Dress That Kid: Convicted Felon Edition

Posted on September 12, 2012 by lauren

… Just kidding (kind of)!

This week I bring you the mighty ~~prison~~ baby jumpsuit. It is chambray (one trend I am fully on board with this fall… for myself as well as my kids), it is lined in soft fleecy material for the cooler months, and it has those little buttoned hems on the legs for cuffs if your kids’ legs are short. Poor little Emil. Tenth percentile for height and weight!

But don’t feel too bad for him– what he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and agility! P.s.- Did I mention he is running everywhere now?

On Emil: Chambray jumpsuit: BabyGap (on sale online now!)

Shoes: See Kai Run (These were hand-me-downs from my friend Mary’s little boy Ben… and have now made it through three boys, still going strong! I know full price they are expensive for toddler shoes, but if you have multiple kids, this is a very well-made brand. Obviously.)

Enjoy your Wednesday of freedom!

Emil’s First Birthday

Posted on August 22, 2012 by lauren

Birthday boy, birthday suit

Emil spent his birthday doing the things he loves most: playing with his brothers, drinking milkie, and messin’ stuff up.

And his big brother Oliver took his job of carrot-shredding for Emil’s carrot cupcakes very seriously (don’t worry, I helped so he wouldn’t shred those little fingers)– might it have to do with the carrot tattoo?

Emil was quite pleased with the results!

Birthdays are funny.

We gave Emil his gift (a soft little boy doll) and then the big boys proceeded to terrorize it by throwing it around the house. Good modeling for fatherhood, right?

… Actually, Oliver was quite fond of him. Anyway, Happy First Birthday to you, Emil! It’s a wonder you’ve survived this long!

P.s.- I’ll try to get an outfit post up later this afternoon, so check back then!

Emil is One!

Posted on August 21, 2012 by lauren

See? I told you he was growing fast!

Emil. Oh, my sweet last baby boy.

How you defy me. I asked you to stay little, and chill out on the full-steam-ahead life you are leading. I say, don’t worry about crawling/walking/climbing- that will all come with time… you say mama I am so ahead of you it’s not even funny.

You climb the dishwasher. And walking? Bah. You are close to running now. You wave hello and attempt to say hello. Heck, you are not afraid to go down the slide all by yourself (though maybe you should be). I say slow down what’s the rush, little man? You say, THOSE guys– I want to do what those guys are doing!

You love nursing but not lying still. You love babies but not being gentle. You love stairs but not slowing down when you reach them. You love all kinds of food, but not sitting in a high chair for too long. You would rather live than watch life pass you by.

You are one going on five.

And you have brought a joy to our lives that baffles my mind. I cannot imagine my life, our family, without you. We love you, Emil. Happy First Birthday.

** Check out Emil’s birth story here, plus one month and 5 month photos!**

**Birthday pictures to follow… seeing a trend here?***

Favorite Baby Products: Inglesina Fast Table Chair

Posted on August 10, 2012 by lauren

*I am not being paid to endorse this product– just sharing a personal opinion!

I have been asked by several of my readers about our favorite baby products. I tried to put together a post listing all of our favorites, but frankly, they keep changing kid-to-kid, as each one has his own quirks or preferences and the technology keeps changing as well.

But this product is something I highly recommend. We have the space for a high chair, but I really wasn’t digging our Eddie Bauer Babies R Us 2007 big bulky number. It was a gift when Milo was born and it really did serve its purpose, so I am grateful for it of course. But that thing was hard to clean, heavy, and took up a lot of space. And one of our favorite places to go out to eat (ahem, Winslow’s Home) doesn’t have high chairs, which makes for some interesting dinners with a squirmy baby on someone’s lap. So about a month ago, anticipating our beach trip, we went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Inglesina Fast Table Chair.

Both Andrew and I love this thing. It fits right onto the edge of a kitchen table or counter top and fastens securely there, suspending baby so his legs hang down and he can reach the counter top or tabletop easily.

I know it seems scary, but this thing is seriously not going anywhere! He isn’t going to fall!

One of the perks of this chair is its size. It is tiny, and collapses flat for travel, arms folding in and seat lifting flush with the back. It fits into a reusable grocery bag with tons of room to spare (for bibs, food, silverware, etc.) which makes traveling with it a breeze.

