Spring Fashion Week - Day 3

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland (aka: snow all over the ground). Now everyone knows you can't be mad about snow! I was instantly transformed into a giddy child, standing at the window trying to get Connor to look at the snow...he was more interested in the picture frame sitting on the window ledge. Oh well, I tried. And I am more concerned about my recently planted flowers that are now hidden by the snow. I hope they don't die from this weather. Poor little guys!

But, back to spring fashion week. What I am wearing today is a very typical "me" outfit...easy, comfortable, warm and everything washes! Here is me today:

This is the reason I don't take pictures of myself in mirrors!


A close up of my most favorite scarf ever.

Scarf: Got from a street vendor in Prague
Shirt: Primark
Jeans: Topshop (these are my favorite jeans)
Shoes: Once again, my wellies from the Office make an appearance. This time I am wearing two pairs of socks under them as it is rather chilly today.

And a little Mr. Connor all bundled up:

Does it not look like he is blowing a kiss in this picture?!?


Look at those eyes!

Outfit: Gap

Spring Fashion Week - Day 2

With a winter storm raging outside my house and Connor and I having to go out in that storm, once again, I don't have much of a spring style to show.

Here is the thermometer at my house at 11am...26 degrees:

Here is my outfit (from my view):



Scarf: Primark
Shirt: Topshop
Tank: Nursing tank from H&M
Jeans: Citizens
Shoes: Wellies from the Office


Jacket: Thrifted

And Connor's outfit:


Bib: Don't know, no tag
Onesie: Old Navy
Pants: Disney


Snowsuit: Old Navy

Connor and I are volunteering at a charity shop for our church this afternoon. Being that we moved here when I was on maternity leave, I have been attempting to make friends and get myself out there...hence, volunteering at the charity shop. But, we've got to bundle up warm for the trip to the shop and the shop probably won't be very warm either. But, I am imagining some nice, warm coffee in my belly and that makes it all okay!

Spring Fashion Week - Day 1

A blog I follow, Moms are for Everyone, is sponsoring "Spring fashion week". I decided to take part in it. Basically how it works is every day for a week I will post a picture of myself on here for all to see what I am wearing. I know this won't interest most of you out there, but I am sure my parents will at least like to see a picture of me every day!

A few things about my style...I used to have some, honest. I have an extensive collection of heels in my closet to prove it. But, somewhere along the way, I moved to a colder climate with cobblestone streets...a beautiful place to live, but harder to be fashionably dressed. Then I had a baby and I nurse him...thus all my tops must be stretchy and provide easy access. Also, the little man spits up all the time, so everything must be washable...he already spit up on me twice before I could even take a picture! And, I walk a couple miles a day (my only mode of transportation while the husband is at work is my feet), so comfortable shoes are a must. Oh, and it is supposed to snow this week...not exactly the spring weather I was hoping for!

All that being said, here is me today:

Scarf: Bought at a garage sale
Shirt: From college (I only graduated 6 years ago!)
Tank: Nursing tank from H&M
Jeans: Seven's
Shoes: Husband's UGGs...comfortable and easy to wear around the house

And here is cutie boy Connor:

Bib: Carters
Onesie: Old Navy
Overalls: Oshkosh
Shoes: UGG

I Need an Explanation

One of life's greatest mysteries to me is this...

Why do I run out of shampoo and conditioner at different times? I use both every day and use about the same amount of both. Ian has his own, so I know this problem is only due to me. I need an explanation! Is it because one is denser and the other fluffier? It just bugs me. Part of the reason it bugs me is that the stores over here always put them on special if you buy more then one. I then end up with odd backlogs of one or the other. I almost want to be SO ANAL that I measure out each one every day just to see if there really is the same amount in each bottle. I know I won't do this though, as it is hard enough for me to bath every day, so adding on top of that measuring my soaps, it would probably send me over the edge into the never bathing territory and that just isn't a good place for me...people then don't want to be my friend!

I then think to myself, life must not be all that bad if this is the type of thing I worry about! And I consider that a good thing.

Three Reasons for Crazy

Today, inappropriately dressed for the weather, I went for a mile and a half long walk in the rain. Why, you ask. Let me tell you the three reasons for my insanity:

1. Against my better judgment (rain, and feeding Connor) a dress was calling my name today. In my defense, it is long sleeved! And, I wore wellies with it...which I am SURE was stunning!

