I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Baby & Kid

Dear Hunter @ 6 Months

 

Dear Hunter,

Half a year with you!!

I still can’t believe that 6 months has already sped by.

You make every day so wonderful.

I’m in awe of your bubbly personality. You hardly fuss as you are just content with with held, being on the floor, playing with toys, or with Autumn. Plus, you make everyone really happy with your smiles and giggles. Your smiles are like yawns, they are contagious.

You have mastered sitting up. It’s amazing to see you sitting up and looking around, taking the world in. You really like to watch Autumn and the dogs. Besides just being able to balance you are able to be on your back or belly and twist and turn to pop yourself up to sit up. Sometimes you pause while doing it, and you look so suave as you are sprawled out on your side, minus the come hither look. ha!

You are so close to crawling too.  that it is just a matter of days. You spin and roll around on the floor, meandering around as you wiggle this way and that, but you are really going to take off very soon.

There has been so much progress this month from you sitting up well, almost crawling, getting better and better (and more eager) at eating food, and finally having a few weeks not being sick from that awful cough… amazing, wonderful, bliss…

I can’t even begin to imagine what the next month holds, besides getting to celebrate your first Christmas, but I can’t wait for it.

Love,

Mommy

 

Happy Birthday Autumn @ 4 years old

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I simply snapped this picture while you were waiting for Poppy to come over for your birthday to give you your presents, but it’s a new favorite.

It shows off your personality perfectly.

You are eagerly waiting for presents, because you have zero chill. Yet, you still look cool and fun. I think it captures your free spirit.  You won’t let us do your hair but you need to have sunnies around at all times for style and for the sun that bothers your eyes. The TV sometimes bothers them too, so it’s cute seeing you wear them in the house when you first get up.

I think you barely go a day without wearing something related to Disney, but it’s just so cute how you love the princesses just as much as you love Mickey and the Roadster Racers. But we don’t tell Disney Jr how you are also in love with Paw Patrol and Shimmer and Shine. shhhh, your secret is safe with me!

You are insanely smart. You easily identity colors, shapes, letters, colors, animals, and so much more. You are quick to point things out, and eager to continue to learn more and more.

However, you do not enjoy playing by yourself. You would be happy to watch youtube or TV allllll day if we let you (we do not!) but the moment the TV is off you are like “but who is gonna play with me?!?!” Dare we suggest that you color by yourself or create some play-doh masterpiece by yourself. HOW DARE WE?!?!? You think its much better that we draw something super complicated like Sophia the First with her horse and rabbit with the sun shinning that you immediately color in vs using the very coloring book that you want us to replicate.

I love how caring you are with Hunter. You are a wonderful big sister. It’s so fun to watch you with him. I know that you will continue to do a great job of holding him, helping him get toys, and helping me out with him. We just need to work on you not being so loud around him, or me.

There are moments when my frustration with you is ripping my head up when you are not patient or really, really loud, but those moments pass quickly as you have me quickly cracking up with some exaggerated expression or response to me. I know I should take you seriously when you roll my eyes at me, but it’s the cutest thing ever. Omg, when you nail being sarcastic… perfect!

I keep catching myself seeing you in the future, like in the picture above. There are these moments when you are looking so mature and I see you 10 years in the future and it breaks my heart and excites me at the same time. I don’t love how fast.

I am looking forward to everything this next year brings.

I love you so much!

Love,

Mom

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Currently…

you love “teacher beans”, carrots in chicken soup, but not the chicken, Doritos, making smoothies with me, rice, pasta, hot dogs, waffles, peas, corn, coconut water, and any excuse for “sessert” even when I tell you we don’t have dessert every day, it’s a special thing. You don’t like sharing food. We can play around pretending to steal your food until you don’t think it’s funny anymore and are like “cool it guys, it’s MINE!!!!!!”

symnastics (gymnastics) is your favorite thing. classes on Tuesday night make your week. You can do headstands against the wall with little effort. Your cartwheel needs a lot of work, but we can’t tell you that. At least your enthusiasm is 110%

You battle us at bedtime. You really shouldn’t be napping so long during the day, but it is what it is since you are at daycare, since it makes bedtime a struggle when you aren’t too tired, but need to bed to have enough sleep. And you sneak into our bed most nights, esp. since Hunter was born.

