Wilder in 2014, week 3

name: Wilder aka Muncher
age: 9 months 1 week, going on toddler
has: 2.10 teeth
location: blanket basket
likes: making this face lately
accomplishments: best laugh in the world

cabin fever

i'm not sure if it's because it's january and we haven't been outside since D.C. or if it's because i fell on our stairs and banged up my tailbone real good (yeah. awesome.) but i'm feeling sort of off lately.

but, i do have this little munchkin to keep me company through our long days indoors and who can complain about that? we have definitely reached that 9 month mark where wilder is changing and growing from minute to minute. he is seriously about to be a toddler any minute now. he is standing all day long and also getting into everything he's not supposed to—that serious face is his serious concentration on getting to my camera;)

this weekend is loverboy's birthday; we are hoping and praying for good weather so we can have a fun family outing to a nearby petting zoo.

i hope you are all enjoying your january and maybe getting outside a little more than we are. :)

Wilder in 2014, week 2*

i've been wanting to take weekly portraits of wilder, and the beginning of a new year is a good time to start.

can you believe this baby is 9 months old today? he is crawling and standing and "talking" all day long like he's going to be a toddler any minute now. naturally, he is just getting better and better. i really can't love those little dimples enough. i know i keep saying it, but this is all going by so (too) fast. can someone please stop time for me?

my favorite thing lately is when he lays his head on my shoulder just before and just after naps and bedtime. also, the way he says "mama" even if he doesn't really know what he's saying. it's the sweetest thing in the world.

*since i didn't post a photo for week 1 last week, i'll probably do a retroactive post for it. hope that doesn't disturb you too much. ;)

D.C., take II

more photos from D.C.

the museums in D.C. are just gorgeous.

it was too cold out, but this would have been fun.

as close as we got.

the natural history museum was also really amazing. wilder slept through the whole thing.

owls! i love owls.

such fun travel buddies.

i am still dreaming about these homemade donuts we made (and devoured in like 3 seconds).

donuts and cards — two of my favorite pastimes.

can you believe how big he is already? i really can't.

stop growing up baby! stoppit!

D.C.

we've been a little busy over here doing some projects on the house, but i finally have some photos to show from over the holidays when we went to D.C. to spend time with friends and take in some museums. it was the best kind of vacation — we got spoiled with lots of yummy homemade food and late night card games and a bathtime buddy for wilder.

Wilder was an amazingly good traveler. i was kind of shocked.

i could have spent a few days at the national gallery of art alone. so, so good.

he thought the gallery was a little too quiet...and also very good for shrieking echoes...

these old masters' paintings...they amaze me. 

it was a long day of not napping at the museum.

THE best cupcake ever. ever. ever. seriously.

it was so cool to be in our nation's capital, even though we didn't get to go into the capitol.

we didn't get to go in here, sadly. too many museums, too little time.

gracie wooing wilder with her piano skills.

he loved this toy.

wilder and alexander, who is 3 days older.

a new year's day walk to get hot cocoa.

and good breakfast sandwiches.

and a cookie of course.

goodbye to 2013, hello to 2014

the year began in a rush for us. or rather, it ended in a rush. or, maybe it wasn't rushed at all, it just felt rushed because i didn't have time to stop and blog about it. so actually, it was going at normal life pace, but if you don't document your normal life on social media, did you even live it at all? that's the burning question isn't it. you know you're having fun when nobody on instagram knows what you're doing or what you just ate. that's my excuse for this really belated post anyways.

all years should end the way our 2013 did—with champagne and good food and cards with friends. it was one of our better new years' eves. we even stayed up past midnight, which is how you know you're not total loser parents.

in 2013, we did a lot. and we did a lot of nothing too (a cow says moo). i got to live out my dream of staying home with my baby. i learned that there are never enough hours in a day (especially not for sleep). that home-owning is a lot of work. that i have a palpable need to travel. that i'm not all that interested in housework but that i have an obsessive cleaning compulsion. that cookies make any day at least 50 percent better. that i've never been more thankful for the friends i have. that babies are the best things in life. and so is coffee.

2013, you were pretty wonderful. it will be hard to beat, i think.

2014 found us lounging in our pajamas with friends in D.C. we spent the morning playing with babies and eating the most delicious eggs over easy with sausage gravy and biscuits.

i'm looking forward to so many things this year.

in 2014, i want to slow down and enjoy the moments more, instead of always worrying about my to-do list. i want to kiss my baby and my loverboy another thousand times a day. i want to read the Bible more. i want to read all the books i just bought on amazon. i want to do some yoga. i want to laugh more. i want to sing more. i want to cook more. i want to figure out how to use the awesome flash that loverboy got for my camera. i want to sit down everyday to write. and i want to

i think this year is going to be good. i can't wait.





happy new year!

xx,

B in 2014

2013...

...the best year yet.



in 2013, we celebrated loverboy's birthday with a lame cake, my MIL and SIL threw me a lovely baby shower, loverboy took me to a ballet for valentine's day, we started getting ready for that baby, did a fun pregnancy photoshoot, and three days later welcomed Wilder Dean Grace into the world. i spent the next couple of weeks learning (and writing) about motherhood (also here, here, here, here, here) we flew to austin for my brother's wedding, and celebrated mother's day by moving into our first house, celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary (without gifts), celebrated loverboy's first father's day, ate too many donuts and did too much painting, went to the beach, was overtaken by baby toys and housework, met all the babies from our bradley group, i said goodbye to 30, we won some masks at the state fair, carved our first pumpkins, made our first thanksgiving dinner, and were so very thankful for a healthy baby after a brief health scare. i'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but i will say it — we are so, so indescribably in love with this baby of ours. parenting is more fun than i ever imagined.

and here are a few of my favorite photos from this year:













thanks for such a good year, 2013!