A Letter to My Daughter on Her First Birthday: Ezmé's Birth Story

Ezmé Luna. My sweet, sassy, lovely girl. You are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me. The day you were born, I was reborn as a better version of myself. You've taught me how to love unconditionally, how to push through when I want to give up, and how to slow down and appreciate every little moment.

A year ago today, your daddy and I went for our evening walk and I started to feel a little funny. At first I thought I had a cramp from walking, but I soon realized that we would probably be meeting you sooner than your due date. We finally made it home and decided to make dinner and just see how things went. I still felt a bit weird and was having regular contractions but they weren't painful so Annette, my midwife said to monitor things and keep her posted.

After dinner I decided to run a bath and just relax a bit, but as soon as I walked into the bedroom I felt a loud POP and my water broke. I'm still convinced that you karate kicked the plug out because you were tired of the scenery. I quickly messaged Annette again and said that I was definitely in labor and that my water had broken. She told us to come on in! It was about 9:00pm when we packed up the car and started driving to the hospital.

Let's just say that in the ten minutes between my water breaking and us making it down to the car, my contractions went from being super low key to being very intense and close together. I remember feeling so excited and surprised but never scared. I was so anxious to meet you!

We found a parking spot easily and joked around a bit as we got out of the car and started walking up to the hospital because my bedroom shoes were soggy, and I had to keep stopping to breathe through the contractions. They were uncomfortable but manageable and I thought to myself, 'this isn't so bad, I've totally got this'. HAH!

I quickly realized that I did not have this haha! I thought that being a yoga teacher would help me breathe through the contractions but after an hour or so I decided I wanted *quote* ALL OF THE FREAKING DRUGS *unquote*

Nobody told me that when your water breaks and you're only 1cm dilated that things get very intense, very quickly. My midwife preformed a swipe to try to get things moving and I decided I wanted to know my pain management options. Immediately. After two botched attempts to get my IV line in by a trainee I finally asked for a nurse and we were in business! I have never been so excited to get a needle shoved in my arm in my life.

I was given IV narcotics that made me feel like I was completely loopy, but I stopped feeling any pain and was able to sleep for a bit. I honestly can't remember anything during this time except that James was in a chair by the window and I could barely hold my head up! Apparently, I had several conversations with nurses and my midwife but who knows!

At some point around 1:00am on the 7th I woke up and the drugs had worn off. Not a great way to wake up! I think I said something to your daddy along the lines of, 'oh no its happening again!'  So we called the nurse in and I asked for an epidural. I remember thinking back to your Gram telling me to ask for an epidural at every appointment from 20 weeks on haha! I thought she was being funny at the time, but realized very quickly that she was only half joking.

*side note*
I am fully aware that women give birth all over the world without drugs. I am not that woman. I want all of the drugs. Pain is not my friend. And while I think all moms are badasses for giving birth however they choose...there ain't no trophy.

Anyways, the anesthesiologist was not awake and had to be woken up and called in. So, 208 years later when he finally came in I was more than ready to have a six inch needle shoved into my spine. Let me just say that I am TERRIFIED of needles, and hospitals, and shots, and blood. All of it. But when you feel like the grape stomping lady from that youtube video (see link here), you get over your fear and ask for the drugs. I honestly don't know how I stayed still long enough to get the epidural, my contractions were so close together and I still couldn't keep my head up!

Your daddy supported my shoulders and I felt a little pinch and it was done! Whew! After that I had to stay in bed because everything began to go numb, hallelujah. Annette checked me again and said things were progressing nicely so we should get some sleep. We settled down again for the night and with the exception of having to get flipped from one side to the other like a beached whale every hour or so because I would start to feel contractions in my top hip, the evening passed uneventfully.

I still felt a little bit drowsy from the narcotics so I slept really well. It was crazy to go to sleep knowing that we would get to meet you so soon, sweet girl! At six in the morning Annette came back in to check on me and I remember her face looking surprised and then her saying that I was +4 and it was time to push! She could see your head and I hadn't even noticed! Epidurals are LIFE.

