The Red-Eye

Emmett and I are taking the red-eye to Georgia tonight, and I'm only just a little bit terrified. Here's the plan (what I have so far):

I'll put him to bed, as always, by 7. Once he's down, I'll finish packing our carry-on bag, get everything packed into the car, and take a few deep breaths. A little before 10, once everything else is ready to go, I'll turn off all the lights in the house, sneak in to Emmett's room, and oh-so-gently pick him up and carry him down to the car, white noise in hand. I want to avoid waking him at all costs, but I'm not sure if it's possible.

We'll drive to the airport, hopefully with Emmett sleeping soundly in the back seat. Once we're there, Ray will unload the car, pack the carseat up into a travel bag (ahem, black trash bag) so we can check it, and I will do my best to get Emmett into the ERGO I borrowed from Corinna. The ERGO is black, so I'm hoping that if he's still sleeping, the head cover will block out most of the light as we walk through the airport. I'll have to take him out for security, so he's bound to wake up then, but after that it's back in the ERGO, and a little discreet nursing will hopefully help him back to sleep.

Because it's an overnight flight, I'm hoping the airport will be relatively quiet, and the plane mostly empty. I'd love a full row to spread out in. I plan to only bring the necessities:

• Stroller
• Diapers
• Wipes
• A few easy changes of clothes
• A couple pairs of slip-on shoes in case he wants to walk
• Books
• Snacks
• A new toy and a new book
• A pillow, a blanket for me, and a couple of blankets for Emmett
• White noise via our Kindle Fire
• Chargers for the Kindle and my iPhone

I want to carry as little as possible with us, as I'll certainly have my hands full with Emmett. The stroller will help to lug the diaper bag, and if he tolerates it, the ERGO should be a lifesaver. I plan to dress him in warm pajamas, and have a pair of slip-on shoes handy in case he wakes up and wants to roam.

We have to change planes at 6:30 a.m. Georgia time, 3:30 a.m. AZ time. That should be interesting. I plan on using my boob to keep him asleep/drowsy/in the ERGO. We have about an hour layover in Charlotte, then it's a short flight to Savannah where we arrive at 8:30 (5:30 AZ time). It's going to be a long night. I don't sleep well (read: at all) on planes, but I'll be able to nap to my heart's content once we arrive in Savannah. Emmett has always slept pretty much the entire flight when we've travelled in the past, but he's so much older now, so we'll just have to see.

Do y'all have any last minute advice for me? I'm trying to be really thoughtful and deliberate about the things I bring with us on the flight. Do you think my list is complete? Am I bringing too much, or too little? I'd appreciate any help you can give me!

Freshly Picked WINNER!!

Our Freshly Picked Giveaway is now closed! Thanks so much to everyone who entered here and on Instagram! I had so much fun looking through all of the IG pics that you posted, and loved reading all of your comments! Freshly Picked has the sweetest fans!

A BIG thank you also to Susan and Jodi at Freshly Picked!

So let's get down to business, shall we??

In order to chose a winner, I assigned each entry a number based on the time of your entry. I started with the very first comment here on the blog (#1), then the first re-post on Instagram (#2), and kept going in as-close-to-chronological order as possible!

I used the True Random Number Generator to choose a number randomly:

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:12Powered by RANDOM.ORG
So who is lucky number 12?? Are you dying to know?

The winner is.......

Here is the winning entry, from Instagram:

Congrats Corinna! Based on the sheer volume (and obvious enthusiasm) of your entries, I know you were dying to win!

Freshly Picked Moccasins Review

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but we LOVE Freshly Picked moccasins. Like, we really love them. We've featured them on the blog a few times here, here, and here. My mom bought our first pair for Emmett a few weeks ago, and we've never seen his little feet look so cute!

These are the Weathered Brown Genuine Leather moccs. These are sold out at the moment. 

So when Freshly Picked sent us a pair of their insanely cute, super-coveted moccs to review on the blog, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! We chose to review the Cobalt Suede Limited Edition Moccasins in a size 4.

Here they are on Emmett's feet:

Poor teething boy- those pouty lips are so sad!

