Epitome Co. has opened!

My newest endeavor is off the ground!  I have been busy as a bee, trying to get this new shop organized and open.  That day has finally come!  Epitome Co. has been a work in progress and I am so happy to finally unveil it.

 Declan is my model for the FIRST shirt to be in the shop, the "Good To Go" Tee is a must have for all babies and tots!!!  There will be more to come, but I was just TOO excited to keep this  secret any longer! Right now, sizes are in stock and available to ship- we are offering six months to 24 months at this time, but please let me know if you are interested in purchasing a larger size.  I will be taking orders soon.

Do you follow me on Instagram?  That is the bet place to hear news FIRST! :)  There is a link at the top left of the blog- find me there!

 These tees are so soft, qith quality printing and design, and I can't wait to see it on other babies! :)

 Declan says that Epitome Co. is good to go!

Shop here.

Please stop by, follow the shop, and let me know if you have any questions, comments, or just want to say HELLO! :) 

xo!

Thankful: 1.

I am thankful for this adorable, wild and crazy, loving, and wonderful family of mine. Each one if these boys holds a special place in my heart, but together they are my world.

Happy November and here's to a month of being thankful! :)

And P.S. I'm also thankful that there is no school today. Here's to sleeping in on the day after Halloween! (Or letting Andrew asleep in while I deal with a cranky pants baby who didn't get enough sleep last night!)

Xo! :)

Eight months.

Happy eight months to Declan!

{It is shocking that I got even one semi-clear photo of this child.  He refuses to sit still for even a moment.  That's why the toy is present in this one- I had to resort to bribing him a little!}

Seriously though, this child is just non stop lately.  At eight months, he is now officially a crawler!!! He gets up on those hands and knees and he is on the move!  We can't leave him alone for a second unless he is restrained somehow in a crib, jumper or swing.  The child will.not.sit.still.EVER. :)  He is into everything, especially things that he shouldn't be into.  He has a strong willed mind of his own already, and he knows what he wants. :)

Declan is eating great, still trying a variety of different foods made by Gerber. :)  He loves to drink water out of his straw cup- no sippy cups for this kid, he prefers a straw just like us older family members!  He loves to try to snag Dad's huge Starbucks cup and take swig of water out of that when he can.  

Declan continues to adore his big brother, always lighting up when Andrew walks into a room.  They are the sweetest brothers together already. :)  He is enjoying going to the park with his big brother as well, and LOVES the swings.  He just laughs and laughs when we push him.  He loves to watch the other kids at the park as well.

He can utter lots of different words, from mama, to dada, to baba... although none of them seem to be meaning anything particular to him yet.  He yells MAMA when he wants just about anything ;)  He has the most hilarious laugh and is smiling all the time.  

He is sleeping so much better, and now likes to fall asleep to the sound of a soothing little blue seahorse.  {Or more like fuss himself to sleep- we still haven't mastered the falling asleep on his own trick.}  His naps are becoming more regular, and he goes to sleep around 6pm each night.  Whew, it is nice to have an evening after he heads to sleep! :)  He loves to snuggle with a cozy blanket, and still does not what to do with a pacifier.  {Total opposite of his pacifier-obsessed brother!}

Declan now has his two bottom teeth and the top two are just barely popping through as well!  He is around 20 pounds and is getting so big.  He had his first bout with sickness this past month, and had a yucky flu and fever.  Poor guy was feeling pretty awful, but made it through just fine. :)  

He likes to throw anything we give him as far and as hard as he can.  Why not? :)  He is a little stinker sometimes, but we sure do love this little boy.  He continues to bring so much light into all of our lives.  

Happy eight months, my littlest boy!

We love you!

xo!

Seven months.

Happy seven months, little Declan!

You sure are giving us a run for our money this month, little man.  Declan has decided he doesn't like to sleep anymore.  His schedule is a mess and he doesn't like to fall asleep on his own.  He prefers the cozy shoulder of mommy. :)  {Which I have to say is lovely, but also frustrating sometimes in the wee hours of the morning!!}

He is around 18 pounds now, and growing like crazy.  He has two little teeth on the bottom and eats so well.  He hates the homemade baby food I made for though, and starts gagging it up as soon as I feed it to him.  AH!  Little stinker.  He loves Gerber though, so store bought it is. :)

Dad and big brother Andrew make this baby laugh so much.  He loves them dearly and is always so happy when he can play with either one of them. :)  I am the one who is the comforter, the putter to bed, the shoulder to snooze on, the one who can calm him down no matter what.  That makes me feel so loved, and I adore his little head on my shoulder. I just need to be strong and make him put himself to sleep!  

Declan has started to love when I read him books, certain ones getting more laughs than others.  Like his brother, he is a big fan of the cute books by Sandra Boynton.  We have been to the beach quite a bit this past month and he loves it.  Anytime we are outside, this baby is quite happy!!! :)  He loves walks and is trying to determine how he likes the pool.  We are working on it! 

