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Sunflower State of Mind

Arden is F.I.V.E.

A few weeks ago Chris and I became the parents of a five year old…FIVE! I remember when Arden was a baby and people with 5-year-olds seemed like legit parents to me…and so much older. Ha! So that’s where we are now. Legit–but also really old. 😉

Here’s what our big five-year-old is loving these days…

The more time I have with this girl, the more I realize what a gift she is. Maybe she’s going to give us a run for our money in her teenage years, but for right now, being her parent is just a blast. She’s kind-hearted, sensitive, inquisitive, imaginative, helpful, funny, and I joke that she’s going to be smarter than me in a couple of years. Seriously though, I’m scared!

We’re waiting one more year to send her to kindergarten, and in the meantime, my plan is to soak up my time with her as much as possible. However, I don’t think she’s worried about it in the least. She told me, “Next year I’ll go to kindergarten Monday through Friday…and I’ll see you on the weekends!!!” (😭) And then she asked me, “But who’s going to help you with Hartley when I go to kindergarten?!?” That’s a good question!!! Speaking of helpfulness, I’ve decided that if I wait long enough, Arden might just potty train Nash for me. Haha! She had him on the potty the other day and even sat a Hershey’s kiss on the counter to motivate him. Such a little momma!


shirt  |  necklace

She’s a picky eater, but she’ll choke down almost anything for a “sweet treat”.

She wants to be a country music singer when she grows up.

School days are her favorite.

She’s perfected the art of Baby Talk and is therefore, one of Hartley’s favorite people.

Sometimes I get a little sad and nostalgic when I think back about the days where it was just Arden. That was such a special time in my life because I had the ability to give her ALL of my time and attention. Now we’re busy and there are two other special little people who need me more often that she does…but she’s taken on the oldest child role and handled it with such grace, that I can’t be sad for long. She was meant to be a big sister.

Here’s to another great year with my original sidekick.

I love you, Arden Quinn!

Hartley: 6 Months

Height: 27.8 in
Weight: 16lbs
Head: 16.7 in

Hartley,

Perhaps you noticed something missing around here? Like your 3, 4 and 5 month posts? All I can say is: whoops. Life is crazy…but at least I took pictures, right?! Does that count for something?!?

Over the last four months you went from sleeping like a rockstar…to barely sleeping…to sleeping again (thank you, Lord!) You’ve transformed from a newborn who mostly sleeps and eats…to a BABY who babbles, rolls, smiles and giggles. And while I adored you as a teeney tiny newbie, this age and up is my jam. Here’s the run down of what’s been going on this month…

A couple weeks ago you finally decided to give the rolling thing a try…and you haven’t stopped since. I’ll put you down in the middle of the living room rug, do something quick in the kitchen, and the next thing I know you’re on the hardwood floor peering over at me.

You are the easy going baby I always hoped I’d get 😉 Don’t tell the older two, but they were pretty high maintenance compared to you!! You get toted everywhere, passed around to a lot of people, take many naps on the go…and yet, you’re the happiest baby ever.

You’re definitely a momma’s girl. Let’s keep it that way, okay?? 🙂

We started solids this month…woohoo! So far you’ve had oat cereal, green beans, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and bananas. You’ve liked everything but the squash, which you ate anyway. Like I said…easy going!!!

Guess who’s still not interested in a bottle? Yep, you. I stressed about it for awhile, but now I’ve decided the best thing to do is to just embrace it. You’re my last baby and the last one who will ever need me and only me. And surely you’re not going to let yourself starve when I go to Heather’s bachelorette party…right?!?! 😬😬

When you get mad your eyebrows get bright red…and I kind of love it. Is that mean?

Speaking of RED…your hair is looking pretty strawberry these days. I have no idea where that would come from, but it would be so cute!!!

I love everything about you, but your constant smile might be my very favorite thing of all. I hope you always have this much joy in your heart!

You like my dance moves. Or at least you think they’re funny 😉

Arden continues to be top on your list, but Nash is starting to win you over too. Craziness and all!

You are such a joy, Hartley Evans. I’m so glad you’re ours!