2. All day long yesterday, I wanted a Caramel Macchiato. But, it was raining, so I didn't go get one. Today, I couldn't pass up the urge.

3. And the biggest reason I left the house today...Connor wouldn't stop crying and I knew if I took him on a walk, he would stop. As always, it worked like a charm.

With a warm drink in my belly and a sleeping baby, I think it was all worth it!

Food for Thought

I like cooking, though that doesn't mean I am good at cooking. I am one of those people that isn't the best at following detailed directions. Thus, I am not great at following recipes. They just get so complicated, have so many ingredients that I have never heard of and don't get me started on all the measuring! So really, I use recipes as my inspiration. I then take them and do whatever the heck I want!

Enter my dinner creation last night...shepherds pie. I watched a friend make it a few weeks back and figured I could conquer it. And conquer it I did! It turned out scrumptious. Let me tell you what I did...

Ingredients (remember, I don't measure anything):
ground beef
yellow onion
mushrooms
red wine
carrots
potatoes
tons of cheese

Directions:
Cooked ground beef, yellow onions and mushrooms together. Then added some red wine toward the end. Cooked the carrots and potatoes separate from each other, then mashed both. Then I put the beef layer in a pan, carrots went next, then the potatoes and cheese on top. I threw it in the oven until the cheese was crispy and...voila...shepherds pie!

I know it isn't much of a looker, but it sure was tasty...though I do think anything with crispy cheese on top is delicious!

What is Life?

Just some light, fluffy content to start off your week!

Yesterday at church, they were talking about living a good life, and that got me thinking...

In general "we" rate our lives by the big events that take place. Growing up, all we can think about is the next big event...

Starting school
Summer
Turning 13
Getting your driver's permit
Turning 16
Turning 18
Graduating
Moving out of the house
Turning 21
Getting married

But, at some point along the way it has occurred to me, though the big events in life are important, what is more important is how we live every day in between those big events. And I would go a step further. I would beg to say that at the end of life, it won't matter how many missions trips we have been on, how much money we have given to various causes and how "Christian" we seemed if our home life was in shambles. If we have burnt all our bridges and don't have any real friends or family that loves us, I don't think our life was worth while.

I haven't always understood this. Up until recently, I was living my life trying to figure out how I will be remembered. I don't want to be forgotten in two generations. I want people to remember who I am, who I was. Now, I realize, that will happen, just not how I planned. My name may not go down in history for something, but I am a link...a link to the future. In my son, I am instilling values. In turn he will pass those on to the generation after and so on. I may not know the names of my family in the generations before me, but I do know they got me where I am today. They lived, made decisions and moved. Because of those decisions I was born an American and raised a Christian (though that part came from my parents).

I realize that if I can get even one person to believe in God, my life will have been worth living. It isn't about the big things I do with my life. It is about the day to day stuff. How I act at work (well, not exactly work right now), what I speak out of my mouth, how I treat my husband, how I treat my child.

At the end of my life, what will matter is how hard I loved.

How hard I loved God
How hard I loved my family
How hard I loved my friends
How hard I loved this world (I mean the people)

My prayer is that as I live my life...living the daily grind...that somehow thru it all, I will have been a witness to others. That somehow I will have helped others along the way. And in the end, I will be surrounded by those I have loved.

Late-Onset Colic

Honestly, I think health care professionals make up half the diagnosis' they give! Okay, not really...BUT, I am finding "late onset colic" a bit of a stretch. So, now for the back story...

The last couple weeks Connor just hasn't been himself. Think of hours a day spent screaming and almost nothing will stop it. It really gets exhausting. So, at the doctor's office on Friday, I decided to mention it. Their diagnosis...late onset colic. We have another appointment on Monday with a doctor to check Connor's meds and make sure it isn't anything else. When I asked what exactly colic was, I was told it was crying due to really bad gas. The gas part would certainly make sense. Anyone who has been around this boy for any length of time knows he has some incredible gas...they even commented about the amount of gas he has when they did an ultrasound on his abdomen back in December. They were surprised to hear he was breast-fed, given the gas bubbles inside his belly.

So, here's the thing. With a little googling under my belt, I found that all colic is, is the name for unexplained crying. I also found that when found in older children, generally it isn't colic. So, my question is...does Connor just have late-onset crazy crying or is something bothering him so much that he feels the need to cry?

Maybe he just realized that he is stuck with me for the rest of my life!

Wordless Wednesday

Ian will probably never let me go to the store again after I came home with this yesterday. It was just so adorable (and made me laugh) that I couldn't resist it!