For the first time I began to feel nervous. This was it. The big moment. And I couldn't feel ANYTHING. No urge to push, no contractions, nothing. I didn't know how to push because I couldn't feel anything at all. Thankfully, Annette was able to tell me when the contractions were happening from the fetal monitor. After about 40 minutes of pushing you were still stuck in the birth canal and not moving. Annette went and got a mirror so I could see what was happening when I pushed so that I would be able to better move you. I said HELL NO. As far as I was concerned there was a reason my head was on one end and my hoohah was on the other!

She said it wasn't scary looking and would help us get you out safely so I reluctantly agreed. And it actually wasn't as scary as I thought it would be! And thanks to that swift thinking idea by Annette, at 7:34am I got to see you come into this world and it was seriously the coolest thing I've ever seen. Your daddy caught you and handed you to Annette so she could put you up on my chest. You were so warm and squiggly and I remember being surprised at how warm your little body was as I held you for the first time. You were so perfect. With so much dark hair, and a funny little squished face!

Holding you felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was like meeting a part of my own soul.

Tomorrow you turn 1, and I am so proud of the little person you are becoming. You have made every single second of the last 365 days wonderful.You are so sweet and loving. We never doubt how you are feeling or what you want because you are so strong and steadfast in your opinions. You are silly and funny and so much fun to be around! You make me laugh every single day. And your hugs and smiles make my world go around.

Being your mama is the thing I am most proud of in this life. I can't wait to see what this next year brings my love. Happy Birthday <3

Blogtober Day 8!

What are three lessons you have learned in the last year?

Narrowing this list down has been quite an adventure. The past year has been so incredibly full of important lessons and moments of clarity. I have days where I feel like I've got all of my ducks in a row, and I'm killing it as a mom, friend, wife, sister etc. And then there are other days where I never leave my house, and keeping the baby alive is the only goal of the day.

So honestly, the biggest lesson I have probably learned this year is; LET GO. Let go of all of the expectations that build up throughout the day about how you are supposed to be doing things. Let go of the self judgement and the feelings of not being good enough. Let go of the crippling need to control every little thing that happens (especially where the baby is concerned). Let go of the need to do everything myself so that it is 'done right'. Let go of the anxiety of doing things wrong for Ezmé. She will be fine if her routine is thrown off a little, or if she gags on a piece of food, or if we skip bath time once or twice. Just take a deep breath and let go a little.

The second important lesson I have learned this year is; ask for help when you need it. When we first brought Ezmé home I struggled horribly with anxiety and letting people come help me. Honestly, I didn't know how to ask for help because a lot of the time I didn't know what I needed. It was so overwhelming to realize that this tiny human was mine to raise and nurture and teach, that I could barely process what I needed to do outside of taking care of her. This anxiety made me hold on to controlling my environment to the point where I wouldn't ask anyone to help me do things because I needed them to be done a certain way. I've always been type A about the way things are cleaned and organized in my house, so this was a huge process for me, learning how to ask for help, allow the help to be given, and then to be okay with things being done differently than I would do them myself. Now, I'm finding it easier to ask for help because you start the realize that getting things done at all (like; laundry, dishes, cleaning the house, walking the dogs, going to the grocery store, everything) takes a damn village when you have a baby to take care of!

Thirdly, I have learned how important it is to appreciate and fully absorb each moment. Time goes so fast with babies. One minute they are a tiny little tree frog curled up on your chest, and the next minute they are crawling and laughing and playing. It is INSANE how easy it is to rush and miss these incredible moments, especially when you are multitasking which, let's be honest, we all do. The other day I was trying to get groceries out of the car and grab Ezmé, and get up all the stairs to our third floor apartment, when she put her head down on my shoulder and just snuggled in so tightly. You better believe I put down all of those bags in the middle of the parking lot, took off my backpack, and just gave her the biggest squeeze because I could tell she needed it and I did too. I'm trying to remember that I only have a certain amount of time to spend with her and love on her and make sure she knows that she is the most important thing in the world to me. I don't want her to think back and remember, my mom always kept the house spotless, or she brought all those groceries up in one go haha. All she cares about is spending time playing and reading and snuggling with her mama. And that is so important to remember. I read a quote today that said, 'you have a child forever, but you only have a baby for a year.'

