Baby #2

Thanks everyone for the sweet calls / texts / emails / comments with congratulations. We are over the moon! 

This was Olivia's face when we told her:

Clearly, Olivia has no idea what is going on. She keeps pointing to her belly saying "baby?" But I know she will love having a baby around. And hate that she is no longer the center of attention. And love having a sibling. And hate having to share.

To answer some questions:

I am due February 12th. Totally opposite seasons for maternity clothes. Pro: I have an excuse to go shopping. Con: I have to wear pants. February is too cold for dresses.

We WILL find out the gender. I may have asked my doctor for one of those high risk blood tests to find out at 10 weeks. And then asked the ultrasound tech for a guess at 13 weeks. To say we are impatient is an understatement. Even though I know its a boy, Dan is starting to think its a girl, and I've got to cut back on my non-returnable boy purchases just in case. 

After finding out, we will then start the 6 month name debate, where we still have no idea 24 hours after birth.

I've been feeling like crap, thanks for asking. But those little ones are so worth it!! I wrote something every other week of the first trimester, so there's way more information than you ever wanted to know coming.

I do want to take weekly bump pictures. They'll be no where near as in depth as with Olivia. If I have a free hour, I'm not going to photoshop myself with a fruit, I'm going to nap or watch Bachelor in Paradise. They'll probably be dirty bathroom mirror selfies 6 days late, because, second kid. 

But I'm currently using the ones from last time to further depress myself in how much bigger I am this time around, and how I really need to lay off the queso, and I'd like to continue doing that. And be able to in any future pregnancies. 

Olivia's Big News

I had high hopes of posting this picture like ... weeks ago. But then life happened. And then I forgot my computer when we left for the beach .. 10 days ago. Second kid. AmIright?

Hey you!

Look here!

I've got some big news!

And I'm so excited!!

Gotta unpack from the beach, but more to come.

Five on Friday

1. At daycare, they made handprint flamingos. This is seriously the best art we have in the house. If there is ever a fire, things I'm going to save go in this order 1) baby 2) dog 3) jewelry box 4) flamingo handprint.

2. Dan got Olivia up from her crib the other morning, and this is what he found. What a goon. We are working on getting dressed ourselves, so maybe she was practicing. PS - when do they learn to get dressed themselves? Is this something I'm going to have to do for forever?

While we are on the subject of crib pictures. After a long day at the pool, this one napped so hard we had to wake her up for dinner. But first. Let me take a selfie photo.

3.  Took Olivia to a toy store and she immediately hoarded all of the babies. She's all "what. you aren't buying these for me?"

4.  More playground fun. Because climbing up the slide is much more fun.

She looks like she's wearing make up in this one! Dan's mom got her the strawberry outfit and asked Dan to send her to daycare in it with the strawberry bow.

...in case you can't tell ... (Dan clearly couldn't) ... those are watermelons.

5. Our grocery store has only one child buggy and Olivia got it the other day for the first time. She was thrilled!! Apparently we need more early Saturday AM, PJ runs to pick up pancake ingredients.

Best Ever Margaritas

Since it was just national margarita day, I thought I'd share my favorite. I know. I was super confused too. You'd think Cinco De Mayo was national margarita day, but turns out there are two days a week year where margaritas are mandatory. 

Everyone has their favorites, but you should really try this one. I never loved margaritas - and turns out I don't like sour mix. But tequila and lime? Yes please. One evening, I sat down and made 9 margaritas all with different proportions to get everything just right. That was a fun evening!

Sorry, I drank half before taking a picture. Couldn't help myself.

Super Simple Best Ever Margaritas

1 part tequila (quality tequila is a must)
1 part lime juice
1 part St. Germaine

Mix it all in a shaker and serve over ice.

OR

Mix it all up and use your margaritaville blender to make the perfect slushie.

For the lime juice, I always use fresh squeezed lime. For every shot of tequila, you need 1 ounce of lime juice - that's totally squeezable. 

St. Germaine is only the best ever liquor that's been taking pinterest by a storm. It's elderflower? Idk. But it tastes citrus-ey and sweet. Try a splash in champagne. You'll be buying it on the reg.

These babes are strong.

And delicious.

So delicious.

Five on Friday

Anyone miss five on Fridays? I sure do. Also I get in 1000 times better of a mood when its Friday. It's like 'I can make it!'

1. A few weekends ago we threw one of my best friend's a baby shower in Greenville. So much fun! I cannot wait for her little boy to be here - so I have a newborn to cuddle with! Olivia left with the boys for a little while to eat bbq (aka mac and cheese), play in a pitcher of water, and run around on the restaurant outdoor patio. It was nice to hang out with everyone hands free!