You weigh about 29 pounds. You generally wear 3T with some 2T and 4T in the mix as well.

Owl is still your favorite stuffed animal, but not the original owl since his eyes got beat up in the washer/dryer and you do NOT like them. You won’t let us wash this owl so I keep spraying it with monster spray (night time essential oils) to keep it smelling fresh. Also, I hope the oils will mellow you out at night too

“What did you say?” you say that in the cuuuuutest way when you missed what we said. It’s kinda excited and confused and all just one word at the same time.

You are not a cuddlier. Well, only when you know we will kick you out of our bed and then you want to cuddle. sneaky! And you still don’t like covers either.

Dear Hunter @ 5 months

November 2017

Dear Hunter,

Or maybe I should call you Alfalfa! You have 1 long dark hair that stands up in the middle of your head. We smooth it down but it tends to pop back up again. The rest of your hair is much finer, and is more slowly coming in, while this single strand of hair has a mind of its own. It’s really barely noticeable so I don’t cut it, plus I’m sorta interested in how long it will actually get.

You have 99% gotten better from being sick. It just took 4 doctors visits and a 10 course with a nebulizer, but you so rarely cough now that I am calling it a win.

Even while you were sick you were a champ, everyone at daycare said that you were still so happy and smiley. I get to hear great reports of you playing around, being happy, and even starting to hold your bottle on your own now.

You have mastered rolling over. As soon as we lay you down you twist yourself over and push up to see what is going on, and then you can just as quickly flip back over onto your back. I only wish you wouldn’t do that while I was changing your diaper. It’s like trying to change a gator while in a death roll. I usually give up flipping you onto your back and put the diaper on your which ever way you let me while you are on your side or stomach.

Sleep has been rough since you were sick. You get up multiple times at night still, which is okay except that prior to getting sick you were only up 1x, maybe 2x. There were even nights when you would sleep through. Now I just bring you right into bed and you snuggle up next to me while nursing. You are back to sleep a few minutes later, as am I, but we probably should try to get you back to sleep without that being the routine. It would make things easier for me in some ways (I’d probably still need to get up just to pump then), but I sorta just love it at the same time. It’s so nice getting to snuggle with you.

I’m still so much in awe of your chill personality. You are so relaxed and happy. You do get talkative and loud at times, but you are still so happy when you are loudly blabbering and shreaking away.

Can we please slow down time though? I can’t believe that you will be eating foods and sitting up soon. And then crawling… omg. I can’t handle it all speeding by!

I love you.

Love,

Mommy

PS. SORRY Autumn keeps grabbing your head and hugging you. She loves you, she really does, but it’s not a gentle love. I know you will get back at her soon enough!

 

 

Dear Hunter @ 4 Months

October 2017

Dear Hunter,

Oh, what a month!

This month was brought to you by the letter S. S FOR STORM AND SICK!!!

First Hurricane Irma hit and then our house was hit with a stupid cold that gave you the deepest saddest cough ever. But you’re a champ and we have powered through it all.

While you won’t remember your first Hurricane I gotta say that you did amazingly well for it all. Thankfully you don’t understand weather forecasts on the news or you probably would have been crazy stressed about the track that was coming right for us. The week before was stressful and tiring for Dad and me. We had so much work to do to prepare for it from getting supplies, moving things around and putting up hurricane shutters. I even went out and picked you up an exersaucer thinking it would help keep you entertained as we dealt with things after the storm, possibly without power.

Autumn understood we kept yalking about a big storm buy didn’t understand what it really meant, she was just excited about us cleaning out the closet under the stairs for us to stay in the night it hit. Slumber party time!!!

