It's Birthday Week!!!

I'm honestly in disbelief that this week is actually here, but alas it's here after all and honestly? I'm excited about it. I thought I would be sad that my baby won't technically be a baby anymore after Wednesday (and let's face it, there is still time for tears to be shed), but I'm super excited about what this next year holds. 


I've spent some time this weekend thinking about exactly what was going on around in my life this time last year and it feels like it was ages ago. I can't help but smile though when I think back to what I was doing the days before I met E up until those first chaotic weeks with him.

JHenderson Studios

It's strange to think how many things have changed this year. The first year of a child's life is certainly a whirlwind. The first year of life as a parent is no exception. Ethan and I have both grown in countless ways. He's grown somewhere around 8-9 inches and gained about 13 pounds and I've lost 55 pounds (and apparently and 2 inches in height according to a recent nurse) since his birth. He's learned to crawl, stand, and jabber and I've learned to be patient, multi-task, and pack a house load full of stuff for one days outing.

JHenderson Studios

I've seen him go from a helpless little baby to an adventurous little boy. In fact, I'm excited that he is hitting this new toddler stage. Instead of just taking the world in he is ready to go out and experience it! 


I can't wait to celebrate the end of this fabulous first year of my little ones life and look forward to whatever year number two might bring! 

Letting My Troubles Blow Away

First, I wanted to thank everyone for their supportive comments on yesterday's post. It's funny how we can all relate to those feelings of not being enough from time to time. This mothering thing is definitely a learning process and I'm sure that I will get better with dealing with certain things with time.


My little guy must have gotten the "mommy needs a break" memo too because he slept in until 10AM this morning!!! Honestly those few extra hours to myself were just what I needed. I'm thinking he is feeling a little refreshed as well!

I'm not sure how the weather is where you are at, but it's absolutely beautiful here. I've got the AC off and all the windows open. I think the fresh breezes are a mood lifter! I'm actually in the mood to do all of my Friday house cleaning. Maybe even a little excited about it? 

I know I usually save all the Ethan updates for his monthly posts, but sometimes he does so many new things all at once, that I'm afraid I won't remember them once the month is over. Yesterday actually we had 4 new firsts!

He took his first 4 wheeler ride (very, very slow mind you) to see new baby cows. He was absolutely in love with them and I think he might have pointed to every single tree we passed along the way. He's infatuated with trees!

He stood up without any support what so ever. It was so thrilling to see him just stand up on his own without any furniture to help him. Maybe this means we are one step closer to walking?

He also climbed down the stairs in a more correct fashion. Normally he tries to head face first down the stairs like a belly slide. I had briefly showed him how to turn around and climb down just the other day, but I decided he wasn't ready for it just yet so I didn't worry with it anymore. So last night when he decided to back down the stairs I was completely surprised!

I've been surprised that he hasn't tried this on his own before, but yesterday when I was eating an oatmeal cream pie he decided to make a bee line for the couch and climb up on it. I guess the couch had never been so tempting before. Of course I gave him a bite (or three...ok five) of the sweet treat!

I think I have been focusing on the wrong details lately. It's funny how Ethan has a way of showing me the right way and what's really important in life. Please excuse us while we let the breeze blow through our hair!

PS - What do you think about the larger pictures? After tinkering with my HTML code yesterday I finally was able to figure out how to do it! Now if only I could make my font a tad larger?

Never Enough

These past two weeks have been rough on me. Lots of things that needed to be done popped up and all the things I had planned to do got put on the back burner. With E's first b-day approaching and then the holidays soon following I'm starting to feel the stress mounting and it's starting to show.


There are lots of times in my life that I feel super organized and like I have it all together. This moment in my life though is not one of them. I feel like a mess. My mind is in a million places and organized Laura is nowhere to be found. I can't even concentrate long enough to make a list. In fact, honestly? I just want to avoid everything.


I have entered shut down mode which is a scary place to be the week before your son's b-day.


Lately I've just been feeling that no matter what I do....it's not enough. There's always something left undone. Something half way finished. Something that makes me feel like a failure. 


The funny thing is that the only person making me feel this way is myself.


When the house is dirty and dinner doesn't get made, I feel like I let my family down. When I say "no", I feel selfish. When I put my son in playpen so I can get something done, I feel guilty.


I just don't feel like there is enough of me to spread around. Someone is always getting short changed and a lot of times that person is me. Sometimes I wonder how other people do it all?

