What's Up Wednesday [8.28.2019]

Hey, hey sweet friends!

August has gone by just as quickly as it came & although I'm super excited for all the things that September holds (including hopefully some cooler temperatures!), I'm also kind of melancholy about Charlie turning one year old. It's an exciting time, but it's also closing the door to his baby chapter and although I never thought that would phase me, but it really is-I'm going to try my best to focus on celebrating our little man though!

1. What We're Eating This Week. . .

Well, Sunday night was the classic Egg Roll in a Bowl (we always top ours with Wal-Mart's wonton strips and it is the perfect extra crunch!)
Monday was chicken and dumplings with cornbread-such a comfort food meal for the rainy weather we've been having.
Tuesday Charlie had his one-year pictures in the late afternoon, so Chris and I just fended for ourselves and had leftovers.
Tonight, I'll probably do one of the two Hello Fresh meals I have left, maybe the honey chicken meal and then we'll have the tacos on Thursday.
This weekend we're going to hopefully go grab Mexican and chat with the owner about doing the food for Charlie's birthday party!

2. What I'm Reminiscing About. . .
Definitely reminiscing more about Charlie when we first brought him home.
This has been such a transformation of a year in our family, but it's definitely been a good one.

3.What I'm Loving. . .
I'm loving the rain we've been getting lately.
Call me crazy, but coming from a farm family I have been getting more and more concerned about the lack of rain. One of our streams dried up and we had to move our heifers, we've already started feeding hay, there's just a lot of concerns when you don't have rain and I'm thankful that we've finally gotten some over the past few days.

4. What We've Been Up To. . .
We've just been doing the daily stuff around here, and I love that routine.
We feed Minnie Pearl, Charlie takes naps and plays, we go visit Chris on the farm, it's the same old same old and I don't mind at all.

5. What I'm Dreading. . .
I honestly wouldn't say that I'm dreading anything.
I'm joyfully looking forward to a month of celebrating and fun!

6. What I'm Working On. . .
Charlie's birthday party!
His first birthday has been so much fun for me to plan & I cannot wait to share it with y'all after the fact.

7. What I'm Excited About. . .
I am so excited about so many things; we have lots of family birthday's this month, not only Charlie's first, but Chris, my oldest sister Trystan, and my nephew Dexter all have birthdays this month.
We are also planning a family trip to Auburn for Auburn's homecoming and I'm thrilled to have Charlie & Christopher in my favorite city for an afternoon.

8. What I'm Watching/Reading. . .

Currently binge watching lots of Downton Abbey. I recently began mooching off of my mom's Amazon Prime membership and discovered that show was free on Prime and I LOVE it.
I started reading Where the Crawdads Sing on Monday and around 9:30 on Tuesday night I finished it. Needless to say, it was an excellent book that I enjoyed SO much. I haven't read a book with that voracity in a long, long time.

9. What I'm Listening To. . .

All of the new My Favorite Murder podcasts & Luke Bryan's old Kill the Lights album in my work truck.

10. What I'm Wearing. . .
My staples still include Comfort Color tanks, Nike shorts, and these Nike tennis shoes
However, we have done a few dinners out with friends and I swear by these Lilly Pulitzer dresses for Summer-they're so easy and breezy.

11. What I'm Doing This Weekend. . .
This weekend is my big sister's baby shower for baby Cleo and I'm so excited!
We've been planning this for a while and it's going to be so pretty, plus I can't wait to celebrate one of my favorite people!

12. What Else Is New. . .
That's about it!
Next week Chris and I have planned to speak at the local elementary school and I always really enjoy those days. Sharing our love of what we do is always exciting!
Until next time. . .
xoxo,

Ten on Tuesday [No.59]

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ONE

The weather has been blisteringly hot lately here in Alabama (although, as I type this the weather is currently in the seventies and raining 🙌) 

But in order for me to actually be able to enjoy being outside, I've had to come out early in the morning before it gets too warm.

I'll take my coffee and whatever magazine I'm reading and go out to water my plants and then relax for 5-10 minutes before starting my day. It's been the best, y'all-I highly recommend starting your day that way!

TWO

Okay, just because I feel the need to share a couple of pictures of my sweet boy & just how BIG he's getting. . .