Thankfully the track of the Hurricane shifted further east than originally planned so we lucked out. And as the wind dies down I meantally checked off that you had your first Hurricane over and done with.

Soon after, you experienced your first cold. Unfortunately, as I write this, you are still coughing from it. It’s the cough that will never end!

Autumn got sick, then you, then me, then Dad. You even went to the Dr twice. They cleared you of RSV, but later said you had the croup virus,but not full fledged croup. My poor muffin.

So you had been sleeping really well and then it all got flipped upside down because of you being sick. We are still working on things at night but more often than not you are up 2 or 3 times. I really try go get you settled back in the back and play next to the bed but there are some nights when I hold you to keep you propped up or just because I’m so tired I doze off again. And then there are the nights I just bring you right into bed to nurse. You are so accustomed to that now that once you are in/on bed you twist and turn to get into position, even if I’m not laying down with you.

I absolutely love to snuggle with you. But, you do get pretty sweaty, even with the A.C. blasted (making me super cold!) and light clothing on. You’re just going to have to get used to this Florida heat one day!

I am looking forward to you getting better and seeing what the next month holds for you.

Love,

Mommy

 

Dear Hunter @ 3 Months

Dear Hunter,

It already seems like you have always been a part of our family. And yet its only been 3 months. I couldn’t imagine our family without you now.

You are such a great baby. You are so happy and smiley. The only real time when you get upset is when you are very hungry or tired and are struggling to relax to go to sleep, but in either case, those crying spells are short.

You have rolled over a few times to avoid doing tummy time. It’s not your favorite thing to do, so you were quite sure that you needed to get out of it so getting yourself to roll over was your mission. Even then, you didn’t fuss too much about and just figured out how to shorten it. Besides rolling over from your stomach to your back, you and rolled over from your back to your front a few times by twisting your body around, getting on your side, and giving a good flop. And then of course you are on your belly! Ha!

You have just discovered your hand and how awesome it is jammed into your mouth, or how great my hand is in there. I’m thinking that you will be teething before we know it. Stop growing up so fast!!

Autumn loves you so much, and loves to show her affection to you, but I apologize as she is really rough. But I think you will be able to pay her back for those loving hand and leg squeezes when you get older. I want her that pretty soon you ar going to be as big as her. It is hilarious to us how different you guys are in size. One day the little brother will be the bigger protector.

Two big things have happened this month! Your first trip to Disney and your first hurricane. Thankfully, the trip to Disney was a lot more fun than the prep for Hurricane Irma. You did fantastic through both experiences. Our little rockstar!!

I’m not happy going back to work and leaving you at daycare. You have done a great job so far and the teachers love you, which is great, but reality really hard to hear. I want to be spending my day with you, and your loud mouth sister, not stuck in an office. But there is a trade off for everything so at least you are doing well at daycare.

We just take things one day at a time savoring things with you and your sister from feedings to baths together. I am looking forward that the next month has ahead for us, but of course I don’t want it to come either as time just keeps speeding by.

I love you.

Love,

Mom

Dear Hunter @ 2 months

Dear Hunter,

Ah, my sweet little man. I love you so much. You are just such a joy to everyone in our family. Even the dogs enjoy a little snuggle with you.

I have really been cherishing my time home with you. Spending every day with you is so wonderful. I get so bummed out when I noticed it’s 3 in the afternoon. How did the day speed by so quickly?!? I hate how days are just gone in an instant.

At least my days with you are filled with cuddles. I love getting to hold you while you nurse or while you take a quick nap.

You are a great sleeper, unlike your sister, but we won’t rub it in her face. You are only getting up once a night now. It is wonderful. And you even do a pretty decent job of fall asleep on your own. You fuss a bit but generally just fall sleep, at least for a quick nap.

