Currently x22 {link up}

Participating with Kale + Beans to tell everybody what we're up to lately.

The prompts this week are {reading, watching, listening, eating, enjoying}

So for the last several weeks I've been rereading the Twilight books. I am a serial reader... I read the same books over and over and over and I love it. I get something different out of each time I read a book because usually my life is different than it was the last time I read it. Therefore I'm looking at the book through a whole different lens than any time before. Anyways, I flew through the first several books but for some odd reason I have been reading the last one sooo slow... mostly because I'm just so tired at night that I'll fall asleep sitting up reading! It's kinda killing me because I want to rewatch the movies so much but I'm waiting until I finish all the books. No plans on what to read next... suggestions are always welcome.

Presley keeps requesting we watch the Wizard of Oz over and over. She's been interested in tornadoes for quite some time (thank you Marco Polo Weather app) and ever since we watched the movie, she is extremely enamored. We watched videos online of real tornadoes and even a firenado (her favorite)!

Ever since going to the DMB concert last month, I've had Dave on repeat. Just can't get enough of his voice... it's seriously like butter. Plus they have put out SO much music that I don't ever get sick of the same few songs. So, yeah, I'll be listening to them until the next time we see them in concert.

And lately we've been having much too much food out. Especially Chipotle. Oh my yum. That place is so delicious and fresh and five minutes from our house. Five Guys is another of our favorites and that is one of the best burgers I've ever had. Hopefully we'll start eating better and more at home but I've just been so zapped for energy lately! I swear. I don't know what it is. Plus it's hard for me to do very much cooking until he gets home... which is late... so we just eat out most of the time...

The couple weeks of May and first week or so in June are so exiciting and fun that it is ALMOST too much celebrating. Almost. May 20th is our anniversary, May 29 is my brother-in-law's birthday, May 31 is my mother-in-law's birthday, June 3 is Tony's birthday, and June 7th is one of our best friend's birthday as well as my dad's birthday. Not to mention we've got Father's Day coming up, too! So I've really been enjoying all the extra time with family & friends lately.

In other news...

We've just checked out Whole Foods for the first time and while it was a little bit intimidating at first - I am in love with that place! We went back today for some fresh beignets - which was another first for us - and a nice little brunch spread of chicken salad & fresh croissants, mozzarella pasta salad, & some cheddar chive biscuits. Yum yum yum! That place is full of positive vibes and genuinely nice people that it is easy to get sucked into it all.

Quite a bit more powdered sugar than expected... but delicious.

Sorry Mol... no beignets for you!

Afterwards Presley asked to do something fun instead of going home so we headed to the Memphis Zoo which was hotter than you wouldn't believe! (Of course, because we went at the hottest time of the day.) Every time we go to the zoo Presley asks to go swimming in the water/pool area and it's never happened yet for her so today I surprised her with a "YES!" and she was ecstatic! Not only that, but I rolled up my pants and joined her and we both had so much fun. Getting in the cold water was an instant mood lifter. Tony held Molly in the shallow water and they were both laughing and smiling with us, too.

Perfect Sunday morning & afternoon. Not looking forward to the next few days without Tony while he's away on business... so looks like we will have to find something fun to keep us busy!

Molly: 11 months

Here we are! A short few weeks away from no longer having an infant in the house... BITTERSWEET!!!

Tooth count: Eight... four up and four down.

Favorites: She love love loves green beans right now. And pouches! (Baby food in the little squeeze pouches.) The way she downs those things you would assume we never feed her!!! And aside from baby food & table food it's still all breastmilk and water.

Mol Mol loves to wear hats! And she does really well at keeping bows on most of the time, too. Oh and she loves to see herself on my phone!!

Milestones & stuff: She is pulling/pushing herself up into an almost standing position lately. You can tell she really wants to walk but isn't quite ready yet.

She's also sitting up... but unconventionally. She sits in a "W" position... which we are trying to correct but it's really difficult when that's all she wants to do!

"W" sitter

Molly falls over and bumps her head DAILY. I do not remember this happening so much with Presley. If you know me (as a parent) then you might know I HATE to see my kids hurt. So I'm learning to tolerate it better or not freak out as much when it happens. Another time when I literally thank God for breastfeeding... boobs solve everything!

