Sweet Caroline

Every once in a while, I wish my blog had a LARGE following so I could get feedback. I'm not one of these that likes to take my questions to facebook and it can be hard/time consuming to get a bunch of different opinions on something. Sometimes, I just wish I could publish a post and have 50 different opinions/advice on a topic. But, yeah...that's not going to happen and really I'm okay with it. I mean, who really wants to look at a million pictures of my child every day? Besides me, of course! I know I can do research, but sometimes you feel like you know your readers, and some of you I really do know...and trust their opinions. Take this seat for example. Is it safe? Would y'all use it? Some reviews say they are dangerous...I don't know?? I would never leave her unattended, so does it really matter?  Collins doesn't really like to sit in the tub right now..she is constantly up and down, wanting to pull up on the side and it is so dangerous and I...

So, we weren't really sure how well this whole "costume" thing was going to go over this year.... Exhibit A) I ordered a little mouse costume off of amazon and had HIGH hopes.  It was advertised as 6-12 months, but it was clearly labeled 12 months.  Well, let's just say HUGE was an understatement.  It looked like a toddler's costume on her!  And needless to say, she wasn't a big fan the first time we tried it on..... Well, thank goodness for a quick $5 fix at my favorite alteration place!  I forgot to take the hat portion, but we just pinned it some for the real thing.  We took the hands out completely, girl loves her thumb, so I wanted her to have access if necessary;-) So, I had my first creative Pinterest idea come to life. (Sorry if that is misleading..it wasn't MY idea, an idea I saw on pinterest and COPIED...sorry, no creative genes here!)  I sent the picture to my dad and he was SUPER excited to make a little mouse trap for our precious...

Friday already? I'm not going to complain, but goodness...this week FLEW by. Just like that we are preparing for a SPOOKTACULAR weekend...muahahahahha!  Seriously though. We have lots of Halloweenery on the agenda. 1. Can we talk about decorating for Halloween?? Do you do it?  I guess because I didn't grow up in a neighborhood my mom never really felt the need/got into decorating for Halloween.  Sure, we carved our pumpkins and such...but our "decorating" was more FALL oriented.  NOT ghosts and goblins, oh my!  Well...let's just say our house is OUT of the loop in our neighborhood.  It seems as if almost EVERYONE decorates for HALLOWEEN.  And when I say decorate, I mean...orange lights, scary cats, ghosts, hands sticking up out of the yard, spider webs...you get the picture.  Like, FULL out spooky shit.  My little pumpkins, mums, and hay just seem a little too "sweet" for the big night.  Our neighborhood is LOADED with kids though,...

We had a family weekend in Beaufort a few weekends back (that Mikey didn't get to come to because of work...but that will NEVER be a problem again as he just got a NEW job!! YAY!)...anyways we decided to take the kids to the pumpkin patch downtown. It's funny how events like this *for babies anyways* are so much more for the parents than the kids! I'm sure little C couldn't have cared less about being there, but I HAD TO GET PICTURES OF HER IN A PUMPKIN PATCH!!!! HA:) Serves me right that she wouldn't give us ONE smile the whole time. To her defense, she was suffering from her first ear infection and didn't feel that great...poor little boo. It was a GORGEOUS fall day in Beaufort...and if by fall, you mean 80 degrees...the mamas might have been a little over dressed for the warm weather, but gah....when I finally get ready for FALL, bring it on! Belle at least enjoyed her time there, she is the best big sister/cousin...she LOVES the babies. Thos...

As I mentioned previously, Colls and I had TWO visits to the SC State Fair recently. She LOVED it.  I gained another 5 pounds.  And life goes on...  ;-) Her first fair ride...and well, her first ride ever.  Look how happy she was! She didn't quite know what to think about the animals. Happy girl! This picture just cracks me up.  I think she's thinking "Hey! What's the hold up?" so excited. Round two with Lolly. So my mom gave her ice cream for the first time and she LOVED it.  Seriously. It's not like she was getting that much but we kept letting her lick it.  Look at her here...lovin' it. And this is what happened when it was all gone!  HILARIOUS! Another mindless picture dump, another day:) xoxo.

Eight months old: October 17. Emotionally, it's getting a little harder for me to write these posts.  I mean, I would bet you a million dollars that February was only 3 or 4 months ago, not EIGHT!  WHAT?!? Only four more months and I will have a ONE year old?  I do LOVE each stage though and this one is lots of fun!!  Collins is into EVERYTHING!  They call her Miss Nosy at daycare:-)  But, seriously...she's constantly on the go, crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything.  She likes to stand on top of her toys when she plays with them.  It's too cute.  She's getting better and better each day standing and I'm sure before I want it to happen, she will be cruising around furniture walking.  *sob moment* She has recently started to try waving and is really "talking" more. She still sleeps like a dream...she literally loves her crib.  Each night when we put her in there we play peek a boo with her for about five minutes and she g...

1.  I've been to the SC State Fair TWICE this week.  Ouch.  You know what that means?  TOOOOO MANY CALORIES CONSUMED.  ehhhh...what the hell!?!  Mikey and I took Collins on her first trip on Sunday afternoon/evening.   We mainly just walked around and had dinner and people watched.  Mikey and I love to do this.  A lot of people don't like the fair, but I totally LOVE it.  There is something so nostalgic about it for me, yes...even amongst the dirt, grime, grease, and 99% white t/redneck trash that you encounter.  I especially LOVE it at night. On Sunday, we left before it got dark...but Collins did get to participate in her FIRST fair ride ever.  She rode the carousel and had a BALL.  She was cracking up.  That'll be a whole other post for another day once I download all the pics.  Then, last night...my mom and I took Collins one more time.  My mom is where I get my love of the fair...and pronto pups (...

Well, we did it.  We are making the switch to an in home nanny starting November 1.  (Not in our home, in hers)  I wasn't completely happy at the church where she is now and started putting some feelers out.  This lady has come HIGHLY recommended by several people and has been keeping kids for 30 years.  She only has one other baby full time and three kids that are there part time.  I don't know how long we will keep her there...because I 100% want her in a school/day care type setting when she gets to be around 2, but for now I think I am going to be MUCH happier.  She is described as the loving grandma...all the kids have their own room for naps...HALLELUIAH!  This has been one of the major problems for me at the church...little C doesn't nap good there...so when we get to play with her at night she is fussy sometimes because she is tired.  Those nights are too precious to me as that is the only time I have with her during the day...I need ...

As I mentioned before, I had a birthday recently. Here's my picture recap of celebrating: Beaufort weekend with best friends.  Please ignore my husband's inappropriate shirt, *if you can read it*.  You would only understand if you were from South Carolina.  GO COCKS! Tailgate spread. Beautiful friends. Intense game watching. The future Tuttle's. ;-) Happy Birthday to me!  My friends are the BEST.  Cupcakes one night and a cake the other!  Here's to my LAST year before 30! This is what we do.  Don't judge. My friends are definitely cooler than yours. Go cocks! Pretty ladies. It sure was a fantastic weekend, sad we didn't get a group picture...what has happened to us? After the weekend, it was time for a family celebration.  My mama's birthday is two days after mine, so the whole family gathered at my brother's house to celebrate.  My sweet boo has been boycotting smiling for the camera lately...for real, w...