The team at Freshly Picked hand-makes each pair of moccs to order, so they tell you to allow at least 10 business days for your moccs to be made before they ship. I received a shipping notification in my inbox 9 business days after we ordered, so they shipped right on time. They arrived about 4 days later, packaged in the cutest drawstring bag, complete with a little Freshly Picked logo button!
I forgot to take a picture when our Cobalt Suede pair arrived, but here is a photo of the Weathered Brown pair with the packaging:

So Cute. By the way, we ordered a size 3 in the Weathered Brown pair, but when they arrived, they were just a bit too small. They fit okay, but I knew he would grow out of them in no time so we really needed a size 4. I emailed Jodi at the Freshly Picked shop about an exchange, and she was so sweet about it! Because the moccs are made to order, they do not allow refunds, but they are happy to do exchanges. So, I sent back the 3's and received a size 4 in the mail less than a week later. Thank goodness!

There are so many things that I love about the Cobalt Suede moccs. First off, they are the cutest, most stylish baby shoes I've ever seen. I'm slightly obsessed with how cute Emmett's little calves and ankles look sticking out of them. It's almost too much. The color is so deep and striking, and the bright blue goes with so many of Emmett's clothes. They have hidden elastic around the opening of the shoe that makes them super easy to put on and take off, which is really rare with baby shoes! Big plus.

I love that they are soft-soled, so they don't bother Emmett when he's crawling around the house and learning to stand and walk. Ray doesn't like the idea of thick-soled shoes on his feet as he's learning to walk, but I really want him to wear shoes when we're outside. It's so hot here in AZ, so without shoes I wouldn't be able to let his little feet touch the ground. So, the soft, flexible leather is really perfect for us.

They are also surprisingly breathable. The leather is thin enough that it isn't constricting on his little feet, and there are vents on each side (another feature that makes them easy to get on and off) that allow air in to cool his feet. I assumed the leather might be too hot for Summer here, but they really aren't too hot at all.

The leather used to make both the Weathered Brown and the Cobalt Suede seems super durable, which is so important for babies. Emmett is a wild man who loves to destroy just about everything, and these seem Emmett-proof! I can tell they will last a long time, which is good because at $60 a pair I want to be able to pass them on to Emmett's future siblings.

I really only have a couple of criticisms of the Cobalt Suede moccs. First, and this is a really small one, it can be kinda hard to tell which shoe goes on which foot. There is a difference between the right and left shoe, but it's pretty slight. I can figure it out pretty quickly, but it would be nice if it was an instant thing that I don't have to think about when we're running out the door.

The other con that I've noticed is that the suede acts like a feather duster when Emmett's crawling around the floor in them. They pick up lots of dirt and dust, but it's not a big deal because it's really easy to clean them off. It takes a quick wipe with a dry cloth and then they're good as new. This isn't a problem at all with the leather Weathered Brown pair- they stay pretty clean.

We've had our moccs for about 3 weeks now, and they're holding up pretty well. The little tassels around the ankle curl up more and more as he wears them, which makes them even cuter, if that's possible! This is what they look like today:

Gah those shoes are cute!

Birthday Party Pinspiration

Emmett's first birthday is coming up, and I'm really starting to get excited about planning his little birthday party! I've been thinking about his party for some time now, but I haven't done much actual planning yet. I've been dreaming of balloons for days, a Pin-worthy dessert table, and the cutest baby boy with cake on his face and all in his hair. 

Obviously, when I need a little theme-spiration, I go straight to Pinterest. So, here are of few of my ideas!

I love this little elephant cake! I'm kind of obsessed with Elephants, so we have a collection of elephant stuffed animals and little elephant prints in his room. So.. maybe jungle themed? Or vintage circus?

I'm not sure where the party will be yet, but if we have to be outside, these super cute (and easy!) hanging forts will provide a little shade for the littles!

If we stick with the elephant/jungle/circus theme, animal crackers are super cute as snacks for the kiddos. Maybe we'll give them out as favors in bags like these:

These would be pretty easy to make using burlap bags and a cute animal stamp. I'm all about easy crafts! 

I'm not this good, but I do have a certain sister who loves to bake so..... Lucia, how much do you love your nephew..? Or maybe I'll hit up the girl who made me these cookies for my bachelorette party? Rachel..?

