breakthrough...

so, up until this morning, if my boy was crying or whining for no reason at all and i had way too much to get done, i'd put it all on hold  to tend to his every whim (for the most part).  it's hard to hear your little one cry and if i'm being honest, sometimes, very frustrating.  since he's gotten 3 teeth in the past two weeks, there's been a LOT of it!  i think, however, that sometimes he (and probably all other children at some point or another) is just being dramatic and testing momma's limits.

you could say the reason that i feel so inclined to run to his rescue is because he's my first and i'm not being pulled in too many different directions just yet (although that's sure to change in just 14 short weeks).

and, to many of you mommas, it might just seem like the right thing to do. 

sometimes, absolutely... comfort them, but i also don't want Asa to think that crying can get him exactly what he wants every time... esp. when he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

very recently, he's moved on to throwing himself on the floor and writhing around in a fit of rage until he get the attention he "deserves"... haven't experienced this yet??  well, it's fun.

anyway, he woke up perfectly happy this morning... had a small bottle, snuggled in bed with momma, and then (as quickly as i can snap my fingers) decided to turn on the charm. ha!  because i knew that he was just perfectly happy, it wasn't time for breakfast, he had a clean diaper, and i had a huge load of laundry to fold before we ventured downstairs, i decided to leave him to his business and go about mine.

i went in the other room for about 20 minutes and folded each piece of that laundry just as efficiently and at the same pace that i would for any other.  his lungs didn't take a rest the whole time.  and i could literally hear that he was rolling around on the floor.  i just breathed... slowly... praying and folding... until the very last article of clothing was neatly placed in the basket.

this was BIG for me!

afterwards, i calmly walked into the room, picked up my little monkey and said, "you're okay. do you want breaftiks (what my dad always called breakfast)?"  and he sucked it up, slapped on a smile, and pointed downstairs.  i feel okay about this.

and he's definitely going to have to learn before his baby sister's here. 




also, i'm very excited to announce...
that i'm headed out the door on a spontaneous and steamin' hot date with a very handsome man... who just happens my Mr.... 131 Main, here we come! yes!

Remember When Monday...

so, last week i shared one of my faves and this week 'tis the mr.'s turn.  

Justin doesn't have a particularly sharp memory... when asked how old he was when something happened or what grade he was in or who his 4th grade teacher was... forget about it.  don't expect him to remember your name until he's met you at least 5 times.  and dates... alsmost never!  but there are those few moments that really stick out... ones that he holds a vivid picture of in his mind and smiles every time he thinks on it.

today, he talked about a time that his mom took him and his brothers to a balloon festival.  he remembers watching the flames push the balloons to the sky. he remembers everyone picking their favorites.  he remembers throwing frisbees back and forth with his older and younger brother.  he remembers bouncing in the AWESOME bounce house they had on site!  he remembers feeling happy... really happy.  and that makes me happy... really happy.

although he doesn't look particularly siked out of his mind in this photo... it's all i got.  and it's durn cute.

(side note : Asa is such the stinking image of his father... which is ALLright with me!)

i'm so excited at the prospect of making this same memory with our children.

saw this beauty at the Metrolina... totally shoulda nabbed it!

Happy Days...

Friday afternoon looked somethin' like this : Justin taking good care of our boy while i was off to the Metrolina Antique Show with a dear girlfriend.  oh, what treasures to be found!

almost everything i purchased was for baby Belle's nursery, but still managed to grab a few other treasures to sprinkle around the nest.

seriously though, if my budget was $0 i'm convinced i still would have been in Heaven!

I've gone every year for the past 4 or 5 and it NEVER disappoints.

no pics of that day, unfortunately.

the rest of our weekend in pictures...

SATURDAY

outside of ikea... naptime's closin' in for the little guy

reading "Are You My Mother" while we wait for the mister

 my manly man loadin' up the goods

a much needed pedicure for the mrs... he sure does love me

Saturday morning, at the breakfast table, Justin mentioned how he couldn't wait to watch the final four games with me that evening.  i said i'd only watch if it was in bed, b/c the sofa (if you can call it that) in our den is the WORST.  it was great when we first got it, but since has gotten terribly uncomfortable and it feels so small... not so fun for prego over here.

he suggested we go on a quest for a new one... well, that didn't take convincing.  as soon as i could get ready, we were off!

we had our fun strollin' around ikea, munchin' on some Swedish yumminess, and left with the perfect new sofa!

came home and got right to work... not just setting it up, but rearranging the ENTIRE room! now, if that's not nesting for ya, i'm not sure what is.

we invited Justin's older brother, his wife and their kids over for a pizza night to top it all off... so great.