Please Don't...

...stare at me with that disgusting look when my child spits up all over. It's not like I wanted him to spit up all over me, the chair and the floor. Plus, I cleaned it up myself.

...give me a weird look when I am running down the road with a screaming baby. I don't know why he won't stop screaming and I am trying to get home as quickly as possible!

...judge me when every time you see me I am wearing the exact same t-shirt and jeans. Having time for laundry has become a luxury!

...scrunch your nose in disgust at me when I am changing my kid's poopy diaper. It is going to get worse when he starts eating solids. And, if you don't want to smell it, don't hang out in the baby crying room!

...roll your eyes when you realize, once again, all I have to talk about is my baby boy. It is what I do with myself all day, every day. (Though I am starting to make friends...one is coming over for lunch on Friday!)

4 Months

My baby is 4 months old today! It is true what they say...it goes by so freaking fast! Obviously he is still a baby, but not the same little guy I gave birth to 4 months ago. Oh and what is the deal with when you are pregnant, every month lasts FOREVER, but once the baby is out, the time FLIES?!?

Weight: 12lbs, 8oz

Length: 24.5 inches

Accomplishments:
(and some of these are ones only a mother could appreciate!)
Laughing all the time now
Actively playing with his toys
Rolls over so much, he never stays on his stomach
Rubs his eyes when tired
Looks at himself in the mirror and smiles
Talks (well, babbles) all the time
Following people around the room with his eyes

Almost 2 weeks back in Scotland and we are getting closer to a normal bedtime again. Connor is going to bed around 10pm now. We reverted back to swaddling again (didn't do it at all while in California), but he was having so much trouble sleeping at night, so we decided to try it again. It seems to help. He is only getting up once at night to feed. The earlier he goes to bed, the easier life is as then Ian and I actually get to spend some time together! Connor loves being out of the house. He rarely ever cries when we are out of the house. He is so happy being pushed around in his stroller. He is such a fun little baby...I love that little man!

The 80's Are Back, Part 2

Seriously, the styles from the '80's torture me. I just don't find them appealing. Especially when I run across things like this:


I think maybe I need to dig my caboodle and scrunchies out of storage. Okay, I am sure I got rid of those a long time ago! And sometimes I think...maybe I got rid of my crimper a little too soon! Not really...curly hair is already enough for me to deal with...without having to straighten it, then crimp it!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am thinking of NEVER getting rid of a piece of clothing again. Everything comes back in style...eventually! Problem is...everything doesn't deserve to come back in style. Especially if it wasn't cool in the first place!

The Adventure of Staying Home

I don't know what I thought staying at home with a child involved, but I certainly thought there would be more down time...and my house would be cleaner! Some days go by beautifully...child is wonderful, house is clean, dinner is on the table. Other days (days like today) are just a disaster. Baby is constantly crying, throwing up and just taking up all my time. Dishes don't get done, laundry piles up and even my stomach goes hungry as I care for my little one. But thru it all, there is one thing I can't get out of my head...

I feel like I have to earn my keep

Before, when I had a job, I was contributing not only financially to the household, but also helping keep things in order. Now, my main job is to keep things in order. That means I can't let things fall apart and force Ian to contribute after a long day at work (this is my thought, not his). Problem is, some days that is harder than it seems. And on those days, I am afraid I am not earning my keep. On the days (like today) when the little man isn't feeling well and needs constant love and attention, nothing gets done. Now, don't get me wrong, I love sitting around cuddling with the little one. BUT, I am afraid Ian will get home from work and think I am lazy. I know he doesn't. But still, I just can't get it out of my head that I have to earn my keep.

Connor in happier times...
taken on my iphone...I love my iphone!

Random

Connor and I went for a walk today...it was 40 degrees and sunny outside...absolutely beautiful! On our way home, we came across this...


It's funny how cliches can be so true that people make fun of them. I am begging to guess that the man who rocked this van wasn't a looker. I know I am mean...but I have a 90% chance of being correct!

My Adorable Little Famly

Aren't we the cutest little family ever?!?



I know. Try to not be jealous.

Last Night...

...My child tried to KILL me!

No joke. He did the best he could. Thankfully, he did not succeed. I was up until 6am. Not cool. I actually slept between 5:03am (the last time I looked at the clock) and 5:34am (when Connor started screaming his head off again).