Now that's a little "craft" that I can do! This would be so fun as a centerpiece. 

And now, balloons, for days:

So many ways to decorate with ballons. Aaaand I might use all of them..

I love the idea of a little crown for Emmett's party hat, and this one is SO CUTE. I'm trying to throw this party on the cheap, so I might try to make a little crown for him.

I've got a lot of work to do, but oh my gosh it's so much fun! Can't believe my little boy is almost one!

All photos on this post are from Pinterest. Check out my 1st Birthday board for more birthday ideas!

Dear Emmett: Almost 11 Months

Dear Emmett boy,

You'll be 11 months old on Saturday! I can't believe it- one more month until you're a whole year old! I try not to think about that too much because I don't think I'm ready. You're getting big, baby boy.

You're doing so many things that I love right now! You chase the dog around the house, dying laughing whenever you catch up to him. You love to drive him crazy. You have a little dump truck that you "drive" around the house- you stuff it full of all your toys and Wubbanubs and push it all over the place running behind it. I can't believe how fast you move! You love to be chased by us and crack up whenever you realize we're following behind you.

You LOVE to swim! Your Aunt Lulu takes you swimming almost every afternoon, and your favorite thing is to lay on your belly in her arms kicking and splashing. Being in the water with you is so much fun! Bath time every night is your second favorite thing, after swimming. I give you your bath each night, and I love to put my feet in the water and play with you until you get all wrinkly and tired out.

You're eating like crazy- anything and everything we eat. You huff and puff and fuss when you see anyone eat anything until we share a bite with you. Your favorite food is meat. Any meat. When there is meat on your plate, you eat it all first before touching your veggies or fruit. Can't blame you for that!

You still love to nurse, maybe more than ever, and I love spending that time with you first thing in the morning and in the evenings after work. (And 2-4 times in the night...) Whenever you want to nurse you pull on my shirt now and fuss and make silly noises until I feed you. I think it's probably time for us to wean you, but I don't think either of us are quite ready.

You still love sitting in your little chair in your room. Every time we're in your room you crawl over to your chair and slap it until we pick you up and sit you down. Then you smile your funny little closed-mouth smile and say "yaaaaaaaay" in an almost whisper. It's pretty awesome. You dangle your little legs over the edges and then reach for us to pull you back down to the floor so we can do it all over again. We don't mind though, since it makes you so happy.

You love stuffed animals. Your mom has been collecting funny little stuffed animals since before you were born, and we've been taking a new one out every week or so to introduce you to. You're always a little shy at first, but after a couple of minutes you grab your animal and give them a big bite/kiss on the nose, and then you're fast friends. I'm not sure why, but every time you pick up one of your animals you smile a huge smile and bite/kiss them right on the nose. We love it.

A couple of weeks ago you discovered the doggy door. You are a brave boy, so you crawled right through it onto the patio without any hesitation! You scared your Aunt Lucia half to death, but we all thought it was pretty funny anyway. We're locking it now so you don't disappear outside when we're not looking!

You're repeating a few sounds and even learning a few "words" lately! You say "uhoh" when you drop or throw something on the ground, which is about 3,000 times a day. You say "dada" all day, but you've been saying it whenever your dad comes into the room or smiles at you, so I really think you know it means daddy. Your Mim taught you to say "up" whenever you climb up our legs and want us to pick you up, which we think is pretty smart and awesome! You say mamamamama a lot, but you've only said it to me a few times so I don't think you've got that one down just yet. I can't wait to hear you really talking, telling me about your day and letting me into that perfect little mind of yours. Oh my gosh it makes me so happy to think about that!

Your dad and I think you'll be standing on your own and then walking in no time! You still crawl around, but you prefer to be on your hands and feet than on your knees, and you'd much rather be walking around the table or couch or anything else you can hold on to. You've started to let go and stand by yourself for a few seconds at a time, but you always catch yourself and drop to your bum when you realize what you're doing. We love to watch you learn and grow so much.

Your mom is still your favorite, thank God. You love your dad and your Aunt Lulu and everyone else in our family, but you prefer your mom all the time. You always want me to hold you, and smile and wave now whenever I walk into the room. It makes my heart swell! You're such a sweet boy.

