Taking a toddler to Church.

Sorry for being MIA! If you don't already know, hubby and I have started a vlog (found here). It's been hard adjusting to the schedule change but also my computer was infected by a virus two weeks ago and I recently got it back (minus all my files that were encrypted. Back up your files, folks!)

Anyhoo, as I was sitting in Church this past weekend, I thought this would be a good blog post. I remember taking Andrew to Church every Sunday when he was a little baby - it was always easy because I'd feed him just before going and then he'd sleep through the service. 

As he got older, however, and especially once he had learnt to walk, it was extremely hard for us to take him. He was always trying to climb and escape, crying, shrieking, etc. So we tried taking him to the Nursery. It did not go well. We'd sit in there with him for several minutes trying to get him comfortable but after the service we were always told he just cried the whole time. We'd come in to find him hiding under the table or in the corner and eventually, anytime we even went near there, he's bawl. So the Nursery was out.

I'm sorry to say, this stopped us from going to Church for quite some time. We'd occasionally drop him off at my Mother's but couldn't do it every week.

Pretty recently however (I think we started this around April), we decided to take a chance and just bring him to the service. The first few times we'd have to trade off skipping most of service to walk around with him outside, but one day I got smart and packed his diaper bag strategically. 

Then one day in May, he sat through the entire service! It was amazing and it made us both so happy! Here's our game plan:

• We bring one or two cars or trains (his favorite toy) for him to play with that he gets as soon as he starts getting restless (which is often after the first song).
• We also pick up one of the kid's bulletins so he can look at/ play with that at the beginning while we look through ours.
• Jesse takes him up for the Children's service which he usually does great with (though I have to kind of hide my face so he doesn't see me and get upset, haha)
• As soon as the sermon starts, we break out the snacks. This usually keeps him sitting, happy, and quiet for the entirety of the sermon.
• He comes up with us every time for a blessing during Communion.
• Then once we return to our seats I usually break out books and maybe another snack if he's too restless.

And this seems to work great with him! One small adjustment we made is bring Jesse's sweatshirt with - Andrew likes to push him trains along the chair legs and as there are spaces at the bottom back of the chairs, the trains sometimes roll off the back of the chair. Meaning the people sitting behind us get to pick up after him a few times. So the last service, I brought the sweatshirt and tucked it in all the openings on the back of the chair. Problem solved.

For us, we only go to Church twice a month (Jesse works the other weekends and it's just easier not to go), plus it makes me feel as though I appreciate things like Communion much more when we don't get it every week. It's very important for us that Andrew go to Church - when he's older we'll help him learn about other religions and let him chose what he identifies with most and allow him to attend those services. But for now, we love taking him every week to get comfortable there, enjoy the Children's Sermon, get a blessing from the Pastor (it's a Lutheran Church) and it also is a great way for him to learn to sit quietly - he's definitely getting better every time!

Well, I guess that's all for now, folks! Just wanted to share this with you guys in case anyone else had/ is having issues bringing their little one to Church :)

TTFN <3

Easter Weekend!

Whew! What a jam-packed weekend!

Saturday Andrew had soccer as usual so we got up early, ate and dressed and headed out the door. Afterwards we got some lunch and then went to meet the Easter Bunny at Whole Foods Market. Andrew clung to me and kept an eye on the strange creature during pictures, but gave him a high-five once we said we were leaving - what a kook. 

After a nap, we took a nice long walk as the sun was about to set, made some yummy fried fish and asparagus (recipe will be posted soon!) and had a LATE night. We had dinner later than usual and then at the last moment realized munchkin still needed a bath - AND we hadn't dyed eggs yet! So we got our crap together, dunked the eggs in the dye, washed the little guy, pulled the eggs out and off to bed he went.

We also had to put together Andrew's basket - we filled a few eggs with some ANNIE'S snacks, THIS book, some bath toys, bubbles, and a Thomas engine. Here are some pictures:

Sunday morning we got up late - couldn't possibly have to do with the fact that we all got to sleep so late - made bunny pancakes and hunted Andrew's basket. We went to the later service at church (where munchkin did a great job being calm and quiet) and then off to granny's for more baskets, an egg hunt, and dinner. And then we stayed for a nap, a few movies and leftovers teehee ;)

Hope everyone had a wonderful, peaceful holiday weekend!

