A weekend in Ojai

Ojai Girls Getaway

This past weekend we took our Mama to Ojai to celebrate her birthday and stayed in the cutest little house right near downtown. We did some shopping, wine tasting, olive oil tasting and lots of eating! This little town is filled with great restaurants and the best farmers market ever!

Boccali Vineyards

Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room

The Farmers Market on Sunday was amazing, I scored some beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits! 

5 on Friday

Cheers to my first Friday post in over half a year!

1. As much as I'd love for Fall to be here, it is so very apparent that we are the midst of summer with hot, hot, HOT days here in So Cal. We are just going with it. Pool days, indoor play dates and running that a/c.

2. With having Easton in school and having nearly 2 1/2 hours at home with just one child, I am on an organizing spree! This is my next project. I've been browsing iheartorganizing  for my inspiration.

3. The best of friends. Do you have one of those or some of those? Well this girl is it for me. She's willing to meet up at a random chick fila for an early lunch just to get in some girl talk amongst our 4 crazy kiddos. Been blessed by this friendship from college, for sure!

4. We are going to miss summer, once its gone. Look at those tomatoes my boy planted, grew, and picked (with a  tiny bit of help). And of course secret ice cream nights in the front yard. 

5.  A first and most likely a last. My girl with me getting my hair done. I thought if I was lucky she would be taking her her nap, in the stroller, but neither of those happened! 

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Madelyn Eve 8 months

The faces she makes and the places she goes.

she is happy and she knows it

crawls to where she needs to be

Nose scrunches when she needs to get somewhere fast

 smiles always

Romper: Handmade Headband: ellieco

Madelyn Eve 8 months


A look back to last month…

Labor Day

Post Labor Day we all think of packing summer away and the starting of fall, that is if you're not living in So Cal. This week we are supposed to hit 99 degrees, but we can dream! Hope you are all getting rested on your extra day off. Yesterday I hit up Mama Gap and this morning did a little browsing for the babes. How cute are these? 

Toddler Boys

Baby Girls

Preschool

In the spring I debated over and over about preschool, the need, the time, the price, what would be learned there versus at home, how sick we would all get etc. But two weeks ago we entered the preschool world! Hip Hip Hooray. 

I was a little worried how it would go because Easton kept saying "I'll stay home" as if he is the boss around here (he kinda is). After meeting the teacher and back to school night, he was kind a sorta excited, basically because they had a playground.

 Easton,

Tonight is your first night before school. Preschool that is. You'll be attending two days a week for almost three hours a day. I've been preparing you for weeks. Last week we went to "meet your teacher" Mrs. Montes. You really didn't want to go, until you saw the playground at school. You were too shy to say hello to her, which is really unlike you. I then went to "back to school night" and got all of our instructions and lists. I have prepared your extra bag of clothing, tons of school supplies to bring to class, and your emergency kit (God forbid). I never realized how these little tasks that parents have to do can cause so much stress and worry. Since I let you play a bit after meeting your teacher, you've been excited ever since. Today we practiced raising your hand to let your teacher know you have to use the potty (cutest thing ever). Your clothes are laid out and your school countdown is all crossed off. I have this fear that you won't be well rested for these events so I tried my hardest and drove around town for about an hour to get you to nap, it didn't work. So I attempted a very relaxing night, a warm bath and foot massage to get you to go to sleep early. You are out by 8:30 p.m. I read you 4 books and you got teary eyed at two of them. This past week you've been so cuddly and emotional. One of my favorite books to read to you is "My Love Can Find You" and you got all worried at the end that I wouldn't be with you. The last book was "The Kissing Hand" where a little raccoon is scared to go to school and didn't want to leave his mother and you were very sad for the poor little raccoon. I laid with you until you were fast asleep. I can't even believe that this time has come! I hope you love it so much and want to go back every day. Your little mind is so smart and I know you are going to learn tons. 8/24/15 9:00 p.m.

I purchased these cute little journals on minted to write my babies notes around important events like birthdays, nights before schools and other big days or small days that I feel should be documented. Have you ever asked your parents, "When did I crawl", "I didn't throw tantrums like this did I" and they kinda just agree, nod, or come up with a date or age. (just kidding Mom, I know you remember exactly). I know there are baby books for big events in babies lives but what about the not so big, or the  not so good? I want to know if I was sick a lot, or when did I start or end my terrible twos. Was I really a terrible sleeper and when did it end? I hope I continue writing them. Maybe they will get full ones on their wedding days, or when they have their first child.

Happy Friday

Happy Friday to All!

1. Yes I love making festive baked treats…but this photo has more significance than that! I made it to Target with both kids, only 1 in a diaper, for the first time since being a Mama of 2!

2. One of my instagrams from this week. This girl rarely gets her prescribed tummy time because to be on the floor with a 2 1/2 year old brother, a great dane, and a lab is actually dangerous! She rarely gets alone time because the love her brother has for her is unmeasurable.

3. And yes, a 3rd, all about my children, because that is all I'm doing these days. I feel like she is giving me a look that I will see when she is 13.

4. I am attempting to do some sort of exercise a couple times a week. I know or at least hope that my weight will start going down after a couple months of breastfeeding, but I would like to be a bit toned these days. I can't really join a gym because I refuse to put a tiny baby in a daycare that is surrounded by the least vaccinated children in the nation. So, I purchased this outfit and realize in order to get in 30 minutes of an exercise video, I must wear it all day long and do it in increments.

5. And if I can't tone before the first bathing suit outing, I will be sporting a one piece, for the first time in my adult life!

