Around the House

I feel like we're finally making some progress on getting this big, generic house decorated, and most of  you friends and family haven't seen it, so I thought I'd share some pics!  

 

While taking pictues I realized that our house is mostly decorated with baby pictures and booze, so I think we were right on the money when we titled this here blog.  ;)

 

Also, what house is complete without a couple of snuggly cats??

 

- K

 

 

 

Spring Fever

Can I just tell you that I have been trying really hard to not complain on this thing about our lovely "spring" weather?  When brainstorming about this post mostly a lot of expletives came to mind, but I'm going to keep it positive because nobody likes a negative nancy, and because we're actually IN JAMAICA while you are reading this. 

Instead I'm going to focus on the fact that we actually did get a taste of spring here in my most favorite state ever, and maybe, just maybe it'll stop snowing again.  Maybe.

A couple of weeks ago it was in the 50's, and L got her first taste of spring.  There was still a little snow on the back deck, but it was warm enough to run around with bare pigs, which resulted in the custest little wet fooprints all over the place.  She also decided that this chair is her chair, and that she loves to bird watch in said chair.

Speaking of birds, the last photo is of a male and female cardinal in our front yard.  They're around our house constantly and I pretty much stalk them, so I'm really hoping we'll have a nest somewhere nearby.  The male is bright red and easy to spot, but the female is brown, on the far right edge, just about half way down.   I think they're my favorite bird ever...and yes, I did just get that nerdy about birds.

- K

 

 

Love Letters: From Freedom to Falling in Love

So I guess I’m going to give this blog thing a try. Before I start babbling, I want to thank you, Kassi, for all of your advice on mommy-hood. You’re a fabulous mommy to Lyla and I couldn’t have done this without you. XOXO!

Prior to becoming a mom, life was SO carefree. I could do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and didn’t have to answer to anybody! I could come and go as I pleased, make spur of the moment plans, sleep all day, sleep all night, take a long relaxing shower, take a long relaxing bath, get ready at my own pace, not worry about anything… I mean the list goes on and on. I was 100% content. It was awesome. It was perfect. 

And then… I became a mom. I became a mom to the most beautiful baby boy I’d ever seen. I melt inside thinking about the first time I laid eyes on my son. I couldn’t believe he was mine and that he was so perfect. It brings tears to my eyes. Asking, “how can you possibly love someone SO much that you just met” sounds so cliché. But it exists. It’s very real. He will never know the amount of love I have for him.

From the moment he arrived, nothing from my prior ‘perfect life’ mattered. None of it. He was now the center of my world and everything I thought about and everything I did was for him. All I wanted to do was sit around all day long and snuggle and stare at my baby. I’m serious. It got to the point where I had to force myself to be socially interactive! My poor husband probably thought I’d really let myself go when showering became a luxury and I considered ‘getting dressed’ for the day to be changing from my pajamas to my yoga pants. I do want to clarify that I now shower and get dressed in real clothes on the reg. In the early newborn days, most of the time the house was absolutely trashed and most of the time I looked like I’d been hit by a bus, but it didn’t matter. As long as my baby was content and dressed in some seriously adorable clothes, I didn’t care about anything else.

I’ve never been one to live in the moment because I’m always dwelling on how fast time goes and yearning for things in the past. Because of this, I take the opportunity to take as many pictures and videos of him as possible so I don’t forget a minute. It’s kind of funny to see how many I have of him as a newborn just laying on his back staring into the abyss. Others probably found them to be so dull and boring, but to me every single one was better than the last. I remember wondering if I should ease up on how many pictures I was posting of him (because it was kind of crazy for a bit, I’ll admit), but I couldn’t help it. I was smitten… obsessed. He had stolen my heart forever. Besides, if people didn’t like it then they didn’t have to follow me! :)

Every night before I go to sleep, I go through my phone and look at all of the pictures and videos I’ve accumulated of him over the past 6 months. On Instagram, I can see in the top right hand corner how much time has elapsed since I posted that specific picture and my heart breaks a little every time another week passes by. I’m not sure that feeling will ever go away completely, but I will say that with time he only gets better and better. His little (or should I say BIG) personality is starting to show. With each new noise and each new milestone he hits, I find myself feeling so excited and proud of him. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still saddened by the fact that he isn’t my tiny little newborn anymore, but I do actually find myself looking forward to the next new thing he is going to learn and actually encouraging him to grow! It helps me to live in the moment and soak it all in.