Charlie & his best buddy, Forrest on their trip to Cheaha

Charlie just chillin' at the lake for the Fourth of July

At our most recent Farmer's Federation meeting, Tommy Tuberville (ex-Auburn coach and current Senate hopeful) was visiting and Charlie went right to him, just like he was an old friend 😂
They practiced their "War-Eagle's" together!

Y'all-why is my baby big enough to hold his own sandwich?!

I know that's such a small thing to some, but gosh, it just feels like time is flying by.

I always swore we would wear footie pajamas until they didn't make them in his size, but I do have to say I'm a sucker for those two piece ones...they're just so cute!

THREE

Have you seen Charlie's 11-Month update yet?!
Not going to lie, I got a little bit emotional writing it because it was my last update before he turns one, but it was also exciting too!

FOUR

I haven't really bought any clothes for myself recently, whether that's because I'm still trying to figure out where I'm at with my postpartum body or just because I spend all my money on Charlie (sorry, I'm not even a little sorry), but regardless I haven't done much shopping for myself.
But...this dress caught my eye on Target's website the other day and I just had to have it for Fall!

FIVE

If you're ever in East Tennessee (specifically staying near Chattanooga), I highly recommend making the trek out to the countryside to visit Tsali Notch Vineyard.
They have acres and acres of beautiful muscadine vines and the most delicious wines and juices. It's just a stunning place to visit, but also lots of fun!
It's fun for the whole family because Charlie loved it too!
SIX

One of my very best friends recently turned me onto Birmingham Mom-Blogger, Heather, at My Life Well Loved and I have to admit, I instantly fell in love with her social media and her blog!
She's got a little boy who's about a month older than Charlie and he just had the sweetest birthday party-not going to lie, I definitely got a lot of inspiration for Charlie's upcoming bash from her baby Finn's!

SEVEN

Okay, I need to know-is anyone else guilty of these gross cleaning mistakes pointed out by Good Housekeeping?!
I have to admit, sometimes I do overload my dishwasher and end up having to either handwash some dishes when they come out or put them back in the dishwasher-that's the worst!

EIGHT

I don't think I've formally introduced Miss Minnie Pearl on the blog yet, but this little girl was born on July 27th and has been my pet-project lately.

Her Mama had a hard time delivering her, so she's been on a bottle and I have to say, I don't hate it.

I absolutely love getting to spend some close-up time with the calves and introducing her to Charlie has been the best.

NINE

I'm DYING to know when the Lilly After-Party Sale will be this year (although I can't say I'm mad that it's later than normal this year, because I've been spending all the money on Charlie's first birthday).
If you have any guesses (or any inside intel 😉 let me know!)

TEN
In full disclosure, I haven't started Mindhunter yet, but as soon as I wrap up Downton Abbey, it's on the list.
This article shows the actors who play the serial killers on season two compared to the actual serial killers and the casting director did an amazing job!
Until next time. . .
xoxo,

Charlie: Eleven Months

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It's SO difficult to believe that the next update I'll be writing will be when Charlie is one full year old.

It's breaking my heart and making me beam with happiness all at the same time because this first year has been so wonderful.

We are so in love with our little man and love him endlessly.

Letter Board

Weight: 18 lbs 9 oz

Height: 28 1/2 inches long

Charlie won't have another checkup again until he's 12 months old (a whole year old!), but I do feel as though he's growing steadily!

Y'all, I took this picture last Sunday & for some reason to me he just looked like such a BIG boy all day. He ate pizza like a big boy (& had the pizza stains to prove it!), was dressed like a big boy, and was talking up a storm in the stores like a big boy. He's so fun!

Clothes:

Charlie's growing out of his nine month clothes at a rapid rate!

I bought size 12 months in a lot of his shorts & t-shirts because they gave a little more room than the 9 month and he's starting to fill them out.

We've found great deals on footie pjs from Old Navy and Target and I've been trying to find some deals on Facebook resale groups for pants & shirts for Fall and Winter.

Some of our favorite clothes are from Smock It Like It's Hot (a Facebook pre-order group) I don't buy many of his clothes brand new, but when I do, many of them come from here.

Sleep:
Charlie's sleeping great; he goes down every night at 7/7:30 and wakes up between 7/7:30 in the morning.
He'll take his first nap at 9:30 AM and his second nap at 1:30 PM
Just going to leave this from month 10-he's still rocking this sleep schedule!

