Five on Friday

Every single day this week I've thought it was Friday, so I'm glad to finally see it arrive! 

::: 1 :::

I finished The Singles Game this week, and really liked it. It's not a book that's going to change your life, or even really make you think much, but it was an enjoyable light read that I looked forward to reading every chance I got. Just started The Perfect Neighbors and I'm already obsessed. 

::: 2 ::: 

 

We had a really fun play date this week - made more fun by a few glasses of champagne. I love afternoons filled with girlfriends and babies....even if we are in a constant state of chaos. 

::: 3 :::

I'm not really a make-up girl, so I'm going to start with that....but my sister Nellie is. Every time we are together I dig through her new make-up finds and try to get an idea of what I'm in need of. Her latest discovery has literally changed my life. This Nars concealer is the best concelar I've every tried. I dab a little under my eyes and in a few blotchy red areas and instantly look more refreshed and more awake than I really am. 

 

 Nars Concealer in Custard 

::: 4 ::: 

 

 I'm not sure if its that we are approaching a ONE YEAR birthday, but every night these last few weeks, I've been going in to Leo's nursery to sneak a peek. He is always just the most precious little thing, and the fact that he is always holding on to his "Hip Hip" is literally like a punch in the heart.

::: 5 :::  

 We don't have much going on this weekend. We're being really conscious to keep it low key this week because we have a big week next week. We're going to try and stay home quite a bit, get in a few family workouts, get our stroller tuned up, and sneak in a few park trips. 

Hope you have a great **last July!!!** weekend! 

 

Whole-ish 30

So I alluded last week that I was doing a version of Whole 30. Mainly, I'm using Whole 30 as the name, but really just cutting out sugar, carbs, and some dairy. 

The first week seemed to actually work. I saw a few pounds drop from the scale and felt like I wasn't going to bed so full and sluggish.

It does make grabbing each meal a little tougher. Spending Sunday prepping chicken, boiling eggs, cutting up fruit and vegetables, helped a lot, but it still takes some extra thought.

Breakfasts included a lot of eggs, which I started to really get sick of by the end of the week, but turkey sausages tasted great each morning. 

Lunches were often leftovers or a salad with fruit. 

 

 

I planned out 6 of our 7 dinners (cheated one night while out with my sister), and  felt like I cooked a little outside of my comfort level which was fun too.

Monday - BLT with smashed potatoes (above in pic grid)

 

Tuesday - Crockpot Stuffed Peppers 

 

first time using cauliflower rice and they were awesome!  

Wednesday -  Oven Fajitas

 

Thursday -  Pesto Spaghetti Squash

 

This was my own concoction and it turned out awesome! Spaghetti squash, pesto, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, Italian chicken sausage, and feta cheese (*oops!)

Friday - Jalapeno Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries 

  

I also have a month at Core Power yoga, so I'm really hoping the combination has me seeing some results and feeling good.

Leo - Month 10

::: 1 month recap ::: 2 month recap ::: 3 month recap ::: 4 month recap ::: 5 month recap :::

 ::: 6 month recap ::: 7 month recap ::: 8 month recap ::: 9 month recap :::

Weight: 18lbs 6oz (20%) and 28.5" (33%)

Nicknames: Leeman, Lee-Lee, Forest Boy, Weeward, Wee-whoa

Clothes: For the most part, you are pretty solidly in 9-12 months. When I was home, Coco and I did some fall shopping for you and bought new clothes in size 18 months! Where is my baby going??

Sleep:  Sleep changed quite a bit this month. You were 9 months and change when you finally figured out how to turn yourself over with your Magic Merlin Sleep suit. You slept in until 7:45am that morning, and since we were sleeping in the same room, I didn't have a monitor. When I went to peek on you, since you were sleeping so unusually late, I died for a second when I saw you face down in the crib! Of course, you were fine, but that was the end of the suit.

Since then, we introduced your lovey "Hip Hip" the blue hippo, and you cuddle him right up, turn on to your belly (85% of the time), and sleep like a pro. 

Schedule:  

up at 6:30...with a 8oz bottle

6:30-9am play

8:15am breakfast

9-10:30am - nap
10:30am - 8oz bottle

10:45-2pm play

1:00 pm lunch 

2:15-4:00pm nap

4:00pm snack

6:00pm dinner

6:30 pm bath

7:00 pm 8oz bottle and bed

Health:  You've been a very healthy boy and we are so thankful for that (always!). You have taken your fair share of tylenol this month since you are cutting your top two teeth and they seem to bother you.