Love,

Mom





And here’s proof that I at least took your picture each month 🙂

Friday Five

Happy Friday, my friends! We are currently en route to my in laws’ house about four hours away…and I’m just happy to be in the passenger seat with all children strapped in in the back. Ha! Moana is rolling and I’ve got time to work and blog. I’ll take what time I can get these days! Here’s a quick roundup of what’s been going on + things that I’ve been loving lately…

ONE.

This sweet thing is the reason for our trip to GB. Our niece Cora is ONE today!!!! It seems like we were just making this trip to meet newborn Cora…and now we’re celebrating the happiest, most adorable one-year-old! The kids are pretty excited to see her smash her cake tomorrow…but I’m most interested in squeezing those chunky thighs 😉 Happy Birthday, Cora!

TWO.

Speaking of birthdays…guess who’s turning FIVE next week?!?! Somebody hold me!!!!

On the agenda for her big day…a visit to her new Transitional Kindergarten class for “Sneak-a-Peek” and then to the American Girl Doll store to pick out her gift (I’m probably as excited as she is). I’m sure it’s going to be a great day celebrating the coolest almost-5-year-old I know. She is just the BEST.

THREE.

I had a fun little girls night last week at Made: Custom Decor & Classes. The owner, Marcy, is my friend Angie’s next door neighbor and friend, and she hosts these awesome sign-making parties in her home. We ate and drank–and made the cutest farmhouse signs ever. Pretty much my idea of a perfect night 🙂 You just send your ideas to Marcy ahead of time (hello Pinterest) and she has the design ready for you when you get there. I LOVE the one I made for Nash’s bathroom…because a. it looks way better than anything I could’ve crafted on my own, and b. I know he’s going to need all these reminders when he gets a little older. HA!


Can’t wait to do it again!! If you’re local, check it out!

And here’s a new sign that I didn’t make…but love equally as much. Isn’t it the BEST reminder?!? I’ve walked by it a few times this week and it honestly helped me to “reset” in the midst of the late summer madness. These days will be gone before I know it 🙁

FOUR.

Poor Hartley had her first ear infection this week. (Insert tears) On day 2 of her antibiotics I noticed some fluid coming from her ear, and a visit to an ENT, and some ear suctioning later (insert more tears), confirmed her ear drum had ruptured. I mean, WHAT?!? I didn’t even know this happened to babies 🙁 It absolutely breaks my heart, but thankfully she’s on the mend now and these sad faces are becoming less frequent…


FIVE.

We’ve had a few new fun things show up at our door lately. These leopard print beauties and the most perfect first-day-of-school top for Arden. I just might need this one to match 🙂 And because I can’t wait for fall, I picked up these boots (yes, $25!!!), this hoodie and ordered the kids some tees for football season. Which, by the way, STARTS IN TWO WEEKS!!!!! Yessssssss!!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

XO,

Vanessa

 

Our Little Beanie Baby

Happy Monday! Or something like that? 😉 We had such a nice, low-key weekend. Lots of bike riding, sprinkler running, and front porch swinging…I just wasn’t ready for it to end!

But a new week is here and I’ve got big plans to get caught up on this little ol’ blog. A recap of our Mexico trip is in the works, and eventually I’ll get to Hartley’s monthly updates…you know, since I’ve missed the last two! (#thirdkidproblems) But first, I wanted to share a little bit about her big move to the crib.

This is a transition I’ve dreaded with each baby. My kids have all slept pretty well swaddled and in the Nap Nanny, so I hate to mess up a good thing. However, Hartley was starting to roll and I knew it was time to get her unswaddled and into a flat bed. Luckily, we received a Nested Bean Zen Sack to try just in time!!

The Nested Bean line was founded by a mom whose baby wouldn’t sleep without her hand on his chest. One day she decided to put a beanie baby in place of her hand…and it worked!! And that’s how the Nested Bean was born. The egg shape on the chest of the Zen Sack is lightly weighted with beans to mimic our touch and help baby sleep longer and more peacefully. Not only is it genius, but it’s pretty darn cute too 🙂

For tummy-sleeping babies, you can turn the sack around so that the beans are on their back. When Nash was a baby, I can’t tell you how many times I’d finally get him to sleep by rubbing or patting his back…and then I’d take my fingers off (one by one, as slow as humanly possible)…but the minute I’d turn to walk towards the door, BAM! He was back up! Needless to say, I wish I’d had one of these back then 😉

Other than the weighted pad feature, I also love that the sack has a double zipper (for easy diaper changes), adjustable straps, and super soft material. Basically, I just want to know why they don’t make these for adults 😉 Because this right here is how I want to sleep at night!!!

