Happy 14-month to Miss L!

Wow, 14 months ago today we welcomed this burst of sunshine into our world. Not that our world wasn't already filled with optimism, blessings and joy...but Miss L's arrival took it to a whole new level.

These days, we are gaining confidence with climbing on anything and everything! Sometimes mom and dad are quick on the draw with the camera, other times, we just have enough time to grab her before trauma occurs.

We have six teeth (4 up, 2 down) and are eating most everything except peanut butter and honey. We recently have slowly introduced egg into her diet after a little rash on the day of her birthday party in MI. So far, so good! Her favorite foods include: cheese, yogurt (pumpkin, especially), pumpkin pancakes, oatmeal, milk, strawberries, grilled cheese, pasta and bread.

We point to everything, understanding that things have titles, exercising receptive language, and says dadda, kitty, and on occassion mmmmmomma. I love how she is particularly chatty after I pick her up from daycare daily.

We have been sleeping in like a teenager lately. Some nights this past weekend, she even sleept 13-14 hours! Definitely learning something or growing

Since we do not have a 14-month sticker to slap on a onesie, here is an assortment of new photos from the past week...

Sitting on the sound amp, we have even caught her standing on the it!!

Standing in the Bumbo

this makes me laugh...her newest "thing" is to furrow her brows...kind of embarassing sometimes when she does it to strangers, but usually follows it with a smile to recover. :)

She always wants to be part of the action...
sitting on the kitchen island while mom and dad make
pancakes (blueberry for him, pumpkin for us girls!)
 

Standing in her doll's stroller...
to look out the window for coyotes!



She loves her couch...and books! Look at that hair!!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

Today was our typical slow cooker Tuesday since we run from work to daycare to dinner, followed by ECFE class at 6:15pm. I must admit, my planning had a bit of a hiccup today. I neglected to re-set the outlet timer and I "thought" my crockpot was set to turn on at 2pm, when it actually turned on at 8am this morning.

Thanks to a very helpful neighbor whom works from home, she was able to rescue me mid-day so my chicken didn't overcook.

Anyhow, here is the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu...it was amazeballs {I've been watching too much Guilianna & Bill}...

Six Sisters' Stuff: Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yay Tigers!!

We are crossing our fingers for playoff baseball for our beloved Tigers and were fortunate to be a part of the action this past weekend when they came to Twins Territory!

 

Target Field is truly a masterpiece of a ballpark and is always a treat to attend a game there.

Miss L did great, despite no afternoon nap. She immediately zonked out in the car seat on the way home and stayed asleep all night! Mommy & Daddy stopped for some locally-made ice cream on this beautiful summer-like fall night. Soy Pumpkin with a small top scoop of salted caramel, with whipped cream...more posts to follow about my new interest in salted caramel.

 

As one of her Grandpas clevery put it: "She is quite the catch!"

Despite the English D, she was still loved by Twins fans

She just started this brow furrowing as of late. Case and point!

Tigers win 6-4 and after game 3 on Sunday, went up 3 games over the White Sox. The season after I was born, they won the World Series. I think this could be the year!

Refreshed & Recharged

Last weekend, J and I were fortunate to getaway for about 4 days filled with leisure fun and professional fulfillment in Fabulous Las Vegas. Miss L was fortunate to have 4 days of bonding time with one of her grandmas.

Just as my previous post said, we drank a couple of cocktails on our Southwest flight out west. This, combined with numerous episodes of The League, that Jeremy uploaded to the ipad...and we laughed our butts off all the way there!

Shortly after arrival, we dined at Olives, a Todd English restaurant overlooking Lake Bellagio. This was a great suggestion from my boss, who suggested I go there to do some "market research." The view of the fountains was great, the ambiance-very romantic, and the food was divine! 


J's dish was a masterpiece of scallops atop mashed potatoes atop shredded short rib beef-
as well as avocados, beets and tons of other stuff!
Olives

Bellagio fountains

 

Of course, I could sit there and watch the Bellagio fountains for hours. We also went to a Cirque show, Ka, at MGM...which was an incredible and jaw-dropping performance. This was followed by lots of fun gambling until about 3am. We spent a couple of hours at the same roulette table, making friends and making memories! We were up for nearly 22 hours straight! I couldn't believe it.