Being grateful and in the moment is something that we all should focus on more. But I especially want to remember this lesson because the days may be long but the years are short, and I want to fill up my life with all of these little moments of happiness and love so that I can look back without regrets and know that I spent my time wisely enjoying my family.

What are the three most important lessons YOU have learned this year?

Blogtober Day 1

Welcome to #blogtober Day 1!
The topic for today is...
What is your main motivation in life??
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A broad answer to this question would be love. Love for my family. Love for my friends. Spreading love and kindness and just trying to make the world easier and more beautiful place to be a part of. Specifically, this tiny, miraculous human is my motivation. Because I want all of those things for her. I want Ezmé to grow up in a world that is kind, and peaceful, and compassionate for everyone. I want her to treat everyone with the respect and empathy that they deserve. I want her to understand that things aren’t always easy but that approaching life with a good outlook can make things better. I want her to know that she is fiercely loved and that she is perfect just the way she is. My motivation in life has completely been overtaken by this child because I want what all parents want; what’s best for their kid. There is a lot of ugliness in the world right now: school shootings, dirty politics, hate crimes, xenophobia, destruction of our planet. I want to raise a daughter who will strive to make these things better, because as much as I wish that she wouldn’t have to deal with these issues, her generation will be born into the middle of it. And I hope that they will rise to the occasion and fix the things that we couldn’t fix for them. 💙
#wherefeathersfall #motivation #journaling #awareness #babygirl #ezméluna #worldpeace #motherhoodrising #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged

Writing Prompts for #blogtober

Alright friends! It is October 1st, and that means it's the first day of #blogtober! Thank you so much for all of your topic suggestions, I am so excited to see what everyone has to say. In true fashion, I am a little late posting the list of prompts but without further ado here they are. Make sure to tag #wherefeathersfall and #blogtober when you participate so I can see your posts :)

Happy Writing!

1. What is your main motivation in life?

2. Who is your biggest inspiration, why?

3. What are five negative mindsets you could let go of?

4. Do you believe in spirit animals? What is yours?

5. What are your top 5 priorities in life?

6. What do you need more of in your life?

7. What is your biggest fear?

8. Three big lessons I've learned in the last year are...?

9. If you could have three wishes what would they be?

10. In what ways do you try to live a more sustainable life?

11. What do you think is the biggest issue the world faces?

12. What is the biggest challenge you currently face?

13. What is your best memory?

14. Which Hogwarts house would you be in? Why?

15. What book has had the biggest impact on you?

16. What are three things you said you'd never do as a parent? Have you done them?

17. One piece of advice you wish you could give your 18 year old self...

18. What is something positive in your life that you didn't have a year ago?

19. Where is your happy place?

20. Which fictional character do you relate to the most?

21. What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

22. When was the last time you did something for the FIRST time? What was it?

23. What do you consider to be your biggest achievement in life so far?

24. What are your top three goals for the next year?

25. What area of your life needs a little more attention?

26. What is the hardest part about motherhood? If you aren't a parent, what do you think it is?

27. Write a letter to your future self. 

28. How do you want to be remembered?

29. What three THINGS could you not live without?

30. Happiness is Homemade. What does this mean to you?

31. What is one thing you want to do daily for yourself?

Must Have Baby Items

Good morning!

The baby is FINALLY asleep for her morning nap after not sleeping well due to her cold, waking up at 5:00am, throwing a fit because she couldn't nurse since her nose was stuffy, and then finally pooping out from sheer exhaustion. Everything is fine (insert dog in flames meme). I have just poured myself a huge, holiday pour of wine, (I mean COFFEE!) Silly me, and realized that I have a bit of time to myself!

So, here I am at my computer going through all of the blog posts that I have backlogged in my head from the last 8 months...

One thing that I get asked a lot, as I'm sure every new mom can attest to, is what are your must have baby items if you're expecting? Now, this is a great question and I asked it myself, but I definitely realized through trial and error that the same thing doesn't always work for every baby. AND if it does work for your baby, don't hold your breath because it probably won't work next week.

