ps...

...the Bird is 17 months old today. Just when I think it can't get any better - it does!

With my whole heart, Birdie...I love to watch you grow!

Saturday, November 27

I've missed a few days b/c of the holiday. Lo siento! But I have decided to not go back and just move forward. So...

Today I am thankful for the comfort of this house. We have truly made this cozy brick bungalow into a nest for a family. A small, happy, thriving family. How awesome is that?

When I first quit my agency job to work at home and maintain my own client load. I worried that I'd be bored. That I'd be stir crazy. That I'd want out of these four walls. And yes, I did feel those things. Everyone does. But the most overwhelming thing I felt was content. Happy to wake up in my jammies, make the coffee or brew the tea and start a completely different routine. No rushing out the door. No anxiety over traffic, early meetings, co-worker classhes...I started to settle into a new version of myself that I liked a lot better.

When we brought Mila home, I started another new routine - constantly reorganzing every single item in every single room to make room for our growing collection of babyness. It's awesome. I'm driven to live more simply to make room for the most important person in this humble abode

I know we will have to move in the near future. I know our family can't really grow much more in this house.
But for now,  I love to come home to this house. We got engaged in this house and brought our bebe here on her third day of life. We are growing our businesses out of this house. We continue to make this house work for us and it continues to make us feel safe and content and loved and sane.

Want & Love

Bobbi Brown Holiday Glamour Set Nordstrom.com

Tuesday, November 23

So, I've been remiss in my mission to blog daily. But we've been a bit in upheaval so with sincere apologies - here is a quick list of my thankfulness and appreciation for the past 6 days (November 17 - November 22):

I am thankful for the kindness of my husband, strength of family, beautiful memories, cooking for comfort, really good friends and a future to look forward to.

And...finally...

Today, I am grateful for my child's smile. I watched her from across the room last night. She was playing with her cousins. Entertaining them with her toddler antics and Milabird sass. So much energy, so many smiles. Finally, my eyes caught her attention and I was flashed the most beautiful, amazing, heart-melting smile...I am still warm and fuzzy from the love in that grin. There is pure joy in the innocence and fun of childsplay. I'm so lucky to be around.

Tuesday, November 16

More and more I notice the amount of non-listening that goes on in life. I know that do it, too. But I want to acknowledge it in an effort to improve. To that end, I am grateful to have good listeners in my life.

Thanks to my ladies for listening to me. I will return the favor with open ears.

XO

dress me up

I am a dress girl. It's so ladylike and fun to wear a dress and, these days, I almost refuse dress pants or a suit and always go for a girly dress. I want to slip into one of these and have a delicious date with Dfab....

want want want

Do you ever feel like you are losing your inner-youness? I have felt mine teetering lately. But I'm gonna rally and I have a suspicion that these shoes will help. Which would you choose? What screams "Raymee"?

Classic Cord Tom OR Sparkle Tom?

Want Want Want. XO

thanksgiving fever starts early...

this bird is ready to get her gobble on...

...just a few more days, sweetie!

Monday, November 15

Today, I am thankful for the feeling of anticipation and all that it holds. And that is all.

Sunday, November 14

Speaking of my dad...Happy Birthday, Big Bg Daddy Waddy! Today is your dad's 58th birthday!

I am so thankful to have such a good dad. Not only have I felt his love and protection every day of my life without fail, now that I am grown woman I also really like him. He has the best laugh on the planet. It borders on hilarious hysteria. It's fantastic.

I love talking to him about music and am always surprised by what he's into and how he stretches himself to like so many different kinds of music. I can remember waking up on the weekend to my dad lying on the floor in the den listening to his collection - the house silent around him, his eyes closed. It always looked like bliss to me. I like to remember him like that and stop in the middle of the day to take in my favorite music - it's like a reset button.

Now that I am the mother to a little girl, I am even more grateful and thankful for such a good dad. I think girls really need that love, affection and adoration when they are little. I always felt beautiful, intelligent, listened to and loved. I might not always see eye-to-eye with my dad and I might not have always made the choices he wished for me, but he gave me the gift of confidence and perspective from an early age. Even now, I wake up every day knowing that my dad thinks I'm really special -- regardless of all that life throws at me  -- and that is really special to me.

So, Dad. I think you are pretty awesome. I'm a lucky little girl.

XOXO,
Raymee Jo

iheartspaghetti

We weren't supposed to be home today. We were supposed to be in Illinois
celebrating my dad on his birthday. But my 'lil one is sick :-(
So, I'm turning my frown upside down and making a lasagna for dinner.
I love to start a Sunday meal early in the day. It's like foreplay...

Feel better, Birdie. I'm ready to play!

With my whole heart,

Mommy

Saturday, November 13

We had to take Birdie to the doc this a.m. b/c this nasty bug simply won't let up. She's lethargic, cranky, achy and refuses most food and drink. :-( It's a sad state of affairs. But on the upside, she hasn't given Dfab or I this much attention since she was a wee tiny bebe. Being able to hold her and provide comfort is such a beautiful, simple, honest thing. We relish every second.

So today, I'm grateful for strong arms, a soft chest and a happy marriage. All provide comfort to our precious little one.

Friday, November 12

I am grateful for waking up with a clear head and the ability to not overreact. Even when I reeeaaally want to. I have to admit that when my tiny child is fighting off any illness, my mind goes to all sorts of psycho places trying to imagine what is wrong with her. But I am trying to harder to contain myself and let the inner-mommy win over the anxious-Raymee.

