Stuff I Love!

Since it's TAX REFUND season, I've been thinking about what lovely items I'd like to get with the money I'll get back for having a baby last year :) It only seems right that I keep her in mind with the purchases....

Here are some things I love!

In case she grows another foot ;) j/k. I love these sweet Kai Run Smaller Tiana Yellow Ruffle Sandals!




 

Now that Ev's getting a little bit of hair, I would love to put her in a sweet bow like this felt one from Blue Monster Bows

Adorable custom felt birthday hat from Hilly House



Everleigh-tastic headband from Giddy Up and Grow

 



Ergo carrier (now that Ev is getting bigger). Oh, and I guess I could also accept that gentleman and the tropical island as well.



A family membership to the Kansas City Zoo! It seems like we went to the zoo all the time when I was little, and it's an easy and fun way to get some exercise while wowing the kiddo.



Totally design conscious Boon high chair



 Oh, and we'll definately spend some on Mommy and Daddy and tuck some away for a little vacation this summer!



Mommy Job Hazzard: Sometimes You Feel Like a Really Bad Mom

Last night, I had my first real experience since Evie was born of pretty much feeling like a terrible mom/person. Here's what happened:

We have some family pictures (yay yay yay!!!!) scheduled in a week and a half with my amazing photog friend, Jen Flanagan of Image Market Photography (the same awesome gal who did my maternity pics,Ev's new baby pics, and Tory's senior pics). Everleigh has a longstanding history of growing her fingernails faster than you could possibly imagine, and scratching her face/ears/head/eyelids with those barely-there nails anytime she is frustrated, crying, sleepy, etc. So in light of the fact that we have some important photos coming up, I was attempting last night to clip Ev's nail while she squirmed in my lap and tried to get away.

On THE LAST NAIL (her little thumb), I somehow got the tip of her finger with the clipper and before I could say OH NO! she was crying and her tiny baby thumb was bleeding everywhere. I did what any sane person would do--I put her bloody thumb in my mouth (wha?) and yelled for Scott to help me.

He was like, "what did you DO to her?!!! Step aside", and he swooped her up to rinse off her finger and apply pressure. Meanwhile, he sent me on a wild goose chase for band aids that didn't exist. So here I am with blood dripping out of my mouth, running through the house like a crazy person looking for band aids I knew were not there, when he calls to me and says he remembered the band aids were downstairs. We got her some Neosporin and did our best to fashion the band aids around her thumb in a way where she couldn't get them off.

With Scott acting like I brutally hacked the tip of our daughter's finger off, and her looking up at me like, "Mommy, WHY?", I basically felt like the worst person ever of all time. To punish myself for my misdeed, I let her sleep on the bed with me all night, even though she chose to sleep sideways with her feet up on my stomach (kicking away), and I laid awake half the night thinking, "how could I have done this?" and picturing her thumb all hacked up and bloody today while she attempted to crawl and play. I worried. I got teary. I apologized a hundred times to her while she slept.

This morning, she tugged her band aid off and you know what? There was no more blood. It still looked like I caught a few little layers of skin with the clippers, and it will need to heal over the next few days, but she was FINE. Glad I swallowed blood, worried all night, and made myself sick feeling such deep shame over a tiny cut.

Welcome to motherhood.

Happy V-Day!

Mom and Dad are keeping it simple today :) I'm super excited about our little date we have scheduled for this evening nonetheless.

We plan to dress in our comfy Valentines best, drop Evie off at Grnadma and Grandpa's, and go get a cheeseburger and beer out somewhere. Maybe even play some pinball! And if we're super motivated, we may head home to our empty nest to have a little Valentines grown up time.

Love is in the air.

Is it funny that I'm way more psyched about our low-key plans than I've been about the last several Valentines Days where fancy dinners, new dresses, and wine-pairings were involved? Maybe I just have a little more love in my heart this year.

Hope it's a good one for all of you! Celebrate with the ones you love and if you don't love anyone, treat yourself to something nice!

E

Shameless Self-Promotion

I'm going to take a moment to hit up my readers and ask you to take about 15 seconds to vote for me on Top Baby Blogs.