We also took Declan to his first zoo this month!  The Orange County Zoo is tiny and adorable, so we ventured out there one cool afternoon and he loved seeing some of the animals.  Of course, he loved hanging out with his big brother there as well.  Not sure which was the bigger draw?! :)

We love you, little boy!  Can't believe seven months has already flown by!

xo!

Homemade Baby Food

 

I made my first attempt at baby food making a couple days ago, and am thrilled with the results!  So far, I have only made carrots since it is what I had on hand.  Plus, it's a food that Declan likes and reacts well to.  Next on my list is peas, another favorite of his.

 

My questions to you all...

Have you made homemade baby food?  What are some easy foods to try to puree?  Any books you have liked on the topic?  I am wanting to expand my horizons here, so any tips would be so helpful.

 

Also, do you freeze the baby food?  What containers do you freeze in?  I read about freezing baby food in ice cube trays, but am hesitant to try something without a lid.  Suggestions, please! :)

 

Off to make some cookies now for the other boys in my household!! :)

xo! 

six months old!

    Declan, you are half a year old!!!  Six months already?!  Time has seriously flown by.  It makes me teary eyed just to think of how fast you are growing and how quickly time really passes when you are little.  You have grown so much since you were born, changed in so many ways, and developed into a little person with his own hilarious personality.  That smile of yours {just like your momma with your mouth wide open with happiness!} is amazingly adorable.  You laugh wholeheartedly at so many things.  You love to be tickled, you love your jumper, and you are starting to love to splash around in the bathtub as well.  {Finally!} You can be completely distracted with your toys, or my cell phone covered in rhinestones- whichever is closer. :)  You babble and talk all day, repeatedly saying "ma-ma-ma" whenever you need something- a bottle, food, or someone to snuggle.  Not sure if you know what it means yet, but it sure makes my heart melt!  You think Dad is so wonderful, and when he walks in after work, you can't take your eyes off him.  Sometimes you need a break from me, and Dad is always there to swoop in and play. :)  Your brother is so in love with you, helping out wherever he can.  You laugh at him all the time, even when he isn't doing anything at all. :)   You love to eat, gobbling down oatmeal, applesauce, bananas, sweet potatoes, peas, peaches, prunes, and the favorite of all, green beans! :)  You are getting so much chubbier, and I can't wait to see how much you have grown these past two months at your next doctor's visit. {Monday!}  You sleep through the night soundly, but we do need to get you in your crib, once and for all.  You like to nap there occasionally, but still love sleeping in our room at night.  That's our next big hurdle, my dear boy.  I hate that you won't be at arm's length anymore, but it is time for you to love that cozy crib of yours as well. We also are working on you and the swimming pool.  So far, you think it is mildly  interesting, but haven't fully given in to the fun of the pool just yet.    These past six months have changed our lives in ways we couldn't imagine.  We are a happy family and we feel so complete knowing that you are part of our puzzle.  You might be small, but you have made a very large impact on all our lives and we couldn't imagine a single moment without you. I love you, Declan Eugene! :) Happy half birthday!
 Love, Mom

insta-friday.

 This is the first time I am linking up to the InstaFriday party over at Life Rearranged!  So, so excited!  Hello to any new faces that I haven't met in blog-land quit yet.  I am happy to have you here!  Here's a sneak peek at my week... {and don't forget to oogle the cute photo of my four month old.  He is such a cutie in his monthly photo!}

 

 My oldest son got a great hit in his last basebll game- so proud of him and his team!!! They are in the playoffs and  not out of it yet!  He plays again tomorrow, so think good thoughts for the Angels. :)

 

 My littlest son had his four month check-up this week.  He is doing amazing and the doctor witnessed him laughing and smiling and talking.  Declan was is such a great mood... that is, until his shots.  Bummer.  It took a good two days to get him back to his happy, normal self.  But all is well now! :)  How cute is that face, right?!

 

 Southern California got rain this week!  It was so, so cozy.  I am such a sucker for wet, chilly weather, and it so rarely hits us here in Orange County.  But I fully enjoyed it, and even took Declan out to the front porch to listen to the raindrops coming down.  He was totally impressed.  Totally. :)

 

And one more photo of this happy face.  I mean, seriously... who wouldn't want to spend their day chatting with this little bug? :)

 

Happy Friday, xo! 

Four months.

Declan is already four months old. Four months!!!!? I am willing him to stay little for as long as possible. :)

 

Happy four months, my sweet baby!

This month, you weigh 14 pounds, 11 ounces. Your height and weight are still in the 25th percentile, so you are a tiny guy. :) But of course, your head is still very big!!! (75th percentile there!) It must mean you are just so super smart. ;) You smile, you laugh, you talk all day long. You are still the most easy going baby, always happy and calm. You sleep all through the night, from around 8pm all the way until around 6am. This makes your mommy extremely happy! ;)

 

You think your brother is hilarious, you absolutely love to have Dad "fly" you through the air, and every time I change your clothes, you crack up laughing. :) You have brought such a light into all of our lives and we can't imagine life without your darling little face. :)

 

Next up, Declan? We got the green light to eat some oatmeal! What fun this next month will bring as well:)

Happy four months, baby boy!!!
Love, Mom

 

Blessed.

