TBB in photos 1-6 Months

I've tried my best to take photos of my son every month, here you can see him grow.

 Day 1

2-2-12

I consider this his "1 month" photos he was 3.5 weeks old

But here is at actually one month having his photo shoot with all three of his namesakes.

And here is the cheeseball at two months.

He is in my sister's arms. I failed to do my home "semi-professional" shoot for 3 months...but I got better.

Silly and happy as can be.

Working it at 5 months.

My big boy back in early August.

Next up, I will be taking his 7 month photos most likely on Monday since I'm headed to Sonoma for a girls trip this weekend. My little guy is proudly crawling all over my house and doing his best to shake, rattle and taste everything in sight!

Becoming a mother has truly been amazing. I love being his mama and having our little family of three. My hubby has been wonderful and is truly an outstanding dad and helpful husband. And I will be honest with you my friends...I'm itching to be pregnant again. I just plain miss it and loved it so much. I don't have any news for you...yet! Hopefully in the Spring :)

Coronado Cafe

Coronado Cafe on 7th street in Phoenix is an adorable little restaurant in an old house.

The lay claim on the...

And I've had the open-faced Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich and I must say it was delish!

I believe this was a Seafood Bisque...but I can't really remember and my sister got it and loved it!

This was on another visit when my friend Kami treated me for my birthday lunch. I had half of the tuna melt {it was good but I probably would order the crab before this again} and the Gorgonzola Salad.

And Kami had the Greek Salad with half of the Roast Chicken Sandwich.

It fills up pretty fast and if you are looking to have more than four people at lunch I would make a reservation. During the winter the patio is gorgeous to dine on. And they have a great prices on their drinks during happy hour, although I've never been to HH there :)

Crazy Cats

If you have important things to do don't even bother reading this post.

If you want to join in on the crazy, keep reading.

I stumbled across an article regarding the number of slayings house cats are performing in society. Apparently it's alarming to some people. Frankly, I don't care how many lizards, birds or frogs house cats kill. But nonetheless the article was too silly not to read and here are some of my favorite excerpts:

"That mouse carcass Kitty presents you with is just the tip of a very bloody iceberg. When researchers attached kittycams to house cats, they found a secret world of slaughter."

"Bloody" and "iceberg" in the opening sentence...I'm hooked.

"Wildlife advocates say it is a frightening level of feline foul play."

What makes it foul play? Cats, although domestic animals, still enjoy killing for their food and apparently for fun. Are there rules on the number of things they can kill per week? Did I miss the Kitty Killing Handbook at Barnes & Noble?

"The carnage cuts across species."

Uh-oh. Somebody call the POTUS. Cats are killing more than one species. Don't worry more details will be presented to more academia later this week in Portland, Oregon at an Ecological Society of America Conference.

"Cats aren't just a danger to others, they're also a danger to themselves. The cats in the study were seen engaging in such risky behavior as crossing roadways (45%), eating and drinking things they found (25%), exploring storm drains (20%) and entering crawl spaces where they could become trapped (20%)."

OMG Mommy. I don't even know if I have words for this nonsense. You mean to tell me cats are crossing roads unattended?!?!?! And I thought that "entering crawl spaces where they could become trapped," was a normal hobby for kitty cats.

Because this research was done at the University of Georgia I'm worried someone's hard earned tax dollars are funding this outrageous study. Heaven help us.

At least it made for a funny read. Happy Tuesday!

Miscellany Monday/15 things

I'm doing a little combination of Carissa's Miscellany Monday and 15 things about myself that my friend Cheyenne did on Little Prairie Baby...

1. I am in awe sometimes of the blessing of children. I thank God for allowing me to be a mother and I pray I can be what He wants me to be.
2. One time when I was little I ate an entire box of Thin Mints and when my mother asked us kids who did it, I fibbed about it. She basically had us held hostage in the living room until someone confessed...I was cool as a cucumber but when my sister started crying about how she didn't do it I finally admitted my guilt. {I know this isn't something to brag about but I'm sharing things you don't know about me...}
3. I feel very accomplished when I cook something for the very first time. I feel a little juvenile about it at the same time, it's weird.
4. I started going to Zumba twice a week...thankfully no one has called the paramedics mid-class because they thought I was having a seizure...
5. I have a major crush on my hubby...and have since I was 15.
6. I have an appreciation for our food supply because I have participated in growing and raising the beef you buy at the grocery store.
7. As a child I always chose bubble gum ice cream {the good blue kind} then when that wasn't an option mint chocolate chip. Why don't more places have the original blue bubble gum ice cream?!
8. I have used the same "lip stuff" since 1999...covergirl lipslicks in starlet. It's safe to say I am addicted. A few months ago I thought they weren't making it anymore and went on a serious hunt for the stuff I had friends and family buying out pharmacy's if they saw it on the shelf...I have a safe stockpile right now but I don't stop buying it...
9. I saved a voicemail from my grandmother from 2007 and when I switched to an iphone it was gone. I actually teared up. She's still living so I have since taken some video because I always want to be able to hear her voice and laugh.
10. Some of you know this already but some may not. I'm an auctioneer. I don't practice nearly enough and only do a few auctions a year but every time I do it my adrenaline gets pumping and I wonder why I don't do it more often.
11. My mother has a quilt store and is currently on a week long quilting retreat with some friends in Montana. I'm embarrassed that I don't quilt/sew more often - I want to but just haven't found the time at this point in my life. I'm scared I will wait too long to learn from her so I hope to get off this electronic box more often and on to creating things on my Bernina.
12. I have nine nieces and nephews ranging from 3 months to 15 years old.
13. My first lamb was named "Tagalong" I was too young to show him so we just "tagged along" with my older brother and sister while they practiced with their sheep. {On another note my brother had this big ewe, Betty, and I went to walk her once and we went another way around the house than my sister and she literally drug me...I was much smaller then. I still giggle when I think about a sheep bloodying my knees and hands...}
14. I have fond memories of our family vacations as a child. Driving all over the west usually going to or from visiting family in Montana. On these trips my mom would play books on tape for us. They were amazing. Now, my hubby has begun to listen to a variety of "books on tape" on his Droid. On Friday while driving across Phoenix to two family birthday parties we listened to a book with three short stories by Louis L'Amour and I am HOOKED again :)
15. I love God, my family, America and agriculture in that order.

