A Life That's Good

Yesterday I took Campbell out to lunch. It's the first time we've eaten out just the two of us (since he's started sitting in a high chair and eating too) and I was so nervous that I was getting myself into a mess! I debated the whole drive there but I was super craving Flying Burrito and I decided I could handle whatever I was about to get myself into. I'm happy to report that it was a piece of cake! I actually couldn't believe how easy it was. Campbell was so good and we had a lovely little lunch date together! Campbell is always good when we eat out but usually Scott eats first while I feed Campbell then when he's done eating he takes over feeding him. Campbell is like a teenage boy and thinks he needs food shoved in his mouth as fast as possible so it's hard to keep up with him. Yesterday he was completely content eating at a normal pace which was nice. Campbell loves eating at Flying Burrito just as much as I do. I order him a taco filled with rice, black beans, chicken and potatoes. I love that he can appreciate Mexican food already. It really is the yummiest of all the foods.

After our lunch and a trip to Walmart to stock up on groceries for the week, Campbell and I came home and chilled the rest of the day. While we were sitting on the floor playing, I gave Campbell a sippy cup with a straw for the first time. I assumed he would just play with it but he instantly got the concept and was able to drink his water out of it. Yay! It's the little things like that, that make my life easier.
Last night I made us a yummy dinner--Catalina chicken, sweet potatoes and broccoli. The three of us sat at the table together and ate as a family. I've read that it's important to do that with Campbell, even at this age, so I'm trying to get in a habit of doing it even though I'm never hungry at 5:30 but whatever. I got an overwhelming feeling of happiness as I sat there with my little family eating dinner. Life just felt really great.

And now I'm done with the sappiness.

Holiday Traditions

I got all of my Christmas shopping done this weekend and it feels so fantastic! I'm usually still picking up a few little last minute items on Christmas Eve so to have it done so early is such a relief. Most of the presents are wrapped and under our tree now. Of course we don't leave Madison and Ivy out! They noticed their presents immediately once I placed them under the tree. It is absolute torture for Madison because she loves toys more than any dog I've ever known in my life. After I wrapped their presents, Scott and I went upstairs to our bonus room to watch some Netflix. Madison is usually trailing right behind us but I could not convince her to back away from the tree. A few short minutes later, she came prancing in the room with one of her new toys just as happy as can be! And she hasn't put her new toy down since.

It will be interesting to see if she opens the two others before Christmas or if she leaves them alone. She's pretty excited about her new toy and shows no signs of becoming uninterested in it any time soon so I'd be surprised if she opened another. Stay tuned!

Campbell isn't lacking in a Christmas wardrobe this holiday season. He has a couple of Christmas outfits and I just love them. I got this for him last year and I think it's so adorable! It's 6-12 months which is usually pretty big on the little peanut but I was able to shrink it and it fits him perfectly!

I've been thinking a lot about Christmas/Holiday traditions lately. I love family traditions around the holiday season. I feel like it brings extra magic and creates wonderful memories for everyone. Plus it just makes the holidays feel more special. We had Christmas traditions in my family growing up and I look back on them with such fond memories. I want to create our own Christmas traditions for Campbell and any future children we may have. I know for sure that on Christmas Eve I want us to all bake cookies for Santa. Someone told me they leave reindeer food out on Christmas Eve. It's just deer food + glitter and I think that's such a cute idea! I'll have to do that one as well. A lot of people go to church on Christmas Eve and I think that's wonderful. I wish we did that but we're usually on the road traveling to Little Rock on Christmas Eve. I know some families that take a little weekend trip together around the holidays every year and I think that's so fun! I want to be that family that always does the same things every holiday season. Tell me, what are some of your holiday traditions? I want some ideas! It's never too early to start traditions and create memories. I want Christmas to always be extra special and magical for my kids and I think traditions are a great way to start. Please share what makes your holidays special!

Santa Visit

Yesterday we took Campbell to the mall to visit Santa Claus. Obviously he isn't even aware of who or what that is at this point but we, of course, had to get a photo of Campbell and Santa together!