You may be asking yourself--why? Is Babique really a "top baby blog"? What if I like another blog more?

Here's why I'm asking: Top Baby Blogs is an awesome little list of hip mama blogs from around the world. When I was pregnant and didn't have a clue, it's how I found some amazing baby blogs that helped me feel less alone in my hormonal haze. And since becoming a blogger, it's been a huge goal of mine to make that list, even if I'm number 100. While I realize my blog is nothing fancy or amazing (I'm not a professional photographer, model or web designer with tons of time to constantly update and improve my blog, I don't have sponsors YET that offer awesome giveaways, etc), it's a really important mode of self-expression for me. It's my hope that someday I can show it to Everleigh or even turn her Dear Everleigh letters into a little book for her to treasure. It's a way for me to make new mama friends, keep in touch with old friends, and connect with people who are going through similar experiences.





Everleigh wants your vote!

  

 And one of the BEST ways for me to help make those connections is by getting votes from you :) my readers, so other moms, moms-to-be, or curious spectators can find ME on the list! With lots of blog traffic comes new blogger friends, new readers, sponsorship possibilities (cha-ching!), new opportunities, and the confidence that comes with knowing what you write will actually be read by someone other than you :)

So even if you don't think my blog is the most amazing one of all time (because it really isn't), if you read it, if you like it, if you don't mind clicking and then clicking again, PLEASE take a moment to vote for Babique!



 


How can you say no to that little face?


PS: You can vote as many times as you want anytime, anyday.

The Hangover (otherwise known as Mommy and Daddy are now cheap dates)

While my husband HAS been compared many times to Zach Galafianakis (when Scott grows his beard out), I'm not actually referring to the hit comedy.

Rather, I am referring to the way my head feels today. You see, my husband, Scott, turned FORTY last night. That's right, 40. He is officially super old. I on the other hand am 28 so I'll be young forever (haha).

In order to celebrate this momentous occasion without drawing undue attention (per his request), we got a sitter for the evening (thanks Beth and Big B!) and went to a fancy dinner out, which turned into a fancy dinner out during which a bottle of lovely red wine was consumed, and then an "after party" of sorts at a few local bars we love. Apparently, at 28 I am too dang old to stay up past 11 and drink more than 1 or 2 drinks because last night after returning home I felt like crap on wheels, and today I had a monster hangover. I kept going from feeling OK to feeling nauseous to hungry to dizzy to headachy to normal again. No thank you.

Here's the place we went went for dinner:

Skies in Kansas City. It's a bit on the cheesy side, but Scott had never been and really wanted to go, primarily for the awesome view.

 It's 40 stories up and revolves slowly while you eat so you get to see the whole city and watch the sunset. We ate a shrimp cocktail appetizer, filet mignons, a bottle of petite syrah, and a delicious piece of key lime cheesecake to share for dessert. It was awesome. I wore a really cute black dress that is now scandalously short due to a washing/drying incident (Scott--some things are not to be thrown in with everything else in the wash!). But Scott decided that he thought it looked hot in a 60's airline hostess kind of way. I wore it with black opaque tights and cute black heels, and wore my hair up in a mini bee-hive. Scott LOVED it, which was really all that mattered to me seeing as how it was his birthday and all.

After dinner, we stopped at The Cashew, a place we have been known to stumble into in the past. Every time we go, we use their photo booth and get snapshots of our night. I'll try to see if I can capture those and post them--they're pretty funny. We had one drink, then left to hit up another spot close by called the Czar Bar, where they were having some kind of glow in the dark burlesque bingo game. We felt like we were in Japan or something, which was pretty awesome. The girls had pink and green wigs on, fishnets, and balloons covering their bodies, and would hold up giant glow in the dark cards displaying the Bingo numbers as they were called. Lastly, we ended the night at our old stomping grounds--Grinders. Although, by this time I just wanted Sprite. We spent the last 45 minutes or so mutually gushing about Everleigh the way teenage girls squeal over some cute boy at a slumber party. What can I say? We're smitten.

After getting the signal from birthday boy that he had just had one of the best birthdays ever, we agreed it was time to get home and see our girl.

