Wednesday, March 6, 2013

getting in...

sadly, this little blog of mine has been put on the back-burner. ever since I went back to work I've felt spread too thin. I started subbing at a local preschool while simultaneously opening an Instagram shop (@shoplittlemouse - come find me!) so any spare time I've had I've solely focused on my family. blogging just didn't fit in this past month or two.

however, my hours at the school are slowing down and I'll be home with Norah more so we're not going anywhere just yet.

the one positive outcome of this busy period is that my downtime was not spent on the computer or my phone. It's been much easier to separate work time from play time because I've been forced to. When I was home full time it was too easy to go on my phone or sit at my desk, in the room with Norah but not really there. Now it's much easier to put those things aside and spend quality, hands-on time with my family.

we even have some evenings like this:


though i've been exhausted, i'm grateful. not only for the fact that i HAVE a job (or two!) but that it's helped me to start managing my time better. when i can set aside certain periods of time for work, blogging, IG shop work, etc. it is more likely that i can say yes to norah every time she asks me to play, or color, or sing, or get in the bath tub with her... 

tonight when norah said "mommy take a bath too?" i hopped right in, no questions asked. i wasn't too busy on my phone, my mind wasn't anywhere else, i just got right in. she gave me a bubble beard and i styled her hair. we splashed back and forth (tidal waves!) and i showed her how to blow bubbles in the water. we stayed in well past her bedtime, fingers and toes pruned and both of us ice cold. but you know what? she had a huge smile on her face the entire time

and so did I.

we're back at work/school tomorrow, but i look forward to what evening will bring.

Monday, February 11, 2013

makin' it monday // valentines

after seeing these adorable printables i knew i wanted to make something similar for norah to take to her classmates on valentine's day! however she is two and her friends are all either two or under, so i didn't want to use pencils. luckily i found a pack of bubbles at target (where else, love target) and i used those instead!

i kept the general idea, the bubble tubes were the "arrow" and instead of printing, i just drew on the paper with a fine point sharpie. easy!

you will need:
 the paper i used was a heavy cardstock. poster board would work well too!

I simply cut strips of paper for each valentine (approximately 2"x5"). Using a knife, slice two openings (about 1.5" in from each end and a little over 1" long) for the bubbles and slide them in. I addressed each valentine individually.

On the front, I drew an arrow and decorated each one with mini hearts and stripes.

Norah already keeps trying to get to them so I know her classmates will love them too! I also have a great plan for her teachers' gifts :) I'll be sure to post about those as well.


Sunday, February 10, 2013

is anyone there...?

oh hi, hello, remember me?

remember that time i used to blog?
remember that time when life just got so crazy hectic that the only thing i had time to do is run around trying to get everything done?

::breathe::

life can get really busy sometimes. but i am here, we are alive, we are ok (very tired, but ok) in case anyone out there was wondering....

this is rambly. and honestly, i am SO tired that i can't even bring myself to erase it all and try to write something, anything, that makes sense right now. too tired. too busy and too tired. i need a vacation!

goodnight.

<3

Saturday, January 26, 2013

interview with a TWO year old!


1) What is your name?
Norah

2) How old are you?
TWO!

3) What is your favorite color?
Purple

4) What is your favorite food?
Garbage .. hahahahaha

5) What is your favorite toy?
Panda house

6) What is your favorite book?
A story

7) What is your favorite song?
Kickin' song in the car

8) What is your favorite animal?
PANDAS

9) What is your favorite movie?
Woody and buzz

10) What is your favorite game?
I wanna eat

11) What is your favorite thing to do?
I wanna eat

12) What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas!! Santa!!

13) What is your favorite restaurant?
At the frigalator?

14) Where is your favorite place to go?
The other page

15) Who is your best friend?
At rainbow school....?

16) What makes you happy?
Daddy

17) What makes you sad?
No

18) What are you really good at?
Snoopy

19) What is your favorite thing to do as a family?
Play in the snow

20) What do you want to be when you grow up?
I sit in the chair...in mommy's chair.


I plan on asking her these same questions every year on her birthday (or a week later...oops). I can't wait to see how her answers change over the years!

