7 DIYs

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We had an awesome weekend in these parts. We relaxed at Grammas on Friday, celebrated Squishy's Dads birthday on Saturday and Sunday we took our Little to see Madagascar 3!! Madagascar 3 was awesome btw!

But today I wanted to share 7 DIY's Im dying to take on! 

1. I love this special felt party hat for the birthday boy! I think I can do a cute Brown Bear hat for Little. 

2. For Little's 1st birthday party Dada and I made Little a special t-shirt to wear. It was the first time we ever worked with an iron on and I think it came out pretty good.  I just love the idea of a really cute simple tee for Little to wear to show off the awesomeness of turning 2.  Hopefully I can try and recreate this with ink instead of the iron on!!

3. These terrariums are sooo adorable!  This might actually be a Dada & Little project now that I think about it, but Im sooo excited to show these off around his room. 

4. As I was looking around the web and (mostly) Pinterest for baby shower games I came across this awesome activity for the party!  A simple and darling wish list written by guests for the new baby girl. 

5. I also happened to come across this DIY for cute table settings.  Not only are they made of baby jars but they most definitely fit into our "theme".  Its a very loose theme of "paper flowers", did I mention this?  The soon to be mama is an artist and I wanted to give her baby shower a little twist. Hopefully it turns out half as good as it looks in my head, this seldom happens!

6.  I live in Texas and it is hot pretty much 90% of the year but I can't help but love scarves.  I LOVE SCARVES!! Maybe I could find a lightweight fabric so I can look cute and not sweat buckets!

7.  If you've never heard of the blog My Cakies please finish this post and head on over immediately!! I love Rubyellens style, beautiful little girls and I always love her DIY's.  Her fabric wrapped necklace is just what I need because Im totally into the chunky statement necklace trend right now!

When I tackle these awesome DIYs I will report back here asap! I also wanted to share this picture Gramma sent me today.  Why is it so darling?!?

<3 Mama Chuca

Weekend Goodies

the babies on the bus go waa waa waa..

I assure you he isn't crying, sad or sleepy. He really just gets into the wheels on the bus!! It is one of his favorite songs to sing with Mama & Dada, he actually makes me take off my glasses so I can rub my eyes like the baby too! Oh toddlers...

I have several links, pictures and goodies to share with you:

Oh My Gosh, this  is the most amazing wall art for a baby shower ever!! Could I somehow replicate this for the shower Im throwing???? I think Im going to give it a GO! fingers crossed

I got pregnant at the age of 24 and gave birth to Little a month shy of 25.  I also happened to work part time when I was pregnant in customer service.  Working in customer service while your so obviously pregnant is pretty much an ice breaker for lots of colorful people.  Sometimes its nice and sometimes its akward and you just want to step on somebodies toes with all your pregnancy weight! This post from an awesome blog called Early Mama reminded me of those awkward moments!! Yes I know I wasn't teen mom young but I did hear everything from that list at least once during my pregnancy!! 

This made me laugh out loud, several times! It actually makes me feel better that I am not the only mama that goes through this at Target! Why is it so true??  

I can't understand a word of this post but that photo is darling! I definitely have to incorporate Littles animal friends for his birthday party. 

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!  True Blood season 5 premiere! This mamas excited!

I love this look!! But could I really pull it off? Keiko Lynn can rock anything!! I think Im now in search of the perfect head scarf!

Last night we were at Tia Lindas house,  while I was making the hundredth paper flower, out of nowhere Little started barking and crawling around like a puppy.  I do realize I'm getting excited about my child acting like an animal but it was too cute!! This is the part of toddlerhood that Im the most excited about the spontaneous imagination part.  Yes it takes imagination for kids to pretend to be dogs, doctors, cowboys, princesses or whatever they run around the living room pretending to be. 

Yesterday when I picked him up from daycare he said "school"!! I asked him if he had fun at school and he pointed to the school nodded and said "school"!! On our way to full conversations people!

Cheers to Friday friends!!

