4 weeks

 

our little dude turned 4 weeks last thursday. i cannot believe how fast these past weeks have gone. i love taking these weekly photos because it's fun to track how much L has changed. he's starting to fill out more, and his cheeks are starting to get bigger - i can't help but kiss them 100x a day! it's so fun to watch him discover things, respond to voices and track with his eyes. he really likes the sunlight and the sound of mama and papa's voice. he loves to be swaddled for night time sleep {although there's not much night time sleep happening}. he's not so crazy about bath time or snot sucker time. he loves hanging out on the changing table and looking at the face of whoever is changing him. he's gassy a lot and poots and burps almost as loud as his papa. he gets lots of hiccups and makes an adorable little whimper sound after he lets out a huge burp. he purses his lips when he's pooping.

his eyes look blue now, but we wonder when they settle on their color if they will stay blue like papa's or change to green like mama's. L still nurses like a champ and eats 10-14 times a day. he took his first bottle from dad on the day he turned 4 weeks and did great! we've also introduced the paci, but L still isn't crazy about it, and doesn't like to take it from mama. he loves to sleep on grandpa's chest for little snoozes; grandma works her magic when L is mister fussy pants. he grunts and squeaks so much that one of his nicknames is "squeaks". L doesn't love tummy time, but tolerates it enough to wiggle around and bob his head up and down with lots of encouragement.

these are the things i want to remember about these first weeks with our little dude.

xoxo,

PJ

38 weeks ... and our little dude's arrival

So, I totally expected to be one of those 41 weeks and still pregnant ladies. But our little dude had other plans! He decided to make an early appearance into the world at 38 weeks. Birthing was one of the most powerful experiences of my life, and I'm so grateful that I was supported by Hubby, my mother, our doula, and our midwife. I still get emotional thinking about how it was up to me to labor and push and finally deliver this little person into the world. Although my delivery didn't go quite as I planned, at the end of it all this tiny little perfect person was placed on my chest and the first words out of my mouth to Hubby were "he's just so beautiful".

He's two weeks old now, and I've already had a few meltdowns about how he's growing up so fast. I'm working to savor every moment I have with him, even if it's at 3am and I'm exhausted. Oh, and cluster feedings? They are no joke. Hubby has become quite the expert swaddler and diaper changer - also rocking it out at 3am. I'm impressed!

Here are a few photos from birthing day and the last two weeks that our Levi has been in the world.







xoxo,

PJ

six years.

Last weekend Hubby and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary with a dinner at Grange Hall Burger Bar. It's our little tradition to celebrate with a nice dinner. Hubby has had his eye {appetite?} set on this little place for a while, so we thought we'd give it a whirl. Pretentious spots aren't really our thing, anyway. This year we went two days early for an early dinner to avoid a long wait. We snagged an outdoor spot in some great weather.

Grange Hall Burger Bar is what happens when small-town-Americans and big-city-Urbanites have a baby. {Did that make any sense?} I adored it. It made me want to transplant myself into an episode of Friday Night Lights. Literally. From the country modern decor complete with mismatched napkins and flatware to the lunch-tray serving style, this place delivered the concept well. It literally feels like a slice of small town USA in the heart of the city.

As a farm-to-table establishment, their seasonal {fried} veggies and pies are a highlight. We shared: the fried veggies, macaroni and cheese, onion rings, burgers, and their homemade peanut butter and jelly ice cream. It was all delicious. We took home a strawberry-rhubarb pie with homemade whipped cream for the rest of the family.







When Hubby and I were first married, I often referred to him as my PFL:  "Partner for Life". After six years of marriage, I can say that this has been an honest description of our life together. Partners growing, loving each other, and enjoying this life we have. Together. As any honest married person will admit - marriage is hard work. And it's absolutely worth the effort.

Part-ner {noun}: a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor // either of two people who dance together





Cheers to us. And to small-town-Americans making babies with big-city-Urbanites.

xoxo,

PJ

Inspired Tuesday: I carry your heart

One of my favorite poems {printed on our wedding program 5 years ago} is by E.E. Cummings. I found this necklace on Etsy the other day and I've added it to my list of things that I want to purchase. So simple, pretty, and very meaningful to me {and Hubby too, of course}.

i carry your heart with me {i carry it in my heart}

i am never without it {anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling}

i fear no fate {for you are my fate, my sweet}

i want no world {for beautiful you are my world, my true}

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

{here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide}

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart {i carry it in my heart}

-e.e. cummings

here's to an inspired memory: an adorable little necklace reminding me of my sweet love.