Friday, January 18, 2013

happy weekend!

i think she likes her tent ;)

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whew another week over! what are your plans this weekend? we're trying to stay home as much as possible since we put norah in UNDIES this morning! yay! she's doing really well so far. i'm hoping this long weekend  home and focused on using the potty will be the push she needs to be in undies full time. fingers crossed! it's also supposed to snow so it will be a great excuse to hang out inside, snuggle, and watch lots of movies :) have a great weekend and we'll be back on monday!

- take better photos with your iphone. great tips!

- loving this shirt over at hello apparel.

- 5 minute, 5-step, $5 leggings. cute!

- single serving chocolate cookie recipes: oven and microwave

- make your ikea billy bookshelves look like built-ins. genius!

- 6 hilarious low-effort toddler games.

- would you hover here?

- crazy awesome deals site.

- gorgeous tumblr.

- amazing DIY: cardboard playhouses! i would love to do this with wood for outdoor use.

- loving this triangle quilt.

- make something!


Thursday, January 17, 2013

24 months old



NORAH - 24 MONTHS

stats :
height: 34 in
weight: 26 lbs
shirt size: 18-24m/2T
pants size: 18-24m/2T
shoe size: 5
teeth: 16 still, no new ones yet


fun things right now :

- norah has full on conversations with her toys. so stinkin' funny!
- she loves snuggling with us in our bed and watching movies. and when i say watching movies, i really mean she watches the intro to a movie and then asks for a different movie, watches that intro and asks for another, watches that intro and asks for another, and so on...
- she has become very helpful with chores. she likes to feed the dog, "sweep" the floor, set and clear the table, and put away her toys. she especially likes to help me cook and bake!
- she's very interested in music. she loves to play piano and she loves to sing and dance. 

favorites :
color: purple
food: fruit snacks, waffles, macaRONI, yogurt, broccoli
song: "kickin' song" which is bruno mars - locked out of heaven
toy: probably her picnic set she got from her uncle matt for christmas. it's played with daily!  
book: brown bear brown bear what do you see? - eric carle
movie/TV show: the little mermaid :) 
thing to do: have a picnic, play piano, color


babycenter's milestone chart for 24 months: 
mastered skills (most kids can do)

names at least six body parts - definitely
half of speech is understandable - i'd say about 90% makes sense
makes two- to three-word sentences - all the time!


emerging skills (half of kids can do)

talks about self - non stop haha
arranges things in categories - she lines up her cars and horses in a "parade," separating the cars and the horses. i guess that's sort of arranging in categories?
can walk down stairs - she goes down backwards on her belly. i'm too scared to let her try the big stairs. if it's just a couple steps i hold her hand and she can get down.

advanced skills (a few kids can do)

begins to understand abstract concepts (e.g., sooner and later) - starting to understand, but not all the way there yet
becomes attuned to gender differences - she can tell the difference between a boy and girl, a man and a lady
learns to jump - she hops :)

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

2 years ago today...

{{ wordless wednesday }}

norah's first glamour shot picture - check out that cone head!

love at first sight

my squishy little peanut // a very tired mommy

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happy birthday my sweet baby girl. i love you so much! 

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linked with:

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Norah is TWO?!

this past weekend we celebrated Norah's 2nd birthday. we kept it really simple, just our immediate family, some pizza, a "purple animal cake" and lots of fun. i'd like to get all the pictures from the party up but it will probably wait until this weekend. her actual birthday is tomorrow, and we're having another (VERY) small celebration tomorrow night. i'm making her favorite dinner (spaghetti) and we're having a little more cake and she's opening her presents from mark and i. i can't wait!

here's a short video from sunday. we all thought it was so funny that she knew to blow out the candles on her own :P

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

busy busy

this week has been BUSY! i started working again last wednesday (part-time, 8-5 on tues/weds/thurs) and on top of that i've been making a few birthday presents for norah and finishing up the final touches for her  party on sunday. i've also finally, FINALLY, started running again after a few months of slacking. needless to say, i'm beat. it'll take another week or so to get used to my new schedule but it's all good things! plus, the party stuff will be over with on sunday and i'll have more free time to obsess over something else ;)

because i cannot post without pictures, here's a few instagram photos from our week. find me there - @littlemouseshouse