Back to Reality

I'm back from a fabulous vacation with my mom and sister, and I'm not going to lie. I miss seeing this everyday:

But, then again, this is pretty amazing too:

Bubble Wrap...

...It's not just for packing.

Something shiny that makes a loud noise...what's not for a little boy to love?!

{Hope For the Home}

I'm guest posting on my friend Erin's blog, Worthy of the Prize, today! Come check out my installment in her series, Hope for the Home. It may look a little familiar if you read my blog often, but come check it out anyway. The series will have some great ideas for moms and families in coming months so stay tuned!

One Cool Dude

Getting Ready to Go

I'm getting ready to leave for a Girls Extravaganza with my mom and sister. We're going to live it up in the Caribbean, and I am super excited. But I'm also pretty nervous. Because Max is not invited. And while I am leaving him in very capable hands, it can be hard to leave someone who you hang out with pretty much 24 hours a day. Plus he's pretty small and cute.

Like I said, I know Mike is more than capable. However, combine the fact that I usually run Max's life with my crazy, and you get...well...

Lists

And schedules...

And bags of food with more lists...

(Yes, I made food bags. I made a menu for each day, and then I put everything that didn't need to be in the fridge in a bag with the menu. That way meal time is as easy as possible!)

And labels...

And more labels.

In defense of my crazy, Mike asked for it. He is all about me doing as much as I can to help him out ahead of time! I'm not going to tell you that there are more labels and baskets around the house, because that would make me look crazier. But you can imagine.

Max doesn't normally go to Mother's Day Out, but he will next week. What better way to arrive at MDO in style than with elephant bags? I just think they are so so cute!

Teepee Time

Thanks for my teepee Mimi!

Label Love

I have a problem. I am addicted to baskets. I love how they can make a space look instantly organized, and they can hide some pretty big messes. (Like toys. Okay... and crafting stuff).

In an effort to keep our house organized, the baskets are pretty much taking over my life. So, it was time to take action. And how do you fight basket chaos? Labels of course.

The top row of the toy shelves came first. Doesn't everybody have a basket for puppets??
Some cute digital scrapbook paper, Scotch Laminating Pockets, and ribbon did the trick.

Labels make me so so happy. Yes, I know I have issues.

Six baskets down...lots and lots to go.

Life's a Musical

This guy loves music. He has to dance anytime he hears music, and if he hears anyone singing a line of a song he knows he asks to hear it on my iPhone immediately. We may be creating a musical monster, but watching him break it down today in the middle of the shoe store was the funniest thing I've ever seen.

I bought these headphones a few months back for our last plane ride, and Max wanted nothing to do with them. But then his daddy got a pair for Christmas. And if daddy wears headphones, Max wears headphones.

Adoption Update

If you read our blog often, you may have seen the note in the sidebar about beginning the adoption of our second child in the fall of 2011. Well, as you know, fall 2011 has come and gone with no word on the adoption front. The reason for this is two-fold.

1. When we first went "inactive" with our adoption agency, we were given until Max turned 18 months old to get back into the process. At the time, we thought we would want no more than a year. But then we had a baby. And guess what? It's kind of hard. Fabulous and wonderful...but hard, too. Not only that, but Max just still seemed so little! Once we become eligible to adopt again, it could happen really quickly (it could also take a long time). So...we were definitely going back and forth on what to do.

2. Then, it became clear this fall that my dad wasn't doing very well. With Max and I spending so much time in Texas with family, the decision was pretty much made for us. We would wait the full 18 months.

So, this week we made the call to get the ball rolling on the adoption of our second child! Although we are still inactive until March when Max turns 18 months old, we have lots of paperwork and things to get done in the next couple of months. We would appreciate your prayers as we prepare to become a family of four!

Fun Time with Max

Max turned 16 months old today. Goodness gracious. This is such a fun time, but it's what I consider a very "in between" time when it comes to a lot of activities. He's too old to just hang out on a blanket and play with some toys, but he's too young to bust out the coloring books and fingerpaints. Not that he wouldn't enjoy those things. We're just struggling with the whole "crafting materials aren't food" thing.

I have been searching (Pinterest) for younger toddler activities, and when I saw an idea about sticking pipe cleaners through a colander it sounded like fun. And after I realized he was having a ton of fun with his straw and milk box I thought it may be time to try it. Unfortunately, my colander had long slits instead of holes. Too hard for little fingers.

BUT. The laundry basket was sitting right there, so I grabbed it, turned it upside down, and we had a ton of fun putting the pipe cleaners through the holes. I ended up cutting them in half to make them go through easier. Now every time he sees the laundry basket he thinks it's playtime! It's a very simple activity, but it's something different for these long winter days. And I mean long.

I have lots of other activities I've seen and want to try, so I'll let you know how they go!

Card Love

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Pinterest? Yes? I thought so. There are just so many good ideas on there. Ideas that make you think, of course! Why didn't I think of that??

I have had piles of Christmas cards tucked in a drawer for a few years, and when I saw this

Source: allendesigns.typepad.com via Amanda on Pinterest

it was definitely an "aha" moment. (Oh yes I did). I finally got around to putting my 2011 cards together today, and I added one of these

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

from the ladies at eighteen25. It took me a hot forever to punch all those holes, but I think it turned out pretty fun! Seriously...I love Pinterest.

PS: Mike saw a super idea on the CentriKid blog about saving your Christmas cards and praying for a family from one of your cards each day. These books would be a great way to organize and keep up with this!

Christmas

Our Christmas started on the evening of the 25th when Mike arrived back in Texas from Mississippi. We headed over to his family's house, and it didn't take long for Max to get the present opening underway. He had had a little instruction from my cousin's kids earlier in the week, so he was ready to go. He would open a present, look at it, and then toss it aside and start going after the next one. At one point, he got so excited that he would finish opening one and sign "more" right away. Not exactly admirable behavior for an adult gift opener, but it was pretty funny on a 15-month-old!

By the time we got to my family's house to open presents on the 27th, Max was an old pro. Every time he ripped a piece of paper off the present he would yell, "HIYAH!" I'm not exactly sure where he learned that one, but it was hysterical. Our own little Christmas Ninja.

Too Cool for School