However, with that in mind, here is a list of things that really helped us out when Ezmé was born:

1. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow: this thing saved my life because I don't care what anybody says, breastfeeding is hard and not intuitive at all. This pillow straps around your waist, has pockets for your phone and stuff, and is curved to fit baby perfectly. If you plan on breastfeeding, I highly recommend this pillow.

2. The Haakaa: again, another weird breastfeeding thing. Something they don't tell you about is that while you're nursing on one side, your other boob is going to leak like it's possessed and get all over the place. And let me just tell you, there is NOTHING more sad than wasted milk. This bad boy suctions on to your other side and collects the milk so that you can save it. Be beware because little crazy feet like to kick this thing off and it will go flying. Also, I always kept a mug or cup next to me to set the Haakaa in because it is weirdly top heavy. But other than that, totally awesome!

3. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine: this thing is a lifesaver. It has so many different settings for light color, sound, and timer. It also let's you set programs to run automatically from the app on your phone. I want to get another one for my room! And I'm pretty sure the newer model has a digital clock built in.

4. Dock-a-tot: we LOVED our dock! Some people have said they weren't a fan but it worked really well for us because we could put her in it and bring her wherever we were in the house. It basically works as a portable, light bassinet and co-sleeper. When Ezmé was first born we swaddled her, put her in the dockatot and then set that in the pack in play (on the tall setting)right next to the bed.

5. Some kind of swing...we used the Graco Simple Swing but ended up going through two of them because they kept breaking, no idea why. Ezmé LOVED this swing though. She napped in it for the first 5 months of her life, and it would calm her down whenever she was angsty. But I will say it has a huge footprint and I think there are probably better options out there.

6. Tula Explore Baby Carrier: I love this baby carrier. It is so comfortable and baby is flush up against you so there's no weird pressure points. This specific one also can hold newborns, babies, and toddlers; front facing, inward facing, and on your back. It is easy to adjust, easy to wash, and perfect for every day use. We took this bad boy to Bali and it was the only thing we needed for Ezmé.

7.  Spectra S1 Pump: this pump is rechargeable, light, and really easy to use. It holds its charge for a long time, and has held up really well through our travels and getting banged around. It's also easy to figure out the settings and order new parts when you need them. 

These are the big items that we actually used every day with our nugget. There are a bunch of small items that are super useful to have too like; swaddles, nail clippers, a thermometer, butt cream, baby shampoo, baby mittens, and a soother! All of these things are linked and I am attaching my public amazon list of Baby Must Haves if anyone wants to check out the full shebang.

Just remember that you will get a ton of advice as a new parent, but you know your baby better than anyone. So just keep trying different things and see what works best for you :)

Hope this helps!

BLOGTOBER

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time goes by. Since having Ezmé, it has flown by even faster and I find myself trying so hard to live in the moment because these little humans change and grow so quickly. Every day brings some new challenge or accomplishment for my little chunk!

It is also super easy as a new mom to get a little bit lost in the all consuming world that is caring and loving your new baby. I have definitely struggled with uniting the old and new me since having Ezmé, and one thing that has helped bring me back to a bit of old routine is writing and reading. Keeping my blog up has obviously fallen to the wayside in recent months, but the online community of mamas has played such an integral part in shaping my motherhood journey that it seems appropriate to try to put my journaling back onto the screen.

That is why I have decided to create Blogtober (is that already a thing??) ! 31 days of writing prompts and ideas. 31 blog posts that can be as long or short as you want them to be. If you don't have a blog, you can just write a Facebook or Instagram post! I hope this will help me get back into the swing of doing something for myself (writing) and encourage others to do the same.

I've been working on a list of writing prompts...but if there are any subjects or ideas that ring true to you, and you would like to take this journey with me, feel free to share!! On September 30th I will share the full list of writing prompts...