I haven’t taken too many naps since you are such a good sleeper, but every now and then I take one and you are generally on my chest or in my arms. So perfect.

We can’t believe how much you and your sister look alike, but are still so different. You are my chunky monkey! At this age you have about 5+ pounds than she was at the same age. It’s nuts to me that she was in newborn clothes for 3 months and you are going to quickly grow out of the 0-3 months stuff, probably before you are you 3 months old.

You nurse really well, which makes everything much easier than

The best developments this month are your smiles and coos. You smile so much when we talk to you or give you light tickles. The coos come every now and then and they crack me up as they have such personality behind them. You put some gusto behind them.

I am looking forward to seeing everything you learn next month. And seeing much more chunky my chunk monkey can get. ha!

Love,

Mommy

 

 

 

A new dress does wonders

Three and a half is tough guys. Really Tough.

There are the moments when Autumn is a shining ball of happy of happiness and then the moments she yells at you because it took you an extra 2 seconds to get a new Shimmer and Shine or Paw Patrol on. The scowls will cut right through you too.

And God forbid she is hungry. She gets HANGRY mighty quickly.

While our brains are still in a fog we need to be prepped to get a cup of cheerios and a cup of water with ice right away once we have made it downstairs in the morning. I am constantly reminding her that we have to do one thing at the time and I can’t get the TV, get the cheerios, and water all at once. She is starting to get that since Doc McStuffins only helps 1 patient at a time. But she is not a morning person so waiting can be tough.

 

Now that Hunter is here, she is having to wait more for things and we have our hands full with him. Sometimes I think she really struggles with it, and  him around, other times she is on board with helping for him, singing to him, or giving him kisses. She tells him she loves him so much all the time. HEART BURST!!

Thankfully, the sourpuss moments are outweighed by the incredibly sweet heart tugging moments. The ones that make you stop in your tracks and put you at piece when she is doing something kind or funny or silly.

Like when we received a beautiful dress from Dot Dot Smile recently. We opened up the package and I explained to her that it was a new dress for her and she said ‘Ohhh it’s so beautiful! Thank You Thank You Thank You Mommy!!!”. She then squirreled it away in her dresser under some pajamas and it took me 3 days to find it, tearing the house apart in the process.

I think that the 2 of us getting out of the house for a fun outing in the afternoon and then this little photoshoot was just what we needed to wind down the weekend.

We headed to the park right next to our house to run around and play before bed. It’s a great way to burn off some extra energy.

There was lots of running, twirling, and jumping in her new dress. She loved how well it twirled around her. Like a princess!

Watching her twirl, roll around, and jump while singing and telling me stories was the  best. It was a great little break from the rush of getting the dishes done or getting more clothes folded. Those to do lists will always be there, but sometimes we just need to completely blow them off for 20 minutes in the park with the ones we love.

I am thankful for moments like this when we just get to take some time to reconnect and goof around together.

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Dot Dot Smile is an American made clothing company that creates adorable dresses. They are run similarly to LuLaRoe, with sales through consultants. You can join this FB group run by Samantha for print updates, flash sales to get fun twirly dresses like this for the littles in your life.

BEEHAPPY10 is a 10% off promo code valid through 9/24/2017. *These offers cannot be combined with any other promotion or sale.

Thanks Samantha for this fun dress. #ad

Autumn is wearing a size 2. She is 28 1/2 pounds, 38″ tall

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Also…

https://giphy.com/embed/f4hOL8JLNooRqvia GIPHY

Dear Hunter @ 1 month

Dear Hunter,

This first month has blown by so quickly.

I am going to think that every month, every milestone, every year that passes by. It will all feel that it is speeding by too quickly.

The first month has been a breeze. You are a happy baby that only squawks when you are really hungry and I am bugging you changing you first. You wake up happy and you are happy just hanging out during the day too. Even bed time is a breeze

You are growing so quickly. It’s hilarious to compare your sister at this age with you since you have several pounds on her. I think you are going to outgrow her quickly. The little brother will be a ‘big’ brother. You are such a chunky monkey! I give your sweet little rolls kisses all day.

