Dallas and A Babe

We went to Dallas for Thanksgiving with my sister, who was 9 months pregnant, so let's be honest, we were much more anxious for that baby than the turkey :). But let's all be clear that Sarah did SUCH a good job keeping up Thanksgiving tradition for us all! She's such a good big sister/mom/human. I love her. 9 months pregnant and making apple turkey crafts with her kids, I mean come on! Superwoman.

As it turns out, baby Hudson wanted to stay in just a little longer, and decided to come Monday after we left. But we forgive him for waiting because he looks like this:

Introducing my perfect new nephew, Hudson Conrad Wise. We love each other.

Thanksgiving was so fun. Like I said, Sarah has a knack for keeping things special and remembering the details. If Thanksgiving were at my house, we'd skip the turkey and eat stuffing and pie and cranberry sauce and rolls and call it good. And even though she was kind of miserable and very pregnant, she put on her brave face and partied with us all weekend. Lots of movies, games, bowling, and food. We are so glad we live close to them so we can spend holidays like this together!

Cuddling with Colton

Milo and Daddy

Me and Mr. Handsome

Our little fam :)

Bowling! Those black lights do crazy things.

My funny little munch.

Common Scenes

First of all, Monday was Trevor's BIRTHDAY! He even had a short day from school so we could party all day. We love him :)

Most days, I go to bed singing the song from Milo's airplane on a loop in my head. "Flying up, flying down, flying all around..." Basically my favorite song.

Milo is really loving practicing yelling. It's so darling also I have a headache. 

He is also climbing on everything. It cracks me up so much. He gets stuck in the funniest places. But seriously. If he wants to get somewhere, he will stop at nothing. Including flips over the front of the treadmill.

He has this thing for the cabinet with the trash can. So we invested in some child locks finally.

Speaking of child locks. Yesterday we found out that if you shake the box in his face, he LOVES it. He was cracking up all the way through walmart. Basically if you do something annoying at him, it will bust him up. He must be a boy or something.

He is happy and cuddly and sweet and he follows me around! And wants me! Now we're practicing waving and blowing kisses and dancing. Mostly he just stands there and smiling while I do those things to him. But that's ok because I like waving and blowing kisses and dancing.

He ALWAYS lays down in the cart at the store. It kills me.

He's a great assistant for work. When I make calls, he likes to yell his input in the background. He also likes to come with me to take pictures of houses. He has a great eye for these things so I'm glad I have him.

We are getting SO excited for Christmas! It's finally cold here, which isn't awesome, but I'm not even mad because the weather has been so nice up till now, and it will get warm again next week. So the Christmas tree will be going up today. In our room. Otherwise I will be pulling it off Milo for the next 2 months :).

8 Months of Milo + Young Women in Excellence

The other day I had a total breakdown. I want Milo to keep growing up and stop growing up and stay exactly the same all day every day forever, and relive every day over and over again. Is that so much to ask? There is just not enough time!

Some Milo favorites as of lately (on his 8 month birthday!)

1. Milo loves bananas. If all else fails, just break out the bananas and he will eat. He loves his nanas and it is adorable.

2. He can officially climb out of his exersaucer. Sometimes when I'm pumping I have him play in there. The other day, I looked over right as he nose dived out of it. Nothing is safe.

Almost impossible to wrestle into jams.

3. He blows bubbles all day, every day.

4. He is sleeping through the night!!!!! Kind of. Does it count if we hand him a bottle when he wakes up and leave? Probably not. But hey. I'M sleeping through the night.

5. He has one little tooth! It is so cute!

6. He loves to poke everything with his index finger.

7. He walks himself along furniture like a little ninja. And is very good at climbing up on everything and sliding/falling with style.

8. He pulls himself up on my leg and follows me around and wants me. YES. MY BABY LIKES ME. Mission accomplished.

9. He is a tough little nut to crack. He smiles all the time but those giggles... we have to WORK for them! He kind of sucks air in and squeals a lot... but he is tough to really get going. But I tell you what... when we figure out what he thinks is funny that day, it is SO worth it.

The last 2 weeks have been insane. With planning being momma, church events, working, and trying to keep the house functioning, it's been quite a whirlwind. Trevor is my life saver/hero. That guy is wonderful. Life is busy (and not too busy) and good and we love it!

At church, I work with the teenage girls. I love it SO much and we had a little showcase/year in review event (Young Women in Excellence) on Wednesday. It was so great! I love those girls. These are the centerpieces and decorations we put together. I'm obsessed.

 

Party in Austin

Big developments in the Hansen home:

We got kitchen chairs! Yes. After living in our home for 5 months, we finally sprung for some folding kitchen chairs at Target. $30 each. Totally worth the wait though... these things are the best!

 Milo loves popsicles. He and Trevor share them every day and Milo gets really mad if Trevor doesn't share. They have a great system worked out. Milo sucks out the juice, Trevor bites off the ice. Repeat.

 Those. Cheeks. We love the swings!

 This weekend, we went to Trevor's uncle's house in Austin for a cousin extravaganza. I love me a good family get together! The weather was gorgeous and Austin was beautiful. Who knew it was so hilly? Probably lots of people. Nonetheless, it was great. Highlights of the weekend were meeting baby Ellie and seeing Jacob after his mission! We are so glad uncle Jacob is home!

 Milo was so NOT into sleep this weekend. He is too much of a party animal.