Let's take a couple of minutes out of the day to reflect and do something for ourselves <3

#motherhoodunplugged #thisgoesouttoallthebabymamas

Bali with Baby

Our first big trip with baby is officially in the books. Bali was absolutely amazing, and surprisingly baby friendly. We couldn’t believe how easy it was to travel with the nugget. Of course, taking trips with a baby adds a bit of extra chaos but as long as you are prepared to change plans at the last second and go with the flow, it is totally doable. James and I actually joked that traveling with Ezmé forced us to slow down and live more in the moment which was a nice change for two people who love to do EVERYTHING when we travel. The biggest tip I have for you if you are planning a trip with a kiddo is: RESPECT THE NAP. We quickly realized that as long as you make time to be somewhere quiet and calm for nap times, baby will be in an overall great mood. It also makes putting them down for the night easier as they won’t be overtired.

Since we were in Bali when Ezmé was 4.5 months old, we discovered that her morning nap was non-negotiable. We would get up early (7:30-8:30) and drive the scooter into Canggu for brunch and make sure we were back to our home base in time for her snooze around 10 or 11. Then we would lounge by the Airbnb pool for an hour or so until she woke up. This allowed us to break the day up into two excursions. Most afternoons we would bike into town and relax on the beach until dinnertime. James even got to go surfing a couple of times and I got to lay out and relax in the sun.

We were super impressed with Canggu so spent almost our whole trip exploring, shopping, and eating our way through the town. Each cafe we went to had wonderful coffee, the restaurants had beautiful & delicious food with TONS of veggie options, and the boutique shopping was to die for (especially for two large Americans who have been living in Japan for a year). I'll leave a list of our favorites at the end of the post!

Two of the days however, we decided to throw caution to the wind and forego nap time in order to get out and explore a bit more of the island. One day we hired a wonderful driver for the day to take us on a tour of some of the lesser known temples and landmarks. We even got to take place in a buddhist blessing which was a fun experience. Driving through the countryside was also quite a treat (when Ezmé wasn't losing her shit) because we got to see all of the lush greenery outside the town limits. She did a decent job napping in the car as we drove from place to place but I was glad we got home by six in order to put her down for the night because she was definitely done sitting in a car. Also, as far as cars are concerned, we chose not to bring a car seat and simply held her the whole time. When we were on the motorbike, I rode behind James and wore her (we went like 15 mph, and saw other parents doing the same so please, no comments about child safety, in this part of the world everyone rides on a scooter and is fine.)

Another day we drove into Ubud for the day to see the Monkey Forest. It was well worth the drive even though we only stayed for a couple of hours and then headed home. Ubud was really touristy, but we still enjoyed it and would love to go back and explore a bit more. It had an almost mountain-y feel to it.

Overall, I'm really pleased that we chose Bali as our first post baby trip. The large differentiation of travelers, locals, and expats provided a very diverse cultural experience that we loved. The scenery, food, and shopping was great. And we enjoyed the slow, beachy pace of life there. We definitely feel like we only scratched the surface and plan on returning to Bali for at least one more trip before heading back to America!

So, if you have a small baby and feel like travel is out of the question, don't write it off just yet. Is it different than traveling alone? Yes. Are some things harder than before? Duh. But, your life doesn't have to stop after having a kid, and the sooner you get them used to traveling, the better they will be at it! So rip the band aid off and go for it!

Final Thoughts...

Favorite Restaurants:
The Betelnut Cafe (recommended by The Luxe Travelers)
The Lawn (swanky but still kid friendly)
Milk & Madu (super kid friendly with amazing coffee and food)
Parachute (they had chickens and a huge garden out back to explore)
Old Mans (great mahi burger, and right next to the beach)

Extra Tips:
Bring a stroller...we chose not to and got pretty tired of carrying/wearing the nugget
Bring a baby carrier...this was absolutely clutch for riding a motorbike, exploring temples etc
Bring a water bottle that you can refill and chug it all day
Liquor is expensive so be prepared for that
Grab (the car app) doesn't work everywhere, and sometimes taxis are few and far between
Make sure your Airbnb has baby amenities (we forgot to make sure it had a tub...)
Plan around baby's nap time/ bed time
Always bring extra diapers and a change of clothes in case of blow outs #yikes

Happy traveling!

