healthy treats and good eats

it seems that i am continuously revamping my eating habits.  always trying to be healthier and cut out more processed food.  during my pregnancy though, i developed quite the sweet tooth and and have since been trying to cut out that darn craving for sugar.  that being said, recently i have redoubled my efforts as i now have a little one that is not only interested in food and what mommy's eating but will also be eating everything that we eat very very soon.  i am definitely inspired to continuously step up y eating and focus on eating whole foods.  that being said, i am still going to be making my killer cakes on the weekends!

here is what i have been enjoying recently

avocado and egg over hard.  a little bit of salt and hot sauce and this is a delicious lunch high in protein and the good for you fat!!!

coconut milk and chia seeds (thank you danielle at sometimes sweet for this recipe via instagram! i have loved it!)

take one can of coconut milk and mix with 1/4 cup chia seeds for every cup of milk, refrigerate for two hours and top with berries and a little agave nectar/honey if desired!  it comes out the consistency of a rich custard and was so satisfying.

beets - i have busted out my juicer again and am hard at work making a juice first thing in the morning.  i started juicing beets this morning and was pleasantly surprised not only by how pretty they made my juice look but also their pleasant and subtle flavor!

so those have been my go to recently.  anyone have any healthy secrets or favorite foods to share?  i love how easy the above "recipes" or flavor combinations are, that's one of the great things about whole foods - the flavor is there you don't need to add much!

ya'll.  tomorrow is our very very first road trip as a family!  i am so excited to be visiting family out of town and introduce our precious baby to her extended family.  words cannot even describe.  i have been like a kid before christmas this whole week.  there is something about getting together with kin that makes my heart feel so whole.  so hopefully i will have pictures to share!

in other news, we finally broke down and sleep trained.  tuesday night i listened to my baby girl cry for 67 heartbreaking minutes.  it was terrible, we couldn't eat, barely talked, it ruined my whole night.  but you guys... after that she is sleeping through the night and taking her naps on a consistent basis!!!  i am so happy that she is FINALLY getting the rest she needs after months of night wakings/no consistent naps.  i know it's been two days but it was literally like a miracle overnight!  last night we went from 6pm to 6am!!!  i am just happy she is getting the rest she needs for her development.

so peace out till after the weekend.  hopefully you will see more of me on here now that i am not constantly holding a baby!  hallelujah!!!

firsts.

part of the reason having a baby is so fun is because of the firsts.  first time saying "mama" first time taking a step, first time to disneyland (OHEMGEE CANNOT WAIT)

but there's also the first illness, the first time being teased, the first heartbreak.

my poor little is sick, for the first time, and while i feel lucky we went nine months without any illness... it doesn't make this one any easier.  my vivacious and active baby has turned into a limp little ragdoll.  and there is nothing i can do besides almost constant nursing and cuddles and advil every six hours.  last night we slept on the couch together since it's cooler downstairs, her little inferno of a body curled into mine.  and while i would do anything to take her illness for her, this has almost been a trip down memory lane to that tiny newborn who i did nothing for but constant nursing and cuddles.  here's hoping we will be back up and running by the weekend.



in an unrelated note, this has been lacking some pics recently so... here you go!

we are heading into double digits next month! yikes!!!

her uncle calls this her "mad scientist" face, it happens all.the.time. and i LOVE it.

someone (me!) turned 26 the other day.  baby was less than impressed with the singing and candles.

welcoming in 26.