Crying: You are sort of easy to upset but also easy to soothe.....

Feeding:  You are an incredible eater and its been so much fun watching you! There are very few foods you don't like (watermelon and cottage cheese are the only two I can think of). You have gotten phenomenal at the pincer grip this month, much to Roscoe's dismay, and you feed yourself quite a bit of your meals! For the most part, you eat what we eat, and that makes your mom very proud!

Likes: You still love your door bouncer, no doubt about that! You also have really enjoyed your splash pool this month, your small stuffed animals, your new standing table, anything you can bang, and a spatula.

Dislikes: You don't care for independent play much at all.....we're working on it!

Milestones:  Like I said, your pincer grip is on point! You say dada and babble all day long. You are standing really well (assisted), and sitting up on your knees to play a lot. You don't crawl yet, but that doesn't stop you from moving....you just get by scooting and pushing yourself backwards.

You will wave and clap, sometimes. You like to "give kisses" to your animals, and you've started to figure out what "no" means and you don't seem to like that word very much.

Places You’ve Gone: We spent the last month in Chicago and we went out to Iowa to spend time with your cousins as well. You also visited your first zoo this month (Brookfield zoo in IL), and went on another plane ride!

Visitors: No one new this month (I don't think), but you've gotten such quality time with so many people that love you, its been overwhelmingly amazing. 

Postpartum: I can't even remember what it was like when you weren't here! I have completely forgotten about pregnancy, delivery, and all of that newborn haze!

Roscoe: You and him are so happy to be reunited after a month apart. He is the highlight of your day, cracks you up, and is very, very gentle with you. 

Weekend Recap

This whole weekend was pretty hot in LA, and due to a really bad fire in Santa Clarita, it was ashy and smokey out too. 

Friday, Joel left work about a half hour early and picked us up for happy hour. We hadn't gone outside and both Leo and I were getting stir crazy, so it was much needed.

Happy hour at the W hotel in Westwood is amazing. Beers are $4 dollars, you sit outside by the pool, and feel like you are on a mini vacation. Our server this time royally sucked, but besides that, we had a great time.

We came home, fed Leo, put him to bed, and then had dinner just the two of us. 

I made jalapeno turkey burgers and delishhhh sweet potato fries, we watched Flipping Out, and went to bed right about 9! My kinda night!

Saturday morning I took a hot yoga class with a girlfriend. I have forgotten how nice it is to have your workout done before 9am.

We hung out at home most of the day and then in the afternoon, my sister and her friend (Hi Sammy!) came over. They were in town for the weekend, so they snuck in a little Leo time before the four of us went out.

We went to one of our favorite restaurants right now, Cassia. We couldn't get a reservation, so we sort of risked it by hoping we would get lucky for their patio seating, and as luck would have it....we did. 

 

We sat right down, had cocktails, oysters, a ton of other amazing small plates, and one of my favorite bottles of wine (Turley). 

 

Right across from Cassia is our favorite wine bar, Esters, so we stopped for a final glass before calling it a night. We had such a good time - and it was such a bonus treat to get to see Hannah in California just a week after we said goodbye! 

 

 

Sunday we felt the effects of too many drinks, but rallied. We all went to the grocery store together, prepped some food for the week, and had our neighbors over for a super casual BBQ. 

Hope you had a great weekend too 

5 ::: Pet Peeves

pet peeve

noun

informal

noun: pet peeve; plural noun: pet peeves

                                something that a particular person finds especially annoying.

 

::: 1 :::

Rudeness

I find it especially annoying when it comes from grown adults. We have a neighbor in my building who literally says nothing when we say "Good morning!" or "How's it going?" . Its literally silence.  Like, can you not hear me?  Growing up, when you walked down the street, you said hello to people that passed you, wether you knew them or not (I think its a Midwest thing) because 50% of the time here, people at most will nod in response! I get personally insulted!

::: 2 ::: 

Texting in my face

I have a few friends (and maybe a sister.....) that are so bad about texting when we are in the middle of a conversation and unless its an actual emergency - it drives me insane. Not only do you feel like an idiot when you keep babbling and they are looking down, totally not focused at all, but it makes you feel like they have better things to do. I know I'm guilty of it....and my biggest offense is texting during a conversation with Joel....but I try really hard to not be that person. 