But I also love that there is no tray to clean up. After Emil eats, we simply wipe the table or countertop clean and there are no dishes or small crevices to clean out or scrub. Occasionally some food will get in-between the arms and the countertop, but it’s very easy to loosen, slide over, and wipe clean that area. The fabric is also very easy to wipe clean. I wish we had known about this when we were living in tiny quarters in Baltimore– would have made life easier for sure!

And the dog gets anything that might drop!

I like it!

If you’re interested in this product, check it out here: it is available in several different colors!

Our Weekend

Posted on July 30, 2012 by lauren

This past Saturday, the heat broke (for one day!) and the morning air finally felt thin enough to breathe. So, reminiscent of summers past, we headed outdoors to make the most of it. In the morning, we ended up meeting up with our cool friends again– this time at the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market, where their friend’s band was playing in the open air pavilion between the food stalls and the fountain. After stopping off for some coffee at Local Harvest, we schlepped the kids on over to the market.

One hundred of your closest friends doing yoga

Prettiest produce

All three in action!

Peach thief all “growed” up– this rascal managed to consume three entire peaches by asking three different people for them! Smart boy.

Mini peach-thief-in-training

We took a break but headed back out for an after-dinner walk to The Loop for some ice cream! We used to do this all the time over the past two summers, but since no naps have been happening, the kids usually crash by 6:30 or 7pm. But we decided, screw it, and headed out anyway since the weather was so nice!

P.s.- Do you like Milo’s style? Two different shoes AND two different socks!

And I’m so glad we did, because Sunday was a rainy one! We were relieved, because we’re in the middle of quite a drought around here– we could actually use quite a bit more.

Dare I say… I am so ready for fall.

Emil, 11 Months

Posted on July 20, 2012 by lauren

Wudgie* walks!!!

At 11 months, Emil does a few things really really well. He flushes toilets like a pro. The best tongue-clicker on this side of the Mississippi. Climbs stairs at an incredible speed (plus the dishwasher, up onto a chair in our living room, into the water table 3 feet off the ground… you name it, he can climb it). Emil is also an expert head-bonker. He bashes his noggin against something at least 30 times per day. Oh, he’s really really good at stealing food from his brothers (even though we feed him plenty). And now… he walks too (though I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s very good at it. Yet).

But my favorite new skill is the clapping. Emil claps his hands together like an enthusiastic middle-school cheerleader about every little thing. Time to nurse? CLAP CLAP CLAP! You’re getting me out of my crib? CLAP CLAP! Is that the dog? CLAPCLAPCLAP!!! He claps when Milo so much as glances his way. Claps after nursing. Claps when he’s getting his diaper changed and even when he’s starting to get tired and cranky. He’s a clapper. The face he makes while clapping:

So yeah, I’m kind of brushing over the whole walking thing not because it isn’t amazing and doesn’t warrant some sort of excitement. I just have mixed feelings about it. I am at once thrilled and sad. Thrilled of course because I am his mama and I am going to cheer him on at every milestone, every step of the way. Sad because he is my baby and you know that whole thing about babies not keeping? Yeah. My baby is not keeping.

But I think he is onto me feeling torn about this milestone because he does most of his walking when I’m not in the room (Andrew shouts to me, “Emil just took 5 steps!” and Milo claims he walked clear across the room while clapping when I was elbow-deep in dishwater) or when he thinks I’m not looking. I’ve taken to sneaking around my own house, peeking noiselessly around corners when I suspect he is just casually walking around. And he IS!!! At least he has the courtesy to spare my feelings.

Emil, next month you will be one year old. You are a joy in all of our lives. Oliver adores you and kisses and hugs you hourly. Milo carries you around and encourages you to walk and talk. He reads stories to you even though you pretend you’re not listening. Your papa and I adore you too, and cannot imagine our lives without you! Happy 11 months, buddy!

*Milo and Oliver have nicknamed Emil “Wudgie” for some reason. They call him this and laugh hysterically. When I asked them what “wudgie” means, they claim “fast.” Somehow that doesn’t fit, but the nickname is starting to stick.

Dress That Kid: Happy Birthday, America!

Posted on July 4, 2012 by lauren

Happy 4th of July! I figured that since the boys were getting all patriotic today, we would share their summer holiday garb (plus, Andrew ~~has been wearing the same clothes for the past three days~~ needed a break from the outfit posts)!

