Before I get down to business as usual, I want to thank everyone for their kind words and comments on yesterday's post. We received such an outpouring of love and support; most of which included your own, very similar stories to our own. I am so grateful for this platform to share my own experiences- to find the silver lining in it all, but also to let others know they aren't alone.
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If you follow along here, you know that infertility is something I struggled with before finally conceiving our daughter through IVF in 2014. It's a topic that is such a large part of my story, and continues to be something we grapple with as we strive to complete our family. After much soul-searching, we took the leap to try for another baby last fall.
Read MoreWe're a sucker for story time over here. Big time. Ever since MM was a little babe, we've taken a few minutes at the end of the day to wind down and cuddle up with our favorite books. We've collected a few tried and true favorites over the past year and half {here}; but I'm always on the constant hunt for more.
Rain, rain, go away! Has anyone else been cooped up inside the past few days? We certainly have. And we are just about running out of books and puzzles and Netflix to keep us occupied. So what else do we do on these bored and gloomy winter days inside? Why, head to the kitchen, of course.
Read MoreThere's a whole LOT to plan when you're expecting. So it's no surprise that your hospital bag, and all the essentials a new mama will need, often goes overlooked. As the neurotic planner I am, I had mine packed a few weeks before MM was due: which turned out just peachy, seeing as the trickster was three weeks early. That being said, I would have appreciated a service that fixed that little bag up for me; as baby brain and packing don't always mix, and I certainly missed a few must-haves.
Read MoreHappy Friday, folks! We made it. I know technically it was a short week, but for some reason it sure felt like a long one to me. This crazy weather of ours has us pent-up inside some days; and while I enjoy any excuse for a day in pajamas, my little one has other plans. Thankfully, a trip to the toy store brought some distraction with a few new favorite puzzles
Read MoreA few weeks into the new year, and this Connecticut weather has me thrown for a loop. Some snow storms here, a little rain there; and then a string of balmy forty-five degree days before it drops back down to freezing, Just to keep us on our toes.
Read MoreOne of the many perks of raising our daughter in the very town we grew up in, is the ease with which we can share our favorite childhood memories with her.
Yes, my husband and I both grew up here in Connecticut. We even attended the same elementary school, though several {sorry, babe} years apart. And so we share so many memories of the same people, places, and activities that molded our youth; and are happy to be able to share them with Madeline in our daily lives.
Read MoreEvery now and then I come across a product that I just wish was around when MM was an itty-bitty newborn- must-haves that would have made my life all that much easier as a new mama. And then there are the products I find that just make me scream, "why didn't I think of that?!"
And when I came across baby company Cozy Cheekz, I found TWO such products: Cozy Cheekz Heated Changing Pad and the Cozy Cradle.
Read MoreWhen I was pregnant with MM, my mother and I serendipitously came upon the most magical baby store a girl could ask for. It was a cold, snowy day in NYC, and we were determined to ignore the weather and enjoy a shopping day in Soho. Looking for some much needed warmth, we hopped into what world be one of my very favorite baby boutiques: Bonpoint.
I loved everything. The decor. The color palette. The whimsy of the little French dolls, stuffed animals and keepsakes. And the clothes. Ahhh, the clothes. And so the addiction began.
Read MoreIf you looked outside, you'd never know it. But we got one heck of a snowfall last weekend. And it was the perfect opportunity to bundle our little girl up and take her for a sled-ride in one of her very favorite Christmas presents. Because she's just a little thing and it was cold {like really cold} we didn't venture too far; my other half just leading her around the front and backyard.
Read MoreA year ago I shared my 10 favorite Netflix shows for the littles. MM was just seven-months old, and admittedly, the shows were more for me than for her- kid-friendly shows for baby to hear in the background without driving mom crazy.
Now that MM is nineteen-months old {tomorrow?!} many of those shows remain some of our very favorites
Read MoreOur first week into 2017, and we're off to a decent start. Our kiddo classes have begun and I'm officially working on a post detailing our favorite ones in the area. There are so many amazing activities for the littles around here, which will prove useful in the chilly upcoming months. Thursday marked the start of MM's fifth semester of Music Together class. I started taking her when she was just three months old- at first more of an excuse for Mom to leave the house.
Read MoreThe holidays are officially over and we have returned from our vacation in dreamy California. It was a lovely holiday season that, as always, went way too quickly. But we are back at home, and happy to settle back in our routine and into the new year.
Typically I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions. But I do try to take the start of a new year to refocus on what makes me feel good- inside and out. Sometimes its just a simple tweak that can make all the difference. And because I'm a big believer in writing down what we need and want, here are a few things I'm committing to in 2017:
Read MoreAnd just like that: it's 2017. A new year. A fresh start. A clean slate.
And while I see many abundantly happy to say goodbye to 2016, that really has never been my style. Not even when it comes to the really trying years. Because while some are happier than others, each year- it's triumphs and challenges- give us great opportunity to grow; to become better versions of ourselves. To identify our strengths and improve on our weaknesses.
Read MoreBrrr. It was a cold one this week, folks. Bringing our first several dustings of snow and high hopes for a White Christmas here in Connecticut. This weekend will bring our third official holiday party. The hubs and I threw our first one the first year we lived together; then the second the following year, after we were married. A great start to what we thought would be our annual holiday shindig.
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