Tea at Tutu's

Harper could hardly sleep the night before, she was so excited about going to Tutu's that day. A little birdie had told her a present was waiting for her from Auntie Jean in California. When she arrived she saw how pretty it was wrapped and couldn't believe how much love and care had gone into this gift.



She opened it and to her delight it was her first, very own, hand-made tea set! In coral, to boot!

So naturally, she waltzed herself right over to Tutu's comfy chair and had herself a spot of tea.

As she giggled in delight she thought, "Oh my...I am so loved...

...and spoiled."

*Written with love and gratitude by her Mama Bear. Photos courtesy of Mama Bear and Tutu.*

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A Night to Remember

Well, naturally, it's been months since I've blogged. :) Typical!

Despite our newest BIG news (I'm pregnant again! With a GIRL!), what I really wanted to memorialize was a special moment that occurred tonight.

For the past week, Hudson has been refusing to go to bed. He throws insane temper-tantrums--inconsolable, completely unreasonable tantrums. And he was climbing out of his crib and then falling loudly (read: terrifyingly loud) to the floor. All I could think about was one wrong fall, and we could be looking at broken bones--or worse. So in the past week, we've slept on the floor, we've slept in Mommy and Daddy's bed, I've fallen asleep with him in his bed, he's fallen asleep in the rocking chair, we've locked him in the room and he's fallen asleep by himself on the floor. It's been a trying week. I'm frustrated with him. I'm frustrated with myself. And we're ALL exhausted.

So today--all afternoon--we talked about how cool his converted big boy bed is. And when I took him to bed, he seemed sorta into it. Until it was time to get in it, of course. :) But when he asked me to rock him (which is not normally a part of his bed-time routine anymore), I agreed thinking it might help soothe and calm him to the point where he'd lay in his new bed.

Within moments of rocking him, with his arms flung around me and his mouth right by me ear, completely unprompted, he said, "I love Mommy." I. MELTED. "I love you too, Huddy." And then again from him, "I love you."

Seriously--MELT. He just turned two, Chelsea, (Happy Belated Birthday Hud!) he's growing and learning and gets frustrated too. But he loves me. And I really think he knows I love him too--to the moon....and back.

back to blogging???

ehh....let's be honest. i kinda doubt it. :) but, i want to accomplish some goals in 2012 and i wanted them listed somewhere permanently so i can review them. and i've learned that i tend to lose paper lists (though i still make them and then can't find them to check off my accomplishments!). since last april, which is the last time i posted, i've been tempted to post quite a few times, but i would re-read what i wrote to Hud on his birthday and just couldn't bring myself to write something else and take away from that e-letter to my one-year-old. Hud's quickly racing towards two, and with the new year right around the corner, i feel like i can finally bring myself to write on the blog again. i look at all these other busy mamas who still find time to keep a blog, and am inspired to try to keep mine up better. i mean, what an awesome "permanent" memory keeper!

so...while i'm not really a new year's resolution maker (they seem so fake and difficult to keep), these are my goals for 2012:

1. lose 10-15 lbs by april
2. budget better and keep to the budget!
3. make one new recipe a week
4. have a date-night with jay at least every other week
5. blog at least once a month (i can handle that, right?) :)
6. organize my house (maybe follow the 52 week challenge?)
7. create a month-in-photos book

what are your goals for 2012? (hello? is anyone there? does any body even read this blog any more? haha.) can you think of any other goals i should have???

talk to me! :)