Color dipped Ikea kid's table

I have been searching for almost a year for the perfect kids' table for Amara. She is so little, that even the smallest chairs have been to tall for her. Not to mention the way that she climbs up onto the chairs meant that I needed something that wouldn't tip over easily. Table and chair sets are expensive ya'll!!!

As long as it has taken my undecisive self to make a decision, it appears that Amara has grown. This is great news to me because I really liked all of the hacks that I have seen done to the Latke Ikea table, but I just never felt like it was a sturdy enough combo for my little. Until now! $20 for a table and 2 chairs!?!?! Boom....DONE! We were able to get it shipped to us for $11 bringing the final cost to around $32.

I took some leftover aqua paint that I had from her play kitchen, and spiced up the legs on the table just a bit. I just used some painter's tape to mark off where I wanted to paint. I really love how it turned out!

I am SLOOOOOOOOOWLY trying to put together an office upstairs in Amara's original nursery room. I really just working with what I already have. No new storage ( for right now) and no painting the walls (hence the bright pink chevron). I wanted to create a little nook in the office for Amara to entertain herself while I do whatever it is you do in an office/craft room. Its just a bright open space upstairs, and I find that we do NOT live upstairs. We spend all of our time downstairs, and I am trying to change that.....one. room. at. a. time.

Here is Amara's little nook as it stands today. When the budget allows, I plan on adding some book shelving below the artwork to hold art supplies and such.

 ^^ I took an old Anthropologie catalog that I had saved and hung pictures from it with gold washi tape! I saved the catalog for the pig picture specifically, but ended up hanging others also. Just kind of quirky and fun!^^

^^ The tassel garland was something I had already made from a baby shower I threw earlier in the year. It pays off to save those things, huh? ^^

I kind of love this little space for now. I think it is nice to have a little something your child can do in each room of the house until they can be left somewhat unsupervised. If I have to go to a different room in my house, I hate feeling like I have to take toys with me. They will just be there already! :)

Have a GREAT weekend!!

J

2 year check up!

We are kicking off Amara's second year of life this week. Loved all of the birthday festivities, but I am also glad that they are all over :) Time to "relax".....yeah, right!

We had Amara's 2 year check up today! Things are looking good. She is almost to the 50th percentile for height and weight, perfection (physically), and just an overall healthy/happy baby girl. I have a very cautious, lets be on the safe side, better now than later pediatrician, which I am so grateful for. He was MY pediatrician and a child, and I am so lucky to get to be able to bring Amara to him as well. It feels like family! Anyway, he mentioned possibly having a speech evaluation done in home by the state just to MAKE SURE that she is where she needs to be. I expressed to him that for the most part, I understand what she is saying, but family is still kind of lost when she talks sometimes?? The biggest thing that prompted his recommendation for the evaluation is that Amara's "f" is an "s". So, "Phone" is "shone" to her. I am not really concerned, but I think anytime you walk out of a check up with anything less than "everything looks great!", your mind starts to play mean tricks on your heart. I am going to schedule it and would appreciate prayer!

Amara did NOT like the doctor touching her with his "intsruments" today. No matter how much he let her play with them or how sweet he was with her, she would just cry every time he needs to examine her ears, eyes, nose, count her fingers, wiggle her legs, etc. I also told her that there would be no shots involved at this check up. Whoops....mommy lied! I hate that....I was totally set up for failure. She ended up having to get her finger pricked to test her iron and she also got the flu mist vaccine. All I can say, is thank goodness for stickers and ring pops. Today's visit exhausted us both. Then, we went to Target and got her the cutest fall jacket, which made us both feel better....I am pretty sure.

Happy Birthday Amara Claire!!

Amara,

 Baby girl.....you are turning TWO today! Technically you become a toddler today around 11:35 am, but I am still going to call you my baby. This birthday is an emotional one for mommy because not only are you older, you are acting older. You have grabbed your independence by the horns and run with it. Still, you asking mommy or daddy for "help" is something I won't tire from anytime soon. I promise you that! It is mixed emotion though. The only part that is "sad" is that I can't just hold you in my arms 24/7 (selfishly). All the rest of my emotion is pure joy and happiness.

 Sure, there is a day set aside to celebrate your birth, but you need to know that I celebrate you...God celebrates you every. single. day. He and I have a lot of conversations about you...good ones too! He has big plans for you, ya know? I owe more than I could ever possibly give to Him for bringing you into our lives on such a sweet morning. If the way that I look at you is the way that He looks at us all, mommy is taking note! We are loooooved!!!! You have shown us how to look at people through YOUR eyes, how to love better, how to take moments out of our day to have tickle fights in bed ( because they are necessary), how to dance like nobody is watching, how a smile can change someone's entire mindset, how singing loud and off key can be a favorite sound just to name a few.

