Christmastime is here!

I've been reading to Lovie before she was even born and when I saw this neat thing on The Pinterest about wrapping books and having your child open one to read every night during the Christmas season, I was like NEATO! But then it quickly dawned on me: I don't have 24 Christmas-related books, nor do I have the funds to go out and get a ton of Christmas-related books.  But, I have picked up a few and started to introduce them to Lovie after Thanksgiving.

First up was My Little Polar Bear because it wasn't really Christmas-related and we weren't even into December yet. It's a cute (and short) story, but I think I like it more than Lovie does.

Next up was what this post is all about- Christmastime is Here! A Fisher Price Little People lift the flap book.

This books is AWESOME. Lovie, 24 days shy of age 2, cannot get enough of this book. Every night before bed we read to her and last night we each had to read this one twice. She just loves looking at what's under all the flaps- and half the time it cracks her up!

So if you're looking for a Christmas-y book for your toddler, you really must seek this one out (I got it from TJ Maxx for like $7 or something). It's not religious or anything; it's just fun and cute.

And since this is about toddlers and Christmas, check out what I just picked up at the grocery store during my lunch break:

Don't you wish you could be 2 again?!?

I wasn't compensated in any way, shape, or form for my opinions stated within this post. Neither of these companies know that I even exist.

My... well, My Lovie's Woodland Boot Browns



So like forever now I've been eyeing those Woodland Boot Brown shoes from Livie and Luca. Okay, maybe not forever, but for about 20 months or so and when your wee one is 22 months, that's like forever. Anyway, while I've been eyeing these most adorable shoes, I'm also a cheap (with a very big, heh) ass. So I never gave in to my urges to purchase said shoes... though I did constantly keep an eye out for sales and whatnot.

I was determined that there would be a day when I'd be able to slap on a pair of Livie and Luca shoes onto Lovie's little tootsies.

And then one day, I saw that Life with my Littles was doing a giveaway for ANY pair of Livie and Luca shoes! Be still my beating heart, I clicked onto her blog and followed the instructions and entered the giveaway every single way she offered (there were AMPLE ways to enter, too). But there were over 400 entries into the contest; no way would I win.

i really need to get this girl some new socks- her feet have grown overnight i swear!

And then when the contest was over and she announced the winners and I saw that "Christina" had won, my heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Did she mean me?

just LOOK at that gorgeous leather- it's sincerely just as soft and silky as it looks! and the sole?! dear lord i wish i could stuff my sausages in these! (oh and Livie and Luca DO have a couple pair of women's shoes!! just not these style, sadly. heck yes i WOULD wear these!)

After checking all my email messages and folders I discovered she did mean me! Hot damn, I emailed her back, gave her my choices, and waited. (And let me just saying that narrowing down my choices to my top three was not an easy task! Livie and Luca shoes are simply all so freaking cute! But the ones I won... the ones that arrived in my mailbox just a few days ago... were my favorite from day one.)

When they arrived the other day and I took them out of the box? I may or may not have done a little dance. They're soooo soft and silky and just farking CUTE! Even my skeptical-of-me-blogging-about-my-Lovie-and-leery-of-me-*entering-give-aways husband was impressed with the quality of these shoes. Honestly, had I forked over the 45 or so bucks these beauties run, it would be worth it. The quality is just sincerely that good.

Thank you so much Life with my Littles and, of course, Livie and Luca!

*normally i do not enter giveaways; this was one of maybe three i've ever entered!!

I just want to state that I was not coerced or anything to blog about my win; this is not one of the entries into the contest. Also, Livie and Luca have no clue who I am. I sincerely am just so happy with my win, with the shoes themselves, that I wanted to share with everyone out there.

a plus to being a "Working Mom"

...at least where I work, that is: SHOPPING during lunch breaks.

Fortunately, I work very nearby an IKEA. So not only can I go there and walk around and shop, I can also go there for some downright cheap eats. What's not to love about that?!?

Today, I picked up a little table and 2 chairs for ... you guessed it... Lovie!

It's sized perfectly for the littles and comes in a set for a whopping $19.99. Yes, TWENTY DOLLARS. And because I used my debit card, I got a whopping 1% off that. ;) And that's their every day price! How can you go wrong?! Of course it's not the best quality of table and chairs and if we were even thinking about having another child, I would've gotten something of a more sturdy quality, but for just my Lovie to sit at and color at or whatever??!? PERFECTION!