You make your mom and dad so happy Emmett boy. You're amazing and smart and funny and cute! We wouldn't change a single thing (except your sleep habits!) about you. We think you're perfect!

I love you Emmett, more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the whole history of the world. I'm so happy I get to be your mama!

You love crawling around in the grass lately!

The other day I got up early with you and headed to the park.
We shared some fruit for breakfast in the grass and played on the swings for a while.
It was so special and fun!

Those teeeeeeth!

Visiting your mama at work- always makes my day so much better!

Catch Up: iPhone Edition {2}

The last few weeks, according to my iPhone:

Emmett's 10 month photo was pretty difficult to catch. He's not a fan of sitting still for photos these days, and this day in particular he just wasn't having it. So, looking at the window with frog Wubbanub in mouth it is... We took that photo the morning we left for San Diego.

We left the babe in the care of my wonderful mama, and headed to California for a friend's wedding.

Our three tallest friends came along, so of course we made them squeeze into the backseat.

Here we are outside the church where our friends got married. Ray was a groomsman in the wedding, so we were lucky enough to be invited to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I love wedding rehearsals! The excitement and anticipation are palpable, and everyone is in such a happy mood. So fun!

The next day we had lunch at Stone Brewery (so awesome), and then spent the afternoon at our friend's parents house. The views from their home are so beautiful. We LOVE to visit them whenever we're in San Diego. 

Here I am at the wedding reception, pumping in the very public bathroom.. Luckily everyone was busy on the dance floor, so I was only interrupted once. Hashtag mom lyfe.

Emmett has a happy place, right there on his little chair. He LOVES to sit on that chair y'all. He smiles so big every time, and says "yaaaaaaay" in an almost whisper. It's the cutest thing he does right now!

He refuses to wear this hat most of the time, but whenever I can sneak it on, I giggle like crazy at those little ears sticking out. 

Here we are at Ikea last weekend. We planned to "run in" to grab some shelves, but of course we were there forever. Emmett was barely holding on by the time we checked out, so we had to get creative to keep him entertained. Those teeth! They slay me.

This is a terrible fuzzy photo, but I love it so much! I snuck in to check on Emmett the other night after he was sleeping, and I found his little feet sticking out of his crib. Those feet are my favorite!

I posted that photo of Emmett above on my Instagram last week. His two bottom teeth were cutting through so we had a tough couple of weeks. He was mostly happy during the day, but refused to nap or sleep at night. He was up 5 or 6 times each night crying out for me, so I spent most of my nights in his room holding him and trying to comfort him back to sleep. We were tired y'all. The above photo of me is a selfie I sent to my sister on a particularly difficult morning. I know, I'm real cute when I'm bone-tired and hating on everything.

Have y'all seen the new A Beautiful Mess app for the iPhone? It's so much fun! I like the filters in this app so much better than the Instagram filters, and there are endless borders, doodles, and phrases to add to your photos. I could (and have!) play with it for hours. The photo above and the next two are all made with the A Beautiful Mess app.

Emmett's first pair of Freshly Picked moccasins arrived over the weekend, and we're just as smitten as we knew we would be. So cute.

Enjoying a cool-ish day over the weekend. It's so hot these days, we hardly spend any time outside in the afternoons. 

I managed to catch Emmett with his hat on in this one. He hates to wear it, but it's soooo cute!

 

I call that look Emmett's teething perma-duckface. His poor little gums have been so swollen that his lips stick out all the time. It's cute but I'm ready for his mouth to stop hurting him!

A Better Day

Today was so much better y'all. (You know, in case you were wondering.)

Emmett was all smiles and hugs when we came home tonight, and he took a couple of long naps today, so we're hoping we might actually get some sleep tonight! His little tooth finally broke through the gum today, so I think the worst is over (crossing all my fingers!). He's so cute with teeth- I sort of can't even handle it.

We got the sweetest little package in the mail today from Freshly Picked, thanks to my mama:

These shoes are seriously the cutest things ever. Seeing his little feet in them makes my mama heart happy!

So, all in all, it was a good day, and things are looking up.

P.S.

Stay tuned for a big giveaway coming soon! Hint. hint...!