Also, no joke. Before I came back to Scotland, Connor was going to bed most nights without even crying. He was sleeping 8-10 hours without waking up to feed. Life was seeming easy. Possibly too easy. Maybe that is why this happened to me.

As I have recently learned, a large time change can be a b*@#! with a baby. And, boy it has turned my life upside down. If it weren't for the adorable smiles the little man constantly gives me, I would go insane. Ian and I actually laugh...Connor can be screaming his head off, stop to smile at us, then return to the screaming.

Hopefully someday (soon, I hope) my life will again have sanity in it. And I will once again have peaceful evenings to hang out with my hubby. A girl can dream, right?

My Little World Traveler

Being such a grown up, Connor has traveled back and forth to California in the first few months of life. Though I never said much about the trip out to California, just know that it was just short of a nightmare. I was pretty much ready for a meltdown (by me, not the baby...well, the baby was probably ready for another one) by the time I got to my mom. I was covered in spit up, baby poop and feeling tired and gross. Connor was down to no more clean clothes or clean blankets. For the 6 weeks I was stateside, I tried to forget that flight.

Then came the time to come home...I wasn't expecting much. But, I was going to try some different things, and bring extra clothing for myself and Connor. I decided to bring Connor's sleep wedge on the plane, along with his pajamas and a blanket to wrap him in for sleeping. I don't know if it was because it was night time, or because of the routine, but Connor went right to sleep when I changed him and laid him down. The only time he cried on the plane was during take off, because of his ears. Even then, as soon as I put a bottle in his mouth, he stopped. When we got off the plane, so many people were complementing me on what a great baby I had. I thought so too, until that night.

Connor has had a hard time adjusting to the time change. And, for his sake, I will admit that it is harder adjusting this way (going ahead in time), then it is going back to the states. On Tuesday night, he was up until almost 6am. And, if we weren't taking care of him, he would let us know with a nasty scream (a few days ago, he found his "loud voice"...fun times!). To keep my neighbor from hating me, I caved in and entertained the little fellow. Last night was better. He went to sleep about midnight. So, hopefully every day will be a little better. If not, in a couple weeks, my neighbor will be gone for 6 weeks and no longer will I care when my child is screaming for no reason, in the middle of the night. Watch out Connor, you don't know what is coming your way!

2.5 Years

Monday was the 2 and a half year anniversary of my touching down in Scotland. How fitting then that I spent it flying back to Scotland! After being in the states for 6 weeks, I felt like a broken record. People kept asking me what I thought of Scotland and I kept telling them how much I enjoyed it. I really do feel we were given a gift moving over here. We were given the gift of freedom. No longer are we bound to our mortgage, our possessions, our life. Now our possibilities are endless.

After getting home yesterday, I asked Ian about "our plan". So many people asked me about our plan while I was home, so I thought we should talk about it. Both of us would really like to stay here longer (sorry Clive, it looks like we overrode your vote!) and are trying to figure out how to do it. Money is the issue. People make a lot less of it over here and the current exchange rate is sucking for us. And, there is a reality of a mortgage that we have to pay...well, pay the difference between the rent we get and the mortgage. We realized, I would bring in more money working one weekend day a week then I would working full time and putting Connor in daycare. How crazy is that?!? We have some other options and things to figure out, but the gist of things is that we like this place way more than the original 2 years we thought we would like it! Oh, and I remember thinking 2 years would be a stretch!

I was happy to get home yesterday. Happy until I had to use the toilet. I seriously hate the low flush toilets over here...there is like 8 ounces of water in them and I just don't find it effective, if you know what I mean! Low flushing toilet aside, the day is beautiful. The sun is shining and I am headed to a hospital appointment for my child that is FREE. Yeah, many people diss it, but I think I will now forever be on the socialized health care bandwagon...I was close before. Even wrote my senior project on it. But, after living it, and having a baby on it, I am sold. Free health care just makes sense!

Being home, I loved the ease of going to the store. The parking is a breeze and stores like Target just fascinate and entertain me. But, I also realize those stores are like an addiction and a drain to your wallet. I don't want to be like that. For the past couple years, my entertainment has been going on walks, people, movies, this blog, drinking coffee, more people. That is how I want it to be. There is a slower pace of life over here. At times it annoys me, but I also realize it allows for more time for people and I like that. My opinion might change the longer I am cooped up with my baby, but today I like it.

The truth is....I think everyone needs to move to Scotland with me! (Just bring your toilets and washer and dryers with you!)