xoxo,

PJ

Chloe Getting Married

{Candy Bar ... Swedish Fish? Yum! }

{Me, Chloe}

{Cousins: Cyndi, Me, Jill, Chloe, Carolyn, Sophie}

{They had a Bubble Tea Station at the reception!}

{Jasmine leaves instead of birdseed/rice/confetti ... they smelled amazing!}

{Don, Chloe}

This past weekend I road-tripped with my younger sister and parents to Minnesota to celebrate my cousin & her new husband. Car trips are hilarious when you're twenty-eight years old and traveling with your parents. Example: Dad asking if I had enough money to buy myself a Subway sandwich and requesting a 15-minute notice for potty stops. Some of my favorite memories with family were our summer road trips to various places {Corn Palace in South Dakota, anyone?}.

Since my family lives all over the place, it's rare that most of us are together other than for weddings and funerals {unfortunate, but true}. The weekend was spent catching up with family, sharing hilarious stories about our mothers {because there are five sisters}, and making sweet memories.

I was appointed to the Instax guest book photo station, where I had a blast asking people to take photos and attempting to get babies to smile {unsuccessfully}. The last photo is the snapshot of my sister and I.

I'm so happy for my cousin and her new hubby.

xoxo,

PJ

Watches

Hubby and I have celebrated each anniversary differently:
1st Anniversary = Cubs game
2nd Anniversary = Fancy Schmancy Dinner #1
3rd Anniversary = Fancy Schmancy Dinner #2
4th Anniversary = California Vacation

This year we decided to switch it up again and do something a bit more traditional and exchange gifts. To mark our 5th anniversary we decided to exchange watches, and then get them engraved. So, we spent a day trying on and picking out watches. After a significant amount of window shopping online, I ultimately decided on this Michael Kors watch. Hubby is a loyal Nixon fan, and finally decided on this one.

Next up, we have to decide on a quote for our engraving ...

xoxo,

PJ

weekly gratitude: tenth edition

things i'm thankful for this week:

• spring! it feels like it's been a long winter. it's beautiful outside. the neighborhoods are alive & people are everywhere. i love it! 
• wasabi peas via trader joe's. they're so spicy & delicious.
• memories: spring always reminds me of when i fell in love with my husband{seven years ago!}
• the little things: this week has been filled with reminders that life is so much bigger than me - reflecting on the devastation in japan really puts things into perspective.

what are some things you're thankful for this week? to see more about the weekly gratitude movement, click here.

xoxo

Weekly Gratitude: Tenth Edition

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things i'm thankful for this week:

• spring! it feels like it's been a long winter. it's beautiful outside. the neighborhoods are alive & people are everywhere. i love it! 
• wasabi peas via trader joe's. they're so spicy & delicious.
• memories: spring always reminds me of when i fell in love with my husband{seven years ago!}
• the little things: this week has been filled with reminders that life is so much bigger than me - reflecting on the devastation in japan really puts things into perspective.

what are some things you're thankful for this week? to see more about the weekly gratitude movement, click here.

xoxo

A Birthday Boy

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tuesday was husby's birthday. this year he wanted to celebrate: just the two of us. per hubby's birthday requests, we commenced the evening with a pre-dinner run (yes, a run!), sushi for dinner, and finished the evening with cupcakes from our favorite local cupcakery. although i am not a fan of raw fish, i was able to order vegetable sushi rolls (veggie tempura to be precise) and of course, steamed edamame! i love edamame! so yummy.

here are a few photos of the evening. no photos of the run. that would just be wrong.

xoxo

ps. i just have to comment on how handsome the birthday boy is! swoon!

a valentine's list: for hubby

A Valentine's List: For Hubby

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weekly gratitude: second edition

things that i'm thankful for this week:

• oranges: they're so yummy right now! i've been eating 3 a day. 
• my sister: she will go with me to see cheesy romantic comedies and not complain. ever.
• our juicer/hubby: hubby  made me fresh orange juice this week when my throat hurt. it was fabulous.
• my daily planner: it's lovely and colorful and helps me get through the mundane work weeks.
• netflix instant: one of the greatest inventions of all time (in my humble opinion), especially for those of us without cable television. it gets me through the winter. 
• my job: exciting new things are happening at work; and i'm also really excited to use my FOUR weeks of vacation this year. hooray!

xoxo

green tea and prisonbreak

my parents bought us these mugs for our 4th anniversary last year. i guess we needed reminders that we love each other(?!). periodically, i make us use them simultaneously for dramatic effect.

xoxo