l i t t l e t e a c h e r s

today my sweet baby Dillon is six months old! it has been amazing nannying for him for the last 4 months in addition to the rest of my kiddos. there is something really special about spending so much time with children. i feel like it helps to keep things in perspective, especially when you're having a bad day. it is so easy to let yourself fall into a funk for silly reasons like; having to get up early, having car trouble, paying your taxes as an independent contractor cough cough. but it is equally easy to sit down, take a deep breath, and think about how much worse it could be and how easy it is to turn your day around. 

these tiny stresses don't mean a damn thing to a 6 month old, or a four year old, or even a ten year old. they are worried about things like sharing, and which book to read, and why these creepy crawly inch worms are everywhere this time of year?? (but really, whats up with these worms??) to us, adults, these things probably sound silly. but when you really think about it, which is sillier? being upset because you had to wake up early and hang out with kids outside, or being upset because you are a tiny person learning how to navigate this huge world and share your favorite toy? 

its also so easy to make these little people happy! if you take the time to sit down and ask them why they are upset, and explain how to make it better, most of time these kids can pull it together and do a complete 180. i want to be more like that. the vast majority of the time i am a super happy and optimistic person. but everyone gets into a funk now and then, and when that happens to me i think about how lucky i am to get to spend my days teaching and learning in this ridiculously cool give-and-take with my kiddos. 

some people may look down on being a nanny as a career choice, especially when i have been in the position to take over a very lucrative family real estate business. but money isn't everything, and being happy with what you do as a career is hard to come by these days. i probably won't be a nanny forever, as a millennial i find the idea of having one career boring. i have so many things that i want to do with my life! i want to go to grad school, write a book, get certified to teach yoga, travel a million different places, learn to cook! every day i think of something new that i want to accomplish in my life. and i honestly think a lot of that can be credited to hanging out with these amazing little people all day. their worlds are so full of possibility and unlimited choices, and i think that we lose that when we grow up but we don't have to!

so, on this cloudy disgusting wednesday, as i sit here waiting for my sweet baby nugget to wake up from his nap, i am reminded that every day is what you make it and there are no limits to what you can do with a bit of creativity, a positive outlook, and an unwavering sense of adventure :)

t a s t e o f s u m m e r

the past couple of days have been absolutely beautiful! warm bright sunshine, clear blue skies...i even heard crickets the other evening! baby D and i spent the day walking around durham, hanging out on east campus, and soaking up this amazing sun. needless to say, my motivation to get those last couple of boxes packed up has been lacking. 

I've been really slacking on keeping up with the blog recently too because, although i haven't packed random things like dishes yet, i did manage to get a little over-exuberant and pack up the modem for my internet. typical. so I've been mooching on my neighbors wifi by standing in weird places and trying to follow the signal. hopefully no one has been watching in my windows because I'm sure i look like a complete nut job. also typical. 

luckily, today is my last day of work for this week so i will be able to focus these last two days before the move. it is bittersweet though because i won't see my sweet little chunk for two whole weeks since i will be in florida getting our new place situated. but it will be amazing to finally see james and start building this next phase of our life together. it also doesn't hurt that the weather is already hot and awesome in florida. i can't wait to check out the beaches and explore the area.

I've also set up several great job interviews for this trip to pensacola and hopefully i will find something that works out. since i will be maintaining my real estate license in north carolina, i figured i would just try to find a great nannying gig to keep me busy and make some extra money. who wouldn't want to run around the beach with kids all day? sounds pretty great to me!

on a less fun but still exciting note, tomorrow evening my dad and i are going to pick up the moving truck and take it to get weighed before we begin the harrowing task of filling it up with all of our junk. I'm praying that the rain holds off so we can move everything without having to deal with inclement weather but you know what they say...when it rains it pours. 

guess we will just see how this plays out! I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst so how bad can it be?

c o c o n u t o i l t i m e

another gorgeous day! sunshine, birds chirping, people out and about. sweet baby D and i have already looped the wall twice, run up to whole foods for some groceries, picked up some boxes from the smitten kittens, and made lunch. now its time to relax (or in Dillons case, nap) and sit outside on the porch. 

its crazy how much more motivated i am to do things when its nice outside. although i would love to be sitting on a beach with a HUGE umbrella drink right now...

