Smile And Wave

Current Project: Kids' Room Makeover

The kids' room is getting a little makeover. If you've been following me on Instagram (@smileandwave) you've probably seen the slow progress of finally getting to IKEA, bringing home some new furniture, putting together a bunkbed, and piecing together new matching quilts for said bunkbed.

We spent most of two weekends ago clearing out and cleaning their room, switching dressers with them, rearranging both of our bedrooms to make sure things would accomodate space for the baby, and figuring out how to reorganize both rooms. Two full days of work still left us with a lot of work to do. My motto became 'worse before better'. This past weekend I hunkered down to start these two quilts for the kids while my sweet, sweet husband did loads of laundry and dishes, guided the kids in cleaning their room, took Sebastian out on a dude date, and never once rolled his eyes at my to do list. It's been weekends like these that I realize just how much I missed him while he was deployed!

Since we'll be in this two-bedroom rental with three children for about eight more months after this baby comes in March it's been important to me to rethink our limited space. The kids have shared a room since Ruby came along but the bedrooms here are a bit smaller than our last two homes so thinking about fitting a bassinet in our room and later on a crib in their room has been challenged me to think more creatively about how we utilize our square footage and storage options. We took care of most of that earlier this month so now the fun part of adding in new elements and reworking old ones has started.

Here's what we've tackled on the to do list so far:

* Switch twins out for a bunkbed.

* Switch dressers for more clothing space including a drawer for the baby.

* Switch shelving by adding an IKEA expedit unit and move old shelving to our bedroom to use for the baby's stuff.

* Add a rug. 

* Bring in secondary lighting.

* Purge the toys and books they've outgrown that I don't want to save for the baby.

* Add a chair for bedtime reading or lounging.

 

Here's what I'm still hoping to accomplish:

* Finish matching quilts customized for bunkbeds.

* Possibly paint the bunkbed.

* Add purchased black and white artwork from online sellers.

* Possibly paint a chalkboard wall that we'll repaint white before we move.

* Add pully system and twinkle lights to the bunkbed.

* Give wooden dollhouse a face lift. 

* Blow up a photo of the kids at Kinko's and use it as artwork.

* Adhere temporary white or patterned wallpaper to built-ins to lighten the space.

I'm planning their space to keep up with their current needs but I'm also making sure I can easily rearrange things once we add in a crib sometime next summer. The Expedit can double as a changle table area with at least one cubby for diapers and wipes underneath and baby clothes can be stored in one of the dresser drawers and in their closet. I'm also trying to coordinate the colors in their bedding without overly matching the kids' stuff to the baby's stuff but when things coordinate well even the messes are a little more tolerable, am I right?

Do I sound like a nesting mother? There's no rush to get this done before the baby comes but I do want to have it mostly finished before Christmas so we can go in to the new year with that under our belts. There are also other things on the horizon that will need much more of my attention so I'm trying to take advantage of this little window of motivation. 

I'll be sure to share bits and pieces on Instagram and do a new room tour once it's all as it should be. There may even be a DIY or two involved. Of course there will be!

What's been taking up most of your to-do list lately? Lots of little projects, something big? Do you feel like you're just treading water trying to keep up with the essentials like dishes and laundry? By the way, I've never felt so buried in housework and unable to spend time on anything creative like I did during the time Brett was away. It's also made me appreciate how valuable that creative time is and all that it does for my spirit. I hope you get some of that time in soon!

-Rachel

What's In My Bag and a JoTotes Giveaway

Mama's got a brand new bag! The lovely ladies over at JoTotes recently sponsored Smile and Wave and were so generous to let me choose one of their bags to review. I've long been a fan of the fact that they were one of the first companies to cater to photographers that didn't want to just tote around a big black padded box to hold all of their equipment. I also knew that anything I chose from their line would not only help me tote around my own DSLR without fear but would probably boast as much room as any diaper bag out there. I'm a practical girl so finding a pretty bag that would take care of all of my needs was an easy sell.