We’ve had such a good experience that the Zen Sacks and Swaddles may be my new go-to shower gifts. Because the best gift you can give to a new mom is SLEEP. Am I right or am I right?!? 😉

Right now you can use the code PR-VANESSA15 for 15% off and free shipping!

One last thing…come say hi on Instagram later today because we might just be giving one of these bad boys away!

*note: this post contains affiliate links*

The Casual Girl’s Guide to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Well friends, the day has finally come. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to everyone and their mama! I’ve been shopping here and there during early access and of course reading alllll the blogs to figure out what’s on this year’s ‘must have’ list. I love (and want) just about everything I see from my favorite fashion bloggers–but there’s one small problem. I live in casual clothes. I’m a mom of three who spends her days between the park, Target, and her toddler’s bed…just trying to get him to take a darn nap. So as much as I love the backless dresses and 3 inch heels…they’re just not practical enough for me in this stage of life.

So if you’re a casual gal too, this roundup is for you. Enjoy 🙂

(Just click on the pictured items for direct links)

1. Tie Front Cozy Fleece Pullover – I have another top from Gibson that’s made out of this same material and it’s heavenly. So cozy and comfortable…and I love the added tie front detail.

2. Gotta Have It V-Neck Tee – I realize this is technically “loungewear” but that hasn’t stopped me from wearing these shirts any and everywhere. My new favorite tee for sure.

3. Plaid Cotton Blend Shirt – A fall staple! I love the oversized look and the fact that it’s long enough to be worn with leggings.

4. Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan – If you only buy one thing from this year’s sale, I vote for this. It’s the most comfortable piece of clothing I’ve ever worn…and it’s CUTE. Don’t tell my husband, but I’ve been turning the air down in the evenings just so I can snuggle up in this cardi 😉

5. Leopard Scarf – Leopard print & less than $12? Sold! A perfect accessory for any season.

6. Converse Shorelines – These are a standard piece in my “momiform”. Easy to slip on and go–and they go with just about anything. This is a great price too!

7. Vans Slip On Sneakers – I’ve seen these on a few friends and loved them…I knew I couldn’t pass them up when I saw they were $20 off. A nice little change to my slip-on game 😉

8. Braided Handle Tote – This tote is big enough for all the essentials and I love the braided detail.

9. Faren Bootie – Can you believe it’s almost bootie season again?!? These. Are. Perfect.

10. Kendra Scott Pendant Necklace – My favorite kind of KS is the kind that’s on sale 🙂 This is a classic that will last forever!

11. Lazy Morning Lounge Pants – The name alone sold me on these babies. Well, that and the stripes. So cute!

12. Moto Leggings – These are one of my favorite purchases. Comfy like leggings, but the moto details gives them a little something extra.

13. Itty Bitty Bootcut Jeans – I’ll be honest, I don’t know if bootcut jeans are even cool…but I don’t care because these are SO GREAT. They’re stretchy, comfortable and super flattering. Sorry skinnies…I’m cheating on you.

14. Live In High Waist Leggings – They don’t call ’em “live in” for nothing. I hardly take these off in the fall and winter–which is why I grabbed another pair last week 🙂 The high-waist is EVERYTHING. I also grabbed another pair of my favorite crops–this time in gray.

And now for some awkward mirror selfies. I told you I’m not a fashion blogger, right?!?!

Cardigan / Jeans / Tee



Sweater / Moto Leggings / Shoes

Leggings / Shoes

Okay, so I did make a couple of “fancier” purchases. These faux leather leggings (that everyone raves about) for the occassional date night or girls night…and this lace midi dress for a late summer wedding. The leggings are backordered, but I’m kind of in love with this dress. Also, it’s not gray. So there’s that! 🙂

Alright, that’s all, friends! I would love to hear what you’ve picked up–so do share!

Merry Christmas in July 🙂

*this post contains affiliate links*

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