I can't wait to get it home, put together, and set up for her.

Then, on my way out, I picked up two hot dogs (all beef), a bag of chips, and a diet pepsi for $2. TWO DOLLARS. As well as a 6 pack of big ass cinnamon buns (for the weekend, eh, i'm not that much of a pig) for $4. All that food for $6. SIX DOLLARS!

Oh IKEA how I love thee!!

Then, cuz I made some great time and lucked out with a close enough parking spot, I zoomed down the street, found another good parking spot, and made my way into Nordstrom Rack and scored these (also for Lovie):

Are the not fucking adorable? I mean, they're not adorable, they are fucking adorable. Say it with me: FUCKING adorable!

And for $11.90.

It's funny because I was in the same NR about seven months ago looking for shoes to go along with Lovie's 1st Birthday Party dress and saw these exact boots. And while they don't look like a size 5.5 (they're kinda narrow and my girl has had chubby feet), I decided not to get them because she was only in a size 3- barely- and I had no clue how big her feet would get in a year.

And even though we're still a good 4 or 5 months out from needing footwear for colder weather, I snagged 'em up this time cuz she's just now busting out of her 4's.

She WILL be wearing these boots. Soon. And often.

Cuz my kid? She's cool like that, yo!

things that make you go hmmm

Those are Lovie's first pair of real shoes. (I love this picture- thanks to the husband for taking it. How stupid though? It's a picture of shoes, for crying out loud!!) Converse All Stars, infant size 3. She lovingly wore them a handful of times before they became too small. I love these damn shoes. They are black yet they have little hearts on the back near the ankle and the shoestrings are rainbowish. Super damn cute and not pink. Perfect for my Lovie. But they're too small and I'm not sure if I want to sell them or what. The husband insists they will "rot" if I keep them. Eh? Rot?!? Do shoes Rot? Weird. Anyway, hmmm. What are you all doing with your babe's first pair of real shoes (she didn't have baby shoes)?

I wanted to include this picture because she's my Lovie and my god do I adore her. We went to the park yesterday and when she got out of the stroller she kind of took off. Hehe it was pretty cute and a bit random. I wasn't sure what was happening but it was cute to watch. This pic was taken as she spotted her Daddy waving from the swings. She's all, "heh, that's my pops!"

What the ... ?!??!?!

courtesy of http://www.webooshoes.com/

What the hell is that? And why on earth is there a company that provides such scary things? And who is wearing them? WHO? Or maybe the proper question is WHY?!

I don't care how much she might beg and plead some day, Lovie will never be wearing something like that on her feet. I'm sincerely disturbed.

Countdown: Days 2 & 3

Well yesterday it was a tad rough getting a picture of my lovebug. She had only one super shitty short nap at daycare and passed out in the car. When I got her out of the carseat, she kept on sleeping... snoring on my shoulder as we walked down the block (fucking city life parking bullshit), up the stairs, and into the apartment. I laid her in the crib and she still snored. Took off her jacket and she just rolled on over, tucked her knees up under her, stuck her butt in the air, and kept on sleeping.

Man, if only I could sleep like that.

So this is December 2nd's photo:

It's the best I could do. Man, did I miss her yesterday.

Welp, she sorta made up for it today. She woke around midnight (we left school at 345 so she basically slept from 4-midnight!) for a bottle and the hubs changed her into her pj's and she went right back to sleep, apparently. I had to stumble in her room around 3 to give her a binky and rub her back... then again at 320... then at 330 I gave up and gave her a bottle, which she guzzled. Then I heard her laughing at 4... whimpering at 420... and finally she started hollering for us at 5. In the morning. Ugh. I got up and played with her (well she played and I sat in the chair trying to close my eyes but she kept wanting me to read her favorite story- I Love You So -over and over again), then gave her some cheerios, then changed her insanely poopified diaper, then put her back to bed at 630. And she actually fell for it and went to sleep!

Then the hubs got out of the shower at 650 and walked by her room and she hollered for him and he kept walking into our room where I was trying to sleep. Men! I scolded him and told him to give her a binky cuz she's trying to sleep. He obliged and girlfriend didn't wake till nearly 9. In the morning!!! That means Her Momma got to get in a bit of a nap, too. HOLLA!