Dad had 2 weeks off from work which I cherished. I think it was really beneficial for each of us. It was wonderful for him to get to spend lots of time with you. And it was really helpful for me to have the support. Plus, getting to see him snuggle with you so much was just so perfect.

Overall the first month has been a relative breeze. You hardly cry, and even if you do it’s like a little roar when you do. You sleep well getting up twice a night. You are holding your head up well, even tolerating tummy time. You are growing so much since you are eating really well too.

While losing sleep at night it hard, the hardest part this past month was nursing for me, it was quite painful, but you did really well so I couldn’t complain too much as the overall process was fairly easy. The latching was painful, but after a few minutes it was fine. It took about 3 weeks for that to end and now things are great and I am looking forward to continuing to breastfeed you.

Overall, I am just looking forward to watching you grow and learn as you get older. It’s all so amazing.

Love,

Mommy

Crazy for Cookies and Frosting!

Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market

On Sunday, after a very lovely post nap meltdown, Autumn and I headed into Boston to go to the KITCHEN at Boston Public Market to decorate some cookies.

Thankfully, cookies make everyone happy so my grumpy kid perked up with the fun afternoon activity.

And the sugar.

Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market_01

I have been a big fan of Boston Public Market since it opened this summer, so when I saw that their education event and cooking center, the KITCHEN, was  having a cookie decorating event I knew that I’d have to bring Autumn. Plus, you can’t beat it for $1 a cookie!

The KITCHEN, programmed by The Trustees, is a space attached to the market that provides a variety of classes, events, and programming to help teach people everything from sourcing our food, healthy eating, urban gardening, and baking cakes. They offer these classes at a variety of pricing from free events to fun date night options for $90 a couple. Awesome!!

Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market_02

Autumn quickly embraced her sunglass wearing cookie decorating (& frosting eating).

She dove into all the different options for decorations. It was so fun to watch her strategize how she would decorate the cookies. Spoonful of frosting here, some gummies there, and a lot of sprinkles all over the place. She was also great at giving me direction to help her out by putting things ‘aqui!’ in her polite little voice.

Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market_03

There was a large selection of different colors of royal icing, candies, and sprinkles. It was perfect for kids (and adults!).

They also had salt dough ornaments to decorate too. We just stuck with the sugar cookies, but Autumn liked carrying around the ornaments while dancing to the music. She even tried to get a ride in the decorative sled.

Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market_04

Also, when did my little girl get so big?!?!

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I admire Autumn’s strategy for getting all those excess sprinkles off her fingers. She certainly did it with with enthusiasm.

 Decorating Cookies_Boston Public Market_07

And that is some perfect cookies right there.

We are already are planning on going again while my mom is visiting before Christmas since it’s such a fun activity for kids of all ages. Plus, holiday music, yule log on the TV, fresh farm milk, and cookies will get everyone into the holiday spirit.

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the KITCHEN at Boston Public Market is hosting more cookie decorating at their Cozy Kitchen Cookie Sundays on the 13th and 20th from 2-5pm. Cookies and salt dough ornaments cost $1 each.

On the 20th, they are also decorating gingerbread houses as part of their Taste of the Season Series Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts from 12-2pm. This event is free!

Dear Autumn @ 24 Months

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-01

November, 2015

Dear Autumn,

Happy Birthday my love!!!

I can’t believe that you are 2 years old! It’s crazy to think that 2 years have already passed by so quickly since you changed our lives for the better. So much better.

I feel that I am constantly missing things or missing you as you are growing up so quickly, learning so quickly, doing everything quickly. I want to keep you my baby forever.

I don’t want to forget the day to day moments of you asking for things like ‘Mickey Birthday Waffles’ or ‘leche’ or ‘Minnie Big’ to ask for specifics like Mickey Mouse shaped waffles or your milk or you big Minnie that you got from GG for Halloween. You are very polite when you ask for things by saying ‘Pweas’ and ‘Tank yous’ very softly.

