1. My mom came here on Monday evening. She is just the best! I’ve mentioned before that I’m chairing the decorations committee for our Holiday Market (December 1-4 at the Cantey Building in Columbia). I had to make 16 wreaths for all the doors in the building and my mom is the master wreath maker. I mentioned to her that it would be so great to have her help when making the wreaths. And there she was! She came to help me. In 36 hours, we made 16 wreaths. We had such a great little system going to get these things cranked out and finished. We finished the last wreath about 30 minutes before we had to leave to take her to the airport.
This is what my guest bedroom looks like. 10 of the wreaths are just hanging out on my guest bed and the other 6 are in the attic at Junior League headquarters. I’m so glad to have this project finished!
2. Teething has hit our house with full force! Poor Hayes, my sweet easy-going, great sleeping baby. On Sunday night (when we got back from vacation), he was up every two hours screaming. We fed him and changed him every time because I just knew he didn’t feel well. He also has a horrible case of diaper rash that we’ve gotten under control. (You should all check out Callie’s diaper rash remedy.) Teething just messes up their little systems so badly. But I can finally feel the tooth popping through! Hopefully this is almost over for him.
3. My house is a disaster. There is dirty laundry everywhere and clean laundry just in piles waiting to be folded. It looks like a glitter explosion hit my living room and dining room because that”s where we were making wreaths. The wreath-making days set me back in terms of getting stuff done around here, so it’s really a disaster. I even started a load of clothes yesterday and then started making wreaths. I remembered about 14 hours later that I didn’t move the clothes to the dryer. So, of course, they don’t smell great. I really need to get things under control so I can relax and enjoy the holidays.
4. I think I’m getting a new Christmas tree this year. Our tree is in great shape, but it’s so full and takes up so much space. With a baby who will probably be crawling by then, a rowdy toddler, two dogs and two adults, I think I want a slim tree so we can actually be in the same room with the tree! I just don’t know if I’ll have the time to get a new tree … or if it’s in our budget!
5. With all of these Holiday Market decorations, I’m wondering if I’ll even want to decorate my house for Christmas. I can’t wait to turn off the lights and just go by the light of the tree. And I can’t wait to listen to Christmas music while we read books to Hudson and Hayes. I know it sounds like we live in “la la land” at Christmas time, but I just love it and really love to soak up the season. But with so much glitter and decorations for the Market… will I have it in me?
6. I’ve got a pretty good list of what we’re giving everyone for Christmas this year. We’re not doing a whole lot for Hayes. We didn’t do a ton for Hudson for his first Christmas. I don’t want Hayes to only have Hudson’s hand-me-down toys, but I also know that they just don’t need much. He’ll get a couple of keepsake gifts that we do every year and then I’ll probably get him one new toy. I’m super excited about what we’ve decided to do for Hudson this year. Christmas through the eyes of a toddler is just the best!
7. Speaking of Christmas… I was really inspired by a lot of the Compassion bloggers (specificially Kelly) and I want to adopt two kids through Compassion this year.
8. There is a strong-willed toddler in my house. We’ve known this for a while, but we really have to figure out the times of day when he’s in a good mood and the times of day when we can count on him to be in a rotten mood. And it all comes down to when he’s tired and when he doesn’t get to do what he wants to do. We’re back to nap time struggles. Once he falls asleep he’s asleep for hours. But he doesn’t want to go to his room to take a nap. We’re just in the land of tantrums. But he is also growing up so quickly and is a lot more agreeable. It’s just so funny to me that one minute he is super agreeable and cooperative and then the next second there is a full on meltdown happening in the kitchen.
In the words of Clark W. Griswold, “Where’s the Tylenol?”
9. I probably need to make a plan for Thanksgiving cooking. That seems like something that would go in my home organization notebook. But I also know that if I don’t get this laundry taken care of, I won’t be able to concentrate on cooking!
You’ve been busy! You are such a supermom!
Those wreaths are so pretty! You and your mom did a great job. You should sell them during the Market. We have a Holiday Market with our JL too. I wonder if we stole the idea from you (:
Teething is such a crazy process and it’s amazing how it can be so different, depending on the child. With our oldest, we never knew when any of his teeth were coming in, they just appeared. Completely opposite story with our little one. He gets cold-like symptoms, poops his brains out, is irritable, becomes a picky eater, and is clingy. He pretty much makes up for the coasting we had with #1. Good luck to you! I wish I had the magic solution, but alas, I do not.
The wreaths look so pretty. I know the Holiday Market will be fabulous!
Last year we didn’t even put up our tree (gasp!) but this year I’m looking forward to decorating. It is a lot of work though!
Growing teeth is no fun. My daughter just had six come in at the same time. Hopefully he will get a break soon. Good luck cleaning up!