She's getting really good at clapping. Whenever we say, "Yaaay!" over something, she will join in and clap!

Molly is a little growler and it will never get old to me! So so cute.


Still fits into size 3 diapers but we have a couple boxes of size 4 so that's what she's been wearing lately. Also still fits into most of her 9 month clothes but we've mostly got her in 12 month clothes.

Oh and as if I really have to say it, but Molly adores Presley. And the feeling is completely mutual. They're so good to each other. Presley is protective of Molly... Molly was chewing on a spare outlet cover we have and since Presley associates the little covers with outlets, she said, "Molly! No ma'am! That's dangerous!" It makes me so happy that Presley looks out for her and cares about her wellbeing! And Presley is so proud of Mol. If we're out and about and someone starts talking to Presley, Presley will tell them, "Yeah... and this is my sister, Molly." :) When we go up to work to visit Tony she will remind him, "Kiss Molly, too" before we leave. She's just hilarious and such a sweet girl. I hope Molly knows how special and loved she is and likewise that she has a very special big sister.

Molly had the first taste of a doughnut the other day. It was a plain cake doughnut so we're taking little baby steps... but she liked it. I don't like my kids to have very many sweets - but everybody deserves a treat in moderation. I just really don't want my kids to want nothing but sugar when there are healthy alternatives to give them while they're so young. (Example: Kids get just as excited about fresh strawberries as they do a cupcake!) Ever since having gestational diabetes and my experiences at that time & education about nutrition... it's very hard to ignore doing the right things for my kids' bodies as much as possible.

Breastfeeding: It's going well. She definitely prefers my left boob to my right and sometimes she doesn't want to nurse on that side at all! So if you think my boobs look a little lopsided these days... they probably are! ;) I still would love to breastfeed her up until her 2nd birthday, but we'll see how far we get with it. I'm so happy the first year mark is right around the corner! It would be a lot more challenging without Tony's support to keep me going. Molly's been getting up frequently throughout the night (growth spurt? teething? who knows...) and he will go get her across the house for me when I am feeling 99% zombie. (Thank goodness for side-lying breastfeeding!) He fills up my big water cup whenever he notices it's low, if I need to breastfeed in the car he'll make sure and park it somewhere private, and he changes as many diapers as he can while he's home so I don't get burnt out! I'm thankful for his companionship and his partnership. {Reasons #7-12 I love my Husband}


In other news...

Amanda, Anne Marie & Matthew were here for a visit a few weekends ago and while our original plans didn't pan out, we end up having fun no matter what!

A couple days before our visitors came in town, Tony and I saw Dave Matthew's Band play in Southaven, Mississippi for our anniversary! It was such an incredible show. As if I didn'tl ove their music enough already... this concert sure made me a believer! It was a first for both Tony & I to see them in concert and such a fun way to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. We followed it up with a late late night trip to Waffle House before heading back home. I love having fun with him! The night just reminded me of all the magic in our relationship and how much we have to look forward to the rest of our life together.

Finishing with Grey Street was just PERFECT if you ask me!

My favorite twin-cousin just had her baby girl, Emalynn and she is so precious. The live a hefty 9+ hours away so we haven't gotten to hold her yet (dying inside!!!!!!!!!) but I know she's getting plenty of lovin' from her sweetie pie little family. Breanne's kids love me so much... Emory, for instance, was born the day before my birthday and now Emalynn chose to make her grand entrance the day after my anniversary!

I need to be holding this kid while drinking some coffee with my cousin, STAT.

And it was just Grandmommy's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SELENA!!! We got tacos (Maria's Cantina is soooo delicious!!!) and birthday ice cream and had so much fun hanging with Grandmommy and Papa for the afternoon!!!

Next it'll be Tony's birthday followed up by Molly's birthday & baptism and then Anne Marie's 3rd birthday! Hopefully we'll be able to get to Nashville again soon to have some cousin strawberry picking fun and maybe get to the zoo, too! I'm so excited for the summer. Hope everyone is having a stellar 2nd half of 2015!!!

Molly baby. I love you and your silly growls, your funny faces, and your big-ole-loving heart. I'm so lucky to be your mommy and I promise to never forget that. I might lose my patience and sometimes I can be a shitty mom... but no one will ever love you the way that I do. You light up our lives! Thank you for being my girl.