2. Olivia's newest favorite past time is Instagram. She will hand me my phone and say "baby doggie, pweas?" She likes to point out all of the babies and the doggies. And say "aweeeee" every time she sees one. And then say "more baby?" when we pass by food or books on a shelf or anything else boring. ;) It's the only time she will sit still or in my lap, so I'll take it.

3.  All we do around here is play in water. Olivia wears about 3 outfits a day. It's been so hot - that we do spend a bit of time at playgrounds, on walks, and in her cozy coupe - but once a day (or more) we play with the hose, sprinklers, pool, or water table. Olivia's helping her daddy water a tree. 

4. Along with water, popsicles are a must. And ice water. It's hot.

She stole my popsicle here - so she could double fist.

Ice water always tastes better out of mama's cup.

5. I found this selfie on Dan's phone. Olivia really has her selfie face down. She took three selfies on Gigi (Dan's mom's) phone and Instagrammed them all. She's a social media pro. 

Happy weekend!!

Recent Recipes

I always forget to share the good recipes I have found. And then I forget to make them again. This blog is really to benefit me and my horrible memory. 

I was reading Brittany's (she just had a baby, yesterday, I think .. but somehow he's already 3 months old?) blog post about paint colors, and found this post. I completely forgot about all of this. 

Don't worry. When Olivia helps cook, we don't serve it to guests. 

First of all - this chicken recipe. I don't have a picture, but its the best chicken ever and we make it weekly. 

5-6 chicken thighs.

Let me stop here. I HATE chicken thighs. HATE them. They are so gross and slimey and have these red and white things on them that I can't handle. BUT - boneless skinless organic chicken thighs are almost white like breasts and a million times better. I like smart chicken. I think you can use breasts, no problem, but try the thighs. Just once. 

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff, hint, she isn't an Aunt)

Foil line a pie plate, dip the thighs in the mixture, and bake at 450 for 40 minutes. Top with rosemary - maybe 1-2 teaspoons. Don't forget this. I always forget this. Makes a huge difference.

Make this chicken, it will change your life.

Second, cinnamon toast.

I have been making cinnamon toast wrong my entire life. At first, I was a little offended when the Pioneer Woman was talking about me and my cinnamon toast making process. But then I tried hers and - oh my gosh. My mom steered me wrong my entire childhood. Or kept me from being obese and eating loaves of cinnamon toast. One or the other.

Pictures cannot do this justice. Not in her blog, not my own.

Here is the recipe. And the reason I'm wrong.

Third, this Noodle Bake. 

I don't even know what a noodle bake is, but for some reason it sounds delicious. The original recipe is here, but I made quite a few adjustments to make it healthier and to use all of packages (I don't like it when you have to use 3/4 of a bag of pasta).

12 ounce bag of egg noodles

1.5 pounds ground beef

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 10 oz can rotel (used original but you could use spicy)

2 6 ounce containers plain chobani

8 ounces cottage cheese

8 ounces shredded cheddar (I used an 8 oz block and shredded)

1. Cook the pasta. Once cooked, drain and add the yogurt and the cottage cheese.

2. Brown the beef. Once brown, drain, and add the tomato sauce and rotel. 

3. In a 13x9 dish, layer 1/2 pasta, 1/2 beef mix, 1/2 cheese. Rest of the pasta, rest of the beef, rest of the cheese.

4. Bake at 350 for 20 min.

This fed 8 large portions, so there's definitely leftovers around here.

Fourth, pasta salad that I didn't take a picture of.

1 12oz package tri colored penne

4 ounces italian salad dressing

2.25 ounce can of sliced black olives (so precise, but that was my can size)

3/4 package of pepperoni, sliced into quarteres

1 16 ounce can artichoke quarters - roughly chopped

4 ounce can of diced pimentos

Combine all ingredients. Well. Cook the pasta first, you goon. Then enjoy. 

Funny - we NEVER really eat pasta around here, but pasta was 50% of my recipes today. 

Lastly, we made The World's Best Ever Key Lime Pie and it was the world's best ever again. 

Recent Instagrams

Wanted to share a few pictures of my sweet baby girl from Instagram (@kelley_lovelikecrazy).

She'll be ready for paddle board handstands in no time!

Matching Olivia bracelets because, obviously.

Her new classroom, the door is in and out of the playground. So guess what we have to do for about half an hour every day after I pick her up? Shhh don't tell work. 

Dada. Mo mo wah wah?

I can't remember if I shared these next two. Probably. Mom brain.

More monkey business.