5 on Friday

Happy Friday

1. Etsy Shops

This past week I got this cute legging/headband combo from a cute shop on etsy. There is something I love about good finds on etsy and I am definitely willing to spend a couple dollars for these talented shop owners. This specific purchase is from vintage stitches.

2. DIY project. Since becoming a mama of two I have not been too crafty, so  I am feeling pretty successful that I was able to accomplish this project!

3.  For our last Sunday dinner, I made my first greek inspired meal! And I conquered some homemade taziki!

4.  Love. The love that this boy has for his sister. He always wants to be in her crib. One morning this week he collected toys and just played in there for about 45 minutes (she wasn't even it in). 

5. Love month.

Madelyn's Birth Story

The birth of Madelyn Eve 

I woke up remember at 38 weeks and 2 days I went into labor with Easton, so this could be the day. I had my NST & Fluid check at 8 a.m. followed by a 10:30 OB appointment. Due to the amniotic fluid being low my Doctor was thinking about inducing me, but decided I could safely wait a bit longer at this point.  I went through my day, taking "it easy" per recommendations since I didn't have much amniotic fluid protecting the baby.

I had invited the whole family over for dinner and while cooking I started to have mild contractions. After about an hour or so, I started my "contraction app" and they were coming about every 5-7 minutes. I wasn't too excited since I had been having contractions for months. Once everyone said their goodbyes and left.  I decided I would watch some tv and relax, the real test. When they didn't decrease,  I told Tucker we should probably do Easton's bedtime routine so that he is good and asleep if we have to go to the hospital. Of course at this point I cried while looking at Easton play before bedtime. I was so emotional thinking that I was about to rock this little guys world and things would never be the same. He was being cuter than ever and I did not want to leave him.

Once he was good and asleep I realized they were still happening very regularly, but still mild. I couldn't sleep and after awhile was certain I was in pre-labor. I wanted to labor at home for awhile, like I did with Easton. I got in the bath, had my phone on the edge of the tub (so that I could continue to press start and stop during the contractions) and of course painted my nails. I wanted to be distracted as possible.

Fast forward to 1 a.m., I woke Tucker up and said, "If you want to shower before we have this baby, now would be a good time". I went downstairs, to attempt to get some rest on the couch. I texted my Mom to let her know that I would be calling shortly for her to come over so we could go to the hospital.   I dozed off for a little bit and woke up in active labor and holy moly, it was intense. I can honestly say I never once felt one of those contractions with Easton's labor, maybe I already had the epidural by the time they hit, or maybe it was my drinking of raspberry tea leaf that made them much stronger this time. Tucker came downstairs at about 2-2:30 and asked what I was doing on the couch…he obviously wasn't really awake when I told him to get in the shower. He showered, I labored and was waiting for these awful contractions to be 3-5 minutes apart, I would have one every 2 minutes then every 10 and was in so much pain. I was adamant about staying at home until they were regularly 3-5 minutes apart. That was until I said I don't care how progressed I am, I am going to the hospital NOW. I called my Mom to come, it was now about 4:30 a.m., walked to the car and then realized I had to get in the car. You know your in real active labor when you can't imagine possibly sitting in a car. We drove to the hospital, thank goodness there wasn't anyone on the roads. I had a couple contractions on the way, it took under 10 minutes. Tucker was about to pull into the hospital over a speed bump, I thought I would die, mid contraction going over a speed bump. So we stopped in the middle of the road until the contraction was over (again, thank God it was the wee hours). We parked outside the ER, walked in (with a contraction stop on the way) got checked in and wheeled up to labor and delivery. By now it was about 5 or 5:30.  I am one of those patients that no one wants to start an IV on and 3 nurses attempted and then they called the anesthesiolgist who after a couple attempts got it! I had to wait for the fluid to finish being infused (to prevent the massive drop in blood pressure that I had with Easton) and then finally got the epidural. I enjoyed being pain free for a little bit, but couldn't quite rest because I was shaking so bad. I started to feel all the pain again, pressed my call light, and the nurse said, "you're probably ready to push". Tucker called my Mom and told her if she wanted to be there, she better come now (by this time my sister was at my house). And about 15 minutes later at 7:52 a.m. Madelyn Eve was born. My mom didn't make it.

When she came out Tucker said, "She is huge". And everyone in the room said she was at least 8 lbs. Then she was weighed and was actually only 7 lbs 6 oz.

My poor Mom was woken up all night by me, then had to come over at the butt crack of dawn, then rushed to the hospital to be there for the delivery. But when she walked in, I was already holding Madelyn. She shockingly said, "She's already here?".

Tucker watched while she got her assessment and first bath. And she was screaming the whole time. (If I had one less chin, I could post our first family photo)

 After all was said and done, she finally stopped crying. 

All of her aunties and uncles came to visit while she was in the hospital, and her cousins too!

Big brother Easton showed up too. Top left photo, the first time he laid eyes on his sister. I think it was love at first sight!

And when your 2 year old wants a ride in the bassinet, apparently you make sure no staff members are present and give him a ride. 

Then it was over, just like that. And we went home and started our life as a family of 4.

We are so happy she decided to come before her Christmas Eve due date, so that we got to spend Christmas together as a family.

Back when we were a family of 3

Our last photos as a family of 3. I contacted the photographer that so beautifully captured Easton as a newborn and had her snap some shots of my growing belly and our family. Looking back at our sweet boy, he seems so little, and then he became a big brother and seems so big. I am so glad we have these photos as memories. 

(get ready for picture overload)