Happy Friday!!!
I'm having such a difficult time getting back into the swing of things following our fun holiday break! The Winter Blahs are kicking in, but I'm trying to stay positive. I'm especially excited about the three day weekend ahead of us AND the fact that we have another one next week. That should make the month of January a bit more tolerable!
We have a busy weekend ahead of us, which includes a birthday party, a basketball game, taking down Christmas (yes, a bit late) and organizing. And, of course, sleeping. I'm not ashamed to admit that's what I most look forward to on the weekend!
2017 is already off to a really busy start! I shared my goals and word of the year, and I will say that I'm doing well with some of them, but it's definitely a work in progress. I didn't expect instant change or perfection. Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, is a win. Baby steps is my method of choice!
I do have some blogging goals for 2017, and one of them is to share my favorite moments each week. The perfectly real ones, the candid ones and the ones that made me smile the most. Yes, I do have some sponsored content on my blog, but I refuse to let that content overshadow what this blog REALLY is: A journal of my life with my four kids! I thought it would be fun to combine it with my Friday Favorites, so I'll be kicking that off this week.
{MUCH NEEDED MAMA BREAKS}
Liam headed back to school last week and I am enjoying the 2-3 relaxing afternoons each week. I'm not really alone since Lily has morning Kindergarten and is home while he's at preschool, but she's calm. I love this kid with all of my being, but he exhausts me.
That short break from my beloved toddler tornado is so refreshing and it gives me the chance to really miss him. When I pick him up, it makes my day! The grin spreads across his face the moment he spots me, he shouts mama, and he runs into my arms. The. Best. Ever.
{Liam's sweater leggings and slouchy hat are from Trendy Bubs and they are perfect for cooler weather! Use the code liamff at checkout to save 20% (excluding sale and custom name items). Pssst...their adorable Valentine's Day collection is available now!}
If you're wondering what I need a break from, here you go...
{NEW MONTHLY LINKUP}
I am so excited to be co-hosting a monthly linkup called A Year of Color with
Little Dove,
Macke Monologues, and
Work It Mommy. Each month will focus on one color and it's basically a free for all. A recipe, an activity for kids, favorite clothing items in that color, etc.
The monthly link up will start next Friday, January 20th and the first color will be white. (Confession: I totally just wrote Lick Up. That's what happens when you blog at 2 AM.) Just for future reference, the color for February will be Pink and the color for March will be green. We can't wait to see what you come up with!
{WINTER WEATHER?}
The weather in Pittsburgh right now is...odd. In the span of less than two weeks, we had painfully cold weather, we had snow, we had freezing rain, we had downpours and we had 65 degree weather. Although it keeps jumping from Winter to Spring and back, I'm okay with it! It's pretty much unheard of to go days without wearing winter coats in January, but that happened!
{This monster hoodie is currently under $4 at Babies R Us and comes with pants. Such a great deal!}
{VALENTINES}
I hate to rush the holidays and seasons, but I couldn't pass up these adorable valentines. The Target Dollar Spot does it again!
{A WINTER MUST HAVE}
Liam has tiny sinuses and nasal passages, which
are common in kids who have Down syndrome. He surprisingly doesn't get
sick often, but when he does, he gets VERY congested. The Vicks®
EasyFill Cool Mist Humidifier arrived just in time! It helps him breathe
better at naptime and through the night!
*I received mine complimentary for a
review from Influenster, but you can find it HERE. #GotItFree
{BIRTHDAY LOVE}
We celebrated my dad's 77th Birthday on Friday. Here's what I shared on Instagram:
"My
dad was much older when I was born, but very involved in my life. As a
teenager, I was unable to recognize how lucky I was, but I do now. He
was my rock...always. Most of my close friends have already lost a
parent to illness and I can't even imagine the pain of living without my
mom or dad.
When Dylan was born, I feared that my dad wouldn't be here
to watch his grandkids grow up since he was older. But I was wrong and
my kids are incredibly lucky to have a Papa who is every bit as involved
in their lives as he was mine. My dad loves them fiercely and they
adore him.
When Liam was born and we were faced with so much
uncertainty, my parents were the first of our family to find out. As I
broke the news through my tears, my mom reacted just as I had-with pure
shock and tears. My dad, however, smiled and simply asked, "Where's my
grandson? I want to meet him." He and Liam had the most incredible bond
from that day on. That moment perfectly sums up the amazing person that
he is.
Yesterday, we celebrated my dad's 77th birthday. My four kids
surrounded him as they sang Happy Birthday and I captured all the sweet
moments on video. I wanted to remember every detail of the night
because everything felt perfect and I know time is fleeting. Later, Liam
curled up on my dad's chest and fell asleep. As I looked through the
pictures and videos, the tears fell down my cheeks. Some moments in life
are just so perfect that they take your breath away. This was one of
them."
{SNAP & SHOP}
I mentioned the awesome Snap & Shop Tray in my Friday Favorites last month. If you have young kids, this is a must have for shopping trips! This snack tray, which comes in three colors, hooks on to any cart handle and comes with a convenient lid to keep the snacks contained. I absolutely LOVE this product. I keep it in my bag at all times!
{BASKETBALL}
Dylan's basketball season started on Saturday and we are so excited to watch him play. He did so well in his first game and I captured him getting his first basket of the season! I think this kid found his sport!
{CUTENESS OVERLOAD}
That face. Those eyes. Enough said.
{SWEETEST CANDID MOMENT OF THE WEEK}
The moments when they don't realize I'm watching them are my absolute favorite!
{BRUISER}
Lexie has so much going on right now. An allergic reaction to pine landed her in the ER. Next stop is an allergist because she apparently developed an allergy to nuts, as well! As if that wasn't enough, her eczema is out of control this winter. She topped off the past few weeks of misery by dropping a 5 lb weight on her face yesterday!
Despite the tough month, she's still dancing, she joined after school choir, she's doing really well in school, and she's still smiling!
{RABBIT LOVE}
Our two pet rabbits continue to be awesome pets, even though Lily constantly asks if we can get another dog. (I'm finally ready...I think.) Stay tuned for a story about our two pet rabbits...let me just say that it would only happen to us!
{SIBLING LOVE}
Lily and Liam are best buddies during the week. Out of all four of my kids, they are the closest in age and I love watching them grow up together. I'm really going to miss these moments when Lily is in school for full days next Fall!
{BI-MONTHLY SNIPS}
Liam's hair grows unbelievably fast. It seems to be a common Down syndrome trait! He has literally needed a cut every 2-3 weeks since he was 6 months old. I refused to spend money on getting his hair cut all the time, so I taught myself how to cut it. I've been cutting Dylan's hair since he was 3, but it's a bit different with Liam. Despite needing haircuts so often, he HATES sitting still for it, and it's kind of like wrestling an alligator. A booster seat, KidloLand on the iPad, marshmallows and his big sister to the rescue!
{BROTHERLY LOVE}
I gave both boys new haircuts yesterday. Liam's is much shorter, and Dylan showed me a picture and asked me to duplicate it. I think they look even more alike now that they have similar cuts than they did before! Not only do they look alike, but they have the most amazing bond!
{HAPPY WEEKEND!}
I hope you all have an amazing weekend with your loved ones! I can't wait to spend it with this little girl (and her three siblings)!
{Sweater - Kohl's / Boot Socks - TJ Maxx}
What are your plans for this weekend?
Let's Be Friends!