<3 Mama Chuca

Dear Jude

When I was pregnant with you another secret wish I had was that you would be able to draw or at least have a love for art.   While pregnant with you, I could be found almost every night drawing in our tiny living room at the corner of our tiny couch sketching right by the lamp.  Imagine me sitting criss cross apple sauce filling out page after page of my sketchbook while you were sleeping in my huge belly.  I seriously acquainted that surge of creativity and inspiration with you.  Fast forward, from that moment, to a couple of months after you were born when I had come down with artist block.  All of those ideas were gone, I couldn't draw a single thing and every blank page I looked at was the most intimidating thing ever.  The ideas eventually came back to me and I started to sketch again, but I kind of hoped that the momentary loss was somehow connected to you.  

Now as a toddler you do have a special love for crayons, painting, markers and anything to do with paper.  But my thought process has changed, although we do color and draw together, I know that its because you are a toddler. Yes toddlers like to draw and color! It doesn't mean that you will be an artist, it means that you just like to draw.  So even though I am extremely happy that right now one of your favorite things to do is draw with mama, I keep in mind that you will like whatever you like.  If this is a phase and it does pass I will just be happy that I have so many keepsakes of a time when we did share this love.  I promised myself that I would never enforce any of my own plans, ideas or expectations onto you.  I want you to be your own person.  Yes I think its amazing that you remind me of Dada and I, but Im equally amazed that your own little personality is starting to emerge. 

  

You brought these drawings home a couple of days ago from daycare, including that very special Mothers Day gift you made for me.   I was a bit nervous when you started daycare last August, but when your teacher hands me a bundle of pictures like these I remember that its for the best.  Not only do you have activities every day and get to play with lots of kids your own age but you're also doing things that you love to do at home!

This is our at home sketch book, we bring it out along with your crayons and sprawl out on the floor or the bed to color together. Usually you draw and then ask me to join you; you tell me what to draw (dog, cat, duck...) then you scribble on top of it.  Dada does join us from time to time and will draw you a fish or two to color.  Another must for you at drawing time is for me to outline your hands or your feet.  I love to color with you and Im just glad you stopped eating your crayons. 

And now I am making this promise to you; I will never try to enforce any of myself onto you.  I know whatever you want to do you will be great at and whoever you become will be amazing.  In whatever you accomplish I will take pride in that you are my greatest accomplishment.  

<3 Mama Chuca

P.S. That is a very special cat we named Three-legs McGee because he has 3 legs.  He belongs to the front door neighbors but he mostly likes to sprawl out on our lawn or Mamas car. 

Wordless Wednesday: Play-doh Date

<3 Mama Chuca

Currently.

Little and I singing "The Wheels on the Bus"

Reading:  Unfortunately Im not reading anything at the moment, that makes me sad.  The last thing I read was the Hunger Games Trilogy, which was amazing and awesome!! I didn't know if I was going to like it or not but I watched the movie and figured Id give the book a chance, so glad I did!! 

Watching: Due to a very demanding little boy I have been watching a lot of cartoons lately.  I have noticed recently that Little is very into tv right now, so we are putting a stop to it!  Yesterday when I called Gramma at 2pm to ask how Little was, she still had cartoons on for him and Squish because he was throwing fits when the tv was changed to a different channel.  NO sir that will not do for me, from now on he is cut waaaay back.  As for me...thank goodness for DVR, I usually just record anything I want to watch then try and get it in when Dada and Little are wrestling, when Im cleaning or when Little falls asleep.  The usual suspects on DVR:  True Blood- Ive been re-watching last season to catch up for SUNDAY's premiere, Girls, Big Bang Theory- reruns just because I love it, and I try to record any new movie once in a while from HBO or Cinemax that seems interesting for Dada and I. 

Anticipating:  Saturday we are taking Little to see Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted!! I know I know, Im trying to cut him down on tv but Im taking him to see a movie??  Bad Mama!  Well honestly I have always felt that going to the movies was a whole experience; the movie posters, the popcorn, the trailers and the chatter of the audience.   So Im thinking this is really a treat for the whole family, Dada and I LOVE these movies!!