::: 3 :::

TV as background noise

If I'm not watching the TV, I don't like it to be playing in the background. I feel like it just adds more obnoxious noise, I don't like the look of the TV on (which is weird, I know) and creates sort of a chaotic energy for me. I do keep music on all day long, but that doesn't seem to bother me the way TV does. 

::: 4 ::: 

Chipped nails

They make me feel dirty and sloppy. Now that I can't get away to get my nails done more than a few times a month, I always have a light pink/clear manicure so that the growth doesn't send me over the edge. 

::: 5 ::: 

  Unmade beds

Can't do it. Haven't been able to since college. There are very few times I can remember not having my bed made and I think they've included very severe hangovers and/or fevers over 101! 

 

SAHM Wear ::: Athleisure?

Have you heard of this word? 

I guess mainly its just dressing up workout wear and when I'm actually working out, I really don't feel the need to put on my makeup or find cute accessories.

But, considering that I'm on the floor for 80% of my day, I'm finding that I don't wear 99% of my closet. Being in workout clothes is truly the only thing that makes sense, but I still want to feel cute. 

I think it's a little easier in the winter to look cute while rocking this look but I've struggled this summer. I did buy these two skirts from Lululemon (wish I would have bought them in the "Tall" because they're a little short) and have been basically wearing them on repeat.

  

And while it looks like I'm playing tennis everyday, I feel ok talking walks with Leo, taking him to the park, stopping at the store, and then seeing a friend for a playdate. It's tough to find ONE outfit that you can do all of that in! 

I'd like to pick up a few light weight long sleeves tops that I can throw over my workout tanks so I'm on the hunt for a few of these to complete the look! (found all from Nordstrom)

 

Random Updates

::: After a month in Chicago eating and drinking way too much, this past Monday we started a version of Whole 30. I say version, because if you follow Whole 30 - it's actually a pretty strict program with no "cheating". And, I'm a cheater. So, I'm doing my own version. I'm keeping milk in my coffee, I'm using some salad dressings, and I'm allowing myself some alcohol (although reduced). With those three things taken into consideration, I feel much less like I'm torturing myself. I hope next week to have my first full recap, but it's looking a lot like this-

::: I'm going deep on summer reading. I'm currently reading The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger, and loving it. I've got my eye on the below for my on deck reads.

::: Does anyone else hate the new Snapchat "memories" folder? I use snapchat a lot during the day and at the end of the day, I would press the little upload icon in the corner and all of the pictures would drop into my camera roll. Now, they go into this weird little section and you need to click 3 other things in order for them to show up on your phone. I find it really annoying.

::: What are you thinking about this season's bachelorette? I don't love, love any of the connections and I just don't see it lasting much past the show with any of the guys. I found out who won - and it totally spoiled it for me. I'll keep watching because what else am I going to do, but....I'm ready for the next one!

::: Leo has had cradle cap on and off since he was about 4 months old. I switched up shampoos, tried less baths, a little olive oil....nothing really worked until I used the DoTerra Coconut Oil. I put about a pea sized amount on his head, a soft bristle brush, and scrubbed away. It worked like a charm! I think we will need to do that about 1x/month because I'm seeing a tiny bit creep back, but it's been a good trick!

::: Another solid investment we've made? This $7 inflatable pool that I ordered from Amazon. We've had a few happy hours on the patio where Leo can just sit inside with a bunch of toys...or you can fill it with water and get some splashing time!



::: Leo is officially a tummy sleeper. He rocked his Merlin Man from month 5-9 and finally figured out a way to roll in it. It had to go bye-bye that day....so now officially have a tummy sleeper on our hands.

::: I read through a lot of my old blog posts yesterday - like from 3 or 4 years ago, and they inspired me! I feel like I never have anything to talk about....but looking back....I've never had anything to talk about! What I mean, is that in my old posts, I just talked about whatever I wanted to - and I miss that, so I'm going to try and go back to that!

::: I want to go see Bad Mom's SO bad. It looks hysterical and refreshing and like a really good excuse to go to the movies with friends. There hasn't been a great chick flick in the the theaters for months, so I'm hoping this one lives up to the previews. 

::: After the 4th of July, images of fall start to creep into my mind! I'm already started to get excited for it - which is fully insane - but I love nothing more than all of the #basic fall things! Especially college football!

::: We have a JAM PACKED next few months.....How does that keep happening to us? We have visitors almost every week for the next six weeks and then a really busy fall schedule too! I think this might just be life so I guess I should stop acting so shocked.