On Oliver: Red gingham shirt: Crewcuts; navy striped cut-off shorts: Tea Collection (from Milo): adventure sandals: Teva (believe it or not, these are hand-me-downs from Milo, who usually blows through shoes, so they are very well-made!)

On Emil: White sunhat: Egg Baby (from City Sprouts); Sailboat romper: Janie & Jack (on sale right now!); shoes: Janie & Jack (circa 2007); plain white onesie: Gerber Baby (Target)

On Milo: Navy tank: GapKids; lightening bolt shorts: Crewcuts…

Star socks (highly recommend this brand of socks- super soft and they come in fantastic patterns- plus, no holes or wearing yet and they’ve been in heavy rotation all spring and summer): See Kai Run (from City Sprouts); shoes: New Balance (Crewcuts)*nabbed these for half off a few months ago!

p.s.- Emil learned how to clap just in time for fireworks!

Hope you have a fantastic Fourth!

Emil, 10 Months

Posted on June 21, 2012 by lauren

Emil is 10 months old today! Eeek! I cannot believe my little sweet man will be one year old in only two months. Where does the time go?

This post is not to highlight all the new tricks he can do, though he is on the verge of walking, hence all the bumps and bruises on the old noggin. One task makes me happier than the others: the acceptance of real food (no more gagging!) into his diet. And he eats anything. Including his big brothers’ peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when he can reach them. And salmon and rice. And roasted root vegetables and quinoa (fork-mashed, of course)!

This little guy is at the sweetest age. He has never been much of a cuddler, but has the most gentle, mild-mannered personality and charms the pants off of everyone he meets. As is common with third children, I assume, he really knows how to get the attention of other children. Also, he hardly ever cries. A pretty tough lad. When he falls down, gets knocked over, has a toy stolen, gets his fingers smashed, goes under water by accident at the swimming pool… he cries out, but is so easily comforted it makes me nervous that I won’t know when he’s really hurt. Then, after a millisecond of reassurance, he is pushing and straining to get back down and into the thick of it.

He’s all step aside, I can handle it.

Happy 10 months, Emil. We love you to the bottom of our hearts and more.

We’re In For It Now!

Posted on May 8, 2012 by lauren

Dude.

Are you watching?

Emil is moving forward at an incredible rate. What took his big bros months to figure out at his age takes him oh, about a week. Now that he can pull to standing, that is his go-to move when he wakes up in his crib 8 times a night. So I enter his room to a very unhappy little guy screaming while holding himself upright in his crib, unable to lie back down because apparently that skill comes later. Sheesh.

He makes a mad dash for the door whenever he sees it open and crawls like a maniac in an effort to escape. The funniest thing is, he still falls over when we try to place him in an upright sitting position! But no worries. He’ll be too busy running around and climbing stairs to sit anywhere anyway. Oh, boy.

Home Tour: Emil’s Room/Nursery Re-Do

Posted on May 3, 2012 by lauren

When we first moved in, we repainted the entire house, including this room. But what I learned in the two years since was that this room, arguably the brightest room in the house, was not conducive to naps. I had painted it a light gray-blue, which did not help the situation. So a couple of months ago, in anticipation of the youngest of our brood kicking his older brother out, I repainted it a dark stone color which happened to be sitting in our basement left over from another project. There was just enough paint for two coats, and voila! A nursery re-do which boasts a much darker, more tranquil atmosphere for the nap-impaired.

We swapped out a few things to personalize it, like this mirror bunting, then it was ready for Emil.

The rug is one of my favorite things in this room; big, round, plush, and BRIGHT! I wanted to keep the rest of the room neutral and calm since the orange is so dominating. We found it at IKEA. The glider has seen much use and has caused many asleep hind-ends over the past 4 1/2 years of near-constant use. The dresser with marble top(!) is an antique gifted from my mom (like much of the furniture in our house)!

Almost all of the artwork in here is from old books which were falling apart, and frames left over from college.

We have plants in nearly every room- I’ve found through trial and error that succulents do best, and they require very little maintenance…

… unlike other things…

A vintage denim shirt found on Etsy which Emil fit into for about one day before outgrowing. Octopus hook found at Anthropologie.

The canvas print above was also found on Etsy- I love this guy‘s stuff! The old tambourine is made from bent wood and flattened bottle caps and makes an awesome sound- I use it to distract Emil during diaper changes… otherwise you don’t want to know what happens.