Laughing about:  Yesterday Tia Linda and I worked out to the Jillian Michaels: Extreme Shed & Shred DVD she recently bought.  It was our second time trying to keep up with the ladies in the video and this time was worse than the last.  The only good thing the comes from us trying to get through this DVD (besides our awesome muscles were going to have) is watching Little and Squish try to do the exercises as well!  They are hilarious; bending down to touch their toes, running in circles around us and stretching their little legs out to copy their mamas.  The only thing funnier than watching them exercise is watching each other!

Listening to:  I love hearing all the new words Littles been saying lately, such as nana, hello (almost british sounding), and NO.  Its actually funny to hear and see him say no he because uses his whole mouth just to say one little word.  We laugh every time he says it... Me: mamas going to work now, can i have a kiss? Little: No.  Cue Dada and Mama bursts of laughter! Yep he knows what it means. 

    I hate to say this but the only time I really listen to music now is when Im in the car and most of the time I am in the car Little is with me.  

When Little is in the car we listen to:

The Beatles- Twist and Shout (his fav)

Florence and the Machine- Dog Days are Over (his fav)

Regina Spektor- Fidelity (his fav)

The radio - Fun "We Are Young" (too much listening, his fav) & 

Goyte "Somebody that I Used to Know" (his fav)...

When I was younger I listened to music all of the time, everything was a soundtrack to my life! When Im in the car by myself I listen to a huge array of music some of my fav bands/musicians are:

The Beatles, Muse, Deftones, Mars Volta, Pink Floyd, Regina Spektor and that list could go on forever...

Eating:  Little has a new huge passion for Bananas lately, he literally wakes up and goes to bed asking for "nanas".  Other than nanas, I haven't been eating too much of one thing lately except pizza and I can always eat pizza!  But I have had a serious craving for sushi and beef sashimi since last week and I definitely need to hit Miyakos, my favorite sushi spot, soon.    

Working on: Im working on a book for my Little, just a little something for him from us for his birthday.  Lately when we draw together I draw him just like that picture below and before I tell him who its supposed to be he starts pointing to himself and saying "this".  I really hope he enjoys this book. Im also working on making 2 million (ok more like 50 or so) tissue paper flowers for my besties baby shower!! Im getting so excited for her shower, but I have less than 2 weeks and I'm working on lots of ideas...too many ideas!

Wishing: That I had a team of professional tissue flower builders to work for me! But for realsies Im wishing I had more time away from work to spend with the Little, Dada and I are definitely going to have to take time off for a small trip with this little boy soon.  Im thinking well take him on a trip to Seaworld's new water park Aquatica!! 

I got this cute post idea from an amazing blog called Sometimes Sweet!  I hope everyone enjoyed a pretty good sum of whats going on with Little and I lately!!

<3 Mama Chuca

P.S. If you haven't already, please enjoy that Regina Spektor video I have up there ^^ its one of my favorite songs/videos as well!!

One Little Month

1 MONTH!! I forgot to mention this on Friday, I have been blogging about Little for 1 month now! WOOHOO!! We had a very fun weekend that I would love to share but Ive decided to do a simple post today.  In honor of our 1st full month of blogging I wanted to share some photos I took of Little, Tia Lorri and I on our way to Tia Lindas house for movies and dinner.  

Tia Linda happens to live about 4 houses away from us which is awesome! It makes it so easy for us to just visit whenever one of us feels like it.  

Here Little is jumping over the crack on the ground.  He actually just started jumping recently, big boy jumps that is, he gets about an inch off the ground now! Its very cute to see him jumping and it was adorable to see him jumping over the cracks on our way to Tia's house. 

The cutest red Chuck Taylors in the world!

Photos like these are the reason I started this little family blog, I want to remember even the smallest things about Little.   Even as our small walk to Tia's house, that Little insisted on bringing Woody along with us and that he pointed out every dog in the neighborhood.  A small walk may not seem like much to some people but look at those pictures, he looks so happy its pretty obvious that he's becoming a pretty awesome little boy.  I do realize I can't remember EVERYTHING but I love the idea of collecting all of our stories for when he's older.  Well heres to another month of photos and adventures with the biggest personality in the tiniest red Chucks I know.  

<3 Mama Chuca

P.S. I also want to share that Little can say "my mama" now!! This is exciting because its his first 2 word combo so far!! On our way to sentences people!