The Great Sippy Cup Review - Vlog Style

Yep. I did another v-log. It just seemed like the best fit for the sippy cup test I'm doing today! 


I will be showing you all 10 of the different cups we own along with reviews concerning ease of use (for both baby and mom), how to put each of them together, whether they leak, and how easy they are to drink out of. That's right folks...you can watch me drink out of a sippy cup today. Yaaaay.


There are two videos the first one is the review for valve cup style sippys and the second is for the straw cup style sippys. Pictures and links to purchase are below the videos! Feel free to add your two cents in the comment section regarding your sippy cup experience (not my fabulous videos skills please).

Valve Cup Review

Straw Cup Review

Valve Cup Purchase Links

Playtex Sipster


This one was given to me as a baby shower present, but I have seen it at Target.

Dr. Browns Soft Sprout Training Cup


This was also a gift but I have seen it at Babies R Us.

Tommee Tippee Explora Training Cup


I personally purchased this from Babies R Us in a one pack. 98% certain I did not pay $10 for my single cup. If I did, I must have been in a desperate situation. Check out Babies R US for a better price on this one.

OXO Tot Sippy Cup
I paid more for this one than I thought !!! Grrrr OXO.

Munchkin Mighty Grip Sippy
This one was purchased at Walmart and was more than likely cheaper there than through Amazon.

Playtex Twist and Click Sprout Cup

I personally found this one at Publix half off.

Straw Cup Purchase Links

Munchkin Mighty Grip Straw Cup

Tommee Tippee Explora Lil Sippy Sport Straw
I personally purchased these at Babies R Us for a better price.

Nuby Flex Straw Cup
Personally purchased at Publix for a cheaper price

Vital Baby Toddler Straw Cup

Almost One!

When I get busy and bogged down, I have a really tough time thinking of something to write about. The only thing that ever comes to mind is to simply complain about whatever situation I'm in and what fun is that to read?


With 14 days until Ethan's b-day party and all the holidays right around the corner, you can probably assume that I'm in one of these moments. So much to do, so little time. Story of all of our lives right?


So, instead of complaining and writing what's really on my mind at the moment, I think I'll share with you a few things that make having an almost one year old great!


Adios Formula!


That's right. I'm cheating and have switched E over to whole milk already. We were down to one last can of formula once we got back from vaycay and I decided I wasn't buying anymore. I started slowly adding in milk to his formula and thankfully he loves it. So now we are buying two gallons of whole milk every week for $6.40 instead of two cans of formula for $50.00. Please excuse me while I go do a little happy dance.

Almost all food types are a-okay these days!


When I found Ethan in the pantry with the large box of raisins in his hands and most of those raisins shoved in his mouth I had a momentary flash of panic. Raisins...okay, not okay????? I can't remember. Then I thought...hey, he's almost one. I don't really have to be THAT concerned with all of that nonsense anymore. Go ahead son, eat the raisins. And believe me, he does. In fact, it's his new favorite snack.

The Fun Kid Days are Right Around the Corner!


Don't get me wrong. I'm not wishing away those sweet baby days by any means. Honestly I wish they would last a little longer, but I am also looking forward to fun kid adventures filled with imagination, crafting, and hearing all the funny things he is going to say. Just yesterday he pulled his little Nike shoe out of the drawer and tried to put it on his foot. What? When did this happen? He crawls directly upstairs after dinner to the bathtub because he knows it's his routine and points at the toothpaste when you hand him his toothbrush. Um, where did my baby go?

Cuddling is the new thing!


Okay so I know this is probably backwards for some of you, but my baby was not a cuddler in the beginning. He hated his back to be rubbed, would rather sleep in his crib than with us, and would rather you stand than rock him. Now? He thinks it's pretty awesome to snuggle. Just for a second mind you, but it's something! He has also learned how to kiss which is super sweet unless he decides to try his other new trick out too...biting. It's surprising either way.

I'm looking forward to Saturday naps together one day...I know it's against the "rules", but you've gotta be a rebel sometimes right? One day.

Communication is underway!


Before I had children the most scary thing to me was that they couldn't communicate with you. These days he has no problem communicating if he wants more of something or is "all done" with something. Recently I've heard him trying very hard to have a conversation with me. I just haven't figured out what he's saying just yet.

Hmmm, I have a feeling this next year is going to be super fun!

And, maybe a little exhausting :)