I chose the Betsy in mustard mostly because I love this color and the shape got me. Outer pockets for keys or pacifiers, check. Inner compartments so your wallet and glasses aren't floating around in a bottomless pit, check. Sturdy enough that it won't lose it's shape no matter how heavy it's loaded, check. I've been carrying it around as my regular purse this last month and love it! 

What's In My Bag: Green sunglasses, gifted and from Madewell. Wood veneer sunglasses c/o Tumbleweeds. Wallet and nail polish, Target. Lip gloss, Walgreens. I've also been collecting granola bars, hair ties, and random mittens since this photo was taken! 

Our bags provide a fashionable and easy way for women to safely carry their camera bodies and lenses, along with regular purse items, every day. The main compartment of each of our bags is lined with padding to protect equipment. Movable interior pads are also included to allow for configuration around a variety of camera bodies and lenses. We carry several sizes, styles, and colors so you can select the bag that works best for your lifestyle. 

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THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT JOTOTES IS OFFERING ONE LUCKY READER A $125 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO THEIR SHOP! 

TO ENTER TO WIN:

* LIKE JoTotes on FB for one chance and comment here.

* PIN your favorite JoTotes bag on Pinterest and tag it with #JOTOTESSMILE

 

The giveaway will be open until November 30th and then the winner will be announced shortly after. IMPORTANT: PLEASE leave a way to be in touch with you if you've won. Many of the last few giveaway winners have not responded and forfeited their winnings! DON'T BE AN ABSENTEE WINNER! 

Good luck, everyone!

-Rachel 

Snow In Your Eye

We've had snow on the ground for almost three days now as the first major storm moved through Colorado Springs. It's been a welcome change even though it's going to be making me crazy come March. The kids begged to get outside and play in it after school and Brett made it home from work early so we put on the bare minimum for snow play in the yard and let them loose. 

It wasn't long before Sebastian started taking shots at me and his unborn sibling. Brett took care of that for me, though.

We only stayed out in the cold for about twenty minutes before their cheeks were bright red, fingers were numb, and their resolve had worn off but it was a great twenty minutes. 

I told Ruby she looked like a mix of Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf. In return she gave me her signature smirk. The snow won't stay much longer (I hope) so I'm glad we took advantage of it while we could. I can't bring myself to put any Christmas decorations up until Thanksgiving evening but this weather is sure setting the mood!

-Rachel

 

A Waldorf Lantern Walk

Last week Sebastian's school got together for a lantern walk after dark to celebrate Martinmas. The students at Sebastian's school learn lots of stories of noble people throughout the year including stories of saints such as Martin-the man who saw a shivering beggar at the city gate and drew his sword to cut his cloak in half in order to share it. Carrying the lanterns on a walk in the evening represents how we can shine our own light in the darkness. 

Their teacher had the kids color large sheets of paper and then we helped the kids coat the back side in cooking oil to make the sheets translucent. Once they'd soaked in the oil a few of the moms volunteered to fold them into lanterns following this tutorial. We met at a local park after dark with most of the rest of his class and visited while his teacher and some parents helped set lit tea lights inside each of the lanterns. Then we walked quietly around the park listening to the students sing their Martinmas song before having pumpkin muffins and visiting while the kids played in the dark on the playground.

It was a beautifully clear night just under the mountains and a great time getting to know some of the moms and dads we don't usually visit with at pick up. Switching to this new school was a big decision for our family but it has been such a great one for all of us. 

Also, I now have exceptional lantern making skills. 

-Rachel

 

What I Wore: 23 Weeks Pregnant

This week marks my 23rd week of pregnancy. My belly is getting a lot more attention from strangers lately in the form of lingering looks, excited smiles from passing strangers, and my first well-meaning but still rude comment about carrying twins or triplets. Brett mentions every day how much he loves seeing me pregnant though, so he gets a gold star. 

I have a history of big bellies. My kids were both born around 9 lbs and I usually start getting comments around this mark. With Sebastian it was a twenty-something male working at Subway that mentioned I looked like I was going to pop any day. I was six months along. With Ruby it was the older man working the flea market register. I brought two vintage globes to the counter and he asked me if I was hiding another one under my dress. I was five-and-a-half months along that time. 

