I will have those along with all my other books for the month in the link up tomorrow!

Saturday after Zoe’s morning nap, we headed out to meet up with my mom, one of my nieces and sister for lunch. We all had chopped salads at Jim n Nicks and chatted for awhile. Then my mom, Zoe and I headed out to do some shopping! We went to the outlets and spent entirely too much time in Osh Kosh/Carters. Zoe is growing so fast and I had a good supply of clothes up until now but it is time to stock up on the next size. The Loft also had their dresses for $29.99 so  I grabbed two. I am literally having to replace all my dresses from the last few years. They were all worn, stretched, misshaped, etc so it is nice to have some new ones in rotation.

Sunday was filled with grass cutting, grocery shopping, meal prepping, watching the new X BoxOneX Preview with Chris, and reruns of Eastbound and Down.

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