St. Patrick's Day.
Wearing green.
A few fun decorations.
A beach date with little boys.
Toes in the sand.
Chatting about leprechauns.
I feel blessed. :)

The Little Things

As busy mothers, sometimes it is hard to pick out the little things that make us happy on a daily basis.  We are running kids to school, feeding the baby, cleaning the house, making dinner, go, go, go all day long.  But we should all stop to see these little things, that while they may seem insignificant in a passing moment, are truly what our happiness is made of. :)

Here's what I stopped to smile at this week...

 

A happy baby at his two month doctor's appointment.  All smiles! 

...That is, until those crummy shots to the leg.  {sniff!} Made me so sad for this little man.

 

A wonderful husband who brings me flowers for no reason at all...

except to let me know he loves me. :)

 

 As a self-proclaimed TV addict, catching up on The Vampire Diaries was very happy for me this week.

{That is, until one of my favorites got killed.  Not cool, not cool at all.}

 Coffee.  {Need I say more?}  It's what gets me through the morning. :)

 Baby smooches!!! :)

{and for momma keeping it real with my crummy hair, roots and all, no makeup, looking like total crap.  A day in the life, people. ;) }

 Family game night!

{Seriously, who knew Risk could be so much fun?  And so addicting?}

 It was Andrew and my first time playing!  John was quite the teacher of world domination.

 

 

 One smart little cookie that I have raised.

Andrew got an A+ on his report about Teddy Roosevelt.  Go Andrew!!!!

You sure know how to make a momma proud. :)

 

What made you smile this week? :)

xo!

 

*Linking up with Falling for Friday :) Love her blog!!!

*Also linked to a new blog I just discovered. High Five for Friday! :)

Warm Days

I feel so lucky to live so close to the coast. We live four miles up the street from the beach, so this past weekend, the sun was shining and the weather was perfect for an evening trip to the beach. We tossed a few towels in the car, I grabbed my beach chair and a book, and took my boys down to enjoy the last couple of hours of sunshine.

Andrew splashed his toes in the water, played with shells and rocks, we shared some snacks, I started my new book, and we watched the sunset.

 

Oh yeah, and Declan slept right through it all. :) 

 

Thank you to the wonderful weekend weather, even though it's back to being a little chilly for the rest of the week. Feeling lucky to be a southern California girl right about now. :)

xo! 

  

Declan is Two Months Old! :)

Happy two month birthday to you, Declan!

{well, a few days ago actually.}

 

This month you are starting to get chunky and so much bigger it seems. How you've grown since last month's photo!!!  You have the cutest cheeks and the sweetest little wrist rolls;) You have started to smile all the time and you are the happiest baby!! You and I "chat" everyday, especially when you are getting your diaper changed. You love to lay there and coo at me and I love to hear you talk! :) You love your floor activity gym and you are so cute when you kick your legs like crazy. We have figured out that you love to be in a baby carrier while I get some chores for around the house, which is quite helpful! You are eating close to five or six ounces at every feeding and you are sleeping so much better. There have been a couple nights you have slept straight through around eight hours even! Let's keep this up, baby boy! ;)  Your big brother is wild about you, and you think he is fabulous, smiling at his every chance you get.

 

We love having you in our lives, and our family would not be complete without you.

Happy two months, my littlest boy. :)

Love, Mom xo!

one month old.

  Happy one month, Declan! Declan is the best little baby.  He rarely cries unless something is wrong.  He is starting to make the cutest little coos and sounds.  He is focusing on us like crazy!  He watches me walk through the room and i sstarted to smile a little more.  Not sure if that should still be blamed on gas, but it sure is cute. :)  He went in for his one month appointment and is packing on the pounds!  He gained three pounds in the past three weeks and is now a whopping 9 pounds 8 ounces!  Hungry, growing boy! :)  He is sleeping in longer stretches and we sometimes get five or six hours of sleep straight, which is wonderful.  We just love having him here, part of our daily lives, and we feel blessed to have such a content and happy baby so far!!   Technically, I should have posted this photo on February 1st. It just took me six days to actually get this photo edited and blogged. Life of a mother with a newborn, right? But I really want to take these monthly photos- they are so important! OK, baby needs a bottle and momma needs a nap. xo!   PS. New things are being planned for this little blog. I am desperately wanting to be back here with lots of new ideas and exciting updates, so please stay tuned. Liking the new look to the blog?? Did you notice?! :)    

Welcome to the world, baby!

Declan Eugene is here!
Born on New Year's Day morning, we welcomed our beautiful baby boy!!!! He weighed in at 6 pounds 13 ounces and surprised us by coming a week early :) He is perfect and is such an amazing baby so far!

At two weeks old, he is a good sleeper for a few solid hours at a time and rarely cries! He makes the sweetest baby sounds and loves to snuggle!  Andrew is such a proud big brother and helps hold and feed Declan as much as he can. I can't believe that I am now a mother of TWO beautiful boys!! I am so very blessed. :)

More photos to come... this momma is trying to find the energy to get back into blogging. Bear with me, I will return!! :) xo!