It's actually funny that while we were taking these photos in our alley way before I ran up to get Sebastian from school our neighbor's nurse asked me if I wasn't sure if I was having twins or triplets. I smiled graciously and she asked again like she really wanted to know if I had considered how big I was. I may have been more offended but we'd actually ordered a diagnostic ultrasound a few days prior to check for twins.

My midwife measured me at the beginning of 22 weeks and I was 7 weeks larger than I should've been. She briefly mentioned she'd had a surprise set of twins this past summer and the mom measured that big but they'd never seen the second on her ultrasound or heard a second heartbeat. Her second baby was hiding in there. The same day I measured big my friend called to tell me another gal she knew just found out that same day she was having twins. The funny thing is she is due in seven weeks! Her midwife hadn't seen the second baby or heard that second heartbeat, either, and nothing else had given her the idea she might have two in there. It was enough to get Brett and I talking about the possibility. If not twins, then there was also the possibility of too much fluid which could also be a concern. Either way we needed to know what was going on to put our minds at ease.

Our diagnostic ultrasound was pretty thorough and confirmed there was indeed just one occupant but that said occupant had a large head-within normal range but still larger in proportion to the rest of it's measurements. Sebastian had a big head, too. At one point the stenographer needed to see where the cord was and told us not to look since she knew we weren't wanting to find out the gender until birth but Brett and I both peeked! Unfortunately, she was so quick and the baby was so fidgety that neither of us could tell. It was all I could do not to stay back as my family walked back to the waiting room and beg her to tell me if it was a boy or girl!

So, no lady in the alley, I'm not having twins or triplets. I'm having one large-headed, healthy baby and this belly will only be getting bigger in the weeks to come. Any future comments about the size of my belly will be met with my own polite retort. Don't mess with mama bear. This isn't my first rodeo.

-Rachel

Outfit Details: Black shirt and vest, Target. Maxi skirt c/o Gypsy Threads. Moto boots c/o Gypsy Threads. Crystal necklace c/o Moorea Seal. Bag c/o Jo Totes.

 

Ruby's 4th Birthday Party In The Woods

A month ago I asked Ruby what kind of party she wanted this year expecting another version of Hello, Kitty or something pink involving princesses. Instead she asked if we could have a family party in the woods with a giraffe pinata (that she later decided should be a unicorn), black balloons, rainbow flowers, and chocolate cake. I told her we could easily do most of those.

We went with a black and white color scheme, added some zoo animals to a red velvet cake (which is basically chocolate, right?), and had a family party in the woods. We ran out of time getting balloons and flowers on our way because our daylight was almost gone on our side of the mountains but she didn't even notice. We quickly found a spot in Manitou with nearby parking and Brett took the kids on a little hike while I set things up.

I wanted to use a lot of things we already had on hand to keep the cost of this party to a minimum and realized keeping things simple in the food/drink department was key for a traveling family party. I picked up mint plates at Party City, had mint straws from a summer sale at Michael's, and used leftover mint fabric from a quilt project to make the garlands. I had leftover gold stars from Ruby's party last year so I just purchased another set of larger ones from Party City and incorporated gold seal stickers from Office Depot to make a fun circle garland.

Most of these decorations I'll be able to use again for the holidays or future parties. The striped fabric for the tablecloth was purchased from Wal-Mart of all places and draped over the large cardboard box I used to haul stuff in from the car. The wooden table was a DIY I did earlier this year that I use as a bedside table, the poles in buckets was a project I worked on this summer that got shelved because of a rough first trimester, and the picnic blanket was a last minute DIY that I may be sharing here soon. Resourcefulness, y'all!

Ruby was pretty excited about her party but not so excited about standing still for more than two pictures. I'm such a mean mom.