I literally have tears pouring down my face at this very moment. I am so overwhelmed, and cannot put this last year into words for some reason. I tried reading this aloud to daddy, and I couldn't make it past the second sentence.

You make us smile and laugh! You offer up great cuddles without us asking. You are helpful, loving, kind, funny, sweet, sassy, laid back, curious, pure, sensitive, trusting, adventurous and so much more.

We love you from the pit of our hearts! Thank you for two of the best years of our lives!!

Happy Birthday.....my baby!

 Love,

 Mommy ( and Daddy)

Here is Amara's 2nd year video ....

Amara's 2nd Birthday Party!

Tuesday evening, we celebrated Amara's birthday with some of her closest little friends. I really fought to keep it EXTREMELY small, and mostly family.... those that Amara has spent a lot of time with this year...that have invested SO much into her second year of life.

I opted for an outdoor celebration at Arrington Vineyards. It was perfect!! We were practically the only people there. The sun was setting, and we had an amazing view overlooking the vines. It couldn't have been more beautiful.

 For the first time, I was done setting up and able to relax before guests arrived. NEVER in the history of my party planning has that happened. I would like to think that it is because I have gotten better with planning and timing, but I don't think that is it considering I didn't even have time to shower or wash my hair for the party. Shhhh! However, swinging with my baby sweet toddler, staring at the gorgeous views and just taking it all in with her before the celebration started was a surreal moment for this mama. I needed a stress-free evening....we all did!

The little details......

 ^^ I just put three sheets of watercolor paper together with a crayola kids' art smock and crayola watercolor set. I had custom tags printed at Rock Paper Scissors. ^^

 ^^ I found a great DIY party hat template at Oh Happy Day (such an amazing blog!). I just used Kraft paper sheets, and then hot glued hand dyed/store bought poms on them! ^^

 ^^ These little guys were my favorite! I love a good party favor. I just bought the paint cans at a local craft store ( Michaels and Joanns both carry them), stuffed them with different color tissues to look like "paint", and stuffed them full of goodies! ^^

[ Mini paint set, mini slinky, Ring Pop, swirly straw, bouncy balls, stamps, temporary tattoos and mini bubble containers] I found all of it at craft stores and Target.

 ^^Adult picnic dinners: Sub sandwiches with chips and a pickle! Wooden fruit baskets here ^^

 ^^ Kids' picnic dinners: turkey sandwiches, goldfish/pretzel mix, grapes and a juice box. The boxes were a Martha Stewart find. ^^

 ^^ Found cotton candy at a local candy shop, wrapped it around a stripey straw and voilla! Definitely time consuming, but totally worth it! Who doesn't love cotton candy on a stick!?! ^^

^^ I decided to make an Instagram banner to showcase Amara's year of growth. ^^

Disney Vacay.... Part THREE

 

 ^^ We found Gabe's retirement calling! ^^

 ^^ We have had a lot of conversations lately with Amara putting her head down. It has become her way of checking out of the moment, and not doing what was asked of her. Gabe had asked her for a kiss here, her head went down, so he went in for one anyways ;) ^^

 ^^ If there is an arcade around....my husband will find it! ^^

 ^^ Yummy Sangria ^^

 ^^ We went to my favorite little pizza place at the Boardwalk hotel ^^

 
^^ Cheering for the street performer! ^^

Disney Vacay...Part TWO!

We took a ferry ride to a late character breakfast. I love a good buffet ;) Amara did so well with meeting the characters. I was worried that her obsession would turn to fear when she met them face to face, but she was a champ who high-fived and hugged like it was her day job.....which it kind of is.

 ^^ "Gocky!!!" aka Goofy! ^^

 ^^ She was pretty terrified of Wreck is Ralph ^^

 ^^ Amara sure does love her Grandma ^^

 ^^ Highly recommend the Disney Junior Live show. It really was the most memorable moment of the trip for me. It was that moment where Amara really connected to something that she was familiar with. I had happy tears flowing just from watching her be so. freaking. happy! ^^

                   

^^ Gabe and I were able to get out for a few hours, thanks to Gabe's amazing mother! We came back to the hotel to find Amara laying across my mother - in - law's back. She is a good woman haha. Amara slept the entire cab ride back to our hotel. I sure do miss those days of a baby sleeping anywhere! ^^