**disclaimer, my laptop is back up and running!! hallelujah ptl!  i apologize for my conspicuous absence on the blog while that was going on, but it was nice to be unplugged for a while and not having a computer definitely does that.



dear jim and little a,

yesterday i turned 26.  and you made me feel like the luckiest woman alive.  baby girl, i will write to you first, you lit up my heart yesterday and i thought it might burst with happiness.  your daddy got up with you when you woke up at the ungodly hour of 6:30 and when i came rolling down at 8, you were nothing but smiles.  we shared a breakfast together in which you were your usual smiling, happy, babbling self and then we napped together on the couch.  your body, which is becoming less tiny by the day, curled into mine, your deep even breaths setting a tone for my day and giving my heart peace.  when you woke up, we took the dogs for a (HOT!) trail walk and a little over halfway you decided you were done with the stroller and wanted to be in your carrier.  you clung to my shirt like a little monkey and nestled into me, once again just settling peace into my heart.  we got home and i fed you lunch, which you devoured (shredded carrots, grapes, and puffs) and you curled up on me for your second nap.  that leo woke you up when dada came home with his and mama's lunch but you remained all smiles and although daddy threatens to get rid of leo for all the trouble he causes, i know we will always be a family.

after lunch, i wanted to take you swimming, daddy and i were a little nervous, we weren't sure if you would like it and were convinced we would pay just to stay there for 20 minutes and have to come home.  baby girl, you surprised me in ways i didn't even know were possible.  the first 20 minutes you clung to me and snuggled in, overwhelmed by the kids and loud noises but all of the sudden you broke out of your shell and came to life!  you were blowing raspberries at the lifeguards, smiling at the other kids, and babbling away to daddy and i.  you kept "swimming" back and forth from dad to i.  you little legs kicking away and your arms making tiny paddling motions.  my little fish is definitely not afraid of the water.  i know you lit our hearts up with your pure joy in swimming.  watching you enjoy your time with us was the best gift i could have ever been given.

you fell asleep on the way home but it was only a cat nap, i felt for sure you would nap once we got home but you were raring to go!  so go we did, for ice cream and you enjoyed your tiny baby cone of vanilla and even got a few bites of cone in before daddy called it quits.  both of us had ice cream all over us as you felt the best way to enjoy it was by digging in with your fists.  daddy and i stopped at the grocery store with you on the way home and picked you up fresh fruit and you had your first taste of watermelon when we got home.  you love your fruit little girl.  a bath to clean up and some snuggles and you drifted off to sleep.

baby girl, it is hard to describe what my first birthday was like being a mom, but the only word that really describes it is perfect.  i hope you know what you mean to me and how much a part of me you are (after all you lived in my belly!), you are my miracle and my perfect gift.  i love you so much my sweet baby girl, thank you for my birthday.

to my husband, my handsome husband, who totally fooled me and gave me the best surprise by getting the day off work when originally i didn't think you would be able to, you are my heart.  none of the above would be possible without you.  my birthday comes so close to the day we met, which in my heart i feel was a sort of renaissance in my life.  it is such a sobering reminder of how unhappy i was the day i turned 23 and i never thought in 3 years that i could be this happy and this fulfilled.  i love you more than you will ever know, but i hope i show you at least part of it in our years together.  i enjoyed the most perfect day with you and love you more than you know.

all my love, xoxoxx,
bria

oh july! july!

And just like that another month of summer begins...

I have been neglectful of this place recently.. but I think I needed tye break.   Plus my laptop is broken (wah wah) so I am currently typing this on a tablet (yuck) and will have a severe lack of pictures.

But I am thankful for July... it feels like a fresh slate.  For a long time in my oife I could never really describe myself as happy and I can now and it feels good.  The cloud over my head has dissipated, I don't constantly fear the future.  It is refreshing to take my happiness at face value instead of constantly searching for what was going to go wrong

Saturday I had a mini break down w the hubby which althouhh doesnt seem to fit in w the theme of happiness... does.  You guys.... I was just so exhausted, which sounds so trivial right? But I was just left feeling empty.  But after I cried and admitted how tired I was, I felt so much lighter, even though my amount of sleep remained the same.  Sharing burdens really does help, amen?

I have also taken some time off running after a knee injury had me hobbling last week and I really think I needed it.  Running eight miles isn't worth it if I end up just being a bitch all day because I am so tired.

I am looking forwwrd to sharing photos and more thoughts once that computer is up and runningbut for now I am resting and taking in summer and enjoying my beautiful family,

Welcome back july, it's nife to see you again.