Next time, I'll probably switch to Sprite after 1 or 2 glasses of wine. But hey, your husband only turns 40 once, right? Love you Scotti! Thanks for being such an amazing, loving husband and father. You totally rock my socks, even if you ARE old.

Our Snow Days

Everleigh on her handmade blankie--Thanks Alex!



Smiling through the binkie




Trying to get Ev by her amazing handmade "EVERLEIGH" lace thing (made by our 90 year old neighbor)




Evie's little giraffe shoes from Gymboree's sales rack :)

 While we were experiencing a thundersnow ;) mama got to stay home and play stay-at-home mom for a couple days. It was SO NICE! Makes me wish I could do it all the time. Sigh. For you stay at home moms out there, I know it's tough. It is really heard to take care of this other person day in and day out, often while putting your own needs and wants aside in favor of say, watching Maisy and reading Baby Faces for the 600th time.

However, in my case Everleigh usually wakes up in an awesome mood and stays happy and playful all day until around 5-6PM. Then she gets fussy, sleepy, whiney, needy. She wants held and rocked and snuggled. These are all things I love anyways, BUT...it's sometimes tough to find the energy to do all these things after working 8 hours. Maybe I want to sit and eat dinner. No way. Maybe I want to take a bath or have a glass of wine and veg out and watch 30 Rock or something. Forget it. I basically end up working the day shift at my job and the night shift at home Monday through Friday.

So you can see how I would be so happy to have almost 2 full days with my girl, at her favorite time of day! Here's what we did Wednesday:

• Woke up with Evie around 7AM and went in to see Scott (in the bedroom) and change her diaper.
• Cuddled until about 8 when Scott had to go outside and get to snowblowing the massive driveway.
• While he was gone, I dyed my hair (whew! i feel way better now), and sang and danced around with Ev to an oldies station.
• Then we made daddy some hot tea (Oriental Spice from Tea Drops..his favorite!) and played until he made it in from the cold.
• We watched Maisy and Boo (Ev's favorites) and read some books.
• Then we made BLT's (yum yum) and enjoyed them thoroughly while Everleigh ate some applesauce and chicken and gravy baby food (which I tried and thought was nasty).
• Then Scott had to brave the cold again to buy some salt stuff for the sidewalks. Ev and I stayed in and did a mini photo session (although she didn't really want to coorperate).
• Evie took a nap and I painted my nails a light matte greenish-aqua color
• When Scott returned, we all played together some more. Scott and I played a few songs for Ev on guitar, which she loves. Then he went back out to snow blow some more and salt everything (I'm telling you--it was a thundersnow people!)
• I took a bath with Ev in her doorway jumper thing using my Philosophy Cherry bath stuff. Mmmm.
• Scott returned and he and I ate dinner in shifts and played with our girl until it was her bathtime
• Mommy bathed Ev, lotioned her up with lavender, put on her Hug Me jammies, and nursed her to sleep. Then mommy and daddy fell asleep on the couch too with big big smiles on our faces.

Dear Everleigh (8 Months!)

Wow! You really are growing too fast and trying to give your dear mom a heart attack, baby girl. Today you are 8 months old and I just can't believe all you've accomplished in the last month.

Here are some of the high points:

You climbed 2 stairs one day out of the blue and I was so excited! Then later that night to show off, you climbed the whole first staircase, then crawled across the landing and climbed up the OTHER staircase about halfway (maybe a total of about 10 or 12 stairs) before you got bored or maybe realized you were in over your head. You never cease to shock and amaze us with how tough you are!

Here are some pictures I captured of you very first trek up the stairs.

Also this month, you learned to clap and have been testing out the best times to use this skill. You don't just clap all the time--oh no. You clap when you're really over-the-moon happy, when someone does something silly, or sometimes when you see another kid throw a fit. I'm not sure what that's all about. Please don't get any big ideas.

You have really been digging having baby food, fruit, and juice this month (in addition to your 24-7 access to mommy's milk bar). You used a sippy cup for the first time this month, and we also discovered that you do great drinking out of a big person cup too. now whenever daddy or I have a glass of ice water, you beg us for a sip. Sometimes you even leave crumbs of whatever you were munching on in the water for us to enjoy later ;)

You've started practicing standing on your own now too and can stand without help for about 5-10 seconds. Sometimes you don't even realize you're doing it :) You love to practice walking with daddy, and I do believe you will be an early walker, Miss E.