anyway, the season changes are always especially difficult for my skin. i've tried different over the counter meds, prescription lotions, you name it. thankfully my skin has never been that bad, but getting these random breakouts drives me crazy! so, I've decided to take matters into my own hands and do this the all natural way.

today i made my very first essential oil & coconut oil moisturizer. I've been researching what to do for a few days now and figured i would go ahead and give it a whirl! coconut oil is an amazing little    ingredient. it can be ingested, applied topically, used in cooking, and is good for your hair, skin, nails and all around health. 

the essential oils i chose to include were; frankincense (anti-aging), tea tree oil (breakouts), lavender (inflammation), lemon (dark spots) and sweet orange (dewy glow...and it smells amazing). i prefer my oils to be more diluted than most people so i only added 3 drops of each to my coconut oil, mixed it up, and put it in a four ounce container. since coconut oil is one of the thicker base oils, i plan on using this mainly as a night cream.

can't wait to try it out tonight!

s p r i n g a i r

as i type this post, i am sitting outside on the screen porch, sipping lemon water and relaxing while baby D snoozes in his rocker. it is seventy degrees, a little bit overcast, but not too humid yet. i can see the storm clouds rolling in but the sky still has patches of blue for now. i love this kind of weather. the only thing missing is the sound of the cicadas in the trees and the ADF drums echoing across campus. these are the sounds that i identify with summer in durham. everyone is out walking around, riding bikes, throwing frisbees for their dogs. its just too nice to be inside!

this morning we went for along walk around the east campus wall, up to ninth street and back. its easy to go a little stir crazy when you take care of a baby all day, so when the weather is nice we take full advantage of being outside for as long as possible. 

we even stopped by my house so i could open all of the windows to let the breeze in. there is truly nothing better than being able to sleep with your windows open, and it looks like the rest of this week will be the perfect temperature to turn the heat off and get some fresh air into my home. with all of the boxes everywhere and nothing on the walls, it was beginning to feel a little depressing in there...but nothing a little spring breeze can't fix!

i t a l k t o d o g s

i'm no stranger to having full blown discussions with animals, but i did just look at my dog copper and say, 'let's watch a documentary, i'm feeling a little stupid today.' it was weird.

the only reason i tell you this is in order to explain how i came to be watching a super strange documentary on The Druids. its not a particularly good documentary and the historical evidence is somewhat lacking, but I'm so content on my couch right now that it would be impossible to get up and turn it off.

my Young Living starter kit came in the mail today, so i am diffusing a wonderful blend of sweet orange and lavender right now. its smells amazing and has made my whole house feel fresher and cleaner. not to mention it is 9:30 pm here and still about 65 degrees outside. all of my windows are open, a cool breeze is blowing, and i have a huge holiday pour of pinot in my hand. not too shabby, if i do say so myself. 

since the weather today was so gorgeous, baby D and i spent the day swinging on the porch, going on a long walk, and playing outside. i wish this was a sign that winter was over, but the forecast for tomorrow is rainy and cold...this crazy north carolina weather is on a roll this year. 

not much has happened on the packing front yet. this weekend will definitely need to be a productive one since i will only have two weeks to get everything packed up and ready to go, but how hard can that be? i will buy the boxes and slowly chuck things into them for the next 14 days! easy peasy! and with my handy dandy diffuser, everything will be stress free and smell amazing the whole time ;)

t h a w

it was so hard to wake up this morning knowing that it was only 17 degrees outside and soooo snuggly warm in my bed. but this little nugget can't babysit himself! luckily we were able to sit by the fire and read books all morning to stay warm. we put the 'chill jazz' station on and sipped on peppermint tea (or a bottle in Dillon's case...) and relaxed. however, i was beginning to get cabin fever with all of this cold weather! a girl can only sit inside and do nothing for so long. we decided to brave the cold and go for a walk to our favorite cafe for a little mid-day snack and some fresh air. our faces almost froze off but it was a beautiful, clear day and definitely worth the momentary cold shock. not to mention, little dude has the warmest snowsuit known to mankind! they should make those in adult sizes...