We had hot ham and cheese sandwiches, hot chocolate with giant marshmallows, apple juice, and red velvet cake. It was just enough to keep us warm and fill our bellies and with only 4.5 people in attendance, we didn't really need a ton of sides. Our party site was right next to a natural spring so there was a lovely little creek running under our space and a trail that went past us that brought lots of birthday wishes from walkers and hikers. Sebastian recognized a friend from class that was going to camp up on the mountain with his dad and sister and Ruby made friends with two giant, friendly dogs that were unleashed and almost ate our cake! I grabbed the sandwiches and the owner quickly called the curious dogs off before they got too bold. 

We were only there for about 45 minutes before we had to pack up due to darkness but it was such a special way to celebrate Ruby's 4th birthday and a fun memory I hope she'll carry with her. We love you Little Red!

 -Rachel

P.S. Ruby's first, second, and third birthday (that went largely undocumented somehow!). Each year I've tried to incorporate the vintage yellow sheet that we used as a backdrop for her newborn photos. You can spot them in the first two parties and it was the tablecloth for our third Hello, Kitty party at the park. This year we used it again as the tablecloth for her actual birthday morning breakfast celebration that included pancakes, pretty flowers, and all of the presents sent in from family across the country. This kid is loved!

Brett's Home!

He's home! We got Brett back on November 5th. in the middle of the afternoon on the last flight back from his unit. Getting on base was slightly dramatic as I figured it could be since I'd lost my military ID the week before but we had a compassionate guard who saw our handmade signs, read the excitement on the kids' faces, got a look at my pregnant belly, and gave me a stern warning about coming onto base with the expired insurance papers I brought (without realizing) and the title to my car and not the registration (which I overlooked as well). He knew their plane was on the ground and we were moments away from being reunited so in his grandfatherly way he told me not to come back on base until I had my papers in order but that he understood us moms had a hard job and wanted us to get over to the event center in time. I could've kissed him.

We managed to find the event center thanks to some help from some wandering soldiers and my friend, Mindy, who was sort of on standby to help us get on base in case we had any problems. We got out of our car at the same time as the pregnant wife next to us and compared stories and belly sizes on our way in. It's amazing how you can immediately bond with a complete stranger because you've both just been through the hardest four months of your life and can't wait to hug your soldier again. 

We visited for about 45 minutes while the kids hung out in a movie tent and ran around the gym before the sentimental music started and the smoke machine started up. The kids got their signs ready and we all watched with strained necks as the soldiers marched in and unrolled their flag signifying their return home. They sang the Army song and I teared up and then they were released and Sebastian took off down the bleachers trying to figure out which uniform contained his daddy. Brett and I spotted each other right before they could move so he ran to the kids and they got the first hug while I carefully waddled down the stairs. 

Their smiles said it all. I hugged his neck and something about the way he always smells like Brett took me way back to when we first met in college over thirteen years ago and I started crying. I think my emotions just took over and I felt so relieved and happy at the same time. We were finally together again.

He got to meet our baby bump, we took some photos, and I met some of his friends before we got the heck out of dodge. On our way home it started snowing! Brett's only requests were Starbucks as soon as possible, a shower, and pizza for dinner. Sunday had the expected YouTube response to seeing him again and followed him around the house the rest of the day but I was most surprised at what a shadow Ruby became. She needed to be by his side, in his lap, talking to him through the bathroom door, wrestling with him on the bed, or falling asleep on him. I had to wait until about 9:00pm that night to get a full conversation in with him but I was happy to wait my turn. 

It's been a busy week having him home with Ruby's birthday, running errands, throwing a family party, a fantastic date night, a midwife apt., a separate ultrasound, and generally catching up on rest and life together but it's been so, so great having him back. I keep having this feeling that it's temporary and I'm going to have to do it all by myself again soon and then I realize I can finally relax a little. He's here and we're a team again and we finally get to enjoy preparing for this third baby to join us and have a few holidays to celebrate in the meantime. Life right now is really, really good.

