Clearing out my camera! (February thus far...)

did you miss me??

i took a day off. sometime over this lovely long weekend i caught the plague of death and needed to take a day to recoupe (SLEEP!).

well, i'm back.

and back in style!

since Kai went down i've been teaching myself how to do some cool tricks with my blog. it's fun! i found a really cool "how-to" blog post about how to personalize your blog...if you are like me and kinda new to the game, check it out, it's WAY helpful.

anyway, my camera is back-logged with pictures that i have been meaning to include in blog-posts, and i feel like i just need to clean them out so tonight, i'm featuring snap-shots of the last couple of weeks. very random, but that sums up my life as of late.

busy and random:

Look how BIG he's getting!!!!! {tear}

another nap on the giraffe.

 we have LOVED this giraffe. it's like a flat stuffed animal that is SO super soft and cuddly. when Kai was a newborn he napped on Mr. Giraffe on the couch. when i transitioned him into his crib, i put the giraffe in there to make it more familiar to him (i know, i know i have lots of "stuff" in his crib...so sue me, i think he's comfortable and i check on him lots!). it worked well because he sleeps in his crib like a CHAMP. these cute little animal pillows are my new go-to baby shower gift (you can find em' on Amazon!)

 having {fun} with Uncle Mikey!

 I HATE keeping clothes on my baby.

 that was one great advantage of Kai being born in the middle of the summer....minimum coverage. i think babies should get to have "naked play time" at least once every day (not including bath time!). just imagine having a huge, uncomfortable diaper strapped inbetween your legs all day. yuck! Kai LOVES getting to kick around with his clothes off (and the heat turned UP!). yes, he pees, ofcourse he pees...but it's not hard to clean up and it's totally worth his smiles and joyful babbles.

 {superman!}

 i love to snuggle his soft warm skin...

 we spent the weekend in Portland for my sis-in-law's baby shower a few weeks ago and we ate a delicious, trendy little place downtown (thanks Mollie for the reccomendation!) called Papa Haydn's. Kai was SUCH a good boy while we enjoyed dinner, drinks and of course, dessert.

 *avocado has become my "go-to" on-the-go snack for Kai. i just pack it whole in his backpack and then cut it in half and feed it to him right out of the skin there in the restaurant. he loves it and i love it because it is quick prep and easy clean-up!

 i'm still {trying} to take better care of my skin

 (still no tanning bed time this year...not to say i haven't been tempted...SO.PALE.). My sister-in-law Sarah instructed me to scrub, then moisturize my face with this Mary Kay combo (TimeWise). my face felt amazing. i could count the sleep i'd logged the previous night on one hand, but after rejuvenating my skin with this stuff, i felt invigorated and better prepared to tackle the day. i even put mascara on! (that doesn't happen very much...)

Sarah also let me in on a little secret i'll share with you as well. she buys this stuff NOT from a Mary Kay consultant, but off of EBAY....and she pays a quarter (or less!) of the price. so skincare CAN be affordable...

 isn't this pretty??!

 i've been spicing up my salads lately with avocado, boiled egg and a new dressing recipe that is soooooo good (and great for you as well!) it's a combo of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. it's light and flavorful and a definite favorite of a self-proclaimed dressing snob such as myself...

 each day it gets harder and harder to get a good picture of baby boy because he is NEVER still. here he is with auntie Kelley, who we were SO happy to get to spend a little bit of time with this weekend!

Squash face.

Kai's new obnoxious dinner time habit is taking a large bite and kind of letting it squish out of his lips and then WIPE his hands all over his face...smearing whatever it may be EVERYWHERE. good thing that bathtime follows close behind...

and there you have the majority of my back-pics.

 it feels good to know that when i sit down for tomorrow blogging session, i have a clean slate to work from.

we are still praying for Gary's work to pick up, and for me to have some kind of direction about going back....i've had a few interviews and have had a job offer that is pending until i get news about a previous interview. i don't know if i'll be going back full time or part time, but i'm going back. i'm trying not to drag my feet about it, just because it'll be hard to leave my little guy.

i came home after an interview i recently had for a full-time position (for a job i would typically LOVE) and immediately swooped Kai up, held him close and bawled, because i couldn't bear the thought of leaving him for 40 hours a week. i know that Mommies do it all the time, but MAN i'm having a hard time with even the possiblity of it. Maybe once i find a good daycare solution i'll feel better...?

now i'm pretty much just praying for direction and for God to open doors and lead me to where HE wants me....because that is all that matters.

but until then, i'm soaking up every single {messy} moment.