SUNDAY

 normally, i pull little man in bed with me in the a.m. and we cuddle and watch Curious George for about 15 min before heading down for breakfast (he makes the cutest monkey noises).  this morning i had to get downstairs to let Blue out, so i dropped him off in the den on my way... climbed up there on his own and proceeded to point the remote at the television...

this makes him seem so big to me... i don't like it... slow down, monkey!

after church, we headed over to the tulip gardens in Concord (just about a mile from our home) 

he's been in the throws of teething now for a couple weeks (molars and a couple on bottom), so that bottom lip stayed tucked in for the whole photo shoot.  i decided to stop trying to get him to spit it out and smile after the first 5 min... completely useless.  anyway, it doesn't change how stinkin' cute the kid is!

what i didn't capture was Ace making his way INTO the pond... just wet his tippy toes, but it was close!

oh! so beaUtiful!

mouth open for a split second to make bird noises

i don't look awkward here, do i??

the rest of our day was filled with some much needed R&R, my little brother and a dear college friend coming to visit, burgers and dogs on the grill... and we're about to start a movie and curl up on that new sofa!  it's ALLright!

i love packin' SO much QT in with my boys over a weekend... i just hate how quickly it passes.  Justin's off to another week of work tomorrow... what?!  nooo!

Mamma Mia...

this might come as news to most, but i hold a very special place in my heart for the 70's Swedish pop group, ABBA (i have my parents to thank for this).  now you know.  Mamma Mia is one of my favorite musicals (the movie ain't too shabby either).  Ace and i listen to the soundtrack when daddy's not riding with us.  it's simply impossible to sit still and not sing along for these tunes! this being said, my children are unfortunately in for a lot of embarrassing mama moments.  not yet though...

today, as my little prince and i strolled up and down the aisles of a local antique warehouse, i was happy to have the lyrics to ABBA's "super trouper" repeating in my head (one of their best).  Asa started to get a bit fussy and singing seemed to be the only solution.  very soon after, he was puttin' his own little spin on the song... 

i like to think we might just have a little musical prodigy on our hands... who knows?!  his favorite is singing along during Sunday mornin' worship, he stands up to tickle the ivories every time he passes our piano, and he can tap the drums and clap on beat.  proud mama bear!  

so, in that moment of shameless public song with my sweet boy, i thought... i hope my kids will never be embarrassed of me or their dad.  i hope we can always be as goofy as we wish and they'll join right in.  i hope those moments will shape up to be some of their favorite memories.  so, here's to hopin'!

and here's Asa sangin'

and, this table runner is the result of our little antique run 

  

Remember When Monday...

remember when you spent the night at grandma's house?

things that might bore you at home were suddenly so wonderful when you were there.

i have SO many vivid memories of  these magical sleepovers growing up, and this chair is present in many of them.

it was always such a treat to be in grandma's room.  i remember thinking it was like a different world... 

grandpa's binaca sat on the side table to the right of the chair, and if we were lucky, we'd get a minty 'binaca blast'!  so good!

this photo seems like a lifetime ago, but it's crazy how quickly these years have past.

i can't wait for my little ones to be making memories of their own just like this one.

i'm watching Asa crawl around me now, stopping to become enthralled by the simplest things... making the most hysterical faces and sweet little grunts... i want this time to creep by, but it won't... and that's why we have cameras, folks!  take pictures!  lots of them!

i myself hope to be purchasing this one

find it here

of course, purchases for mama bear are on hold 'til baby Belle's got everything she needs.  and that's alright with me.

guilty...

i'm ashamed to admit that one of these shopping cart stragglers is mine (the one on the right). 

this is usually on my list of pet peeves.

but, today on a Sunday evenin' trip to Trader Joe's, it was all i could do to park it just a few feet away from my car.

falling to peer pressure... the other carts were screaming, "everyone else is doing it, come on!"

also, i blame it on the cold!  stop with the sunshiny teasers already... just give me spring!  

while i'm typing, the guilt is building up in me thinking that some innocent employee is going to have to go out in that same biting cold to gather all the carts of lazy customers. 

never again.  at least not on my account. 

on a brighter note, we've just arrived back at home after filling our bellies with delicious chicken tacos at my parents place.  Asa got to see his Uncles and one Aunt (you should see the way his face lights up for them... priceless).

now it's bathtime and beddy boops for little man... can't wait to get a few snuggles in.

