blueberries!!

Last night Quinn tried blueberries for the first time. Every time I give him something new it just cracks me up. He'll taste it, make the funniest expression, and shake his head like he just swallowed a bug. Blueberries were no different. I ended up adding some yogurt and bananas to the mix but he was still a little unsure of the new taste.

Of course he ended up a pretty purple/blue color from ear to ear. Trying to get anything in his mouth is quite the challenge these days. He whips around and wants to grab the spoon to "help." I'm thinking next time he might be eating blueberries in just a diaper ha!

a little bit of yankee, a little bit of y'all

If you don't already know, I lived in Massachusetts until I was 14 when my parents moved my little brother and me down south to South Carolina. You could say it was a bit of a culture shock, but most things were a welcomed change. There's a lot I love about the southern way and there are still some yankee tendencies that I will never let go of I'm sure.

Yes ma'am, no ma'am
Yes sir, no sir
I was thoroughly confused by this one at first. I will always remember my first day at my new high school when a teacher asked me a question. I politely answered "yes" and was met with the most offended, glaring expression. She muttered, "excuse me??" and all I could do was blink. That was when I was given my first lesson of, "I don't know what you yankees do, but down here we show respect and say 'yes ma'am'.". Yes ma'am.

Now I say ma'am and sir on a regular basis. Doesn't matter how old you are or your relationship to me, I will always use it for fear of another mishap. The hubs and I are raising Quinn to say it as well. He will also call our friends Miss Jessica and Mr. Bryan.

Grits
I just...no. I can't do it. I cannot eat something that tastes just like it sounds. I'll forever and always be an oatmeal girl.

Dressing up for football games
Love it! I love any excuse to look cute but I'll be completely honest, I don't always follow through. The beginning of football season in the south {and sometimes the entire season} is just so dang hot. I will throw on a pair of shorts and Clemson tee and just call it a day.

Ketchup on eggs
The hubs *hates* when I do this. It totally grosses him out and he has started threatening that I better not teach Quinn "that disgusting habit" haha. Sorry I'm not sorry and I'll never ever stop. Eggs without ketchup gross me out.

Bubbles, john johns, longalls, rompers, etc.
Southern women know how to dress their babies!

Water bubbler
Y'all would call it a water fountain. I don't know how many confused looks I've received when I've mentioned a bubbler but I just can't seem to break the habit and switch to fountain.

Monogrammed everything
I purchased my own embroidery machine just so I could indulge in this southern habit. If I can add a monogram, oh you bet I will.

Aunt vs. Ant
There's a u in the word aunt for a reason ha! I just cannot call someone 'Ant Judy.' It really makes my skin crawl {because an ant is a bug!}.

The list of yankee likes is fairly small compared to my now southern tendencies. I love sweet tea and wearing pearls with jeans. I love seersucker and camo on guys. Clemson is a way of life and tailgating can be done for any event. So at what point would I be considered a southerner and not just a displaced yankee?

tips and tricks: bath time

Today I'm linking up with Meagan for Tips and Tricks Tuesdays for Moms. I haven't been a mama for very long, but I'm slowly starting to pick up on some tricks that make our life just a little bit easier.

Lucky for me, Quinn loves bath time. He giggles and splashes and just generally enjoys the water. Trying to scrub him down is always a challenge because he squirms all over the place and I end up covered in water myself.

My biggest problem was the wash cloth. I could never get the baby shampoo to suds up on the cloth and I just didn't feel like I was getting Quinn clean. I would keep adding shampoo until I got some suds which meant I was blowing through a large bottle entirely too fast.

Enter the bath puff. I wish I had thought of it sooner! It makes complete sense to me now to use it on Quinn. The puff is soft and you only have to add a tiny drop of shampoo on it and end up with a really bubbly bath. Quinn giggles the entire time I scrub him down. Bonus: I don't have to add a wash cloth to the laundry pile every night. So simple!

We picked one up at Walmart that has a monkey on it for just a couple dollars. Hope my tip helps another mama out there!

water baby

Since the 4th fell on a Wednesday this year, we had a mini celebration with my family the Saturday before. We decided to take Quinn out to see the fireworks and just see what would happen. There was always a chance that he would freak out and we'd be stuck, but thankfully he loved it.

just chilling out

cool like daddy

I love his patriotic swim trunks and tee

It was really hot that night so we stripped him down to his diaper while we watched the show. You can see how pale my little ginger is compared to my very tan mother ha!