Your playfulness and creativity is contagious. It’s fun to see you play on your own or with us. You are still loving Mickey and his gang, but now will tolerate some Paw Patrol every now and then. We have discovered that you like play-doh, coloring with markers, and building with blocks with Daddy. You request so many books to read to you at night before bed, often dragging out our bed time routine by another 10-15 minutes. Sneaky!

You have a very fierce temper and get frustrated easily. I feel so bad that there are times that you loose control of your emotions and can’t take the time to figure something out, accept our help, or accept when we say ‘no’. But I get it, I do. That is when I see myself in you since I also can get very easily fustrated. I try to explain to you what to do or why we are saying ‘no’ to help you figure it out and work through your emotions. Sometimes you can calm down in 2 seconds or sometimes it’s 20 minutes. It’s a work in progress as we are diving into those ‘terrible two’s’.

Kisses and cuddles from you are few and far between, so when we get them we savor them up. And often take adventage of the situtaion and smother you in kisses. There is just something so sweet about your open mouth kisses that you plant on my face or mouth before you go right back to what you were doing or run away playfully.

There are moments that I always want to treasure, like when you help make your favorite ‘smoonies’ or when you always respond with ‘2’ when we ask you how many there are of something, but moments I want to quickly forget, like when weI kick me in the face when I am changing your diaper. Thankfully, those rough moments are really truly few and far between!

I love you for you and who you are going to be. I love you for what you have me and what you have made Daddy. We will always love you.

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-02

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-05

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-03 Dear Autumn at 24 Months-04

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-06

Dear Autumn at 24 Months-07

The Terrible Two’s/This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Autumn at Chilis_151120

I’ve had a long week.

In I feel like I keep saying that to myself a lot lately. But this week was rough with work travel and a deadline today. Like, Monday was a 12 hour work day and then on Wednesday and Thursday I did my normal 8.30-3.30 work day, and then went back to work after Price got home to work until after 12am, just to get home and go to bed at 1am to get up just a few hours later. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

And Price is gone this weekend too. It’s good and bad since I can do things my own way without having to think about coordinating with him (I’m selfish like that) but then I got it all on my own.

Anyway, I wanted to celebrate surviving the week with my little Autumn. I schemed up going out to dinner with her so it would be a fun thing for us, as it’s been a while and we usually have a fun time coloring, playing around, and eating our dinners. Plus, I wouldn’t have to cook.

We headed over to our local Chili’s directly from daycare. We missed the typical Friday night dinner crush so I figured we would carry this good luck into our dinner. I was wrong.

She did well while we waited for our appetizer (Table Side Guac- I highly recommend it), but then things started to go downhill. She liked the chips but refused to touch the guac, although she eats it quite often. She played around on the seat and colored a bit but then she decided it was time to leave. And when she has it in her mind that she wants to leave where ever she is, she lets you know it. She repeatedly whined and shreaked “MOMMY GO!” while trying to drag me out of the restaurant.

She was that child, I was that Mom.

I really tried to defuse the situation with the novelty of chocolate milk, which she had never had before. Nope. Mommy Go! Here, let’s take pictures and send to Daddy! Go Mommy Go! Let’s have a rational conversation about our yummy dinners that are about to come out. MOMMMMMMY!! GOOOOO!!!!! How about we do some more coloring with the crayons. NO. Mommy Go! Go!!!!

So that is why I quickly dumped our dinners in to go containers the moment they were set down in front of us. We headed home and I admitted defeat to the week.

In summary, the terrible two’s have begun. And, this is why we can’t have nice things.

PS-  I was mature about the situation as well so that after Autumn went down to bed I spiked the rest of her chocolate milk to enjoy while watching Grey’s while laying on the sofa and lazy pointer finger typed this silly little post.