Our favorite past-time of vacationing out west is getting up on Sunday morning to watch football while belly up at a bar - enjoying a breakfast and cocktail. So we did just that...at Emeril's Sports Stadium. Breakfast menu had ceased by the time we got there...but we did find this amazingly large and delicious pretzel with cheddar beer dip - to hold us over until we went to our favorite fast food joint In-n-Out!

Mmm...In-n-Out Burger

My private club marketing conference started Sunday eve, at a resort in Lake Las Vegas...check out the view from our room...

The rest of the trip included lots of professional development for me...and J golfed 18 holes (shot a 34 on the front 9) and happened to be partnered up with the Madame of Rosie's Brothel...yep, funny stuff! He gambled more and just enjoyed some leisure time away from a very stressful work life right now.

LOVED the Fall decor throughout each casino!

Lobster tacos at Koi at Planet Hollywood -
delicious, but I should have ordered a double!!

All-in-all, it was the perfect time away from Miss L. We missed her, but not too much. And we knew she was doing well and in great care.

After our return, I felt so refreshed as a mom and wife, and recharged as a professional. It really was perfect! Oh, and I felt very blessed to come home to a clean house and happy baby!

Fun weekend ahead

I am blogging as we sit at the airport terminal waiting to fly to fabulous Las Vegas. I was planning a trip there for a work conference, and J decided to join my fun and we are heading out a day early.

We are nearly doubling our temperature from 50 to 90+ degrees...now, let's hope J doubles his money!!

This trip marks some big milestones, such as leaving Miss L for the first time overnight...or for 3 nights. I'm not worried about her or her grandma that came in to take care of her...but I know I will miss her like crazy. Thankfully, well kind of sort of, I will be busy at conference for most of the hours of my trip.

Also, this is our first flight in 12 months that we can relax, sleep, read, drink(!!) And basically, not entertain or hold an infant. Miss L is a great lil traveler, but as she gets older it is work to keep her entertained constantly.

Soo...we are off to sunshine with our iPad stocked with good TV shows, the nook charged, and plenty of Southwest drink tickets in hand!!

Enjoy the photo of Miss L at Barnes and Noble yesterday evening. She was having a blast on the stage, reading books and of course in great fall fashion with her baby Uggs and a beautiful, hand made poncho mad by my mom.

A Special Birthday Gift

{This post was drafted last month, but just now published...Ooops!}

One really fun perk of living hundreds of miles away is that our family and friends are uber-thoughtful and generously mail gifts to our home so that we don't have to fit in luggage, or ship it ourselves. I am really appreciative of this with every birthday and holiday that arises.

Miss L and I open the door to grab the said package and we dig in together! It is really fun! Some boxes have even been large enough for her to have fun with the packing bubbles while sitting/standing in the box. It is a dual-gift!

Today, we received a lovely bday gift from her Grandpa D. We even used the new gift to read prior to bed time tonight. Accompanying the gift was a special gift from D's nieces...two "dress-up gowns" for Miss L. I believe my mom had gifted these special gowns to D's nieces to enjoy and have fun playing dress-up with in the previous years. The first sight of these dresses brought tears to my eyes, as one dress (pink one) was the dress I wore for my Aunt Kaye Lani's wedding and the other (white one) was the dress I wore at my first communion. Both dresses were hand-crafted by my mother.

I do not wish for the days to fast forward for Miss L to be able to wear these...but I am excited to hold on to these special dresses for the years ahead.

50 Strands of Gray

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was 23 and my {slightly older} assistant was exclaiming at the rightful age of 26 she had tons of gray hairs, and was required to color her hair routinely to keep her brunette locks, just that...brunette. At the time I thought she was exaggerating...boy did I have it coming.

Fastforward five years, and now I completely understand. Everyday I pluck about 20 gray hairs from mane. This has been on-going for at least two years, since our days in Chicago. And on the days I forget to pluck them in the morning, I find them in my rearview mirror en route to work and it drives me crazy. Talk about distractive driving - try plucking gray hairs {by hand} while driving!

I attest these pesky stand-out strands to my husband's job which has moved us 3 times in the past 6 years in 3 states. 

The problem is - I love my hair right now. The color is the closest thing to au naturel since about 1995 and I really don't want the expense or hassle of maintaining color. Plus, I am uncertain if color would help for more than a couple of weeks since most of my gray hairs seem to be always less than an inch or so!