Andrew Fashion - Church, June 29

So, we put Andrew in this checkered button-up and plaid pants for Church this past weekend. He also wore his "Dressy" sandals (see here). I should have taken a photo in the morning when he was buttoned up all the way and tucked into his pants.... WAY cuter, haha.

This was shortly before lunch so he was kind of restless and moving way too fast for a photo shoot. Anyways, the top was originally from Burlington Coat Factory - similar in "Elephant" Gray here.

Similar Pants here.

Catching up...

Wow, I had no idea it had been so long since my last post! Anybody else feel like May lasted about a year, and June went by in a blink?? It's nuts.

Well not too terribly much to say, but have a bit of a photo dump to share!

Family photo in front of the Elephants

Andrew LOVED playing in the Kid's splash zone at the zoo! Definitely planning another trip there in the next week or so (with swim suit, haha)

Went to our favorite breakfast place, Brunchies. Andrew had blueberry pancakes, milk and melon

At Family First Sunday at our Church

Playground fun!

Having some giggles on the swings

Father's Day loot! We went to see a couple movies the night before and I cooked him a steak dinner that night :)

Little man is finally beginning to be interested in coloring

And he now loves pushing his toy bus around the floor and table doing his version of "Vroom-vroom"

We've been going to the HCCB Music & More classes, going to the pool at least once or twice a week, Jesse has been working a bunch and it just seems like the days are flying by!

Also, I'm making a Toddler Fashion board on Pinterest! It's all boy stuff so far but check out the few pieces I have if you want! I'll also be posting A's outfits around once or twice a month.
Here's the Pinterest link: Andrew Fashion

Alright, that's all I've got at the moment, TTFN! <3

Decorating, guests and more weekend fun

What a weekend! Quite busy indeed.

Thursday was obviously Thanksgiving, we had a great time watching the parade and stuffing our faces, haha.

Bring on the mint dark chocolate M&Ms lol ;

Friday we actually did venture out, mainly because we needed groceries for our guests we were having over on Saturday. I also had heard about a great deal on TOMS at our Whole Foods Market. Lastly we went to Target for some decor items. The rest of the day we ate leftovers,  decorated and relaxed. Oh and lots of online shopping lol!  Got about 75% of our gift getting done!

Took the autumn wreath I made, removed the leaf garlands, added a 15' length of gold tinsel 

Saturday we had my mom's cousins over. It was fun to see them again and we had yummy mushroom beef (recipe here) and asparagus (also here) and more. We picked up another gift (nabbed a new video game for 12 bucks, huzzah!) and had some nice family time relaxing and cuddling a whole bunch.

Passed out with his butt in the air lol

post-bath

Sunday we made it to church. The first Sunday of Advent is always exciting, the sermon was great, and the young girl who sings, sang an absolutely gorgeous song, I seriously want a recording of her singing it lol.... we also picked out a Christmas ornament from the church tree with a 4 year old's name to buy gifts for, excited to start this tradition with Andrew! Then it was also a Family First weekend so Jesse played kickball (and won) with other adults and older kids from the church.

Later we did some grocery shopping and a Target run/ got a Subway sandwich for the first time in ages, haha.

P.s. I can finally tell y'all about our super secret activities! We randomly signed hubby and baby up for a modeling competition for a one-year contract. They had to do an interview, runway walk and photo shoot (both made it through round one and nabbed digital portfolios). And about a week ago they competed in the state wide finals doing talent and runway (Jesse did Capoeira and baby just got carried around to music haha). We got the results today and..... they both won!!! I'm so proud of them!

Next step is a call to their agents, sending in their signed contracts, making the call cards and then we start looking for jobs! They told us to call Pampers for Andrew so maybe he'll be auditioning for them someday soon?

Little man is just packin' away the food and sidling along anything he can stand up with, he's going to be walking too soon. Can't believe he's almost a year old already!!!