I love the wreaths! That was so sweet of your mom to come help you! I love going to Junior League markets. Looking at all of the JL decorations is so much fun and purchasing on the last day but it never works out that I am there. I wish I could be around on the last day of y’alls…but I better stay here in Mississippi with my family. Don’t think I could convince my husband.
I just blogged about my teething hitting our house yesterday. So far nothing has popped through, but we’ve had several long nights…a BIG change for our little one who was sleeping 9 or 10 hours a night!
*my SON’S teeth…Mommy brain at it’s finest!
LOVE the wreaths! They’re fabulous! We just had our Junior League Holiday Gift Market – it’s so much fun! And I hear ya on the teething – we’re going through it too. Poor babies – it’s gotta hurt 🙁
I just love them..they are so adorable! I want one..hahahha
Love the wreaths and all the pretty color!!
I was also moved by the blog posts about Compassion…and I adopted a child…just got my info about him and wrote my first e-mail to him!! I am very excited!!
Happy Holidays!
The wreaths look so great! Can’t wait to see the Cantey building all decorated for HM!
Love the wreaths!
What are these keepsake gifts you speak of? Our little man is just a day younger than Hayes and I’d love to have a few things like that!
I am totally encouraging you to sponsor a Compassion child. I live in Colorado Springs, and my sister-n-law works for Compassion. My brother first starting sponsoring a child 8 years ago and gets to go and visit him this February on a Compassion sponsored trip. Since then, he has met his wife and my parents both have children. Plus, my in-laws adopted a child this past Spring. The letters are amazing and you can see Christ love working in the lives of the child you sponsor.
The wreaths are making me want to put on Christmas music right now. I don’t know if I can make it to next Friday to put up my tree!
I can’t wait to see the wreaths!!! I take my daughter to the Holiday Market every year, we just LOVE it!!! You two did a great job! Let me know if you decide to sell any of them!!!
ALl those wreathes… I bet you have glitter EVERYWHERE!
Those wreaths look beautiful! What talent you and your Mom have! Can yall come to my house next? LOL!
I love the wreaths and I am jealous of your artistic ability to which I have none. No one ever said raising children was easy and of course you question yourself over every decision you make when it comes to discipline. All I can say is pick your battles, be consistent and do not threaten any action on your part if you are not willing to follow through on your threat. I know it is easy for me to say that but trust me I am a wiser women as I look back on the stress I put on myself when my children were younger. Remember, next month there will be another new battle to fight and just go with the flow and trust your instict as to which battles are worth fighting for!
I sponsor 2 children [one in Haiti, one in Uganda] through Compassion and while I know that I am helping them, they have both blessed me more than words could express. I would highly encourage you to sponsor a child – it’s a great avenue to reach out and I love the way Compassion handles themselves in all aspects!
It sounds like you are super busy these days! You have a great attitude about it all though. I hope teething goes a bit smoother as the weeks go on. I also hope that you are able to enjoy all the holiday seasons have to bring you. You will make it through, enjoy them and do it all! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Those wreaths are beautiful!!!! Can’t wait to see them Fri morning when I visit!!! I love the Holiday Market!!! It puts me in the Christmas spirit!!!
Hey Erin, I was wondering if you’ve ever dealth with hitting or aggression with Hudson? My daughter is 15 months old and recently her preschool teacher (she goes 2 days/week) told me she’s been “rough” at school with other kids. I’ve witness her smack at me out of frustration and have seen her slap at kids when she wants something they have. Currently I take her hands and say, “no, we don’t hit, we are gentle,” with a deadpan face. Her teachers told me that time outs work too. I do consider this very typical but wondered if you had dealt with this or had any insight in dealing with it?
Mommy, Mommy I can’t get the wreaths done for Junior League! WAAA WAAA! Please fly here and stay up half the night helping me!. I am spoiled, and it is your fault that I’m this way. I can’t hurt my image! I hate Kelly Rippa. She’s so skinny and pretty and funny that she makes me feel inadequate. Come here, Mother and make me feel better again. I hate my brown hair and lumpy body. Tell me how pretty and good I am again, okay?
I would love to know what kind of keepsake gifts you are giving Hayes. My son Reid is a couple of weeks younger than Hayes. 🙂
As far as the keepsakes, what do you get your boys? I ask because I have been debating about ornaments and other things for Thatcher to have later, but I would love some ideas.
Here’s a fun thing my husband and I always did for our babies when they were too young to really appreciate opening gifts. We bought a couple toys on our own and didn’t tell the other person what we got. That way, it was a nice surprise for us and it always made me happy to see how my husband had carefully shopped for our babies and picked out the perfect thing. Just an idea I thought you might like.
I’m with you on the tree thing. Love them, but they take up soooo much room!
i love the wreaths! and tis the time of the year to be busy!!!
WOW you have it together…I have no idea what to get ANYONE for Christmas. Nor even what I want. And your wreaths are GORGEOUS!!!!! Peanut hasn’t had a single tooth come through – I’m terrified of teething!