Does anyone have any suggestions as an alternative to color? I need to research some ideas, but I am open to suggestions...

Day in the Life Of [Revised]

I've been back to work {full-time} for nearly 90 days {tomorrow} and boy has our world changed.
I honestly can say for the better. I went into the full-time work field with a littany of emotions -excitement, fear, anxiety, hope and nervousness. I must admit - a large part of me has never been happier.

I LOVE my job! I can say this for the first time since marketing Metropolis Mall in Indy in 2007-2008. My work days are filled with meetings {which I love, b/c we all know how much I like to fill my calendar}, challenges, rewards and fulfillment. I have a great set of colleagues, bosses and an amazing country club to market and sell memberships.

Without a doubt, I LOVE my mommy job even more. Motherhood has been great to me, surprisingly natural and of course tons of fun.

I can tell Miss L LOVES her daycare - the provider, the other kids and the activities. Seeing her get excited to play in the morning is comforting and watching her eyes light up when I pick her up warms my heart.

Our days have changed quite a bit, compared to the first "Day in the Life Of" blog post as featured on The Domestic Wannabe in late February.

6 o'clock hour | Daddy awakes, followed by mommy - sometimes we are getting ready at the same time which is fun. We wouldn't be "A Modern Family" without a TV in our Master Bathroom, so I watch the news and listen for traffic and weather.

7 o'clock hour | Once I am ready, my coffee is brewing and briefcase and diaper bag is placed in the car, I begin to wake up Miss L. She is so cute and cuddly, and immediately is ready to be lifted from her crib. We breastfeed, and then sometimes have breakfast together {we share interest in pumpkin pancakes, oatmeal and she loves Nutri-grain bars}, followed by change of clothes, fresh diaper and off to Daycare.

My day is filled with meeting here and there; an impromptu prospective member tour, sometimes a networking luncheon, lots of work on my computer and lots of strategic marketing and planning.

5 o'clock hour | We have pre-arranged for one of us to pick-up Miss L by 6pm; this is the biggest challenge of the day as we fight traffic, construction and random longer-than-usual commutes.

6 o'clock hour | Right now - pending the weather forecast, the 3 of us hit the trails outside our home for a 3.5 mile run/walk. Miss L LOVES every minute of this nature time.

7 o'clock hour | Dinner - we are trying to mix up our menus, here is this week's line-up:

            Monday - I make a bigger dinner, as I only work until 3pm in the off-season -
            Lemon-Garlic Chicken Roast {with green beans and baby red potatoes} #dinnerfail
            too much lemon

            Tuesday - I try to use the crock pot, since we have our ECFE class at 6:15pm
            Crockpot Salsa Chicken - thank you Pinterest - was delicious!

            Wednesday - OYO - On Your Own - I'm attending a young professionals networking soiree  
            on a boat on the Mississippi River

            Thursday - New recipe: Pasta fagiolle {sp?} Italian sausage and pasta soup

            Friday - maybe Italian Paninis {basil, asiago, proscuitto, chicken, & roast red pepper}

8 o'clock hour | More play time with Miss L, followed by a laundry list of to dos.

Last night, I did 4 loads of laundry {folded and everything}, scrubbed our wood floors in the Kitchen on my hands and knees, dishes, and took a shower.

Tonight, I did dishes, cleaned our office, filed paperwork, ordered checks, researched something for the IRS {yippee!}, and crossed a few thank you cards and notes off my list. Of course, this was after I arrived home at 6:13, to grab Miss L to attend ECFE class from 6:15-7:45. Thankfully, it is < 1 mile away! I also excitedly showed J this amazing events guide/brochure I made at work today. I am so proud of my work, just like I am proud of the mom I have become to Miss L. It is such a great feeling!

And that folks, is our new normal. J just realized it is 12:30am as we both work diligently on our individual to-do lists from the comfort of our respective couches and laptops. Off to bed..

All smiles in her jammies!

Happy Birthday Month!

Just like her momma...Miss L's birthday has been less centered around one particular day...and more about the entire month {of fun!}. This happened naturally as we hosted a cupcake-themed birthday party for our family in MI one weekend, followed by her birthday {on a Wednesday this year}, and finished up with a birthday party "Cupcakes & Cocktails" for our MN friends the following weekend.