After she woke, I tried giving her some more cheerios and a bottle, changed her, put on her jacket, and off we went to school and work. Only my work today consisted of a holiday party (which is why we both got naps this morning- normally we leave the house at 6am!). I picked baby doll back up after the party and we went and got her some new shoes!!

I LOVE SHOES. Only I had a bone removed my foot several years back and since then, can only wear big fat ugly shoes- ones that can fit custom orthotic footbeds. FUN TIMES! But now I get to buy her all kind of cute shoes... especially now that she's walking.

Those cute shoes are Rileyroos and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I swear she seems to walk even better with those on. While I don't believe in spending a lot of $$ on baby clothes and shoes, I do feel that she needed a good pair of shoes when she started walking. And that's where we're at. So this time, I spent the $$. Next time, we'll be hitting up Payless or Target.

Secret Thursday

Last week I shared a secret on Thursday. This week, I think I'll do the same. Wouldn't it be groovy if I could do it again next week, too? And then you do it on your blog and it will be a blogging revolution that we share secrets on Thursday. Or not.

So today's juice isn't really baby related, shockingly enough. Well not all of it, at least. Ready?

Secret #1:
I think I found my old grammar school crush. I'm about 99% sure it's him, in fact. On Facebook of course. Good old Facebook.

It's funny because I've "looked" for him and others (because there were just so many others, uh huh) in the past but it's hard to know if you've found the right person if it's been TWENTY-FIVE YEARS! Fortunately this one has a more unique name and is the only one on Facebook. Not sure what possessed me to even look for him, but I did and I found him and it just brought back so many memories...

his long black hair flowing in the wind
his teeth covered in metal that sparkled when he smiled
his tight jeans and heavy metal t-shirts
his walk (like a stick was up his ass- must've been the tight jeans)
the way he'd shake my chair in class (he sat behind me, would shake chair with feet)
the way he'd tap his pencil on the desk until I'd turn around and tell him to stop
the way I tried not thinking about him but it didn't work

Ah to be 13 and in 8th grade again.

NO FUCKING THANKS!! I hated my teen years. HATED. Wouldn't go back for anything.

Anyway a part of me wonders if he would remember me. I mean, we only went to 8th grade together (I transferred in) and that was that. Like I said, it's been 25 years. A part of me would love to "friend" him and ask but I won't do it... I just don't think it's fair to my husband even though nothing ever happened between us. Plus it would be weird. I mean, it's already weird considering I'm BLOGGING ABOUT IT!

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Secret #2:
Meijer, the grocery store, sells baby shoes!! They sell a lot of shit but they sell baby clothes, too. And SHOES. Baby shoes! At the Meijer (cheap!) price!

If you know anything about me, you know I'm cheap (I should put that in my About Me, huh?). And it pains me to spend lots of money on Lovie's clothes and shoes. I have no qualms with buying used- especially when it comes to baby clothes/shoes. Why not? I mean, how often do wee ones wear their clothes before outgrowing??

My biggest problem is shoes, though. It's so hard to find Lovie shoes because a) I'm cheap and b) her feet are TINY. Ugh. But I saw these cute mocs on this adorable baby in another blog and have been searching (because I was too timid to ask) for them to no avail. Well said blogger posted today about them! And I just bought two pair! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I can't wait till they come!

But. That's not at all my secret. My secret is that I found a pair of furry boots (not mocs but still furry and fucking cute!) at MEIJER of all places for ... $7.99.  Did I buy them?  Well, no - but only because I just spent $50 on two pair of mocs earlier.  We'll see what happens when they come- if I don't like, I'll return and get the cheapass boot things from Meijer for $8!!

Why didn't I know that MEIJER had baby shoes and shit? Well, now I do. And now you do, too!

So do YOU have secrets to share with the class this week??

now that she's crawling and standing and getting into everything at all times everywhere we turn...

I really think it might be a good idea to get her into some shoes.

Well, the order came in from last week and wouldn't you know it? Both pair are too big! Argh. And not just a little... though I guess they may work for a Halloween costume- if she were a clown! Boo. I'm so ticked off. I hate spending money and having to wait to use whatever it is I spent money on.

But whatever. They'll fit at some point. Better to be too big than small, right?

Well... I was looking around the interwebz and came across THESE.

How stinkin' cute. The color, the material, the everything!

I want a pair.

For me.

Ok and for Lovie. Espeically for my Lovie.