8 Hours Left!

9.30.2010
Eight hours left to enter the giveaway. Up for grabs -
a $30 gift certificate to RockyTop Design.
To enter, simply leave a comment here and you could use your loot toward custom pillows, curtains, changing pad covers, crib bedding, and more. The winner will be announced tomorrow. Good luck!




       

H-Haus Fall

So it seems high time to show off our fall bounty. I woke up yesterday to the cool crispness of a fall morning and for once felt rested and refreshed. Amazingly the babe was still snuggled and snoozing in her nursery, so I crept downstairs to have a grown-up breakfast. Okay, so it was still my usual bagel and banana, but I added some hot tea to the mix and ate at the table. Where else would you eat you ask? Well on the play mat of course, next to my playing baby. But since I didn't have one of those yet this morning, the table had to do.



Bagel toasted and buttered, tea heated and steeping, I suddenly got a really dumb brilliant idea! My breakfast looks so cute, and the house is picked up - I'm going to take some fall photos of the house. And photo-take I did. Just as I snapped a few off - the sounds of a wakeful babe screeched wafted through the monitor. Did I get to eat the breakfast? Yes, on the play mat I consumed a cold and mushy bagel and wolfed down a banana whilst singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Dangerous, I know, but I've got skillz. Did I get to drink the tea? Of course not! It mocked me silently as it slid down the drain.


Nonetheless, I did get a few photos (no small accomplishment) to share with you of the dining space. They aren't the best photos I've ever taken, but you get the idea. Fall is one of my favorite seasons and I love to buy flowers and produce to spice up the H-Haus. We bought mums and pumpkins at a local orchard and I found some fun chestnuts at market on one of our daily outings.


I even let one of the Hubster's (many) steins join in the autumn festivities in honor of Oktoberfest. His dad being German and all, we tend to have a lot of steins and other such paraphenelia regularly gifted to us.



Since we bought a sofa for our back room redo, our little IKEA entertainment stand-turned storage unit had to go. The Hubster painted it with a fresh coat of white and topped it with poly, and it has been relocated to the dining area. It seemed to make sense since all of our serving stuff is housed in it.

Also relocated are two little watercolor numbers I did a while back. They previously hung over by the sofa in the TV area of the room, but I thought they should be front and center for fall. I love to move around art from time to time - it really freshens up your space and makes everything seem new again. For free!


I notice I have an owl thing going on here as well. I have officially dubbed mantel owl 'Alabaster the Owl'. Sorry pinkish owl print - no names going on for you yet. They kind of give me a fall feel somehow. Maybe because their a little spookyish and Halloween is just around the corner.


Taking photos of our space always helps me to see its shortcomings. Like in this photo, I think hanging a print or painting in between the two windows would really jazz things up a bit. Not sure what the Hubster would think about that, but that's my two cents anyhow.

Ah the breakfast that almost was. Why do I always get insane ideas like photographing my house when I should be doing important things like relaxing, sipping tea, and reading BHG?


And by the way, a friend recently tried roasting some chestnuts (not over an open fire, but still), and apparently they taste like asparagus (which I love but not in chestnut form) mixed with shoe leather. So these little puppies will be solely for decorative purposes. If anyone else has sampled the delicacy that is chestnuts and lived to tell about it had a different experience, please tell us about it.


So sorry about the long and rambling post. The point is, I love fall and don't know how to relax! Alright, so that's two points, but you get the point. Maybe one of these days I'll have another morning to myself and get the urge to photograph the other half of the space. Or maybe I'll sip some tea...

I'm Loving

9.29.2010
This amazing wedding photo booth via A Cup of Joe:




Wallpaper + Vintage Frames + Family Wedding Photos = Perfection.

Last Two Days...

9.28.2010
Just a reminder...today and tomorrow are the last two days to enter the giveaway from RockyTop Design. Up for grabs is a $30 gift certificate toward custom pillows, curtains, changing pad covers, crib bedding, and more!


Enter by commenting here.

Starting Solids AKA My Little Squash

I had planned to exclusively breastfeed Violet until she was six months old, but lately she's been staring and grabbing at our food and is sitting up well with help. That combined with the early teething has brought us to the decision to begin solids earlier than we expected. We got the okay from the doctor and went out and bought a big old box of organic brown rice cereal. We mixed it with a little pumped milk and here's what we got when her Grammy put spoon to mouth:


Let me tell you, she was ECSTATIC about her first taste of rice cereal. Okay, well maybe not so much. But after the second attempt, she is now chowing down like a champ. She even opens her mouth for each spoonful and seems upset when the bowl is empty.

Next up - orange stuff. Namely some sort of veggie - squash, carrots, or sweet potatoes. I get the veggies before fruits concept (fruits are so tasty they won't want the veggies!) Not sure why the doc recommended to start with orange stuff over green stuff though - anyone know?
I didn't think to ask - just smiled and nodded. My mind always seems to go somewhat blank when the pediatrician is in the room. I think because it's probably filled with so much dread over the upcoming shots that there isn't much space for anything else.

Maybe they are just in the mood for fall too - squash is very fall-ish is it not? I had briefly considered cooking and mashing up my own baby food, but then I got real and realized that my mind is already going in a billion different directions and I just can't add one more thing to my plate. And really, who knows how to cook squash? Not this girl! Keep it simple, right?


So we're going with Nature's Promise organic jar baby foods. They come in glass jars, which I like - great to reuse for other things and just seems so much nicer than plastic. They're organic. And the ingredients for the squash? Organic squash + water. Simple. And even better they are readily available at our local grocery store and are cheaper than Gerber baby foods. Weird right? Because the Gerber baby foods come in this cheap-o looking plastic container. I guess it's just what people buy because it's such a well-known baby food company?