Her {current} favorite past time: playing with our patio furniture cushions

To make matters worse {or "sweeter" rather}, we had her 1-year photos a couple of weeks prior to our MI trip, which also included a smash cake. After all of the celebrations, Miss L is certainly a pro at digging into the sugary good stuff.

Yumm!

It has been an amazing year being blessed with the presence of this little doll. She is so incredibly happy, easy and fun - we count our blessings! No one can properly prepare you for the joys of parenthood, but it is with elation and pure joy that we thank our Lord for Miss L. And the happiness and smiles she brings to her family that loves her dearly when they {on occassion} get to visit with her is a treat to watch and certainly something we treasure. Dare I mention the pure strangers that light up when they see her smiling face in the aisle of the grocery store or on the sidewalks near our home.

At the recent 1-year visit {which was the most difficult one thus far in my opinion...thank goodness daddy was there!}, we had an A+ check-up with the following stats:

• Weight: 18# 10oz - 10th percentile
• Height: 27 1/2" tall - 25th percentile
• Head - 17 1/2" circ. - 50th percentile

Behavioral stats:

• Eating...everything in site!  We breastfeed every morning, enjoy 2 {6oz} bottles during the day, and lots of big girl food - loves nutri-grain bars, oatmeal, rice, chicken, yogurt, and cheese
• We have been introducing organic whole milk the past 2 weeks
• Started trying to feed herself with a spoon
• Sleeping well over night - 8:30pm - 7-8:30am, 2 naps daily of 4 hours
• Playing with everything - especially books, Mr. Cole and daddy!
  {He knows just how to make us girls giggle}
• Walking Running everywhere!
• Tooth #5 was found on her birthday and #6 quickly followed behind
• Gave the pacifier up at 7 months in exchange for her "silky" - the little lovey animals with a satin blankie attached - we have like 5 in our home

There are 11 days remaining in the big birthday month...of which we will keep her birthday party decor up around our home for every single one of them. This year flew right on by...having the decor up makes me savor this month, even if just a little while longer.

Coming soon: birthday party post{s}

We.Are.Family!

I sure try to count my blessings daily, but it is nice to recognize them outloud. I have been blessed with three amazing siblings whom I love and admire dearly.

We had the fortunate opportunity to have a "(first annual) Siblings Weekend" back in June at my brother's place in Columbus, OH. We flew in from Minnesota, one sis drove north from Cincinnati and the other sis drove south from Michigan.It was filled with lots of relaxation by their pool, adult beverages, fun with Miss L and touring the sights around the beautiful area where they live. No plans or agenda...just casual fun.

I must admit living hundreds of miles away from my siblings is probably the most difficult challenge I face daily. I see how much joy Miss L brings to their lives. I know how much they miss her due to their constant flow of phone calls, texts, phone messages, cards, gifts and geniune love they each generously share. Although given our work ethic, career aspirations and passion for a great life - I don't foresee us four residing in the same city, let alone all in the same state. However, it sure would be nice to be within driving distance.

Last weekend, as we hosted a 1st birthday party in Michigan for our family there - it was so nice to have all of my siblings present. In fact, the party would not have been a success without the help of my two sisters. At times I felt like a slave driver, but they rolled up their sleeves and helped with anything and everything. One sis was even willing to clean my mother-in-law's bathroom (the host home). They truly would do anything for me, and likewise. I am incredibly thankful for my three siblings and their three significant others - all are great role models for Miss L and a HUGE part of her life, even if hundreds (nearly 1,000) miles away.

L to R: Aunt L, Uncle JJ, JJ's gf L, Auntie Jen (holding Miss L), me & J

Learning to Like Coffee

After some trials and errors, I have found a successful recipe for brewing a cup of coffee for the introductory coffee enthusiast.

I use "Cinnabon" flavored creamer in conjunction with Archer Farms Vanilla Cinnamon Nut flavored grounds and top it off with some sugar.

Basically, a little coffee + flavored milk + sugar....super healthy, right?

Since beginning my new full-time job about 6 weeks ago, the added daily routine of a caffeine injection has been very helpful.

I have expanded to using a Caramel Machiatto creamer on occasion. I feel that my palate is expanding and I am hopeful that this Fall, I truly may enjoy a pumpkin spice latte.

Any suggestions for your favorite flavored creamer?!!

;)