On Tuesday after work, we headed to the hubs' sister's house and spent the night and all day Wednesday there. We took out boat out on Lake Hartwell and enjoyed spending time with his family.

I can't believe Eric is about to be four. He looks so grown in this picture.

Quinn loved just floating around

daddy's first mate

even though we were only out for a couple hours, both babies passed out on Kathy on the way home

We've been so busy with the move and getting our old house packed that it was so nice just to take a day off. We haven't been able to enjoy the summer at all. I hope after we move {two weeks!!} we'll be able to relax some and go out on the boat a bit more before the summer is over.

lost in the moment

I know I mention it with every monthly post, but time is rushing past me. My sweet little baby is changing before my very eyes and I don't want to miss a moment. It feels so unfair that I have to give up any time with him, but such is life.

We've all settled into a pretty good routine around here. Once we get home from work and daycare I feed my little guppy some solids and then head back to a quiet room to nurse him. We sit in complete silence with a dim light on so Quinn doesn't become distracted.

Lately he has been falling asleep after this nursing session {I assume from all the fun at daycare} and I can't help but just soak in the moment. I sit there with him fast asleep across my lap and memorize every little thing I can.

I don't want to forget.

I don't want to forget the color of his beautiful red hair that changes from strawberry blonde to auburn and everything in-between depending on the light; how he already has a cowlick that swoops to the left above his left eye.

Or the way his perfectly pink lips pucker every so slightly with his bottom lip protruding just a bit more than his top and his wonderfully chubby cheeks that he gets from me.

I don't want to forget how soft his pale pink skin feels or how his toes curl just a bit.

I sit there watching the rise and fall of his chest, his complete relaxation, and I can't stop myself from holding his tiny hands in mine.

I truly become lost in the moment. The mile long list of to-dos completely escapes from my mind and I just enjoy the now. When he's grown I want to be able to always remember.

Before I even realize how much time has passed, Quinn stirs and flashes a big smile up at me. The moment has passed and we continue on with our evening cooking dinner, folding laundry, and playing some flying baby.

30 before 30

{I've been working on this post since February. Who knew it was so hard to think of thirty things I wanted to do?}

1. Have 2nd baby.
2. Get current with scrapbooking. I'm working on 2010 right now {and by working I mean that's where I stopped right before I had Quinn...}.
3. Get 2nd holes pierced in my ears. I want to be able to wear the diamond studs the hubs gave me everyday.
4. Establish a workout routine.
5. No credit card debt.
6. Visit five new places.
7. Read the Bible.
8. Own a beach house or have an awesome rental.
9. Join Junior League.
10. Maintain a size 8 figure {almost there already!}.
11. Sew ten projects for me.
12. Create the perfect craft room {I feel like this will be an always ongoing project..}.
13. Host a fancy dinner party using our wedding china.
14. Read 30 books.
15. Find a church we love.
16. Visit my great-grandfather's grave at Arlington.
17. Go out on the Sky Walk at the Grande Canyon.
18. Start a college savings account for Quinn.
19. Have a family portrait taken every year {we already have a session scheduled for this year with my fav girl, Erica!}.
20. Create five family traditions that we repeat yearly.
21. Start a prayer journal.
22. Start a vegetable garden.
23. Visit Yellow Stone.
24. Establish a yearly party {4th of July maybe?}.
25. Bake a cake from scratch.
26. Get my concealed weapons permit.
27. Catalog our Christmas ornaments.
28. Learn how to can the vegetables from our garden.
29. Learn how to crochet.
30. Find my signature drink.

What's on your list?

five friday confessions

• I am entirely too worried about picking wall colors for the new house. I think about it all! the! time! and I'm about to make specific boards on pinterest just to indulge in the obsession a bit more.
• Along the same lines, I'm also becoming obsessed with making the new house the most organized house ever. Closet space is limited and I must make use of every square inch! 
• I want my life mantra to be "Life is short. Buy the shoes." but I'm too responsible to follow through with it.
• Sleep deprivation makes me think angry thoughts when my child wakes up for the second {third?} time in the middle of the night. Seriously, why must you wake up again??!
• I replay conversations in my head and beat myself up for the way I say things. Just last night I determined I didn't like the way I said goodnight to the hubs {I was a bit cranky} so I went back out into the living room for an I-love-you do over.