Some of my favorite mommy things!

Okay folks, I actually started this blog post back in April and have failed to get it off the ground. I will now share with you some of my favorite things...some things however, we no longer use because our baby {and all babies} change so fast.

Soothie pacifier - I think these are great. I will be honest the lactation consultant at the hospital kind of terrified me to give it to my son because I was nervous he would never latch on again. I told my mom who was there the first few days that the LC said to wait till he was six weeks old...she said, "If we wait until then he won't even want it! Give it to me right now!" Annnnndddd, I did. It helped soothe him. We used it for a while at night when he was going to sleep and at about 6 weeks he was over it and hasn't touched one since.

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PPB diaper bag. I love my Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack. Seriously, I might have a crush on it. I knew for many years prior to even being pregnant that I would have a PPB diaper bag. I like the look of them and they work.

This is not actually the print/color I have although mine is blue. But that right there is one of my favorite parts - the built-in zip-out changing station with detachable changing pad. I will be honest I purchased mine during their outlet sale and frankly, why not? With paying less than half of the normal price I can most likely justify a new one for my next child...right?

And the only reason I would want a new one is because they just launched their Fall 2012 line and instead of a noisy and grabby velcro closure it is a silent magnetic one {but also includes snaps for extra security.} And they always have new colors...I will see when the outlet sale arrives.

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The swing. We got the Fisher-Price Lamb Swing and although my rambunctious-almost crawling son will never sit in that again because he's too busy army crawling towards shoes/doors/books/toys/anything and everything to sit still it was amazing and priceless for the first 2-3 months. Honest to goodness for the first 8 weeks if he wasn't napping in the car seat on a drive, or in my arms he napped in that. Now that he is older I might feel guilty that we used it so little but seeing as how I would like to have a few more kiddos and they will use it and quite possibly more and more with each child since I will be busier and busier I think we will get our use out of it.

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Burp rags. Do these need an explanation?

I will confess that in the showering that commences for a new baby I got all these burp rags - some custom and some just plain white. And I honestly thought, "Wow, how many of these do people think I need?" I mean I didn't even register for any and I got a ton.

I have since realized why these sweet, kind souls gifted them to me and I am eternally grateful.

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Munchkin diaper bag dispenser. This is not something I would have bought myself nor did I register for. My hubby's sweet cousin gave me a generous shower gift with her favorite things and this was one of them. I have since gifted one to every baby-mama-to-be that I know.

It is just nice to always have a bag on hand for that messy diaper while travelling or if for some crazy reason your child is talented enough to perhaps dirty the clothes he is wearing along with the diaper you can put those dirty clothes in a bag, knot it up and wash it when you get home.

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Sophie the Giraffe. Another something I did not register for but my sweet 89 year old grandmother gifted to me when I was pregnant. I didn't know anything about her but have since read her story {I highly recommend you do too} and my son has fallen in love with her. She is the constant in the car seat with him to chew on, smash and squeeze the heck out of. I do believe there is nothing else like her and all of my children will have the option of loving her.

That sums up a few things for now. I'm sure I will add to this and give other lists but these are some of the best things so far.

TBB turned six months old yesterday and today his is checkup and I am anxious to find out what he is weighing and how long he is. I will be taking some photos of him later today but for now here is a 5 month photo from last month I took.

Turquoise Thursday

Hi, you may not remember me. I'm the person who "blogs" here. It doesn't happen frequently - or ever. 

I also used to be the girl commenting on your blog posts for some reason that rarely happens anymore either. 

I think about my blog friends a lot and will be making an effort to go see what you are up to. 

For now, feast your eyes on some Double D Ranch Fall 2012 collection. {Try not to drool on your keyboard!} Happy Turquoise Thursday!

Huron Valley Jacket

Allie's Dress

Here is a close up on that intricate hand stitching.

Huron Valley Tee

This is my absolute favorite tee in the whole collection. I will own this.

And in breaking news DDR has partnered with Lane Boots for some OUTSTANDING foot candy...and best of all in true Lane Boot fashion all the bottoms are my personal favorite: turquoise!

Ammunition Boot

Also available in black/red.

Glitter Gulch Boot. 

The name alone is my favorite.

Two of my favorite DDR retailers are Ann's Turquoise and Cowgirl Kim. Enjoy!