If you are interested in making your own baby food (I may still give it a go someday just for fun, we'll see, but it certainly won't be with squash. Maybe something more on my level - like bananas) here is a great site I found with baby food recipes, instructions, etc.

If anyone has any advice for me on this whole pureed food deal, please share. As usual I feel pretty clueless!

Babiekins Magazine Cover

Can't wait for the new issue of Babiekins magazine! The cover was revealed today and it is sooo cute:

Last Days of Summer

9.24.2010
I can't believe our baby's first summer has come and gone. We'll miss the cookouts, warm weather, and sun, but we're looking forward to crisp fall days, juicy apples, and crunchy leaves. Here are a few photos from our last hurrah of summer with our family:












So long summer, welcome fall. Happy Friday everyone - have a great weekend!

Giveaway: Custom Decor from RockyTop Design

9.22.2010
- This giveaway is no longer accepting entries -

You all know how much I love the work of Etsy seller RockyTop Design. I've used shop owner Jayna's custom crib bedding in Violet's nursery and also choose fabrics from her shop for most of my nursery idea boards. If you want to make your nursery truly unique and get a designer look, custom crib bedding is a fairly inexpensive and easy choice.


RockyTop Design has a huge selection of gorgeous fabrics in a ton of different styles and color palettes:


And that's just the tip of the iceberg - there are hundreds of fabulous fabrics to choose from (including organic options)

RockyTop Design has generously offered to give away a $30 gift certificate to the shop, which can be used toward whatever you need to complete your baby's space - from changing pad covers to crib bumpers, sheets, skirts and more.


And for you readers who aren't parents - we didn't forget about you! RockyTop Design also offers custom pillows, window seat cushions (like the one in Violet's nursery), window panels, and valances.


How do I enter?
Bonus entries:
  • Become a follower of with two cats  (+1)
  •  Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post (+5) 
You can earn up to ten entries if you choose all of the above! If you already follow wtc, just let me know in your comments. 

How is the Winner Chosen?
  • The winner will be chosen randomly using random.org
How Long Do I Have to Enter?
  • Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM EDT on Thursday, September 30th.
The Fine Print
One entry in each category per person. Spam entries will not be counted. Spam entries are determined at the sole discretion of with two cats. For blog-based entries, the blog must be a legitimate blog and not a “spam” blog, or a blog set up purely for the purpose of entering contests. All rules are subject to change without notice.


I'm soooo excited to see what everyone chooses! Happy fabric browsing :)


~ Lauren

- This giveaway is no longer accepting entries - 

    I'm Loving

    [discovered via]

    Violet - 4 Months

    9.15.2010
    You've been a busy little beaver this month, baby. And speaking of beavers...you've been gnawing away (on your fingers). But instead of building a dam you, my love, are creating a river. A river of drool. I will dub this month the month of molars. (Technically I should probably call it the month of teething, since one of the three teeth you've been busy cutting isn't a molar, but the month of molars just sounds cooler.)


    We noticed a tiny white speck on your gums shortly after your three month birthday, and it was downhill from there. We thought it was pretty crazy that you started teething so soon, but then it got even crazier - you started cutting molars. Notice I said molars plural. TWO to be precise. One on each side of your mouth. That made mastering the skill of shoving both hands in your mouth at the same time absolutely essential. And to ensure that the world felt the true horror of cutting molars you began to emit a high-pitched squeal that would give Mariah Carey a run for her money.



    Growing up is hard. Whenever I was sick or hurt my mama (your grammy) would always say that she wished that she could take the pain for me. Now I know exactly how she felt. I would take your pain in a heartbeat, my love. Luckily, the teething pain seems to have subsided - at least for a few days. We will enjoy your coos, smiles, and gurgles while we can and hope that the next bout of teething will be easier.

    Although teething colored much of your fourth month of life, it couldn't stop you from continuing to amaze us. You have become so much more aware and alert this past month. You've started to notice your kitty cats and reach out to touch their soft fur. You love to grasp at your colorful toys and slowly are learning to expertly guide them into your sweet drooly mouth. Yanking your mama's hair and pinching her chin are fun games. And you make your mommy melt when you stroke her face as you nurse (even though sometimes your fingers end up in her nose). And you love other babies and little kids - especially your cousins.



    Your favorite thing to do now is roll from your back to your tummy. You hold up your head with your strong neck and your body with your outstretched arms and look at us with a big triumphant (mostly toothless) grin. In fact, we can't keep you on your back - this new talent made it quite a challenge to get your four-month photos. And nine times out of ten when your mommy goes to get you from your crib after a nap or for a nighttime feeding, she finds you in this position (often with your eyes still closed). It won't be long before you are scooting and crawling all over the place.


    We found out this month that you have very sensitive skin and Vaseline and Dove soap have become our very best friends. And you said no thanks to the regular old Pampers - we go Sensitives all the way! So long dry peely rashy skin - hello smooth silky baby sweetness!


    Much to their dismay, you suddenly were horrified by the site of your Pop Pop and Opa this month. The mere sight of their smiling faces made you scream and shriek. Luckily their unconditional love won you back over and you have decided they are pretty great after all.




    You've become a bit of a Daddy's girl as well. Now that he's back to work I think that you miss him - a LOT. He misses you a lot too. (a LOT)



    Although it was a bit of a rocky month, it was full of fun and firsts as well. Here's to conquering teething (for now) and seeing what surprises next month holds for us. We love you more every day, our sweet, toothy, rolly polly little beaver. Happy four months! Love, Mommy & Daddy


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