Long story short, becoming a mom has changed my life forever. I may not be able to come and go as I please, make spur of the moment plans, sleep all day, sleep all NIGHT, take a long relaxing shower or a long relaxing bath, get ready at my own pace, or not worry about anything… in fact I worry about EVERYTHING. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you Dexter John, you are the light of my life. xoxo

- Heather Sebra
Instagram: feather24


Note from Kassi: I love this girl and her little baby, D.  But I mostly love that she’s every bit as crazy-in-love with her baby as I am with mine.  We’ve had quite the adventure becoming moms around the same time, and have become our own little mama sanity check team…which is good and bad because I think we’re probably very far from sane, but together at least we feel normal. ;)

Murphy's Law

I have a bone to pick with the universe today.  Why exactly is it that babies bring out the very best of Murphy's Law?  How do they know exactly when we want them to wake up on time for something, and then decide to keep sleeping.  But when we need them to sleep?  No thanks, mom.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

And exactly when I think "oooh, I should really put a bib on her", that's when a big glob of red spaghetti sauce runs right out of her mouth onto her brand new white shirt.

Damn you, Murphy's Law!  Damn yoooouuuuu!!

Oh, and these pics?  They have nothing to do with good ol' Murphy, but they are freakin cute.  Which is why babies get away with all this nonsense in the first place.

- K

This first one...doesn't it look like they're sharing the greatest secret in the world?  Best friends in the making right there.

Dad's Turn--- Family Rugby Trip

For the last year I haven't played any rugby (minus a quick weekend in Aspen).  I have been either injured (herniated disk this time) or trying to find a balance between 60 hour work weeks and family time.  For those of you who know me... that is a long time to go without doing something I love so much.  And recently I decided being only 29 that I need to get at least one more game for the US Rugby team (and probably a few more stitches too) before I call it a career.

So with all that in mind, I forced Kassi and Lyla to spend this last weekend with the boys of Metropolis Men’s Rugby Football Club in Davenport, Iowa.  And not only is Davenport even worse than it sounds but a rugby trip is typically no place for a family... or women in general for that matter.

Nonetheless, Lyla again stole the show the whole weekend and spent several hours working on her own rugby skills.  I was proud to dedicate my play to my beautiful roses (Kassi Rose and Lyla Rose) and I was once again left in awe by the sacrifices my wife makes for me on a daily basis to allow me to continue doing the things I love.  She even managed to spoil me for my birthday on Sunday AFTER a 6 hour drive back to Minneapolis.

The bad news for both the girls is they are going to miss another great trip this Saturday.  The good news is Lyla will be hanging out with her grandparents and Kassi will be packing for her birthday trip to Jamaica. Yeah you read that right.  Kassi's birthday... Jamaica.  My birthday... Davenport.

:)

- R

P.S. Metropolis secured a National Division I Sweet 16 appearance on Saturday with our victory over the Chicago Griffins.

 

This Baby

Tonight at dinner, it was just L and I.  I was feeding her, and we were watching video clips of Disney movies on the iPad (a new obsession of hers), and I just became mesmerized by this baby.  First of all, I can hardly say "baby" anymore, she's turning into a big girl so fast these days, but when I look at her I just have this overwhelming swell of emotion.  I love everything about her.  The chubby roll on her wrist...and all the other rolls everywhere else.  The little curls she's starting to get at the nape of her neck.  Those huge brown eyes that get even huger when she's sucking her thumb.  Her constant curiosity and finger pointing.  Her little animal noises and the raspberry sound she makes when I tell her something is yucky.  Those cheeks. 

Ugh, I know that these little things are supposed to grow up, and every stage will be great, but can't I just freeze time for a little while?  Please??

Also, how amazing are those shoes?

- K

Easter Sunday

Ryan and I both talked about how funny it would be to fake people out and say we're pregnant since it's April Fool's Day and all, but then everyone and their mother did the same thing.  And totally ruined it!  So, don't worry we're not pregnant, nor do we have the creativity to come up with any other semi-elaborate pranks, apparently. 

The good news is we did have an extraordinary Easter Sunday.  Miss Lyla Rose was pretty much born for Easter, with it being filled with bunnies and candy - her two favorite things in the world.  She's also at just the perfect age to actually (somewhat) appreciate it, which makes it all even better.

Here's a boatload of photos from our fun little day!

the basket.

that darn bunny left a trail of candy filled eggs!
(which the cats promptly and completely ruined.)

total basket destruction in 5 seconds flat

givin some loves to her new pink cat.

what's Easter without a little spiked milk?!

have your people call my people

 

post church taco bell.  it happened.  and it was delightful.

i mean.  cutest ever?  i think so.

those lips...they're smooch machines.

trying my damndest to get the girl outside for some photos. 
she was later forced.  completely against her will.

which did not result in the best photos ever.

i told you...smooch machines

these two!

be still my heart

found a wild animal!

at least HE thinks he's a wild animal.

 

searching high and low for those eggs!

another basket from Joan, her nanny.

cake before bed.  always a good idea.

 

Hope your Easter was fun too!

 

- K