Your daddy and I are trying with all our might to help you get to sleep at a better time and to sleep in your crib, but you're just not having it. You won't hesitate to "cry it out" for hours and hours if we let you (and we really don't). We attempted letting you cry in 10 and 15 minute intervals, coming in to reassure you periodically, but you seemed to get even more awake through this process. After spending several nights sleeping on your nursery floor, Daddy and I decided to move your crib into our bedroom. This has somewhat improved things. We're working on it ;) If my parents were as cool as me and daddy, I wouldn't want to go to bed either!

You are still toothless, although lately I've felt some little hints of teeth coming through, so it might not be long before you get some little chiclet teeth to add to your happy-go-lucky grin.

I love you so much, Evie. You are my little lovey, and even when I'm tired and frustrated and feeling down, just one smile from you can turn it all around. I know that sounds like a corny light rock song and I'm sorry.

You're the best!

Love,

Mama



Evie and Mommy



PS: Nicknames we're calling you this month (in addition to your regular Ev, E, and Evie): Peach-O (our bagger at the grocery store had this name and well, it just stuck), Geech and Geech-O  (this started when you were just a few weeks old. I can't explain it other than that you sometimes make weird faces that your dad and I consider to be "geechy"), as well as your staple: Babique (pronounces babe-eek). This nickname was created by your dad and I when you were a month old or so. You had some PJ's that looked like a Vegas Elvis type outfit, and we decided your stage name would be "Babique, the French Sensation". Ever sense, it's been a term of endearment for you (hence, this blog's name). You have a lot of names for such a little person and we try to keep it fun :) Signing off!

Remember this little number?

Picture by Heart and Sew

Well, I finally had an excuse to buy it from the amazing little Etsy shop Heart and Sew :) My girlfriend's little baby is turning ONE next month, and I thought it was only right that he have some proper menswear since he's all grown up now. You'll have to see this baby to fully understand--he was born with the greatest head of hair ever (it seriously looked so good, it almost seemed like a toupee), and he has huge dimples, gorgeous eyes, and several arm rolls. He looks like a handsomely plump newscaster, and probably would be if they'd let babies do that kind of work.

I got the package in the mail yesterday and it is the cutest thing ever of all time. Can't wait to see little Sully all gussied up in it! I'm thinking maybe Easter (seeing as how we're in the midst of a "thunder snow" right now)? Maybe paired with some knee highs and loafers? I'm sure his fashionista mommy will figure it out just fine. Lol. Little boys are so cute!

Go check out Heart and Sew's vintage duds on Etsy! Warning: you may just fall in love.

Hold On To Your Hats



Really awesome picture of a ThunderSnow taken by PaleMaleIrregulars

 We're now experiencing every local weather man's wet dream: what they've dubbed a "thunder snow". Can you feel the fear people!!!??!!! Thunder and snow. Thundersnow. It sounds like a B movie from the early 90's.

But it's true. It's windy and snowy and apparently supposed to just open up and let us have it later today. FYI--Missourians may be a lot of things but we are NOT good at driving in snow. They're calling for up to 10 inches over the next 2 days so everyone's pretty much freaking out. All school's are canceled. All government offices are closed. The grocery stores are full of people duking it out for the last pack of bottled water, etc.

I, however, am at work. Can you believe it? But not for long. Plus I live a few blocks from work so it's no biggie. I got up early this morning (thanks Everleigh!) and went to the3 grocery store to stock up on the essentials: diapers, wipes, frozen pizzas, chips and cheese dip, beer, and stuff to make BLT's (don't judge me--I bought lettuce and tomatoes). Then I headed in to work. I have no real work to do today since no clients want to deal with trying to come in, but they told us yesterday we better try to get here, so here I am.

I plan to leave before noon and head home to snuggle with my girl. Maybe we'll play dress up and have a photo session :)

Hope you all are snuggling with the ones you love today. Peace out! Don't let the thundersnow get you!

E