I want to thank you all so much for the ways you've supported and encouraged myself and my family through your comments here (and on Twitter and Instagram) while we worked through this for the first time. Some of you sent e-mails reminding me I wasn't alone, some of you sent thoughtful gifts in the mail that were each appreciated and encouraging on those specific days they arrived, and a few of you sweet friends went above and beyond and sent multiple care packages to Brett while he was in Kuwait that not only encouraged him but a great many of his soldiers, too. I'm pretty sure he was the most popular 1LT there because he got the best care packages and was happy to share!

For all of you that let us know you were thinking about us and praying for us, thank you. Emotional support goes a long way when your favorite emotional support isn't always available for venting, sharing, and laughing over everyday moments. Those last four months were hard but it's taught us so much about ourselves, our marriage, our priorities, and has given us a greater appreciation for all of the things we have in life right now, including each other. 

For those of you who are still waiting for you soldiers to get home or are preparing to send them off for much longer than four months, my heart goes out to you. Hang in there. You're stronger than you think. 

-Rachel

Leather Pouch DIY for ABM

I made some leather pouches for the kids and shared how easy they are to customize on A Beautiful Mess. Head over for the details!

-Rachel

 

All The Pretty Things

I've been working as a guest contributor over at The Prowl for the last month collecting all of my favorite products and organizing them into boards such as Home Sweet Home, Oh Baby, and Pretty Things. It's been a fun way to window shop and figure out my current taste in fashion, home trends, and baby things but the best part has been stumbling upon the suggestions and Prowls of other women whose aesthetic is similar to mine. It's helped cut out some of the noise of shopping and when I've had a question about finding an affordable maternity coat or a bassinet with good reviews I've received almost instant feedback from other moms.

While most of the items I'm prowling aren't ever going to make it into my home, I love that I can keep all of these items in one place so that whenever I am ready to make a purchase I already have links to things I love at my fingertips. It's also a great way for me to share many of the handmade items that so many of my small business friends have to offer to a wider community such as these pillows from Gingiber, these glasses from Tumbleweeds, this darling romper from Little Hip Squeaks, and these sweet cloud mobiles from Baby Jives. 

I'm not one to clutter my online time with too many services that offer the same thing. I figure out what works well and serves my needs and usually stick with it because there are a handful of other things that require my attention every day. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't just another version of Pinterest but works as a tool to have tons of personal shoppers helping you find what you're looking for and offering feedback on items they've used themselves. It's come in handy in this new season in our life with a new baby on the way and hardly anything saved from our last baby four years and two moves ago!

I've already started my Christmas Wish List board because I rarely remember what I've been wanting in between gathering gifts for the kids and decking the halls. How about you? How do you go about finding things you're on the hunt for? Twitter? Pinterest? Texts to friends?

-Rachel

P.S. Just to be transparent, I've received payment to explore and share about The Prowl this month as a guest contributor but all opinions about the site are my own. I'm only sharing things I would collect and repost on The Prowl that I would were I not getting any compensation so as to sincerely reflect my own aesthetic. And I'm officially hooked!

Halloween 2013

Halloween was pretty chilly this year! We shed our coats to take a costume pic and then my faux fur coat went back on and Ruby got back into hers. We went trick-or-treating in Old Colorado City with Tara and Channing and her family before grabbing something to eat and meeting up with our neighbor friends to roam the hood. I was Barefoot and Pregnant for Boo at the Zoo but wanted to change it up for Halloween. I ended up using my backup bridesmaid dress from Emma's wedding that was a size too big back in May and added a cheap veil and roses from a craft store to be a shotgun wedding bride. Easy costumes are my favorite kind this year.

We ran into a lot of families from Sebastian's old school but the highlight of the night for that boy may have been running into his sweetheart and her family from last year. We rounded a corner near a tiny neighborhood market and there they were. I'll never forget how it took him a second to recognize her in her costume and then his jaw dropped, he lowered his glasses and said, "I'm so happy to see you!" He gave her some of his candy because they were just starting out and we got a picture together. One of those sweet memories.

Ruby's favorite part of the night was when a friendly kitten almost followed us home. I'm so glad it got distracted before it found out where we lived. It was another Halloween without Brett home to join us but we made the most of it anyway. I hope yours was full of fun memories as well!

-Rachel