So, I choose to look at her perfect face snoozing next to me on the couch and know she is fine. Better than fine. She's my BIRD. Even if my clear headedness only lasts until she wakes up from her nap...I'm thankful for the respite from my wild brain.

Skip to the Lou

Thanks to my friend Chris, our Etsy page got a little love this week. I wouldn't be a good mompreneur if I didn't ask you to go look at it, would I? Keep your eye on Skip to the Lou b/c we've got some surprises in the mix and we're gonna show up soon. Maybe in color!

XO http://www.etsy.com/shop/skiptothelou

Thursday, November 11

It's hard to look at this picture and see a soldier. All I see is a little blonde cutie pie that I want to go back in time and hug senseless.

But that little guy standing next to me (yes, that is little me) is my brother Tyson and he proudly served our country in the Air Force for 6 years. Next August, our little baby brother Reid will enlist in the Marines. I am so grateful for the sacrifices our soldiers make and the bravery they show doing something everyday that they believe in. For us. It's a blessing I am not sure I would fully understand if the military had not personally affected me.

I am thankful to both of my brothers. In order to better their own lives, they are serving all of us. No matter where you stand politically, honor is honor.

So, to all the soldiers (but especially my sweet, brave, hilarious brothers): much love and continued safety.

Wednesday, November 10

Today, I am grateful for a messy house and the family I pick-up after every single day.

I went to bed a little cranky and SO ready for the day to be over (that is a long story and one I WISH I could blog about...) When I woke up my mood was changed but there were shoes scattered about every room, a sink full of dirty dishes, my dining table converted to a laundry sorting station....

But, so what if Dfab leaves his shoes in every open crevice of this house? So what if I literally fell to my knees b/c I tripped over a toy car in the hallway while carrying the baby in the dark? So what if I will spend the better part of my day picking up and cleaning only to do it all over again tomorrow? I am grateful that this house is filled with a family. I am so thankful that the family is mine.

first braid!

Today I gave my Birdie her very first braid. It's kind of a big deal in this house. We are braid people. Dfab loves me in my braids (he can't help it. he is a recovering hippie and he always likes me best in denim, braids and free of makeup. god bless dfab, for real!) and now we have a baby braid. It's the little things in life, people...it really truly is.

Tuesday, November 9

I am thankful for leggings. I am thankful for my black, stretchy, shiny leggings. I love how they look with my ballet flats and how they keep my chambray dress from looking too sloppy. And with a quickness, I am off to look not too sloppy for the entire day.

Monday, November 8

Today, I am grateful for the ability to rearrange my day with limited stress. I am also grateful that having Milabird has taught me how to be flexible in ways I didn't think were possible for my ducks-in-a-row nature.

Couple of gratitude sidebars:
---I'm super thankful for my first experience baking with puff pastry. On the menu: parmesan cheese straws to go with dinner & for this week's sweet treat - nutella and peanut turnovers.
-- I am glad that I read Rolling Stone from cover to cover so that this week I am re-loving Phoenix all over again. Music=Love.

Sunday, November 7

I am thankful for the wee small hours of the morning and time alone with Milabird. She's all snuggly in her tye-dyed jammies, hugging her bunny and seeking me out for comfort. 5:30 comes early but it also comes sweetly.

Saturday, November 6

If you are ever in a slump, hop on a train with your best gals, drink wine all day and bask in the beautiful fall weather. Two words that make me smile and laugh 'til tears: Amy & Lara. XO, Ladies.

Friday, November 5

Everyday (sometime) between the hours of Noon and 3 p.m. my house becomes very still. The hum of the baby monitor in the background gives way to my favorite iPod mix and a mad dash to get work done, finish the laundry, do the dishes OR simply play Facebook. I'm thankful for whatever teeny tiny shred of time I have to myself during the day. I like me. It's fun to hang out.

Thursday, November 4

Today is all about Nicki. I am so super incredibly grateful for Nicki. With one whip of her pen - she brings it to life. I love you, Nicki. TSL4ever.

Wednesday, November 3

As I type I'm surrounded by plastic toy food, a shopping cart, a mail cart and two shrieking toddlers but I love it. I mean, they ARE letting me get these posts done, aren't they? As long as I ignore the mess and focus on the cute, I remain grateful for these two little people.

I'm also extremely thankful my mama friends. I'm so lucky that they trust me, love my baby girl and take time to help. Help is bliss.

Tuesday, November 2

Today is election day. I woke up full of earnest to get out and vote but my day got caught up in errands and picking the baby up. We made it out to the polls after dinner and I was glad to have gone. I'm really thankful to live in a country where I have the right to vote. I'm also thankful to live in a country where I can freely express that I am truly disappointed with the state of politics in this country...it seems like an extreme contradiction to live somewhere where freedom reigns but mud slings.

Still, I'm thankful that we can rock the vote. It's what it is all about. Even Mila rocked the vote ;-)

Monday, November 1

I am grateful for little girls. I had my little cousins Hannah and Ellie over tonight for pizza and to play with Mila. I love pretty much everything about little girls.

Being Thankful...

A very dear friend of mine from childhood is sharing her thankfulness on Facebook every day. I think it's a great exercise in being grateful but also discipline to post everyday this month. So, here we go.