Saturday Swagga...

on any other Saturday, my boys and i might have looked something like this

pretty decent

we might have gone to the park, out to lunch, run a couple errands...

but not today.  today was sweats, sweats, and more sweats!

which just so happens to be the best <3

the little stud and his mama goofed off, read books, and snuggled up with some vintage Disney toons while big papa slaved away on baby Belle's nursery.  

i'm so proud of my man... he can do EVERYTHING!

(i really don't think he's ever called a 'mr. fixit' or taken on a project that he didn't do most of on his own)

anyway, here's a couple blurry iPhone shots from the day

Asa's trying to get stickers off of his hands... right after this shot, he went into a mad clapping rage... he was probably wondering why i was laughing hysterically while he struggled so.  

i'll leave you with this as far as swagga is concerned

fabulously cute photo cuff bracelets...

find them here

i guess you could say...

i'm nesting?
this concept didn't even seem real to me before i was ever pregnant.  i actually thought it sounded completely ridiculous... aren't laundry, cleaning, organizing, decorating, etc. on the list of normal every day activities??
but, no, this is different... it's like a chemical thing... and it happens.
i didn't think i had quite reached this stage until a girlfriend called me out recently.  she's right.  i've had the sudden urge (over the past week or so) to change everything in my house!  (this could be do to the mindless browsing of pinterest for hours after Asa's nestled in bed)  now, obviously that's not happening, but on an unnecessary trip to Homegoods (a treasure trove for all things wonderful) yesterday, i picked up a few knick knacks for our digs... just to spice things up a bit.  
Justin came down for breakfast this morning and the coversation went something like this,


Justin: "oh, that's new.  when'd you do that?"


me: "yesterday"


5 min later


Justin: "oh. that's new too (a little more surprise in his voice). did you do that yesterday?"


me: "yup" (hoping he doesn't start to get annoyed when he notices yet a third and possibly a fourth)


5 min later


(i can tell my hopes are soon to be dashed)


Justin: "okay, seriously?! how many more surprises are there, and why the shopping spree???"


me: "i needed a change... something"


what i should have said was, "i'm nesting... don't you get it??... this sorta stuff just happens sometimes!"
he totally would have understood and then my redecoration of the whole house would soon have been underway.  in my dreams.


anyway, we plan on making some major headway in Bellamy's nursery this weekend so that should satisfy a bit of my craving, hopefully.


oh, and i'll be making a couple returns tomorrow... no argurment here... he's right. and, he's the one makin' all the dough - to pay for necessary things, like electricity and groceries and water.  i think i might like those a little better than a new cupcake stand or a funky picture frame.




in other news, 
i'm dying for one of these right now

in case you're wondering, that's guacamole... on a burger.  a taste of heaven.

Wishful Wednesday...

lately, my hearts been after this beauty.

pretty amazing, right?!
go here

and i wish this was on my agenda sometime in the next lifetime... just maybe.

but mostly, i wish this pea pie would finally listen to mommy when she says, "gentle, Asa!"

this shot was taken just before Lady leapt from the chair in complete terror.

she may not like him much, but i sure do.

all good things...

gosh, what a gorgeous day!  got to spend the first half of it with the mister at the Statesville car auction, then a scrumptious lunch at local hotspot, Toast..... nothing too glamorous, but sweet time spent nonetheless!  granny kept the babe... such a treat!  

the second half was spent running errands, straightening toys, playing with the dog, trying to cook something decent for dinner, and soothing my teething little monster--this is what he's turned into for parts of the past few days... one year molars... ouch! :(

as i type, Asa and his daddy are upstairs brushing teeth and puttin' on the jammies... i'm supposed to be preparing the half milk half soy, comforting, can't go to bed without it (cause mommy doesn't have the heart to make him just yet) bottle... no busting of the chops please.

read my inaugural post here!