It's not a popular toy for a little guy, but his favorite car-toy is this cow flag that one of our sweet friends handed out to us at a trade show. Charlie loves to have it to play with on card rides and he loves it so much, we even took it on our Chattanooga trip!

Schedule:
Charlie's on a great schedule with two naps per day, four nursing sessions, and three meals of finger foods.

Our local antique store has a quarter pony that is just on a switch so when we were perusing the store the other day, Charlie got his first ride and loved it!

Health:

Still a happy, healthy little boy & we are forever thankful!

Crying:

Basically the only time Charlie cries is when he falls (which happens a lot now that he's trying to walk & pulling up) or when we tell him no. He's such a happy guy!

I do feel the need to put this in this section just because I personally want to remember; but when we tell him no (for example, when he's opening cabinet doors that he's not supposed to) he looks at the cabinet door and shakes his hands and head at it and makes this little pouting noise, almost as though it's the door's fault that he was opening it.

I try very hard to keep a straight face and be stern when telling him no, but that little routine makes it really difficult to stifle my laughter!

Likes:

Eating! Charlie loves to eat & some of his current faves are cheerios, pizza, pancakes, mangos, cotton candy grapes, and all the berries.

Being outside; he would crawl around and play in the grass all day-he plays so independently outside

Riding the Gator (a utility vehicle we use on our farm)

Mooing at the cows

Playing with his trucks and tractors

This is cotton seed, for those who don't know-it's one of the feed options we use for our cattle at times...Charlie just thinks it's cotton pickin' fun to play in!

Dislikes:

Still not a big fan of people he doesn't know really well

Being told no (and so it begins 😂)

Milestones:
Has six teeth
Bought his first real pair of cowboy boots (they're adorable)
Had his first sip of Chick-Fil-A lemonade (this is a recognizable milestone in our house 😂)
Size 3 diapers

Places You've Gone:
Old School Antiques (a local antique store with a free coin-operated horse that he LOVED to ride!)
Chattanooga to the Commodity Conference
Tennessee Aquarium & loved it!

The last time Charlie went to the aquarium (in Atlanta) he enjoyed it for the colors and movement, this time (in Chattanooga) he enjoyed interacting with the animals & with the divers! I love this picture of him sticking his tongue out!

Mama & Charlie's Favorites:

I'll Love You Till the Cows Come Home Children's Book

I picked this book up on a whim from Target when they were having their buy one book, get one half off sale. It's SO cute. I of course love the cow parts, but there are so many funny, sweet parts and I think Charlie likes it, too.

Simply Balanced Freeze Dried Strawberries

I found this freeze dried fruit at Target and fell in love with it for Charlie.

There are so many different kinds and they're all Charlie's favorites-haha!

The ingredients are simply just fruit and perhaps pectin or cinnamon in the cinnamon apple slices. Charlie really loves the strawberries, raspberries, and apples but there are lots to choose from.

Carter's Button Romper

Charlie has tons of clothes, that's no secret.

But although he has an entire drawer full of onesies that are his daily outfit, when the rotation comes to one of his three button front rompers I'm always a little excited.

These are as comfy as a onesie, but they are a little more finished looking and so cute for a little boy.

Sound Machine

This is a super affordable sound machine from Amazon & in preparation for our trip to Chattanooga, we purchased a second one since we would be in the same room as Charlie.

I love how loud this little machine gets and the white noise options are great, however they only last one full night on battery power-so either bring extra batteries or the power cords and make sure they're plugged in...don't ask me how I know, but I know 😉

Walking Toy

When Charlie first started showing interest in pulling up and walking, I picked this toy up from Target. It was the less expensive of the options and Charlie really enjoys it.

It's helping him learn to walk and giving him confidence, plus he just really likes playing with it!

SlumberPod

If there is nothing else that you buy from any of my favorites lists, then this is the one thing you need to get!

If it's not available on Amazon, their website is the best place to find out when and where you can purchase.

Basically, Charlie is used to sleeping separately from us & is unable to rest well when he can see/hear us.

The SlumberPod is a breathable, blackout "tent" that fits over your pack-n-play to give your baby an ideal sleep environment.

We didn't get to test it out at home before we left, so I was a little anxious that it wouldn't work, but it worked like a dream.

We were able to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, get up and get ready in the mornings and even pack up without waking him up the final morning.

I can't sing it's praises enough!

Until next time. . .

xoxo,