 Family pictures!

 Uncle Jacob and Milo were instant bff's.

 Mmmmm babies.

 The brothers reunited! (We missed you, Tyler and Audrey and Poppa H!)

 Milo sleeps with his animals now. I melt.

 My mother in law is a total fox. Down 75 lbs since March! She looks AMAZING! Love her.

 Happy, happy boy after church. 

Now excuse me while I continue to enjoy late October and early November in Texas. High 70's and rain. I love this place!

I Love October in Texas

It's true. Texas so far is everything I ever wanted in a climate. We are loving keeping the windows open 24/7, going for walks every day, and the fall rain that we've been having. Trevor started mowing lawns in our apartment complex so Milo and I like to go find him in the afternoons. It's fun and we feel sneaky. Also sometimes it's the only way I can get Milo to take a nap in the early evening. This stroller has magic powers!

We also have an awesome little park right across the cul de sac from our apartment. Milo officially LOVES swinging!

This weekend, we did a quick trip up to Dallas to go visit my sister and her family. She is giving me another perfect nephew in about 6 weeks and Milo just can't wait to meet his new BFF.

We love visiting Madison and Jaxon at school for lunch:

 And Colton is always happy when his favorite uncle Jungle Gym comes to town:

Of course we had to hit up the pumpkin patch for Milo's first Halloween season...

 And we went to a Dallas soccer game. The best part was gabbing with my sister the whole time. You'd think we don't spend an hour on the phone almost every day... 

 Also, Sarah found us a crib and changing table at a garage sale a few weeks ago. Milo is officially graduating from his pack and play!!! We love it!!! So worth driving back from Dallas criss cross in the front seat jammed against a crib!

Healthy Mommy Happy Baby: Part 2

Remember this post when I talked about body image and health and being a healthy mom and not obsessing about looking perfect while I do it? Time for an update!

All 3 of us have been getting on such a better schedule together, and it is doing wonders. It helps me so much to get to bed at a good time, know that Milo takes about 2 naps plus a little catnap a day, and eats around certain times. We're not rigid by any means, but we do have a rough routine. Milo knows what to expect and I'm way more able to get things done!

Sometimes, though, he falls asleep on our night walk at 7:45 p.m. and as much as I don't want to let him take a nap that late I just... :)

I also put up the scale. I do not enjoy admitting that at many times in life, I've spent way too much time and energy caring about what I look like and obsessing over the number staring back at me. I will always care about health. I will always care to look good and put effort into staying in shape and being healthy, and I will never let myself go. Exercise and nutrition will always be important to me and a big part of my life, because in order to function at my best, I need to feel good about my health and the way I'm taking care of my body. That being said, it didn't take me long after having Milo to realize that going to extremes for vanity is something I so do not have time for. So here are my conclusions:

Milo the yoga master cares about health, too.

I need to find my body's healthy set point and stay there. And I need to be comfortable in my own skin at that point!

I refuse to be the mom who never bakes cookies with her children.

My kids will be raised seeing a good example of living well and dedicating time to staying healthy without letting it take away from more important things like rolling around on the floor getting drooly kisses.

This set point needs to be one I can maintain relatively easily by exercising almost every day and eating a clean diet that still includes candy in moderation :).

Confidence comes from knowing I'm taking good care of myself and can realistically maintain it.

So after being totally depleted following my pregnancy, I've put on a good 15 lbs. and I'm feeling very at peace with that. I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies and whole foods (this book has taught me a ton about nutrition already- thanks for the rec, Tracy!) and I'm also not denying myself of everything good because what kind of way is that to live??

Also, cleaning. After 3 and a half years of marriage, I'm simultaneously embarrassed and thrilled to announce that I'm finally on a good cleaning schedule. Vacuuming, laundry, dishes, sweeping and mopping, cleaning bathrooms... they're all happening regularly! Hallelujah!!! And I feel SO much better in a house that's at least somewhat put together. Lived in, but tidy enough.

So essentially, I'm not 16 years old with a ridiculous metabolism anymore so I have to work for it if I want to stay in shape, and I'm a wife and a mom who cares about being on a decent schedule and cleaning. Someone tell me when I got so old and boring? :)

And for the record, I am very in love with my old and boring life :)

Life Lately

Ever since we got back in town, we have been BUSY!

Lots of work for me. Lots of scooting for Milo. Lots of exams for Trevor.

WHEW!

Needless to say, in the evenings, we've been going on lots of walks (especially because sometimes it's the only way I can get Milo to take a nap in the early evening so he doesn't get sleepy at 7 and then stay up till 10... 30... :). Besides, Milo really needs to just put his feet up sometimes.

This boy!!! He has entered such a fun stage this last few weeks. He is crazy mobile. He smiles about everything. He follows us around. He pulls himself up on things now (and then falls over). He is SO curious and interactive. Every stage he enters, I love it. And then he enters a new one, and I love it. He is definitely keeping me on my toes, this one!

We had one day of fall, last Saturday. It was beautiful and rainy. Then it got super hot again and I've been spending the afternoons sweating it out in the apartment. But the evenings and mornings are gorgeous!

Did I mention we started Insanity? Let's just say it was appropriately named and it makes me feel better about all the Halloween candy and cinnamon captain crunch I've been eating. Me and my sweet tooth. For the love.

Aaaanyway :)