We got Campbell all decked out in his Santa visit best and made the journey to the mall. We went during the week because I was warned the lines on the weekend were crazy long. Thankfully there were only two other people in front of us so we quickly made our way onto Santa's lap!

Santa instructed me to come and sit by him for a minute then once Campbell got used to him I needed to gently slide him onto his left knee. So that's what I did.

 And then Campbell was like.....wait, who's holding me?

 And then he was like.....Mom, I'm pretty sure I don't like this.

And then he was like....no for real Mom!!!!!!!!!! I don't like Santa!!!!!!!!

Scott and I laughed our heads off, rescued our child from the scary Santa, then all was good in Campbell's world again.
Merry Christmas Y'all!

Wordless Wednesday

1.2.3.4.5

1.) Ever have those days where you feel super productive? Today was one of those days for me! I got up this morning and made dinner. Yep, that's right. The crock pot is probably about to become my new best friend. It's so easy and makes foods soft enough for Campbell to eat which is a lovely bonus and is pretty much the reason I've decided to start using it. I made a delicious pork loin tonight that was so easy and super yummy. I pinned the recipe on Pinterest (kara2lou) if any of you want to check it out. It's my latest recipe pin/the only crock pot recipe on my board. I also made Campbell a yummy lunch while I was at it. Chicken, sweet potatoes and blueberries. He thought it was yummy!

2.) I also got some Christmas shopping done today! I'm guilty of doing last minute shopping. Not necessarily because I want to. It just takes me forever to decide what I want to give. I would not consider myself an indecisive person in every day life but when it comes to gift giving I'm the worst at making up my mind. I took care of over half of my Christmas shopping today. Campbell is becoming more and more uninterested in being my shopping buddy.

 

3.) Speaking of shopping, while I was at the mall I popped in baby gap....obviously. When we walked in the store everyone who works there said "Hey Kara! Hey Campbell!" It tickled me. I'm in there way too often. But I'm not sorry about it. They do me the same way at McAlisters. Again, not sorry about it.

 

4.) Campbell will be this big before I know it. I know it sounds so cliché but it seems like yesterday Landon was Campbell's age. I remember it so perfectly! How is he so big? We send each other texts now. And he was such a great helper to me last week with Campbell. He's a great big cousin!! I'm so proud of the little man Landon has turned into. He will always be my number 1.

5.) My girls. I just can't get enough of them. They have been extra sweet snuggle partners these last few days.

Home from the Holidays

I had a great Thanksgiving holiday down in Little Rock. I was there for almost a week and it was awesome to be able to spend so much time with my family. I spent the majority of my week sleeping which was fantastic!!!! You know how much I love to sleep. Campbell had a blast with his family but Pops and Gamma's house wore him out. He slept from 7:30-7:30 today and hardly managed to keep his eyes open until 9:00. I laid him down for a nap and he slept for 2.5 hours! It was wonderful being in Little Rock for such a long time but there's no place like home!

I was completely unproductive while I was in Little Rock but I did manage to get Christmas card photos made, designed and ordered. Every year I wait until Thanksgiving weekend to take care of them and every year I say I'm not going to wait that late to do it. It leaves me in a frenzy trying to pick out my Christmas card and get them ordered as quickly as possible. Alas I got my card ordered and hopefully they'll arrive in the mail this week. Christmas cards are my absolute favorite. I look forward to checking my mail every day in December. I got my first one today! Can't wait to see the others!! I'll share my Christmas photos/card on here once they get sent out to everyone. I'm super secretive about my Christmas card photos until they're sent out. I think it's part of the fun for me.

I didn't do much Cyber Monday shopping. I just bought THIS Aden + Anais dream blanket for Campbell for Christmas. I'm not doing much for him for Christmas but I did want to get him something for his first Christmas that would always be special for him. I thought a blanket would be the perfect gift that he could keep forever. Hopefully he enjoys snuggling up with it for many years to come!

Okay, I'm off to watch Breaking Bad on Netflix. Scott and I are halfway through season 2 and needless to say, we're addicted.